(Personal) Innovation
August 4, 2010
Today is a day of great learning in my life as I am well in to the second year of my Business management course at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. The second day of “Innovation and Leadership” conference started on a high note with an inspiring address by Mr. Sam Pitroda. Born (in the year 1942) and brought up in a remote village in Orissa, he is now the advisor to the Prime minister of India, in the area of Knowledge Management, Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation. A legend in his own life time (A bigger legend for me) he is having more than 100 technology patents to his credit.
A passionate believer in India, Mr. Pitroda addressed the conference at 22:00 Hrs Chicago time and dwelled upon collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches to inclusive growth and innovation – innovation in organizations, in governance, in social networks, in community, in activities related to social, political and economic eco system. His roadmap for innovation encompassed five broad areas – Health, Education, Infrastructure, Judiciary and Governance.
What struck a chord in me during the course of his address is his personal experience of individual innovation. Over the period of his illustrated life journey, he has innovated and re-innovated himself. He has been the change, he wants to make and see in the society. Extremely strong messages packaged in a simple envelop – I wonder, Is not this the purpose (of innovating and re-innovating oneself at personal level) why we do carry on in this world?
For many years we are in the comfortable cushion of our family, of our familiar surroundings, of our small community, of our natural thoughts, aspiration and things of similar nature – Do we observer and realize whether these things bind us and put a check on the realization to who we actually are./p>
The question I carry with me – When and how will I break free of my comfort zone and innovate myself?
