Nandan Nilekani, the square peg in a round hole

Money, politics, politicians, and professionals all make news. If it is Rs.7,700 crores (USD 1,260 million), belonging to a co-founder of a top IT company and also a new entrant to politics, it has to be big news.

“Nilekanis worth Rs.7,700 cr. (USD 1,260 million)”

Nandan Nilekani, the ex-CEO Infosys, on the eve of filing his nomination papers, reveals that he and his wife Rohini jointly hold assets worth Rs.7,700 cr.

Nandan Nilekani--the individual

Nandan, at the outset, deserves to be congratulated for the money well-earned. The announcement infers he must be promptly filing his IT returns.  Do you remember any such huge declarations published anywhere by an Indian politician? “I am proud of the fact that my wealth is completely transparent,” he said. It is heartening to know that he didn’t earn the money “illegally” or “hid it in investment outside the country.”  Will this disclosure guide his senior political colleagues to follow suit?   His intent to serve India rather than running away to lucrative jobs abroad inspires admiration.

Affluent and educated, Nandan has already proved his credentials as a founder and former CEO of the topnotch Infosys tech giant.  When politics and rottenness are supposedly made for each other, here is a self-made scholastic man who has enriched himself financially in an ethical way.  His profile undoubtedly is bound to thrust him into the limelight.  A corporate entry into politics presents a new dimension.

Nandan is known in different “avatars”:

(a) Co-founder of Infosys / Tech guru

(b) Brain behind “Aadhaar” card

(c) Author ("Imagining India") and

(d) Congress party candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Bangalore (South) constituency. The Nilekanis have been generous givers too, donating about Rs.400 crores since 1999 to causes in the areas of education, drinking water resource development, etc.

Nandan Nilekani—the politician

In a recent interview, he has justified his entry into politics. Perfectly welcome. He claims to be a fast-learner and a problem solver.  Is this enough in politics? Will it be possible for him to be a role-model in our democratic system, given the party that the Congress is?

One is intrigued about his compulsions to join the Indian National Congress Pvt. Ltd. If he contested as an Independent candidate, it would have added greater credibility and ensured an emphatic win.  How comfortable would Nandan be to rub shoulders with the likes of Kalmadi? It is difficult to visualize Nandan in the company of Laloo, Sibal, Tiwari, and the others.  A non-Congress ticket would have augured well.  The Congress party is staring at one of the most disastrous defeats in the post-independence era.  This is a totally a different ball game. Can he come out of his comfort zone?  He will be surrounded by Coalgate, Adarsh scam, Commonwealth Games scam, slowing economy, a weak Prime Minister, ignorant Rahul, and arrogant and corrupt ministers.

We are familiar with the dismal performance under the leadership of most qualified economist-turned Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.  With such an impeccable pedigree, playing second-fiddle to Sonia Gandhi is a huge disgrace to the top chair and a burial of his self-respect.  How does Mr. Nilekani explain this dilemma and how does he place himself in such a perspective?

Nandan could have shown his courage by joining AAP.  Was it probably time to repay Congress who in the past offered him a post?  Both Nandan and AAP are planning good things through wrong ways.  His “ideological reason” to join Congress has a weak defence. While the original ideals and values of the Indian National Congress are long back dead, the present Congress is the revised corrupt outfit.

Even if Nandan wins, Congress may not secure even 100 seats in the coming polls. It is either a lose-lose situation or a win-lose one for him. He is not likely to get any power or office after the elections.  He needs to wait and consolidate his ideas for another five years. Probably, Congress is counting on him to win a few seats in the coming elections; Nandan can do it as an Independent candidate anywhere in India, but it is doubtful whether he can do so on a Congress ticket. Congress is on the back foot and needs technocrats like Nandan.  He has joined a party which thrives on corruption.

There may be a section of people of the view that the Rs.7,700 crore can be multiplied by 5 or 10 times.  Yet another theory is floated that he can be an instant “hero” if he spent hardly around 10 per cent of his money in his constituency. In this scenario, it is heartening to see an upright Indian declare his wealth before entering politics, whereas we are all too familiar with people making this kind of money after entering politics. He has dared the taxman to challenge him.

While we are frequented with illiterates and criminals in politics and making it an ugly den, it is refreshing that a “gentleman” with a difference is seeking to redefine politics.  He appears a man of vision.  He is also gutsy he is taking his entry into politics through Lok Sabha and not the back-door entry (Rajya Sabha). He had the opportunity “to join as professor in top universities in the US, join think-tanks, join a Venture Capital firm, and join the World Bank.” He carefully weighed all options and finally decided to give his “time to make the lives of millions of Indians better.”

When asked how the repeated shadow of corruption could be countered, he said “corruption cannot be countered by more policemen, more laws or more ombudsmen. Corruption can be solved by reducing monopolies, reducing discretion and increasing accountability, which is what I know how to do in every area.” He has plans for introducing reforms for higher education.  Why did he not opt to join AAP?  His answer? “Agitational DNA is different from governance DNA, and the AAP has more of the former and less of the latter”.

Nandan Nilekani—the capitalist with a conscience

Nandan is categorical that wealth must be earned through legal and ethical means.  “In a country with as much wealth disparity as India, we should be tempered in our display of wealth.  I am all for austerity.  While working in Delhi for five years (for the Aadhaar project), I didn’t take any salary from the government and was travelling to and fro from Bangalore at my own cost.  My wife joins me in doing philanthropic activities.”

He is humble enough to admit that he is a beneficiary of India’s growth and success.  He doesn’t have any personal needs, least of all any money.  “If, in the rest of my life, I can make a difference to the lives of millions of Indians, I have done my best.  Politics gives the leverage.  I would like the change to happen. I want to be an agent of change.”

Nandan doesn’t have the baggage or the ripe old age of Manmohan Singh or a scammer’s background and is definitely non-controversial.  We need more Nandans playing a constructive role in Indian politics.  It is easy to stay out and trash everything that is wrong with the country and its politics, whereas it warrants a will to become part of it and go about cleaning it from within.

Aadhaar prepared him to enter the political world; otherwise, a leap from Infosys to politics would have been a difficult one.  He strongly advocates the need for “systemic change” for India.

Is he too innocent to realize who he has joined? Is he gambling with his immaculate image?  He certainly adds value to the Congress, but does the party degrade him?

A cat entering a lion’s den.  Wishing you the very best, Sir.
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Read: http://kmurthy608.blogspot.in/2014/04/my-mission-is-to-make-politics-good_1.html