Date:16/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/16/stories/2005041609050400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Vision must for key programmes, says Kalam

Special Correspondent

Kalam's tips on sure fire management techniques

THOUGHT SHARING: The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, addressing via videoconference delegates of the International Project Management Conference -Asia Pacific at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Friday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has said all programmes of national priority must have a clear vision. He stressed the need for "recognising people who contribute and burn candles in the night."

Dr. Kalam was delivering the keynote address through videoconference at the Project Management Conference, Gyan Lahari-Asia Pacific 2005, organised by the Project Management Institute (PMI) here on Friday.

The President kept the audience in good humour as he travelled down the memory lane recalling developments in the scientific field over the last 30 to 40 years, and narrated the lessons to be learnt from them and relevant to project management techniques, including failure management.

Sanctions' episode

Recalling technology sanctions imposed by the U.S. in 1998 against India, he said: "Our scientists rose to the occasion. Teams were formed and took the denial (of technology) as a challenge. No country can dominate by imposing technology sanctions," he said by way of lessons learnt from the episode.

On ingredients to make a ``Prosperous India," he said it should be powered by economic development, which in turn had to be powered by competitiveness, and so on, finally down to `creative leadership.'

Explaining the evolution of project management since the days of the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV3) programme, Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), he said a novel procedure was followed to select project directors. Criteria discussed were `minimum 10 years of service left,' and `unimpeachable integrity," he said, adding with a meaningful smile :"how do we get such people today."

B. Ramalinga Raju, founder of Satyam Computer Services, said project management would attain more and more importance in future. It was not just a science but an art, he said.

The Student Leadership Competency Building (SLCB) programme was unveiled by M. Rammohan Rao, Dean of Indian School of Business.