This note from Prof. Vaidyanathan of IIM Bangalore on 'hindu rate of growth' is worth reading and spreading by us.
From: Vaidyanathan R
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2012 12:19 PM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: Hindu Rate of Grwoth
Dear Sri Sukumar
I am a regular reader of your paper and also encourage my MBA students to read it to have an understanding of Indian Business/ Finance etc
Many of the in-depth analysis in your paper is very good.
But I find the usage of “Hindu Rate of growth” in your short edits and even news stories is unacceptable.
It was a “off the cuff” remark by Raj Krishna in a seminar about sluggish growth rates due to Nehruvian policies.
To use it in an esteemed news paper like yours is surprising since there is no correlation or relationship established between a religion and economic growth rate
If a professional cook like Samir uses it I can understand since he may neither know about Economics nor Hinduism [nor about Raj Krishna]
But I find it getting used in your news reports on Economic matters—like Comparing with Growth rates of other countries etc
I have additional problems with that usage—lots of my students who are post-80 born do not know much about sixties/seventies or even the wry sense of humor of Raj Krishna
They ask me repeatedly-- why a reputed paper like Mint calls the past growth rate as “Hindu Growth rate” when I try to talk about Permit/license/quota raj. Also one young girl student asked me—why not call the recent 8% growth rate as “ Hindu growth rate”
Plus many of my White American colleagues are intrigued by that usage and even today one person sent me a mail asking why that is used.
Many of them read your paper since I have recommended it to them based on their WSJ experience.
I am only asking you to seriously consider this issue and stop using that phrase when there is neither theoretical nor empirical justification for that
If yours is a general news paper meant for flippant coverage/ 3rd page crowd –I would not even have written this note.
Needless to add I expect a response from your desk
Thanking you
Dr.R.Vaidyanathan
Professor of finance
IIMB
From: Vaidyanathan R
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2012 12:19 PM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: Hindu Rate of Grwoth
Dear Sri Sukumar
I am a regular reader of your paper and also encourage my MBA students to read it to have an understanding of Indian Business/ Finance etc
Many of the in-depth analysis in your paper is very good.
But I find the usage of “Hindu Rate of growth” in your short edits and even news stories is unacceptable.
It was a “off the cuff” remark by Raj Krishna in a seminar about sluggish growth rates due to Nehruvian policies.
To use it in an esteemed news paper like yours is surprising since there is no correlation or relationship established between a religion and economic growth rate
If a professional cook like Samir uses it I can understand since he may neither know about Economics nor Hinduism [nor about Raj Krishna]
But I find it getting used in your news reports on Economic matters—like Comparing with Growth rates of other countries etc
I have additional problems with that usage—lots of my students who are post-80 born do not know much about sixties/seventies or even the wry sense of humor of Raj Krishna
They ask me repeatedly-- why a reputed paper like Mint calls the past growth rate as “Hindu Growth rate” when I try to talk about Permit/license/quota raj. Also one young girl student asked me—why not call the recent 8% growth rate as “ Hindu growth rate”
Plus many of my White American colleagues are intrigued by that usage and even today one person sent me a mail asking why that is used.
Many of them read your paper since I have recommended it to them based on their WSJ experience.
I am only asking you to seriously consider this issue and stop using that phrase when there is neither theoretical nor empirical justification for that
If yours is a general news paper meant for flippant coverage/ 3rd page crowd –I would not even have written this note.
Needless to add I expect a response from your desk
Thanking you
Dr.R.Vaidyanathan
Professor of finance
IIMB