At around 9 years of age, I learnt that the richest man in the world was Bill Gates. He was an entrepreneur, and had a tech business. I also wanted to be entrepreneur, start a tech business and become the richest man in the world!
Of course, things didn’t turn out that way, and they probably wont. My interests have diversified, and I am having a hard time choosing between them.
At around the same time I stated playing football in school. I didn’t have a real interest in the sport until about the age of 11-12. At age 14, I joined an academy and started training regularly. I loved my time there, and every minute I spent on the pitch has been a memory I cherish. I know I love football enough, to work in the industry even if I was underpaid.
Academically, Economics has always been my favourite (ever since I got introduced to the subject of course). I think part of the reason why I got interested in Economics was because of my interest in business and entrepreneurship. I wasn’t a big fan of what was being taught in school because it seemed too disconnected from reality. I started reading book written by economists, took some online courses, and watched many videos on YouTube about economics.
These are some of my favourite books:
Having read dozens of books about economics, I am tremendously grateful for the life I have had. Poverty, misery, lack of access of decent healthcare, and a lack of resources is the norm rather than the exception in many countries of the world. In my own country, as of 2015, over 80% of the population lives on less than $5.5 a day. I personally know people who spend more on just food, every, single, day. Given the gross inequalities in my country and across the world, I know that no matter how much I love football, there will always be a part of me that wants to work for social and economic development. Similarly, given my love for the sport, I know that football will always find a way to suck me into itself.
Other issues I want to focus on are Agriculture, Tourism, Education and Skill Development, and Sports
India’s agricultural productivity is much lower than that of more developed countries
Despite thousands of years of history, culture, and heritage, thousands of monuments and attractions including one of the 7 wonders of the world, India doesn’t rank in the top 40 tourist destinations of the world.
A population of 1.3 billion, most of which is young, is under-trained and under-skilled for the coming future.
A population of 1.3 billion, doesn’t do nearly as well as it should in international sporting events.
I need to find a way to balance things, and so far I think I am gaining some clarity. I am, at the moment, specialising in building a brand, and in marketing through practice and some books and online courses. I know that’s way different from economics or football, but I feel it is something that can work in all fields I want to work in.
Building something from the ground up, and growing it into a big business scratches my entrepreneurial itch. If those business are social businesses like Sarva Vedam, which I started last year, then my desire to work for social and economic development is also given attention to. Next, if I start something in football which generates money and develops the sport at the same time, I will be very happy with the things I’ll be achieving.
I know it’s a very long hill to climb. There will be obstacles. Problems I know of, problems I don’t yet know of but it’s something I have to do in order to satisfy all these things inside me.
