What the I in India Stands for and How we Can All Contribute to bring India to its rightful place - #1

When I finished reading this story a few weeks ago on How an Indian Entrepreneur is taking on sportswear giants like Adidas & Puma, I was reminded of a book I picked up in 2009. Do click at the link to read the article:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/how-an-indian-entrepreneur-is-taking-on-sportswear-giants-like-adidas-puma-119051200713_1.html?utm_source=FB_Story&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Reach&utm_term=19May_Consideration_Funnel&utm_content=India_Sports_FB_Engagers&fbclid=IwAR0XANt2OcoXAkJlTZzKCsxn-O79xFku0a9puKdpfb88r27VxYKPG2l-QKM

The book I'm referring to is written by Porus Munshi, entitled MAKING BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION HAPPEN, with a sub-title – How 11 Indians Pulled off the Impossible, with a front jacket comment by none other than Ratan N Tata who says, “This book....distinguishes itself by its detailed focus on the thought processes which inspired the breakthroughs. This innovative approach in storytelling enhances the book's inspiration quotient for the reader and challenges her or him to set out on a similar journey.”

By the time this review is published the NDA2 government will be well into doing business. So, whichever political formation is in power at the centre, like them, hate them or be indifferent, India must move on. Indians need to get on to business in the best way possible. We have it in us to take ourselves to #1, it is about time we work to our potential.

This is a review with a difference and I say this before you, the reader, ask me why I'm reviewing a book which was published ten years ago. As I stated, after I read the above article, I pulled this out of the shelf to reread it. In the foreword, titled The India Eleven, written by Rajiv Narang, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Erehwon Innovation Foundation, of which the author is also a part of, the following is stated in the first paragraph:

When you think of innovation, which companies come to mind? Apple, 3M, Google, Sony? Perhaps Dupont, Microsoft, Starbucks and Virgin? Can you think of an Indian company? Rarely.........The I in India ought to stand for innovation, if we Indians have to regain our rightful spot in the world of being #1. We must transform ourselves into a nation of innovators. Do read the following before you continue with the review.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/jobs/view-innovation-holds-the-key-to-indias-job-crisis/articleshow/69610274.cms?

In the year 2009, I was asked to “teach” entrepreneurship to MBA students. The university I then taught in even provided me with a whole lot of “textbooks” on the subject. My question to my dean was, “Can one learn entrepreneurship from a textbook and in a classroom?”

“One can't,” said the dean, “an MBA faculty's job is to inspire more than teach. If, when they graduate, even three students decide to start their own businesses and create employment, rather than being employed, I'd say, me decision of allotting the subject to you would be vindicated.”

I took up the challenge head on. Walked into the library, returned the textbooks, and asked the librarian to get me India specific books on innovation. Also, on a daily basis, paper cuttings on the subject from The Economic Times, Business Line and Business Standard. Remember, the year was 2009. Of course, she also handed over Porus Munshi's book to me. That's when I decided to use the 11, yes eleven, cases mentioned in the book as case-studies for analysis.

On reading the Azani Sports story, (link in para 2) I decided to reread Making Breakthrough Innovation Happen and write this piece. It's neither a book review or synopsis, it's just an inspirational article which I hope will inspire the readers to get into innovation mode, like a few of my students did ten years age.

The “I” in India stands for innovation and if we Indians have to regain our rightful spot in the world of being #1, we must transform ourselves into a nation of innovators. Going back to the year 2009, when I was asked to teach entrepreneurship to a batch of sixty students, I thought of a quote I had posted in a channel long ago during my student days, long before electronic communication became the norm. Management cannot be learnt in a classroom and from a textbook. What applies to management, is far more true to entrepreneurship.

“Use the case-study method,” my dean told me. Unfortunately, I said to myself, this has become as mundane as teaching from a textbook. There are plenty of textbooks and case-studies available on entrepreneurship. How many of them have inspired students to start their own enterprise? In fact, do textbooks and academic case-studies ever inspire?

So, I told myself, let me use the storytelling method in the classroom. While plenty of biographies and autobiographies are available, I needed some stories to inspire my audience. I found here just the type of stories I was looking for. Let me quote from the inner frond jacket. If the 1980s and 90s were the decades of Japan and quality, can the decades of 2010s and 20s be the decades of India and innovation? Can we use innovation as a springboard to tackle the challenges facing India today?

Looking at the eleven stories (I won't call them case-studies) of Indian innovation here and the country's progress in the first two decades of the millennium, I feel, it is possible. These eleven can inspire us to reach 11,000 and more.

Although ten years old, this book is still current and will continue to inspire. Of course, if the author, his sponsor and the publisher decide to bring out a new edition, I will try and be the first to lap it up.

“We are concerned about how we make the “I” in India stand for “innovation” and not “inhibition” or “imitation.” How could we create, by design, vast numbers of innovators and innovation leaders?” As Indians, we need to believe in ourselves. We need to believe that innovation led quantum growth could happen here. And, the eleven stories tell us just how. The book, as Rajiv Narang puts it, is written “in a

manner that will inspire people to actually sit up and take action, rather than just read an “interesting” story.”

Although authored by Porus Munshi, the research that went into it was conducted by teams from Erehwon Innovation Consulting and the Marico Innovation Foundation, where they launched, what they called, aptly the Challenger Research Project. They started with the question, What does it take to make orbit-shifting innovation happen? To find the answer, they met over 180 people, across forty industries and sectors. They identified challengers and orbit-shifters based on the criteria of impact, uniqueness and leverage. Every one of the stories is based on first-hand and in-depth research into individuals and organisations, not necessary businesses, that make orbit-shifting innovation happen.

The eleven stories include a newspaper, an eye hospital and a start-up, which gave FMCG giants like Hindustan Unilever, a run for their money.

When the author was about to start writing, some of the project team members suggested, “Why don't you write in a manner that will inspire people to actually sit up and take action, rather than just read an “interesting” story?” So, it was an “orbit-shifting challenge” for the author himself. And, the book is a direct result of that. I would urge everyone to read this book and be inspired and, in turn, be the source of inspiration. I must add here that the dean and college management was more than happy with my efforts and results.

So much as far as the book itself. What is in it for India? Are we going to be a nation of innovators or immitators? India is beset with problems, a challenge for any government in power. Amidst these problems are opportunities. Over a million people, whatever the government may claim, are still without electricity. Can't we find a way of harnessing the sun, wind and bio-mass to ensure cheap sources of energy to every individual in every village, town and city?

Can't we find a bio-degradable substitute for plastics?

Can't we find a way of bringing cleaner water and sanitation to every village? Plenty of funds are available with the government for this purpose.

Can't we come up with cost-effective, sustainable ways of making our cities more liveable?

There is no shortage of opportunities. Every one of them calls for innovation waiting to happen.

If Dr Govindappa Venkataswamy, who founded Aravind Eye Hospital despite suffering from an illness which handicapped him for life, could make a dent in global blindness, why not many of us in other areas?

Here are lessons for every Indian, lessons which will help us realise our goal of taking India to its rightful position of #1.