Issue 17 for website by Corporate Citizen

CRADLE OF LEADERSHIP Meghna Ghai Puri, President, Whistling woods international Volume 2, Issue No. 17 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

For Santosh and Khushboo, the passion for engineering social change keeps them going

CII Conference

Experts speak on the future of automotive design and the designs empowering the future

Interview

Burzeen Vakil, Marketing Head, Red Hat (India) on how every employee ought to strive

han Ra Mo m d) et (r

Cap tN

Loved and Married too

November 16-30, 2016 / `50

Dynamic Duo: 41

Golden Partnership Vijaya and Capt N S Mohan Ram (retd)

2 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 67

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feedback Informative and inspiring

The articles in Corporate Citizen are very insightful and informative. The stories and interviews on corporate lives are very inspiring. The editorial is a sane voice among the shrill cries of war mongering all around. —Shivprasad Borade, Student

It’s tricky to keep readers engaged

Corporate Citizen intelligently distinguishes itself among all the others—a perfect blend, with a host of features. A good biz mag that accommodates lot of content and presents it in a clean and organised manner. I know, it is a tricky effort to keep the readers engaged in this information overload world. From design and layout perspective, the content is properly segmented in various visual categories for an enjoyable reading experience. What I like are the huge and beautiful photos that evenly breaks up the text into readable chunks. Your content pages is an eye-catching collage that allows you to jump to a specific story. —Janardhan Sharma, Design Student

Be bit edgy and poky, to be amusing

The interviews that are featured through your various columns like Dynamic Duo, Cradle of Leadership, and Military to Management are stimulating, exciting and engaging. However, they have to be bit edgy and poky, to be amusing. I may sound way more personal, but the truth of ancient wisdom in media is that there has to be some steering of reader’s interest. I feel, that will drive you more traffic. From taking your regular must-haves, you should also risk, taking the maybes. I appreciate that you have invented your own type of content, but content should also take the form of an idea, which I feel is primary. —Ashish Tiwari, IT Professional

Corporate Citizen will soon be a leader

I must say the business magazine is the product of best efforts on all fronts. The articles provide helpful insights. Published fortnightly, the magazine succeeds very well at covering the aspects of 21st century corporate life and ideologies. I am sure very soon it will be recognized as a leader in corporate journalism, as well as a go-to-source for all the information needed to become a better professional. — Sumit N Rajwade, HR Professional

report on HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT, an EXCELLENT READ

Cradle of leadership

experts speak on Building a roBust eduCation system for india Volume 2, Issue No. 15 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

October 16-31, 2016 / `50

SuRvey

What do

Millennials The latest issue of Corporate want? Citizen (Vol. 2 Issue 15) was My First Boss an excellent read. I especially liked the report on Higher Education Summit 2016 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry Loved and Married too (CII). As aptly summed up by Prince Augustine, EVP Group Human Capital and LeaderdynamiC duo: 39 ship Development, Mahindra Bharthi and Arimanithaya and Mahindra, we need to create an effective and efficient knowledge ecosystem if we need to improve the standard of education. Sunil Kashikar, VP and Head-Resource Management Group, Zensar Technologies has also presented a different point of view. —Gurunath Patil, Professor A stepping stone up or down your career? Corporate Citizen finds out

Hemveer Singh and Ramnik Arora, both out-of-towners tell us on how technology can serve as the great connector

Partners in Progress

Very intriguing

I started reading Corporate Citizen mag from Volume 2 onwards and honestly, I really enjoy reading it. Now I always look forward for the next issue. My Friends and colleagues also like the mag. To add to it, I find ‘Wax Eloquent’ quotes very helpful to gain perspectives from the top officers in the corporate industry and help understand their strategic views in the corporate world. —Supriya Mote, Engineer

Knowledge on GST

The article on GST by former Chief Commissioner of IT, S K Jha (in October 16-31 issue) was very informative. It helped clear all my doubts about the GST, with an in depth know-how about what is being talked on the topic of GST today. Thank you Corporate Citizen for taking the efforts to make the wisdom available for readers. Keep up the good job and congrats. -Sanket Kulkarni, Student

Taking care of business

I have been reading Corporate Citizen from start to finish and I am enjoying every bit

of it. One major advantage of reading CC is that it does not have just corporate stories as other magazines tend to have—the language is light, simple and easy to understand—and with varieties of stories it doesn’t get boring. You can read it more than once. On the other hand, I find really interesting to know how the elite class and professionals manage their work and personal life, and it is also very inspiring to read what it takes to be at the top. —Abbas Tyrewalla, Entrepreneur

We look forward to your feedback We, at Corporate Citizen, believe that information should not be a one way street. Your opinion and views about this issue are most welcome. Your ideas and some new thoughts you may have, to enhance the content quality of our magazine, is most welcome. We rely on you to keep Corporate Citizen, on the positive and cool note, through your interaction on this page—just as you trust us with the content that we bring you, every fortnight. Mail us your views on: corporatecitizenwriters@gmail.com

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 3

Guest Editorial Lila PoonawalLa

When a girl is aware of her potential, she can become a powerful lady

fter completing my intermediate from the reputed Fergusson College, I was determined to do engineering, as I always loved to do something different and take on new challenges. Quite a few eyebrows were raised when I told my friends in school that I wanted to be an engineer. In fact, they all burst out laughing. And it was that challenge that pushed me ahead to prove myself. I chose mechanical engineering as it is action-oriented, where you have to cut metals and drill holes. I must say that although we were the only two girls (the other being Dr Vasantha Ramaswamy), the boys never found us to be their competitors. How wrong they were! They never thought we would take our studies and career seriously and be successful later in our life. What were the core values that helped me? What were the Dos and Don’ts that I would recommend? There can be many answers to these queries and many experiences to share, but the one thing that I considered most important in my life, right from day one, was not to accept, that because I was a girl I had limitations. I believed I was a PERSON, well-qualified to do a good job like anyone else or even better. I believed in person power, which emanates from your attitude. Here are some empowering attitudes every person must have, to achieve success, to realise your dreams.

Speak up: One of the most important empowering attitudes is to be willing to speak up and be heard, especially when it is for a noble cause. No girl should be afraid of exposing her ideas and thoughts, whether it be to one person or to a larger audience. A girl who expresses her opinions and is not intimidated by divergent ideas or respectful critique earns respect. Be a leader: Leadership is not being bossy or feeling superior to others. A good leader inspires and is responsible for bringing a team together. A leader is a group representative who

in addition to being a good listener is also a problem solver. Be a good leader and you’ll inspire those around you to look at women in new light. Remember: a leader is not an administrator who loves to run others’ lives, but someone who carries water for her people so they can get on with their jobs. Be independent: Girls are many times expected to be fragile and dependent, which is not entirely a bad thing. However, a powerful woman can distinguish which situations require her to be fragile and when she should be independent, regardless of whether she is single or committed. Work hard: It is no secret that success is the result of hard work and every girl should follow her dreams and try her best to achieve anything she wants. Many people will say powerful

tion. When she dominates a field of interest, she is not only able to share knowledge but is also confident to debate and stand up for herself. Be decisive. If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure. Nothing is as exhausting as indecision and nothing is so futile. Indecision often gives an advantage to the other person because they did their thinking beforehand. Don't leave a decision for tomorrow that needs to be made today. The moment you definitely commit yourself, change begins. All sorts of things happen to help you that never would have otherwise occurred. There is a difference between interests and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only

Leadership is not being bossy or feeling superior to others. A good leader inspires and is responsible for bringing a team together. A leader is a group representative who in addition to being a good listener is also a problem solver. Be a good leader and you’ll inspire those around you to look at women in new light" people have had luck, but the fact is that luck plays no role if you’re not diligent enough. So roll up your sleeves and empower yourself. Luck favors those who are bold. Be confident: Lack of confidence can easily lead a well-prepared person to failure and, sometimes, even makes you doubt your own convictions. More important than having an attitude is to be aware of your qualities and be humble in acknowledging your flaws. When a girl is aware of her full potential, she can achieve much more and she naturally becomes a powerful lady. A powerful girl is witty and is thirsty for informa-

4 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

results. Lack of decisiveness has caused more failures than lack of intelligence or ability. Remember, don't be a "middle-of-the-roader" because the middle of the road is the worst place to try to go forward. You can do everything you ought to do once you make a decision. Today, decide on your dream. Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something perhaps when you are least expecting it. Technology is fast progressing. Every day there are new innovations and business has become very competitive. Now, a corporate manager has to be more than just a person with certain knowledge in any one field such

commitment. Frustration has set in amongst the young generation, as they want to have it all in the shortest of time – all one needs is to have faith in one’s own capabilities, as also one’s own limitations and you will enjoy the world you are in. In conclusion I would like to give seven simple Do’s of life: Believe happiness is a choice Rid your life of negativity Look for the positive in life Reinforce positivity in yourself Make your decision and move ahead Share happiness with others And feel the JOY of Giving I have found personally that there is no comparison to the JOY of Giving. Tremendous happiness follows. The more girls who become my daughters, the more happiness I get. This kind of community service is of utmost importance, for, along with your education and the openings you get in good companies, you too can thank society for all that it has done for you to make your life a story of success. It is not only about giving money or goods of material values; it is about giving of yourself by doing some community service. I am certain each one of you, in your own way, is already doing some form of service

The attitude should be such that one should learn to enjoy the present situation and deal with it in a joyful way, be it a personal or a professional commitments"

as production or marketing. The aspect of handling human resources has become crucial. The job market is so fertile that every day you need to handle new challenges. Developing and retaining of talent is the most difficult task for any management. Gone are those days when people religiously stuck to one job for many years. Now, colleagues have to be made to feel

like entrepreneurs themselves – that is, treating them like partners. With dynamism in business, re-structuring of organisation has become pertinent wherein participation of employees has become extremely important. The attitude should be such that one should learn to enjoy the present situation and deal with it in a joyful way, be it a personal or a professional

to your community but does not recognise the same. No service is too small. You may be educating a neighbour’s child, you may be extending a helping hand to an NGO; you could be working towards sustainability of the environment; spending time at an old people’s home, or performing for others to bring joy into their lives, or such like. We have many records of such activities by our girls. (Lila Poonawalla is the former CEO of two multi-national companies, MD Alfa Laval and Tetra Pak. She is the founder of Lila Poonawalla Foundation, which annually gives scholarships to needy girls who are meritorious)

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 5

Contents 26

Cover story

Dynamic Duo 41

Golden Partnership

In-depth interview with Capt N S Mohan Ram (retd), who sculpted naval vessels and companies alike in his illustrious career, and his wife Vijaya Mohan Ram, with a distinguished career that culminated in her retiring as the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Bangalore. Both talk about their career and what surfaces in their relationship

09 COLLYWOOD

Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World 13 MANAGE MONEY

Evaluating health of a business using Funds Flow Statements 14 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why 16 THE TAX MAN COMETH What is Income Tax? by S K Jha 6 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

Volume 2 Issue No. 17 November 16-30, 2016 www.corporatecitizen.in

(IRS (retd) and former Chief Commissioner of IT) 20 Interview Burzeen Vakil, Head of Marketing, Red Hat (India) on how every employee ought to strive 34 Corporate opinion Corporate Citizen looks into whether expensive weddings are a part of Indian ethos or a waste

38 Cradle of Leadership Meghna Ghai Puri, the President of the Whistling Woods International (WWI), a film school set up in the premises of the iconic Film City of Mumbai by her father, a stalwart film personality, Subhash Ghai, speaks to Corporate Citizen on the concept and philosophy of WWI 44 cii Conference Experts speak on the future of automotive design and the designs empowering the future

48 CORPORATE ASSESSMENT Leading IT and security experts discuss the major threats to Corporate India and what your organisation can do to reduce them 52 STAR CAMPUS PLACEMENT Ankita Shandilya, recently placed in Risk and Compliance Management at HCL Technologies, Corporate office Noida, New Delhi, speaks to Corporate Citizen on her first venture into the corporate world 54 LOVED AND MARRIED TOO Santosh More and Khushboo Avasthi speak to Corporate Citizen on giving up their corporate careers, to start their very own NGO: Mantra4Change

38 November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 7

Editor-In-Chief Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian Consulting Editor Vinita Deshmukh

Assistant Editors Joe Williams/ Prasannakumar Keskar Senior Business Writer Rajesh Rao Senior Sub-Editors Neeraj Varty Writers Delhi Bureau Pradeep Mathur / Sharmila Chand

56 health Raka Chakrawarti, Founder & CEO of www.gourmetdelight.com, on how Gourmet delight curates and sources organic and gourmet products from India and around the world to help people â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;eat rightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 58 PEARLS OF WISDOM A Meditation on Compassion by Dada J P Vaswani

Bengaluru Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar Pune Bureau Suchismita Pai / Kalyani Sardesai / Namrata Gulati Sapra

60 BOLLYWOOD BIZ Corporate Citizen brings you the most unconventional Bollywood promotions which will make you sit up and take notice

VP - Marketing & Sales M. Paul Anderson +919444405212 Manager Circulation Mansha Viradia +91 9765387072 North : Hemant Gupta +91 9582210930 South : Asaithambi G +91 9941555389 Circulation Officer Jaywant Patil +91 9923202560

62 mobile apps The Best News Curation Apps for your Smartphone and Tablet!

Creative Direction Kiyan Gupta, The Purple Stroke

66 LAST WORD Angry people are around the world by Ganesh Natarajan

On Cover Page Vijaya and Capt N S Mohan Ram

Graphic Designer Shantanu Relekar

Be A Corporate Citizen

How do you like this issue of Corporate Citizen - The Cool Side of Business? Send in your views, news, suggestions and contributions to corporatecitizenwriters@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you! 8 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

Cover page pic Sanjay MD Photographers Yusuf Khan, Ahmed Shaikh Website / Online Subscription www.corporatecitizen.in For Advertising, Marketing & Subscription queries Email: circulations@corporatecitizen.in (Corporate Citizen does not accept responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All unsolicited material should be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage) Tel. (020) 69000677 / 69000672

collywood

People in the news

Paytm gets Deora as CFO

Commerce Ministry to renew focus on improving India’s WB ranking Union minister for commerce and industry, Nirmala Sitharaman, has stated that the ministry will now engage more with states and businesses in communicating the measures to ensure that the ‘Ease of doing business’ reforms go in the system of the World Bank. Sitharaman was reacting to the latest World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ 2017 report, wherein India has moved only one rank up to the 130th position from last year’s original ranking among the 190 economies that were assessed. She felt that certain reforms like setting up of commercial courts may not have gone into the systems of the World Bank as it has happened on different dates in every state.“I am a bit disappointed. Not only the Government of India, but every state is so actively engaged and wants to ease the situation. But for whatever reason, it has not been adequately captured in the ranking. Collectively, Team India has been doing quite a lot of work,” Sitharaman has stated. However, she was quick to add that she is not criticising the report and now the government will work with renewed focus and speed to improve India’s ranking. She added that the target fixed by the Prime Minister, to get within the 50th spot is intact.

Visa CEO Scharf to make way for ex-AmEex president Chief Executive Charles Scharf, who orchestrated the company’s reunion with its European affiliate stepped down and will be succeeded by former American Express co-President Alfred Kelly. Kelly, who already sits on Visa’s board of directors, will take over as CEO following Scharf ’s

resignation, from December 1, 2016. “Got a front row seat to the various opportunities and issues the company faces as a Visa board member since January 2014,” said Kelly said while talking to the media. “I don’t come in here expecting to make a lot of big changes,” he added.

Paytm announced the appointment of Madhur Deora as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Senior Vice President. Formerly with Citigroup Investment Banking as Managing Director, Deora brings experience in identifying new opportunities. At Paytm, he will also be responsible for building and managing the company’s newly formed financial services business. Deora has over 17 years of investment banking experience. An economics student from Wharton School, he has led several transactions in the internet space. “Deora has been a long-term friend and partner of Paytm. I am extremely happy to welcome him onboard. His expertise will help us to build our newly formed financial services business into one of the largest from India,” said Founder and CEO Paytm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma. “I am looking forward to my journey with Paytm. This is going to be a phenomenal learning experience for me. I have great respect for what the company is building and look forward to using my experience and skills to further support this incredible growth,” said Madhur Deora.

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 9

collywood Sushil Chandra is the new chief of CBDT

Sushil Chandra will replace Rani Singh Nair as the chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). His appointment, cleared by a Cabinet panel, came at a time when the department will be monitoring the payment of taxes by declarants of black money through a fourmonth long window. The appointment was officially announced through a press note by the Department of Personnel as Nair retired. Chandra, a 1980 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre), is currently Member (Investigation) of the CBDT. IIT graduate Chandra’s tenure will last till May next year, according to official sources. The CBDT is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of six members.

No Thums Up for Salman Khan

Riding from the middle of an ocean to fetch Thums Up has become history, as Coca Cola India has dropped Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as brand ambassador for its soft drink Thumps Up, ending the beverage’s four year association. The tag of brand ambassador for this beverage has been taken over by young star Ranveer Singh who has replaced Salman Khan whose contract the company chose not to renew. According to sources, the company’s decision to not to renew the contract with the 50-year-old actor is more to do with the image of Coca Cola, which is seen as a young brand. “That explains why Coca Cola is talking to a much younger star like Ranveer Singh,” the source added. Khan has been among the top celebrity endorsers reportedly charging `5 crore per year per brand. Recently, he had courted controversy when he supported Pakistani artists, saying, “they were not terrorists” in the wake of a debate on whether they should be allowed to work in Indian movies after the Uri attack. Coca Cola India had roped in Khan as its brand ambassador for the second time in October 2012 replacing another Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. He had earlier endorsed the brand in the early 2000s. At that time, Coca-Cola India had also signed an agreement with Being Human, The Salman Khan Foundation, to jointly promote, conceive and execute charitable and social activities.

Aashish Bhinde bids adieu to Avendus Capital Aashish Bhinde, India’s top internet deal maker bid farewell to Avendus Capital, the investment bank which has advised most number of fund raising by the country’s digital startups. This is because Bhinde plans to take a long sabbatical and dabble in what he calls personal explorations as he turned 45. He will leave Avendus by March 2017. Avendus co-founder Gaurav Deepak will step in to lead the digital and technology practice at the Mumbai headquartered firm. “It’s been 21 years of working and 11 years at Avendus. I really wanted to explore different facets

10 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

of life, and realised that staying on with investment banking wouldn’t give me enough time to think about it all. I am not joining a rival firm and if I ever do something in financial services, I hope to do it with an Avendus connection,” said Bhinde while talking to media about the decision. Bhinde has worked with most poster boys of the consumer internet story in India, which included managing multiple fund-raises for BookMyShow, Quikr, Lenskart and managing M&A deals such as Naspers acquisition of RedBus, Ola’s takeover of TaxiForSure, and Flipkart’s recent buyout of Jabong.

Nissan CEO Ghosn to head Mitsubishi Motors? If the reports in a section of the press are to be believed, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Japan’s Nissan Motor, will become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors. The Brazilian-born Frenchman, who already heads Nissan and Renault, planned to meet media along with Mitsubishi’s current chairman and CEO, Osamu Masuko. Nissan plans to take a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, maker of the Outlander sport-utility vehicle and the i-MiEV electric car, becoming its largest shareholder. The Japanese financial daily Nikkei and other news outlets have reported, without naming sources, that

Ghosn would become Mitsubishi’s chairman. Nissan agreed to take charge after Tokyo-based Mitsubishi acknowledged in April that it cheated to inflate mileage for two of its minicar models, the eK wagon and eK Space, and mini-vehicles it made for Nissan. Earlier, Ghosn said the two companies will maintain separate identities, brands and dealerships after the deal. Mitsubishi’s vehicle sales in Japan have nosedived, falling 35 percent, recently compared to the same month last year. The company also faces costs of compensating tens of thousands of vehicle owners in Japan.

Abhibus ropes in Mahesh Babu as brand ambassador Abhibus.com, the ten-year-old online bus ticket booking platform has roped in Telugu film actor Mahesh Babu to promote its brand. The actor will feature in the company’s marketing campaign ‘Har Safar Mein Aapka Hamsafar’ (With you on all your journeys, wherever you go). The popular actor will feature in both online and offline campaigns being launched by the firm. “I am happy to be associated with Abhibus as this is the first brand in the e-commerce sector that I am endorsing. Looking forward to working with them closely,” Mahesh Babu said.

Pune girl represents India at Google Global Summit Fifteen-year-old Vaidehi Reddy from India was the sole representative as a ‘web ranger’ at the Google Global Summit. This was after her presentation on web safety which was held recently at the search engine’s headquarters in San Francisco. Vaidehi, a standard XI, Humanities student in Army Public School, Pune, initially thought the invitation from Google was a prank and had to be convinced by the principal that it was for real. The ‘web rangers’ initiative aims to educate young people on responsible online behaviour and safety. “Most of my spare time, I am online and that is when I came to know about this web ranger contest. I entered by making a two-minute video about web safety and was selected. The experience at Google was awesome,” said Vaidehi, whose entire trip along with her mother Gayatri was sponsored by Google. “After the selection of the video, it was mandatory to speak in various educational institutes about web safety. We went to 13 schools to spread awareness on web safety where Vaidehi talked and I acted as her assistant holding up charts for her use,” Gayatri added. “After seeing how amazing a workplace Google is, I want to become their graphic designer,” stated Vaidehi, who likes to paint. “More students should participate in the contest,” she said. The contest is announced by Google in December and is open to all students. Vaidehi’s mother went on to add that the video had to be made by the student without any professional help as Google has means to find out if any help is taken. November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 11

collywood PV Sindhu to endorse Sri Sri Ayurveda The first badminton silver medallist at the Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu will endorse Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ayurveda, a product promoted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. This company has brought on board Sindhu as a brand ambassador for its Ojasvita range, kicking off the association with a new malt flavour in the marketplace. This is only the second endorsement in the baba-led space by a celebrity, after wrestler Sushil Kumar featured in an ad last year for Patanjali Ghee. But, that was just one campaign intended to drive home the point of Patanjali Ghee’s effectiveness

Jacob joins ColgatePalmolive India as CFO through Kumar. Sindhu’s engagement with Ojasvita will be for two years and Sindhu is expected to do everything that a regular brand endorser does, according to Tej Katpitia, chief marketing officer of Sri Sri Ayurveda. This will include not only appearing in advertisements for the brand, but also promoting the product on the ground during special events and occasions. While Katpitia did not indicate the size of the deal, brand experts peg it at `1.5-2

crore for two years. Sindhu’s asking price is estimated to be Rs 75 lakh-1 crore per endorsement per year, putting the Ojasvita endorsement in that bracket, experts said. “Ojasvita is a line of health food drinks from us and we wanted a face that could convey this effectively. Sindhu is an upcoming sportsperson and the fit we felt was perfect. She will able to communicate how effective this product is to the masses,” says Katpitia.

MakeMyTrip-Ibibo merger to ensure they dominate the market MakeMyTrip, better known as MMT has sounded warning bells to players like the Yatra and Cleartrip, as it is set to merge with online travel portal Ibibo, ensuring combined entity’s improved negotiating power and better economies of scale which will witness aggressive pricing. Indian travel market has been growing, both domestically and internationally. There has been a series of deals in the online travel space this year. Indian travel market offers a great growth potential and large foreign capital is flowing in as overseas investors look to benefit from this growth. “The two entities together will become large buying house and can negotiate for better margins due to sheer volumes. This will allow them to offer better prices

12 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

to consumers. The deal also means MakeMyTrip will remain the market leader for a very long time,” said Ankur Bhatia, executive director of Bird Group, which has interests in hospitality and aviation. Nasdaq-listed MakeMyTrip had raised $180 million from Chinese travel major Ctrip to grow the hotel business. Ibibo secured an investment of $250 million from Naspers, the South African internet and Media Company, now one of its main shareholders, along with Chinese internet firm Tencent. And later, Yatra announced a reverse merger deal with Nasdaq-listed American company Terrapin 3 Acquisition Corporation (TRTL) that valued the Indian entity at $218 million. Yatra will list on Nasdaq.

FMCG major Colgate-Palmolive appointed M S Jacob as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) during their Board of Directors meeting held recently. It considered the recommendation of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee and approved the appointment of M S Jacob in place of Godfrey Nthunzi, Colgate Palmolive (India) Ltd said in a BSE filing. Nthunzi who is the current whole-time Director & CFO has been elevated and shall consequently move to another Colgate subsidiary. Accordingly, Nthunzi has resigned as the CFO of the company and shall continue to be a whole-time Director on the board of the company. Meanwhile, in a separate filing, Colgate Palmolive said it has signed the MoU for sale/ transfer of Industrial Land & Building located at Waluj, MIDC, Aurangabad on an as-is basis to an undisclosed buyer for an undisclosed sum. The said industrial land and building was earlier used as the toothbrush manufacturing facility which was closed in May 2015,” the company said. Compiled by Joe Williams joe78662@gmail.com

manage money Dr Anil Lamba

Evaluating the financial health by reading a Funds-Flow Statement Leverage refers to an exponential impact on the bottom line due to a certain change in the top In the previous issue I had given you a quick glimpse into how a Fund-Flow Statement is prepared. Now let us see how to read this statement.

But first let me tell you how a Cash-Flow Statement is different from a Funds-Flow Statement?

A cash-flow statement is prepared from transactions affecting cash only. However, to interpret the term funds, a broader approach is adopted, taking into account all financial resources. Cash flow is determined on the basis of three components by which cash enters and leaves a business: 1) Core operations, 2) Investing activities and 3) Financing activities. Cash flow statements are useful to identify the current liquidity problems. A funds-flow statement analyses the sources and applications of funds of long-term nature and the changes in working capital. It tallies funds generated from various sources with various uses to which they are put and determines the financial consequences of business operations. A funds-flow statement is useful to find answers to questions such as: ■ If profits are increasing year after year, why is our liquidity deteriorating? ■ How were the proceeds of the equity issue utilized? ■ How was the new plant funded? A funds-flow statement is based on an accrual accounting system and is very useful for long-range financial planning.

How to read a Funds-Flow Statement

All the key people of an organization must learn and refine their skills of

Funds-Flow Statment Sales

Uses

Profit 400,000 Redemption of bonds @5% premium

210,000

Decrease in Working Capital

700,000 Plant purchased

900,000

Sales proceeds of investments

250,000 Dividends paid

240,000

1350,000

Statment showing in Work Capital Year 1

Year 2

(A)

1200,000 500,000 240,000 1940,000

800,000 560,00 80,000 1440,000

(B) (A)-(B)

1000,000 1000,000 940,000

50,000 1150,000 1200,000 240,000 700,000

Current Assets Inventories Debtors Bank Balance Current liabilities Short-Term Creditors Net Working Capital Decrease in Working Capital

financial management. The ability to read and understand a Funds-Flow Statement is an important component of it. Take a close look at the FundsFlow Statement and see what insights you can get about the organization. Note: Sales of the company has remained constant over the two years. Look at each figure carefully, try and talk to it. Make the numbers come to life by getting into them and seeing what exactly they mean and represent. Don’t proceed until you have spent time reading and understanding this Funds-Flow Statement. Do you estimate that this business is healthy or not? Is it headed towards prosperity or trouble? Given the opportunity, would you like to invest in the shares of this company? Now let’s see what we can read from the Funds-Flow Statement. In this example there are a number of aspects on which we will not be able to comment since our data is insufficient. For instance we do not know what kind of business is being run, what the product is, or how much the turnover is. Let us see what we can conclude with the limited information available. All I want you to keep in mind is that if this had been a real-life case, we would have had access to far more information and we would have gained far greater insight than what we will now. A cursory glance at the statement shows that of the 1.35 million inflow, 400,000 has come from profits. It is not possible to comment on the quantum of profits since, while the footnote says that sales over the two years have been constant, it is silent as to whether the profit is also constant or greater or less than the previous year. If, with constant sales, the profit is lower than the previous year, it is a negative sign; if the profit is higher than before, it is positive. However, this appears to be a profit-making organization and that is a good sign. The working capital has been reduced drastically. Despite this, sales have been constant. Being able to maintain the top line with substantially lower working capital at its disposal also appears to be a sign of efficiency. The company has disposed of some investments and generated an inflow of 250,000. Investments appearing in a Balance Sheet usually indicate an investment made outside one’s own business. Healthy organizations, those that are constantly growing and expanding, will usually want to re-invest all available funds in their own businesses. Investments, unless they are strategic, or in one’s own subsidiary or sister-concern, or those made with the intention of taking over the company in which investments are being made, could be indicative of stagnation in the existing businesses. This organization appears to have invested money outside its business in earlier years, but during the current year it has felt the need to dispose of the investments and plough the money back into its own business. To that extent, this also appears to be a positive sign. (to be continued) Dr Anil Lamba is a practising chartered accountant, financial literacy activist and an international corporate trainer. He is the author of the bestselling book ‘Romancing the Balance Sheet’. He can be contacted at anil@lamconschool.com November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 13

wax eloquent

Heading in the right direction Take a look at what our corporate leaders have to say about recent trends and their experiences in the business world

At last there is progress

“Of course there remains an awful lot more to be done and it will certainly take time for these changes to permeate through the system, though it is happening already. At last there is progress and, not before time, India seems to be heading in the right direction.”

Reframing of what human beings really want “To ensure that people never need to go to a hospital or to see a doctor—wouldn’t that be a very nice healthcare system? So what enterprises do you require to ensure that people don’t need doctors and hospitals? Whereas enterprises that we are promoting and celebrating are about treating people who have got ill already. So it’s a reframing of what human beings really want. We really don’t want to go to a doctor. So what about clean water, no pollution in the cities? Aren’t these all health care issues? These are systems.”

Arun Maira, former member, Planning Commission of India and former chairman, Boston Consulting Group Courtesy: Mint

Lord Swraj Paul, founder, Caparo Group

Courtesy: http://www.financialexpress.com/

Challenges entrepreneurs face “The biggest challenge is of leadership. It is one thing to run a fledgling company, and quite another to run one that has achieved critical mass. As a father, I look at this as the difference between parenting an infant and parenting a toddler. Very different, though just as joyous. Our entrepreneurs need to retain the joy of doing a startup even after they become established companies. It’s all about the love of the game.” Suveen Sinha, author and national business editor at Hindustan Times Courtesy: https://yourstory.com

We do have the know-how right here

Need more women on the boards

“Many women directors tell me it hasn’t been easy but they are enjoying it. And in many instances, men have been very encouraging - which is a good sign.” Naina Lal Kidwai,

former head of HSBC India Courtesy: http://www.bbc.com/

14 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

“India is good in terms of product talent. There is no mystery behind product. A smart person with an experimentation mind-set will be good at product. The intellectual horsepower that is required exists in India. It will take a while for the raw talent to evolve and to hone their skills and market themselves. Somebody from the Silicon Valley cannot come and teach us anything new. We do have the know-how right here.” Harsha Kumar, principal, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Courtesy: https://yourstory.com

Principle of obliquity I have been a strong believer in what I call the principle of obliquity. Do you want to make money? Don’t focus on making money. Solve a real problem. In most businesses, if you’re solving a real problem, you will make a ton of money. Nachiket Mor, India country director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Courtesy: Mint

Corporate governance is not just about policing

“Corporate governance is not just about policing... it’s also about strengthening companies so that they grow, create wealth and ultimately benefit stakeholders. So a good board must focus much more on the development of a company which is entirely compatible with good supervision. I think that shift must happen.” Leo Puri, MD & CEO, UTI Asset Management Company

Courtesy: http://indianexpress.com/

E-commerce impact, unbelievable on Indian consumers

Need professionalism in sports federations

“The focus has to be on improving productivity, reducing waste, increasing efficiency, and giving the consumer a better deal. The traditional retail were producer oriented not consumer oriented. E-commerce is more consumer oriented, the impact of e-commerce has been unbelievable on the Indian consumer.”

“What India lacks is professionalism in sports federations. We need to have right people. They need not know anything about sports, but should be willing to learn. The Indian Institute of Management guys who know finance, marketing, etc. are the right people.”

TV Mohandas Pai,

chairman, Aarin Capital and former board member of Infosys Courtesy: Financial Express

Cannot be a one-way exercise

“Your growth rate increased because India was prepared to open up the economy, loosen government control, enable investments and free up the “animal spirits”. So Tata, Infosys, Mahindra went all over the world. But you have to allow other countries to operate in India too. It cannot be a one-way exercise. The process of changing the environment and reimagining where India stands in the global environment still needs to be done.” Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister, Singapore Courtesy: http://www.thehindu.com/

Defining moment for women in India Inc

Prakash Padukone, former All England Open champion, Courtesy: http://in.reuters.com/

“The defining moment for women in India Inc. would be when they are given greater access to education, safe work environments and equal opportunities that fully utilise their potential. As India moves towards realising its dream of becoming a $20-trillion economy, important stakeholders like the government and organisations need to include women to achieve this goal. They should strive to eliminate social, legal, financial, and cultural barriers which change existing societal norms for the better.” Shachi Irde, executive director, Catalyst India Courtesy: http://www.businesstoday.in/

To understand how good we are

“We had to take a few risks to be able to understand how good we are, where we stand and what the things are that we needed to improve on. At the same time, it gave us a lot of courage as given an opportunity, we would always go for a win. That belief changed a lot of things for everyone in the team.” Virat Kohli,

Captain, Indian Cricket Test Team Courtesy: http://www.telegraphindia. com/

Rethink keeping people long enough “A lot of management teaches that people are small, replaceable parts. An engineer is doing some job, and when that engineer leaves, you put another engineer in the job. But that’s not actually true. In reality, anything worth doing, anything really tough takes a long time to master. We need to rethink keeping people long enough for them to learn and have continuity. The continuity is important for the customer. We have to take care of our employees to take care of our customers.” Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder, Zoho Corporation Courtesy: http://in.pcmag.com/

Khadi: A ‘Vichar Vastra’ “I love khadi and am doing my best to make khadi a global fabric, so that it’s noticed by the youth. Banking on my experience of 25 years in the fashion industry, my effort will be to try and motivate people to wear khadi.” Ritu Beri, fashion designer

Courtesy: http://www.financialexpress.com/

Beyond the product

“While materially Indians were improving a lot, somewhere there was a longing for simpler times. There is an authenticity of emotions as well, beyond the product. If you tap into a powerful human emotion you don’t need a lot of money, but you need consistent work.” Shripad Nadkarni,

independent investor and cofounder, MarketGate Courtesy: Mint

Compiled by Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 15

The Tax Man Cometh-23

All about your Income and the Tax you pay by S K Jha

(IRS (retd) and former Chief Commissioner of Income Tax)

Earning income is one thing, but falling in the tax liability zone is another. The real excitement is playing the game for earning income but understanding that Income Tax Act is a necessary companion of Income and one should not get pained while paying tax

Unlike the regular tax desk which is manned by a tax officer whose job is to levy tax on you, this desk is manned by a non-serving tax officer who wishes to share his experience of 35 years in the tax department, while, discussing tax provisions. It is advantageous to know how the tax department thinks and acts when, as said by Benjamin Franklin, “In this world nothing is certain except death and taxes”

he word Ìncome’ is a very positive word. We feel happy, thinking about it, as it symbolises money. Even a child feels happy when he/she gets pocket money from her/his father as he feels that he has earned his income. One word Ìncome’ has different connotations for different people. For a salaried person, his salary is his income. While, for a businessman, his profit from business is his income. The income Tax Act has codified provisions to define what is income and then proposes to tax it. A person is taxed on his income earned in a financial year if his income is more than the cut-off threshold as per the slab of his income. The ìncome’ under Income Tax Act has an elaborate meaning that, at times, may appear little confusing. There are items considered as income which in common parlance are not perceived as income while at the same time there are items which are not taxed as income when people considered it as their income. Further to add to the complexities, the receipt of money may be income for one class of people while it may not be considered for another class of persons. Taxations of income is also guided by the residential status of the person. The provisions that are most difficult to understand are the deeming provisions, when by a fiction of law, certain amount is deemed as income and thus taxable. In this column I will take my readers to have a preliminary view of the meaning of Income under Income Tax Act. Section 2 (24) of the Income Tax Act is the most important definition section which enu-

merates items which are considered as taxable income. These items are then classified under broad heads of income. These heads of income are - salary, income from house, property ‘profits and gains from business or profession; capital gains; income from other sources. Then there is a lengthy Section 10 of the Income Tax Act which gives a list of items which apparently are income but they have been declared as exempt income and hence tax free. At the onset, capital receipt is not income unless it falls in the ambit of taxable capital gains. In this context it becomes important to know what capital receipt is as against revenue receipt. Income is taxable when it is received or also when deemed to be received. Similarly,

16 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

it is taxable when it accrues or arises and also when deemed to accrue or arise. The concept of ‘deemed income’ is to widen the scope of taxable income for which there is a clear stipulation in the provision. Section 9 (2) is one such section where circumstances have been listed wherein an income is deemed to accrue or arise in India and thus whenas income even in the hands of a non-residential can be held taxable. Similarly, in addition to dividend, there is a concept of deemed dividend if the conditions specified under section 2 (22) (e) are fulfilled. The payment as advance or loan by a closely held company to a person who is a beneficial owner in the company can be considered as deemed dividend in the hands of that person

which can be taxable as his income. The income of a resident in India is taxable even if that income accrues or arises outside India while in the case of a non-resident person only his Indian income or the income which is deemed to accrue or arise in India is taxable. There is also a concept of “Resident’ but not ordinarily resident and in the case of a person with such residential status, the treatment is slightly different while taxing his foreign income. Coming to the constituents of income, salary is the most popular: Salary is paid to a person by his employer with whom he has got employer-employee relationship. It is taxable both on the due and receipt basis, Perquisites given to employees are also taxable as salary based on their quantification done as per Income Tax Rules. Salary includes pension, fee commission and such other payments which are listed in the relevant.

Provision of Section 17 of the Income Tax Act:

Another very popular constituent of income is the income from house property. The owner of the property is seen deriving income from both his rented and self-occupied properties. The income from self-occupied property is a notional income which is considered nil in the case of single property or for one property, if the owner has more than one property which he keeps for his own use or his potential use. In the case of tenanted property or properties, the gross rent becomes the basis for computation of taxable income. The ultimate basis for consideration of computation of both national income and income from rent the concept of annual letting value of property is considered which is expected rent in a hypothetical market. The actual income is computed after making deduction as prescribed in the provision. The income can result in loss as well after deduction which will be available for set off against income under the other heads. The income from business or profession is the real backbone of commercial activity of any country. This head of income has

been elaborately discussed in Section 28 to 44 of the Income Tax Act. To begin with, we must understand meaning of word business. It has been explained as an organised activity which is carried to earn periodic income. The regular production or purchase and sale of goods undertaken with an objective of earning profits and acquiring wealth may mean business activity. Every business requires some form of investment and enough customers to whom its output can be sold on a consistent basis in order to make profit. Business can be carried by any person, which will include individual or any legal entity like a partnership firm, a company and such other persons. Even the government through its publicly owned companies can conduct business. Profession, on the other hand, involves rendering services by a skilled person like medical profession, legal profession and so on. The income from business or profession considered for taxation is of the net revenue receipt over expenses incurred wholly and exclusively for business or profession. The deductible expenses will not include personal expenses, capital expenses and illegal expenses. The law, however, provides deduction of national expenditure like depreciation, computed as per the Income Tax Rules against actual cost of the asset and also the nature of asset. Interest paid on barrowings taken for conducting business is also deductible. To promote scientific researches and social development work there are specific provisions when special deductions are permitted.

must be specific asset in the meaning of Section 2 (14) of the Income Tax Act, which includes property of any kind but the same does not include stock-in-trade, consumable stores and raw materials to be used for the business. Personal effects, that is to say movable property including wearing apparel such as furniture property for personal use will also not be considered as capital asset. But, there are exceptions. Personal effects like jewellery, archaeological collections, drawings, paintings, sculptures or any work of art will be considered as capital asset giving rise to capital gains on their transfer. Precious or semi previous stones even if sewed in wearing apparel or embedded in furniture will fall in the category of jewellery. For tax computation, there is a classification of asset as `Short term capital asset’ and long term capital asset’ depending upon the duration for which the asset has been held. The threshold period is 36 months and if an asset is held for that period or more, then it is considered as Long Term Capital asset, otherwise it is short term capital asset. One exception is in the case of shares where threshold period is 12 months instead of 36 months. There is no tax in the case of long term capital gains in case of shares and otherwise also there is less tax on long term capital gains any asset as compared to short term capital gains. The short term capital gains is considered as normal income like any other income and is taxed at the rate of the income of the person. Normally, capital gain is the difference between the transfer price of the asset and its cost. In the case of long term capital asset, the cost of the asset is substituted by indexed cost. The indexed cost is benefit provided to the taxpayer to reduce the taxable capital gain based on inflation triggered appreciation in the value of the asset sold.

The Act does not differentiate between good income and bad income. Whatever may be the source of income, if income is earned, the same is taxable. If an honestly earned salary income is taxable, then the bribe or income from drug trafficking is also taxable

Income from capital

The next constituent under separate head of income is income from capital gain. This income arises on the transfer of capital asset. The word `transfer’ has been defined in section 2 (47) of the Income Tax Act which includes: sales, exchange, relinquishment, extinguishment of any right, compulsory acquisition and when asset which is transferred from personal asset to stock-in-trade. In the case of immovable property, giving possession of it, as a part performance of the contract can amount to transfer. The asset giving rise to capital gain

Income from other sources

The last head of income is the head of income from other sources. This is the residuary head. All income which do not find a place

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 17

The Tax Man Cometh-23 in the preceding four heads of income will fall under this head, such as interest and dividend income. To combat money laundering, some deeming provisions have been inserted under this head. Money in aggregate received from any person or persons (excepting relatives) and exceeding Rs 50,000 will be deemed as income from other sources. The money received on the occasion of marriage or under a will or by inheritance or in the contemplation of death of the payer or from any local authority or from any trust or institution and any foundation will however, will not be considered as income. There is also a case of deemed income if immovable property exceeding the value of `50,000 is given without any consideration or where less consideration is taken and benefit passed on, exceeds ` 50,000. The income will be considered in the hands of the person who receives the benefit. Similar provisions are there in the case of moveable property also. The word `relativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for this provision has a very restrictive meaning which includes spouse, brother or sister, brother or sister of spouse, parents and brothers or sisters and so on. In a similar exercise to curb transfer of black money by investing in penny stock, a provision has been inserted under the head of income from other sources as per which, investment in shares of a company which is not a substantially public owned company and which is in excess of the fair market value of the shares, will be considered as taxable income of the company. One may visualise that his onetime income cannot be considered as taxable income. This may be true in some cases but by specific legislation, winning from lotteries, crossword puzzles, races including horse races, card games, gambling, betting of any sort and any such income have been considered as taxable income under this head of Income from other sources. The Income Tax Act can be criticised for many reasons but it also has to be appreciated for its socialistic approach. The Act does not differentiate between good income and bad income. Whatever may be the source of income, if income is earned, the same is taxable. If an honestly earned salary income is taxable, then

Everybody knows that donation is capital receipt and hence it cannot be taxed, but by specific legislation it has to be considered as income in the case of charitable or religious trust

the bribe or income from drug trafficking is also taxable. How you have earned may be relevant for other legislations but for the income tax act, the only relevant thing is that income has been earned. There are, however, some contrasting angularities also which add to some confusion. One such big angularity is agricultural income. Income from agriculture has been kept out from taxation. Every farmer knows, that his agricultural activity gives him income and in many cases it is his only income but for Income Tax Act, it is not income. Everybody knows that donation is capital receipt and hence it cannot be taxed, but by specific legislation it has to be considered as income in the case of charitable or religious trust. Voluntary contributions are income if received by trust, however, they will not pay tax if they are registered under Section 12 A of the Income Tax Act and they spend 85 percent of their income on their objects. Another angularity to be noted here is when donation received by the trust is anonymous. The act says that if the recipients of such donations

18 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

are charitable trusts in the field of education or medical, then the tax at the maximum rate has to be paid on such donations by the recipients. However, religious tr ust like temples can receive such anonymous donations without paying any tax and this is the reason we see donations hoax in temples. The one feature which is most noteworthy in our income tax legislation is the concept of tax holiday. Income is perceived as taxable income but for giving momentum in economic activity in some sectors, that income is considered tax free for a specific period. Then there is a concept of some stipulated deductions in Chapter V/A of Income Tax Act which can reduce the computed gross income. It is something like debate incentive. In a nutshell, earning income is one thing, but falling in the tax liability zone is another thing. The real excitement is playing the game for earning income; there is nothing wrong in that. The Income Tax Act is necessary companion of Income and one should not get pained while paying tax.

Interview

7 the

things to carry to

work

Burzeen Vakeel, Head of Marketing, Red Hat (India) reveals valuable nuggets on the seven things to pack in young corporate managersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; suitcases on their first day to work. So be it the ability to change, own responsibility, or adopt the right attitude, an optimistic attitude, teamwork and professionalism, he simplified and demystified both the path and story of success. Read on for his views on emerging issues in the business environment By Kalyani Sardesai

20 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

icture this—you've just bought your favourite android phone--or a bike you've coveted for a long time. You're happy as can be and are looking forward to using them immediately—but then someone bursts your bubble by telling you that the phone is not operational for the features will take a week to load—or that the bike is not yet road-worthy because it's not yet been registered. "You would feel short-changed right? Well, that's exactly how employers who hire you would feel if you don't start contributing to work right away," said Burzeen Vakil, Head of Marketing, Red Hat, holding forth at the concluding session of the recently held BIMM National Seminar on "Emerging issues in the Business Environment." "The time for learning is over—in college. When you come to work, you're a professional. Sure, we'll train you, but you have to be able to pull your own weight through valuable contribution," he said. "To that end, here are the seven things you need to pack in your brief case on your first day at work."

⑴

Be the change you wish to see

Illustrating his point with a powerful video that showcased the journey of the eagle—inarguably the most long-ranging aviator of all—Vakil pointed out that change may not be easy, but it is important to get out of your comfort zone in order to survive, and eventually excel. "When the eagle is about 40, he loses use of his beak and talons. The choice before him is clear. Either he subjects himself to a painful transition—or perishes," explained Vakil. If it dares to choose the former, the eagle must fly to a mountaintop, sit on its nest, and knock its own beak out. Once the beak grows back, it plucks out its talons and waits for them to grow anew. If it survives this challenging process of self-reinvention, it may take its famous flight towards rebirth and live on for 30 more years. "A simple analogy that urges us to remember that all progress is about change; letting go of self-limiting patterns and self-doubt that hampers us," he said.

⑵

Owning responsibility

⑶

Teamwork

“Remember the game of passing the parcel we all played as children? Well, unfortunately, variations of the same continue to be played in our adult lives, and the corporate world," said Vakil. "And it's not a great thing. If you wish to move ahead, understand that it's not just important to do one's work well—but also to collaborate with other members and check up on them. That's the key to moving ahead."

Even as he played a fun, animated video on the famous hare versus tortoise story, Vakil illustrated the journey of both hare and tortoise—from the time that the hare got its own back at the tortoise by pulling up its socks--to the tortoise deliberately choosing a river route that would work out to his own advantage with a view to 'maximising his own core competency'—to the climax in their journey-when both hare and tortoise realise that the way to move ahead is to adopt situational leadership and work as a team. It was finally decided that the hare would carry the

PICS: yusuf khan

tortoise on road, while the tortoise would give the hare a ride across the ferry. "This way, not only would both reach their destination faster, but also derive more satisfaction from it. This is also how it works in the office. There will always be some who will do better than you in different situations—the trick is to identify core competencies and collaborate accordingly," said Vakil.

⑷

The right attitude

⑸

Believe that your time will come

⑹

Be professional

⑺

Being essential

"There's a lot of talk about how aptitude defines your altitude. To my mind, actually, the right attitude is just as important. No one likes a naysayer. People want to learn how things can happen—and that's the attitude to take you through," he shared. To back the same, he narrated the story of two marketing managers who were sent to a little country in Africa to sell shoes. "On reaching there, the first marketing guy called up his senior and berated him for having cheated him. How on earth, he cried, was he to sell shoes in a poor country that never wore any? In sharp contrast, the second guy called up his seniors to thank them for the opportunity of becoming a pioneer in the world of shoes. He was very happy, he said, for he foresaw a 100 percent market share," said Vakil. "Same situation, different mindset." "A pessimist, it is said, sees the difficulty in every opportunity—and an optimist, the opportunity in every difficulty," said Vakil. "Be the latter—and also have faith in your own abilities to excel. Go forth and ideate— people may not take to them right now, but one day they will. Take the Swiggy story for instance. It is the story of someone who believed in their gut instinct that delivery and logistics was the next best thing. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened." He supported his point by playing a wonderful video of the maverick singer Susan Boyle—a middle-aged, unemployed housewife from a small town who went on to shock everyone with her lovely, singing voice on the celebrated TV show Britain's Got Talent. "No one gave her a chance. She looked and sounded odd—and when she said she wanted she aimed to be a professional singer at that late age, the derisive laughter from the audience was barely concealed. But sing she could—and how! In fact, a judge commented as to how the entire experience had been very humbling for both her—and the audience. "So even when things don't work at the moment, hold onto your ideas and your belief in self." "Live up to your commitments, keep your work and deadlines, and above all, show respect to age and experience. At the same time, remember to keep evolving and updating skill sets with time.

Last, but never the least, be essential to your work-place and colleagues, said Vakil. They ought to be able to rely on you—and have full faith that you will deliver in all situations. "Just as salt is indispensable to every preparation, be essential to the company that employs you. Everything follows from there," he rounded up. November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 21

Interview

Back

QA &

session

to the

‘essentials’ Burzeen Vakil, Head of Marketing, Red Hat (India) on how every employee ought to strive to be essential to the organisation they work for, and how, personally work-life balance has never been an issue

He's young, energetic, fun-loving and completely a people's person. So despite a hectic work schedule, Burzeen Vakil finds time to do his favourite things in life. Alumni of the Xavier's Institute of Management, Bengaluru, it's 15 years since he first stepped into the corporate arena, handling diverse portfolios in the marketing world: from selling watches for Titan, or tracking the growth of commercial airliner Air-Deccan, to his current innings with Red Hat, a multinational software company providing open-source software products to the enterprise community, he's handled assorted responsibilities with aplomb. "Sure, I have evolved with time but the core value system remains the same; it takes me through assorted challenges," he says. Here's finding out more about the man, and his motivation

On hiring the right kind of person..

"I would say, someone who's ready to add value to the organisation from day one—rather than someone who says he's just started, and does not know what to do. It's a hugely competitive environment out there, and companies need you to be an asset right away, and not bring their own baggage. Believe in yourself—earn and absorb, but remember that you are there to get involved, not just participate. In short, we'd like the kind of person who's ready to 'Plug and Play' from day one, rather than someone who says 'I am only a fresher, am here to learn.' Simply put, you need to contribute from day one.

On the qualities that never go out of style...

"Without a shadow of doubt, the ability to be agile and nimble—and to spot the opportunities in different situations—with a view to generating fresh ideas. That kind of person is always in demand across the board." Also, someone who brings positive energy to the work-space and sprinkles it with a generous dose of passion is someone who is always welcome. And while things are indeed very competitive, the quality that works is not aggression but being assertive.

'Work-life balance is not an issue'

If you love what you do and make it your work, the question would not 22 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

“ ”

Believe in yourself— learn and absorb, but remember that you are there to get involved, not just to participate. It may seem like a subtle difference, but it changes the whole dynamics

arise. Frankly, our parents' generation worked much harder than we ever did, and they managed to discharge every duty well. We grew up very well, did we notâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;despite the fact that there was no big talk about segregating work and life and so on? These days you have the back up of technology as wellâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you don't have to be physically present to multi-task, so with proper planning you can balance each aspect of your life very well.

On the prevalent culture at Red Hat

True to the fact that we are an open-source organisation, we are a transparent and receptive work-space. Seniors are always willing to listen to juniors. We believe in working hard, playing hard and completely enjoying what we do. It is precisely this core enjoyment that motivates employees to come early, stay late, and deliver. We love new ideas, and nurture talent, apart from taking good care of our employees. And we love passion, in ideas, thoughts, executionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in the will to do what it takes to achieve the finest standards.

Management is much more than the job on hand

It's about taking care of the people who you are dealing with--and understanding the core individual with a view to bringing out the best in them. Be quick to highlight the right, and even quicker to highlight the wrong. This is something we follow at Red Hat. Also, with time a lot of set ideas about certain portfolios, have become obsolete. For instance, the core belief that in order to be a sales/marketing person, you have to be an extrovert to succeed. That's just not true. There are a whole lot of methodologies that are studied today, with a view to understanding and appreciating the buyers' journey as well. As you come closer to the customer, both the risks and rewards are that much higher. Similarly, women have done very well in the sales and marketing arena, handling diverse challenges with great dexterity.

What I do apart from work

I love to orate and interact with people from different walks of life. I am completely a people's person, and I enjoy communicating with them thoroughly.

The motto I live and work and play by

In a phrase: Being Essential! Sure, all of us are born essential to the families and community we are born to, but what about becoming essential to the organisation in a manner? That's the role to aspire to!

About Red Hat

Over two decades ago, Red Hat came up with a vision for developing software differently. They believed that collaboration with an ecosystem of IT leaders, open source advocates and developers, to create a better foundation for the future of IT. As things stand today, Red Hat is one of the leading providers of Open Source Solutions that help over 90 per cent of Fortune 500 companies solve business challenges, align their IT and business strategies, and prepare for the future of technology. They do this by providing secure solutions through an open business model, an affordable and predictable subscription model.

Threefold Red Hat development model

At the core of Red Hat is their central belief: that open source communities can solve the most complex business and IT challenges today. The freedom to see the code, ask questions, and offer improvements back to the community: this is what open source basically means. In a threefold development model, Red Hat: a) Participates in creating community powered upstream projects b) Integrates projects, nurtures open community platforms c) Stablises/commercialises these platforms through an ecosystem of certifications and services. kalyanisardesai@gmail.com November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 23

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Cover Story

Building INS Godavari to designing TVS Scooty From designing the INS Godavari, India’s first indigenously built war-frigate to patrol vessels and tugs and then on to design the ubiquitous TVS Scooty, Capt N S Mohan Ram (retd) has been responsible for the ‘birth’ of many an engineering ‘vessel’ throughout his illustrious career, naval and beyond. In an equally eventful corporate career he turned around sick companies and steered many a corporate boat out of the storm. No wonder, he’s known as the Captain with the Midas touch who ‘sculpted’ vessels and companies alike

The

By Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar

warm and affable exterior belies the strategist at heart. For someone with a career span of nearly six decades, Capt N.S. Mohan Ram (retd) has juggled many a hat in his career in the naval cadre and beyond it. Lauded for his design distinction of INS Godavari (F20), he led the team of naval designers to construct India’s first indigenously built warship that stood in a class of its own amongst guided-missile frigates. He was awarded the ‘Vishisht Seva’ medal by the President of India for this feat. Capt. Mohan Ram’s versatility has had a ‘rub on effect’ on almost all sectors that he traversed, post his retirement from the Indian Navy. The ‘Captain’ with the ‘Midas’ touch has also been dubbed as a corporate ‘turnaround strategist’ as he set sail on his corporate sojourn in 1984 with a small loss making division of Mukand Ltd, with turnover of just `1.5 crore. He managed to turnaround this sick unit. Following on this success, he was made to shoulder the responsibility of running the `20 crore Mukand Foundry Ltd. This became the start for many new forays within the company and the wider corporate world. Capt. Mohan Ram designed the ubiquitous ‘TVS Scooty’, a winner of many design awards. His journey with Venu Srinivasan and TVS Motors Ltd since 1989 has been much lauded in

26 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

the automobile sector. Currently, in an advisory role with the company, he pioneered and continues to extend his expertise on recycling end-of-life vehicles in India. His pioneering design of Offshore Patrol Vessels formed the backbone of the Indian Coast Guard, with nine of the class entering service. He also designed India’s first cycloidal propelled tug for Cochin Port Trust and India’s first diving support vessel for underwater exploration and repair. He led the team that installed the double walled reactor piping for primary Sodium Coolant in the fast breeder test reactor at Kalpakkam. A recipient of many honours and awards that includes the ‘FIE Foundation’ medal for excellence in engineering and management from Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he was inducted as a fellow of the exclusive Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) in the year 2001. He is active in the academy’s affairs and is a member of its Governing Council. In August 2011, he received the distinguished alumnus award at IIT (Kharagpur) diamond jubilee convocation. He was also awarded the prestigious ‘Vasvik’ award for services to “Structural Engineering and Technology” from PM Narendra Modi (then CM of Gujarat). With interests in almost all domains of the ‘good life’, Capt. Mohan Ram is going strong at 80. For him, age is just a number and the glint in his eyes echoes a ‘contented’ disposition to life. He cherishes his family and holds a special camaraderie for his better-half, the much accom-

Pics: Sanjay MD

â&#x20AC;&#x153;After passing out from IIT at the top of the class, I joined the faculty for a year and got a scholarship and teaching admission for doing a PhD. at Cambridge, Massachusetts. But I was much inspired by PM Jawaharlal Nehru at the convocation ceremony at IIT Kharagpur where he exhorted IIT graduates to serve Indiaâ&#x20AC;?

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 27

Cover Story plished Vijaya Mohan Ram (former Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Bangalore). Capt. Mohan Ram shared a slice of their simple yet fulfilled lives with Corporate Citizen.

The Wonder Years:

Why did you opt for a PG course in Naval Architecture at IIT Kharagpur?

Though I secured admission for engineering courses in Coimbatore, my home town, I opted to go to IIT in distant Kharagpur as I thought Naval Architecture was a new field with a bright future. I did an undergraduate degree in Naval Architecture at IIT Kharagpur (1953-1958). I belonged to the 3rd batch of all IITians. The course dealt with design and construction of merchant ships and not warships. Naval Architecture, by name sounded mellifluous. Other than that, I knew nothing about the discipline! I have always had a penchant for trying new things and venturing into the unknown.

What led you to choose a career with the Indian Navy?

After passing out from IIT at the top of the class, I joined the faculty for a year and got a scholarship and teaching admission for doing a PhD. at Cambridge, Massachusetts. But I was much inspired by PM Jawaharlal Nehru at the convocation ceremony at IIT Kharagpur where he exhorted IIT graduates to serve India. He urged us to build the temples of tomorrow, dams and factories which will ensure India’s future. His words inspired many young IIT graduates to join the forces. Around the same time, the Navy advertised for recruitment to the naval constructor’s corps. I applied and was selected. Against my family’s wishes, I opted to join the Navy, spurning a scholarship at a fine university in the U.S. I majored in design of warships in the U.K. at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

Do share your years at the Royal Naval College.

With Iraqi Navy CNS

Commander Mohan Ram

After a year at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Plymouth, the next three years were spent at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The course was designed primarily for training designers for the Royal Navy. They also admitted students from the Commonwealth and friendly ‘navies’. My classmates comprised Englishmen, a Greek, a Norwegian, a Canadian and another Indian. I topped the international class with Time magazine features Godavari Felicitations galore for Capt Mohan Ram a high first class. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy offered to take me in their cadre and promised to defray all expenses to the Indian Navy. The offer was refused by our Navy. In adthe only naval architect to get the opportunity and that totally equipped me dition to academics, I represented Greenwich College in squash, tennis for future warship design activity. and hockey. I developed a lifelong interest in western classical music and attended a number of plays at the West End. My stay in the U.K. What were the challenges that you had to overcome during the broadened my outlook and equipped me for my future interactions with initial years? people from all over the world. I also became physically very fit, which Our Navy had no experience of design of ships. I was a member of the I maintain till today. group of pioneers who had to struggle against odds. There was no database to work on. India also had no warship construction experience. We were How did the course in the U.K. impact your maritime decisions like ‘Sherpas’ climbing the Himalayas without equipment or oxygen. My year at Bath really laid the foundation of ship design in India. I trained a in later years? number of youngsters and learnt the knack of getting data on equipment My IIT degree had given me solid grounding in merchant ship design. The from competing suppliers. U.K. course equipped me with specialised knowledge on warship design and construction. We visited shipyards, industries and research establishments in the U.K. during the course. It was a very high- standard course Did your MBA degree help in your career as a naval architect? with Maths that was equivalent to M.A. Tripos in Cambridge. Four years I completed a part-time three year MBA from the Faculty of Management later, I had the unique opportunity of working in the Royal Navy design Studies (FMS), Delhi University (1970-73) which is now rated as one of the offices at Bath, U.K., as part of the Indian Leander frigate program. I was top non-IIM schools. I belonged to the first batch and topped the course 28 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

receiving two medals, the Dasgupta Medal (for standing first in the course) and VKRV Rao medal (for topping combined full-time MBA and part-time MBA stream) from G.S Pathak, the then Vice President of India in 1974. There were no electives as such. I took keen interest in accounting, finance and operations management. The MBA did not help me in my naval career at all. In fact, the director in charge of Naval training dismissed my request for tuition assistance, saying that another officer might do a course in wine tasting and ask for assistance! At that time, the top brass in the Navy had no concept of what an MBA was about! The course however came in handy in Mazagon Docks where I got deeply involved in commercial negotiations and quoting for exports due to the expertise I had picked up in Accounting and Finance during my MBA. It was of course, very relevant to my subsequent life in the corporate world.

Frigates and Warships to Auto Design

Do share your career growth in the Indian Navy

1959 (August) – S/Lt ; 1961 (February) – Lieutenant; 1963 - topped the course at Greenwich and was commended by the CNS; 1963 - Naval Dockyard, Mumbai into ship repair; 1964-67 in the staff office at the Naval Construction Directorate; 1967-68 – An one year attachment with the Royal Navy design offices in the UK; 1968 - Promoted to Lt. Cdr; 1968-67 - Design of small craft at NHQ and became Commander; in 1970-72 - Directorate of Leander Project on modifications to U.K. design of Indian Giri class frigate; 1974- Attended inter-service course on EDP at Mhow and topped the Course(only first class); 1972-77 - Directorate of Naval Design- Designed small fast patrol craft, landing ship and led the design of INS Godavari; 1977 – was awarded ‘Vishist Seva’ medal by ‘Rashtrapati’ for design of INS Godavari; 1977-79 at Naval Dockyard Bombay, Head of Construction Department in charge of 2500 workmen in ship repair; 1979- Deputed to Mazagon Docks Limited and promoted to Captain and in 1980 - premature retirement on absorption to MDL (Mazagon Dock Limited) service.

1960 to 1970s, the ‘Leander Frigate Project’ resulted in the construction of six ‘Giri Class’ frigates at the Mazagon Dock and boosted indigenous naval design and shipbuilding capability. The ship’s design was planned during the Cold War.

For a naval architect, how different or challenging was the experience of designing two-wheelers or a steel plant in comparison to warship designing?

Design is not just technology. It is a human process of getting groups of specialists to work towards a common objective. It is a commercial process of developing a product to strict cost constraints. The underlying process of design is common to software, hardware and across disciplines. I leveraged my naval experience in Mukand Ltd to design steel plant equipment and in TVS to reorganise design processes in a cross-functional set up. My flair for engineering helped me master varying disciplines. That said, the design of a consumer durable like the ‘Scooty’ posed the additional challenge of understanding customer requirement, market research and market intuition. It was a gradual evolution for me and was immensely enjoyable.

Ship Shaping to Corporate Restructuring

Did you transit to the automobile sector in the first instance or try out other industrial sectors?

No. I first joined the construction industry, then foundry and then steel sectors from 1984 to 1989. My corporate journey began in 1984, when I joined Mukand Limited. In May 1989, Mr. Venu Srinivasan, CMD, TVS Motors Ltd, requested me to join TVS, having heard about my performance in handling labour at Mukand India Ltd. From the Navy to the defence shipyard in MDL, then on to Mukand’s Construction Division, Mukand Foundry and then Mukand Kalwe Steel Plant, my transitions have always been as profit centre head in each of these enterprises. As regards the TVS offer, the job was based in Hosur near Bangalore. My wife who was Commissioner Income Tax, had to move out of Mumbai, and the move suited us. She was posted to Bangalore a few months later and we could be together. That was one major factor in choosing TVS and I joined them in October 1989.

How did you get involved in the designing of warships, and what set protocols did you have to follow?

Because of my record at Greenwich, I was handpicked for warship design. My year at Bath gave me deep knowledge of all aspects of ship design from sophisticated weapons to humble laundries and galleys (kitchen). I created most of the protocols myself though we had some RN documents which came as a part of the Leander project.

What were some of your most fulfilling experiences in warship designing?

A warship is complex as it floats, moves and fights. It is home to hundreds of sailors and officers and has to provide reasonable comfort to them in a limited space. It moves and therefore has to be maneuverable and survive rough seas. It has to fire weapons and sustain damages and still survive. It has sophisticated wireless communication, cyber warfare and fire control devices. The naval architect therefore has to coordinate and implement all these activities and processes on a single platform. That was my job while planning and constructing the INS Godavari. We discovered that we could use the same power plants as in the earlier ships in the larger ship too. I saved the country thousands of crores of rupees and construction time by implementing this. INS Godavari came about from a realisation among Navy’s planners that shipbuilding was essential to build a strong navy. During

Meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 29

Cover Story

My transition into the corporate world was not easy at all, as I joined in senior positions right away. One issue was that my bosses who were CEOs or Managing Directors were years younger than me. However, I was respectful towards them but made sure they also respected my age and stature How did you make the transition from the Navy to the corporate world and what were the challenges you faced in each of these transitions?

The move to MDL was in an allied job in 1980. At MDL, I expanded my range to cover merchant ships and offshore platforms. I also got terrific commercial exposure which honed my commercial and financial acumen. My first job in Mukand Ltd. in early 1984 as head of the erection division was similar to shipbuilding, in that it involved structural erection, piping and so on. I initially joined the small loss making division of Mukand with a turnover of just `1.5 crore but managed to turn it around and made it profitable. The late Mr Viren Shah, the then CMD of Mukand Ltd. then offered me another sick unit – the `20 crore foundry — to run. Again, I turned it around and made record profits. In 1986, within a span of two years, Mr. Viren Shah and his son Rajesh Shah appointed me as the profit centre head of their `200 crore flagship, Mukand steel plant division. I de-bottlenecked and expanded the plant and doubled its turnover and profits by 1989. I also revamped and expanded the scope of the steel plant. I then joined TVS Suzuki Limited (now TVS Motor Company Limited) in 1989 which was under the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). Venu Srinivasan, CMD, TVS Group, invited me to join the company in early 1989 offering the position of President of the then ailing company. I asked for six months to finish my pending commitments with Mukand Ltd., before joining TVS in October.

How did you get dubbed as a ‘corporate turnaround specialist’ and what was your learning from these?

In 1989, as President of the then ailing TVS Suzuki Limited, I handled labour unrest and violence, declared a 100 day lockout and turned the division to 30 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

profit in three years. By the time I handed it over in 1996 to my successor, the turnover had more than quintupled, a loss of `five crore became `65 crore PBT(profit before tax). TVS won awards such as the NPC award for productivity, NIQR Quality award and Economic Times/HBSAI award for best shareholder return in corporate India. At a time when the company was struggling to survive, Mr Venu Srinivasan adopted TQC (total quality control) as the mantra for improvement. I protested, “How can you talk of starting an arduous quality journey, when we find it difficult to pay the vendors on time and are making losses?” His reply was, “Mohan, you are wrong; this is the only time when people will listen to the message. They get complacent when things are going well!” With his encouragement and support, I helped to turn around TVS Suzuki Limited within seven years. From 1996 to 2001, I was Director Projects and set up a greenfield plant at Mysore in 15 months at an investment of `170 crore, on time and on budget. Today, after some expansion, the plant produces over a million vehicles a year. From 2001, I have been associated with the company as an advisor, with no operational responsibility. I am a goodwill ambassador for the company! In all the jobs, I had to learn from juniors and face uncertainties. However, hard work, a hope for success, a happy attitude and people-skills helped me. My basic strength as a product designer of national repute also helped me.

How easy or difficult was your transition into the corporate sector?

Not easy at all, as I joined in senior positions right away. One issue was that my bosses CEO/MD were years younger than me. However, I was respectful towards them but made sure they also respected my age and stature.

Many Feathers, One Hat

What is your role as Chairman of the Recycling Sub-group of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers?

I was the pioneer in India in foreseeing the problem of recycling end-oflife vehicles. I have been working on it from 2003 and have attended many conferences all over the world and made presentations. On my urging, the group was formed and I headed it from inception. We formulate the auto industry policy on recycling and interact with government, regulatory authorities and the public. I am also the spokesperson for the industry in this area. I have been invited by the Japanese government METI to join a specialist group and am internationally known in the field.

Strategic Switchover Tips

Your advice to armed personnel who would like to switch to the corporate sector?

Make the move as early as possible. I probably left it too late, at age 48 when I transitioned to corporate life. Cdr. Narayanan, who is a senior officer at Infosys left after 15 years’ service foregoing pension. Try to get some management qualification. It will not get you the job but will serve as an added qualification. Target the industry and try to build relevant skill-sets in that particular sector. Get as much detail as you can on the target industry and company and make yourself attractive to your potential employer.

How should they prepare in their transition into a second career beyond the forces?

Don’t overemphasise your service experience in your resume. It may be irrelevant to the potential employer. Defence people lack knowledge of finance, costing and accounting. They also have to do a lot more themselves in unstructured situations. Learn from juniors and learn to work under people younger than you. Most importantly, do not overdo talk on defence. It upsets people.

What is the philosophy of your life?

Constantly reinventing one self and looking for challenges. Never accept defeat, as setbacks are steps for progress. Be a winner and enjoy yourself in the job. Quit, if you do not like the job.

Cover Story Dynamic Duo: 25

Vijaya Mohan Ram (Former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, Bangalore)

& Capt N S Mohan Ram

Wife of Capt N S Mohan Ram, Vijaya Mohan Ram can lay claim to eminence in her own right â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a distinguished career that culminated in her retiring as the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Bangalore. As a working woman, she had her share of dilemmas, juggling and adjustment. But above all what surfaces in their relationship is their mutual admiration and camaraderie

Golden Partnership

By Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 31

Cover Story

The

warm smile that curves into calmness speaks volumes of the journey of a 19-year old young bride who retired as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Bangalore. Vijaya is currently on the Board of Directors at GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, the CSR arm of the GMR corporate group. The fruits of her efforts find a quiet reverence in her better half, Capt N.S. Mohan Ram, an accomplished and versatile naval architect and corporate consultant. With equally talented and accomplished children, the charming couple in a tête-à-tête with Corporate Citizen, revealed the ‘unsaid’ mutual camaraderie between the Captain and his soul mate.

‘More remarkable than mine’

One thing that Vijaya cherishes in Capt. Mohan Ram is his intellectual curiosity. “He is so much interested in learning and knowing so many things. I admire his intelligence, his versatility and his intellectual curiosity. He is versatile in every aspect – in classical music it is any genre -- Hindustani, Western or even Carnatic classical music. Though I sing, he is more knowledgeable than me on that subject. Similarly, on any topic – say, when our son who has a PhD in business economics was preparing a paper with his colleague, Mohan Ram was able to contribute to that too. Even our grandchildren communicate with him as he is very good in everything– a multifaceted personality!”

Living it on the shore

“My wife’s career has been more remarkable Vijaya did not have a career immediately after than mine,” says Capt. N.S Mohan Ram. Their her marriage to Capt. Mohan Ram. “Because 52 years of marital bliss is much admirable Mohan is a naval constructor, he never went as each traversed their individual profesto sea and was not the typical sort of naval ofsional journeys to come full circle into their ficer. We never had a typical naval life because common interest in music. “She was just 24 he was always on shore. Post-marriage he was years old with a son and a daughter when she posted to the naval headquarters and it was as joined the central government service (under good as any person working in an office. Even UPSC). She has also gone to Princeton for a Soulmates - Going strong since 1964 when we went to Delhi we never stayed in the PG course and to the UK for a course. She has been Comptroller of Capital Issue, a Deputy Director in the Company Law Board, and Director in the Department of Atomic Energy. She finally retired as Chief Commissioner Income Tax in Karnataka. Vijaya has no airs. Nothing. We had parallel careers running, but it did not affect the children’s education,” says Capt. Mohan Ram with much pride in his wife’s achievements. Capt. Mohan Ram appreciates the sense of detachment and spirituality in Vijaya’s demeanour despite her career stature. “The day she retired, there was a farewell function and people were all in tears but she was not. She was laughing and said enough is enough. People were all singing at the gathering. She is a very good classical singer and when they asked her to sing, she rendered a composition by celebrated singer M.S. Subbulakshmi and a ‘Mira’ bhajan. I saw the tears in people’s eye as she sang and someone said they had felt divinity that day. I was never more proud of my wife than on that day. She was so happy to get out of all that work-life that she has had no regrets. She never even set sight on her department To UK with family and friends after she retired and just walked away from it; a kind of freedom from the 37 years that she worked. That is something that I cannot do, and admire this in her.” services enclave and lived in flats outside. I have never been to a naval party. My husband and I are very much interested in music and he did not want me to work precisely for this reason in the early days.” He admired her vocal Familial connections and orthodox boundaries capabilities and had commented, “you have such a lovely voice, music will Vijaya Mohan Ram got married immediately after her graduation in 1964, be your causality if you work.’’ “It was indeed difficult to pursue music. I all at 19 years, a coy bride. “We went through the arranged marriage system. though try to sing for half an hour every day,” she said. It so happened that my mother’s cousin is the daughter of my father-inVijaya and Capt. Mohan relocated to Delhi in 1964 and then she went to law’s cousin. This lady suggested my alliance to Mohan’s father as they were Chennai for the birth of their daughter in 1965. She was a housewife until looking t for a suitable bride for him. I was 19 years old and Mohan was then. In March 1966, when Capt. Mohan Ram set sail for his training at already 28.” There was an initial reluctance from him as he felt that I was the Royal Navy College in Bath U.K., she mulled over the idea of pursuing such a young girl and there was a lot of gap in our age. But their horoscopes a career. Since the family was not allowed to join Capt. Mohan Ram in matched and Capt. Mohan Ram was already serving the Indian Navy in the U.K., she had no option but to go back to Chennai, from where she those days. appeared for the competitive exam. Vijaya Mohan Ram comes from a very orthodox family. “My father had two criteria for selecting his son-in-law. He always valued a good personality and Mohan was very handsome. The second dictum was on Starting out intellectual attainment. Mohan was always a topper at college and I too “However, I was reluctant to appear for the Civil Services as I had not prewas good in studies. So my father’s thinking was that he should get somepared for the exams at all. But my father reasoned that I was left with only one with intellectual compatibility for a perfect alliance. In our commuthree chances then, having relinquished the previous year. He said, “Alnity, people do not normally marry off their daughters to somebody in though you have not prepared, do write the exam, as in these exams there is the armed services. But my father said that the boy is very handsome and no absolute pass and fail. They select the top 100 or 150 meritorious students accomplished, and so I did not bother about other things. Today we are and even if you don’t get it, you will get a feel of the exam.” into our 52nd year of matrimony.” She did write the exam but was not at all confident of passing them. 32 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

She reminisces, “I still remember the day of the result. I had come from my mother-in-law’s house to my father’s house. Appa was getting ready to go to office... At the time, my cousin too rang up and asked for my roll number and said that the results were out. We checked the results in the newspaper and I just could not believe my eyes that I had got through the written exam and now had to appear for the interview. By the time I had finished my interview, Mohan was back from the U.K. When we got my results, sometime towards the end of May-June 1968, I went back to Delhi with my daughter.” Balancing home and work was uppermost in Vijaya’s mind and keeping this in sync, she did not opt for the IAS. She says, “My first choice was Audits and Accounts because my father was with the AGS (Accountant General) office; my second choice was Income Tax (IT). I did not get Audits and Accounts, but I got IT and that’s how I got into the services.”

Braving the odds

As with any other working woman at the threshold of her career, but also wedded to the armed forces, Vijaya Mohan had to endure and take some bold steps. Post induction into the services, for the first four months, Vijaya had to go to Mussoorie to undergo the Foundation Course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy (erstwhile National Academy of Administrative Services), as do all IAS and other services officers. But she soon realised that she was expecting her second child and wondered what to do about this situation. “The dilemma also came as to what to do with my daughter. I had brought her up personally and never had separated from her.” But, then she did go for the training in 1968, leaving her daughter with her mother in Chennai. “After the initial period at Mussoorie, I had to go to Nagpur. Although, my daughter was well settled with my mother, Capt. Mohan Ram believed that I should not be separated from our daughter.” Stoic Vijaya Mohan then decided to rent accommodation in Nagpur and started rebuilding herself in the second phase of her training regime by weaving her life singlehandedly at the Nagpur training institute with her daughter. “That was the toughest time, as transportation was via cycle rickshaws, no phone or landlines. There were no gas cylinders so I was cooking on a kerosene stove. Come to think of it, that period in 1968-69, was one of the toughest times of my life.” Post-Nagpur, she once again joined her husband in Delhi and their son was born in March 1969,

but she had to forgo her departmental exams as she was on maternity leave. This was when she once again called upon her mother, who stayed with her for eight months to take care of Vijaya and Mohan’s kids, as Vijaya gradually stepped up on her career path. “So, once again, I took a six-week old child and my two-year old daughter to Nagpur to complete the second part of the unfinished training from May to November 1969.”

Stepping up

After completing her training, she was posted in Delhi as per an informal rule “that husband and wives should be posted together.” In December 1976, Capt. Mohan was transferred to Mumbai and she got hers in June 1977. From September 1977 to 1978, she went to Princeton University and Mohan looked after the kids. This was under the aegis of the prestigious Parvin Fellowship. “My career would not have been good if it was not for my husband’s cooperation. My son was eight years old and daughter 12. I studied at the Woodrow Wilson Public school for a year, which was more on public administration. I was then, undersecretary in the Economic Affairs department (Deputy Commission in IT)”. After her Princeton programme, she was posted in Mumbai as Additional Commissioner of Income Tax. “In the department itself, I had various postings. Eventually, I was empanelled for the Director’s post from the central government and then went as Director, Dept. of Atomic Energy during 1986 to 1989 in Mumbai.”

“He is very interested in learning and knowing so many things. I admire his intelligence, his versatility and his intellectual curiosity. He is versatile in every aspect—in classical music it is any genre—Hindustani, Western or even Carnatic classical music. Though I sing, he is more knowledgeable than me on that subject”

Parenting odds and working couple

Vijaya says her children studied by themselves. “However, my husband contributed a lot to their studies in grades 10th and 12th. He was in the Navy so would take leave during the kids’ exams. Before he joined the private sector in 1984, I remember my son was in grade 10th and Mohan took a month’s leave after he had left Mazagaon Docks Ltd. He sat at home and guided my son in his Xth grade. For his IIT and further studies, my son did it all on his own. My daughter also joined TISS and worked for HP.” “In my opinion, working women, because they feel a lot more guilt, feel the need to compensate more for the lost hours that they are in office. I would say working women with kids should have their priorities very clear. You ought to take it a little easy on your ego. If you stand on your ego too much, you hurt yourself and your children. It is a question of adjustment..” sangeetagd2010@gmail.com November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 33

Corporate opinion

Vinit Deo,

Chairman and MD, Posiview Consulting Partners Pvt Ltd

arriages may be made in heaven…but they have to survive and more importantly thrive on Earth! What better way to cement a lifelong relationship with a celebration that is remembered and cherished for at least that long if not more-and many a times in India, these memories outlive the people. I have often heard the older generation in my family recount some wonderful incident from their grandparents’ wedding-and what a treasure trove of family history it is! Despite the march of time, the stories never lose their allure and charm for generations; they are in fact, nuggets of joy from times gone by. Apart from the religious significance, The Big Fat Indian Wedding has been a necessity in the Indian context of “arranged marriages”. The rituals lasting for almost a week rode on religion to build a bond between the bride, groom and their families who were till that time strangers to each other. That's how lasting friendships and alliances were formed. If we take a slightly broader view of Indian ceremonies for all occasions, it's easy to see that almost all our religious occasions and ceremonies are in a sense “celebration parties”-from the naming ceremony of an infant to his 60th birthday and from Rangpanchami to Diwali. As a people we love to mark life's various moods and moments through these festivities-and that's an intrinsic part of who we are! It also adds so much more value to the business of living. Culturally, we have been a society where the family comes before self -and family means the extended version with aunts and uncles, in-laws, cousins et al. We share in each other’s joys and sorrows and I believe that’s what makes us such resilient people. How can life’s most important occasion be isolated from this social and cultural fact? The Big Fat Indian Wedding thus becomes a necessity and an aspiration not just for every parent and child but also for every family member and guest who wants to be part of this new family that’s just taking root, bless it and be with it as it spreads its branches. 34 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

Wows-or-Woes?

There are few cultures that celebrate a wedding with as much gusto and fanfare as we Indians do. Not only do we spend huge amounts of time and money planning the big day for ourselves and our loved ones, we lay great store by all the niceties and courtesies that play out over the course of both the pre-wedding and wedding ceremonies. Nothing is too good for our guests - not even if we take a massive loan for funding the festivities. After all, this is one occasion for the entire family and long lost friends to meet up-why scrimp?! Besides, there's no denying the fact that we are a social, boisterous lot who love company, and a wedding is a wonderful opportunity to meet up and have fun. It is precisely this love of celebration-coupled with our expanding budgets that has spawned a multi-crore wedding industry in its wake. Which brings us to certain pertinent questions: Are elaborate, expensive weddings really a part of the Indian ethos, or is it a waste-and simply an attempt to outshine everyone else; a not so-savoury byproduct of an increasingly consumerist society? Amidst the mind blowingly expensive theme weddings that routinely take place at exotic destinations -the food tables that would put a medieval king's banquet to shame, the razzle-dazzle and serpentine guest lists-have we perchance forgotten all about the sanctity of the occasion? Or is it really possible to combine the two? We throw the floor open to some of our leading corporate citizens - and as usual-they don't disappoint with their insights. As told to Kalyani Sardesai

Aman Rajabali,

CEO, Kabir Profile Solutions & General Secretary of NHRD Pune Chapter

Rajesh Agarwal,

VP, Investor Relations & PR, Mumbai

Having said that, it is also necessary to keep in mind that it should not be considered the gold standard for people with less than generous means-nor should they be pressurized to follow suit-either by their own family or their intended in laws. Remember, "dowry" is still an ugly word, and it is also against the law.

Tanuja Raje Sardesai,

Company Secretary, Legal Heads Pvt Ltd

y opinion is simple and unambiguous: It's a big fat waste-nothing more-to spend more than six times your cost of living on one single occasion of your life. Six times more than the cost of living-yes! that's how much the average Indian spends. More than 80 per cent need loans to finance this dream affair for their beloved child. And what for? To keep up with the Joneses--to outdo and outshine everyone else! It is breeding an invisible divide-a casteism of sorts--between the haves and have-nots! After all this extravaganza, the marriages don't seem to survive-as per the latest reports! Therefore, I simply don't buy the argument that this ostentatious tamasha is part of Indian culture! Yes, traditionally, we are a culture that has always had long guest lists on weddings. It is an occasion for communities and families to bond. But people did this in earlier times-without compromising on the seriousness and sanctity of the occasion-and without making a display of their wealth! Being hospitable to friends and family should not entail going bankrupt! Sure, there is the wedding industry which generates employment for a multitude of people. But I would like to make a pertinent point here: Guthka sells too-but at the end of the day, it causes cancer. This greed to spend more than anyone else and make the wedding all about a show of status is precisely the disease that needs to be pin-pointed for what it is! It is the very same thought process that gives rise to female foeticide and dowry-where parents lament the fact that a daughter has been born to them! Unfortunately, in the year 2016, we are still having a discussion over this. Which brings me to an important aspect: The law states that both sides must share the expenses equally-but how many of us are even aware of it?! The burden of all this shoo-sha unfairly-and quite often-falls on the girl's side.

or the longest time, Indian culture made a virtue of frugality and modesty. However, with the onset of economic reform-and the increasingly accessible dollar-India has seen a significant rise in wealth and income across various sections of society, and now, voila! "Consumption" is not that bad a word anymore! Be it swanky cars, sprawling luxury homes, branded clothing and state-of-art gadgets, we can afford the best of the toys. Our quality of life is no more just about having enough-it's about pushing the envelope for newer experiences-be it travel, adventure sports, or a wedding to outdo all weddings! To my mind, money is merely the means to an end and should be spent on things that give you satisfaction. So if people have money and want to spend or splurge on weddings for that 'once in a life-time' thrill-I have no problem with that! Besides, most of the families who host the 'Big Fat Indian Wedding' have great and I dare say-disproportionate wealth-so the spending generates a lot of opportunities for businesses like wedding planners, caterers, flower vendors, artists, musicians, choreographers--the works! Spending is a zero sum game-somebody's spend is someone's income-and if it is moving from those who have plenty-to those who need it, I say great!

y all means, let's celebrate. A wedding, without a doubt, is a once in a life time occasion. It is a beautiful moment to be cherished with friends and family. But please let's not get into debt while we are at it. And I am a firm believer in both the girl’s side and the boy’s side contributing equally to the expenses. Marriage is a life time partnership--and the manner in which the nuptials are conducted ought to reflect that sense of mutual responsibility. Don't the marriage vows reiterate that shared commitment towards each other? So let's start with the wedding-and a detailed itinerary of the expenses concerned-shouldered by both sides. Ostentatious, over the top affairs-that leave the girl's side-or anyone for that matter-in a financial mess are a strict no-no. The married life that follows is actually where all your energies ought to be concentrated, and if you begin on the right note, without any mess over your head, all the better for everyone concerned.

‘I have often heard the older generation in my family recount some wonderful incidents from their grandparents’ wedding— and what a treasure trove of family history it is ! Despite the march of time, the stories never lose their allure and charm for generations; they are in fact, nuggets of joy from times gone by’ November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 35

Corporate Opinion

Rommel Sharma,

Software Development Manager, Adobe

sound education is my first and foremost duty towards my little one. Given this truth of life, I don't see how and why the Big Fat Wedding should either be practical or desirable. If there's extra money-in any case-do give it to the young couple to set up house; it's better spent that way. Oh, and one more thing: I don't buy into the theory that the wedding is meant to be funded by the girl's father! It should be mutually paid for.

Khusbhoo Gupta,

Brand Manager, Sterlite Technologies

he need to celebrate and have everyone else share in one's revelry is all well and good; over time, Indian lifestyles have headed North-which is a good indicator of the economy! Is it part of Indian ethos ? I am not so sure. To my mind, it is entirely possible to have a tasteful and dignified revelry-with both sides of the family sharing the cost. But a super-duper extravaganza spread out over many days?! I don't agree. Sure, lifestyles have taken a quantum leap, but so has the cost of living! As an army man's son I could avail of a decent education in a Kendriya Vidyalay for Rs 15 a month; an education that was solid enough to enable me to become a part of the world of technology. Today, that is not the case anymore. I spend a whopping amount on my only son's education-and he is not even in standard One. That's the way things are-and if I want him to do well, I can't scrimp there. A

wedding is meant to be fun-and honestly, with working professionals getting married only by 28/30 yearsthey are old enough and earning well enough to fund their nuptials themselves. So where is the question of an extravagant circus that leaves the parents in a lurch? In fact, there is much satisfaction and joy to be derived in planning your special day on your own. My husband Kunal and I had a destination

36 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

‘I don’t see how and why the Big Fat Wedding should either be practical or desirable. If there’s extra money do give it to the young couple to set up house; it’s better spent that way’ wedding in Goa-with all the rituals and ceremonies included. But we paid for most of it on our own; in fact it would not be an exaggeration to say that our parents were invited to our wedding! They were pleasantly surprised and proud of us. I firmly believe that wedding expenses should be halved between both the boy and the girland if possible, spare the parents most of the burden. Haven't they paid for your education and made you self-sufficient? Sure, seek their blessings and approval by all means, but don't forget your responsibility as an earning and educated adult. The times are changing, and your shaadi ought to show that element of modernity, even as you incorporate the traditional view that marriage is for a lifetime. I am strongly against ceremonies that have only the girl’s side spending the money-it is from here that things go downhill. Let that not be the case anymore! In our case, we included all the special touches that we wanted to-but with a relatively smaller guest list. kalyanisardesai@gmail.com

Claps & Slaps Corporate Citizen claps for Subhash Kot and Manu Prakash, both IITians and alumnus of Mumbai and Kanpur respectively, who have bagged the prestigious MacArthur ‘genius grant’ award worth $625,000 (approximately `4 crore)

Corporate Citizen slaps the insensitivity of civic authorities in Agra, who have taken no action against burning garbage in the open that has resulted in the iconic Taj Mahal getting discoloured in recent years

The fellowship, which is also recognised as the ‘genius grant’, is bestowed on scholars who display extraordinary creativity in their fields of work. Subhash Kot and Manu Prakash will receive the grant amount over five years to further their research work. They join the esteem line up of 23 awardees, who have received the grant in 2016, across various fields such as science, art and civil rights under the John D and Catherine MacArthur Foundation. A theoretical computer scientist at New York University, Kot has been recognised for providing important insights in solving problems in the field of computational complexity and for his development of the Unique Games Conjecture. On this, he explained, “If you believe that one specific problem is hard to solve, lots and lots of other problems, which computer scientists are very interested in are also hard to solve.” Prakash, an assistant professor at the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. He is the brain behind developing a low-cost origami microscope called the ‘Foldscope’, which costs less than `70. It is made by folding paper and attaching a glass bead lens. This device helps to view things at a sub-micron level. The foldable microscope has been designed on a single sheet of paper and has the potential to promote education and medical facilities in rural areas. Because of its low manufacturing cost, it is a boon for amateur scientists, schools and medical experts to adopt this device for their research. This fold able microscope means that low income and rural areas can have access to technology and learning which is often out of reach in these areas. This unique microscope is just one of the many path breaking inventions that Prakash has created. His devices are low-cost, widely accessible and can be used in resource—poor settings. He has also developed a clock that works using tiny water droplets. On his acumen in development of frugal science, Prakash said that some of his creative ideas did come from his travel and childhood in India. On building inexpensive scientific devices, he said, “Often a challenge in technology deployment is in building engaged local communities that take ownership of ideas and deployment. I’d started thinking about this connection between science education and global health.” Kudos to the two scientists for carving a niche for themselves and the country of their origin, India.

Although, the authorities has banned burning cow dung cakes in the vicinity, in an attempt to slow down the darkening of the marble monument, new international research pinpoints the threat that needs efficient waste management techniques in the city of the `Taj’. Not to have anticipated the ‘browning’ impact on the marble architecture due to MSW (municipal solid waste) burning shows lack of scientific know-how in saving historical monuments. It took an international study backed by field measurements and quantitative data to notice the significant effect of MSW burning. The research was conducted to compare the impact of cow dung cake burning versus burning of municipal solid waste on ‘browning’ of the Taj Mahal and on the health of people living in nearby areas.” A team of researchers from the US and India have categorically stated that ‘burning of solid municipal waste in the open may be a greater contributor to the problem.’ Team members Ajay Nagpure and Anu Ramaswami from the University of Minnesota developed a new method to characterise municipal solid waste burning and emissions. Raj Lal of Georgia Institute of Technology, meanwhile, carried out a detailed study for Agra and the Taj Mahal, comparing the impacts of emissions from municipal solid waste and cow dung-cake burning on human health and the monument. According to the study report, authorities in Agra have, taken some measures to curb the impact of local air pollution on the Taj, such as ‘restricting vehicles near the complex, requiring iron foundries to install scrubbers and filters on their smokestacks, prohibiting new polluting enterprises from being built within a defined buffer zone around the mausoleum, and - most recently - banning the burning of cow dung cake as cooking fuel.” “The more effective strategy to reduce soiling may be to reduce municipal solid waste burning,” said Ted Russell of Georgia Institute of Technology. “Many small (and dirty) fires add up to make a lot of smoke.” The scientists inferred that open MSW burning leads to about 150 milligram per square meter (mg m2) per year of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) being deposited on the surface of the Taj Mahal compared to about 12mg m2 per year from dung cake burning. Finding new ways to serve the undeserved and poor areas with waste pick up, appears to be a more promising route for authorities to pursue,” said Mr Russel. (Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar) November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 37

C r a d l e

o f

L e a d e r s h i p

Whistling Woods Get Set For The Filmy Taal Whistling Woods International (WWI) is a Film School set in the premises of the iconic Film City of Mumbai, spread over several hundred acres of land. A private educational institution, it has recently tied up with the Tata Institute of Social Studies (TISS) for its degree and diploma in films. The founder is the stalwart film personality Subhash Ghai, who has made many super hit Bollywood movies. While Whistling Woods is his creation, his daughter, the smart and savvy Meghna Ghai Puri is its President. She speaks at length with Corporate Citizen on the concept and philosophy of Whistling Woods, which is considered as one of the top five film institutes of the country. Excerpts from the interviewâ&#x20AC;Ś By Vinita Deshmukh

38 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

Cradle of Leadership

Whistling Woods International is one of the top film schools in India. Tell us how your father, veteran filmmaker and founder of the institute, Subhash Ghai conceived the idea. My father had no background of motion movies when he decided to join the film industry. He was a B.Com. graduate. His father was a dentist and his mother, a teacher. After he arrived in Mumbai from North India, he decided to enter the film industry, because he was very creative when he was in school and college. His father advised him to join an institute before joining the industry and that’s how he joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. Having no godfather to back him and give him a break in the industry, he had to go through a very long and hard struggle. He had come to Mumbai to become an actor—which he did—but ended up writing scripts for films, to make a living. Then, of course, opportunities poured in and rest is history. During his struggling days, he promised to himself that even if he makes it big, he will build a small library or a school in Mumbai, so that those who have no godfather will have a platform to get into the industry. Almost everything about film making and acting is about creativity. What is the role of a film school and how does it help? Of course, you have to have a hidden talent—a lot of people don’t go to any school and still make it big. So, it is not that you can’t make it without going to a film school. But a film school gives you a certain foundation, bonding and the best thing that it offers is a platform for networking—that was his dream. He would say, “I want to build something here so that those who don’t come from the film industry also get an opportunity to make it big.” Once he started working towards it, he began comprehending the academic venture. He was trying to understand the creativity part of it and realised that there are so many things that are lacking in the talent that is here. For example.when we had launched IPO of Mukta Arts in 2000, we were to make eight films a year—but where was the talent to make those films, to write those films, to produce those films? He realised that there was a dearth of talent and he had to build something where talent could be developed to international standards. He asked his investors to allocate funds to his dream project of starting a film institute. Of course, we had to put in a lot more investment. When he starts dreaming, it is never a small dream—it just becomes bigger and larger November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 39

Cradle of Leadership than life. That’s why you can see this beautiful and sprawling WWI campus. We started with 80 students and now we have over a 1000 of them. When did you get involved with WWI? My involvement really started when I finished the course in communication and marketing in London. He asked me to immediately come back saying, “It is really important for my dream and you are spearheading it. I need you to be there at the forefront.” Initially I was a bit worried because I did not know what was going to happen. However, I came back and joined him, but I found there was nothing here—there was no building, the land was just barren and surrounded by a jungle. How did you formulate the kind of syllabus you needed for an international film institute? There was the legacy of FTII but it had its limitations as far as employability was concerned. We wanted to make sure that our students are employable. For some of the technical courses, students would be picked up immediately, but a lot of creative students would not be able to excel in Bollywood or the Hindi mainstream cinema. Ours being a mainstream school, we needed to make sure that our curriculum had that balance. So we did a lot of research on this and also went to film institutes in the US, Australia, Europe, to understand their curriculum. We were also tempted to just pick up their curriculum and bring it here the way it was, but at that point we realised that our students were very different from the students there. Today, things might be different because of exposure to technology, but back then our students did not get exposure to any digital media or art—it was, at best, a hobby kind of course. We had to customise the curriculum to our students and to our industry. So we took all our knowledge from other schools and we came up with our own curriculum, which we change as per requirement. Being a private and dynamic institution, we keep revising it every six months because the industry is changing so fast. We have many technology partners who are on board, who keep telling us what is the future rather than what is the present and what is the past. So our curriculum changes accordingly.

Then we have students who come here after leaving their engineering or are studying engineering. And there are medical students, actually doctors who come and study acting and direction. We had a student who had worked in Microsoft in New York. So we have all sorts of students who come here, age no bar. Only 50 percent or even less are students from Maharashtra. We also have about 15 percent foreign students who come and study here. What are the various short–term courses you offer besides the degree and diploma? We have different schools—we have a school of films, school of animation, school of media and communication and school of acting and music. Films being most expensive, the average fees come to Rs14–15 lakhs for a three year programme, whereas an MBA or BBA costs around Rs 6–8 lakhs. It depends on what course you are doing. In the film course, we need a lot of equipment. We make around eight films with the students. We easily spend that money on making those films. If they were to make those films themselves, they would never be able to make it with that budget. So, we have to give them the value for what they are paying—what they get in value may be three–four times more than what they pay as fees. What are the changes you have seen in terms of technology? What have you found in the students and the approach

The film industry is a very creative field. What is the profile of students— what kind of background, education, social status and geographies do they hail from? A lot of people think that since the fees are high, only the rich would be coming here. That is not true. Over 70 percent of our students come with bank loans—usually personal bank loans because our fees are high and education loan is not enough. They put a lot of things at stake and come here to study. They are very responsible students. 40 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

of education here? Technology has become highly advanced, which is a good thing because it has also become easier to operate. Students are also so advanced in their learning that they grasp it very fast. So, less time is taken to teach them technology and its usage. They are so techno-savvy that they make music albums and edit on the phone. So I don’t think technology is a barrier at all. It is actually an advantage because your music video or film can be made in an economical manner. A lot of students make short films themselves, just using a camera and a laptop—expressing themselves in a much easier way. If you were to make a film the conventional way, imagine how much work you would have to do. Among the film schools in India, are you much ahead in terms of technology? We have to be ahead. An institute like the FTII is government funded—they may have certain technology but they don’t have operators to use it. We have tied up with technology partners— they are on the campus. We have got Foxconn to open their media labs here—they are responsible for our media lab completely. We also have YouTube on campus. We have AMD, which takes care of any hardware and software that is related to animation. We also provide the facility of VHS (Video Home system). So, what happens when such stalwart companies come on board? They understand the value—these 800students are learning at WWI and will be able to use their product better when they get out

A lot of people don’t go to any school and still make it big. So, it is not that you can’t make it without going to a film school. But a film school gives you a certain foundation, bonding and the best thing that it offers is a platform for networking

and become the influencer. I have had students recommending a particular Sony camera to the director of the film, assuring him about its quality. Because that student was so confident, the director agreed to use that camera. So, Sony is very happy because our students are becoming its brand ambassadors. The same is the case with other companies. So we tied up with all these technology partners so that we can give our students the best and the students become their ambassadors. So, these technology partners have their own outlets on-campus labs? Some of them do. We have an on-campus Sony centre, which is one of only three such centres in the world, the other two are in London and Los Angeles. YouTube, for example, has spaces all over the world. They encourage a lot of filmmakers to make better quality short films and also monetise them. A lot of kids these days have their own channels and they make their own videos but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to make money out of them. So YouTube is here to guide them. Again the YouTube space in our premises in Mumbai is the only one in India and the second in Asia after Japan. What support do you get from the Indian film industry? A lot of friends in the industry have been very kind to us and very helpful. They come and do sessions with our students and also help us in building the curriculum. We also have faculty which comprise working professionals from the film industry. They are actively working in the industry but also come here to teach. Of course, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect a Shahrukh Khan to come and teach every day, but when we need them, they are there for us. Interestingly, you have campus placements here. So, what is it exactly like; how do the students get placed? First of all, in this industry, placement does not happen like it does in a regular industry. We have placement where a few corporate companies like Star and Zee come to our campus to hire, whereas in production companies, the placements happen, project wise. When these production companies are shooting for a film, they look for talent then. Luckily for us, because all noted people from the film industry are on our advisory board, they keep hiring from Whistling Woods. They call us up and tell us about their requirement and then we pick students who fit the criteria. As of now, we have 1,500 students placed in the film industry. They all look after each other. They all collaborate, make sure they are making each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s films. In our School of Media Communication and in the School of Fashion, yes, we have placements in the conventional manner. We November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 41

Cradle of Leadership

Love what you do Subhash Ghai, stalwart film maker, Founder and Chairman of Whistling Woods International, believes in the right kind of education rather than right to education. He speaks about why he decided to start his film academy “I did go through the set format of schooling but I was always disturbed with the syllabus as I could not understand how they could enforce on my mind information that I was not ready for, or interested in. “What I was interested in knowing as a child was about the society and culture that we live in. I could not identify with the international sensibility and culture imposed upon me through text books. Fortunately, my mother narrated to me the entire epic of Ramayana and Mahabharata when I was in Std III so by Std IV, I knew both epics thoroughly as I could comprehend them due to the familiarity of the characters, cities, culture and environment that I lived in and saw around me. “I wanted to educate myself with my own observation. I used to contemplate and introspect about many things - Why this religion? Why these idols? Why these traditions? Why do we celebrate Diwali? What does Gayatri mantra mean? What is the difference between a financially rich and a mentally rich person? However, I could not get any answer from the outside. So, I educated myself by connecting to art because through art - be it in the form of drama, music or poetry, I could understand better. get these corporates here; the designers interview students and hire. In fashion, we do a little differently. We get them in for internship and then they go ahead and choose. What average salaries during campus placements? It is so difficult to say – when an undergraduate BBA student joins the industry, his monthly salary might be Rs.25,000. If he or she is a MBA, the salary is generally Rs. 6 to 7 lakhs per annum. Students who opt for specialisation in Sound get picked up fast, as there is a dearth of such students – seven or eight opt for it. Whereas you get 25 students specialising in direction. And these are the areas where you need a lot of luck to get the right break at the right time. It involves assisting a veteran film director first, then getting your first break. And there are entrepreneurs too… Yes, yes! That is the crux of our course. We train our kids to be entrepreneurs because a lot of independent projects happen these days. So they need to understand how to manage a team,

“I used to write, act and direct plays during my school and college days. I wanted to be in a different horizon and fortunately my College Principal told my father not to make me a chartered accountant, but that I would flourish in the medium of art. So, my father advised me to go to FTII for formal training. After that, I came to Mumbai, became an actor, then writer, producer and finally I am an educationist because my whole experience was not only making films but I was learning from every department. “I thought this was the time when I had the money, experience and knowledge so I should share it with the younger generation. I am ageing now, as I am approaching 70. When I was 60 years old, I decided to start Whistling Woods International. I visited various film schools around the world, studied them as to how they teach. Then I had my own ideas and vision. I mixed both together to make it relevant to our country. I brought in experts in the industry in an advisory role to guide us on the practical aspects of the course. l believe in the right kind of education more than right to education. “I enjoy teaching students. I cannot say I have founded the school so I can now sit back and relax. I should be responsible for the education also. So, today, I feel my preference is more for education than for movies. I will make a film if I am excited about a particular story but I will not make films just because I am a film maker. Creating this institute is equal to making 25 films for me. I am creating film makers which is giving me immense happiness. I will always do what gives me happiness. I believe in ‘do what you love, and love what you do’. manage finances and their own studios. Can you say something more about your Music School? The Music School is a new concept. We started a diploma course in music last year. We started with seven students and now we have 30. We began with a diploma course. Now we have moved on to offering a degree course. We have Sangita Shankar, noted violinist, heading it. She is a Grammy award nominee. We have Subhashji himself, sitting in the class and guiding students. What do you teach in the Music School? Our concern is music composition. So we teach them everything. We teach them instruments and vocal. But the main objective is, that they should be able to compose music. Tell us about your father, Subhash Ghai’s transition from his role as film maker to an educationist? In terms of his transition from a film maker to a teacher, you have to have that passion to teach and I have seen him doing that since he was a

42 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

filmmaker. He always had taught people around him. Not every director does it. Some directors just like to be left alone; they work and they just instruct their assistants. My dad loves an audience. He loves to talk to them and engage with them. So since he has always been a teacher even as a filmmaker, this is just a natural transition. Even he enlightens students with what he learnt as a student , through his long experience. Could you tell us about Whistling Wood’s association with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and how it happened? Our association with TISS has been very unique. It started because TISS has been assigned a role in skill development by the HRD ministry. They were supposed to have verticals for skills and start doing skill development programmes all over the country. The verticals we had here are in media and entertainment. So we developed a programme for them. When we did that, they saw how well we work, how professional it was and then we asked them can we actually offer a TISS degree? The director was very dynamic, very forward thinking. He said, ‘Yes, why not.’ And that is how the association began in 2014. Could you tell us about your alumni which has carved a niche in the film industry? Shashank Khaitan is a filmmaker who is working with Dharma. He has made the successful film Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and he is working on his second film, Badrinath ki Dulhaniya. We have lots of actors who are doing really well. They

counsellor. Youngsters go through all kinds of turmoil, especially at this age. And I think it is nice for them to have somebody to talk to, better than sending them to some shrink or thinking they are nuts. Sometimes they are not able to talk to their peers or teachers. The teacher may not qualify to counsel. You need to have psychiatric training to understand what the child must be going through. Nowadays every second person has depression. So we don’t want them to reach that situation. They should come, talk and share so they don’t go to that stage.

are doing character roles but they have carved a niche for themselves. Anil Mange and Rajashri Deshpande are also doing really well. They are acting in big films in very important roles. Generally, the younger generation is said to be very superficial and that all they want is money. What is your observation of the crowd that you have here? It is a tougher generation we are dealing with because they have the power of technology in their own hands. The change has happened over the last few years and they are in the middle of it. So I think we should be sympathetic and empathetic towards that. Yes they are a bit distracted but maturity comes with age. Our focus with them is to not just make them good in academics because when they graduate, they should be mature kids who can impress the outside world. Learning will happen. How can you teach film making in three years? They have to go and work after that. So they are distracted but their talent is what you are talking about. They are talented. I feel that the quality of kids will be better now because parents are not holding their kids back. Earlier the problem was that parents were not allowing the kids to study films because they would think, what’s the backup plan, what if you don’t make it in films? Now with this degree of a good brand, they are happy saying, ‘Okay. Let him do this for three years.’ – they are open to giving them a chance. So we are getting better and better students to join us.

What is the philosophy of Whistling Woods, and personally, what is the philosophy of your life? The philosophy of Whistling Woods is really to do what you love. We have been inspired by Steve Jobs. Every student here is asked to do what he or she loves and we encourage parents also to let them do that. If your child wants to do something, don’t pull him/her back because at the age of 3040 he/she may regret that they couldn’t try it out. My personal philosophy for life is – once you make a determination in your life to be positive, everything falls in place. The day you decide nothing is going to work out, things start falling apart. So for me, be positive and have determination in life to become courageous and to make sure that my life is going to go in a certain way and I will make it happen.

Do you see emotional turmoil? Our lives when we were younger were much simpler. We knew that we had to just listen to our parents, that whatever they said was right and technology was not around to mess up with our minds. However, every generation, because of the changes, goes through these phases. So now it has just become more advanced and now we are also having the culture of counsellors. So why not have that? Other than counselling, we also have a meditation room on campus. Spiritual engagement is an important part of growing up, so we make sure that they connect spiritually so that tomorrow if there is stress in life, they would be able to ably handle it.

We have an on-campus Sony centre, which is one of only three such centres in the world - the other two are in London and Los Angeles. YouTube encourages a lot of our students to make better quality short films and also monetise them

Why did you feel the need of a Counsellor in your campus? I feel it is very important; every school must have it. My childrens’ school also has a school

How do you manage both, the work-life balance? I don’t! That’s difficult. You never find the right balance. I think for women it is quite important to understand that you are not going to be able to achieve everything. You have to prioritise. You have to make sure that you are there for your kids when they need you, but then work has also got to be done. My kids have seen me work since they were born. They were coming with me when they were two-three months old. I used to bring them here and keep them at the crèche. They have seen this life. I don’t think they get hassled if they are at home. They see a mother who is independent, who is working. I believe very strongly that for girls and boys, it is important that the mother is independent. Sometimes I also feel I should take a break. But I don’t want to do that for the sake of my kids. They should see me as a role model, doing so many things. vinitapune@gmail.com

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 43

cii Conference

Automotive Design

What will be our future?

How do we create a future that will ensure a better quality of life and what decisions do we have to make today to have the best in the future. Some key inventions that have affected people around the world for everyday living are electricity, telephone, radio, television, computer, car and the ability to communicate and commute, amongst many others. We have made consistent improvements and innovations that strived to make life easier, like newer medicines, faster transports, etc. In spite of that, we have a big list of sustainable goals as prioritized by the national and global think tanks on areas like affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities and so on. It is always in our interest to understand what our future will look like; this requires an analysis of the past—what decisions we have taken to where we are now and what factors influenced our way. At the recently concluded 2nd edition conference on Future of Automotive Design, organised by Tamil Nadu Technology Development and Promotion Center of The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), at the Hotel ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, with the theme “Design Empowering Tomorrow”, key speakers discussed on design trends in automotive sector and what will be its future. The panellists for the session were Ramesh Manickam, Design Director, Centroid Design, Myles Cummings, Senior Lecturer and Academic Leader, Raffles Millennium International Chennai, Mahesh Babu

(Moderator), CEO-Designate, Mahindra Electric Vehicles, Dr Abraham Koshy, Professor, IIM-Ahmedabad, and VG Ramakrishnan, Founding Partner and MD, Avanteum Advisors LLP. By Rajesh Rao

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PICS: cii

Mahesh Babu: It is said that the data we created till 2002—when computers became popular over the 100 years—the same amount of data we created from 2002 to 2005. It seems in three years we have generated data, which is equivalent to last 100 years and it is all due to the digital era. So, the lifecycle of industry, lifecycle of product or the lifecycle of everything is going through a drastic change. There are disruptions happening around the life style of people. Besides technology there are lot of other disruption happening. People are talking about advance propulsion system. We hear about 3D printing, which is completely revolutionising the manufacturing process and also giving lot of opportunity to designers to try new things. Smart cities have become the trend in the ecosystem and mass transport systems are becoming the talk-of-the-town. Looking at people, technology and ecosystem, what are the

opportunities do designers have within this ecosystem and the changing consumer patterns? The future is becoming ambiguous and not very clear. As a designer when you start doing something, how do you visualize the future? Myles Cummings: We live in an interesting time and as a designer there are so many things happening—so where do we start to choose and focus to improve things or how we can make things better. From an aesthetic perspective even—which we are usually interested in as designers—things are changing so rapidly. For example the BMW car, it is kind of shape shifting like straight from some science-fiction story. Actually, the changes are happening so quickly—it is a problem for us. This whole back-to-basics and essence of things—particularly in the Indian context to look at future—is worth looking at as lessons from the past. Incredible advances in

technology, which is again radically changing the process of design. It is now possible for us to try new things out. How is the market looking like for designers? What does the future look like for the designers? Abraham Koshy: There is a statement from Steve Jobs, who said “We do not believe in market research because customers don’t know what they want.” In many ways this is true because if you ask customers what they want in an automobile, they will only tell you based on their own experience. They are not equipped to think differently or out-of-box. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the creators. Customers are extremely disloyal to any product features, any product or any brand—it is the universal truth. Whoever tends to be otherwise, is not telling you the truth. Those who comment on product features have no commitment to products, no commitment to brand. Why? Customers are all the time preoccupied with finding best solutions for their problem. Whoever is providing that solution, is the one who is going to make the customers lean towards the brand or that company. Therefore, if you are looking from this perspective, the focus shifts from product, features, aesthetics, and functionality to customer’s—it is one major fact. Secondly, customers are constantly on a journey and they have many outlooks. Therefore, when you are looking at their deliberations in product, it is essential what that product offers to what problem. Therefore customers actually leverage products and services that solve their problems better, because that provides better meaning to their life. Thirdly, if you look at this search for solutions for customers—that solutions need to fit in the context of customers life. For example, if you look at women’s magazines, you can actually have it helping a woman—we are not talking of every woman or the rich class or any specific class—this magazine provides inputs to have a better lifestyle, through providing information to the customer. On the other hand there could be another magazine, which provides a better life skill experience through emotional route. If you are in the field of designing, you need to evolve yourself in the context of customer’s life, to understand their problem and know how customers are actually liking or not liking the product. In fact, that is the only way through which you can be innovatively think about better solutions. Many of us think that we understand these things better. For example, someone I know from an MNC company, involved with future of mobility, asked me if I can give names of five products that are very important to lower middle class families, other than a two-wheeler and television set. That is when I realised how ignorant I am in terms of understanding the

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 45

cii Conference context of life of a typical lower middle class family in India and many times this realisation is the starting point of our search to understand the context of living of the consumer and designing a solution for that context of living. When customers are vague and don’t know what they want and it is very difficult to capture the market, how do you take the intrinsic need of the customer in design? Ramesh Manickam: In my last 20 years of both being in the industry environment and consulting, it gives me a perspective of what we see and what the future will look like. In terms of future, it can be discussed in one or two perspectives-from technology, sustainability, user, and manufacturers point. The part I want to touch upon is the user’s perspective—what their needs are and how these needs are going to be met by the designers or by an ecosystem which takes up these needs and implements them. What I foresee is that the ecosystem is mostly going to be driven by startups which identify these needs and which are going to make these needs of the customer realistic. It’s going to be more experimental. So, experimental innovation is going to happen, which the startups are very agile in doing it. We live with problems and we keep adjusting with problems. For example, many of us take our kids on a long drive. We normally say to kids that it’s a long drive, go to sleep. So, that’s the only thing we say, but how could transport be friendly for kids. What is it that is required? These are the like points we need to see and that will start getting defined. So, as a designer of form and function we are all going through an experience level. They have come up with ladies two-wheelers, but what about ladies car. These are all areas to dwell upon. We are all concerned about scratches on our vehicles, but what is the solution for that. May be cars can become as jelly. These are all perspectives from users concerns. From marketing perspectives we have to look at user insights. The user is not going to talk to you about these problems. As designers and visionaries we need to pick up those cues and build our future based on it. What is your views on technology and future influence on design in future? VG Ramakrishnan: Let’s take a practical aspect of the life of a designer. You are designing from a three to five years perspective forward and you are designing for a particular income category customer, who is going to pay for your products. These are the two contexts on which the designers work. But, I think for every designer and every man of the industry, you need to look at key elements of where the industry is moving forward. The first element is the context setting.

“If you are in the field “As a designer of form and of designing, you need function we are all going to evolve yourself in the through an experience context of customer’s life, to level. From marketing understand their problem perspectives we have and know how customers to look at user insights. are actually liking or not The user is not going to liking the product. In talk to you about these fact, that is the only way problems. As designers and through which you can be visionaries we need to pick innovatively think about up those cues and build our better solutions. Many of us future based on it” Ramesh Manickam, Design think that we understand Director, Centroid Design these things better” — Dr Abraham Koshy, Professor, IIM-Ahmedabad

While one would take approach of inside-out in lot of cases and there is also outside-in approach that is taken. I think traditionally 99 percent of organisations take the inside-out approach of how they should look. There are four key elements that every designer has to work around and put in the system. One, as a customer what he wants and doesn’t want and second is the infrastructure that is relevant. There will be the element of roads that we have in our country—where these vehicles are being used, how is it being used, where is it being sold, and how is it being serviced and also in terms of customer related practices etc. The third element we have to talk about is in terms of environment that we live in. And the fourth element is the regulation part—we are constantly bombarded with new regulations that impacts the way we can design. These are the four key pillars on which the design philosophy revolves around. The key trends that I have seen to move forward are three-four launch teams that I am looking at—

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one is the sustainability department. Let it be from the stand point of say metallurgy sustainability, let it be from recycling part of parts—looking at how efficient are we in the manufacturing process. Also in terms of power check—how we get more out of every drop of fuel that we put in the vehicles. And also in terms of new vehicle platforms like eco-friendly power. So, sustainability part of it is launched across the industry, from the product to the manufacturing process, to the designing philosophy, to the recyclability part of it. One of the critical elements of recyclability that’s not been touched upon significantly are the tyres. There is so much consumption of tyres. What are we going to do about the carbon footprints that we are going to leave behind when it comes to automobile tyres? This is something that we will continue to use. So, sustainability part of it is a very critical element. The second element is that we have to live in a world of connectivity— there is no going back from the connectivity platform that we see. The third element we talk

“We will continue to have more vehicles on the roads, there is no going back. While everybody wants to move people to public transportation system and sharing transportation, I think the individual ownership is not something that we can give-up that easily” — VG Ramakrishnan, Founding Partner and MD, Avanteum Advisors LLP

about is autonomous vehicles. These are the three or four large areas of critical trends playing out in vehicle industry. Finally safety—this is very Indian centric issue of enhancing vehicle safety. Starting with some of the basic elements of safety when it comes to pedestrian safety, vehicle occupant safety, and also the vehicle safety. These are the few large critical trends that designers have to look at, when they design the products. The form of feature and content obviously follow, these are temporal nature and they keep changing according to the new things that customer’s need and new needs that are being seen. What do we see as drivers, for these changes to happen? Why should we change from the design perspective? Critical element is aspiration— people’s aspiration to have something new every time. Obviously, we don’t have, what is going to be new in the vehicle that I am going to purchase in the future. And today’s customers are exposed to so many different devices, gadgets, consumer products, service levels, and service qualities,

across multiple industries. So, most of these experiences get translated to setting the customer’s expectations and their aspirations as to what they are going to get in their next purchase. The second element as part of a driver I see is income level growth, particularly in context of India. The third element is need and greed. Greed I am talking in a very positive way. Our greed is to have larger cars. While 99 percent of the time only one person will be driving that vehicle. So, how do we convey the message that we don’t require four seats for the 99 percent usage? If you do have six or four seater usage, you can go hire a vehicle. This is again part of sustainability. I visualise the future in four-five ways. We will continue to have more vehicles on the roads, there is no going back. While everybody wants to move people to public transportation system and sharing transportation, I think the individual ownership is not something that we can give-up that easily. That will mean there will be more congestion and more issues related to travel time etc. To compound this, the element that we will look at is the amount of communication that happens with your mobile devices and the amount of data that is going out. I think the future of automobile design will have to look at how to minimise distraction, because that is a critical safety issue. Some of product design can take care of the design issues. I think, you can look at solutions just beyond your product, to find solutions that are relevant for your product and outside domains can also contribute to the solutions part of it. Everybody agrees that sustainable mobility is going to be the future. But nobody knows when it is going to leverage and become reality in the future. How do we read the market when the shift will happen? Koshy: We are talking about rapidity of how things are changing. The designers create the future world and customers adapt to those future world. Therefore it is the creativity which stems from understanding, what problems customers are facing. For example, Ahmedabad has a BRTS in operation since last three-four years. Even now new roads are being created. Last few years people over there have really seen through the kind of construction activity. Those BRTS routes takes just 50 percent of the road breadth and it carries today roughly about eight percent of vehicular traffic. Now is this sustainable? The question is also of what is the connectivity from the place you live to the place you can catch the BRTS bus? What is the control you will have in terms of time? If you have your own vehicle at least you have an illusional control—not really the control. If you are looking at predicting based on past trends, probably it will give you some idea. Using past data to scrutinize new innovation is no indicator of how innovation will take place.

Therefore, when you are looking at predicting, it is essentially the driving ability of the designers to fathom the consumer, for him to conceptualize future solutions. Design is conceptualisation of superior solution to customer problems. That’s what design is all about. Ramakrishnan: BRTS is an imported solution. It worked in a city of Bogota, in Columbia. These are countries where there is one large city, there is nothing more than that, and 30-40 percent of the population live in these cities. So, when you try to accommodate that in every Indian city, in terms of solution, we have seen that it doesn’t work. Unfortunately, we don’t have any original research or innovations on how to solve problems in this country. We just can’t look at others solution and implement it here. The key element is, the density of people we have in this country per-square-kilometre, is very high. This is one of the critical element of challenge that we have to look at. I think what as individuals and organisations we are not doing is to look at India centric solutions. There are lot of technologies empowering the designers. How do you think this is enabling designers to think differently? Manickam: New technologies like 3D printing are enabling designers in terms of the shortening timespan. It will also emerge as a new breed of products or new business models that will start evolving around these technologies. Existing business models of selling is there but another revolution will start happening in terms of newer business models around these technologies. The conventional system will not accommodate these technologies. These new business models will start using the technologies, looking at value to the customer and integrating it into the system. Mahesh: It is said that in the next 15 years automotive industry is going to see transformation, it has not seen in the last 100 years. I am very happy that I am here in this time to be part of that transformation. It is completely disruptive— whether it is a manufacturing model or a product development model or a distribution model, everything is going for a complete change. New technologies are enabling design methods through which product development cycles are getting shorter and shorter and many new products are coming in the field. The business model by itself if you see is being challenged by service products. We talked about experience as feature and not product as feature. Companies like Ola and Uber are disrupting the way we are moving around. So, this is going to create lot of changes in the way we have been seeing the mobility in the past. Nobody will know what is going to be the future, we have to create the future. rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 47

corporate assessment

orporate India is facing a period of heightened terrorist threat after the Indian Army’s September 29 surgical strikes against terror launch-pads, located along the Line of Control in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). These strikes also inflicted “significant casualties”, security experts say. Consequently, unprovoked cross-border firing from the Pakistani side in parts of Jammu & Kashmir has gone up, and a pause in spectacular terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, and other major Indian cities including New Delhi, could be broken at any moment. Given the nature of the weak civilian government in Pakistan and repeated calls of jehad by radicalised terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al Qaida and the surge of the Islamic State sympathisers in its population, there are “storm clouds of war gathering all around,” a senior defence expert told the Corporate Citizen, echoing similar warnings from other geopolitical analysts. The situation has become “quite tense” because after the recent boycott of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad by India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, an “isolated and desperate Pakistan” is wanting to “take revenge at any cost.” More so because it got no support at the just-concluded BRICS Summit which was immediately followed by another Summit of the BIMSTEC leaders in Goa. Following these high-powered meetings, except for calling it by name, the official statements released by the

of threats to the entire economic ecosystem of the country. R i s k N o . 1

Terrorism and Insurgency

A majority of respondents surveyed this year have ranked “Terrorism and insurgency” as a major threat affecting the Indian economy. Though this survey was conducted much before the Army’s surgical strikes, it clearly predicted that, given the nature of the tension prevailing at the borders, terror strikes by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists may take place “any time.” The devastation that would take place from them, it said, would “easily disrupt the entire business operations.” It also talked about the perpetually looming threat of Naxal insurgency in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha which are extremely rich in mineral wealth. Solution: “The first step in mitigating this risk is to understand that there can be no compromise with the security of the nation because any terrorist attack on India seriously affects its economic progress and GDP growth. To deal with terrorism, it is therefore essential that far flung and remote parts of the country are also brought quickly on the path of economic development,” said Ms Sanyal. “Next, improve people’s awareness and make every citizen a soldier in the fight against terror by better reporting mechanisms and improved law enforcement through longdue police reforms such as greater transparency and accountability to combat rising crime rates.

Leading IT and security experts discuss the major threats to Corporate India and what your organization can do to reduce them. By Pradeep Mathur

6 Biggest Safety Risks In world leaders have said it all by calling it a “state sponsor of terror.” No wonder, in this kind of a charged atmosphere, the question that worries us all is: What are the major safety risks to Indian corporate houses and how strategically prepared are their leaders to control the impact of these risks to their establishments? Though there are no ready-made answers to this question, the FICCI-Pinkerton India Risk Survey Report 2016 released recently gives fairly good hints about what the perception of business leaders and policymakers is on this volatile issue and what can you expect ahead. Following are the six most likely risks that pose a number

Lastly, don’t negotiate with terrorists and blast their terror launch-pads wherever they exist,” she concluded R i s k N o . 2

Strikes, Closures & Unrest

Having seen the loss worth thousands of crores to many business establishments during the extremely violent Jat Agitation in Haryana, Hardik Patel’s Patidar Protests in Gujarat and the Gujjar’s Andolan of 2015 in Rajasthan, which alone caused loss of over 100 crores to the Indian Railways, the survey ranked ‘Strikes, Closures & Unrest’ as the next biggest risk to Indian businesses. Demanding OBC reservation for

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their respective communities, this risk continues to pose serious concerns as it is now spreading fast among Maratha women and youth who are also holding very large but peaceful reservation rallies and demanding death for the rapists of a minor in Kopardi, Ahmednagar. Solution: “The issues of such social unrests are directly related to unemployment, which is also perceived as a global risk of highest concern among 92 countries. What is even worse is the fact that by 2020, nearly half of all the current occupations will be adversely affected by advances in robotics and machine intelligence and this is not to say that automation is not important. So, unemployment is going to hit the

dian CorporateS Foresee people even more severely in the coming years. Though Prime Minister Modi is trying hard to address the issue by his Skill India and Startup India missions where skill-based education is given to those who need it the most. However, the business leaders must also come forward and contribute actively to his efforts. They must not behave just as consumers of the human capital. Rather, they need to enhance the skills of the available talent to match their expectations and address the issues of talent mismatch,” said Rajan Luthra, Co-Chair, FICCI Homeland Security Committee and Head—Special Projects, Chairman’s Office, Reliance Industries Ltd. He also felt that quite often, knowing pretty well the

The FICCI-Pinkerton India Risk Survey Report 2016 released recently gives fairly good hints about the perception of business leaders and policymakers is on what are the major safety risks to Indian corporate houses and how strategically prepared are their leaders to control the impact of these risks to their establishments November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 49

corporate assessment rulings of the Supreme Court on reservation, petty politicians support those wanting to go on “warpath to quickly exploit the longings of these communities” for an easy ride to prosperity but the government must deal with such elements with an iron hand. R i s k N o . 3

Information & Cyber Insecurity

In today’s digitised world, data rules. Safeguarding your company’s financial information and intellectual property is therefore, a big task. Yet keeping in mind the number and the sophistication of cyber attacks, increasing, information security has emerged as a formidable challenge, according to most of the respondents in the survey. The high rating points to the fact that it is a persistent risk for both private and government sectors in a high-technology driven global economy, where a growing trend is the rise in cyber-aided hacking. No wonder, there is a huge jump in the reporting of cases involving credit card frauds and corporate crimes across sectors and geographies. Solution: “Cyber crimes are emerging as a major threat to businesses. The incidents of stealing of identities and data with the help of emerging technologies have become prevalent. Therefore, there is an urgent need to ensure cyber safety to safeguard both the professional and personal spaces,” said Rohit Kumar, CoChair, FICCI Publishing Committee and advisor, RELX Group. R i s k N o . 4

Crime

With the income gap between the haves and the have-nots widening in the current economic landscape, crime graph of serious and sensitive cases involving theft, robberies, extortions and murders, especially against owners of retail business establishments are soaring, according to the 2015 data of the National Crime Records Bureau. As a result, most respondents have noted the link between higher crime numbers and the rise in civic unrest, which often creates favourable conditions for criminals of all hues. Further, crimes against women continue to be on the rise in India, affecting the country’s image internationally and within the wider business community. Solution: “Fighting rising crime requires better policing; modernization of police force; improving the police-citizen ratio; making forensic science investigation robust; enhancing data collection mechanisms, better crime mapping; improving the training and investigation methods and increasing the conviction rates,” said Ms Sanyal. As for the crime against women, she said, “There is an urgent need to encourage women to report incidents of harassment and

Everybody talks about women safety at workplace but we must also worry about women safety outside the workplace. With a huge increase in cases of women safety outside workplace, it is also turning out to be an emerging risk to business establishments. — Karan Bains, Country Director, Pinkerton corporate houses should also ensure strict compliance in cases of sexual harassment at workplaces.” Incidentally, Karan Bains, Country Director, Pinkerton, added a new dimension to this issue when he said, “Everybody talks about women safety at workplace but we must also worry about women safety outside the workplace. With a huge increase in cases of women safety outside workplace, it is also turning out to be an emerging risk to business establishments. The FICCI-Pinkerton survey has attempted to capture it and hopes for better synergy between all stakeholders to take necessary measures to mitigate this risk. He added that the survey aims to be a bridge to help identify and understand the gaps between corporate and government sectors in order to create a holistic risk management strategy.” R i s k N o . 5

Corruption, Bribery & Corporate Frauds

Though India’s ranking in global corruption index is improving with each passing year, India Inc. continues to rate it as a potential risk because of recurring media reports about cases of corporate frauds being reported from all parts of the country. Solution: “Unless we are able to build better systems to check theft of digital data and identity, corporate frauds will continue to hit the media headlines,” said Rohit Kumar, Advisor to RELX

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Group. Talking about the need “to train our employees on cyber security best practices,” he said, there has been a sharp rise lately in the incidents of snatching or theft of cell phones. “When your mobile gets stolen, a lot of data also goes with it and the thief may try to get into your email account. Hence it is important that you’ve strong passwords on all your devises,” he concluded. R i s k N o . 6

Political & Governance Instability

Ranked last at number six, the ranking of this risk shows that when there is a stable government at the Centre, issues concerning political stability and governance lose their relevance significantly. More so, because with the unrolling of big ticket reforms like GST and FDI in multi-brand retail, there is a growing sense of positive confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as most business leaders feel that his pro-reform policies are sure to boost India’s economic growth in the coming years. Solution: “People must try to avoid khichdi government at all costs because India’s overall growth gets deeply affected when there is a fractured mandate where no party has got a clear majority,” said Karan Bains, adding that “all stakeholders must make joint efforts to avoid such a mandate.” mathurpradeep1@gmail.com

Star Campus Placement

Believe in yourself and enjoy life Despite being a small town girl, lost and lonely in an unfamiliar place far from home, her grit and determination, together with friendly support helped Ankita Shandilya sail through with a coveted corporate placement By Joe Williams

nkita Shandilya, a pampered child, always close to her parents, ventured out of her home for the first time to pursue higher studies. But, her sacrifice and determination paid off. She is now placed in one of the best-known companies, HCL Technologies, in Risk & Compliance Management at its corporate office in Noida, New Delhi. A pass-out from Hitkarini College of Engineering and Technology, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Ankita was among the few who could join the company, to start her new challenge in the corporate world. Despite being a late comer to Shri Balaji Society to pursue the telecommunication course-not getting her education loan in time-Ankita hit

the bull’s eye where many failed. She shares the story of her journey with Corporate Citizen.

Late comer

“I was late getting into this renowned college, but thanks to the support from teachers and friends I could cope up with the academics and make my dream come true. Much more than keeping pace with the others, coming away from my house for the first time was a nightmare for me. Thankfully, the students and the teachers in this college were very helpful, especially my seniors who made me feel at home, so things took a turn for the better for me. I was late-I would say I was the last one to get into college, but things all got into place. As I said to myself, I had a dream to accomplish, and this has been a dream accomplished.”

52 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

About the placement

“I come from a very small village in Madhya Pradesh, but this institution (SBS) made me very big. I could not believe that I got the job much before leaving college, through campus placement. It is very rare for anyone to get the nod from the first campus company interview. And incidentally I was the first student from the college to be chosen. Yes, it was one of those happy moments when one fails to find words to express. It was a tense situation during placement. But, the days I spent in the college gave me the boost. The personality assessment and group discussions during the course of my curriculum came in handy and that helped me in being positive and spontaneous in my approach. Being a member of the corporate relations team in college also helped. I was keen to get into the telecom domain.”

I could not believe that I got the job much before leaving college, through campus placement. It is very rare for anyone to get the nod from the first campus company interview. And incidentally I was the first student from the college to be chosen. But, the days I spent in the college gave me the boost

From the family album, with mummy, daddy and sister (above) With friends at the college

College life

“Coming from a relatively conservative family and being more attached to the family, moving out of the family for the first time in my life was a testing time. I took it as a challenge, and this college provided me the prefect dais. The involvement of the students, teachers and other concerned people in the college in my day to day affairs made it a happy family atmosphere for me. Helping one another in a crisis and sharing happy moments made things good for everyone. Yes, at times I did miss my mother and her home cooked food, but being in this college made all that take a back seat.”

People behind my success

“First, I would say it was me. My positive approach was the main weapon in overcoming all the . Being self-motivated helped during every difficult and odd time. My family, for believing me, for the values they inculcated in me. There are a few other people I would like to name: Naveen, who has been constant support in building my confidence and maturity and then appreciating my thoughts. Dimple ma’am, Sudhakar Sir, Nanda ma’am, and most importantly my friends for not letting me feel lonely, and trusting me, especially my telecom batch and seniors in SBS who helped me in every situation. All my school and college teachers who equipped me with knowledge, our idealist director and faculty members who played direct and indirect roles in shaping my career by giving me the opportunity and making me what I am today, to name a few.”

My family

“I come from a nuclear family, my father is a government servant working in the Ordinance Factory, Jabalpur, my mother a housewife, my elder sister, and my two pet parrots who are also members in the family.”

tadka

Six tricks of success

 Believe in yourself and enjoy life  Maintain attendance because it is first step for good campus success  Avoid disciplinary issue it may became hindrance for your career  Read newspaper thoroughly to keep you updated to day to day affairs in the country and around the globe  Respect your elders and teachers  Be active in every aspect being practical and theoretically, most important keep yourself updated. joe78662@gmail.com

Women board members on Indian firms doubles According to a report by Credit Suisse, which analysed 2,400 companies worldwide, in 2015 females made up 11.2% of board members on Indian firms, double the 5.5% in 2010. The global average in 2015 was 14.7%, with Norway (46.7%) and France (34%) topping the list. While India has done well compared with China and South Korea, it still lags behind other Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 53

Loved & Married too

Mantra of a marriage

It is not often these days that a college romance fructifies into a wedlock. Corporate Citizen unlocks the story of love that has culminated into marriage, for we believe in the stability of a relationship and family unit. We bring to you real-life romances that got sealed in marriage

They are united not only in matrimony but also their mission in life: equitable education and healthcare for all. Former corporate professionals Santosh More and Khushboo Avasthi on giving up corporate careers, to start their very own NGO: Mantra4Change—and how they have zero regrets about walking the road less taken By Kalyani Sardesai

“W

e are a unique couple. We argue not just at home — but also at work," laughs Santosh More, even as wife Khushboo Avasthi

nods in agreement. But that's not the only zone where this couple is different: in an era that prizes pursuit of material success—and all the toys that go with it—as the ultimate symbol of success, this young couple shows that a life well-lived goes beyond that. And so does a marriage. "We are completely different individuals united by a shared passion for engineering social change through quality education for all. That keeps us together amongst other things," says Santosh. Engineering graduates both, with promising turns in the corporate world—he as a software professional with Infosys, and she as a manager with the Teleradiology department of the Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital in Bengaluru— it was a considered and joint decision to set up their own educational and interventional NGO, Mantra4change post their nuptials in 2013. "Neither of us could have done it if we both hadn't been together," says Khushboo.

Back to the beginning

Their friendship dates back to studying in the same school in Gaya, Bihar—after which they went their separate ways for further studies. They met again as young professionals in Bengaluru in 2007. From the outset, the duo had lots to talk about—and a shared passion for social work. "We really felt that we could use our corporate training for something very big," says Santosh. The turning point came in 2009, when Santosh saw the Teach For India advertisement calling for the first batch of educated Indians

who were willing to teach at the grassroot level with a view to transforming the country. "My parents and bosses at Infosys were surprised. But I managed to convince them—and gradually they realised how passionate I was about it," he says. Teaching was just one aspect of those life-changing two years. "I saw an India far-removed from what we know. Over and above all, my greatest learning from the Teach for India Fellowship was the value system that helps create an organisation," he says. While Santosh was working as a fellow at TFI, Khushboo was doing her Masters from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. “It is at TISS that I was exposed to under-served communities. Our professors helped us explore an entirely different perspective of life. Working in slums with women and children was the most satisfying and gratifying experience of my life,” says Khushboo. In 2013, after coming back to Bengaluru, both Santosh and Khushboo were spending a couple of hours teaching English to slum children near Banashankari (in Bengaluru). But they wanted to do more. The choice was between building new schools and working with existing schools. "We figured out that we would be able to reach out to a much wider audience if we worked with existing low-cost/government aided schools to upgrade their existing model," they share. Essentially, the STEP intervention program by Mantra4Change works in three ways: em-

54 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

powering the school leadership; developing the teaching force and ensuring community participation. "It involves all stakeholders in a school system—school administrator, teachers, students, parents and the community —and is a two-year complete school immersion project. We become a part of the school system and drive the implementation of the programme. It is a two-stage process – first being the ‘need assessment’ phase and second being the ‘implementation’ phase," explains Khushboo. But noble plans need financial backing. "Initially, we were both handling Mantra4Change along with our jobs. She pushed me to take it up full-time, even as she supported the endeavor by keeping her job. It was a tough call--but as she said: it was now or never,” he says. “We have been very fortunate with our work. Like they say, if you aspire to do well, the universe conspires to support you. We have got timely support from great mentors like Sanjay Purohit, Kumari Shibulal etc. Whenever we hit a roadblock on our journey of Mantra4Change.”, says Khushboo.

The Pillars of a marriage • Shared dreams—and supporting one's partner through ups and downs • Not letting fights fester • Understanding that money is not the mainstay of happiness • Trust, togetherness and belief in each other she keeps insisting on cleanliness," he grins. But were there any adjustments to be made given their different cultures? "Yes—but in a very pleasant way. My parents are slightly old-fashioned but his family is very accepting of change," says Khushboo. "I am also very lucky to have the mother-in-law that I do. When she comes to visit—her presence is a strength for me. She helps me in the kitchen and takes care of me." Santosh reciprocates when it comes to Khushboo's mother. "Being a former school principal she is always very interested in our work, and keeps motivating us". Amidst the pressures of a rapidly visible NGO, the couple has learnt a way to keep work pressures away from home. "It's taken time but we have gradually managed to keep tensions away from our time together," says Khushboo. So who apologises in case of a fight? "I do," says Santosh immediately. "I say sorry, and she agrees I have every reason to be sorry," he chortles. "The important thing is not to let fights fester. When anger continues, you lose out on precious time with your partner—ironically, the very same person—who brings so much brightness and

“The important thing is not to let fights fester. When anger continues, you lose out on precious time with your partner—ironically, the very same person—who brings so much brightness and happiness to your life,” says Khushboo The fabric of friendship; the zeal of a mission

Despite their long-standing friendship, neither set of parents were gung-ho about their marriage initially. "She's a Brahmin; I am a Marwari. These things matter—especially in Bihar," says Santosh. "But her parents are highly educated—a school principal and professor respectively—and looked beyond the surface differences. Her mother, after a few meetings was convinced that I was the perfect match for her." Eventually, both sets of parents gave their blessing—as they realised how apt the couples were for each other. "We are different, yet our strengths complement each others. I am spontaneous, talkative and outgoing. She takes her time opening up; has fewer friends and is very thorough and cerebral in her approach. It works beautifully for us—not just in our marriage—but also in running Mantra4Change," says Santosh. His pride in her intelligence and achievements are considerable. "She is very smart. Always an academic topper, I appreciate how she uses her

intelligence to advantage," he says. Khushboo takes pride in her "friendly, giving and thoroughly honest' husband. "He cares about those around him, and he is also extremely easy to talk to." Finances after marriage have always been strained given that all their resources are devoted to Mantra. "We have a team of 13 in Bengaluru. All are on pay-roll," he says. "It's hard—but with the help of philanthropists and crowd-funding programs we are able to progress," he says. So doesn’t the duo miss the conventional trappings of yuppie success— namely fancy homes, cars and holidays? "Not for a minute," says Khushboo. "This was our conscious choice—and we stand by it. The work that we are doing is our best reward. We are blessed to have each other—and work towards our goal. Our home is always filled with our team and volunteers. It is so exciting," she says. Santosh believes in helping out at home— through making hot cups of chai and shopping for the veggies. "But I like a nice, happy mess—though

happiness to your life," says Khushboo. Both have simple—but realistic advice to offer. "Start your day together with a cup of tea. It sets the tone for the rest of the day," he says. She adds: "Trust and togetherness are completely integral to a marriage. We do little things together—and it adds up to the big things." Now that's some 'Mantra' worth remembering. kalyanisardesai@gmail.com

tadka India to be 3rd largest aviation market by 2026

Geneva-based International Air Transport Association (IATA) in its latest 20-year air passenger forecast has projected India to be the third largest aviation market by 2026, replacing the United Kingdom.

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 55

Health & fitness

Delight in what you eat Gourmetdelight curates and sources organic and gourmet products from India and around the world and celebrates the joy of discovery of fine ingredients. Raka Chakrawarti, Founder & CEO of www.gourmetdelight.com, believes this is one way to help people ‘eat right’. By Sharmila Chand

ourmetdelight is not just another gourmet grocery store, it curates and sources organic and gourmet products from India and around the world and celebrates the joy of discovery of fine ingredients. The e-store, which started operations in Mumbai last year and presently operates in Mumbai and Pune, stocks imported, organic and artisan products. The imported range comes from all over the world. The organic range is sourced from India and the fresh range

from farms in Maharashtra. The artisan range comes from celebrated home chefs and small producers who contribute to the site. Started by Raka Chakrawarti, who spent close to a decade in Indian Hotels, the love of quality ingredients, the joy of discovery of unique ingredients makes this platform a food connoisseur’s dream. A media and hospitality veteran, Raka Chakrawarti has previously worked for a large media conglomerate and for Indian Hotels which operates the Taj Brand in India and abroad. Deeply passionate and curious about the art of hospitality, her stint with

60 / Corporate Citizen / November 56 September16-30, 1-15, 2016 2016

Indian Hotels had been close to a decade when she felt the need to start her own platform. She felt that the reach of quality food products to the consumer could be better if more choices were offered via a sustainable e-commerce model. One philosophy which Raka likes to seriously follow is ‘Eating Right.’ She tells, “My work day is taxing and I keep long hours. I believe in preservative-free food, organic and natural food and consciously stay away from bottled ingredients. I believe in millets as a constant source of energy and fresh produce from local farmers. I love artisan Indian producers and support them on

Let’s hear more from Raka on health and fitness

Your philosophy on fitness?

I am a restless person by nature, I run, do yoga, try my hand at golf, but I really enjoy unwinding by taking long walks on Worli Seaface with my hyperactive Jack Russell terrier. My fitness philosophy is simple keep moving, eat seasonal and sleep as much as possible so that your body gets time to heal and rejuvenate.

Your idea/mantra about keeping fit?

Ideally, I would like to do much more than I am able to do now. Push myself to better my performance every time I run or play a sport. But that doesn’t happen so while on a holiday I carry my running gear with me. I enjoy walking and running in a different city because it gives me a feel for the place and familiarizes me with the city almost instantly.

What keeps you fit and healthy? my online portal. Fitness to me is a way of life. I don’t stick to a regimen but constantly engage in physical activity. I walk to most places and I’m constantly up on my feet from morning till evening. I try to fit in time for a morning or evening jog, do yoga and swim in my building pool.” She adds, “I had recently read an article on how fitness shapes you as a person - when you challenge yourself, you stay calm and stress free and you are able to handle complex situations. I am a big believer in that philosophy and I admire sports people and marathon runners who stay calm through extreme physical challenges.”

A positive mindset, eating right and working out on a daily basis. I think a healthy mind is the key to a healthy body so I try to work out as much as possible and do things away from work which form a great diversion.

Your stress busters?

Running, reading and walking with my dog. I like discovering new places so I try to take different routes on my long Sunday morning run. It fills me with positive energy and I feel enthusiastic for the whole week.

Your food philosophy?

Local produce, organic and natural produce. I don’t like processed items and like cooked meals at home. In terms of food I love seasonal produce and like to invent with new ingredients.

Your exercise fundamentals?

Exercise should be as natural as possible. I am good to go with a yoga mat, or running shoes. I believe that it can be done anywhere. I do not like gyms or trainers and don’t work out with them.

Any diet fads?

I don’t follow any diet and don’t like to stick to regimented diets. I believe in eating what I love. But generally I don’t eat items with processed sugar. I don’t have a sweet tooth thankfully, so that helps.

Are you a yoga fan?

Yes, I used to train with a yoga teacher for many years in Chennai where I used to stay, and Mumbai. However I don’t find time for a structured class anymore and practice it at home by myself. I do yoga mostly early morning or in the evening sometimes.

What would you describe as a healthy dose for our readers? Anyone can stay healthy if they are mindful of what they eat, and incorporate exercise in their daily life. Stay natural, eat local.

November September16-30, 1-15, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 57 61

Pearls of Wisdom

By Dada J. P. VASWANI

Meditation on Compassion When we practice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not just feel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; compassion, when we go out of ourselves to reach out to others and alleviate their suffering, we rise to Highest Self in us

58 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

ere is a very simple and brief exercise – a meditation on virtue of compassion which is the crown of all virtues. This exercise is so simple and so easy, that you can practice it daily, in sessions of 5 – 10 minutes. Read the following carefully; and you will be able to follow it without any hitches. If you like, you can have soft, soothing instrumental music as a background for this session.

Who are our brothers? Our brothers and sisters are all those who suffer and are in need of help – men, women, birds and animals. We must become channels of God’s mercy, help and healing, so that His love may flow out to them through us and our actions

Step 1: Sit in a relaxed posture. As far as possible, the back, the neck and the head should be in a straight line. In the beginning you may find it difficult to bring them all in a straight line, but do it as far as possible. Above all, be relaxed. Relax your body, relax your muscles and relax your limbs. Make sure you are seated comfortably and focused inward. Breathe in deeply. Breathe out deeply. Empty the mind of all thoughts. Focus on the stillness, silence within. Step 2: As you inhale deeply, feel the oneness of the self with the created universe. As you exhale, feel the universe sustaining you, supporting you in loving care. You are a part of the Cosmic Whole, even as all the creatures that breathe the breath of life are! Feel your Oneness with all Creation. As you begin to realize your oneness with all that is, all men, all creatures, all things, become aware that you are not apart from others. The others and you are parts of the one great whole. You are in every man, in every woman, in every child. You are in every unit of life, in every bird and animal, in every fowl and fish, in every insect, in every shrub, in every plant. You are at one with universe. As you become aware of this oneness of all creation, you find you heart filled with loving kindness and a spirit of kinship and compassion with all things, all beings in this vast and wonderful world. Exult in this Oneness. Focus on this oneness as you inhale and exhale deeply, slowly. Step 3: Realise that the Divine is manifested in every living being. The greatest form of compassion can only come by understanding this central concept of Vedanta – namely, that all life is one. The life that sleeps in stones and minerals, the life that dreams in plants and trees, the life that stirs in animals and birds is the same life that awakes and breathes in man. And this life is the very spark of the Life Universal. It is compassion that takes us closest to the Divine within each one of us. When we practice – not just feel – compassion, when we go out of ourselves to reach out to others and alleviate their suffering, we rise to Highest Self in us.

Need I say that at such times, negative feelings of strife and disharmony are totally nullified in our hearts and minds? And when more and more we practice the Divine quality of compassion, will our world not move towards lasting peace? The world is garden of God. God is in all that is – men and women, bird and animals, fish and fowl, worms and insects, in trees and flowers, in rivers and rocks, in stones and stars, and in the heart that whispers, “Krishna! Krishna.” Krishna is in all – and we all are in Krishna! When we have the vision in One-in-all and All-in-one, we will grow in the spirit of loving compassion for all creation! We will involve in the awareness of the brotherhood of all living beings. And who are our brothers? Our brothers and sisters are all those who suffer and are in need of help – men, women, birds and animals. We must become channels of God’s mercy, help and healing, so that His love may flow out to them through us and our actions. When we become instruments of God’s love, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. In God’s divine plan, we can become the sanctuary of the weary and heavy – laden; we can, with our efforts, become a source of sweet, refreshing waters in the wilderness that is this world. You are at one with the universe. As you become aware of this oneness of all creation, you find your heart filled with loving kindness and a spirit of kinship and compassion with all things, all beings in this vast and wonderful world. You are in them all. It is only when they are happy that you can be happy. Therefore resolve that you will never, knowingly inflict pain or cruelty on any living creature. Let this be your constant prayer: May all, all living creatures be free from disease, sorrow, pain and suffering. The Final Step: Open your eyes gently and feel loving compassion infusing your body, mind, heart and soul. As you get up from this meditation, you will find that you yourself are happy and full of peace and bliss!

tadka Indian equity market becomes 4th best in the world The Indian market has taken the 4th slot on return chart, becoming the forth-best performing equity market in the world since March 1, this year, overtaking heavyweights of the developed world such as US, Japan and Germany. Russia, Argentina and Brazil, have done better than India so far this year.

November16-30, 16-30,2016 2016// Corporate CorporateCitizen Citizen // 59 59 November

Bollywood Biz

Zara Hatke s n io t o m o r P d o o w y l Bol Making a product is not enough. Without a successful marketing campaign, no product can be successful. But in Bollywood, simply running a conventional marketing campaign isn’t enough to grab eyeballs. Bollywood believes in doing things Zara Hatke. This edition, we bring you the most unconventional Bollywood promotions which will make you sit up and take notice! By Neeraj Varty

ghajini

Budget: Rs 45 Cr Box office collection: Rs 200 Cr If there was an award for the most innovative marketing campaign, it would certainly be awarded to Ghajini which changed the dynamics of In-Cinema advertising. In the past, In-Cinema advertising was always limited to Posters and Television Commercials. However what Ghajini did was the unthinkable. They tied up with leading multiplexes in Mumbai wherein the staff was seen sporting the famous Ghajini hairstyle. This promotion was done when the audience went to watch Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, which released in theatres on 11th November 2008 whereas Ghajini was releasing about a month and a half later on 24th December. The crowd loved this unique promotion and this became a talking point for quite some time. This combined with the hype surrounding Aamir Khan’s beefed up body seen in every trailer and film posters made it a must see film. 60 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

When it comes to Rajinikanth, Nothing seems over the top. Which is why when special planes were introduced with the superstar’s face to promote his latest movie Kabali, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world kabali

Budget: Rs 100 Cr Box office collection: Rs 350 Cr When it comes to Rajinikanth, Nothing seems over the top. Which is why when special planes were introduced with the superstar’s face to promote his latest movie Kabali, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. This promotional activity, to create a special aircraft, has been organised by the Malaysian carrier Air Asia, which is the official partner of the film, and keeping in-line with the same, Air Asia also introduced Kabali themed planes. Fans from different cities in India were flown to see the first day, first show of Kabali in Chennai. Just like his on-screen persona, Rajnikant’s movie promotions too believe in going all out.

3 idiots

Budget: Rs 55 Cr Box office collection: Rs 390 Cr Trust Aamir Khan to be completely different when it comes to Marketing. True to his character in the film 3 Idiots, he actually went missing pre-release . A prize was announced for whoever located him and he involved his friend and cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, who happily agreed to be a part of the promotional campaign. The media went into a frenzy and we saw Aamir in different looks all over the country, as a rickshaw wala, as a chai waala and so on. This led to a lot of free publicity for the movie and people lined up to see the movie when it released in theatres. Up until the release of PK, 3 idiots was the most successful Bollywood movie of all time.

jab We Met

Budget: Rs 15 Cr Box office collection: Rs 30 Cr Before Jab…We Met was released, the pairing of Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor was an on-screen flop and there was not much buzz about the movie. This is when film director Imtiaz Ali hit upon a brilliant idea. He started a contest which let audiences choose the name of the film amongst three options. The most voted title would be the title of the film. Audience curiosity was aroused, and they voted for the title Jab…We Met. When the movie released, people felt a sense of attachment to the film as they had helped pick up the name, and they went to theatres to see the move. It helped that the movie also received favorable reviews and has since gone on to become a cult classic. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 61

Mobile apps

Summly Yahoo recently spent $30 million in designing Summly, and the results are spectacular. Summly offers 10 of the top stories in your region, capitalising on Yahoo’s artificial intelligence technology to present the information in a tidy package. The news changes every few hours, giving important updates.

News Republic

The Best News Curation Apps Newspapers are passé. In today’s digital world, getting your news from the daily newspaper every morning is out of fashion. People want a 24/7 real time, personalised news delivery system at their fingertips, which not just provides the latest news, it also curates them according to their preferences. This edition, we bring you the best news curation apps, which bring the most customised news experience onto your Smartphone or Tablet! By Neeraj Varty

62 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

Buzzfeed

Flipboard

BuzzFeed took the world by storm with its viral listicals and other fun content. The app consolidates everything in one place, while allowing users to customise the types of articles you see to suit your tastes. You can also browse the menu to view quizzes, what’s trending, or news if you want to further hone your search. With a very pleasant design, Buzzfeed is a great option to stay on top of the news.

Flipboard created a new type of reading experience on mobile, one focused on engaging the reader with the most exciting stories of the day and a magazine-style aesthetic. Hundreds of publications are now available on the news reader, and Flipboard offers a generous amount of topics, whether you’re into literature, technology or even Big Boss. Out of all the news curations apps, Flipboard is probably the most good looking.

News Republic offers a collection of articles based on trends and personal preferences, letting you see what everyone else is reading and what you’re interested in. For users with limited time, the service also offers a digest, so you can casually check the headlines without having to delve into the full article.

Google News & Weather Google News & Weather offers a wide variation of news stories from multiple publishers. Alongside the headlines and local weather, users can browse “Suggested for you,” an area for news stories catered to your most recent searches. Users are also able to highlight an individual topic, such as technology, Sports and Politics for all of the current news. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com

corporate Column G Udayakumar

CEO, CORE MIND

Mentoring means two-way Learning! Mentoring is never a unilateral, one way process of the mentor gifting to the mentee, but it’s always a synergistic partnership between both, that creates the Dance of Life!

ecently one of the corporate professionals, who attended several workshops that I facilitated, shared with me, an interesting facet that during a mentoring conversation with a junior colleague, he stood immensely benefited, as a mentor. He highlighted how perspectives of mentee, helped him to relate and apply to his current phase of life. This narrative triggered me to re-visit one of the oft repeated favorite lines, with which I enthuse existing and potential Mentors. It’s a Latin proverb: “By Learning you will Teach, by Teaching you will Learn”. This rests on one of the deeply held values and practices of mine, which have cropped up in several experienc-

entire Mentoring community of around 100, who had gathered, as to how he became more assertive with seniors and employees whom he manages and how he reaped more professional success, thanks to the assertive behaviors of his mentee, who was around half his age and experience. He admitted that [seniors observed too], how not being assertive over the decades, made him miss many an opportunity, to influence others. In several cases, I’ve listened to intense sharing by Mentors, as to how they became better bosses, parents and human beings, thanks to contribution of their mentees. Some Illustrative ways and benefits, as to how affectionate two ways traffic of Mentoring can help mentors grow further and enhance happiness for themselves, their mentees and world at large: • By Learning, you will enhance capacity to teach, as knowledge is profound when received • Enhanced curiosity levels, deepen the learning urge within you, to seek and assimilate more • Cycle of learning continues to be engaging, when you use new learning to teach further • By Teaching you would Learn further, as you’re bound to be confronted with curiosity of mentees • Leads to creativity and experimentation of new behaviors and skills •Recognise and acknowledge instantaneously,

"Cycle of learning continues to be engaging, when you use new learning to teach further. By teaching you would learn further, as you’re bound to be confronted with curiosity of mentees. Receipt and gifting of learning, thereby support mutual growth of self and others" es of partnering and equipping Mentors, that Mentoring is never a unilateral, one way process of the Mentor gifting to the mentee, but it’s always a synergistic partnership between both, that creates the Dance of Life! Much of Mentoring is all about growing together as partners. I’ve come across numerous experiences of Mentors acknowledging and appreciating, how they gained from inputs, attitudes, skills & values of their mentees. When such acknowledgments were aired, celebrations galore naturally flowed. I vividly remember while facilitating review of Mentoring practices, in a highly reputed manufacturing organisation, a senior Mentor [who possessed around 25 years of solid work experience] acclaimed in the presence of the

learning that flows from the mentee • Experiment new behaviors and skills and give credit to the mentee, when success happens • Role Model, receipt and gifting of learning, thereby support mutual growth of self and others Remember to travel two ways – by Learning and Teaching all the time. Do the former more, for the latter to be respected and adhered.

Happy Mentoring! Happy Learning!! Happy Teaching!!! Happy Growing!!!! (G Udayakumar [CEO, CORE MIND] is a Management Consultant, Corporate Trainer and Leadership Coach, based at Chennai. He can be reached at: coremind@eth.net)

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 63

astroturf SAGITTARIUS

Aries

Mar 21- April 20 Take your time in interpreting dreams. Those of you involved in personal transformation and reinvention should have a more successful month. Health is good all month. There is travel or happy travel opportunities. For college or post-graduate students, there is success this month. .

TAURUS

April 21 - May 20 There’s a need to think outside the box, and this transit boosts the career. It indicates social (and perhaps romantic) interactions with bosses, superiors and authority figures. You have both their social and financial favour. Pay rises can happen. You’re working hard, but you’re at the top of your game. And, you haven’t really hit your career peak yet. This will happen next month.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 21 You’ll have better love peaks in future years, but this is the peak for present. Singles are dating more than usual and attending more parties and gatherings. Choose quality over quantity. It’s good that you’ve been focusing on your health.

CANCER

Jun 22 - July 23 Your personal independence and personal power are beginning to decline. Your good comes through others now and you need their good will. This is a very good month for being involved with children and children figures in your life. When it comes to the joy of life, children are the best teachers. Health still needs to be looked after.

(www.dollymangat.com)

Fortune favours the bold and the lucky

Your attitude is your altitude, says Dolly Mangat, our renowned Astrological Expert and believes she helps people create their own prophecies rather than live predictions

LEO

July 24 - Aug 23 Many financial changes will happening. Insurance and tax issues seem rocky and unstable, but they will work themselves out in the end. Focus on home, family and emotional wellness rather than on the career. A pause in the career is foreseen. This is a great month for those of you in therapy. Past memories will come up spontaneously. Just looking at these things without judgment will bring emotional healing. This is a good month to become more emotionally free. A new surge of creativity will come. Health is generally good.

VIRGO

Aug 24 - Sept 23 This is a time where you achieve your goals. This is a time to avail yourself of these gifts. Time to focus on the home, family and your personal emotional wellness. Career success is a stable and harmonious home life and a sense of emotional wellness. Prosperity will continues in the month ahead. There is good financial cooperation between you and the family. Speculations are more favourable during this period, not the casino kind.

64 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

LIBRA

Nov 23 - Dec 22 This is a time for spiritual breakthroughs. Have no fear; you’re not becoming a hermit or a recluse. Your personal power and independence are at their maximum. Keep in mind our discussion of this last month. . You look good. There is much confidence and great selfesteem. ising.

CAPRICORN

Dec 23 - Jan 20 Career is still going great guns. You are seen as successful by others and you dress and act the part. Finance is much improved. Earnings will increase. Health will be much improved. Kids or children figures in your life are having a banner romantic kind of month. They seem popular.

Sept 24 - Oct 22 Go of career issues for a while and focus on the home, family and your emotional wellness. Prosperity is still strong this month. You’re still at a yearly financial peak. . You’re in harmony with the ‘money people’ in your life. Success in intellectual pursuits. Dramas at the workplace. The job situation seems unstable. Health is good, but there can be changes in the health regime. A pause and change of direction for you. It is as if life stops for a few days and then it resumes.

Jan 21 - Feb19 A good night’s sleep will most likely do more good than a visit to the doctor. The good news is that you’re more independent and dynamic in this period. Fearless. You get things done in a hurry. You excel in sports and exercise regimes.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 22 Personal pleasure peaks. . Good for sprucing up the image and pampering the body. Finances may have felt tight this year, but this month there is prosperity. You have the financial favour of parents, parent figures, bosses and elders. Your good career reputation helps the bottom line. Thus the current love, and friends, are cooperating in your financial life and are supportive, providing financial opportunity. You like to do business with friends and to socialise with the people you do business with. side effect.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Feb 20 - Mar 20 Drive more carefully and avoid confrontations. You’re very ambitious this month. You’re in one of your strongest career periods of the year. This indicates that social connections are playing a role too. You and the beloved will have to work harder to keep things going. You seem in conflict. Address: 143, St Patrick’s Town, Gate# 3, Hadapsar IE, Pune-411 013. Tel.: 020-26872677 / 020-32905748 Email: connect@dollymanghat.com/ info.dollymanghat@gmail.com

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CORPORATE CULTURE

Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank on women in leadership and gender diversity

INTERVIEW

An in-depth interview with Vishal Parekh, Marketing Director India with Kingston Technology and Rajeev Bhadauria, Director, Group HR, at Jindal Steel & Power

Dynamic Duo 21 MEERA SHANKAR AND AJAY SHANKAR

UNFLINCHING SUPPORT

November 16-30, 2016 / Corporate Citizen / 65

the last word

Ganesh Natarajan

Angry people are around the world In the corporate sector, too, tyrannical and conceited leaders can destroy the fabric of a company by refusing to preserve a culture that has prevailed and imposing a reign of anger and a 'my way or the highway' approach, which a team may never have wanted or be prepared for

n a cover story titled 'The anger eating America', the November issue of Prospect magazine traces the rise of a seething anger in the country that has made a Trump candidacy possible, even if it looks unlikely at this stage that he would actually become president. Most Americans today would remember the “robber barons” of the twenties, a Midwest old guard that kept their America First brand of nationalism relevant through the thirties and forties. Had it been for Pearl Harbour, the paper argues, they may well have kept America out of the Second World War too! And while the last 70 years may have seen noble global intentions rule in the narrative emerging from the White House and policy makers in the US as they increasingly assumed the mantle of leadership of the free world, the Tea Party movement in the Republican Party should have given us warning that American anger was still strong! What is this anger about today? The foremost of course is immigration. America’s population of under half a billion people is made up of over 12 percent immigrants, and as the famous bully in “The Great Gatsby” published in 1925 says “It’s up to us who are the dominant race to watch out, or these other races will have control of things.” The rhetoric against Hispanics and Asians and the very real threat made by the Trump campaign to keep out

Islamic State (IS) militants by targeting Muslim immigration are an articulation of the anger that seethes beneath the surface and very often emerges in unanticipated ways. Even assuming a Clinton in White House is what we will see in 2017, there is a string likelihood that a rabble rousing right wing could continue to keep the pot boiling on this issue in the USA. Is this problem of anger restrict-

the fabric of a company by refusing to preserve a culture that has prevailed and imposing a reign of anger and a “my way or the highway” approach, which a team may never have wanted or be prepared for! At least, in a corporate setting, team members have the ability to check out and walk out and a Board of Directors could be expected to set the right tone for the appropriate culture in the company but in a city, state or country, it is important to be very thoughtful about the kind of leaders we elect and retain in of-

Most Americans would remember the 'robber barons', a Midwest old guard that kept their America First brand of nationalism relevant through the thirties and forties ed to the US or even to the political classes? Not really! In our country, the ongoing controversy over artistes and performers from our neighbouring country shows that anger over loss of human life on the borders is bound to spill over to sectors which may not have had any specific role to play in the conflict or its potential outcomes. Across the country, we also see the tendency of fringe elements to hijack an agenda of inclusiveness and create incidents which divide the strong societal collaboration that is so essential for the country’s progress! In the corporate sector, too, tyrannical and conceited leaders can destroy

66 / Corporate Citizen / November 16-30, 2016

fice if our society has to move in the right direction. History might actually record that what truly served America well, even if it sounds paradoxical is the “groping” scandal that cost Trump at least 10 percent points of the popular vote, flying as it did in the face of the US’s need to see equality and respect as one of the guiding values of public behaviour. In India, unfortunately we seem to have double standards when it comes to setting and practicing a code of social conduct. We condemn the Nirbhaya outrage and the frequent news of rape and atrocities on women that jump out at us from TV channels and newspapers

but do we do enough to ensure that our household help and the young children and communities in the slum areas that surround our walled gardens know their rights and are getting their due as equal citizens of our country? We laugh at Trump for “locker room talk” but how many men in this country can hold their hand on their heart and say that they give women and all citizens of the country the right to live an equal and free life? We have an opportunity today with a strong national leader in Prime Minister Modi and a new feeling of confidence that pervades most parts of the country to truly build, not just a 10 percent economic growth country but also a nation where we can truly be inclusive in our thoughts actions and needs. Most of the initiatives I am part of today—the Million Jobs Mission in SVP, the Skills Lighthouses of Pune City Connect and the Milestone project of NES have the objective of inclusiveness at the core. All this will happen only if we give up armchair criticism and exulting in the haranguing that so often happens on the unseemly “debates” on television channels and focus instead on finding every opportunity to genuinely do good—within and beyond our work. We need to give up our anger at trivial issues and focus on love and inclusiveness to truly emerge as a great nation! Dr. Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World, Pune City Connect & Social Venture Partners, Pune.

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