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From CK Prahalad To CP Cavafy: Rama Bijapurkar On Her Favourite Reads

From literature to boardroom discussions, here are some of the themes that emerge in Rama Bijapurkar’s reading list. 

Rama Bijapurkar (Image courtesy: NPCI) 
Rama Bijapurkar (Image courtesy: NPCI) 

How can you wield the power of data and ‘make it sing’? Is the world as flat as it seems, or is it in a state of semi-globalisation? These are some of the themes that emerge in Rama Bijapurkar’s reading list as she spoke to BloombergQuint about the books that have had a profound impact on her.

Here are Bijapurkar’s favourite reads.

Factfulness, By Hans Rosling

“This is a book about [using data to show] the world and how it really is. It is also a book about you and why you (and almost everyone I have ever met) do not see the world as it really is”.

I love data and this shows you how to wield the power of data and how to make it sing, and is written in a totally non-serious way. I first came across the author in his TED talk and he was so riveting and entertaining, he showed the evolution of all the economies in the world using incredible dynamic graphics and commentary that was exactly like it was a football match!

From CK Prahalad To CP Cavafy: Rama Bijapurkar On Her Favourite Reads

Redefining Global Strategy By Pankaj Ghemawat

“The real state of the world is semi-globalised… will remain so for decades to come….. [this view] helps companies resist delusions derived from visions of the globalisation apocalypse... growth fever, one sites fits all, statelessness…” This is a solid piece of research that goes against popular opinion about borderless worlds and flat worlds and provides a great framework with which to view my empirical understanding of India and how it is globalising.

From CK Prahalad To CP Cavafy: Rama Bijapurkar On Her Favourite Reads

Boards That Lead, By Ram Charan, Dennis Carey, Michael Useem

“From ceremonial boards to boards that monitor to boards that lead — when to take charge, when to partner and when to stay out of the way”.  It describes the religion of boards not the rituals that most other writing on boards does . It is clear, sharp and simple to read. Ram Charan’s writing has the magic blend of theory and practice, is thought provoking without being overly prescriptive.

From CK Prahalad To CP Cavafy: Rama Bijapurkar On Her Favourite Reads

Competing For The Future, By CK Prahalad And Gary Hamel

“There is more to industry foresight than a blinding flash of insight… (It) is based on deep insights into trends in technology, demographics, regulation, lifestyle”.

This book throws light on how to approach that  fundamental and hardest building block of strategy “how do you see the future unfold”.

Adi Shankaracharya:  Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker, By Pavan K Varma

I loved this book for how he takes on a tough, much written about, dazzling subject and manages the  scale, scope and breadth of it with holism and lucidity and makes it accessible without demanding too much effort from the reader; and does it with a secular tonality.

From CK Prahalad To CP Cavafy: Rama Bijapurkar On Her Favourite Reads

Ithaca – A Poem By CP Cavafy

It is about life’s journey and it always give me perspective when I am tired or dispirited or lost in my own life’s journey.