INDIA AT RISK
World economic forum has just published a report called india@risk 2007
This report lists 6 risks that India is facing.
1.Economic impact of demographics
Our population has given dividends.How to make sure this does not turn a liability.
2.Loss of fresh water.
3.Vulnerability due to things like oil shock.
4.Globalisation Vs Protectionism-What happens if there is a backlash from globalisation?
5.Climate change. Trade off between growth and environmental issues.
6.Efficiency of combating infectious diseases.

These are the risks that will have to be addressed if India has to grow at an ambitious rate of 10%.

I feel there is another bigger risk.Inadequacy of education.
35% of the world's illiterates live in India.
Why is this so?
Indian Hindus have been worshipping Goddess Saaraswathi since centuries as the Goddess of Vidya.
Indian Muslims will swear by Quran which starts with the word IQRA, means "read".
Indian Christians have been in the forefront of building schools and colleges and recently I heard a Father saying on TV that Christians should send their ward to Christian schools and not anywhere where they can get good marks.
With all these, we lodge 35% of worlds illiterates.To my mind this is the biggest risk for our growth and even if we educate one extra person, it is a step that is worth.No nation can achieve universal education without the Government investing heavily in education and research.That does not mean we should sell our children to work for call centres and IT companies that monopolise the monotany of American impatience and drudgery!We need to educate our children to understand, to improve, to manufacture, to maintain and to grow.
A.P.Jayanthram