BUSINESSGOA
50
Goa’s Only Business Magazine
PANAJI GOA VOL 5 ISSUE 4
OCTOBER 2013
raul fernandes
The owner of Herald and its group publications believes that he runs an enterprise based on people’s trust
www.businessgoa.in
News Views Articles Interviews Profiles Focus Analysis Opinions Events Features
Contents
October 2013
28 Goan Brand
the re-making of patto plaza
12
Thereza’s Masalas have taken the Goan market by storm with their fresh flavours and bursting with spices
36 Professional Dossier Chartered Accountant, Sandip Bhandare on his incredible journey over the years to being a successful professional
30
12 Cover Story
38 Lady Power
18 Focus Goa
50 Bon Appétit
Raul Fernandes has made Herald a must read paper for the masses of Goa. And gone ahead to create a media empire of sorts with its sister publications
Khairoo Khavtay talks about her prowess in the insurance industry and her responsibilities as a woman
The creative aspect of the advertising industry is coming out of its shell in Goa. A look at some of the dream merchants
Shannon Smith, owner of The Backyard, offers a variety of food and entertainment for her customers to indulge in
20 Starting Young
36
Farah and Vinita of Truly Glamour discuss their passion for fashion and their journey to establishing their own business
22 Enterprise
Felipe Alvares, owner of Prime Electronics talks about his business mantra ‘giving a little extra’
50
24 Interview
COLUMNS
Jose Noronha, Chairman of the Goa State Pollution Control Board discusses his plans and priorities for the State
26
Industry Kiran Shirsat of Golden Goa mineral water discusses his journey from giving up a secure engineering job in Pune to setting up a base and an industrial production plant in Goa
22
24
06 Editorial 08 Corpo Scan 34 Campus 34 Book Shelf 34 BG Crossword 46 What’s Up Goa 52 Goa Buzz 54 Newsmakers 54 BG Quiz Cover Pic: Shammiullah Sayyed
04 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
40 Reluctant Entrepreneur 40
Blaise Costabir discusses the process of entrepreneurs trying to get a maximum subsidy offered by the Government, making the cardinal error of ‘over invoicing’
41
41 Letter from America
42
42 Farm Fresh
44
Jay Dehejia discusses the widening of the gap between haves and have-nots in the wake of political prowess
Manguirish Pai Raiker feels that it is high time we make the youth aware of agriculture through vocational education
44 People Tree
Organization Development practices systematic planning process. The organizations who have integrated O.D. enjoy the fruits of change
BUSINESSGOA
50
Goa’s Only Business Magazine
PANAJI GOA VOL 5 ISSUE 4
OCTOBER 2013
EDITORIAL
hbhatkuly@gmail.com
Media Baron RAUL FERNANDES
The
The owner of Herald and its group publications believes that he runs an enterprise based on people’s trust
www.businessgoa.in
Service issues
News Views Articles Interviews Profiles Focus Analysis Opinions Events Features
How many people does it take to change a
have made, not to mention a barrage of SMSes
lightbulb?
that you are subjected to if you are unlucky to have
Editor & Publisher Harshvardhan Bhatkuly
established contact with their grievance cells.
businesses nowadays is the failure of systems – or
Co-Publisher & Group Head Urvija Bhatkuly
as they would like you to know ‘server problem’.
claims of being an intelligent people really holds
Be it a bank where you need an urgent statement
any water. Try this – go to any service business
of ‘your own account’, to the internet service
– the bigger, the funnier. And ask them to resolve
provider whose services you wish to discontinue
any simple issue and see if the person manning
or the cooking gas dealer with whom you have to
the help desk can assist you without referring the
get your Aadhar card synced. It is absurd, comical
matter to his/her senior. Nine out of ten times you
VOL 5 | ISSUE 4 | OCTOBER 2013
Advisory Board Datta Damodar Naik Ralph de Sousa Rajiv D’Silva Swapnil Kamat
The common refrain at most service oriented
and frustrating – all at once, that the
Team Alisha Patel Annalise Gouveia Pritesh Naik Ashok Kolvekar Govit Morajkar Monaliza Dias Sigmund D’Souza Mark Alphonsus
word ‘system’ that was included in
Contributors in this Issue Janice Rodrigues Blaise Costabir Jay Dehejia Manguirish Pai Raiker Kishore Shah
there will be no respite from snafus
Editorial, Advertising & Administrative Office SAVOIR FAIRE MEDIA Business Goa 101/5, Rua Thomas Ribeiro Fontainhas- Mala Panaji, 403001 Goa India Tel.: 0832-2425514, 6456555
the most irritating thing a ‘customer
the business lexicon to bring in an element of fool-proofism, is being blamed for human frailty. Systems people often love to brag that “human beings fail, systems don’t”. Till such time that human beings are going to operate such systems is my guess. Some
years
ago,
I
was
attending a talk by Walter Vierra on customer relations. He felt that
All this makes me wonder whether our tall
will experience a dissatisfactory What do we response. offer travelers as When on the one hand there memorabilia from are marketing conclaves held to Goa? Clay ashtrays usher in the concept of customer shaped like a cashew fruit? Shell delight – not plain satisfaction, mind you; on the other, you are decorated time subjected to dimwit customer care pieces? or T shirts personnel. Step up India Inc. Our that say “it’s better patience is thinning. in Goa”? Goa definitely Memorabilia from Goa deserves to create a What is the one image of Goa a better takeaway for traveller would like to take home? travellers Like the Merlion of Singapore,
helpline’ can do is to make you punch obscure
or Eiffel tower of Paris or the cow-bells in
numbers to avail the help of executives who will
Switzerland. What do we offer travellers as
assist you resolve your issues. He felt that this
memorabilia from Goa? Clay ashtrays shaped like
was like adding insult to injury. I agree with his
cashew? Shell decorated time pieces? or T-shirts
observation and since then have looked with
that say “it’s better in Goa”? Isn’t it about time that
Email: businessgoa.media@gmail.com
circumspection at all those services that make me
as a serious tourist destination, Goa embarks on
Business Goa is a monthly magazine dedicated to trade, commerce and business features and news.
“dial 1 to speak in English” and the likes! However
developing a world-class insignia that travellers
big an organization, it should train its customer
can carry home with them? Of course, the hot-
care personnel to resolve customer grievances at
favourite of many are the azulejos tiles that are
a single point of contact. No matter how complex
available at select stores. But would you be able
those grievances may be.
to call them truly Goan? Not me. Maybe Goa’s
Owner, Publisher & Printer: Harshvardhan Bhatkuly Printed At: Printek Printers
Unsolicited material may not be returned. The opinions expressed in Business Goa are not necessarily that of the publishers. While great care is being taken to ensure accuracy of information, the publishers are not responsible for omissions or incorrect information. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers.
Even more irritating are those tele-callers
creative persons could come together or on their
from nondescript call centres who urge you to
own create a world class artifact that could spell
change your mind on certain decisions that you
Goa – to Goans and the world at large
www.facebook.com/businessgoa
06 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
www.twitter.com/businessgoa
corpo scan
Arlekar announces setting up of Agriculture Zone in Pernem Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly and Pernem MLA Rajendra Arlekar announced the setting up of an ‘Agriculture Zone’ in Pernem as a means to not only create employment opportunities but also to provide a boost to the farming activity.
Tourism industry welcomes Government’s move of VAT reduction on aviation fuel Hoteliers, charter operators only great understanding and other stakeholders of of the tourism industry but the tourism and hospitality also a capacity to decide industry have welcomed as the situation demands and evolves. It is an the Government’s decision to reduce VAT on turbine unprecedented decision fuel. taken by the CM despite Francisco de Braganca, Ralph de Sousa the state being starved President, TTAG said, “It is an of revenue on account of the innovative and bold move on the mining ban. The reduction in VAT part of our CM. Only he could will lower the cost of travel and think out of the box. It displays not in turn make Goa a competitive
destination.” TTAG Vice-President, Savio Messias also added that this was good news for the tourism industry as it was timely action by the Chief Minister. Terming the move as a great decision, Ernest Dias, Head of SITA, said, “This will help Goa in getting bigger and more aircrafts, thereby increasing the inflow of tourists. It will also reduce the
Goa plans to reduce water wastage by 25% in 6 years
GTDC registers net profit of Rs 40 Lakhs. Approves new proposals
As part of its plan to start 24x7 water supply in Goa, the Government has drawn up an ambitious plan to reduce the State’s Non-Revenue Water (NRW) from a present 45% to 20% within a period of six years. Goa hopes to further reduce its NRW to 15% within the subsequent five years. Goa produces about 464 MLD (Million Litres per Day) water from its seven water treatment plants; but considering that 45% is non-revenue water, around 209MLD is wasted. Hence the Government’s concern is to reduce the NRW and put it to
The Board of Directors of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) in its 131st meeting held recently took major decisions and approved proposals, keeping in mind the development of tourism in the State. After suffering a major loss of over Rs 6 Crore in 201112, the GTDC due to its pro-active and professional management of its assets turned around this year and bounced back by reporting a net profit of Rs. 40 Lakhs. To add more flair to adventure tourism, the Board approved proposal from MEHAIR, Mumbai for commencement of seaplane
judicious use. Goa still has the lowest NRW because the State has 100% metering. Delhi and Nagpur operate at 50% NRW, whereas Goa operates at around 45% NRW. The Government of India benchmark for NRW is 20%. The technical tie-up with the Japanese is fortunate as Japan operates at NRW of 5%. As a part of the collaboration, Japanese experts are training a large team of state PWD engineers for reduction and control of NRW level including techniques of using specialized equipment for locating the leakages, working out the NRW levels
GCCI President Nana Bandekar meets CM. Presents Cheque for Uttarakhand Relief
Yatin Kakodkar, Pratima Dhond, Nana Bandekar, Manohar Parrikar and Mahadev Naik
President of Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Narayan Bandekar, accompanied by Ms Pratima Dhond, Hon Treasurer and Yatin Kakodkar, Member Managing Committee met the Hon’ble Chief Minister and presented him with a cheque 08 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
of Rs 4,60,340 received from members of Goa’s oldest and most prominent business body. The sum was raised for the Chief Minister’s Goa Uttarakhand Relief Fund. Mahadev Naik, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, was also present
cost borne by charter operators.” Ralph de Sousa, Chairman, De Souza Group, pointed out that the rise of fuel prices was a worrying factor for the industry. “Thanks to the CM’s decision, many aircrafts will now choose Goa as a destination and refuel here. Besides international airlines, domestic airlines that frequent the state will also stand to benefit”
services for tourists, thereby promoting high-end adventure tourism. The Board also approved proposal for implementing new activities in Mayem Lake like floating barbeque, zip lines, water zorb balls etc. starting from the forthcoming tourist season
edc posts good financial results The Board of EDC Ltd., met under the Chairmanship of P. Krishnamurthy, IAS to approve the Annual Accounts for FY201213 of the Corporation, apart from other matters. The income achieved during FY2012-13 was Rs.6596.66 Lakh, as against Rs.5602.07 Lakh in the previous financial year (2011-12), an increase of about 18%. The profit after tax (PAT) achieved during FY2012-13 was Rs.3075.48 Lakh as against Rs.1999.94 Lakh during the previous year, an increase of about 54%. The profit from financial activities achieved during the current financial year is the highest ever, since inception of EDC Ltd., in 1975. EDC has continued to show a steady growth in spite of the general economic slowdown and overall recession
in the State. The measures taken by the Corporation during the last few years to streamline its operations and bring about financial discipline has enabled the Corporation to improve its performance. The Corporation has been able to deliver sustainable performance under the guidance of its Board of Directors. During the course of its operation, EDC has sanctioned Term Loans in excess of Rs.1000 crore to more than 8000 units. It has been associated directly or indirectly with the setting up of majority of industries in Goa by way of direct lending, joint sector participation, subsidiary operations etc., in the field of Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, Tourism, etc., resulting in economic activities and creation of jobs, all over the State
Despite name change, Sesa Sterlite’s identity with Goa ‘inseparable’
corpo scan
Sesa Goa changed its name to ‘Sesa Sterlite’, dropping the word ‘Goa’, but the coastal state still remains close to the heart of Panaji-headquartered Company, a top executive has said. “The identification of Goa won’t vanish. The company will always remain close to Goa,” Sanjiv Verma, Head Corporate Communications. The name of Sesa Goa was changed to Sesa Sterlite Ltd from September 18
3rd APFHRM Regional HR Conference hosted by NIPM Goa The country’s first ever Asia Pacific Federation of HR Management (APFHRM) conference, was held at Kala Academy in Panaji, Goa. The three-day affair was combined with the 32nd Annual National Conference of the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM), Goa Chapter. It aimed to provide its delegates a memorable learning and cultural experience while simultaneously attempting to direct young HR professionals towards business excellence. The theme of the conference
Anil Kumar, VP – HR was ‘Challenges – Opportunities – The Reliance Retail India and TV Rao, Chairman HR Way Ahead.’ It addressed various – TVR Learning aspects of HR like Systems, among others. Additionally, talent management, employee relations Ernst and Young were Shrinivas Dempo also associated with and managing people in cross cultural settings. Chief the conference as a knowledge Minister, Manohar Parrikar was partner. Gopal Nagpaul, Partner – Ernst and Young and Ryan the Chief Guest for the inaugural ceremony. Over the course of the Lowe, People and Organization conference, technical sessions – Ernst and Young also spoke at the event. Speaking at a press were held. These sessions had talks delivered by a number of conference prior to the event, eminent personalities like Yogi Shrinivas Dempo, Chairman of the Dempo Group, highlighted Sriram, Senior VP – L&T, CS
Shah Commission’s third report on Goa illegal mining soon
Justice Shah
The third and final report of the MB Shah Commission, which is probing illegal mining activity in Goa, would be submitted as early as possible, the retired Justice heading the panel, said. He said the Commission, which was appointed on November 22, 2010, is in the Kundes along with the Suzuki top brass
Kunde Suzuki was recently launched at the hands of the Executive Vice President of Suzuki motorcycles Atul Gupta in Nuvem. Also present at the launch were Prabhakar Kunde 10 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
process of winding up its inquiry. “We will submit the third report as early as possible,” Justice Shah told media. The Commission’s term ends on October 15 and it has already submitted two reports based on which the Supreme Court had imposed a temporary ban on mining activity in Goa, the largest exporter of iron-ore in the country. Shah said aspects which would be covered by the Commission in the third report would be declared subsequently. Sources said the third report would be crucial as it will dwell upon the financial transactions
and losses through illegal mining from 2006-2011. The Commission enquired into the bank transactions of exporters, traders and mining lease owners, to track down the exact financial transaction. The state government has already suspended its former Director of Mines and Geology, Arvind Lolienkar for his alleged involvement in the illegal mining scam. Two different cases have also been filed, one with the local crime branch and another with Lokayukta, in connection with the illegal mining scam which is pegged at Rs 35,000 crore
Kunde Suzuki launched (Chairman), Manguirish K u n d e (Managing Director), Ketan Kunde (Director) of Kunde Suzuki. Suzuki plans on launching n e w motorcycles in the next few months as Manguirish Kunde believes “this would increase their sales.” Kunde Suzuki also displays Superbikes within the price range of 10 to 18 lakhs which is a major attraction of the
showroom. Manguirish Kunde says, “The two wheeler market is growing and is the only constant in India. Our other dealership Polaris automobile is doing quite well. Hence we decided at expanding and this was a perfect opportunity to branch out.” He further adds, “Kunde Suzuki is by far the largest two wheeler showroom in Goa based on a 700 sq meter land in Nuvem. The only showroom in Goa having sales and service of two wheelers under one roof. We also have an above forty staff to cater to all customer needs. As we believe in customer satisfaction”
the current economic situation and the positive impact that the conference will have. “We currently need HR personnel,” he said. “The environment is volatile and HR is important.” He added, “The conference allows us to share experiences between businesses and what’s happening in different regions. P K Mukherjee, Managing Director of Sesa Goa, elaborated on the purpose of the conference. “HR professionals engage your emotions, making it one of the most challenging jobs,” he said
Intel India Academic Forum held In line with its commitment of equipping the next generation with the technology and entrepreneurial know-how to improve the world they live in, Intel India hosted the first Intel India Academic Forum 2013 in Goa. This two-day summit featured keynotes, power talks, panel discussions, networking opportunities and technology tracks on ‘Embedded and Communications’ and ‘Panel Computing’. Selected faculty from reputed engineering institutions across India; Government officials, Intel fellows and other senior technology industry leaders such as Prof. Partha Pratim Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. H. P. Khincha, Chairman, Karnataka Innovation Council; Prof. Roddam Narsimha, JNSCR, Bangalore; Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras; R Chandrashekhar, Former Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Government of India attended the forum. The Intel India Academic Forum has been created to build a common platform where representatives from Intel and higher educational institutes can come together in order to build an environment of interaction and opportunities that will foster collaboration between academia and industry with the aim of equipping students with the skills needed to innovate
COVER STORY raul fernandes
In a time when media houses are supported directly or indirectly by the corporate sector, one publication stands to defy the trend. Herald – one of Goa’s leading English dailies, and its sister concerns, have broken away from the belief that a publication cannot stand on its own in today’s competitive world By JANICE RODRIGUES
12 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
www.twitter.com/businessgoa
T
his story has its origin in the idyllic village of St Cruz. Just a few kilometres from the capital of Goa, the village has maintained its rural ethos. This cannot be brushed aside as coincidence, that most of the printing houses operating from Panaji were owned by families from St Cruz. J D Fernandes is one such printing and stationery company. The owner of the firm, A C Fernandes, purchased the Herald newspaper from its previous holders who published the paper in Portuguese. The aim was to bring out a ‘people’s paper’, a paper that is not a publicity vehicle of a political party or of a business house. A paper that would survive on its own strength. To visualise such a newspaper in the early 1980s would make A C Fernandes a rare visionary. When the reins of the newspaper passed on to Raul Fernandes, he decided to take it to newer heights. Raul was part of the team that launched Herald in its English avatar. As the son of the founder, A C Fernandes, he was groomed to take over the business of Herald Publications, giving it a new face, turning it into an English daily from its erstwhile Portuguese counterpart. Raul is known among his friends as a man passionate about technology and gizmos. Naturally, he brought in the latest in technology, a trademark of the Herald till date. “Herald Publications was launched in 1983 and I immediately got down to work,” says Raul. Buying out older dials from the Marathi paper Gomantak, which were on sale then, he set up the printing press in Merces, from where the printing was carried out for the initial years of the Publication, “Only later did we shift the printing unit to Verna,” says Raul, who soon upgraded the technology deployed to bring out a newspaper. “I purchased web dials that had been just introduced; I have always invested in the best of technology,” says Raul about Herald’s technologically advanced printing techniques,
something the company keeps updating regularly. With an initial investment of eight lakh Rupees way back in the early 1980s, Raul set out to fulfill a family dream of publishing a newspaper that would bring home news that matter. Every day. To call the initial phase ‘a bit of a struggle’ would be romanticising a herculean task. The funds were a big challenge and so was the process of putting together a team to run a daily newspaper. Also finding an editor who would head a ‘small local daily’ was no mean task. “No one would want to come and work in Goa and in Herald, as it was a small paper. A few Goans in Bombay promised but did not have the gumption to leave the comforts of working in big publishing houses to trade that with a small newly minted yet, uncertain daily in Goa. One man did. It was Rajan Narayan. Even though Rajan had worked in numerous other national publications and in advertising, when we put forward the plan, he accepted. He was the first editor of Herald,” says Raul about finding a suitable editor to head the newspaper. Under Rajan Narayan’s editorship, Herald released its first English
edition on the 10th October 1983. Speaking to media persons about the Herald around the state, we get this response, “Many of my colleagues have shared the view that it has a lot of potential and promise. I agree with this. Whether it rises to that is another matter. Incidentally, when we joined the paper in early October 1983 (then just changing over from Portuguese to English), there was a lot of uncertainty over whether the paper would survive itself. Those fears proved unfounded over time. Post-1983, Herald can claim to have opened new trends in local coverage in its time, this was because people like Rajan Narayan recognised the need for it,” says wellknown freelance journalist and former Herald staffer, Frederick
Noronha who has been associated with the Herald time and again. The trend of providing worthy news was an aim that was soon fulfilled, but with the hurdles of Goa being a rather technologically unaware state, the setting up became difficult. Raul’s aim of keeping up with technology was one that meant a lot of investment and finding manpower with proper knowledge to operate the machines, “We had to train people in using the machines as well, as the technology was new in Goa, everything was computerized and automated,” explains Raul. But once the newspaper set up, there was no turning back. This, Raul credits to his readers
The aim was to bring out a ‘people’s paper’, a paper that is not a publicity vehicle of a political party or of a business house. A paper that would survive on its own strength. To visualise such a newspaper in the early 1980s would make A. C. Fernandes a rare visionary who have displayed unflinching support to the paper, “The faith that people had in us has been our growing strength, it is what drives us to deliver the best,” he says when asked about the reason for the paper’s success inspite of having no corporate backing. In fact, being a fiercely independent news publication is what has worked in favour of Herald, thus giving news regardless of any leanings, is the paper’s hallmark. “We have never ‘not’ given any news, if we do that then, we are answerable to the people of the state – our readers,” emphasizes Raul, who imbibed a motto for his publications group: “All the news and views without fear or favour”. Herald goes by their policy of giving accurate news reports, in-depth reportage on the OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 13
COVER STORY
Owning a printing press, it was made easy for Raul to dive into the business of commercial printing. “We do a lot of commercial printing as well. Like printing of labels, cartons and packaging for pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers around the State,” says Raul
current issues and intelligent investigations, thus ensuring the paper keeps up to its standard. “Our readership encompasses the entire spectrum of Goans, from the common man to top level diplomats and businessmen,” says Raul Fernandes. Herald always claims to have a wide readership, with a circulation of about 64,000 and readership of 1,46,000 (figures validated by reputed industry bodies such as ABC and IRS). “Because of its policies, Herald has built up a loyal following. But today’s newspaper market in Goa is hyper-competitive; emotive issues will not sustain readerships for long. Readers expect publishers to be honest and not sell out to advertisers, governments, political parties, or other moneyed lobbies. This is a challenge, especially in a context where newspaper prices have stagnated or actually fallen (in real terms) all over India,” explains Frederick Noronha. Many of the seasoned journalists of the state had started their journalistic careers with the Herald, at a time when journalism schools were something unheard of, “I started my career there. It was a great training school for many of us, who otherwise would have probably not even
The newspaper printing facility
got a chance to enter the then fairly-closed field of journalism. We have a mix of happy and not-so-happy experiences,” adds Noronha. The support of fellow Goans has been exemplary especially with regards to the revenue the publication gets through the ads, not only do they get major brands to advertise, but in Raul’s words, “Even the smallest businesses have faith in us to advertise with the Herald. In fact, there were times when despite the advertising rates being meagre, people would
Some people felt that Herald only caters to the Catholic community. You cannot have a publication that caters to only a section of the community. It has to be for everybody. To break away from that notion and to be truly inclusive in our business approach, we introduced a Marathi newspaper called ‘Dainik Herald’ and a Konkani weekly called Amcho Avaz Raul Fernandes Managing Director, Herald Publications Pvt. Ltd. 14 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
ask us to release ads at rock bottom prices. Obituary ads were often not charged for. The small businessmen whom we supported have stayed loyal to
us. Today, things are different. As a leading paper, we receive advertising support from top national and international brands. I think it is people’s faith in us and their belief that we should succeed that has augured well for us.” His passion for the spread of news and media is so strong that after running a successful newspaper, Raul Fernandes went ahead and diversified into and made the brand’s presence felt in different arenas of the Goan media, including the television and internet. Beginning with HCN, the Herald Cable Network, which was launched in 2007, Raul began his journey foraying deeper into the media world. Herald has always believed in breaking away from the norms, be it in their diverse news coverage or the introduction of new technology. Though an
COVER STORY
Herald always claims to have a wide readership, with a circulation of about 64,000 and readership of 1,46,000 (figures validated by reputed industry bodies such as ABC and IRS)
unusual move, it thus came as no surprise when Raul Fernandes announced the launch of their Marathi daily and Konkani weekly newspaper. “Some people felt that Herald only caters to the Catholic community. You cannot have a publication that caters to only a section of the community. It has to be for everybody. To break away from that notion and to be truly inclusive in our business approach, we introduced a Marathi newspaper called ‘Dainik Herald’ and a Konkani weekly called AmchoAvaz,” explains Raul. Dainik Herald is edited by Sanjay Dhavlikar, who was the former editor of Gomantak and also Editor-in-Chief of the Dempo Group owned TV Channel, Goa 365. Launched in 2012, Dainik Herald, in a short span of time, has soon gained tremendous readership across the state, with its circulation rising up to 15,000 copies per day. “We continue giving credible and significant news to the increasing Marathi readers, in the same manner as we do in the Herald,” says Raul. The all colour Marathi daily, Dainik Herald, boasts of innovative editorial features and attention to detail and quality that makes it stand out among other regional language newspapers. While Dainik Herald satisfies the Marathi reader everyday with unbiased reportage, the Konkani lovers get their fill every week in ‘Amcho Avaz’ which is edited by famous stage personality and former Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Tomazinho Cardozo. Keeping with its name, this recently launched ‘people’s paper’ has filled up a void that was created with the lack of a Roman script Konkani
newspaper. Giving its readers a variety of content in the form of news, analysis and features, ‘Amcho Avaz’ reverberates Herald’s ideals and principles. Technology has always fascinated the owner of the Publications, thus Raul left no stone unturned when it came to upgrading the Publication’s internet counterpart. The website and e-paper has the mark of Herald’s clutter-free news. The e-paper has been keeping the Goan diaspora and those who want to know about the happening in the state, up to date, thus widening the readership to the rest of the world. The website has been gaining prominence in cyberspace with nearly 24,00,000 hits each day. “The one point of contact for me with Goa is through the Herald e-paper,” says Jovito Braganza, a lawyer now settled in the UK. Cedric Gonsalves, an architect practising from Dubai concurs and says, “My day starts by checking out the Herald online.” Such is the fan following of the Goa diaspora. Further diversifying, being a publishing house, and owning a printing press, it was made easy for Raul to dive into the business of commercial printing. “We do a lot of commercial printing as well. Like printing of labels, cartons and packaging for pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers around the State,” says Raul. Raul Fernandes has through his various mediums, forayed and created a niche for himself and his publication in the hearts of the readers and has made Herald a brand to reckon with. But the media is not his only interest. He also started a furniture business in the Philippines. Visiting the
Raul Fernandes is known among his friends as a man passionate about technology and gizmos. Naturally, he brought in the latest in technology, a trademark of the Herald, even today place on a holiday, Raul was captivated by the beauty of the island country and decided to stay longer. “And since I decided to stay I had to find something to do while I lived there,” says Raul. He then noticed that the Philippines had a unique style of furniture making and went ahead learning more about the trade and craft, and thus began his foray into the furniture business and the holiday was extended to a stay of years, before he returned to Goa and refurbished Herald, giving the newspaper its current look. And a renewed vision. But even while he was away at the Philippines, the Herald continued to deliver unbiased, unfiltered news to the Goan people. Raul states that this is because he trusted all his employees to do their work and carry out their responsibilities even when he isn’t around to supervise. “Herald works on a principle where everyone knows what they are doing and do it with responsibility. I don’t have to interfere. I don’t put pressure on any of my staff, but if anyone doesn’t perform or is doing something wrong, he is asked to leave,” says Raul about the paper’s policy.
The assembly line of commercial printing: From paper stocking, printing to punching
16 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
Raul Fernandes
For the media in Goa, predictions are a game of chance, as Noronha puts it, “Some see Herald’s growth as a matter of luck. I see it as more than that. I wouldn’t like to make predictions, but it would be safe to say that the trajectory of any newspaper would depend on how smart and timely its growth plans are, its ability to get the right staff and hold on to them, its ability to prove its honesty to its reader, and its willingness to stand up for the underdog.” With a lot going on, ask Raul about his future plans, he smiles and says, “I want Herald to reach all the corners of the country, starting from the neighbouring states.” And on a parting note, ask him of any threat from the new publications entering the market he states, “Goa is saturated. New people and competition may come but we will always be where we are. Holding the views and opinions of Goans. As we always have.” When you are passionate about something, every hurdle feels like a stepping stone and every challenge makes you grow. This is just what has been the mantra of the enterprising J D Fernandes family who set up the Herald Publications
FOCUS GOA
Most advertising is done to attract a specific clientele, some may be outright and to the point, but others are subtle and creative. Creativity of the ads is one of the major reasons why people hire an ad agency
ADVERTISING AGENCIES
Creative Ad Agencies have the edge JANICE RODRIGUES looks at the ad scene in Goa exploring the growth of this fast evolving industry
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tephan Vogel of Ogilvy & Mather was once quoted saying “Nothing is more efficient than creative advertising. Creative advertising is more memorable, longer lasting, works with less media spending and builds a fan community...faster.” Truly creative ads have a way of leaving undying impressions on people’s minds. Take for instance the Amul ads or the ads for Coca Cola which we may have seen years ago but can still recall. So what goes into the creation of ads and why are companies pumping in lakhs and sometimes even crores of rupees to make sure that their product is advertised well. “I feel it is sometimes important to spread awareness of your existence in the market, informing everybody about the designs, offers and brands that I keep updating. It’s necessary to have a brand recall now and then,” says Premal Javeri promoter of Javeri’s. The advertising industry has been thus built on that principle: on how capturing the human mind and making a lasting impression on the human psyche. Most advertising is done to attract a specific clientele, some may be outright and to the point, but others are subtle and creative. Creativity of the ads is one of the major reasons why people hire an ad agency. “Although all of us are creative, the refined skills of an advertising professional, allows the ideas to be projected and showcased aptly. We believe that professionals should do what they are good at,” says Darryl Pereira, MD of the Reira Group. Creativity in advertising is
“Creative solutions take time and time is money. Here, people want quick solutions without paying its due price” satyen keny
Asterisk Advertising
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OCTOBER 2013
“We believe that professionals should do what they are good at” darryl pereira MD, Reira Group
often defined as the ‘process that involves in getting a person to go from point A to point B, as each individual’s mind works in a different way, so will be his process of getting to his destination’. The twist in the road is what defines creativity and that is exactly what some ad agencies around the world are trying to achieve by their simple yet creative artworks. And Goa is catching up to this trend in a slow but sure way. “Advertising, especially in the national and international media, is expensive. Clients expect and – rightly so – the best bang for every buck spent. Creative advertising increases chances of audience recall, which translates into greater effectiveness of an advertisement and ROI for the client,” says Ilidio de Noronha promoter of Alpha Creative, who set up his firm in 2005, with the Magsons Group as the first client and has since grown to have a balanced profile covering retail, real estate, hospitality, food, education, medical, manufacturing, entertainment, sports and charity sectors. Advertising has definitely grown in the past few years, though it is still in it infant stage in Goa as Dattaprasad Shetkar, Partner & Head - Strategy & Creative of Exemplar Strategic Solutions, puts it, “The industry is still at a nascent stage and is evolving, largely through print (newspaper) and outdoors (hoardings). Other media, like print-magazine/TV/radio/
internet/out of home are still weak though some fragmentation is happening due to new age media like digital and social. Many agencies are what can be termed as ‘suitcase’ agencies, where the role that they play is of a middleman between media and client and not of a professional creative/ strategic communication partner. Professionalism, both from the ad agency side and client side is still lacking. However, the scene is slowly changing. Typically an agency in a big city would have clearly defined functions like Creative, Media Planning, Client servicing, Account Planning etc, in Goa, agencies have not been able to evolve and become that big.” Sapna Sardessai founder of Printer’s Devil shares similar opinion, “There are more advertising agencies than you can probably count. Some get noticed. Others merely survive and remain unheard of. But there is never a dearth for this profession.” Clients in Goa have become more aware of the need to invest in creative advertising. This is shown in the increasing clientele of ad firms in the state. “We do have a creative agency to deal with our designing, creating and publishing of art work and advertisement,” says Satish Prabhu, General Manager of the Hotel Mandovi. With the long list of ad agencies in town, when choosing an agency to project their product in the right light, clients are often at a crossroads but do keep in mind certain points. “Ability to understand the product or service that is desired to be advertised and on time deliverables,” says Pereira about the criteria for choosing the agency. While others like Javeri give a more detailed explanation of his choice, “Well, first of all I would look for stunning and creative designs and something out of the usual. Secondly, I would look for quick artwork designs as we are always short of time and thirdly, for somebody who understands
“There is enough and more work for sapna sardesai Printer’s Devil every creative outfit to coexist” the thoughts and designs that I want them to create, somebody who can think more than me in designs, creativity and impact.” Harshvardhan Bhatkuly of Savoir Faire, one of the pioneers of Goa’s creative advertising puts it: “When we set up shop, the clients never thought that creative solutions could be available in Goa. It was a ripple effect. When one company saw that another’s ads were standing out, ‘creative’ ads were suddenly sought after. Yes, there are only a few agencies capable of delivering creative solutions, but then that’s the story everywhere in the world. The good news is that the Goan client is getting more discerning today. And some are even willing to pay the price for creating a brand.” So how do the advertising agencies and clients work together? “We provide the concept and our ideas to the agency. They work out on the creative part to give us various options for our inputs, feedback etc. After required deliberations, the proof is finalized for approval from the Management,” says Prabhu. For some it goes beyond just the artwork and designs, “We have a synergetic relationship with our agency. We consider them to be our associates rather than an external agency. This allows for better understanding of ideas and shortens the process,” says Pereira. Given that clients and agencies work closely, it is sometimes a boon for creatives to work in such an environment, but often time constraints pose
The kind of exposure that requires agencies to thrive seems to be lacking in the state, though people are hopeful about the slowly evolving scenario a problem, “Even a simple idea can be creative. To come out with creative solutions can take time. And time is money. Here, people require quick solutions and within short time. In Goa, delivery of the job within given time-frame is more important than creativity,” says Satyen Keny of Asterisk Advertising, founded way back in 1993. Every client is looking for cost effectiveness of the ad and work that is deliverable within a given time frame, but often this gives creativity a beating. “There’s this line: if you find education expensive, try ignorance. The same applies to creativity. A creative advertisement can make all the difference in terms of the response, assuming the remaining parameters like media, position, etc are meticulously taken care of. Clients who know the value of creativity are willing to pay the price to get the desired results,” says Noronha. Sometimes it’s the choice of the agency, as Sapna puts
“If creativity runs in the DNA of your agency, clients will hanker after you” harshvardhan Bhatkuly Savoir Faire
it, to choose to retain a client or let an unrelenting client go, but creativity should never be compromised. “There are also times when agencies go overboard in an effort to show their creativity and language skills and the product gets lost in the bargain. That is sad,” she adds. The challenge for an ad agency is not only in convincing the client but also in getting paid rightly, “There are few clients who are ready to pay you for the design and concept. People pay you only for the artwork. That awareness has to come,” says Keny. “Hard sell doesn’t really happen in Goa. The budgets are limited. Clients want
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maximum returns for amounts spent on advertising. The message that goes across is often very direct and informative,” says Sardessai. The brain drain adds to the inhibition of the growth of this industry, “Creative heads, team leaders, content/copy writers are a relatively new breed to Goa and hopefully here to stay. Most of our Goan talent that is settled in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore in these professions will return to base. Also, promising graduates from the Goa College of Art need exciting opportunities in their own state,” says Sapna. The lack of product branding as against single ad campaigns also poses another hindrance in the creativity of the ads, “In Goa, the brand building aspect is still on the back burner. In some of the long term brand building kind of communication, the level of
creativity is good. In most it is not, mainly because there is no emphasis laid on the same by the client. One more limiting factor in Goa is that we hardly get to do customized photography or ad shoots for clients,” says Shetkar. The kind of exposure that requires agencies to thrive seems to be lacking in the state, though people are hopeful about the slowly evolving scenario, “The ad industry in Goa has come a long way from the days when a B&W advertisement in The Navhind Times was the only medium for agencies. Today, one has options ranging from local to international print, electronic and web media for advertising. Secondly, the size of the advertising pie in Goa has grown over the years. Thirdly, exposure of both, agencies and clients, to good advertising has grown; and so also has the quality of agency services and client expectations. All in all, it’s a win-win situation for agencies and clients,” says Noronha
OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 19
STARTING YOUNG
Goa may be a small state, but is definitely on the way to becoming more fashion conscious. With the demand for trendier clothes increasing, a number of successful boutiques have come up, offering a wide variety of clothes imported from different countries and states
Farah Beig and Vinita Mayekar
Truly Glamorous
Full-Fledged Fashionistas Farah and Vinita discuss with MONALIZA DIAS their decision to leave lucrative jobs in pursuit of their passion
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wo girls met in school and have been friends ever since. Farah Beig and Vinita Mayekar grew up together but chose different career paths. Farah worked at the airport as part of the ground staff, but always had an interest in fashion designing. She eventually did a fashion designing course in Mumbai, after quitting her job at the airport. Vinita on the other hand, saw her future in the banking industry and became a relationship manager for a leading insurance company. Despite their moderately successful careers, their intuition always told them that they were meant to do something else. Farah’s fascination with fashion grew while she was pursuing her course in Mumbai, where she began meeting distributors. Having found her calling, Farah decided to move back to Goa as she felt there was no place like home. Vinita, on the other hand, had always wanted to be her own boss and thought running a boutique in Goa was a brilliant plan, owing to the huge potential in the Goan market. With these thoughts firmly in place, Farah and Vinita (both 24) got back together. This time it was to shoulder the responsibility of running their own business. Despite the odds being stacked against them, Farah and Vinita were determined to achieve their goal. “Everything seemed to be going haywire, nothing was working out. We had reached a point of frustration,” says Vinita. Their saving grace however came in the form of Farah’s father Issaq, who offered them assistance, both financially and in other aspects. After months of hard work and perseverance, their efforts reaped success when they opened their boutique – ‘Truly Glamorous’, earlier this year. Goa may be a small state, but is definitely on the way 20 Business Goa
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to becoming more fashion conscious. With the demand for trendier clothes increasing, a number of successful boutiques have come up, offering a wide variety of clothes imported from different countries and states. So what makes ‘Truly Glamorous’ stand out? Vinita is quick to respond, “We have our own designer with her own line. Each outfit here is handpicked by us. What truly sets us apart, is that we have both Indian and Western outfits on offer. We cater to a wide section of demands, and this has made the sales graph go upwards.” Coming from a fashion design background, Farah displays her collection at the boutique. Her collection, which consists largely of ethnic clothing, has already garnered a lot of attention for the minute attention to detail that she gives each of her pieces. They also have a separate, dedicated shelf for Farah’s sister Faryal, who displays handmade accessories. The duo even takes on tailoring orders, which is something highly unusual for a boutique. Both Farah and Vinita agree that people have remained in awe of them, on seeing their dedication to the boutique. Farah adds, “Most of our clients have often mistaken us for college students. So imagine their initial shock when they realize that we are not!” Though they have been in business for only a few months, Farah and Vinita have already picked up some important tricks of the trade. “We try to build a relationship with our customers especially by understanding their personal style statements,” says Farah. “Every customer is different and we ensure that we are able to give them exactly what they are looking for, so that they go back completely satisfied,” adds Vinita. They both agree that keeping their customers satisfied is their
Farah Beig and Vinita Mayekar
After months of hard work and perseverance, Vinita’s and Farah’s efforts reaped success when they opened their boutique – ‘Truly Glamorous’, earlier this year topmost priority, as this will ensure that they build a steady stream of regular clients as well obtaining new clients by word-ofmouth. They have also embarked on creation of a database so that they can intimate clients on new arrivals or specials – a marketing initiative that is working well for them. “We foresee a bright
future for our boutique. We plan to expand to Margao in the future and in time, Mumbai. This is our basic plan and by God’s grace it will work out,” says a determined Vinita. For now, Farah and Vinita are nothing short of enthusiastic about their venture and have invested virtually all their time and effort to gain the recognition and publicity that they require. They both agree that the boutique taking form was a gift of God and it wouldn’t have been possible without divine blessings. As they look back, they see everything from the initial rejections, to location hunting, as experiences, memories and lessons that they will never forget. All of it has made them what they are today. They’ve learnt from their mistakes and are growing with each step that they take
Prime Electronics offers a range of products including television sets, washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners, refrigerators, mobile phones and their required accessories
ENTERPRISE Felipe Alvares
PRIME ELECTRONICS
The Gadget Guru
Prime Electronics Store
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he difference between ordinary and extra ordinary is that little extra, this saying is self explanatory of Felipe Alvares and his business strategy. Felipe is the sole proprietor of Prime Electronics. Prior to starting this enterprise, he was the Sales Head at Focus World. His love for gadgets and all things electronic augured well with him at this assignment. “I could boast of being instrumental in setting up the electronic division of Focus World,” Felipe says. Later, he moved on to Shetye Sales. “I’ve been into electronics for the past fourteen years. During this time frame, I realized it was high time I ventured off on my own. I would rather work for myself than anybody else,” he reveals. Thus began the journey of Felipe Alvares to setting base in the electronic industry of Goa. “It was just sheer passion for electronics that made me take the initiative to start my own business,” he says. He opened Prime Electronics in Panjim in February this year. Within a period of two months, he opened his second store in Vasco called the Samsung Plaza. He says, “The Vasco store was an opportunity that I couldn’t 22 Business Goa
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resist as Vasco did not have a dedicated Samsung store for a long time.” Prime Electronics offers a range of products including television sets, washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners, refrigerators, mobile phones and their required accessories. The price range of the products starts from a mere two thousand for a DVD player and goes upto a whooping twenty four lakhs for an 84 inch LED TV. Prime Electronics always believes in giving their customers the best. To this extent they stock only the best of brands including Onida, Philips, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Samsung, LG and IFB. Felipe believes Prime Electronics is doing extremely well in terms of sales. This he feels is only because of the services and products offered. The fastest moving items at the stores are television sets and mobile phones, as a significant number of his clients are youth who are impressed by the features and standards of the products. Most businessmen would be content with two successful stores but not Felipe, who plans to start a store in Mapusa and is soon to start a sales and service division for air conditioners
Felipe Alvares discusses with MONALIZA DIAS the benefits of providing customers with ‘a little extra’ based in Porvorim. The unit would service air conditioners of all brands. It is a one of a kind initiative which will be taken in Goa. “I decided to venture into servicing air conditioners as this product is growing rapidly along with television and mobiles phones in the Indian market,” he says. He further explains, “We are in the process of recruiting engineers who would attend to the calls of customers. Hence making the process of installation and repairs at the call of the customer and not up to us.” He also adds that in the electronic industry there is no such thing as brand loyalty. This market is very price sensitive, the only place they can give their customers ‘more’ is in their services. “We commit ourselves to our customers from the minute they enter the store till the product is fixed in their homes and even after that in terms of services,” he says. “The first sale at my first store was done by my sister-in-law,” he jokes. On a serious note he adds that getting business was not difficult as he is based in Panjim. The Vasco store, on the other hand, is still in its initial stages as it started from scratch with no contacts.” Building contacts in Panjim through his years of experience in the electronic industry has helped him a great deal. Having worked extremely hard, today Prime Electronics boasts of having major clients from the corporate groups such as Cidade De Goa, Fomento and Prudential Group. “Business started from day one, although we did have a slack month due to the monsoons and other factors affecting the economy. But owing to the festive season we are catching up,” he adds. “I believe the electronic industry will stagnate at some point because everyday something novel and interesting is introduced in the market. The only companies who
would survive are those who go the extra mile and provide services to the customers and not just depend on others for it. If you are going to be just a store selling products, you would kill your business in a year, he says.” Prime Electronics has taken note that everything is driven by price but on the flip side, customers are getting more service conscious. Along with the quality and price, customers are also looking at the best service providers. “Since we have just established ourselves, I had to use the media as our basic marketing strategy like newspaper ads, radio and a few magazines although the initial publicity did benefit us but what
It was my sheer passion for electronics that made me take an initiative to start my own business Felipe Alvares
Most businessmen would be content with two successful stores but not Felipe, who plans to start a store in Mapusa and is soon to start a sales and service division for air conditioners truly worked wonders were our recent efforts of taking the product to the customer,” says Felipe. There is tremendous competition in the electronic market and hence it becomes hard to make a sensible decision. Prime Electronics has come out with an innovative scheme of eliminating the customers having to come to the store by simply going to them. For this they have tied up with Sony and IFB to bring this initiative to life. “What we do is rent out club houses or a certain area in colonies having more than 15 flats on the weekends and give out free gifts even for a mere demo of a product, we provide services for the existing customers of IFB, put up LCD displays and service air conditioners for free. It is natural for people to become curious and hence are made aware of our existence, which is our primal need. We have also tied
The Vasco store was an opportunity Felipe couldn’t resist as Vasco did not have a Samsung store for a long time. There was also a vacant premise there, so he took the plunge. The store is an exclusive Samsung showroom and is doing pretty good in terms of sales up with Caculo Mall, on every weekend for the next 2 months where we would have a counter at the mall itself to promote the products. It is a clever idea as we get to take the product to our
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customers. What we are trying to do is reach out to the audience at a feasible cost. Our handson marketing strategy is working much better than any form of media,” he explains. However successful your business is, there is always a risk of a downfall. Prevailing economic conditions The Samsung Plaza in Vasco decide the choices for the industry just a few months after customers. Keeping this in the launch of his stores. mind, Prime Electronics is An electronic genius keen to provide the best of who made a career out of an services because without it, in a obsession for gadgets says, deteriorating market scenario, it “Tomorrow is uncertain but I can would be hard to sustain. Though definitely make today a success, Prime Electronics is in its first thus everyday becomes easier year of operation, you can notice for him and the customers, just the certainty in Felipe’s eyes by giving them that little extra.” as he discusses gadgets and So far Prime Electronics has business plans without hesitation. managed quite a feat within a A man with a simplistic business short period just because the sense and a smart plan is already store religiously believes in making waves in the electronic ‘giving that little extra’
OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 23
INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH
Jose noronha
Chairman, Goa State Pollution Control Board
“Classifying an industry as ‘Green Industry’ does not completely rule out pollution” Jose Noronha in conversation with ALISHA PATEL about his stand on pollution caused by industries and the measures taken by him to curb pollution in the State With respect to curbing pollution in the State, what has been the progress or achievements under your leadership, since you took over as Chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board last year? I took over as Chairman exactly a year ago and since then some of the major highlights of the year have been the consent which the Board withdrew from MPT to handle coal at berth 10 and 11 as the pollution caused by this had exceeded the permissible levels in Vasco. We measure particulate matter based on two parameters, PM 10 and PM 2.5. On both counts, the levels of pollution had exceeded the permissible levels and hence their ‘Consent to Operate’ was withdrawn. Next, we identified numerous chemical industries and distilleries to who we issued show cause notices for failing to install Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). Subsequently, all the units in this category have installed the required equipment. The third major initiative was for the River Sal. We entered into a MoU with JICA, to analyze and sample the water quality in the river Sal to find out the level of metals in the water and specially Hexavalent Chromium content and find ways to remediate it. This is a seven year project which will be started soon. Recently the Government passed The Goa Cess on Products and Substances causing Pollution (Green Cess) Act, 2013. What are your views on it? The Government saw that the total amount of coal/coke being handled at the port was roughly 12 million tons per year. Due to the handling and transportation of such a product, the state has to bear the brunt of air pollution 24 Business Goa
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them two consents. Under the Air Act, we inform them about the permissible levels of particulate matter and other elements in the surrounding air. We also undertake random checks to ensure that industries operate under prescribed guidelines. It is similar in the case of the Water Act. We ensure that industries adhere to the stipulated PH and COD, BOD, SS levels, as well as other prescribed norms. We also ensure that processed water used by them is scientifically treated. We also conduct periodic assessments on industries based on complaints or surprise checks to ensure that pollution control norms are followed at all times. Jose Noronha
and therefore a green cess was levied on the handling on these products so that pollution control measures, if any. can be implemented through this tax. What has always been the top most priority of yours as Chairman of GSPCB? At GSPCB, we operate under the Air and the Water Acts. In recent times however, waste disposal has become one of our top priorities. This includes waste generated from commercial activities, hotels, industries and bio medical waste. We insist that the generators of such waste take steps to process their waste scientifically and ensure that minimum damage is done to our environment. Recently, the Cuncolim Industrial Estate came under fire for pollution. What measures have been taken to curb this? Some of the most polluting industries in Goa are located in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. Hazardous wastes generating plants, fish meal units, steel
units etc. are located here. The waste generated at the estate needs to be treated scientifically, which was not happening. The stench (of fish processing) being emitted was also a problem. We have issued directions to these industries and filed criminal cases against them. We have also asked some of these firms to involve the IISc, Bangalore to carry out studies on the best ways to solve the pollution problems at their manufacturing facility. We have also asked these industries to improve the technology used by them and invest in pollutioncontrolling equipment. By the end of November, we hope that the smoke released from such industries will be reduced. We have also put Effluent Treatment Plants in place for the fish meal units so that their waste water can be optimally treated. As the Pollution Control Board, what checks do you keep on Industries? Every industry which operates in Goa has to do so under the Air and Water Acts. When an industry approaches us, we issue
How would you classify polluting segments? In your opinion, what are the top 3 generators and how can they be controlled? Pollution takes place through uncontrolled industrial growth, increased consumerism, and over exploitation of natural resources. If these are controlled, the issues surrounding pollution will be reduced. For example, as consumers, we should reduce our dependency on plastics. Once mining restarts, it should not be on the same scale as it was prior to the ban. Industries should keep a check on effluents and install common Effluent Treatment Plants at industrial estates. Court Orders state that within 3 weeks the industries which were not given ‘Consent to Operate’ should be closed. What is your opinion on this, and how has GSPCB gone about with it? This is a case of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The issue of the NGT stems from an incident in Punjab over an issue of ‘Consent to Operate’ to a cycle repair shop. The Court
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passed an order that all polluting industries/businesses of any form must immediately be shut down if they do not possess ‘Consent to Operate’ from their State Boards. Following these orders, we identified over 2000 industries across the State which have been operating without the consent of the GSPCB, and have issued them show cause notices. They have also been directed to apply for consent with us and get the required clearances. To make the process easier, we have set up help desks and camps across the State. So far, around 800 industries have received consents to operate and every day we continue to get about 20 - 25 requests. We have given them till the end of the year to obtain their consents and have even waived the late fees for industries that do possess such consent. There are consent fees even
for green industries. Why so? Industries are categorized as Red, Orange and Green as per CPCB guidelines. Classifying an industry as a Green industry does not however, completely rule out pollution. Every industry pollutes in its own way. Green industries are given consent to operate valid for ten years and are charged a very nominal fee. These fees cover our costs of inspecting the industries from time to time and other administrative expenditure. How do industries dispose hazardous wastes? How do you monitor this and what facilities are available? Hazardous waste is a big issue in Goa. Currently there are 158 industries in Goa which generate about 25,000 metric tons of hazardous waste annually. A portion of it is treated using a process called thermal oxidization (incineration). The remaining waste is treated within
At the GSPCB, we operate under two acts; the Air and the Water Acts. In recent times however, waste disposal has become one of our top priorities the industry itself. Recently, the Government identified and acquired 2.1 lakh square meters of land to set up a hazardous waste treatment facility. The Industrial Waste Management Association under the leadership of Krishna Kumar, from Goa Glass Fibre Ltd should be able to take this project forward. Right now they have contacted an agency in Pune for establishing the Common Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility at Dharbandora.
Are there facilities to apply for consents offline? To streamline the processes for obtaining licenses and clearances, we have set up a help desk at the entrance of the GSPCB, manned by three qualified engineers. Here, all the required documents are put in place and the procedure of application is simplified. We also assist in converting applications in hard form to soft form by using our Extended Green Node (XGN) software
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Business Goa 25
INDUSTRY
Kiran Shirsat started out slowly, gradually expanding the brand in relation to equipment, output and distribution. When he began in 1996, production was 1000 litres an hour. In 2004, on installation of
Message in a bottle MARK ALPHONSUS speaks to Kiran Shirsat, a man with a determination to break out of his comfort zone and establish a visionary brand that emphasizes focus on quality and progressive thinking
Kiran Shirsat with son, Prasad
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n 1996, an engineer decided to take on the world of business, armed with crown caps and bottled water. Today, his creation – Golden Goa, is found at all major stores around the state (and parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka) – a high quality bottled water. Besides, international conglomerate Proctor and Gamble have outsourced packaging and research and development projects of several global products to his company. Kiran Shirsat, a mechanical engineer by education, worked at L&T for about five years, where he was mainly involved in the handling and operation of heavy machinery. On receiving a promotion in 1988, which required him to shift base to Pune, he decided to stay in Goa and take care of his aging parents rather than pursue a job that separated him from home. So, there he was, at the relatively young age of 32, deciding to start his own company. At first, he invested time and money into opening a company that manufacturing crown caps, before establishing Prachi Aqua Minerals which produces Golden Goa water. He now has a plant, that houses 350 workers that package global brands and conducts research on ‘artificial skin’; a revolutionary new skin26 Business Goa
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mimic that is used to test skin creams. It is evident that Golden Goa is his pride and joy. He recounts the day that he made the decision to start producing bottled water, “In 1994, travelling to Chennai, I saw pouches of water being distributed. I had only ever seen milk pouches before. Prior to that, we used to carry a flask and refill it with water at stations.” He narrates his feelings about the condition of the water that train travellers were forced to drink. “The water taps at the stations were open and unhygienic, people at that time were hardy and strong, so one never really thought of falling sick.” At the time, Kiran Shirsat considered this to be his ‘eureka moment’, as there were very few competitors jostling for market space, unlike today, “Only a few companies back then manufactured bottled water (in Goa). We signed a deal with ‘Hello Mineral Water’ in Delhi, which was owned by a London based person. ‘Hello’ was the first brand to introduce 20 litre bottles in the country. So in 1996, when Golden Goa introduced 20 litre bottles in the State, we became the first ones to do so,” he declares with a smile. The 20 litre bottles were originally intended to cater to people in offices and workplaces
where it was more difficult to get clean drinking water for a larger number of people. Looking back, he remembers how difficult it seemed back then. There was no focus on cleanliness and people were not convinced that paying money for water in a bottle was necessary when they could get it for free at a public tap. He describes his first foray into the bottled water scene, “India had almost no market for bottled water in the early 90s since very few people were health-conscious. However, the scenario in Goa changed once Bisleri entered the 20 litre market in Goa. Competition increased, which meant we had to market and advertise even more.” This groundbreaking move allowed Golden Goa to take wings and become a force to be reckoned with within the bottled water segment. Soon, people gradually began accepting bottled water as a necessity. Kiran Shirsat started out slowly, gradually expanding the brand in relation to equipment, output and distribution. When he began in 1996, production was 1000 litres an hour. In 2004, on installation of a new RO system, production rose to around 3000 litres an hour. As recently as last year, Golden Goa has been able to double its capacity to 6000 litres an hour. He says, “The market has shown a rapid growth by 40% every year and we need to keep up with it. As health awareness increases, there is a larger demand for bottled water, regardless of a person’s income or status.” As part of their expansion plans for the future, Golden Goa will be releasing a 250ml bottle, primarily aimed at airlines and corporate events. Golden Goa uses the latest and most modern technology to treat, store and bottle their water. The main source of water comes from a bore well 300 feet deep. It is stored in a tank before it is
pumped through a carbon filter to eliminate any contamination. The next step is processing the water through Reverse Osmosis (RO purification). After that, the water undergoes UV treatment and a process called ‘Ozonation’, where small amounts of Ozone are added to the water to increase its shelf life. Ozone also has the additional effect of giving a sparkling shine to the water. Shirsat does however, place high emphasis on the importance of the raw material, “The quality of the water that we draw from the bore well is very important as no amount of treatment can compensate for poor quality water at source.” He also speaks about the high quality control and testing measures that are employed at the plant, “We have our own lab for chemical and micro-biological testing. Based on standards (IS14543) set up by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), we have to monitor the levels of minerals and chemicals removed or added to the water.” He also highlights the important role that RO purification has in stripping away minerals from the water. This is especially important, as water in Goa has a high iron content which is removed during RO. Later, the water undergoes a blending process which restores minerals in the water to the required levels. The quality of their PET bottles (produced at the plant itself), are also subject to quality regulations. He states confidently, “All bottles are clearly distinguished by an ISI mark which means that it is certified by BIS and readied for consumption.” Kiran Shirsat strongly feels that the Food and Drug Agency (FDA) need to have periodic checks that are more stringent, not just with water, but other foodstuff as well. He shares an experience to explain why, “I was travelling from Bombay
a new RO system, production rose to around 3000 litres an hour. As recently as last year, Golden Goa has been able to double its capacity to 6000 litres an hour
The quality of the water that one draws from the bore well is very important as no amount of treatment can compensate for poor quality water. The firm has their own lab for chemical and micro-biological testing. Based on standards (IS-14543) set up by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), they have to monitor the levels of minerals and chemicals removed or added to the water to Delhi. The Rajdhani Express always provides its passengers with free bottled water. When the train stopped at stations, you would see people taking the empty, discarded bottles from the train floor and filling it with
tap water to re-sell.” He believes that these practices are a great problem to people, as well as manufacturers who have their ISI number stamped on the bottles. He does however feel that there is more awareness now than in past years and that the FDA has been more active in recent times, by cracking down on the sale of spurious bottled water and unhygienic food storage. As far as the environmental implications of bottled water go, Kiran Shirsat is under no illusions that there are huge problems that are unavoidable, “Unfortunately we are in a business where the packaging has to be PET,” he says. Shirsat also reveals the mitigating plan that he has put in place to combat this problem, “Currently, when a vehicle is sent out for distribution, the old bottles are collected for reuse. These are then placed in a crushing machine, which crushes the bottles into fine granules. They are then sent to
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bottle manufacturers for recycling. At the recycling plant, the granules are moulded and compressed. A further process sends the bottles to the bottle blowing machine, where pressurized air is forced into the compressed plastic.” While biodegradable polymer technology currently exists, biodegradable PET has not been fully developed on an industrial scale and isn’t feasible for mass production, yet. “I do keep abreast of the latest developments in this line of technology, but right now there is no option but to recycle,” he admits gravely. He also believes that, while Golden Goa, as an organization, makes an effort to gather bottles, something should be done to inform and educate the public, to deter them from discarding bottles instead
The Bottling unit at Corlim
of recycling. He also feels that the authorities should be more proactive in slapping fines, which he thinks is an effective yet underexploited method of dealing with the problem. “There is one big difference between India and the West. The plastic usage is much higher there, but this is despite full-scale advertising against the use of plastic,” he says. “I think we have the potential to further reduce our plastic usage if a nation-wide campaign is introduced,” he adds optimistically
OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 27
GOAN BRAND
One day, a neighbour who had smelled the masalas being ground, asked me if I would sell some to her and her friends. In this unassuming manner, I began selling my masalas and before I even knew it, I was in business
Thereza’s Masalas
All that spice is so very nice Thereza’s Masalas is a force to reckon with in the readymade masala industry says ALISHA PATEL
Thereza D’Souza
G
rowing up in a typical Goan household, where cooking was not only a day to day function but a part of life, Thereza D’souza was always surrounded by food. “I grew up watching my grandmother extract coconut oil; not only for the family but also for neighbours. My parents too, ran a bakery for a good number of years. Though these thoughts were planted in me at a young age, I never thought about continuing the business,” she reveals. So what was it that made her start and successfully build her own masala brand? “I got married at a very young age. My husband worked abroad and I would often grind masala to send to him. One day, a neighbour who had smelled the masala being ground asked me if I would sell some to her and her friends. In this unassuming manner, I began selling my masalas and before I knew it, I was in business,” she smiles. Thereza has never had any formal training in the kitchen. Everything she knows about food (and masalas), she has learned from her mother. In fact, all her recipes are family secrets passed down to her by her mother. Her mother has also been a big source of inspiration, having encouraged Thereza 28 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
Though Thereza never had any formal training in the kitchen, everything she knows about food and masalas, she has learned from her mother. In fact all her recipes are family secrets passed down to her from her mother who has been her inspiration to take her first steps toward setting up her own brand, despite initial reservations among some members in her family. Describing her products, Thereza reveals that the first masala she began selling was Xacuti. After receiving rave reviews from customers, Thereza slowly began expanding her product line and today her brand Thereza’s, has Fish Curry, Mincemeat, Mohl, Mutton Curry, Garam Masala, Recheado, Alsande and a large number of other Goan masalas. Her brand also includes pickles such as Brinjal, Tendlim, Karela, Prawn Balchao, Bombil (Bombay Duck) Recheado
and lime chutneys which are completely oil free. She has also recently launched a Sorpotel and Vindaloo paste, which has been one of her best selling items. Building a world class brand requires world class products. To this extent, Thereza imports her spices from Malaysia as she finds the quality far superior than that of the locally available spices. “When I first started producing masalas, I did everything myself, from sourcing the raw materials to grinding and even marketing the products.” These personal touches, according to her have been the biggest secret to her success. Having come a long way in the last twenty years, Thereza has now set up a quaint shop at the far end of Mapusa Market, where she sells her products. Besides that, the products also retail at a few outlets across neighbouring cities. Thereza also boasts of having built a reputation so revered by her customers that through them, Thereza’s Masalas have reached almost every corner of the globe. Speaking about how she became a businesswoman and on working towards building her own brand, Thereza recalls the initial days where she would personally approach retailers to stock her product. “I even approached tailors and STD phone operators as these were places often frequented by housewives. I did everything myself during the first five years. It was only after I was satisfied with the level of the brand that I had built all by myself, that I began to hire labour,” she says. Her hard work has definitely paid off. Till date, she employs staff who have been loyal to her for over 10 years. She even has customers coming to her for her homemade masalas from as far off as Canacona. “My sales peak during the
tourist season. A majority of my sales are from customers looking to take my masalas back with them,” she reveals. Having tried various marketing strategies, Thereza feels that word-of-mouth advertising and advertising in Church bulletins have worked the best for the brand. Building a brand is not for the faint-hearted. Thereza admits to having struggled and made mistakes. Financially though, she has always tried to remain independent; only taking a small loan from her husband as initial capital. She vows to pay it back as Thereza’s Masalas is a brand she wants to build on her own. It was only in 2006, while she was a part of a short-term course in catering organized by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), that she learnt the nuances of how to run a business. She also credits the GCCI for having taught her the right methods of marketing her products. From a kitchen in her house, to a full-fledged manufacturing unit, Thereza’s masalas have come a long way. On a concluding note, Thereza states, that having made her mark within Goa’s gastronomic circles, she is now looking forward to opening a restaurant serving meals at reasonable prices. “God willing, all my dreams will come true,” she says
infrastructure
The Plaza is a one of a kind development in Goa and consists of planning and development on a scale unlike any other in the state. The project has included parking spaces for more than 700 four wheelers and over 1000 two wheelers.
Creating a Plaza at Patto One of the few projects resulting from concerted attention to design, Patto Plaza sets the benchmark for cognitive and quality development in the state writes MARK ALPHONSUS
P
atto Plaza was developed by EDC in the year 1987 as a new commercial hub of Panaji city. It was designed to be a commercial and institutional centre while performing the added function of de-congesting the roads within the city of Panaji. A few improvements and upgrades on the infrastructure had been made since then as it continues its process of development as Goa’s only planned ‘business district.’ Many government offices and some of the better known corporate have moved to Patto Plaza since the mid 2000s. There are well known organizations like the Income Tax offices, LIC, Town and the Country Planning office among a number of others. The entire developed area of Patto Plaza is 1,77,000 square meters. Out of this area, approximately 1,09,000 square meters have been redeveloped into plotted and built up areas and subsequently put to commercial use. At present, around 50 percent of the plots have been built on. Apart from the existing 30 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
The Plaza is a one of a kind development in Goa and consists of planning and development on a scale unlike any other in the state structures, a number of malls, hotels and other commercial and institutional buildings are expected to come up as part of future developments. The EDC management realized that there was a need to upgrade the aging infrastructure in the area which had remained the way it was when it was built almost 20 years ago. In November 2007, the EDC appointed Rahul Deshpande and Associates as consultants to design and guide the EDC in their bid to upgrade and develop the Plaza. The project was arduous and complex since the entire area was already developed and occupied. A detailed study of the existing services, future growth and other issues were
studied and analyzed in-depth. A set of proposals were formulated based on these findings and data. The project was then tendered and awarded to M/s. Kanaka Infratech Limited in July 2009. Unfortunately, due to a substandard performance and delivery this contract was terminated in April 2010. The ambitious scheme was later retendered and awarded to M/s M. Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd in November 2010. There were many problems that arose during the construction of the complex. The garbage dump, as it is now, was a cause for concern and hindered the excavation and construction of the project due to its proximity to the site. The restructuring and redesign of the entrances to the buildings also proved to be a major task. The excavation and construction team also had to take great pains in shifting and relocating items of cabling (underground and overhead) like electrical overhead cables, telephone cables, electrical
wiring and water supply pipes. Many of these were located just beneath the surface of the road and footpaths which made it troublesome to remove and relay while ensuring the road and footpath layout remained undisturbed. In addition to this, many underground cables were live. This became especially dangerous when sub-soil water was discovered under the surface. The water had to be drained as the tidal effect that contributed to water collecting beneath the road surface impeded the construction’s progress. The Plaza is a one of a kind development in Goa and consists of planning and development on a scale unlike any other in the state. The project has included parking spaces for more than 700 four wheelers and over 1000 two wheelers. The development also integrates more than 3000 meters of footpath, access roads, 150 trees, covered drains as well as the installation of 200 energy efficient and aesthetically
The development also integrates more than 3000 meters of footpath, access roads, 150 trees, covered drains as well as the installation of 200 energy efficient and aesthetically designed street lamps, all at a combined cost of 15 crores
Patto Plaza also serves as a safe and hassle-free pedestrian connection between the city of Panjim and the bus stand, via the foot bridge over the Ourem Creek designed street lamps, all at a combined cost of 15 crores. Some of the issues the project aimed to resolve were: Parking Problems The sudden and unprecedented growth of two and four wheeler vehicles in Goa put enormous pressure on the infrastructure in the area. There had to be a way to streamline and regulate traffic while preventing an overspill of parked cars onto the road. Effective design of parking lots for two and four wheelers (separately) through efficient use of the available area was critical in solving this problem. Connectivity Patto Plaza also serves as a safe and hassle free pedestrian connection between the city of Panaji and the bus stand, via the foot bridge over the Ourem creek. A four metre wide pedestrian spine (pathway), from the foot bridge to the bus stand, is designed for safety by making it easily navigable and well lit by eco-friendly street lights. The narrow, congested vehicular entry to the Plaza has often been the cause of a number of rush hour traffic jams. The road has been converted to a oneway street which has facilitated the traffic flow going towards, and out of the city. A new 25 metre, widened road was built that eased vehicular congestion
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between Panjim and the NH17. Services The water pipeline, laid almost 20 years ago, was made of cast iron, which had eventually rusted due to a high level of salinity in the water. New water lines for the entire Plaza have now been installed to replace the aged rusted water lines. To make it pedestrian friendly, street lights have been installed for safety (at night) as well as for visual appeal. The street lights have power saving, eco-friendly fixtures and are a major component of the complex’s aesthetic design. Certain areas of the complex even have sewage connectivity. All the footpaths and major road pedestrian crossings have been constructed using interlocking paving blocks which will facilitate their easy replacement in case of possible damage or a future replacement of underground cables, wiring, etc. Aesthetics The entire complex has vastly improved on the aesthetics front, making the complex look modern. This has been achieved by incorporating a visually attractive dimension to the complex. Landscaping the area by growing plants in the dividers and in areas beside the footpath, lends a natural beauty to the surroundings. It has also been given a makeover, from the tidy street furniture to innovative and instructive signage, in addition to the street light poles. Also, for the first time in Goa, a dynamic street sculpture has been put in, which is a creation of unique design produced by the consultants themselves
The challenge was to give all that was required, which had to be functionally efficient and yet aesthetically pleasing rahul deshpande
Designer, Project Manager
What was the biggest challenge that you faced with this project? The requirements and needs tripled but space to work in remained the same. The challenge was to give all that was required, which had to be functionally efficient and yet aesthetically pleasing. What was the design and planning brief that was given to your firm? To upgrade the infrastructure, provide ‘more’ parking, change old water supply lines, replace old street lights and we also conjured that the entire business district should present a ‘with the times’ look. How was the co-ordination with the government agencies? The Civil Engineering Department of EDC headed by Arvind Ghatkar and Mr Pathan was exemplary in their support and co-ordination. They were super efficient. In fact, at times we were found wanting. As far as other departments are concerned, initially there was a little resistance but subsequently every department did pitch in and helped us to complete the work. What were the roadblocks
that you faced and how did you overcome them? The site was a working site and that was a difficult part of the project. End users and citizens using the Plaza were inconvenienced and they did not like it. Secondly, the underground cabling of telecom and electricity department was (and still is) a big nightmare. No one had any clue as to how and where their cables are or were laid. So when we dig up the place, we would never know what we may encounter or cut or snap or rupture. What inspired you to design the ‘central square’ right in front of Ginger hotel, the way you have done it? One, it had to be pedestrian friendly and had to be effective as a pedestrian and commuting zone. The other was to make it look smart. It’s heartening to see people clicking pictures there today. Are there any other business zones like this in other parts of Goa that could follow the Patto Plaza model? There’s 18th June Road in Panaji, Mapusa’s Main Circle, Area around Municipal Garden in Margao, are locales that come to my mind
The Plaza square opposite Ginger Hotel is quite a draw OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 31
EVENTS OF THE MONTH
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CII hosts Goa Logistics Summit. CM assures support.
Manohar Parrikar
The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) recently organized the Goa Logistics Summit in Panaji. The welcome address at the summit was delivered by Atul Pai Kane, Chairman, CIIGoa followed by a conference introduction by Dean Menezes, Chairman of the Logistics Conference and Managing Director, CMM Logistics. The theme address was delivered by B Sridhar, Chairman, CII National Committee on Logistics, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Kirit Maganlal, Vice-Chairman, CII-Goa. Conducted in sessions,
the Summit focused on issues concerning road, railway and port connectivity. Speakers included ST Putturaju, Chief Town Planner; Tushar Jani, Chairman, Blue Dart; B Sridhar, Director, Bengal Tiger Line (India); SC Mudgerikar, Chief General Manager (WR), CONCOR; Atul Jadhav, President, Goa Barge Owners’ Association and Suresh Rathi, Head of Infrastructure and Logistics, Sesa Sterlite, among others. Also addressing the crowd was Manohar Parrikar, Honorable Chief Minister of Goa.” He stressed on logistics for all units irrespective of their size while emphasizing the importance of connectivity as a vital aspect of industry. He also assured the public of his government’s role in providing impetus to upgrading logistics facilities in the State. To affirm this commitment, the Chief Minister assured that “Tenders for four-laning the NH17-B, linking Varunapuri
CII dignitaries
to MPT Port will be floating by October and work will be completed in 12 months.” However, he also suggested that the container traffic by train, thanks to spiraling fuel costs, has reduced the viability of sending goods by road, via rail. “In this concept, the trucks are loaded on the railway and ferried from Karnataka to Maharashtra via Goa,” said Parrikar. “This saves them the trouble of using the road,” he added, claiming that he introduced this concept during his earlier tenure as CM of Goa. Tushar Jani added to Parrikar’s statement, “Their aim is to bring Goa under the logistics on a
pan-India basis citing the state’s potential to become important in this sector.” He said, “In five to seven years, Goa can achieve 30 to 40 percent of the vision, making it a gateway for multimodel. The iron ore industry is at a standstill. On the bright side, it is a good opportunity to invest in logistics infrastructure.” He further clarified, “The State has the potential to become an important player for logistics in terms of infrastructure for port, airport and cargo connectivity. Since Goa has done excellently in the hospitality sector, it can do the same for the logistics industry too”
GEMS conducts Budding Entrepreneurs Workshop The Goa Entrepreneurs Mentoring Services (GEMS) Trust successfully organised its first “Budding Entrepreneurs Workshop 1.0” at the EDC House, Panaji. The two day workshop with a thorough schedule of knowledge-sharing for start up businesses was inaugurated by Rohan Khaunte, prominent Goan businessman and MLA of Porvorim Constituency. The guests of honour in attendance were Biju Naik, Asst. Director of Department of Industries, Trade & Commerce and S P Bhat, Managing Director, EDC Goa. The two-day residential workshop contained inspirational talks by successful first generation entrepreneurs, sessions on doing business the right way, talks and inputs on ideating, elevator pitches, branding, advertising, preparation of business plans and presentation skills. Milind Prabhu of Genora said at the event, “The workshop has been a blessing to new entrepreneurs who are guided by more experienced 32 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
Praveen Sabnis, Harshvardhan Bhatkuly, Rajkumar Kamat, Biju Naik, Rohan Khaunte, S P Bhat, Atul Naik and Ajay Gramopadhye seen along with the participants
entrepreneurs. This initiative is in turn boosting the Goan economy. I was a budding entrepreneur myself during college. I had good clients, finances and everything required for business but I still lacked mentorship which would have taken me in the right direction. I could have avoided a lot of the business errors that I committed and hence, I believe every budding entrepreneur requires a mentor.” He went on to add, “Currently, my business mentor is Manguirish Pai Raiker. He has been advising me and it has been greatly beneficial.
This workshop is a great way to guide budding entrepreneurs in achieving their potential.” The workshop was attended by 34 young entrepreneurs who registered for the program to receive mentoring in their respective fields of business. GEMS has planned to mentor more than 100 entrepreneurs every year. In a span of 10 years, they plan to have around 1000 entrepreneurs generating employment opportunities for over 10000 people in Goa. It is a conscious effort by seasoned businessmen to give back to the
community by supporting the dreams of young entrepreneurs. Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar attended the workshop on Day 2. The attendees had the opportunity of being inspired, while the CM assured his support for their businesses as well as for GEMS. Parrikar welcomed the mentoring idea as he believes it is the need of the hour for the State. Dr Pramod Sawant (MLA, Sanquelim), the Guest of Honour, appreciated the mentors’ commitment in volunteering for the program. Shekhar Sardesai (President, GSIA) was also present as the Guest of Honour. The GEMS ‘Budding Entrepreneur Workshop 1.0’ was ably supported by GSIA, EDC, DITC, BNI Goa, Business Goa and CIBA Goa. Considering the value derived and the reception received by the participants in response to the workshop, GEMS is now planning to organize more programs of this kind in different parts of the State
CAMPUS GOA
BOOK SHELF
Saraswat College to host Odyssey
Subroto Bagchi
For over twenty years, Saraswat Vidyalaya’s Sridora Caculo College of Commerce and Management have been building in its students the ability to think differently. This ability ensures creative excellence coupled with persistence and empathy in its students. Over the years, the students of Saraswat BBA have taken it up as a challenge to organize Odyssey – a national business event that doesn’t just allow students to get the exposure that they need, but also allows its participants some brilliant life lessons. As organizers, Saraswat BBA looks at providing a wholesome experience to everyone who is a part of the event. They aim at setting a new benchmark with every year that passes. Be it in terms of the rounds – quality, hospitality or the marketing plans. The year 2013 shall be like no
other! This year, they celebrate the tenth year of Odyssey. A decade has passed and now things are getting competitive. Odyssey 2013 has presented itself with the theme “Karma Will Pave Its Way”. This year along with the 6 standard rounds we have every year (Best Manager, Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Team Work, and Junior College Rounds), the organisers have introduced a new round based on Entrepreneurship. The round tests the entrepreneurial skills of students through various activities. The third day of the event is marked by performances by students of Saraswat BBA. The event promises spectacular experiences for participants and great entertainment for audiences. Odyssey 2013 will be held from October 10 to October 12 at Kala Academy, Panaji
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The Elephant Catchers Many organizations start brilliantly and then falter in their attempts to achieve transformational growth over later phases. Subroto Bagchi was acclaimed as India’s No.1 bestselling business author. In The Elephant Catchers, He distils years of onthe-ground learning to explain this, and what organizations and their people must do to climb to the next level and beyond. Through engaging anecdotes from experiences as co-founder and chairman of Mindtree Ltd, practical advice on real issues, words of caution on strategy traps and invaluable insights into a whole range of growthrelated issues in an ever-changing world, Bagchi demonstrates a crucial point; Organizations with real ambition to get to the top need to embrace the idea of scale while ensuring that it pervades every aspect of its functioning. Through this, he leads you to evaluate: • Is your organization’s infrastructure designed to evolve and ultimately mimic the simultaneity of a living organism? • In a fiercely competitive environment, are you stepping ‘out of the box’ and learning from unusual sources? This new book appeals to a variety of readers: senior management, accomplished entrepreneurs past the initial start-up phase, mid-level fast trackers or the aspirational business crossover market Publisher:
Hachette India Publishers
BG CROSSWORD 47
QUIZZARE
Dempo Charities Trust and BOI hold health camp for Dempo Students Upholding the view that good health is a pivotal factor in enhancing academic, social and emotional competencies of students, Bank of India in collaboration with Dhempe College of Arts and Science and S. S. Dempo College of Commerce and Economics conducted a free health check-up camp at Dhempe College. Bank of India initiated the camp to commemorate its 108th Foundation Day. Eighteen doctors from esteemed medical institutions like Manipal Hospital, Goa Medical College, Goa Dental College, Campal Clinic and other private practitioners offered their services at the camp. Trustee of Dempo Charities Trust Vishwasrao 34 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
Dempo, Administrator of DCT’s educational institutions Sunil Prabhudessai, Bank of India Zonal Manager Sudhir Jade, Assistant General Manager of Bank of India, Vijay Chetiwal, Public Relations Officer of Manipal Hosipital Dr. Jones Samuel, Medical Superintendent of Manipal Hospital Dr. Aman Naik, Prinicipal of Dhempe College of Arts and Science Yasmin Modassir and Principal of S S Dempo College of Commerce and Economics Radhika Nayak graced the occasion. Over five hundred students from four educational institutions of Dempo Charities Trust availed of the camp and opined that they benefited a great deal
Across: 1. South Korean electronics giant (7) 6 . Indian company specializing in ceiling fans, sewing machines, etc (4) 7. Soap brand with the girl under the waterfall (5) 8. Major IT, consulting and BPO outsourcing company (5) 9. New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (5) 10. Major manufacturer of fire doors (1,1,1,1) 13. One who buys a major stake in a company and then misuses his power – a corporate ______ (6) 15. American company specializing in digital surround systems (1,1,1) 16. Comics in the Japanese style or language (5) Down: 1. Popular single person game in Windows (9) 2. ______ Stanley – the financial services company (6) 3. Company whose members’ liability has no bounds is ________ (9) 4. Azim Premji and Dhirubhai Ambani are originally from this state (7) 5. Cheese flavoured cornmeal snack made by Frito-Lay (7) 11. Figure of authority in an academic institution (4) 12. Kinetic ____ – the popular moped (4) 14. Indian Standard Time, in short (3) answers to crossword 46 Across 1. Vedanta 6. CEAT 7. Lancome 8. Nippo 10. Strike 13. China 15. NGage 16. TISS Down 1. Voltas 2. Donear 3. E-reader brand developed by Barnes and Noble 4. ACE 5. Steno 8. NCE 9. Toyota Prius 11. Tiger 12. Ingot 14. Amul
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professional dossier
“I have also been fortunate to have good people and clients associated with me for around 28 to 30 years. However my greatest achievement is to have been awarded the highest honour bestowed on a chartered accountant in Goa – becoming Chairman of the ICAI (Goa Branch)”
SANDIP Bhandare / chartered accountant
A keen eye for numbers
W
hen I was in school, I had no idea what chartered accountancy was. I come from a village where the main focus was on merely sending your child to school. Even the word ‘career’ was unheard of. After grade 10, I realized that I liked accounts a great deal. I joined SS Dempo College of Commerce and Economics. It was here that I realized that Chartered Accountancy (CA) was a natural progression for a student interested in accountany. I got acquainted with a group of guys and we decided to pursue a full-fledged CA course together. I had no one from my village to guide me and there was nobody whom I knew personally, who had studied it before. In fact there was a single boy who was studying CA at the time. Truth be told, he actually discouraged me by declaring that it was one of the most difficult courses to study. However the small accountants’ group that we had formed amongst ourselves, made us strong-willed. I knew that we were capable of helping each other get through tough situations. I vividly remember our teacher in grade 11 asking us all to stand up and announce our career goals to the class. ‘Chartered Accountancy’ were the first words that came to my lips. I truly had no other career path that I wanted to follow, I was determined that this was going to be it. At this point, I was well on my way towards a career in chartered accountancy. My experience in college was nothing short of enjoyable. We had a very good professor of accountancy – Shashikant Thali. It was he who persuaded us to seriously consider embracing CA as a profession. We were also privileged to come in contact with four or five chartered accountants like VB Verlekar and Vishnu Naik, who were associated with the college in various (teaching) capacities. Following in their footsteps and 36 Business Goa
OCTOBER 2013
sharing their experiences truly made me believe that I could succeed. It was certainly difficult. There wasn’t even a centre for CA (in Goa) at that time. The nearest place where we could answer exams was in Belgaum. There was no internet, or even for that matter; something as common today as coaching classes. We had to rely entirely on borrowed books and libraries for research. Other than that, we could only look towards people whom we interacted with, to share their knowledge. That is why, we as a group were extremely fortunate. Our group of five to six people was pivotal in helping each other succeed. We had been together since grade 11, even answering most of our exams around the same time. Few, like Santosh Kenkre and Lalit Shah, are now accomplished chartered
The pioneers of Chartered Accountancy in Goa like Vishnu Naik and V B Prabhu Verlekar were Bhandare’s professors in college accountants. We remain close even after 35 years and I feel that sharing our professional experiences as a group actually helped us grow as individuals too. Our professors were undeniably the pioneers of chartered accountancy in Goa along with other people of that generation. After that, unfortunately, the chartered accountancy set-up in Goa experienced quite a lull. That is, until our batch and our immediate seniors graduated in the years from 1979 and 1980. This phase contributed to a rise in the number of chartered accountants in the state and arguably reinvigorated the profession. When I became a rank holder of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI), it allowed me to establish
my base. I have also been blessed to have good people and clients associated with me for around 28 to 30 years. However, my greatest achievement is to have been awarded the highest honour granted to a chartered accountant in Goa – becoming chairman of the ICAI (Goa Branch). It’s something that you aspire to achieve from when you are a student. To become the head of a chartered accountant’s association, albeit in a small region like Goa, is something that I am extremely proud of. My profession always requires me to give an opinion (to my clients) that is unbiased and fair; in accounting, everything must be black and white. I find this is relevant to my personal life, as well. I find that being true to myself the way as I do my accounts, has led people to respect my character and values as a person. In this job there is a lot of stress, along with deadlines that have to be met. I have realised that being open and genuine, simplifies everything and makes it easier to bear the heavy workload. With these qualities come a great sense of satisfaction, both in financial sense as well as in giving you a feeling of pride and respectability. There have been a few humbling experiences along my professional journey. I have seen a new breed of chartered accountants emerge, who are incredibly hard-working and talented within their specialization. When I speak to some of them, I realize that despite my time spent in the field and my accumulation of experience, these youngsters are almost a match for me, if not far more intelligent and capable. We have material heavy subjects in our current CA courses that have become
Sandip Bhandare
a part of an ever-expanding knowledge base. This naturally makes it more difficult for the younger generation than it was for us. However, the current crop has proved that they have the ability to cope extremely well. Unfortunately, I do feel our profession has always been playing catchup in the communication skills department. Within professional circles it is commonly referred to as a back-end job – simply because we work behind the scenes. Language and conversational skills are not considered necessary for the job, but the attitude is gradually changing. Many chartered accountants working in industry now head their organizations, so it is definitely positive. Take for example Sesa Goa, headed by P K Mukherjee (a Chartered Accountant by profession). I think he is a good role model for our youngsters. They should not be content to hide behind desks, but strive towards earning a position that makes them interact and network with people. I feel this owes to a combination of our current mentality, combined with a slightly primitive education system. Our system makes us proficient in handling numbers without any focus on verbal communication. The rationale is straightforward; you may possibly have the best product on the shelf, but if the packing is shabby and unattractive, no one will give it a second glance!
E K A M S O T S E G N N I I S LOOOKUR BU Y
? R E G G I B
? p u e l a c s o t ing Are you look icro and Small enterprises,
en to M iv g e c n re fe re P > ical oriented n h c e t , D & R in units involved trepreneurs n e n e m o w y b run units and units 1 crore! . s R o t p u n o ti ntribu > Capital co cheme
tion S u b i r t n o C l The Capita
For application forms and more information: www.goaditc.gov.in OR Contact: Mrs. Bertha Gracias, Mr. Satish Gaonkar OR Mr. Tushar Sawant AT 0832 2222241
The Facilitation Counter, First Floor, Udyog Bhavan, Panaji, Goa.
GOVERNMENT OF GOA
Directorate of Industries, Trade & Commerce PARTNERING INDUSTRIAL GROWTH
LADY POWER
“I have empowered a lot of women to be self reliant. They should manage their personal and professional life. Every woman should work. It does not matter if it’s for thirty minutes a day or nine hours a day. But they have to make use of their intellect or god-given talents”
The effective multi-tasker Khairoo Khavtay discusses with Monaliza Dias her growth in the insurance industry dominated by men
K
hairoo Khavtay has come a long way from working as a beautician to becoming a successful LIC agent. Though it was a drastic shift in profession, she realized this was what she was always meant to do. Her charm, sincerity and work ethic have carried her forward every step of the way. “After the contract at the beauty salon expired, I was not sure where to head,” she reveals. They say when one door closes another door opens. This was particularly true for Khairoo, who found her true calling when her brother-inlaw Prakash Kamat advised her to become an LIC agent. “He saw a lot of potential in me and went to great lengths to ensure that I was guided properly. Slowly the interest grew into a passion and I have been an LIC agent for the last twenty years,” she says. As a woman LIC agent, Khairoo finds tremendous competition from her male counterparts. “Out of the five thousand LIC agents in Goa, only ten per cent are women. I am a woman in a man’s world,” she states. Taking into consideration the tough competition from LIC agents across the State, most women would feel threatened, or up their game to compete with their counterparts; but not Khairoo. “I maintain a steady focus. I do not run my race based on how others are running theirs. The reason is because I compete only with myself. Everybody has their own weaknesses. I know mine and I work upon them,” she says confidently. Khairoo knows she is capable of achieving great heights in her profession and has set her goals accordingly. Today, she is the top lady agent in Goa. She even qualifies to attend the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table Conference in the United States of America every year. “Everything I have achieved is because I compete with myself. I do not compete with others,” she says. While some may say that being a woman Khairoo 38 Business Goa
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I never falsely sell my products. I lay them before the client as they are and educate them about the schemes. I don’t ‘make’ them buy; I ‘help’ them buy
Khairoo Khavtay
has an advantage over other LIC agents, Khairoo thinks otherwise. “Gender is not an advantage. What sets us apart is our ability to empathize with others. However, I am in a better position to understand the needs of my clients,” she says. Being in the business, Khairoo has had to work from scratch. Despite initial difficulties and logistical woes; she took it all in her stride. “If I had never stuck my ground, I would never be as successful as I am today” she says. “I have worked very hard to achieve my success but initially I did face hardship, my husband Manosh Khavtay would drive me around after work to meet my clients. I also did face rejections and it normally would dampen your spirits but I took it all in a stride because if I did not, I would never be successful,” she says. Today you can see the outcome of her positive spirit as she branched out to another state. “I have opened up an office in Pune. I manage to do business in Pune through conversations on the phone, all because of the sincerity and the conviction in my voice.” She adds. “I never falsely sell my
products. I lay them before the client just the way they are and educate my clients about the schemes. I don’t ‘make’ them buy; I ‘help’ them buy. My success has happened only because of me. It may come off as over-confidence. I honestly think 20 years can’t be overconfidence. 20 years is because of faith people have put in me. I have worked hard and my sincerity shines through,” she says. Touching upon the scale of her duties she says, “As a woman I can naturally multi-task. I have many roles to play. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter-inlaw, I have staff at home, and I have staff in my office that I have to manage.” She explains, “My social responsibilities come to the forefront as I am a member of varied groups such as GCCI, BNI, IOE and the likes. I have to manage all of this in a day’s count, it is up to me to divide my time and commit myself fully to each of these responsibilities,” “My journey has been marvellous. I have only been getting better. For instance in the first year, LIC told me to do 12 policies. In the determination to
cross my goal, I did 165 in three months. Ever since, I have been suitably credited for my hard work with awards and recognitions.” From the numerous awards she has received, the one that makes her really proud is the ‘Top of the Table Award’ she received 2 years back. “I am the only Goan woman in the history of LIC insurers to receive this award as well as to become a Corporate Club member, a highly prestigious club, she says.” “I work with women NGOs. I have empowered a lot of women to be self reliant. They should manage their personal and professional life. Every woman should work. It does not matter if it’s for thirty minutes a day or nine hours a day. But they have to make use of their intellect or godgiven talents.” In her own life, her husband has been an inspiration and a blessing. She concludes by saying, “my husband has been my pillar all through these years. He motivated me when I needed it. All that I have achieved today would not have been possible without him or my staff. And I’m forever grateful for having them in my life”
RELUCTANT ENTREPRENEUR
The intention to pay a subsidy is a good initiative by the State and Central Governments to encourage entrepreneurship. However in the process of trying to squeeze out a maximum subsidy, entrepreneurs often make the cardinal error of ‘over invoicing,’ thereby swallowing a deadly poison pill
Subsidy: A Red Herring The writer shares his thoughts about the losses that an entrepreneur has to endure as a result of ‘over invoicing’ in a bid to get maximum subsidy
Blaise Costabir The Columnist is a first-generation entrepreneur whose company manufactures water tanks blaise@gmizm.com
The interest and depreciation progressively take their toll, trapping the entrepreneur in a vicious downward spiral, from where the only way out is for him to give up. The banks then move in to auction his machinery and recover the mounting interest and principal
I
ndustrial estates all over India are filled with units that have shut down. In Goa, you are more likely to find such units in older estates. Units close for various reasons, the most 40 Business Goa
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common one being subsidy schemes. Strange but true, the very same catalyst that was intended to enhance a business, ironically shoulders the blame for its demise. How does this happen? The intention to pay a subsidy is a good initiative by the State and Central Governments to encourage entrepreneurship. However in the process of trying to squeeze out a maximum subsidy, entrepreneurs often make the cardinal error of ‘over invoicing,’ thereby swallowing a deadly poison pill. It is a slow but sure killer for any business. Let’s look at how the system works. A young or old person (age does not matter here, just greed) applies for a subsidy under a government scheme. We shall take capital subsidy as an example, since it is the most prevalent (usually applies to machinery). The subsidy is typically a maximum of 25%, though in some cases it could be higher for different categories. The applicant may choose to submit a pro forma invoice of Rs 1 lakh. If this is correct, he will be entitled to 25% subsidy i.e. Rs 25,000. He is surely encouraged to change the pro forma to Rs 3 lakhs, as mathematically he will now be entitled to a greater subsidy of Rs 75,000. Usually a subsidy is paid up to a specific limit. It is highly beneficial to the applicant if this limit is exhausted. Therefore, highly inflated bills are the order of the day. So the question arises; if an entrepreneur is getting a higher subsidy, is it not advantageous? In reality, it isn’t. Once the inflated bill is logged and subsidy claimed, the supplier will not return the full amount over-invoiced. He will deduct his charges, which usually amounts to around 10% of the inflated amount. So from our example above, Rs 20,000 has already been reduced from the additional subsidy. Additionally, some
Overinvoicing your machinery is asking for trouble
money needs to be paid to the powers that be. Ultimately, our entrepreneur is left with 50%; which in this case would be Rs 25,000. The refund is in cash, so it cannot be easily put back into the business and thus, will get squandered. Furthermore, he has to finance the machinery and pay interest on Rs 2 lakhs and in the process, assumes a margin of 33% from the bank. The interest cost covered on the books is higher. When he calculates the cost of his production, he has to factor in a depreciation of Rs 3 lakhs and not the original Rs 1 lakh. So, obviously the price will be driven higher. If he adjusts for correct costs, he will register a loss straight away. If he does not, the product will not sell as the price is higher. He is now caught between the proverbial devil and the deep blue sea. The interest and depreciation progressively take their toll, trapping the entrepreneur in a vicious downward spiral, from where the only way out is for him to give up. The banks then move in to auction his machinery and
recover the mounting interest and principal. There once again, the reserve price will be based on the original inflated invoice value as per banking norms. This naturally results in unwilling buyers for old equipment, which has now become dearer than brand new equipment. So the assets will not get sold. This is a common problem at bank auctions. Another side issue is the actual payment of subsidy. Formerly, it used to be up front; now it takes years to claim. Often, by the time it is ready to be paid, the unit is no longer in production and therefore not payable. The moral of the above scenario would be – over invoicing is akin to making a hole in the boat that you are sailing in. The result is a foregone (and arguably unpleasant) conclusion Suggested Reading : Romancing the Balance Sheet by Anil Lamba
LETTER FROM AMERICA
As corporate profits increase and the rich continue to get even richer, the worker’s take-home pay has remained stagnant since the early 1970s. The economic ‘middle class’ population is slipping towards the ‘near-poor’, and the progress made over the last generation has been all but eliminated
Poverty in America
Jay Dehejia The writer used to be a senior corporate executive, ow a social entrepreneur. He spends most of his time between Goa and New York jay@dehejia.net
M
y prediction last month that the US$ to India Rupee exchange rate could slide to around Rs.75 = $1 appears to have been too dire. One primary reason for the halt in the slide appears to be the US Federal Reserve decision to continue their Quantitative Easing (QE) program as the Chairman concluded that there has been a very slow recovery in the US job market. In India, the new Governor the Reserve Bank appears to have taken some positive steps to stem the flow of foreign currency from India. The crisis in both the United States and India has not yet ended. Upcoming elections in both countries could still swing the economy in uncharted directions. Almost exactly two years ago, at the height of the economic recession in the United States, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement started in Zuccotti Park, Manhattan. The main issues raised by the people who joined the movement were social and economic inequality, greed, corruption and the perceived undue influence of corporations on government – particularly
from the financial services sector. Their slogan was: ‘We are the 99%’ as opposed to the 1% of the wealthiest section of society. Arindajit Dube and Ethan Kaplan of the University of Massachusetts Amherst noted, “Inequality in the U.S. has risen dramatically over the past 40 years. So it is not too surprising to witness the rise of a social movement focused on redistribution... Greater inequality may reflect as well as exacerbate factors that make it relatively more difficult for lowerincome individuals to mobilize on behalf of their interests... Yet, even the economic crisis of 2007 did not initially produce a left social movement... Only after it became increasingly clear that the political process was unable to enact serious reforms to address the causes or consequences of the economic crisis did we see the emergence of the OWS movement...” Does this sound familiar to you, the reader in Goa? The US census report published in September this year stated that the income of the people in the US has remained stagnant for over a quarter century. Eduardo Porter wrote in the New York Times of September 18 this year “Consider: 36 years ago this month, when NASA launched the Voyager 1 probe into space, 11.6 percent of Americans were officially considered poor. The other day Voyager sailed clear out of the solar system into interstellar space – the first man-made object to do so. Using the same official metric – which actually undercounts the poor compared to new methods used by the Census today – the poverty rate is 15 percent, or in other words 46.2 million people in the United States live below the poverty line.”Traditionally most of the poor have been blacks or Hispanics. The issue that many appear to gloss over is that for the first time over 19 million of the poor are white people living in
The writer talks about poverty in a wealthy nation
rural parts of the US. It is in these parts that the ‘Tea Party’, or the extreme right wing fanatic group of the Republican Party, has their stronghold. The congressional elections in November will determine if either the ‘Occupy Movement’ of the left, or the ‘Tea Party’ of the right, has made an impact on the voting pattern of the populace. Can you imagine “beggars” in the streets of New York? Over 50,000 people in Manhattan alone are homeless and sleep in shelters provided by the city; there are as many or more who do not even have that and live on the streets. In the winter months, these poor people ride the subways to keep warm and sleep over grates that yield warmth from the citywide system of steam that provides heat to homes. On a national level, the last census reported that 4 out of 5 families across the country have no jobs or only part-time jobs, and do not have enough money to buy food for their families. In 1964 the government set up a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, popularly called ‘food stamps,’ to allow those in poverty or near poverty to buy food using this aid program. In 2012, the ‘food stamp’ plan cost the government around $75 billion a year. Last month, the US House of Representatives approved a plan to substantially cut this program. If this Act were to pass in the
Senate, the United States, the richest country on the planet, will send its poor and near poor into a further downward spiral from which it may be impossible to emerge. Fewer jobs leading to high unemployment, expensive medical treatment, and a general increase in the cost of living is being called the ‘new normal’ in America. As corporate profits increase and the rich continue to get even richer, the worker’s take-home pay has remained stagnant since the early 1970s. The economic ‘middle class’ population is slipping towards the ‘near-poor’, and the progress made over the last generation has been all but eliminated. The Indian National Food Security Bill of 2013, passed in early September, aims to provide subsidized food to around 66% of India’s 1.2 billion people. Though the concept of this plan appears to be good, the issue will be implementation and petty corruption at various bureaucratic levels of government. The question that many in both countries ask is: ‘Does the Indian government have the resources to pay for this massive scheme, or is it a ploy to win elections?’ It is essential that each one of us seriously consider how to reduce poverty and improve the lot of the downtrodden. Let not politics or dogmas determine how we improve the quality of life – for one and all OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 41
farm fresh
India has emerged as second largest producer of fruits and vegetables. Our country is today the largest producer and exporter of spices and ranks first in productivity of grapes, banana, cassava, peas, papaya etc. India today exports fresh fruits and vegetables 14%
Taking Tech, Tools , Science and Education to the villages The writer’s take about why vocational education in agriculture can make a big difference
Manguirish Pai Raiker The Writer is a former President of GCCI and is the founder of Ramanata Crisna Pai Raicar Agricultural School rsaawni@gmail.com
T
he world population as of today is estimated to number 7.11 billion by the United States Census Bureau (USCB). The world’s two most-populated countries alone, China and India, together constitute about 37% of the world’s population. The world population has grown by over four billion since the beginning of the Green Revolution, but food production has so far kept pace with population growth. Most scholars believe that, without the Revolution, there would be greater levels of famine and malnutrition than the UN presently documents. However, neo-Malthusians point out that the energy for the Green Revolution was provided by fossil-fuels, in the form of natural gas-derived fertiliser, oil-derived pesticides, and hydrocarbon-fuelled irrigation, and that many crops have become so genetically uniform that a crop failure could potentially have global repercussions. The potential peaking of world oil production may test the critics of Malthus and Ehrlich, as oil is of crucial importance 42 Business Goa
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We have to plan to achieve our twin goal of increasing the yield and that of bringing the youth back to the field. If we show them the commercial viability in this sector, we could make it happen. Vocational education can make this task achievable. to global transportation, power generation and agriculture. In May 2008, the price of grain was pushed up severely by the increased cultivation of bio-fuels, the increase of world oil prices to over $140 per barrel, global population growth, the effects of climate change, the loss of agricultural land to residential and industrial development, and growing consumer demand in the population centers of China and India. Food riots subsequently occurred in some countries. However, oil prices then fell sharply and remained below $100/barrel until around 2010. Resource demands are expected to ease as population growth declines, but it is unclear whether mass food wastage
and rising living standards in developing countries will once again create resource shortages. Scientists have predicted that continued population growth would exhaust the global food supply by 2050.The scenario is very scary. Aggressive and excessive ground utilization together with fertilisers besides causing ground water depletion may be worrying factors. It is therefore the need of the hour to make a policy plan for the future. A number of scientists have argued that the current global population expansion and accompanying increase in resource consumption threatens the world’s ecosystem as well as straining humanity’s ability to feed itself. The world population which stood at 5.5 billion, and lower-bound scenarios predicted a peak of 7.8 billion by 2050. Policy planners as well the thinkers are talking in terms of proper and optimum utilisation of the land mass for cultivation. Organic methods of farming are being promoted. There is also a need to take into consideration the nutritional aspect while planning for the food production. This need can be predominantly satisfied by laying emphasis on horticulture. Vegetables, fruits, medicinal and aromatic plants need to
be cultivated to provide for the basic requirement of the growing youth. It is therefore a happy scenario as far as our country is concerned. A concentrated effort from the Horticulture Division of the ICAR under the Agriculture ministry has yielded positive results. The farmers have shown confidence in the techniques and applications provided by the scientists of this division. This has benefitted both the farmers and the country as a whole. To achieve the desired growth in agriculture, horticulture sector has played a key role by providing inputs and solutions through focused research in the thrust areas like Gene prospection and allele mining in fruits and vegetables grown under various environmental conditions, Nutrient dynamics and interaction, bio-energy and solid waste utilization, genomics of coconut, mango, banana and parwal, insect pollinators for improving productivity and quality of horticultural crops, development of varieties for cultivation in non-traditional areas, standardization of aeroponics and hydroponics techniques in fruits and vegetables production, studies on nutritive quality and nutraceutical traits in fruits and vegetables, post-harvest and value addition in horticulture crops, modified atmosphere packaging for long storability and transportation of fruits and vegetables. India has emerged as second largest producer of fruits and vegetables. Our country is today the largest producer and exporter of spices and ranks first in productivity of grapes, banana, peas, papaya etc. India today exports fresh fruits and vegetables 14% in term of value and processed fruits and vegetables to the extent of
in term of value and processed fruits and vegetables to the extent of 16.27%. The focused attention on horticulture has paid dividend and resulted in increased production and export 16.27%. The focused attention on horticulture has paid dividend and resulted in increased production and export. Production of horticultural produce has increased seven-fold which ensured nutritional security and employment opportunities. There is immense potential in the country for further growth. But for the apathy shown by the new generation. We need to work towards bringing youth back to the fields by teaching them the right means of cultivation and the benefits that can be derived from it .The demographic profile of the country is very encouraging. We have almost half the population below the age of twenty five. If we do not bring them on the main stream than it could be a big disaster for the country. The skill gap analysis show a big deficit of trained manpower in the field of agriculture. Although we have increased our production with respect to horticulture, almost thirty to forty percentage of it is perished. If
this could be put to use either by value addition or by preserving through implementing modern scientific techniques, it would result in making world of a difference. We have to plan to achieve our twin goal of increasing the yield and that of bringing the youth back to the field. Vocational education can make this task achievable. There is also enough scope for rural entrepreneurship. To promote this
sector, we need to design the courses accordingly. If we give the youth courses with hands-on training and with practical experience, they can be made useful to the society and also be able to make a career for themselves. A pilot project has already begun and we are beginning to see the fruits. This need to be translated on a national scale under the mission skill development program. The students are able to start their own ventures, such as starting a nursery, pest management, hi-tech horticulture farming, hi-tech floriculture, postharvest management, providing various services to the farmers, managing orchards on contract farming basis, establishing cold chain storage systems, providing transfers and transport, and so many other areas of operation. Vocational education gives the students a scientific approach
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towards the horticulture development, it also gives them the economic perspective and more so it gives them a confidence to move forward. It also teaches students to be more practical and adjust to the market conditions besides making their living conditions more stable and comfortable. When it is brought to the students’ notice that the rural life is more comfortable and more yielding than the urban, it will induce them to come back to their roots. The quality of life is definitely better in this pollution free environment. Government can also think of bringing the fallow land under cultivation. Coupled with horticulture, poultry farming, fish farming, dairy farming can also be added. Value addition on co-operative basis can bring affluence and happiness to the society. This will also enable the country to grow, prosper and achieve all round rural development
OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 43
PEOPLE TREE
Organization Development is a process of planned change, which reconfigures people, system, structures and value systems. It involves projection, visualization and a backup plan to prepare for
Developing and embracing change
The writer discusses how ‘Organisation Development’ can spawn a generation of competent professionals
Kishore Shah The Writer is a multifaceted entrepreneur, consultant and HR expert shahkishorem@gmail.com
eventualities. Percolating O.D. down to schools and making all the stakeholders (at schools) aware of these concepts can fine tune existing processes. It enhances constructive developmental changes, which transforms schools to a large extent. Schools don’t just provide infrastructure for education but indirectly, create a ‘generation Next’ who move on to various organizations, becoming the foundations of a socio-economic development model. Organization Development Dynamics The diagrams suggest the
comprise top management, select PTA members, and experts from society (anthropologists, sociologists or economists). These people lead the way through their chiselled vision, mission and value system. An execution blue print over three to five years is also necessary. It is then handed over to the Doer’s. With the prerequisite in place, schools embark on the journey of four cyclic milestones of Organization Development; sensing, diagnostic, action and action research. Sensing: This needs subjective and objective articulation of
O
rganization Development (O.D.) is an age old science, which embraces change through a systematic process, at the intellectual and emotional level. It irons out all possible side effects, ensuring that both survival and excellence are managed together. Organizations that integrate the process of O.D. have been able to enjoy the fruits of change more than the trauma. Though initially confined to the industrial sector, the practices have spread to the service sector, too. It has been said that every change is not development, but every development is change. Through several assessment centres I have come in contact with, there seems to be a common thread predicting success or failure – childhood grooming and conditioning. This eventually has an impact on the life (and career) of an individual. Organization Development is a process of planned change, which reconfigures people, system, structures and value systems. It involves projection, visualization and a backup plan to prepare for unforeseen 44 Business Goa
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required interplay, starting from each layer of the pyramid. These are mapped with the Organization Development Dynamics diagram to create the required impact. For each layer of the pyramid, we assign competent people, structure and appropriate systems to make that layer effective. The Thinkers section should essentially
the desired and current stage. The desired stage requires an understanding of the following: • Balanced Targets (scholastics, sports, social service and research) • Environment analysis (SWOT analysis) • Objective assessment of all school resources. Balance score cards (developed by Kaplan and Norton) can be modified to define the targets involving Thinkers. For environment analysis, in-depth climate surveys (qualitatively and quantitatively) should occur every year. The survey which includes PTA, students, teachers and staff, helps the management to get a realistic feel of the ground conditions.
Diagnostics: This helps schools measure the reliability and validation of the four basic components of the school’s operation model as the diagram illustrates. For successful strategy execution, schools today need the following. Competency Based Staff There is a growing need for written job descriptions, identifying competencies and measuring the capability of people occupying important roles in schools. Often, superficial qualities are considered which hardly predict job success. Creating parallel tracks (academics, teaching and development) justifies all three verticals. By administrating assessment and development centres, the management will have objective reports measuring staff capability, identifying gaps and assist the construction of an individual development plan. Restructure Schools today need a ‘matrix’ system with three integrated verticals under • Academics: Curriculum, research, benchmarking and extrapolation studies • Teaching: Curriculum compliances and learning • Development: Extracurricular activities and learning and development of staff. IT System This will require the matrix system to integrate the three verticals. The depth of IT knowledge and infrastructure can be optimally utilized. Distributing laptops is a beginning, creating a system to utilize them is another challenge. The deficiency or value addition of good teachers can be easily met by exploring IT. Today, parents are constantly on the move, making it increasingly difficult for them to attend functions. Integrated mobile technology creates a virtual
unforeseen eventualities. Percolating O.D. down to schools and making all the stakeholders (at schools) aware of these concepts can fine tune existing processes. It enhances constructive developmental changes, which transforms schools to a large extent
This is an era of competition, expectation overload and a lacking social support system within families. The pressure tears us apart. The challenge is to allow every child to blossom as per their DNA, and not just aim at making them win the rat race space for them to participate in events and stay connected with the school. Additionally, GPS and virtual fencing can be introduced to track children’s movements; especially those in the primary section and who travel by public
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transport. Values Schools should have a periodic assessment by circulating real-life stories on campus where different values are demonstrated. They can encourage ‘action projects’ which subtly enable students to understand and practice values. Awards for demonstrating values will further enhance the integration process. Action: This takes over once diagnostics are complete. By using a plan-priority matrix, the management can easily decide the action sequence. The planpriority splits actions into four zones • Important and urgent • Important and not urgent • Urgent but not important • Not important and not urgent Each action needs cross-function process owners, monitoring
process and correction systems. Action Research: This cross functional team audits on a set frequency to ensure the alignment of vision, mission, values and strategy, ensuring the model delivers the set results. This may appear complex because building collaborative and cooperative working models has fallen behind and asset utilization is at an all time low. Also, tangible assets are restricted. However, intangible assets like imagination, time, opportunities, situations, reputations and goodwill are
underutilized. This is an era of competition, expectation overload and a lacking social support system within families. The pressure tears us apart. The challenge is to allow every child to blossom as per their DNA, and not just aim at making them win the rat race. Sir Edmund Hillary once said, “When we set out for expedition we do not conquer the mountain, we actually learn to conquer ourselves.” It’s time that schools, parents and students join hands to make the transformation possible through the organization development model
OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 45
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Leisurely Sunday Monsoon Brunch at Goa Marriott
As the monsoons come to an end, what better way to enjoy the remaining of this season than with the ultimate monsoon brunch at the Waterfront Terrace & Bar every Sunday afternoon only at the Goa Marriott Resort and Spa! Partake in a colourful spread traversing a range of cuisines and indulge in pleasant conversation over drinks, amid a cozy ambience musically enhanced with the light tunes of a live band against the backdrop of the pitter patter of raindrops outside.
46 Business Goa
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Treat yourself to an array of gastronomic delights from soups and salads to an array of dishes spanning the length and breadth of the globe, the monsoon brunch has something for everyone. Dig into street food spanning from the classic paobhaji to the exotic dimsums (a never before seen feature at a Sunday brunch). Talking more about the Sunday Brunch, Executive Sous Chef, Vivek Kalia and Chef de Cuisine, Udit Srivastava reveal that come October, guests can look forward to more live counters. “October being a festive month, more emphasis will be laid on Indian cuisine. Apart from live ‘Pao (bread) stations, which will cover cuisines from across the country, we will have a wide spread of Indian desserts including halwas,” says Chef
Udit. Chef Vivek also reveals that the brunch will continue to feature sizzling grills as well introduce an oyster bar which will offer the freshest catch of the day with a large variety of sauces so you can mix, match and create the perfect seafood experience. Culminate this lazy luncheon by satiating your saccharine cravings with a variety of luscious desserts including the Mississippi Mud Cake, Cranberry and Vodka Jelly, Rustic Apple and Mint Pie, and a range of Cheese Cakes. Further, a renewed beverage component of a choice of domestic premium Sula Wines and IMFL Spirits or French Champagne and Imported Spirits will be sure to get you in the perfect weekend mood! Indulge in a leisurely Sunday brunch these magical monsoons only at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa! For reservations, please call 0832 – 2463333
Manisha Salkar to debut her Indo Western Resortwear Manisha Salkar, proprietor of Lisha’s boutique will be hosting an exhibition of her ‘IndoWestern Resort collection’ at Hotel Mandovi from October 25 to 27. Stylish asymmetrical kaftans in flowing fabric to sleeveless maxi dresses in swirling layers. “I have used fabrics such as lycra and chiffon and also bright shades” says Manisha. She will be showcasing floor length dresses, sarong skirts for formal occasions in geometrical patterns. The beach wear design will be a combination of colour and print, making every outfit. standout. The colourful collection has been inspired by contemporary aesthetics and pop culture with bold designs and dramatic patterns
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Learn Photography from Assavri Kulkarni Assavri Kulkarni
Assavri Kulkarni, Advertising photographer is starting her very own ‘Assavri Kulkarni Photography’, an initiative to introduce and propagate the art of creative photography amongst children and adults in Goa. An alumnus of Goa College of Art, Assavri’s work spans over a decade and includes national photo shoots for magazines, food photography, and portraiture and travel portfolios. She has to her credit various awards and special assignments and has conducted several workshops in the past with institutes like Sunaparanta Centre for Arts, Don Bosco’s Institute, Culinary collage of Hotel Management and Bal Bhavan. Assavri’s forte lies in her ability to enthuse and teach her
students the art of creating stories with their images. In her own words, “Let children enjoy creating pictures of what they see and feel, and they will grow into creative adults,” she says. Assavri uses a distinctive style of teaching with hands-on equipment and understanding of light and shade in her teachings and this goes beyond the scope of mere images and transform still frames into works of art. She also believes that any basic equipment can be used to create images that express one’s thoughts. Assavri Kulkarni Photography will also begin special courses for working women and housewives soon. The Assavri Kulkarni Photography initiative is based at Flat no F 1, Bhobe Manor, Green Valley, Pilerne, Off CHOGM Road, Alto Porvorim Goa. Regular batches start from 5th October 2013. For further information contact Assavri at assavri.kulkarni@gmail.com or call on 9823140996 between 9.30 am to 7.00 pm
Ritu Beri, Rajiv Bajaj, Kiran Bedi to speak at Shaping Young Minds Programme at Dona Paula on 4 Oct The Goa Management Association (GMA) will be conducting the prestigious Shaping Young Minds Programme (SYMP), in collaboration with the All India Management Association (AIMA), for the first time in Goa on 4 October at the Cardium, NIO Auditorium, Dona Paula. SYMP is an innovative programme evolved by AIMA, realising that young minds contribute significantly in steering the Nation forward. SYMP provides a platform for students and professionals to interact with leading Icons from different fields. The Icons speak anecdotally from their own career and experience. This helps these young students and professionals find the common link between self, choosing a career path,
managing career expectations and in joining careers armed with confidence, experience and zest. The Icons addressing the Goa SYMP are Ritu Beri, Kiran Bedi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Rajiv Bajaj and Parikshit Sahni. AIMA is a federation of Local Management Associations (LMAs). AIMA has established close linkages with over 3000 institutions and over 30,000 individual professionals directly and through network of the Local Management Associations. AIMA’s activities include Distance management Education, management Development Programmes, National Events, Competitions, Research, Publication and Testing Services Send in your nominations latest by 30 September 2013. Email: gmagoa@gmail.com or call +91-832-2411538 OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 47
what’s up goa
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Ori Pan Asian Cuisine reopens with a new look and refreshed menu The HQ, Vasco’s 4 star hotel, has been the bastion for elegance in hospitality and gourmet dining. Continually striving to transcend boundaries, The HQ soars to greater heights with the reopening of its flagship restaurant Ori Pan Asian Cuisine. The delightfully refurbished Ori Pan Asian Cuisine restaurant at The HQ opened its doors recently with an à la carte menu that features an exemplary variety of non-vegetarian and vegetarian cuisines from the northern, coastal and southern regions of the Orient. The relaxed and stylish atmosphere with a new interior Ori at The HQ is complimented by delicious Asian Cuisine with Chinese, Japanese and Thai flavours, served by professional and efficient staff. A combination of fresh meats, seafood, fresh vegetables and tangy spice melts into aromas of kaffir leaf and garlic that linger to create an inspired journey
of the culinary classics. Right from the Fisherman’s Soup, the delectable Alaska Rolls, the experience only transcends into an exquisite journey of Surumi salad, succulent and crispy Tempura Prawns perfectly done Dimsims and the ever loved Dragon Chicken. The delightful scrumptious surprises keep coming in with the lip smacking Butter Pepper Crab, Thai Prawn Curry, Lemon Basil Curry and Pad Thai Noodles. Every item on the menu offers a unique experience to each guest.
Savoir Faire win Tata Crucible Quiz, Goa
Ravi Nischal (L) with Harshvardhan Bhatkuly and Rajiv D’Silva with Quizmaster Giri Balasubramaniam in the background
Former national champions, Harshvardhan Bhatkuly and Rajiv D’Silva of Savoir Faire emerged winners at the Tata Crucible Business Quiz, Goa leg recently. The final held at Vivanta, Panaji on 25th September, was a huge battle between the young defending champions from Marphous Belgaum and former national champions Savoir Faire. Other teams that made it past the preliminaries and into the finals included, Cajetan Vaz Branding which comprised of Cajetan Vaz and Shweta, Creative Capsule with Hilario Goes and Parind Phadte, Splash Communication’s Aniruddha Sengupta and Ameya Mardolkar, Cummins Goa with 48 Business Goa
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Hariharan and Ram Prakash and representing Marphous Human Consulting was Ashish Nalavade and Shoib Syed. The battle went on from the word go till the very final question for Savoir Faire to get into the western zonals. Ravi Nischal, GM of Vivanta Taj Fort Aguada gave away the prizes. In the West Zone encounter held on 29th September at Taj Land’s End Mumbai, among the regional winners of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Goa, Team Savoir Faire from Goa and IBM, Pune qualified for the national finals that will be held at Taj Mahal Palace on 13th October
If all that has left an inch of space for more, those with a sweet tooth indulge in Ori’s signature dessert Coin Mang – mango ice cream with a generous sprinkling of Cointreau with caramelized nuts. Somehow the popular Darsan crispy flat noodles topped with ice-cream always seems to make for a fine end to a grand meal. At Ori, be prepared to feel like royalty with the lavishness of the flawless cuisine varieties available. Exclusivity, individuality and immaculate personal service remain at the heart of the team at The HQ with an understanding of true luxury with a remarkable unique flair. F&B Manager, Francisquinho Olmick D’Souza says, “The HQ has become an established dining name in the area, where the commitment to guests by providing the highest and immaculate level of service and hospitality by every member of staff is of paramount pride
Malaika Vaz is brand friend for Swiss knife company Sixteen year old Malaika Vaz has been chosen as a ‘brand friend’ by Swiss knife and watchmakers Victorinox. She is the youngest Indian to visit both the North and the South Pole, and now, the youngest to get a pilot’s license. She will join mountaineering teen Arjun Vajpai to launch Victorinox’s latest timepiece – a professional watch that measures upto onehundredth of a second. “As a brand, we salute the spirit of these two youngsters. We believe that Arjun and Malaika are the right people to celebrate the leap in technology that is Chrono Classic,” said Debraj Sengupta, Country Head, Watch Division, Victorinox Swiss Army
HDFC Bank opens branch in Maina-Curtorim
Alex Reginald Lourenco at the launch
HDFC Bank Ltd recently opened a 2-person rural mini-branch at Maina-Curtorim in Goa. HDFC Bank is reaching out to more people across the country through its mini-branches which are primarily two or three member branches. These newformat branches have been especially created to service the unique requirements of the rural customer and to allow HDFC Bank to take banking services to every part of the country. A mini branch is designed to be cost-effective by maximizing efficiency of space, infrastructure, technology and processes. The product range at a mini branch is comparable to that
in a traditional branch and the two members are available to provide customers an array of services. The two-person branch works closely with the nearest large branch, operating as hub and spoke to cater to a particular geography and ensure that all products and services are made available to customers. The new branch was inaugurated by Alex R. Lourenco, MLA, Curtorim, in the presence of Jorge Bravo da Costa, Circle Head, HDFC Bank, Ajit Dalvi, Cluster Head, HDFC Bank and other senior officials of the bank. “The new branch at MainaCurtorim will remain open 6 days a week and enable customers to undertake day-to-day transactions and experience the wide range of banking solutions offered by us. We are happy to be part of the local populace and look forward to enjoying a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the people of Curtorim,” said Jorge Bravo da Costa
HR MANTRAS
Training is all about programming people to acquire and apply a set of specified competences. Learning, in contrast, is all about motivation and self-improvement
Initiate Learning
Encourage learning, but don’t insist on training What I Learnt Today
The Business Step Identify the aspirations of each member of your team for being better and doing better. Then identify some learning opportunities to help each person realize their aspirations The Business Point Humility is a key to learning. It is an awareness that there are always opportunities to be better and do better
I
t is said that you train a dog to bark and train a child to use the potty. Gardeners train plants to go up a trellis. Railway trains go along lines and if you want your people to go along the same lines, you had better train them. When it comes to the workplace, training is essential for a wide range of impersonal skills (such as keyboard skills, driving a forklift truck, or fixing computers), but inappropriate for personal skills (such as selling, customer relations, and leadership). You cannot train a couple to be happily married, but they can learn as they go along. Training is all about
programming people to acquire and apply a set of specified competences. The process is subconscious. Once people are trained, little thought is required for them to exercise the competency. It virtually happens automatically. The skills acquired through training are normally tangible and can be measured. Learning, in contrast, is all about motivation and selfimprovement. It is never ending and does not merely relate to skills but also to the acquisition and application of knowledge, experience, and wisdom. When people are motivated to learn, they take advantage of training as well as of many other learning opportunities. Conversely, when people are not motivated to learn, training will prove to be a waste of time. The best bosses therefore do a lot of little things to encourage people to learn and to provide learning opportunities to help them. For example: • They study new product literature with their staff. • They assign people tasks that stretch them to learn. • They run little quizzes and give
When people are motivated to learn, they take advantage of training as well as of many other learning opportunities prizes for the best scores. • They bring in guest speakers for the occasional lunchtime session. • They ensure that there are books, journals, and DVDs around to learn from. • They highlight mistakes and convert these into vital learning opportunities. • They devote half an hour every week to team learning on chosen topics. Ideally a little learning should take place every day and the lessons should be brought into focus with a team member (or the boss) as the tutor. An integral part of the learning process is to identify individual aspirations and help people meet these. Thus if an
• I learnt that happiness is a choice. • I learnt that our competitor, is putting its prices up. • I finally got to understand depreciation and how accountants calculate it. • I discovered some new features on the InDesign software that we recently installed. • I found out what Govit Marajkar actually does in his role as Graphic Design Manager. • I learnt that we have run out of item - x and it is on back order, with delivery expected in three weeks. • I learnt that Alisha has a serious nut allergy and collapsed yesterday after eating donuts. • I learnt that our customers aren’t happy with waiting times and I can take action on this. • I learnt that Malleshwaram is in Bengaluru and that we have an office there. • I learnt about myself – some people think I’m too negative and complain too much. • I learnt that our director is an avid quizzer. • I learnt about the revised conditions on our new warranty. • I learnt how to spell Connecticut and the Philippines. • I learnt that Rachel is now a freelancer employee aspires to move from back office to front office, an enlightened boss can help by providing the necessary learning opportunities. Team leaders who believe in the importance of personal development for their team will find a way to achieve it, budget or no budget, and to ensure it takes place
The Voice of Business in Goa OCTOBER 2013
Business Goa 49
BON APPÉTIT
THE BACKYARD, Sangolda
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Savouring Rustic Cooking ALISHA PATEL heads down to The Backyard for everything that is good about food and entertainment BBQ chicken wings
Paneer Skewers
Warmly lit interiors at The Backyard Grilled Prawns
Chicken Timbale
Beef Steak
Shannon Smith
W
hen you love to cook and cook with love, it shows. This is exactly the case at The Backyard. Started seven months ago, by avid foodie Shannon Smith, The Backyard, located on the CHOGM Road in Sangolda has already made a name for itself and is famous for its barbeque and grills. Having heard much about the restaurant, we decided to try it out for ourselves and see what the hype was all about. As we entered, we were greeted by Shannon who made us feel completely at home. Talking to Shannon revealed one of her reasons behind starting The Backyard – to give people a place which offers you bang for your buck. With the sizzling smell of Barbeque in the air, we knew that we were in for a treat. Sticking to Shannon’s advice, we decided to go for the BBQ chicken wings 50 Business Goa
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and paneer skewers. The BBQ wings were a true delight and are best eaten while succulent juices run down your fingers. Perfectly marinated, the paneer skewers were soft and moist. Suffice to say that our plates were wiped clean within minutes. With taste-bud-tingling anticipation, from the knowledge that our Barbeque journey was now definitely taking the high road, we could not wait for the next stop. Taking a break from the flavours of the food, we soaked up the sights and sounds of The Backyard. The rustic setting, coupled with the melodious duo of Acoustic Sunlight, belting out tunes from the 60s and 70s, took us back to the days of Simon & Garfunkel, Stills and Nash & Crosby. We snapped back to reality when a delicious wafting aroma materialized into a perfectly
barbecued beef steak in front of us. Served with a generous portion of coleslaw, fries, baked beans and vegetables, to call the dish ‘filling,’ would be an understatement. Our Goan reflex soon began to act up. We simply could not ignore the seafood section and opted for a platter of grilled prawns. Tender and juicy, the freshness of the prawns shone through the simple yet well flavoured seasoning. Next, we tried (what we have heard is) one of Shannon’s favourite dishes, which was the Chicken Timbale. The juicy chicken fillets were layered with a creamy spinach sauce. I have to confess that I detest spinach, but this dish was the exception to my animosity towards the leafy legume. After a scrumptious and hearty meal, The Backyard exceeded expectations with their signature brownies, made
by Shannon’s daughter Erin Anderson. ‘Brownie points’ to Erin for creating what are hands down, ’the’ best brownies in town. Having been to heaven and back, we began looking for Shannon to thank her for this incredible journey, but she was nowhere to be found. Then, one of her staff informed us that she was busy in the kitchen, rustling up a few more delectable delicacies. Yes, Shannon lends a personal touch to each and every dish that comes out of her kitchen. Occasionally on busy days, she even takes a load off her Head Chef, by cooking some of the dishes herself! Kudos to the mother-daughter duo of Shannon and Erin for having created a homely yet classy atmosphere, teamed up with delightful food and entertainment that has been designed to satisfy
GOABUZZ
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Tatva Elements Spa and Salon launches in Margao Asha Arondekar, Owner of Tatva Elements Spa recently launched her third standalone Salon and Spa in Margao. The spa was inaugurated by Sudin (Ramakrishna) Dhavaliker, PWD and Transport Minister in the presence of Digamber Kamat (former Chief Minister and Margao MLA), Vijay Sardesai (Fatorda MLA), and many other prominent personalities of South Goa. During the inaugural Dhavaliker congratulated Tatva Spa “for its fast growth in Goa and for being a reputed Goan brand.” While Sardesai said, “There is a need for good brands in Margao and I am pleased that we now do with the launch of Tatva Spa in this city”
Digamber Kamat
Cicleta Mavany
Siddharth Yaji
Avanti Angle
Prince Jacob
Amit Bandekar
Pravas Naik
Vijay Sardessai
Ramkrishna Dhavalikar
Naresh Ghodge
Madhura Bandekar
Sagar Ekoskar
Altaf Mavany
Tapan Acharya
Tanya Acharya
Amol and Asha Arondekar
Computer Society of India hosts ECAP 2013 The Computer Society of India (CSI) organized the 21st annual exhibition of computers and allied products, ECAP 2013, recently. A conference on software Agile and Lean Software called Agile Goa was also a part of the occasion. Talking more about the event, Santosh Kamat, Chairman ECAP Organizing Committee said that this year the conference featured a unique drive to collect e-waste in the State. The exhibition also had a dedicated stalls for people to deposit e-waste such as mother boards, terminals, CDs, computer peripherals, etc, which were sent for recycling at the Attero Recycling factory in New Delhi. Other CSI members present for the event were Vinayak Naik, Chairman, CSI-Goa, Ramrao Wagh, office bearer CSI and Chairman, Organising Committee of Agile Goa and Prashant Kunkolienkar, Past Chairman, CSI-Goa. The conference was supported by Department of Information Technology, GTDC and IT companies, Naik said, adding that it showcased the latest technology on display and was also beneficial to the general public interested in new products. The software conference - Agile Goa – which was targeted at students, teachers and programmers, had 12 speakers this year. The conference was well attended by dignitaries and members of the public at large and was inaugurated by GCCI President Narayan R Bandekar
Nana Bandekar
Vanessa Lourenco
Prashant Kuncolienkar
Shrinivas Padmanabhuni
Santosh Kamat
Ramrao Wagh
Bhavin Kamani
Shekhar Sahastrabudhe
Sanjeev Nadkarni
Manoj Patil
Vinayak Nayak
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NEWSMAKERS Ulhas Jewellers win Retail Jeweller India Award 2013 Ulhas Jewellers Pvt Ltd recently won the 9th Annual Gem fields and Nazraana Retail Jeweller India Awards 2013 in the category of new showroom or Retail transformation of the year. More than 900 entries poured in from all over India in this run for glory. The Retail Jeweller India Awards have been overwhelmingly acknowledged as the undisputed yardstick for creative excellence in the $30 billion India jewellery retail industry. Over the years, it has become a true elite circle of excellence. The Retail Jeweller India Awards aims to create an opportunity for retailers to celebrate the creative and business achievement in various segments of Jewellery retail such as product design, marketing and retail concepts, irrespective of their business size and commercial success. The Awards always promises to bring to the fore the most ingenious work of the industry
Lord Meghnad Desai delivers talk at International Centre Goa Lord Meghnad Desai, Economist British Labour Politician, Author, Columnist recently delivered a Lecture cum Interactive Session on “Good Governance: a Key to Economic Success” at The International Centre Goa. This lecture is part of the ICG Lecture Series on Good Governance initiated by the ICG in April 2011. Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai, Baron Desai (born 10 July 1940) is an Indian-born British economist and Labour politician. He unsuccessfully contested for the Speaker’s post in the British House of Lords in 2011, the first ever non-UK born candidate to do so. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, in 2008
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Denzil Xavier launches website Established in 1996, Denzil Xavier – Real Estate Consultants is recognised as one of Goa’s leading Real Estate solutions provider. A member of National Association of Realtors, India (NAR-INDIA) and has been professional advisors to an ever growing number of clientele. In a bid to bring his real estate agency on a larger platform Denzil Xavier launched his website ‘DenzilXavier Real Estate Consultants’ this month at the hands of his father Donato George Xavier. He says, “The website was launched with the aim of showcasing the various properties on offer to a wider audience along with bringing our real estate consultancy on a bigger platform.” Denzil Xavier real estate consultancy has been trustworthy and reliable throughout these years and the “viewers should expect the same from the website,” he adds. The website will constantly be updated with latest project offerings
Prasad Pankar sets up CMYK Photography Academy in Pune After setting a benchmark in Goa for education in creative photography, Prasad Pankar, Goa’s celebrity fashion photographer has stepped into Pune. CMYK Academy of Photography will now introduce its popular courses in Pune, namely Fundamentals of Professional Photography, Aesthetics of Photography, Tabletop & Advertising Photography and Fashion Photography. The courses will be held at the Let Art Work art gallery, 301, 3rd floor, 18 High Street, Near Regent Plaza, Baner Pachan Link Road, Baner, Pune. Prasad Pankar, Director of CMYK Academy of Photography has to date trained over 2000 students through regular and Sunday batches, workshops and photo walks that re-discover the charm of Goa through the lens. Taking CMYK across Goan shores has been his long standing dream that is now seeing fruition
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Rene Mendes elected Head of IPFS Rene Mendes, a veteran in the travel and tourism industry was recently appointed Head of the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society. As Head of the Society, Rene plans to develop and increase the awareness surrounding the Portuguese language and culture. He also aims to promote local talent through Indo-Portuguese cultural activities. Talking more about the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society, Rene said that besides organizing Portuguese Classes with support from the Fundacao Cidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, the Society has also participated in various Portuguese Cultural Programmes. Born in Panjim, Rene has been the Past President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa as well as President of Clube Nacional. He was also the Past Vice President of the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society. A former manager of British Airways in Goa and General Manager of Journeys Tours and Travel-In Charter Movement and in charge of Cox & Kings, Rene is presently a travel and tourism consultant and visiting lecturer at Trade Wings Institute of Travel Management 54 Business Goa
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1. Which car manufacturer has promised that they will launch self driving cars by 2020? 2. Besides being the best batsman ever, what was the profession of Sir Don Bradman ? 3. Who is the new Director of IIM Ahmedabad ? 4. What is the name given Google, where Google + members can connect to experts ? 5. With which website would you associate the company Big Tree Entertainment ? 6. Identify the person in the picture Answers to BG Quiz 51 1. Alfa Romeo 2. Dr Raghuram Rajan 3. Pepsodent 4. Vodafone 5. DHL 6. Rajat Gupta WINNER: SAHIL BORKAR
Email your entries to businessgoa.media@gmail.com First all correct entry will get 1 year’s subscription to Business Goa