India Unbound

India Unbound is the name of the book I read last semester. It is written by a person who was president of a multinational company P & G in the 1980s when India was in socialist era. Frustration of working in the era when Government did everything to stop private firms from working is visible. Gurucharan Das author of this book is very intelligent man. He has Philosophy degree from Harvard and has immense knowledge of economic and foreign policies of India since independence.
He has exactly depicted what was the difference between working now and in his time. What difference globalization has made? Is it good or bad for India. Where did the economic policies of India went wrong? He says Pandit Nehru was not wrong when he went for socialism instead of free market economy but he says Indira Gandhi must have known better. She should have realized that socialism is not doing any good so economic policies has to be changed. But she did not she instead went ahead with more rigorous restrains. Rajiv Gandhi did try to liberalize but he could not do it and finally the job was done by Narsingh Rao and his FM Manmohan Singh. But he says that they did it out of compulsion and not because they had vision. It is very interesting point. According to him liberalization stopped after 1994 by then India had come out of economic calamity. India did survive and India owes it to Mr Rao and Mr Singh. But he asks difficult question. Dr Manmohan Singh was the Chairman of Reserve Bank in 1985, he knew policies were wrong but still he did not do anything. He asks why an man who now known as man who liberalized India did not do anything when he was in the position to do it. India has produced world class economists and brightest minds but non of them saw what was happening to this country. None of them raised voice. Our UPSC is very difficult exam and the brains who pass them are brightest in the country but none of them saw what was happening. None of them saw our Public Enterprises were not making profit but were a unnecessary load to the Government. Instead of creating jobs it in reality decreased the job opportunities. They were inefficient and marred by corruption and labour politics. Instead stopping these things our bright administrators continued the policy with their heart. Indira Gandhi started programme of Garibi Hatao but it was Amiri hatao. Birla family helped Gandhi and Nehru financially in the independence movement but late they were prosecuted in the parliment because it was perceived as profit making and labour exploiting corporation. So Aditya Birla expanded his business but not in India. He became legendary businessman but could not contribute to the Indian industry lot because he was not allowed to do so. Bajaj scooter had the waiting line of more than two years which means after you book the scooter you will get the scooter after two years. That was insane but Bajaj did not have license to produce more scooters even though it could and even though there was demand. Author asks right question, why does government gets to decide what people should buy and peole should not unless and untill it is harmful to himself.
In his book he also explained the psychology of the Indians. He gives example of war between Puru and Alexander. Puru only lost that war because of bad management, miscommunication and distrust of his infantry. According to author this pure Indian mentality to not trust somebody below you and mis communication. He also explains very interesting economy of India since 19th century. I particularly liked his assessment of the two leading political parties in India Congress and BJP. Congress has sycophantic culture while BJP has good organization its extremist views is a problem. He also mentions experience of his studies in US which is also quite interesting. Overall the book is very readable and Interesting and I will suggest this book to anyone who wants to know about liberalization in simple words of successful manager in the Socialist India.