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ILLUSIONS Of GROWTH

Powered by easy credit, a section of Indians is splurging on premium products; at the same time, agricultural wages have stagnated and the share of the self-employed has steadily gone up. Post-pandemic, the Indian economy is going through a lop-sided recovery

B.K. KALRA GenAI WILL MAKE CREATIVITY MORE PRECIOUS

Change is difficult, but it also brings agility, says B.K. Kalra, president and CEO of global IT services company Genpact, referring to the disruption in businesses brought about by generative artificial intelligence. In an exclusive interview with Nishant, he gives details of Genpact's focus on becoming an Al-first company, its Al-assisted learning platform Genome, its strategy for growth in coming years and more. Edited excerpts:

HUNGRY AND POOR YOKED TO FARM POLICIES

Farmers are demanding a legal guarantee of MSP on crops. But MSP is not the silver bullet; over the past two decades, high food inflation has distorted not just the Indian economy but has also affected millions of poor, making India perform poorly on the global hunger index

The rich are getting richer, but the poor are not getting poorer : T.V.SOMANATHAN

Increasing consumption among the middle class and the poor in India is a valid policy challenge, the answer to which lies in creating more jobs, says T.V. Somanathan, finance secretary and secretary of expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance. In an exclusive interview, he also discusses why the current income tax rates are reasonable and why he finds the 3% fiscal deficit target questionable among other issues.Edited excerpts:

DIE ANOTHER DAY

Having fallen out of favour with investors, shareholders and the Reserve Bank of India in recent months, the cause of Paytm’s current woes is the same that led to its initial quick rise Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

TAKING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Hailing from Amarkantak, a town nestled amid mountains in Madhya Pradesh, love for activities like mountain climbing, paragliding and bouldering came naturally to Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder of edtech start-up Scaler

A REJECTION THAT CHANGED INDIAN IT SECTOR'S FACE

Before he set up what was to become one of Indian IT sector's biggest success stories, Narayana Murthy was rejected by Wipro chairman Azim Premji. The Infosys chairman later found out that Premji considered this one of his gravest errors of judgement.

"Our Mission is Not Just About Transportation; It's About Empowerment"

As CEO of PMI Electro Mobility Solutions Pvt Ltd, Aanchal Jain brings a new perspective to EV industry. She is an alumnus of Northwestern University and LSE and a visiting scholar at Harvard University and faculty at the University of California. Excerpts from an interview with Saurabh Kumar:

Past Triggers Set To Charge The Future

As India continues its voyage towards net zero, positive developments of the last year will gather pace and strengthen the foundations of a clean energy ecosystem powered by renewables

SECI Plays Pivotal Role in Powering India With Renewables

The Solar Energy Corporation of India emerges as a leading force for creating an enabling renewable energy ecosystem and laying the foundations of a sustainable future in India

"We Aim to Transform The Future of Mobility"

An industry veteran, Devndra Chawla is the driving force behind GreenCell Mobility's ambitious objective to establish itself as a leader in the shared electric mobility space across India. Excerpts from an interview with Saurabh Kumar:

Bisleri Drives Sustainability with Water Conservation and Plastic Recycling Initiatives

In its pursuit of sustainability, Bisleri takes bold strides in water conservation and plastic recycling with impactful initiatives such as Bottles for Change and Project Nayi Umeed that define the brand's commitment to a greener world

Time To Step on The Gas

It is an imperative to bring parity between Compressed Biogas (CBG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) prices to promote CBG as an alternative fuel in the interest of the gas-based economy

"UFlex is Committed to Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2035"

Jeevaraj Gopal Pillai is an eminent leader in the packaging industry. A mechanical engineer with an MBA degree, Pillai has been associated with UFlex, a renowned packaging company, for the last 27 years.

Climate Action Set To Weather Volatile Times

Even as climate action weathers potentially disruptive uncertainties, including wars, geopolitical tensions, and elections in the world's biggest democracies, the global sustainability agenda promises to stay on track through 2024

"We Are One of The First FMCG Companies to Achieve Plastic Neutrality"

A transformational leader, Angelo George has positioned Bisleri as a socially responsible brand, leading initiatives for plastic and water neutrality. Excerpts from an interview with Saurabh Kumar:

India Inc. Gears Up For Climate Action

As sustainability gathers momentum, corporates in India are embedding climate action in operations, focussing on crucial touchpoints like green energy and geospatial technology

AVIATION ON A NET-ZERO FLIGHT

The aviation industry's rapid growth is triggering concerns over carbon emissions. Investing in sustainable aviation fuel, modern infrastructure and technology, besides giving the obvious returns of reduced emissions, will help amplify India's pitch as a responsible partner in the global climate action story

CBAM KNOTS IN INDIA'S TEXTILE STORY

Months after the European Union launched the transitional phase of its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the textile sector, though not yet included in the target sectors, in India finds itself highly unprepared for the impact. From challenges posed by environmental compliance demands to rivals' growth and slow governance support, the industry faces a complex fabric of issues

A DEEPER ALLIANCE WITH DEEPFAKE

While it has gained notoriety for its unethical use, deepfake technology has the ability to revolutionise businesses in areas like advertising, education, political campaigning, etc. Regulatory support and greater inclusion in the formal IT sector can lend it the much-needed legitimacy

MELTDOWN IN THE POWER CORRIDORS

After years of dominating the power trading market, the Indian Energy Exchange stares at loss of leadership position and relevance as the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission gears up to implement market coupling of power exchanges. Seen as the first step towards a centralised power distribution, this move could pose an existential threat to IEX

OLA ON FULL CHARGE FOR ITS IPO RIDE

The electric two-wheeler manufacturer is betting big on its proposed IPO, with nearly half the shares on offer for sale coming from founder Bhavish Aggarwal's account. While its position as a market leader is a huge confidence booster, Aggarwal's past failures, unfavourable reports around regulation violations and battery mishaps might dent its prospects

Collaborative Efforts Key to Eastern India's Development

The eastern region of India presents a paradox, being commonly characterised as a region abundant in resources yet plagued by poverty. It is imperative that governmental support, both at the Central and state levels, be directed towards this region to foster a conducive environment for business. Business growth alone can break down forever the persistent barrier of poverty in this region.

Market Forces Alone Not Enough to End East's Poverty

To achieve India’s ambition of Viksit Bharat@2047, it is crucial that all states and regions contribute to India’s development. Equitable participation in India’s growth story by all states will not only ensure greater social inclusion but will also support and nurture the country’s fascinating diversity.

RAGE OF THE FAST AND FURIOUS

Southern states are angry despite being beneficiaries, along with western states, of the country's unequal industrial development. In their rush to gather new forms of industrial opulence, ... they continue to benefit from the cheap labour of central and eastern regions. Will the former share their riches for a more equitable growth of the union of states?

Inside India's Podcast Revolution

The rising popularity of podcasting has made India the third largest listening market in the world. Considered still in its infancy, the Indian podcast industry is drawing attention from brands and has created its own set of influencers who are as popular as they get

SANJEEV BARNWAL

FOUNDER AND CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MEESHO

OPENING HAPPINESS WITH A CHILL PILL

Juan Pablo Rodriguez, the chief executive officer of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, aims to do his best each day and believes in enjoying the present to the fullest without worrying excessively about the future

CUSTOMERS WANT ELEVATED SAFETY, REFINED DRIVING EXPERIENCES

Aryaman Thakker, executive director of premium and luxury car dealer Group Landmark, talks about five trends in consumer demands and expectations from the automobile industry and how it is responding to them

WHEN A GLOBAL COLA GIANT GOT A LESSON IN HUMOUR

The campaign for non-alcoholic beverage Pepsi is a major highlight of ad film director Prahlad Kakar's extensive portfolio. However, while things took off to a great start, they did not quite end well. In his memoir, Kakar gets candid about his relation with the brand, from having an exciting collaboration that was instrumental in the brand's rise in India to eventually parting ways over difference of creative opinions