“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
What differentiates leaders from also-rans? Leaders are made of sterner stuff; they do things differently. When the going gets tough, they get going. History is replete with such instances. Mahatma Gandhi was, perhaps, the greatest such leader to inhabit this place. In the sphere of business, too, we come across many such instances. The life of Dhirubhai Ambani is one such inspiring tale.
In the present age, there are many such entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs, who shine with their grit, determination and the urge to stand up for the values they believe in. They rise through the ranks, fight adversities, and rise and shine.
Sundar Pichai recently said that as a youth he lived in a small flat in Chennai, with no refrigerator, and often slept on the floor. Today, he is the poster boy of technology — not just for Indians, but globally.
Entrepreneurs and CEOs can inspire in myriad ways. To draw the attention of policymakers towards the problem of lack of toilets, Bill Gates recently came to a conference in China with a jar of human excreta. The technology czar is one of the leading philanthropists of our times, fighting malnutrition and lack of hygiene in the developing world, including India.
BW Businessworld has often chronicled such stories of grit, perseverance and fight against all odds. In this special issue, we, in the cover story, showcase ten such stories from boardrooms. Ten outstanding industry leaders of our times — CEOs, MDs, promoters — present to the readers the greatest and gravest challenges they faced in their corporate lives, and how they overcame them. This is an inspiring read.
In the second cover story, we present the northward march of MakeMyTrip and ask the question whether the online player can withstand the likely disruptions in the market. We also interview the two co-founders, Deep Kalra and Rajesh Magow.
This issue of BW Businessworld has a special feature on the business plans of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. We have seen him giving many interviews, but King Khan, as an astute business leader, promises to be an interesting read.
This is the time of the year when Delhi and the surrounding cities are enveloped in a thick smog — thanks to the never-ending problem of stubble burning. We revisit the issue and ask the policymakers some tough questions. Surely, the national capital deserves a lot better.
This is also the time when the Narendra Modi government, specifically the finance ministry, has come under a lot of scrutiny — for the failed drive of demonetisation and lately trying to encroach upon the RBI’s autonomy. Questions are also being raised whether the RBI governor will be able to hold his ground. We take stock of the situation in a report.
In addition, this issue comes with all the regular features and columns.
This special issue is a collector’s item.
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Happy reading!