Category Archives: India

A Leg Up for Indian English

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Basab Pradhan

In the mornings when I drop off my daughter at school, I generally have BBC on the car radio. (It’s Disney if I pick her up. That’s the deal with her. I can subject her to BBC in the mornings … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, India | 3 Comments

Investment Hates Uncertainty, Especially in the Law

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

A couple of unconnected things are throwing dark shadows over this dream run that Foreign Direct Investment into the Indian economy has been having. One, the Income Tax department’s claim on Vodafone for $2.5 B related to its acquisition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, India | 4 Comments

Kenya Challenges Corruption

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

There is something going on in Kenya. In the last 3 months several ministers have resigned an/or have been charged with corruption charges. Here are a few links. What is it about the Indian system that makes it impossible to … Continue reading →

Posted in India | Comments Off

Rumored Candidates for NEC Director

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

Candidates being suggested to replace Larry Summers as Director of the National Economic Council – basically, the President’s top economic advisor – include Indra Nooyi and Diana Farrell. Indra Nooyi is one of the many CEOs whose name is being … Continue reading →

Posted in India, Offshore Services | Comments Off

Indian Balance of Payments and Offshore Services

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

The RBI is concerned about India’s Balance of Payments. One of the reasons ascribed to the growing problem is the slow down in the Indian Offshore Services industry. From today’s FT One reason, the central bank said, for the deterioration … Continue reading →

Posted in Finance, India, Offshore Services | 3 Comments

Real estate prices in India and California

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

Real estate in India looks really inflated to me. Two data points – one in Mumbai on very expensive flat in South Mumbai and another on a more modest flat in the Chennai. The annual rent on both is between … Continue reading →

Posted in Finance, India | 6 Comments

Indian Traffic – An Illustrated Guide

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

You break it, you buy the farm Breaking these rules have a high probability of death or serious injury to self or car 1/ Stop at a red light, especially when there is cross traffic. Dangerous, but it will never … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, India | 1 Comment

Android India

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

For the last two quarters Android has outsold iPhones in the US. It has real momentum behind it. All carriers in the US offer multiple Android smartphones and the rate at which new ones are being introduced can be only … Continue reading →

Posted in India, Technology | 5 Comments

Day One, Chennai

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

I come to India many times a year. Yet the moment I set foot here, the mind starts racing with ideas, thoughts and sometimes rants. It is either because one is bombarded with new stimuli, or its the jet lag … Continue reading →

Posted in India, Technology | 3 Comments

Indians and Unpredictability

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Basab Pradhan

A notice at a neighbourhood Postal Annex. Truly, a picture is worth a thousand words. The proprietor is, you guessed it, Desi. The notice is a microcosm of Indianness. If you get past the English (hey, its a foreign tongue, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, India, Offshore Services | 1 Comment