Vision of Narayana Murthy for a Better India

5/20/2018 Vision of Narayana Murthy for a Better India

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~~Vision of Narayana Murthy for a better India~~NR Narayana Murthy, the founder chairman of Infosys, is one of the most admired entrepreneurs of

India. The nation honoured him with Padma Vibhushan for his great contribution to the nation. A

BETTER INDIA, A BETTER WORLD is a collection of well arranged 38 speeches by Narayana

Murthy on different occasions. Mr. Murthy, who took the world by storm with software revolution

spells out his vision on modern India. India is growing with one of the highest GDP growth rate inthe world with the help of achievements in technology, industry & entrepreneurship. The number of

people who are in the shade of hunger, unemployment, illiteracy & malnutrition are also increasing.

What will it take for India to bridge this great divide? Through this book, the author tries to find a

solution for this difficult question.

Once a confused leftist and now a compassionate capitalist, Narayana Murthy believes that our

future development should be based on the following pillars. 1.Education. Progress based on

dreams need change. Education brings this change, which increase the knowledge and assuming

social responsibility. Meritocracy in admission & Autonomy in administration are required to

generate world class professionals. 2.Good value system. We need courageous leaders (with

good entrepreneurship & governance) with a value system where people accept modest sacrificesfor the common good, who lead with example and capable of motivating the individuals for sacrifice

for the good of society. 3.Capitalism. Only through creation of wealth we can create job

opportunities and thereby remove poverty. In the face of new challenges and to resurrect

capitalism, Mr. Murthy visualizes a Compassionate Capitalism - by combining the power of mind

and heart, the good of capitalism and socialism. 4.Globalisation. Sourcing capital from where it

is cheapest, talent from where it is best available, producing where it is most efficient and selling

where the markets are, without being constrained by national boundaries, the author explains how

globalization is a win-win situation.

The thoughts which guide the Infosys employees on accountability and transparency are worth

mentioning, which is repeated in several places in the book. 1. The softest pillow is a clearconsciousness. 2. In God we trust, everybody else brings data to the table. 3.You can

disagree with me, as long as you are not disagreeable.4.When in doubt, disclose.

Some of the thoughts/suggestions I found interesting and relevant:

1. When giving subsidies to the farmers the role of middleman should be eliminated.

2. Meritocracy should be applied for the higher education.

3. Good leaders integrate the fifty-thousand-feet birds-eye view of the world with the ground level

worms eye view.

4. The efforts to reduce the population of India should be restarted.

5. The best use of all your wealth is to share it with those less fortunate.

6. Today, we have political freedom but not economic freedom-the freedom from hunger, diseaseand illiteracy.

7. In India, we tend to look down on people who do jobs that require physical work or involve

disciplined execution and accountability.

8. What a journalist recently wrote, If a guy steals $5000/-, he goes to jail for ten years. If he steals

$500 million, he appears before Congress and gets called bad names for ten minutes.

Few points where my views are different:


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1.over a period of ten to twenty years, the government should withdrawshould gradually get out of

all activities other than defense, external affairs, homeand macro economic policies, and should just

become just a regulator in all areas of commerce.Considering the nations low standard on

governance, illiteracy and poverty, the fate of poor may not be a priority or an attraction for

industrialists. The author assumes that individuals and industrial houses will assume the

responsibility of social upbringing, based on universal values. With the present recession andhistory of corporate frauds the morale of capital istsare on extreme low by now.

2.There have a lot of data supplied to shows us that there is great povertyin India. The author

however failed to detail how technology and globalization will remove the state of poverty.

3.The authors dream of a border-less world is on the assumption that the world is a happy place

without any crux, spies and war, where the history of our world is full of them. With the presence of

war, going for complete globalization will be like going for a race with paralyzed body parts. I am

against giving foreign ownership in key sectors like Telecom for the safety, security and privacy of

individuals and nation where the author does not see a need for it.

4.As per the authors vision, India should first produce a million pluseminent citizenswho are

simply like saints with out any negatives to assign responsibilities for the inspection and guidance of

various corporate and public bodies. Where are they available? How can we find these greatnumbers of people without which the vision cannot execute?

5.The author do not have a plan to say, how to take India to the front of technology at the same time

says we should not be intellectually arrogant by attempting heavy end fields. We cannot openour

market simply to export home nurses & call centre services and import agricultural products,

automobiles, and consumer goods. The vision gets narrowed again, when the author is against

investing a heavy percentage of revenue on Research & development.

6.Flat-rate electricity pricing which results in over-pumping of ground water should also be

removed. I will suggest more discounts for agriculture and irrigation instead. The vision does not

have anything substantial for the well being of agricul ture - a base sector needs much attention and

modernization.

7.The high income job creation basically do not helps the masses, where the high income revenueadd to the inflation and high reality prices will makes the lifeof middle class ahell. The increased

labour costs to keep pace with the inflation will take away our advantage in cheap labour as well.

Overall, the book will be better enjoyed if we consider the context of each speech. However, the

book failed to give a comprehensive view to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and to

lead India and its masses to the bright tomorrow. The book has an ability to move our thoughts on

various subjects concerning our nation deeply. If you get a chance, dont miss it!


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This book written by the software kingpin Mr.N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus of Infosys. This

book is really inspiring and very insightful with good focus on what is expected out of every responsible

individual and how we can contribute to society.

Some of the excerpts and good quotations, citations are extracted and written below which might

boost my morale and confidence in testing times.

Three important seminal books that influenced my thinking deeply are

1. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber

2. My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi

3. Peau Noire, Masques Blancs(Black Skins, White masks) by Franz Fanon

Max Weber laid the foundation for my belief that decent and hard working people with high aspirations

make great nations, no matter what the odds are.

The biggest lesson for me from Gandhi's book and life is the importance of leading by example. I

realized fairly early that this.

Some men see things as they are and ask why; I dream of things that never were and say why note? This

is what great leadership is all about.

When, one day, you have made your mark on the world, remember that, in the ultimate analysis, we

are all mere temporary custodians of the wealth we generate, whether it be financial, intellectual or

emotional. The best use of all your wealth to SHARE IT with those less fortunate.

We need high aspirations. Aspirations energize us to overcome limitations posed by the context we are

in. They engender and sustain hope, the main fuel of progress. They help us achieve miracles.

Create excellence in whatever you do. By Connecting these islands of excellence, you can create a

critical mass for your revolution to change society.

To create a lasting legacy of decent leadership, just ask the question, 'What can I do so that people will

miss me if I disappear tomorrow?'

As a leader you will have to decide on an objective that is laudable, exciting and aspirational.

Innovation comes from the power of the mind, a mind that is happy, energetic and enthusiastic.

Confident people attract good talent, and generosity is a sign of such confidence

Praise in public and criticize in private.

It is good to under-promise and over-deliver

When in doubt, disclose

1. I want to emphasize the importance of being trustworthy in all your dealings


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2. Fear is natural but you should not let your actions be governed by it.

3. A supportive family is the bedrock upon which satisfying lives and careers are built.

4. Excellence in work leads to excellence in life and vice-versa. Unless you are happy person at home,

you cannot be a happy person in the office.

5. Learn to manage yourself, especially your feelings, in a way that respects the dignity of others and

yourself.

6. Live your life and lead your career in a way that makes a difference to your society.

Opportunities before you are endless.

A crucial factor for success has always been excellence.

Pursue excellence. Aim high and dream big. Make excellence in execution your core belief.

Excellence can be acquired only by relentless training, frank feedback and constant self-improvement.

Ethical behavior is the foundation for sustainable success.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

If you dont have courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of your other virtues

Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

We are what we repeatedly do

Discipline in thought is about objectivity, about using data and facts for arguments, and about

supporting an idea purely based on its merits

Discipline in action is about doing the right thing without being influenced by money, power or any

form of self-interest

We have to put in tremendous hard work and make short-term sacrifices for long-term glory

Our problems are man-made. Therefore, they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is

beyond human beings.

What do I expect from the India of 2067, after another sixty years? I want an india where every

child will have access to decent education,health care, nutrition and shelter. I want an India where

every child belonging to any race, religion and case is confident that there is a bright future for

him/her if he/she is honest and hardworking. I want an India which receives respect from everyglobal forum because we will be high performers; we will be peace-loving; we will gracious hosts;

we will be fair; we wil be pluralistic and respect every faith; and we will be trustworthy.

A civilized society is one where good people become good citizens

Aspiration is the main fuel for progress


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If you seek respect, you will not short-change your customers;

Trust and confidence in leaders what will motivate people to make sacrifices in the short term in the

hope of betterment in the long term.

A great company does all that and strives to make the world a better place

Each time a man stands up to improve the lot of others, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope

Chance favours the prepared mind

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at

times of challenge and controversy.

Follow your bliss; All else will follow

Aspirations, courage, principles, innovation and relentless focus on execution will carry you to greater

success

In India, the Internet has the potential to transform social service initiatives. It can help network social

work activities across the country.


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A BETTER INDIA : A BETTERWORLD

By

N.R.NARAYANAMURTHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

{N.R. Narayana Murthy is the Founder-Chairman of Infosys Technologies Limited, a global

software consulting company headquartered in Bangalore, India. He serves on the boards of

Unilever, HSBC, NDTV, Ford Foundation and the UN Foundation. He also serves on the boards

of Cornell University, Wharton School, Singapore Management University, Indian Institute of

Information Technology, Bangalore and INSEAD.}

1 ) Who does not want a Better India, and thereby a better World to all ?. But the efforts

to achieve all these are going to be., a stupendous task .

When you see world class supermarkets and food chains in our towns, and when our urban

youngsters gloat over the choice of toppings on their pizzas, why should 51 per cent of children

in the country be undernourished? asks Infosys mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy in his

introduction to A Better India: A Better World.

A comparison of this kind, which underlines the glaring disparity in income levels in

India of the post-1990s, is commonly made to critique the policies of economic

liberalisation and the development priorities accompanying them. Of course, the author

often described as the Information Technology czar of India is far from being against

econonomic reforms


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It is in this context we find the relevance of compassionate capitalism., good education, clear

and honest business principles etc (the list is long),as ways to achieve this lofty goal

prescribed in his book,

"A Better India:A Better World"

( a compilation of some 38 essays covering the speeches he made by Mr Narayanamurthy at

various places)

2 ) In fact, in the very first chapter, he talks about being on a train along the border

between what was then Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, an experience that purged him of any last

vestige of affinity for the Left and transformed him from a confused Leftist into a determined

compassionate capitalist.

With this out of the way, Mr. Murthy affirms and reaffirms his faith in the virtues of

compassionate capitalism (as opposed to laissez-faire capitalism) in several chapters

and highlights the need for broadbasing these reforms for inclusive growth. The only

solution to the problem of poverty is the creating of jobs with good disposable incomes,

he says, arguing this is an end that can be achieved by entrepreneurs who convert

ideas into jobs and wealth, with the government playing the facilitator.

Lest we mistake this as a treatise on business and profits, he repeatedly explains in these

speeches compiled here that the elite and influential class should have a strong moral

conscience and relate to the reality that is India with all its contradictions, show fairness to the

less fortunate and bring hope and betterment to the millions of poor and uneducated.

"3) In this book,similarly, he has also discussed and argued in depth on the issues

ofGlobalization and Economic Reforms, by adopting many new ways of analyzing our 1991

Economic Reforms which enable one to study the depth of the impact out of it. All the lectures

has good amount of statistics to understand the issues carefully. . The author shows the readers

that a society working for the greatest welfare of the greatest number," samasta jananam

sukhino bhavantu, " must focus on two simple things: values and good leadership.


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Built on his lectures delivered around the world," A Better India: A Better World " is a manifesto

for the youth, the architects of the future, and a compelling argument for why a better India

holds the key to a better world.In his excellent speeches of addressing to students, he has given

a very challenging and futuristic view on ones development and the youth power that is

required. He has addressed the issues such as Succeeding in the contemporary world, Need

for excellence, Eraof Globalization, Competition and also on The Role of Religion inEducation.

Similarly, he has also discussed and argued in depth on the issues

of Globalization andEconomic Reforms.

" We define a developed society as one where the poorest section of the society has the

ability to lead a reasonably comfortable life in terms of access to education, health=care,

nutrition and shelter. In such a society, the gap between the rich and the poor must be as low as

possible. I must admit that even in developed societies, that gap is increasing. However, a basic

minimum standard of life needed by the poor exists there. To me, development is not about the

availability of imported wine, Reebok shoes, IPods, or Iphones. Development is fulfilling the

basic needs of and creating an opportunity for every citizen to improve his or her lot. "

This is what he means by development all inclusive.

Giving his views on Globalization,he says ;

" I define globalization as sourcing material from where it is cheapest, talent from where it is

best available, producing where it is most cost-effective, and selling where the markets are --

without being constrained by national boundaries. Anybody can leverage the power of

globalization. It's not the monopoly of one geography. As long as corporations recognize this

and leverage the power; if they see the entire globe as their arena and leveraging the best talent

for each task from the different geographies; and if they operate as a global enterprise rather


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than a multinational enterprise, then there is a great future for all of us "

4) ) Drawing on the remarkable Infosys story and the lessons learnt from two decades of the

post-reform India, Narayana Murthy lays down the ground rules that must be followed ,if future

generations are to inherit a truly progressive nation.

" The enigma of India is that our progress in higher education and in science and

technology has not been sufficient to take 350 million Indians out of illiteracy.

It is difficult to imagine that 318 million people in the country do not have access to safe drinking

water and 250 million people do not have access to basic medical care. Why should 630 million

people not have access to acceptable sanitation facilities even in 2009?

When India is among the largest producers of engineers and scientists in the

world, why should 52 per cent of the primary schools have only one teacher for every two

classes ?

We find our corporate leaders splurge money on mansions, yachts and planes, and our urban

youth revel in their latest sports shoes, but why should 300 million Indians live on hardly Rs 545

per month, barely sufficient to manage two meals a day, with little or no money left for

schooling, clothes, shelter and medicine? ""

4,) Mr Narayanamurthy writes "These questions have been troubling me right from that day

when I spent a lonely, hungry, cold and introspective 21 hours in the guard's compartment on a

freight train going from the historic city of Nis, in what was then Yugoslavia and is now Serbia, toIstanbul, way back in 1974.

I have had some success in demonstrating the power of

entrepreneurship in solving the problem of poverty through my

experiment of creating Infosys. Yet, when I look at the big canvas of

India

I often feel confused, agitated and powerlessbut also motivated

to find solutions to this problem."

5 ) In exploring the source of the phenomenon of equitable economic progress in

developing countries , he fortunately laid his hands on three seminal books ,which he

later explains., have influenced his thinking deeply.


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They are: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber;

My Experiments with Truthby Mahatma Gandhi;

and Peau Noire, Masques Blancs (Black Skin, White Masks)by Franz Fanon.

6) As he confesses , 'In many ways, entire philosophy of economic development is based on

these three wonderful books. Many of my speeches are based on the lessons I have learned

from them. Max Weber's book is a complex one. His thesis is about the importance of good

valueshard work, honesty, austerityand focus on entrepreneurship in bettering the life of an

individual and society. While it appears very elementary today, it was not so for me in the early

1970s.'

"I had been brought up in an environment of hard work and good values. In my

naivete, I had assumed that all societies and nations were similar and did not include

these factors in my analysis of why India was different from France.

Therefore, Max Weber laid the foundation for my belief that decent and hard-working

people with high aspirations make great nations, no matter what the odds are. This was

the first piece of the development puzzle for me. "

7 ) "" Mahatma Gandhi opened my eyes to the importance of good leadership in

raising the aspirations of people, making them accept sacrifices to achieve a grand

vision,and most importantly, in converting that vision into reality.Gandhi realised that

trust in leaders is extremely important if the followers have to commit to sacrifices. He

unleashed the most powerful instrument for gaining trustleadership by example. He

ate, dressed, travelled and lived like the poor.

I thought I understood the power of Weberian and Gandhian philosophies in the

economic development of nations and societies. I had seen good values and good

leadership,


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at least among the early group of our politicians and bureaucrats. However, I continued

to be puzzled why my country was not making the kind of progress that seemed so

natural. This is where Franz Fanon's book came in handy."

" His seminal book on the coloniser mindset of elites in a post=colonial society

opened my eyes to the role of the bureaucracy and the elite in decelerating the progress

of the poor and the disenfranchised. The colonial mindset of the 'dark elite in white

masks' in a post-colonial societythe mindset that the ruled and the rulers have

different sets of rights and responsibilities with a huge asymmetry in favor of the

rulerswas indeed the third piece of the development puzzle. "

8) Further,,he refers to the success stories of countries like Japan and Switzerland,

who despite not possessing some of these ingredients but still are able to provide world

class technology and other goods for export by importing vast amount of material

resources. He is optimistic about India ,wth visionary leadership it can easily overcome

shortage of capital, material resources,technology and talent and can do better.

9) Right leadership leads to a better India according to Mr Murthy.In ample illustration of this

is the birth and growth of Infoosys which today is the most successful software company in the

world

It all began in his bedroom, 10ft by 10 ft to be precise. In 1981, Narayan Murthy and his

colleagues sat down to outline the objectives of the software company they were about to start.

Opinions were offered. Murthy was clear: Infosys would aspire to be the most respected

software services company in the world. Today, Infosys is not only one of the most respected,

but also the largest software company in the world.

In a time of questionable corporate ethics, demonstrated by the downfall of Satyam

Computers, Murthy''s belief in the importance of values is comforting. Murthy firmly believes

that Infosys is successful because of their value system CLIFEcustomer focus, leadership by

example, integrity and transparency, fairness and excellence. And each piece has anecdotes

from Infosys, supported by in depth research and appropriate quotations.


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He shares several examples where Infosys was faced with tough situations and each time the

company took investors into confidence by proactively sharing the bad news. In each one of

these instances loss of GE contract, once accounting for 25 per cent of business and 8 per

cent of profit; losses suffered in stockmarkets honest communication helped the company

win the confidence of investors and other stakeholders.

10) Likewise, he minces no words in faulting the software industry looking for continued tax

breaks. He argues that entrepreneurs chose software industry because it was more profitable

so why should they shy away from sharing the gains with the government. No wonder his

balanced approach has earned him respect and trust of global peers, heads of governments

and the academia and perhaps the authority to call a spade a spade. Yet his choice of words is

so correct that even his sharpest criticism does not come through as a personal attack.

11) The role of values like respect is one that Murthy holds firmly and this belief has

sustained the company for more than two decades. The book is a clear, sensible argument on

what's wrong with the country, why it is the way it is and how one could correct this.

Murthy demonstrates practically and reasonably of what is wrong with the country and how it

can be set right In this task Murthy's

concern's are clear: what is the best way to take India forward, reward meritocracy yet uplift the

poor, illiterate and the uneducated. Culling out experiences from his life, the book is a journey

not only of Infosys, but a personal narrative of quiet reflection on how this country could and

should surge ahead. Key questions, such as why India does not boast of any product of

international class and recognition are addressed.

12 )


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Murthy is much more than a successful businessman and this shines through clearly. Key

concerns, are child malnourishment the high levels of poverty and the poverty of intelligent

politicians are a few of the several issues. In bringing out to sharp focus the woes of this

country this book.

"But A Better India A Better World "scores over others on two counts.

First of all, the author is honest and determined to bring about change. He was keen to

experiment with his economic philosophy: 'the power of entreneurship to solve the problem of

poverty'. Although he did not, his commitment to the cause was reflected when he set up

Infosys. The book is a recognition and admission of the importance of values.

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Murthy argues that decency, fairness, transparency and accountability will indeed makethe world better. The honesty, austerity and respect in work ethics Murthy lauds, is one he

believes in. For example, he refers to a janitor as his "younger colleague". Clearly, the generous

advice is based on a lifetime of practicing it.

14) ) He respects the virtue of capitalism, but not without it benefiting the poor and the weak.

He argues for 'A Case for a More Open Free Trade Regime in India', yet notes that the power of

wealth is 'the power to give it away'. He acknowledges the necessity for governmental

intervention in alleviating poverty, but is critical of the policy of reservation. As he points out, the

norm of reservations has made India the only country in the world where people compete to be

recognized as a 'backward' class.

15 ) Narayan Murthy explores political and economic philosophy in an easy and absorbing

manner.

The book will find good audience in the young and impressionable. Being a collection of his

speeches, it will be persuading the readers to be better citizens, workers, relatives and

humans, in a singularly sensible and articulate voice.

While speaking about the five cardinal points for success he said :

There are five elements of success. They are:

Openness to learn: Openness to subordinate your ego to take ideas from others.

Second, meritocracy: The best ideas are adopted and implemented using data to arrive at

the best decision.


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Third, speed: Assuring you do things faster compared to yesterday and last quarter.

Fourth, imagination: You continually bring better ideas and better innovation to the table.

And finally, excellence in execution: That is implementation of these great ideas with a

higher level of excellence today than yesterday.

I tell my colleagues that there is no guarantee we will be in business five or 10 years

from now. The only guarantee is the opportunity for us to use these five attributes.

If we embrace them, we'll be in play five and 10 years from now. But the day we forget

these, we'll disappear like dew on a sunny morning.

16 )

The following paragraph from this great thinker, entrepreneur, philosopher, academic and

philanthropist On Reaching Adulthood motivates every human being: Let the critics of Indias

economic reforms realize, by our example, that there is no alternative to the creation of jobs to

solve the problems of poverty. Let them understand from our example that there is no

alternative to high aspirations, courage, confidence and excellence in execution in competing

with the global best to leave behind a better society for our children.

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Vision of Narayana Murthy for a Better India