India’s Empire State of Mind

Just last week, McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) published a seminal report on the future of India’s urbanization.  Some numbers they’ve calculated are totally staggering: for instance, did you know that by 2030, 590 million people will be living in India’s cities?  That’s twice the population of the United States today!  And did you know that [...]

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Lay off my blue suede mojaris: A tale of Rajasthani shoemakers

In Udaipuria, a village in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, sits a shoe cobbler.   His hands, much like his products, are brown and leathery.  He has been making shoes—in his case, ethnic mojaris—for almost 50 years.  Over this time, he has sculpted innumerable shoes, taught innumerable apprentices, and observed innumerable changes in the business. [...]

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Altruism Reloaded: Seeking work with impact

Published in Microfinance Insights, May/June 2009 (I just realized I never uploaded it here!). Read the article here, or just see the text below. Depending on your perspective, Sarayu Natarajan either had an impressive or underwhelming first day as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company.  As she entered the marble-tiled office, she was escorted [...]

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Thrust Funds: The Ultimate Wild Card

Published in Beyond Profit magazine, April 2010.  Click here for the PDF, or read the text below.  And share your thoughts! Suppose that you are a socially minded individual with US$300,000 of spare cash to invest.  You want to invest in something socially relevant and, if possible, something unique.  You do not mind waiting years [...]

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