Risk nahi liya, toh kya kiyal

Our India Poised poll reveals that Young India today is more than willing to give up comfort for a dream, fight back injustice, and take up challenges!

we are ready to up the ante and keen to step out of our safety zones.
For instance, when they were asked if they would follow the example of a few IIM passouts, who recently gave up a crore plus offer to start their own enterprise, 34 per cent said yes without thinking twice.

Cricketer Yuvraj Singh echoes this, and reveals his mantra:"Take risks in life, venture into the unknown territory. Your mind should always be fearless." Is the ability to take risks inbuilt in the generally perceived-to-be-cautious Indians, or is it the impact of a growing economy and newfound prosperity? The answer, according to experts, is a bit of both.

Dipak C Jain, Dean, Kellogg School of Management, answers, "The reason why Indians are doing so well is because they're genetically programmed to take risks. You have to double-dare new opportunities." While Peter Bernstein, author of the best-selling book Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk, adds,

"It takes a particular kind of environment to take risks." Considering that the fables a country listens to best sum up its mind, here is an example. The respondents were reminded of the fable Three Fish where the fIsh had different responses upon hearing that a fIsherman was casting a net in their pond the next day, and asked which response they identifIed with.
NONA WALIA AND AViNASH KALLA Times News Network

Get a good education, get a secure job that you do till it is time to retire, and invest only in government bonds even if the rate of interest is less than the rate of inflation. In other words, lead secure and safe lives in your comfort zones. That is how India used to live. And then came a turn-around: Indians were taking risks, giving up cushy job offers in blue chip fIrms to turn entrepreneurs, redefming the limits in their personal and professional spheres and pushing the boundaries. This social change, riding primarily on the shoulders of India's GenX, was mirrored in the result of a nationwide Bombay Times poll that asked 18 to 25-year-olds if Young India was poised to take risks. The answer is yes. . .

'This generation has strong drive and ambition. Young India is taking risks in unexplored areas to give a different identity to the nation. Personally, I am willing to risk everything for my creative goals'
~INDIA POISED

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DO INDIANS HAVE A RISK-TAKING ABILITY?
While 33 per cent said they identifIed with 'plan ahead and swim to another pond', 41 per cent went with 'think fast and come up with a plan at the moment'. Only 21 per cent were ready to 'wait and watch'.IIM alumni Sarath Babu, who chose to start his catering business over good offers, puts this attitude in perspective. '~er I graduated from IIM-A, it was a risk for me to start my own catering business. But to take a risk, you need to be clear about your purpose and have selfconfIdence. India simply needs 100 risk-taki:ng entrepreneurs to make it big." And the way it is going, India will have many, many more than 100. A sterling example is Nirav Talia, who passed up $10 million in Yahoo stock options to start epinions.com - a shopping-guide website. Says Tolia, "It was for a sense of adventure."
'After 11M-A, it was a risk for me to start my own catering business. But to take a risk, you need to be clear about your purpose and have selfconfidence. India simply needs 100 risk-taking entrepreneurs to make it big'
Copy a hit from elsewhere

GenX today stands by its convictions ~ doesn't care if it means putting themselves :::danger. Fifty-four per cent of responden~ that they will stand by their testimony in if they were a witness in a case like LalI's. Another 36 per cent would do the so long as Witness Protection Ie .assured their protection.

In other words, taking risks and back:ing what they think is right is a part of the youth'5 mindscape. For instance, 67 per cent Viill plain against their boss to his/her seniors t.they are being victimised and 62 per cent wi:take off to space if the fancy takes them. Says Smita Singh, 28, an adventure sports enthusiast, who undertook a risky trek to Rishik.e:s1i for a reality show, "It was dangerous, but f:The sense of achievement was overwhelming."

Interestingly, 36 per cent Indians agree "'.::....her, and defme risk-taking as going b jumping. For 40 per cent, giving up a job ::sucks without having anything in hand is a _~ risk. Another 61 per cent, would act i.nstar:r..'y!i they spot a snake under their child's bed.out thinking about the risks.Ramesh Ramanathan, who stare?"::Janaagraha after giving up his position a5 -~= European Head of Corporate Deffi-a.rI\"e5 Citibank, says, "Today, young India is afraid to take risks. There are lots of available and they are ready to exercise r~"m - Or take superstar Shah Rukh Khan w::' defmes everything in his life as a risk. "Everything that I do in my li:e 15 .~ risk. I took a risk by doing Don and KANK." So, are you ready to take ~ chances?
Stick to the tried and tested formula
620/. 348k
. wilt love to go on a sponsored trip to space
1(', will give upa crore,.plus offer to chase their 'dreams
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