Trust your instincts, while making decisions: Mittal

Mumbai, Aug 11: India's global business ambassador and Chairman of Arcelor Mittal, Laxmi Narayan Mittal urged undergraduates and research scholars at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai to trust their judgements while making major decisions on development and opportunity.

Mittal, the chief guest for the 45th convocation of the elite technical school here last evening, said trusting one's own judgement must not lead to foolhardy decisions. ''In my case, my decision to retain a piece of land at Jakarta (Indonesia) in 1976, laid the foundation for the journey of Arcelor Mittal to transform into one of the top 50 companies in the world.'' The Arcelor Chairman reminded his august audience that India was an economic power horse, but there were still some fundamental and critical areas which needed course correction. However, a good percentage of skilled and educated Non Resident Indians (NRIs), including second generation NRIs rushing back to the country to be part of the great transformation, he added.

Chairman Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Board of Governors at IIT Dr Anil Kakodkar said, ''Both scholars and alumni's were stakeholders of the prestigious school and it was upon their shoulders the prosperity, destiny and future of the country rest.'' ''IIT graduates have succeeded in creating and marching into new frontiers and challenges globally. Although the need of the hour is integration of excellent technology and business to achieve greater mileage for the betterment of the society and the country,'' observed Dr Kakodkar.

On the occasion, Prof M G K Menon was conferred with the prestigious 'Honoris Causa' degree of doctor of sciences for his illustrious contribution in the field of research of cosmic-ray studies and in particular on the high-energy inter-actions of elementary particles.

An amused Prof Menon apprised the packed hall that he was the only awardee at the convocation to have been coincidently present during the stone laying ceremony of the IIT, Mumbai in 1958.

Prof Menon recalled his own experiences and advised scholars, ''Research is an opportunity to look through new windows. Secondly, always admire and learn from great intellectuals and finally serve the country in a variety of ways irrespective of tempting offers.''

UNI