Indore (Madhya Pradesh): India stands among the top 10 countries in the world but still needs to tackle its shortcomings, especially corruption, to emerge as a superpower.
Sharing this thought, the senior vice-president at Nabors Industries, Houston, TX, a multi-billion dollar public company, Srikanth Valleru sees the scope for India to be on the top and Indore to make its mark in the world.
Born to Indira and Subbaiah Naidu Valleru, Shrikant suffered a personal tragedy when his son Manas died four years back at the age of 25. This led him to start an NGO ‘My Manas Foundation’ that helps education in rural areas and also provides scholarships to study in the USA.
How India can become a superpower
The way is to encourage the private sector and limit the government sector and make private jobs as good as government ones. There should be term limits for PM, CM, MPs etc. Most importantly, in tackling corruption in the bureaucracy. Also through India is growing the benefits are going only to tier 1 and 2 cities.
Strong points of Indore
It is undoubtedly the education industry. Many students in Indore are from nearby villages. Many of them do not want to go to other cities away from their families. For the industries, there is a large pool of workforce and it can become a great Smart City.
Changes that Indore needs
Develop areas that bring jobs, like IT. Give our local students jobs. Develop a city with a specific industry focus, like White Field in Bangalore for IT and HITECH City in Hyderabad. Also, Indore needs to be part of a major railway junction.
How to match Bangalore and Hyderabad
If we want to develop like Bangalore or Hyderabad, we need high-paying white-collar jobs here, not blue-collar jobs only. Most of the current plans are related to the blue-collar workforce. The Global Investors Meet will surely help.
Advice to young Indoris
First, learn about India and how to grow within. With the diversities in India, you can see that each state is its own country, and in many cases with its regulations and controls. Once you learn to work with other states within India, it is easy to expand globally. Learn from local NRIs who have global exposure.
Memorable place in Indore
Khajrana and Chhapan Dukan. One must try Indore’s poha and jalebi.
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