Amit's Blog

How Mountains, Seas, and Migrations Forged Europe's Living Mosaic   Beneath the sun-drenched coasts of Portugal and the rugged peaks of the Pyrenees lies a story written not in stone or parchment, but in the double helix of human DNA—a narrative of breathtaking complexity spanning twelve millennia of human movement. For countless generations, the Iberian Peninsula has served as Europe's final frontier—a dynamic crossroads where Atlantic currents met Mediterranean civilizations, where North African traders intermingled with Bronze Age seafarers, and where mountain barriers preserved ancient lineages against tidal waves of migration that transformed the continent. This is not a tale of static "races" frozen in time, but of dynamic human movement in perpetual flux: of Scythian horsemen bridging the vast steppes between Ukraine and Kazakhstan, of Sea Peoples shattering Bronze Age kingdoms in cataclysmic waves, of Basque speakers guarding a linguistic relic from prehis...

The Great Indian Aviation Tax Paradox: How a 1% Decision in Hyderabad Exposed a Constitutional Bottleneck   In the high-stakes world of Indian aviation, a single percentage point has rewritten the rules of engagement. While Mumbai and Delhi cling to 18–25% VAT rates on aviation fuel, Telangana's bold decision to slash its levy to just 1% has transformed Hyderabad into India's unexpected refuelling hub. This isn't merely a tax cut—it's a masterclass in competitive federalism that has exposed deep structural fractures in India's fiscal architecture. As aircraft now deliberately "tanker" fuel in Hyderabad to avoid expensive refuelling in neighboring states, the aviation industry finds itself trapped in a constitutional tax trap: paying nearly double the global average for fuel while drowning in unclaimable tax credits. With airlines bleeding ₹17,000 crore in projected losses for FY2026 and states guarding their last sovereign tax handles, India's skie...