Sunil Dasgupta, Political Science, in Foreign Affairs Magazine

“If the people of Mumbai want a safer city, the city must be able to govern itself,” argues Sunil Dasupta, director of UMBC’s political science program at Shady Grove and non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution, in the current Foreign Affairs magazine. In “Why Mumbai Needs a Mayor: The Consequences of India’s Hands-Off Democracy,” Dasgupta writes, “India’s democracy has survived by ruling with a light hand…” He continues, “The light touch was meant to hold a diverse country together and should have protected it from homegrown terrorism by allowing all ethnic and religious groups to flourish politically, socially, and economically. But the recent [terrorist] attacks challenge that notion.” Following on the recommendation of Mumbai businessman Anand Mahindra, Dasgupta suggests a city-level chief executive (such as a mayor) would help Mumbai begin to address security its pressing security needs.