The Hindu Business Line : Becoming a global Indian

"Global Indian is an idea that leverages the Internet and Web technology to disseminate knowledge to a large cross-section of people and at great speed. It is network based and it has no age restrictions."

LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, Vice-Chairman, Cognizant.

On March 17 this year, Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology, launched our Web portal on cross culture called www.globalindian.com. It is an initiative that will benefit a large cross-section of Indians, immaterial of their current locations. It focuses on four things: a firm grasp of global business etiquette; a practical understanding of country-specific social and business behaviour; a new language of business communication skills; and a working knowledge of useful facts about Indian culture.

When we think of a global Indian, several names and images come to mind . They are distinguished professionals in all walks of life Amartya Sen, the Nobel Laureate; Lakshmi Mittal, the steel czar; Ratan Tata; Sania Mirza; the Ambanis; N. R. Narayana Murthy; and Azim Premji. But the most relevant one for me is Lakshmi Narayanan, Vice-Chairman, Cognizant, a thoughtful and intelligent mentor we are lucky to have. The words I reproduce in this week's article are a summary of his speech at the launch of the Global Indian portal.

"In addition to their accomplishments, the famous global Indians have put India on the global map, given other Indians confidence that they can get there too. They have fired up the aspirations of so many Indians, who are ambitious, hardworking and have a deep desire to succeed. And why not? It is this energy and passion of young India that we have to sustain in order to deliver to the millions of Indians below the poverty line.

And there is something that we can do. It is the responsibility of all of us, who have succeeded and who are on the way to success, to help others who want to take the same path.

I want to tell you a little story that is also quoted in a book titled Games Indians Play. This is about a farmer who has been very successful in growing corn.

A farmer who has been consistently winning in a state agricultural contest for producing the best and the most corn year after year, was asked the secret of his success. The farmer said it is because he shared his seed with all his neighbours who grew corn too. This was counter-intuitive, sharing the seeds with the competitors.

To this the farmer said, `The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbours grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will degrade my crop too. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours do the same.'

This story is particularly relevant in the IT industry, where like pollen, people do move from company to company. So we spend a lot of effort in training and developing them to be not only technically competent, but also grow to be global citizens. So sharing know-how and providing access to knowledge in an efficient manner is a pre-requisite for sustainable success. That is clearly a responsibility that we can discharge quite easily.

We can help the youth succeed. It is not necessary to grow grey hair and learn only through experience to become a global leader. It can be accomplished here and now thanks to technology.

Global Indian is an idea that leverages the Internet and Web technology to disseminate knowledge to a large cross-section of people and at great speed. It is network based and it has no age restrictions."

And finally, Lakshmi Narayanan referred to Alan `Ace' Greenberg, the former chairman of the investment firm Bear Stearns. He has written a simple book in which he writes: "Our first desire is to promote from within. If somebody applies for a job with an MBA degree, we will certainly not hold it against them, but we are really looking for people with PSD degrees. PSD stands for poor, smart and a deep desire to become rich."

The Global Indian initiative is here to help PSDs succeed.

(The writer is Founder-Director of Global Adjustments, the Chennai-headquartered cross-cultural training and services company)

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