Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday, 16 January 2004

WHAT MAKES AAKASH DIFFERENT ?

There can be many opinions about Aakash tablet , but it is worth remembering that ,

  • At its price-point , Aakash is the only tablet capable of bridging the digital divide between the urban and the rural India

  • It will be used by persons who have not even seen a smart phone or a computer – much less used these

  • Aakash is its own benchmark. Much like Walkman and iPod , it has created a new category - hence there can be no comparisons

  • More than 2 million orders are a proof that , it is a product which millions have been waiting for

     No doubt there will be hiccups – as with any innovation

    With regards

    HEMEN  PAREKH

Thursday, 27 March 2003

VICIOUS CIRCLE ?

On 25 Mar 2012 , temperature  was 40* C in Mumbai ( India )
Must be a record of some sort !

And a clear sign of global warming

Over the next few months , temperatures all over India will hover around 40* C

Millions will switch – on their air conditioners to beat the heat, drawing huge amount of electricity

To generate all that power , thermal power plants will need to consume enormous amounts of coal

Which will throw up into atmosphere , large quantities of carbon dioxide

Producing green-house effect

Raising temperatures still further – and demand for more air conditioners

Only escape – route is non-fossil fuel energy

Even if it is Kudankulum

With  regards

HEMEN  PAREKH

Wednesday, 12 March 2003

PARENTS KNOW BEST !

Indian parents know too well that , in order to succeed in life , their children must master English language

Here is the proof

National University of Education , Planning and Administration ( NUEPA ) compiled following figures for enrollment of students by medium of instruction :

  • English Medium Schools ……. 20.4  Million ( + 18.9 % over 2009/10 )

  • Hindi Medium Schools ………… 90.9  Million (+ 5.6 % over 2009/10)

With 220 million cheap Tablets ( computers ) to be given away free to the school children in the next 5 years, I would not be surprised if English overtakes Hindi before long !

Reason ?

Almost all the “ Educational Content “ ( as of today ) is in English – whether online or pre-installed on these tablets by their manufacturers

We are about to witness the biggest – and the most profound – social change in independent India

With regards

HEMEN  PAREKH

Tuesday, 12 March 2002

NEVER A LENDER BE !

Here are ”Sovereign debt as a percentage of GDP “figures for various countries, as provided by Times of India (July 15,2011):

  • Japan   ………………….  220  %

  • Greece   ………………..  142  %

  • Italy   …………………….. 119  %

  • Russia   ………………….. 99   %

  • Ireland   …………………  96.1 %

  • USA  ………………………… 91.6 %

  • France  …………………….. 84.3 %

  • Canada  ……………………  84  %

  • Portugal  …………………… 83.3 %

  • Germany  …………………  80  %

  • UK  ……………………………. 77.2 %

  • India  ……………………….. 69.2  %

  • Brazil   …………………………66.1  %

  • Spain  ………………………….60.1 %

  • Taiwan  ……………………… 39.7  %

  • S.Korea  ………………………30.9 %

  • S.Africa ……………………….35.7 %

  • China  ……………………….  17.7  %

Greece just managed to avoid a default of re-payments to its private creditors by getting them to ” agree “ to write-off  59 % of the debt !

Greece might have escaped going bankrupt by the skin of its teeth

Question is :

Will others be equally lucky ? Will the world see a financial meltdown ?  Or , is it only a question of when ?

Lenders , beware ! By lending recklessly ,you have become, the enemy # 1

With regards


HEMEN  PAREKH

Wednesday, 27 February 2002

TOP WINNERS THIS ELECTION

[ Title of article in Economic Times / 25,Feb 2012 ]

To summarize, election- promises of India’s political parties:

  • In the past
Free rice / TVs / bicycles  /  electricity  /  fans / mixers / grinders / gold coins  etc
·     In current  State – level elections
Laptops and Tablets
·     Who is promising  ?
BJP  / Samajwadi Party  /  Shiromani Akali Dal
·     Who will benefit  ?
High School students [  750,000 in Punjab  /  3,500,000   in UP  ]
·     Cost of promise
Rs  30,000 Crores  (  $ 6 Billion  )
·     Will they keep their promises  ?
You bet ! After winning  state elections last year , AIADMK -led   government  in Tamil Nadu placed orders for   ONE MILLION   laptops on   HCL / LENOVO   for  Rs 1300 Crores ( $ 275 M )
·     Winners
Computer / Tablet  Manufacturers
·     What can voters expect in 2014 National elections ?
A mobile Smart phone for every voter ?

With regards

HEMEN  PAREKH