Why do celebrations mean noise? What is this need in the urban Indian that makes him want to show that he’s having a good time? Can a good time be had in silence? Read more

Since education reforms are back on the radar, it’s time to end all debates and focus on the key issue — our children. The way I see it, all talks of incremental reforms are going to get us nowhere. Such reforms may buy us some time, but what are we going to get by making education more efficient or more flexible, if the basics of what we seek to deliver or what we strive to nourish are flawed? Read more

This post is going to go national today as your blogger evaluates the six pledges and 38 recommendations that the leaders of G20 signed and what they means for India. As I mentioned earlier, there are more benefits than costs and if we were to look at the big picture, I think India has gained. But 6.4 is a pathetic score for leaders of G20 to get in what was the biggest financial event this world has ever seen. Here’s the break-up: Read more

Today, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pressed for a greater role of China in International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a prelude to the G20 meeting on April 2. With this, the first step in reforming this multilateral institution has been taken. That step is to give a greater voice to borrower countries that are poorer than the wealthy nations that lend to the bank. Read more

If experts are to be believed, China is the emerging global strategic power. But India has a strategic opportunity starting it in the face. The question is: can it grab it?

As geopolitics has evolved from the “age of sails” through the “age of space” to “the age of wealth” and conquest is now for the mind of the global consumer — a large chunk of which lies outside any national border — the severe meltdown of the developed economies has lightened their strategic weight. Read more