5/02/2014 … (courtesy herald) …. PANJIM: Infosys top boss N R Narayana Murthy simultaneously agreed that education and “finishing school” were necessary for budding politicians, while delivering the inaugural lecture on “Creating a positive India” at the D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas, on Tuesday.
He said that he was willing to provide the infrastructure at their premises but he wanted political parties to provide the teachers and other basics to provide a school for politicians so that they could learn the basics of governance, economics, international negotiation and international law.
“It would be a good idea if all the parties come together and create a finishing school for politicians… where they will learn economics, international negotiations, international law…,’ he told the audience adding, “We will provide free facilities to them if they provide teachers at no cost.”
The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’ Souza, art and culture minister Dayanand Mandrekar, MLA and Kala Academy chairman Vishnu Wagh, besides other officials.
Murthy was responding to a question as to why the political class did not have some training in their field given that those in other professions like teaching had to have certain training before they were allowed to teach. He also pushed for better facilities for politicians.
Murthy said “Unless we provide our politicians with salaries like senior executives in the corporate world, we will be unwittingly pushing them to do things…”
He also spoke on the need for transparency, pointing out that none needed this more than the poor.
Stating that technology is necessary to improve basic services through coordination, Murthy argued that technology should be used to automate workflow and democratise information.
The Infosys boss said that the internet empowers people by conquering distance and time and brings in transparency. “Democracy needs these powerful tools to enhance interaction between the government and its people,” he said, adding that another important use of the internet is e-governance.
He expressed his optimism that that political leaders “here and elsewhere” will work with alacrity to improve the standards of public … system so that we can indeed effect a fast growing and equitable economy and make life better for the poorest of the poor.
Replying to questions, Murthy said that participation and the importance of involving people in decision-making was a way of getting their cooperation and changing the ‘culture.
He also told a student that positive thinking was necessary but that had to be supplemented by hard work. “Being positive is very important,” he argued. (courtesy herald)
