Its been 10 years since I was first introduced to North East Development at an ICC seminar in New Delhi. Over the years I found former Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar's insights to be inspiring and I have taken a great interest in trying to understand the North East and its people. So fond I have grown of them that besides mentoring youngsters from NE in Mumbai and Pune and often saving them from landlords rental wrath, they take care of my home and our office too.
Work related, I come from a business family of 5 generations from Kutch in Gujarat (I am a Kutchi). We have been in Maharashtra for most of the 20th Century. More on my grandfather at http://beemanagement.com/mdg.jsp. I have been involved with the IT and Finance markets in the late 1980's and thereafter into management consulting for business growth into India and within India.
As of last year, after some learning of the North East, I have taken the courage to set up EWI Development Initiative Foundation as a Sec. 25 Not For profit Company. The purpose is to create an assistance pipeline from the resources of the Western Region to contribute to North East Development and Market Expansion. This presupposes that Entrepreneurship Development is the way forward for creation of wealth and prosperity in the North East. Hence we will work on a number of programs to include - Entrepreneurship mentoring, Social Entrepreneurship projects in education health and water management through self help groups, skills development, networking and interconnecting for North East youngsters in the Western Region and promotion for and advocacy of the North East in the Western Region. Some more at http://bit.ly/ewif_pdf
I have written to you, recognizing that many of you will take leadership positions in social and commercial entrepreneurship. Many of you may engage with us. Despite the long and arduous journey to engaging with you all, I believe that each engagement should be considered independently of any future engagements and each relationship needs a sense of reciprocity and mutuality, where respect must be mutual and obligation, reciprocal.
As you, my friends in the North East, would like to gain in your confidence in us, so would we in the Western Region like to gain in our confidence in you. As you embark on your development journey, we are with you to help and to partake in your success. As you move into a new phase of your development, be wise to choose the right partners, a strong team, with a DEMONSTRATED LONG TERM VISION & one which will undoubtedly prove itself. On your part, and in a sense of reciprocity and mutuality, where respect must be mutual and obligation, reciprocal, please do adhere to acceptable work practices of the professional world, presently at an ebb in the North East. Development cannot be a free meal! Anyone promising you one, may in reality, be taking you for a ride. Keep a sound balance between your valour and your wisdom.
Best Regards,
Rajiv Bhatia
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