Dinesh Kamath's Editorial "America believes in ‘Meritocracy’" that was published in Newsband

America believes in ‘Meritocracy’

Meritocracy is the corner-stone of the American system. This became evident once again, this time from the fact that Microsoft appointed India-born Satya Nadella as its CEO. Satya, a Microsoft veteran of 22 years, is known to be strong in technology, having headed less-glamorous but high tech businesses.

The main challenge that Satya will have to face will be the one that is posed by the proliferation of hand-held devices such as tablets and smartphones at the cost of personal computers.

Every Indian should feel proud about the fact that Satya’s early education was in India and his parents still live here. Rise of Satya marks the arrival of India on the world stage.

Satya could perform this feat owing to the fact that he has spent half his life in the U.S. and earned his spurs there. We need to introspect whether this story of an individual — forget an immigrant — rising to the top at so young an age through sheer merit would have been possible in the Indian system.

The elevation of Satya as the CEO of the world's computer giant, Microsoft is really an occasion to celebrate and to write home about. Our elation at such an epoch making decision by Gates and his team is justified.

Satya has been the brain behind many innovative things. For him, innovation rather than tradition played a key role. The 'secular' and 'democratic' criteria followed by the Microsoft in his selection should be applied to our political system where we faithfully follow the tradition of elevating the scion of a politician to his sire's position.

Risk taking as a basic characteristic is what drives the US version of meritocracy and business drive.

If Satya had chosen to stay in India, he would not even have got into the top university because that is the respect merit gets in this country. Merit is given a bye in the name of reservation or positive discrimination. In America, even in highly technical fields like medicine, technology, etc Indians are allowed to achieve major break throughs.

The selection of an Indian born professional to the number one position of one of the biggest corporations in the world is an honour to India. USA is a land of opportunities to people from all parts of the globe.

Satya Nadella is the man who believes in empowering people around him and by his mentoring more leaders will emerge in future. Congrats, Satya Nadella!!!!