Quotes from Shiv Nadar

The moment I write out a cheque, it's an asset I have written off.

We need schools like Doon and Mayo for the poor.

Supposing I write out a cheque for a billion dollars to the foundation, does it mean anything? There must be evidence of philanthropy. Otherwise, I'm sitting with that money, earning interest exactly the way in my holding company.

Any organisation has to go through at least one depression to see how it survives, and a normal economic cycle takes seven years.

After Independence, there were periods of very high taxation. So you didn't create wealth, how will you distribute it? When was the first time capital gains tax was introduced? It was 1992 March. Till then, everything was taxed one way.

The 1980s were fantastic. This was a time when we were at the peak of our creative work. The question of whether we would exist or not - something which everybody used to ask, including ourselves - stopped. Profits kept pace with growth requirements. HCL had credibility - that was the biggest barrier we had to break.

Any institutions' alumni are key to its growth. We are focused on giving a global experience to our students.

My daughter has no interest in succeeding me in the business. She is going towards social entrepreneurship, an area she is interested in.

Buffett gave significant portions of his wealth to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett made money for 50 years before he donated.

We invited HP executives to participate in the management and in the board. HCL had this concept of corporate officers since inception in 1999. We had a remuneration committee. Now everyone is talking about nomination and remuneration committee. We had this from 1999.

All businessmen - how do they communicate? God knows. Sign language, probably.

The SSN Institute will be expanded in areas such as liberal arts, social sciences, natural sciences, communications.