Currently Browsing: Vedic Observer

: Audio   : Video   : Transcription   : Hindi Language

May 2023

• 344) Is love of God available to followers of non-Vedic systems?

April 2023

• 343) Given the many extremist statements in Islamic texts, does that religion lead to any divine truth?

June 2022

• 342) Why does God not answer our prayers? (PK answered 5)

December 2019

• 341) Why does India have such a lofty philosophy and a filthy living conditions?

January 2018

• 340) What causes a midlife crisis – can devotees suffer from it?

June 2017

• 339) Social Media Analysis 3 – Greater accessibility brings greater responsibility
• 338) World Religions 3 – Islam – Beyond the politically correct and the politically incorrect to the philosophically correct
• 337) World Religions 2 – Christianity – Beyond authoritarian and humanitarian religion to transcendence
• 336) World Religions 1 – Appreciating religious diversity amidst spiritual universality
• 335) Analyzing Social Media 1 – What it does for us and what it does to us
• 334) Dumbness is not inability to understand gibberish – it is inability to see gibberish for what it is Gita 18.63

May 2017

• 333) Are paid pujas done in temple not commercialization of religion?
• 332) Gita 14.04 Social reform needs to be founded in spiritual reform
• 331) Gita 18.37 Freedom without framework is paralyzing, not liberating
• 330) Why does our culture not tell us the reasons for our religious practices?
• 329) Kali Yuga predictions – Superficiality, Audacity, Anxiety, Spirituality
• 328) Meditation on Niagara Falls
• 327) How can we share bhakti wisdom with the non-religious?
• 326) What is our religious identity – what is a simple answer that our kids can give to other kids at school?
• 325) Being religiously spiritual in a multi-cultural world
• 324) Why spirituality matters – scientific, ethical and relational perspectives

April 2017

• 323) What is the wws concept?

March 2017

• 322) The cause of fanaticism is not excessive devotion, but inadequate devotion
• 321) Can we be spiritual but not religious?

February 2017

• 320) Can our material identity be spiritualized – which dharma spiritualises it?

November 2016

• 319) If yajna produces rains, how did the West that did no yajna have rains?
• 318) ​Terrorism threatens human life – what is the spiritual perspective on this?

September 2016

• 317) Matters that matter more than matter
• 316) ​What science can’t provide – and spirituality can
• 315) ​Do we need spirituality in an age of science?
• 314) Which wrong default programs can sabotage people who start business?
• 313) What is the cause of wars fought in the name of religion?

August 2016

• 312) ​Are terrorists like snakes who deserve to be killed without trial and who don’t deserve last rites?
• 311) What is the destination of terrorists who blow themselves up while chanting Allah?
• 310) ​​How is a terrorist different from a freedom fighter?
• 309) ​Are people without avenues for democratic expression justified in resorting to terrorism?
• 308) ​Do we need to combat social threats to dharma to preserve an environment conducive for practicing dharma in future?
• 307) Gita Insights on Terrorism
• 306) ​Why are ISKCON programs in the West attended mostly by Indians?
• 305) What is the Vedic perspective on Islam?
• 304) Making our outreach relevant

June 2016

• 303) ​Learning to lose our faith in illusion
• 302) ​What is voodoo magic?
• 301) Near death experiences on the road (Part 02) (Reflections on 2016 Australia-Singapore trip)
• 300) Near death experiences on the road (Part 01) (Reflections on 2016 Australia-Singapore trip)

May 2016

• 299) The dual dimensions of artha
• 298) The dual dimensions of artha (Guest Column in Financial Chronicle)
• 297) What is the spiritual perspective on organ donation?
• 296) Seek artha in both its senses – wealth and meaning

April 2016

• 295) ​Shakespeare seen in the light of the bhakti tradition
• 294) ​Was scripture written by the powerful to keep others in control?
• 293) ​Rama: Fact, not Fiction
• 292) How does spirituality relate with animal rights?

March 2016

• 291) How are scriptures relevant today
• 290) Who damaged bhakti culture more – Muslims or Britishers?

February 2016

• 289) If people commit murder in the name of religion, what is their destination?
• 288) Just as Christians adopt local cultural forms while converting Indians, can devotees do the same in their outreach?

January 2016

• 287) Does spiritualist refer to a practitioner of spiritualism, not spirituality?

December 2015

• 286) How can spiritual wisdom be introduced in academic curricula?
• 285) Does our capacity for intelligence prove the reality of our free will?
• 284) What were the most striking experiences of your US preaching tour?
• 283) For those practicing some other religion, should KC be presented analytically or synthetically?
• 282) Is the Warkari sampradaya personalist or impersonalist?

October 2015

• 281) If some new devotees want to donate organs, what should we tell them?
• 280) The highest study in the land of higher studies (Reflections on my US trip 2015) – Part 3
• 279) The highest study in the land of higher studies (Reflections on my US trip 2015) – Part 2
• 278) The highest study in the land of higher studies (Reflections on my US trip 2015) – Part 1
• 277) How to understand statistics that indicate the world is more peaceful than in the past?

September 2015

• 276) How spirituality increases our social contributions
• 275) Understanding the Marshmallow test from the three modes’ perspective
• 274) Do aliens exist?
• 273) Akbar built temples and Aurangzeb destroyed temples – why the difference?

August 2015

• 272) Spiritual Insights for dealing with HIV
• 271) Independence Day Meditation – A Patriotism beyond Patriotism
• 270) Should the Bhagavad-gita be made India’s national book?
• 269) Is the quote about Macaulay systematically planning to destroy Indias glorious education and culture false?

July 2015

• 268) Artificial Life? Why Not Real Life?

June 2015

• 267) What are ISKCON’s views on adoption, in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy?
• 266) World Yoga Day – Let’s Go Beyond Political and Physical Posturing
• 265) A spiritual wonder down under (Reflections on my outreach tour to Melbourne)
• 264) Can yoga be copyrighted?
• 263) Is yoga a cure-all?
• 262) Can there be something called Christian yoga?
• 261) Is yoga Hindu or not?
• 260) World Yoga Day – Let’s Go Beyond Political and Physical Posturing
• 259) Counter anxiety by spirituality
• 258) Importance of celibacy in the world’s spiritual traditions
• 257) PK and the criteria for finding the right path
• 256) Gita as a leadership guide
• 255) Despite having so many time-saving devices, why do we not have time?

May 2015

• 254) Sensitivity in preaching amidst natural calamities

April 2015

• 253) Terrorism – The Extreme Expression of a Culture of Ignorance

March 2015

• 252) Should devotees read news?
• 251) India’s Daughter and India’s culture
• 250) Will banning beef lead to economic problems?

February 2015

• 249) Music therapy and Harinaam Sankirtan
• 248) Warmer hearts can cool warming planet
• 247) What is the Vedic perspective on organ donation?

January 2015

• 246) Are there two gods: the god who created man and the god whom man created? (PK QA 6)
• 245) Is it cowardice to go to God out of fear? (PK QA 5)
• 244) Do people who are afraid go to temples? (PK QA 4)
• 243) Why do religious teachers stereotype people as when they pronounce all Pakistanis as cheaters? (PK QA 3)
• 242) Can we reject as wrong numbers the rituals that don’t make sense? (PK QA 2)
• 241) Are rituals wrong numbers to God? (PK QA 1)
• 240) Should conversions be banned in India?
• 239) What is the difference between faith and blind faith? (PK answered 27)
• 238) Are different religions like different companies with their gods as their product? (PK answered 26)
• 237) Are the gods of different religions different? (PK answered 25)
• 236) How can God who is unlimited appear as a limited stone image? (PK answered 24)
• 235) Does a stone smeared with turmeric become God? (PK answered 23)

December 2014

• 234) Happy New Year – How bhakti-yoga fulfills the import of this sincere wish
• 233) Is PK an anti-Hindu movie? (PK answered 22)
• 232) Are we meant to not ask questions in matters of faith? (PK answered 21)
• 231) Aren’t Hindu teachers by refuting PK unnecessarily promoting it?
• 230) Why waste milk on God’s image when his children are starving? (PK answered 20)
• 229) How can worshiping a cow get a person a job? (PK answered 19)
• 228) If God has a plan for everything, does chanting mantras for getting something change his plan? (PK answered 18)
• 227) Why do religious teachers threaten people with fear of future punishment? (PK Answered 17)
• 226) Why does God like flattery? (PK answered 16)
• 225) When God is all-powerful, why do religionists need to protect him and for that attack others? (PK answered 15)
• 224) Why does God favor the wealthy by letting them bypass the queues in temples? (PK answered 14)
• 223) Does God respond more to our prayers when we worship him in a bigger murti? (Pk answered 13)
• 222) If God can hear our prayers directly, why do we need to pray to a murti? (PK answerd 12)
• 221) Is going to temple due to fear cowardice? (PK answered 11)
• 220) Is religion a business run by godmen to exploit people’s fears? (PK answered 10)
• 219) Why do different religions have different rituals? (PK answered 9)
• 218) Why aren’t we born with our religion stamped on our body? (PK answered 8)
• 217) Is religion made by man or by God? (PK answered 7)
• 216) Why would God want his children to roll on the ground to come to him? (PK answered 6)
• 215) Do fearful people go to temples? (PK answered 4)
• 214) Are rituals wrong numbers for calling God? (PK answered 3)
• 213) Is the god who made us completely unknowable to us? (PK answered 2)
• 212) Are there two gods – the god who made us and the god whom we made? (PK answered 1)
• 211) Does God like atheists more than religionists because atheists don’t kill children?
• 210) Don’t sharpen the axe in the criminal’s hands; cure the criminal

November 2014

• 209) Thoughts on Thanksgiving
• 208) Devotion is the culmination of the aspiration for liberation
• 207) Is Modi anti-secular in giving the Gita to other heads of state?
• 206) Is secularism against the Vedic tradition?
• 205) Thoughts on Thanksgiving
• 204) Should prostitution be legalized in India?
• 203) When God doesn’t conjure tricks can he be considered a magician?
• 202) How can we share scriptural wisdom in today’s secular government?

October 2014

• 201) Why do so many people commit suicide?
• 200) How can anyone accept such an antromorphic unscientific mythic conception of God as Krishna

September 2014

• 199) How should devotees respond to the threat of brutal religious groups like ISIS?

August 2014

• 198) After the laughter? – Reflections on Robbin Williams’ suicide
• 197) After the laughter? (Reflections on Robin Williams’ suicide)
• 196) What is the Vedic perspective on passive euthanasia?
• 195) How have so many languages come up worldwide when developing a computer language requires so much effort?
• 194) Spirituality and Medicine – An Integrated Approach

July 2014

• 193) “Love yourself” – what is Vedic perspective on this idea?
• 192) Should the gold in temples be used for social development?

June 2014

• 191) Doesn’t religious violence disprove the existence of God?
• 190) Why are Einstein’s and Prabhupada’s metaphors about blind man-lame man contradictory?
• 189) What is the destination of patriotic atheists like Bhagat Singh?
• 188) How can India’s wisdom-literature be introduced in the education without the saffronization of the syllabus?
• 187) How should we respond to indiscriminate violence against other communities done in the name of religion as a response to distortion of respected images?
• 186) Isn’t it distasteful for brahmacharis to be watching and quoting movies when people come to them to hear about Krishna
• 185) Isn’t violence against women in India, as in the Badaun rape case, caused more by the casteist society and not by the obscenity in the culture?
• 184) What is the use of writing insubstantial articles in newspapers that don’t even mention the name of Krishna once?

May 2014

• 183) Don’t romanticize the past or demonize the present – utilize whatever is available
• 182) If we have scriptural knowledge, why do we need science?
• 181) Can we be spiritual in an age of science?
• 180) Do religionists become self-centered due to believing that God has a personal relationship with them?
• 179) Does religion cause sexual repression?
• 178) Can devotional, non-devotional and anti-devotional cultures be connected with goodness passion and ignorance?
• 177) How to see spiritual organizations that are largely Vaishnava except for considering their founder as an incarantion?
• 176) Can we be spiritual without being religious? – Prerana festival talk

April 2014

• 175) Voting in elections – Clarification in response to HH Bhakti Vikas Maharaj
• 174) By asking devotees to vote, why are you dragging Prabhupada’s pure legacy into dirty politics?
• 173) Voting in elections is the social responsibility of devotees (Hindi)
• 172) Voting in elections is the social responsibility of devotees
• 171) Is banning books a part of the Abrahamic religions and not of dharmic religions which focused on intellectually debating and defeating opposing ideas not banning them?

March 2014

• 170) Prabhupada’s contributions to the world
• 169) Vedic dharma series – Universal and contextual aspects of dharma

February 2014

• 168) The Amish and the practicality of varnashrama in today’s world
• 167) Is rape always motivated by lust? Or is it due to the hunger for power as sociologists say?

January 2014

• 166) Role of religious leaders in taking India forward
• 165) Doesn’t technology save lives? Casualties in USA are less than in India due to disaster predictors.
• 164) Is teaching children about religion before they can think on their own child abuse?
• 163) Happy New Year – Karmi, Jnani and Bhakti attitudes towards the celebration

December 2013

• 162) When even Americans are concerned about Christian conversions in India, why is ISKCON unconcerned?
• 161) Sexual Energy on the Riot (A spiritual perspective on the Tejpal scandal)

November 2013

• 160) Can ISKCON devotees participate in social causes like anti-corruption activism or do they have to only cultivate and teach pure devotion?
• 159) To present KC from a contemporary intellectual perspective which all books of Prabhupada’s followers can I read?

October 2013

• 158) How did you come to Krishna consciousness?
• 157) Should devotees be promoting any particular candidate during political elections?
• 156) Aren’t we blaming the victim when we say that women’s revealing dresses are the cause of crimes against them?
• 155) Do women have the right to dress however they like? Is modest dressing old-fashioned?

September 2013

• 154) When famous religious teachers are accused of crime, how can we expect people to keep faith in religion?
• 153) 09.21 – Seek not higher material happiness; seek higher than material happiness
• 152) Are demigods bhavagrahi? Otherwise when demigod worship is done improperly, how does it produce results?
• 151) Timeless insights on today’s issues – Prerna-Nasik 2013 Sept
• 150) When prominent godmen are accused of sexual assualt how should we respond especially with people who have been following those godmen?

August 2013

• 149) Why have Hindus suffered for a thousand years? Why don’t Hindus unitedly fight against their aggressors?
• 148) Wasn’t Vedic culture destroyed because of its own faults and not external forces like Macaualay’s schemes?.m4a
• 147) Why do some spiritual organizations that believe in the Vedas not accept Deity Worship?
• 146) Why hasn’t ISKCON presented Prabhupada as a national spiritual hero?
• 145) Was Vedic education responsible for social evils like caste system that Indian reformers tried to remove by adopting Western education?
• 144) Isn’t the Hindu belief that girls are the result of bad karma and boys the result of good karma responsible for female foeticide?
• 143) What is the Vedic perspective on artificial meat?
• 142) Should devotees adopt politically correct usages like “senior citizens” for old people or “medical termination of pregnancy” for abortion?
• 141) Should devotees network with thinkers focusing on Hinduism and Indian nationality?
• 140) How did Darwin spoil our culture?
• 139) How did Macaulay spoil our culture?

July 2013

• 138) If rains come due to kirtan, then are floods due to too much kirtan?
• 137) What’s the significance of “new” in the “New Vedic Cultural Center”, the ISKCON temple at Pune?
• 136) How can devotees engage in charity so that they will not become bound in karma?
• 135) Does commitment to ideology make us blind to objective understanding?
• 134) If devotees don’t help the needy because of fear of being bound by good karma, aren’t they sacrificing basic humanity for spirituality?
• 133) Why do we glorify George Harrison so much when he was not chanting 16 rounds or following the regulative principles?
• 132) We devotees are ready to hurt our loved ones for the sake of Krishna and religious zealots are ready to kill others to please their God. What is the difference?
• 131) When fake godmen are destroying the spiritual life of people isnt it the duty of the government or ISKCON to end this nonsense?
• 130) In your acknowledgments in the OMG book why have you not thanked Krishna and Srila Prabhupada who has shown you the way?
• 129) Are the current changes in India’s religious landscape with the spreading of intolerant religions part of Krishna’s plan?

June 2013

• 128) Why are many people attracted to spiritual organizations that have no philosophical substance so much that they even dedicate their lives?
• 127) What is it that Christianity possesses and Hinduism lacks because of which Christianity is spreading and Hinduism is not?
• 126) In your OMG book what do you mean when we say that the rejection of all material representations will lead to the rejection of Krishna himself as material representation?
• 125) Is it true that the Uttarkhand disaster is caused by the moving of the Deity of Dhari devi?
• 124) Is our coming to devotional service destined?
• 123) How does destiny leave room for free will OMG Series 3 Mumbai
• 122) Miracles – Does God appear in paranormal visions? – OMG Series 2 Mumbai
• 121) Are natural calamities acts of God? – OMG Series 1 Mumbai
• 120) When women are victimized by violent crimes, often they are blamed for dressing or behaving provocatively. Is it right to blame the victim thus?
• 119) Why do natural disasters wreck havoc in holy places like in Kedarnath?
• 118) Some people are telling that aliens are controlling the earth. Is it true?
• 117) What is written in the Kuran regarding Jihad?
• 116) As you preach to influential people then why don’t you preach to BJP, SANGH-PARIVAR people and end communal politics and riots?
• 115) Do you feel that only if you follow Iskcon principles you will be elevated? Are all others lacking somewhere?
• 114) Can we make other organizations merge with ISKCON and have just one way?
• 113) OMG 2 – Acts of God, Karma and Destiny
• 112) Spot fixation – not spot fixing – is the real problem.

May 2013

• 111) Implementing Varnashrama in todays society SB 5.19.19
• 110) Is Manava seva not Madhava Seva? (With over 25 QA)
• 109) What is the Vedic perspective of the book Shiva’s trilogy?
• 108) Why is your answer in the OMG book to the milk-pouring-on-shiva-linga question so wishy-washy?
• 107) The traditional system of responding to nature outdoors leads to so much unhygienic and dirty situations? How is that superior to the modern system of indoor washrooms?
• 106) Is religion the opium of the masses?

April 2013

• 105) Though devotees are doing HARINAM all over why there is drought?
• 104) Should devotees hate criminals who commit extreme crimes?
• 103) Does religion make us helpless?
• 102) OMG – Point-by-point response to the movie TV talk show Hindi
• 101) How should we react to greek “gods” like zeus and what significance do them hold to us in todays life?
• 100) What is the Vedic perspective on planchet?
• 99) Are non-Vedic scriptures approaching God at the level of fear, demigod worship at desire, Visnhu worship at duty and Krishna worship at love?
• 98) Is it ok to get knowledge Especially religious From Wikipedia ?

March 2013

• 97) Oh My God – Point-by-point response to the movie TV talk show
• 96) If Ganga is coming from heaven, then why is it drying up?
• 95) Why do devotees not celebrate Holi?
• 94) Oh My God! with QA
• 93) What does Bhaktisiddhanta’s statement “The world doesnt need any reformer” mean?
• 92) The Pune temple inauguration – The inner and the outer miracle

February 2013

• 91) Isnt the idea that only by modern science have diseases been cured West-centric?
• 90) Can we be spiritual but not religious?
• 89) Why do most people think that religion is for making us do good and for teaching us to love God?
• 88) What is the Vedic perspective of homosexuality?
• 87) Should devotees donate organs?
• 86) Do the Vedic scriptures support moral policing?
• 85) Is gender segregation the cause of violence against women?
• 84) How KC is the solution of all problems 7 – Religious Problems

January 2013

• 83) How KC is the solution of all problems 6 – Medical Problems
• 82) Doesn’t blaming the culture for the Delhi gang-rape mean that we shift the blame away from the criminals?
• 81) How KC is the solution to all problems 5 – Economic problems
• 80) As sexual abuses are so widespread in society isn’t sex education essential to protect potential victims of abuse?
• 79) Why do devotees use silk when it involves killing of silkworms?
• 78) Is there any scriptural basis to the quantum physics idea that the observer determines the observation?
• 77) How KC is the solution to all problems 4 – Ecological problems
• 76) Are the abuses against women in India due to the negative view of women in the Vedic tradition?
• 75) If the sexualization of the culture is to be blamed for the Delhi gang- rape, then doesn’t that imply the criminals are not to be blamed?
• 74) What was the karma of the girl who got so brutally raped?
• 73) Delhi Gang-Rape and the modern Shurapanakha
• 72) How KC is the solution to all problems 3 – Psychological problems
• 71) Why did acharyas like Bhaktisiddhanta ST and Bhaktivinoda T not support the Indian national movement?
• 70) What is the Krishna conscious perspective on patriotism?
• 69) How KC is the solution to all problems 2 – Cultural Problems – Sexual Assaults

December 2012

• 68) What is the practical use of abstract philosophy when the world is facing so many practical problems?
• 67) How should we respond to religious conversions happening in India?
• 66) How can chanting Hare Krishna solve all problems?
• 65) Aren’t devotees like a group of people with limited knowledge and analysis?
• 64) Will banning guns for law-abiding citizens help when law-breakers have guns with them?
• 63) How can we handle tragedies like the Connecticut school massacres?
• 62) How KC is the solution to all problems I – Polticial problems – Corruption
• 61) What is the Vedic perspective on capital punishment?
• 60) Oh My God: Has religion become a business?
• 59) Was the milk drinking miracle in 1995 real miracle or was it due to scientific reasons?

November 2012

• 58) What is the Vedic perspective on the movie “Oh My God”?

October 2012

• 57) Vedic Prosperity vs Modern Scarcity
• 56) Has technology made life better? How should we use technology in devotional service?
• 55) What is the Vedic understanding of spiritual leaders like Sai Baba?
• 54) How will Krishna consciousness spread in Kali yuga when the overall cultural trend is materialistic?
• 53) Applying duhkalayam ashashvatam to social administration
• 52) Anxiety Epidemic – Youth meeting at Juhu with QA.mp3
• 51) Why is Krishna not keeping the increasing population under control?
• 50) What should be done when during pregnancy the life of the mother is under threat and doctors recommend abortion?
• 49) Is drinking urine medicially or spiritually beneficial?

September 2012

• 48) What should be the attitude of devotees towards conspiracy theories like say 9-11 was staged by America?
• 47) What is the Krishna conscious perspective of nondevotees with good moral qualities like Jains?
• 46) Should devotees vote in elections? What is the devotional perspective of democracy?
• 45) Is India’s dismal sports performance due to India being in the mode of goodness and sports being in passion?

August 2012

• 44) Do those who die on a battlefield get liberation?
• 43) Glorious Vedic culture is being destroyed
• 42) How do we understand modern day events of devotees seeing Yamadutas?

July 2012

• 41) Hurry, Worry, Sorry
• 40) TEMPLE: How Krishna consciousnes contributes to the world practically
• 39) 5 TESTS for evaluating a spiritual path
• 38) What is the Vedic perspective about the book ‘Mrutyunjaya’?

June 2012

• 37) How can we protect India’s culture from rampant westernization?
• 36) What is the Vedic perspective on animal killing for medical testing purposes?
• 35) Why do academic scholars of scripture miss its essential message?

May 2012

• 34) What is the Vedic perspective on the book “Secret”?
• 33) How are all social service activities mundane?
• 32) Why are Spiritualists Against Material Ambitions?

April 2012

• 31) How My Cancer Became a Blessing
• 30) The Save Yamuna Campaign: Where Environmental Activism and Devotional Service Unite

March 2012

• 29) Does spirituality kill our individuality?

February 2012

• 28) Managing Our Emotions – The Spiritual Way
• 27) Faithful Heart, Joyful Heart
• 26) The best Investor?
• 25) Reel Unreality

January 2012

• 24) Tap the Power of Faith
• 23) The difference between material and spiritual emotions
• 22) Did dinosaurs exist? What is the Vedic perspective?

December 2011

• 21) The Tea Quake
• 20) The Spiritual Dimension of Life
• 19) Your Cosmic Specialness
• 18) Material Diversity, Spiritual Equality
• 17) When Science Points to Spirituality
• 16) The Complete Social Service
• 15) From Adversity to Prosperity
• 14) The Untapped Glory of India

October 2011

• 13) Why does India need spirituality in this IT age?
• 12) Why do some religious teachers use death as a tool to scare people into taking up religious practice?
• 11) What is the spiritual perspective on the serial Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka (The Secret of Previous Life)?
• 10) A fresh Worldview
• 9) Is factual not actual?
• 8) Isn’t That Unscientific ?
• 7) Did man go to the moon?

August 2011

• 6) Doesn’t spirituality demand blind faith?

May 2011

• 5) Are spiritual feelings imaginary or actual?

April 2011

• 4) Is doubting a virtue or a failing?

February 2011

• 3) Are We Special? Understanding the difference humans and animals

December 2010

• 2) Can Vedic spirituality offer a solution to the current global eco-crisis?

October 2010

• 1) Is spirituality relevant for a globalizing India?