Best advice from our PM - "Don't expect a level playing field"

India Vision 2020... yes when the blue print for this was envisioned by Adbul Kalam he knew the most important components driving this are the nations's youth and its leaders. It needs the leaders, at national and state level to toil, think and channelize the resources, and the youth to make this vision a reality. Agriculture, manufacturing, education, power, telecom, infrastructure, GDP.. so many things that has to shape up. India has no doubt made a mark on the global stage. Everyone wants to have a deal with India. The market, the potential, the hugely available talented workforce has turned heads towards India. But its just the beginning, India has just entered the field. I always believe that its always the second step that matters. Whatever the task may be, however uphill it may seem, the second step is very crucial. Motivation and eager to perform always drives the first step, but its the perseverence that requires to march ahead and take the second. Everyone takes the first step, its the second step which most of them falter at. Either they fail to take that step or fault at the step. Our Prime Minister Manmohan singh is preparing our youth for this second step. Addressing to business leaders of India Inc. he said -

"They are an example for our business leaders, who must also learn to compete on unlevel playing fields and prove their mettle. There is, in fact, no game that is ever truly played on a level playing field,’’

Citing example of cricket players, he asserted: "Playing fields differ, as every cricketer will tell you. Cricketers do not sit back and demand fields and pitches of their kind. They learn to play on the pitch they are given and try to defeat the opponent."

Citing the example of former president of India, K R Narayanan, the Prime Minister said that Narayanan came from a poor and underprivileged background. He went to the United Kingdom for higher education but never asked for a level playing field, the PM added.

Singh said he derives great satisfaction from the achievements of the youth in the highly competitive world of learning. "Long before Indian business was willing to face global competition, Indian students were willing to do so."

I felt this is so far the best advice given by India's Prime Minister to the young emerging, vibrant business leaders, since long. One with faith and the vision in mind, at the same time telling the Young India to be catious and get strong to take on the world, and make the dreams of India 2020 a reality.

Read complete news here - Don't expect a level playing field: PM to India Inc.

And..... hows this??
News on Yahoo Website - Yahoo may consider Google alliance

Why Yahooites fear Microsoft takeover?
“Everyone sees Microsoft as the big octopus from ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ that wants to swallow everybody up,”

Here is more - Google CEO Eric Schmidt, calls on Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang to offer his company's help in an effort to thwart Microsoft's bid - Click Here

Show no mercy... Kill the competition

Steel, pertoleum, aviation, pharmacuticals, IT, services.... you name it and every industry has adopted this mantra. We have seen some of the biggest buy-outs/take-overs/mergers in the history of corporate world, AOL buying Times Warner, Oracle gobbling Peoplesoft, Tatas taking over Corus,.. why... even my previous company Netkraft was taken over by Adea SOlutions. Well, if u have read it, heard of all these.. then its nothing... the mother of all bids is here... Microsoft Bids for Yahoo!!! Yes, unable to withstand the Google's dominance over the search, ad and email services on the world web, Microsoft is back into its sheepish way of emerging as the fittest. On Jan 31, 2008 Microsoft has bid US $44.6 billion for Yahoo Inc.

Charles Darwin only in the human evolution put forth the theory of "Survival of the fittest". But the ever hungry business world has come up with... "Kill the competition" kinda stuff.

And it doesnt end without a fight... Google could play spoiler, may bid too.

Emergence of the great trio (Microsoft, Google and Yahoo) -

1975
Microsoft founded.

1995
Yahoo founded (co-founders), begins serving ads online. Microsoft launches MSN Web portal.

1997
The company Google Inc. was incorporated in the Sept of 1997.

2000
Yahoo starts delivering search results generated by Google’s technology. Google introduces AdWords, its system for displaying ads next to search results based on keywords used.

May 2001
Terry Semel becomes Yahoo’s chairman and CEO.

Feb. 2002
Microsoft taps Overture Services Inc., later bought by Yahoo, to power its advertising-driven search engine. Google overhauls AdWords with cost-per-click model that makes online advertising easier and more cost effective for smaller businesses.

May 2002
AOL picks Google as search and advertising provider.

2003
Google AdSense launches, letting outside Web sites make money by plugging in targeted text ads by Google.

Oct. 2003
Yahoo announces plans to buy Overture, giving it a system for selling search ads similar to Google’s AdWords.

February 2004
Yahoo replaces Google search results with its own technology.

April 2004
Google launches free e-mail service Gmail, expanding ad opportunities.

August 2004
Google holds initial public offering.

December 2005
Google makes $1 billion, 5 percent investment in Time Warner Inc.’s AOL and extends ad partnership.

November 2006
Yahoo builds advertising partnership with consortium of daily newspapers.

February 2007
Yahoo launches long-awaited search and advertising technology overhaul, known as Panama.

April 2007
Google agrees to pay $3.1 billion in cash to acquire ad-management technology company DoubleClick Inc. Yahoo acquires online advertising exchange Right Media Inc. for $680 million.

May 2007
First rumors hit Wall Street that Microsoft is contemplating Yahoo buyout. Yahoo CFO Susan Decker promoted to oversee advertising operations. Microsoft says it will buy online ad company aQuantive Inc. for $6 billion in cash.

June 2007
Semel steps down as Yahoo’s CEO; co-founder Jerry Yang takes over. Decker becomes president.

July 2007
Yahoo launches SmartAds, a behavioral, demographic and geographic ad targeting system.

August 2007
Microsoft buys AdECN Inc., a stock market-like Web ad exchange. It also launches ContentAds, context-relevant ads on some sections of MSN.

September 2007
Yahoo announced plans to buy online behavioral targeting specialist BlueLithium Inc. for $300 million in cash.

October 2007
Yahoo announces plans to buy AdInterax, a rich media ad business, for undisclosed amount. Microsoft spends $240 million on a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook, ensures ad partnership will continue.

December 2007
Microsoft steals Viacom ad business from DoubleClick. Other ad deals since the acquisition of aQuantive include financial news site CNBC.com and Digg Inc., a reader-powered news site. Google’s proposed buyout of DoubleClick gets green light from U.S. regulators, still pending in Europe.

January 2008
Semel resigns as Yahoo’s chairman. Microsoft makes unsolicited $44.6 billion offer for Yahoo.

Did u know?

Microsoft in 1978?

How it all started for Yahoo?

Google's motto - Dont Be Evil!