Center for New Economics Studies

Interviewed by Aaryan Panchal and Sarah Arora

In this episode of InterLinked's sub-series, Kitabon ka Karwaan, we hold a book talk on the book "Politics, Ethics, and Emotions in New India" with its author himself, Prof Ajay Gudavarthy. 

To begin with, the guest spoke about what motivated him to choose the topic of politics, ethics, and emotions in new India and the significance of the topic in contemporary geopolitics. Following this, professor Gudavarthy expanded on his thesis that the new India is built on a blend of immiscible opposites and how it was achieved through an emotional churn. Moreover, he also gave some instances where this blend has given direction to new India and also provided some examples of instances when emotions have had a profound impact on India's political decision-making. Professor Gudavarthy also provided a brief about the populist shift occurring in India and the role of emotions in the rise of the BJP. To conclude, the guest discussed the role of politics, ethics, and emotions in shaping the future of the nation and the role of stakeholders in fostering a more informed and emotionally aware political environment for ‘New India’.

Ajay Gudavarthy is a political theorist, analyst and columnist in India. He is an associate professor in political science at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

In this edition of Vichaar, we decided to investigate this claim not simply in the backdrop of gig work but in the light of increasing casualisation of labor. For this purpose, we reached out to the research consultant at Samvada, Shradhha NV Sharma. We began the conversation on understanding why the young Indian population is so drawn to choose contractual work and even willing to leave the agrarian economy behind. We furthered our conversation on what casualisation implies and its impact on the real versus imagined agency. How casualisation impacts marginalized groups and if there’s a way to mitigate the impact?

Interviewed by: Neha Tripathi and Madhumita Suresh

The podcast conversation with Anagh explores the initiatives of Bring Back Green Foundation and their recent book on "Coastal Erosion and Indigenous Community of Southwest India”. We began by delving into the broad environmental challenges that India faces and the initiatives undertaken by the Bring Back Green Foundation to mitigate these challenges. Shifting our focus to Anagh's recent book on "Coastal Erosion and Indigenous Community of Southwest India," we explored the key idea behind its conception. The book aims to shed light on the issue of coastal erosion and its impact on indigenous communities. Anagh outlined some of the proposed solutions presented in the book, emphasizing the need for sustainable coastal management practices and community involvement in finding effective solutions. We also discussed briefly on the effectiveness of community participation in natural hazard adaptation and mitigation in the face of climate change. Finally, we delved into how the Bring Back Green Foundation mobilizes and engages young adults to raise awareness and take action on climate change. The foundation utilizes various platforms, campaigns, and educational initiatives to empower young adults, create awareness, and inspire action towards sustainable practices.

Anagh is a passionate researcher and has been persistently working on human rights and environmental conservation. His organisation Bring Back Green Foundation has been actively trying to empower and collaborate with individuals to create a sustainable future. He believes that activism is a way of life and we all must stand up for what’s right, whenever possible. Being apolitical is never a choice. We welcome him on our podcast here and hope to exchange some valuable ideas.

Image source: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-kerala-govt-plans-tackle-coastal-erosion-and-why-experts-disapprove-108872

Interviewed by: Shreeya Bhayana and Madhumita Suresh

This podcast episode concentrates on “The Global Skill Gap and the G20” with Prof. Inderpal Singh. We began the conversation by delving into the concept of the Global Skills Gap and its manifestation in the Indian Market. Moving on, we explored how the Global Skills Gap affects India's standing in the international context, particularly within the G20 cohort. To address the skill gaps within the country, we discussed potential measures that countries like India and other countries in the global south can adopt. The discussion then shifted to the gendered aspect of the skills gap. Finally, we concluded the podcast by discussing about the sectors where the skill gap is most prominent and the necessary steps to address it.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Prof. Inderpal Singh, the Director of Skill Development at the Universal Business School to understand the impact of the Global Skills Gap on the world’s globalised economy, especially in light of India’s Presidency. Inderpal Singh has been a sales and marketing professional and a successful entrepreneur with more than twenty years of having held leadership roles in reputed organizations like Lotte, Wrigley India, Best Foods International and Heinz. He has a passion for training and has also been a successful trainer for soft skills and sales training modules. He has conducted training programs for middle-level managers of reputed FMCG and durables organizations.  Having completed an MDP in Retail Management at IIM-Ahmedabad and another one in Case Writing and Teaching from ISB, Mohali, he has been using the case study methodology in his training programs and areas of interaction with budding Student Managers. 

Image source: iStock.com/peshkov

Interviewed by: Tanya Verma and Yashovardhan Chaturvedi

This episode delves into the recent report from the OMI Foundation on their Ease of Mobility Index 2022, an undertaking which looks into the state of urban mobility in 40 major cities of India across multitudes of parameters and indicators evaluated. Mr Anish Michael shares his findings of how such measures are evaluated to study the performance of cities as well as the key indicators relating to affordability, sustainability and accessibility of the mobility systems. Discussing the performances of excelling and lagging cities, he describes what factors can help improve public and private mobility in urban environments.

Anish Michael is an accomplished researcher, author and manager, currently based in India. He is presently working with OMI Foundation and is bringing out exceptionally well-written and detailed research papers in synchronization with the organization, some of these impactful research covers concepts such as mobility innovations, frameworks of mobility advancement and public good, urban mobility, accessibility and inclusion etc. In today’s podcast we shall be largely engaging with Mr Anish on his recent publication - Ease of Moving Index, India Report 2022, the report inspires us to envision a world where mobility is effortless, where people and goods can traverse borders and boundaries, and where the true potential of human connectivity is realized.

Image Source: https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs/importance-of-mobility-data-in-making-cities-smarter/

Interviewed by: Madhumita Suresh and Jatin Tatia

The podcast episode titled "The Importance of Bridging the Global Skills Gap and the G20" features a discussion on various aspects related to the global skills gap and the role of the G20 in addressing it.

The conversation starts with an introduction to the emerging global skills gap and its primary causes. The discussion then delves into the challenges women in the Global South face in accessing education and training opportunities, along with ways the G20 can work with governments to address gender-based discrimination in the workforce.

The podcast also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened inequalities in access to education and skill development in the Global South. It examines steps that governments, international organizations, and the G20 can take to mitigate the impact on vulnerable communities.

The focus then shifts to India and its gig economy, discussing how its development can contribute to closing the global skills gap. The role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and automation, in the skill gap is examined, along with ensuring workers are prepared for these changes. Lastly, the podcast is concluded with a brief discussion on how India can support upskilling and reskilling in the informal sector to meet the demands of the green transition and reduce the skill gap.

Anthea Mulakala is an accomplished development leader, manager, and policy specialist with more than 25 years of experience living and working in Asia. She has led and managed diverse teams, directly and remotely, to deliver high-impact programs in reproductive health, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, governance, and regional cooperation. Over the last decade, she has honed her expertise on Asian development cooperation, particularly understanding how rising powers, such as China and India, are transforming the 21st-century aid and development landscape.

In addition to developing and implementing programs, she also writes, publishes, and speaks extensively on these issues. Mulakala also co-leads The Asia Foundation’s Future Skills Alliance, a broad coalition of public and private sector partners working together to deliver future skills at-scale to the region’s most marginalized. Prior to that, she worked for The World Bank, UK DFID, the City of Melbourne, and the South Asia Partnership.

Image source: https://theonebrief.com/how-4-countries-closing-skills-gap/

Interviewed by: Ishani Sharma and Shreeya Bhayana

This podcast is a part of InterLinked's special series in collaboration with the Centre for G20 Studies. In this episode, the team at Interlinked spoke to Prof Neha Khetrapal about “The New-Age Multilateralism: The Indian Way”. Prof. Neha discussed with us, the different ways in which her training as a psychologist helps understand India’s foreign policy, especially in light of India’s G20 presidency. She spoke about the idea of India’s adoption of a ‘minilateralist’ stance in its foreign policy and the intentions that inform this policy, in place of a failure of the usual multilateral stance adopted by nations when it comes to foreign policy. Our discussion aims to highlight the influence of soft-power tools, alongside the usual hard-power tools like the military, in how they come to impact India’s positioning in the world order.

Dr Neha Khetrapal is an Associate Professor at the Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS), O.P. Jindal Global University (India). She earned her PhD (Linguistics) at Macquarie University (Australia) in 2016. Currently, Dr Khetrapal is engaged in investigating aspects of political memory and how these influence international relations and political diplomacy, as a part of a research portfolio on 'collective memory' that she is developing at JIBS.

Image Source: https://indiafoundation.in/articles-and-commentaries/what-g20-can-do-to-get-the-multilateral-institutions-in-shape-indias-key-challenge/

Interviewed by: Ishani Sharma

In the first episode of InterLinked's special series in collaboration with the Centre for G20 Studies, we invited the Centre's Founding Director, Dr Mohan Kumar. The conversation started off with examining how India's G20 presidency for the year 2023 helps it in projecting itself as a global leader in the international arena. Dr Kumar also shed light on how G20 can promote the safeguarding of labour rights along with bridging the global skills gap. He discussed the necessity of a strong agricultural value chain, underscoring how the G20, led by India, can work to boost the same in the coming years. Given the growing numbers of MSMEs, Dr Kumar talked about the need for the G20 to focus on their full integration into the global value chain. Concluding the conversation, Dr Kumar highlighted the position of G20 in facilitating dialogue and fostering efficient action by the member countries in an attempt to revive multilateralism.

Ambassador Prof. (Dr.) Mohan Kumar has an outstanding career in the Indian Foreign Service lasting 36 years which culminated in his being India’s Ambassador to France based in Paris. He has enormous expertise in the area of international trade- he was India’s lead negotiator first at the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and then at the WTO (World Trade Organization) in crucial areas such as Intellectual Property Rights, Services, Dispute Settlement, Rules and Technical Barriers to Trade. He was a leading member of India’s delegation at the WTO Ministerial Conferences held in Marrakesh (1994), Seattle (1999) and Doha (2001). Ambassador Dr Mohan Kumar also serves as the Chairman of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) since June 2018 and is also the author of a book entitled “Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO: An Insider’s Account”, published by Palgrave Macmillan (2018).

Image Source: Reuters/Willy Kurniawan/Pool

Interviewed by: Bilquis Calcuttawala and Madhumita Suresh

This episode is part of a special series in collaboration with the Centre for G20 Studies.

The podcast conversation revolves around the state of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in global trade, particularly their role within the G20 framework, and the challenges they encounter when venturing into international markets. MSMEs are recognized as crucial drivers of economic growth and job creation, but they face obstacles such as limited resources, inadequate market knowledge, and regulatory barriers when accessing global markets.

We also discuss the importance of supportive policies that facilitate market access and reduce trade barriers for MSMEs. The conversation then delves into how the G20 can assist MSMEs in utilizing technology to improve their access to global markets. It explores the potential of the G20 as a platform for sharing best practices, promoting digitalization, and facilitating technology adoption among MSMEs.

Lastly, we conclude our discussion with the theme of sustainability and competitiveness for MSMEs, mentioning the G20 Policy Toolkit, which is presumably a resource offering guidelines or recommendations for MSMEs to enhance competitiveness while embracing sustainable practices.

Ranen Banerjee is a Partner at PwC India with over 25 years of experience in the consulting industry. He has worked with clients across multiple sectors and geographies, demonstrating strong leadership, governance, and entrepreneurial skills that have led to the development and growth of profitable practices at the firm. Currently, Mr Banerjee leads the Government Sector work and the Economic Advisory Services practice at PwC India. He is a highly respected professional in the consulting industry, known for his commitment to excellence, thought leadership, and industry expertise.

Image Source: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/inclusion-of-traders-retailers-as-msmes-to-improve-ease-of-doing-business/85349667

In this episode of Vichaar, we examined the political underrepresentation of the North-Eastern tribes, analyzing its historical roots and its contemporary implications. It will focus on political underrepresentation which has resulted in the deprivation of the region's resources and suppressing its cultural identity. The North-Eastern tribes of India have historically faced political underrepresentation, which has resulted in their marginalization and discrimination. Despite being home to diverse cultures and languages, the region has been neglected by the central government, leading to a lack of political representation and infrastructure development. This has resulted in a sense of alienation among the tribes, who have been subjected to discrimination and violence. For this, the Team speaks to Dr. Bikash Sarma, who is an Assistant Professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs.⁠