New Delhi

Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, with one part of it, known as New Delhi. We will stay in this city for several 7 days, and the public transport system in this city seems good, there are buses, auto-rickshaws, metro trains and taxis.

Check the Auto-rickshaws - no doors here!

We have the same thing in China, it is fun to try!!

Red Fort

The Red Fort (Lal Qila) is one of Delhi’s top tourist sights. A brilliant red sandstone fort built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (who also built Agra’s Taj Mahal) as his ruling palace.

Humayun’s Tomb

Humayun’s Tomb in south Delhi, near Hazrat Nizamuddin station, is one of Delhi’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Qutub Minar

This complex in Mehrauli, houses structures dating from the Slave Dynasty (1206-1290) and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gardens are kept in excellent shape, making this a popular relaxation and picnic spot.

Food!!

Chaat

If you want to eat chaat, the North Indian street side snack food, Delhi is the place to be. Delhi has arguably the best street food in India.

Mumbai

Mumbai is different from the rest of India in pretty much the same way that New York City is different from the United States. The pace of life is more hurried.

We only will stay in this city for 3 days, so time is very limited.

The cool thing in this city is we can travel by ferry, check this out.

Colonial buildings

The British built a magnificent city within the walls of Fort St. George. Some fine examples of the Gothic revival, Neo-classical style and Indo-Saracenic style are seen within this area. Worth seeing are the Gateway of India, the CST terminus, and the Police headquarters or generally just take a stroll around South Mumbai.

Beaches

Mumbai has a few beaches, including one in the downtown area. Some comments online said they are not very great…

Food!!!

I did some research, Mumbai has good street food too. Here is the list:

Butter chicken and naan

Kebab rolls

Indian Chinese

As many different kinds of chaat as your stomach can handle

Indian sweets- milky, delicious concoctions (try the kulfi falooda at Badshah’s in Crawford market)

Vada pav (the great Indian veg burger)

South Indian food from an Udupi restaurant

Kingfisher Blue beer

To get a real flavour of what’s unique to Mumbai, you will have to go a little lower down the scale and experience the street food and Irani cafes. Just remember to check whether the place is clean.

Bangalore

For many years, Bangalore was known throughout India as the most green, liberal and forward-thinking city. In recent years, these attributes have propelled Bangalore to the forefront of the high-tech industry boom in India, and it currently ranks as India’s most developed city and one of the world’s fastest growing urban areas.

This city has auto-rickshaw, too.

Iskcon Temple

Temple built on a hillock in Rajajinagar atop scenic surroundings, is a perfect blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony. The huge cultural complex was built to promote vedic culture and spiritual learning, and abounds with shops selling devotional items and souvenirs. It is home of the ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ movement.

Pub

Experience the Bangalore pub scene, mostly around MG Road, Brigade Road, and Church Street.

Food!!!

Bangalore is far from the sea, and as such the quality of seafood can vary. Some of the higher end and popular seafood places manage this well, but foreign travelers may want to tread a bit carefully.

- Yuxiang Gao

References:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Bangalore#Eat

http://wikitravel.org/en/Bangalore

http://wikitravel.org/en/Mumbai

http://wikitravel.org/en/India

http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi

http://www.food-india.com/

http://www.indianfoodforever.com/

http://www.tourindia.com/

Submitted by: Andre Ourthiague

India gained its freedom from British rule on August 15, 1947. Less than three years after attaining freedom, India had framed a Constitution and declared itself a Republic on January 26, 1950. The Constitution was shaped to ensure justice, liberty and equality for the citizens of India. The Constitution was made flexible enough to adjust to the new demands of social and economic changes that would arise under the new democratic framework; the 94 amendments to the Indian constitution since its adoption 60 years ago is a testament to this flexibility. The Fundamental Rights of every Indian citizen include the freedom of speech, expression, belief, assembly and association, migration, and choice of occupation or trade. These rights also protect every Indian from discrimination on grounds of race, religion, creed or sex, and are enforceable in courts of law.

The Indian constitution defines the federal government that presides over the 28 states of India. India has a parliamentary republic system of government based largely on the United Kingdom. Parliamentary republics, unlike presidential systems, do not feature an executive head of state with broad executive powers because these powers are typically designated by a prime minister. The government in India is divided as follows:

LEGISLATIVE

The legislative power of the Indian government is held in the two houses of parliament. The following descriptions are taken from the Parliament of India website.

Rajya Sabha (Council of States): The Council of States consists of not more than 250 members, of whom 12 are nominated by the President of India and the rest elected. It is not subject to dissolution, one-third of its members retiring at the end of every second year. The elections to the Council are indirect. The allotted quotas of representatives of each State are elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly of that State, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The nominated members are persons with special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service. The Rajya Sabha is presided over by the Vice- President of India.

Lok Sabha (House of the People): The House of the People consists of 545 members. Of these, 530 are directly elected from the 25 States and 13 from the seven Union Territories. Two members are nominated by the President to represent the Anglo-Indian community. Unless dissolved sooner, the term of the House is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. The Lok Sabha elects its own presiding officer, the Speaker.

EXECUTIVE

There are three primary figures that serve in the executive branch: president, vice president, and prime minister. In India, the president serves as head of state and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but rarely executes constitutional power on his/her own initiative. The president is elected by an electoral college comprised of members from state legislatures and from members of both houses of parliament. Once elected the president serves a five-year term and can be re-elected. The current Indian president is Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

The vice-president serves as head of the Council of States (similar to the US vice-president). The vice president is elected by the members of parliament.  The current vice president is Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

The final key figure in executive branch is the prime minister.  The prime minister is elected by majority support in the Lok Sabha. It is the prime minister that oversees the day-to-day operation of the federal government. The current Prime Minister of India is Dr. Manmohan Singh. The prime minister is also responsible for selecting a cabinet of ministers that handle policy regarding specific areas of the government. The ministers are equivalent to secretaries (state, treasury, etc) in the United States, and to ministers of China.

The prime minister and the cabinet are both accountable to the Lok Sabha. Individual lapses by a department can result in a “vote of no confidence”, and thus a forced resignation for individual ministers. A serious lapse by the prime minister and his cabinet can result in a “vote of no confidence” against the government. A “vote of no confidence” against the government requires all ministers headed by the prime minister to resign. The closest parallel we have in the United States is presidential impeachment.

JUDICIARY

The Supreme Court in India upholds and interprets the constitution. The Indian Supreme Court serves in the same capacity as the US Supreme Court.  Each state in India has a High Court that defines laws particular to the individual state. However, a uniform civil and criminal laws applies to the entire country of India. State High Courts also do not possess the power to contradict the Indian constitution. The Supreme Court is responsible for resolving disputes between state and federal governments.

The Indian government is very similar to that of the United States. The primary difference is in the power held by the Prime Minister. The roles of Indian president and prime minister are encompassed in the roles of the US president. Aside from this division of roles the systems are strikingly similar. Two legislative houses hold the law making power. An executive branch holds military decision making, vital decision making, and key appointment responsibility, and a judicial branch interprets the constitution.  Despite fighting for independence from British rule, the United Kingdom was the model of democracy that most strongly influenced the structure of the India’s government.

Submitted by: Andrew Welborn

I am excited as we travel to two very different countries to compare the many cultural differences. I thought a quick comparison of transit systems would be in order, as we will have the chance to experience some that outshine American systems and some that are downright scary. The U.S. is rapidly falling behind other countries in regards to a transit system and this has impacted our competitiveness in the manufacturing industry. The U.S. as a whole is a rather poor example of mass transit with the exception of a few localized areas around the country. China and India still require leaps and bounds to achieve effective transportation, but the decisions that they make now will affect the world in the near future. They have the opportunity to create truly efficient transport systems to connect the billions of people that make up each country. Here are two links for a quick rundown of the overall transportation systems in both China and India.

”China’s Transportation System”

“India’s Transportation System”

By now we should all know how involved the government in China is with infrastructure and growth. They have been building on a simply massive scale with little regard for the environment, but are now facing congestion in major cities due to the massive growth. They are continually implementing new projects for mass transportation that rival the technological prowess of the most advanced countries, but is this really what China needs to go forth as more and more people are increasing their disposable income and want the status symbol a car brings?

As Cece Reyes posted previously, India has a rapidly growing market in ultra low-priced cars. These vehicles would be a major upgrade to the scooters families use, but does India have the infrastructure necessary to accommodate another 500,000 vehicles per year from one manufacturer? Thomas Friedman doesn’t think so. Read link for his views on where India should be heading.

Other links about the future of India’s transportation system:

“A Smoother Passage Through India”

“Making Mass Transit a Priority in India”

“Video on Train Safety in India”

As both countries modernize their systems, a big question is where the capital will come from. In China the obvious answer will be from the government. However, in India that question is currently up for debate, and who pays for the system will have a big impact on what the system will be and how well it will function in the interest of the public.

Both countries are using a diverse mix of transportation systems, and both are seeing a growth in the ownership of cars. This may be all good and fine now, but in five years will this begin to stifle growth in urban areas as more and more cars travel in an already congested city? Not to mention the increased pollution and use of resources. On the flip side if the countries firmly embrace mass transit as they grow, will the populace begin to demand more personal vehicles and leave the mass transit systems unused? There is no easy answer, and a mix of systems would do the trick, but what mix would be best for each country?

My questions for you are: What are the complications that will need to be addressed in both countries to continue to progress their transit systems? What are the business implications of following the U.S. model versus mass transit? How do these major decisions on transportation systems affect the rest of the world from a resource view? There is the ideal solution from an environmental and conservationist perspective, but which direction do you see each country progressing in the near future and what role will business play?

Submitted by: Alex vanDalen

We’ve been talking quite a bit about the differences between China the United States. We’ve discussed “the good, the bad, and the ugly”. Despite the myriad of cultural differences that exist between these countries, and indeed the world over, I am more and more struck by the blatant similarities that exist, not only in China and the USA, but in large nations across the board. Despite the rampant finger pointing, name calling, and general ideological drivel that emanates from party elites on both sides of the pacific, it seems that large nations everywhere are proceeding in the general direction of tyranny; imposing greater restrictions on the freedoms of their citizens, increasing the manipulation of the media, and tightening restrictions on the flow of capital, information, and people.

In China the CCP is reorganizing the method in which local and township officials are chosen, giving its citizens a voice on who they wish to elect. Under the new system, which is gaining steam in many areas, local citizens are encouraged to participate in local Party leadership and elections for officials are being held. Yes that’s right; ELECTIONS in China… provided of course that the nominee meets all eligibility requirements (i.e. CCP membership). See the full story here … China has also sent observers to judge the fairness of foreign elections such as the one in Palestine. Does the CCP judging the fairness of elections sound a bit ironic to anyone else?… while elections are great, as we’ve seen in the past decade in the US they are easily manipulated, stolen, and influenced via irrelevant “hot button” issues. Also, let’s not forget that China, as of the end of Feb., has barred foreigners, especially journalists, from Tibet and sensitive regions of Sichuan …what will THAT do to foreign investments and MNEs operating in the country?

Earlier this year, Pentagon officials said as many as 20,000 Soldiers under the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) will be trained within the next three years to work with civilian law enforcement in the area of “homeland security”. This is, to quote the report, in case “the economic crises should lead to civil unrest, such as protests against businesses and government or runs on beleaguered banks.” US military being trained to move against the US citizenry? Sound a bit like all the hoopla we’ve heard about China preparing for civil unrest in advance of its 20 plus million migrant workers becoming jobless? Party loyalists who don’t believe me can read the full government document here…

Then there’s the “hot” topics in the US: Nationalization of banks and insurance companies, CEO pay capping, industrial subsidization?… er… does that really sound like free market capitalism?

And let’s not forget Russia, after all it’s a democracy too now … isn’t it? Though Putin supposedly gave up power in 2008, it is common knowledge that his protégé Medvedev’s maintenance of his regime and it’s stranglehold on both government policy and media expression (not to mention the flagging economy) has led to pro-Bolshevik demonstrations across Russia earlier this year. Story here… Yes that’s right… many Russians apparently feel that the Reds can once again provide a more economically and socially viable alternative to Czar Vladimir I and “democracy”.

Regression toward the mean (thank you Dr. Jaggia) is apparently not just a concept applicable in the realm of numerical analysis. While it could be argued that the “communists” are becoming more fiscally open and the “capitalists” more socialist, I would argue that these ideological divides are nothing more than a fabricated excuse for all three of these nations to further restrict the freedoms of their citizens. The excuse time and time again is the same; “maintaining stability” or “ensuring prosperity” … prosperity and stability for whom … Washington DC, Beijing, and Moscow?

You may be wondering what this diatribe has to do with international business. How on earth can this be applicable to you ?… I believe that free enterprise is a critical component in ensuring the social and economic liberties of the individual. We’ve been talking quite a bit as well about sustainability and localization as it relates to “corporate social responsibility”. A firm is dedicated to making profit, yet at the same time this profit cannot be sustained in the long run unless the firm invests in cultivating and maintaining the well-being of its customers, economically, socially, spiritually,… across the board. Corporations are in a unique position to subvert the authority of governments as they function with many of the same rights individuals, yet with far fewer restrictions. With the advent of the internet, capital and information can move ever more freely across borders. China has met with almost no success in its efforts to block the internet data flow. There is some talk of an open-source banking system (see Ripple) that could subvert, and thus devalue, the worlds leading currencies. While at present this is only dream, business leaders are in the unique position to make critical decisions that facilitate an increase in the fluidity of not only capital and knowledge, but hopefully of people as well.

It is the responsibilities of corporations to do everything in their power (aside from illegal actions which may pose financial liabilities) to funnel capital away from governments that take actions that are not in the best interests of the people. These citizens are in fact the corporation’s customers. While boycotting investment is a popular method, it is one that may ultimately hurt a firm in the long run as other firms may not join you in the boycott ( i.e. prisoners dilemma). Creative business models that subvert or avoid tax liability (see the IKEA nonprofit example) are wonderful in that they have both legal authority while at the same time undermine fiscally irresponsible governments that use tax funds for items such as ICBMs, space lasers, and for all we know genetically engineered marsupial soldiers.

Unfortunately in the IKEA example, the firm has chosen not to “close the loop” and use their tax savings as an investment in human capital, rather they hold the funds so that their founder and his family can grow still richer. Still, I would argue that a consumer holds more power than a citizen (money talks) and that it is far easier to oust a possibly irresponsible corporation than it is to oust an inevitably irresponsible government.

To close, individuals can be corporations too! Running one’s life as a corporate entity may seem a bit far out, but it has some definite advantages, especial when trying to make oneself more mobile and adaptable in the global marketplace. Loyalties should lie with one’s community, one’s family, and one’s customers, not with an ideology or an assembly of autocrats thousands of miles away. To meet the environmental, economic, social, and political challenges of the 21st century it will not be on government officials but on us as future business leaders to think small, think sustainably, and perhaps most importantly, to think independently.

Comments, thoughts, and arguments are greatly appreciated (pls no name calling … i.e. “that guy is a Nazi” as it doesn’t befit the caliber of our academic institution).

Submitted by: David Caldwell

I came across a rather depressing piece while browsing the internet: an exposé about an Indian worker named Rewa Ram, entitled “My life cleaning Delhi’s sewers.” The article describes the job of one of India’s lower castes: the untouchables, or “Dalits.” While just reading about Ram’s experience is enough to induce nausea, he says “I am not educated, I come from a very poor family of untouchables. What else can I expect…At least I have a government job and I am able to feed my children. I get into this hell every day but then this is my job…I live smelling death, but it is fine.”

Ram’s response seems of indicative of a glass ceiling above the lower classes. When I started to think more in depth about what kinds of influences were keeping the Dalits down, I realized that I had almost no understanding of the caste system or social stratification – it’s just not something that I’ve ever had a lot of exposure to. This is why I’m so excited about getting to go to India to learn about their society first-hand.

Related to the previous article, I stumbled across another piece that caught my interest: a Fora.tv video about The Privatization of Water. While I don’t claim to be any sort of environmental advocate, one part of this video caught my attention. Alan Snitow talks briefly about how much more expensive bottled water is than municipal water sources, but American consumer guilt isn’t what he’s interested in. At 00:35:45 into the talk, he mentions that the “real problem [he] sees with bottled water is best seen in other parts of the world.” Specifically, he observes than in India, the middle and upper classes drink bottled water because there is a perception that the municipal water supply is unhealthy. As a result, the only support for improving public water systems comes from the country’s poorest citizens – essentially limiting their access to clean, affordable water by robbing them of any sort of political clout.

Snitow chastises the privatization of water sources all over the world by companies such as Nestle, Coca Cola, and Pepsi. This grates harshly against my experiences with business and education – until now, I’ve been a staunch believer that private industry was the best way to get many things done; after all, competition brings out the best in people, right? When I’m talking to my friends about a poor performance or a substandard service, I often jokingly say that “it’s good enough for government work!”

To reconcile these two conflicting ideas, I’ll have to think back to our Macro Economics course (GSB 533) last spring, in which Dr. Marlow taught us that when governments create restrictions and incentives in markets, they may achieve certain social objectives, but it won’t be as efficient an allocation of resources to their highest value uses as if the government had embraced a laissez-faire attitude. I appreciate that at the end of the day, we didn’t learn whether governmental intervention was right or wrong, but that it was up to us to decide what we thought was the most important, and to act accordingly to pursue those goals. As it pertains to Rewa Ram, it’s up to the Indian government to decide whether or not it wants to resist foreign and domestic investment in municipal replacements at the cost of efficiency, or if it wants to embrace them at the cost of its most destitute people.

Prepared and Submitted by Morgan O’Hara:

Can you see it? Us in Mumbai, a beautiful summer’s day, playing cricket with a group of Indian MBAs, drinking chai, talking life, making those important connections. That’s business for you, Cal Poly international style. And not only is it going to happen in a few months, but we are going to be prepared.

On the morning of Feb 28th, we have a cricket ‘friendly’ with the Indian Student Association at Isley Park located on Tank Farm Road in SLO (let me know if you need directions). Start time is ten sharp (10:00 am), and we’ll end early afternoon, around one o’clock (1:00 pm), after burgers have been served. Though my authority is uncertain, I’m requiring attendance. Even so, RSVP by shooting me an email at mdohara AT calpoly DOT edu. We need to know how much eats to order.

On the evening of the 27th starting at 8:00 pm sharp, ten to twelve of us will have the privilege to crowd into Dr. Carr’s living room after that week’s hob nob ends at his house, and watch an Indian movie (Lagaan — and Oscar nominated cricket themed Bollywood production) on cricket’s nascence. (He notes 10-12 people is about all his living room can comfortably hold and he will supply the pillows, popcorn and sodas to said first come first served 10-12 people). I’ve been told that this movie serves as a good intro to the sport, and there will be someone knowledgeable on hand to answer any questions we may have.

For everyone, especially those who can’t make it on the evening of the 27th at Dr. Carr’s house, here are some quick youtube videos which go over some cricket basics.

Basics Video: CLICK HERE

How to Bat: CLICK HERE

How to Bowl: CLICK HERE

How to Field: CLICK HERE

India Team Highlights: CLICK HERE

Three important things you need to know, copied straight from Wikipedia:

Test cricket is played between two teams of eleven players over a period of up to a maximum of five days - although matches are sometimes completed early when one side wins well within the time allotted (i.e. in three or four days). On each day there are usually three two-hour sessions with a forty minute break for “lunch” and a twenty minute break for “tea.”

One Day International (ODI) is a form of cricket, in which 50 overs are played per side between two national cricket teams. The Cricket World Cup is played in this format. One Day International matches are also called “Limited Overs Internationals (LOI)”, because they are limited overs cricket matches between national sides, and if the weather interferes they are not always completed in one day. Important one-day matches, international and domestic, often have two days set aside, the second day being a “reserve” day to allow more chance of the game being completed if a result is not possible on the first day (for instance if play is prevented or interrupted by rain).

Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each have a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. The game is completed in about two and half hours, with each inning lasting around 75 minutes, thus bringing the game closer to the timespan of other popular team sports such as football. It was introduced to create a lively form of the game which would be attractive to spectators at the ground and viewers on television and as such it has been very successful. The ECB did not intend that Twenty20 would replace other forms of cricket and these have continued alongside it.

See you all on February 28th at 10 am. If any questions, please contact me. As for the sparkly white uniform, we’ll have no dress code, but keep in mind, in India we’ll be sporting pants. Also, this is important, playing is NOT mandatory. You can come by, soak in the sun, enjoy the camaraderie, laugh at us fumbling all over the place, and get first dibs on the food.

Submitted by: James McMillan

Professor Carr Addendum and Intro to James’ Post: This is a post I asked James to make as a follow up to his earlier post, It’s Called Days Inn in China But It’s Nothing Like It, and For Good Reason (see also the comment thread). (Thank you James, for doing so and for taking the time.) As the below shows, we have found that finding a hotel in India that can accommodate a group of our size is a challenge. Rates are very high, which in turns impacts the price you pay for the trip. Moreover, the current hotel market there tends to be very high end (we can’t afford) or very low end (you will not want to stay there), with not much in between to choose from (our challenge to find and compete to get). Step back and think of this — a country of 1.3 billion plus people, with a hotel room supply of roughly only 105,000. My memory is that China has roughly 1.1 million hotel rooms in the country (see below for James’ US figures — roughly 4.4 million; we are a developed economy with money for fun and travel, while China and India are developing economies and emerging markets with much less money). Please be aware of this planning and business issue and constraint, and, business opportunity, as James touches on below. By the way, there are some very good and understandable macro reasons for this hotel market and supply condition in India and my memory is that your Khana book, Billions of Entrepreneurs, also has a nice chapter (Chapter 4 as I remember — “Fiat and Fairness”) re: how and why real estate development projects can be a challenge to launch, complete and make any money on in India. Be sure to read and think of this post and business environment issue as you read that chapter and as we travel in India and China. Also keep in mind that one (not the only) reason China has more rooms is that it has boatloads of peasants looking for work from rural villages who will work for cheap (in comparison to US wages, that is). The CCP in China is also operating more from a “build and they will come” mindset on the hotel issue. One model is not better than the other, they are just both different.

James’ Post:

>Did you know there are only about 105,000 hotel rooms in all of India while the US has about 4.4 million? If that’s not shocking enough consider that New York alone has about 110,000 rooms and Shanghai has about 135,000. Is it any shock to you that the prices for basic rooms in India are through the roof? With India having almost 4 times our population, why do you think such a disparity exists and why are the business men in India not capitalizing on such obvious demand?

According to some hotel executives, the blame can be placed on the government for not revising decades-old laws that limit the amount of land for sale which obviously drives up the prices. The Indian Railways has vast land holdings that could easily be converted into track-side hotels but at the moment they are just not willing to give these up. According to the Taj group of hotels, a chain with 7,000 rooms in India, the price of purchasing land at an auction is often just too high to make building a hotel financially viable.

For comparison purposes, a similar quality room in Delhi cost on average $187 versus $122 in Beijing. With India already struggling with infrastructure problems it?s no wonder that hotel room shortages and high prices are at the root of India?s lagging tourism industry. In 2005, New York attracted 6.8 million foreign tourists while India only had 3.9 million. This resulted in $22.8 billion for New York and only $6.7 billion for India. To put these numbers in perspective that translates into about $2,850 per New York resident as compared to $6 per India resident.

Fortunately, there seems to be some progress for the hotel business in India but they definitely have their work cut out for them. It is expected that there will be about $6.5 billion invested in hotel building which will allow for approximately 140,000 new hotel rooms to be built by 2010. Some of the hotels expanding into India are some of the worlds best know names (Hilton, Wyndam, Pan Pacific, etc.) that are all recognizing the huge potential.

So before these big corporate hotel companies come in and dominate the market, who?s down to take on the Indian government and start building some hotel chains? It sounds like if the political front could be worked properly, sky’s the limit!

Submitted by: Josh Hickman

For those of you who have not chosen Khanna’s Billions of Entrepreneurs for your read this quarter, I would like to bring to your attention a segment in the book in which I felt could break new ground in the practice of medicine in developing countries, as well as our own fifty states. The chapter titled “Barefoot Doctors and Medical Tourists” discusses what both China and India have going for their hospital system as well as where they fall short. China, whose hospitals are described as “clean, free of crowds, and well run” which is a stark contrast to a hospital in Mumbai which is filled with “hundreds of people demanding surgical attention with paint flaking off the walls and unsanitary conditions” (Khanna, 213). The story of Dr. Devi Shetty touched me, an entrepreneurial heart surgeon who once cared for Mother Teresa in his career, has provided affordable and reliable health care for people even in the poorest of India’s slums. Dr. Shetty runs a private hospital in Bangalore (Narayana Hrudayalaya) that can provide medical services for the equivalent of a few cents to people, and will not turn away anyone who cannot pay for service (some government subsidies help make this possible). Shetty won the entrepreneur of the year award at the 2006 World Economic Forum for building “Healh City”, a network of different hospitals and medical departments to house five thousand hospital beds and maximize the use of their medical equipment to cut down costs even more.

Seeing this success with privatization of health care, why do we still see medical costs in the U.S. for thousands of dollar per day? And what happens if someone does not have medical insurance? Some catastrophic illness could also mean the end of your financial future which would be devoted to paying off these medical costs. I have a very close friend whose mother had an unexpected brain tumor last year and was near death (thankfully she is alive now and rehabilitating), and her hospital bills were well over a million dollars for a two month stay. If the family had not had any insurance, they would be in a very scary financial situation right now.

So would privatization of health care and hospitals in the U.S. be an answer to our problems? Shetty has plans to expand to Mexico (see here for a short article about the project) as well as other cities in India including Hyderabad. This brings up an issue of whether it is fair to be providing free health care from our tax dollars to people who maybe are unemployed, or not contributing their part to federal or state taxes. However, by utilizing medical equipment and personnel more efficiently and effectively, driving the overall cost down for everyone could help the issue without having to resort to heavily subsidized programs. Dr. Shetty is an example of someone who thinks outside the box, not only to benefit him, but in order to revolutionize the model of hospitals and make changes in how a country operates.

Submitted by: Jenna Healy

We’re traveling to China and India to study business, it’s wonderful- but India is calling my name for another reason. It’s the home of yoga, where the ancient roots began to grow. So I thought I’d give a glimpse into what yoga is and why it’s so important. I’m going to focus on the Eastern version of yoga as opposed to the Westernized (commercial gym) form of yoga.

What is yoga? Yoga is bliss. It’s union with God or the Divine Self. Yoga is self-exploration and spiritual enlightenment. It goes beyond our five senses. It is amazing. An Indian philosopher, Patanjali, wrote it’s manual thousands of years ago, although he did not invent the practice.

Hinduism is the India-based religion yoga helps to teach. It includes: Vegetarianism, the Law of Karma, Reincarnation and freedom from all suffering. It incorporates all religions, it’s universal, it values what works for you. Sanskrit is the spoken and written language of Hinduism and yoga; most of the ancient texts are in Sanskrit.

“Yoga is your true nature: union with the divine self. Yoga practices such as asana (postures) enable us to feel there is something animating our physical form. Yoga practice of meditation enable us to watch our minds think, to realize that we must be more than the mind, if we can sit back and watch it generate thoughts.” (Jivamukti Yoga, 2002)

If that makes no sense, it takes time. To me, yoga is my faith, and it’s my connection to the spirit world and to my self. Each time I step onto my mat, I learn more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses, my internal layers of emotion, fear, guilt. I learn about the stress stored in the cells of my body. I grow stronger, more alive, more aware. It’s my therapy, my freedom from suffering. And this amazing life-changing practice originated in India-where we’re headed! Are we grasping the importance yet?

Three of the oldest and foundational books for yoga are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written over 5,000 years ago.

The 5 obstacles yoga helps you to overcome or Kleshas are:

1. Avidya: ignorance
2. Asmita: egoism
3. Raga: excessive attachment to pleasurable things
4. Dvesa: excessive aversion, hatred
5. Abhinivesha: fear of death

We rid ourselves of the Kleshas by practicing Patanjali’s 8 limbs:

1. Yama: restraint
2. Niyama: observance
3. Asana: postures
4. Pranayama: breath work or control of the life force
5. Pratyahara: withdrawl of the senses
6. Dharana: concentration
7. Dhyana: meditation
8. Samadhi: bliss, union with the divine

Seem simple enough? In Patanjali’s second sutra, he defines yoga (translated), ‘yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases.’ Make sense? When our minds relax and find peace; when we give up resisting life.

The body is also comprised of 5 koshas or bodies, experienced with the practice of yoga. They are, starting from the outside and moving in:

1. Annamaya kosha: the physical body
2. Pranamaya kosha: the vital body or breath body
3. Manomaya kosha: emotional body
4. Vijnanamaya kosha: intellectual body
5. Anandamaya kosha: the bliss body

What happens in yoga class?

-You show up, no shoes, with a mat
-Your teacher leads you through meditation before practicing
-You move through asanas (postures) using pranayama (breath work)
-Usually standing postures first, then inversions and backbends, followed by floor practice. There are many forms of yoga so each class varies
-End class in savasana or corpse pose
-In corpse pose, the final meditation (10-25 minutes) you feel your body alive, you feel the koshas or layers to your being; you feel alive; you feel high, at peace, at ease.

For the scientists in the group, look at Dr. Len Kravitz’s (no not the singer, the award winning professor and researcher) article on the science of breathing. This will give you scientific research behind pranayama.

Yoga is a way to experience higher states of consciousness. Excited yet? Maybe we can visit an ashram on our trip as a cultural experience?

I’ve studied the human body and spirit for over a decade. I’ve helped people heal in a number of ways: physical therapy, structural integration, emotional healing, nutrition, dance, and the most effective modality of healing I’ve found? You guessed it. Yoga.

Submitted By: Mark Polydoris

Since reading The Post-American World, I’ve become something of a Fareed Zakaria nut. I’ve spent some time reading his articles in Newsweek and watching him on CNN. Between the financial crisis, the election of Barack Obama, and the attacks in Mumbai, I keep asking myself: What would Fareed do? (I’ll have WWFD shirts available by our next GSBA meeting).

Zakaria’s latest article in Newsweek discusses the bailout and how China and US relations are more important than ever. According to Zakaria, it is virtually certain that China will be buying up a lot of US public debt, almost 10 percent of it. China wants to keep the US economy alive so we keep buying their stuff (apparently from the dollar store where Dr. Carr shops), but now it has the option of jump-starting it’s own economy since its citizens are able to spend large amounts of money. Either way, as the article states, China has options, and America doesn’t.

Talk about living in a post-American world! The article’s description of “Chimerica” paints a vivid picture where the fate of America is locked in with that of China. Are we already living in a post-American world when China can afford to finance both its economy and ours? Is there really a “Chimerica” if China has the option to simply finance itself? Can China achieve economic independence without relying on American consumption?