In a recent blog post, I had written that a necessary, even if not very engaging, part of building a brand is how it is valued. And I had promised to share some of my initial thoughts on the subject. As a writer in the advertising and brand communications industry who also happens to be… Continue reading Some Thoughts on Brand Valuations
Living through a raging pandemic as we are in India, we don't need a bigger calamity in our lives. But we witnessed one briefly this past week, as Cyclone Tauktae stormed through Goa and along the entire western coastline of India. With the first thunder and lightning power went out, plunging us in darkness for… Continue reading Writings on The Wall #20: Calamity
In recent days, we in India have been witnessing people throwing caution to the winds, in the name of religious fervour. This, even as the Covid-19 pandemic ravages the country, with the discovery of a new, highly transmissible variant first found in India, the B.1.617. Whether it is the Maha Kumbh Mela, or the celebration… Continue reading Reading Russell During the Pandemic
As the Covid pandemic rages in India, one cannot help but think of how our leaders were gloating over having controlled the pandemic just a few months ago. In many other countries too, populist leaders - especially strongmen – were either in complete denial over the virus and contagion, or else were too absorbed in… Continue reading Ovid in the Time of Covid: Self-absorption
Over a year ago, when the Covid-19 pandemic which started in Wuhan, China, spread around the world, there were accusations targeted at China by the US and China retaliated with its own allegations. When all the accusations and counter-accusations had died down, countries began to close down their economies to focus on containing the spread… Continue reading Why Global Cooperation Is Fraying
The surging numbers of fresh Covid cases in India makes for grim reading, day after day. The daily hunt for hospitals, oxygen, ambulances, even cremation ground space is simply heart-rending. It seems that our cities have turned into funeral pyres, with not enough space to even cremate or bury their dead. If times weren’t already… Continue reading Testing Democracy in a Pandemic
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
As we await the results of the state assembly elections on May 2, 2021, Tamil Nadu in particular would be one to watch for various reasons. One would be to see if and how the BJP improves its score card in the state, even if in alliance with the AIADMK. The other would be to… Continue reading Periyar – The Great One – on Brahminism and Social Reform
Just a few months ago, India was being lauded for how well it had handled the Covid-19 pandemic and how the severe lockdowns that were imposed in 2020 actually worked. Never mind that they were cruel on the lives of millions of migrant workers and their livelihoods. Still, the fact that the government quickly scrambled… Continue reading Indian Economy Caught Between a Raging Pandemic and Politics
As countries go in for mass vaccination drives, the hope is that they may soon be able to reopen parts of their economies that have been severely affected. Like dining, entertainment, travel and more. And while technology has certainly come to the rescue of many, allowing people to shop online, stream films and concerts, and… Continue reading Writings on The Wall #19: Dining Out
Peripatetic Perch 