Title: Business and Human Rights in India
Speaker: Sudeep Chakravarti
About the Session
A renowned author and journalist, Sudeep Chakravarti’s non-fiction narratives have been critically feted bestsellers, and his media writing has been extensively published in numerous Indian and international publications. Sudeep Chakravarti’s most recent book Clear Hold Build, a non-fiction work attending to issues of business and human rights through illustrations of established Indian companies such as Vedanta Resources and Tata Steel, lay at the centre of his talk.
He elaborated upon several theatres of conflict that have been introduced by business developments in India, which may hold moral, environmental, socio-political and economical implications for the nation. Through his discourse, Mr. Chakravarti addressed questions such as whether Maoism is a country cousin of MOUism, if arrogance of power has allowed businesses to exploit land and human resources, and whether such businesses practice political economy due diligence. A consideration for human rights, free, prior and informed consent, and sensible and transparent business practices was emphasized upon. Offering suggestions for responsible business planning and policy-making through these examples, he left the audience with much to ponder upon.