M A I N   N E W S

Ethics, change key to success
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 29
Adherence to ethics, value-based business, achieving excellence and change as key to success in the emerging trend of e-leadership were the issues that were mainly dwelt upon by both awardees and keynote speakers at the 24th annual day function of the Ludhiana Management Association here today.

The awards for excellence were presented to three eminent personalities — Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor, The Tribune; Mr Nirmal Kumar Jain and Mr Kanwar Deep Singh, both industrialists.

Two young Chief Executive Officers — Mr Ravi Boothalinam and Mr Sudershan Banerjee — made impressive presentations on “excellence” and “e-leadership” at a nearly packed Darbar Hall of Majestic Park Plaza. And those in the audience included young business executives, industrialists, academicians besides the leaders of industry of this Manchester of India.

Mr Hari Jaisingh, who was presented the LMA-Dayanand Munjal award in recognition of his “excellent performance in creating public awareness towards an informed society”, wanted the industry and trade to evolve a business ethics and adhere to it.

The role of the press, he said, was to act as a watchdog of the common citizen. Each citizen, including business persons, must work towards improving the image of the nation, he emphasised.

Mr Jain, Director, Duke Group of companies, who received the LMA-Vardhman ‘entrepreneur of the year’ award, said it was his endeavour to provide the consumer the best that was keeping him ahead of others. The LMA-Trident young innovative entrepreneur award was given to Mr Kanwar Deep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of Toubro InfoTech and Industries. He said that it was hard work and persistence that brought him success.

Mr Brij Mohan Munjal said at times he felt pained that India, the originator of value-based business, had to look outwards for lessons in corporate management. He said that he would be happy if Ludhiana became a centre of value-based business.

He also appealed to the Government of Punjab to take adequate steps so that foreign investors were attracted to Punjab. He said states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh did not offer anything that Punjab could.

Mr Ravi Boothalingam, Chief Executive Officer of Manas Advisory, a consultancy firm on travel and tourism, corporate governance and management, said for achieving excellence in any sphere one had to dream big. And to convert those dreams into reality one had to identify key values. At times, he said, one had to be unrealistic and uncompromising for achieving one’s objective.

“It is not always money for which people work. It is the yearning for excellence that makes a difference”, he said.

Mr Sudershan Banerjee, CEO, Hutchison Essar Telecom , said it was time for “collaborations”. He said if one had set a target and worked effortlessly he was bound to succeed.

Punjab’s Financial Advisor, Mr Surinder Singla, while reacting to Mr Munjal’s appeal said, “Changing the existing policies was an impossible task”, but assured that the state government would soon come out with a blueprint for industrial development that would have a financial implication on at least 10 per cent of the families in the state.

In his address to the members of the LMA, the Uttaranchal Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, lauded the role of the LMA in identifying and honouring people who were doing commendable work in their respective spheres. In future only those companies would succeed that react to the need of their clients immediately, he added.

Mr Rajinder Gupta, CEO, Trident Group of Industries, said e-leadership could easily transcend the national and international boundaries and assured the members of the LMA that the association would take adequate steps to ensure that its members were kept abreast with the new developments in the business world.