This one's for Indian business: Chidambaram

Businss Reformer
P Chidambaram

This is not a short story but a true story. Why am I here? I was here in ’04, I was here in ’05 to give away these awards and I was invited to be here again this year to give away these awards. I declined. Bennett, Coleman & Company, the Jains, were determined to have the finance minister here.

I was determined to stay away. My close friend said let’s see who blinks first. He told me that the betting on Dalal Street was that if Bennett, Coleman did not have its way, they will find their way to install a new finance minister to give away the awards.

Mercifully, Vineet (Vineet Jain, managing director, Times group) found a more civilised way to get me here by inventing an award and giving it away to me. I edited The Economic Times for a day.

I know that among the large number of reporters, sub-editors and editors they have, most of them are devoted to fact, but some are devoted to fiction.

This award of business reformer is the invention of the fiction team. What is a business reformer? When I first heard the phrase, I thought it was an oxymoron. I have not reformed any businessmen.

They continue to criticise me. They continue to avoid, not evade, taxes. They continue to fight the government in every legal forum. I have not reformed anyone in my life, not even myself. My grand daughter is trying to reform me now.

I think business reformer is as much as an oxymoron as an honest broker, or after recent ‘Hair-raising’ experiences, as much as an oxymoron as a neutral umpire.

Let me say that standing here, 15 years after reforms started, I thought I still had the age and the energy to press ahead for reforms to meet Anand’s (Anand Mahindra) goal of 15 years hence.

But this morning, I was brought down to the real world when I read a magazine which said I was leading the old guard in the government. I hope that this award is not equivalent to a golden wrist watch.

Anyway, to Bennett, Coleman & Company, to the PM whom I hold in great esteem, thank you. Thank you for the award — I accept it on behalf of India’s business. And thank you for letting me keep my job for the time being.”