Who is Vinod Gupta?

A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Vin Gupta holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, as well as a Master of Science in Engineering and a Master of Business Administration. Currently overseeing the operations of Everest Capital Partners, Inc., a private equity and venture capital consulting firm that he established in 1987, Mr. Gupta maintains a strong commitment to providing educational opportunities to young scholars in India, the country of his birth. The world’s second-most populous country, India stands at the forefront of international commerce expansion, due in part to a marked increase in agricultural productivity and technological advancement. As India’s position in the global marketplace becomes more prominent, professionally accomplished individuals such as Vin Gupta respond in a proactive manner, giving back by donating considerable amounts to those academic institutions that serve as training grounds for the country’s next generation of leaders.

Utilizing the resources of the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation, Vin Gupta supports several pioneering programs at the University of Lucknow, a school located in Uttar Pradesh, India. In the past few years, Mr. Gupta provided the University of Lucknow with approximately $2 million to fund the development of the Dr. Giri Lal Gupta Institute of Public Health (GLGIOPH) and the Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma Institute of Democracy (SDSIOD). In addition to his fiscal contributions to the GLGIOPH and SDSIOD, Mr. Gupta facilitated the creation of the William Jefferson Clinton Science and Technology Center at Gochar Intermediate College. Vin Gupta also made large donations that resulted in the founding of the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law and the Vinod Gupta School of Management at the Indian Institute of Technology. To learn more about the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation’s commendable work, visit http://www.vingupta.com.

Beginner’s Guide to Golf, Part 2: Grips and Swings

by Vinod Gupta

In the first installment of our beginner’s guide to golf, we divulged that one’s grip and swing was instrumental to one’s overall performance in golf. In this segment, we discuss different grips and swings. Test them out and find which work best for you.

1. Grips
Interlocking Grip: While holding your club, wrap the index finger of your leading hand, the hand that is closer to the end of the golf club, around the pinkie finger of the trailing hand, the hand that is lower on the club. Most commonly used by shorter people with thicker hands, the interlocking grip applies to all golfers regardless of size as it provides excellent leverage.

Baseball Grip: Somewhat similar to the interlocking grip, the baseball grip is performed by resting trailing hand’s pinkie atop your leading hand’s index finger. While effective, the baseball grip is best utilized by golfers who have less wrist strength.

Overlapping Grip: For this grip, place your trailing hand’s pinkie finger overtop your leading hand’s index finger. Note that the overlapping grip requires strong wrists and forearms.

2. Stance
While there are many grips and swings, most golfers use one stance but have their own methods of settling into it. Firstly, balance your weight. Second, you will likely be tense when you start out, but it is important to relax. Third, bend at the hips and allow a slight flex in your knees. Finally, let your arms hang naturally after you have bent at the hips without allowing your arms to bend straight; you want an angle between the club’s shaft and your arms.

You are now ready to study swings. Note that all swings begin with settling into your stance

3. Swings
Downswing: The power in this swing should come from the leverage in the angle between wrists and club shaft. Maintain the angle as much as possible, and keep your head behind the ball until your follow through. Swing slowly and steadily; rushing the downswing typically results in poor accuracy.

Backswing: Making sure to keep your left arm straight, rear back as far as you can, then follow through strong.

4. Follow Through
This stage begins after you have reared back for your swing. Adhere to the tips describe in “Swings” and do not deviate: if you hesitate or shift your stance or swing, your shot will be erratic at best. Let your head come up naturally after you make contact with the ball.

The most important element in any grip, stance, swing, or follow through is patience. It will take time to learn how to execute these maneuvers flawlessly, and even then, perfection remains elusive.

Michael Crichton

by Vinod Gupta

In my leisure time, I greatly enjoy immersing myself in an absorbing book, particularly one written by bestselling author Michael Crichton. Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1942, Crichton passed away in 2008, leaving a legacy of highly creative fiction and engrossing, informative nonfiction behind. Widely recognized for his work in the genres of science fiction, thrillers, and medical fiction, Crichton also utilized his considerable talent as a screenwriter, producer, and director. Additionally, Crichton is credited as the only writer ever to have television, film, and book projects concurrently charting at number one. Released simultaneously, the medical drama ER, the Steven Spielberg–directed film Jurassic Park, and the novel Disclosure earned Crichton this distinction. Excellent examples of Crichton’s facility at exploring the connection between human hubris and technology gone wrong, Jurassic Park, The Lost World, The Andromeda Strain, Congo, and Sphere also reveal Crichton’s extensive understanding of medicine and science.

After graduating from Harvard University in 1964, Michael Crichton enrolled at Harvard Medical School, launching his writing career in conjunction with his studies in medicine. After publishing his first novel, Odds On, in 1966, Crichton went on to pen A Case of Need, the story of a pathologist investigating a young woman’s premature death after an illegal abortion. With a great deal of medical technology included in the plot, A Case of Need earned Crichton an Edgar Award in 1969. Subsequently, Crichton completed The Andromeda Strain, a novel that launched him into the upper echelons of popular fiction authors. Numerous other literary successes followed, including Congo, published in 1980; Jurassic Park, released in 1990; Rising Sun, a book that hit shelves in 1992; The Lost World, the 1995 sequel to Jurassic Park; and Timeline, a science fiction novel interweaving archaeology, time travel, and quantum physics. Other titles in Crichton’s body of work include Prey (2002), State of Fear (2004), Next (2006), and Pirate Latitudes (2009), published posthumously.

“Clintons Honored by School Naming,” by Vinod Gupta

To hear the names “Bill Clinton High School” or “Hillary Clinton Nursing School,” one may envision a campus in any U.S. city or rural Arkansas. Surprisingly, these two schools are part of the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation’s continued effort to provide educational opportunities in India.

The foundation, established in 1997, formed to provide educational opportunities to impoverished regions of India. Growing from a single School of Business in West Bengal, India, the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation now oversees nine separate schools on multiple campuses. Beyond the Clinton schools, which provide secondary education and nursing career training, the foundation’s schools provide courses in business and management, vocational training, science, intellectual property law, public health, and democracy.

About the Author: Vinod Gupta, through the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation’s school, The World Education Foundation, and the Clinton Foundation, believes that education is the most valuable tool in building developing nations.

Vinod Gupta Donates to Conservation Efforts

Vinod Gupta, a native of India and a U.S. technology entrepreneur, places a high value on conservation and the protection of endangered species and fragile ecosystems. Recently, Gupta made several large donations to tiger protection efforts in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Northern India. The reserve, located in the Sawai Madhopur district in Southern Rajasthan, played an important role in India’s past. Ruins and archeological sites stand throughout the park, and the area once served as a favorite hunting ground to the maharajas of Jaipur. Today, the park serves as a destination for international eco-tourism, and represents one of the best places on Earth for observing tigers in their natural habitat.

Vinod Gupta donated funds for several major improvements to the park. Gupta’s donations improved area irrigation systems, restoring habitat for the tigers. He funded improvements to several essential structures on the grounds of the reserve. Finally, Vinod Gupta donated computer equipment so that conservation staff can better monitor and protect the reserve’s tiger populations. Through the efforts of philanthropists like Gupta, preservationists hope to protect the tigers so that future generations can admire their strength and beauty.

Michael Lewis

One of my favorite authors, journalist Michael Lewis writes insightful nonfiction about topics at the intersection of finance and culture. Currently a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, Lewis grew up in New Orleans and graduated from Princeton University with a degree in art history. Subsequently, Lewis relocated to England, where he earned a Master’s degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and joined the investment firm Salomon Brothers (which eventually merged with Citigroup). Lewis began working as a journalist while functioning as a bond salesman at Salomon Brothers before eventually leaving to pursue a writing career. Lewis’ first book, the 1989 Liar’s Poker, describes his experiences at Salomon with an unflattering portrayal of Wall Street culture, as well as an overview of the economic climate of the time.

In addition to contributing to publications such as the New York Times Magazine, Bloomberg, and Slate, Lewis has authored 12 books during his career, many of which investigate financial and cultural phenomena. In his 1999 book, The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story, Lewis examines the driving motivations of the engineers and entrepreneurs behind the Silicon Valley boom. In Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, published in 2003, Lewis turns his analytical eye to figuring out how the Oakland Athletics baseball team built a consistently winning roster despite a lack of funds. Lewis’s 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game follows the development of offensive football strategy, as well as the story of Baltimore Ravens left tackle Michael Oher. The Blind Side eventually became a 2009 film that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. In his most recent book, The Big Shot: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Lewis returns to his roots with a gripping and comprehensive picture of the financial crisis of the last decade.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln

After graduating from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Vinod Gupta came to the United States in 1967 to pursue graduate studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to earning a Master of Science in Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, Vinod Gupta received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nebraska in recognition of his contributions in business and philanthropy. A committed supporter of advancing education, Vinod Gupta donated $2 million to University of Nebraska-Lincoln to establish a curriculum for small business management.

Chartered in 1869 as a land-grant university, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was one of the first institutions west of the Mississippi River to grant doctoral degrees. Since then, the University has continued to uphold its reputation as a leader in teaching and research. Known as the birthplace of the study of ecology, the University of Nebraska today serves as a center of research in the state, attracting significant amounts of funding for ambitious projects in science and the humanities. The College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska garners particular renown as the only engineering college in Nebraska.

Originally included in the charter as the Industrial College, the College of Engineering currently enjoys an unprecedented rate of growth. The University of Nebraska College of Business Administration (CBA) similarly offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs as home to the Center for Economic Education, the National Center for Research in Economic Education, the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Center for Insurance and Risk Management. For nearly 100 years, CBA has trained more than 30,000 distinguished alumni to positively impact businesses and communities in the world, a vision that Vinod Gupta actively works to achieve today.

Beginner’s Guide to Golf, Part 1: Starting Out

By: Vinod Gupta

Considered a “thinking man’s” sport, golf can be as mentally stimulating as it is relaxing—provided you know what you are doing. Before you tee off, consider these pieces of advice.

Forego Expensive Equipment

If you are not careful, golf can become an expensive sport: clubs, club bag, gloves, shoes, shirts, golf course memberships… Rather than buying the shiniest, most expensive equipment you can find, head to the driving range and use their clubs. At this stage, it is more important for you to get a good feel for swinging and hitting the ball than sporting name brand gear.

When and Where to Buy Clubs

You have probably noticed that professional golfers deliberate over what type of club to use for certain shots. It will take you a good deal of time to become proficient enough to worry about such concerns. When you have spent some time at a driving range and feel you are ready for your own clubs, buy half a set of clubs to save some money. A putter, two woods, a wedge, and iron numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9 will be enough to get you started. General sports equipment stores usually have clubs, but they tend to be overpriced. Talk to friends and find out where they bought their clubs and if they are satisfied with the investment. Then browse the stores they recommend. You should also try Pro shops and driving ranges for second-hand clubs.

Invest in Lessons

It will be tempting to visit the nearest golf course once you have your clubs, but first you should invest in a golf instructor. Your instructor will teach you forms and swings, which you should practice at a driving range whenever you have time.

The Keys to a Proper Swing

There are three key ingredients to a proper swing: grip, stance, and posture. Each element plays an important role in how and where you hit the ball. Talk to instructors and friends for tips on how to stand, grip your club, swing, and follow through on the hit.

Your First Course

Once you and your instructor feel you are ready to play on a course, there are a few considerations to bear in mind. Choose a course with a relatively low traffic so as not to hold up parties behind you while you are still learning the ins and outs of the game. Second, opt for a 9-hole course instead of an 18-hole course: 9-hole courses make for good introductions to the sport.

Beginner’s Guide to Golf, Part 2: Grips and Swings

The William J. Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative (1/2)

by Vinod Gupta

In conjunction with my duties serving as Chairman of the World Education Foundation and General Partner at Everest Capital Partners, Inc., I maintain a trusteeship with the William J. Clinton Foundation, the organization that manages the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). Dedicated to improving our world through active collaboration, CGI oversees a multitude of civic and environmental programs geared toward creating a brighter future for all global citizens. Focusing its efforts on issues such as climate change, poverty, health care, and education, CGI commits a great deal of energy to connecting international political leaders, university students, and proactive public citizens for the purpose of developing and implementing change through action on a worldwide scale. Established in 2005, CGI boasts an impressive record of accomplishment and has raised approximately $57 billion to fund a wide range of commendable projects in more than 170 countries. Due to the Clinton Global Initiative’s activities, 33 million acres of forest now qualify as protected land, preserved for generations to come. CGI also succeeded in cutting carbon monoxide emissions by 60 million metric tons, concurrently generating enough clean energy to power over 400,000 homes. Highly involved in fighting poverty, as well, CGI facilitates a number of ambitious educational endeavors. Today, Nearly 9 million people who were previously jobless are employed or possess access to income-building opportunities. Of these 9 million, 650,000 are equipped with newly acquired professional skills. Moreover, CGI funds the education of 10 million children living in impoverished or overlooked communities. In the arena of global health, CGI has invested over $150 million in pioneering medical research to date, also partnering with community activists to ensure that all members of the global community possess the ability to obtain proper health care. As a result of CGI’s work, approximately 48 million individuals no longer lack access to appropriate medical attention. Only a partial list of CGI’s achievements thus far, the aforementioned statistics speak volumes regarding the organization’s capability to reshape our future for the better.

The William J. Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative (2/2) here

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