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

Stop talking, start doing

To equate capitalism with greed is a mistake

The loss of inheritance

Don't turn Gurgaon into a Faridabad

Will ‘tyranny of cousins’ decide who’ll rule in ’14?

Free Markets - The Indian Way

The government is not above the rule of law

Don’t be my favourite friend, be my most favoured nation

Think of the spectrum like the village commons

A liberal but strong state is need of the hour

When democracy won but the people lost

Duty or revenge, no one is above the law

A primer for the corruption fighter

India Says No to $80 Toilet Paper, Wall Street Journal

Judging sex, lies, war and yoga politics