CONTENTS
•EDITOR •Gp Capt R Vijayakumar ﴾Retd﴿, VSM •READERSHIP OUTREACH •Gp Capt Dr R Venkataraman ﴾Retd﴿ •Sundar R •Vakeeswari M •DESIGN •D Rajaram, Tayub Refai
MADRAS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION Management Center, New No.240 Pathari Road ﴾Off Anna Salai﴿, Chennai 600 006 Ph:044‐2829 1133 Email:mma@mmachennai.org | mandate@mmachennai.org www.facebook.com/mmachennai
EDITORIAL
Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM
A Time to Meet Again!
O
n Friday, 03 September 2021, we will present to you yet
Veterans and honouring of heroes of 1971 War and veernaris
again a grand event: the 65th Annual General Meeting
during the occasion.
(AGM) of Madras Management Association at MMA
Management Centre, subject to then prevailing situation. Embracing those joyful sparks in our lives, being grateful, and
If you missed watching this memorable event, click to view. Madras Day
staying clear off negativity make us to exceed and excel every time
Madras Day is celebrated every year on 22 August in
at MMA. Soon, our members will be receiving the Notice and
commemoration of the sale of the village Chennapattinam or
invitation for the AGM. For the first time, we are bringing out the
Madrasapattinam to the East India Company in 1639. The world
Annual Report in the web format. It is interactive and engaging
may be in the midst of the most extraordinary circumstance but
with more information on all our events, activities, members and
22 August rings a happy note in Chennai, nay Madras. It’s never
performance with embedded videos. Look forward to your
too much to refresh oneself about the city’s history. In this
participation at the AGM on Friday, 03 September 2021.
context, MMA is set to celebrate 382 years of Madras and to look
Click to view the Digital Annual Report of MMA 2021… Swarnim Vijay Varsh
into the future of a postpandemic Smart City. The pandemic has come as a remarkable opportunity to review the paradigm of smart cities, and to steer the course of hundreds of other towns
MMA is honoured and privileged to host the Victory Flame on
that are not on the map. This initiative sets the focus on the need
the occasion of “Swarnim Vijay Varsh” celebrations at MMA
for framing plans around people and nature, learning from
Management Centre. It was an occasion to commemorate our
mistakes and avoiding expensive technological solutions that are
victory in the 1971 War for liberation of Bangladesh. Watch the
difficult to implement and maintain.
inspiring conversation led by Gen Arun with the 1971 War
In this context and on the occasion of Madras Day, we
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5 AUG 2021
present a discussion on “Madras Celebrating 382 Years:
we must find out who exactly was using this invasive tool. It is
Smart City Chennai” on 21 August 2021.
unnerving that our phones can be taken over by spyware. Thus, we urgently need to assure everyone of privacy as a fundamental
Register here to join the event.
right as emphasised by the Supreme Court of India by enacting an appropriate law to safeguard our citizens. As a proud
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues
democracy we can’t afford to slip the way of a surveillance stake.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues are
Eavesdropping on a friend and foe is as old as Chanakya’s
becoming a main area of discussion in corporate boards. The
Arthashastra. It has only gained sophistication over time. It is in
credit rating of a firm may be impacted by its ESG performance.
the interest of our political parties across the spectrum to go
In this context, companies will need managerial talent to help
beyond scoring brownie points and a look at the larger picture
them access environmental risks and guide them in the transition
that involves far serious and longterm national interests.
to more sustainable businesses based on clean energy.
Management education should respond by integrating sustainability management in the curriculum. Students need to be familiarized with sustainable development goals. Environment and sustainability will have to be embedded in corporate thought and action. It is now a mandatory requirement for branding, raising funds, and approaching young and aware consumers. MMA events now focus on these issues and it is our endeavour to impress upon management institutions to adopt it in the classroom and beyond. The idea of being a good corporate citizen is gaining ground with ESG and CSR initiatives. Corporate profit through CSR could be underpinned by the idea of a larger good towards the people and planet. In this context MMA is organising a conclave on the theme “Tamil Nadu CSR Summit – Forging Partnerships & Impact Pathways” in association with Sattva Consulting and KAS at 9.30 am on 23 August 2021 at MMA Management Centre. The conclave intends to bring together grassroot level change
Of drones and pay loads… The Government of India has eased regulations to facilitate the use of unmanned aircraft (drones). The threat that could be posed by drone buzzing around Indian Airspace is significant. A drone that air lifts a pizza to a family picnic can also bear lethal pay loads. The recent drone attack on our Air Force institutions brought this issue into sharp focus. It is our technological advancement and confidence that resulted in liberalizing of our colour coded maps of flight zones. While highly sensitive areas must stay barred to drones, we should not complicate matters for operations beyond what is necessary. As it is a new business model, some turbulence is to be expected. But that should not impact our resolve to see it thrive. In this context, MMA in partnership with KAS and Peninsula Foundation is organizing a panel discussion with experts from the domain area to discuss on these issues for the benefit of our members and stakeholders.
makers, CSR Leaders, high impact philanthropist and
Register to watch the event live on August 10, 2021.
Government officials to explore pathways for collaboration in
Given Covid’s unpredictable trajectory, we may or may not
order to redirect resources to the most underserved areas
be headed for another peak. But we must overcome complacency. We must get vaccinated, maintain social distancing and wear a
Add the event to your calendar.
mask. We remain vulnerable to Covid resurgence. It would be best to stay on high alert.
The Pegasus Affair
Stay safe, stay healthy and keep learning.
The damage caused by Pegasus has far reaching effects. There is so much that we do not know. The Government should also review its digital security measures to avert the misuse of surveillance technology and allay our fears of slipping into authoritarianism. If Pegasus was snooping on our public figures, 6
AUG 2021
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AUG 2021
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I
The first big one was the rising
on the one hand makes life much
context of the world that we live in
inequality, which has become a big
easier but on the other, creates
and do business. It is best
issue across geographies in the
disruptions in the way we work and
world.
conduct business. We have to
The second was a resources
manage the impact of technology
decades where nothing happens; and
stressed environment in which we
on employment.
there are weeks where decades happen."
operate. There is a huge amount of
We live in a VUCA world—volatile,
concern about whether we are
uncertain, complex and ambiguous,
being responsible in the way we
where change is the only constant. The
manage our natural resources and
only predictability that we have is that
look after our environment.
t is important to understand the
•
described by what Lenin said during the Russian Revolution in 1917, "There are
it is going to be unpredictable. This was
•
•
The third is the return to tribalism
Twin Obsessions In the current pandemic, people are obsessed with two things: one, about business continuity and the second, of course, is the discussion around the timing and the shape of the recovery
the state of the world even before the
and protectionism. People are
current Covid19 pandemic hit us. For
retreating back into their own
us to decide how we are going to manage
communities,
and lead businesses, we need to go back
geographies. The Covid pandemic
to some of the mega trends that started
has not helped in that.
Sanskrit expression, “Neti, neti”—found
Then we have this doubleedged
in the Upanishad—meaning, “neither
weapon called technology, which
this, nor that; in other words, nothing is
happening before the world hit the pause button with the Covid crisis.
•
regions
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and
that is going to take place. People talk about V, U and K shaped recoveries. We can draw solace from the
9 AUG 2021
people who work in the front end. There are people who work on product
The most important dimension of growth is responsible
innovation and those who support this.
growth. The role of business is changing and you have to
You need in any organisation both poets
recognise that business has to be part of the solution to
and farmers—those who think about the
the world; to the communities that we serve.
future and those who are doing things today but doing things differently.
permanent in life—neither the good
There are many dimensions to
Growth is a multidimensional thing. It
times nor the bad times. This Covid
growth. There is, of course, growth in
is not only about growing and expanding
crisis too will not last. Instead of
terms of expanding your business but at
your business but also generating
speculating the shape of recovery, we
the same time while it is business as
surplus, irrespective of the scenarios.
can focus on what will remain
usual on growth, it always has to be
unchanged and what will change, post
business unusual on costs and
Covid. This has been best described by
profitability. Because if you don’t invest,
Dave Hollis, a Disney veteran and now
you can’t grow; you cannot invest unless
a renowned coach and writer: “In the
you generate a surplus; you cannot
rush to return to normal, use this
generate a surplus unless you are
pandemic time to consider which parts
prepared for every eventuality and in a
of normal are worth rushing into.”
volatile world, it is so important. While
I have EIGHT LESSONS for leadership in turbulent times. These lessons remain the same—preCovid or postCovid. Some of them have been
you continue to ask yourself, ‘How do I want to grow?’ you also have to ask yourself, ‘How do I prepare myself for
Lesson 2: Stay Relevant to All Stakeholders The most important dimension of growth is responsible growth. The role of business is changing and you have to recognise that business has to be part of the solution to the world; to the communities that we serve. Hear the voice of your customers, communities and employees all the time. If you lose touch with that voice and don’t have
the worst case scenario?’
your ear to the ground, you will find
tempered by the pandemic crisis that we
Here is the interesting thing:
are going through currently. These eight
Growth and profit are two sides of the
lessons are not necessarily in the order
same coin. Both require one very
Lesson 3: Execution is Strategy;
of importance.
important
Strategy is Execution
ingredient:
innovation.
yourself out of business.
People often think of innovation as
People often treat execution as a
producing some really jazzed up
side act and strategy as a more
A wise person once said, ‘Growth
products and services. But Clayton
important aspect of business. Strategy
solves most problems; more growth
Christensen, the innovation guru who
is a very simple thing. It is about making
solves the rest.’ A business has to
teaches at the Harvard Business School,
choices. The critical aspect is execution.
continuously
growth
perhaps gave one of the best definitions
I am reminded of a Hindi saying, ‘it
irrespective of the times you go through
of innovation. He says, “Innovation is
happens when you do.’ Nothing happens
because growth means business as
doing things differently to create value.”
if you don’t do.
Lesson 1: No Growth, No Future
focus
on
usual. Any business that takes its eye off
In any organisation, there are
the growth ball may not have a future. 10
AUG 2021
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Often we forget as we become
leaders that just having the big picture
not lose sight of your destination.
Digitisation and Technology, they will
is not enough. You must not only have
Otherwise, you may land up in a place
never be able to make the right kind of
the ability to paint the big picture but
that you don't want to land. So the short
decisions. Data has become the most
you must also have the ability to spot
term and longterm destination are
important thing for our business. It is
the pixels. So, pixels and big picture
important and the rest have to be
really critical that every business
both are important if you want to be
managed dynamically.
embraces technology either as an
successful in today's context. Lesson 4: The Medium Term is Dead It is now all about the short term which is managing the here and now
For the medium term, you can put together plans. As long as you are rolling them every quarter, every year, such plans are not going to be much used.
and managing the long term, which is to
Lesson 5: Every Company is Now a
create a destination for yourself, a sense
Technology Company
of purpose in terms of where you want
enabler, a creator or a user of technology. Lesson 6: The Importance of Horizontal Culture Mark Twain said, “Don’t let schooling interfere with education.” If I
You are a creator/ enabler of
can paraphrase that, ‘don't let
technology or a user of technology.
organisation structures get in the way of
There are no exceptions. The sooner we
growth.’ We make ourselves too
understand this reality, the better it is.
complex in organisations. Horizontal
Tesla is not a car: It is software on
culture is all about organizing for
wheels. Tesla is not the only example.
outcomes and agility. The idea of
But at the same time, when you
Even more conventional businesses
hierarchical
navigate in choppy waters, you should
must recognise that unless they use
outdated. You do not need interfaces
to go. Why is short and longterm important but not mediumterm? In a world that is so turbulent and uncertain, managing the here and now—what I call business continuity—is mission critical.
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organisations
is
so
11 AUG 2021
and coordinators in an organisation.
sell soap. Everyone else is an overhead
‘mind the gap.’ They refer to the gap
You need them only to broker peace
or an indirect.” That was a simple way
between the train and the station. In
between verticals and silos. Today, you
of giving a complex but a very right mes
organisations, interfaces are the gaps in
don’t need silos.
sage.
between the matrices. You don't need
I am reminded of one of my dear
Organisations basically need to ask
those interfaces. So go for horizontal
colleagues Mr AC Chakraborty, who
themselves, “Where do we deploy our
culture and organise around outcomes
unfortunately passed away. He was a
people—at the front end where we meet
and agility.
tough taskmaster and Hindustan
our customers or at the back end that
Unilever’s Garden Reach factory
enables making profit on a sale?” When
General Manager. It was one of the most
I became the COO of Unilever, I kept
important factories that we had. I was a
this very important lesson in mind. No
branch manager in Calcutta and one
matter which country I went to, I asked
evening, we sat for a chat and
one question, “Tell me, what percentage
Chakraborty decided to teach me a
of your resources is deployed in the
lesson or two.
front end and how much is deployed at
He told me, “Harish. I think you
the back end?”
will be going far up in this organisation,
The point I am making is: The more
and I want to tell you something. The
interfaces you create, the more difficult
most
our
it becomes to take decisions and you
organisation are only two sets of people
lose agility. In the London metro, every
—those who make soap and those who
time you land up in a station, they say,
important
12
AUG 2021
people
in
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Lesson 7: Caring is a Competitive Advantage You have to create a caring organisation.
Caring
has
two
dimensions. The first dimension is that you have to build people and constantly renew their license to operate. To put it simply in organisational terms, you have to make sure that you always upskill and create the right capabilities in the organisation. Why is that important? I was brought up in Hindustan Lever as a
marketer. Hindustan Lever is well known for its marketing. But I have no license to operate as a marketer today
As you go higher and higher in the organisation, you
because where people buy, what they
recognise that being purpose‐led and values‐driven is an
buy, what people watch have all
absolutely critical part of leadership.
changed. Unless I am techsavvy, unless I know how influencers and social media work, I can't be successful now. A 737 pilot
cannot
fly
a
Dreamliner.
Continuous learning and constant upgrading are so important. That's called caring for people and building an organisation.
purpose. The leader has to unleash
if you do something that doesn't agree
energy by his persona. There are some
with the society in which you operate.
leaders who will walk into the room and
So, to summarise my eight lessons,
you feel energised and want to do
successful organisations of the future
anything for them. There are leaders
will consistently manage the paradox of
who suck energy out of you. Be the
The second dimension of caring is
the short and longterm. They will
leader that can give energy. When you
that you must take care of people in a
always manage for growth and profit,
interact with your team, give energy and
crisis. A lot of companies distinguished
but responsible growth will be an
don't take away energy.
important part of that growth metric.
themselves during the Covid crisis by ensuring that they kept their employees above all else. You don't get a second chance to make the first impression. Demonstrate to your people that you truly care. Lesson 8: Leadership Matters Much has been written about leadership. The leader, a CEO or Unit
The second role of a leader is to
Shareholders are very important but
manage corporate reputation. It is so
stakeholders are even more important.
important to set some nonnegotiables.
Being purposeled and valuesdriven is
All of us think that our job is to tell
mission critical. Jim Collins, the guru of
people what to do. A lot of my job in
management, wrote a bestseller called,
senior positions was to tell people what
“From Good to Great.” With all due
not to do, about nonnegotiables and
apologies to Jim Collins, I would say
things that they have to walk away
that the companies of the future will go
from.
from being great to good. They will produce great financial results and
Head has two main roles. One, the
As you go higher and higher in the
leader has to give energy to the
organisation, you recognise that being
organisation and two, he/she has to
purposeled and valuesdriven is an
manage the corporate reputation.
absolutely critical part of leadership. In
That brings me to Nari (late V
today's context, reputations take years
Narayanan, former Chairman and MD
and decades to build. People still talk
of Pond’s India). He exactly epitomises
fondly about Pond’s, but it took years of
this ‘great to good.’ Here was a leader
leadership—thanks to people like the
who produced great business results but
V.Narayanan, V Balaraman and others
above all, he was a good human being.
who worked on it. But with a click of a
If you want to be a great leader, be an
mouse, that reputation can be destroyed
officer and a gentleman like Nari.
You give energy by creating a purpose which is larger than the business that you do. You have to create a purposeled organisation. People don't work for you because you sell a bar of soap or talcum powder. They work because they see a larger sense of
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performance but they will also be good companies for the societies they serve.
13 AUG 2021
What are the most important lessons
are talents everywhere. If you want to
that many leaders have learnt during
expand the pond in which you fish, with
the last 15 months of the pandemic?
no pun intended, you have to embrace
All the eight lessons that I talked
diversity.
about are lessons from the pandemic. If
Which is the most important change
you ask me to pick two, the No.1 lesson
that you brought in Hindustan Lever?
that leaders learnt was: Caring gives a competitive advantage. The second one is managing the ‘and… and’ paradox. You have to manage the short term and you have to manage the long term. You have to manage the crisis of the pandemic and at the same time, think about managing the organisation beyond the pandemic.
In everything that I achieved, I cannot say that I was responsible. Several good things happened during my tenure—partly because I did not stop them from happening and mainly because, I was part of a great team. I was a professional manager and not the founder of the business. As a professional manager, my job was to
How is leadership in turbulent times
build leaders bigger than me. Many of
different from that in normal times?
my team members today are bigger than
Businesses have to learn to be more
me. As you go higher in the
agile and must be able to turn on a dime
organisation, it is the right questions
in turbulent times. Equally important is
that you ask which are more important
that they must have clarity about the
than giving solutions.
destination.
What is a leader’s best asset? What is
How can we advocate diversity,
your leadership style?
inclusion and equity in organisations?
The leader’s best asset is integrity
and
and authenticity. About my leadership
companies that do not understand this
style, you should ask people who worked
have no future. A lot of our people come
with me. I believe that I am a good team
from different backgrounds and there
player—whether I am a follower or a
D&I
is
nonnegotiable
leader. 14
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I
n the last two years, there has been
meetings have shifted to online
that tourism picks up:
a major crisis from Covid19,
meetings; there will be a dip in the
•
Ensuring traveller confidence
which has been crippling many
number of people travelling for
•
Identifying new drivers of demand
industries; the hospitality and the
business. More people will now be using
•
Promoting the GRID concept
tourism industries being the worst
online mechanisms and media for
Tourism contributes more than 15%
affected. The World Bank estimates a
conducting businesses. However, I can
of GDP to the country. Tamil Nadu,
loss of 220 million jobs due to the
see that many people who are working
being the number one destination for
pandemic. Where do we go from here?
from home are looking for a break from
both domestic and international
the routine and for an escape. This is a
tourists,
large segment of people who will be
contribution if not more in the state
driving tourism in the next few years.
GDP. Therefore, it becomes very
This segment is not looking for a
essential to revive tourism in the post
destination visit but an experience very
pandemic era.
In the future, we'll see more pandemics, not less. Every time there is a pandemic, if we are going to shut down, then it is not going to be good for the tourism industry. How can we ride the wave rather than drown in the sea of pandemics? This is the biggest question that has come before us. As a large segment of workforce has now started working from home, the people who are travelling for business
would
see
a
similar
different from what they currently undergo. So my understanding and
Traveller Confidence
prediction is that there will be a lot of
The first thing that the tourist will
tourism but it will not be the kind that
look forward to is some kind of
was there before the pandemic. We need
confidence. It is up to the industry to
to put in place three strategies to ensure
improve the traveller confidence. The
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17 AUG 2021
of the postpandemic travellers is a little different. They look for a safe In Tamil Nadu, we are working on an integrated master
destination and also an experiential kind
plan for tourism, where we have segmented the various
of a thing when they go for tourism. In
kinds of tourists into ten broad segments.
Tamil Nadu, we are working on an integrated master plan for tourism, where we have segmented the various kinds of tourists into ten broad segments. The government is working
government of Tamil Nadu has put
Shortly, we will come out with these
out a tourism promotion policy to
together a small team which is currently
protocols which will be widely
incentivise these various segments and
working on drawing up safety protocols
disseminated amongst all stakeholders.
position Tamil Nadu as a destination.
for health and sanitation at various
It then becomes the responsibility of
levels covering, at one level, an open
every one of them to ensure that the
destination, at another level a hotel
safety protocols are followed. Travellers
Whatever we do, it needs to be
where the tourists stay and at the third
will start feeling confident and safe and
GRID, which is a World Bank concept.
level, an experiential destination where
more and more tourists will come into
GRID refers to Green, Resilient and
they will go and experience a particular
our state.
Inclusive
ride or an event. The safety and hygiene protocols to be followed at all these levels are under the consideration of the government. 18
AUG 2021
GRID Concept
Development.
Only
sustainable tourism will thrive in a post Tracking Drivers of Demand
pandemic era. The integrated master
We need to understand the market
plan will ensure that the number of
trend and drivers of demand. The target
people who come to the state will spend
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more time. Earlier, if they were spending two to three days per capita, now we want them to stay at least three
All these segments make a very good package for MICE
to five days, so there is more
tourism
employment, economic growth and
Exhibitions﴿ and for which, we will work closely with
more importantly, there is GSDP growth
people in the private sector to make it happen.
﴾Meetings,
Incentives,
Conventions
and
in the state. Through our policy, we will encourage high value tourists with low ecological impact. These are the TEN segments that we have come up with for promoting in Tamil Nadu:
—both temporary and permanent to
segment of people go to these centres,
take care of their requirements.
partly for rejuvenation and partly for
Heritage Buildings: Tamil Nadu has
treatment. The neighbouring state of Kerala has made a big business out of it.
Pilgrimage and Heritage: Tamil
many rich heritage buildings. The
Nadu remains a great pilgrimage and
Madurai Naicker Mahal is a great
heritage destination. There are specific
example of architecture which is being
nodal points or destinations which
restored. There will shortly be a new
constantly keep attracting a large
laser 3D mapping show which will
EcoTourism: Tamil Nadu has a very
number of tourists. The government is
showcase the rich heritage of the Mahal
rich biodiversity in terms of flora and
in the process of understanding the
and the story of the Thirumalai
fauna, both in the Western Ghats and
requirements of the pilgrims and
Naickers. Similarly, there are heritage
Eastern Ghats. All of them are great
providing the necessary infrastructure
hotels like the Fernhills Royal Palace in
destinations for trekking trails, nature
including destination development in
Ooty and the Chidambara Vilas Palace
walks, bird watching, nature camps and
those particular locations.
in Chettinad. There will be a package of
other nature related activities. These
Festivals and Fairs: We are very
incentives that the government will offer
activities require very little investment
vibrant in terms of festivals and fairs
to promote more such heritage
but proper training. They also have low
—be it the Azhagar festival in Madurai,
properties, preserve them for posterity
ecological impact and offer high return
the Surasamharam in Tiruchendur,
and show people a glimpse into what
and we would actively encourage them
Jallikattu in Alanganallur, Madurai and
heritage is and how it needs to be
in the state.
other places or the Santhana Koodu in
maintained.
Tea
Nagore
attract
Spiritual and Wellness Tourism:
Plantation: This niche kind of tourism
phenomenally huge numbers. The state
This is another important segment. A
is slowly taking root in the state. Many
government would like to focus on such
large number of hubs like the Auroville
buildings in tea and rubber estates are
events to ensure that pilgrims have a
Matrimandir, the ISHA Centre in
now being renovated and restored and
very decent and nice experience, the
Coimbatore and many other places in
people are invited to stay in old homes
arrival and departure are seamless and
Coimbatore District are coming up with
and experience life in a tea or a rubber
a lot of accommodation is available
yoga, ayurveda and naturopathy. A large
plantation. One such resort in
Dharga.
They
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We also would like to see it happens in Tamil Nadu. We are working closely with various nature care providers.
and
Rubber
Estate
19 AUG 2021
Kanyakumari, which is part of a rubber
like the Margazhi music festival and the
plantation, has been doing very well. It
Mahabalipuram Indian Dance festival.
is on the banks of the Chittar dam and
The government of Tamil Nadu is also
attracts highvalue tourists from across
planning to have a folk arts festival
the world. We are working closely with
every year, which will then become an
the plantation industry to ensure this
anchor around which people can spend
segment happens.
time in various places, trying to
M.K. Ajit Kumar, Spokesperson, South
Adventure Tourism: Adventure is
understand and enjoy the classic and
India MICE Association:
adrenaline for youngsters who look for
folk arts of the place. This will give a rich
When would the state Tourism
paragliding parasailing, paraclimbing,
experience and a feast for the eyes.
Department think of opening up the
zipline, rope walking, bungee jumping, etc. We would like to promote these in a safe environment. Water Sports: We have one of the longest coastlines in the country. The ChennaiMahabalipuram stretch has a large number of villas. This coastal stretch is also home to a lot of turf schools that have recently come up. We will promote water sports including wind surfing, scuba diving, kayaking, fishing and surfing in a big way. A small task force is working on this to lay out the roadmap for the development of these sports in the state. Amusement Parks: Tamil Nadu has five large amusement parks and we are looking at inviting international players. The government has plans to declare tourism as an industry in the state and we want to provide them all kinds of facilities which other industries would get in the state. Arts & Culture: Another very important attraction is arts and culture as symbolized through various festivals 20
AUG 2021
sector for MICE, in terms of relaxing the
MICE Tourism Of course, our food is very varied. It has multiple cuisines and it is quite an addition and attraction to a person who visits Tamil Nadu. So that will also be promoted. All these segments make a very good package for MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) and for which, we will work closely with people in the private sector to make it happen.
restrictions on numbers currently in place for conventions or conferences in Tamil Nadu?
Currently, the government is monitoring a couple of very important parameters with reference to the Covid pandemic. Every week, review is held at the highest level in the government on what needs to be relaxed and what needs to be controlled. It will be a calibrated and proper response. At the moment, I am unable to tell a specific
These segments will be the major
date because it will depend on how the
drivers of tourism in future for Tamil
pandemic behaves and the various
Nadu. The government is actively
parameters that we need to keep in mind
working with private partners and
before we open for MICE tourism.
multiple stakeholders. We have identified projects that the government has to do, that the private sector could do, and also PPP projects.
Asoka
Pugal,
President
Emeritus,
Tourist Guides Federation of India:
All these will find place in the new
The rubber estate and tea plantation
tourism promotion policy now in the
guesting is a niche tourism segment. My
making and will be ready shortly. We
request is that in most of the advisory
expect that the revival of tourism will
bodies of Tamil Nadu tourism, there is
get a great fillip in Tamil Nadu. All
no mention or inclusion of guides who
stakeholders will be partners in this
spend their time with the tourists. I
endeavour.
would request you to include guides as
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
a part of the advisory panels where we
M.K. Ajit Kumar
domestic
can give a lot of input.
Spokesperson, South India MICE Association
Incentives,
•
Tourism in India had grown from
equipped
with
cu er and polisher who brings brilliance to
10.56 million tourist arrivals in
skillsets
to
the stone. A good guide can make or mar a
2018 to 10.93 million arrivals in
opportunities.
trip. We look forward to curated visits; and
1990. Before the pandemic, foreign
guides will play a very important role. We
tourist arrivals, known as FTAs,
meetings per annum in India but
will definitely get your ideas on the subject.
grew at an annual average of 8.7%
postCovid, all four segments of
during 2014, 2015 to 2018 and
MICE
2019. It slowed down to 3.2% post
Corporates have stopped most of
2019.
the travel for meetings. The second
India ranked 34 out of 140
subsegment of MICE – i.e.
countries in the Travel and Tourism
incentive travel abroad has mostly
In TTDC, we have some people who have
Competitiveness Index 2019 made
been deferred to late 2021. Most
finished their MBA in tourism and are
by the World Economic Forum.
conferences have shifted to digital
The World Travel and Tourism
channels. The exhibition segment
the kind of insight they have in the subject
Council (WTTC) calculated that
has suffered huge losses and we do
is phenomenal. It is really a big value
tourism in India generated roughly
not see a revival probably till end of
addi on not only to TTDC but to the en re
16.91 lakh crores or USD 240 Bn or
2021. However, the light at the end
sector. The skill sets and knowledge that
approximately 9.2% of India's GDP
of the tunnel is MICE in domestic
MBA students of tourism have are much
in 2018 and supported India for
tourism.
needed in the sector. In fact, we are in a
42.673 million jobs i.e. 8% of its
short supply. I am sure that in days to come,
total employment. In 2019, tourism
if you are good at your subject and have a
contributed to 9.3% of India’s GDP.
passion for tourism, there is no stopping
That was the feelgood story.
communication skills, proactive
Even with all these growth figures,
thinking, ability to be on one’s feet
FTA to India was just below 1% of
to assist in corporate meetings
global FTA and tourism receipts
either on stage, backstage or in the
were 1.88% of corresponding global
hall itself, organising audio, video
We look forward to curated
figures. So, for India, irrespective of
including backup arrangements,
visits; and guides will play a
the pandemic, it is like starting
event management skills.
very important role.
from scratch.
We acknowledge that if the tourism des na on is a diamond, a guide is like a
Gp Captain Vijayakumar: What is your advice to the students of
•
MBA (Tourism)?
working for us. Their quality of input and
you. It will be a great career.
•
•
•
MICE
(Meetings,
Conferences
and
Exhibitions) and they need to be
•
•
the
necessary
exploit
the
We had about 12,000 MICE
have
been
impacted.
Skillsets required in the youth for the four segments of MICE: o
o
Meetings:
Fluent
Incentive Travel: Knowledge of
In 2014, the United Nations
history
General Assembly declared July
willingness to travel as an escort or
15th as the World Youth Skills Day.
part of the group; having an affable
The youth have a role to play in
personality, exuding confidence to
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
and
historical
sites,
21 AUG 2021
22
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
•
tackle any situation on the ground
breathe some fresh air. This could
People from the east like Orissa and
and thinking on the feet.
be termed ‘revenge tourism.’
Bengal go to Dwaraka. So this is
Due to the scare created by the
how we have been connecting with
assistance on arrival at the airport
Covid19
people.
to meet and greet delegates,
consideration the aspects of social
arranging / coordinating transport
distancing and hygiene at the
Tourism was always a part of a
and hotel checkins, understanding
destinations, initially people would
pilgrimage. People visit places of
the protocols and etiquettes of the
like to visit nearby places and scale
interest
delegates and their company
up gradually to places within the
destination or returning. Hence the
culture; Having affable, pleasing
district, state, region and then
prime
personality, thinking on the feet,
within India.
pilgrimage.
Conferences: Ability to provide
quick grasp of situation and dealing
•
•
and
taking
into
Domestic tourists are those who
•
In the initial stages, Culture
while
going
domestic
to
tourism
the was
The constant travel brought about a
move out of their place of domicile
huge cultural exchange. Post
delegates.
and spend more than 24 hours in
independence,
Exhibitions: Ability to man the
another destination and do any
pilgrimage travel as domestic
stalls with or without the company
activity other than what they
tourism. We followed the British
representatives,
we
specified
having
a
normally do at home, like visiting
and started travelling to hill resorts
about
the
family and friends outside, going on
like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Shimla,
particular industry, guiding the
a pilgrimage, attending social
Darjeeling, Kullu, Manali for every
visitors and grabbing a reference.
functions, relaxing in a hill station
summer vacation, to escape the hot
The pandemic has taken off about
or a beach resort, mountaineering,
summers.
70% of the jobs in the industry. But
cycling, trekking, hiking, etc.
primarily for leisure and a clear
Historically, pilgrimage formed the
shift from the pilgrim travel.
base
tourism industry is always known
•
•
These
circuits
are
Leisure tourism has got expanded
to be resilient. It will bounce back.
basis of domestic tourism. Reading
There is a glorious future for the
about the lives of our ancient seers,
to include adventure tourism, wild
youth in the tourism industry.
reformers and spiritual gurus,
life tourism and so on.
people are encouraged to travel Asoka Pugal President Emeritus, Tourist Guides Federation of India •
•
with emergencies to help the
knowledge
•
•
International tourism is called inbound tourism. People have been locked indoors for a long time and they are eagerly waiting for the lockdowns to be lifted; they are raring to go on holidays and
•
Revitalising domestic tourism has
across various holy places in India.
two parts: a) revitalizing travel
It has always been a tradition for
trade and b) engaging youth in this
people from the South India to
process.
travel to the holy places of Ujjain,
•
To revitalize travel, vaccination is
Badrinath,
very important. Unless 85% of the
Rishikesh; those from north travel
people in a particular area are
down to the south to Madurai,
vaccinated, people will be reluctant
Kanchipuram, Rameswaram or
to visit that area. They will look for
Kanyakumari. People from west go
destination
to east like from Rajasthan to Puri.
distancing, nonovercrowding and
Haridwar,
Kashi,
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
hygiene,
social
23 AUG 2021
etiquettes and decorum to be •
maintained.
The government is promoting ‘Dekho Apna Desh’
The youth can take up careers of
campaign, which is mainly to help the youth engage
hotelier, travel agent and most
themselves in the tourism industry.
importantly tour guide, etc. They
•
must have the drive to constantly
people who are dependent on
innovate
better
tourism, like people who have
experience for the visiting tourists
hotels and shops around the
and constantly upskill themselves.
destination, artists and sculptors;
They must look into the portals of
all these people have been affected.
and
provide
India Tourism or the Indian
•
be huge •
The new protocols and procedures have to be adopted
•
Consumers
will
want
more
information about the endtoend
Institute of Tourism and Travel
years after which everything came
journey
Management (IITTM) which offers
back. In a cycle where something
several tourism oriented careers.
goes up, it comes down and again, it
They must update their knowledge
goes up. So we will see light at the
of a destination by reading,
end of the tunnel soon.
crowded
Many improvements are happening
destinations and a naturebased
discussions.
in
experience
They must learn the art of tackling
construction of roads, access and
the tourists in a skilful manner so
connectivity but there are also chal
promote information on Covid19
as to live up to India Tourism’s
lenges.
free destinations
motto, “Welcome a visitor and send
The challenges of tourism industry
Governments all over the world are
webinars
and
back a friend.” •
Short stays and weekend trips will
The Spanish flu lasted a couple of
attending
•
•
•
terms
of
‘Dekho Apna Desh’ campaign, which is mainly to help the youth engage themselves in the tourism industry. There are several avenues open for the young entrepreneurs.
People want to reconnect with nature and minimise their footprint
•
transportation,
in India are:
The government is promoting
•
•
Travellers will seek out less attractions
and
All State governments should
finding various ways as to how their own
•
Lack of proper infrastructure
people and people who are coming from
•
Access and connectivity issues
various other countries can be safe. New
•
Getting human resources
methods are being looked at. I am sure
•
Marketing and promotion
we can find out ways to be more
•
Taxation issues
successful. If we take one step at a time
•
Security and safety issues
and move ahead, we can conquer even
•
Regulatory issues
Mount Everest. There is enough space
There are many Opportunities of
for people who think differently and out
Senior General Manager, Radisson Blu Temple Bay
Tourism Industry in India and these will
of the box because the guests too expect
be shaped by the following:
such things now. The youth can make a
•
•
Shabin Sarvotham
The fiscal impact of the pandemic in Indian scenario is a loss of 1.40 lakh crores. This is the direct impact but indirectly, there are so many other 24
AUG 2021
Vaccination of all frontline tourism workers.
•
People will embrace travel more consciously BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
huge difference in all aspects of tourism. There are opportunities for those who are willing to make a mark on their own.
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
25 AUG 2021
26
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
Sangeeta Sumesh:
A
Myth 2: Mentoring and coaching are same.
s a business coach, Bill Campbell coached many
The book gives a very subtle difference between mentoring
bigwigs of Silicon Valley–Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt,
and coaching. A coach doesn't tell you what to do. He makes
Sundar Pitchai, Sheryl Sandberg, and the list goes
you to reflect, challenges you and helps you to come out with
on. If I were to sum up this book in just one sentence, it would be: ‘The Trillion Dollar Coach will help you to become a better leader at work.’
the best solution for the problem on hand. Myth 3: A coach must be a domain expert. The coach need not be a domain expert. Bill Campbell
Bill Campbell helped build multibillion dollar businesses in Silicon Valley. He managed to shape many of these companies. What you can also learn from this book is that you get to know about coaching, how it works and what it is to work with a coach.
coached both the competitors – Apple and Google. He did not coach them on strategy. He coached them on being better leaders, better team members and how to build trust with people, which is the essence of leadership. Bill Campbell was a football coach and then he moved to
The book breaks three myths:
the business world. He was working with companies like
Myth 1: I don’t need a coach.
Kodak, Apple and many others and then he became a business
Many of us think that we don't need a coach and that we are
coach. He made a great impact on these leaders. We may
good enough. The fact is that everybody needs a coach. In the
wonder how a coach could manage to do this. One of the
sports world, even the best of players work with a coach. So
simplest ways that Bill followed was just listening to others.
why should the business world be any different?
He was known to focus his full attention on the people when BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
27 AUG 2021
encouraged innovation and best practices on how the The book tells how to hire, lead, conduct meetings, give feedback and bring love into the workplace.
business can move forward. •
Bill says compensation–that is salary and perks–is not about the value of money. It is an emotional value.
~ Sandeep Kher
Sandeep Kher: The book tells how to hire, lead, conduct meetings, give feedback and bring love into the workplace. I learnt that the way we greet people in a lift or a cafeteria can give us cues
they talked and ask the right questions. In our busy world,
about what people think about us. I liked Bill’s philosophy of
we often don't have enough time to listen to other people.
pushing oneself to do till it becomes one’s second nature. Bill
Another special thing I liked about Bill Campbell's methods was that he brought in many women to the Board.
was not a great football player when he started playing for his school, yet he was the most valued player.
He made the women sit through and be part of board
Sakaar Anand:
meetings. He continued to support women in the business
Key lessons I picked up from the book:
throughout his career. Here are the top three things that stood out for me from the book: •
•
People should know the person who you are.
People are the foundation of any company’s success and
•
people should be treated as an asset. •
Be an authentic leader and it is okay to show emotions. Bill used to visit Steve Jobs when he was in the hospital. It touched me.
The framework of coaching used by Bill: He would focus
•
When he started in Silicon Valley, it was dominated by
on the performance for the job, relationship with peers
men. Bill believed in what we call today diversity and
and the management and leadership style. He
inclusion. He made sure that every idea counts.
28
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
On Coaching Culture
leader, it is important to reduce that fear by encouraging
Sandeep Kher:
them to try new things and chart new territories. We should
Eric Schmidt says that even after 17 years as Chairman of Google, he needed a coach. The question of whether a coach is required or not is not relevant. The right question we should ask must be: When do you need a coach?
also celebrate failures. It is a celebration of courage and the learnings from failures. This culture should be inculcated. It does not matter whether it is in the physical world or virtual world.
When is the right time to seek a coach? Very early in my career, my CFO suggested the idea of a coach for me. I was
We should also celebrate failures. It is a celebration of
repulsive of the proposal and wondered what was wrong with
courage and the learnings from failures. This culture
me. It took some time for me to accept it. When I went
should be inculcated. It does not matter whether it is
through the process, I realised the power of coaching.
in the physical world or virtual world.
Sakaar Anand:
~ Sakaar Anand
There are Type A personalities in an organisation who may be highly successful as individuals but not as team members. It is a coach who converts them as team players. Coaching
I am reminded of Dr Abdul Kalam’s recollection of how
can also be done by the leader of a group, sometimes CEO of
his leader Satish Dhawan addressed the press conference
the company. But it is better to have someone as a coach who
when their SLV3 mission failed and asking Dr Kalam to
is not burdened by the day–to–day pressures of operations.
address the press conference when the mission subsequently
As a HR professional, we have to understand the needs of a
succeeded. If the employee has the feeling that he has the
team.
might of the organisation behind him, he will always have
The team leader must use 3Ds–Data, Demonstrate and Demand. Put out data of the team performance figures against targets. Demonstrate to the team the benefits derived by other teams who used a coach and how they could grow
the psychological safety.
The Motivators Sangeeta:
exponentially. Then you can demand what is required of the
For high performance teams, apart from money, what else
team. Coaching is not about fixing something broken. It is
play a role?
about operating at a different level.
Sandeep Kher:
Psychological Safety
Outside of money, there are many other motivators. No two human beings are same. We have to reach out to each
Sangeeta:
individual, emotionally and rationally.
When Google did a survey of its employees, the issue of ‘psychological safety,’ came up on top. How can we handle
Sangeeta: What sort of support should the investors extend to
this in the current scenario of WFH?
companies and motivate them?
Sakaar Anand: Human beings are wired in a way that they fear failure. As a
Sandeep Kher:
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
29 AUG 2021
From the experience of my company, I can tell you that we
culture. Culture flows from the top. Top management must
do not just stop with providing money. We have a team of
see to it that teams are prepared to manage themselves.
specialists in almost all the areas and help our companies
Sakaar Anand:
navigate challenges in any of these areas. We talk to the CFOs and make sure they don’t feel lonely, especially in startups. We also do many programs. We do a programme called– Surge, which is about early stage investing. We exchange a lot of knowledge.
You must look if there are interpersonal issues in the team and resolve them. It is said that for any problem, Bill Campbell always looked at the people and dug into the teams.
Coaching: Overcoming Hesitancy in India Sangeeta:
Emotional Bonds
A lot of awareness has to come about coaching. When people
Sangeeta: How can we create emotional bonds in companies, especially in the current times of virtual world?
see others who have benefited from coaching, they will start to realise the importance of coaching. Books like ‘Trillion Dollar Coach’ will open up the mindsets of people.
Sakaar Anand:
Sakaar Anand:
Whether it is in person or online, we need to know the real person behind the name and the face. Leaders must celebrate the individualities of everyone. They must get to know about the employees, what excites them, their families and hobbies. Once they know all these, they end up spending more time with employees and the bonds are automatically developed. When the conversation is only about work, things become monotonous.
In the Indian context, as children, we all are brought up to be the best in the class. So when we grow up, we think we are the best. Only when we see smarter people around us, we realise that we can improve. In an organisation, the leader must set the tone for coaching. He must tell that he doesn’t have all the answers and that he is not the smartest person around. When we have a culture where we listen to each other,
Handling Geniuses
are willing to take feedback and are not competing against
Sakaar Anand:
each other, we will be open to have a coach.
Geniuses come with a chip on their shoulder. If their
Sandeep Kher:
idiosyncrasies do not affect others in the team and they
When I was offered to be coached, I had reservations. But my
deliver high output, you can learn to live with them. But if
CFO told me that he too underwent coaching with the same
the way they work disrupts your team and organisational
coach three months back. That cleared all my misgivings.
culture, then it is not acceptable. You have to explain to them. You always hire people for attitude while aptitude can be taught.
Consultant vs. Coach Sangeeta:
Micromanaging
A consultant is a domain expert. He tells you what to do. A
Sangeeta:
coach does not give you solutions. A coach kindles your
To avoid micromanaging teams, organisations must set the 30
AUG 2021
thoughts and helps you to find your best solution. A coach is your accountability partner.
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
31 AUG 2021
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AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
A
s the world dramatically reshapes itself postCovid,
control or did you have it in you?
innovation has come to the fore; disruption
Aditya: I started my creativity journey by reading Tom Kelly's
becomes the new normal. Speaking of innovation,
book, "Creative Confidence." When I researched about the
there has been very little attention paid to the role of students/
concept of innovation, I realised that it was in me. I had the
youngsters. The 14yearold Aditya Pachpande, a child
internal drive to solve a particular problem. In school, I was
prodigy and CEO, Nextgen Innov8, encapsulates the new
teased as 'lecture man' just because I used to go beyond the
breed of youngsters who believe in innovation being the
syllabus of the class.
solution to India’s challenges.
When I told my teachers about design thinking and
Joining him in the discussion organised by MMA on the
innovation, my teachers would discourage me saying that it
theme "Unleashing Creativity and Innovation in Next Gen
was not important as it would not come in the exams. I feel
Leaders" are two stalwarts who have etched their own strong
every child has the capacity to solve complex problems. My
footprints of success in the realm of leadership,
parents supported me and encouraged my passion. I got
entrepreneurship and marketing, and his dad, Dr Sandeep
support from others like you too.
Pachpande—an educationist leading ASM Group of Institutes. Were your marks good in exams? G Ramachandran (GR): Aditya, Do you think that your innovativeness and uniqueness happened because of parental
Honestly, my marks were not good. Topping the exam was never my objective. I gave importance to my passion and I think that exams are not everything.
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
33 AUG 2021
How should school children approach innovation?
I made some thing out of Lego. My father had bought a voice
Don't be afraid to be different from others. Age is just a
box. I put it in Lego and made it to speak.
number. It is no barrier to success or innovation. Children should definitely have focus on the exam but more focus on where their heart leads them.
Many people complain of lack of resources to be innovative. Should all resources have to be in place for innovation to happen?
Scarcity is the mother of innovation. Most innovations
Scarcity is the mother of innovation. Most innovations came
came during crisis or recession.
during crisis or recession. If you take the case of Iron Man movie, though it is fiction, the hero is kidnapped by enemies and because he wants to get rid of them, he creates a space suit and escapes. He does not have all the resources for the
Apurva: Is innovation overrated and execution part played
suit. Innovation is like 'jugaad.' It is doing more with less.
down?
Execution is a part of innovation. When you are improving a certain product to solve someone else's problem, it is innovation. If the solution is not executed, there is no use in that. So innovation and execution go hand in hand.
You studied in Harvard. How was that experience?
When I was 11, I wanted to start my company to pursue my passion. I applied to the Harvard Summer Business Academy. They said my application was brilliant but due to my age, they could not admit me. I was heartbroken. Afterwards, I
What was your first innovation? 34
AUG 2021
convinced them to have a Skype interview and I got in. BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
35 AUG 2021
I met different kinds of people there. The most
and fungi. The goal is provide 15,000+ Suraksha boxes to the
innovative people were the professors who taught in a very
underprivileged, needy and frontline workers. There are two
different manner than a traditional teacher would teach. They
versions of it, one being a doityourself (DIY) version which
used many case studies and examples and the sessions were
costs a lot lower. It can be assembled in under 30 minutes.
very interactive. It was an absolutely amazing experience and
It is fully made in India.
I made a lot of friends. Apurva: Sandeep, what were the challenges you had in being Sandeep: Aditya, can you tell us about the innovation that you made during the pandemic?
a father of a child prodigy?
It is absolutely a proud moment for us being parents of a child
During the pandemic, I realised that people had a challenge
prodigy. Initially when we saw the spark in him that he was
in sterlising vegetables, groceries, parcels, and other such
different, we were a little bit worried. His mother felt that
necessary items brought from outside to the home. I was
when he started his company, he should not lose his
inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who said, ‘Be the change that
childhood. Soon we realised he was someone who could
you wish to see in the world’ and wanted to provide
balance everything together. We provided him all the support,
something for frontline warriors.
took him where ever he wanted us to, for his learning. We
I began thinking about how one could sterilise these
were okay with his marks. He scored well in the subjects that
items. Exposure to sunlight, or washing them with soap/
mattered to him. We decided not to pressurise him in his
baking soda/potassium permanganate, or using sanitisers
studies and marks and allowed him to follow his passion.
are all options but each one has its drawback. This is when I got the idea of creating the Suraksha Box, which works on the principle of using UVC light to sterilise.
Aditya: Now let me ask a few questions to the panellists. What is the biggest mistakes that most entrepreneurs make?
GR: They don't have a game plan and a 'gotomarket’ The Covid crisis has made all educational institutes
strategy. When they have some ideas, they think they have
adopt to technology. With technology, we can give
arrived. Unless consumers accept your product, you cannot
personalised learning and solutions to students.
be a success story.
Aditya: How can innovation be incorporated in the
The box has a mesh on which the items are placed and
classroom?
subjected to UVC light in a controlled environment. This was
Sandeep: It is a challenge since the traditional system is
launched on October 2, 2020, Gandhiji's 152nd birth
marks and exams based. We focus more on the memory of
anniversary, with a Government of India (MC&I) patent
the student. The Covid crisis has made all educational
published. It has also been approved and certified by the
institutes adopt to technology. With technology, we can give
CSIRCMERI of the Government of India.
personalised learning and solutions to students. In ASM
The box can protect against all kinds of viruses, bacteria
Group, we provide blended mode and asynchronous teaching. We now use case studies method and this should be adopted
36
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
not only in colleges but in all schools. Problem solving,
and roll out priorities and plans. Above all, customer
innovation, design thinking can also be made part of the
recognition is the need of the hour. If they take care of all
curriculum. Jobs of the future require these.
these, the fear of failure mindset can be conquered.
Aditya: As one of the top angel investors in the country, what
Aditya: How can creativity be leveraged and taught better
should entrepreneurs do to be innovative?
to students?
Apurva: Innovative companies outperform other companies
Sandeep: Kids are more innovative, and innovation is there
by over 60%. One of the traits I find in such companies is
in all of us. The society and the education system block out
extreme customer centricity. There are two ways to be
much of our creativity and makes us think inside the box. If
innovative. Do something which nobody has done before. Or
kids are given space to think about their problems and
do things in a way which nobody has done before. The second
innovative solutions by their community or parents, they can
one should not be underestimated. Innovative entrepreneurs
come up with radically innovative ideas. They must get the
spend the best part with customers and consumers in trying
right mentors so that we can have many more Adityas.
to solve their needs. Aditya: Do we have enough of young entrepreneurs in India?
We also need more social entrepreneurs. We used crowd‐funding to promote our DIY Suraksha kit.
What is holding them up?
Apurva: We are quite behind in this scenario. India is a land of opportunities and has a lot to offer the world. QR code based payment model started in India and went global. We are not seeing many young entrepreneurs. As parents, we
Aditya: How can we change the fear of failure mindset in entrepreneurs?
need to encourage our children and friends to be entrepreneurs.
GR: Fear of failure is the fear of the unknown. Entrepreneurs
Aditya: We also need more social entrepreneurs. We used
in India start off with the thought, "I want to be an
crowdfunding to promote our DIY Suraksha kit. We are
entrepreneur." Planning is very important. They need to
creating a world record to assemble on 8th August 2021 the
know how much money is needed. Some start a company
maximum number of UVC kits in a single day. It can be used
with their little savings, more as a hobby than a serious
for selfuse or donated to the needy, underprivileged or front
profession.
line workers. I would appeal all to support and promote this
They need to have coaches and mentors to help them ride over a crisis. When they are not good in taking the product to the market, they lose focus and deviate. The entrepreneur cannot be a oneman army. Preferably, he must have a cofounder with whom he can have different sets of priorities established. Unicorns are not having just one founder. They are a team. They must think through carefully
social cause. I would like to know why social entrepreneurship is not taking off amongst youngsters. GR: We think that getting into social entrepreneurship is not a great career. Today people think cricket is a career because there is money involved but that social causes cannot provide career. We need to remove this mindset. We need to catch
BUSINESS MANDATE
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people young. You don't need to be innovative and
Apurva: I suggest that children must be given internship in
entrepreneurial at the same time but if you have both, then
big corporates so that they can understand how the
you have the DNA in you to make it big. We don't have the
corporates work.
ecosystem for encouraging youngsters in social work. If our kids collect money for a cause, we tell them, “Don't waste your time. When will you study?" When young children wanted to clean Juhu beach, their parents told them, “Why do you waste your time? It will again get spoiled." They posted it in social media about the challenges they faced. So elders need big time education not to dissuade youngsters in reaching out through social causes.
38
AUG 2021
Aditya: What is your take on the new Education Policy?
Sandeep: The new national educational policy is good as there are many positive features and flexibility for students with an integrated approach. But I feel that we cannot have a one sizefitsall model for such a diverse country as India. This aspect needs to be thought of.
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40
AUG 2021
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H
eartlines refers to emotional
Dr Lata Rajagopalan Kumar
This story talks about business
equity in connecting with
commenced her speech with a quote of
goals, social impact and feedback
people at the grassroots
John F Kennedy, “If a free society
mechanism. The emphasis was on
level. Social entrepreneurship is all
cannot help the many who are poor, it
serving the poor and keeping them
about impacting and changing the lives
cannot save the few who are rich.” She
happy while filling the coffers. This is
of the underserved—not undeserved
narrated the story of an ancient king of
the essence of social entrepreneurship:
—consumers,
the
Asia whose kingdom flourished in trade.
targeting the poor and deserving yet
Heartlines; making good business
The king imposed three rules on these
making a business model out of it. It
decisions and capturing the ‘Headlines’;
merchants in his kingdom:
involves keeping the ears on the ground
and turning the ventures profitable and
•
They can sell the products at any
to know what people (customers) want
price provided they sell their
and accordingly serving them.
thus
targeting
generating healthy Bottomlines.
products to poor people at a lower
A smile on the face of a farmer or
price.
bangleseller is the first sign that corporate goals are meeting human
•
A portion of the profit must be deposited with the royal treasury.
needs. It is also a sign that alongside
Underserved segment includes
The traders must engage with the
urban and other neglected groups, but
to improving the quality of life of the
people and bring back valuable
a majority lives in rural India—places
underserved. And, it is a sign of
information about their needs and
where there is iniquity in demand and
changing times.
wellbeing to the king.
supply; places which have inadequate
wealth creation there is a commitment
•
Excerpts from the talk:
BUSINESS MANDATE
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largest electronic repository in the And did you even know that India had digital transactions of over 25 billion real‐time online transactions in 2020, beating China which was at 15 billion?
world. And did you even know that India had digital transactions of over 25 billion realtime online transactions in 2020, beating China which was at 15 billion? Digitization has overcome many of the structural challenges and equities
infrastructure and technology; places
transformed marginally, disappeared or
where there are traditional asymmetries
completely adapted themselves. They
in
are:
accessing
information
and
affordability. With all these issues, can you even believe that the size of this market was estimated at hundreds of billions of US Dollars according to a Nielsen report of 2018? That is about several lakhs of crores of rupees. The Four Vectors How's that even possible? Over the years, there have been many noticeable developments in these markets. Four important vectors have either changed, 42
AUG 2021
and created new opportunities. Bill Drayton is widely credited for coining
the
term
social
•
Intermediary
entrepreneurship in the early 80s. He
•
Distance
founded Ashoka, a global association of
•
Time
social innovators. Ashoka identifies
•
Information
mentors
All these happened because of the
entrepreneurs across the world. They try
disruption in technology, the most
to learn from the patterns in their
significant change being in the
innovation and mobilize a global
transformation in the mode of
community of changemakers.
and
supports
social
commerce. It has leapfrogged from cash to credit and digital. Digitization has
‘Touch and Tech’ Change‐Makers
empowered rural India. Between
I am sure all of you have read about
Aadhaar and Jan Dhan, India has the
the people here in India who created
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
headlines with social impact business ideas. Social media is exhausted with information. Still, we talk about a few
Social media is exhausted with information. Still, we talk
innovators who have made significant
about a few innovators who have made significant impact
impact using market principles and
using market principles and technology for change and
technology for change and adding
adding purpose to profits.
purpose to profits. I call it Touch and Tech. Let me go through two or three
company, giving access to credit and
provide preschool education to 35
categories which have made an impact.
livelihood
micro
million children, most of these lack basic
entrepreneurs. In India, the company
infrastructure facilities and have severe
works with communities to create more
manpower issues with the result that
inclusive and sustainable growth
only 31 percent of the children attend
opportunities for the underserved. Arth
the centres regularly. That's not very
gives affordable credit loans through a
good.
Fintech: Finance with Technology Fintech has empowered and made capital available for small businesses in small places. In fact, World Bank has published that financial inclusion is a fastest way to reduce poverty and boost prosperity. India has about 150,000 bank branches and 210,000 ATMs as of December 2019. It is probably more but still access to commercial cash remains a challenge in rural and semirural areas. Borrowing at very high rates has ruined families; it has made doing business unsustainable over the long run. The Story of ARTH I would like to talk about Seema, a mother of two in UP. She lost her husband in 2018 and her world fell apart. She had no savings for livelihood or access to microloans. ARTH, founded by Shweta Aprameya, stepped in and transformed her life. Shweta is an alumnus of Sloan, MIT, with long years of experience in Fintech. Arth is a social impact finance
services
to
deep branch network that is supported
Private, preschool segments are
by userfriendly digital processes. It is
largely unaffordable for lowincome
very important to be userfriendly.
communities. According to the 2007
The impact has been a footprint of
Annual Status of Education report
a phenomenal 18,000 pincodes, 25,000
(ASER) on Rural India, 86 percent of
selfemployed women, 2 lakh micro
students in the 14 to 18 age group are
businesses and 350 crore microcredit
still within the formal, education
disbursement. These are just not
system, yet poor education quality and
numbers. Each is a story with a name
teaching techniques and lack of
behind it. This is the power of
infrastructure and facilities has kept the
transformational finance. It has given
rural areas lagging behind.
social and economic independence to micro entrepreneurs, especially women.
LearnFatafat LearnFatafat
The Edutech Sector
is
an
edutech
company that converts educational
We look at another sector.
content into videos. The startup was
Education with technology is one of the
founded by Pankaj Chhajed in a small
biggest sectors in India where startups
town called Bhusawal which gave him a
can emerge and create an impact.
better understanding of what the
According to India's 2011 census report,
students needed. It was a challenge to
there are approximately 99 million
arrange amenities and to find suitable
children in the 3 to 6 age group. While
regional content. It had to be affordable
the government runs anganwadis to
and accessible. LearnFatafat was able to
BUSINESS MANDATE
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the gap in demand and supply in India. Nearly 70% of the rural population The basis of social entrepreneurship is about having
(about 850 million people) is served by
empathy for the less fortunate, underprivileged and the
less than 30% of the country’s combined
underserved.
medical services. There is one doctor per several thousand people on an average. Many families simply have no access to
cover nearly a hundred percent of the
impact. KLC runs around 300 primary
good health. In rural communities, this
syllabus into affordable videos.
school centres with 700 teachers. In
is further complicated by long distances,
Karnataka alone, it benefits over 11,000
lack of infrastructure, lack of education
children
and poverty.
So students could easily access the information and study without books and importantly, without internet which is very significant. The impact was self study through anytime, anyplace videos
and
500
communities,
transforming early years education in
Around 12 years ago, iKure started
rural Karnataka. This is sort of a viable
providing comprehensive primary
lowcost model.
health care in rural and semirural
and this has reduced the dropout rates
Our own Chennaibased startup
areas. iKure was started in 2008 in
in these places. It has enhanced learning
Classle has a mission is to bridge the gap
Kolkata by Sujay Santra. It operates
and reached places where school,
between learners and educators;
through a hubandspoke model, which
infrastructure and other teaching
employers and skilled people. It was
is very interesting. It has a hub or centre
support were inadequate. Over 7,000
started by V Vaidya Nathan, exglobal
where the core medical team sits. This
videos cater to 50,000 students.
innovator at Cognizant. Classle has a
centre is equipped with modern
twofaced model. One side has
procedures and equipment. The centres
individual students and users, while the
are stationed in certain vantage points.
other side has customers who are
They train community workers and
potential employers of these students.
health workers from the villages, after
HLC and Classle Then we have the Bengalurubased Hippocampus Learning Centres (HLC). This was founded by Umesh Malhotra in 2010 with the idea of opening preschools in rural areas. The startup recruits, trains and manages a network of teachers in rented village centres and charges an affordable, monthly fee for quality education services. They are now looking at online solutions.
Classle is an online social learning platform and has included mobile services for students in rural parts of India. It has attracted funding by Chennai Angels. Due to their impact,
which the trained workers are sent to peripheral clinics on a regular basis. These peripheral clinics are farther away from the hub. On site, they are able to provide healthcare.
currently Classle has 2 lakh registered
In addition to this, patient
users and over 100 partner colleges and
information is also uploaded and it can
other partners in their network.
be viewed at the hub by the expert team,
HLC has raised a total of 21 million
which in turn projects the course of
from multiple investors for the
Meditech: iKure’s Hub‐and‐Spoke
treatment, if needed. After a couple of
communitybased kindergarten in rural
Model
months in the program, these
India while creating employment
Yet another category is health care,
opportunities in these areas. Look at the
where technology has just begun to fill
44
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
community health workers become self sufficient
and
selfsustaining
entrepreneurs. They generate their
key takeaway from the study was that
income by selling and promoting
within a given region and time frame,
products from iKure supply chain.
development from penetration of
•
They have been able to attract and groom quality professionals.
•
They have achieved their business
The impact of this project was that
products like two wheelers and cell
goals, created wealth and improved
iKure has touched 10 million lives in
phones was higher than that from
quality of life at the grassroots level.
eight states in India. With 10 hubs and
UNDP programmes which were ongoing
160 touch points, 2.5 million have so far
at that time in West Bengal.
been treated in 6000 villages. They use the help of community workers and local selfhelp groups along with their several tech partners. As an aside to this, I have personally been involved in a research project that studied the impact of product penetration on quality of life in West Bengal. The categories were two wheelers and cell phones. The study used the indicators defined by the human development index (HDI) to measure the quality of life. The
results
were
boringly
the bottom line. A
key
metric
for
social
entrepreneurs is how they impact the
Enterprises?
quality of lives. The basis of social
The commonalities in all the social
entrepreneurship is about having
enterprises that we have discussed are
empathy for the less fortunate,
as below:
underprivileged and the underserved.
•
They were started by professionals
The key difference between a social
with empathy and conviction.
entrepreneur and a normal business
They have localised their models
entrepreneur is that the objective of
and used local resources.
social entrepreneur is to serve the needy
They have come up with great ideas
people and make an impact on their
and innovation.
lives. The rise of social entrepreneurship
The products are affordable and
shows that most solutions to global
accessible.
problems do not necessarily depend on
• • • • •
education, employment, healthcare and leisure. Leisure is a legitimate measure
They have added social impact to
What is Common in Social
predictable. The ability to communicate and commute naturally meant improved
•
•
They
offer
technology
based
charity or government aid. They come
solutions.
from individuals from any background.
They have run successful, profitable
If people like us can touch hearts and
businesses.
change lives without giving up our
They have attracted investors.
dreams, we must indeed do that.
of quality of life according to HDI. One
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46
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
I
don't know how it all happened.
wanted to build a little brand for me. So
called NextGen. We built a biogas plant
It just happened and nothing was
I did parttime gigs in Jaipur. I
which powers telecom towers. We did a
planned. Before 2009, I lived in
anchored a live show with Bhaskar TV,
pilot in Mehboob Nagar in Andhra
five cities in India—from the north to
a local television channel in Jaipur. I
Pradesh. That was my first startup, from
the south. I was in Kerala, UP and MP.
used to be a parttime radio jockey with
Jan 2009 to Feb 2014, in the renewable
It gave me an opportunity to interact
93.5 Red FM. I just kept myself busy
energy space.
with and be sensitive to different
apart
cultures. It made me more adaptive to
experiencing different facets of life.
from
studies,
keen
on
different circumstances. As a kid, I tried my hand at multiple things in school. I became a seasoned debater because I liked to speak. My mom sent me to dancing, singing, painting and other classes, but I liked public speaking and became a debater. I was also an NCC cadet and I enjoyed that the most. In college, I just didn't want to keep
Powering Telecom Through NextGen As a kid, I wanted to do something in life that would put my name in history books. So when I came to the final year of engineering, I wanted to do something different which would push me
to
my
limit.
I
The venture capital ecosystem in India then was very nascent. Ours was not a typical business that VCs would prefer. We managed to get a grand capital from Royal Bank of Scotland Foundation since our startup was in the renewable energy segment. For CSR, it is Goodera
thought
We also came into the whole circuit
entrepreneurship was probably the
of
route to it. That's what led me to start,
sustainability and things like that. We
along with my cofounder, a startup
hived off NextGen and did a technology
myself to engineering studies and BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
foundation
money,
CSR,
47 AUG 2021
no tangible output, the impact of a company’s CSR initiatives cannot be As an entrepreneur, it is always very difficult to let go of
measured. We tried to do this through
something that you have built from nothing. That is a big
Goodera by bringing in technology to
learning that I had.
this ecosystem. Letting Go after Building By 2019, we had a good leadership
transfer to Mahindra. We pivoted into a
business and we got access to the
technology company. We started a
boardrooms since the Board was
company called Goodera. It is basically
responsible to take decisions on CSR.
a technology and enterprise SAS
We started off in India and
company which helps large enterprises
expanded to the American market and
measure and manage the impact of their
later to the European market. We raised
CSR sustainability and volunteering
about 18 million dollars in Venture
initiatives.
Capital from Omidyar Network, SAIF
In 2014, the Companies Act 2013
Partners and Nexus Venture Partners.
came into effect and CSR was made
Through CSR, companies were
mandatory wherein companies had to
doing good to the society and there is so
spend 2% percent of their profits on
much of capital spent. Often, as there is
CSR. That acted as a catalyst for our 48
AUG 2021
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team in place. I was in my comfort zone. I wanted to push myself again and test my limits. So, I resigned from my CEO role and also from the Board and decided
to
move
out.
As
an
entrepreneur, it is always very difficult to let go of something that you have built from nothing. That is a big learning that I had. I spoke to my Board a year ago to do a proper transition so that the company continues to grow. Goodera is now being run by my cofounder and a brilliant
The 7 Key Attributes of an Entrepreneur
T
hese are some of the key aspects one should keep in mind before starting the journey of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship makes you strong as an individual and broadens your horizon and perspective about life. So it is a path worth taking, if you have these attributes.
the iceberg. Statistics say that only 0.1% of startups are successful. There is a huge, long trail of startups which are not successful. You must have the courage to fail, because it's not an easy journey.
Thriving in Uncertainty
You must have the strength to accept that something may not work. You should have the courage to fail but at the same time, there should be an intrinsic optimism to keep yourself motivated, because as an entrepreneur you are just not responsible for keeping yourself motivated but keeping your entire team motivated. You are building an organisation; it can't be built alone. So that intrinsic optimism is very critical when you start on the journey of ownership.
The greatest attribute that is required of entrepreneurs is the ability to thrive in uncertainty, because they build something from nothing. It is a journey from 0 to 1. The journey from 0 to 1 is very different from that of 1 to 100. There are lows and highs. Think, Try, Learn
You should be able to think. You must enjoy the think‐try‐learn‐ rinse‐repeat cycle. When you build something, you will not get the product‐market fit on day one. You will have to continuously evolve, be agile and listen to your customers and your market. Sense of Purpose
You can evolve only when there is a sense of purpose and you are a purpose‐driven founder. Purpose must be the core reason as to why you have taken the path of entrepreneurship. It is not about earning a monthly salary. The purpose must be about solving a problem. Courage to Try and Fail
We hear all success stories about startups. That is just the tip of
management team. I wanted to experiment new things and letting go helped me evolve as an individual. After moving out of Goodera, I was exploring my next adventure and that's when I landed in London. So what best to do while taking a break? I needed to keep myself active and give fodder to my brain. So I joined the London Business School. Though I joined the Business School, I was restless at times.
Intrinsic Optimism
Constructive Criticism
You should be willing to take criticism of your ideas. It is important for you to hear the feedback. There will be a lot of noise coming at you. You should take the decision and move ahead but be ready to consider constructive criticism and be your own judge of what you are trying to do. Ability to Wear Many Hats
Being a startup entrepreneur, you are doing the jobs of a janitor to a CEO. You should feel comfortable even if it is pushing you out of your comfort zone. You must have the ability to wear many hats and in fact, enjoy living outside the hat.
Back to Business in the UK
spectrum of the finance world, which is
As I was studying, I thought of
about buying and selling stable
exploring things in London. I joined
companies. I got an opportunity to work
Creator Fund that backs studentled
with Blue Knot Partners, which acquires
startups in the UK region. I got an
small companies in the UK, runs them
opportunity to be a part of the team,
and turns them around in four to five
evaluating various startups and taking
years. I tried to pick up different
investment decisions. I was amazed to
experiences.
see the kind of innovation that was happening.
Working with Creator Fund and Blue Knot Partners was pretty
At the same time, from a VC
interesting and that motivated me to
ecosystem, I also wanted to see the other
start Campus Fund in India, a micro VC.
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More and more students and youth can now take the path of entrepreneurship and can see themselves being job creators rather than job seekers.
Its objective, like that of Creator Fund,
means the answer is always no. Knock
Things will happen. It is a
is to support student entrepreneurs in
doors; some will open for you and some
consequence of many small events.
India. We invest in young entrepreneurs
will close.
It is good to think of the future but
and students who can build viable businesses of the future. I launched this in July 20 and built a team of students across the country who work with me while they are studying. We have backed a couple of student entrepreneurs who are doing great. This is what I am currently doing.
India. More and more students and youth can now take the path of entrepreneurship
and
can
the finance ecosystem was ‘asking for help.’ I have been an entrepreneur
have supported me.
•
definition of success. Success is in your mind and it is subjective.
into this. That is when I learned about
Don't let the world define your
asking for help.
success; define your own success.
When you ask for help, what is the
That is what will make you happy
maximum response that someone can
50
AUG 2021
is a lonely journey. You build your team as you move along, but yes, it's a lonely journey. •
and proud about yourself. •
Whatever you have seen in my journey, nothing was planned. So don't try and plan your whole life. BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
Do it for the right reasons and for what you are passionate about. You must strongly believe in the purpose of what you are doing. Only then, you will have the
Everybody is running a rat race to just be busy; there is no particular
the all the folks who helped me venture
asked. If you have never asked, that
highs and lows. Entrepreneurship
Some Key Takeaways
was new to me. I am highly grateful to
respond at all. But at least you have
have been in stress. I have seen
This has been my journey. I am on
grateful to the entire tribe of people who
Entrepreneurship is tough. Believe me, I've cried nights together. I
than job seekers.
trying to build the fund and venture into
and resource to help you or they won't
•
themselves being job creators rather
I am learning. I am thankful and
give you? Sorry, I don't have the time
which might just amaze you.
see
The biggest learning that I have got
an investor. The whole financing world
You might get certain surprises
student entrepreneurship ecosystem in
a quest. I still don't have many answers.
raising money. Now I am turning into
relax and let life happen at times.
building and trying to develop the
Ask for Help
sitting on the other side of the table,
don't get bogged down by it. Just
Campus Fund is still a baby we are
intrinsic optimism in yourself. •
Recall what is said in the movie 3 Idiots, “Go after learning, go after entrepreneurship, if you like; everything
else
will
follow.”
Financial freedom and various other things are byproducts of doing something that you are completely passionate about. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur and that's how it is.
Initial days of startup and dependency on money
have to time it right. If you are either too early or too late,
•
If you are young and have to financially support your
horse is the business or the product that you are building.
family, it is tough to start a business. If you don’t have that
For VCs to invest in your business, they will look at the
constraint, it is easier to start a venture. You can survive
combination of all the three—turf, jockey and horse.
very frugally. My cofounder and I decided not to ask money from our parents and if we had to do that, we would rather take up a job. •
you may fail. As an entrepreneur, you are the jockey. The
Understanding culture in different countries •
all countries are human. We have to understand their
In your initial years, if you lead a frugal life, you will
culture and operate in their environment. For example, in
understand the value of money. If you start an enterprise
the west, people are individualistic and in the east, we
after getting married, then you have to pool in capital from
prefer to operate in a community. Invest enough time to
friends and family and they must believe in you. You must
understand the cultural nuances and have local people in
have a kitty to take care of your basic needs. When you are
your team. That helps you to build credibility and gain
building something, money should not unduly bother you.
confidence in that country.
If it does, it will stop you from giving your hundred •
percent.
Key factors to kick start a promising startup
Invest your capital properly to beat the inflation.
•
I had a lot of fun in my college days. But once I became an
•
the toughest of times. The team must be complimentary in
little social life. When I took a break from Goodera in 2019, I started sleeping at the right time and eating the right amount of food. These two habits alone helped me to
skills. •
treat people as stepping stones to your success. If you take
life. Given a chance to go back, I will definitely tweak my
them with you, they will stand by you in the toughest of the
routine to have more of social life along with business.
times. Care for your employees, give them freedom to
Recruiting seniors and dealing with them with people senior than yourself and delegate work to them, rather than doing everything yourself.
Culture is important in a startup. In every startup, you build a tribe. Remember, it is family that you are creating. Don’t
reduce my weight by 50 kg! Now I am having a good social
As you evolve as an entrepreneur, you must learn to deal
The cofounding team is an important element of an enterprise; it must be cohesive and should stay together in
entrepreneur, it was work on my mind 24 x 7 and I had very
•
As an entrepreneur, don’t try to solve a utopian problem. It has to be a real problem that you are trying to solve.
Entrepreneurship and social life •
Human emotions are universal. Understand that people in
operate, trust and empower them.
On business valuation •
Don’t get carried away by valuation. If your business is providing good value, it is bound to get a good valuation.
Three things: The race analogy
Provide value to all your stakeholders. I have great regard
•
For a successful enterprise, three things are important and
for Sridhar Vembu who raised a startup from a village in
we can use the racing analogy of turf, jockey and horse.
Tamil Nadu, without raising any venture capital. That is the
Turf is the market. They say market beats everything. You
kind of startup culture that we need to build in India.
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
51 AUG 2021
52
AUG 2021
BUSINESS MANDATE
fountainhead of excellence
