A Few Good Men...13/8/10

By Sujith R Menon /

India Syndicate, 13/08/2010

A Few Good Men...

Sixty-four years since the Union Jack was lowered and the Tri-colour unfurled at the Red Fort, India has come a long way to be recognised as a serious contender in world politics. From a rag-tag colonised nation to a sovereign, socialist, republic country whose heart and soul is enshrined in the democratic principles of Gandhi, Nehru & Ambedkar, the transformation of an impoverished, under-privileged obscure state took time. The journey was not that easy but the people who played their part do stand out as a prime example of what one person can do to usher in a change and it is this spirit and zest we celebrate this time with a band of select people who have brought honour and glory to this old country. By far, this is not a complete list but a mere glance through the pages of history...

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam - The man who always dreamed big



To merely say he is a scholar does him injustice. Poet, thinker, scientist, former president of India, the titles and accolades are perhaps the bracket into which his name fits aptly. His fiery speeches to transform and revolutionise his country makes him a patriot and visionary, yet he remains simple and humble.

Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. His contribution to space research and nuclear technology remains unparalleled. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. Dr. Kalam took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles and was responsible for the development and operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles.

This was not enough for a man driven by his passions. He then took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country. His books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India" have become household names. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. Dr. Kalam became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002. His focus is on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.

Ratan Tata: Icon of Indian entrepreneurship



"I won't burden everybody with a speech but say a few words on this special occasion. This flagship property is a venerable old lady and is going to reopen with the splendour that it has enjoyed for over a century," said Ratan Tata. Coming from a man who has always risen to the occasion and come out in flying colours without albeit some loss, these words speak volumes of his character. 26/11 Mumbai attack saw the Taj go up in flames and the damage done to the heritage wing was horrifying, yet there stood a man with one steely resolve. He told a band of media reporters then "The Taj will reopen with all its glory and we will move on." Fate, it seems has sided this man who made those cinders illuminate the Taj now. When the Taj reopens on Independence Day, a billion Indians will cheer in joy and it will also include him as well, for here is a man who kept his word and his example shines throughout the nation.

Born in Bombay Presidency (British India), Ratan is the present Chairman of Tata Sons - India's largest conglomerate founded by Jamshedji Tata. To merely state the known are tiresome but a snapshot of his efforts show how he transformed a company to a business conglomerate is worth noting. After receiving a BS degree in architecture from Cornell in 1962, he joined the Tata Group in December 1962, after turning down a job with IBM on the advice of JRD Tata. He was first sent to Jamshedpur to work at Tata Steel. He worked on the floor along with other blue-collar employees, shovelling limestone and handling the blast furnaces.

In 1981 he was named Chairman of Tata Industries; the group's other promoter company, where he was responsible for transforming it into a group strategy think-tank, and a promoter of new ventures in high technology businesses. In 1991, he took over as group chairman from J.R.D. Tata, pushing out the old guard and ushering in younger managers. Since then, he has been instrumental in reshaping the fortunes of the Tata Group, which today has the largest market capitalization of any business house on the Indian Stock Market. During his tenure, the group's revenues grew nearly 12-fold (till date).

Under Ratan's guidance, Tata Consultancy Services went public and Tata Motors was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998, Tata Motors introduced his brainchild, the Tata Indica. On January 31, 2007, under the chairmanship of Ratan Tata, Tata Sons successfully acquired Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel and aluminium producer. The merger created the fifth largest steel producing entity in the world. The Government of India honoured Mr Tata with its second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008. On March 26, 2008, Tata Motors, under Ratan Tata, bought Jaguar & Land Rover from Ford Motor Company. The two iconic British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, were acquired for £1.15 billion. Yet his dreams knew no rest until the Nano concept arrived. Ratan Tata's dream was to manufacture a car costing Rs 100,000 became a reality when the first batch of Nano arrived in March 2009

Indira Gandhi - The Empress of India



Top the world's all time longest serving female Prime Minister, death came in an unexpected route - right through her defences; shot by her own security men in 1984. That she was the daughter of Pandit Nehru did not make her life easy
Born into the politically influential Nehru Family did not see her reach out to the political arena till 1950s where she served her father unofficially as a personal assistant during his tenure as the first Prime Minister of India. After her father's death in 1964 she was appointed as a member of the Rajya Sabha and became a member of Lal Bahadur Shastri's cabinet as Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

The then Congress Party President K. Kamaraj was instrumental in making Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister after the sudden demise of Shastri. Gandhi soon showed an ability to win elections and outmanoeuvre opponents. She introduced more left-wing economic policies and promoted agricultural productivity. The famous repartee that won her an election is legendary. She said "Agar who kehte hain (opposition) Indira Hatao, Mein Kehti hoon Garibi Hatao..." she won hearts and the elections without any problems.

She led the nation as Prime Minister during the decisive victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan and creation of an independent Bangladesh. A period of instability led her to impose a state of emergency in 1975. Due to her authoritarian excesses during the period of emergency, she lost the next general election for the first time in 1977. She led the Congress back to victory in 1980 elections and Gandhi resumed the office of the Prime Minister. In June 1984, under Gandhi's order, the Indian army forcefully entered the Golden Temple, the most sacred Sikh Gurdwara, to remove armed insurgents present inside the temple. She was assassinated on 31 October 1984 in retaliation to this operation.

Narayana Murthy - A model entrepreneur



His benign smile and humility might confuse you to believe that you are talking to a man who founded the best IT service company in India. But when you hear his maxims you believe you have found the perfect Indian entrepreneur and boss. These include - "Our assets walk out of the door each evening. We have to make sure that they come back the next morning." "Performance leads to recognition. Recognition brings respect. Respect enhances power. Humility and grace in one's moments of power enhances dignity of an organisation," "In God we trust, everybody else bring data to the table."

These words shadow his achievements as does his earthly bearings. NR Narayana Murthy is an Indian businessman, software engineer and the founder of Infosys Technologies, a consulting and IT services company based in India. He is currently the non-executive Chairman of Infosys. He was the CEO of the company for 21 years, from 1981 to 2002. After stepping down as CEO in 2002, he has broadened his scope of activities to social services as well as promoting India globally. In 2009, his lectures delivered around the world have been published as a book A Better India: A Better World.

For a man who (In 1981) founded Infosys with six other software professionals with an investment of Rs.10,000 ($250 at the time) from his wife; he sums up his efforts in these words - "I want Infosys to be a place where people of different genders, nationalities, races and religious beliefs work together in an environment of intense competition but utmost harmony, courtesy and dignity to add more and more value to our customers day after day."

Sachin Tendulkar - The God of Cricket



The contest between a bat and a ball is always fascinating and a major spectator sport. Much has changed since the 'Roman Games' and the 'Coliseum' that brought in large crowds and the populace that thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of their heroes and idols. Take away the swords, the life and death in the gladiatorial arena and the king on the dais, the rest holds true for the game. The cheer & joyous rapture, a bunch of talented players for ever sought out by enamoured fans and a contest to fire up one's spirit. The game itself brings out your natural instinct that goes for the kill.

What more do you need than a master who makes others seem mortal among the talented bunch. A class apart, a man who smiles as he displays his skill while cutting you down and the roar of the crowd in the background. The stadium comes alive in drumbeats and waves; the pandemonium is nothing less and that too without shedding a drop of blood. Welcome to the world of a cricket lover...

They say, the greatest of warriors aren't born but are made, some have the skill in them but rarely do both combine to bring out the best in a man. The ultimate warrior is the one who has no chinks in his armour or any weakness in his repertoire. A man without parallel, a true master, literally a man who equals God in his sport. It is hard to define such a man, even more difficult to find him.
It is near impossible to crown one man as above mere mortal and the crown is not easy to wear for he too in fact is not immortal. It's a flight of skill and will that makes him the love of the masses. Such a feat is hard to accomplish and even more difficult to sustain. But we have one man who fits the bill, one who balances all three forms of the game and is enjoying the form of his life when other players of his generation are basking in their glory over a glass of beer and pep talk.

A country prays for him when he sets out to bat, the fan frenzy is at its peak when he thumps the ball to all corners of the ground and a deathly gloom ensues when he gets out. Such is his aura and the hopes of one billion Indians rest on his shoulders that it is a miracle that he still performs at his age. Never has he been the one to lay a blame on too high an expectation that bothers him or his game. He remains the humble servant of Indian cricket that after two decades; he still goes out with one mindset - the pursuit of excellence.

The stats are mind boggling with close to a hundred centuries in all formats of the game, this man brooks no parallel - neither in terms of runs nor in skill, ability and persistence. The very essence of him can be summed up in the words of Robin Jackman - He just goes out and enjoys his game, be it batting or fielding. You can never keep him out of the game.

Purists claim all good things come to an end, period. But he has aged like wine, getting better with age. The boys from down under would testify - Mate, every time I see him, it gets difficult to get better of him. Boy does he age so gracefully. Brett Lee did nod in assent; the man in question is above the ways of the world. He is a legend in himself - a living legend! - Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Viswanathan Anand - The King of 64 Squares



His name means - one who rules the world, but his nickname has been a tad different - the Tiger of Madras. To some he is a genius, a man whose brains computes different attack and defence combinations, a ticking machine who dissects the move of his opponents and throws up a challenge across the dual chequered board. The world acknowledges his brilliance so does his title - Grandmaster. He is the current World Chess Champion. He is none other than our Viswanathan Anand.

His achievements may speak volumes, but his calm demeanour is what single shim out from the rest of the pack. Anand has been viewed as an unassuming, benevolent person with a reputation of refraining from political and psychological ploys as much as possible in order to focus solely on the chessboard. Such a man is not easy to find. This very fact has made him a well-liked figure throughout the chess world for two decades. The evidence being the fact that Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen, all rivals for the World Championship throughout Anand's career, each aided him in preparing for the World Chess Championship 2010. A well liked person than rival wins hearts as well as games.

Anand began his journey at the insistence of his mother who initiated him into the mysteries of checkered game when he was 6; passing on the reins of his grooming to Manuel Aaron, India's first ever international master while in Chennai. In Anand's own words - There they had a TV program that was on in the afternoon, one to two or something like that, when I was in school. So my mother would write down all the games that they showed and the puzzles, and in the evening we solved them together. And they gave the prize of a book to the winner. Thus began his marathon journey.

He held the FIDE World Chess Championship from 2000 to 2002, at a time when the world title was split. He became the undisputed World Champion in 2007 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008. With this win, he became the first player in chess history to have won the World Championship in three different formats: Knockout, Tournament, and Match. He then successfully defended his title in the World Chess Championship 2010 against Veselin Topalov. As the reigning champion, he will face the winner of the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship 2012. In 2007, he was awarded India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, making him the first sportsperson to receive the award in Indian history. He was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991-92, India's highest sporting honour.

Source: India Syndicate

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