Author Archives: Madhusudan Raj

Who Is Responsible for the Bad Loans (Non-Performing Assets) Problem?

A mud-slinging exercise is going on between the former Congress and present BJP government about who is responsible for the mounting non-performing assets (bad loans) problem. Political parties, as usual, are blaming each other for this mess. Former RBI governor Dr. Raghuram Rajan implicated bankers themselves for this problem. In a note on bank non-performing […]

Book Review: “The Long Divergence: How Islamic Law Held Back the Middle East”

The Long Divergence: How Islamic Law Held Back the Middle East. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013 by Timur Kuran Middle East, the region that includes the old Ottoman Empire, Iran, Egypt, the Maghreb (Tunisia, Algeria, Libya etc., countries), is marred with economic backwardness and wars at least since last millennia. This cradle of civilization, where […]

Privatizing Protection, Rescue and Relief Work

The recent historic flooding in Kerala killed hundreds of people and damaged billions of rupees worth of property while displacing more than million people. Keralites are going to need some time to get out of this shock. This flood once again raised many important questions like who is responsible for this flood? Is this a […]

Should We Not Worry About the Falling Rupee?

The turmoil in the Forex market continues and with it the collapse of Indian currency rupee. The Indian currency rupee breached the level of 70 against US dollar for the first time in its entire history. And this fall isn’t finished yet. The chances of it falling further are high. In the aftermath of this […]

Breaking the Backbone of India

The Informal sector is what keeps India moving. That part of the market keeps on working and so you get your daily milk, vegetables and newspapers delivered to your doorsteps.  According to ILO, close to 81% of the Indian jobs are in this informal sector. Informal sector is the backbone India’s economy. Since coming to […]