Parekh, Nilekani back ‘short story’ ideas for startups

NEW DELHI: Top business leaders, including Deepak Parekh and Nandan Nilekani, have come together to back a concept of an IIM graduate penning down 21 innovative ideas in form short stories — all of which can be startup business opportunities.

The ideas include motorcycle taxis, terrace farms, stateto-state tourism promotion, rural medics, among others.

In a first-of-its-kind effort, management consultant and IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus Ravi Nawal has thrown forward these ideas, which he says can address many significant socio-economic challenges before India, in his first book India Can.

Published by Bloomsbury, the book has 21 short stories.

Nawal said he is reaching out to companies and government departments to take forward the ideas emanating from each of his stories and has already got positive feedback from many.

Accolades are coming from many quarters, including top banker and eminent industry leader Deepak Parekh, Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani and Dipak C Jain, former Dean, Kellogg School of Management and INSEAD.

Parekh said the book is “truly inspiring for it offers simple, innovative ideas that may well be transformational for India.”

“It is now apparent that the rapidly rising aspirations of India’s billion plus population cannot be met by ‘business as usual’ methods,” Nilekani said. “It will require innovative ideas that reimagine the way we do things. Ravi has captured several of the possible ideas in his book and they should be debated and implemented where possible.”

THE IDEAS INCLUDE MOTORCYCLE TAXIS, TERRACE FARMS, STATE-TO-STATE TOURISM PROMOTION, RURAL MEDICS ETC