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SILENCE OF THE LIONS BY JAYANTH A few years ago, society expected people to have unimpeachable characters, and it was considered a compliment if a letter of recommendation had a statement that was built on the lines of “a quiet hard-working person….” Now, generally speaking, such a statement would spell doom. Times have changed. Introverts are as abundant as before, but introversion is not fashionable. This is largely because we are no longer working with people whom we have known all our lives. Impressions must be made. Boasting is required and expected. Contacts must be built quickly. ‘Be assertive and opinionated’ is the motto of the day. But does this imply that introverts are less capable than extroverts when becoming entrepreneurs? In the modest opinion of this writer there is no such boundary. Amongst other things, the core traits that an entrepreneur is expected to have in him is creativity, leadership, knowledge, determination, integrity, courage and patience.
Picture Credit : denisewakeman.com
Research in organizational behavior has shown that though introverts take more time to be leaders, they make better leaders for the simple reason that they are more open to ideas. In the thrill of the moment extroverts tend to impose their additions and opinions on the creative ideas of others, often dampening and discouraging it. Furthermore, introverts tend to be more thoughtful, and so they often work harder and are more knowledgeable than extroverts. And determination and grit is hardly a characteristic that is restricted to any one set of people. Surprisingly, it has also been found that introverts tend to lie less often than extroverts. When we read about poets, writers, painters and others who are often considered the most creative class of people, the common thread in their lives is that they were at their most creative when they were hearing the voices of their souls. Silence and peace was the birthplace of their creativity. Then why does society reflexively react negatively to introverts who wish to be entrepreneurs? Why do most introverts feel that entrepreneurship is not their cup of tea? Given the current economic scenarios, the thoughtful, cautious and risk-averse introvert who takes the next step only after thoroughly consolidating the previous one may often succeed better than others. 4
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Is it then, simply a social paradigm that we often absorb and inflict on ourselves? Perhaps it is. But if we, from our hearts want to make a name for ourselves, if we feel that we should strike out a path of our own, a road less travelled by, is it not required that we break such rules and be precisely that element of change which is what all entrepreneurs are?
A few decades ago, there was a change in the work culture, a sudden, dazzling, unexpected and powerful change that lead to the present open-door policies, group activities, team building strategies and so on. Now again, after the recession, after innumerable scams and downfalls, there is another change, a silent, unassuming, steady change from the past noise and hubris to an environment where people are given importance, irrespective of their preferences in their work culture. To those of us who are introverts, and who have felt the discordance between social expectations and personal preferences, there is an example of a particular introvert. He brought about a change that affected an entire country, and he led them in that revolution. Mahatma Gandhi was an introvert. He led and took the limelight, because he felt it was required, because he believed in the change that he eventually brought about. And people followed him because they sensed that belief, and knew that he was not a man who was on stage merely because he liked to be seen. In the few videos of his that are available, where he was in front of a camera and was expected to face it, his discomfort is clearly visible. And yet he did what he did, and he did it so well, that we all know of it.
And there are many more such examples, Martin Luther King was an introvert, and many religious leaders whose teachings are remembered and followed even after centuries and millennia show characteristics of introverts.
So, are we introverts capable of bringing something new to the world? Are we capable of forging a life for ourselves? Do we have it in us to go against the flow? Perhaps it is time that we brought about a change in social institutions; schools should allow introverted children to learn at their own pace, instead of forcing them into group activities and team work that would actually inhibit them. Offices need not insist on glass walls and open doors, and allow introverts the silence and privacy that lets them work best.
There is much to be done, and we need everyone to work together, extroverts and introverts. 5
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ALUMNI SPEAK : A FAILED VENTURE THAT’S HELPING ME SUCCEED BY ANUSHA SAXENA “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison I am a failed entrepreneur and this is the story of how
I started freelancing to earn some pocket money.
my failure is helping me shape my future. I failed but
Three of my batch mates were also doing similar
never gave up on my dream. After all, failure is the
kind of freelance work. So, we decided to pool our
first step towards success. Not everybody who's any-
skills together and started our own IT company
body got to the top today with overnight success. His-
called ‘TranceVista Solutions’ which provided soft-
tory proves more often than not that success only
ware and corporate designing solutions. We decided
comes after one has faced numerous obstacles, thus
to run it while we were still in college so that by the
forced to work harder and smarter. What matters is
time we graduate, we’ll already have a successful
not getting disheartened and looking for ways to
business in hand. So, I was an entrepreneur at the
bounce back.
young age of 17!
I start the story of my entrepreneurial journey by talk-
We were young, talented and extremely excited to
ing a little about myself and why I wanted to become
get going. I took up the responsibility of managing
an entrepreneur. I come from a service class family-
Marketing, Sales and Finances. Projects started
simple living, simple aspirations. Even though every-
pouring in through our contacts and in less than a
body in my family is well-established and making
year we were able to break even. As we provided
good money for themselves, the fact that they were
services at a very low cost and in very little time,
working so hard for others (their bosses) bothered me.
we quickly gathered a loyal clientele. Good busi-
Even though they were good at what they did, they
ness, great clients, fast progress - We were on a
were all doing it to make someone else earn more
roll! A year into our operations, we decided to ex-
money from it! Everyone in the family had the same
pand a little and scale up. We added branding ser-
story except for my maternal uncle. He is a successful
vices and digital marketing to our portfolio and
entrepreneur with a well established Delhi based IT
that's when the trouble started. Between us four
Services MNC of his own. I always loved the fact that
partners, we split the responsibility for one vertical
he didn’t have to work for anybody but himself! True
each. Since the other three were technical people, I
he worked longer and harder than others, but then the
took up the responsibility of handling the entire
benefits he reaped were also higher. His independ-
branding services as well as marketing for the com-
ence, his confidence, his sense of ownership – all in-
pany as a whole.
spired me and soon I began to make plans of establishing my own company. I wanted to be my own
We were sailing through when a year down the line,
boss, and make a career doing what I loved. All I
one of the partners decided to split from the com-
needed was one opportunity.
pany, since she wanted to chart off on her own
Opportunity came knocking when I was fresh out of
course. The rest of us knew that work was too
school and barely 2-3 months into my under-
much for the three of us to handle while we were
graduation.
still in college, but somehow we were a little 6
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012 be done and what needs to be given a miss.
skeptical about bringing in a new partner and decided to somehow manage the work within the three of us.
And the story doesn’t end there. My third partner,
That’s when things got really bad. Unable to complete
who went off to Amritsar in search of work, actually
projects on time, we began to lose out on clients and
ended up partnering with another small term entre-
fall behind on our finances. This also affected our stud-
preneur and he has now revived TranceVista as
ies and we began to lag behind in our grades. Our little
TranceServe in Amritsar (Visit my friend Balwant
dreamboat was somehow sinking and the more we tried
Singh at www.tranceserve.com)! The company cur-
to make it better, the worse it turned. To cut the long
rently caters to clients all over the world with a vari-
story short, after 2.5 years in business, our once strong
ety of IT services and has created over 40 odd jobs
business had no projects, no finances and a bad market
and growing. Now that’s what you call rising back
reputation when we were not even 20 years old! We
from the ashes! A true entrepreneur, Balwant is now
realized that we weren’t well equipped to run a com-
expanding to international markets and trying to
pany on our own at that point, and decided to close
setup offices at Canada and London.
operations and go our separate ways. I and one other partner decided to pursue our MBAs and the third part-
Hence, the inspiration you get from my story is- ‘Do
ner went off to Amritsar to look for work. So, that was
not give up!’ Every time you fail, you discover a
R.I.P. TranceVista.
new way of how not to do things. Don’t define failure as loss, instead define it as an opportunity to
Now, you must be thinking, “Why the hell am I reading
learn from your mistakes. Try and fill in your gaps
a failure story when this magazine wants to inspire me
and start afresh. I am certain; you’ll always come
to become an entrepreneur?”
across new opportunities even if one passes you by.
Well, this is not a story of failure. Like the title says, my failed venture has actually helped me succeed.
Signing off, I will see you all when I setup my new office, for a new venture in the new future!
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
“Failure is temporary. Quitting Lasts Forever.”
For starters, it leaves a great impression on anybody when I tell them, “Well yeah I am not even 25, but I have already been the CMO of a company!” Secondly, even at work, my bosses and my seniors notice that I have this ownership quality inside me as well as the ability to multitask, which I did learn from TranceVista. This has helped me grow immensely in my career as I am being entrusted with many important responsibilities. Last but most importantly, I haven’t given up on being an entrepreneur at all. In fact I am more determined than ever to bounce back even stronger! I know where I went wrong and have been trying to fill in the gaps ever since. As soon as I am set to start off on a new venture, I’ll know what needs to 7
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June-July 2012
THE HUMAN RESOURCES SOLUTIONS INDUSTRY BY SUJITHA
Temporary staffing which was global growing
Introduction:
HR trend is finally catching up in India. The temThe HR solutions industry may be defined as the re-
porary staffing industry is of about US $140 bil-
wards derived from any decisions on buying services
lion worldwide. However, on the domestic front,
for any part of the human capital value chain. The past
the number is very small. The scenarios is how-
few years have seen a tremendous growth in the Indian
ever set to change as more and more companies
HR solutions industry. This significant growth has been
are now tying up with consultancies and hence
brought about by a change in the mindset of many or-
the experts expect that very soon 2.5-3% of the
ganizations in following terms:
workforce in our country would be hired on a temporary basis.
Many fast growing companies are increasingly engaging the services of HR consultants to meet their ever-
The present HR market place in India includes
growing HR needs. As companies grow and diversify,
individual freelancers, start-ups, small and me-
they want employees with the relevant experience to
dium players as well as large Indian companies
make the growth transition easy and successful. How-
and MNCs. The size of the HR market place was
ever, many times their internal HR system fails to
INR 228 billion in 2011 and it has grown at a
source candidates from the large and geographically
CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of
diversified pool of talent and hence, in such situations
21% in 2008-2011. The industry is divided into
the companies rely on external sources.
three segments – Permanent recruitment, Temporary recruitment and other segments.
This change in sourcing and mindset has lead to more and more companies now partnering with global recruitment firms to access the global talent database and source the right candidates.
The people driven service industry has been witnessing a double digit growth
. This industry has a large man-
power requirement that cannot be fulfilled by the inhouse HR department and hence more and more service industry players prefer to outsource the manpower requirement function to consultants and enable their inhouse HR department to focus on core and strategic HR activities.
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PERMANENT RECRUITMENT:
The HR solutions industry comprises of three segments: 1.Permanent Recruitment
Permanent recruitment is estimated to be a market of
2.Temporary Recruitment
value between INR 28-31 million. This segment has
3. Other Segments
been further divided into Executive search and Re-
Permanent and Temporary recruitment together com-
cruitment. Executive search is conducted for the
prise of 86% of the overall market size, with tempo-
niche category of posts and is focused on hiring of
rary recruitment holding 73% of the market share as it
CXO level of positions in an organization. Recruit-
also includes pass through salary cost. Temporary
ment refers to hiring for mid and junior level posi-
recruitment holds 13% of the market share and in-
tions.
cludes net fees from each successful referral. The others segment includes small and emerging HR
Permanent recruitment as a process of sourcing con-
offerings such as:
sists of three steps – screening, selection and onboarding, with sourcing being the most important
•
Payroll administration (producing checks, han-
step as it involves short listing and attracting the
dling taxes dealing with sick-time and vaca-
right kind of candidates. Sourcing of candidates is
tion), employee benefits (health, life insurance,
done through campus selection, employment agen-
medical etc) •
cies, internal referrals and job portals. Of all these sources, internal referrals and employment agencies
Outsourcing of recruitment process
account for more than 65% of the candidate sourcing •
HR Management and consulting
•
Training of employees
•
Online job portals
process. Sourcing through employment agencies is now becoming a popular trend and has currently a 30% share.
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TEMPORARY RECRUITMENT:
General Staffing: Blue Collar: This segment of staff-
The temporary recruitment market is of a value of
ing company provides a large number of temporary
INR 172 billion. Temporary recruitment is when a
employees to factories and plants. These workers
temporary work agency finds and retains workers,
typically include labor and are paid minimum wages
while other companies in need of short-term workers
applicable in the state where the company operates.
enter a contract with the agency to send temporary workers on assignment. Temporary workers are usu-
OTHER SEGMENTS:
ally used in industries whose business is of cyclical
Recruitment Process Outsourcing: In RPO, the pro-
nature and hence require frequent adjustments of
vider takes care of the company’s internal recruit-
staffing levels.
ment function for all or part of its recruitment activities, e.g., sourcing of the right candidates, screening
Based on the skills of the temporary workers, the tem-
them through tests and interviews, selection of can-
porary recruitment market can be divided into three
didates based on screening results, on-boarding and
segments- Professional Staffing, General Staffing:
training. RPO is a service that is not yet developed
White Collar, General Staffing: Blue Collar.
in India but many consultants are expecting companies to adopt the outsourcing model to survive com-
Professional Staffing: This segment consists of staff-
petition during a downturn. Since RPO is an annuity,
ing company providing temporary skilled profession-
so most of the large recruitment firms are expected
als on their payroll to large companies that typically
to offer it as a part of their portfolios.
operate in the IT and engineering sectors. These are technically proficient workers such as web develop-
Payroll Processing and Compliance: Payroll out-
ers, planners etc.
sourcing involves analyzing of organizational data, computation of gross salaries, TDS, allowances,
General Staffing: White Collar: This segment consists
reimbursements of expenses and filling of TDS.
of staffing company providing temporary skilled labor
Payroll being a complex and non-core activity is
on their payroll to large companies operating in the
generally outsourced by companies. This space is
ITeS, telecom and retail sector. These are usually peo-
dominated by large MNC due to concerns relating to
ple with basic or generic training. General staff sala-
sensitive personal data sharing and the ability to
ries typically range between INR 10000-INR 13000
provide end-to-end solutions. Contracts in payroll
per month.
are generally offered for fixed fees of INR 100-150 10
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June-July 2012
per employee.
Online Job Portals: Job websites help to list jobs ac-
The Road Ahead:
cording to different classifications. Through a job website, an employee can locate and fill out a job
The HR industry being highly competitive is poised
application, submit resumes to the database which is
for enormous growth in the next 10 years as more
accessed by recruiters for any job opening that has not
and more companies increase their investment in
been advertised. Online job portals are a success for
their HR infrastructure. A lot many companies have
sourcing resumes at the junior level as in such posi-
now realized the importance of getting the right
tions, quick turnaround time is of prime importance
candidates to undertake complex tasks and out-
but at the middle level companies usually prefer con-
source non-core activities. Companies that were
sultants.
earlier reluctant to engage external vendors are now considering HR consultants as their partners in
Employment Training: Employment training refers to
achieving their organizational goals and objectives.
high value corporate training provided to upgrade the
Hence, the HR industry is looking forward to inter-
skills of the employees and make them productive
esting times and the overall sector is expected to
from the time they come on-board. However, training
keep innovating and evolving towards exponential
contracts with the private sector are not long term in
growth.
nature and the revenues thus earned are ‘non-sticky’.
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EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: THE BULLET OR ANOTHER CHANCE? BY EUGENE CYRIL On one regular day in the underworld, around noon, a
Employee perceptions of job importance :
worker barges into the chamber of his boss who is
One day, my manager handed me a testing project
surrounded by guards with AK 47’s , interrupting the
which was very critical for the customer . The
boss’s lavish lunch. The worker is panting and breath-
reason why I bagged the project was that this pro-
less but still manages to sputter these words “Maalik,
ject dealt with direct customer interaction which
Kuch Buri Khabar he ….. Hum nakamiyab ho
according to my manger I was excellent at even
gaye ,aapke mission pe.”(Boss,there’s a bad news…I
though I was the junior most member of the team.
wasn’t successful on the mission that you assigned
I did this job so well that the customer was ultra-
me). The boss without even reacting, takes his pistol
delighted. This concept can be attributed to
from the drawer and shoots the worker dead. Declar-
‘Employee perceptions of job importance’ the
th
ing for the n
time “Hume Buri khabar pasand nai
most important part of Employee Engagement
he!!”(I do not like bad news) A typical scene from the
wherein an employee contributes his best when he
olden days of Indian Cinema isn’t it? What if the
knows that the job he is doing is important for the
same were the state of employees in the organization
organization.
that you work for? Obviously not in the exact same brutality, but the importance of an employee be so meager that he gets a firing or even gets fired at the smallest mistake that he does.
What we will be stressing on, in this article is not ‘how to keep the boss happy even in bad times’ but rather ‘how to keep the employees happy so that the bad times never happen’. The concept of Employee Engagement is now being considered seriously by organizations keeping in mind the ever looming Economic downturn. Employee Engagement is the concept wherein employees have such emotional attachment toward their job, colleagues and Organization that they are highly enthusiastic to do everything they can for the benefit of the internal and external customers and for the success of the organization. During my tenure as an Engineer in Wipro Technologies, there are very few moments that I will never forget and I know that these moments are the ones which motivated me throughout.
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Career advancement opportunity
This behavior can be attributed to concept of
On one instance, I was promised an onsite opportu-
‘Regular feedback and dialogue with superiors’
nity at Canada in case I finish a particular designing
which is another driver for employee engagement.
part well. Going onsite would be a major career adEmployee Empowerment
vancement for me and that too at such an early stage
Another lesson that I learnt as President was that if
of my career. This ‘Career advancement opportunity’
you hand a member, any responsibility and allow
was a strong motivation to take up that design job
the person to take decisions instead of holding on
very sincerely but fate had other plans, I got an ad-
to the control then it results in them taking the
mission into IBS after I completed the task.
complete ownership for the task. During one of Regular feedback and dialogue with superiors
the concerts when the concert tickets were being
During my tenure as the President of the youth wing
sold all over Delhi, I had appointed a coordinator
of Delhi Charismatic services, the scenario was dif-
from among my team to coordinate with the sales
ferent. In this case, I was the leader; I was responsi-
team and motivate them to reach the target sales if
ble for keeping my team members ‘Engaged’. One of
the sales were slacking. He was given complete
the lessons that I learnt during that time was that ap-
freedom to divide the sales team and handing them
preciating the someone’s work was a great motiva-
specific areas and setting the targets depending on
tion factor. At the end of any major event, I used to
the areas. His only responsibility towards me
go up to every single team member and congratulate
would be to report the sales figures at regular in-
them for the successful event, however minor their
tervals. The Coordinator did such a fantastic job
contribution may be. This instilled in them the feel-
with the team and one of the accomplishments that
ing of being responsible for their work and the same
stood out was that the Coordinator himself had
team would be more than ready to work hard and
sold the maximum number of tickets in his loca-
take up responsibilities at the next event which would
tion hence generating the maximum revenue for
come.
the concert. This phenomenon can be attributed towards the concept of ‘Employee Empowerment’
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Mehnat ka phal meetha hota he Sambha! (The
“Tera kya hoga Kaliya?”(What will be your
fruits of labour are indeed sweet):
fate,Kaliya?)
Motivated Employees are more oriented towards the success of the organization rather than just surviving
The trembling Kaliya, on the verge of a nervous
to earn their salaries.
breakdown now stutters :
Better Results: Motivated employees perform better, leading to better results.
“Sardar,Maine apka namak Khaya he
Loyalty to organization: when an organization takes so
Sardar”(Boss ,I am loyal to you only) .
much effort to improve employee experience, the employee wants to stay on much longer in the company.
The scorching sun burning down on Kaliya increas-
Better coordination between management and employ-
ing his anxiety multifold. Sweating profusely what
ees: Since there is constant dialogue between the boss
could be his last and final beads of sweat depending
and employees, the boss has a clear understanding of
only on the mercy of his master. The leader surpris-
the performance of the employee and employee has a
ingly replies
clear understanding of the expectations. Greater Ownership: The employee takes complete
“Koi baat nai Kaliya, Agli baar dhang se kaam
ownership of the task rather than just completing his
karna. Jab ye kaam kar dega, tho me tujhe Ramgadh
own task and leaving the rest to others
ka Sardar bana dunga” (Not a problem,Kaliya try to
Succession plan : It helps in identifying potential lead-
complete the task next time,if you do,I will make
ers, especially employee empowerment gives employ-
you the leader of Ramgadh village)
ees a chance to show their leadership and decision This would be the real essence of employee engage-
making skills.
ment not in the exact same niceness, but the organization understands the value of its employee. The The Climax with a Twist:
employee is given more than one chance to prove
On an afternoon on a sunny day. In the middle of no-
himself. This rational thinking, human touch and
where, a furious dacoit leader asks his trembling
empathy binds the employee and the organization in
worker, who has recently failed in the mission as-
a bond that is stronger, lasts longer and motivates
signed to him :
the employee to work towards the organization’s betterment . 14
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SENSORY MARKETING BY JYOTI MEGOTIA
Everything Consumers Experience is the Result of Sensory Stimulus. If we have 5 senses, why not use them? Coffee in a coffee shop tastes better than at coffee at home. Food at restaurants taste better than food made by our mothers. Where does the difference lie ? Is it the difference in recipe or in ingredients ? Perhaps. Or perhaps, the difference comes from the experience that one encounters at these places. It is all about the five senses that are engaged together to bring out a long lasting emotional connection. This is what Sensory Marketing is all about. In order to compete, retailers have transformed from conventional marketing to sensory marketing where they create multi-sensory environments which have a long lasting effect on customer’s mind. Competitors can copy the product quality or pricing strategy of others, but one can be different by striking the emotional chord of customer. This influences the perception, attitude and decision making behavior of the customer. This is what creates a powerful brand. Retailer branding is not a new concept, so what has pushed it to come to limelight ? The difference between retail branding and other types of branding is SPACE. You can see retail space at each and every corner of your city, be it a music shop, supermarket, home décor etc. Any retail space should be able to attract the customer to enter the space and make them spend more. This can be done using a different mix to appeal to the five senses – sound, touch, taste, sight, and scent. There should be appropriate mix of these elements otherwise they can act as negative element for retailers.
A study by Millward, Brown & M. Lindstrom shows that the number of senses appealed to are correlated with the perceived value of the product.
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So, let us start with the effect that “SOUND” can make. According to a researcher ,the background music has lot of effect on consumers’ wait time, spending pattern, and turnover rate. The retailer should choose the pace of sound carefully according to their type of business. For example in a restaurant the music should be slow which will increase the spending of the customer( which will be decreased by fast music) whereas in clothing section for teens need music which is full of energy. Retailers should also take care of distracting sound from outside like of tariff.
How do you select a shirt or a handbag for yourself? Just getting a look of it is sufficient for you? I don’t think so- here the importance of “TOUCH” comes into picture. The touch of the product gets directly linked to our brain which releases a hormone called Oxytocin which changes our perception and the confidence in the quality of product. So it depends on retailers - how they choose to enhance the experience of their customers. “iPod Touch” is a MP3 player which should target sound as an avenue for sensory marketing but Apple added Touch word which itself created some emotional connection in customer before even listening to the sound quality of the MP3.
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When you cross a restaurant what it that attracts you towards it ? the “SMELL”. A human being can recognize 10,000 fragrances, it is said, and 75% of his emotions are generated by what he smells. It is not only about product fragrance but also environment in which the product is kept. This element can be used by any type of retail shop. For example ,Sony uses the fragrance of Vanilla, Cedar and Mandarin which enhances the buying behavior of customer. Many of us go for window shopping and at times we are unconsciously tempted to enter the shop and buy the product- that is because of the “VISUAL” effect created by the combination of color, architecture and design of the space. Last, but not the least is “TASTE”. It is the most important element for edible brands. When you enter an icecream parlor you can “taste and choose” the ice cream you want. But the retailer should be careful because when the customer tastes a large variety he gets confused and ends up choosing nothing. But taste is not only limited to edible brands but the products like lipstick have also targeted taste element to make it even more attractive. Sensory marketing is now not just limited to the retail show room. It has been incorporated into online marketing. Even though it is very difficult to incorporate the smell, touch and taste element in online marketing, it is not impossible. The most important weapon with the retailer is “Words” which when efficiently and cleverly used , can create “ magic.” By use of proper words the retailer can evoke the emotion virtually and the customer will feel as if the experience is genuine. All these have one thing in common - all elements are targeted to satisfy the needs of the customer. The retailers need to understand their product and work upon it to make more appealing to the customer so that they are attracted to it. Those that are able to make emotional connection with the product become loyal customers after all. Sensory branding is one area which is still to be tapped efficiently by retailers and by using the best combination of these five senses, customers and retailers can be benefit simultaneously.
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OVERVIEW OF THE RETAIL INDUSTRY - CONTRIBUTED BY THE INCUBE TEAM OF MAÇON
The Indian retail industry is divided into organized and unorganized sectors. Organized retailing refers to trading activities undertaken by licensed retailers, that is, those who are registered for sales tax, income tax, etc. These include the corporate-backed hypermarkets and retail chains, and also the privately owned large retail businesses. Unorganized retailing, on the other hand, refers to the traditional formats of low-cost retailing, for example, the local kirana shops, owner manned general stores, paan/beedi shops, convenience stores, hand cart and pavement vendors, etc. India’s retail sector is wearing new clothes and is the fastest growing sector in the Indian economy. With growing market demand, the industry is expected to grow at a pace of 25-30% annu-
The organized retail however is at a very nascent stage
ally. The Indian retail industry has grown at a Com-
though attempts are being made to increase its propor-
pounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.3% for
tion to 14-15 per cent by the year 2013 bringing in a
the period FY06-10.
huge opportunity for prospective new players. The sec-
Traditional markets are making way for new formats
tor is the largest source of employment after agricul-
such as departmental stores, hypermarkets, super-
ture, and has deep penetration into rural India generat-
markets and specialty stores. Western-style malls
ing more than 10 per cent of India’s GDP. Over the
have begun appearing in metros and second-rung
past few years, the retail sales in India are hovering
cities alike, introducing the Indian consumer to an
around 33-35 per cent of GDP as compared to around
unparalleled shopping experience. The Indian retail
20 per cent in the US.
sector is highly fragmented with 94 per cent of its
The last few years witnessed immense growth by this
business being run by the unorganized retailers like
sector, the key drivers being changing consumer profile
the traditional family run stores and corner stores.
and demographics, increase in the number of international brands available in the Indian market, economic implications of the Government increasing urbanization, credit availability, improvement in the infrastructure, increasing investments in technology and real estate building a world class shopping environment for the consumers. In order to keep pace with the increasing demand, there has been a hectic activity in terms of entry of international labels, expansion plans, and focus on technology, operations and processes. 18
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
This has lead to more complex relationships involving
However, other international players are taking
suppliers, third party distributors and retailers, which
alternative routes to enter the Indian retail market
can be dealt with the help of an efficient supply chain. A
indirectly via strategic licensing agreement, fran-
proper supply chain will help meet the competition head
chisee agreement and cash and carry wholesale
-on, manage stock availability; supplier relations, new
trading (since 100 per cent FDI is allowed in
value-added services, cost cutting and most importantly
wholesale trading).
reduce the wastage levels in fresh produce.
Retailing Formats Modern retailing has entered India in form of
Large Indian players like Reliance, K Rahejas, Bharti
sprawling malls and huge complexes offering
AirTel, ITC and many others are making significant
shopping, entertainment, leisure to the consumer
investments in this sector leading to emergence of big
as the retailers experiment with a variety of for-
retailers who can bargain with suppliers to reap economies of scale. Hence, discounting is becoming an ac-
mats, from discount stores to supermarkets to hypermarkets to specialty chains.
cepted practice. Proper infrastructure is a pre-requisite
However, kiranas still continue to score over
in retailing, which would help to modernize India and
modern formats primarily due to the convenience
facilitate rapid economic growth. This would help in
factor. The organized segment typically com-
efficient delivery of goods and value-added services to the consumer making a higher contribution to the GDP.
prises of a large number of retailers, greater enforcement of taxation mechanisms and better la-
International retailers see India as the last retailing fron-
bour law monitoring system. It's no longer about
tier left as the China’s retail sector is becoming satu-
just stocking and selling but about efficient sup-
rated. However, the Indian Government restrictions on
ply chain management, developing vendor rela-
the FDI are creating ripples among the international
tionship quality customer service, efficient mer-
players like Wal-Mart, Tesco and many other retail gi-
chandising and timely promotional campaigns.
ants struggling to enter Indian markets. As of now the
The modern retail formats are encouraging devel-
Government has allowed only 51 per cent FDI in the
opment of well-established and efficient supply
sector to ‘one-brand’ shops like Nike, Reebok etc.
chains in each segment ensuring efficient movement of goods from farms to kitchens, which will result in huge savings for the farmers as well as for the nation. The Government also stands to gain through more efficient collection of tax revenues. Along with the modern retail formats, the non-store retailing channels are also witnessed action with HUL initiated Sangam Direct, a direct to home service. Network marketing has been growing quite fast and has a few large players today. Gas stations are seeing action in the form of convenience stores, ATMs, food courts and pharmacies appearing in many outlets. In the coming years it can be said that the hypermarket route will emerge as the most preferred format for international retailers stepping into the country. 19
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012 Maharashtra are emerging as retail hubs for large chain stores like Pantaloon Retail because many small cities like Nagpur have a student population, lower real estate costs, fewer power cuts and lower levels of attrition. However, retailers need to adjust their product mix for smaller cities, as they tend to be more conservative than the metros.
In order for the market to grow in modern retail, it is necessary that steps are taken for rewriting laws,
At present, there are 50 hypermarkets operated by
restructuring the tax regime, accessing and devel-
four to five large retailers spread across 67 cities ca-
oping new skills and investing significantly in
tering to a population of half-a-million or more. Esti-
India.
mates indicate that this sector will have the potential to absorb many more hypermarkets in the next four to
Types of Retail Business
five years. Traditionally, the small store (kirana) retailing has
1. Food and grocery retail
been one of the easiest ways to generate selfemployment, as it requires minimum investments in
The food business in India is largely unorganized
terms of land, labour and capital. These stores are not
adding up to barely Rs.400 billion, with other
affected by the modern retailing as it is still consid-
large players adding another 50 per cent to that.
ered very convenient to shop. In order to keep pace
The All India food consumption is close to
with the modern formats, kiranas have now started
Rs.9000 billion, with the total urban consumption
providing more value-added services like stocking
being around Rs.3300 billion. This means that
ready to cook vegetables and other fresh produce.
aggregate revenues of large food players is cur-
They also provide services like credit, phone service,
rently only 5 per cent of the total Indian market,
home delivery etc.
and around 15-20 per cent of total urban food consumption. Most food is sold in the local ‘wet’ mar-
The organized retailing has helped in promoting sev-
ket, vendors, roadside push cart sellers or tiny
eral niche categories such as packaged fruit juices,
kirana stores. According to McKinsey report, the
hair creams, fabric bleaches, shower gels, depilatory
share of an Indian household's spending on food is
products and convenience and health foods, which are
one of the highest in the world, with 48 percent of
generally not found in the local kirana stores.
income being spent on food and beverages.
Looking at the vast opportunity in this sector, big
2. Apparel retail
players like Reliance and K. Rahejas has announced its plans to become the country's largest modern re-
The ready-mades and western outfits are growing
tainers by establishing a chain of stores across all ma-
at 40-45 per cent annually, as the market teams up
jor cities. Apart from metro cities, several small towns
with international brands and new entrants enter-
like Nagpur, Nasik, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad,
ing this segment creating an Rs.5 billion market
Sholapur, Kolhapur and Amravati as witnessing the
for the premium grooming segment. The past few
expansion of modern retails. Small towns in 20
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
has seen the sector aligning itself with global trends
retailer but more in the health and beauty care busi-
with retailing companies like Shoppers’ stop and
ness.
Crossroads entering the fray to entice the middle class. However, it is estimated that this segment
5. Music Retail
would grow to Rs. 3 billion in the next three years. The size of the Indian music industry, as per this Images-KSA Study, is estimated at Rs.11 billion of
3. Gems and Jewellery retail
which about 36 percent is consumed by the pirated The gems and jewellery market is the key emerging
market and organized music retailing constitutes
area, accounting for a high proportion of retail
about 14 percent, equivalent to Rs.1.5 billion.
spends. India is the largest consumer of gold in the 6. Book retail
world with an estimated annual consumption of 1000 tones, considering actual imports and recycled gold. The market for jewellery is estimated as up-
The book industry is estimated at over Rs. 30 billion
wards of Rs. 650 billion.
out of which organized retail accounts for only 7 per cent (at Rs.2.10 billion). This segment is seen to be
4. Pharmaceutical retail
emerging with text and curriculum books accounting to about 50 per cent of the total sales. The gifting
The pharma retailing is estimated at about Rs. 300
habit in India is catching on fast with books enjoying
billion, with 15 per cent of the 51 lakh retail stores
a significant share, thus expecting this sector to grow
in India being chemists. Pharma retailing will follow
by 15 per cent annually.
the trend of becoming more organized and corporatized as is seen in other retailing formats (food, ap7. Consumer durables retail
parel etc). A few corporates who have already forayed into this segment include Dr. Morepen (with Lifespring and soon to be launched Tango), Medi-
The consumer durables market can be stratified into
cine Shoppe, Apollo pharmacies, 98.4 from Global
consumer electronics comprising of TV sets, audio
Healthline Pvt Ltd, and the recently launched CRS
systems, VCD players and others; and appliances
Health from SAK Industries.
like washing machines, microwave ovens, air condiIn the south, RPG group’s Health & Glow is already
tioners (A/Cs). The existing size of this sector stands
in this category, though it is not a pure play pharma
at an estimated US$ 4.5 Billion with organized retailing being at 5 per cent.
21
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012 the product in your franchise area.
Retail Forms
In return for these rights, the franchisee (we) agree to
Pure Retail
pay an upfront fee to the franchising company. This fee can is usually significant and covers a variety
Pure Retail is any sale to an individual or company
services that are provided to us by the franchising
for end use. Retail is any sale to an individual or
company. There is often also an ongoing franchise
company for end use. Retailer has costs, (like rent,
fee that is paid on a monthly, quarterly, or annual
employees, taxes, loss/breakage, advertising, etc.)
basis.
and needs to make a profit (which is the reason they are in business). Those added items must be placed on the price charged the customers, above what the
A person who operates a franchise business owns his
retailer paid for the product.
own business but has to pay to the franchise owner, but a chain is owned by the central corporation and
Wholesaler
all the employees are employees of the "big" business. Wholesale is a bulk sale by a manufacturer or distributor to for resale to a retailer. In almost all states The franchisee pays the franchisor for the business
it is illegal to sell wholesale to an individual, or claim
opportunity and agrees to operate the business ac-
to sell wholesale when it is for end use and not for
cording to the franchisor's directions. The franchisor
resale. Also in most states wholesalers may not sell
owns all the trademarks, business methods, and sup-
to the public. Wholesale sales do not carry sales tax,
plies that it allows others to use under its contract.
as sales tax is charged to the end user. Thus is a
The difference between a franchisor's and corpora-
"wholesaler" were to sell an individual something
tion's operating a chain of stores is that the chain
and charge the sales tax it would be by definition a
store has store managers who are company employ-
retail sale and it would be deceptive to claim that it
ees, whereas the franchise operation is owned and
was a wholesale sale or that the merchant was a
managed by self-employed business people.
wholesaler. Retail is marked up from the price the wholesaler sold it for to the retailer. The wholesaler
——
usually gets their goods and pricing from the manuEditor’s Note : We shall continue with this report on
facturer which is marked up as well.
the Retail Sector. In the next issue, we shall give an overview of the cost structures and pricing strategies
Franchise
for this sector. We would like to thank the members of INCUBE TEAM of MAÇON for this report. A franchise is defined as a business that is authorized to sell or distribute a company's goods or services in a particular geographic area. When you open a franchise, you own the business and its infrastructure along with the right to use the franchising company's brand, trademarks, and promotional materials. In most cases you also own the exclusive rights to sell 22
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
THE STORY BREWER BY DHRUTI K. BADAMI
You might have seen beautiful books in coffee-shops,
what life might unveil. As a child, Rao was quite
you might have seen coffee-shops in bookshops like
fond of reading but the thought of becoming a
Crossword, and you might have seen readers enjoying
writer never crossed his mind. An incident forced
reading while having hot coffee. But, have you ever
Rao to look for an outlet to vent his intense pain
seen on a roadside, a tea-stall offering you books with
and he decided to write. During daytime, he did
tea? A cup of tea worth six rupees and a book worth
some labor work and by night he sat and read
three hundred rupees with a fifty percent discount! Do
books. Circumstances forced him to give up stud-
not be amazed. It’s not a story, it’s a fact.
ies after tenth standard and he began working in a local spinning mill to earn extra money. Then after
If you ever happen to step on the pavement outside the
sometime, he left his home and headed for Bhopal.
building of Hindi Bhawan near ITO in New Delhi, India, you will find a tea-stall having tea, sugar, stove, cup
There, he used to do labor work at construction
and radio, but along with those things, what might coax
sites to survive. After a couple of months, the fear
you to look over your shoulder is the stack of books
of losing his creativity made him board the train to
neatly placed alongside. You might ask yourself –what
Delhi. He wandered in search of job, but failed.
are these books here for? They might be there to be sold
Then, he started working as a mason at construc-
but what’s noteworthy is the name of the author in print
tion sites and washed dishes at a roadside tea stall.
on the covers!
Daryaganj’s famous Sunday Market became a hunting ground for Rao. He read works of Ma-
All those are penned by Laxman Rao, the teaseller and a
hatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Karl Marx, Wil-
self-taught, self-made writer.
liam Shakespeare and Lenin. Realising the need to educate himself, he gradually acquired a Bachelor
At Laxman Rao’s roadside stall, customers come, not
of Arts from Delhi University as an external can-
just for tea, but for a taste of Rao's wise words. This tea
didate.
vendor has written twenty-four books, of which seven have already been published with two reprints. Tea may be a social starting point for many, but for Rao, it's a vocation to survive. It allows him to burn midnight oil every day to follow his passion for writing. Writing gives him happiness. In pursuit of nurturing his talent, his conviction gave him the strength to brave rejection and the condescending treatment from publishers. Over 30 years ago when Laxman Rao ran away from his home in Talegaon Dashashar, Western Maharashtra, with just forty rupees in his pocket, he had no idea as to
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L’ENTREPRENEUR
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He finished writing his first book “Nai duniya ki nai kahaniya” (The stories of the new world) in 1979. This book was a narration of Rao’s hardships and his efforts to sustain and nurture his talent.
He met many publishers and showed his manuscript, but nobody was willing to publish his book. One even told him “ tum paan beedi bechanewale kya likhogey “ (A betel leaf/cigarette seller like yourself can’t possibly write!). He, however, decided if he had come so close to making this book happen, there was no reason to give up. So he bought paper and spent seven thousand rupees to get the hundred and twenty-
Winner of the Indraprastha Sahitya Bharti Award,
eight page book published. . He priced it at a mere
Laxman is an inspiration for
seven rupees and decided to distribute it himself.
many people.
Everyday, armed with a bag full of his novels, Lax-
So, now, the question remains: Can we consider
man made the rounds of schools and colleges on his
Laxman Rao as a creative entrepreneur? If no, then
bicycle. It’s a routine he still continues with, ap-
what is the justification of this ‘no’?
proaching principals of schools and librarians , stating that he is the author of the book and requesting
Creative entrepreneurship is a practice of self-
them to keep a few copies to read and decide if they
employment in a creative occupation. The distin-
wanted to buy it for their library. Mostly, they end up
guishing characteristic of a creative entrepreneur is
buying it. His second book resulted after his meeting
that his/her first priority is of creating and exploit-
with Indira Gandhi. His play, “Pradhan Man-
ing creative or intellectual capital. They are the in-
tri” (Prime Minister) written in 1984, came out of his
vestors of talent. Laxman Rao has used his creativ-
encounter with the then Prime Minister, late Indira
ity to unlock the wealth that lies within himself.
Gandhi, at Teen Murti Bhawan in 1984. The plot
Since his first novel, he has touched topic related to
portrays the Prime Minister in a social setup, with her
politics, social issues, people and life in general.
subordinates responsible for corruption. He published
Most
his next novel, Ramdas, in 1992. It sold in more than
“chaiwala” (teaseller) can write books, but, Laxman
two hundred schools in Delhi.
Rao has proved them wrong. He set up his own
people
can’t
believe
that
a
publication called Bhartiya Sahitya Kala Prakashan Whatever little money he made from one book went
and published eight of his twenty books, with four
into the publication of another. His books have never
more ready to go to press.
been a bestseller, but they have the ability to emotionally hit the nerve of the audience . By the very
Laxman’s writings are woven around ground reali-
virtue of his novels, Laxman has had the chance to
ties of life. Rao has retained that all through the
meet Indira Gandhi and recently President
years and has never let go of the hope of success as
Pratibha Patil.
a writer.
24
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012 He has written books like Narmada, Renu, Parampara se judi Bhartiya Rajniti (The link between tradition and Indian politics) and now, he is busy in writing Pattiyon ki Sarsarahat (The quivering of leaves). To achieve all these, he had an understanding that he has to build something that people actually want and are willing to pay money for, before he can expect to see profit.
Laxman has learned to live with risk and ambiguity. He closely observes the world, recognises omens and stays open to opportunities. That’s the reason of his success- he has identified his passion for life and he still wants to explore it further, because the efforts of making his life creative and worthy, are nurturing to his soul and help him to spread positivity in his surroundings.
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June-July 2012
THE HR START-UP KIT BY NIKITA BERRY
Loaded with a three month long firsthand experience of the corporate world, striding into the campus, we now are somewhat wiser to the realities of our MBA. All of us pretty much chose our profiles in the specialization of our individual interest and were at the best possible places we could arrange for, our little roller coaster ride. We went into this experience with certain kinds of mind set and came out with either with a hundred and eighty degree spin - off the base or with a clearer picture of what we had imagined initially. Some of us slogged over each assignment while some just breezed by them. Whatever the case may be, we now have a better idea of what the future holds for us. Working with a start-up, away from my home, that too for the first time ,was akin to being pushed into a lake and told to ‘sink or swim’. Earlier, I could never see how a fresher could to actually get a job and hold it down. I always doubted whether I had the required knowledge and the skill set to be in the HR industry. However, I realized that sinking is not an option. Entrepreneurship is something the B- Schools attempt to equip us for. Most of us plan to be entrepreneurs and one of the many things that I have gained from my internship can be termed as an Entrepreneur’s guide to building the HR function of a company from scratch. It is the “HR setup Tool-kit”. Let us begin. “WHAT’S THE MISSION, CAPTAIN?” When a company is set- up, one of the first and foremost step, in order of importance, is understanding and writing down what the mission of the company is. You can start with a simple mission like: Being the most sought after company in the industry, for product and/or services. The mission becomes important for settingup the HR framework because, it gives the HR policies of the company a goal to work with. 26
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
“BELAY” THE MISSION Once you have decided upon the mission of your company, you need to decide how you are going to achieve that mission i.e. draw a Vision statement for the company. The vision acts as an outline for the framing of HR policies for a company. BRING IN THE “JACOB’S LADDER” The next step for a company in order to decide its HR policies is to lay down the ethical values the company believes in and wishes to follow throughout its operational areas. HIRE THE “CREW” It is obvious that in a start-up company/ firm only a few people are running all the essential functions for the company to make into the main- stream and earn some profits for the company. In such case, an entrepreneur needs to select the correct people for framing his HR policies. KNOW WHO SHALL BE THE “BOATSWAIN” In a start-up, as important it is to have a perfect HR policy framework and by extension, the budget allocated to hire HR personnel. It is necessary to look for the sources from where you can hire someone to start with the basic frame of the policies. Hiring an outsourcing firm for HR work is one of the easiest ways to do so. These firms can be easily contacted online and they have special packages for start-ups, which are also in accordance to your pocket size. The other option can, of course, be providing internship at your firm. What kind of policies is an HR supposed to frame for your company at this stage ?
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The first thing that the HR professional must do is to chalk out the organizational structure for the company such that the different types of department and roles and responsibilities of the employees can be decided accordingly.
27
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June-July 2012
RECRUITMENT: Hiring is the first thing your firm is going to do as soon as it has enough revenue to expand. Here you need the HR to write down when, where and how your company is going to recruit its employees. This policy will also include information about the induction, the orientation process and the training process the employee has to go through after joining your company. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Each level of employees need to know their job description, thus, specifying roles and responsibilities is very important. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: As soon as the employees are hired, retaining them becomes an important issue. For this the employees need proper policies for compensation and benefits for them. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: Policies for the type of training module required for the employees at various stages of their employment is very important. This policy has to be in accordance with the budget and revenue of the company. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: After compensation and benefits, performance and appraisal also helps the company in retaining the workforce for a longer duration and lowering the attrition rate. ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY: This deals with setting up the office timings, the attendance procedure, penalties, the lunch hours etc. CORPORATE BEHAVIOUR: It is necessary to set up the guidelines for the proper behavior expected in the office, with colleagues as well as clients and customers for each employee. RULES AND REGULATIONS: Here, the HR outlines the rules and regulations for various areas like dress code, smoking in the office premises, solicitation, gifts etc. MISCELLANEOUS: Other policies may follow, like the employee personal file maintenance, grievance resolution, reimbursement, absence, vacations, paid/ unpaid leave, travel policy, non- disclosure agreement etc. The above points should help an entrepreneur to setup a strong Human Resources department within his company, which will in turn lead to the well managed, efficient and easier operation of the company.
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June-July 2012
BORN WILD BY SUNIL G. PILLAI
When I heard of the word Entrepreneur for the first
In a couple of years , he was on a moving platform
time, probably around the seventh standard in school,
shouting crisply “Perfectly safe Gentlemen, Per-
it intrigued me. That’s when my adventure with this
fectly safe”. The world’s first lift was born. Even
world of entrepreneurship probably started. It’s true
more recently when the markets were flooded with
that the feeling of creating or building something is
various kinds of music players dominated by
truly exhilarating. Otherwise why would a child
Sony’s Walkman, Steve Jobs saw them as just
smile in delight after building his first sand castle or
‘push-buttons’. Where we saw a portable and light
Lego tower ?
music player, Jobs saw them as big and unneces-
Reading , researching and observing people lead to
sarily heavy. Where we saw ‘easy-rewind and
one conclusion. If not anything else, it is this : that
play’ modes, Jobs saw ‘inadequate interactivity’.
entrepreneurship can never be taught. Either one has
He and Apple set out to make an interactive de-
it within them or one doesn’t. However this is cer-
vice and thus was born the iPod. The rest, as they
tain. Most of us are born entrepreneurs. It is the cir-
say, is history.
cumstances around us that mould us and our futures. Our country has given the world many geniuses,
Many times the environment we are exposed to –
academicians & leaders. But men like entrepre-
change- what we wished to be. You can’t force any
neurs and sportsmen have been far too few. How
one or wish for anyone to be an entrepreneur. It just
are entrepreneurs and sportsmen related? They just
happens.
think differently from the rest and have the guts to Oliver and Wilber Wright were never told they
follow their dreams, come what may, in a field not
would have to create something. They just wished to
much supported by the authorities in this country.
fly. They fought against odds and ridicule of people.
If we still had those little pieces of paper in which
Elisha Otis saw an opportunity when the people were
we wrote “ I want to become “ in our primary edu-
“huffing and puffing” up the stairs.
cation years, we would be surprised how much we have changed. 29
L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
This is because we have been influenced by stronger
Medical or Engineering College .And amazingly all
forces. Most of the times it’s the environment that drills
this is going to repeat in this next generation simply
into us that there is no field apart from Engineering,
because they will believe that it is the parents that
Medicine , Commerce & MBA. What happened to the
showed them the way and it has to be the ‘best’ way
dreams that were written down by those innocent
for their children too. So where is the scope for the
minds? More likely, we abandoned them along the way.
innocent child to pursue what he really wants to do?
We are simply risk averse. It may be the fault of the
It’s a vicious cycle.
education system or the mindset of the Indian brain that
Unless we believe and attempt to change the mind-
puts the question “ What if it doesn’t ?” before the
sets, an entrepreneur will remain an enigma to most
question “What if it does ?”
of us. We will continue to serve the enterprises set
America and Europe has produced thousands of Entre-
up by the foreign entrepreneurs and help them earn
preneurs simply because the people in those parts of the
the unbelievable profits. The Indian Entrepreneur is
world have always thought of what they could before
within all of us, waiting to be discovered.
they considered what they could not. The people in
If the first lion had hunted its prey thinking it can-
those parts of the world have the guts to back the ideas
not catch the prey, the ‘King of the Jungle’ would
with capital and belief. Here, on the other hand, a busi-
probably have been extinct by now. It’s time to
ness plan would take years to bring into reality.
change. It’s time to begin, to build and create our own. It’s time to measure the success of our busi-
The typical Indian would probably send a sports aspiring child a sports camp just to keep him busy during the summer vacations and quickly withdraw him/her as soon as the 8th- 9th standard approaches. Why? Because the “Great Indian Tamasha” is just getting started.
ness schools by the number of new ventures rather than by the number of the placements or highest package received. It’s time to think different, encourage others, to challenge the norms and break free. It’s time to be born again.
It is about the admissions to reputed coaching classes It’s time to be Born Wild.
and tuitions - all to get their child into a prestigious
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June-July 2012
LONELINESS—A FROZEN SOLITUDE BY VIKAS RANJAN JENA ~~~WINNING ENTRY FOR THE L’ENTREPRENEUR WRITING COMPETITION ~~~
The year was 2004. It was the spring season. It was a year of change. I stood testimony to the change in governments, I witnessed changes in technology. I had experienced the genesis of an innovation through which I am able to spread my word. To be precise, it was the greatest year of my life. Why is it so special to me ? The answer to this lies in my boorish heart. A simple kid that I was at that time, I never knew what love meant. It was an alien word to me on the whole. I was a free bird, who was destined to succeed in life. But fate interfered as usual. This time it was in the form of an unassumingly mind – boggling face. The year is 2012. I am right now travelling in a train, filled with different kinds of people, from all around the country. The hustle and bustle of vendors, kids playing around, youngsters roaming about, middle –aged people discussing politics and other random things. Here I am, sitting near a window, away from the crowd and lost in my own tiny world. The winds are blowing unusually hard on my face, as if nature is slapping me hard for every mistake that I had committed. I am staring outside the window, looking at the vast stretches of land, which seem to be unending. As I slip into the black hole of my memory, I see a face, which was beyond my perception. Life after that would never be the same again. It is the auspicious day of Holi. As a kid, I was always excited about the very idea of Holi. I would play with the different colors on the streets with my friends. Suddenly, everything changed in front of my eyes. The weather became cloudy, I saw a face, a face which I would remember for a long time to come. Did I approach that enigmatic person ? Yes, I sure did, but with lots of hope, expectations. Did I know then, that the very person I was meeting would transform my life hugely ? If I had known so, I would have never set my foot forward. Everybody has got their own perception, when it comes to preferring people over other people. I had mine too. They say that every good thing starts with a bad omen. My own started with the word “Idiot”
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L’ENTREPRENEUR
June-July 2012
I sprinkled my colors on a face which was full of compassion, a face which I thought would never fade away so easily from imagination. Why is it so hard to describe your inner feelings ? Can’t it be made more simple through words ? It is said that action speaks louder than words. Then why is it that words hurt much more than actions ? Which should be given more weight-age ? I leave this to the Almighty, if there is one. I was a born genius or prodigy, as they say, not in studies, neither in any form of art, but in understanding people. If comprehending people is an art, then I am the Picasso of my times. But why did I falter that day to comprehend that exotic face ? Was it my weakness or was it my alter ego, stopping me from going deep within ?
Time is a precious treasure. Once lost, you can never get it back. How do I know ? Well, it is like asking a person, who has lost a lover, how it feels. Can I describe Death ? Again, a different yet obvious answer. I see death in front of me every time I go to sleep. I see death as a beautiful woman. Not surprising enough that a woman’s condescending look is much deadlier than death itself. Have you ever heard of the story Narcissus ? Narcissus was a very handsome human being, who used to admire his beauty in the reflection of a lake everyday. One day, while admiring himself, Narcissus fell into the lake and drowned. Suddenly, Narcissus transformed into a beautiful flower. The lake was in grief over his death and so decided to turn him into a beautiful flower. When someone asked the lake why it felt so sad, the lake replied that Narcissus had always admired himself in the it - that meant that it was also a part of his life. In fact the lake was overwhelmed, because it used to see itself in him. Now that Narcissus was no more, the lake could not see itself in anyone –that hurt the lake most. Every person in our life has a part to play, whether it be good or bad - we just need to identify who is worth caring for. I now return from a journey , which started as early as my life had been. It takes a lot of sacrifice from within yourself. Sacrifice is all I know. While coming back, I saw a father sacrificing his seat for his two children, so that they can sleep happily, a mother sacrifices her food for her little one. In the same way, many people in and around our life make sacrifices – we should never take them for granted or ignore them. You might never know, when the carpet might slip from beneath your legs. Someone asked me what loneliness means. For that very person, I would like to define it in my own terms. Loneliness is a virtue which when imposed by ourselves, is good to some extent but when imposed by others upon us, is like rotting in Hell. If I am lonely, do not take me for granted. I am, then, much more deadlier and shrewd ! But I am always the same for those who care for my well being !
This is dedicated to that person in my life, who taught me how to fight alone and still survive !
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THE EDITORIAL TEAM OF June-July 2012 L’ENTREPRENEUR :
L’ENTREPRENEUR
SWAPNIL TEWARI , SUJITHA REETODITEE MAZUMDAR DHRUTI BADAMI
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION JAYANTH , EUGENE CYRIL, NIKITA BERRY, JYOTI MEGOTIA, SUNIL PILLAI, VIKAS RANJAN JENA AND THE MEMBERS OF THE INCUBE TEAM.
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