Ignited Minds Read online

  I have visited the hospital often after that first visit. Dr G. Venkataswamy, brother of Dr Natchiar, is a good friend, and I make it a point to meet him every time I visit Madurai. Let me tell you a little more about Dr Venkataswamy and his commitment to his work. The Aravind Eye Hospital handled more than 1.3 million outpatient visits in 2001. It conducted 190,000 surgeries and held about 1,500 eye screening camps. No wonder then that Dr Venkataswamy’s hard work has achieved recognition from WHO. The hospital provides training to students from leading universities abroad, including Harvard and Johns Hopkins.

  Dr Venkataswamy has become a superb surgeon despite what to many in his position would be a crippling handicap: his fingers are twisted and frozen by arthritis that struck him while he was a student in medical school.

  One day, as we were talking he narrated this incident to me. An industrialist from Delhi came to Dr Venkataswamy and said, ‘I need to build a hospital, and I am very much impressed with your hospital. Will you come and start a hospital in Delhi for me?’

  Dr Venkataswamy asked him, ‘What is it that you want? You have the money; it is not difficult for you to put up a hospital in Delhi. Why don’t you just do it?’

  The industrialist said, ‘No, I want a hospital with the Aravind culture, people are cordial here. They seem to respect people more than money. There is a certain empathy or compassion that seems to flow from them.’

  My own experience at the hospital bore this out. In the Aravind experience I see the path that we need to take–a transformation of life into a powerful instrument of right action.

  As with medicine, in the same way, we shall see technology allied to different fields, such as agriculture. But the overall purpose has to be to help the people and meet their needs.

  The vision of a developed India can be realized only if we recognize that wealth generation and wealth protection are two sides of the same coin. A nation’s wealth represents the sweat and hard work of its people. The famous Tamil poet Andal, who was regarded as one of the thirteen Vaishnavite Alwars, in her famous work Tiruppavai invokes the blessings of God to provide in plenty Neengatha Selvam (stable wealth) to the land. This is possible only with an integrated approach towards development. Granted planners look individually at the activities of various ministries and approve their action plans. However, if these proposals were to be looked at not in isolation but in the context of multiple-use planning, the benefits would multiply. Thus a technology, product or a service resulting out of a particular programme of a department/ministry should be mandated to be available to other departments/ministries at the stage of plan approvals. This would provide the needed integration at the planning stage. A similar approach needs to be put in place at other downstream activities. An integrated mission approach would permit interweaving of measures to generate wealth with similar steps for wealth protection. This is the hallmark of a developed country and hence the key to a developed India.

  Another aspect of a developed country is global competitiveness of its industry. It is not only catering to the home market but also aiming for a large market outside it. Hence, its contribution to GDP is also very large. This is a prerequisite for India too in its development. Indian industry has to show the same competitiveness and innovation so that we can have our own multinationals.

  Universal literacy and access to education for all is another fundamental requirement for a nation to be truly developed. Education would result in the creation of a large base of people who excel in various fields as well, an invaluable resource for any country.

  At present, however, there is a high degree of asymmetry in the educational system. While there are many who aspire to higher education, quality institutions to impart this are few. This creates a large mismatch of demand and supply in quality manpower and is starkly evident in emerging sunrise areas such as information technology, biotechnology, environmental engineering and manufacturing technology. The economic liberalization taking place will only intensify such demand in coming years. Moreover higher education has also to be made more relevant to industry and society, an aspect in which it is inadequate at present.

  One solution lies in fostering institutions with expertise in selected subjects of relevance to industry and society. Some of the institutions which have excelled this far could provide templates for the new ones. Lastly, the solution should be implemented in a mission mode–only the mission objectives should be paramount and all else subservient to these objectives.

  To develop to the desired level, industry also needs to recognize the importance of forward and backward linkages. While linkages with bridging institutions such as think tanks, technical/consultancy services, other firms involved in similar activities as well as customers constitute the forward linkage, partnership with universities, R&D labs and technology-providing institutions would form the backward linkage. Investment in higher education is therefore crucial for forming this backward linkage which would serve as a springboard for Indian industry to make the jump to becoming a global player. We should not hesitate to take a fast decision for establishing twenty more IITs and medical institutions; whether they are promoted by Indian or foreign groups does not matter as long as the bottom line remains excellence.

  On 15 October 2000 a website designed for me by friends in the Ponn Group was launched by the Infosys Chairman, N.R. Narayana Murthy, in the presence of Prof. N. Balakrishnan of the IISc. Some of my friends asked me to post a few questions on the website. My questions were three. First: ‘India has been a developing country for more than half a century. What would you as young boys and girls like to do to make it a developed India?’ The second question was, ‘When can I sing a song of India?’ and the third, ‘Why do we love anything foreign in spite of our capabilities in many fields, whereas other countries celebrate their own successes?’ My only stipulation was that the answer should come from youth aged under twenty.

  More than a hundred answers and suggestions were received from within the country and abroad. Five of these answers are relevant here.

  One young man from Chandigarh responded, ‘I will become a teacher (rather, a professor of engineering) since I am good in, as well as enjoy, teaching and I believe that one of the best ways in which to serve one’s nation is to be either a professor or a soldier …’ A girl wrote from Pondichery, ‘A single flower makes no garland. I will … work for a garland leading to unity of minds, as this is needed for transforming India into a developed country.’ A twenty-year-old youth from Goa responded, ‘Like an electron ceaselessly moving in its orbit, I will work ceaselessly for my country, now onwards.’

  With reference to the second point I had raised, a young man from Atlanta wrote: ‘When India becomes capable of imposing sanctions against any country, if they are needed, then I will sing a song of India.’ What the young man meant was that economic strength brings prosperity accompanied by national strength. The fifth answer is actually something that 30 per cent of the respondents said: the need for greater transparency in various facets of our life. One crucial fact often overlooked is that India has a population of 700 million people below the age of thirty-five. These are 700 million people with the inclination, the ability and the enthusiasm to take the nation to greatness. It is a very big force for change indeed.

  How can one ignite the young minds? How can one attract and involve the young in the task of nation building? Only a united vision launched with renewed vigour will bring the young force into action.

  The subject of transparency and values brings to my mind Gandhiji. I happened to meet in Delhi his granddaughter, Sumitra Kulkarni. I asked her, ‘Sumitraji, is there a particular incident (in respect of honesty in public life) that you always remember from your grandfather’s life?’

  She narrated to me this story. ‘Every day, as you all would have heard, Mahatma Gandhi held a prayer meeting at a fixed time in the evening. After the prayers there would be a collection of voluntary gifts for the welfare of harijans and others. The devotees of G
andhiji used to collect whatever was given by the people of all sections and this collection was counted by a few members suggested by Gandhiji. The amount so collected would be informed to Gandhiji before dinner. The next day, a man from the bank would come to collect the money for deposit.

  ‘Once the man reported that there was a shortage of few paise in the money handed over to him and the amount informed to Gandhiji the previous night. Gandhiji, on hearing this, was so upset that he went on fast saying that this is a poor man’s donation and we have no business to lose any of it.’ This episode is a unique example of transparency in public life. Well, in the same country we are witnessing the best and the worst. We should all, particularly the young generation, launch a movement for a transparent India, just as our fathers fought for our freedom. Transparency is a cornerstone of development.

  We have spoken about our progress since independence. We are self-sufficient in agriculture, lead the world in milk production, have made enormous strides in industrial development and so on. However, we are still a developing country, one among hundreds.

  As such, it is important to understand where we stand in terms of competitiveness. A country’s competitiveness is defined as ‘the ability of a national economy to achieve sustained high rates of economic growth’. By that yardstick, according to the global competitiveness report prepared by the World Economic Forum, Singapore is first, the USA is second, Hong Kong is third, Taiwan is fourth, Canada is fifth, the UK is eighth, France twenty-third, Germany twenty-fifth and India fifty-ninth.

  What decides world competitiveness? It is a combination of the progressiveness of industry, the push for improved technology and the status of governmental deregulation. In terms of overall GDP size, we are twelfth in the world; in terms of per capita GDP we are fifty-seventh. Is this status acceptable to us? Especially to the young? I believe we should work for fourth or fifth position in terms of GDP as well as in respect of competitiveness. The target year should be 2020 and we should aim for a higher position afterwards. We have discussed some of the strategies and tools that can help us acquire the desired status.

  To reiterate, a knowledge society can form the foundation for such a vision. I am glad that the Planning Commission has taken a lead in generating a roadmap for us to become such a society.

  Where do we start? A number of new states have been created recently and these provide an excellent opportunity to begin. These states are poorly developed in spite of their abundant natural resources. There is widespread poverty though their people toil and sweat. What really prevents us from leaving the beaten track and venturing upon a new path? The question is not who would allow us but rather, who can stop us?

  SUMMARY

  We need to adapt the implementation of our programmes and policies into a mission mode to succeed. Progress cannot be swift and far-reaching if the path is full of potholes. The abundant national resources, human and material, remain to be fully utilized.

  8

  Building a New State

  If I were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow—in some parts a very paradise on earth—I should point to India.

  —F. Max Müller

  I began this book with my travel to Jharkhand state in the month of September 2001. That was my fourth visit. The first two visits brought me very close to the core competence that this state possesses. I have been made patron of the Science and Technology Council of this state. My purpose on this visit was to work out a developmental programme in the area of herbs, forest products and other natural resources after meeting with the Chief Minister, Babu Lal Marandi, the Minister for Science and Technology, Samaresh Singh, and concerned officials. When I landed at Ranchi a group of boys and girls greeted me with lots of flowers. I was quite moved by their regard for a simple scientist and their trust in his dreams. I also met the Governor, Prabhat Kumar, who told me about the hard-working nature of the people and the forest wealth of the state.

  I recalled my earlier visit to the hill region about 75 km away from Ranchi. Prof. Basu was spearheading a programme oriented towards children’s education and health. As I met the people of the hill region, young and old, in the village complex, sitting like them on the ground, one thing was clear to me: my presence here was ordained. The components for development were all there–a fertile area with good rainfall, tall trees and rich vegetation, and people who were willing to work hard. Their faces were lit up with happiness so pure it is rarely seen any more, in the cities at least. However their bodies looked tired, showing signs of excess work for a bare livelihood.

  On this visit, we made some headway in drawing up a viable plan for developing a herbal drugs industry in the state. We discussed in detail with various officials plans for herbal farms and marketing the herbs to drug producers. Our purpose was that the drugs be manufactured within the state itself so as to provide increased income to the state from value addition as also boost industry there. This was a new experiment for the state and also for our mission, but one that, given our experience in mission management, offers tremendous scope for Jharkhand to enter into three areas in a big way–floriculture, herbs and herbal products.

  After the meeting we started for Bokaro, the steel city. The weather was cloudy and we wondered if the flight would be cancelled. We reached Ranchi Airport at 2.30 in the afternoon. A Pawan Hans helicopter had been hired by the state government. I asked the pilot whether we could fly in this weather. All smiles, the pilot promised me a beautiful flight and so the helicopter took off, with myself and two other passengers.

  I have often flown in a helicopter but did find the weather particularly rough on this occasion. However, the pilot was skilful and I even congratulated him at one point for keeping the flight smooth in spite of the turbulence. It was a marvellous experience as we flew over vast stretches of forest and hills and streams. I was struck by the clean environment. I wondered whether this precious natural wealth could be conserved from mindless destruction for short-term business gains. With such thoughts in my mind, I noticed that we had started descending.

  Suddenly I found the two pilots in agitated discussion regarding the falling RPM count. I became alert myself. Looking down, I could see a large number of cars and people everywhere. Then the crash; the helicopter hit the ground with a shattering sound. Broken parts flew around us and I could see fire engines rush towards us.

  I simply got out of the helicopter that had hit the ground as a dead weight. Fortunately the engine failed while we were quite close to the ground. Had it failed moments earlier we could have perished under the impact of the free fall. The pilots were in a state of shock and looked at me helplessly. I held their hands and thanked them. I said, sometimes it happens with flying machines and as pilots they have to face it with courage.

  I had to address the Chinmaya Vidyalaya students and they would all be waiting, so we rushed to the school leaving behind the crash and the shock. The school’s principal, Krishnaswami, received me and the students showered rose petals as I walked to the dais through the auditorium. News of the crash had preceded my arrival. The children sat in pindrop silence.

  To ease the tension I told the young gathering, ‘Friends, when I was travelling from Ranchi to here, I admired God’s great gift to the state. Under the ground and above it, you have minerals in abundance. The rich soil of the Jharkhand plains can give bountiful crops. When I was flying over the lovely forests and the valleys and hills the thought of the wealth they hold in terms of forest and herbal products was very reassuring. On the ground I saw a fully operational steel plant. Now what I see in front of me and what the new state is famous for is its industrious people. So this state has all the wealth needed. It is a land waiting for a transformation to occur. I see in the future, villages that will be provided with urban facilities and are self-contained in respect of education, health and occupation. Today’s incident will help define my remaining life’s mission.
I forgot my inconvenience during the landing after seeing the state’s wealth. How can you use this core competence to become a developed state? For that you have to work in the mission mode.’

  At the time these children would be entering adult life and taking up careers, they could be part of a national endeavour to becoming a knowledge society. Their contribution to the state itself could be tremendous. That should be their goal: to make Jharkhand great.

  One thing that came to mind constantly as I went round the exhibition put up by the children and watched their performances– including a marvellous peacock dance–was how important it was to improve the education system so that it did not stifle these powerhouses of creativity. I felt this is one area I must work upon with the state and the Centre.

  I continued with my other engagements after the function at the Chinmaya Vidyalaya. There was a meeting due at the town hall and I went there, brushing aside the concern of the doctors thoughtfully sent by the General Manager of the Bokaro Steel Plant to look after my well-being. At the town hall the subject I had to speak on was ‘Jharkhand’s Core Competence and Industries’. I kept my speech short, preferring to let a discussion develop.

  Meanwhile, the electronic media had done its job! As there was a strong media presence to cover our arrival, news of the crash travelled quickly throughout the country. I started receiving calls on my mobile phone to find out whether I was all right. I did not want to disturb the meeting and gave the mobile phone to Dr Vijayaraghavan, who by then had reached by road from Ranchi. I asked him to call my elder brother in Rameswaram, who is eighty- six years old, and tell him I was fine. The other call I asked him to make was to my personal secretary Sheridon to handle the calls that would come in.