‘I have zero tolerance for people who are arrogant’

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: Indian entrepreneurs. He also started Infinity Venture Capital, which finances and supports start-ups till the time they are mature enough to attract bigger investments. “There is more fun in creating something new. With Infinity, we created twenty more companies that have changed rules in their own way.” Indiabulls, India Games and Avendus Advisors got their early funding from Infinity.

If quitting a top job with Unisys and starting his own company was a tough call, so was going against his parents’ wishes and joining IIT. “My father was in the civil service and while at school, it was automatically assumed that I would also become an IAS officer.” Srivastava says that he and his two other friends took the entrance exam for IIT “without studying very hard for it” and secured first, second (Saurabh) and fourth positions. Later, he went on to do his masters from Harvard and thereafter joined IBM.

After years of hard work, Srivastava says that he doesn't lose sleep over work issues any more. Instead it is societal issues that get him worked up. “It is the 20% privileged population of India that should do something for the 80% who are underprivileged.”

Having crossed many professional milestones in his life, Srivastava is now involved with many non-profit organisations. He has even helped his wife Rekha set up Sampark. “God has been kind to me. It will be presumptuous to say that I am what I am today because of my hard work. Everyone who works hard doesn't get there.” Which is also why flaunting of wealth is a big no-no for him.

Rekha, his wife of 33 years, is a teacher by profession. She has given up teaching to take up the cause of education for underprivileged children now. So, is she proud of him? “Why not,” comes a reply to which Srivastava quickly adds, “Rekha is hard to impress.”

So, what was his experience like on his many trips abroad? “Oh, in the late ‘60s, India commanded no respect, it was a failed nation, perceived as a country of beggars, scrounging for food. How people abroad respect you depends on how they respect your country. Indians are first grade people, but the country is second grade because it is run by third grade governments,” he says.