My Story Track

Guess what? The world’s largest company in value-added spices, one of the world’s Top 10 publishing BPOs, India’s biggest exporter of hand-knotted carpets, largest machine tool manufacturer, largest honey exporter, and largest leather exporter all started up in small towns in India, not the big metros. Over the decades, big ideas and successful entrepreneurs have made a mark in small-town India, as shown by the 20 profiles in the new book by Rashmi Bansal, Take Me Home. Hunger for success, inspiration, diligence and persistence are also the hallmarks of success of entrepreneurs in smaller towns, where glamour may be lacking but the quieter and gentler way of life as well as the desire to hang on to local roots are assets in their own right. Rashmi Bansal  is the author of a number of books on startups and social entrepreneurship, such as Poor Little Rich Slum (see my review ). She graduated from Sophia College in Mumbai and IIM Ahmedabad. The book (357 pages, published...

__START__Mahatma Gandhi Getty His is perhaps the most inspirational tale. Originally a barrister in India by profession, he was not a strong lawyer as he was unable to cross-question his witnesses. After spending sometime drafting litigation letters, he went to South Africa where he developed his political skills. It was not a cake-walk for him even there and his Satyagraha movement was fraught with difficulties even in India. Perhaps his biggest failure of all times was the partition of India and Pakistan.   __LISTSEPARATOR____START__Amitabh Bachchan Getty A blockbuster performer at the Bollywood box-office, Amitabh Bachchan's career tanked along with his production house, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). His meteoric rise and quick downfall is a true Bollywood tale within Bollywood. He was bankrupt but did not give up and continued to fight. It was at this crucial juncture when his career took at 360 degree turn with the arrival of KBC...