Ratan Tata, one of the prominent businessmen visited the SRM university and held an interactive session with students and professors

Updated on: Tuesday, February 09, 2016

SRM Ratan Tata (Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons), one of the prominent businessmen, investor and a philanthropist recently visited theSRM university and held an interactive session with students and professors drawn from all faculties of the university-Engineering and Technology, Science and Humanities, Medical and Dental Sciences, Health Sciences, Management and Law.

Before the session, he had a meeting with the founder Chancellor of SRM University, Dr. Paari Vendhar, where they discussed the challenges and opportunities of higher education in India. Referring to the fact that so many young minds of India choose overseas destinations for higher studies, Tata observed that this would not be the case if educational institutions offered proper facilities and faculties.

He said that if India is to shine now and in the future, people must have the freedom to decide and while governments can be in the business of monitoring, they should have no role in telling people what to do and what not to do. "If India should shine, let the people have the freedom to decide" , said Tata.

Stressing that there are many qualities that are sought after in young leaders but the bottom line must be one of making a difference. He also said that as you go through life, many things which you could not find in college, you will find it in your profession down the line. "Be honest in what you think and do and this goes for any profession", the industrial and business magnate remarked.

Lavishing praise on the state of the art facilities at SRM university and endorsing the institution's plans for the future, he told the young minds that along with team work, timing, planning and innovation, there has to be an intuition for as to which project would succeed; but at the same time not every plan or venture is going to succeed and that one must take everything as a learning exercise.

Lamenting the fact that India still did not have a basic health care network and a country where there is still a social stigma on disability, Tata argued that both the public and the private sectors need to go the distance in addressing the needs of the under privileged and specially challenged people.

He feels that less attention has been given to disability-oriented vehicles and pointed out that we don't even have a ramp in many pavements to address the needs of people on wheel-chairs. Asked on his parameters of support to start-ups, Tata argued that while he is interested in the ideas of the young minds on projects, his support to any will also depend on not only viability but also in an assessment of "greed" of the entrepreneur.

In the end, he went on a tour of SRM university with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Prabir Bagchi.

Ratan Tata, one of the prominent businessmen visited the SRM university and held an interactive session with students and professors

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