NOTES FROM AN INDIAN CONSERVATIVE

From the global economy and the environment to Dom Moraes’ poetry and John Le Carre’s oeuvre of writing, The Indian Express columnist Jaithirth Rao’s new book, Notes from an Indian Conservative, which was launched on Thursday, spans a wide canvas, much like the varied interests and insights of the banker-turned-writer who is considered a unique intellectual. I believe in a minimalist state,” said Rao at Crossword bookstore, Kemps Corner, Mumbai. The former development division head of Citicorp, Rao is now executive chairman of Value Budget Housing Corporation, a company making affordable houses. “The idea of zero state is as scatterbrained and anarchic as a Stalinist state. But I can’t see either Congress or BJP bringing it about as they’re caught in their own warps,” the author, fondly known as Jerry Rao, said during an interaction at the book launch.

The event was followed by a panel discussion between the author, physician Dr Farokh Udwadia, columnist Tavleen Singh and cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle. The panelists talked about the dismal state of Indian politics with Singh calling for reforms not just involving industry but also in the areas of education, agriculture and culture. “There had been no reform which touched the lives of ordinary Indians. There has been not enough pressure from intelligent and middle class Indians for these changes to happen,” she said.