The
house magazine
FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY
C O N T E N T S Between Us
1
Cover Story
2
Best Practice
6
Best Practice
9
Environmental Concerns
10
Restore. Reflect. Reimagine
14
Money Matters
17
In Memorium
18
Home Base
20
Little Wonders
34
Making manufacturing matter
Advantage Manufacturing
Modern manufacturing at Locks division
Challenge of procuring non-ferrous alloys in volatile markets
E-Waste...A disaster in the making
‘India can make it’
Million dollar advice
Dr. KR Hathi: A good man of Godrej
Between us
Making manufacturing matter Jobless growth has been a spectre hanging over the Indian economy for a while now. It's important to keep in mind that only manufacturing can generate enough jobs to improve the situation. Also, manufacturing offers us an opportunity of advantage which if not dealt with well may derail the bandwagon of growth sooner than we can imagine. Godrej considers manufacturing a great calling and a vocation worth pursuing. To convey this message and draw attention of those who might be looking elsewhere for challenges and opportunities, we decided to focus matters pertaining to manufacturing in this issue. Contributions of Kaustubh Shukla and DD Narwekar are a recommended read. Further, the challenges of manufacturing typewriters indigenously are well captured in a write up by our archivist. Pioneer of modern management in Godrej, Dr. KR Hathi passed away recently. CHANGE deeply regrets this loss. Editorial Board EJ Kalwachia Anil G Verma Harpreet Kaur Jui Karandikar Megha Moorthy Co-ordinators AI Buvaneshwar (East) FK Khapoliwalla (West) Sushil Thariani (North) Vinod Kumar (South) Distributors Nariman Bacha SR Marolia Consulting Editor Indrapal Singh Designed by Uday Kamat C Karunaharan
Electronic waste is fast becoming a great concern all over the world as the waste is nonbiodegradable. Advanced countries are dumping this waste on less developed countries - an unfortunate happening. Mumbai alone generates 19,000 tonnes of e-waste a year - a serious concern for all of us. Nirbhay Dixit educates us on the perils of this new phenomenon. A feature on financial planning by Amar Pandit is offered to our readers as a wake up call for the coming year to enable them to give this aspect the attention it deserves for financial well-being in future. Do read and take relevant action. Congratulations to our Appliance team for our EON range of refrigerators being awarded the 'Best Design - Consumer Durable' at the recently held Design Excellence Awards 2006. Considering the international composition of the participants and the jury, winning of the award is indeed remarkable. Do visit our Homebase for more details on this and other such inspiring happenings at Godrej across different businesses. Our theme for the next issue is 'People First', as people are the ultimate source of enduring competitive advantage. To co-create interesting and useful content for the next issue, do share your insights, views or stories on the topic with us. Parent readers are requested to convey our best wishes to those taking exams in the
Printed by Genius Printers Pvt. Ltd. Edited and published by Indrapal Singh on behalf of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Mumbai-400 079. For private circulation only.
coming months. We also wish all our women readers a Happy International WomenÂ’s Day.
Indrapal Singh
1
Cover Story Kaustubh Shukla highlights the importance of manufacturing for economic growth, employment and also as a sector offering challenging careers
Manufacturing O
f late India has been in the news in the global media for all the right reasons.
A nation of over one billion people, a thriving democracy, a robust and growing economy, an emerging power, an evolving manufacturing hub for a wide range of industries from textiles, ready-mades, gems & jewellery, chemicals, and more recently auto parts. However the most prominent amongst all the stories, has been the emergence of India as the back office of the world. From call centers, to simple Business Process Outsourcing units, to engineering services to what have you. There are some subtle differences in the India story when one speaks of the Manufacturing versus Knowledge (or software or service) industry. While in the scenario where India was supplying manufactured goods, we were looked upon as a cost effective source for goods. However, when the ITES boom began, people in the developed economies started to feel the pinch as they were losing jobs. At the same time organisations in the developed economy were awakened to the fact that they could harness the tremendous talent in India for a cost arbitrage. In a few years, the situation turned to one where an organisation need not be impressed with the India phenomenon,
2
but could ill afford to ignore it. Having an India Strategy has become an important indicator for sustainability of business in companies in the West. Investors, bankers are enquiring if the Boards have an India Strategy! So there is no denying that ITES made the world sit up and take notice of India. The ITES boom also helped the domestic economy. A large number of young people with high disposable incomes (despite the cost arbitrage) was a blessing in disguise. The combined disposable income created an inflection in demand for consumer durables, housing, vehicles, entertainment and leisure activities, life-style products and provided the much needed scale and escape velocity for the Indian Economy to grow. And what a boom it has created sustained growth of over 8 % for the last five years or so. The question however is if this is indeed so, does manufacturing have any future in India? In my assessment, Manufacturing does have a very bright future in India. Consider the demographics of our country. Almost 70% of the population is below the age of 35. This large pool of people will be productive, earn disposable incomes, consume wide variety of goods and services, and aspire for lifestyle products. This translates into a huge demand for manufactured goods. While India is fast becoming the back-office to the world, it can not simultaneously afford to become the market for the advanced economies too, to sell their goods. Services Sector has provided the muchneeded international visibility and increasing disposable income which are very crucial for kick-starting economic growth. However, Service Sector is unlikely to provide opportunities to the less educated sections of the society. It cannot sustain the growth. Three-fourths of the Indian Workers (or 300 million people) have not studied beyond high school. India s educated elite is too small and its purchasing power, too limited. Given this scenario today, what is needed to make India prosperous, is the boosting of incomes of those workmen who are
stuck with low-productivity options. This section of population cannot, in the foreseeable future, hope to get jobs in the software industry. Social tensions, law and order problems because of this divide, could be enormous. Hope comes Manufacturing.
in
form
of
Before I proceed, let s look at some of the other success stories in the manufacturing domain. We are aware of the Japan example. A country with limited, or no natural resources, imports all its raw material, and yet is focused on the manufacturing sector of its economy, to make it the second largest economy in the world. Closer home, a similar story is being written. Singapore. Despite having options like Tourism (especially medical tourism), knowledge-based enterprises, financial services and the like and being equipped with hardly any natural resources (where even water is imported from Malaysia), Singapore is focusing on Manufacturing. Despite doing well in all the above sectors, and managing one of the most efficient ports on this side of the world, Singapore has steadfastly focused on Manufacturing. Manufacturing contributes to a healthy 28% of Singapore s GDP, and it is growing. Some other interesting snippets about the Singaporean economy and Indian economy are as follows. Singapore: l 10% Refrigerator Compressors. l 20% Ship Repair/Service. l 30% Disk-drives. l 80% Offshore Oil-Rigs. l 30% Hearing Aids. l 50% Fast Ferries (up to 60m) Indian context: l Bharat Forge has the world s largest single location forging facility. It s clients include Honda, Toyota and Volvo amongst others. l Hero Honda with 1.7M motorcycles a year is now the largest motorcycle 3
industry are strong, and this is the right time to get in, and stay invested for an attractive career growth.
l
Given this scenario
today, what is needed
l
to make India prosperous, is the boosting of incomes of those workmen
who are stuck with low-productivity options.
4
l
l
manufacturer in the world. India is the second largest tractor manufacturer in the world. India is the fifth largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world. Suzuki, which makes Maruti in India has decided to make India its manufacturing export and research hub outside Japan. Suzuki is also the second largest maufacturer of small cars in the world. Essal Propack is the largest manufacturer of collapsible tubes in the world.
What better proof than these live examples of Japan and Singapore, to highlight importance of Manufacturing to a nation s economy!
Manufacturing industries have also been the crucible of the various management thoughts one gets to hear these days. JIT, SPF, TQM, TPM, Kaizen, LCA, SMED, 5S, Visual Control, Zero Defect, Poka Yoke, TOC, 6 Sigma, Lean Plants, Kanban etc. All these tools, techniques, or Management thoughts have been developed in a Manufacturing environment. On the physical side also, Manufacturing plants have become sophisticated with infusion of technology, are safe and wellkept, with an increasingly educated, well to do, progressive and compliant workforce. The Manufacturing domain is also becoming inclusive besides the shopfloor, it now includes Design, Engineering, New product development, Manufacturing Engineering, CAD, CAM, Tool Design, Process Design, Value Engineering, After Sales Service and the like.
The challenge of attracting talent:
It is important to re-introduce Manufacturing to the newer generations, and attract them to it. It is a national waste to have qualified Engineers do non-engineering jobs.
To use the stock market lexicon, fundamentals of the Manufacturing
Sample this dialogue between a Camel and its Mother. Camel
: Mother, may I ask you some questions?
Mother
: Sure, you can Son, is there something bothering you?
Camel
: Why do camels have humps?
Mother
: Well Son, we are desert animals, we need humps to store water and we are known to survive without water.
Camel
: Ok, then why are our legs long and our feet rounded?
Mother
: Son, they are obviously meant for walking in the
desert better than anyone does. Camel
: Ok, then why are our eyelashes long? Sometimes, it bothers my sight.
Mother
: My Son, those long thick eyelashes are your protective cover. They help to protect your eyes from the desert sand and wind.
Camel
: I see. So the hump is to store water when we are in the desert, the legs are for walking through the desert and these eyelashes protect my eyes from the desert sand
Camel
: Just one more question, Mother .
Mother
: Yes, dear?
Camel
: What the hell are we doing in the zoo?!
Coming closer to home, while there has been a distinct improvement in the Manufacturing domain in Godrej, a lot needs to be done. An engineer joining us today, can participate in this transformation exercise, to lead a satisfying, challenging, growing career.
Are our plants designed to ensure l Minimum Material / Manpower / Information movement l Minimal Planning Effort l Mistake proofing / First Time Right l Aesthetically Pleasing work Environment l Zero Wait Time l Zero Searching Time l Capturing of defects as Up-stream As possible
result of which the above-mentioned jobs are created, the country will never succeed in overcoming poverty. Also, engaging oneself in manufacturing actively and raising it to a higher level is one of the surest ways of using and realising one s potential fully. Let s all work together for global leadership in manufacturing, that we can be proud of. Kaustubh Shukla COO, Industrial Products Division
I would like to conclude this piece by stating that, our country cannot hope to eliminate poverty without creating jobs in a large way, especially for people who will be migrating from rural areas to urban areas. This migration would be a result of the industrial development. And for the young engineers, the message is that unless they work for the manufacturing sector, as a
For all those looking for challenge in their jobs, run through the following checklist. Answering this will provide you enough challenge and opportunity to prove your mettle. Checklist for introspection: Do our plants have l Linear Flow l Leveled production l Standardized / Regular Job Description l Leveled Flow of Input l Convenient Arrangements for l Production l Maintenance / TPM l Housekeeping l Safe Conditions l Autonomous Work Stations l Visual Controls l Daily Work management Practices 5
Best Practice
Modern manufacturing at
Locks division
G
lobal competition and intense competition from the unorganised sector in the locks business forced the division to adapt modern manufacturing practices some years back. This initiative was sponsored by PD Lam, BK Rajkumar and with the valuable guidance and mentoring from Takao Kasahara, a world renowned consultant in the area of operations. As a result, today, the Locks Division is in a position to offer competitive locking solutions to customers, both in India and markets overseas.
throughput of the plant. Cellular manufacturing was further supported by six major initiatives which helped us get most out of the modern approach adapted. These throughput enhancing initiatives are described somewhat briefly below. 5S and safety practices The adoption of the methodology of 5S is one of the key requirements of modern manufacturing practice (MMP). MMP calls for clean, orderly, accessible and safe work places. This is achieved by adopting the methodology of 5S and having it as a routine performed regularly and always for having highly productive manufacturing.
Cellular manufacturing was the key principle around which the modernisation of manufacturing process was carried out. Instead of linear flow of the manufacturing process, MMP also calls for a high level of safety cells are formed which are designed to in the operations. Locks division is the complete a sub-assembly or a product first division in Godrej to achieve the within the cell itself. Cells are more or OHSAS 18001 certification which has less self-sufficient in terms of the processes required, storage Before space for raw materials and toolings, area for workmen etc. Cells are mini plants within a plant and are generally designed to minimise the movement of materials and men for completing the manufacturing processes required. Single piece flow is attempted as against batch After wise production. Cellular manufacturing results in great improvement in productivity besides conserving space. In our experience, the manufacturing space was reduced by approximately 50% and yet the level of production almost doubled a great Shadow Board for Hand Tools: Frequently needed tools are kept on shadow board for easy access. improvement in the 6
DD Narwekar shares with CHANGE the best manufacturing practices in Locks Division. He also highlights how the division adapted itself to changing demands of modernised manufacturing by transforming the functioning of the division
Visual Control System for V-Belts:
Autonomous Maintenance: Autonomous Maintenance (Jishu Hozen) was adopted as a new measure for maintaining all critical machines. The operators are trained to maintain their machines and equpment daily by cleaning, inspection and lubrication. A system of visual control is installed on all these machines to monitor the level of maintenance carried out by the operators. The operators from Maintenance department are entrusted the task of carrying out relatively larger improvements and improvements
received through the initiative of Kaizen. Also, a new initiative of online registering of request received for maintenance was initiated to have a systematic database for maintenance activity. This eliminated keeping of maintenance related record manually. Culture of Kaizen: We have adopted the Kaizen way for continuous improvements in Locks Division. This has brought about the involvement of operators in the improvement activities. The operators are rewarded with instant recognition and employee of the quarter award scheme.
‘
Contests such as spot the hazard, clean the department are held regularly to enhance the
‘
helped the division a great deal to streamline and refine manufacturing activities as regards to safety and health. Further, as a result of this systematic effort, the plant had 1100 days without a single reportable accident and about 57% reduction in non-reportable accidents. Contests such as spot the hazard, clean the department and the like are held regularly to enhance the effectiveness of 5S and safety initiatives. Also, employees are encouraged by the management to continually improve work areas.
Two Bin Inventory Replenishment System:
effectiveness of 5S
The two bin system essentially ensure that the required raw materials, components and sub-assemblies are never out of stock. A high level of availability of these enables the cells to produce a wide variety of locks, with a higher degree of certainty at a short lead time. Also, maintaining a two-bin system in a scientific way achieves an
and safety
initiatives.
7
impossible double of increase in availability of components etc, accompanied by reduction in the value of inventory time, simultaneously.
3. Progress reviews by CII experts 4. Linking of processes to business results Low Cost Automation: Low Cost Automation (LCA) has been a major initiative for transformation of processes and improvements in productivity. The focus at a macro level has been on the following: a) Eliminating / minimising human intervention in the processes b) Deployment of concepts like mistake proofing (POKA-YOKE) etc. as a part of deliberate design for implementing LCA
Before
Correct balance is maintained by upgradation of existing equipment through LCA & inducting new state of the art equipments to cater to market deliverables of variety, cost, quality & timeliness. Through this we are enhancing processes & techniques by innovative use of equipment & resources, giving significant improvement in cost, quality, & safety.
After
Energy Conservation:
CII-SME Cluster Approach for Vendor Management: The other major initiative to optimise the inventory costs is CII-SME Cluster approach for vendor development. Locks Division is supporting their critical suppliers for enhancing their capabilities. This year the division has decided to adopt the philosophy of ‘Sharing Risks and Rewards’ for managing vendors.This was also announced at the annual supplier meet. Locks division has extended their TQM initiatives to their strategic vendors. To develop them in this direction and have a global level of competitiveness amongst them, the division adopted the CII-SME cluster approach.This approach is governed by four key principles. 1. Group Learning 2. Performance monitoring and management – continuously 8
Locks division has always been at the forefront on energy conservation activities and has achieved significant reduction in energy costs. Many energy conservation measures have been identified through CII audits and implemented, besides continuous inhouse energy conservation activities. Some of the major energy saving project implemented by the plant team in consultation with E & E, has resulted in substantial savings of specific energy consumption to the extent of 42% over a period of five years (2001-06). To sum up, adoption of modern manufacturing practices and implementing them sincerely and systematically has taken the division to new heights in terms of customer response, productivity, stock reduction and competitiveness. The transformation is an ongoing process and we have set for ourselves business goals which are still higher and more challenging to achieve.We are, however, confident that given our culture of learning, empowerment and team work, we will achieve them. DD Narwekar Senior General Manager, Manufacturing, Locks Division
Best Practice
Challenge of procuring
non-ferrous alloys in volatile markets
L
ocks division has been using copper and zinc alloys, mainly brass and mazak for several decades now to manufacture components and locks. Non-ferrous metals like copper and zinc alloys have, in fact, preceded the use of steel by several hundred years. The advent of electricity and technology of die casting facilitated the use of non ferrous metals on a much greater scale, where their usage was called for.
Copper wire scrap
The end of 2005
perhaps changed the era of price stability forever.
As the supply of these metals of these metals is rather limited, and the usage has been growing at a faster rate, the prices of these metals on London Metal Exchange has been fluctuating widely. These fluctuations make it very difficult for us to procure the metals at right prices for our production where they account for 65% of the material cost. The end of 2005 perhaps changed the era of price stability forever. The prices of these metals shot up to sky high levels hurting us severely. We, at Locks Division had to work out a new strategy for procuring these alloys at lowest possible landed cost, without compromising our stringent specifications. We decided to adopt a three pronged approach. l l l
Improved short term and long term forecasting Search for alternate sources of these alloys Hedging
Improved short term forecasting was achieved by deploying a forecasting model, which combined the uncertainty of the market with its 9
Multi-pronged procurement strategy essential for competitive procurement in volatile markets dynamics. Using historical data and other variables affecting the market, we forecast better prices using a technique called Monte Carlo simulations. The outputs of simulations are used to determine low price periods on LME for procuring materials. Speculations are strictly avoided. It has resulted in significant savings. Alternate sources of alloys had to be identified in order to have our requirements set at lower prices. We adopted the strategy of ore above the ground . Instead of losing the alloys in the form of ingots etc, we decided to use scrap of copper, which has, being a noble metal, recyclable value of 90%. We identified scraps all over our neighbouring countries as well and obtained a reduction of 10% in the cost of alloys. Hedging is a well-known strategy for containing the risk of future transactions. Based on the findings of our price forecasting model, and carefully studying the market trends, we hedge about 50% of our requirement. This hedging assures that fluctuations in the prices, upward or downward, have only 50% of the impact. To sum up, procuring alloys at lowest possible prices, is tough and a challenging task specially under uncertain and highly volatile market conditions. Doing a good job in this situation calls for deploying a great deal of art -a combination of imagination, intuition and skills as opposed to analysis. We are inching towards learning of this great art. MR Shenai Purchase Department, Locks Division
Environmental Concerns
E-Waste...
Electronic waste is posing a serious threat to human and environmental health. Nirbhay Dixit provides some plausible solutions in order to raise consciousness about the perils of the highly toxic E-waste.
A disaster in the making How often do we change our cell phones? How often have we thought of upgrading our TV with a brand new Plasma television? In our pursuit for new products, we sometimes forget what happens to the outdated electronic and electrical appliances. Most of these devices at the end of their lifecycle inevitably find their way to the next door scrap dealer and from him to some backyard smelter. Owing to the absence of any defined regulations for proper disposal of these products, this kind of waste often ends up in a waste stream where it is either dumped in landfills like other non hazardous waste, or is recycled in an unhygienic and polluting way.
(EEE) that have ceased to be of any value to their owners. The major categories of WEEE are:
What is E Waste Electronic waste, also known as E-Waste or waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) is a generic term used for various forms of electronic and electrical equipment
Cadmium: Cadmium accumulates in human kidneys. Inhaling cadmium-laden dust leads to respiratory tract infections and kidney problems, which can be fatal. Ingestion of any significant amount of cadmium causes immediate poisoning and damage to the liver and the kidneys. Compounds containing cadmium are also carcinogenic, and can induce many types of cancer.
Large household appliances (ovens, refrigerators) Small household appliances (toasters, vacuum cleaners etc.) IT and telecommunications equipment (PCs, printers, phones, faxes etc.) Consumer equipment (TVs, HiFis, portable CD players etc.) Lighting equipment (mainly fluorescent tubes) Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools) 10
Toxics in E Waste E Waste contains an amalgam of toxic materials that pose a grave threat to human life and the environment. Some of the toxic materials contained in Ewaste are Lead: Lead is a poisonous metal that can damage the nervous system (especially in young children) and cause blood and brain disorders. Long term exposure to lead or its salts (especially soluble salts or the strong oxidant PbO 2) can cause nephropathy and abdominal pains.
Chromium VI: Chromium VI can cause damage to DNA and is extremely toxic to the environment. Most chromium (VI) compounds are irritating to eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Chronic exposure to chromium (VI) compounds can cause permanent eye injury, unless properly
treated. Chromium (VI) is an established human carcinogen Mercury: Mercury causes damage to brain and kidneys. When mercury spreads out in water, it is transformed into methylated mercury. Methylated mercury easily accumulates in fish and thereby enters the human food chain. Beryllium: Beryllium and its salts are toxic substances and potentially carcinogenic. Beryllium causes pulmonary and systemic granulomatous disease. Beryllium can be harmful if inhaled and the effects depend on period of exposure. If beryllium air levels are high enough (greater than 100 Âľg/mÂł), an acute condition can result, called acute beryllium disease, which resembles pneumonia. E-waste generation in India India is transiting from a country of savers to a country of spenders. New found economic prosperity has led to mindless consumerism. Sales of electrical and electronic devices are skyrocketing. However we donÂ’t have a system in place that can dispose these gadgets at the end of their lifecycle. Presently, most of the E-Waste recycling processes are extremely hazardous Every month around 4 lakh new computers are sold in India. The obsolescence rate of new computers has come down from 5-6 years to 3-4 years. So we can estimate that after 3-4 years every year around 48 lakh old computers will be added to the waste stream. This number will only increase in the future, and we are not even taking into consideration imports of old computers from developed countries. So far the preliminary estimates suggest that total WEEE generation in India is approximately 1,46,000 tonnes per year. E-Waste legislation in India In India there is no E-waste specific legislation. However there are provisions under The Hazardous wastes Rules, 1989, amended 2000 that could apply to E-Waste. India has enacted around 14 laws to address environmental issues, but none of these have a direct reference of EWaste. The processes that are used to dispose computers produce harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, mercury etc. The processes that generate these hazardous material come under the ambit of hazardous waste rules. However, the Government has taken into cognizance the severity of the problem and hopefully in the near future specific laws for E- waste would be promulgated. E-Waste management scenario in India In India there is an absence of organised recyclers. Scrap is managed through various small time recyclers. The process followed by recyclers is product reuse, conventional disposal in landfills, open burning and backyard recycling. The disposal and recycling of computer waste has become a grave problem since the processes carried out for recycling are very elementary and pose a great environment and health risk. 11
The obsolescence rate of new
computers has come down from 5-6
years to 3-4 years. So we can estimate that after 3-4 years every year around 48 lakh old
computers will be added to the waste stream.
12
Landfill: Due to lack of public awareness, in India, E Waste is treated like any other solid waste. Toxic chemicals in electronic products percolates into the land over time or are released into the ecosystem, impacting nearby communities and the environment. In many European countries, regulations have been introduced to prevent electronic waste from being dumped in landfills due to its hazardous content. However, in India EWaste is indiscriminately being dumped and polluting the environment. Incineration: Unorganised recyclers burn parts of computers to extract metal. This releases heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury into the air. Mercury released into the atmosphere can bioaccumulate in the food chain, particularly in fish - the major route of exposure for the general public. If the products contain PVC plastic, highly toxic dioxins are also released. Recycling: In India, we recycle most parts of the computer. It makes it a high value scrap. From monitors, cathode ray tube, copper, plastic etc are collected, from printers motors and cartridges are extracted, from the wires, copper is extracted, from the circuit board, gold and copper is extracted. Although recycling can be a good way to reuse the raw materials in a product, the hazardous chemicals in E Waste can harm workers
in the recycling yards, as well as their neighbouring communities and environment. Recommendations for proper E-Waste Management Ban hazardous waste imports The Indian Government allows import of usable old computers if they are donated to educational organisations but unfortunately a huge amount of Ewaste is imported in India on the pretext of donated computers. As most of the imports are done through ports, proper scanning mechanism should be in place so that the imports of such hazardous waste is restricted. Make the manufacturer responsible The principle of Extended Producer Responsibility makes it mandatory for the producer to be responsible for their products at the end of their life cycle. Manufactures can attach a cost of recycling (Advance Recycling Fee) in the cost of the product. At the end of the product cycle, manufacturers take their product back and either recycle or properly dispose it. Sensitising the consumer Government and manufacturers of electrical and electronics products
Proactive measures by the Government The Government should assure that all the illegal recycling and backyard operations are stopped so that these wastes can be channelised through the authorised recyclers. The Government could also look at a public-private partnership approach in building recycling and disposal facility for E-waste. International Response to E-Waste E-Waste is increasingly being regarded as a potential threat to life and environment. The Government across the world is taking cognizance of this nuisance. The nations of the European Union lead the war against E-Waste. Switzerland has a comprehensive mechanism in place where the manufacturers take the responsibility of the proper disposal of the electrical and electronic equipments at the end of their lifecycle. Whenever a customer buys an electrical or electronic equipment, he has to pay an advance recycling fee. This ARF is the cost that manufactures attach to the product for the recycling and proper disposal of these equipments. Basel Convention The Basel Convention is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). The export of Ewaste to India and other developing countries violates Basel convention as most of the computer parts contain hazardous waste. Basel Convention prohibits trade of metal wastes and wastes consisting of antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, lead etc. The United States of America is the only developed country that has not ratified the Basel Convention. As a result hazardous E-Waste from USA is regularly exported to developing countries.
Modest beginnings in India However, there is still a ray of hope. New initiatives are been taken in India. E-Parisaraa Pvt. Ltd is running a recycling facility near Bangalore where indigenous techniques are being used to dispose E-Waste in an environment friendly manner. The maximum recycling capacity of this plant is around 10 tonnes everyday. However, due to unavailability of inputs it is recycling a much lower quantity of around 1 ton everyday. It is abysmally low as Bangalore produces around 8,000 tonnes of E-waste every year. Most of this waste material goes to unauthorised recyclers. The corporate world is also responding to the gravity of the situation. Wipro has recently launched an E-waste disposal facility for its customer. Initially, 15 cities will be covered under this scheme. The entire process of collecting, packing, processing and recycling of Wipro branded desktops, laptops and servers is now in place. Customers will pay a nominal logistic cost of Rs 5-7 per kg of the material. Wipro will ensure that the discarded computers are passed on to vendors certified by pollution control authorities to handle and dispose E-Waste with pollution control norms. Wipro will collect documentary proof that that these items have been disposed of in a safe manner by the E-Waste handling agencies as prescribed by the pollution control authorities.
‘
Wipro has recently
launched an E-waste
disposal facility for its customer. Initially, 15 cities will be covered
under this scheme. The entire process of collecting, packing, processing and recycling of Wipro branded desktops, laptops and servers is now in place. Customers will pay
‘
should take on the responsibility of educating the consumers regarding the hazardous material contained in these devices. They should be apprised of the threat these materials pose to environment and health.
a nominal logistic cost of Rs 5-7 per kg of the material
A host of NGOs are also trying their bit to alleviate the situation. Recently Toxics link conducted a one day workshop on E-waste management in Mumbai. NGO Saahas is working on this problem in Bangalore. Foreign organisations like EMPA Swiss federal labs for materials testing & research and GTZ German Technical Corporation are working in tandem with government agencies. However, we still have a long way to go. There is a need to inform the common man of thse hazardous material this innocuous looking material can contain and the adverse effects they are having on our environment. It will be a long battle that we canÂ’t afford to lose. Nirbhay Dixit New Business Development Prima Division 13
Restore. Reflect. Reimagine
India Can Make It
Vrunda Pathare captures the story behind the manufacture of the first truly indigenious Indian typewriter by Godrej.
Manufacturing the All-Indian typewriter The year 1955 made India the first country in Asia to manufacture its own manual typewriter thereby finding her a place among few industrialized countries of Europe and America in the field of typewriter manufacturing. It was indeed an achievement for a young industrial India as this first Manual Typewriter was exclusively designed and executed by Indian engineers alone. Here is the story of the first all-Indian typewriter and the company that made this possible Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. In the year 1947, India embarked on a journey towards economic independence, a natural successor to the recently achieved political freedom. To achieve this, our leadership believed
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
in technology and progress , and in industrialisation and machines . The need was felt that for sustained progress, India must itself manufacture what it needs. The typewriter was one such product, the market for which was completely dominated by the foreign brands like Remington, Olivetti and Underwood. The idea of manufacturing typewriters was first mooted as early as 1948. When Naval Godrej discussed the idea with his father, Pirojsha Godrej got quite excited and pointed it out to Naval that if Godrej did successfully undertake typewriter manufacture, they would be the first in Asia to do so, for even a more advanced country like Japan had not undertaken typewriter
The need was felt that for sustained
progress, India manufacture what it needs
must itself
Pt. Nehru examining the Godrej typewriter during his visit to an industrial exhibition in Madras.
14
Here is the
story of the first All-Indian
typewriter and the company that made this
possible -
Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.
From the special supplement brought out to launch the first manual typewriter, 1955
manufacture. Their enthusiasm was matched by a sponsorship by the Government of India to undertake the manufacture of typewriters. However, this wasn t an easy job. In 1950s, the demand for typewriters in India was very small and restricted. Statistics from the Office Equipment
and Stationery Annual of India (1952) published by Excels Ltd. recorded that at no time during the last ten years total imports of typewriters of all kinds exceeded 14,345 machines and that the average annual reports during the last ten years come to about 7,456 typewriters of all kinds. Because of
The late Dr Hathi in his oral history interview to the Archives recalls typewriter manufacturing in the following words; Typewriters came in the year 1955. But we were working on typewriters for many years. We were also at that time trying to get the collaboration and in those days the American typewriter called Royal was supposed to be very good. Remington was already importing here. Remington had a branch in India. But the Americans, even after the world war, would not agree to join or collaborate. They were not interested. We wrote at that time but could not get collaboration. Then we started developing ourselves. There was a model called Woodstock - American Woodstock (as it had not been patented). We copied
that part to part except the spring which we had to import. Everything else was made by us but it took a long time. Then first typewriter we presented to Jawaharlal Nehru. At that time I was already a branch manager in Delhi. I went along with SP Godrej to his house at Teen Murti Marg and presented (the typewriter) to him. We took an appointment. He gave us about a half an hour. He came exactly in time and exactly left on dot. 15
the small demand and the intricacy and complexity involved in the manufacture of typewriter, the well known foreign firms in India contented themselves by merely selling imported machines or partially assembling some of the parts and never thought of manufacturing in India. In spite of this, Godrej took up the challenge of manufacturing such an intricate and complex machine. The job of manufacturing manual typewriter involved in addition to the turning, grilling, tapping, riveting & punching, the making of over 150 varieties of screws with special threads, not to mention the whole series of specialised jobs like diecasting, spring-coiling, rack-cutting, gang milling and heat treating. These specialised processes called for highly specialised machines like special milling machines for type-bar segment, carriage, guides & mounting frames, die casting machines for main frames, top plates & spool covers; automatic rack cutting machines for bars; multi spindle drilling & tapping machines for key-lever mounting, carriage & plates & other components which require precision drilling. It was no doubt a difficult endeavour! Therefore, before getting into actual production, a profound study was undertaken to understand the intricacies of the processes of typewriter manufacture and the assembly. It was decided to follow the model of the Woodstock typewriter as it had not been patented. The Tool Room started working on manufacturing machine tools i.e. machines to make machines. Special machines were ordered as early as 1947 & 1948. However, the work of manufacturing typewriters was kept on hold in face of a new order for manufacturing ballot boxes for the first general election of Independent India and it wasn t until 1950 that the work of typewriter manufacturing got momentum. A small-design section was established at Lalbaug under engineer KNV Vasan. PM Bhada and KB Gupte were associated with the manufacturing side 16
and Morwalla was in charge of the allimportant basic toolings. By 1952, 200 dies and punches for blanking, 18 bending dies, 12 die-casting dies were ready. Special cams and innumerable jigs & fixtures were designed for producing 350 automat items. Out of 1,800 component pieces in a typewriter, only the types, key tops, rubber plates and one spring of the value of Rs 30 in all were imported, making it truly an all-Indian typewriter. In 1955 the first All-Indian Godrej Typewriter was ready for launch. Vrunda Pathare Godrej Archives
Ad from Industrial India, 1956
Money Matters
$ S Million $ S advice dollar $
$
$
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homas Stanley in his book The Millionaire Next Door wrote: "Save and become rich." Napolean Hill said: "Think and grow rich." In the Indian context, with popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati-III having begun recently, all of you must have seen hoardings projecting KBCIII as the next easy way to get rich! All of it sounds very simple and dreamlike. But, the truth really is that despite all those desperate Rs 6 messages we send, it's probably four or five people out of a billion people who actually become Crorepatis that way! For most others, there are five legal ways of getting rich, some of which might be faster than the others 1) Inherit it 2) Marry it 3) Save it and Invest it 4) Become an Owner (own equity) and not a Loaner 5) Win a Lottery. However, the one constant strategy or principle that is relevant to everyone is 'Save it and Invest it'. It is one of those principles, which however old or simple it might sound, is applicable even in today's time as it was a hundred years ago. Burton Malkiel in his book Random Walk to Investing has written, "Even in fields such as medicine, where true expertise really exists, the greatest gain comes from following simple advice...More lives have been saved and prolonged by penicillin and by washing hands than by any other pharmaceutical or medical technique." A simple strategy is easy to implement and leaves you with a lot of time to spend fruitfully! Here are six simple steps to strike gold: 1. Invest at least 20 % of your gross
Amar Pandit shares six golden tips to become a millionaire income in a diversified equity mutual fund or large cap stocks every month. 2. Start your tax planning investments right from the beginning of the financial year in April. Do not procrastinate. 3. Transfer all risks such as death, disability, critical illness, accident, health and property to the insurance company. Understand the consequences of risks and do not think of insurance as an expense. 4. Avoid short cuts. Albert Einstein once said, "Only two things are Infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the former." 5. Ensure that you have addressed the issues of wealth transfer by having a simple will. It will help avoid any discord. 6. Invest a fixed amount every month in debt and equity. Now here are six mistakes most equity and mutual fund investors make. Avoid these: 1. Having irrational expectations. 2. Selling out in bad markets. 3. Investing short-term money in equity and long term money in debt. 4. Being affected by news, interest rates, oil prices and losing confidence too soon. 5. Trying to time the market and waiting for the best time to buy or sell. 6. Getting greedy and opting for spicy derivatives, commodity trading without understanding the risks associated. Attempting to follow this advice will certainly get you one step closer to becoming a millionaire. The financial decisions you make may not be flawless, but it is certainly better to make flawed decisions than make none at all. The greatest barrier to your success or becoming a Crorepati can only be 'you'. Amar Pandit 17
In Memorium
Dr. KR Hathi:
A good man of Godrej K
eki Rustomji Hathi, at the age of 85, passed away on Christmas Day (December 25, 2006) at Mumbai. He was born in Bharuch, Gujarat and joined Godrej at the age of 22 and served the company for over 50 years with distinction. Dr. Hathi was essentially a simple man – simple in his attire, in his ways and in his relationships. He was simplicity personified. A god-fearing man of deep values and high integrity. A silent achiever. A man who loved his work and prodded others relentlessly to do their own. A man of immense energy and optimism. Tenacious and tireless in his efforts. Stoic by nature, an empathetic listener, a life-long learner, well read, humble and helpful, Dr Hathi was a great asset for Godrej. A postgraduate and a PhD in history, he joined Godrej at the age of twenty two in the year 1944, as a salesman to be trained as an executive to be posted at branches outside Mumbai. For almost two decades, he managed branches all over India and returned to Mumbai in the early sixties and shortly thereafter proceeded to the US to get his post graduation degree in management from MIT. He was a Sloan fellow. In 1962, he returned to Mumbai and worked for a decade at the Head Office in the area of Sales and Marketing, ultimately taking over the reins of Marketing in 1973. He retired as Executive Vice President in 1993. Dr. Hathi was convinced that unless the organisation was managed in a professional way, it had no chance of surviving and growing in the fast changing times. He began the work of professionalising the marketing area by
18
A homage to the man who pioneered modern management practice at Godrej
recruiting management trainees for the first time in the history of the company from IIM, Ahmedabad. Not only did he establish a well thought out trainee programme, but ensured that training was given to all concerned in the years to come. He personally oversaw the training of people in marketing and ensured that their development was not ignored. To enable company growth, he expanded the dealer network from that of less than a 100 to more than 500 all over the country. He had great knack for appointing the right dealers and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships, which have lasted over four decades. To manage the dealer network and have the company presence all over the country, he expanded the branch network from six to over 25 during his tenure. These branches had sales and service functions entrusted to them besides having warehousing as an integral part, wherever possible. Innovation in marketing was his forte. He introduced many new products during his tenure. Innovative ways to sell manual typewriters make a great reading. However, nothing was more noteworthy than the annual speed typing contests for the typists. This contest continued to be held for more than ten years until the mid-nineties, helping Godrej sell typewriters in numbers larger than anyone else and be the leader for years to come. Similarly, other innovative approaches adopted for different products enabled Godrej to become the market leader in various categories. The brand ‘Godrej’ became stronger than ever
before offering a solid foundation for growth in the nineties and beyond. Building the Godrej brand to be amongst the top ten Indian brands for years was one of Dr. Hathi s most significant contributions. He embodied the spirit of Rotary and was a staunch Rotarian for years. He urged young managers to become Rotarians and serve the community at large. He himself served the Parsi community well, making contributions for its welfare and served as trustee in several occasions.
A man who loved his work and prodded others relentlessly to do
their own. A man of immense energy and optimism.
Tenacious and tireless in his efforts.
To those who were reporting to him, he was their mentor. He was firm and fair. If the reportee had erred, he would not hesitate to pull him up, but on the next day itself, he would compliment him on a job well done. He believed in developing people and made sure that promising young managers were rotated adequately for their development. He himself was the master of dealing with the DGS&D for Government business and taught the art and skills of successful tendering to many. He was a man of detail, with wideranging interests and a passion for thoroughness. As a result, files would pile on his table, which he would work until late hours to clear. But in the end, the matters did receive his full attention and justice. Diligence mattered to him a great deal. He read widely and spotted ideas for action. As late as November 2006, at the age of 84, he spotted a news item of the company s interest and forwarded it to Mr JN Godrej for his use. Godrej s well being was always foremost in his mind. He loved to keep physically fit and was a yoga enthusiast. A karmayogi in the true sense of the word, he never mentioned his own woes but listened to those of others with compassion and offered help wherever he could. Although great tragedies had befallen him in a short span of three months, when he lost his wife and his youngest son under tragic circumstances, he carried on with life and performed his duties with grace and dignity. Those who knew him will always remember his gentle and understanding ways and miss him greatly. Farewell Doc. (Inputs from Pesi Mancherji, Nari Tarapore, HN Patell, Ramesh Gangaramani and Indarpal Singh)
19
Home Base Interio Division
The spirit of sportsmanship
The Steel Processing team from Plant 1, captained by Santosh Dixit were the winners
The event: Interio Division organised, for the third consecutive year, the intradivision cricket tournament for all its employees at the head office. The match was for both management staff and workforce. From: January 15 to January 29, 2007 Venue: The Godrej Hillside Colony grounds. Proceedings: This year, unlike in the last two years, we received a tremendous response for the event with a total of 22 teams enlisting to participate in the tournament. The tournament this year brought in a few surprises for the teams - some unexpected wins and some disappointments. Plant 1 was the dark horse, which reached the finals and played against Plant 4. Plant 1 20
emerged winners and displayed some excellent cricket in terms of bowling, batting and fielding. Guests of honour: We were elated to have Navroze Godrej as our chief guest for the finals on January 29, 2007. He gave away the trophy to Santosh Dixit, captain of the Plant 1 team. The other prizes were handed over by Anil Mathur and Anil Lingayat. Spectators: Management staff and workmen along with the GBSS team were present in full strength at the grand finale. Super Performers: The Best Batsman award was bagged by Mangesh S Ambre, the Best Bowler went to Ashok Panchal. Amit Chavan was declared the Best Fielder and the
Man of the Series was Anil Gawde of Plant 1. Vote of thanks: We would like to thank Navroze Godrej for having accepted our invitation to be present at the finals of the Interio Cricket Championship 2007. We would like to place on record our heartfelt thanks to the entire organising committee comprising Mangesh S Ambre, Mahadev Sawant, Vijay Salaskar, Ramballi Yadav and his team without whose enthusiasm, assistance and work, the event would not have happened. We would also like to specially thank Tejbahadur Yadav for his hilarious commentary and Mr Linge of Security Equipment Division who officiated as the umpire for the tournament along with Mr Kudav of Plant 13. Our special thanks
to Godrej Foods, our sponsors for the drinks served at the tournament, Anil Verma, Executive Vice President and Head, Corporate Personnel & Administration, Anil S Mathur, COO, Interio Division, our Vice Presidents, Anil Lingayat and Manoj Ganjawalla as well as all the members of the management and our workforce for their participation, enthusiasm and support in holding this event each year.
Super performer at Times Shield tournament
Last word: The championship apart from a whole lot of fun also served as a positive exercise in team building.
Started by The Times of India group, Times Shield Cricket tournament is a prestigious cricket tournament wherein Mangesh S teams from different Ambre industries and firms participate and display their cricketing skills. This is a knock-out tournament i.e. if one loses any one match, they are out of the tournament.
Mangesh S Ambre and Doreen Rosario
Godrej & Boyce also takes part in this tournament through our Godrej
Staff Club. This year, Mangesh S Ambre of Interio Division was a member of this Godrej team at the Times Shield tournament. He remained unbeaten with an individual score of 62 runs in Godrej s first match played against NABARD. After winning this match, the next match was against Mukund Ltd where Ambre remained unbeaten again at 74. However, Godrej was knocked out of the tournament in that match. We wish Mangesh S Ambre (Deputy Manager - Human Resources) all the best in the future. Doreen Rosario
Meeting customer satisfaction Event: Customer meet organised by Interio, Bhopal branch along with Security Equipment Division Date: November 26, 2006 Venue: Hotel Sayaji, Indore Participants: In all there were 150 participants from the banking, private, corporate, insurance and government and education sectors. Proceedings: The meet began with a welcome address, corporate film and a presentation on the Interio brand FK Khapoliwala. This was followed by a brief detailing on Security Equipment products by Sarath Mohan Takasi, Deputy Manager and another on Home and Institutional products by RP Jagus. The session ended with a vote of thanks by Vineet Nagar. We thank FK Khapoliwala & Vinay Salestekar for gracing the occasion and making it a great success. Last word: The Home and Institutional products that were displayed were appreciated by the customers. The meet was a great success and the customers were happy to know the developments taking place at Godrej. We are certain the meet will prove fruitful. RP Jagus Bhopal Branch 21
Building bridges with architects WhatÂ’s new: This year, as a strategic practice, we have initiated various marketing activities to strengthen our relationship with architects, through associations with different bodies like IAB (Indian Architect & Builder), IIID (Indian Institute of Interior Designers, IIA (Indian Institute of Architects). Action Plan: We have had a series of informative seminars for architects in Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi through Indian Architects and Builders (IAB). Subsequently, we also initiated a tie-up with Indian Institute of Interior Designers (IIID) to launch an exciting contest involving product designs. We were also looking at exploring different avenues of bonding with Indian Institute of Architects (IIA). As a first step, we have sponsored their Awards Nite in Mumbai on December 23, 2006, where around 200 member architects from across India had participated. As part of the sponsorship, we had the opportunity to: 1. Make a detailed presentation. 2. Display our products (Enova, Doric and new range of chairs) with branding space at the venue. 3. Secure a branding space and a very interesting write-up in the Interiors magazine. Proceedings: The magazine was inaugurated and released in the presence of Anil Mathur and Manoj Ganjawalla by Prof. Gurunath Dalvi, president, IIA on this occasion. A lucky dip was also organised and chairs were given as prizes to three lucky winners at the end of the programme. Last word: This event has created a platform for us to expand our interaction with architects who are members of the IIA. Vivek Sthalekar, Assistant General Manager & Ashwini Deodeshmukh, Deputy Manager, Interio Marketing 22
As a part of the same initiative, in order to create awareness and build interactive platforms with architects, project management consultants and facility managers, a series of lectures were organised at Kolkata, Bangalore and the third in the series at Delhi on October 13, 2006 at Intercontinental, The Grand. The lecture series was organised in association with Indian Architect and Builders focused on enhancing workspaces in the changing environment. The programme began with a welcome address by Manoj Ganjawalla and was followed by the speaker, Martin Haas, Senior Partner in Behnisch Architekten, a leading proponent of sustainable corporate design. His presentation covered four major projects involving multifaceted aspects of sustainability, interesting use of landscape elements in the built form and briefly touched upon effects of workspace on an individualÂ’s productivity. His featured designs sought to create harmony with the city landscape. The latest products launched - Doric, Fusion and Enova alongwith chairs and Desking Suites were displayed and generated a lot of interest among the fraternity. Architects were educated about the products by our teams and the column-based model was especially appreciated. Ashwini Deodeshmukh and Preeta Bipin With inputs from Jasdeep Singh Khanna, Delhi Branch
Appliance Division
Sambandh training - Building realtionships through customer service We have received encouraging and motivating feedback from the students, instructors and the principals of these ITIs. They have gone on record to say
An ITI team from Ambernath
An ITI team from Nasik
This is in continuation with the Sambandh training initiative that was started in Mumbai in 2006. The initiative has been slowly making inroads and reaching out to people in different parts of Maharashtra. In Mumbai we have been interacting
with freelance technicians, workshop owners, private institutes and other industrial training institutes (ITIs). In Maharashtra, we have covered ITIs from regions like Thane, Ambernath, Mangaon, Nasik, Jalgaon and Sholapur.
that this is the first time they have seen such a high quality and easy to understand concepts about refrigerators - its service and repairs. They have applauded the efforts of Godrej Appliance division in making efforts to reach out to people who are about to make a career in this industry. An intitiative that no other company in this sector has ever attempted. Kamal S Bhagwanani Assistant Manager – Training and Development Mumbai Branch
Team Mohali grounded with enthusiasm After the Mohali branch of Godrej Appliances organised their first ever cricket tournament, Cyrus Bharucha writes a rapturous piece for CHANGE on the spirit, the events and the memories. All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy. Give him a break and his eyes gleam with joy. This was exactly what the employees of the Appliance Division, branch and commercial offices at Mohali needed the most- a break. After much deliberation and planning, the cricket tournament was decided upon just to give the employees this much-needed break.
The jubilant winning team
So far Mohali had only heard of tournaments in Mumbai and once the chance had fallen in our laps, we wanted to make the most of it. The spirit was upbeat. After all the groundwork was taken care of by the Organising
Committee comprising Rajinder Koul, Sarosh B Patel, Amit Kumar, Bhagirath Dogra and Praveen Sharma, the proposal was put forward before G Yugandar, Senior General ManagerManufacturing, Appliance Division,
which was accepted immediately. As soon as the idea was announced to the employees, we were overwhelmed with the response. 16 teams registered and the Godrej Cricket Cup, 2006 was all set to be a challenger! 23
The match venue was decided. It was the picturesque ground of the St Stephen s School at Chandigarh. It had a lovely pitch with good turf all around and several blocks for net practices. The tournament was well spread over three Sundays. The event was inaugurated by Mr G Yugandar. He not only promoted the event, but also formed a team of senior members of the staff, which actively participated in the event. Neutral umpires and scorers were also invited for the event. The final match was between the Dazzlers (Common Services) and the
where no achievement or contribution went unnoticed. Prizes were given away to the winners, the super performers and anyone who had in some way or the other contributed in making the event a success. Even children didn t go home disappointed as they were generously showered with candies and other goodies. Runners-up of the tournament
Blasters (Machine Shop-Compressor Plant). And in a nail biting final, it was finally the Dazzlers who dazzled all the way! The most eagerly awaited part of the programme was probably the prize distribution because it was an event
The cricket tournament was an event that left all of us with very pleasant memories. It was an event where everyone, irrespective of position or hierarchy, came together and had a blast! Cyrus Bharucha Refrigerator plant, Mohali
Godrej EON wins award for excellence
Godrej EON range of refrigerators were judged Best Design Consumer Durable at the recently held Design Excellence Awards 2006. These awards are given by the leading business magazine Business World and India s premier design school, National Institute of Design (NID) Ahemedabad. Our appliance team deserves congratulations many times over. Design excellence awards is a forum for recognising the best design product across several categories in India. This
forum indeed has very high standards, which are reflected in the criteria for awards, the prominent international jury which judges the participants and the process followed. In fact, more than the above, the participants across the nations enhanced the prestige of the event. The rigorous evaluation procedure took into account parameters such as aesthetics, level of customisation for the Indian market, materials used, safety and comfort, ease of use, technical performance, sales volumes and above all, costs.
The jury comprised of Preeti Vyas Giannetti, chief creative officer, Vyas Giannetti Creative, Lalit Kumar Das, head, Instrument Design and Development Centre, Lars Lallerstedt, industrial designer, Sweeden, Kimuru Toru, executive director (architechture and design), Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan, Kenneth Segal, head (industrial design), Hassadah College of Technology, Israel. Godrej range of EON refrigerators emerged as overall winners in this competition. The secret of Godrej winning the design excellence award is deep consumer insight. This insight was converted into usable features by our design team. Some of the innovative features and their benefits are Cool Shower Technology, Swivel Shelf, Polybag Suspenders, 2.5 l AquaSpace, Double Deck, Integrated Ice Hangers and Unique Door Designs. What s more, we have just extended the EON range with the new EON Fresh series of refrigerators. These are available in four new colours, melon red, kiwi green, icy blue and yellow nectar. These help overcome the tyranny of white and metallic. The new range is bound to light up the kitchens as never before. Available in two sizes, 243 and 263 litres. The division plans to introduce many more innovative products for enriching lives of our consumers-everyday, everywhere. Team Appliance
24
Tooling Division
Casting a good impression
Pratap Singh Rane, Honorable Chief Minister of Goa, PN Sandhu, President of ALUCAST and DK Sharma, Vice President & Business Head, Tooling Division, along with other dignitaries at the Godrej Tooling Division s stall at the exhibition.
The Tooling Division s participation at the ALUCAST exhibition, 2006 facilitated showcasing of the division s technological competencies in an international forum. Automobile Companies across the globe are presently striving hard to give customers the best, in terms of technology and price. Increased competition everywhere has led companies to lay more emphasis on competitively pricing their products. And therefore, Auto majors are focusing on Low Cost Countries (LCC) as an option for sourcing. India and China are the most favoured LCCs being looked at by the Automobile industry. Exhibitions like Auto Expo, Die & Mould, Asia Pacific Aluminium Conference, etc., prove to be the right avenues for companies to showcase their products and create an awareness of their capabilities, amongst varied industries worldwide. Godrej Tooling Division (GTD) availed of such a forum, by participating in the
recently held ALUCAST Exhibition Asia Pacific Aluminium Conference 2006, in Goa, from 2 to 5 November, 2006. Asia Pacific Aluminium Conference is organised by ALUCAST (Aluminium Caster s Association of India) every year. ALUCAST is an Association representing the Aluminium Casting industry in India and Godrej Tooling Division is a lifetime member of ALUCAST. In its efforts to provide the right platform forum to companies to exhibit their products, this exhibition does not limit itself to Indian industries, but attracts overseas players too. This enables a healthy exchange of technology and opens up the right avenues for international companies to enhance their knowledge-database about the Indian Die Casting Industry. Growth of the Tooling industry is dependent on the Auto-component industry, which in turn, is dependent on the Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs). The Component industry in India has seen a huge growth, fuelled not only by the booming Automobile industry in India, but also by the strategic decision of most Auto majors to source components from LCCs. This year too, Godrej Tooling Division could showcase its technological competency in Die Casting Dies and set a benchmark for the Indian Tooling industry in the Die Casting Dies segment. DK Sharma, Vice President & Business Head of Godrej Tooling Division welcomed the Honorable Chief Minister of Goa, Pratap Singh Rane and the President of ALUCAST, PN Sadhu to the Godrej Stall. The continuous flow of visitors representing a wide spectrum of companies that came to the Godrej Tooling Division s Stall was an evident indicator of the excellent response GTD got during this exhibition. G Ramakrishnan 25
Security Equipment Division
Mumbai s top cop visits Godrej Godrej Security Equipment Division, Mumbai Branch arranged a live demonstration of the Under Vehicle Surveillance System (UVSS) for top officials of Mumbai Police, represented by Additional Commissioner of Police, Vinay Kargaonkar and his team. Keeping in mind the recent spate of threats from terrorists, Mumbai police is planning to install UVSS at sensitive places in Mumbai. Demonstration of UVSS involved scanning the under carriage of any sized vehicle with the help of specially designed state of the art software to detect explosives planted in underside of the vehicle. The demo unit of UVSS has been specially installed at Plant 17 to train the Sales & Service team and for demonstrations to various security officials. Rahul Rajput Special Projects & Premises Security West Zone
(L to R) PI Anthony, DCP Bhitre, DCP Bhoer, Additional CP Vinay Kargaonkar, Dara Byramjee, Business head & Vice president Security Equipment Division, Vinay V Salastekar Head - West Zone and Percy Master, Head-Mumbai Region.
Police at your doorsteps
Promoting a new mall culture
Activity: Mall promotion for Godrej Home safes after a hugely successful outdoor campaign. Venue: The activity was spread across premium malls in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Proceedings: The activity was conducted in these malls on three consecutive weekends in the month of January 2007. It involved a compere who made announcements inviting the audience to try their hand at opening one of the Godrej Home safes. He/She gave the audience three numeric clues based on the code needed for unlocking the safe. For instance, the score
The mayor of Kochi City Corporation Mercy Williams & DIC Ravada Chandrasekhar releasing the booklet
The campaign: To reach out to the public for its home security products, Godrej SED jointly with Kochi city police have come out with the novel concept - Police at your doorsteps. The project involves distribution of more then 10,000 booklets to Kochiites. The booklet contains all useful information like tips on home security, security in public places, traffic signals, legal aid available to people and also some useful telephone numbers in case of emergency. Proceedings: The campaign began with the release of the booklet at Kochi on December 26, 2006 by the mayor of Kochi City Corporation Mercy Williams & DIC Ravada Chandrasekhar. Kochi City Police Commissioner P Vijayan and Suresh Namboodiri, Senior Manager, Security Equipment Division, Kochi Branch were also present at the function. Last word: The concept is the first of its kind in Kerala. And what s more interesting is that the entire project was conceptualised and developed by SED Kochi branch jointly with Kochi city police. SED, Kochi Branch 26
Promotional activity for Godrej home safes.
India made in a 1986 match against Pakistan, birth date of a celebrity and the like. People who managed to guess the clue and subsequently open the safe won a prize. Last word: The activity created a lot of excitement among the people who had come to the malls generating in several sales inquiries. We would be soon extending this activity to the other cities in the country. We have learnt that malls can be yet another medium to drive sales! Mehernosh B Pithawalla Assistant General Manager Marketing
Nothing s behind closed doors now Event: A three-day training programme was conducted for the All India sales team of Godrej Entranza Doors and Fire Doors Date: January 10 to 12, 2007 Venue: Mumbai, Head Office Objective: This training programme gave the team an overview of the other side of the door manufacturing, design and other functions that sales teams never deal with directly. Participants: All India Door sales specialists, executives, deputy managers, sales managers and regional managers took part in the training program. Proceedings: The programme began with a visit to the fire door plant in Saregam. This helped the team to know the effort behind the fire resistant doors they were selling. The second day they had a similar plant visit, but this time it was to the Godrej Entranza Moulded panel, HDF Flush & Plywood doors manufacturing unit.
The All India sales team for Entranza doors and fire doors
The third day was completely classroom oriented with the design, manufacturing and the Head Office marketing team explaining in detail about the Fire Doors and Entranza Doors.
Final word: The training program led a lot of clarity and zest to sell the product among the team. Mehernosh B Pithawalla Assistant General Manager Marketing
Locks Division
New technology for pin cylinder locks Event: Navroze Godrej inaugurated the Escomatic (D-2 Flex Speed) machine in our CNC machine shop on December 18, 2006. Also present on this occasion were BK Rajkumar, Vice President and Business Head, DD Narwekar, Senior General Manager-Manufacturing, TS Murali, Senior General Manager - Technology & Business Development and MHM Shaikh, Assistant General ManagerManufacturing.
Navroze Godrej inaugurating the Escomatic (D-2 Flex Speed) machine
What s special: The above machine has been procured from M/S ESCO Switzerland to manufacture the pins for all our pin cylinder and ultra locks. This machine will enhance our capacity to manufacture pins required for pin cylinder and ultra locks. By installing this machine, we will not only be able to De-Vendor pins at lower cost but also cater to our future requirement. We can now manufacture 1 pin every second within 20micron accuracy. We also plan to manufacture pins required for the recently launched high technology EXS locks. This machine has eliminated the Gear Drive resulting in the reduction in Changeover Time. Sachin R Jaybhaye 27
Logistics Department
The makeover of the Mukadam We all know that the market, of late, has undergone a sea change. Customers have become more and more demanding and rightly so. In this age of intense competition, every company, is vying for an increase in market share. One way to grab the bigger chunk of the pie is to offer the top quality service that leaves the customers not only satisfied, but delighted. It is, indeed, the service, which separates the good company from an ordinary one. Here, service does not only mean after-sales service
but it encompasses the entire gamut of activities directed at achieving total customer satisfaction. Logistics & Supply Chain Department (L&SC), having understood this, embarked upon an idea of bringing in an element of customer orientation into one of its activities. An activity of physically delivering the material to the customer. This job is carried out by the transporter who employs a Mukadam (roughly translated, a coordinator) and 3-4 loaders. These Mukadams are an important contact
point of our company to the customer. Since the delivery team, lead by the Mukadam, is the face of the Company to the customer, it was imperative to project a positive image of the organisation and its people. So, to begin with, we decided to provide uniforms to all Mukadams. Here, it was ensured that the uniforms look formal and professional, rather than the ones typically provided to delivery men and other attendants. It was also ensured that the colours picked for the uniform are aesthetically pleasing and are shades which generate positive vibes. Every Mukadam was also given an identity card. A half-day training programme was also conducted, where the emphasis was, among other things, on the behavioral aspects and soft skills. The programme was devised by the Appliances Service Team on the basis of inputs given by L&SC Department. Since the programme was created and delivered in Marathi, it hit an instant chord with the audience.
Before the makeover
To monitor customerÂ’s satisfaction level, L& SC Department has also devised the feedback form, which each Mukadam is required to get filled in by the customer. Based on the ratings given by the customer, the Mukadam would be given incentives. This acts as a motivation for the Mukadams to strive for total customer satisfaction. But like the saying goes, well begun is only half done. The overwhelming response of the Mukadams leaves us in no doubt that this initiative will serve its purpose well. However, we also plan to have refresher courses every six months and this initiative would go a long way in helping the company achieve total customer satisfaction.
After the makeover
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MA Naik Senior Manager
Precision Components and Systems I attended a programme conducted by Godrej for Learning and Development (GOLD) on Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Prof. Mathew J Manimala at the L&T Management Development Centre, Lonavala on October 10, 2006. He gives us a first person account of the programme interspersed with memorable anecdotes. Prof. Manimala s concept of innovation stems from creativity. He firmly believes that everyone is creative- it s only the levels of creativity that vary from person to person. The necessity to generate an idea, he says, arises from problems that one faces. What he tries to point towards through this theory is that problems are in reality good for us, because that s the only way one can generate solutions. But
A GOLD-en opportunity
Handing over the greeting card to Prof. Manimala
the key is not having just a solution, rather having an innovative solution. After explaining basic concepts, Prof Manimala organised an exercise in creativity. The exercise involved asking certain questions and rating ourselves. Post the exercise, all of us, somehow, began having a little more faith in our creative skills. The second part of the seminar was on entrepreneurship. We were given opportunities to innovate and generate
ideas for the organisation. My idea was related to developing a satellite to ISRO s specification and making the organisation a leading manufacturer who will supply to international space agencies. Though the idea seems difficult, this is really where good entrepreneurship comes into the picture. The evening was a time of celebration as Meena Bhatia from the HR team of GIC organised a party for the participants. Personally, the high point of the seminar was when all the participants presented Prof. Manimala with a handmade card. The caricatures in the card were so innovative that the professor was surprised himself. It was, indeed, a suitable end to a seminar on creativity. RM Shinde Head Methods
Material Handling Equipment Division
Handling the INTRALOGISTIX, 2006 Event: Material Handling Equipment division participated in INTRALOGISTIX 2006 An Exhibition & National Conference conducted by CII. The exhibition was dedicated to Material Handling and Logistics Industries. Venue: Pune When: November 30 to December 2, 2006. Attended by: HN Khumbatta, Vice President and Divisional Head, CN Dumasia, Senior General Manager (Marketing), DB Vijaykar, Senior General Manager (Design) and NB Patel, Assistant General Manager. Achievement: In the conference, Vinay Kulkarni, Marketing Manager presented a paper on Innovation in Material Handling in the light of two new equipments the Low Level Order Picker WAVE from Crown and the Articulated Forklift Truck from Godrej. At the exhibition, we displayed Godrej 3.0 ton Battery Operated Forklift Truck, Godrej Stackers, Crown Hand Pallet Truck, Tennant
Mr. Farhad Forbes, Chairman, CII - WR (second from the left) visits the Godrej MHE stall at INTRALOGISTIX 2006
Industrial Cleaning Machine. The highlight of the display was the Komatsu Diesel & LPG Forklift Truck. These equipments attracted a lot of interest and attention. We represent Komatsu for their range of Counter Balanced Forklift Trucks in India. The last word: Pune is amongst India s fastest growing software and industrial centers. Many manufacturing giants have their plants in and around Pune and many more are setting up new plants. Presence of all these equipments
at one location helped customers to understand the range of product offerings and to decide their requirement in a much better way. The response was encouraging and good amount of enquiries were generated. Teams from big organisations like Tata Motors, Cummins (I) Ltd., Bharat Forge, Videocon, Miebach Logistics, Alfa Laval and the like visited our stall. With these inquiries, we expect good business in the near future. Sameer S Chandekar Senior Manager Pune Branch 29
Electrical & Electronics Division
Successful realisation of AMLS at VSSC Pursuant to the ETSP Section of E&E Division handing over the revamped Automatic Multipoint Loading System (AMLS), VSSC conducted a live test on November 25, 2006. The test lasted for two hours on the system as a part of the requirement of the upcoming Cryo Upper Stage Project. AMLS is required for the strength/stiffness testing of structures by applying loads at 16 discrete loading points in various load steps. The loads are applied using hydraulic jacks and are measured using load cells. The system designed, assembled, supplied and commissioned by ETSP included Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Custom Built Electronics, Fully wired control panel, Hydraulic Stations, Flow Control Valves, Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) Software & Application Programming. Around 150 officials & scientists from VSSC & LPSC gathered at the test set up for performing , monitoring and witnessing the test . The tanks were filled up with Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) at -273 degree Centigrade and loads were applied as per VSSCÂ’s
Testimonial from the Director, VSSC
requirement. Safety was on top priority with fire engines on stand by and the entire area was evacuated in case of any contingencies arising during the critical test. The results achieved were far beyond the expectations of the entire VSSC fraternity with accuracies within +/- 1%. The success was possible due to high level of interaction between the Engineers/Scientists of VSSC and ETSP Engineers at Mumbai/Trivandrum. This success has initiated VSSC in further upgrading the existing system from 16 to 24 channels and realising a new 24 channel system at LPSC, Mahendragiri. We look forward to executing these orders. In the last four years after the success of Hydroclave 2 Meters & Hydroclave 3 Meters (jointly with PED), Team ETSP have successfully revamped the Autoclave, Impregnation Plant and Rolling Mill facilities to the satisfaction of VSSC. Team ETSP looks forward to executing such challenging projects with VSSC in the near future, thereby keeping the flag of Godrej flying high towards its commitment to the nationÂ’s space programme. AMLS Test Rig at VSSC, Trivandrum
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Team E&E
Indexing a promising future Pushkar Gokhale from G&B Middle East is upbeat and optimistic after participating in the Index, 2006 exhibition The construction boom and a healthy economy ensure that this region offers more opportunities to manufacturers, suppliers, importers and exporters of furniture and interiors-related products and services than almost anywhere else on earth. With 1,575 companies exhibiting their products and close to 40,000 visitors from across the globe in 2006, Index is
without doubt one of the most effective ways of doing business in the furnishing and interiors industry in the Middle East. Index is the largest event of its kind in the Middle East and Asia. Held annually at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, this was the 16th Index Exhibition. National Pavilions from Europe, America and the Far East and companies from perhaps more than fifty countries from around the world took part at this year s event. This was our fourth consecutive year at the event. The participation holds importance owing to the fact that the
Middle East is continuing to expand at a phenomenal rate with imports into the region being currently worth in excess of US$ 5.0 billion. The incredible pace of commercial and residential development throughout the region is bound to give a significant growth in imports of furniture and interiors for the region. Our objective obviously was to enhance our reach and visibility in the region, which was largely achieved.
of our stand with the diversified portfolio of state-of-the-art products was well appreciated by the visitors and our channel partners who visited us at Index 2006.
INDEX 2006 was a good platform to showcase new products and capabilities
The new EON range of refrigerators along with the 67 Defender Plus with biometric lock (the AA safe which was specially manufactured for the event) was met with keen interest among the visitors, apart from our Interio products. In case of our Locks, the exhibition was a good forum to interact with the builders and buyers from the
as a solutions provider in the office / home segments and an effective way to generate prospective business from one of the world s most buoyant markets.
construction sector. Our Minicafe vending machine, which was also put up on display, received an encouraging response.
Five of our divisions namely FIG, SED, Locks, Appliances and Prima participated in this years event. Apart from receiving good response from the GCC member countries like UAE, Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, we also received good inquiries from North Africa region.
The Middle East team felt hugely inspired as both PD Lam and Navroze Godrej attended the exhibition. Together, they shared their plans and their vision for Godrej in the coming years. Apart from visiting the showroom and the office cum warehouse in SAIF zone, they also met important channel partners like M/s Zayani & Co., LLC and VV Sons in Dubai.
The location of our stand was quite strategic, ensuring maximum visibility and footfalls. Moreover, the ambience
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Teeing off a new tournament
Event: The NP Godrej Golf Rolling Trophy Venue: Vishakhapatnam Held on: December 3, 2006 Purpose: On the occasion of Naval GodrejÂ’s birth anniversary, the East Point Golf Club organised this tournament. This is the first time such a tournament is being organised. Godrej was a sponsor for the event. Participants: There were a total of 69 golfers who participated in the event. The tournament began at 6 am and the first team of four members to tee off were Vice Admiral AK Singh, Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Dilip Deshpande, Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Rear Admiral Ajit
Golfers in action putting the ball
Tiwari, Chairman & Managing Director, Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Commander Sharma, Eastern Naval Command. Winners: A number of prizes were given away to the winners in different categories. The overall winner of the NP Godrej Rolling Trophy was Mr Latif Saleh. The trophy was given away by captain of the Golf Club, Rear Admiral Dilip Deshpande. The other prizes were given away by BP Chinoy, Branch Manager, Vishakhapatnam Branch. Last word: The event was doubly special for the Vishakhapatnam Branch as it was the silver jubilee of the branch. Admiral Dilip Deshpande addressing all the participants
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D Suresh Babu Associate Manager-Vishakhapatnam Branch
Congratulations Hemant Panchal
Hemant Panchal being presented the Award
Secured the first rank at the national level in a Graduate Diploma in Materials Management conducted by Indian Institute of Materials Management. He was awarded a gold medal, which was handed over to him by BM Kalyani, CMD of Bharat Forge, Pune at National Convention NATCOM 2006 on November 18, 2006. Congratulations.
AIMA-ing for a quizzing victory Event: AIMA Business Quiz
IYSA Mini Soccer League
Venue: Mumbai Held on: November 22, 2006 Participants: The team consisted of Ravi Bhat (Branch Commercial Manager, Mumbai Branch) and Mehernosh Subedar (Deputy Manager-Sales, Appliances, Mumbai Branch). Achievement: Out of 40 teams that participated in the elimination, (which was a written round comprising 30 questions ranging from current business news, to company histories and management theories) only six teams made it to the West Zone finals. Our Godrej & Boyce team was one of the selected teams. The team also emerged runners-up in the quiz and thereby qualified for the National finals held on December2, 2006 at Chennai. After a battle of nerves at the National finals, it was, however, Sun Microsystems who walked away with the accolades.
Godrej was one of the sponsors for the IYSA Mini Soccer League. The programme started on November 5, 2006 and had almost 500 students playing every Sunday through the winter at Delhi Public School, RK Puram and Jesus and Mary College in Delhi.
Last word: Not winning the national finals was not a disappointment. Rather, it has enthused us to participate in more such events. Ravi Bhat and Mehernosh Subedar Mumbai Branch 33
Little Wonders Netra Nair
Netra Nair released her first music compilation recently
Daughter of: Mohan Commercial (West)
Nair,
Student of: Standard IX at Gurukul School, Ghatkopar Achievements: On December 6, 2006, at a function held at the SNDT Auditorium at Ghatkopar, playback singer and mimicry artiste Sudesh Bhosle along with playback singer Sujata
Trivedi (of Tall, Takshak and 1947-Earth fame) released her first music compilation. The album is titled Shree Ambhe Sharanam Mamah, a collection of bhajans sung in praise of Ambe Mata. Such an achievement at the age of 13 is commendable. We wish her all the best for her singing career. – Darayus Chhapger
Tejas Sampat Udyawarkar
Son of: Mohini Sampat, Personnel Administration Achievements: His drawing was published in the Kidzone section of tabloid Mumbai Mirror on December 27, 2006. That apart, he was also awarded a certificate from Bharatiya Manav Samaj Vikas Kendra, Dadar a few years back recognising his talent. 34
Aishwarya B Nair Daughter of: MB Nair, Accounts Department A student of: Standard VII, Udayachal High School Achievements: Has been winning the first prize in an inter-school music competition organised by Ramakrishna Math, Khar for the last three years, including December, 2006. On February 4, she won a first prize in a Carnatic vocal music competition conducted by Sri Shanmukhananda Bharatiya Sangeetha Vidyalaya, Sion, Aishwarya bagged the first prize in an inter-school Mumba first prize in Carnatic music competition Vocal music competition conducted by Sri Shanmukhananda Aishwarya has been a student of Bharatiya Sangeetha Vidyalala, Sion, Carnatic music from the age of seven Mumbai. She has also been winning and has recently started learning other competitions organised by Fine Hindustani Classical music. Arts, NCPA and other cultural CHANGE wishes her all the best for the future. organisations.
Behzad and Pashin Ichhaporia Sons of: A E Ichhaporia Students of: Udayachal Pre-primary school
Behzad and Pashin were the youngest participants at an adventure camp
Achievement: The two kids participated in a national level family camping programme organised by the Youth Hostels Association with their parents. Incidentally, they were among the youngest participants at the camp, but were active participants in all the adventure activities like trekking, tent craft, camp fires and the like.
CHANGE wishes the two enthusiastic youngsters loads of adventure and fun in future. 35
Dhiraj Mishra
Dhiraj Mishra created a new record at the 52nd National School Games
Achievements: He was featured in the Sports page of MumbaiÂ’s popular tabloid, Mid Day, on December 6, 2006 for winning the gold medal and being the only athlete from the state to create a new meet record at the 52nd National School Games at Napean Sea Road. The athlete triumphed against all odds including his brotherÂ’s death to win a spate of medals like the Youth Nationals at Varangal and the Federation of India Athletic meet.
Son of: Kamalshankar R Mishra, OPOS department
Kudos to the grit and determination of this 17-year old.
Viraj Vilas Shigwan
Pooja Talekar Achievement: Viraj Vilas Shigwan of IXED won the Best Platoon Commander of the year at the interschool RSP rally held in January 2007. That apart, the RSP Boys platoon from Udayachal High School won the first prize and the Girls platoon was adjudged second. Congratulations and keep it up!
Daughter of: Dilip K Talekar, Interio Student of: Udayachal School Achievement: Won the first prize in an art competition organised by the Inspector of Education- North ZoneS Ward. Hearty congratulations.
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Creative Space Pottery in school: A creative means to beat stress We live in a high pressure, high stress society. Martin Seligman, renowned for his research in to the psychology of hope, expresses concern about what he calls, big I and small we a distanced self centredness and an increasingly attenuated sense of connection with others. This tendency must be confronted if we are to prevent our lives from growing even more stressful. The ability to deal with stress varies from person to person. Torn between excessive expectations and powerlessness, people become susceptible to the impact of stress. Coping successfully with stress needs a deeper understanding of our truly limitless potential as well as our vulnerabilities. Pioneer in stress research Hans Selye says that one should first establish and maintain goals in life. Second, live so as to be necessary I feel pottery should be encouraged in each and every standard because it gives us mental rest after a hard day of academic work. I feel it was a good decision on the part of the school s management to have pottery classes at school level. The values of pottery are P for patience and perfection. O for originality, T for talent, E for exactness, R for relief from academic stress and Y for yielding imagination. Siddharth Bhasker VIII Eng. C I never thought in my dream that I will be learning this extraordinary subject. But what commenced as a dream, now lives on like an unforgettable experience. I always look forward to my pottery class Nida Abbasi VIII I think that we are very lucky to learn such a beautiful art This teaches us how to be united. Our group work is more attractive than the individual work we do. Madhura V Rane VIII Eng. C
development, Environment Education being part of the school curriculum has given the younger generation new opportunities to develop a healthy attitude towards society. We are the architects of our future stands true.
to others. Physical and mental training transform our experience of things. Physical training can bring forth the unseen capacities of our bodies while intellectual training develops our minds. It seems unlikely that the sources of stress we face will decrease indeed, it seems highly probable that they will increase. We them need, now more than ever, to develop the qualities of strength, wisdom and hope. Personality We have pottery period only once a week. We want more pottery periods. We thank our principal for providing us with such a wonderful class. It helps us in many ways. Thank you for giving us an opportunity and proving ourselves. We promise that we will improve more in pottery and make magnificent things out of it. Jatin P Panchal VIII Eng. C I think that not only the eighth standard but all students of other classes should attend pottery class. As we know that it is not bad to be innovative. Tejal S Kamble VIII Eng. B Pottery class is a perfect platform to manifest our creativity. We can also express our imagination and ideas by making abstract clay articles It should be held especially for the higher classes as pottery is not related to studies and relaxes our mind. Sanyakta Jain VIII Eng. B I love the pottery period right
The introduction of the subject Pottery to the eighth standard students has brought a new meaning and attitude to their learning. The students have an hands on training on the Potters Wheel, which ably gives their physical and creative skill, an outlet to exhibit. It also trains the students to cultivate traits like patience, originality, and skill. Most students look forward to the pottery classes as it gives them a break from academic stress and allows them to give in to imagination and creativity. Girija J Pai Udayachal High School from the day we were introduced to it Our sir told us to make anything we wished to make. He taught us to use the technique of pinching to make exquisite and good-looking pots. He also taught us to make ganesh idols, name plates, decorative trays, etc. Sagar Chitnis VIII Eng. C Pottery is something very different, unique and special about our school, which is not in other schools. It s a good exercise as we cultivate different areas of creativity, skills, art, flexibility, etc. It makes me very relaxed out of the hectic periods of studies. I also encourage schools to introduce such activities for students. Pranav Gaidhani VIII Eng. B We have been taught different methods of making clay articles. Our sir brings different types of clay also. We also like to have pottery in the ninth and tenth standard as we like to have clay in our hands and make beautiful and fantastic articles. Dipesh T Patel VIII Eng. C
Disclaimer: The viewpoints and opinions of the authors/artists that appear in CHANGE do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Godrej Management. CHANGE is not associated with any formal political, social, psychological, religious or philosophic organisation or party of any kind. These articles are solely the personal opinion of the authors. Your comments and ideas for future articles are always welcome.
Know Your Mangroves
Aegiceras corniculatum River mangrove:
– Dr. Maya Mahajan
It is a densely flowering shrub, one to two metres tall, with white fragrant flowers. Leaves of this plant are inverted egg shaped, shiny dark green and leathery. Salt glands are present on the leaves, which help in throwing out the excess salt from the plantÂ’s body. Fruits are light green and pinkish when ripe, curved and very finely pointed. It grows in both nonswampy inter-tidal and tidal zones.
Salt tolerance of this species is comparatively low and it prefers areas where there is good mixing of freshwater. Fine quality honey is produced from nectar of this mangrove species by the honey bees. It is used for timber, the bark is used as fish-poison and leaves are eaten by people of Moluccas (erstwhile Spice Islands, Indonesia). It is an endangered species, which needs our special care for survival.