Author: Raoji

Categories
BookReview

Book Review:A bank for the buck


This is in continuation of my book review series (see here)

“A bank for the buck” by Tamal Bandyopadhyay is a book on the birth and growth of HDFC Bank

I have admired Tamal for his incisive newspaper columns and he has covered the Indian financial industry for a long time (see this).

This book contains lots of interesting anecdotes (see this) which gives one a ringside view of the making of HDFC Bank.

One thing that stuck me while reading this book is how much “an old boy’s network” the Indian banking industry is.Everybody seems to know everybody else in the Indian banking sector.

Would strongly recommend this book to readers who want to know more about HDFC Bank and the Indian banking industry.

Categories
Observations

Chidambaram’s gifts to India

Mr.Chidamabaram has presened eight union budgets, 2 short of Moraji Desai’s record 10 budgets.

In these eight budgets, Mr.Chidambaram has introduced taxes whose acronyms have become part of daily usage.Have enclosed the list below:

Chidambaram’s Budget # Year New Tax/Proposal Introduced New Acronym introduced
1 1996-1997 Minimum Alternate Tax MAT
2 1997-98 Voluntary Disclosure Scheme VDS
3 2004-05 Securities Transaction Tax STT
4 2005-06 Fringe Benefits Tax FBT
4 2005-06 Banking Cash Transaction Tax BCTT
7 2008-09 Commodities Transaction Tax CTT
Categories
TEDTalks

How pig parts make the world turn

Categories
This is India !

Disciple declares Guru dead to get property

This post is in continuation of This is India ! series (see here)

Yugal Bihari Das, a senior Naga Vairagi of Hanumangarhi, was relatively unlucky. When he was ousted, he could not get anyone to fight on his behalf. About a decade ago, while he was away from Ayodhya, his disciple Ramagya Das declared him dead, organised a bhandara (community feast) in honour of the ‘departed soul’ and took over his Asthan (seat) in Hanumangarhi.

 

After his return, Yugal Bihari Das spent years trying to convince other sadhus as well as local officials that he was alive, but to no effect. Frustrated by everyone’s acceptance of the exaggerated news of his death, he recently left Ayodhya for good and is said to be living somewhere in Bihar.

–from Open Magazine

Categories
Links

Weekend Mega Linkfest:March 01,2013

Some off beat reads for the weekend:

The reality of real estate (Moneylife)

Drinking in Kerala-Rum, rum everywhere (Economist)

Land grab in Ayodhya (Open)

Weapons payload (Outlook)

Bangladesh,what Bangladesh? (Newslaundry)

Rahul Pandita on Kashmir and its stories(Forbes)

Mangalore-Where the morality is saffron colored (Tehelka)

The fishy history of McDonald’s Filet o fish sandwich (Smithsonian)

My dad was not ready to die (Slate)

Apple Vs Wall Street (NewYorker)

Billionaire Bill Ackman’s ill fated bike ride (VanityFair)

The benefits of optimism are real (Atlantic)

An economic explanation for the persistence of caste in India (IdeasforIndia)

Spoof:David Cameroon explains his India trip to his wife (UnrealTimes)

10 truths about being an entrepreneur (Rodinhoods)

Why Iran won’t budge (ProjectSyndicate)

A guide to owning a Harley Davidson in India (TeamBHP)

Tom Freston, runaway Mogul (Men’sJournal)

A profile of Fauja Singh, 101 year old runner (ESPN)

The rise of the new Shanghai (DesignObserver)