Pushing Forward

Nitya, a 27 yr old housewife with 2 kids living in suburbs of Mumbai. If she has anything to be proud of, that would be by being a wife to a self-made husband or being a mother to lovely, intelligent kids. Having eveything placed before her, she never had to decide anything for herself. Her school, college, branch were all decided by her parents. Definetely marriage couldn't be an exception, her life partner was matched consulting matchmakers with kundli. She never felt out of power or rather she is indifferent of being powerless all her life. Is she had any hope of ever 'being free', that soon vaporised as her husband was equally pressy and determined to guide family life. She never complained, nor was their a need to as things were always happening for good.

This is not just story of Nitya, but of many in this world, feeling powerless as if fate is truly written on forehead. But what happened to Nitya later happens only to few unlucky or rather not so unlucky as you would feel later. Her husband met with an accident on express highway and was critical. To her bad luck he soon slipped into coma and all their savings were fed to the hospitals coffers. She was helpless, felt the world cheated her and her children. It took time but she eventually fought back, started working and took great care of her children and ran the family singlehandedly. This transition is also found in many peoples lives. These are times when people realise that they are in the driver seat of their lifes and not in passenger seat they used to assume. "One's destiny is in one's own hand." " I am master of my fate".

Such push or crisis is a fact and at times a necessity for a person to realise one's own potential. It is true that people realise their true powers and capabilities in difficulties. One should also note that even good can inspire one, to push ahead towards realisation. A genuine concern to be a responsible citizen, to give back, to share, to better, to help all guide people to that realisation. But as this article starts with and often stories tell, movies depict it is those that are distinct, different, contrasting situations that often gain attention. Further clarifying definetely we are in drivers seat of our life, but one should also remember that there are co-passengers, there are other vehicles that we come across, about whom everyone should be responsible for. This irony at one hand being master and at other hand being responsible is something that we have to live it, a fact of life.

On a different note but in similar lines I ask "What is it being truly free?" Should I say I am free right now writing this article? If the answer was yes, then am I free if I were writing this in China? Am I free when I have no responsibilities? If the answer is yes, then I have no responsibilities now. No demands from my employers, all expenses paid by parents, no girl friends to soothe, nothing. But I don't feel free. As German philosopher puts it, "To be free is nothing. To become free is heavenly".

'Becoming free' are those moments which Colin Wilson puts it as peak experiences where you feel free, where you feel lucky and all powerful. It is because your thoughts have made you feel such, you become free and feel free.  Those euphoric moments are always cherised and loved where you realise that power you have. Then it just the question "How great would it be if I have those peak experiences many times?" or 'maximise Satva' as I prefer to call it. The answer is in the thoughts which are root of every living action and outcome. Swami Vivekananda briefs it wonderfully “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.” So I say

Push ahead, Push forward, break chains, realise yourself, your power, for the world is yours; you are the world.

Note: This is a note, a summation of my thoughts, showing you various way of realising yourself and telling you of situations we generally are.

The Foot Factory

This is the story of one man whom I know as long as I can remember, who has always been by my side and about whom I am very proud of . . . my "father". His jounrey is as remarkable as that of Will Smith's 'Pursuit of Happiness'. Having tried his hands on multiple businesses and hsving net only partial success, things turned around for him when he had an additional responsibility, me. His priority at that time was not just to meet daily needs but also to be concerned about my education and future. These needs made him push his boundaries by migrating to a small booming city Vijayawada.

As the journey typically goes, young lads from villages come to towns and cities working and learning from their already settled relatives. My dad was quick to learn and he also had capital. The story goes on smoothly until due to some feuds, my dad was kicked out of his job. He had his second child coming, an extra responsibility in uncertain times. He was forced to start a new business from scratch with no outside support because of the power the former yielded. Going through all these difficulties, my dad did fare wonderfully. He started his own manufacturing unit of women's footwear. He put all his savings to get proper education for us. His honesty, modesty, hard-working nature brought him to the place where he is today. Respected for his courage to fight all odds, he is a man who can be proud. Hope we stand up to his abilities and capability to move forward with all responsibilities.

Vijaywada, 3rd biggest city in Andhra Pradesh has always been a commercial hub. Good irrigational and driking water fascilities, well connected by train, road and air. It is a place to all those who want to start a business. It is also a huge centre for footwear manufacturing. A cluster with many players catering to various needs and demands from across India. Skilled and cheap labour, interesting designs, good transport fascilities, many investors and cluster advantages are the reasons for its growth. Here's how the story went through times.

I used to suggest different ideas, designs for footwear whenever I got an opportunity. My dad and his friends had a standard reply, "No one will buy from us, we make what they (wholesalers) buy from us". I do not deny that they do experiment and create new desings. What I am concerned is that they almost always limit themselves to a quadrangle of present demand and fashion. They imitate and re-design those which are selling good and are of craze. The ideas that they imitate are mostly from either big-city firms or international brands. The advantage that we have is the cost. They make good models with very low cost, a manufacturing hub just like what china is. Here they almost always shirk to make disruptive designs. 

Things were going fine like this for many years. They do create few new designs but most of innovation part is left for others do it. Because of the close knit bussinesses; ideas, models are replicated quite quickly. But recently they are faced with challenges that they have never faced. Their market share is being eaten away from all sides. The cost advantage they used to have before is watered down beacuse of too heavy competition existing between them. People in towns and cities have become brand conscious, so they are forced to move the products to smaller towns and villages. Added to this, they have huge inflows from places like Delhi, Thailand, which are much cheaper and desings different and hence attractive. The once booming industry has now many drop-outs and failures. Only big players have survived the onslaught. Is this a point of no return? I don't think . . . 

What they always lacked is innovation and the propensity to take risk. They hate "risk". They always tend to focus on guaranteed returns with minimum risk. The solution that I suggest, is not just applicable to this cluster but every cluster in India. These clusters I feel are successful owing to their advantages in labour - cheap and skilled, mostly involves imitation and cost advantages. But these are not something that are sure to stay for a long time. Every industry will face tough and new competition as more and more players join, competition from bigger firms and international brands and markets. If they are to stay in the field, they need to innovate. Innovation in designs, in products, in supply chain is the necessity. They should explore previously unexplored markets, unmet needs. They should use their cluster brand value for marketing their products.

"Co-operate, Innovate and make it big" should be the call.

The Innovation Invictus

One would be appalled by the number of articles being written in op-eds, editorials on how to revive America and its growth story. People debating on contradictory stands, some  forecasting doomsday and others shoving off any pessimism in its capabilities. It is also not surprising to call "Policy Paralysis" of India, the latest fashion in newspaper reports being used everywhere for everything. The parallels of both countries have to end here i.e growth story, revival of economies and growth rate. The content is widely different and poles apart.

While world intellectuals point out to the Chinese dragon and limits of Capitalism as reasons to doom, the American intelligentia defends showing its infrastructure, mature and stable markets and competitive environment. They go on suggest that if US was to fall in line and reclaim its lost torch it should harness its 'innovation' potential and financial markets to further the growth. All their suggestions can be broadly boiled down to work better, ask people to innovate and invest in profitable and novel ideas. Our Indian counterparts are very modest and 'populist'. They never blame or even call for action from people, they always and inevitably blame the government for all wrongs in this country. It is but irony that these very intellectuals champion that the development that happened is outside the government but still want everything to be done by government.

Though I might have made overly simple in showing the differences in American and Indian imagination, the difference is stark and truth. We were and are always comfortable in blaming others for mistakes but taking credit ourselves for success. Why don't they ask people to start new business? Why don't they fight to harness the innovations? Why don't they debate on business environment for Micro,Small and Medium enterprises? All the newspaper discussion is centred around people and business with deep pockets and lengthy balance sheets, who could any way get things done. We complain there are no Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs here. They started small and grew big, they innovated and succeeded. But these small start-ups, innovations are never part of main-stream discussion. All we seem to care about is FDI from US, Korea, Europe, Japan etc. I feel its high time that we start caring about ourselves, start introspecting where we lack and what are our plus points. I feel INNOVATION is the key.

I wouldn't restrict innovation to its general application in technology and business. I seek to see innovation in thinking, in ideas, in applications, in models, in processess. There is a huge scope for innovation in industries, in universities, in businesses. There is a need for innovative thinking for public policy and its working at various levels, in our approach for inclusive development and economic growth. Innovation should also be in how we look at ourselves and this country. People shouldn't be restricted to the existing paradigms but explore new avenues. Innovation is the solution to the pressing challenges of this country, which is on its journey to greatness. I would prefer to build base and utilise peoples power than worry of Gods at the top.

' "Disturb the Pattern, Introduce Anarchy" in innovation'