‘Curating Youtube’ series by Japan K Pathak, Ahmedabad

Generally there’s fix formula of speaking at IIM Ahmedabad. Speak in fluent English, use some words like ‘Inclusiveness’, ‘reform’ etc.

But this particular speech delivered at IIMA is different. Among Pizzas and Burgers it’s like Khandvi, Khaman and Dhokla. It’s full of Indianness, to say specifically Gujaratiness. It’s full of wisdom. It’s full of humbleness. It has fragrance of Gujarati entrepreneurship and way of running business. It has rural connect and global connect.

Shri Govindbhai Dholakia is one of the richest Gujaratis. His firm SRK diamonds doesn’t need any introduction. When called to speak at IIMA, Shri Govindbhai started his speech with Sanskrit shloka and ‘Krishna Kanaiya Lal Ki Jay’. His address and interaction frequently mentions Shri Dongreji Maharaj – a great Bhagwad kathakar of 20th century Gujarat. Also mentioned in his address and interaction are Ram Kathakar Morari Bapu, Pandurang dada, Sachchidanand Maharaj, Bhagwad Geeta and more. Positivity, trust, care, respect, values, ethics, distribution of wealth are topics of Govindbhai’s address/interaction. He believes Bhagwad Geeta is a book that answers all questions that we face in our life. He feels proud that none of his 5,000 employees consum intoxicants. He has logic behind giving Rs. 30,000 per month salary to his driver and Rs. 17,000 per month salary to servants at home.

What he learned at Shri Dongreji Maharaj’s katha decades back is even today practiced by him and his company and that is about giving respect to smallest person. In difficult time how he decided not to remove any employees from job and how that decision turned out to be in his favor later on….. Importance of understanding the factors like Sthal(Place), Kaal(phase), Kaarya(activity), Kaam(which he says relates to present), Krodh(which he says relates to what has already happened) and Lobh(which he relates to future)…. Importance of Swabhav(human nature)….. Keys to happiness – chalshe, favshe, gamshe, bhavshe…. The entire speech and interaction sessions full of such pearls of wisdom keeps us engaging.

Video: Govindbhai Dholakia at IIM Ahmedabad
Content: Introduction – presentation – address – interaction
Language: Hindi
Length: 1:28:57
Upload period: February 2014
Topic: Management

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