For all of you familiar with MBA @16, Subroto Bagchi, India’s celebrated business author’s latest book, in the chapter titled Facebook Faceoff I address the student fraternity of NPS on Innovation.

1. National Public School, Graduation Day, 2013 Speech
By Sanjay Sahay
Intro – MBA@16-Faebook Faceoff- share experiences- verge of
making entry
For all of you familiar with MBA @16, Subroto Bagchi, India’s celebrated business
author’s latest book, in the chapter titled Facebook Faceoff I address the student
fraternity of NPS on Innovation. From the imaginary to the real, I am here to share
some of experiences as a parent and speak out a bit of my mind to the youngsters to
are on the verge of making entry into the real world so full opportunities, as never
before in human history, nonetheless, marred with cut throat competition.
Address – Thanks – Providing an opportunity – Only Child
Dr. Gopalakrishna, Chairman, Chief Guest of today’s function Mr. Matthew Sullivan,
Principal Mrs. Shanta Chandran, faculty members, parents, and at the center of it all
my dear student friends. At the outset I thank the school management for having
invited me as a parent and also for providing an opportunity to resonate on their
behalf. I have only one child and but for this stage I would not have got a second
one, to speak more of my heart and less of my mind.
Entry roller coaster – level of serenity
Tanmay’s entry into this school was a roller coaster one, as it happens if it is a
lateral entry, as was his in class 5. But to the complete credit of the school, near
instantaneously, I felt a level of serenity with regards to his education, not
experienced while he studied in other schools.
Gurukul – Guru/Shishya Paramapara – 360 degrees growth
As wit is a way of life for me, in a lighter vein, I often said that this school is a
gurukul, as it lacked some much touted infrastructural facilities of a few schools. In
reality it embodies all the positives of the famed guru shishya parampara. The
teachers hold themselves responsible for the complete all round growth of the child,
360 degrees as in management jargon, the mental, physical and moral well being.

2. Unison of thought process – journey of learning –adult intel/moral
fiber
What is really appreciative is unison of the thought process which the teachers,
parents and students share on all essentials of life – from discipline, student
behavior, hard work/attitude to studies to crash commercialization of education. A
journey of learning so passionately taken by all the three towards the creation of an
adult of intellectual and moral fiber, ready to face the world, even when faced with
biggest adversities of life.
Class on ills of mobiles –Compliments on parental grooming
I fondly remember the class conducted for us by school management a few years
back on the ills of mobiles and internet and what havoc it entails. It was an eye
opener and that kept the parents on guard with regards to the dangers of the child’s
uncontrolled digital interface. What a day it was when Lily and me were called by
Lucy Ma’am only to compliment both of the us on parental grooming. The subtleties of
human sentiments cannot be better reflected and communicated. It is certificate of
unstinted faith in the goodness of mankind.
Low points - Jayanti Ma’am – critical level of confidence
With high points there are some low points as well, however temporary they might
be, sincere thanks to Jayanti Ma’am, the Class Teacher of 12 C, to be our cherished
counselor and help maintain the critical level of confidence.
Fondest love – moments of glory – best and most lasting
Fondest love is what we have for our kids, sometimes subtle, sometimes expressed
but it knows no bounds when the kid has his moment of glory. This school has given
lots of such prized moments for both of us by way NPS Talent, NTSE, House
Captaincy and Quizzing successes. All parents would cherish this more in days to come
as these young birds would be leaving their nests to make a mark in the outside
world. The best and the most lasting is yet to come as the CBSE and professional
colleges’ admission results unfold in the months of May and June.

3. Life as an opportunity – positive/individual experiences -individuality
Life is an opportunity; it has always been so and would always remain so – whether
you are successful or not, you are always left with positive experiences. You should
have the unflinching conviction to achieve what you set out for. These individual
experiences make what you are today and what you would be as an adult and as a
professional. That would be your individuality, your exclusive self and you would be
known for that.
That self nobody can steal from you.
Simplicity – core of life/business orgn – product design - connect
Simplicity is at the core of human existence and makes all personal interactions clear,
transparent, productive and worthwhile. Steve Jobs proved that Simplicity is the
most powerful force in business, turning all management principles upside down. It
guides the way Apple is organized, how it designs products, and how it connects with
customers.
Simple is harder than complex
Steve Jobs once said, “Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to
get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end, because once
you get there, you can move mountains.”
Innovation – Obama – Cardinal Principle – Hope from you all
The value of Innovation can be gauged from the fact that 67 Nobel Laureates
supported Barrack Obama for his continued support to Innovation through state
funding of R&D. Creativity fuels ideas and innovation and this is where your positive
energies should be directed. Only innovation can be cardinal principle of success. The
world today is the result continued innovations by world renowned innovators like
Nikola Tesla, Henry Ford, Dennis Ritchie, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates
and the like. Innovators are not a very known commodity in this country and hope this
group throws up a few of them.
Model of success – garage companies – Creativity/Innovation/Entr.

4. The model of business leadership success is moving towards a Practitioner/academician
model with an entrepreneurial streak. The practitioner who is fully conversant with
the updated theoretical knowledge and has all the skills and risk taking abilities of an
entrepreneur. From Dr. Reddy to Dr. Devi Shetty, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Capt
Gopinath, from Narayan Murthy to lesser IT mortals, Bangalore and India is replete
with such examples. Entrepreneurs are the country’s and the world’s future. HP is the
original garage company, Apple and Google are many of other companies were born
that way. Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship remain the buzzwords for your
generation as well. These skills and traits would help you take the world head on.
Life – Breathtaking pace –You are living your own life
Life moves at a breathtaking pace. It would not be long when U would be where I am
and I hope most of you would have luxury to narrate your life story, the way I do.
It is not romanticism or fanciful talking, it is the reality called life. You are living
your own life, live it as your own.
Crazy Ones – Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs described himself in this quote and a fond wish that you all also go the
same way:
Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them,
disagree with them,

5. glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones,
we see genius,
Because the people who are crazy enough
to think they can change the world ….
are the ones who do.
Wishing you all, the best of the best wishes for your +2 and
professional colleges’ admission tests and with a fond hope that you
will make a life out of your life, sincere thanks for having invited
me here and to the audience for the rapt attention.
Thank You!