HTLS Day 2 ends, ex-CJI Dipak Misra to join session tomorrow

Day 2 of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit ended on Wednesday as leading US economist Lawrence H Summers joined Sruthijith KK, editor-in-chief of Mint, for a stimulating conversation on the economic potential of India. Day 3 of the summit will see former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra joining a session, along with other leading dignitaries.

Cryptocurrencies must be tested on the market, the new technology must be encouraged. But at the same time, there must be some kind of regulation, without completely being opposed to it. Thus any policy regarding cryptocurrency must be “neutral”: Lawrence Summers

"I have been rooting for the Indian economy for a very long time. I believe that rule of law, vast entrepreneurial energy and capacity, facility with things digital, remarkable NRI diaspora are all sources of potential economic strength. I believe that a relatively low level of income in India, compared to China, offers substantial potential to capture growth.

I am hopeful that India could see 15 years of growth. But I don't think that requires public policies that have been historically difficult.

It requires a government that is prepared to liberate the economy from government strictures and control.

It requires a sense of political stability. I am not sure that India's friends are confident in India's ability to manage challenges that it had 10-15 years ago." – Leading US economist Lawrence H Summers

Covid-19 headed towards becoming an endemic disease. Most of the people will have some kind of immunity from some combination of vaccines. The strategies will affect the level of suffering. Success depends on increasing vaccinations, wearing masks on faces and tests into noses

India had an agonising time in early stages. 1 billion doses mark quite a remarkable accomplishment. India should be proud: Leading economist Lawrence H Summers

Omicron variant of the coronavirus will not likely have an immense impact on the rate of inflation, said economist Lawrence H Summers at the HTLS session.

Glad that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell retired the word transitory in describing inflation It's been a mistake to think of inflation as transient issue: Economist Lawrence Summers on HTLS

Lawrence H Summers, former director of the White House National Economic Council, has joined Sruthijith KK, editor-in-chief of Mint, for a conversation.

“The mindset is changing. You can see more kids in the stadiums. However, there is a shortage of stadiums, especially near the villages. A lot of people from villages are heading towards sports. This year, I heard that people woke up at 4 in the morning to catch hold of the Olympics so I feel that is a huge plus.”

“I feel I can throw better and go longer. Whatever the next challenge is, I shall definitely be ready for it. I feel I can go a long distance.”

“I cannot say I was sure to win a gold medal. When everyone was done with their throws and I still had one left, that is when I realised that I had won. If we get ahead of ourselves, we get mentally satisfied and that affects the performance. I still have time so for the next Olympics if I still have the opportunity to win, I definitely will.”

Beijing Olympics win wasn’t a result of 2-3 hours or days. It was about the numerous years I spent in practicing, about the uncertainties that creep in… about the entire journey.

"Winning and losing is one thing. But it is always about enjoying sports. Not just Olympics, even if we play the smaller tournaments, we love participating in it. It is a matter of pride representing the country, be it an any level"

“If I pray that he fumbles, it won't work. Sports teaches us to cheer for each other. He also cheers for me. On the field, we obviously try to be at our best. But we're friends outside the field. We should try to encourage each other.”

“You will have to break down every thing. You need to polish down on everything. If you focus on those small things and try to improve, then you will be successful. It's only the little things which take you to the top level”: Abhinav Bindra

"The most important thing is pressure will remain. The one mistake athletes make is that they run away from pressure. The reality is very different. When you go to Paris Olympics stadium, pressure will be there.

"The human tendency is to resist pressure. But we shouldn't do that. It is about acceptance. Like Covid, we are living with the virus, as athletes we have to live with pressure. We need to co-exist with it"

“I loved training but hated competing. I wasn't a naturally gifted athlete but I loved training. It was meditation for me. I just wanted to get better and learned so much about myself while doing so. Physical training wasn't something I loved. It was my weakness which I converted into strength. I once finished a fitness test and five minutes, I met a coach who said: 'Even my grandmother could have done better than you'. So that never got out of my mind.”

The first three months, the family would send me forcefully. But after that, I felt like going there and training myself. I did not think much about the future but by then, it had reached a stage that if I missed a day of training, I felt something went missing

“I was always a naughty kid. One of my uncles wanted me to try another field because none of us had any sports background. In my case, I did not know what sports to choose. I just really liked the javelin and that's how it started. No one knew about it but I felt like practicing daily.”

“Weight off my shoulder to finally have someone join me,” says Abhinav Bindra on Neeraj Chopra's gold.

“When I won, my first answer in the PC was ‘hope this achievement opens doors’. I was happier at him winning gold than when I did. It was a monkey off my back. Wherever I went, people used to introduce me as the only Indian to win an individual gold medal it was interesting. Hopefully, Neeraj’s gold medal opens more pathways. We definitely need more.”

“He led the belief that we could win an Olympic medal, he broke that mind barrier among Indians. Not only physically, but mentally as well.”

Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra join the first session of HTLS 2021, Day 2. They are in conversation with HT Managing Editor, Kunal Pradhan.

We will be beginning Day 2 shortly with Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra's session. Stay tuned!

Our guests in the first session hardly need an introduction. Both, Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra made India stand tall in the biggest sporting event of the world.

Bindra won the gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle event at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 to become India's first individual gold medallist in the history of the Olympics. 13 years later, Neeraj Chopra achieved the feat in men's Javelin Throw event!

Legendary former Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, Central Vista architect and president of CEPT University Bimal Patel, and Professor Akiko Iwasaki of Yale University took part across different sessions on Day 1 in the 19th HTLS.