Volume4 issue 9 corporate citizen

TOP POSITION Narayana Murthy, founder, Infosys, on leadership and management Volume 4, Issue No. 09 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

Inspiring Talk

Amruta Fadnavis, Deputy VP, Axis Bank, on dreams young managers should pursue Mindmine Summit

Can our artisanal past, craft an exciting future?

Dynamic Duo: 74

July 16-31, 2018 / `50

Loved & Married Too

Entrepreneurs Jignesh and Priya Karia on their journey together

Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018

Harmony of Understanding G Sunitha Reddy, director & J Ravikanth Reddy, founder and CEO, PQuest Human Resources

Survey

2 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

feedback Just the right blend

I am a student who has recently started reading business magazines, as my professors and parents advised me that this was the best way to understand the corporate world before I make my plunge into it. I tried reading many business magazines available on the stands, but found those to be too technical and hardcore business for me, which I cannot relate to. It was around this time that a friend who is also a student suggested Corporate Citizen. I found the magazine to be just the right blend of technical information mixed with simple language and less jargon. I recommend CC to every student like me who wants to know about the business world but is daunted by the complexities of hardcore business magazines.

—Atul Borate, Pune

Keep up with the heart-warming and human interest stories

As my response to the stories that I read in Corporate Citizen magazine, I want to say that the range of topics that appear, especially the interviews of corporate stalwarts, are heart-warming and of human interest. They are away from the usual political rants that you see in the other magazines. As more of journalistic news writing is going online, the art of well-constructed stories is dwindling.

The life stories of these corporate leaders and their thoughts and passionate points of view, are encouraging guidelines. I am really obsessed with flipping through the pages of your magazine, always keeps me engaged. I think you have found the best combination for a business magazine.

—Sanjay Tunga, business executive

What star power can do

ToP PoSiTion

S. c. GuPTa, It was a surprise reading JT. General manaGer (Hr & ir), iFFco the cover story ‘Reel to Real: Aamir Khan’s War Arun rAo, Director, Geo Strategic on Drought’ in your recent operations and Alliances, Dassault Systèmes Issue 8, dated 1-15 July, 2018. Such stories of relentless efforts is a heartwrenching reminder of the preciousness of human life and how we can choose our response with compassion Dynamic Duo: 73 Sustainable Development Goals and wisdom. Aamir reel to real: aamir Khan’s Khan’s water conservation initiative, the ‘Paani Prachi rahalkar and Foundation’ is a huge effort Abhijit Sathe, on their heartwarming of an NGO, wherein they journey together Kiran rao and aamir Khan on their relentless efforts invested over a year in in water conservation through Paani Foundation research, understanding the problem and possible solutions, to fight drought in rural Maharashtra. There is no doubt that his celebrity status has contributed immensely in the foundation’s efforts and shows what star power can do. A big salute to Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao and thanks Corporate Citizen for peppering the mag with very interesting articles.

—Ashish Tamhankar, operations manager July 1-15, 2018 / `50

Volume 4, Issue No. 08 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

interview

Public-Private PartnershiPs:

War

on drought

The right blend

I came across your magazine while visiting a friend’s office, and have been hooked ever since.

I am now a regular reader and go through every issue with great enthusiasm, I have been awed by the optimum mix of content – the right

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lOveD & MarrieD tOO

blend of interviews, inspirational stories and news and analysis of the corporate world. I read other business magazines as well and while they have their plus point, the balance of content and news is unique to Corporate Citizen.

—Raakesh Daang, Marketing consultant

We look forward to your feedback

We at Corporate Citizen, believe that information should not be a one-way street. Your opinion and views about this issue are most welcome. Your ideas and 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

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 3

Editor-in-Chief’s Choice / Vinita Deshmukh

Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian, Editor-In-Chief, Corporate Citizen

This 90-year-old tells you a thing or two about our lifestyle!

Laxmibai Jaigude is a 90-year-old farmer lady, whose son, also an agriculturist, has taken to total organic farming. She believes she lives in paradise at their family farmhouse amidst lush greenery and savouring food that is pure, simple and nutritious. She shares tips for healthy living...

K

elawade village is 30 km from Pune, off Pune-Satara-Bangalore Highway. Innumerable tracts of agricultural land are laden with the bounty of crops, effusing prosperity of the farmers in this region.

While several of them use chemical pesticides, Tatya Jaigude pursues organic farming and has admirably converted his 14 acres of barren land into a lush field, growing traditional as well as exotic vegetables and fruits. He is 40-odd years old, holds a Bachelor of Arts

4 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

degree and claims to have visited a few countries from where he learnt the nuances of growing exotic varieties in India although it has a different temperature and environment conditions than the original country of the crop.

Tatya’s main USP is that all his crops are grown entirely through organic manure made from dried leaves and cow dung that he gets aplenty in his undulating farm. He supplies his vegetables and fruits to various malls in Mumbai and Pune where demand is growing

Laxmibai Jaigude, 90-year-old farmer lady, proudly displays her photo portrait of her youthful days; reveals the secret of good health and active life when she says, “You are what you eat, so watch what you eat.’’ Don’t our diet experts say the same?

for pesticide-free food. He proudly shows you around his farm, reminding us that we are breathing oxygen-powered air that is higher than in the cities and all that is grown, abides by the natural principles of Mother Nature.

Undoubtedly, it was a whiff of fresh air, literally and metaphorically, to wind through his farm, touching and feeling the luscious vegetable and fruit crops, posing for a photograph on the sacks of onions dumped in the middle of the freshly tilled area, plucking out drumsticks and getting overawed at the large-size cauliflowers and broccoli. The trip concluded with he escorting us to his farmhouse which seemed like a modest house. Unlike the palatial farmhouses that we see in the outskirts of cities. Shedding off modesty, Tatya stated, “this is my genuine farmhouse. No frill and fancies but just to serve the purpose of being with my plants, whenever I can.’’ He otherwise lives about 10 km from there, in a plush 6,000-sq ft bungalow!

Some years back, he proudly narrates, how he saved the life of his wife who was hospitalised for swine flu and was able to pay a whopping `70 lakh hospitalisation bill, without taking any loan. “My farm is my gold mine and my indirect moneylender,” he says.

Soon, his mother , Laxmibai came out in the veranda of the farmhouse. I admired her alertness and though bent, she seemed to be all full of life. “What is your exact age?’’ I asked. She smiled and said she is 90 years old. What’s the secret of your good health? I asked. “It’s all about being close to nature,’’ she pontificated and added, “wake up as the sun rises, eat when hungry, eat home food, chew and eat and sleep latest by 9.30-10pm.’’ Most of which she rattled out seemed

like a prescription from our urban dietitians, who charge exorbitant fees to tell you this simple truth.

I asked Laxmibai to elaborate further about her daily routine. She said, “I wake up at around 4-5 am and have a cup of tea. This is made without milk and with a teaspoon of jaggery (please note: avoiding dairy products to fight lifestyle diseases is a familiar recommendation of diet experts but this grand old, rustic lady, is way ahead of us). Then, at around 10.30 am, I have a complete lunch comprising jowar bhakri, two vegetables, dal and chutney.’’ And then pointing out, to a large-sized water container she says, “after that, I keep drinking water the whole day. That is the main trick to remain healthy—drink plenty of water (again a familiar note?).’’

“What about dinner?”, I asked. Laxmibai replied, “I eat little khichadi made of rice and moong dal.’’ She adds proudly, “even at this age I work in the farm. I can’t work for long hours but I ensure that I contribute for at least half an hour to one hour. on the field.’’

Why doesn’t she stay in the luxurious 6,000-sq ft bungalow that her son has constructed? Says she with disdain, “I can’t stay there for more than two days. You know, they close all the windows and doors and put on the air-conditioner. It is so uncomfortable and claustrophobic. See here, I sit in this veranda, surrounded by greenery and cool breeze. I hear the birds sing and cows mooing. Isn’t it more healthy and refreshing here?’’ I nod my head, in admiration as well as in envy.

What about her next generation? Do they follow her advice? Says she candidly, “Oh no, my daughtersin-law have put on so much weight! Naturally, they indulge in eating samosas and other junk food. The main clique of good health is to eat only when you are hungry; not have a full meal even after you have snacked a couple of hours before.’’ She gives another pearl of wisdom. “Do you get acidity like most people living in cities, do? Then eat a handful of raw groundnuts and jaggery. It works wonders.’’ She takes fistful of groundnuts that she has just shelled and offers them to us. Pointing to the vegetables, plucked freshly by her son, she says, “eat a lot of bean vegetables and greens to keep your health going strong.’’

Most of the tips which Laxmibai gave, resonate in the plush dietary clinics and swanky health clubs. And here’s our rustic lady who rattles it all out as she converses with us —after all, they say, the best things in life come free!

As the 20th-century spiritual guru, Osho, states: “Our wrong attitudes towards food are becoming dangerous for us. They are proving to be very costly.

They have taken us to a point where we are somehow just alive. Our food does not seem to create health in us, it seems to create sickness. It is a surprising situation when food starts making us sick. It is as if the sun rising in the morning creates darkness. This would be an equally surprising and strange thing to happen.’’

So, make food your friend and not your enemy. This rustic lady indeed has great working knowledge of it, which corporate managers can benefit from!

Most of the tips which Laxmibai gave resonate in the plush dietary clinics and swanky health clubs. And here’s our rustic lady who rattles it all out as she converses–after all, they say, the best things in life come free!

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 5

Contents

Volume 4 Issue No. 09 July 16-31, 2018 www.corporatecitizen.in

18 Cover story

Dynamic Duo 74

Harmony of Understanding G Sunitha, director and J Ravikanth Reddy, founder and CEO, PQuest Human Resources, talk on the trust they have in each other and how life together is about understanding and accommodating each other 6 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

9 COLLYWOOD Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World

14 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why

16 EXPERT VIEW Is a full-fledged trade war in the making as chain reaction of tariff and reciprocal tariff has now gone to other countries?

14

30

24 MINDMINE SUMMIT Panel discussion on why can’t our traditions of arts and crafts have an exciting future 30 TOP POSITION Narayana Murthy, founder, Infosys, talks on how he approaches leadership and management 34 INSPIRING TALK Amruta Fadnavis, Deputy VP, Axis Bank, talks on dreams that young student managers should pursue

24

58

34

36 Interview Baliram Mutagekar, HR professional and trustee, HR Infotech Association Pune 40 Book Review C2C (Campus to Corporate) authored by, Commodore Dilip Mohapatra and researcher Swati Karve 42 CORPORATE COLUMN How to get your work-life balance

52

44 HEALTH Need for a balanced approach to life that can help get the best out of everyone 46 UNSUNG HEROES - 7 A senior citizen gives free service to the society, without expecting anything in return

50

16 July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 7

contents

54 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

44

50 LOVED & MARRIED TOO Entrepreneurs Jignesh and Priya Karia on the journey of their marriage and the inspiration behind their unique venture

Writers Delhi Bureau Pradeep Mathur mathurpradeep1@gmail.com/ Sharmila Chand chand.sharmila@gmail.com

52 CAMPUS PLACEMENT Tanveen Kaur on her campus placement experience and her learning of life 54 SURVEY Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018 on millennials’ perceptions 58 BOLLYWOOD BIZ Bollywood’s long and loving affair with Switzerland

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

Bengaluru Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar sangeetagd2010@gmail.com

66

60 MOBILE APPS Best flight tracker apps to get realtime updates of your flights 66 THE LAST WORD Ensuring our hectic life leaves space for rich interactions

Be A Corporate Citizen

How do you like this issue of Corporate Citizen - The Cool Side of Business?

Send in your views, news, suggestions and contributions to corporatecitizenwriters@gmail.com.

We would love to hear from you!

8 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Pune Bureau Joe Williams / Kalyani Sardesai / Namrata Gulati Sapra Marketing Manager Delhi: Mohamed Rizwan riz.mohamed@hotmail.com Manager-Circulation circulations@corporatecitizen.in West : Jaywant Patil, +91 9923202560 North : Hemant Gupta, +91 9582210930 South : Asaithambi G, +91 9941555389 Creative Direction Sumeet Gupta, www.thepurplestroke.com Graphic Designer Shantanu Relekar On Cover Page G Sunitha and J Ravikanth Reddy Cover Page Pic By 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.)

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collywood

People in the news

Another ‘son-rise’ at Wipro Tariq Premji has come of age. This 40-year-old, the youngest son of Wipro Ltd. chairman and India’s second-richest businessman Azim Premji, has joined the board of Wipro Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Wipro Enterprises chose the youngest scion of the Premji family as an additional director last week, according to an executive familiar with the development. Tariq is the third family member to join the board, after his father and his elder brother Rishad Premji. Privately-held Wipro Enterprises is the parent of Wipro Consumer Care, which recently crossed $1 billion in annual revenue, and Wipro Infrastructure and Engineering, estimated to generate over $400 million in revenue. The remaining three members on the six-member board of Wipro Enterprises are Suresh Senapaty, former chief financial officer of Wipro Ltd; Vineet Agrawal, chief executive officer (CEO) of the company’s consumer care and lighting business, and Pratik Kumar, CEO of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering. Since 2016, Tariq has been on the board of two philanthropic arms of the Wipro empire—the Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives and Azim Premji Foundation. “Wipro Enterprises is a private limited company and Tariq Premji’s appointment is in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013,” said a company spokesperson. While Rishad joined Wipro in 2007, Tariq had been part of the Azim Premji Founda-

IDBI appoints Sriram as MD & CEO

tion since 2012, working under his father’s trusted lieutenant, K.R. Lakshminarayana. A pass-out from St. Mary’s School in Mumbai, and graduation in commerce from St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru, he worked at a BPO firm for less than a year before joining Premji Invest, the family office of Azim Premji. After a year there, he joined the endowment arm of his family’s business. Tariq is lean and tall, and sports a ponytail. His colleagues describe him as reserved and self-effacing. Both Tariq and Rishad are extremely close to each other despite their different career paths, and have been supportive of each other through their ups and downs.

Infosys senior Sangita Singh quits Sangita Singh, the Infosys executive vice president and head of its $750-million healthcare and life sciences business, has put in her papers from the company. It is less than two years since she joined the firm.

Sangita, one of the senior-most women running a business in the Indian IT industry, had joined Infosys from cross-town rival Wipro where she oversaw the healthcare and life sciences portfolio. Sangita’s departure does not come as a surprise after a string of senior exits in the country’s second-largest IT firm after its former CEO Vishal Sikka had a fallout with some of the founders. Other exits included those of technology head Navin Budhiraja, head of design Sanjay Rajagopalan, Ritika Suri, executive vice president handling large deals, Abdul Razack, senior vice-president and head, platforms, big data and analytics, and Pervinder Johar.

Healthcare and lifesciences contributes 6.5% to the company’s overall revenues, and counts Novartis, Pfizer and Aetna among its customers.

B Sriram has been appointed as the MD and CEO of IDBI Bank for a temporary period of three months, according to an official order. The State Bank of India’s Managing Director Sriram takes the place of incumbent Mahesh Kumar Jain who was recently named Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Sriram as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IDBI Bank for a temporary period of three months with effect from Jain’s demitting office, according to the order issued by the personnel ministry.

Sriram has been working as the MD (Corporate and Global Banking) in SBI since July 2014. He had been Managing Director of the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur. A probationary officer of the government-run bank in the year 1981, Sriram held several positions and also had a stint at SBI’s Singapore office. This move ensures that the bank does not remain headless after Jain’s appointment to the central bank.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 9

collywood Companies embrace digital yoga

Chanda on leave till inquiry ends Chanda Kochhar will continue as managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Bank but will be on leave till the internal inquiry is completed. The bank has also made other changes by appointing Sandeep Bakhshi as a wholetime director and Chief Operating Officer (COO). “In line with the highest levels of governance and corporate standards, Chanda Kochhar has decided to go on leave till the completion of the inquiry as announced on May 30, 2018. The board has noted and accepted this. During her period of leave, the COO (Bakhshi) will report to the Board,” the bank stated.

Bakhshi has been the managing director and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company since August 1, 2010. Prior to this role, he was the deputy managing director of ICICI Bank. The second-largest private sector lender is facing allegations over conflict of interest in loans made to Videocon Group which is alleged to have been favoured by CEO Kochhar. The allegations against Kochhar relate to a loan worth `3,250 crore granted to the Videocon in 2012.

Wellness programmes have become the latest trend in the corporate world. With employees working long hours and stress adding to their daily lives, it’s time companies took the step, and yoga has been on the top of the list of organisations. The Wealth of Wellness (WoW) Team of Tech Mahindra—a group of TechMighty wellness enthusiasts—has developed a concept of ‘virtual yoga assistance’ to give prime importance to the health and well-being of associates. For Tech Mahindra, ‘Wellness before Business’ has been a mantra. Pune WoW team are working with the team at Makers Lab, Tech Mahindra’s R&D arm, to make this long-desired application a reality.

Called ‘Aasana’, the virtual yoga assistant will share automated yoga reminders to enable stretching, while employees remain seated at their workstations. Employees logged onto their systems will find Aasana popping-up at the lower right hand corner of the desktop. The application will greet the employees and guide them through yoga routines. Its various in-built yogic postures (aasanas) will encourage employees to perform them at regular intervals. Starting with Sukshamayoga and Chair Suryanamaskar, fol-

Dhivya is CFO of GM General Motors (GM), US’s largest automaker has got Indian-American woman, Dhivya Suryadevara as its Chief Finance Officer.

Dhivya, currently the vice president of corporate finance, will succeed Chuck Stevens, the GM’s present CFO, on September 1, according to a statement issued by the company.

Chennai-born Suryadevara has been GM’s vice president of corporate finance since July

10 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

lowed by stretching for cervical spondylitis and lower back pain, everything will be led by the bot. The bot will also help answer yoga-related queries and provide additional information about postures too. Also, there are guided meditation and health videos from certified trainers. It can even be customised as per individual requirements.

WoW on mobile, featuring Aasana, can keep employees updated on sessions within the campus. Markelytics Solutions, a global market research agency has pledged yoga in their daily routine through Desktop Yoga, a modern form of yoga for the office-goer. In order to achieve the desired results, Markelytics has collaborated with a certified yoga instructor for a week to educate employees on the benefits of yoga, the ideal postures, best practices in daily work routine for an ideal mind and body balance, and so on. The idea is to get the staff habituated to desktop yoga and other best practices so that they can continue this improved lifestyle even at work.

2017, and will report to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mary Barra.

Barra and Suryadevara are the first women in their respective positions in the auto industry, as no other major global automaker has a female CEO and CFO. GM will join a very short list of S&P 500 companies, including Hershey Co. and American Water Works Co., with women serving as CEO and CFO. A master’s degree holder in commerce from the University of Madras, Dhivya moved to the US at the age of 22 to pursue her MBA from Harvard University. A chartered financial analyst and accountant, she has worked at UBS and PriceWaterhouseCoopers before joining the Detroit-based GM in 2005 at the age of 25.

“Dhivya’s experience and leadership in several key roles throughout our financial operations positions her well to build on the strong business results we’ve delivered over the last several years,” Barra said in a statement.

Mallik, CHRO of Home Credit India Home Credit India Finance has got Sandip Mallik as its new Chief Human Resources Officer.

He will be handling critical HR responsibilities including talent acquisition and retention, organisational change management, employer branding, hiring, learning & development, employee engagement, compensation and benefits, and rewards framework across the organisation. Commenting on the move, Mallik stated, “I look forward to working with the senior management team and other stakeholders to attract, develop, and retain a talented and diverse workforce that will continue to drive the company’s priorities forward.” With over three decades in multi-cultured experience, Mallik has worked across India, Southeast Asia and Europe, in sectors such as life insurance, manufacturing, energy, and diversified conglomerates.

He has been an entrepreneur and founded a boutique alternate asset management firm specialising in fine art investment. He has held diverse portfolios in

senior leadership positions in firms such as Aviva, Emerson, GE and various Indian companies.

From introducing strength-based recruitment practices to implementing organisation development and learning programmes across several Asian markets, Mallik’s experience has been quite diverse. He will take over from Jindra Hachova who completed a successful three-year assignment in May. “Mallik brings a unique combination of cross-sectoral expertise and well-honed strategic and business capabilities that will be an asset to our overall HR strategy,” stated Pavel Maco, CEO, Home Credit India.

Angela in Fox Networks’ web Angela Ryan joins the Fox Networks Group Asia (FNGA) family as she gets appointed as its new head of human resources to support the Group’s bold ambitions in the region. She takes over from Linda Hui, SVP-HR, who has left the company after 11 years of service. Ryan joins FNGA from GroupM, where she was chief human resources officer for Asia Pacific, leading a team of HR and talent professionals across the full spectrum of HR functions, including digital transformation. With over two decades in the field, her hands-on human resource expertise spans UK, Europe, China, Latin America and Asia Pacific. She will oversee talent management, development and recruitment, supporting the Group’s ambitions to scale, innovate and embrace the future as Asia Pacific’s leading entertainment provider. “FNGA is dedicated to igniting imagination across the region. With the right

people on board, the business can continue to bring these awe-inspiring stories to life and deliver them to consumers. I’m thrilled to support FNGA in continuing its ambitious course towards strong talent management and bold human capital strategies, in order to protect its success and propel innovation,” commented Angela on the move.

“This will enhance our move in meeting the future of the company as there are plans to increase our investments in original content production, digital technology and most importantly, all-human capital,” said Zubin Gandevia, president, FNGA. He went on to add, “It’s clichéd but true; we are nothing without our team, and Angela with her experience in digital transformation will work with my leadership team and myself to be a guiding force and help us further strengthen our people, nurturing the Fox culture of playing, winning and having fun together.”

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 11

collywood RiseSmart elevates Paul After a very successful 10 years, RiseSmart, a contemporary career transition services company has come a long way with Joel Paul, who has overseen its India’s operations. The two-man company in 2008 has now risen to a 100-member workforce in 2018. This has promoted the company think-tank to elevate Paul as general manager (GM) of its India operations. Paul will oversee the company’s in-country commercial, operational, and financial results.

He will continue to report to Dan Davenport, president and general manager, RiseSmart. Paul has been the key resource for the establishment and rapid growth of the company in India. Since his association, the JCR team has seen significant growth, and expanded into areas such as office administration, data/analytics, reporting, customer support and also ventured into countries such as Australia, Canada, and more recently, Indian outplacement operations

(coaching, résumé writing, outreach). Paul was also responsible for real estate, facility, vendors, benefits.

Clearly, his has been an expanding and demanding role as the company has diversified operations in India. In his new role, Paul will have P&L accountability, including overseeing the sales and client services teams. Commenting on the move taken by his company, Paul said, “I am excited about this new role as I would get to exercise the combination of my sales and leadership experience. RiseSmart has grown exponentially in India as organisations have become aware of the value outplacement services bring to them and we have much more planned for our stint in India as we hope to expand our business.

To support our growth story, we continue to hire as we require a lot of manpower in the form of product engineers and technical leads, among others”.

Vodafone CEO Sood, now COAI’s chief Sunil Sood, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Vodafone India Ltd, who was Vice Chairman of the industry body for the last two years, will now hold the position of chairman of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), while Ajai Puri, Chief Operating Officer, Bharti Airtel Ltd, will be the vice chairman, COAI stated in a release issued recently. This decision was taken after their annual general body meeting which was held recently. “We would like to thank our leadership for their guidance and support during one of the most challenging periods in the telecom sector and further express confidence in their ability to steer the Association and the sector towards long-term health and stability,” said COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews. Sood takes the place of Gopal Vittal, Bharti Airtel MD and CEO for India and South Asia. Mathews said the sector contributes 6.5 per cent to the national GDP, while the industry is reeling under `7.64 lakh crore debt and the ad12 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

ditional investment of `2 lakh crore is still required over the next two years to fulfil the dream of a digitally-connected India.

“We are sure the partnership between the government and the sector will get stronger and these targets will be achieved. The National Digital Communications Policy 2018, recently unveiled by the DoT, holds significant promise for the industry that has been facing difficult times over the last few years,” Mathews said. Following the merger of Vodafone India with Idea Cellular, Sood will join the Vodafone Group AMAP (Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific) leadership team and also help governance through Board membership.

Banga quits Infosys

In yet another exit, the Infosys’ head of manufacturing Nitesh Banga has quit the company to join product engineering services company GlobalLogic, which is a newly-created position. Banga will look after delivery, operations, talent recruitment and management, information technology and investment strategy, and will report to CEO Shashank Samant. Banga has been with Infosys for over a decade and has served in various capacities.

Banga was Senior Vice President & Global Head of the Manufacturing business at Infosys, as well as member of the board of their software subsidary, EdgeVerve.

“Nitesh is a well-respected and exceptionally qualified executive who will drive strategic prioritisation and profitable growth initiatives within GlobalLogic,” said Samant. Banga was based in the San Francisco Bay Area when he was with Infosys, but GlobalLogic did not disclose where he would be based. In a statement issued by GolbalLogic, Banga stated, “In a world where enterprise survival and competitiveness are going to be shaped by the extent of their consumer-centricity and digital embrace, GlobalLogic is in a unique and exciting position to help brands transform themselves with technology.”

Compiled by Joe Williams joe78662@gmail.com

wax eloquent

To drive India forward

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

Important markers of businesses

“Sustainability defines how business can survive longterm. It is this which is critical.

The three important markers of businesses are profitability, continuous growth, and survival in the long term. Survival depends on how a company is able to respond to the environmental impact, and take care of all stakeholders.”

Haven’t come across smart dropouts

“It’s funny, in India, I haven’t come across any dropouts who are smart and high-quality.

Hopefully, in the next few years, we will have more high-quality dropouts. When I go to colleges for talks, I encourage the students to drop out.”

S. Padmanabhan, executive chairman,

Tata Business Excellence Group and head, Tata Sustainability and Ethics Courtesy: Mint

Ritesh Agarwal,

founder and CEO, OYO Rooms Courtesy: https://economictimes. indiatimes.com

Harness the best forms of jugaad “I have never seen jugaad exist in so many ways, in so many aspects of life, anywhere else as it does in India.

People wear it as a badge of honour and take pride in it.

Jugaad can be the force to drive India forward and it can also drag the country back. You have to harness the best forms of jugaad and purge the bad forms.”

Dean Nelson,

author of ‘Jugaad Yatra: Exploring the Indian Art of Problem Solving’

Courtesy: Mint

It’s all about finding a similar philosophy

You can do anything

“I was 30 when I started MakeMyTrip, still idealistic enough to believe you can do anything. So if someone asked me today why I put all my eggs in this basket, I think it was my faith in the internet.”

“We, mothers, are creators and we can do whatever we want and it is extremely important for me to be happy first and pursue my passion. On how I manage my creative pursuits along with a corporate job, I believe it’s all about finding a similar philosophy.”

Avantika Bahuguna Kukreti,

Kathak performer and head of branded content, Momspresso, India’s leading website for mums Courtesy: https://www.broadwayworld.com

Building the right company

Deep Kalra,

“I’ll tell you what my actual milestones are—the lives you transform, the careers you make, the social and individual impact. That is how you define success. I wanted to build an organisation based on the principle of empathy. To do the right things for the right people.”

Courtesy: Mint

Courtesy: Mint

founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip

14 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Anirban Das Blah, founder and MD, Kwan Entertainment

India is doing well and will do well

“We have $400 billion of reserves and we are the most investible country. We have never had any defaults, our track record is tremendous compared to other emerging markets and our levels of debt are nothing as compared to China. So on all those parameters, I think India is doing well and will do well.”

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, investor

Courtesy: https://www.cnbctv18.com

Integration of decision making

“We want a clear direction on quick decision making and execution of plans. We also need to move faster in one direction. The Indian market is changing quickly and our decision making needs to keep pace with it. India is a market with very high potential and changing rapidly with more young people coming in.”

Motofumi Shitara,

group chairman, Yamaha Motor India Courtesy: https://www. thehindubusinessline.com

Plan your career

Our love for India “In this day and time we see more and more reasons for India and the US to come together. I am here to once again solidify our love for India, our belief in the friendship India and the US have and our willingness to make that relationship even more stronger.”

Nikki Haley, US envoy to the United Nations Courtesy: https://www.ndtv.com

“Don’t let it accidentally occur by default. Professionals with a great career have a keen understanding of their strengths and have the dexterity to make career choices around those strengths to make it long-term, gratifying and economically successful. Distinguish between liking to do and good at doing jobs that will deliver success.”

Sujaya Banerjee,

founder and CEO, Capstone People Consulting

Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Moving from a business “We had a good run, and, in our wildest dreams, we couldn’t have imagined selling the company for what we got. As for my legacy, well, we’ve always lost things in life but we move on and associate ourselves with newer, different things. What I do miss is not the legacy or the brand, but the people and those fun exciting times.”

Raghunandan G., co-founder, TaxiForSure

Courtesy: Mint

Best teacher is experience

“I have made many mistakes in my investing career. We all make mistakes; what is important is to realise and learn from them.

I do not follow anyone blindly. Books can only be a starting ground.

The best teacher is experience. And outcome depends on your adaptability.”

Jiten Parmar,

value investor and entrepreneur Courtesy: https://economictimes. indiatimes.com

Appetite for building a common narrative “Everyone talks about integration when they talk of the agency of the future. While it is hard for huge groups to integrate, it is relatively easier for a huge company and a small independent company to integrate. And this is what has been happening in India so far; and it will continue to go on until the appetite for building a common narrative is satiated.”

Suveer Bajaj, co-founder, FoxyMoron Courtesy: https://www.exchange4media.com

What I have learnt from the Indian market “Indians love jugaad, and for a short period of time it’s efficient, but according to me, I think we should start with perfection from day 1 to hold it for a longer time. I personally believe in ‘Less jugaad and more perfection.’ Other thing which I’ve learnt is the bazaar culture. India is a mix of both, Discipline and Bazar Culture.”

Oliver Mirza, MD and CEO, Dr. Oetker India Courtesy: http://bwpeople.businessworld.in

India in terms of analytics maturity

“The digital transformation happening in India in banking and government sector is far more advanced in nature than other countries. Having said that, the comparison of companies in India vs. globally is still not fair as there are a lot of local and cultural differences that come into play.”

Souma Das,

managing director, Teradata India Courtesy: https://analyticsindiamag.com

Compiled by Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 15

Expert View

Will Trade War be the

Third World War?

by S K Jha

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

US President Donald Trump’s moves to restrict free trade by hiking tariff on several imports will hit all countries, including the allies of the US. While this will have an adverse effect on the world economy, it may even shake up geopolitical equations and disturb world peace

T

he one conspicuous thing we come to know from history is about `wars’ which were fought all over the world over all time zones. These wars were fought consistently though the objective behind these wars might have been different. Today the world is much different from the past with the presence of dangerous arsenal like nuclear bombs and missiles, and wars will simply annihilate mankind. There will be no victor or vanquished.

So, have the countries decided not to fight wars? No, human nature is such that they cannot remain peaceful and they like to fight and so a new format of war has emerged, and that is ‘trade war’. Trade war is very much in the news these days ever since President Donald Trump of the US announced various measures to restrict free trade by hiking tariff on several imports which will hit all countries including the allies of the US. Trump has stated that fair-trade should replace free-trade and that he himself will be the architect of fair trade, the sole objective being US interests. Trump’s statement and subsequent actions have resulted in adverse reactions from other countries who have announced tariff hikes on US imports of several commodities, as titfor-tat measures. The second biggest economy of the world, China, has challenged the announcement by the US on its trade policy. Even India has announced measures to speak loudly against the US policy. The chain reaction in the making is giving rise to an international trade war.

Global economy will suffer

What will be the impact of trade war on the world economy? First, global economy will suffer. Free trade without protectionism is a must for a healthy world economy. Both developing and developed countries will suffer, though the impact on the former will be severe. Chairman of JP Morgan, Jacob Frenket says, “A trade war will be extremely dangerous for the world economy and once it slides, it will be difficult to turn it around.” Free trade is a must for the world economy to grow, which means a policy to eliminate discrimination against imports and exports. Under this policy, buyers and sellers 16 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Due to protectionism, a wedge is created between countries and they start looking at each other with suspicion.

An atmosphere of distrust is created and that affects the cordial relationship between countries. Bad economics can be a trigger to more problems which may lead to unrest in the world from different countries may voluntarily trade without the government applying irrational tariff, quotas, subsidies or prohibitions on goods and services. Globalisation of international trade is the need of the hour. Trade wars disturb the cardinal principle of globalisation that individual countries must sacrifice some degree of economic sovereignty for global institutions.

No place for WTO

Second, World Trade Organization (WTO) will become irrelevant if countries fight for their self-interest, resulting in trade wars. The WTO deals with global rules of trade between nations and ensures that trade flows smoothly and also predictably. An inter-governmental organisation, WTO, was launched with a very

high expectation of nurturing international trade on January 1, 1995 by replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which had commenced in 1948. The WTO has presently 164 members and 23 observer governments and thus covers virtually the entire world. Countries are obliged to follow the rules set by the WTO. If countries make their own rules disregarding the very existence of WTO, then the net result will be simply anarchy in the world economy.

More expensive goods

Third, there will be a serious impact on the consumers due to a battle of increasing tariffs on commodities by various countries. For example, India may propose to raise tariffs on agricultur-

al products like almonds and walnuts that are imported from the US, in retaliation to a rise of tariff by the US on steel and aluminium imports from India. This will immediately make almonds and walnuts more expensive in India while at the same time steel and aluminium may become costlier for the American people.

It will also impact manufacturing activities.

For instance, if, due to tariff increase on some products in the US, that are exported from China are hit, then the manufacturing activities of those products in China will suffer due to loss of market.

pact on world peace. Due to protectionism, a wedge is created between countries and they start looking at each other with suspicion. An atmosphere of distrust is created and that affects the cordial relationship between countries. Bad economics can be a trigger to more problems which may lead to unrest in the world. Trade war is the first stage after the announcement of tariff increase by the US and the threat of reciprocal hikes in tariff by China, EU, India and some other countries. The recently concluded summit of G-7 countries in Canada is a testimony to brewing anger and disappointment

tion of tariff and reciprocal tariff has now gone to other countries and a full-fledged trade war is in the making.

President Trump has ignored the established tradition of playing the role of a big brother. The US after the Second World War has been at the forefront of forming international institutions as it was an economic superpower and that is the reason that the UNO, the World Bank and the IMF have their headquarters in the US. Except for the period of the cold war, countries world over looked at the US for a helping hand and this was clearly visible in trade relationships.

The action by President Trump will now upset the apple cart. The US has all rights to protect the interest of its people, but the same could have been done by negotiations for fair trade and not by announcing a tariff war. China and other countries too should have replied in a softer way.

The WTO should have been approached for fair trade between the countries instead of following a harsh route leading to trade war.

China, now big brother?

The biggest beneficiary of the present situation may be China, the second-biggest economy.

China may usurp the haloed position which is currently being enjoyed by US. The US is trying to play the role of equal partner instead of its earlier role of being a super-rich country, while China is entering into trade arrangements with many countries at a very fast pace. The allies of the US and its friendly countries believe that their friend has undermined them. These countries may also now look towards China for friendly support. Things are changing fast and new international relationships may emerge out of this churning. The champion of the market economy is now changing its path while communist China, is speaking now about market economy in international trade.

What India should do?

Dollar will take a hit

Fourthly, international currencies, particularly the US dollar, will suffer. If US takes steps which are not in conformity with the principles of international trade, then there is a possibility of the flight of capital from the US, as many countries, particularly, developing countries, keep their capital in the US, considering it a safe haven. This will impact the value of the US dollar. Volatility in the value of international currencies will impact predictable trade. Developing and poor countries, many of which depend upon exports to the US will suffer more. There is a saying that poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.

World peace in pieces?

Fifth, and most important is the adverse im-

amongst the allies of US. This is not a good omen for world peace.

The epicentre of the impending trade war is the trade policy of President Trump. He believes that the US has been cheated by other countries by not having equitable trade. The US has trade deficits with many major countries. The trade deficit with China is really mammoth and frightening. The US also believes that China has indulged in the theft of its intellectual property.

The announcement of the US President in the first instance was to impose higher tariff on its imports of aluminium and steel products. Next, he declared that he will levy tariff on imports from China which is worth US $50 billion.

China replied with reciprocal tariff on equal amount of imports from the US. The chain reac-

It is a trying time for India when exports have been suffering in recent times and imports going up due to rising oil prices. The value of our rupee is falling due to a revenue deficit. The international trade war scenario will do more harm to us. What are we to do? We do not have control over the international situation but we can definitely work on our own strengths.

We can create more demand in our domestic markets so as to help our industrial growth. We should try to find some new destinations for our exports when international trade is changing gears. We should try to have some new friends in the symbiotic relationships of trade, but at the same time we should try to maintain a good relationship with the US as well. We should not try to copy China. The US is our friend and the current turmoil may just be a passing phase, so let us tread with caution.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 17

Cover Story Dynamic Duo: 74 /

G Sunitha and J Ravikanth Reddy

People

Motiva A senior HR leader with a demonstrated success in HR leadership for over 30 years, J Ravikanth Reddy, founder and CEO, PQuest Human Resources Pvt Ltd, is a selfdriven, innovative, business-focused senior HR professional. He has the ability to relate to people across all hierarchical levels in an organisation and has worked on devising unique processes to enhance value creation. His honours and awards include Man of Excellence Award 2011-Indian Achievers Forum, HR Manager of the Year 2003-Hyderabad Management Association, Centre for Trade and Development (CITD) Gold Medal, 1993. In an exclusive interview with Corporate Citizen, he talks on how he managed transformation and enhanced overall performance with his HR initiatives, motivated people to achieve organisational objectives and his 30 years’ career journey

By Rajesh Rao

18 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Pics Yusuf Khan

I

In your 30 years of experience in the HR field, what are the major changes that have happened, and how do you keep yourself updated?

There is a desire to learn continuously. I spent lot of time on learning so as to do something useful and meaningful for me and to others. For example, in my 30 years, initially it was welfare and the focus was on canteen, incentives, industrial relations, trade unions, managing the workmen’s committees, managing and discussing with leaders, and so on. All through my life I never did any underhand dealings with anyone. One of the greatest things in the whole process has been that nobody has lost trust in me, even till today. From day one I started working, till I left L&T, my relationship with people has been excellent. Even today people relate to me and come to me.

My role, from welfare it became IR; it then moved to performance management and then it moved to HR, leadership, succession planning and so on. There is a big transformation from dealing with departmental functions to now the focus on the metric orientation high. Those days if you had an agreement every three years, you had done a great job. So, one thing great for me was that wherever I worked, there was no union—that was the trust we built. Now I deal with strategising at various levels. Another change that has happened is that from manufacturing sector, now more focus is on fancy IT service providers. Because they bring in dollars, their paying capacity is far better than manufacturing companies. And that is not a wholesome work, but still people are focusing on it by engaging consultants from MNCs and doing very well. That’s another big change that I have seen.

tor e There are hug HR e in th opportunities ards g field, but as re any people m competency, trate n e c need to con their on enhancing to become , competencies d move n wholesome a orientation ic towards metr

The passion for people management What inspired me to go for personnel management is connecting with people, managing people and influencing people, and that perhaps made me take people-related MBA-HR programme. At a very young age I would take part in school debates and elocution competitions and for almost seven-eight years I was amongst the top three.

That’s how I thought of going into personnel management, thinking it would be a good choice for me.

Tell us about opportunities in the HR field as of now.

There are huge opportunities in the HR field, but as regards competency, many people need to concentrate on enhancing their competencies, to become wholesome and move towards metric orientation.

Your suggestions to fill the gap between academia and industry.

There is a huge gap—what they learn in the colleges and what is practised in the industry or offices is totally different. There are few institutions that are designing industry-specific programmes by involving the industries—it is there for past 30 years, but that is not very effective. I feel there is still lot of improvement to come in. Earlier, in our days, getting admission to MBA course was not that easy and was considered a prime achievement. Today, lot of B-schools have come in and everybody is an MBA or an engineer, but the quality of education has come down. Quality output from colleges is low and employment for these people could be a challenge.

However, some people learn on the job and prosper.

How can companies bring in gender inclusivity, and help retain more women in the industry?

Many woman HR leaders are already playing leading roles in various sectors. There is no problem for them to occupy important positions in any organisation, there is no discrimination as far as I know, especially in the IT sector. In manufacturing sector, yes the challenges are a little different. However, in fact, more women are in HR roles now.

It is said that the HR process is regenerating into a different form.

What will be its relevance with AI coming in?

I wish it should and that is the reason I moved into total quality management, business excellence model—I do more of a strategic business excellence model. HR July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 19

Cover Story Today, lot of e in e com B-schools hav is an MBA y and everybod but the r, or an enginee tion has ca quality of edu ality output u come down. Q low and is from colleges r these employment fo a challenge be people could

J Ravikanth Reddy receiving the Centre for Trade and Development (CITD) Gold Medal 1993, from the then President of India, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, in New Delhi

is a very generalised role—it is a facilitating role and many people are not able to contribute to enhance the top and bottom line. The appreciation of HR is very less.

Upbringing I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. We are three brothers, one elder and one younger. My father was a schoolteacher and mother, a homemaker.

My family hails from Medak District, which is very close to Hyderabad city.

My father passed away when I was studying in ninth class and my mother and elder brother guided me on my educational and career path—how I need to pursue life.

Formative years I did my schooling in Hyderabad and graduated with B.Com degree from Badruka College of Commerce and Arts, one of the prominent commerce colleges and number one under Osmania University. After that I moved towards Cost Accountancy and gave the examination conducted by Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI). Then I went to Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, in 1983, to do my MBA-HR. Basically, I was very keen to do something that deals with human resources. As I could not get through the entrance exam at Osmania University for the MBA programme, I chose to go to Symbiosis and passed its entrance exam and the group discussion round. I completed my MBA programme from Symbiosis in the year 1985. Those days the course I did at Symbiosis was called Personnel Management and not HR Management, as it is called today.

Getting a job Getting a job was not at all a problem for us, the Symbiosis brand was very strong. In the campus placement, I got an offer from Bajaj Tempo, in Pune, and also in CEAT Ltd, in Mumbai. I did not opt for it because in those days while working in the personnel department, knowledge of the local language was required, which I didn’t have. Therefore I came back to Hyderabad and I got placed in a company called Priyadarshini Threads, of Priyadarshini Group of Companies, in the year 1985.

My first job I joined Priyadarshini Threads as a management trainee and within six months I was promoted to the post of an officer and I worked for around four years in Priyadarshini. It was a great beginning and fortunately the promoter of the organisation, Mr Krishnamohan, was a very dynamic 20 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

person. They were establishing a new company and he gave me an offer. There was no other officer except me and I was told to scout for people. I was also told that if I do well, there will be no one above me. It was the first sewing thread manufacturing company in the state of Andhra Pradesh. As no Telugu-speaking technicians and technologists were available in the AP state, all the people were recruited from Coimbatore, who didn’t know the local language.

The challenge was how to manage the show. I had recruited people with a qualification of 9-10 standard-grade, but based on specific skills. One, they should not have colour blindness; two, have finger-dexterity, and third was having numerical ability (reading ability). I had designed my own tests, putting together some numbers, made them read and showing some colours, checking their finger-dexterity by making them move rings through the threads. The other part was understanding their behaviour pattern and attitude to learn. Thousands of people would come and I would put them under training. I also took in a few supervisors, who could also be translators and converse with the people, to remove the language hurdle. My role was more of a facilitator and moderator.

Moving from IR to HR After Priyadarshini, I joined Swan Vaccum Systems, a company promoted by former CMD of Andhra Bank. Every organisation I moved into, I looked for an opportunity as to what I can do on my own for the organisation. This company had an HR department, so from Industrial Relations, I moved to Human Resources to become assistant manager, HR. There was not much of difference between IR and HR, except for the training.

The HR fundamentals that we talk about now were not there, at that time.

Working there for over four years, I faced challenges of a different nature. I had to put in place the whole HR processes and the department, including establishing the materials department. Whatever was required was established by me. They also gave me very important job of liaising, which also I did it very successfully. So, I was involved in establishing the HR department, transport, security, personnel functions, industrial relations, training and development, and so on. The major obstacle that I faced in the company was related to the union problem and to resolve that was a big challenge. But I managed to convince the union to agree with my suggestions.

Recognition for HR initiatives Then I joined a startup company called Sulakshana Circuits Ltd, which is the first printed circuit board manufacturing company in Hyderabad. It was started by NRIs, with the invitation of the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, NT Rama Rao. There I introduced structured HR initiatives. For my work in Sulakshana I received the CITD Gold Medal in 1993, in New Delhi, presented by the then President of India, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, for enhancing the overall performance of the organisation through HR initiatives.

Bringing total transformation When I moved to Rane Engine Valves Ltd in Hyderabad, there was a lockout, and I was the person responsible for lifting that lockout. After lifting the lockout, I put the processes in place and settled a few factory issues. I wanted to do something that can permanently solve this problem, with HR intervention, which makes all the people to get involved and also helps build trust. I did a survey, made an analysis and realised that interpersonal trust and the teamwork among the employees and the employer were the major issues. There was no employee involvement and employee belongingness.

Then I designed a programme called ‘5S’, which I started this at personal level converting into work level and organisational overall performance level..

We, as a team, had divided the whole factory into 20 zones and identified groups of employees to take care of the division, forming small teams and a supervisor as facilitator, and put them for a daily morning meetings to discuss about the check list during morning tea-time with an audit board.

There used to be lot of differences of opinion about role of the leader and leadership. I created a system wherein every auditor would visit a different zone for one week and he will put the score on the board, which would be there for everyone to see. Everybody will compete and every week we used to announce the scores of the each zone to show the performance of each team. Every quarter we will take out the average; whichever zone scored the highest, would receive some token of appreciation in the open house. That had worked very well and within one year, there was complete transformation. There were many other HR interventions and it worked for 14 years and the employees dissolved the union. This work is recognised in professional bodies and I have been awarded Best HR Manager Award 2003 by the Hyderabad Management Association, for the same.

quality and as per the budget planned. Data complication and analyses, identification of the gap and a new initiative in performance rating was introduced. Small teams were formed after training 300 staff members, to improve the productivity and these small teams worked on improvement of metrics on all the technical parameters. The small teams have made presentation improvements on savings—`10 crores in first six months.

The same has been documented and presented to top management and the management had appreciated the same-the same system is still working to sustain the momentum.

Today’s millennials they want everything to happen fast. What is your advice to them?

It all depends on what kind of an ecosystem the industry has created. Digitalisation has made life a little faster than what it used to be before. The belief system of Gen Y is something different from Gen X. We cannot do anything with that because the environment is influencing these people and the industry requirement is influencing this system—unless we work on that environment and the ecosystem, we cannot blame them, because their belief is a pattern picked up from the ecosystem.

Your advice to those who are aspiring to get into the HR field as a career?

It is a good profession but they should spend more time and they should become very metric-oriented. Today, being an HR is seen as a very respectable contributor to the organisation.

Dealing with business heads I joined NCC Ltd in 2007, as Vice President-HR and the role meant you are a business head and the only person to deal with all the directors and business heads. The mandate was to ensure implementation of OD The belie initiatives started by the former Dy. Manof Gen Y is s f system o How has social media aging Director. In project focused organisadifferent from mething changed the way HR functions? tion the challenge is always on boarding the We cannot d Gen X. The social media, according to me, has improved critical resources to execute the projects— o the visibility of the individual with their networkyou are always on your toes to deliver the with that bec anything ing, but how much they have improved on compeause the requirements for nine verticals, which are environmen tency, we don’t know. Definitely knowledge-sharing independent divisions lead by the promott is er director. We have given the resources these people influencing has improved-how knowledge is being imbibed, and the how it is being used to enhance effectiveness, we on dot, on all the requirements including in d u s tr y re quirement is don’t know. on boarding the Business Heads—this influencing th was on growth path. When I joined the is system Tell us about your entrepreneurial venture, employee strength was 3000, with turnPQuest Human Resources Pvt Ltd and why over of `3000 crores and when I left, you decided to do it at the later part of your the employee strength was 9000 and a turnover career journey? of `8700 crores. This initiative worked out well and was one of the best PQuest is into organisation development, organisation transformation, training programmes designed for all the level of employees including leadership development, leadership coaching, leadership excellence, busithe succession planning. A world class Performance Management system ness excellence, senior-level recruitment, training and development, perwas introduced—the best system in the construction industry in India. formance management system—that’s what we do. I started the company when I was holding my job, in 2013. When I was in NCC in the year 2011, Establishing HR Special Initiatives Department I decided to start my own organisation, PQuest, to help organisations in For the largest construction company in India, L&T Construction, I was Organisational Development (OD), using Business Excellence Models. This pursued and advised to establish HR Special Initiatives Department with is to help the Small and Medium organisations. I started PQuest to engage a focus on developing a process for the employees working at the sites myself for long years and also earn. and the contractors, as they are the key to turnaround the project on time, July July16-31, 16-31,2018 2018// Corporate CorporateCitizen Citizen // 21 21

Cover Story

Harmony of

Understanding Trust and faith are the two pillars of a successful marriage and senior HR professional, J Ravikanth Reddy, founder and CEO, PQuest Human Resources, and his wife G Sunitha Reddy, a post-graduate in Science and one of the directors of PQuest, both agree that these pillars are absolutely necessary in order to enjoy the blessings of a successful marriage. While she is a harmoniser and a peacemaker, he is workaholic, strong-willed, strategist and the action man. Ravikanth is an experienced corporate leader in the HR, OD field, but he equally admires and respects his wife’s role as a homemaker and a co-director. In a candid talk with Corporate Citizen, the dynamic duo talk about their life journey, education, career, family and more

By Rajesh Rao Jab we met Ravikanth: One fine day we met, saw each other, liked each other and agreed to marry—it was so simple. We got married in the year 1989 and it was an arranged marriage. When our son was born, she was working.

Sunitha: After completing my graduation, in 1989, we got married and I started working immediately after. I started my career as an executive in quality department in a pharmaceutical company, SIRIS, in Hyderabad. I did my post-graduation in Organic Chemistry in 1988 from Women’s College, Osmania University, Hyderabad. I have a sister, who is an MD in Gynaecology and a brother, a senior corporate leader in General Motors in the USA. Managing work and family Ravikanth: Luckily for us the advantage was, our house was near to my in-laws’ place, so my wife got all the support that can be had from them.

Sunitha: When we both were away for work, my 22 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

mother would take care of our son, Akhilesh. We were lucky to have them nearby but she moved to US, to stay with my brother. My son was studying in the fifth class, and I felt the need for me to be there while he was growing up. So after working for nearly 10 years, I decided to leave my job and become a full-time homemaker.

Homemaker’s role Sunitha: It was difficult to be a homemaker after working for 10 years—killing time was the most difficult thing. But, slowly I got myself engaged with taking care of my son, managing the house, cooking and reading. Because of me taking the role of homemaker, Ravikanth is able to do his work and devote so much time to it. He is an HR professional and manages people, but I manage the house, the kitchen, the family. So, I feel the role of homemaker should be recognised like any other management role.

Ravikanth: I agree, if this house is an office, she is the CEO of this office and I am only a supporter of some of the activities.

not influence him in any way, he has always been an independent person.

He also started an NGO called ‘Street Cause’ at a very young age against our wish. It has completed nine years’ service to humanity and is doing well.

Difference of opinion Ravikanth: Our difference of opinion arises out of two things—number one, her demand is that I should spend my Sundays at home and if I am at home, it is a time for us to go out somewhere. She always expects that I should take her someplace on Sundays, but she never expresses where she wants to go. Secondly, she learnt cooking when she left work and took the homemaker’s role and we moved into a residential flat—so our second difference of opinion is about the taste of food she cooks.

Sunitha: He used to be and is even now entire day busy with his work, so I didn’t get any help from him in managing the house and taking care of our son. Besides that one regret, he is a nice and caring person. However, one thing I would want to change in him is his temper, that sudden outburst. If he gets angry, I keep quiet and if I lose my temper, he remains silent, that’s how we harmonise with each other.

Tips for a successful marriage Ravikanth: The first quality is understanding and accommodating each Admiration for each other other. But if you take my wife or any married woman in this case, they do Ravikanth: She is a harmoniser and a peacemaker. We remore work than their husbands—Sunitha not only takes care of her work spect each other’s space. She is simple, straightforward, balat office, she comes home and takes care of the kids, kitchen and also the anced, and with very little demands. Whatever the situation husband. To some extent we men may share the responsibility, but most of is, she will manage. She always manages with whatever rethe time the load is taken by the women. The ability to absorb and manage sources we have and still we are quite wholesome. She lives is far superior in women than men. They always manage the balancing act. in reality and not superficiality. She is very accommodative— Women are anytime more mature and balanced than men. there is a call every day at 9 pm for me from her, asking me Sunitha: Trust and faith is what we have in each other and that where I am and what time I will come is the secret of a successful married life. Nowadays, young home. She wants to be informed— people get married before they know each through out the day, she will not other well—whether it is arranged or love make any calls. That is the trust we marriage, it is important that the couple have in each other.

He is an H give time to know each other very well. It Sunitha: One thing I like about professional R took me nearly two years to understand Ravikanth is that he is a stronga and know Ravikanth. willed person and always active— people, but nd manages I manage even when he is not feeling well or the house, th A moment to remember ill, he is eager to go to office and e Sunitha: One moment which I still rememwork. I rarely see him sitting idle, the family. S kitchen, o, why he always keeps himself engaged ber is when my son had an EAMCET exam. The s h o u ld n ’t h in some work. But, I like when he same day he fell ill and was not able to write the omemaker b e a designated is idle, because that is when we exam. We had accompanied our son to the exam ro le , li ke any get a chance to go out for a movhall. He appeared for the exam but could not comother manag ement role? ie or to eat out. I love travelling, plete the test. That day for the first time I saw tears G S u n it h going out for a movie or eating in my husband’s eyes. But, surprisingly, our son a out, and like family get-togethmanaged to get a good rank in the EAMCET exam. ers. I never call him on phone rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com all through the day, but after 9 pm, I start calling him till he picks the phone. I understand his work, but after 9 pm, I want to know where he is and when he is CC coming home.

tadka

Like father, like son Sunitha: When our son, Akhilesh, was in high school, I thought he should become a doctor, but he showed interest towards engineering. After doing his graduation in engineering, he did MBA in HR. Like father, like son—we both had advised him to do MBA in Marketing, but he chose HR and disclosed it to us a little later. I think he got inspired by his father, as Ravikanth would sometimes take him along to conferences and other HR events.

Ravikanth: His career choice was his own decision, I did

India’s first robotic telescope starts functioning India’s newest telescope has started observing the skies. The telescope located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at Hanle in Ladakh is the country’s first robotic telescope and the first one designed to observe dynamic or transient events in the universe.

The telescope saw its first light on the night of June 12.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 23

Mindmine Summit

Can our artisanal past, craft an exciting future?

24 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

M

arcus Garvey, leader of the Pan-African movement, once said: A people Caption without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. In today’s India, though stories of economic growth dominate the headlines, only few seem interested in talking about the origins of our cultural and artistic heritage. We hardly discuss our traditions of arts and crafts which have formed the backbone of our society over the millenniums. With over 7 million artisans engaged in traditional arts and crafts, portraying India’s rich culture and diverse history, it’s surprising why issues of their livelihood get routinely ignored? Why little is being done to protect their handmade products which obviously can’t face stiff competition from finished goods, available at lower costs due to economies of scale? Why easy access to finance and market linkages is not provided to these artisans to build their supply-chain infrastructure for better customer reach through e-business portals?

These were but a few questions raised at one of the most exciting sessions of the 12th edition of the Mindmine Summit, a flagship event of the Mindmine Institute, an independent think-tank of the Hero Enterprise which also organises Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa every year to promote craftsmen, artisans and performing artists.

Titled ‘Harnessing Legacy—Can our artisanal past craft an exciting future?’, the hour-long discussion witnessed three stalwarts brainstorming the key issues that needed urgent attention.

These were Mrs Smriti Irani (SI), Union Minister of Textiles; Rajeev Sethi (RS), well-known designer, scenographer and art curator, and Sunil Kant Munjal (SKM), Chairman of Hero Enterprise who also moderated the jam-packed session.

Incidentally, though it was a discussion, it turned into quite an interesting interview of Irani who faced some uncomfortable questions.

However, known for always speaking her mind—be it in the Parliament or in Amethi where she challenged the Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi in his own backyard in the 2014 parliamentary elections—she proved all those wrong who thought that she may have been a good actor but the politics of art and culture was “not her cup of tea”.

Corporate Citizen brings for you the edited excerpts of this most intellectually-stimulating session By Pradeep Mathur

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 25

Mindmine Summit

Well, to presume that politics is a role would be doing a great disservice to aspirations of people who hope for a better tomorrow from politicians and the Indian Parliament. To say that, as a professional, I started my career in the media and then suddenly transformed into a politician...

—Smriti Irani SKM: From being a TV star, you came into politics. What was this transition like for you? How easy or difficult were the two roles that you play?

SI: Well, to presume that politics is a role would be doing a great disservice to aspirations of people who hope for a better tomorrow from politicians and the Indian Parliament. To say that, as a professional, I started my career in the media and then suddenly transformed into a politician, also would be a lie because these journeys were taken together. The only difference was that the media career aspect found its place in the newspapers and the grassroots political work that I did was never found fancy enough to be deemed fit for a headline. However, the day I took my oath as a Member of Parliament, I consciously took a decision to step away from the arc lights because I believed that I did not want to be a politician in absentia and possibly that was when people started presuming that this has been a step from media into politics but the truth of the matter was that they were simultaneous journeys.

SKM: You’re known to be a minister who has a point of view and you make it heard, not always quietly and silently, but as someone who positions herself and holds on to her guns. Though it’s refreshing to know someone saying I believe in something and I stand by this, how difficult it gets for you to get your daily work done if this kind of thing keeps happening every now and then, and does it happen every now and then?

SI: How ironical it is? If I say that I believe in something, that I’m dedicated to something, it is looked upon as an alternative reality, as though believing in something and having faith that you can contribute to a better tomorrow (for the people) is in itself an anomaly. It is not and let me tell you that being a woman in politics who wants to stand for her beliefs is not easy because it’s predominantly a male territory. So, you not only have to stand for what you believe in but also work a bit harder to get things done. But don’t you think it’s true for all of us because in our everyday life also, irrespective of whichever profession, gender and vocation we’re from, we all believe in certain things. We feel we’ve the confidence to implement them. Success is 26 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

not guaranteed but we still try going that extra mile. I can speak at least for myself. I’ve always said that there will not be any moment where I’ll be caught unawares for not having full faith in my destiny because of want of that desire to make it happen and the desire to achieve that goal. I believe that if your belief system changes as per your political convenience, then what kind of a leader or parliamentarian you are and what would that make you? (laughs) So, for me, what is tough possibly is: If I believe in something, I stand by it, though at times, there is a cacophony which goes against your very belief.

But I think, the real test of your true mettle as a politician, or a leader, is determined in such situations only where the question that always stares you is: Whether you’re swayed by that cacophony or you still stand your ground? And, I’m one of those who stand by my beliefs and always willing to pay the price for it (come what may)! (smiles)

SKM: Well said Smritiji. Rajeev, it was 1960 when you designed the first discotheque, Celler, in the Regal Building of Delhi’s Connaught Place and then you did this grand and largest collection of art space at the Mumbai Airport. How has your work environment changed in this period as you have had a very amazing journey?

RS: It has changed a lot but since you’ve dug out my work at the Mumbai Airport, let me tell you, airports are meant to make people move and moving with pleasures is even better. So I did it that way, and Celler I had completely forgotten.

But, really, all this was done to position the incredible cultural and creative industries that I’ve been very fortunate to be exposed to all my life into the public domain—whether it was crafts or handlooms or textiles or theatres or performances or food. All these things constitute what I call the largest canvass of concerns for the cre-

ative and legacy enterprises which is what we’re discussing today.

SKM: I remember when you came to the Serendipity Arts Festival last December in Goa, while talking about private museum spaces in Mexico City, you regretted about the lack of space for private initiative in the area of museums in India.

How can we change it so that creative art industries may flourish in India?

RS: It’s a much larger issue. I think India in its trajectory of negotiating agricultural production, manufacturing industry and service sector, is now on the threshold of creative economy which connects knowledge that implies creating content. It requires a much deeper understanding of the right side of our brain which I’m afraid has shrunk considerably—whether in our school, workplace, pedagogy or professional lives—and led to a marginalisation of creative space. It has further led to an attitude that looks down upon manual labour. So, if you work with your hands or your body, it’s viewed as nautanki. Consequently, we’ve reached to a situation where even the children of craftsmen don’t want to necessarily pick this up because manual labour doesn’t guarantee them a bright future and that’s a very, very critical issue. We’re not going to get much further on this legacy enterprise till we change these paradigms completely.

You also mentioned museums. I keep saying why should we keep looking at the government only? Look at Mexico City where 375 museums exist but only four are in the government domain, the rest are private.

RS: Since you’re an exceptional corporate giant who also organises the Serendipity Arts Festival, how many of your peer groups think it’s a good investment?

SKM: I’ve myself asked this to many of my friends. Fortunately, in addition to 40 companies, we got a dozen of friends involved in year one and another dozen in year two. We wanted to spread the word that this actually matters if we want to build a better civilisation. It’s not only building doctors, engineers, lawyers that matters but it’s equally important that they also have a sense of the softer side of our society which needs to be built as much as the rest. I wish you visit our BML Munjal University in Gurgaon where we do not look at the school pass-out score because that’s not the only criteria for admission; we’re doing some interesting stuff in our admission process.

RS: I’m also excited about it because it has a South Asian flavour which looks at creative and culture industry at the university level. Hundreds of countries all around have universities, departments, pedagogy and links to the creative and culture industries but we still don’t have a single such institution, though we’ve the richest cultural heritage across the world!

SKM: Smritiji, since you talked about industry, what do you think is the role that industry, especially large private enterprise, can play in building the creative industries—handicrafts and handmade artisanal products on a global-size?

SI: It can play a huge role in giving boost to our creative economy. As Rajeevji has just pointed out, we badly need more and more private investment especially for preserving our precious artefacts and weave that matter. We’ve always encouraged our youngsters and businesses—be it in technology or the Next Big Business Idea—to invest in the past but not many people feel excited about it. For, it did not make business sense to them to invest and preserve legacies of the past—be it through art or culture. So, we’ve to look at this issue in two dimensions: one from the business angle and two, what can truly be done to encourage investment in legacy issues like crafts? We also have to understand that everybody who invests also has this desire to have specific returns. Now what’s the return that one gets in, let’s say, preserving a painting or an artefact which has a huge legacy or potential for emotional connect for a particular community or State? These questions need an answer if we want more investment from industry leaders into preservation of our cultural legacy. Insofar

as businesses go, last year, the handicrafts, including carpets, did the export business worth over 32,000 crore. Now, does that become part of conversations in industry? Perhaps not, because when people talk about those weavers, artisans and their craft, the image they have is that they’re very poor and barely able to make ends meet. But they don’t see the business potential of that particular craft in the world market.

SKM: So, what’s the real story about the artisans? How far is the bureaucracy responsible for their plight?

SI: The real story is that every year between Centre and the States, over 1,000 crore is spent to support artisans. In fact, close to a thousand crore are spent every year on handicrafts alone.

Despite so much money pumped into the system every year, you’ve that community facing so many socioeconomic challenges. So the question is: If we’re spending crores to support a community that is limited, why is it that those gains are not reaching it? Why despite so many government interventions—in terms of marketing, design and subsidies to the craftsmen—we’ve not managed to bring them up?

Till now, the pathway to make the benefits reach them passed through the artisans’ cooperatives, NGOs and trusts, etc. on the assurance that the artisan will collect the money through them.

But that was not happening. So, as per the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call, if an artisan wants money, we now make sure that it goes directly into his bank account and doesn’t go to any other organisation or NGO because when the artisan says that he was never given this money despite going to ten people, the very purpose of the government initiative gets defeated. So, the issue is not about bureaucracy whch doesn’t have any vice grip on arts and artisans. But since we, as politician, and they, as bureaucrats, are respon-

CC

tadka Pune leads in the smart home industry segment Pune is the biggest market for home automation or smart home industry in India, which accounts for 15% of the total market. The smart home industry is witnessing a rapid growth in India as the concept shows a steady growth in urban areas.

The growing market share of smart homes in India can be attributed to the growth of IT hubs and HNWIs (high net-worth individuals). HNWIs are concentrated in NCR, Punjab and Gujarat while IT Hubs are primarily located in Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Noida and Coimbatore.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 27

Mindmine Summit sible to give answers to specific questions to the Parliament and CAG, we’ve to make sure that the funds meant for artisans reach them. After all, it’s taxpayer’s money.

SKM: Many Asian countries including Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam run very successful artisans’ programmes.

Can’t the government facilitate similar government-supported but independently-run programmes by artisans’ cooperatives?

SI: Mr Munjal, it’s already happening and yet artisans are crying for more. Why? Where is all that money going which is pumped into the system to support these very endeavours? This is the question we’re asking and hence, as per the PM’s direction, we’ve started sending money directly into their bank accounts.

mechanisation how can you increase the productivity of artisans but the issue which challenged us administratively was, and I discussed it with Mr Munjal, was that we don’t realise the potential and power of our designs. So, through the weaver service centres, I said, if an artisan has an intellectual property rights (IPRs) issue and want to patent a particular design, I’m ready to offer a lawyer and consultant free of cost. This particular

Patola and something that comes of Hyderabad and a Patola and Ekkatan—the Cambodian version of Ekkat. When we talk about pedagogy, it’s about appreciation of that craft and that’s how you create new consumers. After all, if there is an investment, who are the consumers you’re preparing to take this legacy forward? So, we also need to inculcate a sense of appreciation and awareness amongst our youngsters to create

facility has been given to all the weaver service centres across the country but guess how many weavers came through? None!

the new consumers of today and tomorrow. So, when you talk about me doing a hashtag, I had the youngsters going together with it to understand what is that particular handloom weave all about? How do you differentiate between powerloom and handloom and that’s where the legacy of that craft and one of our biggest challenges lies.

SKM: My question is not about the money. It’s about facilitation, creating the environment, tools, methodologies and processes made available.

SI: Those processes are already available today but the problem is that many so-called experts, who claim to be very passionate about it, want me to give them money for going ahead. So, that’s where the Catch-22 situation exists. If this is about supporting private participation, I’ll be more than happy to help.

RS: You’ve fund-raising option also Smritiji to support artisans who are the real stakeholders. How many of you know that 2% of the cost of constructing a public building has to go for art and craft works.

You earlier asked me about the Mumbai Airport, the reason why I got such a huge budget—probably bigger than the budget of all art galleries, museums and festivals in the country in the whole decade—was because I just applied for this 2% and got it. That’s where you’ve got the teeth. Why don’t you make use of this clause and ask your colleagues in the Urban Development Ministry to help you out?

SI: I will but here I must tell you that even in my earlier avatar as the HRD Minister, we had done these interventions. One such called ‘Sandhi’ was miracle of sorts involving IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee and all the NIITs looking into the preservation of artistic legacy because it said without

SKM: Since you’ve talked about IPRs, besides very senior academics, we’ve the director of IIM Ahmedabad and ISB Hyderabad sitting here who is also the in charge of the Munjal Institute of Global Manufacturing, I think it’s important that also looking at our entire curricula, and methodology of how we’re delivering this and include the softer aspects of education—whether it is engineering or medicine or law—and it’s possible.

SI: You’re right. We now surely need to inculcate that sense of wanting to consume that craft amongst our youngsters. They must learn to appreciate and differentiate between, say a Patan

RS: Paintings also form part of our culture but sometimes it’s not commercially viable to buy them. We’ve many artists whose paintings are very expensive but since we’ve very strict tax regulations, art collectors aren’t able to keep their collections in India. Don’t you think we need to work around our tax norms to help people invest in art?

SI: I’m sorry I’m not aware about the tax rates on art frames in the new GST regime but when

For those working for the declining or dying crafts of India, we want their income to take a quantum leap. We want to help them contemporise their quantum of design based on same skills. If it works, it’ll potentially be the largest initiative ever taken in the country, or maybe the world —Sunil Kant Munjal 28 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

India in its trajectory of negotiating agricultural production, manufacturing industry and service sector, is now on the threshold of creative economy which connects knowledge that implies creating content. It requires a much deeper understanding of the right side of our brain —Rajeev Sethi you talk about consuming a piece of art, there surely exists a market for a particular brand of artists today. However, how many of us buy a painting apart from those who buy it for investment purposes? How many buy it just for the love of the painter or the craft? How many of us have inculcated a habit amongst our children to visit a gallery, not to buy anything but just to appreciate the work? How many of us have visited the National Gallery of Modern Art with our children? How many of us have made them understand the legacy of the different schools of art in India and conducted those kind of conversations with our children?

SKM: I’ve a five-and-a-half-year-old grandson but he has already visited at least 20 galleries and 10 museums.

SI: But you’re an exception Mr Munjal. Ask anybody who’s having a middle-class or even an upper-middle class family, whether they genuinely take their children out to an art gallery on a weekend and even if they don’t, how many conversations they’ve with their kids about the art, craft and culture of their state and city, forget about the rest of the country? You’ll not find many young or even middle-aged parents having those conversations with their children.

RS: Talking about legacy enterprises and the connections between creative expressions reminds me of the Vishnu Dharmotra Puran. It says, if you want to be an architect, you’ve to be a dancer; to be a dancer, you’ve to be a sculptor; to be a sculptor, you’ve to be a poet; and to be a poet, you’ve to know mathematics; and to know mathematics, music becomes necessary. With this kind of connection between all creative expressions, don’t you think we need to bring

it out as a package, just as Serendipity does it very creditably?

SI: That’s why, Rajeevji, I wish Serendipity to become one of our major partners at the forthcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFY).

RS: I wish Modiji create a Ministry of Culture and Creativity Industries and put you there. We can then talk to you and take it forward.

SKM: Just to give you an example of what, among the many projects, we’re doing at the Serendipity, is the one about the humble charpai which is the most fascinating piece of furniture that you can imagine. It involves very sophisticated and amazing geometry. If you’ve three people sit on its edge, it’ll break but if eight people sit on the centre, nothing will happen. Do you know every region and culture of India has a different weave on how to hold it together?

SI: (smiles) Audience, when was it till you have a Munjal talking about it that you realise the geometry of charpai as a piece of art? Actually, there are many everyday things that have a mathematical background but we hardly notice and discuss them, isn’t it?

Rajeev: Actually jharoo is also an incredible story of different topographies. Jharoo also teaches you a lot about the environment, topography and culture of that particular community.

SKM: By the way, we’re also getting involved with another project, separate from Serendipity, whereby we’re examining if we can help those working for the declining or dying crafts of India.

We want their income to take a quantum leap.

We want to help them contemporise their quantum of design based on same skills. If it works, it’ll potentially be the largest initiative ever taken in the country, or maybe the world, as we found there are about 10 million individuals you can touch with this.

RS: Today lots of emphasis is given on skilling Indian youth but why don’t you also include protection of art traditions into the list?

SI: In a recent Cabinet decision, the Prime Minister has provided for a special initiative only for the protection of handicrafts and handlooms. But the challenge is: We look at skilling from an upskilling point of view. How

do you skill somebody who is already skilled in terms of crafts and weaves. So, we’re trying to give them some additional skills which they don’t have like those related to management, financial services, computers and IT, to name a few. These are skills with which they can have a broader perspective in terms of market access. We had to design it because artisans and weavers said: Aap mujhe kya sikhaogay? Main to pehle se hi skilled hoon. So, the PM has now initiated this process of what we call upskilling of those who’re already skilled.

RS: It’s not just about upskilling, it is also about doing justice. If you’ve got plumbing, driving and computers, then why do you not introduce crafts for people who do not know anything about crafts?

SI: Rajeevji, that is also provided for but I think the love, understanding and learning of a craft start when you’re very young in life. So, we need to catch them young and that is where this whole conversation takes us back to pedagogy and education.

SKM: You’re right Smritiji but it’s a vast subject that deserves much more attention than it’s getting. I hope the corporate world will take note of it and we’ll have more and more business leaders getting involved with this. mathurpradeep1@gmail.com

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tadka India’s first hybrid highway The 14-lane Delhi-Meerut Expressway opened recently by PM Narendra Modi and the 3-hour-long distance was reduced to just 40 minutes; it has done away with 31 signals and proved to be an engineering marvel. Sporting vertical gardens with drip irrigation system and rainwater harvesting, it reduces pollution, there is now also an intelligent traffic management and video-incident detection system. Offering 100% access-controlled, smart, green, signal-free and solar-powered journey, here toll amount is calculated on distance travelled and not on the entire length of the Expressway.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 29

Corporate Top PositionStalwart

“What Indian managers have to learn better is the ability to move from being reactive problem solvers to proactive problem definers, or proactive solution definers�

30 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

How to be a

Better Manager Narayana Murthy is one of the giants of India’s IT industry. In 1981, he founded Infosys, a provider of consulting and business process outsourcing services, which is today India’s sixth-largest publicly-traded company.

Murthy talked with HBR about the most valuable advice he ever received, the advice he gives young professionals, and how he approaches leadership and management

By Amy Bernstein

HBR: What was the best advice you received as a young man, and what advice do you now give to young professionals?

Murthy: The first lesson I learned was from my father who wanted his children to cultivate inexpensive habits. He said, “If you cultivate inexpensive habits, you will not become a victim of money in later years. And, you will not fall into the trap of greed which leads you to do things that you will later regret.”

He said, “You must cultivate the habit of reading.” In those days, in India (actually even today), every small town had a public library from which you could borrow a book free every day.

You could also read magazines, journals and newspapers there, whatever you wanted. So, this habit did not cost any money.

He also said, “You learn to enjoy music.” My father was a schoolteacher. We were eight children. We were poor. We did not even have a radio at home. I am talking of the early 1950s.

And he said, “Why don’t you go to the public garden and sit there. They play music from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.” So, we used to go there, sit there and enjoy music for an hour. And, that was free.

And finally he said, “Cultivate good friends

and discuss interesting and useful things with these friends. These conversations do not cost you any money.” So the three habits that I learned from my father that I practise and enjoy even today, are: 1. Reading books. (I spend a reasonable amount of time in reading books on physics, mathematics and computer science). 2.

I listen to music. I listen to Indian classical, Indian film songs in Hindi and Kannada, Western pop songs, Western classical and music of many nations. 3. I have a few friends with whom I can spend a lot of time. None of these things cost me much money.

The second lesson I learned was from my high school headmaster, Mr K V Narayan (KVN). I was 13 years old. He taught us the importance of treating public property, property that belongs to the community, with even greater care than your own private property. He was conducting an experiment in chemistry, and he wanted to use sodium chloride (common salt). He was being extremely careful with the amount of common salt that he put into the test tube. One of my friends who was sitting next to me thought KVN was very stingy and burst out laughing. So, KVN stopped his experiment, and came to where we were sitting. KVN asked

my friend why he laughed and what was so funny about the experiment. My friend said, “Sir, you are so stingy with common salt which is so cheap. That is why I laughed”. KVN said something that I remember and practise even today. He said, “Remember that this inexpensive common salt belongs to our school. This is the property of the school. This belongs to you, to me, to this class, and to the entire school. Therefore, I have to be extremely careful about how I use it.” He continued, “You come to my house, and I will give you a big jar of common salt free.

Because, that jar of common salt at home is my private property. I can afford to be very generous with my private property. But when it is a question of public property, I have to be very careful. I am a small owner of the jar of common salt in the school along with other teachers and hundreds of students.” And, that was an extremely important lesson. I become very angry when I find people not practising this lesson.

The third lesson came from Prof. J G Krishnayya (JGK), my boss at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He taught us the importance of starting every transaction on a zero base and not carrying the hysteresis of bias from prior transactions. Let me give you an July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 31

Corporate Top PositionStalwart example. From time to time, JGK and I would have a discussion on a technical issue. In the heat of excitement, we would say things that would not be appropriate. I was guilty of it more often than JGK. I would spend the night worrying that JGK had gotten upset with me. But, the next morning when I met him, he would be smiling, affectionate and full of charm. He would behave as if that offending transaction did not happen. In fact, my colleagues at Infosys have observed me behaving exactly like JGK did. They know that my comments were purely on that issue and have nothing to do with the person involved.

The second lesson JGK taught me was the importance of using data and facts to come to conclusions. JGK would say, “Young man, if you use data and facts to arrive at conclusions, then you will not be biased, you will not be opinionated, and you will be fair to the other person.” Again, this is something that I have practised all my life since meeting JGK in late sixties and I consider this a very important aspect of any leader.

What advice do you, in turn, give to young professionals?

I have spent most of my time in the corporate world. I have spoken to youngsters all over the world. I have realised that the most effective way of passing on advice to youngsters is to use short, simple attractive sentences to communicate some of these ideas. For example, I tell our youngsters, “In God we trust. Everybody else brings data to the table.” It sticks in their mind, and hopefully has some value.

The second piece of advice I tell them is to practise honesty, integrity, decency and fairness.

I communicate these values to them by the adage, “The softest pillow is a clear conscience”.

And, they understand that I am advising them to be honest, to be fair to others, to use data and facts, and not be biased. They understand that honesty helps them sleep well, because they know that they have done nothing wrong. Their conscience is clear.

And the third piece of advice I give is about the need for transparency. I use the adage, “When in doubt, disclose” to communicate this powerful attribute of value system.

Transparency is a prime value attribute in the corporate world because good corporate governance depends up on transparency.

Transparency is also the hallmark of a good professional, a good human being and a good citizen of any society.

What is the biggest mistake you made earlier in your career, and what did you learn from it?

I have often said that Infosys is an intelligent and enlightened democracy. During the Infosys 32 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

I have realised that the most effective way of passing on advice to youngsters is to use short sentences to communicate... For example, I tell our youngsters, “In God we trust. Everybody else brings data to the table.” It sticks in their mind and hopefully has some value’’

days, I collected lots of smart people around me.

And, we would decide every strategic issue only after we have had intelligent, informed and passionate discussions. On any non-classified issue, I would invite, in addition to internal experts, outside people with experience in that area, listen to them, argue the pluses and minuses, and then come to an informed conclusion. Therefore, by and large, I have avoided making a major mistake. Perhaps, I may not have taken the best possible decisions. As you know very well, in a democracy, you may not take the best decision but you take the best decision under the circumstances (most optimal decisions). With such a strategy, you avoid disasters. The important ingredient for a good decision is to create an open, pluralistic and fearless environment where the best debates are possible.

Who is the best leader or manager you’ve worked with, and what made that person best?

I have been lucky to have had excellent bosses. I learned something from each one of them. But I

practised. There were many occasions when my colleagues felt that I had not got upset in a crisis.

What talents do Indian companies need most right now?

would say that the person that had the most impactful influence on me as a corporate manager was my boss when I worked in Paris in a software company. This gentleman, an Englishman from South Africa, demonstrated to me how a good manager takes bottom line responsibility for the mistakes committed by his assistants, and provides all the help and encouragement to the offending assistant(s) to do what is necessary to resolve an issue or a crisis on time, within budget and with requisite quality. He would remain calm, wise, helpful and encouraging and provide all resources to his assistants who were toiling to complete the job. Only after the job was completed did my boss in Paris give a tap on the knuckles of the people who had committed a serious mistake.

Here is what I mean: One Friday evening, we were testing the operating system that we were building and found a huge error which turned out to be my fault. We figured out the problem around 6 pm. All my colleagues went away. Who would want to stay in the office after 6 pm on a Friday evening in Paris? But my

boss listened to me carefully and understood my mistake and the huge work required to reset all the databases so that the entire team’s work did not suffer when they came back to office on Monday morning. I explained that the repair task would take about 24 hours. He just smiled. He and his wife were supposed to go to someplace for dinner that night. He cancelled it. He sat down with me. He told me jokes. He brought food and coffee for me. And I completed the task around 4:00 pm or 4:30 pm next day (Saturday). And, when he was sure that the task was completed properly, he said, “Kid, (I was very young at the time), next time you do this, I’ll spank you.”

And the point is, this boss of mine interacted with me like I had done nothing wrong and gave me confidence to complete the job. That was when I realised that a great leader would provide you full bottom line support when the going was bad, and that he would not get upset.

But once the task was completed and once we had recovered from the crisis, he or she would show his or her anger. This is something I have

First of all, we must become adept at operating in multicultural environments. Because globalisation is becoming more and more popular in India, because Indian managers are going to different parts of the world, and because Indian talent is visiting many developed countries to design systems, particularly in our industry, we have to become much more multicultural in our mindset. We have to learn how to negotiate pleasantly in a multicultural environment.

We have to learn to understand the aspirations of the multicultural talent that works with us.

We have to learn how to motivate people from different cultures. We have to learn to lead multicultural talent.

The second thing that Indian managers have to learn better is the ability to move from being reactive problem solvers to proactive problem definers, or proactive solution definers. Indians are very hardworking. They are reasonably smart. But, by and large, the Indian professionals expect their bosses to tell them in detail what needs to be done. Then, they will do it extremely well. What our professionals have to learn is to go into a new situation, find new problems and design their solutions.

Third, we have to become better in communication, particularly in English. The English that we learn in India is highly grammatical but very verbose. We tend to use many more words than necessary to express ideas. We have to learn to express ideas in a simple and straightforward way. If we learn to communicate well, we will become even better.

(This article is originally published in www. hbrascend.in. This is the link: https://www. hbrascend.in/topics/how-to-be-a-better-manager-an-interview-with-n-r-narayana-murthy/)

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tadka Mumbai, home to world’s highest-paid expats Foreigners moving to Mumbai reported average annual earnings of $217,165; which is more than double the global expat average of $99,903, said an HSBC Expat survey. But Mumbai is ranked lower in expat job opportunities than UK and US destinations such as London, San Francisco, New York, or even Birmingham, according to HSBC.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 33

INSPIRING TALK

Dreams you should pursue

Pics: Ahmed Sheikh

Amruta Fadnavis, Deputy Vice President, Axis Bank and dynamic wife of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, spoke eloquently about the corporate world and dreams that young student managers should pursue

Q

By Vinita Deshmukh

Quite clearly, it is the MBA couple that rules Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his dashing wife, Amruta are accomplished MBA graduates. Amruta pursued her MBA in finance. She has been working with Axis Bank since the past 14 years and currently holds the position of Deputy Vice President - Corporate Head, West India for transaction banking business. Besides, she has been an under-16 state-level tennis player as well as a trained classical singer.

Amruta has rendered her rich voice for saving the girl child. She has also debuted as a playback singer for movies.

She walked the ramp at the New York Fashion Week for the promotion of handloom and education of the girl child. She has also initiated ‘Sakshama’, a programme for the welfare and empowerment of acid attack victims, in collaboration with Maharashtra State Women’s Commission.

Recently, Amruta Fadnavis delivered the keynote address at the induction ceremony of Sri Balaji Society’s four MBA colleges in Pune. She ended her inspiring talk with the rendition of Arijit Singh’s number, Tum hi ho addressing it to Dr (Col.) Balasubramanian, President, Sri Balaji Society to cheekily tweak it to tell the students that they are now under his tutelage for the next two years, to shape them up as young and dynamic corporate leaders…

Excerpts from her address, where she dwelt on various subjects:

Impressions of Sri Balaji Society

The SBS educational institute has a very elaborate and beautiful infrastructure. It nurtures student managers with passion, by inspiring them to learn, absorb and innovate. The energy of the students, faculty and Col. Balasubramanian’s enthusiasm and encouragement 34 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian, Editor-in-Chief, Corporate Citizen and President, Sri Balaji Society, felicitates Ms Amruta Fadnavis

is contagious and at a different level. Therefore, I congratulate each one here as the future is in front of us.

Rigorous training is an advantage

This rigorous training at SBS will prepare students career-wise as a professional and also help them at a personal level. It is at this institute that you will experience life that will make for lifetime memories which you will cherish forever, and make friends who will stay with you for life. It is indeed heartening to note that Sri Balaji Society ranks high amongst the best 25 B-schools across India. It is also interesting to note that it operates on the principles of working seven days a week without a holiday. It speaks about passion to study and that is what we need of the youth today.

Working for over-and-above profit

Such focus, hard work and deliberation remind me of the lines which should be engraved within you always - luck is

Caring for Planet Earth

We know the earth has limited resources, and they are depleting every day. Is our business or workplace conducive to this kind of environment, which needs our help today, which is crying out to us today? Because it is our duty to maintain the environment, improve it and pass it on to the next generation in good condition.

Caring for ethics

You already have examples like the Tata and Godrej who work based on ethics despite running commercial enterprises, and have reached the top. So when you start a business with values, profits will follow. The choice is yours— whether you want to work only for profit, or whether you want to contribute to society.

The government, on its part, is also supporting you all young people with various initiatives. Initiatives like ‘Digital India’, ‘Make in India’, ‘Skill India’, ‘Startup India’ are all there for you to create an environment, which will help you as entrepreneurs and innovators.

Innovation is what is lagging in our system today, in our country today, and as Steve Jobs said, “Innovation is what distinguishes a leader from a follower”. Leaders are who we want to create, and that is the objective of Col. Balasubramanian. So I congratulate all of you once again for a great future ahead. With your vision and the way you dream for your country, I am sure you will create the India of our dreams and we all depend on you for bringing about the change. All change is in your hands, so treat this education in the coming days as a passion. Just throw yourself into it and you will find the results; you will give others the results, and you will be happier than anyone else on earth. You find happiness within yourself and by bringing yourself up, and subsequently helping the teams and others, you will find yourself and your longterm happiness. vinitapune@gmail.com

“This rigorous training will prepare you career-wise as a professional and also help you at a personal level.

It is at this institute that you will experience life that will make for lifetime memories which you will cherish forever, and make friends who will stay with you for life” the last dying wish of those who want to believe that winning comes by chance; sweat, on the other hand, is for those who know it’s a matter of choice. So, you are here to choose your way, your path, to choose yourself as winners, so best of luck for that.

It is about your beliefs and resources which will help the business thrive. Whether they are your colleagues, your seniors, your supporters, your clients or your customers, you have to build their confidence, and that can happen through integrity and hard work, which I am sure you all will do.

In fact, wherever you go—whether you work for corporates, multinationals or have your own startups, I am sure you will bring laurels for yourself, your families, to the institute... but I want to ask you one question, which is: would you be doing anything for more than earning profits, which is very important?

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 35

Pics: Ahmed Sheikh

Interview

Simple living, high thinking!

Baliram Mutagekar, HR professional and trustee, HR Infotech Association Pune, is a textbook example of how hard work and perseverance will lead you to success. Hailing from a small village of Belgaum District, Karnataka, Baliram has come a long way. He always believes in simple living and high thinking!

This is what beckons him to reach new milestones every time.

His thoughts and actions go out of the way to assist his near and dear ones. Recently, Baliram’s inspiring session at a leading institute of management in Pune left the students spellbound.

Corporate Citizen caught up with Baliram to understand the milestones of his journey, HR technicalities and much more

By Ekta Katti How has your career journey been so far?

It’s been a fantastic journey. Although I come from small town, I have come really far. I have faced several challenges at a young age. My father passed away when I was young. Soon, the responsibility fell on me and my brother. After my engineering, there weren’t much good opportunities to start working with big companies. Therefore I started with a small firm, with a not-so-handsome salary. Nonetheless, the values and my upbringing have taught me how to hold the fort.

I was able to complete my Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Karnataka University with first class and distinction. This gave a perfect start to my education. Quite focused on what to expect from my career, I knew, I had to earn the right degrees. Later, I finished my Master of Business Administration (MBA) in HR from Pune University.

Over the years, I have been lucky to serve in several roles in the industry. It gave me a chance to explore and understand this field much better. Coming to my career growth, it can be described as a stepping stone was when I was working with Persistent Systems as Associate Senior Manager - HR. There was I responsible for designing and implementing strategies, policies, processes, templates, forms and formats. I was also given a chance to prepare the budget and track the expenses. Connecting with employees through various communication forums opened several horizons for me. Right from working with a small company to a big organisation, I have always respected my work, which has helped me grow by leaps and bounds.

Can you enlighten us on the roles you have handled in your career?

Over the 15 years of experience in HR, I have successfully handled many important functions in HR such as performance assessment, dealing with aspirations of the employees, competency mapping, training, managing campus recruitment, appraisals, employee grievances and others. These roles have given a chance to me understand my employees. With this, I effectively manage the core HR for more than 3,500 employees.

36 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

I developed strategies for employee retention. That in turn reduced the attrition rate by 5% with innovative HR initiatives. Backed with my educational background and knowledge, I was able to design and implement HR solutions to achieve business success and enhance organisational capability. As responsibilities went on increasing, my career skyrocketed. None of my hard work went unnoticed. Appreciation of my work encourages me to perform even better.

How has the experience changed you as a person?

Thankfully, my hard work and passion towards this field made my upward journey on the career ladder quite smooth. Having kissed success at a young stage, my family’s approval means the world to me. Despite my being the youngest in family, the way they look up to me, makes me smile from ear to ear.

Challenges makes a person strong. Having seen many ups and down, different learnings have changed my perception. I have always had a solid foundation, owing to my upbringing. It has brought me closer to my roots. Taking up responsibility has taught me about the sense of ownership which is quite crucial these days. When people approach me for their problems, it makes me feel special. When it comes to dealing with people, I’m probably still the same as I was before, humble and rooted in the values imbibed.

Can you throw some light on what aspiration-competency mapping is?

Every person is unique. Different people have different aspirations. Especially, the current generation, they have a set of unconventional expectations. They believe in working smartly, rather than working hard. These millennials look for instant gratification. They are under the impression that all the answers are available online. I feel, they should apply their knowledge instead of finding easy solutions. As far as my role is concerned, I mapped the aspirations of employees. The company tries to work as per the mapping.

If the aspirations are within the reach of the organisation, we try of fulfil it. Some employees have specific aspirations of working for a certain branch at a desired location. If it’s manageable, the employee’s needs are attended to. In other case, the employee needs to be open for a change.

“I developed strategies for employee retention. That in turn reduced the attrition rate by 5% with innovative HR initiatives”

What are the techniques of performance appraisal? What happens as regards an appraisal at work?

Different organisations have different performance methods. Some companies are of the opinion that appraisals should be continuous, rather than waiting till the year end.

Feedback on monthly basis is also followed as an appraisal technique. Often a performance appraisal is combination of both written and oral elements, whereby the management evaluates and provides feedback on the employees’ performance. The objective is to understand the employees’ growth and the way they are performing their job. This will help them in their career development. The process includes obtaining the information, analysing it, and entering it in the system.

In some organisations, the feedback given by managers is to be fed to the system. A two-way interaction, between employee and manager, is also used to evaluate the progress.

I feel, this is the right technique of appraisal. The two entities should collaborate, understand the issue and find a solution.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 37

Interview pany to company, to the extent where there are varied cultures amongst the various departments of an organisation.

For some departments, knowledge is the key. In that case, they would retain the employee at any cost. On the other hand, there exist departments that welcome freshers with different views. So, the best way to tackle any issue is to address the challenges. Finding solutions that are valuable to the company should be the priority. Departments should chalk down customised plans to retain the person. Solutions should be tailor-made for great outcomes.

Your views on the dress code in the corporate world?

Luckily, I got a chance to witness the growth of HR department as an important function in management. I have been with the HR department throughout my IT career. It is indeed a privilege to see it grow by leaps and bounds The effects of performance appraisals are multifold. It acts as a motivation for them to improve their productivity.

Secondly, it gives them clarity and leads them to take responsibility. On the other hand, one-on-one performance appraisals give a chance to the employees to communicate openly with the management, which boosts their morale.

How has the role of HR changed?

Luckily, I got a chance to witness the growth of HR department as an important function in management. I have been with the HR department throughout my IT career. It is indeed a privilege to see it grow by leaps and bounds. Earlier, HR was just a department. Now it is an important partner of the business function. HR works hand in hand with business. After understanding the business, all the HR policies are made, keeping the interest of the organisation in mind.

How do CSR activities affect a company’s growth?

These days, CSR activities have become an important aspect for all the organisations. The government has made it mandatory for organisations to allocate funds, of certain percentage, for CSR activities. Most companies are focusing on the prime areas like community development, education and health. These are the core areas where uplift of the society is necessary. It is interesting to see the employees take an active part in the CSR activities. I feel, companies should focus on creating the right framework for the CSR activities they are engaged in, and this framework should be feasible in order to plan and execute such activities effectively.

What are the best HR solutions that lead to the success of a business?

The HR department works very closely in finding successful solutions for business. As work culture differs from com38 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

While the quality of your work is important, your professional image is just as crucial. Formal dress code, particularly in the corporate world, makes a great impact. However, I believe that we should change as per time. Dress that makes us feel comfortable should be worn. But there’s always a thin line that shouldn’t be crossed. Outfits that would make other employees uncomfortable should be avoided. After all, we come to an office which creates a healthy environment.

Work-related stress in the corporate world is quite high. Any guidelines on how to deal with it?

At a personal level, the teachings of my lifetime mentor have helped me evolve. The virtues learnt, aid me deal with stress in a calm and composed way. I make sure to find some time to perform yoga and meditation. Agreed, the stress levels are very high in the industry. But employees need to learn to cope with it. They should express and address their issues.

The work culture these days is quite open. When an employee feels stressed out, they should immediately acknowledge it and talk about it to their superiors. Asking for help shouldn’t make you feel incompetent or uncomfortable. In fact, it will cut down your stress level by making you feel light. Turns out, at times, the issues might not be that important also. Hence, speaking up will provide an employee with an immediate relief and make him or her stress-free.

Today’s generation mostly lives in the virtual world. That is one of the reasons why stress levels are increasing. Self-realisation is the key to overcome stress. Understand the root cause and try to rectify it. What matters is the approach.

Other than work what keeps you busy?

I enjoy reading. It keeps me updated and motivates me to innovate. I also actively participate on social forums. Being the core committee member of the HR Association, I am involved in managing various conferences and workshops.

What is your philosophy in life?

Be true to yourself and learn to trust others. This trust will be helpful in solving many problems.

Any advice for the millennials who wish to join the corporate world?

There is a difference between applied knowledge and knowledge. Application of knowledge is very crucial. There will certainly be several hurdles in your life. Learn to tackle them head-on, rather than just being a part of the problem, come up with a solution. Explore the world and keep taking up challenges. Failures are a part of our life, learn from them as these teachings are valuable.

Be a part of the solution As the students start their journey to make it big in the corporate world, Baliram Mutagekar touched base with them on the points which were quite basic yet equally important.

H

e stressed that application of knowledge is very important and that it should be used in the process of finding a solution.

“Most of them just address the problem, but none are the part of the solution. The students should be a part of the solution instead of just addressing the problem. Come up with a solution-mindset as the solution is just around you. However, you should

understand that it takes a lot of efforts to find the solution,” he said. Baliram made it quite clear that HR people are really interested in understanding the employee’s approach rather than the solution of the problem.

The advent of technology has it pros and cons. Baliram urges the students to not misuse the technology. “Use it for the right cause. Social media, TV are sometimes a distraction. I feel, TV creates a lot negativity. These could be small things, but there is always an impact. There is certainly no value addition. I urge you to use tools for a good cause,” advised Baliram.

Books are one of your best teachers, agrees Baliram. He believes that reading the right books could have a magical impact on you. “I want all the kids to take up reading.

Keep the habit of reading good books. It will change your thought process. Finding time to read books is the key.

Books will sharpen your thought and build your mindset,” informed Baliram. Some of the books he advised the students to read are, Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Business of 21st Century, and The Magic of Thinking BIG. The curious minds had several questions and inhibitions which were addressed by Baliram.

Some of the students are mistaken that colleges are only to get placement. Baliram explained, “Colleges help students in varied ways. But it is up the students to take the responsibility. Colleges ensure to provide knowledge, values and experience. It is easy to get a job, but difficult to get the right job to build a long-term career. Jobs are created where machines fail to work. Jobs around emotions, values, collaboration, ethics will always need humans. College will help you find the right internship.”

He urges the student to be open for opportunities.

“Travelling to different cities for internship or jobs will help you understand the culture and other aspects,” he said. With startups being the buzzword, Baliram informed the students, “Frankly, there are thousands of ideas available in the market for free. The key here is to have a workable idea. Most of the startups create a platform. We need to have our own network and understand its value.

Check options which involve no capital, no workers, and no risks. Such concepts are available in the market. To take up such a thing, you need to be passionate and with the right mindset,” he informed. ektaakatti@gmail.com

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tadka For expats, Mumbai more expensive than Melbourne and Frankfurt Cost of living for expatriates in Mumbai is the highest in the country, and more expensive than its global peers like Melbourne and Frankfurt, said a survey.

The financial capital of the country is ranked at the 55th spot in terms of cost of living globally, higher than cities like Melbourne (58), Frankfurt (68), Buenos Aires (76), Stockholm (89) and Atlanta (95), according the 2018 cost of living survey by global consulting firm Mercer.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 39

book review

The

Insightful Campus To Corporate Journey For students who are waiting in the wings to enter the cut-throat competition of the corporate world, this book equips you comprehensively on the two worlds and how to competently cope with the transition

By Vinita Deshmukh

M

any corporate leaders have time and again spoken about the disconnect between the knowledge acquired in college campuses and its inadequacy when the student is hired in the corporate world. This propels most corporate organisations to conduct orientation programmes for the new entrants to suit their specific need.

The well-researched book, C2C (Campus to Corporate) authored by well-known corporate leader, Commodore Dilip Mohapatra and researcher Swati Karve comes handy for students, trainers and corporate managers as it opens the window to both the worlds and holds your hand to the door of success. It is a comprehensive guide that bridges the disconnect between campus and corporate life. It equips the student managers with thorough information of the intensities and stark realities of campus life; what they should expect in the corporate world and; how they should cope with the cut-throat competition there to make themselves successful.

As Mohapatra sounds you at the outset, “apart from classroom instructions, the campus provides internship, field studies and even action learning opportunities. Yet, when the campus pass-outs join the industry, companies invest considerable time and efforts to induct and integrate them into the organisations.’’

Giving a lucid and analytical insight into how one should align oneself with the demands of the corporate culture, the authors have literally shredded every aspect of the physical, mental, social and structural arenas that exist within and outside you and play a prominent role in building you for a smooth entry into your job, through the large repertoire of words. This has been meticulously and smartly brought out with the intelligent construction 40 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

of the ‘seven Cs’. They are: Culture, Capability, Commitment, Chemistry, Co-opetition, Conflict and Credibility. This novel approach towards understanding the corporate world makes it easy for the reader to comprehend the lethargic/volatile base he or she may be standing on and having realised that, learn the ropes of what goes into making a successful corporate leader.

After this dissection comes the second part on how to tackle all these seven aspects. Writes Mohapatra, “while the first part is akin to constructing the Craft and the Chart, the second part deals with the Compass and methods that are needed to navigate. It has a three-S framework, with three broad sub-sections of Selection, Survival and Success, where the “How’’ aspects are elaborated.

All the chapters are ably punctuated with tips and examples. It will surely enlighten the reader on how getting employment, and employability are two different things, or how commitment means not leaving things midway. There are many such gems hidden in the book that are revealing and worth noting and emulating.

This book is not for casual reading. You need to chew on the words and assimilate their worth in order that the information transforms into action and implementation for yourself, for your own personal and professional growth.

The book is a blend of observations, experiences and research and hence brings great value to the students as a career navigation manual. The faculty in campuses and corporate managers will find the book very helpful for mentor-

Author

Dilip Mohapatra & Swati Karve Title

C2C: Campus To Corporate Publishers

Authorspress Pages

328 Price

`595

ing their students for their career success. The illustrations, models and cases presented in the book make the concepts clearer to the reader. These visuals bring out their relevance to the real-life practical situations.

As Dr Ganesh Natarajan, well-acclaimed corporate leader and author succinctly puts it, “It is refreshing to see a book that encourages youth to look at culture and chemistry as critical elements for career success and making the critical transition from Campus to Corporate.” Having practiced love as an active verb for running two successful companies, I strongly endorse Dilip and Swati’s views on what leads to institution and people success."

Excerpts:Lend your ears, Students!

• In the campuses, we have experienced students who exhibit a “know all” attitude even though what they actually might have learnt is limited and bookish.

• Often MBA students, especially those from good institutions have an impression that they know more than their non-MBA counterparts. Some even look down upon students passing out of institutions which rank lower in B-school surveys.

• In a campus, culture is passed on from one batch of students to the next. “Rites of passage” and “rituals” become events that mark important milestones in passing culture.

For instance, induction programmes in an organisation. Induction programmes, commencement ceremonies, student organisation events, etc. are such “rituals” in colleges. These rites and rituals celebrate traditions that the organisations are steeped in.

• Most students only focus on one goal: Getting a good placement. Good marks, participating in college group events and activities and building a résumé are all means to this one goal. However, many students may not focus on how they achieve this goal, or the ethics behind the process. There could be copying, submission of older projects as one’s own, buying marks, bribing authorities, gaining favours through unfair means and so on.

• It is common to see boys and girls being just friends or getting into relationships such as “girl-friend” and “boyfriend”. Cohabitation has become accepted norm in some campuses. There is cross-gender identification and gender awareness that drives students’ relationships.

• The student looks at the learning experience at the college mostly as a stepping stone to cross over to the professional world and not so much as the basic ingredient to enhance his/her corporate readiness/worthiness and for paving the way to lifelong learning.

• While competence is about worthiness and degree of performance or levels of proficiency by an individual, competency is characterised by—knowledge, skills, mindsets, and the resulting behaviour and actions that when used whether singularly or in various combinations, result in successful performance in the role or task the individual is assigned to.

Corporates, are you listening?

There is no standard list of capabilities appropriate to every organisation. However, Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich have identified eleven such capabilities listed below that well-managed companies tend to have

When an organisation falls below the norm in any of these capabilities, dysfunction and competitive disadvantage may ensue. These capabilities are: • Talent: The ability to attract, motivate, recruit, retain “competent and committed people” • Speed: Quickly execute changes, for example, recognising opportunities and acting quickly to seize them • Shared Mindset and Coherent Brand Identity: Ensure that customers and employees experience a “positive and consistent” brand image of the organisation • Accountability: To ensure “high performance from employees” • Collaboration: Being good at “working across… boundaries” in a cohesive manner to ensure both efficiency and synergy • Learning: to “generate ideas with impact” so that they can be implemented and generalised • Leadership: To make sure leaders are developed at all levels throughout the organisation, that is “embedding leaders throughout the organisation” • Customer Connectivity: Being good at customer relationships and customer engagement, to build “enduring relationships of trust with targeted customers • Strategic Unity: Share a common vision and mission throughout the organisation “to articulate and share a strategic point of view”

It is refreshing to see a book that encourages youth to look at culture and chemistry as critical elements for career success and making the critical transition from Campus to Corporate - Dr Ganesh Natarajan • Innovation: To create something new in both content and process “to develop breakthrough products and processes” • Efficiency: “Managing costs” for example, through various means like reducing efforts or waste vinitapune@gmail.com

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tadka

World’s largest iceberg set to disappear The largest iceberg ever recorded, that broke away from Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf 18 years ago, could be nearing the end of its voyage, according to NASA. When iceberg B-15 first broke away in March 2000, it measured about 296 kilometres long and 37 kilometres wide. B-15 has since fractured into numerous smaller bergs, and most have melted away.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 41

Corporate Column

Get your work-life balance!

Times have changed; work pressure on individuals has gone up. But the pressure to perform is nothing new; it was always there and will always be there. Why does the imbalance take place? It is simply because we have 24 hours in a day and so many things to do. It is important that we weed out the unproductive things we do to find more time to achieve a better work-life balance By Pramod Panvalkar When I was in school, I used to come to my grandfather’s house in Pune during holidays. He had a perfect work-life balance in those days. He retired before I was born. But from what I have heard, he used to go to office around 9 am and be back home by 4.30 pm. He was one of the luckier persons who had a steady job. When I started going to Pune, he had just started his retired life and would go to sleep by 7 in the evening and wake up at 4 am! Before going to sleep he used to listen to local news on radio, which would start at 7 pm. All others at home would have dinner by 8 pm and simply go to sleep by 8.30 pm. Cozy life, lovely life; there was nothing to do anyway. There was no TV, going for movies was a rarity.

This reminds me of Gulzarji’s lines अब दिन रात पे ही आके रुकता है मुझे याद है… पहले एक शाम भी हुआ करती थी Our lifestyles have taken a 180-degree turn since those days. Things have reached the other extreme, and work-life balance is now a matter for discussion. It is a concept that supports the efforts of employees to split their time and energy between work and other important aspects of their lives. Why has this imbalance come into our lives? Who is responsible? Does management expect too much from employees? Is work being done with the help of fewer people? On the home front, families have become nuclear, both husband and wife are working that has become the norm. There is less support system available from the elderly. We have too many commitments on the social front, and too much productive time is spent on social media.

Times have changed, work pressure on individuals has gone up. The pressure to perform is nothing new, it was always there and will always be there. Why does the imbalance take place? It 42 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

is simply because we have 24 hours in a day to do so many things. It is how productively we use that time that is important.

Tackle travel time

First and foremost, travel time. The time we spend to get from our homes to the workplace is the most unproductive and tiring time.

People these days travel anywhere from one to two-and-a-half hours one-way, for work.

Traffic is getting more complex and heavy by the day, so there may not be any respite from traffic. But yes, there is a solution. When people take up a new job in a different city, they

rent a house as near the workplace as possible. But in your own city you probably own a house or have been living in an area from childhood. So you don’t want to change your house. The solution? Cut out the emotions, be a little open-minded about shifting to stay near the workplace, be pragmatic.

I was talking about this issue with my young friend Abhay. Abhay rues that his generation has all the material stuff but no time to enjoy it.

He says that if he moves to stay near his workplace, he will save two hours every day! Multiply this by 250 days—that’s 500 hours a year. It is as good as getting 50 days of additional leave—to

be with the family, maybe hit the gym, which is not possible today. But I warned Abhay: after shifting to a place near his office, not to spend additional two hours at office!

Deepti wanted to take a new office space. I suggested that it should not be more than 3 km from her home she had that option. Now her total travel time is 15 minutes. Hours gained, anxiety reduced? I don’t think you need any consultant to evaluate value addition done by making these changes. If you have the financial need, rent out the “owned” flat.

Biggest time-wasters

Now about the most unproductive thing—social media! Facebook and WhatsApp are the biggest culprits causing the imbalance. Everybody wants to look at the cell phone at every available opportunity. While waiting for the red signal to turn green, you open the device. You are doing serious work at office, you get a ding or a dong, ting or a tong: You stop the work to at least send a message, “I will come back to you”!

Heavens are not going to fall if you don’t reply.

Of course, friends may think that you have died since you did not respond in 30 seconds.

Social media has changed the society in such a way that there is fear in the minds of the mafia that they may lose out to the social media cartel.

Take a back seat, heroin and ganjas of this world.

You cannot compete with us! Smoking? What is that? I can have my new drug on my person all the time, the police will not arrest me for that, parents are not bothered (they themselves are busy with the addiction), lovers’ tiff? No way!

Why are you not talking to me? You don’t love me anymore. Did you see my new necklace? These words are passé! Both are busy looking at their own screens. Looking into each other’s eyes? No way! Looking into his or her screen, yes of course.

Did you see this video? Did you read this quote?

Recently I saw a photo of a group of friends, who met for a chitchat! All were looking at their cell phones! Chatting? No way!

To manage work-life balance, we should analyse how much time we spend on social media.

Two hours? Four hours? How many free hours do we have after deducting time for work, travel, sleep, and day-to-day chores? Do you want most of your waking time to be spent on social

media? In fact, we are cutting into family time, sleeping time, causing sleep deprivation, or even going-out time. Your mind is never into what you are actually doing!

Not in the distant past, a cranky child was given a pacifier in his mouth. Now the child is given a cell phone or a tablet. When the child crosses a certain age, parents start cribbing, “Oh, my child cannot spend a single minute without the cell phone.” I have seen mothers looking at WhatsApp while feeding a child, not breast-feeding but giving a regular meal. A child needs a bit of attention and diversion. A song, or a story used to be the name of the game while feeding kids! When mothers themselves indulge so much in WhatsApp and Facebook, what do you expect the child to do?

When we attempt something differently, it should start with us! Will you remain away from social media for some time? Will you remain

Things have reached the other extreme, and work-life balance is now a matter for discussion. Why has this imbalance come into our lives? Who is responsible? Does management expect too much from employees? Is work being done with the help of fewer people? away from kitty parties? I am not saying that you shun these things. Anything in moderation is always good. A mac burger once in six months, a glass of wine, a cup of your favourite tea or coffee—for that matter any drink in moderation will always give you joy! Think positively. If we don’t use social media for some time, is it really going to affect your life?

Work pressure will be there, but can these be 24×7×365? No, there are never such pressures.

I have known of a person who went to US for work for a month, then two months, and then continued his stay for three months. From there, he was told to go to Germany for another three months. There were many problems at his home, including illnesses. He should have told his boss that he would travel back after a quick visit back home, at least a couple of times. I don’t think his boss would have refused. But our friend just wanted to shun his home responsibilities with his ‘I am so busy’ syndrome!

You will find a way!

Firstly, you have to decide if you really want a work-life balance. If you want it, there are always ways. You can find your own different methods, you will find a way.

(The author is a noted computer software consultant to various auto component industries.

The article was originally published in www. panvalkarpramod.wordpress.com) July 16-31, July 16-31, 20182018 / Corporate / Corporate Citizen Citizen / 43 / 43

Health

g n i c n a l a B e l l h ti a in t

RIght proportions As Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Steps Drama Learning Development Pvt. Ltd, Pune, that very uniquely brings in the power and impact of drama-based training to businesses, meet Vaishnavi Deshpande, an enthusiastic sportsperson who maintains poise between staying fit and her love for food in equal proportions. For someone who is always on her toes literally, being fit is definitely not an option. In an inspired chat with Corporate Citizen, she reveals the need for a balanced approach to life that can help get the best out of everyone. If a 7-km to 8-km stretch be a walkathon for many, to Vaishnavi, it is a regular routine that adds a ‘zing’ to her ‘fitness’ fun

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By Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar

our career, your work is definitely important, but treat it only as a part of your life and not life itself!” said Vaishnavi Deshpande, COO, Steps Drama, a learning and development organization with facilitators across Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad. For Vaishnavi, fitness has been an integral part of her childhood. “You name it, I have played almost all sports. My parents were also into fitness; and even today I might skip my regime once a while but I cannot not be doing anything (sporty).Being fit is important and more so even today to help combat the lifestyle that we lead in modern times,” she said.

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Her childhood environment at home and at school provided the much-needed exposure to athletics, swimming, lawn tennis and table tennis. A state and national level badminton player, she has also represented her school in the zonal competitions. A swimmer since age 4, she attributes this sporting base to her parents and the ecosystem she grew up in.

Well begun is Not half done

“My day starts at 5.30 am and by 6 am, I get into whatever physical activity that I like for that day. I dedicate one to one-and-a-half hours daily to a proper workout, and focus it on whatever exercise regime that I choose to do at that point in time.

In addition, sometimes, I might go for a walk in the evening. I have been planning to join a dance class too. I go for about 7-8 km walks on some days. I cannot run for 8 km but do sporadic jogging and walking for 8 or 9 km which is over and above the daily workouts.”

“When travelling, I obviously do not get the luxury of working out for an hour but I do manage a 30-minute to 40-minute regime. I often look for hotels with gymnasium or book at hotels with swimming pools. The important thing is that I don’t miss out on my workouts during my travels. It is important that your body be mobile and enable blood circulation when you are constantly on your toes. Whatever is my situation and wherever I am on my travels, I make sure that I work out before I start my day at 7.30 am or 8.00 am when outstation…”

Working fit

The primary factor is on how one can basically keep one’s body fit. “I think there is no job on this earth which works without taking any pressure, so do a good jog in the morning or a relaxing walk in the evening or, any form of workout, basically something which is actually your stress buster and makes you feel good,” said Vaishnavi.

Fitness is not an option for her but an important element to balance work-related stress.

“It is important for me to be fit” said Vaishnavi.

“Fitness helps a lot because I stand for a very long time, if travelling, I have to walk as our feet are constantly under pressure and the need is to be agile all the time” “In fact, only the other day as I shared my agonies on intermittent aches and pain with my mother, her advice was to change my workout pattern.”

Step has a small in-house team of seven that works with 30 to 40 external professional actors. Our Director is based in Pune but, we work very closely and are in constant touch with each other.”

While they do not officially have any pre-programmed health workshops or health

workout routine for their employees at the moment, she herself is an inspiration. However, she gives credit to some of her colleagues who have worked wonders health-wise individually and here ‘word of mouth’ becomes the defining factor for fitness at work.

“But, we are toying with the idea of starting some yoga session in the office.” On women’s health and maternity breaks, Vaishnavi said, “All we need to do is give them (women) support and make them see value, and instill confidence within the women workforce when they come back.

They should also take the effort to be healthy, get back and see that they do not have to trade their work life.”

The family factor

Vaishnavi considers her cycle of parents, husband and self as her motivators for being fit. Married to Tushar Deshpande, Sous-chef of Indigo

“Sometimes, I go for an 8-km walk instead of a high-intensity workout or yoga that enables me to balance my physical and mental challenges alike, and I can recommend this for all. I sometimes do compensate over the weekend for lost workout days by going for a 75-minute walk with my mother instead!”

Delicatessen (Deli), she said, “My husband does the majority of the motivation” “It is not like I don’t like working out or keeping healthy but there are times when you are really down and feeling really tired, he then becomes the external force of sorts that motivates me to doing it (workouts)… I have a string of support systems around me which keeps reminding me that work is just a part of your life and that it should not consume you.”

She feels that besides a supportive system of family members or other social circles, the idea is to imbibe some form of a downtime that helps one to “switch off ” and “detach” oneself from day-to-day stress or relieve oneself from the burden of a ‘to-do’ list that is often constantly running at “the back of your head” “Sometimes, I go for an 8-km walk instead of a high intensity workout or yoga that enables me to balance my physical and mental challenges alike, and I can recommend this for all. I sometimes do compensate over the weekend for lost workout days by going for a 75-minute walk with my mother instead!”

“I do have my cheat days as I am not perfect either. There are times that I take my stress home.

But, because I have a very strong support system, it helps me a lot. As far as my time with my family members is concerned, I am very particular about that. Because if we don’t follow that as a family, then we won’t have time for each other at all.”

Food fad

“My one conclusion is that you always have to balance your life even with food. After much experimentation with different diet forms, I have decided to try and maintain balance with all food groups, the types that I love, but I strictly follow the portion that I wish to consume.”

I like to keep a balance of what I want to eat, when I want to eat and how much I want to eat. I eat everything from carbs to protein to non-vegetarian but I try to keep it as natural and as homemade as possible!” sangeetagd2010@gmail.com

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Demand for coworking spaces to triple The demand for flexible and coworking spaces will triple in India in the next three years, fuelled by startups as well as big corporates. Coworking companies took up 2 million sq ft of commercial office space in the first quarter of this year alone, which is more than the 1.8 million sq ft they took up in 2017, Knight Frank said in a report today.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 45

Unsung Heroes - 7

It’s traffic time for this ex-corporate manager For the past five years, a retired 64-year-old corporate executive, Ram Chandra B.M., has been regulating traffic in Bengaluru. No one ever asked him to do this, but he does this, “because someone has to do it”

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normal person is supposed to rest and relax after retirement, but Ram Chandra B.M. is not a normal person. Not that he has nothing better to do in the comfort of his home, he has chosen to ease the traffic chaos in Bengaluru. For the past five years, a retired 64-year-old corporate executive has been regulating traffic at Arekere Mico Layout in Bengaluru where the Bengaluru Traffic Police never posted one of its men. He served Mico for close to four decades and Ram Chandra B.M. retired as Assistant Finance Manager. No one ever asked him to do this, but he does this, “Because someone has to do it.”

As Bengaluru has acquired its tag of the IT capital of India, the city over the years has seen rapid expansion and urbanisation. Hundreds of thousands of people have moved into Bengaluru in search of a living. As the city has grown, so has its traffic. An ever-growing number of vehicles has contributed significantly to the traffic chaos in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, as the residents of Bengaluru grapple with growing traffic problems, one of its senior citizens has decided to do his bit, to ease the traffic chaos. In order to decongest the roads, the government has gone for Metro Rail, and is exploring the possibility of efficient public transport system. These are, however, big projects and would take time to implement on the ground.

A lot of commuters don’t even take him seriously, since he clearly doesn’t look like any regular traffic cop, nor does he dress as one. Others, who use the traffic intersection regularly in the morning and in the evening, treat him with immense respect, realising the important job that he is doing. Ram Chandra B.M. is unfazed by praise or criticism. For the last five years, every day, unless he is unwell, he has turned up at the traffic intersection to control the traffic there.

He is not employed as a traffic police officer by the state government. He has simply been following his own conscience, driven by a need to contribute to the welfare of the society. Neither is he paid anything, nor is he expecting to get anything for this unique service. His life is giving a loud and clear message, “We should do whatever possible for the society, without being told by anyone.” He does this every day without

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We should do whatever possible for the society, without being told by anyone

the man himself. “I do it because someone has to do it. Yes my legs ache, and I do feel thirsty, but this is a job that needs to be done, so I do it.” “I do face breathing problems, but if I don’t do it, then there would be a huge traffic jam, resulting in a roadblock. People won’t reach office on time. I have done this for the last five years. I hope the administration finds someone after me to manage the traffic.”

His inspiring act was featured in Bengaluru Mirror, a local newspaper. He became popular through his stories shared on Facebook. In his interview, Ram Chandra B.M. explains about his earlier life and the job he is currently doing for the society. At the end of a tiresome day, he relaxes himself with a massage of a homemade oil. He also mentions that he was a marathon walker in his young age. Ram Chandra came first in a walk event for 55+ age-group conducted by Karnataka Veteran Athletic Association in 2001-02.

Just hold your breath—here is something unbelievable—Ram Chandra has undergone a bypass heart surgery in 2008, had cataract surgery performed on both eyes, and is also a diabetic patient, who takes insulin daily. In spite of all this, he still manages to give free service to the society, without expecting anything in return.

For this selfless service he is doing to the society he is living in, he’s truly an inspiration to all the citizens. He certainly deserves a salute!

The above story is featured in ‘Real Inspiring Stories’ ISBN 978-81-8430-290-5 by Maj. Pradeep Khare (pradeepkhare2011@gmail. com). It is published by Prabhat Publications, New Delhi.

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- Ram Chandra B.M. fail, in all seasons. He can be found doing this job every day from morning 6 am to 10 am and evening from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, when the traffic is at its peak.

It is not easy to stand at one spot for four hours in the morning and then again for two hours in the evening, breathing in all the pollutants. When asked whether his legs didn’t pain or didn’t he feel thirsty after having to blow the whistle, the reply was as simple and straight as

India to build 40 new rockets The government of India has committed `10,469 crore to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in order to build 40 rockets over the next five years, which includes 10 heavier rockets or the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLVMk-III) that can hurl 4-tonne communication satellites into space.

realty rendezvous

The changing landscape of NRI realty investor

By Anuj Puri

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hen it comes to Indian real estate, the topic of NRI investments is pretty much an evergreen one.

The fact that Indian developers had, in the past, launched and marketed projects with an almost exclusive eye on NRI customers is certainly no secret. There were many reasons for this, but the primary one was that NRIs—especially NRIs based in the Gulf and the US—were seen as cash cows with more money than sense.

Time has proved this theory erroneous. NRIs are among the savviest property investors on the Indian market today. This is amply demonstrated by how adroitly they have gauged the new investment trends on the Indian real estate market. For a long time, the returns on investments that NRIs could get on residential assets were extremely rewarding, considering the significant capital appreciation whilst the rental yields have always been low.

However, during the last couple of years, the market slowdown resulted in capital appreciation on residential assets no longer being as per NRI investors’ expectations.

In the current market conditions, NRIs are now showing a greater preference for investing in Indian commercial properties, which offer good rental yields as well as capital appreciation. This is because there is a continuous rise in demand for commercial spaces in the wake of large-scale requirements and the probability of REITs formation, especially for Grade A offices, IT parks and logistics centres.

and Pune are currently the hottest cities for investments into Grade A offices, co-working office spaces and IT parks. The business being generated in these cities induces a constant upward trajectory on the demand for quality office spaces, while supply is not keeping up with this demand.

That means that all available high-quality offices spaces are assured of tenancy.

Meanwhile, the strong startup culture now unleashing in India is driving up the demand for shared office spaces, also known as co-working spaces. Such spaces are snapped up by startups which cannot afford the high cost of conventional high-quality office real estate.

Of course, it is only the more experienced NRIs who have been able to gauge the Indian real estate market. Every year gives rise to new NRIs who still need some basic guidance on what they can or cannot do in Indian real estate.

NRIs with a valid Indian passport can invest in the Indian realty market, though there are a few preconditions:  Citizenship: NRIs with a valid Indian passport need no prior approval unless they are citizens of a few neighbouring countries, specifically Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and China.  Property type: They can buy as many prop-

NRIs are now showing a greater preference for investing in Indian commercial properties which offer good rental yields as well as capital appreciation

The preferred cities for commercial property investment by NRIs

Mumbai, NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai

erties (residential or commercial) as they want but are not allowed to buy agricultural land, plantation properties and farmhouses. However, such properties can be gifted to or inherited by NRIs.  Transactions: Transactions must be done in Indian rupee (INR) through regular banking channels via an existing NRI account.

Just like Indian citizens, NRIs are also eligible to avail of loans to purchase a property in India.

The maximum loan amount is generally 80% of the property value. The RBI does not have any rule for immovable property which is inherited or gifted. NRIs can lease or rent such properties without any restrictions.

Legal aspects for NRIs to keep in mind when investing in Indian real estate:

 Hire a reputed lawyer to vet property documents.  Verify the original title deed documents; ensure that the property title is in the name of the seller.  Do a thorough check to ensure that the seller has cleared all the dues related to the property.  Verify that the seller has not diluted the right to transfer the property to a buyer.  Ensure that the property is not built on agricultural land without requisite government permissions. An NRI may get into legal problems in such transactions.  In case of under-construction property, an NRI has to give a power of attorney to the developer or a trusted associate.

(Anuj Puri, Chairman, ANAROCK Property Consultants) July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 47

Pearls of Wisdom

No One’s Perfect!

Striving for perfection, while accepting that perfection rarely can be achieved, can lead to growth and development and a feeling of satisfaction. It can be a powerful motivator as long as it is based on reasonable standards and expectations

By Dada JP Vaswani

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t was a wise man who said: “Only in grammar can you be more than perfect.”

And an Italian proverb warns us wryly: “He that will have a perfect brother must resign himself to remain brotherless.”

And here is a brilliant piece of inductive reasoning: “I am a nobody. Nobody is perfect.

Therefore, I am perfect.”

The spirit of tolerance and acceptance is essential to a happy life and a peaceful mind. The world we live in is far from perfect; we are not ourselves paragons of perfection; and the same goes for the people around us. As they say, it’s a crazy, mixed-up world – but we must recognise ourselves as part of all this imperfection, and accept life as it comes.

No One’s Perfect is the best-selling autobiography of Hirotada Ototake, who was born with a congenital condition that left him with almost no arms or legs. His parents determined that, as much as possible, he would live a ‘normal’ life. This means that he was given no special treatment neither at home nor at school. He went to the prestigious Wasada University – no mean achievement for anyone! We are required to understand ‘special’ children’ and realise that they too, need to be treated like our fellow human beings who are 48 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

in heaven is perfect,” Jesus tells us in the Bible. differently abled, and not as if they belonged to May we not conclude that he urges us to imitate a different species!

God, and therefore be loving, kind and forgivHow and when can looking for perfection become problematic? Psychologists have the ing to everyone around us, irrespective of how answer: smart and clever and useful they are to us. Let • Obsessive concern over others’ mistakes us instead be filled with the spirit of compas• Setting excessively high standards for oursion and mercy that enables us to accept othselves and others around us ers as they are, instead of expecting perfection • Unreasonable doubts about others’ ability to from them. perform tasks Sri Krishna too, in the Gita refers to perfec• A n overemphasis on ‘control’ and tion: “It is better to perform one’s own duties ‘benchmarks’ imperfectly than to master the duties of another.

By fulfilling the obligations he is born with, a Striving for perfection, while accepting that person never comes to grief.” perfection rarely can be achieved, can lead to In case you are wondering which duty he regrowth and development and a feeling of satisfacfers to, let me give you the words tion. It can be a powerful motivaof a Krishna devotee who sums tor as long as it is based on reason- The spirit of up the teaching of the Gita for able standards and expectations. tolerance and us: “Be fearless and pure; never Thus far, I have been saying acceptance is waiver in your determination that we must understand that no or your dedication to the spirione is perfect: let me add a note essential to a of request now; this does not happy life and a tual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful, loving, mean that we must stop striving peaceful mind. and full of the desire to serve. for perfection! And no, I am not Learn to be detached and to take contradicting myself! We must The world we joy in renunciation. Do not get constantly strive for perfection. live in is far angry or harm any living creaTo most of us, this striving for from perfect ture, but be compassionate and perfection will be a lifelong jourgentle; show good will to all. Cultivate vigour, ney, for as someone has said, perfection is always patience, will, purity; avoid malice and pride. a moving target. Let us strive for perfection so Then, you will achieve your destiny.” that we may know how difficult it is to achieve; What does it mean to be compassionate and and, in this process of striving, let us come to ungentle, kind and loving and patient? It is surely derstand, condone and accept imperfection in to accept people with their imperfections and our fellow human beings, especially those who weaknesses, and still continue to appreciate their are in a subordinate position to us. worth. If they are imperfect, why, so are we!

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father

Expert Opinion Sunita Narain

Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Editor of Down To Earth magazine. She is an environmentalist who pushes for changes in policies, practices and mindsets

The Plastic Cycle Of the 6.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic waste generated in the world, as little as 9 per cent has been recycled. Of the 9 per cent that is recycled, only 10 per cent has been recycled more than once. Around 12 per cent of the waste has been incinerated. The rest, as much as 79 per cent, is in landfills or in the environment—oceans and water bodies

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lastic is back on the agenda, with the 2018 World Environment Day on June 5. And, I am not talking about garbage problems of countries like India. For us, plastic has never left the agenda—it is in our face literally. Our governments lack the money or the personnel to take back the increasing amount of waste we generate and to get rid of it. Growing mountains of non-biodegradable garbage—mainly plastic—is our nightmare. It is choking our drains, our rivers and our streets.

No, this time plastic is back on the global agenda—perhaps after some 30 years or so. It was in the 1970s that the now-developed world struggled with its massive waste problem. But then cities cleaned up litter. There is no plastic waste on the streets or in the rivers. The problem of garbage has been managed.

This is not to say that plastic has gone away.

In fact, plastic has remained. Its use has increased. It is today perhaps the most ubiquitous and necessary material that “humankind” has created. The biggest increase in the use of plastic

The world has produced some 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic from 1950 to 2015. Of this, 76% is plastic waste has come in the packaging industry—from water bottles to plastic layers in tea bags to plastic straws, glasses, plates and just about all that we package for our consumption. But we also wear it; we sleep on it; we build our homes with it and we pipe our water and oil in it.

Plastic use was not an issue, because waste was a problem that had been handled. As long as people did not use carry-bags to do shopping; and as long as they segregated waste, it was OK. We could use and somebody would recycle. Or it would be taken to an incinerator and burnt.

Or taken away to be put in a landfill. All in all, it was handled.

But now the bubble has burst. The first shock has come from studies that show that plastic

generated on land is filling up and polluting our oceans. And that fish is eating this plastic and we are then eating the same fish. So, the cycle has closed. Plastic that we used; even segregated and then somebody took away for recycling has come back into our bodies. It is almost as if it never went away.

Then came the other shocker—micro-plastics or tiny fragments have been found in tap water or even in the air we breathe. This is because plastic is a wonder substance—it does not get destroyed. But with exposure to sunlight or water it does break up. Or it can be crushed.

When this happens then tiny particles—fragments of plastic—contaminate our environment and bodies.

A fascinating study by academics from the University of California and Santa Barbara and others has put together the world’s first material balance of plastics. It should really worry us. They estimate that the world has produced some 8.3 billion metric tonnes (bmt) of plastic from 1950—when large-scale production began—to 2015. Of this, some 6.3 bmt or 76 per cent is plastic waste.

Of the 6.3 bmt of plastic waste generated in the world, as little as 9 per cent has been recycled. Of the 9 per cent that is recycled, only 10 per cent has been recycled more than once. Around 12 per cent of the waste has been incinerated. The rest, as much as 79 per cent, is in landfills or in the environment—oceans and waterbodies.

The question we need to ask then every time we use something of plastic is that what will happen to it? There are currently three options.

It can be recycled or reprocessed into secondary material. In most cases, this “secondary” material is of lower quality or economical value. So, it does not displace the primary product. Recycling delays the final disposal, say authors of the plastic balance study.

Then plastic can be destroyed using thermal heat—incinerate it. But burning plastic in incinerators also produces emissions.

So, unless there is expensive pollution control equipment installed and functioning, this option is not so benign. The third option is to dump it somewhere.

So then, what are our options? Will the world’s anti-plastic movement succeed? Or will it once again succumb to a new set of technology “fixits”. For instance, there is the much-needed and much-welcome deposit scheme that has been started in some countries. People can return plastic goods like water bottles and get back the deposit. Or there is the extended producer responsibility scheme, in which producers have to take back a proportion of the materials they generate. But again, this begs the question: What will happen when the waste is collected?

What do we really mean by recycling? https://www.downtoearth.org.in/ July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 49

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

A orever f Some stories are

Entrepreneurs Jignesh and Priya Karia on the journey of their marriage and the inspiration behind their unique venture, TRNA India, a never-before platform for desi soccer lovers

By Kalyani Sardesai

50 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

A typical day sees Jignesh Karia (40) keep long hours at work, all the better to bring together local soccer lovers as well as like-minded partners to take his dream venture TRNA India, an ambitious platform to select, recruit, train and expose potential soccer players to the unique challenges as well as conditions, posed by the much loved but relatively new (to Indians) sport. ‘‘ What’s more, I want to ensure even girls come into the loop,’’ he expresses. Great ideas, certainly, but demanding as they can be.

Amidst the rough and tumble of his crazy schedule, there is plenty of travel and stress, but it helps that he is anchored by his better half, Priya, who as co-founder is definitely invested in the dream. ‘‘Entrepreneurship is both wonderful and rewarding. But it also requires a great amount of persistence and courage. You have to visualise what you want, and stay invested in the dream, even through rough patches. And when your life partner shares the same goals, the journey becomes fun,’’ he says.

The Karias would know all about shared dreams, given their long years of friendship that predates their marriage of 16 years.

Back to the beginning

Theirs wasn’t quite a campus romance, even though they go back to the same college. ‘‘Honestly,’’ says Priya (40), ‘‘One look at his friends, and I didn’t quite feel like he and I would have anything in common,’’ she says of their years at Pune’s BMCC College.

But like they say, it is never okay to judge a book by its cover. The duo then had an opportunity to know each other better at the Rotaract Club which required them to interact with each other, particularly on various social projects.

‘‘To my surprise, we could talk easily and fluently. He was compassionate and full of ideas, not to mention, talented. A far cry from the brusque persona he loved to portray.

There was much to share. And before we knew it, the friendship went from one level to another,’’ she says.

But the two of them did come from different sociocultural backgrounds: She’s a Maratha, he a Gujarati, and ever the practical one, she did wonder where they were headed. ‘‘So one fine day, I told him we ought to stop meeting,’’ she says.

However, as it turned out, he did have marriage on his mind. His only condition: they would stay with his parents post-marriage. ‘‘A family person myself, I saw nothing wrong with this mindset. In fact, marriage should be about building ever more relaThe Karias spending family time together tions, not cutting them off. Things progressed smoothly enough. My dad was already impressed with Jignesh, his personality and his education. (He’s a B.Com-MBA.) My in-laws too accepted me with open arms,’’ she says.

With the blessings of both sets of parents, the duo was duly wed in 2002 amidst traditional celebrations.

The building blocks of marriage

The mantras of a marriage

One would have thought that the differing backgrounds would Bringing up THEIR SON entail plenty of issues, especially In due course, the Karias were from Priya’s end, but she nixes the blessed with a boy, Daiwik, now very notion. ‘‘Honestly speaking, 14. A keen soccer player with a • Work towards adjustment wasn’t tough at all, behuge appetite to learn and grow shared goals and cause my in-laws made it very easy further, it is Daiwik’s passion for dreams for me. There were few restricthe sport that has urged the Karias •Respect and care tions, and enough encouragement to explore the possibilities of socfor each other’s to follow my fashion designing cer and helped sow the seeds of family orders post my M.Com,’’ she says.

TRNA India, which is all set to • Share the Not knowing how to cook complete its first anniversary. ‘‘If responsibility of wasn’t a big deal either because ever a sport has the potential to parenting her mom-in-law taught her the rival cricket for sheer popularity, • Celebrate many delicious secrets of Gujarati it is soccer. Having a player son differences cuisine. ‘‘Plus, his dad treated me myself woke me up to the need • Cherish small like a daughter. Each time he came of building a platform from the moments from work, he would want me in grassroots, that is inclusive and front of him, “she recollects fondly. not exclusive in its outlook. From On his part, Jignesh is appretaking them to camps and training ciative of her positivity and openness of mind. programmess to helping organise scholarships ‘‘Whatever the situation, she makes the most to parental support, TRNA does it all,’’ he says. of it, and is always optimistic and hopeful. She At the root of it, is the desire to see Daiwik is also warm and accepting of people,’’ he says. emerge as an all-rounder, not just as an aca‘‘This is indeed a great quality, because marriage, demically-inclined kid. ‘‘ He plays, he studies, at the end of the day, is about two families, not he is even a child model with several assignjust two individuals. When you love someone, ments to his credit. But whatever he takes up, it you also need to cherish and nurture their famought to be his choice. Our priority as parents, ily,’’ he expresses. though is to give him a happy, supportive home

“Marriage, at the end of the day, is about two families, not just two individuals. When you love someone, you also need to cherish and nurture their family” —Jignesh Karia and the right values,’’ says Priya. ‘‘At no point, though, do we want to pressurise him. After all, childhood comes but once,’’ chips in Jignesh.

From strength to strength

Life at the moment is both hectic and happy.

A good hand at both admin and accounts, Priya, as co-founder, is the proverbial fixed wheel that acts as the perfect foil to the other, moving wheel. However, the Karias make it a point to take short trips and meals together by way of quality time. ‘‘Each marriage is different, and the points of adjustment vary as well,’’ says Jignesh. ‘‘The important thing is to step back when your partner is upset. I would urge men especially to consider compromise and conciliation as it’s not just the woman’s domain,’’ he rounds off. kalyani.sardesai@gmail.com

CC

tadka

Viva! Indian billionaires With 238 new billionaires in the next decade, India’s total number of billionaires will be 357 by 2027. India’s wealth is expected to triple and reach $24,691 billion in the next 10 years.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 51

Campus Placement

A Fine

Balance It’s easy for us to judge at first sight and have different perceptions when we start off, but the learning we get when things turn out differently is the learning of life, feels Tanveen Kaur

By Joe Williams

T

anveen Kaur Bedi, a pass-out from Sacred Heart Convent School, Ludhiana, and a Master’s degree holder from BIMM of Pune, now walks the talk in the competitive corporate world. It was not a rosy journey for Tanveen, but her stint with the Corporate Relations Team (CRT) at college gave her the required lift. “Being a part of CRT, I always longed to work for the best company, with the best package, so I kept on filtering them but later realised that most of the companies had done with their placements and very little choice was left for me,” recalls Tanveen on her first lap of the race into her career. But a pep talk from Bala Sir, who encouraged and motivated her, helped her grab the next opportunity with both her hands. She was one of 90 awaiting the final call from Blue Star Limited, and her positive approach saw her through.

She got absorbed as a Senior Marketing Executive in Mumbai and was soon transferred to Gurgaon to the Room Air Conditioning (RAD) marketing team.

English and Mathematics were her favourite subjects. Her liking for literature started off with Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. She fell in love with the subtlety with which he created his characters. The creativity and magic that he weaved into his characters awakened her interest for the English language. And mathematics gave her an approach with which to quantify things and understand the underlying problem.

Thus she tried to relate the basic principles of mathematics to real life.

be much more than an accountant and wanted to explore the corporate world. Sincere in her studies, Tanveen was also taking part in elocutions and debates both in school and college.

She was also among the few girls who took up sports along with studies.

Starting of her journey

The new horizon in Blue Star

Tanveen did her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent School, Ludhiana, and graduated with a degree in Commerce from Khalsa College (Punjab University, Chandigarh). Though chartered accountancy as a career choice was making the rounds in her mind, she soon realised that she wanted to

Tanveen with her family

52 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Tanveen began her innings with Blue Star Limited as a Senior Marketing Executive and was based with the Corporate Marketing Services (CMS) team in Mumbai for nine months. Her commitment and dedication towards work gave her a lift and she was shifted to Gurgaon to Room Air Conditioning (RAD) Marketing,

society we live in. My parents always treated me and my brother equally and made me bold and independent, due to which I could initiate climbing the ladder of success,” she says.

Tanveen with friends

Tanveen with husband Paul Singh

Blue Star Limited came up with the sales profile offering a decent package. She was among 90-odd candidates who applied. But she was not sure, as this company was into manufacturing. “I applied for it, thinking of giving it a try, though it was engineering-based. The placement process started with the aptitude test, which I cleared, coming up in the top-four,” says Tanveen of the initial run in the placement process. The second stage was group discussion on the topic ‘Digitising the banking sector’. After clearing the group discussion, 12 students went through the first round of interviews and three were shortlisted for the only post that the company was offering. There was a surprise awaiting the three students, as Blue Star was also looking for the Corporate Marketing Services profile. “It was music to my ears when I heard this; my happiness touched another level because that was what I wanted.” After the candidates were briefed about the profile the company was looking for, a two-day grace period was given to them to prepare for the final test. And it was then that everything fell in place for Tanveen, as she became the chosen one. The seven days of agony were gone and she was selected. “I was the only one placed out of the lot of 90. All my friends from CRT, along with Dimple Ma’am and CROs celebrated my placement, and I thank all of them for always guiding me through the right path.”

On her success

“I credit my success to my family. Both my parents and my younger brother have always supported me in all the bold decisions I took in life, ignoring the stereotype orthodox

It was not just her career which Tanveen found in this college, but her life partner too—Inder Paul Singh. “My happiest moment in life was when my husband, Inder Paul Singh entered my life. Inder is my senior from BIMM who is also from my hometown, but I met him in Pune. BIMM turned out to be my lucky charm as it gave me a successful career, a beautiful family and a caring husband.”

What is life all about

close to her hometown. She was not looking for perks, or any monetary benefits, as she says, “The most important perk one can ask for is work-life balance, and I am glad that Blue Star encouraged me to create my work-life balance, and most importantly, helped me balance my married and work life.” Things have changed in leaps and bounds for Tanveen. “Professionally, at the beginning of my career, I got to report to the marketing head of Blue Star and now to the marketing head of Room Air Conditioning Division, and also reporting to the Vice President of the company. Working closely with such learned people in the company is itself a perk for a fresher like me,” she says.

Placement blues

Happiest moment in life

Tanveen is of the opinion that ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’. “Life is what we make of it; we have a different perception when we start off, but when it turns out to be the polar opposite, the learning out of that experience is something that is unquantifiable and inexplicable. It’s easy for us to judge someone or something at first sight but little do we know that what is in store for us is something larger than life.”

Each person, she believes, has different challenges to face at different points in life. “Mine is to break the stereotype rhetoric that women cannot handle work and family life simultaneously and yet succeed. I seem to be well ahead of my path to achieve the same.”

Six tricks for success

“Life is what we make of it; we have a different perception when we start off, but when it turns out to be the polar opposite, the learning out of that experience is something that is unquantifiable and inexplicable”

• We should know that freedom does not mean compromising our values • One should be bold, as timid creatures cannot come out in the open • Remain focused and clear in your mind; your wants and needs should be clear in your head. Set your priorities in life • Be inquisitive in life, as being a nerd will lead you nowhere • Experience before you judge something • There’s nothing bad in being logical and quantifying every issue in life but remember to add a touch of creativity and imagination to whatever you do and try to make life more interesting, if not easier Joe78662@gmail.com CC

tadka Airbag for bikers!

IITians have developed an inflatable helmet that can reduce deep head injuries. IIT-Roorkee students have developed a helmet that can significantly help in reducing the number of deaths due to road mishaps in India. The students who worked on this unique project say the inflatable helmet, which is more effective than the conventional ones used by Indians, can reduce the chances of deep head injuries to a great extent. This helmet works like an airbag, which can provide the rider with a soft cushioningduring a road mishap. Experts suggest this could help prevent fatal injuries in times of a road mishap.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 53

2018 Millennial Survey

Millennials Disappointed by Businesses in 2018 The millennial generation is feeling uneasy about the future. The growth of Industry 4.0 technologies—from robotics and the internet of things to artificial intelligence and cognitive—has altered the nature of work. In such an environment, it is important to try to gauge millennials’ perceptions of the way the world is changing, technologically, economically and politically. With this in mind, multinational professional services firm Deloitte, in their annual tradition, conducted the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey. Corporate Citizen brings you the results Compiled By Neeraj Varty

54 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Key Findings Perceptions of business are heading south Millennials’ opinions about business’ motivations and ethics, which had trended up the past two years, took a sharp turn downward. There continues to be a stark mismatch between what millennials believe responsible businesses should achieve and what they perceive businesses’ actual priorities to be.

Diversity and flexibility are key to loyalty

Young workers feel unprepared for Industry 4.0

Good pay and positive cultures are most likely to attract both millennials and Gen Z, but diversity/inclusion and flexibility are important keys to keeping them happy. Many respondents, especially in emerging markets, view the gig economy as an attractive alternative or adjunct to their jobs.

Millennials expressed admiration for corporations that are adapting to and advancing Industry 4.04 and developing their people to succeed in this evolving business environment. Respondents lack confidence that they can succeed in an Industry 4.0 environment and are looking to businesses to help them develop the necessary skills, including the “soft” skills they believe will be more important as jobs evolve.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 55

2018 Millennial Survey Survey methodology

Are millennials losing faith in business?

Only a minority believes that corporations behave ethically (48 per cent versus 65 per cent last year) and that business leaders are committed to helping improve society (47 per cent versus 62 per cent). Three-quarters see businesses around the world focusing on their own agendas rather than considering the wider society (up from 59 per cent), and nearly two-thirds say companies have no ambition beyond wanting to make money (up from 50 per cent). A majority of millennials in every market agrees with the statement that businesses “have no ambition beyond wanting to make money”. Across mature economies as a whole, the figure is 67 per cent.

10,455

80

Millennials

75%

70

(born between January 1983 and December 1994)

64% 59%

50 38%

40

20

1,844

80

(born between January 1995 and December 1999)

60

33%

The 2018 report is based on the views of 10,455 millennials questioned across 36 countries. This report also includes responses from 1,844 Gen Z respondents in Australia, Canada, China, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.

50

They focus on their own agendas rather than considering the wider society

21%

2015

2016

2017 62%

57% 53%

Their leaders are committed to helping improve society 47%

44% 39%

52%

50

44%

48% 45%

37%

40

30%

2015

34%

2016

2017

Agree 2018

Disagree

80 62%

70 54%

60

50%

50

47%

40

They have no ambition beyond wanting to make money*

48% 44%

40

34%

30

30 20

60

20

2018

They behave in an ethical manner

58%

30

23%

70

Gen Z

65%

70

60

30

80

75%

2015

2016

2017

20

2018

2016

2017

2018

MISMATCHED PRIORITIES Millennials overwhelmingly feel that business success should be measured in terms of more than financial performance—a view that Gen Z shares (83 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively). Millennials aren’t naïve—they realise profits are both necessary and a priority. But they believe that corporations should set out to achieve a broad balance of objectives that include: • Making a positive impact on society and the

environment • Creating innovative ideas, products and services • Job creation, career development and improving people’s lives • An emphasis on inclusion and diversity in the workplace Even among the most senior millennial employees surveyed, there is a sense that businesses could strike a better balance between the pursuit

of financial results and “softer” outcomes. For example, 44 per cent of millennials occupying positions on senior management teams or boards say profits are prioritised, but only 27 per cent believe profits should be companies’ primary goal. Senior-executive millennials also say businesses should protect the environment, improve society and innovate more than they believe their own employers are currently doing.

60 51% 50

43%

39%

40 30

25%

36%

32%

35%

33%

29%

25%

26%

19%

20

34%

33% 24%

21% 15%

14%

10 0 Generate jobs/ provide employment

Improve society Innovate: develop Enhance e.g., educate, new products and livelihoods (of inform, promote services, its employees) health generate and well-being new ideas, etc.

56 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Improve/ protect the environment

Improve skills of its employees

Generate profit

Drive efficiency, find quicker and better ways of doing things

Produce and sell goods and services

Young workers appreciate development and diversity When asked which companies are having a positive impact on them and the world in general, millennials expressed admiration for those that are adapting to and advancing Industry 4.0 and developing their people to succeed in this evolving business environment. Organisations seen as diverse and companies perceived to have diverse senior management teams also rated highly.

Unfortunately, both millennials and Gen Z respondents believe most business leaders, rhetoric notwithstanding, are not truly committed to creating inclusive cultures.

Roughly two-thirds of respondents from both generations not only believe leaders simply pay “lip service” to diversity and inclusion, they also believe that only formal legislation can adequately advance workplace diversity.

It’s unsurprising, then, that 69 per cent of employees who believe their senior management teams are diverse see their working environments as motivating and stimulating (versus 43 per cent of younger workers who don’t perceive their leadership teams as diverse). And 78 per cent of millennials who say their top teams are diverse report their organisations perform strongly in generating profits.

44% All millennials

49%

59%

Millennials whose employers are making ‘great’ use of Industry 4.0

Millennials whose employers are preparing people for Industry 4.0 Economic Economic

Developed markets

33%

45%

Millennials in organisations with diverse senior management teams

61%

Outlook for the world and themselves

Global market

54%

Millennials in diverse organisations

37%

Political/social Political/social

Emerging markets

27%

53%

39%

t

Across all 36 markets, 45 per cent expect the economic situations in their countries to improve over the next year, a figure almost double those predicting deterioration (24 per cent). As has usually been the case, respondents in emerging markets feel much more economic optimism than those in mature economies (53 per cent versus 37 per cent). However, the gap of 16 points

has closed a bit from last year’s 23-point difference. By contrast, only a third believe that their countries’ overall social and political situation will improve, with another third predicting things to worsen. Overall, the sentiment regarding social progress has fallen compared to last year. Our sample of Gen Z respondents also shows more optimism about the economic future than

about social progress. Recognising that our sample covered a narrower range of countries, Gen Z respondents seem slightly more pessimistic in developed markets and significantly more optimistic in emerging markets. When asked to think about the world in general and how they feel about the future, only 43 per cent of millennials expect to be happier than their parents.

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 57

Bollywood biz

A statue of the Late Yash Chopra in Switzerland

Bollywood’s love for

Switzerland Bollywood and Switzerland have had a long and ‘loving’ affair, which began with Yash Chopra setting the romantic sequences in his films in the idyllic and dreamy locales of the Swiss Alps By Rina Haksar

When most Westerners who like musicals hear Switzerland mentioned, their first thought tends to be of the Julie Andrews classic, The Sound of Music. Although technically that film is set in Austria and so features the German part of the Alpine range, the distinction is incidental to the beauty of the landscape.

As an Indian-born and raised in Switzerland, my first thought is of the long and beautiful relationship Switzerland has had with the Bollywood film industry. Sure, my family celebrates 58 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Diwali every year and like most Indians living overseas I adore my mother’s home-cooked Indian food above all else. But it wasn’t until I discovered Bollywood films at the age of eleven that I got truly connected with the film industry which fused my Swiss home and Indian roots.

The connection between the flair of Bollywood and staid but scenic Switzerland was largely down to one man, the late, great filmmaker Yash Chopra. According to a 2014 report on newlyswissed.com, Chopra first came

to Switzerland on honeymoon with his wife Pamela in 1970. It’s strangely befitting that a honeymoon trip began his long love affair with Switzerland, because some of the most romantic sequences in countless films have stemmed from that initial exposure. Even the very last film Yash Chopra directed before his death, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, was meant to have sequences filmed in Switzerland, but that plan was scrapped when he passed away in 2012 at age 80, before the film’s release.

The most mind-blowing thing to witness has been the response that Europe has had to Bollywood in the past few years. Since 2012, the popularity of Bollywood filming all over Switzerland has carved a new niche in even the German market. Entire shelves in German malls can now be found devoted to completely dubbed Bollywood films, hilarious to watch in German when one knows what it means in the original language. The best translation failed I’ve ever seen in my life was in Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. In the film, Shah Rukh Khan’s character was named Dev. The delivery itself was visibly over the top and dramatic when spoken in German rather than the original Hindi, but what made it even funnier were the subtitles. Every time ‘Dev’ spoke or was referred to by another character, the subtitles would call him ‘Entwickler’ which is German for ‘developer’. Whoever trnanslated for the dubbed film somehow got the idea that the name Dev was short for developer or development and every time I think about that, it cracks me up.

While the landscape portrayed in the films themselves gives Indians a glimpse into the beauty of Switzerland, it goes both ways. Yash Chopra’s fondness for Swiss locations boosted tourism to such an extent that he has been honoured by the locals of Interlaken and in multiple ways.  The government of Interlaken awarded Chopra the honorary title of Ambassador of Interlaken in 2011

Chopra at the launch of the train named after him

A still from Dilwale Dulhania Le jayenge

Yash Chopra first came to Switzerland on honeymoon with his wife Pamela in 1970. It’s strangely befitting that a honeymoon trip began his long love affair with Switzerland, because some of the most romantic sequences in countless films have stemmed from that initial exposure  Jungfrau Railways named a train after him, an honour shared only with founder of the railways, Adolf Guyer  The five-star Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken named a suite after Chopra, where visitors can spend a night for CHF2,250 ($2,347)  In May 2016, Yash Chopra’s widow Pamela and daughter-in-law Rani Mukherji unveiled a 350-kg bronze statue of the late filmmaker  Lake Lauenen, located near Gstaad, is now more commonly known as Chopra Lake, for being one of his pet filming locations Yash Chopra tapped into the appeal of Switzerland’s lush meadows and quaint villages to give people who use Bollywood as a way to dream big, something to aspire to.

It was the 1995 directorial debut of his son Aditya Chopra, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, that was a game changer. Ever since, there has been a deep bond between Bollywood films and Switzerland. For most people, the escape from reality with Raj and Simran’s love story on a train journey across Europe made it the classic it is today. For over 50 years, Switzerland has represented the dream sequences and

foreign-location settings that usually made no sense in the scheme of any given film. It was always about giving viewers an idyllic and dreamy setting for the hero and heroine to proclaim their love in, whether relevant to the plot or not.

Exotic backdrops have always been a big part of what gives Bollywood films that quality of escapism from the hardships of daily life.

Yash Chopra came to be known as the king of romance for the way he wove stories around the beauty of the Swiss mountains and meadows.

It’s safe to say that the gift of romantic story-telling must run in families, because DDLJ united Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol for the second time of many in their careers, and then again by cousin Karan Johar, in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Whether Team Chopra or Johar, Dharma Productions or Yashraj Films, I will always be grateful to have an entire film industry tying my two worlds, the Swiss and the Indian, together.

Now it’s not uncommon to find the remains of Indian snacks in the snowy peaks of the Alps, left behind by the constant flow of Indian tourists exploring the places Yash Chopra’s films exposed them to. Times are changing, in both Hollywood and Bollywood—the racy style has become less shocking and more common than it was a few decades ago. But Yash Chopra put tenderness and truly epic love stories out into the world for future generations to enjoy forever and gave hopeless romantics like me something to dream about. rina.haksar@gmail.com July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 59

Mobile apps

The Best

Flight Tracker Apps If you work in the corporate world, chances are you fly a lot. Flights are notoriously unreliable and delays are common. How many times have you had to reach the airport only to be told that your flight is delayed by a few hours?

But now you need not worry any more. Using the following apps, you can get real-time updates of your flights so you are never kept hanging

By Neeraj Varty

neeraj.varty07@gmail.com 60 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

Flight View Flight View is the easiest and convenient way of getting real-time status of your flights on your Android device. It not only shows you the flight path on a map but also displays current radar weather. You can get push alerts of the flight status for flights in My Trips section. It also gives driving direction to the Airport which is integrated with Google Maps. You can even search and save flights up to 350 days ahead in future. It is available in both free and paid versions.

Airport (All) + Flight Tracker Airport (All) + Flight Tracker is one of the best flight tracker apps for Android. You can get information of about 2500+ airports.

You can check the live arrival and departure boards. You can check the flight status with ease. You can shop online at the airport.

You can get terminal maps. You can get parking information as well. You can get alerts on the status of your flight delay, flight arrival, and departure.

Fly Delta Fly Delta is an all-inone app which helps you compare and book domestic and international flights.

It lets you review airport maps, weather information, and public transportation.

With the app, you can check in and view e-boarding pass. You can also check the latest flight status, receive flight and gate change notifications.

You can manage your trips, profile, and customise your travel preferences.

Flight Radar 24 One of the best flight tracking apps is Flight Radar 24 as it gives you real-time information about your flight on a detailed map. Just like Saavn identifies songs, Flight Radar 24 identifies flights. All you need to do is point your phone to the sky and you will get information about the flight overhead, including route, the actual time of departure, speed, estimated time of arrival, aircraft type, altitude and more.

If you want to get information such as arrival & departure boards, current delay stats, aircraft on the ground, flight status, detailed weather conditions, tap on the Airport icon on the app.

Claps & Slaps Corporate Citizen Claps for the grit and determination shown by Sudiksha Bhati, the 17-year-old girl, hailing from a small village in Bulandhshahr, UP, who has set an example through her journey by bagging a seat at the coveted business school for entrepreneurship — the Babson College in Massachusetts, USA. This is no mean a feat by this daughter of a tea-seller who was time and again denied access to education due to her financially marginalised status. She was forced to drop out of school in 2009 due to financial constraints but her doggedness and dedication pulled her up from the difficult circumstances. The result is that she is currently awaiting her U.S. visa for a four-year entrepreneurship course at the prestigious Babson College with 24 other Indian students who have gained admissions.

Eldest of six siblings, Sudiksha is also the CBSE Class XII Bulandshahr district topper with 98% marks. Although she studied till Class V in a government primary school in her village, Dhoom Manikpur, Sudiksha was forced to drop out of school as a child when her father Jitendra’s business failed and he was compelled to sell his land, and set up a tea stall for livelihood. It came to a stage when little Sudiksha was denied her own trophy and report card because her father was unable to pay her school fees. Encouraged by his daughter’s bright academic scores, her father allowed her to prepare for the entrance exam to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and VidyaGyan Leadership Academy in Bulandshahr. In 2011, Sudiksha got admission to the VidyaGyan academy to study free of cost till Class XII. Her association with the academy has now paved her future path as the VidyaGyan Leadership Academy, run by HCL’s Shiv Nadar Foundation, provides education to bright students from economically weaker sections in rural UP. Sudiksha, along with three other students of the same school, has secured scholarships to different colleges in the U.S. Sudiksha’s dream of going abroad began to turn into reality when she became one of the 76 students from India who were also selected by the Iacocca Institute in Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in July 2016. In 2017, Sudiksha also appeared for the SAT exam and managed a good score. Here’s wishing Sudiksha the best of paths that has been ‘willed’ for her!

Corporate Citizen slaps the manner in which Indian students have been completely delisted for fast-track VISA formalities to the UK in its most recent list of countries tabled for processing application to UK universities.

In its latest immigration policy, the UK Home Office announced a relaxation of the Tier-4 visa category for overseas students from around 25 countries. While the list includes US, Canada and New Zealand, with added inclusion of China, Bahrain and Serbia, India has been completely left out from this list. While students from these countries would face reduced checks on their educational, financial and English language proficiencies for pursuing courses at British universities, Indian students applying for similar courses will continue to face rigorous checks and documentary evidences. The changes which would come into effect from July 6, 2018, are expected to make studying in the UK much easier for international students.

However, India’s exclusion has now created a furore across the two nations which implicate Indian students as “high risk”. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has promised to continue lobbying the UK government to change its rules around immigration as he felt that exclusion of

Indians from an easier student visa application regime is “offensive” and a “wasted opportunity”. “...To link the two, illegal immigration and students is deeply offensive and also muddies the waters. This hostile environment (to immigration) is still here and we need real concrete evidence that it will change,” he said. But, the UK Home Office said, “90% per cent of Indian students who apply for a UK visa get one, a figure up from 86% in 2014 and 83% the year before that. It added, “In addition, the proportion of Indian students coming to study in the UK at a university has increased from around 50% in 2010 to around 90% in 2016. Indian student visa applications are up 30% on last year. We continue to have regular discussions with the Indian government on a range of issues including on visas and UK immigration policy,” it said.

However, Sanam Arora, president of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK asked, “Will China continue to get even more favourable actions while India gets the rhetoric?” Now, being perceived as “high risk”, the fault of the individual Indian student alone, or does the entire socio-political make-up of our Nation needs a rejig across international boundaries?

(Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar) July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 61

Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian

From The Mobile

O

Closing Cycles

ne always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through.

Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters, whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave it in the past the moments of life that have finished. You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened.

Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away.

That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home.

Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts—and getting rid of certain memories means

62 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

by Paulo Coelho

making some room for other memories to take their place. Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them.

Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same programme over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else. Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back.

Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person—nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.

Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but, simply because that no longer fits your life.

Stop being who you were, and change into who you are now.

Can any history teacher explain this!

A farmer had a horse and a goat...

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both their wives lost a child while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded

by Southerners.

The successors of both Presidents were named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.

Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theatre named ‘Ford’.

Kennedy was shot in a car called ‘Lincoln’ made by ‘Ford’.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the ‘kicker’: A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

AND Lincoln was shot in a theatre and the assassin ran to a warehouse...

Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and the assassin ran to a theatre...

O

ne day the horse became very ill and he called the veterinarian, who said, “Well, your horse has a virus; he must take this medicine for three days.

I’ll come back on the third day and if he’s not better, we’re going to have to put him to sleep.”

Nearby, the goat listened closely to their conversation.

The next day, the vet gave him the medicine and left.

The goat approached the horse and said: “Be strong, friend. Get up or else they’re going to put you to sleep!”

On the second day, the vet again gave him the medicine and left.

The goat came back and said: “Come on buddy, get up or else you’re going to die! Come on, I’ll help you get up”.

Let’s go! One, two, three... but the poor horse would not get up!

On the third day, the Vet gave one

look at the horse and said, “Unfortunately, we’re going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses.”

After they left, the goat approached the horse and said, “Listen pal, it’s now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on!

Get up! Get up! That’s it, slowly! Great!

Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on... Fantastic!

Run, run more!

Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you’re a champion!”

All of a sudden, the owner came back to the farm, saw the horse running on the field... he was not aware of goat’s role in this. He began shouting, “It’s a miracle! My horse is well again.

We must have a grand celebration...

Let’s cook the goat!”

Corporate Lesson: ‘Whatever good you do, always mark a cc to your boss’!

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 63

astroturf

Aries

CAPRICORN

March 21 - April 20

Dec 23 - Jan 20

Your love and romantic life may not be sailing quite well this month. At times, you might feel like you do not understand what you want out of your life.

Although new understanding and learning are bound to come your way, you will benefit greatly by remaining calm and patient throughout the month. Avoid getting into any tiff with your partner as you are already seen struggling to understand your inner feelings.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 20

This month, you will discover that love seems to be strong between you and your partner.

However, there might be small disagreements between you and your partner from time to time, which can be easily solved with patience and consideration towards each other. Your relationship with your spouse is also deemed to be good this month but from time to time, you may have to suffer the wrath of harsh times.

(www.dollymanghat.com)

Fortune favours the bold and the lucky

Your attitude is your altitude, says Dolly Manghat, our renowned Astrological expert and believes she helps people create their own prophecies rather than live predictions that your focus towards family life is strong.

LEO

July 24 - Aug 23 Â

As the month progresses slowly one after the other, each day will bring a wave of love in your life.

The relationship with your spouse or partner will also be seen improving to a large extent. The love meter will be high this month and will bring an abundance of happiness in your life.

nancial healt

GEMINI

May 21 - June 21

This month, the stars work in your favour to give you the blessing of good health. Those who have been suffering from any chronic illness would find respite this month.

This month, not a lot of finances are headed your way. Whatever you set out to do this month, you will find yourself working very hard to achieve the desired results.

CANCER

June 22 - July 23

You will discover that you and your spouse are engaged in following the same pursuits this month which will ultimately enhance your bonding with each other. You will find

VIRGO

Aug 24 - Sept 23

During this month, your health is not expected to be very well. You will find yourself obsessing over your health issues from time to time, which will consume a lot of your energy and focus. However, those who have been suffering from various health issues in the past few months, would find some welcome respite from those conditions in the month to come. Caution should not be abandoned at any cost. If you face even some minor complication with your health, make sure that you attend to it. .

LIBRA

Sept 24 - Oct 22

On the front of love, you will dis-

64 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

cover that you are having a mix of emotions this month. Although you will feel a surge in romantic feelings throughout the month, there will be times when you will be disappointed with the lack of reciprocation that your partner displays. You might also find yourself shying away after such response but the key is to be patient and continue being the way you are. displays.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 22

Overall, this month proves to be very satisfying for you and your partner. Romance will be at an all-time high and you can expect to ward off bad fights with simple display of love and acceptance.

You may even find yourself helping your partner in household work from time to time.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22

The future for love stays mixed in July 2018, with a lot of ups and downs. You will be stuck with some simple issues that can disturb your relationship. Try to take out time and go out for a lovely dinner or holiday. There is a chance of a major problem due to a third person. This will stay behind the curtain but do not let this matter catch fire. Settle down and talk to each other.

In context to love and personal issues, July 2018 represents an interesting period. For singles, a new relationship is ready to bloom and this time it will stay for a longer time. Your actions will be carefully judged by your new partner. Matters of the heart need to be discussed with your loved one for building a strong pillar of trust. In case there are some serious decisions to take, seek advice from your friends, or siblings who are already married.

AQUARIUS

Jan 21 - Feb19

Aquarians are restless people with little tendency to commit.

Therefore, they find it hard to stick to one relationship. This often results in them losing out on a good partner, just because they were not able to get out of their restless tendencies. A piece of advice for all Aquarians, make sure you do not lose out on your partner due to your fear of commitment.

Those in a steady relationship may consider asking their partners to take the plunge.

PISCES

Feb 20 - Mar 20

Since work takes up most of your time, it is less likely that you will be able to offer much time to your relationship. The good thing is that your beloved is understanding of your dreams and aspirations and is an equal and willing participant in the same, which makes it easier to wade through the hectic schedule of this month without much drama. Those who are single will find it difficult to get out of bed and socialise.

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CRADLE OF LEADERSHIP

PROF. SUDHIR K SOPORY, VICE CHANCELLOR, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY (JNU) Volume 1, Issue No. 21 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in

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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

July 16-31, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 65

the last word

Celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary

Ganesh Natarajan

Wisdom of the elders

In many of our cities today, we find young folks struggling in small houses with children in day-care and crèches and the family elders rarely given the opportunity to advise or participate in family matters except the weekly phone call

I

t took a moment of epiphany on a sultry evening in the quaint town of Pondicherry for me to realise that the nuclear families of today are losing one of the most important assets of our generation—the wisdom of the elders!

The occasion was historic in the journey of our family. My wife Uma’s parents, S.V. Iyer and Lakshmi Viswanathan were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary and the family had gathered from all over the country and the world to felicitate them. Their story is typical of most middle-class families in our country. Mr Iyer’s mother Parvathy was a young widow who brought up three sons and a daughter through hard work and lived to a ripe age of over a hundred years. Mr Iyer and his wife started working for All India Radio in Nagpur, moved to Pondicherry in the sixties and raised and educated five children who are doing well in their chosen professions in California, Oregon, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. What they imparted to their children and continue to do—to inspire the large extended family including one great-grandchild—today is their commitment to social service and keeping the good of the community above their own self-interest.

Every reader of this column will be able to share an anecdote about a moment of realisation and sub-

to advise or participate in family matters except the weekly phone call. A lot of my Harvard classmates in the USA visit their parents just once a year on Thanksgiving Day and it may not be long before we see this happening at Diwali or Christmas or Eid time in our country. Can the country truly develop if the wisdom of so many decades is locked up in senior citizen homes and denied a chance to truly contribute?

Our family has been a little more fortunate in this respect and this could well be true of many families where children have done well in their careers and retain the respect and gratitude to their elders that Strange how much wisdom they will invest in we choose to ignore in our travel and spending mad world of data today and time with the families rather than keeping how much of it is available elders tucked away in close proximity if only we in a hometown or choose to tap into it! village. The extensive use of WhatsApp today and the alacrity with which to knowledge and then embed it elders have embraced it is also as wisdom. Strange how much leading to more collaborative wisdom we choose to ignore in and chatty family groups, someour mad world of data today and times over the top, of course. But how much of it is available in close it’s always good to see elders takproximity if only we choose to tap ing every opportunity to add to a into it! conversation or offer their words In many of our cities today, of advice. My daughter’s successful we find young folks struggling in academic and professional career small houses with children in dayowes a lot to my mother who lived care and crèches and the family elwith us in Mumbai during her forders rarely given the opportunity sequent life correction triggered by a conversation with a family elder.

In the city of Pune, there are still many of our colleagues who have parents at home or in their vicinity who take great pleasure in participating in family activity. When you meet a woman in her thirties or forties using a phrase that seems out of tune with her normal vocabulary, you know that a recent interaction with a close elder has occurred. In the field of knowledge management, we are often taught that data, when classified becomes information and many doses of experience and context are required to transform information

66 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018

mative years and even today elders are playing a role in the emotional and intellectual development of the children in the family—long may that last!

A few action items from someone who has seen the best of wisdom and knowledge flowing across age barriers so many times and also seen examples of youth who have never felt the steadying influence of an elder calming them in moment of stress and soothing their worries at times of stress. Let us celebrate the people we have, cherish the memories of those who are no more with us and ensure that our hectic life leaves space for rich interactions with those who care deeply for our success and more importantly, our happiness!

Back to Pondicherry and it was amazing to see that while seventy people had been invited to the celebration, seventy-two actually came, from teenagers to octogenarians like my in-laws. The speeches flowed, including some songs and the underlying theme was the commitment—to senior citizens, to the city and to various causes that the Iyer family holds very dear to their hearts. As my mother-in-law Lakshmi said in her closing speech, what each one of has to learn is to stop feeling envious of those richer or higher than us and look instead at those who are below us in position, wealth or education and do whatever we can to enhance their livelihood and confidence. Truly worth emulating for all of us who endeavor to build a more inclusive India.

Dr Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World, Pune City Connect and Social Venture Partners, India.

Printed and published by Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian on behalf of Sri Balaji Society. Editor: Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian.

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68 / Corporate Citizen / July 16-31, 2018