Speakers
Why do India’s richest cities struggle for funds? Are election freebies necessarily bad economics? Why do the states and the Union repeatedly disagree over GST and the distribution of revenues? These questions increasingly shape public conversation, yet the mechanics of public finance behind them remain difficult for most citizens to navigate.
In Fiscal Fables, Sarthak Pradhan and Pranay Kotasthane make public finance accessible through relatable stories, everyday examples and clear explanations, offering a framework for understanding how governments raise money, how they spend it, how resources are shared across levels of government, and why these choices matter to citizens.
Using the book as a starting point, the authors will examine fiscal federalism, the financing of cities, GST, subsidies, welfare and the politics of public spending. With Bengaluru a major economic centre grappling with urban infrastructure and the relationship between cities, states and the Union, it is a particularly fitting setting for this conversation.
The session asks a simple but important question: how can citizens participate meaningfully in debates about government spending if public finance itself remains inaccessible to them? The discussion will conclude with an audience Q&A.
Venue: Gallery
Speakers
Pranay Kotasthane
Pranay Kotasthane is deputy director of the Takshashila Institution, where he teaches and researches on technology geopolitics, public finance, and public policy.
Pranay co-writes Anticipating the Unintended, a newsletter on public policy ideas and frameworks, and co-hosts Puliyabaazi and Watching the Wheels. He is the co-author of three earlier books: Missing in Action: Why Should You Care About Public Policy, When the Chips Are Down, and We, the Citizens.
Sarthak Pradhan
Sarthak Pradhan is a public policy researcher focused on public finance and economics. He is a fellow at the Takshashila Institution (Bengaluru), where he teaches economic reasoning, public finance and complexity science. He believes that citizens who understand public money make better demands of their governments.
Suman Joshi
Suman Joshi is a Staff Programme Manager and Educator at the Takshashila Institution, where she manages public policy programs and teaches policy analysis and frameworks. A regular host on Takshashila’s All Things Policy podcast, she frequently explores socio-economic topics, including education, public health, and gender equity. Prior to public policy, Suman had a career in Human Resources and Communications.
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