AN INTERVIEW WITH MR.SALIL SHETTY

Mr. Salil Shetty is a Governor of the Institute of Development Studies in Sussex, Council member of the Overseas Development Institute, London, a member of the Advisory council of the American- Indian Foundation New York and trustee of the Board of Italy's largest Secular International Development NGO Azione Aiuto.

QUESTION: What according to you makes a good leader?

COMMENT: 1. Values

                 2. Humility

                 3. Communication capability

                 4. Secular

QUESTION: Who according to you has been India’s best and worst leader? (Not necessarily political)

COMMENT: All party political leaders have failed us except maybe V.P.SINGH AND CHARAN SINGH.

DR. B.R.AMBEDKAR was outstanding.

QUESTION: What are India’s weaknesses & strengths as far as leadership is concerned?

COMMENT: It is difficult for a country of this size and diversity to have national leaders. We have to have a federation model with collective leadership. Democracy is our strength.

QUESTION: Methods to overcome leadership problems?

COMMENT: 1. Democratic the grass roots.

                 2. Give greater affirmative representation to socially excluded groups including women.

QUESTION: What according to you should be the role of the students regarding leadership? What can we do? How can we make ourselves heard?

COMMENT: Get involved in non-party political and social issues. if you are quiet and indifferent you will have nobody to blame. 

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AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ASHOK PARNAMI

Mr. Ashok Parnami is the current Mayor of Jaipur and an eminent politician

QUESTION: What according to you makes a good leader?

COMMENT: One who takes everybody all together.

QUESTION: Who according to you has been India’s best as well as worst leader?

COMMENT: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K.Advani-Best.

                  Laloo Prasad Yadav – Worst

QUESTION: What are India’s weaknesses and strengths as far as leadership is concerned?

COMMENT: Weakness-leaders think only about themselves.

                  Strengths- take everybody all together.

                  Individualism start appearing once, the person becomes a leader.

QUESTION: Methods to overcome leadership problems?

COMMENT: They should stop being individualistic and work for the betterment of the society.

QUESTION: What should be the role of students regarding leadership according to you? What can we do and how can we make ourselves heard?

COMMENT: College politics do play a very important role today.

    They can make themselves hear through media .Though school should be free of politics. Students are future of tomorrow, they have their say today everywhere.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. UPENDRA KAUSHIK PRINCIPAL, BHARTIYA VIDYA BHAVAN’S VIDYASHRAM

Q1:  What according to you makes a good leader?

        Initiative, Empathy, good communication skills and ability to make people along with him/her

Q2:Who according to you has been India’s best and worst leader? [not necessarily political]

        Best   -  Jawaharlal    Nehru

        Worst - Laluprasad Yadav

Q3:What are India’s strengths and weaknesses as far as leadership is concerned?

       Strengths   -  Good natural resources

                            Unity in diversity

       Weaknesses-  Lack of education

                            Ever Increasing population

Q4:What, according to you are the suitable methods to overcome leadership problems?

i)    Antisocial elements should be debarred from legislative assemblies, Parliament and Public representation.

      ii)    Minimum educational qualification should be fixed.

      iii)    Public should be more reactive and responsible towards worst leaders.

      iv)    Some training institutions should be there to sharpen leadership skills.

Q5:   According to you, what  should be the role of students regarding leadership? What can we do and how can we make ourselves heard?

  Students:       i)    They should be more constructive while playing their role

                      ii)    They must be well educated.

We      :      i)    We should be more participatory, responsible and responsive.

                      ii)    We should elect right candidates for public representation

       Heard    :  i)    Keeping watch on the leaders

ii)  Taking people together for community problems to leaders, media and officials

Q6:  What qualities do you look for in students for leadership at the school level?

         i)      Good education

         ii)     Good communication skills

         iii)    Empathy

         iv)    Taking people along with them

         v)     Constructive and responsible

        vi)     Initiative

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Interview with Mrs.kamala Poddar

Chairperson, National Institute Of Fashion Design, Jaipur

Q1:What according to you are the qualities that make one a successful   leader?

        It is the person’s attitude, vision, commitment and hard work. Sometimes it is the inborn capacity of an individual but it can also be inculcated by taking initiative. Environment plays an important role in enhancing or suppressing the capacity of leadership.

        I feel leadership is about responsibilities and not about authorities. If a person takes responsibilities, he subsequently gets the authority.

Q2:Who,according to you have been india’s best and worst leaders?

         According to me, nobody is worst. We just rate people on the basis of their success. But still if I am asks to pick one, I would say Indira Gandhi had admirable leadership qualities. Dhirubhai Ambani and Ratan Tata  were also exceptional industrialists I will also include young Tennis player Sania mirza in this group as she is doing what she believes in and pays no heed to what the conservative groups are talking about the length of her skirt.  She is unknowingly spreading a message too! But I will still maintain that there is a lot to learn from leaders who have failed too.

Q3:What according to you are India’s strengths and weaknesses as far as leadership is concerned?

        Our strength is our never-ending spirit to fight with plethora of problems that surround us. Our unity in spite of such diversity. But our petty politics, groupism, corruption has weakened the system from within.

Q4:What are then the methods to overcome these problems?

      There is a need to change the attitude altogether. One has to take a strong stand and work for the reconstruction of the society. The system needs to be changed. Even if we are branded as rebels  today, probably History will view us favourably.

Q5:What according to you is the role of students regarding leadership? What can we do and how can we make ourselves heard?

        Realisation is the key word. Realisation of the mistakes that earlier generation has made. They should be rectified. Preserve their contributions too. They should take interest in politics. If not in active politics, at least on the smaller scale like at their home, neighbourhood, workplace etc…that itself can bring a revolution.

Q5:What qualities do you look for in the students for leadership?

        The most important is his positive attitude and  humane nature.i would also looking for originality because good leaders never follow  blindly.

Q6:Do you think road to leadership is tougher for women in India?

    No… and a firm no indeed! I believe all the fields are equally open to women in India and there are many at the top positions today. I don’t believe in women’s liberation or reservation.  We are excellent as homemakers as well as working women.  It is just an excuse given by women who have not dared to try hard enough.

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