Percival's Corner

Many pundits believe that Mr. Biden’s double figure lead in the polls is sufficient to crown him as the 46th President of the United States of America. Yet, the world […]

There is no such thing as a “China Expert.” Such is the secretive nature of China’s communist party that information barely trickles out of the ‘bamboo curtain’ and is seldom […]

It is argued that the Chinese economic juggernaut, was already on a roll before China’s membership of the W.T.O. It’s GDP, trade gaps and foreign investment numbers right from the […]

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has puzzled many by assuming the role of a global bully. Contrary to the Sino-British declaration of 1984, it subverted the democratic process […]

India and its people are now poised at the cross roads. What happens in the next few weeks will determine whether the country stands to prosper for much of the […]

Part II: Nationalism and its impact During the time of the great wars young men who turned away from the front lines were shot as traitors. This horrific fact, justified […]

When Ronald Reagan was sworn in, many in India wondered what a failed actor would know about running a country. Apart from ignoring the fact, that he was already Governor […]

“Liberalisation” is a favourite word being bandied about the National Press. What it means is the dismantling of controls, by making economic legislation less stringent. The objective of liberalisation is […]

During most deliberations on the budget, the one economic indicator that attracts the disproportionate attention of most commentators is the question of budgetary deficits. The Economic Survey 2000-01 also waxes […]

The world is in trouble. And not just because young Greta Thunberg says so. On reflection, of the two maladies which affect us all, the more obvious issue is the […]

It may only be my imagination but each time I saw the “debt clock” in New York City it appeared to be notching up numbers faster than before. Now it […]

So far, management and economic pundits continue to be fascinated by the economic battle between USA and Japan. The European Economic Community (EEC) is often viewed as a residual bunch […]

It’s nice to return to my native Bombay, at the tun of the decade. The crowds have grown larger and the dirt and squalor continue to blot the Landscape. And […]

In the past we have had occasion to ruminate about the bureaucratic temperament in these columns. Red tape and nepotism are universally prevalent, although in varying degrees. Yet, the cud-chewing […]

Not too long ago, Indian industry was dominated by a handful of powerful business families. Although most family managed groups hired professional managers, the family’s “style” of doing business would […]

The Stock Exchanges in India have grown in size over the years.  Whereas in 1946, there were just 1,125 listed companies, their number has grown to over 5,000.  The market […]

The Government’s recent blanket ban on expenditure on new projects is symptomatic of a forthcoming financial crunch. When the a record deficit, alarm bells were already ringing in the last […]

Since independence, this nation has invested a phenomenal Rs.50,000 crores in the public sector. It is a chastening thought that if the yield from this sector were only 10% there […]

I was recently horrified to learn that one of the charitable institutions to which I regularly contribute gives donations for higher (??) studies abroad. Nothing saddens me more than to […]