Saving the Best Lecture for Last... "eGovernance in India"

eGovernane in India. How can I explain this lecture… Zzzzzzz. Thankfully I found Harvey’s Business Week on the table next to me and read it cover to cover… which killed about 30 minutes (ok, so I skimmed the stuff on futures…). So this is what I learned: invest in health care and tech services because a lot of the latter is going abroad (India, holla!) and to invest in foreign securities. However, Indian real-estate, especially in Bombay and Bangalore has already skyrocketed, so if you didn’t buy in a few years ago, you missed the boat, chump.

But actually… eGovernance… Basically Prof. S. Padmanaban explained that eGov was being established to improve and transform the relations of the citizens, businesses and all other sects of the government. It will help improve the transparency of the government, make everything more fair and equitable, have it be more convenient and thus reducing corruption.

Prof. Padmanabhan told us about the Rs. 5,000 (about $130) computer for school children in India. For those who have not been able to afford or have adequate access to a computer this is similar to the first flattener Friedman talks about, the introduction of PC windows. Friedman explains that the Apple computer and Windows PCs were the instruments “that gave individuals the power to author, shape and disseminate information at their fingertips.” Though some Indians have had access to computers this will allow even more Indians in the middle to lower classes to do the same.

At least Gene and Harvey had the distraction of keeping up with work through their Blackberries. Ugh, those guys are so entitled… (Just jokes, guys!) But there is Friedman’s tenth flattener at work for you, digital, mobile and personal. You really can do a good chunk of your work from a remote location if you have the tools.

We had noodles for our little coffee break snack today and... they weren't spicy enough... my palate has finally acclimated.

In the afternoon, we ladies, had a women (who knows someone, who knows someone, who is someone’s aunt… how it works in India) come and do mehndi for us. It was pretty cool because A.) the woman who did is was super fast and B.) they were HELLA cheap! We also got to show them off at our farewell dinner that night where we all looked smashing.

The dinner was great; however, the bar should have probably been hidden from some of our group. The dinner was delicious! We had appetizers from Gujarat, Omni’s state, which tasted like Indian nachos and the drippy one bite things with a bit of a kick were also tasty. I’m thinking we’re all going to Omni’s house for some good North Indian eating when we get back… a WHILE after we get back… after I’ve had a couple burgers.