NRN and Sudha murty @ Banglore campus
I love to share this blog , though it is not written by me. The credit goes to one of my colleague Ashish Kumar Charan who has written this in Infy blog.
Form Struggle land to wonder land.
“There are some people, who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.”
Year 1981 witnessed a ‘Beginning’. Beginning of a journey, which was about to bring a revolution in IT world. Seven entrepreneurs joined hands to start a Company with an initial investment of INR 10,000. Infosys it was.
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”
Infosys that time was rightly a Struggle Land. Business environment in India was difficult as Capital markets were undeveloped and bribes were rampant. In first two years Infosys team made twenty to twenty five visits to Delhi to obtain permission from Government to import their first computer. Also it took an entire year to get a telephone line. Despite all these challenges, the team was determined to conduct business ethically and create a values-driven organization without taking any shortcut. Their financial expectations were not very high. Making money wasn’t essential; earning respect was. Business would come, they believed.
“Winners don’t do different things they do things differently.”
When Infosys redoubled efforts on marketing in the US , it founded many prospective customers who felt that India and US are as different as night and day. This gave Infosys a chance to think differently and it pioneered the concept of Global Delivery, 24x7 Model. At the time customers in US went home from work and returned the next morning, a solution would be waiting for them.
“A leader is a dealer in hope.”
Infosys was struggling to make a big impact. Believing that Infosys, a small unknown company, was as good as dead, co-founder Mr. Ashok Arora left to pursue opportunities on his own in US . Other members crowded to ponder as to why things were not going as they wanted and what constraints were limiting them. After much discussion , a view emerged to sell the company for an offer of $1.5 million or more. Chief Mentor, Mr. Narayana Murthy was not convinced with this decision and declared “If any of you want to leave, I will be happy to buy you out”. He was adamant not to quit as he believed that company would succeed eventually .This determination of his inspired others to change their mind and they all agreed to stay on.
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”
Economic reforms of 1991 were a light of hope in the dark tunnel of disappointment for Infosys .The growth and the profit dramatically improved. Infosys spread to Europe. Going steadily, Infosys made many enhancements in its infrastructures and policies. It got an honor to become Indian first Software house to operate an Offshore Software Development Center .Infosys created its formal HR Department, Quality Department, obtained ISO certification, inaugurated its first international office in Boston and also stepped into Indian stock market .The economic liberalization bought many fortunes to Infosys.
“Success is not a place at which one arrives, but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey”
Since then , Infosys is achieving one success after another. It has grown to be a super hunk in IT Industry, fetching laurels from every part of the globe. It has turned out to be a wonderland .But most significantly, throughout its journey from Struggle Land to Wonderland; it has lived up to its expectation of being “Most Respected Company of India”. Infosys is one of the few Indian companies that have changed the way the world looks at India. No longer is India, a land of snake charmers and beggars. It is now perceived as an economic giant to reckon with, bursting with ambitious entrepreneurs.
"No one can predict to what heights you can soar. Even you will not know until you spread your wings."
The Struggle Land was flowered to Wonderland by sowing the seeds of talent and persistence , and irrigating them by hard work and positive attitude. Therefore,
Keep your heart open to dreams and do remember that the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to conquer but to fight well.
