Tryst with Destiny - PM Modi Reception in NYC 2014

Tryst with Destiny - PM Modi Reception in NYC 2014

September 28^th, 2014 was a watershed moment in the history of US-India relations. Almost 121 years earlier, Swami Vivekananda, PM Modi’s namesake, gave the most inspiring speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, starting with his invocation “Brothers and Sisters of America”.

In 2014, Indian Prime Minister gave the most inspiring speech I have ever heard in person. Expectations after his landslide win in the Indian election were high – some said too high. Expectations for his US trip on his vision for India, US-India relations and world affairs were nauseatingly high. Indian Americans like me were giddy – we believed in the power of his words but more importantly in the conviction of his spirit.

Enough of expectation – let’s get down to the event. I went to a reception the evening before for USINPAC (United States India PAC). It was at a glitzy restaurant facing Central Park in the heart of Manhattan.  Mood was downright giddy – there were older retirees, Silicon Valley execs, and bright-eyed Indian-American kids of desi high-flyers of US.  Though I did not spend too much time there as I had to rush back for a get-together with my NY friends, the excitement was palpable. Evening party at Arup Acharya’s place was well-attended. Amidst the usual banter, we did discuss in all seriousness how we feel the speech will be a landmark, how Indians all over the world – citizens and NRI – can feel excited about the future. Many of that crowd had supported AAP – but realized if fighting corruption has to be the main focus, it must be executed by an efficient government, which has to be led by a man who has done it before.

D-Day, September 28^th started off with a breakfast with friends and then, the ride to Madison Square Garden(MSG).  There was a long queue outside the venue with the line wending across few blocks. There were Indian and international TV cameras outside; heavy security ringed the venue, including police with sophisticated weapons. I was with my dear friend, Anand Mohan Das from Washington – hi-tech entrepreneur and coincidentally, one of the earliest supporters of Obama when he was just starting to campaign. Suddenly on hearing the name “Partha”, we met two of the stalwarts of the North American Bengal community, Prabir Roy and his wife.

We went through the security; people were rushing to the galleries; we picked up our “Modi in America” T-shirts. There was a stage on the floor; I was pretty close in the nearest gallery section – 101. There were balloons in India and US colors in the rafters; patriotic songs were playing. Various quotes from world leaders were displayed, starting with Swamiji’s famous saying from Katha Upanishad – “Arise, Awake, Stop not till the goal is reached”.Chak de India and Born in the USA were rendered to rapturous applause. Young Indian-Americans performed folk dances, ex Miss USA Nina Davuluri was the MC. American elected officials from Senate and Congress came to the stage as show of support for the Indian PM and belief in stronger Indo-US relations.

Finally, the time came for PM Modi to arrive. Crowd was delirious; shouts of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” “Vandemataram” and “Modi, Modi” filled the air. Often, the Vandamataram is portrayed as “communal” by liberal press; if fourteen year olds climbed unto gallows under British rule and chanted those words as their last words, those words signify burning nationalism and all of us, Indians, regardless of religion, should feel proud. I did on that day, shouting those words in the world’s most famous arena in the heart of Manhattan.

PM Modi took the stage – the crowd was delirious; expectations were ski high and the deafening noise gave away to his chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and famous words “My brothers and sisters, living in America”. He invoked the significance of Navratri – an important festival to purify the soul.

·         He thanked the NRI’s for giving a lot of respect to India, once known as a land of snakes and snake charmers.  He appreciated that we, NRI’s, have earned immense respect through our skills and values. He talked about an incident in Taiwan, where Indians previously played with snakes and made snakes dance, now they play with mouse and control the world.

·         World is convinced that the 21st century belongs to Asia. We are a youthful nation with a very old culture. 65 per cent of Indians are below the age of 35. There is no reason to be disappointed. India will progress very fast and the skills of our youth will take the country ahead. When 125 crore people give their blessings, it automatically becomes God's blessing.

·         We have three powers that nobody else has, and it is our duty to identify these powers, present it to the World and mobilize it:

·         Democracy - This is our biggest strength. Even the poorest man went out in the heat to hear speeches

·         Demographic dividend - 65% of people less than the age of 35 years

·         Demand - The World is looking at India

·         Mahatma Gandhi made the freedom struggle a mass movement. Every Indian felt that yes, even PM Modi at that time was also a part of the freedom struggle. We want to make development a mass movement. The people of India are my strength. In days to come, we will be able to supply work force to the world. The world needs teachers, we will supply teachers. The world will have to recognize the talent of the Indian youth.

·        India is the first nation to have reached Mars in its first attempt. Our Mars budget was smaller than the budget of a Hollywood film. Government has given importance to skill development and created a separate ministry for skill development. He invited everyone to the Make in India initiative

·         We aim to show our strength by exploiting technology to the maximum extent. I have a website MyGov.in. I have made arrangements for you to interact with me. The earlier government spoke only of what laws they have made. I have begun removing obsolete laws. The more laws we get rid of the better it will be for us

·         Modi said “People ask me about my 'bigger vision'. I tell them I reached here by selling tea; I am a simple man, so I focus on small things. “

·         Cleaning Ganga is not only for religious reasons, but, it is also to tackle the climatic problems. Mahatma Gandhi never compromised on cleanliness. He gave us freedom. We should give him a Clean India. 

·         In 2022, it will be 75 years of our independence. It is an important landmark in Indian culture. PM has a dream that by 2022, there should be no one in India without a roof over his head.

·         Finally PM Modi talked about the changes for NRI’s regarding PIO, OCI, and visa on arrival. All these are planned to help NRI’s travel easily to India.

Why did Modi’s speech stand out?

First and foremost, it ringed honest – straight from the heart. He genuinely got people excited – a politician, not giving hyperbolic answers – but a leader and visionary, who has a list of things to take care and is going about it efficiently.  He was sincerely thankful to the NRI’s, never berated anyone for leaving India and on the contrary, grateful that we have helped improve India’s image. Also, I could feel a sense of pride in our India and our culture – a sense we are not inferior to anyone; we are Indians and not split by caste, creed or religion.  Finally, the electricity of the atmosphere made me believe – good times will roll. People are excited about India, about the government’s willingness to make things happen and to take the bull by the horn.

In short, bright future awaits India and she is in good hands.

From the desk of Banga Sammelan 2015 - leaving a mark by giving back

It was in July 1905. Dark clouds were hovering on the horizon of British India when Lord Curzon decided to punish Bengal for being at the forefront of the independence resistance. Partition of Bengal was supposed to destroy the Bengali intellectuals, the growth story and most importantly, the backbone of Bengal.

110 years later, in July 2015, in a new global economy, in a world of cultural diversity and modern technological innovation, glonal Bengalis will gather in Houston to celebrate that rich culture, the heady intellectualism and the fire in the belly which Curzon and many others could never destroy. It is our way of celebrating our rich culture and projecting Bengal to the world – our humble way of giving back to our motherland.

Banga Sammelan is about to take off on that new orbit with Space City Houston's NABC 2015 being the launch pad. It is the destination of our journey to transform and reinvent the conference for the 21st century so that the great work of past NABC's can be sustained.

New Banga Sammelan…

The new Banga Sammelan will be a revitalized conference, not only dedicated to the culture and arts but contributing something concrete for the global community and Bengal and Bangladesh, be it green initiatives or social entrepreneurship. The new Banga Sammelan will bring enormous value to donors and sponsors US, India, Bangladesh and beyond – ensuring they realize the potential of the global platform we bring. The new Banga Sammelan will also cater to the next generation – where they not only learn from the parents but mingle and learn from their contemporaries in India. Finally, new NABC will not just revolve around three days of fun – it will make a significant and sustainable difference to the global community and Bengal – give back and make a difference.

Why is Houston different?

NABC 2015 team boasts of a core group of highly successful younger global Bengali diaspora, at senior executive levels of world-renowned multinational companies, educated at IIT and other top institutions in India and US. We have gained experience and gotten accolades organizing NABC 2006 and IIT 2013 Global Conference. We are relatively young, but truly motivated and enthused to give back to our motherland and make a sustainable and tangible difference. We have achieved professional success – we want to share our success with Bengal and help Bengal in a meaningful way. We intend to take Brand Bengal to the world.

We are motivated by Swami Vivekananda’s saying – “Leave a mark” (“দাগ কেটে যা”) and Rabindranath Thakur’s vision of a borderless mind and universal culture. We want to make a difference – leave a legacy! Our strategy for the new NABC is based on the framework provided by the four pillars: Ideas, Execution, Communication and Philanthropy. We are committed to making the event and our programs for the future a resounding success.

Unique features of Banga Sammelan 2015

1)       Highlighting Bengal as an investment destination – Where sky is the limit!

a.       Business forum – highlight Bengal and its investment opportunities, build bridges between Bengal and global industrial giants. Showcase Bengal as the destination of choice for industry.

2)       Highlight Bengal’s traditional festival globally – Bengali at core, carnival in spirit!

a.       Puja contest – Banga Sammlean will run a Puja contest to pick the best 3 pujas with the top puja winner being felicitated in Houston during the conference. They will get a rare opportunity to showcase their talent in front of the audience. Celebrate the unique carnival in typical Bengali style – promote that festival to the global audience!

3)       Searching the future Bengali leaders all over the world

a.       We will shine light on the new stalwarts from amongst global Bengalis in any field – be it as entrepreneur, educationist or social activist.

4)       Bringing America to Bengal – build bonding between the two cultures

a.       Pre-conference activities in December – Starting with a “prabhat pheri” showcasing traditional Bengali culture (Baul and dhak), from Rabindra Sadan to Nazrul Mancha, we will kick off the event with a gala event in Nazrul mancha on December 28^th. That cultural extravaganza will feature the stalwart artists of NABC 2015.  We will organize the similar event in Dhaka on December 30^th – showcasing our culture across two nations.

5)       Shining light on Bengali’s diaspora’s passion for drama

a.       Houston artists on Kolkata stage – they will perform Nati Binodini on December 27^th at Star Theater.

6)       Highlighting our rich heritage of arts through Arts and handicrafts show

a.       NABC 2015 will feature an elaborate display of arts and handicrafts from all over Bengal from Himalayas to Bay of Bengal, showing the diversity of talents and uniqueness of its crafts.

7)       Bringing vibrancy of colors and energy – where west meets east

a.       NABC 2015 will also feature a painting exhibition of young budding school artists from Houston across the entire American community. We will also like to display some paintings from India which will be a real celebration of global cultural diversity.

8)       Bonding through books – satiating Bengali’s thirst for books

a.       Books from Bengal in Bayou City – organizing the Bengali book fair in Houston.

Building Brand Bengal

NABC will work in association with leading Bengal-based organizations like Biswa Bangla to promote Brand Bengal on a global platform.

·         Accomplished pool of experts – providing mentoring, expertise and relationships to new as well as mature entrepreneurs, students and leaders. Topics covered can span multiple disciplines, from education to enterprise, strategic to tactical. That will serve as a global pool of experts focused on helping Bengal.

·         Channeling investment to Bengal – leveraging business relationships, guiding budding enterprises, developing partnerships to Bengal-based ventures. It may also come in the form of direct investment from interested parties or partners.

·         Giving back to motherland – many want to contribute back to their motherland in the form of helping education or health care or other necessary services. Setting up schools, vocational training centers, heloing traditional arts (like Baul village), building health centers are some of the areas NABC like to focus on, working together with Bengal.

·         Partnering with Bengal – NABC can mobilize support to help on multiple projects both at private and government levels with interest parties. NABC can be the mouthpiece and trusted partner of Brand Bengal with the sole aim of promoting Bengal.

·         It is time to think about giving back – not necessarily through financial contribution but through ideas, innovation, and organization towards a better future for the greater humanity. A hundred years after two extraordinary human beings broke barriers, it is time for us to push the limit, tackle the hard problems of the world – not think about myself but the global we.

Giving Back.

As we celebrate 35 years of NABC, we, the Bengali diaspora, should take a moment and reflect on our successes. But, it is more important to look forward and think about ways to give back. Blessed with tools to succeed, supported by a whole nation, we should put our collective brains together to help our motherland. It is our humble attempt to recognize the tremendous gratitude we feel about our motherland. We can never repay that debt but we can at least honestly and sincerely try to give back in a meaningful way.

If we through our collective efforts during and after conference can help take Bengal to its dizzy heights of glory, the glory which made Alexander come to Gangaridai from far Macedonia, which made Lord Curzon split Bengal, then, we will consider our efforts and the conference a success.

Hope that honest and genuine effort can bear fruit and Bengal will be at the forefront of a huge futuristic growth and glory across India and Bangladesh.

Rocket ship is about to take off with Brand Bengal - hope to see you on it!

Sanku Bose, Joint President (sanku01@aol.com); Tapan Das, Joint President (dasfamilymail@yahoo.com);

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, Joint General Secretary (parthausa@gmail.com); Gopendu Chakrabarti, Joint General Secretary(gopendu.chakrabarti@gmail.com)

Smells like Sourav spirit

Smells like Sourav Spirit
[Written on Sep 12, 2008 - when Sourav Ganguly, the ex-India captain, was contemplating retirement]
 - Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

As news articles crop up on Sourav’s fading from cricket, it is time to evaluate the Sourav sprit – smell the essence of the man.

Sourav was just not a cricketer - he unknowingly became the symbol of Bengal and the new India. My note is about Sourav the man, what he meant to Bengal and in a broader sense, India.

I was in India that winter - the day Sourav became the Indian captain, some time after Amartya Sen got his Nobel Prize. I remember my dad saying: “We think Bengalis are intellectual. There are many more fireworks and celebration tonight than when Amartya Sen got the Nobel.” True!

Years of failure or at least retrenchment in Bengal as India shone gave Bengalis a defensive attitude, a sense the whole of India was against it, may be the excuse as to why they did not succeed. Bengalis were moving out of Calcutta, selling their ancestral land to promoters. Flats built there were being gobbled up by “outsiders”. My neighborhood of traditional Bengalis (“bonedi ghotis”), where I could tell you the habits of a Bidesh Bose or Manas or Babloo Bhattacharjee growing up (where on Saturdays either I went for a Mohun Bagan match or watched them practice), got transformed into this place where people played cricket and I did not know any  of them or their parents.

We were failing – the whole of India was against it. We do not stand up – we are “bheto” Bangali. We take things handed out to us – we complain but do not contest. There was a persecution complex – every time I went to Calcutta (since 1990), I heard that. Same old story!

My mom, who hated sports, as my dad and I reveled in it growing up, always said “God will take care of it. Bhabityabya.”

In the broader context, previously Indians were meek, submissive compared to the outside world. They deferred rather than differ; they agreed rather than made people agree.

Then, in came this man, who brought fighting spirit; proactively pushed fighting young men to the team. He believed that we always had the talent – we needed the right self-belief and aggression. Ready to do battle and not cower in front of the opponent! Sourav, as a captain, believed in these fighters – Yuvraj, Harbhajan, Sewag, Kaif. As a captain, he led from the front – these guys knew the captain had their back. They gave their all for Dada  – the team spirit was unbelievable!

On a cloudy day at Lords, with India in dire traits, Kaif and Yuvi pulled India out and the captain, shirtless, waved his shirt on the Lords balcony. To some, it was blasphemy; to the masses, it was a charismatic leader throwing down the gauntlet. The masses started to believe – this is a new India!

World conquerors Australia ate humble pie in India – with an improbable win after a follow-on. Hundred thousand crazies, in the garden of Eden, paid their obeisance to the leader and fighting team spirit. The myth was born!

Finally, came the World Cup in South Africa. India went to the finals against all odds. The whole nation was fixated. The non-believing Bengalis found an icon. My mother, who hated sports, started only talking about Sourav – more than my dad. He stood upto arm-twisting - what many of the people wanted to do – not cower, not be afraid of one’s power. The Bengalis, who ate “phish” and played “phootball”, now had Sourav – top that! New India looked upto him – he did not have the talent of a Tendulkar, the proper style of a Dravid; but, he did have guts, self-belief and a desire to take on the world.

India, that was shining, that now brimmed with self-confidence, that went multinational, had the most appropriate leader – Sourav. He exemplified all what India had needed in the past and lacked; all what was supposed to be against the Bengali character. From the grand-mom to the grand-kid, they worshipped Dada. They vicariously lived all his successes; they saw themselves standing up to intimidation – showing the world – we want to be counted. A Bengali became Dada to all Indians!

Sourav’s final hurray was the incredible comeback after being sidelined by the brashest Aussie of all – Greg Chappell. Well, time seems to have come to bid adieu!

People remember the glitzy malls, the cybercafés, the latest designer clothes, the electronic gadgets as the transformation of Calcutta. I salute the no-nonsense spirit, incredible self-belief and the confidence to try to do the unthinkable – that is the new India and Bengal, that is what Sourav signified.

Hundred years ago, Swami Vivekananda had said: “'You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.” Well, Sourav exemplified that!

Salute Sourav! Sabaash Sourav!

Launching new NABC from Houston

Our goals – Aspirational…Ambitious…But Achievable!

Banga Sammelan is about to take off on a new orbit with Space City Houston's NABC 2015 being the launchpad. 

It is the destination of our journey to transform and reinvent the conference for the 21st century so that the great work of past NABC's can be sustained.

The new NABC…

The new NABC will be a revitalized conference, not only dedicated to the culture and arts but contributing 

something concrete for the global community and Bengal, be it green initiatives or social entrepreneurship. The new 

Banga Sammelan will bring enormous value to donors and sponsors US, India and beyond  – ensuring they 

realize the potential of the global platform we bring. The new NABC will also cater to the next generation – where 

they not only learn from the parents but mingle and learn from their contemporaries in India. Finally, new NABC will

not just revolve around three days of fun – it will make a significant and sustainable difference to the global 

community and Bengal – give back and make a difference.

Sound ambitious?

Of course. Our strategy for the new NABC continues to be based on the framework provided by the four pillars: 

Ideas, Execution, Communication and Philanthropy  There will be speed bumps along the way – but we will react

quickly and blaze a new glorious path for NABC. 

Rocket ship is about to take off with Brand Bengal - hope to see you on it!

Organizing IIT 2013 Global Conference – from inception to execution

Organizing IIT 2013 Global Conference – from inception to execution

-          Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

IITAGH and the IIT 2013 Global Conference team are basking in an afterglow of a dazzling conference. Three cold wintry days in December have changed the perception of Houston as a venue and IITAGH as the organizing host for a global IIT conference. 

Legacy has been left; reluctant PanIIT conference attendees cannot wait for the next IIT event; there is electricity in the air. If it was Muhammad Ali, we would have said “We shocked the world!”  As team members and attendees, you have enabled the metamorphosis - kudos go to every one of you because you immersed yourself in the greater WE – the team!

THE first attempt and then, inception

Houston and IITAGH have been trying to get the PanIIT global event– believe me, we were knocking on that door since fall of 2009. Supposedly, we had a smaller alumni base, an organization without relevant big conference experience, without a flashy industry base – information technology or finance to attract sponsors and speakers. Our turn in 2011 came and went as we got the news on that February day in 2010.

As they say in NFL draft, we got the call on July 15, 2012. Houston, you have been drafted to organize IIT 2013 – less than seventeen months to organize the biggest global PanIIT event.

IITAGH Board and Trustees had a meeting. It was not an overwhelming yes vote to organize the event – some of the IITAGH old-timers were worried about the attendance at our events and our organizational capability; some who were not involved in IITAGH organizationally but had organized other conferences and were part of the original proposal wanted to do it. Ultimately, as a team, Houston decided to take up the challenge – let’s show the world.

Initial planning – 90-day team

First planning meeting happened at Stress Engineering on August 4, 2012. We discussed details of what we proposed, how IIT conferences are organized, discussed vision and themes and finally, landed on a small team to start the preparation.

We had an initial team of seven people – called the 90 day team which spanned August-October of 2012. We had worked on venues, the team structure with responsibilities – we decided to focus on the structure first before filling in the names. Structure got ratified in a joint Board and Trustees meeting. We also conceptually agreed that there will be a Chair and Co-Chair in each of the critical areas so that we are not dependent on just one person and there is someone to step up in case of emergency.  We got the Chair (Witty Bindra) and Vice-Chair (Pratish Kanani) ratified in a subsequent meeting along with few key committee chairs.  While the committee was being slowly built up, we went into negotiation with Hilton and George Brown on the venue availability and dates.  With Hilton having several offers for Christmas parties, negotiations were long and hard, with finally T.K. Das closing the deal.

Work started on theme, logos and website. After several weeks of focused discussion on themes, we came up with “Inspiring Innovation for Tomorrow”, submitted by our own Sandman – Sundy Srinivasan. Hence, Sundy got the honors to launch our beta website internally at the kickoff meeting in November. Logo was based on the theme – IIT with an image of sun wrapped around it. Sun stands for energy (inspiration), sparks on the sun symbolize brain spark or innovation and finally, rising sun points to the future.

Conference Planning

Armed with theme, a rolling presentation, flyers, Witty Bindra went to Kolkata.  He launched the official www.iit2013.org website in India at the IIT 2012 Global Conference. He met with Airport Authority of India Charman, Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani,  Monahar Parrikar, Mamata Bannerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, and Usha Uthap and started marketing the Conference in Kolkata. Buzz was spreading but what do we need to do to deliver?

After several rounds of negotiation taking couple of months, we landed on December 6-8, 2013 at the Hilton. Outreach team, led by Hemant Jha, started their outreach campaign. Outreach had several sessions in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio. Outreach campaign reached other cities and focused emails went out to Foundation and regional lists. Sponsorship team, led by Surajit Dasgupta and Richard D’Souza, landed KBR as the first sponsor.  They did a fabulous job – collecting the highest revenue every collected for an IIT conference.

One common theme – we need marquee speakers to attract sponsors and attendees and for marketing to market the event. Program team, led by Pradeep Anand and Sunil Pangarkar, decided on STEEL – that seemed to galvanize the program structure. Sustainability, technology, education, energy and life sciences were five threads, woven together to face the challenges of today and find the solutions of tomorrow. With Amartya Sen, Vicente Fox and Andrew Gould and finally, Miss America, IIT 2013 sailboat now had wind in its sails.

Operation team, led by T.K. Das and Dhruba Ghose, focused on the execution – planning for every little thing of the conference – food, audio-visual, facilities, transportation and so many others. Outreach and operations worked together on the onsite registration. On the design end, they worked with marketing who provided the designs for everything from merchandise to banners to backdrops.

Business Plan competition, led by Suraj Mhatre and Abhay Sawant, put entrepreneurs in place and more importantly, brought together an incredible group of contestants, bright-eyed and ready for prime time.

Student volunteers were an impressive addition at the end – the ladies, led by Renu Jain, worked together to publicize the opportunity, sort through the applicants and finally, train them. Finance team, led by Abhijit Gadgil and Prabhu Murugan, constantly monitored the budget, fine-tuned numbers, and asked the necessary questions, making sure we were prudent and not profligate.

Exhibition team, led by Vinay Mehta and later, Ravi Guddeti, sold our booths out, with an impressive pickup of momentum towards the end.

Marketing, led by Partha Chatterjee and Siddhartha Sinha, aimed to create an ambiance of innovation during the conference. Team designed a brochure with a glossy finish and perfect binding. Backdrops, designs and signage were prepared to augment the ambiance. Paintings on innovation and a special marquee video on innovation played before each session, added to that aura.

Finally, Witty Bindra and Pratish Kanani made sure that they coordinated between the teams. More importantly, they kept the external pressures from all corners, who are bigwigs in all walks of life, off the team’s back as much as possible.  It was important to keep the conference true to the goals we set up, the themes we focused on and it was critically important to stay on course, without getting diverted. 

We are ready to roll – but will the conference rock? Will the hours of dedicated work, time away from families, bear fruit?

Conference Execution – December 5-8, 2013

Chairman’s reception, supported by Bharat Desai and Umang Gupta, kicked the conference off with a great show, performed by Anjali School of Dance. From the Chairman’s reception to opening ceremony to plenary sessions to breakout sessions to closing ceremony, the content was fabulous. 

People crowded the sessions – our worry of having too less people in the session was proved wrong. Attendees loved the sessions, speakers and last but not the least, our religious adherence to time. From Vicente Fox to Andrew Gould to Amartya Sen to so many others, speakers were eloquent, open and not adverse to touching controversial subjects. Programs were well-planned with speakers well-coordinated. Moderators did a great job pulling the speakers together.

Operational details impressed people- wide choice of foods, the chargers, the audio-visuals. Attendees loved the onsite registration and not having to stand in line for long. It moved very efficiently. Business Plan Competition had fantastic attendance, great presentations and hopefully, really successful future entrepreneurs.  Ambiance created by the dazzling backdrop, wide variety of signage, the video on innovation added to the conference experience. Attendees were truly impressed.

Post-conference, the accolades just continued to flow to Witty Bindra, Pratish Kanani and the entire team. We got flooded with emails and notes in the first few days. Old-timers said – “best Pan IIT conference ever”; newcomers wondered why others discouraged them from attending – this is a fantastic experience!

The TEAM delivered and we did rock!

Why the success and what now?

Many have come over and wondered why the Houston conference was a success.

First and foremost, we were a team – we placed the team goal of delivering a super conference above everything else. We did clash, differ on ideas but at the end of the day, we pulled in one direction.  

Secondly, we were dedicated and considered this as much of a job as anything else. Every single volunteer went above and beyond to excel. It was not about a volunteering opportunity with no responsibility – we took this very seriously and held each other accountable.

Next, we paid attention to details and did a what-if analysis before to a large extent. We had contingency; we planned ahead; we kept buffer and we pushed each other.

Finally, there was stability at the top and consistency of the plan and approach – we had a plan and we worked the plan. We were consistent and prepared!

So, friends, this was a team effort. Few months back, with some of our experience at organizing other conferences, I had implored – “Successful events create legacy. Let's create a legacy.”

The same Houston, which was thought to be too small, devoid of big time conference experience – now will be seen as THE template for conference, the team as THE model team to run events and organizations and the leadership to pull all this together. You, my friends, have left a legacy – the challenge for all of us is how to build on this as part of IITAGH and pan IIT movement and create something better.

Let’s do it together as a TEAM – together everyone achieves more!

Leveraging IIT and giving back through innovation

Leveraging IIT and giving back through innovation

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

As we gather for the IIT 2013 Global conference, I feel it is appropriate that we reflect upon the significance of the year 2013. It is 100 years after two pivotal events - Rabindranath Tagore winning the Nobel Prize as the first Asian and Mahatma Gandhi‘s using Satyagraha campaign as a non-violent movement, which literally means “insistence on truth”. They signify the indomitable human spirit – a spirit which aspires to write about the truth and stand up for ideals, even while living under bondage. A spirit which is not concerned with just self-preservation but about the greater good; a spirit which is not about doing enough but about excellence; finally, a spirit not satisfied with status quo but about breaking barriers and pushing one to his/her limits.

This year’s conference is about that selfless, self-motivated spirit, which drives towards higher goals and about the greater “WE”. I have often thought about the IIT experience – what did it really teach us, why do we fondly remember those years and finally, how can we leverage those lessons learned.

Growing up in India, I always valued the IIT brand. To me, it not only signified brilliance but also, the dedication and diligence required to achieve one’s goals. I was young enough to not know what engineering meant but knew that it was difficult to get into IIT. It was a challenge and it had to be met. What I study and what does it do for my career came next.

Getting to IIT was just the start of a phenomenal journey. The notion of only nerds making it to IIT is one of the glaring misconceptions about IIT. IIT actually brings together a motley crew of people from diverse backgrounds from different regions, languages and cultures. It is a microcosm of the global village we live in. As one travelled away from parents and near and dear ones, there was rarely close supervision. From time management to prioritization of fun vs. funda, we continued the juggling act. That was one of the best and practical real-life management courses I ever had. Time management, relationship building, managing diverse backgrounds and culture, handling stress, wearing different hats, teamwork and leadership, campaigning (sales) and resourcefulness (entrepreneurship?) learned during those years help you in the long run. All of us treasure those four years not solely because of the lessons learned within the classroom but learned as part of many activities of the campus life.

Just like a mathematician, I want to establish that our success in our professional lives can be attributed to the experiences of those four years – we benefited immensely.  Remember, our education and campus existence were subsidized to a large extent by the general public. Also, on an individual basis, we were lucky to be blessed with an IIT education, where we learned fast and we applied ourselves. We count our blessings – brilliance and drive are two excellent building blocks for future success.

So, what now?

It is time to think about giving back – not necessarily through financial contribution but through ideas, innovation, and organization towards a better future for the greater humanity. A hundred years after two extraordinary human beings broke barriers, it is time for us to push the limit, tackle the hard problems of the world – not think about myself but the global we.

As we celebrate ten years after the first global IIT conference, we as IITians should take a moment and reflect on our successes. But, it is more important to look forward and think about ways to give back. Blessed with tools to succeed, supported by a whole nation, we should put our collective brains together to analyze the problems and solve them. I strongly feel that if the conference provides the foundation on which we come up with at least one new idea to address one key issue of the next century, I will consider this a great success.

I

nnovation for the future will be the gift from the gifted and fortunate to the less fortunate. That is the legacy of IIT 2013, the legacy of the best and brightest – a contribution for the greater humanity.

Partha, a 1987 graduate of IIT Kharagpur in Computer Science, a Gold Medalist in Computer Science in MS at USC and MBA from Texas A&M University, is the Chair for marketing and media at IIT 2013 Global Conference and a member of Board of Directors at IIT Foundation. He leads the global energy and finance management consulting practice at SunGard as Director of Consulting Services.

Organizing IIT 2013 Global Conference – crown jewel for Houston and IITAGH - Six months away

Organizing IIT 2013 Global Conference – crown jewel for Houston and IITAGH

We are less than six months away from hosting the IIT 2013 Global Conference on Innovation. As IIT alumni in the Houston area, it is our unique opportunity to be the hosts for the entire global IIT alumni. We can now showcase not only the capability of IITAGH as an organization but also Houston, the city we call our home.

It is about the global “WE”

Theme of the conference is “Inspiring Innovation for Tomorrow”. When we, as the organizers, put our heads together, we felt that many of us have been blessed with success in our lives; this conference provides us with the opportunity to deliver something meaningful for the greater good for the future. It is not about thinking about me or you – it is about thinking about the bigger “WE”, the longer future.  

Teamwork - Organizing a Global Conference

Organizing the conference has been a tremendous experience. It is really heart-warming that so many volunteers have come forward to help with time, effort, ideas and contacts. You cannot even think about putting together such a global conference without the unfettered support from a multitude of volunteers. We all realize that at the end of the day, we want to deliver a flawless conference – which all of us will be proud of.

From program to outreach, marketing to sponsorship, operations to finance, exhibits to logistics, we need all the teams to work together.  In addition to the volunteers here in Houston, we have gotten tremendous support from IITians and others world over.  People are constantly coming forward with ideas, contacts so that we can leverage those as we move forward.

 In short, it is not about just one person or few people – it is about the whole symphony to work in unison to produce sweet music of success.

Why attend

Question keeps coming up is why should we attend? Well, the conference is about fun, funda and future. 

You will get to network, meet old friends, share stories and enjoy the camaraderie we cherish so dearly.  From listening to Pink Floyd or Dire Straits to sharing stories about ragging or fests, we all love reliving those precious experiences – you will get a chance to do that.  How about participating in that quiz or dumb charade which you rocked decades back and your better half or kids never knew about? That is the fun!

IIT 2013 will also give you an opportunity to listen to the thought leaders, discuss the problems of today and the potential solutions of tomorrow. As I said earlier, it is about putting on a thinking cap and germinating the ideas which can solve few of the myriad problems afflicting the world.

Have you thought about how the world of 7 billion in 2045 will survive? Where will they get the energy? How will they tackle the diseases? How will we educate our masses? Can we sustain the world and not continue to deplete the resources? That is the mix of funda and future – making funda work for the future!

In conclusion..

Do you want to network with your IIT peers, innovators and influencers, and have fun at the same time? Do you wish to hear the latest ideas from recognized experts in energy, healthcare, technology, etc.? How about promoting your own brand or connecting with the right people to launch your new business venture? Do you like to have fun?  If these sound good to you, put this on your calendar right away and head to Houston, Texas, in 2013!

Finally, rarely in life, we get a chance to make a real difference in the lives of so many for the distant future. IIT 2013 is one such occasion – do you want to sit on the sidelines or do you want to embrace this opportunity, work with a great team and deliver a fantastic conference for all of us to remember?

IIT 2013 beacons you to step up – we surely need you!

US-India Summit on Economy and Finance

US-India Summit on Economy and Finance

Almost twenty-four years after coming to the country, I was fortunate to be invited as an US delegate on Financial Regulations in the US-India Summit, co-sponsored by Brookings Institute and Confederation of Indian Industry. It was headlined by Timothy Geithner, Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury under President Obama, and Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister, Government of India. I have been working on a global think-tank on technology and management strategy related to financial industry and financial regulation and investment control were at the heart of this bilateral summit.

What struck me was the reverence with which India and its beliefs and accomplishments were treated by the leader of the Free World, United States. India’s growth rate, its rich pool of talented researchers, technologists and experts, it’s belief in secularism, peace and democracy, its foundation built on a rich cultural and philosophical heritage were all mentioned reverentially by speaker by speaker. It’s a phenomenal transition for me – coming on a student scholarship to work on a NASA/NSF-funded project to a land of dreams and opportunity, where NASA represented an extra-terrestrial opportunity. Here, twenty-four years later, the US Under-Secretary, Lael Brainard, was commending India on a phenomenal growth rate, almost four-times United States’ while asking for an opportunity to participate in that growth. What a change in attitude between my motherland and my adopted homeland – from the admirer to the admired!

Here are some of the key bullet-points of India’s phenomenal growth:

·         India’s growth rate of 4-5% in early nineties has sky-rocketed to 9% for three years before the financial crisis in 2007-2008.

o   Even during the height of financial crisis, India grew at 6.8%

·         India plans to grow 8-10% over the next 20-30 years

o   That will make India the third largest global economy

·         India’s per capital income is projected to grow from $1200 in 2011 to $10,000 in 2039

·         India has very healthy savings and investment rates – 33% savings and 36% investment rates. That is much higher than the developed countries. That will fuel India’s growth rates farther, while putting India’s economy on a strong foundation.

·         India’s population will see a major shift in population from the village to the urban centers – cities and towns. About 590 million Indians will live there by 2020 – twice the population of United States.

·        

With this tremendous growth rate and shift in population, India needs tremendous infrastructure investment – highways, railways, office and residential infrastructure. We have all seen the absolutely phenomenal building in the last decade – 2001-2011. To keep pace with India’s growth, India needs 20 times that investment in the next decade – a mind-boggling 1 trillion dollars.

·         India needs great education, health-care and governance to keep this growth rate going and feasible. India’s pool of talented and skilled workers needs to grow – the government-run education system, which helped nurture many of us, cannot do that on its own. There is great potential to invest in that sector and fuel that growth.

·         India also has a slight deficit and India’s trade balance is in a healthy state, not a surplus or deficit to an extreme.

·         India’s inflation is at a disconcerting 10% and is affected by high commodity and food prices. Many of this is beyond India’s control – but proper attention has to be given so that inflation does not become an albatross around India’s neck.

·         India and Canada lead the framework sub-group of the G20 leadership to work on the regulations needed for the financial industry.

Obviously, faced with challenges of the global financial slowdown, United States wants to participate in India’s growth. Investments US companies can make in that sector will lead to many US jobs and also, lead to a net flow to US economy.

Can US effectively regulate its financial industry without stifling it?

US want to channel investment in Indian markets, enabling direct participation and buying/selling of Indian equities. One of the reasons US Treasury Secretary had a host of regulators and financial experts on their side was to assure India that proper regulations are being put in place to keep the financial industry in check and ensure that the global financial meltdown is not repeated in India by US and western participation. Being one of the people advising on use of technology and management controls to properly regulate the financial industry, I do understand that this assurance is a key factor in India’s decision in allowing foreign participation. That is why US secretary invited few in the US finance industry think-tank to be part of his team to address India’s concern.

With the introduction of Dodd-Frank regulations and other regulatory controls, US is working overtime to work out the right regulations to pre-empt a global meltdown. With proper technology controls and management oversight, it is possible to get an early warning and make sure that there is proper governance so that a complete unexpected meltdown is averted. US, with the help of management consultants, academicians and industry leaders, is confident that these measure will work and help ensure a robust but growing financial industry. As the person familiar with use of technology and management strategy for financial oversight and the progress of these regulations, I have faith in US ability to make giant progress in this area.

How can US help India?

·         Participate in India’s economy and markets

·         Help build out India’s infrastructure – roads, highways, railways, commercial and residential real-estate, urban planning.

·         Develop India’s private education system – help formulate right policies, leverage education experts and help build proper private institutions.

·         Build proper financial regulations and controls so that this run-away growth is tempered with right control of inflation.

As two of the largest democracies of the world, believing in freedom of religion, fighting the global war of terrorism, US and India share many of the ideals, which built the foundations of the two countries. Both have incredibly talented individuals, vast pool of resources, which can be leveraged to help each other. Born and brought up in India, in the pre-1991 days, it has been very gratifying to watch the tremendous prestige and reverence shown to India – India has earned it. In the words of Tagore, India is acquiring the top seat in global assembly!

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, B.Tech(Hons) (IIT), M.S. (Computer Science), MBA.

Director, Energy & Finance Practice, SunGard Global Services.

Remembrance of a father – Tribute to my best friend!

Remembrance of a father – Tribute to my best friend!

Children love, adore their parents; the parents can do everything for them. That is the norm.  I do that too. But, in my case, the man, I called Baba, was my best friend. He was a man, who exemplified the spirit of life; who never made any demand, never pushed me to higher and higher expectations; who shared this incredible closeness with me as a friend!

Babi(my nickname) and Baba shared the bond, still do. This year, when Brazil lost in the World Cup, I really felt sad as a Brazil supporter; but felt much worse as I had lost my best friend, with whom I would have dissected the match for hours.

My earliest recollection left a literally indelible mark on me. He was excitedly rushing to get the “Hamaan Dishtey” (pestle used for grinding spices) to the cook, as he was organizing a “feast” at our place for many friends/neighbors and relatives. He bumped on to me, split open the forehead; he bandaged the six-seven year-old Babi and was back to organizing the feast. That mark is still there! The man loved life!

I had a bit of unique growing up – my dad never went to the bazaar; my mom never cooked. Maa was the taskmaster, laying out the schedule and expectations, and, she did do lot of Pujas and temple visits, organizing social service at Ramakrishna Mission. A doctor, Baba spent incredible hours at his own medical clinic, visiting other hospitals; his spare time was all devoted to social work, sports, and hanging out with me and my sister. He liked the pendulum swing of sports from the depths of sorrow to dizzy height of joy. He liked sharing them with me; teaching me about the finer qualities of life – teamwork, dedication, handling pressure, commitment to goals – all in the realm of sports. I saw how he managed his time – from taking care of his patients to treating the Sadhus/Sanyasins at various Ramkrishna Missions/Bharat Sevasram Sangha to pulling strings to take care of the poor and sick. He was an Eveready battery!

I was at Ishaan’s age when Mohun Bagan lost 5-0 to East Bengal, with young rookie Bhaskar Ganguly in goal. Everyone in our member stands was saying “Paisa Kheyeche” – “Has been paid off”! I did not know the meaning; Baba explained; “Everyone has a bad day; do not judge someone based on one day.”  Both of us were devastated; but he was still teaching!

I remember my Madhyamik days – my mom said “no sports, no visit to Mohum Bagan ground before the exams get over.” My father and I reluctantly agreed; as relatives/friends gathered around speculating what rank to expect in the state-wise results, he and I planned out that Federation Cup would be my first tournament after the exams. Exams got over; well, so we thought – but my Maa’s definition of exams included my orals and work/physical education exams also. I remember we had a big fight; with my father winning for a change, and, us celebrating our Fed Cup match with a post-match dinner at Aminia’s. What a father!

Back in 1986, I got offered a great internship at Software Research Institute in Pune – one of five students selected from all over India. I came home from Kharagpur and excitedly gave the news to Baba. His reply – “Takhon to World Cup?” “There is World Cup at that time?” I realized – what he meant. With that being my last summer before I graduated, how could I even think of not watching the World Cup with him? I quickly got it changed to Bhabha Atomic Research Center in Salt Lake. Someone else felt lucky that he got to go to SRI; I felt luckier spending my last summer before graduation watching World Cup at night with dad.

Fast forward to me graduating and leaving for America. The day I was leaving, he just could not leave his clinic to spend time with me. They were so many relatives, friends, neighbors – I wanted him. Then, I sat with him as we drove to the airport; I pressed his hand against me and was crying. He was stoic; my mom said when I talked after reaching US – he went off to see some patients at night. I know – he just could not be at home; he had just said good bye to his best friend. Me too, Baba – I cried the whole way – no more late night cricket watch with him, no more Mohun Bagan matches, no more chats about life, about the good or bad; about what to do and not to do!

He was given to simpler choices; never flaunted his wealth or repute. He had one famous advice for me: “If you have lost money, you have lost nothing. If you have lost your health, you have lost something. If you have lost your character, you have lost everything.” He measured people by their action; he had a strict sense of right and wrong. I remember – he never said that I cannot drink or smoke. He said “Babi, if you really find real joy and real friends, you do not need a drink or cigarette to make you happy. It is OK if others do.” When everyone was worried about my choices in hostel life, he was sure – “I trust Babi.” He had his conviction – he has raised Babi right.

Finally, when he was withering away, I had gone for one last trip to see him. With Maa away and me holding his hand,  I asked him “Baba, tell me-  have I been a good son?” I will cherish his reply – “Prosnoi othena” – No question at all!

I still miss him – miss giving him a call for advice, for just venting, for sharing good news, for sharing something I did with Ishaan or Trisha just like him, for saying thanks for teaching me about life. In this modern materialistic world, he stood out as a simple man, who did not flaunt his successes, who taught me the right and wrongs of the world, to judge people on merit, to enjoy the true meaning and worth of life.

Baba, you were a true friend, who happened to be my father. If I can become a fraction of the father you were to me, I would consider myself lucky.  May you rest in peace!