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The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

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Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#31

Post by danieka »

th1nkdifferent wrote: post #17
xaranke wrote: post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

I don't share the negative sentiments expressed by others in response to your question. I think things have changed significantly for the better. I'll leave you with these two images - you can decide for yourself if anything has changed: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/new-…

I'm struck by the difference between India and Burma and Pakistan.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#32

Post by heavenlyblue »

coldtea wrote: post #28
heavenlyblue wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't getting a Hard Rock Cafe just a more upscaled version of having McDonald's move in your town?

Considering how India started 6-7 decades ago, after centuries of colonial rule and impoverishment, merely having McDonalds would be a great difference.

Yeah, but neither of these create a community where you'd want to come back. It's a sign of economical progress, but is it what makes you enjoy the life in the country?

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#33

Post by sn41 »

hesarenu wrote: post #23
sn41 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing has changed. The govt. has gotten better at media manipulation, and/or the media has decided it is easier to get into bed with the govt. Reliance Jio Institute has been declared an "institute of eminence" on par with IISc, and above many IITs. The industrialists hailed demonetisation. Ordinary citizens have few opportunities to enter the stock market, since it is inundated with foreign institutional investors…

IITs attract the best students because of the opportunity it provides. But on its own is it know for it's academics? Do they carry out high calibre research?

I'd say they are better than Reliance Jio institute when it comes to high calibre research.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#34

Post by iamshs »

coldtea wrote: post #26
th1nkdifferent wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't share the negative sentiments expressed by others in response to your question. I think things have changed significantly for the better. I'll leave you with these two images - you can decide for yourself if anything has changed: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/new-…

These two images don't answer the "if it's just a facade with air conditioning" question. This just shows that now there are more airconditioners there (well, lights). Parent was explicitly trying to differentiate between more money/technical change and different mentality.

Neither do those images show severe lack of hamburgers. Transporting cows can and has lead to lynchings.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#36

Post by hesarenu »

sn41 wrote: post #33
hesarenu wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IITs attract the best students because of the opportunity it provides. But on its own is it know for it's academics? Do they carry out high calibre research?

I'd say they are better than Reliance Jio institute when it comes to high calibre research.

That does not say much.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#37

Post by yorwba »

danieka wrote: post #31
th1nkdifferent wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't share the negative sentiments expressed by others in response to your question. I think things have changed significantly for the better. I'll leave you with these two images - you can decide for yourself if anything has changed: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/new-…

I'm struck by the difference between India and Burma and Pakistan.

Some cities in Pakistan actually seem to fade instead of getting brighter. I wonder why that is.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#38

Post by test001only »

It is interesting to see Indians talking of themselves and India as a separate entity. Now, I am fine with people moving out of the country and I can understand the appeal. A lot of problems in India have been long solved in the west and there are problems which are unique to India. But it is hypocritical to blame the ills on "India" as if it exists without it's people. Citizens make a country and they are equally responsible whether they like it or not.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#39

Post by hycaria »

mcny wrote: post #29
sandGorgon wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's no better time to come back. Do come. Its about what you can create in the world's largest democracy. Are we the only country with constitutionally guaranteed Right to Privacy ? come and build. Oh and that goes for everyone else too. We have a lot of American, Brit and Chinese founders building successful startups in India.

The difference is that the Americans, the Brits, and the Chinese can leave any time they want. I've talked to a few Indians and that tried to defend the mob that killed some guy for allegedly coming beef. More embarrassingly, they defended the police for taking a sample of the questionable meat for lab testing to check if it was beef. I can forgive the mob. Maybe things get heated and people lose their minds. They sh…

What's this story ?

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#40

Post by sn41 »

hesarenu wrote: post #36
sn41 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say they are better than Reliance Jio institute when it comes to high calibre research.

That does not say much.

Sure, you're right. My original point was to point out the hypocrisy of the government policy. But you have raised a related point about IITs.

Aside from being underfunded (in comparison to global standards) there are systemic issues with IITs which make it underperform in research - first, they were designed as undergraduate institutes. The administrators constantly harangue, and block the ways of the colleagues who want to do research - for example, disallowing travel during the semester etc.

More importantly, the best PG students in India do not go to the IITs. They go to IISc or abroad. It is the PG students who do most of the research in a university, not the UG students.

Think of this: no teaching university in the US is a top-tier research university.

When faculty systematically underperform in research over 60 years, when many of them were good researchers before they join the IITs, and many of them continue to be good researchers after they leave the IIT system, we need to rethink.

Faculty must be allowed to do research 90 % of the time, travel freely, and spend very little time on teaching/administration. You can't have your legs in both the boats.

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