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Ladies and gentlemen: Thank you Ralph for your fine introduction. I sincerely thank Susan Allen and the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce for inviting me to speak to you today. I am honored and delighted to be here. As many of you know, over the course of 12 years I grew a government contracting business from $50 thousand the first year I started, to $300 Million in 2006 when I sold it to Perot Systems. This company was called QSS Group. I want to begin my speech in a rather unusual way. That is by telling you what I want you to forget rather than what I want you to remember. The title the sponsors gave to my speech is “How I Built a $300M Government Contracting Business.” The first thing I want you to forget is the “I”. My business was built by a team of over 2,000 dedicated employees. There is no “I” in team. The second thing I want you to forget is the $300M. Put that $300M number out of your head. If you focus on the big number, you will never get there. The famous architect Mies van der Rohe is alleged to have said, “The devil is in the details.” What he actually said was “God is in the details.” That is true in business as well – success is in the details and small numbers. By focusing on them, you get to the big numbers. That is the perspective that I took in my company, the QSS Group. I want to share some of that perspective with you here today in the hope that it will be helpful to you in building your business. I will do this by highlighting:
Key attributes to start a business – what I had when I started Although there are others, for me, there were three attributes that were the most critical considerations as I embarked on this 12 year journey full of hope and full of promises. I knew my journey down my chosen path would have obstacles and challenges, but I remained confident that there would be a reward at the end. The first attribute is a willingness to take a risk, both financially and personally; to push yourself out of your comfort zone, to work hard, aim high and pursue your dreams. I knew taking risks meant confronting uncertainty with optimism, ingenuity and creativity. I also knew taking risks meant venturing into new horizons and experiencing new environments. I also knew that taking risks would bring heavy doses of frustration, burnout, and disappointment along the way. I also knew that I might fail at some point. But I was never frightened of my future, and I remained focused on brighter horizons even when I endured storms, even when I suffered and struggled during those dark and difficult days. This may be easier for some than for others---I was fortunate enough that I could take a risk; my wife was capable of “paying the bills” in the short-term, and I was confident that I could “get a job” if my venture did not work out.
The second attribute is to understand the market you are entering and to be realistic about what you do and don’t know. It is also important to consider what it takes to fill in the “knowledge gaps”. The Federal government was where my experience was —I had been working for government contractors (CSC and Raytheon) for 15 years. I used that time to gain experience and insights on both the delivery side and the business development side. I also learned as much as I could from the people around me in order to broaden my perspective. Because of this, I felt I had a good understanding of what I was getting into.
The third attribute is to assess your skills and determine how these skills will be leveraged in your new business. As I said previously, I worked as a government contractor for 15 years before I started my business. I had learned how to sell and deliver services. I also had an opportunity to build some strong relationships with a few key potential customers and some people who could help me sell and deliver IT and engineering services. I also knew I didn’t know most Federal agencies nor how to deliver what they needed, so I narrowed my initial focus to just IT and engineering work at NASA, the area where I had expertise. Although these were the key attributes I considered in making my decision to start a business, it is also important to note that, as a minority, I was able to participate in the federal government’s 8(a) program. This program, sponsored by the Small Business Administration, provides assistance to minority-owned businesses and allows them to bid on certain contracts which are set-aside for this program. In starting a new business, it is always important to consider what external help may be available to you, and to take advantage of that help, where appropriate.
The three key principles in running the business: After I decided that I was reasonably positioned to own and operate a business, I identified the key principles that I was going to use to run the business. I adhered to these principles throughout my twelve years at QSS and firmly believe that they were major contributors to my company’s success. The first principle is to make sure that you deliver what the Customer wants. Get feed back from your customers; give your customers a good and fair deal, and do not forget to say Thank You. While customers can sometimes be demanding and unreasonable, you should never forget that without your customer, you would not have a business. At QSS we developed an exceptional reputation for customer satisfaction, which was critical for retaining our current work and for getting new work. We had a lot of great people who did a great job of keeping the customer happy. Satisfied customers provide excellent references and demonstrate to a potential customer that you can do what you say you can do.
The second principle is to constantly look ahead and focus on continually building new business. Sales cycles vary from business to business, but in Federal contracting the cycle tends to be rather long. As a consequence, it is always important to be scanning the horizon and planning what you can do to best position your company to offer the services the customer is seeking. At QSS, we all understood that new business is the life blood of growth, so everyone was involved in contributing to the new business process in some way. We worked very hard to understand a potential customer’s requirements and to make sure that our proposal addressed exactly what they wanted.
The third principle is to make sure you run the business in a focused and efficient manner. Time is a precious resource, so it shouldn’t be wasted on things that don’t need to be done. QSS had a very flat organizational structure and no redundancy. Therefore, we could be very responsive to any situation because we had a simple decision making process---it was easy to get to the ‘top” decision maker---me---because I was always around, engaged and involved in the business and available. This level of efficiency enabled us to operate at a reasonable cost and to be able to offer our services on a very cost competitive basis. Much of this is common sense and I believe that these are things that most of us know. However, we can tend to forget them in the heat of the day to day battle of running a business. Recognizing this, I always tried to keep these principles “top-of-mind” as I managed my company on a daily basis. Key elements of executing and growing the business Although I believe it was critical to adhere to the key guiding principles that I just outlined, as I ran my business, the ability to execute against our business plan and to react to the inevitable challenges that are sure to arise was also a key element of success. I confronted many different challenges as I ran QSS. There are three areas, however, I would like to highlight, that are especially applicable to a small Federal contractor that wants to build a strong business over time. They are:
-Growing a Diversified business base While business growth is always a challenge, and, as I noted earlier, is also an area that should continually be focused on, it also important to consider how to grow. By this I am referring to (i) the type of procurement (set-aside vs full & open), (ii) target agency, (iii) contract mix and (iv) contract duration. While I am not suggesting that there is such a thing as “bad” business, it is important to consider your long-term objectives as you commit precious resources to pursuing new business. The first thing to consider is the type of procurement---while set-aside business may be a higher probability win, and will provide a good G&A and profit, your ability to continue to compete in this market will likely end, so you need to plan early for that day and think about identifying opportunities that can replace your set-aside business base as those contracts expire. It is also important to consider the concentration of your customer base. While your current customer may be the most fertile ground for more new business, if you become overly reliant on one agency, a change in strategy, leadership or budget in that agency can have a very negative impact. Contract mix and contract duration also impact the profits and financial stability of the company. At QSS, as soon as I had a reasonable business base, I worked hard to diversify it. As I stated earlier, I started in NASA, where I had previously worked. From there, I moved to several other civilian agencies, then to the DoD and NSA. I had to hire people that had experience in these agencies. It also meant that I had to give up some control of the process since I now had to rely on others to do some of the things I couldn’t do. But ultimately this approach helped me easily “weather” my graduation from the 8(a) program and the loss of a number of large set-aside contracts. It also helped make QSS more attractive to the numerous suitors that pursued us as I was preparing to sell. -Recruiting and retaining talent One of the first things you learn when you start a business is that, if you are lucky, you quickly find that there is too much to do for you to stay actively involved in everything that is happening. Consequently, you need to build a team of talented and passionate people upon whom you can rely and have confidence in. These people become the face of your company, the critical cog in delivering quality service to your customers and the arms and legs of your business development efforts. Recruiting and retaining talent is of critical importance to the success of any company. At QSS, we worked very hard to identify and hire top talent and offered them very competitive compensation packages. We also offered annual bonuses based on success, and for senior staff, we had a long-term incentive program that essentially gave these executives a “piece of the pie”, which gave them a longer term stake in the business and allowed them to profit from the sale of the business as well. We did more than just offer good pay and benefits. We worked hard to create a very comfortable and productive work environment and a strong team orientation. I also spent a lot of time talking to the people and helping them whenever I could. I think this really helped generate the significant team loyalty we had at QSS. -Cost management and profitability As a business grows, one of the key mistakes that can be made is for top management to take their eyes off of cost management and let the company get over-extended. With so many things going on, this is easy to do. It will kill your momentum if you can’t pay your bills or you need to spend all your time thinking about cash. Growth is important, but it needs to be controlled growth. While you can’t “save your way to success”, you also can’t achieve success by throwing money at it. At QSS, we made sure cash management was always a consideration, right up there with new business growth and customer satisfaction. Both people and proposals were important, and I didn’t want to scrimp on either one, so I always had to make sure I was careful on which people I hired and what bids I went after. I watched the money we spent very carefully to make sure that the spending advanced our objectives of growing the business and delivering top quality service to our customers. I managed QSS without incurring any significant debt or adding any investors. This allowed me to focus on our long-term objectives, not short term performance and to do what I thought was the right thing. Look ahead, don’t be complacent In summary, running and growing a business is just basic, hard work. It is important to serve your customers well, take care of your employees and manage your cash effectively. It is important to always look ahead, not dwell on the past and not be complacent I had a clear vision and goal; I was firm but fair, I was tough but tender, I inspired my employees by setting the example. I created environments where people could be truly committed; I learned from my failures; I provided positive energy and optimism; I established trust with candor, transparency and recognition of a job well done; I acted with integrity in all situations and I articulated how to achieve maximum performance with clarity and forthrightness. As I look back on my twelve years at QSS, I am sure that I probably made many mistakes and worried about lots of things I probably could have ignored. Every organization will face many challenges and set-backs, and we certainly faced many at QSS. But as you fight the battle on a day-to-day basis, I believe that if you continue to follow your key business principles and your operating guidelines you can generally succeed. I have summarized the attributes, principles and guidelines that I followed throughout my time at QSS, and I believe this was a major contributor to our ultimate success.
Finally, back to that big number of 300 million. That’s not the $300 million in business my company was doing in 2006. It’s the round number of people there are in the United States today. Since, I sold my company to Perot Systems, I’ve been concentrating on them and trying to support their opportunities to achieve the American dream through my foundation addressed to civic and social issues. I have also just written a new book titled: Renewing the American Dream: A Citizen’s Guide for Restoring Our Competitive Advantage which will be released on the 4th of July. I’ve had the good fortune to live the American Dream. I hope that you are and will as well. I also hope that some of what I have shared here today regarding details and small numbers will contribute to the success of your business. And, that you in turn, will take that success and give back to help others realize their dreams here in America. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my story and suggestions with you. I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing of your accomplishments. I wish all of you continued success in the future. I am confident that you will achieve your goals. I am sure that you will rise to the challenge. Always remember that no matter how steep the path, or how discouraging the pace, never give up on your goals. Thank you and god bless you. If you would like a copy of this speech, please visit my website www.frankislam.com.
SPEECH AT ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Mr. Vice Chancellor, Dean Lawrence, Dean Karamanian, Dean Khan, Members of Faculty, Students, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Let me say few words about our Vice Chancellor. I admire his leadership and his vision. He is passionate, committed, and determined to succeed. He is the true voice of Aligarh. He is an anchor of security and stability. Let us stand shoulder to shoulder with the Vice Chancellor for the ideals we share and the vision and values we cherish. I want to sincerely thank Dean Lawrence and Dean Karamanian for coming to AMU. I remain enormously grateful to them for their continued commitment and support of AMU. I am glad a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AMU and GWU has been signed. As a result of this MOU, I envision a broad range of activities including conferences, student scholarship, visiting fellows, lecture series, and exchange program and other areas of common interests between AMU and GWU. I see an exciting future built on the strengths and successes of two remarkable institutions. I am deeply committed to build and maintain relationship between AMU and GWU. I believe impact of this relationship will be felt for many years to come. All of you know Faisal Sherwani. He is a student at GWU law school. Faisal’s admission to GWU can be attributed in part to a renewed confidence in the both university. This remarkable talented young man is doing extremely well in pursuing his degree. All of you have just as much potential to develop and achieve your fullest potential as Faisal had but you have to focus on the possibilities not problems. I would like to say few words about AMU. This university is a true treasure. This university’s success as a center of knowledge and progress and hope and opportunity serves as a beacon for the entire world. I admire the splendid beauty of this university. I care deeply and love this institution. No turning of seasons can diminish the greatness of this university. My days at Aligarh were best part of my life. This university gave me strength and courage and has taught me the dignity of hard work. I still cherish those memories and nourish those thoughts. I am proud to be standing here with fellow Aligarians. And looking at you to-day, I have never felt so blessed. All of us are linked by common goals. All of us are bonded by common bonds and all of us are threaded by common threads. All of us owe a sense of gratitude to AMU. All of us share a common destiny, a common hope, a common aspirations and a common dream. All things are possible when we work together, when we sacrifice together, struggle together, learn from one another, listen to each other, give dignity and respect to each other. All things are possible when we set aside our differences to work for common goals. All of you have role and responsibility to shape this country’s future. You should not be frightened of future, but you should shape your future. You should remain focused on the brighter horizon even when you endure storm. Remember as long as we believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours. Let me conclude with a personal observation – the relationship between AMU and GWU hold greater promise for partnership. But together they can build on the solid foundation that already exists, and build even stronger partnership that will serve interest of both universities. Let us carry the torch handed over to us by the founder of this university, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Let us keep his memory alive. Let us keep the light burning. Let us commit ourselves to ensure that his dream shall never die. God bless you.
Members of faculty, students, ladies and gentlemen: I sincerely thank all of you for coming and thank you for your hospitality. I am proud to be standing here with fellow countrymen, and looking at you today, I have never felt so blessed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my cousin Shah Asfar Faizan. I was born not too far from here. The boys that I played with taught me how to ride bike in hot summer sun and they taught me how to catch a kite in brown muddy waters filled with rice paddies. They also taught me to give dignity and respect to others. I still treasure those thoughts. The memory of Azamgarh still lingers on my mind. It has not faded from my memory. It is as fresh in my thoughts and my heart as it was long years ago. My days at Azamagrh have profound effect on me. It was here that I developed the strength, courage, discipline, and determination to succeed. I still cherish those memories and nourish those thoughts. My ancestors are buried beneath their beloved city Azamgarh. Their monuments build by carved stone and marble are constant reminder of their vision and their values and love of their children. The walls that surround these monuments are speechless and voiceless but to me they are a source of inspiration. They tell the story of my past. My ancestors’ memory and legacy still lives in bright lights and dark shadows and those shadows are everywhere. Shibli College is a true treasure. I care deeply and love this remarkable institution. No turning of the seasons can diminish the greatness of this great college. This college stands as a symbol of knowledge and progress and center of learning and serves as a beacon for the entire world. I have always held Shibli College in high esteem. I congratulate Shibli College for its continued success in honoring the legacy of its founder, Shibli Nomani, and remembering his commitment to the principles upon which this college was founded-service to humanity. Shibli Nomani was an extraordinary man with extraordinary talent. He was man ahead of his time. He shaped our future. He embraced the future and he was never frightened of the future. He remained focused on the brighter horizon even when he endured storm and even when he suffered and struggled during his dark days. All of us owe a sense of gratitude to him because he made impossible to possible and he made unacceptable to acceptable and he made irrelevant to relevant. Let us carry the torch handed over to us by Shibli Nomani. Let us commit ourselves to ensure that his dream shall never die and his cause shall endure. Long yeas ago my father went to Shibli college. This college provided my father hope, opportunity and strength and has taught him the dignity of hard wok. My family and I will always be grateful and indebted to this college. My life was carved out of my parent’s dream. What is best in me I owe to my parents? Not a single day goes by that I do not mourn the passing of my parents. They were the best and the brightest. My father firmly believed there is light at the end of tunnel. He did not believe in darkness, despair and disappointment at the end of the tunnel. My own remarkable success story and my journey from Azamagrh to Aligarh to America should resonate well with all of you. It reaffirms the notion that if you aim high and if you work hard, you should be able to achieve your dream. It is that promise that has always set us apart – that through hard work and sacrifice each of you can pursue your own individual dreams. For you no dream should be too far out of reach. Education is a powerful equalizer opening doors to all to lift themselves out of poverty. Let us commit to working together to eliminate disparities in education. The disparities among Muslims are most striking when it comes to educations. Lack of access to education creates a vicious cycle that crushes a person’s hope for improvement. The best way to eradicate poverty is to provide opportunity for education to every one. The greatest gift we can give is the gift of education. Education empowers the mind and uplifts the soul. Education enhances the dignity of a human being and increases his or her self-respect. Education is central to development and strengthens nations. Education can be a powerful engine of employment and entrepreneurship. Education can also be an important component to foster positive change and social values. Let us do our part to invest in education and to expand education to all people. Let us together develop a culture that reinforces the values and importance of education. We have to have a long term vision that combines human resource development and education to provide a solid foundation for our people. As we approach the dawn of a new decade, let us come together to find a way to work together because all of us share a common destiny, and a common hope, and a common dream. All things are possible when we work together, struggle together, suffer together, sacrifice together, learn from one another, and listen to each other. All things are possible when we seek a common ground to work for shared goals. Let us weave into the fabric of our society a sense of optimism, a sense of positive energy, a sense of hard work, and a sense of hope. All of us have potential to develop and achieve our fullest potential. All of us have role and responsibility to shape our future. Let us together build a noble mansion so that our children can dwell, so that our children can prosper, so that our children can have bright future. It is the future that beckons to all of us. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak to you today and thank you for your time and your commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. I wish all of you continued success in the future, and hope that our paths will cross again God bless you. SPEECH AT BERNARES HINDU UNIVERSITY
Building Peace through Inter-communal Harmony: Just People Doing Just Things
Professor Upadhyaya, members of the faculty, students, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. I bring greetings from the United States – Namaskar. I sincerely thank all of you for coming and for your hospitality. I am honored and delighted to be here. I am proud to be standing here with fellow countrymen, and looking at you today, I have never felt so blessed. Before starting my speech, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my host, Professor Upadhyaya for giving me the opportunity to address you today on the subject of ‘Building Peace through Inter-communal Harmony’. Professor Upadhyaya is a source of inspiration to all of us; I am touched by his grace, dignity and generosity. He is a source of strength and courage for all of us. I want to thank all of you for what you do for this remarkable institution and for this great nation. I also want to thank Dean and the Vice Chancellor for their leadership. I have always held BHU in high esteem. I congratulate the BHU for its continued success in honoring the legacy of its founder, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, and remembering his commitment to the principles upon which this university was founded – service to humanity. I was not fortunate to go to BHU but instead went to Aligarh Muslim University for my education. It is my deep desire to build a strong and vibrant partnership between BHU and AMU based on their strengths and successes and based on mutual interest. I saw the statue of Malviya when I entered the campus. It is an enduring memorial of his achievement and his legacy. His statue tells the story of our past and also defines our future. It is a constant reminder of his vision, his values and love for education. His monument is a symbol of peace, hope and opportunity. His memory and legacy still lives in bright lights and dark shadows. Pandit Malviya was an extraordinary man with extraordinary talent. He was a voice for those who were voiceless. He was a hope for those who were hopeless. He was a man ahead of his time. He was not frightened of the future. He shaped our future. He remained focused on the brighter horizon even when he endured the storm. Let us commit ourselves to ensuring his cause shall endure and his dream shall never die. Let us keep his memory alive. Let us keep the light burning. We owe a sense of gratitude to BHU for taking the lead in establishing “the Malviya Center for Peace Research” as a Center committed to promoting peace and harmony and working with other organizations and individuals of all faiths to eliminate friction and conflict. This Center encourages debate, dialog and discussion rather than revenge and retaliation. That is why I am pleased to be here to speak on “Building Peace through Inter-communal Harmony.” I must confess that I am not an expert in this area nor have I studied it in depth. What qualifies me to speak on the subject is the fact that I am a Muslim Indian American business person who, because of my life experiences, believes completely in the need and the opportunity to build peace through inter-communal and inter-religious harmony. I want to share with you today some of those experiences and how they have framed my value system and perspective and philosophy. As I said, I am a Muslim Indian American. What has being a Muslim taught me? Many things – but the most important is that the whole purpose of religion is to provide justice and a path to justice for all of us. That includes animals and nature itself. According to the Holy Qur’an, God asked “Who will take care of all of my Creation. The mountains said the task was too great; even the angels declined to take on the challenge. But then Man jumped up and said ‘We will take care’. So we made a contract with God to protect his Creation.” I have learned as a Muslim to believe in the unity of all creation and that everything and everyone is a reflection of God on earth. Because of that I have also learned that there are just people and that just people do just things. I will come back to that later but let me repeat it again here. Just people do just things. Peace is just. That’s why no matter what our religion as just people we should pursue justice together and in harmony. I treasure my faith. My faith firmly believes in equality, dignity, compassion, respect, tolerance, justice and peace for other faiths. My faith keeps me calm and provides me with a sense of optimism that gives me peace. With my personal peace, I can work with others of different faiths for peace. Faith should bring us together and not tear us apart. Faith should not be a hindrance because it helps in promoting peaceful co-existence. How did growing up here in India shape and influence me? In many ways - I have learned lessons from my family, this country, and this great city and university. I grew up in a middle-class family. My parents taught me to: Treat people in the way that you want to be treated. Give dignity and respect to others. Work hard and aim high. Do what you can to serve your community. In the neighborhood where I grew up, all of us from different backgrounds and different faiths learned to work side-by-side because we were bound together in the service of others. I love India. I love this country because I was born here and because of its art, history, music, culture and rituals. But most of all I love India because it stands as an international beacon of democracy, diversity and peacemaking. The country shaped my world view and commitment to peace. Let us do our part not to harm the harmony of this country. Let us build bridges of understanding and co-operation with various faiths. I am delighted to be back in this ancient city. This is the city whose timelessness had inspired the great American, Mark Twain, who said “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” I treasure this city and this university. I grew up not too far from this beautiful campus. I remember riding my bike from my home to the university. No matter where I am, the memory of Varanasi lingers in my mind. It is not faded from my memory. It is as fresh in my thoughts and my heart as it was long years ago. My days at Varanasi had a profound effect on me. It was here that I got the basic building blocks to be a successful entrepreneur and a passionate leader. It was here that I developed the strength, discipline, courage and determination to succeed. I am grateful to the city for that because those are the traits that enabled me to be successful in America. I am also grateful because it was here that I learned about the richness of different religions and religious tolerance. This city has always been in the forefront of breaking barriers and biases. It serves as an example to the entire world. What have I learned from America? Again, many things – the most important relate to the American dream. Because of my preparation in India and by working hard and aiming high I was able to achieve the American dream there. Two elements of that dream are: We should all be able to develop and achieve to our fullest potential; and, we should not discriminate against people because of their color or caste or creed. Those precepts are powerful. They compel us toward peace and cooperation. They allow just people to do just things – not only in the United States but around the world. So, those are my roots as a Muslim Indian American. They are the roots that cause me to believe fervently that when just people pursue justice there is no force on earth that can defeat them. Let me say that I recognize that not all people are just. There are extremists and religious fanatics who will exploit their perspective to try to subjugate or destroy those with beliefs different than theirs. That’s why President Obama devoted part of his Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech to discussing the concept of a “just war.” However, I don’t want to address the concept of a just war here today when we are talking about peace. I do want to say that I wish that President Obama would have given equal time to the concept of a just people. That’s because I believe that the President was given that Peace Prize not only because of who he is but who the American people are. In the main, they are a just people – they proved that by electing Barack Obama president and they have proved it millions of times over by letting immigrants like me come to the United States to work hard in order to achieve the American dream. So, we have come back to the concept of just people. What does that concept mean for us in India in terms of our collaborating inter-communally to ensure peace here and around the world? Let me address that by highlighting what I think are some of the things that cause war or strive. These include: religious discrimination and intolerance; poverty; educational inequities, caste systems; and bigotry. In my opinion, the best way to pursue peace is not in the abstract but by working together across religious lines and in a concrete manner to eliminate those factors that cause war or strive – discrimination, poverty, bigotry. I think we can start by adhering to the admonition from Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya posted on the BHU website: “India is not a country of the Hindus only. It is a country of the Muslims, the Christians and the Parsees too. The country can gain strength and develop itself only when the people of different communities in India live in mutual goodwill and harmony.” The preconditions for “mutual good will and harmony” include: equal opportunity, the elimination of poverty, educational equity, the development of a culture that reinforces inter-communal values, and an inclusive society. Therefore, let us commit to working together to find equal opportunities in education and jobs for all citizens of this country, regardless of their color, creed, caste, background, and beliefs. Discrimination can shatter people’s ambitions and dreams. There should be no discrimination or distinction between the various faiths. We would do well to remember no nation, no race, no religion and no culture has a monopoly on the values of freedom, justice and human dignity. Let us commit to working together to eliminate poverty in our country. Several reports that I have seen deepened my understanding of how entrenched poverty in the Indian minority community has become. Poverty crushes hope. Poverty fuels a dangerous mix of desperation and frustration and results in an instability that has erupted numerous times in community violence. There is no single magic solution to eliminating poverty, nor can we expect a single entity to shoulder the entire burden. However, if we come together as people of faith and all faiths we can do so Let us commit to working together to eliminate disparities in education. The disparities today in this country are striking. Lack of access to education creates a vicious cycle that crushes a person’s hope for improvement. The greatest gift we can give is the gift of education. Education empowers the mind and uplifts the soul. Education enhances the dignity of a human being and increases his or her self-respect. Education is central to development and strengthens nations. It is a powerful equalizer opening doors to all to lift themselves out of poverty. President Obama declared in his June 4th 2009 address at Cairo University that “All of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century.’ Education must be the currency for all of our citizens.” Education can also play a critical role in preparing communities for change. Education, employment and economic opportunities help prevent conflict and promote lasting peace. Education can be a powerful engine of employment and entrepreneurship. Education can also be an important component to foster positive change and social values, attitude and skills that are necessary to overcome painful conflict. Education can make an important contribution to re-conciliation, conflict prevention and post-conflict re-construction. Let us commit to working together to develop a culture that reinforces inter-communal and inter-religious values. Let us expand cross-cultural education, people to people, and inter-faith exchange. All schools, including BHU, can play a vital role in diffusing tensions and helping the youth understand an evolving environment. Schools are well-positioned to change attitudes and to teach new skills. Schools have exceptional outreach to all levels of society. Teaching religion and the culture of religions in a way that is consistent with democratic principles is the only hope for new generations to learn about themselves and others, and improve mutual understanding for a sustainable and successful peace. Let us invest in cultural diplomacy through arts and entertainment programs, to deepen mutual understanding. Entertainment media can make important contributions to popular perceptions of conflict and the potential for respectful coexistence. Inter-communal and inter-religious values build bridges and provide the basis for inclusiveness. Therefore, let us finally commit to working together to build an inclusive society. The global economy has taught us that the most successful societies are the most inclusive ones – places where all voices are heard; where each person has a chance to succeed, where every person has a chance to live out their dreams. In order for economy to prosper we have to empower minorities to attend school, to own businesses, and to hold elective office. Serious limitations in economic opportunity among minorities will contribute to a wide spread sense of frustration, especially among young people. Those are the seeds of peace: equal opportunity, the elimination of poverty, education, an inter-communal culture, and inclusiveness. I view the pursuit of peace as a positively active and creative process which requires courage, commitment, endurance and integrity. Let me repeat that peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is a right and a duty. Peace is about just people doing just things together. In the words of President John F. Kennedy, “Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not rest all our hopes on parchment and on paper, let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace in the hearts and minds of all of our people. I believe that we can. I believe the problems of human destiny are not beyond the reach of human beings.” I agree with those words of President Kennedy and I am confident that all of you do, too and that is why you are here at BHU. You are truly just people doing just things. I hope and pray that all Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsees and those of other faiths here will join with you in your cause – the pursuit of justice and peace and understand that all who resort to violence are contrary to our respective and collective religious traditions. I also hope for an India where no individual will be deemed a greater or lesser Indian because of religious belief. Let us find a way to come together because all of us are linked by common goals and all of us share a common destiny and a common hope and a common dream. All things are possible when we work together, when we sacrifice together, struggle together, learn from one another, and listen to each other. We should set aside our differences to work for common efforts. God bless you in your quest to serve mankind with fairness and love. Let us carry the torch handed over to us by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today and for your time and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. I wish all of you continued success in the future, and hope that our paths cross again as we go forward in unity as just people doing just things in the cause of justice and peace.
Entrepreneurship Speech to Montgomery College
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Leaders have a clear vision and ensure that others not only see the vision, but also live and breathe it. |
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Leaders create environments where people can be truly committed. |
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Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence. |
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Leaders exude positive energy and optimism that gets under everyone’s skin. |
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Leaders have respect for all people. |
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Leaders give credit to others…. and often take the blame when something goes wrong. |
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Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit-giving |
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Leaders act with integrity in spite of the difficulty. |
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Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls. |
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Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action. |
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Leaders balance risk and reward. |
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Leaders see mistakes as learning opportunities. |
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Leaders are firm but fair. |
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Leaders are enthusiastic. |
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Leaders get everyone involved. |
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Leaders are tough…yet tender. |
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Leaders inspire learning by setting the example. |
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Leaders celebrate. |
My Experiences
I’d like to say a few words about my own experience as a CEO. I cultivated a very vision-driven organization into a tightly-focused company whose employees all knew precisely what was expected of them, and always delivered exactly what they promised. I gave people at all levels specific tools and metrics, and enforced fact-based decision-making. Managers at all levels in my company honored these commitments, engaged in disciplined meetings, focused on decisions and measured progress against stated objectives. I surrounded myself with some great performers who delivered results.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. Thank you for your time, and for your commitment to make a difference in the lives of others through entrepreneurship. I wish all of you continued success in the future, and look forward to when our paths cross again. I am confident you will achieve your goals. I am sure you will rise to the challenge, and transform you passion into profits.
Always remember, that no matter how steep the pass, or how discouraging the pace, I implore you to never give up on your goals.
So there are many facets of leadership that you must embrace as a young entrepreneur, in addition to the hard work of living the life of an entrepreneur. This is not an easy path, but almost anything worth having is worth fighting for. I encourage all of you to consider entrepreneurship and show that Montgomery College can continue producing the great companies of tomorrow. I hope for some of you, the path begins today.
Challenges of American Democracy
2008 AMU Federation Speech by Frank F. Islam
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I would like to welcome all of you to this occasion and thank my host for giving me an opportunity to address you today on the subject of “Challenges of American Democracy”.
At 30,000 feet, American Democracy appears to be functioning well. We have had more than 225 years to develop this bold concept of government; And, undeniably, democracy is a valuable form of government as it recognizes the self-determinative rights of people to create their own trajectory in life.
However, American Democracy, like any form of government, is not perfect. It is an ever-evolving, organic model that is grounded on proven principles, but periodically encounters challenges that impacts its development. Its evolution is a direct outcome of meeting obstacles, which brings about the impetus for change. At present, American democracy appears to be facing numerous challenges, which will determine the path of government in the future.
Simply put, America in the twenty-first century is faced with questions about how a democratic government should work. These include recurrent debates about the excessive influence of "special interests" and the inequality of political power and influence, which have challenged the democratically oriented pluralist theory in the United States. Recent events and circumstances have made questions about the meaning of democracy ever more pressing. The election of 2000, the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the 2004 election have raised issues concerning the central normative requirements of democracy in America.
Democracy requires more than effective institutions that hold leaders accountable and prevent them from abusing their powers. It is also essential that the rights and liberties of individuals be protected from possible abusive actions of the government, its leaders, or majorities of the citizenry. These protections are provided for in the Constitution and its amendments, and American democracy requires that such rights and liberties be defended and upheld.
Today, American Democracy faces several challenges (1) radical influences by those who try and steer government away from the will of the people; (2) population growth -- when you have so many voices, from multiple ethnicities, races, cultures, it is difficult to reach consensus; and (3) the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Whenever you have these gaps, it is difficult to find a common ground that is necessary for democratic governance.
I would like to speak about each of these issues in greater detail:
(1) Radical Influences:
Certainly, there are extreme positions on most of the major issues that we face today. As an example, there are those that believe in no government authority and those that believe government can solve everything. The correct answer almost always lies in between. The majority of people tend to be pragmatic and centrist on many things. But, because our society has so many outlets for voices to be heard, those who are on the fringes of issues can often elevate their voices above others simply by taking advantage of all of these outlets. For example, podcasting, blogging, and the hundreds of TV channels provide these radicals with plenty of opportunities to exploit issues. Plus, the passion is almost always with the radicals, so they tend to actually exploit them.
Of course, the very purpose of democracy is to allow people to let their voices be heard – so this is all consistent with the good things about democracy. However, if policy makers hear only the loudest voices, then the true will of the people gets lost. This is a real tension in democracy – not erecting barriers against free speech, yet trying to ensure that the majority opinion floats to the top. So, the very nature of democracy creates challenges.
Also, this issue is exacerbated by the fact that individuality is so strongly embedded into our current culture – at the sacrifice of a deep sense of civic duty. In other words, people tend to place more importance on their own concerns than that of the majority. This is what motivates people to attempt to force their will on the majority, even when the majority clearly dissents. While democracy is designed to allow the expression of individualism, sometimes civic responsibility can be forgotten and the will of the majority can be lost.
(2) Population Growth:
As I stated earlier, democracy in America is a representative form of government. To be effective, the elected representatives must be able to ascertain the needs of their people and then pursue public policy accordingly. However, as we all know, the more voices that are spoken, the harder it is to reach a consensus. On the one hand, a flourishing democracy always attracts people and America has traditionally welcomed people with open arms. But, as more and more people constitute the fabric of America, the harder it is to discern any clear patterns from the fabric. As our population grows, so does our diversity – which is itself a good thing. However, with the benefits of diversity, comes the challenge of finding consensus.
American democracy is now challenged by the very nature of its success. We are achieving our goal of being the proverbial melting pot. We now have raging debates over whether we should have a common language – English – or not. We have expressions of concern over whether people of a particular religion or race can be effective representatives for the majority, as evidenced by the campaigns of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. We have racially motivated acts of terror in our own country – as evidenced by the Jenna 6 and the recent slaughter of a Mexican immigrant in Pennsylvania. And of course, we have continual debates over religion in government and whether America should be a Christian-guided nation. So, we have our challenges, but it is only because our experiment to create a diverse country has succeeded.
(3) Widening Gap between Rich and Poor:
American Democracy is rooted in the principal that there should be equal opportunity for all. Without that, democracy begins to fail because it can’t enable its participants to realize their goals. Much talk has been made about the current widening of the gap between the richest Americans and the majority of the working class. John Edwards famously called this the existence of “two Americas” in his populist speeches. The truth is that the richest ten percent of Americans now is farther distanced from the poorest ten percent than ever before in our history. This creates a lack of interaction among various economic segments of the population and thus results in a divergence of interest and lack of understanding. The disenfranchised begin to lose faith in government’s effectiveness and democracy begins to unhinge. As this gap widens, the challenge is to bridge the gap in understanding and to ensure that the mandates of government are respected. Further, as the poor become poorer, the effectiveness of law becomes diminished when people are forced into choices between sustenance and compliance. So, the uncommon success that American Democracy has enabled also has created new challenges that we must overcome.
The new millennium finds the American Democracy in trouble. Symptoms include the excessive power of corporations, excessive power of the Presidency, narrowing of admissible issues and choices to the public, contested elections, erosion of civil liberties, corruption in high places, troubled domestic and foreign programs, and widespread public dissatisfaction and disengagement. Why has the system stopped responding to open debate? What has thrown relationships between power centers out of balance? What has narrowed the boundaries of acceptable debate? Since elections are where it all begins and since America's claim to a government by the people rests squarely on fair and meaningful elections, that is where the origins of problems can reasonably be found.
The so-called bottom line of this political process is that American Democracy is faltering and at risk of drifting into a deeper crisis in which the potential abuse of power could dash the hopes of the American people. The leading question asks how can that situation be turned around. Many have looked to "public interest groups" like Common Cause and The Environmental Defense Fund, but, overall, they have not significantly influenced elections or public policy.
Certainly, the challenges of American Democracy are important for any other democratic nation to consider. America is the world’s oldest democracy and continues to be the great laboratory for democratic experimentation. We have enjoyed great successes and many obstacles along the way as well. How we have handled these obstacles and our successes has been telling – from the passage of civil rights laws to our role in helping develop the United Nations to our exercise of authority as a superpower.
In many ways, India is faced with the same challenges as America, with its own form of democracy. The radical left and right in India are equally extreme; the population growth and diversity is far greater than in the United States; the gap between the rich and poor is even wider; partisan politics more entrenched; and corruption very common and extreme. Yet, India also seems to have a greater tradition of public interest democracy, which appears to be the path that America is heading towards. So, the way American Democracy handles the challenges that have been discussed will be of direct relevance to India. This presents yet another opportunity for information exchange and knowledge transfer between these two great democracies, even if the ultimate paths chosen by these two great nations diverge.
Now I would like to speak to you about why should we participate in the political process? When I say “we” I mean as an Indian American and as a Muslim. However, before I continue I would like to stress the importance of the upcoming election. Election 2008 is very important because we are concerned about the dismal state of our economy, high gas prices, stagnant wages, the increasing health care costs, job insecurity, the credit crunch and the war in Iraq. As we have all been affected by these issues in one way or another, I feel that if we stand up together we will be able to help elect a government that will be able to resolve these issues.
I would like to share with you some questions and answers posed by the community about why we should participate in the political process:
Q: Why should anyone contribute money to candidates? How important is it to give money?
A: We contribute because we believe it is part of our civic duty. This is a democracy and we are lucky to be able to have our voices heard. And one of the best ways to ensure that our voices are heard is to provide candidates with the financing necessary to run their campaigns, interface with citizens and then carry their message back to Washington.
Q: Do we get anything in return?
A: Yes. The knowledge that we participated in this democracy and exercised our right to express our opinion. Again, it is our civic duty as citizens to participate in democracy.
Q: How strong and active is the Indian community in the presidential elections and What role are they playing?
A; The Indian community has recently become more active in the presidential elections. There are a lot issues that impact us, so we should be involved. Immigration, taxes, global warming, and health care, to name a few. But, Indian Americans still participate much less than other communities. For example, the Jewish community is far stronger politically by proportion. We have a good start, but there is a lot of work to do. Early on, very few Indian Americans participated. Now, with the rise of the second generation, the global importance of India, and the incredible economic success of the Indian American community, there is some positive change: more participation, more activism, more contributions, and even Indian Americans being elected.
Q: Do Indian Americans play any role in shaping the Indo-U.S. relations?
A; Yes. We are increasingly involved in this process. Indian Americans are helping politicians understand the dynamics of both countries and find a common ground. Bicultural status of Indian Americans places them in a unique position to broaden understanding between the countries. This is evidenced by the progress in international trade and in the nuclear 123 deal.
Now I would like to speak to you about why it is important for the Muslim community to be heavily engaged and participate in the political process.
As I said earlier, civic engagement is one of the fundamental ways of taking ownership of our future as controlled by the politics in America. Various Laws and Ordinances which are passed at local, state and national levels impact our lives directly and regularly. They define the extent of our opportunities and limits of our rights and liberties in all aspects of civic life. Given our low level of political engagement preceding the 911 terrorist attacks, we found very few friends in the government in the aftermath of the 911, the legacy of which is still felt today. Aside from the practical reasons, there is a religious obligation for us as well.
First, it is the duty of American Muslims to participate constructively in the political process, if only to protect their rights and support the views and causes they favor. Their participation may also improve the quality of information disseminated about Islam. We call this participation a “duty” because we do not consider it merely a “right” that can be abandoned or a “permission” which can be ignored. It falls into the category of safeguarding of necessities and ensuring the betterment of the Muslim community in this country.
Second, every legitimate means or tool that helps to achieve these noble goals is similarly judged. This includes:
1. The nomination of any competent American Muslim for election to any post where his or her presence may ensure either bringing benefits to American Muslims and other citizens or preventing harm to them. These posts range from those of mayor, state governor, and membership in educational and municipal councils, all the way up to membership in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
2. Self-candidacy by an American Muslim, if the initiative for his/her nomination is not undertaken by the community, or if election laws require this form of candidacy.
3. Adopting a non-Muslim candidate if he/she would be either more beneficial or less harmful to the American Muslim community and the rest of the country.
4. Providing financial support to a non-Muslim candidate.
5. Obtaining American citizenship. Such citizenship emphasizes the true diversity of this country and is a necessary condition for participation in the political process.
6. Both registering to vote and participation in elections and voting are means to a goal.
7. Protection of Muslim civil rights in this country and the enjoyment of positive interaction with other Americans require American Muslims to engage in acts of deliberation to reach consensus on general principles, and to tolerate disagreement on disputed matters.
8. The Muslim minority must have a fair opportunity to practice their faith (as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States).
9. Both the art of persuasion and the science of public relations have an important role that should not be ignored.
Every credible Muslim American organization needs to step up to the plate for the purpose of our community empowerment within the scope of its legal framework. Community empowerment is successful only when the whole community becomes involved. Take for example, the civil rights movement. It was successful because all African Americans were united in their demand for constitutional rights.
Most of the issues directly impacting us are indeed decided at the local levels. However, we should also note the importance of domestic and foreign policy issues as Muslim Americans - which is largely an immigrant community – and those issues fall under the purview of the federal government and national politics.
If we don’t participate in politics of those arenas, we would deprive ourselves from having a voice in issues like the US foreign policy toward Muslim countries, laws impacting immigrants and immigration, policies governing civil liberties and profiling, judiciary appointments, etc. Therefore, we have to keep in mind that although it is important to focus on the local politics, we simply cannot neglect the politics at the national level.
There are many more compelling reasons one can come up with to make a case for the importance of local political engagements. However, as we move forward, let us not forget the possibility of developing Muslim candidates. Like the development of any candidate, it must start at the local level. As they mature, we should also be mobilized to support their aspiration for national offices.
We should establish a network of active state PACs and coordinate these with a federal PAC, we can indeed have a very powerful political engine with far-reaching impact in upholding the constitutional rights and promoting the fair interests of the Muslim American community.
I know I have taxed your patience. Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. I wish all of you continued success in the future and look forward to when our paths cross again.
Thank you for your time.
God bless you.
The Vice Chancellor Introduction:
Distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen:
I would like to sincerely thank all of you for coming. Before I introduce our distinguished guest I would like to say few words. All of us would not be here today if we would not have made the journey from Aligarh to America. All of us are linked by common goals and all of us are bonded by common bonds and all of us threaded by common threads. All of us share common destiny. All of us owe a sense of gratitude to Aligarh.
All of us love Aligarh and care deeply about this great institution. To me Aligarh is a shinning city on the hill, beckoning brightly to all who thirst for knowledge and progress. Aligarh remains the beacon of light around the globe.
I would like to thank Qamar Khan and The Federation of Aligarh Alumni Association for giving me opportunity to introduce our distinguished guest, the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis. I want to thank the Vice Chancellor for coming here. We appreciated it very much. I want to thank the Vice Chancellor for his services to Aligarh Muslim University. Indeed it is my privilege and honor to introduce the Vice Chancellor.
I went to Aligarh this year in February after 20 years. I met the Vice Chancellor on several occasions. I was touched by his grace, his strength, his compassion, his courage, and his love of Aligarh. He is the true voice of Aligarh. He is an extraordinary man with extraordinary talent. I admire his vision and his values.
The Vice Chancellor has the experience, and wisdom to lead the Aligarh Muslim University. He is a source of inspiration to all of us. Because of his leadership we face the future of Aligarh with hope and optimism. He is passionate and committed to the Aligarh cause. I know under his leadership the cause of Aligarh will endure and the dream of Sir Syed shall never die.
The dream and aspiration of our young people rests upon him. I know he is committed to preserve and protect and promote Aligarh culture and Aligarh movement. I know he will carry the torch forward.
The Vice Chancellor has brought positive changes to Aligarh .He has brought much needed breadth of fresh air and source of motivation. He has launched a most ambitious, practical, and grassroots effort to transform AMU into a university of international reputation. Let us extend our support to the Vice Chancellor. We have responsibility to lend a helping hand to the Vice Chancellor and his team to restore excellence and to restore Aligarh Muslim University to its glory. We should stand shoulder to shoulder with the Vice Chancellor for the ideals we share and the values we cherish.
In January 2007 Aligarh Muslim University went through tough and turbulent time. The campus was mired in serious indiscipline and violence. The Vice Chancellor suffered and struggled during those difficult and dreadful and dark days of Aligarh. But the Vice chancellor remained calm like an island of calmness in a violent sea.
Ladies and gentlemen the Vice Chancellor is a true leader who believes in his mission and who believes that challenges can be converted into opportunity and impossible can be made possible and unbelievable can be made believable and unacceptable can be made acceptable.
Ladies and gentlemen let us give a warm welcome to the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
A speech delivered by Mr. Frank F. Islam introducing the Aligarh vice-Chancellor in Cleveland, Ohio. |
Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Aligarh University Speech by Frank F. Islam
Mr. Vice Chancellor, Faculty Members, Students, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Before I begin my speech, I’d like to recognize some people who have traveled with me from the United States. [Acknowledge]. Please give them a warm welcome.
Thank you very much for inviting me to speak to you today. I’d like to sincerely thank all of you for coming and for your hospitality. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I want to sincerely thank Dr. Saleemuddin for providing me with this opportunity. I am deeply touched by his spirit.
As you can tell, I am honored, thrilled and excited to be here. I am proud to be an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University. To me, Aligarh will always be a shining “City on the Hill” -- beckoning brightly to all who thirst for knowledge and progress.
Let me begin by saying a few words about your Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdul Azis. I admire his leadership. People like him give us strength, hope and courage. He is a source of comfort, pride and joy to everyone who meets him. He is passionate, committed and determined. The spirit of this extraordinarily talented man has deeply touched me.
The memory of Aligarh still lingers on my mind and has never faded from my memory. It is still as fresh in my memory and in my thoughts as it was so many years ago. My days at A.M.U. have had a profound effect on me. I still remember riding my bike from V.M. Hall to all over campus. It was an exciting time of my life, though I must admit… sometimes it was chaotic. But nevertheless, it was filled with charms, cheers, changes, and challenges.
It was inspiring and the memories remain endearing. Aligarh provided me with the basic building blocks to become a successful entrepreneur, to assume serious responsibilities, and most importantly, to become a passionate leader.
For me, personally, it’s been a remarkable journey from Aligarh to the United States of America. I came to the U.S. in pursuit of hope, happiness and dreams. I am a living example of someone realizing the American dream. I am fortunate. I am blessed. My dream has come true. And I know your dreams will come true too.
Let me briefly outline what I want to talk to you about today:
- I’ll Start with the values Aligarh instilled in me, especially a love for education…
- Then I’ll consider India’s Promise, and how its fulfillment demands the uplift of all…
- Next we’ll look at how entrepreneurs can catalyze the fulfillment of India’s Promise…
- After which I’ll share with you my views and experiences on leadership and entrepreneurship
Aligarh’s Values
I’ve always depended upon the values Aligarh instilled in me, especially:
- A Love for education
- Eternal optimism about your hopes and dreams
- Being collegial and candid towards all
- Keeping steadfast in your standard of excellence
- And living in peace and harmony, by being tolerant & respectful toward the dignity of each person.
I still cherish all these values, and am indebted to AMU for my success as an entrepreneur.
Education
We know many men and women from Aligarh who have made significant contributions in all walks of life -- from educators to politicians, poets, scientists and engineers. They have made their mark on the world and in so doing, stand as role models encouraging those who have yet to achieve their highest aspirations and dreams. We should do what we can to ensure Aligarh remains a premier center of knowledge. We should do our part to give back to our community, to strengthen our families and to educate our children. I am deeply committed to educating our children. We must create an environment that allows our children to excel.
I cherish the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our future generations. It is our children who are the hope of tomorrow. As Prime Minister Nehru once said: “We should build the noble mansion where all of our children can dwell, where all our children can prosper and where all our children can have a bright future. It is the future that beckons to us.”
The supreme interest of Sir Syed’s life was education. Now more than ever, education is the key ingredient of success. Education empowers people and strengthens nations. Education opens doors so anyone can lift himself or herself out of poverty. It enhances the dignity of human beings, and increases his or her self-respect.
Let’s do our part to ensure that Sir Syed’s dream never dies. Let’s fulfill his vision and mission. Let’s keep his memory alive by doing our part to preserve, protect and promote the Aligarh culture. Let’s pledge anew our dedication to expanding and propagating the Aligarh movement.
As part of my commitment to education, I’ve created a charitable foundation. The main mission of this foundation is education. We provide scholarship programs to those students who want to go to school but cannot afford it because of financial hardship.
India’s Promise
You know, people like me -- Non-Resident Aligarians -- are the global representatives of Aligarh and its peoples, languages, religions, values, cultures and history. Non-Resident Aligarians should look at ways in which we can become catalysts in the growth of AMU. I urge the Vice Chancellor to convene a meeting of Non-Resident Aligarians at AMU so we can play an important role in Aligarh’s journey towards becoming an even stronger and more vibrant institution.
India is now a major engine of the global economy. India is attracting foreign investment and fostering a business climate that has created a vibrant new generation of business leaders. A new class of entrepreneurs is emerging in India, adding momentum to the country’s economic boom.
Unfortunately, the enormity of the poverty problem still plagues India. India is only shining for a small minority. For all too many, India is getting darker. What we have in India is an island of prosperity in an ocean of poverty. The lack of basic access to sanitation, education, nutrition and healthcare represents a broken base that precludes our fellow citizens from advancing up the pyramid of success.
Poverty drains institutions of good governance, depletes scarce resources, weakens leadership and crushes hope. Poverty fuels frustration and Poverty fuels desperation. Poverty does not belong in a civilized society. Its proper place is in museum.
It has been shown that poor people trying to break out of poverty would much rather be given an opportunity to improve their condition via their own work, rather than simply receiving a hand-out. We should focus on helping people realize their potential to succeed, rather than merely applauding the end result of success itself.
You and I, working together, need to dismantle the barriers of India’s caste system. We should provide equal opportunities in education and jobs to all citizens of India, regardless of color, caste, creed or religion. Discrimination based on caste or minority status can shatter people’s ambitions and dreams. It does not close the gap between rich and poor, but rather causes social unrest and holds back India’s ambition to become a major economic, cultural and diplomatic power.
Let us do what we can to eradicate poverty. We must be united in our fight against disease, ignorance, poverty, tyranny and terrorism. Only when we are united will we have the strength to triumph.
The best way to eradicate poverty is through education and entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and leadership can deliver on the dreams we all have, turning hope into reality!
Entrepreneurship and Leadership
Now, this leads me to my topic for today, which is “Entrepreneurship and Leadership.” I’m sure many of you here today have the desire, the drive and the dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. Dreams give us the strength that carries us through. It is not we who carry the dream… Perhaps the dream carries us.
As an entrepreneur, I look at India and see the potential for free enterprise and creativity to unlock many of the intractable problems that we face today.
I love entrepreneurship. There is nothing like the excitement, glory, fun and sheer thrill of starting something from scratch and watching it grow into a large enterprise of astonishing proportions. If you have the opportunity to be an entrepreneur, grab it. Find passionate and driven people and lead them. Give them all the necessary resources, and then give them some oxygen to breathe.
We should help our young men and women to become entrepreneurs. We must provide them with business mentoring and seed funding to start-up. These young entrepreneurs will learn how to build a business, develop a credit history and ultimately become employers themselves. As each new enterprise takes a firm root, we can be proud that we helped transform a young person into a LEADER.
In order for an entrepreneur to succeed, capital is needed to convert the vision into reality. Governments and banks have an obligation to provide loans to entrepreneurs.
I am a strong believer that everyone deserves a chance – a chance to get a decent education; a chance to get a good job; a chance to grow a successful business; a chance to raise a healthy and happy family, and a chance to prosper. We should provide opportunity to all people -- not just a fortunate few.
Taking Risks
Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks, being focused and committed. It is about confronting uncertainty with optimism, ingenuity and creativity.
We have to get out of our comfort zone, venture into new horizons and experience new environments. We must not be afraid of taking chances. If we fail, we must simply get up and try again. Perhaps we will fail further… but nevertheless, we must try yet again. Success teaches you how to move forward, but failure teaches you to never go backwards. Thus, failure is the first step to success.
Passion
Another important element of entrepreneurship is passion. Without passion you cannot succeed, for it is passion that keeps you striving when times are difficult, as all endeavors will be at some point. Without passion, resources will never be enough and they will quickly dissipate into thin air. But your passion will always find a way, even when probabilities conspire against your dream.
Focus
One of the most important ingredients of entrepreneurship for me is Focus. When a company does not focus, it is planting seeds for future problems. When a company becomes one mile long and one inch deep, it loses its power. But, when a company focuses like a laser, it can convert a few kilowatts of energy into coherent and powerful energy. When a company focuses like a laser, it can drill hole in a diamond, and can even cure cancer!
A lack of focus is like the sun that dissipates its vast energy by shining its light in all directions. Focus is power. It creates a powerful perception of resolve in the minds of your customers, employees and competitors. Maintaining a laser-like focus is effective in the long term. It doesn’t reap rewards overnight. You have to have patience. It takes a long time to turn around a corporate battleship in the river. I can’t emphasize enough how extremely important Focus has been in the success of my own company.
There are many opportunities for entrepreneurship in India. You have to identify and exploit the openings in such industries as energy, infrastructure, education, communication, transportation and information technology.
Entrepreneurship is not primarily about maximizing profits, but rather engaging all the stakeholders – that is, the communities and people who are affected by the nature of your business. To be a good entrepreneur is to treat people with the utmost respect and dignity.
Customer Satisfaction
Before I speak to you about leadership, I would like to say few words about customer satisfaction and the role customers play in making a company successful. You should treat customer the way we all want to be treated ourselves. To better relate to customers, I’ve developed the following values and practices to live by:
- Never try to maximize profit at the expense of building long-term relationships.
- Give customers a good, fair deal.
- Always look for ways to make it easier for customer to do business with you.
- Communicate daily with customers. If they are talking to you, they can’t be talking to your competitors.
- Do not forget to say Thank You.
What is Leadership?
Now, I would like to speak to you about effective and efficient leadership. The long-term success of entrepreneurship rests upon training a generation of people with the skills to excel as leaders in business.
Before you can become a leader, you must first focus on growing yourself. After becoming a leader, success is all about growing others. Here are some of the other elements of a successful leader:
- Leaders have a clear vision and ensure that others not only see the vision, but also live and breathe it.
- Leaders create environments where people can be truly committed.
- Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence.
- Leaders exude positive energy and optimism that gets under everyone’s skin.
- Leaders have respect for all people.
- Leaders give credit to others…. and often take the blame when something goes wrong.
- Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit-giving.
- Leaders act with integrity in spite of the difficulty.
- Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls.
- Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.
- Leaders balance risk and reward.
- Leaders see mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Leaders are firm but fair.
- Leaders are enthusiastic.
- Leaders get everyone involved.
- Leaders are tough…yet tender.
- Leaders inspire learning by setting the example.
- Leaders celebrate.
I would like to say more regarding several of these leadership qualities that I just mentioned:
First, winning companies embrace risk-taking and learning. You should create a culture that welcomes risk-taking. But to take prudent risks, you must freely admit when mistakes happen, and why. That way, risky decisions in the future will benefit from the lessons learned from past mistakes. If you want to change, set the example yourself. You will love the exciting culture you create and the results you get – and so will your team.
The second leadership quality to emphasize is that Leaders Celebrate. Celebrating make people feel like winners and creates an atmosphere of recognition and positive energy. Work is too big a part of life not to recognize the moments of achievement. Grab as many as you can. There is no easy formula for being a leader. Leadership is challenging – all those balancing acts, all those responsibilities, and all that pressure. Leaders care passionately about their people. Indeed, leadership is really all about helping other people succeed and grow.
We did not talk about employees, which is an important element of successful leadership. Leaders should listen to the people who actually do the work. Develop trust among employees. Empower employees. Enable employees to speak out freely. Respect their dignity and recognize their contributions.
Let me say a few words about the decision-making process. Remember you are not a leader to win a popularity contest – you are a leader to LEAD! When making difficult decisions, leaders must balance short term risk with long term rewards. It takes courage to balance risk and reward. Leaders should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses, motivations and biases in order to manage the risk-reward balancing most effectively.
A leader has to articulate how to achieve maximum performance with clarity and forthrightness. There are no secret formulas for succeeding in business. But you should craft a tightly woven, carefully scripted business philosophy that provides crisp guidelines for every aspect of business.
Leadership is about vision and values – knowing what you believe and then knowing when and how to act according to those beliefs. This means making decisions that entail some risk -- based on instinct, intuition and belief – rather than decisions based exclusively on data.
My Experiences
I’d like to say a few words about my own experience as a CEO. I cultivated a very vision-driven organization into a tightly-focused company whose employees all knew precisely what was expected of them, and always delivered exactly what they promised. I gave people at all levels specific tools and metrics, and enforced fact-based decision-making. Managers at all levels in my company honored these commitments, engaged in disciplined meetings, focused on decisions and measured progress against stated objectives. I surrounded myself with some great performers who delivered results.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a sense of humility brings us together as Aligarians linked by a common goal to do what we can to benefit humanity. All of you deserve an opportunity to experience prosperity. Entrepreneurship can help you break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. I do not want to sugarcoat the challenges that you will face as an entrepreneur. However, you should be able to conquer these challenges and convert them into opportunities. Initially, you may experience disappointment, despair, and darkness, but always remember that there will be a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
I hope and pray that one day that the glow of light from this great institution will penetrate deep into the darkness, and light up the whole world. As Alexander Smith once said, “A man does not plant a tree for himself. He plants it for posterity.”Let us continue to plant and our children shall reap the harvest.
Closing
I’d like to close my speech with Sir Syed’s words:
“You have reached a particular stage and remember one thing, that when I undertook the task, there was criticism all around against me, abuses were hurled upon me, life had become so difficult for me that I aged before my age, I lost my hair, my eyesight, but not my vision. My vision never dimmed, my determination never failed, I built this institution for you and I am sure, you will carry the light of this institution far and wide, darkness will disappear from all around.”
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. Thank you for your time, and for your commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. I wish all of you continued success in the future, and look forward to when our paths cross again. I am confident you will achieve your goals. I am sure you will rise to the challenge, and transform you passion into profits.
Always remember, that no matter how steep the pass, or how discouraging the pace, I implore you to never give up on your goals.
If you need a copy of my speech you can visit my website www.ffislam.com.
Thank you and God bless you.
A keynote speech delivered by Mr. Frank F. Islam at the Aligarh University in India. In this speech Mr. Islam addresses the concept of Leadership and Entrepreneurship based on his own Entrepreneurial and leadership exprience. |
Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Jamia Millia University Speech by Frank F. Islam
Faculty Members, Students, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Before I begin my speech, I’d like to recognize some people who have traveled with me from the United States. [Acknowledge]. Please give them a warm welcome.
Thank you very much for inviting me to speak to you today. I’d like to sincerely thank all of you for coming and for your hospitality. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. As you can tell, I am honored, thrilled and excited to be here.
I am the alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University. My stay at Aligarh was inspiring and the memories remain endearing. Aligarh provided me with the basic building blocks to become a successful entrepreneur, to assume serious responsibilities, and most importantly, to become a passionate leader.
For me, personally, it’s been a remarkable journey from Aligarh to the United States of America. I came to the U.S. in pursuit of hope, happiness and dreams. I am a living example of someone realizing the American dream. I am fortunate. I am blessed. My dream has come true. And I know your dreams will come true too.
Let me briefly outline what I want to talk to you about today:
- I’ll Start with the values my parents instilled in me, especially a love for education…
- Then I’ll consider India’s Promise, and how its fulfillment demands the uplift of all…
- Next we’ll look at how entrepreneurs can catalyze the fulfillment of India’s Promise…
- After which I’ll share with you my views and experiences on leadership and entrepreneurship
Values
I’ve always depended upon the values my parents instilled in me, especially:
- A Love for education
- Eternal optimism about your hopes and dreams
- Being collegial and candid towards all
- Keeping steadfast in your standard of excellence
- And living in peace and harmony, by being tolerant & respectful toward the dignity of each person.
I still cherish all these values.
Education
We know many men and women from this great institution who have made significant contributions in all walks of life -- from educators to politicians, poets, scientists and engineers. They have made their mark on the world and in so doing, stand as role models encouraging those who have yet to achieve their highest aspirations and dreams. We should do what we can to ensure Jamia Millia remains a premier center of knowledge. We should do our part to give back to our community, to strengthen our families and to educate our children. I am deeply committed to educating our children. We must create an environment that allows our children to excel.
I cherish the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our future generations. It is our children who are the hope of tomorrow. As Prime Minister Nehru once said: “We should build the noble mansion where all of our children can dwell, where all our children can prosper and where all our children can have a bright future. It is the future that beckons to us.” Remember past is history not destiny. It reminds me song of Fleetwood Mac - Do not stop thinking about tomorrow, Yesterday is gone.
Education is the key ingredient of success. Education empowers people and strengthens nations. Education opens doors so anyone can lift himself or herself out of poverty. It enhances the dignity of human beings, and increases his or her self-respect.
Let’s do our part to preserve, protect and promote the Jamia Millia’s culture. Let’s pledge anew our dedication to expanding and propagating the movement of this great institution.
As part of my commitment to education, I’ve created a charitable foundation. The main mission of this foundation is education. We provide scholarship programs to those students who want to go to school but cannot afford it because of financial hardship.
India’s Promise
You know, people like me -- Non-Resident Indians -- are the global representatives of India and its peoples, languages, religions, values, cultures and history. Non-Resident Indians should look at ways in which we can become catalysts in the growth of India.
India is now a major engine of the global economy. India is attracting foreign investment and fostering a business climate that has created a vibrant new generation of business leaders. A new class of entrepreneurs is emerging in India, adding momentum to the country’s economic boom.
Unfortunately, the enormity of the poverty problem still plagues India. India is only shining for a small minority. For all too many, India is getting darker. What we have in India is an island of prosperity in an ocean of poverty. The lack of basic access to sanitation, education, nutrition and healthcare represents a broken base that precludes our fellow citizens from advancing up the pyramid of success.
Poverty drains institutions of good governance, depletes scarce resources, weakens leadership and crushes hope. Poverty fuels frustration and Poverty fuels desperation. Poverty does not belong in a civilized society. Its proper place is in museum.
It has been shown that poor people trying to break out of poverty would much rather be given an opportunity to improve their condition via their own work, rather than simply receiving a hand-out. We should focus on helping people realize their potential to succeed, rather than merely applauding the end result of success itself.
You and I, working together, need to dismantle the barriers of India’s caste system. We should provide equal opportunities in education and jobs to all citizens of India, regardless of color, caste, creed or religion. Remember we all are God’s children. Discrimination based on caste or minority status can shatter people’s ambitions and dreams. It does not close the gap between rich and poor, but rather causes social unrest and holds back India’s ambition to become a major economic, cultural and diplomatic power.
Let us do what we can to eradicate poverty. We must be united in our fight against disease, ignorance, poverty, tyranny and terrorism. Only when we are united will we have the strength to triumph.
The best way to eradicate poverty is through education and entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and leadership can deliver on the dreams we all have, turning hope into reality!
Entrepreneurship and Leadership
Now, this leads me to my topic for today, which is “Entrepreneurship and Leadership.” I’m sure many of you here today have the desire, the drive and the dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. Dreams give us the strength that carries us through. It is not we who carry the dream… Perhaps the dream carries us.
As an entrepreneur, I look at India and see the potential for free enterprise and creativity to unlock many of the intractable problems that we face today.
I love entrepreneurship. There is nothing like the excitement, glory, fun and sheer thrill of starting something from scratch and watching it grow into a large enterprise of astonishing proportions. If you have the opportunity to be an entrepreneur, grab it. Find passionate and driven people and lead them. Give them all the necessary resources, and then give them some oxygen to breathe.
We should help our young men and women to become entrepreneurs. We must provide them with business mentoring and seed funding to start-up. These young entrepreneurs will learn how to build a business, develop a credit history and ultimately become employers themselves. As each new enterprise takes a firm root, we can be proud that we helped transform a young person into a LEADER.
In order for an entrepreneur to succeed, capital is needed to convert the vision into reality. Governments and banks have an obligation to provide loans to entrepreneurs.
I am a strong believer that everyone deserves a chance – a chance to get a decent education; a chance to get a good job; a chance to grow a successful business; a chance to raise a healthy and happy family, and a chance to prosper. We should provide opportunity to all people -- not just a fortunate few.
Taking Risks
Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks, being focused and committed. It is about confronting uncertainty with optimism, ingenuity and creativity.
We have to get out of our comfort zone, venture into new horizons and experience new environments. We must not be afraid of taking chances. If we fail, we must simply get up and try again. Perhaps we will fail further… but nevertheless, we must try yet again. Success teaches you how to move forward, but failure teaches you to never go backwards. Thus, failure is the first step to success.
Passion
Another important element of entrepreneurship is passion. Without passion you cannot succeed, for it is passion that keeps you striving when times are difficult, as all endeavors will be at some point. Without passion, resources will never be enough and they will quickly dissipate into thin air. But your passion will always find a way, even when probabilities conspire against your dream.
Focus
One of the most important ingredients of entrepreneurship for me is Focus. When a company does not focus, it is planting seeds for future problems. When a company becomes one mile long and one inch deep, it loses its power. But, when a company focuses like a laser, it can convert a few kilowatts of energy into coherent and powerful energy. When a company focuses like a laser, it can drill hole in a diamond, and can even cure cancer!
A lack of focus is like the sun that dissipates its vast energy by shining its light in all directions. Focus is power. It creates a powerful perception of resolve in the minds of your customers, employees and competitors. Maintaining a laser-like focus is effective in the long term. It doesn’t reap rewards overnight. You have to have patience. It takes a long time to turn around a corporate battleship in the river. I can’t emphasize enough how extremely important Focus has been in the success of my own company.
There are many opportunities for entrepreneurship in India. You have to identify and exploit the openings in such industries as energy, infrastructure, education, communication, transportation and information technology.
Entrepreneurship is not primarily about maximizing profits, but rather engaging all the stakeholders – that is, the communities and people who are affected by the nature of your business. To be a good entrepreneur is to treat people with the utmost respect and dignity.
Customer Satisfaction
Before I speak to you about leadership, I would like to say few words about customer satisfaction and the role customers play in making a company successful. You should treat customer the way we all want to be treated ourselves. To better relate to customers, I’ve developed the following values and practices to live by:
- Never try to maximize profit at the expense of building long-term relationships.
- Give customers a good, fair deal.
- Always look for ways to make it easier for customer to do business with you.
- Communicate daily with customers. If they are talking to you, they can’t be talking to your competitors.
- Do not forget to say Thank You.
What is Leadership?
Now, I would like to speak to you about effective and efficient leadership. The long-term success of entrepreneurship rests upon training a generation of people with the skills to excel as leaders in business.
Before you can become a leader, you must first focus on growing yourself. After becoming a leader, success is all about growing others. Here are some of the other elements of a successful leader:
- Leaders have a clear vision and ensure that others not only see the vision, but also live and breathe it.
- Leaders create environments where people can be truly committed.
- Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence.
- Leaders exude positive energy and optimism that gets under everyone’s skin.
- Leaders have respect for all people.
- Leaders give credit to others…. and often take the blame when something goes wrong.
- Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit-giving.
- Leaders act with integrity in spite of the difficulty.
- Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls.
- Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.
- Leaders balance risk and reward.
- Leaders see mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Leaders are firm but fair.
- Leaders are enthusiastic.
- Leaders get everyone involved.
- Leaders are tough…yet tender.
- Leaders inspire learning by setting the example.
- Leaders celebrate.
I would like to say more regarding several of these leadership qualities that I just mentioned:
First, winning companies embrace risk-taking and learning. You should create a culture that welcomes risk-taking. But to take prudent risks, you must freely admit when mistakes happen, and why. That way, risky decisions in the future will benefit from the lessons learned from past mistakes. If you want to change, set the example yourself. You will love the exciting culture you create and the results you get – and so will your team.
The second leadership quality to emphasize is that Leaders Celebrate. Celebrating make people feel like winners and creates an atmosphere of recognition and positive energy. Work is too big a part of life not to recognize the moments of achievement. Grab as many as you can. There is no easy formula for being a leader. Leadership is challenging – all those balancing acts, all those responsibilities, and all that pressure. Leaders care passionately about their people. Indeed, leadership is really all about helping other people succeed and grow.
We did not talk about employees, which is an important element of successful leadership. Leaders should listen to the people who actually do the work. Develop trust among employees. Empower employees. Enable employees to speak out freely. Respect their dignity and recognize their contributions.
Let me say a few words about the decision-making process. Remember you are not a leader to win a popularity contest – you are a leader to LEAD! When making difficult decisions, leaders must balance short term risk with long term rewards. It takes courage to balance risk and reward. Leaders should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses, motivations and biases in order to manage the risk-reward balancing most effectively.
A leader has to articulate how to achieve maximum performance with clarity and forthrightness. There are no secret formulas for succeeding in business. But you should craft a tightly woven, carefully scripted business philosophy that provides crisp guidelines for every aspect of business.
Leadership is about vision and values – knowing what you believe and then knowing when and how to act according to those beliefs. This means making decisions that entail some risk -- based on instinct, intuition and belief – rather than decisions based exclusively on data.
My Experiences
I’d like to say a few words about my own experience as a CEO. I cultivated a very vision-driven organization into a tightly-focused company whose employees all knew precisely what was expected of them, and always delivered exactly what they promised. I gave people at all levels specific tools and metrics, and enforced fact-based decision-making. Managers at all levels in my company honored these commitments, engaged in disciplined meetings, focused on decisions and measured progress against stated objectives. I surrounded myself with some great performers who delivered results.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a sense of humility brings us together as fellow citizens linked by a common goal to do what we can to benefit humanity. All of you deserve an opportunity to experience prosperity. Entrepreneurship can help you break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. I do not want to sugarcoat the challenges that you will face as an entrepreneur. However, you should be able to conquer these challenges and convert them into opportunities. Initially, you may experience disappointment, despair, and darkness, but always remember that there will be a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
I hope and pray that one day that the glow of light from this great institution will penetrate deep into the darkness, and light up the whole world. As Alexander Smith once said, “A man does not plant a tree for himself. He plants it for posterity.”Let us continue to plant and our children shall reap the harvest.
Closing
I’d like to close my speech with Sir Syed’s words:
“You have reached a particular stage and remember one thing, that when I undertook the task, there was criticism all around against me, abuses were hurled upon me, life had become so difficult for me that I aged before my age, I lost my hair, my eyesight, but not my vision. My vision never dimmed, my determination never failed, I built this institution for you and I am sure, you will carry the light of this institution far and wide, darkness will disappear from all around.”
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. Thank you for your time, and for your commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. I wish all of you continued success in the future, and look forward to when our paths cross again. I am confident you will achieve your goals. I am sure you will rise to the challenge, and transform you passion into profits.
Always remember, that no matter how steep the pass, or how discouraging the pace, I implore you to never give up on your goals.
If you need a copy of my speech you can visit my website www.ffislam.com.
Thank you and God bless you.
A keynote speech delevered by Mr. Frank F. Islam at the Jamia Millia Universtiy in India in 2008. In this speech Mr. Islam addresses the issue of Leadership and Entrepreneurship based on his own experience and leadership. |
Remarks by Frank Islam to
The Muslim Social Uplift Societies
Ladies and Gentleman:
I want to sincerely thank my host, Professor Khwaja Mubin Ahmad, for inviting us here. I see a lot of energy, optimism and hope. All of you are doing a great job. Please continue your efforts.
One day you will be a successful alumnus, just like me. After you graduate, remember it’s your responsibility to serve your community. You need to nurture and develop your brothers and sisters so they too can cultivate the harvest of prosperity. Your vision and mission should be to help India’s Muslims to breakout of the vicious cycle of poverty.
India’s 140 million Muslims are falling behind in some very critical areas, including education. In some states, education and poverty indications show that Muslims have fallen behind even low-caste Hindus!
Poverty crushes one’s hope for self-improvement. Poverty fuels frustration. Poverty fuels desperation. The best way to eradicate poverty is through education. We need to train a generation of Muslims with the skills to excel as leaders. All of you -- our future leaders -- are the hope of tomorrow. You stand as role models for those yet to achieve their aspirations and dreams.
I am a generous contributor to the Aligarh Scholarship Program. I am deeply committed to education, especially for Muslims. Education empowers people and uplifts them from poverty. Education enhances the dignity of a human being, and increases his or her self esteem. Education, especially in today’s world, is a key ingredient for success, and it provides upward mobility economically, socially and culturally.
Thank you again for coming today. It is very gratifying to see how this scholarship program is helping you. You are an inspiration to all of us. I cherish the hope, dreams and aspirations of our young generation. Your success story resonates well with my commitment to the Aligarh Scholarship Program.
Let us fulfill Sid Syed’s vision and his mission. Let us keep his memory alive. Let us do our part to ensure that the dreams of future generations of Muslims shall never die.
If you wish to know more about me and my company, please visit my webpage at www.fiig.net .
God bless you.
A keynote speech delivered by Mr. Frank F. Islam at the Muslim Social Uplift Society, Aligarh, India. In this speech, Mr. Islam addresses the issue of poverty in India and proposes one of the most effective ways to eradicate it based on his own experience and leadership.
|
Distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to welcome honored guests and friends to this occasion and thank my hosts for giving me an opportunity to address you today on the subject of “Empowerment of Indian Minorities through Business Entrepreneurship”. I congratulate the Federation of Aligarh Alumni for its continued success in honoring the legacy of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and remembering our commitment to the principles upon which Aligarh Muslim University was founded – service to humanity.
At the turn of the century the richest nations in the world gathered to discuss an agenda for alleviating poverty in developing countries. They published a list of Millennium Development Goals, the most ambitious of which was to reduce by halve the number of people in the world living in poverty by 2015. At the halfway point, however, it is clear that none of these goals will be achieved in time. In a few years we’ll probably be cutting and pasting the same list of goals into bold pronouncements for the 2020 or the 2050 plan, but with little to show for our efforts.
There are countries that have made substantial gains in economic growth, harnessing the opportunities presented by globalization—both in the form of economic and political reform. In this respect India deserves credit for attracting foreign investment and fostering a business climate that has created a vibrant new generation of business leaders, activist, and reformers. India is becoming a major power.
I am going to speak about poverty in India.
By some measures, poverty in India has declined in the last decade. Youth literacy rates and childhood school enrollment has improved while infant mortality is down and life expectancy has increased. Yet those of us who have been to India know that countrywide statistics do little justice in conveying the enormity of the problem of poverty that still plagues India, and in particular, Muslim India, in which vast numbers of people have completely missed the globalization train. What we have in India is an island of prosperity in an ocean of poverty.
Poverty of this magnitude has far reaching implications for state and for citizen. The abject poverty in which so many millions of Indians live is a drain on the economy. Poor people struggle to survive on the barest of essentials and are scarcely in a position to contribute to national growth and development. Poverty drains institutions of governance, depletes resources, weakens leaders and crushes hope.
Poverty fuels a dangerous mix of desperation and instability that has been ignited numerous times in outbursts of communal violence. This was never more apparent to us than during the riots in Gujarat.
There will be no single magic solution to eliminating poverty nor can we expect a single entity, be it the government or the World Bank or other aid-giving organizations to shoulder the entire burden.
It is a multifaceted problem that cannot be reduced to mere statistical measurements. And poverty will not easily disappear by increasing the number of jobs or classrooms accessible to poor people. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s pioneering work in this field has shown that our analysis of poverty should focus on an individual’s potential to function rather than the results the individual obtains from functioning. Individuals working to uplift themselves is critical element of the process, but without building a complete infrastructure of social support mechanisms and providing social freedom and mobility
THE SACHAR REPORT FINDINGS on EDUCATION
The Rajindar Sachar report, published in November of last year proved what we already knew anecdotally that “while there is considerable variation in the conditions of Muslims across states, the [Muslim] Community exhibits deficits and deprivation in practically all dimensions of development.”
India’s 140 million Muslims are falling behind in many key categories, including education, access to credit, and incidence of crime. In some states, education and poverty indicators show that Muslims have fallen behind even low-caste Hindus, a controversial finding that many have had difficulty in accepting. The disparities are most striking when it comes to education. Consider these findings:
Among Muslims, the literacy rate is about 59 per cent, compared with more than 65 per cent among Indians as a whole;
On average, a Muslim child attends school for three years and four months, compared with a national average of four years;
Less than four per cent of Muslims graduate from school, compared with six per cent of the total population;
Less than two per cent of the students at the elite Indian Institutes of Technology are Muslim;
About 55 percent of Muslims in villages and 60 per cent in urban areas have never been to school. The national average is 41 per cent in rural areas and 20 per cent in urban areas. In rural areas, less than 1 per cent of Muslims graduate, while in urban areas only about three per cent graduate.
The Sachar report has deepened our understanding of how entrenched poverty in the Indian Muslim community has become. Basic access to sanitation, education, adequate nutrition and health care are just the base of a pyramid that prohibits our community from advancing. The majority of workers in the Muslim community are unskilled wage earners and Muslims are disproportionately underrepresented in regular salaried or civil service positions.
Higher up the value chain the situation remains bleak. The Sachar report states that “the flow of credit to Muslims is quite limited [and the ] non-availability of credit can [has] far-reaching implications for the socio-economic and educational status of the Community.” Lack of access to education, higher wages, creates a vicious cycle that crushes a man’s hope for improvement.
Now I am going to speak to you on social entrepreneurship:
A politician would stand before you and preach pious platitudes about the progress made in combating poverty in India and the potential for future success. An economist would delve deeply into a discussion of the market forces which drive poverty. I am neither. I stand before you as a businessman and an entrepreneur and so I can only speak about the problem as I see it and practical ways that I think we can resolve it.
As an entrepreneur, I look at India and see the potential for free enterprise and creativity to unlock some of the intractable problems the Muslim community faces today. This entrepreneurial spirit must not be fueled by greed or the relentless pursuit of profit maximization. On the contrary I believe there is an approach to business and entrepreneurship that can uplift all Indians and improve the condition of those mired in abject poverty without conceding competitiveness and sacrificing the bottom line.
The enormous success of Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus’ microcredit finance project that began in Bangladesh in 1974 spawned an entire discipline and new methodology for combating the root causes of poverty around the world. His experiment is living proof that corporations and businesses can find ways to act responsibly without sacrificing profits and that markets can reward good stewardship with increased revenues. In India the entrepreneurship that will benefit society is that which considers how business is done, and not just how much business is done.
If private enterprise is to thrive then it must be adept at responding to change. Dynamism – that ability to face up risk and uncertainty with ingenuity and creativity – is precisely what drives developing economies to the forefront, the opposite of which is laziness and complacency. Organizations – be they public or private – must constantly reinvent themselves or else they become obsolete and useless to those who consume their products and services.
Ideas must be, as they say, incubated – nurtured with the creative energy of not just one or two people but often entire teams of strategists and planners. Herein lies a great strategic opportunity for minority communities in India – a long-term vision that combines human resource development with technological literacy to provide a solid foundation for promoting free enterprise and entrepreneurial activity.
We must also recognize where the good opportunities lie and focus our energy on those opportunities. While building my business in the United States for the last 15 years I have learned that entrepreneurs in the West function at the fringes – looking for breakthrough technologies and innovations that will change the way people do business.
In places like India the entrepreneurial space is much closer to the center. The greatest opportunities often lie in providing the most basic services that the government has failed to or is incapable of delivering. Identifying and exploiting these openings – in energy production and distribution, education, transportation, communication – will be essential for the long-term success and development of the Muslim community.
For any of this to happen we must train a generation of Muslims with the skills to excel as leaders in business, in the civil service, and in the creation of culture and arts which create pride and honor in the contributions that we as Muslims living in a pluralistic society are able to make.
I was born into a middle-class Indian family much like the ones that many of you are from. My parents instilled in me a love of education and a commitment to charity. My years at Aligarh were among the most fulfilling of my life where my professors introduced me to the world of literature and art and mathematics. I left Aligarh with a love of knowledge – but more importantly – my years at the University oriented my heart towards good ethics and the principle of service and the hope that I would be able to improve the lives of people around me.
I can say to you that without a doubt my success as an entrepreneur in the United States is no small way indebted to the AMU values that I have carried with me for many, many years. I built my company with an aim for making profit but never did I lose sight of the underlying commitment to excellence and to good ethics in my dealings with employees and clients.
WHAT CAN WE DO
First let me speak to you about poverty:
Our most potent weapon against poverty will be our pocketbooks. But, let’s be honest – the nations of the world and international organizations have given billions of dollars in aid to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In spite of the unprecedented levels of aid more and more people end up more poor year after year. So money alone is not the solution.
Muslims are undoubtedly among the most generous people in the world. Our obligation to pay the zakat means that an equal portion of all of our wealth is to be allocated for charity each year - and there is no doubt that many of us far exceed the percentage delineated by the shari’a.
Charity remains an obligation upon us as a means of spiritual purification. Yet it has been shown that poor people trying to break out of poverty would much rather be given an opportunity to improve their condition by their own work than simply receive another handout. Our investment in the Indian Muslim community must therefore embrace a vision for what they can contribute to India and to the international community years into the future.
Where racism and hatred are prevalent we must promote interfaith dialogue and bring people from different communities together to work on social projects. The government and the private sector can play a positive role in building greater trust and cooperation in the pursuit of peace and national unity.
Let me speak to you about education:
The greatest gift we can give is that of education which empower the mind and uplifts the soul. Education enhances the dignity of a human being, and increases his or her self respect. In his speech on January 8, 1877 in honor of the foundation of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan acknowledged “nothing could remove the obstacles to progress [for Indian Muslims] than education.” The World Bank – many decades later echoes the same sentiment – that “[e]ducation is central to development. It empowers people and strengthens nations. It is a powerful “equalizer,” opening doors to all to lift themselves out of poverty.” By promoting education we mean to create complete human beings, and not skew the balance between the Intellect, which seeks to understand God and implement the message of the Prophets, and that Rational mind which when nurtured and developed can make us leaders in society.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had emphasized “Acquisition of knowledge of science and technology is the only solution for the problems of the Muslims.” By building schools, hostels, and offering scholarships we can give the Muslim youth of India a chance to gain the advanced scientific and technological skills to compete with their countrymen who have reaped the benefits of international investment in India’s high-tech sector and its vast outsourcing industry. Muslims require more sophisticated training in business and management sciences to transcend the level of the low-wage worker at the bottom of the economic totem pole.
We know that books have given way to bits of information carried along the information superhighway and that the Internet can be a tremendous enabling force in the educational experience of mankind. So in addition to scholarships, we can create institutions which provide the learning infrastructure to provide Indian Muslims with more access to the knowledge and information that will ultimately lift them from the depths of poverty.
I am going to speak about entrepreneurship:
A concerted effort is needed to provide employment opportunities for young people through private enterprises, especially by ensuring that training and skills development are linked to market demands. What we need is an alliance of entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, corporations, and media working together to influence public policy and to catalyze innovative programs.
We should help disadvantage young people to become entrepreneurs and provide business mentoring and seed funding for innovative ideas. As each new enterprise takes root another young leader learns how to build a business, develop a credit history and ultimately become an employer himself or herself.
We should engage in assisting India Muslim youth by investing in socio-economic development by increasing economic opportunities and inclusions, providing access to credit, insurance and health care and enhancing communications and technology infrastructure. We need to be innovative and we need to engender innovation.
We should not be so shortsighted to view the arena of our potential influence only in the rural villages and shantytowns of Muslim India. Right here in the United States, where we have migrated to and where our children’s children will be born, we must do more to plant our roots and to establish our presence in the culture and society.
This means being engaged politically – not just superficially but rather to embrace the political process from grassroots organizing and mobilizing to local and state government.
There are literally 100s if not 1000s of non-governmental organizations working at all levels to promote education, human rights, culture, religious freedom [etc] in India. These organizations are funded by the generous grants of foundations, which, like us, recognize the need to build a world that is more equal and just for all. We must be aware of and involved with these efforts for the sake of our brothers and sisters in India.
Moreover by engaging with these groups and with similar groups in India with our ideas and our financial support we can position ourselves to exert influence in changing some of the underlying policies that will create a more level playing field envisioned by the recommendations issuing from the Sachar report.
The Prime Minister of India’s support for the Sachar report – with all of the controversy that the study created– is a positive sign that there are opportunities to work with the government to meet the needs of all citizens of India. The fact that Muslims from around the world have read and commented on the report is another step forward. Our world is driven by data and by facts - and armed with the facts about the state of Muslim India our ability to exert influence on the situation is vastly improved over a condition of ignorance and disinformation.
We must press for the reforms recommended in the report to be implemented by communicating through all possible channels and urging the Prime Minister and the Parliament to take resolute action. India, as a multicultural and multiethnic society, must work hard to ensure that the delicate balance between groups is managed so as to avert the communal violence that has erupted so frequently in India’s history.
My dear friends and colleagues.
A sense of humility brings us together as brothers and as countrymen linked by a common goal to do what we can to benefit humanity. We are concerned about the plight of our Muslim brothers and sisters in India but we must show empathy and resolve for all those around the world afflicted with poverty and deserving of an opportunity to experience their God given rights to live peacefully and in prosperity. Indian Muslims must be made active players, rather than passive victims. Our mission should be to help Indian Muslims break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Poverty does not belong in a civilized human society. It’s proper place is in the museum. That is where it should be.
There is a message to all of us at the top of the Aligarh Muslim University’s website. It captures the essence of education. It reads “ Enter to dream. Depart to serve.” I implore you to depart to serve.
I began this speech with Sir Syed’s words at Aligarh’s inauguration. I would like to end remembering his final remarks:
“I and my friends and the entire community gave their blood to build up an institution at a place which was in wilderness, a desert where not even a grass grew, we built-up classrooms, hostels, libraries, laboratories, playgrounds.
“You have reached a particular stage and remember one thing that when I undertook the task, there was criticism all around against me, abuses were hurled upon me, life had become so difficult for me that I aged before my age, I lost my hair, my eyesight, but not my vision. My vision never dimmed, my determination never failed, I built this institution for you and I am sure, you will carry the light of this institution far and wide, darkness will disappear from all around. “
Let us do our part to ensure the dreams of young Indian Muslims shall never die. Let us fulfill Sir Syed’s vision and his mission. Let us keep his memory alive.
God bless you.
A keynote speech delivered by Mr. Frank F. Islam at the Federation of Aligarh Alumni Associations. In this speech Mr. Islam addresses the issue of poverty in India and proposes one of the most effective ways to eradicate poverty based on his own experience and leadership. |
Madam President, Distinguished Guests, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you very much for inviting me to speak to you tonight. I am honored and delighted to be here. I want to sincerely thank Dr. Hasan. Thank you Dr. Hasan for your service to the Aligarh Alumni Association. This is a noble cause. People like you inspire all of us. We should all do our part to serve our community, to strengthen our families, to educate our children, and to become role models for future generations. It’s our children that are the hope of tomorrow.
As you know, I went to school at Aligarh. I am an Aligarh Alumnus. I loved my time there. My stay at Aligarh has had a profound effect on me. It was an exciting time of my life. I must admit, sometimes it was chaotic. But, nevertheless, it was filled with charm, cheers, changes, and challenges. My stay at Aligarh was inspiring and the memories endearing. It provided me with the basic building blocks to be a successful entrepreneur, to assume responsibility and to be a leader. My education at Aligarh prepared me to be a better person. It prepared me to have a dream of a great future. It gave me strength, discipline, courage and the determination to succeed. The thought of Aligarh has never faded away from my memory. In fact, the thought is still as fresh in my mind as it was long years ago. For me, it has been a remarkable journey from the dusty streets of Aligarh to the rocky shores of the Chesapeake Bay.
The first part of my talk today is: What are the key ingredients of a successful businessman and a successful entrepreneur? The key ingredients of success are: education, leadership, taking risks, and being focused. The key ingredients of being an entrepreneur are desire, drive, dreams, dedication, devotion and determination. To me, one of the most important ingredients is focus. If you focus like laser, you can drill a hole in a diamond. If you do not focus, it will be like the sun that dissipates its vast energy by shining light in all directions. Focus is power. It creates a powerful perception in the minds of the customer. A powerful focus is effective in the long term, not in the short term. It does not happen overnight. You have to have patience. It takes a long time to turn around the corporate battleship. Focus has been extremely important in our success at my company QSS. In twelve years, we have been able to develop QSS from just my dreams and aspirations into a highly successful $300 million federal government high-technology firm. Good things come to those who are willing to take risks and who are willing to sacrifice. Before I go on to my next topic, I would like to talk about two other very important things that I have learned in building QSS:
First, a business management consultant once said “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be ‘meetings’." Early on I learned that, while you have to have meetings, keep them short and on-topic. Too many long meetings will get in the way of getting things accomplished.
The second other important thing I learned is probably best related using a story about Albert Einstein. “While lecturing extensively in the United States, Einstein was always accompanied by his faithful chauffer Harry, who would listen to each of these lectures from the back row. After Einstein had finished a lecture, Harry said: ‘Professor Einstein, I have heard your lecture on Relativity so many times that I believe that I would be able to deliver it to perfection myself.’ ‘Very well’ replied Einstein. ‘You can deliver the next lecture as me – I will take your place as the chauffer.’ Harry delivered the lecture to perfection, without a word out of place - while Einstein sat in the back row playing ‘chauffer’, and enjoying a nap for a change. Just as Harry was descending from the podium, however, one of the research assistants intercepted him, and began to ask him a very complex question on Relativity. Harry replied to the assistant ‘The answer to this question is very simple. In fact, it is so simple that I am going to let my chauffer answer it’.
I would suggest that Harry certainly knew when to delegate. And, I learned how to delegate too – you can not build a successful company by yourself.
Next, I would like to talk about Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and education. The supreme interest of Sir Syed’s life was education. He wanted to create a scientific temperament among the Muslims of India and to make the Western knowledge of science available to them. He championed the cause of modern education. His work gave rise to a new generation of Muslim intellectuals, professionals, and the Aligarh movement to secure the political future of Muslims in India. I was inspired by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s vision of education and his vision of improving socioeconomic conditions of Muslims in India and his quest to build an institution of higher education. Two of his quotes still resonate with me – and seem to be true even today:
“Acquisition of knowledge of science and technology is the only solution for the problems of the Muslims.”
“I will not ask you for my salvation. But please take pity of your children. Do something for them (send them to school), lest you should have to repent.”
Sir Syed’s legacy still lives in bright lights and dark shadows. Those shadows are still everywhere. The Aligarh Muslim University was founded by Sir Syed. AMU was initiated over a hundred thirty years ago as a movement for the renaissance of India’s Muslim community. For over 130 years the Muslims of India have nurtured Aligarh Muslim University with their sweat, blood and aspirations. It has produced many great freedom fighters and builders of a modern India, as well as renowned scholars, artists, scientists, and engineers. We should do what we can to ensure that Aligarh Muslim University will remain a premier center of knowledge – and will continue to shine its bright lights into those dark shadows.
Finally, I would like to address why I believe that a technology-oriented, English-based education is ever more important today. Global economic trends continue toward a rapid growth of knowledge-based services – resulting in increasingly economic dependent nations. The key to future competitiveness will be information and knowledge. A great transition in thought and action was needed to move the world from an agricultural-based economy to a manufacturing- and industrial-based economy. I believe that an even greater transition is required to take the next step to a global, highly inter-dependent knowledge-based economy. As discussed in the World Bank’s Millennium Development Goals: “Education is central to development. It empowers people and strengthens nations. It is a powerful “equalizer” opening doors to all to lift themselves out of poverty. In an increasingly complex, knowledge dependent world, higher levels of education must be the first priority.” I believe that education is the answer to a wide range of problems and opportunities.
Today Muslims in India lag behind in all walks of life. The main reason for their sorry status is their backwardness in modern education. Only the vision of Sir Syed can help the Muslims to come out from their current situation. We should realize the great importance of Sir Syed’s message and strongly endorse the spirit behind Aligarh Muslim University. Let us expand and propagate the Aligarh movement and let us fulfill his dream of education and entrepreneurship.
Thank you once again for inviting me. I will close my talk with what Mr. Nehru said in his speech at the dawn of India’s freedom – “We should be brave enough and wise enough to grasp the opportunity and accept the challenge of the future. It means the ending of ignorance and inequality of the opportunity. Our ambition should be to wipe out every tear from every eye. We should build the noble mansion where all of our children can dwell, where all of our children can prosper and where all of our children can have a bright future. It is the future that beckons to us. Let us do our part to ensure that Sir Syed’s dream never dies. Let us fulfill his vision and his mission. Let us keep his memory alive.
Thank you.
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