They both hail from Karnataka. They were both colleagues at Patni Computer Services. They are both co-founders of Infosys. Both are former chairmen of the iconic IT company. One is 62, the other is 54. One is a Padma Vibhushan, one is a Padma Bhushan. Both are routinely in the list of influential leaders, admired leaders, etc.
And let’s admit it, both are mighty ambitious with solutions for all the problems in the flat world. One headed the international airport project; the other headed the Bangalore Agenda Task Force. Yet, has Nandan Mohan Rao Nilekani stolen a decisive march over Nagavara Rama Rao Narayana Murthy in the “leadership race”?
First Nilekani earned greater exposure and accolades for his book Imagining India, than Murthy did for his collection of speeches, A better India, A better world. Now, after being mentioned as a possible candidate for the Planning Commission, Nilekani has been appointed head of a project to develop ID cards for all Indians.
Does Nilekani’s appointment to a Cabinet rank post give him a headstart over Murthy, whose hopes of becoming President of India were scuppered by the row over the rendition of the national anthem? Or will Murthy bounce back?
Also read: ‘Dear Nandan, quit Infosys, start a political party’
Nandan Nilekani: the 6 things that changed India
churumuri 
could this be because of Jayram ramesh and Nikeni are batchmates in IIT.
anyways both(NRN and Nilkeni) are great in manyways.
ps. any time better than tom dick and harry of Cong and BJP
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this is stupid poll. both r achievers and kanadigas and rest of Indians shud be proud of them. theres for sure no competition between them.
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Churumuri…this poll is stupid …… grow up. They are both great achievers and dont be-little them with your narrow minded thinking.
Since when did churumuri become this 24X& news or creating controversies where there is none. Its a blog site and lets keep it that way.
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I’m sure that NRN and Nilekani did not think of upstaging each other. You have given them a thought to fight for.Brilliant churumuri….
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Agree with Naveen. Why are bent on finding something wrong in everything? How do we know that nilekeni does not have the blessings of NRN for this? I am sure he will do a wonderful job and that should be the test.
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Agree Naveen. Unnecessary controversy being created by this poll.
We are becoming a nation of pollsters, polling for everything and wasting precious time
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Even assuming Nandan has upstaged NRN, the question is “for how long?”
A cabinet level post sounds very nice on the first day but creating a unique ID for every citizen in the country is going to be a treacherous task even for Nandan Nilekani. I would hazard the guess that pretty soon there will be so many politicians exerting pressure on Nandan that he will be beating a hasty retreat from the project like his esteemed colleague did from the Bangalore international airport project.
That said, this is the moment of reckoning for both the individual and the industry. For over a decade, the IT industry has been seen as the panacea for the country’s ills. But much of it has been airy-fairy stuff and the aam admi has never felt its impact except in very abstract terms. Delivering the unique ID into his hands, when things are not too well, is going to be another Y2K moment for the industry.
At the same time, it is going to be the test of the IT chieftain who, more than any captain of any other industry, has been happy to project himself as having the answer to all the nation’s ills. Can Nandan put his money where his voluble mouth is without allowing “conflict of interest” issues to crop up like they did when NRN was appointed to the RBI board and banks felt dutybound to push and buy Infy’s white elephant, Finnacle, the banking software?
ps: Where does churumuri get the idea that NRN wanted to be President? Didn’t he tell some paper that all he wanted to be was India’s ambassador to the United States?
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I for one glad that India as Nation, dumped Narayan Murthy for his “embarrassment” for singing national anthem. Here was a uy dreaming of becoming President of India at the same time “embaressed to sing national anthem.
If that was not enough he wanted to revive swantantra party to lead India. Ha ha ha.
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Agree with most here. What next ? Did your mom upstage your dad poll ? :-)
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First there was ration card, then there was Seshan card and now the Nation card!
Surely Nandan has gone one up on Murthy on the “national” agenda.
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Both are businessmen and moreover belong to the same company. One guy wrote some crap a few years ago and the other guy did the same this year. I don’t care for either of them or the company they created.
It is weird that people who are running outsourcing companies are considered for the post of the president. There are many more smarter people there who have done better things than what these guys have done. They are in the business of selling people’s skills and nothing else. Why do you guys care who’s on top of whom.
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Why do we even need to think about this topic? What have they done for Kannada and Kannadigas/Kannadathis?
Let them duel the current challenge to their preminence out anyway they will.
Murthypooje nandanavanadalli maathra nadeyali.
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This is a waste of time and bandwidth.
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Churumuri is right – NRN tried to be the president – remember how he suddenly started praising Nehru before presidential candidate was chosen by the Congress party.
Both NRN and Nilekani crave media attention and the media obliges. I for one tired of seeing their faces all the time in business channels.
Their business success and values deserves credit but are we making them undeserved heroes because they are just glorified head hunters who were successful being at the right place at the right time.
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As of now, among the poll options, “who cares” has accounted for the maximum votes. Apt.
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haha…last paragraph is hilarious!
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A great loss for Infy! An even greater loss for India!!
Who cares whether NMRN won or NRRNM?
I think NRRNM sponsoring SLB might have spoiled his chances…but wait instead of Modi NRRNM can be the poster boy for BJP during the next election!
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This is ridiculous…. Nandan doesn’t have much to do in Infy now so he quit… and has got a better job… anyways he’ll be very much a part of Infy as he is a major share holder… so do not get carried away by the news media…..
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Such questions are nasty and mischievous in nature are are irrelevant. Churumuri should not indulge in such spicy journalism and confuse the readers.
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Would the bureaucrats work under him?
This must be the biggest employment generating scheme after NREGS, this will create a whole lot of professional phishers and crackers.
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nilekani was prolly selected because of his experience with egovernment. as you might know, all ka municiplaties use egov’s systems.
this is a massive task and will require some serious robust computing. but beyond that will involve massive logistics issues. consider the problem of issuing the cards. imagine the reach needed. maybe there are some babus in election commission whose expertise can be put to use.
then implications of this on things like law enforcement, tax, banks, voting, etc etc… imagine the co-ordination and standardization required …
if they start now, it will be a long time before everything settles. but they have to do it. it has all sorts benefits. they have start sometime, better now.
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Just curious…will there be different IDs for all those illegal immigrants from BD and Pakistan, who number a few lakhs
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