Women on top

Women on top

Getting to read about so many alpha women came as a much-needed shot of inspiration for millions of working Indian women (BT cover, Most powerful women in Indian business, October 19). As a working woman myself, it gladdens my heart to know that all of these businesswomen have not only successfully broken through the glass ceiling, they have also proven themselves to be as professionally smart and competent as the best business leaders in the corporate world.

Puja Chandra, through e-mail

Learning the hard way

Your editorial Let’s draw the right lessons (BT, October 19) shows the sense of complacency that is the bane and the Achilles’ heel of our political class as a whole. As the world continues to reel under the impact of the ever-widening global financial meltdown, many of our politicians, particularly those from Left, are not above gloating over this crisis, thinking of it and calling it as a largely American-European malaise. Call it either their naiveté or plain ignorance, the truth is that should India be able to avert the full brunt of this financial maelstrom, it would do so only by the skin of her teeth, and, that too, by default and not by design. The fact that India is not yet fully “globalised” could be the reason why we may come out of the financial crisis (largely) unscathed— not by choice, but more by default.

Ashok Jayaram, through e-mail

An eye opener

Your editorial Let’s draw the right lessons (BT, October 19) on the aftermath of US financial meltdown, cautions us about drawing the wrong lessons for India. We still need to push forward the reforms process rather than pay heed to Leftist politicians blowing their own trumpets and taking credit for the comparatively cushioned impact of the crisis here. Unfortunately, we are now seeing political expediency getting the better of economic compulsions, pushing development to backburner—the fiasco over the Tatas’ small car project at Singur being a prime example. At the same time, let us not forget that even good institutions can go disastrously wrong in the hands of wrong individuals. Remember, that till only a few days ago, when the going was good, Lehman Brothers, and others of their ilk were called “star performers”, only to be dubbed “failures” when markets turned gloomy.

Srinivasan Umashankar, through e-mail

Finally, it’s Tata to Singur

Now that the Tatas have finally pulled out of Singur, will politicians like Mamata Banerjee finally learn their lessons? (Tata’s Options, BT, October 19) It was typical of the lady, who after initially agreeing to the political agreement and the compromise formula arrived at the behest of the state’s Governor, Gopal Krishna Gandhi, backed out at the last moment. Now that West Bengal has been left poorer by Tatas’ forced exit, wouldn’t it be in the fitness of things if Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress meet their comeuppance by being summarily rejected by voters of West Bengal and Singur in the forthcoming state elections? That will be an object lesson for the adamant lady for stubbornly refusing to heed public opinion and for ignoring the political consensus.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal, through e-mail

Hitting the stride

The many interesting facets about Anand Mahindra stand out in Mahindra’s new growth engines (BT, October 19). The man is a real McCoy, considering the innovative and unique ways in which he is pursuing the scope for increased business and volumes in both the domestic and export markets. His dual strategy of exerting strong control over the operational chain while being flexible and allowing functional autonomy to product heads speaks of business subtlety and imagination. The company has been able to outflank its rivals by successfully working on modified customer demands, shoring up its export window and by tying up with global automobile giants for strategic partnerships.

B. Rajsekaran, through e-mail

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