Best of BS Opinion: A paper cut and a pause, the price of ignored lessons

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

I had this book — a favourite once, and eventually forgotten. Its cover, once colourful and crisp, had faded over time, much like my memory of its contents. Today, something about it drew me back to it — the promise of revisiting familiar lessons or uncovering something I might have missed the first time. But as I opened it carelessly, it gave me a paper cut — a sharp sting, and my skin turned pink and then red as droplets of blood rushed to the surface. I paused, wondering if it was a lesson or one still not learned. Like that book, the stories shaping our world often leave us bleeding when we neglect their lessons. Let’s explore a few today. 

Our first editorial today highlights that India’s quick commerce boom faces heat from traditional traders, with allegations of Kirana store closures and FDI violations. Yet, the evidence remains thin. The solution lies not in shutting the book but rewriting it.

Meanwhile, the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China — and now Bengaluru — stirs fears of a Covid repeat. While the virus is less severe, poor health communication and crowd-heavy events like the Kumbh Mela could exacerbate its impact. Just as a careless flip of the page drew blood, ignoring this issue could lead to preventable crises. Read our second editorial for more. 

India’s inconsistent sports success has been like a book gathering dust. It stems from poor governance, like the lessons put on the shelf and forgotten. Proposed reforms focus on procedural norms but fail to align incentives with athlete performance. A professionalised, reward-driven approach could transform Indian sports into a global powerhouse, writes Laveesh Bhandari in his column. 

The challenges for corporate boards in 2025 are like a multi-genre novel — geopolitical drama, tech thriller, and sustainability saga all rolled into one. Amit Tandon writes that success in 2025 hinges on addressing geopolitical risks, tech adoption, and workforce retention while keeping sustainability at the core. 

In today’s book review of Prosenjit Datta’s Will India get rich before it turns 100? A reality check, Sanjeev S Ahluwalia highlights that pragmatic roadmap calls for reforms in governance, sustainability, and global trade to achieve development by 2047. Like a well-worn book revisited, his pragmatic roadmap reminds us that development isn’t just about economic wealth but human progress too.