Quotes from Ajay Piramal

Sometimes, we get mixed up when we say that profit is not important for stakeholders. Oxygen is not the reason a person lives. But it is essential to have oxygen, although it's not the only reason for a person's existence. It is similar for profit.

Indians are very intelligent - of that, there is no doubt - but we are not necessarily hard working.

We have a unique culture.

Governments cannot do innovation. There are too many audits, and no one stays in a role for long enough.

In pharma, we continuously look for acquisitions... if it makes strategic sense and if there is any value.

Our responsibility is to maximise shareholder value, and if that means we can make short-term investment where we can maximise short-term value, we can do that.

Our organisation and culture is based on professionalism and values. I think my children reflect both.

People say values are expensive, but I say they create economic value.

There will be good times, and there will be bad, but one has to, to the extent possible, take things in one's stride.

Disabilities and misfortune can make you stronger.

In the pharma space, we have been growing both organically as well as through acquisitions.

We are disciples of Krishna, and we look at ourselves like Arjun in the battlefield.

I am overall optimistic about India's growth.

Investment in Shriram will actually enable us to enter some of the retail segments such as vehicle financing, consumer and gold loans, and other products such as insurance, mutual funds, among others, where we wanted to have a footprint.

Humility, we say, is very important because we feel humility means the ability to listen, the ability to respect another's opinion and to find that everybody around you in some subject knows more.

I am humble enough to understand there are many people who know much more than I do on many subjects, so I listen to them. Integrity is also critical to leadership, so I believe there must always be alignment between what you think, say, and do.

I think my greatest virtue is that I have the courage to take tough decisions. As for my greatest fault, I guess I should be a little tougher. The feedback I get always is that I am not as tough and demanding as I should be.