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

Changing rules of dharma

What are you reading these days?

Finally, a lifeline for India’s poor November 2, 2008

A passion for death or life? October 19, 2008

When everyone lost, October 5, 2008

Kashmiri choice, August 24, 2008

In praise of grand gestures, August 10, 2008

Go beyond Left and Right, July 27, 2008

One cheer for Mayawati, July 13, 2008

A winning merger June 29, 2008

Deceits of our political class June 15, 2008

Go on, save the deal June 1, 2008

A Right to Walk May 18, 2008

Why India is not a threat May 04, 2008

War of the creamy layers, April 20, 2008

Power of subtitles April 6, 2008

Thackeray scores a self-goal March 23, 2008

This Waiver is immoral, 9th March, 2008

Leaping into a bilingual world, 24 February 2008

End this Killer Raj, February 10, 2008