Headlines Change. But Does Our Understanding Change Too? A few months ago, the Government’s decision on GST for popcorn dominated social media. Overnight, television studios, YouTube channels, Facebook posts, and X (formerly Twitter) were flooded with self-proclaimed experts explaining the economics of popcorn. It almost appeared as if the GST had been imposed not on popcorn, but on popcorn commentators themselves. Time passed, the headlines changed, and the same platforms suddenly became filled with discussions on ethanol blending, biofuels, automobile engineering, and energy policy. Almost overnight, everyone seemed to become an expert on internal combustion engines, fuel chemistry, and public policy. Some confidently declared that ethanol would destroy every vehicle engine. Others argued that it would ruin Indian agriculture, threaten food security, or merely serve the interests of oil companies and sugar mills. Facts became scarce, conclusions became abundant, and confidence far...
A Story Every Indian Family Can Relate To Imagine this. When your daughter turns five, you buy her a beautiful gold necklace. You smile and tell yourself, “This will be her wedding gift one day.” The necklace is carefully wrapped, placed in a bank locker, and forgotten not because it isn’t valuable, but because you’re saving it for the right moment. Years turn into decades. The gold remains safe. But when the wedding finally arrives, so does an unpleasant surprise. The necklace that once looked elegant now looks old-fashioned. You visit the jeweller expecting a simple exchange. Instead, you’re told: * The jewellery must be melted. * Fresh making charges will apply. * There may be deductions for wastage. * You’ll pay again just to own jewellery in today’s designs. The gold retained its value. The design did not. The Silent Cost of Idle Gold This story is repeated in millions of Indian households. Parents and grandparents buy jewellery years in advance for weddings, festivals, and future...