Reflections

Book Review: Fifteen Judgements – Cases That Shaped India’s Financial Landscape By Saurabh Kirpal Image Source - Amazon.in The modern concept of Economics is more towards the economic landscape being more of a political economy, given the advent of tariffs, regulations, trading blocs, and more – combined with the need to balance environment, and the need to balance the needs of various internal subgroups of citizens. This has tended to intertwine the political, regulatory, and economic sectors completely together in a conjoint situation, perhaps for the best. Just in the recent past, there have been many instances when the judiciary has adjudicated / called upon to adjudicate on many aspects of this political economy. The current book under review looks at 15 such seminal cases.   What The Book Examines These 15 cases are those that have had, or, in the more recent examples taken the potential to have, a lasting impact on the direction and, in some ways, structure of the India...

  Book Review   - Ganesha’s Global Startup Prachi Garg   Ganesha’s Global Startup is the third book of the Fiction Series on Startup business models from Ms Prachi Garg, and her 6 th book overall. All previous titles are on Startups, making Ms Garg India’s {maybe the world?} first and only Startup series writer in both Fiction and Non-Fiction. This book, like the other two before this, is also based on a fictional startup, and its planning, strategisation, tactical execution and growth phases, including funding, organic and inorganic strategies, and more.   THE IMPACT OF READING IN THE PRACTICAL WORLD I am myself in the startup space, and have handled more than a dozen startups in various consulting full time  and part time capacities; in my opinion, the 6 books, all of them, are valuable resources for any startup expert on enthusiast.  More than once her first 3 books have given me reference models and examples in my professional capacity. More than once,...

REALISM : THE WAY OUT OF NEGATIVITY   A lot h as been said about positivity in relation to negative situations one finds oneself in; this article attempts to examine that, basis personal experience, and challenge long-held beliefs, basis learnings through deep personal association with pain stretching over a long time. It is said being positive, dreaming, looking sunny etc are the anecdote, that one should try to be upbeat and gung-ho as far as is possible for one to be.   Been there, done that. Dreams and positive thoughts don't help at all. They didn’t for me, at any rate. What helps, then? Realistic assessment, plus n minus awareness, recognition of your flaws, recognition of your strong points, and a plan out of it. In the plan dreams aren't good: small steps, tackle the immediate problems first, and move ahead Also, capacity and capability building, up skilling and constant effort. Accept flaws, yet realise you are not responsible for the mess.   ACCEPTAN...

BOOK REVIEW : JASMINE BUILDS ON SHIFTING SANDS Author : Sanjay Desai ConsciousLeap Publication   This is a genuinely surprising package, far beyond my expectations. And as this book has come as a total   surprise, I will deviate from my usual format to a different presentation. First of all, kudos to Mr Desai for writing such a good yet different book, and kudos to the publication house for bringing it to us readers. I went into it with zero expectations, though the blurb had told me this should be good. I needn’t have worried – it is excellent! The book is a nice, clean, fast paced narrative of a touching set of connected stories, told in a very evocative way that actually builds images in your mind!  Image Source: ConsciousLeap Publications   The story, such as it is, is in two parts. part 1 is a lecture, and part 2 is a very nice enticing story. Let me start with part 2 first. The second part is sandwiched between 2 halves of part 1;   and is th...

  CORONAVIRUS : The Recovery Path A CoMorbidity Patient’s Perspective   This is the 2 nd and concluding part of my experiences with Covid19 on a first-person basis. In this path I outline my experiences as a recovering patient. This is my personal account, and not meant to be   extrapolatable – in other words, learn from this, but do not assume symptoms or approach or diet for yourself without proper medical guidance. This is a serious issue – and my objective is to give those who are unaware of the reality of this disease an opportunity to read about a firstperson patient’s experience.   Further, please note that my experience is firstly of borderline Coronavirus, and is that of a person with CoMorbities – Diabetes {4 years}, Asthma {16 years} and Hypertension {24 years} in a background of Cervical Spondylosis {14 Years} and minor infarcts {10 years} {due to BP} in my brain. I do not know of the technicalities, though am a Biology Grad, and deeply passion...

  BOOK REVIEW : ARTHASHASTRA – THE SCIENCE OF WEALTH Thomas R Trautmann   This is a book that deals with a subject long-overdue for attention, both in my reading as well as in the national consciousness. I cant say National Reading Habits, for reading is not a habit in the modern world – anything but. So, National Consciousness it has to be. We, the modern educated individuals, regard Western Treatises on Commerce & Economics as the gold standard; no problems with that. But we should also be aware of the highly advanced concepts listed in our ancient literature – I refer specifically to the Arthashastra of Kautilya. Sadly, we are not conversant, living in a world as we are that idolizes western thought, and discounts local practices and writings.   Those of you who are looking for inspiration or confirmation that western economic theories originated in the Arthashastra – don’t pick this one up. But if you are curious about the Arthashastra, and what it ment...