Bulls, Bears and Other Beasts

Lalchand Gupta, known as Lala, acts as the guide through a short history of the Indian stock market after liberalization. His vantage point is Dalal Street, where he has watched the market for the last 25 years.

The account moves through the technology booms and the crashes, the scams and the cases of tax evasion and money laundering. Bankers, fixers and investors all appear along the way.

This is non-fiction aimed at the general reader rather than the specialist. Alongside the history, the author points out what an investor should watch for before putting money into the market.

A further section looks at government policy. It argues that certain policies need revising if the country is to make better use of its domestic capital.

The book suits anyone who follows the financial health of the country, and anyone curious about the dramatic events that preceded today's far more sterile trading.