•       I had  a great evening with Adam Gilchrist on this Saturday . Attended the event on an  invitation from the Australlian embassy.Gilchrist  came as  the brand ambassador of University of Wollongong, Australlia to promote the university in Chennai  . His brother was an alumni of the institute and Gil’s father  used to coach there.That’s how Gil got involved with the university . No prize for guessing that many of the questions they volleyed were around the recent attacks  on Indian students in Australlia. They downplayed the subject citing the stats that out of a huge Indian population in Australlia , number of such incidents are really very small and are usually blown out of proportion by media . They don’t know that my latest trick ( am sure many other Indian parents  also do the same) of keeping Aniket under check is to tell him that if you don’t make it to a good University in  US or IIMs , your next destination is going to be Australlia !

I asked him  what keeps him going ? He said , it was the desire to sacrifice for whatever you want to do. He feels , for success , there should be absolute desperation to be totally committed to whatever you are doing. He was citing the example of his missing a catch off  VVS Lakshman on one occasion ( world cup final or semi final)  just by a few inches and after a post match video analysis he saw he could have easily reached out by those  extra few inches  and taken the catch had he been totally desperate to do so . So his conclusion was that ,  to be successful , whatever you are doing , at that point of time that is the most important work for you  in the  whole world . While explaining what he did to bring a change in fortune for Deccan Charger  from IPL1 TO IPL 2 , he  gave two key reasons –(1) Leadership programme on cultural appreciation since there were seven different nationalities playing in the team including  the support staff , and (2) creating an environment where players would love to be in. To him ,  the shift from IPL 1 to IPL 2 was the biggest challenge in his cricketing career. While citing some of the difficult moments  of his wicket keeping he remembered  experience of  keeping  during VVS Lakshman’s  knock of about 290 runs at Eden and keeping against Michael Bevan , since Bevan himself  had absolutely no idea of what he was bowling !

Transformation of  Deccan Charger from IPL1 TO IPL 2 can definitely  make a good corporate lesson. I am sure  Gil  is writing on this .

In an utter shock to  human rights  supporters , Obama did  not  grant an appointment with the Tibetan Buddhist leader Dalai Lama who is on a tour to US now. This is the first time  in about ten visits Dalai Lama  made to US so far , he is  unable to meet the Highest Office in the US.Notably Obama does not want to offend  the Chinese just prior to his immediate visit to that  country. Or has China’s recent show of nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missile passed on the chill to Uncle Sam? This incident is a major blow to the values  championed by US , the so called custodian of world democracy and human rights ! To tide over   wide spread bankruptcy and  economic slow down Obama announced historic stimulus package. For such morale bankruptcy or miscarriage of will  to uphold the human rights what could be the stimulus package ? Obama seems to be too much into the act of balancing ,  is this the change he was advocating ? Only history will say.

A few days back when my son asked me how to become a member of youth congress , I was convinced that  Rahul magic is  working in Tamil Nadu. There was a report of a few lakhs  of youth joining youth congress in Tamil Nadu. It’s a refreshing change. A vast majority of people in the state are looking for an alternative to Dravidian politics. They are also getting  sick of so called conscious keepers  joining politics such as Sharat Babu of Food King  as if highly educated ones  are beyond corruption ! The late P V Narasimha Rao was one of the most learned politicians country has ever seen but he was also the PM to be accused of being in a record number of scams. What about the ex external affairs minister Natawar Singh who was an IFS officer? Besides , smaller parties  in TN are devoid of any solid political ideology –  with many of them  trying to use their reel life celebrity status to influence voters. People , fortunately cannot be fooled in today’s i -Pod era !

Indian psyche adulates sacrifice. It is this state where Rahul’s father laid down his life trying to take the country into a new century. Contrary to his cousin Varun , Rahul has been  very matured ,striving to develop the organization , working with the Dalits and poor , understanding their problems  even though taunted severely by his  jealous peers in politics . The lure of a cabinet berth could  not deter him from his conviction . At 37 plus , he has sacrificed his youthful luxuries to stand by his mother and prove a point . He could have enjoyed a royal  luxurious life under  the Z plus security cordon  - there was no need for him to join politics with the damocles sword hanging over him. People cannot fail to take note of this sacrifice. You will not hear any scandal about him the way you hear about many of the politicians of his age. His personal integrity is beyond question . People found a Buddha in him who has left his royal abode to work with the people defying all threats and sarcasm . People especially the youth wanted such a leader – the state was starving so long for a youth leader who can be a role model to them.Naturally the response was simply unimaginable .The youth in TN found their role model – their leader , excited with the prospect of a change in the state. The worries  of a political tsunami in other political camps was quite palpable when one after another “celebrities  turned politicians “ were in undue hurry to issue their statements  denying intention to join the Congress. This further validates Rahul  magic is working in TN !

1. When does Amar Singh do politics ? He is always seen attending  film festivals or award ceremonies or being with celebrities in their troubled moments….

2. When will Nandan Nilekani share his unique id roadmap ? He seems to have good number of well wishers suggesting what could make the best id and how it should be done . On assuming charges he commented , he was losing his own id in giving an id to each Indian citizen ! Reality speaks a different story though . Almost every alternate day Nandan is hogging huge column centimeter – something he did not even enjoy while being at the helm of Infosys affairs. No trace of ID roadmap yet – what it would be ? We see only Nandan’s interviews – presented in different fashions in different media !

3. When will Rahul Mahajan become a true Mahajan ? As if the drug episode in Delhi , a failed marriage are not enough , now get ready to watch Rahul Mahajan’s Swayamvar !

4.Why is there so much media outcry  with the police nabbing Lalgarh Naxalite leader Chhatradhar Mahato in disguise of journalists who even carried an OB van to interview the tribal leader ! After all isn’t it media that introduced the Tehelka games ( I wonder if Tehelka has not already found a place in Oxford dictionary) ?

5. Do I need to be ultra careful about all ladies in politics whose names (when written in Indian language)end with the alphabet ‘T’ – Mayavati , Jayalalitha, Mamata ?

6. Why  are  Ramalinga Raju , his brother Rama Raju  and Srinivas Vadlamani   ,the trio arrested in Satyam fraud are still not put to lie detector test , so common a practice even in many petty crimes ?

More later…

  The first meeting of the FICCI manufacturing panel  at hotel Park in September 2009.I was appointed the convener of FICCI Manufacturing panel  with the following objective:

The aim of the Manufacturing Panel is to work towards making Indian manufacturing globally competitive.

Manufacturing sector contributes significantly to GDP growth, employment generation and overall economic development and efforts would be to identify opportunities before us.

The Committee also aims to identify factors hampering industrial growth and seeks to redress these factors.

I made the following observations as part of my presentations :

There is tremendous potential in Tamil Nadu to grow and excel.TN draws third highest FDI in India, sees 8% growth in GDP , second in IT , with USD 62 B TN is the fastest growing state in India.

FDI into manufacturing sector in India is only about 10% of that of China

Opportunities before us : Offset programme , Aero park, MRO ,Component sourcing.

Rule of competition is changing from Company Vs Company to Supply chain Vs Supply chain – managing collaboration is therefore the key

Can TN be the global design and R&D hub ?

Can TN be the destination for Design to Build ?

The panel is under the guidance of Mr P Murari , IAS(Retd) and the Ex Secretary to the President ,Government of India.He is a great inspiration – a man full of energy and ideas .Several luminaries of the industry at the CXO level  are part of the panel and a few senior bureaucrats of the state with deep understanding of manufacturing competitiveness have been inducted in the panel as special invitees.KPMG is the knowledge partner .

Hope we can make some contributions to the economy.