And for another Friday in the midst of National Elections, some thoughts….. some musings…..
With three of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha, with more than 50% of the seats having gone to the polls, political pandits and psephologists are busy in the social media analysing various political permutations and combinations in each of the constituencies. India is so diverse and varied, that even within a linguistic state, there are huge variations. Star politicians of each party are busy crisis-crossing on private planes, helicopters and road trips in scorching 40+ temperatures. But the campaign rhetoric temperatures are even higher, whilst the ethical and moral standards traded at each other at the deepest abyss. Every one calls the other corrupt and wild accusations are hurled. It’s a free for all. Notwithstanding all this noise, let’s appreciate the huge operation in the largest democracy in the world. The poor and village folks, some of them illiterate, but the Indian voter is matured. Their political acumen and understanding of the value of their votes is remarkable. June 4th we’ll know the winners.
A very positive trend I am noticing, some of my corporate colleagues and professional friends have taken the plunge and been successful in politics. Pradip Mazumdar and me were colleagues in the Agri input industry. He was heading ICI and me with Tatas. Pradip is now the Advisor to the Bengal CM and Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rural Development and Cooperatives. He loves the challenges the political world throws up and has immense satisfaction in being able to adopt the corporate management principles to bring changes to large sections of the population. The sense of satisfaction to contributing to a larger cause, he says is worth all the hardships one encounters. He is emphatic that the corporate managerial skills are completely transferable and applicable for clean corruption free politics. Prakash Nedungadi, an IIM Calcutta Alumni, quit his job as President, Madura Coats, to enter the Indian politics. Fighting his first state elections he said at the ground level caste, cash and corruption rules the roost. But he wants to make a difference. The latest to enter is another good friend who was very active in Mumbai corporate circles, Dr. Santrupt Misra. I pray and hope more and more successful professionals from other fields will enter the political arena. The handful I know may be the trend setters.
India is changing. Democracy needs good honest politicians. Let us hope the paths chosen by my friends sets the tone for a developed India the honest way, the ethical way, the SEEGOS way.