From the Bookshelves
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Former Tata Motors CEO Ravi Kant on the merits of leading from the back
We've heard about "leading from the front". It means taking the lead in making decisions and showing people the way. But Ravi Kant, former vice chairman and CEO of Tata Motors, believes that business leaders should no longer aspire to lead from the front but instead aim to lead from the back. Why does he say that? What does he mean? And is this something organisations will even be open to implementing? Let's find out. In this episode, Kant discusses his new book 'Leading from the Back', which he has co-authored with bestselling writers Harry Paul and Ross Reck
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Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni on her new book about Sudha and Narayana Murthy
Sudha and Narayana Murthy are icons of our generation. But when so much is known about their life, what might you write that seems new to readers? When the subjects of your book are your primary sources, how can you avoid being hagiographical? In this conversation with Divya Shekhar, celebrated author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni talks about 'An Uncommon Love', where she focuses on the early life of the Murthys. She traces their childhood, courtship, marriage, family life, and individual professional milestones, including the founding and initial years of Infosys
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Gretchen Morgenson and Josh Rosner on how private equity can plunder the economy
In this episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner, managing director of Graham Fisher and Co., talk about their book These are the Plunderers: How PE runs and wrecks America. The book is a well-researched critique of how private equity firms in the US that specialise in buying companies, load them with debt and completely squeeze them for profits. The authors talk to Divya Shekhar about the insurance takeover by PE, the lack of transparency in their dealings, and the responsibility of the media while covering PE billionaires.
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Robin Sharma on wealth, leadership, and how to separate good advice from bad
The author and leadership coach, known for international bestsellers The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and The 5 AM Club, speaks with Divya Shekhar about his forthcoming book The Wealth Money Can't Buy, and the relevance of self-help books in the age motivation content fatigue, thanks to social media. He also discusses why hubris takes down many great people and companies, why most CEOs and billionaires are "cash rich and happiness poor", how technology takes us away from creativity, and the secret behind how successful people separate good advice and decisions from all the noise
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Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba on reimagining India's economic growth path
Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba believe that India's best days are still ahead and that the country shouldn't lose its biggest strength—democracy—by "any stretch of the imagination". In their new book, 'Breaking the Mould: Reimagining India's Economic Future', Rajan, former RBI governor, and Lamba, an economist at Pennsylvania State University, talk about why creativity and human capital should be at the centre of growth and development. They also tell Divya Shekhar why it's essential to reprioritise our resources to focus on the basics
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In conversation with Kashmir Hill: Facial recognition technology and the end of privacy
What if I tell you there's a company that can scrape every photo you casually upload on social media? A company that uses powerful facial recognition technology in ways that even big tech companies like Google and Facebook have refrained from using. The New York Times Journalist Kashmir Hill speaks to Divya Shekhar about her book 'Your Face Belongs to Us', which investigates the inner workings of Clearview AI, a controversial facial recognition startup. She discusses the promises and perils of such technology and its impact on privacy
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Fali Nariman on the Constitution, judiciary and the future of Indian democracy
Fali Nariman is arguably the greatest living expert on the Constitution. He spoke with Divya Shekhar and Forbes India Editor Brian Carvalho about his new book 'You Must Know Your Constitution'. He discusses pertinent issues, including how the Constitution can be taken to the masses, questions around sedition and censorship, national vs official languages and whether it's time for India to have a new Constitution. (Published by Hay House Publishers India and distributed by Penguin Random House India)
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Madhav Gadgil on India's priorities towards conservation, climate and sustainability
Madhav Gadgil has worked closely with communities on the ground for environmental conservation. His contributions towards saving the Western Ghats and building an inventory to monitor biodiversity in India, among other things, have made him one of the country's most eminent field ecologists. Gadgil speaks with Divya Shekhar about his newly-released memoir, 'A Walk Up The Hill', and summarises his decades-long experience of how we interact with the environment, the role of government and bureaucracy, and why there is hope for climate-conscious action in India
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Water in the age of climate change, with Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli
The teachers of sustainability at the Azim Premji University in Bengaluru discuss their new book 'Shades of Blue: Connecting the Drops in India's Cities', which combines scientific rigor with anecdotes, community histories, and nostalgia to take us through water bodies across the country. The authors talk to Divya Shekhar about our complicated collective history with water, community warriors who are showing the way, whether we need to put a price on water, and how we can start rebuilding our relationship with it
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Nagaraja Prakasam on why entrepreneurs should solve for 'Bharat', not just India
In his book 'Back to Bharat: In Search of a Sustainable Future', impact investor Nagaraja Prakasam distinguishes between India and Bharat. For him, the word 'Bharat' means the "ignored billion" in the country. These are people, he says, that are still largely left out of the digital revolution—venture investors are mostly wary of them, and businesses stay away as they do not see profit in solving for them. Prakasam, partner, Acumen Fund, has spent his time backing social enterprises. He talks to Divya Shekhar about his new book and life choices
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Azim Premji Foundation CEO Anurag Behar on education and stories from the ground
Anurag Behar is CEO of Azim Premji Foundation that works in the space of education and health care. In his book, 'A Matter of the Heart: Education in India', he shares a collection of essays that takes us to schools in some of the remotest villages in India. Behar leads thousands of people working across districts in India. He tells Divya Shekhar that his book is about stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary work. It also throws light on the struggles and infrastructure challenges at these schools, but at its core, the book is about voices that are inspirational and insightful