Image credit : Reynold Mascarenhas

Confessions of a Rookie Author: Books Are Like Children and I am Dreading to Have Another

When your book pops out, you are full of hope. After nine months writing it, you start fervently posting pictures of it on social media the moment it’s ready. It seems flawless. And the only person who seems to agree with you, is your mother.

{ May 22, 2019}

Image credit : Robin Chakraborty

A Game of Thrones Ending for All Fans Who Take Themselves Too Seriously

How will the final battle for the Iron Throne play out? Between Jon Snow and Daenerys, we have no viable options left, and with just one episode to go, I’m aiming for the most improbable ending (I’m also expecting Kejriwal will become PM, so don’t take me all that seriously).

{ May 17, 2019}

Image credit : Shruti Yatam

Bad Air Days: Could Jet Airways Ruin Your Summer Holiday Plans?

With cash-strapped Jet Airways suspending flights, air fares are likely to soar. For travellers, the timing could not be worse. April is vacation time in the country and your annual family holiday might just be in peril.

{ March 25, 2019}

Image credit : Robin Chakraborty

Yeh Dosti… Is Adani the Government’s Biggest Beneficiary?

Across the spectrum of government-allotted projects, it appears there is no pie in which Adani does not have a finger. The Gujarat government rescued the Adani Power Project from the brink of bankruptcy. Adani is the sole beneficiary of the Vizhinjam and Mundra Ports project and will soon to be handed over control of six airports.

{ March 11, 2019}

Image credit : Arati Gujar

The Supreme Court Verdict and the Fall of Anil Ambani’s Non-Empire

It takes special talent to be Anil Ambani. He took a billion-dollar business, one half of one of India’s largest corporate empires, and dwindled it down to nothing. After the Supreme Court order that has asked him to pay ₹453 crore, will history remember him only as Mukesh’s unsuccessful brother?

{ february 21, 2019}

Image credit : Robin Chakraborty

No Ball: If Attacks Like Pulwama Continue, Imran Khan Can Kiss “Naya Pakistan” Goodbye

If Imran Khan is serious about redefining Pakistan, now is the time to show his mettle as a leader. Claiming he has more important things to do than worry about martyred soldiers in Kashmir is not a great illustration of good international relations, but committing to bring the terrorists to task would be a good next step

{ february 20, 2019}

Image credit : Shruti Yatam

Do the New FDI Rules Mean the End of Big Fat Online Discounts?

Online giants Amazon and Flipkart have been messing with our local retailers and with elections round the corner how can the government not show concern? They have tightened FDI rules for e-comm. But will this impact customers?

{ february 12, 2019}

Image credit : Akshita Monga

Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki: Should India Be Worried About Its Household Debt?

As reports surface of a doubling of the Indian household debt, it’s a good time to pause and assess the situation. Is this merely a blip in our spending activities, or are we veering toward a westernised consumer culture as feared by so many of our right-wing leaders?

{ february 7, 2019}

Budget 2019: Is the Income Tax Slab Enough to Make Us Forget about Unemployment Rate?

The super-populist interim budget of 2019 had something for everyone – small farmers, the middle class, and retirees. Considering this is an election year, we expected nothing less than a budget to appease the masses. For once, the government has not disappointed.

{ february 1, 2019}

Is Rahul Gandhi’s Minimum Income Guarantee His Biggest Blunder Yet?

Rahul Gandhi’s last-ditch attempt to win voters before the general elections with cash deposits is a cheap political stunt. His promise of minimum wages is testament to his belief that India is a nation of freeloaders, rather than a people who seek fair employment at a fair price.

{ January 31, 2019}

On a Scale of 1 to Manmohan, How Spicy is the Annual Budget Going to Be?

This year’s budget will be worth watching. Even if all we really care about is section 80, there is a lot there that will tell us what our government is thinking. With an election coming up, that’s more important than scrolling through your Instagram feed.

{ January 30, 2019}

George Fernandes, the Giant Killer: Remembering the “Explosive” Life of the Former Defence Minister

George Fernandes is the leader because of whom India had to wait to get a taste of Coca-Cola. He is also the leader who had a penchant for explosions – he was said to have a picture of the Hiroshima bombing in his office. Looking back at the colourful yet controversial life of the former defence minister.

{ January 29, 2019}

“Sir, Jio Nahi Chal Raha”: How Worried Should We Be About India’s Telecom Sector?

We no longer change the topic when someone asks us for our Wi-Fi password. We are even closer to acquiring that elusive 5th G. But the truth is that behind all the rosy consumerism, there is a dark financial tale playing out with the promise of a sinister ending.

{ January 23, 2019}

What the Removal of CBI Chief Alok Verma Says about the State of the Nation

It cannot be said whether shunted CBI chief Alok Verma is truly guilty of the charges set against him. It is tempting to assume he’s innocent, considering how many good men the government has stomped all over these past few years.

{ January 11, 2019}

It’s Time to Stop Sympathising with “Accidental Prime Minister” Manmohan Singh

Among the tainted careers of Indian politicians, Manmohan Singh held his reputation as a squeaky-clean legislator. A new biopic wants us to spoon out sympathy for a man supposedly stuck in a sorry predicament. But let’s please accept that Dr Singh chose not to exercise any power – and that is his true legacy.

{ January 9, 2019}

“Siri, Am I in a Manipulative Relationship with Apple?” Why We’re Enjoying the Decline in iPhone Sales

Like a high-school crush, we’ve allowed Apple to set its terms, offering us very little in the bargain. So when the company announced expected decline in sales, we rejoiced. Maybe now they can start asking questions like, “Why did we laugh at that customer when he asked for a discount?”

{ January 9, 2019}

Throwback 2018: The Year Nirav Modi Gave Mallya #ScamsterGoals & RBI Was More Entertaining than a Rohit Shetty Film

A look back at the year that was for India’s economy. 2018 began with the PNB scandal that might have drawn an impressed slow clap from Vijay Mallya, and ended with the RBI governor resigning, replaced by a man with as much fiscal competence as a gambling addict.

{ December 28, 2018}

Is It Cruel to Question Farm Loan Waivers?

The farm loan waiver is the political Brahmastra, the Draw Four card you play just before the other guy is about to shout “Uno!” because it’s a lot easier to keep farmers on the brink of financial ruin and then sprinkle waivers around to remind them which political party really cares.

{ December 21, 2018}

The Dirty Water Theory or Why We Keep Churning Between the Congress and BJP

When the BJP lost in 2004, we said, “It’s about time.” When they lost again in 2009, we were pleasantly distracted by the poor showing of the CPIM and the idea that a stronger coalition might mean better policy enactments. When Congress lost in 2014, we were back to “It’s about time.”

{ December 14, 2018}

Finance Ministry to Announce Much-Anticipated Release Date for Next Economic Recession

Recessions are like black swans. They’re rare, come out of nowhere, and people frown upon you when you say they look delicious. Is the next one staring us between the eyes? Because it’s been a while since the last one so maybe the next one should just hurry up and get here. And Urjit Patel’s resignation has not helped things.

{ December 13, 2018}

Urjit Patel vs BJP: Where Will the Government Go Looking for an Obedient RBI Governor Now?

Urjit Patel resigned from his post as RBI governor citing that old nugget: “personal reasons”. It doesn’t require a keen student of current affairs to realise that “personal reasons” is just code for “just generally fed up of all this nonsense”.

{ December 11, 2018}

Urjit Patel vs Government: What Really Went Wrong

RBI Governor Urjit Patel has resigned citing personal reasons. The relationship between the Reserve Bank of India and the government has been less BFFs and more “show me the money”. It’s a bit like watching a father deal with a spoilt teenager who has blown away his pocket money and is now asking for an extension on his allowance.

{ December 10, 2018}

Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics: Why You Should Take India’s GDP Numbers With a Pinch of Salt

GDP is to economists what e=mc2 is to physicists, or the “Single Ladies” dance is to Beyoncé fans. But how does one trust the figures? There is the issue of reported data, the methodology, and the unorganised economy. It’s like when my friend tells me he earns less than one lakh rupees a month and then comes to pick me up in a Bentley

{ November 30, 2018}

Once Bitcoin, Twice Shy: To All the Boys Who Mocked Me for Not Buying Cryptocurrency

Last December, when Bitcoin was at its peak, people ridiculed me for investing in shares and gold. Fast forward to November 2018. Suddenly my minus 23 per cent returns on the stock market don’t seem like the worst thing anymore. Bitcoin’s barely clinging to $4,000 – a nearly 80 per cent nosedive since last year.

{ November 27, 2018}

How Will I Pose Like Shah Rukh in Switzerland if the Rupee Continues Falling?

I’m not sure if the lay person really bothers to understand exchange rates, but spare a thought for the boy whose life-long dream has been to stand on the snowy inclines of Switzerland and stretch his arms wide open, Shah Rukh-style. He now needs to be satisfied with a trip to Manali.

{ November 23, 2018}

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When he is not writing satire, Sethi dabbles in darkness. He has written extensively on topics ranging from politics to the 'Game of Thrones' finale...