Convocation Address of Padmashree Lila Poonawalla; Chief Guest for the 8^th Convocation of EDI's Post Graduate Programmes held on 29^th September 2006.

Here I can also give you one more example of entrepreneurship. The story of Tetra Pak where I had the opportunity to work as their CMD. During world war two, a large quantity of supplies was required to be sent to the forces. Mr. Ruben Rausing, a citizen of Sweden was a young boy, like one of you. He used to watch a lot of breads being packed and sent to the soldiers, but there was a big problem of sending milk to them. He watched how the bread was being packed, and a brilliant idea struck him. Why not use similar package, seal it at two transverse edges, simultaneously filling the liquid and you have a pack, which could hole the liquid. The pack was like a tetra Hydrant and that is how Tetra Pak name came in to existence. Many innovations came after that, but the strategy he used was the same as gillet. Lit was not important at what price he sold the packaging machine and the processing line, what was important is how long he could ensure that the machines work. For as long as the machines worked they consumed paper, and the paper that could be used with the machines was only manufactured by Tetra Pak. Till date that strategy works. The profits come from the laminate and not from the machines.

I would now like to touch upon another important aspect of entrepreneurship. – The role of entrepreneurship in relation to future India. But before I do that I would once again like to refresh our understanding of who is an entrepreneur.

One who controls his/her own future and changes the face of our world with a common belief in himself/herself that allows him/her to take the path to build a better place for himself/herself and the society. Entrepreneurs who sustain their momentum know that the road to success is always under construction. Entrepreneurs are in a constant state of transition in which the journey itself is the goal. They thrive on challenges during periods of uncertainty. Theirs is a journey of discovery the focus of which is to alter the perceptions and the view of what is known.

With these few definitions, to which we can add many more. I would like to come to the subject that I started to deliberate on that of entrepreneurship in relation to future India.

I am challenged by the basic questions.

1. Where do majority of people live in India? Without doubt you all will agree not in towns, cities but in rural India – the villages.
2. India has 1 billion people – where are they? In rural India – the villages.
3. Where do majority of people below poverty line live? In rural India – the village.
4. Where in India is lack of education? – Without doubt in rural India – the villages.
5. Where there are no services – medical health, hospitals, roads, water electricity and what have you? – Without doubt rural India – the villages.

Therefore where should we concentrate if we want India to have its rightful place among the developed nations of the world?

Continue..

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