We are what we are !!

Oranisation for Islamic Cooperation has 53 member countries and out of which seven nations have the suffix "stan" in their names. If your look at the etymology of the word "stan" , you will find that this derived from Sanskrit and its origin clearly show towards the direction of India. Many scholars call it Proto-Iranian-Indian origin but those who have studied Sanskrit know that the word Sthan is extensively used in our literature to denote a land.Even the temple in India is called Devasthan and India is full of such Devasthans. What I am driving at is that the Muslim World predominantly uses this Sthan or its shortened Stan to denote its countries including Pakistan, Kazakhastan , Turkmenistan etc. Apart from this both Pakistan and Bangladesh owe its existence due to the benevolence and brotherhood of India. India is replete with example of religious harmony and Sabarimala in South india offers ample testimony to the syncretic Indian culture which behoves t...

Who says nothing is free in economics. All of us want everything free and Modi Govt should find a solution to all our problems today and today itself. All this in the name of pandemic. This Rs.20 lac cr is the most maligned number like "Rs.15 lac in bank account of everyone." People have been counting zeroes or sibals in this huge number .People started hearing about 1 lac crore during UPA times when Govt auditor bandied 1.76 lac cr.for the first time in his scathing 2G audit report. So now Rs.1 lac cr. has fallen out of fashion and so 10 lac cr. is better keeping pace with the inflation of our times. Like director Shankar's mega block buster big budget bash, Modi has to announce this humongous figure to take the wind out of opposition's sails. this package has pulled many punches and seems to contain well thought out stimulus prescriptions. Some short term like money to Jan dhan accounts and many medium to long term .As we all are used to crisis for bringi...

There is a raging controversy as to why Indians in general advocate vegetarianism as against the world view of eating according to one's preferences. It is an established fact that we are driven by our chemistry which is made up of enzymes et al derived from what we eat. Then isn't it true what we eat guides us both physically as well as mentally. Swami Vivekananda on nonvegetarian diet: "About vegetarian diet I have to say this - first, my Master was a vegetarian; but if he was given meat offered to the Goddess, he used to hold it up to his head. The taking of life is undoubtedly sinful; but so long as vegetable food is not made suitable to the human system through progress in chemistry, there is no other alternative but meat-eating. So long as man shall have to live a Rajasika (active) life under circumstances like the present, there is no other way except through meat-eating. It is true that the Emperor Asoka saved the lives of millions of animals, by the thr...

Governments looking for an exit , looking for an excuse to wriggle out, looking for an alibi have all got a valid reason-COVID 19. In the name of COVID 19 nations are filing compensatory suits against sovereign countries. Govt agencies and big corporates around the world are invoking force majeure clauses for reneging on the contracts. Suddenly the corporate legal etiquettes are no more sacrosanct. The times are unprecedented and the usage of the word 'Unprecedented" has been unprecedented ,as commented by one journalist. Govts. are exceeding their budgetary deficit limits, want to try "the nuclear options" of fully monetising the deficits,drop helicopter money, encourage everybody to borrow and spend,pushing the lenders to go on a lending spree and loan deferrals and waivers left, right and  centre. In short spend your way through the disease and misery. But none of them are clear as to who is going to foot this spendthrifts' bill. We, in three years time, ...

 Price Risk Management fund is an important economic concept especially in emerging economies like India. Commodity Price fluctuations especially in Oil, Rubber etc. impact the allocation of resources in countries like India. The volatility in the prices of such commodities in the international markets affect the prices in India.When the gyrations of price of movements are carried into the economy there will be steep fall and rise in the local prices, which affect the consumers  by distorting their incomes.This in turn affect the allocation of resources over the medium term and long term as depressed prices drive out further investments in Oil etc and inflated prices bring in increased investments which may become unviable after some time. Inorder to buffer the violent fluctuations in the prices when the international prices are high govt collects Price Risk Management levy from local producers and keep it in a separate kitty and then when international prices are low giv...

Many researches around the world are frantically searching for the elusive vaccine to COVID 19. There are rumours at every corner either saying vaccine is there or never.In the morning news some scientist says there is probably no vaccine as it is like common flu or cold and 'herd immunity' is a better solution than lockdown.In the evening some scientist claims that there has been a breakthrough in finding a vaccine and till it is available everybody should be under lockdown.Next day morning another renowned medical expert asks how can you have a vaccine for 10 different mutated versions of Covid 19.Another nobel laureate says there cannot be a vaccine for lab made designer virus.Third day another pharma company claims antibody breakthrough and then fourth day another one debunks yesterday's claim and says their new medicine is a miracle cure. Finally another scientist says this pandemic is exaggerated and the mathematical models should not be considered by Govts for formu...

How to tie down 138 cr Indians. That requires great skill and our bureaucracy has that unenviable skill in abundance. Try reading what is permitted in Red, Orange, Green zones now and try to explain it to yourself or to your wife. You will ultimately end up in knots, which made somebody to remark in Twitter to start a Ministry for Issuing clarifications to these orders. Govt has taken a tough decision to extend the lockdown by another 2 weeks. Many now are saying incl. Infosys Narayanamurthy that now people will start dying due to hunger more than those who die due to COBID 19. It is a catch 22 situation for Govt. "Damn you do, damn you dont do". Perhaps Govt is planning a staggered exit with the relaxations announced in Orange and Green zone districts. Some are impractical like 2 passengers in a private car with one driver in the front etc. So if you have to undertake an emergency travel what will you do with your children. Simple is dont travel. Red zones do s and do...