Business OpportunitiesMittal for greater business-politics ties
The face of telecom India, Sunil Mittal, who was once keen on joining politics but left his ambition behind to create the largest private teleco, feels it is time for greater business-politics ties on the lines of Nandan Nilekani heading a prestigious government programme.
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"I think the country is moving towards the next generation of leadership and this formation will really determine whether business people or professionals have a role in politics," Mittal, who led Bharti Airtel to become Asia"s leading mobile operator, told private broadcaster CNBC-TV 18 in an interview.
"You are seeing early signs of that. Nandan Nilekani has joined one of the most important positions in the government. You will start seeing more of this," he said.
Nilekani, former co-chairman of Infosys, has been appointed to head the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI), the UPA government"s initiative aimed at creating and maintaining a national database of identity details of all the citizens.
On his plans to join politics, Mittal said, "...I am very comfortable with politics. I am a keen political student and some years back I did think that at 50 I should be in some form or the other in politics. But in the last 4-5 years I have recaliberated my plans and I am happy being where I am.
"I think we are in the phase of a transition here from old political guard to a new one. And I think in the new one you may have a situation where people who are professionals or businessmen may have a role in politics...," he said.