Ujjwal K Chowdhury

Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury The middle classes world-over are the ones that have benefited the most from the modern state and its support of public transport, public schools, public health, public housing programs, public sector jobs. And, the middle classes today across the world are up in arms against the system and coming to the streets. From Occupy Wall Street in US to Arab Spring in Egypt, from anti corruption movement in India or anti austerity movement in Spain or Greece to anti fundamentalism movement in Bangladesh, from movement against rape in South Asian nations to movement for political stability ...

In recent times, the world media has almost written off the Indian growth story. Yes, there are several setbacks with growth igures coming below six percent in a quarter and the rupee’s devaluation heavily over the last one year, apart from the industrial slowdown. However, there are more than 50 reasons to celebrate the Indian economy as we view the possibilities in 2013. The story cannot be inished for a nation with the world’s youngest population (66 percent below 35 years of age), with one in every six people owning some business, farm sector experiencing growth unlike the developed world, ...

The horrific gang-rape of the 23-year-old young paramedic girl in Delhi on December 16, and her subsequent death, has stirred the soul of India on the issues of safety and dignity of women, perhaps like never before. Tens and thousands of men and women, teenagers and even children have come out in more than 30 cities of India and may be many other places unreported in the national media to express solidarity with the braveheart. They have demanded death penalty for the six rapists (all arrested), and changes in the antiquated laws on assaults on women to make life imprisonment ...

The World Economic Forum India 2012 meet held in Gurgaon was significant not just for India but for the rest of the world as well. More than 700 business leaders from 43 countries took part. The discussions involved several concerns. As Europe continues to face a massive liquidity crunch – barring Germany – it is looking towards BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and perhaps Turkey. A major worry is that India may grow at the slowest rate in a decade, surely below 6%. A slump in industrial activity because of slow policy-making and the global slowdown, along ...

Facts, figures and data about any issue, place or person constitute information. Information, when collated, processed and applied in a situation, gains ‘contextual relevance’, and becomes knowledge. When knowledge is creatively used over a period of time with innovations evolved therein, we move towards wisdom. While knowledge is about best practices, wisdom is about next practices. Wisdom is about Innovation Quotient, going beyond the quotients of intelligence, emotion and passion of knowledge. ...

Calling for an end to the indefinite fast by Anna Hazare and three members of the Team Anna at Jantar Mantar recently, 22 eminent citizens appealed to them, saying, “Instead, we call upon them to focus their energies on creating an alternative political force that is democratic, accountable, ethical and non-violent and capable of leading an electoral revolution to democratise and decentralize power and make the power structures of the country more accountable to the people.” The names included those of retired General V K Singh, retired Chief Justice V R Krishna Iyer, actor Anupam Kher, among others. That’s what ...

Inheriting a huge debt, overdraft, many ailing PSUs and government initiatives, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has done quite a lot in a year in power. A major challenge has been the ailing state healthcare system, though Banerjee has been trying her best to streamline them. After a spate of newborn deaths across the state, she has handpicked Sanjay Mitra, ex-joint secretary in the PMO, as principal secretary in the health department, and 21 sick newborn care units have been set up. Several task forces, comprising management gurus of IIM- Kolkata, socio-economists, senior physicians and paediatricians to streamline healthcare, have ...

Indian cinema, the largest by volume and the second largest by value in the world, turns a grand and graceful old lady of 100 years. Although there is a lot of talk about the occasion, I’d rather look at the next few years ahead of us. Before I deal with that, however, I must emphasize on the need to celebrate the century of Indian cinema all through 2012 till the middle or end of 2013. Indian cinema in general, and Bollywood in particular, has reached out to more viewers than we would have imagined till sometime ago. I remember how ...

Rajasthan’s USPs can attract major investments. The state has a strategic location, talent pool, natural resources, access to consumer markets, great infrastructure, more potential for auto components, solar, renewable energy, gems, jewellery and textiles sectors, and unique tourist attractions. However, certain issues need better management through communication and industrial policies. These include uneven investments, limited access to coastline, water shortage and supply, and competition from neighbouring states, especially Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. The ‘Invest Rajasthan’ and ‘Resurgent Rajasthan’ websites contain the same information. What is required is one government portal which is updated on a daily basis. ...

The 2012 polls for five state assemblies in India have been the most interesting ones in recent times. And the impact can be seen: some immediate and some long-term. BJP has been defeated in most of the seats in Ayodhya-Faizabad belt, which is the epicentre of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Congress has been routed in the family pocket borough of Amethi-Rae Bareily- Sultanpur for the first time. Akali Dal-BJP lost vote share in comparison to 2007 polls in Punjab, but got more seats this time, and returned to power for a record second time, thanks to development agenda in governance. ...