Leadership Development: A Critical Investment for India@100 - Thought Leadership

(Lessons in Thought Leadership in conversation with Tarun Das, Former Director General, CII sharing his views on developing a cadre of young leaders for building an inclusively developed India@100. He is in conversation with Rajan Navani, Chairman, CII India@75 Council and Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Jetline Group of Companies. Both of them together have come up with a Podcast and Youtube video on this which is organised by the CII India@75 team.)

Audio Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-development-a-critical-investment-for/id1584915743?i=1000581235846

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw2cdhQNpeY&t=59s  

Sharing the Vision for India @ 100, Tarun Das shares his memory from early days in shaping India with CII. Talking about what India could be, when India is @ 75; he puts India in two buckets:

• ·  Bucket of People
• ·       Bucket of Technology

We are on the Digital Technology root, that is going to take us to a greater level. Technology is going to be the significant transformer. There is a natural affinity between Indian people and Technology. But we have a long way to go in building quality infrastructure, touching every corner of India and we are on the path.

There are millions of people leaving in rural India, and as Urban poor, with IQ and EQ. The combination of Technology and Talent will take us forward and at a different level.

The days of poverty would be over. Poverty living will not be in the dictionary of people. New generation will not know what poverty is. Micro Entrepreneurship talent will bloom, and it with Technology will address the unemployment issues.

Factories will be automated; Entrepreneurs will change the face and shape of the country and employment. Women will be at a prime place. They will occupy the commanding height of the economy. Commanding heights of economy will move from the hands of public sector, to the hands of women. Our youth with their energy, excitement, instinctive comfort with entrepreneurship and technology, will drive India to 100.

Infrastructure will help this happen. Inequality today would be lesser in the future. Service sector and soft power of India will grow. As we see, in sports we are driving into a different level. Drive that is given, to build sports person will give pride to the nation. India will be at top gold level winners.

Indian will become the human resources hub of the world with talent, skill, attitude. India will be in great demand in every nation. It is the people of India who will take India forward. Next 25 years, is called the Amruth Kal of India with Indian working in every nations of the world.

With geopolitical stress going around, how will the world engage with India? India wanted to be isolated for decade, and it was, with 200 years of colonial past. Swatch Bharath was inspired from Japan and our PM asked Indian's to call the family and friends in India to have clean India; and asked them to tell at least five Japanese friend to visit India.

Prime Minister was already talking about high-speed rail project, wanting to connect the country.  India moved into the center of the world and is no more isolated. The initiatives taken are amazing. Our External affair minister has amazing connection with the world. He has the courage to speak to Americas of the proposed deal with our neighbor.  

Looking forward in the next 25 years, India is not going to be a superpower but a super partner. A country that others can trust – building understanding, collaboration, corporation, friendship. We are everywhere with diplomatic relationship. This is growing. Central to global affairs. One country can keep us out of UN Security Council, by exercising their vito power, doesn't matter.  India will be centre to global affairs by our conduct. We have finest team working on this.

We will have different kind of public - private partnership within India and with different countries outside, both developed and developing.  Connecting with the world. Opening up and holding hands together. The most important thing India is doing is helping developing countries to build their Human relationship - so they can run their own country – competently, efficiently, dynamically. We are teaching them to fish. Helping them build their own people and in their digital transformation.

Dream for India is not a power brokers dream, but that of a friend.

We need to make the vision come alive - How?

By building a ‘New Brand’ of Indian, who will achieve all these things. Beginning/Catalyst of that has already started. A step towards this are various amazing training programs, and to name one, it is the one in Socrates Dialogue format - Ananta Centre. It is a life changing - Self Development Programme. It leads us to introspect in a structured way and give you confidence to do things. It is going to be value-based Leadership. Working around the core, feeding like an octopus to all around the country. (Ananda Leadership Programme)

For the journey from Success to Significance we do have a great roadmap. When we talk of leadership, we are not talking about leading the country. It is serving the country in different areas. It's service. The common traits needed is to develop trust and bond, enlarge the circle of trust withing and outside India.  Integrity, commitment, sincerity, caring is seen in the people of India from various sectors, contributing in different ways. It's not self, others first and in the process being successful. Being connected. Thus, we will be different kind of Indian Brand. It is not at all about power.

Leadership Challenge that we say is Job Creators vs. Job Seekers. It is interesting to see that most in the current generation want to be Job creators, and they are going to be leaders. To become an effective leader, there is a gap. How do we at grass root mobilise this gap. Give chance to younger generation to come and take responsibility. We learn by mistake, we will stumble, and learn from mistake. Because we want to keep learning and achieve. Young people are our wealth, our asset. We need to give them space and they will perform.  Don't limit them, let them grow.

• We need to channelize what we have.  The message to younger generation:
• ·       For Elders: To Trust youth, empower them.

·       For the Young: Whatever you do is going to be a marathon, with up's and downs - Work hard, keep at it, don't give up and you will get there.

Trust is the base. Uniting India today. Get that right. We have to build a complete system based on Trust. Young will rise to the occasion.

What can pull us down? Only people - including ourselves. We are facing new challenges every time. Lived through emergency, assassinations, war, and many other crises time and again it’s proved that Indian's are resilient people. Keep working towards the vision of One India, New India and no one will be able to pull us out.

To strengthen the intellectual capital, we need to Invest in technology, R&D, Patents. We cannot live on imported technology. We have to build our own. When we import we will not get the state of art, but second hand. Our institutions like IIT and IIM are at par with any in the world. We need to support them to grow further. To develop technology for us. Private sectors are involved in developing infrastructure in rural area. Need of the hour is Self Confidence - Atmanirbaratha, leading as partner on Values. Indianness.

Taking us through the role the Indian youth’s energy, enthusiasm and instinctive affinity with technology play in helping us achieve the dream of a new India@100, as the world dynamics undergo a rapid change; Tarun Das, takes us through India’s present-day global position and how the world will engage with us in the future. He emphasis on values-based leadership to transform the nation with the holistic approach towards becoming an effective and successful leader. Journey is going to be a marathon and not a cake walk. Never give up.

Trust, ‘Young Gen’ both men and women, Technology these will lead India to 100.