People demand leaders who are accountable: Nandan Nilekani

Source: www.ibnlive.com

India will hold national elections in a few weeks at a time the global economic recession is getting worse. Some of the most cherished principles of free-market economy are being dumped as governments bail out big-name companies. India has been shielded somewhat but the country faces a daunting list of challenges? Are the country’s leaders up to facing these challenges? How important are these elections for India and India Inc? IBN Live readers asked Nandan Nilekani, Co-chairman of Infosys, in a web chat.

Sami Afsar: Can India come out of the global economic meltdown stronger? What should we do to ensure we become a global leader?

Nandan Nilekani: The current economic crisis has shown the weaknesses of the export-led model that most of our Asian neighbours had followed. Our domestic model with balance of different sectors has now proved to be an advantage. If we can take the necessary steps to do all the hard reforms as soon as the new government comes, India can certainly emerge as a very strong economy and take its rightful place in the world.

Nitesh Bhambi: Is multi-party system the strength of Indian democracy or a hindrance?

Nandan Nilekani: I am a great believer in India's democracy and the multi-party system gives an opportunity to people of different parts of the country and backgrounds to voice their concerns. We must find a way to drive the strategic changes that we want working within the multi-party system.

Rajneil: I am reading your book, Imagining India--Ideas for the New Century and the points made there are very good! When do you see India the way you imagine it to be? Do you think our political establishment has the will to change everything? Is there any chance of you entering the system and changing it?

Nandan Nilekani: I have tried to present in my book 'An Imagined India' which fully leverages and exploits our unique opportunity. It is an optimistic view and may not materialise because we don't take advantage. I think it’s for the people of this country to demand this India of our future.

Jimmy: Do you think that successful corporates will make successful leaders of country?

Nandan Nilekani: Being a political leader in India is a very complex and difficult job. Being a corporate leader is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition to be successful in politics.

Vaibhav Gupta: It is rather disappointing to note that political parties, the media and the intellectual elite are not even bothering to debate specific policies of our political parties. Instead, we are obsessed with who will get the majority and what are the different alliances. How do we bring issue-based politics back?

Nandan Nilekani: It is disappointing that the discussion tends to be on short-term tactical issues and alliances rather than the long-term strategic challenges facing India. I think it is for the people to demand that we must take the conversation back to fundamental challenges that we have.

Randhir Mishra: What measures the next elected government must take to generate more jobs in IT and other industries suffering from economic meltdown?

Nandan Nilekani: Given that the world economy is going through a slowdown, it's important that we stimulate the local market. This means fundamental reforms like educating our people, building infrastructure, encouraging job creation through labour reform, building better cities and creating a single market. Many of these reforms have not happened but in the next five years they are critical.

Chinmayanand Jha: With little less than 60% of youth population, are we heading for a change? Can we change the set up around us?

Nandan Nilekani: There is no doubt that the combination of a very young aspiring population and the first election after delimitation is going to throw up a lot of surprises and changes. These young people, in a hurry to improve their lives, will demand leaders who are accountable and pro-development.