INTERVIEW CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 7, Issue No.20 - March 16-31, 2022 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68­

www.corporatecitizen.in

Sambit Panda, Zonal Business Head-West & Central, IFB Industries Ltd

DYNAMIC DUO

GOOD FOOD STARTUP

How Sahil Jain gave up his corporate job to join Meena Jain, his mother's nutritional startup company, Mighty Millets, to make it a delicious and healthy success story

Sahil Jain

SPIRITUAL DIMENSION Delete distress from your corporate life with tips to regain a calm mind, by young Swami Purnachaitanya

Meena Jain

SURVEY Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey 2021

TRIBUTE Arun Firodia, Chairman, Kinetic Engineering group, recalls his personal association with late Rahul Bajaj

FEEDBACK Cultural Catalyst

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

R CONTEMPO Pune - Vol. 7, Issue

GEM ARY MANA

No.16 -January 16-31,

2022

GHTS ENT THOU

`50/- Pages (Fortnightly) - Price

68

.in

www.corporatecitizen

CEO, Jaithirth Rao, founder and formerist Gandhi” and Mphasis, on his book, “Economand capitalism hy Gandhi’s economic philosop

S: SOCIAL WORK LEADERSHIP SERIE

KWAD

MAHARANI RADHIKARAJE GAE

nthropy

Phila Your recent Cover Story, from the featuring an interview of Maharani of Baroda, Palace Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Radhikaraje Gaekwad, the Maharani of (Issue16, dated 16-31 January Baroda, on her 2022) recounting the journey philanthropic mission, ural heritage cult of her philanthropic mission, conservation and cultural heritage conservation empowering women and empowering women, SURVEY which she says was her true calling. It is really inspiring to know what she is doing is breaking the traditional stereotype. We feel proud to know that Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad has been declared the most beautiful woman of the Indian state by the Forbes Magazine and the Laxmi Villa Palace in Baroda, is spread across 700 acres and is four times the size of Buckingham Palace, making it the world’s largest private residence. Kudos to Corporate Citizen for bringing such an inspiring interview in their newly started Leadership column.  —Krishna Paraste, engineering student

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!

COVID-19 and the Future of Business Report

Tadkas—quirky and interesting tidbits

I have a more limited attention span than most people. As a result, I am always on the lookout to enhance my knowledge about any topic in the shortest time possible. Corporate Citizen, through its fascinating Tadka series, is my current go-to source for information about quirky, interesting tidbits. Tadkas are liberally peppered throughout the magazine and are always diverse and encompass everything from politics to science. I have not seen a similar series in any other business magazine I subscribe to. I have come across several people who have nice things to say about CC but have never actually met anyone who singled out the Tadka series, so thought I should congratulate the editorial team for making the magazine a joy to read through Tadkas.  —Amit Kumbhar, technology evangelist

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

Circulation NOTICE to ‘Corporate Citizen’ Subscribers Dear Readers, We hereby inform our esteemed subscribers of ‘Corporate Citizen’ magazine that we have a Postal Registration Licence. Under this registration, the date of posting is 1st and 16th of each month from Pune. Please allow minimum of seven days to reach your destination in India. If subscribers do not get a copy of any fortnight, do alert us by email at: [email protected] OR call on +91 9307901295 / +91 9307901296. Just send your subscriber name and full postal address.

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

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: [email protected]

''Corporate Citizen" Fortnightly is Owned by Sri Balaji Society, Published and Printed by Paramanandhan Balasubramanian, Printed at M/s. Abhishek Creations, 987, Sadashiv Peth, Dnyan Prabodhini Road, Pune - 411 030 and Published at S. No. 55/2-7, Tathawade, Near Wakad, Off Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass, Pune - 411 033. Editor - Vinita Vishwas Deshmukh.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 3

First Thought

The priority for workplaces in the new normal?

Well-being T

he Covid-19 pandemic has made it painfully clear that the well-being of the workforce is in jeopardy. At a time when more than half of Americans say the pandemic has negatively affected their mental health, employees are needing and increasingly demanding additional support from their employers. A November report from McKinsey showed that 62 per cent of employees globally consider mental-health issues to be a top challenge during the Covid-19 crisis, with higher reporting among diverse groups. The same report paints a picture of employers that are scrambling to meet the moment: 96 per cent of companies globally provided additional mental-health resources to employees, but only one in six employees reported feeling supported. Moreover, the costs associated with not addressing employees’ mental-health issues cumulate to a material impact of hundreds of billions of dollars—from lower motivation and work productivity, to increased calls to mental-health services, to anxiety about unprecedented family needs. Mental health occurs along a continuum, with thriving and positive mental health on one end and serious mental illnesses or addictions on the other. In between, there are a range of conditions that vary in intensity and impact that employers need to understand and support. To truly build a more resilient workforce and rebuild the economy in 2021 and beyond, employers should prioritise well-being, which is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. Well-being can be achieved when our mind, body, and sense of purpose lead us to feel positive about ourselves and satisfied with our lives. Businesses should treat well-being as a tangible skill, a critical business input, and a measurable outcome. Well-being is a skill that we can all learn and model Well-being as a skill is a daily intention that can be enhanced by elements including meditation, sleep, exercise, nutrition, community belonging, a spiritual connection, and more. Forward-thinking companies will em4 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

(For representational purpose only)

By talking about well-being and backing it with action, leaders can eliminate a work culture that implies work should come before personal needs. -By Liz Hilton Segel

Well-being as a skill is a daily intention that can be enhanced by elements including meditation, sleep, exercise, nutrition, community belonging, a spiritual connection, and more brace well-being not as a vague concept, but as an index of learnable actions and daily behaviour. Like any skill, well-being must be practiced every day. Employers who want to build a workplace that prioritises well-being will treat it like a growth priority by rolling out self-assessment exercises and measuring improvement against the skills needed to achieve well-being. This, in turn, allows employees to identify their starting points, discover their building blocks, and track their own improvement. Each of us will have a different set of practices and experiences that lead to a positive sense of well-being,

and others that cause stress, anxiety, or discomfort. It is critical to recognise this and actively cultivate the elements that enhance one’s well-being. Forward-looking companies will enable and empower employees to find the right mix of tools and experiences for their individual needs. For some, creating time to recharge means prioritising adequate sleep, exercise, or nutrition. Others might place emphasis on carving out time for mindfulness, disconnecting from technology or reconnecting with the community. We should anticipate that employees will seek out employers who not only commit to supporting well-being, but also have visible and accessible pathways for employees who need help and flexibility for customisation within their approach.

everyone is doing—and we are able to look at the data by geography, practice area, role, and other filters. While not a stand-alone solution, it allows us to identify areas we need to provide with more support, helps us measure the well-being of our workforce, and gives employees an option to request individualised and confidential support. We have rolled out additional training for all colleagues to provide early intervention support to those experiencing psychological distress, as well as resources to help employees develop skills that will nurture their wellbeing and build their emotional flexibility. In this moment, when technology allows the demands of work to permeate our lives 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there is a clear case for businesses to build their employees’ skills for well-being. The actions businesses take through this current global crisis will make us stronger in the future. As we navigate the challenges of today, our capacity to foster well-being in the face of uncertainty will determine the strength of our leadership tomorrow. (Liz Hilton Segel is a senior partner based in New York and managing partner for McKinsey in North America.) (This piece was originally posted on the World Economic Forum site at - https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/world-economic-forum/davos-agenda/perspectives/the-priority-for-workplaces-in-the-new-normal)

(For representational purpose only)

A better future is possible when businesses help build the skills for well-being We improve our ability to problem solve, present, communicate, resolve conflict, and lead at work through the coaching of colleagues and formal learning opportunities. In the same way, well-being should be treated as a business-critical skill that can be improved through training and development programs. It is crucial that leaders value their colleagues’ and peers’ well-being just as much as their technical skills, and it is their responsibility to model positive behaviour and prioritise supporting their colleagues’ own efforts. It could be as simple as building in well-being check-ins as part of team meetings and ensuring that key resources such as self-help tools are easily accessible. By talking about nurturing your well-being openly and backing it with significant action, leaders can eliminate a work culture that implies work should come before personal needs, and empower employees to invest in themselves so that they can be at their best for others. Moving forward, managers must be equipped to create a safe space for open conversations. Based on a recent McKinsey survey, only 30 per cent of employees say they feel comfortable talking to their manager about their mental health. Well-being cannot be achieved without creating workplaces that empower employees to prioritise themselves and talk about their overall well-being, specifically their mental health, as easily as they might discuss a broken arm. Employers should invest in training to equip their workforce with the skills, language, and norms needed to support these conversations. One simple yet powerful tactic we have implemented to measure the well-being of our workforce is sending out a weekly, one or two-question survey that simply asks, “How are you feeling?” This allows us to get a quick, automatic pulse each week on how

The actions businesses take through this current global crisis will make us stronger in the future. As we navigate the challenges of today, our capacity to foster well-being in the face of uncertainty will determine the strength of our leadership tomorrow

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 5

Contents

Volume 7 Issue No. 20 March 16-31, 2022 www.corporatecitizen.in

20

9

DYNAMIC DUO

GOOD FOOD STARTUP How Sahil Jain gave up his corporate job to join Meena Jain, his mother’s nutritional startup company, Mighty Millets, to make it a delicious and healthy success story

6 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

9 COLLYWOOD Chatpata Chatter from the Corporate World 14 EXPERT VIEW India too will have its own share of the impact, of the Russia-Ukraine conflict 16 WAX ELOQUENT Who said what and why 18 TRIBUTE Arun Firodia, Chairman, Kinetic

Engineering group, recalls his personal association with late Rahul Bajaj and gives a glimpse of his lesser-known aspects

14

16

26 SESSION Leading industry experts discuss how Metaverse is going to change the way we will shop because of AR/ VR, AI and Machine Learning 32 INTERVIEW Sambit Panda, Zonal Business-Head West & Central, IFB Industries Ltd, on his experiences derived from his 27 years of career journey and what it takes to be an effective salesperson

18

26

32

38 SPIRITUAL DIMENSION Delete distress from your corporate life with tips to regain a calm mind, by young Swami Purnachaitanya 44 AUTHOR SPEAKS Authors Tom Lillig and David Shurna, on their book ‘What’s Within You’ and 20 years of experience helping people break through the barriers in their lives and connect to their purpose

38

44

46

46 ME TIME Enjoy a few moments of fun, joy, health and happiness 48 CAMPUS PLACEMENT Saurabh Patil on his campus placement experience, his educational journey and the importance of practising yoga, and meditation for students

48

50

50 LOVED AND MARRIED TOO Yogini Gawali Jogdand and Pravin Jogdand, on how a ping led to a fullfledged conversation, a three-year courtship, and then the journey of a lifetime 52 WORK-LIFE BALANCE Zahabiya Gabajiwala, Founder and Principal Artist, ZA Works, on her work philosophy and how she maintains a work-life balance March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 7

CONTENTS 54 UNSUNG HEROES The story of Safin, from a poor family Kanodar village, Gujarat, who qualified UPSC CSE 2017 with Rank 570 in the first attempt and whose mission of life is to become a Collector 55 PEARLS OF WISDOM If you want your child to be exceptional, you must also become exemplary role models 56 SURVEY Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey 2021—trends and behaviour of consumers as they get their passion back for shopping after nearly two years of restraint 61 MOBILE APPS The best Android Auto apps for your car

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS

52 Our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Late Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian Editor Vinita Vishwas Deshmukh [email protected]

54 55

Senior Sub-Editor Neeraj Varty [email protected] Sub Editor Vineet Kapshikar [email protected] Creative Designer Pratap Waingade

66 THE LAST WORD India will need astute trade policies, robust economic growth and diplomatic finesse with our neighbours, China’s neighbours and the relevant nations of the world, to succeed

66

Assistant Editor & Senior Business Writer Rajesh Rao [email protected]

Writers Delhi Bureau Sharmila Chand [email protected]

56

Kolkata Bureau Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar [email protected] Pune Bureau Kalyani Sardesai [email protected] Ekta Katti [email protected] Namrata Gulati Sapra Manager-Circulation [email protected] West : Jaywant Patil, +91 9923202560 North : Hemant Gupta, +91 9582210930 Southern Head : Asaithambi G, +91 9941555389 [email protected]

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 feedback@ corporatecitizen.in We would love to hear from you. 8 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

On Cover Page Sahil Jain and Meena Jain Website / Online Subscription www.corporatecitizen.in 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)

COLLYWOOD

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Muthuswami is TCS Chairman, North America I T major, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has elevated Suresh Muthuswami as Chairman, North America, effective from April 1, 2022, as part of its leadership rejig for the North American region, one of TCS’s most significant markets in revenue terms. Muthuswami replaces veteran Surya Kant, who has been steering TCS North America for the past 16 years and is due for retirement at the end of the fiscal year. Reporting to Rajesh Gopinathan, CEO and MD, TCS— Muthuswami will helm corporate governance and corporate affairs. In his current role, Muthuswami is the President & Global Head of Banking,

Financial Services & Insurance Platforms at TCS, with an estimated 528.7 thousand employees and based in Edison, United States. Surya Kant’s 43 years at TCS includes his most recent role as the head of its BFSI Platform business. TCS’s move is seen as one of the most significant leadership changes announced by the company in recent years. The company has shuffled a few more roles for its North American businesses. Amit Bajaj will step in as President, TCS North America, and R Vivekanand will head the BFSI platforms. North America is one of TCS’s most prominent regions in terms of revenue contribution and registered a 49.7% contribution in the Financial Year 2021. According to analysts, the rejigs are a part of Gopinathan’s focus for the next five years to onboard the right people to head business units in scaling the company’s business.

Suresh Muthuswami

Accor appoints Pratima Badhwar as Commercial Head

A

Pratima Badhwar

ccor has appointed Pratima Badhwar as the Head of Commercial for India & South Asia. With her extensive background in Sales and Distribution within the hospitality industry, she will be responsible for India and the South Asia Commercial Team to meet business targets for all Accor brands and hotels in the region and execute global strategies. In her most recent role, she was the Area Director of Sales and Distribution—North India, Nepal and Bhutan. She defined and led the hospitality group’s sales and pricing strategy across all segments, evaluated market demand trends, and identified

and communicated strategic opportunities. She brings in 19-years of career experience as a contributor for various leadership roles in the hospitality segment. Her forte for creating and managing high-performing teams has enabled intangible products to translate into revenue. A collaborator, effective communicator, and result-oriented individual, she has driven business growth through her exemplary organisational skills. She holds a diploma in Hotel Management from IHMCTAN Chandigarh, affiliated with IHM Pusa. She was previously associated with the Marriott International Group. March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 9

COLLYWOOD HUL appoints Nitin Paranjpe as Chairman F MCG veteran Nitin Paranjpe, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Unilever has been appointed non-executive chairman of the `45,000 crore-Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) effective March 31, 2022. The former chairman, Sanjiv Mehta, will continue as the CEO & Managing Director (MD). As Mehta’s predecessor, Paranjpe, was the CEO of HUL between 2008 and 2013. With the new top rejigs, HUL has now separated the Chairman and CEO positions and the MD role to fall in line with global progressive governance trends. Although Paranjpe’s appointment as the non-executive chairman keeps up with good governance practices, industry watchers view it as a significant move to strengthen its relationship with parent Unilever. Unilever had recently appointed Paranjpe as the Chief Transformation Officer (COO) and Chief People Officer (CEO), and as

the business transformation leader and HR function head, effective April 2022. Paranjpe was CEO of Unilever’s India unit and served as the executive Vice President for South Asian regions from 2008 to 2013. He was appointed as the President of Unilever, homecare business and was also the President, Food and Refreshments in 2018. He became a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive in 2018 and the COO in 2019. Mehta welcomed Paranjpe back to the fold and acknowledged his significant knowledge and experience base for further value additions to the HUL board. Paranjpe is an alumnus of the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, the College of Engineering Pune (CoEP) and Jai Hind College, Mumbai. Nitin Paranjpe

Samiran Gupta joins Twitter as Head of Public Policy

T

Samiran Gupta

witter India has roped in public policy veteran Samiran Gupta as Head of Public Policy and philanthropy. He will lead the microblogging platform’s public policies department across India and South Asia. The appointment to this most pertinent role comes almost a year after Mahima Kaul, the former Public Policy Director for India and South Asia, resigned in February 2021. Gupta brings in a total of over 30 years of experience working across multiple companies assisting corporations in setting up industrial and services pursuits. He is considered an experienced public policy and stakeholder engagement leader. Kathleen Reen, Senior Director Public Policy and Philanthropy, APAC, Twitter, tweeted Gupta’s appointment through the

10 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

platform. Gupta was previously associated with a non-profit organisation, The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), for seven years and briefly held the position as the firm’s head for stakeholder engagement for South Asia. “Thrilled to join @Twitter to lead the Public @Policy team’s work to engage with govts, NGOs, and partners in India and South Asia. Can’t wait to get started with the incredible @Policy team and contribute towards an Internet that is a global force for good,” Gupta tweeted. His role assumes significance in the wake of the Government’s notified IT rules announced in 2021, making digital mediators more accountable and responsible for the content hosted on their platforms.

Takuta Tsumura named President & CEO of Honda Cars India

Reema Jain

H

Vi Chief Digital Officer steps down

R

eema Jain, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Vodafone Idea (Vi), has stepped down. Reema’s role was significant in setting up Vi’s digital function and has led the company to a certain level of functional maturity, as per an internal company email. Reema delivered remarkable progress on various digital parameters and objectives. She had laid the functional foundations enabling the company to elevate the digital organisation to the next growth and success levels. The third-largest telecom company is in the process of integrating its Consumer Digital product curation and delivery by bringing all its digital resources under different functions into a more holistic delivery model. Vi has re-aligned its digital business under three verticals: Consumer Digital Products & Partnerships, Consumer Digital Marketing, and Digital Delivery. All functions will be reporting to Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Vi had created their digital function a year ago and enhanced their partnership and synergy for functional digital agendas to drive more significant solution implementation for customers. Holding a B.E.(Electronics), she is an INSEAD (AI) alumna, specialised in Artificial Intelligence for business transformation.

onda Motors has appointed Takuta Tsumura as President & CEO of Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) effective April 1, 2022. The move is part of Honda’s annual management changes as Tsumura replac-

Takuta Tsumura

es Gaku Nakanishi, promoted as General Manager, Automobile Business for Honda’s Asia and Oceania region. Tsumura’s global experiences working in Thailand, Australia, China, Turkey, Japan and Europe are expected to steer the Japanese automobile major when it is going through one of its most challenging phases in India. From 1998 to 2000, Tsumura led Honda Cars’ head office for South Asian countries, including India. His association with the Japanese automaker dates back to over three decades. Market watchers hope to see how Tsumura kickstarts HCIL’s progress across newer markets and away from his predecessor’s shadow.

Susanne Pulverer promoted as CEO, IKEA India

Susanne Pulverer

I

KEA India, the local arm of the Swedish home furnishings retailer has appointed Susanne Pulverer as its new and first-ever woman Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). Susanne takes over from Peter Betzel, former India CEO, who has moved on within the IKEA Group. Before her new responsibility, Susanne was in charge of Group Business Risk and Compliance Manager at Ingka Group, IKEA’s

parent company which has prioritised India as an important market for them. Susanne joined IKEA in 1997 and has worked across different roles within the company. Her most recent top deck role is her third stint in India. She moved to India in 2007 and was the head of the purchasing function for IKEA South Asia and developed a strong connection and passion for India and its people. In her second stint in India, since 2011, Susanne came with the proper understanding of the company’s nerves and displayed her capabilities driving strategies in the Indian market. She again joined Ikea India in 2017 for five years as the MD at Ikea Communications, the in-house agency of Ikea. She led IKEA’s major transformation in driving better business and people results. In her last role in India, she led market development for the Delhi-NCR region, working towards the group’s sustainability agenda and local community initiatives, crucial to IKEA’s vision and mission in becoming a climate-positive business by 2030. She started her IKEA journey as Environmental Manager for the IKEA Group, Sweden, and held various roles in diverse business categories. March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 11

COLLYWOOD Jet Airways ropes in SriLankan Airlines’ Gunatilleka T

he Jalan-Kalrock consortium-owned Jet Airways has roped in former SriLankan Airlines’ CEO, Vipula Gunatilleka, as the airline’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective from March 1, 2022. Gunatilleka, an aviation expert and turnaround strategist, relinquished his CEO role with SriLankan Airlines in January 2022 to onboard Jet Airways. Gunatilleka was part of Jet’s Airway’s extended hiring process as part of the airline’s 2022 ‘take off’ plan, having been grounded for almost the last three years. A qualified chartered accountant, Gunatilleka was headhunted in 2018 to re-structure SriLankan Airlines. In less than two years as the CEO, he enabled the Srilankan national carrier to record a positive EBITDA and cash flow for 2019-20 despite the devastating April 2019 terror attacks in Sri Lanka, followed by

Vipula Gunatilleka

the global pandemic early 2020. Before joining SriLankan Airlines, Gunatilleka was the CFO & Board Member of TAAG Angola Airlines from November 2015 to July 2018 under Emirates Management and played a crucial role in turning around the loss-making Angolan national carrier. He is known for his deep-dive knowledge of aircraft financing, cost-efficient business modelling and openness to adopting hybrid models to keep business costs low and efficient. Jet Airways was grounded on April 17, 2019, due to a cash freeze under founder Naresh Goyal. In June 2021, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the insolvency resolution plan by the Jalan-Kalrock consortium, comprising British investor Kalrock Capital Management and UAE-based entrepreneur Murari Lal Jalan.

FCB Promotes Bella Patel as Global Talent Officer

A

gency Foote, Cone & Belding, or FCB has promoted veteran Bella Patel as the Global Chief Talent Officer. Patel has been associated with the agency in North America for more than a decade. The new role is part of the agency’s succession plan following former Chief Talent Officer, Cindy Augustine moving to McCann Worldgroup. Patel will directly report to the Global Chairperson and Global Chief Creative Officer, Susan Credle and Global CEO, Tyler Turnbull. As per reports, the Global Chief Talent Officer, Patel will team up with talent leads across the network’s offices

and build the agency’s inclusive culture and its “talent above all else” approach for recruitment and retention. She joined FCB in 2006 and since 2011, has led Human Resources. Under her leadership, FCB Chicago attracted and nurtured top talent fuelling the agency’s business and creativity. Before joining FCB, Patel worked with Raytheon Polar Services Company’s Antarctic program and Hyatt Hotels. As a talent champion, she hopes to helm the global role in partnership with transformational leaders like Susan and Tyler, who believe in talent as the most significant asset.

Bella Patel

(Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar) 12 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

EXPERT VIEW

Ramifications of Russia-Ukraine Conflict SK JHA

(IRS (retd) and former Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax)

The world is worried lest the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalates into a third World War, with global powers pitted on either side, Russia on the one hand and the western world allied as NATO on the other. There are fears of a nuclear threat too. Even without an all out war, sanctions have already sent out ripples, impacting oil supply and prices, skewing global economies. There can be tectonic shifts in geo-political equations too, the rising of new world powers and the diminishing of others. India too will have its own share of the impact of the conflict….

T

About Ukraine: Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe and is the second-largest country in the continent after Russia. A fully independent Ukraine emerged only in the late 20th century (December 1991) after long periods of successive domination by Poland, Lithuania, Russia and the USSR. Some portions of Ukraine were also ruled by Romania and Czechoslovakia in the past (between the two World Wars). After the breaking up of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine became a sovereign country along with nine other CIS countries. Ukraine is bordered by Belarus in the North, Russia in the east, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in the South, Moldova and Romania in the South-west and Hungary, Slovakia and Poland in the west. Importance of Ukraine: Ukraine is rich in mineral reserves, has fertile land and a highly educated 41 million population. Ukraine today is: First in recoverable reserves of Uranium Second in Europe and 10th in the world in Titanium reserves Second in the world in Manganese (12% of the world’s reserves) Second-largest iron ore reserves in the world Second-largest in Europe in mercury ore

(For representational purpose only)

he world is worried about the war situation in Ukraine, which could end up as the third World War. At the time of writing this column, Russia had already sent 1.80 lakh soldiers with sophisticated battle equipment on its border with Ukraine, and all indications pointed to an impending war.



Seventh in the world in coal reserves Very rich in agricultural produce as it is the fourth-largest producer of potatoes in the world, and First in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil.

Origin of the current crisis: After its independence, Ukraine had a pro-Russian government until 2014, when a pro-west president got elected. Russia started fuelling civil unrest in the two eastern provinces of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk. Separatists were helped by Russia. The people in these provinces were mainly of Russian origin. To add fuel to the fire, Russia has now (on 21st

14 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

February 2022) recognised these two provinces as independent countries and has officially recognised the separatist groups as running the governments in these two provinces. Donetsk and Luhansk are being used as launch pads for Russia. Despite the warnings of the US and the statement given by Russia that it will not start a war, the situation on the ground is that Russian missiles have landed in Kyiv (the capital of Ukraine). Things are changing every day. Ukraine is trying to fight the might of Russia all alone so far (while writing this column), no troops have been deployed by NATO to help Ukraine. There are threats of economic blockades and Germany has even taken the lead in stopping the work of oil-pipline-2. Russia in its

defence has said that missiles have been fired to target military installations. Things are getting complicated. Nobody knows the final outcome. Possible impact of the crisis: The impact of the crisis is going to be severe. Even without war, with economic sanctions, the situation is grim. Russia is on one side and Western Europe and the US on the other. This scenario will mean a world war and the result will be catastrophic. Global trade and the global economy will get hit hard in addition to the loss of lives. War may even have nuclear overtones and that will be disastrous. Some countries like the US may benefit from the sale of military equipment. Russia may be able to demonstrate its military power but its economy, which is not good even today, will badly suffer from economic sanctions. China may plan to swallow Taiwan if the US fails to fight for Ukraine. So far, China is silent despite its closeness with Russia. Recently, the US was criticised for its abrupt withdrawal from Afghanistan and allowing the Taliban to rule there. If the US fails to come out in active support to help Ukraine, then the US may lose its position of being a global leader. The position of being a global leader may be grabbed by China. The US will remain a rich country but not a leader if its allies are not helped at the time of need. Europe gets a large supply of oil and gas from Russia. War would lead to economic sanctions which will disrupt this supply chain. The gas crisis in Europe will have a serious impact on the availability of oil and gas the world over. There will be a very steep price rise of petroleum products and countries will suffer. Gas supply by Russia is almost at one-fourth the price of the US gas supplied to Europe at present, and this huge price difference will have a further jump in a situation of scarcity. Brent crude had reached $105 per barrel only on the worries of a possible war. Impact on India: Physically, India is far away from Ukraine but still, there will be serious problems for India. India imports almost 80% of its oil needs. With the price of crude oil going up in the world market, our import bill for oil will rise. There will be inflation in the country and our economy will suffer. We have not accounted for this problem in our Budget 2022 and this wild card entry will hit us hard. Secondly, the crisis will also impact our acquisition of weapons as Russia remains our main supplier and when Russia will suffer from bans, our supply will also suffer. Russian supply of S-400 missile is at present in the pipeline and the same may be the first casualty. We all know that with an adversary as powerful as China, this S-400 missile is tactically important for our military strategy. So far, India has remained neutral. Today, both US and Russia

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

A fully independent Ukraine emerged only in the late 20th century (December 1991) after long periods of successive domination by Poland, Lithuania, Russia and the USSR. Some portions of Ukraine were also ruled by Romania and Czechoslovakia in the past (between the two World Wars) are our friends. It is very difficult to side with one. It is a tight rope-walk for India and we have to avoid falling on either sides. One big issue emerging for India out of the present crisis may be emboldening China on our northern border. China may take a lesson from Russia and also from the fact that the US has remained inactive even for its allies and friends. However, the only safeguard for us is that China knows our power on the battleground of hilly areas. Fast-changing situation: When I started writing this column, the debate was whether a war will take place or not.But now, Russia has officially announced the war. Russian troops have attacked Ukraine on land, sea and air. People are losing lives. Most of the military installations of Ukraine have been destroyed. Ukrainian airpower has been crippled. Russia is giving a call for surrender while the Ukrainian President is giving a counter call of fighting. There is a possibility of the fall of Kyiv, an installation of a pro-Russian government. NATO is repeating threats of sanctions. But US or European troops have not come to Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has threatened the western world with nuclear consequences if they enter the war zone. We are witnessing a war in a small country but except for lip service, there

is no help on the ground. Russia knows that it has China with it, which will buy from it despite the sanctions. Currencies may not be a problem when cryptocurrencies are available these days. Our Prime Minister Modi has spoken to Putin to halt the war and also for the evacuation of about 20,000 Indians from Ukraine (mostly students). Lessons learnt: In the game of war, the words spoken are never true. President Putin stated that there will be no attack on Ukraine but the war started just after a short while after his statement. The UN is incapable of stopping a war even if it is illegal. Countries have to depend on their own strength and not expect help from others, even if they are friends. Russia is basically keeping Ukraine as a buffer state between itself and Western Europe. Russia does not want the force of NATO on its border. India, too, is suffering today as the buffer state of Tibet between India and China was taken away by China. Today, the Chinese are on our borders over a very long stretch. Foreign policy is dependent on national interests and not on the principles of morality. Bad things like wars benefit us in giving us a good experience. We learn to equip ourselves so as to fight against future problems. (Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not of the Corporate Citizen.) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 15

WAX ELOQUENT

Need of the hour Take a look at what our corporate leaders have to say about recent trends and their experiences in the business world

Uncertainty also brings with it endless opportunities “Since uncertainty is perceived as a threat, usually individuals, as well as large groups, get into survival modes. In the past, we have seen public and private enterprises perishing in survival mode. However, uncertainty also brings with it endless opportunities, even though it may be counterintuitive to human nature...uncertainty also often gives rise to new undiscovered needs.” Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO, Hero MotoCorp Courtesy: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

Ecosystem for startups “India has the thirdlargest ecosystem for startups in the world. The number of startups is growing significantly in the country with 10 per cent being added every year. There has been a significant growth in the number of companies and funding organisations that are attributing to this cause. But there is a need to build startups in areas of core research.” Sanjeev Malhotra, CEO, Nasscom Centre of Excellence for internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Our focus is on agile work “Our focus is on agile work. With work from home and remote work picking up, there are methods of doing agile in a distributed format, and it’s working effectively. We’re focused on reskilling employees, which has helped us shape and pivot to the growth that we have seen in digital.” Salil Parekh, CEO, Infosys Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Learnings from Covid challenges

“The first thing is to realise that it (work from home) works. It has been 18 months. We grew. In India, we probably did 60,000 recruitments in 2021, and have over 1.50 lakh employees. We can put anyone anywhere and we are developing that model and the platform.” Aiman Ezzat, Group CEO, Capgemini

“Covid waves have prepared most organisations to face uncertainties. Disruptions are going to be the new normal in the supply chain, human capital, reaching out to customers and a dynamic consumer preference bucket. Companies need to pick up customer and workforce trends, and respond dynamically.” Piyush Singh, senior managing director and lead for India Business, Accenture

Courtesy: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/

Courtesy: https://www.business-standard.com/

Work From Home works

16 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

Budget has done a reasonable job “It has done a reasonable job of ensuring job creation by increasing spending on public infrastructure by over 30 per cent. It also incentivises States to spend on infrastructure by providing loan guarantees on borrowings from the Centre. My expectation on investment in health and education was low and predictably nothing much happened there.” Naushad Forbes, co-chairman, Forbes Marshall Courtesy: https://indianexpress.com/

Make the best of the learning opportunities “It shouldn’t matter how big or small the company is, but what one contributes to the organisation. Learn the fundamentals of tech and it can be applied to any sector. And most importantly, take time to appreciate where you’re at. Take the time to appreciate the current project, the tech stack used, and make the best of the learning opportunities presented.” Nitin Mittal, CTO, Zee Entertainment Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Budget-making is all about prioritisation “Budget-making is all about prioritisation. It is true that millions of people are still in distress. But even if the FM puts money in their hands, it’s unlikely that they would have spent it given how uncertain they feel about their near and medium-term future. What they want is not doles, but regular incomes through steady jobs.” Duvvuri Subbarao, former Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Courtesy: https://indianexpress.com/

Meaningful participation in the digital economy “India and Singapore can partner to narrow the widening gulf between the digital haves and have nots by building digitally-inclusive communities. We also look forward to India finalising and passing its Personal Data Protection Bill, which will promote increased and meaningful participation in the digital economy.” Alvin Tan, minister of state, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/

Regulatory intervention should be the exception to the rule “Regulatory intervention should be the exception rather than the rule, in the competitive markets in which the digital infrastructure players operate. The need of the hour is an agile and light-touch approach that complements India’s efficiency and growth-oriented infrastructure push.” Sanjay Goel, retired bureaucrat and digital technology expert Courtesy: https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/

AI in transforming businesses “The promise of artificial intelligence in transforming businesses is appreciated by leadership across industries, however, the way AI is looked at, thought about, adopted, and used decides its impact on the organisation. In a fast-evolving business environment, AI needs to be paired with the ability to make more frequent, more responsive, and more accurate business decisions.” Anand Mahurkar, founder & CEO, Findability Sciences Courtesy: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/

We are a brand built on the strong foundations of the team “Myntra as an organisation is a brand that is built on the strong foundations of the team that it has, the fashion and the tech expertise the team has, and the kind of traction and adoption that we see from our consumers. While there was a lot of leadership churn, I think the foundation of who we are as a platform, the team, the passion for fashion, passion for technology, all of these things really made it very easy.” Nandita Sinha, CEO, Myntra Courtesy: https://www.livemint.com/

Educated crypto community is a must “The majority of the Indian population involved in crypto are banking on social media hype and other “sources” to place their bets on. This is a ticking bomb for the entire crypto community. I believe that an educated crypto community is a must for the market to grow sustainably. For this, educational initiatives and resources are to be developed with a certain degree of relevance and practicality.” Ankit Gaur, founder and CEO, EasyFi Courtesy: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/

Kooing in local language “India is predicted to have 900 million internet users by 2025. English-speakers constitute less than 10 per cent of our population. A major chunk of internet users in India was thus far not acquainted with the concept of micro-blogging due to existing platforms having an English focus. Koo is a pivot in that sense, a ‘Made in India’ app for first-time social media users and people who prefer to interact in their mother tongues.” Aprameya Radhakrishna, co-founder and CEO, Koo Courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/ (Compiled by Rajesh Rao) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 17

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

TRIBUTE

A Man who Minced No Words Late Rahul Bajaj

I

first met Rahul in Goregaon, Mumbai in the 1960s, before he left for the USA to pursue his MBA at Harvard University. He wanted to learn about engines before he went, so he requested my father (Late H. K. Firodia) to educate him. So my father, Abhay and I did an orientation for him over two to three days. Then he came back to India and trained under my father at Bajaj Tempo where he was the General Manager and Rahul worked as his Deputy General Manager. Thereafter, there was a split of the Bajaj and Firodia families, and my father was all set to quit Bajaj Auto. However, Kamalnayan Bajaj told my father that he should not leave Bajaj Auto in a hurry but must train Rahul before he left. My father was stumped at this strange request. He went to S L Kirloskar for advice. SLK asked him, “What do you think of this?’’ My father replied that he would like the company to prosper. SLK advised him to continue working but without pay, and not to sell any scooter on priority. He trained Rahul for six months and then left. So, the takeover can 18 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

“Doyen of the Indian Industry, a man who minced no words, one who was very easy going…” these are attributes that aptly fit the erstwhile scooter supremo Rahul Bajaj, reiterated by another two-wheeler honcho, Arun Firodia, Chairman, Kinetic Engineering Group, as he recalls his personal association with him, giving us a glimpse of some lesser-known aspects of late Rahul Bajaj By Arun Firodia

He was able to speak his mind to the government as to what it should do to make the industry grow by making changes in government thinking. He could do so up to a certain point. Being prolific, his words carried a lot of weight be said to be historic in the Indian industry as it was not a smooth sailing, only without any hostility. Bajaj Auto, which was then a loss-making company, rose to great heights under Rahul. He was also the President of the Development Council. He was able to speak his mind to the government as to what it should do to make the industry grow by making changes in government thinking. He could do so up to a certain point. Being prolific, his words carried a lot of weight. Being from a good family, he did not indulge in wrongdoings and had the courage of conviction in whatever he did. Other industrialists hesitated to speak their minds. At the personal level, he was a friendly guy and nice to everyone. He was affable not only to senior industrialists but workers as well, until the very end. He loved to talk and would do so nineteen to a dozen. Once I asked him as to why he didn’t talk so much in the Rajya Sabha where he was a member? He replied, “I do, but no one publishes it,” and then he sent me a set of his impressive speeches in the Rajya Sabha. He rued that even the media ignored his views there, and it was only interested in highlighting certain politicians.

‘Hamara Bajaj’: Young Rahul Bajaj realising his dream ‘scooter’ resolution

As the Chairman of Indian Airlines, he wanted to turn it around but the powers were vested in the hands of the politicians, so he could not do much. Finally, he left it. Once, I was travelling with him on a flight to Delhi and I found that he was totally immersed in reading various books and files. I told him that his company was so well set, so why did he want to bring work on the flight too? He replied that these were readings for his personal knowledge so that when he was asked to give his views on various subjects, he was well-equipped. He did a lot of charitable work though he did not publicise it. He was very proud of his Bajaj Scooter business but when his son Rajiv took over, Rajiv preferred motorcycles. Rahul was saddened that the scooter was sidelined and had said, ‘mera koi suntan nahin.’ However, to Rajiv’s credit, he made a success of it by tying up with noted Japanese companies. The Bajaj autorickshaws have become very famous and

are a household name in countries like Thailand and Indonesia. Now, one can say that Rahul’s original dream has come full circle as Rajiv is now into electric scooters. Rahul always felt, ‘scooter toh apna hai.’ We were friends but not best friends and we often met at airports and flights. He had come home only twice. He was very fond of my father and had great respect for him as he was his mentor. He came home when he passed away and said that he was ‘God’s own man.’ Rahul’s grandfather, Jamnalal Bajaj was in charge of the Wardha Ashram where my mother was staying. He recommended her for my father and that’s how he got married to my mother. Hence, both families have relations over generations. He will be remembered as a man who minced no words, one who was very easy-going, and as a doyen of the Indian Industry.  (As told to Vinita Deshmukh) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 19

Sahil Jain and Meena Jain, Co-founders of Mighty Millets—this mother-son duo is a competitive advantage in the harsh startup game. Sahil quit a high-paying job with the industry giants KPMG and BMR to be an entrepreneur and build a company that goes beyond its commercial objectives, delivers on its social responsibility and creates an impression on the community. He hung his corporate boots to start Mighty Millets, a startup having a range of healthy and nutrition-backed food products, with his mother, Meena Jain. Their mission is to make healthy eating an essential part of people’s lifestyles. Sahil and Meena Jain share their success story with Corporate Citizen 

DYNAMIC DUO

By Ekta Katti

C

orporate Citizen: Your education has played a great role in establishing yourself in this corporate world. Tell us about your CA journey, and the ups and down in the educational life. Sahil Jain: Throughout my school life, I have been an average student. After my board exams, I was confused about which stream to pick. I had filled out both Science and Commerce stream forms. Science, because, as a child, I hoped to become an engineer one day. I had an affection towards math, so I thought taking up Commerce would make sense. After enough contemplation, and taking into consideration my skills and talent, I decided to go for Commerce. All this while, I had a hunch that I am best suited in the finance world. So, the course of action began in that direction. In 2014, my tryst with CA started. This journey wasn’t easy. I couldn’t clear it on the first attempt. The feeling of not clearing the exams got to me, and I was on the verge of giving up. Back then, my friend, and now my wife, Paridhi Goyal, was always there to motivate me. She convinced me not to give up and pushed me to achieve the best.

CC: You cleared CA in the second attempt. So, what went right this time? My family and friends supported me through thick and thin. That somewhere showed me the ray of hope that nothing is impossible. To be frank, CA is a tough nut to crack. And to clear it, one needs to study smartly. For my second attempt, I changed my plan of action. I reviewed my approach, and it needed alteration. This time, I took charge, studied harder, and adapted a focused approach. I invested my time in group studies. My friend and I studied in an organised fashion. Not that we just studied; we enjoyed our time as well. All this resulted in me clearing CA in the second attempt. This taught me that tough times don’t last, tough people do. I understood how failures can change a person, and that, failure surely is a stepping stone to success. In all fairness, if I did not go through this, I wouldn’t have been here. CC: That’s a great story there. So, next comes placement. How did you prepare for it, and did you take up the first job that came your way? Getting corporate-ready took a lot of patience and determination. When I began my research, I noticed, whatever one prepares for the CA is

20 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

hardly 20 per cent of the placement. That meant I had to buck up and pull up my socks. Before one gets into the corporate world, one needs to understand the essence of it. Networking at the initial stages allows you to broaden your horizon. Soon, I began interacting with many people from the industry—took their inputs and thrived on their experience. During the preparation, I wanted to add value to my experience. I knew since the beginning, what my niche would be. I did not want to set foot in the traditional practices like tax, audit, etc. I was inclined towards finance, investment, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Meanwhile, I worked with Hu Consultancy, a boutique firm in Pune, to understand the different aspects of this industry. I researched market deals, analysed them, and penned them down for Hu Consultancy’s magazine—M&A Critique. And as luck would have it, one of my articles caught the eye of BMR Advisors. The article spoke about the deal they had worked on. Soon, I moved to Mumbai, and that’s how my corporate journey began with BMR.

Good Food Startup

Sahil Jain and Meena Jain

DYNAMIC DUO CC: Although your corporate career spanned for just three years, you sure must have had a great learning experience. Walk us through your corporate journey so far. Do you regret hanging up your corporate boots at such a young age? I got the opportunity of working with two of the best companies in the industry. I agree, I was barely in this industry for three years but the experience that I gained transformed me as a person. At BMR, my role was to advise on structures and legal implications for cross-border M&A transactions. Within a few months, KPMG acquired our department. By now, I had already thought about starting something of my own entirely, but not in this field. And I figured Pune would be the best city for taking it forward. Since it was getting acquired, I wanted a change and yearned to leap. I wasn’t sure of the security but I wanted to move ahead. Hence, I shifted to KPMG, Pune. Since then, I worked with my mom on different ideas for Mighty Millets. The corporate world has its pros and cons. I did learn a lot. One of the main virtues that I dwelled on was professionalism and understanding the seriousness of work. I encashed on this chance and networked immensely. This developed my overall personality. All these changes set me in an atmosphere of discipline. However, I realised that this corporate world is not meant for me. Soon, the corporate culture got to me to an extent that it pushed me to hang my corporate boots. Quitting a high-paying corporate job to start a business must be a tough call to take for others. For me, it came naturally. My family and I discussed this at length. And coming to conclusion wasn’t difficult. With that, the concept of Sunk Cost acted as a catalyst too. Sunk Cost is a cost that has already been incurred and that cannot be recovered. In economic decision-making, sunk costs are treated as bygone and are not taken into consideration when deciding whether to continue an investment project. And one of the things that my experiences have taught me is to live in the present. In September 2018, I put down my papers. As my perception was very clear, this shift was smooth. Of course, I was very nervous, but I wanted a place where I would belong, and starting a business with my mother felt like home. Love for food—my first job took me to Mumbai and for the first time, I was away from my home. There were only a few healthy, tasty, and convenient options when it came to food. Courtesy of my mother, I could make healthier choices. And that was when my love for food blossomed.

about its rise, I will take you down memory lane where my mother was struggling with her weight management issues. Slowly, when her family responsibilities settled, she started focusing full time on her health. This began by taking up a course in nutrition. Mom was the eldest in the class, but thanks to her zeal, she topped her batch. She started consulting as a nutritionist. The way she strikes the right balance between taste and healthy food is beyond imagination.

CC: Walk us through the rise of Mighty Millets. Mighty Millets is a brainchild of my mother and her love for nutrition. Before I speak 22 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

The corporate world has its pros and cons. I did learn a lot. One of the main virtues that I dwelled on was professionalism and understanding the seriousness of work. I encashed on this chance and networked immensely—Sahil Jain

When I parted ways with the corporate world, I came in with no knowledge about nutrition, business or food tech. I started everything from scratch. In 2018, we started Mighty Millets and since then, there was no looking back. Mom is a people person, and the way she connects with people is amazing. I guess, even that, played a great role in our success. Growing steadily—The first year was sloppy. Considering we are a bootstrap, the progress was slow, so was the sales. In 2019, the sales increased by `5,000-10,000 per month. We focused more on product development, scaling, product slab testing, etc. The next year, the pandemic hit us, and we shut the production for two months. Every cloud has a silver lining, and although the pandemic hit us hard, we were optimistic and knew the future will be brighter. Owing to the pandemic, our immunity came into the limelight. We created immunity packs–herbal chai mix, etc, which sold like hotcakes. Meanwhile, my mother made awareness videos on food and nutrition for post-Covid recovery, which gave our brand a good promotional boost. That month, our sales rose to `60,000 per month. The next year, sales rose steadily and orders started pouring in. Soon, we focused on B2B as well. That’s when we bagged orders from JW Marriott and Hilton Group, India. Our gifting solutions were a hit. The next phase—Through all this, my connection with the corporate world grew strong. In fact, our first order was from KPMG. It was a time when our production department could not even handle 5kg of capacity but we decided, and with enough determination, we could successfully deliver them 80kgs of granolas and 50kgs of bars. Lots of corporates face the issue of how to snack healthily. We needed a solution for that. That’s where my expertise came into the picture. I gave some valuable insights and pushed my mom to study this objectively. We launched the Dates Ragi Bar and SuperSeed Bar. The response was amazing. Soon, we launched our savoury addition - Bajar Bites, Millet & Seed mix. And recently we launched SuperPops. CC: Were you able to apply your corporate learning at Mighty Millets? Certainly. There are so many things I still follow. Right from a professional attitude, networking skills to the way I draft the emails are highly influenced by my corporate learnings. Getting a timesheet filled in the team comes in handy as it results in accountability and helps in managing the business. And most importantly, owing to my time in the finance world, I can handle that sector efficiently for my business.

Sahil and his mother Meena Jain (third from the right, standing) with the Mighty Millets team

you plan your day in a better way. Find healthier options. It’s fine to cheat occasionally but make smarter choices. Keep healthy eating simple.

Every person is unique, and they should understand their body well enough to change for the better. Here, nutrition literacy plays a great role. They should understand the importance of micronutrients and other elements CC: You very well understand the hectic corporate life by now. Now that you are into the health business, can you give the corporates some healthy food habit tips to live a wholesome life? Corporates should understand moving to a healthy life is a lifestyle change. It does not happen overnight, but one must shrug off bad food habits and incorporate changes that are feasible to them. Corporate life is hectic and stressful. They have long working hours and when they are hungry, they binge on anything to satisfy their cravings. Some stay away from the home and must suffice what the canteen provides them. Even then, they can make

healthy choices. Pick food items that are healthy and learn portion control. While shopping for snacks, don’t just judge the product by its front cover. Fancy words like baked, millet, gluten-free, vegan, oil-free, and others are not equal to being healthy. Last year around December, we ran a campaign on our Instagram page where we burst out nutritional myths and educated people about healthy foods. These videos will be very useful for the corporates. Every person is unique, and they should understand their body well enough to change for the better. Here, nutrition literacy plays a great role. They should understand the importance of micro-nutrients and other elements. This will help

CC: Any advice for budding entrepreneurs? Life is all about exploring and settling for what works the best for you. When you explore, do it with an open mind and heart. You don’t always have to know what you want from life, as it is a journey. Don’t stress yourself out on this journey. Things will fall into place. All you need to do is take the first step. Try different things. Don’t be stubborn, as there is a whole new world ahead of your comfort zone. Remember, age is just a number and don’t define your goals as per that. Do what your heart wants with vehemence. Stop getting affected by social dictatorship, take your calls at your convenience. Until you find your niche, and even after that, keep learning. Failure is part of life, don’t get affected by it. One important thing while you are doing a business is, don’t get attached to your product emotionally, think about it objectively. If you love your product and if it’s not working, then discard it and think about Plan B. You are here to do business, create value, and earn money. Hence, be ready to take harsh decisions. And during all this, don’t forget to enjoy your life. ([email protected]) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 23

DYNAMIC DUO

Redefining the entrepreneurial spirit Meena Jain started her business in her 50s. She is now running her successful venture, Mighty Millets, with her son, Sahil. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen, she talks about her educational journey, which she started a decade ago, the challenges she faced, the perks of working with her son, and more By Ekta Katti

C

orporate Citizen: The business that you built stands strongly on the knowledge that you have gathered. Tell us about the experience of taking up a course at the age of 45. Meena Jain: It is about time we realise and accept that age is just another number. What matters is your mindset and your undying will to achieve your goals. I began my journey as a student again at the age of 45. Almost a decade ago, I started facing weight issues. It was the time when the kids had flown out of the nest, and I wanted to focus on myself. That’s where the journey began of getting back to healthy ways. I realised the knowledge and expertise that I possess of eating healthy can turn into something beautiful. To start something in life, one needs proper education to understand the industry that you want to enter and start a business. In 2012, I joined the VLCC programme to learn everything about nutrition and healthy eating habits. When I started my educational journey again, I discerned it won’t be easy but I was ready to give my best shot. I thought I could certainly sit across the table and guide people in a better way to lead a wholesome life. More than anything else, I was ambitious—I wanted people to know me by my name; I wanted to create my identity CC: What were the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them? The first day itself was a learning moment for me. When I looked around in the class, I saw everyone was highly qualified. All the students were young, almost my kid’s age. On the other hand, I had a commerce background and my education up till the 10th was in Marathi. And to top that, the syllabus looked tough. That surely gave me the jitters, as a lot of points did not favour me. But I had made up my mind. I would not let anything stop me. What drove me was my feeling that the knowledge that I was pursuing has the ability to change people’s lives. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. As my motive was clear, I simplified things for myself. For instance, I never hesitated to ask questions in class. Whenever I did not understand any concept, I would stop the professor there and get my doubts cleared. That sure boosted my confidence. Secondly, when I got home, the first thing

24 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

People should understand that eating healthy is never a complicated process. It’s basic and simple. Don’t turn to the fad diets or foods to lose some inches quickly. Being healthy is a lifestyle change—Meena Jain

CC: Tell us about the challenges that you faced while running this business? Training the staff plays a major role in making the business successful. The size of the order varies each time and to train them accordingly is a task but we handle it with ease with each passing day. As I even look at the production, I need to keep a keen eye on everything—right from the hygiene to the quality of the product. Everything has to be perfect. For instance, even the smallest thing like roasting an item defines the shelf of the product. If we over roast it, it’s burnt and useless. And if we undercook, it reduces its shelf life.

I would do is revise what was taught in the class. That added value to my knowledge. During those days, I had not hired a helper. I used to finish the housework, take care of other things, and studied for the exams. My happiness knew no bounds when I topped the batch. CC: Did you take up a job during your educational journey? While I was pursuing my weight management course, I was working as a dietician with ABS Fitness in Pune. That was indeed a drastic change in my life. The crowd there were mostly corporate and IT people who wished to lead a healthy life. I penned down several healthy recipes and diet programmes for them. The clients made the most of it. The ease with which they adapted to this change put a smile on my face. It was surely a great experience and acted as a catalyst in my growth. CC: When and why did you think of starting Mighty Millets? Mighty Millets is one of the beautiful chapters of my life. When I began my career as a dietician, I counselled a few of my relatives and some of the clients that I had retained while working at the gym. They loved my tasty and healthy recipes, and some even requested that I should start serving them fresh snacks. Around 2018, Sahil, my son, left the corporate world and he wanted to get into the food industry. That’s when a thought struck us—my knowledge and experience as a dietician and his love for food and expertise gained from the corporate world can result in a new beginning. That’s how Mighty Millets started. I am responsible for the creation of recipes. With that, I look after the production setup and training of the staff as well. CC: How does it feel to have a tag of an entrepreneur and a businesswoman? The feeling is surreal. I am happy that we are able to accomplish all this. For me, the term entrepreneur means a lot more. I understand people’s lives are hectic. They barely find time

him. Right from learning the computer basics to understanding the corporate culture or comprehending any approach, Sahil has stood by me like a rock. It feels great to work with my son as we share a great comradery. Most of our talks during meals are related to the business. That’s how much we are invested in it. There is a clear separation between our roles, which makes it easy for us to handle the business. The understanding that we share adds to that.

to look after themselves. When they wish to snack healthy, our products are there to serve them. We understand the need of the market and we design the products to cater to them. This journey has helped me understand myself better. For instance, just one month after Mighty Millets was born, we received a huge order. We had no means, facilities, workforce, or inventory to cater for that order. But courtesy of our teamwork, we were able to complete that order. The bottom line is that everyone has the power to turn things around. All they need is to believe in themselves. What I like most about this initiative is the chance that I get to meet new people. Learning is a never-ending process. Each day, I learn something new. As I am a people person, it comes naturally to me to converse fluently with them. As a dietician, when I am consulting people, some often end up being emotional when they share their journey. Our hearty conversation helps me devise a great diet plan for them. Rather than a professional approach, it’s more of an emotional connection. CC: How does it feel to work alongside your son, Sahil? I sure am a proud mother. I have learnt from him, as an entrepreneur and a mother as well. I have learnt all the business etiquette from

CC: Any tips for corporates for eating healthy? People should understand that eating healthy is never a complicated process. It’s basic and simple. Don’t turn to the fad diets or foods to lose some inches quickly. Being healthy is a lifestyle change. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, pulses and grains into your diet. Learn portion control. Always choose a healthier option. For instance, if you have a samosa, pav wada, and corn chaat in your canteen. Opt for the corn chaat. The smallest change will help you become healthy. Don’t make any drastic changes, adapt to a diet that is sustainable in the longer run. CC: Any word of advice for women who wish to start their second inning as an entrepreneur? Once we reach the age of 45-50, life becomes stagnant. You have taken care of your family and attended to all their needs. When things settle, a vacuum is generated. To overcome that, one should pick a hobby that can turn into their profession. I was able to do and wish everyone follows their passion. Keep yourself busy. Remember you are not too old or young to start anything in life. ([email protected]) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 25

SESSION

Exploring Opportunities in the Metaverse Samrat Kishor

Sharat Chandra

Anhsul Rastogi

The metaverse is a virtual world in which users, businesses, and digital platforms can exist and interact. It includes everything from virtual social and gaming platforms. But in order to use it efficiently, there is a lack of high-end infrastructure and it requires a significantly high amount of energy. Experts suggest that the metaverse in the initial stages will be available on smartphones and the web. At a recently conducted event by Data Security Council of India, industry experts talked about how metaverse is going to change the game in the near future. The panellists for the session were Samrat Kishor, Partner Golden Next Ventures (session moderator), Anshul Rastogi, Founder, Totality Corp; and Sharat Chandra, Research & Strategy, EarthID. Corporate Citizen brings you the excerpts from the session

e only) al purpos esentation (For repr

By Vineet Kapshikar

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 27

SESSION

Anshul Rastogi: I am the founder of Totality Corp, we are creating the Zionverse which is our Indian metaverse system based around Indian culture. Before I talk about the metaverse, I will first talk about Web 3.0. To me, Web 3.0 has three components - Ownership, Immersion and Integrated Economics. Moreover, Ownership is the reason why you need decentralisation and block chain. How we look at the metaverse is that the metaverse is a more immersive getaway to the Web 3.0 itself. Our view is that metaverse is not utopian and that seven odd billion of us will look exactly like the way we look right now with that amount of clarity, and I think that is utopian. In addition, if you look at the immersion aspect which is where many people are thinking about whether to go with the metaverse—a lot of what is happening with the movie. There is keen attention on Virtual Reality (VR) and Immersion itself; our take is coming from a

(For representational purpose only)

S

amrat Kishor: It is said that Neal Stephenson had predicted metaverse concept in a sci-fi book titled ‘Snow Crash’ in 1992. What started as science fiction is now a reality. We will talk about how people will interact, transact, do economic activities in the metaverse. In the metaverse, it is going to be a combination of different objects, ownership of objects, a change of ownership and the likes. Tell us your perspectives on the metaverse and what each one of you is doing in this space, and what are your expectations from the metaverse. Sharat Chandra: I am leading Research and Strategy department at EarthID, a de-centralised identity management platform. Identity is a key component of three stack, and that is where our key focus is. Talking about the metaverse, there is a lot of hype around the metaverse but I would like to throw in some element of scepticism and maybe a reality check. I will quote one observation by the head of Intel’s Accelerated Computing and Graphics Group and the gentleman heading the group says that ‘We need 1000x increase in computing power and we do not have infrastructure’. The 5G spectrum launch may happen in May 2022, and there is a proper process in how it rolls out and there are certain processes that need to happen. Talking about the computing capacity—quoting Moore’s law, computing capacity increases every 2-3 years. So, if you look at the curve, in the next 5-6 years, we still won’t be at the optimum level of computation power to have a seamless experience in the metaverse. He gives an example, if you want to have two people in the metaverse and see how they have an immersive experience with respect to touching objects or let’s say three modelling frameworks—we are still not there yet, we need the right tools so that people can start entering the metaverse.

If we want to see a hockey stick kind of adoption or growth of the metaverse as far as India is concerned, we need to have the right policies, to begin with — Sharat Chandra gaming background which states that immersion has also a spectrum. What Google paid it with respect to scratch cards was actually a more immersive and integrated way of doing payments—what you do with 2D games is immersive and what you do with 3D games such as Minecraft, is already immensely immersive. The world has already moved towards a more immersive way of interacting with each other whether that is Minecraft where box looking world or that is Fortnite or PUBG where the art is clearer. I think that immersion is already happening. Now every interaction that we do needs to be more immersive. We have been talking about gamifying education, gamifying finance with robinhood so that is in process. The other big change is ownership where the user is the owner on the block chain itself and is decentralised, and lastly, the integrated economics. For me, the triad of all the three factors

28 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

is Web 3.0 and the metaverse is sort of a way to access Web 3.0 in the most immersive manner and that change is already happening. I will make a big comment saying that 2021 was the year when the mass adoption of it started and we are going to see a seamless transition to the metaverse over the next five years. Samrat: I think with the adoption and advancement of mobile technologies there is a prediction that 75% of the population will be connected by 2025. My perspective is that people will engage with immersive experiences. Gen Z has left no stone unturned in adopting those immersive experiences in the form of entertainment. Now that has involved immersive shopping as well—we see a lot of shop-tainment applications which is live and making big waves on those segments. Let me touch upon the first part which we were

As far as an emerging technology is concerned, Unity gaming engine and Unreal gaming engine are both taking the lead in mobile and XR Unity frameworks ­— Anshul Rastogi

talking about which is the tech stack. That is the biggest question when it comes to any technology and especially Indian folks talking about it—such as tell me what is under the hood; how can we pick this up; how can we run this? Would you like to throw some light on the tech stack that you see which is helping shape the metaverse and do you feel that it will drive adoption from both brands and individuals? Anshul: I will break it down into three factors. I will talk about Immersive first. As far as Immersive is concerned, what we are defaulting on is what has been already built for Immersive which are Unity Game Engine and Unreal Game Engine. In terms of mobile gaming, Unity Game Engine is already the leader in terms of the most mobile games created; many gaming companies have a custom engine and we are building on top of Unity as well. Unity and Unreal are leaders in this space and we may see a third one emerging in this category too, and primarily as well because they are well integrated with the block chain. As far as an emerging technology is concerned, Unity and Unreal are both taking the lead both in mobile and XR Unity frameworks. In terms of ownership, since it has to be decentralised, that’s where a lot of block chain is coming in, and I think that is really an area that is going to change. So far, we had two proofs of consensus protocol on the block chain, which is the proof of work and proof of stake. Proof of work is primarily bitcoin and Etherium wants to move to a proof of stake, hopefully at the end of this year. But we are going to see more consensus protocol. There is no reason why another block chain won’t come out which will be proof of gaming, proof of interaction, proof of socialisation etc. it is a way of events. The idea that people have that the dollar’s

equivalent is Ethereum and so on. I think it is completely incorrect because cryptocurrency is a way to make sure that whatever proof you have, there is a sustainable way for you to transact that proof between people who are either investing or people who are doing that labour and such. So, it isn’t equivalent of any currency, nor the equivalent of any top five currencies in the world. My view is that this is like technology; it is the technology, which is going to codify consensus and this will be one area where they will probably have the most rapid innovation as we keep going forward. Samrat: Sharat, you have already stressed some of the pointers on technology being ready or the roadmap on technology, which is required to adopt metaverse or its applications. What are your perspectives on this and do you think that conversions and singularities should be the theme towards the adoption? Sharat: To add to what you said about singularities, this is more like a point in time. Metaverse is going to be a point in time rather than a utopian space as well. If you look at the layers of the stack; some broad layers of metaverse itself is going to be 6 or 7 where we have the infrastructure which consists of cloud, Edge, WiFi, and GPU and that is what Intel is trying to do, trying to bridge the gap between what we have and what is needed for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). But again, that is a different discussion altogether. Now, if you look at the human interface, that is how you enter the metaverse using Artificial Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Recently, I read in the news that there is a startup, which is creating a browser-based metaverse interaction experience. The name of the project is called Portals. As Anshul has pointed out about decentralisation, the creator economy is one area where you will see a lot of meta-commerce happening and that is why all these big tech-

nology companies are moving in that space. And when it comes to discovering experiences—let’s say touching and feeling objects in the metaverse, that’s where the objects in the metaverse—that is where numerous 3D or spatial computing and 3D modelling frameworks will be applied extensively. Samrat: What do you think or see as the technology changes, of course, there will be increased needs of connectivity, which needs to be updated but what else do you see as the paradigm-shifting technologies are required? For example, the internet was born at one time but then it took 20 years for Uber to be born out of the internet. What all do you think is required for a real blockbuster application to come out or a big metaverse to come out, and people just thronging to it? Sharat: I could see a lot of privacy-preserving techniques like we have zero-knowledge proof and how we can protect our data because data and tokens will be the currency of the metaverse. There were a couple of instances where people were kind of abused in the metaverse, so how do ensure that individual rights are protected. That’s where a lot of discussions have to go around data protection and data privacy rights, and what is the new technology to which we can switch to and leverage that to take this journey ahead. I think privacy preserving-techniques, zero-knowledge proofs that’s where a lot of blockchain primitives will be applied. Anshul: I think for us to get to that part where many people are interacting with each other at the same time will definitely need a lot more hardware upgrades. In terms of gaming, we do not have more than a hundred people playing with each other at the same time. Roblox and others are trying for thousand people at the same time but we are really talking about millions of March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 29

SESSION

(For representational purpose only)

look at the right popups or things that you want to do in meta commerce. Those technologies will be of paramount importance.

I could see a lot of potential of people who can create low code/no code solutions so that a common man can leverage these new tools. If you look at the robotic process, it is a low code/no code rules have a bigger role to play—Sharat Chandra people. There is also the backend development of data sharing—how do you transfer so much of data in real-time and lastly, in terms of transactions—suddenly when you have a million people playing together even if it is not in the same room as we know how Polygon crashed when we had started writing all about that on-chain data for just a hundred thousand people. For instance, consider games like Fortnite and PUBG which can be played in hundreds and millions. The handling of data and transactions per second is at a nascent for even to start writing this on-chain data. Samrat: Do you think we will see more GPU farms coming up and more fossil fuel being burned to power these GPU farms? Do you also see sustainable computing coming into the picture? Anshul: It is a fair question and I think it is a relevant point in terms of computation, as we actually move towards better protocols. However for immersion, we want more of it; we want more realism, we want more things that are not possible in the real world. Net-net, it would be energy consumption. The only sustainable way I see it is more sustainable energy sort of production rather than saying that, ‘hey, let’s not go towards that Immersion’. There will be more efficient ways in which the marginal

energy consumption will keep reducing for the marginal game in Immersion but it still will be a net energy consumer. I agree that it is a very big point where we have to figure out more sustainable energy production and not go towards the higher Immersion route in my view. Sharat: Just to add to what Anshul said, even Intel was supposed to launch Arc GPU in the first quarter of 2022 but again, they have delayed that because there is a global mandate to reduce emissions; so there is pressure on all technology manufacturers and semiconductor manufacturers as well. These broader global mandates will also have repercussions on the way technology improves or progresses. Samrat: Which are the technology areas that are key to improving user experience and providing unique digital experiences to people who want to come and join the metaverse platforms? Sharat: I think many human-centric experiences of a smartphone will have the same kind of experience as by using VR glasses, so technologies that can bridge the divide will act as enabling layer or tool for people who are joining the metaverse for the first time. That will also add to a lot of personalisation and that is where a lot of AI modelling techniques can come in. Consider that you enter a metaverse and you

30 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

Samrat: While we talk about the technologies, which will enable that user experience layer, do you also see a similar adoption curve, which we saw for the internet? Now the internet is a household thing and now we are talking about how we get the next 500 million people online in India. Anshul: My view is a little bit different than the consensus view with regards to the emergence. I think that metaverse is going to be a mobile-first ubiquitous experience. It will be a mobile-first, web-first rather than VR. I think VR is going to be the smallest part of the metaverse. There is going to be seamless adoption of the metaverse. I know tons of banks and companies, which are working on virtual branches, virtual goods and virtual stores. The comparison is given what we have in the website with respect to something that looks good and has a good User Interface (UI) can we make it more immersive. That is one part of the user experience, the other part that we should not forget is the decentralisation not just from ownership but also from labour. There are companies already working on decentralising customer service. For example, what already happens on Amazon, if I am a verified customer and I write a review of some product then there is no incentive for me directly, to keep writing reviews on Amazon. What people do is companies will give you a discount card—when it becomes tokenised, it is going to improve customer service by a significant magnitude. You will be able to earn money by being a verified customer and writing reviews good or bad. In addition, people will actually write honest reviews rather than writing fake reviews—someone who owns the product has given the review and it is a system, and it is not an agency that gets out and gets a thousand people to give fake reviews. That being said, in my newly created customer service programme, I can do one-on-one calls if it requires with the customer to actually understand the product use rather than employing customer service people in thousands. Therefore, user experience even with these services will pick up a notch because of the decentralisation of labour. Sharat: If we want to see a hockey stick kind of adoption or growth of the metaverse as far as India is concerned, we need to have the right policies, to begin with. In a long-term horizon of how this entire space is evolving and we cannot look at just one aspect. If we look at the recent development where one of the regulators, are a kind of anti-tokenisation or anti-virtual digital assets, hence, I am not sure how that approach will translate to broadening vision from the Vedas to the metaverse. If you want

to position India as the next superpower when it comes to an era, we need to be cognizant of the fact that our policies are fine-tuned in that direction so that our journey from the Vedas to the metaverse happens in the right way, and we won’t end up being backwards of the world. Maybe we can look at South Korea for that matter; they have already laid out plans for the next five years. They have generated funds and have a plan on how they will invest in technologies enabling the metaverse, therefore, we need to have a similar approach, a very innovation-friendly approach so that we don’t lose sight of what lies ahead. Samrat: We have experienced the exponential ballistic growth of Pokemon Go. We have all seen it the way it just took off within no time. At points, I saw people importing phones and whatnot just to get on board in the countries where it was not launched yet. On one side, if you have a market there are people who want services like these and want experiences like these. On the other side, there are tech providers, and then there is the commerce of the interaction layer where we see companies coming on board of the metaverse bandwagon. Are there going to be many metaverses or is there going to be just one? Sharat: I think you can draw a parallel the way blockchains work. There is no one blockchain rolling, hence, there will not be a single metaverse rolling. Therefore, there will be metaverses using the right open standards and proper tools that will shape the momentum of adoption of the metaverse. You might see big techs creating their silo ecosystems, but again, that option will happen when you create open interoperable systems.

(For representational purpose only)

It is very possible in my opinion that we would end up having 10 metaverses instead of having one. Then we would have small ones, which will cater to the super niche —Anshul Rastogi

Anshul: I agree with Sharat. There won’t be one metaverse, it will have open standard. However, what we see with the digital economy is that we should think about why Web 3.0 is very powerful is that humans really care about currencies, one is the social currency and the other one is the tangible currency of which money is also a part. What we have seen is that in the digital economy, there are two systems, we have the likes of Amazon etc. who are focusing on the tangible currency—money and goods, which are tangible. On the other hand, we have Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc. which are looking at social currency and Web 3.0 is going to really combine them which is why it is very powerful but its implication with respect to the metaverse is that you have now magnified the network effects. By magnifying the network effects truly, there is a monopoly of super apps, which people have been talking about and so far yet has only been seen in China. It is very possible in my opinion that we would end up having 10 metaverses instead of having one. Then we would have small ones, which will cater to the super niche. It is going to be a very barbelled world because of the combinational currency and tangible currency in one ecosystem. Samrat: In enabling the metaverse applications, what exactly is the role of software engines—tools to produce virtual content and assets and next-generation networks? Anshul: What we have already seen and the path we are already taking, which is user-generated data is going to be the way that you get the most sustainable form of experiences and content. Of course, there will be the likes of Netflix—where there is higher production value,

etc. But what we have seen with TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and the likes is that user-generated data is going to be big, which means we have to create a lot of software and tools to enable people to not only create 2D and video content but get gaming 3D interactive content. We have kicked up a notch in terms of complexity. Sharat: I could see a lot of potential of people who can create low code/no code solutions so that a common man can leverage these new tools. If you look at the robotic process, it is a low code/no code rules have a bigger role to play. In fact, they have rather accelerated the types of automation where you are now looking at hyper-automation rather than routine robotic process automation. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

India emerging as the 3rd largest FinTech ecosystem India is emerging as the 3rd largest FinTech ecosystem globally, as per recent report on India’s FinTech sector by BLinC Invest. The report states that, as of end-Sept 2021, the Indian FinTech sector has received over $23.7 bn of funding, giving rise to 10 Unicorns like Razorpay, CRED, Pinelabs, Policybazar; 170 minicorns, and 52 soonicorns.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 31

INTERVIEW

The rapid rate of urbanisation, growth of the young population and rising incomes is creating a larger middleclass in India. This segment is expected to grow by 21% over the next decade —Sambit Panda

Sambit Panda 32 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

Add the Extra to the Ordinary Sambit Panda, Zonal Business Head-West & Central, IFB Industries Ltd, is as passionate about sales, marketing and retail as he is competitive and relentless about a game of cricket/tennis on court. To be an effective salesperson, he says, one must inspire the team to succeed, cultivate a high-performance culture, measure team performance, give timely feedback and most importantly, learn to think from two levels up—as it takes into account not just what you or your senior want, but where the company hopes to be in the days to come. Equally important, he says, are good interpersonal skills, a head for numbers and an ability to connect and engage with customers. In short, aspiring young sales hopefuls ought to be prepared at doing above and beyond what is technically their job. All the better to add the extra to the ordinary. Corporate Citizen gets the lowdown from a professional who has the walked the talk for over 27 years—and is just as enthusiastic as he was on his first day at work

By Kalyani Sardesai March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 33

INTERVIEW

C

orporate Citizen: It’s been quite a journey for you for over a quarter of a century now. Do tell us how you got into the corporate world and is this what you wanted to do? Simultaneously, do tell us a little about your childhood days as well.

Sambit Panda: I am a proud Odiya, born and brought up in Rourkela in a humble middle-class family. Well, my first choice of career was without a doubt, the armed forces. My dad had been a policeman and we were brought up with discipline and respect for the uniform. As a young boy, I was quite fascinated with the rigour and adventure associated with life in uniform. Besides, I was a very keen sportsman. But as luck would have it, I couldn’t create my medicals. So, the next best option—post-graduation was to pursue an MBA degree, leverage my good interpersonal skills and reach out to people through effective communication. So, an MBA in Marketing and Finance was a logical choice. After doing my MBA from Regional College of Management, Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, my luck took me to Delhi where I got my dream break into the world of sales. That marked my entry into the corporate environment. I was very fortunate to commence my innings in 1995 with a great company, Blow Plast Ltd, the makers of the iconic VIP luggage. This was a most fortunate occurrence as the learning, grooming and exposure afforded to a newcomer were immense. I joined them in Delhi, but my first posting was at Cuttack, Orissa. I was blessed with a mentor who helped me learn one of the most critical life lessons— accountability. Thirty-six months of this initial journey gave me an opportunity to reach out to people, set result-oriented goals, learn to work on detailing, make business proposals, solve problems and create a lot of value in general. The next 18 months added wings to my flight, I got a chance to handle a big market like Kolkata and these 18 months paved my way to my first ever managerial profile in Kanpur, handling the Uttar Pradesh market. Being flexible and mobile worked in my favour, I earned a chance to head a state and was soon elevated as branch manager for Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Thus, the curve at Blow Plast was pretty steep; I started as a frontline executive and went on to become Branch Manager—a good and rewarding inning for sure. The next few innings with different companies were not quite what I had set my eyes on; I didn’t enjoy the path. However, I had my shares of learnings. Post this, I got a chance to get into Aditya Birla Idea Cellular Ltd in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. I spent a long and fruitful tenure in the Western circle—first at Ahmedabad and then in Mumbai. I was at a mid-management level

The most important quality you need to make it as a successful salesperson is an entrepreneurial mindset. You need to do what needs to be done to close a deal. One’s interpersonal and communication skills along with an eye for detailing would be the differentiator and the organisation gave me an opportunity to scale up, think big and evolve into a sales leader. Working for the Mumbai market was an eye-opener, one of the toughest, most competitive markets to be in. I learnt that the key aspect of being an effective leader was to prioritise work over all else. After having been in sales for so many years, I decided to move out of my comfort zone and venture into a new arena: namely, the retail world. I would like to add here that career pivots involve more friction, disruption and risk than

34 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

simply staying on a more linear, traditional career path. But I wanted to explore and reinvent myself. That was a calculated risk, but I am glad I took it. This assignment was for the Future Group based out of Mumbai (HO) handling the Loyalty Drive Pan India cutting across all formats of the group. I worked for four years here, and it was my first experience working for a promotor-driven company. When you work for an MNC, you work with certain set standards and processes, but working for a promotor-driven company meant I could ideate out of

the box, add value in different ways and at the same time, go above and beyond the standard format and set structure. You get a chance to wear multiple hats at a go. At this juncture, came an opportunity, which was quite the stamp of success on my journey as an honest, effective leader. As it happened, I had worked for IFB industries for a short stint of nine months between Blowplast and Aditya Birla. Obviously, my work had been noted because I was asked to join back. And I have been here ever since.

CC: IFB is a big name in the world of consumer durables. How do you foresee its journey in the years ahead? Well, I will answer this question both from an individual perspective as well as a larger outlook. When you are offered a job, you look at the profile you are given, the money, exposure as well as the posting. All of these are important, but the bigger question to be looked at is whether or not the company is willing to ex-

(For representational purpose only)

CC: So, it’s been quite the many-splendoured journey. You have donned multiple hats, juggled assorted roles with aplomb. What according to you, are the qualities that make a successful salesperson? How true is the perception that you have to be very people friendly and aggressive? The most important quality you need to make as a successful salesperson is an entrepreneurial mindset, think value creation, an eye for details, collaboration across functions, and learn new skills. You need to do what needs to be done in order to make a sale closure; invest in building interpersonal and communication skills. One skill set I learned pretty early was the ability to answer a question from two levels up. For instance, when asked a question like ‘what do you think of XYZ project’ an intelligent salesperson with an entrepreneurial mindset would not give the obvious answer but make a statement looking at two levels of growth upwards. Besides this, you have to be very honest to yourself, people-friendly and adaptable. You need to be highly mobile and good in numbers. Sales is all about the figures/numbers; most importantly, you should be able to create that connected, engage with people, innovate and be willing to upscale yourself be it with regard to technology or market trends—even if it means going beyond your expertise. It is also important to spend time working for promoter-driven companies where ideas move faster within an organisation, and employees with a focus on growth can expand their horizons and seek greater responsibilities faster. Above all else, you must be competitive and enjoy the thrill of bettering yourself. If you don’t have this quality, you will miss out on rare opportunities.

Young professionals tend to get overawed by the idea of working for big brands; that’s not how it should be. Look at your role beyond just the brand name. Ask yourself: is this the industry I hope to work for in the years to come? Is this the vertical that is going to give me the opportunity to grow in the direction that I wish to?

pand or have plans to expand in near future? If yes, then you can grow with the company. This is very important in building a career and making a difference. IFB has strong roots and investments in R&D, thereby strengthening its product basket and portfolio. To sum up, IFB is one company that offers the best-in-class products, is very consumer-focused, and is continuously innovating. It values transparency and is highly people-centric. It encourages people with an enterprising mindset. CC: How do you see the consumer durables segment performing ahead? A look at the macroeconomic environment suggests that India’s consumption story is poised for uninterrupted growth, which makes it a high potential sector and also will result in higher affordability of consumer electronics products. Penetration in India thus far, is much lesser than the global average.

The rapid rate of urbanisation, growth of the young population and rising incomes is creating a larger middle-class in India. This segment is expected to grow by 21% over the next decade. Add to this a shift in lifestyle patterns and digital access, and consumer spending in this category which is likely to see strong growth in the next five years—the outlook is encouraging and positive. CC: What about the challenges it faces? Some of the key considerations would be changes in the delivery model—meeting the changing demands of customers, manoeuvring through a consolidating market, and executing strategies to grow profitably. Changes in customers’ expectations and buying behaviours are another zone. Also, there has been quite a shrinkage in margins due to the high cost of sales and an increase in costs due to evolving nature of compliances in recent years. The immediate need of the industry is to reMarch 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 35

CC: There is much talk about the need for work-life balance. Have you been able to achieve it in your life? An interesting question, for sure. I would say it all boils down to prevention of burnout and preserving one’s creativity rather than a literal interpretation of the number of hours one puts in. For me, the journey of the last 27 years has been all about satisfaction and gratification while being with my team, mentoring budding colleagues, creating a landscape for the organisation’s growth, spending quality time with family and at the end of the day, going to sleep on a pillow of a clean conscience. Thus, the work-life balance must not be measured in terms of the number of hours spent with the family or the number of days spent on vacations. Little things count. For example, I love to cook that special dish for my wife and son, spend an evening with friends or writing a thank you mail of appreciation to someone. None of this can be replaced by material considerations. Ultimately, it is very important to be happy. That is an important part of work-life balance. CC: How do you unwind in your free time? As mentioned earlier, I have always been a keen and competitive sports person. Outdoor sports and the time spent with friends helps me to unwind. So, whether it is tennis or cricket or squash, I enjoy bettering my own best, sweating it out and connecting with other players on the court. I also spend time giving back to society – to that end, I am part of an enthusiastic "Robin Hood Army", helping kids learn and enjoy education. Apart from this, I love listening to old Hindi songs; one of the greatest joys of my life is to listen to my wife sing or share her recorded songs. CC: Do tell us a bit about your family. Well, my family consists of my wife Sukirti Panda who did her MBA and our son Aryan, who is in his second year of computer science at VIT, Vellore. CC: What lessons did Covid bring in its wake? Oh, quite a few of lasting value. The important lesson it brought home was the need to stay grounded and appreciate the little things in life. Eating out was no longer an option; it taught you the importance of cooking at home and healthy eating. It got all of us so close to the family, something that had been lost in the maddening rush of life. We all realised the importance of loved ones—they are the ones who are really there for you with no selfish interest.

(Pics by: Tushar Mane)

duce costs of operation and compliances to help unlock the domestic demands and establish economies of scale. Also, logistical costs for the industry are very high, any changes in regulations can put lots of pressure on the cost. These are some of the issues that need to be addressed.

As an employee, it is you, who has to contribute to the team before you start enjoying benefits. Your growth is always aligned with that of the organisation; always keep this basic fact in mind At the same time, this was also an opportunity to help them with their burdens and struggles. When one is out at work from 9 am to 9 pm, there’s a lot one misses out on in terms of the family’s emotional journey. The lockdown gave us time to make up for this. CC: Last but not the least, a bit of advice to young people that combines your philosophy and outlook. I always tell youngsters that they need to be very clear in what they want. The initial years of one’s career are critical. What you learn is more important than what you earn or what brand you work for. Young professionals tend to get overawed by the idea of working for big brands; that’s not how it should be. Look at your role beyond just the brand name. Ask yourself: is this the industry I want to work for in the years to come? Is this vertical that is going to give me the opportunity to grow in the direction

36 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

that I wish to? Be honest with yourself and ask yourself whether you are really contributing to the growth of the organisation. Let me make it clear: giving and receiving is essentially a twoway street. As an employee, it is you, who has to contribute to the team before you start enjoying benefits. Your growth is always aligned with that of the organisation; always keep this basic fact in mind. To be a leader of mettle, you have to be open to new experiences and ready for a bumpy road. Mobility is the key to success, be willing to relocate if that’s what is asked of you. Constantly reinvent yourself, upgrade your skills and keep your mind open. Don’t let stagnancy or complacency set in. Job-hopping at the drop of a hat is never a good look on a resume; at the same time, you must be willing to go beyond your comfort zone and take up new roles and responsibilities when opportunities present themselves. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

RBI 2nd largest buyer of gold The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) emerged as the second largest buyer of yellow metal among the world’s Central Banks in 2021. The largest buyer, the Central Bank of Thailand, bought 90 metric tonnes of gold while RBI bought 77.5 metric tonnes taking its total gold reserve to 754.1 tonnes at the end of December 2021.

Delete Distress Corporate from your life ^

Dutch-born Swami Purnachaitanya is currently Director of Programs for the Art of Living where he conducts a range of personal development training and oversees various service projects in India and Africa. These projects include but are not limited to rural development, prisoner rehabilitation and educational initiatives. He has also represented Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and The Art of Living at various national and international forums, seminars and conferences. Apart from this, he is a senior teacher trainer with the Sri Sri School of Yoga and is known for his skill in teaching this style that connects a balanced and thorough discipline of physical postures, breathwork, meditation and yogic wisdom. He has studied Indology and has mastery over the Sanskrit language. His recently released book ‘Looking Inward’ is an interesting insight into how to achieve calmness in this insecure world, particularly in these pandemic times. The book is already a national bestseller and is being translated into many other languages, including Dutch, French, German, Russian and Arabic. He spoke to Corporate Citizen at length on various issues, including strengthening one’s mind through breathing techniques and his own fascinating life journey. Read on...

By Vinita Deshmukh 38 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

In the corporate world, if you have a hectic schedule, too much responsibility, and seek peak performance, you need to be well-rested, calm and alert

SPIRITUAL DIMENSION

Swami Purnachaitanya

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 39

SPIRITUAL DIMENSION

C

orporate Citizen: In your recently published book, ‘Looking Inward’, you have said that there are many misconceptions and wrong notions about meditation. Could you elaborate? Swami Purnachaitanya: Just like yoga, meditation is rapidly gaining acceptance and is widely known, to the extent that for many entrepreneurs, it is also an interesting business opportunity. We see a huge increase in meditation apps, meditation gadgets, and meditation books to make it easier for people to meditate. Many times, however, we see that these are moving away from the traditional concept of meditation, just like people started inventing stuff like goat yoga, beer yoga and so on, which have nothing to do with actual yoga. Many people understand yoga as mainly the asanas—that is, the physical postures. In fact, anything that involves stretching also goes by the name of yoga nowadays while true yoga is so much more. In a similar manner, mindfulness is now often equated with meditation, and many corporates prefer to use the word ‘mindfulness’ rather than ‘meditation’. This is because they believe it is easier for people to relate to, and it has less of a religious or cultural connotation than the word meditation. CC: Please elaborate on meditation… Meditation is one step further where you go to a point of no effort; it is a state of effortlessness where you are no longer engaging the mind but you are going beyond it. This is where you get a different set of benefits, which are very profound. One of them is deep rest—physically, emotionally, and mentally. It allows you to recharge your battery and digest so many of the impressions and experiences that we are exposed to. Many people nowadays, even when they come to me, share this challenge that even if they sleep seven hours a night, they don’t feel fresh when they wake up. Physically you may have rested well but mentally, the mind is not fresh and not clear. You might need a cup of coffee or tea or a Redbull to get you going. Even at night, if you want to sleep, your mind will be very active because of stress or anxiety. It is difficult to fall asleep even if you are dead tired. We have never learnt to consciously relax our mind, to consciously let go of impressions, as grasping happens naturally. Many times, something unpleasant happens and it gets absorbed in the system and it keeps coming back and troubling us—we don’t enjoy that. But we have never learnt to let go. It is as if we don’t know how to delete the file. Meditation is essential if you want to be happy and peaceful. However, if people think that by downloading some app and doing a two minutes meditation, which may just be some

(Pics by: Yusuf Khan)

Even in the pandemic, there are people who happily go on in life and don’t seem so affected, even though they face the same challenges. That means it is not really the situation but our own conditioning that makes us uncomfortable in a situation sounds of nature to make you relax a little, then they are missing out on. CC: You gave this beautiful concept of mindfulness and meditation that is haphazardly followed. What does one have to do to further one’s activities in a calmer way? The best way is to learn from proper teachers. In my book, I have given step-by-step practical exercises and an understanding of how to reach to a point where you can relax the mind and go beyond it. The first step is the understanding of how the mind works. If you don’t know how to manage your mind, then even if you close your eyes, you will not be able to

40 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

ward off unpleasant thoughts. One of the first places where people are stuck is that thoughts keep coming up and you don’t know what to do with them. We have to realise that effort is what works on the level of the body but effortlessness works on the level of the mind. We have always been taught that if we want to achieve something, we have to put in efforts, whether it is to become flexible, to train our body, to learn to play the guitar, or anything else. But that doesn’t work with the mind. The more you try to remember something, you can’t. But the moment you say, never mind, then suddenly you remember. So, on the level of

the mind, effortlessness works. That is the first step to starting to relax. Many times you find that what is stopping you from relaxing are all the pending things. Either the things that you have to do, or want to do. So, to be able to meditate, you have to be able to drop all your cravings and desires, at least for a few moments. Feel that for the next few moments, you don’t want anything, as if you stop existing. Then you will notice that the mind starts settling down. Feel that for the next 20 minutes, all that is pending can remain so. If you are able to do that, you will find that the mind starts settling down a lot. That itself can give you a lot of rest already. My Master, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, said very beautifully that passion and dispassion should go together. Passion is like breathing in and dispassion is like breathing out. Any athlete knows this—if you want to progress the most, you need to exercise but also give your body the rest it needs. If you say that you are too busy to meditate, then you need it all the more. As we see in the corporate world, if you have a hectic schedule, too much responsibility, and seek peak performance, you need to be well-rested, calm and alert. It has been my personal experience practising meditation for the last 20 years. The same job that earlier took me half an hour I can now do in 10 minutes. People wonder; how do I do it? Simple; it is about being fully charged. CC: You have written that we can only aspire to be unshakable when we take ownership of the state of our mind. Could you explain the relevance of this in pandemic times? More than ever people have realised that we rely on things outside of us for peace of mind, for a sense of security and stability. In these pandemic times, suddenly you may find that you have lost your job or your company goes down the drain, and suddenly you are not certain whether you will make it. People who never doubted their own health because they were healthy, suddenly may have grown insecure. It reminds us that the world outside of us is not in our control. But even in the pandemic, there are people who happily go on in life and don’t seem so affected, even though they face the same challenges. That means it is not really the situation but our own conditioning that makes us uncomfortable in a situation. The moment you realise that, you have made the first step to regain your autonomy and real inner peace.

You can force people to do a lot with a stick but there is a different level of achievement, creativity, excellence, that can only be achieved by passion, devotion and inspiration. People who are most successful are the ones who are not forced—they are inspired, passionate and that is what drives them to excel

There is a part in you, which is untouched— the more you can consciously connect to that, you can experience that, irrespective of the situation around you, you will still be happy. This is something worth achieving and realising because that means that in any situation, no matter what happens, you can still be calm and peaceful.

CC: You mentioned that the mind is like a kite, and breath is like the string. Could you elaborate on it for the younger generation? You see a kite, there is a string attached to it. If you let go of the string, the kite goes all over the place. When you hold the string, you can make sure that it goes in the right direction. In many ways, our mind is like that—it goes all over the place. For any young person who is sitting in a classroom, he may be physically there but his mind may be wandering, we have all experienced that. So, if we have a string that will help us to determine where the mind goes, how high it goes, it will be much easier. This is where the breath becomes useful. If your state of mind changes, the rhythm of your breath also changes, so there is a direct connection. If someone gets angry, breathing gets irregular; when you are emotional, there is a different rhythm; when you are upset, you will find exhalation is more prominent. When you are chilled out, your inhalation is more prominent. So, when we learn to utilise the breath, it becomes easy to manage our minds. For me, this was a big eye-opener. When I was young, I was practising different martial arts, we used to do a few of breathing techniques but it was superficial. But when I did my first Art of Living program, I learnt more about how to really utilise the breath. For me, it was a revelation. CC: Can you further elaborate on the ability to be satisfied irrespective of what you are doing? Our corporate world is now highly competitive, there is a lot of focus on achieving; many times, it is almost at any cost. We feel that this is something that can drive people to excel. To some extent, it is true, if someone is very lethargic, if they are not very ambitious, then putting them in fight or flight mode can get them on their seat and working. The only thing is, you can do this only up to some extent. From the health perspective, whether it is physical, mental or emotional health, overdoing it is detrimental. That is when you get burnt out and suffer from lifestyle ailments because the hormones being produced are not conducive to your state of regeneration or healing. You can force people to do a lot with a stick but there is a different level of achievement, creativity, excellence, that can only be achieved by passion, devotion and inspiration. People who are most successful are the ones who are not forced—they are inspired, passionate and that is what drives them to excel. March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 41

SPIRITUAL DIMENSION CC: What is the situation in the corporate world today? A lot of the current corporate setting is still aiming for a mediocre result; it is not true excellence. That is why we have a lot of motivational speakers. But as my Master said beautifully: when motivation comes from outside, it is short-lived. Instead, if you inspire people, you would see a much bigger result. That is why in the corporate world, many people are realising the need for programmes that cater to not just the mental health and well-being of their employees but also to kindling those core values. That’s because we have a scenario wherein, earlier people used to be doing one job, work with one company all of their life, and they would feel it is their company. So the kind of ownership, the kind of belongingness they used to have was very different. People knew that if they did well, they would be there until retirement, and they would do whatever they needed to do to help the company. Nowadays, you see people can get fired at any point. They don’t know how long they are going to be there, so they always keep a backup plan. They keep looking for a better option. And the company management fears attrition, so it too cannot bank too much on one person. Hence, there is a lot of insecurity. In such a scenario, there is less belongingness with the company, there is much less ownership, so people are much more tempted to work for the paycheque than for passion or loyalty. Even from the angle of productivity, quality or sustainability, it is much more beneficial to the company to create a space of belongingness where people feel this is my company because then they will go the extra mile. CC: When was the turning point in your life? When I was growing up, I had my fair share of challenges—my mother got cancer when I was very young; she survived, but it shook me. My parents divorced when I was 12 years old. We did not have a lot of money; we managed somehow to make ends meet. I realised that unless you learn to manage or master your mind, there is no guarantee that you will be successful or truly happy. As a teenager, I used to read about Zen, Buddhism, and other philosophical books, but it still did not give me what I was looking for. When I was 16, my mother did an Art of Living Program, and that is how she experienced breathing techniques. She didn’t share too much about it with me or my brother at that point. But soon after, she got to know that the founder of the organisation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was coming to the Netherlands, and he would be giving a public talk about human values, in Amsterdam. She got an invitation. She asked my brother and me if we would like to accompany her. We said yes—I was 16 and

A lot of the current corporate setting is still aiming for a mediocre result; it is not true excellence. That is why we have a lot of motivational speakers. But as my Master said beautifully: when motivation comes from outside, it is short-lived he was 14 years then. We went to Amsterdam for the program and I didn’t really know what to expect. But I saw his poster and he looked like a proper saint with the long hair, beard

42 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

and complexion. We went in. The program left a lasting impression. One thing I remember was that he was so natural, he was at ease, not at all artificial. It struck

me that even though his language was so simple, it was very profound. It really struck a chord. He also conducted a guided meditation, which had felt like just a few minutes for me, but actually was about 20-25 minutes. When he said you can open your eyes and I saw the time, I realised that even though I had had some thoughts, there were gaps where I hadn’t had any thoughts, and I was feeling peaceful. That triggered my curiosity to learn more. That was the turning point. CC: Then how did you go ahead… In a subtle way, I went from seeking and looking for something authentic to now exploring what I had found. I did some of the Art of Living Programs there and I went to meet Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Germany. In a matter of a few years, I realised I would love to be a trainer for these programs because I saw how useful they were. I always had an innate desire to serve, to contribute to other people. I found the platform where I could do that— where I had the chance to keep going deeper into this knowledge, keep learning more, but at the same time also contribute through the meditation and service programs. In 2007, after completing my university studies, I moved to the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru to continue serving and deepening my knowledge to an even greater extent. Till date, I am so grateful to have had that opportunity. I go back to the Netherlands every one and a half years to meet my family and friends. My family is very proud of what I do. Many of my friends are doing well in different fields. A few have done the Art of Living Program, some may not have but at different points in time, each of them has shared with me that the joy or the contentment they see on my face is something they are still looking for. CC: When did you become a Sanskrit Pandit? I had come once to India after high school, and had had an experience at the Art of Living ashram in Bengaluru of various pujas, particularly the Rudra Abhishek (done every Monday) which left a very strong impression. That kindled the interest that was already there. I wanted to learn more about this tradition and practice. When I had to finalise what I wanted to study at the University in my home country, the Netherlands, I opted for the Arts Degree in Indology at Leiden University. However, at the outset of the first year, we had an orientation program to meet the faculty. There was an elderly Dutch professor who looked like he must have never left the Netherlands. I asked him whether we would be learning some Vedic chanting. He looked at me and said: “Of course not, it is a dead

language.” That broke my heart, as I had visited India and seen this ancient tradition which was very much alive. I realised that I was barking up the wrong tree. I decided to learn whatever possible there and then go back to India to learn more about the recitation of the mantras. My Bachelor thesis was a comparative study of some of the Shankaravijayas texts that comprise the life story of Adi Shankaracharya.

CC: What is the philosophy of life that you live by? With the blessings of my Master, I now live my life not in the pursuit of happiness but as an expression of happiness. From a state of fullness and fulfilment, I am able to look at the world around me and see what more I can do to help make this world more beautiful and be useful for the people around me. And to share this beautiful knowledge that I have received with whoever I meet. ([email protected])

Nowadays, you see people can get fired at any point. They don’t know how long they are going to be there, so they always keep a backup plan. They keep looking for a better option. And the company management fears attrition, so it too cannot bank too much on one person

AUTHOR SPEAKS

Connect to your purpose If you read the stories in here, and do the activities, over the course of a month, you can literally re-wire how your brain thinks about the adversity in your way, authors Tom Lillig and David Shurna tell Corporate Citizen. Their latest non-fiction book, ‘What’s Within You’ sets out to help readers tackle self-doubt, overcome hurdles, and tap into courage and hope

By Nichola Marie

I

t is said that the only real opponent you have in life is yourself. And also, the only true ally. It’s important to know whose side you are on. Fingerprint Publishing’s latest non-fiction title, ‘What’s Within You’, by Tom Lillig and David Shurna, sets out to help people break through their self-limiting beliefs. It uses the framework espoused in the authors’ award-winning No Barriers organisation, and includes profiles of well-known people who have gone this route to show how one too can overcome one’s fears and achieve phenomenal success in one’s life’s journey. At the end of the day, what’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way. Excerpts from an interview with the authors ...

Corporate Citizen: ‘What’s Within You’ aims to help people break through their self-limiting beliefs. How and why did the idea come about? Tom Lillig: This book is rooted in our twenty-year history at our NGO of working with tens of thousands of people to help them break through the barriers in their lives and connect to their purpose. Ultimately, what we realised and what pushed us to write this book is that there are no books out there that achieve the success of our NGO’s empirical and hands-on approach

David Shurna

Tom Lillig

that has helped so many people reorient their lives toward a larger purpose despite the barriers in their way. We wanted to give everyone in the world the how-to guide to unleashing their potential even in the midst of great adversity. CC: What lies at the core of ‘What’s Within You’? David Shurna: To boil it down, this is a book for people who (a) have committed to living a full and meaningful life but are struggling because some barrier has derailed them; or (b) have a gut feeling that there’s a way to live differently—to live a life full of purpose—but they can’t quite put their finger on how to do it. This is a book about the interplay between purpose and persistence, and how managing to balance these two dichotomies unleashes our fullest potential. CC: What is the kind of research that went into it? David Shurna: Over the years, we have worked closely with both external and internal researchers to help evaluate the impact of our NGO’s programmes on our participants. This has provided us with reams of data from these researchers proving the power of all aspects of our model. So, in writing this book, we drew heavily on that research. We also wanted to

44 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

feature amazing stories of success that required additional background research on the best examples that bring each principle to life. And finally, we know that the ideas in this book are closely tied to ancient wisdom which meant we had to look back into the past to help illuminate these universal human themes. CC: Were there moments of personal doubt and challenges you went through in your own life, before realisation dawned? Tom Lillig: Most certainly. We had ups and downs with the businesses we started. We both lost loved ones to tragedy. And we fought with self-doubt about whether our own dreams would be realised. And, of course, the journey continues. Even with the tools to break through adversity, we go through moments of uncertainty or brief lapses in our own self-confidence. But as you learn the tools in this book, the key is to recognise the early signs that you’re slipping back into that negative space and re-centre yourself on the powerful light inside of you that knows anything is possible. CC: What are the barriers that typically hold us back in life, as explained in the book? David Shurna: All of us face challenges in our

lives, whether great or small. None of us is immune to struggle. Adversity doesn’t care about race, class, creed or gender. It doesn’t care about where you come from, what your job title is, what abilities or resources you may have. This is a simple fact of life: if you walk this planet, you face challenges on a daily basis. The next time you’re riding a crowded bus, or waiting in line at the coffee shop, or sitting in the stands at a soccer game, look right and left, you will see people struggling—whether internally or externally—with all kinds of issues in their lives. The person to your right might be struggling in their marriage; or dealing with a difficult co-worker. Perhaps that person is wrestling with body-image issues; or battling an addiction to alcohol. The person to your left might be weathering the recent loss of a parent or child; or coping with the stress of being unable to make rent that month. Many of us fight self-doubt, denial, lack of confidence and depression. The tools in this book are universally applicable to whatever struggle you’re facing that you sense is holding you back from being your best. CC: How can one deal with the crippling issue of self-doubt? Tom Lillig: So many of us are our worst critics and at times, we all struggle with self-doubt. And our natural tendency when we get into a place of self-doubt is to retreat into ourselves and keep silent. That’s the opposite of what we need to do. Instead, we need to reach out and invite others into our struggle. We call this building a Rope Team, which alludes to the idea that when people climb mountains they rope up together as a lifeline. Your Rope Team, as explained in our book, needs to be there to lend a helping hand in the best and the worst of times. The other thing with self-doubt is to be 100% clear on the vision that you have for yourself in your life. When you have a written Vision that moves you, you can always pick it up and read it to remind yourself that despite a brief dark moment, that powerful light is still inside you that wants to live out that Vision.

promise a better you or offer quick and easy life makeovers, they often fall short in addressing the full picture. You can find books about purpose, meaning and happiness; and you can find books about how to break through some current adversity you’re facing (addiction, marital problems, financial challenges, etc). But what’s missing is a book that gives you a map to navigate the gap between our idealistic aspirations for a life of purpose and the realistic barriers that get in our way.

If you read the stories in here and do the activities, over the course of a month, you can literally rewire how your brain thinks about the adversity in your way. It sounds crazy but we have seen this happen—David Shurna

CC: How could the book help to bring a complete shift in one’s thought patterns? David Shurna: That’s exactly what the book is designed to do. If you read the stories in here and do the activities, over the course of a month, you can literally re-wire how your brain thinks about the adversity in your way. It sounds crazy but we have seen this happen with tens of thousands of people over the past 20 years.

a powerful Vision for yourself. For most people, to get the ball rolling, it requires stepping away for 2-3 days in a quiet, restful natural setting and focusing on the Vision concepts described in this book. If you can’t take that much time, it can be an hour a day spread over a week. Next, it takes a single step forward towards that Vision—what we call the Reach. Once you have an initial idea of the Vision of who you want to be in this world, it’s important to realise as Lao Tzu says “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Some of us make grand Visions but never start with a simple step. Simple steps matter because they show us we can make progress towards our Vision slowly but surely. It will be many, many, small steps towards a powerful Vision that will ultimately change your life. But, rest assured, the real change is typically internal. And if you follow these principles for a month, you’ll already feel your entire mindset shift.

CC: In your opinion, what does it take to bring about a sea-change in one’s life? Tom Lillig: First and foremost, it takes a commitment to go find the space to get away from the noise and chaos of your everyday life to craft

CC: Amidst the many self-help books that abound, what would be the USP of ‘What’s Within You’ and make it a genuinely useful guide? David Shurna: While there is seemingly no end to the number of books and blogs out there that

CC: Shed light on some of the inspiring profiles in the book. Tom Lillig: At the start of each chapter, we introduce you to people that we believe exemplify the spirit of one of the elements. You will discover the story of a biophysicist who—driven by the loss of his legs, invented the most technologically advanced prosthetics to date so that he could climb again; or the inspirational account of a wounded veteran who was burned over the majority of his body yet still found a way to transform his outlook from one of suffering to one of joy as he found a career in entertainment. You will read about an aspiring music teacher who lost her hearing in college but went on to experience global success as a singer-songwriter; or a plus-size actress who worked hard to overcome her own body-image issues in order to promote positivity and empowerment for others through dancing and her own television show. And, in a story that defies believability, you will learn about a blind man who followed his passion to climb the tallest mountains in the world and kayak the most challenging rapids. CC: Do you believe such matters of emotional intelligence need to be taught/inculcated from an early age? David Shurna: A 100% yes. When we go to school, we are rarely taught the very basics of how to find meaning and purpose in life. And unless we have some early tragedy in our lives, most of us never learn basic skills for handling real challenges. Recent research has shown that having purpose and meaning in life increases your emotional well-being and overall life satisfaction. Having meaning in your life improves your mental and physical health; enhances your resilience and self-esteem, and it decreases your chances of suffering from depression.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Tom Lillig, Board President, No Barriers USA, is a gifted storyteller. He has crafted ground-breaking campaigns for numerous global companies and organisations. David Shurna, Executive Director and co-founder, No Barriers USA, has guided No Barriers to historic levels of both impact and revenue. March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 45

ME TIME

HOW HAPPINESS IMPACTS HEALTH

Opening a person’s mind to positivity: Optimism and vitality are critical to a person’s well-being. Improving a person’s problem-solving ability: Positive-minded individuals believe they “can” and want to achieve their goals. Building physical, intellectual and social resources: This allows people to learn better because they seek other positive-minded people. Protecting your health: Happiness lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease, lowers your blood pressure, enables better sleep, improves your diet, allows you to maintain a normal body weight through regular exercise and reduces stress.

ime T h t Heal

H

appiness is good. It provides us with a sense of optimism, a “take on the world” attitude and positivity that can be infectious. According to a recent study, everyone attempts to find happiness in three ways: Doing good for others; doing things you’re good at, and doing things that are good for you. Moreover, those who are the most optimistic, are the happiest overall. And the research doesn’t stop there: happiness is

closely tied to being happy with your job, your closest relationships and taking care of yourself physically and emotionally. Effects on Your Health For most people, happiness is a sense of purpose and well-being. This positive attitude translates to a variety of effects on a person’s health both physically and mentally, including:

Ways to Improve Your Well-Being According to some research, well-being can be learned by practising the following: Resilience, a function of the brain, resides in the ability to bounce back from adversity. A positive outlook lies in a person’s ability to see the positive, both in people and in experiences. Attention, or a lack of it, can affect a person’s well-being. Being more attentive and using better listening skills can make a person more focused and positive. Generosity equals a sense of well-being. Acts of kindness make others and yourself happy. Your own well-being should not be mysterious. Know what works for you and what doesn’t, and remove the barriers that are preventing your happiness. Be content with your life choices. Your health and well-being are dependent on it. (Source: https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthytips/how-happiness-impacts-health)

Movie Time

Super Size Me

46 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

You may not want to watch this one while you're eating. This 2004 documentary chronicles Morgan Spurlock's ambitious and unusual quest to eat nothing but McDonald's for every meal for a month, in order to do a crash course on the effect of fast food on the body. Don't try this at home. As much as no one wants to see Spurlock vomiting in a parking lot, Super Size Me is funny, riveting, and thought-provoking. It spawned multiple critical follow-up fast food binges with varied results. You can obviously

argue with the validity of Spurlock's experiment, but it's hard to argue with the entertaining film that results from it. As Empire says, "It's a hugely enjoyable descent into epic gluttony. It's the thinking man's Jackass." Super Size Me might be about junk food, or it might be about junk science, but it's still incredibly watchable and a raucous good time. Read More: https://www.looper. com/360789/the-best-free-movieson-youtube-right-now/?utm_campaign=clip

Freedom from Diabetes STUNNING GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Recipe Time

Terrific Tweet

For 500 ml Anyone major green Any two minor greens 1/2 cup of any one fruit from the list given below 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp rock salt 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder 1/8 tsp black pepper powder 1/8 tsp turmeric powder 250 ml water Method: Put all ingredients in a blender with 1/2 cup water and churn for three minutes taking a break after every 30 seconds of churning to reduce the heat generated. Blend it into a smooth liquid. Add enough water to make it 500ml. Drink without straining it. It is really tasty, healthy, and refreshing. List Of Major Greens: (To be used in rotation) 1.5 cups of any of the following leaves chopped with tender stems only: Garden Sorrel /Ambat Chuka/Khatta bhaji Safflower/Kardai Amaranth/Rajgira (Green or Red) Hemp/Ambadi Bathua Radish leaves

Beetroot leaves Lettuce Spinach/Palak (To be used twice a week. Hypothyroid and uric acid patients to avoid) Kale (Hypothyroid patients to avoid) Bokchoy (Hypothyroid patients to avoid) Or any locally available edible green leaf except Fenugreek (Methi) and Dill leaves (Shepu, Suwa) List of Minor Greens: 10-20 leaves of any of the followingCurry leaves/Kadipatta Mint leaves/Pudina Coriander leaves Tulsi Celery Parsley Betel leaf/Paan ka patta (1 leaf) Or any other herbs List of fruits allowed Apple Guava Pear Dragon fruit Kiwi Berries Peach (Hypothyroid patients to avoid) (Source: https://www.facebook.com/TheFreedomFromDiabetes)

When you realise that being alive is the greatest gift we have, everything single thing you do should be to maximise this experience on Earth to make the most of every living, breathing moment. There is no time for regret, there is no time for guilt. Give it your absolute ALL.

George Benson @MrGeorgeBenson

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 47

CAMPUS PLACEMENT

Pushing Boundaries Saurabh Patil is someone who believes everything happens for reason. Be it having a year down during his graduation or taking two years to prepare to get through a post-graduation college or taking a couple of attempts to get through campus rounds; Saurabh walked through all these phases with his head held high. And the outcome was something amazing that transformed him into a better version of himself. Currently, working with Analytics Quotient (Kantar) as their Consultant-Customer Analytics, Saurabh talks about his educational journey, the importance of practising yoga and meditation for students, how to prepare for the campus placement rounds, and more! By Ekta Katti

S

aurabh was born and raised in Satara, Maharashtra. And for him, his family’s support means the world, as they are the ones who have held him through his thick and thin. This, indeed, has given him the impetus to fight his battles and conquer them. “My life, especially my educational journey, has been a roller coaster ride. But through

48 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

all this, I always had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve. To reach anywhere in life the minutest things must be taken into consideration. Trying out various avenues when things stop working for you is a smart move. And amidst this, if you fail, just remember things happen for a reason. Go through what you go through, and you will surely achieve your goals,” said an optimistic Saurabh.

The break and the learnings Life does not always go as we plan it. There are several ups and downs. But it does provide us with the strength to overcome the hurdles, and Saurabh completely agrees with this. “When I had a year drop during my graduation, I was shattered. But as there is brightness after the storm, I kept my patience and handled the situation with maturity. Such things happen, we ought to just be calm and find ways to move on,” he said. While further adding, “One needs to find solace when things are not working in their favour, and during my tough times, yoga and meditation acted as a catalyst in bringing the best out of me. As time passed, I was able to take control of the situation and complete my graduation.”

(L-R) Pratik (brother), Vidya (mother), Rajendra, (father), and Saurabh

Breath in, breath out Not many understand the worth of yoga and meditation at a young age. “Luckily, I did,” smiled Saurabh. “Yoga and meditation got me through my rough days. It’s become a part of life. This art helps in controlling a person’s mind, body, and soul. It gives an individual the strength to overcome any obstacle. The perks are endless. In the end, it improves the person’s concentration power, heightens their memory power, and makes them more creative. These virtues are quite important in everyone’s life. Hence, I urge all to practice this art,” he added. After completing his graduation in mechanical engineering, Saurabh took quite some time to get through an MBA college, precisely because he wanted to give his best in the entrance exams by pushing all the boundaries. Finally, his hard work reaped the sweet fruits of success, and he moved to Pune to complete his MBA in Marketing.

Yoga and meditation got me through my rough days. It’s become a part of life. This art helps in controlling a person’s mind, body, and soul. It gives an individual the strength to overcome any obstacle — Saurabh Patil

This is it His aim when he began his journey of attaining his MBA degree was to gather as much knowledge as possible and get placed in one of the best companies. And the preparations began in the right direction. Talking more about how he prepared for the campus placement, he said, “My internship with Whirpool was quite instrumental in shaping my mindset. This internship made me corporate-ready, and the experience added to my theoretical jargon,” he said. Not just that, along with riding high on his internship experience, Saurabh did not leave a single stone unturned to prepare for the placement. For him, staying on toes is a thumb rule—this included keeping himself updated on the latest news, gathering all the material of his favoured industry, and, of course, believing in himself. “Unfortunately, it took me quite a few attempts to get through a company. But I was up for this challenge, and the failure did not let me down because I knew good things take time. I tightened my hold on the knowledge I was gathering, practised day and night and when it came

to Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds, finally, my day came,” smiled Saurabh. Through campus placement, he was placed with Analytics Quotient (Kantar) as their Consultant-Customer Analytics. It’s been almost two years since he joined them, and he is loving his time in the corporate world. Now, as his bright future awaits him, he wishes to be more independent, invest his time in learning new skills, and accumulate the technical know how to earn from multiple sources. As Saurabh Patil settles in well in the corporate world, he passes on a few tips for his juniors on how to prepare for campus placement and much more… Be consistent: Success cannot be achieved overnight. And for that, you should be consistently working hard. Studying overnight might work for some. But it always makes sense to be ready for the exams. Break down your goals, work on them segment-wise, and be optimistic. Learn new things: It’s advisable to keep your mind active. Learning new things gives your brain much-needed exercise. It adds value to

your resume, helps in problem-solving, and broadens your horizon. You never know these learnings will come in handy—it’s always for the best. Balance is the key: All work and no play makes a person dull. Studies are important but to enhance your grasping skills, taking a break and doing things you enjoy will fasten the process. However, there should be a balance while you are working and enjoying—learn to draw a line. Mental health is important: College life can often be tough on students. Deadlines, back-to-back lectures, assignments, and other things do tend to take a toll on their health, this, in turn, impacts their academic performance. Consider practising yoga and meditation. It will do wonders. Know when to say no: This corporate piece of advice will take you a long way. Learn when to say no. You are not here to impress anyone, your work will speak for you. Draw a personal boundary, and don’t get all worked up. Politely refuse when there is too much on your plate or you are not comfortable doing that work. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

World record for running a full marathon On January 26, Pune resident Ashish Kasodekar, 50, finished his 61st marathon in 60 days, making it to the Guinness World Records for running a full marathon for the most consecutive days in the ultra-dynamo category. Not surprisingly, Kasodekar’s life motto is ‘die to live’ and he feels that his life’s work is setting out to accomplish hardcore endurance feats and finishing with a smile.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 49

LOVED & MARRIED TOO

Togetherness

conquers all

Pune couple, Yogini Gawali Jogdand and Pravin Jogdand on how a ping led to a full-fledged conversation, a three-year courtship, and then the journey of a lifetime. A bonny twoyear-old completes the little family

By Kalyani Sardesai

Yogini Gawali Jogdand and Pravin Jogdand

F

or all the cons of the world wide web, it allows you to meet up with people you’d have never met otherwise. A huge advantage when it comes to matters of the heart—especially if you haven’t quite met your soulmate in college. In 2014, when management professional Pravin Jogdand decided to register on a matrimonial website just to see if there was anyone out there for him, he didn’t expect a lot. “I just wanted to see how this would work out at a friend’s suggestion,” he reminisces. A resident of Beed in the interiors of Maharashtra, the hard-working young man had come to Pune for studies and then work. Pursuing an MBA and then looking for work hadn’t left him time to meet the girl of his choice. And that’s why his friend figured the internet was his best chance. As it turns out, a month later, the suggestion worked out just fine. “I was just preparing to retire for the night when I got a message from a certain designer called Yogini Gawali,” he says. Five minutes later, they were chatting. So wonderfully did the duo hit off that the telephonic conversation lasted all night long. They decided to meet up—and the rest was just meant to be. “We gelled really well. He is easy to talk to, patient and mature. I just knew it would work out,” says Yogini. And though matrimonial websites are the very heart and soul of arranged marriages, the duo decided to do things their own way and take their time getting to know each other. “We chose our own partner, dated for a good three years, took our time. That’s a love marriage,” laughs Pravin. “I am lucky to have met Yogini when I did. She’s loving, responsible and very caring. The way she looks after my parents and manages our home and finances is just amazing.” Initially, though, Pravin’s siblings were none too pleased. “They felt that I ought to look for someone else as she would not suit me. However, I knew that she was The One for me,” he says. A conviction that stood him in good stead because he hails from a traditional set-up where familial ties, relationships and opinions of loved ones count a lot. “Luckily for us, though, his mom was in our corner. One look at me—and she declared that I was the right choice for her son,” grins Yogini. “Here, I would especially like to mention my admiration for this very practical, wise and progressive woman who happens to be my motherin-law. She has always supported me—especially the fact that I had an unconventional profession like designing and running my own business. Unlike a job that would entail fixed hours, a business had no set boundaries of time. But she is all for a woman taking charge of her life and has always motivated me to pursue my dreams.” Obviously, Pravin seems to have taken his cues from his mom, considering how positive

Yogini and Pravin with little Dhruv

Honestly, dating and meeting up over coffee is vastly different from staying together 24x7 as a married couple. The responsibilities are many, the canvas of duties is wider. It now encompasses family, bills, chores and a lot more—Yogini Gawali Jogdand he is about backing his wife—whether it is in matters of child-care and housework or switching professional tracks. (Yogini is now a designer employed with UX.) As a senior billing analyst with Adenza, his work is quite demanding too. But he is determined to be the supportive husband indeed, and not just word. “Honestly, household responsibilities are not just a woman’s job. The recent crisis on the backdrop of the pandemic proved this beyond doubt,” he says. “Both genders have to pull their weight and do their share around the house.” The building blocks of a marriage Considering they have been married for five years, what according to both, are the pillars of a marriage? “I would say understanding and sharing responsibilities,” says Pravin. On her part, Yogini says it’s important to give married life enough time to settle down. “Honestly, dating and meeting up over coffee is vastly different from staying together 24x7 as a married couple. The responsibilities are many, the canvas of duties is wider. It now encompasses family, bills, chores and a lot more. This is a delicate balance to achieve. Much like a clay pot that needs to be shaped and baked with due diligence and effort,” she expresses. Like every couple, they fight as well. “I am the hot-tempered one whereas he is the quiet, patient one who doesn’t seem to respond. And that’s quite the anti-climax. How long can you keep up a one-sided fight?” laughs Yogini. Jokes apart, both believe in getting to the root of a problem instead of reacting to harsh words in the heat of the moment. “When you

understand what actually is at the bottom of the problem, you are able to correct it,” says Pravin. Quality time for both would consist of treks, movies, short holidays and the most looked forward to the time in the day: post 7:30 pm when their toddler Dhruv is asleep. “For young parents, it’s natural to organise one’s time and day around the little one. But it’s equally important to earmark some time for one’s spouse,” says Yogini. Bringing up baby Life is hectic but happy, revolving as it does, around a naughty two-year-old. “But investing the first few months in building a routine for him has worked out well for us. It gives us breathing space and allows us to achieve that all-important work-life balance,” says Yogini. Though it’s early days yet, Dhruv is showing an inclination for dancing and water. “Honestly, we don’t know what he is meant to do in the future as yet. But one thing is clear: neither of us believes in pushing him into the rut of studies and academics only. It’s important for him to love what he does, and we are here to support him all the way,” rounds off Pravin. ([email protected])

THE MANTRAS OF MARRIAGE l Shared responsibilities l Patience and maturity l Celebrating differences March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 51

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Work Hard and Play Hard

Trained as a commercial artist, Zahabiya Gabajiwala, Founder and Principal Artist at ZA Works, believes in the powerful impact of a well-designed space and contributes her skills to narrating the story better. Her knack for all things creative and her talent for expressing emotions and stories through art is what makes ZA Works. Along with channelling her creative juices on canvases of all sizes and textures, she seeks creative inspiration through her love for travel and teaching, where she continues to evolve. In an exclusive interview with Corporate Citizen, she talks about her work philosophy and how she maintains a work-life balance By Sharmila Chand

Zahabiya Gabajiwala

C

orporate Citizen: How do you set out your priorities to keep your  work  and personal  life  balanced?  Zahabiya Gabajiwala: I am a time-oriented person who has everything prioritised as per the schedule. However, maintaining a good work-life balance doesn’t necessarily mean giving equal time to both work-life and personal

life daily. Instead, it means prioritising personal life more on some days and work-life on the other, according to the requirement. For example, if my body needs rest on some days, I will prioritise that and have a good day’s sleep. To sum up, scheduling is always a good practice, but you should be flexible enough to reschedule your tasks because life is unpredictable in so many exciting ways.

52 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

CC: While on the move, what helps you the most in maintaining calm and peace? I love grooving to the music while on the move or when I am painting; this helps me keep calm, even if I have five projects lined up for the day. I think experience also makes you a calm person. Initially, I approached my projects with a do-or-die mindset but now I can predict mishaps and deal with them bet-

ter due to the composure that I have gained over the years.

CC: How do you like to rejuvenate and recharge and de-stress? Art is therapy for me, and I am sure this must be true for many artists. I feel like I am on a vacation when I am painting. That means every site I work at becomes my relaxation therapy. However, the stakes are high while working on a commissioned project, the business aspect comes in and this is why I paint as a hobby. I paint whatever I want, just for fun. I like to go out for rejuvenating massages or pack my bags to explore various cities; if going out is not possible, I go for a staycation in and around my city. I like to break the monotony to experience something different, like spending a day in a beautiful sea-facing room. Taking a break helps to refresh the mind, like nothing else. I watch documentaries and movies on Netflix in my free time to help me stay creative. For example, I love watching cooking shows and automobile shows where they modify cars. Learning from other professions has opened up further avenues in the art for me. CC: Five tips that work to maintain a worklife balance.  Schedule and time—slot your tasks - This is essential for maintaining a better work-life balance. A schedule time-bounds your work throughout the day and ensures that you don’t spend too much time on a particular task. Set achievable goals and prioritise - If you’ve got too much to do, no amount of time management can help. Figure out if you need to manage your time better or if you’ve just got too much on your plate, then schedule your tasks accordingly. Unplug - The information overload and ease of accessibility can make us feel obligated to respond and react to everything that pops up on our devices. Instead, we need to sit back, relax and be in the moment. I can assure you this will cut down your stress levels drastically. Don’t overdo it - You are only a human, don’t beat yourself up for not doing more. Don’t try to achieve everything in one day. Instead, take it one step at a time. Work hard, play harder - All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Take out time for things that make you happy, without feeling guilty—paint, bake, read books, travel, or spend time with your loved ones, whatever makes you cherish your life.

(For representational purpose only)

CC: What keeps you fit and healthy? I meditate and work out every day. It helps me focus, keeps my mind active, and maintains a healthy lifestyle. I don’t overeat when it comes to food but I also don’t curb my cravings because that brings a lot of imbalance in the mind and body.

CC: Do you play any game which helps you in your work?  At ZA Works, we play a game, and it is called ‘Something New’. We’ve chosen five topics, and everyone needs to respond with something new that they’ve discovered in that particular subject matter; the topics are: movies, Instagram artists, general knowledge, new art techniques, and jokes. This exercise offers a fun learning experience to my team and me while helping us communicate and understand each other better. CC: What is the secret of your success? Accept everything that comes your way. Things might not go as planned at times but we need to adapt. As a kid, I would see my Dad constantly put in hard work to grow his business from a small toy shop to an empire of toys and games. I learned to be resilient from him. If I couldn’t paint for long hours, I would build my strength. If I couldn’t paint a particular style, I collaborated with other artists and gave them exposure. If I didn’t know how to handle my finances, I would go back to basics and learn. If I felt hesitant while talking to clients, I would practice in front of the mirror and then speak to them. There is nothing we can’t do. With the growing technologies and books available to us, we will never be short on anything. CC: What is your philosophy of work? My philosophy is to work hard and play hard— work when you are happy and play when you are happier. I work very intuitively and don’t follow a weekend-weekday working schedule. I can’t force ideas and creative work so I design and ideate in my own time. CC: What message you would like to give to youngsters on time management? High achievers are not born productive. Instead, they’ve learned and practised the skills

needed to get more done in less time. Productivity is not a talent. It’s a learned skill that every individual will need to develop. I would advise everyone to learn the art of doing clever work, rather than just hard work. CC: What dreams remain to be fulfilled? We are empowering more designers and artists, especially those who are talented and don’t have the means to practice this profession. CC: Where do we see you 10 years from now? I want ZA Works to be an established international design studio ten years from now. We want to work with more designers around the world, empower and collaborate with more and more artists, and be recognised internationally. ([email protected])

CC

tadka

First person with 400 million Instagram followers Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first person in the world to reach 400 million followers on Instagram. The Manchester United forward also became the first person to reach 200 million followers in January last year. The Portugal captain is also second only to the social media platform’s official handle that has 469 million followers currently.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 53

UNSUNG HEROES

Overcoming Challenges “The challenges we face in life’s journey are not to reveal our weaknesses but to help us discover our inner strengths. We can only know how strong we are when we strive and thrive beyond the challenges we face.” –Kemi Sogunle

S

afin, was born in a poor family in Kanodar village in Palanpur district, Gujarat. His parents, Mustufa and Naseembanu, used to work in a small diamond unit, where their earnings were so meagre that they could hardly make both ends meet. After the recession, his parents lost their jobs. His father started working as an electrician and his mother started making chapattis in bulk for restaurants, marriages and functions. His mother used to wake up at 3 AM and make dough of 20 to 100 kgs flour for making chapattis the whole day. Ironically, she used to earn about `5000 to `8000 per month. His father used to sell black tea and boiled eggs in the evening. During one of the functions, the District Collector was the Chief Guest. He came escorted by armed bodyguards and was given a warm welcome. Young Safin asked someone, “How does one become a Collector?” He was told, anyone who works hard and clears a competitive examination can become a Collector. That was the day Safin found the mission of his life. Safin studied in a Gujarati medium school till Class X. He did well in studies as well as curricular activities. After passing Class X with 92% marks, some of his teachers who had joined a private school, advised him to study there. His fees was subsidised from `85,000 to `5000 only, as he was a bright and deserving student. He used to teach poor children of Kanodar village during spare time and also organise cultural activities for them. A local businessman Hussain Polra and his wife, Raina Polra were so much impressed by the potential of Safin that they spent `3.5 lakh from their own pocket. They funded Safin’s two-year stay in Delhi including the fees of the coaching institute, his travel, lodging and boarding. Safin feels indebted to them as they are not even his blood relations. Safin Hasan qualified UPSC CSE 2017 with a Rank 570 in the first attempt. After clearing the prelims examination when he was going to appear in the mains examination he met with an accident in which his knee, left hand and head got injured. He found that his right hand was intact, so he took painkillers and went to appear in the examination. Later he confessed in an interview, “I could not take a chance to skip the mains as I might not be able to clear even the prelims next year.” After that paper (GS3), he went for the primary checkup and gave the next five papers in that condition. Subsequently, he was advised one and a half months bed rest to come back to normal. Safin is eligible to join the IPS, but he plans to appear in the Civil Services Exam next year and make it to the IAS which is his childhood dream. Safin has no complaints in life. He believes that God does everything for our good. He adds, “God gives problems to those who 54 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

Safin Hasan

Whatever be the situation, never regret. Have faith in yourself, accept and move ahead, success will be yours. If you find a strong reason, why you want to be a civil servant, nothing can stop you can handle them”. He is grateful to his teachers and regards his parents as his role models. In a message to the youth, he says, "Whatever be the situation, never regret. Have faith in yourself, accept and move ahead, success will be yours. If you find a strong reason, why you want to be a civil servant, nothing can stop you," he adds. (The above story is featured in “Game Changers-real stories to inspire you” ISBN 978-93-85254-91-5 by Lt. Col. Pradeep Khare (pradeepkhare2011@ gmail.com). It is published by The Book Line, New Delhi.)

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Being a Role-Model Parent Dada J.P. Vaswani

Parents are not only their children’s first and foremost teachers: they are also the children’s role models and mentors. If you want your child to be exceptional, you must also become exemplary role models. As we all know, children are great imitators

“T

having a little kirtan session; reading aloud from the scriptures; or just sitting in silent meditation. By carrying out such practices, we emphasise the value of faith, prayer and meditation in the minds of the little ones. In some families, children are taught to say a few prayers as soon as they learn to speak. While other families teach them to utter the Name Divine. This is one of the best gifts you

Discipline is not merely refraining from bad habits and addictions like smoking, drinking and gambling. It is also a matter of adhering to ethical values and morals in deeds of daily living

(For representational purpose only)

he mother and the father are the deities whom we know first and foremost,” proclaims a well-known Tamil proverb. Mata, pita, guru, devo—lists a saying from our ancient scriptures placing parents even before God and Guru. Sri Rama who is held up as the Maryada Purushottam—the ideal man of virtue and excellence, among all the avataras of Lord Vishnu—exemplifies what the Puranas call pitru vakya paripaalana i.e. he who fulfils his father’s commands. Maatru devo bhava, pitru devo bhava—your parents are the equivalents of Gods, the Vedas emphasise. This is indeed a great honour. But this honour is to be earned, not just taken for granted. Today, many parents complain that their children do not respect them and obey them. I would say to them: “Don’t stop with complaints. Try a little introspection and see where things are going wrong.” Parents are not only their children’s first and foremost teachers: they are also the children’s role models and mentors. If you want your child to be exceptional, you must also become exemplary role models. As we all know, children are great imitators. They are extremely observant, attentive and sharp, and it is essential that we set a good example before them. Children look up to their parents as living examples. Teachers and elders tell a boy, “You must not smoke. It is a bad habit and can harm you.” The boy sees his father smoking. He says to himself, “People tell me smoking is bad, but papa seems to be enjoying it. I think I shall also smoke when I grow up.” Examples speak louder than words. The best discipline is self-discipline. Unless parents have self-discipline and self-control, they cannot expect their children to be disciplined. Discipline is not merely refraining from bad habits and addictions like smoking, drinking and gambling. It is also a matter of adhering to ethical values and morals in deeds of daily living. At work, at home and in company, make sure that you never compromise on your principles and values. Parents should also carry out their daily spiritual practices regularly, before their children. This might be assembling for morning or evening prayers; conducting a brief pooja at home;

can give your children. Faith will come to them spontaneously, and the power of the Lord’s Name will stand by them in their darkest hours, and they will surely thank you for bestowing the great gift of Faith on them. In order to live wholesome, harmonious, meaningful lives, there are other virtues that must be inculcated in children—virtues such as patience, tolerance, compassion, forgiveness and understanding. These virtues cannot be imbibed through sermons or lectures but when they see you practising them, the children will adopt them readily and willingly. As a parenting expert put it so beautifully, “Open doors for your child. Keep opening doors for them. They may not want to walk through every door you open. But just keep opening new doors and allow them to enter wherever they chose.” “Remember,” he continues, “love does not spoil a child; too little discipline spoils a child. Love does not mean fostering dependence; or allowing wrongdoing; or showering a child with gifts; or bribing him with rewards to do what he must do; love means building a child’s sense of self-esteem.” So, what are you waiting for? Start today.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 55

The Consumer bounces back SURVEY

56 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

While the pandemic waves ebb and flow, consumers are beginning to resume their shopping in full swing. PwC’s December 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey looks to examine the patterns, trends and behaviour of consumers as they get their passion back for shopping after nearly two years of restraint. Corporate Citizen brings you the results

Compiled by Neeraj Varty

VACCINATION STATUS AND FLEXIBLE WORKSTYLE INFLUENCE CONSUMER OPTIMISM

M

ore than 60% of consumers are optimistic about the future, particularly those who are vaccinated and have flexible working arrangements. It’s important for business leaders to note the factors influencing optimism that they can affect, such as flexible work and vaccination. Workplace policies that facilitate health and well-being will not only help companies rewrite the social contract with their people but could also create activity and spending that yield business benefits.

SMARTPHONE SHOPPING IS AT A HISTORIC HIGH

S

hopping via mobile/smartphone continues to grow, while in-store shopping has recovered to pre-pandemic levels. To succeed in a digital world, companies will need to take advantage of technology to advance their own mission by investing in the differentiating capabilities that allow them to deliver on their purpose. Filling their new place in the world might require them to shed old business models, assets and beliefs about value creation.

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 57

SURVEY DATA PRIVACY IS KEY TO CONSUMER TRUST

C

onsumers have become more protective of their personal data over the past six months, and data security has a far greater impact on trust than any other factor. Our survey shows that using customer data to personalise experiences is less likely to help build trust with customers than using data to ‘get the basics right’ and personalise discounts and recommendations. Although ESG issues are important to consumers, when it comes to trust, factors that have a more obvious, direct effect on consumers matter most. Businesses can build a system of privileged insights but only if the value they offer in exchange resonates with consumers and consumers trust them to keep their information secure.

CONSUMERS CARE MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY THAN EVER BEFORE

M

ore than half of the respondents say they are more eco-friendly than they were six months ago. And almost half of respondents consciously consider factors related to sustainability when making purchasing decisions. Consumers today describe themselves as increasingly eco-friendly. It’s intriguing that those who work from home show more interest in sustainable shopping. It could be because at-home workers tend to be more white-collar and affluent, with more financial freedom to be selective in their purchasing choices.

58 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

BUT PRICE AND CONVENIENCE STILL MATTER MOST

C

onsumers still prioritise price and convenience when shopping in store or online. Consumers care about ESG factors but when stacked up against the basics of price and convenience, ESG fades in importance. Consumer businesses need to take these statistics to heart. Products can’t be only either affordable and easy to get or sustainable; they have to be both.

CONSUMERS ARE VENTURING OUT MORE

R

espondents are more likely to be venturing out of their homes for travel-related activities than they were six months ago. Nesting habits formed during the pandemic will likely stick to some degree but our research shows a notable uptick in out-of-the-home activities. We’ll likely see a hybrid home/ away-from-home lifestyle reemerge. It’s important to note that even when venturing out, almost half of the respondents indicate that they like to shop locally. This highlights both the effects of the pandemic and the ever-important influence of convenience.

([email protected]) March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 59

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS

Advertising Rate Card

the brand new entrant into the glossy world of business magazines in India, steps in with a new vision and a fresh perspective. Despite the jungle of print, effusing reams and reams of corporate news and features, Corporate Citizen is all set to create a stir with its vibrancy, value-based approach and with prime focus on young readership that is waiting in the wings to fly into the cut-throat community of risers and achievers. The aim is to present a top quality magazine that is particularly aimed at corporate youth, pursuing a career or entrepreneurship, and aspiring to zoom into the corporate world, at large. The early issues of Corporate Citizen provide a great opportunity to address this special and relevant audience of corporate youth and their role models, through our invitational advertising rates. Colour Insertions Inside Front Cover (Full Page)

`60,000

Back Cover (Full Page)

`70,000

Inside Back Cover (Full Page)

`60,000

Doublespread

`100,000

Full Page (Other Pages)

`50,000

Half Page

`35,000

For more than 3 advertisements the rates are negotiable Frequency

:

Fortnightly

Material Format

:

High Resolution pdf / eps format with colour proofs for matching

Page size

:

210 mm x 273 mm

Bleed

:

Min 4 mm extra on all sides

Non Bleed

:

190 mm x 255 mm

Please keep 6 mm extra for gutter margin for D/S Ad. Vertical Half Page

:

240 X 85 mm

Horizontal Half Page

:

110 X 183 mm

Paper Covers

:

Art Paper

Inside Pages Paper

:

Lightweight Coated Paper

Material Deadline

:

2 weeks prior to issue date

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS

Head Office: Krishna Housing Society, Flat No22and 4,4, Bulk land No4,Near 4,4, Near Iskon Mandir, Sector 29, Head KrishnaHomes HomesHousing HousingSociety, Society, Flat 2and and Bulk land Near Iskon Mandir, Sector Head Office: Office: Krishna Homes Flat NoNo 4, Bulk land No No Iskon Mandir,Sector 29, Hours: Mondayto toSaturday Saturday 10 Ravet, Akurdi, Pune Mobile No. :: 020-67117604/9. 9307901295 6. (Working Ravet, Akurdi, Pune 412 101. Phone Website: www.corporatecitizen.in Hours: Monday 10 am amto to66pm) pm) 29, Ravet, Pune - 412-- 412 101.101. Mobile No.No. : 9307901295 / 6./ (Working Website: www.corporatecitizen.in Website: www.corporatecitizen.in

MOBILE APPS

The best Android Auto apps Android Auto overrides your car’s native infotainment system with a familiar, smartphone-like interface. It’s extremely easy to set up and relatively straightforward to use. But once installed, it can convert your car into a smart device, which you can use like your smartphone. We list the best Android Auto apps for your car By Neeraj Varty

Google Maps

Google Maps work with Android Auto. Google Maps is the obvious choice because it has a ton of features and it’s the default option. Of all the Android Auto apps, Google Apps should be at the top of your list because it makes navigation while driving so seamless.

Audible

Audible is one of the most popular audiobook services out there. It offers Android Auto support as well. They work basically the same way. You can purchase audiobooks and listen to them in your car. It works great for commutes or road trips and it’s a fun alternative to music for those who want something a little less intense. 

WhatsApp

This popular messaging app gives drivers a handsfree way of receiving and sending messages. When used in conjunction with Android Auto, you can simply tap on the message as it appears on your car’s display, then use your voice to draft and send replies. If you’re using GPS or another app at the time, messages will appear on the top third of your display, so you can craft your response without switching app screens and potentially missing your turn.

Spotify

Spotify is still the largest music streaming service in the world, and it would have been a crime if it wasn’t compatible with Android Auto. Thankfully, it is, so you have access to Spotify’s massive database of available songs, albums, and artists. If you’re not subscribed, you can still get access to music streaming for free, just with ads. ([email protected])

FROM THE MOBILE

Temper control

O

nce upon a time, there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on his or her team or project. But he was also self-centred and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those

around him. Even friends. So, naturally, he had few. “But,” he told himself, “That just shows how stupid most people are!” As he grew, his parents became concerned about this personality flaw, and pondered long and hard about what they should do. Finally, the father had an idea. And he struck a bargain with his son. He gave him a bag of nails, and a big hammer. “Whenever you lose your temper,” he told the boy, “I want you to really let it out. Just take

Sunil Gavaskar scored 36 runs in 60 Overs. Yuvaraj Singh scored 36 runs in 1 Over. Team India scored 36 runs in 1 Innings. What can you learn here from an investing point of view? Like Gavaskar innings, sometimes your investment can give you lesser returns for a prolonged tenure. Like Yuvaraj Singh, sometimes your investment can deliver the highest returns in the least possible time. Like Team India, sometimes, all your assets can perform terribly. However in spite of these, Gavaskar was one of the finest batsman, Yuvaraj was a great player and team India ranks at the TOP. Mutual Funds and Cricket are Subject to Market Risks.  62 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

(For representational purpose only)

How the score of 36 was scored differently in cricket matches? 

a nail and drive it into the oak boards of that old fence out back. Hit that nail as hard as you can!” Of course, those weathered oak boards in that old fence were almost as tough as iron, and the hammer was very heavy, so it wasn’t nearly as easy as it first sounded. Nevertheless, by the end of the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence (That was one angry young man!). Gradually, over a period of weeks, the number dwindled down. Holding his temper proved to be easier than driving nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He felt very proud as he told his parents about that accomplishment. “As a sign of your success,” his father responded, “you get to pull out one nail. In fact, you can do that each day that you don’t lose your temper even once.” Well, many weeks passed. Finally, one day the young boy was able to report proudly that all the nails were gone. At that point, the father asked his son to walk out back with him and take one more good look at the fence. “You have done well, my son,” he said. “But I want you to notice the holes that are left. No matter what happens from now on, this fence will never be the same. Saying or doing hurtful things in anger produces the same kind of result. There will always be a scar. It won’t matter how many times you say you’re sorry, or how many years pass, the scar will still be there. And a verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. People are much more valuable than an old fence. They make us smile. They help us succeed. Some will even become friends who share our joys, and support us through bad times. And, if they trust us, they will also open their hearts to us. That means we need to treat everyone with love and respect. We need to prevent as many of those scars as we can.” If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.

A diplomatic win At a Diplomats’ dinner, a waiter tripped and shattered the beautiful plate in which he was carrying a large turkey.  Hushed silence.  Then a quick-witted diplomat  announced: “Gentlemen!  You have just witnessed four major international events happening: The fall of Turkey Breakup of China Spillage of Greece   and Frustration of Hungary! The silence turned into a roar of laughter!

Riddles I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?  Answer: An echo. You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy.  Answer: A candle.

Ten remarkable stories 1) She was very excited today, after all, the school was re-opening after a long summer break. Now, once again, she could start selling stationery at the traffic signal to feed her family. 2) She, a renowned artist and a strict mother, often scolded her six-year-old son for he could never draw a line straight. As he breathed slowly into the ventilator, she begged him to make one more crooked line on the ECG.

6) They took his father, and only returned a flag. 7) At 25, I became a mother of one; at 27, I became a mother of two; and today, at 55, I have become a mother of three! My son got married today, and brought home his wife. 8) “Born to rich parents, this boy is so lucky,” exclaimed the neighbours. Somewhere in heaven, three unborn sisters cried.

3) “Everyone goes with the flow… but the one who goes against it becomes someone remarkable.” Before I could explain this to the traffic police, the man issued me a fine. 4) Their love was different. She was happy every time he kicked her in the stomach. Every time he kicked, she loved him more. She waited for the time she would hold her baby for the first time. 5) All my toys are yours. Read her brother’s death note.

9) “You ruined my career, I was supposed to be an Executive Director,” she thought to herself. The little angel held her finger tightly and she forgot everything; A mother was born. 10) Once a five-year-old boy was standing barefoot in the shallow water of the sea. He was repeating the same sentence to the waves—“Even if you touch my feet a thousand times, I won’t forgive you for taking my parents away.”

Once a student came to a wise sage and asked: — What else do people lack to make the world better? — They lack things that they do not ask about, he answered. And, seeing the perplexity of a person who asked the question, he explained: —What do people ask God for? Happiness, wealth, love, even talent—for the sake of success and fame. But did you hear that someone asked to make him smarter or kinder? The student thought and shook his head. —That’s it!—The sage said regretfully. —Everyone considers himself sufficiently intelligent and kind, willing himself entirely different. Therefore, the world does not become any smarter and kinder. Leaving, the student repeated himself: “Good mind —that‘s what people do not think to ask for that the world would become better.” But the thought to start from himself did not occur to him.

(For representational purpose only)

Student and a sage

(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)

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 63

CLAPS & SLAPS CORPORATE CITIZEN CLAPS FOR TEENAGE CHESS PRODIGY AND INDIAN GRANDMASTER (GM) RAMESHBABU PRAGGNANANDHAA (“PRAGG”), WHO HAS ADDED YET ANOTHER FEATHER TO HIS CAP BY DEFEATING HIS HERO, WORLD CHAMPION MAGNUS CARLSEN, IN THE 8TH ROUND OF THE AIRTHINGS MASTERS 2022 TOURNAMENT–A PART OF THE MELTWATER CHAMPIONS CHESS TOUR HOSTED ONLINE FROM FEBRUARY 19-26

CORPORATE CITIZEN SLAPS THE ENSUING HUMANELEPHANT CONFLICTS, AND THE CURRENT SPOTLIGHT ON JHARKHAND’S MINING CORRIDORS

A

t 16 years, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa became the youngest chess player to beat Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who has long held supremacy as the Chess World Champion since 2013. Images of the wide-eyed teenager covering his mouth in disbelief and the 2 AM silence at his Chennai home has become a formidable yet inspirational image. “I’m just really happy,” said Pragg and added, “I was just enjoying myself.” It was his first win in any form of Chess against Carlsen as he came back into the game, having lost three games in a row in the 16-player led Round Robin Online Chess Tournament. Carlsen had accumulated three wins in a row but blundered badly against Praggnanandhaa, resigning from the game, which was Praggnanandhaa’s moment of truth’, becoming the youngest player to beat 31-year- old World Champion Carlsen. With his new win, Praggnanandhaa becomes the third Indian to have defeated Carlsen, following the illustrious GM Vishwanathan Anand (Ranked No.1) and GM Pentala Harikrishna (Ranked No. 2). Praggnanandhaa holds the 13th position as per the Chess Grandmasters India listing between 1988 and 2021. In 2016, the 10-year-old Pragg became the youngest International Master (IM) and repeated his feat in 2018, becoming India’s youngest and the world’s second youngest Grandmaster at 12 years, 10 months and 13 days. He received generous accolades from global Chess enthusiasts and the who’s-who Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa worldwide, including Sanjay Kapoor, President of AICF (All India Chess Federation), the legendary GM Vishy Anand, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Anand Mahindra, Chairperson Mahindra Group, and noted Chess players. Vishy Anand re-Tweeted on Amul’s’ Tweet and poster, celebrating Praggnanadhaa’s victory, “An Amul hoarding is a great milestone… hope you are enjoying it!” As Pragg reclaims his position in the chess world, India has perhaps discovered Vishy Anand’s potential successor and the poster boy for India’s imminent Chess boom. 64 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

Human-elephants conflict

R

ecent reports highlighted 800 people succumbing to human- elephant conflicts over the last 11 years and 60 elephants dying over the past eight years. Government records exemplify elephants mauling 66 people to death in Jharkhand in 2015-16, against 57 killed by armed Maoist insurgents. Increased mining activities in the region, especially across Hazaribag, Dhanbad, and Bokaro, have impacted the seasonal movement of elephants along these corridors. As per the 2017 Right to Passage report of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), elephant corridors are traditional, narrow and natural passages ensuring that elephants move in such paths without disturbing human settlements. Of the 108 identified elephant corridors, 14 exists in Jharkhand but lacks the official notification by the government for protection along these paths. The rapidity of unregulated mining and infrastructure development has challenged elephants’ free movement. The Wasteland Development Board pinpoints the non-scientific operations of coal mines, lack of assessment impacting mining activities and the creation of ‘gap areas’ in the forests for these conflicts. The seven coal mining projects across central Jharkhand are operated by the Government or private entities, creating gaps in forest areas. Unfortunately, when elephants pass through these forests, they either move towards human settlements or fall into the mining pits. Nitish Priyadarshi, Environmentalist and Associate Professor of Geology at Ranchi University said, “Elephants have a good memory, and the memory of their movement route remains from generation to generation. The drying up of ponds also adds to the distress of the elephants.” Dayashankar Srivastava, a member of the State Wildlife Board, said that as an immediate plan, the government should plant bamboo trees in the forests around Saranda, Kolhan, Podahaat, Saraikela-and Kharsawan. While it remains a popular food for elephants, the plant’s density has dwindled in the mining areas. “It is only due to unregulated mining activities that our elephants have reached Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Elephants are the original inhabitants of these areas before us. If you are mining out in such areas, please provide compensation to them, give them adequate trees and do not obstruct their movement paths,” said Srivastava. (Compiled by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar)

SUBSCRIBE FOR CORPORATE CITIZEN AND GROW IN LIFE

MILITARY TO MANAGEMENT

VOX POP

Budget 2021-22: Is it Pro-Growth and Progressive?

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.19 - February 16 to 28, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

LT. COL. SUUNIL NARULA (RETD.), CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS

www.corporatecitizen.in

Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.21 - March 16 to 31, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.20 - March 1 to 15, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

Senior Advisor (Business Strategy and Innovation), Suzlon Energy Ltd

PIYUSH GHOSAL, Head of HR,

www.corporatecitizen.in

Pratiti Technologies

DYNAMIC DUO - 91

MUTUAL TRUST MATTERS

SESSION

CII-Panel Discussion Startup: The Innovation Mission (Part - 2)

TRIBUTE

Tributes to late Dr P. C. Shejwalkar, Father of Management Education and founder-director, Institute of Management Development and Research (IMDR)

TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Vamsi Gaddam, Joint Managing Director, Visaka Industries Ltd,

SURVEY

Indian millennial couple, Shashank Kumar, entrepreneur and founder, DeHaat and Mailinie Jauhar, Vice President, Analytics Business Unit, EXL Service, on how committed they are to each other as they are to their respective professions

CII-EY Survey 2020

Is India among top favoured global FDI destinations?

DARE TO GAZE BEYOND THE

FORESIGHT

Understanding the economic state of India’s creative economy

HORIZON

SURVEY

Global Retail Trends 2020

INTERVIEW

Ranjit Khompi, Head-Learning and Development, Fashion and Lifestyle businesses, Reliance Retail, on his career journey, its highs and lows, business outcome-focused HR interventions and more

Rahul Kolhe, Associate Program Manager - AVP, HR Analytics and HR Transformation, eClerx

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.23 - April 16 to 30, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

Navneet Nair, Director - Product Design, PhonePe

LIFE LESSONS

Anupam Kher, actor, author and motivational speaker, on adapting to change and the necessity of knowing TÊTE-À-TÊTE Yashveer Singh, Executive Director, Ashoka Young Changemakers

SURVEY

LONDON’S INDIAN BILLIONAIRE DYNAMIC DUO - 93

BOND TO BANK UPON DYNAMIC DUO - 92

CORPORATE STALWART

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

INTERVIEW CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.22 - April 1 to 15, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

Surinder Arora, who migrated to London from a village in Punjab, as a teenager, is today a billionaire in the UK with his Arora Group specialising in property, construction and hotel management divisions. His wife Sunita ably works along with him as director and in-charge of its charitable foundation. Read the inspiring story

Ajay Bagga, financial expert and corporate leader and Rajita Kulkarni Bagga, banker turned educator, President, Sri Sri University, on their uber achievements, the financial sector and their journey so far

Venture Capital 2021 Report

WHEN PASSION MEETS WORK CORPORATE STALWART

Prakash Wakankar, CEO, 2-Wheelers Businesses and Chief of International Operations, Farm Equipment Sector of Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., on his corporate journey, experiences and his love for cricket commentary

To, Circulation Manager Corporate Citizen (Business Fortnightly) Krishna Homes Housing Society, Flat No. 2 & 4, Near Iskcon Mandir, Sector 29, Ravet, Pune - 412101. Mobile No. 9307901295 / 6 (Working Hours: Mon. to Sat. 10 am to 6 pm) Email : [email protected] Website : www.corporatecitizen.in

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 6, Issue No.24 - May 1 to 15, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Dr Rupinder Singh Sodhi, MD, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)

SESSION

Discussion – The pace of AI adoption in Indian BFSI

BIG CHANGE

Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, Union Minister for Education, on New Education Policy 2020

FORESIGHT CORPORATE STALWART

TRANSFORMING THE FINANCIAL LANDSCAPE

Subject : Payment for Subscription of Corporate Citizen

Sudha Murthy, author, teacher, social worker, on her journey from teaching to writing

SURVEY PwC’s 10th Global Family Business Survey-2021

Dhiraj Relli, MD and CEO, HDFC Securities Ltd, on his career journey, the Indian banking sector, future of banking in India

NAME: POSTAL ADDRESS:

FIRST TALK

BUILDING NAME- APT. NUMBER / BUNGALOW NAME-NUMBER

SOCIETY NAME

N.R. NARAYANA MURTHY,

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 7, Issue No.1 - May 16 to 31, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

Founder, Infosys

CORPORATE STALWART

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN WORKFORCE Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-Director, Avtar, on her impressive journey of creating an inclusive workplace where women’s participation is paramount to her

MILITARY TO MANAGEMENT Major Namrata Dhasmana, Senior HR Leader

CITY:

STATE:

SURVEY

PIN CODE:

Landline No.:

Future of Retail 2021

Mobile No: MILITARY TO MANAGEMENT

E-mail Address:

CAPT. VARUN SHARMA AND SUNNY MAKROO,

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 7, Issue No.2 - June 1 to 15, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

www.corporatecitizen.in

co-founders, MilitaryToCorp

Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, Symbiosis International University & Principal Director, Symbiosis

Ajay Bagga, Financial Expert and Analyst

DOB:

/ (D D)

/

JAB OF NEW ENERGY COVER STORY - SPOTPOLL

(M M)

(Y Y)

T Hari, CEO, CallHealth

COVID-19: 'Positivity in the corporate world'

India Inc.— innovators, entrepreneurs and reputed corporate leaders on emerging businesses and professional trends sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic

Profession (If any) :

Designation (If any) : Rajiv Mitra, CEO, Prabhat Dairy, Groupe Lactalis

Dr Apoorva Palkar, Director-Innovation, Incubation & Linkages, Savitribai Phule Pune University Dr Deepak Shikarpur, Director, Kinetic Communications

Company/Organisation (Where Applicable): I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE :  For One Year (24 Issues)  For Two Years (48 Issues)  For Three Years (72 Issues)  For Ten Years (240 Issues)

: : : :

Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No

- - - -

Subscription Amount Subscription Amount Subscription Amount Subscription Amount

: : : :

`1,200/`2,300/`3,400/`10,000/-

I am remitting a sum of ` through a bank draft / cheque bearing number dated drawn in favour of ‘Corporate Citizen’ towards payment of the subscription amount for One / Two / Three / Ten years, subscription.

INTERVIEW



www.corporatecitizen.in

EVP and CFO, NEC Corporation India

TÊTE-À-TÊTE Sumit Suneja, Managing Partner, Merlin First & Co CORPORATE INSIGHT Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO, CropIn Technology

FIRST TALK Genesis of BPO Industry— Pramod Bhasin, former President and CEO, Genpact

SURVEY AI: An Opportunity amidst a Crisis

BREAKING CORPORATE STALWART

THE GLASS CEILING

Date :

Mayank Khandelwal,

CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THOUGHTS Pune - Vol. 7, Issue No.3 - June 16 to 30, 2021 (Fortnightly) - Price `50/- Pages 68

Harjeet Kaur Joshi, CMD, Shipping Corporation of India, on facing the corporate headwinds admirably, the effect of the pandemic on the shipping industry, breaking the glass ceiling and more

Signature of Subscriber

March 16-31, 2022 / Corporate Citizen / 65

THE LAST WORD

Ganesh Natarajan

T

Asia to lead post-pandemic economic surge

he Asia Economic Dialogue is one of the flagship events of the Pune International Centre and this is the third year we have successfully held it in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs. Helmed by India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar and PIC’s own trustee, Former Ambassador to China and Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale. This year was inspiring and path-breaking as session after the session unveiled the opportunities for Asia in this decade, and the “Asian Century” and of course, the Indian imperative. The session, which I was privileged to lead, focused on the role that industry could play in leading the renaissance and it was fascinating to get views by our own entrepreneur par excellence Baba Kalyani of Bharat Forge, corporate chiefs from South Korea and Bangladesh, and the very vocal and candid, Joerg Wuttke, Vice President and Chief Representative of BASF China. The theme was extremely important because after labelling the nineteenth as the English or Imperial Century and the twentieth century as arguably the American Century, this century can see Asia reclaim its position of pre-eminence that it held in global GDP through much of the time before 1800. And as Dr Kalyani rightly said, Asia, thanks to the surges of first Japan and Korea, and in most recent times China, already leads the global economies. My economist friend and the co-author of our China book, Ajay Shah points out that a large economy like India, if it hits even 10,000 US dollar annual per capita income and grows to 1.5 billion population will have a GDP of 15 trillion in the near future, as large as any Western economy. Moreover, projections show that by 2050 or 2055, Asia will surely contribute 5050% of global GDP with India reaching the position of the third-largest economy in the world following China and the USA. To create a glorious future, we cannot forget the tracks of history. The four Asian Tigers —Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia first showed how to break away and create rapid growth for their economies and citizens. Then we saw China set a scorching pace with over two decades of annual double-digit growth, which took them within reckoning distance of the US and a 14 trillion dollar economy by the

We have long argued at the Pune International Centre that India will need astute trade policies, robust economic growth and diplomatic finesse with our neighbours, China’s neighbours and the relevant nations of the world to succeed. And succeed we must for the sake of all our people

Vijay Kelkar

Nirmala Sitharaman

Raghunath Mashelkar

end of 2019 while our own country had barely touched three trillion. With China slowing and turning its focus to a domestic agenda, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand have taken off and it is time for India and Bangladesh to set their own growth agenda. Will the others, including our neighbours Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan follow? We shall see. A sobering note was struck by Dr Wuttke, speaking from Beijing where he has lived for over three decades when he cautioned China that their regressive policies under President Xi would leave a lot of potential untapped and the vindictive approach to foreign capital and even many of their own success stories could take the country backwards. This is also a warning note for many Asian nations. It is total freedom of speech and action under a rule of law and dispersed incomes that have led to many Western success stories. Professor Shah rightly points out that all Asian countries have to be careful of the middle-income trap that prevents economic breakthroughs, inequalities within the countries and across the region, dwindling natural resources, inadequate attention to climate change and global warming and declining labour forces with ageing demographics. And

66 / Corporate Citizen / March 16-31, 2022

of course, the biggest show stopper could be the geo-political tensions that we have seen so often in the region, none more apparent in the recent times than India and China. The Asia Economic Dialogue threw up a lot of new questions and provided some answers. Both Dr Jaishankar and Ms Sitharaman spoke about India’s willingness to stand up, not only for ourselves but also for our weaker neighbours, and the External Affairs Minister spoke of the hand of collaboration that India has extended to all in Asia even as we find seat at many tables in the G-20 and the world. In an eloquent and inspiring valedictory talk, the Finance Minister exhorted all Indians to focus on the three core pillars of green energy, health and education while embracing the digital touch points that would truly enable India to scale on the path from India@75 to India@100 in 2047. There is no shortage of challenges for Asia and India. The aggression shown by Russia in dealing with Ukraine with the potential problems for Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and the risk of a tacit supporter China, doing the same in Taiwan and possibly provoking Pakistan to partner in some nefarious activity in South Asia cannot be overlooked while we address the hard task of building a high employment low pollution economy in the face of all that is going on around us. We have long argued at the Pune International Centre that India will need astute trade policies, robust economic growth and diplomatic finesse with our neighbours, China’s neighbours and the relevant nations of the world to succeed. And succeed we must for the sake of all our people. Dr Ganesh Natarajan is Chairman of 5F World and the Lighthouse Communities Foundation and a Trustee of the Pune International Centre.

“RNI Regd. No. MAHENG/2014/60490, Postal Regd. No. PCW/179/2021-23. Published on 1st & 16th of every month and Posted at BPC, Pune CSO 411030 on 1st & 16th of every month. Licenced to Post without Pre-Payment Licence No. WPP-252/2021-23.”

Corporate Citizen, Krishna Homes Housing Society, Flat No 2 & 4, Bulk land No 4, Near Iskcon Mandir, Sector 29, Ravet, Pune 412101. Mobile No. 9307901295, 9307901296. or Post Box No-4, Dehu Road Cantt. Pin - 412101.