Exit

"For the last 24 years every day, I have been busy thinking about what to do for Wipro tomorrow. Now I will have to start thinking about what to do for myself.” Thus says Girish Paranjpe, ousted joint-CEO of Wipro, a USD 6 billion company in DNA. None can miss in his statement, the hollowness created, due to sudden withdrawal of the responsibility. It also perhaps brings out emptiness of certain aspect of life which we consider even larger than life itself.

People were sceptical in the first place itself when Wipro floated two CEO theory 3 year back and experienced Girish was picked up as one of them. While TCS was ahead of the race, Infosys had already replaced Wipro in no. 2 position and was increasing the gap. The resignation (was not shown the door) of Vivek Paul made Premji, 80% share holder, double his role as Chairman and CEO for 3 years. Following this, he picked up two CEOs. Yesterday he announced that he is replacing 2 CEOs with a new single CEO. The reason cited : growth rate is much lower than peers. Analysts say, it is the threat of Cognizant replacing them as no. 3 in IT sector in near future. According to a theory, if one is not in top 3, then one is out.

My interest here in developments within Wipro is not from the point of an insignificantly small share holding I have in the company or as someone who had some initial discussion with them on one of our innovation and see scope of collaboration with its healthcare wing (you never know!); but as a reader of life who reads parting statement of an erstwhile CEO, making an unceremonious exit.

Like him, many of us are busy in pursuit of or caring certain things of life for days, weeks, months and years and not life itself. Incidents like these remind us the message Sri Ramakrishna left in some of his parables.

He asks us to lead life like a maid in a rich employer's house who raises up kids there; sings songs for them, even go up to tell "My XYZ (the employer's son) has done this today." But she knows very well that she has to go back at the end of the day to her own home and care her own children. That is her real state and this stay at employer's big house and in all luxury is all but temporary.

The image uploaded here can be zoomed for reading comfort. This is an inspiring speech by Wipro Chairman Azim Premji on his lessons in life. This is full of short anecdotes and leaves an enriching experience.

Together it strikes a balance. Passion and detachment. Intense activity in intense rest and intense rest in intense activity. The essence of Karmayoga .....
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The following is taken from page 83 of "Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna" that can be found at http://www.scribd.com/doc/29396382/Tales-Parables-of-Sri-Rama-Krishna-Complete

A certain traveller came to a large plain in the course of his travels. As he had been walking in the sun for many hours, he was thoroughly exhausted and heavily perspiring; so he sat down in the shade of a tree to rest a little. Presently he began to think what a comfort it would be if he could but get a soft bed there to sleep on. He was not aware that he was sitting under the celestial tree. As soon as the above thought rose in his mind, he found a nice bed by his side. He felt much astonished, but all the same stretched himself on it. Now he thought to himself, how pleasant it would be, were a young damsel to come there and gently stroke his legs. No sooner did the thought arise in his mind than he found a young damsel sitting at his feet and stroking his legs. The traveller felt supremely happy. Presently he felt hungry and thought: "I have got whatever I have wished for; could I not then get some food?" Instantly he found various kinds of delicious food spread before him. He at once fell to eating, and having helped himself to his heart's content, stretched himself again on his bed. He now began to revolve in his mind the events of the day. While thus occupied, he thought: "If a tiger should attack me all of a sudden!" In an instant a large tiger jumped on him and broke his neck and began to drink his blood. In this way the traveller lost his life.

Such is the fate of men in general. If during your meditation you pray for men or money or worldly honours, your desires will no doubt be satisfied to some extent; but, mind you, there is the dread of the tiger behind the gifts you get. Those tigers—disease, bereavements, loss of honour and wealth etc.,—are a thousand times more terrible than the live tiger.