Does the Indian Government view its vast population as a problem?
A. Publically, no. Populations are always double-edged swords. They’re a tremendous resource, if used widely. They can be a problem if you are not doing enough to improve their wellbeing. You can look in our University neighborhood. Are our neighborhoods a problem or a blessing? If used wisely, they are a blessing for the University. If not, then people say, ‘You have crime.’ People complain. But they are sides of the same coin. If we help nurture our neighborhoods better, then it’s a huge plus for us. But if we don’t, they’ll haunt us in some ways. You only have to walk at midnight alone to recognize that it can haunt us. It’s the same with the population. I don’t think the population, per se, is the problem. It’s more of a manifestation of a deeper problem, which is how well you are governing them. It poses, of course, severe challenges in terms of resources: clean water, air, how it will impact India’s contribution to climate change. Q. CASI has received a grant from the MacArthur F
