More marketers
Your cover story on India’s best marketers (BT, November 16) could not have been more poignant, especially in the light of the financial crisis that threatens to derail the best of strategies. But your coverage of Narendra Modi and Gujarat seems too fulsome, if not eulogistic, at a time when other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are also actively wooing investors. Mentioning these states and their CMs’ efforts would have added more value to your cover story.
—G.C. Dhariwal, through e-mail
Confidence Personified A good leader is one who lays down clear-cut goals, leads from the front and sets an example for others to follow. Narendra Modi epitomises all these qualities (The Nano Bagger, BT, November 16). He is the only Chief Minister to win a landslide electoral victory for a second term on the promise of development alone. And true to his words, Modi has been able to transform Gujarat into the most economically vibrant state in the country today. The latest feather in Modi’s cap is his bagging the Tata’s prestigious Nano project. Quite aptly, BT has described Modi as being among the country’s top marketers today. Touche!
—Srinivasan Umashankar, through e-mail
Light at the End of Tunnel six weeks after the financial maelstrom struck Wall Street, the countdown for India has begun. Meltdown Impact: How the Crisis Came Home (BT, November 16) was a grim reminder of the new, hard realities beating a path to our doors and dampening the pace of our economy. As the world braces up to face the economic cataclysm, India will have to batten down its hatches to keep the contagion at bay. At the same time, let us not forget that from every devastation— economic or civilisational— there arises fresh opportunities that have to be tapped with renewed vigour. Perhaps the global financial crisis will help us learn the right lessons and show us the way to lay down the ground for a more solid future.
—Ashok Jayaram, through e-mail
Meltdown: What Now?
Your coverage of the Meltdown Impact has been most informative (BT, November 16), guiding the readers to an impressive array of views from experts. However, as a regular BT reader, I looked forward to reading a more in-depth account of what the meltdown means for consumers across various economic strata, how various sectors are responding to it (you have mentioned a few so far) and what the government must do to tackle the seemingly intractable crisis. After all, it looks as if the financial crisis is here to stay, and in all probability, will remain with us through 2009.
—Mahesh Kumar, through e-mail
Up and away
Chandrayaan-1, INdia’s first UNManned mission to moon, is yet another proof that the country is inching closer to becoming a global superpower (Moon Dust & Hard Business, BT, November 16). The question, as rightly posed by your article, is whether India can now get into the game of big launches and deep space exploration. By all accounts, it has made good progress so far and India looks poised to take giant strides in space research.
—N. Rajaram, through e-mail
Hollywood knocks
Your feature on Bollywood From Hollywood with Love (BT, November 16) helped turn the spotlight on a salient trend to visit the Indian film industry of late. Hollywood biggies, apparently, have been smitten by the Bollywood bug, which explains their growing fascination and interest in India. Big, marquee studios like Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company and Twentieth Century Fox are busy angling for marketing and other collaborative tie-ups with Bollywood. We will, however, have to wait and see if the new trend can breathe fresh life and spark creativity in an industry known to be in thrall of kitsch, banality and formula.
—Ashish Katyal, through e-mail
