When I think about water, I wonder why this topic does not get more attention. But I guess I should not be surprised.
Water is humdrum; so very unsexy. There is nothing titillating about it. It hardly arouses passion – or gets someone in frenzy. It has zero glamour. Frankly, it is quite boring. […]
Category: Development Related
4 Lakh illegal rickshaws, 6 Lakh illegal vendors and Why Politics Matters – even to Entrepreneurs
In an earlier post on entrepreneurship, I mentioned how “the “burden” of government can be very heavy – which is why it takes 11 steps on an average, to start a business in India. Not just that, these 11 steps take about 89 days on an average! In that same post, I also wrote: “I have nothing against the government trying to help entrepreneurs. It should; it must”. What exactly did I mean by that?
Did I mean that the government should give handouts to entrepreneurs – or somehow select potential …
Kerela’s development has nothing to do with Communism or Socialist Policies..
..so it would seem. Excerpts from “The Dakshina Kannada Model” (written almost five years ago; emphasis added):
Everyone talks of the Kerala model, but to the north of Kerala lie two districts called Dakshina Kannada (headquarters: Mangalore) and Udupi, which, if I am not wrong, are doing just as well as, if not better than, Kerala.
…The state and the district have a lot in common.
…More importantly, the socio-economic profile is similar. People have similar attitudes towards education. The schools in Mangalore are supposed to be the best in Karnataka…Education of women …
Of Islamic VC Funds and Christian Chambers of Commerce
Hidden among the news of last few days was an innocuous and brief report which I am certain most of you missed.
It talked about an “Excellence Award” for 2012 that was bestowed upon Dr Augustine F Pinto (Chairman) and Grace Pinto (MD) of the Ryan Group of Institutions by the Governor of Rajasthan, Margaret Alva (thanks to Sh Krishen Kak for alerting me).
What was interesting was not the award but the body that was honouring Dr Pinto and Grace Pinto. This organisation was the Christian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Now, …
How can the government help me? Challenging the “mai-baap sarkaar”
Over the last few days, I have had the extraordinary opportunity to address literally hundreds of students and youngsters at workshops across the country on entrepreneurship. Can you guess the one common refrain that has taken me by surprise? It is a question that invariably gets asked in during the open Q&A session – tentatively at first – then supported by more voices.
The question is simple: “What can the government do for us?” My instinctive response to such a question is to relate the Reagan quip, “I am from the …