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Leap Talk at VJTI Mumbai

Leap Talk at VJTI Mumbai

I was invited by Leap India Foundation to give a motivational talk to VJTI, Mumbai Engineering students on Thursday 10th Feb 2011. LEAP Talks, is a platform where 4-6 speakers share their knowledge, excitement and inspiration to drive the audience to excel and outperform.

It was a great moment to share the dais with IAS officer, BARC scientist, VP of Kingfisher and a successful Astronomer. I planned to talk on my views and thoughts on “SUCCESS” and “How it was achieved by us” which I would like to share with you all in this week’s blog post.

The moment we think about SUCCESS, immediately imagination of MONEY, NAME/FAME or POWER comes into mind and that’s how most of the people define the success. When an engineering graduate from reputed institutes like IIT or VJTI starts his career, he chooses his career based on the best offer received during the campus hiring. Absolutely there is nothing wrong. Money is required to fulfill our “NEEDS”. The basic needs of every human being is food, clothing and housing. We need money for food, for our dresses and for shelter. Once we cross this stage, now we move on making more money to become “STRONG” – Financially STABLE. This makes complete sense. We should have additional money for stability/Strength to cover any sudden incidents. Unless we are strong enough, we cannot think about others. Next we try to acquire more wealth for LUXURY/ASSETS. We are looking forward to build homes for our children, holiday homes for summer vacation of our children – though we are not yet married but still building assets for the future.

I strongly believe in a saying of a philosopher who defines success in very beautiful way – “Success is not what you gain or possess, its making others successful in the society.” During one of my meetings with HOD of IDC (Industrial Design center) – IIT Mumbai, the topic of discussion was why these talented brains who develop innovative solutions for the entire society (e.g. Award winning Wheel Chair for handicap which climbs over staircase) do not start their own business to fulfill the need of millions of handicaps in India and across the globe. After completion of the research, when one gets Rs 50 – 80 lacs offer, instead of taking the risk and challenge of converting ideas into business, they prefer salaried job with hefty packages. Why? In my opinion not for fulfilling NEEDS or STABILITY but for building Assets so that we become SUCCESSFUL. We rush behind building Assets. Our goal becomes acquiring assets. That’s where the problem is. Instead of trying to acquire the assets, we should try to become the asset for the society. Instead of earning a Diamond, become the Diamond for nears and dears, community and to the society. The society which has given value system to us, which contributed to our life and made us a better person. When we lose our materialistic assets, we feel pain, sad and sorrow. Similarly we need to become asset for the society in such a way that when we depart from this world, the people should miss us and they should feel that they have lost an important asset from their life. This we can achieve by reverting back to the society by helping others, contributing and adding value and making the difference in the life of people in the society and hence we become SUCCESSFUL.

When we talk about reverting back to the society, we always think about helping poor. Society does not only comprise of poor. I see society with three important layers of a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid, highly intellectual and smart experienced people but few, in the middle layer of the pyramid young educated people and last but wide layer is under-privileged.

Now we understand the real meaning of SUCCESS – helping others in the society to become successful. With the platform of Octaware, we are able to accomplish this goal. Today society has got six (6) entrepreneurs who were well experienced and talented with high ambition. The young engineers associated and employed in IT services division of Octaware and initiative of creating opportunity for non-engineers in IT industry serves the middle layer of pyramid of the society. The principle of utilizing a fixed percentage of gross profit every year, we are able to help under-privileged families. Last year alone, 65 families were helped in October 2010. On the similar model of Octaware in IT industry, the Central Hospital in health care has given 2 entrepreneurs to the society, 35 medical professionals job employment and free/subsidized treatment to under-privileged families by utilizing 30% profit of the hospital. These philanthropy work are on self-sustainable model where the goal is to contribute the value in every class of the society.

So success is all about helping others in the society, touching their lives, making them successful which will earn you satisfaction and peace of mind.

-Aslam