Another letter of mine in Business Today.
In the latest issue of BT dated 3rd August 2014, with the cover story about “The Best Companies To Work For” a letter of mine has been published. It is titled: ”Coining Glory”. It is related to Vishal Sikka, the new CEO of Infosys, featured on the cover of BT issue dated 20th July 2014.
This is what I had written in response to the cover story:
Dear Sir,
This refers to your cover feature on Vishal Sikka: ” Over To The Outsider “(BT 20TH July 2014)
Passing the CEO baton to a rank outsider and ex-SAP director Vishal Sikka, seems to be a smart strategy on part of Mr. Murthy, to pull the company out of the morass and pave the way to a comeback and regain its earlier mojo.
Bringing in an outsider will have a double fold impact on the fluctuating fortunes of Infosys:
a) It will put to rest the internal bickering which marked the entry of Murthy’s son Rohan into the company hinting that perhaps he was to be groomed as the heir to the empire in near future.
b) Sikka will bring in a fresh perspective and an un- biased look into the power politics that had hitherto plagued the company’s performance and sullied its market image to some extent.
Moreover, Sikka being younger (just 47) and having solid educational and experience credentials, will be able to successfully command respect from the young professionals and lead the company to better heights of performance in these stiff competitive times.
Interestingly, in spite of heading a large company, Mr. Murthy still doesn’t know how to drive a car and on Saturdays, his driver’s weekly off, he is driven to the bus-stop by his wife, from where he boards a company bus to work! Hope his company now literarily finds another expert driver in Mr.Sikka.
BTW, “Sikka“ in Hindi means “a coin”. Let us hope and pray that Infosys has now tossed a genuine coin and will soon win back its leadership crown! If that happens it will be Vishal’s “Coining” Glory indeed!
J S BROCA, NEW DELHI, 3rd July 2014
The finally published letter reads as under:
Dear Sir,
This refers to your cover feature on Vishal Sikka (Infy After Murthy, July 20)
Passing on the CEO baton to a rank outsider-ex-SAP Director Vishal Sikka – seems to be a smart strategic move on the part of founder N R Narayana Murthy, to pull the company out of its morass and pave the way for it to regain its earlier mojo.
Bringing in an outsider will have a double fold impact on the fluctuating fortunes of Infosys: it will put to rest the internal bickering which marked the entry of Murthy’s son Rohan into the company, which seemed to suggest that perhaps he was to be groomed as the heir to the empire in the near future. Sikka will bring in a fresh perspective and take an un- biased look into the power politics that has hitherto plagued the company’s performance and sullied its market image to some extent.
Having excellent credentials, Sikka will be able to command respect from the young professionals and lead the company to better heights of performance in these competitive times.
Let us hope and pray that Infosys has now tossed a genuine “sikka”(coin in Hindi) and will soon win back its leadership crown! If that happens it will be Sikka’s “coining” glory indeed.
J S Broca, New Delhi
SANIA MIRZA CONTROVERSY
Author: Jatinder Pal Singh Broca Jul 26SANIA MIRZA CONTROVERSY
There has been a lot of hullabaloo about Indian tennis star Sania Mirza being appointed as a ‘Brand Ambassador’ of Telangana. She is supposed to promote the new “state’s interests” in India and abroad.Some political parties have opposed her appointment, saying that she was Pakistan’s daughter-in-law because she is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.
Quite a few political parties have on the other hand, supported the move saying that as an individual she has the right to marry someone of her choice and that does not detract her from her achievements or from her nationality.
This issue has raised an ugly and a needless controversy about her deserving the honor or not. Sports should always be above politics.
Sania has rightfully defended herself by saying that her family had been staying in Hyderabad for more than a century and to call her an outsider now was condemnable.The Government is well within its rights to appoint anyone it deems fit to further the name and brand value of the state. A prime example of this is Gujarat, which has appointed actor Amitabh Bachchan as the Brand Ambassador of Gujarat Tourism though he is not a resident of the state. Similarly, Shah Rukh Khan is the Brand Ambassador of West Bengal.
Her statement that:” I am an Indian and will always remain an Indian, till the end of my life“ speaks volumes about her Indian-ness! It is hoped that political parties will rise above such petty issues and concentrate on more constructive approach to solving other bigger problems faced by the country.