The only hope we have is to use new tools and our younger talent. I am a firm believer in young talent in India. When I started CDOT [Centre for Development of Telematics] in 1984, average age of the organization was 23. They were the brightest kids, hard working, sincere, honest, committed, courageous, dedicated, nationalist, and they made things happen.
People used to say, “Why are you hiring only young?” I said, “Because they are fresh, they are full of energy, enthusiasm, and they are not corrupt mentally.”
We have lots of problems in India, but we have lots of challenges. So when people tell me about problems in India, I tell them, “You don’t need talent to identify problems in India.” Nor do you need talent to identify solutions in India. You really need courageous people who are willing to give something, to go back and do something for the people of India.
We have a long way to go. There is work cut out for the next 50 years. For last 40 years. I’ve been saying, “Best brains in the world are busy solving problems of the rich, who really don’t have problems to solve.”
And as a result, problems of the poor don’t get the right kind of talent. India is the only country where you will find talent comparable to anywhere else in the world that would have some feelings to solve the problems of the poor. India is the only country where you will find solutions to lift 400 million below poverty line and then that solution can be applied to other parts of the world.
We are a land of contrast. Anything I can say about India, you can say exactly opposite and you are 100% right. And that is the beauty of India. Diversity is a fertile ground for innovations, and we are the most diverse country in the world. And maybe they don’t look like so-called Indian.
I remember once I was in Mexico and I was looking for Indian ambassador. I was a keynote speaker with 500 people and somebody said, “Indian ambassador is coming.” So I went to receive him, and I couldn’t find him. Finally I said, “Where is he?” A guy said, “Oh, he was waiting for you, he’s sitting in the front row. ”
I go, and he looks like Chinese. Because he’s from northeast. And even with my background, I sort of assume that he’s an Indian ambassador, he should look like me.
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