Hate him or love him, you simply can't stop admiring Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, KISS and KIMS, Bhubaneswar.
He gives people a choice, unlike stodgy institutions like IITs, IIMs, and top private MBA institutes ...be it air-conditioned hostels in his university at a higher cost for those whose parents can afford it or a super-specialty AC hospital block at KIMS for patients who can pay for the convenience of quick consultation.
If people can afford convenience, he is willing to go the extra mile.
I went to consult a doctor at KIMS today. The choices were:
Go to the OPD and wait with 40 patients to get a free doctor consultation
ALTERNATIVELY
Visit the doctor at the Superspeciality Ward by paying a few hundred rupees and get an AC ambience, proper seating, and a few patients...
I chose the latter as I was short of time as a working pro and could afford Rs 500.
ALTERNATIVELY
Pay Rs 10K and have Darshan in 30 minutes.
I feel in our capitalist, overpopulated democracy, people should have a choice.
Nobody complains about it in the West, but in our country, hypocrites lambast these choices! They scream commercialization, fleecing the common man, inequity, partiality towards the rich, etc.
INSTANCE OF NO CHOICE
A top B school charges Rs 30 lakhs for an MBA and does not provide AC hostels.
Next year, after some parents complained, they are hiking the MBA fee to Rs 35 lakhs and will be providing AC hostel rooms to all the students.
THIS IS NOT A CHOICE!
This B school is forcing all students to pay Rs 35 lakhs; there might be parents who wouldn't mind non-AC hostels due to reasons of affordability!
YOU ARE NOT PROVIDING A CHOICE!!
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