APJ Abdul Kalam : 'A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure' IndiaKnowledge@Wharton: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure? Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal. By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control c...
Search for Life Between two end points called birth and death, is a span we call life. But in reality, this span forms only a small fraction of our life. The totality of life is hidden beyond the points we call birth and death. Due to ignorance we take this small portion of life before us to be the whole of life. But it is not so. This life is like an iceberg apparently floating on the surface of an ocean. A very small portion of this huge icy rock is visible to the eye. A far greater portion is concealed beneath the surface. From a distance it appears as if small piece of ice were floating on the surface; but a close and careful examination reveals that it is only a fraction of the whole. This small portion is the manifested and exposed portion. By far the greatest portion of the iceberg is hidden in the depths of the unknown. It is exactly the same with our life. Between birth and death there is only a very small known and manifested fraction of the totality of life. An infinitely la...
Operation Sindoor - A high-precision, multi-domain offensive and an evolution of India’s counter-terrorism doctrine Why the Name "Sindoor" Was Selected: The name "Sindoor" (सिंदूर) carries deep symbolic and cultural meaning in India, especially in the context of marriage and devotion: Symbol of Sacredness and Protection: Sindoor is traditionally applied by married Hindu women in the parting of their hair (maang), symbolizing their marital status. It's also seen as a symbol of auspiciousness, protection, and commitment—all values that can metaphorically apply to the nation's commitment to its territorial integrity. Blood and Sacrifice: The red color of sindoor can also symbolize blood, suggesting the sacrifice of soldiers and the fierce battle that took place to reclaim Indian territory. It invokes both emotional gravity and patriotic sentiment. Reclaiming Honor: The operation was about reclaiming what was rightfully India's, much like how sindoor is a m...
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