H.S. Bedi, Tulip Telecom

What are you reading at the moment? What did you recently finish reading? What have you learnt from it?
Currently I am reading Nandan Nilekani’s Imagining India. It is an interesting book that reflects the concept of being in a niche business area and evolving as time goes by. The book grabs attention as it traces the efforts of the country’s past and present leaders as they work to develop new frameworks that suit India’s specific characteristics and challenges.

Recently I finished reading Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim, Renée Mauborgne. This is a business strategy book that promotes creating new market space or "Blue Ocean" rather than competing in an existing industry. It contains retrospective case studies of business success stories, the authors claim were Blue Ocean Strategies. I believe that as a company, Tulip has worked on similar lines as we have witnessed phenomenal growth over the years.

The one book all leaders must read...
The one book which every leader must read is the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as these books are a major source of inspiration for the leaders. The Ramayana explores and explains the transformational leadership exhibited by Sri Rama. It serves as a guide to the leaders towards achieving organisational goals as Sri Rama exhibits inspirational motivation.

I feel the Mahabharata is not plainly the story of a war or a source of wisdom for philosophers. It exposes the secrets of leadership and the path to success. The Mahabharata can be considered equivalent to other management bibles.

One book everyone in your sector should pick up...
The one book that I feel that each individual must read is Blue Ocean Strategy. This book is about friendship, loyalty and believing in one another. The book challenges companies to break out of the Red Ocean of competition by creating uncontested market space that makes the competition. It is a strategy about growing demand and breaking away from competition. Blue Ocean Strategy not only challenges companies but also shows them how to achieve this.

What kind of books would you normally buy while travelling?
I mostly do not read while I travel. I prefer to take a short nap.

Have you written any books? If not, do you plan to write in future?
No, I haven’t written a book untill now. I will probably write a book in the near future, but have not decided on the nature of the book.

The books you grew up with? What did you like most about it?
Ever since childhood, I have been an avid reader. I still remember reading The Famous Five and Hardy Boys. In my formative years I loved reading Indrajaal. I liked the phantom stories the most and the colorful front cover fascinated me.

Your book shelf consists of....
My book shelf consists of all sorts of books, from non-fiction to mythological. Some of my favorites are The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth, The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker, the Mahabharata and the Gita.

Where do you shop for books?
Owing to the busy work schedule, I mostly shop online from the e-stores. I feel it is the most convenient and hassle-free way to shop!

Have your reading habits changed in the past four or five years? If so, how...
Yes, my reading habits have changed in the past. I believe that as you grow, you tend to become a more factual reader and read something with which you can relate to. But I still remember my childhood days when I used to enjoy reading comics like Archies and Chacha Chaudhary.

One book you cherish that you received as a gift... and who gave it to you…
My son recently gifted me The White Tiger. by Aravind Adiga. It is an interesting and inspiring book that studies the contrast between India's rise as a modern global economy and the main character, who comes from crushing rural poverty.