Excellence

I found this very good speech from Harsha Bhogle sharing some absolute gems and witty comments at his alma mater, IIMA



On excellence:
Talent dazzles, but it has hardly anything to do with excellence. It is what you make of that talent that matters. Arrogance is the biggest stumbling block to excellence. It is something similar to what Shane Warne’s wife recently said — about him living in a ‘rarefied bubble,’ wherein nobody had the courage to tell him he’s doing something wrong. It is more important to surround yourself with people who are better than you.

On cricket:
There are no excuses. The Aussies will never say that we have lost. They’ll just say that we’ll come back and do better next time.

Harsha, the cricketer:
I loved fielding from the bottom of my heart. Have you heard the ‘cluck’ sound that a ball makes on hitting the bat? I used to fantasise about the sound of it hitting my palm. And being a fielder meant I could be friends with everybody. The bowlers loved anybody who could save them even a single run.

On live television:
Being unprepared helped. Initially, I used to compete with others. But you can’t comment on a reverse swing when Wasim Akram is sitting next to you. I realised that if I make them look better, I will look better myself. There is no space for ego here.

On luck and IIM:
At 21-22, I thought it was all a matter of luck, like all 21-22-year-olds do. I did not receive the interview letter from IIM, Ahmedabad. But when my father forced me to call and inquire, I found out my name was in the list, but the letter hadn’t reached. So you see, it wasn’t luck alone, but also the fact that I made the effort to call. It is important to recognise an opportunity. For as someone said ‘The harder I practise, the luckier I get.’ So is also the case with IIMA, which has moved with the times. Excellence, after all, lies in the present.