Deep Kalra

@sbikh @Naukri @makemytrip @IndiaMART Happy to play ‘Follow the leader’ .. besides prudent fiscal planning ;) Happy anniversary to all at @Naukri and @Indiamart and @Makemytrip of course ❤️

Naukri was launched exactly 27 years ago on April 1, 1997. Two other Internet companies were also launched on April 1. Indiamart in 1996 and Makemytrip in 2000 @Naukri @makemytrip @IndiaMART

@kalra_armaan What’s stopping you?!

I would very much love to start a football podcast

TiE Delhi-NCR’s Assistive Solutions champions startups committed to advancing the quality of life for differently abled consumers. Apply Here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… #TiEDelhiNCR #InclusionInnovation #AssistiveImpact #DriveChange

@sbikh Brilliant! I always thought it was the water (aka Baghul bhai’s elixir) that contributed to PGP 89’s entrepreneurial success, besides the fact that starting salaries were in the pre- liberalisation era and hence low.

On the Ashoka WhatsApp group there is a discussion on the convocation speech and what kind of convocation speakers we should look for. Most people are posting videos of commencement speakers from US universities. I posted the following message 👇 A random thought on convocation speeches. We want a convocation speech that is slick. One that is delivered by a speaker in polished sophisticated English. With the right accent using the right words. The convocation speaker in my graduating class at IIMA was V Krishnamurthy. Chairman of SAIL. He said all the right things but guess what - thirty four years out I don’t remember a word of what he said and I don’t think what he said made any difference to the lives of any of my classmates. That speech did not change anyone’s behaviour or influence any of the choices we made in our lives. However I vividly remember remember the speech made by the chief guest at IIMA in the previous year. Being in the junior batch I was not invited to the event so along with several others from my class I watched the function from the first floor of the building on the side. The chief guest was Dr Verghese Kurien Chairman NDDB. He was not polite. He was downright rude. He was condescending. He was sarcastic. He was caustic. He was insulting. He spoke a few home truths to the graduating class. He taunted us. He opened by congratulating the graduating class. He then said that this is not the Indian Institute of Management. This is the Indian Institute of Management for Shampoo Salesmen. And that the entire graduating class could now look forward to a life where they spend their time selling soap and shampoo. For that is the limit of our aspiration and ambition he said. We just wanted to work for Multinational Corporations peddling their wares to Indian consumers. Such a collosal waste of talent he called it. And throughout his speech he repeatedly used the term “shampoo salesmen” derisively to describe the graduates of IIMA. He challenged us to do something more meaningful with our lives and try and make a difference. But then he lamented that his words were going to fall on deaf ears and that we would take the safer option. Now it requires some guts to go as a chief guest to a function and then make a 30 minute speech berating and insulting your hosts. But that was Dr. Verghese Kurien. In your face. Blunt. Calling a spade a spade. By the end of it our ears were burning. But guess which speech we remembered. And Some of us did do something different. The class of 1989 has produced the most number of entrepreneurs in the history of IIMA. Sometimes warm fuzzy convocation speeches don’t make lasting impact.

@kalra_armaan Now that’s an eye-opener!!

Absolutely wild our eyes were primarily holes in our skulls to perceive light information in order to set off our circadian and other body clocks. Vision of any kind came much later as a function 🤯

@suchitasalwan True that. Love both the brand. NB has developed tech now that scans your foot in 3D and recommends the perfect shoe for you. Or can also custom make one.

+1 Masterclass in reviving relevancy & well thought out partnerships. Both New Balance and Birkenstock have done an ace job of this

@sbikh Your extra curriculars in school were also a well guarded secret it seems :)

A guarded character certificate - To the best of my knowledge…

@kalra_armaan Unlikely …God helps those who help themselves!

Norwich couldn’t could they?

@kalra_armaan She’s right, on the average 😉

Just asked an American student which country she’d wanna move to if she could move anywhere in the world? She said Paris. I told her that’s a city, she then said Europe. I have no words.

@DrJoyeeta Love it! Doc with a sense of humour .. Laughter is indeed the best medicine :)

If you are going to text me at anytime after 9 pm asking if you can have a drink with whatever medication I have prescribed, 10 times out of 10 the answer is going to be a BIG FAT NO!!

@sbikh Indeed! You and Naukri / Infoedge are the Gold standard of Corporate Governance and Integrity .. thanks for always shining the light on the right path.

When I was on the Board of Makemytrip I was awarded ESOP. In line with Satish Mandhana’s sage advice Hitesh, Ambarish and I decided that the economic benefit of this ESOP should go to Info Edge rather than to me as that would align all of our shareholders interests

@sbikh @Naukri @deepkalra @DineshAgarwal Haha! True that .. keep life simple :)

And Makemytrip. It is not a coincidence. It was simply for regulatory simplicity. If you launch in Q4 of the previous FY you need to file an additional IT and Service Tax return for that year. Might as well push it out and file fewer returns @Naukri @deepkalra @DineshAgarwal

@sbikh @Naukri Wow! How cool is that! Cheers to Naukri and Salut to Sanjeev, the true pioneer of Indian internet 🙇‍♂️

Naukri was launched on April 1, 1997. Today is the 25th anniversary. These pictures are of the first flyer that we mailed to prospective clients that year ⁦@Naukri⁩

A new era in the Indian startup ecosystem begins today. Let's continue revolutionizing the global startup market with path-breaking innovations. Congratulations fellow founders & to every individual associated with the ecosystem #NationalStartupDay @PMOIndia @amitabhk87 @TiEDelhi

(2/2) Gurgaon folks, if you have any thoughts on building a greener and ecologically healthy city, then do write to @I_Am_Gurgaon and tag me in your response.

Fantastic initiative by @I_Am_Gurgaon in reviving a lost water body! More power to Surge, Latika Thukral, @OfficialGMDA, @DC_Gurugram & all volunteers for their unwavering spirit & sustained contributions towards ecological restoration in the city (1/2) youtube.com/watch?v=GwAmVY…

@MoCA_GoI @PIB_India @ISBedu @mygovindia @Gen_VKSingh @Pib_MoCA @AAI_Official @AmberDubey_MoCA @PawanHansLtd @JM_Scindia @ushapadhee1996 Honoured to have been given the opportunity by @MoCA_GoI & H’ble Minister @JM_Scindia to further support the Govt in its mission to make flying accessible to every Indian countrywide. More power to UDAN as it completes 4 successful years of operations today. #UdeDeshKaAamNagrik

Organised as part of the #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav to celebrate the 75 years of Independence, the day witnessed launch of a new UDAN logo and UDAN manual, unveiling of socio-economic impact study report of UDAN scheme, and announcement of partnership with OTA - MMT.

HMCA Sh @JM_Scindia inaugurated the UDAN Utsav celebrations to mark the UDAN Day anniversary at Jharsuguda airport. Senior officials from MoCA and other stakeholders were also present during the event.

Congratulations @sbikh! Your pioneering contributions to the Indian start-up ecosystem have paved the path to success for several entrepreneurs. It’s been an honour to have known you all these years .. as a wonderful mentor, trusted advisor, and a dear friend. Keep inspiring us!

@kalra_armaan Sometimes

@DeepKalraMMT Are you weird

Adele makes me feel things I didn’t know I could