PGSEM degree from IIM Bangalore

I recently received my PG degree from IIM Bangalore on 29-Mar-10. Mukesh Ambani being the chairman of the board of governers of IIM Bangalore presented the degree to me. Knowing that Mukesh Ambani is not much of an orator, I did not expect much from his speech. His speech however, pleasantly surprised me. During his speech he mentioned that his father (late Dhirubahi Ambani) taught him 3 lessons which has stood by him in good stead.
The 3 lessons are:
- Dismiss prophets of doom and discard voices of cynicism
- Turn adversity into opportunity
- Think big

Personally, I can't agree more with what Muklesh Ambani said. I feel that we should pay heed to what cynics say but at the same time we should not get disheartened by their constant discouragement. We should use cynics' advice to correct our bearing and then move on with our endeavours. I also agree with the fact that every adversity presents with itself an opportunity that is waiting to be exploited. I firmly believe that God open new avenues in the wake of setbacks. Reliance is one company which has thought big and executed bigger; it has been able to leverage the economies of scale like no other company in India. After Reliance, lot of companies have tried to emulate their "think big" mantra but have failed in their execution. I guess what makes Ambani's unique is their ability to execute complex projects in a flawless manner - within time, budget and quality constraints.

I left my convocation function feeling really special that I had shaken hand with Mukesh Ambani, the richest Indian and 4th richest man in the world. Hope this motivates me to achieve my goal in life.