YPO Times Issue 39 March 2020 by Mamlu Chatterjee

www.ypo.org

MARCH 2020 ISSUE 39

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14-02-2020 15:37:55

From the

Editor

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Dear fellow YPO’ers, This time we focus on IMPACT. Be more Impactful. In a world where inequity is visibly and distressingly on the rise, being a part of YPO gives each one of us the best platform to stretch ourselves, and be more. We are very happy to bring to you the stories of the Global Impact Award winners of South Asia. Speaking of IMPACT, we take great pride in sharing with you, an exclusive Tête-à-tête with YNG member Vivek Ishwar. Simple yet Dear ellow YPO’ers, profound words of wisdom from one so young arestunned. again, with another willHere leaveweyou Andyet asking for exciting more, of YPO Times. weedition are sure!

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ear Friends,

2020 has kicked off on a great note for our region! Exciting events are coming your way! New chapters! New members! New alliance partners! New processes!

On the other hand, the Coronavirus situation has, sadly, affected our fellow chapters, regions and some events. The health and safety of our members, their families, management associates and everyone in the YPO community are our highest priority. Consequently, YPOI Board has taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 YPO Global Leadership Conference and YPO EDGE in San Diego, CLW Beijing and CLW Istanbul, and the APAC Chapter Administrators Workshop in Cambodia. YPOI will begin to process and refund all YPO registration fees for YPO EDGE and spouses/partners GLC guest programs. The YPO Board of Directors and YPO, thank all members for their understanding during these challenging times. Our region will ensure that all our officers and chapter managers will receive their training via workshops and boot-camps organized in the region. The YPO and YPO Gold Regional Boards completed their Q3 meetings in February. Officers and Chapter Chairs presented their progress on goals, accomplishments and challenges. Here are a few snippets from the meetings:-

• The YPO North East Chapter is expected to have its official launch in April this year. • As per global best practices, the region is working with Grant Thornton on building a robust Financial Reporting Framework for the South Asia region. The same would incorporate accounting, internal controls, as well as tax regulatory compliance management, along with company secretarial work. This would help us standardize & improve processes for the region and mitigate any possible risks to YPO / its Directors with regards to compliance. Many chapters have opted to use GT for their own chapter finances. • The ‘thINC Economic Forum’ will now take place in September 2020 – it will be bigger and better! • New Alliance offers from Taj Chambers, The Park Hotels, Swissotel Kolkata, Woodlands Hospital Kolkata, Blade, Shaze, Ellementary, My Mom’s Granola. • A SOP is being put in place for Regional Retreats, to cover funding, financing, budget, type of activities, guidelines. • A Chapter Development Plan is being formulated for new chapter development and member recruitment. • YPO & EO now have a formal collaboration. They are not merging but collaborating on their respective strengths to have a better ecosystem. We look forward to another engaging quarter in South Asia. Please feel free to reach out to us or any of the board members or management team for any information or help you need.

With best wishes,

Vagish Dixit Regional Chair – YPO South Asia Gold

+91 8108115501; saurabh@rextonedigital.com

+91 985196900; vagish.dixit@alpla.com

ypo global impact makers 2020

The YPO Global Impact Award celebrates the amazing journeys of members making a difference in the world. Over the past several months, our fellow members nominated their peers for driving significant, sustainable and scalable impact. This award is one of YPO’s highest honors. Please join us in congratulating the South Asia Region YPO Global Impact Award honoree, GV Prasad (YPO Hyderabad)! We also celebrate our four YPO Global Impact Award regional finalists for the difference they are making in our community.

Congratulations to Kavita Chaudhary (YPO Rajasthan), Gaurav Sekhri (YPO Delhi), Nathan Sivagananathan (YPO Colombo) and Chocko Valliappa (YPO Gold South Asia Regional)!

GV PRASAD (YPO Hyderabad)

Our region’s nomination committee selected GV Prasad for his innovative work as CEO of Dr. Reddy’s, an integrated pharmaceutical company; their belief, - "Good REGION: South Asia Health Can't-Wait," inspires them to delve deep into BUSINESS/INITIATIVE: the needs of patients and do all it takes to fulfil them. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Dr. Reddy’s is committed to developing and providing CATEGORY: Planet/People affordable options for expensive therapies that require deep scientific capabilities, accelerating access to highquality treatment through the introduction of biosimilars, bringing expensive medicines within the reach of millions and leveraging deep science for breaking new ground in cancer treatment. Under his guidance, Dr. Reddy’s Foundation develops and tests innovative solutions to address complex social problems and leverages partnerships to scale up impact. As CEO, Prasad guides three key areas of impact – environmental performance, people development, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Prasad is an early adopter of “green practices” and has driven the culture deep into the DNA of Dr. Reddy’s and has achieved many large set company goals by reducing consumption of energy by 16% and consumption of renewable energy by 8%; they also reduced their water consumption by 58% and became a water-neutral company, reduced their hazardous waste by 47% and decreased the amount of waste sent to the landfill. Dr. Reddy’s provides employment for poverty-stricken youth in areas adjacent to their manufacturing units targeting at providing education only to those who cannot afford it, leading them to better job prospects. In 2002, 44 young people joined the “Self-Managed Teams” program which changed the lives, economic situations of over 4,000 young people - about half that number continue working at Dr. Reddy’s. The Dr. Reddy Foundation also focuses on enabling and empowering the quality of life, healthcare, and education of the youth in India. Their flagship initiative called LABS (Livelihood Advancement Business School) provides unemployed youths skills training, enabling them to earn. LABS is now GROW - a revamped version that runs programs across India to equip underprivileged youth with the skills and knowledge, making them employable, moving people out of dead-end jobs and putting them on a trajectory of growth and hope.

CHOCKO VALLIAPPA (YPO Gold South Asia Regional)

GAURAV SEKHRI (YPO Delhi)

REGION: South Asia

BUSINESS/INITIATIVE: Tinna Rubber and Infrastructure Ltd

BUSINESS/INITIATIVE: SonaYukti and HireMee CATEGORY: Prosperity

With a population of over a billion people and 200 million people below the per capita GDP of $1.20 per day, two key challenges facing India are education and job creation. To address this the Government has established a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to provide vocational training and prepare a skilled workforce needed for industry. Chocko Valliappa, co-founder of an incubation company Valliappa Software Tech Park (VSTP), who launched companies like Oracle and Verifone in India in 1995, and more recently, founded Vee Technologies, a gold standard global services company, founded SonaYukti with a vision to lift a million people out of poverty by 2025. With his partnership with NSDC he started vocational schools in rural areas of India, 50 schools till date, which have collectively trained 50,000 students, all of whom have jobs today or become micro-entrepreneurs. SonaYukti provides free education to students and collects a nominal training fee from the government, provided they secure jobs for the trainees. Chocko then founded HireMee, a state-of-the-art online portal with a mobile application developed with the aim to connect companies with potential candidates and improve placements for colleges. HireMee offers a free and validated skill assessment test resulting in a score that is searchable by prospective employers. Students can also upload a one minute video resume to showcase their skills. HireMee’s services are free of cost and are helping students from all over India; helping companies to find the right employees and helping colleges to ensure better placement records are the only objectives. “Many business leaders are intent on creating schools and colleges helping the disadvantaged find their way out of poverty, yet they’re not training or enabling them to be job ready,” Chocko points out. “You speak to any industrialist and they will say the big problem is skill shortage. This is why we are putting the two together and skill building, job creating and making profits to plough back, exemplifying SonaYukti’s brand promise to ‘Grow your future.” 4

REGION: South Asia

CATEGORY: Planet

Gaurav Sekhri is the Managing Director of Tinna Trade Limited, a leading Indian trading company of agricultural products, and Director of Tinna Rubber And Infrastructure Limited, all part of Tinna Group of Companies. Founded in 1987, Tinna Rubber And Infrastructure Limited leverages technology to address an urgent environmental issue: An estimated one billion tyres are discarded each year, with an explosive growth in the automobile sector in recent decades causing a substantial increase in the volume of end-of-life tyres. “Tyre stockpiles end up being burned, releasing toxins and pollutants into the air, water and soil. Stockpiled tyres hold water very efficiently, creating an ideal breeding environment for insects, rodents and other parasites that can transfer diseases to humans,” says Gaurav. With each tyre comprising roughly 75 percent rubber and 25 percent high strength steel, these high-quality materials have the potential to be reused instead of being left as environmental waste. Tinna Rubber And Infrastructure Limited recovers high-value raw material from waste tyres, which can be further used to manufacture products. For example, waste rubber can be used as an effective additive in bitumen for road surfacing to give the road much-needed flexibility and protection against cracking due to temperature variation. Published figures on the corporate website show Tinna Rubber and Infrastructure Limited has, to date, processed 227,142 end-of-life tyres which otherwise would have been used as landfill or burnt illegally releasing toxins. The company is also involving unskilled unemployed workers in the collection of waste tyres. This results in gainful employment and livelihood to hundreds of people every year. “The only missing link is the power we use for processing tyres. If we switch to green sources like solar or wind power, we would become a completely green business. We are looking at these options as it is in our culture to continue to push and innovate in reducing our carbon footprint, “ adds Gaurav.

KAVITA CHAUDHARY (YPO Rajasthan) REGION: South Asia BUSINESS/INITIATIVE: Jaipur Rugs CATEGORY: People

NATHAN SIVAGANANATHAN (YPO Colombo) REGION: South Asia BUSINESS/INITIATIVE: Colours of Courage Trust CATEGORY: People

Kavita Chaudhary is president of Jaipur Rugs, an Indian, family-owned, carpet-making business that believes in keeping family values alive. Jaipur Rugs offers a curated line of carpets, ranging from contemporary to transitional and eclectic - all handmade in rural India. Jaipur Rugs is the story of thousands of empowered weavers who have access to a sustainable livelihood at their doorstep. Although traditional Indian communities do not permit women to work outside the home, Jaipur offers a viable solution, allowing women to work towards financial independence without commuting from remote villages and when it suits their family’s schedules. Jaipur Rugs employs men and women who live in the most remote parts of India, facing the greatest challenge in commuting to and from work, often resulting in families living far apart. One of the key differentiators of the Jaipur model is the artisan’s ability to not only work from home but also have work travel to them. Through a grassroots network, raw material is dropped off at artisans’ homes by quality supervisors who inspect looms to ensure consistent output, track progress, handle any other issues that may disrupt the artisans’ earning capacity and ensure monthly payment. Upon completion, rugs are picked up directly from the weavers and sent on to the next stage of the rug-making progress, each rug passing through 180 hands, perfecting the timeless art of handmade rugs. Jaipur continues to work with over 2,500 women yarn spinners from ‘Bikaner’ to spin yarn on a rudimentary ‘charkha,’ consciously choosing not to replace hundreds of hand-spinning jobs with machines. Jaipur Rugs truly inspires and empowers the women and youth of India through innovation, equality and progress.

After suffering a personal loss and realizing the inadequacies of the national cancer care system, Nathan Sivagananathan sought to address the crucial needs of Sri Lanka’s primary cancer-care facility. Through funds generated by the Colours of Courage Trust, the NCI (National Cancer Institute) is equipped today with a Medical Intensive Care Unit and Surgical Intensive Care Unit. The Colours of Courage Trust is driven primarily by donor contributions from diverse sources augmented by government grants, providing full transparency through audited accounts and disseminating periodical progress updates among the donor network. Trails (Sri Lanka), also co-founded by Nathan, is a fusion of two dreams – Sarinda Unamboowe’s dream of the end of the civil war and Nathan’s vision to drive the nation’s fight against cancer. In July 2011, they began their 28 day journey along the length of Sri Lanka, where 200,000 Sri Lankans united to raise an unexpected USD 2.6 million to build a specialized treatment center, the Tellippalai Trail Cancer Hospital, in the previously war-torn North. It was the first time anyone had used an online platform for crowdsourcing in Sri Lanka. As of today, the 120-bed hospital has provided an array of treatments and facilities to over 4,500 patients who would otherwise need to travel more than 400 kilometers to receive treatment. In 2016, Nathan and his colleague embarked upon another journey from North to the South to build another public cancer facility in Sri Lanka, this time raising almost USD 300K and receiving the support of more than 250,000 people who made contributions in-kind or financially. While walking the length of Sri Lanka twice raising funds in aid of cancer treatment infrastructure, Nathan continued to grow his corporate career at MAS Holdings, the leading apparel company in Sri Lanka. In 2019, he gave up a successful corporate career and co-founded the start-up accelerator Hatch. As an Eisenhower Fellow (2015) and Kauffman Fellow (2018), Nathan has long been a supporter of local entrepreneurship. ypo global impact makers 2020 . 5

walk the wire with V IV E K S IS H WAR

Coach, Author, Chartered Accountant, Finance and Strategy Professional multiple hats seem appropriate for a person who believes

‘happiness is seeking excellence in multiple aspects of life' 6

Q1. Who or what inspired you to become a life coach? Was there an AHA moment when you realized making an impact on people’s life was your calling? The objective was not to become a life coach. I do however, have a lot to say, on topics in relation to balance and happiness and goals. So I wrote my first book, “Walk the Wire”, and post writing that, I realized that through a book, my objective of reaching out to people and being able to make a difference to their lives could not be effectively achieved for a couple of reasons. First, to get the millennial generation to sit and read a book is difficult. And second and probably the more important reason is that different people understand and absorb different concepts in unique ways. I have to find a way to create value for people in personalized, customized capsules and I think that’s where life coaching was serving the purpose. The AHA moment was actually after I wrote my book and I saw people coming back on Instagram with questions. I realized that I have to be concise enough to explain different concepts in different ways to people. And I think that’s what life coaching can provide. Q2. Was there some kind of training you had to undertake to qualify as a coach? Making an impact and difference to people’s lives is surely not easy. Absolutely. A little known thing about a life coach, is that there are certain bodies like the International Coach Federation, the Certified Coaches Alliance (CCA), and others through which you get certified. I have done a double certification with The Life Coach School, and I have done another certification with the CCA, both in 2018. I think these are useful, especially since there are concepts in psychology, in mental health, and in neuroscience which I am able to pull out and use in coaching which are extremely helpful to convey a point. So I think training makes an impact and difference; I do want to say something important here, however.

“invest in your mind. Just because others can’t see it, doesn’t make it any less important” Coaching is not a session where you are mentoring or giving advice to people. As a coach I never tell someone, ‘Hey, you should do this.’ As a coach I create the structure for information. I organize it in order for them to make their own decision that is right for them. I am a catalyst but I am not making the decisions for them. So the impact I have on people’s lives is measured by the thought process I am able to create in their minds while they make their own decisions. Q3.. Given that one of your quotes is “invest in your mind. Just because others can’t see it, doesn’t make it any less important”, how would you recommend people invest in their minds? This quote is very important because it conveys the superficiality in today’s world. We have social media and so many different avenues which promote portraying a sense of happiness. I think that “ invest in your mind because others can’t see it doesn’t make it less important” highlights that because people tend to focus on what other people can readily perceive. The first thing we see when we meet someone is how they look; you can’t look into their

mind until you have a deep conversation with them, which takes time and effort. And most people are not going to make an effort in today’s world. Hence, ‘invest in your mind’. Secondly, no matter what you have in the external world, your problems are not going to go away until you invest in your mind. So, how do we go about investing in our mind? A coach gives you a perspective that no one else can: we have blind spots, things we don’t want to admit to anyone including ourselves, ego etc; there are so many other things that hold us back from being the person we can be. A coach creates a safe space to share, learn and grow, which is extremely therapeutic, and gently pushes you to become better than who you are today. So, reading self-aid books, having a coach, trying to learn more, trying to be better than the previous day - these are some of the ways I would recommend people invest in their minds. Q4. Can you tell us a bit about ‘Walk the Wire’a name that emphasizes the importance of balance quite literally? ‘Walk the Wire’ was my first baby, and very special to me. Here, I talk about two primary things - Balance, which as a concept is extremely important and extremely personal. People live a variety of different lives. They do different jobs, spend their day and their time differently. What is it that you see yourself doing in your life? How do you see yourself juggling between family, friends, work etc? Once we define that, then we set goals. The latter half of my book talks about setting the right goals and going after them relentlessly; as well as the pitfalls that people face and how to be successful from a material and external perspective. My second book “The Juggernaut Within” talks about the internal journey as we achieve our goals.

Walk the Wire with Vivek S Ishwarr. 7

Q5.. A little bit about the ‘Reverse Domino Effect’which sounds most interesting. This is one of my favorite concepts and I am so happy that this was picked up as a question. This is a powerful concept and I have had clients come back and tell me that this has changed their lives. Everyone knows about the domino effect, right? You knock one domino and all of them fall down. The reverse domino effect is a term not defined by anybody, but created in my own head. Let me explain it in terms of forces and elements in our lives. Each of us have many elements in our lives, be it family, relationships, spouses, friends. We also have jobs, workouts; and we have other goals that we set for ourselves everyday. Things go wrong, things are never perfect. That’s what makes life more interesting and more challenging.

The reverse domino effect talks about when all your chips are down; at this time, if you want to fix your life, pick any one item in your life. The minute you fix one element, two things happen - One, you start building momentum, which, in turn can be used for lifting everything else.Two, you build confidence. The reverse domino effect starts playing itself out where you pick up one element and that one element creates the momentum to pick up the next element and eventually you start picking everything back up. That’s how I would define in terms of the elements. Defining it in terms of forces is actually more interesting. In life, there are several unique forces.. Let’s say for instance I am not liked by my boss and not respected by my colleagues. In my head, I think this is my reality.

‘Reverse Domino Effect’

And let’s say that the forces are that I am not assertive, I don’t speak up at meetings; I don’t portray my intelligence; I don’t take initiative at work. Therefore my boss doesn’t like me and my colleagues don’t respect me. When I look at my situation in this fashion, as a bunch of forces, I start looking at which of these forces I control. In this example I control the force of being more assertive, taking more initiative and being more outspoken at meetings. I go to work and I start doing that, and soon I start seeing results. My boss starts liking me. My colleagues follow suit and start talking to me more and more and the respect starts building. This was a very simple example. By picking that one force which is in our control, we are actually able to reverse the entire domino effect. Q6. In the constant struggle you mentioned between your two selves, who wins more frequently? The five year old or the sixty year old? I love this question, it is such a beautiful question. Over time they both learn to co- exist. The five year old in me is curious. Trying to learn new things, discover new things, see things differently and try to push myself more, I try to be a better version of myself. The sixty year old in me is trying to help people, trying to create value, and work with people around me, to collaborate and co-exist. So I feel both sides of me exist. In fact both sides of everybody exist. Or they should exist, because that’s what makes life truly worth living. Q 7. Do you think accomplished parents who walk the talk have helped in shaping your inner most thoughts onto paper? Absolutely. There is no doubt that seeing two very accomplished parents in my life, who do everything they set out to do, and are the epitome of balance, has helped shape my thoughts on these concepts. It has been amazing to watch them and learn about relationships,

about achieving goals, balance and compartmentalizing. So many examples throughout my life where my parents have been exceptional, even when it was a small thing like my dad always coming home with a smile no matter how long and bad the day was. My mom's relentless hard work and the way she juggles multiple things so efficiently, has also had an impact. They are an inspiration and I am truly grateful.

'The journey of self-discovery and self-improvement is never ending. We can never be done with being the best person we can be' Q8. Going forward Vivek I see that you are a perfect youth influencer. You have stability of t hought and mobility of actions. Can you elaborate on this? Thank you for the compliment. I try to do as best as I can every single day. Stability of thought and mobility of actions: these are very subjective. Each one of us has stability of thought and mobility of actions sometimes and don't have it at other times. We should not look at this as an ECG, made of ups and downs. I would rather look at this as a trend line, where overall, despite the ups and downs, we see if we are moving in the right direction, the positive direction. I try to influence people around me, to create value and to help. That's what I do and that's what I will continue doing. Inputs by Jyotika Kalra (YPO Gold Bangalore)

Walk the Wire with Vivek S Ishwar . 9

events Y PO G U J ARAT THE MYSTERY SPEAKER â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MA ANAND SHEELA 16 October 2019 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIRS: Sonal and Vimal Ambani (YPO Gujarat)

The marquee event for YPO Gujarat, at the Arvind Uplands, Ahmedabad, as the title suggests, had an aura of “mystery” around the star speaker; …..a lady with a core of steel, who claims to have turned Osho Rajneesh into “Bhagwan”! Very forthright and frank, Ma Sheela had our YPO’ers at rapt attention as she spoke about her intimate and unusual relationship with Rajneesh, their setting up the Pune and Oregon Ashrams, and the bitter break up with the hero she still worships. Ma Sheela danced joyously along with our YPO family, giving everyone some beautiful memories to cherish, of a fantastic event at a beautiful and serene setting.

events . 11

YPO CHEN N AI GA T EW AY ` THE INCREDIBLE RACE

8 December 2019 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIR: Farah Agarwal (YPO Chennai Gateway)

As the title suggests, we wanted to achieve great fun at our first exclusive family event, for our families to bond with one another, while bringing out their competitive streak and sportsmanship. The event was curated with a treasure hunt, fun clues, and interesting challenges to attempt, proving a good incentive to get our lovely families out on a Sunday morning. The circulated teasers created much hype, raising the pressure on us! The invite itself being a clue, added to it all. Sunday morning saw a great turnout of enthusiastic and competitive participants, all prepared to beat each other at it. Kids and adults put on their challenge faces, ready for what was in store. There were 5 main challenges planned along with a treasure hunt across the city, wherein the participants had to decipher codes to get to the next location. While making sure family members were in different teams, 4-5 members made up each team and the challenges were surprises they definitely loved. Challenges varied from food tasting, kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities, mocktail-making, choreographed group dancing, to finding items across a multi-storeyed sports store. Being time based made the race even more interesting, with each team trying their best, filling the course with humour, frustration, victory and of course, entertainment. It was fascinating to watch the younger generation wanting to lead the pack, to win, with the adults happily supporting them and encouraging them to lead. When it was time for the race to draw to a close, everyone returned with a sense of achievement, each one wondering who beat whom! A lot of joyful, satisfied cheering followed, proving that the event went exactly the way it was planned. What better opportunity for members, spouses and children to bond and make beautiful memories together?

12 . nts

LESSONS ON INTEGRITY AND LEADERSHIP 5 November 2019 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIR: Adil Agarwal (YPO Chennai Gateway)

9.3

Given the love for cricket in our country, it was no surprise that there was a lot of excitement in the crowd to hear from arguably one of the greatest umpires of world cricket, Simon Taufel. Simon umpired his first One Day international (ODI) in 1999 at an early age of 27. Since then he stood in 74 tests, 174 ODIs and was awarded ‘Umpire of the Year' by the International Cricket Council for five years in a row (2004 to 2008). Following a very successful stint he retired from all forms of umpiring abruptly. He has gone on to author the bestselling book, "Finding the Gaps – Transferable Skills to be the Best you can Be” and was on tour across the country talking about his book, with it's foreword written by none other than the Little master Sachin Tendulkar himself. Simon enthralled the audience with his candid conversations about his experience as an umpire on the field. A presentation he shared was one that revolved around “integrity and leadership” along with a few ‘never-seen’ videos about unique situations that he had witnessed on the field. From locker room battles to on-field squabbles and transgressions by players – there were plenty of take-home messages for the audience on the subject of integrity. Overall the charming and funny speaker made it a fun evening for the YPO Chennai Gateway members, spouses and kids. Nothing sells like cricket in our country. events . 13

ROSE BAZAAR (YNG Event) 12 January 2020 | Event Rating :

YPO GO L D B A N G AL O RE

DAY CHAIRS: Yeshoda and Rhea Karuturi (YNG Gold Bangalore)

With the start of the new decade, Yeshoda and Rhea Karuturi were the day chairs for a fun brunch on 12 January, hosted by Rose Bazaar. YNG had their first ever Friend Speed Dating with a fun flowery twist!

Because the YNG chapter in Bangalore is young, the aim of this event was to facilitate fun conversations and bring everyone closer. Everyone got question cards, and took turns pairing up with fellow YNGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ers at the party for a rapid fire question round. At the end of each round, the partners picked one flower for the other that they felt best described them. Everyone went home with a Rose Bazaar flower box decorated with all the flowers they collected from their partners, and hopefully a different perspective on the people they met! 14

Five experts sharing their learnings about key aspects of wellness Living Well requires that important facets of our lives are nurtured and in harmony. For this fabulous event, we brought in five experts to talk about key aspects of wellness. Dr Varsha Patni of Prema Wellness, who spoke about vitalising healthy foods - ways to use and upgrade different ingredients to create healing foods. She took us through traditional Indian healing secrets and stressed the need to detox and cleanse the body and the mind. Dr Ina Rajapaksha, a medical doctor, clinical psychologist and healer spoke about harnessing emotions, the proactivity model and self-healing techniques to release emotional turbulence. Pratibha Jain is an executive director client services, and spoke about the finances of the family. Her message: financial wellbeing is a journey and not a task! Her question to us? How to deal with finances and invest when the primary decision maker is not around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you prepared?â&#x20AC;?

Spiritual wellness was handled by Gayathri Shivaramakrishna, trained under Dr Brian Weiss. She gave us tools and techniques to align with our higher selves and manifest our sole purpose. She demonstrated the important role the subconscious mind plays in our lives through experiments that left us agape!

LIVING WELL - (A Spouses Event)

27 November 2019 | Event Rating : 9.5 DAY CHAIR: Shruti Shetty (YPO Gold Bangalore)

For the last session, NIMHANS psychiatrist Dr Mathews Varghese spoke on intellectual wellness. He covered healthy brain aging and steps to improve memory and spark stimulation and prevention of cognitive problems and dementia.

This was an afternoon well spent looking after mind, body and spirit!

events . 15

Twenty-seven members of YPO Calcutta embarked upon the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra enduring physical hurdles and hardships along the way but persevering till they reached their goal, displaying Collaborative Learning in its finest form. The trek began at Manasarovar Lake, located near Mount Kailash (believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva), passed Dirapuk Monastery and Yam Dwar (The Gateway of the God of Death), finally reached Dolma La Pass, 5,630 metres above sea level. Pilgrims sang hymns along the way, while others focused on navigating the steep, unforgiving, and often slippery terrain. Trekkers carried pictures and letters with prayers from family members and friends, to place at the sacred site of Dolma La Pass.

YPO C ALCU T T A JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE MIND - A JOINT NETWORKING EVENT WITH NEPAL CHAPTER

31August - 9 September 2019 | Event Rating: LEARNING OFFICERS: Manish Dalmia, (YPO Calcutta), Shahil Agrawal, (YPO Nepal)

EVENT CHAMPION: Sanjay Golchha (YPO Nepal)

One YPO peer, on learning that a pilgrim with a different group was suffering from altitude sickness, handed over his SOS oxygen canister to help the pilgrim breathe. YPO is all about stretching the limits of what one can achieve. This journey pushed each person to strive for the unreachable. It opened their minds and souls to new ideas and new possibilities. Together they conquered the obstacles. The journey proved an arduous test - both physical and an inner journey of growth. The adventurers came back filled with pride and peace and invigorated and ready to take on new challenges.

HOW DOES A MAGICAL JOURNEY START? With a magical evening, of course. YPO Calcutta’s pilgrims (dare I say trekkers!) to Kailash Manasarovar were welcomed to Kathmandu by the Nepal Chapter and a fabulous cultural evening, followed by dinner at the Hotel Dwarika, exuding an old world charm of a bygone era. One imagined Nepal to be a monolithic country but it was an eye-opener during the one-hour of dances and songs from different parts that they too, like us from neighbouring India, have a huge cultural tradition. We were mesmerised watching the difficult rhythmic movements performed with consummate ease despite the ornate traditional gear that adorned each performer. The icing on the cake was a performance from an area contiguous to a part of India that I was born in and spent a few formative years -- the song , ‘Gunnay kay khet mai’, etched in my memory, having last heard it aeons ago, revived memories of my childhood. The food was curated with meticulous care and the large spread was a gourmet's delight. It gave us an opportunity to sample traditional Nepalese fare alongside an international offering. The lavish hospitality apart, we will cherish the warmth and affection extended by each and every member of the Nepal chapter and their spouses. They made us feel so special and as I said at the start --

gratitude and a ‘BIG God bless’ for them for starting us off on our journey with a magical evening! Manoj Mohanka (YPO Gold Calcutta) 16

THE COMPLETENESS WITHIN 12 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.1

LEARNING OFFICER: Manish Dalmia (YPO Calcutta)

It was a spiritual morning with Sri M, winner of the Padma Bhushan 2020. Sri M is a well-known speaker across the country and the globe. This Modern Mystic with his gentle but powerful personality endeared himself to every person present as he tried to change their lives. The session, Miracles, Mindfulness and Meditation, was an intensive learning experience for the YPO peers in Kolkata, in keeping with this year’s theme —

Collaborative Learning.

Sri M’s transformational journey was shown through a video. Peppering his teachings with anecdotes and practical examples that resonated with the members present, he began with a magic trick to showcase the difference between magic and a miracle. Miracles are simply things that happen in another dimension that we don’t know the laws of he said, citing alchemists who long to turn base metal into gold and said that “the real alchemist is the one who can turn base minds into gold”. He went on to explain a verse in the shlokas that describes how human beings always feel incomplete and thus look for completeness through material things. He pointed out that there is completeness within us, and one must be mindful of what one is doing, saying and thinking daily. He described meditation as “one-pointed attention” which could mean fixing your attention on something you want to attain in this world and continuing till you achieve it. Sri M expressed hope for the country to once again become a centre of learning as it used to be in ancient times. “Come and sit under the banyan tree and learn as before,” he said.

events . 17

An event to celebrate our members amazing stories YPO Bangalore Chapter has a fantastic member profile, and we decided to leverage our wealth of talent to put together an innovative learning concept â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chats with members about their business journeys. The speakers knew they were amongst peers and thus the sharing was something else â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the conversations were open and their stories inspiring. This was also a perfect tool for engagement as our chapter has grown significantly in recent years. We started with Abhijit (Bobby) Bose in conversation with Chapter Chair Manav Garg. Bobby is the head of the WhatsApp business in India at a time when it is the de facto messaging app with over 400m users. He spoke about their exciting journey and how it has the potential to transform India in the coming years.

Y PO B AN G AL O RE YPO MEMBER DIARIES

25 January 2020 | Event Rating :

8.8

DAY CHAIRS: Manav Garg (YPO Bangalore), Tristha Ramamurthy (YPO Bangalore)

Next up was Abhishek Poddar, in conversation with ex NASSCOM president and the doyen of Indian IT Som Mittal. The Poddar family has a passion for the arts, and they are hoping to shape the Indian art scene with the setting up of MAP - the Museum of Art and Photography. MAP is already the custodian of over 20,000 works and should open later this year as a world class private museum. Lastly, well known entrepreneur Sachin Bansal spoke with Manav about the untold story of Flipkart. It was fascinating to hear about his early influences and the challenges in creating the bellwether startup. We got an up-close view of the action as it had unfolded, leading to the eventual acquisition by Walmart. This was a closed-door event, yet once the conversations were done it had a young, relaxed vibe that encouraged meaningful conversations and deeper connections. The action moved from the indoors to the classy outdoor terrace of Bo Tai restaurant where drinks and amazing modern Asian food was served as DJ Ivan spun his magic. YPO Member Diaries is planned as a quarterly event and we hope to invite members from other chapters as well.

IN CONVERSATION WITH TSHERING TOBGAY

9 November 2019 | Event Rating : 9.46 DAY CHAIRS: Dekyi and Amit Chawla (YPO Bangalore)

Gross National Happiness as a beacon Bhutan has been at the forefront of the GNH or Gross National Happiness movement, where the government’s key goal is to increase people’s happiness. This intriguing concept has sparked a lot of discussion and evaluation and is being adapted in various avatars by governments and business across the world. We brought in Tshering Tobgay, the ex-PM of Bhutan to take us through its genesis and conceptualisation and how it works on the ground practically. Tobgay is a credible and charismatic speaker. He has administrative and political experience, a sharp intellect, ready wit, humility and a great sense of humour. We thought he made a great ambassador for his country and gave us a comprehensive overview of GNH and other issues facing Bhutan and indeed, the world. The previous king of Bhutan had seeded the idea by proclaiming that GNH was more important than GNP,

and the present king gave shape to the concept by stating that creating happiness for its people was the main purpose of government (this vision was enshrined in the Bhutanese constitution in 2008). GNH according to Bhutan is “development with values”. Tobgay spoke about how the concept was defined and implemented and how it is different from the approach of other countries like the US where citizens are responsible for their own happiness. Bhutan has expanded on the idea of happiness by including environmental wellbeing as a crucial goal – in fact Bhutan is a negative carbon emission country. To be sure, Bhutan is not the happiest country in the world, and Tobgay readily admitted the very real problems faced by Bhutan. He is however, convinced that GNH could be a beacon for development. Tobgay also spoke openly about a host of topics including his personal life. He has the knack of making people comfortable and this resulted in a lot of interactions and discussions. events. 19

YPO DEL HI ONE ON ONE WITH ZOYA AKHTAR

7 October 2019 | Event Rating:

9.6

DAY CHAIRS: Pawan and Bhai Manpreet Singh (YPO Delhi)

Members and spouses enjoyed a one-on-one session with one of the most sought after creative minds in the country where a candid Zoya Akhtar, hailing from one of the most talented film families in the country, shared her life experiences from tinsel town. Jamal Shaikh moderated, and talked about how Gully Boy, loosely based on the life of Mumbai street rappers Naezy and Divine, marked a change in direction for her from her previous full length feature films. Zoya herself doesn’t see it as a major shift. Even though Luck By Chance is set in the film industry, the lead characters are people you know and see, though not your friends. Bombay Talkies, Dil Dhadakne Do, and the kind of family and gender politics they represent, is not her world, she said. She openly spoke about the issue of the Indian class system addressed in Gully Boy, saying that it is in our consciousness, adding, “You can’t

be living in this country and not see the class divide. It’s everywhere; you can’t ignore it.”

Zoya enjoys being out there, amongst contemporaries on a global scale, meeting different people, producers, seeing different things, growing to collaborate in different ways. “The world is getting

smaller. It’s nice not to be insular,” she concluded.

On a lighter note, when answering a member’s question about the difference between Delhi and Mumbai culture, she said-“Delhi is the only city in the world where I have been asked when I am getting married?” leading to a roar of laughter from the audience! Zoya Akhtar is a thought leader and the members were truly impressed by her talent and innate humility. 20

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH YOGI ADITYANATH CHIEF MINISTER - UTTAR PRADESH

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is arguably one of the most powerful politicians in the country today .

LEARNING OFFICERS: Rasika and Chetan Kajaria (YPO Delhi)

Arriving early for the event he started the evening with a one-on-one introductory, personal interaction in smaller groups of 4-5 members which was highly appreciated by the members.

27 September 2019 | Event Rating: 9 DAY CHAIR: Sanjay Gupta (YPO Gold Delhi)

‘Excellent event!’

Subsequently, he shared the State’s vision for the next 5 years and the Devin Narang transformational initiatives (YPO Gold Delhi) being put in place by the Government. He shared his own journey from a Yogi to a politician and how that has been driven by taking bold decisions and unflinching stands on real issues. Sharing personal stories made the session very interesting. The audience was enthralled with his views and experiences. The session was moderated by acclaimed journalist and news director for India Today, Rahul Kanwal whose candid questions made the evening very interactive and pertinent. The event was very well attended by over 100 YPO – YPO Gold members and spouses of Delhi Chapter along with a few members from other chapters in india. Sanjay Gupta, Day Chair for the event, thanked Yogi Adityanath for gracing the YPO Delhi event and expressed that it had been a true value addition to all the members attending and especially to those engaged in business activities in one of the most populous states of our country.

‘Very informative’ Kanwardeep Anand, (YPO Delhi)

events . 21

DAY 1 “Padharo Jaisalmer” was a roller coaster event, from buses to camels to jeeps!! Having survived the bus ride upon arrival, we were greeted at the gorgeous Suryagarh Hotel by a flurry of traditional dancers resplendent in their colourful costumes. Post a sumptuous lunch, members flocked to give their feedback at the annual Town hall meeting, where democracy was the name of the game, after which members retreated to their royal rooms to get ready for a magical and fairy tale evening, coming prepared to keep warm under the open sky among desert and dunes.

YPO GREAT ER I ND I A “PADHARO JAISALMER”

24-26 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.86

CHAMPIONS: Poonam and Puneet Saraogi (YPO Greater India) LEARNING OFFICER: Manish Parekh (YPO Greater India)

Camels and jeeps were the mode of transport and what awaited was breathtaking! Sand dunes, low, cozy seating, Persian rugs, bonfires and music! People lay down and stared at twinkling stars for hours! A very cerebral chat ensued, with Manvinder Singh, the owner of Suryagarh, who gave us insight into the tourism story of the city and his plans to make it special. An interactive, drumming jam session with Roberto Narain took the music up several notches, bringing the evening to a close. DAY 2 Early risers set the tone for the day, as they explored cobbled Jaisalmer streets, watched the rising sun, feasted on local delicacies and managed a fair amount of sightseeing, whilst the rest were up for their forum meetings, some of which had peacocks as passer-by!

22 . events

A slew of hat trick meetings followed back to back; First, Surja Kishore did a refresher course on using the networks in a friendlier manner. The second one was led by 14 year old, humble teenager, Harshwardhan Zala, who ran everyone through his journey- (creating a Drone that could detect and destroy landmines, no less!); and finally, a hilarious and interesting talk by Sanjay Agarwal who had everyone in splits with his anecdotes of his career with the AU Bank. Then came the finale! The GIC fashion show! Members would have put top models to shame as they sashayed down the ramp amongst catcalls and whistles from peers! Everyone dressed up to play the part and danced into the night in costumes that could give any fashion week a run for their money! DAY 3 Patriots came out in the tricolour for the Republic Day hoisting at the hotel itself, it was a very emotional and proud moment. GIC members bid adieu with the slogan saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chalo Dilli â&#x20AC;&#x153; events . 23

“The is so much to unlearn before we actually learn” Deepa Ag a rwal (YPO Nepal)

YPO N EPAL EXONOMICS WITH AMIN TOUFANI

2 December 2019 | Event Rating: 8.5 DAY CHAIR: Shahil Agrawal (YPO Nepal)

“Into the future” Anand Bagaria (YPO Nepal)

Amin Toufani was the most awaited resource for our learning event this year. He is the CEO of T Labs and was formerly the director of strategy and Vice President of Strategic Relations at Singularity University. His session focused on a unique set of technological, entrepreneurial and policy perspectives in innovation and technology. He attracted YPO members in the range of domains including business strategy, financial markets, crypto currencies and risk management and exponential economics. The Q & A session saw great participation, and flowed into the dinner event. Almost everyone had a brief moment with Amin. YPO Nepal attendees had a great learning and networking with the resource as well. Very good participation at the event, saw attendees well engaged and everyone went home with relevant, meaningful and open knowledge.

“Best event ever"

Anuj Ag a rwal (YPO Nepal)

‘One of the best events’ says YNG’er Tushar Mangwani. Our evening with Amin Toufani was a well attended treat, with about half the attendees being YNG’ers. Amin was a resource par excellence, with loads of “take home value” for everyone present. His expertise lies in AI, Blockchain, Quantitative Trading, and Human Longevity. He is one of the few people to have pursued and received graduate degrees from Harvard and Stanford at the same time!! Amin took us through a journey of the future with AI and how it’s affecting change in areas of our lives. It was fascinating to hear facts - like how self driving cars are common in Northern California.

YPO P U N E

AMIN TOUFANI ON EXONOMICS 6 December 2019 | Event Rating:

9.4

DAY CHAIRS: Kiran and Sanjay Jindal (YPO Pune)

He enlightened us about a new phenomenon called ‘the great bifurcation’ where the US and China are global leaders in the AI revolution, along with Corporate giants like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple. AQ or the Adaptability quotient is now being used by leading companies in the world to hire and train executives. Exponential businesses, says Amin, are those that leverage exponential technologies and grow logarithmically – these businesses are adaptable, scalable and Self-manageable. Amin kept up the interest by talking about the Advances in the studies of longevity in the areas of Stem Cells, Telomeres and Senescence which are delving into breakthroughs and secrets of aging and how it can be reversed.

For the first time ever in the history of Pune, the YPO and EO Pune Chapter's joined hands to conduct a networking event with Poker enthusiasts. We had around 35 players who geared up in their best poker essentials to play the game. A Sunday afternoon which started with a vibrant session of cocktails and brunch at the outdoor area of Trump Towers. The whole idea of this unique concept was to enhance the networking of YPO - EO members and spouses.

YPO PU N E YPO – EO NETWORKING OVER POKER 12 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.3

EVENT CHAIRS: Tarun Sharma (YPO Pune) Deven Bhandari (EO Pune) Manav Ghuwalewala (EO Pune)

Post fruitful introductions and conversations, lo, the game commenced! After an adrenaline rush and excitement build-up, Varsha Chordia, (YPO Pune Gold) was declared the winner, followed by Vikram Bhartiya, Mentorship Chair and Ashish Chowdhary from EO Pune Chapter. All in all, bonding and camaraderie was well and truly achieved.

YPO N EP AL THE ULTIMATE NETWORKING EVENT

7 January 2020 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIR: Sanjay Golchha (YPO Nepal)

Excellent! Got to know more about YPO Nepal Chapter

8.8

This event was the first of its kind in YPO Nepal, focusing solely on member engagement and going straight to business. Within a matter of hours, this unique, in-person, forum confidential experience gave members the ability to offer valuable and in-depth solutions to business needs, opportunities and challenges.

The event started with One minute introductions, where members introduced themselves, sharing information about their areas of exSandeep Agrawal (YPO Nepal) pertise and field of interests. They then presented a business ‘need’ and shared leads to respective peers’ business requirements. All participants were asked to review their business contacts and provide ‘leads’ for each attendee. Sanjay Golchha, Day Chair and Member Engagement Officer, created this as an exclusive member-to-member platform, to share and draw upon the business knowledge and expertise of YPO peers and where problems and opportunities can be identified and explored freely. The event saw great participation, and flowed into the dinner event. Almost everyone had coffee dates set for upcoming days to create powerful business connections. The event proved to be a good initiative, designed to help the members maximize their business successes! 26

Gave a platform for everyone to share. Coffee date idea is very good Harsh Sanghai (YPO Nepal)

The Brahmaputra was far away and inaccessible; or so we thought. It was a less-than-three-hour flight and a three-hour road journey that took us to Silghat, a town on the Brahmaputra in Assam. It’s where we boarded the cruise boat, M.V. Mahabaahu. We had exclusive rights to the boat for the next three nights, and the 28 of us urbanites from Chennai, turned sailor- adventurers. We visited tea gardens, learnt to dance with the graceful Bihu dancers, explored Kaziranga National Park on elephant back at 5.30 am on a chilly January morning, et al. Candlelight dinners, indoor games, cultural shows and raucous after-parties with live music kept the evenings equally interesting.

YPO CH EN N AI BY THE BANKS OF THE BRAHMAPUTRA

9-12 January 2020 | Event Rating:

DAY CHAIRS/CHAMPIONS: Pinky and Hemant Chordia (YPO Chennai)

We were a motley lot, from ages 16 to 70 - age didn’t seem to matter once on the boat. Close enough sightings of the one-horned rhinoceros, hog deer, swamp deer, boars and wild elephant, wild buffaloes, and birds such as Neelkanth, Fishing Eagles, Bar-headed Geese, Serpent Eagles, Greater Adjutant Storks, etc kept us going! Most memorable was the sunset bonfire on a deserted island, newly created by silt deposits from the river during the rains. It seemed as if the organisers had arranged for a full moon! We made wishes and floated diyas on the river, - the sight of the diyas being carried away by the strong current, flames becoming specks against the black expanse of water and sky, was a quiet, poignant moment, a moment when we felt a part of eternity. On the last evening, the cultural programme included a medieval theatre form, Ankia Naat. Richly dressed actors presented a story from the puranas, that of the demon King Hiranyakashipu and his devout son Prahlada. The melodramatic laugh of the arrogant king, that started in a low tone and built up to a higher pitch open-mouthed ‘Ha ha ha ha…’ continued to ring in our ears, as the entire boat reverberated with the original and mimicked laughter!

Thank you, Brahmaputra, for keeping us safe, ‘Namami Brahmaputra.’ Rupa Srikanth (YPO Chennai) events . 27

Adverti sement

be relevant . 29

YPO H YDERAB AD FORUMS FOR LIFE

19-20 August 2019 | Event Rating:

8.4

CHAMPIONS: Deepa Adusumilli (YPO Hyderabad) Gautam Birudavolu (YPO Hyderabad) Sucheth Davuluri (YPO Hyderabad)

A never-been-done-before event in the Hyderabad chapter! This year, seeing the requirement for Integration amongst members and spouses from forum perspective, I â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Deepa Adusumilli, the Spouse Forum Officer along with the Forum Officer Gautam Birudavolu and Chapter Chair Sucheth Davuluri initiated this Forum Conclave over 2 days at Hotel AVASA, Madhapur, Hyderabad. Forum for Life - an event conceptualised to help us leverage the power of relationships, forum as a concept beyond YPO, across Work and Family.

• We were able to rope in two of the best resources to walk us through the concepts.

Post this event, we had

• We invited the entire chapter to attend this exclusive event.

• Forum Fundamentals.

• We did a STIR FRY and I’m exhilarated to share that, 58 members, spouses and YNG’ers attended the Stir fry, with a panel discussion.

An incredible amount of work has been done at the Forum Conclave and it is a first in South Asia.

• Three Supercharges • Regional forum Supercharge

Also as a result of this Forum conclave we were able to launch a Spouse Forum in due course.

events . 31

YPO Hyderabad hosted a 4-hour workshop for the first time, on how to find constraints and remove them; needless to say, it was completely sold out in a few hours. This was not a mere networking session. This was a 4-hour intense, focused workshop with many life-changing takeaways. Focused interaction requires small groups, so it was restricted to 20 people. Rami Goldratt shared many insights, including the fact that ‘Management Bandwidth is the biggest constraint’, because we spend too much time trying to fix everything!

Y PO HYDERAB AD WORKSHOP WITH RAMI GOLDRATT

4 October 2019 | Event Rating: 9.75 DAY CHAIR: Ashok Atluri (YPO Hyderabad)

HE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT: • how multitasking can be counterproductive (with a hands-on experiment) • how not to think within your limitations but to break out! • 5 simple yet profound focusing steps to help remove constraints. • customer focused innovation, the *seductive seven* (the go-to solutions when we have problems but may not be the best), etc. All the participants were given two business best sellers written by late Eliyahu Goldratt *The Goal* and *The Critical Chain*. It was, overall, an awesome experience. All participants were fully present and engaged right through the session. 32 . events

“We have expanded our production facilities with zero capex investment and expanded distribution of key products without additional marketing investment.”

– Adi Godrej

Xâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;TRA SPECIAL XMAS

21 December 2019 | Event Rating:

9.07

DAY CHAIRS: Meenakshi Venkatesan (YPO Hyderabad), Yashwanth Papagiri (YPO Hyderabad), Sundari Indukuri (YPO Hyderabad), Purnima Mantena (YPO HYderabad) FAMILY OFFICER: Annapurna Gadhi (YPO Hyderabad)

Just before Christmas, YPO Hyderabad hosted a Christmas Social for its Members, Spouse/Partners, Kids and YNGers at Avasa Hotel, Madhapur. The build up of festive spirits started weeks earlier with the launch of the Secret Santa game, but with a twist. Members were asked to share little known facts about themselves with the entire group and this turned into a wonderful exercise of members getting to know each other at a more personal level. Multiple activities were planned for the evening, starting with Cookie Decoration, moving onto Snack Board plating, with a side of Carol Singing and Cake mixing. As a finale members and kids exchanged gifts all the while trying to guess who their Secret Santa was. Members bonded over a lovely Christmas dinner with all the traditional specialities and a crackling grill. All in all, a wonderful evening with friends, great food and fun activities.

Can you think of a better date than Salman Khan! The thrilled spouses of YPO Rajasthan decided to go on an exciting trip to Mumbai to experience the glitz and glamor of the film and television industry ~ with none other than the Bigg Boss of Bollywood- Salman Khan. All charged up, the YPO Rajasthan spouses were taken straight to Goregaon Film city, where they visited the Whistling Woods film institute, experienced the power of VR (Virtual Reality), being transported to a live Kumbh Mela, and facing the (virtual) horrors of an alien attack while standing on a crumbling building!

YPO R AJ AS T HAN

Next destination was the studio of Smruti Shinde, owner of Sobo Films. Here they got a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the on-going serial based on Baba Ambedkar.

A DATE WITH THE BIGG BOSS 20 December 2019 | Event Rating:

DAY CHAIR: Shradha Kasliwal (YPO Rajasthan)

8.5

LEARNING CHAIR: Shradha and Aditya Kasliwal(YPO Rajasthan)

Finally they headed for the Bigg Boss13 sets! They had unparalleled access to the show and witnessed the ongoing action of all the current participants through a one way viewing glass. The house tour provided voyeuristic pleasure as they saw live, how participants lived their day-to-day life literally in a ‘glass house’. The living room, bedrooms, and even bathrooms became the subject of conversation for these ardent followers of the reality show. They also saw the studio with live audiences, where Salman interacts with the house inmates. They also got a chance to see Salman’s personal ‘chalet’ in the Bigg Boss studio and spent some fun time interacting with him.

KASHMIR THROUGH DR. KARAN SINGH’S EYES 27 November 2019 | Event Rating:

9.5

DAY CHAIRS: Dipti and Nihar Kothari (YPO Rajasthan) LEARNING CHAIRS: Shradha and Aditya Kasliwal (YPO Rajasthan)

At a time when the whole country is talking about Kashmir and watching the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, YPO Rajasthan invited Hon’ble Dr. Karan Singh for an Interaction. Dr. Singh was the head of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir for 18 years as ‘Regent’ and was the only former ruler of the princely states to voluntarily surrender his privy purse. At 36, he was the youngest person ever to become a Central Cabinet Minister in India. He held the Tourism and Civil Aviation portfolio for 6 years and later moved to the Ministry of Health and Family Planning and then, on to Education and Culture.

In a closed door interaction with the YPO Rajasthan family, we found Dr. Singh was one of the most humble and loving persons we have had the honor to host. In a confidential setting, Dr. Singh spoke openly about the Jammu and Kashmir issue from its inception, right down to the recent developments. He answered all questions thrown at him, rendering the talk really insightful, especially at a time when there are lies and half-truths floating around the subject. His well-known novel ‘An Examined Life’, personally signed by him, proved an appropriate gift for each member, considering he is an author of distinction.

events . 35

Spread over an area that could cover onethird of a city like Mumbai or London, the visit to Reliance refinery in Jamnagar, turned out to be a super learning experience for the 35 members. While most Learning events are scheduled for a couple of hours, this day started on a different note. ‘Presidents Day Out ' was a day-long visit to the world famous Reliance Refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The program schedule was curated by the RIL team and Munjal Kapadia.

YPO M U M B AI CON N ECT WITHIN REACH BEYOND HORIZON- PRESIDENTS DAY OUT AT RIL 8 November 2019 | Event Rating:

DAY CHAIR: Munjal Kapadia (YPO Mumbai Connect)

The visit provided members a deep understanding on the functioning of the refinery, and also offered insights on scale, vision and efficiencies, along with a continuous peerto-peer exchange of ideas, which further cemented the day's learning. Nearly every aspect of the day was unique, and true to the spirit of 'Only-in-YPO'. Participants were flown from Mumbai to Jamnagar in RIL’s private aircraft. The senior team of the refinery

received the members and oriented them about the key aspects of the refinery. The day went by in a flash, as the group went to the awe-inspiring refinery followed by the matchless Mango orchards at the platinum rated Green Township, concluding the day at the colossal Jetty. The sheer intensity of witnessing a project as mammoth as the refinery exceeded every other experience. All of this was perfectly wrapped by fabulous hospitality of the RIL team, starting with the royal welcome, exquisite lunch arrangements, the high tea - this top notch hospitality ensured that members get quality time to absorb, discuss and share.

36 . events

In January 2020, at the first event of the new year, YPO Mumbai Connect shared the room with a true Hero from Haryana by the name of Jitendar Chattar. At an open air event, ‘SON RISE’, a path breaking documentary by filmmaker Vibha Bakshi sent shivers down the spine of members. This film is breaking all records to shift the narrative on gender inequality by making both men and women equal collaborators for a gender equal world. The screening was followed by a high powered panel discussion on making men equal partners for a Gender Equal world. The panel was hosted by Nishtha Satyam, UN Women's Deputy Country representative for India, Maldives and Srilanka UN Women, Vibha Bakshi, two time National Award winning Film Director and Producer, and Shaili Chopra, Founder, She the people TV, India’s first Women's News Channel. The gripping discussion showcased the commitment and intention of each and every member to make a difference.

SCREENING OF SON RISEMEN IN THE GENDER DEBATE- WHAT WILL IT TAKE 17 January 2020 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIR: Nadia Chauhan (YPO Mumbai Connect)

Speaking on the United Nations HeForShe movement, Nistha said, “The HeForShe movement has never seen such an uptake in India. ……... SON RISE is ‘Magic’ brings out not only voices of discrimination but of courage, of sheer strength. We, at UN Women are privileged and honored to partner with Vibha Bakshi on her film SON RISE.”

“The best event so far. Meaningful, purposeful, thought provoking, heroic. Can’t ask for more” Saurabh Varma (YPO Mumbai Connect)

Vibha Bakshi’s film SON RISE is this year's Winner of the most prestigious National Film Awards for Best Film and Best Editing (non feature) from the President of India. She said “One film cannot change the world but it can definitely stir your conscience.The real life story of Jitendar Chattar, the farmer who in an arranged marriage has married a gang rape survivor and is leaving no stone unturned for justice goes beyond gender equality. It is about touching our core as a human being. I am most grateful to the YPO forum for spearheading the movement for a safer and more gender equal world".

events . 37

TA K H T - E - D I L L I PRIDE, POWER, PRESTIGE 12-15 December 2019

CHAMPIONS: Avantika and Puneet Dalmia (YPO Delhi)

ypo south asia regional conference

Takht-e-Dilli, the YPO South Asia Regional Conference, was appreciated for its beautiful portrayal of the various hues of Delhi, the capital city that has witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties. Depicting Delhi as the seat of power, pride and prestige, this event was all about the magnificence and opulence of the national capital and its illustrious historical and cultural heritage through the centuries. It won the hearts of participants from different parts of South Asia and International chapters, helped them soak in the fervour, bond with fellow YPO members and take back memories to last a lifetime. Everyone attending was captivated by the sheer grandeur that was planned and executed par excellence to ensure a ‘once-ina-lifetime’ experience for them!

Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Mohan Bhagwat followed, setting the tone of the event and bringing to the fore, the power that Delhi displays. Addresses by Smriti Irani, Kiren Rijiju and Ajit Doval, on the days that followed were reminiscent of this very seat of power.

It all began with a mesmerising performance by Grammy Award winner, singer and environmentalist of Indian origin, Ricky Kej; an inspiring speech by the

The participants were dazzled by the world heritage site Sunder Nursery lawns as the inaugural audience to a larger-than-life immersive play by Aamir Raza Husain.

Adding to the event’s appeal was the presence of YPO President Elizabeth Zucker and Presidentelect Anastasios (Tassos) Economou. Member-led conversations on parenting, living happily, art investment and fashion, left members and spouses with valuable learning experiences. Sessions on growing your business 10x, philanthropy and India’s biggest disrupters were equally enriching.

The transition of the city from the capital of the Mughal empire to the modern-day capital of the republic, provided a visual treat. Despite the sudden rains, guests danced and bonded over an exquisitely curated Royal Indian cuisine. On another evening Kailash Kher held the audience spellbound. The history and photo trails saw huge participation despite a cold wave in the Capital. A delightful qawwali was organised at the Mehrauli Dargah during the history trail. The high-energy carnival at the Taj Palace on day 2 saw a huge, enthusiastic turnout of participants divided into 8 dynasty teams, which played games and built relationships through team building; rivals wrestled opponents through various activities to win glory for their respective teams. The finale, another ‘Only-in-YPO’ experience at the National Rail Museum, left the participants ecstatic. The Bollywood theme party there saw participants

shed all inhibitions to celebrate the YPO spirit as they danced the night away. A magnificent performance by ‘The Bartenders’ and the delicious Orient Express cuisine by Ritu Dalmia were the highlight of the event. A flash mob by the champions and the organising committee members took everyone by surprise. A visit to the Rashtrapati Bhawan on the morning of departures saw a huge turnout as members wanted to visit the place that is often cited as one of the finest Presidential mansions in the world. Event champions Avantika and Puneet Dalmia thanked all the participants and the organising committee for their dedication towards the event and making it an unforgettable experience with their enthusiasm and participation.

ypo south asia regional conference . 39

“They were stupendous and knew their subject very well.”

Since the Punjab chapter constitutes YPO members who each spearhead important industrial legacies, it was highly relevant for them to learn about the potential single biggest disruptor across sectors-Artificial Intelligence.

Munish Avasthi (YPO Punjab)

The event, including talks and a panel discussion, had three speakers. Manohar Hotchandani, who has been the head of Alexa in India and advised several technology startups all over the world, Revant Nayar, the young founder of dynamic startup FMI Technologies, Nandini Nayar who is an AI researcher at Cornell University.

YPO P U N J AB LIVING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

27 December 2019 | Event Rating:

DAY CHAIRS: Nandini and Revant Nayar (YNG Punjab)

9.7

Hotchandani brought artificial intelligence to life before the audience, explaining how it permeated numerous areas of their lives. Starting with a broad overview of the evolution and classification of AI, he stimulated the audience with examples from smartphones to ride share, online shopping and social media, with a focus on voice enabled devices. He was followed by Revant, who offered relevant industrial and financial use cases of AI-from demand forecasting, predictive maintenance and price prediction, while giving us a glimpse of his original techniques that generalise AI for price forecasting. Finally, Nandini demystified the way AI models (in particular neural networks) really work, giving the audience a really sound intuition for what the network does. Talks were augmented with videos, illustrations and a healthy dose of humor that brought AI to life for everyone, from students to seasoned industrialists. The ensuing discussion involved the entire audience and led to a near unanimous appreciation for AI in its myriad avatars, in theory and in practice.

“The unconventional YPO event with a good mix of panelists.” Ajay Nayar (YPO Punjab)

WORLD TALES & COCKTAILS 12 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.5

FAMILY OFFICER: Shilpa Bagrodia (YPO Punjab) DAY CHAIRS: Anjali Avasthi (YPO Punjab), Ashima Kumar (YPO Punjab) Manisha Jain (YPO Punjab), Ashish Bagrodia (YPO Punjab) Gauri and Ajay Nayar (YPO Punjab) , Anand Gupta (YPO Punjab) Gaurav Munjal (YPO Punjab) , Nishtha and Vishal Anand (YPO Punjab) GRACIOUS HOSTS: Heena and Mittul Singla (YPO Punjab)

A beautifully coordinated event, brought experiences from around the globe down to a farmhouse in Ludhiana. This winter morning, we put away our phones to make some memories ‘together’!

artist and a Swiss cheesemaker enlightened us about their arts. Members engaged in sumo wrestling, to loud cheers by their families. These were unique 'only in YPO' experiences.

Line drawings on burlap designed as a maze welcomed us all, where parents and children came together to find their way into the venue…….and Voila!! It opened up a 'land of many wonders’.

An exciting travel Treasure Hunt was also curated for 50 people.

Spread out like a world map, there were elements one traverses miles to access, but here they were, at our doorstep! Earthy tones, eclectic art materials made up the eco friendly elements for this event. I tried the Danish art of happiness at the Hygge lounge, with my cuppa of hot chocolate and s’mores. Followed by a session of cigar tasting, fence duelling by National Champions, coffee roasting experts, a glass blowing

The action moved to the fantastic food trucks that lined the south of the venue. From interesting sliders and bruschettas to an Oudhi food truck, there was food for every palate. The star of the event was the 'Gin Cocktails Bar’, - unique and specialised cocktails kept us in high spirits; and a Brazilian drumming troupe who kept us swaying proved a fantastic end to an unforgettable YPO Event. Nishtha Anand (YPO Punjab)

events . 41

Kavita Chaudhary, (YPO Rajasthan) owner of Jaipur Rugs, is elated to share a recent, spectacular achievement, one that is record-breaking and will certainly go down in history. At Carpet Design Awards 2020, Jaipur Rugs has won not one, but 3 major awards.

member achievement

The Oscars of carpets, Carpet Design Awards is the most prestigious carpet design competition, for the last 15 years. It is the centrepiece in presenting modern, hand-made carpets and rugs at DOMOTEX, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest trade fair for the flooring industry, where companies from over 60 countries come together in Hanover, Germany. European brands have consistently dominated modern designs in every industry, be it lifestyle, fashion or home interiors, setting the bar very high, for a young Indian brand, barely 40 years in the making. From the hundreds of area rugs entered in the competition, five are shortlisted for each of the eight categories, the toughest to beat being the Modern categories. This year the European Goliaths met their David, Jaipur Rugs. In a never-done-before feat, Jaipur Rugs won all 3 awards, all for the Modern categories! Strati by Kavi won Best Modern Design Deluxe, Stair Maze and Jaipur Wunderkammer by Matteo Cibic won Best Modern Design Superior and Best Collection respectively. Jaipur Rugs first made its impression upon the highly qualified jurists in 2017, with Unstring by Kavi winning Best Collection. Now with the hat-trick, it is a reaffirmation that a brand rooted in the heart of rural India can set global trends with its distinct designs of the highest quality.

Hurray for Jaipur Rugs !! 42 . member achievement

One of the Marquee events spearheaded by Learning Chairs Sharmilee and Ram Shroff in their Learning Year “Beyond” has been an evening Talk with RSS Sarsangchalak (Chief) Dr. Mohan Bhagwat. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is one of India’s most important social and cultural institutions. Given its close relationship with the governing BJP, it was vital for our members to understand the views of the RSS and its leadership about various social, political and economic issues facing India. It is with this view that we scheduled this event for a candid fireside chat, moderated by our member Kaushal Sampat (YPO Bombay) which was attended by around 200 YPO Bombay members.

YPO B O M B AY IN CONVERSATION WITH MOHAN BHAGWAT 9 January 2020 | Event Rating:

8.93

LEARNING CHAIRS: Sharmilee and Ram Shroff (YPO Bombay) DAY CHAIR: Rajeev Chitrabhanu (YPO Bombay)

Dr. Bhagwat was introduced to the audience by Rajeev Chitrabhanu. At the outset of the Q&A session, Bhagwat shared some personal anecdotes about his growing up years and what attracted him to the RSS. He answered questions about the mission, vision and ideology of the RSS and sought to dispel the notions that the RSS was not inclusive in nature. He talked about his personal leadership style and drew parallels with business leadership. The questions then moved to the burning political, social and economic issues of the day. Bhagwat fielded queries about the RSS’s stand on Hindutva, secularism and religious conversion, the CAA and NRC protests, Cattle Protection (Gauraksha), India’s economic slowdown, the Kashmir issue and the repealing of Article 377. Bhagwat patiently took audience questions on a range of sensitive issues. YPO Bombay had a very engaging session with one of India’s most influential persons!

events . 43

MINI RETREAT TO PUSHKAR 8-10 November 2019 | Event Rating:

RETREAT CHAMPIONS: Sharmilee and Ram Shroff (YPO Bombay)

Starting with a visit to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah - the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, a Persian Muslim preacher, ascetic, religious scholar and philosopher, the Pushkar retreat was truly an otherworldly experience from a historic, mythological and spiritual point of view. We waded through the overcrowded labyrinth of tiny lanes that lead to the shrine, where people of all faiths flock every day. Inside, arrangements had been made for a private darshan - no mean feat, after which we were treated to a qawwali before being driven to our hotel where an elaborate Marwari â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thaaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; meal, awaited.

The next morning we walked through the Pushkar Mela, which is an ancient annual event where animals are traded. Bhima the bull – a prime specimen of virility at 1300 kilograms – attracted a lot of selfie seeking admirers from our group. We were also given lessons in playing the huge Nagaras - folk percussion instruments - by a fabulous musician after his own troupe treated us to a scintillating performance. The Brahma temple, one of only two temples dedicated to this deity, was a revelation to those of us who are estranged from Indian mythology. The 2000 year old temple was swarming with people, but we managed to go in for a peek of the main sanctum. The deity was represented by a beautifully sculpted idol, encased in masses of flowers and silver decorations. The highpoint of our trip was the ‘aarti’ by the Pushkar Lake. Muscular pandits of admirable strength held the heavy brass diya stands to perform the visually theatrical ‘aarti’, especially organised for YPO. Powerful hymns resonated across the water as dusk fell and the blazing wicks swayed across the darkening skies. Back at the Hotel, an energetic sufi music performance held sway – with performers belting out popular songs; dancing continued when the fabulous DJ took over. We returned from the trip with a lot of ‘prasad’, some fabulous memories and a few extra kilos in our luggage (from local shopping) and on our bodies, but it was all so worth it.

events . 45

CULINARY SOJOURN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; AVARTANA

30 November - 1 December 2019 | Event Rating: RESOURCES: Chef Ajit Bangera and V. Sriram

9.92

YPO Gold Mumbai members flew to Chennai for dinner. A specially curated South Indian fusion course meal by Chef Ajit Bangera was a culinary highlight of the year. Members experienced a Culinary Sojourn over a weekend in Chennai, ITC Chola. The experience was to explore a part of unique Indian Cuisine around India and Avartana was an obvious choice for South Indian! From authentic Rasam in Margarita glasses to French portioned South Indian food presented over multiple courses had the members bowled over. The elaborate South Indian breakfast on the following day before the flight left members wanting more. V Sriram, a well known historian of Chennai, educated and entertained the group before dinner on the life and culture in Chennai.

YPO M U M B AI GOL D YPO Gold Mumbai took members out of their comfort zone to Kamathipura, the largest red light district in the country, right in the heart of Mumbai.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

10 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.57

RESOURCES : Ashika Pohoomul Mehta, Psychotherapist Manju Vyas - Apne Aap Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Collective

Moderated by Ashika Pohoomul Mehta, a psychotherapist and a YPO child, the members interacted with the girls in the flesh trade and the Madam facilitating this underground, insidious business of human trafficking. These Real life stories had the members in tears, and emotions ran high as the girls related stories of how their own family and friends drugged them and forced them into this trade; tales of how they suffered but survived and yet continue to support the same family that betrayed them, were heart-breaking and an eye-opener for many.

GIN TOXICATE

31 January 2020 | Event Rating:

9.92

RESOURCES : Keshav Prakash from "The Vault"

Gustoso had a gin soaked event with the YPO Gold members cold compounding their own gin and tasting over ten different gins with different botanicals. The evening started with a Gin Masterclass where Keshav from The Vault shared with members the basics of gin and the making of this currently popular drink. Multiple botanicals and a lab like set up helped the members customize their gin to their liking. Each one went home with a labelled bottle of their own brew. This was followed by an extensive tasting of gins with cocktails and with different botanicals. Specially designed food from Gustoso added to the evening. 46 . events

family & YNG GRINCH ! YNG…CHEERS TO MANY FIRSTS… HO HO HO 25 December 2019 | Event Rating: FAMILY OFFICER: Shilpa Bagrodia (YPO Punjab) DAY CHAIRS: Arushi and Yuvraj Agarwal (YNG Punjab) GRACIOUS HOSTS: Saumya and Ishaang Dada (YNG Punjab)

8.6

The holiday season welcomed me back to Ludhiana with an exciting and eventful Christmas lunch organised by my fellow YNGs. It was the first time I was formally interacting and meeting with most of the YNG Punjab community. As I entered I saw a huge handcrafted Christmas tree which was the perfect spot to etch this memory and get photographed with my peers. The event was aptly named 'GrinchYNG', as it was a Christmas brunch, and was an amazing opportunity to meet many new like-minded YNG’ers and establish new friendships. A formal presentation by the Excom team introduced us to the concept of YNG and YNG+ and opened up a whole new world of hitherto unknown opportunities available to us! We had outstanding resources and activities planned out - a soulful yet powerful 'drum circle', by a well-known resource from Mumbai; quirky activities organised by the 'Grinch', (an actor from the National School of Drama, New Delhi) which were great ice-breakers; fun games by the day chairs, for everyone to let their hair down! As an epicure, I was astounded to see the extravagant display of food and cocktails. The DJ played some great house music...... I look forward to many more such YNG events in the future that provide an opportunity to network, broaden our social circles and engage in some intellectually stimulating conversations. Mehak Avasthi (YNG Punjab)

The Ed event with Prithvi Shaw as the resource was full of surprises. The first one being that it was a joint event with EO. Many of us have friends in EO but surprisingly there were many members I didn’t know and so it was a good opportunity to see new faces and meet new people. It also set the tone for YPO’s relationship with this newly formed EO chapter; which is that we are complementary and not competitive organisations. The setting was arranged with a lot of care. There was a cricket pitch in the center of the hall and a swivel bar stool for Prithvi at the batting crease. The leg umpire was Insaaf from EO while the main umpire was Naveen Philip (YPO Kerala). The fielding positions were occupied by chairs in which the audience sat.

YPO K ERAL A AN EVENING WITH PRITHVI SHAW 18 October 2019 | Event Rating:

DAY CHAIRS: Forum – Ko-Create

9.56

Ko-Create, the YPO forum that organised the event all came in India colours. Every attendee was given an autographed bat and ball. Prithvi came across as a simple, straight forward guy. However, the fact that he handled all the googlys from the 2 umpires without putting a foot wrong made me wonder if he was a veteran at this. His bringing home the under 19 World Cup and facing a drug ban made him a very current and interesting celebrity to see. The dinner following the event was excellent. Kudos to Ko-create on a great and carefully planned event. 48 . events

CHEF MANU CHANDRA EVENT 2 November 2019 | Event Rating: DAY CHAIR: Forum 007

9.78

The imperious, confident, and very difficult to get hold of, celebrity Chef Manu Chandra, was at his candid best for the event organised by our spouse forum “OO7”. The event was deftly moderated by Anu Mamman (YPO Kerala), who left no stone unturned with her questions. During the event we were treated to some mouth-watering starters and cocktails and Manu even made a special ‘Thairu Shadam’ (curd rice) preparation as the icing on the cake, to his talk. This was followed by a sumptuous dinner prepared by his team, accompanied by some select cheese from his personal brand ‘ Begum Victoria ‘.The menu catered to vegetarians and others alike. The party continued into the wee hours of the night and all of us left with stomachs full and souls happy! A big thank you to Remmy and Thomas Muthoot (YPO Kerala) who were gracious to host all of us for the event at their beautiful residence nestled among nature. What a truly ‘only in YPO’ event!!!

new members YPO COLOMBO

Apurva Udeshi

Argent Capital | Industry: Finance

Unique About Me: I am passionate about music and reading. The genre for music really doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter, only the decibels do! I have seen some of the top bands performing in London and also heard 4 of the top 10 EDM DJs in the world. Family: Spouse : Uttara Interests: Music, Reading, Sports and Food.

YPO KERALA

Anne Sajeev

Aroma Group of Companies | Industry: Hospitality, Organic Farming & Retail

Fun Memory: A Christmas get together for family and friends at home is a must each year and is always by far the best day of the year with fun, cheer, love and laughter! Family: Spouse : Sajeev | Children : Ranjith and Mariam Interests: Arts, CSR/Social Service, Entertainment, Food, Sports, Technology and Travel.

YPO BANGALORE

Faiz Rezwan

Sai Chakra Hotels Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: Hospitality

Unique About Me: I am a skilled negotiator, adaptable to change, with foresight and the ability to pay attention to minute details; I believe in building strong interpersonal relationships while viewing things from different prisms and living a disciplined lifestyle. Family: Spouse : Fajr | Children : Aydin Interests: Culture, Entertainment, Food, Sports and Travel.

Sachin Bansal

Navi Technologies Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: BFSI

Unique About Me: I have been an avid gamer while growing up and wanted to become a professional gamer. Family: Spouse : Priya | Children : Aryaman Interests: Technology

Sidharth Menda

CoWrks | Industry: Real Estate

Fun Memory: Learning to Snowboard in the middle of a snowstorm in Switzerland â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which proved to be an immense test of both mind and body. Family: Spouse : Rashi Interests: Food, Sports, Technology, and Travel.

Tushad Bahadurji

Vantage Advertising Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: Advertising and Media

Unique About Me: I am a certified Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver. Family: Spouse : Tanya Interests: Arts, CSR/Social Service, Culture, Entertainment, Food, Sports Technology and Travel.

new members . 51

Y P O C H E N N A I G AT E WA Y

Panaruna Mohammed Sannan

Florence Shoes Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: Manufacturing

Unique About Me: I am a 4th generation manufacturer in leather and leather footwear. A light hearted person, eager to learn, improve skills and management. Family: Spouse : Zaina | Children : Arad Interests: Sports (Badminton, Golf, Cricket), Traveling, Movies and Food.

Swaroop Reddy

PVR Cinemas | Industry: Entertainment

Fun Memory: I recently turned 40 and celebrated with some friends in Bali and the whole trip is one big fun memory. Family: Spouse : Shilpa | Children : Neel Interests: CSR/Social Service, Entertainment, Food, Spirituality, Sports and Travel. . YPO HYDERABAD

Srividya Gunampalli Reddy

G Pulla Educational Society | Industry: Educational Institutions

Fun Memory: Over the last 6 months I got to do two things for the first time in my life. I got my first skiing lesson in Gulmarg, Kashmir, on Mt. Apharwat; and I got my first sailing lesson in Zanzibar. Both were super fun!!! Family: Spouse : Ravikanth | Children : Paduri Hanish Interests: CSR/Social Service, Entertainment, Spirituality and Travel.

Papagari Yashwanth Krishna

Parasakti Cement Industries Ltd. | Industry: Cement

Fun Memory: Traveling to Sri Lanka with my wife to experience architect Geoffrey Bawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations; completely awe inspiring! Family: Spouse : Meenakshi | Children : Gayatri and Nandini Interests: CSR/Social Service, Culture, Entertainment, Spirituality, Sports, Technology and Travel. 52

Y P O B O M B AY

Adhil Shetty

BankBazaar (A&A Dukaan Financial Services Pvt. Ltd.) | Industry: Fintech

Fun Memory: I went snorkeling in the Maldives with my wife when we encountered a small baby shark. With the Jaws soundtrack playing in our ears, we managed to swim away and recounted the experience with much bravado, until we learnt that these baby sharks are absolutely harmless! Family: Spouse : Reha | Children : Raniya Interests: Reading, Writing, Sports, and Travel.

Tarak Patel

GMM Pfaudler Ltd. | Industry: Manufacturing

Fun Memory: I was recently diving in the Galรกpagos Islands, Ecuador when our group encountered a pod of Orcas! A memory that will remain with me for the rest of my life. Family: Spouse : Payal | Children : Jehan and Myra Interests: Reading, Music, Sports and Travel.

YPO PUNJAB

Kunal Nandwani

U Trade Solutions Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: Financial Services

Unique About Me: Monkey on spinning rock, traversing through time, in a massive universe we do not comprehend. Author, Entrepreneur, Aspiring stand up comic, Ex banker/engineer. Family: Spouse : Rupali Arora | Children : Ruhani Interests: Arts, CSR/Social Service, Culture, Entertainment, Food, Spirituality, Sports, Technology and Travel. .

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Abhishek Agarwal

RGA Software Systems Pvt. Ltd., DRA Group | Industry: Real Estate

Unique About Me: I am a Serial Entrepreneur and a family man. I am also an enthusiastic golfer and an avid traveler. Family: Spouse : Nidhi | Children : Amaaya and Yuvraj Interests: Entertainment, Food and Travel.

Aditya Singhi

Singhi & Co. | Industry: Audit and Consulting

Fun Memory: Jet skiing with my daughter in one of the most unexpected places! Family: Spouse : Rashi | Children : Amaira Interests: Entertainment, Food and Travel.

Vikash Kandoi Royal Touch Fablon (P) Ltd., Jayshree Tea and Industries Ltd. Industry: Polymer processing, Tea, Sugar, Fertiliser, Education

Fun Memory: Our most fun memory has been a trek to the Everest Base camp with a group of friends. Family: Spouse : Maitreyi | Children : Advait and Parthvi Interests: CSR/Social Service, Culture, Entertainment, Food, Sports, Technology and Travel.

Vishal Atha

Petro Coke & Carbon Pvt. Ltd. | Industry: Mining

Fun Memory: My son Trishiv, trying to dress up like me and learning and uttering new words are the happiest and most fun memories from the last six months. Family: Spouse : Darshana | Children : Hemanya and Trishiv Interests: Arts, Entertainment, Food, Spirituality, Sports, Technology and Travel. 54

YPO MUMBAI CONNECT

Gautam Narayan

Apax Partners | Industry: Private Equity

Fun Memory: Trekking in Nepal and Tibet and interacting with the local community was a unique and fun-filled experience. Family: Spouse : Archna | Children : Advait Interests: Arts, CSR/Social Service, Culture, Food, Spirituality and Sports.

YPO RAJASTHAN

Devesh Khaitan

Wires & Fabriks (S.A.) Ltd. | Industry: Pulp and Paper

Fun Memory: Our Family trip to Australia (because it was completely planned by my kids), my sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding (planning & execution) and also a realisation that I can party till 8 am in the morning. Family: Spouse : Parul | Children : Viraj and Reyansh Interests: Entertainment, Food, Sports, Technology, and Travel.

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Anand Shah

Meghdoot Ginning & Pressing Ind Pvt Ltd. | Industry: Cotton, Ginning and Finance

Fun Memory: My experience at a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding recently, at a yacht party. Family: Spouse : Prachi | Children : Ashni and Akshat Interests: Entertainment, Food, Sports and Travel.

Bahubali Kothari

Om Metals Infraprojects Ltd. | Industry: Infrastructure, Real Estate, Irrigation, Automobile Dealers

Fun Memory: We had our most special and memorable moments on our last annual trip, with extended family - all seventy of us on a cruise! Family bonding, time spent and activities with the children were the highlights. Family: Spouse : Payal | Children : Viraj and Abhiraj Interests: Entertainment, Food, Spirituality, Sports, Technology and Travel.

Mahesh Tibrewala Roha Dyechem Pvt. Ltd., Roha Capital and Finance Pvt. Ltd. Industry: Chemicals and Finance

Fun Memory: I love spending time with my wife and daughter, especially when we go on a vacation together. A recent fun memory is of her sitting on the flight learning to put on her own seatbelt, copying what we were doing, when we went to Australia. Family: Spouse : Akriti | Children : Kashvi Interests: Entertainment, Food, Sports, Technology and Travel.

Sudeep Goenka

Goldiee Group | Industry: Food and Beverage

Unique About Me: I am a highly motivated, second-generation entrepreneur. I love to travel and explore new places and learn the culture, food and habitat and learn new ways of living. I am good at public speaking and enjoy spiritual get-aways too. Family: Spouse : Mudra | Children : Shiven and Samarth Interests: Food, Travel, and CSR. 56 . new members

IN MEMORIAM Elisha D’Souza, Chapter Manager YPO Bombay 22 January 2020 We lost another beautiful soul from our Chapter Manager group this year. Our dear Elisha passed away on 23rd January. I visited Elisha a couple of times in hospital when she was critical. She never once complained about her illness or even showed how much pain or suffering she was going through. Never have I seen anyone so devoted to their job or show so much care and concern for their colleagues, that even in hospital she said to me, “I wish I had my laptop and connectivity I could work from my hospital bed, there’s so much Aparna has to do with me being away from work, I can ease her load”! Elisha was in control of, and on top of everything, be it work, home, family, even in the hospital, where she was monitoring her medicines, treatment, nurses, etc. She accepted life for what it was and people for who they were. A buddy and mentor to her peers and an everefficient member of my Chapter Manager team. Miss you Elisha, may you rest in peace! – Cheryl Murray,

Regional Specialist, YPO South Asia

There are certain people brought into this world who only bring joy and happiness in people’s lives. Elisha was one such person. Her gorgeous and infectious smile would just light up the room. She was a deeply passionate and caring individual, often putting the concerns and comforts of others ahead of her own. She was intensely committed not just to YPO but to every single member, spouse and child she engaged with. Taken from us way too early, our darling Elisha will be dearly missed. Rest In Peace our beloved Elisha D’Souza.

– Chirag Doshi, Chapter Chair YPO Bombay As we spend maximum time at work than with our families, Elisha’s absence is missed the most at the YPO office. A colleague, friend and my lunch partner on working days, will be missed immensely. Her efficient quality checks on spelling mistakes made my work so easy that all drafts were well checked before sending out. I wish I could’ve done something more

to help her fight her illness and have her with us today. Rest in peace Elisha.

- Aparna Kelekar, Chapter Manager YPO Bombay Elisha D’Souza, a young bubbly girl who would smile under the most testing situations is no more. She was with the YPO Bombay Chapter for more than nine years. A thorough professional who had a passion to learn. She was a live wire who would deliver any job entrusted with aplomb. Her departure at this young age due to a protracted illness has left a void in the organization. The YPO fraternity will miss her presence and deeply mourn her demise. At this hour of peril our heart goes to the bereaved family. May her soul rest in peace.

– Radha Muralidhar, Chapter Manager YPO Greater India

What are they? Interactive workshops ranging from 2-4 hours that provide tips and tools for members to turn a Chapter event into a unique learning journey for their peers.

learning

DAY/EVENT CHAIR WORKSHOPS

Local chapters refer to it as a Day Chair workshop because most of their events range from a couple of hours to one full day. Regional chapters refer to it as an Event Chair workshop because most of their events are multi-day programs in different locations.

Who is it for? The audience for Day/Event Chair workshops runs the spectrum. Chapters host workshops for members who are already recruited to be Day Chairsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they have a job to do and want to know how to do it well. Chapters also host workshops for newer members who will become day Chairs in the futureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the workshop orients them to the quality expected in YPO, explains what E-CODE means and how it is the fundamental framework to ensure an Only-in-YPO event. Spouse/Partners are welcome, too!

Why bother? The success of a Chapter’s Learning year depends heavily on the creativity, meticulous attention to detail, and gracious hosting of each event. Informing, orienting, and training Day Chairs early in the year pays dividends in a strong learning program expertly executed. Committed and trained Day/Event Chairs can provide that, resulting in a truly Only-in-YPO Learning program, better evaluations and happy members, and a more satisfying Chapter experience overall.

Recognition! At YPO we like to acknowledge the hard work and time commitment of our members. The following Chapters have held Day/Event Chair workshops for their members, either in this fiscal year or in preparation for it, led by an experienced member champion or the Regional Learning Manager. YPO Calcutta YPO Hyderabad Integrated YPO Nepal Integrated YPO Punjab

Key benefits of the workshop • Learn the day chair role and responsibility • Understand the E-CODE and how to use it • Explore past great events • Receive tips and tools for preparing speakers • Build skills for marketing and communications • Access the event budget and plan to spend wisely • Connect with and leverage support from the YPO Management Team

And on the calendar is also YPO Mumbai Connect! Organize a Workshop for Your Chapter! Contact Pria Khullar, Regional Learning Manager at pkhullar@ypo.org.

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Y P O S O U T H A S I A A L L I A N C E PA R T N E R S

The South Asia Region is committed to providing extraordinary benefits and value to our members. By developing partnerships and alliances with premier brands, airlines and hotels, we are pleased to bring you exclusive benefits available only to YPO and YPO Gold members. Below is a consolidated list of our current alliance partners, details of which have already been circulated to you. For details of the offers and how to avail of them you may contact your Chapter Manager HOTELS

THE

T R AV E L

HEALTH & WELLNESS

LIFESTYLE

OTHERS

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