Economics for every Indian

by Akash Kumar, Kumar Anand

In this disarming and playful guide, the authors strip economics down to its essence. Zero jargon and (almost!) no graphs, and by the end, you'll never read the news the same way again.

The book hands you the toolkit to actually understand the arguments behind these issues. In eight short, funny and jargon-free chapters, Akash Kumar and Kumar Anand show how prices talk, why nations rise and fall, and what the government has any business doing.

208 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2026

About the author

Book: Economics: For Every Indian

Akash Kumar grew up in Motihari, Bihar. When he spent a school year in the United States as part of the KL-YES Programme of the US Department of State, he could not stop asking why some places stay poor while others get rich. That question never left. He studied at IIT Madras, led academic programmes for Students For Liberty across South Asia and had a short stint working with the Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra. He has written for Hindustan Times, Deccan Herald, and News18, among others. Today he is co-founder and CEO at Raaz MD, India's first AI-powered digital therapeutics platform for men's health. When not building Raaz or arguing about economic policy, he is usually hunting for a good cup of specialty coffee.

Reviews

[Aparna Acharya]

Very interesting book. It is a great read for individual’s who are getting to understand the countries economies. Must read. Thank to my bubu for recommending this book.

[Arunish Paul]

One of the great practical economic books I have read

[Anjali Anil]

I genuinely wish I had this book when I was in school.

Back then, economics was probably one of my least favourite subjects. I found it boring, confusing and honestly never thought I would voluntarily pick up a book on economics.

Fast forward a few years, I started learning more about Indian economics and slowly realised that my dislike for the subject came from not understanding how it connected to real life. Once I started looking at it through everyday examples, it became so much more interesting.

So when I spotted Economics for Every Indian by Akash Kumar and Kumar Anand on Hachette’s catalogue, I immediately thought, “This is a NEED.” A book that promises to explain economics for every Indian? I was sold. I wanted to see if there were any knowledge gaps I could fill, and within a few days, a copy arrived at my doorstep.

And I am so glad I picked it up because this is one of those books that makes you realise economics is not some distant subject that only belongs in classrooms. It affects our daily lives more than we think. The writing is simple, engaging and easy to follow, which made it incredibly accessible.

I ended up devouring it in a single day and filled it with annotations along the way. If that is not a sign of how much I enjoyed it, I do not know what is.

Whether you are a student considering economics for higher studies or simply someone who wants to understand the world around them a little better, this book is such a useful place to start.

[Abhishek Sharma]

Economics often feels like a tough nut to crack for anyone trying to understand it, but “Economics for Every Indian” comes as a saviour.

I truly appreciated the way the concepts are explained in a simple and easy to understand manner.

Not only that, but the way the author connects everyday activities with economic principles is highly commendable.

As the title suggests, the book is quick and concise, and it answers almost every question we’ve ever had about the economy. Whether it's the earnings of Virat Kohli vs. Rohit Sharma or why Diet Coke is so expensive at airports.

The use of numerous examples, along with tables and graphs in some sections, makes it an engaging and worthwhile read. It is a must-read for anyone or rather, for every Indian.

[shwereads]

Quick and Concise: Economics for every IndianAkash Kumar

As someone who has been an economics student for quite a long time, I've read my fair share of textbooks, reference books, and study material. But honestly, I don't think I've come across many books that explain economic concepts in such an interesting and approachable way.
While reading it, I kept thinking that more books like this should exist. So often, we are handed thick textbooks that somehow manage to make simple concepts feel complicated. But before going into all that technical detail, I feel books like this should be recommended to students first. They help you understand how economics actually works in the real world and build a strong foundation without making the subject feel overwhelming.
I know so many students who have pulled all-nighters trying to understand economic concepts and still walked away confused. This book felt like the opposite of that experience. It breaks ideas down through relatable examples, everyday situations, and questions that genuinely make you curious.
One thing that immediately stood out to me was the chapter titles and Hindi song references. They were hilarious, memorable, and honestly made me smile every time I started a new chapter. It made the book feel far less intimidating than a typical economics read.
I was also impressed by concepts like "Double Thank You Moments," "What Prices Really Tell Us," and "Good Vibes, Bad Data." These contain ideas that we often hear about but rarely understand properly and explained them in a way that just clicked.
If you've ever felt that economics is confusing, boring, or only meant for exam halls, this book might just change your mind.