India empire april 2016

Contents april 2016

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06 Winds of Change from the land of tulips and Windmills there is renewed interest in india

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sKilling india turning a demographic dividend into sustainable economic growth

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diplomaCY a comprehensive segment on the netherlands, israel, tunisia and mongolia

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ghana india restaurateur makes a name in accra

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ameriCan sCienCe talent 17-year-old indians break three year dry spell

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uK indian women entrepreneurs share their joys

latest issues

Cover: DiplomatiC interview

H.E. AlpHonsus stoElingA AmbAssAdor of tHE Kingdom of tHE nEtHErlAnds to indiA

“Dutch FDI inflow into India will keep increasing” The Netherlands and India have historical relations going back to the early 15th century. At present, the Netherlands is the fifth largest investor of FDI into India, accounting for 6 per cent of total inflows into India in the last 15 years. In 2015, Prime Minister Rutte led a delegation of over 80 companies and 20 CEOs of large Dutch corporations. There is a road map for cooperation in infrastructure, water management, agriculture, Smart Cities and renewable energy.

Evidently it is a two-way street of cooperation and business—over 174 Indian companies currently have a presence in the Netherlands.

This European nation is home to about 220,000 Indian and Surinami Hindustani diaspora, one that helps strengthen linkages between the two nations. Overall, relations between India and The Netherlands seem to be on a high. In this promising scenario, to get more of an essence on this ever-expanding and significant bilateral relations, India Empire’s Editor Sayantan Chakravarty caught up with H.E. Alphonsus Stoelinga, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India Bilateral relations between The Netherlands and India have continued to develop and gain momentum in the past years. Both Governments attach great importance to bilateral economic relationship. Please let us know about the highlights of this engagement and your views…

The Indo-Dutch relations go back more than 400 years, when India and the Netherlands were at both ends of the “Spice Route”, trading spices and textiles. This relationship has evolved ever since and one can say that today the Indian and Dutch governments attach great importance to this bilateral economic relationship, given the many Indian business delegations visiting the Netherlands and Dutch missions that are visiting India. In 2015 we had the Mayors of the cities of The Hague and Amsterdam coming to India, but one of the highlights of that year was of course the visit of Dutch Prime Minister Rutte with a delegation of more than 80 companies and 20 CEO’s of 6

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large Dutch corporations.

During that visit, a Road Map has been drawn up for cooperation in infrastructure, water management, agriculture, Smart Cities and renewable energy.

The Indo-Dutch relation is nowadays stronger than ever!

The Netherlands is home to a number of multinational and other companies, many of whom have production sites and business operations in India. With the advent of Make in India campaign, Clean Ganga Mission, Smart Cities projects, Clean India project, are more Dutch companies showing interest in operating out of India?

The initiatives of PM Modi, such as the Clean Ganga Mission and the Smart Cities project, offer opportunities for Dutch companies active in waste management, water man-

PhotograPhS Š SiPra daS

SMART AND ENERGETIC: During Ambassador Stoelinga’s tenure Dutch Prime Minister Rutte has visited India and discussed topics such as Smart City and Renewable Energy

agement and urban planning. These opportunities meet a lot of interest in the Netherlands, as they appeal directly to the Dutch core competences and are in sectors in which the Netherlands has a great deal of expertise. For example, after hurricane Katrina hit the United States, Dutch water experts have been invited to the US to reduce the flooding risk of the devastated cities on the American East Coast. Dutch knowledge and expertise is also highly appreciated in India and in May for example there will be a Dutch mission coming to visit the Smart Cities Expo in New Delhi. These missions give Dutch companies an actual springboard to enter the Indian

market with concrete projects that they can participate in.

Is there an increased presence of Dutch companies in areas of solar, windmill and renewable and clean energy?

Both India and the Netherlands have ambitious sustainable energy targets and face similar challenges in realizing clean energy options in densely populated areas. Since 2013, the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of renewable energy. With this MoU in place, cooperation beapril 2016 | india empire

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Cover: DiplomatiC interview

DUTCH BLAZON: Ambassador Stoelinga speaks about the Coat of Arms and the motto Je Maintiendrai which in French means “I will maintain�.

The first version was adopted in 1915

tween Indian and Dutch governments and governmental organizations is being facilitated, as well as between research institutions and private companies in both countries. While the Netherlands is on the forefront of innovative technologies in the renewable energy sector, India has the expertise in applying these high-tech solutions in a cost-effective manner. Therefore, both countries are a good match for achieving the sustainable energy targets. A good example is the Dutch company DSM, which opened in 2014 its Solar Technologies Demonstration Center in Pune.

The Netherlands is the fifth largest investor of FDI into India, accounting for 6 per cent of total inflows into India in the last 15 years. Do you see a jump in this percentage in coming years?

There are several developments that make it likely that the Dutch FDI inflow in India will keep increasing. The Indian economy is growing at a steady pace, and the economic fundamentals are in order, whereas the flagship programs of the Indian Government such as the Smart Cities Initiative and Clean Ganga project offer multiple opportunities for Dutch companies in the coming years. Furthermore, with the expansion of its considerable middle class, India is home to a rapidly growing consumer goods market. India surpassed for example the United States to become the second largest smartphone market in the world. Large investments in infrastructure, health care and agriculture also offer Dutch companies plenty of opportunities to enter the Indian market. The tripling of the number of daily direct flights between the Netherlands and India with the start of Jet Airways’ daily direct flight to Amsterdam from New Delhi and Mumbai of course adds to the ease for Dutch companies to do business in India.

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Are more Indian companies establishing their presence in The Netherlands, than before?

Attracted by our strategic location and stepping stone to enter the European Union, more than 174 Indian companies have already entered the Netherlands. These companies include Indian multinationals such as Tata Consultancy Services, Apollo Tyres, Wipro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and Tata Steel. The fact that almost 90% of the Dutch citizens speak English and that the Netherlands has the fastest internet connectivity in Europe is an extra reason for many Indian companies to choose our country for their expansion in Europe.

In the Amsterdam region alone, there are now ninety Indian companies, while 10 years ago there were only fifteen. The setting up of the Expat Centre by the Dutch government that helps expats with formalities also reflects the growing Indian presence in the Netherlands. Last year, the center had 10 492 people at their desk, of which most of them (2832) came from India, over a thousand more than the year before.

What are the major items of Indian imports from The Netherlands?

Even though the Netherlands is a small country with only 16 million people, we are the second largest agricultural and food exporter in the world. Having a productivity that is 5 times higher than the European average, the Dutch agricultural sector is very innovative and well advanced in animal welfare, food safety, and waste-disposal. Another product the Netherlands is very famous for are its flowers (tulips). We account for 80% of the world trade in cut flowers and bulb flowers. Also in the life sciences and health sector the transfer of technologies and expertise between the Netherlands and India takes place. The Dutch Univer-

sity Erasmus MC and AIIMS expanded recently their collaborations in oncology, virology and microbiology.

What are the major items of Indian exports to The Netherlands?

The Netherlands is the 1st recipient country of Indian exports to Europe; 20% of the Indian exports to Europe enter through ports and airports in the Netherlands. This is because of the country’s strategic location as the “Gateway to Europe”; with our excellent logistics the country has access to nearly 500 million consumers. Also, because the Netherlands is home to the port of Rotterdam, which is the largest port in Europe and one of the safest and most efficient in the world, the flow of goods can easily be transported between countries! In 2014, the Netherlands imported more than 4.0 billion euro worth of goods from India. Major items of India’s exports to Netherlands are cotton and textiles, drugs & pharmaceuticals, handicrafts and leather goods.

The Netherlands has the second largest population of Indian origin in Europe, after U.K. What role is this community playing, according to you, in shaping the engagement process with India?

The Netherlands is home to about 220,000 Indian and Surinami Hindustani Diaspora, which are completely integrated into the Dutch society. The Indian diaspora in the Netherlands forms an important link between both countries and facilitates people-to-people contacts. This favorable climate is the source for good bilateral business relations through organizations like the Netherlands India Association (NIA) and Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT). Furthermore, the diaspora in the Netherlands is very active, and the Indian Film festivals, Food festivals and celebrations of festivities such as Holi and Diwali are very popular and attended by a large crowd of both Indian and Dutch visitors. Every year the “The Hague India Month” is organized in October where, on different locations in the city, people can admire Indian movies, music and dance. These events increase the awareness of the Indian culture and make people interested in and engaged with India.

Is there an increased presence of Indian students in The Netherlands?

More and more Indian students find their way to the Netherlands. In 2015 we have granted 4 times more visas to Indians students that are going to study in the Netherlands than was the case in 2012. The Netherlands was the first in continental Europe to offer English study programs and nowadays there are more than 2100 English study programs at highly ranked universities that international students can choose from. Studying in the Netherlands also provides outstanding value for money through a combination of low tuition fees, top-notch universities and a multicultural lifestyle that embraces international students. Dutch universities consistently earn top spots in international rankings based on everything from research, innovations to funding opportunities for scholars. The most popular degree programs for Indian students are in engineering, management and urban studies. The Netherlands Education

SPRING BLOSSOMS: There is a new spring in the air, and a blossoming bilateral relationship between the Netherlands and India

Support office in Bangalore is your first point of contact for information on studying in the Netherlands and possible scholarships: www.nesoindia.org.

In December, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and 8 companies and educational institutes from the Dutch Dairy sector signed a strategic PPP. This is significant as Netherlands is the world’s best performing dairy nation. Please talk us through it…

India is the world's biggest producer of milk. However, most of this production is not done in an efficient manner.

On the other hand, domestic consumption of dairy products will rise significantly in the coming years. India has therefore a need for high-level technology and knowledge to improve the efficiency and quality of the dairy chain. This is where the Dutch companies can step in; Dutch expertise and technology in the area of the whole dairy chain is innovative and advanced. The strategic PPP signed therefore aims to accelerate and facilitate the exchange of knowledge, networks and market insights between India and the Netherlands. Given the Dutch reputation of being the world's best performing dairy nation in terms of efficiency, sustainability and integral approach to the dairy chain, the Netherlands is a good partner country for India. The Dutch expertise in the dairy chain is also the reason we are able to develop the world famous Dutch “Gouda” cheese. The Netherlands is well-known for its good cheese and exporting it worldwide. There are nowadays even Dutch cheese makers present in Kashmir, which make cheese from the fresh mountain milk. Hopefully with this PPP in place, there will be more Indian and Dutch cheese makers which will ❐ spread the Dutch delight throughout India. april 2016 | india empire

9

Business interview—Q anD a

mr. sAurAbH AgArwAl mAnAging dirEctor, sKillcubE

“Hunger for client servicing keeps us on our toes” How did the idea of SkillCube come into being?

In the aircraft in 2012!! My last job demanded a lot of air travel and having entrepreneurial mind-set allowed me to utilize my travel time to ponder on starting a niche cyber security services firm which could cater to the varied business needs in a holistic manner. Something which is uncommon and not run-of-the-mill but truly adds substantial value and solves business problems in the cyber security domain. It started with a basic blue print of skilling and capacity building model which was quite futuristic at that time but being in the technology and cyber security domain for many years, I could visualize the need of cyber security professionals in the years to come. While building the model, I realised that the academia is unaware of this high growth sector hence I tried building models for courseware development and conducting train-the-trainer models. The recruitment services came as a logical step from a placement perspective. And I must admit there has been no looking back since then. In February 2013, I quit my full time job and started operations in SkillCube with a humble team size of 2 (including me). Having a strong perseverance helped us to make changes in the business models to suit the client needs and today I am really proud of what we have built in last 3 years.

How has the Cyber Security paradigm changed in your experience?

I remember the first time when I heard of information security in 1999, I wasn’t sure of its growth as IT and Telecom Infrastructure was really growing. The off-shoring business had just started in India and the folks who were working in the Information Security team were gradual and obvious migrants from the IT domain. The needs were limited to securing the perimeter and contractual obligation for the service provider.

Starting 2005, the industry saw a huge shift in focus. “Good 10 india empire | april 2016

empire feature

to have” was moving towards “Must to have” at a fast pace.

Security was an important area which was being discussed by the clients, business leaders as well as the regulators. In last 10 years, almost all the large regulators including RBI, DOT, IRDA and others have come up with specific security requirements. The businesses have starting appreciating the need of cyber security to compliment the digitalization happening all across. I see a lot of young talent focused on building a long term career in the growing domain. I am personally very bullish on the growth of cyber security domain and people who are aligned in this sector can expect an immense career growth.

Can you provide an insight on the services offered by SkillCube?

Our services cut across the entire spectrum of cyber security domain: Industry Readiness Programme (IRP): We run intensive boot camps for fresh talent who wish to kick start their career in the cyber security domain through international certifications, workshops, hand-on labs and industry orientation and make them job ready. It is a win-win for the hiring organizations as they get ready-tobe deployed talent as well as the individual as it creates an employment opportunity for them.

Trainings and Certifications: We provide off-theshelf and tailor made programs on management standards including ISO 27001, ISO 31000, ISO 22301, ISO 20000, ITIL, OEM tool trainings and certification including GRC, SIEM, IAM, Security Analytics, VA-PT, Incident Management through different modes including classroom, web based, CBT and others.

Simulations: We offer a 1-day session on Cyber Security through a gamification workshop focusing on "action based learning". The workshop is a fantastic mix of participants including top management, business teams, security team and IT operations team where they experience the nuances of cyber security and how it could impact an organization.

Recruitments: We identify, screen and recruit talent across all cyber security job roles/levels in the shortest turnaround time with quality resumes and guaranteed SLAs. Our core area of expertise is Risk Management, GRC, Incident Management, Threat Intelligence, SOC, SIEM, VA-PT, Security Architecture, Identity and Access Management, SCADA and others.

Content Development: We offer customized services in spreading the security awareness through digital content including wallpapers, screen savers, emailers, posters, videos. Our content can also be integrated in existing LMS. We close loop the awareness piece by measuring the change in the employee behavior.

How would you describe the decision of choosing Netherlands for business operations?

The Hague (3rd largest city in Netherlands) being the

Founder and Managing Director Saurabh Agarwal of SkillCube and Deputy Mayor Ms Ingrid van Engelshoven of the City of The Hague, recently signed a partnership between this fast growing Indian startup and the Hague Security Delta, the largest security cluster in Europe

most active and upcoming cyber security cluster in Europe along with favourable economic policies was our obvious choice to setup an office in this region which offers an opportunity to collaborate with local partners, knowledge institutions and offer complimentary services to fuel the sectorial growth.

Over the next 12 months we aim to build an internal talent pool from the Netherlands as well as India, build service lines in the area of cyber security talent solutions, product innovation, technology transfer and advisory. We are happy to take the first mover advantage of tapping in a promising market.

What is your overriding philosophy when it comes to clients?

We work with a varied set of domestic and international clients at an enabling layer. Hence it becomes extremely essential for us to engage in a partnership mode where we understand the business model and actual requirements of clients and at the same time offer them solutions which are tangible, sustainable, outcome based and have an impact. All our service lines are flexible enough to cater to the dynamic needs of our clients. Over the last 3 years, we have built capabilities to swiftly customize solutions in the shortest possible time frame. As a passionate team, our hunger for client servicing keeps us on our toes most of the time which I must admit is the mantra of our growth so far. Our value proposition, quality processes, delivery speed and committed ❐ team are the catalysts for driving client excellence. april 2016 | india empire

11

skilling inDia

Soaring high - a new

Skilled india If there was ever a time for the demographic dividend that India is banking on to start paying off, it is now. Currently 54% of the country’s population is below 25 years of age and over 62% of them are in the working-age group. As India’s demographics grow younger, on one hand, India stands to have the youngest workable population which can add to the country’s economic growth while on the other the issue of sustainable employment raises its ugly head. This coupled with the volatile economic growth that the country is currently going through, springs up a challenge for the industry.

The figures today reflect that India's working population will surpass China's working population by 2040.

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But we cannot just rely on the increase in workable population for a brighter future. Of the country’s approximately 500 million workforce, 14 per cent is in the formal economy and 86 per cent is in the unorganised sector. However, this 86 per cent is yet to be well-trained or recognised in the job market, say experts. Adding to the problem is the high number of people entering the workforce every year.

According to a report done by KPMG and commissioned by NSDC, India currently have an incremental human resource requirement of 109 million skilled people across 24 key sectors by the year 2022. However, only around 5% of the Indian population has under-

“

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The power of India lies in the skilled workforce that the country will have. Our endeavour is to empower our youth with the necessary skill sets to find and create opportunities across industries and geographies for themselves and add to the global and country’s economic growth story —Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs

gone formal skills training as compared to 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 52% in USA, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. This does presents a huge challenge for us.

The only way to make these workers more efficient is by providing them with a skill; and this can happen only by making the jobs in the unorganised sector attractive and free of stereotypes, so that graduates would opt for them. The surplus human resource needs to be tapped effectively.

There is a clear mismatch of supply and demand of labour due to lack of technical and soft skills and not so effective education system. We have graduates who have theoretical knowledge but no practical experience which means that a person can explain his learning on paper, but may have never done it hands on. We need to find ways and create avenues to make them skilled in the area of their choice and help them become an employable workforce as per local and global industry requirements.

The biggest challenge today of all, is creating aspiration for skills amongst the youth, who must understand the difference that skill development programmes bring to their lives, something which a degree or certificate alone cannot.

We also need to accord pride to skills and emphasise the importance of skills across all levels.

For the first time ever, the Government of India has cre-

ated a new Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship which is steering the skills agenda in India. National Skill Development Corporation and National Skill Development Agency together are working in conjunction with the current incumbent government to address the skills agenda; and through their numerous initiatives are working towards meeting this shortfall. India is one of the youngest nations and we have the potential to supply skilled human resources, based on industry standards, to not only industries in India but also those all across the world.

In the past, there have been several skill development programmes which were running in isolation. But with the formation of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the focus has shifted to coordination and convergence across ministries, states and departments. This is certainly ensuring quality outcomes in skill development across the country.

MSDE’s recent skill development policy has been a significant move. It has helped rationalise the entire spectrum of skill development processes and systems including inputs, outputs, funding, cost norms, third party certification and assessment, monitoring/tracking mechanisms, and empanelment of training providers.

The Ministry’s first step was to connect the different elements of the ecosystem together. Two verticals from DGT april 2016 | india empire 13

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(Training and Apprenticeship), were transferred to MSDE in April 2015. Further, two major Entrepreneurship Development Institutes, were also shifted under MSDE, from the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.

With the bulk of Skill training and Entrepreneurship efforts now firmly under its ambit, MSDE made three crucial policy interventions, focussed on articulating an overarching vision for skill development in India, and ensure coordination, coherence and consistency of all skill training efforts across the country.

A Clear Policy Framework for Skilling was established for the first time in India ● India’s First National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 created to rejuvenate India’s skill ecosystem ● India’s first National Skill Development Mission launched in July 2015 to coordinate and Scale up Skilling Efforts ● Common Norms for skill development schemes across India notified to ensure standardisation ● Operationalization of National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) in progress Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship along with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and KPMG research team, has also done a detailed study of the landscape sector wise and state-wise and figured that top 10 sectors in the country like Construction and Real Estate, Retail, Transportation and logistics, Beauty and Wellness etc. constitute about 80% of the incremental human resource requirement in the country. This has given a clear roadmap to various programs and spelt out priority areas which need to be focused upon.

The programme interventions done recently by the Skills Ministry are guided by the principles of Speed, Scale and Quality. The aim has been to implement a coherent programme of action to catalyse development of skills across India.

MSDE last year introduced the Ministry’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the world’s largest outcome-focused, reward14 india empire | april 2016

based scheme for skill development. MSDE has also been able to re-vitalise the existing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) ecosystem and additionally the private skill training ecosystem was catalysed through NSDC. MSDE’s Flagship Scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) today has over 18 lakh youth enrolled in the last 8 months, of which over 10 lakh have completed training.

There are around 12,391 training centres of PMKVY, across 29 states and 6 UTs in the country. We have a network of 1161 training partners who are enabling training under PMKVY in the country and many dreams come true for those who did not dream that they could afford to hone a skill. We have so far covered 617 districts and provide training today across 31 sectors. There have been around 411 job roles which have been identified for training under PMKVY. Ministry of Skill Development conducted 410 Kaushal Melas across the country to ensure the scheme’s reach to its right target audience.

These trainings are in accordance with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) which will soon get statuary backing as well. A legislation to this effect is expected in the next session of Parliament.

The Public Private Model has worked well so far and will work well in future as well. There is no domain where work can happen in isolation. The public and the private entities have to come together in their respective role to benefit the overall ecosystem.

So far the private skill training ecosystem which is catalysed through National Skill Development Corporation has skilled 27.80 lakh people and placed around 12 lakh people through its ecosystem in the last one year. Overall, since its inception, NSDC funded partners have trained over 65.46 lakh students, till date.

The same PPP model will soon be seen in the ITIs as well. This is important for their up-gradation. Till now we have ITIs which have either been standalone government or private. The recent budget has announced the vision of having 1500 Multi Skill Training Institutes (MSTIs) in India which will be basically the new generation ITIs set up in PPP mode.

Another big challenge which is also being addressed by the government, is assessment of skills. The formation of the National Skill Certification Board is another big step which will see representation both from government and the industry who will collectively enable a joint framework for quality skill assessment. This will further strengthen the skill ecosystem.

The Board will combine industry-led SSC certification processes and government authorized NCVT certification and will act as a one stop shop for examinations, assessments and awarding national level certificates in compliance with NSQF, for skill development courses in the country.

With increasing focus on “Stand up India” which is one of the areas where the Hon’ble Prime Minister is laying focus, several initiatives under Entrepreneurship have also been scaled up.

The Ministry of Skill Development has recently announced a scheme called “Udhyamita” through which it will educate and equip potential and early age entrepreneurs. It will also be helping them chalk out their path for growth and connect them in enabling networks of ideas, mentors and funding. The objective is to create 3000 start-ups over the next 5 years. Consequently, these start-ups will create approximately 2,60,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its aim is to create a strong pool of approximately 5500 entrepreneurship Educators and 10,000 mentors and also set up 360 social enterprises over 5 years.

The Skills Ministry has also been able to bring about comprehensive reforms in Apprenticeship and Apprentices Act and overall, have been able to make skills aspirational for the youth.

India’s Skills Ministry, through NSDC has entered into several agreements with countries like USA, UK, Australia, France, Germany and Canada with a purpose creating transnational standards in vocational training, training of trainers, setting up of canters of excellence, international mobility through mapping of job roles and development of transnational standards.

These partnerships with these countries are to ensure best practices which will benefit the youth not only in the domestic market but in the global market as well to get employment in the field of their choice.

There is a clear focus on placements as well and all the training partners in the skill ecosystem are mandated to ensure 70% placements. There are consistent endeavours being made, to create more avenues for jobs through industry linkages for the youth. MSDE is collaborating extensively on partnerships with industries to facilitate opportunities on skill development whether it is through CSR, or through apprenticeship trainings or through RPL and hiring partnerships.

Some of the proposed initiatives to scale up existing skill training initiatives include: ●

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Setting up of 7000 New ITIs to enhance seats to the tune of 25 Lakh Up-gradation of ITIs for adoption of ISO certification Creation of model Skill Development Centres in every Parliamentary Constituency

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Establishment of 1500 Multi Skill Training Institutes in unserved blocks and areas with active participation of industries Setting up of network of Community Radios across the country to promote Skill India Mission Industry partnership in development of Corporate Skill Development Centres Mobile Training Vans in rural areas to implement trainings at the grassroots Labour Management Information System to manage database of the skilled workforce Aggregation for Training Partners along with Training Centres and Courses details is under process Two new World Bank Projects have been approved to scale up skill development in the country. This includes the Skills Strengthening For Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) project to revitalize the ITI ecosystem and Skill Training for Employability leveraging Public Private Partnership (STEPPP), which will be implemented in mission mode through World Bank support to achieve the objectives laid down in the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).

All these efforts are being made so that India quickly stands up to meet the global and local requirements of skilled workforce and at the same time supports the current incumbent Government’s ambitious programs like “Make in India”, “Digital India” and “Smart Cities”. For Make in India, the country would need “makers” in India. It is imperative that we understand that we have to be a job ready workforce to be able to avail opportunities that come our way. The country cannot wait for opportunities and then plan skilling.

With the energy that has been put into the Skill India Mission, India will soon soar high internationally to become the Skill Capital of the World. ❐ april 2016 | india empire 15

real estate

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GURGAON BECOMES AFFORDABEL TO ALL!

g

urgaon is one of the aspiring young professionals who are most successful maraiming big in their life. The Haryana kets in the Indian real Government’s Affordable Housing Polestate sector. It is the icy has complemented the real estate proper utilization of market of Gurgaon. The policy made it available resources that possible for middle and lower-middle made this city grow exclass to own their abode in cities like ponentially and reach a Gurgaon which are recognized on interlevel that is a dream for many. The plannational front. ning and implementation in Gurgaon is Adding to the discussion, Mr. Pradeep state of the art as the plans made have Aggarwal, Chairman, Signature Global been laid down perfectly to create a plush Group says, “The recent approval to Real Esfoundation for the subsequent developtate Regulatory Bill in the Parliament has furment. Gurgaon’s proximity to South ther widened the scope of affordable realty in the Delhi, one of the posh locations in India, city of Gurgaon. The Bill provisions the formaalso added to its advantage. The presence tion of Real Estate Regulatory Authority or of an international airport in its vicinity RERA which will supervise overall activities and Mr Pradeep Aggarwal proved to be an icing on the cake for help streamlining the approval mechanism. It Co-founder & Chairman Gurgaon real estate market. This is one would also check fraudulent activities by developSignature Global Group of the major reasons which inspired ers or brokers and dealers.” The Bill makes it world-class multinationals to operate from Gurgaon. mandatory for developers to sell their projects strictly on carpet The rise of Gurgaon has been directly proportional to the area basis. There shall not be a super area or built-up area any country’s economic development. As more and more compa- more. Further to it, a developer cannot launch or market its nies started expanding their operations, they wanted to oper- project without sanctioning of all the necessary licenses. Apate from closer to the National Capital. Delhi, having its CBD parently, all these clauses are already mentioned in the Haryana already congested, could not accommodate them. Delhi’s loss Government’s Affordable housing Policy 2013. Developers was thus, Gurgaon’s gain! who are selling their projects under this policy are already folToday, Gurgaon has every facility a world class city would lowing these parameters. Adding to the discussion Mr. Ravi Agrequire. Right from expressways to rapid Metro, from multi- garwal, JMD, Signature Global Group says, “I will put the RERA national organizations to international schools, from finely bill this way, whatever we were practicing has now become a law”. crafted skyscrapers to the lush green Aravalis full of natural Mr. Lalit Aggarwal, JMD, Signature Global Group further beauty, Gurgaon has it all. All these features have tagged Gur- elaborate the scope of affordable housing and how governgaon as one of the most luxurious realty markets in India. ment’s initiatives are going to help it flourish. He said, “It is very Every multinational that plans an entry to Indian market, plans heartening to see how the government has started recognizing ‘Affordable to have an office in Gurgaon. The growing business of e-com- Housing' as a separate vertical. It reflects the intent of the government and merce is also adding to this city’s glory. Be it a start-up food its seriousness towards 'Housing for All by 2022’. The government has exchain or an online grocery chain, it is mandatory for them to empted service tax on construction of houses up to 60 sq. mtr. To add to it, mark their presence in this city. the government has also raised tax exemption up to Rs 50,000 on first-time Interestingly on a flip-side, Gurgaon has a robust afford- interest on loan amount up to Rs 35 lakh, provided the cost price of housable realty market as well! Thanks to Haryana Government’s ing unit not to exceed Rs 50 lakh. Another remarkable move is extending Affordable Housing Policy 2013 which helped developers plan excise duty exemption, presently available to Concrete Mix manufactured at affordable projects in a price range of Rs 15 lac to Rs 25 lac the site for use in construction work to Ready Mix Concrete as well. This for 1BHK and 2 BHK units. The Policy lays down a set of is an encouragement to Mivan, prefab and shuttering technologies which are guidelines to promote affordable housing. Affordable projects quick, cost-efficient and highly durable as well as eco-friendly”. sell like a hot cake; though margins are not too high, there is Gurgaon is everyone’s city. It does not serve to a set of no problem of unsold inventories. Developers, who own land audience but to all, from luxury to affordable. Thanks to state parcels, show their intent under this policy. This Housing Pol- government’s farsighted housing policies and now the Real icy has made the city complete; it now has something to offer Estate Bill, the city will grow further and will redefine an ideal ❐ to every section of the society, be it the affluent class or the realty destination.

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Diaspora—CommunitY serviCe

INDER SINGH

LEAVING A LEGACY “Surround yourself with smart, dedicated people—to build something isn’t a one-man show”

S

—Niklas Zennstrom

By Sayantan Chakravarty

kype founder Niklas Zennstrom is right.

And so we see it in the Indian Heritage Awards which is not a one man show. But it has taken astute leadership, vision, persuasiveness and patience to make sure that there are enough smart, dedicated people around to keep it going in Los Angeles, California, year after year. Overall, the Heritage Awards has been a perfect example of a team game that has ensured the celebration of success and excellence among the young Indian diaspora in southern California.

And yet, there is that one man who makes all the difference to a show, the unforgettable protagonist in a gripping blockbuster, the calm anchor in an absorbing cricket run chase, the champion leader who stands out for the way he refuses to yell, and yet continue to inspire. There is always that one man who becomes the backbone of an event, the tirelessly striving lighthouse that keeps the navigators going in the direction they need to. That one man who inevitably knows how to soak in all the pressure, lay the foundation and build on it, and yet is never too keen on hogging the limelight. You cannot ignore such a man.

Meet Inder Singh, founder, organizer, and mentor-in-chief of the Indian Heritage Foundation Annual Awards, completing 30 years in April 2016. Even at 80 something, his enthusiasm hasn’t waned, his resolve to leave behind a legacy for young Indians in America has not diminished an ounce. And that is why, the Annual Awards have been such a success, and why donors have stepped in every year to sponsor this beautiful event that has become such a worthy cause.

When the proverbial whistle blows to set the ball rolling at the 30th Awards function on April 10, 2016 at the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel in Los Angeles, one man can look back with satisfaction at the yeoman service he has done for an entire generation. 30 years is a long time, after all—the first batch of awardees would perhaps be parents of teenagers themselves.

Why did Inder Singh choose to do this? He had plenty on his plate anyways after dedicating his life to community service. “A community worker never retires,” he says, philosophically. Temple work came first, then followed his engagements with a Punjabi cultural organization, FIA of Southern California, the NFIA, and later with the GOPIO International that he chairs. You cannot find logical answers to a man’s deeds always, especially when they are kind, generous and selfless.

What we believe is that 30 years ago he decided that young In18 india empire | april 2016

Mr inder Singh dian talent needed to be showcased and recognized for posterity, but more importantly for telling America that India had some serious talent. And America, and particularly California, surely knows today what Indians can do. Ask firms like Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Sun, and many more.

And so began Mr Singh’s journey of a thousand miles. His first sponsor was Professor Frank Chookolingo who provided a seed money of USD 5,000. That along with other donations enabled the curtains to go up on the first award function at the Marriott Hotel at the Los Angeles Airport. The year was 1987.

Much has happened since. America has seen 4 more Presidents.

The L.A. Lakers have won 6 more NBA championships. Two Indian movies have been nominated to the Oscars. Indian Americans in the USA have quadrupled to over 3 million. And those that received the awards have seen the winds of change blowing in the Indian community, and have made their presence felt over time.

As far as celebrating the success of young Indian Americans is concerned, one man has certainly made his presence felt. We know that it’s never a one man show. But it’s always that one man that makes a big difference.

Take a bow, Inder Singh. You have created and mentored many institutions and champions along the way. ❐

pHoto sHoot PictureS by SiPra daS

PICTORIAL SNIPPETS

HIS HOLINESS HONOURED: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar receives the Padman Vibhushan from President of India Mr Pranab Mukherjee

CAPITAL CONFABULATIONS: The BJP National President Mr Amit Shah and Delhi State President Mr Satish Upadhyay share views on BJP Foundation Day 20 india empire | april 2016

DHIRUBHAI HONOURED: Mrs Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani, wife of the legendary Dhirubhai Ambani of Reliance Group, receives the Padma Vibhushan bestowed on her late husband, from President of India Mr Pranab Mukherjee

CONTEMPLATIVE WALK: Delhi Chief Minister Mr Arvind Kejriwal walks towards the Delhi Assembly from his office in the Old Secretariat, Delhi

pHoto sHoot PictureS by SiPra daS

DEFENCE PROWESS

IRON FIST 2016: President of India Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar and others at Iron First 2016 at Pokhran, Jaisalmer, organized by IAF to demonstrate its capabilities in combat and firepower

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT: Frontline fighter aircraft were on display at Iron Fist, Pokhran, Jaisalmer

RANGE RADAR: The 3D Low Level Radar called Aslesha, developed by DRDO, in display at Defexpo 2016. This will enable IAF to track low level intruders in mountain terrain 26 india empire | april 2016

IN INDIA’S DEFENCE: Defence Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar speaks to the Media at a press conference in Goa during Defexpo 2016

enterprise

DARE TO DREAM

W

omen Empowered (WE) held their event named “Dare to Dream” in March in Baker Street. Reena Ranger, Co-founder and Chair of WE, welcomed the 120 guests saying “Someone once said, everything that ever was, started off as someone’s dream, this was the inspiration for tonight’s topic; our speakers today will share how they took their dreams and turned them into their reality, how they made their dreams work for them and followed their passion and dared not to give up” The speakers on the night were, Ranvir Singh, multiaward winning presenter of Good Morning Britain and ITV News, Pavan Alhuwalia, Henna Artist, Entrepreneur and Guinness World Record Holder and Sach Kukadia, CoFounder of Secretsales.com Ranvir Singh spoke candidly about the challenges and struggles of her career and the determination she needed to succeed and her will to be the best at whatever she was doing and always paying attention to detail. She reminded those listening that the one thing you don’t know is all the times someone didn’t make it, that the road to success isn’t always smooth and we often see people through the prism of success. “Success to me” she said “has been about feeling utterly fulfilled in her working life”. She keeps with her the lessons from a book she holds dear, “highly successful people chose to follow their passions rather than a career based on money or prestige. What keeps you going is loving what you do.” Ranvir spoke of the sacrifices, choices and discipline she needs to do what she does and loving what she does keeps her invigorated in her working life. She ended with a few words of wisdom “Winning is, unfortunately, mostly about losing, winning is the easy bit, once you learn how to deal with the disappointment of losing then you can go on to win” Pavan Alhuwalia is one of the leading henna artists in the UK, she is a young entrepreneur, an author and a business woman. She told the audience, “Once you find your passion, you can do anything you want”. She loved henna and the new advances in the industry mesmerised her and she was hooked.

She was complimented at a friend’s wedding for the designs on her arm. She knew she had found her passion and had to follow it. She started small and her education degree complemented her journey, giving her the academic foundation to marry with her passion for henna. She found her “USP”, her speed, and went for a Guinness World Record and she broke the record. She firmly believes “if you don’t ask, you don’t get” and her perseverance and determination has always paid off. She knew where she wanted to be and what she wanted for her future and then worked her way to it, sometimes winging it along the way! The hardest thing is finding your passion, 30 india empire | april 2016

(Back row L to R) WE Champion Kulveer Ranger, WE Champions Shay and Sunny Grewal, WE Co–Founder and Chairman Reena Ranger, You Me and WE Co-ordinate Dee Vara and, You Me and WE Co-ordinate Pritti Virdee, Ranvir Singh, Sach Kukadia and Pavan Alhuwalia

when do find it, follow it and it will feed into itself, just don’t give up and if you love it enough, you won’t give up anyway.

Sach Kukadia spoke of how as a fashion mad family they loved Boxing day sales and sometimes the experience of finding that bargain wasn’t always a positive one and that sparked an idea for a business to bring the bargain experience to consumers daily and with comfort. This idea led to him, at the young age of 23, co-founding secretsales.com with his brother. Persistence and tenacity was vital to establishing a new way of selling and buying for brands and consumers. He spoke of the company’s journey, affiliations with other companies and how different entities brought in different practices and how they had to navigate the market place along with challenges faced and the company’s evolution. He advised those who were venturing out to build a business to “find people to work with who complemented your skills, that you do not need to know everything to be a good leader but share your vision and surround yourself with good people.”

Reena Ranger ended with, “Women Empowered has always been in the business of promoting that you can be anyone you want to be and achieve anything you want to achieve.

We have always been advocates of each one of us being the best possible versions of ourselves as we see and wish it to be and I am sure that today’s wisdom and advice would have helped many of us be one step further to this goal. Please join in with our many initiatives, our online blog, discussion group or charitable arm that asks for your time”. ❐

Column: Yogi asHwini

minD anD BoDY

THE PATH OF YOG

By Yogi Ashwini

yogi aShwini

People ask me of ways to get rid of negativity, negative thoughts and emotions. In yog, we do not consider things as negative or positive. Negative and positive are both inside you. As per Ayurveda, the body is made of three doshas. ‘Dosha’ translates as a defect or an impurity. That is, the body itself is impure.

There is no negative or positive because everything around you, everything physical, is bound by time. It is bound to end, and the time for it to end is decided the moment you get it, irrespective of whether that thing is good or bad. So if you get something ‘good’, be assured that you will have to bear the pain of losing it as well, the dearer the thing is to you, the greater will be the pain. Then tell me, what is good and what is bad?

The biggest pain is not in losing something but in getting something which is dear to you. Warren Buffet, an expert on property, once made a statement that you make a profit or loss the day you purchase a property, not on the day you sell it. In the same way when you get a thing, whatever that might be, that day itself it is decided how much loss you will have to bear (gain is out of question). The dearer a thing is to you, the more expensive it proves to be, as that much more pain it will cause you.

One usually terms not getting something the person wants, or emotions of jealousy and anger, once again arising out of things not turning out the way they desired, as negative. Now tell me, is that negative or getting what you want is negative?

The day you get something, that day itself the pain that comes with it is also decided. Similarly the day you take the body, the doshas that come along with it are also determined because the meaning of body is that which is dooshit.

Just look at the world around, tell me one thing that is worth doing or living for. Think about it practically. For a person who is in touch with reality, what is there to do here? The more money you earn, the more you will tie yourself to the bandhan of maya.

The bigger the car you buy, the more troubled you will be that no one should scratch it. Whatever you do, what will you gain out of it? What you will lose, let me tell you, are those precious years which you could have used to reach somewhere, which you are wasting in pursuit of physical and temporary things. I am not foolish that at the age of 50 I am saying, “I have done what I had to do, now no more.” There is a reason for it. Dosh. The body is a dosh. If there was no dosh, there would be no body.

Let me tell you something about Ramakrishna Paramhansa.

He was very fond of eating and would ask his wife to prepare different kinds of delicacies for him. One day his wife asked him, “You give lengthy discourses on eating less, eating satvik 34 india empire | april 2016

food, observing fasts and that how these are all bandhans.

Then why do you indulge in such foods?” His reply came, “There is so much tej in my soul that it is unable to stay in this dooshit body. By eating all these foods, I have to forcibly live in this body because my time to go has not come as yet, there are still some unfinished tasks that I need to complete.” He also told her that the day he stops eating, three days from then, he would leave his body. And that is exactly how it happened. The day he stopped eating, people knew he was about to go and third day from then, he left the body.

I cannot teach you techniques to drive away negative thoughts. You can learn these things from Gurus who come on television and give upays for everything under the sun – to ward off negativity, to make more money, to cure diseases, to pass an exam, to have a kid. Recently someone narrated an incident to me where a religious person would reveal questions to his friend because of which he cleared his charted accountancy papers. All these are physical things, which are temporary and bound to leave. The person who has become a chartered accountant, his job would leave him one day, the child who is born will also leave one day.

I think there is no bigger foolishness than to get something in the physical if you are walking with me. I am talking only of myself – the form of yog that I practice. In that form, to get something in the physical or to show off what you have in the physical is nothing but foolishness. Who are you showing off to? Who are you fooling? Only yourself.

The marg of yog and vairagya has everything in it. It is not the marg of beggars. This marg has vaibhav, aishwarya, health, it has everything. That is why I never ask anyone to leave anything, ‘do not eat this or do not drink that’, have I ever told anyone this? In fact I tell you that if you are doing something, do more of it. But I also tell you to keep walking with me. If you walk with me, then that thing will stop affecting you. But if you are not walking with me then that thing will get a hold of you, choke you and you will leave the path of yog not even realising that you have left, falsely thinking that you are playing out your desires and enjoying life. A yogi never falls ill, he never faces abhav of anything, he does not have any kasht, if he is walking the marg of yog. But if due to any reason he wan❐ ders from the path of yog, then there is lot of kasht.

—The writer Yogi Ashwini Ji is the head of Dhyan Foundation, Delhi. For details contact: ashwiniyogi@yahoo.co.in

BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE

Business anD governanCe

Mallya quits Sanofi

Beleaguered business tycoon Vijay Mallya has decided to step down as the chairman of pharma major Sanofi India, nearly 33 years after he assumed the post, the company said in a statement. Mallya conveyed his decision not to seek re-election as a director at the company's ensuing Annual General Meeting. Mallya had first joined in December 1973 as director of Sanofi India Ltd (SIL), then known as Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd. He functioned as the board chairman since December 1983.

“I have been privileged to preside over the board of this company, which started as Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and to have participated in its phenomenal growth and prosperity over such an extraordinarily long period of time,” Mallya said in a farewell statement.

“It was gratifying that the company continued serving needy patients in India with world-class medication while ensuring consistent returns to all stakeholders.”

Mallya, who is believed to be hiding in the United Kingdom, is wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case. The former liquor baron -- known as the 'king of good times' -- has denied that he was "absconding", saying as an "international businessman" he is currently abroad on a business trip and was expected to return by March end. SIL Managing Director Shailesh Ayyangar said under Mallya's leadership, in the past 10 years, the company's sales grew from Rs.800 crore to Rs.2,000 crore, share price shot up from Rs.1,655 to Rs.4,358, market cap has almost tripled and the employee strength more than doubled from 1,500 to 3,700. The SIL announced plans to induct Aditya Narayan and Usha Thorat as two new independent directors for five years from April 30, 2016.

Subject to fulfilling all requirements, Aditya Narayan, 64, is slated to succeed Mallya as SIL Chairman.

World Bank project for Swachh Bharat The union cabinet in March gave its clearance for a USD 1,500 million (over Rs 10,000 crore) World Bank project to support Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) or Clean India Mission in rural areas. The project is aimed at supporting Government efforts to achieve universal sanitation in rural areas and end the practice of open defecation in the countryside by 2019.

The project cleared by the cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, provides for "incentivising states on the basis of their performance in the existing scheme", Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said. The project will also put in place a robust and credible independent verification system for annual measurement of improvement in rural sanitation. The scheme will have separate parameters for each beneficiary states.

"In September 2014, the government set certain parameters for the states to get the benefit. These parameters include reduction in open defecation and so on," Mr Prasad said. "Under the approved project, the performance of the states will be gauged through certain performance indicators, called the disbursementlinked indicators," an official statement said. It added that funds shall be released to states "on the basis of reduction in prevalence of open defecation amongst

36 india empire | april 2016

rural households" compared to the previous year's record. The funds will also be released on the basis of estimated population residing in open defecationfree villages. The states will pass on a substantial portion (more than 95 percent) of the performance incentive grant funds to the appropriate implementing levels of districts and blocks, the statement said.

The project will accelerate efforts to achieve sustained outcomes in sanitation by 2019.

Reliance Aircel talks extended

Industrialist Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCOM) has said that the talks of its merger

with the promoters of Aircel to combine the wireless business of the two companies have been extended by 60 days. "Reliance Communications has announced that, based on the good progress made so far, it has extended the exclusivity period with Maxis Communications and Sindya Securities and Investments, the shareholders of Aircel, by 60 days to May 22, 2016, to consider the potential combination of the Indian wireless business of RCOM and Aircel and mutually derive the expected substantial benefits of incountry consolidation, including opex and capex synergies and revenue enhancement," a company statement said. It said the discussions were nonbinding in nature. "Any transaction is subject to completion of due diligence, definitive documentation and regulatory, shareholders' and other third party approvals. Hence, there is no certainty that any transaction will result," the statement added.

Smartphones sales to grow: Assocham Sales of affordable smartphones with in-built camera and internet-enabled features are set to shoot up to 160 million in 2016-17 from 100 million in 2015-16, an Assocham study has said. Consequent to smartphones serving the needs of amateur photographers and enthusiasts, the rise of such phones is eating into the demand for digital cameras which witnessed a drop in sales by more than 35 percent in the last one year, the study said. "Technology is changing at such a fast pace that product developers have to think ahead of times, or else the top selling products of the present times can become outdated, without the manufacturers and those dominating the market today realising it," said Assocham secretary D.S. Rawat. "There has been a subsequent rise in the demand of smartphones in the country in the last one year and one of the reasons behind this growing importance is largely due to the increase in social networking site. "Most of the youth in the country share photographs online and upload photographs which has become a new trend in the metros thus giving rise to the need for smartphones," Rawat added.

Smartphone sales more than doubled from 44 million units in 2013 to 100 million units in 2016.

The volume of smartphone sales is expected to touch 160 million units by 2017, the study added.

"Another feature of the smart devices market in India is that the country has a huge telephone sub-

scribers base of about a billion users who are becoming aspirational even at the bottom of pyramid," said Rawat. According to the Assocham survey, most of the respondents said the biggest advantage of clicking pictures with smartphones is that they can be shared instantly with friends and family—a feature which is absent with most of the point and short cameras. Almost 75 percent of the sales of mobiles and tablets came from consumers residing in tier-I and tier-II cities. As per the study, sales of personal computers and MP3 players have already started declining due to the impact of smartphone and tablet adoption.

april 2016 | india empire 37

Business anD governanCe

BOARD OF TRADE

The first meeting of the reconstituted Board of Trade (BOT) was held in April. The objective of the BOT is to have a continuous dialogue and consultation with trade and industry. The BOT, chaired by Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce and Industry, comprises of: ❖ 19 members from industry and academia (nonofficial members) including Mr Onkar S Kanwar, Chairman and MD, Apollo Tyres Ltd, Mr Pawan Munjal, MD, Hero Motocorp, Mr Ramesh Chandra, Chairman and MD, Unitech Ltd, Ms Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Chairperson and MD, Biocon Ltd, Mr K Satish Reddy, MD, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd, Dr Habil Khorakiwala, Chairman, Wockhardt Ltd, Mr Shiv Nadar, Chairman, HCL Technology, Mr Sanjay Kirloskar, MD, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd, Mr Anand Mahindra, MD, Mahindra Group, Mr YC Deveshwar, Chairman, ITC Ltd, Mr Saroj Kumar Poddar, Chairman, Poddar Heritage Enterprises, Mr Sanjay Bansal,

Chairman, Ambootia Tea Group, Mr R Seshasayee, MD, Ashok Leyland Ltd, Mr Venu Shree Niwasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, Ms Chanda Kochhar, MD and CEO, ICICI Bank Ltd, Mr Nikhil Meswani, ED and Member of Board, Reliance Industries Ltd, Mr Ramu S Deora, Chairman, G Amphary Laboratories, Mr Pradip Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International, Mr Biswajit Dhar, Professor CESP, School of Social Science JNU. ❖ 31 heads of trade and industry associations (exofficio Members) including Presidents of CII, FICCI, FIEO, ASSOCHAM, Seafood Exporters Association of India, Brihan Mumbai Custom House Agents Association, Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations of India, Federation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Federation of Indian Women Enterprises, Indian Oilseeds and Producer Export Promotion Council, SAARC, IATO. and Chairpersons of NASSCOM, Gems and Jewellery, EPC, AEPC, SRTPC, Export Promotion Council for Handicraft (EPCH), Council for Leather Export (CLE), CHEMEXCIL, PHARMEXCIL, EPCES for EOUs and SEZs, EEPC, Service Export Promotion Council, Commercial Industry, Marine Products Export Development Authority, MPEDA, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, APEDA, Coffee Board, Tea Board, Spice Board, Rubber Board, and COO, Express Industry Council of India. ❖ 20 top official members including 13 secretaries from Ministries of External Affairs, Textiles, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Agriculture, Health, Chemicals and Petro Chemicals, Surface Transport, and Departments of Commerce, Revenue, IPP, Defence Production, Posts, Deputy Governor, RBI, and Chairpersons of Railway Board, NHAI, and CMDs of ECGC, SBI, and MDs of EXIM Bank, Container Corporation of India. The DGFT is Member Secretary.

Mercedes introduces C Class sedan Mercedes Benz India introduced the C Class 250 D sedan in March in the mid-size luxury segment and announced its local production. "The all new C-Class completely redefined the mid-size luxury sedan segment in India and created for itself a new territory of supremacy," Roland Folger, MD and CEO of Mercedes Benz India, said in a statement. Priced at Rs.44.36 lakh (ex-showroom Pune), the sedan is equipped with 9G TRONIC transmission and a 2,142 cc diesel engine capable of producing 500 Nm of torque with a speed of 0-100 km per hour in 6.6 seconds.

Other features include LED Intelligent Light System, Garmin Map Pilot, 17 inch alloy wheels and ambient lighting among others. Mercedes Benz already sells C 200 and C 220 models under the C Class and has commenced local production of 250 d to catch up with the demand and cut down the waiting period.

"The overwhelming response for the new C-Class

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drove us to commence local manufacturing of the C 250 d simultaneously with its introduction in India," added Folger.

L and T wins Rs. 3,205 Abraaj Group leads BigBasket’s fundraising crore orders

The construction arm of heavy engineering major Larsen and Toubro (L and T) has won orders worth Rs.3,205 crore across its various businesses, the company has said.

The buildings and factories business has bagged Rs.2,018 crore of orders while its power transmission and distribution division got Rs.710 crore of new orders both in the domestic and international markets, the company said in a BSE filing. In the construction segment, the company got orders for a major turnkey high-rise residential project from a leading developer in Mumbai involving civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and finishing works for six towers each with 55 to 60 floors. It also got orders from various existing customers for the development of commercial and residential spaces. For the power transmission part, it received a major turnkey order from Power Grid Southern Interconnector Transmission System, a subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) for the construction of a 400 kV double circuit transmission line linking Cuddapah to Madhugiri. It also won a project of PGCIL to construct a765kV double circuit transmission line at Cuddapah.

On the international front, L and T (Oman) LLC has received a turnkey order from Oman Electricity Transmission Company to construct 400 kV reactor transformers and associated works at Sur and Izki substations, the company said. Company's metallurgical and material handling business has won orders worth Rs.177 crore. With this order, it makes its first foray into the ash handling plant (AHP) business with direct customers. According to a statement, the company is to execute an AHP covering high concentration slurry disposal systems on an engineering, procurement and construction basis from NTPC Limited for the Tanda thermal power project in Uttar Pradesh. It has also secured an add on package for the CHP Anpara Power Project. An additional order worth Rs. 300 crore has been received from an ongoing job of the heavy civil infrastructure business, the company said.

Global private equity investment firm Abraaj Group has led a USD 150 million fundraising drive by Indian E-commerce grocery startup BigBasket. "We are excited about the investment opportunities in India, a key geography for us, where we continue to identify and partner with market leading companies," Abraaj Group Asia head Omar Lodhi in a statement.

"Abraaj will leverage its strong experience in the consumer sector to enable BigBasket to further enhance its strong domestic position," he added. In addition to the participation of existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Helion Advisors, Zodius Capital and Ascent Capital in the BigBasket's latest fundraising, new investors, World Bank subsidiary International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Sands Capital also marked their entry. "We intend to increase the reach of our just-launched one-hour express delivery service and also launch our marketplace for specialty stores in the coming months," said BigBasker co-founder V.S. Sudhakar about the utilisation of the raised funds. "The proceeds of this round of fundraising will be used to finance BigBasket's growth through further penetration into existing markets, expansion into Tier II cities across India, scaling-up of its recently launched express delivery and specialty store business that caters to top-up and emergency purchases, and increasing the product range offered to customers," he added. Founded in 2011, the online grocery startup currently operates in eight metro and 10 tier two cities retailing over 19,000 products from a range of 1,000 brands which include fruits, vegetables, meat, beverages and personal care products. For Abraaj Group, this is the third investment in E-commerce, after acquiring stakes in Turkish online retailer Hepsiburada and Dubai-based cab hailing app Careem. After entering India in 2006, this is its latest move is the here, following investment in Hyderabad based Care Hospitals and a gigawatt scale renewable energy platform partnership with Aditya Birla Group.

april 2016 | india empire 39

DIASPORA NEWS

Diaspora in afriCa

Hit in Ghana

By Francis Kokutse

S

Cheema, who now employs about 35 people, urinder Kaur Cheema came to said she would love to increase the number Accra four decades ago from of restaurants she runs "but it is not easy beher native Baroda in India's cause of my numerous commitments".

Gujarat state to support her She divides her time between running her businessman husband. Today, restaurants and ensuring that women afshe is a hugely successful enfected with breast cancer get treatment, some trepreneur in her own right with two popular rural communities get schools and water.

Indian restaurants, is often called on by the "Through the work of the Indian Women's diplomatic community to provide catering Association, we have been able to raise services on special occasions and is an active money to get women in the country treated social worker. for breast cancer.

Among other similar proj"Surinder Kaur Cheema must be saluted ects, we recently provided a school at Nima for single-handedly building one of the most Ms Surinder Kaur Cheema in Accra and provided a borehole for water successful Indian restaurants in Ghana," to the people of Abanta near Koforidua in the eastern region," Amar Deep S. Hari, the Indian-origin CEO of prominent IT Cheema said. firm IPMC, has said. Cheema arrived in Ghana in 1974 to join Last year, when heavy rains led to the flooding of some her award-winning farmer-exporter husband Harcharan parts of Accra killing several people, Cheema led the Indian Cheema. From a housewife she later turned to teach at the Women Association to provide food and other essentials to Ebenezer Secondary School in Accra for a while, and has now those who had been rendered homeless. "I did not meet the settled on selling India through her restaurants. women but we were told that the food that was supplied to us "It was after 13 years that I started my first restaurant, Kohinoor Restaurant at Osu (an Accra suburb). l have now been was brought by the Indian Women Association and their leader able to add another one, Delhi Palace at Tema (a port city some is the one who owns the Kohinoor Restaurants," Ama Konadu, 25 km from Accra)," Cheema has said. Her success as a restau- one of the victims who received the support, has said. "We are rateur has become acclaimed as she not only serves Indian del- proud to have Mrs Surinder Kaur Cheema as a role model for icacies on her premises but has now become the caterer of the next generation, both to the Indian and Ghanaian comchoice for most diplomatic receptions and private events. munities," Hari said. april 2016 | india empire 41

Diaspora in usa

FirSt plAce For young ScientiStS Breaking a three-year dry spell for Indian-Americans, two 17-year-old high school students have won the top prize of USD 150,000 with their medical-related projects in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search contest, the society for Science and Public (SSP) has announced.

Although Indian-Americans have formed one of the largest ethnic contingents year after year at the contest and won several prizes, none had won the top prize since 2012 when Nithin Reddy Tumma received it for cancer research. Two of the USD 75,000 second prizes, and two of the USD 35,000 third place prizes this year The winners of the top prizes in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search compeition are Amol Punjabi, from left, Paige Brown and Maya Varma. They each won $150,000. were also bagged by Indian Punjabi won the First Place Medal of Distinction for basic research and Varma diaspora teenagers. for innovation. (Photo courtesy: Society for Science and the Public) Amol Punjabi won the First Place Medal of Distinction for basic research for de- ductors now used in touchscreen devices, Milind Jagota won veloping a software that could help drug makers develop the Second Place Medal of Distinction for Innovation. He is new therapies for cancer and heart disease. He is from Marl- from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The two third place winners borough in Massachusetts. Maya Varma's smartphone-based were Kunal Shroff and Kavya Ravichandran. lung function analyzer won her the First Place Medal of DisShroff of Great Falls, Virginia, discovered new relatinction for innovation. Maya Verma used USD 35 worth of tionships between the key protein associated with Huntinghobbyist electronics and free computer-aided design tools ton's disease and the biological processes of cellular death to create the low-cost device that diagnoses lung disease as that cause Huntington's symptoms. His work may lead to accurately as expensive devices currently used in medical lab- new treatments, SSP said.

Ravichandran studied the use of nanomedicine to deoratories, the SSP said. She is from Cupertino in California.

SSP president Maya Ajmera said: "They and the rest of stroy potentially fatal blood clots that can cause heart atthe top winners of Intel STS (Science Talent Search) 2016 tacks and strokes. She is from Westlake, Ohio. Fourteen are using science and technology to help address the prob- Indian diaspora students were among the 40 students cholems they see in the world and will be at the forefront of sen to be finalists from among 1,750 students who entered the contest. The finals were held in Washington. Among the creating the solutions we need for the future."

The prizes were given in three categories: Basic research, Indian students' projects, eight related to the field of medinnovation and global good. All the Indian winners were in icine, and three to mathematics, with one combining maththe research and innovation categories. Meena Jagadeesan of ematics and cancer research.

This is the 75th year of the Science Talent Search comNaperville, Illinois, won the Second Place Medal of Distinction for basic research for her work in mathematics. Meena petition, whose alumni have gone on to win 12 Nobel investigated an object in algebraic combinatorics, or the prizes, two Fields Medals, 11 National Medals of Science, mathematics of counting, to reveal a novel relationship be- 18 MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Fellowships. One of tween classes of graphs. For his study of random nanowire the MacArthur fellows is computer scientist Maneesh â?? networks as a less costly alternative to the transparent con- Agrawala, a 1990 Science Talent Search finalist.

42 india empire | april 2016

Diaspora in asia paCifiC

Big Splash Down Under

by Kul bhushan and Shan gupta

LEFT: President of Sankat Mochan Kendra Dr. Sunila Shrivastava introducing Mr Steve Dimopoulos MP. RIGHT: Camel ride during Holi

LEFT: Sally Watts and Friends. RIGHT: Holi dance at Temple

In Melbourne, Australia, the bright colours of Holi were freely smeared on the faces of Indians and Europeans during this Holi revelry on Easter Sunday, 27 March. The local Indians were in high spirits to celebrate the festival of colours with fellow Aussies in thousands. But the Indians never expected the fellow Australians to join them in such big numbers in many different locations in Melbourne. In addition to the major Hindu temple, a smaller temple organized the celebrations a well and the organisers were overwhelmed at the response.

Sankat Mochan Kendra organized ‘Festival of Colours‘Rang Barse’ was the title of this event and hundreds turned up on 27 March, Easter Sunday. Around 5,000 turned up. It was culmination of months of planning and dedicated efforts of the working group which involved members of Sankat Mochan Samiti Inc. (SMS) and staff of Monash Council which provided the partial funding, venue and strict guidelines to hold such a big Hindu celebration for the first time in the City of Monash.

The long queues at the food stalls for variety of sumptuous food, kiddies rides including the most popular camel ride and

non-stop dancing by the participants to the beats of DJ Ash and DJ Uday with hundreds of performers on the stage of various age groups. Almost 70 children below the age of 12 participated in the cultural program, representing the dances from different regions of India. The Member of Parliament, Steve Dimopoulos, turned up with the Mayor of Melbourne and many councilors and made the usual speeches about goodwill and good times. The previous week, a mela was arranged at four places. Some creative Aussies have named Holi as colour festival and charge an Entry Fee of A$60 each, and colour cost A$10 for a small packet. The Hindu festivals were free. The attractions included DJs, dances, camel ride, food stalls and were enjoyed by thousands. Many Aussies also played Holi in temples free of charge. Local councils and the police contributed a lot.

Holi may have overtaken Diwali in Melbourne now. This is simply due to the fun factor enjoyed by Aussies.

Up to 2005, Holi was not a major celebration. Over the years, it has grown in size and variety. This is the first year, it has gone really big. The Aussies have been introduced to Holi by giving the example of the La Tomatina festival in East Spain. ❐ april 2016 | india empire 43

Diaspora in soutH asia

SINGAPORE MOST PREFERRED DESTINATION

by Sanu George Singapore has emerged as the most preferred destination among NRIs from Tamil Nadu. A study has revealed that 410,000 of the 2.2 million Tamil diaspora were residing in Singapore in 2015. Coordinated by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) here, the survey of 20,000 households across Tamil Nadu was commissioned by the Non Resident Tamils (NRT) Welfare Board under the state's Commissioner of Rehabilitation. After Singapore, the largest number of Tamil Nadu diaspora is settled in the Gulf region with both the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia accounting for 400,000 and 350,000 people respectively. The US, with 300,000, and Malaysia, with 190,000, are the other top countries that Tamil emigrants preferred.

S. Irudayarajan of the CDS who coordinated the study said the Gulf region (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait) accounts for 1.1 million Tamil emigrants, half of the total emigrants from Tamil Nadu. "One difference with the Kerala diaspora is that 2.1 million or 86 percent of Kerala emigrants are in the Gulf. In other words, 50 percent of the Tamil diaspora is in Southeast Asia, the US and other countries the rest of the 50 percent is in the Middle East," said Irudayarajan. The total remittances to Tamil Nadu in 2015 were estimated at Rs.61,843 crore (over USD 9 billion), while Kerala's remittances were much higher at Rs.68,000 crore. The

44 india empire | april 2016

Rs.61,843 crore remittance translates into an average per capita remittance of Rs.8,500, given that Tamil Nadu's population is 72 million. For Kerala, the per capita remittance was Rs.21,000 in 2014. According to the study, the remittances to Tamil Nadu are equivalent to 14 percent of the state's gross domestic product. The remittances were 6.8 times what the state received from the central government as revenue transfer and 1.8 times the entire Government expenditure.

"In other words, 85 percent of the households received remittances for their day-to-day needs. Another major share was used for the child education. About 31 percent of the households deposited the remittances into banks as savings," Irudayarajan said. "About seven percent of the households in Tamil Nadu used money for purchasing or building a house," Irudayarajan said, adding the study report has now been handed over to the Tamil Nadu Government. The study found the emigration is a phenomenon observed throughout Tamil Nadu with Chennai (320,000), Coimbatore (190,000) and Ramanathapuram (140,000) districts with the largest number of emigrants.

Theni (13,802), Dharmapuri (14,594) and Nilgiris (5,868) districts are ranked the lowest. According to the TMS, the return emigrants in Tamil Nadu are estimated to be 1.3 million with 6.1 return emigrants per 100 households. â??

Diaspora in uk anD usa

Hindujas acquire Old War Office

The Hinduja Group has acquired the heritage Old War Office in London that was once inhabited by Winston Churchill. The Group said in a statement that it planned to restore and convert the 1,100 rooms there into a five-star hotel and luxury residences besides other facilities. The British Ministry of Defence handed over the keys to the historic building to Hinduja Group Global Co-Chairman G.P. Hinduja, Chairman Europe P.P. Hinduja, Chairman of Villar-Mir and OHL Group JuanMiguel Villar-Mir, at a ceremony in London in March.

Located at 57 Whitehall, near the British Parliament and 10 Downing Street, it is spread across 580,000 sq feet on seven floors, connected by more than three kilo-

metres of corridors. The heritage building has 1,100 rooms which the Hinduja Group will restore and convert into a five-star hotel and residences besides rooms for private functions, spa and fitness facilities. "With our Spanish partners, we have a unique vision for the Old War Office -- our ambitious plans will give it a new lease of life and add a glittering new jewel to London's crown," said G.P. Hinduja on the deal which he described as 'giving something back to the United Kingdom as an ode'. P.P. Hinduja said that in keeping with the dynamic spirit of London, the Group will give the building a new lease of life, while "remaining conscious of its unique heritage".

"We will work meticulously to restore the distinctive and historic fabric of the building and convert it into a distinguished hotel and luxury residence, bringing a further dimension to this prominent Whitehall landmark," P.P. Hinduja added. The building has been acquired on a 250-year lease arrangement by Hinduja Group in partnership with Spanish industrial company Obrascon Huarte Lain Desarrollos (OHLD) following a competitive marketing process.

The high-profile project will also see State Bank of India entering and collaborating into the London realty markets, said SBI official Sanjiv Chadha. The SBI is funding the project. Present on the occasion were Indian High Commissioner Navtej Singh Sarna and former Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan.

7 in 8 win in KentucKy Seven out of eight Indian-American candidates who ran for local elections in Lexington city in the US state of Kentucky in March have won. With this, now there are a total of 12 Indian-Americans elected members of the Lexington Town Meeting, India New England News reports. "This movement is historic. Great result despite heavy turnout because of presidential elections which tends to favour known contestants and incumbents," Narain Bhatia, a long-time Lexington resident and community activist, said. The winners of Lexington elections include Sharmila Mudgal from Precinct3 for a 1-year term, Anoop Garg from Precinct-4 for a 3-year term, Pam Joshi and Rita Pandey get 3-year terms each from Precinct-9 and Precinct-5 respectively. Anil Ahuja from Precinct-5, Vikas Kinger from Precinct-7 and Nirmala Garimella from Precinct-8 get a 1-year term each.

In addition to the winners in the March elections, Indian-Americans have five current Town Meeting members whose term is not over making a total of

twelve. These sitting members are Narain Bhatia, Ravish Kumar, Sanjay Padaki, Dinesh Patel and Syed Rizvi.

april 2016 | india empire 45

Column—minD anD BoDY

Mental Disorders can be ‘Nipped in the bud’: Intervening early for best results

O

helen herrMan

ne in four of us in any community will develop a mental disorder during our lifetime. This is quite a well-known fact. It is not as wellknown however that most of the disorders begin early in life. The peak time for their onset is 15-25 years. Yet many of those affected do not recognise it as illness, cannot find help, or are too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help. Sometimes their families encourage them to go for help but often families are equally baffled about what to do for the young person in distress or in trouble.

The movement for early intervention in mental disorders has gathered pace in several countries over the last 25 years.

The decision-makers, professionals, and the people with lived experience of mental disorders and their families have recognised the importance of responding to mental disorders in the same way as we do for heart disorders, arthritis and cancer. Early intervention can ‘nip in the bud’ many of the problems in health and life function that develop through worsening and prolongation of the misery of a mental disorder. This is the case whether the person has an episode of depression, anxiety or a psychotic or bipolar disorder.

Early intervention can help the person and his or her family members avoid the social isolation and disruption to education and jobs and family life that accompany the progression of many mental disorders. Most mental disorders can be treated effectively. The struggle is to give people access to treatment and to allow those with this experience the chance to recover in an accepting environment. Just as a person who has broken a leg or has undergone surgery for appendicitis needs help and time to recover, so does a person, young or old, who has had treatment for a mental disorder.

To make early intervention more likely, there are two preconditions. The first is the full integration of psychiatry in healthcare. Psychiatry has a central place in healthcare. The education and support for all doctors including those in primary care to provide basic care is a key responsibility of medical schools. Unfortunately there are places where this is not the case and it is the quality of help and care for our young people in particular that then suffer. They and their families face unnecessary disruption at critical periods in education and social and family life. Too many young people are unable to fulfill their educational potential or to get married, or even die from suicide, for entirely preventable reasons.

The second pre-condition is a clear approach to health

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professionals working in partnership with the community and with each other. People with lived experience and their carers face stigma and discrimination in the community, and poor access to dignified care for mental and physical health problems. Achieving adequate support for mental health requires a unified approach. It requires the inclusion of people with lived experience and their carers in decisions about treatment and rehabilitation, service development, research and policy.

The dedicated work of non-government organisations in rural and urban areas of several countries including India is illustrative. It shows that early intervention along with community-based rehabilitation is feasible, at low cost, even where mental health resources are scarce. Community-based workers, trained and supervised by the few mental health professionals, including at least one or two psychiatrists, interact with families and community groups to identify those with onset of illness and support those receiving treatment and rehabilitation. Careful organization, referral and management are required, and the work in these systems needs evaluation.

An important task for advocates of early intervention and advocates for the improvement of mental health more generally is placing the support for mental health research on the agenda of the major national and international development agencies, financial institutions and foundations.

The temptation for governments and non-government organisations in many countries is to concentrate the resources available for mental health care and research on those people with established illnesses and their neglected needs for treatment and rehabilitation. The barriers to early intervention include unwarranted pessimism about the effectiveness of treatments, scant resources dedicated to mental health, and lack of a unified approach among the relevant partners. Experience from the rest of medicine and the evidence for effective early intervention in psychiatry, however, point to the value of early intervention even when resources are meagre. Health promotion and prevention of other types are also warranted but the subject for another discussion.

Good solutions in a community, well described and evaluated, can lead on to feasible and innovative service developments that prevent disability and support family and community life. These developments are underpinned by strong links between health professionals, community leaders and people with lived experience of illness and their families, based on negotiation and mutual respect. ❐