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Third Day of Lakshya 2005 at NITIE, Mumbai "If it is on the map, we will get you there," says Capt. Gopinath at Empresario - the dream B-Plan Contest held at NITIE, Mumbai on 16th October 2005 under the umbrella of Lakshya 2005. "We want to see every Indian fly," was the mantra given by Capt. G. R. Gopinath, Managing Director, Air Deccan on the occasion of his felicitation as Empresario Best Start-up Entrepreneur of the year at NITIE on 16th October 2005. Lakshya organized by students of Post Graduate Diploma of Industrial Engineering (PGDIE), NITIE, Mumbai acts as a platform for facilitating industry-institute interaction. Mr. Kishore Biyani, Managing Director, Pantaloon Retail India Ltd. was awarded the Empresario Most Inspiring Entrepreneur of the year. Capt. Gopinath, well-versed with PGDIE course curriculum, complimented the same and stressed on the importance of harnessing energy and resources of villages, which are India's greatest assets. He quoted German poet Goethe's lines - 'If you dare to dream, begin it'. For success, a combination of vision and venture is required. In the Indian industry, it is required to have an inclusive and a developed economy in the widest sense. India's biggest advantage is that it has a billion mouths hungry for consumption and two billion hands for production. With the help of these, we will develop the economy of the whole of India, not just Mumbai and Delhi. He said that an entrepreneur can create wealth and destabilize status quo and can achieve things without capital. Capt. Gopinath visualized the company when he was playing squash with his army friends after his visit to China in 1995. He discussed with his army seniors that there was no helicopter company in India. So, he started his first Indian private helicopter company with the help of his Japanese friend. He soon developed a hanger and a network of helicopters. After some years, he visited Phoenix, Arizona. Here he observed that the desert city had 1000 flights a day, compared to the whole of India where only 450 flights operated in a single day. From this observation, he was able to conceptualize the idea of a low-cost efficient private air service company. His determination and energy together with enthusiasm has led to the success of Air Deccan. He has overcome the hurdles of over regulated markets, tight air control by government and low Internet (and credit card) penetration and has expanded his company to 37 airports today starting from a single airport in 2002. Contributed by - |
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