The Startup Journey

“I had to apply for a new passport booklet as I had run out of pages. Having applied online – an altogether different experience - under the tatkal scheme, I was hoping to receive the passport in under a week as I intended to travel for a conference soon. I then was confronted by this uniquely Indian phenomenon of a “police verification”. There was a change in my address since the last passport and my new address had to be verified by the police. I was therefore visited by a constable from the local thana. A few days later, upon enquiry, I was informed that the police verification process was still underway. Surprised, I visited the local thana. To cut a long story short, I was told by the constable that it would help if I paid some “speed money”. I refused and demanded to see the officer who, I was told, wasn’t available. I waited for some time and left. I returned much later in the evening and met the officer and complained. The officer immediately called for the constables and admo...

In the backdrop of the umpteen scandals that’re making news nowadays and when it appears that integrity, principles and ethical behaviour are but quaint niceties from a bygone era, this tale of an entrepreneur’s dilemma is worth telling and discussing because it offers hope especially to us in India. After completing a hard day’s work, our entrepreneur boarded an evening train at Hyderabad en route to Pune. As is the case, the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) showed up sometime later that evening in the compartment. Our entrepreneur handed over this e-ticket and upon being asked for his ID, handed over a photocopy of his driving license. He wasn’t carrying the original. The photocopy wasn’t acceptable and the original was demanded. Our entrepreneur pleaded with the TTE to accept the photocopy but the TTE was unmoved. There were a few others traveling without tickets. The TTE summoned our entrepreneur and the ticket less travelers to the pantry car to discuss their case. In the confines...