Indra Nooyi: A Biography

by Annapoorna

‘the candle has to melt to let the light shine.

Good thought

“Aim high and put your heart into it.” If she wanted to just earn enough to settle down to a comfortable life, she may not have needed to know the intricacies of baseball. But when you

want to get to the heart of things and be more than just average or ‘good enough’ then you have to overcome every single weakness of your heart.

Another tenet of Indra’s is “never stop learning”. Regardless of age or qualification, Indra’s success in life can also be attributed to her open mind and learner’s attitude. She believes that such learning should not be restricted to academic knowledge but be supplemented with “street smarts”, by being aware of matters and issues in the real world. “Keep that natural curiosity,” as she always says.

“Never hide what makes you.”

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” — Abraham Lincoln —

If your actions inspire others to dream more learn more, do more and become more you are a leader

“I love my family, but PepsiCo’s also my child. So really I don’t look upon it as a chore. In fact, I find work very therapeutic.”

“Look, when you pull into the garage, leave the crown there. Don’t walk in with it, because you are first a wife and a mother. And if the family needs milk, you go get the milk. That is your primary role in life. Everything else you got because I pray for four to five hours a day.” Recalling this incident some years later, Indra laughingly said, “That is the only thing she tells me, ‘What did you accomplish? You sit in a meeting on a chair all the time, and I pray for 4-5 hours!’”