When people are asked about their source of inspiration, they typically make reference to a famous person, a family member or a former boss. Bimal Dayal, unconventionally, believes that hard work is the best inspiration. His thought process is refreshing. "One gathers different experiences every day and learns from individuals who are not necessarily rich or famous," he says. "For me, even the simple experience of watching birds in my garden teaches me a lot. This is as valuable as reading about the exploits of the rich and the famous."

Dayal carries this outlook to the boardroom as well. "At Indus Towers, my role is that of a chief operating officer and my deliverables are fairly simple. They include ensuring profits for the company through operational excellence along with top line growth."

His participative management style helps. "I believe in keeping deadlines in view and generating a consensus from the team.I empower my team to take decisions and dive into the project when the situation calls for it. However, when it comes to delivering, the key is to nurture the team and select the right people for the right job," he elaborates.

Dayal has two bachelor's degrees, in electronics and communications, from the Delhi College of Engineering and a law degree from Delhi University. He has earlier worked with Ericsson in Sweden and Sri Lanka, where he was in charge of several management and operations-related functions, and with BT Global, Maxis, Hutchison and Telenor. Prior to his current assignment he worked as country manager and vice-president of business development with Qualcomm, India and South Asia.

When asked about his most memorable assignment, he says, "Each project has its own memorable moments. When I was with Tata Telecom, we set up telecom networks for the Indian army. At this time, I had the opportunity of exploring India extensively. I travelled from the Northeast to the Rann of Kutch.
Similarly, at Ericsson, I gained global exposure. I lived in places such as Stockholm and Sri Lanka, and this enabled me to view the telecom space from an international perspective."

What has remained constant throughout his career is a brisk and bustling schedule. "My day usually starts early and is peppered with meetings. My calendar is usually blocked 20-25 days in advance as I like to keep my time well slotted," he says.

Adding value to his hectic working career is his family, which has lent him strong support every step of the way. "My weekends are only for family. This is my recharge time," he says. He also enjoys going to the gym three times a week.