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Sunday, May 20th
Focus more on public good
DH NEWS SERVICE
Bangalore: Business should focus more on the public good and initiate a proactive dialogue with the government to bridge the economic inequalities in the country, corporate guru Madhav Mehra said on Thursday.
Mehra, who is President of the UK-based World Council for Corporate Governance, said corporates should look beyond the interests of their share holders.
"Companies like Infosys have done extremely well and command esteem across the world. But the truth is that along with their abilities and imagination, these companies have also used the resources of Bangalore. Infrastructure is not the sole responsibility of the government. The need of the hour is a synergy between the companies and the government," he said. Mehra also warned against reading too much into the stock market boom which the country witnessed last year.
"We are doing well, but even countries like Colombia and Egypt have registered booms of 126 percent and 90 per cent respectively. Seventy per cent of our people do not have proper sanitation and 54 per cent of our women are illiterate. The inequalities are too many to miss. The economy is on a take-off stage, but it has not arrived yet because the poor of our country are too poor," he said.
Mehra said the Global Conference on Social Responsibility, to be organised by the World Council for Corporate Governance. in Portugal from February 16 to 18, will focus on the role of business in poverty alleviation.
"Dr Madhav Mehra is a phenomenon, nothing describes him better."
Ola Ullsten, Former Prime Minister of Sweden at the 8th World Congress on Environment Management, Palampur, 2006"
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Dr Mehra, I just read your commentary on Satyam....You made one of the wisest observations on board failures I've ever read - "It is difficult to understand something when your salary depends on not understanding it".Brilliant!
Ralph Ward, Boardroom Insider
"Dr Madhav Mehra, has played a significant role to bring about a change in the mindset of the corporate world. India will remember him as a great pioneer who foresaw such a need and strove for inculcating a culture of quality in all spheres of activity."
S S H Rehman Executive Director, ITC Group of Hotels
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"I have known Dr Mehra for the last 8 years in my capacity as the Chairman of the Centre for Social Responsibility,..... Chairman of the S.M. Charitable Trust . I am amazed by the energy, enthusiasm and dedication that he brings to every idea he promotes."
P.N. Bhagwati, Former Chief Justice of India
"Rarely does one come across a legend like Madhav Mehra. I have witnessed his dedication everywhere: building community centres for gaddies of Dhauladhar, hospital and school for slum dwellers in Delhi and addressing corporates on the social role of their business."
Dr Sahib Singh, Ex-Chief Minister, speaking at SM Medical Centre, 13.04.04"
"Had Dr Madhav Mehra just been the founder of the IOD, that in itself would have been a piece of work tat the present and future generations would cherish. But by establising so many other organisations, he has really ensured that we respect him as a pioneering figure of all te good that Indian business is striving for."
Javed Husain, Professor and former Dean of Engineering
"Address of Dr Mehra was a unique experience. I aspire to listen to him again and wish Dr Mehra can find time to address youth in the colleges."
MK Yadav, Hindustan Zinc LTD
"Dr Mehra has given a unique dimension to CSR. His interpretation is particularly relevant to us and we must invite him once again to address our top executives"
Hon'ble Carlton Davis, head of Jamaica's Civil Service"
"Dr Mehra's passion comes alive from his speeches"
Uma Arora, Chairman Idam Learning
"Dr Madhav Mehra's keynote address was the most thought provoking"
N A Patil & R B Rajpune
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