India rejoices as Ajay Banga and Guneet Monga take world by storm
Both stay grounded and swear by their Delhi roots
Ajay Banga and Guneet Monga
It goes without saying that the nomination of Banga as the U.S. candidate for World Bank president is great news for India, which is poised to host the G-20 summit in New Delhi in September
Notwithstanding his last week’s brief visit to Delhi where he grew up, the next World Bank chief Ajay Banga must be feeling happy as this city has given him dreams to reach the dizzy heights in life. And though Ajay Banga is not related to Oscar award winner film maker GuneetMonga, they have many things in common. They are both Sikhs and proud Indians.
Both Banga, an alumnus of St. Stephan’s College, Delhi, and Monga are devout Sikhs. The former was raised in Hyderabad and Delhi.
Apart from several important positions in MasterCard and on the boards of American Red Cross, Kraft Foods, and Dow Inc., Banga is presently vice-chairman of General Atlantic, has more than 30 years of business expertise.
Last month, President Joe Biden announced that Washington was nominating Banga to lead the World Bank after its current chief David Malpass announced plans to step down early.
Says former Rajya Sabha member Trilochan Singh, “wewant to felicitate both Banga and Guneet together. Their achievements are mindboggling.”
Banga has rare distinction of serving Joe Biden and Barack Obama. In his role as co-chair of the Partnership for Central America, a group of private sector organisations, Banga collaborated closely with US Vice-President Kamala Harris to mobilise resources for Northern Central America from government, corporate, and non-profit sectors.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting US in 2015, Banga met Modi and discussed on how investments from the US to India could be increased.
Meanwhile, after a big win at the 95th Academy Awards, producer Monga is getting invitations from his old neighbours in Delhi to visit them.
"It is a great feeling as Guneet has made every Indian proud. It feels good that her production house has produced several blockbusters,” says Dr. Devendra Gupta, aneighbour of Monga’s parents.
It may be recalled that ‘The Elephant Whisperers' is the first Indian film to win an Oscar in this category. The movie has been directed by KarikiGonsalves and produced by GuneetMonga.
Those who are close to Banga and Monga say that both are grounded and swear by their roots.
It goes without saying that the nomination of Banga as the U.S. candidate for World Bank president is great news for India, which is poised to host the G-20 summit in New Delhi in September.
Though Monganow lives in Mumbai, Delhi has a very special place in her life. She married Sunny Kapoor, also from Delhi, last year.
At the end, one only hopes that Ajay Banga and GuneetMonga continue to make their presence felt across the world and keep the Indian flag flying high all over.
(The author is Delhi-based senior journalist and writer. He is author of Gandhi's Delhi which has brought to the forth many hidden facts about Mahatma Gandhi)
