“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” — Albert Einstein
It was an absolute pleasure to meet some of India’s outstanding leaders and learn of their vision and mission. These were men and women of grit who remained unfazed through the turbulence in the marketplace and continued to make in India, thereby making India’s economy stronger and more vibrant. Among them were Parle Agro CEO Schauna Chauhan, who takes pride in the fact that the beverage major does not just create business partnerships, but entrepreneurs, be they farmers growing mangoes for Frooti, or packaging makers. Young Ashish Bhutani has led the Bhutani Group through the pall in the real estate sector and delivered all its projects on time. In this issue he talks of the group’s philosophy and plans of expanding into luxury living.
We meet the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) CEO, T. Koshy, who now leads the Indian government’s efforts to democratise ecommerce by taking small businesses and unorganised retailers online. Koshy says the ONDC aims to revamp the digital commerce space and increase India’s ecommerce penetration to 25 per cent. Buying and selling online will no longer be the monopolised preserve of the big guns in the industry. We also bring to you expert views on both the marvels and pitfalls of this digital journey. In his column, former BSE Chairman and chartered accountant S. Ravi, talks of the wonders of Web 3.0 and why India needs decentralised finance. Our editorial consultant Srinath Sridharan broaches that sticky issue of digital inclusiveness, without which a broad segment of India could remain deprived of the Digital India revolution
We then take you to the world of motor sporting. Akhilesh Reddy, Director MEIL and Chairman, RPPL (Racing Promotions), is opening up opportunities for aspiring Indian racing drivers by bringing F3 and F4 racing to India. It is heartening to see that with this venture, RPPL will create a clear pathway for Indians to move up in the world of racing internationally. Karting and sim racing in India will lead to the F4 Indian championship, followed by the Formula Regional Indian Championship, which will act as a stepping stone for FIA-sanctioned international racing.
These are the men and women, engaged in sectors as diverse as motor sporting, realty, the beverage market, ecommerce and the digital economy, whose concerted efforts are fructifying India’s mission of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. I am sure you will enjoy reading about them, just as much as we did in engaging with them. They define the future of our country. Of course, we also bring to you all our regular columns and features that you look forward to. Happy reading!