Aunindyo Chakravarty

The fifth column in my series “ The peninsula” that focuses on political economy issues impacting the South Indian states newindianexpress.com/opinions/2025/…

UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT: Are taxes on cars too high? Only ~ 12% of Indians own passenger cars, SUVs, or MUVs. These people also earn 60% of our pre-tax private income and own 68% of net personal wealth. So, who else will the government tax?

Even if Sachin Tendulkar had played 10 of his best shots and then retired, he would still have been the greatest batsman of the modern era. His records are just incidental. youtube.com/watch?v=9wOXBv…

While down below the trees Bathed in cool breeze Silver starlight Breaks dawn from night And so, we pass on by The crimson eye Of great god Mars As we travel the universe

The acting in Saiyaara is really good. I haven’t seen the movie yet but have seen clips of people in the theatre and they are really good

How does one explain to dunderheads that vegetable vendors earn business income, taxed entirely differently from the way salary income is taxed? Also, if they were earning as much as you, they would be living in your housing complex and not in some slum.

There is nothing more anxiet- inducing than the location of your apps shifting on your phone's home screen and you can't make out which app has got deleted by mistake.

In 2019, I had calculated that our local roadside vegetable vendor in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar had a daily turnover of ₹22,000-25,000. Out of this, his margin was not even ₹1,500. Turnover tells who nothing about how much a roadside vendor or hawker earns.

A society that cares and people who question

My friend says Saiyara is a very moving film. It made him move out of the theatre in the first 20 minutes.

I am not passing any moral judgment. I slept in my parent's airconditioned room from the time I was 13. My parents probably didn't have fans at that age. There is nothing wrong in the new generation expecting much more. The tragedy is that they earn less than we did.

I grew up at a time when upper middle-class families had one AC - in the master bedroom. The entire family slept in that room during summer nights. Today's affluent kids grow up with ACs in every room. The crash in white-collar starting salaries affects them 10x more.

Tesla’s India entry has sparked a tax debate GST, state charges, and other levies, make cars cost 40-60% more than what manufacturers get Is this burdening the middle-class and killing India's auto industry? My take in @thetribunechd

Need recommendations for good quality coffee beans which are delivered fast (1-3 days) to Gurgaon. Blue Tokai, my regular go-to, has becoming too expensive for me.

I must shamefacedly admit that I have not been on the Delhi metro yet. My 18-year-old daughter insisted on going and saved at least 30 minutes of travel time. Between Ubers and metro, Dilliwalas have very little reason to own cars. The only reason we do is out of inertia.

Delhi NCR runs on power. Mumbai runs on money. In Delhi, you could be very rich, but someone with connections will get things done faster than you. From what I hear, in Mumbai money matters more.

15 years ago, corporate tax accounted for 25% of the total taxes collected by the centre and states. Today, it has come down to 16%. Corporate tax was about 4% of GDP back then. Now it is down to 3%.