THE HEAD OF GODREJ INDIA CULTURE LAB- AN EXPERIMENTAL IDEAS SPACE WORKING ON INNOVATION IN THE LARGER GODREJ GROUP. ALSO SERVES AS THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE FOR VERVE MAGAZINE. A YALE WORLD FELLOW, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM YOUNG GLOBAL LEADER, UTRECHT UNIVERSITY IMPAKT FELLOW AND TED FELLOW. AUTHOR OF GAY BOMBAY AND AMONG THE LIST OF “25 INDIANS TO WATCH” BY FINANCIAL TIMES
You are an author, editor, venture capitalist, ethnographer, and a cultural catalyst. Out of these multiple roles that you play, which is closest to your heart and why?
The role that I play as a cultural catalyst at the Godrej India Culture Lab is closest to my heart. It allows me to be an entrepreneur, editor, ethnographer, and play many other roles in a single job. It helps me to bring difference to the lives of people. It allows me to bring all writers on a single platform, enables me to bring change in the city and the country. It helps me to influence Godrej as a company and transform the youth culture.
What do you think is the reason in this change of mentality and aspiration of Indian youth, when compared to a few years back?
The current generation is not doing it for themselves. They are bringing change for the society. People are gathering and doing it. People are bringing change together. Technology is playing an important role here. Take for example, the cell phone. The cell phone is yours, and creates independence. You have the independence you never had. It enables you to imagine alternatives. It creates alternatives, and that is very exciting.
You are a firm believer in the potential of the youth of our country. Having experienced life here in India and in USA as a student, what difference do you find in the youth culture of the two countries?
Youth culture has both, universal as well as specific aspects. The use of Facebook or social media to connect is a universal cultural phenomenon. Similarly taking selfies with friends is part of popular culture both, in India and abroad. The difference that I find is that Indian youth are more optimistic about tomorrow. They are not fearful at all! In fact, they are the change agents of today, bringing change through NGOs, as entrepreneurs, going against the grain. They are trying out unconventional things, which is immensely inspiring!
Our ancient past saw a think tank- Takshashila Vishvavidyalaya being the source of our glory under the first Indian empire-The Mauryan empire. What role according to you do think tanks have in contemporary India?
I think in today’s world, there is knowledge. Knowledge is coming from everywhere. Whether Takshashila, whether Nalanda, of course they were ancient universities, we do have modern Universities which are doing very good work. But the work should not be limited to knowledge dispersion only. We here at culture lab, are trying to move beyond education. We are trying to create a new kind of node through which knowledge can intersect with the society. And I think it isvery important to have such nodes, so that knowledge can come out of institutions and mix with people, with society. That’s how there can be an era, an environment for cross pollination.
At a time when there is immense focus in the country on skill development factoring demographic dividend that we enjoy, considering the pace with which our society is moving and maturing towards a new era, our workplace too is facing multiple issues- of diversity, acceptance of LGBT community, etc. What do you think is the role of HR in increasing the workplace acceptance and maintaining diversity in an organisation?
I think HR has to get out of the way and stop being a roadblock in so many places. In today’s world, more than anything else, you need to empower employees, and not become obstacles in their journey. You can empower them by creating an environment of mystic and shine and making sure they are not being discriminated against, by facilitating their growth not just professional, but also personal, also spiritual, emotional, in a way that brightens them. People spend more and more time at their workplace. Companies and HR departments have to fulfil this and stop being traditional. I think HR has a very important role to play, in actually, creating a world in which people feel safe, happy and fulfilled. And I think we have progressive HR departments and companies doing that. Hence, talent will always gravitate to such places.
