Mohali, September 21, 2019: The second day of ISB Leadership Summit day hosted some of the major stalwarts across various industries at its Mohali campus. The day started with packed house of enthusiastic youngsters looking forward to the possibilities that Hyperloop will create, and an engaging discussion on the future of mobility. Gracing the stage were occasion were Harj Dhaliwal (MD, Virgin Hyperloop One, India & Middle East), Rahul Maroli (VP, Enterprise Business, Ola Cabs) and RS Kalsi (Executive Board Member, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.)
Harj Dhaliwal Keynote speech titled – “Hyperloop – Vision to Reality” broached the subject of the need for the advent of a new mode of transport, something we haven’t witnessed since the development of the IC engine a hundred years ago. He posited that Hyperloop is that disruption in transportation that we need. He mentioned how Hyperloop as a platform would leverage Big Data and Automation to radically transform the development of smarter cities - currently plagued by overpopulation, which is expected to double by 2030. He said Hyperloop will allow cities to expand by connecting people to workspaces located distantly. He also touched upon the impact Hyperloop will have on the logistics of time sensitive and high value shipments through its inherent efficiencies.
Following the keynote was the discussion “Driving India Forward – The Future of Mobility”, an interesting reflection on the changing landscape of mobility in the Indian context. RS Kalsi provided us with insights on how the current downturn in the automotive sector is influenced by both – cyclical and structural issues. He expressed optimism for the sector’s future, though, with the slew of policy changes he sees on the horizon. Rahul Maroli expressed the need to embrace new technologies to bring the ride sharing models to tier 3, 4 & 5 cities. He mentioned the successful pilot test conducted by OLA in Nagpur on EVs as potential transporters. He shared their key finding that a strong infrastructure is required if EVs are to be scaled up. He mentioned that Ola is investing heavily on the EV market. All three speakers converged when asked about their expectations from the Government, policy wise. A quick, proactive policy formulation and spaced out implementation is what they expect from the government.
The second session of the day ‘Women in Leadership – Barriers, Biases and Way Forward’ comprised of an inspiring conversation with Ainara Kaur (Founder & CEO- Canvilicious Creative Tech), Dhanya Rajendran (The News Minute, Editor-in-Chief) and Neerja V (Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh) on issues of women representation and acknowledging failure.
On being asked about women representation in workplace, Ainara stressed on acknowledging the problem exists in terms of women underrepresentation in top leadership positions, stemming from social biases and stereotypes. Dhanya added that ‘softer biases’ present a bigger problem in this regard. The root lies in the patricidal mindset. Neerja opined that a way forward is by creating a “critical mass” by women in workspaces, this, she added would be the only way to create a level playing field where women would be able to help other women.
The discussion also involved discussions regarding women’s role as multitaskers – Dhanya stated de-genderisation is the way forward, no one should be confined to prescribed gender roles. Ainara added that abiding or breaking stereotypes should be a personal choice for every individual, irrespective of their gender. Our society is still evolving, which, is what makes us aspire to only achieve, we forget ‘failing’ is an option – as women, as people. As our society grows, she hopes, we will eventually be okay with the concept of failing.
Neerja ended this discussion by saying that empathy, commitment to excellence and self-confidence are traits women should possess - “Be committed to excellence, everything else will fall in place”.
Another important session for the day was by Alok Kumar (Advisor: Healthcare, Education – NITI Aayog – Action Tank of India) on NITI’s Social Ventures. Alok Kumar illustrated the mind-boggling diversity in Indian states, wherein some states enjoy the lowest infant mortality rates in the world while others have 2 out of 3 children who suffer from malnutrition.Mr. Kumar highlighted the need of the hour using the words of Lant Pritchett, an American developmental economist of Harvard University. As Mr. Pritchett has articulated, India is a “Flailing state” at the heart of which are smart people capable of crafting policies at par with the brightest minds in the world.
Young leaders can work with states, districts and panchayats, and stand with them. They can’t do what the Government has to do but they can support and supplement them. Mr. Kumar strongly felt that young leaders can make a difference, if they work with states, districts and panchayats, leverage tech trends and future prospects, and support these projects unto implementation.
The ISB Leadership Summit concluded with the “Crowd Funding Hopes: Social Impact as a Business” session with Bollywood Actor & Co- Founder Ketto, Kunal Kapoor. He regaled the audience with personal anecdotes on dealing with roadblocks in the social impact space, finding the inspiration to cofound Ketto and building it to be the phenomenal success it is today. Ketto, an Indian Crowdfunding platform is a brilliant success story in the technology and crowdfunding space, a platform that has raised close to Rs. 400 Crores for different social causes.
Kapoor outlined the challenges facing the social sector, his personal motivations for starting this platform and what he sees as the future of crowdfunding. Fundamentally, he deep dived into how Ketto was conceptualized as a way to use technology as a bridge between people who can give and people who need giving. Using his personal experiences as a compass, Kapoor engaged compassionately on the role of financing and how organic growth is at the centre of Ketto’s social impact. From first dates to funding Bharatanatyam contests, Kunal Kapoor was refreshingly candid, oscillating between his experiences in Bollywood and his passion for social impact, leaving the audience with the message of ‘Growth and Contribution are what matter the most”.
ISB hosted around 30 leaders across various walks on life in its two day leadership summit 2019.