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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Cultural identity begins once again

AI generated image New Delhi: The Assam government's decision to introduce the UCC Bill in the state assembly on Monday marks a significant shift in the political landscape. After Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam has become the third BJP-ruled state to move decisively toward giving legal shape to the Uniform Civil Code. Indications also suggest that the issue may soon emerge at the center of political discourse in West Bengal. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora introduced the "Assam...

Cultural identity begins once again

AI generated image New Delhi: The Assam government's decision to introduce the UCC Bill in the state assembly on Monday marks a significant shift in the political landscape. After Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam has become the third BJP-ruled state to move decisively toward giving legal shape to the Uniform Civil Code. Indications also suggest that the issue may soon emerge at the center of political discourse in West Bengal. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora introduced the "Assam Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026" in the Assembly. The proposed legislation extends far beyond issues of marriage and divorce, touching several sensitive aspects of the social structure. According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the law seeks to regulate five major areas, a ban on polygamy, a uniform minimum age for marriage, compulsory registration of marriages and divorces, equal inheritance rights for daughters in ancestral property, and mandatory registration of live-in relationships. The government argues that the legislation is aimed at providing legal protection to women and eliminating entrenched social evils. The most striking aspect of the Assam model, however, is its "exception clause." Scheduled Tribes have been kept outside the ambit of the proposed law, whether they reside in the hills or the plains. Traditional religious customs and rituals have also been exempted. This reflects the government's attempt to balance the message of equality with the ethnic and cultural sensitivities of the Northeast. Indeed, this remains one of the core challenges of Indian federalism that maintaining harmony between uniformity and diversity. The opposition has sharply criticised the Bill both inside and outside the Assembly from the very beginning of the session. While the ruling party claims that introducing the UCC fulfills one of its key electoral promises, opposition parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Raijor Dal have questioned both the timing of the legislation and its potential social consequences. Assam Congress working president Zakir Hussain Sikdar described the move as the BJP's "political agenda" and asked what tangible benefit it would bring to ordinary citizens. The opposition has also alleged that there was no broad-based social or political consultation before introducing the Bill. Roots of Idea Yet, the idea of a Uniform Civil Code is far from new. Article 44 of the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution directs the State to endeavour to secure a common civil code for all citizens. The roots of this idea can be traced back to the colonial era. In 1835, the British government proposed the concept of a uniform law, though personal religious laws were kept outside its scope. Goa, through the Portuguese Civil Code, has long had a form of common civil law in place. However, in independent India, Uttarakhand became the first state to take a concrete step in this direction. The UCC Bill was introduced in the Uttarakhand Assembly in February 2024 and implemented in January 2025 after receiving presidential assent. The Uttarakhand model granted equal property rights to sons and daughters and made registration of live-in relationships mandatory, while exempting Scheduled Tribes. Gujarat, too, passed a UCC Bill this year, with a particular emphasis on inheritance laws. Under the proposed framework, if a person dies intestate, parents, children, and spouses would receive equal shares in the property. Highlighted Need The judiciary, too, has repeatedly underscored the need for a Uniform Civil Code. In the landmark Shah Bano case, the Supreme Court observed that Article 44 had remained "a dead letter" and stated that a common civil code could strengthen national integration. In the Sarla Mudgal judgment as well, the Court expressed disappointment over the failure to implement the UCC. Again in 2015, the Supreme Court reiterated the need to uphold the spirit of Article 44 by moving toward a common civil framework for the entire country. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was among the strongest advocates of a Uniform Civil Code. During the Constituent Assembly debates, he argued that such a law would apply equally to people of all religions and would have nothing to do with religious practices themselves. He believed that ensuring equality in matters of family, marriage, inheritance, and civil rights was the duty of the State, so that individual rights would not be compromised in the name of community traditions.

Why I Wrote ‘From Startups to Success’

A practical guide for aspiring entrepreneurs and dreamers from ordinary backgrounds carrying extraordinary ambitions.

When I first arrived in San Francisco in 1969 with just seventy-five cents in my pocket, I could never have imagined that one day I would write a book on entrepreneurship and business leadership. I came from Taravada, a small village in Gujarat, where opportunities were limited, but dreams were not. My parents, despite having very little formal education, taught me values that would shape my entire life: integrity, discipline, faith and hard work. Those values later became the foundation on which I built businesses across engineering, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and hospitality in the United States.


My earlier book, From the Village to the World, focused on my personal journey from rural India to building a business empire in America. It told the story of struggle, migration, faith and perseverance. However, after the release of that book, many young people reached out to me, asking not just about my life, but about the practical lessons behind it. They wanted to know how businesses are built, how setbacks are overcome and how one develops the courage to take risks. That is what inspired me to write From Startups to Success.


I wanted this book to become more than a memoir. I wanted it to serve as a practical guide for aspiring entrepreneurs and dreamers from ordinary backgrounds who carry extraordinary ambitions within them. Entrepreneurship is often glamorised today, but people rarely speak honestly about the emotional struggles, uncertainty and discipline it demands. In the book, I write, “The courage to start is the key that unlocks endless possibilities.” That belief has guided my life for decades.


One of the central ideas in the book is what I call “The One Per Cent Mindset". Many people dream of building businesses, but only a few are willing to persist when difficulties arise. As I explain in the book, “The one per cent don’t just dream; they dare. They endure. They persist when others quit.” I have personally experienced this truth throughout my entrepreneurial journey.


No Experience

When I started Pentadyne Circuit Board Manufacturing in California during the 1980s, I had no prior experience in PCB manufacturing. Yet I was determined to learn. I spent months visiting factories, studying systems and meeting consultants. Eventually, I introduced a “Guaranteed Delivery" model because delayed deliveries were a major problem in the industry at the time. Customers trusted us because we solved a real problem for them. That experience taught me that successful businesses are built not only through innovation but also through reliability, preparation and understanding customer needs.


Another reason I wrote this book was to emphasise that success is not only measured through wealth. Throughout my life, family and social responsibility have remained at the centre of everything I have done. In From Startups to Success, I write, “True success is living with purpose, building something that outlasts me, and lifting others as I rise.” I believe entrepreneurship should create value not only for the individual but also for families, communities and future generations.


The book also explores the importance of stepping beyond comfort zones. Looking back, every meaningful turning point in my life came from embracing uncertainty. Leaving India, beginning businesses in unfamiliar industries and taking calculated risks were never easy decisions. But growth never comes from comfort. As I write in the book, “Comfort zones are deceptive. They feel safe, but they are cages.” That lesson became deeply personal to me after immigrating to America and rebuilding my life from scratch.


Deeply Practical

At the same time, I wanted the book to remain deeply practical. It contains chapters on leadership, financial discipline, negotiation skills, operational systems, customer relationships and sustainable growth. However, beyond business strategies, I also wanted readers to understand the importance of resilience and adaptability. Markets change constantly.


Industries evolve, and failures are inevitable. The entrepreneurs who survive are the ones who continue learning and moving forward despite setbacks.


Today, much of my focus is directed toward education and giving back to society. Initiatives such as the Taravada Swaminarayan Gurukul and the development of Dharmajivan University in Gujarat reflect my belief that education is one of the greatest tools for transformation. I have always believed that real success lies in uplifting others along the way.


Ultimately, From Startups to Success is not simply a business book. It is a reflection of my life philosophy, shaped through decades of struggle, faith and perseverance. If there is one


message I hope readers carry with them is this: your beginnings do not define your future. As I write in the book, “You don’t need to be born into the one per cent to become one of them. You just have to believe in yourself, work hard and stay persistent.”


(The writer is an author.)

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