Top BIAL Executive Quits

Site for New Bangalore International Airport (left) and architectural plan of runways and taxiing areas.

     Former Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda, a native of Karnataka State, India's top Silicon City (Bangalore is the capital of the State), recently leveled blistering allegations against one of the country's most respected business leaders and entrepreneurs, N. R. Narayana Murthy (pictured left) of Infosys.
     Stung, Murthy sent off his resignation as top executive in another ambitious business venture where he serves as Chairman of Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL).
     The resignation has sent shivers in corporate India. It has also set off a ripple effect of uncertainty in the aviation sector.
     Ever since the country declared open skies for the aviation sector, airport infrastructure has assumed importance as underdeveloped facilities struggle to keep up with soaring demand.
     Keeping with belief that new airport facilities are needed for generating future economic development, the government decided to construct two new international airports—at Hyderabad and Bangalore —encouraging the addition of private participation in a big way.
     Key to the privatization process was elevation of N. R. Narayana Murthy to head up BIAL.
     But the former Prime Minister who is a strong advocate of rural programs, has had nothing good to say about the IT industry, even at times suggesting that the booming IT industry and computer business in Bangalore is a waste of time.
     When Gowda publicly pooh-poohed Murthy's contribution to BIAL, wondering why the international airport project had taken such a long time to get off the ground considering it had Murthy at its helm, all hell broke loose.
     Murthy, who currently is away from the country, shot off a letter to the State's Chief Minister Dharam Singh quitting his post atop BIAL while taking issue with charges of lack of progress at Bangalore International Airport.
     In his letter Mr. Murthy wondered why the former government official had not “asked me personally before going to press, or talked to you (Dharam Singh) to get at the truth?
     “I am disappointed that a former Prime Minister did not accord me this basic courtesy.
     “I am pained, more so, that leaders in the Government like you did not attempt to clarify my role at BIAL, and the work that has been done.
     “I have spent an enormous amount of time and energy interacting with the Government in New Delhi and the Government here to make the airport work.
     “The record speaks for itself,” Murthy said.
     Reaction to the resignation has caused uproar, with most people dismissing the former Prime Minister’s allegations, while supporting Murthy.
     “N.R. Narayana Murthy is one of the leading businessmen in the entire world, and a proponent of what some call 'compassionate capitalism.'
     “He is a great man in our midst who was using his considerable talent to develop aerial gateways, in an unselfish effort to ensure that India will remain at the forefront of 21st century world trade,” a well-placed source said
     “One can only wonder what compels out-of-power politicians to shoot off at the mouth?” was another reaction.
     “Most of the time when they do speak, it is either out of turn or concern for something that in the end he or she rarely knows anything about.”
     Meantime various stakeholders of BIAL have gone on damage control saying they want Murthy to take back his resignation.
     For his part, BIAL Chief Albert Brunner is reportedly shocked over the Murthy resignation.
Brunner said that Murthy was a 'wonderful' chairman who had helped the project to clear several roadblocks.
     “His exit,” said Brunner, will "have a negative impact.”
     India’s Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said that the government, as a shareholder in the company, “would look into the developments.”
     A source told FlyingTypers:
     “Ex PM Gowda's ire against Murthy stems from his belief that IT companies like Infosys have secured title to large plots of valuable land in and around Bangalore for a song.”
     Whatever has prompted the exchange and subsequent resignation, vast new industries that must be served by these proposed airports to support growing world trade are hanging in the balance in India right now.
     Stay tuned . . .
(T Ghosh)