While Thakkar acknowledges that there are still many challenges when it comes to doing business in Africa, he says the continent holds a fantastic opportunity going forward.
"I was flying to Dubai every weekend because I didn't have the money to set up a shop and have enough working capital to do an air cargo, " recalls Thakkar.
Mr Thakkar, scrutineer of the Indian water scene, says that although the installed capacity of India's hydro projects increased at a compound rate of 4.4% a year between 1991 and 2005, the amount of energy generated actually fell.