Former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has said
that every leader must have a vision and also have passion to realize the
vision. Delivering the first Defence Estate Day Lecture on ‘Creative
Leadership for Transforming Societies’ here today, he said leader must have
courage to take decision and should be transparent in every action. Following
is the text of speech delivered by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as First Defence Estate
Day Lecture:-
I am indeed delighted to deliver the First Defence Estates Day
Lecture organized by the Defence Estates Department commemorating the Defence
Estates Day every year. My greetings to the Director General, Defence Estates,
IDES Officers, former IDES officials, Officials from the MOD, young
probationers from other all Indiaservices and students from Cantonment
Board Schools.
Challenges of DGDE
Friends, I understand the mandate of DGDE is to run the civic
administration of cantonments and manage defence land spread all over the
country. They also manage 204 schools and 82 hospitals and dispensaries for the
residents of the cantonments. Over the last decade or so, pressure
on defence owned land has built up tremendously. Initially cantonments were established
well beyond the towns and cities but over a period of time the cities have
expanded and literally encircled the cantonments. This phenomenon
has lead to encroachments on defence land. With the sky-rocketing of cost of
land, in and around cantonments, holding, managing, preventing encroachments
and defending government rights in courts of law have become the biggest
challenge for officers and staff of DGDE. It is heartening to note that, in
order to face such challenges, and in the quest for excellence, officers and
staff of DGDE have continuously endeavoured to upgrade their skills and
expertise in the field of land and cantonment management. My best
wishes to the DGDE and other officers.
Friends,
I have selected the topic “Creative Leadership for Transforming
Societies” for my address today.
I have been involved with the defence services for more than four
decades in various capacities. I have interacted with many defence scientists,
leaders from defence services, Defence estate officials, cantonment boards and
soldiers who dedicate themselves completely to the nation and its people. I
have witnessed multiple occasions where the defence services have gone beyond
their call of duty and actively participated in missions of development and
relief, often in the most difficult terrains. The men and women of Indian
Armed Forces are vigilant safeguarding the nation’s interests, ensuring peace
in the nation so that the Nation can concentrate on economic development.
India’s vision: Economically developed nation (2020)
Friends,
it is said that at the best of times, as well as at the worst of times
in India, the Civil Service of the nation, keeps the nation
going. When I see you all friends, I remember my unique experience in mid
1990s on formulation of India vision 2020 strategies. I was given the
task of chairing Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council
(TIFAC). I recollect, that in the first meeting of the Council itself, we took
a decision that TIFAC must evolve a plan of how India can be
transformed into an economically developed nation by the year
2020. At a time when the economy was growing at around 5 to 6% per
annum in GDP, we had to envisage a growth rate of at least 10% per
annum consistently for over 10 years for realizing the development vision of a
billion democratic people of multi lingual, multi religious and multi cultural
characteristics. This really ignited the minds of all of us in the council. The
members of TIFAC Council at that time included: Principal Secretary to the
Prime Minister, Nine Secretaries to the Govt of India, Chiefs of CII – ASSOCHAM
and FICCI, Chairman of IDBI – ICICI – IFCI, Chairmen of Public Sector of
Corporations and Chief Executives of number of Private Sector Institutions,
Vice Chancellors of different Universities and Scientists from DST. We debated
and arrived at 17 task teams with over 500 members who had consultations with
over 5000 people in various sectors of the economy. Committees
worked for over two years resulting in 25 reports which we presented to the
then Prime Minister of India on 2 Aug 1996. This is
an excellent example of how different departments and organizations worked in
an integrated way with system thinking for national development.
Of
course, the India 2020 vision was also discussed in the Parliament. We are
now left with seven years to realize the target
of India getting transformed into an economically developed
nation. I am sure, each one of you will be
remembered if we all work together with a single minded purpose and accomplish
the goal of Indiatransforming into an economically developed nation by
2020. It should be remembered, “A nation without a vision will
perish”.
Let me give a visualization of Developed India by the
year 2020.
Distinctive profile of the developed nation
1. A Nation
where the rural and urban divide has reduced to a thin line.
2. A Nation
where there is an equitable distribution and adequate access to energy and
quality water.
3. A Nation
where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony.
4. A Nation
where education with value system is not denied to any meritorious candidate
because of societal or economic discrimination.
5. A Nation,
which is the best destination for the most talented scholars, scientists, and
investors.
6. A Nation
where the best of health care is available to all.
7. A Nation
where the governance is responsive, transparent and corruption free.
8. A Nation
where poverty has been totally eradicated, illiteracy removed and crimes
against women and children are absent and none in the society feels alienated.
9. A Nation
that is prosperous, healthy, secure, devoid of terrorism, peaceful and happy
and continues with a sustainable growth path.
10. A Nation that is one
of the best places to live in and is proud of its leadership.
Integrated Action for developed India
To achieve the distinctive profile of India, we have the
mission of transforming India into a developed nation. The five areas
identified in the Technology Vision 2020 are; (i) Agriculture and food
processing (ii) Education and Healthcare (iii) Information and Communication
Technology (iv) Infrastructure: Reliable and Quality Electric power, Surface transport
and Infrastructure for all parts of the country, PURA and (v) Self reliance in
critical technologies are correlated and progressed in an integrated way that
will lead to overall national progress and development.
Leadership is the essence of good governance
Friends, how to make the governance system of the country most
effective and ensure development of the nation which will make and sustain the
nation as an economically developed, prosperous, happy and peaceful society in
the world? For that what we need is to have creative leadership at all segments
of the governance of the nation.
Friends, I have seen three dreams which have taken shape as
vision, mission and realization. Space programme of ISRO (Indian Space Research
Organization), AGNI programme of DRDO (Defence Research and Development
Organization) and PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) becoming the
National Mission. Of course, these three programmes succeeded in the midst
of many challenges and problems. I have worked in all these three
areas. I would like to convey what I
have learnt on leadership from these three programmes:
a. Leader must have a
vision.
b. Leader must have
passion to realize the vision.
c. Leader must be able to
travel into an unexplored path.
d. Leader must know how
to manage a success and failure.
e. Leader must have
courage to take decisions.
f. Leader should have
nobility in management.
g. Leader should be
transparent in every action.
h. Leader becomes the master of the problem, defeats the problem
and succeeds.
j. Leader must work
with integrity and succeed with integrity.
Passion to realize the vision
Friends, now let me describe to you an example of how passion to
realize the vision has facilitated the successful and on-time implementation of
a two billion dollar metro rail project by the Managing Director of a public
sector organization.
The Delhi Metro Rail Project has given to the nation the
potential of executing a fast transportation system using high technology with
reliability through a time bound mission mode operation. Delhi, the Capital of
the country with over 20 million population, has the distinction of having a
world class metro rail with frontline technologies. The work on the metro rail
commenced on 1st October 1998 and the first phase with three lines covering 66
kms has been completed by December 2005. Today over all route length created
by Delhi Metro is around 190 Kms. Everyday, metro
handles minimum movement of 2 million passengers.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has brought to the country, the most
advanced rail technologies for the first time. Here is a leader who has passion
and passion for excellence. The notable gains to the country are, light weight
stainless steel, sleek, modern trains with pneumatic springs, regenerative
braking, public information display, wide vestibules and automatic doors. The
sophisticated coach technology which was not available in the country so far,
has been transferred to M/s. Bharat Earth Movers Ltd., Bangalore, which is
now assembling these trains with progressive indigenization. BEML is now in a
position to supply train sets needed for Phase-II of Delhi Metro Rail
Project and meet the requirement for Metros coming up in other cities of the
country.
Mr. E. Sreedharan, the Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail
Corporation has ensured that, all the scheduled sections were completed by
their target date or before and within their respective budgets through his
programme management skills. The dedicated and transparent leadership backed up
with professional competence of Mr. Sreedharan has given to the nation, one of
the best transportation systems of the world at the most economic cost. He is a
recipient of many national and international awards. Also, he is in demand for
undertaking the development of metro system in different countries of the world
which he has politely declined due to pre-occupation with committed Indian programmes.
Now let me talk about nobility in Management.
Nobility in management
Friends, the next leader I would like to discuss is Prof Brahm
Prakash. When I was the Project Director of SLV3 programme, Prof. Brahm prakash
– a great scientific leader with nobility, was the Director of Vikram Sarabhai
Space Centre (VSSC), which integrated multiple institutions based on the advice
of Prof. Kamala Chowdhuri, a management guru from IIM. Prof Brahm Prakash took
hundreds of decisions for the growth of space science and technology. One
important decision which I will always cherish was once a programme such as
SLV3 is sanctioned the multiple laboratories of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
and also the multiple centres of ISRO including the Space Department have to
work to realize the stated goals of the programme as a team. Particularly
during 1973 – 1980, there was a tremendous financial crunch and competing
requirement from many small projects. He converged all scientific and
technological work to be focused towards SLV3 and its satellite. When I say
that Prof. Brahm Prakash is famous for the evolution of management with
nobility, I would like to give a few instances. He enabled for the first time
evolution of a comprehensive management plan for SLV-3 programme towards the
mission of putting the Rohini satellite in orbit. After my task team prepared
the SLV3 management plan, in a period of 3 months time, he arranged nearly
fifteen brainstorming meetings of the Space Scientific Committee (SSC). After
discussion and approval, this management plan was signed by Prof Brahm Prakash
and became the guiding spirit and working document for the whole organization.
This was also the beginning of converting the national vision into mission mode
programmes. During the evolution of the management plan, I could see, how
multiple views emerged and how, many people were afraid of losing individuality
due to the main mission, thereby throwing anger in the meetings. I could also
see how Prof. Brahm Prakash radiated with smile in the midst of continuous
smoke coming from the cigarette continuously being lit one after the other. The
anger, fear and prejudice have all disappeared in the presence of his nobility
in thinking. Today, the space programme, launch vehicle, spacecraft, scientific
experiments and launch missions all are taking place in the centres of Indian
Space Research Organization in a cohesive and cooperative manner. I learnt the
hard way from this great mighty soul “before starting any programme, it is
essential to have the project management plan with the details of, how to steer
the project during different phases of the project and foresee the possible
critical paths and possible solutions and keeping time, performance and
schedule as key factors.” I thank this great mighty soul who evolved the
concept of management with nobility and was a very famous professor in
metallurgy at the Indian Institute of Science. He was also a pioneer for giving
the country – nuclear material by establishing the Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC).
Managing success and failure
Friends, three decades ago while I was working at ISRO, I had the
best of education which won`t come from any university. I will narrate that
incident. I was given a task by Prof. Satish Dhawan the then Chairman, ISRO to
develop the first satellite launch vehicle SLV-3, to put ROHINI Satellite in
orbit. This was one of the largest high technology space programmes undertaken
in 1973. The whole space technology community, men and women, were geared up
for this task. Thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians worked
resulting in the realization of the first SLV-3 launch on 10th August 1979.
SLV-3 took off in the early hours and the first stage worked beautifully. Even
though all stage rockets and systems worked, the mission could not achieve its
objectives, as the control system in 2nd stage malfunctioned. Instead of being
placed in the orbit, the Rohini satellite went into Bay of Bengal. The
mission was a failure. There was a press conference at Sriharikota, after the
event. Prof. Dhawan took me to the press conference. And there he announced
that he takes responsibility for not achieving the mission, even though I was
the project director and the mission director. When we launched SLV-3 on 18th
July 1980, successfully injecting the Rohini Satellite into the orbit, again
there was a press conference and Prof. Dhawan put me in the front to share the
success story with the press. What we learn from this event is that the leader
gives the credit for success to those who worked for it, and leader absorbs and
owns the responsibility for the failure. This is the leadership. The scientific
community in India has the fortune to work with such leaders, which
resulted in many accomplishments. This success generated great happiness among all
my team members. This is an important lesson for all youth who are aspiring to
be tomorrow’s leaders. The great lesson we learn: the leader in any field,
political, administrative, scientific, education, industry, judiciary, or any
other human activity, should have the creative leadership capacity and courage
to absorb the failure and give the successes to his or her team members. This
is a important lesson I learnt from him.
Work
with integrity and succeed with integrity
Friends,
on 22nd Nov 2011, I went to Jorhat for addressing the World Tea
Science Congress. There I addressed the Administrative and police officers of
Jorhat and Dibrugarh district which was organized by Mr R C Jain, DM Jorhat on
21st November evening. There I administered an
oath to the participants “I will work with integrity and succeed with
integrity”. The decibel level was very high when they said “work with
integrity” and decibel level went down when they were repeating “succeed with
integrity”. But next day, I saw a very beautiful situation in the World Tea
Science Congress in the presence of CM of Assam and the Jorhat
Administrative team. I saw in front of me the Chairman of Tea Board Mr MGVK
Bhanu an IAS officer, giving the introductory speech to the participants of
World Tea Science Congress. Mr Bhanu said, “Yesterday, Dr.Kalam administered an
oath to all the IAS and IPS officers including myself”. I would like
to assure you Dr Kalam that I have worked with integrity and succeeded with
integrity during the last 24 years as an IAS officer in different parts of the
State and the Centre. Now I am in the Tea Board. I was Secretary to the CM
of Assam”. I would like to assure Dr. Kalam that I have tried to create a
brand of moral uprightness in all my tasks”. Shri Bhanu also mentioned that he
was thinking for the whole night “what he should be remembered for” he said he
would like to be remembered for making India the largest producer of tea, and
largest exporter of tea in the world. I am very happy to share this
unique experience. If every functionary of Govt of India has such a
vision and mission, I am confident that we will get transformed into a
developed nation well before 2020.
Role of Leadership in a Knowledge Society
Friends, the world in the 21st century will be a knowledge based
society with multiple opportunities naturally in India and we have to
become knowledge driven. A book by Denis Waitely, “Empires of the Mind”
describes the type of the new world, “What was yesterday and what is
today” and specifically emphasizes on what worked yesterday will not
work today. Following points give the role of leadership in a knowledge
society.
1. Yesterday
– natural resources defined power
Today – knowledge is power
Leadership should empower itself with knowledge
Today – knowledge is power
Leadership should empower itself with knowledge
2. Yesterday
– Hierarchy was the model
Today- synergy is the mandate
Leadership will be enabler for intersection of multiple faculties towards mission goals
Today- synergy is the mandate
Leadership will be enabler for intersection of multiple faculties towards mission goals
3. Yesterday
– leaders commanded and controlled
Today – leaders empower and coach
Leadership will enrich itself through exposure to the needs of sustainable development
Today – leaders empower and coach
Leadership will enrich itself through exposure to the needs of sustainable development
4. Yesterday
– shareholders came first
Today – customers come first
Leadership should inculcate sensitivity to the needs of all the stakeholders
Today – customers come first
Leadership should inculcate sensitivity to the needs of all the stakeholders
5. Yesterday
– employees took order
Today – teams make decision
Leadership will promote team spirit
Today – teams make decision
Leadership will promote team spirit
6. Yesterday
– seniority signified status
Today – creativity drives status
Leadership will be judged by innovation and promote creativity
Today – creativity drives status
Leadership will be judged by innovation and promote creativity
7. Yesterday
– production determined availability
Today – Competitiveness is the key
Leadership will constantly evolve as more competitive with knowledge, management and technology
Today – Competitiveness is the key
Leadership will constantly evolve as more competitive with knowledge, management and technology
8. Yesterday
– value was extra
Today – value is everything
Leadership will have the priority to inculcate value addition at every level
Today – value is everything
Leadership will have the priority to inculcate value addition at every level
9. Yesterday
– everyone was a competitor
Today – everyone is a customer
Leadership will value feedback and action based on that.
Today – everyone is a customer
Leadership will value feedback and action based on that.
10. Yesterday – profits
were earned through expediency
Today – Work with integrity and succeed with integrity.
Leaders will have to work with integrity and succeed with integrity and act as promoters of such a culture in their subordinates.
Today – Work with integrity and succeed with integrity.
Leaders will have to work with integrity and succeed with integrity and act as promoters of such a culture in their subordinates.
Conclusion: Linkage between
National Development and Creative
Leadership
To keep the aspects of 21st century in mind which will facilitate
the Youth of our nation to evolve the learning process for meeting the demands
of the 10 components of knowledge society. For that, what is needed is the creative
leadership. The economic development of any nation is definitely linked with
the creative leadership. The linkage between national economic development and
creative leadership is as below:
1. A nation’s
Economic development is powered by competitiveness.
2. Competitiveness
is powered by knowledge power.
3. Knowledge
power is powered by Technology and innovation.
4. Technology
and innovation is powered by resource investment.
5. Resource
investment is powered by return on Investment.
6. Return on
investment is powered by revenue.
7. Revenue is
powered by Volume and repeat sales.
8. Volume and
repeat sales is powered by customer loyalty.
9. Customer
loyalty is powered by Quality and value of products.
10. Quality and value of
products is powered by Employee Productivity and innovation.
11. Employee Productivity is powered by Employee Loyalty.
12. Employee Loyalty is powered by employee satisfaction.
13. Employee satisfaction is powered by working environment.
14. Working Environment is powered by management innovation.
15. Management innovation is powered by Creative leadership.
For success in all the missions, it is essential to have creative
leaders. Creative leadership means exercising the vision to change the
traditional role from the commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from
director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates
self-respect. For enhancing enterprise value, we need a large number of
creative leaders.
A nation`s strength predominantly resides in its natural and human
resources. In natural resources, India is endowed with a vast
coastline and valuable minerals like titanium, uranium, etc. India is
also endowed with a rich bio-diversity and human resources, particularly a
young population. Knowledge-based value addition to natural resources would
mean more earnings for India in the form of exports of finished
products instead of merely raw materials. India is a secular country
and has very good diplomatic relations with its neighbours. Be it trade or
political or economical, India maintains a positive approach and good
relations. With our civilization heritage and core strengths of large natural and
human resources, with value addition and launching of mission projects, the
desired goals of food, health and social security, economic prosperity and
national security can be achieved leading to a developed India in a decade and
will attain its rightful place in the world. This moment will
define India as a ‘Developed Nation’.
Let me conclude with an inspiring message from Yoga
Sutra by Maharishi Patanjali :
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary
project, all your thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends
limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find
yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and
talents come alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamt yourself to be.”
With these words let me wish all the Defence Estates officers and
other civil service officers success in your professional career.
