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Showing posts from September, 2024

Socio economics of traffic

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Every time I write a blog, I strive to help readers connect with the content. Regardless of the topic, I want them to feel the same connection I experience while writing. Recently, I found myself struggling to come up with topics that evoke this feeling. While driving, I thought, "What is it that each and every one of us can relate to?" That's when it hit me: the one thing we can all connect on is the good old Indian traffic. Bharat is the fastest growing economy in the world along with its population touching 1.4 billion. However, this growth comes with its own sets of challenges, and one of the most pressing ones is traffic congestion.  As more people move to urban areas in search of better opportunities, the number of vehicles on the road has increased dramatically, leading to long hours of waiting in traffic. Urbanization is not about simply increasing the number urban residents or expanding the area of cities. More importantly, it's about a complete change from r

0.4% is the new 24%

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A son once asked his father why Jains are so wealthy. The father replied, "Beta, hum pyaj khate hain aur wo byaj khate hain," which translates to, "We eat onions, and they eat interest." Jainism, one of the oldest religions in Bharat, dates back at least 2500 years. Historically, communities that have emphasized their "minority" status have become a burden rather than a benefit to this country. However, the Jain community is an exception. Jains are among the most valued people to associate with. Adam Grant, in his book Givers and Takers , categorizes people into three types: givers, takers, and matchers. Matchers operate on a "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours" basis, while givers and takers are self-explanatory. Though Jains may not have read this book, they undoubtedly fall into the Givers category. No other community has contributed to the Indian economy like the Jains. They account for 24% of income tax contributions and 48% of