amrita (1)

8/8/2019 amrita (1)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/amrita-1 1/1

WhatAmritaPatelhascontributedtoIndianEthos-(havedoubtaboutthetopicbutstill)

AmritaPatel'shousekeepingabilitytaughttoherbyhermothercameinveryhandywhenshehadtoorganisetheDairyCongressinDelhisingle-handedly.Sheneverorderedherstafftodosomeworkbutratherreliedontheindiancharacteristicofratherpersuadingandgettingworkdone.Whilenegotiatingwithabritishc

ompany'sofficerforsettingupavaccineplantinhyderabad,shewastoldbyhim,"WellIdon'thaveanythingprettytolookat,sothenwhatdoyouwanttodo?".Hearingthis,Ms.Patelstraightawayreplied,"Mister,thebestthingisforyoutogohome."ThisincidentthrowslightonherstrongIndianrootswhichhaveinculcatedthisself-respectcharacteristicinher.OutstandingCEOsdonotpossessanysuperhumanqualitiesormysticalpowers.Theyfollowsimplecommonsensepracticesinthedailygrindofbusinesstorisetothetop.Itisnotjustworkingforthepeoplebutcaringforthem.Youaregivenresponsibility,positionandauthoritybutwiththatcomesaccountability.Amissionarydoesn'talwaysworkformoney,althoughshemightearnsome.Whenonerecruits,onehastobreatheintothecandidatestheethosthatgoeswithourresponsibilitiesandholdfasttoourcommitmenttolargergoals.Thereisacorrespondingvalueshiftfromcompetitionto

co-operation,expansiontocconservation,quantitytoquality,anddominationtopartnership.ThosewerethecoreethosaroundwhichAmritaPatel'slifeevolvedaround.

ConclusionWithsomanycolourssplashedonherlifespalette,itshardlysurprisingthatDrAmritaPatelhasledsuchacolourfulexistence.Pushing60,thoughsowell-preservedshedgivewomenhalfheragearunfortheirmoney,thecurrentNDDBChairpersonhaslivedlifeonherterms,carvinganicheforherselfinafieldwhereevenmenoncefearedtotread.ThoughherfirsttermasNDDBChairpersonwillperhapsberememberedmoreforhersparringboutswithhermentor,thegrandoldmanoftheco-operativemilkmov

ementDrVergheseKurien,itwillalsoberememberedasatimewhenshefinallycameoutoftheshadowsofherfather,HMPatel,theformerICS-officer-turnedpoliticianwhowasamongtheablestfinanceministersofthecountry.Amritarefusestoadmitsheshadspatswithhermentorandformerboss.However,hermovetoprofessionaliseailingmilkco-operativesthroughjointventureswithNDDBhasbeenroundlycriticisedbythosefromtheoldschoolwhoareaccusingherofcorporatisingco-operatives.Whetherherdecisionsonmilkco-operativesinIndiaarecorrectornot,whatitdoesrevealaboutAmritaisherdeterminationtofightforcauses.SheacknowledgesthatmuchofwhosheistodayisbecauseofDrKurien.Butherpersonalitytraitssuchasfairness,justiceandpublic-spiritednesssheattributestoherlatefather.

Asinglewomanbychoice,Amrita,however,doesmisscompanionshipattimes.Luckily,ecologicalissuesandworkingforthepoorkeepherengaged.Still,sheconfesses:SometimewhenIcomebackafteratrip,IwishIhadawifewhocouldlookaftermyfoodandtheoddjobsaroundthehouse....

WORDMEANINGOFETHOS-n.Thedisposition,character,orfundamentalvaluespeculiartoaspecificperson,people,culture,ormovement:"Theycultivatedasubversivealternativeethos"(Antho