Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama—as prepared for delivery

Election Night

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Chicago, Illinois

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Obama's Nomination Speech

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
Final Primary Night
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
St. Paul, Minnesota

As Prepared for Delivery

Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.

Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Thousands of miles have been traveled. Millions of voices have been heard. And because of what you said - because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another - a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.


I want to thank every American who stood with us over the course of this campaign - through the good days and the bad; from the snows of Cedar Rapids to the sunshine of Sioux Falls. And tonight I also want to thank the men and woman who took this journey with me as fellow candidates for President.


At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office. I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better. They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.


That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she's a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.


We've certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who's shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning - even in the face of tough odds - is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children's Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency - an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.


There are those who say that this primary has somehow left us weaker and more divided. Well I say that because of this primary, there are millions of Americans who have cast their ballot for the very first time. There are Independents and Republicans who understand that this election isn't just about the party in charge of Washington, it's about the need to change Washington. There are young people, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and women of all ages who have voted in numbers that have broken records and inspired a nation.


All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply. But at the end of the day, we aren't the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn't do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - we cannot afford to keep doing what we've been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say - let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.


In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.


Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.


It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.


It's not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college - policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.


And it's not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians - a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isn't making the American people any safer.


So I'll say this - there are many words to describe John McCain's attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush's policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.


Change is a foreign policy that doesn't begin and end with a war that should've never been authorized and never been waged. I won't stand here and pretend that there are many good options left in Iraq, but what's not an option is leaving our troops in that country for the next hundred years - especially at a time when our military is overstretched, our nation is isolated, and nearly every other threat to America is being ignored.


We must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in - but start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. It's time to rebuild our military and give our veterans the care they need and the benefits they deserve when they come home. It's time to refocus our efforts on al Qaeda's leadership and Afghanistan, and rally the world against the common threats of the 21st century - terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. That's what change is.


Change is realizing that meeting today's threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy - tough, direct diplomacy where the President of the United States isn't afraid to let any petty dictator know where America stands and what we stand for. We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That's what the American people want. That's what change is.


Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It's understanding that the struggles facing working families can't be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving a the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. It's understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand, as they did when Bill Clinton was President.


John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy - cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota - he'd understand the kind of change that people are looking for.


Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can't pay the medical bills for a sister who's ill, he'd understand that she can't afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That's the change we need.


Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can't even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he'd understand that we can't afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future - an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. That's the change we need.


And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he'd understand that we can't afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That's the change we need in America. That's why I'm running for President.


The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon - that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.


Despite what the good Senator from Arizona said tonight, I have seen people of differing views and opinions find common cause many times during my two decades in public life, and I have brought many together myself. I've walked arm-in-arm with community leaders on the South Side of Chicago and watched tensions fade as black, white, and Latino fought together for good jobs and good schools. I've sat across the table from law enforcement and civil rights advocates to reform a criminal justice system that sent thirteen innocent people to death row. And I've worked with friends in the other party to provide more children with health insurance and more working families with a tax break; to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and ensure that the American people know where their tax dollars are being spent; and to reduce the influence of lobbyists who have all too often set the agenda in Washington.


In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.


So it was for that band of patriots who declared in a Philadelphia hall the formation of a more perfect union; and for all those who gave on the fields of Gettysburg and Antietam their last full measure of devotion to save that same union.


So it was for the Greatest Generation that conquered fear itself, and liberated a continent from tyranny, and made this country home to untold opportunity and prosperity.


So it was for the workers who stood out on the picket lines; the women who shattered glass ceilings; the children who braved a Selma bridge for freedom's cause.


So it has been for every generation that faced down the greatest challenges and the most improbable odds to leave their children a world that's better, and kinder, and more just.


And so it must be for us.


America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.


The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment - this was the time - when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Lord Karan Bilimoria at Asian Business Association Annual Dinner

18 years ago, a young man from India came to Washington with his Father – his Father had just won a presidential award for helping to get water supplies into 10 African villages. That young man went on to study engineering at the University of Illinois and received an MBA from one of the top business schools in the world: Wharton. That young Asian, Neel Kashkari today, only 35 years old is in charge of the $700bn dollar US Government bailout.

And yet just over 25 years ago I came as a 19 year old student from India and then at what is now Ernst and Young there was only one Asian partner and they said that that this was apparently because his wife was English.

How things have changed.

Today the top accountancy firms have several Asian partners.

Today the Asian community in this country is reaching the top in every field.

When I decided to start a beer brand from scratch, I remember visiting my Father who by this time was General Commanding Officer in charge of the Central Indian Army in Lucknow. I knew my Father couldn’t support me financially – Indian Army Officers did not get paid very well, in fact he used to say that he didn’t have to persuade his sons to join the army, all he had to do was show us his pay cheque.

I thought at least he would be able to give me some moral and emotional support when I was starting my own business. He said to me: “what are you doing with all this education, and you are becoming an import-export wallah! Get a proper job! Become a banker!

Today there is no glass ceiling – it has been shattered forever. I believe that there are opportunities for all in this country.

President Clinton said a few years ago here in London – although countries have always been interdependent on one another, today we live in a far more integrated world, and as we’ve seen – things spread like wildfire across the world – both good and bad

Enterprise Week, started here in the UK in 2004 with 1000 events, and last year there were 5000 events.

Last year I was proud to launch Global Entrepreneurship Week with the Prime Minister, Global Entrepreneurship Week is set to take place next month – with 50,000 events in more than 60 countries around the world.

On the other hand the sub-prime crisis which started in the United States of America has affected the whole world in such a short time. In fact we’re all in a state of shock at the moment.

One of the leading Chief Executives in Britain said to me yesterday that it appeared governments have not had courses in crisis management. One of the first lessons in crisis management is “never use the word panic”. And how many leaders have used the word panic recently?

It was the famous American President Franklin D Roosevelt, facing the Great Depression at his inauguration in 1932 said “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” This is the time for government to show leadership – strong and decisive leadership in order to help business turn a corner.

To me, leadership is about having a vision and a very clear idea of where you want to get to as a leader and then taking your people whether your team or your country with you to that destination. And yet yesterday I spoke in Westminster on a question relating to the banking crisis and in the debate on the government’s statement titled “financial stability” – a misprint surely? More like Financial instability!!

With Northern Rock the government took nearly 6 months of indecision, and then we had the nationalisation rushed through parliament in just 3 days – I had the unpleasant experience in participating in that bill in February and here we are 8 months later and there is still no major reform of the Bank of England – reform which is desperately needed to give it more power to deal with crises such as this.

What caused Northern Rock to be nationalised? There are many reasons but certainly one cause was the change in regulatory and supervisory arrangements which created the tripartite system consisting of the Bank of England, the FSA and the Treasury was not thought through particularly.
How would this arrangement act in a crisis?

The tripartite arrangement has ended up being a happy merry go round in what the Governor of the bank of England referred to as the “nice decade” and became a woeful blame go round in the bad times.

There is no question that the Federal Reserve in the US has been able to act swiftly because it has the ability to set interest rates, is the lender of last resort and has regulatory powers far in excess of the Bank of England which unfortunately has been left with its hands tied behinds its back.

The indecisiveness shown by the government over the past few days and weeks has cost us dearly, and even the gigantic £500bn rescue package – laudable though it is in quantum and in effort, - I am not sure whether it will be enough.

When there are countries like Ireland offering 100% guarantees on all deposits – retail or corporate. I have heard of stories of £100m being removed from one branch of one bank in London in one morning this week alone.

In fact, if you think about it, the $700bn American bailout seemed a huge amount and converted into dollars the UK bailout actually exceeds it - £500bn is $866bn –given that the American economy is over 6 times bigger than the UK economy perhaps a vastly increased American bailout would greatly help to stabilise the global financial situation. I always thought that the $700bn American bailout was a drop in the ocean – perhaps they will take a lead from the UK especially as the sub-prime crisis has affected the American economy far worse than anywhere else in the world.

I’ve found in life – in any relationship, between individuals, between husband and wife, or in business, if you have mutual trust and mutual respect you have the basis for a solid lasting relationship. Today that trust has broken down - between banks themselves, and the trust and respect from the public towards the banks has shattered completely.

Why wasn’t all this predicted?

What were the global institutions like the IMF doing? Even when I spoke in a debate in the House of Lords in July on the world food crisis it seemed as if this crisis came upon the world overnight and no one was prepared for it.

We are suffering from an unprecedented combination of events – rocketing oil prices, rocketing food and commodities all of which are now adjusting combined with the credit crunch, the sub-prime crisis, the banking crisis, unemployment rising, house prices falling – sadly, without doubt, we are in for a recession

The priority has to be to stabilise the financial markets and the banking industry. But the real problems lie ahead supporting individuals, families, businesses, and in particular, SMEs.

I asked yesterday in Parliament with £500bn of support what is being done by the government for the business community? A business community in which I hear horror stories of banks calling in overdraft facilities, where I hear horror stories of banks hiking up interest rates, it is getting to be impossible for business to raise finance. If businesses are suffering today – how much more will they suffer when the recession really kicks in?

The government has taken on more and more borrowing already through huge public spending in the last 10 years – and over the past 18 months has introduced so many un-thought through policies, mostly without consultation, which has surprised the whole business community.
• Withdrawing Capital Gains Tax Taper Relief
• Reducing corporation tax for large businesses and increasing corporation tax on small business
• Removing the 10p tax
• Taxing non-doms – who have contributed so much to Britain’s success.

One of the reasons for all this – The government has had no room to manoeuvre and has needed to raise more taxes –how much more tax is the government going to have to raise to pay for the current crisis in the future when people will be unable to afford it?

Groucho Marx said “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then misapplying the wrong remedies.”

This is not government bashing – I haven’t seen many solutions from the opposition either.

In fact I have the greatest respect for the Prime Minister – a thoroughly decent individual who has genuinely tried to help business. An individual who as Chancellor launched the National Council of Graduate Entrepreneurship encouraging students in every University to think of starting a business as a career choice, I am proud to be national champion of the NCGE, and look at Enterprise Week of which I spoke earlier, once again supported by him.

There is government help through UKTI, supporting the UK India Business Council which I am proud to chair – giving £1m a year helping to promote trade, business and investment between India and the UK both ways

At times like this organisations like the Asian Business Association the ABA – THE voice of Asian business not just in London but throughout the country, need to rise to the occasion.
It’s time to stand up for Asian business
Its time to stand up for SMEs
Its time to stand up for Business.

I am proud to have been a member on the Board of the ABA for 8 years – the past 5 as Vice President, and I want to thank the Board members for all their time and all their efforts. It has been a privilege to serve with 2 outstanding chairmen: Subash Thakrar and Tony Sarin. Thank you to Sandeep, and most importantly all the team at the London Chamber of Commerce of which the ABA is an integral part. I am looking forward to serving as Deputy President of the London Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and to working with Stephen Green, our Chairman Colin Standbridge, and our Chief Executive Peter Bishop.

I’m often asked what advice I would give to businesses, entrepreneurs and SMEs in these difficult times, and I often advise people to look back before they look forward - I remember when I was back in Cambridge in 1987 –coinciding with a storm that no one had predicted – an omen if ever there was one! a stock market crash in October, followed by a property crash 88-89, recession 90, 19993 before we were truly recovered – a 6 year period. This time the credit crunch started last year followed by the global financial criss this year given past records it could be another 4 and a half or 5 years before we’ve recovered from the current crisis and the forthcoming recession – I do hope that this will not happen but it looks like we are in for the long run.

It took 6 years for this recession to end - But looking East – today India and China are now giant economic superpowers

I would also give 2 recommendations: the first, based on what I heard the Dali Lama speak here in London a few years ago – it was an amazing experience.

And he had 2 very clear messages: one was that you always hear about the bad things going on in the world, but you never hear about the hundreds of thousands of good things that ordinary people do every single day towards one another. We need to take heart from all the fantastic performance of the thousands of businesses which are continuing despite all the doom and gloom.

The other message was that when you are confronted with a problem, take a wider perspective and keep an open mind. This is one of my key recommendations.

We need to think globally and remember India – achieving between 7% and 9% growth – there is no recession in India. Since Cobra started manufacturing in India 3 years ago for the Indian market we have seen amazing growth and India is now responsible for a quarter of our sales.

Yet when I speak to business audiences around the country and ask how many people are doing business in India, only a few hands go up.

There’s a wonderful quote from one of the great Second World War generals – General Patton: “success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”

I have great faith in our country – we are a tiny nation of just 60mn people making up 1% of the worlds population and yet Britain is still one of the 6 largest economies in the world. We have 4 out of the top 10 Universities in the world the London Business School was this year ranked number 2 in the world, 6 weeks ago, I was privileged to spend a day touring around Land Rover’s factory in Birmingham I witnessed state fo the art best of the best world beating automotive manufacturing. Who says British manufacturing is dead?

And what is more, everyone I spoke to there was proud to be owned by Tata – an Indian company – I wasn’t just happy because Tata is an India company , I wasn’t just happy with Tata as a Parsi company but most of all I was happy because Tata is a company that is now renowned the world over as a company that has lived, believed and practiced CSR for over a century now.

I am privileged to know the Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen who talks about identity and one of his messages is that we do not have one identity. I am so proud of my Indian roots I am so proud to be a Zoroastrian Parsi, I am so proud to be an Asian in Britain, and most of all, I am so incredibly proud of being British.

And that’s what the Asian Business Association is about – it is about Asians excelling in Britain. When I see young Asians today I feel so proud – they are articulate, they are educated, they are confident, they are capable of taking on the world.

I started this evening by telling you about a young Asian in the United States in charge of the US Governments $700bn dollar bailout. I am confident that in my lifetime I will see an Asian as Prime Minister of this country.

Thank you.

Azim Premji's Seven Steps To Success

One has the right over one's actions and not the fruits thereof.

It was always interpreted the wrong way and people feel that it is the fruit
that attracts the performer. However, many events in our life bring us face
to face with people - who draw inspiration from the kind of work they do and
the way they do it.

Interestingly, such people are motivated by the values and the vision that
they carry in their heart. Only such people rather rise above others and can
give a broader and better meaning to their life.

This is how he briefly shared his thought with others:

Lesson 1

I am very happy to be here with you. It is always wonderful to be with young
people. The funny thing about life is that you realize the value of
something only when it begins to leave you. As my hair turned from black, to
salt-and-pepper and finally salt without the pepper, I have begun to realize
the importance of youth.

At the same time, I have begun to truly appreciate some of the lessons I
have learnt along the way. I hope you will find them useful when you plan
your own career and life.

The first thing I have learnt is that we must always begin with our
strengths. From the earliest years of our schooling, everyone focuses on
what is wrong with us. There is an imaginary story of a rabbit. The rabbit
was enrolled in a rabbit school. Like all rabbits, it could hop very well
but could not swim. At the end of the year, the rabbit got high marks in
hopping but failed in swimming. The parents were concerned. They said,
"Forget about hopping. You are anyway good at it. Concentrate on swimming."

They sent the rabbit for tuitions in swimming. And guess what happened? The
rabbit forgot how to hop! As for swimming, have you ever seen a rabbit swim?
While it is important for us to know what we are not good at, we must also
cherish what is good in us.

That is because it is only our strengths that can give us the energy to
correct our weaknesses.

Lesson 2

The second lesson I have learnt is that a rupee earned is of far more value
than five found. My friend was sharing me the story of his eight year-old
niece. She would always complain about the breakfast. The cook tried
everything possible, but the child remained unhappy. Finally, my friend took
the child to a supermarket and brought one of those ready-to-cook packets.

The child had to cut the packet and pour water in the dish. After that, it
took two minutes in the microwave to be ready. The child found the food to
be absolutely delicious? The difference was that she has cooked it! In my
own life, I have found that nothing gives as much satisfaction as earning
our rewards. In fact, what is gifted or inherited follows the old rule of
come easy, go easy. I guess we only know the value of what we have if we
have struggled to earn it.

Lesson 3

The third lesson I have learnt is no one bats a hundred every time. Life has
many challenges. You win some and lose some. You must enjoy winning. But do
not let it go to the head. The moment it does, you are already on your way
to failure. And if you do encounter failure along the way, treat it as an
equally natural phenomenon. Don't beat yourself for it or any one else for
that matter! Accept it, look at your own share in the problem, learn from it
and move on. The important thing is, when you lose, do not lose the lesson.

Lesson 4

The fourth lesson I have learnt is the importance of humility. Sometimes,
when you get so much in life, you really start wondering whether you deserve
all of it. This brings me to the value of gratitude. We have so much to be
grateful for. Our parents, our teachers and our seniors have done so much
for us that we can never repay them. Many people focus on the shortcomings,
because obviously no one can be perfect. But it is important to first
acknowledge what we have received. Nothing in life is permanent but when a
relationship ends, rather than becoming bitter, we must learn to savour the
memory of the good things while they lasted.

Lesson 5

The fifth lesson I learnt is that we must always strive for excellence. One
way of achieving excellence is by looking at those better than ourselves.
Keep learning what they do differently. Emulate it. But excellence cannot be
imposed from the outside. We must also feel the need from within. It must
become an obsession. It must involve not only our mind but also our heart
and soul. Excellence is not an act but a habit. I remember the inspiring
lines of a poem, which says that your reach must always exceed your grasp.
That is heaven on earth. Ultimately, your only competition is yourself.

Lesson 6

The sixth lesson I have learnt is never give up in the face of adversity. It
comes on you suddenly without warning. One can either succumb to self-pity,
wring your hands in despair or decide to deal with the situation with
courage and dignity. Always keep in mind that it is only the test of fire
that makes fine steel. A friend of mine shared this incident with me.

His eight-year old daughter was struggling away at a jigsaw puzzle. She kept
at it for hours but could not succeed. Finally, it went beyond her bedtime.
My friend told her, "Look, why don't you just give up? I don't think you
will complete it tonight. Look at it another day." The daughter looked with
a strange look in her eyes, "But, dad, why should I give up? All the pieces
are there! I have just got to put them together!" If we persevere long
enough, we can put any problem into its perspective.

Lesson 7

The seventh lesson I have learnt is that while you must be open to change,
do not compromise on your values. Mahatma Gandhiji often said that you must
open the windows of your mind, but you must not be swept off your feet by
the breeze. You must define what your core values are and what you stand
for. And these values are not so difficult to define. Values like honesty,
integrity, consideration and humility have survived for generations. Values
are not in the words used to describe them as much as in the simple acts.

At the end of the day, it is values that define a person more than the
achievements. Because it is the means of achievement that decide how long
the achievements will sustain. Do not be tempted by short cuts. The short
cut can make you lose your way and end up becoming the longest way to the
destination.

And the final lesson I learnt is that we must have faith in our own ideas
even if everyone tells us that we are wrong.

There was once a newspaper vendor who had a rude customer. Every morning,
the Customer would walk by, refuse to return the greeting, grab the paper
off the shelf and throw the money at the vendor. The vendor would pick up
the money, smile politely and say, "Thank you, Sir." One day, the vendor's
assistant asked him, "Why are you always so polite with him when he is so
rude to you? Why don't you throw the newspaper at him when he comes back
tomorrow?" The vendor smiled and replied, "He can't help being rude and I
can't help being polite. Why should I let his rude behavior dictate my
politeness?

In my youth, I thought of myself as a rebel and was many times, a rebel
without a cause. Today, I realise that my rebellion was another kind of
conformity. We defined our elders to fall in line with our peers!

Ultimately, we must learn to respond instead of reacting. When we respond,
we evaluate with a calm mind and do whatever is most appropriate. We are in
control of our actions. When we react, we are still doing what the other
person wants us to do.

I wish you all the best in your life and career. I hope you achieve success
in whatever way you define it and what gives you the maximum happiness in
life.

"Remember, those who win are those who believe they can."

Measure of Success

Yesterday I received an email from my earlier team member. He was not happy the way his career was progressing. I felt that he was doing amazingly well and adding lot of value to himself in the roles that he had been doing till now. But he was measuring his success by the progress made by his peers in terms of movement in the organization hierarchy and getting worried with the same.

How many times all of us face this dilemma? Almost all of us go through this kind of feeling especially during the appraisal months of March and April.

I think one needs to really find what one wants to do in life and gauge the success with reference to it and not by the achievement of the peers etc.

What matters the most is what we wanted to achieve in life as a goal rather than the sign posts that we pass through during our journey to reach our destination.

The Power of Concentration

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a music concert by the world famous flutist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. (http://www.hariprasadchaurasia.com)

The concert was of around 2:30 hours with an interval after the first hour.

Panditji started the evening with Raga Yamen and informed the audience that we cannot commit that timeline for the break, which was supposed to happen after 60 minutes.

It made me think about the power of concentration. If you really love the work you are doing and enjoy it, you will never ever get constrained by time and you would reach the state of timelessness.

Has SENSEX touched the bottom levels

I do not think so. I think it will further go down and might test 13000 levels before we can see the bulls returning to the market. I personally think that the bulls will keep away from the market for the entire April 2008 as well. Technorati Profile