"The Infosys story has inspired a generation of young Indians to start something on their own, to take risks that created wealth for the country, as well as millions of new jobs," Nilekani said.
Nearly five years after spearheading the world's largest social project to give identity (Aadhaar) to about 600 million citizens across the country, the 58-year-old billionaire geek has recently joined the Congress to contest from the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency in the April 17 general elections.
Exposure to the executive, law-makers and political parties across spectrum as the state-run Unique Identification Authority Development of India (UIDAI) chairman has convinced Nilekani that politics is a great lever to change many things for the people.
"Opportunity to work with the state's three wings for the Aadhaar project made me realise that political or executive power could be effectively used as a lever to change many things in our country for the people's welfare," said Nilekani who has taken to politics like coot and ducks take to water.
Nilekani's first brush with the executive behemoth as Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) chairman over a decade ago (1999-2004) gave him a closer view of the wheels that drive the government juggernaut.
