Words of wisdom from the ‘Aadhaar’ man, Nandan Nilekani

True blue Bangalorean, co-founder and CEO of Infosys, Chairman the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Head of TAGUP (Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects). Does this ring a bell? Yes you got that right, we are talking about none other than the classic Bangalorean, Nandan Nilekani.

Nandan Nilekani and his wife Rohini are known to have championed several social causes through their philanthropic efforts. A true role model in every sense of the word, Nandan Nilekani is a person with humble beginnings and now is one of the most admired and aspirational idols of the country.

We could all take a leaf out of this legend’s book. Here are a few words of wisdom from Nandan Nilekani.

1. “I think politics is the biggest leverage of change in India”
2. “I am proud of the fact that my wealth is completely transparent”
3. “When India got independence, entrepreneurs were seen as a bad lot, as people who would exploit.”
4. “Privacy is a vast subject. Also, remember that privacy and convenience is always a trade-off. When you open a bank account and want to borrow some money, and you want to get a very cheap loan, you'll share all details of your assets because you want them to give you a low interest rate.”
5. "Expatriates are returning because India is hot. There is an increasing feeling that significant action in the technology industry is moving to India."
6. ““IT has obviously come a long way—from something seen as a threat to people to something people are demanding as a way of protecting their rights. For Indians, it has become an enabler.”
7. “There is no choice. Democracy will ensure that the restrictions to job creation are lowered. No one can stop this."
8. "I scribbled four words down in my notebook: 'The world is flat.”
9. "Talent acquisition, transformation and management are critical anchors for the growth of the industry."
10. "All our ducks are lined up in a row now. India will achieve 8% growth this year as a democracy. Democracy allows free speech, which breeds creativity. Creativity creates a culture that's popular and inclusive."
11. "A big part of Bangalore's problem is that growth has exceeded everybody's wildest expectations."
12. “Slowly, ideas lead to ideology, lead to policies that lead to actions.”
13. “It's because Gandhi believed in villages and because the British ruled from the cities; therefore, Nehru thought of New Delhi as an un-Indian city”
14. “I don't decide my politics based on the flavour of the month.”
15. “The biggest thing the money Infosys brought me is the freedom to do what I want. And what I want is to give millions more the opportunities I had.”
16. “My background is putting in large systems that change lives... The right kind of systems can bring honesty and efficiency.”