Renowned economist and a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Sanjeev Sanyal speaks to the diversity in economic performance across states in India since 1960, in an exclusive conversation with Republic Business. Sanyal in a freewheeling conversation extensively pitches in the argument for more innovation and self-reliance beyond being a service centre. Sanyal decoded potential reasons for the decline in Eastern India, specifically West Bengal and Bihar, where this can be traced to as a result of historical policies and lack of entrepreneurship. He also contrasts this with the success of the states of Gujarat and Telangana, which encouraged industrialization and growth in urban conglomerations.