Former Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani at the Nanda talkies park near the South End circle in Bangalore.
On an early summer morning, at the popular Nanda talkies park near the South End circle in Bangalore,
Nandan Nilekani is on the move. His exercise in campaigning and burning calories includes a small group of supporters. They hand out pamphlets to other early morning walkers. And if anyone has questions, well, here's your chance.
Senior citizens ask Mr Nilekani, founder of Infosys and now a political candidate about corruption, and the Aadhar scheme that he has supervised to supply every Indian with a 10-digit identity linked to biometrics.
Mr Nilekani, 58 year old says he prefers these pop quizzes to the more traditional large rallies and political gatherings. "I think the election process for candidates is a great weight loss programme," he quips, moving briskly although wearing white khadi clothes like a true
neta now.
For those who aren't breaking a sweat early in the morning but want to meet the Congress candidate, consider logging on. Many others have. Mr Nilekani is being searched-for heavily in Karnataka, more than political veterans like HD Deve Gowda or BS Yeddyurappa, according to Google.
He intends to stay noticed. "For 29 years, I was with Infosys. Then I spent five years for the Aadhar Project. The next few years will be for politics of change," he tells NDTV.
Mr Nilekani will certainly get a run for his considerable money (he declared assets worth 7,000 crores with his wife) in his election. Up against him is the BJP's Ananth Kumar who is asking voters for a sixth consecutive term as the MP from Bangalore South. Mr Kumar has been critical of Mr Nilekani's Aadhar project, alleging that the project as told by the Supreme court is hardly of any importance.
Mr Nilekani says he's taking the criticism in his stride. "I will win, I will win," he says, as he starts the next lap.