Achhe Din Aane Waale Th ai, as per Modi’s ardent promise to the nation during that marathon election campaign the country went through just a couple of months ago, which fuelled expectations and hopes of a populace that has long been reeling under the pressure of a stagfl ationary phase of the Indian economy for half a decade or more. Th at, taken together with the aspirations of an upwardly mobile and burgeoning middleclass and a large youthful population, raised the hopes of a speedy recovery, of gains minus pains, however unfounded it was. But that is not to be. One month down the line, the Prime Minister has had to caution the common man that some ‘bitter medicine’ is warranted, if the economy were to be brought back to the pink of health. Apart from sending out the right signals that here is a government that ‘means business’ rather than ‘business-as-usual,’ a whole slew of initiatives have set the tone for a resurgent India tentatively taking steps to correct imbalances, but the government’s prescription of some bitter pills like the rail fare and freight charge hike, infl ation rearing it’s stubborn head up, and such have brought about some impatience and discontent in sections of the populace, which is also understandable given the rosy pictures painted on the run-up to the election.
While the Cover Story this issue turns to our Diaspora Connect to feature the out-of-the-box thinking of Infosys and its bold step of going outside the organisation to get Vishal Sikka of SAP to take over this July as it’s new CEO, the new agenda put forth by the new government as soon as it took over the reins is the subject matter of our Special Feature, picking up the threads where our cover story of the last issue left off , and we take stock of what has transpired during the past one month that sets the trend for the future. With the current climate one of both boundless optimism that is pushing up capital markets and business sentiment up to the clouds, as well as measured pessimism that advocates caution, our Diaspora seems enthused indeed, as far as we are able to glean from feedback received.
Our other thematic segments continue, though we have had to forsake a few of our regular themes due to space constraint like in the past. Not to worry, they will be back. Heritage takes you to the Taj once again, showering you with some gems of information about the adventurism and caprice of the British during the times of the Raj. Health & Wellness takes you on a mango trip, while Silver Screen looks at the box offi ce and more. Travelogue takes you to Chennai, with it’s treasure trove of heritage blending smoothly with modernity. Real Estate looks at trends and expectations of homeowners and corporate houses.
Th ere you are, we trust you will fi nd the magazine as interesting as ever, given our limitations. Do continue to remain in touch with us as we strive to improve our outreach, and send us your thoughts, share your experiences, and help us make this constitution of the content mix an interactive process. Talk to us, email us, like us on social media, and participate ! Our editorial desk is at your service. Have a great month ahead … !