PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA -- Dubbed "the Bill Gates of India," he's an entrepreneurial legend in his homeland. Nandan Nilekani co-founded consulting giant Infosys, a company that arguably has shaped the global economy as much as Microsoft and other U.S. multinationals. Hyperbole? Maybe. But the man brings his brains to the table, that's for sure. Many executives seem to think blindly and see narrowly, the antithesis of "thought leaders." Nilekani, in contrast, is refreshingly open and broadminded, a digital Renaissance man and business diplomat with a lot to say -- at least 500 pages worth in his new book, Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation. It's already selling well on Amazon.com. Evening on the Infosys Campus - Photo by Esthr (flickr.com)
In the midst of a media blitz to flog his book, Nilekani also shows he's a good sport, taking friendly jabs from Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. "Let's say an electronic voting machine breaks down in India," says Stewart. "Do you call someone in the United States to help you?" Stewart notes that Nilekani is known on the streets of India on a first-name basis: "Nandan . . . like Madonna." (See video below.)
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Last night in Silicon Valley, Nilekani and moderator and social entrepreneur Lakshmi Pratury of Lakshmi's Lounge entertained a crowd of technologists -- including Intuit founder Scott Cook -- in a brisk hour-long talk and book-signing run by the Commonwealth Club. No yawnfest or dull author's reading here. Nilekani and Pratury riffed on business and politics. They spoke of India's "demographic dividend" as a young nation -- and its heart-wrenching poverty, poor infrastructure and government red-tape. Nilekani said he no longer uses his Blackberry, and his wife wants him to spend less time at five-star hotels and more time at home. Pratury said when people speak of India, she thinks of the old fable of the blind men and the elephant. "It's as though there are multiple conversations, multiple interpretations of India," she said. (Photo by Suzie Katz on flickr.com)
Highlights from the chat:
Nilekani on the book's genesis: "Actually the book took about two years. The ideas were growing in my head for many years . . . I wanted to explain India's contradictions (of wealth and poverty). I feel India is in a very critical moment of its life. If we don't do the right things, the demographic dividend could become a demographic disaster."
On the global downturn and India: "Certainly it has some impact, especially on an industry such as ours. But India is much less dependent (on exports as other Asian countries). Two-thirds of spending is domestic spending, (so India) is relatively less buffeted by international forces."
On the Satyam $1 billion accounting scandal, called "India's Enron": "We have been holding up India's IT industry as symbolic of India's modern governance and transparency. Obviously, this was a black eye. Fortunately, the world and customers realize this was an isolated episode." (Nilekani speaks with Cool Global Biz below):
On the future of education in India: "Primary education never got the money it deserved . . . Now that is changing, but time is running out . . . The state is not delivering on its promise . . . The good news is twofold: Young people in India now feel they need to have an education, and parents feel there needs to be education. There is a groundswell of support."
On India's upcoming elections: "Over a 27-year period, we went from one of the most archaic voting systems to the most advanced . .. (with) all voting done on electronic voting machines. It's an amazing thing, when you think of 700 million voters."
On succession planning and retirement at Infosys: "I do see moving on at some point. If our aspiration is to create a company that outlives us and has new leadership, then we need to step aside so they can take hold."
On his favorite role models: "I think it's a composite. (Infosys chairman Narayana) Murthy is one. Nelson Mandela. (Bill) Hewlett and (Dave) Packard . . . I'd still like to meet Steve Jobs."
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