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Business Standard

Best of BS Opinion: Dancing in sync with power, policy, and passion

There's something hypnotic about watching a tango unfold. The elegant arch of a back, the sudden stillness before a sharp pivot, the wordless dialogue between two dancers, equal parts of restraint and abandon. Tango, unlike most ballroom dances, isn't just about rhythm or flair. It's about how two opposing forces negotiate space, intent, and tempo without stepping on each other's toes. Similarly, from boardrooms to bureaucracies our national life mimics this intricate dance: sometimes fluid, sometimes stiff. Let's dive in. Take India's post-liberalisation economy. Once open to global footwork, it now risks retreating into a solo act, where industrial giants take centre stage while the rest fade into the wings. As our first editorial notes, it's not conglomerates, who are out of step, but the policy music that encourages them to twirl endlessly alone, leaving little room for newcomers to join the floor. In another corner of the hall, Priya Nair has just made history at Hindustan Unilever. But her appointment as CEO is a rare spin, not yet a choreographed movement. Only 5 per cent of listed firms have women CEOs. As our second editorial cautions, unless firms widen the floor to include women in finance, operations and core leadership, gender diversity will remain an ornamental pause, not a dynamic step. K P Krishnan likens the Jane Street case to a misstep in India's financial rhythm. Markets that once moved in harmony — spot, derivatives, futures — now lean precariously on a single toe: options. And Sebi, instead of leading with clear, formal instruction, has turned to improvisation. Without structural recalibration, India's market credibility may find itself tripping. Elsewhere, in a surprising reverse dip, the Environment Ministry has revised its stance on flue gas desulphurisation. As Vinayak Chatterjee explains, the shift from rigid mandates to region-specific nuance is like switching from stiff choreography to a more interpretive style, one that listens to the stage it's dancing on. And then there's Sonal C Holland, India's first Master of Wine, whose autobiography One in a Billion: Becoming India's First Master of Wine, reviewed by Neha Kirpal reads like a solo performed against the grain. Holland didn't just learn the steps, she changed the music in a wine-averse country. From working in hotel sales to conquering the arcane world of wine certification in her thirties, her pivot was equal parts grit and grace. From scepticism to sommeliers, Holland's journey is a masterclass in turning passion into a lifelong performance. Stay tuned!