Dr. Mahantesh G.Kivadasannavar - I Support Henry George's Approach Which Is "Man on the Street" (Founder - Samarthanam International )

Formal education helps one to understand concepts and helps individuals to get jobs. It is the Knowledge part. This alone does not suffice.  Individuals should have the inner ability to thrive in any situation.

Tell us about your background, journey, and upbringing.

The journey of my life has been a celebration. I have been very fortunate to have
the best family. I grew up in a typical joint family with lots of family members. I
had my siblings to play with and care for. Our home was filled with love, affection, and compassion with no discrimination and sans sympathy for my disability.

 

I received the best Home Education from my Elders as schools didn’t take me in my earlier part of my childhood. Later on, I moved to Ramana Maharishi School for the Blind for a formal Education. This was a welcome experience as my life skills
were nurtured. I experienced compassion, caring, sharing, and thinking beyond me.

My College Education exposed me to a lot of new friends who read out to me,
helped me to bring out my capabilities, mentored me when I needed it the most,
inspired me and of course, we did have a lot of fun. I am still connected with most
of my friends. On the whole, I have had a satisfying life with a stable sense of
satisfaction and serenity in my life.

When and How did you get clarity on what you wanted to do?

Three years after starting Samarthanam is after 1997 I started having more

clarity.  Till then I was caught in multivarious thoughts because of the work and

priorities which were overwhelming. After 1997 I could focus more with a clear

mind. I could accomplish more with crystal clear clarity.

What does your typical workday look like?

Work is life for me. We are synonymous. I balance it out by planning and

splitting my time. I work round the clock, almost for 8 hours (minimum) in a

day.  I do take breaks to revitalize my energy.

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Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this?

Formal education helps one to understand concepts and helps individuals to get

jobs.  It is the Knowledge part.  This alone does not suffice.  Individuals should

have the inner ability to thrive in any situation. 

I support Henry George's approach which is "Man on the street".  I believe in Skills - The How to do part and the  Attitude dimension - which is the Desire and wants to do. These 2 factors can outeat any University Degrees. 

I have many of my Employees working in Samarthanam with excellent skills minus formal Education, and their contributions are unmatchable.

How do you handle someone who has lied on their resume?

It pains me as it is a breach of trust. We at Samarthanam have systems

and Procedures in place and we have verifications platforms and sources

through which we come to know if the information on the resume is wrong.

What are some of your typical challenges and how have they evolved

overtime?

Smooth Seas do not make skillful Sailors. I grew up hearing this and

experiencing challenges right from my childhood.  I was fortunate to have

a support system that helped me to steer through.  

There were Physical challenges, Mental challenges in the Society like convictions, Perceptions, etc which had to be broken, Financial challenges, Market competition

from the Competitors, Peers, Attitudinal challenges like Stigma, prejudice,

and discrimination. 

They still exist. But if we decide to rise above the challenges, it becomes micromanagement. Objectives have to be clear, never give up attitude and a clear focus should be the mantra.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs or those eyeing

the top job?

Aspiring entrepreneurs have to align their current and future needs,

understand the current trends of the market, work very hard, acquire skills

to lead a Team, and most importantly Dream big which should not allow

them to sleep. Finding a good mentor to guide is equally important.

Which is your favorite book and why?

Homer's Iliad is one of my favorite books. It can never become outdated. I

find that whatever was relevant then is true now. I draw a lot of parallels

with our Epic Mahabharata.

I happened to read a Book called Stretch written by Scott Sonenshein.  It

talks about business and life, using resourcefulness. The author writes

about the 2 ways through which we approach Resources.  “chasing” and

“stretching.”  

I could relate to the Human potential in Samarthanam where we don’t chase and exhaust Resources but stretch by embracing the resources we already have on hand. This makes us unique.

Bio -

Social change agent, disability leader, and role model, through his efforts over the last 20 years, positively impacted the lives of thousands of persons with disabilities. Overcoming challenges presented by his visual impairment, he has leveraged his determined academic accomplishments, an MA MPhil in English Literature.

Traveling around the world to raise funds for his myriad projects. From the World Blind Union conference in Geneva to the World Blind Cricket Council meetings in Cape Town and UAE, London, etc from the Daisy conference in Germany to centers around the USA, Dr.Mahantesh has articulated his beliefs to all those willing to listen.

Founder Managing Trustee of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, the former president of World Blind Cricket Ltd and, President Cricket Association for the Blind in India, The Aryabhatta International Award in 2009 and the National Award from the President of India for Child Welfare in 2010 and 2014, he and his team have successfully hosted the first-ever T20 world cup cricket for the blind in 2012 and 2nd T20 World cup in 2017.

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled a National award-winning NGO is a registered Trust working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities, especially persons with visual and physical impairments and underserved people since 1997.

Samarthanam aims to provide the opportunity for persons with disabilities and underprivileged communities in India to keep pace with the rest of society by facilitating quality education, vocational training, placement, and rehabilitation.