Censorship resistance is one of the most powerful philosophical pillars of cryptocurrency. At its core, the idea holds that no authority—state, corporation, or intermediary—should be able to block, reverse, or selectively permit transactions. Money, in this view, should be neutral infrastructure: as indifferent to identity, politics, or geography as the internet protocol itself. This principle animated early crypto communities and remains central to how decentralization is mo

True financial inclusion is slow, institutional, and often unglamorous. It requires legal identity, consumer protection, financial education, and integration with the real economy. Crypto can complement these efforts, but it cannot substitute for them. When promoters portray crypto as a standalone emancipatory tool, they conflate access with empowerment and technology with trust.

Cryptocurrency emerged from a deeply philosophical conviction: that money should be decentralized, insulated from political discretion, and freed from the control of governments and banks. At its core, this belief reflects a distrust of centralized authority—born from repeated historical episodes of inflation, capital controls, financial repression, and crisis-driven bailouts. Crypto promised an alternative monetary order: rule-based rather than discretionary, global rather t

“Cryptocurrency is driven by the belief that money should be  decentralized , not controlled by governments or banks. It champions  financial sovereignty , giving individuals absolute ownership of their assets. The movement favors  code over institutions , replacing intermediaries with transparent, trustless systems. Promoters see it as a pathway to  universal financial access , beyond geography or status. At its core lies a conviction in  economic freedom and censorship resi

trends in Padma awardees Over the last three decades, the announcement of Padma Awards has quietly evolved into more than a ceremonial recognition of individual achievement. In my view, it has become a mirror reflecting India’s changing ideological and philosophical self-understanding. While officially apolitical, the pattern of Padma Award recipients reveals how the Indian state’s conception of merit, contribution, and national identity has shifted over time. In the mid-1990

Finance bill 2026 and its tax proposals on stock market transactions Focus: Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and Taxation of Share Buybacks The Finance Bill 2026 introduces two targeted but high-impact tax changes affecting capital markets: an increase in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on equity derivatives, and a shift in the tax treatment of corporate share buybacks. While narrow in scope, both measures have meaningful implications for market liquidity, investor behaviour

I respectfully disagree with the view that a reserved-category candidate who scores higher marks can automatically take a general (open) category seat, even if that candidate reached the exam stage using relaxations that were not available to general candidates. My disagreement is  not with reservation itself , which is a constitutionally accepted policy. The disagreement is with  how this rule works in practice , and how it can unfairly disadvantage candidates who compete un

Regulator:  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Audience:  Audit Committee & Risk Management Committee Purpose:  To summarise recent RBI regulatory expectations and highlight priority oversight actions for committees. Time Horizon:  Ongoing / FY 2025–26 planning WHAT HAS CHANGED & WHY IT MATTERS 1. Regulatory Context RBI’s regulatory stance has evolved toward  outcomes-based supervision , with increasing emphasis on: ·       Board and committee effectiveness ·       Early identificat

Regulator:  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Audience:  Bank Boards, Audit Committees, Risk Management Committees, Independent Directors Purpose:  To summarise recent RBI regulatory and supervisory developments and outline their implications for board-level oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and institutional resilience. 1. Why This Matters for Bank Boards Recent RBI regulatory actions reflect a  decisive shift from rules-based supervision to outcomes-based oversight , with a st

The year 2022 was surely interesting for Media business - specifically News (Digital & Broadcasting) business. There was a big rumble...

Declaration: The author holds Insurance Policy and Savings related policies underwritten / sold by the corporation. For an average Bharatiya (I am continuing to address Indian as Bharatiya), the received wisdom is once you start earning take insurance policy from LIC. LIC is currently 100% owned by Government of India and hence there is a engrained belief that government will honour the obligation arising from Insurance policy if any. The insurance business under LIC will be

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Media (Television / Print / Social) is replete with discussions on post lockdown reboot of economy. The moot question - Should such...