Business Mandate (Sept 2023)

EDITOR

Gp Capt R Vijayakumar ﴾Retd﴿, VSM

READERSHIP OUTREACH

Gp Capt Dr R Venkataraman ﴾Retd﴿

Sundar R

Vakeeswari M

DESIGN

D Rajaram, Tayub Refai

Making sense of data protection, economy, youth & a lot more

After nearly a decade of deliberation on data protection, the Parliament has passed the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. This Bill signals the onset of a new era in India's digital journey, one that recognizes the value and centrality of personal data in today’s globally interconnected digital economy. The interests of individuals and governance have been addressed through various provisions And businesses need to urgently establish elaborate data systems for compliance with the provisions of this law.

Policy-making is a complex endeavour. Laws must accommodate diverse views from disparate constituencies, and it's not fair to hold it against them if our own views were not fully considered in the process Now that the Bill has been passed, we must contend with it Rather than lamenting missed opportunities, I would rather focus on all that needs to

be done now We have eagerly awaited the enactment of this law for over a decade Numerous conclaves were held at MMA to discuss the Bill and its outcomes. Now that the Bill is upon us, the magnitude of work that remains for everyone to undertake is huge indeed In

Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM

 While it is almost certain that India will become the fourth‐largest economy before 2029, attaining the third position may not be as straightforward.

this context, MMA organized a seminar on the theme “Decoding Data Protection Act 2023” on August 24th, 2023, in association with FDPPI. Several experts from all over India shared their insights on the Bill and the way forward for its effective implementation I am delighted to present an article on this as the cover story. Read the article and watch the video for more information

Can India become the world’s third‐largest economy?

The Prime Minister recently stated that India will become the world's third-largest economy in the next few years. While it is almost certain that India will become the fourth-largest economy before 2029, attaining the third position may not be as straightforward Based on GDP at constant prices, India's economy totalled $2.95 trillion in 2022. This places India as the sixth-largest economy globally, trailing behind the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and the UK Given the current state of the British economy, India is likely to surpass it in 2024, potentially becoming a larger economy than Germany by 2029 However, overtaking Japan, which holds the third-largest economy position today, will be challenging. It is more realistic to anticipate that we will surpass Japan by 2030

Amidst this buzz, it's crucial to remember that per capita income, or the average income of an individual Indian, holds significant importance. In 2022, India's per capita income stood at $2085, in stark contrast to the UK's per capita income of $47232 This metric deserves greater attention if the goal is to accurately depict the prevailing economic landscape. The UK's economic output, which is nearly comparable to India's, is distributed among a smaller population, resulting in a notably better economic situation for the average

British citizen compared to their Indian counterpart This fact invites thoughtful consideration

India’s century & its youth

Being a young person in India is a fortunate prospect now as the country enters a new era of unprecedented opportunities. India has achieved the distinction of housing 108 "unicorn" companies, ranking third globally after the US and China Over the past decade, the average investment size has nearly quadrupled, and revenue-based valuations have more than doubled The value attributed to ground breaking ideas has reached unparalleled heights However, this surge in growth has experienced a recent deceleration.

According to Venture Intelligence, both the number of deals and the amount invested have witnessed declines of 60% and 79%, respectively This trend can be attributed to several factors, including companies failing to meet expectations and fluctuations in valuations due to exposure to public markets Many investors are now exercising caution, preserving their resources for insiders' rounds to weather potential market shifts. A crucial aspect of addressing this situation is through enhanced governance practices, which can facilitate sustained capital influx into our start-ups ecosystem. The cultivation of a culture characterized by accountability, ethical behaviour, and transparency is now of paramount importance

A remarkable facet of India is its capacity to learn from past mistakes. Instead of relying solely on external regulations, it would be more impactful for founders and investors to proactively uphold higher standards

Entrepreneurs must acknowledge that sound governance is as pivotal as having a robust business model and a considerable market share Investors, on their part, should demand transparency, accountability,

and the establishment of independent boards After all, a company's reputation is only as sound as the reputation of its leaders.

In this context, the MMA is facilitating a series of discussions on the theme "Start-up India: Opportunities and Excitement." We are inviting successful entrepreneurs to share their insights for the benefit of startups, investors, and our members. You can watch these discussions online or participate in person at the MMA Management Centre

The Chandrayaan triumph

India has achieved an extraordinary feat by successfully executing a soft landing on the surface of the Moon. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) orchestrated a meticulously planned landing near the Moon's South Pole, delicately slowing down the lander to ensure a gentle touchdown This landing site, known as the "Dark Point," has long been suspected of harbouring secrets that only a direct exploration could unveil The ISRO scientists undoubtedly deserve the highest commendation for accomplishing this challenging journey. Their achievement stands as a testament to how determination, hard work, and perseverance can transform failure into success In this regard, one is reminded of the timeless fable of the hare (Russia’s Luna-25) and the tortoise (Chandrayaan-3), where India's steady and determined approach emerged victorious

Following this lunar triumph, ISRO is now directing its attention towards the Sun. India's inaugural solar mission, Aditya L1, is set to launch later this week The mission holds paramount importance in the study of the Sun. Despite being 150 million km away from Earth, the Sun is our nearest star, radiating intense energy crucial for our planet The Sun also frequently exhibits

eruptive phenomena like coronal mass ejections

Variations in space weather resulting from such events can impact satellites and other space assets. Early warnings of these disturbances can enable timely preventive actions Additionally, the Sun serves as a natural laboratory for investigating extreme thermal and magnetic phenomena that cannot be replicated on Earth We extend our best wishes to ISRO for their forthcoming solar mission, Aditya L1 Their pursuit not only exemplifies India's commitment to space exploration but also underscores the country's place in harnessing the potential of the Sun for scientific advancement

ESG Rules

The freshly introduced regulations surrounding ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) disclosures, set forth by market regulators, are undeniably stringent. These regulations, although demanding, represent a significant step in the right direction and are imperative for aligning with global standards. The journey ahead for companies will require considerable guidance and knowledge sharing Ultimately, these meticulous disclosures by companies will serve to meet the expectations of international investors.

In this context, MMA is gearing up for its Annual Management Students Convention, centered around the theme "Innovate for a Responsible Tomorrow."

The event aims to gather a constellation of experts who will share their insights into diverse aspects of ESG, including Sustainable Growth, Leadership for Inclusive Success, and Eco-Conscious Business Strategies The Convention is scheduled to take place on October 4th, 2023, at the IIT Research Park Auditorium. We invite you to mark your calendars and join us in watching the proceedings live

Conclave on CSR

Despite their substantial CSR potential, Indian firms’ expenditure on Corporate Social Responsibility remained stagnant in 21-22 The aggregate CSR spending of 1205 listed firms, mandated by law, amounted to 14,801 crore rupees. This considerable sum, pooled within the CSR funds, demands judicious utilization by both corporations and stakeholders

The central aim of this conclave is to cultivate awareness among all stakeholders in the CSR landscape regarding the underlying purpose and intricacies of the CSR Legislation enacted by the government Our objective is to identify avenues through which Social Entrepreneurs can harness CSR to propel their ventures, thereby fostering adherence to legal requirements and motivating companies to execute projects aligned with their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives. Moreover, the conclave sought to shed light on appropriate accounting methodologies for non-profit entities and spotlight pertinent case studies illustrating successful CSR implementations. By undertaking these efforts, our intent is to cultivate an environment conducive to effective CSR execution while establishing robust frameworks for its implementation.

In this context, the MMA organized a conclave under the theme "Ten Years of CSR" on August 19th, 2023, at the MMA Management Centre An in-depth article on this subject is featured in this edition for your perusal. Additionally, the entire conclave can be viewed on YouTube here

CavinKare‐MMA Chinnikrishnan Innovation Award 2023

Mr Chinnikrishnan sparked the "Sachet Revolution," envisioning that the joys of the rich should also be accessible to the common man. In a befitting tribute to

his legacy, the CavinKare-MMA Chinnikrishnan Innovation Awards stand as a jubilation of innovation in India. This year marked a pivotal change as the awards embraced a fully digital approach to engage with innovators across India Through dynamic campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, we successfully reached a wide spectrum of innovators The outcomes exceeded our expectations, amassing an impressive 65 lakh impressions and engaging over 40 lakh individuals. We're especially thrilled by the participation of numerous startups in the realm of green technology, showcasing innovations that are both timely and relevant

Following rigorous deliberation by a distinguished panel of jurors, three exceptional innovations have been chosen to receive the awards The grand award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, September 16th, 2023, at the IIT Madras Research Park Auditorium. The event underscores the vital importance of a dedicated emphasis on innovation to democratize products and services. We invite you to join us in championing this spirit of innovation. Mark your calendar to either be present at the celebratory event or tune in and watch the proceedings live

We urge you to constantly send in your feedback positive ones as well as criticisms, both are equally important inputs in enabling us to get better at what we do

As always, we would be happy to hear your views, comments and suggestions.

Happy reading!

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: On the 11th of August 2023, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 was passed in India We have been waiting for this development for many years and we are very happy it has happened, because India needed a law of this nature The deficiencies of the Act can always be improved. My first question to the panel is: What is the applicability of this Act? Why is it called Digital Personal Data Protection Act?

Mr Rohan K George: All the previous iterations of data protection bills and legislations did not make a distinction between digital data and non-digital data and also did not distinguish between automated processing and non-automated processing of data However, this Act very clearly limits its applicability to data which is automated. In India, we are moving deeper and deeper into a pure digital governance system and so much of India's record keeping and documentation is in non-digital form. There are many organizations which still prefer to keep paper registers. Now we have two standards for the protection of data

Mr Na. Vijayashankar, Data Governance and Data Protection Consultant & Chairman, FDPPI presented an overview of the DPDB Act 2023 and led the discussion with:

• Dr Anirban Ghosh, Senior Manager Data Compliance – India & AMEA, BT India, Kolkata.

• Dr Avinash Dhadhich, Dean, Manipal Law School, Bangalore

• Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan, Senior Partner, Kochhar & Co.

• Mr Rohan K George, Partner, Samvad Partners

• Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan, Associate Director ‐Security Governance & Compliance, Uniphore

and, more importantly for the protection of individual privacy in situations where the data is digitized and where the data is non-digitized It also raises a concern for me, because it disincentivises digitization, as people know that as long as they are outside the digitization parameters, they are effectively outside of the applicability of the Act itself.

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: How does this Act address the concerns expressed by the Puttaswamy judgment?

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: The Puttaswamy judgment essentially upheld the right to privacy The data protection act deals purely with personal data. Therefore, the Puttaswamy judgment got reinforced with this Act, but the exemption provisions provided in the chapter three are a matter of concern.

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: We call it as digital because it is applicable to data collected in digital form in India and data which is collected in physical form, but digitized by entering it into the computer. These are the two things which have been covered here. This Act

is trying to focus on information privacy and somehow the government has felt that non-information privacy is not a serious concern for the community and that the existing laws will take care of it We call it personal data. How do we see its applicability to whatever is not personal?

Dr Avinash: It depends on the interpretation of how we define data and the personal dimension of data We need to understand the objective of this law Data is useless just like raw oil. It has to be refined, converted into a particular product and that the final product has some commercial value We have to see this from two dimensions one from the customer's or the principal's point of view and the other from the company's point of view For me as an individual, everything is personal, but for a company, everything is not personal There's a lot of information which is available in public domain. So, it depends on the interpretation.

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: When we say person, many people are confused as to who this person is Is the

protection limited only to the individuals?

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: We talk about all the other clauses in terms of personal definition. But if you look up the definition within that Act, it brings about the juristic aspects of that person. We must know where we get the data from. Are we using it for the defined purposes or complimentary purposes?

Mr Na Vijayashankar: I see person in two different dimensions a person whose privacy has to be protected by protecting or managing his personal data. The other is an organization which collects the personal data, which is also a subject of this Act If the organization fails in its obligation, it can be levied fine to the tune of even 250 or 500 crores. In the business, there are proprietary concerns and partnership firms and we have transactional data between a company and an individual which is a mix of personal and business data. As a data manager, which are the data I can say as personal data and which are not personal data?

Dr Anirban: Indian companies are in a hurry to understand and implement this Act, but what is really important is to understand my data source, from an organizational standpoint, not individual. The second one is to define the type of data, and the third, what I am doing with the data. Am I giving it to a third party or am I processing it? Every organisation must perform the data mapping exercise

Mr Rohan K George: The Act creates two kinds of actors one is the person who's doing the processing of data, which can include all kinds of persons including individuals and then it creates a category of personal data, which is data about an individual When a person is identifiable by data, you can very easily establish a direct correlation; but when a person is identifiable in relation to data, that creates a very interesting situation where you have certain data points, which need not necessarily directly allow identification of a person, but when combined with others will have the effect of being able to identify that person within a certain range This is a bigger definition of personal data than in previous iterations of the Act. But, at least, it allows us to understand that personal data does not have to only mean name, address, email ID and the like, but can include much more sophisticated data.

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: The DPDP Act defines the role of a person who decides about the purpose and means of processing data as a data fiduciary It also makes a reference to a significant data fiduciary. Section 43A of ITA2000 spoke of sensitive personal information. Organisations which process a large quantity of sensitive personal information are always considered a high-risk business. Can you tell us how this Act identifies a significant data fiduciary?

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: One of the most prominent criteria is what kind of data is being

collected Then comes the volume and sensitivity: what rights are affected and the territoriality of that data. Anybody using a data processor or a processing agent will fall under a data fiduciary In fact, anybody using a significant amount of data, which affects the territoriality or the sovereignty of a populace, will become a significant data fiduciary.

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: What are additional obligations of a significant data fiduciary?

Dr Anirban: Three extra obligations. One, you need to appoint a Data Protection Officer or DPO, who will be based in India and his or her contact details will be published in the website of the organization The second, the organization needs to implement the infrastructure to do Data Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA) for any change within the organization in regards to processing or collecting personal data, along with any new project or technology that has been built, which will be using or processing personal data. The third one is to appoint an independent auditor to get an audit of all the processing activities or all the compliance against the DPDP Act 2023. The frequency of the audit will be announced in due course by the central government

 When a person is identifiable by data, you can very easily establish a direct correlation; but when a person is identifiable in relation to data, that creates a very interesting situation...

~ Mr Rohan K George

Mr Na Vijayashankar: Who is a consent manager? What kind of data fiduciary is he?

Mr Rohan K George: One of the key obligations of a data fiduciary is to inform the data principal of the right to appoint a consent manager, who can be a layer between the data fiduciary and the data principal

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: When there are third party consent managers, they become significant data fiduciaries Who is going to manage that?

Dr Avinash: It's not a very new concept We are already doing it in the financial sector. But there are a few questions which need to be asked now, like: How many players would be allowed by the government? What would be their market power in this situation? We are going to deal with billions of requests by different people and organizations. So, we need to see the power of the consent manager The entire objective of this data privacy law is to protect the privacy of the people or give some sense of privacy. When we appoint consent managers in big organisations, what would be their responsibility? Definitely, it will be cleared by subsequent notifications and circulars. But I think their responsibility will be very important. We should not forget that the government will also be a significant data fiduciary under this Act What happens when there is a conflict of interest between the consent manager and the significant data fiduciary, is a question that comes to my mind

Mr Na Vijayashankar: What I see in the Act is that the consent manager will be a special kind of data fiduciary. He will be registered and there will be a set of guidelines that will exclusively define his roles and responsibilities. He will represent the data principal, not the data fiduciary, which means that he will be acting as a trustee The consent manager which we are

presently aware of, in the financial sector is a technology platform. It is working more like an intermediary The data comes from one end and it goes to the other end. This intermediary or the consent manager doesn't have access to the data of a person, whereas what this Act envisages is that the consent manager in a big organization may have visibility of the data but he's expected to protect it by his own methods. The consent manager also needs to take the responsibility for managing visible personal data

Dr Anirban: What would be the economics of the consent manager?

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: If I am going to use a bank’s safe deposit locker, I pay money to deposit my things Similarly, if the data principals think that they need to protect their data and when they themselves cannot do it and want somebody to assist them, they can have a data consent manager How much he will collect from the data principal is a thought worth pondering A revenue model has to be devised by the consent manager. If I have to do KYC, I have to spend 200 or 250 rupees. The consent manager can have KYC done for a million sets and then tell these companies that each time they don't have to take money like Cibil does.

 The entire objective of this data privacy law is to protect the privacy of the people or give some sense of privacy.

~ Dr Avinash

~

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: If I'm a data fiduciary, can I go ahead and build a platform to manage the consent of all our data principals? How independent can a data fiduciary be, if they can go ahead and build a platform?

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: Building a platform is perfectly fine so long as it fulfils the requirements that have to be provided, which is the notice and what requires to be given in the notice The consent manager is essentially an additional aspect that has been provided to make it easier for the data principal to provide the consent

Mr Na Vijayashankar: There are 44 sections in the Act and they need to be clearly understood. There are complexities and if we are not able to understand this, penalties are there which may extend from 50 crores to 250 crores for different categories, like not reporting the data breach or not having adequate safeguards, not having organizational policies and things like that. If I don't know that I am a significant data fiduciary and, therefore, I don't appoint a DPO, my classification error will lead me to not having a DPO and therefore, I am liable for the penalty

The Act says that it is applicable to digital personal

data processed in India The digital personal data processed in India need not necessarily be of only Indian citizens, it can be of somebody else also. If data is processed outside India, but it is related to some business services to Indian people, that is also covered But if there is an Indian company which is doing some processing outside India and if that data is not of Indian people, it is not covered under this Act In that aspect, it is substantially different from GDPR

Mr Rohan K George: The exemption given for processing of data of non-residents, pursuant to a contract outside India, doesn't exempt the entity from the entirety of the Act It exempts them from the obligations, but it does mention that they are still required to generally comply with the Act and it requires them to maintain reasonable security standards and practices It exempts them from crossborder processing and it exempts them from the data principal. Thus, it is a limited exemption.

Mr Na Vijayashankar: Yes Section 17 is not an absolute exemption Our law focuses on consent being absolutely essential, based on a notice that can be served in 22 languages. The collection of data has to be purpose oriented and unlike GDPR, it doesn't list out five or six elements. It is all implied in the purpose. If a purpose is over, you're not supposed to retain that data The data retention minimization is ingrained in the purpose itself Data minimization is also part of the purpose. You're collecting it for a purpose and therefore, the purpose has to justify what you collect.

There are certain legitimate users There is a section on legitimate use where consent may not be required Earlier, we used to have something called deemed consent. Now, they call that as legitimate consent. From compliance point of view, an organization must first think, “Am I exempted? If not exempted, am I coming

 There are 44 sections in the Act and they need to be clearly understood. There are complexities and if we are not able to understand this, penalties are there which may extend from 50 crores to 250 crores for different categories

Mr Na Vijayashankar

under legitimate use that will minimize my compliance requirements?”

I have always been advocating for compliance by design. I think this Act has taken that suggestion of mine

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: The illustration that they have provided is that of a pharmacy. When you enter the pharmacy, you provide all your personal data and acknowledge the receipt of payment for the purchase Then that data is processed by the pharmacy and held on. Once you've gone to the pharmacy, given the data and finished your transaction, there ends the pharmacy's use

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: Whose legitimate interest are we talking the data giver or the data receiver? Unless there is a complementary purpose, we are not supposed to go ahead and use that same data for a different purpose. The question is, are we stopping it? The other thing is, when you talk about personal data, we go ahead and anonymize the data Once we anonymize it, it becomes a non-personal data What do we do with that? Contractual compliance talks about receiving the data, storing, processing it and destroying it and giving it back to the organization in a structured or unstructured format

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: What are the duties of the data principal?

Mr Rohan K George: We were advising an Indian company with GDPR compliance A new category of litigators has risen in the EU, which is the data troll. What that means is that there are people who go out and hunt down flaws in data, compliance, data privacy and so on The duties listed are mostly straightforward and some bother me. You don't want a person who has genuine grievances having his class listed under

 Whose legitimate interest are we talking the data giver or the data receiver? Unless there is a complementary purpose, we are not supposed to go ahead and use that same data for a different purpose.

‘frivolous.’

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: Let us not think that DPDP will be anti-people

Dr Anirban: It is culturally very well-defined We know the challenges we might get from a data principal. The data fiduciaries or the organization need some sort of safeguards This aspect is taken care of in the Act

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: One of the duties that a data principal must keep in mind is never to give false information

Dr Avinash: I agree with Savita because when we try to develop a data privacy culture and at the same time, we are imposed 10,000 rupees fine if the board finds that your complaint is not genuine, are we not trying to create terror in the minds of the people that if I go against a big company, I may also be prosecuted?

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: That is for the government and DPDP to ensure that it will not happen. 

~ Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan

You talked about legitimate use. Organizations undergo change. Today you ' re in banking; tomorrow you may be in a pharmacy. Under the financial services, there are many services. If I say legitimate use today is selling a credit card, tomorrow it can be insurance. So, what happens to the data after the transaction, when the relationship has not stopped and it continues?

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: You collect the data for one purpose If you want to go ahead and process the data across your services or your products, then you must provide no fica on to the data principal. When you seek data, you must clearly define the purpose

Ms Savitha Kesav Jagadeesan: You can retain the data so long as there's no withdrawal of consent When you hold that data, see to it that manipula on of data is not done. The idea is that withdrawal of consent can take place any me

In what ways does the Data Protection Act promote accountability and encourage organizations to implement robust data protection measures?

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: The Act says that the company should have organiza onal and technical measures to be compliant with every provision of this law Sec on 1 to 44. Otherwise, the deterrence is in the form of penalty There is no criminality

though. If a breach or a lack of competency to be compliant comes to the knowledge of Data Protec on Board, they can impose a penalty. If and when a data breach happens and the DPB ques ons you, then you should be able to prove that you are in compliance.

When the data has been provided for different purposes, on whom will the responsibility be fixed if a data breach happens?

Mr Na Vijayashankar: Every data fiduciary is responsible for the data which he/she has collected. If the data has gone to mul ple areas, you have to look at the source of data breach and wherever it has breached, that data fiduciary will be responsible.

What measures does the Data Protection Act put in place to ensure sensitive data is adequately protected?

Mr Rohan K George: At present, the Act does not directly address a blanket protec on for sensi ve personal data In my opinion, that's a concern I'm sure it will be addressed by subsequent regula ons But it addresses two aspects the first one is children's data, which is a certain subcategory of sensi ve personal data. Here, it calls for verifiable consent of the guardian of a disabled person or a minor The other aspect it touches is the significant data fiduciaries, which we discussed. The Act does not override the exis ng regula ons, which have been put in place by various financial regulatory bodies, such as the RBI, the SEBI and like, to protect individual financial data

If we have a fraud control unit in an organization for employment purpose, will it fall under the exemption for consent?

~ Mr Rohan K George

Mr Na. Vijayashankar: The idea of the fraud control unit does not come under the employment purpose, because it will come under a standard opera ng process (SOP) The excep on that has been provided for employment use is with regard to processing your data There is exemp on available for the informa on security for

At present, the Act does not directly address a blanket protection for sensitive personal data. In my opinion, that's a concern.

the interest of the organiza on, including IPR and trade secrets There is no protec on as far as the employees are concerned as the organiza on can do surveillance and background verifica on In financial service, if there is a default of a loan, a er the default has happened, then whatever data that is collected and processed can again be outside the restric ons. To that extent, the interest of companies has been taken into account.

Is the current Act applicable to the NRIs, or only to the citizens of India, irrespective of where the data is processed?

If any foreigners’ data is being processed in India, that doesn't fall under this Act. But if the data is processed abroad, even if it is an NRI or ci zen’s data, and it is to be used in India for a par cular purpose, then it falls under the Act.

While taking consent, should we mention the retention periods?

Mr Na Vijayashankar: Just link it to the purpose and that will automa cally take care of the reten on period. If the consent is a recurring consent, it may go for a longer me If it is for a single purpose, it will end there. For instance, for KYC you want to have a video That is only for the me ll you complete the onboarding A erwards, reten on should not be there.

How do you encourage the organizations to take swift and responsible actions?

Mr Rohan K George: There is a

requirement in the no ce to include a specific methodology for grievance redressal. In addi on to appoin ng a Grievance Redressal Officer, you must give the data principal a mechanism by which they can address those grievances. Most companies post a certain privacy policy on their websites This par cular legisla on makes it a li le more granular The privacy no ces have to be tailored for par cular purposes.

What role does transparency play in the data protection? How will it empower individuals to have more control over their personal data?

Dr Anirban: For any business or organiza on, it is really important that they are honest and open with their customers, or in this case with the data principal The data fiduciary must s ck to the legi mate interest while processing the data. If there

is a change in the purpose or means of processing, the relevant user consent is required and that's where the transparency comes in

In what ways will this Act address the challenges posed by the emerging technologies like AI, Biometrics and IoT?

Mr Mahesh Balakrishnan: The source of the data is important. If I get an answer to where my data source comes from, the next aspect is, once they process that data, what happens to the personal as well as non‐personal data? I can ques on my team on my source of data and how they build the algorithms and the models and how effec vely my privacy and security are taken care of

Mr Rohan K George: Every organiza on must definitely discover their data sources and do an extensive gap analysis to iden fy where the organiza on is and where they need to be

With the rise of global data flows, how is the DPDP Act aligned with the international data protection standards and regulations like GDPR?

Mr Na Vijayashankar: GDPR is a different law applicable to the EU data DPDP Act is a different law applicable to the Indian data. The two are different and will stand on their own We have to develop our own standards for being in compliance with this and that is what FDPPI is doing with the personal data protec on compliance standard of India 

But if the data is processed abroad, even if it is an NRI or citizen’s data, and it is to be used in India for a particular purpose, then it falls under the Act.

We need to move at a transformational growth pace.

Every time there is a talk of boosting the nation’s economy, the contribution of the Manufacturing sector gets an undeniable mention and for right reasons However, the idea of manufacturing has changed over the past decades These were also the decades when the nation shifted gears, moving away from manufacturing to the multi‐disciplined Services sector, starting from IT/ITES to hospital, hospitality and much more, as the mainstay of economic recovery in the Reforms era. What does manufacturing entail now?

Mr Sanjeet Singh, IRS

Senior Adviser, Trade & Commerce Economics Finance & Disinvestment, G‐ 20 Coordination (NITI Aayog)

Manufacturing in India is not only a necessity but also provides a golden opportunity for the country to emerge as a manufacturing powerhouse We are incredibly fortunate to be in the Amrit Kal, the golden period leading up to the 100th anniversary of India's independence. A recent study on the multidimensional Poverty Index has revealed that 13.5 crore people have emerged from extreme poverty.

Through the provision of drinking water, housing, sanitation, and healthcare facilities, we have overcome the challenges of the past century. Now, we are looking at the challenges of this century and beyond, on a global scale How can India emerge as a manufacturing powerhouse?

Managing the Skewedness: In the past three decades, we saw a revolution in the services sector, which propelled the country's growth Many economists contend that India has progressed from agriculture to services and somehow bypassed the manufacturing phase This assertion is supported by numbers too As of 2022, the services sector contributes 55% to our GDP, while the manufacturing sector contributes only 17%. This skewedness was brought into sharp focus when we were hit by the pandemic The services sector was the very first to be affected, leading to shutdowns and remote work arrangements. Productivity plummeted, particularly in hospitality and travel services. This situation made us realise the necessity of strengthening

India's manufacturing base, all the more.

Securing Jobs: Today, manufacturing contributes around $0 5 trillion, approximately 17% of the GDP The target we should strive for is $4.5 trillion, equivalent to 22% of the GDP, by 2047. Achieving this goal entails a series of essential steps If we are to ensure jobs for our people, the manufacturing sector must grow With a working population of 800 million people, India is projected to add 200 to 250 million people by 2047. While the manufacturing sector currently employs about 50 million people, achieving the $4 5 trillion manufacturing target by 2047 would require an employment potential of 90 million in the manufacturing sector alone Hence, India must transform into a manufacturing powerhouse.

Bridging the Trade Gap: India’s trade gap has expanded significantly post-pandemic. One primary factor is petroleum products, as India does not produce enough petroleum domestically. Moreover, with the expansion of the Indian economy, a huge consumer

boom happened. People needed more televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines As we did not have sufficient manufacturing capacity, we had to import them, leading to an increase in import bills. Therefore, the manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in addressing the persistent trade deficit Achieving selfsufficiency, especially in critical sectors, is crucial

Electronics constitute a major import category for India. The call for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) by the Prime Minister is not only timely, but also essential Measures like GST and the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which are focused on 14 critical manufacturing sectors, have been implemented to enhance the ease of doing business Incentives totalling $26 billion have been announced for these sectors, and the results will be seen over the next five to six years.

Focus on Core Areas and 4Ds: India should concentrate on its core strengths in manufacturing, specifically pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, and automation. We must upskill and enable these

 Similar to the digital stack, can we envision a manufacturing stack? Establishing smart industrial clusters and interconnected factories can yield high productivity assets with end‐to‐end value chains and real‐time tech‐enabled interventions.

industries to go big Challenges related to infrastructure and large-scale export policies need to be addressed. Additionally, emerging areas should not be ignored

A report from one of the renowned consulting firms highlights that four Ds demographics, decarbonisation, decoupling, and deglobalisation will drive India's growth in the future Decarbonisation and digitization present substantial opportunities The shift toward green manufacturing processes opens up numerous possibilities. We have already made ambitious commitments in our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) toward COP 26 and 27. We have allocated Rs 19,500 crore for green hydrogen mission. Solar and other renewable sectors also offer significant opportunities for the manufacturing industry

Need for Manufacturing Stack: As the world moves toward greater connectivity, India should seize opportunities in areas like aerospace and high-tech semiconductors Integration with global supply chains, technology transfers, and increased in-house R&D investments are necessary. Our focus on Free Trade

Agreements (FTAs) is a pivotal part of India's growth story We need to move at a transformational growth pace and not at business-as-usual pace.

Similar to the digital stack, can we envision a manufacturing stack? Establishing smart industrial clusters and interconnected factories can yield high productivity assets with end-to-end value chains and real-time tech-enabled interventions. These factors can substantially differentiate our manufacturing processes

All these call for skill enhancement. Government schemes for skilling, reskilling, and upskilling have been introduced, but private sector involvement is equally vital, just like we saw in the IT revolution

Logistics: We cannot discuss manufacturing without addressing logistics. India's logistic costs in double digits erode industry profitability, efficiency, and productivity The Prime Minister's initiative to reduce logistics costs to below 10% (our target is 8%) is commendable. The Gati Shakti initiative, another flagship program, is designed to propel the advancement of India's manufacturing sector

ESG Opportunities: ESG sector also holds many opportunities for our manufacturing. Our predecessors and other economies have made the mistakes of polluting the environment while they developed India doesn't have to do that. India has committed itself to the green pathways of development. We can now become an example for the world in ESG practices like adopting green bonds and water neutrality. We must take Corporate Social Responsibility in true spirit and create a safe and healthy workplace which protects all stakeholders’ interests India can become a model for most of the global South, while showing the light to the global North. 

Mr. A Viswanathan President, Delphi TVS Technologies Ltd

The topic for discussion is reviving the manufacturing sector In the last two decades, manufacturing has consistently ranged from 13% to 17% of GDP. So, I would like to focus on revving up the manufacturing sector, aiming to accelerate it to even greater heights

Capitalize now: Thanks to the geopolitical situation, we find ourselves in a unique position to leverage the current environment However, many experts feel that this window may not remain open for too long. We need to quickly capitalize on the significant opportunity before us, without assuming that everything will naturally come to India We face competition from countries in Asia, Mexico, and Eastern Europe for the opportunities emerging from China's shifting landscape Taking companies moving out of China lightly would be a mistake, as many are rapidly establishing their presence in various countries.

Learn from other sectors: First and foremost, we must explore how we can manufacture and export more value-added products Certain sectors are successfully exporting a substantial number of value-added products, and we can apply lessons from these sectors. I'm wellacquainted with the auto components sector, which stands out as one of the export stars among all sectors

We export 25% of our production, primarily to advanced regions like Europe and North America, serving demanding Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with top-notch quality. This journey has spanned the last two decades for the auto components sector.

An influential factor that propelled the auto sector was the collaboration between the Auto Component Manufacturers Association, leading auto component units, and OEMs. This entire ecosystem dedicated considerable time to this endeavour They enlisted Japanese experts in lean manufacturing and Total Quality Management (TQM) to educate our employees and workers on the latest and best manufacturing practices This transformation greatly enhanced the sector's competitiveness. We must extrapolate insights from the auto components sector and apply them across other sectors

During my recent visit to Israel, I observed the close collaboration between academia, industry, and the government in driving innovation. Israel, though small in size, excels in producing some of the best technologies While they don't manufacture cars in Israel, they are at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies in the automotive sector. If they can achieve it, so can India

Taking companies moving out of China lightly would be a mistake.

 During my recent visit to Israel, I observed the close collaboration between academia, industry, and the government in driving innovation.

Activating overseas missions: Whenever we announce capital investments through press releases, a dozen overseas embassies contact us to inquire about the equipment we intend to purchase and how companies in their respective countries can collaborate with us. Similarly, I believe Indian missions abroad can play a more proactive role in promoting Indian exports.

Anti-Dumping: Significant dumping occurs across various sectors by Chinese companies In India, we must furnish sufficient information to the government to support anti-dumping measures. The European Union has recently altered its approach Upon receiving preliminary information, the burden of proof now shifts

to the exporting company Chinese exporters must now substantiate that their actions do not amount to dumping.

A universal solution doesn't apply to every sector. We must approach each sector individually, examining its specific challenges and opportunities, to facilitate its growth.

The government deserves recognition for its efforts over the past five to ten years in improving the ease of doing business However, work remains to be done in areas such as environmental clearances and the Factories Inspectorate. Addressing these aspects will further enhance the ease of doing business 

Mr Easwaran Subramanian

Partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt Ltd

The intriguing aspect of the manufacturing sector is its 3x multiplier impact If anyone invests 100 crores, it potentially generates downstream investments across all elements of the value chain, amounting to approximately 300 crores This sector has the capability to create both economies of scale and economies of scope. All other sectors create only one of these, either scale or scope.

Total Factor Productivity: The prime thrust area for us should be the Total Factor Productivity, currently ranging from 2 to 2.5%. In contrast, China's rate is double this figure. Total factor productivity can enable us to leverage the dimensions of digital maturity present in India One must make a visit to the US to appreciate how digitally mature we are! Total factor productivity encompasses not only labour but also all assets and resources at our disposal

Our government aspires for our Global Value Chain (GVC) participation to reach 10%. At present, we stand at just one-fifth of that from a trade perspective. A higher target implies heightened competitiveness on the global stage. Simultaneously, this approach provides us with the benefits of interacting with global customers and gaining deeper insights into their needs It's not merely about internal efficiencies but also about learning from the best in the market.

The prime thrust area for us should be the Total Factor Productivity.

Look end-to-end: Often, we fail to examine matters from an end-to-end value chain perspective For instance, we think that semiconductors are entirely new to us. But a closer look reveals that nearly every global semiconductor company maintains an R&D center in

India, employing thousands of people Every Indian software services company plays a role in the value chain. In essence, we possess the entire ecosystem in several critical dimensions of the value chain. Our next step is to extend this influence further downstream Our policies are conducive to this progression Our companies must shift their focus towards end-to-end solutions instead of niche products and innovations.

A change in mindset is also needed While the government has undertaken numerous actions, it's equally crucial that the broader industry ecosystem comes together, similar to what the automotive sector has accomplished Industries must involve themselves in the complete value chain Every sector must consider the end-to-end value chain and derive benefits accordingly. 

How do you rate the competitiveness of Indian companies compared to the rest of the world over the last few years?

Mr Sanjeet Singh: Let me put it differently When we seek greater market access through RFPs and consult the industry, the first reac on we o en encounter is, “Don't do it There's no need for this agreement.” The second reac on is, “Don't allow foreign players in.” Of course, there are a few aggressive players who encourage compe on and market

access for others, but this third category remains small How can we find a way out of this? Is it a ma er of changing our mindset? Is there over‐dependence on government support across sectors? We're reaching out to trading partners like UAE, Australia, Japan, Korea, and G7 na ons. The government's goal is clear: aggressive engagement We want industries and associa ons to share technical or other barriers they face and how we can assist them

Regarding engagement with our overseas missions, our Prime Minister has given clear direc ves that they should proac vely seek opportuni es and convey them down the line

Our import duties are lower than in many advanced manufacturing countries. If duties are rationalised, won't this significantly boost local manufacturing?

Mr Sanjeet Singh: I'm unsure which specific sectors you refer to. However, we receive inputs from a diverse range of

 With your own experience of running the business for so many years, you must know with whom you should take the risk. To start with, you must empower people one level below you and then start looking for people and empower them.

people Some want reduced du es, while others favour increased du es For instance, take the steel sector. When a steel export duty was imposed, many sectors immediately requested its removal, claiming it was too high. However, MSMEs urged against its removal. We must discern whether we discuss a manufacturing intermediate product or a final product What's the volume of import and export?

How much value addi on is involved? The government will evaluate these aspects I fully agree that transparency and uniformity in approach are crucial whether to retain, increase, or decrease du es

What support, do you think, MSMEs need?

Mr Viswanathan: MSMEs require two things First, expert inputs and associa on support In the automobile sector, we supported MSMEs through capability enhancement programs. Over me, they've scaled up Second, they need help with capital funding, which remains a major concern for many MSMEs.

Mr Easwaran Subramanian: The PLI benefits large companies but has a mul plier effect on MSMEs Large companies can align with MSME clusters, irrespec ve of the sector they are in.

When discussing PLIs, are we violating WTO rules?

Mr Sanjeet Singh: No, PLI was designed to be WTO compliant, and it is It would only violate WTO rules if we stated we

support exports We promote produc on What companies do with their produc on is their choice. If expor ng yields a be er price, they're welcome to do so There's no restric on on that Thus, there's no ques on of viola ng the WTO.

How can we enhance the quality of our manufacturing in the coming years?

Mr Viswanathan: Generalizing quality issues across the manufacturing sector isn't correct. Some areas require quality improvements. This journey requires me; it's not an overnight process First, we need the mindset for superior quality and a commitment to achieve world‐class standards. A er management commits, training everyone down to the workers is

vital Gradually, with training, quality will improve

Is the manufacturing sector prepared to adapt to changing consumer demands and preferences effectively?

Easwaran Subramanian: Consumers now demand instant gra fica on, influenced by last‐mile companies Flexible supply chains are necessary to meet this demand Transparency, especially in end‐use pricing, is growing. The next evolving trend is consumers perceiving products as their own from order to delivery Traceability is the key. Companies must explore end‐to‐end product tracing, which requires technology for scalable implementa on

Why should we learn from China in managing our capacities and capabilities?

Mr Sanjeet Singh: I'm not labelling anyone as a devil, but we can learn even from the devil and those we might not fully agree with I've interacted with China during my tenure in the commerce ministry. They possess commendable prac ces that we can adopt. For instance, about 15 years ago, China decided to gain control over IPs, well a er integra ng into global supply chains. Presently, in 29 out of 36 fields, including computer technology, electronic machinery, and digital communica on, China leads in filed IPs in 21‐22. Their patent filings surpass the rest of the world While debate exists about their patents represen ng true innova on, should we not learn something from China? 

Transparency, especially in end‐use pricing, is growing.

The next evolving trend is consumers perceiving products as their own from order to delivery.

Igraduated from IIM-A in 1994. I worked in FMCG marketing and sales companies for 15 years

Around 2009, I started feeling the pangs of not being able to do justice to my own role as a mother and to my role as the head of marketing in the organization I was working in I used to travel a lot, maybe 12 to 15 days a month. My son was hardly five to six years old. I felt that I was shortchanging his needs and putting my needs over his, because he could not have negotiating power or talk back I thought I was taking advantage of that. Somewhere, I began to feel, “What's the point in becoming a managing director at 40 if your son is not going to get enough of your time?”

A Break and a New Path

This began to gnaw at me for a couple of years. Then on January 30, 2009, I finally decided to take a break, without understanding or figuring out what I wanted to be doing for the rest of my professional career. I was hardly 36 at that time. I realized that it had to be something that would take forward my experience gathered till then However, I wanted it on my own terms from a time point of view, because I

Women at some point feel the need to take a break from their career to manage their family Stepping back is simple However, returning to the workforce is fraught with many complications So what are the options she may have to rejoin work? How can she go about navigating these? Some important perspectives are shared by Dr Rajeshwari Krishnamurthy, Area Chair Marketing Head ‐ Center for Women's Leadership, Great Lakes Institute of Management

realized that flexibility is very important for me. I stumbled upon IIT Madras, which was close to my house I met the Chair Professor in Marketing and I told him my situation. He invited me for a brand management lecture, which I took based on my Nippon Paints experience The lecture went very well because I used a lot of real-life examples. Students love to hear real-life examples from the industry.

After that, we had a chat, and he suggested that I might consider academics as a career I was not fully convinced because I thought I had finished my share of academics after IIMA, and I was not looking at doing a PhD or anything. I said, 'Let me come back.' Then I travelled across the country and met a few people from different walks of life who had spent about 15 to 20 years in the corporate world before switching to the second part of their professional lives Our generation had the luxury of having multiple careers thanks to the liberalization and opening of the economy in the 90s.

I met people who had become entrepreneurs and social workers, those who got back to childhood passions and those who took to academia or even

politics after a corporate stint. I met about 15 people across the country and started taking notes. I realized that there is not much formal material available on the subject of mid-life career choices I interviewed them The story of Dr. Raju Ramasamy, who was then the Dean of Anna University, struck a chord with me because he had worked for 22 years in Railways He went on to do his PhD at the age of 48 and then shifted to academia. As I spoke to him, academia began to appeal to me for a range of reasons

It allowed me to take forward what I had learned so far and share it with the younger generation. It was probably less hectic in terms of travel, and I didn't have to work long hours Even if I did work long hours, it was more on my terms There was no nine-to-five commitment. So I went back to my IIT Madras professor, and I told him that I was ready for it. I enrolled in a PhD program in 2010 and finished my PhD in 2014 I did my visiting faculty stint across a few IIMs during my PhD days as I didn't want to waste the corporate experience that I had picked up. In 2015, I

 According to research, 47% of women take a career break at least once, and 70% never return to work. It is not only a loss for her and her family.

joined XLRI as a full-time faculty where I taught for a couple of years For the last six years, I've been with Great Lakes as a Marketing faculty This is my journey

Research Findings on Mid‐life Career Challenges

I also wanted to delve into the subject of mid-life career choices from a research point of view I have distilled my learnings, both as a professional and as a trainer. I used to conduct leadership workshops for

middle management women at XLRI for Reliance Group’s middle and top management

We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly. After receiving similar levels of education, whether it's from Harvard Business School or Great Lakes, eight to 10 years after graduating from B-school, women just seem to disappear from the workforce. As a result, very few are available for top management leadership. Only 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women; just 15% of board seats are occupied by women, and 14% of executive officers are women. Obviously, there is a talent crunch in terms of women's representation. It is not because of their qualification or competence It is just that the conditioning and life journey seem to be not very favourable to women continuing with their careers.

According to research, 47% of women take a career break at least once, and 70% never return to work It is not only a loss for her and her family. It's a loss for her children because a working woman is a terrific role model for children It's also a loss for the nation and the economy

Reaching the Top

What can women do differently to continue their careers and reach the top? Mid-life is also the time when

there are some peculiarities in a woman's life She has to deal with her biological clock versus her career clock, and a conflict arises. She is also expected to become a mother, and the baby probably needs her a lot more. That's also the time when you have to ramp up your energy and presence at the workplace There are more personal stakeholders in your life. You're probably married in your mid or late 30s. You have a spouse, inlaws, and children, which also means you're playing multiple primary caretaker roles.

Society is still tilted towards mothers being primarily responsible for ensuring that there is fresh food on the table or for their primary nurturing role in raising kids or taking care of aged and sick in-laws The spouse may contribute, but the primary expectation is still from the lady, no matter how talented or accomplished she may be

The Kaleidoscopic Career Model

The Kaleidoscopic career model is very interesting. It researched men and women who have looked at their careers longitudinally, over a few decades. They found that there is a clear difference between how a woman manages her career lifetime versus men A woman starts off taking up challenging roles, just like men do Somewhere around mid-life, a woman wants to balance multiple roles. In her later career stage, she seeks authenticity, which is figuring out what she can excel at and make a mark for herself in her life However, for men, it is the other way around. They may start off with challenging role-seeking and then, around mid-life, they first seek authenticity and then balance

There is nothing right or wrong about it Probably, it has been wired that way. If you're able to understand it and complement each other's roles well in your life, then you can find great support from your working

 A woman starts off taking up challenging roles, just like men do. Somewhere around mid‐life, a woman wants to balance multiple roles.

spouse Mid-life is also the time when we start defining what career success means to us. The organization is not going to chart out a career path for very unique cases It is probably male-centric because there are far higher numbers of men, and therefore the policies are all made with them in mind. Is a male lens even relevant for me to define my career success? All of this leads to you taking far more ownership of your own career, rather than leaving it to HR people

Aspiration Deficit

When you seek answers to these simple yet difficult questions, there aren't enough role models, especially senior women mentors in the organization. This results in what is called an aspiration deficit It means many women simply give up For them to negotiate, understand, become aware, and upskill themselves becomes quite tedious, especially if they do not have a supportive spouse or a supportive ecosystem at home They are then considered those who lack ambition, which is a little ironic because if they had a strong support system, they would probably excel and perform better at the workplace.

This is our DNA helix model, which is a favourite of mine Over time, a woman plays multiple roles, moving between one role and the other, across various situations. On the other hand, if you look at a man's career, most of the time, it follows a linear trajectory over time. There's a chance that he will reach a leadership position, if he works systematically at it.

Why is women's representation in the workplace needed? If organizations are performing well without

women, should we even worry? Yes, we should worry for a variety of reasons

Women make up 50% of the population and are highly qualified, talented, live longer, and accumulate wealth This means they are increasingly decisionmakers at the household level If you don't represent them in the workforce, you are missing crucial insights from a decision-maker's point of view.

We find very few women at the top They bring diversity of thinking in style and action Men and women have complementary skills that need to be harnessed together for the long-term growth of any organization Several studies by leading companies like Catalyst and McKinsey have shown that women's representation on boards leads to improved financial parameters like return on equity, profit margin, return on investment, higher operating results, and stronger stock price growth. Furthermore, companies have

reported fewer bankruptcies, better corporate governance and ethical behavior, more competence in self-development, and integrity. So there is a clear business case for women to be represented at higher levels in the workforce

Performance in 9 Dimensions

A study was conducted among two sets of organizations One set had no women in top management, and the second set had three or more women in top management. The goal was to assess the company's effectiveness across nine organizational dimensions This was done with a sample of 58,000 people Companies with women in top management returned better results in capability, leadership, external orientation, motivation, accountability, coordination and control, innovation, direction, work environment, and values. If this doesn't emphasize the need for more women, what else would?

However, strong external conditioning still exists, and mothers are still expected to bring up children Career-oriented women are not looked upon favourably. When you get married and have children, you're expected to stay at home and raise them If the child does not do well, the mother is blamed The second thing is our own higher ownership of the role of a mother, and therefore going to any extent to fulfill that.

Altering Brain Conditioning

Is there any difference in brain anatomy between male and female children? There is a book written by Dr Payal Kumar - "Unveiling Women’s Leadership " The author claims that the human brain is not fixed but alters through experience and training. The brains of male and female babies have equal structure and patterns, but by the time they reach 20, social conditioning considerably alters everything. There is

gender role conditioning, like car driving is for men, baby girls are given pink colour toys, or boys are expected to handle electrical work at home. So much role gendering is at play.

What can women do to alter brain conditioning?

First of all, you need to have great cognitive clarity You need to be around people who have a vision of holistic success with rationale, and more importantly, you must accept the trade-offs that you may have to make Many women struggle with making trade-offs The second is focused imagination. Train yourself to see pathways to success in your organization, in the organization you dream of joining, and in the role you want to acquire Talk to people about it, maybe external mentors and support groups.

You must understand and accept that this is not only your problem but an institutional problem and a nation's problem Don't shy away from seeking mentors

They don't have to be senior people or women working in your organization. They could be mentors outside your organization or in forums like the MMA Women Business Forum. Seek senior individuals with experience in dealing with such issues who can provide proper counselling and guidance

Barriers to the Top

Another piece of research was conducted among two different samples - female executives and CEOs, on what prevents women from advancing to corporate leadership Many times women adopt a victim mindset, which doesn't help their cause. We are often biased in looking at our own situation in a certain way, whereas the world might not view it that way In the study, female CEOs felt that lack of significant general management experience or line experience impedes women from advancing to corporate leadership That's a significant takeaway

Women not in the pipeline long enough is another finding Companies say, "We want women leaders, but where are they? They simply disappear. If only they discussed their problems more and wanted to work through them, something could be done ” Many female executives feel that male stereotyping is a big reason why they're not advancing to corporate leadership. But female CEOs don't think this is the reason. There is a clear disconnect here

Exclusion from informal networks: In many corporates, there is a lot of informal networking that happens after working hours. Women feel they cannot be part of it due to family reasons, personal time, etc They may get excluded from key decisions that organizations make. Inhospitable corporate culture: Many women feel that the level of ambition and aggression is too much for them to handle It's important for women to understand what CEOs expect from women executives who want to advance to leadership positions They are looking for significant general management, broad-based knowledge, and the ability to persevere.

Tougher Barometer

comfortable with This was surprising to me I have mostly worked in sales and marketing, which are very male-dominated fields. In FMCG and technology companies where I worked, women were always in the minority But it's important for men to see you as one of them Don't draw attention to your gender presence

The third is taking on difficult and high-visibility assignments. These are often called glass cliff assignments, tough assignments given to women to test if they'll succeed or not These are challenging even for men, but women need to prove themselves in them to advance to higher leadership positions. Networking with influential colleagues, initiating discussions about career aspirations, developing leadership outside the office, and goal setting are some other factors.

Many of these strategies overlap with what men need to do to advance, but the extent to which women need to do them is often much higher Women often need to prove that they have serious intentions about their career growth.

The Inspiring Sisters

All of us are aware of Indra Nooyi and Chandrika

Tandon, sisters who've done well for themselves. Indra Nooyi was a global CEO of PepsiCo, and Chandrika

is often tougher for women than for men

There is research on the career strategies required for women to break the glass ceiling. Women have to consistently exceed performance expectations. This barometer

Women start with an inherent bias from some leadership quarters that they will give up when things get tough. They may have a backup or a family that is the primary breadwinner, and they are perceived as unwilling to stretch themselves. So it is essential for women to exceed performance expectations to demonstrate their commitment

Second is developing a style that men are

Tandon is the Chairperson of ‘Tandon Capital Associates’ and was a senior partner at McKinsey. They believe that setting a clear goal is a starting point Many of us don't do that We take things as they come, and we're satisfied with whatever results that follow. It's important for women as they advance to raise other women below them Nobody will understand the situation as much as you do Take ownership of your career, especially the long stints, which are really your babies. No HR department or organization will understand your nuanced life situation well enough to

put together a career strategy for you Also, be aware of what's happening around you

Double Bind

There is a term called "double bind." Women have a need to be liked, and they also want to be assertive Men don't care whether they're liked or not. This is unique to women. You have to be aware of this. Are you making decisions because you want to be liked? Are you becoming emotional? Are you not asserting your point strongly enough? Are you falling into the trap of wanting to be liked?

Many organizations exhibit tokenism They hire women leaders to show that they value diversity Many times, women find themselves under extraordinary scrutiny. This can lead them to overperform or underperform, with tough trade-offs You can't have it all at the same time You may achieve everything over time. So you need to understand the trade-offs you must make.

Confidence Gap

Women often suffer from a confidence gap, regardless of their qualifications or competence. Men who are 75% to 80% qualified may apply for a job with confidence, while a woman who's 95% qualified might hesitate before applying. Women are often self-critical. They think twice before seeking a promotion or a pay raise This doesn't come naturally to them Women should work on these aspects. They should broaden their business knowledge and not limit themselves to technical know-how

Looking back, whether taking a break to be with my child, figuring out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, or writing a book, I realize that everything adds up You need to ask for help We are often bad at this

In the last 10 years, I have consciously surrounded myself and befriended senior women I respect and asked for advice. Be adaptable. Play multiple roles in varying hierarchies and different locations. When you enter a new role, it's like starting a new career You cannot compare yourself with someone who has been doing it for 15 to 20 years. So be kind to yourself.

Give Time to Bloom

Also, try part-time work before committing to something full-time. Before entering academia, I was a visiting faculty and gave guest lectures If someone wants to get into full-time social work, I would strongly advise them to engage in community work on weekends to see if it suits them. Never lose sight of your ambition. The timing of what you want to achieve might not be in your hands, but you need to persevere Resilience and optimism are key. If you have these qualities, you will find your way.

Ela Bhatt, the founder of SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association), says that feminine leadership is what the world needs today. She refers to Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence and advocates an approach where organizational growth is based on values, not just hard goals. Inclusivity, not divisiveness, should be promoted. It's not about favouring a few at the cost of others. Look at the collective aspirations of individuals and don't set benchmarks for the institution based solely on your own benchmarks. Be open-ended about time.

A long-term collaborative network doesn't operate on the timelines we desire A butterfly becomes beautiful in its own time So give it the time it needs This promotes peace and collaboration over harsh competition. Women have innate strengths. Build on them instead of trying to mimic others Being yourself is the way to succeed 

Mr. Sreenivasan Ramprasad: "The Book of Beautiful Questions" covers four areas: creativity, leadership, decision-making, and interpersonal skills. There are close to 400 questions in the book. Being an effective leader is not so much about having all the answers as asking the right questions. Questioning is critical to success. It can help you become a better thinker, a better partner, a problem solver, and a great leader According to the author, a beautiful question is one that causes people to shift their thinking, and it is intended to bring about a change.

Many of us hesitate to ask questions for four

reasons The first is the fear that if I ask a question, people may think that I don't know anything. The second is the thinking that I already know. The third is my own biases And finally, I don't have time to ask questions These are the four enemies of asking questions. If you want to ask questions, ask the questions to yourself first. For example: Am I comfortable raising questions with no immediate answers? Am I willing to move away from what I know? Am I open to admitting I might be wrong?

As part of the 'Read & Grow' series, MMA hosted a panel discussion centered around the theme of the book "The Book of Beautiful Questions" authored by Warren Berger Guiding the conversation was Mr. Sreenivasan Ramprasad, the Director of CADD Centre Training Services. He engaged in dialogue with Dr. Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal of the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, and Mr. Kishalaya Das, the Executive Vice President & Head of Sales for MEA, India, and ASEAN at Intellect Design Arena Ltd

The typical traps of questioning are the fear of the unknown, the tendency to focus on the wrong information, confidence in our own forecasts, and the inclination to favour information that confirms our preexisting notions. The author compares a soldier and a scout A soldier has a mindset of defence while a scout always seeks out to explore and discover.

Myths on Creativity

The notion that creativity must come from completely original ideas or sources is a myth, says the author. As a prime example, in 2000, Steve Jobs combined the elements of a cell phone, BlackBerry, camera, and iPod into a highly original combo package and came out with the iPhone. That's creativity. To have good relationships with people, instead of asking people, ‘How are you?’ we can ask questions like, “What's the best thing that happened to you today? What are you excited about in your life right now? What are you most passionate about? What problem do you wish you could solve? What did you want to be when you were growing up? What would constitute a perfect day for you?”

Listening Skills

A great questioner must have great listening skills. If you're just hearing and not listening, the relationship doesn't move forward We are also quick to criticize people. Before you criticize someone, ask yourself these questions: “What's motivating this critical urge? How am I guilty of the thing I'm criticizing? How would I react if someone said something similar to me? What positive result do I hope will come from saying this? Am I deriving pleasure from criticizing?”

A leader must ask questions like, “What do I want to lead? Why do I want to lead this? What do I want to achieve from it? Why would others want me to lead them? Am I willing to step back in order to help others move forward, or am I just looking at myself? Do I have the confidence to be humble? Can I learn to keep learning? Do I seek to create an organization in my own image?”

Finally, the author says that questioning plus action

can lead to change (Q+A=C), and questioning minus action equals philosophy (Q-A=P)

Questions Changed Him

I'd like to narrate a personal story that happened in my career It was probably in the early 2000s We had recruited a salesperson and posted him in Bombay. Three months down the line, we couldn’t see any results from him We were in a dilemma whether to continue with the person or let him go. But we wanted to give him a chance. So I took him and went around meeting clients

During the meeting, I asked a lot of questions to my potential buyers. At the end of the tour, he asked me, “Are we allowed to ask questions to buyers?” I said, “Why not? What's wrong in asking questions? If you ask questions, you can understand somebody better ” That changed him, and he said, “Please give me a month's time.” He changed the methodology and started producing results He's now one of the regional

~ Mr Kishalaya Das

directors in one of the leading companies in Bombay today Questions can change your career

Dr Suresh Ramanathan: As an academic, I always ask questions. All the research that I do is based on the questions that we ask. But sometimes, we tend to have certain preconceived notions about a problem or a phenomenon that is happening in life. We may suffer from confirmation bias. But being aware that we have those biases certainly helps to reimagine the things that we do and the frameworks that we apply

Having said that, I feel that the author also has a bias when he says that decision-making with a gut feeling is not right We have what is called system one and system two thinking System two thinking is the more conscious, careful, logical mind system. System one is the quick, intuitive gut feel kind of mind.

Mr. Kishalaya Das: There are four things which I took away from the book The first is asking questions As I am in sales, it comes naturally to me. The second thing is the importance of asking the right questions. The right questions must yield a desired response, which will help you to either sharpen your knowledge or your team's knowledge. The most difficult part in our knowledgebased industry is the knowledge or expert mindset. I work for a FinTech company where technology is changing by the day. I'm only as good as my knowledge

today If I don't upgrade tomorrow, I'm useless

The third, when you ask questions in a public forum, be it a meeting or a gathering, you get visibility Visibility is not just about written communication. It's also about establishing yourself as a person who has an independent thinking process Fourth, for us, designing is very important. We need to have the concept of design thinking. When we design anything, a lot of planning goes into it We learn from the mistakes or good things that people have done Spotting patterns and anti-patterns is a vital part of design. We cannot do that until we ask questions. We have to ask questions to practitioners and academicians

Which section of the book resonated more with you?

Mr Kishalaya Das: The questions about sparking creativity struck me. I'm an engineer and I think straight, like most engineers who can't observe different patterns I always believed that creativity is a difficult concept for me. Now I understand that creativity is not about thinking of different things but about being able to crystallize simple things and making them better Creativity can be in any field Even when you're cooking, you can have creativity and come out with new cuisines.

In our industry, creativity is nothing but innovation. If we don't innovate, we are out of the business The Nokia moment can happen to us Nokia was the world leader in communication, making phones as well as mobile communication towers. They were so happy with what they were doing and kept launching the same kinds of products with minor changes When the iPhone came, half of the Nokia factories were shut.

The important part of creativity is that you have to nail the idea down and then execute it When you do that, you achieve success In the corporate world, there

 Now I understand that creativity is not about thinking of different things but about being able to crystallize simple things and making them better. Creativity can be in any field.

is no philosophy It's all about turning ideas into actions and results

Dr. Suresh: What appealed to me is the question, “What is your tennis ball?” which is finding your passion It took me a long time to discover that my tennis ball is research and academics That's what really excites me. I worked in the industry for 10 years in sales and advertising. We launched MTV in India. But at the end of it all, my passion or my tennis ball is research. It is digging deep into problems, asking questions, and sometimes finding counterintuitive answers, which lead you to question the assumptions that you made

We talked about the iPhone and Nokia examples. I'm reminded of another example which is the story of Motorola Back in 1998, there was an executive who was on a cruise ship somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico and was not able to reach his office. He came up with the idea of sending a bunch of satellites into space, from where you could get a signal and you can receive it on a satellite phone They thought it was a big idea and invested something like $4 billion into this venture. To break even, they needed to sell half a million handsets. The phone cost $3,000 and the cost per call was $8 a minute. Guess what? They sold in the first year, barely 10,000. They had creativity but perhaps didn't ask the right question, which was, “Will people have a use for this product?”

hours without having any problem based on what I already know, but what really excites me is when one person in the classroom asks me a question that forces me to think and come out of my comfort zone.

Mr Kishalaya Das: I recommend a 5C Question framework to my sales team The first is curious questions. The second is comforting questions. The third is challenging questions. The fourth is confronting questions, and the last is collaborating questions

We are in B2B sales We sell to banks We will largely be selling to the business owners in the bank. To first understand what they're looking for, you should start with curious questions I never go and start with a pitch Based on the response, you can formulate a strategy in your mind and pose some comforting questions. Then you change your track to ask some challenging questions, like, “You're making 100 bucks today? What do you need to do to make 200 bucks?”

Asking questions is an integral part of building relationships. If you need to understand your clients, the only way to go about it is not assuming what they want but validating your assumption by asking meaningful and insightful questions. During my sales programs, I focus on questioning skills, which is one of the key skills of a salesperson. Now, how easy or difficult do you think it is to ask questions?

Dr Suresh: I can go to a classroom and talk for three

These challenging questions will get the person to think about what he wants to get out of his own role Then you ask confronting questions, and that is when you get the elephant out of the door. These are questions like, “What are the problems that you are grappling with?” It's healthy to have disagreements, because the moment you have disagreements, the other

 It is digging deep into problems, asking questions, and sometimes finding counterintuitive answers, which lead you to question the assumptions that you made.

~ Dr Suresh

person will start respecting you If you nod ‘yes’ to everything, you will lose respect Once you gain respect, you're proposing to a partner. It is then that you ask collaborative questions like, “Can we work on it together?”

What is your view on the current generation with respect to asking questions?

Dr. Suresh: The current generation is certainly very curious. They have a natural, innate curiosity. It needs to be channelled because it can go in many directions They are willing to question the status quo and the assumptions. I remember growing up, I had only two choices: getting into either engineering or medicine. Today, there are far more options It is important for this generation to constantly seek and be a scout I often tell my students that they are a potato in a sack full of potatoes and they should strive to be different. Our educational system unfortunately breeds mediocrity. We have exams that basically test the same things over and over. The current generation must explore a lot, and those in the present generation must

encourage that There is so much potential with the youngsters and they can go places that we could never have dreamt up.

Mr Kishalaya Das: I started my career in the mid '90s, working for a firm in Bangalore We were like a regiment of soldiers, listening only to what the team leader said The first thing the present generation asks is, “Why do I need to do this? What is the advantage of doing it?” That's the good thing about them Our education system is also changing. But the important thing is to assimilate the knowledge gained through questions and utilize it to make it better for themselves, for the people around them, and for their companies

When you ask questions to them, how do they respond?

Dr Suresh: Before asking questions, I must create a collaborative atmosphere that doesn't intimidate people, particularly when you have a power relationship. I tell my students not to be afraid to even say what I'm saying is rubbish 

How can we improve listening skills?

Dr. Suresh: When you have conversa ons, you must strike the right cadence and take turns to listen and speak If one person dominates, the other person becomes edgy and that becomes a problem. But the bigger ques on is, can you develop empathy while listening? Empathy is a deep‐rooted feeling that people have deep inside the brain which occurs as a result of the mirror neurons that get ac vated

When we see someone smiling, that smile rubs off on us automa cally. It's called emo onal contagion and it happens because of the mirror neurons

Mr Kishalaya Das: Decision‐making will become easy if we are clear about the outcome that we want to achieve and for which, we need curiosity Leadership is a management style. Not all leaders are the same. There are people who are very brash and don’t listen to anybody else But, for the end goal to be achieved, you must follow a transparent and open process.

What are the strategies we can follow for making group decisions effectively and collaboratively?

Mr Kishalaya Das: When you start discussing in a group, look for pa erns and an ‐pa erns. First, the problem statement must be clearly put up Some mes we try to solve problems without having an end goal in mind. Create a culture of openness to have a collabora ve environment across the organiza on Finally, the leader has to stand up and sign on the strategy

Dr. Suresh: Curiosity may or may not lead you to solu ons but will leave you with many op ons that you might otherwise not have considered. From a decision‐making standpoint, that leads to more complica ons because you have more op ons But the fact that you have many op ons on your plate can ensure that you have be er chances of ge ng the right answers or solu ons

Dr. Suresh: Let me give an example from my own life. I was a professor in Texas. I had a secure job and could have been there for the rest of my life The assump on I was making at that me was that I don't need to do anything and my life is well established Then one fine day, I ques oned that assump on I gave up my tenure and came back to India to take up a job at Great Lakes. Here everything was completely different but I found my passion When you ques on the assump ons that you're making, something else can magically open up for you

Are there any cultural or social barriers to asking questions that we should be aware of?

What role does curiosity play in leadership development and decisionmaking?

How can we overcome analysis paralysis?

Mr Kishalaya Das: Asking lots of ques ons and taking no ac on can become a waste of me As a leader, you need to find out the right context and the right evidence to take a decision.

How can questioning the assumptions lead to more innovative and original ideas?

Mr Kishalaya Das: Yes India is mul cultural North India and South India are culturally quite different. Today, there is a sense of openness, but it's important to know cultural nuances For example, in Japan, you can ask tough ques ons, but you have to be extremely polite in asking them In the US, you can be straight to the point In Europe, courteousness would help, but you can be direct. We do a lot of cultural training if somebody goes on‐site, so that there is cultural alignment People should be aware of the do's and don'ts in their geographic and cultural domain. 

At the outset, let me clarify that this is not my book This is my father's book, his autobiography I'll explain how I got involved in the book. In 1978, which was the year I got married, my father decided to write his memoirs. Initially, it was informal He had it published and printed locally, and he would circulate it among friends and relatives, mainly to gather feedback. He talked about his early life in school, college, how the institute came into being, discussions about my illustrious grandfather Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, the Indian constitution, and so on. He gathered feedback from various people and also included some essays about my grandfather written by various other leading lawyers and judges

East West Books approached my father and expressed interest in publishing his memoirs. He took the original manuscript, which I believe was about 700 pages long He divided it into two parts and added important letters related to the creation of the Maths Science Institute, along with photographs and more. It was published in two volumes by East West Press The first volume was released in 1999, and the second volume followed in 2002. Thus, it became a two-volume

MMA presented a talk on the theme of the book, "The Alladi Diary: Unveiling Memoirs of Alladi Ramakrishnan," by eminent Mathematician and author Prof Krishnaswami Alladi, on August 16, 2023 at the MMA Management Center

Mr.Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy, the Honorary Treasurer of MMA and the Managing Director of Sundaram Home Finance Ltd presided over the session

book titled "The Alladi Diary."

After my father's passing away in 2008, my cousin, the renowned neuroscientist VS Ramachandran, who is a couple of years older than me and based at the University of California, San Diego, contacted me. He praised my father's autobiography published by East West Press, highlighting its excellent writing and its significance, particularly within the scientific community He suggested that considering my experience in publishing, I should seek an international publisher for this book.

Interestingly, World Scientific, a Singapore-based publisher with a main office in London, came into the picture Their North American editor came to my office and she expressed interest in publishing my work. I shared copies of the "Alladi Diary" published by East West Press with her Two days later, she came back and said, 'This is very interesting We would like to publish it." Thus, this publication by World Scientific came about. We needed to cut down the two volumes into one volume of about 640 pages Yet, I made sure to retain all the essential letters and content, but I wrote notes

for each chapter. What do I mean by notes? For instance, if my father mentioned a scientist like Richard Feynman, the notes section of that chapter would include details about Richard Feynman, his accomplishments, and his connection to my father, in a brief paragraph This would be useful for people in India who are not in academia or associated with Physics or Maths, and who might not directly relate to these personalities.

By the same token, my father also refers to various aspects of Indian culture and tradition For instance, he describes the Navaratri celebrations and delves into stories involving my grandmother. In such instances, I've included relevant notes that provide context about Indian customs and personalities. If he mentions Rajaji, I've added a short para on Rajagopalachari, introducing who he was and his contributions This would be useful to the western audience My main contribution has been cutting down the narrative due to the need to merge the two volumes into one, while also augmenting it with notes to cater to both the Indian and international

audience. I want to make it clear that my association with the book is not as an author but as an editor

Three Themes

The book revolves around three main themes. The first theme portrays my father's childhood days in Madras He vividly describes the time of my grandfather, Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, who was one of India's greatest lawyers. He was not only invited to the constituent assembly but also served on the drafting committee of the Indian constitution. He had unrivalled knowledge of the American, British, French, and Australian constitutions, and so he was invited to be on the drafting committee as the legal mind

He talks about his days with my grandfather and the prominent figures who frequented our home. Rajagopalachari would visit during his time as the Chief Minister of Madras on a daily basis and would engage in late-night discussions on various legal matters and points. He also talks about his observations on the Constituent Assembly in Delhi This is one aspect of the

book.

The second theme highlights his own career and the obstacles he encountered. He adeptly overcame these obstacles to establish the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, initially known as Math Science. Now it is referred to as IMSc. It is a multi-crore project, based out of Taramani The next part of the book shifts focus to his extensive international travels He traversed more than 200 institutions globally, delivering lectures and engaging in diverse programs. He also talks about how he facilitated the visits of foreign scholars and experts to the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Madras. The book was officially launched in Madras in May 2019 at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. This year marks my father's 100th birthday a centenary year.

An encounter with Homi Bhabha

My father holds a law degree He was a student at the Presidency College in Madras, where he pursued his BSc Honours in Physics there. An interesting highlight of his student days at the Madras Presidency College was the visit of a young British trained Indian scientist, Homi Bhabha, who had just finished his PhD. In 1943, he delivered a talk at the Madras Presidency College. He

was already a Fellow of the Royal Society by then Homi Bhabha's lecture deeply inspired him He was not only charmed by the physics presented by Bhabha but also by his charismatic personality. The thought of collaborating with such a remarkable figure excited him. After completing his BSc Honours in physics, due to my grandfather's influence, he took to law and joined a law school. My grandfather's practice was thriving, and he felt it was time for the younger generation to step up My father's elder brother, the late Chief Justice of the Andhra High Court, Justice Alladi Kuppuswamy, had already enrolled in law. My grandfather had similar aspirations for my father

Driven by his great respect for my grandfather, my father ventured into the field of law. He did quite well. He earned the gold medal for Hindu law and established a law practice However, the truth remains that his heart was set on science, not law While my grandfather was busy with his responsibilities on the drafting committee, my father frequently accompanied him to Delhi in the mid-1940s This was a period before India's independence, a time when the British had decided to grant India independence. A Constituent Assembly was formed, and my father would go to Delhi frequently, accompanying my grandfather

A proxy and a twist

During one such visit, my grandfather was extended an invitation to a dinner honouring Homi Bhabha This invitation came from P.L.Bhatnagar, a renowned scientist. My grandfather, however, confessed to my father that he felt ill-equipped to converse with Homi Bhabha about physics and said, "You have a profound interest in physics. Why don't you attend the dinner in my place?" So my father attended the dinner.

 Driven by his great respect for my grandfather, my father ventured into the field of law. He did quite well. He earned the gold medal for Hindu law and established a law practice.

At the dinner, my father found himself seated in the chair reserved for my grandfather This placed him right next to Homi Bhabha. A conversation flowed, and Homi Bhabha inquired about my father's pursuits. My father shared that he had completed his BSc Honours in physics but had since embarked on a journey through law. When Homi Bhabha asked about his future plans, my father frankly expressed his desire to do physics and become Homi Bhabha's student He recalled being deeply influenced by Homi Bhabha's lecture during his days at the Presidency College in Madras.

Grandma's helping hand

Homi Bhabha's response was encouraging He revealed that he had initiated a cosmic ray unit at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and said, "Why don't you join me at the cosmic ray unit in Bangalore?" My father immediately said 'yes,' but he had to get permission from my grandfather. To handle this delicate situation, he opted to have a conversation with his mother and shared his genuine passion for physics and his reluctance to pursue law, hoping his mother would understand and advocate for his preferred path.

So, my grandmother talked to my grandfather and said, "You've succeeded in law, and you have accumulated wealth. Let our son pursue his interest in physics and enjoy his life. Why insist on law?" Her words led my grandfather to relent The dedication of this book to his mother, even though the story talks about his father's role prominently is a testament to how his mother's support paved the way for him to become a physicist

Solving a cosmic problem

Now, comes an interesting story. My father worked with Homi Bhabha at the cosmic ray unit in Bangalore The term "cosmic rays " pertains to meteoric showers

 Working alongside Homi Bhabha, my father embraced the challenge. Shortly thereafter, Homi Bhabha relocated to Bombay.

and electron showers that permeate the atmosphere, bifurcating upon entry Understanding this bifurcation process, its effects, and the broader terrestrial impact formed the crux of the study. Probability theory played a significant role in unravelling these phenomena, as it required assessing the likelihood of specific particle distributions within sections of interest.

Working alongside Homi Bhabha, my father embraced the challenge Shortly thereafter, Homi Bhabha relocated to Bombay The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research was first housed at Kenilworth, in the residence of Homi Bhabha's aunt. While the structure might appear more modest in comparison to its contemporary appearance, its colonial architecture was similar to my own home. My father accompanied Homi Bhabha to Bombay, and together, they continued their research A few months later, my father solved the problem by an elegant solution, which he called the "method of product densities."

He documented his results and without putting his name, gave it to Bhabha Homi Bhabha said that he had to get the opinion of a mathematician to check the correctness of the derivation. He gave it to Mr. DD Kosambi, a mathematician Kosambi responded saying

that the solution was elegant but there were gaps in the derivation that needed addressing There the matter ended.

In the meanwhile, my father and Bhabha's personal assistant Mr N R Puthran, a south Indian, had become close friends An unexpected twist emerged a couple of weeks later. One day, Mr. Puthran told my father, "Alladi. You must be very happy to know that Bhabha has given a nice reference to you in a paper he's written." My father was surprised and asked if he could see the paper. Mr. Puthran handed over the manuscript that was to be given to the typist As my father reviewed the paper, he discovered something astounding The same problem he had tackled was now presented in a much longer form, authored by Homi Bhabha, and employing the basic concepts my father had introduced

This put my father in an embarrassing situation Homi Bhabha, was the Head of India's Atomic Energy Commission and a leader in Indian physics, except perhaps for Sir CV Raman The question of challenging such an authority was daunting In the United States, you can fight the establishment. But in India, confronting the establishment is next to impossible. So he could do nothing and tendered his resignation, citing the unsuitability of Bombay's climate and environment. He boarded a plane and returned to Madras.

An invite to the UK

Now, he was faced with the task of speaking to my grandfather. This predicament was complicated by my grandfather's initial desire for my father to pursue law The next step my father did was to reach out to Professor M S Bartlett of the University of Manchester, a researcher who had worked on similar problems. Within a month, a reply arrived from Bartlett, expressing keen interest in my father's work He

suggested, "Why not come to the University of Manchester for a PhD?"

With this invitation in hand, my father left on a journey to England, with my mother. During the sea voyage, he substantially expanded upon his method. When he arrived in England, he presented this improved version to Professor Bartlett. Bartlett suggested, "Let me consult a colleague, Professor DG Kendall at Oxford University His endorsement will seal the deal " After a week or two, the verdict came: Kendall validated the work's correctness. Bartlett declared, "This is your Ph.D. thesis. But you'll need to be here for two years to meet the residency requirements for a PhD In the meantime, you can explore other problems " With this, the path forward became clear.

One theme, two papers

The next step was the publication of the thesis Bartlett communicated the paper to the Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. Now what happened to Homi Bhabha's paper? As a fellow of the Royal Society, Homi Bhabha enjoyed a privilege: direct communication to the Proceedings of the Royal Society. However, it turned out that there were some mistakes in the long paper not serious though that needed to be corrected. By the time Bhabha corrected these, several months had lapsed.

Consequently, both papers emerged independently, nearly simultaneously My father's work appeared in the Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, while Homi Bhabha's findings were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society The set of equations they jointly derived is now known as the "Bhabha Ramakrishnan equations." The method, named the "method of product densities," remains attributed to my father Luckily, my father's paper didn't trail behind

Homi Bhabha’s paper So, all is well that ends well

The Madras University Stint

My father returned to Madras, joining the newly established Theoretical Physics department at Madras University The university was overseen by Vice Chancellor Sir Arcot Lakshmana Swamy Mudaliyar, who managed the institution for 27 years with an iron hand.

My father became the first to develop the theory of probability in Madras His intellectual aspirations continued, and he nurtured his ties with the international physics community, keen on expanding the frontiers of knowledge He went to the United States in 1956, as part of an international conference at the University of Rochester. Renowned physicist Robert Marshak organized the event, where my father, despite his focus on probability and stochastic processes, was allowed to take part in the realm of theoretical and high-energy physics.

Meeting Nobel Laureate Chandrasekhar

On the way, he met the eminent astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Chandrasekhar's ground-breaking work centered on the timing of a star's collapse once it has depleted its hydrogen reserves or rather when a star reaches its end in an expanded state. According to Chandrasekhar's findings, a star exceeding 1 4 times the mass of the Sun will inevitably contract until the electron-proton combination ushers in an era of pure neutrons giving birth to a neutron star, a heavy entity

However, Chandrasekhar's early theory, which decades later won him the Nobel Prize, when first proposed in England, was met with scepticism. Sir Arthur Eddington remarked, "Chandra, any star that behaves the way you predict must be crazy " Thus, the

 Returning to the conference he attended, one can imagine the feeling of awe that a young researcher, not yet an expert in the field, might experience in the presence of renowned scholars.

theory did not find immediate recognition in England

So, Chandrasekhar relocated to the United States, where the University of Chicago recognized him and he became a Distinguished Service Professor

My father's time in England was spent publishing papers applying probability to astrophysics. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar communicated eight of these papers to the Astrophysical Journal, of which he was the editor So Chandrasekhar had already known about my father's works.

Oppenheimer springs a surprise

Returning to the conference he attended, one can imagine the feeling of awe that a young researcher, not yet an expert in the field, might experience in the presence of renowned scholars One day, during lunchtime, my father was seated alone in a corner, holding his tray. The great Robert Oppenheimer, Director of the Institute for Advanced Study, who was at the conference, approached him with his own tray and asked my father, "May I join you?"

My father was flabbergasted. Here was a director of extraordinary stature, interacting with a relatively unknown person from the University of Madras The

conversation began, and my father explained his work in astrophysics Oppenheimer was impressed and inquired about his future aspirations. My father expressed a desire to visit the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, a place where Oppenheimer was the Director With a small notebook in hand, Oppenheimer requested my father's name and contact information, promising to be in touch. The year was the summer of 1956

By the close of that year, my father received an invitation from Robert Oppenheimer himself to visit the Institute for Advanced Study. This was an unbelievable event My father went to the Princeton Institute in 1957-58, accompanied by my mother

I was two years old at that time. As the Princeton winter was too harsh, they left me with my uncle, Justice Alladi Kuppuswamy in Hyderabad, and my parents went to Princeton My uncle, of course, took very good care of me. Now, in Princeton, my father listened to more than 100 seminars. The way he writes his English is absolutely top class

About Oppenheimer, he writes thus: “My first visit with Oppenheimer fulfilled my expectations about this legendary figure who dominated not only American science but influenced the destiny of the world as the architect of the atom bomb. Lean and of medium height, he had an oval head with prominent cheekbones, and piercing eyes He could pick his men while lighting his pipe, each for the appointed task, according to his talent and inclination, from a Nobel Prize man to a truck driver. He was magnanimous in providing opportunities for young scientists and enjoyed discussions at every seminar where his very presence stimulated creative thought and invited impartial criticism. The Oppenheimer legend is just a record of incredible facts. Born to prosperity in 1904, he was educated at Harvard

under Whitehead and Bridgman and took his PhD at 23 in Göttingen, after a preliminary stay at the Cavendish in England. His intellectual interests range from theoretical physics to Hindu philosophy… He understood the whole structure of physics with absolute clarity that one wonders why his creative work was not at the same seminal quality as Paul Dirac or Werner Heisenberg, both Nobel laureates It is said that he had two passions, physics and the desert And he got one in the other when he was to undertake at Los Alamos, a task unprecedented in its subject, undefined in scope, unpredictable in its consequences, namely, the creation of the atom bomb "

An unwelcome suggestion

My father came back to Madras, went and told both Mr Mudaliar as well as the registrar and others, "This syllabus in physics is outdated. We should at least change the syllabus, introduce high energy and modern physics to the M Sc class ”

The resistance to the suggestion was so high that my father was transferred to the then upcoming Madurai University, to start the physics department there instead of being in Madras He rued that rather than appreciating the knowledge that he brought back from Princeton after listening to 100 seminars, the gift that he got was that he was banished to Madurai University to work there in isolation

He came back and in the upstairs of our house where there was a big hall, he conducted a theoretical physics seminar He gave lectures on modern physics to students in that seminar Many eager students gathered at the seminar. He also invited eminent physicists to his seminar. One such physicist is Professor Abdul Salam of Imperial College, who subsequently won the Nobel Prize

Niels Bohr’s visit

The next big visitor was Professor Niels Bohr, the father of the theory of the Bohr atom. The whole theory of the atom is based upon Niels Bohr's structure of the atom. He was a Nobel Laureate. He was visiting India as the guest of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. My father invited Niels Bohr and he agreed Niels Bohr came to Madras in January 1960 My dad was so proud of his Indian upbringing, that even when he had foreign visitors, he would receive them in a dhoti.

Niels Bohr was a guest of Prime Minister Nehru and was accompanied by a representative of the government. He spent so much time of his talking to my father and his students, much to the discomfort of his accompanying government representative He finished his tour of India and went back to Delhi to take leave of the Prime Minister.

A Press Conference leads to the PM

At that time, there was a press conference When asked what impressed him the most about his visit to India, Niels Bohr said, "Two things. The massive setup of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay and a small band of students trained by Aladdi Ramakrishnan in Madras." That was splashed in the newspapers So a call came from PM Nehru's secretary to enquire about what my father was doing The then education minister Mr C Subramanyam was close to Nehru and he acted as a catalyst and arranged a meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru, when Nehru visited Chennai

Nehru met the students of the theoretical physics seminar and a memorable dinner took place. Nehru turned towards my father and asked, "What is it that you really need?" My father said, "I would like to have a new institute in Madras, modelled along the lines of

the Institute for Advanced Study for Science." Nehru asked my dad to send a detailed proposal, which my father had already kept ready He handed it to Mr C Subramaniam (CS), who passed it on to Nehru "

Birth of a Centre of Excellence

Nehru said that he had to consult the leading person on the Indian scientific scene Homi Bhabha! He referred the matter to Homi Bhabha, and Bhabha's response was, "Yes, it's an interesting proposal, but the limited funds of India must not be diluted Right now we have a Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and we should focus on it."

So the proposal was doomed. But C Subramaniam fought for it, argued with Nehru and also spoke to Bhabha inviting him to serve on the Board of Governors of the institute. Within two months, the proposal was approved and on 3 January 1962, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences was inaugurated in Madras, at The Presidency College. It was just a miracle that so many things happened. My father gave a famous speech during the inauguration

Now, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences is a multi crore project. It is recognized as one of the Homi Bhabha centers. The story of the creation of a leading center of scientific research in India, due to the persistence and pure determination of someone who was proud of his Indian upbringing and of Madras, is a great one, indeed. 

 So a call came from PM Nehru's secretary to enquire about what my father was doing.

It is indeed heartening to observe that a majority of corporations are actively engaging in the execution of CSR projects, demonstrating a preference for tangible actions over mere contributions to funds outlined in Schedule VII With the fundamental aim of fostering awareness among all stakeholders in the CSR landscape about the core objectives and intricacies of the government-enacted CSR Legislation, the MMA-KAS in collaboration with CSR Spark conducted a conclave recently.

The CSR Conclave delved into the multiple opportunities that lie ahead for social entrepreneurs to harness CSR as a catalyst for propelling their enterprises, thus facilitating compliance with legal mandates while motivating corporations to undertake initiatives congruent with their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspirations. Furthermore, the event offered valuable insights into optimal accounting practices tailored for nonprofit organizations, punctuated by pertinent case studies spotlighting

In the wake of the implementation of the CSR Amendment Rules 2021 on January 22, 2021, which mandated compulsory CSR spending, a notable surge in CSR initiatives has taken place

successful CSR implementations

The welcome address was delivered by Mr R S Krishnaswamy, the Founder of CSR Spark. Mr Nikhil Pant, an esteemed CSR Coach, provided a comprehensive overview of his authored CSR Manual, which was formally unveiled during the conclave by distinguished dignitaries. In his address, Mr URC Devarajan, the Managing Director of URC Constructions Pvt Ltd, proposed the notion of a rating system for NGOs, a mechanism that could streamline their engagement with corporations seeking to extend support

Mr K Pandiarajan, Executive Director of CIEL and a former Tamil Nadu State Minister, articulated during the occasion that CSR is intrinsically linked to the ethos and operational conduct of an organization “What is important is: What I do and how I do? This is the fundamental question that every organisation must ask themselves, as their first step towards CSR,” he said. He emphasized the significance of channeling the core

competencies of an organization, consciously built in its DNA, towards fostering societal welfare and serving the larger good of the community.

Justice N Seshasayee, Honourable Judge of the Madras High Court, stressed the need for the corporates and NGOs to go beyond the academic requirements of CSR legislations. “Corporate Social Responsibility is a journey from one 'S' to another from Self to Society,” he said and added that this transformation necessitates a blend of compassion and empowerment. He further said, “As we chart our path, it's crucial to be aware of where we stand and diligently work our way forward The crux of this journey lies in individual responsibility. Thus, before we extend our focus to society at large, it's important to begin by addressing the individual The responsibility to nurture one's family and organizational team members is a significant one because only when we keep our family and team happy, we can go out peacefully to serve the larger needs of the society ”

He also cautioned that the scope of CSR is not to be confined to ticking off the boxes of 80G or Section 135. “Often, CSR is directed primarily towards established entities, leaving out numerous unorganized individuals in need of support Consider, for instance, those who dropped out of engineering colleges due to financial constraints or individuals who cannot afford medical treatment To bridge this gap, I advocate for a collaborative network among all NGOs. Think of a platform where anyone in need could seek assistance. Such a mechanism must extend its benefits to all individuals, many of whom often remain hidden from our sight,” he said.

He pointed out that India’s strength lies in its numbers “Even if 20 crore people each contribute a modest amount, collectively, it can yield a significant sum. It's true that we might not be able to solve every problem for everyone, all the time. However, taking on one project per month is within our reach We can begin with a group of hundred participants, each contributing

Talks and presentations in the morning session of the conclave

a thousand rupees monthly. It's a hard fact that people are willing to spend a similar amount on liquor but hesitate to contribute to charitable causes. When someone seeks help, a discreet inquiry can help verify their genuineness without demeaning or belittling them ”

Justice Seshasayee said that the question we must ask ourselves is: What's the best I can do for my society?

“Rather than merely quoting the wisdom of leaders like Gandhi or Nehru, it's a call to action that is more important. In this crucial juncture in our nation's history and civilisation, it's our duty to bring about a positive change Nation-building is not just an outsourcing of a construction project; it needs to be built in our hearts We must carry the intent to shoulder the responsibility for our society, he said passionately. As I step out of my chambers each day, that thought that echoes in my mind is: What's the best I can do today? Let's infuse this thought into the fabric of our nation as we celebrate its 75th year of independence,” he said

The conclave hosted an assortment of sessions that encapsulated the spectrum of CSR dynamics Mr R S Krishnaswamy delved deep into the intricacies of the CSR Act, encompassing recent amendments and penalties for non-compliance Notably, while the top 20 companies contribute 27% of the total CSR expenditure, the other companies can focus on the balance 73%, he suggested. Mr Nikhil Pant's session revolved around the theme "10 Years of CSR Evolution & Way Forward: Strategy & Policy Frameworks "

Mr K.Ravi, the CFO of the Roots Group of Companies, deep-dived into the accounting practices tailored for nonprofit entities These informative sessions were followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion on CSR Best Practices, featuring Mr. Rajaram from Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), Dr. Vasudevan

representing MMA, and Mr Prem Kumar from BumbleB Trust, moderated by Dr. K S Ravichandran, Managing Partner, KSR & Co Company Secretaries LLP. 

The afternoon session of the conclave