INTERVIEW CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 8, Issue No.9 - February 2023 (Monthly) - Price `75/- Pages 84 

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Aman Rajabali, CEO and founder, Kabir Profile Solutions and President, NHRDN - Pune

CORPORATE INSIGHT

Divya Batra, Head of Marketing, Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd.

TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Jaya Jaitly, President and Founder, Dastkari

SURVEY 2023 Global Digital Trust Insights

CORPORATE STALWART

From Challenges to

Triumph

R. K. Behera, Chairman and Founder, RSB Group, talks eloquently on his entrepreneurial journey in auto component manufacturing and making it into a success story

From the Editor’s Desk

The Dazzling Dubai Dogma Vinita Deshmukh

The theme that underlies the super successful internationally acclaimed development of Dubai in the last couple of decades, revolving around tourism, construction, logistics and technology (moving away from oil), is that it is citizencentric. Thus, bringing in the happiness quotient for every individual, which is so important for a de-stressed life, in a sophisticated bustling metropolis. Beginning from the airport - the fast track immigration journey, the quick access to a cab; the high quality roads, (For representational purpose only) beating the USA in this arena and; the skyscrapers, neatly studded all around, manifests development that has been thoughtful. It is unarguably based on uncompromising civil engineering, where development plans seem to have been adhered to the dot and traffic engineering is executed to perfection. Every infrastructure, be it roads, skyscrapers, residential and commercial buildings have conveniences that every resident craves for in our country – water, electricity, garbage disposal, open spaces and immediate access to an integrated transport system. While hundreds of fancy cars speed by the roads that resemble expressways, the use of technology to monitor speed and immediately penalise electronically is impeccable in its implementation. You may reside in any neighbourhood, but you will have access to the bus or feeder bus line as soon as you get on the wide footpaths that line both sides of the road. And of course there is the metro that runs through large parts of the city, as well cabs of different hues. It is only when Dubai receives a moderate rainfall (compared to our heavy to heavy rainfall and cloudbursts), that roads get immediately flooded and there is traffic. A local explained that being a desert, the roads were not made with powerful storm drainage system and the recent climate change has brought that aspect to the fore. So quick is the development of Dubai that every

two years you will see the changing face of the city in terms of sprouting neighbourhoods, as well as innovative tourist sites. That’s because, as against the migrant labour force which came in large numbers, it is foreign investment and educated professionals and businesspersons who are being welcomed like never before. Not only has it opened up for foreigners procuring Golden visas, but it has shed its conservative traditions and lifestyle. Dubai has switched over to the Saturday-Sunday weekend instead of the Friday-Saturday. It literally promises the moon to the Westerners by giving them their lifestyle including man-made beaches. Its several malls are packed with citizens from so many different countries that you see a global crowd everywhere. Dubai boasts of minimum crime as the law enforcing authorities will take no nonsense. The largest expat population is of Indians and Pakistanis and whenever you talk to them, they radiate happiness. Our powers-that-be need to learn a lot from Dubai. That citizen and his or her happiness should be at the centre of any development. If a desert can give an expansive oasis of a dream stay and work culture, it says a lot about Dubai’s governance. The glitter is not yet over. Recently vice president, prime minister, and minister of defence of the United Arab Emirates as well as the ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, @ HHShkMohd tweeted, “Dubai will rank as one of the top four global financial centers with an increase in FDI to over AED 650 billion, over the next decade. Over 300,000 global investors are helping build Dubai into the fastest growing global city.” And going by what he has done so far, he sure means the realisation of this futuristic plan. Another moral of the story – you need to integrate all communities for the growth of a city or nation. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 3

First Thought

What’s it like being a young man in urban India today? Unpacking the findings of a study on the anxieties and challenges experienced by young men and boys in urban India.

(For representational purpose only)

By Ashutosh Wakankar and Richa Chhabra

A

s the monsoon rains lash on, 21-year-old Shubham knows it will be a long night. He is expected to join the other men in his basti to clear the water flooding into their homes. His father is busy fulfilling other ‘manly’ duties—earning enough to feed, clothe, house, and educate his family of five. As a security guard, he spends his nights outside a tall skyscraper in Mumbai, keeping a watchful eye and saluting familiar faces. Shubham’s life is of course vastly different from the lives of aspiring middle-class boys across India’s cities. But, arguably, there seems to be one shared reality: Shubham and his wealthier counterparts face societal pressures around what it means to be a ‘man’ in India today. In fact, no matter 4 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

what one’s economic background, nobody is immune to the strict gender norms around masculinity placed on men and boys in today’s India. To understand these pressures more deeply, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies commissioned a study1 earlier this year. Both of us led the study, which sought to explore the anxieties and challenges young men and boys face vis-à-vis their role in relationships. We held a total of eight online focus groups with participants from SEC A and SEC C/D (two distinct parts of the socio-economic spectrum), living in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi. The question we asked these 42 boys and 12 girls was: What does it mean to be a man in India today? The overwhelming, consistent response we got: responsibility. The equivalent for girls: restrictions.

(For representational purpose only)

Both boys and girls articulated how adulthood creeps up gradually for boys—beginning with the innocence of childhood, followed by the realisation of responsibility in boyhood, to finally accepting responsibility, the mark of a man. According to 15-year-old Mahesh*, “For family issues, we feel like the family (responsibility) is on our shoulders. I am in 10th, and I am small. But I get that feeling as I am maturing. But we can’t discuss that with anyone…it is understood aage kya karna hai (what we need to do next).” SO, WHAT DOES RESPONSIBILITY LOOK LIKE? 1. Becoming the ‘provider’ for the entire family For many boys, the obvious choice after completing education is to step into their father’s shoes. The primary expectation is to be the provider. This could mean earning enough for food, meeting parents’ healthcare needs, and covering all household expenses. We heard time and again in our discussions with participants that a ‘good’ son must be a role model for his siblings. Boys from lower economic backgrounds are also expected to take on the responsibility of settling the younger ones, which means educating the brother and getting the sister married. But maturity does not happen overnight. Many boys stated that the freedom they enjoyed at a younger age was gradually reined in for family roles. Tacit norms and predefined gender roles together contribute to the expectations placed on men. 2. No room to pursue passion and interests To take care of the family, a man needs money. To make money, he needs a stable, well-paying job. And to get such a job, he needs education in a predictable and time-tested domain. This usually limits the acceptable professions for boys to about two or three. Following your passion—music, art, bodybuilding, or even the humanities—has no ‘scope’. It is considered

Both boys and girls articulated how adulthood creeps up gradually for boys—beginning with the innocence of childhood, followed by the realisation of responsibility in boyhood, to finally accepting responsibility, the mark of a man a long journey to an unsuccessful life. So, boys are rarely allowed to take part in such indulgent pursuits. 3. Strict boundaries for ‘acceptable’ emotions To add to the frustration, boys are given a limited territory of emotions. An invisible yet clear boundary demarcates what is allowed and what isn’t. Displays of strength are applauded. Fear, sadness, and affection end up getting expressed as anger, contempt, or stoicism. Meanwhile, tears are a guarded secret. A 19-year-old Raghav* said, “If a boy wants to cry, it is on his bed, covered by a pillow, and under a blanket, where no one can see him.” According to 20-year-old Aditya*, “Izzat kam ho jaayegi society mein (Our respect will reduce in society) because boys are strong and need to know how to deal with situations. They will make you feel like the weakest person if you show weakness.” Often, these bottled-up emotions find a February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 5

First Thought release in loud, aggressive, and violent behaviour. As a society, why are we so afraid of boys’ tears? Maybe it has more to do with our needs than their reputation. 4. Norms around masculinity handed down through generations When we spoke to the boys, a rare few acknowledged their fathers as role models. However, on deeper questioning, many spoke about the impact their fathers have on them. The relationship is initially distant, they said, and the mother is the protector and nurturer of the son. The father is often a shadowy figure, seen for a few hours at night when he is too tired to be interested or invested in the son. By a certain age, the relationship shifts from distance and fear to support and understanding. This is usually when the son is ready to take on the family responsibility. In this way, the idea of masculinity is passed on to the next generation.

(For representational purpose only)

5. Being ‘worthy’ of a wife is key An added expectation that keeps boys under pressure is ‘ladki ke laayak banna’ (to be worthy of a girl). As girls are increasingly studying more, and earning their own incomes, they are raising the bar for men. The boys noted that the girls and young women of today can care for themselves, make decisions, voice opinions, and are less tolerant of male inadequacies. Therefore, they are looking for someone who is doing better than them in life. So, what makes a boy deserving of a girl’s hand in marriage? According to a group of 22–24-year-old boys we interviewed, girls and their parents want everything in one person. Someone who is successful, earns well, stays in a good locality, and has a car, a respectable job, parents, and a de-

6 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

cent group of friends. The list is long, and many boys in the study appeared to be overwhelmed by it. 6. Material success and ‘honour’ are equally important The ultimate goal assigned to a boy is ‘to settle down’. But there are two preconditions to earning this label—material success and maintaining an honourable image. Participants in our study defined ‘honourable’ as being studious, being a non-smoker and non-drinker, and avoiding people who could distract from success. This blemish-free life will ensure marriage to a girl from a good family, they said. 7. Expectations of boys’ success are much higher than in previous generations While these pressures are not new, boys today have a longer runway to explore and study compared to the previous generation; responsibility can wait a bit longer. Fathers who had to start working at 18 are encouraging their sons to get an MBA. From then to now, there has been an expansion in employment opportunities too, and with that a surge in competition—not only among boys, but also among girls who are now studying more and scoring much better in exams. While the path is getting more complicated, the goalposts are shifting. No longer is a hard-working, dutiful man enough. To earn the respect of the family (and partner), the man must be ‘a winner at what he does’. The ideal is social status—highly coveted and admired by others. Mukesh Ambani came up often as a role model—an individual who is not only successful but also has status, while being a true ‘family man’. These expectations are so rooted in our everyday life that we often fail

Expectations are the burden a boy must bear, whether he wants to or not. The freedom, transgression, and privileges he enjoys come with an unspoken understanding. A boy’s success is the ROI that families invest in—the insurance for their old age. This was articulated by both girls and boys in the focus group discussions to see the subtle (and not so subtle) ways boys are kept on track. They are expected to be competitive and be winners at everything they do. ‘If he is a part of it, he must be ahead’ seemed to be the common refrain. This competition is heightened by the ‘Sharmaji ka beta’ syndrome, with parents constantly comparing their boys to others. Even relatives come along and comment on their performance. The comparison intensifies at a marriageable age. Salary, job, and knowledge are essential when a girl’s family is looking for a suitable boy. 8. High expectations lead to intense scrutiny and even punishment Apart from productive pursuits, boys also face judgement for just being. “Baalon ko aise kyun rakha hai? Kya junglee ki tarah reh rahe ho? Oonchi awaaz mein nahi bolna, bade ki baat sunni hai—even though we are grown up now. Parents are worried ki dost kuch sikha na de, yeh sab aadatein nahi karni chahiye.” (Why is your hair messy? You are living like a wild beast. Don’t speak in a loud and disrespectful way to elders, listen to your elders—even though we are grown up now. Parents are worried that friends will mislead us, and we will pick up bad habits.) Their friend group is monitored, so they don’t get caught in ‘buri sangat’ (bad company). The scrutiny extends to relationships with girls. Parents and teachers look at boys with suspicion. Sharing a platonic relationship with a girl is impossible without being judged. Thirty years after the movie Maine Pyar Kiya, our youth are still conditioned to believe that “ek ladka aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahi hote” (a boy and girl can never be just friends). Physical punishment complements these low-key methods of discipline. All the boys we spoke to have been slapped, hit, or beaten by their parents or teachers. So deep is the social conditioning that many believe they deserve physical punishment. They justify this by highlighting their own ‘inadequacies’. “Reason se maarte hain, padhai nahi ki—toh woh theek hai (They hit us for a reason, such as if we didn’t study—that is justified). Teachers hitting you is okay. If someone is teaching you, toh gussa aayega (they will get angry). Even parents hitting is fine—they are teaching us.” A man who fails to meet the traditional demands of society is often labelled berozgaar (jobless), nikamma (useless), barbaad (ruined), kaamchor (lazy), and nalaayak (unworthy). And these are polite descriptions that the boys were willing to share with us; the norm is cuss words. 9. Being part of a ‘gang of boys’ offers protection and solidarity, but also abuse Perhaps the one place where boys can truly belong is among their ‘gang

of boys’. A tight-knit group, the boys become a bhai/dost/yaar (brother/ friend) to one another. They share a unique friendship based on deep empathy and understanding of each other’s lives without saying much. Through our conversations with boys, we learned that the induction into a group of boys is identity-defining—it shapes beliefs and provides security. Once they belong, no one can harm them; the boys have their back. The group dynamics indicate the roles they play for one another—the leader, the mentor, etc. Every boy in the group wants to prove his masculinity. So, while the gang will protect him from the outside world, teasing, roughhousing, and abuse are expected within the group. A way in which this manifests is body shaming, we were told. Boys get teased based on expectations of physicality—size, height, colour, facial hair, etc. It often goes beyond teasing to bullying with slurs like ‘mota’ (fat), ‘sukha’ (thin), ‘gitta’ (short), ‘bauna’ (dwarf), ‘kalua’ (dark-skinned), and ‘chikna’ (fair, used for gay) thrown around. At its worst, the group becomes the ‘buri sangat’ that parents warn against. The boys are expected to conform to the group’s transgressions. These include smoking, drinking, drugs, and sometimes inappropriate expressions such as stalking and violence. Society’s never-ending scrutiny works as a check so that boys take their responsibilities seriously. The intention is to prepare the so-called deserving gender for success. But, if we look closely, expectations are the burden a boy must bear, whether he wants to or not. The freedom, transgression, and privileges he enjoys come with an unspoken understanding. A boy’s success is the ROI that families invest in—the insurance for their old age. This was articulated by both girls and boys in the focus group discussions. Hence, the expectation of success is not enough. A successful family man is the ideal. Someone who is not only a go-getter but also takes care of his family. An achiever who is still tied to his roots. While the study gave us many answers, it also raised many essential questions. Is the freedom that boys enjoy conditional? Do expectations result in anxiety to live up to them? While they enjoy more advantages, does that privilege come with the pressure to perform? Is it time to revisit some of our assumptions about young men and boys? (*Names have been changed.) (This article was originally taken from - https://idronline.org/article/gender/checking-in-on-young-men-and-boys-in-urban-india/)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Ashutosh Wakankar: Ashutosh Wakankar is the co-founder of Cracker and Rush, a brand strategy and identity firm in Bangalore. He has been a student of how brands are defined, designed, and nurtured. He is also a big believer in the power of brands to improve lives. According to him, organisational identity is the most sustainable form of differentiation in these hypercompetitive times and should be the focus of strategic thinking. Richa Chhabra: Richa Chhabra is a senior strategist at Cracker and Rush. She has more than a decade of experience in consumer research and brand strategy. Her world view is shaped by her interest in psychology and understanding of the unsaid, a lens she brings to mine insights in research. She lives in a world where assumptions don’t exist and every day is a quest to unearth something unique about a sector, brand, or consumer. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 7

Contents 22

CORPORATE STALWART

From Challenges to Triumph R. K. Behera, Chairman and Founder, RSB Group, talks eloquently on his entrepreneurial journey in auto component manufacturing and making it into a success story 8 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Volume 8 Issue No. 9 February, 2023 www.corporatecitizen.in

13 COLLYWOOD Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World

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18 EXPERT VIEW Where do we match up in the Patriotism, Pride and nation building Passion Index, as a country? We need to ponder… 20 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why 28 SESSION Crucial lessons for learning in a volatile and constantly changing global environment 34 INTERVIEW Aman Rajabali, CEO and founder, Kabir Profile Solutions and President, NHRDN - Pune, takes us through his journey as an HR professional, his voluntary contributions to the HR issues and his experience as a leader 42 CORPORATE INSIGHT Divya Batra, Head of Marketing, Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd., shares her journey so far, her experience of travelling 17 countries, how she applies her travel learnings in the corporate world, and more 46 TÊTE-À-TÊTE Jaya Jaitly, president and founder, Dastkari, talks on her leadership in public and social life and her consistent devotion and abiding belief in desi craftsmanship and textile 52 COLOUR COLLAGE Travel photographer, Dr A V Ranganadham, believes in the motto “The journey is the destination”, which is reflected in his photographs 54 CORPORATE HISTORY For over 40 years now, Bisleri has been a byword for transparent and clean drinking water in a bottle February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 9

CONTENTS 56 CAMPUS PLACEMENT Himanshu Dhabaria, on his campus placement experience, educational journey and why consistency has played a big role in the success he has achieved in life, education and career 58 LOVED AND MARRIED Pooja Khilnani and Saurabh Chheda, talk about their simple but heart-warming story together and how they have become each other’s best friends by disposition 60 TO BE A WOMAN Communication professional and content manager Monika Patel on starting a career and a fresh new innings, on her own terms

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62 MY FAVOURITE THINGS Rahul Chandalia, co-founder, Wol 3D, on his personal favourites 63 FOR AND AGAINST Has OTT replaced the movie theatre expreience? 64 ME TIME Enjoy a few moments of fun, joy, health and happiness 66 TRAVEL If you want to embark on a beautiful trek and reconnect with nature, there is nothing better than to go beach trekking in Gokarna 68 WORK-LIFE BALANCE Susmitha Lakkakula, founder, CloudTailor, talks about her work philosophy and how she maintains work-life balance 70 PEARLS OF WISDOM Offload the dead weeds; make a new beginning, now and here!

10 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

72 SURVEY 2023 Global Digital Trust Insights report, to understand and mitigate the new cyber risks and the c-suite executives’ perceptions on the same 76 MOBILE APPS The best file sharing apps for smooth WFH experience

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82 LAST WORD Where does India stand today economically, socially and politically, 75 years after Independence?

Our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Late Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian Editor Vinita Vishwas Deshmukh [email protected] Assistant Editor & Senior Business Writer Rajesh Rao [email protected] Senior Sub-Editor Neeraj Varty [email protected] Creative Designer Pratap Waingade Writers Delhi Bureau Sharmila Chand [email protected]

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Kolkata Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar [email protected] Pune Bureau Kalyani Sardesai [email protected] Ekta Katti [email protected] Namrata Gulati Sapra

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BE A CORPORATE CITIZEN

Inviting readers who are bloggers who write on corporate related stuff. We would love to publish your blogs, if found suitable for our Corporate Citizen magazine. You could also write for us.

Please send your blog articles and your interest in writing for us to [email protected]. And of course, as always, send in your views, news and suggestions to [email protected] We would love to hear from you.

Manager-Circulation [email protected] West : Jaywant Patil, +91 9923202560 North : Hemant Gupta, +91 9582210930

On Cover page R. K. Behera, Chairman and Founder, RSB Group Cover Page Pic By Yusuf Khan For Advertising, Marketing & Subscription queries Email: [email protected] (Corporate Citizen does not accept responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All unsolicited material should be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage.) Mobile No. 9307901295 / 6 (Working Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm)

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 11

FEEDBACK

A hearty welcome to the Advisory Group of Corporate Citizen Looking forward to their inspiring guidance and overview

The essence of a corporate life A business magazine’s primary objective is to keep readers updated about the latest happenings in the the business world. Today New Indian readers have access to and prefer reading the best magazines available online. If a reader acquires a thorough analysis of latest corporate/business trends, it is something that will bring the reader contentment and internal peace, and with Corporate Citizen, you can find the same. Whether it be the latest in the world of business or the essence of a corporate life, you can find everything in Corporate Citizen. I find premium collection of articles from the corporate world, curated for our convenience. Moreover, you also get expert opinions, tips and suggestions, along with updated information about the latest trends that matters to your business. Your magazine serves me with the best of ideas to move our business towards great success. The fresh content on business-related topics is the dominant reason why Corporate Citizen has emerged and continue to thrive in the marketplace. Dinanath Bhosale, Corporate Executive-Operations

EAR HAPPYNEWY

CONTEMPORAR

T Y MANAGEMEN

THOUGHTS

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- January 2023 (Monthly

THE COVER STORY

ssionals—who entrepreneurs and profe ds of change-makers— es for the new age selv them g These are the new bree entin reinv ers and are accelerating their care

Pune - Vol. 8, Issue No.8

We are happy to announce the formation of a dynamic Advisory Group for Corporate Citizen which will give its expert opinion on the various aspects of our very popular business magazine, be it editorial content, circulation or marketing strategy. As we keep publishing the magazine every fortnight, since the last six and a half years, we get into a continuous flow like the river that doesn’t stop to flow and may sometimes overlook some deficiencies that require toning up. We need a third eye to give that insight and here we have the eight remarkable leaders in their own field to constantly give us their invaluable thoughts. Looking forward to an amazing association with each one of them!

New Indian

Prof. B. Paramanandhan

V Jayaraman

Director (Finance), Sri Balaji University, Pune (SBUP) and printer and publisher, Corporate Citizen magazine

Leading income tax consultant and avid reader, he spreads the spirit of fitness and lifestyle amongst diabetics

R. Somasundaram

Manjiri Gokhale Joshi

Chief Finance & Accounts Officer in SBUP and a former corporate professional

Former senior journalist, corporate leader and founder, Maya CARE that serves the elderly in the UK and India

Ganesh Natarajan

Sekhar Seshan

Chairman, 5F World and the Lighthouse Communities Foundation

Senior business journalist, co-author of two books on HRM & Entrepreneurship and creates commissioned corporate chronicles

Jaisurya Das

Shehnaz Chawla

In the media space for three decades now and greatly on the brand and business side

Senior journalist and Director, Boomerang Digital, she also runs an NGO, Golden Heart Foundation

Constantly reinvent to stay relevant

I can safely call myself a regular reader of Corporate Citizen from 2017 onwards. I have been a fan of the format, stories and interviews showcased in the same for all this time. However, I now feel that CC is playing it too safe. Everything must adapt or perish, and change is in the order of things. I feel that some of the story formats and especially the design of the magazine needs a complete revamp. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the philosophy of “If it isn’t broke, why fix it”, but also believe that by constantly reinventing yourself every few years, you are able to not just stay relevant, but also provide fresh and engaging content. I hope the editorial team will consider my suggestions, and come up with a new design and new format for the magazine in the near future. I shall eagerly await the change. Seema Bhise, Regional Manager, Marketing

We look forward to your feedback We at Corporate Citizen, believe that information should not be a one-way street. Your opinion and views about this issue are most welcome. Your ideas and new thoughts you may have, to enhance the content quality of our magazine, are most welcome. We rely on you to keep Corporate Citizen, on the positive and cool note, through your interaction on this page—just as you trust us with the content that we bring you, every fortnight. Mail us your views on: feedback@ corporatecitizen.in

''Corporate Citizen" Monthly is Owned by Sri Balaji Society, Published and Printed by Paramanandhan Balasubramanian, Printed at M/s. Printrade Issues (India) Pvt. Ltd., EL-179, TTC Industrial Area, Electronic Zone, Near Mahape Telephone Exchange, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400 710 and Published at S. No. 55/2-7, Tathawade, Near Wakad, Off Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass, Pune - 411 033. Editor - Vinita Vishwas Deshmukh.

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COLLYWOOD

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Nadella is optimistic about India’s AI and Cloud potential S atya Nadella, chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Microsoft, asserted that India tops in artificial intelligence (AI) and showed optimism in India’s calibre to lead a ‘public digital good story.’ Nadella, in his recent four-day visit to India, affirmed that India would thrive in utilizing AI for solving real-life problems. Addressing the ‘Microsoft Future Ready Leadership Summit’ in Mumbai, Nadella ranked India as the 2nd biggest contributor to the developer ecosystem. He expressed his optimism about the power of the cloud infrastructure as the foundation for scaling India’s digital journey and predicted that India would become the third-largest economy by the end of the decade. Nadella promised Microsoft’s role in encouraging innovations across the tech stack in supporting the country’s ecosystem of developers, start-ups, and companies across sectors. He highlighted processes and priorities for businesses to focus on, including migrating to the cloud economy, unifying data and application of AI platform models, empowering fusion teams (remote work), re-energizing workforce (upskilling), embracing collaborative business processes, and

Satya Nadella

prioritising cyber security. He emphasised the need for inclusivity and empowerment through technology and economic growth and asserted that the company is very committed to India. “When we think about Make in India, we are investing-it is the largest place where we have our own human capital, we have our data centres, all of these Artificial Intelligence capabilities that are being used in all application, are all in some sense Made in India,” he said. Hyderabad-born Nadella lauded India’s capability to build public digital infrastructure for the greater good.

Sanjiv Kapoor is CEO-designate and not CEO of Jet Airways

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Sanjiv Kapoor

anjiv Kapoor will be retained as the CEO-designate of the grounded Jet Airways until the airline’s ownership is transferred to the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC) by the lenders. The new development comes as the ownership deadlock continues between the Jalan-Kalrock consortium and Jet Airways’ lenders, over the payment and transfer of the airline’s ownership. Ashish Chhawchharia, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) -appointed resolution professional and head of the Jet Airways management committee, has sent a notice to Kapoor asking him to refrain from using the title of the airline’s CEO. The monitoring committee has notified that Kapoor’s tenure as CEO will come

into force once the resolution plan achieves an effective date and after the monitoring committee approves his appointment. The committee has been overseeing the implementation of the resolution plan, and the airline has yet to be acquired by the Jalan-Kalrock consortium. JKC was declared the winning bidder for Jet Airways after the June 2021 insolvency resolution process. In March 2022, Kapoor was designated as the airline’s CEO with effect from April 4, 2022, and aviation safety regulator DGCA revalidated the airline’s air operator certificate in May. The airline announced its plans to recommence operations in September 2022 but has since postponed its relaunch. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 13

COLLYWOOD Former BPCL chief to steer ONGC A

run Kumar Singh has been appointed as the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) chairman, effective March 1, 2023. Singh was the former chairperson of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), the oil refining and marketing company. With the new ONGC transition, he has become the first retired person to be appointed as the head of a ‘maharatna’ public sector undertaking (PSU). Singh benefits from the change in the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) eligibility criteria for a board-level position for applicants from within PSUs to 60 years from the previous maximum 58 years age limit as of

the date of the vacancy. ONGC has been without a full-time head since April 2021, previously steered by a chairman and managing director. However, in a stock exchange filing, ONGC said, “Singh has been appointed chairman of the company by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas vide a letter dated December 7, 2022.” It remains unclear if the post will be split and a separate managing director will also be appointed in due course. Singh was chosen by a search-cum-selection committee, having interviewed six candidates for the post. He was also selected to head the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).

Arun Kumar Singh

Before this most recent appointment, Singh was Director (Marketing) with BPCL from October 2018 to September 2021 and was later promoted to chairman and managing director of the company. He eventually retired as the BPCL chief in October 2022. Singh is a mechanical engineer from the National Institute of Technology, Patna.

Billionaire Adani narrows wealth gap with Musk, overtakes Bezos and Page

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Gautam Adani

14 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

autam Adani, the founder and chairman of the Adani Group, has been crowned as ‘Asia’s busiest dealmaker’ by Bloomberg and the only wealthiest person in the Bloomberg Billionaires top 10 Index to have added to his wealth in 2022. Billionaire Adani currently ranks as the world’s 3rd richest person as his fortune has gone up to $121 billion in one year and is almost bridging the ‘rich quotient’ gap with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. While Adani’s net worth soared from $44 billion to $121 billion in 2022, Musk’s fortune dipped from $133 billion to $137 billion. Market watchers speculate that if Musk’s net worth continues to fall, and Adani keeps adding billions to his fortune at the same pace as in the last 12 months in 2022, he might dethrone the Twitter boss in 2023. The Adani group’s flagship company Adani Enterprises, gained around

116% in 2022, doubling its investors’ wealth. Adani Power stock surged 185%, Adani Wilmar gained over 105%, and Adani Total Gas soared to 91%. Adani group’s market capitalization grew 9-fold in three years, crossing Rs 17.9 lakh crore in December 2022, claiming worth as India’s second most valuable firm, following the Tata Group, and going ahead of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. With Musk’s dipped net worth, Bernard Arnault, a Frenchman, and owner of LMVH, providing high society with its Louis Vuitton luggage, Christian Dior couture, Tiffany jewellery, and Dom Pérignon champagne, has become the world’s richest man with a net worth of $162 billion. Musk’s wealth crashed by $138 billion, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, shed $87 billion, and Alphabet co-founder Larry Page’s net worth slumped by $47 billion.

Patidar resigns from Zomato Rasika Malhotra

L’Oréal appoints Rasika Malhotra as HR Director – India

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asika Mahajani Malhotra, takes over as L’Oréal India’s Director of Human Resources. She replaces Roshni Wadhwa, who will take on as the company’s HR Transformation Director – South Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa (SAPMENA). Rasika confirmed the new development on social media and stated, “Excited to share the next milestone in my professional journey as the Director – Human Resources for L’Oréal India.” Rasika’s new responsibilities entail developing capabilities, culture enablement, collaboration, and HR excellence, helping L’Oréal India to become a future-ready organisation. She brings 20+ years of diverse experience across B2B, consumer products, FMCG, manufacturing, oil and gas, and technology across international geographies and domains. She is well-versed in business partnering and strategy, organisation development, talent management, HR transformation, cultural integration, and D&I. She joined L’Oréal as an Executive Partner and CHRO, streamlining the organisation process through a team of virtual experts across finance, marketing, ISC, legal, and human resource portfolios. She worked with Infinity Growth Services LLP (www.donthire.com) before her journey with L’Oréal. In other previous stints, Rasika has been associated with Kimberly-Clark, Mattel, Inc., Castrol, and Reliance. She holds a Master of Labour Law and Labour Welfare from the Savitribai Phule Pune University.

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unjan Patidar, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Zomato, has resigned, which marked yet another exit in a spate of exodus by top company executives in the past year. Patidar was one of Zomato’s early founders and built the core tech systems for Zomato. The reasons for his resignation remain unstated as Zomato begins its hunt to fill Patidar’s significant role. In his 14+ years of association with the app-based food-delivery company, Patidar developed a highly skilled tech leadership team and was responsible for all tech-related verticals. He is credited for having nurtured tech talent and enhanced the design, development, and deployment of new products for Zomato’s customers. Before his Zomato stint,

Gunjan Patidar

he was a Software Engineer with Cvent. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. The IIT journey proved a turning point for Patidar, who hails from Madhya Pradesh; when he was introduced to the prestigious institute by his elder brother during his 10th grade.

DDB Mudra onboards veterans Menon and Pradhan

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DB Mudra Group has onboarded Menaka Menon as the National Strategy Head and Nitin Pradhan as Creative Head – South, to strengthen its leadership roles. The advertising stronghold, the DDB Mudra Group, is a part of the DDB Worldwide Communications Group. Menaka and Pradhan’s contributions will bring their cumulative 40 years of experience in creative thinking and strategic planning across brands and categories. Menaka has had previous stints with prestigious companies, including FCB, JWT, and Leo Burnett. She started her advertising career journey with account management, moving on to other marketing roles. She has contributed to the media, consulting, and social sectors. An alumnus of MICA, Menaka has handled a portfolio of prestigious brands, including Amazon, HUL, ITC foods, and Star Network. Pradhan brings 20+ years of experience working with brands like KBC,

Menaka Menon

Sony Network, Samsung, and Tata Sky. Prior to his current role with DDB Mudra, he worked with Chiel India, with previous experiences at top advertising giants like Ogilvy, McCann, Publicis Groupe, and Leo Burnett. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 15

COLLYWOOD Harry Kosato is cuisine goodwill ambassador for India

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arry Hakuei Kosato has been appointed as ‘Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador” for India by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF). He is popularly known for his India association as the Director of Sushi and More India, the Japanese sushi delivery and takeaway business. He is the India representative and Director for Kikkoman India, the producer of Japanese soy sauce. MAFF has been promoting Japanese food and dietary culture since 2015 after UNESCO declared “Washoku,” or Japanese cuisine, as an intangible cultural heritage. Kosato has multiple interests besides being a corporate honcho, including Dr. Smart Money, a social impact project supported by Oxford Innovation in London. He launched his first business book in Japanese “Oxford Success Principles: 10 Principles for Driving Success in Life” and recently completed his second Master’s degree (Applied Business) from the SBS Swiss Business School.

Harry Hakuei Kosato

BharatPe’s CEO steps down, Negi to helm affairs

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uhail Sameer, Chief Executive Officer of fintech unicorn, BharatPe, has stepped down and will likely transition to a strategic adviser’s role, effective January 7, 2023. With Suhail’s resignation, Nalin Negi, the current chief financial officer (CFO) of BharatPe, has Suhail Sameer been appointed as the interim chief executive officer (CEO), effective from January 7, 2023. He will continue to hold the fort until the board finds a successor for Suhail Sameer.

Suhail is expected to enable a smooth transition for Negi to helm affairs at the top. Negi brings 28+ years of experience, having previously worked at GE Capital and SBI Card. He was the chief financial officer (CFO) with SBI Card for 10+ years. Media reports state that Suhail will likely set up a private VC fund and has applied for the management entity. Suhail has been leading the New-Delhi-based BharatPe after it ousted co-founder Ashneer Grover, who resigned as the CEO last year.

(Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar) 16 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

LG Electronics India appoints new MD

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ong Ju Jeon joins LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. as its new Managing Director (MD) and will be responsible for its India businesses. Jeon is expected to leverage India’s growing economy and its diverse demographics to develop a prodHong Ju Jeon uct portfolio skewed to the demands of India’s consumer sector. Before his elevation to the MD’s post, Jeon was the President of the South Korean consumer electronics major’s subsidiary in the Gulf region. In other previous roles, he held senior positions with LG Electronics as Managing Director for the company’s subsidiaries across Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Jeon replaces Young Lak Kim, former Managing Director of LG Electronics India, who has been promoted as Executive Vice President and will join as the Sales & Marketing Head for Korea.

EXPERT VIEW

Of Patriotism, Pride and Passion SK JHA (IRS (retd) and former Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax)

Most countries that have beaten adversity and risen to global positions of stature have been characterised by three virtues in their citizenry – staunch patriotism, national pride and a passion for nation building. Where do we stand? Where do we match up in the Patriotism, Pride and nation building Passion Index, as a country? We need to ponder…

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Patriotism in practice During the clashes, these two Japanese students used to take turns writing notes, while the other student would mend the pencil and keep it ready for use. During those days, Japanese pencils used to be of inferior quality, the lead tip of the pencils used to be very brittle and break frequently. Fellow students advised them to start using superior pencils made in England, and not expensive either. There were tears in the eyes of both the students. “If we ourselves do not purchase and use our own product, then who else will do it? We don’t deny that our pencils cannot withstand the quality test today, but soon there will definitely be a day when the whole world will use our Japanese pencils.” There is of course much to learn from them - patriotism and passion for nation building. If we want to make our country rich and powerful, then the first thing to do is to have faith in the country and in ourselves. Those two Japanese students had faith in their country as they believed that the Japanese pencils would become the best in the world some day. Secondly, we must understand that each of our countrymen have a role to play in nation building. Most of us believe that nation building is the work of the government and its agencies and that we have to only enjoy the fruits. The third requirement for becoming a rich and powerful nation is to not get tempted by cheap products from other countries. Instead we must consume our own products, and that way industries in the country will get an impetus. The two Japanese students wanted to rebuild their nation and for that its factories were re18 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

(For representational purpose only)

ikhail Gorbachev, who was the last President of the Soviet Union (USSR) till its dissolution in 1991, has written about an incident in his autobiography, which is very relevant today. While studying in Europe, he used to study along with two Japanese students. The Second World War had just come to an end and Japan had not only been destroyed completely, but was also facing crippling economic sanctions.

If we want to make our country rich and powerful, then the first thing to do is to have faith in the country and in ourselves. Those two Japanese students had faith in their country as they believed that the Japanese pencils would become the best in the world some day quired to be encouraged. “Pride for your country should not come after your country becomes great. Your country becomes great because of your pride for it,” said Idowu Koyenekan. Trade imbalance In view of the above discussion about patriotism and passion for nation building as set out by the two Japanese students, let us now proceed examining their position with those of Indians. In today’s world, India cannot remain isolated from global trade. India, like any other country has to import as per its needs, while at the same time maximise its exports. But the issue of patriotism does come into the picture when

we are having a huge adverse balance of trade with China, which is our enemy country. In the first nine months of 2022, our trade deficit with China crossed $75 billion. For this period, China’s exports to India rose 31% to $13.97 billion. The trade-deficit of India against China in the last year was $69.38 billion. This shows that our deficit is on a climb. The rising demand for machinery and intermediate goods such as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in addition to cheaper consumer products like electronic items are adding to our imports. We have a continued bad time with China on our borders in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, but at the same time our imports from them are increasing. The

Nation’s enemies India is a very big country; hence it will not be correct to weigh all Indians by one measure. Some Indians may be very passionate to see India as a superpower, while others may derive sadistic pleasure in pulling down the country. We hardly see any Japanese or German or French or any other such national criticising his country, but we see many Indians doing so at international forums. We regularly see Indians writing against India in leading international newspapers. Such incidences bring India down in international ratings. In the Hunger Index, for example, India is below Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and even Pakistan, because of such writings by Indians, when we know that the fact is just the opposite. Many of us feel that by speaking against our own motherland, we will be considered more liberal and more intelligent. Some Indian origin intellectuals in the US have risen high by criticising India and this is particularly true in the Harvard campus. This is sad but true. Do they have any love for their country or the country of their origin? Many Indians though based in India indulge in this shameful behaviour. They stay protected, as India believes in the freedom of speech. There is nothing wrong in speaking against the government, but speaking against the country puts such Indians down in the assumed Patriotism index. Pay taxes to build nation Nation building, like building a house, requires money. Many of us Indians believe that money has to be spent by the government and we do not have any role to play. The fact remains that money in the hands of the government comes from taxes that we pay, but sadly only 3% of our population pays income tax. Not paying tax or paying less tax is against nation-building, and thus highly unpatriotic. Compared to many developed nations, we are very low in the tax-GDP ratio. Some of us do not stop at not paying taxes but stoop even lower by transferring money from

(For representational purpose only)

1962 war with China still remains fresh in our memory when about 38,000 sq km of our territory was captured and so far there is no sign of return of the same. Then why are we so large hearted in passing off our money to China in the form of huge adverse trade balance? One reason is that the goods we could have produced ourselves, we outsourced from China merely because of our laziness. APIs are a big example of this, as we used to produce them ourselves earlier, but later stopped. We need APIs for our pharmaceutical industry. The other reason is our mentality of buying cheap products, even if they come from our enemy country. We are not very patriotic in the context of our purchases, unlike the purchase of pencils by the Japanese students.

Patriotism and belief in your country matter. Countries like South Korea and Japan after its devastation in the World War II developed fast economically because of the three virtues – patriotism, pride and passion for nation building. Even China, which became independent almost at the same time as us, became the second biggest nation financially, as the Chinese respected their traditions and had faith in their country this country abroad. Tax havens have been created by intelligent Indians, but the intelligence has been wrongly applied. We have also seen that some Indians acquire citizenships of tax haven countries while sitting on the stolen money of the country. For these Indians, there is no love for the country and they exist only for money. Pride for what is ours Belief in your country is the cardinal principle behind love for the motherland. Many of us are genuinely emotional for the country, while many Indians have no such feelings. The latter category of Indians do not have pride for our rich cultural values and our ancient civilisation. For them, India is a backward country and they fancy other countries. We have forgotten Sanskrit, our ancient language, while it is taught in 14 universities in Germany. Scientific theories contained in our ancient scriptures have been used by Germany and also some other countries for their economic development. Japanese, German, French, Chinese and many other nationals speak in their native tongues but we Indians always try to speak in English at international forums. We feel that we are smart and highly educated speaking in English. This only proves our inferiority complex. Probably, this happened as we

were under foreign rule for a long time. We forget that we all belong to Bharat which is a most ancient country and we should be proud of that. Our Patriotism, because of some of us, falls due to the loss of pride in our country. Learn from others Patriotism and belief in your country matter. Countries like South Korea and even Japan after its devastation in the World War II developed fast economically because of the three virtues – patriotism, pride and passion for nation building. Even China, which became independent almost at the same time as us, became the second biggest nation financially as the Chinese respected their traditions and had faith in their country. Patriotism is not short frenzied outburst of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. We should be inspired by the sacrifices by some amongst us. History that is taught in schools should be about the ultimate sacrifices of our forefathers. Their ultimate patriotism was the reason behind our freedom. Patriotism consists not in waving our flag, but in striving to make our country strong. Today, India is a free country but a lot of things remain to be done. Our patriotic soldiers are keeping vigil on our borders and our other patriotic citizens need to keep vigil within the country. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 19

WAX ELOQUENT

Stay with Strength, get out of Weakness Take a look at what our corporate leaders have to say about recent trends and their experiences in the business world

We are the good boys of the world “We are the good boys of the world and people still like us. People trust India and Indians a lot more than they trust China and the Chinese. And that is a big factor in the post Covid world. We have generally been a well-behaved student in the world economic landscape, and we will get our rewards for being that ‘nice guy’. The good boy qualities may make you look a loser for some time, but good boys will finish first. This is our chance to finish first rather than finish last as we have done in the past” Shankar Sharma, founder, G Quants Courtesy: https://www.rediff.com/

Please mark my words… “I think crypto or private cryptocurrency is a fashionable way of describing what is otherwise a 100% speculative activity. They don’t believe in the central bank, they don’t believe in a regulated financial world. I’m yet to hear a good argument about what public purpose it serves. It should be prohibited because if it is allowed to grow … say it’s regulated and allowed to grow … please mark my words that the next financial crisis will come from private cryptocurrencies.” Shaktikanta Das, Governor, RBI Courtesy: https://techcrunch.com/ 20 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone “Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone and when we hear the success stories of business leaders, we don’t see the blood, sweat and tears that go behind all the accomplishments. I believe, even though numbers are essential, another important success matrix of an entrepreneur is satisfaction. So choose wisely and when you do choose the path of business, be willing to make the sacrifices to back it up.” Akshaara Lalwani, Founder & CEO, Communicate India Courtesy: https://sugermint.com/

The most effective HR leader “The most effective HR leaders were those who had moved verticals — from business to HR and vice versa. This helped them to increase their maturity as professionals. That would be the other learning that we would hope young professionals take— be flexible and have cross-functional expertise.” T.V. Rao, HR Leader Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/

What determines our success…? “In this hyperconnected, digital-first social world, it is important that we recognise that it is our aptitude and our attitude that determine our success. It is very hard work to earn trust, but perhaps it is the most important success factor as an individual and as an organisation.” Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist, Salesforce Courtesy: https://yourstory.com/

We may grow slower than our own aspirations “The Indian economy is faring better than most other large economies in the world today. I do not fear that India will grow slower than the rest of the world. I fear that we may grow slower than our own aspirations and our own needs.” Jayanth R Varma, member, RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Courtesy: https://www.livemint.com/

India behaved like a strong stock “In 2022, India behaved like a strong stock and outperformed global markets. It did not fall much when global markets were falling and at the slightest sign of stability the markets would kind of go up. Will India continue to remain a strong stock? I think yes. India’s structural growth story post Covid has never been as strong as we are witnessing today. As they say in markets, stay with strength, get out of weakness.” Hiren Ved, Co-founder, CEO, & CIO, Alchemy Capital Courtesy: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

Learn from India “I advise (stores all over) to do it like Domino’s India. When you are the number one pizza company and number one restaurant in India, you have scale. During tough times the way to offer great prices to customers is by having leverage with suppliers and passing along those savings to your customers. Domino’s India does that very well.” Russell Weiner, CEO, Domino’s Pizza Inc Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

What differentiates a great company from an average? “It is imperative to understand what differentiates a great company from an average one. We not only encourage employees to continue to pursue their hobbies and passions but also give them a platform — ‘Beyond Work’ — unless it conflicts with the company’s interests and affects their performance. However, what does not go with our culture — and we do not believe our employees would do this — is taking up employment opportunities outside, while staying with the company.” Shantanu Das, CHRO, Amway India Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/

Stop self-limiting—dream big “There are stereotypes women face, but the best way to prove yourself is through your outcomes, results, and delivering numbers. I also feel women need to get better at speaking up, and managing their guilt, and they need to stop their self-limiting behaviors which often stop them from dreaming big.” Namita Thapar, executive director - India business, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Courtesy: https://indianexpress.com/

I’m only focused on great results “I feel quite often that we also psych ourselves on gender discrimination sometimes. Frankly, I’ve never thought in my professional life that I’m a woman. I’m only focused on great results and said my results will take me forward. I derived strength from all my supporters rather than getting derailed by detractors. My message to everyone who’s trying to build a career: Focus on great results. You’re a professional. So just be one and move on in your journey.” Hina Nagarajan, MD and CEO, Diageo India Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/

We are living in a hybrid world Hybrid is most likely one of the most used words today. We have hybrid meetings, hybrid cars and we also have hybrid energy supply systems, and also hybrid cities, which I think is a good term. And, that shows us that they (the smart cities) are evolving. When we talk about urbanisation, India will also undergo one of the largest urban transformations we have seen in the world. So, India is important because of the urbanisation and the huge number of smart cities being created. Matthias Rebellius, CEO, Smart Infrastructure and Member, Managing Board, Siemens AG Courtesy: https://www.businesstoday.in/

What keeps me safe? “As a scholar, I am conscientious about following the law of the land. One must be sensitive to other people’s sensitivities because a researcher’s job is to analyse politics, not to get caught up in politics. I try to rise above partisanship, speak to both sides when there’s a conflict, and not poke my nose into things that are outside the scope of my research. That keeps me safe.” Subrata K Mitra, author Courtesy: https://www.hindustantimes.com/

(Compiled by Rajesh Rao)

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 21

CORPORATE STALWART

From Challenges to

Triumph

R. K. Behera is a highly successful businessperson and philanthropist. As the Chairman and Founder of the RSB Group, a Rs.3000 crore company which boasts of manufacturing facilities in 11 different locations in India and one each in the USA and Mexico, he has led the company from its humble beginnings to become one of the leading Auto Component Manufacturing companies in the industry. His vision has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including the Deming Prize, Best Entrepreneur Award, and Lifetime Achievements Award. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Behera is known for his humanitarian efforts and philanthropic initiatives, such as his “Padmavati Siksha Niketan” school for underprivileged children near Cuttack. He also serves on the Think-Tank Odisha; has held leadership roles in multiple professional and trade organisations, including the CII, Value Engineers Association of India, and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce. He unravels his entrepreneurial journey which rose from humble beginnings By Vinita Deshmukh

22 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Corporate Citizen: Tell us about your academic journey beginning from your school days. R K Behera: I began my academic journey by completing my Higher Secondary Schooling in 1967 but it was filled with struggles due to financial issues. My family was from a lower-middle-class background, and my father was the only earning member with seven siblings and my grandmother to support. After completing my BSc engineering with a first-class distinction in 1973, I was determined to do something on my own and not join a business because I cannot work under any boss. My objective was to uplift my family and do something so that everybody can lead a better life. The other most important motivation was to be self-employed and at the same time give employment to many people in the society. However, my father wanted me to take up a job and encouraged me to take on various interviews, including ones for the JET programme. I was eventually offered a position at TISCO, as Tata Steel was known then, but I turned it down after working for a few days, as it did not appeal to me. I wanted to be my own boss and create job opportunities for others. I was determined to start my own business. My father decided to supported me in this decision, even though his friends questioned how I would be able to start a business without any capital. CC: How did you sow the seeds of entrepreneurship? Determined to uplift my family, I decided to start something of my own. The Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (AIADA) by Bihar government had just started there and they were offering a subsidy grant of Rs 20000, land on lease on a very cheap cost, and inviting technocrats like myself to start something new. I immediately took the opportunity and despite initial hesitation from my father and his friends,

I believe in being a job creator and not just a job seeker. The journey was not easy but with determination, hard work and taking the right opportunities, I am proud of what I’ve accomplished and look forward to continuing to make positive impact R. K. Behera

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 23

CORPORATE STALWART growing my own business, I am proud of what we have achieved and grateful for the support of my family and team. It has not always been easy, but the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from building something successful from the ground up is worth all the challenges and hard work.

I idolise JRD Tata because of his humility and his approach towards taking care of humanity and society. He was the chairman of the company my father worked for and I saw how he used to take care of the community and the employees, even before the concept of CSR existed I jumped in and started a small unit of my own. I believe in being a job creator and not just a job seeker. The journey was not easy but with determination, hard work and taking the right opportunities, I am proud of what I’ve accomplished and look forward to continuing to make positive impact. In 1973, I founded the International Auto Products with the help of my teenage brother, who was seven years younger than me. While he was still in school, he offered to assist me with the business and promised to attend evening classes to complete his education. His help and support was invaluable to me as I struggled to get the business off the ground. Initially, we focused on producing automotive components, but we were unable to secure any contracts for them. Instead, we took on smaller maintenance jobs for companies like Tata Steel and Uranium Corporation of India, as well as machining and pressing work. Eventually, in 1978, we were able to secure a contract with Tata Motors to produce automotive 24 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

components. Our company grew rapidly, with annual growth rates of 80-90%, as Tata Motors greatly expanded their ancillary production. CC: What were the elements of your success? From the very beginning, we placed a strong emphasis on quality of our products. We believed that without high quality, customers would not be satisfied and would not continue to give us orders. I focused on quality control, marketing, and finance, while my brother, who was a commerce graduate, handled production and construction. Our commitment to quality and hard work paid off, and our business continued to thrive. In the 1990s, we expanded our operations to include the production of automotive parts for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers. We also started exporting our products to countries in Europe and Asia. Today, our company is a leading manufacturer of automotivecomponents in India, with a strong reputation for quality and innovation. Looking back on the journey of starting and

CC: It’s laudable that your commitment to producing high quality products was a key factor in the company’s success, and your brother’s support and expertise were instrumental in helping the company grow. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences while starting and running the company? As I told you earlier my background as an engineer led me to focus on quality, marketing, and finance, while my brother, took on the responsibility of production and technical matters. This division of labour was successful, and my brother still holds the role of operational head for the entire group today. Despite having a team of skilled and specialised employees now, in the early days, I also took on managing finances and expanding the business by seeking funding from various sources such as banks and the National Small Industries Corporation. Though, in 1979, our unit experienced financial difficulties due to a lack of experience and a lack of demand for our equipment. We realised that it was not a well-planned project and we were unable to sustain our turnover and expenses. CC: Tell us more about the revival of your company... Starting a new venture is never easy and we faced many challenges in the early days of our company, International Auto Products. We had initially taken a loan of 1,65,000 rupees from the Bihar State Financial Corporation and another Rs 20,000 rupees from Bank of India. But despite our best efforts, we soon found ourselves in financial trouble. The overdraft limit had increased to 1,00,000 rupees and our unit had become sick. The State Finance Corporation even advised us to sell off the unit and find a job instead. However, we were fortunate to have the support of a bank officer, Mr. AK Choudhary, who recognised our sincerity and hard work and was able to secure additional funding for us. Thanks to his help and a big order from Tata Motors in 1980, our company revived rapidly with a CAGR of 80-90% and even 100% until 1994-95. We went on to set up multiple plants and diversify our product offerings, such as propeller shaft assembly and gear boxes, thanks to my brother’s innovative ideas and my engineering knowledge. Quality was always our top priority and it was this commitment to quality that allowed us to keep receiving more orders and

expanding our business. We managed to make it successful, even though the team we were working with weren’t highly technical people. We sat down and brainstormed together, and that’s just one example of how we’ve been able to overcome challenges and grow the company to what it is today-a Rs.3000 crore company. CC: How did you move to Pune? We’ve always had a focus on quality, culture and taking care of our employees, and that’s what led to Tata Motors inviting us to set up a manufacturing plant for their gears in Pune in 1995. From there, we’ve continued to expand, adding more products, more manufacturing plants, and more locations across the country, and even in the USA and Mexico through acquisitions and greenfield projects. We are a joint family business and everyone plays an important role, whether it is in management, finance, business development or strategy. Even our children are involved in the business, some are into mobile gaming, but all of them are full-fledged entrepreneurs and doing their jobs. And we act as their mentor taking the critical strategic decisions while they handle the execution like professionals. CC: Can you tell us about how your business has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both during and after? Have you noticed any changes in the industry because of the pandemic? The Covid pandemic period was a very tough time for everyone. We faced many cash flow issues and had no cash to pay for salaries, vendor payments, and other expenses. However, our associates and management staff were very cooperative, and they voluntarily deferred their salaries by 25 to 30 percent. We compensated them later on, once the situation normalised. We also cut down on many expenses and conducted all meetings through Zoom calls. With the help of our senior managers, managers, and management staff, we adopted cost-cutting measures and took all the necessary initiatives to survive the situation. Our diversified product range helped us to balance the risk across different sectors and we were able to ultimately manage our cash flow. We also took help from customers, by asking them to pay in advance. We have a strong relationship with our customers like Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland. We have a technical collaboration with a German company for propeller shafts and gearboxes. We have also developed our own capabilities to design and manufacture these products. It’s a mutually dependent relationship and these products take a long time to develop, hence our long-term commitment towards our customers is the reason behind our growth.

RSB’s philosophy and human face: Knowledge Enterprise: We strongly believe that the power of knowledge and information is supreme and these are the most precious assets of an institution. They enable optimum decision-making, inspire innovation, increase responsiveness, reduce costs, improve performance and ultimately confer competitive edge. To build a knowledge enterprise we constantly encourage and provide opportunities to all our employees to unlearn and relearn to sharpen their innate capacity and remain perpetually relevant to the organisation and the society. Learning is an endless mission across the Group so that it is imbued with an innate capacity to continually reinvent itself to remain relevant to the different times. Benevolent Creative Leadership: We echo deep concern for our employees. We practice fair employee engagement and disengagement practices and emphasise on empowerment of people, creating a culture of trust and honesty and above all encour-

age a mindset in pursuit of excellence. The tenets of our leadership are anchored on sensitivity, openness, encouragement, forgiveness and discipline. Road to Perfection is Endless We firmly believe that all human endeavours will always have scope for improvement. That is why 100-metre sprint record is regularly broken and Everest repeatedly scaled in lesser time. As an institution, we are perpetually restless to improve and innovate. To encourage innovation, we consciously practice out-of-the box or blue ocean thinking. We aim to attain the status where lateral thinking is all pervasive and automatic. Corporate Social Responsibility We are very passionate about preserving environment and developing human capital in our immediate neighbourhood in our own little way. Social responsibility and obligation is a valuable goal for us rather than being a mere self-serving business means. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 25

CORPORATE STALWART CC: What is your staff strength? Our staff strength is around 4800 to 5000 employees when you include permanent, temporary and contractual staff. We have multiple plants-our turnover was around Rs 2300 crores for all the plants put together, and we expect to reach around Rs.3000 crores in the current year. We have seen a significant growth this year and anticipate it to continue as we are adding new products, including components for electric vehicles. We have developed gear boxes for E-Axle because a shorter version is required for electric vehicles. Additionally, we are also developing other parts for electric vehicles to stay current with new technologies. CC: What were your feelings when you started your venture and your father felt so helpless regarding financial support and now your sons have got that on a platter? I feel proud because firstly, they imbibed the same philosophy and culture that we have, right from my father to this age. Just because they have a rich father, they never think of splurging money like a rich man’s spoilt children do. They don’t have that attitude at all. They are also very sincere and doing their job like a promoter family and a professional. Their approach is very professional. And our number one philosophy is that you should have humility, whatever position you may reach in life and I have learnt this from JRD Tata; he is my idol and of course, the Tatas. CC: Can you give an example of this generation as to how they are more fortunate when it comes to pursuing their careers? Yes, for example, my elder son, Rajnikant, has done his MBA from Leeds University, UK and is looking after corporate finance and fundraising. My other two sons, Ratikant and Rituraj, who are respectively Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelors in Computer Engineering, from Michigan State University, are into mobile gaming and develop games. My late brother, Narendra’s sons, Nishant, who is Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Gannon University, USA, is President of RSB NA, while Nishit, who holds Masters Degree from Leeds University, UK, in Business Management, is Executive Director, Business Development and Strategy. His daughter, Nirmala, who holds Masters Degree in Marketing and Executive Diploma in HR from XLRI, Jamshedpur, is Executive Director – Group HR. CC: Why is JRD Tata your idol? I idolise JRD Tata because of his humility and his approach towards taking care of humanity and society. He was the chairman of the company my father worked for and I saw how he used to take care of the community and the employees, even before the concept of CSR existed. He 26 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Standing: Rajnikant Behera, Nishant Behera, Ms Nirmala Behera, Nishit Behera; (L to R) Sitting: Rituraj Behera, SK Behera, RK Behera, Ratikant Behera

My philosophy of life is to first understand the reason why I am on this Earth, and what my purpose is. I believe that life has two sides: the material and the spiritual. It is important to live a full and honest material life, while also doing your best to help others, particularly those who are weaker and in need created a beautiful township in Jamshedpur and implemented programmes for the upliftment of the tribal community. He was always loyal to the company and treated every employee as a family member. His philosophy and culture has been passed down to me and I have imbibed the same values, which is why he is my role model. I also appreciate the fact that my younger brother, S K Behera, has become a sort of union leader for our company, even though we only recently encouraged the formation of a union. He is always willing to go above and beyond for his employees, whether it’s in the middle of the night to help a family in need or checking on the health and wellbeing of his team during the COVID pandemic, even while he was suffering from the virus himself. It’s this kind of care and compassion that makes me admire JRD Tata and strive to emulate his values in my own leadership. CC: How does the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning affect produc-

tivity in your company? We have recognised the importance of digitising our organisation in order to stay competitive in the market. We are in the process of implementing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in all our plants, with the goal of achieving complete digitisation in the next one or two years. We are also implementing Industry 4.0 or Industry 5.0 in order to stay current with technological advancements in product and process technology and innovation. Our adoption of these technologies, in combination with our commitment to Total Quality Management (TQM) and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), has led to improved productivity, cost savings, and increased competitiveness in the market. CC: What do you think of Odiya people as entrepreneurs? I believe that Odiya people are generally intellectual in nature and are known for being scholars, bureaucrats, doctors, in civil services, professors,

PhDs, and are spread across the globe. While Bhubaneswar is an education hub like Pune, they may not have as strong a reputation as entrepreneurs when compared to Punjabis or Gujaratis. However, industries like steel and aluminium are flourishing in the area, and with the government’s initiatives and the focus on developing infrastructure and tourism, the engineering industry may also see growth. Additionally, the Chief Minister’s efforts to drive change and development in the region are helping things move forward, although it may be at a slower pace. CC: What advice would you give to a young person who wants to enter this field and what qualities do you look for in a new candidate? My advice would be to have purpose, persistence and perseverance in order to succeed in this field. Entrepreneurial journeys can be challenging, especially in the early years, so it is important to be determined and resilient. Additionally, agility is crucial in order to adapt to new technology and changing business conditions. It is important to have a solid plan and strive for stability, rather than aiming for a meteoric rise. When hiring new candidates, I look for qualities such as determination, resilience and agility. As we know, small and medium size companies are currently growing and this is what I look for as well, these are not bubbles that you can’t touch. They are going for IPOs as within the last 10 years, MSMEs have done public issues worth Rs.60,000 crores.

We are in the process of implementing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in all our plants, with the goal of achieving complete digitisation in the next one or two years. We are also implementing Industry 4.0 or Industry 5.0 in order to stay current with technological advancements in product and process technology and innovation

CC: What’s your vision for the RSB Group? In terms of how the company will shape up in the next 10-20 years, I see us continuing to adapt and evolve with the changing market. We will continue to invest in research and development to ensure we are manufacturing the latest and most advanced components for the EV market. We will also look at diversifying our product offerings to include more components for green vehicles like hydrogen cell technology. We will also continue to maintain a strong partnership with our customers and strive to provide the best service and support to them. Overall, we are dedicated to remaining competitive in the market and being at the forefront of the latest advancements in the automotive industry.

by establishing stronger industry-academia relationships, as seen in other countries like the US, where students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through internships or sandwich courses. This would result in readymade engineers who require less training.

CC: Would you say that adequate talent is not coming to the engineering industry these days? Adequate talent is a concern in the engineering industry, but it’s important to note that it’s not a problem with the students coming out of top institutions like IITs and NITs. The problem lies with the private engineering colleges that are not providing quality education. There is a lack of collaboration between industry and academia, which leads to a disconnect between the knowledge students gain in college and the skills they need in the workforce. This can be addressed

CC: How do you maintain your fitness? I maintain my fitness by incorporating a daily routine of half an hour of walking, an hour of Yoga and Pranayam, and 20-30 minutes of meditation. Yoga has been particularly helpful in managing my hip joint pain and spondylosis. I also used to play golf, but I am currently not able to do so. However, I plan to start again. Additionally, I maintain a balanced and controlled diet, avoiding junk food and instead opting for homemade meals. All of these things combined help me to stay in good shape.

CC: What is the philosophy of life that you live by? My philosophy of life is to first understand the reason why I am on this Earth, and what my purpose is. I believe that life has two sides: the material and the spiritual. It is important to live a full and honest material life, while also doing your best to help others, particularly those who are weaker and in need. This is a philosophy that I have inherited from my father and grandfather, who were both deeply committed to philanthropy and helping the less fortunate. Additionally, I firmly believe in being honest and transparent in all my interactions, never cheating or manipulating others. I hold the belief that if you owe something to someone, you must make sure to pay it back, even if it takes many years to do so. ([email protected]) February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 27

SESSION

Learning & Develeopment in a post-pandemic world Crucial lessons for learning in a volatile and constantly changing global environment Change is the only constant in the world. Unless you are constantly learning, you will fall by the wayside or perish. This is especially applicable to the field of HR. The NHRD Network, Pune Chapter, recently hosted its 7th national L&D Summit, where thought leaders S V Nathan, National President, NHRDN and Bharat Wakhlu, Founder, the Wakhlu Advisory (TWA), shared their insights and perspectives on what the future might hold for Learning & Develeopment (L&D) practices in the post pandemic world. Corporate Citizen brings you the riveting session.

(For representational purpose only)

By Neeraj Varty

28 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

What are the most significant driving factors of making these learning work for tomorrow? None of this is an isolation. Once upon a time we used to say we mandate so many hours of learning. Today we don’t do that. If you do not learn you do not survive — S V Nathan feel so inadequate and I’m in amazement of the people who have forgotten the requisite skills and knowledge and just the sheer energy and the will to do much more and I ask myself, “Can I ever even match to about two percent of what they have?” Obviously they’re doing something right. They’re reinventing themselves. So in this era what is the new reinvention for ourselves? Do we look at gamification? Do we look at automation? Do we look at digital learning? Perhaps we can look at learning. Perhaps we can learn from what others loosely called social. What can we really do about deep learning and there are a lot of new things like neural networks reinforcement learning?

S V Nathan

S V Nathan Future lies in learning I think the future of any organisation lies in learning. What happened yesterday is the past. The shelf life on the half-life of learning is now almost six months for skills. Can you imagine what it would be for us who believe that we have to keep up? So it’s almost like you have to run really fast to stay in the same place. Organisations of Tomorrow have but only one thing to do

which is to see what we can do for learning. How can we evolve as a person who goes through all kinds of person training to perhaps one on a digital platform? What happens in a hybrid work? What happens when you move from one particular job to another particular job and you have no idea how to do that? Sometimes all we have to do is prioritise looking at all our skills that we have. And by the way we don’t have all the answers. as practitioners people who’ve been in the industry for a very long time, sometimes I

Adapt or perish Currently we’ve always believed that learning is doing that is that correct and I don’t know. Some of the big answers that we have are inadequate to respond to the questions of tomorrow today. What are the most significant driving factors of making these learning work for tomorrow? None of this is in isolation. Once upon a time we used to say we mandate so many hours of learning. Today we don’t do that. If you do not learn you do not survive. But the one learning that I’m going to be speaking to you today is something I will explain through a story. The Goatherd’s promise It so happened that there were three people who came to a King dragging a young man and comFebruary, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 29

SESSION plained to the King that this man has murdered their father? “Why did you kill their father?” asked the king. I’m a goatherd, he replied. My goat ate from their father’s farm and he threw a stone at my goat and it died. So I took the stone and threw it at the father and unfortunately the person died. “Aha, you killed a man and because of this I passed a judgment on you on charge of murder by sentencing you to death,” said the king. The young man froze. He said “King I accept what you say. All I ask for is three days before you execute the judgment. My late father left me some wealth. I have a sister to take care of and if you kill me now, my wealth and my sister will have no guardian. So I want to go back to the village, appoint a guardian, let my sister know and I will come back. “What is the guarantee that you will come back,” asked the king. I have some person who could possibly stand as bail for me, said the young man. “Who will stand for you?,” asked the King. Suddenly in that crowd was a young man who said, “I will stand for this gentleman”. The king accepted and the young man left. He knew that he had only three days because on the third day if he did not come then it will happen that the person who stood in as bail for him will have to die in his place. By the third day, there was no sign of the young man and everybody was afraid for the person who stood bail. The village had gathered and the man who stood bail was ready to accept the penalty of death. Just before sundown the person who was the goatherd came running, looking very exhausted, and stood in front of the King and said, “King, I am here. I’ve handed my wealth and assigned the welfare of my sister to my uncle. I am here to receive the penalty of death. You may execute me now.” In great shock and surprise the king said, “Why did you return, because you had a chance to escape the death penalty.” The young man said, “I was afraid that if I did not come, it would appear as if humanity has lost its integrity and the ability to fulfil somebody’s promise that was kept. And that’s why I came back.” “And why did you stand guarantor for him,” the king asked the person who stood bail. He replied that he was afraid that if he didn’t, it would appear as if humanity would have lost the will to do some good for others, that’s the reason why he stood up. These words moved the complainant, ie, the brothers who were asking for the death for the goatherd. They said that they forgive this young man. The king was annoyed with the brothers because the goatherd had killed their father. The king asked why?  the brothers said, “We are afraid that it will appear as though forgiveness has lost its place in the heart of humanity”. I am sharing this beautiful message and passing it to you. It reminds us that goodness has a place in our hearts and all that we have to learn is that can we learn a little bit about humanity? 30 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Bharat Wakhlu

We can only create leaders in every part of the organisation who have the ability to respond quickly who are adaptive and who are in a position to ensure that despite what’s happening outside, they have the resilience to quickly bounce back along with their teams — Bharat Wakhlu Bharat Wakhlu Evolution of training  I took over as the head of Technical Training for Tata Steel in 1992. That is a very long time ago.  Augmented reality of course wasn’t around nor was virtual reality, but what we had started to do at that time was we had actually started to create simulations on computer to enable the workforce of Tata Steel. The workforce was able to work on computers and actually get a sense of what they had to do in the pulpits of

the rolling mills or the blast furnaces that they were supposed to manage. So training has also come a very long way and as was mentioned by Mr Nathan there are so many changes that are taking place to enhance the domain expertise and the knowledge of people who are critical to the manufacturing sector and a variety of other jobs in organisations. But I am not going to be speaking about domain expertise today. I am going to be speaking about two things. I will be speaking about the need for creating leaders across the organisation and I’ll be speaking

A rapidly changing world The fact is that we are undoubtedly facing unprecedented changes and challenges. Nobody can predict what is going to be needed in a few months-the kind of skills and capabilities and competencies that you might need. Some are about to be more stable but many others are bound to change and there is no guarantee that what you know today will be of any use to you tomorrow. So, there is undoubtedly a lot of change happening. There are disruptions that we know about, there are crises, not just the Covid pandemic or the climate crisis. There are resource outages. A ship got stuck in the Suez Canal about a year ago and half the automotive industries in Pune shut down. Now you might say what’s the connection, but there is a connection of course. Supply chains are global. The resources that are used in India come from elsewhere. The resources that are used in other parts of the world are coming from other places. People’s aspirations are changing. People are resigning and joining companies completely unrelated to their training or their professional skills, simply because they want more meaning. Their aspirations have changed. They’re looking for something different. They’re looking for more joy and happiness and more work-life balance in their lives. Technology is a destructor as well and therefore we are dealing with changes that none of us can imagine. We can imagine them in their individual capacities, but nobody can imagine what’s going to happen when technology impinges on resource shortages or on talent shortages or other kinds of crises. We got a glimpse of it during the pandemic but that is only a very tiny little glimpse. So what is it that we as leaders or we as people organised for delivering something to our customers, need to do about this? I think first of all we have to understand that it is an extremely dynamic environment.

bounce back along with their teams. Now these are all leadership capabilities and I am therefore of the view that organisations have to be committed to creating a large body of decentralised leaders across the organisation in different functions and they have to be trained or they have to have the capability to rise to the occasion irrespective of what the outside might hold. Now, what are the kind of behaviours that we are talking about? I typically cite six behaviours which every single leader has to have, if the leader has to truly deal with a uncertain environment, lots of disruptions and so on. First and foremost leaders have to understand that if change is happening, they must be able to recognise change. Now you might think this is extremely basic. Well it’s basic, but today the changes in some areas are dramatic, in many others are extremely slow and not so discernible. But, we as leaders have to understand that something is changing and we have to use whatever tools that we have, right from

data analytics to trend assessments and so on, to know that there is a change happening. Our customers want something else, the stakeholders are demanding something else. Their ability to quickly receive that is critical. So exposing the need of change and knowing what kind of change is happening is important. When leaders understand that change is happening they have to change themselves, their organisations, and their processes. They have to therefore envision the kind of things that they have to create for the future-that is also a leadership ability which is extremely critical in this day and age. They also have to start to enlist people. How will they bring something to fruition unless people are part of their team, unless people buy into what they’re doing, until people do not engage with them and feel a part of what it is that is being done by the organisation. So, after the enlisting process these people have to be empowered to be able to be self-reliant, to be able to run on their own with the skills and that’s where the

The fact is that we are undoubtedly facing unprecedented changes and challenges. Nobody can predict what is going to be needed in a in a few months-the kind of skills and capabilities and competencies that you might need. Some are about to be more stable but many others are bound to change and there is no guarantee that what you know today will be of any use to you tomorrow — Bharat Wakhlu

(For representational purpose only)

about the things that organisations need to do to enable leaders to be created across an enterprise. Now why leadership in particular? Because in my opinion in my long years in the corporate sector and even outside of it, I have realised that if there is one thing that makes a difference to the future of an enterprise or a nation or a state, it is outstanding leadership. Therefore, my whole emphasis will be on what it is that we need to do collectively to make sure that people rise to the occasion and actually show the kind of behaviour that are essential to take their organisations into the uncertain future.

Leaders must respond fast We can only create leaders in every part of the organisation who have the ability to respond quickly-who are adaptive and who are in a position to ensure that despite what’s happening outside, they have the resilience to quickly February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 31

domain expertise comes into play. They have to be encouraged to deliver with the right kind of systems and processes in the organisation that support a change and transformation. The leaders themselves have to exemplify and to be role models to everybody else in the organisation, if they really need to make a lasting change. So in that sense, the Learning and Development engine has to focus on creating these competencies across the organisation. The importance of adaptive leadership cannot be overemphasised for the simple reasons that, that alone will help the organisation to strategically move towards the new normal. The new areas that the companies will have to focus on. This requires leaders to ask the right questions. It enables them to think strategically and really think of new ways to meet the expectations and aspirations of not just their clients but also people inside the organisation. At the same time there’s also a need to look at the tactical requirements within the organisation. Beyond the domain expertise which I mentioned, is bound to be very critical, but which we will take as something every organisation is going to focus on. So at the tactical level there is also a need for every function to understand what the competencies are and capabilities that will deliver the kind of results that are required by customers. Tracking improvements We talked about the leadership level requirements and that’s a huge investment which every organisation has to make and at the same time the learning and development engine has to 32 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

there are three things to be learned. The first is there is a need for creating leaders. Secondly, leaders must identify the change on the backdrop of changing trends in L&D and thirdly, for this organisations must enable leaders to create and run L&D engines — Bharat Wakhlu run continuously to help every function focus on the tactical competencies and capabilities required to meet the business results that are critical. At the same time we also need to create the processes to track the improvement in competencies and skills, unlike in the past where we might have had groups going for training. We now have to be familiar and comfortable with the idea of incentivising the individual level training. Which means, just like how we in the 1990s taught our foremen on the simulator or on the computer, in the same way digitised training and learning in their own time is going to be a very critical requirement of skill development, at the pace at which people are comfortable. So we need to create those learning opportunities for people to be able to learn at their own pace and when we talk about enhancing learning opportunities that means the

organisation has to quickly adopt new technologies, which are like AR and VR. We have to also make sure that code change becomes an integral part of what we offer. Mentoring, simulations, gamification, apprenticeship, training, on-thejob training and a host of other creative things need to be thought of, because if you don’t do that you will still be using archaic methods to deal with an environment that is changing rapidly and where the expectations of the people who work for you are also changing. There is a great need for the boards to also engage very actively with all of you here because if the board decisions are going to make a difference to how people have to be managed and how they have to be treated. You must be the first ones to know about it. But too often the board sometimes takes decisions which are not communicated and there is no forewarning and

Some of the big answers that we have are inadequate to respond to the questions of tomorrow today. What are the most significant driving factors of making these learning work for tomorrow? None of this is an isolation — S V Nathan people get demoralised, people feel cheated and that is not the way in which you can be an outstanding L&D professional. We must focus on leadership development across the organisation. We must focus on tactical ways to enhance the key competencies required by people to deliver what is required by each function. create a leadership development and Learning and Development engine which is continuously running in the organisation-which leverages technology, which ensures that all the effective ways of self-learning are reinforced. We must also add coaching and mentoring to the process, give stretch assignments, give on-the-job training, make sure that everybody is learning and incentivise individual learning. Anybody who comes into the organisation has got to learn and learn not just to be relevant in the larger context, but in the organisation as well. People need to know exactly what it is that the organisation wants of them. And, for the young budding leaders of tomorrow sitting in the back benches, I want to tell you that don’t you ever think that the organisation is responsible for your development or your learning. You, my dear young friends, are responsible for your own growth and development. Yes, good HR executives will help you and they’ll facilitate your growth, but at the end of the day, never think that your organisation will do anything for you because they just cannot. It’s humanly impossible. You must do it yourself. You be responsible, you be capable of delivering the best that your customers want from you. You make sure that you’re ready to serve in the most difficult conditions and that would be that your customers want you to make sure that you’re ready to serve in the most difficult conditions and that would be the way to bring your skills up to speed.

‘Just in time’ training So let me now wrap up with one little story from the time I was the head of training for Tata Steel. At that time a lot of the training used to be done which was considered to be “just in case training”. Which meant that three years down the road there might be something which will come up, so it was best to prepare our managers for it today. When I took over as the head of training I said, “Just in case” training is out. When I was asked why, I said that instead of wasting energy and time of executives on something that may happen, why don’t we instead give “Just in time” training for the things that are required today and would enable the performance of the company to be heightened now? A lot of people of course found this a little revolutionary even at that time, but looking back I realised that it was the right thing to do, because today anybody who talks about “Just in case” training has already lost my attention. Today is the era of ‘Just in time’ training not ‘just in case’ training, because the world is changing so rapidly, there are only a few large blocks that you can play around with and that’s what your role is going to be, all else that exists will have to evolve. In summation, there are three things to be

learned. The first is there is a need for creating leaders. Secondly, leaders must identify the change on the backdrop of changing trends in L&D and thirdly, for this organisations must enable leaders to create and run L&D engines. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

India is home to the world’s largest solar farm The largest solar farm in the world is located in Rajasthan, in the country’s northeast. Since construction began in 2015, Bhadla Solar Park has slowly grown to cover an enormous 5,700-hectare desert site with solar panels. And today it generates enough electricity to power 4.5 million homes.

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 33

INTERVIEW

HR offers a unique blend of peoplefocused work and strategic problemsolving that keeps me engaged and motivated -Aman Rajabali

34 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Empowering HR Managers Extensive experience in the areas of Human Resource Management and Management Consulting, and people development have always been Aman Rajabali’s forte. President of the National HRD Network (NHRDN), Pune, Rajabali is CEO and founder of Kabir Profile Solutions, which specialises in advising corporates on HR management and development functions. He has a natural inclination towards community development through networking and enjoys meeting like-minded professionals. This perhaps explains his consistently deep involvement with the NHRDN-Pune Chapter, for the past 22 years. In addition, Rajabali is actively connected with associations like the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM), Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD), Maratha Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), and such organisations. In this exclusive interview with Corporate Citizen, Aman Rajabali takes us through his personal journey as an HR professional, his voluntary contributions to the HR issues and his experience as a leader. Through the interview, we discover how he has significantly enhanced the prominence and reach of the HR fraternity across India and get many more glimpses of how his mind works, how he strategies his actions, which give us rich insights about the HR field itself. By Rajesh Rao

Corporate Citizen: Do tell us about your education and your career journey. How did you happen to enter the HR field? Aman Rajabali: I am originally from Gujarat, from a small town called Talaja in Bhavnagar district. Hence, my entire schooling happened there. However, since my brother lived in Mumbai, I often visited that city during the breaks from school. There I would take on internships. When I count the amount of time that I invested in those, it totals about two years. In one of them, the company was recruiting for the position of a Secretary, and they asked me to coordinate the search. I was all of 15 or 16 years old, a student of 10th standard, and was unsure about how to go about it. On asking them, I was told that applicants would come and hand their biodatas to me. I had to politely receive them, and then take the bios to the selectors. This was my first experience of the recruiting process, at that time just as an observer. I saw how they conducted the interviews – from asking probing questions to eliciting the answers they needed. And then, the hospitality protocols. By nature, or perhaps owing to my upbringing, I have always considered myself a service-oriented person. Hence, I enjoyed both the tasks. The hospitality as well as the exposure to the hiring process. The highlight of the experience was when the candidate who was ultimately chosen for the position shared that he was able to confidently perform in the interview due to the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere I helped create. I’d say that this is what kicked off my inclination towards the field of HR. After finishing school from Bhavnagar, I moved to Pune in 1988, joining Fergusson College for my undergraduate studies. There was a keen interest in human beings and their behaviour. So, Psychology became the natural choice of subject. Here, during my third year, I got to know about a PG diploma course in HR, at the Institute of Management Development and Research (IMDR), which was adjacent to my college. And, given that both institutions beFebruary, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 35

(For representational purpose only)

INTERVIEW

If one doesn’t like working with numbers, she/ he cannot go into finance. I may be good in theory and write a very good paper and get good marks out of it, but if I am not good at the application part of it, what is the point? longed to the same parent body, the Deccan Education Society, I was allowed access to IMDR easily. It is here that my inclination towards HR began sharpening into a more focused interest. Since I come from an agriculturist family-we have a farm in Talaja-since early childhood itself I had been at least fleetingly familiar with practices of labour management, workers’ welfare, as well as public relations. So, all these experiences - farm practices, internships during school breaks, the subject of psychology, and the IMDR exposure - added up to a clear decision. I wanted to pursue Human Resource Management as a subject for study and later as a profession. Moreover, I greatly enjoy being with people and, as I said earlier, I genuinely like to serve people, to ensure that they are comfortable in whatever they do and productively engage with them. In any organisation, a major chunk of such duties is performed by the HR department, so that quite simply had to be the choice 36 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

of a full-time vocation for me. After completing my bachelors’ course in psychology, and then the Diploma in Human Resource Management, I plunged into the twoyears’ masters’ programme in Personnel Management at IndSearch, which is affiliated to the University of Pune. And so, in the year 1995, I officially began my career as an HR professional. CC: In 1998, you set up Kabir Profile Solutions, a consulting firm which specialises in advising corporates on HR management and development functions. Tell us what inspired you to take the entrepreneurial path. After finishing my post-graduation, I went to Baroda, for my first job, at Ocean Agro India. It was a 23-year-old organisation, and I worked very hard over there. And believe it or not, after just eight months into that job, they made me the HoD of the HR department. What I learnt from there, strengthened my fundamentals in HR.

After another twelve months there, I returned to Pune. Unfortunately, the recession phase had set in, so jobs seemed to have dried up. I was newly married but without a job. Along came an offer from Maxworth Orchards India. The company clearly seemed to be going down, but I was a bit desperate, so took it up. But, after a short seven-month stint, it did shutdown, leaving me high-and-dry. And here came the turning point. The adversity caused by joblessness got turned into an opportunity. Why not start my own business, I thought. Not that this was an entirely new thought. I had always been attracted to entrepreneurship but had never had the gumption to take the leap, I suppose. Here, the pressure of needing to earn pushed me in this direction. And so, in 1998, I started my consulting firm from home, Kabir Profile Solutions, borrowing money from friends and family members. I had collected around fifty thousand rupees, which I invested in buying a computer, printer, a desk and a chair. It was a simple start but it was my own. In those days, people would start their independent venture after retiring from their jobs. Even now actually, there are several HR professionals who will be retiring soon and have plans to start their own HR consulting firms. Therefore, when I began my own venture, people were surprised about why I did it so early in my professional life. I wanted to create a unique niche for myself, do something different from how it is generally done. The last thing I wanted was a run-of-themill consulting firm. Owing to this, the initial days were quite challenging, I must say. However, after some time, people did begin acknowledging the value that my approach was likely to bring them. Obviously, recruitment had to be one of the first goals of the company, and that’s what we began with at Kabir Profile Solutions. Then gradually, I ventured into various other activities of HR. As things consolidated, I bought a new office setup and started employing my own staff, majority of whom have been women. I am fortunate to have never had to actively seek out assignments, as I have consistently received client referrals through word-of-mouth over the years. It’s been now 26 years and we are still serving the industry, delightfully. CC: Your designation is “Chief Everything Officer” at Kabir Profile Solutions. What’s the idea behind that role? Frankly, I never liked designations and I still don’t give importance to them, but everybody wants designations. So, instead of according myself some pompous-sounding title, I decided to go functional. Generally, at Kabir Profile Solutions, I end up doing everything-from interacting with top management level execu-

tives or suggesting revamping of their HR processes to sweeping and cleaning the office when the housekeeping staff is away. Hence, since I had to have some designation, I just labelled it Chief Everything Officer. People can interpret it whichever way they please. CC: How did you get involved with National HRD Network (NHRDN) and now leading as president of NHRDN-Pune chapter? In the year 1993, I got introduced to NHRDN, during my student days. However, my attraction towards it really solidified after I got to know late Mr. Yeshwant Moodliar and Mr Arun Wakhlu. Mr Moodliar was the President of NHRDN then, and as a student I attended their sessions, and I liked it. Watching them, the way they interacted, I decided I want to be like them. And so, even as a student, I began participating in NHRDN sessions that I could. In the year 2000, when the NHRDN chapter was getting revamped, I was an active member. With a keen desire to do something to further the goals of NHRDN, I began volunteering in earnestly. First, I was an executive committee member. Then gradually, I took on the role of General Secretary. Then, Vice President and so on. The point I’m making is that the designation by itself didn’t matter to me. The position gave me an opportunity to work and do what I wanted to-which is to serve by playing an active role in community development.

Our inclination has been student development and, personally, I have a major soft corner for the student community. They are so earnest, optimistic, brimming with bright ideas. If they have the right kind of mentorship, they can do wonders A few months ago, seeing my near-continuous involvement in NHRDN work, colleagues who I respect prevailed upon me to take on the president’s role. On thinking about it, I dispassionately felt that it would be the right thing to do. So, we had to go in for an election, the first time in the history of the Pune Chapter. Well, I was fortunate to get the support of many fraternity members, since I got elected with a fairly substantial majority. By the way, I happen to be the longest serving member in a voluntary capacity of NHRDN across India-22 years and counting. It’s become like a passion now. CC: The recent MoU that NHRDN Pune Chapter has signed with a management in-

stitute in Pune, can you tell us how it helps the NHRD network and the management institute? We always wanted to do something for educational institutions and universities. For a long time, our chapter has been working and collaborating with various institutions in small ways. So, we thought, why not streamline things? For that, it was desirable to formalise our association. We have maximum number of student members from this institute, which is one factor. The other is that by signing an MoU, the association would acquire a more defined structure and will be on an official paper, which will be like a recognition. Through this association with a management institute, we would like to do lot of activities February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 37

INTERVIEW CC: Having two decades of experience in the HR field and your work with the NHRD network, what can you say about the industry-academia relationship and how it can help groom students to become industry ready when they come out? Earlier it was different. Now things are changing. Most people who get into HR, may or may not necessarily be actually interested in it. They have got into HR due to some compulsion because they don’t want to do marketing, or finance, or operations and so on. So, after eliminating what one doesn’t want, what remains is HR. And once you get into HR, you have to make it good for yourself. Unfortunately, I fear that majority of those who have chosen the HR field are not capable of managing people, because they don’t have that trait. There are various traits that are required for one to be a good people’s person and a good HR person. If you don’t have the traits, you don’t have it. If one doesn’t like working with numbers, s/he cannot go into finance. I may be good in theory and write a very good paper and get good marks out of it, but if I am not good at the application part of it, what is the point? However, having said that, there are various institutes which give lot of importance to the subject knowledge and the application part of it. Because the kind of rigorous training the students get, not only make their subject knowledge and concepts clear, but they also get adequate industry exposure.

Ideally, we HR would prefer to have a Bahubali Thali—everything. But it may obviously not always be possible. The point is that there are certain skills, certain traits, which are mandatory and absolutely necessary. You don’t have them, then you are not capable of being in this field for this institute, for the student. Our inclination has been student development and, personally, I have a major soft corner for the student community. They are so earnest, optimistic, brimming with bright ideas. If they have the right kind of mentorship, they can do wonders. We want to start a semi-student chapter in the institute, through which lots of student-centric work will be done. If the institute requires our expertise in designing or altering the syllabus, which can be made more industry-centric, we can give our expert help in it. Recently we organised an HR Meet, within 38 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

a university campus, so similarly we want to do other industry interventions, because our access to industry is large and it becomes easier. Then we can bring in lot of corporate leaders, who can visit the institute and share their knowledge and expertise and interact with the students. We would like to also contribute to and guide for student internships. Research is one area where we can involve the faculty members. So, through an MoU, when you put it on paper, there is a clarity of expectations from NHRDN, from the university, to take the collaboration forward.

CC: But, with HR tech coming in, are the students getting equipped with these tech skills to be job ready? Yes, I think so. This generation is tech-savvy. And that is why as an NHRD person, or even just as an HR professional, I would want to give them as much industry-exposure as possible in various aspects, because we know what is required from the industry. So, then we will bring that knowledge to the institute and say this is what is required and might as well prepare yourself for that. So, whether it is HR tech or it is at the global level, things are changing rapidly. Especially post pandemic, things have changed so rapidly. CC: Talking about post-pandemic when the whole scenario has changed for the organisation and for the HR, what are the new skills that HR are looking out for in the new recruits? Ideally, we HR would prefer to have a Bahubali Thali —everything. But it may obviously not always be possible. The point is that there are certain skills, certain traits, which are mandatory and absolutely necessary. You don’t have them, then you are not capable of being in this field. People skills, compassion—the ability to make sacrifices yourself for the betterment of others, your employees; have a futuristic thinking, have

for HR leaders to consistently demonstrate high levels of integrity in their work in order to build trust and credibility with their colleagues and the organisations they serve a vision-with all these, the base happens to be that you need to be thorough in your subject matter, you need to be an SME (Subject Matter Expert). Then only you will be successful. Otherwise, even if you have a good attitude, but you don’t know how to draft a simple showcause notice, you are not qualified. So, in HR you need to have a handle over all aspects, have exposure. Here, softer skills are more important. You may be aware that we always say that people get recruited because of their competencies, but they get fired because of their attitude and behavior. There has to be an alignment, a rhythmic synergy of hard skills as well as soft skills. Yes, technology is of utmost importance. If people don’t know how to use technology, if they are not able to align technology with their functions, then again you are not required. As basic as having Excel skills and as high as say using the Artificial Intelligence technology, you need to at least understand the concept. Then you will profit from it. Then you are able to get your functions thoroughly implemented. CC: What is the one behaviour or trait that you have seen derail more HR leaders’ careers? There are many behaviors and traits that can potentially derail an HR leader’s career. However, one behavior that I have seen be particularly damaging is a lack of integrity. Integrity is an important trait for all leaders to possess, but it is especially important for HR leaders because of their role in handling sensitive and confidential information. If an HR

(For representational purpose only)

It It is important

leader is not seen as trustworthy and reliable, it can erode their credibility and impact their ability to effectively carry out their duties. Lack of integrity can manifest itself in a variety of ways, such as being dishonest or untruthful, failing to follow through on commitments, or acting in a way that is not consistent with the values of the organisation. HR leaders who display these behaviors risk damaging their reputation and potentially jeopardising their career. It is important for HR leaders to consistently demonstrate high levels of integrity in their work in order to build trust and credibility with their colleagues and the organisations they serve. CC: What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? If you are going into a leadership position for the first time, here are some suggestions that may be beneficial: Communicate effectively: One of the key responsibilities of a leader is to communicate clearly and effectively with your team. Make sure you are clear in your expectations and that you listen to and address any concerns your team may have. Build trust: Trust is an essential component of any successful team. Work on building trust with your team by being transparent, reliable, and consistent. Give space for mistakes and stand by your team: Give your team the assurance that mistakes occur and whatever happens you are always there for them.

Set clear goals: Clearly defined goals help to keep your team focused and motivated. Make sure you set clear, measurable, and achievable goals for your team. Empower your team: As a leader, it’s important to remember that your team members are experts in their own right. Empower them to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Lead by example: As a leader, you are a role model for your team. Make sure you demonstrate the behaviors and values that you want your team to embody. Seek feedback: Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your team and colleagues. This can help you identify areas for improvement and grow as a leader. Be humble: Remember that you don’t have all the answers and be open to learning from others. A little humility goes a long way in building trust and respect with your team. CC: What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? As a leader, I am always looking for opportunities to grow and develop my skills. Some ways that I ensure my continued growth and development include: Explore possibilities and seek out new challenges: I take on roles and projects/ initiatives that push me outside my comfort zone and help me develop new skills. Different and so-called unthinkable tasks attract me and I want to explore it. Seeking feedback: I regularly ask for feedback from my team and colleagues, and I take their February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 39

INTERVIEW feedback to heart in order to identify areas where I can improve. Networking: I connect with other leaders and professionals in my industry to learn from their experiences and insights. Learning: I am always seeking out new learning opportunities, whether through courses, books, or other resources. Reflecting: I make time to reflect on my leadership style and actions, and I try to identify areas where I can make changes or improvements. By taking these steps, I am able to continually grow and develop as a leader, and I believe this is essential for success in any leadership role.

My NHRDN Journey I was first introduced to Dr. T. V. Rao in 1992, at the Institute of Management Development and Research (IMDR), while pursuing my PGDHRM. As I became aware of his achievements and his teachings, I understood why he was regarded as the “Father of HRD”. This became a pivotal factor in kick-starting my life-long passion for HRD. Fast-forward to Aug 2018. I go on stage, on behalf of our team, to accept the ‘Best Chapter Award’ (NHRD Pune) from none other than Dr. Rao. I do believe that one circle of that journey perhaps got completed then. However, the memory of that fulfilling encounter remains a source of much energy, spurring me on to work harder for this institution and help in bringing it the success that it so deserves. In 1994, I got an opportunity to attend a training session held at Cadilla, Ahmedabad, conducted by late Dr. Uday Parikh. He asked me if I had heard of the National HRD Network in Pune during one of our lively side-chats. In response to my ignorance, he simply said, “Hmm, but you will”. What a prophetic statement that turned out 40 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

to be! NHRD was founded by late Dr. Parikh and Dr. T. V. Rao, and I am fortunate enough to have met both so early on in my career. Friends and colleagues suggested that I attend a few sessions and meetings conducted by NHRD (in Pune) for professional guidance, learning, and growth. And here, on the very first day, I ended up meeting a galaxy of topnotch HR professionals all under one roof Mr. Yeshwant Moodliar (whom I consider as my 1st true NHRD Guru), Mr. Arun Wakhlu, Mr. Harish Maru, and Col. Ramesh Pathak. From then on, I became an NHRDN regular. In January 2000, during a meeting at Thermax, when Mr. Dilep Misra (my 2nd NHRD Guru) as the new President of the Pune Chapter called out for volunteers who could help revive the chapter. I unhesitatingly stepped forward and so began my journey as an actively contributing member of the Pune Chapter’s Executive Committee. This journey of 22 years has been of making a difference in the lives of our community’s people, students, and all the stakeholders at large  Aman Rajabali, President, NHRDN-Pune

CC: A few factors that makes you passionate about HR There are many things that make me passionate about HR. One of the things that I find most rewarding is the opportunity to work with people and help them develop their careers. I believe that everyone has the potential to grow and contribute to their organisation and the society at large, and I enjoy being able to support and empower people to reach their full potential. I also find it fulfilling to work with organisations to create a positive and inclusive culture. A strong culture is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, and I believe that HR has a critical role to play in shaping and maintaining this culture. Finally, I am passionate about HR because it is a constantly evolving field. There are always new trends and best practices to learn about, and I find it exciting to stay up-to-date and find ways to apply these new ideas in my work. Overall, HR offers a unique blend of people-focused work and strategic problem-solving that keeps me engaged and motivated. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

World’s top recipient of remittances India to receive over record $100 bn in remittances in 2022, as per World Bank, retaining its spot as the world’s top recipient of remittances. Migrant workers from India are set to send home a $100 billion in 2022, despite global headwinds like rising prices. World Bank said remittance flows to India will rise 12 per cent, putting its inflows ahead of China, Mexico and the Philippines.

CORPORATE INSIGHT

The Marketing Nomad A nomad in the true sense, Divya Batra is also a corporate stalwart, who ensures to make the most of her passion for travelling and marketing. She has played a big role in launching brands like Qua Natural Mineral Water, Lindt Chocolates, Illy Coffee, Kohinoor Premium Basmati Rice, Kohinoor Spices, and Kohinoor ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods across all sales channels in India. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen, Divya shares her journey so far, her experience of travelling to 17 countries, how she applies her travel learnings in the corporate world, and more. By Ekta Katti Corporate Citizen: Tell us about your growing-up days. Divya Batra: I was raised in a little town in Haryana called Hisar. My education was completed at St. Sophia School. I always did well academically and was a well-rounded student. For me, both studies and extra-curricular activities were equally important. Hence, I focused on both for overall development. When I look back, this played a major role in shaping my career. I played volleyball at the state level and took part in quiz contests, math Olympiads as well, etc. Being a professional Rajasthani folk dancer is a matter of pride for me, as I also got a chance to perform in front of Sonia Gandhi at the national level. For every annual event in which I participated, I was always the main performer. I was also a part of numerous cultural clubs during my college days and took part in festivals at Delhi University. My graduation from Hindu College was a turning point where I learned that I am more of a creative leader. I then started looking for possibilities, and later, came to Mumbai for a post-graduate diploma in marketing, advertising, and events. CC: How has your education shaped you as a person to take on the challenges of the corporate world? My educational path has chiselled me into what I am today. I’ve learned through school that perseverance, determination, and hard effort may lead to chances I never imagined were possible. These virtues come in handy whenever I take up any project. I’ve been shaped by my education to look deep within, push past mental barriers, and rise to any challenges. 42 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

My corporate life has benefited from my travel experiences. Any professional who wants to excel should exercise critical thinking. Be innovative, cooperative, work hard and be a team person and focus on networking

— Divya Batra

CC: What made you choose to do what you are doing? I suppose it’s my curious nature and my will to grow beyond boundaries. I gained knowledge about the development of brands while working at Narang Group. This insight heightened my love for this industry. All of which inspired me to help a new brand succeed each time I represented it. Success is the best flavour of all. It was a smooth process from brand development to marketing to advertising. I worked there for five years, launching numerous brands there, including Russians Standard Vodka, Lindt Chocolates, Illy Coffee, Orangina, and Qua Natural Mineral Water. CC: And what’s the fascination with food? I enjoy trying new food and the experience that it brings along. As my love for the ingredients and recipes grew with time, I wanted to work with culinary goods and explore dining at new establishments.

CC: Tell us about that one corporate piece of advice that changed your life. It was during my McCormick, India days. The then director, Mr Mehta once during our conversations advised me to accomplish fewer, better, and more significant things, which boils down to quality over quantity, And so, refrain from doing much. Do less. But the same should be executed very well. I believe it is the counsel I heed and always impart to my team. This advice is quite close to my heart and I always incorporate it and spread its essence too. CC: Some history about your career ascent. Where in your job journey do you believe you learned the most? I started working for McCormick, the topranked spice firm in the world, and they bought Kohinoor Basmati Rice from India. When I started as a marketing manager, I oversaw new product development, brand marketing, and

Divya Batra

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 43

CORPORATE INSIGHT CC: You have handled diverse roles so far. Which was the most challenging one? The one in McCormick was challenging where I was managing the Kohinoor Basmati Rice brand. A lot of things had to be taken into consideration. And we were up for it. We had to establish strategies for managing that category, create plans for certain geographies, and comprehend the instability in the commodity market and frequently changing pricing because it is a commodity after all. Our expertise was understanding and being aware of India’s many regions making us the category leader. Understanding the customer is a big task, their likes and dislikes are our priority. Different consumers have various eating habits and are searching for various advantages. Some Basmati buyers are searching for colour, others for aroma, and still others for length. It presents several challenges and differences. It was a variety of items for different people, not just one product for everyone. It significantly improved my comprehension of Indian consumers’ diverse wants.

Divya with her family

I’m most inspired by Indra Nooyi. Her journey, perseverance, hard work, and life balance are admirable. She had a tremendous impact on modern women, particularly in the corporate sector when it was uncommon to see female CEOs or women in other leadership positions. She was followed by events that led to changes. More women are speaking up branding for a variety of categories, including rice and ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook spices. It exposed me to a variety of target groups and FMCG food goods, starting with commodities. I think McCormick was the teacher from whom I learned the most. I had several categories to manage, and the digital channel was among the most thrilling elements we introduced. I began Brand’s digital journey via social media and e-commerce. Developed McCormick India’s digital strategy in collaboration with RGA, a Singapore-based agency. And then with the aid of the Dentsu web chutney, we put the same into action by identi44 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

fying a target demographic, creating a content theme, and developing an e-commerce strategy for India. Several digital campaigns for Mother’s Day, Women’s Day, Family Day, etc. were launched and carried out with success. I worked and finished my MBA part-time. I also maintained adding classes, like IIM Bangalore’s creative marketing degree. I had already grown interested in technology. I, therefore, completed a Digital Marketing course at ISB Hyderabad and added it to my resume. Which aided me in developing the strategy for handling FMCG products, commodity products, category management, new product management, etc.

CC: Do walk us through one of your most memorable projects so far. The project that stayed with me is the one where we introduced the Kohinoor Basmati Rice line of products to the online and digital marketplace. In terms of the team, we integrated the previous internal staff into the system and invited certain participants from the e-commerce industry. In the beginning, we partnered with Amazon and Grofers. One of our largest client lending partners, Big Basket, was another place we attended. We gained knowledge through launching the items in collaboration with each of them. We learned and improved the look and feel of the material on Amazon and ran promotions. The product launches conducted in conjunction with the channel partners were successful and a hugely prosperous company expanded its wings. The Southeast Asia team continues to study the Indian market today and uses our work as a case study. I believe the lesson was that nothing is insurmountable. You must be willing to learn new things. Anyone can do it if you are eager to learn and committed to doing it well. McCormick Kohinoor E-commerce grew by roughly 30 per cent. CC: You recently joined Haldiram’s Multinational Sweets, Snacks and Restaurant Company. What are some of the diversity-related policies in the organisation that you believe are making a difference? We are an FMCG company with 107+ retail locations in India and engage in the QSR sector. I manage the brand globally and build brand campaigns. The mentorship programme is one of the

diversity policies in Haldiram’s that feel stands out. We offer a training programme to help staff chart their career paths. With that, we have teams of a variety of ages, religions, and genders. The best teams, in my opinion, are those whose members hold divergent viewpoints and mentalities. India is a multicultural nation. And that is also what our team possesses. The teams we have built have earned our pride. There are people of various backgrounds there.

I consider myself a true nomad. I’ve been on the road since I was a young child. I inherited my parents’ strong desire to travel. My travels taught me a lot about various cultures, eating customs, and tastes

CC: Do walk us through your upcoming strategies in terms of marketing. Making people aware of the variety of Haldiram’s goods is Haldiram’s primary marketing objective. Customers think of us as a typical namkeen juggernaut. But in addition, we offer western snacks like chips, chocolates, and prepared foods. We are developing new categories and are involved in several FMCG products. Making consumers aware of our array of products and their advantages is both our largest strategy and challenge. CC: What qualities does one need to handle roles like Strategic Planning, Brand Building, Digital Strategy, E-Commerce, and Innovation? To be successful in all these professions, one needs to possess insights-driven marketing skills as well as a brand-building creative and experimental attitude. Thanks to digital media, you can now target various customer profiles with unique creative ways that cater to their various wants. Additionally, you need to be competent in integrated marketing, including digital, on-field, and TV marketing. CC: Who has inspired you the most? I’m most inspired by Indra Nooyi. Her journey, perseverance, hard work, and life balance are admirable. She had a tremendous impact on modern women, particularly in the corporate sector when it was uncommon to see female CEOs or other leadership positions. She was followed by events that led to changes. More women are speaking up. Companies are encouraging more women to hold leadership positions. In 2018, she was among the top 100 CEOs in the world. One of her pieces of advice stayed with me. “One is to be excellent at your work, be courageous and speak your mind”. These words inspire me. CC: A quote or saying that resonates with your journey? It always looks impossible until it’s done, according to Nelson Mandela, and it is perhaps my favourite quotation. It holds true to my journey and what I have experienced and achieved so far. CC: You mentioned that you are a true nomad. Why so? I consider myself a true nomad. I’ve been on the

Divya on holiday

road since I was a young child. I inherited my parents’ strong desire to travel. They are family-friendly backcountry travellers. During my time in college, I took my first journey overseas. Prior to that, we only did it in India. My dad and I travelled to Europe as backpackers. When we had a Eurorail pass, we could stop wherever we chose to spend the night while travelling. We’d search for the hotel. And that’s where I got the true meaning of a true nomad. My travels taught me a lot about various cultures, eating customs, and tastes. I’ve travelled around 17 nations, including Australia, the Maldives, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Canada, and the US. I have travelled to France, Italy, and Switzerland in Europe. I have observed that people are hospitable everywhere I have travelled. Everyone will treat you with respect if you are polite. For me, travelling has been enjoyable. I still like to travel, and I want my kids to develop the same habit. I have also travelled while working in the FMCG sector for the past 15 years. I’ve always visited supermarkets to check out the goods, the packaging, and the many forms of communication. I regularly receive product samples. CC: How do you apply your travel learning in the corporate world? I manage a global job at Haldiram’s, and I am also in charge of export marketing. I am therefore familiar with the goods in Canada and the US as well. For example, when I visited Switzer-

land, I examined the packaging, especially the chocolates. Therefore, the exposure and education I’ve gained from doing these kinds of tasks were helpful. My corporate life has benefited from my travel experiences. CC: Any words of advice? Any professional who wants to excel should exercise critical thinking. Be innovative, cooperative, work hard and be a team person and focus on networking. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

Meta is now India’s largest media company Meta is now India’s largest media company. Its three brands, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, are among the biggest names in the fastest growing part of the Rs 161,400-crore Indian media business — digital advertising. But the company which totally dominates that space is Google with its YouTube, which comes at number four.

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Jaya Jaitly

46 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Sustain craftsmanship to sustain culture For four and a half decades now, her’s has been the face of female Indian leadership in public and social life. But the trademark big bindi, handloom sarees and ethnic jewellery are more than Jaya Jaitly’s signature look-they are a symbol of her abiding belief in desi craftsmanship and textile-the cause of which she has espoused with consistent devotion. At 80 plus, what is most striking about Jaya, the President and Founder of Dastkari Haat, is a decided forward-looking approach. And even as the Dastkaari Haat Samiti organizes the 36th edition of the annual bazaars featuring arts, crafts, paintings, furniture and textiles from the length and breadth of India in four different cities (including Pune-where Corporate Citizen recently met up with her), she has much to look back upon with satisfaction: how else would so many of our unsung artists manage to earn livelihoods and keep alive a facet of Indian culture that would otherwise be lost to time and neglect? The bazaar is not all they do: the iconic market Delhi Haat in the Capital is a crowning achievement as are the assorted exchange programs between craftsmen, not to forget training and development workshops to best tap into their innate potential. By Kalyani Sardesai Corporate Citizen: You founded the Dastkari Haat in 1986. This seems to be the 36th edition of the bazaar-and very well received in the aftermath of the Pandemic. Jaya Jaitly: The annual bazaar is in Delhi every year-whilst we simultaneously go to 3 or 4 different cities as well. So, by that count, we’ve organised well over 200 bazaars. But honestly, that’s not all we do. We give training in design development to local craftsmen. We also do a lot of workshops wherein we call crafts people from abroad to interact, work with and learn from their counterparts here. In those two weeks they spend together, they learn a lot-friendship, diplomacy, goodwill all in one stroke! We also bring out publications: maps and booklets, fun note books, diaries etc.

Of course, the much-loved Delhi Haat is an enduring symbol of the work that we do, bringing artists and artisans from different parts of the country-not just so that they get fair price sans middlemen-but also to keep age old traditions of art, textile and craftsmanship alive and vibrant.

CC: Four decades are a massive learning curve... Over 45 years actually-that’s how long I have been working. As the initiator of Delhi Haat, we have watched these crafts people grow, evolve and go from strength to strength.

CC: What motivated you to bring all this to life and what keeps you going? Well, I have always had a sense of arts and aesthetics and culture. To my parents, I owe my strong belief in social work and the strength of Indian culture, its endless beauty and diversity. So, a platform like the one provided by the Dastkari Haat not only gives me the satisfaction of improving someone’ life, it does so by keeping me involved with art and aesthetics I so enjoy. (smiles.)

CC: These cloth maps right here look gorgeous-and so different. They are indeed. Over the years, we have researched and painted so many of these maps talking about what craft can be found in which part of the country-The Craft Atlas of India, so to speak. We also do a lot of projects wherein we acquaint craftspeople with their regional script and calligraphy-so they can perpetuate the words through design. We also did these February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 47

TÊTE-À-TÊTE 52 stories online on arts and culture-wherein we narrated the stories of 52 assorted textiles and crafts. We also come up with innovatively themed exhibitions that give each one a chance to think out of the box-like the one we dedicated to recreating the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi. It was amazing to note the sheer diversity and ingenuity of the beauty on display: from handmade paper to depicting Gandhi on bamboo and bandhni, the variations were endless. Apart from this, we also introduce these crafts people to interior decorators and artists, so they can also use their services in a way that is beautiful and enduring. CC: So what is your agenda over the next 5 years? Every year something new comes up. Besides, our goals are not for ourselves but our craftspeople. When they achieve something, they are not only able to put food on the table but also educate their families and uplift their communities. Well, we simply want to reach out to more and more people. CC: How many artists are participating in Dastakari Haat’s projects including the bazaar? Well, we have 300 or 400 active members and an outreach of 30 to 40,000 artists. The idea is to bring in as many as we can so they can benefit from their association with us. CC: It must feel so rewarding-can you share some specific anecdotes with us? Oh, there are so many. But one instantly comes to mind: once as I was walking around the bazaar at Delhi Haat, I noticed a stall selling some beautiful baskets woven out of coloured grass. They were from Orissa. When I introduced myself and told them they were doing beautiful work-they responded with a simple reply: “Thanks to Delhi Haat, over 800 families in our village get two meals a day.” That was a powerful and moving moment indeed. Then there is this artist from Kashmir who makes papier mache boxes and knick knacks. Due to the militancy over the last 20 years, there was no way that tourists could buy from him or other craftsmen and artists-so we made it a point to call him to Delhi Haat every year. Now I get to know his daughter is pursuing her post-graduation in bioscience. When you hear stories like these, it keeps you going. We focus on marketing and outreach. That’s the only way to get money into deserving pockets-sans middlemen. That’s the only way to sustain their livelihood-and in turn, our artistic traditions and culture. CC: What is the secret of this initiative’s enduring success? The secret is building their confidence and developing their product. Showing them how to 48 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Jaya says the mission of Dastkari Haat is two fold: raise the artiste and preserve at art form.

The secret is building their confidence and developing their product. Showing them how to market themselves, cater to customers and consistently innovate. They are quick learners. It’s amazing to see how beautifully some of them transform themselves market themselves, cater to customers and consistently innovate. They are quick learners. It’s amazing to see how beautifully some of them transform themselves: some of them literally blossom in front of your eyes! Like this shy young boy from Benaras-confidently modelling a saree for a group of wondering women, telling them why his wares are worth their money and trust.

CC: Is there something specific you would want the government to do to empower our artists? Well, the government already has several schemes and grants for artists-in order to initiate exchange programs. Those interested can look them up online. In the initial years, we did make use of these grants but for several years now, the bazaars and other projects have been self-sustaining.

CC: There’s this perception that other countries are far more serious about preserving and promoting their crafts as opposed to India. How correct is it? We shouldn’t compare ourselves to other countries. For one, they are heavily industrialized-so if there’s a little island of art and craft somewhere, they can afford to pay attention. On the other hand, India is still agriculture based, so the farmer, craftsman, weaver and artisans are part of a live ecosystem. With India getting more and more industrialized though, there was a need to tweak the stuff for the urban markets, and that was how the concept of bazaars came about. Governments, banks and NGOs fund these bazaars. They attract a lot of attention and goodwill. Increasingly, I find that for the young generation, love these funky earrings and scarves and so on. So, we tweak the existing designs to suit the urban audience’s tastes. That gives impetus to the arts and crafts. CC: How useful are the Corporate Social Responsibility programs of companies in keeping handicrafts alive? Well, many of these CSR plans are well-intentioned and sincere. If only they were planned a little better. The average corporate professional lives such a disciplined life with goals from time to time. Why not adopt the same approach towards the artists you hope to encourage? Please don’t give them an order last minute-say a 1000 mugs or hand-painted trays-and expect them to fulfill them. For one, they won’t have the resources to buy the raw material or the time to plan out the allocation of tasks. So, when you tell them six months prior to an important festival or inhouse celebratory event/conference, they get a fair shot at success. CC: Changing tracks a bit, let’s talk about you. You’ve been the very face of the liberalized Indian woman leader-long before the word ‘woke’ entered the dictionary. There’s this perception that women of this generation have it better. Yes, they do have it better. For one, they have access to a lot of knowledge and technology at their fingertips. Secondly, society has become a lot more affluent; youngsters barely into their first jobs can buy their first car or apartments. We couldn’t dream of it even after working hard for a long time-and then had to take a loan. Today, everything is also so much more aspirational thanks to social media. Thanks to assorted facilities, they are accessible as well. Foreign trips, fancy gadgets and pizza takeaways are the order of the day-but increasingly people are waking up to the fact that good old dal subzi is much healthier (smiles.) Gyms are a way of life, we never heard of any of this in

yesteryears. So yes, people do have it better; but somebody like me would ask: do they really have it better? CC: What would you say about the changing face of female leadership? When we say women leaders, several types come to mind. First are the corporate leaders-who mind you, have to be really capable-the percentage of women leaders is still so small and there is that invisible but strong glass ceiling. Bureaucracy has a lot more women, sports today has a lot more; people like us come under the gamut of social work with its largely Gandhian approach of voluntary service. The idea is to forge ahead with whatever tools you might have: a loud voice to state a case, organizing people and camps; for me, my inclination towards arts and crafts was the motivator. So yes, female leadership is out there, doing its thing. It’s evolving by the minute. CC: Speaking of the glass ceiling, what is the

one thing that women need to break through it? In a word: Self-confidence. CC: A large part of that self-confidence is speaking up. But young women are taught to be soft and polite. Isn’t that contradictory in a way? No, not at all. Being polite is a good quality. It can get things done-you can speak softly and stand your ground. Take for instance, this recent episode. There is this person who is very upset with us because he feels his wife, a designer, has been treated badly by one of our crafts people. He was raving and shouting at all of us, demanding we take action and so on. I said what I had to softly and politely. He wanted me to stand up and speak to him; I replied I am eighty, so it’s a bit tiring (smiles.) He then shot back: In that case why are you organizing all this…my people kept telling me I didn’t have to take the treatment he was meting out. But I faced up to him, put forth my my case, politely and firmly, and kept my cool all through. In a nutshell, keeping cool is what leadership is in February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 49

TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Kaleidoscope of colour: the many splendoured pottery of India

The recently concluded exhibition in Pune featured art and craft from the length and breadth of the country

Indigenous crafts, from clothing and jewelry to footwear, are being tweaked to the palate of urban audiences

many situations. The basics of human culture ask for you to have dignity and grace-and when you offer it to someone else, it eases up problems. The chances of you reaching a tangible solution are that much more. Take the example of activist Ila Bhat. She did not shout in the streets or get locked up in jail and all the rest of it. Instead, she put up a sturdy but peaceful fight. That’s my nature also. Point I am making is that women’s leadership does not need you to have a loud voice. CC: But a lot of young women feel the space they need-metaphorically, of course, to grow and surge ahead isn’t there. So one way to do so is to raise one’s voice. Perhaps. But a raised voice won’t get you respect. A soft voice, talking sense will eventually get better results. Shouting merely aggravates the other person, makes things worse. Be polite, be firm and stand up and take things head on. CC: Apart from work, what is it that moves you? The plight of people who suffer injustice and who 50 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Systems have to evolve in keeping with the times. You can’t run off the planet after all. Everything is getting corporatized these days. I don’t agree with this, but there are ways of organizing yourselvessuch as India’s cooperative system do not the deserve the treatment or obstacles that come their way. If I can do something for them, at the grassroots level, without running an andolan (smiles) or generating violence, getting them to work here and earn and turn their lives aroundwell, that is my way of empowering them.

to evolve in keeping with the times. You can’t run off the planet after all. Everything is getting corporatized these days. I don’t agree with this, but there are ways of organizing yourselves-such as India’s cooperative system. But the need is to keep things honest and transparent.

CC: But sometime ago, andolans were the way to get grass roots work done. That was a long time ago. The world has changed since then; we are in the era of contract labour, it’s no more about the unions. So, systems have

CC: Do share with us the philosophy you live and work by. I believe the basis of any kind of work in life is moral and intellectual integrity. ([email protected])

Colour Collage

The journey is the destination About the photographer

(Our photo feature co-ordinator, Vimal Parmar on Dr A V Ranganadham’s photographs)

Photographer, Dr A V Ranganadham, presents a series of photographs clicked during his travels across India and the world. He as a travel photographer believes in the motto “The journey is the destination”, which is reflected in his photographs. BONDA TRIBAL LADY The Bondas are a tribe which resides in the remote hills of Malkangiri in Odisha. Part of the great Afro Asian migration which happened sixty thousand years ago the tribal ladies adorn themselves distinctly in metal neck rings and beads. The best way to catch a sight of them is to visit one of the weekly haat markets in that region.

SPICES May sound kind of funny but thousands of years ago these spices were the most sought after commodity on the planet; it drew traders and explorers like VascoDaGama and Colombus from far off lands and the rest is history.

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Dr A V Ranganadham is an Orthopedic Surgeon by profession who loves to travel and explore. For him work is perhaps a phase in between two trips. Having traveled to over 50 countries all across the globe, he says there are no good or bad destinations; every place has something very unique and beautiful, you just need to look for it. Due to the pandemic and travel restrictions he has begun to explore his home country India and it has been a revelation of sorts. India has so much to see and experience, that perhaps a proverbial lifetime is not enough. His camera accompanies him on all his trips and perhaps images are the best way to document and store travel memories and experiences forever.

BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE Clicked this image of some youngsters creating splashes and loads of fun at Toorji Ka Jhalra stepwell in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

MOST PHOTOGRAPHED HOTEL Overlooking the St Lawrence River, the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec, Canada has been dubbed as the prettiest and most photographed hotel in the world and perhaps rightly so.

CHITRAKOTE FALLS The Chitrakote Falls are a natural fall in the Indravati River close to Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh, India. Dubbed as the Niagara Falls of India they’re prettiest just after the monsoon season when the water levels are maximum. One can even take a boat ride to just under the falls and is indeed a great adrenaline rush.

SUGAR LOAF PEAK The Sugar Loaf mountain also called Pao de Acucar in Portuguese is a mountain peak in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brasil. Overlooking the mouth of the Guanabara Bay on a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic the name of the peak is interesting indeed. It is so named because of the resemblance to the shape of a loaf of concentrated sugar The name was coined by the Portugese traders in the 16th century at the heyday of sugarcane trade in Brazil.

CHEESE MARKET, ALKMAAR Alkmaar is a trading city close to the capital city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. A major tourist draw is its traditional Friday Cheese market(Kaasmarkt) where cheese carriers in traditional robes carry cheese blocks on barrows, weigh and place them for trade.

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 53

Bisleri

CORPORATE HISTORY

the thirst for trust delivered

It’s a rare case of uber success when a brand becomes a synonym for the product. However, even when you ask for a “Bisleri” from the grocer or the movie hall, the manufacturers caution that while Bisleri is indeed India’s premium bottled water, not all bottled water is Bisleri. PS: Clearly the Tatas know this too!

By Kalyani Sardesai

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or over forty years now, Bisleri has been a byword for transparent and clean drinking water in a bottle. So much so that from the Baby boomers to Gen Z, the customer is likely to ask for a “Bisleri” instead of bottled water. Clearly, though, Bisleri is in a league all its own. The Tatas know it too. It’s all over the newsthat Tata Consumer is in advanced talks with Chauhan to buy the country’s largest packaged drinking water company for a whopping Rs 6 to 7,000 crore. Reportedly, it has been a tough call for chairman Ramesh Chauhan but his ill health and daughter Jayanti’s lack of interest means he needs a leading corporate house to take the baton forward.

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Other names like Reliance Retail, Danone and Nestle have asked too, but the talks between Tata and Chauhan were been prolonged, intense and ongoing for over two years. The turning point, says Chauhan, happened when he met the top brass at Tata and was convinced they were sincere. History has it Bisleri started off as an Italian alcohol remedy drink created by Felice Bisleri. It entered India in the mid sixties even as Indian businessman Khushroo Suntook and Italian doctor Cesari Rossi set up a factory in Thane district near Mumbai. Initially a la di dah product, it was sold only in luxury hotels in glass bottles in two vari-

eties-bubbly and still. Bear in mind that this was post-Independence India in its nascency and the very notion of buying water was only for the elite who placed a premium on cleanliness. The struggle was real The Chauhans entered the fray in 1969 with Ramesh Chauhan’s father Jayantilal Chauhan’s Parle group acquiring the brand, which was looking to exit India, for INR 4 lakh. Jayantilal would go on to split his business between his two sons; Prakash Chauhan received Parle Agro while Ramesh received Parle Exports (now Bisleri International.) Bisleri was a natural fit in the bag of Parle Exports and complemented its soft drinks portfolio

perfectly. (They are the same folks who launched Maaza, the recognized mango fruit drink as well as Thums up, Limca and Gold Spot.) While this was pre-liberalisation India of the eighties, it was also a period that saw the rise of middle-class aspiration and disposable income for treats such as soft drinks and snacks. To be able to afford a cool drink on an outing meant you were headed upwards and onwards in life. It was also the time when outings to the movies, zoos, museums, parks and restaurants, travel etc. started to pick up pace. Naturally, Bisleri stayed in sync with this. Bisleri complemented this soft drinks portfolio and its Italian name added a touch of panache. The water was initially sold in PV bottles and then PET bottles. Of course, the arrival of the nineties and the Post-liberalisation phase meant good news for the FMCG space and Bisleri as well. Bisleri conducts its major businesses in India, with 122 operational plants and a network of 4,500 distributors & 5,000 distribution trucks.  Apart from this, they also distribute their products through their e-commerce platform and other online retailers. Soon, it enjoyed a 32 per cent market share in the branded bottled water segment, in which it took on Coca-Cola’s Kinley and PepsiCo’s Aquafina. The competition hots up With the opening up of the Indian economy, The FMCG behemoth Coca Cola was back in the reckoning. Parle Exports found it wise to sell its carbonated drinks brands Thumps up, Limca, Gold Spot, Citra and Rim Zim for INR 200 crore. But they held on to Bisleri. In 2000, Ramesh Chauhan said that Bisleri that had been hitherto operated by eight different companies would be consolidated under a single name-Bisleri International. Amidst all this, the company continues to focus on quality and its stringent 10 stage purification process for the water including ozonisation, reverse osmosis and micron filtration. Enter Vedica natural mountain water In 2010, Bisleri launched its newest productVedica natural mountain water from the Himalayas. The company said that the USP of the water was the fact that it was alkaline and thus neutralized acids and removed toxins from the body. Ramesh Chauhan said : “For the last forty years I have been travelling all over and looking for natural spring water. I started my search in 1971 and came very close to finding the spring I wanted. The water of this spring gushes out of the earth and flows as a pure sparkling stream. After years of trickling through rock, sand and clay, it acquires a sweet divine taste. This is because it emerges out of an aquifer which has so much pressure that it forces the water above the

Jayantilal Chauhan

Bisleri’s Bottle for Change spearheads a programme to recycle plastic and convert it to polyester, which is used to manufacture shoes, T-shirts, bags, chairs etc ground in a spectacular and consistent manner. Therefore, we at Bisleri immediately set up a state of the art bottling plant at that very spot.” As the Tatas owned a brand of Himalayan natural mineral water as well by the same name, Bisleri decided to rename its product Vedica. While Bisleri sells at Rs 18 per litre, Vedica is priced at Rs 40 for the same. The packaging is different as well. It has a distinct yellow colour and restricted distribution, unlike Bisleri. Social initiatives Bisleri’s Bottle for Change spearheads a programme to recycle plastic and convert it to polyester, which is used to manufacture shoes, T-shirts, bags, chairs etc, thereby ensuring their bottles don’t add to the waste. “We look at plastic as an opportunity instead of a problem,” says the company website. “The only problem with plastic is its irresponsible human handling in its disposal. Plastic can work well for all of us if utilized properly. Keeping this in mind, we launched Bottles for Change.”

Ramesh Chauhan

Not yet “Ta-ta” from the present management Industry watchers have pointed out that Tata Consumers have been looking to become a big player in the FMCG space for some time now. It has been working towards a stronger impact especially in the packaged food and beverage space. From acquiring Himalayan Natural Mineral Water to forming a joint venture with PepsiCo called NourishCo for beverages, the company has made several attempts at becoming a key player in this space. TCPL presently sells brands such as Himalayan Natural Mineral Water and Tata Copper Plus. Other brands in the bottled-water segment include Pepsi’s Aquafina, Coca Cola’s Kinley, Parle Agro’s Bailley and Qua from the Narang group. As business strategist Llyod Mathias has been quoted in the press: “This acquisition will give TCPL an unparalleled reach and distribution because Bisleri is very well connected through the length and breadth of India. Bisleri also has a good sourcing strategy with a large number of company-owned and franchised plants.” As it stands, the present management will continue in office for 2 years at least even after the deal with the Tatas goes through. Given the Tata legacy and proudly Indian reputation, there’s little doubt that Bisleri-the brand that has symbolized packaged drinking water for Indians-is in safe hands. ([email protected]) ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

Bisleri is available in 250 ml, 300 ml, 500ml, 1 L, 2 L, 5L, 10 L and 20 L pack sizes. The Bisleri Rockstar, for instance, is a fast-moving product for parties, weddings, and other mass gatherings. The company’s robust direct-to-home service served consumers well during the lockdown. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 55

CAMPUS PLACEMENT

Success is all about Consistency “To be successful you have to be consistent in life,” he smiled. Be it during his school days, throughout college or now during his corporate life, he has been consistent in his performance. “It is not difficult to build good habits,” he said. Meet Himanshu Dhabaria, who is currently working as a Senior Analyst (Functional and Technical) with Accenture PLC. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen Magazine, Himanshu spills the beans on his educational journey, and his campus placement experience, and shares a few tips for his juniors on how to prep for the campus placement, and more… By Ekta Katti Himanshu Dhabaria

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he beauty of our country is the experience it offers to us. Once you begin your journey you will keep on adding never-ending knowledge to your kitty. Himanshu was quick to agree as he has spent most of his childhood travelling in the country owing to his father’s transferable job. “This journey has moulded me into what I am today. It has helped me keep an open mind, and face any challenge head-on,” he said. He spent his childhood in Delhi, Jaipur, Nimaaj (near Ratlam), and Indore. The real journey begins As a student, Himanshu scored good grades. The secret we asked, he quickly responded, “I never worked hard per se. I was very attentive in class, and when I got home, I revised the topics that were taught in the class. And then studied just before the exams to get good marks. Again, this means, being consistent will lead you to your goal.” With that, Himanshu was quite a sportsman as well. Although he never played any sport professionally, he very well understood the crux of every game. “I played badminton and table tennis and tried my hands on skating. This game has genuinely helped me and shaped me as a person. I learnt the importance of self-reliance, teamwork, and determination. Moreover, it helped me score grades as it let my mind be free. In essence, I feel every student should invest their time in extracurricular activities as it plays a great role in their character development.” Stepping stone After his graduation in B.E. (Mechanical Engineering), in Indore, Himanshu decided to implement that knowledge. This is precisely why he started working with Dynasty Modular Furnitures Pvt. Ltd, as their Designer. There he was responsible for designing and drawing of furniture, layouts, client handling, preparing quotations, and assisting in projects, and a lot more. “No doubt the experience was great, I felt I was getting into a comfort zone. And if you are not moving forward in life, it means you are moving backwards. I wanted a change and wanted to continue studying.” Enacting on that vision, Himanshu moved to Pune to complete his MBA in Operations. Reaching the goal The day he entered his MBA college he aimed to make the most of this journey and gather as much experience and knowledge as possible. “Although I have a lot of experience in the kitty. This college made me what I am today. Before this, I was a shy person. But this college pushed me to become a better version of myself. I became more open and extrovert and this has been pivotal in my corporate journey,” he expressed.

Himanshu with friends

Never be afraid to ask questions: You want everything in the world, you are human only. All you have to do is ask the right question. Never shy away, ask questions and clear your smallest of queries or else it can lead to the largest of blunders - Himanshu Dhabaria While most students will prepare for campus placement in the nick of time, Himanshu was determined to give his best since day one. “The approach was the same to be consistent from the very beginning. I attended all the lectures and paid attention too. This has made the foundation of every subject very strong,” he said. The experiences that the college offered was enough for him to clear the GD and PI rounds. Himanshu had to sit through a few companies before getting placed. But that did not make him feel dejected. “Such things are part and parcel of every journey. In these times, you have to hold your ground and never get disappointed rather you should bounce back stronger.” Soon his happiness knew no bounds when he got placed as a Functional Consultant with Tata Consultancy Services. After gaining enough experience he moved to Accenture PLC, as their Senior Analyst (Functional and Technical). He envisions to grow leaps and bounds, and most importantly he hopes to be consistent in all his future endeavours. Tips on how to prepare for campus placement Say no to your comfort zone: Once you leave

your comfort zone you enter your growth zone. Never stay in the comfort zone of your work, as it can lead to saturation in all aspects of your life. So, explore new opportunities to increase the scope of your work and fulfilment in life. Never be afraid to ask questions: You want everything in the world, you are human only. All you have to do is ask the right question. Never shy away, ask questions and clear your smallest of queries or else it can lead to the largest of blunders. Consistency is the key: Being consistent leads to self-discipline and builds your overall personality. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act it’s a habit. Being consistent with your performance, it develops trust with your clients. Define your approach: Your approach is something that will lead you towards your goal. It basically makes your foundation strong. Also, being stressed about your work or studies, the easiest way to get anything done is to define your scope, plan, execute it and then deliver. Think out of the box: One of the most important things is never to follow the herd. To leave your mark you will do the unexpected. This will help in getting yourself recognised. ([email protected]) February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 57

LOVED & MARRIED TOO

Friends first and last

Chartered accountants by profession, each other’s best friends by disposition. Pooja Khilnani and Saurabh Chheda, have a simple but heartwarming story to tell.

By Kalyani Sardesai

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ove and friendship have a way of overcoming superficial differences to travel the distance-sometimes for life. Mumbai youngsters Pooja Khilnani and Saurabh Chheda have found this to be true in more ways than one. For beyond the differences of personality, community and appearances, theirs is a relationship that has slowly and steadily gone from strength to strength. From Mumbai to London, it’s been a long journey, but for this young couple, life and its myriad opportunities are just about beginning. It helps that they both enjoy exploring spaces, geographies, moods, and moments together. Back to the beginning This love story was scripted in a leading Mumbai chartered accountancy firm when young intern Pooja Khilnani met her senior Saurabh Chheda. It was a serious and focused environment with both youngsters working long hours over assignments and deadlines. That’s how the seed of understanding were sown. The conversations flowed seamlessly and easily-the differences in their personalities and outlook only served to enhance the association. “She’s calm and composed, most unlike me,” smiles Saurabh. “I wanted to ask her out-but did so indirectly, I dropped a lot of broad hints.” However, they were both in their early twenties and far too young to marry. “The advantage of dating as ‘kids’ is that you end up dating for a real long time. That helps the relationship in so many ways. Come what may, you are friends, first and last,” says Pooja. However, the families were none too pleased given the difference in their backgrounds. (He’s a Kutchi; She’s a Sindhi.) While Pooja’s family was fairly cool with the alliance, Saurabh admits his parents had their share of misgivings. “She’s a non-vegetarian, while we are pure veg. These things do make a difference when it comes to day to day existence. Similarly, both cultures are different. She also happens to be taller than me-something that’s perceived to be rather unconventional. But I patiently took my time convincing them,” says Saurabh.

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THE MANTRAS OF A MARRIAGE l l l l

Friendship Celebrating differences Looking at the bigger picture Maintaining the fun quotient

Eventually, the families gave them their blessing. So, the question arises, how easy or tough has the adjustment been? “Honestly, it hasn’t been that tough because my in laws were pretty understanding of the fact that I came from a different background. Plus, I received help in adjusting to the ways of their home and cooking. Over and above all, Saurabh was really there for me. So, it all worked out,” says Pooja. “The comfort factor between us is palpable. I am totally at ease with him. Besides, I know that he is always there to make things right-be it personally or professionally.” On his part, Saurabh is grateful for her quiet strength and positive outlook. “Like I said, I am the chaotic one, the troublemaker,” he grins. “She really helps keep me grounded. Her positive energy is great.” He also deeply appreciates her for the family values and commitment to relationships she brings to the table. “Having grown up in a joint family, familial ties and bonds are important to her. Plus, she’s a nice, caring person. These are lovely qualities to have,” he says. London calling As destiny had it, the duo was meant to build their career abroad, and ended up migrating to London in May 2022 where they work for different firms. While Pooja works with a leading CA firm, Saurabh works for a UK based consultancy firm. “It’s an easier pace of life as compared to India, and therefore, it becomes simpler to maintain work life balance here,” she says. From cooking and cleaning to chilling by the TV, it’s mostly the two of them and a whole new culture. “I’d like to add here that living abroad successfully would entail letting go of the gender specific roles that we are used to back in India,” expresses Saurabh. “Since there’s no help, we both have to cook, clean and do the laundry. As a guy, honestly, you aren’t doing your wife a favour by helping out on that score. It’s your home and duty as well,” he says. Ever the travel enthusiasts and outdoor buffs, quality time consists of long walks around parks, eating out and seeing new places. “Weekends are for stepping out,” laughs Pooja. “We just have to be outdoors; there’s no way either of us wants to be home.” Like every couple, Pooja and Saurabh have

Pooja Khilnani and Saurabh Chheda

Find the joy in moments big and small. Do things together, even if it is something as homely as cooking a meal together. Work on your friendship rather than your relationship - Pooja Khilnani

their fights too. But, as Saurabh points out, “time and patience have a way of sorting things out. Sure, each one has their ups and downs as a couple. But the important thing is to look at the larger picture, the greater goal. Not everything needs you to take a stand; let go of trivial matters. That said, I am the one usually apologizing because of my temper. (grins.) Being the quieter one, she takes her time to start talking again, but I can’t stand the tension.” On her part, Pooja says it’s important for any relationship to maintain the fun quotient. “Find the joy in moments big and small. Do things

together, even if it is something as homely as cooking a meal together,” she says. “Over and above all else, my mantra is really simple: work on your friendship rather than your relationship. When you have each other’s back as buddies, everything falls into place eventually.” Given that they have been married for three years, would they, at any point be willing to start a family? “Absolutely,” says Pooja. “We love kids and would definitely want our own. But the timing has to be right. At the moment, though, it’s time to explore London, life and our careers,” she rounds off. ([email protected]) February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 59

TO BE A WOMAN

The Second Coming Communication professional and content manager Monika Patel on starting a career and a fresh new innings on her own terms.

By Kalyani Sardesai

Monika Patel

60 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

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corporate bigwig once said: “I am kind of getting tired of under 40 achievers’ lists. We overestimate bright shiny things. Instead, show me someone whose journey has survived the test of time. Whose work and art reflects the strength and resilience of having loved, lost, survived and overcome.” Wise words indeed. In a youth obsessed world that celebrates the next power deal or uber early milestone, Monika Patel’s ownership of her life decisions, makes a statement about the resilience and the grit to start over. Not to mention a quiet determination to live an honest life-one that is true to herself. And that, dear reader, is the strength of a woman. When she chose to end her marriage--and with that, a familiar world with all the trappings of comfort and material wealth--she was pretty much on unknown turf. Well-wishers warned her that she would no longer have the security of being the Mrs. to a well-placed lawyer turned industrialist. Besides, she had never worked in a professional setting due to her conservative marital home. “I had an arranged marriage and was expected to seamlessly fit in to the family ethos,” she says. Which she did-until she decided she couldn’t and wouldn’t anymore. “I was fifty. It was now or never,” she says. Along with tangible skills in organization and communication, she had degrees in finance and journalism. Not to mention friends who had complete faith in her innate potential. Good enough to start from scratch.

Back to the beginning Monika’s was the quintessential South Bombay childhood-privileged, genteel, and most importantly, happy. Dad was a well-heeled businessman, and mother, a homemaker. “I lacked for nothing. From the finest schools to foreign vacations to the best opportunities and exposure, we had it all. I was also a good student and my parents had great hopes for me. I travelled quite a bit for vacations, trips, and studies; the exposure was great. I did my undergrad in Canada and the US, got an honors degree in finance,” she shares. But an arranged marriage changed the course of life. “Marriage often takes you in another direction,” she muses. “My in laws were a well-to-do family but very conservative. Their women never worked. As a nervous twenty something, I simply toed the line.”

But given her endless energy and love of community and people, there was no way she was going to sit at home. “From starting exercise classes for tiny tots at a leading nursery school, getting involved in non-profit initiatives focusing on income generation and engagement with economically disadvantaged women, volunteering in my children’s school fundraisers and Parent Teacher Association to spearheading youth committees for the CII, I did it all,” she reminisces. She was also a part of Tiger Lily, a woman’s group that organized fun activities long before such soirees were the norm in the city. Each project was an achievement and triumph. “But I realized none of this counted for formal work experience when I started scouting for jobs after divorce,” she shares. “But a homemaker doesn’t simply while away her time, you know. She has a household to run, children to bring up and people to take care of. All of which teaches management and organisation.” From strength to strength Having lived in the US as a student and visited her US family every year during her marriage, she decided to move out of her comfort zone when her marriage ended and start life outside India. But getting a job was the issue. She need not have worried. Given her immense goodwill and reputation as a lady who got things done, friends rallied, and she found employment that did her skills justice-even if it was in another country. “I first worked with Indiaspora, where I produced a podcast, helped design their website, conducted a campaign for issuing a Diwali stamp, arranged retreats, and put together Excel sheets. As the name suggests, Indiaspora’s focus was to connect the Indian diaspora in the US,” she shares. A huge learning curve but one she happened to enjoy thoroughly. She is currently employed as Content Manager at JetSynthesys, a digital media company with global offices in the US and other countries but headquartered in Pune. This allows her to travel to and from the city that has her friends and family. Life is looking up with work she loves, tons of friends who have her back, and a new partner. “None of this happened instantly. The important thing was to heal first and give myself time,” she smiles. “It’s been a decade since the divorce. In a way, life has come full circle.” She who believes What’s particularly striking about Monika is her stout refusal to indulge in self-pity about what is gone, plus a clear willingness to face up to her fears. “Society tells women they need the security of marriage; that it is too late to start over; besides, one is used to a certain lifestyle and status that comes with being Mrs. So and So. I recognize that,” she says. “But I was just putting

A homemaker doesn’t simply while away her time, you know. She has a household to run, children to bring up and people to take care of management and organisation up a façade and though it took a while, I eventually realized nothing is worth that loneliness.” The eureka moment happened when she faced the duality and contradiction between who she really was and who she was expected to be. “Something just snapped inside me; I decided I couldn’t continue this way.” As they say, the only way to take off from a high mountain-and land safely on another-is to take that huge leap of faith. The aftermath of a divorce is a tumultuous, fraught time especially as we are taught that marriage is forever, and that the end of one, is somehow a deep personal failure. “When I took the decision to move on, there were many who wondered how I would cope. On the other hand, I do know for a fact that I inspired many others to seek a life they actually believed in-irrespective of the cost involved,” she says with quiet pride. Not easy, but possible. Besides, she now had a real shot at her childhood dreams. “As a kid, one believes with the naivete of the very young, that professional success is a given. I was a very good student, and an all-rounder. My parents

had high hopes from me. But life has a way of derailing the best plans,” she says. “I had potential that I hadn’t exploited and somewhere I felt I had let both myself and my parents down. Here was a chance to get them back on track.” It helped that her sons, Tarish (28) and Aniket (21), were hugely supportive, that her friends and loved ones rallied around. “The one thing I make it a point to tell my children is that respect and honesty is very important in a relationship. It has to be given and received in equal measure,” she points out. It took time to find her feet and she did. Sans regret and with joy. “Once you taste true freedom, there’s no way you can go back to any other way of life,” she says. “This is not to suggest that you can’t find it in a good marriage, but to all the youngsters out there, particularly the girls, I would say take your time before you choose a partner. There is no rush. Decide what you want to do with your life and have the courage to live on your terms. Don’t let someone else tell you what you can or cannot do.” ([email protected])

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tadka

India’s richest grow richer The combined wealth of India’s 100 richest grew $25 billion to touch $800 billion in 2022.The gain was largely due to a record-breaking feat by infrastructure tycoon Gautam Adani.

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 61

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

‘Dream as if you’ll never die’

Rahul Chandalia, Co-founder of Wol 3D spills the beans on his personal favourites. He talks about his cherished childhood memory, favourite past time, and preferred holiday destination and more… By Ekta Katti exercise and playing games, having a systematic food plan and food timings, and then regular school is what puts a smile on my face. No one quite like you. My favourite person: My son Rehaan, my world revolves around him. Hues of life. My favourite colour: Orange, it happens to be my brand colour too. Tune into a mood. My favourite song: I am a Bollywood fan and very filmy too. My all-time favourite song is the dedication to my wife.. Tu hi meri dost hai.. A cup of coffee and thee. Most memorable read: With coffee, my favourite book would be Magic by Rhonda Byrne. This book exudes values of manifestation and what you think happens from your goals to your passion to your money to your family to your love.

Rahul Chandalia

Woh kagaz ki kashti, woh barish ka paani. My favourite childhood memory: I will definitely cherish my hostel days. I was in a hostel for three years, and that was one of the best periods of my life because I met so many random people from different cities in India, and today it has been about two decades of friendship. And still, whenever we all meet, it feels as if it were yesterday that we completed our school. Remembering my hostel life like getting up at 5:30 in the morning, doing my routine from walking to 62 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Bring out the popcorn. A movie I can watch over and over again: I believe that when you see a movie, you should always keep your mind at home and enjoy the three hours of entertainment. I feel Student of the Year directed by Punit Malhotra and Karan Johar does that for me. A bite of heaven. My favourite cuisine: Street Food like Pav Bhaji, ice cream and Gulab jamun. Moments worth living. My favourite celebration: When I went for my youth exchange to Norway for a month, I made amazing friends from all over the world and learned so much from my host family. Tabiyat se. What fitness means to me: Fitness to me is feeling good from within, feeling nice and feeling fresh every morning you get up. So

Live life as if you’re going to die tomorrow and dream as if you’ll never die. I live with this attitude. I live in the present and I enjoy every moment that’s possible

—Rahul Chandalia

I like to indulge in sports. I play volleyball at least 3-4 times a week. I love brisk walking and also do other sports activities during the week. In quest of paradise. My favourite holiday destination: New Zealand because I love how the road trip, the feel, and the entire location are so different. My poison (favourite drink): Chaas (Buttermilk) or fresh lime soda salt. Scent of you. My favourite perfume: Davidoff Water A celeb I look up to and why: Ranveer Singh for his energy, overall aura, and growth in the industry. Thodi masti. Thoda gyaan. Live life as if you’re going to die tomorrow and dream as if you’ll never die. I live with this attitude; I live in the present and I enjoy every moment that’s possible. Kaam hain to hum hain. I love my profession because: Passion gives me money. This has always been my dream to do what I love and what I love, pays me What I do for me. A hobby/pastime that defines me: I love sleeping, my favourite pastime and the source of my energy

FOR AND AGAINST

Has OTT replaced the Movie Theatre Expreience Since the beginning of the pandemic, OTT has changed the way we watch movies. 2022 saw a large amount of movies not working because they found no audience. Is this change here to stay? Corporate Citizen tries to understand both sides of the equation By Neeraj Varty

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For

Against

The Houseful board is a thing of the past

Nothing can replicate the theatre experience

he covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we consume content. Gone are the days when people would line up to buy tickets for a movie. I think the Houseful board is also now a thing of the past. The covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we consume content. For the first time during the pandemAnahita Sharma ic, we were able to watch a new movie, directly on OTT, even before it released in the theatres. This was a breakthrough. After that, dozens of movies went the OTT route, and now in fact, several movies are shot in such a way that they are best consumed on OTT platforms. Initially, even I believed that once the pandemic ends, people will throng back to theatres to watch movies. But the 2022 bollywood track record had proved just the opposite. Several big budget movies have flopped, but then these movies have done well once they debuted on streaming channels. What this proves is that the new normal is that people prefer to watch content in the comfort of their own homes. This is a major and I believe irreversible shift in the audience’s attitude towards movie watching. Another thing that has accelerated this change is that TVs have become larger and larger. It is not uncommon these days to find 65-85” TVs in people’s homes, accompanied by a large Home Theatre system. Why then would people watch movies in theatres, especially when ticket rates have increased and inflation is sky high? This is not to say that the audience has totally given up on watching movies in the theatre. But there are not more than 3-4 such movies in any given year. - Anahita Sharma, Student, MBA

all me old-school if you want, but I think nothing can replicate the theatre experience. OTT has permeated every sphere of content, from television shows to movies, but it cannot compare with the experience one gets of watching a movie on the big screen. Watching a cinema in the theatre is not just about the content itself. It Rohit Joshi is an entire experience. It is a family outing. It is a chance to savour popcorn and samosa in the theatre. It is a chance to bond with family and friends in the laid back atmosphere that only a movie theatre can provide. This year, we have seen the success of movies such as Drishyam 2 and top Gun:Maverick. Top Gun, in particular, was made to be viewed on the big screen, and preferably in IMAX. There is no way you can watch that movie on your TV screen or mobile on the first viewing atleast and enjoy it for what it is meant to be. Even if you look at Drishyam 2, it has proved that as long as a story is compelling enough, the audience would rather go to the theatre to watch it than wait a couple of months for the movie to come on OTT. Filmmakers need to understand that the audience is still willing and eager to come to the theatres. But what Filmmakers were doing before the pandemic was come out with movies with lazy writing and hackneyed plots. Such content will no longer make the cut. The pandemic has changed all that. People will not pay good money to watch the same old boring content. They will cone to the theatres only if the content is fresh, engaging or it is an event film. I feel that movie theatres and the cinema experience is here to stay. If anything, the pandemic has ensured that only fresh, original content will now be made for the cinema. -Rohit Joshi, Head of Marketing & Projects, Easol Pvt Ltd

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February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 63

ME TIME

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ature reduces our anger, fear, and depression and increases our positive mood and psychological wellbeing. This not only increases our happiness; it makes us feel better physically. Time in nature also brings us out of ourselves and our narrow concerns and connects us to a larger world where we find beauty and interest. Thus the environment is connected not only to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health, but to purpose and community. “Green” your exercise We all know the long list of physical, mental, and emotional benefits of exercise. Exercise improves attention in the young and cognitive functioning in the old. It reduces stress and acts as an antidepressant. And of course, exercise is key if we would to avoid gaining weight, especially as we grow older. But much as we know all these benefits, we can’t always motivate ourselves to exercise regularly. This is where nature can help. An appealing place to walk or bike can get us off our seats and moving. And once we start, the beauty of natural surroundings keeps us motivated to continue. Studies show that exercising outdoors decreases perceptions of fatigue. Moreover, exercising outdoors reduces stress and enhances mood even more than exercise indoors. In a study published in Mind, one group of participants walked in an area with woods, grasslands, and lakes, and the other in a shopping mall. The outdoors group had less depression, anger, tension, and overall better

Time in Nature

ime T h t l Hea mood than the indoor group. A series of studies in Japan showed that walking in forests, as opposed to urban environments, lowered blood pressure and stress hormones well beyond the time of the walk. So find somewhere with trees, bushes, wild grasses or flowers, water, and other such natural elements and go for a walk or run or bike. Gardening is another wonderful way to be active outside. Watch your screen time According to the Bureau of Labor in June 2012, the average American spends 2.8 hours a day watching television, and that is probably a conservative estimate. In addition, some age

groups spend significant amounts of time playing games or using computers for leisure. In all, it means that a lot of our leisure time is spent sitting indoors in front of a screen. And the risks associated with screen time are not insignificant, including insomnia, depression, and isolation, and increased mortality. So consider how much time you spend each time in front of a screen (TV or computer). Could you reduce that time to go outside? You can get even more benefit if you do so with a friend! (This article was originally published in https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing-natureed in)

Movie Time

Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale (2022) As the Kalahari Desert faces a worsening dry season, prides, packs and herds of all kinds must rely on the power of family to survive. Okavango Delta, a vast oasis, isolated from the rest of the world by the unforgiving Kalahari Desert. It’s also a refuge, built and maintained daily by its inhabitants; in return, it caters for their every need. Big cats may appear to reign here, but in reality, the fate of every creature, great and small, is intertwined. Director: Renée GodfreyMatt Meech(co-director) Writer: David Fowler Star: Regé-Jean Page Watch it with your family on Netflix.

64 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Twitter Time

In order to get fast forward in work 1) Avoid large meetings Large meetings waste valuable time and energy. They discourage debate People are more guarded than open There’s not enough time for everyone to contribute Don’t schedule large meetings unless you’re certain they provide value to everyone. 2) Leave a meeting if you’re not contributing If a meeting doesn’t require your: Input Value Decisions Your presence is useless. It’s not rude to leave a meeting. But it’s rude to waste people’s time. 3) Forget the chain of command Communicate with colleagues directly.

4) Be clear, not clever Avoid nonsense words and technical jargon. It slows down communication. Choose words that are: Concise To the point Easy to understand Don’t sound smart. Be efficient. 5) Ditch frequent meetings There’s no better way to waste everyone’s time. Use meetings to: Collaborate Attack issues head-on Solve urgent problems But once you resolve the issue, frequent meetings are no longer necessary. You can resolve most issues without a meeting.

Liam @LiamKircher Not through supervisors or managers. Fast communicators make fast decisions. Fast decisions = competitive advantage.

Instead of meetings: Send a text Send an email Communicate on a discord or slack channel Don’t interrupt your team’s workflow if it’s unnecessary.

Millet stir fry with vegetables Add chopped onions, other vegetables and all the spices. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the millets and add to the pot. Add 2 cups of water (you can also use vegetable stock for added flavour) and cook on medium high till there is a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered, with a little opening, till all the water is absorbed and the millet is cooked through. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with lightly spiced homemade yogurt.

Recipe Time

Nutritious and tasty, millet stir fry makes a light refreshing meal. In this millet recipe, I have cooked chena millets (Proso millets) with plenty of vegetables to make a healthy vegetarian stir fry, says Ashima who has made this recipe. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 25 mins Course: Main CourseCuisine: Indian Servings: 2Calories: 237kcal Ingredients: (1cup = 240ml; 1tbsp = 15ml; 1tsp = 5ml) 1 cup proso millet cheena millet or little millet 2 cloves garlic minced 1-inch ginger grated 1 green chilli slit in half and seeds removed 1 onion chopped 1 cup chopped mixed vegetables I have used carrots, french beans, red and green bell pepper 1 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder Salt to taste red pepper to taste

1 tbsp oil To garnish fresh coriander leaves Instructions: Wash the millets in a fine sieve under running water. Soak for 10 mins while you prepare the vegetables. Heat oil in a deep pot. When the oil is hot, add garlic, green chilli and ginger. Sauté for a minute.

Notes Different millets can take different amount of water to cook. Chena millet (proso or little millet) takes two but some may take 3 times water. I have used slit green chilli without its seeds to keep the heat low. For a spicier stir fry, finely chop the chillies. If you are adding stock, make sure to check on salt as stock usually has lot of salt. (This Ashima’s website on her exclusive recipes. https://www.myweekendkitchen.in/ millet-stir-fry-vegetables/#wprm-recipe-container-3514) February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 65

TRAVEL (Photo by Shashank Hegade on Unsplash)

If you want to embark on a beautiful trek and reconnect with nature, there is nothing better than to go beach trekking. And there is nothing better than exploring the serene and scenic beaches of Gokarna, on the western coast of Karnataka. It gives you an adventurous experience of 10kms of beach trekking, a bunch of six beaches at one go which you can complete in a day. So, why wait, winter season is the best time to go.

By Rajesh Rao

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true beach paradise, Gokarna gives you a chance to embrace panoramic views of total six beautiful beaches along the trek route. And guess what…you also get a chance to spot some playing dolphins (if you are lucky) at a spot in route. The scenic beaches on the 10 kms stretch include Beleken, Paradise, Half Moon, Om, Kudle, Gokarna main beach, starting from down south and coming up north. These amazing beaches are spruced up in between with lush green covered hills, which you cross while trekking and which add more fun to your beach trek. 66 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Beach Trekking in

GOKARNA

Paradise beach, Gokarna

The best time I would suggest to go beach trekking at Gokarna, is winter season from November to March. The summer is too hot and in the monsoon season the trek route especially the hill route becomes slippery and dangerous and off course there is no sun and sunset. If you prefer crowd and little bit of culture, you can time your trek around the Maha Shivratri festival, (Februray-March) which is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur in Gokarna, at the Mahabaleshwar Temple, situated in the town and adjacent to the main Gokarna beach. There are two options as to how you can start and finish the trek, timing your trek from sunrise

to sunset. You can choose all six beaches or do only major four or five beaches, skipping the either of the, main Gokharna and Beleken beach. The Gokarna trek route is available on Google Maps. The first option, which I prefer, is taking the early morning ferry (if you can get it) or go by road taking an autorickshaw or private cab, to Beleken Beach, enjoy your sunrise and start trekking up towards the main Gokarna beach. You can time your trek, so as to reach Kudle beach at sunset and enjoy the hippie atmosphere there, eat out at the beach shacks, swim. Then proceed towards main Gokarna beach, visit the temple and enjoy the town atmosphere.

(Pics by Rajesh Rao)

The trail from Gokarna beach is easily identifiable on the whole route and there are also various directions and graffiti marked on the way. The second options is to start your trek from the Gokarna main beach, experiencing the sunrise and slowly proceed down towards Beleken beach. You can skip Beleken beach, enjoy your sunset at Paradise beach, and take back a ferry to the main Gokarna beach. If you skip Belekan beach, you will just be missing out on the 1 - 1.5 km hike from Belekan beach to Paradise beach. The main problem with this route is you have to leave the isolated beaches of Paradise, Half Moon, before it gets dark, so you reach safely back to your place of stay. As I said, timing your trek route, choosing which beach you want to spend more time, which beach you want to enjoy the sunset on, is very important. From the safety point of you have to be equipped with trekking gear, carry enough water (to stay hydrated) and food, sunscreen, sunglasses, cap, shoes. Off course the trek route have many other trekkers enroute, but sometimes especially traversing through the hilly jungle route it can get lonely with no one around. And please study your trek map, check ferry timings and know your location. The major part of the trek involves hiking through the hills to arrive at the next beach, which also involves some climbing, crossing of rocks and boulders on the way too. The sea views you get to see on this trek are worth all the effort you put in…it is such a rewarding experience.

Om Beach @ Gokarna

Flea market @ Kudle beach, Gokarna

Belekan - Paradise trek This is a 1 - 1.5 km hike from Belekan beach to Paradise beach. The Beleken beach is one of the remotest beaches in Gokarna, which you can either reach by early morning boat ride or by road. Paradise - Half Moon trek The Paradise Beach to Half Moon beach trek is one of the toughest parts of the whole trek, as you have to traverse rocks and boulder, with a bit of climbing. On this trek you will come across two photo points, popularly called as Small Hell Beach and Hell Cliff. The clear blue water and golden sand stretch of this Small Hell beach, is bewitching. You will have to get a bit off trail to visit these spots. You have to play safe while crossing rocks. A little further on this trek you will get to enjoy one more photo-stop called as Friends Beach. Paradise beach, is also known as Full Moon beach and it is one of the cleanest and has surreal beauty, may be because of its isolated location, as it can be reached only through trekking or hiring a boat. Half Moon - Om trek This route involves a bit of climbing in the beginning followed by a gradual trail through forest trees. There is a cliff you come across on this trek,

Kudle beach @ Gokarna

just before the Om beach, which offers a beautiful view of the whole Om shaped beach. The shape of Om for a beach is a sheer coincidence, but it will hold you spell bound. It is named as “Om Beach View Point”. Get a chance to spot some dolphins, at the lighthouse, from the cliff near Half Moon Beach. Half Moon beach derives its name from its shape which looks like a Half Moon—with thick jungle on the one side and an infinite stretch of the Arabian Sea on the other. Om - Kudle trek You may start your journey towards the Kudle beach, seeing that you reach it for sunset. This trek part is the easiest. You can take a short detour and visit Shri Uma Masheshwara Temple just before the Kudle beach, which also gives you an amazing view of Kudle beach. The lo-

cation of Kudle beach is mesmerising, filled with hippies and foreigners during sunset and if you are lucky you can experience a flea market from sunset time till late night. The long sandy stretches of Om Beach and Kudle Beach are a delight for every beach lover. Om Beach has a sunset that is truly worth craving for. And if you are a foodie then Kudle Beach will tickle your taste buds with their exotic seafood menu. Kudle - Gokarna Main trek One of the starting points of your trek, the Gokarna beach, gets its name after the town and is the main beach, famous among visiting pilgrims to the nearby Mahabaleshwar Temple. The pilgrims can be seen taking a dip here in the sea water, before proceeding towards the temple. ([email protected]) February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 67

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

A Shining North Star A dynamic personality who is optimistic, extremely emphatic, hardworking, driven to solve challenges, and someone who doesn’t fear anything, Susmitha Lakkakula has dabbled in various businesses in last six years. Holding a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from BITS Pilani and an MBA from IIM Calcutta, she specializes in fields like TV serials, IT, and Fashiontech. During her pregnancy, she saw a huge gap in the market for organized and interactive interfaces for fashion design, fashion styling, online personalized orders, and fulfilment. Hence germinated an idea of launching CloudTailor, a personalized solution for fashion and tailoring services for women. In an exclusive interview with Corporate Citizen, she talks about her work philosophy and how she maintains work-life balance. By Sharmila Chand Corporate Citizen: How do you set out your priorities to keep your  work  and personal life balanced?  Susmitha Lakkakula: I am a mother of two, a wife, and an entrepreneur. Juggling between personal life and work life can be challenging, especially when you are developing a business. But I still do a few things to manage a balance. I plan not just my day but my week to optimize efficiency, draw boundaries whenever required, be present in the moment, and prioritize what’s absolutely necessary at that given moment. However, this business is my baby as well, and when you have a supportive partner who is also in the same business as you, we pretty much manage our family and work together. CC: While on the move, what helps you the most in maintaining calm and peace? I’m not just a business founder, but I play many roles. I’m a daughter, a wife, a daughter-in-law, and a mother of two. While I’m on the move, there is not just work but even personal life to manage. And I’m not going to shy away from the truth that a few days get extremely busy, but at the end of the day, when I see my kids with the brightest smile and the purest form of love, I instantly feel calm and at peace. CC: What keeps you fit and healthy? Being fit and healthy should be important for everything. I cannot drag myself to the gym; however, I walk a lot. I take most of my morning meetings while I’m on the go. I love dancing as well, and the joy doubles up because sometimes 68 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Susmitha Lakkakula

I dance with my daughter. Apart from that, I do yoga on a regular basis. The one thing I never compromise on is my eating habits. I’m very mindful of what I eat and I keep it as healthy as possible. CC: How do you like to rejuvenate, recharge and de-stress? As I have mentioned earlier, I play multiple roles, and sometimes my day gets busier than usual. But stress is not a part of my life, my personality is generally a calm personality who is driven to find solutions to problems instead of being stressed about them. But my simple mechanism to rejuvenate and recharge is my children. They are one of my biggest supporters and strengths, and at the end of the day, when I look at them, I feel energized instantly. CC: Five tips that work the best for you to maintain a work-life balance. Maintain a daily routine Manage your time efficiently and plan your day beforehand Delegate and trust your subordinates with their tasks Set boundaries Take out one hour for yourself on a daily basis and do an activity that gives you joy CC: Do you play any game which helps you in your work? Not sports, but I’m going to say dancing. I love dancing and it teaches great life lessons. The most important thing it teaches you is that you cannot master anything in a day and that you need to learn the basics. Other things that it teaches are being disciplined, the importance of team work, being determined and that happiness comes from within. CC: What is the secret of your success? It’s a simple formula: always have a bigger picture, a vision of your dream. But to achieve it, break that down into smaller pieces and achieve it one step at a time. CC: How has your journey been? How did you cope up with challenges? The journey has been a refreshing, cherishing, and challenging one. I come from a tech background, and I had to understand this industry and make a difference. I have personally visited customers and understood their needs and challenges, learned about tailoring, and more. I have come a long way, and it feels good to see the company grow and reach where it is now, but we still have a long way to go. CC: What is your philosophy of work? It is about being a north star for not just your immediate subordinates but everyone in the

I love dancing and it teaches great life lessons. The most important thing it teaches you is that you cannot master anything in a day and that you need to learn the basics —Susmitha Lakkakula company, which means you need to have clarity of thought and conviction in what you do. It is the leader who usually sets the tone and vibe of the organization. I believe in giving people freedom and opportunities. Another thing I believe is that everyone in the organization is aware that one should not be scared to make mistakes as one learns from every mistake. CC: What message would you like to give to youngsters on Time Management? The one piece of advice I would give today’s youngsters is to be disciplined. Discipline is very important in all aspects of life. One should have a routine for everything they do and the desire to learn new things, whether professional or personal, because it is now critical to be skilled in areas other than the one in which they specialize.

CC: What dreams remain to be fulfilled? It is said that one should never stop dreaming, and I’m one of them. But I believe in realistic dreams - dreams that can turn into reality. I come from a background where the first priority is always being an engineer backed up by a good job. I never thought that I would be the founder of a company, but after moving from a full-time job to launching my second start-up, I have come a long way. And my current dream is to make CloudTailor the first stop for personalized fashion for women. CC: Where do we see you 10 years from now? When COVID hit, I decided that I’m going to live in the moment. Having said that, I always want to stay ahead of the curve and reinvent myself. 10 years from now, I want CloudTailor to be a brand with such a strong recall that when you think of tailoring services for women, you think of CloudTailor. I also want to make a real difference in the world and in people’s lives. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

Indians students overtake Chinese, studying in the UK Indian students have for the first time overtaken Chinese as the largest group of foreign students studying in the UK with a massive 273% hike in visas granted over the past few years, according to the country’s official immigration statistics released on Thursday.

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 69

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Dada J.P. Vaswani

It’s time to Renew Our Lives!

Renew the spirit of life – make a fresh start. Throw away the accumulated dead matter, the emotional garbage of the past, and the negative energy that has built up over the years. Offload the dead weeds; make a new beginning, now and here!

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often wonder when man will learn to live a life of serenity. When will he give up those ceaseless desires that drive him and haunt him, to begin a new phase on the journey of life? It is said that this world is a lake. The waters of which are rejuvenating. Man can live in the world and can work on his ‘self ’ for growth and development. Man has to develop a yearning for the Lord. Doing his daily chores, he should call out, “O Lord, make me anew. Make me peaceful. For, I am a peaceful soul.” Let me ask each one of you: Are you happy with the way you live your life? Has the rat race left you with a sense of achievement and satisfaction? Do you get joy and contentment from gossip, interference in other people’s life, and thoughtless bickering? Do you achieve anything by wasting your energies on utterly futile pursuits? Maybe, at the peak of frustration, you come to realise that your life has been wasted, that you have thrown away golden moments which could have been more productive, more constructive, and better organised. Renowned writer, Wayne Dyer, uses the same metaphor of the drama, to tell us: “Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.” Why do we cling to the past? I think it is because we do not realise what the bard said so memorably: “all the world is a stage, and all the men and women are merely players”. This world is a leela, the Divine play of the Lord; and each of us is assigned to play a role. The role is played under the benevolent supervision of the Divine Producer-Director. A play has several characters, some good and some evil. Just as actors play their part on the stage, so too do we live our lives – the characters may be obnoxious, fighting among themselves, or staging an emotional portrayal of hate, love, and grief. Once the curtain falls, they return back to the green room, wipe the makeup off their faces, change into their everyday clothes and resume their ordinary lives. The villain and the hero vowed to destroy each other, embrace and congratulate 70 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Make a fresh start in 2023. Throw away the accumulated dead matter, the emotional garbage of the past, the negative energy built up over the years. Offload the dead weeds, the negativity; make a new beginning, now and here each other, wish all the actors good night, and depart for their homes, once the play is over. Similarly, we too have come here to ‘play our role’ in several relationships. Once we leave this physical body and enter the life beyond, we return to our homeland, to our True Self. Then we realise that the hurt, sorrow, grief, hate and envy accumulated over a lifetime are nothing but needless, irrelevant waste. These negative emotions get embedded deep in the subconscious and stay with us. If we don’t wipe them away at the end of every performance, they will

be carried into our next life, creating more misery and unhappiness. The point is that the unhappiness we experience in life is our own creation. As I said earlier, it is we who have chosen the role we are to play in this life. We have written the script and chosen our part. The script is ours, and so is the dialogue. It is no use blaming others for it. The script is written after much thought and enacted under the perfect direction of the Director and the Producer. After the play, we too meet each other, hug, and embrace with joy. In the same way, saints urge us to stand outside of ourselves and witness our acts; to view our life as audiences view a play, an enactment, or a movie. This will help us to be detached. Much of the ‘excess baggage’ of negative emotions would fall by the wayside, making our earth pilgrimage easier and happier for all concerned with us. It is good to wrap up all of today’s ups and downs, and lose them in your sleep, so that you may open a fresh new page on the morrow. Renew the spirit of life – make a fresh start in 2023. Throw away the accumulated dead matter, the emotional garbage of the past, the negative energy that has built up over the years. Offload the dead weeds, the negativity; make a new beginning, now and here.

Monthly

SURVEY

The new

FRONTIER

Leaders in recent years have pushed their companies and themselves beyond their comfort zones, embracing modes of working that are almost completely digital. And with each new venture has come new cyber risks. With a view to understand and mitigate these risks, pwc has surveyed c-suite exeutives from companies across the globe, including in India, to understand their perceptions about cyber risks, coming out with the 2023 Global Digital Trust Insights report. Corporate Citizen brings you the results.

Compiled by Neeraj Varty 72 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Progress in cybersecurity since 2020

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ore than 70% of the 3,522 business and tech executives we surveyed saw improvements in their enterprise’s cybersecurity this year — thanks to cumulative investments and C-suite collaboration. More than a quarter (26%) reported progress in all 10 of the areas identified as critical to cyber maturity.

India compared to the world

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ndia’s C-suite has seen a larger improvement, and over 80% (global: 70% and above) of the respondents saw an increase in their cybersecurity team’s accomplishment. The maximum improvement has been seen in the field of technology security. February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 73

SURVEY Goalposts keep moving

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ewer than 40% of respondents say they have fully mitigated the risks their bold moves incurred since 2020. Remote work (38%) and the move to the cloud (35%) have commanded the most attention. Larger organisations (more than USD 1 billion in revenues) and those based in North America are far more likely to have said they’ve mitigated these risks.

Biggest threats

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enior executives worry that their enterprise isn’t fully prepared to address heightened threats. Topping the 2023 list of rising organisational threats are cybercriminal activity (65%); mobile devices (41%), email (40%), cloud-based breaches (38%); and business email compromise/account takeover (33%) and ransomware (32%). In the Indian context, as far as threat actors are concerned, cybercriminal activity (77%) takes the top spot in line with global findings.

74 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Pathways most vulnerable for exploitation

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espondents were asked what they thought were the pathways most likely to be exploited. Cloud-based pathways (59%) and the internet of things (58%) take the top spots, followed by mobile devices and software supply chain (54%).

Cloud based threats on the rise

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loud-based threats are increasing at nearly 40% of organisations. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of senior executives say they haven’t fully mitigated the risks of cloud adoption. The news isn’t all negative. Half of CISOs, CIOs and CTOs say they’ve made progress in putting governance in place, credential management, resource permissioning, cloud security configurations and API management.

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 75

MOBILE APPS

The Best Apps for Sharing Large Files With WFH becoming the norm rather than the exception, there are several instances when we have to send or receive large files from our smartphones. Emails usually have an attachment limit of 25 MB, and it is not possible to send larger files over email. That is where file sharing apps come in. Download these apps, and ensure that you have a smooth WFH experience, wherever you are.

By Neeraj Varty

76 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

SHAREit

SHAREit is a Wi-Fi file transfer app. As long as two people on the same network have the app installed on their device, they can transfer files at up to 200 times the speed that Bluetooth allows. Indeed, the highest transfer speed is 42MB/s and no quality is lost. This means you can share a 1GB file in less than 30 seconds. The app supports many file formats, allowing you to send long videos, share large files, and push music files to friends’ devices

Send Anywhere

Send Anywhere is a long-distance file transfer app that also supports Wi-Fi sharing. Unlike many other apps that can send large videos, Send Anywhere does not require you to make an account before you can use the service. Instead, it uses secure sockets layer (SSL) security and a six-digit key to pair two devices together. The app supports sharing files with multiple people at the same time.

Filemail

Under the hood, Filemail is a file-sharing app. However, it tries to replicate the email experience as closely as possible. When you hit the send button, the receiver will get a simple email link in their inbox. Click the link and the file will start downloading; you don’t need to perform the download via a standalone site. If the receiver has the Filemail app installed, they can also download directly via the app’s interface.

EasyShare

EasyShare is perhaps the best file transfer app that works without the internet. Although it uses Bluetooth to transfer files, EasyShare makes the process much faster. So, this is certainly a good option if you want to transfer large files without using mobile data. EasyShare lets you transfer apps, videos, files, photos, music, and contacts. The receiver can receive the file by scanning a QR code or connecting to a hotspot connection provided by the app.

([email protected])

FROM THE MOBILE

(For representational purpose only)

Saccha Sauda

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ince I was not using it for a long time, my old moped (scooty) was becoming obsolete. I thought why not resell it online. So I put out an advertisement, quoting its price at Rs 30,000. There were many offers ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 28,000. I thought if people are willing to pay Rs 28,000, someone might be ready to pay Rs 29,000-30,000 as well. One person offered Rs 29,000 but I didn’t confirm and kept him waiting too. One morning a person called and said, “Hello Sir, I saw the advertisement for your moped and liked it too. I tried a lot to earn Rs 30,000 but have only been able to collect Rs 24,000 until now. My son is in his final year of engineering. He has worked very hard. Sometimes he walks to his college, or uses a bicycle, and sometimes travels by bus or takes a lift from someone. I thought at least in his final year he should have his own vehicle. I request you Sir, please reserve

your scooty for me. A new one will cost more than twice as much. I would not be able to afford it at any cost. Please give me some time, I will arrange for the money. Selling my mobile phone will also get me some money. But I pray to you, please do not sell it to anyone else.” I just said a formal “Okay” and hung up. Then a few thoughts came to mind, and I called him back. I said, “Don’t sell your mobile phone; just bring the Rs 24,000 tomorrow morning, and take the vehicle. I will sell it to you in Rs 24,000 itself.” So I was going to sell my scooty to an unknown person for Rs 24,000, even though I had an offer for Rs 29,000. I thought of how much pleasure or joy this must have brought to that family. Tomorrow, they would have a scooter at home, and it wasn’t really causing much loss to me. God has been gracious and given me a lot; the biggest wealth

probably is the ability to help someone in need. May God keep this family happy. The next morning, he called at least 6-7 times. “Sir, what time should I come?” “I hope it will not disturb your schedule.” “Are you sure I should come now?” “Shall I bring my son along, or should I come alone?” “But Sir, please don’t give the vehicle to anyone else.” He brought with him a collection of Rupee notes in various denominations – 2000, 500, 200, 100, and 50. His son had also joined him. It seemed he had collected the money from a lot of different sources – maybe withdrawn savings, or borrowed from many. The son was looking at the moped with great eagerness and gratitude. I handed him both the keys, and the documents. The son was gently running his hand over the vehicle, and wiping it with his handkerchief. He asked me to count the money, and I said, “It’s okay, you must have counted and brought it.” As they started to leave, I took out Rs 500 and returned it to him saying, “Do take some sweets for your family.” I was wondering whether they would have any money for fuel. And in any case, then they could get both fuel and sweets with this money. With tears of gratitude in his eyes, he bid farewell to us and took away his moped. Bowing down politely, he kept thanking me again and again till he left. It was on that day, while selling my moped, that I really understood the meaning of pleasure or joy. We simply say ‘it’s my pleasure’. At some occasions in life, one should not see profit or loss. We should also consider if we are bringing joy to someone through our actions and dealings. “Give your money. Give your time. Most importantly, give your love. Just as the muscles of the body need exercise, similarly, the qualities of the heart also need to be harnessed. And you know what’s said about exercise - it makes us happy.”

Things which will only get better Don’t prioritize your looks my friend, as they won’t last the journey. Your sense of humour though, will only get better with age. Your intuition will grow and expand like a majestic cloak of wisdom. Your ability to choose your battles, will be fine-tuned to perfection. Your capacity for stillness, for living in the moment, will blossom. Your desire to live each and every moment will transcend all other wants. 78 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Your instinct for knowing what (and who) is worth your time, will grow and flourish like ivy on a castle wall. Don’t prioritize your looks my friend, they will change forevermore, that pursuit is one of much sadness and disappointment. Prioritize the uniqueness that make you, and the invisible magnet that draws in other like-minded souls to dance in your orbit. These are the things which will only get better. Donna Ashworth From ‘the right words’

The Soul Journey

To not conceal or suppress my gifts and talents In order to make others feel more comfortable But to embrace what makes me me

Patience visited me And it reminded me That good things take time to come to fruition And grow slowly with stability

Focus visited me And it reminded me That other people’s insecurities and judgements about me Are not my problem And I should redirect my attention From others back to me

Peace visited me And it reminded me That I may remain calm through the storms of life Regardless of the chaos surrounding me Hope visited me And it reminded me That better times lay ahead And it would always be there to guide and uplift me Humility visited me And it reminded me That I may achieve it Not by trying to shrink myself and make myself less

W

But by focusing on serving the world and uplifting those around me Kindness visited me And it reminded me To be more gentle, forgiving and compassionate toward myself And those surrounding me Confidence visited me And it reminded me

Freedom visited me And it reminded me That no one has control over my mindset, thoughts and wellbeing But me And love visited me And it reminded me That I need not search for it in others As it lies within me. Words by Tahlia Hunter

‘Pause’

e are racing to get ahead of others. We eat fast, work fast and are reluctant to slow down for anything. Impatience, restlessness, and loss of emotional control take a toll on whatever we think, feel and do. To hit the pause button enables us to get the much-needed breathing space that is only ours. ‘Practice the Pause’ is a famous life quote used by Lori Deschene, An American author. It simply means a learned skill, where you take a break, stop or cease to react, speak or act. Lori recommends Pause before judging, Pause before assuming, Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you’re about to react harshly& you’ll avoid doing and saying things you’ll regret later. Do not react to the various events in your life automatically, rather stop for some time and think about the situation, before responding to it. ‘Practice the Pause’ is a lifelong good habit for our ultimate well being. Just pause for some time and be with the present moment. For me, the two areas where I need to practise the pause is A) The anger pause: We need to stop our instant and knee jerk re-

sponse to the various stimuli that we come across. Example – irritation and rage during a traffic snarl which makes us restless. Connect to your wiser self by learning to cease, understand and then act. This pause needs to be taken to control your anger. You become angry when you do not get the desired response which you think is right. Anger demands immediate catharsis of our negative emotions. Reacting to what is said to us without thinking about the bad effects of it needs to be stopped. Anger impacts your relationships so it is desirable to practice the pause to maintain a healthy connection. A little pause helps you to analyze the situation logically and assertively. It ensures peaceful negotiations of issues. Take time out before reacting harshly so that you need not repent later.

When you pause in an angry situation, you develop the ability to master your emotions and do not let your anger overcome you. B) the doubt pause A doubtful person can neither be comfortable with themselves nor with others. It is necessary to take a pause or cease your feelings and actions temporarily when you feel doubtful. It gives you a chance to look into the situation more clearly and then respond to it. You can use your past experiences and learning to analyze the reasons for your doubt. The pause enables you to find out the unawareness about the situation or the self. A break or pause helps to evaluate your intentions and emotions that surround it. Taking a pause also helps to quieten the thoughts and reflect on what lies under the triggers. Practise the pause, start with this Sunday & stay blessed forever.

(Articles published in this ‘From the Mobile’ pages are WhatsApp forwards. Corporate Citizen does not independently vouch for their authenticity. It’s a fun page. Enjoy)

February, 2023 / Corporate Citizen / 79

CLAPS & SLAPS CORPORATE CITIZEN CLAPS FOR PURNIMA DEVI BARMAN, RECIPIENT OF THE CHAMPIONS OF THE EARTH AWARD, THE UN’S HIGHEST ENVIRONMENTAL HONOUR IN THE ‘ENTREPRENEURIAL VISION’ CATEGORY. She is a senior project manager of the Avifauna Research and Conservation Division, Aaranyak. A wildlife biologist from Assam, Purnima Devi, has been championing the cause of the greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius), locally known as the Hargila or ‘bone swallower’ in Assamese, and is the 2nd rarest stork species worldwide. “Purnima Devi Barman’s pioneering conservation work has empowered thousands of women, creating entrepreneurs and improving livelihoods while bringing the greater adjutant stork back from the brink of extinction,” said Inger Andersen, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In 2007, Purnima Devi began her mission to protect the stork and focused on the villages around Kamrup district, where the birds were most concentrated. She knew they needed protection as the carnivorous birds inhabit wetland ecosystems and clean the environment. They are also significant for nutrient cycling and ecosystem regulation. Currently, only 1,200 Hargilas are surviving worldwide as per a 2016 IUCN Red List update which classifies the bird as ‘endangered.’ Purnima Devi’s love for birds began at age five when she lived with her grandparents on the banks of the Brahmaputra. It built a greater passion, and after she completed her master’s degree in Zoology, she began her Ph.D. on the greater adjutant stork. She delayed her thesis by observing that the species were nearing extinction and aimed at keeping them alive. However, she had to change perceptions amongst the locals first as these birds are considered bad omens, bad luck, or disease carriers. She has gained support from 10,000+ village women who constitute the ‘Hargila Army’ in preserving the endangered stork population. Their primary tasks involve protecting nesting sites, treating injured storks that have fallen from their nests, and also arrange “baby showers” to celebrate the arrival of newborn chicks. The Hargila Army has helped communities plant 45,000 saplings near stork-nesting trees and wetland areas that support future stork populations. Purnima Devi has won several accolades, including the 2017 prestigious ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ and the equally acclaimed Whitley Award or the ‘Green Oscar.’

Purnima Devi Barman Biologist and her Hargila Conservation wins National Award in 2017

80 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

CORPORATE CITIZEN SLAPS THE INTENTIONS OF CORRUPT JEWELLERS, MOSTLY IN THE UNORGANISED SECTOR, WHO HAVE MANIPULATED THE LOGO STANDARDS SCHEME PRESCRIBED BY THE BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS) TO SELL FAKE HALLMARKED GOLD.

Fake counterfeit hall marked gold in circulation by dishonest jewellers

Unscrupulous jewellers have been conspiring with a few hall markers in marking gold with the old logos prescribed by the BIS. The Indian gold hallmarking standards under BIS mark purity (cartage) and jewellers’ initials. However, corrupt jewellers have been passing off adulterated or sub-standard, and in some cases, smuggled gold as under old stock, with logos adhering to the old BIS standards and not the 2021 mandatory BIS guidance. It has increased consumers’ risk of buying fake hallmarked gold that has been flooding the market. The Hallmarking Federation of India (HFI) has currently alerted the misuse of the gold standards prescribed via a letter to the central government. “The implementation of the mandatory HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) logo from June 2021 starting from 288 districts was a landmark event in consumer protection,” wrote the HFI. However, dishonest jewellers decided to buy more time in adhering to the new directives claiming unsold stock that was hallmarked under the old scheme, which was discretionary. “The old logo was not foolproof, unlike the HUID,” said James Jose, President of HFI. He clarified that “fake hallmarked” gold has been circulating along with the HUID gold in the Indian market. In June 2021, the ministry of consumer affairs introduced mandatory hallmarking through a unique, six-digit alpha-numeric code, or the unique hallmark identification (HUID), that guarantees the quality and quantity of gold purchased. Jose said there is an immediate need to fix a cut-off date by the government that should discontinue the sale of gold hallmarked under the old logos. “We need to take the momentum of mandatory hallmarking to the remaining 400 districts of the country,” said the HFI. The 2021 HUID scheme now faces the challenge of imposing strict adherence and control across the market, lest it takes the sheen off India as the world’s 2nd largest gold consumer. (Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar)

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THE LAST WORD

India’s Pathways to Success Ganesh Natarajan

S

Where does India stand today economically, socially and politically, 75 years after Independence? Where should it aspire to go from here in the next 25 years as it touches the milestone of 100 years of Independence in 2047?

hould India become a manufacturing powerhouse to rival China? Or should it stay content with services and become the Information Superpower of the world? What about pursuing new opportunities in agriculture, healthcare and other segments to become the world’s best user of technology to create globally best-in-class industries? Can a new wave of research and innovation be unleashed to transform urban and rural habitats where high-quality education and skills are available to create sustainable livelihoods through employment and entrepreneurship? At the Pune International Centre, which is arguably one of the best think tanks and a crucible of futuristic thought in the country, the success of our first book “Rising to the China Challenge” and the satisfaction of seeing many of our ideas for the success of India visa vis its belligerent neighbour actually being announced and partly implemented by a confident Government and a surging post-COVID industrial community enthused some of us so much that we decided to go deeper and think about India in the next decade. One of the well-known global thinkers about India and a former Chief Economist at the World Bank, Dr Ejaz Ghani and I were tasked by our leadership, Padma Vibhushans Dr Raghunath Mashelkar and Dr Vijay Kelkar to compile and edit a tome that would open up pathways to India’s future. Will India be able to achieve the target of a $5 trillion GDP in the foreseeable future? What role will agriculture, manufacturing, mobility and digital India play in accelerating the process? And will there be enablers like planned urbanisation or deterrents like social disharmony and trust deficits that would have to be addressed en route to success? All of us who got down to collaborate in the thinking through and writing of this epic agreed that we would like to see ourselves as proud Indians in an inclusive and democratic society. The book that just got published and is now available on book stories and the internet is the product of that deep thinking and calibrated writing. 82 / Corporate Citizen / February, 2023

Winning in the Next Decade is a compilation of well curated and sequenced chapters by some of the best minds in India. It uses a lens of success to view the past, examine the present and identify torches that can shine into the darkness of the unknown and determine robust pathways for the future. The torchbearers include Harshvardhan Singh, former Deputy Director-General at the WTO, Chairman of KPIT Ravi Pandit, renowned economist Prof Ajay Shah, Abhay Vaidya of PIC and of course Dr Mashelkar and Dr Kelkar. One very heart-warming fea-

ture of a milestone year was the ready agreement by very senior Indian citizens like Bibek Debroy, Chairman Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India and Ronen Sen, former Indian Ambassador to the USA to write endorsements for the book. For me personally, all the blood, sweat and toil of co-creating the book became worthwhile when tech industry doyen, Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys wrote a brilliant foreword to the book. Calling out “the challenges, the opportunities and the exciting future that can come our way if we follow the policy prescriptions laid out so lucidly by various authors in the book” Mr Murthy acknowledges “fountainheads of enthusiasm and positivism, and generators of great ideas” and recommends the book

to Universities, saying “it will give our young minds some raison d’être for their three to four years of mental gymnastics, devotion and hard work. It will also turn them into enlightened and determined citizens full of enthusiasm to achieve the plausibly impossible for our nation.” In an era where many millennials and Gen Ys and Gen Zs get their dose of knowledge and learning through social media and the fine art of turning the pages and pondering over a line or paragraph is becoming a forgotten art, books like this may seem like a throwback to a previous era but for people passionate about literature, culture, industry and the future of a great country like India, there is no better time to start thinking and actively planning for their place in the future that all of us aspire to see. A new year has begun, with the world at the proverbial crossroads with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the twin demons of inflation and economic slowdown creating worries about the future of countries and jobs and successful people worried that the future generations may not even enjoy the success and freedoms that they have enjoyed. These are the times when thinkers, visionaries and successful entrepreneurs must come forward to lead the way. Is India on the threshold of unprecedented global success? Certainly, for “dangerous optimists” like us, all the opportunities are abound and to carry forward the hypothesis laid in our last book, we have to identify sectors where we can lead and overcome structural weakness in industries where we have lagged behind China and the West and show that we have the will and the ability to become numero uno. This book is just one road map to that extraordinary future! Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World and co-editor of the new PIC on the future of India

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