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Letter from the Editor Outline 2019 Forcasts Better 2020 Dear readers, With the year 2019 ended on Tuesday (December 31, 2019), another year is on its way out presenting entrepreneurs an opportunity to echo on the past year, with all its peaks and valleys, and plan for the upcoming year with fresh lessons in mind. Whether the changes are in technology, marketing, finance or public policy, entrepreneurs need to be aware of all these external factors in addition to their operations. In order to pursue the facts, the Observer Dawn tried to pursue a list of business trends and predictions so as to give a boost to the businesses with an easy take off ahead of the 2020. As far as the businesses related to customer services and sales services are concerned, it is anticipated that the customers have now left with choices than they have ever had. As a consequence, they are witnessed sinking towards those who are prioritizing quick, seamless and personalized delivery and services. In spite of the weakening economic scenario, policy reforms across various sectors in 2019 acted as a business sentiment booster leading to a tremendous improvement in India’s Ease of Doing Business Ranking, as set by the World Bank. It is believed that Delhi might overtake Tokyo by 2030, as the world’s largest urban agglomeration. India will have 68 cities with a population of more than 1 million as against 42 at present. Although, the year 2019 remained challenging for both, the economy as a whole and the real estate sector, the traditional approaches adopted by the later have initiated a new wind of demand. Here, the role of policy reforms in giving it the muchneeded regulatory push and the need for building future-ready talent to establish India on the map of world-class developments cannot be ruled out.

up and the stuck projects witnessing a ray of hope. Certainly, the year 2020 will start growing with a renewed market is expected. On the other hands, the union government has not left any stone unturned in glorifying India’s economic scenario so as to achieve the $5-trillion mark for the economy in days to come. Recently, the government has announced various measures in order to achieve the target. Meanwhile, keeping OYO, the largest hospitality chain in India, on the top of its list of country’s top ten Startups of the year 2019, the renowned social media platform, LinkedIn, has shown its optimistic concern. Had there been any doubt, this international social media platform could hardly pursue its optimistic comment on startups. Hoping for the best in 2020, the year 2019 also witnessed various good and bad events that often turned to be the ‘turning points’ in the modern history of India. Right from the revocation of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status by abrogating Article 370, implementation NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the SC verdict in favor of Ramjanmabhumi and other such events. Definitely, these changes have brought the country’s youth into different corners.As a whole, the year 2019, witnessed various ups and downs in almost all sectors, the reflections of which are expected with positive repercussions in 2020 onwards.

The commercial segment including industrial sector, retail and frontier segments such asCo-living did well in 2019 and same is expected from 2020. It is believed that the biggest announcement for real estate was the announcement of Rs 25,000 crorebudget that is supposed to infuse required liquidity in the market. Besides, various measures taken by the government, the pace of sales remained up to the mark. Overall the year was good as developers saw unsold inventory declining, new projects lapped

Hariom Tyagi Editor-in-Chief Observer Dawn Connect with Hariom Tyagi

@harityagi2003

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January 2020

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BRIEFING COVER STORY

UNVEILING TULIP YELLOW

OUTLOOK 2020

7 Best Online Businesses to Start in 2020

DEFENCE

In-Depth

34 6

Piramal Enterprises Appoints Jairam Sridharan Its New CEO

Air Force Conducts National Level Symposium

SPECIAL STORY Indian Army & Human Rights

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

E-commerce Industry of India Remains Growing

BRIEFING

Year Ender 2019

Most Publicized Political News in 2019

Outlook

Policy Reforms, A Business Sentiment Booster in 2019

LifeStyle

Learn How to Create Better Balance Between Work & Life

Ecology & Environment Arribada: An Enthralling Journey into Fascinating World of Sea Turtles

Real Estate

2019-Projections 2020

REAL ESTATE An Overview – 2019 & Reflections – 2020

Interview

Telecoms

Vodafone-Idea and Airtel Plan to Beat Jio

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Leadership ChangeNeeded to Affirm Growth in Real Estate: Bakshi

Outlook 2020

Best Online Businesses to Start in 2020

Technology and the internet have changed our lives in many ways. One of its biggest impacts has been in terms of opening up new ways to earn money on internet. Gone are the day when doing a 9-5 job or running a brick-and-mortar business were the only two options available to most people to earn a living. These days there are several options for starting an online business, which if executed well can generate a handsome income and fast track your financial independence. Before starting any online business find about the dedicated time you have, resources at your disposal, support from family, financial backup or savings that you can afford to lose, the eagerness to learn, persistence levels and your willingness to keep running the business for next 3 years.

E-commerce Website

ou might already know about the big e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Flipkart. They are the two mighty e-commerce platforms in India. You can start an e-commerce website and setup on your own from scratch, with WordPress and Woo-commerce. It hardly takes 4 hours to set it up a n d a d d a l l t h e p r o d u c t s . Yo u c a n a l s o s e t u p order and shipping management details. If Tech is not your piece of cake, you can hire a freelancer to build an e-commerce website he/she may charge you depending upon the complexity, design and look of your website. It is useful for people who can invest full-time, have the capital backup, tech-savvy and for the people who can learn things on own and ready to do all activities and manage operations alone.

2 A

Blogging as Business

logging requires minimum investment and over a period of time gives you multiple options to monetize the blog. If you want to start a blog and treat it as a business, you have to invest around Rs.1 lakh to 2 lakhs in one year. If you are planning to start blogging all you require is a Hosting, Theme & Email Marketing. There are multiple revenue options for a blogger. However, you only work on two major things. Promoting others products & selling your own products. If you can write blog posts on useful topics that interests and solves your reader problems you will soon establish a strong relationship with your reader base. Over a period of time, you can recommend your own products or others products to make money online.

Amazon Affiliate Niche Website

good way to start an Amazon Affiliate Niche Website is to pick a category of products on Amazon website that you have used in your life and have personal experiences with the products. Write about your experience and share your views and write reviews, both positive and negative.

If you are afraid of writing, but have the skill set to find on-demand products that sell, you may invest money and find good freelancers who write articles for you. All you need is 10-20 good articles to generate income on autopilot. There are crores of products on Amazon and more than 40 main categories and few more hundreds of subcategories to look for your niche that you can dominate online and get some easy money.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Outlook 2020

ONLINE

BUSINESS

Selling Digital Marketing Skills

here are certain hot and on-demand internet skills with which you can earn money online without any investment working from home. Only thing is you should have experience with these skills to earn money online. These skills include SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Websites/ WordPress, Content Writing, SMM (Social Media Marketing), SEM (Search Engine Marketing aka Google Adwords), Keyword research & Content development, Social Media Accounts Management, Facebook Marketing, Graphic Design and Video Editing. You can trade these skills for money as a freelancer. If you do not have any of these skills, try to learn by working with a digital marketing agency or with an Internet Marketer as an Intern. You can also learn these skills by blogging or by investing in few online courses and start learning. Managing social media accounts for a School or a local restaurant or saloon will also give you side income opportunities. You can find opportunities and the demand for the digital skills over micro jobs and major job portals such as Internshala, Upwork, Fiverr and on Naukri portal.

Creating Online Courses

f you are an expert, have domain knowledge and comfortable teaching students online with a passion and if you can explain the complex concepts in an easy way to a beginner, you have a great chance to excel in selling Informational products. Online training business [Selling your skills/expertise online via video classes] is one of the prominent money making business and provides exponential money making opportunities.

Writing an E-Book

Starting a YouTube Channel

re you a creative person who can take people to a totally different fantasy world or have some life lessons that you can share in the form of stories [comedy/humor/ drama]?Or do you have any business experience and zeal to help startups and entrepreneurs with your writings? If you say yes to any of the above-mentioned questions, you are good to write an eBook and self-publish on Amazon Kindle or on other online publications. If you need any help. You can hire someone to help with proofread, design and copywriting. Once you have a copy of the proofread eBook, you now need to worry about the following in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internet world. Selecting right category on Amazon, Book Title and pricing your copy is what you have to invest time on after writing the book.

ou can earn money by starting a YouTube channel for free without buying any hosting. If you have a smartphone and bank account, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re good to go. You can start recording a video and upload on YouTube platform and later monetize your work. Next step is to find your niche and narrow down your topic, prepare content and start making videos.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Outlook 2020

INDIAN CITIES FEATURE IN JLL’S PREMIUM OFFICE RENT TRACKER India’s top office submarkets across Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru have found a place in JLL’s Global Premium Office Rent Tracker (PORT) that lists world’s most premium office submarkets and compares occupancy costs for premium office buildings across the world’s leading real estate markets.

he company released the fifth edition of PORT on December 9, 2019 that includes 86 office submarkets in 73

strong growth in demand was mainly led by strong expansion of IT/ITeS (48% of overall leasing) and BFSI (11% of overall leasing) occupiers.”

According to JLL’s press statement, globally, with new construction expected to peak over the coming year, the supply of premium office space is likely to gradually increase. Although occupier choice is increasing, premium space is still not in plentiful supply. Among the top office markets, the overall vacancy rate remains in the low single digits. In India, while the net absorption across cities has more than doubled in the third quarter (July-September) of 2019 the vacancy levels have remained almost at similar levels since 2018.

The statement added, that the occupancy cost continues to rise for premium offices across cities.

cities.

It further added, while the banking and financial services industry continues to be the main driving force of premium office rents, technology firms – particularly online platforms – are playing a greater role in pushing premium office occupancy costs. Indian cities are no different. According to the Third Quarter Office Market Update from JLL IT/ITeS occupiers accounted for nearly 50% of overall leasing across Indian cities. Ramesh Nair, CEO & Country Head – India, JLL said, “To put things into perspective, 2017 and 2018 witnessed net absorption of 28.7 mnsqft and 33.2 mnsqft, respectively in the entire year. A significant surge was witnessed in Q3 2019 with net absorption more than doubling as compared to the same period last year - from 5.3 mnsqft in Q3 2018 to 10.9 mnsqft in Q3 2019. This

Both globally and locally, occupiers are also interested in moving to more affordable alternatives for premium offices. “This trend continues to propel the market for bringing more Grade A office supply. As a result, new alternative business districts have emerged in the last few years,” Nair added. The statement added, there is on average a 40% discount between the premium office location and secondary or decentralized business districts. For example there is a difference in rental values between Connaught Place of New Delhi and Gurgaon. The Hong Kong-Central submarket continues to be the world’s most expensive market, according to PORT. However, the price gap with the second most expensive submarket – New York- Midtown – has narrowed to around 50% from 60% a year ago, and a further closing of the gap is anticipated. Beijing-Finance Street now sits in third place, having overtaken LondonWest End in fourth. New York-Midtown South rounds off the Global Top 5. It would be praiseworthy mentioning here that the JLL is India’s premier

and largest professional services firm specializing in real estate. It has an extensive presence across 10 major cities (Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Coimbatore) and over 130 tier II & III markets with a cumulative strength of close to 12,000 professionals. The Firm provides investors, developers, local corporates and multinational companies with a comprehensive range of services. This includes leasing, capital markets, research & advisory, transaction management, project development, facility management and property & asset management. These services cover various asset classes such as commercial, residential, industrial, retail, warehouse and logistics, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, data center and education. JLL India won the Five Star Award for ‘Best Property Consultancy at the International Property Awards Asia Pacific 2018 -19. The Firm was also recognized amongst the ‘Top 100 Best Places to Work in India’ three years in a row (2017, 2018 and 2019) in the annual survey conducted by Great Place to Work and The Economic Times. It has also been acknowledged as ‘Property Consultant of the Decade’ at the 10th CNBC-Awaaz Real Estate Awards 2015.

Premium office submarkets in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru compare with the world’s most premium offices • While Mumbai ranks in top 40 names, Delhi, Gurgaon and Bengaluru also feature in the tracker that ranks 86 submarkets of 76 cities • Occupancy costs around the world continue to rise for premium offices; With new supply coming in, rental growth is likely to decelerate in 2020 • Occupiers will continue to look at alternate and more affordable office options • Wo r l d o v e r, i n c l u d i n g I n d i a , technology-driven companies continue to command office rents

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Outlook 2020

GOVERNMENT TO ELIMINATE MDR CHARGES ON TRANSACTIONS THROUGH RUPAY-UPI FROM 2020

inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held an important meeting with the heads of pre-budget public banks. In the meeting, the Finance Minister has given a big statement regarding MDR fee. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the notified methods of payment will not attract MDR charges for which an early notification will be issued. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that from the year 2020, there will be no Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charge on transactions through RuPay Cards and UPI. In a review meeting with top officials of state-run banks, Finance Minister Sitharaman said that the government will bear the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges on RuPay cards and UPI transactions on notified payments. From January 2020, all companies with a turnover of more than Rs 50 crores will have to provide their customers the facility of payment through

debit card and UPI QR code without any MDR charges. When a person swaps his card at a shop, the fee that the shopkeeper has to pay to his service provider is called MDR fee. This fee is applicable for online transactions and QR based transactions. QR code based online transactions also have to pay MDR charges. The amount paid by the shopkeeper on every transaction is divided into three parts. The first part goes to the bank, the second part goes to vendors that manufacture point-of-sale (POS) machines, and the third part goes to companies like Visa and MasterCard. However, even after this announcement by the Finance Minister, the MDR charges on credit cards can range from zero to two percent of the transaction amount. The Finance Minister, while presenting his first budget had said that all businesses with a turnover of more than Rs 50 crores will be able to provide payment facility through

debit card and UPI QR code without any MDR charges. Sitharaman had said that companies would have to provide their customers with low-cost digital means of payment and the bank would bear the costs on transactions.

SBI CHANGING THE RULES FOR WITHDRAWING MONEY FROM ATMS FROM 2020

anks periodically issue instructions to protect customers from fraud and for safe banking. Even after tight security, customers are cheated while using ATM, net banking or any other way of transaction. Now, State Bank

of India (SBI) has introduced a new system, through which its customers will be able to avoid being a victim of fraud. SBI has changed its rules for withdrawing money from ATMs. The new facility is going to start from 2020.

SBI is bringing the facility of One Time Password (OTP) for its customers to withdraw cash from ATMs. This new facility will be implemented in all SBI ATMs across the country. Under the facility, SBI customers will have to put OTP on withdrawing money through ATM. In a tweet, SBI said that SBI customers will have to put OTP on withdrawing more than Rs 10,000 through ATM. OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number given by the customer in the bank, through which the money will be withdrawn. On the other hand, if customers withdraw from the ATM of other bank, they will not be provided with the OTP facility. Under the process, when customers are withdrawing money, they will see the OTP screen along with the amount on the ATM screen. The OTP will be sent to the customer on his registered mobile number. This will reduce the chances of fraud.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Outlook 2020

LINKEDIN HIGHLIGHTS INDIA’S

TOP TEN

STARTUPS – 2019

The renowned social media platform, LinkedIn keeps OYO on the top of its list of ‘Top ten Startups’ of the year 2019. The OD takes on LinkedIn’s major highlights are as follows:

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Outlook 2020 7. Cure.Fit

1. Oyo Hotels and Homes

he largest hospitality chain of India, OYO is not only known for its memorable job in making guests feel at home in its global network of hotels and homes, instead it also manages to extend that feeling to its entire staff. For the second consecutive year running, OYO Hotels and Homes rank as the best start-up to work for in India. The six-year-old company is on the top among LinkedIn’s hottest Indian start-ups to work for in 2019. It is joined in the top 25 by start-ups covering a range of industries, from healthcare to e-learning, but all with the country’s thriving tech scene at their cores. Headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, OYO securing top spot for the second year

2. Playment

ith a global headcount of 75, the Playment has it’s headquarter in Bengaluru. Joining the list for the first time this year is five-year-old data labeling platform Playment. Backed by investors including Y Combinator and Google Launchpad, the start-up attracts techies with its range of innovative projects including autonomous vehicles, drones and mapping. It also doesn’t obsess over college degrees or employment history.

3. Bounce

ften termed as the world’s fastest growing bike sharing start-up of India, electric scooter company, Bounce of Bengaluru has spread its wing rapidly right from its launch in the year 2014. Now, it offers a varied range of job opportunities across finance, operations, engineering and product design. The company is looking to create 5,500 new jobs in days to come.

4. Acko

he Mumbai based, three-year-old digital insurance platform, Acko offers personalized policies based on user behavior. This start-up has received tens of millions of dollars in funding, including from major companies like: Amazon and pledges an inclusive and motivating work environment. The company has a global headcount of almost 300.

in a row is India’s largest hospitality chain, OYO Hotels and Homes. Six years since it was founded by a 19-year-old tech entrepreneur, the start-up has become a decacorn — a start-up valued at more than $10 billion. It has also ventured into co-working, and expanded into Europe and the U.S. The company has built entrepreneurialism into its bones. It empowers its staff — or so-called OYO preneurs — with ownership of their own projects, and gives them access to benefits like employee stock options and childcare. The company is looking to hire over 10,000 people globally within the next year. The company has a global Global headcount of 12,000.

5. mfine mfine is an AI-powered healthcare platform. It connects the people, in need, to hundreds of top-notch doctors online. The company aims to provide instant access to high-quality and reliable healthcare, especially for non-emergency conditions. It has over 0.7 million users that trust the mfine App as a family doctor on the go. The company makes an easy access to the specialized in various fields and aim at providing the best medical assistance to patients. The doctors listed on mfine often possess over 10 years’ experience. With tie-ups with top hospitals across the city, the company also provides easy access to reliable medical care to its users. It has global headcounts of almost 400 and its headquarter is at Bengaluru.

ith a global headcount of 500, CureFit has its head quarter in Bengaluru in Karnataka. As a non-mover from last year is wellness start-up Cure.Fit, whose products and services range from fitness and nutrition to therapy and healthcare. The three-yearold company has made well-being central to its corporate culture, and offers flexible working hours, unlimited leave and even a food allowance.

8. TapChief

hree-year-old internet company TapChief is a newcomer to LinkedIn’s top start-ups list. The tech platform, which connects users with experts for professional advice, made the ranks this year for its strong emphasis on mentorship and career growth. The Bangalore-headquartered business also offers unlimited vacation and lets you bring your dog to the office. This top tech company has altogether 56 offices across the globe and its head quarter is situated in Bengaluru.

9. Razorpay

mong others, the promising payments platform, Razorpay, has moved up in at least five places this year to fourth position. The start-up was founded in Bangalore in 2014 to help businesses process payments and has since grown to a team of almost 500. In addition to receiving a good degree of project autonomy, employees also enjoy a range of benefits including games nights and staff outings. Plus, employees are invited to take over Razorpay’sInstagram handle for a day and publicly express their opinion about the company.

10. Rivigo

6. InterviewBit

nterviewBit is a skill learning platform that often helps any individual to technology jobs. The company also helps polish skills and get ready for the job, whether the candidate is a college graduate, fresher or a working professional. It also connects one with right companies worldwide. Headquartered in Pune, this interview preparation platform is a returnee to LinkedIn’s top start-up list, moving up 12 places from last year. Designed especially for software engineers, the business provides support to job candidates via a range of practice questions and ondemand mentors.

January 2020

ivigo is a technology company that builds material movement pipeline of India through a globally unique innovation of relay trucking, enabled by a strong interplay of technology, data, culture and operational excellence. Its goal is to make logistics human, faster, safer and cost-effective. It is usually solves a real and fundamental problem of truck driver shortage using a breakthrough relay model. The company has been transforming the sector with its global-first driver relay model and cutting-edge technology to consistently provide unparalleled delivery times and reliability to our clients. It has a global headcount of 4,500 and its headquarter is in Gurugram, Haryana.

OBSERVER DAWN

In-Depth

PIRAMAL ENTERPRISES APPOINTS JAIRAM SRIDHARAN ITS NEW CEO Piramal Enterprises Limited has on December 20, 2019 announced the appointment of Jairam Sridharan as the Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Finance Business.

ridharan comes with over two decades of deep expertise in domestic and international retail finance. Previously, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Axis, Jairam rose over US$1.8 Bn, the largest private equity infusion in banking at the time, and led the finance, strategy, M&A and investor relations functions. Before that, he was the president, retail lending & payments at Axis Bank, where he led the transformation of Axis Bank into a retail bank growing the book 6 times in 5 years. During this period, Axis emerged as one of the top 5 retail lending institutions in the country. Sridharan has also served Capital One Financial, one of the most pioneering tech-enabled consumer banks of America, as Head of their ‘New to Credit’ card acquisitions. He started his career at ICICI Bank, where he headed ‘business intelligence unit’ and developed the analytical capabilities of the bank. “ We a r e d e l i g h t e d t o w e l c o m e JairamSridharan. Jairam not only has rich experience in building a large retail finance business but also has deep knowledge of technology and analytics, a combination that positions us well as we build a business of the future”, said AnandPiramal, the Executive Director, Piramal Group. “Our hope is to create a world class new age AI-led lending business that helps fuels the growth of small businesses and fulfils the aspiration of Indian consumers. We believe greatly in India’s financial services story, both on the wholesale and retail side, and this foray helps us build a more innovative, diversified and complete financial services conglomerate”, ED, AnandPiramal, said. Consumer and small business financing is one of India’s most exciting growth opportunities. Current penetration in consumer finance in India is a third of China, and a fifth of that in the US. In addition, only 5 out of 80 million MSMEs have access to formal credit. Rapid internet penetration and progressive government reforms such as India Stack and GST have made India a data rich and digitally driven country. Sridharan holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in

Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi and Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Kolkata where he was awarded a Roll of Honour for academic excellence. In 2015, Jairam was on The Economic Times’ ‘40 Under 40’ list of India’s hottest business leaders. In 2019, the Institutional Investor magazine named him ‘Best CFO’ in their All-Asia Executive team for Banks, based on Sell-Side analyst votes.

Piramal Group It would be praiseworthy mentioning here that the Piramal Group, led by Ajay Piramal, is India’s leading business conglomerates with a global footprint. With operations in 30 countries and brand presence in over 100 countries, the Group’s turnover was ~$2.2 billion in FY2019. The Group’s diversified portfolio includes presence in industries like healthcare, financial services, healthcare information management, glass packaging and real estate. Driven by the core values, the Group steadfastly pursues inclusive growth, while adhering to ethical and value driven practices. Piramal Foundation (a Section 8 company effective Mar-2018), the philanthropic arm, has initiatives running across healthcare, water, education and women empowerment in 25 states of India.

Piramal Enterprises Limited Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL) is one of India’s large diversified companies, with a presence in Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Insights & Analytics. PEL’s consolidated revenues

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

were ~US$1.9 billion in FY2019, with around ~40% of revenues generated from outside India. In Financial Services, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Limited (PCHFL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of PEL, is registered as a housing finance company with the National Housing Bank (NHB) and offers a complete suite of financial products, in both wholesale and retail financing across sectors. The Group has long-standing partnerships with leading institutional investors such as CPPIB, APG and Ivanhoé Cambridge, etc. IndiaRF, the distressed asset investing platform with Bain Capital Credit, invests in equity and/or debt across sectors (except real estate). PEL also has equity investments in the Shriram Group, a leading financial conglomerate in India. In Pharma, through end-to-end manufacturing capabilities across 13 global facilities and a large global distribution network to over 100 countries, PEL sells a portfolio of niche differentiated pharma products and provides an entire pool of pharma services (including in the areas of injectable, HPAPI etc.). The Company is also strengthening its presence in the Consumer Products segment in India. PEL’s Healthcare Insights & Analytics business is a premier provider of healthcare analytics, data & insight products and consulting services to the world’s leading pharma, biotech and medical technology companies, enabling them to make informed business decisions.

In-Depth

MAKE IN INDIA

GROWTH OF 700% IN EXPORTING SMARTPHONE

odi government’s ambitious ‘Make in India’ program is beginning to show its impact. Since the launch of this campaign, not only the production of electronics goods has doubled in five years, rather India is emerging as an exporter of Smartphones. Smartphone exports from India are being made to the United Arab Emirates, Russia, South Africa and China. Smartphone exports have increased 700 percent in a year. This information has been published in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) annual report 2018-19. It has been said that mobile phone handsets and components manufacturing has emerged as a flagship sector along with Make in India. The import of mobile phones has reduced due to the production of domestic mobile phones. According to the report, the export of smart phones from India was just $ 200 million in FY 2017-18, which increased to $ 160 million in FY 2018-19. Meanwhile, according

to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce, smartphone exports from India have crossed $ 1 billion during the first four months (April-July) of the current financial year. It is believed that it will reach a record level by the end of the financial year. The report also mentioned that the production of electronics goods in the country was valued at $ 31.2 billion in 201415, which has increased to $ 65.5 billion in

FY 2018-19. The share of mobile handsets in this has increased from $ 3.1 billion to $ 24.3 billion. Significantly, India is able to meet only onethird of the demand for electronics goods from domestic production. The remaining demand is met through imports. Electronic items account for around 10 percent of the country’s total imports.

START THIS BUSINESS BY INVESTING ONLY 10K, AND EARN 30K EVERY MONTH

ickle is a mouth-watering element of every meal. Food seems incomplete without pickle in the plate. But along with this, it is a business that could be run in every season. So if you are planning to start a new business, Pickle Business is a profitable earning business. Pickle Making Business can be started right from your home. When the business starts to grow, then you can think about taking

your business at a fully dedicated place and pursue this business. Let us tell you how you can start this business and how much you can earn. You can start pickle making business right from your home. This business could be started with a bare minimum of ten thousand rupees. By investing this amount, you can earn about 25 to 30 thousand rupees per month. This earning also depends on the demand, packaging and area of your product. You can also sell pickles on online platforms, wholesale, retail markets and retail chains.

the profits are made. This small business can even be made a big business through hard work and new experiments. The profits of this business will be received every month and the profits will also increase. For starting your Pickle manufacturing unit, you would require a valid license. You may apply online for getting your license approved by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standard Authority of India).

For pickle making business it is necessary to have an area of almost 900 sq ft. Open space is required for preparing, drying, packaging etc. The method of making pickle should be very hygienic in order to increase the shelf life of the pickle and avoiding it from getting spoiled for a long time. Pickle making business can be very profitable leading to high returns. In the first phase of marketing, the entire amount of the investment is recovered and after that only

January 2020

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In-Depth

IIFL-HFL ORGANIZES 5TH CHAPTER OF KUTUMB IN HYDERABAD Continuing with its ongoing mission of encouraging and facilitating the Green Affordable Housing in India, IIFL Home Finance Ltd (IIFL HFL) organized the 5th Chapter of KUTUMB An Initiative towards Green Affordable Housing at Hyderabad on December 12, 2019. Ashok B Lall, a pioneer in sustainable architecture, says, “In a four-storey building, if you plant solar energy on the rooftop, it is sufficient to meet the energy demand for the entire building. Middle level developer in a growing city is the biggest housing provider and their role is most significant. They make homes in bulk. We can do the ultimate good of green living, because there is an opportunity of collective green”. This was followed by V Suresh speaking on the subject, stating “we have enabled 700 crore Sq ft of green building. By 75th independence year of India, we will have enabled 100 crore Sq ft green building”. Neha Kumar spoke about various elements responsible for such immense climate change globally. She addressed the audience and said ““Climate change is not just an environmental problem but an economic problem too.

heme for this chapter of Kutumb was Sustainable Today, Begins Tomorrow.

In the event held at N Convention, Madhapur, IIFL Home Finance succeeded to educate over 100 developers and about over 150 total participants about the benefits associated with green construction in the affordable housing segment in India. The panel of speakers included V Suresh (Chairman, IGBC), Ashok B Lall (Principal, Ashok B Lall Architects), Neha Kumar (India Programme Manager - Climate Bonds Initiative), Mr. Chaitanya Rayapudi (Chairman & MD), Supra Builders and Monu Ratra (CEO & ED, IIFL Home Finance Ltd.)

The event started with a digital plantation of over 150 trees, which resonates with the theme ‘Sustainable Tomorrow, Begins Today!’. Speaking at the event, Monu Ratra said “Affordable Housing means how you are going to be able to give reach of finance to people, technology & innovation is our answer. Our Jhatpat Home Loan, a tablet based model, helps deliver this in under 1 hr. We have identified 10 of the 17 Sustainable Devlopment Goals, as defined by the United Nations, and are working for & towards them. Everyone must identify these goals for their organization”. This was followed by sessions from leading industry experts sharing their views on green and sustainable living techniques.

IIFL-HFL presented itself as a ‘Green Value Partner’, partnering with the developers from Conception to Certification of the Green Building Project. The company has established 8 such certified GVPs so far

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The event concluded with a live discussion with Founder & MD of Supra Developers, Chaitanya, who said, “At Supra, our concept of living is ‘Uninterrupted Lifestyle.’ Thus, all our projects offer off-grid solutions to the end-consumer. We don’t do regular projects, we only do green buildings. We don’t do conventional projects at all. We have started doing solar powered projects”. IIFL-HFL presented itself as a ‘Green Value Partner’, partnering with the developers from Conception to Certification of the Green Building Project. The company has established 8 such certified GVPs so far.

About IIFL Home Finance Ltd. (IIFL HFL) IIFL Home Finance Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of India Info-line Finance Limited which is a NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). IIFL Home Finance Ltd. is professionally managed and shares the professional values and ethos of its parent and holding company India Info-line Finance Limited. It has acquired and maintained a reputation for reliability, transparency of operation and absolute integrity. A steady growth rate validates the trust that customers have reposed in the company.

In-Depth

QUICK ACTION NEEDED TO

STOP

By Prof. Dr. Romesh Gautam Senior Advocate, LL.D

ape anywhere by anyone provokes hostility, even if you do not know the victim. Why is it so? The reason behind, rape is fundamentally different from any other crime in its negative implications for humanity. Rape is the attack and destruction of what is serene, precious and also for the relevance that keeps us alive from generation to generation. Every year over 30,000 rape cases are reported in India. The real numbers may be estimated more than the available data, as a large number of victims or their families avoid legal actions. As a result, vast numbers of such cases are not reported, according to a UN report. Till 2017, altogether 127,800 rape related cases were reported and were under trial in different courts of the country. While, only 14.3% of the total cases could be disposed as of now. The prominent Nirbhaya rape criminals were still in the legal system without punishment, even after seven years. In the

recent rape case of Disha, Hyderabad public outrage against rape is in social media and on the roads is intense. Hyderabad police had to take swift action. They said that in an unexpected attack by the criminals, all four rapists were shot. The action taken may contain the public emotion and anger against that rape for now. But now the question is whether hundreds of thousands of other rape victims are getting justice? Perhaps, the answer would be in negative. Large chunk of such cases are still pending in several courts and the victims have been waiting for justice for years or even more than a decade. If these hundreds of thousands of perpetrators are not punished sternly, society will have several more thousands of them every year. A petition to hang the Disha criminals is signed by 574,587 people in less than a week. There are 14.4 million results on Google for this topic, indicating several million are concerned about it. It demonstrates

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that if people demand criminals will be punished. Can we stage the same level of outrage for every rape case? No, it is not possible. Does it mean we should forget about pending rape cases and live with hundreds of thousands of criminals? All of us have at least one girl, women whose suffering shatters our life. The elephantlike government system needs a big push to act. The first step for that push is to prepare a database of all rape form every police station in India. Then use all the social media to bring the silent majority in millions todemand action against rape. Powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that are being used successfully to track money in the financial world or interstellar events in space to track every single case until criminals are punished. The collective power of the society powered by cutting-edge technologies of different fields led by AI may success in stopping rape.

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(The writer is President Awardee, Limca Record Holder)

In-Depth

GROWING DEMAND OF WIRE/CABLE LAYS OPTIMISTIC IMPACT ON INDIAN ECONOMY â&#x20AC;&#x153;The incumbent market is now all set for some major growth with constantly increasing innovation, focusing majorly on niche markets like: retardant or fire resistant wires and cables, optical fiber cables etc.â&#x20AC;?

By Anil Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, KEI Industries Ltd

The government has recently announced various measures to bring glory in the Indian economic scenario to achieve the $5-trillion mark for the economy just ahead of the Budget 2020-21. The demand for electricity is expected to double over the next decade, as projected by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

his expected growth in demand for power warrants quality electrical groundwork to supplement the impending growth for several years to come. These developments indicate a lucrative future for the wires and cables industry in India. Although an underrated, but profitable segment in the B2C category, wires and cables sector is touted as one of the key segments on the B2B side of the power sector. Led by the acceleration of power generated infrastructure, the demand of wires and cables has intensified. With all of this at the background, the economy of the sector has also prospered. Approximately 40 per cent of the electrical industry is captured by wires and cables. Moreover, the sector also recorded a CAGR of 15 per cent. Giving a global perspective, as per the Research and Market (Dublin IE), the cables and wires market side is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% and will be pegged at 173.5% billion by 2022.

There are various factors at play, pushing the sector towards an upward trajectory and in all possibilities the growth will remain robust in the coming years as well. The cause of these growth and prospective projections could be attributed to the increasing focus of the government on infrastructural development, which implies increase in demand for power. Additionally, the increasing demand for light and communications will further bolster the demand for wires and cables. However, what has led to an exponential growth in demand in past few years is, businesses moving to cloud and increasingly demanding reliable, competent energy and data communications. Apart from businesses moving on to digital and the emergence of industry 4.0, the recent policy and regulatory initiatives undertaken by the government has provided immense impetus to the growth of the sector. Schemes such as UjjwalDiscom Assurance Yojana (UDAY), DeendayalUpadhyay Gram JyotiYojana

Giving a global perspective, as per the Research and Market (Dublin IE), the cables and wires market side is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% and will be pegged at 173.5% billion by 2022

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In-Depth

With the aim to introduce easy and affordable distribution of power to states, ‘the One Grid, One Nation’ plan is set to take the connectivity infrastructure to another level. On the back of these developments, the market is set for some major growth with constantly increasing innovation, focusing majorly on niche markets such retardant or fire resistant wires and cables, optical fiber cables etc. Furthermore, offering products to suit the variety of consumer needs could prove to be lucrative for the industry in future.

(DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and PradhanMantriSahajBijliHarGharYojanaSaubhagya are some examples. Adding to the opportunities, the Railway Mission 41K by the Indian Railways offers good expansion opportunity to the sector, as it requires electrification of 38, 000 km route. Another major opportunity is rural electrification, which has a great potential to thrust the profitability of cables and wires market in the country. Furthermore, the government’s providing electricity to every Indian home by 2020 is attracting more funds. With such growth boosters, the power sector has performed phenomenally, providing electricity to almost 96%of households in the past 5 years. This growth is expected to continue further with the government’s ambitious targets to achieve 175GW capacities in renewable energy sector by 2022, along with 100GW of solar power. In order to fulfill these targets the government has enabled ease of doing business with small tax rebates, better rates of interest and reduction of corporate tax rate. Furthermore, supporting the ‘One nation One Grid’ plan, recently the Finance Minister also proposed the launch of a new package for the power sector.

At KEI Industries, we have significant PAN-India presence in the retail division and have achieved phenomenal progress in this segment over the past few years. We have increased our distribution strength to 1450 channel partners from 1284 in the previous year and the retail sales have grown to almost 43%. We also offer three wires under the house wires segment namely:Homecab-FR, Conflame-FRLS and Banfire-ZHFR. • Homecab –FR is flame retardant, PVC insulated single core copper cable. It has specially formulated insulation with a high oxygen and temperature index, enabling the wire to withstand overloads, preventing electric mishaps. • Conflame-FRLS is also flame retardant, low smoke PVC insulated single core copper cable. It is shielded by a specially formulated flame retardant PVC compound. During fire, ordinary PVC emits black and toxic smoke, which is acidic in nature. This impairs visibility and hampers rescue operations. Conflame insulation retards spread of fire and emits minimum smoke and toxic gases. • Banfire –ZHFR is a zero halogen flame retardant insulated single core copper cable. The insulation is of superior quality, 100% PVC free and eco-friendly. In case of a fire, Banfire does not emit toxic or poisonous fumes, enabling safe evacuation.

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Cover Story

UNVEILING

TULIP YELLOW By: Yogesh Sood

THE LATEST UNPARALLELED OFFERING FROM THE EXCLUSIVE HOUSE OF TULIP

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RERA REGD.NUMBER 70 OF 2019 DT 14.11.2019.

‘Tulip Yellow’ is the latest Premium Group Housing project launched by Tulip Infratech, one of the leading Real Estate development organizations in Delhi NCR. This new venture is a Premium Group Housing project that will have Six Skyscraping Towers with 3BHK apartments (Ground floor plus 26 stories). The grand housing shall comprise of around 630 apartments with 105 apartments in each tower, four on each floor. Tulip has been succeeding since its inception and has been setting higher benchmarks in the Real Estate world in the last one and a half decades. The company isinto Group Housing and commercial projects. In addition to carrying out the responsibilities as the CMD of Tulip Infratech, Mr. Jain is also the Vice Chairman of NAREDCO (National Real estate Development Council). All of RERA’s compliances have been duly completed and approved for this project.

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EXERCISE, UNWIND, SAVOUR LIFE!

ulip Yellow aims to provide a luxurious and premium lifestyle with world class amenities. The whole campus has been designed keeping in mind every small and minute detail with key intent being giving a living close to Nature to its inhabitants.The project’s landscapes and amenities have been specifically designed to embody a community’s harmony with nature. To begin with, there would be zero vehicle movement at ground level. This means that children and adults alike are free to move around the campus, embracing the abundant greenery and indulging in the serenity provided by the water bodies. The main Grand Entry Plaza will have tall canopies flanking overhead.Driving in, one would sense the tranquility that beauty of nature provides. Since there is zero vehicle movement at ground level, there will be loading decks in the basement, under each tower. This area will facilitate the easy movement of various items into one’s home at the time of moving in. At Tulip Yellow, every corner has a story of utility and aesthetic behind it. Say, you have had a long day working in the office or running errands for your house. You come home to Tulip Yellow, swiftly driving in through the canopied entrance, and park your car in the basement. Thereafter, what follows is the potential to indulge and unwind, giving yourself a holistic experience of living itself. Whether you choose to unwind on the spectacular pool deck, or go lounge with a drink at the club, the choice would be yours. Some people may even find themselves go for a quick run, on the beautiful jogging track, providing greenery, calm and collectedness. The aircleaning plants and trees planted in the complex will give the inhabitants clean air to be breath and be in the best of their health. In addition, there is a pavilion for yoga and meditation at the campus. After all, we all have our own ways to unwind. On a typical night, one may find people indulging in casual discourse over drinks, playing board games or having coffee at the independent clubhouse. There are multiple spaces at Tulip Yellow for physical exertion and exercise for adults and children alike: Gym, Play court, an open-air gym and an area for kids’ swings. A badminton court, skate rink, cricket pitch and multipurpose court are provided, for those who like to engage in competitive sports. Last but not the least in the arena of physical exertion and relaxation, there is not only the standard lap pool, but also a shallow pool with jacuzzi, a kids’ pool and a leisure pool. Yellow has something for all age groups, people from every walk of life can indulge themselves in activities. For celebrations and festivities, a party hall is dedicated in the independent clubhouse. For more informal picnics and get-togethers, there are outdoor party areas, wherein families and friends can enjoy the privacy of a small garden area and make memories with their loved ones. A family’s essential shopping needs have also been kept in consideration, for there is convenient in-house shopping at Tulip Yellow.

For celebrations and festivities, a party hall is dedicated in the independent clubhouse

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GLOBAL MEETS LOCAL Entry Plazas adorned with water bodies and greenery

here would be a grand entry plaza for transitioning into residential towers that makes the common entrance for two towers an experience in itself. They shall be adorned with exquisite water features and beautifully landscaped spots. Diminished boundaries between the indoor and outdoor space bring the user close to Nature. These marvelous water features adjoined with landscaped stations shall be the Cynosure of all eyes. Following the entrance through the lobby area will lead one to the comfortably designed waiting areas. Walking through the lobby, there would also be a separate open-air section to relax and unwind. The pathway would be provided by exterior stepped wooden decks, above a water feature. One would literally be walking on water! We aim for the end user to have a mesmerizing, almost dream-like experience while entering and exiting the towers. Bestowing thoughtful landscaping leads to a relatively pollution free atmosphere, thereby helping the community to indulge in a serene aura. Tulip keeps up with the international trends that show up in the real estate market in terms of architecture, design and style; it implements them too. But at the same time, the company keeps itself grounded in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;localâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aspect of utility. This helps it cater to the living styles of its customers!

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LOCATION ADVANTAGE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYWHERE

he project is proximate to Tulip Violet, a grand housing in sector-69and below SPR (Southern Peripheral road) on the map. Tulip Yellow shall be a much sought after group housing project at a prime location, which is located close to 60-meterwide sector road and easily accessible from National highway, SPR and NPR. Tulip Yellow is only about half a kilometer away from the proposed metro line, easily accessible from the Indira Gandhi International airport and Sohna road, which is equipped with world class amenities. In terms of shopping and entertainment, there are many places to go around. Hospitals and schools are also in close vicinity.

MIVAN CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

hat makes this project special is the construction technique behind it:Mivanshuttering technology. This is an Aluminum formwork technology where the whole structure is made of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) and therefore, brick walls are not used. This gives a very strong earthquake resistant structure, easy to make typical floors with cement concrete pouring at one go for

a large area with pipes and conduits embedded in it. The construction time taken is reduced to a great extent and also it results in a smooth finish. The workforce recruited with this technique requires a high level of skill set. Mivan technology reduces the need for masonry and rendering work. This implies that the finished quality enabled by Mivan construction is flawless and long-lasting.

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TULIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S VOYAGE TO SUCCESS

ulip aims to provide high quality homes with precision: implementing new construction technologies like Mivan, striving to build environment friendly, sustainable and

green projects. The reason behind the outstanding success story of Tulip is its ability to deliver the projects on time, which it has been doing year after year with hundred percent success rate. Since 2005, a lot of hard work and mastery has gone into planning, building and launching projects. Needless to say, there has been no looking back. Under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Parveen Jain, Tulip Infratech has made itself a major force to reckon with in the Real Estate world.

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Defence

AIR FORCE CONDUCTS NATIONAL LEVEL SYMPOSIUM Air Marshal, RKS Shera, who is the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command of Indian Air Force, inaugurated a day-long National Level Nodal Technology Centre (NTC) Symposium, in association with PHD chamber of commerce, in the premises of Harjinder Hall at 3 BRD Air Force Chandigarh on December 6, 2019.

enior officials and domain experts from Ministry of Defence, Air Headquarters, Headquarters Maintenance Command, Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters, CEMILAC, DRDO, Academia and Industry including CII, ASSOCHAM and FICCI also participated. The day-long event covered presentations, display and demonstrations of niche technologies under development by Academia and Industry, who together discussed ways to exploit the Indigenisation Opportunities in the Indian Air Force. Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Maintenance Command, IAF brought out the commitment displayed by IAF towards indigenisation and guided the participants for a conclusive strategy to implement various projects under the Nodal Technology Centre (NTC). In his address, he emphasised on the need of continuous efforts at indigenisation for India to be a self-reliant nation.

It was concluded with a speech from Air Commodore, SanjivGhuratia, Air Officer, Commanding 3 Base Repair Depot, who covered the active role of the Depot in indigenisation and self-reliance.

The Symposium included presentations from IITs, DRDO labs and industry, which were complemented by display of huge number of successful projects of indigenisation. A special session for MSMEs was conducted by PHD Chamber of Commerce towards their envisaged role in indigenisation and opportunities.

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Maintenance Command, IAF, during the visit, also inaugurated the state of art â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Robotic Plasma Facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and commemoration ceremony of monumental milestone of production of 500th TV-3 177 MT engine at the Engine Servicing Division of the depot.

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Defence

DEFENSE OFFICIALS OBSERVE WORLD AIDS DAY AT CHANDIMATAMANDIR The World AIDS Day was celebrated to spread awareness about HIV/ AIDS among combatants, their kith and kin at Chandimandir station of Chandigarh.

n order to mark the occasion, health related activities, including poster, cup and pots painting competitions were conducted from December 2, 2019 to December 5, 2019.

A Walkathon of 5 km was flagged off from Raina Stadium on December 3, 2019 by Brigadier, NeerajSoni, Station Commander, Chandimandir and DrVeena Singh, Director AIDS Control Society. The walkathon included participants from all walks of society with aim of spreading awareness amongst Chandimandir residents.

Besides, various other activities including a Nukkad-Natak were performed by professional theatre artists from Haryana State AIDS Control Society. A lecture was taken by Lieutenant Colonel, Archana Singh, Community Medicine Specialist and Officer, Commanding Station Health Organization, Chandimandir and a movie was screened on HIV/ AIDS in Manekshaw Auditorium, which was attended by troops and families. The efforts of Station Health Organization for awareness in station were lauded and appreciated by all, as it was the best way of promoting the theme of good health.

DEFENSE MINISTRY ORGANIZES CLEANLINESS DRIVE The Unit of Ministry of Defense organized plogging and cleanliness activities as a part of the Ministryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swachchta Pakhwada program during the second and third week of December 2019 in Chandigarh.

he Air force station undertook cleanliness drive and organized Swachchta Awareness Rally in Behalana village. Large number of defense personnel and locals participated in the rally.

PCDA (WC) organized the plogging activity in DAD residential colony, sector 35, Chandigarh under the supervision of DR Negi, Principal Controller of Defense Accounts. Huge quantity of plastic wastes was collected during the drive. Negi administered oath to the participants to make the colony plastic free zone.

Sham Dev, Integrated Financial Advisor, Manjeet Kaur, Dy Controller, R.K.Karta, and P.K.Gupta, Assistant Controllers, and several other officers and staff participated in the cleanliness drive.

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Defence

PUNJAB, HARYANA HC JUDGE APPEALS TO PRESERVE ECO-SYSTEM The Directorate of Defense Estates, Western Command (Ministry of Defense) celebrated Defense Estates Day on December 16, 2019 in the premises of the UT Guest House, Chandigarh.

unjab and Haryana High Court Judge, Justice Rajiv Sharma, was present as the Chief Guest.

Besides others, senior department officers including KJS Chauhan, Principal Director, Defense Estates Western Command, Inderjeet Kaur, Director, Defense Estates Western Command, Maj Gen RS Thakur, MG AAD, DR Negi, Principal Controller of Defense Accounts, Sanjay Dutt Sharma, apart from Judicial authorities, Railway Tribunal officials also attended the function. While addressing the audience, Justice Sharma stressed on the reality saying that there was a need to preserve the ecology and environment for future generations. “While the cantonments are lush green, the surroundings are not so green”, he said. He said that he was already bearing the brunt of indiscriminate use of available resources. Justice Sharma also stressed on minimizing the use of insecticides and pesticides and said all of us should prevent wastage of water. “States like Rajasthan and Gujarat are facing floods, which were not seen till recent time, just because of environmental degradation”, he added. The Defense Estates Divas is also celebrated every year by HQrs at New Delhi in order to remember the day it was established as a permanent organization of Government of India and also to highlight the Defense Estates Organization. Principal Directorate, Defense Estates, Western Command, is headed by Principal Director, who looks after Defense land & Cantonment administration, through 6

DEO Circles and 13 Cantonment Boards, spread across the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi & Jammu.

WESTERN COMMAND OBSERVES 259TH ASC DAY The Directorate of Defense Estates, Western Command (Ministry of Defense) celebrated Defense Estates Day on December 16, 2019 in the premises of the UT Guest House, Chandigarh.

he Western Command of Army Service Corps celebrated 259th Corps Day at the WC Headquarters, Chandimandir on December 8, 2019.

The solemn occasion was marked by a wreath laying ceremony at “Veer Smriti” where Major GeneralNS Rajpurohit, VSM, Major General Army Service Corps, alongwith veterans and serving officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Jawans of Army Service Corps paid rich tributes to the martyrs for their selfless and supreme sacrifice. In its long cherished history, the Army Service Corps has displayed exceptional versatility, indomitable spirit and

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Defence

WESTERN COMMAND OF INDIAN ARMY CELEBRATES VIJAY DIWAS The Western Command of Indian Army has on December 19, 2019 celebrated Vijay Diwas - 2019 in a solemn ceremony at Veer Smriti in Chandigarh.

he army personnel paid homage to the brave martyrs. This apart, wreaths were laid by Lt Gen RP Singh AVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Western Command and veterans of the tri-city. Vijay Diwas is meant to commemorate the victory of the country in 1971 during Indo-Pak war in which the Western Command had played a vital role. The war was fought for a period of 13 days from December 3, 1971 December 13, 1971.

In one of the fastest and shortest campaigns of military history, a new Nation was born as a result of swift campaign undertaken by Indian Army in which 93000 prisoners of war surrendered to the Indian Army resulting in a decisive victory and liberation of Bangladesh.

commendable ability to keep pace with the changing operational scenarios. The award of one Mahavir Chakra, 14 Vir Chakras, four Kriti Chakras, one Ashok Chakra, 21 Shourya Chakras and 125 Sena Medal bear testimony were distributed among the valiant prowess of the Corps. The Corps has done the Nation proud as well by winning medals in various sporting events in the international arena. Lieutenant General RP Singh, AVSM, VSM, General Officer Commanding-in-chief, Western Command extended his greetings to all ranks, civilian employees, their families and veterans of the Corps on this day. He commended the intense professionalism displayed by Army Service Corps personnel for their duties, both during war and peace. The Army Service Corps fraternity resolved to continue the march towards excellence in all fields with utmost professionalism, devotion and all the will to achieve their motto of SevaAsmakam Dharma.

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INDIAN ARMY & HUMAN RIGHTS “You are not there to fight the people in the area, but to protect them. You are fighting only those who threaten the people and who are a danger to the lives and properties of the people”. By Anashwara Ashok, Research Assistant, CLAWS

he Indian Army has always been committed to this Special Order of the Day issued by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) in 1955. For over 60 years, the Indian Army has participated in Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI/CT) operations in different parts of the country including Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern States. While functioning in civilian areas the forces encounter numerous complexities ranging from gruesome acts of violence carried out by militants and insurgents to unprecedented attacks by some unruly and violent crowd. In such circumstances, the Indian Army is under immense pressure to not only safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation but also to abide by their duty to protect the Human Rights of the innocent civilian population. Irrespective of the difficult CI/CT environment, the Indian Security Forces follow the twin ethics of ‘minimum use of force’ and ‘good faith’ while conducting such operations[2]. In fact, all Indian Army personnel abide by the COAS Ten Commandments for Troops in Counter Insurgency which underscores the need to ‘Respect Human Rights’ and condemns ‘Rape’, ‘Molestation, and ‘Torture’[3]. Actions of soldiers deployed to fight insurgency and terrorism are regulated by three tenets. First, respecting the elders, women and children is of utmost importance. Second, any inconvenience to the public must always be avoided. Finally, since the cordon and search operations might cause inconvenience to the public, these must be conducted only where necessary. This was reinforced by the Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations 2006 which states that: “Remember that the people you are dealing with are your own countrymen; your behavior must be dictated by this single most consideration. The violation of

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Special Story

function within the parameters of Human Rights. There is a Human Rights Cell at the Army Headquarters headed by a Major General rank officer and similar set up at the Command and Corps Headquarters headed by a Brigadier or Colonel rank officer respectively. Moreover, right from their training days, Human Rights is an essential part of the syllabi of the soldiers and the rules of engagement are peoplefriendly. In a CI/CT environment, soldiers are open to accusations of Human Rights violations, serious as well as frivolous, genuine as well as motivated[5]. But all cases involving accusations against the Indian Army personnel have been legally taken up at the appropriate levels and necessary action has been taken.

Human Rights of Army Personnel in India Notwithstanding Indian Army’s commitment to protect Human Rights of civilians, different Human Rights Organizations have released numerous reports time and again on the Human Rights Record of the Indian Army. Most parts of these reports are false and motivated, and some sections underline only the Human Rights concerns of the local population. What is of great concern is the manner in which these reports conveniently neglect and downgrade the Human Rights challenges encountered by the Indian Security Forces.

Notwithstanding Indian Army’s commitment to protect Human Rights of civilians, different Human Rights Organizations have released numerous reports time and again on the Human Rights Record of the Indian Army

Human Rights, therefore, must be avoided under all circumstances even at the cost of operational success. The operations must be people-friendly, and it must be ensured that minimum force is used and there are no collateral damages”. This basic principle in accordance with which the Indian Army operates in insurgency and terrorism hit areas is often ignored by certain sections of society in their bid to propagate false narratives and propaganda.

This is not to deny that the Indian Army personnel have never committed any Human Rights violation. Amidst the perilous circumstances that prevail in insurgency and terrorism affected areas, cases of soldiers having committed Human Rights violation have come to light. Such cases are however, addressed in a timely manner by both the military and the civilian judicial systems. The Indian Army has a strong and transparent mechanism to ensure that all soldiers

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Forming the foundation of International Human Rights, the Right to Life has been guaranteed in India by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. It extends equally to the Armed Forces of the country as much as it applies to the other citizens. Article 33 of the Constitution confers powers on the Parliament to modify the rights guaranteed by Part III (Fundamental Rights) while applying to men in the forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Paramilitary Forces and Intelligence Services. However, this extends only so far as necessary for maintaining discipline and ensuring proper discharge of duties by the armed forces personnel[6]. In accordance with this, the Army Act 1950, Air Force Act 1950 and the Navy Act 1957 were promulgated. Though these legislations have regulated certain fundamental rights of the Indian Army, but none of the Army Act 1950, Army Rules 1954, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958 and 1990), or any other legislation in the country restricts an Indian Army personnel’s right to life and selfpreservation as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Unfortunately, these rights of the Indian Soldiers are a neglected subject of discussion in the country. When Lieutenant Ummer

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Special Story Human Rights abuses by the Armed Forces personnel while on official duties. However, the country lacks a similar mechanism that protects or deals with cases wherein the Human Rights and Fundamental Rights of an Indian soldier is violated. With a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking the intervention of the Apex Court to protect the dignity and Human Right of the soldiers facing the stone pelters in Jammu and Kashmir[11], one can hope that soon with the meaningful intervention of the Supreme Court, even the Human Rights of the Indian Soldiers will receive appropriate attention and will no longer be overlooked by certain sections of the society.

References: [1] Vivek Chadha, “Indian Army’s Approach to Counter Insurgency book”, (IDSA: New Delhi, 2016), pp. 6. Fayaz, a 22-year-old officer of the Indian Army was home to attend a relative’s wedding in the Shopian district, he was kidnapped, tortured and killed. Even in the year 1991, Lieutenant Colonel GS Bali was kidnapped and killed along with his cousin in Badgam where they had gone to attend a funeral. None of the Human Rights Organizations and Activists condemned these attacks on the soldiers. Again, “Sepoy Rajendra Singh was part of a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) which was providing security to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) convoy on 25 September 2018. At around 1800 hours, when the convoy was passing through the Anantnag bypass tri-junction near NH-44, few youths hurled stones at the vehicle and Sepoy Rajendra was injured after being hit by a stone directly on the head[8]. The concerned Indian Army Jawan later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.” Cases like these fail to find mention in the reports released by the Human Rights Organizations. This draws attention to the fact that when our soldiers in volatile CI/CT environment are indiscriminately attacked by terrorists, unruly protesters and stone pelters, causing casualties amongst the soldiers, these incidents do not amount to Human Rights

violations for the so-called defenders of Human Rights. On the contrary, soldiers are accused of grave Human Rights violations when in such jeopardized environment they are left with no option but to open fire in self-defense. At a public event on 29 September 2019, the Union Home Minister rightly said that, “While 41,800 people have lost their lives in the decades-old militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, but no one has raised the issue of Human Rights violation of Jawans, their widows or the children who were orphaned”. In Peroration it can be said that as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, India accepts that ‘recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights to all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’[10]. Hence, upholding the Human Rights of the Indian soldiers in CI/ CT environment is a necessity both with respect to international declarations as well as national legislations. All CI/CT operations are conducted based on three principlesmaximum restraint, minimum force and minimum collateral damage. Moreover, there exist strong legal mechanisms in the country that address the allegations of

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

[2] K S Sheoran, Human Rights and Armed Forces in Low-intensity Conflicts (New Delhi: KW Publishers, 2010), pp.1. https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/ FormTemplete/frmTemp1PTC2C.aspx? MnId=4mKbCUjNm76U9u2GsrQW1 w==&ParentID=iQsgx4KwHeW7Ug/ qalzbpQ== [4] Headquarters Army Training Command, Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations (Shimla, 2006). http:// indianstrategicknowledgeonline.com/ web/doctrine%20sub%20conv%20w. pdf [5] S G Vombatkere, ‘Do Soldiers Have Human Right? Far-reaching Implications’, Countercurrents, 5 July 2017. https://countercurrents. org/2017/07/do-soldiers-have-humanright-far-reaching-implications. [6] Ram Swarup v. Union of India (AIR 1965 SC 247). https://indiankanoon. org/doc/234020/ [7] Prabhas K Dutta, ‘Why Hizbul Mujahideen is rattled after murder of Army officer Ummer Fayaz’, India Today, 13 May 2017.https://www. indiatoday.in/india/story/ummer-fayazindian-army-officer-hizbul-mujahideenkashmir-976846-2017-05-13 [8] PTI, ‘J&K : Army jawan injured in stone-pelting dies’, Times of India, 26 October 2018. https://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/india/army-jawaninjured-in-stone-pelting-dies/ articleshow/66381176.cms

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Special Story

E-COMMERCE INDUSTRY OF INDIA REMAINS GROWING

Rampant use of social media platform and networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter as vehicles to promote and sell products and services became de rigueur.

he E-commerce industry of India revealed its robust spirit and emerged as a fresh winner, despite several hindrances in the year 2019. The industry giants left no stone unturned in defying the shortcomings and obstacles in order to achieve the target. For India’s e-commerce industry, the year 2019 emerged a mixed bag. The year began with new government regulations aiming to streamline the sector. The e-commerce industry had to survive a slowdown, though its direction remained strong as the industry made inroads into the hinterlands of the country. Desirous to finalize a national e-commerce policy for facilitating holistic growth of the sector, the Union Government unveiled a draft, proposing to set up a legal and technological framework for issues as varied as crossborder data flow, digital economy, taxation and other relevant issues. The new FDI rules introduced by the government for online marketplaces were almost a reversal of the earlier policy where they were not allowed to enter exclusive deals for selling

of products. More importantly, online marketplaces could not source more than 25 percent of their supplies from a single vendor. Obviously the changes witnessed an immediate impact on the operations of the leading e-commerce marketplaces in India, including Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon. These companies had to restructure their existing operating setups to comply with the new regulations even as they demanded an environment of stable policies. In a letter to the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in October 2019, the Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon, sought certainty and predictability in India’s business environment. “A stable, welcoming regulatory environment will allow us to continue to invest in creating more jobs and building infrastructure that benefits Indian suppliers and customers,” McMillion said in his letter to PM Modi. Besides policy changes, the online marketplaces had to also understand the ramifications of data privacy laws. The e-commerce industry relies very heavily on data it secures from the customers. The

government has come out with a bill, which is yet to become operational.

Conquering the Ill-Wills The e-commerce industry in India reached a size of around $32 billion in 2019, recording a compounded annual growth rate of 18 per cent. It is expected to cross the $100 billion mark in a couple of years. However, the environment was not very positive for ecommerce in 2019. There were certain traders that remained vocal in their protests, and focused on the discounting strategy adopted by online players. It was apprehended that on how the Indian e-commerce industry would adjust to the new regulations, but the sector countered them and bounced back. The five-day online shopping extravaganza by both Flipkart and Amazon between September 29 and October 4 saw the total sales volume touching $5 billion, according to industry estimates. This was more than 30 percent growth as compared to 2018’s sales figures. The most significant aspect during the festive sale period was the deep inroads that Amazon and Flipkart made into Tier II and beyond locations, more popularly referred to as ‘Bharat’. “It has been a fantastic start

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Special Story startups. Other such prominent startups include Mall91, Dealshare, CityMall, Bulbul, and WMall. Founder and CEO, Mall91, Nitin Raj Gupta, said, “Social commerce as a viable concept came out prominently in 2019 practically due to multiple startups tackling the problem and launching their own product strategies around them. This got a further boost as the next 400 million users became a reality.” Various investors placed their bets on various startups and business models. Along with social commerce, other niche categories like beauty and wellness also garnered strong investor interest.

Fact Findings The Year 2019 also appeared as the year, when Gurugram-based ShopClues, one of the challengers to the biggies of the Indian ecommerce industry, was acquired by Singapore-based ecommerce firm Qoo10 in an all-stock deal. In fact, it emerged as a reality check: ShopClues was once a unicorn, and the valuation during the acquisition was nowhere near that figure. Recent World Bank report, Unleashing ecommerce for South Asia Integration, said countries in South Asia, including India, should open their ecommerce markets to cross-border trade without imposing tariffs and follow a non-discriminatory competition policy, allow cross-border payments, and harmonise their data privacy laws with international regulations. “Even in India, online sales as a percentage of total retail sales were only 1.6 percent, versus over 15 percent for China and around 14 percent globally. Given that only a small share has access to broadband connections and even fewer transact online, there is enormous room for ecommerce to grow in the region,” the report said.

The most significant aspect during the festive sale period was the deep inroads that Amazon and Flipkart made into Tier II and beyond locations, more popularly referred to as ‘Bharat’ to the festive season. We set out with an aim to bridge the gap between India and Bharat. TBBD 2019 has proven that Bharat has moved closer to India in more ways than one. Whether it is the uptake of the Hindi interface or the adoption of our affordability constructs, engagement constructs like gaming, consumers have engaged with brands they love like never before. We take immense pride in making ecommerce more inclusive through the introduction of some top categories, which have been able to cater to the needs of Tier II markets and beyond during this festive season”, said the Flipkart Group CEO, Kalyan Krishnamurthy. It is expected that ‘Bharat’ is likely to be the future driver of growth for the ecommerce industry. Satish Meena, Forecast Analyst, Forrester, however sounded a cautionary note. He thinks, “Overall, it has not been a great year for the ecommerce industry, both in terms

of consumer spending and disruption due to the regulations. There has been no clarity on the policy for the industry”. Looking at the positivity, Meena says, the positive aspect of the ecommerce sector in 2019 has been that certain categories have shown that they can optimize business models and lead the path to profitability. This has been evident in categories such as beauty and cosmetics. The year 2019 also saw the emergence of a new segment for the ecommerce industry, with social commerce the new buzzword. Rampant use of social media platform and networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter as vehicles to promote and sell products and services became de rigueur. Leveraging various online platforms to enable commercial transactions, the investor focus was high on startups. Facebook-backed Meesho topped the list of leading social commerce

January 2020

But despite the economic slowdown, the Indian ecommerce industry is gearing up for what promise to be even more exciting times. The entry of bigger players into the market could be a game changer. Reliance is getting ready to play the ecommerce game and is reportedly looking for a deeper connecting with kiranas across the country. Search giant Google also has plans to make major headway into the ecommerce segment. It plans to ditch the conventional setup, and create a network of sellers and buyers. According to IBEF, the Indian ecommerce industry has been on an upward growth trajectory and is expected to surpass the US to become the second largest market in the world by 2034. “The ecommerce market is expected to reach $200 billion by 2027 from $38.5 billion in 2017. Online shoppers in India are expected to reach 120 million in 2018 and eventually 220 million by 2025,” an IBEF report said.

OBSERVER DAWN

Year Ender 2019

HOUSING FINANCE EMERGES RESILIENT IN 2019 The year 2019 has been quite a turbulent one for the entire economy especially NBFCs and HFCs. There were a slew of measures from the government for the housing sector as well. It would be interesting to see how the various situations play out in the coming year.

Pavan Gupta, CEO, Muthoot Housing Finance Company Ltd.

rom the time IL&FS defaulted, fears about asset quality and enflamed prices have hit the housing finance sector. However, it has emerged as one of the most resilient sectors this year. A slowdown was increasingly talked about with the health of various HFCs in question. While, such apprehensions continued to surround the industry, one thing that became evident from all this hoo-ha was that there emerged a distinction between the strong and not-so-strong HFCs. The slowdown began with demonetization and GST which caused cautious customer sentiment with investments going down. The introduction of RERA did not have much impact as projects were not registered under the same. In 2019, the issue is mainly the demand aspect. With the slowdown, people’s confidence dropped as they became unsure about their income sources which also meant that many avoided taking loans. However many have started enquiring about the CLSS subsidy provided by the government.

With the RBI enhancing the single-borrower limit for exposure of banks to NBFCs, reducing the minimum average maturity requirement for ECBs in the infrastructure space to three years from five years and infusing liquidity in terms of the Alternative Investment Fund of Rs 10,000 crore for revival of real estate sector, it is safe to say the liquidity issue has certainly eased out from the system. Even though the recent last mile funding is a big morale-booster for the industry, certain challenges will still be around. Despite setbacks, the government’s PradhanMantriAwasYojana (PMAY), targeting to build 20 million affordable houses for the poor by March 31, 2022, is progressing soundly. As part of PMAY (Urban), against the target of 1.12 crore, 90 lakh houses have already been sanctioned which is a positive marker of the fact that the government’s strategy is helping instill confidence. It is only a matter of time before all these policies and implementations can kick off an elevation of the present situation”.

YEAR 2019 REMAINS INTERESTING FOR INDIA’S CO-LIVING INDUSTRY Despite Fear of Economic Slump, Adoption of Co-living Remained High

ven as fears of economic slump were looming large, the adoption of coliving was high across the country with the rise of purpose-built, state-ofthe-art co-living properties as an emerging asset class in real estate. Upon realizing the potential, many real estate developers also partnered with co-living operators to foray into this space. Naturally, the co-living sector saw a surge in investments from VCs and global investors alike.

Suresh Rangrajan, Founder & CEO, Colive

The co-living, in 2020, will see a faster expansion. We can expect more and more players operating at various spectrums of the market and pricing, and players who understand the nuances of consumer pricing will become industry leaders. With large PE funds and deep-pocketed investors

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

coming into the scene, co-living will evolve into a high-value asset class by itself. In line with this development, new facilities will emerge in high-potential metro cities like Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Delhi. The entry of mainstream hospitality businesses into co-living ventures can become a reality, wherein technology will play a main role in streamlining operations and elevating the customer experience. Another projected trend will be the incorporation of PMS systems into co-living software. While bigger PMS companies seem to have ignored this sub-vertical until now, we will need their active participation to address the growing demand for premium co-living spaces”.

Year Ender 2019

MOST PUBLICIZED POLITICAL NEWS IN 2019 The year 2019 witnessed various such events that somehow turned to be the ‘turning points’ in the modern history of India. Whether it is revocation of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status through abrogation of Article 370 or it is the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and others. All these changes have brought the country’s youth into different corners.

THE OBSERVER DAWN TEAM HIGHLIGHTS SEVEN DEFINING EVENTS THAT BECAME THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ISSUES IN INDIA: Revocation of J&K’s Special Status

he Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on August 5, 2019, announced the scrapping of Article 370 of the Indian constitution, a move that stripped the state of Jammu & Kashmir of its special status. Shah also announced that J&K would cease to be a state and get split into two Union Territories — J&K with a legislature, like Delhi, and Ladakh without one, like Chandigarh. This Bill proposing revocation of the erstwhile state’s special status was cleared by both Houses of Parliament after heated debates. Prior to the abrogation of Article 370, the central government had to take the Jammu & Kashmir government’s permission to

enforce laws in the state. Now, that will not be required. The government move drew strong reactions, not only from various political outfits in India but also from international community. The residents of the affected region also opposed the move, and political leaders of Jammu & Kashmir were put under house arrest or detained elsewhere to prevent strife. Following early protests, Article 144 was imposed in various parts of the Valley and there was a clamp-down on internet and telephone services to check spread of misinformation. To this day, internet services remain affected in several parts of Jammu & Kashmir.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019

mong various other major developments of the Saffron Party, the LokSabha election of 2019 created a history many ways. It was the first time over the past three decades when a party , especially BJP, could secure a clear majority on its own. Ultimately, as a coalition unit, the NDA could increase its strength in the LokSabha. Even as the INC managed to win more seats than it did in 2014, the President Rahul Gandhi lost his family pocket borough of Amethi to the BJP’s SmritiIrani. Gandhi, however, won the other seat from where he had contested — Wayanad in Kerala — by a record margin. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP bettered all expectations to bag 62 of the state’s 80 seats. Mayawati’sBahujanSamaj Party, which had won no seats in 2014, benefitted from its alliance with the AkhileshYadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) and won 10 seats. This was even as SP was not able to make any improvement to its LokSabha tally of 5 seats. Battlefield UP turned out to be a disaster for the Congress, with only its former president, Sonia Gandhi, managing to win a seat. Another major surprise came from West Bengal, where the BJP won 18 of the state’s 42 seats. This was its best show ever in Bengal. While Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress saw its tally telling getting pared from 34 seats to 22, the Left parties could not even open their account. As a result, NarendraModi emerged as the prime minister with a bigger and stronger majority.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Year Ender 2019 Parliament Passes Citizenship Amendment Act

he Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is among other major achievements of the BJP-Led NDA Government at the Center.

The passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill by both Houses of Parliament, followed by the President’s assent, led to widespread protests across the country. The Bill, now an Act, proposes to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh and Christian minorities who took refuge in India after facing persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The requirement of having lived in the country for at least 11 years before getting to apply for India’s citizenship has also been relaxed — any immigrant from the communities mentioned above could apply if they came to India on December 31, 2014, or earlier. The move has faced opposition from several quarters, mostly the youth, over its allegedly discriminatory nature. Many have questioned the intent behind the choice of only three Muslimmajority neighbouring countries, as well as leaving out of the Muslim community from the list of those that could seek Indian citizenship. There also are concerns that the government might enforce the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRC) across the country, as in the case of Assam earlier, simultaneously with the implementation of the CAA. The government, however, has denied these claims. The protests against the Act turned violent mid-December following police action on students, mainly of the Jamia MilliaIslamia

University in Delhi. The students of several universities, as well as other groups, came to the streets in support of Jamia students. A series of protests ensued in various cities of the country — some of them turned violent, leading to loss of lives and property.

Senior INC Leader and Former Finance Minister Arrested

he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media money-laundering case. Several of his bail pleas were rejected by the different courts and it was not before 106 days that he could leave Delhi’s Tihar jail. While both CBI and Enforcement Directorate alleged financial misconduct involving Chidambaram during his time as the country’s finance minister, the Congress party labelled the action plain vendetta on the part of the ruling BJP.

Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections

he BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, before going towards the end of its first term, brought the 124th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019, that provided the citizens from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the society to avail 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes. This cleared the decks for those in the general category with an annual income of up to Rs 8 lakh and not availing of any reservation other than vertical quota (ex-servicemen, persons with disability, etc), to seek a reservation in government jobs and education. Especially because of its timing — coming as it was in January 2019, right before the LokSabha elections — many saw this move as being politically motivated to sway voters in favor of the ruling BJP.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Year Ender 2019 Ayodhya Issue: Apex Court Rules in Favor of Ram Janmabhumi

he Apex Court had on November 9, 2019 delivered a landmark decision on long awaited Ayodhya issues. It is believed that the judgment will have farreaching effects. The SC’s five Judge Bench, led by the chief justice, RanjanGogoi, read out a unanimous judgment. Based on the available sources, resources and other facts, Gogoi ruled in favor of the Ram Janmabhoomi. “There will be Ram Mandir at the disputed site and Muslims will be given an alternate 5 acre land for their mosque”, the CJ said. While reading out its judgment, the Supreme Court said that the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board has failed to establish its case in Ayodhya dispute case and Hindus have established their case that they were in possession of outer courtyard of the disputed site. The Supreme Court heard the long-pending Ayodhya land dispute for a period of 40 days at a stretch and pronounced the

historic verdict on Saturday as the nation waited with bated breath. The Supreme Court has granted the entire 2.77 acre of disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla and directed the Union as well as the state governments to allot an alternative 5 acre land to the Muslims at a prominent place to build a mosque. The Apex Court has asked the Union to consider granting some kind of representation to NirmohiAkhara, which was the third party in the Ayodhya dispute, in setting up of trust. The SC has

terror camp and eliminating several terror operatives.

At least 40 Soldiers Killed in Pulwama Attack

t least 40 soldiers were killed in the Pulwama district of Jammu & Ka s h m i r o n F e b r u a r y 1 4 , when a military convoy of the Indian Army was attacked by the Pakistan backed terrorists. The incident had

also dismissed the plea of NirmohiAkhara, which was seeking control of the entire disputed land. The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to set up a trust in 3 months for the construction of the Ram mandir at the disputed site where Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992. The Supreme Court said the underlying structure below the disputed site at Ayodhya was not an Islamic structure, but the ASI has not established whether a temple was demolished to build a mosque.

however spread shockwave among the masses across the nation and triggered an action by the Indian government across the border in Pakistani territory, On February 26, India launched pre-dawn airstrikes in Pakistan’s Balakot, destroying a

January 2020

In retaliation, Pakistan sent across the border its F-16 fighter jets, one of which was shot down. In this operation, however, an Indian fighter pilot, Wing Commander AbhinandanVarthaman, was captured by Pakistani forces and released after several rounds of negotiations in a victory of Indian diplomacy.

OBSERVER DAWN

Year Ender 2019

TOP TEN GAME CHANGERS OF AMIT SHAH

GRETA THUNBERG

In 2019 General Election, Shah was elected as a LokSabha MP from Gandhinagar. Later this year, he has been the pilot and face of several big and controversial decisions taken in 2019, such as repeal of Article 370, passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), which he has been committed to. Amid all the protest against CAA, he said that the CAA will not be rolled back, and the government was firm like a rock on its implementation.

In August 2018, Greta Thunberg started a school strike for the climate outside the Swedish Parliament. Since then, she has gone global, striking a chord with young people dissatisfied by the slow progress in climate change mitigation. Thunberg lives a low-carbon life — she is vegan, and doesn’t prefer air travel because of the carbon footprint it leaves. She has taken a year off from school to pursue her campaigning. She has been named one of the world’s most influential teens by the TIME magazine.

ndia’s Union Home Minister and the senior BJP leader, who is also the President of the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) since 2014, is the chief strategist of the saffron outfit and a close aide of Prime Minister, NarendraModi.

LIONEL MESSI

he soccer player of Barcelona, Lionel Messi, is considered as the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. On December 2, 2019, Messi was awarded a record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or. The 2019 Ballon d’Or was the 64th annual ceremony of the Ballon d’Or, presented by France Football, and recognizing the best footballer in the world for 2019. He won the award for a record sixth time in his career.

he 16-year-old environmental activists of Sweden emerged as a game changer across the globe. She is among those who launched the growing youth movement against climate inaction.

SANNA MARIN

inland’s Social Democrats elected a 34-year-old to the post of prime minister on December 8, 2019, making her the youngest head of government in the country’s history. At the age of 34 years, Marin also becomes one of the world’s youngest state leaders, ahead of Ukraine’s Prime Minister, OleksiyHoncharuk, who is currently 35. She is two years younger than Finland’s long-time Centre Party leader EskoAho, who became Finland’s Prime Minister in 1991 at the age of 36. Marin has been serving as the country’s Minister of Transport and Communications since June. She also led the Social Democratic party during Rinne’s extended sick leave last winter.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

KYLIE JENNER

ylie Jenner, a reality TV star and make-up mogul, has become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, according to Forbes billionaires’ list. The 21-year-old founded and owns Kylie Cosmetics, the three-year-old beauty business that generated an estimated $360 million in sales last year, reports bbc.com. She reached the milestone earlier than Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who became a billionaire aged 23.

ABHIJEET BANERJEE

ndian-American economist, Abhijit Banerjee, has won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics. In 1961, Abhijit Banerjee was born in Parbhani, in a family of academics. He attended the Presidency College, Kolkata in economics in 1981. Later, the 58-year-old economist later got his PhD in 1988 from Harvard University. His early education life included study at the University of Calcutta and Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Year Ender 2019

WORLD IN 2019 J

RANJAN GOGOI

TONI-ANN SINGH

ustice RanjanGogoi, is the first person from the northeast to head the country’s judiciary and credited for bringing the curtains down on the decades-old politically and religiously sensitive Ayodhya land dispute. The much hyped Ayodhya issue dates back before the Supreme Court came into existence in 1950. Justice Gogoi, who was sworn on October 3, 2018 as the 46th CJI, held the position for a little over 13 months and in the last few days of his tenure, the benches headed by him delivered some path-breaking judgements. The CJI also headed a bench which, by a majority 3:2 verdict, referred to a larger 7-judge bench the pleas seeking review of the apex court’s historic 2018 judgement allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Kerala’s Sabarimala temple.

SUNDAR PICHAI

oogle CEO Indian-American Sundar Pichai (47), was appointed Alphabet CEO, making him one of the most powerful corporate leaders of the world. Pichai has been with Google for 15 years now. In 2004, he was interviewed at Google on the same day that the company launched Gmail. He is credited with making Google chrome the world’s most-used web browser. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced that they are stepping down from the leadership role of the parent company, Alphabet.

As per the media reports the OD team prepares a list top ten personalities that have emerged as a big game changer multiple sense across the globe. These are as follows:

amaican-American actress, Toni-Ann Singh, was crowned Miss World 2019. She was previously crowned Miss Jamaica World 2019. And with her crowning, she has closed out this year’s historic pageant circuit, marking the first time the titles for all five top beauty contests were won by black women. Noticeably, the creative efforts of five black women, including Toni-Ann Singh hold the top pageant titles — creating a history. Others include: Miss Universe 2019 ZozibiniTunzi, Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA CheslieKryst and Miss Teen USA 2019 KalieghGarris.

P V SINDHU

ndia’s PV Sindhu has emerged as the world’s number – 5 shuttler. She though created a history by becoming the first Indian to win badminton World Championships gold in Switzerland’s Basel. She earned the title of world champion by crushing NozomiOkuhara 21-7, 21-7. This much-awaited gold has further added another laurel to Sindhu’s illustrious CV at the World Championships. The Indian won 21-7 21-7 in the summit clash that lasted just 38 minutes. (Reference: Business Standard)

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Year Ender 2019

Baleno The back of the car works well to give it the look of a luxury car

Hyundai Venue

MOST GOOGLED CARS OF 2019 Google India has recently released the most googled cars of the year. The list comprises of top sellers of the industry like Kia Seltos and MG Hector. Here, we are discussing what made these 10 cars stand out and make it to the list of the top 10 googled cars.

aruti Suzuki Baleno turns out to be the most searched car on Google. There is a good synergy between elegance and boldness. There is a flow from the front of the car to the back. Talking about the trend, nowadays most companies give a very aggressive and bold look to the front of the car. But the same aggressiveness will not be seen here. The side profile gives a larger car feel. The back of the car works well to give it the look of a luxury car. If you see a glimpse of a luxury car in your mass segment car, then it is really a good thing.

he second car on the list is the new Hyundai Venue, which has been giving Brezza some unparalleled competition. Hyundai Venue is available in two petrol and one diesel engine. The first in the petrol is a 1.0-liter turbocharged engine, which gives 120 PS of power and 172 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This engine will be available in SX, SX (O) and SX Plus variants. The E and S variants have a 1.2-liter petrol engine, its power is 83 PS and torque is 115 Nm. This engine is equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The diesel variant has a 1.4-liter engine,

The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Safety features like dual airbags, ABS-EBD have been given standard from the base variant itself. Projector headlamps will be available with DRL. There is also the option of UV cut glasses, which claim that they can prevent up to 85% of UV res from entering the cabin. The multi information display is also quite unique here and many features can be customized from it. Apart from this, many features such as tilt and telescopic steering, push button start, reverse camera, auto dimming IRVM are available.

which gives 90 PS of power and 220 Nm of torque. The diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The diesel engine option will be available from the S variant. Hyundai Venue features a lot of good features. The Hyundai Venue top model will get features such as wireless mobile charging, cruise control, auto climate control, rear AC vent, push button startstop, 8.0 inch touchscreen infotainment system and sunroof. In this, Hyundaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Link connected car technology will also be available, which will access the internet from Vodafone-Ideaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e-SIM.

Year Ender 2019

Toyota Fortuner

The new Fortuner retrospectively has the ability to attract public attention everywhere

MG Hector

oyota Fortuner surprisingly claimed the 3rd spot on the list. At first glance, the Sharpe-styled Fortuner’s new design is nothing special. Yes, there are some changes that are making this new SUV more attractive. Another fashionable feature is the chrome bracketing and lamps on the grille, considering the utility of the car. The rear windshield and LED tee-lamp are well balanced to show more muscular and model at the rear. The new Fortuner retrospectively has the ability to attract public attention everywhere. This new Fortuner is one of the best looking SUVs of the Japanese carmaker. Inside the Fortuner you are welcomed with a luxurious cabin and leatherwrapped seats. In addition, the cooled glove box,

nother new entrant, the MG Hector which is a segment leader landed on the 4th spot. The SUV has been posting strong sales, and claiming rising market share, month over month. The Hector is a 5-seat SUV. It is available in 4 variants - Style, Super, Smart and Sharp. These include the base variant of the style Hector, while the Sharp is the top variant. The front of the SUV gets a black grille with sleek chrome surrounds, which makes its look great. Its front is redesigned. Hector’s headlamps are mounted in the bumpers and the Daytime Running Lights (DRL) are placed just above. The SUV looks quite heavy from the side. It looks quite curved from the rear and the

gearship lever and steering wheel are also neatly wrapped in leather. Overall, the fitness and quality of the car gives a great sense of luxury. The driver’s seat can be electronically adjusted in eight different ways. The car also has an information-packed LCD display in the instrument cluster and LED cabin light. Sadly, the Fortuner does not have a sunroof, which may disappoint some shoppers, but the second and third row have AC wint grills! The Toyota Fortuner is powered by a 2.8-liter turbocharged diesel engine similar to that found in the Innova. The diesel engine produces 174.5 bhp @ 3,400 rpm and 420 Nm of torque which is between 1600 to 2,400 rpm. The engine is paired off to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Toyota also offers its Fortuner with a six-speed manual. great wind screen makes the rear look great. The gloss-black plastic pillar under the spoiler further enhances its rear and side look. Hector has a 1.5-liter turbo petrol engine, which generates 143hp power and 250Nm torque. The diesel engine is 2.0-liter, which generates 170hp power and 350Nm torque. Both engines have a 6-speed manual gearbox standard. The petrol engine also has a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox option. Apart from these two engines, the company has also given 48V mild hybrid variant of petrol engine. Hybrid variants will get only a 6-speed manual gearbox option.

The petrol engine also has a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox option

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Year Ender 2019

Mahindra XUV300 The 1.5-liter diesel engine gives around 115 Bhp of power and 300 Nm of segment best torque

he 5th spot was captured by Mahindra XUV300, which is one good all-round package. The best part of its design is that it has a clear SUV character. Its design not only looks rough and tough, but premium inputs are also well placed. Overall, it gives a modern compact SUV look. The design of the back may seem a bit complex to some, but it enhances the overall look of the vehicle and the LED backlights of the vehicle look awesome especially at night. Features such as ABS-EBD, corner braking control, all four disc brakes, tire position display (depending on which side the tire position is), smart steering system, 7 airbags, front parking

he 6th spot is held by the present sector king, the Kia Seltos. This is the first car by Kia Motors in India. Celtos is available in 7 color options. It comes in two design lines (Tech Line and GT Line). This is the first time in the compact SUV segment that a model will be available in two design options. The Tech line comes with a more premium and family-oriented styling package. The styling of the GT line is sporty, with the company targeting the youth. There are 5 variants in the Tech line and 3 variants in the GT line.

KIA Seltos The front of the SUV features Kiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature Tiger Nose grille, surrounded by Fox Silver

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

sensors, heated ORVMs, sunroof, parking camera with dynamic assist, tire tronics (tells air pressure), push button start, auto dimming IRVM, dual zone climate control, cruise control, micro hybrid Technology, 17 inch diamond cut alloy wheel, ESP, HSA, 7 inch touch screen infotainment system with apple car play and Android auto get long list of features. The 1.5-liter diesel engine gives around 115 Bhp of power and 300 Nm of segment best torque. These figures start to feel as you drive the car. Especially the torque of 300 Nm gives you full chance of fun driving, city roads or overtaking between high speed traffic on the highway, this engine does not let you down.

The front of the SUV features Kiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature Tiger Nose grille, surrounded by Fox Silver. It has sleek LED headlamps, LED DRLs and LED tail lamps. The Celtos feature 17-inch alloy wheels, floating roof, sunroof and roof rails. 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol engine in the Celtos generates 138hp of power and 242Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Its mileage is 16.1 km with manual transmission and 16.5 km / l with automatic transmission. This engine will accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 9.7 seconds. This engine will only be found in the GT line.

Year Ender 2019

Honda Civic The car gets angular bumpers and LED headlamps. The rear look of the Civic has also changed completely

th car on the list is the Honda Civic that returned to the market after a extensive break. Civic as a brand, indisputably has a zealous following. Honda Civic has came back in a completely new look. Its front looks are quite sharp. The car gets angular bumpers and LED headlamps. The rear look of the Civic has also changed completely. It has LED taillights in C-shape. There is a fastback roofline on the car, which converts to boot. The 5-spoke 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels given in the new Civic, the sleek outside rear view mirror (ORVM) and the shark-fin antenna make the look quite sharp. The executive sedan features 7-inch touch screen infotainment system, cruise control, 8-way

he 8th car on the list is the Renault Triber, which has been doing well even on the sales charts. This Reno vehicle features like dual airbags, ABS, EBD, LED digital instrument cluster and rear parking sensor in all variants. The top model also features side airbags, 8.0 inch touch screen infotainment system and AC vents in the second and third row. The Reno Triber is a 7-seater

adjustable driver seat, electronic sunroof, dualzone climate control and smart key engine on / off with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car also has a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a push-button start system. Honda Civic has a 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder petrol engine. This engine generates 139 bhp power at 6,500 rpm and 174 Nm peak torque at 4,300 rpm. The special thing is that this time the Civic has also been introduced with the diesel engine. It is powered by a 1.6-liter i-DTEC diesel engine. This engine generates 118 bhp power at 4,000 rpm and 300 Nm peak torque at 2,000 rpm. The petrol engine gets a CVT gearbox while the diesel engine gets a 6-speed manual transmission.

crossover MPV. Its biggest feature is the modular seats given in it, that is, you can fold and remove the seats of the last row if not needed. This MPV of Reno has a 1.0 liter 3-cylinder, BS4 petrol engine. Its power is 72 PS and torque is 96 Nm. Currently, the company has given a 5-speed manual gearbox, which supplies power to the front wheels. The AMT gearbox option will be added later.

Renault Triber Currently, the company has given a 5-speed manual gearbox, which supplies power to the front wheels

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Year Ender 2019

Hyundai Grand i10 The Grand differs from its previous version in terms of design

Hyundai Grand i10 Premier hatchback is a very impressive car in the market. The Grand differs from its previous version in terms of design. It is long, wide and high. Many changes have also been made from inside. Even if it is not given a funky look like Verna or Elantra, the features have been greatly improved. The interior is designed in two colors, with a lot of attention given to the humanmachine interface.

10 Toyota Glanza

he 9th spot in this list was retrieved by Hyundai Grand i10 & Grand i10 NIOS. While the i10 has been a reliable executor, Hyundai had introduced the new i10 NIOS which provides a first-rate option to i10 customers.

he car that bagged the 10th position is the Toyota Glanza which is principally a cross badged Baleno. The Glanza is the first car to come to market under an agreement between Toyota and Suzuki. Toyota launched this car earlier this year and actually provides better Value for Money. Talking about the interior of the car, the Toyota Glanza has a dashboard similar to the Baleno. However, instead of Suzuki logo, Toyota will get the badge here. Both cars also have the same touch screen infotainment system and seat color. Glanza

The Glanza is the first car to come to market under an agreement between Toyota and Suzuki

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

The Grand i10 is offered in both petrol and diesel variants. It has the same 1.2 liter KAPPA mill engine, which was successful in the i10 and i20. Its specialty is the 1 liter U2 diesel engine, which has only 3 cylinders. Despite this, it produces 71PS power at 4000rpm. It also produces torque of 160Nm at 1,500 and 2750 rpm. Its pick up is very good. If you are on any gear, stuck in traffic, then the car can move easily. But the engine is not that special for highway cruising. The clutch action is extensive and the 5 speed gearbox is quite smooth. This is the perfect car to drive in the city.

is Toyota’s first car in India, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity options. Toyota Glanza gets a BS6 compliant petrol engine. Its base variant gets the same 1.2-liter K12C petrol engine from Maruti Suzuki, which gives 90PS power at 6000rpm and generates 113Nm torque at 4400rpm. However, the base variant of Glanza ‘G’ is priced lower than the Betta’s Zeta variant. With this, this car has become the most affordable mild-hybrid car in the country today. Apart from this, the G12T, V MT and V CVT in Glanza also have K12B engine, which gives power of 83PS.

Business Outlook

TYPES OF MUTUAL FUNDS AND WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU!

ll of us save money to meet our financial needs. While saving money can be used in emergency on one hand, it also saves you from the annoyance of taking a loan. A man’s financial goals are retirement, children’s wedding, holidays, buying a house, buying a big car or starting his business. It takes up a lot of money and time to complete these goals. According to Ajit Menon, CEO of PGIM India Mutual Fund, one needs to invest in different mutual funds to complete every kind of goal. Although there are seven types of mutual funds namely equity funds, balance funds, index funds, debt funds, money market funds, gilt funds and liquid funds; the most discussed ones are only five.

1. Equity Fund An equity fund is a mutual fund that invests primarily in stocks. It can be managed actively or passively (index funds). Equity funds are also known as stock funds. Stock mutual funds are primarily classified according to the investment style of holdings in company size, portfolio and geography.

2. Debt Fund While equity mutual funds invest in public listed companies, debt funds invest in fixed-income securities of government and companies. These include corporate bonds, government securities, treasury bills, money market instruments and various other types of debt securities. Like a stock, investing in a company’s equity is like buying a stake for the growth of that company. But when you buy a debt fund, you give a loan to the issuing entity. Government and private companies issue bills and bonds to get loans to run their various programs.

3. Balance or Hybrid Fund Balance funds are also known as hybrid funds. These are common stocks, bonds and short-term bonds. This fund is low risk and most of the invested capital is guaranteed to be safe. In this way one can

say that this fund is profitable. Examples are aggressive balance funds, conservative balance funds, pension funds, child plans and monthly income plans.

4. Gilt Fund This fund is considered the most secure fund. In this, the government invests all the money taken from the investors in government schemes. Since there is a backup of the government, there is no risk of money sinking.

5. Money Market Fund These funds invest in short-term fixed income securities such as government bonds, treasury bills, bankers’ acceptance, commercial papers and certificates of deposit. These are generally a safe investment, but have slightly lower returns than other types of mutual funds. This fund is for those who also want the benefit of immediate investment.

6. Liquid Fund Money under these schemes is mainly invested in short-term instruments. This fund is known for offering good returns on short-term investments. Growth Fund, with the help of this fund, tries to get the maximum benefit. Under this, investment is made in those companies which grow well in the market but the risk in this fund is high.

Why should you invest in a mutual fund? According to the Association of Mutual Fund India (AMFI), people should not invest in mutual funds but invest through them. To understand this, we invest in various investment avenues according to our needs like we invest in equity shares for capital growth, we invest in fixed income products for capital protection and regular income. The concern for most investors is what would be the best tool for them? A person may not have enough abilities, time

January 2020

or interest to do research. To manage investments, an individual can outsource for tasks that he or she is unable to do. Anyone can outsource managing their investments from a professional firm-mutual fund company. Mutual funds offer different routes to meet different objectives which investors can choose based on their specific circumstances and objectives. Mutual fund companies manage all administrative activities including paperwork. It also enables accounting and reporting of investment portfolio progress through a combination of Net Asset Value (NAV) and account statements. Mutual funds are very convenient for those who need investment for their future needs. A team of professionals manages the money and investors can enjoy the benefits of their expertise without getting involved in their world affairs.

An equity fund is a mutual fund that invests primarily in stocks. It can be managed actively or passively. Equity funds are also known as stock funds. Stock mutual funds are primarily classified according to the investment style of holdings in company size, portfolio and geography

OBSERVER DAWN

Business Outlook

BUY THIS ELECTRIC BIKE FOR 35K, USE WITHOUT LICENSE

lectric vehicle startup company Greenvolt Mobility is now preparing to launch its electric bike Mantis gradually across the country. The company has named this bike ‘No Challan’. The company is going to launch Mantis in Mumbai and in Bengaluru. If you want to buy this electric bike, then you may pre-book it. Online booking is being done by the company for Rs 999. The company is going to conduct private test rides at the time of launching for customers who have pre-booked this electric bike in Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities. According to the information from the company, this electric bike will be launched in Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai in January. The company says that this electric bike is cheap as well as pollution free, which is most needed in India.

If you pre-book Greenvolt Mantis, then you will have to pay Rs. 34,999. But if you buy it from the dealer, its price will increase to Rs 37,999. Currently, the company is engaged in activating dealerships in all cities. Greenvolt will open studio outlets and service centers in all selected metro cities throughout February through its dealer network. The special thing is that license, PUC or registration is not required to drive Mantis electric bike. Talking about the feature, it has a 250watt motor and controller. Greenvolt has designed and developed Mantis in-house. The lithiumion battery provided in it is removable, meaning it can be removed and charged. Mantis Electric can run up to 50 km once fully charged. According to the company, it takes 2.5 hours to fully charge the battery. The Mantis portable battery weighs 2.5 kg, which can be charged from any domestic power socket.

Electric Bike Mantis

WALMART PREPARED TO TRAIN 50 THOUSAND MSME ENTREPRENEURS IN 5 YEARS

merican retail company Walmart is planning to open 25 institutes in India in the next 5 years, in which about 50,000 entrepreneurs from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME Sector) will be trained. The company gave information about this to a senior officer. Walmart CEO Judith Makkena said that under the ‘Walmart growth supplier development program’ these institutes will be spread across the country. These institutes will be strategically built in places that are close to the production cluster.

However, this American retail company did not give any information about the total amount it would spend for this program. But, the company definitely said that the help of Local Sourcing by Walmart will also be taken for this. Currently, India is the fifth largest sourcing hub in the world for Walmart, from where Walmart operates in 14 global markets. Among them are countries like China, America, Mexico and Canada. Committed to bring entrepreneurs into the supply chain, Makkena said, ‘In the first five years we are committed to train 50,000 MSME entrepreneurs. We will train them strategically at 25 institutes located close to the production cluster. He added, ‘Over the past decade, Walmart has been trying to bring Indian MSME entrepreneurs into the supply chain. You may not know, but we see India as the top 5 sourcing market for Walmart. For this, Walmart will work closely with the Central and State Government and others. Currently, Walmart India operates a total of 27 Best Price Modern Wholesale Stores. About 5,000 items are sold in them, of which around 95 per cent items are brought locally.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Business Outlook

NEFT TRANSACTION NOW TO BE HELD 24X7

f you conduct your online transactions through National Electronic Funds (NEFT), then there is great news for you. Starting from December 16, NEFT facility is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Earlier this facility was not available 24 hours. The Reserve Bank of India has said in a statement that now the facility of transaction under NEFT will be available throughout the year including holidays. NEFT is a method of online transaction, in which you can transfer up to `2 lakhs at a time. Earlier, you could transfer money only in between 8 am and 6:30 pm and that too only on those days when banks were open. Now the service will be available round the clock, seven days. The Reserve Bank has asked all member banks to keep sufficient funds in the current account with the regulator at all times so that there is no problem in NEFT transactions. NEFT transfers have now been divided into half-hourly batches with the arrangement of the first batch starting after 12:30 am and the last batch ending at midnight i.e. 12 am. Since the last NEFT payment batch ends at midnight, you might not be able to make

NEW RULES FOR MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY

obile Number Portability (MNP) process has become much easier and faster than earlier. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued latest guidelines. According to these guidelines, a unique porting code will need to be generated to port the number. Apart from this, it will take only 3 days to port a mobile number in a single circle, while it will take 5 working days to port a number from one circle to another. Earlier it used to take 15 days. Here we are going to tell you everything about the new MNP process:

What is Mobile Number Portability? Mobile number portability is also known as MNP. If a subscriber is not satisfied with the mobile network company, he/she gets the facility to become a customer of another telecom operator without changing the number through MNP.

a transaction after 11:30 pm till the beginning of the next batch at 12:30 am the next day. The central bank said that all banks can inform consumers about the changes in NEFT. It is noteworthy that the Reserve Bank has already decided to abolish the fees on NEFT and RTGS transactions. RBI’s move will promote digital transactions in India. Earlier, IMPS facility allowed 24x7 fund transfers online but it had a limit of `2 lakh. NEFT transactions done after banking hours will be automated using ‘Straight Through Processing (STP)’ modes provided by the banks. Banks are supposed to send confirmation messages following all NEFT credits.

How long will the port take? The biggest change in the new guidelines issued by TRAI is in the time taken by it. From now on, it will take a maximum of 5 working days to port a mobile number, which previously used to take 15 days. However, in areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North East this time will continue to be 15 days.

How to get mobile number ported? - To get the mobile number port, users will need a Unique Porting Code (UPC) - To generate UPC, give space after PORT and write your mobile number and SMS it to 1900 - Users will get UPC code through SMS only, which will be valid for next 4 days - Now, go to the customer service center of any network operator you wish to avail - Fill the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) and Porting Form here. Pay and submit KYC document - After submitting the document, a new SIM will be created. Users will also get a SMS - The day and time of porting will also be informed via this SMS

How much is the charge of the port? For the port, the user of the application will have to pay a charge of Rs. 6.46.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020

POLICY REFORMS, A BUSINESS SENTIMENT BOOSTER IN 2019 “Despite a weakening economic scenario, policy reforms across various sectors in 2019 acted as a business sentiment booster leading to a tremendous improvement in India’s Ease of Doing Business Ranking”, says the spokesperson, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO - India, South East Asia, Middle East & Africa at CBRE.

ccording to the World Bank, India ranks at 63rd among 190 countries, and the ranking is anticipated to improve further in the coming years backed by progressive government policies. Meanwhile, the real estate sector has shown remarkable resilience despite the bearish phase of the economy. Below is a lowdown of how the real estate story unfolded in 2019: Anshuman Magazine Chairman & CEO - India, South East Asia, Middle East & Africa at CBRE

Office Leasing activity for the office segment increased by more than 30% annually to cross 47 million sq. ft. during the first three quarters of 2019; to surpass its previous peak of 2018. The leasing activity stood at about 15.4 million sq. ft. during Q3 2019, rising by nearly 23% on an annual basis. Bangalore, followed by Hyderabad, NCR and Mumbai, accounted for about 80% of the leasing during the first three quarters of 2019 (2019 YTD). About 43 million sq. ft. of new office supply was added in 9M

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

2019. Meanwhile, supply addition was up 80% in the first three quarters of 2019, as compared to the same period in 2018. The additions were led by Hyderabad, Bangalore, NCR and Mumbai. The year 2020 is expected to see a continuation of this growth story, with space take-up expected to further strengthen in the short term. Tech is expected to continue shaping office demand even as occupiers adopt newer workplace strategies to realign their portfolios by trying to find the right mix of flexibility and collaborative / incubation spaces within their core workplaces along with adding external flexible options. We expect flexible space operators to continue to expand operations and target secondary markets in Tier I cities and major markets in Tier II and III cities.

Retail Retail demand continued to remain strong in 2019, and witnessed a healthy mix across brand categories of F&B operators,

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020

the slowing economy, capital inflows increased by more than 30% to nearly USD 4.6 billion in 9M 2019, compared to the same period last year

The most significant aspect during the festive sale period was the deep inroads that Amazon and Flipkart made into Tier II and beyond locations, more popularly referred to as ‘Bharat’ mid-range & value fashion along with entertainment-based retailers. Department store retailers remained active in southern cities such as Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, whereas, fine dining, specialty restaurants and sporting goods’ brands increased their footprint in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. Supply addition witnessed a dip during 2019 in comparison to 2018. However, it is expected to pick up as nearly 4.0-5.0 million sq. ft. of investment grade mall developments are expected to become operational by the end of 2020. The sector saw investments worth USD 196 million during the period, which is comparable to almost USD 215 million investments in entire 2018.

Logistics Leasing activity increased by almost 31% compared to H1 2018, crossing 13 million sq. ft. in H1 2019. 3PL players accounted for about 56% of the leasing activity, thereby driving space take-up during the first half of the year. Recent policy reforms and infrastructure initiatives have boosted this sector, which is likely to attract significant investments in the near future. This is evident from the fact that according to the CBRE APAC Investor Intentions Survey 2019, India was among the top 5 investment destinations in APAC, with industrial and logistics being one of the top targeted segments. In 2020, we expect the overall pipeline for the sector to reach 60 million sq. ft., with leading players accounting for at least 22 million sq. ft. of this supply. We also expect logistics leasing activity to strengthen, owing to consolidation / expansion by occupiers. We also expect the fast growing food services / quick service restaurant (QSR) industry to boost the demand for cold storage warehouses in the coming years. Supply chain integration is likely to remain tech-enhanced, with

increasing demand for 3PL and even 4PL services in certain instances.

Residential On an annual basis, residential supply increased by 24% in 9M 2019, compared with the same period previous year. Sales activity too improved by 26% during the same period. The growth can be attributed to the sustained efforts of the central government to strengthen the sector, especially affordable housing. These include setting up an alternative investment fund worth INR 25,000 crore for stalled housing projects, enhancing banks’ lending cap to registered NBFCs for on-lending by housing finance companies, etc. In addition to these steps, the government has launched several flagship schemes such as Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat, AMRUT and Housing for All – all aimed at long-term development of residential real estate. While the NBFC crisis and the resulting economic slowdown have slowed the recovery of the sector, affordable housing continues to drive the sector.

Capital Markets Despite the slowing economy, capital inflows increased by more than 30% to nearly USD 4.6 billion in 9M 2019, compared to the same period last year. In fact, the investments in the three quarters are comparable to the overall 2018 inflows (USD 4.8 billion), indicating that the market is expected to attain a new peak by the end of 2019. This is suggestive of the investors’ continued faith in the Indian market despite a weakening economic scenario and the recent NBFC crisis. While investments in core built-up assets were mostly led by private equity and other institutional investors, investments in land were driven by developers aiming at strengthening their commercial pipeline in cities such as

January 2020

Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. Developers focusing on increasing their footprint in other key markets across India are expected to continue to gain momentum. Major deals include Blackstone’s investments in office assets in Mumbai and Bangalore and ADIA’s investment in a retail development in Gurgaon. However, the availability of built-up investible assets, especially core assets, has become a major concern for institutional investors. Meanwhile, India’s improved risk perception and healthy demand dynamics have resulted in greater capital flows in ‘Greenfield’ assets. The NBFC liquidity crisis has led to a greater focus on core assets, LRDs, due diligence procedures and an increase of 200 – 300 bps in lending rates for developer. On the other hand, the launch of Embassy REIT has opened up a new asset class for investment in country. Its success can be gauged from the fact that between 18 March and 30 November 2019, the price of a single REIT unit reached INR 445.3 from a launch price of INR 300, registering a significant 48% improvement. The country is expected to see the launch of at least one more REIT in the coming year.

Outlook As the Indian economy transitions and its workforce expand, it will offer vast development and investment opportunities for the real estate sector. The growth of cities is going to further influence the country’sbuilt environment, while technology, demographics and environmental issues will become its new value drivers. Already, workplaces are becoming more modern and open, in keeping with the aspirations of the millennial working population. The logistics industry is embracing technology to keep pace with the increasingly digital times even as retail goes omni-channel with an eye on the smart shopper. Meanwhile, housing is getting more affordable, on the back of government initiatives and the growing needs of young families. The real estate universe is expected to expand sizably in the coming year as new asset classes (REITs, co-living spaces, student housing) make their presence felt.

OBSERVER DAWN

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020

DISRUPTERS REVOLUTIONIZED REAL ESTATE SECTOR:

CII-CBRE REPORT The report, ‘Real Estate – A Relook’ at the XV edition of its flagship conference on Real Estate - CII CBRE REALTY 2019, was launched at the XV edition of CII CBRE “REALTY 2019” in New Delhi.

he CII, in association with its knowledge partner, CBRE, has released a joint report titled ‘Real Estate – A Relook’ at the XV edition of its flagship conference on Real Estate - CII CBRE REALTY 2019. The report encapsulates how the real estate, which witnessed decades of traditional approaches, is now going to be revolutionized by ‘disrupters’. These have initiated a new wind of demand in the sector, the role of policy reforms in giving it the much-needed regulatory push and the need for building future-ready talent to establish India on the map for world-class developments.

reforms like RERA, REITs, Ease of Doing Business, Housing for all in enabling the much-needed transparency across the realty value chain. The role of innovative technologies along with emergence of PropTech in transforming the Indian Realty sector and the need for building ‘future-ready’ talent are also key attributes emphasized that will pave the way for the sector.

The CII-CBRE knowledge paper ‘Real Estate – A Relook’ was unveiled by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India (Independent Charge) in the presence of Anshuman Magazine, the Chairman – CII Realty 2019 & Co-Chair, CII National Committee on Housing & Real Estate and Chairman & CEO – India, Southeast Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE along with Anil Saraf, Co-Chairman, CII Realty 2019 & CMD, ASF Group.

Addressing the real estate fraternity at the conference, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India (Independent Charge), Hardeep Singh Puri, said, “The year 2018 was about reforms and revival, with strong policy change and increased attractiveness of India as an ideal investment destination. The realty sector is expected to generate over 17 million workforces and contribute to over 13% towards India’s economic contribution by 2025. Our aspiration, through the support of government initiatives, is to create the proofs-of-concept, the models and best

‘Real Estate – A Relook’ is a compendium of the key drivers which are shaping the Indian real estate and are instrumental in crafting the future of the sector. It enables a dialogue between all the stakeholders of the industry to revisit the plans, potential and approaches that will cumulatively shape new-age infrastructure. The report also details the evolution of smart cities, co-working spaces, affordable housing,logistics& warehousing and sets context for the future. It further assesses the role of dedicated policy and regulatory

‘Real Estate – A Relook’ is a compendium of the key drivers which are shaping the Indian real estate and are instrumental in crafting the future of the sector

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

practices that other cities around the country will learn from. This report is a milestone in this direction as it not only determines the trends which need to be leveraged but also presents an analytical view on the near future that can be successful if we work towards developing a new workplace strategy, integrated smart cities, expand affordable housing, a renewed focus on application of new technologies in the sector”. While releasing the CBRE-CII report, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman – CII Realty 2019 & Co-Chair, CII National Committee on Housing & Real Estate and Chairman & CEO – India, Southeast Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE said, “In the wake of positive policy reforms, emergence of a strong workforce, introduction of new technologies and growth of newer asset classes, the momentum of India’s realty sector is growing substantially. The theme of this year’s conference ‘Real Estate – A Relook’ reviews the emerging factors that will build the future of real estate sector. India has one of a kind growth story; real estate as the country’s growth propeller and we at CBRE are committed to be at the center of this growth trajectory. The CII CBRE report ‘Real Estate – A Relook’ unveils a sectorial overview and outlines factors that will redefine real estate soon”. Co-Chairman, CII Realty 2018 and Chairman & Managing Director, ASF Group, Anil Saraf said, “CII Realty is an interactive platform

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020

designed for its fraternity to discuss on the emerging industry trends and assess global practices that are influencing the sector. The Indian real estate sector is amidst a metamorphosis which is being shaped by rapid technological progress, changing policy scenario, shifting end-user demand and this report echoes that. At CII, we are committed to partner in this transformation and achieve a re-built real estate sector that is full of opportunities”. In addition the key attendees at the conference included Sameer Gupta, Chairman, CII Northern Region & Chairman & Managing Director Jakson Group,Dr Sunil Kant Munjal, Past President, CII and Chairman, Hero Enterprise, Sanjaya Gupta, Managing Director, PNB Housing Finance Ltd., SriramKhattar, MD, DLF, Rahul Kapoor, Director – Smart Cities Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India, Dr K KKhandelwal, Chairman, Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority among others.

The key trends listed in the report “Real Estate – A Relook”:Real Estate Disrupters: What’s Hot & What’s Not? Smart cities • The growth of smart cities will be one of the influencing factors that will shape the future of the country’s real estate environment • Infrastructure renewal in Tier II and III cities with widespread deployment of

By 2030, Delhi might overtake Tokyo as the world’s largest urban agglomeration. India will have 68 cities with a population of more than 1 million; up from 42 today state-of-the-art surveillance systems and integrated intelligent traffic management systems that are expected to streamline basic amenities • Launched of ‘100 Smart Cities Mission’ where the focus is on sustainable and inclusive development through the use of ‘smart’ solutions • Development of townships as a result of new industrial corridors (under ‘Make in India’) • By 2030, Delhi might overtake Tokyo as the world’s largest urban agglomeration. India will have 68 cities with a population of more than 1 million; up from 42 today • One of the primary factors that needs to be adopted to witness this progress by 2030 is to strengthen inter-regional connectivity by developing an integrated transportation system

January 2020

• Focus should also be on expanding affordable housing and developing efficient neighborhood planning along with driving sustainability in everyday life.

Co-working • With the recent wave of rapid expansion, flexible spaces account for about 1.7% of the total office stock in APAC currently. Shanghai and Delhi-NCR were the only two markets in the region where flexible spaces accounted for more than 3% of the overall office stock • Keeping pace with the demand, the overall stock of flexible space in the country (including the seven Indian cities) increased by almost 52% y-o-y to almost 20 million sq. ft. by H1 2019. In H1 2019, almost 30% of the flexible space leasing took place in Bangalore • By 2020, leasing by flexible space operators expected to touch 7-9 million; expansion from ‘gateway’ cities to ‘getaway’ cities • More established corporates to opt for flexible spaces; large sized deal closures expected • Flexible spaces unlikely to be limited to office buildings and ‘Free-addressing’ policies to boost operator expansion • Flexible operators have been bullish

OBSERVER DAWN

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020 about India and leased about 4.6 million sq. ft. of space in H1 2019, an increase of about 52% on a y-o-y basis. India today is one of the biggest flexible space markets in APAC with a stock of almost 20 million sq. ft. and is only expected to grow from strength to strength.

Affordable housing • Housing demand remains concentrated in affordable and mid-end segments • Projects launched in locations with basic physical and social infrastructure expected to see greater traction • Given the improving affordability of the population, definition of affordable housing and mid-end housing expected to blur somewhat in the coming years, given the improving affordability of the population • In addition, the government also recently changed the definition of affordable housing, The 60 sq. m. in metropolitan cities (NCR including Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad), Bangalore, Mumbai – MMR region, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata) having value up to INR 4.5 million. The 90 sq. m. in non-metropolitan cities / towns with value up to INR 4.5 million.

Logistics and warehousing • Leasing activity rose by almost 31% compared to H1 2018, crossing 13 million sq. ft. in H1 2019

• The sector is also likely to attract significant investments – as indicated by the latest report (CBRE APAC Investor Intention Survey, 2019) India was among the top 5 investment destinations in APAC; depicting Industrial & logistics as one of the top segments expected to be targeted by investors in 2019 • Widespread deployment of IoT to create smarter warehouses with improved supply chain efficiencies • Advent of bigger warehouses that are constructed at greater distances not only from each other but also from residential districts

with more than 42,000 housing projects registered so far • Affordable housing now includes units up to 60 sq. m. in metropolitan cities having value up to INR 4.5 million • In H1 2019, supply at a pan India level inched up by 17% y-o-y while sales grew by 16% y-o-y • RE in India is now high on the global investor radar – with the country’s first REIT listing a prominent example • India has witnessed rapid strides in its Ease of Doing Business Ranking

• Partial crossover between warehousing and retail property expected; for instance, shopping centres in large US and European cities often have selfstorage facilities where buyers take delivery of goods ordered online

• For the first time, separate policies for individual RE segments have been announced in H1 2019, including a Draft Logistics Policy, a Draft Industrial Policy, a Draft E-commerce Policy and a Draft Retail Policy

Reinventing Real Estate through Policy Reforms

• The impact of the implementation of RERA, GST and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is expected to better place developers with a scalable business model, to increase their market share in a regulatory environment that demands greater accountability and transparency from developers.

• At present, 30 states and Union Territories have notified the RERA rules

‘Real Estate – A Relook’ is a compendium of the key drivers which are shaping the Indian real estate and are instrumental in crafting the future of the sector

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Building the ‘Tech-Way’ and the advent of PropTech in India One of the prime sectors that will witness a revolution due to digitalization is the realty sector • Artificial intelligence, virtual and

Outlook 2019-Projections 2020 processes. CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, playing a proactive role in India’s development process. Founded in 1895, India’s premier business association has around 9000 members, from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 300,000 enterprises from around 276 national and regional sectoral industry bodies.

augmented reality, analytics, blockchain, autonomous vehicles and IoT are the new disruptive and exponential technologies that will accelerate innovation and drive growth • As the operation dynamics of the real estate business in India are evolving and innovating at a pace much faster than envisioned, it is almost imperative that innovations be applied to the most basic as well as most important step in the value chain – construction techniques • Tech in construction space has coincided with growing demand for faster construction and world-class quality. Therefore, developers would have to increasingly adopt newer construction techniques • Digitalization will lead to the emergence of the new start-up initiative- PropTech, a technological innovation in data assembling, designing and transactions; by which it provides efficient services to both occupiers and landlords/ developers.

Building ‘Future Ready’ Talent • Going forward, an increasing number

of freelance individuals, small groups and partner businesses to work ‘with’ organizations; instead of ‘for’ organizations • Increase in demand of flexible spaces as workplaces are becoming more modern keeping with the aspirations of the millennial working population. With a steady growth in mobile population, this sector will fast change gears as they enter the “mainstream”. • Corporates providing a diverse range of amenities and value-add services such as cafés, shuttle services, etc. • Deploying tech solutions (such as cloudbased apps) for jobs such as booking conference rooms or reporting faults • Leveraging labour analytics to obtain robust and evidence-based solutions to finding the right talent

About CII The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering industry, Government, and civil society, through advisory and consultative

With 66 offices, including 9 Centres of Excellence, in India, and 10 overseas offices in Australia, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, UK, and USA, as well as institutional partnerships with 355 counterpart organizations in 126 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community.

About CBRE Group, Inc CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2018 revenue). The company (Fortune Rank 146) has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates) and serves real estate investors and occupiers through more than 480 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE was the first International Property Consultancy to set up an office in India in 1994. Since then, the operations have grown to include more than 8,300 professionals across 10 offices with a presence in over 80 cities in India. As a leading international property consultancy, CBRE provides clients with a wide range of real estate solutions, including Strategic Consulting, Valuations/Appraisals, Capital Markets, Agency Services, Property Management and Project Management.

HEADING TOWARDS A VIBRANT FUTURE The Facts That Follows Each of the RE Disrupters Smart Cities:

Affordable housing:

• Infrastructure renewal in Tier II and III cities • Development of townships as a result of new industrial corridors (under ‘Make in India’) • Growing digital integration of civic services to ensure smooth delivery of service

• Housing demand remains concentrated in affordable and midend segments • Projects launched in locations with basic physical and social infrastructure expected to see greater traction • Given the improving affordability of the population, definition of affordable housing and mid-end housing expected to somewhat blur

Co-working spaces: • By 2020, leasing by flexible space operators expected to touch 7-9 million, expansion from ‘gateway’ cities to ‘getaway’ cities • More established corporates to opt for flexible spaces; large sized deal closures expected • Flexible spaces unlikely to be limited to office buildings • Free-addressing policies to boost operator expansion

Logistics and warehousing: • Widespread deployment of IoT to create smarter warehouses with improved supply chain efficiencies • Advent of bigger warehouses that are constructed at greater distances not only from each other but also from residential districts.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

LifeStyle

LEARN HOW TO

CREATE BETTER

BALANCE BETWEEN

WORK

Do not hesitate to say no to the goals out of your comfort zone

LIFE Smartphones and other smart gadgets have worsened the situation. Even after reaching home, our mind keeps thinking about work mails, messages and upcoming assignments. In such a situation, the work life balance becomes disturbed

n todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time, our workplace or office has become our second home. Most part of the day is spent here. Smartphones and other smart gadgets have worsened the situation. Even after reaching home, our mind keeps thinking about work mails, messages and upcoming assignments. In such a situation, the work life balance becomes disturbed. It also affects our health and social relations. Still, if we try, this balance can be made between home and work. Here are few tips and tricks to do so.

Prioritize wisely The first step to create a work-life balance is to set your priorities wisely. You might be seriously work-ridden but you also do know that some of these tasks are very important and others can be avoided for some time. If you decide the priority of tasks according to their importance, then your mind will remain calm and you will be able to do the necessary work in a shorter time.

Keep taking small breaks Sometimes breaks are necessary in the midst of work. This disrupts the monotony and keeps you more healthy and active because anyway due to monotony, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to focus more

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

and it will take even more time to complete the work.

Work at work, rest at home Try not to waste time in completing personal errands during work. By doing this, you will not be able to complete the work by the deadline and hence, will carry the work burden to the house. You should focus on only office work during your work timings, and then you will be able to handle personal responsibilities without any stress at home.

Learn to take care of yourself Keeping yourself healthy and active will make you feel more efficient; not only physically but also mentally. So try to have a well-organized sleeping schedule; exercise daily; eat healthy and engage in activities like meditation to keep your mind calm.

Do not take too much stress Be sure of your abilities. Do not hesitate to say no to the goals out of your comfort zone. You can humbly tell your seniors that you will be able to complete the new task only after handling the work that you are currently doing. In this way, you will be able to control the expectations of yourself.

LifeStyle WORK CULTURE & HOW TO IMPROVE IT:

IDEAS FOR EMPLOYERS Well -designed offices have become a part of the working culture today. All big companies are working on this concept. This is also causing changes in the office culture. Potential employees, when coming for an interview in a company, pay considerable attention to its infrastructure. This creates a first impression of the company. Job experts also believe that keeping their workplace in a better and modern way reflects a positive thinking because it is true that a great office increases productivity opportunities. New research is pointing out that employees prefer the firm where office design is going to bring them comfort. In such a situation, if you also want to increase the productivity of your company, then give employees a better environment. • If your office is old style, get it renovated. For this, seek the help of a professional designer. India’s leading IT Company Infosys is known for giving a new environment to its employees at the work place. The company’s production is not hidden from anyone. Similarly, the name of Google is also in one of the companies who take care of their employees, providing them all kinds of facilities at the work place. If you expect the best from your employee, then you also have to give the best atmosphere. • Consult the employees before renovating the company. Ask them what kind of work place they want. With this, they consider themselves connected to the company. It is also necessary, since they spend a lot of time in office.

• Generally multinational companies are wellfunded and hence can afford to look out for company’s renovatory needs. But if you are running a startup, then you should also pay attention to your budget to give the office a great look. By doing this, you will be able to create better workplaces within your budget. • Creativity is required in every workplace. So go with the creative approach while making the workplace better. During this, give priority to employees’ amenities. While using paintings in office make sure that it is not permanent as at first it looks good and later, boredom starts setting in. In addition, light plays an important role in the workplace. So pay attention to this as well. Along with this, take care of office security and comfort zone of the people doing the job. • As much as it is necessary to take ideas from the employee before renovation, the more important it is to take feedback after renovation. By doing this, you can follow their suggestions at the time of next change. • In order to do renovation in office, keep in mind that some changes are permanent and there are some that can be changed every week or 15 days. For example, you can change the paintings and plants kept in the office. Apart from this, changing of seating plans of employees in the office can also give them a new atmosphere. These things will definitely increase productivity.

Consult the employees before renovating the company. Ask them what kind of work place they want. With this, they consider themselves connected to the company. It is also necessary, since they spend a lot of time in office

As much as it is necessary to take ideas from the employee before renovation

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Ecology & Environment

ARRIBADA: AN ENTHRALLING JOURNEY INTO FASCINATING WORLD OF SEA TURTLES

The WWF-India, in collaboration with Dakshin Foundation & Aradhana Seth, launched its third exhibition – “arribada: A gathering of stories, cultures and interactions with sea turtles”.

t a time when environmental awareness is the need of the hour, the “arribada”, a unique travelling exhibition, tells you the story of sea turtles through turtle-inspired artefact collections of three avid conservationists and collectors. The exhibition aims to transport us into the mysterious world of sea turtles and help raise awareness about the need for their protection and conservation. Human beings have been fascinated by sea turtles for millennia and turtles play key roles in mythology and culture across the world. Having evolved around 110 million years ago and mostly remained unchanged, they bring valuable insight to the Earth’s past. As a charismatic species, they are ambassadors for their ecosystems, bringing attention to the need for conservation e¬fforts for seascapes across the country and the world. Noticeably, India’s coastal water contains 4 species of sea turtles, all listed as endangered under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and CITES. These include the green, hawksbill, leatherback and olive ridley, with the ridleys being the smallest in size. The olive ridleys are also the only species exhibiting the phenomena of mass nesting in India. The Indian mass nesting population of olive ridleys is globally the largest rookery. In a nocturnal spectacle spanning a few nights, tens of thousands of olive ridley turtles lay over a million eggs ashore in the event known as the arribada. These turtles undertake a long distance migration from the offshore waters of Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to nest in large numbers along the beaches of Odisha.

In a nocturnal spectacle spanning a few nights, tens of thousands of olive ridley turtles lay over a million eggs ashore in the event known as the arribada

However, while direct threats like poaching for trade or consumption have largely been eliminated for the species in India, they continue to face indirect threats from fisheries (bycatch mortality), coastal development (loss of nesting beaches), climate change (altered physiology and habitat) and marine debris (entrapment, ingestions, infiltration in food chain). Ravi Singh, the Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India, while speaking about the exhibition, said, “WWF-India has been engaging with school children for over four decades to build young leaders of conservation through programs and initiatives that are both educational and are also engaging and interactive. The “arribada” is an attempt to take children and others into the world of turtles and marine biodiversity and highlight the need for its conservation”. Kartik Shanker, Ecologist & Founder trustee, Dakshin Foundation, said, “This exhibition brings together a set of cultural artefacts that

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Ecology & Environment

The most significant aspect during the festive sale period was the deep inroads that Amazon and Flipkart made into Tier II and beyond locations. symbolize our long relationship with turtles. Through this we hope to bring out stories of both hindering and reverence, of ecology and conservation. The exhibition was launched at the WWF-India office in New Delhi by Dr. Sejal Worah, Program Director, WWF-India, Dr. Kartik Shanker, ecologist & Founder trustee, Dakshin Foundation, Aradhana Seth, Director, Producer, Art Director & Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India. The three eclectic collectors of turtle artefacts have come together to bring to the forefront the story of sea turtles and the need to protect this beautiful species. The exhibition brings to life stories from history, biology, culture, conservation and people associated with sea turtle research in India. The exhibition also uses recyclable material and discarded single-use plastic in its construction and will be displayed in New Delhi from July to September and will later move to Bengaluru & Goa. Besides others, those behind the exhibition include Dr. Sejal Worah, Dr. Kartik Shankar and Aradhana Seth.Worah has worked in the field of natural resource management and sustainable development for over 25 years in India, south and Southeast Asia and east Africa. She is currently Program Director at WWF-India in New Delhi. Dr. Kartik Shanker is an evolutionary ecologist who has been working on marine turtles for the last 15 years. He is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and a founder trustee of Dakshin Foundation.

Aradhana Seth is engaged in many forms of visual art. She has been a director, producer, production designer and art director in films from around the world. She has been working with photography, installation art and architectural projects alongside film. She lends the exhibition its visual language, her expertise in production design and her collection of turtles.

WWF-India W W F- I n d i a h a s b e e n w o r k i n g t o w a r d s w i l d l i f e a n d environment protection in the country since 1969. WWF- India is part of the WWF-International network and its national presence extends to over 75 state and field offices across more than 20 states. The organization works in different geographical regions of the country towards the conservation of key wildlife species, protection of habitats, management of rivers, wetlands and their ecosystems, climate change mitigation, sustainable livelihood alternatives for local communities, water and carbon footprint reduction in industries and combating illegal wildlife trade. WWF India’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Dakshin Foundation Dakshin Foundation’s mission is to inform and advocate for conservation and natural resource management, while promoting and supporting sustainable livelihoods, social development and environmental justice.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Real Estate

The latest development came a few months after the announcement of DeenDayal Jan AwasYojana (DDJAY), an affordable housing scheme to encourage the development of ”high density plotted colonies” in Low and Medium Potential towns of Haryana through a liberal policy framework

REAL ESTATE

AN OVERVIEW – 2019 & REFLECTIONS – 2020 64

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Real Estate

PRADEEP AGGARWAL

Founder & Chairman, Signature Global and Chairman - ASSOCHAM National Council on Real Estate, Housing and Urban Development

he year gone by was a good year for the real estate sector but anything substantial did not come out. A lot of announcement were made and we hope that in the coming year at least some of them will come to fruition. In affordable segment, we expect that government should seriously look into the issue of raw material cost and land prices. A push for affordable housing has been the Haryana Cabinet’s decisions to increase the total limit for grant of Affordable Group Housing Colony in a sector from existing 15 acres to 30 acres and extending the

DeenDayal Jan AwasYojna to Gurugram Development Plan. The latest development came a few months after the announcement of DeenDayal Jan AwasYojana (DDJAY), an affordable housing scheme to encourage the development of ”high density plotted colonies” in Low and Medium Potential towns of Haryana through a liberal policy framework. To meet this burgeoning demand, a coordinated effort on policy part is required where every state should have such policies and the supply should come up everywhere to meet the target of ‘Housing for All’.

RAJAT GOEL Joint Managing Director, MRG World

he year has been a phenomenal one for the real estate as it saw the revival of buyer’s faith in real estate. From repo rate cuts to the passing of the benefits to the homebuyers, announcement of packages for the sector to the hopes of likely infusion of funds have all made 2019 a year that will be remembered for the maximum a government has done to show seriousness towards the primary need of the citizens, which is housing. In the coming year, we hope that the tempo will be maintained and that infusion of funds will see the light of the day making it possible for the sector to function smoothly.

The announcement of INR 10,000 crorefund that has to be used for lastmile funding of stuck affordable and mid segment projects was an important move. The move was appreciated as it came at a time when delays were causing apprehensions. Also, the special window will get investments from institutions like LIC, SBI and others which will take the corpus to nearly INR 25,000 crore. More importantly, many NPA projects and those facing bankruptcy proceedings under NCLT are to be included and this gave relief to the aggrieved homebuyers.

MOHIT GOEL

CEO, Omaxe Limited

he year 2019 was a challenging one for the economy as a whole as well as for the real estate sector. Accordingly, both the sales and launches were on the decline during the year. To arrest the slide, Government has announced several measures benefits of these will start accruing in 2020. With budget also round the corner, Government may announce some more measure to boost the economy. Accordingly, we feel the year 2020 will be a year of revival for the real estate sector. On the Company’s front, the year 2019 was a remarkable one. During the year, we launched and delivered several projects in New Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Faridabad and Lucknow. We also launched OmaxeChowk in association with North Municipal Corporation of Delhi (N-MCD) at the iconic ChandniChowk. The project is the first organised commercial offering in the area encompassing retail, food court as well as multi-level parking spaces. The response has been overwhelming and the construction has restarted after a brief period of ban.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Real Estate

DHRUV AGARWALA

Group CEO, Elara Technologies, the country’s only full stack real estate technology platform that owns PropTiger.com, Housing.com and Makaan.com resolutions for Jaypee and Amrapali group will go a long way in reviving sentiment in the market during 2020 and the coming years.”

Positives

Sweeping “To say it was a tough year for the housing sector is an understatement. Sales were anaemic despite help that came in the form of generous interest rate cuts and tax benefits from the RBI and the government respectively. Those measures fell short in reviving the sector with interest among buyers lukewarm because of a lack of confidence in builders and builders themselves struggling because of a severe liquidity crunch driven in large measure by the NBFC crisis.”

Insolvency “The Rs 25,000 crore funds to salvage stalled projects and the progress made in

“To say that there were no positives would be unjustified. The industry saw a growth in demand for affordable housing and higher sales bookings by builders with good track records. The co-living segment for students and young working professionals gained a lot of momentum. This segment can only grow more as consumer preferences get better understood and business models evolve”. “Commercial real estate performed exceedingly well and leasing of office space is likely to end the year at record levels. India got its first REIT with more in the pipeline. This will transform the industry with the unlocking of massive amounts of capital. The co- working segment also witnessed growth, despite the WeWork fiasco, as demand for flexible and short term office space is on the rise”.

YASH MIGLANI

Managing Director, Migsun Group

he year 2019 was a tough one for real estate sector, but affordable housing did reasonably well. Most of our project offerings are in affordable category and we received encouraging response of the customers especially in the second half of the year. With Government announcing several measures in the last couple of months, we expect the revival of the sector is round the corner and affordable housing will play a key role in it. Adding on, the move by the government was appreciated as infusion of funds will see the light of the day making it possible for the real estate sector to function it efficiently.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

DEEPAK KAPOOR Director, Gulshan Homz

he year 2019 proved to be a hectic year for real estate sector with so much happening almost every month. The government was seen concerned and willing to help but all these measures are likely to have effect in the coming year. All the segments of real estate -- commercial to residential -- saw a healthy movement but the pace was not the way it should have been. Multiple policy measures were announced but something was left wanting and it is this gap that has be plugged in with the coming of new year. We hope that 2020 would be much fruitful in terms of funding for real estate and finance options for the buyers.

Real Estate

MANOJ GAUR

Managing Director, Gaurs Group and Chairman, Affordable Housing Committee, CREDAI

rom an industry perspective, the year 2019 turned out to be a rather challenging one. Despite various measures announced by the Government as well as RBI, the going was tough for the industry. The sluggish economic growth during the first two quarters of the current fiscal added to the misery of the sector. As a result, both sales as well as launches fell during the year. However, 2020 may be a different year. The impact of some of the measures is likely to bear fruit is next couple of months. Accordingly, we expect 2020 to be a better. There is also an expectation that Government may cut personal income tax as well. If materialised, this will certainly boost the economy as well as real estate sector.

UDDHAV PODDAR

MD, Bhumika Group

s the government announced to invest Rs 100 lakh crore in infrastructure over the next five years, the news was a blessing in disguise for the tier II cities.

The announcement takes care of the most important aspect in real estate which is infrastructural development that leads to flourishing real estate market. The announcement made it possible to address the long pending concern regarding the exodus of people from the smaller cities to bigger cities. The development will lead to employment creation along with the movement of MNCs to these cities due to increasing cost of operation in bigger cities. Another reason for the residential markets in tier II cities performing better than tier I cities is the budget, which is affordable as compared to high property prices in metros. The subdued demand in metros can also be attributed to the availability of projects in areas that are preferred by the buyers. Going forward, the prices in these cities will assume an upward trajectory as the demand will increase in near future. The growth in prices will be faster in cities that are coming under the Smart Cities program, which means that the buyers in these cities should not delay their decision. Not all tier 2 are performing uniformly well but the supply will follow demand.

SAGAR SAXENA

Project Head, Spectrum Metro

The impact of some of the measures is likely to bear fruit is next couple of months. Accordingly, we expect 2020 to be a better

The commercial segment which includes industrial, retail and frontier segments such as co-living did well in 2019 and same is expected from 2020. The need to get good returns in short and long-term, the investors with real estate know-how diverted their attention towards commercial real estate. Commercial office stock is likely to cross 600 million sqft and office space leasing in major cities is expected to cross 100 million sqft by 2020. However, the retail segment is getting affected by the economy and if there is slowdown in business or MNCs shutting down or curtailing their operations, the demand will nose dive. With the government taking necessary steps such for fuelling the economy, the sector is likely to bounce back and continue with its good run. Growth in this segment is good as investors show great interest in commercial and recently NRIs have also started investing in this segment mainly because of lucrative returns. The demand for good office property, which can yield good rental returns, is on the rise because of the coming up of REIT listing in the Indian market and also because of the increasing number of requirement coming from the new employment generation options. With residential real estate becoming end-user driven, commercial real estate has emerged as a more attractive investment proposition for individual investors as well as institutional funds and it will remain so in 2020 too.

ASHISH BHUTANI

CEO, Bhutani Infra

onsecutive repo rate cuts, GST, fund allocation announcements summed up the year for real estate. This summary contains a whole gamut of expectations that real estate sector had. It meant that buyers got lower EMIs and gift in the form GST, developers got announcement of funds that will expedite the development of projects. The hectic activity in 2019 will translate into lot on the plate of the buyers to choose from and hence the coming year will definitely be a good year for the sector.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Real Estate

NAYAN RAHEJA

Executive Director, Raheja Group

hile the year 2019 for Real Estate shall be looked back upon as a year of New Law Changes, GDP projection downgrades, IBC law amendments, it was a good year primarily for the affordable segment, office segment, co working, rentals and Ready to Move Inventories. While new launches remained muted, the older inventory kept being steadily absorbed. The year 2020 however comes with a fresh promise of growth. With the newly introduced AIF (Alternate Investment Fund), Proposed Thresh-hold introduction in the IBC/NCLT laws, policy frameworks for new product typologies like affordable resi. plots and commercial plots, active steps by the government to increase liquidity in the system with increased lending, and a focus on an overall higher gdp growth, India looks poised to be on its way to finally break the gridlock of stuck projects and move towards a healthy real estate cycle.

DHIRAJ BORA

Head Marcomm, Paramount Group

ear 2019 will go down in history as the year that had so much in the offering for real estate developers and buyers. From policy changes to major announcement by the government change the course of the way real estate works and is perceived. The coming year will see marked change in the fortunes of real estate as buyers will throng the market riding high on varied offerings and low EMIs.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

VIKAS BHASIN CMD, Saya Homes

he biggest announcement for real estate was the announcement of Rs 25,000 crorebudget that will infuse much needed liquidity in the market. Apart from that various measures taken by the government meant that the pace of sales did not go down as many experts were expecting. Overall the year was good as developers saw unsold inventory declining, new projects being lapped up and stuck projects seeing ray of hope. The coming year will take it from where 2019 left and hence a renewed market is expected in 2020.

Telecoms

VODAFONE-IDEA AND AIRTEL PLAN TO BEAT JIO

hese days, there is a price war among companies in the telecom sector. Barring state-owned telecom company BSNL, all other major telecom companies have made their tariff plans expensive. Apart from this, some new plans have also been released. Recently, private telecom companies have come up with a new prepaid plan with a validity of 56 days. Reliance Jio, VodafoneIdea and Airtel have launched two new plans, priced around Rs 400 and Rs 450. These plans are going to give a tough competition to the existing Jio plans.

and Vodafone, both of these have offered two plans of Rs 399 and Rs 449 with a validity of 56 days. In terms of data, plans of Vodafone and Airtel are similar to Jio. However, the biggest difference is in the calling services. Unlimited calling facility on other networks is also provided in the plans of these two companies. At the same time, Reliance Jio is only offering unlimited calling from Jio to Jio network, while calls to other networks get only 2000 minutes for 56 days. After 2000 minutes a call will be charged at the rate of 6 paise per minute. In this way, Airtel and Vodafone are seen ‘beating’ Jio, in terms of benefits received in the plan.

Reliance Jio’s 56-day validity plan comes with two plans of Reliance Jio with a validity of 56 days. The first plan is 399 rupees. In this, customers get 1.5 GB of data every day for 56 days. In this way customers get a total of 84 GB of data. Talking about calling, it has unlimited calling from Jio to Jio network, while 2000 minutes have been given to call on other networks. Another plan of Reliance Jio is of Rs 444. This plan is also of 56 days validity and is almost like the plan of Rs 399. The difference is that in this plan, customers get 2 GB of data every day. It also provides 2000 minutes to make calls to other networks.

Now when we compare the 56-day plan of Reliance Jio with the 56-day plan of Airtel

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Interview

LEADERSHIP CHANGE NEEDED TO AFFIRM GROWTH IN REAL ESTATE: BAKSHI Pavan Bakshi is an executive coach and trainer of international stature and his core competency is bringing about group leadership transition and change management. Bakshi possess specialized expertise in conducting leadership transformation initiatives within organizations and he has trained and consulted for leadership interventions in various 500 fortune companies. He has a work experience of 35 years and wide experience in the domain of leadership and organizational transformation. Bakshiis a certified Marshall Goldsmith Facilitator and Coach,master faculty on Robin Sharma’s ‘LEAD WITHOUT A TITLE (LWT) SYSTEM™ ’, Master faculty of Leader Shape, Global on building emotional intelligence and ethical leadership, faculty of Collective Leadership Institute, Berlin for navigating change in complex multi-actor settings, stakeholder collaboration and collaborative execution excellence in organizations, consultant for conducting the online game-based Leadership Development Simulation (Serious Game) for decision makers on FLOW Promoting Leadership, developed by Professor MihalyCsikszentmihalyi, John Maxwell Team Coach, Speaker and Teacher. In a candid interaction with Observer Dawn, PavanBakshi, Colonel (Veteran), CEO, Chief Facilitator and Executive Coach, Prime Meridian Consulting India Private Limited shared his thoughts and vision on improving effectiveness leadership in real estate sector, besides his views on evolving leadership scenario in general. Excerpts of the interview: Q. As currently the real estate sector is battling a downturn, what kind of leadership change is required so as to back on the right growth trajectory? Ans: As we see now days, a large number of real estate companies have either become bankrupt or have reached at the verge of closer. The reason behind is nothing but a tendency of tending towards short gain. Besides, the realtors’ over expectations of investment by the government that could not happen, practically.

The company helps people perform with utmost confidence and contribute to best of their capabilities across the levels of the organisation

What I really expect in terms of leadership change in real estate companies is that the organizations should take in those leaders who are into the game for long term rather than short term and making a quick buck.

Q. Let us know about your leadership journey over the years?

Ans: It has been a wonderful journey. After I left the corporate world I started thinking how I can serve and what continuously kept coming in the back of my mind why don’t I go and start training people and facilitating building of capabilities. So ready to prepare myself for that I first joined Franklin Covey, one of the largest multinational organizations, which is an expert in leadership and development. I stayed with them for two years and I did about 180 workshops there. In these two years I successfully delivered leadership intervention in Personal Growth, Leadership Growth, Organizational Execution Excellence, Project Management and Executive Coaching for

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Senior Leadership and then I started my own company and that’s when we started getting international content into India.

Q. We would like to know more about Prime Meridian Consulting Indian Private Limited?

Ans: Prime Meridian Consulting India Private Limited is a company incorporated with the purpose of “building leaders everywhere”. It’s an end-to-end leadership development and human transformation consulting Services Company providing coaching, training and consulting interventions. The company helps people perform with utmost confidence and contribute to best of their capabilities across the levels of the organization. It’s global content coming from intensive research of world class partners, enables it to customize the organizational development initiatives, to suit need of leadership growth in various scenarios. It is recognized as Top 25 L & D Consulting Companies in 2016 & 2017; 10 Most Valuable L & D Solution Provider Companies in 2017 and Innovative E Learning Solution Providers in 2019. The facilitators have delivered programs to the workforce of many large and medium corporations like Aditya Birla Group, Akzo Nobel, Advisory Board, British Gas, Broadcom, Cairns India, Citrix India and Singapore, Ericsson, EMC, Fortis Hospitals, GAIL, Godrej, Glenmark, HP, Honda Scooters, IBM, ING Life, Kotak Life Insurance, Mahindra Finance, Mastek, Ranbaxy, Sundaram Finance, Syntel, Tata Capital, TAFE, Target and Sri Lanka Telecom among many other companies. The program provides a right blend of theory and practice,

Interview

which stems from the ideology of building on practical skills with a solid foundation of theory to help harness the latent talent within the organization to meet the organizational goals.

Q. Which areas you represent John Maxwell in India and give us a glimpse of your national and international exposure?

Ans: John Maxwell is the number one Leadership Guru for the last eight years comparatively in the world. The work we are doing fundamentally focuses on leadership and managerial skills. We are close to around 50 to 60 areas in these areas. So, fundamentally for anything to do with Leadership and managerial effectiveness we have content for that. We have enough content and material to meet most of the requirements of the organizations. We have segmented Fortune 500 companies and we have worked with large number of organizations so far. I also personally do international workshops. I’ve done international workshops world over, including Canada, Dubai, Singapore, Africa, etc.

Q. What kind of changing face of leadership you have experienced over the years?

Ans: Leaders and managers have transitioned from more commanding to more collaborative and of course that’s the need of the hour, because earlier knowledge was power and so the most knowledgeable in the team would be the leader, but today knowledge is so vast that collaborative work has become

more important. That one big change I’ve seen happening and the second change of course that interpersonal skills have taken much higher need then it was earlier and the third thing is how you would become more ethical and more sustainable.

Q. How do you perceive leadership driving corporate growth?

Ans: We need to influence people along their growth. Earlier leadership was depending on individual capabilities to take people along. Today leadership is required at every position he is in and how can he be able to enable himself and his team members to meet the challenges of future and that is whatleadership is all about. Leadership is extremely critical in this ever changing world as the things are changing so fast as well as the corporate growth.

Q. How does leadership impact the company’s culture?

Ans: In one of the workshops that we do we give laminated pieces to people and the pieces are: Leadership, Climate, Culture, employees and Organizational performances—the five pieces and then we ask them to put these in the right order. We have experienced that very-very rarely somebody puts these in right order. The right order is: Leadership on the top that drives the climate of the organization means what people feel about the organization and then employees and then comes culture and then culture drives organization performance—in this way leaders drive the company’s culture.

January 2020

OBSERVER DAWN

Opinion

IN BELITTLING SAVARKAR, RAHUL DOING LITTLE JUSTICE TO FREEDOM FIGHTER

SIDHARTH MISHRA

For those planning a holiday during the winters in the scenic Andamans, the gateway for them would be through the Veer Savarkar airport. One of the must destinations in the island is Cellular Jail, where the freedom fighters were incarcerated after being transported for life by the colonial government. BY SIDHARTH MISHRA,

(Senior Journalist & President CRD & J)

very well-researched light and sound show at the goal complex, where Savarkar was jailed twice, tells the Savarkar story in detail. A nation which recognized him as a freedom fighter, issued a stamp in his memory and named an airport after him is suddenly debating his antecedents. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has done little service to the nation at large and to his cause in his ideological battle against BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) by belittling contribution of the legendary freedom fighter. Gandhi at a rally last week in Delhi had said that he was no Savarkar to apologize to the government for his political stand. The debate on Savarkar in the past few months has been more entrenched in the effort of creating likes on the social media or TRPs on the creativity starved television news channels than any serious historical discussion. The whole debate on Savarkarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution unfortunately has got embroiled in a comparison with the Congress leaders. Those picking up the cudgels for Savarkar have chosen to target the Congress leaders especially the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and to some extent also father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Those, defending Nehru, and also Gandhi, have countered claiming Savarkar to be a British stooge and being part of conspiracy to assassinate Mahatma. There is no doubt that Nehru spent 15 years of his youth in jail renouncing a life of luxury. His liberal education complemented efforts of Vallabhbhai Patel and Gandhi. These three and others of the Congress sustained freedom struggle for four decades. There cannot be denying them their due as Savarkar too should be given credit for his efforts. To understand Veer Savarkarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution one has to see his personality in totality and not in bits and pieces. A British stooge and pensioner, as some are claiming him to be, could not been jailed in Andaman twice. At the Cellular Jail, Savarkar lived in a cell on the second floor in solitary confinement. His cell was last in the row and next to the building wall was the hanging room.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020

Opinion Coming back to Gandhi and Savarkar, there is an interesting mention about their meeting in article published in the Economist in 2014

hostility but this, however, did not stop Gandhi from pleading before the British to accept Savarkar’s mercy petition, who was then lodged in Andamans. The filing of mercy petition was then part of process of law somewhat similar to the present-day appeal against a lower court order in a higher court. Several times he was subjected early morning to the cries of co-prisoners being hanged. To him this psychological torture was more difficult to bear than the physical labour he was made to go through. The Cellular Jail in matters of treating prisoners was no less than a German concentration camp.

Whether the story is mythical or real is matter of examination, nevertheless, a reflection on how the two approached the issue of freedom. In their difference in method towards countering British imperialism, while Savarkar believed in a virile approach, Gandhi was seen by him as a sissy for his non-violent ways.

Coming back to Gandhi and Savarkar, there is an interesting mention about their meeting in article published in the Economist in 2014. It mentions, “In 1906, in a lodging house for Indian students in Highgate, a pleasant area of north London, a young lawyer called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi dropped in on a law student called Vinayak DamodarSavarkar, who happened to be frying prawns at the time. Savarkar offered Gandhi some of his meal; Gandhi, a vegetarian, refused. Savarkar allegedly retorted that only a fool would attempt to resist the British without being fortified by animal protein.”

India’s freedom movement was spread over nine decades It began with the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Thereafter, a whole lot of leaders and groups emerged which fought for freedom propelled by their own understanding and belief. While Gandhi was a pacifist and with inclusive attitude towards all religions, Savarkar believed that Hindu identity was inseparable from the Indian identity. But both embraced difficulties in fighting for nation’s freedom. The Economist article though mentions that the meeting between Gandhi and Savarkar saw the beginning of ideological

While Gandhi was a pacifist and with inclusive attitude towards all religions, Savarkar believed that Hindu identity was inseparable from the Indian identity. But both embraced difficulties in fighting for nation’s freedom

January 2020

Savarkar was extradited to India, tried and sentenced for the murder of ATM Jackson, Collector of Nashik district, and brought to the Andamans in 1911. Interestingly, some of the Left-wing historian regret the fact that he got away in the case of the murder of Curzon-Wylie of the India Office in 1909, in which Madanlal Dhingra was convicted and sentenced to death. These very historians blame him of having ‘begged’ the British for the next ten years through several mercy petitions and making offer of joining the British efforts in World War I. Can these be held against him without debating the act on a wider spectrum? Gandhi too had supported the Allied forces during World War I, does that make him leader of any lesser stature. These incidents are not to be seen in isolation but entirety, so is the case with Savarkar’s apology and pension. It’s without doubt that the Congress played the biggest role in getting us independence and thus the narrative of non-violence rightly came to dominate description of freedom struggle. This, however, in no way should dwarf the role played by parallel movements towards supporting the cause of liberation, be it those led by Bhagat Singh, Subhash Bose or Savarkar. (First published in www.News18.com)

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Event

BOLLYWOOD ACTRESS YUVIKA CHAUDHARY TAKES A STAKE IN WOMEN FUSION FASHION BRAND ZOMO

outh icon, Bollywood & TV actor and winner of the recent realty TV show Nach Baliye 9, Yuvika Chaudhary, has taken a stake in an upcoming and exciting women fusion fashion apparel brand Zomo. With this partnership, Zomo would expand pan India with 10-20 outlets across India through company owned and franchised outlets. The company would also offer their product lines in popular e-commerce platforms in the next few months. “I am very happy to partner with Zomo and becoming a co-owner of the brand. I feel Zomo is the right mix of Indian and Western fusion with overall vision of sustainable fashion which is affordable and has premium quality and productivity. We are going to launch new and exciting line of clothing in 2020 and expect women across India to wear something unique and fashionable with Zomo,” Yuvika said. The investment for expansion would be funded by internal accruals including investments by franchisee owners. Zomo currently has three stores in Delhi NCR. Yuvika wouldn’t be the face of the brand and play a key role in strategic expansion plans of the company including marketing and promotion. Zomo would also launch an exclusive line and editions inspired by Yuvika Chaudhary. For the upcoming Spring Summer collection, Zomo is launching four collections. They would be inspired by Pangolin, an endangered animal, Indian Sunbird, Boho Waves and Indian tie and dye collection. Photo courtesy: Sachin Kumar

ASTHA BHATIA MAINI, MD WESTWAY ELECTRONICS LTD.

I am extremely happy to receive the award for the Best Foreign Women Entrepreneur 2019 for Excellence in Electronics in UAE at the India-UAE Business Summit and Awards organised by Observer Dawn for remarkable sales of Weston TV and Appliances in UAE by the Minister of Tolerance, Abu Dhabi, UAE his highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan along with his Highness Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan of the Royal family. Thank you for the recognition and appreciation. Weston is a leading brand in electronics and appliances in India and UAE.

OBSERVER DAWN January 2020