Indian Defense Minister Delivers Inaugural Harish C. Mahindra Lecture at Harvard.

"India's Security Perspective" In Focus

HARVARD, Mass. -- Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Defense Minister of India, delivered the inaugural Harish C. Mahindra lecture in the Forum, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Massachusetts.

The lecture series is held in honor of a distinguished Indian Harvard alumnus, Harish C. Mahindra and co-sponsored by Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd., the South Asia Initiative at Harvard University and the Kennedy School of Government. Mr. Mukherjee, the second ranking minister in the Indian Cabinet after the Prime Minister, spoke on "India's Security Perspective."

"This event is the first in a series of lectures by eminent dignitaries of our time and is inspired by my father's passion for education," said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra and Harvard alumnus. "As Mahindra & Mahindra is headquartered in Asia, it was important to us to facilitate communication on global and marketplace issues."

The goal of the South Asia Initiative is to provide a forum for scholarly exchanges among Harvard faculty and students, notable South Asia specialists from the U.S. as well as other countries, and prominent public figures from South Asia. The Harish C. Mahindra lecture series is important component in continuing the education and understanding of the challenges facing the region.

Mr. Sanjiv Kaura, Harvard University's Program Director, South Asia Initiative, Mumbai Office, said, "Harvard has always been an incubator of Asia's leaders. The Harish C. Mahindra lecture series provide an ideal forum for the next generation of global leadership. I believe Mr. Pranab Mukherjee's perspective on Indian security issues would give a new dimension to learning at Harvard."

The late Mr. Harish Mahindra was one of the directors of Mahindra & Mahindra and instrumental in developing the Mahindra United World College of India (www.muwci.net), located at Pune, India. He was also one of the earliest Indians to earn a Harvard degree and recognized as a pioneering leader of business and industry in independent India.

Mr. Mukherjee has held crucial Cabinet positions in successive Congress Party governments: he served in Indira Gandhi's cabinet during the '70s and '80s, in Narasimha Rao's cabinet from 1991-1996 (for part of which he was India's Foreign Minister) and again from 2004 to the present under Manmohan Singh. He has held the Commerce, Finance and Foreign Minister's positions in addition to his current position as Minister of Defense.

India's Defense Minister Calls for Use of Soft Power

Delivering Harvard South Asia Initiative's Harish C. Mahindra Lecture, Pranab Mukherjee, India's Defense Minister, called for the deployment of 'soft power' in attaining India's strategic objectives. The resources of soft power at India's disposal included 'religion, spirituality, culture and commerce; and in recent times, the political thought and peaceful strategy of Mahatma Gandhi'. Mr. Mukherjee recalled India's historical ties with its neighboring regions. 'While colonialism disrupted our traditional links,' he said, 'the cold war delayed their restoration.' India's connections with the outside world are now being recovered.

Mr. Mukherjee was introduced to the audience of more than five hundred Harvard students, faculty and guests by Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of History and Director of Harvard's South Asia Initiative. Mr. Mukherjee said he felt like an 'antique piece' among the young students who had gathered to hear him. At the outset he paid rich tributes to the memory of Harish C. Mahindra, a visionary leader of business and industry in India, before delivering his wide-ranging address. In answer to a question from a student, he said that he believed the Kashmir problem would be solved not just in the student's lifetime, but in his own lifetime. In response to another question, the Defense Minister said India's energy needs impelled the signing of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal and hoped that the US Senate would pass the required legislation at an early date.

About The Mahindra Group 

The US $3 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top five tractor manufacturers in the world and is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. It has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including trade and financial services (Mahindra Intertrade, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.), automotive components, information technology & telecom (Tech Mahindra, Bristlecone), and infrastructure development (Mahindra GESCO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd., Mahindra World City). With around 60 years of manufacturing experience, the Mahindra Group has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution. The Group employs around 30,000 people and has eight state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India spread over 500,000 square meters. The Mahindra Group has ambitious global aspirations and has a presence in 20 countries spread across four continents. Mahindra products are today available in every continent except Antarctica. M&M has made strategic acquisitions of plants in China and the UK, and has 2 assembly plants in the USA. Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc. and Mahindra South Africa. M&M has entered into partnerships with international companies like Renault, France, and International trucks, USA. The Group is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2005-06.