Reading Room: "I like books on economics": Prashant Panday

Prashant Panday, chief executive officer and executive director, ENIL (Radio Mirchi), loves reading autobiographies of political leaders and books on economics, geo-politics and Indian politics, medicine, as well those on global brands and corporations.

Currently, I am reading two books, India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha and Breakout Nations by Ruchir Sharma.

India after Gandhi is a fascinating book because it tells you what kind of problems we went through immediately post independence and how the world had written us off. Today's generation that complains so much about what we achieved in the last 60 years should read it to understand our condition then.

I love Breakout Nations because it is an advance warning to India. BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and Singapore) may no longer be a comforting acronym for us.

Besides, I like books on economics. Among the genres, I love include autobiographies of political leaders, economics, geo-politics and Indian politics, medicine, as well as, global brands and corporations. I do read fiction, at times.

As for favourites, India After Gandhi is my current favourite. However, I also enjoyed reading Bush's autobiography for its candid style and because it took you so close to the power centre. For the same reason, I also like the autobiographies of Condoleeza Rice, Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton.

I have, in the past, loved reading books on global corps and global business leaders. Jack Welch's book (Straight from the Gut) has been an all-time favourite. Likewise, I have enjoyed reading books on Sam Palmisano, Sam Walton, McDonald's, Google and such others. I also liked Vinod Mehta's autobiography.

Not sure of what I want to buy next, I still have lots left over from previous purchases. There is one book on medicine called Love Medicine and Miracles by Bernie Siegel, which I have yet to read.