Gurcharan Das

Author and public intellectual, Gurcharan Das is best known for a trilogy based on the classical Indian ideal of the goals of life. He studied philosophy at Harvard University and was CEO of Procter & Gamble India before he became a full-time writer. He writes a regular column for the Times of India, five Indian language papers, and contributes to international newspapers.

About Me

gurcharan: Gurcharan Das is an author and thought leader best known for a much-acclaimed trilogy based on the classical Indian goals of the ideal life. India Unbound was on artha, 'material well-being'—the Guardian called it 'a quiet earthquake' – it is available in 19 languages and filmed by the BBC. The second, The Difficulty of Being Good, on dharma or 'moral well-being', is a contemporary meditation on the epic, Mahabharata. Kama: The Riddle of Desire is on the third goal, examining how to cherish desire in order to live a rich, flourishing life. He studied philosophy at Harvard University and was CEO of Procter & Gamble India before he took early retirement at 50 to become a full-time writer. He writes a regular column for the Times of India and five Indian language papers, and contributes to many international papers. His other books include India Grows at Night: A liberal case for a strong state, which was on the FT's best books for 2013; a novel, A Fine Family; a book of essays, The Elephant Paradigm, and an anthology, Three Plays. He is editing for Penguin a 15 volume history series, The Story of Indian Business. He lives in Delhi.

View my complete profile

Gurcharan Das

Pages

Curse of seniority July 2, 2006

A highway called India June 18, 2006

A question of merit 4 June 2006

A hot summer of envy 21 May, 2006

Scholarships, not quotas May 7, 2006

High modernism, captured April 23l 2006

A metaphor of India April 9, 2006

In praise of the right brain, TOI, 26 March 2006

A LEARNING CURVE, NEWSWEEK, MARCH 6, 2006

Deeper into India’s soul March 12, 2006

A great nation 26 February 2006

Nasadiya Temper 12 February, 2006

Why Rani can’t read? January 29, 2006

Religious narcissism January 15, 2006

A guide to clear thinking, January 1, 2006

The discreet charm of the Metro, Dec. 18, 2005

Ghastly coalitions, away Times of India Dec. 4, 2005

A New Social Contract, Times of India, Nov. 20, 2005

Everyone needs an address November 6, 2005

Amoral familism October 23, 2005