Gems from Dr. Abdul Kalam’s address at IIM Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, 24 May, 2014

Former President Dr. A P J Kalam today addressed students of PGPX, a one year MBA program, at IIM Ahmedabad, as a part of the PGPX Speaker series organised by the PGPX 2014-15 batch.

In his address, Dr. Kalam emphasised that leaders should not worry about what they gain but instead focus on what they give.

In explaining how a nation as large and diverse as India could achieve developed economy status, he laid out a clear path and relationship between economic development and its fundamental reliance on management innovation and creative leadership.

Dr. Kalam shared his personal experience and advised students to absorb failure individually and when you succeed, give credit to the team.

He viewed ethical behavior as a fundamental leadership trait.

In response to questions from PGPX students on the ethics of weaponisation of space, he said that India needed to build strength. He mentioned that realpolitik dictates that strength respects strength. And, that such conditions in which India is not threatened, actually create peace and will allow it innovate and thrive.

To another query regarding leadership and failure, Dr. Kalam talked about how the first leaders of India’s space program demonstrated the ability to absorb large and public failures individually and despite failure stay focused on the success of the project.

He talked about the dynamics and characteristics of leadership that he expected from India’s future business leaders. IIM-A’s PGPX batch comprises eighty-five highly experienced professionals from diverse sectors. PGPX students are expected to take on future leadership roles in the industry.