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.

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Gurcharan Das

Pages

MEN & MORALS - The secret to happiness: Don't just make a living, make a life

Why governments shouldn't mess with private school fees

Indians grapple with a Dickensian dilemma of growth and secularism

Was voting for the BJP a risk worth taking? Three years on, jury’s out

Triple talaq must go, but for real change India needs to become truly modern

Why Trump’s pro-war aide quotes the Gita

Why classic liberals don’t win elections, and populists do

The Budget will tell if aspirational Modi is now a populist Modi

As stagnant West gets meaner, rising India spells hope but there’s a big if

કાળું નાણું આ રીતે પણ બહાર લાવી શકાય

नोटबंदी को बचाकर ऐसे निकालें कालाधन

Ten ways to save demonetisation and stop the economy from choking

When netas see votes in clean air, they’ll cut through the smog

Beyond the control of scions in India’s family businesses

The Dharmic Economy

मेडिकल शिक्षा में क्रांतिकारी बदलाव की पहल