Recent economic growth in India is alleged to have been characterised by ‘crony capitalism’, defined as an economic system in which family members and friends of government officials, politicians, and business leaders are given unfair advantages in the form of jobs, loans, government contracts, transfer of publicly owned natural resources and assets etc. Such a system undermines the confidence of investors, both domestic and foreign, and lowers economic growth. Since coming to power in May 2014 Prime Minister Modi’s government has taken several steps to curb crony capitalism. In this talk Dr Sambit Patra will review these efforts and assess their success.

Dr Patra is the National Spokesperson of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), the ruling party of India. Before occupying the post of National Spokesperson, he was the Spokesperson of Delhi BJP. He is one of the most visible faces of BJP, frequently appearing on national television to articulate and defend various policies of the Indian government.

He is a surgeon by profession. He did his MBBS in 1996 and his Masters in Surgery in 2002 at SCB medical college, Cuttack Odisha. He cleared the prestigious Union Public Service Commission Examination and was posted as Medical Officer at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

He later quit his job to pursue a career in politics. Dr Patra started a NGO by name of SWARAJ which worked for the emancipation of less privileged people in Delhi.