Despite the multitude of maladies that are deep-rooted in the subcontinent of India there are a lot of things that Indians have reasons to cheer about. May it be simple, small efforts put in by individual families to provide help to their maid’s children or the collective effort of the neighborhood to keep the surrounding areas clean, healthy and hygienic; or the silent campaign run by the urban middle class in support of justice for Jessica Lall, Priyadarshini Matttoo and Nitish Katara; or the Supreme Court taking a tough stand on the illegal premises of businessmen occupying opposite ends of the economic spectrum. These are very small steps which have been taken over a period of time. Steps which have a long term impact on things that are important for India to fulfill the dream of becoming a super-power. These small steps convey the importance of perseverance, discipline and belief and trust in their dreams and silently say ….. ‘Hum Hongey Kaamyaab’ (‘we will succeed’).
And ‘kaamyaab’ (successful) we are in some areas. In recent years two institutes have become the case study for the IIMs and IITs in India and many non-indian universities as well. One is a small city level business powered by thousands of un-skilled labor. Its ingenuity lies in the complete lack of technology for delivering lunch boxes to lakhs of hungry office-goers by using simple color coding schemes to achieve the desired results. And the two things that they emphasize on are the value of time and the value of customers. They have become famous as the Dabbawallas of Mumbai. A lot has been written about them and they have been studied by the some of the bright brains in the Indian subcontinent and abroad to learn a few lessons in management… the Dabbawallas put into practice what is taught in the management training classrooms. And the startling fact that stands out is that most of the workforce of this institute is un-educated. They just have a high literacy rate about their own trade….. and that is to collect the lunch boxes from the residence of lakhs of office goers all over the city and deliver them to respective offices before lunchtime and without making a mistake. They ensure that their company has an annual turnover of Rs. 10 million. To read a study on them click here.
And ‘kaamyaab’ (successful) we are in some areas. In recent years two institutes have become the case study for the IIMs and IITs in India and many non-indian universities as well. One is a small city level business powered by thousands of un-skilled labor. Its ingenuity lies in the complete lack of technology for delivering lunch boxes to lakhs of hungry office-goers by using simple color coding schemes to achieve the desired results. And the two things that they emphasize on are the value of time and the value of customers. They have become famous as the Dabbawallas of Mumbai. A lot has been written about them and they have been studied by the some of the bright brains in the Indian subcontinent and abroad to learn a few lessons in management… the Dabbawallas put into practice what is taught in the management training classrooms. And the startling fact that stands out is that most of the workforce of this institute is un-educated. They just have a high literacy rate about their own trade….. and that is to collect the lunch boxes from the residence of lakhs of office goers all over the city and deliver them to respective offices before lunchtime and without making a mistake. They ensure that their company has an annual turnover of Rs. 10 million. To read a study on them click here.
The other is an organization of a National level – Indian Railways. One of the oldest organizations run at the national level it gives employment to the highest number of people (1.5 million)… both skilled and un-skilled. It had been run as a social institute for a long time and was always in the red financially despite the annual fare hikes that the railway minister introduced in each railway budget. Indian Railways saw a complete turn-around in its fortunes when the highly tainted Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav took over its reigns. Under his leadership the Indian Railways has grown beyond everyone’s expectations and financially the Indian Railways is now firmly in the green. All Indians and the rest of the world has taken nptice of this fact. Washington Times found it worth mentioning it. Lalu’s ingenious methods on achieving the impossible have been included as a case study in IIM and have been studied by many abroad. The first one to highlight the fact was IIM, Ahmedabad. It had grabbed media attention. This year in his opening speech about the railway budget Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav said:
“Presenting my fourth consecutive Railway Budget, I have a tremendous sense of pride and gratitude. Pride in the fact that without imposing undue burden on the common man, the Railways are poised to create history by generating a cash surplus before Dividend of Rs 20,000 cr as against Rs 14,700 cr in the previous year. This is the same Railway that defaulted on payment of Dividend and whose fund balances dipped to Rs 359 cr in 2001. I express heartfelt gratitude towards 14 lakh railway employees who in the face of stiff competition have conquered all odds with an indomitable spirit displaying matchless zeal, vigour and teamwork.”
Mr. Yadav has declared this year as the ‘Year of Cleanliness’.
“Presenting my fourth consecutive Railway Budget, I have a tremendous sense of pride and gratitude. Pride in the fact that without imposing undue burden on the common man, the Railways are poised to create history by generating a cash surplus before Dividend of Rs 20,000 cr as against Rs 14,700 cr in the previous year. This is the same Railway that defaulted on payment of Dividend and whose fund balances dipped to Rs 359 cr in 2001. I express heartfelt gratitude towards 14 lakh railway employees who in the face of stiff competition have conquered all odds with an indomitable spirit displaying matchless zeal, vigour and teamwork.”
Mr. Yadav has declared this year as the ‘Year of Cleanliness’.
For all those who are interested click here for the highlights of the Railway Budget (2007-2008).
As Indians we feel like standing up and giving Lalu Prasad Yadav a standing ovation and be proud that a minister who had been labeled as corrupt and im-moral has been the reason for so much of pride. He has given us the reason to say ‘Mera Bharat Mahaan’ a little loudly… definitely higher than a whisper. Hard work, perseverance and discipline certainly pays and how…
And after a long hard days work, this group of Gujratis show how to de-stress and retain the motivation to give one’s best to their jobs and life as a whole. Nicknamed the “8:52 Group” they show the importance of little things in life go a long way in leading a better life. The group also contributes towards national causes like they donated Rs 11000/- for the victims of the earthquake that had rocked Bhuj. To read more about this super-cool group click here.
And after a long hard days work, this group of Gujratis show how to de-stress and retain the motivation to give one’s best to their jobs and life as a whole. Nicknamed the “8:52 Group” they show the importance of little things in life go a long way in leading a better life. The group also contributes towards national causes like they donated Rs 11000/- for the victims of the earthquake that had rocked Bhuj. To read more about this super-cool group click here.
I will finish this blog with a lot of sense of euphoria and feel-good. They come from the fact that we are teaching the values that made an organization successful so that the future bright minds of India can build a successful nation. Though the claims that we are making about being a super-power are still very tall, we are taking important and significant steps in the right direction to make that tall claim a true one.
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