New Shores: Indian Investors Set Their Sights on Vietnam
India has always been friendly with Vietnam, even when the latter was at war with the U.S. Still, many feel that Indian industry has, by and large, failed to capitalize on the strong historic bond between the two countries. But that could change soon: A US$5 billion Tata Group project to set up a steel plant in the Vung Anh Economic Zone in Ha Tinh province, and other Indian investments on the horizon, signal a change in how Indian investors are seeing Vietnam.

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Battling the Elements: How Can India's Farmers Cope with Drought?
As the lack of rainfall in India during the sowing season earlier this year showed, many of the country's 235 million farmers teeter on the brink of losing their livelihoods due to severe droughts and the vagaries of climate change. According to agriculture and water experts, grassroots initiatives based on public-private partnerships hold the key to averting future devastation. But is it too little, too late for the next generation of farmers?

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Read It and Weep: Will Amazon's Kindle Succeed in India?
It certainly hasn't started a fire. Before last month's India launch of the Kindle, the e-book reader from Amazon, local media gave it top billing. But any hopes for a big splash quickly diminished, because the price and the services on offer indicated to many that -- like Apple with its ill-fated iPhone launch -- Amazon doesn't have a clear strategy for the Indian market. Others suggest that Amazon is merely "testing the waters" without the expectation of widespread initial adoption. Still, limited broadband accessibility and price sensitivities regarding books and subscriptions mean that the Kindle has a long way to go in the Indian market.

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Firstsource's Ananda Mukerji: In BPO, 'There Is a Strong Need to Specialize'
Firstsource Solutions, India's third-largest pure-play business process outsourcing (BPO) company, has always been slightly ahead of the curve by setting up centers abroad and diversifying into sectors such as health care. However, the sailing hasn't been completely smooth the last couple of years, largely because of the global economic slowdown. In an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton, CEO and managing director Ananda Mukerji says that despite the falling margins that come with focusing on the domestic BPO market, Firstsource has positioned itself well overall, and its prospects are good for serving the U.S. health care industry.

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Bright Idea: Bringing Eco-friendly Lighting to India's Hinterland
Nearly 40% of India's population lives in darkness after dusk. Until recently, expensive and polluting kerosene provided the majority of lighting in rural homes. Now, the adoption of eco-friendly solar lights among rural consumers has become a big business opportunity for a number of companies. But the learning curve to roll out these and related products has been steep, requiring a mix of price points, marketing, distribution channels and financing.

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New 'Right-hand Men': The Growing Role of Women in Indian Family Business
Women have always been powerful forces in Indian politics. When it comes to business, however, they have had little opportunity -- often regarded as marriageable assets, useful for tying up business alliances. But forces such as globalization, liberalization and a growing emphasis on education have enabled women to move away from peripheral roles and, in many cases, take over the reins of the company. According to experts, this trend is altering the paradigms for everything from succession planning and inheritance to what constitutes "entry level" work for the offspring of family business heads. 

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