Rajiv Gandhi's Vision and K P Singh's Catalyst Role in GE's India Entry

The book 'Why the Heck Not' tells the story of K P Singh's efforts to bring General Electric to India during Rajiv Gandhi's prime ministership. Co-authored with Aparna Jain, it highlights Singh's pivotal role and strategic decisions that transformed India’s business landscape, including the inception of BPOs.

A new book reveals the intriguing story of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's determination to bring General Electric to India and the pivotal role played by DLF's K P Singh. Co-authored by Singh and Aparna Jain, 'Why the Heck Not' delves into his contributions and the transformation of India's business industry.

The book recounts how Rajiv Gandhi, admiring GE's leadership under Jack Welch, sent an envoy in the late '80s with an invitation. Initial skepticism was overcome by K P Singh's persistent diplomacy, leading to Welch and his wife visiting India in 1988. The visit marked a turning point for India's global business engagement.

Singh's efforts seeded the idea of Business Processing Outsourcing in India, which was later realized in the DLF Corporate Park in Gurgaon in 1997. This initiative ignited the large-scale BPO industry that significantly contributed to India's economic growth and business landscape change.

(With inputs from agencies.)