Page 30 - Sept-2020-Issue

ARTICLE

your mark on the world, remem-
ber that, in the ultimate analysis,
we are all mere temporary custo-
dians of the wealth we generate,
whether it be financial, intellec-
tual, or emotional. The best use of
all your wealth is to share it with
those less fortunate.
Defining her mantra for suc-
cess in business, Sudha Murthy,
Chairperson of the Infosys
Foundation once stated:
'Compassion plays a bigger role
than position. It is the compas-
sion that a person shows towards
men for their best, they rise to a cause. Success can indiscrimi- others that makes him different.
belief in their work and create a nately reinforce all our prior ac- One upmanship helps a person
momentum towards improve- tions. Thirdly, as I think across a to grow fast, but not necessarily
ment. Often I have seen men who wide variety of settings in my life, successful. It is the compassion
were considered ordinary, rise to I am struck by the incredible role that makes you successful.' She
extraordinary heights. Do not ac- played by the interplay of chance accepted that there is nothing
cept second rate work; accept the events with intentional choices. wrong to be ambitious and make
best and ask for it; pursue it re- While the turning points them- money. 'It is important to be am-
lentlessly and you will get it.' selves are indeed often fortuitous, bitious and creation of wealth-
Narayan Murthy, the co- founder how we respond to them is any- legally or ethically- is important
of Infosys came from lower mid- thing but so. It is this very quality too. But a part of the wealth
dle class family of teachers where of how we respond systematical- should go back to society.'
tremendous focus was given on ly to chance events that is crucial. Tarla Dalal rise to ‘recipe queen'
education. He candidly admits Fourthly, the mindset one works began in 1974 with a book- not
that back in 1960’s, the odds of with is also quite crucial. A fixed hers. At the time, she was con-
his being in front of world would mindset creates a tendency to ducting cooking classes in Pune.
have been zero. Yet here he stands avoid challenges, to ignore useful One fine day, one of her students
before the world! With every suc- negative feedback and leads such published a book that sold like
cessive step, the odds kept chang- people to plateau early and not hotcakes. 'I was just a housewife
ing in his favor, and it is these achieve their full potential. The and I could barely speak English.
life lessons that made all the dif- latter view, a growth mindset, But I was a good cook,' recalls
ference to become successful leads to a tendency to embrace Dalal, who started with teach-
business leader: Firstly, it is less challenges, to learn from criti- ings six women. 'I did not know
important, I believe, where you cism and such people reach ever what dhana jeru (coriander and
start. It is more important how higher levels of achievement. cumin seed powder) was called
Fifthly, I believe highest form of
and what you learn. If the qual- in English. And when I saw a
ity of the learning is high, the de- knowledge is self knowledge. book by someone else with my
Hence, this greater awareness
velopment gradient is steep, and, and knowledge of oneself is what recipes, my husband convinced
given time, you can find your- ultimately helps develop a more me to write my own. He took
self in a previously unattainable grounded belief in oneself, cour- dictation from me and we con-
place…Secondly, learning from age, determination, and above stantly debated over the English
the experiences, however, can be all, humility, all qualities which names to the ingredients.' She
complicated. It can be much more enable one to wear one’s success released her first cookbook, The
difficult to learn from success with dignity and grace. Sixthly, Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking,
than from failure. If we fail, we when, one day, you have made in 1975- it took her 18 months to
think carefully about the precise compile- and her classes became

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