Shradha Sharma Interviews Mohandas Pai: Inside Infosys and BYJU's

#mohandaspai #yourstory #shradhasharma
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation, part two coming soon!
The Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Deewar is a perfect embodiment of India in the 1970s. Bachchan’s Vijay Verma was a victim of circumstances, engulfed in the social-political turmoil of the 1970s rife with unemployment and exploitative work conditions. In the real world too, there was an angry young man like him, called TV Mohandas Pai. The man, Pai, whom we know today as one of the architects of India’s technology industry, grew up in a radically different country. This, he says, shaped his worldview.
“I was brought up amidst challenging situations. My parents sacrificed everything to ensure that I had a good upbringing. But it was a time when people like us stayed poor and those in power got richer. Deewar is an apt portrayal of the bubbling anger of my generation,” says Mohandas Pai in an interview with Shradha Sharma.
He may have had a humble upbringing, but Pai worked his way up the corporate ladder, joining Infosys as a consultant, then taking on a finance role, and eventually becoming a board member at the IT giant. In his second avatar as an investor, Pai became the co-founder of Aarin Capital and Exfinity Venture Partners.
Today, you may know him for his fiery debates on television channels and social media platforms, but Pai has been a “rebel” from his childhood days. In fact, it was his relentless pursuit of seeking answers and calling out unjust practices that led him towards the corporate world.
Watch this riveting conversation between Shradha Sharma & Mohandas Pai!
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Mohandas Pai's Path
13:41 The Driving Force
19:21 Establishing Corporate Governance
28:41 "Corporate Governance as a Culture & Way of Life"
36:02 Insights on the Startup Landscape
40:30 Crafting Role Models
44:59 Startups with Diverse Orientations
50:24 The Influence of the Board
01:03:41 To Be Continued
ABOUT SHRADHA SHARMA:
Shradha Sharma is the Founder & CEO of YourStory. She started YourStory in 2008 to tell stories of entrepreneurs - something that mainstream media was not ready to do in 2008. Since then, Shradha has scaled YourStory to become one of India’s leading digital media platforms covering every aspect of India’s new economy.
She was featured on Fortune’s list of the best 40 under 40 entrepreneurs in India for three years in a row. In 2018, she won the Forbes Power Trailblazers award and was twice featured on LinkedIn’s list of powerful influencers, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actor Priyanka Chopra.
Follow Shradha on LinkedIn here: / sharmashradha
ABOUT YOURSTORY:
YourStory is India’s biggest and definitive platform for startups and entrepreneurs related stories, resources, research reports, and analyses of the startup eco-system, mobile app developers, and more dedicated to promoting the startup ecosystem
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[@lizzie6129]

One of the best interview I have watched. Thank you Ms Shraddha for patiently listening to him and allowing him to talk. Mr. Murthy used to be frequent flyer with Jet-airways in the late and early 90s and 2000 and he used to be on board in the first row of economy while all the lesser known mortals of corporate world used to be Premiere Class. What was very funny and remarkable at the same time was more than half of business class passengers used to head to economy to say hello to him. He was so humble and grounded. Even Nandan Nilekani was but he was always in business class. I may have seem Mr. Pai too but he was not a popular face as Mr. Murthy and Mr Nilekani.

[@shankerpai4617]

Best wishes from MAKE A WILL FOUNDATION, car ( cure against ragging) foundation, I. A. S. ( Industry and academicsinterface society**)

[@SwarnadeepNandy]

My god. The more I watch this guy, the more I admire him. What a fantastic human being. It's so fortunate for people who work with him. 🙏

[@kangafinancial6319]

MANY THANKS SHRADDHA. MOHANDAS PAI, I LOVE YOUR INTERVIEWS, YOU ARE A GENIUS.

[@milanpati7264]

Mohan is the real jem of India. A big salute from me.

[@Onlyabhi9]

Wonderful person 😊.. Great interview .Must see for every youth...

[@christieaf08]

Mohandas Pai and his hard talk, without mincing words or compromising. It is always a pleasure to listen to him, and he is very educative too.

[@sriramkrishnan1397]

Stupid

[@robmendes979]

could NOT stop viewing... from Australia i say ....great interview with Mohandas Pai....a true patriot and an incredible person, an intelligent man, a thinker, doer, witty, compassionate man, an ideas person, one who makes use of every moment in time, he talks and works at an incredible pace....such a joy to listen to Mohandas Pai!!!!

[@kirannaru9185]

My god He is a rockstar Clarity of thoughts 🫡

[@smithanair4800]

It is always a pleasure to listen to Mohandas Pai.

[@sriramkrishnan1397]

But, he treats non IT professionals (like cleaning staffs, food serving staffs) working in Infosys as third- class people. I was there I have seen or experienced twice myself. First, you need to be a human, then an economist or business man or billionaire.

[@vineethkumar5953]

Admire Mohandas sir..for sharing his knowledge n experience...well explained...

[@neokarma5736]

I have my disagreements with many things Mohandas Pai stands for. Especially his support for Hindutva Right, some disasterous economic management by Modiji.. But, I respect him immensely - because he stands up and is vocal on anything he believes in. Passionate about it. And I can never forget he was the man behind AkshayaPatra, a mission that feeds thousands of children. He also had a ring side view of the greatest middle class success story from post-reform era - INFOSYS, working with founders he built that company on strong grounds. TOday is is fashionable to criticise Infy for low salaries. But, it gave a template to India in terms of creating crores of jobs - direct and indirect.

[@ManjunathLaksh]

One speaker I would always listen.,..

[@sebastinesos]

I was fortunate to walk and work along with Mr Pai in the Bangalore Infosys Campus & was there until his last day ❤. Infosys is my first professional School and under such legendary leaders 1000s of Indians have found their way of life . Loves from New Zealand.

[@imsatyareddy]

Byju's starts at 00:36:00

[@kirankumarmohanty5519]

Thanks for puting the timestamp.

[@zerin.]

thank u.

[@DharmendraRaiMindMap]

Mohan s a rockstar !

[@JPrime-dv6qs]

Oskar

[@sudhababulnath179]

Inspiring interview the MDP style..great life lessons and motivation for every Indian..take away is learn change evolve

[@kishtyle]

Mohandas Pai at his best!!....agree with most of the things except his take on Gandhi

[@ElectrifiedStud]

What this guy taught us is basically, How to be an Entrepreneur 101. Gold

[@ramalaya]

Such a fine knowledgeable personality. He should be engaged by the central government.

[@Malshe]

Thanks for the refresher on Deewar!

[@kumud1943]

He got carried away with the story 😂

[@Malshe]

@@kumud1943 Yeah.. thought i was on Film companion 😂

[@bdsbhatia]

This is hilarious. I haven't played it thus far but if it has more such interactions... I might pick it up.

[@hammadshaikh4278]

Everyone has right to keep his/her opinion.

[@vishnubishnoivlog2652]

Need more interviews with him

[@ssrawat26]

Great 👍

[@PG24108]

As always great story, better MIC Quality will help viewer.

[@yogeshmishra3320]

Mohan is true intellectual..

[@MS-ov9sv]

Mohan ji is really very intelligent and inspirational ❤

[@tejasdeshmukh3328]

No Ashneer Grover was hurt in this interview !!

[@MS-ov9sv]

Mohandas Pai ❤❤❤❤

[@dhrudeepthakkar954]

Masterclass in corporate governance..!!!

[@arjunps6776]

This is shot at 'The Only Place' in Bangalore? 😊

[@123lenu]

Its always a delight to listen to pai. Great principles with action and vision. I wish Pai should not get involved in BYJU. The ship has sunk, no point of pai getting on-board and setting rules and talking principles. Ed-Tech doesn't have that much market, and everybody knows BYJU on steroids of evaluations.

[@arora.akshay2312-Delhi]

Bookmarked 📌

[@rohitchhabria2271]

hes an encyclopedia

[@venutube5791]

He remembers choli me peeche kya hai 😂😂😂😂😂

[@sachinrv1]

He is the Gem of India.

[@madhatter8761]

Someone please mention the time he is talking about byjus

[@vangujral]

🤣

[@JPrime-dv6qs]

😢

[@imsatyareddy]

00:36:00

[@vangujral]

a separate clip - kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ2VaKmCf69rprcfeature=shared

[@redhotcpep]

Big shoutout to the Only Place - recognise the red chequered table cloth even after a decade of leaving Bangalore

[@sarinsatya6082]

Looks like the location is “the only place”

[@-isotope_k]

15:48 🫡 the philosophy

[@febfirst52]

Mohandas Pai is appearing in public forums more frequently.. Sense that he must having political ambitions. Would not be surprised that he stands in next MP election.

[@sagarsiva9506]

Shradha ji, except Yaa yAa and.wohh wohhh..what do u think u r adding to the program

[@samratsen6336]

Unfortunately the outspoken Mr. Pai has lost his marbles. Just rambling.

[@user-cw3tz9gp7b]

Why Mohan has only one eyebrow?

[@bhukanthmaheshwarappa1456]

Examplerer Mohandas great INDIA as produced and associated

[@JPrime-dv6qs]

I come 5 6 day on vist

[@13varunp65]

"Murti had this ambition I need to tell us we have to be the best in the world we don't have to be the largest but we have to be the best and that is my philosophy I have to be the best in whatever I do I have to shed standards I must go the extra mail I will bang my head against the wall till the wall falls down I fall down even if I fall down I'm six feet ahead and I'm self-motivated I'm self-motivated you can pay me more but you know that's not going to drive me you know you can abuse me it's not going to drive me I get hurt but if you praise me that's not going to drive me I want to be the best and I want to set standards I want to take my company or something forward because as a vehicle and I want my country to do well and I want to fight for my country and I want India to set standards that's been the abetting ambition and there is something that's born in me and is in me and still there with me even today even today I try to do everything"

[@rajkumarnalla3423]

He is a Legend!! Seems as if I'm listening at 1.5x, very energetic!!

[@wheeloftime2908]

Kids are MASSIVELT STRESSED ALREADY due to the toxic education system .School education today costs a MINIMUM OF 6,00,000 for 10 yrs On top of that .BYJUS RELENTLESSLY HARASSES parents by calling them and being very rude to them and pitching unnecessary courses which cost 60,-70,000. NOT ONCE has Shradha Sharma CRITICISED BYJU's .NOT ONCE.Shradha Sharma HATES d middle,working class and the importance of mental health JUST like Mr Pai does.

[@tadepalliprasad]

Case of soul willing but flesh lacking!

[@rkdave1961]

Men ♂️ will be Men....😊 what's name of that Actress...🤔

[@JPrime-dv6qs]

My mast ak kitchen mi gupta note

[@mithunmahato309]

Just put ashneer beside him. Doglapan will be out in 2 minutes.

[@user-ju2jj8uk8w]

Such a fraudster … he started off his meeting abusing Nehru and India … and in between he started saying he hates people talking bad about India 😩😩😩 he doesn’t hang any political agenda 😂😂😂

[@kavinnair2020]

Shame on how he is covering up for byju's.

[@narayanagosada8757]

Byjus should have sustained. At least he seems not fraud. Seems mis management and spreading misinformation sank him

[@JPrime-dv6qs]

Big boss votki

[@kamtaprasadtiwari6123]

Hmas ke baad terk baari. Videsh se logon ko ander bjlake twri stoey banate hai phor se.

[@nirjharrajawat2222]

Kya yaar Shraddha , this old man desperate for lok sabha ticket wasted time by telling story of Deewar, please do some editing of unnecessary portions.

[@RAHULKESHRI32]

Mohandas Pai has gone mad . He is into deewar so much.

[@KAVANKARIAPPA]

Lol, I like Mr. Pai, but that was funny😂

[@madhatter8761]

Don’t waste your time watching this, it’s byjus PR event

[@kirannaru9185]

Well the event is for 1-2 mins Rest is all wisdom Do watch !

[@madhatter8761]

@@kirannaru9185well whitewashing all the misselling and the horrible work culture as grew too fast lacks integrity. Can’t trust his wisdom any longer

[@soumitraburman]

Exactly 💯

[@think-tank6658]

Thanks bhai saving time

[@gemindia]

I admire Mr Pai for putting across the other side of the story. Surely , the Byju guy has much to speak for. I know the travails of an entrepreneur in India and the pressures he has to undergo once he is in the clutches of the so called ‘ investor’. Unless we have home grown investors we will always have mishaps. What happened to Cafe Goodday