It was one of those days – the capital was blanked under heavy smog. But life went on. Yesterday I explored southern Beijing’s Liulichang area with my Polish friend Kasia, who is a sinologist and who knows a great deal about Beijing and its rich history. I had met Kasia early last November when Paul… Continue reading An old historical hotel and the charm of Beijing that can’t be buried by the smog

Last night in Guangzhou, I gave a keynote speech at a business conference organized by London Business School for Nestle executives called Leading the Nestle Way. Basically I told my story of working at my missile factory in the 80’s, which provides a broad social context of China’s economic reforms and opening up. In the… Continue reading Becoming a Public Speaker

A couple of days ago, I received a phone call from a producer from BBC’s Newhour program, requesting for an interview on Chinese media, following the event of a strike by the journalists from Southern Weekend, one of the most popular and influential newspaper. I agreed readily since it is a subject that interests and… Continue reading on the same BBC panel discussion with Ian Johnson

What brought me to this city, little known outside India, and the capital of the state Orissa, was an invitation from the local university Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). Out of the blue, the director of external relations Dr. Prasad got in touch last year, inviting me to attend their annual writer’s festival. I… Continue reading last post from India – rubbing shoulders with a Bollywood star in Bhubaneswar

I expected to find dire poverty and human suffering in Calcutta (Kolkota), capital of West Bengal but I was pleasantly surprised. There are the usual beggars and homeless in the street and congested traffic. Compared to Mumbai, however, Calcutta is smaller and more manageable and much less manic, probably thanks to a few delightful parks,… Continue reading cultured Calcutta