 "R Gopalakrishnan")
R Gopalakrishnan
R Gopalakrishnan
R Gopalakrishnan has been at top of corporate world in India for over three decades. He is former Director of Tata Sons and Vice Chairman of Hindustan Unilever. He has over 30 years of board experience and currently serves as an independent director of listed companies, Castrol India and one of Sri Lankan conglomerates, Hemas. He also worked as independent director of Press Trust of India. He has been appointed as Distinguished Professor of IIT, Kharagpur and Executive-in-Residence at SPJIMR, Mumbai. He studied physics at Kolkata University, engineering at IIT Kharagpur and attended Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
R Gopalakrishnan has been at top of corporate world in India for over three decades. He is former Director of Tata Sons and Vice Chairman of Hindustan Unilever. He has over 30 years of board experience and currently serves as an independent director of listed companies, Castrol India and one of Sri Lankan conglomerates, Hemas. He also worked as independent director of Press Trust of India. He has been appointed as Distinguished Professor of IIT, Kharagpur and Executive-in-Residence at SPJIMR, Mumbai. He studied physics at Kolkata University, engineering at IIT Kharagpur and attended Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
R Gopalakrishnan
Engineering success at the IITs: The story behind an enduring brand
Prabhat Kumar's book traces the rise of the IIT ecosystem over 75 years, celebrating its achievements while prompting debate on whether India's premier institutes are ready for the future
 "Engineering success at the IITs: The story behind an enduring brand")
India needs a new state-enterprise partnership to unlock business growth
An idea on JRD Tata's birth anniversary on July 29
 "India needs a new state-enterprise partnership to unlock business growth")
Why Rolex's ownership model offers a different view of capitalism
By staying private, Rolex SA is proud that it can remain independent and sustainable, and take long-term bets
 "Why Rolex's ownership model offers a different view of capitalism")
A shared corner office may temper the risks of turbulent leadership
There are many consultants and opinions on how companies should cope with tumultuous times
 "A shared corner office may temper the risks of turbulent leadership")
Predicting a leadership 'crash': Key to averting governance crashes
Rising anti-empathy leadership and unchecked power may trigger governance failures, as boards struggle to identify early warning signs of behavioural derailment
 "Predicting a leadership 'crash': Key to averting governance crashes")
Why intuition is the last mile in complex decision-making for final calls
Data and analysis go far but not all the way to certainty; then the leader decides on intuition -seeing, hearing, and feeling beyond the obvious
 "Why intuition is the last mile in complex decision-making for final calls")
India and China together are better placed to win the Asian Century
The difference in performance is not merely systemic -- communist versus democracy; it is pointless to view each other as competitors
 "India and China together are better placed to win the Asian Century")
Why cultural consistency, values are key to building enduring institutions
From JRD to Ratan Tata to N Chandrasekaran, the Tata story shows how enduring institutions survive turbulence by renewing strategy while staying anchored to core values
 "Why cultural consistency, values are key to building enduring institutions")
India-China ties: Why pragmatic engagement matters more than trust
Chanakya advocated scoring a decisive win whereas Sun Tzu advocated patient encirclement: India must learn to play Weiqi, not chess
 "India-China ties: Why pragmatic engagement matters more than trust")
Indian businesses must combine enterprise philosophy with societal service
The Constitution was enriched by ideas from diverse segments of the population, and its preamble is a brief statement that outlines its core values and philosophy
 "Indian businesses must combine enterprise philosophy with societal service")
Public criticism of predecessors: Rare, but India is not immune to it
Outside clubs, cooperative societies, and politics, public criticism of companies is rare - but India is not immune to it
 "Public criticism of predecessors: Rare, but India is not immune to it")
The CEO Mindset: Shiv Shivakumar puts behaviour at the heart of leadership
For leaders, what matters more - behaviour and mindset, or actions and practices? S Shivakumar's book argues for the former
 "The CEO Mindset: Shiv Shivakumar puts behaviour at the heart of leadership")
Doing well by doing good: Swami Vivekananda's guide for modern enterprise
India has its own long tradition of business doing social good. These are deeply embedded in family businesses, partially captured in the series The Story of Indian Business
 "Doing well by doing good: Swami Vivekananda's guide for modern enterprise")
Serving vs ruling in a democracy: Rethinking attitudes to governance
Indeed, this is a Perry moment for India, but it is unlikely to be the last - unless we fundamentally rethink governance and adopt jana seva attitude toward citizens. Are people being ruled or served
 "Serving vs ruling in a democracy: Rethinking attitudes to governance")
'Western vs Indian': Differing management approaches reflect cultural roots
Western management abhors ambiguity. Indians tolerate and thrive in it
 "'Western vs Indian': Differing management approaches reflect cultural roots")
Susim Mukul Datta: Fountain of youth who left a lasting imprint on HLL
This piece is not an elegy or an obituary. It is an intimate portrait of one of India's highly accomplished leaders
 "Susim Mukul Datta: Fountain of youth who left a lasting imprint on HLL")
India needs thousands of innovators like Suhas Patil and Anjan Bose
These are "hidden champions" of strategic research and innovation. They are worthy of emulation within Indian industry, and maybe even a Padma!
 "India needs thousands of innovators like Suhas Patil and Anjan Bose")
'Purposeful' deergha ayush: Long life is no virtue for an incapable company
Deergha ayush must be both biological and operating with a deep purpose
 "'Purposeful' deergha ayush: Long life is no virtue for an incapable company")
The true value of a book really lies in what the reader takes from it
If leaders read this book, reflect upon the contents, relate the lessons to their own experiences, and hold tight to their NI (natural intelligence), they increase their odds of success
 "The true value of a book really lies in what the reader takes from it")
Steps towards being Deergha Ayush: 7 lessons from famine-era Bengal
Leaders must recognise the existence and urgency of the crisis or problem
 "Steps towards being Deergha Ayush: 7 lessons from famine-era Bengal")