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Prabha Narasimhan on how self-belief can inspire a billion people
The leadership quality she witnessed reminded her of a timeless line from Rudyard Kipling.
The leadership quality she witnessed reminded her of a timeless line from Rudyard Kipling.
At the IAA Leadership Awards, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Prabha Narasimhan, chose to open her address with a nod to one of her greatest passions — cricket. Prabha Narasimhan was the Jury Chairperson at the IAA Awards. “I thought I’d start today on a slightly unusual note… I’m not gonna talk about brushing your teeth tonight,” she quipped, before recalling the recent Test match at The Oval.
For Narasimhan, the game was more than just an exciting sporting spectacle — it was a masterclass in leadership. Drawing from a striking image of cricketer Mohammad Siraj, arm raised to the sky with the word belief emblazoned across it, she distilled her takeaway into one lesson: the power of unwavering conviction.
“That team demonstrated self-belief. They demonstrated belief in their plans, in their teammates, and in the work they had put in,” she said. In doing so, she added, the Indian cricket team made “one and a half billion people believe.”
The leadership quality she witnessed reminded her of a timeless line from Rudyard Kipling: If you can hold your head when all about you are losing theirs, then you’ll be a leader, my friend. For Narasimhan, the victory was proof that leadership is as much about belief as it is about skill or strategy.
The evening, she noted, was an opportunity to celebrate many from corporate India who had displayed similar traits. “Tonight, I had the privilege of playing a small part to honour many people who have demonstrated such belief in themselves and their teams,” she said.
Speaking before the awards were presented, Narasimhan kept her message succinct, ensuring the spotlight remained on the honourees. A heartfelt thanks was extended to the International Advertising Association (IAA) for the platform, as she concluded her remarks with the same clarity and conviction that had defined her address.
In both sport and business, she implied, belief is the spark that fuels resilience, unites teams, and inspires nations.
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