The book is biographical sketches of fifty successful alumni presented in the golden jubilee occasion. this volume provides glimpses of the journeys of extraordinary people who were able to work restlessly towards realizing their dreams. This book has inspired me in many folds I like to mention some inspirational points of each alumni mention in the book:
D Balasubramanian Director Research, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad https://www.lvpei.org/
"As Lord Buddha has rightly said, 'All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.'"
Ashok Kumar Agarwal Founder and Former Chairman, SQL Star International Ltd https://www.ewb-india.org/
"I believe that 90% of success is due to hard work. The passion for one's goals and sustained efforts are the keys to success. What can really make a difference is an idea that can impact society in a positive way. My suggestions are to think differently and constantly ask yourself how you are different than others. Bring in smart people around you and ensure that they succeed, since their success will bring a lot of joy to you. The world is full of opportunities and it is up to you to identify and exploit them. You should never look at shortcuts to success by cutting down on quality"
Gulu Mirchandani Co-Founder and Chairman, MIRC Electronics http://www.onida.com/
Prithviraj Chavan Chief Minister of Maharastra
Krishna Saraswat Professor, Stanford University, USA https://profiles.stanford.edu/krishna-saraswat
"It is okay to be a dreamer. Think of how you can make a difference. Never say never. Never accept 'no' for an answer from either your juniors or superiors. Don't get discouraged even if you have made a mistake" " Never think or claim that you know it all. Always recognize your limits and look for a partnership with people with different expertise. Always recognize talent and give full encouragement to potential achievers. Remember, the world today thrives on interdisciplinary innovations -- at times, by very young people"
Bhagwati P Agarwal Founder, Sustainable Innovations https://www.si-usa.org/
"Bhagwati, if you don't ever expect anyone to greet you with a smile, you will never be unhappy!"
"Objectivity produces mediocre managers while subjectivity produces exceptional ones. Don't be apologetic for being subjective"
Enthused? Want to advance social enterprises? Write to BP at bagrawal@si-usa.org
Kishore Rajvanshy Founder and CEO, Fleet Management Ltd, Hong Kong https://www.fleetship.com/
"The extracurricular activities and social events helped me not only to develop leadership qualities but also taught me the importance of teamwork and primacy of social responsibility. I made many friends at Pilani and even now, 50 years later, we still meet regularly to catch up and assist each other in any way we can. Graduating from such a renowned institute gave me a head start and a definitive edge whenever it came to technical matters-----initially as a marine engineer, then as a senior executive and finally as an entrepreneur."
Surendra Pal Former Program Director, Satellite Navigation Program http://40yrs.ieeebangalore.org/dr-surendra-pal/
"I feel that one should think beyond the conventional lines. Working as per convention may give a person an obsolete product, but not a new and innovative one. There is no place for getting frustrated by failures. Failures provide ways for future successes."
Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge
"Personally, the journey so far has been very satisfying. We have had our share of ups and downs, but in the final analysis, there is much we have achieved. However, we will not rest content. There is much more that we aspire for. I have always believed in continuously shifting the goal post. Without challenges, the world would be much too drab!"
B C Jain Chairman, Ankur Scientific https://www.ankurscientific.com/
"Building a team has been full of challenges. Some of his guiding principles are given below.
- Encourage people to experiment without fear of failure
- Work directly with employees
- Support them in times of crises
- Give them freedom--their own space--and empower them
- Give them the limelight
- Meet their expectations and win their respect through knowledge and hard work."
Chandrralekha Bhaskar Co-founder, Bhaskar Power Group of Companies https://www.bhaskargroup.com/
"Successes and failures are based on society's perceptions and reactions. What works as a mantra today may become a hollow fallacy tomorrow. What remains unaltered (and therefore, valuable) are the principles one should follow in life---of logic, focus, strategy, hard work, commitment, sense, the value of time, respect for others, trust in processes and teams, honesty, integrity and finally, the capacity to confront what is wrong and take quick firm decisions."
Jinesh C Jain Chairman, Texplas India Pvt. Ltd https://coer.ac.in/?page_id=1735
"I have been a man of science but I strongly believe in spirituality. As per my understanding, until we are able to strike a balance in both these aspects, success cannot be achieved."
Ramesh D Grover Founder and Late Chairmen, CMS group of companies https://cmsglobal.com/
"Grover was a visionary and an epitome of diligence and perseverance throughout his life. He will remain a source of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders in the country"
Surya P Sethi Former Chief Investment Officer, IFC Washington Member, PM's Energy Coordination Committee
"There is no defined path to success. Regardless of the path one chooses, he feels success demands total commitment to and full involvement in the daily tasks on hand."
Narendra Ahuja Professor, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Director, Information Technology Research Academy, New Delhi http://vision.ai.illinois.edu/ahuja.html
"try and make a difference, particularly in the lives of those who have the least--of money, knowledge, character---using whatever you have a talent for, be it research, teaching, entrepreneurship or otherwise engaging with society. If you are looking to do path-breaking research, there lies a thousand problems for you to solve. If you relish teaching, there lie millions of souls for you to pull out of ignorance. If you dream to be rich CEO, let your company solve any of the myriad problems that keep a great mass of humanity awake at night. If you want to leave a legacy, there lie unacknowledged millions in need, with no one to go to. What more could you ask for?"
Rakesh Verma Founder, MapMyIndia https://www.mapmyindia.com/about/board-of-directors/Mr-Rakesh-Verma-Profile.pdf
"For most entrepreneurs, it is very important that whenever an original idea comes to you, you seize the opportunity with both hands. Developing a successful business from an idea is like running a marathon. You can start strong, but if you are not able to sustain for long and execute your plan you will never be cross the finish line. While there is no guaranteed formula for entrepreneurial success, all budding entrepreneurs must have the right combination of passion, focus, strategy, and a never-ending thirst to win! Possibly the most important factor is to have oodles of self-confidence. To be a successful entrepreneur, you need to have tremendous self-belief and I can say that with a lot of conviction having lived it myself. Through it, all one has to remember to be customer-focussed!"
C P Talesara Founder and Managing Director, Pyrotech Electronics Pvt. Ltd https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandra-prakash-talesara
"My grandfather had taken an oath that whenever he gets angry he will miss a meal. I too have cultivated this habit and anger has not been able to overpower me. One should not lose the balance of mind under any circumstances. This helps me retain the confidence of my team members. When I go home, I am as fresh as when I go to the factory. This makes the work-life balance very simple!"
Prem Jain Former Senior Vice President, Cisco Systems Inc.
"It's never too late to start something as long as you can take the risk because once you do, you really enjoy it. There's a recipe for success -- you play day by the day. Always be transparent, be honest to yourself. Never lie to your customer. Don't promise what you cannot deliver."
Shirish Chinoy Co-Founder and Chairman, Electronics Devices
"What differentiated ED was its unwavering focus on providing a total solution to the customer needs." "A true entrepreneur never sleeps. His fire in the belly is always ignited!"
Vinod K Agarwal Founder and CEO, LogicVision and Applied Solar Technologies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinod_Agarwal
"One can nurture dreams into becoming realities with a lot of perseverance and some fortuitous timing"
" Be responsible and be courageous. Failures should not deter you and let your success make you more humble. Your family and friends will appreciate your passion."
Pankaj Patel Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, CISCO https://www.uniphore.com/biography/pankaj-patel/
"live honestly, be resilient, work hard, help others and most importantly be humble"
Shanti Vaidyanathan Sharma Late Hindustani Classical Vocalist https://www.indianetzone.com/14/shanti_sharma.htm
"Love is the most important thing in life and there should be a life force that drives one ahead."
Vijay Chandru Former Professor, IISc Bangalore Founder Chairman, Strand Life Sciences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijay_Chandru
"The ability to multi-task and manage my time to fit in numerous activities which I learned at BITS serve me well all through my professional life."
Vijay Kumar Kedia Founder, Kedia Rain Water Harvesting
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijaykumar-kedia-0a8a1724/
"Time is perishable and therefore precious, do not waste or lose it. Be communicative. Never ever accept defeat."
Mani Shankar Film-maker and Creative Director
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mani_Shankar
"Life of ceaseless dreaming is that the world has a way of eventually adjusting to your aspirations. The universe has a way of eventually turning your dream into a working reality. However ridiculous your dream may sound, if you hold on to it long enough, if you care deeply enough to mold your actions and thoughts into your goals, the world will bend and eventually bow to your unyielding spirit."
"winner is one who can keep his feet firmly on the ground at all times. Success comes only to those who can live and move in the real world without banding their imagination and creativity."
"He gives utmost importance to an individual's capacity to read and analyze the minds and intentions of people around. He feels many a strategic error can be avoided if one can figure out the differences between the visible and the undisclosed, the spoken and the unsaid. The ability to judge situations correctly gives one an edge and an advantage, so he advises youth, to learn to slow down, calm down, learn to observe clearly and hear deeply, learn to also see with your inner eye, gain a sense of 'feel', and informed intuition, that opens you up to the hidden truth of any situation. Never let your enthusiasm blind you to the reality that surrounds you. Never fit the facts into the story, let the facts speak their own story, however unpalatable it may seem at that moment, and have the maturity to accepts it and move forward."
"Grace, an extraneous force that exceeds the sum total of all personal efforts. Grace makes magic happen in your life. The way to prevent repelling grace is to keep the mind free of all negativity, rejoice in the success of others, remain calm and patient, never lose hope even in the worst of times and simply continue doing one's work in the assurance that grace is just around the corner."
Sunit Rikhi Vice President, Intel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunit-rikhi-15828b2/
"It was the BITS experience that made a man out of the boy in me. It taught me to seek to learn. It taught me that life is about making decisions between choices with the best available information and with knowledge of my own values. It taught me teamwork and humility. I developed a respect for diverse interests and skills. It made me worthy of interacting with the world. BITS is in every bit of me. It never left me and I never left it."
Rajesh Hukku Former Chairman, i-flex Solutions Former GM, ORACLE FSGBU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajesh_Hukku
"Persevere. Be resilient enough to bounce back, no matter how many times you fail or how hard you fall. Accept your mistakes with humility and strive to do better. And don't lose the passion to make your dream a reality."
S P Kothari Deputy Dean, Sloan School of Management MIT
https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/s-p-kothari
"If you do not partner with others, both personally and professionally, you will not realize your full potential."
"Personal growth calls for sincere introspection."
Sunil Nanda Founder, Thinkit Technologies and Pilani Resource Centre
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-nanda
"Serendipity is not random --- it almost always results from hard work and persistence. But hard work does not preclude having fun. Having fun is easy if pursuing a passion, it is easier still when you are doing it with people whose company you enjoy."
Vivek Paul Former Vice Chairman and CEO, Wipro Technologies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivek_Paul
"one needs to work out how to build the future translate thoughts into action and also inspire others."
Chandni Sahgal Former Head, MTV India Founder, and CEO, D'Essence Consulting
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandnisahgal
"simple questions and simple answers." "The 'can do' attitude and deep friendships"
Manoj Gaur CEO and MD, Jaiprakaash Associates
https://www.cmaindia.org/past-presidents/mr-manoj-gaur/
"emerged to be a dreamer and a visionary with an iron will to deliver, come what may. No dream too big"
Raju Reddy Founder, Former CEO and Chairman, Sierra Atlantic
https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/RajuReddyDAA2014
"Get a mentor, live your values."
R Parthasarathy Founder, CADD Centre
https://www.linkedin.com/in/parthasarathy-r-037b624/
"True happiness lies in contributing. The act of helping your customers get ahead, your employees to grow, and your vendors and partners to earn will sustain the intensity of your mission. When your dreams are aligned to the need to solve problems faced by the world, chances are that you will seek and find effective solutions and execute them well. You can only win and feel blessed as I do at being able to transform lives."
Manoj Saxena Founder, Exterprise, and Webify Inc.
https://ai-global.org/
"First, is the realization that your focus determines your reality. So, focus on building something that changes the world for the better and is not just about making money. Money is just the scoreboard, not the game. Focus on the game and play it well. The scoreboard will take care of itself and you will get your share of monetary rewards, Second, great companies are built by exceptional people, so one must develop the skill to identify, recruit and engage the best and the loyalty towards one's team. A popular African saying sums it up thus, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a group.'"
Ramesh Ramanathan Founder, Janaagraha
https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/RAMESHRAMANATHANDAA2013
"This moment is the only real thing. The past is gone, the future is yet to happen. Seize this moment. Do the thing that you have always wanted to do. Do not have any regrets."
Diaz Nesamoney Founder, Informatica, Celequest, and Jivox Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nesamoney/
"I think it's very important to never give up or stop believing. One meets many naysayers that include investors employees, friends, and even family members. Don't let any negativity deter you from pursuing your vision. I don't mean be blind to feedback, but stay true to your passion."
Suresh Kabra Founder, Clk2c.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sureshkabra/
"Excellent folks, who are brilliant but continue to be humble and will always give me their frank opinion. So thanks to BITS, I have had this support group which I can tap into whenever I need some unbiased advice."
Sabeer Bhatia Founder, Hotmail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabeer_Bhatia
"The greatest risk in life is not to take a risk."
Sanjay Anand Founder, Microsoft India Development Centre, Bangalore
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yajnasdnana/
"Build a strong core of fundamentals: you have to be a 'dada at something substantial before you aspire to climb the corporate ladder. My first years of core systems engineering still helps me connect with my engineers with credibility, Align your work with your heart: your heart knows when it's happy to listen to it and agitate until it is satisfied. If your heart continues to be dissatisfied, just walk away. It's that simple. Life is too short."
Sanjay Anand Founder and CEO, CMP Institute
http://cmpinstitute.com/sanjay-anand/
"Personally, I take it one step further in my own personal and professional life. I say, 'It's not who, what, when, and where that is primary; it is how and why.' And the statement above is a good reminder to me that all that ultimately matters is 'do what you do, and do it well.' Quality, and not quantity. This mantra then automatically leads to other mantras/qualities. I like to live each day with an 'attitude of gratitude'"
Ajay Chaturvedi Founder and Chairman, HarVa
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaychaturvedi/
"Sense and feel. Notice what makes you laugh, what makes you cry, what irritates you, and what pleases you. These are the emotions that lead an individual to the real purpose, needs, and problem one wants to address."
Shashikant Khandelwal Co-Founder, TheFind Inc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshashi/
"Once you realize that you can mold the world around you---the sky is the limit! Pursue your dreams. If you don't change the world, who will?
Karthik Hosanagar Co-founder, Yodle Inc Professor, Wharton School
https://www.hosanagar.com/
"It is helpful to seek your own path instead of following the flock, but initiative alone is inadequate and must be backed by hard work if goals and dreams are to be achieved. However, one must guard against a swift burn out and balance professional pursuits with fulfilling personal experiences."
Sarathbabu Elumalai Founder, Foodking
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarathbabu_Elumalai
"In the exhilarating journey of entrepreneurship, one needs a lot of patience, focus, simple thinking, flexibility, and a flair for understanding people."
Suhail Kassim World Bank
https://blogs.worldbank.org/team/suhail-kassim
"Never let your memories be greater than your dreams. the word impossible must never exist in the lexicon of a BITSian'
Raj Kumar Submariner, Mountaineer, Polar Skier
https://www.prlog.org/10065297-proud-to-be-bitsian-in-indian-navy-conquer-three-poles-mission.html
"People perhaps, still exist who believe that it is of no importance to explore the unknown regions. Man wants to know, and when he ceases to do so, he is no longer man."
Kavikrut Founder, Mobile Medics
"Don't go out as lone rangers but find a team that knows you, shares your dream and will collaborate with you to achieve it. A team with a few like-minded motivated people can most times do much more than what an entrepreneur individually can,"
Mayur Patnala Founder, Nirmaan, Vidya Helpline, and Yuva Parathi
https://nirmaan.org/
"BITS has given me the flexibility to enter the realm of social service. It has provided me with a network and credibility among government officials, corporates and common people"
Srikumar Murthy Co-Founder, National Social Entrepreneurship Forum
https://www.linkedin.com/in/srikumar-murthy-a233b2a/?originalSubdomain=uk
"I am aware that driving change is a slow process and it has its blocks and failures but I am also aware that, with perseverance and diligence, one can garner support and affect transformative changes in society at large. I will continue to strive for it."
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