Covid-19 and The Big Reset: Owl Wisdom Podcast

As we cope with the world's worst pandemic, I would like you to join me in looking forward to a post-Covid world. In this Covid-19 special edition of Owl Wisdom Podcast, I try to anticipate our future after Covid and examine critical issues that the world must confront together to fight for healthier lives. It… Continue reading Covid-19 and The Big Reset: Owl Wisdom Podcast

The Anarchy: A Cautionary Tale of Capitalism

I have never understood the recent trend (a decade or more) of subtitling book titles, and I suspect itโ€™s the publishersโ€™ tactic of trying to boost book sales. But in the case of William Dalrympleโ€™s recent tome, The Anarchy, the subtitle actually does more justice to the subject: The East India Company, Corporate Violence and… Continue reading The Anarchy: A Cautionary Tale of Capitalism

Stakeholder Capitalism, What’s at Stake and Why: Owl Wisdom Podcast

Hello and welcome to the third of my Owl Wisdom Podcasts. This March 2020 edition focuses on the concept of stakeholder capitalism that is gaining ground around the world. Most importantly in the US, the hotbed of laissez faire capitalism, and also in parts of Western Europe. In this edition I look at the origins… Continue reading Stakeholder Capitalism, What’s at Stake and Why: Owl Wisdom Podcast

Of Bluster, Braggadocio and Burnt Embers

"Howdy Modi" was returned with "Namastรฉ Trump" in equal pomp and splendor. No stone was left unturned in welcoming Trump to India: he got to inaugurate the worldโ€™s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, in Modiโ€™s home state, and the city got a new wall (one that would make Trump proud) to keep the slums and… Continue reading Of Bluster, Braggadocio and Burnt Embers

Does India’s Budget 2020 Rev Up Growth: Owl Wisdom Podcast

The Indian government just presented the Union Budget for 2020-21 a few days ago, and this one was more anticipated than those in years gone by for the simple reason that the current slowdown in the Indian economy is unprecedented. In this Indian budget special edition of the Owl Wisdom Podcast, I examine the highlights… Continue reading Does India’s Budget 2020 Rev Up Growth: Owl Wisdom Podcast

Five Highs and Lows in 2020: Owl Wisdom Podcast

It's not a New Year resolution, but I thought it might be a good idea for me to attempt podcasting in 2020 as a way of adding another dimension to my blog. And in keeping with the tradition of my blog, the podcasts too will be written at the intersection of business, economics, politics and… Continue reading Five Highs and Lows in 2020: Owl Wisdom Podcast

Of Calendars and Clocks

Thereโ€™s something about beginning a new year. Besides the usual greetings and celebrations, thereโ€™s also a more mundane aspect to it. Many folks like to make a new year resolution, for example. And it usually has to do with giving up some of your favourite โ€“ and not-good-for-you โ€“ habits like smoking, late nights, or… Continue reading Of Calendars and Clocks

A Paean to Thymos

Over a year ago, I had written a post on identity politics as it exists around the world, including in India, and in it I had referred to an excerpt from Francis Fukuyamaโ€™s new book, Identity, that I happened to read online on Quillette. I had then said that I would like to read the… Continue reading A Paean to Thymos

Revisionism Stirring a Hornetโ€™s Nest in India

What started out in the state of Assam as a citizenship determination exercise, has now snowballed into a national and constitutional crisis. The government at the Centre justifies its stand on the grounds that they are correcting a historical wrong and are meeting an election promise. And they are determined to make both CAA (Citizenship… Continue reading Revisionism Stirring a Hornetโ€™s Nest in India

When Lady Courage Wields Her Pen

Let me start by confessing that I am embarrassed that it has taken me a year to read the books that I had bought last year, and write about them. There has just been so much to read through the year, that I kept putting off reading the books that I had bought at last… Continue reading When Lady Courage Wields Her Pen