Shiv: Unless they publish, how do I know? I can't make out from what they say in the press. A press statement may be given with a very good intention, but it says nothing beyond it. If it comes from corporations they run, then it is corporate social responsibility (CSR). That's different from philanthropy. CSR is a lot of shareholders, including me. It's not ours. Here (at the Foundation), between Roshni and me, whatever we have spent has gone out of our bank accounts. That clarity has to be there in any charitable foundation.

Shiv: Former Cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian was on the board of HCL, chairman of the audit committee. Given his background and track record, he is known for his independence. Moni Malhoutra is a former IAS officer and a Rhodes Scholar. They know India very well and can tells us what social areas we can contribute to. And this helps a lot in a foundation like ours.

Shiv: We may expand the board as and when need be. There's also a board for VidyaGyan Schools and Shiv Nadar Schools, where members are eminent professionals in their fields. Trustees are more to define strategy and outline areas where we should be.

Shiv: Nothing is for-profit. That's why we have the balance sheet for anyone to see. We have not created a surplus anywhere. There will never be. If we want to make a profitable activity out of education, number one, we know how to do it, and number two, we have the best record of anyone doing it - NIIT was promoted by HCL.

Shiv: It's a long way to go. Ours is a foundation in which two generations are working together. We (pointing to Roshni Nadar) have never worked together in business. It will take 25 years to meet some of the objectives. In 10 years, you can get the infrastructure. But to get the research side of it, to see the output, it will take time.

Shiv: Roshni’s goal is that we will have a prime minister coming out of VidyaGyan institutions. When I see those young children (at VidyaGyan schools), there is something about them. I have this intuitive sense, much like businesses that I have started out of sheer intuition…I can sense that ability among these rural scholars.