25 March 2023 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 101 try is doing today. And they get completely hands-on learning from these professors of practice. The third aspect is faculty exchange-related benefits from the global partner universities and Woxsen has 112-plus partner universities across 45 countries that facilitates faculty exchange. And we have best of the global exposure through student exchange programmes. Yet another aspect is incorporating what is need of the hour, what the industry is talking about and providing practical exposure. The world has changed completely from a content-based education to contextbased education. The context comes wherein students are able to apply and link those theories in the context of the business, in the context of the business problem. Academic excellence also depends on providing learning spaces and learning infrastructure for courses like Design, Artificial Intelligence or Robotics or Financial Services. Woxsen has South Asia’s largest Bloomberg Finance Lab where students will be able to do live practice and research on the capital markets all across the world. We have various labs for Fashion, Analytics, Behavioural Sciences and IoT, among others. Now this is what you call creating learning spaces for students. Much emphasis is being given to rankings now, at national and international levels. Do you think that global and Indian rankings reflect different realities? The purpose of each of the rankings is slightly different. The global rankings give more weightage to research related work. That is something which is serving the needs of those economies. But in the Indian context, apart from research, there are multiple other parameters which are also important. While rankings in the West give priority to community services, in the Indian context social entrepreneurship is one big area but we don’t even talk about it in those ratings. The nature of the problems in India is different since we are a different animal altogether. So, it will be a little unjust to see India with the same lens as those for the US or Europe. However, accreditations serve a different purpose and there the lens has to be common. Accreditations are trying to set minimum quality benchmarks for institutions. That is the purpose of accreditation, unlike rankings. [email protected] “The key (to academic excellence) is when you get an 80-85 percentile student and make him a 95-percentile student. For this, the curriculum has to be really up to the mark and improvised on a year-to-year basis”
102 | B W BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 RESIDENT BIDEN’S nomination of Ajay Banga to head The World Bank has once again stirred a media frenzy in India. All possible details about him and his family are being sought and aired, while competing lists of “Indians” in prominent positions abroad are going viral through forwards. His appointment to the exalted position is just a formality, given the precedent and understanding that the post will always be filled by a US nominee. It is, indeed, a proud moment for India and Indians, as we collectively – and so, as a country – bask in the reflected glory of Mr Banga’s well-deserved recognition. Our pride in the ancestry of some of those who scale great heights is not necessarily shared by all of them; we, of course, claim even second-generation immigrants as Indians. Thus, when Rishi Sunak became the Prime Minister of UK, it was a “takeover” (some, in true corporate style, labelled it an acquisition) by India: “the Empire strikes back”, screamed always-excited TV anchors. Kamala Harris, Vice President of the yet-most-powerful nation and its first-ever woman VP, featured all over the media when first appointed. Though born in the US, of mixed Indian-Jamaican parentage, DASHING DESHIS AND PHOBIA OF FOREIGNERS P KIRAN’S KONTRARIAN KORNER and educated there, we claimed her as one of our own. When she referred to her aunt as chithi, not just Tamilians, but all Indians were overjoyed and took it as her strong India-connect. As a footnote, one needs to add that her appointment became a disappointment to many in India (and probably in the US). She is no longer considered a likely President-in-waiting, barring unfortunate circumstances. Now, Indian eyes are on Nikki Haley, a possible US Presidential candidate. Born in the US, but of Indian parentage, her progress in the Presidential race will be closely followed in India. Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died in an unfortunate accident, was more “Indian”, having been born and studied (up to her engineering degree) in India. Academia too boasts of many foreign-based Indians who have reached the highest echelons, including Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and Abhijit Banerjee, the better-known amongst the few more recent India-born winners. C.K. Prahalad (sadly, no more now) and Raghuram Rajan too have won wide recognition. Salman Rushdie is well-known globally, for reasons beyond his exceptional literary achievements. All of them have done much of their academic work (including higher education) abroad. Mr Banga, one must note, is more home-grown in terms of education, having earned an MBA from India’s top business school, IIM Ahmedabad, following an engineering degree from IIT Delhi. Corporate icons Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Sundar Pichai (Google/Alphabet) and Shantanu Narayan (Adobe) got their first degree (in engineering) from India. Indra Nooyi (ex-Pepsi) too went through much of her education in India. All these “deshis” demonstrated dash, dynamism and drive, leading to success. As the country takes vicarious parental pride in the prowess of its diaspora, are there lessons to learn? Many have tried to analyse what has differentiated these global leaders from their batchmates in India. Some attribute it to their advanced education in the US, a more proBy Kiran Karnik
25 March 2023 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 103 The author loves to think in tongue-in-cheek ways, with no maliciousness or offence intended. At other times, he is a public policy analyst and author. His latest book is Decisive Decade: India 2030 Gazelle or Hippo (Rupa, 2021) fessional work environment, meritocracy with performance-based rewards, or the positive ambience. Some attribute it to the far greater opportunities, especially in a large and dynamic economy like the US. Others think it is because of laws that facilitate a hire-and-fire approach, requiring employees to be on their toes. Most of these basically relate to the context: the working culture and environment. Any or all may be correct; yet, there is also a broader lesson – the role and contribution of immigrants to these countries. Notable in this are the US, UK, and Israel. UK initially opened its doors to low-skill Indians and Afro-Americans, using them for menial jobs not taken up by Britishers. Later, it saw a fair flood of East Europeans, again mainly at the bottom-of-pyramid level. However, it also attracted many university students and doctors. It is said that the UK NHS runs mainly on the strength of Indian doctors! Israel is substantially a country of immigrants, which has pulled itself up by the bootstraps with dedicated hard work, innovation and technology. The US too is a country of immigrants (like Israel, it too marginalised – sometimes decimated – the indigenous population). Over the last half century or more, while semi-skilled labour migrated there (many illegally), it also opened its doors to a growing number of international students and wellqualified people. Work visas (including the well-known H-1B) were issued in large numbers, with over 100,000 in many years. Student scholarships, especially for postgraduate levels in science and technology, made it possible for middle-class students to flock to the US and study at top universities. Many H-1B visa holders and students became permanent residents, with “green cards”, and ultimately became citizens. This conscious strategy has enabled the US to accumulate a huge reservoir of top talent and helped it to practically dominate the whole spectrum of hi-tech research and industry. Also, in both the US and UK, many acclaimed achievers are children of immigrants, including those from humble backgrounds. The lessons for India are clear: u in a competitive world, we need to proactively attract the best talent from around the globe; v providing attractive scholarships to foreign students and facilitating their stay in India after studies is vital; w immigrant-children, possibly because they have had to live through tough times, are potentially a great source of talent, irrespective of the education level of their parents; xfacilitating work-permits and their later transition to permanent residency or citizenship is a necessary way of retaining talent. For unfortunate reasons, our immediate neighbourhood presents a great opportunity from this point of view. In a positive and facilitative climate, we can get floods of students from all the South Asian countries, as also from Iran, Middle-East and Africa. India’s stability and success, and perceived achievements of its education system, will serve as a magnet. Lower costs and a more compatible culture are additional pluses. We can also attract the best professional talent, who will find excitement in the challenges and opportunities of India. However, this will require giving up the foreigner-phobia that sometimes overcomes us. Referring to citizens of a friendly neighbour as “termites” hardly helps, nor do reports of communal biases, leave alone lynchings. We can be the global hub of not just talent, but of technology and research. Can we imbibe the lessons from the success of our diaspora and move ahead quickly? Academia too boasts of many foreignbased Indians who have reached the highest echelons, including Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and Abhijit Banerjee, the better-known amongst the few more recent India-born winners. C.K. Prahalad (sadly, no more now) and Raghuram Rajan too have won wide recognition. Salman Rushdie is well-known globally, for reasons beyond his exceptional literary achievements
104 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 WANT TO INTERVIEW the interviewer,” said Khanna, a very senior executive of a billion-dollar family business. That was a strange request indeed, for any recruiter. The logic that was given was that the client wanted to ensure that the interviewer was on the same page as what the client wanted. For a minute, assume that you are the recruiter with special skills that alHIPOs (a false positive). That is because you have only 90 per cent accuracy and 10 per cent inaccuracy or error. This is known as Type 1 and Type 2 error. Thus, an organisation may end up rejecting a ‘fit’ candidate or may end up accepting an ‘unfit’ candidate. In this example, it selected nine correctly and nine incorrectly, a total of eighteen candidates. Time & Objectivity This is why recruitment needs time and attention. As consumers shopping for low priced products like a refrigerator or smartphone worth a few thousands (compared to the higher salaries amount for a candidate), we are far more focused and pay attention to details. We pore over websites for reviews, technical research, ask opinions from ‘family and friends’ for a product. Yet for a career decision, and culture and competency-based evaluation of candidates, we have far lesser time and probability of getting it right. Barry Deutsch, Master recruiter writes, “In 30 years of executive search, over 1000 search projects, and interviews with over 250,000 candidates, we cannot find a single correlation that links how someone interviews with their onthe-job performance – as interviews are traditionally conducted by the vast majority of hiring managers.” What gets assessed is “interview acting or performance” and NOT what information is collected that allows you to predict future onthe-job performance and impact. Most of the Indian hiring do not use scientific assessment tools at all. Not so long ago, considerations of recruitment were not just the merit of the candidacy. It included relational weightage like references or hiring of relatives of current employees, loyalty factors. Have these moved away to truly merit and culture-based employee selection? While much of the good recruitment process is to eliminate bias, it is also to suit the client briefing. Rarely do much of client briefs say that they want truly I The Art and Craft of Recruitment – Why it Matters PEOPLE TALK By Srinath Sridharan & Steve Correa low you to pick 90 per cent of the time, the top 10 per cent of high potential candidates (HIPOs) from a group of prospective employees. If you land up at a recruitment drive, what would be your success rate? Ninety per cent, correct? Think again. The fact is that in a room full of say, one hundred candidates, with ten being the top highest HIPO, you would be successful in picking nine of them (that is a 90 per cent accuracy). You have made an error of not being able to pick the tenth HIPO (false negative). Now comes the rub: of the balance ninety people in the room, who are not HIPO’s, you have been interviewing them as well, and you make an error in selecting nine of them as
25 March 2023 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 105 the other hand, there is reluctance to differentiate sharply on rewards, lest it lead to disharmony in the teams. So, is diversity hiring a challenge in India? It is common that in the candidate interview, many questions pertaining to personal and family background are asked and factored in as a basis for selection or rejection. Most jobs are advertised through internal job postings and instead of advertising widely, leaders rely on a few select head-hunters, and employee referrals. These narrow pools restrict the opportunity for tapping into genes of diversity. As evidence, ask: does our employee demographic profile in the organisation represent equitable inclusion of the society we live in? Clearly not. Research confirms that employing recommended candidates is preferred. These conditions apart, there is over-reliance on educational qualification, resumes and job experience. Most of the interview processes don’t involve assessment of potential for the candidate to deliver. There is focus only on technical skills. Soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, are not sufficiently probed. The hiring process is rushed, and cultural fit is not fully explored. Background checks are hardly conducted. There is much to the business of recruitment, for which one must learn in getting the recruits to succeed. Hiring is an Art, and a Craft and in between lies Business. For larger the size of the Indian economic growth, better it’s entities should acquire the ability to recruit. Many Indian leaders (promoters or even professionals) see no nepotism in hiring employees from their place of origin or their community, offering contracts to vendors who are part of their social circle or familiar cohort, even taking their loyal team along from one company to another independent talent, who will have a mind of their own. Is this different from the earlier industries approach – where scant attention was paid to succession planning and unconsciously selection was closed to ‘smarter people’ who could create discomfort for the leader, who wished to be viewed as ‘superior’? Different Treatments Many Indian leaders (promoters or even professionals) see no nepotism in hiring employees from their place of origin or their community, offering contracts to vendors who are part of their social circle or familiar cohort, even taking their loyal team along from one company to another. The demand for ‘loyalty’ can influence the objective assessment of performance. The ‘chemistry’ factor is critical to relationships, sought for unconsciously. There is a preference to work with someone one knows well. In the Indian context, we seem to think low of a business culture if they have layoffs or talent downsizing or performance-based job cuts. Businesses are for profit and cannot be welcomed with squeamishness. On Srinath Sridharan is author of Time for Bharat, a policy researcher & corporate advisor Steve Correa is executive coach, OD consultant & author, The Indian Boss at Work Photograph by Mstjahanara
106 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 R eebok co-founder Joseph William Foster has recently penned a book, Shoe Maker, that recounts the remarkable journey of the legacy shoe brand. During his first visit to India recently, Foster took time off to talk to BW Businessworld’s Ruhail Amin about Reebok’s journey, the challenges he faced while setting up the shoe brand, and the inspiration that led him to write a book on it. Excerpts “MISINFORMATION PROMPTED ME TO TELL MY STORY” INTERVIEW
25 March 2023 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 107 What inspired you to write a book about your journey? I stepped back from Reebok a long time ago. We didn’t have computers or smartphones in those days. Everywhere I went, we used read and write letters, as we didn’t have emails back then. So when I stepped back from Reebok, I had decided that I’ll visit the beautiful island of Ten Reef, as I wanted to lay back and enjoy life. But then of course, all this new technology came in, we got computers, smartphones, Google and Wikipedia, and they were telling me how Reebok was started, but that was little truth to it. There was also a photograph of Joe Foster, Founder of Reebok, floating on the internet, which was not me. So all that misinformation prompted me to write my story. We had to tell our story otherwise, there would be a lot of stories of Reebok’s inception. You faced a lot of hardships in the initial stages of Reebok before it became a global brand. What was your mindset, how did you keep yourself optimistic when things were not so good? When you have a business, you want it to do well, so you see what the opportunities are. Could we ever become a number one brand? Well, you don’t believe it at the time because you’re still taking those first steps. But I think the beautiful thing about Reebok and about the sports footwear business is that it is very visible, and you mix with people, athletes, and personalities. Hence, it’s an exciting business to be in. So, the excitement led us to take those next steps and we got lucky. Of course, we got lucky. You work hard, but you need a bit of luck as well. Interesting Facts n Joe Foster’s grandfather was the founder of J.W. Foster and Sons, and the pioneer of the spiked running shoe. nJ.W. Foster and Sons began distributing shoes across the United Kingdom, which were worn by British athletes, and were made famous by 100m Olympic champion Harold Abrahams in the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris. n Joe shares the same name as his grandfather, also named Joseph William Foster. n Joe founded Reebok in 1958 with his late brother Jeff, following their family heritage going back to 1895. n Joe Foster found the name ‘Reebok’ in a dictionary won in a sprint race when he was a boy. The name is Afrikaans for the grey rhebok, a type of African antelope. n In the book Shoe Maker, Joe has also talked about his grief when his brother Jeffery died of stomach cancer and his daughter Kay, passed away due to leukemia in 1988. n Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail owns Reebok in India PROFILE OF JOE FOSTER Joseph William Foster (Joe Foster) was born in 1935 in Bolton England. Joe’s grandfather was the founder of J W Foster & Sons (athletic shoes) and the inventor of the spiked running shoe and trainer (sneaker). Joe and his late brother Jeff were born into the family business, but on their return home from National Service, they asked questions. The year was 1955 and the brothers saw a business still rooted in the 1930s. So in 1958, Joe and Jeff left the Foster business to set up a new sports shoe company, Mercury Sports Footwear, which became Reebok in 18 months. Joe’s book Shoemaker recounts the story of Reebok, growing from a startup into a $4 billion business, taking on Adidas and Nike. Photographs by Vilas Kalgutker
108 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 In your struggling days, you and your brother had to live in your shoe factory, we’ve also read that the machines were placed on the edge of the stairs as the floors were not strong enough to hold the weight of the machine… Well, when you are young, what can go wrong? You’re just young and could do anything, we were totally unflappable. That was it, we knew we could it. I sometimes look back and ask myself that question. Tell us about Reebok’s journey in India. How important was India in Reebok’s global journey? I think Reebok has been quite a large brand in India for some time. Regrettably, this is my first time here, I should have been here earlier, but we’ve made it at last. It is fabulous to actually see the brand go global. I would’ve been in India much earlier, but sometimes politically things don’t work that way, you have to have partnerships in order to set up. The brand came to India when I think I was still running the business. We got the brand global because having brought it to the American market, it really gives you the opportunity to go to other places. So, that was the springboard, to have the brand go global and India was part of that. Also, it feels incredible to come and talk to people who remember that breakthrough. We remember when Reebok first came in and how big it was, and we think it’s still very big in India and it’s going to get even bigger. Earlier today, we met with the new licensee for India, and we are going to see the team, so, this is going to get exciting. I am excited to visit Bangalore to see them. I think it’s good that the brand is now owned by Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, I think this is providing the brand the opportunity for Reebok to come back and grow. We are seeing a rise in entrepreneurship and a lot of start-ups are coming up in India, but the journey is never easy. What’s your message to those aspirational entrepreneurs and those who are not yet into entrepreneurship but are thinking of taking that leap of faith? To anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur, I would say just keep your optimism alive, and keep trying. Don’t worry about failure. Failure is just that challenge you may need to keep yourself going. We did it, we went from running to aerobics. We saw that wide space that is different, and if you keep working hard enough, and you keep looking around, you keep that optimism, you will find your space. But you have to keep looking for it. [email protected] “We remember when Reebok first came in, and how big it was, and we think it's still very big in India and it's going to get even bigger” INTERVIEW
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110 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 AFTER HOURS / GOLF The cold Friday morning of 20 January,2023 saw over a hundred exstudents of the famous St. Stephen’s College, Delhi collecting at the reputed Delhi Golf Club. In the backdrop of a beautiful golf course nestling in a forest in the heart of New Delhi, the alumni gathered to revive a 37- yearold game of annual alumni golf that had got interrupted owing to the unfortunate passing away of the earlier promoters, Shankar Ghosh and Kali Ghosh, as well as the countrywide Covid-19 pandemic. A group of diehard golfers got together that day to bring back the event and put on a firmer base a traditional get -together that had historically been eagerly looked forward to by the alumni of a different vintage. THE TOURNAMENT saw alumni – ranging from the age of 94 years (O.P. Bhutani) to a 22- year- old – swinging their golf clubs away in friendly competition. With their golf handicaps varying widely between 36 and zero, all of them displayed the same high level of enthusiasm and unique banter for which the college has come to be known for decades. Understandably, while some of the seniors over 75 years ended up playing only nine holes, most completed the customary 18 holes on the picturesque Lodhi course. For most part of the day, the players had the rare privilege of their performance on the field being witnessed by prides of peacocks parading around nonchalantly in the middle of the fairways! The prize distribution to the winners followed in the evening as scores of former Stephanians and their spouses gathered over cocktails and a buffet dinner at the Rani Bagh lawns of the Taj Palace hotel in the tony Chanakya Puri area of the national capital. The high turnout also saw alumni joining from Chandigarh, Dehradun and Jaipur as fun and frolic dominated the evening. Former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh, who had passed out from the college in 1952, gave away the newly instituted sterling silver running trophy (donated by 92-year-old I. K. Rasgotra) to Sanjiv Bhalla, who on a Stableford basis had scored one below par in his round. THE 15 OTHER equally impressive smaller trophies were presented by the nine sponsors, who had generously supported the holding of this much cherished game of golf. These sponsors included Nippon Kenwood as the lead partner, as well as the Union Ministry of Tourism, the Taj Group, Usha International, DCM Shriram, IILM Law, Vredestein Tyres and Palo Alto Networks. The 250 odd players, guests and their spouses were welcomed by the Chief Patron and Arjuna awardee Ashok Malik and Ajay Dua, the President of the newly formed St. Stephen’s Golfing Fraternity, and offered thanks at the end of the four-hour long ceremony by Bobby Kewalramani and Vijay Chibber. n Former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh, who had passed out from the college in 1952, gave away the sterling silver running trophy Stephanians Tee Off Again A group of die-hard golfers got together to bring back the St Stephen’s Golfing Fraternity Golf Tournament and put on a firmer base a traditional get -together that had historically been eagerly looked forward to by the alumni of a different vintage By Sunandan BhanjaChaudhury The author is Client Partner, Pedersen & Partners and is known as SU by friends and family, both off and on the golf course! Photographs by Sunandan Bhanja Chaudhury
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112 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 A The author is the reknowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla’s son and carries forward his legacy By Astro Friend Chirag Bejan Daruwala Your finances may improve this month. You may have differences with your business partner, but try to stay calm. Your career will skyrocket if you focus on your area of interest. Start exercising. SCORPIO: (23 October – 21 Nov. ) Ganesha says you may get some good news from your family. Your excellent financial condition may tempt you to spend on luxuries. New investments may turn lucrative. Try to understand concepts and focus on learning. SAGITTARIUS: (22 Nov. – 21 Dec.) Ganesha says this will be a good month for you in general and you will bring happiness to those around you. You will receive a huge profit this month and there are high chances of new investments. Your quality of work will significantly improve. CAPRICORN: (22 Dec.– 19 Jan.) Ganesha says this will be a good month for you in general. You may not come across new opportunities, but your quality of work will significantly improve. Don’t be afraid to seek help when confronted with an obstacle. AQUARIUS: (20 Jan. – 18 Feb.) Ganesha this month will be full of positivity and optimism for you. New opportunities come your way that improve your finances and bring investment in your business. Your creative mind will be appreciated and new ideas and solutions will be developed by you. Avoid anxiety. PISCES:(19 Feb. – 20 March) Ganesha says your work - life balance may be good this month. Take wise decisions about your finances and investments. You won’t face many obstacles in your work-related plans this month. You will enjoy studying and achieve great grades. Watch your health. What the Stars Foretell for You Ganesha says be careful with your money and focus on long-term goals. Expect growth and progress in your business ventures. Prioritise your physical and mental health through exercise, rest and self-care. LIBRA: (23 Sept. – 22 Oct. ) Ganesha says this is an ideal time to plan a family trip to a beautiful destination. RIES:(21 March – 19 April) Ganesha says this month you may prepare for a big business launch. Your hard work and honesty are likely to bring professional success. However, it’s important to pay off any old debts before investing in new schemes. TAURUS: (20 April 20 – 20 May) Ganesha says that you may be in a position of leadership this month and get the opportunity to take a life-changing decision. Your positive attitude is likely to reflect in your work. Try working out to maintain good health. GEMINI: (21 May –20 June) Ganesha says this month may bring a lot of joy into your life, potentially through a property deal.Expect a good return on any previous investments. Your body may give you warning signs that you’ve been neglecting your health. CANCER: (21 June – 22 July) Ganesha says it may take some extra effort to achieve your financial goals this month. You may develop strong business connections with people in foreign countries or remote areas. Consider a fitness programme and healthy diet for physical well-being. LEO: (23 July – 22 August) Ganesha says this month you’ll feel optimistic and confident, attracting positivity and good fortune. You may see unexpected financial gains, but avoid unnecessary risks. You’ll be highly productive and innovative. Stay hydrated, eat well, and rest. VIRGO: (23 August – 22 Sept. ) WHAT DOES MARCH 2023 HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU? CARRYING FORWARD THE LATE BEJAN DARUWALA’S LEGACY, THE AUTHOR GUIDES YOU, SO YOU MAY MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER COLUMN Astrologer: Chirag Bejan Daruwala
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114 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 25 March 2023 TECHNOLOGY has pervaded each sector from agriculture to education to finance in today’s world and it is evident that public healthcare cannot remain untouched from its impact. When the pandemic strained our already overburdened healthcare systems, digital health solutions such as surveillance applications, vaccination platforms, data monitoring dashboards, and remote clinical management providers bridged the gap in healthcare delivery, making patients’ healthcare seeking journeys convenient in the midst of a crisis. India harnessed digital public goods such as Aarogya Setu, a contact tracing application and CoWIN which not only helped vaccinate over 2 million citizens in India but was used by other developing countries to spearhead their vaccination strategy. These and other examples such as telehealth platforms are a testimony to the enormous potential of frugal innovation and technology in improving healthcare and place the spotlight on the need for introducing these in providing quality services to the last mile. However, multiple challenges plague the health systems. Typically, the conventional patient journey has been replete with many obstacles. Lack of awareness, difficulty to reach the right provider, long commute and waiting times at hospitals, delay or denial of adequate care, loss or absence of health records, repeated visits with negligible follow up amount to high out-of-pocket payments and poor health outcomes for common people. Health Technology to the Rescue Some of the ways health technology can help solve these challenges include increased access to medical information, improved diagnosis and treatment options, and building overall efficiency in healthcare systems. For example, mobile health (mHealth) technology can provide people in underserved areas with access to health information, resources, services through text message-based health education, telemedicine, allowing people to receive consultations, specialist care and advice without having to travel to a physical health facility and opportunity to schedule appointments or order lab tests at home. Another way digital solutions aid citizens is through creation and management of their electronic health records. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission The Government of India also recognised the potential and possibilities of using digital technologies in health and launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). It aims to build an agile and comprehensive digital public infrastructure, which can serve as a blueprint for developing countries. Through building blocks such as Ayushman Bharat Health Account, Personal Health Records application, Unified Health Interface and verified registries such as Health Facility, Professional and Drug Registry, ABDM envisions to enable different and disparate stakeholders from public and private sector to come together under an overarching scheme and leverage interoperable digital platforms. India’s digital health infrastructure can open doors for developing countries to learn and collectively build a global interconnected health ecosystem, supporting the vision of Universal Health Coverage. In conclusion, with right use of right technology, there is tremendous potential to transform public healthcare in nations which are at a cusp of growth and development. It has the capacity to empower citizens to avail healthcare regardless of who they are or where they live. However, we must remember to not treat technology as a silver bullet. It should be regarded as an enabler. National Health Authority’s former CEO R.S. Sharma on technology’s potential to transform public healthcare in nations which are at a cusp of growth and development LAST WORD R.S. SHARMA Technology: An Equaliser in Public Healthcare India’s digital health infrastructure can open doors for developing countries to learn and collectively build a global interconnected health ecosystem, supporting the vision of Universal Health Coverage Photograph by Bobby Singh