Volume4 issue 19 corporate citizen by Corporate Citizen

New Year Resolutions Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how our corporate leaders will usher in 2019 Volume 4, Issue No.19 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

January 1-15, 2019 / `50

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India report on Digital Consumer Spending Session - CII Womenation

Interview

Woman power celebrating their success

Maharana Ray, General Manager, Probiking, Bajaj Auto Loved & Married Too

Hriday and Priyaa Sheetty, on their life in arc lights of Bollywood

-Dynamic Duo 80-

Two of a Kind Meghna Buch, HR professional and Dr. Gaurav Buch, Group Head-HR, Admin and CSR, Rasna Group, on their passion for work and strong family values

2 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 67

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Millennials are making a difference

You are simply evolving…!

InsIght Two stories caught my eye in the Dr srInIvas KanDula, CEO, CapgEmInI Corporate Citizen, November 16, InDIa, On thE nExt WavE Of WOrK ExCEllEnCE 2018, 16th issue—the insights of Dr Srinivas Kadula, CEO, Capgemini India, on the next wave of work excellence and the star session on VVS Laxman, giving strategies from cricketing world for the corporates. Both the stories were gem to read— they exemplified wisdom, integrity, Star Session and the immense experience, they Cricket Strategies for come with. Even your cover story in Corporates VVS Laxman, Former the same issue, the survey report on WOman pOWEr Indian Cricketer on management lessons success strategies of women leaders, from cricket What was amazing which showcased the Prakash Lakhiani, Associate Director – HR, Successful unique challenges women face and CBRE South Asia the way they surmount them—it Women Jashank and Pooja Shah was thoughtful and in depth. You at Bhandari – partners in life Leaders Do and at work CII Survey-Success Strategies of Women Leaders CC, very nicely depict the dynamic Unique challenges women face and the way they surmount them With five illustrious spirit of corporate leaders and their corporate women leaders dedication to their field of work. I especially commend your exploration of complex and multidimensional subjects. Accolades for your professional, articulate, and excellent job. Volume 4, Issue No. 18 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

December 16-31, 2018 / `50

INTERVIEW

LOVED & MARRIED TOO

I am a millennial born in 1985 and why I am particularly mentioning this because, while reading through corporate interviews in your magazine, I often see questions related to millennials put forth to the senior leaders. And it is surprising to read their views, which are sometimes good and sometimes bad about this generation. The millennials are often accused for being overly sensitive job-hoppers and very demanding and often praised for being tech-savvy, fast and accommodative to new environments. I agree we were born with technology advantage and the next generation, the Gen Z, I feel will be in a no man’s land. But you must accept, the next generation are putting their efforts into making a difference and you will find whole lot of empirical evidences around. It would be good idea for Corporate Citizen to start a new column, wherein you have millennial corporate leader’s experiences, wherein they are also expressing their views on the generation before and that are to come after them. —Jaydeep Sharma, Marketing Executive

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Blending business stories with a ‘human touch’

Corporate Citizen (CC), despite being a new entrant in the business magazine world, has taken the unusual role of blending business stories with a ‘human touch’. What drew my attention is the fact that when all other business magazines are contemplating to glorify already established and successful enterprises, CC has taken the bold step to start on a ‘different’

note. Interestingly, and most importantly, the magazine has ‘space’ even for homemakers and senior citizens apart from the usual corporate echelons. I would definitely recommend CC as a must-read for both young and old readers as it would surely leave a different flavour. I thank CC for all the good work that they are doing and wish them all the success for the future as well. Well Done Team CC! —Dr Nandita Saha, Paediatrician, Kolkata

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Big motivator

I am pursuing my degree in BBA and came across your Corporate Citizen magazine, on a city newsstand. My friends and I decided to check out the magazine. We have never read a business magazine with such a diverse content, motivating business columns like interviews from corporate head honchos along with corporate sessions, and also regular articles like Loved and Married Too, Tax Column, which I like to read. The cover story (which sometimes features personalities from the armed forces) is always a wonderful read, since it is covered in depth and that too wonderfully. I like to read about the leaders who were in the armed forces. The artwork complements the story, for each and every article. —Vinayak Rao, BBA Student

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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 new thoughts you may have, to enhance the content quality of our magazine, are 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

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 3

Editor-in-Chief’s Choice / Ananthakrishnan G

SC has taken more powers than any apex court… hope Constitutional morality dies with birth: A-G Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian

Speaking at the Second J Dadachanji Memorial Debate, Venugopal disapproved of the judiciary relying on the concept of Constitutional morality in judgments like in the Sabarimala case

riticising the Supreme Court for relying on Constitutional morality and the basic structure doctrines, Attorney General K K Venugopal said recently that the apex court had “garnered to itself vast powers, which no one apex court in the world has ever exercised” and that its interpretation of Article 142 of the Constitution, in a manner, conveyed that it was “above the law”. Speaking at the Second J Dadachanji Memorial Debate, Venugopal disapproved of the judiciary relying on the concept of Constitutional morality in judgments like in the Sabarimala case. He said he hoped that “Constitutional morality will die with its birth” and warned that “if (the court) still persists with it… Pandit Nehru’s belief that it would result in the Supreme Court of India becoming a third chamber will come true”. The country’s top law officer also clarified that he was speaking in his personal capacity. Tracing the history of “conflict” between the judiciary and the legislature, the AG said the apex court had, in the early years, struck down land reform and nationalisation laws “on a strict and literal interpretation of the Constitution”. The government responded by bringing amendments “one after the other”, he said. The then Chief Justice M Hidayatullah said the “only purpose” of the amendments was “to neutralise the judgements of the Supreme Court”, the AG recalled, adding that it is “very difficult to say whether the court was right.” “Things came to a head when the Kesavananda Bharati judgement was delivered”, he said, adding this

The Preamble of the Constitution says ‘we the people’. We gave to ourselves this Constitution. Are you going to treat the whole of the population as illiterate and not able to think for themselves? I say no 4 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

was the “deathblow to the Supremacy of the Parliament”. By a 7:6 majority, the apex court had in that case laid down the basic structure theory and restrained the government from amending it. “The Preamble of the Constitution says ‘we the people’. We gave to ourselves this Constitution. Are you going to treat the whole of the population as illiterate and not able to think for themselves? I say no. Maybe the illiteracy today is 26 per cent, but even those (people living in the villages and rural areas), they have basic wisdom and they know what is good for them. And therefore, for the court to believe that unless we interfere, the country is doomed, I say no, it can’t”, said the AG. He also criticised the manner in which the apex court had interpreted Article 142 of the Constitution saying it was “used” by the court… as a powerful weapon which surpassed all the powers conferred on the Supreme Court by the Constitution”. Venugopal said, “Article 142 merely permitted the Court to pass such decree or make such order as to do complete justice in any cause or matter pending before the court…But the Article was treated as a Kamadhenu from which unlimited powers flowed to the apex court of the country.” He explained that he had used the word “unlimited” because of what Justice M N Venkatachaliah had said about it in the Union Carbide judgement in 1991. In that case, the apex court had said “the power under Article 142 is at an entirely different level and of a different quality. Prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot, ipso facto, act as prohibitions or limitations on the constitutional powers under Article 142. It will again be wholly incorrect to say that powers under Article 142 are subject to such express statutory prohibitions. That would convey the idea that statutory provisions override a constitutional provision”. Referring to this, the AG said, “First of all, Article 142 had nothing whatsoever to do with the powers of Parliament. It had nothing to do with the powers of the Supreme Court override the laws made by the Parliament. But, this is what was said by the very eminent judge Justice Venkatachaliah. In other words, they said that so far as the Supreme Court is concerned, we are above the laws”.

“The result is that instead of the supremacy of the Constitution, the supremacy of the Supreme Court of India was established”, he said. However, he said, the SC itself “realised the folly of placing the court over the law made by Parliament” and in the 1998 SCBA vs Union of India case, diluted its judgement in the Union Carbide matter. Expressing to his concerns on Constitutional morality, the AG said he had a “justified apprehension” that it will now be used to test the laws. Referring to the Sabarimala judgement, the AG said, “What is this Constitutional morality? If a bench of the Supreme Court speaks in two different voices, one saying Constitutional morality will permit the entry of women and the other one which says no, it’s prohibited because of constitutional morality, that is a very dangerous weapon.You cannot use it. It can result in grave injury without anyone knowing where it’s going to end. Therefore I’m hoping Constitutional morality will die with its birth. If it still persists with it, I’m afraid that Pandit Nehru’s belief that it would result in the Supreme Court of India becoming a third chamber will come true.” The apex court had, in a 4:1 judgement, struck down age restrictions on the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Both the minority and

majority judgements had relied on Constitutional morality to justify their conclusions. Speaking before the AG, Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur said the apex court had often been criticised for “judicial activism” and “hyper-activism” whenever it acts to make up for “executive inaction”. Citing the varied types of cases that come up before courts in other countries, he said: “I think we are comparatively far more restrained than other jurisdictions”. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta too spoke on Constitutional morality and touched upon the need for caution when dealing with Constitutional morality. Mehta, who also said he was speaking in his personal capacity, remarked in a lighter vein that the court had in the Baba Ramdev case said that right to sleep was a fundamental right and that it had now said that right to sleep with anyone is also a fundamental right. He added that “these issues are decided by very learned and brilliant judges in good faith and in the interest of the nation. But under the Constitution, this field is in the domain of the legislature”. This article was originally published in The Indian Express. (https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-has-takenmore-powers-than-any-apex-court-hope-constitutionalmorality-dies-with-birth-a-g-k-k-venugopal-5484988/) January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 5

Editor-in-Chief’s Choice / Express News Service

The disturbing conflict in Supreme Court Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian

Former SC judge Kurian Joseph talks about his remark that ex-CJI Misra was working under some external influence, blames lack of communication for delay in appointments earlier, reflects on constitutional morality in faith-linked cases, pitches for a Secretariat, and calls for alternative methods to litigation

LIZ MATHEW: What made you join the three other sitting Supreme Court judges on January 12 and hold a press conference against the then Chief Justice of India? About what happened in the Supreme Court… The perception was that things are not going in the right direction. In fact, we met him (former CJI Dipak Misra) casually and told him that this is the perception in the minds of the other judges, public and, in the media, and so you should take corrective steps. It is not that we did not try (to speak to the former CJI). We tried all methods — telling him casually, bringing it to his notice and then formally meeting him. Finally, we also gave it in writing. When all these attempts failed, when we were pushed to the wall, we went out 6 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

and, as one of us said at the time, we discharged our duty to the nation. LIZ MATHEW: Have things changed since then at the Supreme Court? Yes. After that episode, several corrective steps were taken by the then CJI. He was open to it. That was something very positive. However, one of the steps that we suggested was not implemented; it is very sad. I feel being a great institution, institutional practices should be in place (at the SC), rather than individual CJIs coming and going, and taking their own decisions. In the Supreme Court, the whole thing depends on the CJI concerned. So one CJI will adopt a policy and then it need not be followed by the

succeeding one. It was in this context that we made a suggestion that let there be a committee of judges, preferably with some incoming CJIs as members, so that there is no disruption and debate later… and there will be a continuity of practices. Unfortunately, that was not accepted. But yes, several steps were taken and things have changed quite a lot. The process of improvement is still on. LIZ MATHEW: You recently said former CJI Dipak Misra was working ‘under some influence of some external source’. It’s a very serious charge. What made you say that? What I said was that there is a perception that there is an influence. We could perceive that he was not taking independent decisions. If the CJI does not take Photo Courtesy: Renuka Puri

initiated. But whether a formal committee has been formed, I am not in a position to say. RAVISH TIWARI: Was the Opposition justified in moving an impeachment motion against the former CJI? And, was the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha justified in rejecting the petition without sending it to a committee to look at the merits of the case? Let’s not mix this with the press conference by the judges. Impeachment motion required a different approach altogether. They (Opposition parties) needed to have material on the basis of which they should have taken the decision (to move motion of impeachment). The press conference by the judges cannot be material (for motion of impeachment). Impeachment motion should have different material and is an independent process altogether. LIZ MATHEW: Did you expect the Opposition to take such a step? I don’t want to comment on that. It had nothing to do with us. SUSHANT SINGH: During the previous CJI’s term, you were part of the collegium that was appointing judges to the Supreme Court. Those appointments took a really long time. Under the present CJI — you were part of the collegium again — similar appointments were made in 24-36 hours. What is different now? There was a lot of communication gap between the two heads — the Prime Minister of India, who has to take an ultimate call on clearing the files, and the (then) CJI. As far as the collegium is concerned, on the basis of the inputs given by the government, we take a call. Earlier, they would just sit on the files. That amounted to interference in the independence of the judiciary. I brought it to the notice of the CJI and asked him to do something. Now, from what I understand, CJI Ranjan Gogoi has taken up the process of dialogue and that is what has facilitated the process of appointments.

independent decisions, then the independence of the judiciary is at stake. That is what I said. If he is not taking decisions independently, then the perception is that somebody else is influencing him. Who that ‘somebody’ is, I am not in a position to say. The only thing I could perceive is that he was not taking decisions independently. RAVISH TIWARI: You have worked with CJI Ranjan Gogoi for two months. Has he put the necessary mechanisms in place? I am not quite sure because I didn’t have an occasion to discuss the matter with him. But I understand that he has taken some steps, there have been consultations… A better interactive process has been

SEEMA CHISHTI: Much has been made of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Supreme Court, where he was escorted by the CJI to Court No.1. He sat there, he had tea… and there was this dinner invitation as well. What is proper and improper in interactions between the judiciary and the executive, at a time when the court is hearing important cases concerning the latter? It wasn’t a private visit where only the CJI and the PM were present. I was there, all the senior judges were there. (At the dinner), there were also judges from the neighbouring countries. It was part of the Constitution Day celebrations. Initially, it was being celebrated by the government on one side and the Supreme Court on another side. We said let’s have

If the CJI does not take independent decisions, then the independence of the judiciary is at stake. That is what I said. If he is not taking decisions independently, then the perception is that somebody else is influencing him

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 7

Editor-in-Chief’s Choice / Express News Service a common celebration. That was CJI Gogoi’s initiative. There was a formal dinner in the evening and a function at Vigyan Bhawan the next morning. Since the PM could not attend the event the next day, so the understanding was that he will attend the formal dinner with the invited delegates. After dinner, the PM and the other delegates were taken to the court of the CJI, and thereafter to the CJI’s lounge… That was it. It was a routine, courtesy visit. Also, one is the PM, the other the CJI. Are they not mature enough to understand the limits they can go to? The present CJI has told us that he is going to have regular dialogue with the head of the nation. Crossing the line is when you meet people privately and discuss pending issues. KAUNAIN SHERIFF M: You went with the majority view in the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) case. But in the landmark judgment you confessed that the collegium lacks transparency, accountability and objectivity. Have these issues been addressed? We have started addressing these issues but not to the full extent. In the judgment I said I am not happy and I also said why I am not happy. I said we need glasnost and perestroika. We need transparency and we need to take corrective steps also. What is lacking is a secretariat, both in the Supreme Court and the high courts. If there is a secretariat, you will have the opportunity to better verify the credentials of the candidates.

Issues which are to be executed by the political executive and the legislature or Parliament, should be left to them. Public interest is the only area where the SC and HC should be concerned. The other concerns, that interests the public, are the concern of the government

RAVISH TIWARI: Unlike all fundamental rights that have reasonable restrictions, there is no reasonable restriction set out by courts on Constitutional morality. Should the courts then adjudicate on matters of faith, like in Sabarimala? You were on the triple talaq bench. It was a split judgment. Is there a need to spell out the remit of Constitutional morality? India is a secular country. Indian secularism is unique in its concept and implementation. It gives freedom to all citizens of the country to believe or not to believe. If they believe, there is freedom to profess what you believe, to proclaim it and to propagate it as well. So, what are the restrictions on this? Under Article 25, four types of restrictions are given — this profession, practice and propagation shall not be in violation of public order, health, morality and fundamental rights. These are the four aspects. So, secularism has to be understood. It is not against any religion, it is not indifferent to religion; it has a welcoming stand. If the profession, practice and propagation of any religion crosses the lakshman rekha, the State can interfere by legislation or the court can interfere if it is brought to its notice. Constitutional morality is an abstract term. The best moral principles of all religions have been incor-

8 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

porated in our Constitution. Constitutional morality comes under three aspects — equality, liberty and the dignity of the citizen. If this Constitutional morality is in any way violated, then there are two processes for it — the legislative process and the process where the constitutionality will be looked into. RAVISH TIWARI: So, in the case of the Sabarimala and the triple talaq verdict, was the concept of Constitutional morality stretched too much? I can’t comment on Sabarimala since the case is in the courts. AMRITH LAL: There is this debate about Article 14 (equality of law) and Article 25

(Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) and 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs) — how Article 14 always gets privileged over the other two. Is this possible in a country such as India? Let’s dissociate ourselves from the Sabarimala issue. Articles 14, 25 and 26 are not watertight compartments. It should be taken together and deliberated. KRISHN KAUSHIK: In one of your last judgments, you had mentioned that the time has come to end capital punishment in the country. Death penalty was challenged before the Supreme Court, as to whether it should be a punishment at all. A Constitutional Bench upheld it in 1980 in the Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab case. It was a unanimous decision of five judges. In the Bachan Singh case, even though the court upheld (death penalty), it said that it should be imposed in the rarest of rare cases. Lawyers do not give thrust on these aspects while arguing the cases. So a person can be awarded capital punishment only in the rarest of rare cases. The rarest of rare cases would apply both to the crime and the criminal. In one judgment, the Supreme Court requested the Law Commission to revisit the whole thing. The Law Commission submitted a report in 2015 saying that it is high time that we removed death penalty altogether. They went to the extent of saying that even in the case of terrorism, it doesn’t find any meaning. But in the country’s context now they have said that except in the case of terrorism, it (death penalty) should be taken away… This is in their 2015 report. So it has nothing to do with my personal beliefs. Going by the report of the Law Commission of India, I said we should revisit whether we should retain it at all. KRISHN KAUSHIK: In your long career in the Supreme Court, did you face any external pressure? I have never experienced any pressure. I have been absolutely independent. I had absolute freedom while discharging my duties as a judge. I believe that is the case with the other judges as well. But in the matter of administration of justice, which is left with the CJI, in that there was a perception that he was not taking decisions independently. SEEMA CHISHTI: What are some of the big reforms that the judiciary needs? Firstly, I am of the firm view that the retirement age

of judges, from the junior division to the Supreme Court, should at least be 70 years. It can go higher as well. Look at the experience a judge gains at the age of 62-65… At that age, a judge is in a better position to handle a case. Secondly, despite introducing systems such as arbitration, mediation, conciliation, we have not been able to arrest the inflow of the cases. Unless we arrest the inflow, we cannot handle the pending cases. Of course, new cases coming in shows a faith in the system. Now it is up to the courts to find a better method. One is, of course, the number of judges — it’s inadequate. Look at the population of the country… the judge strength has to be doubled if you seriously want to address the issue of pendency of cases. Now, if the judge strength is to be doubled, the infrastructure has to be improved — a judge cannot function in vacuum. Also, we need to look at alternative methods to litigation, as happens in many countries — like the jury, which is another kind of mediation or lok adalat. It’s a participative process. I think it is high time the country lays down a procedure prior to the institution of a proper litigation, be it on the civil side or the quasi-criminal side… Should there not be a filter mechanism? Unfortunately, a lawyer is paid only for arguing a case and not settling a case. This perception should also change. According to me, a lawyer who settles a case should be paid more. RAVISH TIWARI: One of the criticisms we hear of the judiciary from the political executive is that they are spending disproportionate amount of time on matters which are not questions of law. Issues which are to be executed by the political executive and the legislature or Parliament, maybe, should be left to them. The Supreme Court or the High Court should not be spending time on those issues. I’m very clear about that. Public interest in terms of the Constitution is the only area where the court should be concerned. The other concerns, what the public is interested in, are the concern of the government.

WHY KURIAN JOSEPH In an unprecedented move in January this year, Justice (retd) Kurian Joseph, along with three other senior Supreme Court judges, held a press conference against former CJI Dipak Misra. Since then, Joseph, who retired last week, says things have improved at the apex court. In his tenure of over five years at the Supreme Court, Joseph — who has previously served as a judge of the Kerala High Court and chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court — has been part of benches that have delivered landmark verdicts such as those on triple talaq and the National Judicial Appointments Commission.

SEEMA CHISHTI: Films and several television serials have courtroom scenes. Is there any authentic portrayal of a court which you can recall, which spoke to you? I’m a very poor viewer of films. But I can give you a general answer. What we see in films is not actually what is happening in court. There’s a particular show Judge & Jury in America. It broadcasts what is actually happening in court. I will be happy if people see the actual functioning of the court. It will give them an idea. They might take a decision that it’s better not to go to the court. (https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-has-toldus-that-he-is-going-to-have-regular-dialogue-withhead-of-nation-justice-kurian-joseph-5484800/ ) January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 9

Contents Cover Story

Dynamic Duo: 80

Two of a kind

Meghna Buch, HR professional and Dr. Gaurav Buch, Group Head-HR, Admin and CSR, Rasna Group, on their passion for work, family bonding and how they are guided by strong values

13 COLLYWOOD Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World 18 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why 10 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Volume 4 Issue No. 19 January 1-15, 2019 www.corporatecitizen.in

20 EXPERT VIEW Why does the administrative system in all the wings of governance, with such a talent pool of manpower does not perform well or perform dishonestly?

22 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS Here’s how the corporate leaders will usher in the New Year

34 SESSION - CII Womenation Realise, Recognise, Reward & Refuse - A fine celebration of woman power, celebrating success 38 INTERVIEW Maharana Ray, General Manager, Probiking, Bajaj Auto, on what is needed to progress in one’s career journey

42 TÊTE-À-TÊTE Minoo Titina, a recognised strategic management thinker, on strategic planning and why it must happen daily

44 CII CASE STUDY - 1 On systematic procedure of contract workmen getting opportunity to become permanent workers at UltraTech Cement 48 LOVED & MARRIED TOO Film director Hriday Sheetty and his better half, fashion designer Priyaa Sheetty, on the triumphs and trials of a life in arc lights of Bollywood

50 CAMPUS PLACEMENT Annie Deka, on her campus placement and how for her life equalises happiness and sorrow 52 MOBILE APPS The best phones with three or more rear cameras

20 January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 11

contents

Editor-In-Chief Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian Consulting Editor Vinita Deshmukh vinita.corporatecitizen@gmail.com Assistant Editor & Senior Business Writer Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com

Senior Sub-Editor Neeraj Varty neeraj.varty07@gmail.com Sub Editor Vineet Kapshikar

54 STARTUP STORY How two women entrepreneurs found common ground in the beauty and wellness sector

Creative Direction Sumeet Gupta, www.thepurplestroke.com Graphic Designer Shantanu Relekar

56 SURVEY BCG and Google conducted, Digital Consumer Spending India Report 60 PEARLS OF WISDOM Know the tremendous power of your true self within you

Writers Delhi Bureau Archie Banerjee archiebanerjee@gmail.com/ Sharmila Chand chand.sharmila@gmail.com

Kolkata Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar sangeetagd2010@gmail.com Pune Bureau Joe Williams / Kalyani Sardesai / Namrata Gulati Sapra

66 LAST WORD Where are the jobs and what are the skills we need to find them?

Advertising and Marketing Manager Delhi: Mohamed Rizwan riz.mohamed@hotmail.com Chennai: Anil Kumar Menon anil.menon@corporatecitizen.in

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! 12 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Manager-Circulation circulations@corporatecitizen.in West : Jaywant Patil, +91 9923202560 North : Hemant Gupta, +91 9582210930 South : Asaithambi G, +91 9941555389 On Cover Page Meghna and Dr. Gaurav Buch Cover Page Pic Yusuf Khan 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) 67117601/9

collywood

People in the news

KPMG’s Sreedhar Prasad joins Kalaari as partner

Government appoints bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das as new RBI governor Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das was named the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on December 11, 2018 for a period of three years. Das, 61, replaces Urjit Patel, who quit abruptly on December 10 and shocked the establishment and markets by announcing his exit from the Central Bank. Das was the secretary in the department of economic affairs when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation drive in November 2016. Das, a veteran Tamil Nadu cadre officer, will first have to work on normalising the relationship between the central bank and the government that had turned frosty in the past few months as the two differed on many issues. Das was schooled at the Demonstration Multipurpose School, Bhubaneswar, and then obtained bachelor’s (BA) and master’s degrees (MA) in History from St. Stephen’s College at the University of Delhi. He did advanced financial management course from IIM Bangalore and development banking and institutional credit from the National Institute of Bank Management.

Ola co-founder Ankit Bhati may take over as CEO In a top management rejig, Ola’s co-founder Ankit Bhati is likely to be named CEO and Bhavish Aggarwal as group CEO. Aggarwal is expected to oversee its international expansion while Bhati will lead the Indian ride-hailing unicorn’s charge against Uber in the domestic market. Since 2013 when Ola first helped a user book a ride, Aggarwal has been running the show on the frontend, while his partner Bhati has been mostly operational in the backend looking at the technology ground of the company.

KPMG India executive Sreedhar Prasad has joined technologyfocused venture capital firm Kalaari Capital as partner, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prasad, who earlier headed consumer markets and internet businesses at KPMG, joined Kalaari in early November. Prasad’s key areas of expertise include growth strategy, business transformation and scalability, alliance models, operations advisory, mid-market promoter advisory, cost management, organisation design, business process re-engineering/ improvement, among others. Prasad’s appointment follows the departure of a top executive at Kalaari earlier this year. Sumit Jain, former partner at Kalaari, joined Singapore-based Sistema Asia Capital in October. Late last year, partners Bala Srinivasa and Prashant Aluru had resigned in quick succession. Kalaari is raising its fourth domestic fund, which is expected to be closed by early next year.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 13

collywood Max Healthcare’s Rohit Kapoor checks into OYO as CEO Jet Airways appoints Robin Kamark as nominee director of Etihad Airways Debt-laden Jet Airways announced that it has appointed Robin Kamark as nominee director of stakeholder Etihad Airways PJSC with effect from December 1. Kamark, who is a veteran of the aviation industry, including 17 years at Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS Group) where he became Chief Commercial Officer in 2010, will replace Harsh Mohan as nominee director, Jet said in a statement. Jet is 24 per cent owned by Etihad Airways. Before joining Etihad as Chief Executive Officer of Airline Equity Partners in October 2017, Kamark served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Storebrand ASA, a leading Nordic financial services group. Kamark holds a Bachelor in Business and a Master in Business Administration from the Norwegian School of Management. He also has an executive business education from Insead, France.

Hospitality chain OYO Hotels & Homes announced the appointment of Max Healthcare Executive Director Rohit Kapoor as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its new real estate businesses, with effect from 6 December. Kapoor will be entrusted with the responsibility to drive new real estate business opportunities which will include exploring new domains and categories and other strategic initiatives, OYO said in an official statement. Reporting to Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes, the statement added that Kapoor will also be responsible for growing OYO’s business in India as well as across international markets, through strategic partnerships and investment opportunities. “We recently announced our foray into long-term rentals, with the launch of OYO Living, which marks a key milestone as we embark on our journey towards becoming India’s biggest provider of housing, consolidating our position as a category innovator and leader,” Agarwal said. While the company continues to grow its hospitality business, new real estate initiatives, such as this, will play a key role

in driving the next wave of growth at OYO, he added. “With Rohit (Kapoor) taking on this mantle, we are confident that he will be able to help OYO Hotels & Homes set new benchmarks in the accommodation business and evaluate new opportunities in the real estate industry,” Agarwal said. Before this, Kapoor has been the executive director and a member on the board of Max Healthcare, a joint venture between Max India and Life Healthcare, South Africa, stated OYO. “I’m thrilled to join OYO’s mission of upgrading different forms of real estate and creating unique accommodations experiences, and partner with Ritesh in driving the next wave of growth at OYO,” Rohit Kapoor said.

DocTalk CEO Akshat Goenka quits Akshat Goenka, co-founder and chief Executive Officer of DocTalk Solutions Inc, a doctor-patient communication platform, has resigned. Goenka, who quit in August, said, “It was voluntary. It was the right time to take some time off from work given my health and other personal issues.” Vamsee Chamakura and

14 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Krishna Chaitanya Aluru are the other two co-founders of DocTalk. The Mumbai-based health tech company, which had raised $5 million (`32.43 crore) from Matrix Partners India, Khosla Ventures, and others, handed out pink slips to nearly 100 people this year, reducing the remaining workforce to less than 40 employees. DocTalk

Wipro opens Automotive Innovation Centre in Detroit Bengaluru-based software services provider Wipro, announced the opening of an Automotive Engineering Centre (AEC) in Detroit. The centre aims to drive innovation in connected vehicle concepts-design, product engineering, digital customer-vehicle experiences, artificial intelligence, and sensors-driven advanced vehicle data analytics. Wipro’s AEC is part of Wipro’s vision to build a global network of delivery centres that offer best-inclass engineering and IT services, augmented by leading-edge automotive domain and digital solutions. The centre will serve as a hub to support the automotive engineering and IT requirements of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and tier-I suppliers, based in North America. This centre will leverage local talent for delivering product design and supporting the development and validation of automotive cockpit

that started off as an enabler of communication between doctors and patients through its mobile app has now built an electronic medical record (EMR) solution. The EMR solution will help doctors write prescriptions

electronic products. “Wipro is committed to addressing the local and global needs of its engineering customers, and assisting them in gaining both scale and time-tomarket advantages,” said Anita Ganti, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Product Engineering Services, Wipro. “This centre will enable us to deliver differentiated connected automotive engineering and innovation-led solutions for our customers.”

digitally and provide customised prescription templates. “We have been planning for a while, but there is no big business model change per se,” Goenka added. In June this year, media reports stated that the company was in talks to raise a $10 million round from a group of investors led by Nexus Venture Partners. However, the discussions did not materialise.

Masakazu Yoshimura to take over as new MD of Toyota Kirloskar Motor

As a part of its management restructuring in India, auto major Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced a top-level management change with its incumbent Managing Director Akito Tachibana being replaced by Masakazu Yoshimura. The formal appointment of the new Managing Director will be made at the company’s board meeting scheduled for January 22, 2019, TKM said in a statement. Yoshimura, who comes with over 25 years of experience in automobile industry with diverse areas covering product planning, and pricing, will be responsible for broad leadership and strategic direction of Toyota’s business operations in India, the statement added. Commenting on his proposed appointment as Managing Director of TKM, Yoshimura, said: “Customers are at the heart of everything we do and we Toyota Team will enhance our efforts to enrich the society further, thus improve the lives of the people. Taking forward Toyota’s core values, I look forward to everyone’s continued support and cooperation, to build on the growing momentum of sustainable operations in the region”. Toyota Kirloskar Motors was established in 1997, and the first car launched by Toyota in India was the Qualis that garnered a huge fan following right from its inception in 2000. Toyota sells a number of products across various segments, including the Etios Liva, Etios Platinum, Etios Cross, Innova Crysta, Corolla Altis, Fortuner, Camry Hybrid, Land Cruiser and the Land Cruiser Prado. January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 15

collywood Sumer Juneja of Norwest to head SoftBank’s India operations After a three-year-long search, Japanese investment giant, SoftBank has appointed Sumer Juneja, partner, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) as its country head for India. Juneja comes with nearly a decade of experience at Norwest and sits on the board of the food tech unicorn, Swiggy. Juneja will take on the role at SoftBank from his previous position as director at the US-headquartered venture capital’s India office, which he joined in 2009. Prior to Norwest, Juneja worked with Goldman Sachs in London and in Hong Kong as an investment banking analyst, driving several merger and acquisition

processes including financial analysis, due diligence and public and private buy-side and sell-side transactions. His experience at Goldman included that during the acquisition of Paladin Resources by Talisman Energy, acquisition of Domnick Hunter by Parker Hannifin and advising Thames Water, a UK water utility, on the divestiture of its international assets valued at over $2 billion. Juneja completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Politics and Economics from the London School of Economics.

Hyundai India MD & CEO, Y K Koo steps down, Seon Seob Kim to take over

Hyundai Motor India Ltd Managing Director and CEO, Y K Koo stepped down from his position in India and will be joining the company’s head office in Korea. The company said in a statement that Senior Vice President, Seon Seob Kim, head of Business 16 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Operations Strategy Division, will become Head of Hyundai Motor India Headquarters. YK Koo has played a pivotal role in helping Hyundai India achieve a significant growth ever since he took over as the MD and CEO in 2015. Koo was the MD & CEO of Hyundai Motor India Limited since November 2015. New Elantra, New Tucson, Grand i10, New Elite i20 2017, ‘The Next Gen Verna’, ‘The New 2018 CRETA’, ‘The All New SANTRO’ among others were launched under his watch. He joined Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea in the year 1984. Before joining Hyundai India as the MD and CEO, Y K Koo was the CEO at Hyundai Motor CIS in Russia where he served for a period of three years. Y K Koo has over 34 years of diversified work experience of global markets in different assignments with Hyundai Motor Company.

Centre announces Krishnamurthy Subramanian as new Chief Economic Advisor The government announced the appointment of Krishnamurthy Subramanian, a professor at the Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad, who strongly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2016 demonetisation move as the Chief Economic Advisor for a three-year term. Ever since Arvind Subramanian quit as CEA in June this year, citing family commitments, the post has been lying vacant. A PhD in Financial Economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Subramanian, 47, serves on the boards of Bandhan Bank, the National Institute of Bank Management and the RBI Academy. Subramanian’s immediate task at hand will be to contribute in preparing the interim budget, scheduled for February 01, 2019, before the next general elections in May 2019. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Subramanian’s application to the CEA post, the Centre said in a notification. Subramanian will take charge with effect from “the date of his assumption of charge of the post or, until further orders, whichever is earlier.” Compiled by Archie Banerjee archiebanerjee@gmail.com

wax eloquent

Driving Change

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

Voice of marginalised and prudence of majority Demonetisation could have been ‘significantly better’

“I think we would have had significantly better outcomes if we had just thought about simple things. If you are taking out `500 and `1,000 notes, why would you introduce `2,000 notes?” Uday Kotak,

founder and promoter, Kotak Mahindra Bank

“Our constitution is the voice of marginalised and prudence of majority. Its wisdom continues to guide us in moments of crisis. It’s in our best interest to heed advice under the constitution. If we don’t, our hubris will result in sharp descent into chaos.” Ranjan Gogoi, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Courtesy: https://www.oneindia.com

Courtesy: https://www.telegraphindia.com

People pursue careers on YouTube “In the initial stages, there were just about 20 production houses in India. Today, thousands of people are creating content on YouTube. As many as 346 people have created videos watched by over a billion people. We search the internet through our phone for 27 seconds in a minute on average. There are 300 million smartphone users in the country. Estimates show that the number will rise to 500 million by 2020.” Ajay Vidyasagar, regional director, YouTube Asia Pacific Courtesy: https://english.manoramaonline.com

India has such a huge pie Best and worst advice I have got

“Best advice I received was from my first managing director, Mani Ayer: “Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously”. And the worst advice is ‘Blindly follow research’.” Piyush Pandey, Global chief creative officer, Ogilvy Courtesy: The Economic Times

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“The beauty about India is that it has such a huge pie that everyone can eat from it. So, you will have to claim and own your niche and that’s what we have been able to do.” Rishika Lulla Singh, CEO, Eros Digital Courtesy: https://www.financialexpress.com

Appetite for acquisitions “An acquisition has to complement what we have. When two entities come together, you have to produce something which is bigger and better. Size and high standard of quality are very important.”

Radhika Gupta, CEO, Edelweiss Asset Management Co Courtesy: https:// www.dnaindia.com

Living in the moment

“Most people in the corporate world live their lives in a high-pressure environment. They have to meet a deadline or achieve a certain number—everybody is always living in the future. For us, this present moment is always the most important. What will happen in the future depends on our present moment and what we do.” Heena Sidhu, Asian Games bronze medallist shooter Courtesy: economictimes.indiatimes.com

Charmed circle that believes in equities

New corporate order emerging by 2020

“A painful but interesting churn is happening in India—driven by governance and capital—where you will see a new corporate order emerging by 2020. The third factor driving change in corporate India are families that want to rethink the future, either because of the next generation, an uncertain horizon or simply to optimise their portfolio and capital allocation.” Sonjoy Chatterjee,

Chairman and Co-chief Executive, Goldman Sachs India Courtesy: https://economictimes. indiatimes.com

In the times of exponential change “It is incredibly important to help people reconnect with the wisest part of themselves as individuals and to tap into their resilience because in the times of exponential change like we are going through, it’s much harder to be resilient.” Arianna Huffington, journalist, businesswoman, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, now owned by AOL Courtesy: https://www.cnbctv18.com

“The general public doesn’t have that basic belief in equities. It’s a very charmed circle that believes in equities. I know so many people who make `5 crore in equities and then buy a house or jewellery to make it safe. If they don’t believe that they can make `50 crore from that `5 crore, then how will they do it?” Ramesh Damani,

Empower women in India “When women get access to financial services, many are able to invest in their talents by starting or expanding their businesses. They can purchase equipment or buy supplies in bulk, helping them increase cash inflows every month, making them breadwinners for their families, putting food on the table, enabling their children to attend school and provide a safe home for their families. At the same time, they provide goods and services to their communities and build assets and jobs for society at large. This financial independence creates, empowered women.”

Chairman of the Board, Avenue Supermarts

Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com

R Baskar Babu, MD & CEO, Suryoday Small Finance Bank Ltd Courtesy: http://indiacsr.in

The idea of Blockchain is…

Embracing datadriven decisioning

“Many companies have a huge amount of data these days. But knowing what to do with it, having the science to apply to it along with the knowledge to create insights and capability to action is rare.” Anthony Kilili, Head, dunnhumby India

Courtesy: https://www.analyticsinsight.net

“A company or an enterprise cannot possibly consume Blockchain and take advantage of it, it has to have a network effect, which means the problems that you are solving today, that you are solving for yourself, whether it is an intra company, interaction between participants, which eventually has impact of network, which means you are solving not your problems, you are solving the industry’s problems.” Nitin Gaur, Director of IBM Blockchain Labs Courtesy: https://cryptoinsider.com

Bringing change

“I follow Tagore in thinking that if you are doing your own creative work in the best and freest possible way, it will create change.”

We don’t want to win easy

Anuradha Roy,

“When faced with a short-term easy option and a longterm tougher option, we choose the latter. It yields results over four years. Every product initiative, every business we get into, or people decisions that we take, we make sure it is stable in three to four years.”

Courtesy: http://www.atimes.com

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart

Courtesy: The Economic Times

novelist and author of her latest book All the Lives We Never Lived

Compiled by Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 19

Expert View

Our ‘steel frame’ is crumbling! by S K Jha

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

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, our first Home Minister envisioned our civil services to be the ‘steel frame’ of good governance of the country. Inefficiencies and corruption have eroded the framework, but all is not lost

our months before India attained independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of the country, spoke to the first batch of IAS officers, encapsulating the vision of a civil service for independent India and laying the foundation for ‘Swarajya’ or good governance. Patel said, “Your predecessors were brought up in traditions which kept them aloof from the common run of the people. It will be your bounden duty to treat the common man as your own.”

Steel frame of India

Since then there has been notable success and the Indian growth story owes a great deal to the passion, competence and commitment of our civil servants, though some unfortunate cases of rotten apple in the basket also keep on surfacing, belying Sardar Patel’s vision who called civil servants the ‘steel frame’ of independent India. There are some guiding principles that form the bedrock of civil services in the country. They may be outlined as ‘empathy’, ‘efficiency’, ‘impartiality’ and ‘incorruptibility’.

Timeless principles

Mahatma Gandhi held the view that ‘empathy’ was to put oneself in the situation of the poorest of the poor in the country and see how a particular policy and programme will impact him or her. This is a timeless formula which can be a useful thinking tool when civil servants weigh the pros and cons of taking decisions. The second principle of ‘efficiency’ is pivotal for our development work. We often see that despite the fact that a policy is good, the implementation is so poor that there is time and cost overrun which retards our progress. Civil servants need to be alert and efficient enough to complete a project undertaken in due time while giving a qualitative finish. There are many good examples of civil servants who have made remarkable innovations and transformed sleepy institutions into vibrant hubs of efficient activity. With changing times, civil servants need to update their knowledge and use technology for efficient implementation of the work undertaken. Civil servants are always required to follow

the third principle of ‘impartiality’ in the strictest possible manner as they are the binding force that is expected to bridge the many divides. A civil servant cannot, and must not take part in politics nor involve himself in communal wrangles, as advised by Sardar Patel. The administration should be passionate about services being provided, ignoring the profile of the people receiving the services. Serving all citizens without any bias and discrimination makes a civil servant impartial.

Integrity above all

The principle of ‘incorruptibility’ is the highest desired virtue for a civil servant. Civil servants have an onerous responsibility to demonstrate

20 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

impeccable integrity. A corrupt system erodes the vitality of a robust country. Civil servants should avoid all actions that will sully their image and also that of the country. Common citizens should never be allowed to feel that the much avowed ‘steel frame’ has got rusted or bent.

Flaws in policing

Competent policing is an integral part of a sound administrative system and here the leadership role is played by senior IPS officers who head the state police and also our central police organisations like the CBI, IB, BSF, CISF, RAW, CRPF, etc. Investigation in most sensitive cases and also in the central anti-corruption cases is done by the

CBI, which is our premier investigation agency. It also does international investigation for the country and is a member of Interpol. Sadly, this important wing of our criminal administration is in the headlines today for all the wrong reasons. The principle of ‘incorruptibility’ is not the principle being followed by this apex agency as its topmost officers, the director and special director are seen fighting in the court, blaming each other for being corrupt. The irony of the fact is that each is blaming the other of taking bribe in crores of rupees, from the same one accused. Complaints of corruption were earlier sent by the special di-

These officers have engaged the topmost advocates of the country. Cases have also been filed by some other parties against the government’s action of sending the director on leave, on the ground that the tenure of the CBI director is fixed for two years and also because the selection committee for appointing the CBI director was not consulted before sending him on leave. How can citizens have confidence in the CBI after seeing this ugly fight with dirty linen being washed in public? A few years back while hearing of the coal scam cases, the Supreme Court had termed the CBI as a ‘caged parrot’ for working as per the directions of the then government. Already, fugitives are blaming our criminal justice system before foreign courts that our criminal justice system is not just and fair.

Good work too

The Indian growth story owes a great deal to the passion, competence and commitment of our civil servants, though some unfortunate cases of rotten apple in the basket also keep on surfacing

rector against his director and the director in his turn filed an FIR against the special director.

Charges and counter charges

The Chief Vigilance Commissioner was brought into the loop for making a vigilance enquiry against the director on the basis of the complaint filed against him. Pending enquiry, the government sent the director and special director on forced leave. As on date of writing this column, the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, as both the officers have approached the courts against the government action of sending them on leave and also against filing of FIR against the special director.

However, it is not that everything is bad about the CBI, as just a few days back, Christian Michel, the middleman in the AugustaWestland Chopper deal was extradited from Dubai, after good work done by the various investigating agencies including the CBI. Again, extremely good work has been done by the benched special director of CBI who personally worked very hard for the extradition of Vijay Mallya and now the British Court has ordered in India’s favour. It can be inferred that the CBI has many bright officers but due to some unfortunate happenings, the image of the great organisation is getting tarnished. The call today is to revamp the organisation and weed out the dead wood while infusing the best and the brightest with impeccable integrity.

Admin bedrock

The administrative system overall has to be competent and honest for the growth of the country. All the wings of governance, be it general administration, policing, judicial or financial have to perform at the optimum level. It has to be our endeavour that our administrative institutions function for the good of the country without any fear or favour. They should never get affected by politics of the political parties whether in the government or in the opposition. It is factually true that at the entry level in the higher administrative services, the cream of the country is selected. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the most difficult recruitment examination in which more than ten lakh students participate for about one thousand jobs in various services at higher grades. What happens when such a talented pool of manpower does not perform well or performs dishonestly?

Whose servant?

The answer lies with both the officers and the establishment. The establishment while selecting

officers for postings does not follow the rule of merit and suitability for a particular job but pliability becomes the consideration. The jargon of ‘committed bureaucracy’ evolves from this selection process where the senior officers chosen for important positions are more loyal to their political masters than to the people and the country. The so called ‘public servant’ becomes ‘his master’s servant’. The process of selection is not one sided as it is not only the establishment that goes about choosing pliable officers, there are officers too who offer their ‘loyal’ services. The spirit behind the selection for the top jobs is the symbiotic relationship of mutual personal benefit for both the officer and his master. The end result is that while both the officer and his master prosper, the organisation suffers. One vivid illustration is that when political masters change, there is a beeline of pliable officers offering their services to the new masters. In fact, officers these days sense the change and accordingly run after the new masters who are likely to come to power. The parrots are too willing to be caged for continuous eating of fruits.

Many impartial and honest

A big proportion of officers are impartial and honest, but they are not pliable. Such officers sometimes face roadblocks created by both unscrupulous people and vindictive masters. Recently, officers of some investigating agency dealing with sensitive political cases were indirectly threatened by the political leaders in a press conference. Good officers consider such threats and punishment postings as occupational hazard and continue doing good work despite personal hardship. The administrative machinery of the country has survived because of such officers. The bureaucracy is important and its good functioning is pivotal for the country’s development. It has to be kept away from politics and politicians. It should stand firm on unbiased and honest policy implementation.

tadka

Industrial output fastest in 11 months India’s industrial output grew at an 11-month high of 8.1 per cent in October mainly on the back of mining, power and manufacturing sectors coupled with a higher offtake of capital as well as consumer durable goods. Industrial production measured in terms of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 1.8 per cent in October last year, as per official data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Wednesday.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 21

Health & Wealth to get equal attention in 2019! It’s time to ring out the old and ring in the new. Here’s how corporate leaders will usher in the New Year with a lot of cheer and hope! By Corporate Citizen Network

Hit the road for an all-out adventure

Take my team to new heights of success

hange is inevitable and success is about evolution. The year 2019 will mostly be about the striking development in the field of new innovative methods of Learning and Development. It will open a whole new horizon for students, freshers and employees at various hierarchal levels. And I would give my heart and soul to be a part of this new learning journey in a continual learning progression mode. While we usher in the New Year, I wish to live in the moment, spread happiness, enact in more ‘plays’ and most importantly I wish to lead from the front to take my team and organisation to new heights of success. Sajeev Nair, Senior Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited and Theatre Artist

Establishing student chapters in reputed B-Schools

n the professional front, my New Year Resolution would be, imparting to MBA students, industry enabling skills by establishing 3-4 student chapters in reputed B-Schools on the platform of NIPM, of which I am the Vice Chairman. This would be done at no financial burden on the institute or students. On the personal front, my thrust will be on maintaining good mental and physical health and encouraging younger generation to do the same. I also intend writing a blog on it. S C Gupta, Deputy General Manager, HR, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)

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his last year was a busy one. Between balancing full time work as Interim MD and CFO of Formica Laminates in India, with a role which extends from overseeing sales, finance, marketing and manufacturing operations of the products for India as well as exports, and nurturing my family life—I’m frankly amazed I came through it. So this year, I want to hit the road (or sky) for an all-out adventure to create memories to last a lifetime. It will be an opportunity to combine my love for travel and wildlife photography. Capturing the great migration in Africa with over two million wild beast migrating through Tanzania and Kenya, is my dream. Wildlife photography in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya, is something I have wanted to do for a long time. After the African safari I want to take off for the Gold Coast and just hang out on the beach all day. Anil Sachdeva, Interim MD and CFO, Formica Laminates

To paint a bigger canvas of life

Healthy resolutions for a healthier me

irstly, I have to get up early—6 am is good, but 5 am is better. I also have healthy eating resolutions for a healthier me in the New Year. I do not want to miss out on my workout sessions in the gym so I will sneak in a gym session every day. I will let go off things that are out of my control, and focus on what I can control, and see life more positively and be more productive. I will socialise more and try to connect with as many new people as possible. I will start putting more efforts into my idea of a startup that will essentially provide third party technical support services to USA and Canada based clients. Last but not the least, I will take care of both of my families and my loving wife, who I’ve got married to recently, in mid-December. Kartik Bali, Financial Analyst, Genpact

have planned a startup to impart learning and development. Have a vision and mission to inspire, motivate, counsel and mentor youth, working professionals and people at large in the society to reach their aspired destination with confidence so that they can start living life the real way. To paint a bigger canvas of life with brighter colours of thinking and corresponding deeds. Will impart inspirational and developmental learning experiences to my twin daughters Purva and Aarya. Will continue supporting my wife Swati to excel in her passion to learn music and help her build higher entrepreneurial ability. Will ensure health and fitness for all of us at home and inspire others to be happy and healthy. Pravin Paritkar, HR / Entrepreneur

“2018 could be the year of Economic and industrial revival”

ew aspirations, ambitions and dreams-in 2019, it’s my endeavour to spend at least half a day in each of our newly inaugurated facilities-the State of the Art, Adani Vidya Mandir and Vocational Training Centre located around our mine sites in Chhattisgarh, which has extended Adani Group’s vision of nation building to not just asset creation but meaningfully transforming lives of the people. At 45 years of age and having spent about 25 years in the corporate world, I feel that it’s time for me to dedicate the next decade to mentoring young leaders in their professional and personal aspirations, coach them based on my experience and provide guidance. During the last 25 years, I have given a lot of importance to my professional aspirations while being blessed with a wonderfully supporting wife, Asmita and two beautiful children (Neeharika and Pranjal). I seriously wish to spend more quality time with my family and invest in relationships with some of my friends that I lost touch with Vinay Prakash Goel, CEO, Mining and Trading, Adani Enterprises Ltd

Meet tomorrow’s future demands

taying competitive by mastering new skills and getting certified, pursing PhD programme in Business Management, learning new language, are my primary learning goals. As a resolution for the next year, I’ve decided to meet tomorrow’s future demands, the students and develop these young minds who will turn out to be the hero/heroine of tomorrow. On the personal front, I would like to eat on time, exercise, think positive, avoid work stress and pressure, avoid unhealthy edibles, sleep and wake up on time. I also wish to start writing and complete my first book, “Unheard Love Story” and also write blogs on real life lessons. Take time off from my hectic work schedule and save a bit to visit new places. Nothing gives you satisfaction more than “giving life to one” hence, I shall support the education of two children. Natwar Kadel, Senior Manager, ER Planning Team, Hyundai Motor India January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 23

Give more time to developing the culture of the organisation

Broaden my skills by exploring new areas

y New Year resolution is to give more time to developing the culture of the organisation. The resolution is about looking within and correcting flaws wherever they exist. This means setting the right example as a CEO. CEOs must try to analyse on how many hours they put in and whether their productivity matches with what they demand from their employees. The other focus is self-development in the coming year. Unless, I try to improve myself, I have no right to give countless lectures to my team. In terms of developing the right culture, I believe in ‘Employees First, Clients Later’, as a good policy. If you take care of your team mates, your team

mates will take care of your clients. On the personal front, I am going to improve on my time management skills, create a balance between personal and professional life, work on improving my fitness level and read more books. Vaibhav Pande, CEO, Twin Win

To revive my reading habit

Bring smiles to more faces

n 2019, I plan to read at least one book a fortnight. I used to be an avid reader while growing up but lately I have had no time to read. Work and family commitments have kept me occupied most of 2018. Next year, I will ensure that I will carve out at least half an hour every day to reading. It is a habit that is not only fun but it also keeps the brain sharp. I feel everyone must make time for activities they love and not blame a hectic work schedule for missing out all the time. Rohit Joshi, Head of Sales & Marketing, Maharashtra Region, Easol Pvt. Ltd.

s you know, successful event management is essentially all about team work. No matter what the scale of the event, to be a hit, it must be about your client and bringing a smile to faces. So in 2019, my team and I would want to bring more smiles to more faces through our meticulously planned execution. On the personal front, I hope to join a gym and get fit. After all, event management is all about long hours and punishing schedules. To be on the ball, alert and with it, fitness is essential. Amol Bhagat, Founder, Director, A3M Events and Media Services

24 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

aving achieved most of my goals for the year 2018, I am all geared up to step up my game for the coming year. I am midway through planning for my professional and personal growth for the next year. Primarily, my resolution for 2019 is to broaden my skill set by exploring new areas, learning new techniques and softwares related to my work. I enjoy my work and for me, 2018 has been a year of great growth and exposure in my field. I got the chance to learn a lot and explore this area by working with fresh minds and new clients. Paul Penders gave me the platform to broaden my creative avenues. I made quite a few resolutions at the beginning of the year and one of them was to step out of my comfort zone. Fortunately, Chatterbox Communication helped me in fulfilling this resolution by giving me the

exposure to work with a myriad of clients. Handling new projects and clients first hand has been a refreshing experience. My hard work got noticed and bore sweet fruits of success and growth. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Cheers to 365 chances that the New Year will bestow upon us. Lavanya Anand, Digital Head, Paul Penders

Targeting 100 per cent growth in turnover

rofessionally speaking, the goals are well thought out and a logical progression of work done as far: from a 100 per cent growth in turnover to training for improving professional skills on AI and IoT to adding one more office to starting an International Omni Channel Contact Centre to Empanelling two agencies for marketing, Calling 24o7 hopes to go from strength to strength. Health wise, I wish to lose weight by cycling once a week and walking five km daily. I want to successfully take part in a marathon. My personal wish list would include joining a salsa class, travelling to Europe in May, owning one Harley motorbike and buying a new piece of land. Ranjit Pagdaloo, Founder, Director and CEO, Calling 24o7

High time to lead a more disciplined existence Being on the wrong side of the fifties, I need to pay special attention to physical health and happiness for maintaining my current pace. I wish to spend quality time with close family and friends—years so far were spent with greater prioritisation on work or career. I have always dreamt of viewing Mount Everest from close quarters (not from air!) if not climbing it! I would like to complete this long-cherished trek (hopefully in May). I would like to give back to my alma mater and society—greater involvement in mentoring innovation and entrepreneurship. I made a start this year by guiding two teams with their product innovation and entrepreneurship proposals at IITK. I intend greater involvement and guidance to bring the teams’ ideas to commercialisation. Sanjay Banerjee, Partner, Amrop India and leads the Lifesciences Practice

Focus on reading and learning new things

For efficient working of my resolutions, I categorise them. What takes the driver’s seat is working towards a healthy personal life. I wish to work harder on my fitness, as a sound mind increases productivity. When it comes to work life, I make it a point to analyse the growth of my previous year and accordingly, I set my next year goals. As we are setting up a new factory soon, we are expanding in terms of machinery, employees, various other products, etc. So, my goal now is to see that these things fall into place and we grow leaps and bounds. With that, this coming year, I pledge to be a better human and continue doing my philanthropy work. And also, no New Year Resolution is complete without setting travel goals. I wish to travel more, listen to better music and enjoy life too. Ankita JP Shroff, Director, co-founder SAV Chemicals &Associate Director, Shroff Group

Living healthy life is my priority

iving a quality of health is my fundamental right without discrimination (Article 14/15 and 21 of the Constitution). I also have a right to be treated considering my social determinants of health and my personal choices to choose between harm prevention vs harm reduction. I also have a right to get preventive and essential health care through the state I live in and get myself insured for getting secondary and tertiary care. I will also make sure that I keep my indoor pollution under control and assist the government to keep the outdoor pollution under control. I will follow the one health principle and help in balancing the health of environment, animals, plants and human beings. I will learn universal health tips and distress signals. I realise that health is not only absence of disease but a state of mental, social and spiritual well-being. Dr K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India, President Elect CMAAO, Padma Shri Awardee

Build a more robust system to nurture talent

The year 2018 has been very kind and exciting at the same. There were a lot of learnings on the personal and work front which has helped me evolve. Attending and being a panellist at several conferences has enhanced my knowledge and broadened my horizons. Mainly, I had devoted this year, to stay away from the gadgets, spend little or no time on the social media and focus more reading and learning new things. In the coming, I wish to carry forward this same momentum and enthusiasm. I welcome the New Year with open arms and a bright smile. Also, as my daughter is growing up, I wish to be a part of her smallest of things and focus more on CSR activities too. Baliram Mutagekar, Executive President, HR Infotech Association

Help common man make better financial decisions

e have taken some initiatives on retail money to reach out to the common man, especially to those at ‘the bottom of the pyramid’ and help them make better financial decisions. They might not be financially capable or able to access retail financial products due to lack of money, so I am trying to partner with large organisations and NGOS to deliver financial education via workshops to reach such large communities like auto drivers, bus drivers, inmate, nurses and teachers. I neglected my health and gave up my yoga sessions, gym etc. so, I want to pay attention to my health. I have just finished writing a book, ‘My Millionaire Friend’ got delayed but, now that it is ready, I want to launch the book next year which will also add a bigger mileage to IndianMoney.com by reaching out to the younger crowd. This book is meant for millennials and they are facing a very big challenge when it comes to saving, spending, receiving and borrowing money. C.S. Sudheer, CEO and Founder, IndianMoney.com January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 25

Cover Story

“All you need is

Fire in the Belly” If you have passion, fire in the belly, and really want to prove, nothing can stop you, says Dr. Gaurav Buch, Group Head – HR, Admin & CSR, Rasna Group, a well-known FMCG brand. One of very few in India who has earned a doctoral degree in Human Resources, Gaurav believes that to succeed in the HR field, you have to continue learning and researching, to turn HR into a decision science. In his two decade long career journey, Gaurav has experience of working across sectors like manufacturing to energy to petroleum, FMCG and in different dynamics. In an exclusive interview with Corporate Citizen, Gaurav shares his experience on varied human resource management topics, expectations from the millennials and HR parameters

Pics: Yusuf Khan

By Rajesh Rao

26 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Academics is my core competence

I come from a highly academic Nagar Brahmin family. My father, Prof. Dr. Vikramvinay Buch, was one of the renowned mathematicians in India. He was Professor at IIT-Kanpur and after some time he moved to Bhavnagar University, where he joined as the first Professor of Mathematics in the newly established Bhavnagar University, and went on to become the Dean of Science. Today’s Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University was formerly Bhavnagar University, a state university located in Bhavnagar city in the western province of Gujarat. My grandfather, Bajibhai M Buch was a school principal and is honoured to be the teacher of Indian business tycoon, Dhirubhai Ambani, in Junagadh, Gujarat. So, academics and administration are my core competencies and education is rooted in our family. My uncle VB Buch, Principal Secretary in the government of Gujarat, is a very senior IAS officer. My father and mother, Usha Buch, are my inspiration and whatever I am today is because of my father, mother, wife and my grandfather who are my mentors for all time. I have an elder brother, Sachin Buch and elder sister, Urvi.

Moving from science to HR management

Initially I wanted to study nuclear science or astrophysics, which was my core competence. In 1997-98, I saw that there was a lot of ambiguity around being a scientist in the country. It was the period when India was going through fast-paced economic development and MBA graduates where in big demand. After my graduation in 1997 in BSc with Physics and Mathematics from Sir P.P. Institute of Science, Bhavnagar University, I realised that I was a people person and chose to do MBA in HR. At that time there was a race to go into marketing and finance management, but I chose human resource management. When I was doing my MBA at Bhavnagar University in 1998-2000, there were only two students including me, doing the HR management course. At that time there were only two institutes in western India where you could do MBA-HR, Symbiosis in Pune and the other at Bhavnagar University. I come from a Gujarati medium school and I gained proficiency over the English language while doing my BSc degree and then went on to do my MBA. I learnt English on my own, and I never took it as a challenge or a barrier. If you have passion, fire in the belly and really want to prove, nothing can stop you in this world. Whatever is your core competence, if you can stick to it, you can prove yourself better. After finishing my MBA-HR, I started working and went on to do my PhD in HR, while working. The MBA tag today has become very common, everyone is doing an MBA. So, to differentiate myself and stand out in the crowd, I decided to do a PhD. I believe that to succeed in the HR field, you have to continue learning and researching. I am the 23rd person in India, to have completed my doctorate degree programme in human resource management after MBA, in the year 2012, from Bhavnagar University.

Career journey

I started my career in the year 2000, as a management trainee-HR, at Essar Oil Ltd and went on to become a senior executive, HR and Admin. When

“If somebody leaves an organisation—if you can catch the right kind of feedback, half of your problems will get solved. But, if proper trust does not exist between the organisation and employee, and if they don’t get the right feedback, it creates a lot of issues” January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 27

Cover Story I joined Essar, the company was at a commencing stage. So, I got a good exposure in commissioning the company’s entire green field project. From Essar, I moved to Suzlon. Initially, I joined at the company’s Pune office and very soon moved on to their strategic business unit (SBU), in Ahmedabad, as Head HR & Admin. After almost three years, I moved to Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable (MDFVPL), as head of HR and admin, for their entire Gujarat operation. From MDFVPL, I moved to GHCL Ltd, as General Manager, HR. At GHCL, I got a wonderful chance to understand advance technological scientific tools, for human resource management. I joined Rasna Pvt Ltd. a brand leader in the FMCG space, in 2013, where I am currently working as the Group Head – HR, Admin and CSR.

What were the challenges you faced while moving from one company to another, in terms of getting accustomed to different organisational cultures?

HR as a function is a support role and it does change a bit from industry to industry. If you continue working with FMCG only, you will not know what is happening in manufacturing or other fields. At a certain level and above, an HR person is not merely a functional manager, they are also business leads. So, being an HR, I cannot tell my board that I am responsible for only HR-I am also a strategist and being that, my role is to understand the entire business cycle and also the economic cycle of the entire country, and accordingly give my inputs as an HR. My function as a business partner is possible only when I am in a lead role. In my career journey, I have moved from manufacturing to energy, to petroleum, FMCG and worked in different dynamics. For example, at MDFVPL, which works like a cooperative, to turn them to adopt new management practices was a challenge I took.

Tell us about the research topic you chose for your doctoral degree.

I researched on “Manpower exit policy in the Indian corporate sector: with special reference to Gujarat”. For example, if somebody leaves an organisation—if you can catch the right kind of feedback, half of your problems will get solved. But, if proper trust does not exist between the organisation and employee, and if they don’t get the right feedback, it can create lot of issues. My research involved the study of these issues and solutions to resolve them.

In your 18 years of work experience in the HR field, what are the major changes you have seen in HR practice?

We have to understand that today’s generation is very sharp and intelligent. Earlier, people would remain in one company till they retired, but today’s generation is different. Today, if anyone says he/she has worked for 20 years with one organisation, it will be considered that either they have not been well-accepted in the other organisation or they are not getting any opportunity, and that’s why they are not growing. Today’s generation is fast-paced, but unfortunately it has its own negative aspect. For example, I feel they are overspending their precious time on social media and mobile phones—instead of they using technology, it seems technology is using them. Earlier, team goals were more focused, but today individual goals have become more important and these have also become a vital aspect in the human resource matrix. Organisations are also beginning to understand that if they have to succeed in the future, they have to focus a lot on human resource management. How much ever automation or robotics may come, human resource will still play a big role and we have to deal with it.

But, don’t you feel the role of HR is moving away from a generalist role to a more specialist role?

Well, this again depends on the perception of the organisation. More matured organisations are moving the generalist role of HR to a more strategic function, taking it to the board level. And if you check, these kinds of 28 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

“Technology will in no way affect the human resource requirement in the processes. Research shows that manpower required will not decrease, the kind of skills required will change. In the near future, the requirement of intellectual people will definitely increase. Machines will take over more mundane tasks, leaving intellectual and knowledge oriented work to human beings” organisations are on a fast paced success path. This itself proves that HR is definitely playing a vital role in organisational growth. Today HR is playing the role of a business partner.

You are a member of Vibrant Gujarat Education Summit and there are plans to replicate it at the Central level also. How will it revolutionise education in the country?

The Central government plan is to homogenise the entire school, college, university level curriculum. Instead of every state following different curricula, why not have one curriculum taught across the country? We are also trying to identify scientific tools—like in developed countries—which can be used at different levels of education to scientifically identify the core

competence of students. This will give an individual a much better choice to focus on developing skills which they are competent at. If a talent comes naturally to a person, why not groom that person for what he is good at and interested in—this way we will not waste talent due to a wrong choice.

With AI taking over much of HR work in future, will HR remain the same or will it shrink to a smaller role?

In HR you are dealing with the psychological process of human aspects at the individual level, team level and also mass level. If there are thousand people working in an organisation, each one of them is different in their thinking. Here the HR’s role is to diagnose all these thousand minds and put them into a process, wherein it gives results for the organisation to increase productivity. AI will take over day-to-day mundane work of HR, but the core process of dealing with humans will have to be handled by HR.

Today, the demography of the workforce is becoming more homogenised. Is it an advantage or disadvantage?

Well, I take it as a good sign, especially for the One India movement. We have to identify ourselves as Indian first and the rest comes afterwards. Yes, today organisations are dealing with a more cross-cultural mix of the workforce than before. I see that two-three decades from now, India will be a more homogenised society, with regional differences disappearing. Today, dealing with this cross-cultural workforce is a bit of a challenge for HR, but it may not be so 30-40 years from now. And my observation is that today’s generation is not interested in dividing India with regional differences or get into such issues. No one has time, everyone wants to grow and succeed in life. It is also very important that organisations give a transparent and unbiased platform for everyone to grow.

Are institutions enabling students with the digital HR skills that the organisations are demanding?

I don’t think today’s generation is lacking in digital skills—in fact I find them more eager to learn and are fast learners. They are living in a time where they have to deal with technology every moment. For example, they are born with mobile phones, which has dramatically changed the way they live. So, they are exposed to digital technology. Imparting digital skills has to be a basic part of any training programme.

What is your experience of dealing with the millennials?

There are both pros and cons in dealing with them. The good about them is they are very prompt and responsive, but they lack in depth as far as knowledge is concerned. I feel this generation is not ownership oriented, they are more concerned about their career, than the employer or the organisation they work for. Due to this lack of ownership and accountability over their work, they go job-hopping and do not stay with any one job or an organisation for longterm. Everyone wants to grow and earn money very fast, but this has its own shortfalls and drawbacks. This obviously does not result in having job satisfaction.

One of HR’s responsibilities within an organisation, is to groom future leaders. If the new generation lack in commitment and accountability, isn’t it a challenge to groom them for leadership roles?

Unless they are ownership oriented, you cannot give them dedicated and responsible roles. If there is always a probability that they would leave the organisation any time, how can they be groomed for leadership roles? For leadership roles you not only need ownership quality, but also qualities like honesty, good ethics, commitment, empathy and so on. If one lacks in knowledge, that can be taught, but if one lacks in the right attitude, it is difficult to teach. The right attitude cannot be taught in institutions, it

has to come from within. We evaluate every employee for the required skills and map them under an eight-pillar matrix. For example, for every position you will require these eight skills. If the person lacks in any of the eight skills, we give them training. If the person has the right attitude, we definitely groom him/her for leadership roles, but they should show commitment and ownership quality.

Is it difficult to manage old employees—bring them out of their comfort zone and adapt them to change - new skills, processes, innovations, new technologies?

If you can put together the experience of the older employees with the energy of the new employees, it will definitely benefit the organisation. As an HR, I don’t differentiate between the two generation. To bring an understanding between both of them, an HR has to persuade them to give up their egos, so they start learning from each other. If you are open to learning at any stage of your career journey, you will never lag behind and work in silos. At the same time organisations have to give employees time to get accustomed to new ideas or change.

Technology is redefining every part of business and in this fast changing scenario, how are HR professionals getting accustomed to the new changes?

Technology has become part of our life at every turn, so we and especially the new generation is already accustomed to digitisation in some way. When the same people join the corporate world, it becomes very easy for them to get savvy with any new technology. Very soon data analytics, big data or IoT will become a generic part of university curriculum. As an HR, I also have to get accustomed to new technology, because I have no choice.

You cannot deny the fact that in the near future automation, AI and other such technologies will replace human resource in big way. Will HR function then be less about human resource management and more about human-robot management?

I would take it as a misapprehension—technology will in no way affect the human resource requirement in the processes. The nature of jobs will change and that will demand new skills. Research shows that manpower required will not decrease, the kind of skills required will change. In the near future, the requirement of intellectual people will definitely increase. Machines will take over more mundane tasks, leaving intellectual and knowledge oriented work to human beings. So, definitely educational institutions need to get oriented to the change and tweak their curricula and training processes.

Is the academia updating their processes to the forth coming changes and industry requirements?

Academia should not be commercially oriented and give priority to only monetising the education system, but focus on developing the right infrastructure and quality faculty. I am in the recruitment process and I have observed that some MBA and BE students are much less equipped for the job than even BCom or BSc graduates. For your career success, your mark sheet is not important, what is important is how competent you are with your skills, and how ready you are for the job. Many of the candidates, I observe, have very poor communication skills and lack in basic soft skills. We need to bridge the industry-academia gap—institutions need to calibrate to what the industry needs. Education is either not in pace with the industry or differ in their approach. For example, why are some institutions still teaching COBOL and old computer languages when it is no more in use? If there is no industry representation in your academic committee, how will you understand the gap and how will you bridge it? January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 29

Cover Story Dynamic Duo: 80

Meghna and DR.Gaurav Buch

Two of a kind People connection is what differentiates HR professionals from others, and they are probably one of the most interesting people whom you can count on. What happens when both spouses are human resource professionals? In a marriage, an emotional connect is essential to build a long lasting married life, and the twosome, Meghna and Gaurav Buch, have found the perfect emotional connect in each other. Both are MBAHR graduates from the same instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;while Meghna, is an HR professional and chose a career in teaching and academics, Gaurav took the corporate path and is a senior HR professional, currently working as the Group Head-HR, Admin and CSR, Rasna Group. In a candid interview with Corporate Citizen, the couple speak about their passion for work, family bonding and how they are guided by strong values

By Rajesh Rao 30 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Jab We Met

Meghna: I met Gaurav for the first time at Bhavnagar University, when my father and I had visited the campus for admission. As he was a senior student, he was helping us with the admission process. Gaurav:Meghna’s father is a distant relative of my mother, and they knew each other, but we didn’t know each other. When she joined the MBA programme at Bhavnagar University, I was already into my third semester. Later, I completed my MBA and got my first job through campus placement at Essar Oil. To my pleasant surprise, my mother liked Meghna and suggested about marrying her. We were meeting each other on the campus and knew each other, so I agreed.

What did you like about each other?

Gaurav:Her caring behaviour and concern for others. And she is the perfect sanskari woman. Meghna: I also like his caring nature and he does it better than me. Well…every woman likes to have a caring and kind-hearted life partner and he was a dream come true for me. He is emotional and practical—two complementary dimensions of life.

Tell us about your (Meghna) educational and career journey.

Meghna: I did my class 12th in Science from a school in Junagadh in Gujarat and my graduation in Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), at CL College, Junagadh. I went on to do my MBA in HR, from Bhavnagar University, Department of Business Administration. Gaurav was also doing his MBA from the same institute and he was one year senior to me.

“My knowledge in human behavioural science helps me in understanding him and our children better. I can tell from experience that good understanding does strengthen one’s married and family life” — Meghna January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 31

Cover Story brought up in Bhavnagar city. We got married when I was working with Essar, in Jamnagar. She stayed with my parents in Bhavnagar and every weekend I would come over to our Bhavnagar house, from Jamnagar. When our son, Khanjan, was born in 2005, she was living in Junagadh with her parents. I had just joined Suzlon at their Pune office and within six months they transferred me to the Suzlon’s SBU in Ahmedabad. Initially we were staying in Gandhinagar, and then later moved to Ahmedabad. Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad are two cities, just 25 kms apart.

After the birth of your first child, why didn’t you (Meghna) join work again, instead chose to be a homemaker?

Meghna: I decided to be a homemaker, because I wanted to be 24x7 with my child. Buch family holidaying at Udaipur, Rajasthan Nobody can understand a child better than its mother. If you are working, you are away from home for almost nine hours and I didn’t want to be away from my After my MBA, I got a job offer from CL College, child for so long hours. It was my decision and I don’t regret leaving work. Junagadh. The Mumbai based, Narsee Monjee InI was happy taking the role of homemaker—it is a responsible role and it stitute of Management Studies (NMIMS) had startis also about management. As a homemaker, I have to be a mother, wife, ed a centre in the CL College campus for their HR manager, coordinator, cook, caretaker and what not. Gaurav would be programme. I was made in charge of that centre and very busy with his work and had to travel a lot as part of his work. In his was coordinating and also took lectures, teaching absence, I had to also play a father’s role. As a mother my aim has always Organisational Behaviour (OB), the study of human behaviour in organibeen to provide my children utmost love and care. Our elder son, Khansational settings. I worked at CL College for over three years, then shifted jan, is 13 years old and studying in 8th Std. and daughter, Devanshi, is 8 to Bhavnagar when we got married. When I came to Bhavnagar, I got to years old and studying in 3rd Std. work as a visiting faculty for a year at Bhavnagar University, where I had done my MBA.

Why did you (Meghna) choose HR as a career?

Meghna: I have interest in studying human science and this interest naturally pulled me to the HR field. However, I have never worked as an HR in any company. I chose to go into academics, as the opportunity to work at CL College came my way.

You both are from the HR field and are peoples’ person. Has that helped you in understanding each other better?

Gaurav:Yes, a lot. Both of us being from the same field of expertise, definitely helps in having a good understanding between us. Meghna: My knowledge in human behavioural science helps me in understanding him and our children better. I can tell from experience that good understanding does strengthen one’s married and family life.

Tell us one of your shared experience—a memorable humorous incident.

Meghna: I find Gaurav funny when he sometimes returns home with a grumpy face, due to some work related stress—I remember the dialogue “Paaji kabhi hass bhi liya karo”, from the Hindi movie, “Son of Sardar”. I am the funnier one between us, and always make him laugh.

How did you (Gaurav) manage work and giving time to family?

Gaurav: We recently celebrated our fifteenth marriage anniversary. We got married in Junagadh, as both our native place is Junagadh. My father moved to Bhavnagar, when he joined Bhavnagar University, as head of the department and professor of mathematics. I was born and 32 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

What is your advice to working parents, on how to find balance between a career and parenting?

Gaurav: Today, I am successful in my career only because of her, because she took the responsibility of homemaker. In bringing up our children, she has played a bigger role than me. I understand that today for financial security there is need for both parents to work, but it has its disadvantages. For both the parents to juggle between family and career becomes very stressful and children feel neglected. I believe that for one parent to act as full-time caregiver is an ideal parenting arrangement.

Your success mantra for a happy and successful married life?

Meghna: I have observed that nowadays fathers are so busy with their work that they don’t even know in which class their children are studying. They don’t have time for their children when they return home from work. You will see them constantly busy with their phones. I feel a father plays a bigger role model for a child than the mother. Fathers have to keep aside some time for the children and for the family. Maintaining the right balance between work and life is crucial for a happy and successful married life. Gaurav has always made sure that he spends enough time with the children. Sometimes, he takes a break from work, so we can go travelling together. Even with his busy work schedule, he always makes sure to attend the parents-teachers meeting at the school. Parenting is not just the mother’s work. The father’s worth should not be measured with what he is earning, but how active and involved he is with his children and family. A father should not shrug away from his role, under the pretext of work.

Gaurav: One should not pursue success only in one’s career, but also family and social life.

How do you resolve any clash of thoughts or differences between both of you?

Meghna: In such a situation, I take a back step and listen. There are times when he has a heavy workload or had a bad day at work, and returns home wearing his tension on his face. I try diverting his thoughts, make him laugh and cheer him up. I believe that being at ease has a positive effect and improves your performance and relationships, whether you are at work or home.

“Nobody can understand a child better than its mother. If you are working, you are away from home for almost nine hours and I didn’t want to be away from my child for so many hours. It was my decision and I don’t regret leaving work. I was happy taking the role of homemaker—it is a responsible role and it is also about management”— Meghna

Gaurav: She is a cool and calm person and I am a bit quick-tempered, which is why I feel we never get into an argument. She understands that there is caring in my anger also. She plays the role of diffuser whenever I get angry.

How did you (Gaurav) manage doing your PhD while working and parenting?

Gaurav: In your early stage of life, when you are young and energetic, you should give your utmost to building your career and learning. I don’t think it is possible in the later part of your life. I would work for 10 to 12 hours, come back home, spend some time with family, have my dinner and sit for studying till late in the night. This was possible because I was young and had the energy to do it, and of course my wife was supportive. And time management is very important. Have enough sleep, but never oversleep. People who are successful in life, never oversleep and devote their waking hours to productive activities. Today, the young generation spends a lot of time on their mobile phone—their screen time has increased and most of it is unproductive. Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, has quoted in one of his interview, “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” It is surprising to hear this from the founder of a tech company. But, I see today parents giving their young children mobile phones just to pacify them or keep them engaged. Too much of anything is unhealthy and the same applies to children—their brain growth is getting stunted due to increase in their screen time. Their attention span is getting shortened and they are not able to concentrate. I think we are misusing technology and have to first learn how to use technology in the right way and with a purpose.

How did you (Meghna) get into teaching and academics, after doing your MBA in HR? Now, as your children have grown up, will you join work if a good opportunity comes your way?

Meghna: If a good opportunity comes my way now, I will surely think of working again. I am more into academics and teaching. And my fatherin-law was a professor, which inspired me to take teaching and academics as a career. My mother also took tuitions at home and I have watched her teaching since I was young. Later, I also started helping her in teaching the students who would come for tuition.

What are your hobbies and what do you do during your leisure time?

Meghna: I love travelling with family, listening to music and reading books. The best we both like is having a good family time together, during the children’s vacation. We plan the trip beforehand and eagerly wait for that time—it is so joyful for the children and for us also. Gaurav:I like listening to classic Hindi songs. I love driving and going for long drives, especially when it is raining—driving out of the city, on the highway, have tea and hot Bhajia-dalvada at a roadside dhaba.

Share one thing you love and hate most about your significant other?

Gaurav: She is very caring and lovable with everyone, and I feel she should do that with a bit careful forethought. It is very difficult for her to say “No” to anybody. In today’s world you have to be a little cautious and I always tell her to be little judicious. One has to be careful that someone does not take advantage of your goodness and kindness. Meghna: I find him overly cautious and highly sensitive sometimes—he gets easily distressed by any unfamiliar events. So, I tell him that sometimes you have to have a “Chalta hai” attitude—in life sometimes things don’t happen the way you expect, then the best is to go with the flow. rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 33

CII Womenation

Woman poweR They came, they saw, they conversed...about women and leadership, how each challenge can be an opportunity and how talented women professionals must not throw in the towel at the first road block. From lessons on life and living, optimising positivity and minimising negativity to the need for strong partners and close networks of supporters to self-belief. The recently concluded CII Womenation conference saw a panel of outstanding women share not just their own secrets of success, but also valuable inputs to help young women make a mark in the workplace. Most necessary if you consider the backdrop: As opposed to the rest of Asia that has 49 per cent of working women, India only has 27 per cent. Obviously, a lot needs to be done to rev up circumstances as well as attitudes conducive to more and more women joining the work force. Amidst all this, one had to address the elephant in the room, that is to say, the eternal question: "Can women handle power as well as men?" They were, Renu Basu, Senior VP-Global Sales, India Hotels Company Ltd, Richa Arora, Chief Operating Officer-Consumer Products Business-Tata Chemicals, Pallavi Jha, Dale Carnegie Training India, Ipsita Dasgupta, President -Strategy and Incubation, Star India and Vibha Padalkar, MD & CEO, HDFC Life, in conversation with each other, the audience and moderator Ninad Karpe, Director Aptech India. A fine celebration of woman power and celebrating success if ever there was one. Excerpts...

Realise, Recognise, Reward & Refuse

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By Vinita Deshmukh Ninad Karpe

Director Aptech India, Moderator My brief as moderator in the presence of these outstanding ladies was simple. Plus it was delivered by my son -"Dad be quiet." So without further ado, over to the speakers on the lessons and experiences they wish to share with the audience.

Renu Basu,

Senior VP, Global Sales, India Hotels Company Ltd Coming as I do from the hospitality industry, it is a given fact that we tend to have more friends than others. It's a familiar enough story: celebrating success does not come easy for women. They are way too modest. But success, to my mind, is measured by the contribution you make to your

organisation and the achievements of your organisation. Women typically feel that once they drop out or take a break for familial reasons they can't come back. That's wrong and untrue. When I got back from my break, my former boss, told me: "Renu, just lead from the front." And I thought, wow! That's some task. "But as I threw myself into the challenge, I realised the inherent wisdom of it. Here I am reminded of the great humanitarian Nelson Mandela and what he said about leading from the front. He said: "It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership." And it happens to be brilliant advice. As women, we are faced with challenges at every stage. Guess what? It is possible to turn challenges into opportunities. Be confident

It is possible to turn challenges into opportunities. Be confident about what you are doing or people will trample upon you â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Renu Basu

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 35

CII Womenation about what you are doing or people will trample upon you. Stay focused on whatever the task on hand, be it mothering or work. It may sound philosophical when I say this, but faith in self and faith in God will take you places. I have two firebrand daughters who never fail to tell me at different points: "Mummy, you are a diamond and you cannot break." We women tend to be ever doubtful of themselves, don't do that. The time has come for us to stake a claim at the workplace and different spaces around us. Men tend to measure success by numbers and milestones, whereas women, who tend to be collaborative, don't take enough credit. We need to be aware of our strengths and value them accordingly. Ninad Karpe: A very interesting take on male and female yardsticks of success. Thank you, Renu. Over to Richa.

Richa Arora,

Chief Operating Officer, Consumer Products Business, Tata Chemicals I am going to flip the subject a bit and concentrate on three things that tend to hold women back. First and foremost, here's a closer look at

Secondly, it has been noted that the very successful women working at top positions in top corporates are still wondering how they got there in the first place! Even at this stage they are so unsure. Naturally, the point I am making is that women tend to have more confidence. Here we need to take a cue from men who are so confident about all they do. Last but not the least, be yourself, whoever you are. Don't be pressurised or compelled to be someone else. That is the easiest way to succeed. Ninad Karpe: Three steps to success. Delightful! Thank you Richa. Over to Pallavi.

Pallavi Jha,

Chairperson and MD, Dale Carnegie Training India A lot has happened in the course of my professional career. The single most important thing that I am able to claim is that I have been able to write my story myself. My journey is significant in which, I have come a distance from being a shy, reserved and quiet little girl for whom a birthday party was an overwhelming experience. Of course, my professional life has seen its ups and downs, big and small wins and losses and I think celebrating all of it has helped shaped my career. I started off as a management trainee for Proctor and Gamble, got married and took a break. No one was surprised. As usual the common refrain was that girls tend to do that, somehow the man's career is important, but I did not happen to see it that way. I had started off with a job in Delhi and it was a learning experience. The defining moment, though, came when I joined the family business. For those who think that dynasts have

Women in business tend to define success with the same matrix as men and I think that leads to stress and frustration â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Richa Arora the very definition of success itself. Women in business tend to define success with the same matrix as men and I think that leads to stress and frustration. Women have to let go of guilt and do what makes them happy, do whatever works for them as individuals: be it taking a break from work, pursuing a hobby along with a career or working all through their marriage; people need to define success on their own terms. With millennials, it is happening already. When you aspire, you achieve.

For those who think that dynasts have it easy, allow me to state that it is much harder for them to succeed, to win trust and credibility â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pallavi Jha

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it easy, allow me to state that it is much harder for them to succeed, to win trust and credibility in the eyes of colleagues, who typically don't take them seriously. So for those of you who think dynasts are terrible people, and incompetent fools, do consider this aspect as well. After that stint, it was the path of entrepreneurship for me. From dotcoms to sports, I did it all. And then, I got into training and finally started Dale Carnegie Training, India. I am very happy to say that we are pretty much the first corporate face of non-technical training in India and it has been an amazing journey. Ninad Karpe: Thank you. Here's the quote of the day: "Write your own story." Over to Ipsita.

Ipsita Dasgputa,

President-Corporate Strategy and Incubated Business, Star India

I meet so many fascinatingly intelligent women who don't take enough risks and that's sad. It's alright to sign up and fail... â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ipsita Dasgupta Before I begin, I'd like to present a quick overview of my journey so far. While I work at Star now, I was at GE before as Chief Marshall Officer. I am an astrophysics graduate before moving onto pure mathematics and then completed my MBA from Harvard. That's where I met my husband as well. So that was an efficient year, I'd say! I have lived in the US for most of life and been in Asia for 10 years. Currently, I am based in Mumbai with my husband and twin daughters. Before I share the three suggestions I have, I'd like to outline that growing up in the US, I tended to look "different" from those around me, being brown and a woman. But the biggest advantage was that I never thought I was any different once I was in a room. I never stopped being who I was. When life did change for me and I realised that things were different for women was when I had

kids. There is a biological commitment that distinguishes us from men-whether or not there is tremendous equality at home, you are still the person staying up nights and feeding kids, with twins it's twice as tough. So yes, all of us realise that there are different stages in the journey of being a woman. It is important to realise the statistics as we seek. In India, just about 27.5 per cent women work outside their homes, as compared to the rest of Asia that averages 49 per cent. So while we have reasons to celebrate the journey so far, we need to consistently work at creating reasons to keep celebrating. A study conducted in the US revealed that when two people earn the same amount of money, women tend to do thrice the amount of housework and six times the amount of child care. Naturally, this puts a lot of pressure on us in our private spheres which makes the professional and public spheres harder to navigate. Against this backdrop, I'd like to suggest three things: First, be nice: As women, we need those strong networks more than anyone else around us. Be it that teacher who is willing to keep those kids 15 minutes longer at school or that pediatrician who takes that call at a late hour, we need them all. So build and nurture those networks; they are extremely important. Second, always, always deliver at work, come what may. When you have signed on a dotted line for a particular reason be sure to live up to that promise. When you do these first two things, it is possible to do the third: that is take risks. I meet so many fascinatingly intelligent women who don't take enough risks and that's sad. It's alright to sign up and fail, but it's not alright not to try at all. Ninad Karpe: Thank you for those insights: be nice, always deliver and take risks. Our to Vibha.

Vibha Padalkar,

MD & CEO, HDFC Life To begin with, it's critical to choose your partner someone who is proud of you and your dreams, not someone who asks you to throw in the towel at the first instance of a hitch. On the contrary you need someone who says: Alright, let's see how we can do this together, at times, it's my career doing well, so I take the front seat, but if it's your career doing well, I'd give you priority. This is what a partnership is about. Remember ladies, if he is on your side, everything is on your side. Apart from this, I'd like to stress that it is crucial to have your own identity and world which is virtually non-negotiable. To do that do though, we don't have to ape the west. I am reminded of a sister-in-law from the US who felt she needed to do a liposuction...I mean what for ? Sure, looks do tend to matter at the joining

point, you have to be reasonably well-turned out and pleasant, but that's all. Beyond that, your work is what counts. Men have created a world that looks and sounds a particular way because they happened

Q&A session

What is the thing to remember in entrepreneurship?

Pallavi Jha: That it's a 24x7 job with no offs. If you're one of those who are big on having a work-life balance, this journey is not for you. Entrepreneurship requires you to be flexible, adapt and respond as per the situation. Your business plan may be abandoned midway because it isn't working-and then it's back to the drawing board. But you can't lose heart. People join and leave the boat all the time-you are the only anchor of that boat. Your time, patience and commitment will see you through. The panellists spoke extensively on self confidence. But what I would like to touch upon is power. Studies show that women are not comfortable with power and the exercising of power. So would they enlighten us on their take of sharing and exercising power, managing it as well as being comfortable with it.

Ipsita Dasgupta: This is the era of authentic leadership. Thanks to twitter and other social media platforms, we see people for exactly who they are. So it's actually a great time for women. About women not being able to handle power, I think that if women do exactly the same thing as men, the interpretation from other people is way more negative. If you are assertive they see you as bossy. If you, like Serena Williams, end up getting emotional, it does not go down as well. So the important thing is to create your own space, and work around it with every day, every situation. The same thing applies in your personal life as well. As to the second part of your question, I think women are excellent at sharing power and taking most stakeholders along.

If he (husband) is on your side, everything is on your side. Apart from this, I'd like to stress that it is crucial to have your own identity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Vibha Padalkar to get there first but don't be afraid to be yourself as a woman. For instance, when you enter a boardroom and happen to look at bright chairs, do remark and banter about it. So what? Let the guys get used to you. What is important though, is to watch out for stretching points in your staff, particularly when you have a young workforce that is keeping long hours at work, despite family issues and despite young children. Acknowledge the fact that you see that they have been keeping those long hours and that you appreciate it, ask them to take a break. Show your humane side, show you care. People leave organisations not just for money but also for lack of timely acknowledgement and appreciation. Last but not the least, I'd like to say that there will be difficult moments in your professional and personal journey-moments so tough that you believe it's the end. It's not. It's just a stress point and you will emerge from it, enriched and wiser. Believe that always. vinitapune@gmail.com

tadka

RuPay is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest market player Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own homegrown card network RuPay has become the biggest market player with over 459 million transactions constituting more than half of total transactions being made in India. Rupay became the largest payment card network overtaking VISA in June last year when it touched the base of 375 million transactions.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 37

Pics : Yusuf Khan

There are challenges in every role and every function. One needs to have an absolutely crisp approach, supported by clear framework in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind. I strongly believe in PDCA cycle, (Plan, Do, Check, and Act). I feel that one should approach the challenges with a very sharp mind, focused diligence and apply the PDCA cycle

38 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Interview

Have a

Focused Approach In a long career of more than two decades, Maharana Ray, General Manager, Probiking, Bajaj Auto, has a rich experience across a range of domains like Marketing, Sales (National and International) Training and HR. Having started his corporate career with Pepsi, he believes that if you want to achieve anything in life, you must work hard with due diligence and with utmost integrity. In an interview with Corporate Citizen, Ray talks about what millennials should focus on, what one needs in order to progress in their career journey and more… By Vineet Kapshikar Tell us about your career journey.

I did my MBA in Marketing & HR from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune in the year 1989. I joined Pepsi as a Management Trainee in 1989. I have launched Pepsi all across Maharashtra except Mumbai. When you start your career as a management trainee, you are in the lowest rung in the ladder. Our job was to sell Pepsi, 40 shops a day, and to sell 200 crates was our daily target. During the process, I got exposed to the Metros, went into the depths of Tier I and Tier II cities in order to achieve the sales volume of Pepsi. In this journey, I learnt the true essence of sales management, dealer alignment, and achievement orientation. It was a fabulous five year stint. After working with Pepsi, I worked in Dubai, as the National Sales Manager for a FMCG distributor. After one and a half years, I came back to India and joined Kinetic Engineering Limited, as Head of Direct Sales, from 1995 to 1997. (First of its kind in the two wheeler industry, in India). Post that, I joined Bajaj Auto in the year 1997, as Sales Training Manager for Bajaj Auto Ltd. As a National Head, I conceptualised and executed capability building programmes for

the dealer owners, dealer staff across sales, service & spares functions. In 1999, I left Bajaj Auto and joined Oman Trading Establishment (OTE), Oman, where I was the Country Head (Sales) for brands like Hyundai, General Motors, Subaru and Isuzu. After my short stint in Oman, I came to India in 2002 and I re-joined Bajaj Auto. Since then the journey has been challenging and yet enriching. In my career, I was fortunate enough to work in both domestic and international market. I have worked in Sales, Retail processes, Spare parts and Dealer Development. I happened to work in different cultures and faced different challenges.

In the year 2013, I completed a Management Development Programme, in HRM and Services from IIM Ahmedabad. My suggestion to the future employees would be that one should continuously raise the bar, stay focused and create a culture of excellence in whatever he/she does. This has to be supplemented with the help of commitment, conviction and absolute integrity.

What was the reason to quit Bajaj Auto and to re-join in 2002?

Bajaj Auto is a great company. There was no specific reason to quit Bajaj in 1999, except for the fact that the offer which I got from Oman was from the four wheeler industry. There I

Interview worked on international brands like Hyundai, Subaru, Isuzu, and General Motors, which was an exciting opportunity for me. In 2002, I wanted to come back to India. Bajaj Auto offered me to re-join them, hence I came back.

In the year 2013, you did a Management Development Programme in HRM and Services from IIM Ahmedabad, you did that to keep yourself updated with the current HR trends?

Campus to Corporate is a huge transition. One must be aware of the basic etiquettes to be followed in a formal environment. One should integrate the intellect, laterality and the meticulousness with sharp thinking in the work output

I am a continuous learner and I like to keep myself updated with the current trends. I was nominated by our senior leadership for the programme, since this shows that magnanimity of the faith the leadership had in, to nominate me for such a prestigious programme. The icing on the cake was that it was an IIM Ahmedabad programme.

Tell us about your role as General Manager in Probiking Division.

In Bajaj Auto we have various Business Units such as Motorcycle Business Unit, International Business Unit, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit and the Probiking Business Unit. These are the front ends of the business. Probiking Business Unit at present constitutes the KTM brand. My role as General Manager, Probiking, is to focus on Network Development & Dealer Development. Network Development focuses on creating new channel partners to achieve the optimum market presence. Dealer Development focuses on nurturing them in terms of capability, processes & systems.

What are the challenges you come across in your role and how do you deal with them? There are challenges in every role and every function. One needs to have an absolutely crisp approach, supported by clear framework in one’s mind. I strongly believe in PDCA cycle, (Plan, Do, Check, and Act). I feel that one should approach the challenges with a very sharp mind, focused diligence and apply the PDCA cycle. I strongly believe that, in terms of dealing with a challenge, you should anticipate the challenge, align your team with the challenge, adapt to the situation and act appropriately, I call this as a ‘4A’ approach, (Anticipate, Align, Adapt and Act).

Why did you choose Marketing & HR in your MBA?

Basically, I am an extrovert person. Interacting and networking with people have always been my strengths. Professionally, I always had the passion to excel in the domain of marketing and sales. As a result, I decided to work in marketing and sales. Having said that, I believe ‘Business is

People’. Understanding the human dynamics is key to successful business-the right person for the right job gets the job half done.

Will automation and robotics change the manufacturing scenario in the coming years?

Automation is here to stay. It is a reality now. In India, the adoption of robotic automation is increasing, but still in early stages. Factory automation has been the fastest emerging sector in Indian industry. In the

40 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

automotive industry, automation is critical to a company's success and ability to keep up with new developments and state-of-theart technologies. What is needed is a joint effort by everyone in the industry to accept automation and do subsequent changes in employement sector. Speed and Perfection will be the key output of automation. It will increase productivity and reduce costs. Quality and sustainability will be improved. We need to embrace this change by building skills and capabilities.

In the coming future, battery operated vehicles will enter its way into automotive industry. How is Bajaj looking at this opportunity, which will have a significant impact in the twowheeler segment?

I cannot throw much light on this topic as of now, but our eyes are on the ball. We are certainly

I believe that, firstly, patience is a virtue that is still to be inculcated in today’s millennials. Secondly, they are smart, intelligent, but application of knowledge is nowhere to be seen. And thirdly, behavioural skills, in terms of respect and empathy need to be honed. Campus to Corporate is a huge transition. One must be aware of the basic etiquettes to be followed in a formal environment. One should integrate the intellect, laterality and the meticulousness with sharp thinking in the work output.

How Bajaj is eyeing the foreign giant, BMW?

The competition will always be there, we will respect that. I can only look upon what our company has to offer rather than worrying what the competitor has to offer. Ultimately, that’s what I can control. Factors which are important along with product manufacturing are dealer development, dealer processes, product processes, the sales process at the dealerships, the knowledge transfer to my channel members and the customer experience is very important. There are three things to be looked at, Product, People and Process. The three P’s must be aligned together to make the Product successful.

What is your view on gig economy, is it the future work trend which will be coming in?

working on differentiated disruptive products which we will bring to the market, and obviously incorporate those changes in the market. We will not be left out in terms of our demands from our consumers. We always start with our customers in mind and in alignment with our customers we have already initiated those changes.

What are the challenges you come across when you deal with millennials and how do you cope up with them?

Gig economy is not new, it came into picture about 100 years ago. The term ‘gig’ started off with the music industry, where the musicians would say, ‘where is my gig tonight’? Which meant, where is my performance tonight? That’s how it started off and it sort of created a new work trend. Fundamentally speaking, everything is changing. If you consider our previous generation, first job was the last job. Life was very monotonous and mechanical. People used to work at a single company till they retired. They played safe and not akin to challenges. Today, that’s not done. Today, change can be seen everywhere. Changing of jobs is nothing new and it is very common. Since there are various opportunities, people seek after it. Not everyone likes the idea of employment. They might want to do something different. For example, if you have worked in a company and saved enough money, you can start your own venture. When people, say, in their 40’s, some of them are keen to get into something of their own, something new, something more challenging. Hence the concept of “Startups” came into picture. Second significant fundamental change which has happened over the years is the surge in the remuneration. When you look at the salaries 15 years ago and salaries today, the

gap is huge. Today, the salary of a management trainee starts at say `10 lakh per annum. But if you ask the older employees, now who are in their 50’s, their CTC was not `10 lakh even after having worked for 30 years in an organisation. That is how life has changed. That is how it will change even more in the future. With that what has changed? Propensity to save has increased, leading to a much more secured life in owning materialistic assets and thus leading to exploring newer avenues to earn more money. In conclusion, one needs to be a specialist to be one above the crowd in the gig economy. Subject matter experts will be more sought after professionals.

What advice would you give to the students who will join the corporate world?

Advice would be, follow and implement 4 Fs and 4 Ps in your professional and personal life. These points will be useful to grow and develop in your career. Four Fs are, Focus, Flexibility, Fast and Fun. Four Ps are, Positivity, Performance, Perspective and Passion. Also, be grounded and rounded.

What is your idea of relaxation?

Spending time with my family, going for long drives and exploring different cuisines.

What is the philosophy of life that you live by?

Be a good individual. It takes guts to be kind. Be selfless and do good to others. In life, when a child is born, he is weeping and when he dies, others are weeping. So, let us have laughter and fun in our journey called ‘Life’. vineetkapshikar@gmail.com

tadka

SpaceX launches India’s first privatelybuilt satellite Elon Musk-led US space agency SpaceX successfully launched India’s first privately built satellite, ExseedSAT 1 along with 63 other satellites from 18 countries. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket which carried ExseedSAT 1 and 63 other satellites was launched from the Vandenberg air force base in California, US. The mini communication satellite weighing just a kg with double the size of a Rubik’s cube is the brainchild of a Mumbai-based startup named, Exseedspace and looks to serve the amateur radio community.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 41

TÊTE-À-TÊTE What were your hopes and aspirations for you and your family? I hail from a family of chief marine engineers, who have served in the Indian Merchant Navy. I am privileged that my paternal grandfather, a Chief Marine Superintendent Engineer, was the recipient of a silver and bronze medal from the erstwhile British Government for exemplary maritime service during the World War I. As a young boy, I, too, nurtured the desire of joining the merchant navy, but destiny had other plans. My younger brother serves as a director with a global chemicals trading conglomerate for several years now. My mother has been a source of great moral support to us, to this very day. I have been extremely fortunate to be blessed with an extremely caring and loving wife, Kashmira, and an equally wonderful daughter, Farah. From Chemistry to Management. How did the transition happen? I was very good in Chemistry, both at school as well as in junior college. I joined Wilson College in Mumbai and majored in Chemistry in my last graduation year. Post BSc and that was in the early 1980s, it was the heydays of management. Hence the obvious transition happened. Lessons from your first job... After completing my diploma in administrative management from the University of Bombay, I was working with The Times of India Group as a circulation supervisor at their Times of India suburban press in Kandivali (East). The press was in a growing stage then. Frequent night shifts and day time vendor visits made me a stronger and focussed individual. I would definitely compliment The Times Group for gravitating me

Working mindfully and being humane

Minoo Titina, a strategic management thinker, is a strong proponent of strategic planning and being humane in one’s temperament. He believes strategy requires you to take the long view of life. Titina, who has received many awards and recognition, including the Bombay Parsee Association Excellence Award in Management in 1996 and the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose National Award for Excellence in Management from the Jagruti Kiran Foundation, says strategic planning must happen daily and it equips you to react to changes you don’t know about in advance By Archie Banerjee

42 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Minoo Titina (Left) with Ram Naik, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh at Raj Bhavan, Lucknow

Happy New Year through the daily grind and today, I largely owe my humble success to them. What are the best management practices you rely on? Effective Communication Skills-Management is all about communicating to the staff and clients. Effective communication is a must when it comes to successful management. The management should have a set of best practices defined for clear and effective communication from/to the staff and clients. When your management style is open and transparent, others respect you more. In addition, information directly flows from the problem areas to you. Always try to follow the open door policies that do not restrict your subordinates coming to you directly. Strategic Planning is the most important best practice area when it comes to long-term benefits for the company. Usually, experienced people in management, such as Jack Welch, have their own, successful best practices for strategic corporate planning. It is always a good idea to learn of such ideas from exceptional people and apply them to your own context. As a seasoned management professional, what has changed? A lot has changed. We are a young nation, demographically speaking-65% of India is below 35 years of age. It is the millennials today, born between 1981 and 1996 which comprises the “Real India”. The youth of our country are very entrepreneurial in their outlook. There is no stopping them. I believe that today only the best wins and gets noticed. Whatever be your area of human pursuit, excellence alone triumphs. Tell us about your present role at Enarr. At the Enarr Group, broadly speaking, I am responsible for the study and creation of business models as well as to conduct business development activities for a soil stabiliser viz : RBI Grade 81 and CSR activities for our Nana Nani Foundation (a NGO for the welfare of senior citizens). The popular Nana Nani Parks in Mumbai city are our creation. Do you think technology has a very deep impact in the field of organisation and management as well? Has IT seeped through every pore of organisational operation? And is it easy for you to adapt to new tech? Technology, more so in the last five years has had an indelible impact in the day to day lives of mankind, and particularly in the organisational functioning per se. The mobile has become a part of our physical self and has made the world one large global family. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Block Chain, Robotic En-

gineering and the Internet of Things (IoT) have seamlessly integrated the world in which we live in. IoT has made giant strides in the US and the developed world at large, though in India it is at a nascent stage. In 2017, corporates spent $22 billion on AI related mergers & acquisitions. Google has declared that AI will do more good for man than fire or electricity. Lastly, Block Chain technology would contribute greatly to the international logistics sector, it again being at a very early stage in our country. Hence it could be safely stated that, IT has made a permanent mark on the organisation/ management functioning globally. Anything new is different and takes time to imbibe. India has braced the new technologies completely, thereby paving the path for a new, dynamic vibrant economy.

management schools are the engines of India’s future prosperity story. Do you think firms should generate value for society as well as for shareholders? I agree with the evergreen words of the Late J. R. D. Tata ji, who was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, that, “If you get from society, you have to give back to society”. Corporates/corporations are custodians or trustees of public money. They have to give back to society in any form or manner. Hence, rightly so corporates should generate growth and value for society. What do you think is the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics? There is a significant difference between social responsibility and business ethics and the best way to differentiate the two is by defining both of them.

What are the most interesting investment trends right now? I am of the considered opinion that investment in mutual funds is the best in today’s difficult and trying times. A good fund manager conver“Technology, more so in the last five sant with the current market trends and the prevailing years has had an indelible impact financial markets scenario in the day to day lives of mankind, should be consulted for the and particularly in the organisational best results in terms of the investor’s capital deployment. functioning per se. The mobile has

become a part of our physical self

Who, according to and has made the world one large you, has been the best management guru and global family“ why? Ethics mean moral character and comes from The inimitable, Ratan Tata. Chairman Emeritus the Greek word ethos. Ethical behaviour is an of The Tata Group is my Management Guru. Mr aspect concerning the good and right. Ethics Tata has in his over two decades of outstandis focused on the good and bad, the right and ing leadership, spiralled the “salt to software” wrong. Using it in business means the company group to dizzy heights of international success must follow the right behaviour to benefit the and recognition. Tata companies have evolved a good of everybody, including the shareholders, collective commitment to evolving stronger constakeholders, and even the community. nections between their values and first-in-class Corporate social responsibility, often called business practice, not by putting either one ahead simply CSR, refers to doing business in ways of the other, but by finding mutually beneficial that benefit, rather than harm, society and the bridges between them. environment. Business sustainability refers to a company’s ability to survive into the future Are things changing in management and to eventually outlive its current owners. schools for the good? Although, these concepts may seem dissimilar I am very optimistic and gung-ho about the at first there is an inseparable link between CSR prevalent state of education in our management and business sustainability. schools. Our nation is changing, and our higher-education institutions need to reflect this diCan business ethics be taught? versity. Diversity in the workforce fosters innoYes. It could be imbibed in the day to day work vation and competitiveness in business. Studies culture of any organisation. I feel the “Code of consistently show that diversity drives innovation Ethics” needs to be actively deliberated upon and and fosters creativity. I am of the view that eddiscussed on a yearly basis. The Tata Group has ucation in today’s management school is more an ethical culture, which is exemplary in nature participative in nature i.e. group discussions and truly laudable by any standards. are predominant drivers of knowledge. Hence, archiebanerjee@gmail.com it would not be out of place to mention that the January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 43

â&#x2014;?

BOUR T LA

TRIAL REL

How contract workers became permanent workers

S INDU

CII case study-1

ACTICES IN S T PR

N ATIO

S - CONTRA C

Case Study: Kotputli Cement Works (Aditya Birla Group ) Systematic Procedure of Contract Workmen getting Opportunity to become Permanent Workers at UltraTech Cement Ltd. Unit, Kotputli Cement Works.

otputli Cement works is one of the integrated cement plant of Ultratech Cement Ltd of Aditya Birla Group which is situated at Kotputli besides NH-8 between Jaipur and Delhi with the capacity of 10 thousand TPD Cement production. In spite of the Officer & Staff, Wage Board workmen the Contract labour is also playing a vital role to meet out the regular activities requirement of the Unit. The Management & Concern Contractors are also playing a dynamic role to develop and upgrade contract workmen skill, knowledge, safety awareness etc. which is enabling to find out the internal available talent and future potential permanent employee. Here at KCW the contract workmen engaged through their respective contractor against of the approved man power sanction. The contract employee selection through their respective contractor under the various process like Matching the required Qualification and adequate experience, Trade Test, Medical Fitness and personal interview. The KCW Management has a clear vision to developing in-house talent of contract workmen becoming permanent workmen and it not only helps the organisation but also enrich the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social status as well. Since the KCW Unit has requirement of 140 nos. Wage Board Employee in the various department. Hence the Management has made a procedure for development of the contract workmen through the in-house talent development method. Here we will discuss thoroughly about contract workmen entry stage to becoming permanent workers. Procedure of Contractual Manpower Engagement Gate Pass procedure

Gate Pass procedure

Contractor submits forwarding memo for new gate pass permission to Section head. Contractor takes trade/skill test of new manpower in presence of respective SH/FLE (Trade/Skill Test form) l Section Head & Department Head, permit for proceed after satisfactory skill test. Contractor would give the application (Memo for Entry pass) to ER with following: a) Age Proof (not below 18 yrs and above 58 years). b) Bio Data. c) Licence Capacity. d) Verification of Testimonials. ER Dept. checks all above documents if documents are valid ER allows for medical examination. After ER permission Security Shift in charge allows entry of contractor workforce for medical checkup at a hospital and for safety orientation and module training. Chief medical officer ensures medical check and Work at height (Acrophobia test) to be completed and submit medical fitness certificate to ER department.

44 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Contractor maintains medical record in Form no. 19 prescribed in The Factories Act 1948. Safety Pro checks all mandatory PPE and its quality as per PPE Standard requirement. Safety Pro Conducts the Safety Induction in class room as per the Training and capability procedure. After Classroom Training Safety Pro bring all workers in Safety Park for Live demonstration of all safety standards and explain about the safety standard requirement. After successfully medical fitness or while conducting Skill/trade test contractor identify P1 training requirement with consent of concern SH as proposed trade and nature of job. Next day all workers will report in HR department for classroom training as per need identified by the respective department. As per TNI, HR department provides safety module training (P1) to workforce of contractor and attendance of the training sends to ER department for uploading in KRONOS.

ER department ensures

ESI (TIC) Number printed copy PF Form 2 - Nomination Entry in Employment Register Bank account proof AADHAAR card UAN no KYC KRONOS Compliance - Master

Safety module training attendance record updates by ER in KRONOS System

A safety passport will be generated by safety module training attendance uploaded in KRONOS. ER department enters medical fitness test & height phobia test status in safety passport. Printed copy of safety passport issued to all individual labour in plastic cover. The safety training passport is renewed in the month of April and October for contract labour. - Upload master in KRONOS - Takes finger data of all manpower. - Takes photo to upload in KRONOS. ER will issue ID card cum Entry Pass to contractor for his workforce as per requirement. Ensures that contractor gives Employment Card to their manpower with ID Cum Punch Card. Validity of ID card cum Entry Pass for routine labour will be one Year (up to 31st March) or as per work order validity whichever is less

Entry Pass Validity for BSR will be six months (up to 30th June and 31st December) or as per validity of work order whichever less. (In every entry pass there will be 15 days extra validity mentioned i.e. for card renewal process.)

Manpower Overview

The Contractual manpower is engaged through their Contractor in various process like Regular Supply and BSR (Job Contract).

Education Level Wise

Development of Contract Workmen in terms of skill enhancement through identified TNI (Training Need Identification):

The department wise identified potential contractual workmen and their skill mapping through the Skill Gap analysis and further process their development through require Training as per the Unit Requirement, so that they can become future permanent employee.

Contractual workmen Skill Gap Analysis

10th to 12th 165, 20%

Graduation 66, 8%

Up to 10th 519, 61%

As per the skill Gap analysis the training programme is organised to meet out desired skill level and eligible for shortlisting for the further recruitment process become permanent workers.

ITI, Diploma 93, 11%

Training for enhancement the knowledge 10th to 12th

Graduation

ITI, Diploma

Up to 10th

Locality Wise Out of Rajasthan 99, 12%

Upto 10th 519, 61%

From Kotputli 523, 62%

From Jaipur 20, 2% From Kotputli

From Rajsthan

From Jaipur

Out of Rajasthan

Major Caste Group Rajput 185, 22% Others 392, 46%

S. No. Department

Total

Supply

Yadav 228, 27%

Gurjar 38, 5%

Contractual Man Power Over view BSR

Pool As on 30/09/2018

Deployment

Pool As on 30/09/2018

843

633

768

Deployment

From Kotputli

From Rajsthan

430

From Jaipur

Out of Rajasthan

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 45

CII case study-1 Reward & Recognition

The following Awards are also part of our recruitment process as Contract workmen become Wage Board Employee Kaizen Award Good to find Award Good citizen Award Khatra Pahachano Award Bravura Award

KCW Recruitment Process – Contract workmen to becoming permanent worker Desired qualification and experience S. No.

Trade

Educational Qualification

Age Professional Minimum Maximum Qualifica- Experition ence

b) Personal Interview

1) The candidates qualifying the written test shall be assessed by an interview board. 2) The interview board shall consist of (a) Training Head UTTC (b) HOD (respective trade) (c) HODER (d) Instructor from Government ITI for respective trade (e)Drona and Arjun for respective trade. 3) Personal interview to be conducted at UTCL, Kotputli. 4) All shortlisted candidates after personal interview shall be further assessed for final interview by the FH-Tech., FH-HR, FH-Mines and the Unit Head.

c) Trade Test

To be conducted by the Drona and Arjun of Concerned Dept. as per the competency for the respective trade.

d) Discipline

Electrician/ Inst.

10th/12th

35 Yrs.

ITI

2 Years

Attendance of workman and participation in Reward & Recognition Schemes for Workmen.

Fitter

10th/12th

35 Yrs.

ITI

4 Years

Appointment

Crusher Operator

10th/12th

35 Yrs.

ITI

4 Years

Welder

10th/12th

35 Yrs.

ITI

4 Years

Driller/HEO

8th

35 Yrs.

Heavy License

4 Years

Mechanic

10th/12th

35 Yrs.

ITI (Diesel Mechanic/ Fitter)

4 Years

Short Listing

ER department ensures following activities. a) ER department shortlist the candidates on the basis of eligibility and seniority criteria. b) After short listing the eligible candidates, their educational and professional qualification along with the experience documents shall be verified by the ER department. c) Name of the shortlisted candidates is forwarded to the concerned HOD’s for the verification of performance of individual for last two years. d) Performance data includes no. of Kaizen Award, Good to Find Award, Good Citizen Award, Khatra Pahchano and Bravura award received by the short-listed candidates. e) Candidates submitting fake documents/forging the documents is blacklisted from any of the Company’s recruitment in any of the Units.

Selection

Shortlisted candidate is assessed on the basis of following: a) Written Test - 25 Marks b) Personal Interview - 50 Marks c) Trade est - 15 Marks d) Discipline - 10 Marks

a) Written Test

I. A technical objective type questionnaire shall be prepaid for respective trade. II. The questionnaire shall consist of SAFETY, TECHNICAL TRADE & WCM related questions. III. The shortlisted candidate will answer the questions within a specified period of time The written assessment will be conducted at UTCL, Kotputli. 46 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

a) The selected candidates shall under go through the detailed medical check-up. Any serious illness, abnormalities and deformities detected during medical examination will automatically stop the further process of appointment. b) Shortlisted candidates shall submit character certificate and police verification from the respective Panchayat and Police station. c) Selected candidates shall obtain the relieving letter from his last employer. d) Initially the offer of appointment shall be issued to the selected candidates as a trainee workmen of respective trade. e) The training period of the selected candidates shall be of one year, which can be extended on evaluation of periodic performance of the training. f) During the training period of one-year trainee will be paid a stipend equivalent to 70% of the E-Grade wages applicable to the existing company workmen. g) The stipend shall be reviewed with the change in Dearness Allowance as applicable to the workmen of Cement Industry under CMA. h) After joining as a trainee, a pair of uniform & PPE’s shall be provided to the selected candidates as per the applicable policy of company.

Confirmation

During the training period trainee workmen shall be evaluated periodically. The evaluation process shall consist. a) Half yearly performance Review. b) Half yearly joint assessment by SH, DH & FH. c) Annual joint assessment by SH, DH, FH-HR and concerned FH. d) Final interview by Unit Head after completion of the initial period of training. e) The employee shall be confirmed, only after successful clearance of the periodic assessment. f) In case performance of the employee comes to the below expectation, during the training period his training may be extended further for a period of six months. g) After successful completion of training period individual workmen shall be kept on probation for a period of six months. h) During the training and probation period, the workmen (All Disciplinary, Absenteeism, Safety deviations and other terms and conditions of service) will be governed under certified Industrial Employment Standing Orders of the Company.

i) Before issuing the confirmation letter to the workmen shall be assessed by concerned DH, FH, FH-HR & Finally by the Unit Head. j) On confirmation of services workmen shall be entitled for E-Grade wages, initially for a period of one year. k) Subsequently workmen shall be upgraded on WB career progressing practices prevailing in the company. In the phase manner the Contract Workmen is becoming the wage board employee.

16 5 7

Contractual Workmen recruitment trend given below 2013

2014

2016

2017

2013

2014

2016

2017

RACI Chart Sr. No. 1

Activities

Responsibility

Short listing of candidates on the basis of defined eligibility criteria.

SH (ER)

Time Line

Accountability HOD (ER)

Verification of educational and professional qualification documents

SH (IR/CL/Legal)

HOD (ER)

Performance data collection and consensus discussion with SH & HODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

SH (ER)

HOD (ER)

Preparation of objective type questionnaire.

SH (T&D)

HOD (ER)

Arrangement of written test at UTCL Kotputli.

SH (T&D)

HOD (ER)

Arrangement of personal interview at UTCL Kotputli.

SH (ER)

HOD (ER)

Arrangement of final interview with FHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & UH.

HOD (ER)

FH (HR)

Issuing of LOI as a trainee.

SH (ER)

HOD (ER)

Periodic performance evaluation by immediate SH & HODs.

SH / HOD

HOD (ER)

Compilation of periodic performance data and records.

SH (HR)

HOD (ER)

Initiation of confirmation process in coordination with SH (HR).

SH (ER)

HOD (ER)

Confirmation or extension of the probation period.

SH (ER)

HOD (ER)

Mines-O

Mines-M

Mech I

Mech II

Electrical

Instrument

Accounts

40 35

Summary

Passing through above mentioned various stages i.e. Contractual workmen selection according to their required qualification, Trade test, Experience, Safety, Knowledge, medical fitness. Further as per our departmental wage board requirement the contact workmen upgrade through training as per their skill mapping and they will become eligible for entry in Wage Board recruitment process.

25 20 13

1 Accounts

Instrument

Electrical

Mech II

Mech I

Mines-M

Mines-O

As per KCW Wage Board recruitment policy the contract workmen who is fulfilling the eligible criteria become a permanent worker.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 47

Loved & Married too It is not often these days that a college romance fructifies into 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

‘Coz home is where the heart is Hindi feature film and ad film director, Hriday Sheetty and his better half, the talented fashion designer, Priyaa Sheetty, on the triumphs and trials of a life lived under the demanding arc lights of Bollywood. Whatever the highs and lows, they are particular about protecting the sanctity of their home in ensuring their six-yearold son Vir grows up with the values they hold close to their heart, away from both the glamour as well as clamour of a film industry better known as Bollywood By Kalyani Sardesai

Hriday and Priyaa with their son, Vir, and Vir’s aunt, Kiran (extreme left)

ven as popular culture disproportionately celebrates only summery, frothy romance here’s to relationships that may not quite be mellow wine yet, but are nevertheless like a fine cup of coffee-strong, sweet, rich and vibrant. Not for them the rough and tumble of the early twenties, or the angst of the thirties, just a sense of camaraderie that comes from years spent with one’s best buddy. Married for close to two decades Hriday and Priyaa enjoy exactly such a fine tuning. Starting off as the archetypal college sweethearts, they have come a long way in both their professional and personal lives, taking the ups and downs of a world as predictable as Bollywood in their stride. “The world of movies is a beautiful and creative one, just as long as you are careful to delineate real life from reel life and not get carried away by either the good or the bad,” shares Hriday. “It

48 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

helps that my wife and I have grown up as part of the industry and are thus, far from star struck.” (Hriday’s father was the noted stunt director and fight master, the late MB Shetty while Priyaa’s late father was the reputed music director and arranger, Gyan Varma. “It helps even more that we are both spiritually inclined and are completely united on not bringing work pressures home.”

Back to the beginning

Their story dates all the way to when they were both 16 and 18 years old respectively. “I had met him a couple of times at my friend’s house. We got talking, and he asked for my number,” recollects Priyaa. Asking for a girl’s number may not seem a big deal today, but those were far more innocent times. “When I told my mother that Hriday had asked for my number, she was very concerned, and replied that one could not give one’s

number to just about anybody. But guess what? I had already given him my number,” she grins. Around the same time Priyaa’s mom had been warned about her daughter’s growing friendship with a young man. “So she called him to that same friend’s home and literally carried out an inquisition,” she reminisces. “We were just kids and marriage was on no one’s mind. But mom went right ahead and served him a three course meal of expectations, from starters to dessert,” she laughs at the memory. “Pointing out the cultural differences between our Punjabi family and his South Indian moorings, she nevertheless conceded that they would wait for a few years for him to get a job and settle down before they gave him my hand in marriage. It was surreal,” she shakes her head at the memory. However, as things turned out, the relationship did go from strength to strength. He’s a man of few words, while she is bubbly and talkative. Their differences complemented each other well. Priyaa successfully worked her way to a degree in textile designing while Hriday started assisting directors on sets. Starting off his innings as an assistant in 1986 on Mukul Anand’s Mahasangram, he then went on to be associate director with noted producer-director Sanjay Gupta (best known for films like Kaante and Musafir with actor Sanjay Dutt) before eventually turning director with the Priyanka Chopra starrer Plan in 2003. Gradually, he went on to make other films like Pyaar Mein Twist with Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, Godfather: the Legend Continues, Daag and Chaalis Chaurasi. His under-production Punjabi film Mitti: Virasat Babbaran Di produced by Hema Malini and Venky Rao is slated to release in March 2019.

The building blocks of a marriage

It’s a hectic time for the family, with Hriday busy with the post-production and pre-release activities of his film, even as Priyaa who is on an extended break from work is looking after their little boy Vir. “She was heading the embroidery unit for celebrity couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and enjoyed a great rapport with her team at work,” says Hriday. Despite loving her work, she was firm about taking a complete break from work once Vir was born-at least for the first few years. “Both of us believe that no nanny can ever come close to a mother’s love and commitment and in retrospect, it has been completely worth it,” he says. That both spouses are close is evident from their mutual appreciation of each other’s finer qualities. “He is patient, loving and warm hearted. I especially love how close he grew to my parents from almost the beginning of our courtship. He was quite their second son, and they really doted on him, respecting his judgment on most things,” she shares. “It was always like, let’s wait for Hriday to come then we will do this or that. They adored him in every way.” His most special quality, according to her, is the fact that he is a good listener. “He tells me, it is easy to talk, but dif-

I appreciate her innocence. She is what she is and all her words and actions come from the heart -Hriday

ficult to hear the other person out; listen, for it teaches you something you don’t know,” she says. On his part, Hriday loves her exuberance, attention to detail and commitment to their boy. “Best of all, I appreciate her innocence. She is what she is and all her words and actions come from the heart. There is no pretence, no guile, and it’s just amazing how she has been able to retain that core honesty over the years,” he expresses.

Bringing up baby

Even as Vir turns seven, both Hriday and Priyaa are consistent in their quest for normalcy and balance. “We have admitted him in the Inodai Waldorf School which has a simple but solid motto: You don’t have to teach the child. The child learns,” shares Priyaa. “We keep this as our With Vir, their guiding principles in all matbundle of joy ters concerning him. Let him enjoy his childhood to the fullest, live it up with friends and enjoy a grounded upbringing.” Both parents believe in moderation at all times. “For example, despite all the hullaballoo about gadgets being bad for kids, you can’t wish technology away. Vir is allowed to send WhatsApp messages to his cousins and aunts but that’s all. He knows phones are Moods and meant for calling and messaging moments: Hriday and Priyaa Sheetty others, and when that’s done, he hands the phone back,” explains Hriday. What is particularly striking about the couple is their utter simplicity and belief in spirituality. “We are a secular home and believe in all faiths equally. At the root of all this is a deep respect for the institution of family and keeping home and hearth sacrosanct at all costs,” they say. Despite growing up in an industry where the spotlight is everything, the Sheettys prefer to stay away from the • Trust social media bandwagon. “I really don’t understand this current trend of wishing your spouse and praising them • Patience on Facebook,” says an amused Hriday. “It is a good idea to • Belief in a keep a few moments to yourself. The same holds true for higher spiritual the work space. Movies come and go, but home is where power the heart is.” kalyanisardesai@gmail.com

The mantras of a marriage

• Celebrating differences

• Keeping professional stresses out of home • Not sharing everything on social media • Caring for each other’s parents

tadka Mobile gaming gets more time than video streaming in India

Data from Mobile Marketing Association’s Power of Mobile Gaming in India report shows that three out of four gamers in India play mobile games at least twice a day. “With over 250 million mobile gamers, India is one of the top five gaming countries, globally,” it said. Not just that, gaming is also eating into time spent by Indians on prime-time television as most gamers were found to play the most during the 7 pm to midnight slot.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 49

Campus Placement

Life equalises happiness and sorrow. Every good and bad day comes to an end. So living the moment and having people who are close to you is what matters, says Annie Deka, who is now with Aptech By Julie Williams

Believe in yourself Annie (Right) with her friend Deeksha

Annie with her friends

ompeting with yourself and never comparing with others is what Annie Deka believes in. Born in Guwahati, Assam, Annie lost her father early in 2018. She wants to make people around her happy, which she feels will keep her happy as well. Her parents are the light that show her the way ahead in life and this gave her the confidence to put the right foot forward. And today she has stepped into a challenging world and wants to make her family, especially her mother, who has been her guardian angel,

50 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

proud of her achievements. According to Annie, life equalises happiness and sorrow. “Every good and bad day comes to an end. So living the moment and having people who are close to you is what matters.” Annie is now with Aptech, as Area Sales Head, posted in Guwahati.

Early life…

She was not one of the brightest students, which any parent would desire, but that did not deter her. This enabled her to accept all mistakes as challenges and correct them. It was her parents’

I never let myself stand in comparison. I believe in competing with myself in every aspect. Childhood has left me with some of the best moments and made me a positive person

art of bringing her up which helped shape her life better. “I never let myself stand in comparison. I believe in competing with myself in every aspect. Childhood has left me with some of the best moments and made me a positive person. Upbringing is an art that my parents mastered in,” says Annie. Her father was a government employee (RTO), her mother a perfect house wife. Her younger brother is doing his Masters in Sports Management. Initially, she aspired to become a pilot or a teacher but it was not her destiny. She says, “I am someone who strongly believes in karma and have always moved forward in life carrying the best interest of my family and friends.” She passed out of Don Bosco School and went on Annie with her mother and brother

to complete her graduation from Calcutta University. Life had been full of fun and play. She was a shuttler (badminton) but her parents always wanted her to be good in academics and games took a back seat. She recalls, “My parents would always say our job is to make you a good human being, what you become deAnnie with her pends on your hard late father work.”

Out of the comforts of home…

The journey at management college in Pune was a life changer for her. “It’s been an incredible journey of learning and opportunities at the campus. The campus always had a vibrant ambience filled with emotions. I made friends, friends that were like family, friends that helped me make an escape,” she says about her institute. There were many who contributed to her well-being in this college where she did her Masters. “As I walked around the campus, and saw my fellowmates busy occupying hostel rooms, it made me feel that I was never out of my home”, she adds.

Then again there was a buzz that the Personal Interview would be all bookish, but then it was a very casual interaction with them.” She started off as management trainee for one year at their Bengaluru unit, looking after the Southern region. Because of her hard work, her superior promoted her as the Area Sales Chief and posted her to her home town, Guwahati. “A fresher cannot ask for more-her senior believing in her and putting the foot of the subordinate forward. I was blessed to report to a very supportive senior who always trusted my abilities. Not every big company is the best for placement. Job satisfaction is very important. Though Aptech was not my dream company, I could have not asked for anything better. Yes, the inclination to work in this field is still alive and I am enjoying every contribution made.”

Six tricks for juniors:

• Believe that you are unique and believe in yourself • Talk as if no one ever judges • The best place to boost your confidence is the campus • Don’t limit yourself into a specific group of friends. There are many things that we learn from different people • Work on your identified low points • Have a person whom you can walk with and look up to julie78662@gmail.com

Campus placement blues…

The word ‘campus placement’ is the first thing that comes to mind when someone walks into a professional college. Doing homework before heading to interviews was her first step, and this was taught by her seniors . “I did my best preparation before the season started.” However, the ‘first day first show’ did not leave a good taste. “It was the month of September, 2015 when the first company came. It went on and on.” After each passing month, her patience level went down. The first company she applied for was HDFC. “It was a hard time when I almost didn’t get through five GDs. I started making points as to how to get into the discussions,” she says. Aptech was the next company. “Their process was casual enough to get through. I was so determined to get into this company that when I sat for the GD, I felt that I had conquered it. There were two rounds of GD and I made through them.

tadka

Air Force has 13% women officers, highest among three armed forces Indian Air Force has 13.09% of women officers, the highest among all three armed forces, Minister of State for Defence, Subhash Bhamre said. “The Army has 3.80% of women officers, while the Navy has 6% of women officers,” he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The Air Force has 13.09% of women officers in its force, he stated. Women are recruited in the Army, Navy and Air Force only in the officer’s rank.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 51

Mobile apps

Best Phones with Triple and Quad Cameras

Smartphone cameras are getting more and more proficient. It was just a couple of years ago that dual cameras had made their debut on phones. Camera phones have now undergone another revolution, and this year we are seeing phones with not just dual, but also triple and quad cameras. This issue, Corporate Citizen brings you the best phones with three or more rear cameras

By Neeraj Varty

Huawei P20 Pro `59,990

Samsung Galaxy A9 `39,990

The Samsung Galaxy A9 has not just three, but four cameras lined on its back. It is a dual-camera setup stacked on top of telephoto and ultra-wide cameras. The dual-camera setup consists of a primary 24MP sensor along with a 5MP depth sensor with a regular depth of field. Then you have an 8MP sensor with a 12mm ultra-wide lens and finally a 10MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. The forehead of the smartphone contains a 24MP selfie camera.

As the Huawei P20 Pro shows, Huawei is no longer here to simply make up the numbers. It's ready to go toe-to-toe with the very best in the smartphone world. The stand-out feature of the phone is the camera array. There are three cameras on the back, one 40MP main sensor, a 20MP black and white one and a 3x zoom 8MP camera. You can shoot at 3x without digital zoom, and even get good results at 5x. The Huawei P20 Pro also has a very high-resolution 24MP front camera for detailed selfies and reliable face unlocking.

LG V40 Thinq `70,000 approx.

LG V40 Thinq is a smartphone which slipped under most people’s radar. Apart from being a very capable flagship from LG, the best part about this phone is the camera setup. The camera module consists of a 12MP sensor with a 27mm lens, another 12MP sensor with a 52mm telephoto lens capable of providing 2x optical zoom and finally, a 16MP sensor with a 16mm ultra-wide lens. The cameras are optically and electronically stabilised.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro `59,990

The current flagship in Huawei’s line-up, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro has three cameras at the back arranged in a radial fashion, with a dual LED flash completing a squarish pattern. The primary camera has a 40MP sensor and is fitted with a 27mm wide angle lens, with an aperture of f/1.7. Below that, there’s a 20MP sensor with a 16mm ultra-wide lens. Finally, you have an 80mm telephoto lens sitting on top of an 8MP sensor, providing a 5x optical zoom. You also have a night mode like the one on the Google Pixel 3. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com

52 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Buddies Startup Story

usiness

Two young women from different fields brought their diverse experiences ranging from wedding planning to baking to psychology and entrepreneurship, and found common ground in the beauty and wellness sector. Tanushree Ishani D and Pooja Karegoudar speak of how they pooled their talents together and became business buddies By Geetha Rao

hey are two like-minded young educated “womenpreneurs” as they call themselves, who met, hit it off and soon began a business venture. Tanushree Ishani D worked at Goldman Sachs, studied MSc in Organisational Psychology from King’s College, London, and worked at Lookup, and is now also an organisational psychologist. Pooja Karegoudar holds a BE in Instrumentation Technology, worked in the corporate world for some years, quit and founded a wedding and event management company, became a wedding planner and a baking whiz, running Ovenly. They met when Pooja became Tanushree’s wedding planner and later discovered their common interest in skincare and entrepreneurship. That was how BodyCafe, a beauty and wellness brand, was born in 2017, with its production unit in Bengaluru. But Tanushree’s exposure to entrepreneurship began earlier as a student at Mount Carmel, Bengaluru, as part of the entrepreneurship cell, Initium. She worked with peers from different walks of life, thus valuing diversity at workplace. “I understood the importance of being a divergent thinker, especially in entrepreneurship because different viewpoints make you think about your idea from all angles,” says Tanushree. She learnt about self-accountability and taking endto-end responsibility. Also, that enjoying your work helps and that it’s ok to make mistakes-“a mistake today could be a milestone tomorrow.” Her most memorable experience was organising an internship drive where leaders from different startups were invited to help students in Karnataka get placed as interns and help them learn the ropes of the trade. She realised that real work experience happens when you get an opportunity to own your task which is possible mostly at startups. Curious to experience MNC culture and see how things worked, she joined Goldman Sachs. Her manager taught her stress, time and people management. Returning from London, she joined Lookup. She was actually helping the CEO get an HR for Lookup but “ended up bagging that role.”

54 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

I am not saying those in the corporate world aren’t creative but I could not come to terms with the idea of a 9-5 job. To me, that seemed monotonous and mundane. I feel being an entrepreneur shapes both your professional and personal learning curve - Pooja

destination, inter caste, sane, melodramatic-I have seen it all. Of course, wedding planning is a huge responsibility. I learnt the importance of communication, organisation and patience.” Her next venture was Ovenly. “I find cooking therapeutic. I like baking. I baked for my family and friends and before long, baking turned into a full-time profession. Alongside, I was intrigued by skincare. Our hobby became a serious business venture. I love playing with flavours and offering gourmet skin care products. It is challenging because we also provide baby care, pet care and home care products,” she says. Initially, they actually started with the products for themselves. “But soon, friends and family showed interest and were happy with our products. We started BodyCafe, got queries and orders and began delivery across India,” explains Tanushree. Why did they choose the beauWhatever we bring to the table, we ty and wellness sector? “Today, we all are stuck in an endless battle bring it collectively. It’s said that of us versus stress. In this manic women can’t be friends and can’t hustle-bustle of life, we realized work together, but we are here to that people want a healthy lifestyle break those stereotypes - Tanushree where all is well,” says Tansuhree. Their products take care of grooming, pets, kids, home and are completely natural an HR manager made my and organic, and handcrafted to ensure no comjob easier.” promise in quality. Pooja, who moved from She claims, “We are pioneers in the wellness Hubli to Bengaluru for her range with sanitisers, toilet seat sprays, genital studies, felt she was too wash, pain balms free from chemicals, alcohol, creative a person to fit into artificial colours and synthetic fragrances. Our the corporate world. She home range includes dishwashers, floor cleanexplains, “I am not sayers, soap nut for washing clothes, among others. ing those in the corporate Our pricing is highly affordable. From a working world aren’t creative but I professional to someone living on a pension can could not come to terms afford our products. Our combinations are very with the idea of a 9-5 job. unique-for instance, rose and goat milk soap, To me, that seemed mogreen tea and goat milk soap, basil body butter, notonous and mundane. I star anise soap. This experimenting streak is what feel being an entrepreneur makes our products popular. We also customise shapes both your profesproducts. Another major USP is that we theme sional and personal learnour products. We like to experiment and suring curve.” prise our users. The idea is to add a contempoAfter working in the rary touch to traditional recipes. Considering our corporate world for two background, certifications, training and interests, and a half years, she quit. this is the definitely industry for us,” she adds. “I started my wedding There have been lessons along the way, they and event planning comagree: “We have many miles to go yet. Our prodpany, ‘Circle The Date’ ucts are based on authentic and traditional beauimmediately after my wed(Left) Pooja ty practices. So the first lesson is to remain true to ding-the reason being I Karegoudar our roots. Else, we cannot be authentic. We never could not enjoy my own and Tanushree Ishani D consider those who buy our products as clients. wedding. It was a big hasFor us, they are our users and very much a part sle, I had to shoulder a lot of the BodyCafé family. Involving your audience of responsibilities myself. is very important as that makes them feel loved, I decided I did not want wanted and important. We firmly believe in what any bride to go through that, as I believe that Seth Godin (American author and former dotmarriage is one of the most beautiful chapcom business executive) said, “Don’t find custers in life. Twenty five weddings in four years tomers for your products, find products for your from the traditional to unconventional, local or The experience was a turning point because she found herself building everything from scratch. “The startup environment is demanding but rewarding. I realised I definitely had the entrepreneur bug in me,” she says. Then her career path changed again, but her background in Psychology came in useful. “I believe any industry is incomplete without Psychology. Many organisational problems would be solved if organisations understood that it takes more than just a human resources department to solve people problems Even at Lookup, being more of a confidante than

customers.” Another lesson-ideas are great but the main challenge lies in executing them. They are also well aware of the fact that there are many companies in the organic skincare category. “We love healthy competition and believe in everyone is contributing to a better ecosystem,” affirms Tanushree. What are their key strengths? Are there clear role demarcations between them? Pooja and Tanushree say they strike the perfect balance between being friends and business partners. “We are empathetic to each other’s dreams, understand how our personalities work, consulting each other for everything, taking a step only when both are convinced. Patience, optimism, tact, planning and organisation are important. Pooja and I streamline our tasks for the day/ week/month/quarter and achieve targets accordingly. There are times we tend to lose control or feel exhausted but we always support each other. Pooja is very passionate about making and creating things, she is an excellent baker and a cook and that is precisely why she makes these amazing skincare gourmet delights. Plus the fact that she has been exposed to entrepreneurship. I have a strong business acumen and understand consumer behaviour well. I connect with people which helps me understand our users’ expectations. Whatever we bring to the table, we bring it collectively. It’s said that women can’t be friends and can’t work together but we are here to break those stereotypes”, says Tanushree. So, what do women bring to entrepreneurship, in general? They underscore the fact that they have taken the risk of entrepreneurship when most take the safe route or start a business using either their dad’s or husband’s finances. That Pooja and Tanushree have started with their own savings and embarked on the venture on their own shows their independence and courage. geetrao@gmail.com

tadka India recorded highest average real wage growth in South Asia India recorded the highest average real wage growth in South Asia during 2008–17, according to International Labour Organisation. India led the wage growth at 5.5 against a regional median of 3.7. Following India, was Nepal (4.7), Sri Lanka (4), Bangladesh (3.4), Pakistan (1.8) and Iran (0.4). Reflecting more rapid economic growth than in other regions, workers in Asia and the Pacific have enjoyed the highest real wage growth among all regions over the period 2006–17.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 55

Survey

The $100 Billion On

Digital has exploded in India in the past few years. Internet users have grown twice in the last four years to reach 4.3 crores today. There is potential for digital transactions to increase from $40 billion in 2018 to $100 by 2020. With a view to understand the reasons behind this rapid rise in internet users and the psyche of the online Indian consumer, the Boston Consulting Group and Google have conducted the Digital Consumer Spending in India Report. Corporate Citizen brings you the findings Compiled By Neeraj Varty

56 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

line Opportunity

The last decade has seen India embracing technology, with digital making inroads into all walks of life and reaching more and more Indians each year. India's digital narrative has been largely small screen led, with mobile becoming the first source of accessing internet, surpassing computers and laptops. The consumption of data is only set to increase with the ubiquity of affordable 4G enabled smartphones, access to cheap data and growth in availability of relevant mobile-specific content.

Digital India has taken off dramatically in the past few years 2013

2017

239

Internet Users

430

1.8x

320

4.7x

Million

Smartphone Users

Million

Reasons for Digital exploding in India

Data prices

250–260

–73%

2.6 120–130

2015

2011

2017

Smartphone prices have come down significantly in the last half decade and it is now very affordable for the average Indian customer to buy a smartphone.

0.5– 0.9 2017

Data prices in India have gone from being one of the most expensive in the world to one of the most affordable. 4G data is cheaper in India than any other country in the world. Adoption of online transactions among internet users still lags behind markets like US and China.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 57

Survey Digital transaction adoption lags far behind China, USA across categories Only 1 in 5 internet users in India buy products online compared to 4 in 5 for US and 3 in 5 for China. Similarly, only around 21% of internet users use online banking in India compared to almost 70% in US and 50% in China. The adoption of paid digital media is really nascent in India with only 0.7% of India's internet users adopting it. A lot of this is a result of low digital maturity among a bulk of internet users in India. Players in the online space will need to undertake the right set of actions to help consumers go through the journey of increased adoption.

India

China

USA

20%

63%

79%

15%

55%

40%

21%

50%

68%

0.7%

39%

E-commerce

Travel & Hotel

Financial Services

Digital Media

$100 BN worth of digital transactions potential in 2020 With rising internet penetration, greater digital maturity of users and growth in supporting infrastructure, the adoption of online transactions is likely to increase rapidly. Digital transactions are estimated to be a $100bn opportunity by 2020. In the next three years, the number of online transactors is estimated to grow. Thereby, a lot of transaction growth will come from the new users. E-commerce for products such as Apparel & Accessories, Consumer Electronics (Mobiles, Laptops etc.), Durables, Food & Grocery etc., is likely to be the biggest constituent with the market estimated to reach $40-45bn.

Women, 35+ year olds and smaller tiers will drive growth As the number of online transactors increases over the next few years, their profile is also likely to undergo a dramatic change. They will no longer be the typical male, millennial, metro-residing users of today. A larger number of women, older age groups & smaller town users will start buying online. There will be 2.5x women shoppers and 3x older shoppers (35+ years) compared to today. Online shopping will also take off in India's non tier-1 cities as consumers there mature while infrastructure improves. These cities will comprise more than 50% of the online shopper base by 2020. This shift in the online shopper profile will require e-tailers to rethink their offering across assortment, pricing, delivery options and return policies.

58 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Metro + Tier 1

2017

2020E

60%

51% The Tier 1: Non-Tier 1 share of queries (lead indicator of shopping) has grown from 60:40 to150:50

Tier 2/3/4

40%

49%

Tier 2 and beyond to drive growth in users; focus in M / Tier 1 to be on deepening shares

Fashion A lack of touch and feel is a barrier for non-users while assortment is important for the frequent online shopper. % of internet using buyers

Non buyers

Occasional shoppers

Frequent shoppers

19%

71%

10%

Barriers to purchase

Triggers for purchase

% category buyers 40%

Lack of touch and feel Better prices offline

Concern with fit

Convenience of buying anytime and anywhere

25%

Immediate need for product

34%

Better prices

11% 10%

Better prices

24%

Access to items not available offline

20%

19%

Better assortment

12%

Better assortment

19%

Access to items not available offline

12%

Latest trends/ styles available

18%

Mobile % of internet using buyers Non-Metro Offline shopper

Metro Offline shopper

71% 32%

20%

Barriers to purchase

% category buyers

Immediate need for product

Difficulty in returns Easier service / repair offline Need for salesperson guidance

26%

10%

26% 21%

Difficulty in returns

17% 13%

Easier service / repair offline

Mobiles continue to remain the single largest category at 35% search volume, growing at 37% YoY

Immediate need for product Better deals / discounts

19% 11%

The largest barriers for online shopping hinge on trust, which includes the facility to return purchases and good after-sales service.

neeraj.varty07@gmail.com January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 59

Pearls of Wisdom By Dada JP Vaswani

Live a life of freedom & fulfilment! Within you is a tremendous power. Trust it and it can never fail in delivering you. You are not aware of your true self for you are enclosed within a shell of ignorance. Break the shell and you too will know

ithin you is a tremendous power. Trust it and though the heavens fall yet it will deliver you, it can never fail in delivering you.’ Within every one of us is the power of our greater self, but we are unaware of it. We spend so much of our energy telling ourselves we are not doing good enough, we have very little time and energy left to look inside and discover our true potential. We have forgotten what we are, we have forgotten our higher self, our true self in which is hid this infinite power of the spirit. We have forgotten it and we have identified ourselves with the cage. We have identified ourselves with the body. This is our great tragedy. To live an empowered life, we must break the cage and become conscious of our greater self. There is a beautiful story told us in the ancient books, of a king’s son. He is only three years old when the king decides to send him away to a far off city. The father wants the prince, to rub shoulders with the common man so that he may be acquainted with their struggles and their strivings, so that he may know the troubles and tribulations through which they have to pass. A nurse is put in charge of a prince who takes him to a far off city. There he studies in a school. He grows in years, he has finished his education. And now he is asked to earn his own livelihood. He has to face the struggles of life, he earns his livelihood to pay for his food, to pay for his lodging, to pay for his

other expenses. He comes in contact with some friends, who take him to the night club. There he experiences the excitement of life in night clubs, he gambles, he drinks he has affairs with many girls. Gradually he becomes a habitual gambler. Almost every day he returns home very late at night and now he appears to be frustrated with life, this life which is sunk in pleasure. One night he returns very late, there he sits outside the door of his house out in the cold, in his hands is a knife. He is about to pierce it in his chest when the nurse who is watching him from the window quietly opens the door, comes and meets him and says to him, ‘You are late again.’ And this man says, ‘Yes I am late again, I did not wish to disturb you at this late hour.’ And after sometime the young man adds, ‘I am frustrated with life. I find that life has no meaning. I find that life has no significance why should I not end this life?’ Then it is that this nurse places her hands on his shoulders, she looks straight into his eyes and says to him, ‘If only you knew who you are, you would not be the man that you have become.’ And in sheer astonishment this young man asks, ‘Who am I?’ And the nurse says to him, ‘You are the future king of our country.’ ‘A king! How may that be?’ And the nurse reveals to him his true identity. When he hears that, the royal element within him is awakened. He goes to the woods and lives there in solitude for a week. When he returns, he says to the nurse, ‘I want to go to my

To live an empowered life, we must break the cage and become conscious of our greater self

60 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

father and thank him for having given me this wonderful experience.’ It was a bright sunny day when the father and the son, when the king and the prince met together on the steps of the palace amidst rejoicing and music. Every one of you is a prince, every one of you is a son of the king, the king of the universe. You have forgotten this and therefore you feel frustrated again and again, you feel depressed and dejected. You are not aware of your true self for you are enclosed within a shell of ignorance. Break the shell and you too will know. You too will experience the life of a prince, a life of freedom and fulfilment.

tadka 17 of 20 fastest-growing cities in the world will be from India The list of fastest growing cities is dominated by India with 17 among the top 20 cities in the world, according to a global economic research report. “When future GDP growth rates are compared, the story is mostly very different. In particular, 17 of the 20 fastestgrowing cities in the world between 2019 and 2035 will be Indian, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai among the strongest performers,” said a report from Oxford Economics, a research house engaged in global forecasting and quantitative analysis.

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From The Mobile

Givers Gain

Once Krishna and Arjuna were walking towards a village. Arjuna was pestering Krishna, asking him why Karna should be considered an unparalleled donor and not him. Krishna turned two mountains into gold, then said to Arjuna, “Distribute these two gold mountains among villagers, but you must donate every bit of it”. Arjuna went into the village and proclaimed he was going to donate gold to every villager, and asked them to gather near the mountains. The villagers sang his praises and Arjuna walked towards the mountains with a huffed up chest. For two days and two nights Arjuna shovelled gold from the mountains and donated to each villager. The mountains did not diminish even the slightest. Most villagers came back and stood in queue within minutes. Now Arjuna was exhausted, but not ready to let go of his ego, he told Krishna that he couldn’t go on any longer without rest. Then Krishna called Karna and told him to

62 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

donate every bit of the two gold mountains. Karna called the villagers, and said, “Those two gold mountains are yours”, and walked away. Arjuna sat dumbfounded thinking, why hadn’t this thought occurred to him. Krishna smiled mischievously and told him, “Arjuna, subconsciously you were attracted to the gold, you regretfully gave it away to each villager, giving them what you thought was a generous amount. Thus, the size of your donation to each villager depended only on your imagination”. “Karna holds no such reservations. Look at him walking away after giving away a fortune, he doesn’t expect people to sing his praises, he doesn’t even care if people talk good or bad about him behind his back. That is the sign of a man already on the path of enlightenment”, Krishna explained. Giving with an expectation of a return in the form of a compliment or thanks is not a gift, it becomes a trade.

Tricky questions and witty answers Q. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it? Concrete floors are very hard to crack!

Sadhguru’s advice to the elderly Because none of us have many years to live and we can’t take along anything when we go, so we don’t have to be too thrifty. Spend the money that should be spent, enjoy what should be enjoyed, donate what you are able to donate. DON’T WORRY about what will happen after we are gone, because when we return to dust, we will feel nothing about praises or criticisms. The time to enjoy the worldly life and your hard earned wealth will be over! DON’T WORRY too much about your children, for children will have their own destiny and should find their own way. Care for them, love them, give them gifts but also enjoy your money or what is left of it, while you can. Life should have more to it than working from the cradle to the grave! 60-year-olds, don’t trade in your health for wealth, by working yourself to an early grave anymore. Because your money may not be able to buy your health. When to stop making money and how much is enough? Out of thousand hectares of good farm land, you can consume only three quarts (of rice) daily; out of a thousand mansions, you only need eight square meters of space to rest at night. So, as long as you have enough food and enough money to spend, that is good enough. You should live happily.

Every family has its own problems. Just DO NOT COMPARE with others for fame and social status and see whose children are doing better etc., but challenge others for happiness, health, enjoyment, quality of life and longevity. DON’T WORRY about things that you can’t change because it doesn’t help and it may spoil your health. You have to create your own well-being and find your own place of happiness. As long as you are in good mood and good health, think about happy things, do happy things daily and have fun in doing, then you will pass your time happily every day. One day passes without happiness, you will lose one day. One day passes with happiness and then you gain one day. In good spirit, sickness will cure. In a happy spirit, sickness will cure faster. In high and happy spirits, sickness will never come. With good mood, exercise, sun, variety of foods, good amount of vitamin and mineral intake, hopefully you will live another 20 or 30 years of healthy life. ABOVE ALL, learn to cherish the goodness around like your spouse, she’s not called the better half for nothing. FRIENDS, they all make you feel young and “wanted” without them you are sure to feel lost!

Q. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it? No time at all, it’s already built. Q. How many birthdays does the average Japanese woman have? Just one, all the others are anniversaries. Q. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have? Very large hands. Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one hand. Q. If you throw a blue stone into the red sea what will it become? It becomes wet. Q. What often falls but never gets hurt? Rain. Q. What is that no man ever saw

which never was but always will be? Tomorrow. Q. What looks like half apple? The other half. Q. What can you never eat at breakfast? Dinner. Q. What gets wet while drying? A towel. Q. What three letters change a girl into a woman? Age. Q. What happened when wheel was invented? It caused a revolution! Q. How is it easy to weigh a fish? Because it has its own scales. Q. Why does a bike rest on its leg? Because it is too tyred ! Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state? Liquid. Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep? He sleeps at night. Q. Why it is impossible to send a telegram to Washington today? Because he is dead.

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 63

Claps & Slaps Corporate Citizen claps for India’s success in improving its ranking in the Renewable Energy sector The World Bank in its most recent edition—‘Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE) 2018’, has commended India in its renewable energy auctions and delivery of record-setting low prices for solar power. Released on the side lines of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), the report had Riccardo Puliti, Senior Director for Energy and Extractives at the World Bank observing that of the four SDG7 target areas—renewable energy, energy efficiency, electricity access and access to clean cooking, the last

one continued to be the most overlooked and underfunded by policymakers. “How did India structure its renewable energy auctions to deliver record-setting low prices for solar? At the same time, we need urgent action to address critical gaps, such as failing utilities, clean cooking, and the slow progress on decarbonising heating and transport,” he said. In another triumph, international NGO, Germanwatch has ranked India 11th in the Climate Change Performance Index, up from 14th last year. While Germanwatch has lauded India for improving its standing, it has also warned that coal projects threaten India’s progress on clean energy. “Low levels of per capita greenhouse gas emissions and a relatively ambitious mitigation target for 2030 gave India an overall high rating in the emissions category,” the report stated. The study appreciated India’s improved performance in renewables, but also warned hindrances to its massive 2022 clean energy target. The report stated that “National experts argue that plans to build new coal-fired power plants may pose a risk of offsetting positive developments in the renewable energy sector. From 2017 todate, the country has totally added around 16.8 GW of thermal projects,” said Sunil Dahiya, senior campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Along with ambitious targets for clean energy, India needs to stop investing in and building new coal-based plants, which are one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide. The country needs to direct all future investments only in the renewable sector,” he said. It’s time to rejoice yet reinstate and review for a 100% green fit! 64 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

Corporate Citizen slaps the apathy of the nation’s sport authority on the welfare of Indian players who represent the country in games other than cricket or football

In a bizarre incident, noted chess Grandmasters (GMs)-Abhijit Kunte, Vidit Gujrathi and Lalith Babu had the scare of their lives when they were attacked by local goons recently, on the streets of Makati city, Philippines. They are playing at the Asian Championships as part of the World Championships organised by the World Chess Federation or FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs). This attack reaffirms the step-motherly treatment meted out in the ‘positioning’ of ‘certain’ games in the nation’s psyche. The incident that happened just 250 meters away from their hotel was triggered by the player’s need for drinking water. Nashik-born GM, Vidit took to Facebook saying, “Me and my colleagues Abhijit Kunte and Lalith Babu went outside to buy water. We were attacked by local goons who possessed weapons. We were cornered and then attacked. We tried to flee but we were chased and finally marginally escaped. We are still trying to recover from this horrible incident.” Ironically, a game that requires calmness and mind mettle had to deal with such harsh environment. Our organisers failed to follow up on the players’ welfare-given the game was chess and not the national favourite, Cricket! Vidit wrote, “The hotel which they have provided us is bad. The food is bad. There is no net. I have brought a SIM card. There is no Wi-Fi in our room. What kind of an event is this? Players are charged five times more and forced to stay in this place, where basic necessities like cleanliness, proper food and water are not provided. This is sheer exploitation of players. I am writing this post so that FIDE and the authorities will take the rightful action.” All India Chess Federation (AICF) secretary, Bharat Singh has now taken up the matter with the Embassy of India in Manila and has also written to the Asian Chess Federation. Vidit’s post finally got assurance from the organisers and the Manila police to provide security to all the players. (Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar)

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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

January 1-15, 2019 / Corporate Citizen / 65

the last word

Ganesh Natarajan

Transformation of Future

The sweep of automation, self-service and the inability to create new jobs at a lively pace are threatening to put a spanner in the works and the biggest challenges facing youth today are “Where are the jobs and what are the skills we need to find them?”

ive days in the State of West Bengal, traveling through Bagdogra, Siliguri, Kalimpong and Kolkata underlined the potential we have in our country and the challenges! Everywhere we went and chatted with young people, from the well-heeled to the underserved segments of society, the aspirations of young India came through loud and clear. Having heard of India’s demographic dividend in many fora and the great opportunities that will be opened up in new vocations in India and globally, the millennials and Gen Zs of our country are ready and willing to be challenged and take on leadership roles in this new world. Alas, the sweep of automation, self-service and the inability to create new jobs at a lively pace are threatening to put a spanner in the works and the biggest challenges youth facing today are “Where are the jobs and what are the skills we need to find them?” In an environment that is somewhat gloomy, two beacons of excellence that we have researched in the Skills sub-group of the CII National IT Committee point the way to possible scalable models for the future. First is the Bihar Kushal Yuva programme, which has since 2016 been rolled out across over 1600 centres, enrolling nearly a million youth who have completed education up to tenth grade and above. Nearly 4,00,000 youth have graduated, with fifty per cent being women. The success of the

with a forty hour foundation course that provides a safe space, builds self-image, resilience and market understanding, supports every dream and counsels them to choose vocations that align with their aptitude, delivers hundred to three hours of skills through well-chosen and curated providers and finally engages with the students through placement or entrepreneurship and alumni interactions and mentoring. One common factor in both these cases is the deployment of technology to provide an underpinning for the learner journeys and centre administration. Pune City Connect is partnering with two digital software builders to create a “first of its kind” AI enabled platform that will be cloud hosted like the Microsoft service in In more localised job and And most important, entrepreneurship areas, a Bihar. all avenues are being explored massive outreach is need- to bring the best of technoloed to get the best of learn- gies – Mixed Reality, Machine ing content being used by Learning, Personalised procorporate leaders grammes and programme enablement through every phase of the student journey. supported non-profit organisation What can the local, state and Pune City Connect, is a true excentral Governments do to support emplar in the area of equity and programmes like these and build inclusion. Deploying Google Maps scalable models that can tackle Into track every citizen across the fifdia’s challenge of preparing a milteen municipal wards of the city, the lion candidates every month for lighthouses are generating amazing sustainable livelihoods? The Minresults through the realisation that istries of Information Technology just running a skills centre is not and Skills would do well to support enough. Their well-researched and PPP Centres of Excellence that can fine-tuned process sees slum youth demonstrate these models and enbrought in through community able financial support for scaling outreach and enrolment, motivated programme can be attributed both to its extensive coverage of the state and the involvement of multiple local skill development partners and also to a custom-built technology backbone that facilitates on-line learning, assessment and certificate delivery to learners. Built on Microsoft Azure Cloud platform, the service also maps to LinkedIn job recommendations of appropriate jobs to learners and enables extensive analytics for learners as well as programme administrators to predict and prescribe learning and employment outcomes. In Pune, the Skills Lighthouses programme, which is a Public Private Partnership of the Municipal Corporation with a corporate,

66 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2019

through development funds and channelising funds available in various coffers of the Government. A transparent collaborative model would also invite participation of impact funds, CSR monies and even global philanthropic foundations and solve one of the biggest riddles that faces the country today. Another major bottleneck for learning is the availability of content. NASSCOM through its Future Skills programme has enabled IT industry employees to get on to a reskilling and upskilling path and partnered with leading global content providers. This is straight forward in the global world of technology but in more localised job and entrepreneurship areas, a massive outreach is needed to get the best of learning content being used by corporate leaders to train their own job entrants and make it available through learning platforms for consumption by all validated job seekers. This is another area where public and private sector need to partner with civil society. My final meetings in Kolkata at Social Venture Partners gave me scope for optimism. A young Snigdha Shah, SVP GM in the city is leading the search for outstanding skills providers and multiple entities we have met, not just in Kolkata but all over Eastern India are showing great promise of transformation. Dr Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World, Pune City Connect and SVP India.

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