Gates, Kant, Puri... a meeting with heavyweights to cherish

One breakfast meeting can transform perspectives. I experienced this first-hand when I had the opportunity to share a table with Amitabh Kant, G-20 Sherpa; Hardeep Puri, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister; and Bill Gates, chair, Gates Foundation and founder, Breakthrough Energy.

The meeting brought together founders from diverse sectors —insurance, high-end manufacturing, media, education—each of us sharing how we are leveraging technology and AI in our respective fields. The common thread running through all our discussions: the power of innovation in solving real-world problems.

Leadership at every level

A few takeaways emerged from our conversation. First, great leaders are deeply engaged in both strategy and execution; vision alone is not enough. Second, they seamlessly operate at both the 50,000-feet level—seeing the big picture—and at Ground Zero—understanding the minutiae of implementation. Third, leaders, especially in government, must not only focus on grassroots challenges but also on nation-building initiatives that create long-term impact.

One other point that comes out is also making a choice as to what is right for the country and its people at a particular point in time. Consider manufacturing for instance. Make in India helps identify these moving parts driven by skill level, workforce distribution across the nation, bringing in equitable growth and identifying areas in which it is best to do Make in India.

High-end tech manufacturing while sounding excellent needs skill sets that our country is still developing. However, at the lower and middle end of the same we have plenty of skilled workers, which is where the focus must be. Mobile manufacturing is one such.

What is now needed is a conducive environment, policies that are pro-industry, removing freebies so that people understand they need to work for a living, stopping trade unions from vitiating the atmosphere (Apple and Foxconn have not increased their exposure to India because they do not find India as good as China in of all of these).

There is also a crying need for companies in India to invest in R&D to innovate at the lower and middle end. This will generate employment, incomes and push towards a ‘Viksit Bharat.’

Execution as vital as innovation

The best leaders understand that even the most brilliant ideas are meaningless without flawless execution. For this is what turns innovation into reality, ensuring not just impact but also continuous advancement. A striking example is the globalisation of manufacturing, where relentless execution has made China a hub of both production and innovation.

Throughout the discussion, I observed how Kant, Gates and Puri effortlessly shifted between macro and micro perspectives. Their questions reflected a deep understanding of both the strategic and operational aspects of problem-solving.

Scaling impact via Gates Foundation

What stood out was their unwavering focus on how ideas can drive grassroots level change. Ideas must not only be visionary but also scalable and sustainable. The solar-powered pressure cooker is a classic example that is getting rolled out. One more was using AI to boost agricultural productivity that can push up farmer income significantly. This has already been introduced in various countries and the Foundation is helping farmers in India.

The Gates Foundation plays a crucial role in this ecosystem, acting as a catalyst that takes promising ideas and scales them across states in India and countries worldwide. By supporting entrepreneurs in implementing solutions at scale, it helps refine and strengthen these ideas, enabling them to solve pressing challenges across different societies. Currently, the foundation is making a profound impact in healthcare, education, and energy—deploying AI and technology-driven solutions to address some of the world’s most urgent issues.

Role of mentorship in leadership

As I reflect, a key insight resonates deeply: the indispensable role of mentors and coaches. The ability to navigate seamlessly between macro and micro perspectives, to provide guidance that transforms ideas into reality, and to inspire others to solve real-world challenges—this is what sets great leaders apart.

(The author is chairperson, eVidyaloka, a not-for-profit enterprise)