Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Gandhi Journal Article - I

Building the Entrepreneurial Attitude: Learning from M. K. Gandhi
Dr Nanduri Aparna Rao

He reminds us of Kipling's classic poem 'If' –

'If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can think and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster; and treat those two impostors just the same...'

He belonged to one of the most business oriented communities in India-the Gujarati 'Baniya' community'. One recalls names like Karsonbhai Patel (Nirma), Dhirubhai Ambani (Poor boy with big ambitions), Gautam Adani (Adani Group), Dilip Shanghvi (Sun Pharmaceuticals), and the list goes on... 
One does not often come across his name in such a list of entrepreneurs. While entrepreneurs, as we know them, create businesses and grow rich, he created business opportunities, social improvement and chose to stay poor... Yes, the one unique feature of this entrepreneur is that he gave away everything he earned, and could have earned, given his huge body of work - be it wealth or position for himself or his family. One would call him a saint and yes, short of beatification, he did everything saints would and many things saints wouldn't. He is known as the Mahatma - he is Mahatma Gandhi.

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