Unraveling Sanatana Economics: Insights from Dr. Ankit Shah
Dr. Ankit Shah, known as the concept man of Sanatana economics, has developed a civilization model of economics grounded in Indian wisdom, prioritizing family duty, community, and sustainability. He has spoken at prestigious institutions, taught at IIM Ahmedabad, and participated in platforms like the G20 Y20 track and CI. He authored Geopolitics: Decoding Intent, Narrative, Lies and Future and is recognized for accurate predictions of major national and global political events.
Born in Chennai, raised in Surat, and settled in Ahmedabad since 2012, Dr. Sha describes himself as having a decolonized mind from childhood. Largely untouched by the conventional education system until seventh grade, he found formal schooling disconnected from true education, which he believes should be fun, empowering, and aligned with natural abilities. He argues that expecting proficiency in 10–12 subjects is unnatural, as humans are naturally adept at two or three areas due to genetic permutations. He shares an anecdote about his daughter questioning why students must master all subjects when teachers specialize in one.
His early interest leaned toward history, not numbers, but he found history books lacking. His father’s encouragement to buy books outside the syllabus allowed him to build a personal library, discovering more truth in novels and autobiographies than textbooks. His elder brother, a top-ranking student, shielded him from academic scrutiny, allowing a carefree childhood until a teacher’s reprimand in seventh grade prompted him to take studies seriously. From a Gujarati family with an enterprising streak, he pursued commerce and became a Chartered Accountant.
Decolonizing Education and Rediscovering Indian Wisdom
Dr. Sha critiques the colonized education system, which he avoided until seventh grade. He believes knowledge acquisition should be enjoyable, not forced. Novels and autobiographies offer richer historical context than textbooks. Post-2014, authors like Amish Tripathi, Devdutt Pattanaik, Vikram Sampath, Sai Deepak, and Sanjeev Sanyal have simplified epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, reviving interest in ancient Bharat. Before 2014, discussing Indic heritage faced suppression; Dr. Sha recalls backlash for a 2014 Facebook post calling National Constitution Day a “cut copy paste day.”
He notes that Western success stories, often tied to India’s destruction, were historically imposed on Indian children through rhymes like “Rain Rain Go Away” or “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” irrelevant to India’s context. EMJ Shankaracharya’s observation that the West’s golden age was India’s dark age underscores this disconnect. Dr. Sha advocates celebrating India’s own models instead.
The Enterprising Gujarati Legacy and Technology’s Impact
Dr. Sha’s father, a businessman with a printing press in Surat after graduating in Mumbai, emphasized math, recalling complex tables from his childhood. Dr. Sha highlights societal shifts due to technology, like reduced memory reliance post-smartphones, describing it as “organ failure.” His generation witnessed the transition from computers to AI, experiencing both benefits and drawbacks.
Colonization’s legacy persisted; his father paid a blank check for English-medium school admission, as regional languages were devalued. Between 500–1,000 Gujarati-medium schools vanished as English tied to self-esteem. A retired Wing Commander, KP Nag, studied in Kannada medium, learning English later, and now trains in Kannada, reflecting a return to roots. Current government efforts to promote regional-language syllabi face resistance from English-educated professors, products of a colonized mindset. Dr. Sha predicts market-driven change.
He foresees English becoming redundant as technology evolves. Local-language LLMs and coding will eliminate the need for English as an intermediary. Innovations like Apple’s translating AirPods and linked payment systems (e.g., India-Mauritius local currency trade, Israel’s UPI interest) bypass English and the US dollar. At an SCO summit, Putin’s translator spoke Hindi, signaling decolonization.
Family Businesses and Legacy Building
Dr. Sha emphasizes family businesses over the startup trend of quick exits for profit. Building a legacy requires generations and starts with choosing the right mother for proper nurturing. Absent fathering in money-focused families leads to “woke” next generations uninterested in continuing legacies. Businesses must adapt to changing aspirations and diversify, grooming the next generation through fathering.
Kautilya’s Arthashastra offers timeless lessons, where economics was a small, interconnected part of governance, unlike standalone Western models like Adam Smith’s capitalism or Karl Marx’s state-driven systems. These Western models prioritize economies of scale and division of labor, undermining entrepreneurship and families. Data shows job-centric families view children as liabilities, unlike enterprising ones. The British classroom-to-job model, Dr. Sha argues, was designed to keep colonies poor, stifling innovation. Educational institutions’ focus on placement figures kills curiosity and innovation, perpetuating poverty.
Historically, Indian women dominated jewelry, spices, and textiles, making them the richest business tycoons. From 1600–1700, India contributed 27% of global GDP, followed by China, until colonization and industrialization disrupted this surplus society. Dr. Sha predicts a five-year global disorder, with tier-one cities feeling economic strain. India’s large youth population requires economic maneuvering, questioning hyper-consumerism imported from the West. Indian philosophy, rooted in contentment and non-harm, contrasts with survival-driven Western religions born in resource-scarce regions.
Community Strength and Internal Security
Dr. Sha stresses community strength over state or constitutional reliance for rights. He asserts 95% of internal security depends on birth rates and community numbers. Low birth rates, seen in aging populations like China, Kashmir, Bengal, and Kerala, have economic and security consequences. Ancient Bharat used familial ties, like monarchs marrying daughters to allies, to ensure security. Women’s community roles ensured 95% of internal security.
The Arthashastra and Mandala theory influenced Western divide-and-rule tactics. Dr. Sha contrasts the Ramayana’s collaborative model with Western regime-change operations for profit. To retain and grow family wealth, businesses must foster community growth, not just individual gain. Western models broke joint families, increasing consumerism (e.g., one family needing one car vs. five nuclear families needing five). This fueled real estate booms but eroded savings and innovation.
In ancient Bharat, temples were economic and community hubs, financing gurukuls, agriculture, and more anonymously, ensuring equality and no entitlement. Dr. Sha advocates manufacturing by masses—customized, not mass-produced, products—for innovation and premium exports. Education began in the womb (5%), continued with family (60%), gurukul (10%), and market experience, with gurus assessing students’ natural abilities (ver).
Geopolitical Predictions and the Asian Century
Dr. Sha predicts increased Chinese technology and investment in Bharat, with more Indians traveling to Moscow, Beijing, and Shanghai than the West. The West’s pursuit of the dollar and China’s single-child policy destroyed families, leaving both with low birth rates. China’s shift away from Leninism/Marxism since 2023 signals a cultural reconnect with Bharat. Post-2030, Chinese food habits may shift toward vegetarianism as Bharatiyas demand Jain food, relieving animals. China may open Tibet (Kailash, abode of Bhagwan Shiva) to Bharatiya pilgrims, trade, and festivals, integrating with Bharat’s dharma.
Southeast Asia will become a focal point for Bharat and China to spread dharma, competing via Buddhist relics and cultural influence. Dr. Sha envisions an Asian century where Bharat and China dictate the new world order, with Chinese efficiency spreading dharma faster. He advises legacy businesses to channel the next generation’s energy, adapt to market changes, and embrace failure as innovation’s driver. Low-interest loans will fuel youth innovation, building a confident generation to realize Viksit Bharat.
Conclusion: A Vision for Viksit Bharat
Dr. Sha’s Sanatana economics reimagines wealth through family, community, and sustainability, rooted in Indian wisdom. His insights challenge colonized mindsets, advocating for decolonized education, community-driven innovation, and a return to ancient Bharat’s surplus model. As India navigates a shifting global order, his predictions of an Asian century underscore Bharat’s role in spreading dharma, fostering a generation equipped with logic-backed confidence to shape a prosperous future.