An Open Letter to IIT Students
I received an email last week from Anuj Dayal, a Junior Year Undergraduate at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur. Anuj asks the question: “What’s next for India? What should we, IIT students, do?” (You can see the message in its entirety below.)
First, let me thank you, Anuj, for asking the question. It delights me to see that you are asking the right question. It makes my journalism efforts worthwhile. In this piece, I will attempt to address the question, and we can also discuss the issues at length here.
You see, the India I grew up in was not an India of opportunities. We had to leave the country to access opportunities. Your India is a different India. Opportunities are and will continue to be much greater in India, than in the US or Europe.
With that backdrop, I would encourage you to think of the India that you want to build, given that you are entering the workforce at a point where the basic platform is ready. You have the world’s attention as one of the two greatest consumer markets of the 21st century. You have a financial system that is ready to support high momentum growth and building of new enterprises with an openness unknown to prior generations.
Your India is brimming with optimism. Take advantage of that mindset.
Your India is also full of problems. Solve them.
Your India, I believe, needs to be an entrepreneurs’ India. Your generation will need to rise above the risk-averse tendencies of your previous generations. They have been satisfied with too little. You can do much more.
So, my number one advice to you, IIT students, is that you need to change your expectations from “getting a job” to “finding a platform for doing your life’s work.”
You, the best, the brightest, and the most fortunate of India’s youth, need to reach for bigger goals.
So what could be some of those goals?
To answer that question, look at the problems that are pretty much staring us in the face.
India’s supply chain is a disaster. Amidst rampant urbanization, India’s cities are bursting, fuming, overflowing.
If the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea rises a few inches due to global warming, could it wash over your precious institute?
Water is fast becoming a crisis, and India will need to figure out how to meet the population’s drinkable water needs, as well as the water needs for growing crops and livestock.
You, new engineers, need to build a road system, a port system, and an air-transit system that scales with India’s growth ambitions. You will also need to build cars that do not pollute. You will need to find alternative sources of energy, including solar, wind, and nuclear.
You will need to design food processing techniques, build affordable and energy-efficient housing, formulate new drugs using computational biology models.
And yes, you will also need to design software, hardware, chips, and information systems.
So why did I put IT as an afterthought to what all you need to achieve?
Because, in the last decade, IT has sucked all other engineering disciplines dry of their best minds. Even the IIT Civil Engineers and Mechanical Engineers are writing low-level software for Oracle or IBM. If you continue at this rate, none of the other major disciplines will get their rightful share of leadership that is your responsibility to provide.
Another reason is to underscore the need of IT to support all the other disciplines. Today, many of the opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship are at the cusps of different disciplines. Biology and Computer Science. Design and Manufacturing. Technology and Education. Software and Entertainment. Architecture and Materials.
My alma mater, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has put a huge emphasis on interdisciplinary programs at the cusps of various departments. Yours needs to do the same.
At the end of the day, if you seize the opportunities, take the risks, and not get complacent with the fact that some multinational is willing to pay you 15-20 Lakhs a year right out of college, there is no limit to how much money you can make.
And let me be very clear: you can and should plan on making huge fortunes. There is a venture capital industry coming together in India to support your wealth creation journey.
But, remember, risk and reward have a direct correlation. And, to reap the rewards, you have to learn to build. Build products. Build companies. And finally, Build fortunes.
In the short term, as you step out of the institute, look for the best employment opportunities that will teach you to build. Not only build products, but build yourselves.
And if managers and recruiters try to “buy” you for a few extra lakhs, be sure to remember that your end-game is to have a much grander scale of impact than what they ever dared to aspire for.
Good luck!
::
Full text of Anuj Dayal’s email:
Dear Ms. Mitra,
I am currently a Junior Year Undergraduate at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur. I have been following your articles and opinions at Forbes, from the piece about Sridhar Vembu to the most recent one about the coming IndoChina War.
The piece was alarming to say the least. The thought that struck me and the vibe that I get from most of your articles seems to suggest though, that Indian engineers would need to start to move towards greater ingenuity and inventiveness, than what an outsourcing business requires if they need to maintain the growth of the Indian Knowledge Sector.
Being from one of India’s premier technology institutes, it is not only an opportunity but also a responsibility for students like me to start thinking about where India’s next growth story would spring from.
I was wondering if you would be willing to share through The Scholars’ Avenue, IIT Kharagpur’s campus newspaper, a word of advice on what we could be looking to do.
If you do agree you could contact me at the e-mail address above following which we could further discuss your views on the subject and ways through which they could reach IIT Kharagpur’s student, professor and alumni community.
Sincerely
Anuj
::
And you can access my Forbes columns here.
Sramana,
I agree with you - completely, except for only one thing…
You, the best, the brightest, and the most fortunate of India’s youth, need to reach for bigger goals.
Folks at IIT definitely need not be the brightest and the best - agreed they are better and they are brighter, but not to the superlative degree.
Many a times, a graduate from Tier-II or rather Tier-III has proven better/brighter then IITans. Of course, the %age varies.
Regards,
Anil
PS: Not a case of sour grapes…
Yes one point I agree with you upon is the importance of interdisciplinary courses. Relevant electives( up to date with the changing world) need to be introduced and the earlier ones need to be updated.
BITS-Pilani has some wonderful interdisciplinary courses. A student here can pursue a Masters in Science/Economics/Finance as well as a bachelors in Engineering at the same time.
Emphasis on science is also very important for we as a developing country should develop scientists and not only engineers.
And I agree with Anil also.
Anil and Rishabh,
Yes, many other institutions produce very bright students in India. I agree.
I request you to not get caught up on this point, because it is immaterial to this discussion.
Sramana
Anil said it, and glad you chipped in to cut it short.
I’m from BITS Pilani as well and couldn’t agree with you more. I wrote a small article in the newsletter of our E-Cell (Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership) which touches on the same issues. Might not be a great read, but I sure liked penning it down. [:)]
Vineet,
This advice above is also for the students at other institutes in India that are educating and nurturing tomorrow’s talent.
Verbatim.
Sramana
A very motivational and engrossing article, Sramana. Thanks! I hope my fellow students find it the same way.
As you mentioned, with deep insight, I must add, students of India’s leading institutes must move on from the getting a job mindset to making their own things happen. The biggest stumbling block in this case though is the lack of success stories that go around. The ones that do are few and far in between. Your blog and you yourself, though, are ample testament to what could be India’s success. It shall be my endeavor to continually bring stories to the fore, such that say,” It could in all probability happen to you”.
Sramana,
It has rightly been pointed out by you that in the last decade IT has suck all other streams of engineering dry. But IT has put India on the global map. It has given India an overall Image makeover. IT has given a solid platform to young Indians to create,connect and collaborate.
For last 10 years we used IT to prove India to be a place where “things get done” to solve other’s problem. Now, is the time to use this IT tool to solve our own problems. Future of India lies in correcting ourselves.
This is a good read as ever, though I tend to think that one important point is missed out here. Creating fortunes, building entrepreneurial skills, taking risk and finding place of opportunity is one, but what about contributing the society and giving something back to it in return? I think the best brains should also have responsibility to contribute back, and no matter which discipline they are in, important is they need to remain in their own country, isn’t it? Also we need younger mind in our political system to correct it; this will solve many of our existing problems.
Arindam,
If this generation can address some of the problems I am pointing at, that would serve society and amount to huge contributions.
The more “double-bottomline” ventures get addressed, the better.
If you are talking about philanthropy, first let them build their fortunes, then, like Gates is doing, they will figure out how to give it away.
As for politics, I hesitate a bit. Yes, I agree that the political system needs young minds and thought leadership. However, given what it takes to get elected (Manmohan Singh would never have got elected, for example), you really need to have the stomach for it.
I feel of paramount importance is the need to change attitudes.
I migrated ( with my wife and 2 children aged 6 and 8 ) to Patiala,India from Malaysia, in 1986.At that time,most people were trying to flee Punjab, if not India.All family members were aghast at my decision.
Sometime in the early 70,s, I remember reading in Life magazine about an experiment conducted by social scientists.
There were 2 families of white mice. One was put in a large enclosure with lots of space,which I
called Australia.The family of white mice was put in an overcrowded environment, resembling India.
The study revealed that in the first case, the mice were very calm. In the second case, the mice were aggressive and fought and bit each other.
I have read people making derogatory and uncomplimentary remarks about India and Indians. My experience is that Indians are a wonderful peoples. Some of the habits are brought about by the sparse space and overpopulation. This overpopulation is now since as a blessing in disguise.
My advice to all young Indians, is to either work in a multinational company or go abroad. Pick up the good work ethics and attitudes and hence change your mindset. It has been rightly said, if you can change yourself, you have changed the World.
Sramana,
You struck the right chord. I couldn’t agree more. However, things are much different in the campuses.
I am a student at SJM School of Management, IIT Bombay. Being in touch with several UG students, I feel all that matters to most of them (and us) is a high paying job. If IT paid high 10 years ago, it is finance and consulting today. The end effect remains the same.
I think they do realize exactly the same thing after a few years in industry, but while they are in campus, they are so busy building ‘all-rounder’ CVs that they can’t care for brighter opportunities in the long term. And solving problems of India, much lesser.
It will be great if you can write about how students at premier institutes of India can be motivated to pick up an entrepreneurial career.
Cheers,
Arpit
I am not suggesting that they solve problems for India as philanthropy. The biggest fortunes are made when a big customer problem can be solved.
People are building fortunes in solar power, in water desalination, in green buildings, in nano materials, in educational toys …
All I am saying is that I find it disappointing that kids who are getting the best education that India has to offer are so unambitious. This “middle class mentality” limits the whole system.
It is as if all that India’s youth can aspire to be is an affluent middle class citizen with a comfortable life.
I find it uninspiring.
I find it pathetic.
Hi Sramana
A large reason for the “middle class mentality” is immense pressure from the parents to line up their children into ambitions they nurtured 30 years ago.
Most parents are completely out of touch with the challenges and opportunities of the current age.
This disconnect with reality will surely go away in the times to come. All it will take is 5 or 6 years in the life of a young professional, to see the real opportunities that are around. That will be the moment of carpe diem, and he/she will seize the opportunity.
We can already observe this phenomenon happening in droves, with several people returning to India or taking up unconventional career paths. The enlightenment comes after 5 to 6 years of stagnation in a conventional job.
I have my hopes up for India, and I am ready to do my bit of the thing.
Sramana, Thank you, thank you for writing such article. I am sure this will touch many young generation heart & mind.
I had read an article sometime back where Mr. Narayan Murthy had told the same thing with a variation …India needs its present & future young generation to work hard, work smart and work with a passion, it will propel India to great heights.
I run a small product innovation company and as an young entrepreneur, I suggest my associates to just work smart and question every assumptions. According to me, assuming and not-questioning and fear of hierarchy causing many young generation to loose sight and follow traditional opportunities.
Hi Kiran,
Yes, that is totally understandable and human. This is where the faculty at the IITs need to play a role, or else, the true potential of the talent will never be realized. Parents don’t always do what is best for their children, especially when they are so disconnected from the realities of an industry.
Sramana
The query and advice are very apt. The turn of century and transition being experienced by Indian new generation is mind boggling. Yes, it is true that huge opportunities are knocking at the doors today in contrast to last century. Economic Reforms have brought in unbelievable changes in the systems - be it in pubic or private sector; industry or trade or services; transparency has set in to a great extent; information is exploding; hence it is for the generation to grab the situation and work towards progress and prosperity. Keep off the politician and bureacrats; leaders and professionals should come forward to take the scene to greater heights to make India the super-power. We have wonderful minds and talents; instead of working elsewhere and enrich themselves; youth of modern India should think of infrastructural and societal development and show to the world what we are really capable of. Bright students from IITs and IIMs can do miracles; Govt is expanding the opportunities by increasing the number of such professional and higher educational institutions. Let us move forward.
Firstly, I think it is a very nice, inspirational piece. What you mention as things to be done are absolutely imperative for India’s overall growth. But But as a nation, we may be some distance away from diversifying into non-conventional fields. With the opportunities being offered currently, I cannot blame students for taking them today.
It is important to look at this problem in the context of the Indian social and family structure. Despite the burgeoning IT industry and the increasing cosmopolitan nature of the major cities, the Indian youth is still closely tied with his family. He is brought up with a much higher sense of responsibility beyond just himself. So, the barrier for someone to venture into something ‘non-conventional’ is rather high and requires a high degree of motivation and a good helping of social responsibility.
Peer pressure and the inherently competitive nature of the Indian education and job systems makes it equally difficult to be risk-ready. When friends around you earn Rs.15-20 Lakhs per year as a salary, it is just difficult to wade through tough times as a non-conventional entrepreneur.
Thirdly, the political system is just frustrating and the rampant low-level corruption and the beaurocracy kills any progressive thought. The Indian political system is perhaps the one thing that may hold me back from heading to India now. On the other hand, I also believe that it will refine and correct itself as India continues to develop and match today’s superpowers.
Fourthly, I think that as a country still trying to stand on its own feet, India should use its core competencies to serve the world’s needs so it can generate maximum revenue. This, right now, is IT/telecom/biotechnology. These also increase the opportunities that are provided to a wider spectrum of Indian youth. Also, it may be cheaper to procure other technologies for internal consumption even if they can be developed internally. In other words, I believe that in diversifying away from the opportunities that the world presents us with now as a country may dilute our current strengths. We may have to pay a huge opportunity cost. For a country like the USA, which is well developed, its growth will come from diversification. It will perhaps take a little longer than now for India to get to the same state.
Finally, in order for any non-conventional business thought to succeed, it needs a drastic change in the Indian mentality. Per a recent study, Indians are the 3rd most brand conscious lot. It will be very difficult for me to compete with a Tata Nano even if I find the panacea for India’s (and the world’s) fuel woes. Unfortunate, but true.
All said and done, I think that the conservative thinking is what keeps Indians happy and contended. While their mean salaries are lower, their variance over a life-time is much lower and so is their spending. Like my father keeps saying, ‘US economy thrives on consumer spending, Indian economy thrives on consumer savings.” It is this conservative outlook that saves us in times of recession. This middle-class mentality is definitely uninspiring, but it is also India’s strength. The break away from this thought process will be slow yet steady. My point is that the platform is still not strong enough for us to stand on it and jump high.
Things are changing today. I know a friend who dropped a very promising career at Amazon to start-up in India. A couple of other friends have left high-paying post-MBA jobs to startup as well. Both efforts are aimed at proving specialized online services to Indians. In each case, my friends established themselves on their platform and then went for the leap. More such transitions will happen. But for this to happen at a wider scale and at an even younger age, there needs to be a grass-root change, first in the upbringing of tomorrow’s kids to make them more independent and risk-ready and then to back it up with education that looks beyond ‘memorizing’ text books.
Vijay
Vijay,
Your points are well-taken. A few counterpoints, though:
India’s savings culture is changing. Consumerism and retail therapy are progressing side-by-side with the IT boom. The fledgling Credit Card industry has fueled this fire.
There are several other sectors in India that are going through equally robust booms: Retail and Real Estate in particular. While retail is a different animal, real estate requires architects and civil engineers. Alongside, the infrastructure sector also requires those two professions in spades. My point is, if all our best architects and civil engineers go write low level code at some IT company, who is going to design / build the housing, roads, bridges?
Focusing on IT is all very well, and I do agree, that the likely IT innovations will come from the software side, because that’s where we’ve had some maturity. But the infrastructure and housing sectors will need to move in parallel. A lot of what is being built today is hugely concerning, not to say that they are ugly and energy dissipating.
Another point I wanted to make is that if the best engineers are sucked up by Finance and Consulting because those sectors are paying the most, IT doesn’t get them either. They end up building nothing at all. Just moving money from here to there, in case of finance.
Consulting, for junior people, is another bad place to start. People who don’t have any experience cannot consult. Consulting is advising people to solve their business problems. How can kids with no experience “advise”? They basically end up doing spreadsheet jockeying and analysis. But that analysis, disconnected from real life experience, is not of much value. This, by the way, is the problem with most of the world’s consulting industry, since they all hire junior people and use them this way.
Yes the consumer market is in.
People are spending money Nokia is getting a new phone every 3months or even in lesser cycle.
So we are asking a person from IIT to not go with the ‘trend’, stay tight not using the latest phone or the car or so many other things which he can always afford by getting into a company doing considerable amount of ‘good’ (good is a relative term so I have put under quote and not something which somebody says good means people start believing it is ‘good’.) work where he gets the opportunity to excel all his skills (soft skills and technology skills, accounting skills ….) beyond whatever was studied in the books or class rooms or labs and nurture their dreams to be able to think big looking at how an organisation works giving them confidence of believing that the dreams can be made true as well by looking around successful people who are building organisation within the organisations (I work in IT company and happy to be in a company which provides freedom of innovation and experimentation and allow running the team with complete freedom with some minimum guideline).
I guess this whole ‘sacrifice’ of life for doing something with a chance of 1% moderated success rate where as the parents had a big dream of their kid earning good money to make their life better doesn’t stand at all. The middle class in India very much run their life at the lowest end of the lower class in the developed countries and I don’t even expect it as a trend that students from that class will not take a job of 40K-50K per month and try to do something of their own immediately out of college if they do have that need of that money for their family.
However, there are students who doesn’t have problem of managing a ‘good life’ even without that income because of the amazing support system people get here from their parents and family and happen to be coming from such background can surely think of doing something of their own taking the risk where the success % is 1% and see for 2-3 years before joining the main stream job market.
My suggestion would be to keep the dream fuelled by more knowledge of the industry while working in a company and look for the opportunity to do fulfil the dream instead of students jumping in becoming entrepreneurs just coming out of college until and unless they have a clear kill application idea in any field.
Santanu,
Jumping into entrepreneurship straight out of college, at least in India, is not good advice to anybody. Here, that works to some extent, because Stanford, for example, has all the VCs all over it … even in other parts of the US, this, by and large, doesn’t work very well.
As you will see in my other piece on first-time entrepreneurs, most VCs prefer some “experience.”
I don’t think I have said anywhere in this article that students should jump into entrepreneurship right away.
However, there is a preparation necessary if you want to be an entrepreneur. You build yourself differently if your end-goal is to be an entrepreneur. You make different decisions. You focus on learning different skills, not just 20 years of programming.
I completely agree…
Also it always helps if some mentoring is available at some early years. And having a good manager on the job in early years is extremely important, I was lucky, for learning. The scale of thinking becomes completely different with the learning which helps.
Yes, now we’re coming to the other really key factor in building a career: mentors.
hi guys
firstly
there have been points abt software and high paying jobs in finance and consulting
firslty le tus understand that the undergraduate education is the time to discover urself so let us just leave these guys alone. I am sure they will contribute in whatever fields they go . Also the guys going to software.. I sympathise with them. I hope that with the manufacturing sector now booming people will now go to their core fields and contribute. We shud not forget that its the indian engineers who envisaged the Nano and fulfilled it.. its social impacts aside it is a definite technological innovation. However, we shud also credit the managers involved in the process.
My argument here will not revolve around which fields u chose ut it will involve around the fact that achieveing excellence is important. The sad part is not that people are writing codes at IBM and oracle.. but its sad that they are writing mediocre level codes! Mediocricity is a disease that prevades our education system like nothing else.
Another thing- this IIT vs other college debate keeps coming up. Why?
I would like to share my observation here. To be honest IITians are very intelligent and the 20% who continue to work hard after coming at IITs are not to be compared with any one else. Really. However, sadly ther eare a few people who do not chose to work. Though they are very smart their contribution is really very low.
People from tier -II colleges.. who work hard definitely beat these guys!
I think a persons profile is built up of many factors
his dedication, achievements etc.. and his undergraduate degree is just a part of it!
I really see no point in comparisons.. the blog entry has been about how each of us can cotribute to the nations’ development.
Here I would like to pint abt the contributions of my friends Ankit Gandhi and Tushar Sinha who through their seperate intiatives have started a revolution at the grass root level.
Please visit www.jagruti-kgp.blogspot.com for details fo tushar’s work.
A very useful and inspiring post indeed!
Regards
Himanshu
PS: Special thanks to Anuj for getting in touch with Sramana!
AS far as consulting is concerned
They hire the best people.
McKinsey and Co. and other consulting firms hire people from IITs very selectively andthey are not really working on spreadsheets.. Consutls are not hiring everyone madly like software.
These are exceptional people, who are trained and work onsite.
however, there are comapnies like PwC etc who hire oftware professionals and still chose to call them consultants.
I think the comment ‘They basically end up doing spreadsheet jockeying and analysis. But that analysis, disconnected from real life experience, is not of much value. This, by the way, is the problem with most of the world’s consulting industry, since they all hire junior people and use them this way.’
is not really true. Especially for McKinsey, BCG, Bain. They hire for pretty much the same profile as they do from MIT, Stan etc.
The scene is not uninspiring. There are about 5% people who have greater aspirations and calibre. Atleast at IITs. Tushar and Ankit are just two such people.
Is it really justified for us to expect everyone to suddenly start dreaming abt leadership ?
I am not saying that whatever you are saying is wrong. I am just saying that what you have mentioned has already begun as a trend here. And in a few years it will widen its reach
To be honest I am a very optimistic person. A 23 year old optimistic person- 10 years ago in India was a big thing in itself wasn’t it. Things are changing and they will
Regards
For the past three years number of CIVIL ENGG graduates taking up core jobs in infrastrucutre sector has gone up!
That’s my whole point. Things are looking up. And I’m sure that if Journalists keep reaching out young minds like this- they will inspire more and more people!
Hi Sramana, I am a teenager living in India and like most others of my age, I am a victim of the numerous education factories that we have spawned. I happen to be a contributor as a developer to a few Open Source Software projects myself and I believe that the Open Source paradigm provides developers with excellent opportunities to display their skills and the users have a product that isn’t bound by a million licenses. Despite pursuing my dreams and ambitions to become a good computer scientist and programmer, the maximum respect I can garner from the society at large comes from the Open Source community only. My teachers, happen to discard me as an outcast who wastes time and the same treatment is meted out to me by my friend’s parents. The fault lies with the guys “in charge”. To my teachers and of course those in the 40 + age bracket with whom I spend a lot of time, life ends when you make it to one of these “elites” but the reality is that it begins at college. I believe that the creation of a society which you envision will happen only when the guys in charge of imparting instruction undergo a change in their mindset. That doesn’t seem too likely to happen.
Shriphani P.
Shripani,
Your comment is alarmingly true. The mindset change needs to happen at a much more fundamental level. But that will take time.
In the meantime, I encourage you to find one or two good mentors who can help you chalk out your path, and would give you the necessary respect / encouragement about who you are / want to be.
When I was a teenager in my school in Calcutta, my teachers - even the ones who I thought understood me somewhat - were shocked and discouraging at the idea that I knew at 16 that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. There was no one in my school who had the scale of thinking that I possessed, even at that age, but at home, my father, also an entrepreneur, fueled and matched my thought process. I had a similar experience in college, although, at least I had a mentor who nurtured my zeal for Computer Science.
The reason I am telling you this is to say that all you need is one or two people who can entirely shape the course of your journey. And these people don’t have to be your teachers, nor your family.
The key, however, is that you find these people. They hold the key to the world that you want to create for yourself.
My best wishes,
Sramana
Himangshu,
Low level spreadsheet jockeying is the same thing that those MIT, Stanford, Harvards grads do at McKinsey, BCG and Bain.
Consulting is not a good place to start for a career in entrepreneurship. That said, a chunk of time in Consulting after you have gathered experience elsewhere, is invaluable for expediting the learning process.
As you know, it is something I have done myself, because it was the only model that allowed me to move around from industry to industry, work with the CEOs, and top executives at various large and small companies, and get a breadth of experience at a very high level which pretty much no other model would have permitted.
thanks for ur insight
The thing IITs/BITs/any other Indian institute needs to do is to impart some interpersonal skills in their grads. They might be smart with supernormal IQs/can solve derivatives in their head but really making it big depends on a number of other factors as well, the most important being constantly seeking to increase one’s network of contacts and leveraging this network for further growth. All IIT students quite frankly suck at this - they just socialise with their old college peers / fail to integrate themselves in the society which means they end up becoming “Indian IIT nerdy IT guy”.
I am not sure of the exact programmes that engineering institutes in India can adopt for this but this definitely should rank as a top priority to ensure their graduates are truly international / cosmopolitan etc etc etc.
Thank you very much for reading.
[…] 6th, 2008 | Uncategorized I recently featured in the comments of Ms. Sramana Mitra’s blog. Sramana as you all know is an entrepreneur who did cool stuff after college. She went to Smith […]
Sramana,
That was very well said.
I’m from IIT Madras 2003. Here’s a counterpoint:
Half the problems you listed are common to all the resource-constrained developing countries, even the world.
Yes, infrastructure is a bottleneck, for now. Not sure if it will remain one 5 years on. Roads and rail networks are flourishing. Construction is booming.
Urbanization is a pervasive phenomena. What happened to Korea, is happening in China, and will happen to India too. Planning, transparency and regulatory reform is the key for a “managed transition” with minimal disruption.
The public sector and an inefficient financial sector is the resource hog right now. India is capable of achieving far greater productivity and growth. If only enterprises and banks were free to allocate capital to only the most efficient sectors, we could add 2% to our annualized growth.
We need less goverment, not more. That will take care of corruption.
IITs do have a fair amount of interdisciplinary studies. I majored in EE, and minored in financial management. You can check out the influence it’s had on my blog. (I work in the wireless space for Qualcomm)
Curriculum is atrocious in most Indian institutes. It’s still bad, but probably a lot better at the IITs. This is also changing for the better with increasing industry funding for more industry relevant research projects.
Consulting/banking vs. IT is just the latest fad story. I saw in 99-2000 everybody moving into IT. It’s consulting/banking now. It’ll probably be something else 5 years hence. Interestingly, tech is heavily out of favor right now. IITians are suddenly ‘too cool’ to be writing code
IITians do diversify into a wide number of different careers. Five years out of undergrad, some of my classmates have gone on and founded construction companies, lingerie wear, and even a data-mining startup in the political arena. In fact, people have become a little too greedy and impatient right now.
I do think that a lot of IITians (and for that matter HBS/MIT folks) have an entitlement mentality. That disappears with hard slog and experience.
I agree with the the “risk-averse” middle-class mindset. But that’s changing. I’ve also seen that a lot of IITians become more daring when they hit late 30s/early 40s.
You are whom you surround yourself with. Being from IIT/MIT gives you a great oppurtunity to surround yourself with like minded driven people.
Sadly, expect brand dilution of the IITs. In India, everyone will be from IIT soon! Rejoice!
I do think it’s important to gain an exposure to the Western hemisphere. A lot of the networking/professional savviness comes with exposure to the best business practises in other parts of the world. With better oppurtunities, this can be found in India too.
Here’s the best thing I can say about India and the IITs. In 1999: 80%+ of the batch came to the US. In 2003: that number was around 30%. In 2006, it’s less than 10%. The best thing happening to India is that the IITians have decided to stay back. It’s the second tier college folks who are coming to the US now. Mind you, the reasons are still completely selfish. Ignoring India and the BRICs over the next 30-40 years would be ignoring the biggest wealth creation exercise of the 21st century.
The danger to the India story is the pervasive inflation, excessive subsidies and record budget deficits.
Once again, I really liked your blog, and might post this on my blog as well, if that’s ok..
Regards,
-Sajal
Sajal,
Thanks for a good set of points above. The key word in what you write is “it’s changing” not “it has changed.”
Just as your “it’s changing” observation is true, my “it needs to change” observation is also, so far, equally (or perhaps more) true.
I think, self-interest is the only thing that will continue relentlessly. All the changes that we are discussing can only come about if that self-interest is aligned with the necessary changes.
This is why, I have framed the whole discussion as an entrepreneurship and wealth-creation discussion.
Sramana
As I see many enthusiastic youngsters are reading this blog ,do check out the “iAccelerator” program from IIM-Ahmedabad.Its a boon for people with ideas.
http://ciieindia.org/?page_id=92
Sramana,
I think that the problem today is a clear lack of inspiration,priorities and the typical Indian mindset of play-safe. Unlike filmstars & cricketers,you rarely see any businessmen/entrepreneurs as youth icons.
But Sridhar, in this age of the Internet, are you saying that India’s youth does not find inspiration in the stories of Larry Page, Sergei Brin, Steve Jobs, Narayen Murthy, etc.?
[…] her for her views on what’s next for India and suggestions on how we IITians can contribute. Read the entire articlehere. Categories: […]
Dears
There is no doubt that IIT students are better. But.. Brightest I doubt. You must have experienced a small tea shop where a ‘bhadur’ is running around getting you tea, a Samosa, then also agree to get you glass of water, may also ask ‘cold or normal, water, sir’., helping the auto parked outside his shop help park properly, answering phone calls also over phone if there is one. These type of people are IIT/IIM materials. They think differently and analyze fast. Since IIT is through entrance test its possible that more brighter ones may not have their day on that particular 3 hours.
What I want to convey is that your letter should be to all the young people not only to IITins. All our youngs are bright, only thing is to find best ability of there’s which many a times the individual is unable to find himself and nurture them.
So all you youngsters out there - come and build your India, picking up areas which are never touched to be developed. India right now is at the same stage as Europe, US, Japan, etc. were 20 years ago, but you all will not take 20 years to come up to that level you may take less than 10 years, because you have a communication plat form ready which was not there 20 years ago with these countries.
Lets build India - together, brighter.
RAJEEV
[…] Open Letter to IIT Students […]
India is now growing at a constant rate of 8%-9%.i dnt think this happend because of the ability of our politicians.we the youth of India made it possible.62% of Indian populatin are of age below 42.It is this factor that made the growth of India possible.I think the only politician who made significant contribution to this growth is Dr.Manmohansinge.He started liberalizatin in 90’s.IF the liberalization done by him happened 15 years earlier than 90’s now India would have richer than china .Even now India is only 1/3rd of china.India was a poor country when these politicains were in our age.Only few of them contributed to the growth of India.Most of them contributed only to there families.
Hi Sramana
I believe you are entirely right in the letter that you have written to IIT students encouraging them to get involved in the issues they are most directly concerned about and with. Clearly India faces a complex and growing set of economic, social and environmental challenges.
From poverty, to disease, to food and water supplies, energy needs, and social reform, the continuing population growth will also pressurise all aspects of infrastructure and resource availability which are in urgent need of investment and management, and this need can only further exacerbate the current problems faced by both the government and the population itself.
Inititiatives such as Hande’s solar power company and also the extensive social planning from Mr Tata of Tata Industries that I have recently researched are driven by passion. Passion for their business and passion for their country and it’s real social needs and challenges. It is the unique combination of leadership and passion for purpose which not only drives the success of the business initiative itself, it drives the contribution of the business to the causes that really matter in the environment in which it exists. The excellent work by Dr Yunnus in MicroCredits is another example of passion for purpose and cause creating not only a highly successful business, but also producing major benefits in the socio economic environment in which the business itself exists.
For India to really evolve and to realise it’s potential as a nation, to resolve and find meaningful solutions to its socio economic and environmental challenges; it will need more Hande’s, more Mr Tata’s, more people like Dr Yunnus with vision, passion and the drive to lead positive change through leveraging the new technology and mediums now emerging that can be used to form new companies that can not only grow to be successful on a local and even global level, they can also plough back resources into the fields from which they grew.
Your points and ideas are both well and intelligently made. I would encourage students also to heed your good advice. They should also visit Mr Tata’s web site and read also his views and actions on this entire issue. He is a living example of how vision, passion for purpose and leadership can not only build a highly successful company which will be even more active globally and not just locally; but also how such a company may be a driver and investor in positive change in the environment in which it exists.
David Bristow
if u really want to make a difference, talk about people and companies who have made things possible in india and the big moolah (yes money is very imp. to be discussed). look we have around 53 billionaires in india, many of whom have made their fortune for scratch. they are stuff to be discussed. their is where u find entrepreneurship, wealth building, social changes and every thing. and they are not from iit or anything. to me your article good confused between entrepreneurship and philanthropy (with all due respect). plz if u want to make a diff. talk about these achievers and wealth creators.
u dont need “mentors” or any great people around u to make u successful. it could be done by itself and it has been done amongst all the poor infrastructure, red tapism, bureaucracy and everything.
like reliance. they build up when things were worst in india. infrastructure, government everything was screwed up. look at them today. talk about infosys or satyam, they didn’t have great people, or infrastructure around.
all the success stories of billionaires on forbes are right example of this spirit. its time we make ppl reliase how big moolah can be made through entrepreneurship, and it doesn’t has to be
something of social service or anything.
talk money dear, not about greed but about wealth creation. all those companies have made huge wealth for india’s people as well as bharat’s people (rural india’s ppl)
that’s only way entrepreneurship will rise drastically in india. and plz infrastructure, government, iit’s engineer haven’t got anything to do with success of a company. it’s just about individuals. there are some loserish comments on this page, which may well be moderated.
ps-: i am in india, <17 and i have good knowledge how things are moving around me.
One of the things IIT students can do today that were not possible even two decades ago is NOT JUST COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER IN INDIA but COMPETE WITH SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS GLOBALLY! The achievements of the Japanese in Quality is a great example of the results IIT students should aspire for! Tata with their jaguar and Land Rover acquisitions has to compete with Toyota (not GM or FORD or Chrysler - the Gold Standard is Toyota these days - watch Ford’’s recent TV ad - It says our cars have quality as good as Toyota’s!). There is always the temptation to be better than Indian companies. But this century, IIT students should prove that from India they can compete globally. Your observation about inter disciplinary ideas is very key! Indian engineers are in a rut when it comes to borrowing from other disciplines and making breakthroughs. That’s where true creativity is and that’s where IIT students should build more strengths in - That and competing globally rather than just locally!
To the unnamed 17-year old above: you need a good whacking. You will learn as you mature, how LITTLE, how remarkably LITTLE you know. Just because things were unorganized once doesn’t mean we continue down a path of unorganized chaos going forward. And IITs have produced guys like Vinod Khosla, so you can’t necessarily discount them. Good institutions always have a role to play in entrepreneurship.
[…] recently wrote an open letter to IIT students asking them to look beyond software–and maybe do something electrifying, following Hande’s […]