Infosys CEO and managing director Nandan M. Nilekani spoke on “India’s chances in the era of globalisation” at a lecture series organised by the JSS Mahavidyapeetha in Mysore on Thursday.
India, he said, was well placed to reap the fruits of globalisation because it is not often that a bunch of concomitant factors—technological prowess, a young population, high savings rate, and global factors—stare at a nation all at the same time.
Nilekani spoke of how information technology had positively impacted the common man and woman of the country through railway reservation, tax information, the stock markets, voting systems, and banking systems.
But he said we need to take care not to repeat the mistakes of the west. He said we need to pay particular care about how we meet our energy needs, how we protect our environment, and how we take care of our health.
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Nilekani later took questions from the audience. One question from a student was about the five steps he would prescribe for business success. Nilekani said:
1) Have a clear goal and focus: “When we set up Infosys under Narayana Murthy‘s leadership, we were very clear which industry we would focus on, what our value system would be, what our business model was, etcetera.”
2) If possible, assemble a team of people: “We were seven when we launched; six of us are still together. When there is more than one person, it enables different people to bring different skills to the table.”
3) Persevere, persevere, persevere: “Stay at it. We launched in 1981, but we went public only in 1993. It’s not a one-day thing. It’s a lifetime thing.”
4) Learn to deal with setbacks: “It is not always going to be a smooth path. You have to accept that there will be obstacles and hurdles. You need to learn to deal with them and overcome them.”
5) Don’t let success go to your head: “Success is temporary, tomorrow is another day.”
thanks for posting this. he is always inspiring.
7 habits of successful people. (hilariously – steve covey came up with an 8th one..as if an after thought )
5 steps for business success.
All these re-hashed – bulletized form of rules are quite detestable. Especially, when they seem to take convienient numbers of 5 or 10.
Deriving inspiration from Nandan – (namm dharwad hudugaree) – thats fine.
Nandan has spoken here about pretty much the same aspects which he covered at Yale univ (New Haven,Connecticut) in Aug last year? (refer my blog)
The 5 steps seem new, but familiar.
Though repeated paradigms, listening to Nandan always inspires. Thanks for posting.
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KP
Unlike of you to commit basic mistake…Nandan is no more the CEO and MD (Kris Gopalkrishnan is)…Nandan is now Exec Chairman…Agree with Madhu that all the things which Nandan has highlighted are old cliches…But nonetheless interesting that Churmuri should have a +ve post on Infy’s founders…The last great editor trains his acolytes well in even handedness…
How come these days we are seeying more positive Posts about Infy and its founders ??
these are typical Mgmt bullshit ? Just ignore
NN forgot to mention these…
Just keep on lying…speak in 200-word sentences and don’t pay any tax.
“these are typical Mgmt bullshit ? Just ignore”
Dheeru (DG), You mean do the reverse. Is it proven for you?
DB: We should do away with current tax system and move towards Consumption Tax. I dont think Govt is so foolish to write off taxes of MNCs and IT company, Nor is the lands given free. They recover it some way or other. No IT company is not mama or chacha of the CM or the deputy CM.
Bottomline: DG, BD.. you need to clear your mind before you comment.