Saturday, May 12, 2007

Kishore Biyani and philanthropy

I just finished reading the book , “ It Happened in India” by Kishore Biyani, one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs . The Founder of Pantaloon, he has revolutionized the retail industry in India. The story of how he used homegrown Indian concepts to create a uniquely Indian success story makes for a great read . He covers a lot of areas, including the importance of using design and memetics , in order to be able to successfully anticipate the future and to create it.

He is now going to enter his 50s ; and after establishing a highly successful and profitable business , he is likely to invest his energies into trying to improve Indian society. As successful people mature, they often become philanthropic , because they want to see the money that they have earned being put to good use. It will be very exciting to see how he can apply his original insights into the mind of the Indian consumer in order to improve health care in India.

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1 comment:

  1. Unknown9:49 PM

    It would be nice if he can apply his insights to his own businesses to operate in a way that is revolutionary but also responsible. He has revolutioned Indian retail, but with that kind of power, comes great responsibility. He has the mindshare to also take care of the environment that sustains not only his customers but also his businesses. For example, how many plastic bags are handed out by his stores ? Where do they end up ? They clog drains, leading to fertile bredding grounds for all kinds of pests. They create a hazard for all wildlife around us. What kind of world is this creating ? Now, it is not only his stores that give out plastic bags. But, he has an opportunity to set an example by doing some revolutionary and responsible. How about giving out or selling( at a nominal rate) sturdy, reusable bags made of some coir or something that our grandparents used when they went shopping ? If this is done at all stores, with no option for a plastic bag, can you imagine the impact! I want him to know what is possible.

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