• Did some people say, It’s not necessary, we don’t have to change like this?

I think they did but people said that you have to be a lot more smiling, a lot more engaging, answer more beyond Yes and No.

• Did some people say, You don’t have to be flamboyant like Narayana Murthy or Nilekani?

They said you have to smile a lot more, you cannot show your worries, you have to be behaving differently to what is inside. That’s the most difficult thing; as a human being you display your emotions almost instantaneously.

• Because that was the big difference. You were as closed and shy as the Nilekanis and Narayana Murthys, even Premji, were open and flamboyant and were talking on all kinds of issues beyond their own businesses. A huge contrast. Are you trying to bridge the gap now?

I think one is trying to bridge the gap, one has bridged it a lot. More importantly, the younger people whom you’re trying to mould for the future, they’re the ones whom we want naturally to be extroverts, not shy, be communicative, You don’t want them to go through the same turmoil you went through. And that’s the biggest contribution.

• Why do you call it turmoil?

I think it’s a behavioural change. You’re a professional where your internal satisfaction comes from your achievements, which you recognize, which your bosses recognize, which your institution recognizes. You want that to be recognized by the public at large, because the number of owners of the company has increased. That’s why I call it turmoil.

... contd.