Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The Call of the Entrepreneur

The Call of the Entrepreneur 

                                                                                    Ankur Bora
Oftentimes, we have a tendency to daydream, we wonder soaring through the sky, we imagine being cathartic and powerful. However, most often, we remain on the edge never taking that leap of faith. On the other hand, there are individuals, who had the audacity to jump off the cliff, and who risk everything to follow their dreams. And even if they fail, they have the tenacity to get up, dust off, and take the next venture with renewed energy. They are entrepreneurs, who play the most important factor in national economic expansion of a country. They are instrumental in product innovations; they employ or create new technology and thus bring tremendous economic growth.    
Horizon  Assam Tribune on 7th April 2017
The extraordinary growth enjoyed over the several decades by many East Asian countries has amounted to nothing less than an economic miracle. These countries including Taiwan, Japan and South Korea invested heavily in human capital which transformed East Asia into the economics Juggernauts that it is today.   I have always been captivated by these so called “Asian Tigers” – how those once poorest countries emerged amongst the world most productive and richest large economics. My quest led me to a young Assamese who has been working on research involving the economics of these countries.
Dr Rupakjyoti Borah who is currently a visiting research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies , Singapore , is a distinguished expert in International Relations. Rupak was conferred the prestigious Australian Studies Fellowship when he was at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal University, India. Prior to that, he was a visiting Fellow at the Centre of International Studies, University of Cambridge, U.K. in 2009 and holds a Ph.D. from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Rupak has delivered lectures at various international conferences and has published extensively in journals, books, magazines, newspapers and websites both in India and abroad.
At the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue
The highpoint of his academic life till date was when Rupak was invited as a speaker at the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue 2014 along dignitaries including the former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mr. H.E. Mr Xanana Gusmao, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Harry B Harris,, former Chief of Navy of Indonesia Admiral Dr. Marsetio,, and the former Australian Defense Minister, David Johnston.
A world away from a small town in Assam where he grew up, Rupak regularly interacts with select international leaders, military heads, academics and policy-makers from all over the world. Between the books and papers, what distinguishes him from others, as I realize, is his worldview. "When I was in school, I used to cycle maybe 14 kms(two-ways) to my maternal uncle's house just to watch BBC.” That spark for learning and innovation is exactly what he had observed when Rupak was working in Taiwan, a country which went from lowest tier of poorest countries into a hi-tech powerhouse, making most of the world's laptops and much of its other consumer electronics.
With Admiral Harris,Commander of US Pacific+Fleet
The willingness to change and a strong entrepreneurial spirit have helped Taiwan transform itself, despite its small population. As Taiwan’s embryonic development began to unfold, thousands of youths and this does include women, began to set up one-man or youthful-partnership companies. Rupak who spent several years in Taiwan, had a prime seat in witnessing the miraculous growth of that country. He made a brilliant observation in his article ‘A Year in Taiwan’. The people of Taiwan value hard work, patience, humility, friendliness and respect for others and their positive attitudes, particularly amongst the young, toward entrepreneurial effort all over Taiwan are enormously beneficial to its economic achievements. Writing from his firsthand experiences Rupak described with telling stories and portraits from the ground how Taiwan, a tiny nation became one of the richest economies in the world.
Book release in Japan
How did Japan rebuild itself and become an advanced nation and a major economic power in the aftermath of the World War II is a miracle. In the 1940s, start-ups like Sony and Honda helped Japan rise from the ashes of war. Self-reliance, infrastructure, free trade and entrepreneurial profits were keys to Japan’s progress. For Japanese students, choosing to become an entrepreneur becomes more common as a career option. When people are free, Japanese believe, “there is nothing in the world that can withstand man’s courage and intellect.”  Rupak has recently been working as a Research Fellow at the Tokyo-based Japan Forum for Strategic Studies and found a great deal of interest with Japanese people and their culture of being industrious, efficient, committed, disciplined and dedication to work. In his recently published book, The Elephant and the Samurai, Rupak takes readers through the close historical ties between Japan and India, how expanding bilateral economic and the people-to-people relations can be an extraordinary positive force for job creation , growth , harnessing science , technology and enhanced prosperity for both counties.  

The world is entering into an era of international integration, technical diffusion, foreign trade and investment – this powerful force of globalization continue to inspire Dr Rupakjyoti Borah. “What I have learnt from my research in Taiwan, Japan and now in Singapore is the importance of discipline, dedication and determination(3D's)--all these places lack natural resources, are small in size, plagued by natural disasters(especially in the case of Japan), but have managed to beat all odds”. As he studies these areas of research, he also urges Assamese youths to leverage the unique aspects of our culture, entrepreneurial skills and competencies and doing things that have never been done before.
                                                                      ankurbora@hotmail.com

Feedback from readers
From: Amal Borah <amal.borah@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 9, 2017 4:10 AM
To: ankurbora@hotmail.com
Subject: Request for Information of Dr. Rupakjyoti Borah

Hello Ankur,

I had earlier gone through your Article in the Horizon Section of Assam Tribune on 7th April 2017. It was quite informative and I appreciate your insight on the said topic.

I would be highly grateful if you can share the email address or contact number of Dr. Rupakjyoti Borah since I am interested in setting up an industry based on Taiwanese product technology and know how here in Assam.

Thanks in advance.

Amal Borah
Guwahati

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