Giri at 1630 hours on 31st July 2011
There have been voluminous columns that the Indian print media and the tweeting world have devoted during the past week in commenting on the young Pakistani foreign minister and her visit to India that I dare add more on the same. What I do want to comment upon is the lost opportunity for youth in India to have impressed upon her (and indeed the Indian Establishment) the need for a series of “Indo-Pakistan Youth Forum” exchanges as part of the confidence building measures. Why are young politicians, young businessmen and young media-commentators from both sides of the birder seldom seen to be engaged in any bilateral G2G initiatives? What paradigm shifts on the engagement terms are needed for both countries to ensure mutually-reinforcing and sustainable confidence building measures?
As we enter into August, and as much of the world is eagerly looking out to see how the lawmakers in the USA decide in managing their deficits and avoid defaults, as the emerging fiscal environments that many European economies are being forced to grapple with, as emerging economies such as India and China contemplate on how to sustain the growth momentum, I am reminded of a very simple Tamil song that captures the essence of economic wisdom (I am sure every other culture has a similar saying) –
Varavu Ettanna (50p of income)
Selavu Pathanna (63p of expense)
Athigam Rendanna (13p is profligacy)
Kadaissiyil Kunthanna (leaves one impoverished permanently)
Why do our bankers, wealth-managers, economists and lawmakers forget these simple home-truths?
Wishing you a great week ahead. Will connect with you next Sunday.
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