CRADLE OF LEADERSHIP
Dr K. L. Dhingra, Director, National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune Volume 3, Issue No. 20 / Pages 68 / www.corporatecitizen.in
January 1-15, 2018 / `50
Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry
‘Make in India’ is Making of India
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
2018 Hopes & Resolutions
Corporate India’s hopes for the industry in 2018 & personal resolutions SURVEY
Interview
Rajesh Jain, HR Head, Srei Infrastructure
Ranjan Mishra, Senior VP - HR, Vodafone India
India’s Compensation Trends Survey 2018 Loved & Married Too
Devashish Bhatt and Navjyoti Dalal
2 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 67
Registered with RNI, under Reg. No. MAHENG/2014/60490 Pune posted Reg. No. PCW/179/2018-2020 Posted at BPC, Pune CSO 411030 on 15th and 30th of every month.
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feedback
Improvisation needed
Corporate Citizen is now three years old. I feel that the magazine should have a variety of content so that the regular columns don’t get repetitive. I have some suggestions for the same. I feel that in ‘Campus Placement’, as a reader, I would be interested in knowing what sort of questions were asked during the interview, where did he/she intern, what was learnt during internship—making the article more indepth and is targeted to the students who will face nervous interview rounds. Also, regarding ‘Health’ articles, they should be highlighting the current diet and exercise trends, for maximum benefits. —Ravindra Kirloskar, business executive
Strikes a fine balance
Succinct and informative, the Corporate Welcome move of Haryana Chief Minister for minimum educational qualification in legislature; two-child norm and more should also be implemented It refers to Haryana Chief Minister writing to central government on 2/12/2017 for legislating bill for some minimum educational qualification to contest elections for Parliament and state-legislatures. Haryana has already implemented such norms for Panchayat elections. Prime Minister should accept this welcome recommendation by Haryana Chief Minister. When minimum educational norms are necessary for all others getting pay from public exchequer, legislatures also getting pay and perks from public exchequer must also have some such norms, especially when their important assignment is law-making. Ideally, a special post-graduate course can be designed, which may provide degrees to be a poll contestant. Moreover, for propagating small-family norms in true practice, persons with more than two children should not be allowed to contest elections. It should be compulsory for political parties to give at least one-third party tickets to women in every such state where there are contesting elections. To effectively check dynastic politics and to curb lifelong ambitions of politicians, some upper-age limit of say 65 years may be fixed to contest direct elections. Experienced persons if needed in central ministry, can be made members of Rajya Sabha. —Madhu Agrawal (Guinness record holder for maximum letters published in newspapers)
Sensational leadership of Air Chief Tipnis I thoroughly enjoyed the interview of IAF Chief (retd) Anil Yashwant Tipnis and Mrs Molina Tipnis published in your December 1-15 issue. Though much has been written about the role of Army during the Kargil War, nobody has bothered to talk about the crucial role IAF played in this 60-day-long 1999 War. It was therefore nothing less than a treat to hear this untold story from the then Air Chief. I only hope that military historians will one day give due acknowledgement to the role Indian Air Force played, under the truly sensational leadership of Air Chief Tipnis. Though he has very modestly explained how he inflicted considerable damage on Pakistani Army’s positions by strategic use of airpower, I think, how he got it done from the Himalayan heights of 18,000 feet was something unprecedented in the history of aerial warfare anywhere in the world. This interview itself has made this interesting edition of ‘Corporate Citizen’ a collector’s item. —Rajendra Prasad, ex-serviceman, Gurugram Citizen magazine strikes a fine balance between entrepreneurial stories and covering the growth of organisations. It also seeks out the unique people behind the endeavours. Illuminating, beautifully written and a great read. —Reeti Roy, founder, Aglet Ink
Mobile app for Corporate Citizen
Corporate Citizen has been my favourite magazine for a couple of years now. I love the unique blend of business articles that come along with articles which highlight the lighter side of the corporate world. I look forward to my copy every fortnight. I do wish, though, that the website of the magazine would be equally interesting. The website, in my opinion, is dull and does not do justice to the quality content it features. I would also urge you to develop a mobile app for Corporate
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We look forward to your feedback
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January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 3
Contents 18
Cover story
2018 hopes &
Resolutions
What does Corporate India hope for? What’s on its wishlist? Corporate leaders wax eloquent about 2018
11 11 COLLYWOOD Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World 15 realty Check Some major 2017 events of Indian real estate and upcoming trends in 2018 16 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why 24 THE TAX MAN COMETH Why we are the least tax compliant nation in the world and what we can do about it 4 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Volume 3 Issue No.20 January 1-15, 2018 www.corporatecitizen.in
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
2018
28 ‘make in india’ is making of india Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India talks on why ‘Make in India’ programme is not just about Make in India, but making of India
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16 32
32 CRADLE OF LEADERSHIP Dr K. L. Dhingra, Director, NIBM, Pune, on the evolving role of NIBM and the challenging assignments he has dealt with 38 INTERVIEW Rajesh Jain, HR Head, Corporate & Financial Services, Srei Infrastructure, on the changing nature of HR, his riveting journey, and the future of the HR field
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40 TRAVEL Product designer Surabhi Mittal talks about why London is her favourite travel destination
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42 INTERVIEW Ranjan Mishra, Senior Vice President – HR, Vodafone India, on what he sees as the future of HR and emerging trends 44 STARTUP Kapil Shelke, founder of Tork Motorcycles, an electric motorcycle company, on his startup dream and his achievements
40 50
46 CAMPUS PLACEMENT Shripal Hajari on his experience of campus placement and his new innings as a management trainee 48 LOVED & MARRIED TOO Corporate professional Devashish Bhatt and Navjyoti Dalal, freelance media and corporate writer, talk about their journey together
46 January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 5
contents
56 Editor-In-Chief Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian Consulting Editor Vinita Deshmukh vinitapune@gmail.com Senior Business Writer Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com Senior Sub-Editor Neeraj Varty neeraj.varty07@gmail.com Sub-Editor Vineet Kapshikar vineetkapshikar@gmail.com
50 SURVEY The results of India’s Compensation Trends Survey 2018
Writers Delhi Bureau Pradeep Mathur mathurpradeep1@gmail.com/ Sharmila Chand chand.sharmila@gmail.com
54 HEALTH The changing platforms and knowledge database inferences through trending healthrelated technology and IT solutions 56 PEARLS OF WISDOM Is it about looking good or is it about living good?
Bengaluru Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar sangeetagd2010@gmail.com
58
Pune Bureau Joe Williams / Kalyani Sardesai / Namrata Gulati Sapra Manager-Circulation circulations@corporatecitizen.in West : Jaywant Patil, +91 9923202560 North : Hemant Gupta, +91 9582210930 South : Asaithambi G, +91 9941555389
58 BOLLYWOOD BIZ Look at some of the biggest controversies surrounding Bollywood films 60 MOBILE APPS Handy apps to help you stick to your New Year goals
Creative Direction Sumeet Gupta, www.thepurplestroke.com
60
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How do you like this issue of Corporate Citizen - The Cool Side of Business? Send in your views, news, suggestions and contributions to corporatecitizenwriters@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you! 6 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Graphic Designer Shantanu Relekar On Cover Page Suresh Prabhu Cover Page Pic By Yusuf Khan Website / Online Subscription www.corporatecitizen.in For Advertising, Marketing & Subscription queries Email: circulations@corporatecitizen.in (Corporate Citizen does not accept responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All unsolicited material should be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage.) Tel. (020) 69000677 / 69000672
Y PPY HAPPYHEA AR EAR NEW NEW Y
818 20210
Guest Editorial Editor-In-Chief’s Choice
Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian
Coping with the loss of your loved one Pics: Yusuf Khan
From left: Ganesh Natarajan, Chairman, 5F World, Amruta Fadnavis, Deputy Vice President, Axis Bank, Vinita Deshmukh, Dr Mohan Agashe and Vinita Kamte at the book release function of ‘Grieving To Healing’ which was held recently
Emotional acceptance is not easy ‘Grieving To Healing’—the book Vinita Deshmukh has penned after the untimely passing away of her husband Vishwas, is remarkable in the sense that it has genuine emotion, great literary eloquence in its essays, poems and comments and brings out both the pain of loss and the resilience involved in picking oneself up and carrying on By Ganesh Natarajan There is a line in one of my all-time favourite Bollywood movies Sholay that is said by veteran actor Hangal after the dacoits murder his son, played by the young actor Sachin. Translated terribly from the very poetic line in Hindi, it goes “Do you know the biggest weight that one can bear? The weight of a son’s coffin on the shoulder of a father.” That line moved me tremendously as a child watching the Sippy magnum opus and even today, when one watches
friends trying to cope—with the unexpected loss of a child or spouse or young friend and sometimes the anticipated loss of a parent or even a well-loved pet, it does seem to be an event that one can never be fully prepared for but have to bear with some level of fortitude and resilience. Having lost my father when I was not yet thirty and my mother fifteen years later, the loss of loved ones has been up close and personal for me. In my father’s case, it probably January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 7
Guest Editorial At the age of 70 plus, I have seen many couples and people involved in different activities. But Vishwas always was a myth to me. For, he never had any big dreams – he believed in just existing through his utter honesty and straightforwardness. Was that why this unusual human being, was such a pleasant personality always cheerful, always respectful, always ready to smile? I always used to wonder at his spirit – his wife was an adventurist – he was the extreme opposite, treading his path with caution. Yet, both of them were inseparable
—
Tribute to Vishwas by Dr. Col. A. Balasubramanian in the book ‘Grieving To Healing’
Author Vinita Deshmukh handing over the copy of the book to Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian, Editor-In-Chief, Corporate Citizen
helped that the immediate pain of the loss was blunted by the frenetic activity needed to get from Mumbai to Ranchi where he died, to see him after he had breathed his last and brave the winter cold of Bihar winter to light the funeral pyre. The ten-day rites that followed also subsumed the grief in the rituals and possibly prepared me for the later peaceful passing away of my mother. But one really needs to appreciate what it must take for a noble lady like our good friend Anu Aga to bear with the sequential losses of a dear husband and young son and still retain the love for humanity and life that she sustains to this day. Her wise counsel to us when my mother died is also something that we deeply appreciated and will remember forever. It is in this context that I was honoured to be a guest at the launch of the book about a devastating loss written by this magazine’s consulting editor and one of my favourite people in Pune, Vinita Vishwas Deshmukh. The book she has penned after the untimely passing away of her husband Vishwas Deshmukh is remarkable in the sense that it has genuine emotion, great literary eloquence in its essays, poems and comments and brings out both the pain of loss and the resilience involved in picking oneself up and carrying on. And the event which featured Vinita and me with Amruta Fadnavis, Mohan Agashe and Vinita Kamte was truly memorable. On the one hand, it was a story of vulnerability. Extreme vulnerability. It is rightly said that joys can be shared but sorrow has to be dealt with, alone. One could see how the travails of going through 24 hours each day, day after day, without her loved one, was Vinita’s cross to bear. There was no avoiding it. As Mohan Agashe put it, we come alone into life and we die alone, and in accepting this, we accept the transient nature of everything in between. Acceptance of this is key.
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On the other hand, it was a story of courage. Extreme courage. To put oneself out there on paper, in the public domain, is to be exposed to comment, perhaps judgment, but also, it is hoped, to immense compassion and support. To recognise writing as a way of dealing with the pain and moving forward, and thence acting on it, is courageous. My heart went out to Vinita as she stood there, lonely but determined, scared yet resilient, crushed by the past but rising again to meet the future. And not just rising alone, but in her journey, reaching out to the rest of us for understanding and support. It is a brave person indeed who overcomes the natural tendency to curl up and withdraw, and reaches out to others in their darkest times. Is there any advice that one can give to people, similar to the two Vinitas who have both borne the loss of a dear one in an untimely manner? The great bard, William Shakespeare said “Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak knits up the o’er wrought heart and bids it break.” So true and a piece of advice that should be heeded by both the bereaved and their family and friends. Let them talk about the lost one and have an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. That is always the best catharsis! In the modern world, we are all intellectually aware that there is no immortality and the elixir that will guarantee a never-ending life has not been invented yet. However, when it comes to our own loved ones, emotional acceptance is not as easy as rational understanding and every one of us has to find our own ways of getting through that period of loss. Long may your friends and family live and thrive! Dr Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World, Pune City Connect & Social Venture Partners, Pune.
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2018
Picking up the beads
I am just trying hard now. To pick up the strewn beads of life, That you had so beautifully amalgamated, Into a necklace of love, harmony and peace. I am trying, with my fingers wavering, The beads slipping out of the finger tips. The eyes missing to thread them adroitly. My precious pendant, lost up the hill. What will I make this necklace to be? One of garnets, pearls or emeralds? These precious gems have lost their sheen. My wavering fingers, for the pendant, searching. My mind tells my fingers to search for Rosemary beads. They don’t need no pendant; they go round, merrily. As my fingers twirl them, I can chant your name. But the monotony of these, unable to catch the spirit of thee. The pendant is a star attraction in any necklace. It lines up all beads and keeps them in proper place. My precious pendant, ruthlessly snatched away by God. My fingers are wavering; beads have lost the chord.
Living without you
The death of a spouse, I now believe, through research and through talking to others in such a situation, is a completely different feeling. I think that’s because your relationship is entwined in one another By Vinita Deshmukh Death is a part of life—it is unarguably, the ultimate reality. Through the various rituals post death, we are told about the journey of the soul. To ensure its smooth journey, we are told that, if we mourn, the soul will not be set free. We are urged to get over grief as soon as possible. I was also a part of this belief and mindset. My parents and my in-laws who I was also close too, passed away. I accepted it as the natural process of birth and death. However, after Vishwas has passed away, it has been a totally different experience for me. The death of a spouse, I now believe, through research and through talking to others in such situation, is a completely different feeling. I think that’s be-
cause your relationship is entwined in one another. You are with the spouse, not only in your outward journey but knowingly or unknowingly in your inward journey too. You become each other’s friend, parent, companion and consultant—your spouse is an integral part of your life, home, your mind, your heart and your children. And that’s why when your spouse dies, you are hit the hardest—you feel as if just a half of yourself is left in you. I lost Vishwas within a few minutes. Unexpectedly. However, whichever way and whichever age you lose your spouse, the grief I think is equally deep. So much so that, you suddenly realise your identity is not because of your professional acumen but because of your personal relationship. When you lose that, the vacuum is so huge that your achievements are no solace. I realised that grieving is a natural consequence of your loss and suppressing it is unnatural—we do so because we are socially conditioned to do. We are asked to get meditative, go into silence. For me anyway my home has become a silence zone, what more Vipassana should I seek? I realised tears are but the tip of the iceberg of sorrow. For me, initially Vishwas’s death was such a shock that my mind kept walking, umpteen times a day to the spot where it happened. I kept reliving it all the time—so much so that it became my main corridor of my thought, 24x7. It January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 9
Guest Editorial Living without You
Pics: Vimal Parmar
You are with the spouse, not only in your outward journey but knowingly or unknowingly in your inward journey too. You become each other’s friend, parent, companion and consultant— your spouse is an integral part of your life, home, your mind, your heart and your children
My Eyes
You have left behind such warmth and cheer Such joy of living in this serene atmosphere of our home and the environs around. That you fill my heart and nurse my wound.
You said my eyes twinkled, even in the night. You said they effused joy, and were your radiant light.
At the crack of dawn, the chirping of birds – Cuckoos, parrots, sparrows, crow, pheasants and others. Like little children, they hop from tree to tree. Sometimes, walk, fly and settle in our balcony.
Now that you are gone, they twinkle no more They have become the clouded sky ever ready to outpour.
It is their time to play in the lush greenery that overlooks our home; never a moment dreary. Sweetheart, those bunch of parrots still appear. And squirrels still run around; oh what pleasure.
Sometimes they delicately drizzle Sometimes they cloudburst Sometimes they wear a moist veil. Saddened at your breach of trust.
Now it’s monsoon magic; it is all glistening green. Bright colours of gulmohur and bougainville, missing. The grass has grown in abundance with nature’s care. Even the Brahmakamal has blossomed, in two pairs.
They wonder why, they can see you no more. When you had told them clearly you are here to stay, till they first go.
The Peepul Tree that stands tall, is a mute witness to our thirty eight years of togetherness. For like the ever-there peepul tree, you believed – Don’t get uprooted, bloom where you are rooted. Your aura pervades like fragrance of the night jasmine. Your warmth, streaking in, through sun’s light. For leaving me behind in this Paradise, I thank you. It kind of tames the pain of living without you.
was only when I returned from the USA, late June, where I, along with my daughter and her family, had gone to meet my son, that reality hit me hard. That’s when I realised, it was not just the way he died but that he himself is no more. Every corner of the house came alive with his presence and I was completely shattered from within. I didn’t know how to cope and definitely antidepressants were not for me as I usually avoid medication. Sharing my sorrow with my children and dear ones was painful as it pained them and then I felt bad that I am making them feel bad. For relief, I took several sessions of acupuncture which helped me a lot and have got down to do some serious yoga. However, this was inadequate to overcome my loss. I’ve always believed in following my heart in whatever I do, so I decided to go on an inward journey and find out the depth of my feelings. So, whenever I was overpowered with sorrow—I channelised it into penning a poetry, in the notepad of this Samsung Tablet. Sometimes I wrote two poems a day. There was no planning about which topic to choose, to write the poem. I just wrote when a particular thought overpowered me. I chose no time to write the poem. It would happen in the car while travelling for work, in a corner of my daughter’s house, sometimes waking up in the middle of the night.
10 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Only sometimes they say Thank God they saw you. For thirty-eight long years, Mesmerized, by the benevolent YOU.
There is no logic to the poems I have written. Sometimes I question the very existence of Heaven, sometimes I term Vishwas as guardian angel. I have cursed the sunset as it happened at that time of the day. And so on. As my poems progressed, there was somewhat a silver lining and I scripted a few optimistic ones, I think. I thought I would write five or six poems but they turned out to be 33 and after that I could write no more. My fingers just stopped. Then I thought I should give reference to these poems so I began scripting chapters in prose. So, the book has just happened—as if it was self-constructing itself. Hence, ‘Grieving To Healing’ is a compilation of my raw emotions; stark outpourings of my heart. It is also about the healing process in the chapters which speak about that prescription. It is not intellectual, philosophical or logical. It is a sonography of grief and living with it. It is a glimpse of the emotions that rattle you, for anyone who is in this situation. I can safely say it has been a sort of catharsis for me. I hope, reading it will help those who have lost their dear ones, in some way or the other. Above all, this book is a token of eternal gratitude to Vishwas, who was my best friend and a wonderful human being. My near and dear ones tell me that Vishwas must a be blessing me from above but I think he must be embarrassed. He always used to tell me that I talk 19 to a dozen. Just when he thought he has silenced me, I’ve got back to my chatter, but through the book. Sorry, Vishwas, but I know you would have said with a smiling face, “Okay, fine if you want it this way.’’ (The book is available on Kindle and amazon.com. The link is: http://www.amazon.in/dp/B077CVQJJK) vinitapune@gmail.com
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
collywood
2018
People in the news
Salil Parekh, new Infosys CEO, MD
Infosys appointed Salil S. Parekh as CEO and Managing Director of Infosys. He replaces U. B. Pravin Rao who will continue as Chief Operating Officer and whole-time director. Rao took over as the Bengaluru-based IT company’s interim CEO and Managing Director earlier this year. In a release issued by the company, it stated that the appointment was approved by the Infosys board of directors for a period of five years, subject to approval of shareholders and other regulatory requirements. The appointment was made based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee which concluded its global search for a CEO and MD. Commenting on the appointment of Salil S. Parekh, Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of the Infosys board said, “We are delighted to have Salil joining as the
Ivanka transforms Hyderabad
Damani acquires Novotel Imagica
CEO & MD of Infosys. He has nearly three decades of global experience in the IT services industry. He has a strong track record of executing business turnarounds and managing very successful acquisitions.” Parekh joins Infosys from Capgemini where he was a member of the group executive board.
Ivanka Trump took Hyderabad by storm recently when she attended an international conference in the city. Ivanka delivered the keynote at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), sharing the stage with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and later had dinner at Falaknuma Palace, a royal residence that was converted into a private hotel, recently. Besides the conference Ivanka also took part in two panels at the women-focused symposium, during her 36 hours in city. The US president’s 36-year-old daughter and a senior adviser to her father. She attended the GES on the invitation of Indian PM Modi, an offer extended to her last summer when he visited the White House. The location of the summit was announced a year prior in a joint statement between former President Barack Obama and Modi during a June 2016 trip to Washington. During her short stay, the city underwent a transformation in areas that Ivanka was expected to pass through. And in a surprise move the beggars were rounded up from the streets and displaced. Trees were painted and planted along the medians. Roadways were tidied and repaved, all to impress the US president's daughter, Ivanka.
The founder of supermarket chain DMart, Radhakishan Damani, has completed the formalities for acquiring Novotel Imagica Khopoli, a five-star luxury hotel located in a theme park off the Mumbai-Pune expressway, from Adlabs Entertainment Ltd. Talking about the move Manmohan Shetty, Chairman of Adlabs said, “We have signed a term sheet with them. We are going through the process. Theme park Imagica is the project. Within that project, only the hotel has been sold to reduce our debt”. The deal, which had been on for some time, has been completed, people familiar with the development said. The acquisition was made by Damani’s unit Bright Star Investments. Damani couldn’t be reached for comment. However, the transaction or the value is yet to be disclosed. The sale of Novotel Imagica Khopoli and land measuring 8.9 acres for `212 crore was approved by the Adlabs board in November to help reduce debt, the company said in a presentation to investors this month. The 287-room hotel managed by Accor is located within the Adlabs Imagica Theme Park, which houses rides and attractions, restaurants, besides water and snow parks.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 11
collywood Opportunities abound at home: Vikas Khanna
Master chef, author, TV host, filmmaker Vikas Khanna is of the opinion that chefs in India have a unique opportunity. “In America, as a brown person I cannot serve Korean food because the best Korean chef is already there. But in our country, an Indian can be serving pizza and no one will question him. And that makes a big difference,” says Khanna whose first claim to fame was his New York restaurant ‘Junoon’. After having worked with various hospitality brands in the country, Khanna set up shop in Manhattan in 2010. Little did he know then that ‘Junoon’ would soon change the way Indian food was perceived, not just in New York, but across the globe. The restaurant won the prestigious Michelin star the year it opened, and every year since. Elaborating on the difference between the culinary scene in India and America, Khanna says that “the food scenario at home is extremely diversified”. But, with years of experience behind him, he says he has now started to understand the attitude towards eating out in America.
The man who solemnised Virat-Anushka wedding
The Punjabi Brahmin priest who manages his own temple in Italy solemnised the wedding of cricketer Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma at a resort. Pawan Kumar Kaushal, who belongs to a nondescript village, Sandhu Chatha in Punjab’s Kapurthala district, felt like he was the ‘man of the match’ as he officiated at the one-and-a-half-day wedding. The 46-year-old Kaushal has been living in Italy for the past 25 years. Kaushal, like the rest of the Indians, was unaware that the wedding he had been booked to perform in Tuscany was that of the Indian celebrity couple. He was informed about the identity of his clients when he was on his way to the venue. “I had to drive 400 km from my
home for the wedding ceremony. It was revealed that Virat and Anushka had responded emotionally to the phera ceremony and the seven vows made by the bride and the groom to complete the wedding rituals. The priest admits his celebrity assignment has made him a recognisable face and has earned him a lot of appreciation as well as criticism. Kaushal’s selection as the main priest has become talk of the town among the tiny community of Indian priests in Italy. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, India’s most watched couple, sealed their relationship with a wedding, here amidst close family and friends.
Cognizant’s gesture across the globe Cognizant has successfully completed 10 years of its employee volunteering programme, Outreach. During these years, it has been able to bring a change in the lives of more than 4,50,000 people. More than 1,00,000 Cognizant employees volunteered in this initiative and completed two million hours of volunteering across 20 countries, making an impact in the areas of education, community welfare and environment. The initiative is designed and derived by employees who seek to make a difference in the lives of people. Cognizant provides financial and
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administrative support to run this initiative. The programme aims to alleviate disparities in educational access and provide equal opportunity to all students. In India, Outreach has partnered with more than 169 schools—government and government–aided—in urban and rural areas to conduct additional classroom sessions in science, computing, mathematics, English and other subjects. The volunteers under this initiative teach nearly 100 classroom sessions in India every week.
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2018
Happiness assistance, 24/7
In a bid to get employees closer to its employers, CARS24 has opened a new leaf in the employee-employer relation in an attempt to assist its employees in all walks of life including their personnel problems. “Each one of us faces situations which puts us under stress, and impacts us
the employees to take care of themselves soon after they leave the premises of the firm, which has not helped employees give their best at work. Chopra is of the belief that a happy employee will give three times more output than a not-sohappy one. According to him, only two things matter for good talent—skill and will. “If one does not have a strong will, any skill won’t matter, whereas, if one has true will, any skill can be learnt.” As such, CARS24 with just 600-odd employees has made the first move. As part of the initiative, employees of CARS24 can seek professional assistance for various issues, including couple and marital issues, personal and emotional difficulties, death and bereavement issues, family and parent-
even at the workplace. It could be the smallest of things but to feel relieved, all we need to do is speak up, open up our hearts to someone who is not judgemental about us, understands us and can help us overcome the situation well,” said Vikram Chopra, CEO, CARS24 of the firm who are the first to make a move in this direction. Most of the firms have been of the belief that looking after the employees’ well-being is only confined to the official working hours, leaving
ing concerns, stress, anxiety, depression and substance misuse. Employees facing any such issue(s) may call up a counsellor and seek help, without revealing their identity. Elaborating on the move, Chopra went on to say: “We believe in taking care of our employees as they are the central pillars of our company. A healthy mind results in better productivity at the workplace and consulting with a professional provides an opportunity to deal with personal or work-related challenges.”
The sky is the limit for Anny
She has never once been a passenger on a plane until she learned to fly one, and today Anny Divya becomes the youngest woman pilot of the world’s largest twin jet. This 30-year-old is the youngest-ever female commander of a Boeing 777. She was 17 years old and she had to learn English when she started her training. Coming from a very humble background, this South India (Vijayawada) lass couldn’t afford to travel in planes. It was her mother who told her to become a pilot and she lived up to the dreams. She attended the flying school at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi when she was just 17, earning herself a scholarship and completing her training at 19 and moved to Mumbai, where she landed a job at Air India. It was a tough call for her—she had to leave her parents and get out of her comfort zone. And most importantly, learning English and communicating skills was a struggle. But time and perseverance taught her everything. Then there was no turning back as she gradually climbed the ranks at Air India, eventually completing advanced training in London where she first flew a Boeing 777. She has been outstanding in maths and physics and excelled in good motor skills, situational awareness, communication skills and multitasking. Now Anny flies 70 to 80 hours per month and wearing the uniform is a matter of pride for her. January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 13
collywood Kharola to head Air India Much before the fate of a privatised Air India was decided, a new chairman and managing director has been appointed, with senior IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola making it to the helm. Kharola replaces Rajiv Bansal, who was made interim AI chief this August for three months when incumbent Ashwani Lohani was moved to Railway Board as chairman. A 1985 IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, Kharola is currently Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation MD. Bansal, additional secretary and financial advisor in the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, was given additional charge
as AI chief for three months. Kharola will be full-time chief and will oversee the transition of AI from a state-owned airline to a private entity if the government’s plan to privatise the Maharaja takes off before the next elections. The change of guard at the helm of Air India
also comes at a time when the government is in the process of finalising the modalities of the strategic disinvestment of the national carrier. Bansal, a Nagaland-cadre IAS officer had served as a director in the civil aviation ministry and played a crucial role as a board member of the National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL). Bansal has also served as the board member of the Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India. He is a civil engineer by profession and graduated from IIT Delhi in 1986. Pradeep Singh Kharola hails from Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Ajay Pandey joins L&T finance Ajay Pandey has joined the HR leadership team at L&T Finance Holdings. Headed by Dinanath Dubhashi, MD & CEO at L&T Finance Holdings, the company is looking at strategic restructuring and hiring, and taking on Pandey is a significant move towards strengthening the HR function. Pandey had quit IDFC Bank as the Senior Director-HR in his previous assignment. L&T Finance has undergone a huge turnaround under the able leadership of Dubhashi, and as it is looking at yet another leap, strengthening the HR team could come in handy. Pandey shares that his decision to join L&T Finance is based on the fact that he saw a tremendous opportunity to partner with the business. A seasoned HR professional, he said that the larger opportunity to partner with business as an HR leader at L&T is what pulled me in,” he said. With over 30 years of experience, in14 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
cluding over 21 years in the banking, BPO, life sciences industries and nine years in the Indian Air Force, Pandey carries a wide array of experience. He had joined IDFC Bank in November 2015, prior to which he was associated with ICICI Bank for over a decade, where he joined as the head of HR for customer service and phone banking groups, in December 2005. Pandey is a postgraduate in human resources management from the Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, and started his career with the Indian Airforce’s Technical Branch in 1984.
SoftBank’s Misra joins Paytm board Kabir Misra, the former SoftBank Group International MD has been appointed as an additional director to the board of One97 Communications, which runs Paytm. SoftBank had infused $1.4 billion into Paytm earlier this year and is also in talks to back Paytm Mall, according to the company’s online marketplace. SoftBank had recently infused ` 9,079 crore ($1.4 billion) in One97 Communications Ltd, which runs India’s leading digital wallet, Paytm. It is also expected to invest 1,932 crore rupees ($300 million) in online marketplace Paytm Mall so it is no surprise that SoftBank was rewarded with a board seat. An e-commerce veteran, Kabir Misra also serves as a board member of another leading e-commerce firm, Snapdeal. He was also instrumental in SoftBank’s investments in Alibaba, Tokopedia and South Korean firm, Coupang. The One97 communications board will now comprise of Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder & CEO of One97, Ravi Adusumalli of SAIF, Jing Xiandong (Eric) of Ant Financial Services Group, Neeraj Arora, Amit Singhal, Mark Schwartz and Kabir Misra. Kabir Misra serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of SoftBank China & India Holdings. Compiled by Joe Williams joe78662@gmail.com
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
realty Check
2018
Ramesh Nair
A 2017 review of Indian Real Estate
As a landmark year for the real estate industry draws to a close, it’s time to review the major events of 2017 for Indian real estate and look at some of the upcoming trends in 2018
For the real estate industry, 2017 was a watershed year, with the rollout of game-changing policies such as GST and RERA. Demonetisation’s impact started to taper off slightly, while real estate investment trusts (REITs) did not take off this year as expected. Affordable housing came out of the shadows and affordably-priced units have been selling like hot cakes in most cities. Let’s revisit the top trends in real estate in 2017 and examine what can transpire in 2018.
Office asset class
Vacancy levels remained largely unchanged through 2017, hovering at around 14% pan-India. Select markets saw lower vacancy levels and are expected to see a further decline in 2018. Overall vacancy levels will likely hover around 15% during 2018. Very low vacancy rate and continued demand in the prominent office corridors of Bengaluru, Gurugram, Hyderabad and Pune will help better rental appreciation in 2018. Rents in these markets are expected to rise faster into the range of 6-8% (y-o-y), while select sub-markets such as suburbs of Mumbai, NH-8 in NCR and the SBDs of Chennai will also see similar rental movement. Attractive rents and a healthy demand will positively influence rental appreciation in these markets. Pune and Chennai crossed their historic rental peaks in 2017, and given its market dynamics, Hyderabad will cross it in 2018. The net office space absorption for 2017 will be at around 32 million square feet if all supply expected to come in this year actually enters the market. In 2018-19, Bengaluru is likely to see highest absorption of office space, followed by NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad. The future supply is expected to be higher in 2018-19 in NCR and healthy in Hyderabad and Mumbai, while it will be lower than expected in Chennai
and Kolkata. At a pan-India level, total office stock across the seven major cities is forecast to reach around 600 million square feet by end of 2019. In alternate office (or co-working) spaces, around 1.2 million square feet got absorbed across major Indian cities in 2017. Co-working involves various individuals or startups sharing a common workplace environment. Companies can save as much as 15-20% by working in a coworking space, which provides an ultramodern workplace along with plug-and-play amenities at par with those at Grade A offices.
Retail asset class
New retail space of 6.4 million square feet got completed in 2017–making this year the secondbest after 2011 in terms of net absorption (i.e. after withdrawal of 4.7 million square feet from failed malls). Shopping mall stock is projected to grow strongly in next 3-4 years in these seven cities of India, as around 20 million square feet of supply is expected to come up by end of 2019. Out of this, around 11 million square feet of supply is expected in 2018 if completion delays are not accounted for. As of now, the majority of stock is concentrated in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru. However, the percentage share of other cities is expected to rise in next few years. The supply-side analysis is critical for retail real estate investment, as it ensures that there is a pool of properties that can be considered for expanding portfolios, and also apprises about the prospective competitors in the long run. Delhi-NCR saw eight malls being withdrawn in 2017 after 2016 when negative supply was first recorded in the history of Indian retail real estate. Prominent high-street locations across India have limited availability of space, similar to premium
malls. Fast fashion, F&B and entertainment operators again dominated leasing, with premium malls the main target for space. F&B operators remained the most active retailer category in India’s major high streets, followed by apparel.
Residential asset class
If anything, 2017 will go down in history as one of the most difficult years for residential real estate developers, who faced several challenges ranging from realigning their businesses to comply with the GST rollout to changing business models in the wake of RERA and then, postdemonetisation, investors disappearing from the market. Though demand in end-user-driven markets was not affected as much, the more speculative markets saw buying activity reduce to a trickle–more so in the luxury segment. GST applicable to the purchase of homes in under-construction projects caused home buyers to either buy into completed projects or hold onto their purchase decisions. Also, developers halted sales in projects not registered under RERA across major cities. These combined factors led a quarterly sales decline in five of the top seven cities to an all-time low of 4.8% in 3Q17. This led to developers offering higher discounts to genuine buyers. The residential asset class cornered a large share of the total investments (a combination of debt and equity) through most of 2017, thanks to the growing confidence in this asset class. Implementation of major reforms such as RERA, GST, the Benami Property Act and demonetisation promise to make Indian residential real estate more transparent than ever before. Steady investments will continue to be seen in this asset class in 2018. (Courtesy: Ramesh Nair – CEO & Country Head, JLL India)
Ramesh Nair – CEO & Country Head, JLL India January16-31, 1-15, 2017 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 15 December
wax eloquent
Moving India Forward Take a look at what our corporate leaders have to say about recent trends and their experiences in the business world
One wrong decision is better than indecision
“My biggest strength is decision making. I don’t sit on papers. There is no grey area when it comes to decision making. It’s either black or white. I must say Yes or No. One wrong decision is better than indecision any day, as the cost of indecision is too much.” Rajnish Kumar, chairman, State Bank of India Courtesy: Mint
Go back to fundamentals and come strong “In the next three years, just like India did in going wireless, we need to connect every citizen by creating Mangalyaan-scale indigenous topology with jugaad mindset. India must create a talent pool with domain knowledge in data management if it wishes to succeed. The initiative has to start with infusing the domain information in school and college curriculum. We have to go back to fundamentals and come strong.” Chandrakant Patel, chief engineer, HP Inc
Courtesy: http://www.business-standard.com
As long as the consumer gains… “To me, what is most important is did we move the country forward and does the consumer gain. The question… you should be thinking about is even if there are profits and losses, who gains and who loses? And as long as the consumer gains and the country moves forward, it is worth taking those losses. Some of us are big boys, we can afford that.”
Investment Philosophy
“Knowing the business and the company you invest in is very relevant. The thought process of the management and how it behaves with its stakeholders, is the key. Stakeholders are not shareholders, but the customers. If the customers are happy and your employees are happy, you have a good company.”
Mukesh Ambani, founder, Reliance Jio Infocomm Courtesy: Business Standard
I do each task to the best of my abilities “When I joined ICICI Bank, my aim was to do each task to the best of my abilities. And I still ensure that each task is performed to the best of my abilities. I think when you focus on excelling at whatever you are doing now, the journey upward becomes a consequence of your hard work and effort.” Chanda Kochhar, MD and CEO, ICICI Bank Courtesy: Times of India
India needs 20 years of unimpeded growth
Kenneth Andrade,
“One must remember that the US sees India as its partner vis-à-vis China. In my thinking India needs 20 years of unimpeded growth in the manner that China did, keeping the focus on building itself internally, both economically and in defence capabilities.”
Courtesy: http://www.moneycontrol.com
Courtesy: http://www.thehindu.com
founder, Old Bridge Capital
16 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Mukesh Aghi, President, US India Strategic Partnership Forum
Get into business that’s hard for others to enter
“If you want to play the long game, get into a business where there are entry barriers for others. Today, there are so many entrepreneurs, they will kill any business in a few years. If you don’t want to sell out, build a long-term product that will be valuable.” Rakesh Verma, founder, MapmyIndia
Courtesy: Times of India
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
2018
America’s role in the global economy
Markets operate in the context of society
“My belief is that a lot of work has to be done investing in the samaj (society) and building up the strength of citizens and citizen groups so that they are able to become part of the solution and not remain part of the problem. States and markets operate in the context of society, not in a vacuum.” Rohini Nilekani, author and former journalist, chairperson and founder of not-for-profit Arghyam and cofounder of Pratham Books
There is no problem India-US can’t solve
“If India and the US are working together, I believe there is no problem we cannot solve. We can’t pretend automation doesn’t exist, we can’t ignore globalization. But we can invest in our people’s skills. We still need to do more to close the gap between rich and poor nations.” Barack Obama, former US president
“America’s role in the global economy inevitably was going to diminish, we’re smaller relative to—as China, India, other emerging markets grow. He’s (Trump) hastened that change, but where he’s gone really wrong is American leadership is still important. And our withdrawal from this will hurt the global system. But actually it’s going to also hurt the United States.” Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel
Prize-winning economist and a professor at Columbia University
Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com
Courtesy: Mint
Courtesy: https://www.marketplace.org
If India were a stock, I’d still buy it “If India were a stock, I’d still buy it. I still believe India has enormous assets, considering the world we’re going into. It’s learning to manage diversity in a world that’s only getting more diverse; that’s a big deal. And the fact that 1.3 billion Indians speaking a 100 different languages, with different religions and ethnicities, in addition to conducting free and fair elections, that’s not a small thing. If India were living like Iraq and Syria today, the whole world would be different. That’s a huge asset.” Thomas Friedman, American journalist and author
I am just a normal girl who had big dreams
“People keep telling me that I am an inspiration to them, I am just a normal girl who had big dreams and worked hard towards them. I’m fortunate to be able to achieve my dreams. When people say I’m an inspiration to them, it makes me feel grateful that I have been put in that position.” Manushi Chhillar, Miss World 2017
Courtesy: The Times of India
Courtesy: Mint
Best way to stay ahead of the future is to create it “The days of following the best practices and keeping pace with market trends are over. It’s time for companies to adopt a non-linear way of thinking and working, gather insights and co-create value for their customers—thing that cannot be replicated. Because the best way to stay ahead of the future is to create it.” Sudhir Singh Dungarpur, partner and leader, digital services, PwC India Courtesy: Financial Express
Kept figuring my way out of challenges “Today when I look back, everything looks fine. You should be happy in whatever you are doing, or do things that make you happy. So many transitions have happened in my life, but as life threw challenges I kept figuring my way out. One should embrace each stage of life with open arms and mind.” Hema Malini, actor
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
I love the magic here in India
“I was just 23 when I got a chance to judge the Miss World competition in 1994, and I chose Aishwarya Rai. My god, she was stunning! I love the magic here in India. I love strong women in India.” Naomi Campbell,
supermodel, actress and social activist Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com
Compiled by Rajesh Rao rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 17
2018 hopes & Corporate India speaks about Hope 2018 relating to various sectors of industry; expectations they have from the government on policies, reforms and direction; the economy and the changes that are likely to come, to shape the future course of India. And their own personal resolutions too… By Corporate Citizen Network
“Digital health will see aggressive traction” I Hope: From an industry perspective, I expect and hope that the universe of digital consumers across different industry segments will show exponential growth, driven largely by the Digital India initiative, startup ecosystem and regulatory reforms. Digital health will see aggressive traction, particularly from investors, and this could then fuel customer education, engagement and adaption of health-tech platforms even more aggressively. My Resolutions: Personally, I don’t make any specific resolutions for the New Year. T. Hari, CEO, CallHealth Services Pvt Ltd
“Future is about equality and large-heartedness”
I Hope: We will transit from perpetual election mode to perpetual reform mode. We will transit from inequality to equality. We will transit from narrow-mindedness to large-heartedness. We will transit from hope to reality. My Resolutions: Minimum resolutions, maximum implementation Arun Firodia, Chairman, Kinetic Group
18 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
“Be prepared to embrace newer technologies and develop new skill sets”
I Hope: Looking ahead to the year 2018. It is going to be a blend of exciting times embroiled with its own set of expectations and challenges. The business scenario is going to be no different but how we conduct day-to-day operations is likely to undergo a tremendous change. We therefore need to be not only aware but also be prepared to embrace newer technologies and develop new skill sets. Everyone globally is very optimistic about India’s growth story in the next decade as it is expected to emerge as the strongest economy, surpassing even China. While the business environment is extremely positive, the corporate world is one with diminishing borders, where we have to keep pace with the socalled “High on community of social network and Wikipedia – search users” and Digitisation. Every organisation must focus on creating stronger infrastructure to support higher collaboration and building stronger relationships
to co-create value for the customers. As a matter of fact, the whole approach towards partnership building and doing business is going to change. In the times of the GIG Economy, where the world is looking at on-demand contracts with independent workers, it is imperative to try out innovative ways of work arrangements wherein there is a leeway for being less formal and more adaptive towards reporting organisational structure and work designs. After Gen ‘Y’ we will soon have Gen “I”, i.e. independents who will not opt for permanent or long-term contracts but for temporary positions. This workforce will bring with it different a set of values and a diverse approach to work. Workforce re-skilling has to be the core focus in the coming year so that we are prepared for the compelling business demand with diverse talent who can match the market and offer a competitive edge by recognising the unmet needs of consumers and clients. My Resolutions: If as business and corporate leaders we are prepared with the resolution of looking at some aspects differently, why should we not take a pledge for our personal well-being? With the rigmarole of handling work and business, the lines between the personal and work space is diminishing, leading to a cascading effect. Let us take our physical and mental health seriously and aim at working towards managing ourselves too. In my opinion, the first thing is strengthening our emotional quotient. Secondly, take one sport or leisure activity that we have enjoyed at some point of life and pursue it. These two resolutions at personal level will go a long way in creating the shift for our happier selves. After all, everything we do is in the pursuit of happiness! Shrikant Dikhale, Advisor - Global HR, Kansai Paints Group
“2018 could be the year of Economic and industrial revival” I Hope: At the very beginning of the year 2018, the Finance Minister of India would present the budget for 2018. Considering his earlier intent, declared in earlier budgets to take the corporate tax to 25%, and also considering the fact that this is going to be the last full budget of the current government before the elections of 2019 (and hence it certainly should be populist), not only the corporate tax but individual tax too will get some downward movement. I see more investment, more demand creation, which will be good for the economy. There indeed is no doubt that the Indian and the world economy is in a transition phase, which is very optimistic. There are benefits to be accrued from this transition. This leaves me to believe that 2018 could be the year of economic and industrial revival. My Resolutions: The New Year gives me yet another opportunity to contribute to my personal development. There are some areas like Indian classical philosophy which I would like to study and enrich my knowledge. My resolution for 2018 could be to venture into an initiative of my own in the areas of strategy development, international trade development and top HR selection and development for the corporate. My earlier, several-times-postponed agenda to start writing a book could also gain momentum. Anant Sardeshmukh, Director General, Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture
Resolutions January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 19
“Food & beverage industry should witness positive growth” “India takes rapid strides towards being an open defecation-free country” I Hope: I hope to see more villages achieve the open defecation-free status in India in the year 2018. I sincerely hope that India will take rapid strides in 2018 towards achieving its goal of becoming an open defecation free country too by 2020. My Resolutions: I have been involved with some charity organisations in a personal capacity. My personal resolution for 2018 is to devote my time and energy to helping those in need. A. Sudhakar, CSR Head, Dabur India Ltd
I Hope: 2017 has been a challenging year with various structural and financial changes implemented by the government. It has taken a while for the food & beverage industry to adapt to these changes and there is still quite an amount of change expected. Business has seen some lows this year so my hopes for 2018 are that the industry should witness positive growth. Apart from my existing properties such as Arthur’s Theme and 1Lounge, I have recently launched the 1 Lounge Cafe which is a new venture, although it is in the same place as 1 Lounge. I hope that 2018 is a big and exciting year for this new endeavour, and also for the existing ones. My Resolutions: Work keeps me busy and while I love what I do, I feel health and fitness play an important role in one’s life. My resolution is to keep fit and healthy amidst the hectic day-to-day schedules. I also resolve to ensure that my passion for food creates newer and more exciting food experiences for everyone. Navtej Sawhney, noted restaurateur and entrepreneur, owner of French cuisine restaurant Arthur’s Theme, Pune and 1 Lounge Cafe
“Giving back to Society” I Hope: I have a reasonably good YouTube presence. In 2018, I hope to use my influence of YouTube fame towards social responsibilities and support underprivileged children and senior citizens who are in need. That way, I can give back to the society after all the love that they have shown towards me. My Resolutions: I am an emotional person, which can be a gift as well as a curse. Going into the next year, I hope to have more control over my emotions. However, I won’t stop loving people close to me unconditionally. Vikas Rachamalla, Functional head—Global IT Client Support, QFunds Technologies, Hyderabad
“Hope to see India’s GDP in two-digit figure”
“Growth on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking” I Hope: I wish to achieve record growth for Omega and Omegans, quantitatively and qualitatively—enable new logo acquisitions, inculcate a ‘zero-error’ mindset, expand fun activities in the workplace, and raise participation levels in CSR activities. Besides, I would like to see India jump at least 50 more places ahead on the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking by the World Bank. I hope TV news channels would lower decibel levels and raise objectivity levels in reporting and analysis. Finally, I would like to stretch my target and ask for ‘Peace on Earth’. My Resolutions: Expand the definition of ‘mine’ to include company, colleagues, city, country, continent and cosmos. S. V. Krishnan, COO, Omega Healthcare Management Services Pvt Ltd
20 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
I Hope: My prime hope for the coming year would be that the economy turns around, bringing relief to industries and also to citizens. This would take the GDP, hopefully, to two-digit figures in the next few years, resulting in taking India to the position it deserves. My Resolutions: I hope the next year brings peace and health to mhe family. I also hope professionally, I am able to scale better heights which will eventually bring prosperity to all my colleagues and their families. Dinesh K. Pillai, CEO, Mahindra Special Services Group, Mumbai
“The real impact of PM Modi’s work”
“To empower women in all possible ways”
I Hope: 2017 has been a very interesting year. While globally we have seen the emergence of some controversial leaders like Donald Trump, India has seen the rise of one of the most courageous leaders of our time, Narendra Modi. I hope in 2018 we see the real impact of his work in India and truly begin to feel the change. My other wish is to see Indian sports rise higher. The real win will be to build sports infrastructure that encourages more talented individuals to get the right training and support and bring the medals home. My final hope for 2018 is for the women of this country—I hope they find safety and security in public and private spaces and access to the highest of positions in the corporate world. My Resolutions: I hope to become more mindful of my environment. Observing nature is a very relaxing activity and I hope I can give myself the space to grow and thrive, not just professionally but in fields where my interest lies. I also wish to spend more time developing myself creatively and add more depth to my personality. Professionally, it is to learn to estimate effort effectively for any task that comes my way and give proper time to myself to complete it in the given time frame. In this way, I hope to make myself a better time manager. Priyanshi Mathur, Business Head, Mettl, Gurugram
I Hope: At Word Dealers (P) Ltd., the ‘First All Female Localization Company’, we are doing something very revolutionary. We empower women right at their homes, in all possible ways they can be. Thus, my hopes from 2018 would be as follows: 1. The environment for women is made more conducive in a way that they get more opportunities to work from home itself, so that they are not forced to battle on two fronts, plus they get to look after their families to their satisfaction. Women’s challenges are unique, and it’s time we gave them due acknowledgment. 2. More finance schemes (actualisation) to promote women entrepreneurs. I hope society, banks and venture capitalists develop more confidence that a woman can do a competent job, when given the chance. 3. Parents bring up their sons to respect girls/ women. The kind of offences we hear against women are shameful for our society. My Resolutions: I will work more on planning each single day, hour, minute and second so that whatever time is saved can be spent with the family. I shall try to create more work-life balance, especially phone-life balance. Technology ought to be used with care and thought so as to be an aid and tool, not a hindrance. Vinita Raj, MD, Word Dealers, also former Executive – IIM Indore, NMIMS, Mumbai
“Maitri Rail Yatra to connect India’s women agripreneurs” I Hope: I hope that, in 2018, my dream project Kasturi gets going on a fast track. It involves taking out a two-week train journey called Maitri Yatra of Kalyaanis or women agripreneurs who are willing to be mentors to other women agripreneurs in terms of self-development, relationship management and sustainability. This journey will hopefully create a ripple effect of enterprise in India by coaching other women farmers in agri-business. It aims at introducing best agricultural practices to women agripreneurs all over India with the help of 700 peers who will be their co-travellers. The participants will also be exposed to continual digital learning content before, during and after the duration of the journey. This unique journey will hopefully connect all our farmers directly with other agripreneurs including customers through digital linkages, business networks and co-learning experiences. I’m sure this will help our women in rural areas, in particular, realise their individual and collective potential. My Resolutions: My personal agenda is to evolve as a human being who celebrates life in oneness with all. Mugdha Shah, National Head, Kasturi and DGM, Special Projects, Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development, Mumbai
“Data science, machine learning and AI make our lives better” I Hope: I expect data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence would be more ingrained in our daily lives, making it better especially in the fields of healthcare, law enforcement and making transportation (private and public) safer and more efficient. This is especially important for a young, dynamic and ambitious country like India. My Resolutions: Health and fitness will be the focus areas that include greater mindfulness of both body and mind. I stress this because mental fitness is as important as physical fitness and needs to be given due attention. A travel freak, I hope to continue exploring our beautiful country more than ever before by visiting different cities in India. Travel expands our mind. Rommel Sharma, software professional, Solutions Development Manager, Adobe January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 21
“India doesn’t remain the slow follower anymore, but becomes a faster innovator” I Hope: 2018 is all about companies getting out of their comfort zone, which means excitements and concerns. There are so many disruptions happening and companies need to transform and innovate constantly to sustain the businesses. I hope to help the startups not just follow the “jugaad” model but act to be the “true disruptors”. I hope India doesn’t remain the ‘slow follower’ anymore, but becomes a “faster innovator”. The year 2018 shall change the perspective of the government towards the development roadmap to include longterm sustainability in the areas of energy, healthcare, education and environment. Definitely, India can draw lessons from
China’s leadership in these areas as well as many advanced technology areas like AI and electric vehicles. Hope India takes the step to become a role model in digitisation, accelerating the economic development of all the elements
of the society. My Resolutions: Helping others offers an inner satisfaction. I have decided to volunteer my time to educate the underprivileged /disadvantaged kids in my local area. Obviously, the other personal resolution is to maintain fitness activities even when I’m out for business travel, which is expected to increase significantly in 2018. Yogesh Umbarkar, Vice President – Asia, Ricardo Software
“Expecting growth in Indian Economy” “4G internet penetration across india”
“In pursuit of a greener world”
I Hope: 2017 has seen the rapid adaption of 4G technology, which has brought India to No.1 position in terms of global 4G usage. This, in turn, has seen a rise in the usage of mobile transaction platforms, and we at Deltin Globus are one of the beneficiaries. In 2018, I hope that 4G internet penetration transcends beyond Tier-I and Tier-II cities and reaches across India. My Resolutions: Every year I make personal resolutions like hitting the gym more regularly or eating healthier and unfortunately they never work. So this year I plan on not making such resolutions, and in place of that I intend on consciously taking care of my health throughout the year. Amit Dange, CEO, Deltin Globus
I Hope: I hope that 2018 brings amongst people a sense of responsibility not just for themselves, but for their children too. We owe it to the new generation to give them a cleaner and breathable planet. We have to invest in cleaner and greener initiatives in everything that we do and check on the use of digital mediums. My Resolutions: I aim to imbibe some of the ‘greener’ practices and using only required electronic devices—making small changes to my lifestyle in my pursuit of a greener world.” Shubhada Dharwadkar, Deputy GM, Corporate Comm., Mahindra & Mahindra
22 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
I Hope: 2017 was not so good in economic development in India. But all went well towards the end of the year. In 2018 we expect the strengthening and growth in commodity market including replacing the demonitised currency and reducing labour and product market rigidities to ease firm entry and exit expand manufacturing and gain employment. My Resolutions: In 2017, I could not fulfill my dreams due to some medical conditions. But surely in 2018 I will bounce back with some more additions in my resolutions. 2018 would be compensating all my rides which I have missed in 2017. Bhutan and K2K (Kashmir to Kannyakumari) is on my priority and clock a few more miles with discovering some good riding destinations. Vanashri Mirajkar, Partner, Espree Reality and founder member of Lady Riders of India
“Delhi becomes a better place for my loved ones” I Hope: Delhi is currently known as among the most polluted city in the world. It is a home to my loved ones and I want to reduce its pollution levels. This would need a conscious effort by each and every citizen to collaborate and work towards this common cause. My Resolutions: Is to better the balance between my work and my personal life, to build La Femme into an even greater brand while spending much more time nurturing my children and my personal interests and hobbies. Anika Parashar, COO, Fortis La Femme
“Hope 2018 will offer new potential and some critical new thinking”
“Economic climate continues to pick up in India” I Hope: I hope for a blessed new year. My company, Zara’s International Academy, plans to expand next year internationally. Along with that, we plan to diversify into other ventures in the cosmetic industry. This will take a lot of hard work, focus and a fair bit of good luck. I hope the economic climate continues to pick up in India, and we continue to make inroads into the fashion industry, especially in Tier-II towns. My Resolutions: I love to travel. Next year too, I have a bucket list of places, out of which I plan to tick off a few. I live in Bengaluru, and I am a foodie, so I am spoilt for choice. However, next year, I plan to focus on healthy eating and cutting down on junk food. Mohsin Shaikh, Managing Director, Zara’s International Academy
I Hope: The economic situation seems to be very positive, economies are growing and the Indian economy certainly appears to be growing. With the ‘Make in India’ initiative and others, I believe it will likely be another great year for business. I feel the new wave of data science, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence will further disrupt the marketplace and certainly hope to see some new innovation, new research and transformational work in those spaces. A lot of research is already happening and I certainly hope 2018 will offer new potential and some critical new thinking. Machines writing ML codes, AI getting smarter than the human brain on niche areas, unimaginable dexterity in machines—there are humungous possibilities. Debashish Banerjee, MD, Deloitte Consulting
“Demonetisation will no longer be an excuse” I Hope: I expect 2018 to be much better than 2017 as GST will be in place and demonetisation will no longer be an excuse. I expect it to be easier to do business and more investment to flow in. I expect the stock markets to do even better. My Resolutions: On the personal front, I want to adhere to some of my earlier resolutions. I don’t want to stop and start yoga again. I want to lose weight if I can, because I know I can’t gain hair anyway. On a more serious note, I seriously want to give up my anger if that is possible. I would like to give more time to academics and give more money to deserving people. If I get to do that I am sure that 2018 will be much better than 2017 for me and everyone Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder CEO, Brand-comm
“To build a more robust system to nurture talent” I Hope: My hopes for 2018 is to build a more robust system to nurture talent and provide optimal employment opportunities to individuals. Maybe adopt a college from where we handpick trainees, ensure they complete their training in a manner where their prospective employers would like to know who trained them. We’d also like to create platforms where team members can showcase their talents, over all to build a culture where people say: Wow! This is where I want to work! My Resolutions: I want to get fitter and leaner, perhaps start our family and buy my first home with my husband. Plus, I would love to spend more time with family and definitely make that trip to my hometown Pune. I really miss it; I am homesick! Ayesha Barse Ansari, Director–HR, The Den, Bengaluru
“Increase social marketing spend for water conservation awareness” I Hope: 2018 is a very important year. The Indian economy is slowly improving after a brief setback, and there is tremendous opportunity for businesses like ours to thrive. We plan to increase our social marketing spend to increase awareness in Tier-II cities, where our water solution services have tremendous potential. We also plan to sponsor village fairs and events at the gram panchayat level to increase awareness regarding drinking water. We already have a presence in the rural market but in 2018 we are planning to make it an equal priority to establish ourselves as the de facto water solutions provider there. My Resolutions: On a personal level, my New Year resolution is to lose weight. Health is something I have neglected over the past couple of years, but in 2018, I will ensure that I exercise regularly and have a clean diet. Rohit Joshi, Head, Sales and Marketing, Easol Pvt Ltd January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 23
Expert View
Tax offenders betray the nation
by S K Jha
(IRS (retd) and former Chief Commissioner of Income Tax)
The brazenness with which we violate tax laws makes us one of the least tax compliant in the world. The biggest offenders are some high net-worth entities who have devious ways to evade tax as well as the law. We need more stringent ways to catch them and bring them to book, and show them up for what they are: nation’s offenders
Unlike the regular tax desk which is manned by a tax officer whose job is to levy tax on you, this desk is manned by a non-serving tax officer who wishes to share his experience of 35 years in the tax department, while, discussing tax provisions. It is advantageous to know how the tax department thinks and acts when, as said by Benjamin Franklin, “In this world nothing is certain except death and taxes”
and racketeers. The story about him is yet to unfold fully.
No fear of the law
A conclusion that can be drawn is that repeat offenders and tax evaders have no fear of the law. Such people do not give true disclosures
E
arly last year, there was a media report that an advocate in Delhi purchased a bungalow in a posh locality for `100 crore from a leading industrialist. Subsequently, the income tax department conducted a raid against him in October. The raid was immensely successful and the advocate admitted to a concealed income of `125 crore and offered to pay tax on that. Immediately thereafter on November 8, 2017, the demonetisation of high-value currency notes was announced. All over the country, people were seen standing in long queues outside banks to convert their dead money into new currency, which was in short supply. For quite some time one person could not get more than `4,000 in one week, but the case of this advocate was different. Within a week after demonetisation, the Income Tax department again conducted a raid and found that the advocate was in possession of new currency worth `2.50 crore and old demonetised currencies of more than `11 crore. The puzzled department seized the currencies and proceedings were initiated under the Money Laundering Act which resulted in his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. The enquiry revealed that he had floated many shell companies for money laundering. He was arrested again as he was out on bail after his earlier arrest. The Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate are investigating the modus operandi of his earnings though he was hardly seen going to the court. It is suspected that he has been in association with international syndicates of arms dealers 24 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
even after getting caught in the raids. Their appetite for money is insatiable. Such cases are mushrooming in spite of the active role of enforcement agencies like CBI, ED, IT, DRI, etc. Recently a massive income tax search action was conducted against a group related to a political family. The search resulted in a huge
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seizure of cash, jewellery and other valuables. Concealed income of more than `1,200 crore was detected. The enquiry is still in progress and as a result it, was found that the group had many shell companies used for money laundering. There is an ongoing investigation against the group, and some members are already in jail on charges of tax evasion and for possession of disproportionate assets. But the group appears undaunted about the ongoing investigation. In yet another case, a mining baron was arrested in Chennai, post-demonetisation. He was found to be in possession of `170 crore which included `24 crore in new currency and 127 kg of gold. The mining baron was fearless as he had developed close links with important people in the government.
Evasion not taboo
The obvious question which arises from the above cases is, why are tax evaders so bold and
not afraid of the law? There are several reasons. In our country, tax evasion is not a taboo. This may be the first reason. Generally tax evaders come from a higher economic background and they enjoy higher status in the society. The cases of income tax raids and even arrests by enforcement agencies are only seen as occupational hazards of earning income. Such people are garlanded at social events instead of being boycotted. They set up factories, produce films and enter politics. They create wealth and provide jobs. In short, there is no difference in treatment between the honest taxpayer and the tax evader.
Legal snail's pace
The second reason is our slow legal process. Tax-related cases go on for many years. We do not have special courts for tax frauds. The average time taken up to the final adjudication by the higher courts is never less than 10 to 15 years. This slow process eradicates fear from
the minds of the culprits, and they keep repeating their crime of tax evasion. After some time, people forget about the action taken by the enforcement agencies against tax evaders in the neighbourhood, and so does the media. The hot breaking news remains hot only for a few days, and as there is no follow-up about punishment, it becomes a forgotten case. Due to the long judicial process, evidence collected is lost and cases against tax evaders become very weak and they finally win the old legal battles. Added to this, tax evaders are rich enough to hire expensive advocates who help them win the cases in the higher courts. Their wealth makes them bold and confident. They remain assured that nothing will happen to them. Some people who were arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act recently approached the Supreme Court challenging the validity of the provision of this Act relating to bail against arrest. The Apex Court held the provision ultra vires and this reduced the bite of the said Act. In the judicial process, the absence of clarity of law is also a cause of long-drawn litigation and this helps tax evaders.
Corruption corrodes all
‘Tax evasion is not a taboo. Generally tax evaders come from a higher economic background and they enjoy higher status in the society. The cases of income tax raids and even arrests by the enforcement agencies are only seen as occupational hazards of earning income’
Corruption is yet another reason that makes tax evaders brazen as they think that they can buy the system. The tax department and the related enforcement agencies have some real bright and honest officers, but some bad fish spoil the case against tax evaders. Corruption is the real evil against the development of our country. Recently, we saw the malefic effect of this evil, post-demonetisation, when we saw that some bank officers of both public and private sector banks released huge quantity of new currencies against bribe when the same was prohibited. The corrupt system has given rise to market brokers whose job is to fix the case against big commissions. Things have improved in recent times, but it is yet to be fully cleared.
Fearless, brazen
Fear is always a very strong reason for stopping a person from doing something wrong. Potential tax evaders will think twice before evading tax if they know that punishment will be harsh and they may go to jail for a long period. Unfortunately, under our Indian system, Income Tax is a civil law and there is no provision for immediate arrest. Prosecution can be launched but it takes very long time. There is also a provision of paying a compounding fee which is normally 3-4 times of the tax on concealed income, in addition to penalty, which can be up to 200% of the tax. Wealthy tax evaders can comfortably pay both when caught, and so there is no fear. January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 25
Expert View In a big country with a population of more than 130 crore, the probability of getting caught is always very less unless there is an insider who becomes an informant. Tax evaders enjoy their ill-gotten wealth and inspire others to follow them as role models. Remember the case of the infamous Harshad Mehta, the kingpin of the share market scam in the '90s. In his heydays, he was an icon for many youngsters who wanted to become super-rich in a short period. Many students in Mumbai used to wear Harshad Mehta’s lockets on a chain around their necks. Nobody was bothered that Harshad Mehta was a notorious tax evader. Unlike in our country, the fear quotient in the US tax administration is very high and that ensures good tax compliance. Taxpayers in the US are very careful while filing their income tax returns, as they are very scared of the power of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Many celebrities had tax-related problems at the hands of the IRS like Lindsay Lohan, Marilyn Monroe and Pamela Anderson. Since taxpayers are very diligent, there are less cases of prosecution. In our country also we have the IRS, but people are not much scared as it does not have the same powers as the IRS in the US. We in India prefer to play the game of chance in the matter of tax as we either avoid filing of returns of income or show understated income. The act of earning income is closely followed by the act of keeping it or investing it. There is no tension if the income earned is from disclosed sources. People will think about making a wise investment out of this so as to earn better returns. Tax-evaded unaccounted income raises tension about its safekeeping. If the safekeeping of such money does not give any worry, then this encourages earning more black money and this is another reason for our tax evaders becoming more bold.
‘Immovable properties, particularly plots of land, are the biggest absorbers of unaccounted cash in our country. The official circle rate of both urban and rural agricultural land is much less than the ongoing market rate’
Property stashes
Immovable properties, particularly plots of land, are the biggest absorbers of unaccounted cash in our country. The official circle rate
of both urban and rural agricultural land is much less than the ongoing market rate. To illustrate this point, the circle rate of property in South Delhi is almost 1/3rd of the market rate and this means that while buying property in South Delhi, 2/3rd of the actual cost can be paid in unaccounted cash. Hence immovable properties become a safe place for investment of unaccounted money. The unaccounted money so invested will also come back at a premium when the property is sold. It becomes difficult for taxmen to unearth this black money in a casual routine scrutiny since the property remains purchased at the official circle rate.
Gold hoards
Indians have love for gold and people do try investing some part of their unaccounted money in buying gold. Gold and other such unaccounted valuables are kept hidden in bank lockers but it is feared that they can be seized during tax raids.
Shell abodes
The creation of shell companies is becoming very popular among the wealthy for the safe keeping of black money in the bank accounts of these companies. Another option for the
26 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
safekeeping of unaccounted money, as favoured by citizens of many other countries as well, is keeping wealth in the names of offshore companies registered in tax havens as has been detected by the Panama and Paradise Papers. With the safekeeping of black money properly planned, people go on pursuing their love for more and more money, irrespective of any concern about the colour of the money. The boldness with which tax evasion takes place in India makes it one of the least tax compliant countries in the world. We Indians do not contribute to make India big though we all want to see our country become truly big and great. We have to change our old habit of not paying tax. We have to stop applying our minds to finding ways and means to avoid and evade legitimate tax on our income. The government needs to give more teeth to our taxation laws while at the same time to make them simpler for everyone to understand. The media needs to break more stories of tax evasion and do the work of naming and shaming.
CC
tadka
Millenials Prefer Career over Marriage For millenials in India, marriage stood 2nd in the pecking order after career, followed by owning a house, studying abroad and travelling the world; according to matchmaking service provider Shaadi.com. Of the Indian men and women in the age group of 20-35 years, 69 % respondents plan to initiate marriage talks by themselves and have a planned marriage while 19 % opted for arranged marriage.
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Corporate Trend
2018
Multitasking or Single-tasking There are only few people who are naturally inclined to effectively multitask, but for most people single-tasking is a preferred and better approach
M
ost of us believe that doing more than one activity at a time, which is multitasking, increases productivity. Many of us knowingly or unknowingly multitask to some degree as meeting deadlines has become critical to success, in today’s fast-paced corporate world. A natural, inherent ability for multitasking is considered as a
By Rajesh Rao highly prized professional skill and it is very rare. Being busy does not necessarily means being productive, but to out-perform anyone you have to be more productive than anyone around you. Therefore multitasking is a critical skill if it is harnessed in an effective way—it will help you accomplish more and be productive. The trick is to stay focused on your job without getting dis-
tracted. But, experts say that our brain is capable of doing only one thing at a time and single-tasking is the right way of completing a task faster than multitasking. So, to be productive, should we go for multitasking or single-tasking? Making multitasking productive Multitasking is best for productivity only if it is harnessed with the right focus and clarity— proper time management, coordination, appropriate prioritization, backed by an energetic drive is a logical process to achieve productivity through multitasking. The ability to juggle with multiple tasks is a desirable trait to have, but it is only possible if you give your mind productive choices without losing focus, to be more productive in a faster and right way. Why multitasking has become a bad name? Multitasking makes us feel that we are saving time and increasing productivity but it is always bound to go wrong, making us less productive doing poor quality work. Research shows doing conflicting tasks is tiring for the mind and does not necessarily mean getting work done faster. Multitasking: - Makes brain lose its computing power. - Focus gets disoriented when you divide your attention. - Leads to loss of productive time and output. - Makes you crave for doing multiple activities. - Makes you work faster at the cost of losing creativity and quality. Why single-tasking is the right way? It is easier for mind to focus on one task at a time and it is a more preferred and better approach. There are circumstances when you can’t resist multitasking even if it’s not the most efficient way to work, but it’s only effective if you are naturally inclined and stay focused. - With single-tasking you will get more accomplished and you'll also do it quicker. - Focused on one task, you work more efficiently. - Increases the quality of the work you produce. - You are less stressed and more relaxed. - Increases your decision-making ability. rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com
January 1-15,2017 2018/ /Corporate CorporateCitizen Citizen/ /27 27 December 16-31,
CII Manufacturing Summit
“Make in India� will bring in a complete transformation of the economic activities in India. It is a vision of complete transformation of the country, an important intervention that we need to implement for development
Pics: Yusuf Khan
28 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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“Make in India” is
Making of India It has been over three years since the Make-In-India initiative has been launched and several changes have been made. FDI norms for key manufacturing sectors have been relaxed, labour laws have started improving, and there is a much higher orientation to move up on the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ scale. However, manufacturing has continued to be a lukewarm sector over the last few years. Is ‘Making for India’ the missing link? Are we customising our efforts enough to serve the Indian market? Corporate Citizen, brings you excerpts from the inaugural address by, Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, at the recently organised16th CII Manufacturing Summit 2017, in Mumbai, wherein he shared his views on the big opportunities for the manufacturing sector to serve Indian customers and what are the government’s efforts to make it happen By Rajesh Rao
India becoming a five-trillion-dollar economy
After completion of a decade of reforms, if we just continue to open economy and do not manufacture to the right scale in India, we face some serious challenges. Our Prime Minister, came out with this idea of “Make in India”— we must understand why Make in India? We all agree and no one can question it, doubt it or even stop it from India becoming a five-trillion-dollar economy, in the next few years’ time. And as it looks like, because of so many structural changes, it might be sooner than later. Even when India becomes a five-trillion-dollar economy, today’s GDP profile itself indicates that almost two-third of it is coming from services, which is more than 60 per cent. So, when you become that large an economy, the third largest in the world, it is not the end of the road. It will be another launching pad for the Indian economy to grow even higher. We all know that India added a trillion dollar, after hundreds of years of economic activity. Then we added another trillion, in a matter of few years. So, when we become five trillion, that again will be the starting point
of higher trajectory of our growth. With these signs of growing economy, if only our services contribute significantly in the growth of economy—it will create lot of social issues, because we need to create jobs for people at all levels. If the economy has grown to that size then, each and every citizen of India must be able to share its benefits.
Services get a boost with manufacturing
If we only create jobs of consultants, IT professionals, doctors, chartered accountants and others—yes, we need to create more of these jobs, but we must also must create jobs at the bottom level, the blue-collar jobs-we must have job creation and sharing of wealth at all levels. To do that obviously we must have manufacturers. Secondly, we have to sustain services. But, if there is no underlying strong manufacturing base, how will there be pull for service sector. If manufacture comes we need the raw materials and raw materials have to be transported from the place where it is produced to where it will be used for manufacturing processes. Then manJanuary 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 29
CII Manufacturing Summit
Make in India cannot happen just by the effort of one segment of the society. It has to happen as a collective endeavour and government must play a significant part to actually make it happen. I would appeal to everybody to think about it as a national duty that you are performing ufactured goods have to be moved to marketplace where they have to be sold, so it needs transportation. Manufacturing needs financial investment, so we need investors. Then for financial services, you need communication and in short, all kinds of services. So, it shows that services get a boost with manufacturing.
lion-dollar economy, our spending power will increase all the more. So, people have to spend money—of course’ we can support other economies by spending more and buying more. Today, we have over one billion mobile users. If we continue to only import, what will be the impact on the external sector of India? So, we really need to focus on manufacturing and that’s why Make in India, is a complete and holistic programme for development of India.
What happens to India’s natural resources?
What should we make in India?
If we don’t manufacture, what are we going to do with our natural resources? Obviously, we can export and that’s what we have been doing. In a way, lot of countries which are industrialised, particularly in Asia, are partially owing to India, for producing large quantity of steel and exporting iron ore. It’s a different matter that it became one of the largest producer of steel, and could therefore manufacture lot of downstream activities. If you take industries that produce cars, we help them to industrialise—it is a very good idea that we help other countries to industrialise. When we have natural resources available and if we don’t convert them into manufactured products, what’s the value addition we are creating?
‘Make in India’ is a holistic programme for development of India
Make in India programme is not just make in India, but making of India. It would bring in a complete transformation of the economic activities in India. We should create the necessary value chains within the country. We should also integrate all the three important segments of GDP-agriculture, manufacturing and services. Thus, Make in India is a vision of complete transformation of the country, an important intervention that we need to implement for development. For example, India has now become the largest consumer of electronic goods and we will continue to do that as more and more electronic goods are becoming part of our daily life. If we are five-tril-
Now having accepted that we must make in India, there are several issues we need to address. Firstly, what is that we should make in India? A better question to answer is what is that you cannot make in India? Firstly, there is so much of domestic demand-you can make anything and there is demand available for that. So, what we should do first, is change our mindset.
Making in India is serving India
We have an argument—make or buy? What is the choice—you can easily buy rather than make. So, that is something we can think nationally, whether we should make or import— businesses can grow even by doing that. But, if we change our mindset and think I am going to make it and export also, not just import and sell, but make and export. So, this is our mindset issue that we should tackle and there I would appeal to everybody to think about it as a national duty that you are performing. Those who are actually making in India, are actually serving India.
Make in India—as a collective endeavour
The obvious question that arises is, making in India is not that easy. All the manufacturers face lot of problems, which is a fact. Therefore, we cannot expect the national duty to be performed by the citizens, unless the government itself takes the responsibility of addressing the concerns of those who are getting into
30 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
performing the national duty. Make in India, cannot happen just by the effort of one segment of the society. It has to happen as a collective endeavour and government must play a significant part to actually make it happen. And that can be divided into broadly two parts—simplified as a software and hardware part.
Part 1
To further improve India’s ranking in ‘Ease of Doing Business’
The software part—we should not create hurdles for manufacturing but facilitate it. Government must ensure that all the hurdles are removed— and all that can be done by the ‘Ease of doing business’ programme. In ease of doing business, we have already climbed quite a significant portion, but we need to go higher. The day after the result was announced that India has come to the position of 100, in the Ease of doing Business ranking, we called a meeting with all the stakeholders, including the World Bank team and all the ministries who are responsible, and said that now let us focus on taking India’s ranking to 50—it’s not going to happen tomorrow, but we have actually started working on that.
We must have scale
Secondly, in software part, there are structural issues. For example, with GST, we get one integrated market—a 1.3-billion-market is a significant market, it is almost 20 percent of global population. Of course, the number alone does not make a market, we have to also add the spending power to it. There is a very famous economic dichotomy that desire to buy doesn’t create demand, unless it is backed by purchasing power. So, as the incomes will rise, you can imagine the market side. How GST will help? There are some who pay taxes meticulously and some who don’t. How can one, who pays taxes, survive in marketplace? To invest in R&D you must have scale. If the bottom line is not strong enough, you won’t be able to invest. And if the bottom line is strong, you also need the top-line strong, therefore the volumes have to increase.
Scale will happen with GST
We want to encourage small industries, as they are the mainstay of India’s economy. They contribute significantly to exports. They are innovative and the biggest job creators, more than large industries. They try to create a niche for themselves and they survive. Those small- and medium-size industries would also like to grow bigger. Those small industries who pay taxes
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regularly, have to compete with other smallscale industries. How do you actually create this long-term marketplace where innovation will happen and sustain, and R&D will happen? One needs investment and for that one needs scale. So, scale which is necessary, will happen with GST.
GST will help manufacturing sector significantly
One should admit and accept that this government is most responsive. I am a chartered accountant by training. We passed Income Tax Act in 1961, 56 years ago. All the successive governments, prime ministers and finance ministers, in every budget have said that they are amending so and so sections. The Income Tax Act, after having been there for so many years, has been amended so many times. GST has been introduced just six months ago, is such a complex law and so many states are involved— Income Tax law is a simple law comparatively. The initial problems of GST are obviously addressed and the government has been very responsive. There are initial issues and as we settle down in the next few weeks, we will see the huge benefits of GST.
Part 2
What is the govt’s investment to create infrastructure?
About the hardware part—there again government has the responsibility to create infrastructure. We are targeting to invest at least 250 billion dollars into infra. For example, in the railways, in the last 70 years, we invested over 4 lakh crore. In first three years of the present government, we have committed to invested 3.75 lakh crore. We are doubling lines which are congested and electrifying lines—it’s a matter of time when you will clearly see the results. So, infrastructure is a hardware issue and we are trying to attend that, working in a manner that can actually work.
Linking manufacturing in India and overseas market
We can never succeed only by manufacturing in India or only looking at the Indian market. Whether you like it or not, we are part of global economy. So, we have to benchmark our products against the best in the world and to do that, scale and investment are necessary. So, we must have exports and unless we create that at a global scale, we will not be able to compete.
Creating a new organisation to promote India’s exports globally
We are working on creating a new organisation, for th first time, which will promote India’s exports globally. We will have offices at least in ten different geographies, to promote our exports, with market research backup, with promotional activities and completely different approach. And we will work for this with the private sector, so that together we will promote our exports and penetrate the global market. It is not possible for small Indian businessman to sit in India and do business globally, unless we create support system for small businesses and
have to work as partners and then only it will happen. So, the ecosystem that we talk about for manufacturing, must have government as a stakeholder, partner and facilitator. That’s the role we’d like to play. The kind of industry we have created despite the challenges in the past, shows that if government facilitates it, how much more we can do. The Prime Minister himself is very keen, who realises that entrepreneurship in India has to be promoted and hurdles of ease of doing business have to be removed. I am very sure that in the next few years’ time, we will achieve that.
A national duty we must perform
We have been working on industrial corridors. I have already started talking with companies globally that they come and invest, so that one big industry coming in, will create lot of ecosystem for the SMEs to develop around it. Whatever good ideas come from such manufacturing summits organised by CII, we will be very happy to support. We will actually make it happen, in the shortest possible time and this is the national duty we must perform. Never get disheartened with short-term issues, they will always keep coming up. In a country as big as India, if everything is happening as planned, then there is something missing.
India is a society and not a machine working mechanically. Surprises are part of our day-today life. We must understand the big picture— we are on the path of becoming the third largest economy in the world and that will be a beginning of an even onward journey
What will you manufacture?
That again will need a little more deliberation. Broadly, we must think about new industries, which are not even born. We must identify new companies and where we should also focus-we have already started doing that.
Modernising the existing business
way forward. These are few points we are working on and these will be part of our industrial policy as well.
We have traditional industries like textile, where we have natural advantage, because we have the raw materials, we have the manpower, we have experience of doing that business, but we must modernise. So, modernisation of existing businesses and thinking about new industries, is the
also the large businesses. The government is working on creating the brand equity for India globally. So, export in international market and linkage with domestic market, is very critical and we must do that. We have also started working on taking districts as units. We have gone to a few geographies, identifying specific geographies with specific products and markets.
We have to work as partners
This is the time when the government and the industry priorities are aligned to each other. We
India’s big future
A very close friend of mine, a German minister, who said that he wants to come to India and spend some time with me. I asked why and he said that in Germany everything happens exactly as planned. So, I want to come to India, to know how you make it possible. So, this is our diversity we should be proud of. India is a society and not a machine working mechanically. Surprises are part of our day-to-day life. Don’t get disheartened with small issues here and there, we must understand the big picture. The big picture is, we are on the path of becoming the third largest economy in the world and that will be a beginning of an even onward journey and time itself will prove what it would be. That is India’s big future and we must contribute significantly to make it happen, by making manufacturing a good part of that process. rajeshrao.rao@gmail.com
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 31
Cradle of Leadership finance. He has also considerable expertise in the area of infrastructure development and revival / rehabilitation of sick / financially-stressed PSEs. Before joining NIBM, he was the Chairman and Managing Director of ITI Ltd., Bengaluru, the first Public Sector Enterprise in India, for over five years. Prior to this, he was the Chairman and Managing Director of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO), New Delhi, the first Financial Institution for Infrastructure and Housing Finance, for over two and a half years. After relinquishing the charge of CMD/ITI, he was the Chief Executive Officer of National Culture Fund, Ministry of Culture, Government of India for about two years. He has been the Vice Chairman of SCOPE (Standing Conference of Public Enterprises) – an apex organisation for the public sector in India for six years. He has a Ph.D. on ‘Corporate Governance in Central Public Sector Enterprises in India: A case study of selected CPSEs’.
Tell us about the National Institute of Bank Management.
Banking Industry’s Think Tank Envisioned as a think tank of the government in the financial and social sector, the National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune, began with the mandate to conduct policy research. Today, besides its hallmark in training programmes for top- and middlelevel bank management, it has expanded into specialised programmes and e-courses, evolved with the changing needs of the financial and banking sector. Corporate Citizen caught up with Dr K. L. Dhingra, Director, NIBM, on the evolving role of NIBM as well as the challenging assignments he dealt with, before he joined NIBM By Vinita Deshmukh Dr K. L. Dhingra has been the Director of National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune since May 1, 2017. He has over 35 years of rich and diverse experience in the banking, finance and
management, overseeing credit, project appraisal, merchant banking, financial services, credit rating, industrial finance, resource mobilisation, World Bank-IBRD/IDA funding, risk management, housing and infrastructure
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NIBM was set up in 1969 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at a time when 14 banks were nationalised, as a result of recommendation of the Working Group on “Training and development of Higher Banking Personnel” constituted by the Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The Working Group recommended the establishment of the National Institute of Bank Management to serve as the apex institution to coordinate all training and research activity in the banking industry. NIBM is an autonomous institution for research, training, education and consultancy in bank management. Its mandate is to play a proactive role of “think tank” for the banking industry. NIBM is a part of a grand vision of giving new directions to the banking industry in India and making the industry more cost-effective for national development. Fulfilling the mandate of playing a proactive role of “think tank” of the banking system, Institute has endeavoured to develop and implement programmes that would assist the banks and financial institutions (FIs) to develop capabilities to meet national priorities for the banking sector. The Institute also serves banks and financial institutions in many developing countries It is a unique institution in India shining as a bright example of academiaindustry interface and therefore, its campus is a hub of high learning where constant interactions between bankers, faculty, students; conclaves, debates take place. NIBM is governed by a Board, its highest policy making body. The Governor Reserve Bank of India is the Chairman of the NIBM Governing Board.
Has it met its objective?
Playing the role of main research and academic
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Dr K. L. Dhingra Director, National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune
Pics: Yusuf Khan
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Cradle of Leadership arm of the banking industry for continuously upgrading the knowledge and skills, the institution is well equipped to train executives by providing interdisciplinary modules of theory and practical learning. Besides, it is actively providing consultancy to banks in different functional areas. NIBM faculty is dedicated to knowledge creation by research projects and publication of books, monographs, research papers and case studies, etc. Research and consultancy by NIBM has resulted in active policy formulation. NIBM takes pride that most of the senior officers of the public sector banks including CMDs/MDs have either been trained or have been associated with NIBM. Many of these executives have attended multiple courses at NIBM. And the best of all is that they take pride in being associated with NIBM and
fondly remember the time spent here. In fact, the executive who visited us recently, now heading UCO Bank, fondly remembered the time he spent here when he participated in a one-year programme called Bank Management Programme (BMP). During the FY 2016-17, NIBM conducted 222 training programmes which were attended by 5,954 participants including large number of participants from SAARC and African countries.
Is NIBM only for public sector banks? And how many of them are opting for your programmes?
NIBM caters to public and private sector banks, financial institutions, cooperative banks, NBFCs and financial sector players like NPCI, CIBIL, etc. If you look at the financial sector
of the country, there are 21 public sector banks, many financial institutions like EXIM Bank and ECGC. There are public sector financial institutions also like NABARD, IIFCL, NHB, SIDBI, Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd., Power Finance Corporation, and HUDCO and so on. NIBM is well equipped to serve the rapidly changing banking and financial sector, in addition to all public sector banks as well as new players like new small finance banks as well as the payment banks. Last year, out of the total 5,954 participants, there were around 873 participants from smaller economies like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan and some of the African countries also. It has remarkably expanded.
What are the kind of programmes and training you hold?
Training activities of the institute are well planned, keeping in mind the immediate specialised knowledge and skill development requirements of banks in various functional areas, as well as the long-term advanced knowledge and soft skill development requirements to groom new leaders. To accomplish the same, the institute offers innovative and highly specialised Executive Development Programmes (EDPs) in functional areas such as finance, marketing, international banking, treasury, forex, planning, strategic management, human resource management, leadership development, rural finance and information technology. These efforts are very relevant in the context of retirement of bankers in large numbers and also mass recruitment of young bright and careeroriented officers in the industry. Responding to the skill upgradation needs of different banks, programmes in Marketing, Export Credit Management, Accounting Standards, Inspection, Agriculture, Finance, Agri-Business Investment, Branch Marketing, Leadership and Organisation Development for different banks are also offered. We recently conducted the first course on “Insolvency Bankruptcy Code 2016 – timely resolution of NPAs” for imparting training on the newly created institutions for the recovery of corporate loans such as National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), which is the Regulator for this sector. NIBM also offers customised training programmes for SAARC countries viz., Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. NIBM has collaborative training programmes with Kellogg School of Management, USA, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Frankfurt, Germany, Asian Institute of Management – School of Executive Education, Manila, Philippines and domestic collaborations with KPMG, CIBIL, and NPCI, etc. 34 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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‘The committee recommended that there is a need for an apex institution to be created in the country which can be the think tank of the government for the financial and social sector of the country. It was mainly for instituting policy research. NIBM is part of the grand vision of giving a new direction to the banking industry in India’
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Cradle of Leadership Retail Payment Systems in India, Competency Mapping for some public sector banks. NIBM has written a manual on Treasury Management for a public sector bank. Recently, NIBM was a part of an exercise with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in the context of recapitalisation of banks. NIBM is involved in conducting need-based, customised tailor-made bank-specific training and consultancy projects for individual banks. During the last 2016-17, NIBM faculty was able to publish 13 research papers in ABDC accredited journals under B & C category and 7 articles in other journals.
NIBM conducts international training programmes on various topics viz., AssetLiability Management in Banks and Financial Institutions, Bank Financial Management with the Focus on Risk Management and Basel Accord – II & III, on Banking and Finance, and Corporate Governance, etc. These programmes are conducted for the neighbouring and African countries, under the various schemes of Government of India such as Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC), Special Commonwealth African Assistance Programme (SCAAP) and Colombo Plan (CP). During the year 201617, NIBM had conducted five international programmes under these schemes wherein 161 participants attended the course.
What is the faculty strength?
What kind of research is conducted here?
The Institute has completed research projects for various institutions and government agencies including Reserve Bank of India; Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India; Ministry of Commerce and Industry, NABARD; International Finance Corporation, Washington; Asian Development Bank, Manila; Financial Services Volunteer Corps; UNICEF, and International Fund for Agriculture and Development. NIBM has conducted research in areas as diverse as competency assessment validation of ICAAP, Credit Guarantee Scheme for education loan, Customer Satisfaction Survey, Alternate Channels and Payment Products, Organisational Restructuring, and Training Need Analysis. Research projects are also carried out on topics as Impact of Implementation of Ind-AS on Credit Ratings of Borrowers; Branch Risk Profile; Formats for Conduct of Risk Assessment under RBIA; Operational Risk Capital Estimation under
‘A banker has to be very selective in sanctioning a lending proposal. Lending to the commercially viable proposals and timely recovery of the amount lend are very important for a banker’ BIA and TSA; Credit Management; Customer Segmentation Analysis; and Financial Awareness among Gen-Next. Recently, we have completed research projects on Improving Efficiency of
NIBM’s academic organisation consists of faculty from a wide range of disciplines, viz. Economics, Finance, Commerce, Business Management, Computer Science, Agricultural Science, Psychology, Sociology, etc. Practising bankers including central bankers strengthen the faculty by serving the Institute for varying period of time. Presently, we have 28 regular faculty members. In addition, six former bankers who were in senior positions of Deputy Managing Director, Executive Director/Chief General Manager/General Managers in various banks, are now NIBM guest faculty. NIBM also invites banking practitioners to give the operational perspective.
Any other new initiatives?
NIBM conducts AICTE-approved two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) – Banking and Financial Services with a focus on Banking and Finance as an integrated and mutually inclusive areas of specialisation. Since its inception (2003-04), its students have had 100 percent placements in various public as well as private sector banks and financial institutions. Presently, we are having two PGDM batches running concurrently. Recently, NIBM has launched its e-certification courses in the areas of Credit Management, Risk Management, Treasury Management and Accounts and Audit Management as per the mandate of Reserve Bank of India.
What is your advice to a banker?
A banker has to be very selective in sanctioning a lending proposal. Lending to the commercially viable proposals and timely recovery of the amount disbursed are very important for a banker. Public money is invested with a lot of trust in the form of deposits, current and savings accounts and the bank has to act as custodian of these deposits. The customer is the most important person for the bank. If you take care of the customer, you are doing a great job. 36 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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of the state. HSIIDC’s first Industrial Model Township (IMT) in Manesar was conceived during that period and about 1,780 acres of land was acquired for this project in one go. I was the executive director then. The delegation headed by the chief minister used to visit different countries and have meetings with the potential investors. The endeavour was to give them an overview of the state of Haryana and request them to invest in it. The state government assures them that they would be given the clearance under one roof. At that point of time when I was part of it from 19922000, Haryana was No. 1 preferred state at that point of time as per CII. That was the time when we attracted lot of Japanese and Korean investors to the state and also acquired the largest chunk of land in one go in Manesar, for the first IMT where earlier Japanese were thinking of having an industrial park.
Tell us about your family. What do you think of banking as a career?
Banking, as a career, like many other professions, is very competitive but rewarding, especially with lot of other foreign banks opening shops in India. Banking career is also very exciting with technology being the game changer, with the paradigm shift and a move towards cashless and digitalisation which has its own challenges.
You have had an enriching career. Tell us about your ITI experience.
As far as the ITI experience is concerned, it was into financial losses since 2002-03 and under financial stress. It was declared as a sick company and referred to BIFR in 2004. From 2003-2010, ITI was trying to get the revival proposal sanctioned. I take credit that I was in a position to take the long-outstanding revival package of ITI to a logical conclusion. The original revival proposal was for around `1,850 crore and I got `4,156 crore sanctioned from the Government. I also got it approved from the BIFR and Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE). It is a body set up under the government machinery to look after the revival of loss-making or stressed central PSUs, and finally it was approved by the Government of India in 2014.
What about your tenure in HUDCO?
HUDCO was set up in 1970. The profitability during my time in 2009-10 was highest since its inception—`495 crore. I brought down net NPAs to 0.5%. I was also instrumental in getting the rating upgrades from two rating agencies-Fitch and CARE. There were more than 250 downgrades for debt instruments of the corporates including banks and financial
institutions in the country during 2008-09 which was post-Lehman period. At that time, even retaining the ratings was difficult. I got the rating of debt instrument of HUDCO upgraded despite this dismal scenario.
Your role as CEO, Culture Fund…
The National Culture Fund, Government of India, was set up by the Government of India. As you are aware, India’s cultural heritage is very rich. The government wanted extra-budgetary resources for preservation and protection of the cultural heritage, hence it created this fund. The basic objective was to mobilise the resources from corporates and individuals for the preservation and protection of the cultural heritage. Every PSU or private sector entity now has to contribute 2% of its net profit towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) having net-worth or profit or the turnover over a threshold limit, as per the Company Act, 2013. Protection of cultural heritage of the country is covered under the definition of CSR. I was in a position to mobilise public sector and private sector funding or get their financial commitments which were quite substantial for the objective of National Culture Fund. We were doing most of the projects for the monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is under the same Ministry.
You brought in foreign investors in Haryana...
Every state wants to increase the share of manufacturing in the state GDP. So, we were basically having investor meets in various parts of the country and overseas. The Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) is one of the flagship organisations of Haryana for the industrial growth
We are a family of bankers. My wife has been a banker and so is my son who did his MBA in 2006 from IIMA and now he is the Asia Head of Forex Derivatives of one of the largest American banks.
How do you like Pune?
Pune is a beautiful place. I thought Chandigarh was the most beautiful place to live in India. Now I feel that Pune has an edge over Chandigarh because of the weather. Pune is truly the Oxford of the East, with mushrooming of quality educational institutions. With growing IT hub, it has all the potentials of a metropolitan city. Traffic jams though, is an issue.
Your philosophy of life…
I have always believed in hard work. And it’s probably because of that I was in a position to achieve certain milestones. In my opinion, there is no substitute to hard work. vinitapune@gmail.com
CC
tadka
Itsy-bitsy spiders It’s universally seen that most people fear spiders and snakes. In fact, they evoke disgust in many, even in developed countries where hardly anybody comes into contact with them. Until now, there has been debate about whether this aversion is innate or learnt. Scientists have, however, recently discovered that it is hereditary: Even babies feel stressed when seeing these creatures—long before they could have learnt this reaction.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 37
Interview
Change is
inevitable HR is a critical business function. However, sometimes it gets flak for not changing with time. HR also is often deprived of the appreciation it deserves when it does things right. There are many such observations about the profession that need to be addressed. Who better to expound on these, than Rajesh Jain, HR Head, Corporate & Financial Services, Srei Infrastructure, who has spent nearly three decades in various roles in HR, and is nuanced in every facet of the field. Corporate Citizen chats with him about the changing nature of HR, his riveting journey, and the future of the field By Neeraj Varty Take us through your journey to the top of the HR summit. I have had a very modest beginning. I grew up in Himachal. I am an engineer by education. I did my engineering from the Government Engineering College, Ujjain. I went on to do my MBA from ICFAI. I then joined Xerox as a service analyst. I worked there for a few years and got promoted to Regional Head. It was at that point that I left Xerox for Eaton Corporation. I worked there for close to five years, and moved internally to HR, where subsequently I was promoted to Head of HR. In 2008, I joined Suzlon Energy as Deputy General Manager Corporate Strategy & Planning, and worked there for four years. By the time I left Suzlon, I was General Manager, Corp HR and Head Compensation and Benefit. I joined Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited as Head HR in 2017, a position I hold till today. How do you see Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) affecting jobs in the near future? I believe automation and AI will create new jobs. The role of HR is strategic. I don’t feel strategic roles will be affected by technology adversely. In fact, I believe automation will facilitate HR. Yes, mundane tasks like shifting through CVs, manual assessments, etc. will be automated, but those employees can be moved to more strategic roles which will best utilise their talents. Artificial Intelligence will assist in strategising, not hinder it.
When you come to campuses for recruitment, do you see a gap between the output of the education system and the industry requirements? There is definitely some disconnect. What is taught as theory widely differs from what is used in practice. That is why companies think twice before recruiting freshers. There needs
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to be effective industry—education institute partnerships, where industry experts can come to colleges and share their knowledge with students. These sessions should be made a part of the curriculum. Internships should also be increased and be for longer durations in order to give students maximum exposure to the workings of organisations.
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any employee at any time, you can fill out a card using an app or the website, and it is shared throughout the company. This is a way to improve bonding between employees and keep their morale high.
Pics: Yusuf Khan
At a recent conference I attended, it was observed by the speakers that HR is the one function in an organisation which is most resistant to change. Do you think it is fair criticism? I don't think generalisations are appropriate for such a vast function where so many diverse people with so many talents work. I feel resis-
"I don’t think there is any demarcation in today's hyperconnected world. If something is important, then it has to be addressed. If there is an official emergency you need to attend to when at home, you must do it"
What is your idea of relaxation? I believe relaxation is nothing but a state of mind. I can be relaxed even when working. As long as I am comfortable, I can relax no matter what task I am doing. Tell us about your family and the role they have played in your success. My father was a professor. I grew up in Himachal in a very humble upbringing. I learnt the value of being content in what we have from him. He also taught me humility. My parents gave me the freedom to choose my career, and I am forever indebted to them. My wife too has been very supportive. She left her job in order to take care of the children. I wouldn't be where I am today without her.
tance to change is universal amongst humans. Change comes with a lot of fear, and HR is no different. When automation first came, many people were scared, but it turned out to in fact assist them in their jobs. Also, HR acts as a conduit to the employees in an organisation, and as a result, they are most concerned when the feel any change could adversely affect the employees. Perhaps that is why that perception is there. However, if you look at the way HR functions today compared to a decade ago, I feel they have been very receptive to change, especially technology wise.
What are some of the key initiatives you have undertaken in your time in HR? HR is a specialist function. It has a lot to do with understanding people. I ensured that all the employees got a platform to express themselves and be collaborate together to introduce new initiatives. I introduced a platform called 'Shabaash'. If you want to thank or appreciate
hyper-connected world. If something is important, then it has to be addressed. If there is an official emergency you need to attend to when at home, you must do it. However, it works both ways. An emergency at home can take priority when you are at work too. It is all about balance. There must be flexibility. You should be permitted to come in late if you are at home to balance it out.
Do you feel HR is now getting a place on the table with the decision makers in organisations? I feel they always had a place on the table. However, compared to a few decades ago, where there were a handful of HR personnel in any company, today their role is more recognised. HR supports the CEO in strategic decisions. Today, before taking major decisions, CEOs consult HR and their opinion carries a lot of weight. The strength of HR is increasing in most companies, which is a recognition of their importance. Do you feel there should be a demarcation of work life and personal life, or do you think one blends into the other? I don’t think there is any demarcation in today's
Do you think women are adequately represented in Indian industry? No they aren't. We need more women to join Indian industry. I, on my part, am doing all I can to have policies in place to ensure that women are encouraged to join our company. The government too needs to introduce more programmes to encourage women. The social setup in India also needs to change for there to be a significant change in the percentage of working women. What is your philosophy of life? My philosophy is simple. I like being happy with what I have. I do not feed unnecessary desires or wealth. I came from humble beginnings, and I am content with what I have achieved. From your rich experience, what advice would you give to freshers in the industry? My advice might seem controversial. I would tell them that if possible, be self-employed. My grandfather used to give me this advice, but I didn't listen to him. I sometimes regret that. Do you think that in today's hyperprotectionist environment, starting a business is a good idea? Business will survive everything. There have been so many natural and man-made calamities over the centuries. Businesses find a way to adapt and survive, provided the person at the helm has sound business acumen. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com
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Travel
Living a poetry she cannot write
London is her favourite holiday destination says Surabhi Mittal, a product designer who is creative by nature and has found amalgamation of designing and travelling as a way to live life. She talks here about why London is and will always be her favourite… By Sharmila Chand
A
n alumnus of Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ School, Jaipur and an Arts graduate in Product Designing from Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London, Surabhi Mittal has been creative by nature and has found amalgamation of designing and travelling as a way to live life with flair and panache. When away from her creative space, she keeps up with her fitness regimen through the art of yoga and playing golf. Her urge to constantly experiment with new ways to express ideas through designs sparked her interest in crafts and she became focused on turning low-cost materials into high-value outcomes. This led to the birth of RevivebySurabhi, her own design label that takes its inspiration from the local skills and traditions of Kashmir in the process of papier mache.
Which is your favourite holiday destination?
London—for many reasons: the last I visited was recently in June 2017. One of the most favourite reasons is that I have spent most crucial part of my life there itself by studying and living. Having spent four years, it was London where I was restyled to a 22-year-old adult from a 17-year-old teenager. However, before my higher education as an adolescent I often used to notify this to my parents that London is and will always be my favourite holiday destination.
What do you like about the place?
London is the most diverse city on the planet. On the off-chance that you want to investigate, then another advantage of this differing quality is that there is continually something new to eat. The food culture here is just ridiculously good, from restaurants to street markets. And it’s getting better all the time.
Culturally, they are blessed too. There is always something new and exciting going on. The feeling of walking over the Thames river after dark is pretty special. The London underground is the most iconic underground network in the world. Really, it is the simplest to understand and follow. You require ‘your time’? You are never far from a park. London has more green space than any other major city on earth. Mystical parks, Magical thinking! Oh and being a vegetarian I have loved all my meals in London. South Bank on shores of the Thames is a great place to spend your day, from the London Eye, to the theatres, to galleries. It has something for everyone. Vintage clothes, antiques, food, and fashion from up-and-coming designers: you name it; you’ll find it in London’s markets. Above all, London is consistently changing. Even on the off-chance that you have delighted in or experienced London sometime recently, you will find that there is continually something new (attractions, historical centre displays, and so forth) to see and appreciate.
Tell us the highlights of the destination; what should not be missed, what do you recommend to see and do?
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Without any shadow of doubt browse through Portobello Road Market and Notting Hill. Portobello Road is loaded with shiny trinkets, master collectibles, gift shops and high-end food stalls. Notting Hill is genuinely a lovely area to explore, especially if you favour finer things in life. Cliché but surely gape at Tate Modern, Victoria & Albert museum. You could fill months exploring London’s art and design scene. However, these two are hugely imperative to visit. As we all know, London is famous for its ‘British Tea culture’. I personally feel it is essential to experience the authentic High Tea culture at least once when in London. The places are of all kind that would suit your pocket. Appreciate London from above at The View from ‘The Shard’. Making the city’s horizon a mess spikier than it used to be, the Shard has rapidly turned into a notorious London point of interest. The tallest building in Western Europe,
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you finish of your nightout, you will see yourself appreciating and hitting the dance floor with the extremely friendly belly dancers!
Tips you can give to fellow travellers
the tower has floor-to-roof windows offering astounding perspectives. Be bold and experience what typically Londoners do on their ordinary days. Borrow bikes (bicycles), ideal for touring. Extremely economical—£2 for 24 hours’ hire and free for first 30 minutes. Uncommon yet a beautiful highlight, Hitchin Lavender is a lavender farm attraction close to both London and Cambridge. They have around 25 miles of lavender rows, which you can stroll through. Inside their 17th century barn, they have a range of snacks and home made cakes available, which is a dazzling approach to unwind after a long visit. Top tip: visit earlier in the season to benefit as much as possible from it.
Which restaurants you like to visit over there? Why?
Completely depends upon the cuisine you are craving, for instance: • Italian - Ciro’s Pizza Pomodoro, situated within the primary location of Knightsbridge. Restaurant is an ideal blend of Italian food and live music. • Indian - Dishoom, located within three central locations
of London—my personal favourite is the one in King’s Cross (relatively bigger then the other too, offers you more variety for seating to choose from). Dishes on the feisty modern Indian menu are distinctively depicted and arranged with splendid asides and quirky facts. Yummy breakfasts and brunch toss a cracking curveball. • Mexican - Trust me there is never one best place you can choose from when it comes to Mexican food; in that case I may surely suggest Daddy Donkey Mexican Grill. Recommended for an in-a-hurry, quick, healthy, hot and freshly prepared lunch in London. • Lebanese - Mamounia, with its elegant Arabian stylistic layout, it is the perfect place to find the true taste of Middle Eastern cuisine, unwind, taste delightful cocktails and discover an essence of Middle Eastern culture while dining. What an incredibly decorated restaurant! You will feel like you are on a film set of a Mediterranean or an Arabic country. From the furniture to the silverware, everything is authentic. In addition, before
• It’s often said by laymen that the UK’s climate is exceptional. In Britain it would all be able to change hour-by-hour and step-by-step. While temperatures are fairly mellow and there are four particular seasons, you can likewise get warm climate in the middle of February and freezing rain in the middle of August, or both in one day. It would be ideal if you be set up with every one of the necessities. • Surely get a travel pass, depending upon the number of days you are there for. An Oyster card will spare you time and money with regard to those troublesome travel-related costs that appear to eat up your pocket. • Tipping isn’t essential. This isn’t a big deal as it is in the United States or other countries but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valued. There’s additionally no compelling reason to tip while hailing a taxicab; however, it often makes sense to round up the sum to the nearest pound. • Above all, please keep yourself safe. Specifically, when you meet a stranger by means of any other channels or even get into an Uber or Lyft. Try not to feel awkward about safeguarding your own self.
What can other destinations learn from that place?
• Dress fashionably yet sensibly. Londoners might be probably the most stylish individuals but they are practical dressers as well. • An incorporated system. Under the notable TFL brand, distinctive public transport modes were coordinated to give end-to-end services. Unlike other transport authorities, TFL additionally deals with the main roads and streets in London, as part of which is accountable for cycling, taxi and minicab regulation, traffic signalling and congestion charging. It is easy to use.
Any interesting episode of your holiday over there, which you can share with our readers?
An interesting fact to share: Big Ben, arguably London’s most renowned point of interest, is not called Big Ben by any stretch of imagination. The tower is simply called The Clock Tower; Big Ben is actually the name of the bell. Feel free to bore your loved ones with that reality if you ever do a tour of London. chand.sharmila@gmail.com
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HR Talk
Standing
Tall
He is a man of few words, but his career speaks volumes about his persona. Ranjan Mishra, who is the Senior Vice President – Human Resource, Vodafone India, has been representing Vodafone at various forums. He was part of the panel where a key topic was under discussion ‘Do organisations encourage gender diversity at workplace?’ Talent is what he believes in and drives him every day. He has done his Masters in HR from Jiwaji University, Gwalior and his Executive MBA in General Management from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Corporate Citizen caught up with him to know more about him and what he sees as the future of HR and emerging trends… By Ekta Katti
Enlighten us with your background.
My childhood was spent in Gwalior and post my studies I have worked across India where I have worked across industries and handled various spanning across from Talent Management, Operations and Business Partnering. Personally, I have been committed to build a performance culture that emphasises on trust, respect and innovation. One of my core interest areas which I am also passionate about is that of Talent and Diversity. In my view these are core to any organisational strength and has a longterm impact on the business. I started my career with Gajra Bevel Gear Limited and quickly picked up tricks of 42 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Pics: Tushar Mane
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the trade. Post which I have worked in Reliance, Coke, Gillete and Delphi Automotive Systems before my stint with Vodafone.
You mentioned that you have played a pivotal role in providing employee-oriented and high-performance culture. How have you managed to do that?
Nothing in this life can be attained individually and no task can be completed single-handedly. I have always believed that ‘you are as good as your team’ and hence feel very proud that have been able to create and sustain this culture. What makes me more proud though is when I see my own team members continue to build on this philosophy. In my current stint at Vodafone which is now almost 10 years, we, as an organisation, foster a culture, which is enabling for the right talent to flourish.
How has your experience been so far and what are the challenges you’ve faced?
Frankly, it has been a humbling experience and personally rewarding for me. I have been lucky to be part of such great organisations which have facilitated my learning under great leaders, which has made me what I stand here today. The one challenge that has been constant though is about building an organisation which can be future-fit and ensuring that we can continuously cope up with the changing dynamics of the country, industry and the people.
How does the right talent acquisition benefit the company?
At Vodafone, our mission is to on-board world-class talent that is right for the future of our business. Because talent that we acquire shapes our organisation’s culture. That impacts what our consumers’ experience and thus defines business success. Bringing great people into the organisation is one of the most important things we do at Vodafone besides creating a strong employer brand, building enablers to key metrics, setting up standard processes for success. We have rightfully positioned ourselves as a credible business partner proactively addressing their emerging needs, especially in the area of talent.
Let’s talk about your love for car rallies.
I love all kinds of adventure sports and never miss any opportunity to experience a new sport. Though my heart lies in riding and driving, exploring new terrains and participating in rallies. This is deep-rooted and since childhood I wanted to participate in rallies and I am glad that I have been able to achieve it.
Can you compare the two—being a racer and your role as an HR?
Actually it is quite similar and I can safely say that learnings from both have helped me to make decisions both on track and off it. You come across a lot of unforeseen challenges, locations are not the same, you visit different track, which are unexplored in every rally. It is similar to dynamic environment, industry and trends. But in both
“Nothing in this life can be attained individually and no task can be completed singlehandedly. I have always believed that ‘you are as good as your team’ and hence feel very proud that have been able to create and sustain this culture” ‘Human Touch’ is prime and I personally believe it is the man behind the machine and there is no compromise.
Is the HR the backbone of every organisation?
I strongly believe so. Because at the end of the day, neither the technology nor money makes a difference but the people who make it happen. It is important for all of us in HR to be the beacons of culture and play a role of a catalyst in providing a sustainable environment.
What is your philosophy in life? Do what you like and like what you do!
What is the toughest part of being an HR person?
All jobs are tough and HR is no different. If you like your job then you will look at situations as opportunities to learn rather than obstacles.
Any suggestions for the youngsters?
You have a plethora of options, choose the ones that will grow you both professionally and personally and don’t opt for easy shortcuts. Be yourself as you are the future!! ektaakatti@gmail.com
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Mind your taste buds
The tempting aroma of fast-food tempt us to stop at fast-food joints. But these food cues, which stimulate brain activity, can nudge customers to overeat due to increased cravings, says a new University of Michigan study. It involved 112 college participants, who ate lunch one hour before the study, they received tokens to foods such as a cheeseburger, french fries, milkshake, etc. When exposed to food-related cues, participants felt more hungry in the fast-food lab than the neutral environment. People consumed 220 more calories in fast-food environments as compared to who ate in non-cue locations, the study proved.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 43
Startup
Racing toward dreams
At 29, he has almost achieved what he envisaged, but his ultimate dream is still unaccomplished. Meet Pune city’s Kapil Shelke, founder of Tork Motorcycles–an electric motorcycle company, working round the clock to make the fastest electric bike. The idea of starting a project like Tork Motorcycles flashed while Kapil was studying in D Y Patil College of Engineering in 2005. The urge to provide the country with a unique electric bike, gave rise to Tork Motorcycles and a college project turned into a company. Born and raised in Pune, Kapil looks up to his father, Chandrakant, who advised him to design a bike by putting the rider’s safety in the driver’s seat. From designing his first bike T1X, to his latest creation, Kapil has come a long way. In a tête-à-tête with the Corporate Citizen, Kapil talks about his dream and his achievements...
T
By Ekta Katti
he world needs dreamers, and doers, but most of all, it needs dreamers who do. Kapil Shelke not only dreams, but also achieves them. Growing up, an inquisitive mind never let him breathe anything other than motorbikes. “I used to eat, breathe and sleep thinking about motorcycles,” he smiles. This, in turn, gave birth to Tork Motorcycles, an electric motorcycle company. He always wanted to study engineering, because it got him closer to his vision. He explains, “In 2009, during my college days, my friends and I were working on a project, to build something that will benefit the bike lovers. The project soon got over, but we wanted to cash in our hard work and that’s how Tork Motorcycles was born.” He believed in his dream even when others refused to pitch in for his startup. They did have a point though, as they thought how would a newbie company sustain the wrath of a full-fledged automobile company with thousands of employees, which was in their area. But thanks to the support by his friends, family and his perseverance, his company has put India on the global map of motorcycles. 44 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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Shenanigans before the Isle of Man
Isle of Man TT race, the ultimate race to prove superiority, is the mecca of motorbike lovers. For Kapil, racing at the prestigious Isle of Man TT race was his greatest achievement. But the dream run did not end there. In 2009, he and friends, who started Tork Motorcycles, became the first Indians to take part in the Isle of Man TT race and proclaim a podium finish, racing the company’s first prototype electric bike TX01. With the speed of a whopping 156 km/hr, they made history with a third-place finish. Competing with the bikes developed by multi-million-dollar companies, they sure were the underdogs! In May 2009, Kapil had a tough choice to make-whether to attend his exams or go to dispatch his dream bike for the Isle of Man TT race. “To pick one was difficult. The person who was going to pick up the bike for dispatch was to arrive at 10 am and I had just enough time as the exam was at 11 am. Unfortunately, he was late. I chose to deliver the bike. I could appear for the exams next year too, but the race was a golden opportunity. And not even once do I regret that decision,” said Kapil, smiling ear to ear. His team somehow managed to chip in around `15 lakh to put together the TX01 bike. Going to Isle of Man TT race, a small island between Ireland and Great Britain, was quite special for him. “Till then, I had never been abroad. I had jitters while leaving for Isle of Man,” he said. The very next year, his team raced the bike that won them the first place at the podium of TTXGP UK Round I. “It gives me immense pride and satisfaction each time to reach the podium and see my country’s flag flying high,” he added.
The family of warriors
Growing up, Kapil never lacked a source of inspiration as he was surrounded by warriors-father Chandrakant, a COEP gold medallist, mother Meera, who never stopped believing in his dreams, sisters, or then girlfriend and present wife, Soniya. “They are real fighters. They keep motivating me and push me to work harder. They are my biggest emotional support.” Kapil says whenever he faces any
problem, he follows the age-old adage: ‘Every problem has a solution’. He adds, “I was naïve when I built my first motorcycle. I did not understand the gravity in terms of safety. My father made me work hard on safety issues. He said someone is going to bet his life on the motorcycle. Therefore, it isn’t just a project, it’s a matter of life and death. I ensured that my motorcycle provides the best safety features.” Apart from his family, Kapil looks up to Anand Mahindra, the Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra Group and South African born, Canadian-American businessman and investor Elon Musk. “These guys have done a great job. They have played a great role in
when it comes to work. The hardest working people I have ever seen. Having worked for straight 12 hours a day, they would still be fresh and open for working some more time. That’s how much they are dedicated. The Chinese as a team are a lot more efficient and it was a great learning experience for me.” Being a vegetarian, Kapil found it difficult to stay there for long. “Finding good vegetarian food was a tough task. Work was great, but food was necessary. Hence, I used to work for three months, come back home for a month. Thus, I worked with them for almost two years,” he says.
Staying hungry
“I still haven’t achieved my dream which is to
“I was naïve when I built my first motorcycle. I did not understand the gravity in terms of safety. My father made me work hard on safety issues. He said someone is going to bet his life on the motorcycle” shaping the world. They made me believe that anything is possible.”
The 10,000-hour rule
The 10,000-hour rule is a magic number of greatness. Author Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliners, has stressed on the 10,000-hour rule, which states: “It takes approximately 10,000 hours to master any art.” Halfway through his perseverance and will to reach supremacy, Kapil got to know about this. “This is a golden rule and I swear by it. To master any art, it takes just 10,000 hours. It isn’t a lot, in fact negligible, considering the amount of success you will get once you master it,” he said. He added, “To learn about motorcycles, I started working 10 hours a day after my college hours. Then, I had never heard of this rule. A friend told me about it a couple of years later. I was fascinated as the rule made complete sense. I thought of putting in 24 hours of hard work, but it wasn’t practically possible. It takes three-four years of dedication towards any work you are doing. Then, the sky is the limit.”
Whole new avenue
From 2011 to mid-2013, Kapil had a brief stint with a Zongshen, a Chinese company that produces motorcycles. For two years, after the Isle of Man TT race, Kapil worked solo until he started working with Zongshen. Sharing the experience of working in China, he said, “They are the most ethical people
build the world’s fastest electric bike,” he said with a grim face. Kapil did build the fastest bike while he was working with Zongshen in 2012, but he believes in flying solo. “I did not build it personally, there was team working with me. I still have to accomplish that. I have all the expertise now but there is a time constraint. With all these years of hard work, I am still focused and my ultimate goal remains the same,” he said. Kapil believes in staying hungry after every achievement. Powered by an 11KW battery, the second prototype TX02 achieved a top speed of 214 km/hr, which helped the get a podium finish at TTXGP UK Championship in 2010. The third prototype TX03 achieved a speed of 240 km/hr. It was built on Yamaha FZ platform which went from 0-100 in just 8.7 seconds. The Tork T6X is India’s first electric performance motorcycle. It has features for the bikers which is driven by technology. According, to him, the point is not to stop after attaining the top speed or after developing a latest model. The point is to stay hungry! “I did not stop after returning from Isle of Man. We developed a new bike with a better speed and good frame. It took me three to four years to build the fastest bike while I was working with Zongshen. I did not give up and kept on working. I learnt new things while developing each motorcycle,” he added. ektaakatti@gmail.com
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 45
Campus Placement
‘Working with machines was a fascination and I always wanted to be a mechanical engineer, but there was something else waiting for me, and that was management. Automobile engineering and strategic management have been my favourite subjects since these subjects use analytical skills’
Right guidance, right path Shripal Hajari, a pampered child, changed his approach to life, thanks to his elder sister who was his mentor, guide and friend, and helped him achieve his goals By Joe Williams
46 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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rought up in an upper middle class family, and being the youngest at home, things had always been rosy for him. And he took life too easy as well. It was his sister Sonal, who was his inspiration, who changed things for him. Meet Shripal Hajari, who took up the professional course of PGDM - Executive, management student, who now rubs shoulders with the bigwigs in the competitive corporate world. He starts his new innings with Bajaj Finserv as a management trainee. Punctuality is the other name for Shripal whose attendance records in school and college
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show 100%. “Thanks to my parents, who believed in being early always, and have imbibed this quality in me,” says Shripal. “This one quality which has been with me throughout my life, will help me in my life ahead.” A pass-out from the Dinanath High School in Nagpur, Shripal completed his mechanical engineering from GH Raisoni College of Engineering in his hometown. Since then things have changed. All that he wanted was to stand tall among his college friends and come out triumphant in the placement process, which he did.
Shripal with friends and family
Early life…
Being the youngest, he always got the best under the pretext of doing well in academics, but unfortunately would never even get passing marks. “Being the youngest in the family, I have been the most notorious kid, with lot of memories held back by my parents and teachers,” recalls Shripal. “But things changed on acquaintance with the best teachers who taught me many things apart from academics, which I will treasure all my life.” He always wanted to be an engineer, more so a mechanical engineer. “Working with machines was a fascination and I always wanted to be a mechanical engineer, but there was something else waiting for me, and that was management.” Shripal goes on to add, “Jadhav Sir had been my favourite teacher because he not only taught me about automobiles but also gave lessons about how to be a good human
tional repute is something everyone would want to,” he said as he was selected by Bajaj Finserv. “Competition brought a lot of fear, although it worked in a positive way because it made me work harder to achieve my goal during my placement days,” says Shripal.
Time to pull up the socks …
This is just the beginning and Shripal has a long way to go in life like any youngster out of college. “Everything in life is a learning process, and this stage is one among them. Here there is no teacher or homework but one takes the call for himself and this is the real test of life. It is the time to realise all my strengths, change my weaknesses into opportunities and run as fast as
‘Competition brought a lot of fear, although it worked in a positive way because it made me work harder to achieve my goal during my placement days’ being. Automobile engineering and strategic management have been my favourite subjects since these subjects use analytical skills.”
I can to grab all opportunities coming towards me,” feels Shripal.
Professional college entry…
“There have been many but I would place my parents on the top of the list. They have encouraged me and made me realise what I am worth. My sister was my guide, mentor, teacher and most importantly, she was a friend,” acknowledges Shripal. His father, Sheshpal Hajari, is a government servant, his mother Sangita, a housewife and elder sister Sonal is a project leader in Infosys.
Being a junior, one has to listen to the seniors or do what the seniors want, which is part of any college life. But at the end seniors come forth to help the juniors.
Placement blues…
This is something which every professional college student would look forward to, and Shripal was no different. “Being selected after the group discussion and psychometric test, I went through the personal interview round which was quite brief. I was asked about my skills, my previous experience, my educational background and my desire to get the job. This was interesting and every step forward gave me new ideas. And getting into a company of na-
People behind his success …
Happiest moment in life…
Making parents proud is what anybody would want and that was his happiest moment. “I made my parents proud when they were told that I had got the job in the campus placement. I could see the tears of joy in their eyes, which is a big inspiration.”
Life is all about…
“Life is a game to be played fairly. One may witness many challenges and in the process of overcoming these hurdles one will learn many lessons and gather many memories,” believes Shripal.
Six success tricks for juniors…
• Give your best at every stage of the game • Discipline and commitment can take you to the level you desire • Set long term goals and break it into shortterm ones and keep achieving them one by one • Never give up on your values, whatever be the situation • Be open to the changing world • Work patiently to taste success joe78662@gmail.com
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Young Indian professionals lack mentorship More than 70% of India’s young professionals say they are keen on seeking advice on their next career move but do not have mentors to guide them. A LinkedIn survey revealed that the current mentorship gap has resulted in 25-33-year-olds experiencing a state of professional crisis in steering their careers in the right direction.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 47
Loved & Married too It is not often these days that a college romance fructifies into wedlock. Corporate Citizen unlocks the story of love that has culminated into marriage, for we believe in the stability of a relationship and family unit. We bring to you real-life romances that got sealed in marriage
Corporate professional Devashish Bhatt (36) and his better half Navjyoti Dalal (31), freelance media and corporate writer, are a testimony to the power of acceptance, and dollops of honesty in taking a relationship forward. Married for over eight years, they are completed by their four-yearold son Samarveer, and soon-to-be -born second child. This is their journey, and this is how they tell it
The journey of a lifetime:
It's all about acceptance By Kalyani Sardesai
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ometime in 2004, as a college student Navjyoti Dalal was scrolling through her MSN Buddyzone, a predecessor of what we recognise as social media platforms today, she was struck by a most unusual profile picture. "There was this 20-something guy with big Afro hair. For a Jat girl living in a suburb of New Delhi, someone with this look was unforeseen. Intrigued, I messaged him." He was Devashish Bhatt, a post-graduate in Computer Science and young corporate professional. "He wrote back, and I was both impressed and surprised at the sheer polish of his replies. For someone with Haryanvi roots fluent En-
glish is a very aspirational thing, and someone who spoke well was a rare find," she recounts. A complete departure from Delhi's rough talk and in-your-face attitude, Dev (as she calls him) was gentle, non-judgemental, accepting. "Here was someone not only very intelligent but also shared my love for poetry," she says.
The building blocks of a relationship
Over time, they became good friends and also enjoyed a wonderful give and take of writings. "She was this perfect dreamer with a lot of poetry in her. Plus, she was brutally, refreshingly honest—to a fault, and very pretty to boot. It was unreal as far as I was concerned," narrates Dev. Still, it was a no-go as far as romance was
48 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
concerned because Navjyoti was already seeing someone. Besides, they lived in two different cities: Mumbai and Delhi. "When we finally met, he told me straight up that he liked me," she says. For her part, although she told him that they could only be friends; two events would pan out simultaneously. "I was getting increasingly unhappy with the relationship I was in. It never made me feel adequate or good about myself. Most of my memories of that time are of me crying, or trying to please him on various fronts— he liked straight hair, so most of my dates with him were preceded by a blow-dry session at the hairstylist's; or dressing up in labels like Nike, Puma or Adidas when I was a handloom girl to the core; or trying to make sense of the lyrics of
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his favourite rap songs, I, on the other hand, am a Gulzar devout. What suffered wasn't just my emotional well-being, but also my individuality and self-esteem". Dev, on the contrary, kept her spirits afloat, "He loved everything about me —from my love for Bagh and Dabu prints, or Maheshwari and Ikat weaves to theatre, and kolhapuris. A lover of rock and metal, he even took to reading Gulzar, and fell in love with the poet. Everything he did made me feel special". As the stress of an unyielding relationship grew, Dev suggested Navjyoti take a break and clear her mind in a different city. "Come to Mumbai for just two days, he persisted. I accepted, did a little falsifying of information to my parents and told them I needed to be in Mumbai for work. He put me up with his sister and brotherin-law. Together, we would explore the city," says Navjyoti who had a revelation of sorts on the trip. For a girl brought up in a traditional North Indian family, these new people in new surroundings was a new experience. "His sister and brother-in-law shared a very equal and comfortable relationship. For his part, Dev was the perfect gentleman, courteous, non-demanding and very considerate. It was not just the sea that I saw for the very first time, but also a whole new perspective on how relationships could be," shares Navjyoti. She broke up with her former boyfriend and gradually became closer to Dev. "Another milestone was when I flew to Mumbai once again, am from a civil services background, to see him off to the Netherlands · Space and and intercultural marriages have where he was taking up a new job," acceptance been common in our family since my she says. "This was when I met his grandfathers' (maternal and paternal) mom. We hit it off instantly, thanks · Shared interests generation," says Dev. "It is a wonderto a shared love for gardening. I felt I ful thing. So much so, that I wonder would be safe and comfortable with · Respecting why anyone would marry someone his family." from the same caste," he laughs. your spouse for One thing led to another. He who they are On her part, Navjyoti got on very would fly down on vacation to well with his family, even though spend all his free time with her, and · Celebrating their structured, disciplined lifestyle her mother got to know. "When she differences was a bit of a shock. It isn't always told my lawyer father, I was worried a smooth sailing but an accepting about his reaction, especially since and open attitude can make all the Dev is half-Bihari and half Mahadifference. "Accepting your partner rashtrian. To my surprise, the meeting went off for what they are, makes things far simpler. very well, and dad gave us his blessings. I suspect There's another key to a healthy relationship— that's because he was well-spoken and qualified, trust. And by that I don't mean trusting a perwhile most men from my community are barely son's fidelity, but their judgment on little things, graduate," she jokes. like how to pack for a trip, how many litres of The duo was wed in April 2009. Today, they milk would be enough per day, or even the fan live in Pune, where Dev is an Information Archispeed. People are more open to suggestions tect with SAP, and Navjyoti, a freelance media from friends or family, but tend to mistrust -cum-corporate writer, and are parents to fourtheir spouse when they do the same," she shares. year-old Samarveer. As far as Dev is concerned, he appreciates her honesty and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. "Honesty not only defines a person, but From strength to strength also the relationships and people they attract. One would have expected a lot of adjustments, Navjyoti's upfront nature and loving ways have given the difference in cultural backgrounds, but brought in a lot of positivity into our lives." that has not really been the case. "For starters, I
"There’s another key to a healthy relationship—trust. And by that I don’t mean trusting a person’s fidelity, but their judgment on little things" —Navjyoti Dalal
The Pillars of a Marriage
Parenting is an important arena of teamwork for a young couple, especially one with a fouryear-old son, and another baby on the way. "We are on the same page on parenting philosophy, but we alternate between playing good cop and bad cop," smiles Dev. "A few things we are very particular on: respect and consideration for everyone around, especially elders, and compassion for the planet. There's no compromising on that." Both agree that conflict management is key to keeping the conversation going when disagreements come up. "Over time, you tend to evolve a mechanism-cum-middle ground that works. It's important to recognise that each one deals with the aftermath of a fight differently. While Navjyoti likes to talk things out immediately, I need to be alone for some time. Initially, she found this difficult to accept, but has gradually come to understand it." At the end of the day, though, "Space, in a relationship, is extremely important. By space I mean the bandwidth to be able to grow and develop as an individual and within the relationship," rounds off Dev. kalyani.sardesai@gmail.com
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Solar energy sector chugging along The solar energy sector has added around 39% (over 7,100 MW) to the overall capacity additions to the Indian electricity grid as of September 2017 as against solar energy capacity additions at only around 4,313 MW in all of 2016. The data from Mercom Capital Group, a US-based research and consulting firm also observed that solar energy developers are battling issues such as lack of power transmission infrastructure, increasing costs of solar panels, and lacklustre power demand.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 49
Survey
Average increments fall to 9.7% in 2018 The salaried employee forms the bulk of the Indian middle class. It is also this class which forms the biggest chunk of the Indian taxpayer. Therefore, salary increments are crucial to them. With a view to provide salaried employees with an understanding of the changes in salary in the upcoming year, leading professional services company KPMG has released the results of the annual India’s Compensation Trends Survey 2018. Corporate Citizen brings you the numbers Compiled by Neeraj Varty
50 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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Methodology
Two hundred and sixty-three organisations from over 19 sectors were surveyed for this report. Top executives, senior and junior management, along with entry-level employees were surveyed in order to arrive at a balanced conclusion. The sectors surveyed range from automotive to retail. 27 (10.3%) Automotive & auto components 37 (14.1%) BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES 13 (4.9%) CONSUMER GOODS 13 (4.9%) ENERGY 7 (2.7%) 47 (17.9%) ENGINEERING / MANUFACTURING 10 (3.8%) INFRASTRUCTURE, CONSTRUCTION & REAL ESTATE 27 (10.3%) IT 34 (12.9%) ITeS 16 (6.1%) LIFE SCIENCES/ PHARMACEUTICALS & HEALTHCARE 6 (2.3%) LOGISTICS 10 (3.8%) MEDIA & ADVERTISING 23 (8.7%) 23 (8.7%) RETAIL 13 (4.9%) OTHERS**
Key Findings
For the first time in years, the average increment has dropped to single-digit figures in India. The average increment is projected at 9.7%, which is one of the lowest around the world. However, variable pay has increased by 0.4% from last year to 15.4%. people are leaving more jobs from the e-commerce sector than any other, however, the e-commerce sector has the highest projected increment of 12.5% in 2018, so it is a mixed bag. January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 51
Survey Top 3 reasons for Attrition in 2018
Attrition remains a challenge for companies in 2018. Better pay remains the biggest reason for job-hopping in 2018, followed by personal reasons such as health and marriage.
28.1%
23.4%
Better pay elsewhere
19.6%
Better career opportunity
Personal reasons: marriage, health, children, relocation, etc.
Top 5 determinants for increments
Organisational performance remains the biggest reason for salary hikes. If the company is doing well, the chances are that employees will receive better increments. Employee productivity is the second biggest reason for increase in salary.
89.9% Organisation performance
75.0% Productivity of employees
71.9% Business unit performance
68.4%
Positioning with respect to competitors in relevant markets
66.7%
Industry outlook
Actual increments vis-à-vis 2016 projections
Actual increments in 2017 were lower than predicted in 2016, although by a small margin. This does not bode well for 2018, as the projected increments are already low, and any further reduction in actual increments would not be welcome. Actual (2016-17)
Projected (2017-18) .........................Overall Average......................... ........... Automotive & Auto Components............ .............. Banking & Financial Services.............. ........................Consumer Goods........................ ............. Energy (Oil/ Gas/ Coal/ Power)............. ............... Engineering/ Manufacturing............... .... Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate ��� .................................... IT.................................... .................................. ITeS.................................. Life Sciences/ Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare .............................. Logistics.............................. ..................... Media & Advertising..................... ................................. Retail.................................
(10.3%) (10.6%) (9.6%) (10.7%) (9.3%) (10.2%) (9.8%) (10.7%) (10.4%) (11.7%) (8.7%) (11.3%) (11.3%)
(9.7%) (10.1%) (8.6%) (10.3%) (9.1%) (9.7%) (9.4%) (9.8%) (10.1%) (11.4%) (8.1%) (10.6%) (11.1%)
Actual variable pay vis-à-vis 2016 projections
If you look at the variable pay component of the salary, the scenario is just the opposite. Variable pay was more than the projected increase in 2017, although by a small percentage. Looking at 2018, employees would be wise to try and make the best out of the variable pay component of their salaries by improving on the corresponding performance parameters. Actual (2016-17) (15%) (15%) (19.6%) (17.2%) (10.1%) (13.5%) (12.5%) (15.2%) (12.3%) (17.1%) (10.9%) (11.5%) (15.5%) 52 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
Projected (2017-18) .........................Overall Average......................... ........... Automotive & Auto Components............ .............. Banking & Financial Services.............. ........................Consumer Goods........................ ............. Energy (Oil/ Gas/ Coal/ Power)............. ............... Engineering/ Manufacturing............... .... Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate ��� .................................... IT.................................... .................................. ITeS.................................. Life Sciences/ Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare .............................. Logistics.............................. ..................... Media & Advertising..................... ................................. Retail.................................
(15.4%) (15.5%) (19.9.3%) (17.5%) (10.4%) (14%) (13%) (15.6%) (12.8%) (17.4%) (11.3%) (11.7%) (16.0%)
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Average increments
All sectors surveyed project a decrease in average increments in 2017-18. The Banking and Financial sector has reported the maximum decrease from 9.7% to 8.1%, while the Energy sector has a minimum decrease from 9.3 to 9.1%. (10.3%) (9.7%)
Overall Average
(10.6%) (10.1%)
Automotive & Auto Components
(9.6%)
Banking & Financial Services
(8.6%) (10.7%) (10.3%)
Consumer Goods (9.3%) (9.1%)
Energy (Oil/ Gas/ Coal/ Power)
(10.2%) (9.7%)
Engineering/ Manufacturing
(10.7%) (9.8%)
Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate
(10.4%) (10.1%)
IT
(11.7%) (11.4%)
ITes
27 (10.3%) 27 (10.3%)
Life Sciences/ Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare 27 (10.3%) 27 (10.3%)
Logistics Media & Advertising
(11.3%) (10.6%)
Retail
(11.3%) (11.1%)
Actual (2016-17)
Projected (2017-18)
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Why do shorter men go bald more often? Top executives will see a marginal reduction in salary increments compared to junior employees in 2018. However, the salaries of top management are much higher compared to junior employees, so it's unlikely to change the status quo. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com
Short men may have an increased risk of becoming bald prematurely. An international genetic study points in this direction. During the study, German scientists at the University of Bonn investigated the genetic material of more than 20,000 men. Their data show that premature hair loss is linked to a range of various physical characteristics and illnesses. Their data show that premature hair loss is linked to a range of various physical characteristics and illnesses. The work has now been published in Nature Communications.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 53
Health
Trending on Health
Cutting-edge Meditech Solutions
As health-related technology and IT solutions continue to gain doctors’ confidence, new innovations to deliver medical solutions, are opening up diverse areas in the healthcare segment. Industry reports show that private sector accounts for more than 85% of all hospitals in the country, close to 90% of doctors, about 70% of inpatient care and 85% of outpatient care. There is, therefore, a huge demand-supply gap due to lack of adequate number of doctors and paramedical workers, hospital beds and diagnostic services. In such a scenario, predictions are that with the current growth trend, mHealth (mobile health) will have a market worth $0.6 billion in India and $23 billion in the world by end of 2017, and is expected to reach $58.8 billion globally by 2020. Also a PwC report states that India will constitute a major share of the 8% of the total AsiaPacific opportunity in 2017. Corporate Citizen looks into the changing platforms and knowledge database inferences By Sangeeta Ghosh DastidaR
changing the manner in which medicine has been practised all along; some trends are here to stay.
e-healthcare, holistically has been chugging
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earable healthcare monitors and fitness apps are no longer awe-striking developments in the digital age— these would have seemed ‘magical’ even a decade ago. But, technology has not stopped at that and integration of various platforms for monitoring as part of patient care seems to be finding new vistas. Whether it was the 2009 launch of GE’s Lullaby baby warmer that provides direct heat in an open cradle to help babies adjust to temperature, or other innovations, in the healthcare sector has been opening up to patient care, simple and complex. In fact, combining AI (Artificial Intelligence) with Machine Learning (ML) has been a boon to the healthcare sector. But, futuristic goals and bridging gaps between costs and accessibility sure pose challenges. A recent paper titled ‘Indian Healthcare Sector - An overview,’ by ASSOCHAM and RNCOS
said: “Growing incidence of lifestyle diseases, rising demand for affordable healthcare delivery systems due to increasing healthcare costs, technological advancements, emergence of telemedicine, rapid health insurance penetration, mergers and acquisitions helping to reach untapped markets and government initiatives like e-health together with tax benefits, incentives and a host of upcoming regulatory policies are driving healthcare market in India”. The recent buzz worldwide has been on a team within Apple Inc. that is working towards developing a non-invasive detection technology that could treat diabetes. This follows Apple’s Heart Study that aimed to engage cutting edge medical personnel, via the use of cardiac telemetry monitoring to not only discover irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, but also as a potential warning system for individuals who are unaware that they may be at risk for serious health issues. Also, with mobile technology fast
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along other forms of medical care but has seen more impetus in recent times. Today, concepts of e-Pharmacy, e-Diagnostics, e-Insurance or e-Referrals, have created an ecosystem that enables patients and service providers alike with access to information 24/7. The database of health records is further expected to be linked to the Aadhar number of citizens and the opportunities thereon are expected to close in on the divide between urban and rural medical care. Patients would then be able to skip the hassles of registration and other formalities by merely identifying themselves through the Aadhaar number. Further, their selection of hospitals and date of appointment could just be an SMS away, even in rural areas and government hospitals!
Telemedicine is perhaps the first understanding
that anyone has on how technology-led healthcare was made possible across remote areas. “The effectiveness of digitisation in healthcare, especially for diabetic patients encourages them to monitor and report their blood glucose levels daily, as well as choose a healthy way of life”, said Amitabh Nagpal, founder and CEO, LifeInControl – a diabetic management programme that connects doctors, patients and diabetes coaches to enable patients to manage their blood sugar level and maintain a healthy lifestyle. With current technological advancements, integrating wireless technology with
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The effectiveness of digitisation in healthcare, especially for diabetic patients encourages them to monitor and report their blood glucose levels daily —Amitabh Nagpal ing Canada and Norway are working on drones to deliver equipment in places that aren't close to hospitals,” said Dr K Ganapathy, former president of the Telemedicine Society of India.
Cloud platforms and analytics: Health-
portable healthcare devices has become more than feasible in recent times.
Wearable diagnostics: Apple Inc. is all set
to launching the Apple Heart Study, a program that will explore the feasibility of using the Apple Watch to monitor heart rhythm in patients and gauge the reactions and readings to healthcare providers and insurers. The study could save lives and drive demand for its products. In yet another development, Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers who are part of a
super-secretive initivie, initially envisioned by the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors that can non-invasively and continuously monitor blood sug- ar levels to treat diabetes. Many life sciences companies have tried and tested non-invasive methods to track glucose levels accurately without piercing the skin. If it works, then Apple’s breakthrough would be a ‘holy grail’ for life science technology. Google is not far behind in this track as its life sciences team is currently working on a ‘smart’ contact lens to measure blood sugar via the eye.
Drones and logistics: Moving out of sci-fi (sci-
ence fiction) columns, doctors and engineers are looking at unmanned machines in the skies as a safe route to healthcare. Indian scientists have given themselves a year’s time to develop and launch a prototype drone that can fly up to 250 km and carry at least 40 kg payload. “We are looking at a futuristic possibility but it’s not sci-fi anymore,” said Bengaluru-based National Design and Research Forum director K Ramachandra. “As of now, private organisations have been able to fly about 4 kg of medicines for up to 10 km. Flying longer distances will require heavier drones with powerful engines. “We are working on the prototypes,” he said. “People die because health care services can’t be given to them on time. We are looking at the options in technology to save this. It’s a global problem and many countries includ-
care too has adapted the cloud platform, almost 90% doctors are now storing all their patient records in digital format and then moving them to the cloud. With this patients and doctors can access their information anytime, anywhere. By using predictive algorithms, doctors can now diagnose their patients precisely. According to a DataQuest report, startups like Inspirata, are looking at big data analytics-based solutions for fast and accurate detection and diagnosis to treat cancer. The company is looking at building a big data repository of cancer data—Cancer Information Data Trust. This, when implemented via telemedicine, can enable patients to get fast and accurate diagnosis from any part of the world. This will also allow physicians to continue to mine a new source of data, together with existing sources, to get a complete view of the disease. By analysing multiple data points related to cancer, cancer specialists can perhaps arrive at a solution to defeat cancer. sangeetagd2010@gmail.com
CC
tadka
Indian workers happy to work with bots Around 93% of Indian workers feel positive about meeting bots and virtual assistants at their workspace, as per a survey conducted by Cisco across 10 countries. Amid fears that advanced technology may have an impact on the job opportunities, 64% of workers in India agree that advanced technology will create more jobs than it eliminates.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 55
Pearls of Wisdom
By Sadhguru
a blissful face is a
glorious face
M
The most important question to ask is, is it about looking good or is it about living good? How wonderful you feel within yourself is more important than how wonderful you look
y life is such that I am constantly engaged with people. Wherever I may be, in many ways, I touch them; it is very difficult to articulate and understand this. Because of this, I have to shower at least three to four times a day; minimum twice is a must but depending upon the level of activity, three to four and sometimes up to five times a day—not to wash myself off people, but it becomes necessary. I may not touch people by hand, but the energy contact that I establish with a whole mass of people is the fundamental of my work. Various aspects of different people do stick on and shower becomes a necessity. After showering, do I have to look in the mirror? No. I look the same every day. Most men have the problem of different levels of facial hair where they have to trim or shave it and keep it in a certain way. I look the same every day. I just have to arrange my beard, which doesn’t take a mirror, I know where it is and I am done. I can disturb the whole thing and arrange it without a mirror. A mirror doesn’t play such an important role in my life because how I look is fixed. I don’t look different on different days. If I close my eyes for a moment and I just feel through, I know how I look. Whether I radiate or not is decided by that. If it is not working properly, I just have to close my eyes for another few seconds, that’s all. The most important question to ask is, is it about looking good or is it about living good? How wonderful you feel within yourself is more
important than how wonderful you look. If you are really feeling wonderful, everybody will feel wonderful in your presence. If you are blissed out, everybody who comes in touch with you, one way or the other, will begin to experience that bliss. Have you noticed that a joyful face is always a beautiful face? A blissful face is a glorious face. If you look good maybe you are a piece of art, but nothing more will happen. Sculptures can look good, art can look good, anything can—I am not saying looking good is a bad thing. All I am saying is how much time you invest on it in your life clearly tells you who you are because if you have something of substance within you,
All I am saying is how much time you invest on it in your life clearly tells you who you are because if you have something of substance within you, looking good will not be such a relevant thing looking good will not be such a relevant thing. It doesn’t mean that I don’t take little care to look good; obviously I do. The important thing is, how much time and attention is given to looking good versus being good. Maybe I am coming up with this philosophy as I have no hope of looking good, you just have to do with what you have. Well, there are doctors who can fix the look, but it is not that important to me. So, here I am the way I am. (This article is originally published in http://isha. sadhguru.org)
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You see today that people can’t take their hands off their hair for a moment. This is simply because there is not enough substance. If you create enough substance within yourself, whether your hair is up like this or that does not matter; people will still love you for who you are. If you are planning to make an impact in the world either as an actor or whatever; that impact will happen because of your intensity and substance—not just because of the arrangement of your hair. Beauty and being handsome is a combination of intelligence, intensity, integrity, character, demeanor, bearing, gracefulness, love, joy, health, equanimity, exuberance and of course the shape and size of certain body parts. All of these you can achieve by yourself, except the last one that needs genetic help or some plastic surgery. May you not be a captive of certain idea of beauty but become captivating for all who behold you.
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Bollywood Biz
Movies that generated Controversy Padmavati, one of the most anticipated movies of the year, is in the eye of the storm. Bollywood has always been controversy’s favourite child, but some controversies have spiralled out of control and have had severe effects on the prospects of these movies. This issue, we take a look at some of the biggest controversies surrounding Bollywood films By Neeraj Varty
Padmavati Padmavati is an Indian epic period drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, based on the epic poem Padmavati (1540) by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. The film narrates the story of Padmavati, a legendary Rajput queen. The movie has been beset with controversies since the very beginning. It has been opposed on the grounds that it distorts history and glorifies the antagonist Alauddin Khilji. The film sets were vandalised in Rajasthan, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali was slapped by miscreants. Later, the sets of the film were set ablaze while filming was on in Kolhapur. The protests have intensified to such an extent that the release of the film has been pushed forward indefinitely. Protestors have said that they won’t allow the film’s release to go ahead even if it gets a nod from the CBFC.
Jodhaa Akbar (2008)
Jodhaa Akbar is an epic historical romance based on the Mughal emperor Akbar and his alleged Rajput wife Jodha Bai. The portrayal of ethnic Rajput people in the movie was criticised by members of the Rajput community as misleading, politically motivated historical revisionism that minimised Rajput history. The community’s protests against the film in some states led to the film being banned in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttarakhand. However, the producers went to the Supreme Court to challenge it. Later, the Supreme Court of India lifted the ban on screening the film. Upon release, it was a critical and commercial success. The film even won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the São Paulo International Film Festival. 58 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
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Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016)
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is a 2016 Indian romantic drama film written and directed by Karan Johar. It features Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Fawad Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles. Indian political party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), proclaimed that they would not allow the release of the film, following nationwide protests surrounding the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 18 September 2016 . Citing the casting of Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan, in the film, the MNS warned theatre owners around the country to not screen the film, threatening them with vandalism. Eventually, after a promise by Karan Johar that he would henceforth not cast Pakistani actors in his movies, the film was allowed to release. It went on to become a commercial success, grossing over 100 crores.
Black Friday (2007)
Black Friday is a 2004 crime film written and directed by Anurag Kashyap based on ‘Black Friday – The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts’, a book by Hussain Zaidi about the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts. The film showed in graphic detail the events of the horrific bombings, and the subsequent investigations by the police. The film was so controversial that the Indian Censor Board did not allow it to be released in India for three years and was finally released on 9 February 2007 after Supreme Court of India stepped in. Upon release, the film received overwhelmingly favourable reviews, and it is widely considered to be director Anurag Kashyap’s masterpiece.
Water (2005)
Water is a Indo-Canadian film written and directed by Deepa Mehta, with screenplay by Anurag Kashyap. It is set in 1938 and explores the lives of widows at an ashram in Varanasi. Water is a dark introspect into the tales of rural Indian widows in the 1940s and covers controversial subjects such as misogyny and ostracism. The day before filming of Water was due to begin, the crew was informed that there were complications with their location permits for filming. The following day, they learned that 2,000 protesters had stormed the ghats, destroying and burning the main film set and throwing the remnants into the Ganges in protest of what ultimately were revealed to be false accusations regarding the subject matter of the film. The resulting tensions and economic setbacks led to several years of struggle as Mehta was eventually forced to film Water in Sri Lanka, rather than in India. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com
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Mobile apps
If your resolution is to eat healthier
Nutrino
The Best Apps for your
New Year’s Resolutions It’s that time of the year when everyone has planned their resolutions for the New Year. The problem, like every year, is in the execution. New Year resolutions are notoriously difficult to follow. Which is why we have selected some handy apps which will help you stick to your goals, throughout the year. Without any further ado, Corporate Citizen brings you the best apps for your New Year’s resolutions By Neeraj Varty If your resolution is to get into shape
If your resolution is to set good habits
Nike+Training Club
HabitBull
Nike+Training Club is a running app that takes an adaptive approach to your training. Based on your goals and fitness level, it will adapt its recommended training curriculum to better suit your progress. Not only does the app help you stay motivated by integrating with social apps like Facebook, but it will allow you to send a “shoutout” to a friend to help them stay motivated.
Looking to start some good habits, or simply stop your bad ones? If you think you’re eating the wrong things, spend too much time on social media, or you just want to get up and walk a little more every day, then HabitBull will help you keep track of everything you do. When tracking your habits, the app will let you see if you’ve achieved your goals. You can also view
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your progress in weeks or months with the calendar view. The key here is to keep at it, and even if you don’t reach your goals at first, just don’t give up. Building good habits, and getting rid of the bad ones, takes time. This app will help you meet your goal with a fun, game-like approach.
If your resolution is to read more
Scribd
Scribd is definitely one of the most popular apps for accessing magazines, ebooks, graphic novels, and even audiobooks
on the go. The app provides personalized recommendations, but you can also browse by topic, or explore what’s currently trending. You’ll have access to some of the most popular publications on the planet, including Bloomberg, Time Magazine, People magazine, Fortune magazine, and Money magazine. The app is also incredibly handy if you’re a university student, since it allows you to search for dissertations, scientific studies, government reports, and even sheet music. Your unlimited selection of books will not only sync across all your devices, but will be ready for you to read offline.
Nutrino will give you the foods you need to eat to become healthier, but in a personalised way. It suggests what foods to eat based on your personal preferences. In the app, you can plan your meals based on your goals. You’ll also want to log your food, exercise, and other information so that the app can learn more about you. Nutrino will even show you a list of the restaurants nearby that serve whatever kind of food you want to eat. Plan ahead and get healthy with this great app.
If your resolution is to learn a new language
Duolingo
So you want to learn a new language? Well, you should try Duolingo. This app will give you as much as you can handle in the form of short, lesson-orientated bursts. You can learn at a gradual pace, too, and even practise with your friends. There is a bit of gamification here, so it will feel almost as if you’re playing a game and striving to reach the next level. neeraj.varty07@gmail.com
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Claps & Slaps Corporate Citizen Claps for the government of Maharashtra for taking the initiative of creating a special intelligence network to curtail smuggling and poaching of protected wildlife species The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has directed government departments to appoint nodal officers who would coordinate with each other for quicker turnaround on their investigations of cases. To this end, a nodal officer for wildlife crime will be deputed within each of the agencies including the Police, Forest Department, Customs, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Railway Protection Force, State Reserve Police Force, Coast Guard, municipal corporations from Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai, Mumbai’s municipal zoo, Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India. This inter-agency community model is expected to enhance coordination between the various departments for prompt action on wildlife crime cases. At the micro level, this strategy will likely enable the state to develop an effective combative strategy regarding wildlife crime-sensitive areas, route maps and centres where such trading occurs. The idea is also to raise awareness amongst officers on the status of protected species in India. These agencies with their designated nodal officers are expected to help communicate new developments on wildlife crime, share information and build better communication and intelligence networks. Data computed by the Delhi-based NGO-Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), states that there have been 486 cases of illegal trade of protected animal and bird species in Maharashtra alone over the past seven years. Of these, around 50% cases were reported from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), comprising Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. Mumbai turns out to be the hub for international trade of protected species due to its connectivity through land, air and sea. “Products such as animal skin and elephant ivory are smuggled to other places through Mumbai. Red sanders (a rare kind of wood) are smuggled in large numbers through the port. Leopard skin, elephant ivory, molluscs, star tortoises and spotted black terrapins account for most of the exports,” said Tito Joseph, programme coordinator, WPSI. To help them in this task, Haffkine Institute in Parel, Marine Products Export Development Authority in Nariman Point, Plant Quarantine Regional Station, Sewri and Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina, will help research the cases. “A number of seizures related to snake venom, watch straps made from saltwater crocodile leather and exotic birds is taking place through social media. For this, each of the institutes will help us track down cases faster,” said M Maranko, regional director, WCCB.
2018
Corporate Citizen Slaps the double standards adopted by fast food multinational companies in their use of antibiotics in chicken production, as per latest assessment by the CSEs (Centre For Science And Environment) In several developed countries, specific and time-bound commitments have either been made to ensure or eliminate antibiotic misuse in chicken supply chains but such steps seem unimaginable in India. The CSE, in its recent report revealed that fast food multinational companies do not have any India-specific commitments to eliminate misuse of antibiotics in their meat supply chains. With chicken-based food being a greater part of their menu, it is envisaged that this growing fast food industry is possibly one of the biggest contributor to rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). “Fast food multinational companies have adopted double standards. They have come out in the open and shown commitment to stop antibiotic misuse in the US and other countries, but have not taken any concrete steps in India. They do not seem to care about the Indian consumer,” said Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director General, CSE. “McDonald’s, which has over 300 outlets in India and is very popular especially among kids, has no plans of eliminating even the ‘highest-priority, critically-important antibiotics’ in India at least for the next 10 years. These antibiotics are extensively used in India and must be preserved for human use. The company plans to stop using these in many countries by 2019. However, it did not respond to our queries in India,” added Bhushan. Amit Khurana, Head, Food Safety and Toxins programme, CSE said, “Most of these, including McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, sell chicken-based food across the country. While some others shared their practices of sourcing and testing, they did not specify any timelines by which they planned to eliminate antibiotic misuse.” Under these circumstances when the Indian consumer and their health seem secondary for these MNC fast food giants in the face of their profit margins, it is time that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conduct regular surveillance of antibiotic residues and resistant bacteria in meat, meat-based foods and other food from animals. CSE suggests that big institutional buyers such as hotels, hospitals, airlines and railways should also develop policies to procure meat raised without routine use of antibiotics. Also, intensive industrial producers of chicken and fish should adopt practices that reduce dependence on antibiotics. The government must also make laws to prohibit antibiotic misuse. (Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar) January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 61
Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian
From The Mobile
Five lessons the way we treat pe What lessons we can learn by the way we treat people.
First Lesson - Cleaning lady
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: ‘What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?’ Surely, this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I learned that her name was Dorothy.
Second Lesson Pickup in the rain
One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
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A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960’s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.” Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole
Third Lesson - Always remember those who serve
In the days when an ice-cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice-cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.. “Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice-cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice-cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice-cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
Fourth Lesson The obstacle in our path
In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a road. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the kings’ wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along, carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the
A beautiful speech by Sundar Pichai
eople road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition
Fifth Lesson Giving when it counts
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-yearold brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away”? Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
The cockroach theory for self-development. At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic-stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but... it landed on another lady in the group. Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant. Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour? If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos. It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies. I realised that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it’s my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturb me. It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me. More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life. Lessons learnt: • I understood I should not react in life. • I should always respond. • The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded. • Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well-thought out. • A beautiful way to understand Life. • Person who is Happy is not because Everything is RIGHT in his Life. • He is Happy because his Attitude towards Everything in his Life is Right.
Did you know? Interesting facts and observations regarding playing cards • Did you know that the traditional deck of the playing cards is a veritable and most ingenious form of a calendar? • There are 52 weeks in the year and so there are 52 playing cards in a deck. • There are 13 weeks in each season and thus there are 13 cards in each suit. • There are 4 seasons in a year and 4 suits in the deck. • There are 12 months in a year so there are 12 court cards. (Those with faces namely Jacks, Queens and Kings) • The Red Cards represents the day, while the Black Cards represents the night. • If you add the points of the Jacks = 11, the Queens = 12, and the Kings = 13, then add up all the sums of 1 + 2 + 3 + …to 13 = 91. Multiply this by 4, for the 4 suits, therefore 91 x 4 = 364, add 1 that is
the Joker and you will arrive at the number 365 being the days in a year. Is that a mere coincidence or a greater intelligence? • Of interest is the sum of the letters in all the names of the cards, for e.g. add up the letters in ‘one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen, King’ = 52! • The Spades indicate ploughing/working. • The Hearts indicates love thy crops. • The Clubs indicates flourishing and growth. • The Diamonds indicate reaping the Wealth. • Also, in some card games two Jokers are used, indicating the leap year. • There is a deeper philosophy than just a merely a game of playing cards.
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 63
astroturf sign. Your paths of greatest fulfilment will be finance and an image makeover.
Aries
Mar 21 - April 20
Some of the long-term planets are shifting so make sure you are adaptable and not get too fixed in your ways. This year is a very strong career year. After seven years of redefining yourself and experimenting with your image you will settle on something that works for you. There are going to be sudden personal changes in life and you will learn to deal with sudden financial changes too which are bound to become exciting and adventurous just the way you like it. Jupiter has been in your 8th house since October 2017 and will be there till November 2018. This indicates prosperity of partners. You may also get into inheritance, not due to the demise of anybody, but by virtue of good fortune in tax and estate issues. You will be able to relieve yourself of all your debts. You may favour projects involving personal transformation and will thoroughly enjoy undergoing personal transformation. Month of November encourages you to travel more than usual and perhaps earn more money too. In a nutshell, you will experience more positivity and optimism in life. other.
TAURUS
April 21 - May 20
Sometimes the best way to get out of a sticky situation is to build up resilience and blow the situations away. There will be new beginnings this year. Another major headline is your love life which was better last year and gets even better as the year goes by. November month will bring in prosperity to you and in the life of your loved ones too. Good time to pay off debts and also attract outside investors if you are involved in any kind of projects. Those involved in legal issues will only meet with success if they are actually fighting what they truthfully believe is their right. Otherwise you can expect many delays
LEO
July 24 - Aug 23
(www.dollymanghat.com)
Your Fortune In
2018
Dolly Manghat, our renowned astrological expert scripts major trends for the New Year. Read what you have in store for you. Let it be your guideline to crack 2018! and setbacks. Do not try to be bullish but do what you genuinely feel is correct. Your most important interests this year, involves your body and mental makeover. And paths of greatest fulfilment will be home and family.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 21
Long-term planets are changing signs that, this year’s heralding a change of direction in your own life. You may feel a wee bit unsettled now but then everything is subject to change. Jupiter spends most of the year in your 6th house of health and work. This is good news for your health. Your love life will be affected in a positive way. This year you should focus on quality rather than quantity. Neptune, your career planet and the most spiritual and idealistic of all the planets, has been in your 10th house of career for some years now and will remain there for many more years to come, thus idealism is important in the career; this aspect favours a spiritual type of career which you enjoy with passion. Your passion will be your profession. Your paths of greatest fulfilment will be through your communications and intellectual interests.
64 / Corporate Citizen / January 1-15, 2018
CANCER
June 22 - July 23
This year is better described as a bittersweet year kind of year for you. Jupiter in the sign of Scorpio brings many happy events —more money and more fun in life, optimism and personal creativity for you. Pluto has been in your 7th house of love since January 2008. This has caused great changes in your love and social life. There could have been many divorces and separations during these past ten years. Now since Saturn has moved into your 7th house, these new relationships will get stress-tested and only the good ones survive. Uranus has been in your 10th of career for the past seven years which brought about multiple career changes for many of you. Between May and November Uranus moves out of your career house and situations stabilise for you. Uranus moves into your 11th house from May 16th to November 6th will help you discern between real and artificial relationship. Neptune in the 9th house indicates a spiritualising of your religious and philosophical beliefs. On November 8th Jupiter moves into your 6th house, becoming very powerful in his own
You are going to witness three solar eclipses this year, thereby bringing in dramatic changes in your life. You could consider making those personal changes that you have been longing to make. Sun is your ruling planet hence the two solar eclipses will have a deep impact on you and you will be affected by them. Two solar eclipses one solar and the other lunar will occur in your own sign, and this further reinforces the fact that you will feel the changes. You should consider redefining yourself, reinventing yourself more than usual. Uranus moves into Taurus firstly, briefly from May 16 to November 6 and then in 2019 moves in for seven years. This will affect two important areas of your life—the love life and the career. Health will also be needing your attention as Uranus in Taurus makes stressful aspects to you. Jupiter spends most of its time in your family house, bestowing happiness in domestic life. You could make major renovations or buy and sell your house. This year will help you in building strong work ethics and a strong regime to be followed for your health. You will have to work hard this year. Neptune in your 8th house gives vent to spiritualism and raises your bar of introspection.
VIRGO
Aug 24 - Sept 23
Saturn’s move out from Sagittarius was a harbinger of great news for you. You could have probably experienced as a great burden being lifted from your shoulders. This year you must expand your knowledge and gain insight of things that interest you. Those involved in education will have a sharp mind to absorb information quickly. It’s also a wonderful aspect for teachers, journal-
Y HAPPYEAR NEW
2018
ists and writers. Renovations of existing home or buying a better place is indicated. Family circle gets enlarged through marriages or births. This year encourages you to be more disciplined and dedicated in whatever you are focusing on. Your personal life does undergo a radical change. Pay attention to your health. You need to dedicate time and attention to yourself. The move of Uranus from Aries to Taurus your 9th house may affect your health. It signals you to change your habits in accordance with the needs of your health. You will experience becoming more spiritual towards love, believing in karma and its connections.
LIBRA
Sept 24 - Oct 22
Mixed emotions and news for 2018. First, the good news is that after seven years of stressful alignment with your sign, Uranus is beginning to move away. Instead of being in continuous stressful alignment, he will only be for approximately half the time now onwards. In fact, you may hardly feel its influence. Jupiter, for most of the year will be in your money house, thus you could expect prosperity and good career moves. Not only does your health improve but your love life and social life will also start to improve. Neptune has been in your 6th house of health for many years now and will be there for many more to come. This signals the importance of spiritual healing. Saturn, since last December 2017, has been in a stressful alignment with you. Uranus is leaving his stressful aspect, but Saturn replaces him. So, indicating you to be more cautious of your diet and exercise regime in the year 2018. Saturn’s move into your 4th house implies that you need to take care of your emotions and not get carried away emotionally. Be practical and realistic, as there are bound to be more domestic responsibilities to deal with. This can lead to repression and perhaps depression.
The year ahead needs management of your time, emotions and being practical. Forewarned is forearmed.
SCORPIO
Oct 23 - Nov 22
Jupiter’s move into your own sign on October 10 of last year initiated a multi-year cycle of prosperity, now he remains in the same position for 2018 until November 8th so money keeps rolling. Jupiter in anyone’s sign is a prosperity signal, but for you it’s more than the most. Jupiter is your financial planet so his impact on finances is much stronger. On November 8th, Jupiter will enter your money house which happens to be his own house and sign, bringing in more prosperity. Those involved in education will benefit and achieve success. You will have to work harder to achieve your goals. Don’t fear, just keep your calm and patience to tide over the roughness. Your current marriage or relationship will be tested. However, stability at workplace is anticipated. Neptune has been in your 5th house since 2012 and will be there for many more years to come, which inspires the creativity within you and urges you to manifest it.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov 23 - Dec 22
You will now be even more adventure-loving and strong. Your Sagittarian qualities will be accentuated. You could expect more travel, more than usual interest in spiritual matters. As you grow older and internalise yourself, your will experience more ebullience and optimism. Saturn, your financial planet, moved in here late last year and would be posited there for another two years. Neptune has been in your 4th house of home and family since 2012. This shows the spiritualisation of the family, life which is becoming more elevated and refined. There will be changes in the job scenario and in the coming years there will be
multiple changes. This aspect also brings about important changes in your health regime and attitude towards health. Those involved in education can expect dramatic and unexpected changes or shakeups happening. You may have to make some course corrections.
CAPRICORN
Dec 23 - Jan 20
There has been a lot of internal spiritual growth in the past two years, as the ruler of your horoscope, Saturn, was moving through your 12th house. Jupiter moves into this house on November 8. But now, your internal growth becomes visible to the world and to other people. Most people are uncomfortable with a Saturn transit, but for you it is good. Pluto, your planet of friends, has been in your sign for many years now. So, you will be attracting a whole set of new people in your life. This year with Jupiter in your 11th house your network builds up even more. Uranus has been in your 4th house of home and family for the past seven years, bringing much change and instability in the family circle. Happily, this is beginning to reduce a bit this year. Uranus moves out of your 4th house into your 5th house of fun creativity and children. Neptune has been in your 3rd house for many years now, and will be there for many years to come. your intellectual interests will become more spiritual and refined. Keeping your focus on what needs to be done will bear fruits.
AQUARIUS
Jan 21- Feb 19
The year ahead is going to be very successful, but also fraught with much change and drama. Perhaps it is the success that is causing all the drama—it changes the family and social dynamic or perhaps it’s the other way around. Jupiter spends most of the year in your 10th house of career. A signal for promotion, for elevation in your
company or professional status. The change and drama come from the eclipses this year. Four out of five of these impact on the love life. Two eclipses affect you personally—your image and personal goals. This year Saturn joins the party and will be here for the next two years. So, the year ahead is especially spiritual. Jupiter will be making beautiful aspects to Neptune, your financial planet, almost all year round. Career success is translating into increased earnings. Moreover, Neptune has been in your money house, his own sign and house since 2012. Uranus, the ruler of your Horoscope is making a major move this year, from your 3rd house to your 4th. This only happens every seven years. It will be for short time in 2018 from May 16th to November 6th. Long-term changes and upheavals are brewing in the family.
PISCES
Feb 20 - Mar 20
For the past two years, Saturn has been in your 10th house of career. You will have to work very hard to impress those who matter in your work. The stress will ease. There will be signs of foreign travel and career opportunities in foreign lands. All those involved with education can almost choose their path and place to advance their studies. You have to deal with much financial insecurity. Earnings were never stable, sometimes they were very high, sometimes ultra-low. You will start to experience more stability and security. Friendships and relationships could be tested even more. Neptune has been in your own sign for some years now and he will be there for a couple of more years, indicating that your spiritual attitude raises its bar and enhances your belief system. Address: 143, St Patrick’s Town, Gate# 3, Hadapsar IE, Pune-411 013. Tel.: 020-26872677 / 020-32905748 Email: connect@dollymanghat. com/ info.dollymanghat@gmail.com
January 1-15, 2018 / Corporate Citizen / 65
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