Wednesday, 19 September 2012

DR RA Mashelkar, F.R.S.- Great Indian Challenge - Mind vs Mindset

A good friend of mine had forwarded this lecture " Mind Vs Mindset: The great Indian Challenge" by DR RA Mashelkar, F.R.S.

I found this to be quite an inspiring one with some notable extracts mentioned below:-

1.   About Teachers - ".....we say Guru Devo Bhawa Guru Sakshat parabrahma tasmay sri guruve namah about our teachers......I had presented a small story about my Guru ....in the Presidential address at the science congress in 2000 when Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the chief guest as the Prime minister. During Lunch, where some nobel lauretes were also present, a question was raised as to why such great teachers dont exist today!! And i still remember Atalji saying - Mashelkarji aapko pata hai aisa kyon nahi hota? Is ka kaaran yeh hai ki samaj mein aaj unko pratishta nahin hai (Masherlkalrji, do you know why there are no such great teachers now ? because in today's society they don't get that respect and honour!!!...."

So, unless we give more respect, honour and pay, how do you expect the best to turn teachers?!! While there are some lamenting the dwindling respect for teachers there are others merrily making movies like Sorry Teacher http://recklessmusings.blogspot.in/2012/09/sorry-teacher.html


    Dr RA Mashelkar with Mr Mukesh Ambani

2.  Second about determination - "...i was born in a poor family... two meals a day was tough....we had to borrow money from a lady who used to work as a house maid to pay for my education....I was given a scholarship of 60 rupees per month by the Sir Dorab Tata trust....It is very interesting that in the same Bombay house where i used to go collect the 60 Rupees, I now sit as a Director on the board of Tata Sons..." That is the power of faith and perseverance

3.  " Someone once said - I think of only the future because that is where one is going to spend the rest of one's life"

4.  " TCS had developed computer based functional literacy (CBFL) course, which can make illiterate women read a newspaper in 6-8 weeks at a cost of Rs 100($2).  More then one lakh people have become functionally literate using this system in six states of India. It has also been used in South Africa with astonishing results"

5.  "We have become an intolerant society in as far as risk taking and failure is concerned!!... Tolerance I think is going to be an essential part - tolerance for all religions, castes,creeds, socially deprived, economically deprived and for failure. So I believe that the New India that you have to build has to be on this solid fulcrum of Talent, Technology and Tolerance.

Lastly a couple of interesting quotes-

1. "Free enterprise was born with man and shall survive as long as man survives"  -  Mr AD Shroff - founder president, Forum of free enterprise

2. "People must come to accept private enterprise not as a neccessary evil but as an affirmative good" - Eugene Black, Former President, World Bank

(The booklet sent to me was sponsored by Shri Shailesh Kapadia Memorial Trust. Mr Shailesh Kapadia (1949-1988) was an eminent Chartered accountant in Mumbai).

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