CHANAKYA BIOGRAPHY

Chanakya ( c. 370 – c. 283 BC) was an Indian teacher, philosopher, and royal

advisor. Originally a professor of economics and political science at the

ancient Takshashila University, Chanakya managed the

first Mauryaemperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. He is widely

credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya

Empire, which was the first empire in archaeologically recorded history to rule most

of the Indian subcontinent. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both

Chandragupta and his son Bindusara. He is the pioneer of Political Realism in India,

and is often compared to Thucydides and Machiavelli.

Chanakya was not good looking and he chooses her wife, as she was also not good

looking. Chanakya married to a dark-skinned Brahmin girl named Yashodhra. Once

she went to her brother's house for a function. At that function her sisters & sister-in-

laws made laugh of her poverty. This made her & Chanakya very sad. His wife said to

Chanakya that she has heard that King Dhananand of Patliputra gives cows to

Brahmins on the No-moon day of the Krishna-pashas of Kartik month. So, Chanakya

went there and sat on the seat, which was meant for the king.

Chanakya is touted as the "Pioneer Economist of India". Chanakya was the adviser

and Prime Minister of Emperor Chandragupta. Chanakya was a professor at the

University of Takshila (located in present day Pakistan) and was an expert in

commerce, warfare, economics, etc. His famous works include Chanakya Neeti,

Arthashastra and Neetishastra. Read this biography of Kautilya that covers his

interesting life history.

Chanakya is also known by the name of Kautilya and Vishnugupta as is mentioned in

his text. His famous work called Arthashastra is a classic example of statecraft and

politics and is read in Europe even today. It basically consists of the principles of

politics and how the state works. An able ruler has to be a ruthless leader to make sure

that the state works smoothly and efficiently. The legends associated with Chanakya

are very interesting and provide a testimony of his greatness.

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CHANAKYA HAS WRITTEN THREE MAIN BOOKS:

1. Chanakya sutras, 

2. Raja nitisastra, and 

3. Arthasastra

CHANAKYA CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SOCIETY:

He was man of great tactics who made great contributions and was instrumental in

changing the course of Indian history. It is said that Chanakya had been personally

offended by King Nanda and he had vowed to keep his long sikha (pony

tail) unknotted until he saw to the demise of the contemptuous ruler and his drunken

princes. Chanakya helped Chandragupta in raising large army and defeating King

Nanda there by fulfilling his vow. He roughly lived between the periods 350-275 BC.

He was also known as Kautilya and Vishnu Gupta. Chanakya functioned as

Chandragupta's counselor and advised him in many matters related with state. A

treatise on the science of politics "Arthashastra' is the most famous work of

Chanakya. He is considered as pioneer of the field of economics and political science.

He is considered as one of the great teacher, thinker and diplomat. His intellectual

genius commanded lot of adulation and respect during his time and subsequent years.

Later on people even tried to attribute authorship of several works dealing with

various subjects ranging from to astronomy and mathematics to him but only

‘arthashastra’ and ‘Neetishstra’ or ‘Chanakya Neeti’ are the two books attribution to

him.

He is considered as great economist and revolutionary. He was a great strategist of his

time, and also considered as ruthless manipulator who was determined to achieve his

goals by using fourfold policy of Conciliation, Donation, Punishment and Division.

Contribution, ‘Artha Sastra,’ a treatise on economics and political science in India

centuries ago. It is no surprise that many of the ancient wisdom suits the present

situations of political and economic conditions too because of Chanakya’s exceptional

foresight.

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MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM CHANAKYA

Lesson 1 : Even though Chanakya was reputed and famous in Takshila, it does not

mean he would be famous in Patliputra too. So his asking for the debate is justified to

prove his worth. Similarly, a high performer' in one team or company needs to prove

his worth in a new environment to gain the same tag.

Chanakya was prepared to face it. But he could try a different approach for the desired

result. In the corporate world, referral plays a major role in hiring key senior

employees. If any of the key ministers of the Nandas had referred or introduced him,

he might have got the position.

Chanakya did not vacate the golden seat, and the Nanda princes physically pulled him

down. During this process, a lock of his hair got ruffled up. At this moment,

Chanakya took a vow to redo the hair only after defeating the Nandas.

They were about to punish him with the death sentence, but one of the ministers

prevailed upon the princes to forgive him. Chanakya went out of Magadha and met

Chandragupta, who Was waiting for him.

There are many stories on how Chanakya first met Chandragupta, but one thing was

clear: Chanakya could sense the inherent qualities in Chandragupta and trained him as

he wanted to build an empire by making him the king who could protect India from

The Greek invasion.

Lesson 2: Fearlessness, perseverance and patience are the key attributes of any leader.

This helps in setting lofty goals and fuels the determination to achieve them by

executing against the well-laid-out plan.

Another great quality exhibited by the leader is in spotting' talents and grooming them

to take bigger challenges.

Chanakya's first step was to sneak in a spy to keep a watch on the Nandas' inner

circle. He knew one Jeevasiddhi, who was intelligent and could do the job. Chanakya

told Jeevasidhi about some of the secrets of the palace learnt from Chandragupta who

had heard about these from his father.

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They sent Jeevasiddhi to the palace. Jeevasiddhi convinced the Nandas that he

possessed supernatural powers by narrating the secrets hidden in the palace. The

Nandas started leaning on him and consulting him before making any major decision.

Slowly, he became a part of their coterie.

Lesson 3 : A background check is required for most hires, but a detailed one is a must

for senior positions to ensure right fit. At a very senior level, where information

regarding tender, bid, intellectual property and other trade secrets is involved,

company must take steps to protect it.

Many companies ask people to sign the non-disclosure agreement and, at times,

activate special clauses restraining them from joining rival or competing companies

for a few years.

Meanwhile, Chandragupta started helping the people of Magadha . His popularity

started soaring. This acted as a threat to Nandas. The Nandas had an intelligent

minister in AmatyaRakshasa. He advised the Nandas to kill Chandragupta. Jeevasidhi

learnt of the plan and helped Chandragupta escape.

Chanakya encouraged Chandragupta to take over the Magadha throne. Chandragupta

networked with people and built the Mauryan army. Most of them were people

disillusioned and unhappy with the Nanda rule. Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya

announced a battle plan and ensured that the Nanda army could be diverted to reach a

distant battlefield to fight the Mauryanarmy.In the meantime, a civil war erupted in

Magadha .

Lesson 4 : A peaceful handover to the new management is desirable as it saves the

company from infighting that could weaken it. It would be faster and fruitful to scale

new heights from a stable company rather than a wrecked one. It helped Maurya kings

to reach new heights faster not only due to their great leadership skills, but also due to

peaceful transition.

It was a monumental task to build an efficient government for Chandragupta Maurya.

Chanakya convinced Rakshasa to continue to be the minister of Chandragupta by

sharing his grand vision of fighting against the invasion.Chandragupta was able to

leverage Rakshasa's excellent skills in administering the kingdom. Chanakya assumed

the position of an elder statesman.

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Lesson 5 : One needs to perform and show results to be considered as a key resource.

Key People are always in demand, but more so doing organization’s transformation.

People are the main asset. Their knowledge and expertise can provide a big leap to

any activity. They should be retained. Managers should not be biased in working with

high performers' even if they used to work with their adversaries in the past, provided

the person maintains loyalty and confidentiality. Top performers are attracted by lofty

visions/goals and Are willing to face difficult challenges.

While serving Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya started adding small amounts of

poison in his food so that he could get immune to it and would survive any attempts at

poisoning.

One day, his queen, Durdha, shared the food with the Emperor while she was

pregnant. She died and Chanakya extricated the baby from the womb. A drop (bindu

in Sanskrit) of poison had got into the foetus and hence Chanakya named him

Bindusara. Bindusara would go on to become a great king, and his son, Ashoka,

would emerge as one of the greatest emperors.

Chanakya had a political adversary called Subandhu, who was in the court of

Bindusara. He kept looking for opportunity to defame Chanakya in the eyes on

Bindusara. On finding the right occasion, he mentioned to the king that Chankaya had

killed his mother. However, the bigger question that remains is: why did the Maurya

kings keep Subandhu when his envy towards Chanakya was well known?

Bindusara became angry with Chankaya. On knowing this, Chanakya walked out of

the city, donated all his wealth and sat on a fast. When Bindusara learnt the truth, he

felt ashamed and asked Subandhu to apologise to Chanakya.

Subandhu hatched a plan to meet him and asked him to forgive him. But secretly, he

set Chanakyas abode on fire. Chanakya was killed in the fire.

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THOUGHTS FROM CHANAKYA

1) "As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."

2) "The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."

3) "Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't

abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."

4) 1"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your

temple."

5) "A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

6) "Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such

friendships will never give you any happiness."

7) "Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold

them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up

children are your best friends." 

8) "Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."

9) "Learn from the mistakes of others... you can't live long enough to make them all

yourselves!!"

10) "A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people

are screwed first."

11) Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."

12) "There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship

without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."

13) “Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I

doing it, what the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think

deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

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DR. APJ ABDUL KALAM BIOGRAPHY

APJ Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 at the South Indian state of Tamil

Nadu and received honorary doctorates from about 30 universities globally. In the

year 1981, the Government of India presented him the nation's highest civilian honor,

the Padma Bhushan and then again, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Bharat

Ratna in 1997.

And Dr APJ Abdul Kalam regards his work on India's nuclear weapons program as a

way to assert India's place as a future superpower. Even during his tenure as

President, APJ Kalam took avid interest in the spheres of India's science and

technology. He has even put forward a project plan for establishing bio-implants. He

is also an ardent advocate of open source software over proprietary solutions to churn

out more profits in the field of information technology in India

Achievements - This eminent scientist and engineer has also served as the 11th

President of India from the period 2002 to 2007. APJ Abdul Kalam is a man of vision,

who is always full of ideas aimed at the development of the country. He firmly

believes that India needs to play a more assesive role in international relations.

Apart from being a notable scientist and engineer, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam served as the

11th President of India from the period 2002 to 2007. He is a man of vision, who is

always full of ideas aimed at the development of the country and is also often also

referred to as the Missile Man of India. People loved and respected Dr APJ Abdul

Kalam so much during his tenure as President that was popularly called the People's

President.

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DR. A.P.J ABDUL KALAM’S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS EDUCATION

Being a top scientist of international reputation, his direct contribution to the

advancement of science and technology is unique and commendable. His scholarly

research publications, articles, books etc. have opened new avenues for research and

studies in the area of aeronautics, ballistics, and metallurgy.

Below are some important factors of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, for better

Education.

Capacities to be built among students: The primary focus of the students should be to

excel in their studies. This is their first contribution to the development of the nation.

The education system should instill in the minds of students capacities of inquiry,

creativity, technology, entrepreneurial and moral leadership. If we develop in all our

students these five capacities, we will produce "Autonomous Learner" a self-directed,

self controlled, lifelong learner, who will have the capacity to both respect authority

and at the same time is capable of questioning authority, in an appropriate manner.

Planning for good education for children in villages: Every school should have basic

amenities such as a good building equipped with ventilation and lighting. The rooms

should be airy and have spacious classrooms. The school should also have a library,

laboratories including the latest Information Technology tools and infrastructure, safe

drinking water, clean toilets and a playground. This is possible by earmarking the

additional 2 to 3 per cent of GDP.

Mission of education: Education is the most important element for growth and

prosperity of a nation. India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed

nation by 2020. Yet we have 350 million people who need literacy and many more

who have to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging modern India and the

globe.

Inequality of access to educational resources: It is essential that we enlighten and

create widespread awareness of education among all sections of society particularly in

rural areas and among the urban poor. We should use technology for this important

social purpose. It is possible for NGOs, other social and philanthropic institutions and

the media to focus on this area of creating awareness. We should also mobilise

necessary resources for providing education to the underprivileged people. Mobilising

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resources for the mission of education: Over the last 50 years, successive

Governments have been committed to achieving the national goal of universal

education and has steadily increased the budgetary allocation for education. However,

35 percent of our adult population is yet to achieve literacy. The expenditure on

education as a percentage of our Gross Domestic Product has a direct impact on our

literacy. Today our expenditure on education in India is little more than 4 per cent of

our GDP. If we have to achieve nearly 100 per cent literacy, it is necessary to increase

expenditure on education to about 6 to 7 per cent of GDP. This 2 to 3 per cent

increase has to be sustained only for a few years. Thereafter, a lower percentage of

GDP allocation to education will be adequate to sustain the high degree of literacy in

this country for all time to come.

Reducing Dropouts: It is reported that 39 per cent of children, drop out from school

after studying 5th Class and 55 per cent drop out after studying up to 8th Class. The

Right to Education Bill for children between the age group of 5 and 14 years. But, an

Act alone cannot achieve the goal, unless education is delivered in a manner, which

will take into account the socio-ecnomic reality and perception of the people to whom

it is addressed. Apart from attracting children to schools, the education system should

be able to provide nourishment and inject creativity among them. The aim of the

education system should also be to build character, human values, enhance learning

capacity through technology and build confidence among children to face the future.

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APJ ABDUL KALAM CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS INDIA

Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's

first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected

the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an

exclusive member of Space Club.

He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and

PRITHVI Missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies.

He led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II

nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made

India a nuclear Weapon State.

He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple

development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM APJ ABDUL KALAM

1. Be Prepared

Life does not always follow the path we have set for it. Sometimes, it takes its own

course and makes us follow it instead. And when that happens – an emergency, as

some would term it, we better be prepared. At least have the presence of mind to

know what is the best course of action suited to that particular situation. The fanatic

emphasis on ‘Plan B’ that professionals talk about is not a coward’s fall-back

system. It serves a purpose, a purpose that a strategist has envisioned and

planned before the need for an alternate solution surfaces.

After the initial tweak of schedule, everything went as planned. Dr. Kalam formally

addressed the audience, spoke about inspiring leadership and upheld his mentor, Prof.

Satish Dhawan, the Chairman of ISRO, as a stellar leader.

2. Leaders Acknowledge Contribution

Prof. Dhawan was the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization when

India’s Rohini satellite was to be launched into orbit. Dr. Kalam, then a scientist, was

the Project Director for the launch. Despite the best research and technical expertise,

the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal instead of the satellite going

into orbit. In the press conference that followed the disastrous launch, Prof. Dhawan

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faced the media, took the blame of the failure on himself and assured the world that

by next year his team would definitely succeed.

3. Go With The Flow

Dr. Kalam knew the effect he had on the masses, especially the youth. With a leader’s

vision he knew how eager the audience was to talk to him, hear him, and be inspired

by him. He went beyond what was chalked in his schedule and made an exception for

all present that day. He let them touch his hand and in return, touched their lives. He

gauged the situation, sensed the unspoken dreams and went with the flow. And

because he did that, everybody present in that auditorium that day emerged a different

person- more inspired, more ready to face the world, more willing to make a

difference.

So potent was my first meeting with Dr.Kalam that it became the backdrop of my

debut novella, Love’s Labor, ten years later. After the book was published, I wanted

to present him with a copy and requested an audience with him. Dr.Kalam obliged.

There was more learning in store. The first thing I noticed about the former Prez was

how he had kept himself up at his age. The mental alacrity, more than the physical, is

what caught my attention.

4. Keep Fit

Successful people realize the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind. They

know that the two are inextricably inter-linked and imperative for their smooth

functioning. They follow a strict regimen of healthy habits which include right eating,

adherence to meal times, a holistic exercise plan that suits one’ s age and a mind full

of positivity. It is established that the first three invariably impact the fourth.

At eighty plus, when most resign from life and suffer from purposelessness and

isolation, Dr. Kalam has launched his mission for the youth of the nation called

the What Can I Give Movement with a central theme to defeat corruption. He writes

Tamil poetry, plays the veena, and continues doing what he had set forth after his

Presidential tenure – sharing his experiences with the youth, helping them ‘to ignite

their imagination and preparing them to work for a developed India for which the road

map is already available’. He exemplifies what others aspire for, he looks to the future

with hope.

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5. Have A Vision

This is that single most potent factor that drives our civilization. Having a vision,

nurturing it, waiting for its fruition, reaping its rewards – all give meaning to life.  The

human spirit collapses not when it is deprived of food but when it is denied a dream.

People with purpose move far ahead in life than those with none. The auto-pilot mode

that works well for an aircraft is fatal for a human. The youthful lament of ‘getting

bored’ or the elderly refrain that all ‘responsibilities are over’ and there’s nothing else

left, does not bode well for a nation that still has a long way to go.

THOUGHTS OF APJ ABDUL KALAM

1. You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing,

there will be no results.

2. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever

3. An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

4. You should be the change that you want to see in the world.

5. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

6. The best way to find you is to lose yourself in the service of others

7. I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along

with people.

8. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

9. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in

which its animals are treated.

10. Nobody can hurt me without my permission.

11. You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.

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12. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable

will.

13. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in

harmony.

14. I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of

one.

15. First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you

win.

16. A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to

please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

17. The more efficient a force is, the more silent and the more subtle it is.

18. The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane.

Books Written by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Wings of fire

Mere sapno ka Bharat

India 2020

Agni ki Udan

Spirit of India

Broom Groom

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MAHATMA GANDHI BIOGRAPHY

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal

town on the Kathiawar Peninsula and then part of the small princely state of

Porbandar in the Kathiawar Agency of the British Indian Empire. His father,

Karamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), served as thediwan (chief minister) of Porbander

state. His mother, Putlibai, who was from a Pranami Vaishnava family, was

Karamchand's fourth wife, the first three wives having apparently died in childbirth.

The Indian classics, especially the stories of Shravana and king Harishchandra, had a

great impact on Gandhi in his childhood. In his autobiography, he admits that they left

an indelible impression on his mind. He writes: "It haunted me and I must have acted

Harishchandra to myself times without number." Gandhi's early self-identification

with truth and love as supreme values is traceable to these epic characters.

In May 1883, the 13-year-old Mohandas was married to 14-year-

old KasturbaiMakhanji in an arranged child marriage, according to the custom of the

region. In the process, he lost a year at school. Recalling the day of their marriage, he

once said, "As we didn't know much about marriage, for us it meant only wearing new

clothes, eating sweets and playing with relatives." However, as was prevailing

tradition, the adolescent bride was to spend much time at her parents' house, and away

from her husband. In 1885, when Gandhi was 15, the couple's first child was born, but

survived only a few days. Gandhi's father, Karamchand Gandhi, had also died earlier

that year. The religious background was eclectic. Gandhi's father

was Hindu Modh Baniya and his mother was from Pranami Vaishnava family.

Religious figures were frequent visitors to the home.

Mohandas and Kasturba had four more children, all sons: Harilal, born in

1888; Manilal, born in 1892; Ramdas, born in 1897; and Devdas, born in 1900. At his

middle school in Porbandar and high school in Rajkot, Gandhi remained a mediocre

student. He shone neither in the classroom nor on the playing field. One of the

terminal reports rated him as "good at English, fair in Arithmetic and weak in

Geography; conduct very good, bad handwriting." He passed the matriculation

exam at Samaldas College in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, with some difficulty.

BOOKS WRITTEN BY MAHATMA GANDHI

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Autobiography: my experiments with truth

Character and nation building

Non- Violence resistance

All Men are Brothers

The way to god

Satyagraha in South Africa

Hind Swaraj etc.

GANDHIJI’S CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONALIST MOVEMENT

The nationalist movement grew into a wide spread mass anti-imperialist movement at

the end of the First World War. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi came into

prominence at this time and became the undisputed leader of the nationalist

movement. Powerful mass movements were launched under his leadership. These

involved defiance of laws, peaceful demonstrations, boycott of educational

institutions, boycott of courts, boycott of educational institutions, picketing of shops

selling liquor and foreign goods, non-payment of taxes and the closing of vital

business. These non-violent but revolutionary methods influenced millions of people

belonging to all sections of society and infused in them bravery and self-confidence.

Millions now braved the repression resorted by the govt boldly courted imprisonment

and faced lathicharges and firings. Gandhiji lived the simple life of an ascetic and

talked to the people in a language they could understand. He came to be known to the

people as Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhiji made social report a part of the programme of the nationalist movement. His

greatest achievement in the field of social reform was the campaign against inhuman

institution of untouchability which had degraded millions of Indians. His other

achievement was in the field of cottage industries. He saw in the charkha, the spinning

wheel, the salvation of the village people and its promotion became part of the

congress programme.In addition to infusing people with the spirit of nationalism it

provided employment to millions and created a large group of people who were ready

to throw themselves into the struggle and court imprisonment. The charkha became so

important that it eventually became a part of the flag of the Indian National Congress.

MAHATMA GANDHI'S CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION:

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Gandhiji's model wasnot only holistic and practical, it was highly decentralized and

integrated, with a demonstrated capacity to motivate the entire community and place

responsibility and accountability at the community level versus the State. To highlight

just a fewof his contributions.

An Investment in Human Capital :On economic, political and military grounds, India

was of first rate importance to the British and education was the instrument by which

they sought to maintain and strengthen their domination by experimenting with a

unique model of educating an elite through a foreign language.

It was Gandhiji, who in 1937 first recognized the interconnectedness of the eight

curricular forces and questioned the futility of the British education system. Based on

his wisdom and successful experiments with education in South Africa, he put forth a

Basic Education Plan which had the merit of achieving one aim of peace and freedom,

for which all mankind yearns today.

Also, recognizing the futility of a centralized plan and control in implementing

programmes, he also outlined a comprehensive but decentralized model to be

implemented by the village Republics. Thevital objective of his model was to develop

productive and social skills among the masses.

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MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM MAHATMA GANDHI

1. Walk the talk

Mahatma Gandhi preached the concept of simple living and high thinking, although

he came from an affluent Indian family. He came up with various austere living

standards and requested his followers to adopt them. His kept his life open to public

scrutiny. People may debate regarding his personal choices but no one would raise

questions on his ethics and integrity. Irrespective of the difficulty involved, he always

was able to take the high moral ground and never compromised on his personal

values.

In the present corporate world we respect the leaders who are able to walk the talk,

demonstrate ethical and principled behavior, and lead by example.

2. Think out of the box

The strategy and tactics adopted during the Indian independence struggle were unlike

any other country’s revolution. Some of the concepts were:

Non-violence – A war fought on the basis of principles without any bloodshed.

Civil disobedience- Court arrest if the British officials are threatening

imprisonment for demanding your rights.

Non-cooperation- The message given was maintain your jobs with the British

empire, however do not support it regarding its practices against Indian people.

Managements today are advocating out of the box thinking and competing

strategically. The organization which implements a unique strategy generally wins the

market.

3. Brand building

Mahatma Gandhi’s personal brand has lasted 60 years after his death without any

investment. He created a brand of a simple moral man living life on the principle of

Ahimsa (non-violence). His home spun cotton clothes, wooden shaft, leather slippers,

vegetarian meals and home at the ashram all embodied his personal brand. His

character and communication depicted his core values to the masses. The corporate

world is spending huge sums on advertising to build the corporate brand. We hear

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Tom Peters and other management gurus talking about building the “Brand You”. The

focus now is on developing a personal brand.

4. Competitor’s size doesn’t matter

The Indian freedom struggle gained ground with the idea of a few committed

individuals who wished to bring about a change. They envisaged taking on the might

of British Empire which had the resources, funds, weapons and management

capability. The Indian leadership team acknowledged the strengths of the British

Empire and devised a strategy which minimized those strengths. They built a strategy

on the following:

Non-violence which required no weapons;

Asked masses to contribute for the independence and live frugally, hence survived

on minimal resources;

Developed local leadership across all regions under Congress banner.

Using a similar strategy, Barrack Obama won the American presidential elections

when he had no funds and support. Recently corporate world has witnessed small IT

companies (e.g. hotmail)  developing into big names just by pioneering a unique

product and leveraging the market properly.

5. Build dream teams

Indian Congress Party besides Gandhi had a number of other accomplished leaders.

Namely,

C. Rajagopalachari, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose and

others. These leaders all had different personalities and ideologies, however worked

for a common cause. Gandhi and Nehru complimented each other tremendously and

mostly operated as two in a box. Senior leaders acted as mentors for the younger

generation. The party had leaders at grass root level, and people were encouraged to

develop leadership traits.

Business world is focusing on building dream teams with leadership at all levels. The

Human Resource Departments are focused on concepts of two in a box, alternate

leaders, chief mentors and succession planning.

18

6. Engage and empower people

Mahatma Gandhi in his speech on the eve of Dandi March said -“Wherever there are

local leaders, their orders should be obeyed by the people. Where there are no leaders

and only a handful of men have faith in the programme, they may do what they can, if

they have enough self-confidence”. He encouraged common man to show leadership

and commitment under the overall umbrella of Congress. He united the people by

specifying the mission, vision and code of conduct of Congress. The masses were

committed to the cause and in all his symbolic protests he involved people

participation.

19

THOUGHTS OF MAHATMA GANDHI

1. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

2. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

3. I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of

one.

4. First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.

5. A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to

please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

6. You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing,

there will be no results.

7. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever

8. An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

9. You should be the change that you want to see in the world.

10. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

11. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others

12. I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along

with people.

13. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

14. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in

which its animals are treated.

15. Nobody can hurt me without my permission.

16. You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.

17. The more efficient a force is, the more silent and the more subtle it is.

20

DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR BIOGRAPHY

Bhimrao Ambedkar was born to BhimabaiSakpal and Ramji on 14 April 1891 in

Madhya Pradesh. He was the fourteenth child of his parents. Ambedkar;s father was a

Subedar in the Indian Army and posted at Mhow cantonment, MP. After the

retirement of his father in 1894, the family moved to satara. Shortly after, his mother

passed away. Four years later, his father remarried and the family shifted to Bombay,

where he cleared his matriculation in 1908. His father BhimabaiSakpal died in

Bombay, in 1912.

Ambedkar was a victim of caste discrimination. His parents hailed from the Hindu

Mahar caste, which was viewed as "untouchable" by the upper class. Due to this,

Ambedkar had to face severe discriminations from every corner of the society. a The

discrimination and humiliation haunted Ambedkar even at the Army school, run by

British government. Fearing social outcry, the teachers would segregate the students

of lower class from that of Brahmins and other upper classes. The untouchable

students were often asked by the teacher to sit outside the class. After shifting to

Satara, he was admitted to a local school but the change of school did not change the

fate of young Bhimrao. Discrimination followed wherever he went. In 1908,

Ambedkar got the opportunity to study at the Elphinstone College. Besides clearing

all the exams successfully Ambedkar also obtained a scholarship of twenty five

rupees a month from the Gayakwad ruler of Baroda, Sahyaji Rao III. Political Science

and Economics were the subjects in which he graduated from the Bombay University

in 1912. Ambedkar decided to use the money for higher studies in the USA.

After coming back from the US, Ambedkar was appointed as the Defence secretary to

the King of Baroda. Even, there also he had to face the humiliation for being an

'Untouchable'. With the help of the former Bombay Governor Lord Sydenham,

Ambedkar obtained the job as a professor of political economy at the Sydenham

College of Commerce and Economics in Bombay. In order to continue his further

studies, in 1920 he went to England at his own expenses.

Conversion to Buddhism

In the 1950s, Ambedkar turned his attention to Buddhism and travelled to Sri Lanka

(then Ceylon) to attend a convention of Buddhist scholars and monks. While

21

dedicating a new Buddhist vihara near Pune, Ambedkar announced that he was

writing a book on Buddhism, and that as soon as it was finished, he planned to make a

formal conversion to Buddhism.[9] Ambedkar twice visited Burma in 1954; the

second time in order to attend the third conference of the World Fellowship of

Buddhists in Rangoon. In 1955, he founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha, or the

Buddhist Society of India. He completed his final work, The Buddha and His

Dhamma, in 1956. It was published posthumously.

Ambedkar organised a formal public ceremony for himself and his supporters in

Nagpur on October 14, 1956. Accepting the Three Refuges and Five Precepts from a

Buddhist monk in the traditional manner, Ambedkar completed his own conversion.

He then proceeded to convert an estimated 500,000 of his supporters who were

gathered around him.[9] Taking the 22 Vows, Ambedkar and his supporters explicitly

condemned and rejected Hinduism and Hindu philosophy. He then traveled to

Kathmandu in Nepal to attend the Fourth World Buddhist Conference. He completed

his final manuscript, The Buddha or Karl Marx on December 2, 1956.

Death

Since 1948, Ambedkar had been suffering from diabetes. He was bed-ridden from

June to October in 1954 owing to clinical depression and failing eyesight.He had been

increasingly embittered by political issues, which took a toll on his health. His health

worsened as he furiously worked through 1955. Just three days after completing his

final manuscript The Buddha and His Dhamma, it is said that Ambedkar died in his

sleep on December 6, 1956 at his home in Delhi.

A Buddhist-style cremation was organised for him at Chowpatty beach on December

7, attended by hundreds of thousands of supporters, activists and admirers.

Ambedkar was survived by his second wife Savita Ambedkar, born as a caste

Brahmin and converted to Buddhism with him. His wife's name before marriage was

Sharda Kabir. Savita Ambedkar died as a Buddhist in 2002. Ambedkar's grandson,

Prakash Yaswant Ambedkar leads the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangha and has served

in both houses of the Indian Parliament.

22

A number of unfinished typescripts and handwritten drafts were found among

Ambedkar's notes and papers and gradually made available. Among these were

Waiting for a Visa, which probably dates from 1935-36 and is an autobiographical

work, and the Untouchables, or the Children of India's Ghetto, which refers to the

census of 1951.

A memorial for Ambedkar was established in his Delhi house at 26 Alipur Road. His

birthdate is celebrated as a public holiday known as Ambedkar Jayanti. He was

posthumously awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna in 1990.

Many public institutions are named in his honour, such as the Dr. Babasaheb

Ambedkar Open University in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, B. R. Ambedkar Bihar

University, Muzaffarpur, the other being Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International

Airport in Nagpur, which was otherwise known as Sonegaon Airport. A large official

portrait of Ambedkar is on display in the Indian Parliament building.

On the anniversary of his birth (14th April) and death (6th December) and on

Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din, 14th Oct at Nagpur, at least half a million people

gather to pay homage to him at his memorial in Mumbai. Hundreds of bookshops are

set up, and books are sold for millions of rupees. His message to his followers was "

Educate!!!, Organize!!!, Agitate!!!".

Ambedkar v. Gandhi on village life

Ambedkar was a fierce critic of Mahatma Gandhi (and the Indian National Congress).

He was criticized by his contemporaries and modern scholars for this opposition to

Gandhi, who had been one of the first Indian leaders to call for the abolition of

untouchability and discrimination.

Gandhi had a more positive, arguably romanticised view of traditional village life in

India and a sentimental approach to the untouchables, calling them Harijan (children

of God) and saying he was "of" them. Ambedkar rejected the epithet "Harijan" as

condescending. He tended to encourage his followers to leave their home villages,

move to the cities, and get an education.

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Criticism and legacy

    This section may contain original research or unverified claims.

Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details.

(September 2007)

Ambedkar's legacy as a socio-political reformer, had a deep effect on modern India.

In post-Independence India his socio-political thought has acquired respect across the

political spectrum. His initiatives have influenced various spheres of life and

transformed the way India today looks at socio-economic policies, education and

affirmative action through socio-economic and legal incentives. His reputation as a

scholar led to his appointment as free India's first law minister, and chairman of the

committee responsible to draft a constitution. He passionately believed in the freedom

of the individual and criticised equally both orthodox casteist Hindu society, as well

as exclusivism and narrow doctrinaire positions in Islam. His polemical condemnation

of Hinduism and attacks on Islam made him unpopular and controversial, although his

conversion to Buddhism sparked a revival in interest in Buddhist philosophy in India.

Ambedkar's political philosophy has given rise to a large number of Dalit political

parties, publications and workers' unions that remain active across India, especially in

Maharashtra. His promotion of the Dalit Buddhist movement has rejuvenated interest

in Buddhist philosophy in many parts of India. Mass conversion ceremonies have

been organized by Dalit activists in modern times, emulating Ambedkar's Nagpur

ceremony of 1956.

Some scholars, including some from the affected castes, took the view that the British

were more even-handed between castes, and that continuance of British rule would

have helped to eradicate many evil practices. This political opinion was shared by

quite a number of social activists including Jyotirao Phule.

Narayan Rao Kajrolkar criticized Ambedkar because he believed that he was biased to

spend government on his own caste, the Mahar, rather than divide the funds equally

among others such as the Chambars and the Mangs.[10] Sitaram Narayan Shivtarkar

criticised him on the same account at the Chambar conference held at Khond at the

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Ratnagiri District on 27 October, 1937. [11] The "First Chambar Conference" at

Ratnagiri on December 1937, chaired by S. G. Songaonkar, echoed this yet again.

[12]S

Some, in modern India, question the continued institution of reservations initiated by

Ambedkar as outdated and anti-meritocratic.

Aftermath

Frequent violent clashes between Buddhist groups and orthodox Hindus have

occurred over the years. When in 1994 a garland of shoes was hung around a statue of

Ambedkar in Mumbai, sectarian violence and strikes paralyzed the city for over a

week. When the following year similar disturbances occurred, a statue of Ambedkar

was destroyed. Upper-caste groups in Tamil Nadu have also engaged in violence

against Buddhists. In addition, some Buddhists who converted to Buddhism have

rioted against Hindus (such as the 2006 Dalit protests in Maharashtra) and desecrated

Hindu temples, often incited into doing so by anti-Hindu elements and replacing

deities with pictures of Ambedkar[13]. The radical Ambedkarite "Buddhist Panthers

Movement" has even gone so far as to attempt to assassinate academics who have

been critical of Ambedkar's understanding of Buddhism.

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FOLLOWING LIST OF BOOKS WHICH WRITTEN BY BABASAHEB.

Administration and finance of the east india company

Ancient Indian Commerce

Annihilation Of Caste

Buddha Or Karl Marx

Buddha And His Dhamma

Castes In India

Evidence Brfore The Royal Comission On Indian Currency And Finance

Federation versus Freedom

Frustration

India and The Pre-requisites of Communism

India on the eve of the crown government

Lectures on the English Constitution

Maharashtra as a Linguistic Province

Manu and the Shudras

Mr. Russell And The Reconstruction of Society

Mr. Gandhi And The Emancipation Of The Untouchables

Need for Checks and Balances

Notes on Acts and Laws

Notes on History of India

Notes on Parliamentary Procedure

Pakistan or the Partition of India

26

DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS TO INDIAN SOCIETY

B. R Ambedkar's role and contribution to the making of the Indian Consitution is

certainly of the most significant level-- on 15th August 1947, when India achieved its

independence, Nehruji made Ambedkar as his first Law Minister, in recognition of his

legal prowess; and also, in fact, made him the Chairman of the Indian Constitution

Drafting Committee: a singular honour, and of course, his first/primary important

'contribution' to this document i.e. its actual writing/drafting and structuring, which is

no small thing, as it is Ambedkarji's words that roll off so decorously when we read

the document.

As writer/drafter/framer and 'prime mover' of the new Indian Constitution, Ambedkar

also had a central role in guiding his committee towards the sort of socialistic,

idealistic vision that he had, and that to some extent he also shared with Nehru ji.

According to Granville Austin, this document thus was first and foremost, a 'social

document' i.e. one which identified many of the basic problems besetting and needing

to be addressed, for the amelioration of the masses-- and in this regard it is

worthwhile noting down pointwise some of Ambedkar's main, personal contributions,

depending upon his own expertise and interests/concerns:

1. Guarantees of basic civil liberties to Indian citizens

2. Abolition of all forms of discrimination of caste and creed, freedom of religion and

abolition of 'untouchability' in principle at least-- something very peronal for him,

coming as he did from untouchable origins.

3. Equal rights under law to Indian women, and full social and economic freedom/s to

them, too.

4. Various job quotas guarantees for scheduled castes and tribes and minorities in

India, to ensure fairplay and some modicum of 'removal' of social inequalities for

remote and underpriviliged communities.

These were no small achievements personally, and along with their adoption, the

whole of the Indian Constitution was thereafter formally passed by Parliament

(Constituent Assembly) on 26th November 1949.

27

THOUGHTS OF DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR

Educational thoughts of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar

• Student should pursue their studies very sincerely. You have done a good thing that

you came to see me before leaving Delhi. I do not want victory at the cost of my

students. You should return the ticket and do not come to Bombay for canvassing.

You are conducting research for Ph. D. in Agriculture, which is very important

subject. I wish, you should concentrate on your research. For your information, I tell

you that, we have made good provisions in constitution for encouraging agricultural

developments.

• We must now entirely give up the idea that parents give birth – janma – to the child

and not destiny – karma. They can mould the destiny of the children and if we but

follow this principle, be sure that we shall soon see better days and our progress will

be greatly accelerated if mail education is persuaded side by side with the female

education the fruits of which you can very well see verified in your own daughter. Let

your mission therefore be to educate and preach the idea of education to those at least

who are near to and in close contact with you.

• Education is something, which ought to be brought within the reach of everyone.

The policy of the department therefore, ought to be to make higher education as cheap

to the lower classes as it can possible be made.

Economical thoughts of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar

• Up to 1833 the Company, by means fair or foul, managed to win over the English

statesmen to continue her monopoly. But in that year the cry against hr monopoly had

gone so loud that both the Company and the Ministers had to give in and the East

India trade was thrown open to all the English public.

• Mutiny or no mutiny, the British statesmen were impatient to have direct control

over the leaves and the fishes that came but indirectly from their rule in India by a

process of disgorging a corporation which directly fed them on beef fat.

28

• It went as a continuous tribute to England to pay dividends to the Company’s share

holders; and as the flow of the money from India was not sufficient to pay the

dividends, there was an increasing debt called the Public Debt of India.

• It is likely to be a matter of surprise when one sees the smallness of the Indian Home

Bond Debt as compared with the Indian Debt. But the surprise will no longer exist

when we know that the capacity of the East India Company to borrow in England was

strictly limited by Parliamentary Regulations. The Parliament was ever eager to obtain

the advantages of the rule of the company without its disadvantages … Company’s

raising the loans beyond a certain limit lest the Company lose its hold upon India and

bring ruin on England by jeopardizing English capital.

• The Land Tax levied by the British Government is not only excessive, but, what is

worse, it is fluctuating and uncertain in many provinces.

• It is true that the British Government only followed the precedent of the previous

Mohammedan rulers who also claimed an enormous Land Tax. But the difference was

this, which what the Mohammedan rulers claimed they could never fully realize: what

the British rulers claimed they realized with vigor.

• The company though legally extinct continues to live for all practical purposes and

enjoys her dividends even to this day in the shape of interest paid out of Indian

revenues. The astounding result of this policy was gains to England and costs to India.

29