Build Dams, not just Shops - Taking Engineering Seriously
One of my tech Hero, Satya Nadella, recently commented in his interview that, " We as a society celebrate tech companies far too much versus the impact of technology. Quite honestly, if there was a more balanced way to talk about sort of not the tech industry but the use of tech right. Give people any tech; it doesn't matter; something changes; that’s the story; that’s the reason i joined tech industry; it was very different time; suddenly it became the place like we are celebrating ourself. I just hate it; I want to get to a place where we are talking about the technology being used to do something magical "
This perspective is a much needed corrective. In our rush to celebrate innovation, we often lose sight of its true purpose: solving real problems at scale, sustainably and responsibly. This is the essence of engineering leadership.
The Timeless Principle: Build Dams
Not just literal dams, but systems - physical or digital; that channel complexity into stability, convert potential into prosperity, and endure through changing times.
A Legacy of Engineering That Transforms Lives
Growing up on India’s east coast, where the Krishna and Godavari rivers meet the largest bay of the world, I witnessed how engineering shapes communities. The unpredictable rivers once brought devastation - floods, famine, and hardship. Then came Sir Arthur Cotton, an engineer who didn’t just design infrastructure; he created life-changing systems.
Cotton studied the terrain and local knowledge, building irrigation networks and the Godavari Anicut using local materials that transformed disaster zones into fertile lands. His work brought stability, prosperity, and dignity to entire communities. His legacy inspired generations, created wealth for communities, including one young admirer who would go on to build the world’s longest masonry dam on the River Krishna and served as India’s finest Union Minister of Irrigation and Power. Some of the other smartest minds who benefited from the new found wealth invested their acquired wealth into building new engineering tools, Art and also went on developing new projects and created industries. Cotton’s impact was so profound that people honour him with temples and celebrate his birth anniversaries; a testament to engineering’s power to create lasting societal value.
What “Build Dams” Means for Engineering Leaders Today
“Build dams” is a metaphor for purposeful engineering leadership. It means:
Creating infrastructure; physical or digital - that unlocks long-term value for enterprises and communities
Taming complexity with systems thinking and precision
Designing solutions that can act like a value machines for generations and advancing communities
Serving not just the system, but society at large
This requires more than tools or funding. It demands an engineering mindset grounded in rigor, empathy, and vision.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
In today’s era of rapid technological change, it’s easy to mistake flashy tools for true transformation. But real progress isn’t built on trends - it’s built on architecture, patience, and discipline. True change demands that we construct dams, not just shops - foundational systems that endure beyond the hype. It’s not about faster coding models or prettier image generators; it’s about building what solves, what uplifts, and what outlives the moment.
Some of humanity’s greatest wealth was created by infrastructure that stood the test of time: aqueducts, railroads, irrigation networks, power grids, and now intelligent platforms and scalable AI systems. These were born from empathy, courageous engineering thinking, not trend-chasing.
Let us return to true engineering leadership that's rooted in First Principles. It is grounded in:
Scientific rigor and empirical validation
Design integrity and thoughtful architecture
Iterative improvement and resilience
Long-term responsibility and ethical stewardship
Whether designing a bridge, a digital platform, or organizational policy, the question remains: Does this serve with excellence? Will it stand the test of time?
Building Dams
Let sellers build shops. We choose to build dams. Let us invest in foundational systems that make life better not just faster. Let us empower engineers who understand the terrain, not just the tools. Let us reclaim engineering as a force for nation-building, innovation, and resilience.
The world can create fleeting wealth with gimmicks and viral trends. But the greatest, most enduring wealth comes from building dams;
That’s the real story of engineering. It’s what inspired me to join the world of tech as well; not to chase trends or accolades, but to be part of something meaningful. Today, I salute the true engineering companies and engineers - those visionaries who laid the foundations of dams, who turned adversity into opportunity, and whose work continues to elevate humanity, one structure, one system, one solution at a time.#BuildDams