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Young leaders needed to develop India: Kalam

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

Presidential candidate and renowned defence scientist A P J Abdul Kalam on Sunday said India needed young leaders to transform the nation into a developed one in the next two decades.

Delivering the first convocation address at the prestigious Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, Dr Kalam said India has been endowed with natural resources and human resources in abundance.

Answering the question what India needed to become a developed nation, he said, "The nation needs young leaders who can command the change for transformation of India into a developed nation embedded with knowledge society in 20 years from now."

"The leaders are the creators of new organisations of excellence. Quality leaders are like magnets who will attract the best of persons to build the team for the organisation and give inspiring leadership even during failures of individuals or organisation," he said.

Stating that he had seen and worked with creators of vision and missions, Kalam said, "The vision particularly ignites the young minds. The ignited soul is the most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth compared to any resource. It is essential to keep the lamp of knowledge burning to achieve the vision -- developed India."

Narrating his experiences right from his student days to his long spells in the Indian Space Research Organisation and Defence Research Development Organisation, Kalam explained, "Invisible leadership is 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."

Kalam had a word of advice for the ISB graduates from the founding class "You remember that change is the progress and hence change is the challenge. I wish you all to take up the challenge of transforming India into a healthy, wealthy, happy and empowered nation by becoming invisible leaders."

He said the first vision for India was to gain independence. "The second vision for a country of one billion people is to develop into a strong nation, economically strong and self reliant, and its people to be globally respected."

The renowned scientist said, "For the nation, what is needed today is a combination of technology, leadership and inspired work force. Let us analyse the dynamics of good organisations for national development. Developed India can only be powered by economic strength."

"We are 59th in competitiveness. The US is No 1 and Singapore is No 2. Competitiveness is powered by knowledge power. Knowledge power is powered by technology. Technology is powered by resource investment. Then only technology can take multi-dimensions," he added.

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