From private player to public space

Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India or (UIDAI) 'Aadhar' as it is known these days, Nandan Nilekani, in January 2009, was asked why somebody who was so passionate about the future of India and about policy matters did not just jump right into politics because he would then get so much more done and so much quicker.

To which he had simply said, "I can get a lot done, in fact, a lot more done because I am not a threat to anyone. I am not doing this to become a minister, to make money, or to become more famous--I have been done that. I am doing this simply because I feel these things have to be fixed. So you can think of me as a freelance pro-bono public service mercenary, broadly. And everybody says, "Great, this guy is coming, he wants to do something, he doesn't want anything out of it and he'll get it done so why not?"

Excerpts from a transcript of his interview with CNBC-TV18, where he talks about his journey.

Q: Between being a pro-bono public service mercenary to the chairman of the UIDAI or Aadhar, a minister of cabinet rank, it's a long journey, isn't it?
A: It's really the same because I am really again contributing to working on a few of all these issues and I like doing this.

Q: You are still living in denial.
A: No, what denial?

Q: The trapping of who you are and how you are contributing have changed completely, isn't it?
A: Yes, I mean the difference is that then I was not in government, now I am in government, I do have a cabinet rank and I work full-time now in government. But I am still really there to work on a particular problem to be the project manager, to execute and implement and get some value. So it's really a variation of the same thing.

Q: But how much have things changed? Earlier, you were not seen as a threat, you were seen as somebody who just wanted to get things done. Today, because of the formality of the position because you are full-time in government are things different?
A: No I think I am getting fabulous co-operation from everyone because I think they know that's my sort of motive that I really want to just fix a few things and so I get terrific co-operation. In the last one year it's not just the job I do at UIDAI; there have been other things I have been involved with.

Q: Yes now the technology committees, isn't it?
A: Yes, I am heading a technology advisory group on unique projects for the Finance Minister. I am working on contributing to the GST architecture. I did something for Kamal Nath on electronic tolling for national highways. So I like doing this because it gives me a chance to work on something, which has a lot of technology, architecture in it but also if it's implemented well can make a difference.

Q: Ever since this move happened for you or this opportunity or challenge came your way, there are a lot of people outside there in the private sector who keep thinking, "Could we do this, it would be great if we could do this". There is a lot of interest in this twist that your career or your professional life has taken. Would you recommend it to people outside?
A: Yes, definitely I would recommend it. Obviously it's a question of timing and so forth--where you are in your life and so on. And also it's making sure that you sort of land the right kind of opportunity, which matches your sales and your background; you shouldn't try to do something that is alien to what you have been doing. So in that sense this job is very good because it has a huge amount of technology in it and so therefore it can play to my background. And its about technology for transformation which is I have been doing. So in that sense it is important to take a role where you have creditability from your experience.

Q: You have already articulated the fact that these five years are going to be critical--in India it will be a turning point.
A: Absolutely. And I think everybody has a sense of urgency that we need to get on with it.

Q: Do you feel more constraints now that you are part of the government in articulating everything that you want to say?
A: No. Obviously if you are an outsider, you are in a private sector, you can give your views on everything but when you are part of the government, then you have to play by the rules and part of that is to really stick to what you do which is why I really only comment on my project.