US-based angel investor, Asha Jadeja Motwani, who is hosting a score of Indian Startups at World Economic Forum 2020 at Davos, has written an open letter to PM Modi expressing her discontent of the manner of functioning of the Indian bureaucracy.
While setting up a Startup Hub at WEF 2020, she condemned the ‘Babu Culture’ of the government and called them responsible for limited participation of Indian start-ups at such global platforms. In an open letter, which she had posted on Twitter, she wrote:
“URGENT HELP NEEDED IN DAVOS2020: #DearPMModi – Sir, I just arrived Davos and just like at CES 2020 in the US last week, I have established a Startup Hub here for my Indian and American startups / NGOs at my own expense of course.
Sir, Indian Babudom seems to be arriving into Davos pitching Indian startups and tech talent, and I don’t see a SINGLE Indian startup or unicorn being brought along. This will spook out serious investors who WANT to bring billions into India.
Not seeing a SINGLE startup / unicorn OFFICIALLY representing India Sir, it will only reinforce everyone’s perception that Indian Babudom is opaque, corrupt and controlling. If we want Well Wishers to Invest in India, Babudom needs to go INVISIBLE Sir!
It is disappointing sir to see just Babus and the SAME Dozen or so big family old businesses coming to Davos each year.
This is NOT the face of India.
Where are our Fresh and Brilliant young startups and Unicorns??
I can’t find them in the official group??
Yes, my own startups are there sir, but I only represent my foundation and venture fund sir. And of course, my beloved India and the US as a citizen.
Young IITians & Indian engineers are almost ruling the outside IT world now – Google, Microsoft, Alphabet, Adobe and hundreds more top companies.
Smart tech savvy global Indians are the REAL jewels of the great Indian crown. Please send our top IITians and other top engineers to DAVOS. We will take care of the rest.
THANK YOU SIR AND WE WISH YOU WERE HERE.
JAI HIND! Bharat Mata ki Jai. Go India! Go America!”
Asha Jadeja Motwani has been critical and vocal of ‘Babu culture’ in India, which has repeatedly called out for creating roadblocks for Indian start-ups to fare well globally. She has laid emphasis on bringing structural changes so that India’s position of ease of doing business improves.
Asha Jadeja Motwani also set up a startup hub at WEF 2020 aiming to spearhead Startup revolution in India. The Motwani Jadeja Foundation (MJF) is a non-profit, distributed, global venture fund designed to transform entrepreneurs into creative change makers. The start-up portfolio reflects this ethos.
The Foundation aims to support and empower entrepreneurs to enable exponential change! It is industry-agnostic and particularly cares about impact investing in education, the maker movement and women’s rights.
Asha Jadeja Motwani is also involved in the Motwani Institute of Thought Leadership in Innovation (MITLI) which is a Silicon Valley think tank and advocacy platform designed to impact technology innovation and government policies in US-India. Established in 2018 with deep roots in Stanford, UC Berkeley, Google and over 200 tech companies in Silicon Valley MITLI is a first of its kind think tank powered by some of the most influential global thought leaders, academics, heads of state, and leaders in technology. MITLI is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in India, UK, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Nigeria and Kenya.
(Disclaimer: The above is a press statement issued by a media agency on behalf of Asha Jadeja Motwani and has been edited only for basic English.)
