June 2012 by Passline Business Magazine

Passline News Service

three pillars of his business—quality, economy and comfort. It is this thrust to quality that has made Heera a household name, quite literally. The projects formulated by him are known for their meticulous planning and rigorous quality control and, because of this, most of them are completed ahead of schedule. With more than 100 lakh square feet of built-up area to its credit, the Heera Group is now one of the most reputed builders in South India.

t a time when others were afraid to tread the path of entrepreneurship, Dr A R Babu chose to take the plunge. He knew that a clear vision, sustained performance and a commitment to quality would always bear fruit. Barely three decades ago, virtually every fresh graduate in Kerala had two options: they could either join engineering or they could end up being a doctor. Yet Dr Babu, son of Aliyaru Kunju, chose to take an offbeat path. Back then Kerala was caught up in powerful trade union struggles and people were more concerned with their rights than their duties.

A different track Born in 1954 at Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, young Babu had an inclination towards entrepreneurship from a young age. When a relative of his prompted him to visit Goa, Babu knew instinctively where he had to start work. What separates him from other entrepreneurs is his will to endure hardship for the vision he has. He isn’t a person who would go for partnerships which would cost him his vision. “Do any business, but do it alone” — this is what he advises oth-

ers. He isn’t that person who would lean on somebody just to avoid risks. Back in the 1990s life was difficult for a fledgling entrepreneur. The economy of the country was changing and there was a real threat of new entrepreneurs losing their battle to multinational giants. No more did the Government protect the entrepreneurs. Running a business was a risky proposition. But Babu persisted. In 1983, he started Heera Construction Co with an office at Panaji, the capital of Goa, as a contracting firm. A decade later, he expanded his operations to other capital cities of states, like Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram.

Three-pillared strategy The Heera Group has seen steady growth. Dr Babu attributes this to the

With rising reputation, expectations about new projects have also increased, and pressure is on to build better and superior structures. And Heera does not disappoint these expectations. It has to its credit more than 5,000 happy families residing in projects spread over three major cities of Kerala— Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kottayam. No wonder that with such growing reputation, Heera faced little trouble even during the recession period when most builders had to completely stall new projects. But Heera in fact added eight more projects to its kit and sold 70-80 units every month in 2010. With the able leadership of Dr Babu, his company achieved the rare recognition of earning a Seven Star rating from Crisil for its prestigious Heera Infocity project, near Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. The ratings take into account the qual-

From left to right: son-in-law Farhaad, daughter Sumi Farhaad, elder son Subin Rasheed, Dr A R Babu,

PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

3 ity of construction, legal quality, financial quality, innovation and sponsorship. With such tremendous growth, how does Dr Babu manage to steer Heera? The answer lies in his words: “We should be able to change with circumstances”. And, true to his word, he makes it a point to update himself with the latest trends in the industry. He is very particular about adapting the latest innovation to his projects way before other builders take it up as industry standards. “If you take a decision, stick to it and be ready to follow it through. This is the only way to win,” he says. Even with all pressures of work, one can always find Dr Babu amiable and warm. He answers questions in a calm and composed manner, very sure of himself. A stream of visitors comes to meet him at his office, often with no prior appointment. They come for help in seeking medical assistance, for financial help and so on. Dr Babu does not disappoint them. To help the minorities and socially backward people, he has instituted Heera Educational and Charitable Trust. The no-profit trust under the patronage of Heera Constructions helps people with scholarships to meritorious, deserving and needy students to pursue education. Under the charitable trust, he formed the Heera College of Engineering & Technology (HCET) at Panavoor, Nedumangad, close to his hometown.

Wins prestigious CQE Award Proving its commitment to quality, leadership, technology and innovation, Heera Constructions won the world-renowned Century International Quality Era Award (CQE) in the Gold Category for 2012 at the International Convention held on March 11, 2012 by Business Initiative Directions (BID). Dr Babu, Managing Director of Heera, received the award from Mr Jose E Prieito, President of Business Initiative Directions (BID), Spain, at a glittering ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, that included around 90 industrialists and business leaders from across the world. The award was presented based on the successful implementation of seven principles of the QC 100 Total Quality Management Model, according to which quality is a consequence of valuing customer satisfaction and obtaining positive business results.

Dr A R Babu receiving the Seven Star rating from Crisil for its prestigious Heera Infocity project, near Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram.

Some of the other recipients of the award from India are ICICI Bank, NTPC Ltd and NCR Corporation India Private Limited. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Coal India Ltd, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd and Tata Group Ltd were some of the winners of the Century International Quality Era Award (CQE) in 2011.

With the able leadership of Dr Babu, his company achieved the rare recognition of earning a Seven Star rating from Crisil for its prestigious Heera Infocity project, near Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. The ratings take into account the quality of construction, legal quality, financial quality, innovation and sponsorship.

wife Sunitha Beegom and younger son Resvin Rasheed

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May 31-June 30, 2012

Inauguration of Crescent and Heera Point, two residential projects launched at prime locations in Thiruvananthapuram.

On the world stage With all this recognition, accolades were bound to come his way. In 2001, he received the Vishishta Prathibha Award sponsored by Kerala Chamber of Tourism & Allied Industries for his achievement in the construction industry. Later, in 2002, he was presented with Rashtriya Rattan Award for outstanding individual achievement by Mr Digvijay Singh, the then Union Minister of State for Railways. In the same year, he was the recipient of Indira Gandhi Sadbhavana Award for distinguished services, sponsored by Citizens’ Integration Peace Society, New Delhi, which was presented by Dr Bhishma Narayan Singh, former Governor of Tamil Nadu and Assam, in November 2002 at New Delhi. In 2004, he received the Gandhi Puraskaram from Mahatma Gandhi Peace Foundation for excellence in the housing sector. By 2003, his fame had spread internationally. At the Indo-Nepal Conference on ‘India-Nepal Friend-

Heera Vaasthu Hills, a villa project launched by the Heera Group at Thiruvananthapuram in conformity with ancient Vaasthu Shasthra.

Inaugural function of five mega projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

ship and Economic Cooperation’ held at Kathmandu (Nepal), he was the recipient of the International Gold Star Millennium Award for superb achievements made in the construction industry. He was also given a Doctorate in Construction Management by the University of Honolulu, US.

glued to the screen of his laptop. He finished his Bachelor of Administration (Honours) degree from Greenwich University. He is responsible for deploying the company’s strategic vision and developing business alliances as well as building the management team. Subin Rasheed, who has become an integral part of the company, put his skills to use

Family support Subin Rusheed, his elder son, closely follows Dr Babu in all activities, and has learned the ropes of business directly from his father. He is often found in the office near his father’s table, listening to, and watching intently, the ins and outs of his business. “I follow my father in all his work and have learnt a lot from him,” says he, even while keeping his eyes

What makes Heera distinct What makes Heera distinct from other builders? Those who know Dr Babu and the clients of Heera vouch for the fact that the group’s vast experience in the real estate industry has helped it to formulate and comprehend the concept of a home. Heera believes that a home is not just a place, but an expression of one’s individuality. A home has a soul, a character and personality all of its own. Heera gives utmost importance to implementing the concept, focusing meticulously on every detail and the client’s needs. Quality, economy and comfort are the factors that Heera relies on to achieve the needs of its clients. The Heera Home Care Division is a special wing of Heera’s service that takes care of aspects like maintenance, emergency repairs and bill/tax payments. The 24-hour division for the Residents’ Association also provides other services like customizing apartments according to the owners’ requirements and renting them out in their absence. Heera apartments are made to satisfy varying customer requirements. Projects like Heera 4pillars at Killippalam and Heera Dreams at Sreekariyam in Thiruvananthapuram are focused on those clients who seek luxury at affordable prices. Both the apartments are located near hospitals, educational institutions, banks, restaurants and shopping malls. Facilities like well-equipped fitness centre, children’s play area, reticulated gas connection, air-conditioned lobby, proximity censor entry card, swimming pool, jogging track etc make these projects different and add value for money. Another aspect which is differentiating Heera is the selection of location. The projects are in the heart of the city like Heera Crescent at YMR Junction, Nanthancode, Heera Golden Hills at Nanthancode near Kanakakkunnu Palace, Heera Highlife at Deva swon Board Junction and Heera Blue Bells at Vellyambalam, all in Thiruvananthapuram, which are marvellous examples of peaceful city life. They are right in the heart of the city but not much affected by its hustle and bustle. Projects like Heera Lake Front and Heera Towers are for those who seek a peaceful environment. Facing the Akkulam Lake, one of the tourist attractions of Thiruvananthapuram, Heera Towers is a unique combination of natural beauty and luxurious lifestyle. Heera Info City is another hi-tech project, which is located near the Technopark, one of the largest technology hubs in the country.

when the company went ahead with projects like Heera Blue Bells, Heera Green Court, Heera Crescent and Heera Heritage. He is currently a Director of the Heera Group of Companies and member, Board of Trustees of Heera Educational & Charitable Trust (HECT). Dr Babu’s wife, Sunitha Beegom, is also a Director of the Heera Group of Companies and a member of the Board of Trustees of HECT. His only daughter, Surmi, married to Mr Farhaad, is also a Director of the Heera Group of Companies and member of the Board of Trustees of HECT. She is also overseeing the general administration of the Yenepoya Group of Institutions, Mangalore, along with husband Farhaad who too is a Director of the Yenepoya Group of Companies and Yenepoya Deemed University. The younger son, Resvin Rasheed, is pursuing his education at Trivandrum International School. With full support from his family, Dr Babu has reached a vantage point in life, a time when he can reap the fruits of his labour. But he is not the man who would take rest. He is a man of dreams. “Keep dreaming till the last breath” is his motto. -Response Feature

PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

From the Editor

Now Kerala shines for NRKs

he imminent global conference of the World Malayalee Council (WMC) being held in Dallas in the US is a symbol of the strength and unity of the Malayalee diaspora scattered all over the globe. Many non-resident Keralites (NRKs) would only be happy to participate in Kerala’s development and are aware of the potential for the state’s growth. But growth depends upon several factors, the most important of which is the existence of a stable and dynamic government. This, along with a paradigm shift in everybody’s attitude, will augur well for the future of this tiny state full of opportunities in tourism and several other fields.

Editor & Publisher

VARGHESE PAUL

It is gratifying that both fronts in Kerala, the UDF and the LDF, which have been ruling the state alternately since its formation, now realize that in today’s changed circumstances investment is something that should not be abhorred. On the other hand it, even foreign investment, should be welcomed, they believe. The Vallarpadam container terminal and the Smart City and Metro Rail projects are the brightest examples of the involvement of both fronts. Neither front has at any time tried to hamper or scuttle the projects adopted/planned by the other but both have followed them up earnestly.

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MANILA M

It is also comforting for all that Kerala is no more the risk-fearing society or the impenetrable fortress for industrialists it once was. Investors’ attitudes have also changed of late. No longer do they shy away from making moves for investing in the state. On its part, the present government ends up meeting industrialists and industry organizations. Special road shows are arranged and investment meetings are held. There is a feeling gradually getting round that investors won’t be losing their money in Kerala. There is also an added advantage—it has a Chief Minister who has pledged to take the state forward industrially. He has prescribed several medicines, one of which is the ‘Emerging Kerala Meet’ to be held in September, which will be a platform for business leaders and policymakers for detailed two-way discussions and bilateral business.

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All this is an indication that though belatedly, but thankfully, the state has recognized that the only way to get on the path of progress is to make quick and massive infusions of new equity into the economy, as well as to commit to other urgent measures hitherto not undertaken. Of course there are problems staring intending investors in the face. It is not easy for them to forget the unpleasant experiences many of them have had to encounter in the recent past trying to get a foothold in the state. Though their militancy has been reined in, trade unions are still active in many sectors and demands which struggling units cannot meet are raised by workers for benefits. Hartals and strikes are ubiquitous modes of protest called by all political parties, including ruling ones, at the drop a hat. There are also problems like inflation and recession. Despite its drawbacks, however, Kerala has enormous strengths. NRKs can cash in on some of these drawbacks to their and the state’s advantage. One factor that has come in handy for them is the depreciation of the rupee. Expatriates’ remittances now fetch more value as the rupee has gone down appallingly to Rs 54-Rs 55 against the dollar. This can be used for developmental projects in their state or they can invest it in their own ventures. Kerala has tremendous opportunities to grow and many areas to invest in. Only, investors must learn to distinguish them. In an article which appears elsewhere in this issue the author has pinpointed five fields where NRKs can safely and advantageously make investments. The Malayalee diaspora can go for solar/biogas and wind energy as well as small hydro-power generation projects. The Government and individuals can also invest in those projects. We do not have good roads/ waterways and it is time to go for them. We should opt for at least 45-metre-wide roads/long waterways. The people affected should be handsomely paid and motivated to give their land. We can excel in the IT field. Even though Kerala has got many strong points like human resources, culture and religious harmony, the weak points like laziness, unwillingness to change, political interventions etc hinder its development. Its people should be able to easily adapt to changes because that is the core point of development and growth. The Government should promote business and should be keen to make maximum use of the available natural resources. Comparing Kerala with other states is of no use. What the state should do is to create a congenial atmosphere for industrial growth so that we can build a better Kerala and a better tomorrow.

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PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

‘AAHAR 2012’: Kerala pavilion wins gold medal

he pavilion set up by the Kerala Government’s Department of Industries and Commerce in coordination with the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) bagged the gold medal for excellence in display at the 27th international exhibition ‘AAHAR 2012’ held in Delhi recently. The fair displayed food, food processing and related equipment and hotel and restaurant equipments and supplies. The Kerala pavilion provided free space for many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and cluster consortia from the state. SME units like Priya Instant Foods, Pavizham Healthier Diet Pvt Ltd and KKR Group of Companies (Nirapara) and cluster consortia like Kalady Rice Millers Consortium (P) Ltd displayed their products and technologies. K-BIP and the National Centre for HACCP Certification (NCHC) also presented their activities and services. ‘AAHAR 2012’ was held with the support of the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries, in association with the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (APEDA), Association of Resource Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHII), Confederation of Indian Food Trade & Industry (CIFTI), All India Food Processors Association (AIFPA) and Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (HOTREMAI). The award was presented by ITPO Chairperson Rita Menon to Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion Chief Executive Officer V Rajagopal.

PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

7 they have to seek the service of people from other states for management and for the units to function properly.

Readers' views

Save the coconut farmer This is a humble appeal to the Government: it should either write off the whole coconut industry or help it forthwith. Otherwise coconut cultivation, the backbone of Kerala and the sole livelihood of half a crore farmers, will be doomed. The Central budget insulted the coconut farmers by not allocating a single paisa for the Coconut Development Board for development of the sector. This is happening at a time when every statutory board in Kerala like the Rubber Board gets crores. Even state Finance Minister K M Mani gave only a pittance— Rs 50 crore. What happened to that money? Nobody knows. Here are some suggestions to save the dying coconut. 1. Stop forthwith Kerafed’s comedy show called copra procurement. 2. Farmers never make copra from coconut. They sell the raw nuts at throwaway prices to the cunning buyers and merchants who sell copra and make huge profits. Copra dealers and the oil mafia from outside the state also pump spurious coconut products into Kerala and exploit the farmers. 3. The Government should issue an order asking every cooperative society to procure raw coconuts and if possible tender coconuts directly from the farmers and arrange to sell them everywhere. If this is done farmers will get at least Rs 10 per nut as against the paltry Rs 2 they get now when the retail market price is Rs 15 or more. -Joseph Alapatt, Thrissur

Census sensible? The article on population growth (May issue) by P D Johny is a peep at the rate of growth and the strategy a state has to adopt to attain growth. In olden days population growth was instantly felt as there was little migration to other states and countries.

Gujaratis, however, have certain rare and innate qualities that make them wonderful businessmen. They are good at both small and big trades and are less inclined towards jobs. Earlier Gujarat had many textile mills providing employment to thousands of Gujaratis as also to people from other states. I know a lot of Keralites who had been employed in cloth mills in Gujarat and who had settled there. Consequently their children had occasion to study there and earn white-collar jobs. The number of mills has in course of time dwindled. While in Gujarat I got a chance to appear for a test for a job in the Provident Fund organization. A friend of mine got a job in the Income Tax Department and another in the Accountant General’s Office. There are several other Malayalees who got jobs in national newspapers like The Times of India and The Indian Express. There are Malaylees pursuing other avocations and are self-employed in Gujarat.

chief Karunanidhi for his party’s support for the choice of the presidential candidate of the Congress they may also be lamenting that they do not have a Malayalee Catholic to adorn the coveted post. Secondly they do not have an impeccable personality from the Catholic community suitable for the post. In fact no Catholic has ever worn the mantle of President.

Gujarat is not endowed with natural beauty, but Kerala has beautiful landscapes, a congenial climate and serene beaches. Gujarat is prone to random communal riots, nature’s furies like earthquakes and even floods, though drinking water is scarce there. Today under the rule of Narendra Modi it has made tremendous progress.

In the Malayalam film Pranchiyettan there is a scene when the boy asks Pranchiyettan, the hero, why he (Pranchiyettan) should go in search of the saint when he himself was already one. The parable is now applicable to Antony. Malayalees may ask Antony why he should go in search of other candidates when he himself is the fittest to occupy the post.

Whatever party rules a state it is the employment opportunities that it creates that attract the attention of the people. I think Modi’s effort to industrialize the state has brought a lot of hope to the people and rulers of other states because they can emulate his example and replicate the Gujarat model in their states. -Emily Solomon, Ahmedabad

Presidential choice

Some rule out Mr Mukherjee as the best choice for President as he is prime ministerial stuff with his high calibre as a renowned economist and an able administrator whose elevation to the highest constitutional post will create a vacuum in the administrative and political spheres at a time when the country is facing a crisis because of escalating inflation, slump in industrial production and falling GDP. -O A Antony, Thrissur

India

is facing uncertainty over the selection of the person to hold the highest position in the country—the 13th President. The possible names doing the rounds are of Pranab Mukherjee, now Union Finance Minister, Vice-President Hameed Ansari and former President and scientist Abdul Kalam. The latest to join the bandwagon is NCP stalwart P A Sangma. But a consensus on the candidate of the Congress or the UPA Government is yet to be reached. Keralite and Defence Minister A K Antony was on an assignment to negotiate with the chief mentors of the coalition parties. Although Malayalees are delighted to read the news of Antony consulting DMK

But the present labour situation in Kerala is such that we witness a shortage of skilled and unskilled workers in our own land.

Engg and MBA courses Ziad Siddique’s article on engineering and business administration studies losing their sheen (May issue) was topical. Mr P V Mathew, Chairman of Federal Institute of Science and Technology (FISAT), in his comment hits the nail on the head when he says that the huge increase in the number of institutions is one of the reasons for the decline in the quality of engineering graduates. But this is also true of the burgeoning number of MBA colleges, especially in Kerala where opportunities for graduates in this discipline are limited. Another reason for the declining demand for MBAs, according to Dr G P C Nayar, Chairman of the SCMS Group of Institutions and the National President of the Federation of Associations of Private Unaided professional colleges, is that companies have now started to recruit regular graduates from campus.

As the writer himself states that our shortage of skilled and unskilled workers is met by the presence of migrant labourers from distant states like Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam how can the census provide the exact population?

Whatever the reason for the fall in the status of these courses, engineering and MBA, it is time for educational experts and the authorities concerned to take steps to restore the dignity of these once-prestigious degrees.

In view of the migratory process going on in our state how can the census data available be true to the actual data of the population here without the Government issuing ID cards to the entire floating population?

-Pushpangathan K K, Cherthala

Worth reading

-Subramanian, Kothamangalam

I am a regular reader of PASSLINE. I happened to read the article, ‘Spring Flowers in Mollywood’, and I felt it is quite timely and relevant. Of course, the Malaylam film industry is on its path of change. It is appreciable that a business magazine like yours opted to include a film- related article in its issue. Since the film sector is also a multi-crore industry, it was worth reading about the new trends in this industry.

Gujarat—worthy of emulation Your report on Gujarat’s growth and development (May issue) is an eye-opener not only for the state governments but for the people also. Every state has certain features that differentiate it from other states—topography, population, calibre of the people, attitudes, mindset… Gujarat lies in the north and Kerala in the south. Gujarat is two times bigger than Kerala in area and population. Gujaratis are not very well-versed in English. When MNCs set up shop there,

The article was not shallow but covered the topic in depth. We expect such genuine and appropriate articles in future also. -Glycia Francis, Palakkad PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

By K Vijayachandran

randing of eatables and eating places was very much a part of Indian culture. ‘Udupi Brahmin’ was a highly prosperous brand of eateries in Kerala once. During the 1950s, I remember, there were Gujarati and Sourashtra restaurants in Thuruvananthapuram. Kamath restaurants were quite common in Hyderabad and Bangalore and Woodlands was an aristocratic brand in South India for board and lodging. Some of these ethnic brands have survived but most were forced to shed their cultural identity as the result of a relentless globalization process. A few years ago, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) made a rough landing in Bangalore but it has changed the business environment in a big way ever since. It was clear from KFC’s experience that people cannot be carried away merely by the charm of brands. Multinational companies and their franchisees now adopt new and far more realistic methods to ensure a smooth market entry. Bangalore has no dearth of decent eating places and the prices are moderate. And in December last year, McDonald’s India had come to Bangalore with big-banner offerings: breakfast menu with egg muffin, hash browns, chicken sausage and egg muffin, chicken sausage muffin, hot pancakes with maple syrup, veg Spinach etc etc from Rs 20 onwards and from 7 am to 11 pm. With this launch, McDonald’s was offering its customers a virtual all-day dining experience. The big advantage of MNC food chains, in their parent countries, was low prices and assured minimum quality. They organized decent eateries damn cheap and affordable to large sections of working people. With the help of improved sourcing, manufacturing technology and organizational methods, and insistence on quality procedures at every step, waste was reduced and quality maintained. And investments in R&D and new technologies were supported by large-scale production. Bringing down social costs and prices is the basic function of new technologies. Any new technique that adds to social costs is the negation of this vital social function. One good thing about the recent McDonald initiative such as the one in Bangalore was the assurance to share the long-term benefits of improved techniques with customers.

Why not an exclusive franchisee for McDonald in Kerala? At the global level, McDonald’s has 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries serving some 50 million customers each day. In India it has only 113 outlets and caters to less than three lakh customers daily. Most of its outlets are in Maharashtra (mainly Mumbai and Pune) and Gujarat. Most states, in North, East and South, including Kerala, remain unexplored even after more than a decade of its existence in the subcontinent. Possibly, this is the case with most of its competitors like KFC, Domino and the like with their high-priced products and finding difficulty in reaching out to the people and finding the market. However, with many of the other MNCs and their franchisees operating in India, the trend was in the opposite direction. They extract extra value addition for the brand name, and this could substantially add to the costs. They inevitably fall into the low-volume highprofit trap, whereas the business and the product were meant for high-volume production. This is true of local businesses as well that flood the eatery market under the generic brand of ‘fast

food’, which were liberally financed by banks and promotional agencies. This business environment seems to be slowly changing now. Even the airport eateries seem to be falling in line with the McDonald experiment in Bangalore. At the global level, McDonald’s has 31,000 restaurants in 118 countries serving some 50 million customers each day. In India it has only 113 outlets and caters to less than three lakh customers daily. Most of its outlets are

The operating experience of McDonald and other US food chains seems to be much different in China, an equally large market for eateries like India. To quote from a recent McDonald blog post: “The first McDonald restaurant opened in Shenzhen, China, in 1990. With it, China became the 53rd country to have a McDonald outlet within its borders. Buoyed by the success of its Shenzhen restaurant, the second—a Mega-McDonald with 28,000 square feet—opened in Beijing in April, 1992. It attracted 40,000 customers on opening day. McDonald’s growth in China continued steadily and pervasively...In 2004, the Mighty Mac launched McKids in China, selling clothes, toys, games, DVDs and books throughout its chain that had grown to 600 restaurants serving loyal Chinese residents. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

in Maharashtra (mainly Mumbai and Pune) and Gujarat. Most states, in North, East and South, including Kerala, remain unexplored even after more than a decade of its existence in the subcontinent. Possibly, this is the case with most of its competitors like KFC, Domino and the like with their high-priced products and finding difficulty in reaching out to the people and finding the market. In comparison, the operating experience of McDonald and other US food chains seems to be much different in China, an equally large market for eateries like India. To quote from a recent McDonald blog post: “The first McDonald restaurant opened in Shenzhen, China, in 1990. With it, China became the 53rd country to have a McDonald outlet within its borders. Buoyed by the success of its Shenzhen restaurant, the second—a Mega-McDonald with 28,000 square feet—opened in Beijing in April, 1992. It attracted 40,000 customers on opening day. McDonald’s growth in China continued steadily and pervasively...In 2004, the Mighty Mac launched McKids in China, selling clothes, toys, games, DVDs and books throughout

9 its chain that had grown to 600 restaurants serving loyal Chinese residents. “In 2008 that number mushroomed to 960 McDonalds restaurants and over 60,000 employees, making China the largest growth market for McDonalds. By December, 2010 there were 1,100 restaurants in China (compared to 3,200 KFCs) and the McDonald training centre was relocated from Hong Kong to Shanghai. The McDonalds strategic vision in China continues to focus on core menu extensions, convenience and value. “McDonald had formed a strategic partnership with Sinopec, gaining access to China’s national gas stations network. Sinopec operates 3,00,000 gas station locations. China continues to be a big numbers game and is the fastest-growing market globally for McDonalds which operates 8,482 restaurants in the entire Asia Pac region. With a record 200 new stores in China in 2011, the goal is to grow its current number (1,400 restaurants) to more than 1,600 in the world’s third-largest economy by 2013.” Unlike its counterparts, McDonald had almost exclusively operated company-owned restaurants since entering China two decades ago. It expanded Connaught Plaza Restaurants (P) Ltd (CPRPL) and Hard Castle Restaurants (P) Ltd (HRPL,its franchise programme, only in April 2010 by posting information on its China website and inviting new franchise applications. Interested parties must have at least two million yuan ($2,93,000) to cover franchise fees, equipment and other expenses. New McDonald franchises are now being granted in East China’s

Jiangsu Province. It plans to open a new restaurant in China every day in the next three to four years. Presently, it opens a new restaurant every other day, directly challenging the leader Yum! brands, for the number one spot in China. Yum! has about 4,500 restaurants operating in China as of 2012 under KFC, Pizza Hut etc brands. Worldwide more than 75% of McDonalds are operated by franchise owners, but so far only 36% in China have been franchised. The share of franchised stores in China is expected to grow significantly in 2012 and beyond.

Food is an integral part of any national culture. McDonald accepts this as part of its corporate philosophy. It spends liberally on corporate R&D for adapting itself to locally available inputs, innovating on local recipes and for respecting local culture. McDonald believes that this corporate philosophy has helped it to be the leader in global growth rates. The two Indian franchisees of McDonald, Connaught Plaza Restaurants Private Limited (CPRPL) and Hard Castle Restaurants Private Limited, who own and manage the McDonald India Ltd (MIL), claim that they meticulously follow this cooperate philosophy. MIL keeps itself away from beef and pork, and stick to halal chicken, as a matter of principle. However, such cultural sacrifices appear to have failed to deliver a respectable growth rate that is commensurate with India’s vast market potential. Obviously, there is plenty of pressure for the grant of new franchisees. This is being resisted by the existing Indian franchisees, who claim to have made large investments in de-

veloping local resources like special potato farms (see: www.mcdonaldsindia.com). McDonald’s has, possibly, made a wrong choice in selecting Maharashtra and Gujarat for launching its products in the Indian market. Kerala, with its splendid meat- and fish-eating culture, distinctly different from the rest of the

country and unique drinking habits, could have been the ideal launching pad for it. And the state is rightly described as a 560-km-long single emerging metro of 33 million people. It must be possible for a couple of NRK businessmen in the US to join hands and bargain for a McDonald franchisee exclusively for Kerala.

‘Pooram’, Thrissur’s world-famous yearly carnival, which is celebrated with much zest, is a fiesta presenting the spirit of Kerala and Keralites to the rest of the world. Pooram Kuries and Loans (Pvt) Ltd, based in the cultural capital of Kerala, is indeed a pooram (festival) of financial solutions and monetary benefits.

In chitties there are no hidden charges. This is why people prefer chitty firms to other institutions. This, together with the encouragement, inspiration and fine response we receive from our clients that has helped make Pooram Kuries one of the most trusted and beloved among chitty companies,” says Anil Kumar.

Launched by C K Anil Kumar in 1995, Pooram Kuries has been providing innovative financial solutions to its clientele since. Says Anil Kumar, Chairman: “Prosperity through small savings is the prime motto of our kuries. Compared with the new-generation banks, we offer better returns to those who join our kuries so that people find them more beneficial and productive.”

Pooram is all set to launch its new chit during June. Named ‘My Life’, its period is 16 years, ending in March 2028. With a prize money of Rs 10 lakh, it will have 190 instalments. Subscribers will find the instalment rate of Rs 6,000 both affordable and attractive. The matured chitty amount is intended to be Rs 1,140,000. A bonus prize of 1,001 gold sovereigns is yet another exciting feature of the chit. There are 20 existing kuries for Pooram. Each one is planed and organized with a vision to provide financial solutions to the subscribers.

Pooram Kuries is considered to be the trendsetter of the chit industry in Kerala and has marked its unique imprint on it. How relevant and significant are chits and kuries in this age of new-generation banks which are trying to woo clients with attractive monetary policies and offers? Says Anil Kumar: “Chitties are an age-old industry in Kerala. They were there even before banks and other financial institutions came on the scene. Though banks offer help to meet people’s urgent financial needs, most of them charge heavy interest. Moreover,

Key to your financial solutions obtaining money from banks requires too many formalities and is time-consuming too. Comparatively our interest rates are low and getting money from us is hassle-free. This is the edge we have over the other financial institutions.” Pooram Kuries started operations PASSLINE

with 184 subscribers and monthly subscriptions of Rs 300. Today it has more than 25,000 subscribers and kuries with amounts running into lakhs. “Besides interest, banks have accountkeeping charges, penal interest on capitation fee, inspection charges etc which in turn increase the interest rate. May 31-June 30, 2012

Customer support, innovation, simplicity and creativity are the values that Pooram Kuries has been cherishing over the years. “It is these values which lead us along the right path. The trust and value customers place on us is the driving forcc of us and our staff and which have helped us make every venture of ours an outstanding success,” concludes Anil Kumar.

By Dr V K Vijayakumar

rench statesman Charles de Gaulle once famously remarked, “Germany is the horse and France the jockey.” De Gaulle ruled France when Germany was licking the wounds inflicted by the Second World War and France was on the mend. De Gaulle’s metaphor is not relevant in modern Europe where Germany is the undisputed strong horse that is pulling the European economic cart and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel is very much in the saddle. The billioneuro question, however, is: Can Angela Merkel prevent a disruptive default by Greece and steer Europe to safety? Electoral backlash against austerity: In October 2011, the ‘troika’—European Union, ECB and IMF—bailed out Greece for a second time granting $170 billion. The bail-out was on strict conditions of austerity. The Fiscal Compact signed by European Union (EU) members in February 2012 also dictated severe austerity measures for the troubled PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain). Austerity is not popular, particularly when salaries and pensions are cut. More importantly, in the short run, austerity leads to further deceleration in growth with its attendant evils. The man in the street doesn’t understand the complexity of macro-economics and financial markets. He reacts when it hurts. This reaction was evident in the election results in France and Greece in early May. In a severe backlash against austerity, French President Nicholas Sarkozy was voted out and the antiausterity campaigner, socialist Francois Hollande, came to power. In the Greek elections the two mainstream national parties—the socialists and the conservatives—suffered severe setbacks and the anti-austerity campaigners gained ground. But the fractured mandate has brought about political uncertainty in Greece with no viable coalition in sight. The possibility of another round of elections in Greece in June has increased, but that also is not likely to produce better results. Will Greece default?: Even though technically Greece has not defaulted, the second bailout package given to it, in reality, was a partial default. The European banks agreed to take a 53% haircut on the Greek bonds. This

Greek tremors strike again In modern Europe, Germany is the undisputed strong horse that is pulling the European economic cart and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel is very much in the saddle. The billion-euro question, however, is: Can Angela Merkel prevent a disruptive default by Greece and steer Europe to safety? means that Greece will, in effect, be paying only 47% of the debt that they owe to European banks. This was a default; albeit a structured and orderly one. If Greece exits from the Euro and defaults, that will be a disorderly and disruptive default which will have serious consequences for the European financial markets. Even though Greece is a small economy accounting for only 2.3% of the Euro zone GDP, a default will have knock-on effects on the other vulnerable countries of peripheral Europe, particularly Spain and Italy. In this age of globally integrated financial

markets, a default can even become a contagion impacting the global economy, which is yet to recover from the Great Recession of 2009. Will the global economy double dip?: The global economy contracted by 0.7% in 2009 making it the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. There was a recovery in 2010 when global GDP grew by 4.9%. Unfortunately, this recovery could not be sustained in 2011. The US credit rating downgrade, the Japanese tsunami which wreaked havoc on their supply chains and the Arab Spring which

Austerity is not popular, particularly when salaries and pensions are cut. More importantly, in the short run, austerity leads to further deceleration in growth with its attendant evils. The man in the street doesn’t understand the complexity of macro-economics and financial markets. He reacts when it hurts. This reaction was evident in the election results in France and Greece in early May. In a severe backlash against austerity, French President Nicholas Sarkozy was voted out and the anti-austerity campaigner, socialist Francois Hollande, came to power. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

spiked crude oil prices became major headwinds in 2011. A global double dip recession (when GDP dips twice) could be avoided in 2011 because of the strong performance of emerging economies. In 2012 Europe is likely to slip into another recession. But recovery in the US, though anaemic, is a strong positive. Emerging markets are also likely to do reasonably well in 2012, though growth rates are likely to be somewhat muted. In brief, a global double dip recession is not likely in 2012, but a European double dip is very much on the cards. Impact on India: As explained, a disorderly exit of Greece from the Euro zone and a disruptive default will have serious consequences for the global economy because of its knock-on and ripple effects. A severe drubbing in the European stock markets will impact all stock markets. A liquidity squeeze in Europe will impact Indian corporates which are major borrowers there. If American banks which have lent to European banks call back the loans, these European banks which have, in turn, lent to Indian corporates will call back their loans. This will ultimately become a major drag on the rupee which is already very weak. Also, a European double dip recession will negatively impact India’s exports. This is bad news in the context of India’s ballooning trade and current account deficits. The LTRO (long-term repurchase operation) implemented by the ECB has, to an extent, ring-fenced the European banks from a contagion. But it may not be sufficient to ward off unsettling disturbances caused by a disruptive default. This is the time for European leaders to demonstrate real statesmanship. (The author is Investment Strategist at Geojit BNP Paribas)

11 Emigration from Kerala in 2011 was indeed more or less at the same level as it was in 2008 indicating that 2011 was not far from the inflexion point in the history of emigration from Kerala.

Emigration and remittances from Kerala

By K C Zachariah and S Irudaya Rajan

ccording to the Census Commissioner of India, Census 2011 came â&#x20AC;&#x153;at a time when India is perhaps at an inflexion point in historyâ&#x20AC;?. The same could be said about Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) 2011 conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram. It came at a time when emigration from Kerala to Gulf countries was perhaps at an inflexion point in history. Gulf emigration from Kerala seems to be edging towards a peak.

that emigration from Kerala has experienced an increasing trend since 1998 (Table 1). However, each succeeding period showed a decreasing trend in the increases in the number of emigrants. At this rate, the increase in the number of emigrants from Kerala would disappear (zero increase) in less than two years. Emigration from Kerala could reach inflexion point before 2013. In that case, it is unlikely to exceed 2.5 million (Figure 1).

This short paper, embodying the results of KMS 2011 on the whole supports this conclusion. Emigration from Kerala in 2011 was indeed more or less at the same level as it was in 2008 indicating that 2011 was not far from the inflexion point in the history of emigration from Kerala.

Destination of emigrants The Gulf countries remain the principal destination of Kerala emigrants (Table 3). The proportion of Kerala emigrants in the Gulf countries remained at the same level in 2011 as it did in the past, about 90% of the total. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) which attracted 38.7% of the Kerala emigrants retained the first position with respect to emigration among all countries. However, its relative share declined from 41.9% in 2008 to 38.7% in 2011.

KMS 2011 is the fifth in the series on migration monitoring studies being undertaken by the CDS. It was conducted 13 years after the first migration survey conducted in 1998, and three years after the fourth one in 2008. As with KMS 2008, KMS 2011 also received financial support from the Department of Non-Resident Keralite Affairs, Government of Kerala. and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India. The KMS 2011 survey was canvassed among 15,000 households throughout Kerala and distributed among 300 localities in 63 taluks and the 14 districts.

Emigration: short-term trend An estimate of the number of emigrants from Kerala as of March 2011 is 2.281 million. The corresponding number was 2.193 million in 2008, 1.838 million in 2003 and (Figure 1).

1.362 million in 1998. These numbers indicate PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

12 On the other hand, Saudi Arabia improved its relative position accommodating 25.2% of the emigrants from Kerala. Kuwait and Qatar are the other Gulf countries that have improved their relative share of Kerala emigrants. Among the countries outside the Gulf region, the principal ones are the United States and the United Kingdom.

International migrants by religion Out of the 22.8 lakh emigrants in 2011, 8.53 lakh are Hindus, 4.18 lakh Christians and the remaining 10.10 lakh Muslims. In relative terms, of the total, Hindus were 37.4%, Christians 18.3% and Muslims 44.3%. Muslims are thus very much over-represented. While Muslims are only about 26% of Kerala’s population, they were as much as 44% of the emigrants from Kerala in 2011. In the same manner Hindus are under-represented. While about 56% of Kerala’s population are Hindus, only 37% of emigrants from Kerala were Hindus (Table 4).

Christians under-represented and Muslims retained their share.

Remittances Remittances to Kerala have continued to grow ever since Keralites started migrating to the Gulf region. Total remittances to Kerala during the 12month period ending on March 1, 2011 were Rs 49,695 crore. This amount was about 15% higher than the remittances in 2008. These numbers indicate that the rate of growth of remittances has slowed down in recent years in tune with the slowing down of emigration from the state since 2008. While remittances increased by 134% during 2003-08, it grew by just 15% during 2008-2011 and while remittances per household increased from Rs 24,000 in 2003 to Rs 57,000 in 2008, the corresponding increase was just Rs 6,100 between 2008 and 2011.

the southern district and increases in the northern district, the situation with respect to remittances per household shows an opposite pattern. Southern districts gained in remittances per household and northern district lost out in this matter. This could be due to the differentials in educational attainments of emigrants from these regions.

Remittances by religion

Remittances by districts

The trends in the proportion of emigrants by religion over the period 1998-2011 indicate that the proportion of Hindus among the emigrants is on the increase, the proportion of Christians on the decrease and Muslims, on the whole, maintain their relative position over time. The decrease in the absolute size and the relative share of Christians could mostly be due to demographic factors, namely, the decline in the share of the Christians (especially those in the young working ages) in Kerala’s population. Among the return emigrants, 45% were Hindus, 44% Muslims and only 11% Christians. Hindus were over-represented among the return emigrants (in comparison with their share among the emigrants),

Total remittances by districts are obtained by prorating household remittances by district. The results are given in Table 6. As mentioned above, the total for the state is Rs 49,695 crore. Out of this Rs 9,040 crore came to Malappuram district which is 18.2% of the state’s total. This amount is Rs 114,319 per household in the district. The share of remittances to Malappuram district increased from 15% in 2008 to 18.2% in 2011. The average amount a household in Malappuram received also increased from Rs 1,03,585 in 2008 to Rs 1,14,319. These numbers represent an increase of Rs 10,734 per household in the state during 2008-2011. The other districts that received large amounts of remittances are: Ernakulam (12.3%), Kannur (10.4%) and Thiruvananthapuram (9.5%). The share of total remittances in most districts in south Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram to Idukki) declined between 2008 and 2011. While total remittances experienced a decline in

Remittances to Kerala have continued to grow ever since Keralites started migrating to the Gulf region. Total remittances to Kerala during the 12-month period ending on March 1, 2011 were Rs 49,695 crore. This amount was about 15% higher than the remittances in 2008. These numbers indicate that the rate of growth of remittances has slowed down in recent years in tune with the slowing down of emigration from the state since 2008. While remittances increased by 134% during 2003-08, it grew by just 15% during 2008-2011 and while remittances per household increased from Rs 24,000 in 2003 to Rs 57,000 in 2008, the corresponding increase was just Rs 6,100 between 2008 and 2011.

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May 31-June 30, 2012

Of the total remittances of Rs 49,695 crore, Rs 18,099 crore was received by Hindu households, Rs 8,508 crore received by Christian households and Rs 23,089 crore by Muslim households. During 20082011, all the religious groups experienced increases in the remittances: 10% each among Hindus and the Christians and 21% among Muslims.

Muslim households received, on average, Rs 1,35,000 as remittances in a year. Compared with this, Hindu households had received only Rs 38,000, only about one-fourth of what the Muslim households received. The average remittance per household among Christians was less than half of that of Muslim households, only Rs 59,000.

Blame Game

By Dr N Ajith Kumar

nto its fifth season, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular events in the sporting itinerary of not only India but also many other countries. It has converted the game of cricket from a mere spectator sport into a passion which is unbelievable. Even Bollywood has acknowledged that it has brought down the crowds in theatres since most people look upon it as a good relaxation after a heavy day’s work because of the convenience of its timings. It is true that there were fears that this tournament had become stale and some even said that the elimination of Lalit Modi would reduce its glamour and sheen. But in reality nothing like this has happened. Except maybe in Chennai the crowds are all back and as we enter the last stages of this year’s edition it is becoming more and more exciting with this season already recording the largest number of last-ball thrillers. As the second highest-paid league in the world next only to the NBA this annual event has come to stay. Further it has provided inspiration for other T20 events like the MiWay T20 Challenge in South Africa, Bangladesh Premier League and the Big Bash League in Australia. Sri Lankan Premier League did not take off only because it clashed with India’s overseas tours or one could have witnessed one more big event. The BCCI in its wildest dreams never expected that the IPL would become such a big money-spinner. In fact it was initiated in an attempt to scuttle the Indian Cricket League which had been started with the blessings of the Essar Group and Kapil Dev. The personality clash of then BCCI President Sharad Pawar and Kapil Dev was the prime cause of this mega-event. IPL has been able to achieve its primary objective of killing ICL and weaning away the best players to its fold. What has now happened is that from a mere sporting event IPL has grown into dimensions which are having an impact on the country’s economy itself. The 11 cities where IPL matches are being held are agog with excitement and we find the people coming forward not only as sponsors but also as spectators to make the event a success. The courage shown by the

As the second highest-paid league in the world next only to the NBA this annual event has come to stay. Further it has provided inspiration for other T20 events like the MiWay T20 Challenge in South Africa, Bangladesh Premier League and the Big Bash League in Australia. Sri Lankan Premier League did not take off only because it clashed with India’s overseas tours or one could have witnessed one more big event. parent organization to increase the number of matches as well as the number of days bears testimony to the popularity of this tournament. In fact with eight teams and 59 matches in 2008, it has grown to nine teams and 76 matches in the current edition. The only disconcerting factor is the elimination of the Kochi franchise which was only due to the incompetence of the Kerala Cricket Association and its inability to inspire confidence in the franchise. The money involved in the IPL has to be seen to be believed. When the first auction was held in 2008, the BCCI kept a base price of $400 million and invited eight bids. Eight major cities were chosen as franchises. Mukesh Ambani came forward with the highest bid of $111.9 million to pocket the Mumbai franchise. Vijay Mallya could not be far behind and he bid the Bangalore team for $111.6 million. Sharukh Khan with $75 million and Ness Wadia along with Preity Zinta also gave the same amount to take respectively the Kolkatta and Chandigarh franchises. In effect all the eight teams were taken up by business magnates all over India and BCCI netted a cool $723.59 million when its expectation was only $400 million. The income earned by BCCI did not end there. The main sponsor for five years was DLF which paid $50 million. Pepsi has a stake of $12.5million, Hero Honda $22.5 million and Kingfisher $26.5 million. The television rights after much litigation were awarded to Sony at a whopping $1.74 billion for 10 years. So when the event commenced in 2008 it was BCCI which was the biggest gainer. Sharad Pawar really had the last laugh. His crony Lalit Modi carried out the diktats of the master to perfection. The problem for IPL started with the decision of the parent body to take in two more teams for the fourth edition. BCCI was plain greedy and paid a heavy price for it in terms of credibility. It fixed a base price of $225 million for the two teams for the auction held in March 2010. The response was unbelievable. The Sahara Group took the Pune franchise for $370 million and the Rendezvous Consortium took the Kochi team for $333.33 million. BCCI PASSLINE

netted $703.33 million for the auction of two teams while it had got only $723.59 million for eight teams in 2008! This only showed the great popularity of this league and how it had been received with such fervour by the country’s cricket enthusiasts. But the sequel of events that followed was most unfortunate with the ebullient Shashi Tharoor being forced to quit his ministership because of the role he played in trying to get Kochi the franchise. But the villain of the show was undoubtedly Lalit Modi. It is gratifying that BCCI realized this in time and the moment Sharad Pawar was made to understand that Lalit Modi had grown too big for his shoes, Pawar acted and

when its track record was very poor with regard to cases in various courts when Modi was in charge shows the increase in the integrity of the organization after the ouster of Modi.

like a cabbage leaf Modi was thrown out from all positions he held. Though some of the franchisees which had received favours from him did make feeble sounds of protest on his behalf they soon backtracked when they found that he was a fugitive running away from the law of the land. But it did create some bad taste in the mouth. But what happened is that the last two editions of IPL are very transparent and BCCI is making all its positions very clear. The very fact that it won the legal battle against the Kochi franchise

one of the largest in terms of award amounts. The best part of this tournament is that the players are the greatest beneficiaries. Though the IPL auction did come in for a lot of ridicule at the manner in which it was conducted, there seems to be a lot of acceptance when it was found that players really benefited. A 10-year scheme has been drawn out and if all goes well the term ‘sold’ is all set to become a watchword for all sporting events in the country.

May 31-June 30, 2012

The brand value of IPL is a whopping $3.67 billion and originally it was planning to go public and list its shares on prominent stock exchanges. But with the charges of corruption against Modi coming to light the credibility of the organization took a nosedive and consequently the parent organization decided to give up this idea in 2010. But during this year IPL became the first sporting event in the world to be telecast live on Youtube. With a prize money of $5million this is undoubtedly

(Dr Ajith Kumar is a freelance writer)

14 This article is targeted at the elite NRKs who want to start ‘something’ in Kerala. The old picture of Kerala as a land of labour militancy is now history (let alone a few hartals now and then). By G Rama Mohanan Nair

Projects worthy of investment in Kerala Y

ou will be surprised to know that at present Kerala is home to more than 200 very popular brands. Milma and PDDP for milk; Nirapara, Pavizham and Periyar for sortex rice; Poppy and John’s for umbrella; Anna for aluminium utensils; Melam, Eastern, Sara’s, Nirapara, Double Horse and Sevana for curry powders; Lunar, Paragon and VKC for chappals; Chakson for pressure-cookers, Kitex for lungis, Kera for coconut oil; Scooby-day for school bags; VGuard for stabilizers, pumps and garments; Wonder la for fantasy parks; Mr Butler’s for soda-maker; Rubco for rubberized coir mattresses and Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala, Thaikkat Moos, Pankaja Kasturi and Nagarjuna for ayurvedic products. The list is only indicative. We have several successful industries making PVC pipes, cables, pipe fittings, electronic products, hollow concrete blocks, ready-mix concrete, food processing machinery, gold jewellery, cashew, food products like pickles, jam, fruit juices, biscuits, furniture both wooden and steel, readymade doors, window frames etc. Giants like Sobha Developers, DLF, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and L&T have already occupied their berths in Kerala. The present Kerala Government is all out for a giant leap in industrialization of the state. All background work for the forthcoming mega-event ‘Emerging Kerala-2012’ scheduled for September 12-14 at Kochi is progressing fast. KSIDC is the nodal agency for this event. The organizers are doing a good job. They have brought out a painstakingly well-designed 91-page e-brochure Doing Business in Kerala and Emerging Kerala, to know what Kerala has in store for all. Four highly viable projects requiring less than Rs 5 crores of investment suitable for the state are detailed below.

Total Working capital Working capital loan Profitability at 80% capacity utilization Installed capacity =720 t per annum Production at 80 % capacity Sales revenue Expenditure Raw materials consumed Electricity Direct labour Maintenance and spares Overheads: Depreciation Interest on Loans Indirect labour Other overheads Total expenditure Profit before tax

Percentage of profit over sales TO (26x100/ 536) = 4. 85 Percentage of profit over own investment = (26x100/ 47.5) = 54.73 Debt equity ratio= 124/ 55= 2.25 IRR 21.5% This project is seen as highly viable.

1. Rigid PVC pipes Rigid PVC pipes are used for water and gas supply systems, electrical, drainage and sewage systems, chemical engineering and housing, welldigging and salty water constructions. Kerala is poised for massive investments in the next five years. Hence there will be good market potential for this product. BIS quality pipes of sizes ranging from 20mm-200mm are to be manufactured. The plant can have a rated capacity of 170kg/hr. It is assumed that the plant works for two shifts of eight-hour duration. Output of saleable products of about 60t/ month is expected. Capital investment Land: 50 cents (20 ares) including land development Building: Main factory 600sq m @ Rs 4,000 ·Administrative Block: 50sq.m @ Rs 6,000 Plant and machinery Electrification (170kVA capacity) Office furniture and equipment: Contingency: Preoperative expenses: Margin money for working capital: Total project cost: Means of financing Term loan Margin money loan Govt subsidy Promoter’s contribution

Rs in lakh 15.00 24.00 3.00 100.00 10.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 20.00 179.00 124.00 2.50 5.00 47.50 PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

179.00 80.00 60.00 576 t 536.00 400.00 16.00 10.00 12.00 15.00 24.00 3.00 30.00 510.00 26.00

15 The next two projects are the most needed ones for our state. Disposal of various municipal solid wastes (MSWs) is a major problem in almost all cities, towns and panchayats. Wherever they are installed, they soon go defunct and the situation goes back to square one. The main problem is in the execution and management aspects. First a study is to be conducted by some outside agencies to identify the problem areas and to find out sustainable solutions. Presented here are two projects, one for reprocessing of plastic waste and another is to process used rubber tyres.

2. Plastic reprocessing—pyrolysis plant

sources like Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Nonconventional Energy Sources (MNES); State Government; local bodies.

3. Used rubber tyre processing plants Waste tyres of size below 1,200 mm x385 mm (except solid tyres and special types) are fed into the system. First the beads are removed. Then the rubber is cut into 50mm x50mm size.

Pyrolysis is subjecting the material in an oxygen-free (almost) atmosphere to high temperature of the order of 500-550 degree centigrade. A pyrolysis chamber is a patented catalytic chamber and a series of specially built condensers to produce energyrich diesel fuel from unsorted waste.

Then remove metal after crushing and get 10-15 mesh granules. The next step is to remove the fibres and fine- grind to 30-60 mesh size. Classify, weigh and pack.

Plastics that are unsuitable for other recycling processes because of an undesirable or contaminated mix of polymers pose no problem. An Australian company has developed a plant capable of producing over 19,000 litres of diesel fuel per day for less than 30 cent (Rs 1.35) per litre. In full production, these systems are capable of producing 350 million litres of diesel per annum from 400,000 tonnes of plastic waste by employing liquefaction, pyrolysis and catalytic breakdown.

Output: a) Rubber powder of 30-40 mesh size - 800-900 kg/hr; b) Steel wire 15-40 mm —25-30% for radial tyres and13% for waste nylon tyres; Labour: 4-5 staff/shift.

The plants are of continuous feed type, ie 24 hrs x 7 days having capacity up to 24/day. The output product, viz diesel produced, is suitable for any type of internal combustion engines.

Capacity – 1000- 1300 kg/hr waste tyres.

Covered space: 800- 1000 sq m and 6m height. Floor space: About 50 cents (2,000sq m) Total cost is estimated at Rs 1.5 crore for plant and equipment. Applications of waste tyre rubber granule and rubber powder 1. Rubber granules of 0.5mm-2.5mm size are used in large quantities as filler for artificial turf, used for sports, children’s park, baseball etc. Rubber granules are filled in artificial turf. 2. Rubber granules (2-4mm) and rubber powder (0.5-1mm) are used to produce rubber floor tiles, of children’s park, yard and roads’ sides. 3. Rubber granules (2-3mm) and rubber powder (20-80mesh) are used to pave rubber roads and runways of stadiums and airports. 4. Rubber granules and rubber powder can be used to produce other rubber products: for example, reclaimed rubber, rubber sheet, rubber mat and so on. But this process is relatively complicated, needs high technical requirements and highly expensive equipment. Rubber powder (more than 30 mesh) reclaimed rubber, rubber sheet and mat are used for making artificial turf of stadiums.

Floor space required is 750sq m with height 6m. This plant may cost something like Rs.25 crore. Lower-capacity plants can be produced at costs in the neighbourhood of Rs 5 crore. The following types of plastics are most suited: High-density polyethylene (HDPE), LDPE, LLDPE, PP, polystyrene (PS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), PET (not more than 2%), PVC, UPVC, PPVC (not more than 1%). Others like acrylonitrile are not suitable. The economics Another Australian company has developed a plant which can use waste oil and worn rubber tyres also along with plastics and produce diesel oils more suitable for power plants (not for automobile use). Capacity is 5 tonnes of raw stock per day. Yield per tonne of feed stock is about 900 litres of oil. That means 4,500 litres per day of fuel is produced. They couple it with a power plant of capacity 1.5 MW. Total cost is estimated at Rs 5 crore for the plant and equipment. Assume Rs 1 crore for other assets. A 1.5 MW plant generates 30,000 units of electricity in a day of 20 hours (4 hours reserved for maintenance). This power can be sold to KSEB for Rs 2.5 / unit. Sales turnover comes to Rs 75,000/day. Plastics are now being collected from homes in Kochi at Rs 2,500/t. Collection and transportation cost is estimated at a maximum of Rs 2,000 per tonne. Then total cost of raw material at site is only 5x (2500+2000) = Rs. 22,500/day. Interest on loan= Rs 13,500/day (Rs 400 lakh @12%) Depreciation= Rs 13,700/day (10%) Administrative expenses = Rs 3000 per day Profit is = 75,000 (22,500+13,500+13,700+3,000) =Rs. 22,300/day Annual profit on the basis of 300 working days =Rs. 66.9 Lakhs. Assuming Rs 2 crore as equity, percentage of profit on investment is 33.45%. Repayment to financiers can be made @ Rs 50 lakh per year (to be liquidated in eight years). There is an annual surplus of Rs 16.9 lakh. It shows that even a small plant like this is viable. Further, it may be noted that financial and other assistance can be got from PASSLINE

There are some Chinese companies making plant and machinery to manufacture such products.

4. Bottled drinking water project Safe drinking water free from suspended impurities, dissolved harmful chemicals and dangerous bacteria has become scarce. Boiling the water does not remove dissolved chemicals and destroy all bacteria. Municipal/panchayat water through the pipes also has become unreliable due to improper or inadequate processing. Not only that, boiled water loses the real taste of natural water. Fuel is also wasted in boiling. Until recently bottled drinking water was the prerogative of the upper class. Now things have changed. In all offices/shops bottled drinking water is made available to employees in 20-litre PET jars. At all conferences and meetings only bottled drinking water is being served. Railways, Central and State Government offices, hotels, resorts and motels have all clients having huge requirements. A survey has revealed that the common man is not very brand-conscious as far as this product is concerned. Giants like Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Bisleri are active in this part of the country, but small players are also thriving in this market. Most brands are sold at Rs 15 per litre except in Railways where it costs Rs 12 only. In star hotels they charge up to Rs 20 per litre. In this study it is assumed that the product is sold in 1 litre bottles at Rs 7 only and 20-litre jars at Rs 60. Quality has to be statutorily as per BIS (ISI). The bottled water market is growing at a rapid rate of around 20% annually. The per capita consumption of bottled water in India is less than half a litre per year, compared to 111 litres in France and 45 litres in the US. This points to the high future growth potential of this industry. The capital investment for this project is as follows: Land 15 cents (6 ares) Land development, documentation etc. Buildings Plant and equipment May 31-June 30, 2012

Rs in lakh 15.00 5.00 30.00 26.00

16 Utilities 20 lit PET jars Vehicle Office equipment Preliminary and preoperative expenses Products launch Testing and certification expenses Contingency Provision Margin money for working capital Total project cost

5.00 2.00 5.00 2.00 2.00 5.00 2.50 3.50 7.00 110.00

Sources of finance Own funds Subsidy from Govt margin money loan from Govt Term Loan for fixed assets

25.50 5.00 2.50 77 .00

Working capital requirement Working capital loan

28.00 21.00

Profitability Installed capacity Annual production @ eight-hour shift x 300 days Rs in lakh Total sales revenue at 90% capacity

2000 lit/hr lakh lit.

. 225.72 Expenditure Raw materials and consumables Electricity, water etc (utilities) Direct labour Factory Overheads Depreciation Adm. Overheads Sales Overheads Total cost of sales Interest on term loan 9.63 Interest on WC loan Total Interest Total Expenses Profit before tax (operating profit) 49.70 Income tax Net Profit Gross profit as percentage of sales = 34.79 / 225.72 BEP IRR

111.67 2.11 9.55 13.40 7.29 9.58 10.16 163.76

2.63 12.26 176.02

offering a highly durable and surprisingly malleable material. WPC is made of a combination of low-cost cellulose filler (60% to 70%) and recycled thermoplastics (30% to 40%). The cellulose filler could be any form of wood byproducts like chips, sawdust or cellulose from plants in the form of rice husk etc. Builders, interior and exterior decorators and furniture manufacturers are embracing this magic material across India in a big way. Civic authorities are exploring ways of using WPC in parks and other public properties which should withstand the vagaries of both natural forces and human vandalism. The Railways too has shown interest in this composite. True to its form, WPC is resistant to moisture, rotting, cracking and splitting. It is highly durable and requires low maintenance. It is processed like plastic but behaves like wood. It can be manufactured out of scrap resources. Hence WPC is a 100% environment-friendly product by enabling recycling of plastics. Because of this it has high potential ahead. The market lies in climate-affected zones. This material, it appears, has been developed in China. There are thousands of factories there making WPC. Recently three or four companies have started manufacturing this material in India. This is an excellent substitute for wood and ceramic tiles. They are available in tile form and long sections of various cross sections. Floorings/decking and panelling of kitchen wardrobes look much superior in appearance, durability and insect resistance. Costwise WPC is about 50% costlier but about 50%70% cheaper than thermoplastics. But there is no need for painting and further maintenance for many years. Hence they are more economic in the long run. Ordinary tools used for wood working are sufficient to work with this material. Workers can easily be trained to wok with this material. The following Infrastructure is required:

14.91 34.79 = 7.15% 36% 37.6%

It is seen that if properly managed this is a highly profitable industry. (The author is a former General Manager of Kerala SIDCO and is presently Chief Consultant-Industrial Consultancy Services, Kochi, and visiting faculty member at the Indian Maritime University). Another novel project is:

5. Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) This is a service industry for interior decoration, decking, flooring, landscaping, furniture-making and the like, using wood plastic composite. Wood plastic composite is a comparatively new material to replace wood, tiles etc. As the name suggests, WPC combines the properties of wood and plastic

Rs. Lakhs Land- 10 cents,

10.00

Building â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Covered area 20x 8 m =160 sq.m.

10.00

Machinery and Equipments: Total

8.00 28.00

The cost of teakwood panelling is Rs 350/sft. Cost of WPC would be about Rs 525. If 10,000 sq ft. is planned/month the cost would be Rs 52.5 lakh. A profit of 10% can be expected, ie Rs 5.25 lakh a month.The applications of this material are many: Outdoor floor decking, railings (in staircase), fences, park benches, roofing/sheds, portable cabins, pallets, window and door frames, indoor panels, furniture, flooring, staircase, highway construction, railway sleepers, play areas, portable toilets, temp housing, prefab housing, playground equipment, site and leisure furniture, insulation and finish systems, gardens, chicken coops, automotive industry, building and construction etcIt appears that WPC is soon going to be the future material for all the above applications. So early entrants are likely to establish their footholds strongly.

Pro-Foods/Pro-Pack 2012 fair The 11th edition of Pro-Foods/Pro-Pack 2012 Exhibition is being organized by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA) and National Agri Business Council at SBMEC, Colombo, Sri Lanka, from July 6-8, 2012. Pro-Foods/Pro-Pack-2012 is the largest and most influential processed food, packaging, tyre-retreading and agri-businessrelated exhibition and is being held for the 11th consecutive year along with Agri-Biz. This event will not only greatly increase future business prospects of companies but create tremendous brand awareness along with incorporating events which are demand-oriented, according to Mr V Rajagopal,Chief Executive Officer, Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion. He adds that it will provide the perfect opportunity for Kerala-based companies to promote to the Sri Lankan market with its diverse range of food and services. It also provides a platform for the exhibitors to play a major role in stimulating brand value and marketing as a supplier of diverse food and packaging products. The Industries Department of the Government of Kerala is planning to put up a Kerala Pavilion at the event. Space will be given free of charge to registered units, provided a minimum of 15 companies confirm their participation before the deadline of May 25, says Mr Rajagopal. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Muthoot Finance gets Golden Peacock for CSR Leading gold loan company Muthoot Finance Ltd was presented with the prestigious Golden Peacock Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the year 2012 in Dubai, UAE, the other day. Mr M G George Muthoot, Chairman, The Muthoot Group, received the award from Mr Juma Al Majid, Chairman of Dubai Economic Council and founder Chairman of the Juma Al Majid Group. The dignitaries present included Mr Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, Lt Gen J S Ahluwalia, President, Institute Of Directors, Mr Saleh Janeeh, Chairman, Dubai Quality Group, and Mr Alexander M George, Director, The Muthoot Group Mr George Muthoot said, “The award reiterates our dedication to make a positive difference in the lives of the beneficiaries and society as a whole by integrating social and environmental concerns into our everyday busi-

ness operations. We will continue to enhance value creation to promote sustained growth for society and community.”

Passline News Service Vasan Dental Care, a part of the Golden Peacock Award recognizes the continuing commitment by business to conduct itself ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce, their families as well as of the local community and society. Muthoot Finance has aligned its business with CSR activities to provide a predictable and favourable climate for investment and trade.

Federal Bank profit Rs 777 crore Federal Bank, the fourth largest private sector bank in terms of branch network, registered a profit of Rs 776.79 crore for the year ended March 31, 2012, a growth rate of 32.31 %. The bank could deliver substantial growth in top line and bottom line despite the challenging macro environment.

Total income grew by 33.31% to Rs 6,091 crore and net interest margin (NIM) was at 3.79 %. Total deposits increased by 13.77% from Rs 43,014.78 crore to Rs 48,937.12 crore and advances by 18.16% from Rs 31,953.23 crore to Rs 37,755.99 crore. The board of directors recommended a dividend of Rs 9

per equity share of Rs 10 for the year, as against Rs 8.50 for the previous year, subject to approval by the shareholders. Planning to maintain and consolidate its leadership position and improve its reach and customer base, the bank which embarked on its transformation journey is well on its way to position itself as a national player with focus on SME and NRI clientele. Awards: The bank has won two awards within a span of three months for its achievements in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The first was the Global Social Responsibility Award for ‘Best Corporate Responsibility Practice overall’ and the second the Golden Peacock Award for Social Responsibility by a jury under the Chairmanship of Mr Justice P N Bhagavathi, former Chief Justice of India. It also won the international ACI Excellence Awards 2012 in the Payments Transformation category.

Ernst & Young signs MOU with Kinfra Ernst & Young Global Shared Services (GSS) Kerala is taking up 60,000 sq ft of built-up area at the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) Film and Video Park Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Thiruvananthapuram to improve the facilities of IT-enabled services. Kinfra and E&Y GSS Kerala signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to this effect recently. “Kerala is the only state which offers single-window clearance to industries, making it an ideal ground for companies such as E&Y to quickly start their activities in the SEZ. It is good to see global firms taking advantage of the excellent infrastructure and support we offer,” said Mr P.K Kunhalikutty, Industries and IT Minister. He said the Government was taking effective steps towards attracting investments to Kerala. According to Mr Tim Eddy, Global Vice-Chairman, E&Y GSS, the State Government has been able to take effective steps to attract investments. Opening a third facility for GSS Kerala was important to E&Y’s strategy, he said. “We already have highly-skilled professionals at our Kerala centre and this new facility will serve our growth needs very well, enabling us to expand to meet the increasing demand for our services,” he said. GSS Kerala is a wholly owned subsidiary of E&Y. It has a headcount of 1,254 and has facilities at Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram; and Infopark, Kochi. There are six GSS centres distributed across Bangalore, Gurgaon and Kerala in India, and in China, Poland and Argentina. GSS Kerala was set up in 2002 at Technopark. “Kerala has a large talent pool of IT resources, and we are keen to tap

Vasan launches dental care centres

Kinfra and E&Y GSS Kerala officials exchanging documents after signing the MOU.

it,” said Mr Binu Koshy, E&Y GSS Kerala leader. “Kinfra had a track record in mentoring a number of progressive enterprises to set up facilities in its industrial parks. Its Film and Video Park is no different but focuses on the infotainment business and has a unique advantage for the animation industry as it houses the first motion capture studio and proposes to set up an international animation school to train future animators”, said Mr S Ramanathan, Managing Director, Kinfra. This speaks volumes about the immense opportunities offered for successful partnerships to take root and flourish in an investor-friendly environment,” he said. Kinfra Film and Video Park is a fully owned subsidiary of Kinfra, a statutory body of the Government of Kerala established in 1993, aimed at developing industrial infrastructure in the state. The firm has successfully completed over the past 19 years 20 sector-specific industrial parks in Kerala. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Vasan Healthcare Group, has launched its new dental care centres at Kannur, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram. With this, Vasan has a total of 18 dental care centres in South India of which six are in Kerala, including the existing ones at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thrissur. There are three in Chennai, two in Hyderabad and one each in Trichy, Salem, Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Pondicherry. “The most important aspect of dental care is infection control. To prevent infection, we give more attention to ‘safe dental practices with zero microbe sterilization’. Our policy is to provide total care for every patient visiting our clinics. Patients across Kerala will now have all their dental care needs taken care of under one roof, at the same time”, said Dr Bhasker Rao, Chief Mentor and Medical Director of Vasan, at a media meet in Kochi recently. The comprehensive range of treatments offered by the centres includes specialities, laser dentistry, invisible orthodontics, implants, smile designing and aesthetic care, tooth whitening, child dentistry, preventive care, advanced gum care and senior citizen care. The group will be opening more centres in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other parts of the country taking the total to 30+ by the end of 2012. Dr Sreekanth Mallan, Consultant-Prosthodontist and Implantologist and Regional Director-Kerala; Mr P B Sunil Kumar, Director-Finance; Dr Winston George, Clinical Head, Kochi; Dr Jeff Chakola, Clinical Head, Thrissur; and Dr Terry Edathotty were also present at the function.

CSB raises FCNR deposit rates T he Catholic Syrian Bank has raised the interest rates on FCNR deposits between 0.75% and 1.75%. The maximum interest rate in US dollars is 4.11% and in euro 4.45% for the maturity period of 60 months. Rates for foreign currency deposits in British pound, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc and Australian dollar have also been increased. The interest rate increases are expected to result in significant inflow of foreign currency term deposits.

Youngsters develop novel tech product Spurred by a passion for innovation, a group of six young entrepreneurs from Kerala have scripted a uniquely successful story by creating an instant global inbound communication platform from their modest startup, Waybeo Technology Solutions, at Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. Minister Aryadan Mohammed addressing the ‘Interactive Session on Power Sector in Kerala’

Govt looking into industry’s power problems: Aryadan Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed said in Kochi the other day that he was aware of the power problems being faced by industry and that he was looking into them. Addressing an ‘Interactive Session on Power Sector in Kerala’, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Kerala, which he inaugurated, Mr Mohammed asked industrialists to consider alternative sources of power generation such as hydel and wind energy as he saw tremendous potential in these in the coming decade. Mr Umang Patodia, Chairman, Task Force on Power, CII Kerala State Council and Managing Director, Patspin India Ltd, brought to Mr Mohammed’s attention that there were many industrialists in the state who were willing to make large-scale investments in the power sector if there were more favourable, enticing and attractive conditions. Mr Patodia also spoke about the ever-rising employee costs of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) which have escalated by almost 400% in the past decade and suggested to the Minister that further hiring in KSEB be frozen. “There was also a suggestion from industrialists to transform KSEB into a company and commercialize its operations,” he said. Mr Patodia also stressed the importance of providing incentives to HT consumers for converting to EHT and asked KSEB to take steps to make this process hassle-free and quick for industrialists. Mr Najeeb Zackeria, on behalf of CREDAI, the builders’ association, asked the Minister to look into the matter of long delays in obtaining power connections for their projects. Mr V V Satyarajan, Chief Engineer, Distribution-Central, KSEB, agreed to look into the problems put forward by the members and provide feedback to the Minister. The objective of the session was to discuss the current power scenario in the state and highlight industry woes because of the recently introduced electricity reforms and restrictions imposed by KSE. It was held as a roadmap towards the upcoming ‘Emerging Kerala 2012—Biennial Global Connect.’ Managing Directors and CEOs of leading industries across Kerala took part in the session and interacted with the Minister. Some of the companies represented were Apollo Tyres, Carborundum, Harrisons Malayalam, Taj Hotels, Le Meridien, Sud Chemie, Binani Zinc, TVS & Sons, UST Global, Arbitron and Eastern. Nearly 300 investors and industrialists from Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts turned out at an Investors’ Meet held in Kochi the other day by Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and the District Industrial Council (DIC) as part of a build-up towards the ‘Emerging Kerala Meet 2012’ to be held from September 12-14. Members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), DIC, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Kerala Water Authority (KWA), Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC) and Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) were also present. Welcoming the gathering, Mr K G Ajithkumar, DGM, KSIDC, introduced the event planned as global connect, organized by the Kerala Government, with KSIDC being the nodal agency for it, and said the road shows conducted in Delhi and Mumbai were a huge success. Similar road shows would be conducted in other major cities like Chennai, Bangalore

True to its billing, their product BounzD—a live calling solution to generate inbound leads for businesses and the first such venture in the country— has instantly found a large number of takers, especially in the real estate and hospitality sector. As their cutting-edge solution, which has competition only from Europe even at the global turf, gets accolades from more and more customers and entrepreneurs, these six men from Kerala University have now set a revenue target of Rs 100 crore in the next four years. “Our story, like many other technical corporations with humble origins, started while most of us were still students of Kerala University. We started with a sheer passion for doing something on our own and the future ahead was of course uncertain. But the two years of entrepreneurial journey made us realize how we could contribute to society, the nation and humanity which coined our vision and goal for the next generation. Our synergies and hard work bore fruit and we have now an exciting technology product on our hand,’’ says Mr Bushairusalam A P, the Chief Executive of Waybeo.

mobile numbers with its unique validation system. This validation system ensures only relevant calls are being connected,’’ says Mr Bushairusalam. Waybeo Technology Solutions focusing on unified communication solutions to enterprises was set up in December 2009. It was incubated in Thiruvananthapuram Technopark in December 2010 after the team got R&D grant from the Department of Science and Technology. Looking to tap the global market, the company was registered in the United Kingdom and its global operations are now handled by its UK subsidiary. The product, which was launched in a modest way in September 2011, has already become a hit with 500 enterprises as customers within seven months. The clientele list includes Raintree Hotels,

“For example, a traveller from any part of the world looking for a hotel room in India does not need to send a mail or call from his mobile, or wait for days for a reply. With a click from the website of that particular hotel, he can get details and take a decision. If he does not have a mic in computer, the customer can drop his phone number and BounzD connects him to the sales team immediately by validating the

GRT, Spring Hotels, Mantri Group, Sahara Group and various Government organizations like Electronics Park of India. BounzD helped most of them to double the number of customers they were generating so far from the online channels. Recognitions too came in plenty within the short span of its journey. Awards like Red Herring Asia, DST Lockheed Martin and Nasscom CIO Select in Product Conclave 2011 and Award for IT excellence in Kerala are some of them. “For the businesses, BounzD is a proven platform in the realty, hospitality and service sectors. It helps hundreds of enterprises to communicate with their overseas and domestic customers instantly. The success of BounzD in the Kerala, Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore markets is evident from enterprises’ connectivity with overseas customers. Most of the enterprises have got their investment back in 120 days from the increased sales and customer satisfaction. The number of inbound calls increased by 400% in many enterprises like Heera Constructions, Mantri Group, Bangalore, and Sahara Group, Mumbai. It is the referrals given by our satisfied customers, which helped us to grow from 0 to 500 customers in seven months,” says Mr Shiv Shankar M S, Chief Marketing Officer. Apart from Bushair and Shiv, the others behind the success story are Nithun K V (Director, Wireless Communication), Krishnan R V Iyer (Chief Operating Officer), Bijoy B S (Chief Financial Officer) and Manu Dev (CHRM, Business Development.) With the leading enterprises going for the product, BounzD has generated 1,12,400 calls and 2,68,400 minutes of business communication till March 8, 2012.

Investors’ meet held

only through more interactive sessions with different Government agencies and better communication means,” he said. He also said the single window clearance scheme was functioning well in Ernakulam and it would be extended to other districts.

The BounzD platform helps the potential customers to get connects with enterprises through their web channels from any part of the globe. The web visitors who came across enterprise touch points like emails, websites, and online advertisements can now directly speak to the business instantly when the need to know more about the offers or services is at its peak. BounzD can be configured with existing call centre PBXs, PSTN numbers, CRMs and even online media like Gtalk and Skype and is compatible with any devices. “What makes it highly beneficial to those into ebusiness is that the visitor does not need an account, ID or phone to talk. One can speak while browsing through different options and provide a great level of convenience to the end customers. Moreover BounzD never passes the end customer’s data as it does not require data to operate. This helps the end customer to keep his credential private as long as he desires,’’ says Mr Bushairusalam.

and Hyderabad and also in major countries soon. Mr Shaji Sebastian, Kerala State Small Industries Association (KSSIA) President, said Kerala’s safe and secure climate was favourable for investment in all areas. “This can be taken advantage of

Mr T P Thomaskutty, Executive Director, KSIDC, presenting the core sectors for investment at the KSIDC’s Investors’ Meet held in Kochi. Mr Jose Kurian, Manager, KSIDC, Mr Ajithkumar, DGM, KSIDC, Mr Muhammad Kunju of DIC, and Mr Shaji Sebastian, President, KSSIA, are also seen. May 31-June 30, 2012 PASSLINE

Mr T P Thomaskutty, Executive Director, KSIDC, made detailed presentations on core sectors identified by the State Government. The major core sectors included IT & ITES, knowledge/education, tourism, food and agro-processing, ports, shipbuilding and logistics, healthcare services, energy including green energy and environment technologies, science and technology including biotechnology, nanotechnology and life sciences, infrastructure development including urban infrastructure (power, water, urban transportation and waste management), MSMEs and financial services. Over 200 project details have been published on the event’s website www.emergingkerala2012.org. Mr Jose Kurian, Manager, KSIDC, proposed a vote of thanks.

Fr Jose Aikara never asked anything in return from God Almighty for his warmth and wisdom, his caring and cautions, his advice to humanity and assistance to the poor and needy, but only His grace from above and he has received it abundantly even before he asked. founded De Paul International Residential School (DPIRS), Mysore, and in 2004 obtained his MBA from Pune University. In 2005 Rev Dr Aikara went to Tanzania and started two English-medium schools. In the same year he was elected to the office of the National Secretary-Treasurer, ASISC. He received another national award for his contribution et they that sow reap their fruits”. Rev Dr to the field of education from Union Human Resource Jose Aikara, the man behind the reputed institute Minister Kapil Sibal in 2009. He has been given a De Paul International Residential School (DPIRS) third term as ASISC National Secretary-Treasurer knows the real meaning of this passage. And that is till this year. He was the Associate President of ICSE the answer to all his accomplishments. Fr Jose Aikara schools and recently was elected Council Chairman never asked anything in return from God Almighty for of the ICSE Board. his warmth and wisdom, his caring and cautions, his advice to humanity and assistance to the poor It was during the summer of 2002 that Rev Dr and needy, but only His grace from above and he Aikara came to Brindavan of Mysore to start an inhas received it abundantly even before he asked. stitute which would be named after St Vincent De It was in the summer of 2001. Fr Aikara (for his Paul. He knows that history beckons DPIRS as his near and dear ones) came to Mysore on a mission. school prepares to break new grounds by entering He had taken along with him the greatest of weap- into a tie-up with GCSE (General Certificate of Secons of a social reformer, his morale, which had been ondary Education, Cambridge University) and thus gifted by the Almighty and sharpened and used by to house hundreds of young aspirants for whom education in India and abroad has become a passion as him for not less than three decades. well as an obsession. Born in an ancient and aristocratic family (Aikara) During the last decades of the 20thcentury in 1947 to A S Abraham and Mariamma Abraham, Fr Aikara was called to join His Royal Priesthood in Mysore witnessed a mysterious slumber in the field 1967. In 1977 he was ordained a priest of the Con- of education. This resurge in the education sector gregation of Mission (CM). In 1976 he obtained his was heralded through the birth of a different school of BD (Bachelor of Divinity) and in 1980 a BSc in Botany thought: DPIRS. The institute can be termed a centre from Loyola College, Chennai. After taking his of excellence where discipline and tradition matter.

master’s degree from Madras Christian College in 1982 he went to the North. He was destined to be the founder Principal of De Paul School, Berhampur, Orissa, in 1987. In 1988 he took his BEd from the University of Berhampur. The soft-spoken and sweetsmiling priest became a Doctor when the University of Berhampur awarded him a PhD in Botany (Photo Periodism) in 1994. In 1995 Rev Dr Aikara became the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association of Schools for Indian School Certificate (ASISC), Orissa, and in 1996 successfully completed his LLB from Berhampur University. In 1997, he got his name enrolled in the Orissa High Court, and the same year witnessed great accreditations being conferred on him. Again, in 1997, he received a national award in the field of education, was elected to the ICSE Board, Delhi, and also to the Standing Committee of the ISC and ICSE Examinations. Rev Dr Aikara became the Vice-President of ASISC National in 1998 and the same year became its National President. In 2000 he got a transfer from De Paul School, Berhampur, to Visakhapatnam.

De Paul International Residential School is located in the midst of a beautiful background. If you drive out of the City of Mysore and leisurely make your headway towards the Brindavan Gardens along the pucca road flanked by the arid paddy fields— harvested and to be gleaned—you will unwittingly be heading through some of the most picturesque landscapes of the city outskirts, spotted with the large manorial mansions and solitary farm houses with the winding country approach roads. It is quite sure that everyone will get attracted to the beauty of that mystic place. All will baffle your alacritous senses as to whether you have lost your way to DPIRS, but do not get mystified. You haven’t. At the Paper Mill Circle you will turn your wheels to your left on the Srirangapatna-Hunsur Road and suddenly start admiring the huge gateway of DPIRS where you will be cordially stopped for a few queries which are customary at any such centre of learning. You will soon be invited by a world of diverse fauna and flora: from the lippy lizards to the sparring sparrows and from the red-red roses to chic-choc cherries.

As you are on a stroll, touring the campus (a testing time for your fitness and stamina to tour the In 2001, Fr Aikara was appointed Provincial Su50 acres, of which playgrounds alone occupy 18 perior of the South Indian Province of the Congregaacres), you will presently be captivated by the scetion of Mission, a congregation of priests founded by th nic beauty of girdling gardens with bowers and founSt Vincent De Paul in the 17 century. In 2003 he PASSLINE

May May 31-June 31-June 30, 30, 2012 2012

tains, the Aquatic Centre (10-lane and half-Olympic size), the most modern state-of-the-art auditorium (the best in the city) and so on. The interactive classrooms (Smart Class Programme) of DPIRS have emerged as lively and active processing units. It marked the advent of an era where the students are not merely mute spectators but self-discovered power-houses ready to be commissioned. The unique eye-capturing quality of DPIRS is the space. There is a space for everyone and everything: a space to grow and to bloom; a space to forget and forgive; a space to cut the uncut and a space to break and make. The same space can be felt in the large classrooms, the sportive playgrounds, the aromatic refectory, the chirpy orchards, the homely dorms, the inviting library, the soothing nursing-room and the nostalgic corridors. This is a school where each of its students identifies that he/she is destined to occupy his/her space and to lead the world one day. Thus, DPIRS is a place which does always provide its children with a space to learn, unlearn and relearn. In all sense DPIRS is “A School of Different Thought”. Some of the academic and co-curricular features at DPIRS are: classes from KG to +2; ICSE and IGCSE up to Std X; ISC, GCE and PU for Std XI and XII; GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ level; TCL (Trinity College, London) Music; synthetic tennis courts; 400m track stadium; 4 concrete basketball courts; half-Olympic-size 10-lane swimming pool etc.The facilities provided there cannot be concluded in a mere words. “DPIRS is a different school of thought: an international school with a sheer Indian perspective and perhaps the only school with a teacher-student ratio of 1:5, says Rev Dr Aikara. De Paul is the alma mater of students hailing from more than 13 countries. The school monitors each of its students very closely in pursuit of their self-discovery: to be the “Lighted Ones to Lead the World”. Rev Dr Aikara, the great visionary, fully exploits the gravity of the situation in whatever he does. It’s a delight to work with him and observe him work: a rare combination of experience, maturity and authenticity. His voice has become the most trusted and powerful voice in the field of education in the recent years. The humble educational tycoon doesn’t have any false pride as far as what he is going to do. One will love to admire his simple, unassuming way of functioning well supported by his high EQ and soaring IQ. The school monitors each of its students very closely in pursuit of their self-discovery: to be the “Lighted Ones to Lead the World”. In fact, Fr Aikara’s list of accomplishments in bringing a paradigm shift to the lives of the poor and the needy and to the dispossessed and the unwanted— particularly in the notoriously dilapidated and crimeinfested suburbs of Orissa—would warrant our immediate appreciation and approval. He knows that he is playing the Good Samaritan when he wipes the tears from the pain-ridden ruts of the hapless cheeks. His slogan “Say what you can do and do what you say”, -Response Feature loudly proclaims who he is.

20 C K Menon is a role model for communal harmony. This is evidenced by some of his deeds. The most striking of these is the masjid he has built for his Muslim brethren at Nocholi in Kozhikode district, where 400 people can offer prayers at a time. It could very well be the first time after Cheraman Perumal in the late eighth century that a Hindu believer was getting a masjid built. Passline News Service

ecently Doha-based Indian expatriate businessman and social worker C K Menon was honoured by Doha International Center for interFaith Dialogue (DICID) for his outstanding contributions to the promotion of religious harmony in his native state of Kerala. What makes this honour unique and relevant is that no other Indian or other expatriate in Qatar has so far received a similar honour from any such recognized and respectable organization as DICID. Menon is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Behzad Group of Companies with headquarters in Doha, Qatar. When he joined Behzad Transports, the company had owned a fleet of 450 lorries of which 200, along with their drivers, were remaining idle because, he soon found, they needed minor repairs. It was here that he put to good effect his knowledge of vehicles and also his intelligence by suggesting that either the company sell all the 200 unused ones or demolish 50 of them and use their parts to repair the other 150. The owner chose the latter suggestion and, to his great surprise and satisfaction, the 150 vehicles which were repaired were soon back on the roads and the company back on profit.

C K Menon

After a few years with the company, its owner, Ali Hussein Behzad, wanted to sell it and asked Menon if he was interested in buying it. He was of course interested but had no money to pay. The owner consented to being paid in instalments as he had by now cultivated great trust in Menon. Retaining the name Behzad (meaning ‘money’) Menon began to build the company. Although he seemingly found his niche, it took a keen marketing sense to expand it successfully. Menon could do this. With many areas covered, he methodically started adding to his fleet, the company’s focus being on fuel transportation by land and sea. Menon has also entered the steel manufacturing sector. Today he has built his group into a Rs 4,000-crore-a-year conglomerate, his commercial involvement stretching from Qatar to the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South America, the US and the UK. The group employs 2,000 people, almost 95% of them Keralites, and the rest mainly Sri Lankans and Nepalese. His keen marketing sense, business acumen and ingenuity were evident in his 1994 takeover of a loss-making bakery, Oriental, in Doha. It was of 40 years’ standing employing 400 people and working 24 hours a day. It is now the biggest of its kind in Qatar. His wife Jaya (Jayasree Menon) is his constant companion and support. Menon has three children—two daughters and a son. Anjana and Sreeranjini, the daughters, are married to doctors. The husband of the elder one now looks after the group’s steel fabricating unit getting ready in Sudan. Jayakrishnan, the son, had his engineering education in the UK and is involved in Menon’s business. A philanthropist who believes that charity is not being merciful to the less fortunate, but is their right, he earmarks 2.5% of the net profit of his companies for ‘sakkat’ (help or money given to poor people). He built and handed over 100 houses to the slum-dwellers of his birthplace Thrissur some time ago. He has played a major role in constructing houses in the ‘Laksham Veedu’ (one lakh houses) Colony at Puthupally and the M N ‘Laksham Veedu’ restoration project announced by the Government of Kerala. Menon is the patron of ‘Adarsh’, a model institution that

Former Indian President Abdul Kalam honouring C K Menon at the Pravasi Sangamam.

Menon with former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Menon receiving the Padma Shri title from President Pratibha Patil.

21 epitomizes compassion and love. Children from various religions are studying at this charitable venture functioning at Thrippunithura, Kochi. ‘Adarsh’ is dedicated to the rehabilitation of children having symptoms of cerebral palsy and other motor-sensory childhood development disorders like autism, on purely charitable basis.

new bypass junction in Changanassery. Besides he is deeply involved in the establishment of the School of Bhagavat Gita at Thiruvananthapuram.

That he is a role model for communal harmony is evidenced by some of his deeds. The most striking of these is the masjid he has built for his Muslim brethren at Nocholi i n Kozhikode district, where 400 people can ofJayasree Menon fer prayers at a time. It could very well be the first time after Cheraman Perumal in the late eighth century that a Hindu believer was getting a masjid built.

Numerous awards and positions have come his way for his contributions to society. In 2009 the Government of India bestowed on him one of the country’s highest civilian titles, Padma Shri, in recognition of his charitable and social activities. In 2006 he had won the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman of the Union Government. He has also an Honorary Membership of Rotarian conferred on him. Menon is a Director of the Kerala Government’s expatriates’ welfare association, NORKA-ROOTS, and a Director of Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (INKEL), set up by the Kerala Government in 2007 for the development of infrastructure in the State. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has nominated Menon as a member of the Board of Trustees of the India Development Foundation on a directive from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The foundation is a non-profitable trust to channelize philanthropic activities by overseas Indians. He is also a Director of Jai Hind TV and Symphony TV in addition to his directorship of a number of educational institutions in Kerala and outside. A notable recognition is his nomination as Vice-Chairman of Al Barakah Financial Services Limited, a joint-venture financial institution formed by the Kerala Government with private-sector participation.

Menon has also erected a life-size statue in memory of Sister Alfonsa, the first Catholic saint from India, at the

Despite being a ‘world citizen’— he holds visas for the UAE, US, UK, Kuwait and Saudi

Menon meeting The Emir at a reception hosted by Indian President Pratibha Patil in honour of HH The Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, HH Sheikha Mozahbint Nasser and their delegation in New Delhi.

Menon receiving the DICID Award from Dr Ibrahim Saleh al Naimi, Chairman of DICID.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy presenting a replica of the masjid to Menon.

C K Menon has also entered the steel manufacturing sector. Today he has built his group into a Rs 4,000-crore-a-year conglomerate, his commercial involvement stretching from Qatar to the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South America, the US and the UK. The group employs 2,000 people, almost 95% of them Keralites, and the rest mainly Sri Lankans and Nepalese. His keen marketing sense, business acumen and ingenuity were evident in his 1994 takeover of a loss-making bakery, Oriental, in Doha. It was of 40 years’ standing employing 400 people and working 24 hours a day. It is now the biggest of its kind in Qatar. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Arabia, besides Qatar—Menon is essentially an out-and-out Keralite, rooted to the state’s soil. Another of his projects for the state is a Rs 250crore five-star hotel, coming up soon at Edappally bypass, Kochi. This remarkable man, perhaps, owns the largest chain of companies among Keralite entrepreneurs. Apart from these he holds many positions in public like member of the Board of Trustees for India Development Foundation (IDF), governed by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs; Director of Modern Indian School (a Delhi public school), Doha; Chairman, Bhavan’s Public School, Doha; Director, Gurukul School, Thiruvanantha puram; Founder Partner, Sree Narayana Educational Trust School, Thrissur; Founder Member, Adi Sankara Charitable Trust, Thrissur; Director, Jai Hind Television Channel; and Director, Symphony TV, Thiruvanantha puram. Socio-cultural activities: Patron, Thrissur Jilla Souhreda Vedi, Doha, affiliated to the Indian Embassy; Patron, Qatar Malayali Samajam, Doha, affiliated to the Indian Embassy; Patron, Kerala Socio-cultural Association, Doha; Patron, ‘INCAS’, Doha, affiliated to the Indian Embassy; Life Member, Indian Cultural Centre, Doha (under the Indian Embassy); Life Member, Indian Community Benevolent Fund, Doha (under the Indian Embassy). The respect with which the Qatari and Indian governments treat Menon can be seen from the fact that he was the only Indian from Qatar and one of the two Indian entrepreneurs from the whole of the GCC region (the other being Yusuf Ali M A, Managing Director of Abu Dhabiheadquartered Emke Group) who attended the reception hosted by President Pratibha Patil in honour of H H The Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa alThani, H H Sheikha Mozahbint Nasser and a delegation from Qatar when they visited New Delhi recently to sign a number of important agreements between the two countries. In a speech at the function, Menon hailed the initiatives being taken by Qatar and India to strengthen their relationships. Menon also felt that the three-day tour of the Qatari leader had given both the countries an opportunity to understand each other’s requirements better, and would identify and explore opportunities in more areas in future. Menon also hailed the statement of H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Qatar Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, describing India as a ‘strategic partner’ of Qatar. The following are Menon’s companies: Behzad Transports, Doha; Oriental Bakery, Doha; Behzad Information Technology; Dubai; Behzad Fuels UK Ltd; United Kingdom; Sowparnika Group, Kochi; Ali Bin Naser Al Misnad Transport & Trdg W L L, Doha; Behzad International Transport Co, Kuwait; Behzad Petroleum Services Est, Jubail KSA; Behzad Steel & Engg Ltd, Sudan; Behzad Transport, Kochi; Ali Bin Naser Al Misnad Steel, Kochi. -Response Feature

22 Passline News Service

P Abdul Hameed landed in Doha, Qatar, in 1967 and within seven days of his arrival secured a job with Jaidah Motors and Trading as Secretary to its Managing Director until he moved to Ahmed Hussain Ahmed Khalf Trading Company to work in its Sales Department in 1971. It was at this time that the idea of starting a business occurred to him. The plan was to launch a business of his own in partnership with his brother-in-law, A K Usman, who had arrived in Doha earlier. It was the car rental business that the duo started—in 1971. At that time, the very concept of hiring cars was novel to Qatar. The few cars that were seen on the roads were either owned by affluent Qataris or by companies that had a presence in the country. The first vehicle that they rented out was a hired one, a Buick. Today Al Muftah Rent A Car, the firm Hameed and Usman launched and which had such a humble and modest beginning, has grown into one of great reputation in the whole of Qatar. Indeed they have created one of the most successful businesses of the kind in not just the Gulf states but in the whole world with more than 2,000 vehicles—luxury cars, passenger cars, buses and others—in their kitty. Born on June 15, 1938, in the small village of Ochannur, Vadakkekkad, in Thrissur, as the second son of K P Moidunny Master, a school Headmaster, and Chekkayumma, Hameed graduated from Government Victoria College, Palakkad. He worked in the Kerala Government’s Forest Department from 1956 to 1961 and in Lakshadweep from 1961 to 1967. It was after his marriage to Amina, a gold medalist in secondary education from Puthumanassery, Pavaratty, also Thrissur, that he was advised, rather forced, by Usman, who is his wife’s brother, to try his hand at getting a job in the Gulf. Hameed suc-

As a Malayalee who has lived for nearly half a century in Qatar, Usman has bagged the Gulf media’s ACTS Award. He is actively involved in socio-cultural and philanthropic activities in the Gulf and is the founder and Vice-President of the Indian Cultural Centre, ICBF Vice-President, MES Vice-President, IES Director, Thrissur Sal Sabeel International School ViceChairman, Pavaratty Sir Sayyid English Medium School Director, SAFI Director and Thrissur-based Majlis Qatar Chapter President. Usman’s dream project is the International Convention Centre and residential villa project in Thrissur. His wife is M T Khadeeja from Elamangalam in Malappuram. Al Rafa Polyclinic Dermatology MD Dr Fuwad Usman, Al Muftah Rent A Car AGM Ziad Usman and Hamad Medical College neurologist Dr K P Najeeb’s wife Fouzia Usman are his children.

The vision Q In line with its vision to expand to the GCC nations, Al Muftah Rent A Car set up its first branch outside Qatar in Bahrain in January 2012.

Al Muftah Rent A Car currently operates from five branches within Qatar and is set to open two more branches by the end of the year. Q

Q It recently received the 2012 MENA Travel Award for being the Best Local Brand Car Rental Company.

Today Al Muftah Rent A Car, the firm Hameed and Usman launched and which had such a humble and modest beginning, has grown into one of great reputation in the whole of Qatar. Indeed they have created one of the most successful businesses of the kind in not just the Gulf states but in the whole world with more than 2,000 vehicles—cars, buses and others—in their kitty. cumbed to Usman’s coercion and landed in Doha in 1967, after a week’s journey by ship. Qatar was then almost a barren land, a typical desert. There were hardly any buildings in the areas where now stand palatial constructions. Roads were few and far between, and whatever existed were in very bad condition. However he quickly recovered from that early shock, and picked up the job with Jaidah Motors and then Ahmed Hussain Ahmed Khalf Trading Company. Hameed and Usman now guide the fortunes of Al Muftah Services and Rent A Car as its Managing Director and business partner respectively. The company also has interests in real estate and auto and building maintenance. It was to meet the growing demand for office and residential accommodation with the influx of more and more expatriate residents that Al Muftah launched its General Services and Real Estate Division in 1971. The Al Muftah Transport Division specializes in goods moving services for householders as well as commercial establishments. The division’s responsibility begins with packaging the goods carefully in boxes and special crates, sealing them to ensure safety of the contents in transit and transporting them to the new location. The division, working virtually round the clock, can do the packing and moving any time convenient for the customers before or after working hours and even on holidays. For people leaving Qatar for good for their home countries, Al Muftah has arrangements with international cargo movers to deliver consignments overseas. The company also rents out luxury coaches with different passenger capacities. With more than 1,000 people working in its various divisions, Al Muftah’s HRM style has ensured that there are no employer-employee conflicts, with flexible working hours, periodic incentives and gifts and a congenial working environment which ensure that the staff are committed to the success of the company. The company has won a number of laurels, including the MENA Travels Award for four consecutive years from 2006 and the Trade Leaders’ Award and the International Quality Crown Award, London. It is also the first ISO-certified car rental company in Qatar. Hameed rates his marriage to Amina as a turning point in his life and feels that his success is due to the support he got from his partner, besides, of course, to the Almighty’s blessings. The Hameed-Amina couple has two sons. The elder, Dr Najeeb, is a paediatrician with Hamad Medical Corporation and is married to Fouzia, a master’s in Economics and daughter of Hameed’s brother-in-law and business partner Usman. The second son Fazil, married to Abida, a computer science engineer and granddaughter of Thangal Kunju Mussaliar, Kollam, assists him in his business. Hameed sees the world getting over the lean days, and Qatar establishing itself as a booming economy in which tourism will be a major activity. A car rental company could hardly ask for anything better than that. He is the founder of the M E S Indian School, Doha, founded in 1974. It is the first Indian school in Qatar and the largest expatriate one. Besides, it is also the PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

A K Usman

Fazil Hameed

Fazil Hameed, K P Abdul Hameed and A K Usman with the Quality Crown Award 2008, London.

first ISO 9001-2008-certified educational institution in the country with 10,000 students, 450 teachers and 300 non-teaching staff. The school provides quality education for children of the Indian community in Qatar. Director of Al Rafa Polyclinic, Doha, Hameed plays an active role in society, including being President of the ICBF, Doha, and Advisory Member of the Indian Cultural Centre and the Malayalee Samajam, Doha, and the Chairman of CIGI, Qatar Chapter etc. He is also associated with several other educational institutions in Thrissur and Kozhikode. Among these stands out the Sal Sabeel Central School at Mundur, Peramangalam, Thrissur, of which he is the Chairman. The school has produced 100% results for the Plus II exams. Situated on a 12-acre site amidst idyllic and tranquil surroundings, it is full of greenery and is a veritable Shantiniketan. The plan is to develop it into a residential school and it is targeted at attracting children of NRKs.

Abdul Hameed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

A founder-member of nearby IES Residential Public School, IES College of Engineering and Technology and IES College of Training as also of ICA High School and College, Vadakkekkad, Thrissur, he is the Vice-Chairman of Horizon International School in Kozhikode. Today Al Muftah Rent A Car, the firm Hameed and Usman launched, has become the number one establishment in Qatar and both live like brothers. As a Malayalee who has lived for nearly half a century in Qatar, Usman has bagged the Gulf media’s ACTS Award. He is active in

Hameed is the founder of the M E S Indian School, Doha, founded in 1974. It is the first Indian school Ziad Usman in Qatar and the largest expatriate one. Besides, it is also the first ISO 9001-2008-certified educational institution in the country with 10,000 students, 450 teachers and 300 non-teaching staff. The school provides quality education for children of the Indian community in Qatar. Hameed is the Director of Al Rafa Polyclinic, Doha, besides playing an active role in society, including being President of the ICBF, Doha, and Advisory Member of the Indian Cultural Centre and the Malayalee Samajam, K P Abdul Hameed Doha, and the Chairman of CIGI, Qatar Chapter etc.

Hameed and Usman receiving France’s 5 Continental Award for quality and excellence

Usman receiving the Award for Best Services in the Educational Field from K P Rajendran

socio-cultural and philanthropic activities in the Gulf and is the founder and Vice-President of the Indian Cultural Centre, ICBF VicePresident, MES Vice-President, IES Director, Thrissur Sal Sabeel International School ViceChairman, Pavaratty Sir Sayyid English Medium School Director, SAFI Director and Thrissurbased Majlis Qatar Chapter President. The dream project of AK, as Usman is fondly called by his numerous friends and associates, is the international Convention Centre and residential villa project in Thrissur.

Abdul Hameed with painter M F Hussain

Usman’s wife is M T Khadeeja from Elamangalam in Malappuram. Al Rafa Polyclinic Dermatology MD Dr Fuwad Usman, Al Muftah Rent A Car AGM Ziad Usman and Hamad Medical College neurologist Dr K P Najeeb’s wife Fouzia Usman are his children. -Response Feature

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The President of Mauritius giving away the NRI Excellence Award to Hameed

Jiju

Raju

Passline News Service

he story dates back more than two decades. In 1990 T D Ouseph started a venture named ‘Emmanuval Sarees’ at Mannampetta, a small town near Thrissur. The enterprise was launched on the principle, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’ For the past 22 years it has truly lived up to this ideal. From a little enterprise in the Thrissur suburb, the Emmanuval Group has now emerged as a giant in Kerala’s textile business sector. It was Ouseph, now no more, and his wife Annie who built the strong foundation on which Emmanuval has flourished over the years. After the death of Ouseph, it was managed by the second generation comprising four brothers—-T O Shaju, T O Byju, T O Raju and T O Jiju. Initially, the enterprise had focused on wholesale business but today it has full-fledged massive showrooms. The textile giant spreads across three districts in Kerala—Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam—and is planning to open showrooms at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram soon. “We are just ordinary people; therefore we know the needs and tastes of the common people. Our ultimate goal is to provide worldclass stuff and service to our clients at affordable prices. This has been our mission as well as challenge. By the grace of God we have been able to accomplish this,” says T O Byju, Managing Partner. Over the years, as business grew so did the number of concerns under the group. Currently, it runs six ventures. Emmanuval hit the headlines recently when its Kochi outlet was inaugurated by Bollywood icon Shahrukh Khan. The five-lakh-sq-ft showroom, said to be the biggest in the world, was the major milestone in its history. Inauguration of its Kottayam showroom by Tollywood star Allu Arjun too made waves recently. Emmanuval is famous for its dealings with customers. This has given it an edge over the competition. “We believe in the principle that our clients are the stars. We are obliged to provide first-class service to them. We employ experienced human resource professionals to serve our clients and provide decent remuneration packages to our staff. And at Emmanuval there are numerous measures for staff welfare,” says Byju.

Byju

Shaju

Emmanuval has on offer a wide and wonderful range of apparel collection to satisfy all classes of people. It has established itself as the leading distributor of world-class brands like Levis, Lee, John Noble, Pan America, Zodiac, and Peter England. The finery at the showroom is categorized into nine sections—Kasavu Club, Men’s Club, Royal Club, Fashion Club, Wedding Club, Celebration Club, Readywear Club, Season Club and Kids’ Club. One can select the outfits of one’s taste from these sections of seamless varieties and fashions. Kasavu Club presents the grandeur of silk in a thousand shades. Each piece of apparel is gently woven with the finest silks in the world, with golden threads one can only marvel at. Men’s Club is an exclusive segment which is the finest interpretation of manly attitudes. Emmanuval offers a breathtaking collection in formal and casual ready-to-wear suiting, shirting, sherwanis, kurtas and anything a man of taste looks for. Royal Club is a majestic array of six-yard wonders from all over India and presents a beautiful range of sarees. Fashion Club is an epitome of measureless varieties of designer wear and branded wear giving wings to the fashion concepts of one and all while Celebration Club embodies a rich array of embroidered sarees from which you would find the one you always cherished to possess. When the glittering bells chime for

The brothers with their mother and wives and children PASSLINE

May May31-June 31-June30, 30,2012 2012

that special day, the one and only special occasion of your life, visit the Wedding Club to discover the prince and princess in you with the collection of the finest wedding wear. The Ready Wear Club and Season Club are yet other segments of the shop. The Kids’ Club is a colourful world of kidswear—stylish frocks, suites, capris, tops, skirts and shorts where you might even think like fashion does more with kidswear than with grown-ups. The growth of Emmanuval has been surprising. It is today giving new dimensions to the fashion sense of Keralites. According to Byju, it is the unity among the brothers that has helped it reach the position it occupies now. “It was our father who taught us the power of unity. Without unity you will reach nowhere. Our father instilled in us good virtues and taught us not to cheat anyone and not to be cheated by anyone. Hard work, first-class service, variety collection and affordable price—together they contribute to our achievement,” says Byju. It is not a small deal to manage a business of such magnitude that spreads across the state. It is here that the sheer ability and devotion of the Emmanuval brothers come to the fore. The elder one, Shaju, heads the Purchase Department while Byju deals with Finance and Publicity. Raju looks after Staff Welfare and Jiju handles the Administration Department.

Nalina Poduval

A tale of triumph E

nthusiasm personified. No other expression could better define Mrs Nalina Poduval. A veteran entrepreneur in the travel and tourism domain, she runs Kerala’s largest tour operating agency—GNS Leisure Travels. It was during the peak time that PASSLINE met her at her office. Busy answering telephone calls, dealing with clients and talking to some personally, Nalina found time to describe her pivotal role in the venture. The half-an-hour chat with her was indeed interesting and inspiring. What does the acronym GNS stand for? We couldn’t help asking her. “The letter ‘G’ stands for Guru, the teacher, ‘N’ for And, and ‘S’ for Sakthi or strength. It is the knowledge that we acquired from our teachers that makes us able and competent. You will reach nowhere without a teacher to enlighten you. One virtue I deeply believe in is our own strength. We have got immense power within us to fight against problems and come up successfully. Nurturing our own strength will make us mightier to face the world,” says Nalina. It has been 35 years since she entered the realm of travel and tourism. At the tender age of 16 she stepped into her career in a tour operating agency in Mumbai. The part-time job that she did for about four years taught her the basic lessons in the service industry. GNS took its birth under the leadership of Nalina in 2002. Her experience of more than two decades was her investment and now her efforts are bearing fruit. “It was my practical knowledge about the field that has made me thrive throughout these years. You ought to be very familiar with the world around to flourish in this particular sphere. Without firsthand knowledge of the tourist spots you cannot serve your clients well. Many tour operators today lack the correct idea of the process involved in setting up a tour package. To be competent in the field, one must have travelling experience, visa experience and place experience; else it will badly affect the service you provide,” says Nalina. This clarity in thought and service makes GNS different from other firms.

NRI Sangamam Kuttikkanam 2012

he World Malayalee Council is providing a rare platform for its members to meet and exchange views and thoughts and thereby foster bonding among them. Named ‘Sangamam’, the event will be conducted in the midst of lush green tea plantations and hill stations at Kuttikkanam of Idukki district. The tentative dates fixed for the meet are August 10, 11 and 12 this year. Unlike other NRI festivals, the Kuttikkanam event will focus more on the entertainment aspect. The organizers hope that it will be a feast for women and children. The programmes are designed in such a way as to entertain audiences of all age groups. Women can learn and share recipes and cooking tips during the cooking session. A yoga session and t’ai chi ch’uan (a Chinese system of exercises) by Anna Bella Mazaro will be exciting parts of this family fest. Shopping in and around hill stations at concessional rates and sightseeing in luxurious cars are other exciting offers for families. Seminars on timely and relevant topics like housing and investment opportunities will also be held. About 300 families from 20-25 countries are expected to participate since it is Onam eve. Accommodation will be arranged in high-class resorts in and around Peerumedu and Kuttikkanam areas. The tariff ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,500 per room.

GNS organizes holiday packages to destinations all over the world, and also operates inbound tours in Kerala. It is also a specialist in incentive tours, trade fair tours and conference tours and operates trips to the UK, the US, China, Thailand, Singapore and many other foreign countries along with Indian tours. Nalina who is the backbone of the endeavour is quite aware of the possible challenges she has to face. She says: “I have to confront many problems in the business. It is sad that Keralites are still ignorant of the problems of this industry. On many occasions things go out of our control. Sometimes a foreign country may increase its service tax or airport tax. Once the payment is made, people are reluctant to pay the difference. Many hesitate to settle the second-time tax payment. Thus the company will be forced to meet the unexpected increase in the tax.” The success of GNS is largely due to its special features. The tours are professionally managed and GNS provides experienced multilingual professional Malayalee tour managers to escort the groups. GNS selects the best hotels, best sightseeing and best services for its clients. Buffet breakfast and Indian lunches and dinners are arranged at the finest Indian restaurants. Thus it is happy and fear-free trips to the clients’ dream places. It is the personal relationships she maintains with her clients that make her a unique entrepreneur. Her passion for what she does makes her incredibly energetic. “It is your responsibility to provide quality service. If you fail, it will harm the interests of the clients. This is a field which demands great involvement and sacrifice. Often I have to work round the clock as I have to deal with my clients abroad. I have to answer their calls and enquiries day and night in addition to our usual work. You need to have a lot of patience too. One must be both enthusiastic and anxious to come up in one’s career.” says Nalina. She has bagged many awards for excellence in the industry. She received the ‘Sancharam Award’ in 2008. In 2007 she was given the Rotary International Convention Award for Best Performance in the field. Born in the small village of Cheruvathur in the north Malabar district of Kasargod, Nalina is presently a member of the World Malayalee Council (WMC) and a former President of its Women’s Forum. PASSLINE

May May31-June 31-June30, 30,2012 2012

heril Krishna Menon, popularly known as C K Menon, arrived in Doha, Qatar, in 1978 in search of a job. He had to leave his native town of Thrissur as the business he was running, a bus service, had suffered a setback. In Doha he had neither friends nor acquaintances and managed to get accommodation with a group of 20 men, all strangers. After a few days he landed a job, “nothing better than that of a labourer”. Fate however had willed something better for Menon as, later, he joined Behzad Transports, a company owned by a Pakistani. In no time Menon earned the confidence of Behzad, after whom the company had been named. And when Behzad decided to sell his company he asked Menon if he was interested in buying it. He was of course interested, but had no money to pay. Behzad consented to being paid in instalments and Menon became the owner of a company which had a fleet of about 500 lorries. Today the Behzad Group (Menon retained the original name) is a conglomerate employing more than 4,000 people and having interests in many other sectors besides logistics. A great philanthropist and a wonderful human being, Menon is a highly respected person not only in Qatar but in India too. Lakhs of ambitious Keralites have moved overseas for decades, some welleducated, some only eager to change their miserable fate at home. It was in 1965 that A K Usman, also from Thrissur district, came to, again, Qatar. Two years later his brother-in-law K P Abdul Hameed also joined him. In 1971 an idea occurred to both—of starting a venture of their own and they launched Al Muftah Rent A Car. The beginning was humble and modest but their firm has since grown into one of great repute in the whole of Qatar. Indeed

PASSLINE

they have created one of the most successful businesses of the kind in not just the Gulf states but in the whole world, which more than 2,000 vehicles—luxury cars and buses and others. As a man who has lived in Qatar for about half a century, Usman, fondly referred to as ‘AK’ by his numerous friends and acquaintances, recently bagged the Gulf media’s ACTS Award. He is today actively involved in socio-cultural and philanthropic activities in the Gulf and associated with several Indian associations there and institutions back home. Not all of these pioneers are entrepreneurs. There are MBAs, MScs, MComs and BTechs who work in companies, many holding high positions. These enterprising men and women, who do their native land proud, have become or are becoming big in the midst of challenges. They have had to work tremendously hard. But with their ideas for delivering products and services that were previously unavailable and the drive to make them a reality, doors opened quickly to them. It is stories like these that inspire people and goad others on to follow them. It is such stories that are printed below. Only a small percentage of expatriates will likely spend their whole lives abroad. First the locals are learning things. Secondly they are deeply attached to their native state and desire to be back home—they miss their state and want to do something for it. Many would like to transfer their skill and knowledge to their home state. They want their children to grow up in Kerala. Read on their stories from next page.

May May31-June 31-June30, 30,2012 2012

27 GEORGE M KAKKANATT

DR SEBASTIAN DEVASIYA ASIANANDA

A socio-political leader

For building up India

A psychotherapist, practising psychiatry in Houston Metro area, US, Captain George Kakkanatt is the CEO of Georgian Health Concepts, a healthcare organization providing services in different areas in behavioural health. He had also served as a Captain of the United States Air Force. Hailing from Kallooppara, Tiruvalla, he is an MA (Literature) and MSW and later enrolled for PhD in Clinical Psychology. Very active in the socio-political arena in the US, he has organized, conducted and led many activities. A Board-certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, he is the World Malayalee Council’s Global General Secretary and is a former Chairman for Houston Province and Chairman of the WMC’s World Malayalee Business Directory and Mail. He had also held the position of Global Vice-President Administration of WMC and of General Secretary, Pushpagiri Medical Foundation. Azhchavattom, the

national news weekly of Malayalees in the US, is brought out under the chief editorship of George. A founder member of the Board of Directors, American Association of Indian Social Workers (AAISW), a founding member and first Regional Secretary, WMC America Region, George is the recipient of several awards and recognitions for his outstanding service in the field of professional and community activities. George thinks that Kerala has great potential for development, but has inherent and intricate hurdles to overcome. He believes that even though Kerala has got many strong points like human resources, culture and religious harmony, the weak points like laziness, unwillingness to change, political interventions etc hinder its development. People everywhere easily adapt to changes and that is the core point of development and growth. He resides in Sugar Land with his wife Sally and children Rejoy, Richie and Renji.

Dr Sebastian Devasiya Asiananda, Professor of Philosophy at Intercultural Open University, Netherlands, and holder of its ‘Sri Aurobindo Chair for Human Unity’, obtained his PhD from Calicut University on ‘Indian Writings in English’ and DrPhil from Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany, on ‘US-South Asian Relations 1942-1963’. He was Lecturer (1972-92) at a German technical university, Fachhochschule, Bocholt. Asiananda’s encounter with Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 moved him to dedicate his life to India’s service: “building up the India of our dreams…in a nonviolent and nuclear-free world”. He moved to New Delhi in 1991. His arrival at the Mumbai airport on May 21 at 10.30 pm happened to coincide with the news of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. After that he devoted himself to serious writing: Whither India? Whither Human Future?? (1995); Redefining Indian History—on the Millennium Paradigm of Bharatiyata (1999); Nuclear Subcontinent—Calling for a Confederative Remaking of United Nations (2000), co-authored with Prof Jan R Hakemulder, Chancellor of the Intercultural Open University (Netherlands); Healing the Subcontinent—an Indepth Psychoanalysis of Partition and Kashmir, co-authored with Prof V T Patil, the then Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University (2002), and A Corrective Reading of Indian History—Jinnah (2005).

DR THOMAS ABRAHAM

GOPALA PILLAI

Addresses global Indians’ agenda

Love for social service

While India has a population of over one billion, Greater India (‘GI’ in geographical sense) consisting of People of Indian Origin (PIO) living outside Indian borders has 22 million. India’s GDP (wealth) is $850 billion but the total wealth held by the 22 million PIOs in other countries is much more, an estimate putting it at $1,000 billion. Obviously, this is because the PIO population includes people like Lakshmi Mittal, Lord Swraj Paul etc. It is to this numerically smaller but richer Greater India that GOPIO, established in 1989 by Dr Thomas Abraham, addresses its agenda of the global Indians networking together, and enriching themselves, India and the world. Today a number of Indian urban centres have GOPIO units. Two years ago, President Pratibha Patil conferred India’s prestigious Pravasi Award on Dr Thomas Abraham, along with Dr Joy Cherian of the US. It is Dr Thomas Abraham who perceived the need for creating a global network of PIOs first, an initiative comparable with the one of Mahatma Gandhi in forming the African Indian Congress for the PIOs of Indian origin in his time in South Africa. And it is not mere coincidence that the initial work of GOPIO related to human right violations affecting Indians in Fiji in 1990 and later involved the holding of an international conference on human rights in November 2004 in New York. It is for this historic and visionary initiative that Dr Thomas Abraham transforms himself into a parental figure of the Greater India and Greater Indians. GOPIO has today units in 19 countries and 25 chapters in various urban centres. The scope for its further growth is great considering other countries in which it has still to establish its presence. After giving the global umbrella of GOPIO to the PIOs, Dr Thomas Abraham provided numerous other avenues for the people of Indian origin such as Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Centre (1993); Jagdish Bhagwati Chair for Indian Political Economy at Columbia University (19922000); National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens (NIAASC) (1998); South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) (2000) and The Indus Nanotechnology Association (TINA) (2007). Before establishing GOPIO, Dr Thomas Abraham had started the Federation of Indian Association (FIA) of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in 1977 and the National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA) in 1980. PASSLINE

The spirit of doing something good for society is ingrained in Gopala Pillai’s blood. This is not surprising because the former World Malayalee Council (WMC) Global President’s love for social activities started at an early age when he was a schoolboy through the All-Kerala Balajana Sakhyam. It is no wonder, again, that he later came to occupy positions that would be the envy of many. Though he successfully manages an own home healthcare agency in Dallas, Texas, in the US, Pillai is associated with a legion of organizations there. Born and brought up at Thekkemala, Kozhenchery, Pillai graduated in Economics from Dayal Singh College and in Journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, both in Delhi. Later he took a degree in Computer Science from Wayne State, Detroit, Michigan, US. Gopala Pillai came to the US in 1975. He was in Detroit for five years; in Houston, Texas, for two years; in Sarasota, Florida, for another two years; and in Dallas, Texas, for 22 years. Starting his career as a Computer Operator in 1975, he became a Junior Programmer in 1978 and worked in all departments—systems design, development, programming, implementation and data warehousing. Pillai had been associated with the Delhi Malayalee Association while he was in that city, the Kerala Association, Detroit, the Houston Malayalee Association, the Kerala Association, Dallas (of which he was President twice), and FOKANA in the early stages and the WMC in various capacities since its inception. He is associated with the Dallas Indians’ Lions Club, Board of Trustees of India Association of North Texas, which serves 60,000 Indians in the area, and the Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Gopala Pillai is keenly interested in Kerala’s growth. “I could see considerable growth in the State politically, socially and economically. The WMC itself has undertaken a project to develop and build a global village in Kerala that will accommodate the needs of non-resident Keralite repatriates and I would definitely have my stake in it”, he says. Gopala Pillai, however, says that Kerala has to catch up with the rest of the country as it has been left far behind other States. “Our Government should give unconditional support to foreign investors and promise them security to stay in business without labour union troubles”, he adds. His wife Santha is a registered nurse. Their daughter, Dr Saji, is married to Kesavan Nair, a computer consultant from Palakkad. Dr Sanjay is their son. May 31-June 30, 2012

28 KARIPPUR NANDA KUMAR

Bureaucrat in Singapore A core industry researcher, Dr Karippur Nanda Kumar involves himself actively with the World Malayalee Council’s activities. He was General Convener of the Sixth WMC Global Conference held in Singapore in 2008. As a senior executive in the public sector in Singapore, he works closely with Singapore’s research institutes, universities, industrial players and industrial associations. Dr Kumar strongly believes in the culture of creating selfhelp groups for the development of society and industry. In his official capacity he was involved in the formation of two associations in Singapore called Broadband Media Association, an association of broadband media companies and Internet access providers, and Association of Information Security Professionals, an association of professionals practising in IT security. Dr Kumar graduated from the elite Indian Institute of Technology Delhi with a Master’s and a PhD in computing. He has more than two decades of experience in R&D, software development, project management, IT training and industry development. He was the Vice-President of the Organizing Committee of the first-ever Asia Pacific Malayalee Conference in Singapore in 2004 and has been associated with WMC for more than a decade now, having once held the post of Regional President of the council (Asia Pacific and Australia Region). Dr Kumar is married to Usha, an accounting professional. They have two children.

DR JOY CHERIAN

Guiding US biz missions to India Among the numerous eminent Pravasis, the name that one can’t omit is that of Dr Joy Cherian. He is the man who received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman on January 8, 2008 at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi from President Pratibha Patil. The award was for guiding US business missions to India and for public service. Later in the year he also got the high-profile India Abroad Lifetime Award for Service to the Community in New York. Dr Joy is the first Asian American and the first Indian American Commissioner at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He was appointed by President Ronald Regan in 1987 in what was seen as a milestone. After serving his term as Commissioner, he founded and was President of a consulting firm, J Cherian Consultants Inc (JCC), established in September 1993. JCC is a Government relations firm specializing in international trade in services with its focus on corporate activities of insurance companies abroad. He is a former Director of International Insurance Law at the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), Sub-Cabinet-Level Presidential appointee in the United States Government, Chairman of the Committee on International Insurance Law of the Section of International Law and Practice, American Bar Association (ABA), founder and President of the American Council for Trade in Services (ACTS), a non-profit trade association, and the founder and President of the Association of Americans for Civic Responsibility (AACR), a non-profit organization. He has five university degrees, including two Master’s in legal studies, and a PhD in International Business Law with a minor in Political Science and a collateral concentration on Asian countries. Cherian is also the author of a number of published works including two books, a law manual and dozens of articles on various topics relating to the international insurance business. He hails from Kochi.

JERRY ANTHONY

BIJU JOHN NJONDIMAKAL

A HUD Urban Scholar in US

Prefers tourism business

Jerry Anthony is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Iowa, US, a Carnegie Class I research university. With a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University, US, a Master’s in Town Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Government College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Prof Anthony was named a HUD Urban Scholar by the National Research Council of the US in 2001. He came to the US in 1996 and lives with his wife and two children—both boys—in Iowa City, Iowa.

ACHAMMA C CHANDERSEKARAN

Not spectator but participant Achamma Chandrasekaran, endearingly called ‘Acamma Teacher’ by all, was a teacher in India before migrating to the US. She reached the US with a full scholarship to do her undergraduate studies. After taking her BA in English from Barat College, Lake Forest, Illinois, in 1966, she got a Master’s in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Illinois. She then went back to college and got an MBA in Finance from Drexel University in 1977. Achamma worked for the US Department of Communication in several posts for 24 years and travelled to many countries in the Middle East, the Far East, South America and South Africa as an International Trade Specialist for Education Training Services as one of the best anywhere in the world. She has been active in the Indian American and Asian American communities to impress upon the members the importance of political involvement in influencing policy decisions by elected officials and working together, not as spectators of, but as participants in, the political process. As national President of the Indian American Forum for Political Education (Forum) (Link) and National Chair of the Asian American Voters Coalition (AAVC), she made both organizations stronger by establishing several State Chapters and by successfully inviting the second-generation ethnic organizations to become members of AAVC. While she was President of the forum, she took the initiative and laid the groundwork to establish a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in Washington, D C. Mrs Chandersekaran was co-translator, along with Dr R E Asher, of three novels by Vaikom Mohammed Basheer for the UNESCO Programme of Representative Works. The book Me Grandad Had an Elephant!, published by the Edinburgh University Press in 1980 and by Penguin India in 1995, was well received in India and elsewhere. It includes two more stories, Pathumma’s Goat and Childhood Friend along with the title story. Mrs Chandersekaran has a first solo translation project, Daughters of Kerala. The book is the published form of a paper on Women’s Contribution to Malayalam Literature which was presented at the second World Malayalam Conference held in Washington, D C in 1985. It discusses the contributions of three women writers—Lalithambika Antharjanam, Mary John Thottam and Madhavikkutty. The authors were chosen for their different styles and themes. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

General Secretary of the Organizing Committee as well as General Secretary of the Qatar Province of the World Malayalee Council, Biju John Njondimakal migrated to Qatar in 1992 and has been a resident there since. Interested in social activities, career guidance, public speaking, debating and literature, the Idamattam (Pala)born Biju John, an MBA, is presently General Manager, Mediterranean Shipping Company (Qatar) WLL, Doha. He is President, UPAKAR Qatar (Unity of Pala and Kaduthuruthy Residents in Qatar). Nostalgic about Kerala, normal for any expatriate Keralite who has been living outside his State for many years, Biju John, however, feels “sorry and disappointed about the unfulfilled potential of my beloved state.” Kerala, he says, has great potential to be a truly wonderful destination for business and tourism, provided a paradigm shift takes place in the people’s attitude. “Why are we Keralites so negative about anything and everything? I wonder if I have already started worrying about my retired life in Kerala, when I come across the many happenings there,” he says. Is he ready to come back and start a venture in Kerala? “Yes, my preferred area will be the tourism sector. We need to bring in more professionalism into our business ventures in Kerala,” Biju John says. What, according to him, are the strengths and weaknesses of Kerala? Says Biju John: “An educated working class ready to work hard anywhere outside Kerala is our strength, the natural beauty of our land is our strength. Our attitude to problems is our weakness: critical mentality, unwillingness to accept changes, pessimistic views and lack of initiative.” Biju John says the quality of life in Qatar is much superior to that in Kerala. The Government promotes business and is keen to make maximum use of the available natural resources. The progress achieved by Qatar in the last 10 years is much greater than the world average. The country benefits from the vision of its rulers. “I feel sorry for Kerala. We suffer in Kerala because of the lack of a long-term vision by our leaders. We do not value our blessings, remain inactive and criticize everything.” Caroline is his wife. They have two children, Emil and Elaine

29 BINU MALAYIL THARIAN THOMAS

Keen on ICT in Rwanda B inuMalayil

Tharian Thomas is running part of a business established in Uganda, East Africa, by his uncle P K Kuruvilla, who started his career there way back in 1953. Kuruvilla forayed into the travel and tourism and insurance sectors in Uganda and in 1991 launched Computer Point Ltd. So when Binu, belonging to the Malayil family of Punnackadu, Kozhenchery, in Pathanamthitta district, completed his BA History course from St Thomas College, Kozhenchery, and later took a Diploma in Computer Management and another in Hotel Management, his obvious destination was Uganda. Arriving there in 1995, Binu started his career with Computer Point. After he spent five years in different positions in that country the management decided to open a unit in the neighbouring Rwanda, Central Africa. With his experience and the

guidance he received from the management, Binu was given the full rights to run the company. Thus in 2001, it started operations with a staff of just five. Today Computer Point has turned into a topclass firm with a lot of expertise (there are expatriate and local experts on the staff) and business partnerships with world-class companies like HP, Microsoft, Avaya and APC. Computer Point concentrates on ICT (information, communication and technology) development. It is poised to achieve the 2020 vision for Rwanda with manpower of 28 fulltime employees and more than 20 casual labourers. Though most of his time is taken up for developing business, Binu is part of the World Malayalee Council having once been Vice-President, Public Relations-Africa Region. He is also associated with the Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA) for developing ICT requirements and achieving Rwanda’s Vision 2020. RITA is now working on establishing an ICT park, the first of its kind in East and Central Africa, which would provide a platform for facilities and services to develop ICT firms, aimed

at making Rwanda a middle-income country by 2020. While agreeing that momentous developments are taking place in India with multinational companies wanting to establish their presence, Binu says that when it comes to Kerala things are a bit discouraging. There are major threats to development. Retirement age should be fixed for politicians as in the case of civil servants and young and enthusiastic people found to lead the State. Only this will ensure its development. We should also elect the right people irrespective of their caste/religion. And they should be people with vision and ideas. “I am sure one day I will establish some business in Kerala as it is our state and we must do something for it”, says Binu.; “As of today my plan is to concentrate on what I am doing with my business partners in this part of the world. We have established an ICT exporting company in Dubai targeting Africa and we have plans to develop it further. The group also intends to take up more challenges and establish links in Europe and Asia”, he says. Mary Elizabeth, Binu’s wife, is working. Their first-born, Cyril Malayil Tom, is a student. The second child is Cerine Mellissa.

JOHNSON JOSEPH MANJOORAN

M V P BABU

Tickling Arab taste buds

Kerala suitable for investment

Johnson Joseph Manjooran’s Rainbow Catering LLC in Sharjah is unique. It caters for Arab tastes, that is, Arab weddings. No room service, no 24-hour front desk—just catering, tailored mainly to a particular class. But his business is billed as one of the hospitality industry’s hottest properties. Arab marriages are unique, with plenty of colour and music accompanying them. They are traditional and performed in temporarily built air-conditioned halls. Peculiarly, Arab weddings are attended only by women. It is Johnson who literally is the main organizer of the function, building air-conditioned tents, furnished with carpets, providing everything else, including catering, under one of the most popular brand names in the Arab world. Rainbow Catering is the only Indian firm doing this business in the UAE. Johnson, who hails from the famous Manjooran family of Njarackal, near Kochi, came to Sharjah in 1975 after getting a year’s experience in the hotel industry in Mumbai. He worked in Sharjah for three years. In 1978, he started Rainbow Steak House, along with a Keralite partner. In 1991, they parted company and Johnson launched his own venture with the same name. Johnson’s success in the field enabled him to launch three more ventures in Sharjah—The Grand Buffet, Rainbow Catering and Camah Vegetarian Restaurant. He also started two ventures in Abu Dhabi—Al Fanan Mills and Training LLC and Al Fanan Foodstuff and Training LLC. Al Fanan imports Basmati rice from India and Pakistan for local sale. Johnson is ably supported by his wife Sobha and two daughters, Maya and Deep.

JOSEPH MELOOKARAN

Mentor of Asian Americans Joseph Melookaran is a member of Presidents Commission of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Besides he is President of JMA Chartered, a professional services firm specializing in information technology, financial services and healthcare solutions. He has served the IRC Board several terms since 1993. He has also served as Chairman of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City, Trustee of India Association of Kansas City and a Commissioner with White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Melookaran hails from Koratty, and before migrating to the US had founded the Peninsular Capital Company of Kochi. PASSLINE

M V P Babu of Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district reached Bahrain in 1977. Babu was honest, sincere and ready to work under any conditions—the recipe, perhaps, for his enviable success. “Today’s Bahrain has no resemblance to what it was then. It was literally a desert. There was only one high-rise building, the Hilton Hotel”, says Babu. “I left home with an offer of a secretarial job but when I reached here I was appointed in a construction company. The promised salary was 200 Bahrain dinars. But I got only 50 BDs. There was no drinking water. We were using salt water for everything. Humidity was at its peak during those days and there were no airconditioners. My first appointment was as a supervisor at a construction site, for which I was totally unfit”, he reminisces. “In 1978, I joined another company, which was engaged in cleaning and maintenance for which the Gulf countries had a penchant. Our boss was a foreigner and the Managing Director a Bahraini, Fahad Hassan Tharradah. Incidentally, he (Fahad) is the Director of my present company, Star Cleaning and Maintenance Services”, says Babu. Babu soon learnt all the intricacies of the business. But the company was not sailing smoothly. “We had a drastic financial crunch. Our initial capital was a paltry 2,000 BDs. The hardships we faced those days were indescribable. My director quit and I alone had to manage the company for more than a year”. “But slowly we flourished”, remembers a beaming Babu. “We added interior decoration, landscaping, pest control etc to our services”. The company now has three apartments which it took on lease and lets them on daily and monthly rental basis. According to Babu, apartment and villa rental business is lucrative in Bahrain since the country is a tourist destination having few restrictions. The Star Group of Companies now provides employment for 600 people, 75% of whom are Malayalees. It has also forayed into human resource outsourcing. Its major clients include Citibank, Gulf Air and American Express. The group’s HR division scrutinizes the CVs of candidates and submits the list to companies. The group does not charge anything from candidates for its service. A service charge is collected from the companies. Unlike other NRI businessmen, Babu is positive about investment in Kerala. He is waiting for the right time. His wife Shyla is from Thrissur. The couple have two children, Sherin and Shana. May 31-June 30, 2012

30 RAMACHANDRAN V K

KATTIKULAM BHARATHAN

‘NRIs keen to invest in Kerala’

Makes Paris wear in India

I t may be paradoxical that Ramachandran Vallathkunnummal who belongs to an ancient agricultural family of Vadakara, Kozhikode, strayed into business. Running a freight forwarding and construction company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with offices in Dammam, Jeddah and Dubai, Ramachandran has three brothers and one sister, all doing different businesses.

F or Kattikulam Bharathan, France, nay, its capital Paris, is home from home. He frequents the world’s fashion city so often that it has become part of his psyche.

Ramachandran already had some business background when he arrived in Riyadh in 1977. His Commerce degree also perhaps aided him in starting the business, which, he says, is going on smoothly with a group of dedicated, hardworking workforce from different parts of the world. He and his family back home have some trading business (marble, wholesale and retail, and a dairy farm) at Vadakara. In early 2008, they started an IT firm, Globees dot Com, in Bangalore with a branch office in Kochi. “In my opinion, Kerala is a blessed land for new entrepreneurs with tremendous opportunities and quality human resources. Unnecessary interruptions of work at business establishments by trade unions with strikes, hartals etc should be controlled. Road infrastructure should be developed, which in turn would save valuable time and cost relocation. An equally important thing is that uninterrupted supply of electricity should be ensured”, Ramachandran says about Kerala’s poor show in the industrial field. The Left Democratic Front, he says, should drop the traditional detest of new technology and development. “All NRIs are keen to invest in their homeland. But the Government and the departments concerned should create a pleasant atmosphere with a liberal approach to attract investments with minimum red tape (legal formalities) and maximum cooperation”, he says. Ramachandran has a plan to invest in the tourism and hospitality industries in Kerala “if the climate permits”. Mrs Girija Ramachandran is a homemaker. Their eldest son Ragin is a BTech. Nikle is the second child and Kevin the third.

THOMAS JACOB

Active in Asian media sector Thomas Jacob has joined IFRA as Deputy CEO and Managing Director in charge of the Greater Asia-Pacific Region. He will be based in Singapore. He is an MBA with high honour from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. As a summa cum laude, he was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the US-based honour society for management. He is a trained engineer in electronics and telecommunications, having graduated with distinction from the Karnataka Regional Engineering College. He also underwent advanced studies in computer networking at ICIS, Singapore. The new MD, an industry veteran, has been active in the Asian media scene for over 24 years. Prior to joining IFRA, he worked for Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher active in the Asian media scene of Daily Mail and Metro in the UK. As the International Development Director, he conceptualized a compact midmarket newspaper for India and initiated a JV with the India Today Group to launch the new newspaper, Mail Today. Jacob is not new to the IFRA world either. Before joining ANL, he established IFRA’s presence in Asia where he set up the two subsidiaries, IFRA Asia and IFRA India. He started the Chinese edition of IFRA’s former newspaper techniques, brought out the Asian Newspaper Directory and successfully launched the Publish Asia conference Expo and the Asian Media Awards events during his previous tenure with IFRA. Born and brought up in Kochi, Thomas Jacob is the son of Prof K C Jacob, the former Professor of Economics at Sacred Heart College, Kochi. He now lives in Singapore with his wife and two children. An avid golfer, he also enjoys sweating out at the badminton court. However, on longer breaks, he says that he would rather spend his time enjoying nature at the national parks and forests.

When Bharathan, son of Purathissery (Irinjalakuda) Kattikulam Kumaran and Kalyani, ventured into business more than four decades ago the going was not smooth. He never went to a business school. Nor did he have any college education. He had nothing, really, except the will and desire to build something that he could call his own. Thus was born ‘Kumar Diffusion’, the outlet for Bharathan’s legendary drive (‘diffusion’ in French means ‘distribution’). Named after his father and situated in the heart of Paris, the showroom displays and sells the garments that French, Italian and German professionals design for Bharathan. In the modern, palatial house Bharathan has built at Kizhuthani, an Irinjalakuda suburb, you feel the presence of clothes designed in Europe and manufactured entirely in North India. Why North India, not Kerala? “These cannot be made in Kerala, especially the printing is difficult. Cost also is very high in our State. Moreover fashion stuff cannot be delayed. They have to be in Paris within 60 days of receipt of orders. And delivery in Kerala is not prompt”, he says. He has his distribution outlet too, supplying goods to

others and arranging exhibitions in France. Bharathan came to Paris in 1972. Kumar Diffusion was the first and exclusive showroom that imported readymade dresses, especially womenswear, from India. An active worker of the Sree Narayana movements, he is an ardent follower of the Guru’s teachings, spreading them as and when the opportunity arrives. No wonder he was the instant choice for the award instituted by the Sree Narayana World Council, New York, for services rendered in the field. He also manages the Karalam Vocational Higher Secondary School, near Irinjalakuda, which was earlier not functioning well. Now it has more than 1,000 students and offers courses in various trades. Bharathan laments the erosion of values in Kerala society. Even teachers and doctors have no commitment to serve the community, he says. Despite all these shortcomings he admits that Kerala is a better place to live in, the most beautiful on earth. Bharathan is also associated with the activities of the Unnayi Warrier Smaraka Kalanilayam, Irinjalakuda, and is connected with a host of other organizations including the Malayala Manorama Balajana Sakhyam of which he was Convener of the Madhya Mekhala Sahakari Forum. Besides, he was State President of the All-Kerala Aided Schools Management Association. His family consists, besides wife Sudha, of daughters Linta and Lucky and son Lal.

VINSON XAVIER PALATHINGAL

Excels as entrepreneur and professional

It so happens that some job-seekers in the United States turn entrepreneurs and random entrepreneurs turn job-seekers. Only a small percentage of expatriates have found themselves excelling in both entrepreneurship and professional careers. Vinson Xavier Palathingal belongs to the latter category. Armed with a BTech degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Calicut, Vinson went to the US in 1992 and took his MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada there. His rise to the position that he occupies today has been meteoric. Vinson carried with him to the US the immense experience he gained back home at KITCO Ltd, Kochi, where he worked as Project Engineer and Consultant from 1989 to 1992. In 1995, Vinson joined Maryland State Highway Administration, Frederick, as Civil Engineer (Inspections). There he provided engineering inspection services on various interstate highway construction projects and was involved in job scheduling. While working as IT Analyst/Programmer at the Metro Washington Council of Governments (COG) in Washington DC, Vinson played a key role in a team that redesigned, developed, implemented and fine-tuned COG’s existing water quality and waste water databases into a relational Oracle database, an environmental data depository for the DC Metro region. It was his stint at FannieMae, a Fortune 500 company, as Business Systems Technologist that perhaps paved the way, some time later, for his launching in 1998 of his own Amaram Technology Corporation at Falls Church. At FannieMae he provided software development, testing and test automation services. In 2000, he played a key role in a testing effort, one of the most extensive in corporate US. As a highly successful and result-oriented entrepreneur, Vinson has been heading the operations since 1999 of Amaram as President and CEO. The firm provides systems design, embedded systems and socket programming, Web/software development, software testing, test automation, quality assurance, data warehousing, data analysis and data base management consulting to major corporations in the Washington DC Metro area. Its major clients include FreddieMac, FannieMae, the Department of Labour, MCI Worldcom and Manugistics. Amaram has a back office at Kadavanthra in Kochi. Vinson was Secretary of the Kerala Association of Greater Washington (KAGW). Asha is his wife. Xavier and Stephen are their children. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

31 POLLY MATHEW

GEORGE ABRAHAM

Exploiting indigenous medicinal system

Promoter of cross-border trade

P olly Mathew Arampankudy, Chairman of Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resorts near Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, has created the rare mix of health, business and care for the environment. A businessman to the core, Polly Mathew took upon the daunting task of erecting a resort of world-class standards at the little-known place with hardly any support from others. Even before the Government explored the tourism possibility of such ventures, he established a resort that would ‘’restore natural body and mind rhythms.’’ Polly’s straightforward, sociable ways and shrewd business head raised it to prosperity, respect and international acclaim. How did he embark on such an adventure? While life was progressing as a successful supermarketer in Germany, he chanced upon an advertisement by a Sri Lankan firm claiming magical cures through ayurveda. It made him think about the scenario where others were exploiting our indigenous medicinal system for want of proper publicity and information. So he decided to journey back to the old ways and principles: to the indigenous solutions and the rejuvenating therapy which thrived here long ago. It was not an attempt to fuse the old with the new but doing things precisely the same way it has been done for several centuries. Soon he started sending patients to Kerala on a regular basis. As the numbers began to swell, the system prevalent in Kerala during that period showed its inherent flaws. The doctors and the infrastructure were not equipped to cater to European taste and refinement, many European clients openly showing their displeasure which translated to heavy financial loss. This forced him to have a fresh look at

Chairman and Managing Director of G A Group Pvt Ltd, which organizes country-focused seminars, conferences and publications, and Global Indian Business Network Ltd, which assists cross-border trade and investment within Singapore, India and other regions, Abraham serves on various Government, civic and community organizations and launched the Global Indian Summit in 2006. Born and brought up in Singapore, George Abraham has served in various capacities with the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce and the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

his approach and business strategy, which finally culminated in the establishment of Somatheeram in 1990. He packaged ayurvedic therapy by blending the essentials favoured by Europeans like beach and avenues for relaxation, including yoga and a calm and quiet locale in addition to traditional setting by keeping brick and mortar structures to a bare minimum. They were presented with a truly invigorating and intoxicating adventure, which was lapped up wholeheartedly and he began to reap the rewards of his unconventional approach. The resort now boasts a super-deluxe granite bungalow (Sidhartha), four deluxe traditional Kerala houses (Illam, Mana, Arappura and Tharavadu), ordinary traditional Kerala houses (Nalukettu) and several cottages catering to budget tourists.

As the Regional Representative and Adviser of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the apex private sector body in India with over 500 regional chambers and more than 2,50,000 of the largest Indian corporate companies as members, he has promoted FICCI’s interests in Singapore and the region. As the representative of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Georgia, he was responsible for the development and intensification of economic and trade relations between Georgia, Singapore and the region. He is also Charter Member, Director and Company Secretary of Indus Entrepreneurs Limited, Singapore, an organization for effective networking and mentoring of budding entrepreneurs linked to the parent body in TiE in Silicon Valley, US. Abraham bagged the GOPIO Award 2007 for rendering public service to the Indian diaspora. His wife is Grace, a medical practitioner, and they have four children. Of them Anne Marie is a BA in Journalism from Manash University, Ajit is working for Singapore Airlines, Aimee has completed a course in Globalization Studies at Gettysburg College, US, and Ajay has completed a Business Administration course from Singapore Polytechnic. Abraham’s father hails from Kozhenchery.

But, even the large-scale demand did not alienate him from the taste of European tourists. Wherever possible, he used wooden structures. Every single cottage or suite on the premises of Somatheeram has a unique legacy behind it. Most of them are careful reconstructions of traditional homes of Kerala. By employing the guardians of ayurveda (Paramparya Vaidyars) and ayurvedic doctors alike, he created a truly international resort. By consistently fostering close, longterm relationships with clients, his business continues to succeed and grow. The core competence and competitive advantage of Somatheeram span several continents, finding thousands of takers. To cater to the wide taste he launched another ayurvedic-beach combination, ‘Manaltheeram,’ close to Somatheeram, some time ago. And to showcase ayurveda to the world, Somatheeram has brought a comprehensive CD on the system, the first in India. The State Government has recognized the efforts of this resort towards propagating and preserving ayurveda and presented it with the Kerala State Tourism Award.

RAYMOND PILLAY

Professional in hospitality The Pillay Group of Hotels and Restaurants owns four hotels and two restaurants in Australia, where Raymond Pillay, the group’s Managing Director, came in 1990. Today his is one of the leading business houses among Keralites in that country.

ANTONY PANAKKAL

No doubt about Kerala’s potential Being a BSc (Biology) graduate and having a Business Management Diploma, Antony Panakkal, who hails from Cherthala in Alappuzha district, migrated to Switzerland in 1981 and took a Swiss Federal Diploma in Marketing Management. He is a member and executive committee member of the Swiss Marketing Club and executive member of the Merchants Association, Giubiasco. He became Export Key Account Manager of Chocolat Bernrain AG/Chocolat Stella SA in Switzerland, his job involving the looking after of the export marketing of chocolate products in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, plus key customers in other countries, eg India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Antony would only be happy to participate in Kerala’s development and has no doubt about the potential for the State’s growth. But growth is “subject to a stable and dynamic government”, he says. He wants the present Government to look into issues of economic progress setting aside political gains. His future plans include business development back home in India. He appreciates the work carried on by the World Malayalee Council. Cicily, his wife, is a staff nurse specialized in oncology. Of his three children, Arun is a biotechnologist and Anupa a law graduate. Ajay is the third. PASSLINE

Pillai, who hails from Changanassery and has a Hotel Management degree, and his wife Shyla, who is a partner in the business and is also ‘well equipped’ for the profession, assert that their business is running very well. Pillay is a Member of Commerce of Hawkesburg Sydney and several other organizations. “I am greatly interested in Kerala’s progress but nothing works out either from banks or the sellers. The latter overprice their products and I can’t make up my mind. I have been trying to buy something for the last six years”, says Pillay to a question whether he is interested in investing in Kerala. ”I already have some investments in the state and in Mumbai (worth about Rs 3.5 crore), but would like to expand this”, he adds. ”I am looking for the right move on any business, preferably hotels, as, you see, that is my profession”. Kerala, according to Pillay, is not poised for growth. Growth should have happened much earlier. However, he feels that the new generation has a positive attitude to problems of development and growth. Says Pillay: “My future plans include the opening of a hotel in Kerala and expansion of my business in Australia”.

May 31-June 30, 2012

32 BOBAN IDICULA OONNI IDICULA

SAJITH SVIHAR SUKUMARAN

Self-made, enterprising

In Russia with love of Kerala

B oban Idicula Oonni Idicula’s is a rags-to-riches story. His father, who was a gold merchant and a Tiruvalla municipal councillor, died when he was just 10 months old. The family lost everything and Boban’s mother had a harrowing time bringing up her seven children—five girls and two boys. She however toiled hard. With great difficulty Boban completed his SSLC course. He pursued an air-conditioning engineering diploma course later, at the same time studying accountancy, typewriting and telex and telephone operation. After he completed the air-conditioning course, he went to Mumbai and worked in different companies till 1981. His fortune took a favourable tide with his arrival in Bahrain in June 1981. He joined General Air-condition as Site Supervisor and slowly started getting promoted. He became General Manager of the company later. For a long time he was Liaison Representative of the Indo-Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industries from Mumbai to Bahrain and was Vice-President of the Indian Worldwide Chamber of Commerce, which is a World Malayalee Council wing, located in Chennai. Through these and his contacts, Boban had helped a lot of Indian companies to come into Bahrain to set up branches there. He was also a committee member of the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam during 199193 and 1995-96, Vice-President of St Peters Church twice and committee member

for three times. He occupied the position of Honorary Secretary of the Indian Fine Arts Society, Bahrain, for three years and then was its Vice-President. Involved in charitable activities, Boban is a respected Indian among the locals and knows several leaders there. He was the Vice-President and Chief Coordinator for the Charity Fair 2002 conducted under the banner of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which was a grand success. The show collected 46,000 Bahrain dinars for needy Palestinians. He was also instrumental in bringing into Bahrain a centre of the Kerala Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) Hospital, a 500bedded hospital in Thiruvananthapuram with 300 doctors and paramedical staff. The KIMS unit is functioning in Bahrain now. Boban is associated with Access International (civil, electrical and mechanical contractors), Access Tech Division (latex work, duct fabrication and winding works), France Aluminium (aluminium fabricators), the KIMS Bahrain Centre, Hilton Garage and MTM Marketing and Management Consultants. Though he is doing well in Bahrain, he is interested in developing Kerala. But he feels that the state lacks the leadership which can make its people work for the country. “To make Kerala globally competitive, we must try to stop the almost-daily hartals and strikes. We also have the unusual practice of changing governments every five years, so there is no continuity”, he says. Born in 1954 at Kavumbhagam, near Tiruvalla, Boban is married to Joanita of Goa, a housewife. Brenda is their daughter and Jason son.

VINOD THARAMAL

Stress on Rwandan growth As a token of its appreciation for the wonderful work he did in 1994 in evacuating Indian nationals during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the Government of India appointed Vinod Tharamal Honorary Consul-General of India in that country. He has been in the South African country for the past 35 years. Vinod, who hails from Vatakara, is an unusual man having combined a full-time job, social work and a business of his own. He was General Manager of Sulfo Rwanda Industries, the third largest industry in the country, from where he retired four years ago. He continues to live in Kigali, Rwanda, as Honorary Consul-General. He is the founder member of Enfants de Dieu (‘God’s children’), a charitable institution, started in 2002, taking care of street children. He owns a business house in Mumbai named Tharamal Exports Private Limited. Besides these activities, Vinod is also the Legal Representative of the Asian Association of Rwanda and a Presidential Economic Advisory Council member. After finishing his graduation Vinod was employed in a financial institution in Tamil Nadu from 1972 to 1975 and left for Rwanda where he got a job in Sulfo Rwanda. His future plan is to continue to live in Kigali “to support some socioeconomic projects of the Rwandan Government, especially in the fields of health, education and poverty eradication”. He has also created a ladies association there through which he thinks he can introduce Kerala’s Kudumbasree-like projects. “Personally I don’t see any future for Kerala; I am sorry to say this. The reason, as you know, is the State’s politics. Take the cases of the Vallarpadam and Smart City projects and the self-financing college admissions issue. All that our politicians want is to cling to power. No one is bothered about the future generation”, he laments. Preetha, his wife, who is not employed, stays back in India. They have two children, daughter Neha and son Vishnu. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Migration of Keralites to the Russian Federation has not been as large as, say, to the Gulf countries. But Sajith Svihar Sukumaran of Alappuzha went there in 1989 after the completion of his MBA degree. A member of the Indian Business Alliance and All Moscow Malayalee Association there, Sukumaran is in logistics and trading. Unlike many other expatriates, Sukumaran really wishes to go back to Kerala and start a venture of his own there. “I’m really looking forward to return and settle there,” he says. “I consider Kerala as God’s Own Country. We Malayalees should contribute to the development of our State in every field to make it really God’s own,” he adds. “Literacy, education, healthcare and the hardworking nature of the people are our strengths. Overinvolvement in politics, enthusiasm to conduct strikes and hartals etc without thinking of the national loss, inconvenience and consequences are our weaknesses,” he says. In Russia, Sukumaran points out, even a city can be built without unnecessary involvement of politicians and the public. “In Kerala, to acquire a few inches of land for road development takes years and still remains uncertain”. Sukumaran’s wife Praseena, who hails from Thripunithura. Son is Sidharth.

MATHAI JACOB

‘Other states better for business’

Mathai Jacob, who is doing business in Nigeria, is a native of Kundara. An MA LL B with a DAM, he is a member of the trade organization there. At present he has no business ventures in Kerala. “I am yet to decide on whether to start one,” he says.

His opinion about Keralites: educated but not humble. But he says the atate has scope for tourism, though it is not good for business. “Other states are better for starting business.” His wife is a full-time social worker and works for the less privileged. They have two children, a daughter and a son.

VADAKKE ANAVANGOT GOPINATH

‘Workmanship in Kerala not up to the mark’ V adakke Anavangot Gopinath, a 1984-batch Commerce graduate from Calicut University, began his career in the same year in Mumbai. In 1991 he migrated to Muscat and in 1997 shifted to Qatar. Gopinath considers his home country as ‘my blood’ and ‘being an insurance professional would love to be back there if an opportunity arises’. He thinks that there is ‘too much freedom of speech’ in our country. “Real workmanship, however, is not up to the mark and that stands in the way of Kerala’s growth”, he says. Comparing Kerala with other countries is not easy, he says. “There are problems in business and industry because of the involvement of trade unions. I am against too many demands by workers for benefits. What Kerala should do is to create a congenial atmosphere for industrial growth so that we can build a better Kerala and a better tomorrow.” Sincerity and hard work will decide our destiny, he says. Gopinath’s wife Jothi is a homemaker. Amrutha is their daughter and Abhishek son.

33 K K USMAN

MOOSAFI MUZAMIL

Cynical about Kerala politics

Prescribes “medicines’ for state’s ills

A State with great potential as well as great misfortune. The majority of Keralites are hard workers and honest people. But the militant trade unions and their bellicose followers make sure that the State will not achieve any improvement”. This is what K K Usman has to say about his home State. Usman, who belongs to Nadapuram in Kozhikode, is a graduate and is now in Qatar doing business. Though he has no business ventures back home, he is a member or founder member of several organizations in the Malabar area and in Doha, Qatar. He, however, feels that there are tremendous opportunities in Kerala, “but there is no guarantee for the investments as there are hardly any steady political policies”. Usman is the President of INCAS, a well-known organization among the Indian community in Doha, a founder member of MHES

College, Vadakara, a founder member of MET College, Nadapuram, a founder member of National College, Puliyavu, a member of the Director Board of AGREECO, Kannur, and founder member of Noble Indian School, Doha. Usman feels that Kerala’s strengths are its honest, hardworking and adventurous people. “Its weakness is the lack of vision and determination of its political leadership.” About a comparison of Kerala and Qatar, he says that in Qatar, the administration never interferes with one’s business as long as it is lawful. Business and industry survive on market tendencies. However, in Kerala, the local administration through political intermediaries makes sure that businessmen are controlled by the Government. Lethargy of the law-enforcing agencies encourages Government officials to engage in corruption that forces a businessman also to collude with corruption. The Usman couple have four children—one girl and three boys.

Moosafi Muzamil, MBA, who hails from Kannur, is a businessman in Doha, Qatar. Closely associated with the India Cultural Centre under the aegis of the Indian Embassy in Qatar, he is a member of ICBF in Qatar and the Lions Club. He has functioned in different roles as President, General Secretary, Chief Coordinator, Treasurer and Cultural Secretary etc in affiliated organizations in India and Qatar.

Moosafi’s is a partnership business. He has some investment in India and is also Director of Gem International School. ‘God’s own Kerala’, he says, should be developed better than other States. Small-time politicians’ influence in Government affairs should be ended, labour rules modified, labour unions’ militancy curbed, unwanted strikes and bandhs eliminated and severe punishment meted out to perpetrators of trouble on all fronts—these are the ‘medicines’ Moosafi prescribes for the State’s ills. “Honestly speaking, none of the NRIs are interested in coming forward to invest in a new project in our State for various reasons, like Government policies that discourage investment and failure to provide facilities and infrastructure, delay in approvals, labour rules etc,” he says. According to him, Kerala’s strength is its literacy and its weaknesses are political parties and indiscipline. As for a comparison between Qatar and Kerala in respect of Government policies on business and industry, he says different countries have different attitudes and approaches. “Qatar is the best place where one can live comfortably and do business without any problems. According to the country’s laws, expatriates are fully protected by the Government,” he says. Happily settled in life, the Moosafis have three children.

O P RAMON KUTTY

FRANCIS AND ELIZABETH

‘Kerala is poised for growth’

Popular in online advertising

A highly qualified man, O P Ramon Kutty of Nemmara in Palakkad district is associated with a number of organizations. His qualifications: BCom from the University of Madras; FCA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; MBIM (Member of the British Institute of Management) and CCA (Certified Cost Analyst, )Institute of Cost Analyst, US. Group Financial Controller of A A Turki Corporation, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ramon Kutty is Vice-Chairman of IDEAS (Indian Doctors, Engineers and Accountants Society), Jeddah. Founder and Past Chairman of the Al Khobar Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, he is also founder and Past President of the First Tamil Literary Association of Saudi Arabia established in 1989. The other positions he either occupied or is now occupying include: Past President and Patron of Kerala Kala Sahithi, Jeddah; Patron, Thiruvithamcore Socio-Economic Forum, Jeddah, and Vice-Chairman of the World Malayalee Council, Jeddah Province. For the past three decades (he came into Saudi Arabia in 1980), Ramon Kutty has been actively participating in the welfare activities of non-resident Keralites in that country. Besides, Ramon Kutty provides free investment and NRI taxation consultancy. Is he interested in participating in Kerala’s development? “Yes, by pooling the idle savings of NRKs we can contribute in a big way to the development of Kerala”, he says. There is no doubt that Kerala is poised for growth, he says, and adds that a more conducive and investmentfriendly atmosphere must be created that would ensure safety and a supportive attitude and approach from the Government, trade unions and the general public as well. “The primary duty of any government is to work sincerely and support wholeheartedly those coming forward to invest. The Government policy should be to provide a constructive environment, not a destructive one. It is only the question of a change in the mindset for which all should work together,” he says. He has plans to professionally support NRK investors and to participate in the implementation of projects for the development of Kerala. His wife Vasantha is a homemaker. Both his sons, Satheesh and Rajesh, are employed,. PASSLINE

Francis and Elizabeth are pioneers of online advertising in the Middle East region. As Directors of Global Media Insight (www.globalmedia.ae), their services are used by blue chip companies based in the Middle East, like Emirates Airlines, American Express, Shell, Volvo, Emirates Sky Cargo, LG, Nokia, Qatar Airways, Jotun Paints, Sieko, Mercedes Benz, Jeep and the like. The Middle East’s most popular online publication for women, www.aliya.ae, developed by Global Media Insight, has been well accepted by the women in the region. In June 2006, the Crown Prince of Sharjah awarded Global Media Insight for their contribution towards online media development in Sharjah. Of the Kochi-born couple, Francis did his schooling at Rajagiri High School (1980) and graduated as a BTech from the College Of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, in 1988. Elizabeth studied in the Cochin Refineries School and completed her MBA from the Cochin University of Science and Technology in 1992.

SALEEM M MANZOOR

‘Kerala was a nice place’

saleem M Manzoor of Thiruvananthapuram went to Qatar in 1977 armed with a BSc degree. He soon entered the profession of landscaping, irrigation, civil contracting and management. What does he think about Kerala? “It was a nice place, with nice and clean people. Not any more,” Manzoor says. And ask him about plans to start a venture of his own in Kerala. “I will never start any business in Kerala”, comes his prompt reply. (He however runs a nursery and a mushroom unit in Thiruvananthapuram). “First our leaders need to travel, starting with other States in India, then go to China…then talk politics,” he adds. He considers its own people as both the strength and weakness of Kerala! How does he compare Kerala with the country of his domicile in respect of life, the Government’s approach to business and industry, opportunities etc? “The leaders here are with the people, with the land and have a genuine interest in development and in overcoming problems and issues. I don’t see this in Kerala. Smart City is an excellent example. On the other hand, we are very enthusiastic about having an international airport in every district if possible, so that people can fly out from their backyard,” he says.

May 31-June 30, 2012

34 JERRY KALARICKAL

V V VARGHESE

Worked for World Bank & UN

Businessman in Jeddah

B orn

in 1974 in Kochi, Jerry Kalarickal is an economist in Washington DC. Jerry arrived in North America on a United World College scholarship. As an undergraduate, he was inducted to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year. A PhD in Economics, Jerry had worked for the World Bank (2003-2006) on issues related to urban development and housing and for the United Nations (1998). He works for Bearingpoint (formerly KPMG Consulting), a management consultancy firm. Jerry was previously active in the leadership of the Syracuse Chapter of Asha for Education. Asha is a student-run non-profit organization that supports educational institutions for underprivileged children in India. Jerry has authored papers on housing and urban development topics and has coauthored and edited with Robert Buckley Thirty Years of World Bank Shelter Lending: What Have We Learned?, published by World Bank Publications in 2006. He is married to Anupama Rajaraman who works for the US Agency for International Development, and lives in Northern Virginia, near Washington DC, US.

ANNA ANTHONY

Author and writer A nna Anthony, journalist and author from Kochi, lives in Iowa City with her husband Jerry Anthony, architect and Assistant Professor in Urban Planning (University of Iowa), and their two boys, Jeremiah and Joshua. Anna came to the United States to join her husband in 1997. She has an MA degree in Creative Writing from Florida State University. Anna also has BA and MA degrees in Psychology from Kerala University. Before going to the US she was working as a journalist with the Press Trust of India (PTI) in New Delhi. She has written for journals in India and the US. Anna’s first book Mango Ice Cream (2005) is a collection of stories, depicting the lives of young women in Kerala villages and towns caught in the web of love and sorrow and tradition and lure of MTV. M J SEBASTIAN

‘Say goodbye to strikes’ Ets Jobanputras, the firm in Kigali, Rwanda (Central Africa), of which Maliyamave Joseph Sebastian is Resident Director, is one of the leading importers of commodities into the country. Sebastian is also an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and Private Sector Federation in Kigali. Born at Chittattukara, Thrissur, Sebastian is a Commerce graduate, with a JDC (Junior Diploma in Cooperation and Banking) and a KGCE (Kerala Government Certificate Examination in Engineering-Electric). He came to Rwanda in 1980.

An employee turned businessman, V V Varghese is currently settled in Mumbai and working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He is originally from Kavalam, Kuttanad, Alappuzha district. A BA (Hons), DMM and LLB, Varghese arrived in Jeddah in 1980 where he worked with Saudi Cable Co for 22 years as General Manager (Sales and Customer Service). For the past several years he has been doing business there. The business consists of supplying raw materials to the manufacturing industry, mainly to cable companies. An executive member of the World Malayalee Council once, he is connected with various other cultural organizations in Jeddah. Varghese was Treasurer of India Forum, an organization under the patronage of the Consular-General of India, with the Indian Ambassador as its patron. With no immediate plan to make any investment in Kerala, Varghese says the State cannot become competitive unless the workforce changes its mentality (by becoming productive and proving better than what it is being paid for) and the State becomes investment-friendly. Infrastructure should also be conducive. “Let any government manage the State, but its focus should be on development and the welfare of the people. The Government’s priority should not be to keep its chairs safe for the next election. It should leave this to the people’s verdict based on its performance”, Varghese says. “At the moment I wish to continue in Jeddah. If the situation is conducive in Kerala, I may move from Mumbai and settle in the State in the future”, he says.Mrs Annamma Varghese is a homemaker. Their eldest son Vinil who is an MS from CSU, Colarado, US, and the second son, who holds the degrees of MS and MBA (UD, Delaware, US) are both working in the US. Daughter Anita is a doctor.

SAJU GEO THACHIL

Likes investing in Kuwait Saju Geo Thachil is one of those rare people who combine business with a job. Saju who is in charge of the Fire and Safety Department of the Kuwait Shipyard also runs a restaurant in Kuwait. Besides, he is Trustee of MET’s School of Engineering back home at Mala in Thrissur district. Saju, who belongs to Angamaly in Ernakulam district and arrived in Kuwait with a diploma in fire and safety engineering in 1981, is involved in different cultural activities in Kuwait. Saju’s reply is a firm ‘no’ to the question whether he is interested in participating in Kerala’s development either by involving himself in or starting a unit in the State. “Kerala no doubt is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is also one of the best locations for investing money. But, unfortunately, because of the dirty games being played by political parties there, we are not at all confident of investing even one rupee in our State. Unless and until these parties stop their tug of war between themselves there is no future for the State. The present situation is that they have no time even to sort out their problems within their own parties and are struggling to keep their chairs secure. The result is that they have little spare time to work for the development of the State. If someone comes up with a good idea, immediately the Opposition group raises an objection, with the result that everything ends up in a big mess. How will our State improve? Everyone should have a positive mentality, not a negative one. Unless the politicians’ negative mentality changes into a positive one, I see no hope for the State”, he says. “I feel more confident of investing in Kuwait”, he says. His wife, Lizy, is working for the Kuwait Oil Company. George, Paul and Limol are their children.

THOMAS CHACKO

‘Not against investing in Kerala’ Thomas Chacko, his wife and children have investor status in Ethiopia, where Thomas came in 1982, but they are Indian passport-holders. Thomas graduated from Marthoma College, Tiruvalla, which is also his birthplace.

Interested in contributing to Kerala’s development “if I find something viable”, Sebastian thinks that the State has changed its basic old attitude to industrialization, “although we have to go further to achieve competitiveness”. “We are aware that our tradition of strikes and hartals is still in full control over the State. This has to change. We should also consider working six days in a week”, he says. For the immediate future, Sebastian wants to start own businesses in Rwanda where, he says, he has more experience than in India.Shaji, his wife, is not only employed but has her own small business set-up in Rwanda. Viju and Siju are their children.

A businessman of standing in Ethiopia with import licences, he represents foreign companies mostly from Dubai and India and supplies items to United Nations missions and diplomatic offices. He is also running a school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. A member of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International and Addis Ababa Golf Association, Thomas Chacko likes to make a ‘small investment’ in Kerala though he does not have any idea about the State’s growth potential. Mrs Santha Elizabeth Thomas is running a school of theirs. Their son is Jacob and daughter Santha Elizabeth. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

35 N R PANICKER

SONEY JOHN

Leading IT entrepreneur

‘Alternate govts delay growth’

The man behind the success of Accel Group, one of the leading IT conglomerates in India, is N R Panicker, its FounderChairman. He is one of the leading entrepreneurs who has his origin in Kerala and who has made good in the IT industry. He built Accel from scratch, and it went on to become a multi-service organization operating in more than 100 locations spread across India, West Asia, Singapore and the United States. The group employs more than 2,500 people in its various offices. Born in 1954 at Pattanakkad, Cherthala, Alappuzha district, Panicker did his degree course in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, in 1976. He joined Hindustan Computers Ltd (now known as HCL) in New Delhi in 1977 as a computer maintenance engineer and served the company in various capacities till 1990. In 1990 he quit his well-paid job to start his own business. Accel Ltd, which he started with Rs 40,000 and a small rented office space in Chennai, now valued at several hundred crores, with companies such as Accel Frontline Ltd, Accel Transmatic Ltd, Accel Systems Group Inc etc under its umbrella. Accel acquired two companies in Kerala in

2004—Transmatic Systems Ltd in Sreekaryam and Ushus Technologies Pvt Ltd at Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, and took steps to leverage the strength of these organizations to create a large IT entity in Kerala, titled Accel Transmatic Ltd, headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram. Panicker is actively involved in many industry associations and professional bodies, including the Computer Society of India, Manufacturers Association of Information Technology and NASSCOM, the World Malayalee Council, Madras Management Association and the Confederation of Indian Industry. He is also involved in charity work. Apart from being the Chairman and CEO of the Accel Group of Companies, he also sits on the board of Kerala Venture Capital Fund and is the VC arm of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. According to Panicker, the social set-up existing today in Kerala is not at all conducive to the development of the State. The public is misguided by the wrong campaigns being conducted by various political parties year after year without addressing the core issues. There is lack of visionary leadership in the State, he says. What is required is a non-political popular government with a vision to change the current culture of Kerala, so that the State will become a place like Florida, the most-sought-after tourist destination in the world. Panicker is married to Sreekumari. They have two children.

Change of government during every alternate term slows down the developmental process. It will take time for every government to chalk out its policies and programmes. Then some more time is required for going through the previous government’s dealings. Even if it had taken up for implementation a developmental project which is good in every aspect, the new government will spend time to change it, or at least its name. Whoever governs, it is politics first; development comes only later. These are the considered views of Soney John of Vaikom who has been in Doha since 1990. An employee there, Soney thinks it is not just Kerala that’s poised for growth but the entire country. “The difference is that while the rest of India progresses fast, Kerala’s growth is slow because of its ‘excessive politics’. Actually a change should take place in every Keralite’s mind. In other words, there should be a positive mind-setting in the people”, he says. “I have no plan to make any investment in Kerala. And in no case is there the question of starting a manufacturing unit in the State”, he says emphatically. His plan is to continue working in Doha “as far as I can”. His wife Laiju is ‘employed in our homemaking’. Nivedita Liz and Nandita Maria are their children.

MATHEWS POIKAYIL VARUGHESE

THOMAS KANNENKERIL

Uplifted a Nigerian village

Runs travel agency in Germany

Mathews Poikayil Varughese was instrumental in forming the first-ever Kerala Samajam in Nigeria in 2001 and was its Vice-President for the first two years. Since 2000 he has been associated with the World Malayalee Council being its Vice-President, Middle East and Africa Region, and Vice-Chairman of the African Region at one time. He later became the President of the WMC Nigeria Province. An engineer from Tiruvalla who has been in Nigeria since 1996 where he is in service, he was instrumental in the WMC Nigeria Province adopting an economically backward village in Ogun State. The village having a population of about 1,000 had no electricity and no drinking water. Its people were unhealthy and poor. After adoption, WMC conducted a free medical camp there every month to improve the health standards of the villagers. It provided the villagers with drinking water by drilling a borehole. “We donated scholastic materials to children through the only primary school in the village”, says a proud Mathews. Yes, all this with his efforts. Mathews thinks the situation in Kerala is not conducive enough for a newcomer to attempt starting business. Any suggestions to make the State globally competitive? “Yes, but the attitude of the people and the Government must change and should be geared towards development. The labour force must be born again and must work towards betterment of the State. The Government must learn from other developing States and nations. All hartals called by political parties must stop and people shall not respond to the calls,” he says. “I will work for some more time and then think of setting up a small business and work for the betterment of society”, is what he says about the future. “We must be grateful to the Almighty for all His blessings. Working with WMC and other social organizations gives self-satisfaction. We must be useful to others”, he concludes. Mrs Rosy Mathews is a housewife. They have two sons, Roshan and Blessen. PASSLINE

Thomas Kannenkeril, who was Vice-Chairman of the World Malayalee Council and Convener of its Business Forum, has been in Germany for more than three decades. Starting his career with Royal Signals in Germany, he worked in the travel and tourism field, having completed several related courses.An expert in travel and tourism, he started his own business, a travel agency, in Germany called Reiseburo Skyreisen. He also works for promoting tourism in Kerala, being the official agent of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) in Germany. Thomas is also a Director of Green Berg Resorts in Idukki and Managing Director of Kuttanad Resort. His wife Ammini is a registered nurse in Germany and daughter Rency is a Master’s in Industrial and Personnel Management and is working in London. Regin is his son.

JENNIFER TRACY MYALIL

US-born Indian achiever Jennifer Tracy Myalil, US-born American of Indian origin, is a double major in Finance and Accounting from the Chicago Varsity. Daughter of Joy Myalil, a computer engineer and co-founder of the first bank organized by Indian Americans, and Marykutty, a registered nurse in Chicago, Jennifer is one of the rare young outstanding achievers of the new generation of US-born Indians. Based in Chicago, Jennifer works for one of the largest accounting firms in the US. She was Co-captain of the national award-winning cheerleading squad, Jay Leno Show guest on CNBC and guest participant in Walt Disney World ‘Main Street’ parade. She has served as the Executive Chair of the Golden Key International Honour Society. May 31-June 30, 2012

36 C R NAMBIAR

JOLLY THADATHIL

‘Moratorium on hartals needed’

Runs old-age homes in Germany

T elecommunication engineer in Bahrain, Cheeyancheri Rajagopalan Nambiar is an MSc (Engineering) with added degrees and diplomas like MIE, MIETE, FCSE and BDM. Belonging to Kunhimangalam in Kannur district, Nambiar arrived in Bahrain in 1977. He is former President and Life Member of the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam; founder President of the Kerala Social and Cultural Association; General Secretary, Board of Governors, the Indian School, Bahrain; General Secretary, Malabar Airport Development Committee; Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Indian School, Bahrain; General Secretary, Coordination Committee of Indian Associations, Bahrain; General Secretary, Indian Community Relief Fund (under the Indian Embassy), Bahrain; Coordinator, Indian Community Services (under the Indian Embassy); General Convener, Building Premises Committee, the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam; Patron, Payyannur Souharda Vedi, Bahrain; and General Secretary, World Malayalee Council Middle East Region. Though not interested in making any investment in Kerala, Nambiar definitely would like to participate in the state’s development. “Kerala has the potential for growth, provided political parties change their pure political attitude. Keralites, by and large, have an investor-friendly attitude, and facilities are ready to work in the state”, he says. Nambiar says the Kerala Government should appoint technocrats to head the Government institutions, instead of political nominees and bureaucrats. He wants a moratorium on hartals. “In fact I want legislation to ban this, which is illegal”, he says. Advocating an ‘open-door policy’ on business proposals, he thinks severe punishment and heavy fines should be imposed on people involved in destruction of public property, and damages should be collected from them. “The Government should take severe action against corruption and implement economic reservations. Scholarships or financial aid should be given to weaker sections for studies and training. There should, however, be no compromise on the capabilities of candidates for employment, recruitment and promotions”, he says. Nambiar also thinks that unions/associations should not be allowed in police forces, and employees getting paid fully or partially from the State or Central Governments, including the Government staff, staff of aided schools, agencies or any other organizations should not be allowed to participate in political activities. His future plans include some consultancy services and useful social activities. Vanaja R Nambiar is a housewife. Their son Ranjit Rajan, a BTech ftom Cochin University of Science and Technology and an MBA of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, is with a multinational company in Dubai. Ranjit’s wife Nisha is also an MBA — Symbiosis Institute, Pune. She is with a Dubai-based international bank. They have a daughter, Uttara. The Nambiars’ second son Rajesh Rajan, a BE from Nitte Engineering College and a CISCO specialist, is with an MNC in Muscat.

Jolly Thadathil is running four old-age homes and two nursing homes in Germany where he migrated in 1981 after obtaining his MSc degree in Botany and MA in Sociology. Hailing from Thottakkara, Muvattupuzha, Jolly had worked in the Federal Bank in Kerala before going to Germany where he specialized in the healthcare management field. An active social worker, Jolly is a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the ruling party in Germany. Twice elected a municipal councillor in Schwelm town, he worked for several years as President and Chairman of the World Malayalee Council’s Europe Region. He was also instrumental in starting the WMC Provinces in Europe since the very beginning of the WMC in 1995. At present he is the organization’s Global President. According to Jolly, globalization has brought forth tremendous changes all over India and Kerala. All modern facilities with regard to technology, medicine and communication are available now in Kerala. The State has great potential for development but has many inherent and intricate hurdles to overcome for making progress. “The main obstacles to development are our so-called leaders. Whereas all over the world politicians are called politicians we call them leaders. What is a leader? There are many definitions. But according to a layman’s thinking, a leader is a person who guides others towards a common goal, showing the way by example. Most of Kerala’s so-called political leaders have no vision or mission. They need not have any basic qualifications,” says Jolly. Jolly says Kerala’s strength is its education. The State can be proud of having a very good educated young generation. Its main weakness is the attempt of its politicians to destroy the whole education system. Keralites living abroad are grateful to the educational institutions from which they got their degrees and knowledge. The attempt of the politicians to destroy our education system is deplorable. To develop business, says Jolly, one needs the support of the Government and also the support and cooperation of the employees. The question is if these are available in Kerala. Anyhow most nonresident Keralities are yet to believe that the soil of Kerala is ripe enough for business. Many successful Kerala business people from outside India may not take the risk of losing all their savings in Kerala through business entrepreneurship. Jolly’s wife Mercy is a teacher by profession and is certified in Healthcare Management. She administers their institutions. They have three children, of whom Nicole, the elder daughter, is an MBA (London) running her own IT consulting firm with her husband, Libin Karuvallil, who has a Master’s in IT. Jolly’s son Nelson is an engineer from the University of Dortmund in Germany and the younger daughter is Nancy. Whatever Kerala’s weaknesses, Jolly, his wife and children love their home State, its people and its traditions. “In spite of all the disparities, discriminations and hartals, we all visit God’s Own Country at least once a year,” says Jolly.

DAVID LUKE

ANUPA FABIAN

Specialized in printing S tar Printing Press is one of the most modern printing presses in Saudi Arabia. The secret of the company’s success is its visionary leadership and the personal and cordial relationship it has with its customers. The man who made all this possible is David Luke, who quit a prestigious university job and joined a Saudi sponsor to start Star Printing Press in Riyadh. He persuaded the sponsor to start a small-scale printing press with two GTO single colours, a small cutting machine, Polar 78, and a pre-press department. David Luke was born on May 22, 1954, in a village in Kerala. After completing his primary school education in his village, he shifted to Mumbai for his high school education and to Allahabad for

Empowering women

his university course. He specialized in printing technology from Mumbai. In 1978 he joined King Saud University of Riyadh in the Department of Printing and Publishing. But he quit the job to start his own business. Today Star Printing Press is a leading printing press, equipped with state-of-the-art printing technology and employing more than 50 expatriates and many Saudi nationals. The Star team formulates designs and produces delightful presentations on paper. At present Star operates 20 hours a day. It is one of the quality printers in the kingdom. Star has opened a new press in Dubai, called CMS Printing Press, with all modern machines from Heidelberg. David’s wife Annakutty supports him in managing his property and estates. The couple has two children—Jim and Jeena. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Kochi-born Anupa Fabian is a sprightly young public administrator, research scholar, United Nations consultant and social activist, based in New Jersey, US. After graduating from Sophia College, Mumbai, Anupa earned her Master’s in Public Administration from the famous Columbia University and was awarded fellowship to provide teaching. She had worked as Reports Consultant of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN at Rome, with the Women’s Prison Association, New York, providing help for women with criminal justice involvement and also for the World Food Programme in Tajikistan. She ran the 2005 DC Marine Corps Marathon to raise funds for ASHA, a non-profit organization. Anupa has co-authored research studies on women.

37 SANTIMON JACOB

ANDREW PAPPACHEN

Kerala a ‘slow-moving giant’

Backbone of WMC Mr Andrew Pappachen, one of the founders of the World Malayalee Council (WMC) and its former Global President and Global Chairman, is very well known among the Malayalees and other Indians as also among the American community in the US because of his record of social, political and community activities for the past more than three decades. As a pioneer, Andrew played a key role in the formation of various cultural, social, political and religious organizations like the Kerala Association of New Jersey, Asian American Political Coalition, Asian American Heritage Council of New Jersey, Mar Thoma Church of New Jersey, Federation of Kerala Associations and the WMC. Andrew migrated to the United States in 1973 at the age of 25 with a Master’s degree in Chemistry. He took another Master’s in Environmental Engineering from the famous Sevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey, and became a certified public manager in New Jersey. Having worked

for the City of Newark, New Jersey, for a long time, he is now the Director of Operations of Newark Watershed Corporation. He has authored three books in English under the pen name Andreos published by the Authors House, US: A Journey Through Generations, an autobiography, and two novels, Secrets of Passion and Love with the Ghost, which have been translated into Malayalam, and one novel in Malayalam, Thalamurakalethedi, published by Prabhat Book House. His second Malayalam novel, Theerthadanathinte Katha, also published by Prabhat Book House, was released. As a renowned social worker he believes that to make money or enjoy luxuries is not the most important thing in life but to share our wealth and experience with those who need them. The WMC’s Liberate Kerala from Pollution and Poverty project is a brainchild of his. Its first plan is to educate the people on the need for and benefits of a clean environment and how to achieve it.

DAVIS EDATTUKARAN

Dreams about a clean Kerala Mr Davis Edattukaran, who hails from Mala in Thrissur district, started his career as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army. After having served the 18th Battalion of the Madras Regiment for eight years he resigned as a Captain in 1981 to join his wife Daisy in Austria. An MCom degree holder, Davis worked in the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as Finance Officer initially and is now Programme Officer in the Montreal Protocol branch of the organization. It was Daisy who started the first South Indian restaurant, ‘Kairlay’, in Vienna, the Austrian capital. Later, they opened another one called ‘Himalaya’. However, they sold both “for several reasons”. Davis was a member of the hotel industry organization in Vienna when he was associated with the restaurants. “I have great dreams about Kerala—a Kerala with good roads, a Kerala with drinking water facility available to all, a clean Kerala with waste processing facility, a Kerala with disciplined people, a Kerala where we have security for our lives and property, a Kerala where women can move around without any fear of harassment, a Kerala with low carbon emission and environmentally green and a Kerala where all people respect one another,” says Davis about his home state. According to Davis, Kerala has a lot of opportunities to grow tremendously. “Our land is blessed with everything possible. Unfortunately we are not making use of many such opportunities. We should go for solar and wind energy as well as small hydro-power generation projects. The Government should invest some money in those projects. We do not have good roads and it is time to go for them. We should opt for at least 45-metre-wide roads. The people affected should be handsomely paid and motivated to give their land for a greater Kerala. I think the Vallarpadam terminal will change the entire shape of Kerala. We should plan projects like that. We

should go a long way in our IT field. We need greed-free politicians. I think they should be highly paid so that they will not have any greed for money,” he says. About new ventures by NRIs, Davis says that this seems to be difficult under the present conditions. The bureaucrats and the Government should respect the law of the land and treat others as human beings, he adds. Davis says any comparison between Austria and Kerala seems to be very difficult. “Here all respect one another and are disciplined. The bureaucrats deal with people gently adhering to rules and regulations. The police behave like friends and guides. The dealings are transparent. There are no unnecessary delays for anything. We will get a yes- or no-answer immediately. The business community is also treated very well. My experience in Kerala is just the opposite,” Davis says. The strength of Kerala is also its weakness, says Davis. “We have vast human resources. We should use them properly. Kerala produces a large number of engineers, doctors, nurses and other professionals. Many of them leave the country for better job opportunities. The money they send back home is not utilized in Kerala, it is being used by others. Unfortunately we spend a lot of money to build individual houses. We are lazy by nature, while in India, we do not respect rules. It is true that we keep ourselves clean but do not care about the surroundings and the environment. We are a selfish lot. Individually we may be good, but collectively we are bad. But if we individually do our best in all things, Kerala will climb the ladder of success very easily,” he says. “Let us make our weakness our strength. So let’s work together without ego, without selfishness for a better future for the next generation,” concludes Davis, who is looking forward to a retired life in Kerala. Though he has no business ventures in Kerala now, he has plans to launch one. The Davis-Daisy couple have two sons—Paul and George. PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

Kerala has got a lot of potential to become a frontrunner in international business.Kerala is a ‘slowmoving giant’. We could feel the slow-moving attitude of the people even in the airport to the Secretariat.

The heavy loaded roads to the old-fashioned paper-based offices should become paperless offices by introducing digital documentation solutions”. This is what Santimon Jacob, hailing from Kottayam and now settled in Ickenham, West London, says about his home State’s potential for growth. A Master’s in New Media from Nottingham Trent University, UK, Santimon is Chairman and Managing Director of Purple and Pink Solutions Ltd. One of the fast-growing consultancy firms in London, PPSL focuses on international business consultancy for technology transfer, marketing, international finance and outsourcing solutions for European clients. Within a short a period of three years after he arrived in the UK only in 2003, Santimon has become Chairman, Committee for Media, Communication and Education, SMCC, London. He says he is interested in information technology and infrastructure investment in Kerala. A joint-sector BPO facility is in his mind. His future plans? “To start a professional training institute to develop the ‘soft skills’ of educated youth in India”, says he. “It will be an institute of international standards and the faculty will be from corporate giants around the globe”, he adds. His wife Mini helps him in the business. They have two children—Ashik and Athul.

ALEX PALLICKAL KURIEN

Wistful about Kerala

Alex P Kurien is so nostalgic about Kerala that he is beyond words to describe his home state. And like every Malayalee residing abroad Alex is also wistful when thinking about his native land, Mallappally West, Pathanamthitta. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Journalism, MA and a Diploma in Public Relations and Advertising, Alex migrated to Oman in 1983. By profession he is a journalist in Muscat with the Government-owned Oman Daily Observer. Alex thinks that Kerala has ample job and investment opportunities, especially in tourism. Also he finds that it is rich in human resource and verdant scenic beauty. But he is not at all confident of launching any venture in the state. Kerala’s main drawbacks, according to him, are inter-party and intra-party disputes and influence of bad politics. When he compares Kerala and Oman, he finds that in Oman there is no power or water shortage and there are no strikes. Fuel prices are very low, there are no traffic jams, and the nationals are very friendly. The Omani Government is very keen to boost investments in the country. It has also initiated several incentives for foreign investors, especially in tourism—a booming sector. Alex’s wife Elizabeth is also working in the same newspaper.

38 M R RAJAGOPALAN NAIR

AMAL FABIAN

‘Kerala’s strength is its people’

Global entrepreneur

A senior-level Executive in a financial institution in the UAE and a former CEO of an international commercial bank, M R Rajagopalan Nair from Edappally in Kochi is a highly qualified person: he is MA (Economics) with a PG in Personnel Management, a CAIIB (Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers) and a graduate in law. Though he has no business ventures in Kerala he believes that his home State is a wonderful place endowed with natural resources. He laments however that it is spoiled by corruption and a set of inefficient politicians. “Our leaders say that in tandem with the growth of the other parts of the country, Kerala also is growing and that it offers tremendous opportunities. I think this is wishful thinking by the leaders. An analysis of the various industries and industrial estates which were there in Kerala will reveal that our State has the potential, but we lack leaders who lack the vision of a prosperous State. When the neighbouring States prosper, we are pushed back every year and I do not think the climate is ripe for any investment in Kerala,” says Nair. According to him, Kerala’s main strength is its people—highly literate and mobile, hardworking in the right atmosphere. “They are highly successful outside their home State,” he says. “The main weakness is the corrupt political leaders in the State.” Like many expatriates, Nair also has a dream: “My dream is a wonderful Kerala devoid of these corrupt political parties and their leaders.” In contrast, the Government of the UAE is very concerned for its people and its prosperity. They have efficient administrative machinery and there is no scope for corruption. Rajagopalan Nair’s wife is a homemaker. Their only son has completed his engineering course now.

Amal Fabian from Kochi is an international consultant and global entrepreneur based in Bucharest, Romania. Amal has a Master’s in International Studies from John Hopkins University, Washington, D C, and an MBA from European School of Economics, Rome. He graduated from St Xaviers, Mumbai.Amal was Chief Executive of Giovanni, an apparel manufacturing unit in Tajikistan, and worked for Carrera, US, in Washington, D C. He was a consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and served AT Kearney as summer associate. Amal was also Director, Crafts and Looms International, Bucharest, Romania. A linguist, he knows, besides Malayalam, English, Hindi, Russian, Italian, Spanish and French.

WMC stands for a clean and green India

T he World Malayalee Council (WMC) is an organization of Indians. Its main objective is to provide a nonpolitical forum to bring together the widely scattered community of people of Malayalees/people of Kerala origin and strengthen their common bonds of culture, tradition and way of life. WMC was formed in April 1995 to network Malayalees around the world and was inaugurated on July 3, 1995 at the first-ever World Convention of Non-resident Malayalees in New Jersey. WMC works towards international brotherhood of Malayalees to bolster their cultural, artistic and social uniqueness and help understand other cultures with which they have to co-exist and interact. Under the leadership of India Region the following social activities were implemented during 2009-2011. WMC, Youth India, Green Kerala Foundation and Labour India Public School undertook a ‘Clean India Yathra’ from Kashmir to Kanyakumari from the Gandhi Jayanti month of October, which concluded in November. Political and social leaders, activists, students and youth took part in it. The aim of the Yathra with the message ‘Clean India…Green India’ was to convey to the public, youth and students

the idea and necessity of scientifically recycling waste materials. Plastic bottles collected from houses by students were gathered by the Yathra team at public functions, dumped in lorries and taken to recycling factories. Through the ‘Clean India Yathra’ some awareness of cleanliness was spread among the people and youth of the country. The Yathra which started from Delhi and traversed through Srinagar, Jammu, A m r i t s a r , Chandigarh, Haryana, Jaipur, A g r a , Ahmedabad, Porbandar, Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai via Kanyakumari ended in Thiruvananthapuram. Dignitaries from different walks of life in Kerala including WMC office-holders led the Yathra. Kerala has been blessed not just PASSLINE

with beautiful landscapes and a serene environment but with abundant water resources. A WMC team undertook a Yathra to these rivers. A group led by Mr George Kulangara, Chairman, WMC India Region, traversed throughout Kerala and collected water from 44 rivers for lab testing, ascertaining its quality and potability. Moreover, WMC conducted a ‘Clean Kerala Yathra’ f r o m Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod collecting waste from Pampa, Erumely, Pala, Kottayam, Erattupetta and Kidangoor. The Yathra was led by Mr George George Kulangara Kulangara. Living on alien lands, non-residents have a soft corner for their brethren back home. Their generous attitude towards the indigent sections in society has resulted in the setting up of Green Garden Old Age Home. WMC has May 31-June 30, 2012

taken the initiative to rehabilitate endosulfan victims and donated two miniambulances to expedite the relief work. It is needless to say that there are people from other states who often mingle in foreign lands for some social events. To strengthen the bond between Malayalees and Tamils in foreign countries WMC has been organizing Tamil-Malayalee Sneha Sangamam and Sneha Virunnu occasionally. As a part of making people aware of the WMC provinces, a Directory of India Region has been published with details of provinces. Waste is a common problem each country faces. There are several measures proposed by governments, organizations and local bodies to dispose of or recycle kitchen waste. WMC has played a major role in converting kitchen waste into compost to be used in gardens. Kitchen waste management is being promoted in different places. The Kerala Government has accepted the waste management policy endorsed by WMC and included it in the state budget. The Chief Minister himself has announced a high-tech waste recycling plant in Thiruvananthapurm, Kottayam, Kochi and Kozhikode.

Council India Region. Still he says he is eager to do more.

each human being has certain distinct characteristics—both plus points and flaws. I always like to observe others to emulate their positive aspects. If you do this, you will find life quite useful and interesting,” says V C Praveen, the young Director-Operations, Gokulam Chits. The energetic businessman also holds the positions of Director, Sree Gokulam Hotels (India), Vice-Chairman, Sree Gokulam Educational and Medical Trust; and Global President, World Malayalee

‘Busyness’ is not a new thing for Praveen. Being the son-in-law of well-known businessman Gokulam Gopalan, Praveen has been doing exceedingly well right from his school days. He has been showing great enthusiasm and sincerity in both business and other activities with utmost professionalism and exceptional talent. This quality helps him to stand out from the rest.

he name ‘EVM’ brings to one’s mind a myriad of images—of cars, bikes, estates and even films. Years of excellence in, and commitment to, whatever field of activity it has undertaken has made EVM a household name. Like any other successful endeavours, the EVM Group too has a story of it to tell—a story of untiring hard work and confidence. It was in 1935 that E V Mathai started EVM as a small venture. Later it turned out to be a great success and the fame traversed across the globe. It was his total commitment to his profession that enabled EVM to spread its wings into several fields of activity. The founder is no more but his legacy is being carried forward by his six sons. Though they are focused on different sectors, they are always united in achieving common goals and facing challenges that come their way. The group now supplies natural rubber and rubber products to many popular tyre manufacturing companies and rubber crumbing factories. EVM is a well-known name in the spice trade too. For the past few years, it has been cultivating and exporting high-quality cardamom, cashew, lemon grass oil etc. EVM is a name to be reckoned with in the film world. The group owns more than 20 cinemas spread across Kerala which include ‘Kavitha’ in the heart of Kochi. EVM also has many three-star hotels and resorts. One of the most successful ventures of the group is EVM Motors of which Sabu Johny, son of group Chairman E M Johny is the Chairman and Managing Director. The career graph of this dynamic young man shows how systematic and serious he is in his business. Being born and brought up in a business famSabu Johny ily, Sabu came to learn of the twists and twirls of this trade even when he was very young. This perhaps helped him to acquire an uncanny ability to recognize and realize new business opportunities when markets and technologies were in transition. And these qualities have also helped him to keep track of happenings and possibilities. EVM Motors is the prestigious dealer in Nissan, Honda and Volkswagen vehicles. Because of the well-known EVM trademark of quality service and commitment, vehicle lovers never go for other options. PASSLINE

Just like any other leading business tycoons, Praveen too has some role models in his life. They are none other than the great philosophers Sree Narayana Guru and Kumaranasan. Their teachings have played a significant role in moulding his vision of life, and he has been applying these values in the areas of his activities. Insistence on good behaviour and respect for elders are some of the values that he had learnt right from his childhood. “When I joined the group, Gokulam Chits had just 100 branches. Now the number has grown to over 240. As Director, Operations, I am looking after the operations of all the chit office branches,” says Praveen. “My duties and responsibilities are increasing by

May 31-June 30, 2012

the day. I really enjoy getting adjusted to this busy schedule”, he says. Besides being the executive producer of Sree Gokulam Movies, Praveen also looks after the functioning of Nandhini Sweets, the popular sweetmeat-cumrestaurant chain’s establishments across Chennai. Leadership is the prime ‘dominating’ quality in this young man. From his school days, Praveen had been very active in clubs and forums. In his younger days, he got recognized as the best District Secretary of Leo Club and later he became the President of Aminjikarai Malayalee Association. Later he came into the fold of WMC as an ordinary member, and then became its Secretary for the Chennai Province and subsequently became WMC President, India Region. He was also closely associated with Hridaya Ragam-2006, 2008 and 2010, a fund-raising programme to help over 300 children from financially poor families to undergo free heart surgeries. Praveen’s experience in the finance sector helped him a lot to deal with the various situations in the day-to-day operations at Gokulam. “At Gokulam, our policy has been to do things in the best possible manner. This philosophy has resulted in the fast and strong growth of all companies under this brand,” says Praveen. Apart from his business, family is his next weakness. His wife Lijisha is his strength during difficult times. The couple have two children—Namratha and Thejus. “We always want our children to be humble and to respect their elders. So we try to impart to them values along with academic education”, concludes the proud father.

Passline News Service

oung people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace,” said former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan once. His words proclaim the real meaning of ‘youth’, the torch-bearers of society. Here comes the relevance and importance of Altius, a grand initiative of the World Malayalee Council (WMC). The main aim of the programme is to instil global competence and social commitment into the youth of Kerala. ‘Creativity’ and ‘humanity’ are the two underlying themes of Altius. Though it aims at the systematic development of skills and career moves of the younger generation, the group also wants our young men and women to become good human beings. Through its residential training camps, Altius teaches a new lesson—a lesson in how to lead a moral life. Unlike other groups, the activities of Altius are not just confined to conducting some seminars or lectures. It provides training to poor students of Government/aided schools. Students are also given training in rural social work and many other humanitarian activities. Computer and language learning programmes and personality development classes are routinely conducted. ‘Samanwaya’, a project inspired by former President A P J Abdul Kalam, is one initiative which aims to forge communal harmony among students. The core concept behind the project is cooperation and communion with, and harmony towards, every living and non-living thing in society. As the name implies, it fosters value-based education and encourages students to have openness to all cultures. Besides these activities, Samanwaya awards are given every year to the best outstanding project and outstanding trainer and organizer in the state as well as in districts. The group being a creative venture, the organizers are always keen to provide some novel ideas for its improvement. Green Act, a youthled environment movement, is another innovative venture from Altius. The vision of the programme is to create and spread awareness about environmental issues among the youth and contribute to the revival of environmental is-

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sues. A select group of students some time ago attended a global conference and training session in Doha under the initiative of this project. The activities of Altius extend to all sectors. Till now it has trained about 4,000 students and every year a new batch undergoes the intensive training sessions. More than 50 residential camps including three state camps have been conducted across Kerala. About 100 students have now formed a core team of mentors to carry out the projects across the state. Recently an Altius camp, the first outside India, was conducted on the premises of Indian Academy School in Muhasisnah, Dubai, with the theme ‘Creating Globally Competent and Socially Committed Leaders’. Realizing that inspiration can come from a spark of life, Altius now conducts classes by social workers, successful personalities, academics and bureaucrats and common people with a unique track record. These classes help students to learn the tough, dark realities of life in our society. The group is planning to have a vibrant academic year ahead. Its student members from colleges will organize a one-day camp named ‘Altius Freshius’ to welcome the new batches. The programme includes a 15minute video clip visualizing the lovely moments of college life. The induction programme is supposed to clear off the inhibitions of newcomers and to create care and warmth among students. As part of the programme, the Altius team will conduct a paper bag manufacturing workshop in colleges. These bags will be later distributed to shops in the vicinity of colleges. Yes, through these interestingand innovative ventures Altius is trying to attain the goal of raising young, committed humans for the modern world.

May 31-June 30, 2012

r A V Anoop’s record of achievements is not confined to one or two domains. An accomplished industrialist, property developer, film producer, social worker, organizer and amateur drama artist—the list goes on. With an envious track record, Dr Anoop continues to grow leaving a mark on whatever he touches. Managing Director of AVA Cholayil Health Care Pvt Ltd, Dr Anoop was born in 1962 at Thrissur and passed his SSLC from St Joseph Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram. Graduating in Commerce from Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvanantha puram, in 1982, he did his PhD at Medicina Alternativa Institute, Colombo.

His first step into business was in 1983 with his maternal uncle. He has come a long way since, having become one of the most successful entrepreneurs Kerala has seen. The Cholayil Group that he heads today is the maker of the famous ‘Medimix’, the world’s largest-selling ayurvedic bath soap. The trust Keralites have put in the group prompted him to launch ‘Sanjeevanam’, the one-of-its kind holistic healthcare service centre. This keen proponent of ayurveda is a true enthusiast of art and literature too. His passion for films made him launch ‘AVA Productions’ in 2007. Many films and documentaries have been produced under this banner. The films include Pranayakalam, Paleri Manikyam

Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha, Christian Brothers and Yugapurushan. His quest for business opportunities knows no limits. It was his experience and earnestness and the realization that the rising Indian economy provides ample opportunities in property and infrastructure development that made him a successful property developer. ‘AVA Properties Pvt Ltd’ now has numerous projects in progress in Tamil Nadu and Kerala which are of international standards. Involved in all social, educational, cultural and philanthropic activities relating to Malayalees across the globe, Dr Anoop holds many positions. Presently he is one of the 10 members of the World Malayalee Council (WMC) Advisory Board. He has been working in the group for the past many years for the uplift of Malayalees residing abroad. Dr Anoop has left his dynamic im-

print on the education scene as well. He is on the management boards of several educational institutions in and outside Kerala. He is Director of Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences (SNIMS), Kochi, Honorary Director of Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute, Thrissur and Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Vice-President and trustee of various colleges and academies run by the group. ‘AVA Charitable Trust’, the group’s charity wing, and ‘AVA Publications’ are the other ventures of the group. The business icon has been honoured with many awards for excellence. He is the recipient of Management Excellence Award (2008) by the Trichur Management Association and the Akshaya National Award (2008) for services rendered in the field of cultural activities. ‘Seva Rathna Puraskar (2003) by the Indian Red Cross Society and Shiromani Award (2001) by the International Institute of Health Sciences are some of the other prestigious awards he has received. The Anoop-Priya couple have two daughters—Pratheeksha and Lanchana. Pratheeksha is married to Prasanth and Lanchana to Vivek. They are well settled.

Fall in love—with coffee H Passline News Service

ow nice it would be to make an espresso or cappuccino at home! The task has now become as easy as drinking a cup of coffee. ’Kicoff’, the new venture from Hoteltek Beverages Private Limited, part of the Floatels Group, has scored a bulls eye through its advanced coffee brewing machines. It was recently that the successful Rs 100-crore Floatels Group, headquartered in Thiruvanan thapuram with an office in Kochi, forayed into the food and hospitality sector under the name of Hoteltek, which has its own manufacturing facilities and also plans to import food and beverages across the globe. “Coffee in a most hygienic way” is the prime motto of the group. The strong cup of authentic cof-

fee brewed from nitrogen-sealed sachets of coffee pods retains its fresh flavour. This coffee- and teabrewing machine helps to produce high-quality espresso or cappuccino in a quite easier way. Different types of coffee and tea pods are available from this group. The exotic flavour of coffee can refresh the mind and soul of any individual. Recalling Keralites’ love for hot beverages, the company provides coffee and tea pods in many distinctive flavours: 100% Arabica gives the pure coffee taste whereas the Monsoon Malabar is a mixed blend of Arabica and Robusta cherry. Indian Summer, another pod, provides the mouth-watering aroma of South Indian filter coffee. Apart from coffee pods, tea pods are available for ardent tea lovers. The list includes breakfast tea pods, earl grey and masala tea blend.

PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

M R Narayanan with Toursim and Cultural affairs minister A P Anil Kumar

Already supplying brewing machines and coffee pods, Hoteltek now plans to distribute natural juice concentrates and juice dispensers too. ‘Coffee capsules’, a fresh try on India, is another novel venture from the Hoteltek Group and it will find a place on the shelves soon. The production of coffee capsules in collaboration with an Italian group may change the whole concept of traditional coffee-making. After the tremendous success of Poovar Island Resorts, the Floatels Group is now planning to set up a 25-acre resort at Perumbalam in Kumbalam island, Ernakulum district. According to the group, the upcoming Rs 100-crore project will provide five-star facilities with all high-class facilities. The high-profile resort comprises floating cottages, a boutique and an ayurvedic spa centre.”We are now planning to focus on the food and hospitality industry,” says Mr M R Narayanan, Managing Director of Floatels Pvt Ltd. Mr Narayanan, the man behind Floatels, can be termed a multifaceted personality. He is an engineer, successful entrepreneur and a hotelier. KRYONIX, the first firm he started, was meant to develop and sell microprocessor teaching aids and development systems. Later in 1982 he started another firm, Computer Aids and Systems, which operated around 80 franchised COMP-U-TECH training institutes in different parts of the country. Then he promoted companies like Transmatic Systems Limited of which he is Director, Adtech Systems Limited (Chairman), Transdot Private Ltd (Chairman) and Apt Micro Solutions Pvt Ltd (Director). It was during his tenure that Transmatic Systems Limited received the National Productivity Award from the Productivity Council. The company also received the award for the best small-scale industry in Kerala in 1996. Presently Mr Narayanan is the General Secretary of the South Kerala Hoteliers Forum and Secretary of the Confederation of Tourism Industry.

42 With growing expertise in the sector, a robust infrastructure model in place with the recent inauguration of Hedge’s new corporate office in Kochi and with the backing of the Hedge brand,it’s planning to spearhead its operations in the new segment in a big way. While focusing on LAS, Hedge Finance is also betting on the Indian economy’s growth. The new company will also spearhead the group’s nationwide expansion as plans are on to open branches across all the metros.

Mr Boby Jose, COO, Mr N Bhuvenendren, C E O and Mr Alex K Babu, Managing Director with actor Mohanlal, Brand Ambassador.

Passline News Service

here is a hoarding that has been attracting the attention of pedestrians and travellers alike of late. Captioned ‘The King Has Arrived’ and carrying a picture of the ‘King’, the King of the Jungle, the lion, it comes from the House of Hedge. Certainly it is interesting to watch. Few know that it is the harbinger of the revolution going to take place in the arena of security finance, LAS (loan against securities) and gold loans. Hedge Finance Ltd, part of the Hedge Group of Companies, one of the fastest-growing financial institutions of Kerala, with an ambition for pan-India presence, has reached the status of a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and is aiming at a giant leap into new growth areas. In a chat with PASSLINE at its sprawling multistoreyed corporate office recently acquired by the group at Edappally, Kochi, Mr Alex K Babu, Managing Director of Hedge Finance, said, “Instead

of traditional gold loans by existing NBFCs in the region, we initially focus on the LAS model. With growing expertise in the sector, a robust infrastructure model in place with the recent inauguration of our new corporate office in Kochi and with the backing of the Hedge brand we are planning to spearhead our operations in the new segment in a big way. While focusing on LAS, Hedge Finance is also betting on the Indian economy’s growth. The new company will also spearhead the group’s nationwide expansion as plans are on to open branches across all the metros,” said Mr Alex. “Hedge Finance will shortly launch 10 new outlets exclusively for its NBFC operations. Hedge Equities’ existing 180 branches will also serve the NBFC clients with its prevailing qualitative customer base of 35,000 and a loan book of Rs 40 crore in its funding against securities. We are confident of achieving a loan book of Rs 100 crore within the first three months of operations”. said Mr Bobby Jose, COO of the company”. “Acquiring a licence for an NBFC is an emotional PASSLINE

May 31-June 30, 2012

matter for all of us at Hedge. It is the path-breaking success of leading NBFCs in the state that induces us to become part of the great opportunity prevailing in the country”, said Mr Bhuvenendran, CEO of the company. With the LAS model, Hedge Finance will provide loans against shares, debentures and Government papers as its core area of operation apart from venturing into the traditional areas of leasing and general financing, home financing and vehicle finance, gold loans and project financing. We are planning to position ourselves as the financial supermarket with a gamut of products in hand to cater to our customers’ financial needs,” Mr Bhuvenedran added. In the new model Hedge Finance will finance stocks in the possession of customers. According to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) norms, for equity financing companies the regulator categorically insists on a maximum cap of 50%

43 whereas in the case of NBFCs, companies can provide up to 80% of the total value of the scrips as loan. The advantage of this facility is that the customer can utilize the fund to average his existing portfolio or he can use it for buying new scrips of his choice or with the advice of experts of the company. And he can also use the fund for personal purposes. “The company will not be in difficulty even if the pledged scrips’ value depletes since we have a highly trained risk management team equipped with the most advanced software for surveillance. In that case we will immediately alert the customer to top up the loan amount or we will demat the scrip to the tune of the likely loss. Keep in mind this: we always fund Nifty A-category equities”, said Mr Alex. “As regards gold loans, we intend to open a new era in the sector. Unlike other leading NBFCs, we finance only in the electronic format and also try to have a monopoly in the market in that area,” said Mr Bhuvenendran. There is a growing trend among the elite and educated class to use the minimum number of ornaments with low weight and keep their investment in gold ETF or papers of similar format. Of course this is a positive sign and

this will avert burglary, cost of possession, wear and tear and other types of losses arising during updating the models. Gold in paper format will have easy liquidity and true value during the sales and is easy to keep in possession. At Hedge Finance we finance only for the gold in paper format. A person can systematically invest in this format with nominal amounts of Rs 1,000 onwards. Aiming at his long-time need he can commence investment in small sums and whenever he needs finance we will provide him with 90% of the value. With traditional NBFCs, however, he can only get 60% of the value of the ornament thanks to the RBI’s recent strictures on gold loan companies. There is no doubt that the gold market in future will dominate with electronic investment. The days are near for gifting gold investment certifi-

part of India’s growth story. The case is the same with any developing country in the world. Instead of becoming panicky we must position ourselves and attain maximum advantage by investing in good scrips during a downward trend in the market,” said Mr Bobby. A good investor will always observe the happenings in and around him. There is no problem investing in successful local companies and institutions for which an investor does not need any expertise or advice, he added. Incorporated in 2008, Hedge Equities, the group flagship, was a coming together of 25 years of cutting-edge experience of business leaders in various industries backed by strong expertise in global financial markets. The company is providing its customers with identification of good stocks, finance for

‘Investing in equities is not stock trading’ “There is a general perception among the public that investing in equities is trading in stocks. ‘Trading’ is the wrong and ridicules word being used even among stock brokers,” said Mr Bhuvenendran. “It is high time the word was eliminated from the industry. The word itself conveys a wrong message: that stock investment is a short cut to easy money and that poor small-time investors will fall easy prey to it. “Entering the stock market is not for trading; it is for long-term investment. There is no space for speculation and easy money in the stock market. Those who invest for long periods in Indian blue-chip companies can expect high growth compared to any other forms of investment existing in the country,” he added.

cates instead of gold in physical form for your daughter’s wedding. However, as an organic extension of services of Hedge Commodities, another group company having membership in MCX, NCDX and NMC, and with the expertise of our people we hope that we can provide impeccable service to our valued customers,” said Bhuvenendran. “In the systematic investment plan (SIP) even the small investor and the common man can invest even a paltry Rs 1,000. By investing in India’s top companies they become part of nation-building and part of the Indian growth story. The ups and downs of the stock market are also

investment and easy liquidity if a person needs it. According to the top brass of the company “we are trying to create an investment culture among the small and medium investors. We have to go the extra mile for achieving the goal. Towards the goal we have already organized 2,600 investors’ programmes with the help of experts and eminent personalities in the field. Our company has an in–house team for conducting awareness programmes among the investor fraternity”. It may be recalled that Indian NBFCs constitute a reasonably big chunk of the country’s overall financial system and they are estimated to account for 9.1% or Rs 4 trillion in assets of the entire financial system. One who watches the industry can witness a lot of structural changes, including in the business models, market dynamics and regulatory regimes, since its inception. It is a stunning truth that NBFCs have been enjoying a tremendous competitive edge compared with their banking peers for almost more than a decade now and one of the key reasons for this is that NBFCs cater to the segments where traditional banks are reluctant to enter. -Response Feature

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