CHENNAI: Dr R Vaidyanathan, former Professor at IIM Bangalore, dove deeper into how strategic alignment between the population, policy and productivity becomes critical to growth at the ThinkEdu Conclave 2026, organised by The New Indian Express.
He presented these ideas in a discussion on the theme ‘Advantage Bharat: Technology, Economy and Demography as Growth Drivers’, moderated by Santwana Bhattacharya, Editor of The New Indian Express.
Speaking on whether India's growth is durable, deep and inclusive, Dr Vaidyanathan said that the country’s growth has been phenomenal, coupled with global recognition.
He stated that India has undergone commendable development with a considerable decrease in poverty. The poverty rate has gone down from 25 per cent to 10 per cent over the last two decades, as per global metrics, he pointed out. "There has been a tremendous amount of change in the last 20 years; it is important that we recognise it," he said.
Dr. Vadiyanathan’s major work has been in the area of Fundamentals of Indian Economy, primarily focusing on the unorganised sector.
When asked whether “Advantage Bharat” is a reality or a narrative, he pointed at the rapid development in technology and governance that India has seen. The former professor cited various technological advancements that were introduced to tackle corruption and make citizens' lives easier. He spoke on the transition of the offline ticketing system to online booking underlying the advantages that it offered.
Dr Vaidyanathan recalled key figures that shaped fiscal reforms in India. One such figure was Asim Dasgupta, an economist and former member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, who was instrumental in the formation of a uniform taxation system. To recall, Asim Dasgupta conducted a survey on sales tax and formulated the outline for GST.
Vaidyanathan praised the emergence of the UPI transaction system, emphasising its benefits and stating how India now accounts for 45 per cent of the total number of global online transactions. On a lighter note, he recalled his interaction with a beggar in Mumbai who sought alms through UPI.
“We are not inventors of everything,” he declared, opining that people are mere adapters. In this vein, he stated that AI will not take away jobs, and people will devise ways to work around artificial intelligence.