'Management Guru' Lalu to hardsell Railways before World Bank

New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) Nothwithstanding the shrill cry of the opposition, it is Lalu's magic -- pure and simple -- that is screaming loud in world' top financial institutions and mesmerising the best business minds.

Having swelled by Rs 20,000 crore the cash reserves of the Railways, which was teetering on the brink of a collapse some six years ago, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is now going to unravel his success story as well as the mystique of his persona in the citadel of world finances -- the World Bank -- on April 10.

''The itinerary of the minister for his US visit is being chalked out. Besides addressing a meeting of the World Bank, he is all set to divulge his success mantra in the US' Silicon Valley and on the campuses of Harvard Business School and Standford University,'' a top Railway Ministry official said today.

Incidentally, Mr Prasad will be the first government minister anywhere in the world for having been invited to deliver a lecture at the World Bank.

Normally, such an honour is reserved for the CEOs of profit-making multinational companies like GE, Nissan, Chrysler and others.

''Mr Prasad has become the first minister of a country for receiving such an invitation by the Bank. He wil be the keynote speaker on the theme of Indian Railways' Turnaround,'' the official said.

The minister's programme at the World Bank on April 10 includes addressing a meeting on reforms in Indian Railways and the role of the PPPs, an investors' meeting and a meeting with the Bank's South Asia Region Management and rail experts.

A day later, on April 11, he wil adress India Forum of the World Bank.

On April 14, he will deliver a lecture at Stanford University and April 15 the Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Association will be hearing him.

On April 18, Mr Prasad will be the keynote speaker at Harvard Business School where he will address a symposium on Indian Railways' Turnaround.

The official said the University of Chicago had also shown interest in inviting the Railway Minister and efforts were on to dovetail this engagement in his packed itinerary of the US.

''All this shows that the US business experts and CEOs are absolutely mesmerised by the persona of the minister and the incredible turnaround of the Indian Railways.'' MORE UNI