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2011-12-26T16:39:00.003+05:30

4Ps B&M‘s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri investigates this new booming form of market-friendly, Designer Moksha!

It is an astonishing paradox of human life that with progress, sophistication, modernity and success comes depression, loneliness, alienation, and insecurity! Today in the year 2011, as we scan the lifescape inhabiting planet earth – with special reference to the advanced and developed western countries – we find startling horror stories of dysfunctional life amidst plenty. Amongst us in India there is no dearth of mimics and west-apers passionately engaged in the business of living a ‘proxy’ life – a life invested with ‘imported’ thoughts, beliefs, products and processes. They believe it spells progress, being cool, smart, belonging to the swish Page 3 set and generally being perceived as aspirational role-models and preferred objects of desire.

Sadly, nothing is further from the truth! In the insane and direction-less pursuit of a mirage called “happiness”, the first casualty is peace of mind. Why? Because nothing in this world comes for free and the first world joys offered by the enticing packages called ‘Consumerism’ and ‘Globalisation’ come with a sinister price-tag! Suddenly, the sexy, 10-digit paycheck doesn’t look so great because the tension and pressure that accompanies it is scary. Family life, social life, cultural life, intellectual life … everything is sold at the altar of moving up in life. So, what next? What is the solution? Where is the salvation? Enter the marketers of spiritualism!

Ad-man Gullu Sen – Founder of Delhi based agency From Here On Communications – comes up with an instant one-liner. “If you have a Sapnon Ka Saudagar, why can’t you have a guy hawking spirituality?! The con-game is the same, boss!” On a more serious note, Sen believes that in today’s troubled times where tension and pressures rule the roost, spirituality is in high demand & low supply. “Hence, the smart, shrewd marketer who has his ear to the ground and is able to think on his feet, can do wonders – for his desperate clients and laughing wallet.” He cites the example of Aastha and a host of similar TV channels which enjoy a wide viewership cutting across all stratas of society.

Perizaad Zorabian, the gorgeous red-head scorching the Bollywood marquee and modelling scene, takes a more serious view. She believes that each and every human being has a spiritual side to him or her “but unfortunately, due to the pressures of everyday life, sometimes, they are forced to give it low priority. Interestingly, in times of real stress, it is this spirituality that gives them the strength and sustenance to cope.” Although she lives an extremely busy life, Zorabian makes it a point to save some time each day for herself “to catch up with her spiritual self that is a source of both enrichment and empowerment.” As for the spirituality-on-sale tack, the actress believes that something as sacred and precious as this should not be treated as a product or service to be hawked for consumption. “I find it a very sick line of thinking!”

Burly, bearded, iconoclast Ad-man Prahlad Kakkar is however totally comfortable with the idea of marketing spirituality. “Yaar, we live in sexy Kalyug times where everyone knows the price of everything but the value of nothing! Spirituality, therefore, for the stressful, materialistic, gimmee-gimmee community, is something they can easily connect with as a consumer,” he tells 4Ps B&M. Kakkar believes that the simple, innocent days of basic goodness that was the DNA of our forefathers, have long disappeared. They have been replaced by a turbulent and complex environment where basic values are frequently under siege. “Hence, a safety valve like spirituality is a super-seller – a pre-sold, sellout!”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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4PS B&M - ICMR Exclusive Survey India's most Admired Consumer Durable Brands 2011

2011-11-01T17:17:00.002+05:30

ICMR and 4PS B&M Present The Most Comprehensive Profiling of Indian Consumers’ Preferences and recall of Consumer Durable goods

It’s no more a secret that India’s consumer durables market is riding the crest of the country’s economic boom. In fact, Driven by a young population, with access to disposable incomes and easy finance options, the Indian consumer durables market has been throwing up some staggering figures lately. Even high inflation and poor consumer sentiment could not take the sheen off the industry. What’s more? pegged at Rs.350 billion, the Indian consumer durables industry recorded a growth of 12-13% in sales in 2010 over the previous year. While the average sales growth in the sector rose to 46% in Q4 2010 from 17% in Q1 2010, profit growth also improved from a 31% decline in Q1 2010 to a spectacular 118% growth in the December quarter. Analysts predict that the industry will continue with its stellar performance going forward as well. and the credit for this goes to those consumer durable brands, which embraced the change, and recognised the need to sprint along that one track that not only led them to win the loyalty and continued trust of customers, but also chart an impressive growth trajectory for the industry. After all, In the cut-throat world of marketing and mass media, where products have a tendency to become history quickly, they stormed into OUR LIVES with ridiculous ease. And that was nothing compared to the ease with which they have stayed there! 4Ps Business & Marketing, in association with THE NATION’S LEADING MARKET RESEARCH FIRM, Indian Council for Market Research (ICMR), presents the Power list of ‘India’s Most Admired Consumer Durable Brands 2011’! THIS LIST, WHICH SPANS THE top five consumer durable brands based on brand recall and THE top three based on consumer preference ACROSS SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN PRODUCT CATEGORIES, aptly reflects the changing moods and aspirations of a young and dynamic nation that HAS entered a roaring new decade full of opportunities.

Methodology: India’s MOST Admired Consumer durable brands Survey

4Ps B&M conducted a survey in association with Indian Council for Market Research (ICMR) on India’s most admired consumer durable brands amongst 855 respondents in 5 Indian cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai – using a structured questionnaire and a random sampling technique. To make the survey more focused and detailed, the consumer durable segment was sub-categorised and brands were listed accordingly, mostly from the household segment of durability, with a deliberate preponderance of the electronics segment – cars, sports equipment, furniture, thereof were excluded. A few other sub-categories (including MP3 players,cameras/camcorders, juicer mixer grinders et al) were excluded from the purview of the survey with a focus on giving specificity to high capitalisation product segments. Cellular phones were another important exclusion given a combination of various factors – rapidly rising technology curve (leading to newer brands coming out with increasing regularity), extremely low product life cycles, and decreasing average usage life cycle per consumer – which almost pushes a modern day cell phone into the FMCG category in the retail segment, leave the business phone users to some extent.

The survey, in the previously mentioned cities, was conducted with SEC-A & B segments. Under the survey, respondents were asked to recall brands under different heads in the consumer durables segment. They were also asked to name their preferred brands. In the statistical representation featured within this section, only the top five recalled brands and the top three preferred brands are documented, along with the percentage divided between respondents who chose ‘specifically’ these brands – in other words, this would mean that the percentages shown in each graph would therefore statistically add up to 100%. The respondent profiling was donhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=25045928e based on the segment being interviewed. The age-group of the respondents (25 years and above) was also given importance considering that such respondents are high users and buyers of different products.

They are The Economist... And they Talked to us

2011-10-17T17:39:00.001+05:30

The Man at The Helm of Affairs at The Economist’s office in India, Supriyo Guha Thakurta, reveals to 4PS B&M what makes The Economist, well, The Economist.

Having worked as a leader with brands like Lintas Personal and Adfactors Advertising, this marketing graduate from XLRI Jamshedpur is at the helm of making decisions at The Economist’s office in India, pertaining to strategic leadership, and enhancing business revenue & profits. His task is far from easy considering the battle he fights everyday to increase the awareness of an already strong brand and ensure it gets a consistently better circulation year on year. In an exclusive conversation with Suprio Guha Thakurta, MD, The Economist India, 4Ps B&M finds out how challenging it has been for him to market the magazine in India and what unfolds next in those marketing plans.

There has been a 13% y-o-y increase in the magazine’s readership in India. What factors drove these numbers home?
We had established an office in India towards the end of 2007. The vision was that all factors were driving the Indian economy, and as such it did make a good place for our brand to be in. Our focus is to build a strong business driven by print, reason being our brand is recognised mostly by our magazine; and as such, we want to keep it alive till other forms of media take the front stage. The increasing readership only proves that the demand was always there for our product... it just needed to be marketed well, and we are pretty much in line with what we thought we will get to when we started off in India.

Globally, the magazine has marketed itself through billboards and outdoor advertising. Why is it different in India?
In India, we had the choice of taking that step, but we decided to look at each market in the country separately because this market didn’t know our brand. Brand awareness was there, but nothing beyond that. And based only on the perception of its name, our targeted audience thought it was a magazine focussing on politics and business, which is not the core of our magazine. Initially, we focused on Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, and we had a pure measure of effectiveness for our communication strategy. We needed people to be aware of the brand and then read the magazine. We measured the number of unique visitors on our website and found that it grew gradually. Eventually, there were visitors subscribing to the print version of the magazine through the website. When we started off, the numbers were approximately 2-3 subscribers per day, but in the last few years that number has grown to an average of 10 subscribers per day. So, the unique readership has grown more than three times over the last three years. After targeting these three cities, we realised that there’s more for our market beyond them. We were spending all the money in three metros, whereas 15% of our subscribers were not even from the first 20 metros. We thought perhaps it’s time to spread the message out there. That’s when TVCs were made. So, it was not some ad hoc thing, it was a well thought strategy. Now to ensure the increased awareness span, we have consistently kept commercials alive across India.

Buy later, pay now,or what?

2011-10-10T17:17:00.003+05:30

The 4PS B&M Annual Consumers’ Guide to Post Budget Price Movements

It’s the killing question that hits every consumer before a budget – will the prices rise or will they fall? While the Devil is in the detail, the price movement is in the interpretation. 4Ps B&M, in its inaugural post budget issue, took up six sectors – automobiles, real estate, white goods, computers and gems & jewellery – to give you the dummy’s guide to price movements post budget.

One of the core concepts of marketing theory and practice is that consumers act as value maximisers, and relentlessly make cost benefit analyses before they make a decision on any purchases. Despite that genuine intent, though, value maximization is obviously a very utopian concept. While every marketer puts his best foot forward into the market with his positioning, communication and distribution strategies, the consumer has to move through this intricate maze and seek out what’s best for him. Various factors could help clear the way or even make it hazier, like brand perception, social and economic background, cultural influences, inputs from family and friends, et al. Also, consumers have an upper limit (which is largely psychological) to which they research for the best value, which also varies with respect to the nature of the product they are buying. After that, they tend to simply sign on the dotted line. Moreover, our society is not that advanced in terms of consumer activism as compared to the US. In the US, there are associations like Consumers Union, which are not only keeping marketers and retailers alert through consistent scrutiny of products and services, but are also playing a key role in shaping consumer oriented policies. In that sense, the very notion of the consumer being the king, particularly in India, may be quite distant from reality.

Even if it is assumed that you have decided upon the best possible product, the other critical aspect of value is price, and the entire effort that goes into extracting the best deal. Moreover, pricing is in itself a very strategic tool today, and the ‘cost plus margin’ approach looks centuries old. Companies look at a lot towards factors like perceptions that pricing builds, price elasticity of demand, the stage in the product life cycle, competitor pricing strategies, their positioning strategy, overall company policies, et al. Even the salesperson you interact with has gone through multiple training programmes in negotiation theory. He is taught to make a quick judgment about the kind of customer you are and the values you seek and also use this judgement to decide what price to offer you at the start and at what price to stop.

Conversely, there is a lot that customers need to understand about how they can formulate their own price negotiation strategy. A lot of it comes from experience, but then, if you understand how companies behave today, you can bypass years of bad experiences and non-value maximizing transactions and significantly improve your consumer experiences here and now. It matters to understand, for instance, that if you cannot afford a premium brand like Sony, there are a lot of brands who can give you an acceptable or even remarkably similar experience at a lower price. Or the fact that coffee chains adopt a price differentiation strategy to target multiple customer segments, which is why the Mocha that you drink may be Rs.10-20 more expensive in terms of price over the Cappuccino, but there is hardly any difference with respect to cost of production.

Consequently, the focus of this cover story of 4Ps B&M is on one specific and critical aspect of a consumer’s pricing strategy – the right time to buy, a decision that is hugely dependent on the FM’s budget speech every year. Especially during these days of dizzying inflation, any buying strategy that is even a wee bit lighter on the wallet is definitely worth considering. Through first hand analysis and industry interactions, this cover story discusses ongoing and anticipated price movements across sectors, due to budget announcements or due to specific sectoral trends, to act as a guide to your purchase planning in the coming months. We’ve selected a handful of industries that garners the maximum interest of the investor population and have attempted to give an analysis that, despite going deep into numbers, keeps it simple for your understanding. While there are no guarantees that the prices would move exactly in the way we are postulating, what is true is that the probability of your making the right informed choice – of whether to buy now or later – increases. And now, jump right on to the 4Ps B&M Annual Consumers’ Guide to Post Budget Price Movements.

Movie Buffs’ Internet Warfare

2011-07-18T17:30:00.001+05:30

UTV World Movies, India’s first world cinema channel has revamped its website to cater to the niche world cinema segment in India. The new website displays drop down menus; excel sheets and a cine map to choose films from the database. Various social networking links have been added to increase visitors. World Movies stands with 5% of market share above Warner Brothers and Lumiere which have 4% and 0.1% share respectively. “We had two goals behind the revamp. One that the fans can come and check the movie schedule and figure information about the movie; and two, to increase awareness of world movies as a genre,” said Vahishta Mistry, VP Ineractive, UTV World Movies. The website revamp may attract viewers over the short term; increasing viewership over the long term still remains a per movie question.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....
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Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Idea gets a breather as Rs250 crore fine stayed

2011-07-06T17:24:00.002+05:30

The Telecom Dispute Settlment and Appellate Tribunal, or TDSAT, has restrained Department of Telecommunications (DoT) from collecting a Rs250 crore fine from Idea Cellular, country’s third-largest mobile telephony operator by revenue market share.

Idea Cellular — part of the Aditya Birla group — had acquired Spice Communications in 2008 but the merger of the two entities has hit several regulatory hurdles as Spice owned overlapping telecom license and spectrum in different telecom circles.

In June, DoT, apex body in the country that issues licences and regulates telecom services fined Idea `250 crore for violation of applicable regulations while carrying out the merger.

On Monday, Delhi High Court asked Idea to return 6 overlapping licences and spectrum to DoT besides imposing a fine of Rs1 crore.

Idea was also directed to pay Rs1 crore for suppressing information on its deal with Spice, the court said in an order posted on its website.

Idea denied wrongdoing and said it would appeal against the order. With the latest stay order from TDSAT, the firm gets a breather. Idea has maintained that it sought DoT’s opinion before merging with Spice but that the body has not been very responsive to its efforts to communicate but has now gone on an overdrive finding fault with the merger process.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
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IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Nokia tries N9 ahead of Windows

2011-06-22T17:31:00.002+05:30

Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop unveiled a new smartphone on Tuesday that uses software the firm plans to ditch, a move analysts said would probably condemn the device to obscurity. The model — Nokia's first and last to use MeeGo —can be navigated by a single finger swipe and comes in black, cyan and magenta colours in a polycarbonate design.

Once the undisputed leader in hand phones, Nokia has rapidly lost ground in the smartphone market to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android devices, and at the low end of the market to Asian rivals such as China's ZTE and India's Micromax.

UK's Serco buys Intelenet for Rs 2.8k cr

2011-06-09T17:24:00.003+05:30

UK-based international services firm Serco has acquired Indian BPO company Intelenet for Rs 2,772 crore, making it the largest acquisition in the Indian BPO space. It pips the $550 million (Rs 2,475 crore) that Genpact paid in April to acquire Headstrong. The acquisition of Intelenet supports our ambitions as a leading global service company. The international BPO market is growing quickly as companies seek out new ways to improve their service and reduce costs, Chris Hyman, the chief executive of Serco, said in a statement. ntelenet offers a broad range of BPO services including transactional, voice support, finance and accounting services in markets like the US, UK and India. It focuses on the banking, financial services & insurance, travel, hospitality & transport, and healthcare sectors. The valuation, however, appears to be on the higher side. Serco's acquisition cost represents a multiple of around 12 times EBITDA for the year to March 31, 2011. Nikhil Rajpal, partner, private equity practice, Everest Group, said, this deal is on the expensive side considering that Intelenet has a lot of low-margin India business.

The buyout is part of the £4.3 billion Serco's strategy to gain a larger exposure to higher-growth overseas BPO markets. Serco made an investment about two years back in an India-based company called InfoVision, which is now called Serco BPO. Serco BPO, which has about 8,000 people, provides customer services, database management and back office services for only the Indian BPO market. Intelenet has an employee base of 32,000 with about 75% of revenues coming from international business and 25% from domestic business. Their combined BPO operations will have 40,000 employees providing services across seven countries.

The combined entity is a strategic fit for Intelenet as it adds significantly to its consulting and technology capabilities. The vision is to become a complete player offering consulting to front line services to middle and back office and technology, said Susir Kumar, chief executive of Intelenet Global Services.

Analysts say that the BPO industry will see more consolidation, as clients prefer vendors who can provide end-to-end capabilities with stronger domain expertise. Smaller players should either gain scale through consolidation or acquire expertise in niche areas, said Kumar.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
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IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Allahabad HC quashes land acquisition in Gr Noida

2011-06-06T17:04:00.002+05:30

In yet another setback to Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court on Monday quashed acquisition of 170 hectares of land at Gulistan village in Greater Noida for industrial development. The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice Sunil Ambawani and Justice Kashi Nath Pandey on a petition filed by landowners and farmers challenging the government notification for land acquisiton issued on September 5, 2007 under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act depriving the aggrieved persons of filing their objections on the ground that the matter was urgent. The declaration of the acquisition was made on February 27, 2008, about more than five months.

The court rejected the contention that there was any urgency and said the landowners have to be given an opportunity for hearing by filing their objections. This was the third time that the HC has set aside land acquisition in Greater Noida where the farmers are up in arms against UP government's land acquisition demanding adequate compensation for their land and had clashed with police earlier this month. On May 12 and May 15, the HC had quashed acquisition of more than 170 hectares in Gautam Budh Nagar district.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....

IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

German govt wants nuclear exit by 2022 at latest

2011-06-03T16:51:00.002+05:30

Germany will shut all its nuclear reactors by 2022, parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government agreed on Monday, in a reaction to Japan's Fukushima disaster that marks a drastic policy reversal.

As expected, the coalition wants to keep the eight oldest of Germany's 17 nuclear reactors permanently shut. Seven were closed temporarily in March, just after the earthquake and tsunami hit Fukushima. One has been off the grid for years. Another six will be taken offline by 2021 , Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said early on Monday after late-night talks in the chancellor's office between leaders of the centre-right coalition.

The remaining three reactors, Germany's newest, will stay open for another year until 2022 as a safety buffer to ensure no disruption to power supply, he said. Merkel backtracked in March on an unpopular decision just months earlier to extend the life of ageing nuclear stations in Germany, where the majority of voters oppose atomic energy.

Her Christian Democrats (CDU), their Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) and junior coalition partner the Free Democrats (FDP) met on Sunday after an ethics commission ended its deliberations this weekend. Some politicians had wanted a clause allowing for the agreement to be revised in future. The FDP had wanted no firm date but rather a flexible window for the exit, plus the option of bringing back at least one of the seven oldest nuclear reactors in case of emergency.

The coalition agreed to keep one of the older reactors as a "cold reserve" for 2013, if the transition to renewable energies cannot meet winter demand and if fossil fuels do not suffice to make up for a potential shortfall.

IMPACT OF FUKUSHIMA

A massive earthquake and tsunami in March crippled Japan's Fukushima plant, causing releases of radioactivity, sparking calls for tougher global safety measures and prompting some governments to reconsider their nuclear energy strategy.

The German decision still needs to go through parliament and leaders of the opposition Social Democrats and the Greens were present at parts of the meeting to enable a broad consensus.

The decision could still face opposition from RWE, E.ON, Vattenfall and EnBW, the utility companies that run the 17 plants, mostly because of plans to keep a disputed nuclear fuel rod tax.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....

IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Nifty's Lowest Rollover at 59.7% in the Present Calender Year

2011-05-27T15:40:00.006+05:30

Nifty derivative May contracts experienced the lowest rollover in 2011 at 59.7%. In 2011 the average rollover so far had been 66.2%. The May rollover was accompanied by a lower spread between the May and June futures which indicated that short positions were more aggressively rolled-over than that of longs.

The spread (difference between Nifty in the cash market and Nifty June futures) has been coming down extensively since the past one week and experts attribute it to be a result of bearish sentiment among traders. The spread between the May and June series or the discount with which June series closed over the Nifty stood at 21.7 on Thursday .

Savio Shetty, research analyst- Institutional Derivatives at Prabhudas Lilladher says, “Even after discounting for the dividend premium of around 24.5, the net spread turns out to be a premium of just over 3 points.

Such low premium along with a lower-than-average market-wide rollover indicates a higher rollover of shorts”.

While the lower rollovers in Nifty are in line with sluggish market sentiment, the open interest on the put side indicates that traders are looking at 5,300 as the near-term strong support.
June 5,300 puts gained 11.6 lakh shares, highest for any strike on the put side to obtain a total open interest of 49.4 lakh shares.

However, the marginal difference between the open interest of June 5,000 and 5,300 puts indicate that traders are considering 5,000 to be the next crucial support for the Nifty in case 5,300 gives away. Currently, June 5,000 puts have the highest open interest of about 51 lakh shares on the put side.

Sector-wise, real estate companies, namely, DLF and Indiabulls Realestate saw a high rollover of 84% with higher discounts indicating transfer of short positions.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....

IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

DGCA probes air ambulance crash

2011-05-26T16:29:00.005+05:30

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Thursday started an inquiry into the crash of a small medical ambulance aircraft in a residential area here that left 10 persons including seven on board dead.

The DGCA has appointed an inspector of inquiry, who will take charge of all material evidence at the site of the crash including the wreckage of the plane in sector 22 here.

A six-member DGCA team is inspecting the site of the crash.

The inspector of inquiry will hand over the material evidence to the Court of Inquiry when it will be set up.

A senior DGCA official had said last night that the plane was in contact with the Air Traffic Control and on the radar before suddenly vanishing and losing touch.

Three persons on the ground -- all women -- were among the 10 dead when the P-12 single-engine turboprop aircraft belonging to Delhi-based Air Chartered Services India Limited crashed in Jawaharnagar locality near the IAF station in the Delhi suburb at around 1035 PM shortly before landing at IGI airport in Delhi.

Officials assessing property loss

Haryana Government officials assessed the loss suffered to property due to the crash of an air ambulance aircraft in a residential area here that left 10 persons dead.

Officials from the revenue department inspected the two houses which suffered damages when the aircraft crashed into their roofs.

A senior official said mainly two houses -- one belonging to Sobhraj Shehwrat and Sunil suffered damages in the crash.

“There are damages to two houses. We are assessing the loss. We will prepare a report regarding the damages and recommend to the government the compensation to be given,” the officials said.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....

Attempt was made to attack Mumbai two months before 26/11': Headly

2011-05-25T17:56:00.004+05:30

David Coleman Headley has now told a Chicago court that an earlier attempt to attack Mumbai in September 2008, two months before 26/11, had failed as "the boat carrying Pakistani assailants hit the rocks.

" Headley, a Pakistani-American, is the key witness in the trial of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Chicago businessman accused of helping coordinate the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He has already pleaded guilty to laying the groundwork for the Mumbai attacks and has agreed to testify against Rana to avoid the death penalty. Earlier during the trial, Headley identified his ISI handler, the shadowy Major Iqbal, as Chaudhery Khan, the man with whom the Pakistani-American had several email exchanges. Headley wrote to him at the email id chaudherykhan@gmail.com.

On being interrogated about those mail exchanges, Headley told the court that Chaudhery Khan was Major Iqbal, the man Headley had identified yesterday as one of his ISI handlers. Major Iqbal is named as a co-defendant in the indictment.

Headley has already pleaded guilty to laying the groundwork for the Mumbai attacks, and has agreed to testify against Rana to avoid the death penalty.

MD PRABHU S HAS TAKEN ON THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED BY TAKING ON THE LOW MARGIN SEGMENT OF IT SERVICES TO SMES/MSMES YET IN A CANDID

2011-03-21T15:10:00.001+05:30

How do you cope up with the challenges faced in a competitive environment?
When we are confident of adding value to customers, the question of competition does not arise. In this context, we haven’t still got exposed to a competitive environment yet.

Would you like to share any anecdotes from your learning of business in the industry?
I would like to narrate an incident which occurred recently. When we approached a firm for selling our product, the IT manager politely declined stating that “I am unable to provide all reports that the management needs”. Although we were initially setback, we persisted and somehow managed to get an appointment with the MD. When we asked him, “What information do you get today? And what do you don’t get today?”. We were taken aback when he replied – “I don’t even know the company’s turnover! The Accounts department gives one figure while the sales and IT gives another’. That’s when we realized the true state of the top management. Overall, the company is making profit, but certain brands/regions/area are not profitable and they are not noticing it because of data. Even though it may be strategic, they need to have control over that which can be monitored using our product/solution.

What is it according to you that takes to make a great brand?
When customers see value in the solutions offered, the brand gets established automatically. However, a great brand should have an well-established ecosystem of partners who can provide quality and timely service.

From a business point of view, what is your ultimate objective?
My ultimate objective is to provide game-changing solutions that can enhance the turnover and profits of Indian SME businesses.

What do you think is the best way you could market your brand?
We approach the market through consultative selling. We believe that our customers are our best marketers.

How would you describe your and your company’s success story?
Success is a journey, not a destination. We are so far happy with the progress made. And we are confident of seeing more successes in our way.

How do you manage your personal and family priorities?
My first family is Cindrel. I am enjoying each and every moment I spend for Cindrel and I am sure it will take care of my other family.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again....

GHOUISE MOHIUDDIN TALKS TO 4PS B&M ABOUT HIS DREAMS TO BECOME THE NEW BEVERAGE KING

2011-03-18T17:40:00.001+05:30

So what is the USP that separates Cafe Desire from the pack?
There is not one, but many. But most importantly, the message which I regularly drive across to my team is that we have to adopt a “customer-centric” approach, both when it comes to our growth strategies and thought processes. All our meetings and interactions start and ends with two subjects – customer and competitor. Thankfully, we have always managed to deliver more than what our customers expect. A clear differentiator in our industry would be that we operate and deliver on Marketing 3.0 platform, unlike all our competitors who deliver on Marketing 1.0 or Marketing 2.0 levels.

Cafe Desire is known for its high-quality 100% natural hot beverages. Do you use market research before devising that perfect blend?
We have always conducted in-depth researches, geography-wise, into what a customer really expects in that region, when he takes a sip of coffee or tea. As a result, our regional blends have helped us gain and retain larger chunk of market share. For example, our coffee is which is served in Hyderabad is different from what we serve in Delhi.

But just an honest thought – doesn’t competition bother you at times?
Actually, no. Instead, it excites me to the hilt. One thing which keeps me pepped-up is the thought that we are competing with brands which are giants with history of 90 to 200 years. It’s exciting to imagine how despite being a young company, you can give them sleepless nights. But having said that, I have to agree, our team burns gallons of midnight oil to compete strongly. I would just say one line on competition – I love competing with Nestle (smiles).

People – how important is that P to your company’s success?
I am surrounded by people who share my passion and excitement. We work for the long run. I believe that I have one of the most dynamic management team, which shares the dream of making it big before we all touch 40 years of age. All my boys are bubbling with lot of energy to make a mark. Our average age of employees is just 30 years, and we invest a lot on T&D.

Any learning that you would want to share with the readers?
Start small, think big and build from your strengths – you can build a national brand even if you lack the bucks for massive ad campaign. Think logically. At Cafe Desire, we understood the logical difference between scale and growth.

So what is your ultimate aim?
We want to be an integral part of everyone’s daily life by offering a minimum of five brands out of 42 brands that every human being touches every day. We plan to only grow organically, reach the no.1 spot and stay there.

RAHUL JINDAL REALLY BEEN WEAVING AT LOOM CRAFT

2011-03-16T17:38:00.000+05:30

You infused new life into an ancient weaving technique, whose origins can be traced back to ancient Egyptian civilisation. It is fast becoming a fashion now. But do you think you are betting on a sustainable future demand as well?
We have been in the furniture business for decades now and Loom Crafts was born just five years back. The demand for wicker furniture is surely on a rise and the trend is sustainable and in complete sync with our targets. Today, we are catering to some niches like 5-star hotels, farm house owners et al. But given the fact that demand for wicker furniture is rising amongst the masses, we are also coming up with a special product line to fill the supply-demand gap. We want to give great value products to our consumers, and outperform our Chinese industry peers by miles in terms of quality!

What are the marketing and advertising initiatives that you are undertaking at present?
We have been heavily advertising in hospitality magazines and other print vehicles. On one hand, while we keep launching new marketing and advertising campaigns with a high frequency, on the other, we also keep innovating our products, once every two months. That further gives us an opportunity to advertise more. We also participate in exhibitions where we can directly interact with our customers.

What is the USP of your brand?
We provide outdoor furniture that lasts for years in a 100% eco-friendly manner. Plus, we provide a lifetime guarantee with great after-sales services.

What are your expansion plans?
We want to expand globally and increase our exports. Five years from now we want to make the name Loom Crafts a synonym for “outdoor furniture”, and grow manyfolds!

NARESH GUPTA, DIRECTOR – STRATEGIC PLANNING, DENTSU MARCOM

2011-03-14T17:58:00.001+05:30

In fact, this version 2.0 of Internet may spark off four dominant trends, here’s a look at all four of them

Go out often: Technology has made finding interesting places around the cities easier than ever. Places can not only be discovered, but also commented upon. This will encourage people to explore their world more.

Get bitten by wanderlust: The constant feed of holiday pictures from a variety of locations will encourage people to pack their bags and discover their world more often. The normal holiday hotspots will make way for newer, more exotic destinations. Maybe tourism boards need to revisit the very motivations of travel.

Niche will get powered by mainstream: The niche performers, products, brands will increasingly get access to mainstream audiences as customers will become patrons and interest groups will broadcast their approval to a wider set of audience.

The world will become large: The world instead of becoming a global village will actually become a very large thriving vibrant mega polis. This will mean more people to meet, more things to do, more smells to savour, more connections to be made.

This is a very interesting transformation that we will see all around us. A generation that was supposed to be socially challenged will challenge the norms of social connectivity.

PLAYING IT ON CELEBRITIES

2011-03-03T17:51:00.002+05:30

Gone are the days when only Nokia, Samsung or Motorola had celebrities talking for them. The new age Indian handset makers too now have celebrities on their side to announce their arrival. But will the strategy help them to move on to the next level?

Neither Nokia, nor Samsung would have ever thought this. But as noticed over the past couple of years, the global handset giants are being challenged massively in India by a flurry of numerous affordable indigenous handset makers. Their strategy of offering look-alike models of existing popular handsets, at one third the price, has allowed them to eat into market shares of their established counterparts. In the process they [the new brands] have also established themselves as the ones that offer maximum value for money. And with their latest initiatives, they have entered into an arena where only the big guys were seen earlier – having high profile celebrity brand ambassadors.

So far, Indian consumers had only seen Shahrukh Khan flaunting a Nokia handset, Abhishek Bachchan going gaga over a Motorola, Aamir Khan adding a little of his perfectionist touch to Samsung and John Abraham portraying LG handsets as peppy as youth with Abhay Deol and Genilia D’Souza. Over the past few months, the new indigenous handset players too have joined the bandwagon giving these stalwarts some dose of their own medicine.

Micromax was the first one to follow the formula bringing Akshay Kumar on board, followed by Maxx Mobiles getting Dhoni to talk about their latest offerings. Later, SAR Group’s Wynn Telecom launched its handsets with Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu doing the honours. And Zen Mobile became the latest brand to join the league when it roped in none other than Amitabh Bachchan to be the face of the company. But how will the brand ambassadors help these handset makers in their venture? Answers Deepesh Gupta, MD, Zen Mobile, “India is a critical market and the competition in mobile handset technologies is growing fast. Mr. Bachchan will help render sheen to our brand with his grandeur. Nothing compares with the legendary Big B, a style icon, who is admired as an aspirational figure and Zen Mobiles is placing its bet exactly on that.”

Another critical aspect where these celebrities are proving handy for the Indian handset makers is building the trust factor. Most of these new players are viewed skeptically by the consumers. The general perception is that they are just fly-by-the-night operators. In such a scenario, association of a big celebrity with the brand helps it in bringing in the assurance that the company is in for a long term play.

Nevertheless, benefits of using a celebrity brand ambassador certainly depends on where the brand stands it in its life cycle and what are their needs. For example, the need for Micromax – which has been around for about two years now and after building its brand in rural India is now getting aggressive in the metros – is very different from the players like Zen or Wynn who are just starting. For Micromax, the idea behind having Akshay on board is to be able to connect with their target customers and take the brand to the next level. Vikas Jain, Business Director, Micromax shares, “People may forget the name of the brand, but they would come to the shop asking yaar woh Akshaywala phone dikhana.” And one would have to admit that the company has so far managed to create the noise it intended to. As a result, today Micromax is the number three handset player in the country surpassing MNCs like Motorola, LG and Sony Ericsson.

LOWEST EVER CANNES WINS BY INDIA!

2011-02-28T17:37:00.002+05:30

After an eventful week buzzing the ad world around the world, the 57th Cannes Lions (2010) International Advertising Festival has finally come to an end. The festival is the world’s only truly global meeting place for professionals in the communications and advertising industry that is held every year. Unfortunately for India, this year, it could not bag a lot of awards with just seventeen medals in its pocket, which regrettably are the lowest ever in the last two years with India winning 25 medals in 2009 and 23 in 2008

Looking at the brighter side, we still had some reasons to smile though; Ogilvy & Mather’s (Mumbai) work on domestic violence Bell Bajao for Breakthrough Trust won the lone Silver out of the five shortlisted entries. India managed to get just a medal each in Radio and Media Lions. Maximum cheer for the country came only from Outdoors, where it won two Silver Lions and two Bronze Lions. While Mudra DDB Group (Bangalore Traffic Police) and Ogilvy & Mather (The Economist) got a Silver Lion and a Bronze Lion respectively, Creativeland Asia bagged two medals – a Silver Lion for Parle Agro’s Frooti campaign and a Bronze Lion for Cholayil (Medimix). It was great show for India in Outdoors Lions, considering only seven broad entries had got shortlisted. All in all, clearly not the best show by Indian agencies – India sure needs to buck up, especially in the television and internet categories to carve out a niche in the global communications and advertising space and to cut through the ever increasing competition.

The ‘One Make’ Flag Off!

2011-02-09T17:58:00.000+05:30

Yamaha has been known as a brand that stands for performance, innovation & design; and the two-wheeler major has always promoted motor sports along with safe biking, globally as well as in India. The ‘Yamaha R15 One Make Race Championship’ held on June 5 and 6, 2010, added a few more credits to Yamaha’s India standing. While the event was open for both Yamaha and non-Yamaha customers, the venue was the Madras Motor Race Track in Sriperumbudur. The event gave an opportunity to the company to come closer to the consumers as avid bikers got a chance to experience the true racing instinct of the R15.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

Marketing - Find the Real Holy Grail!

2011-01-12T17:55:00.002+05:30

It’s not everyday that you come across the likes of someone like a Sunil, who claims that his agency advises IndiGo not just on ads, but also on the liveries of the crew, colours that are used within an aircraft, the menu (including how the food is presented), and many other elements. “Our relationship with IndiGo runs into many years now, and the understanding has gone to such a level that there is no confusion about the management not accepting what we propose,” says Sunil. The ad was directed by renowned UK-based music video director Harvey Brown, while the music is composed by French DJ Mat of Bhavishyavani Future Soundz. Bang Bang Films is the Production Company.

Our take – a few more such campaigns, and the airline’s current market share of 15.7% will make it not just the country’s largest low fare airline, but perhaps the largest bird flying in the Indian skies. It is already known to be the “Best Managed Airline” in the country, and the ad puts the accolade in a strong and distinct light.

The on time performance of the airline has been measured using sophisticated ACARS technology, thereby making it the most accurate measurement. The most critical element about the TVC is that it captures the elements of serious information and coolness factor in one TVC package.

The Indian aviation space is bleeding at present, but a name like IndiGo presents a rare sight of a positive bottomline. In fact, the only other airline which is currently not in the red zone is SpiceJet, which also launched its campaign last year, the first year it made profits. Finally, aviators in the Indian skies seem to have found the Holy Grail – keep your ad budgets big and you’ll make money! (Watch out for the exclusive review of the TVC on page number 44, in ‘The Idiot Box!’ section of this issue.)

Swati Sharma

THEME-BASED REALTY! DOES IT EVEN WORK?

2010-11-16T16:51:00.001+05:30

For most part of the year gone by, realtors harped over the affordable housing strategy to lure consumers. But builders now are now trying to lure buyers through theme-based dreams! Do they even stand a chance?

As if to prove our conjecture wrong, the Italian-style Tuscan City developed by TDI International in Haryana with a starting price point of Rs.21.5 lakhs is targeted at the middle class mass-market. Says Kamal Taneja, Managing Director, TDI Group, “A judicial mix of mid and low-rise units offered at such competitive rates would definitely induce customers to come forward and own houses that suits their requirements.” Then there is CHD Developers’ Active Senior Lifestyle Township, which is marketing the project to people over 55-years of age. CHD Developers also launched a residential project near Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh) with a unique architectural design of Sri Krishnalok capturing the spirit of the holy city of Vrindavan. Says Ravi Saund, Marketing Head, CHD Developers, “40% of the occupants who have purchased our Vrindavan projects, are localites. Interestingly, a lot of buyers from Gujarat and Chandigarh have invested in the project thereby signifying its success.”

And to our surprise, we found a few positive consumer sets too. Nitin Tiwari, a 39-year-old MNC executive and his wife Ritu, were hunting for a home for the past seven months (“House is a once-in-a-lifetime investment for working couples like us and we did not want to settle in for just anything. We were waiting for that ‘something’,” says Nitin). And that ‘something’ came in the form of a Jaypee Greens Sports City billboard that, Nitin says, caught his eyes. Complete with motor racing tracks, go-karting facilities, golf course and stadia and courts for other sports, the thought of buying and staying in such a complex sounded far too appealing to the couple, more so as Nitin had been a great sports enthusiast during his heydays. The case is somewhat similar for 35-year-old Jasmeet Virk who heads the Northern Sales division of a leading paints company. A career-oriented single woman, Jasmeet says to us that she celebrates womanhood and is proud to have made a mark for herself in a male-dominated corporate world. When hunting for a house, Jasmeet settled for Meriton Groups’ La Femme, as “buying a house in La Femme instilled into me a sense of solidarity toward woman-hood.” And that’s what the residential real estate marketers talk about today, as one real estate developer lets on – “If you’ve got an ego to massage, we’ve got a home that does just that!”

In the last one year, most residential projects were marketed by playing purely upon the price factor. In realty, pricing of a project primarily depended upon the location (still does!), as ultimate profits take place only if the location is acceptable. However, by properly marketing the projects in the name of themes, the marketer takes a leeway with pricing. Theme-based residential projects – even the ones targetted at the middle income community – are therefore priced slightly higher than the conventional affordable houses as they are targeted to a niche. “A real estate product is just like any other product or service. Buying a house is a high-involvement purchase and the marketer has to convince the customer of a value-purchase. Negotiating on price points becomes easier for marketers then,” says Neeta Walia, Director, Brand Talk. She adds that developers have very strategically themed their housing projects. For instance, a housing project for senior citizens will attract newly-retired people who have just got their Provident Fund and are looking for investment options.

DON’T WANT TO BUY A CAR? LEASE IT!

2010-10-19T16:30:00.001+05:30

Sanjeev Prasad, MD, LeasePlan India, heading the global car leasing giant in the Indian market, in a conversation with 4Ps B&M, shares his strategic intent, commitment and the way forward in their efforts to clock revenues of Rs.320 crores for the year 2010

LeasePlan India has been in India for over a decade now but the brand is still not known to many in the Indian market. What reasons do you attribute for the same?
We have been in India since 1999 and today operate a fleet of around 13,000 cars. But as we are a company that is involved in B2B transactions, it is not viable for us to market ourselves in the mass segment and hence it leaves a lot of people untapped. Nevertheless, we have made sure that the consumers who are our target group are aware of the LeasePlan brand, all thanks to our activities and the aggressive business development approach that we follow. We are the #1 player in the Indian car leasing segment but the size of the leasing industry in India is very small today. However, it will grow very fast in times to come.

But BMW has pushed the pedal and entered the leasing segment; they’re now even targeting the individual consumers. Doesn’t this cause a worry for you? How do you plan to handle this?
It is good that a company like BMW is now getting aggressive in the car lease segment. The industry currently is too small – we are happy that BMW’s entry will help the whole industry to prosper at a faster pace. However, we at LeasePlan India will not tap the individual consumers and will still look at working with various companies. Going forward, we believe that the B2B arena has a lot of scope to grow and it will be this track that the company will follow in the coming years.

You individually have also worked with Maruti Suzuki in the past. What made you quit Maruti? How has the experience gained at the automaker helped you over the years?
I left Maruti as the Head of the northern region for sales and it was because of the entrepreneurial bug that I had within me. When I joined LeasePlan, the motto was to establish the Indian subsidiary from scratch and the challenge infused a lot of excitement within me. And of course, the experience at Maruti Suzuki has helped me in various business aspects while working at LeasePlan India.

And plans for 2010?
We will be investing around Rs.300 crores in purchasing around 5,000 new cars, which is almost double of last year. With demand picking up fast in the Indian market, we are optimistic about growth this year. The borrowing will be spread across various banks such as HSBC, ABN-AMRO, ING and IndusInd Bank. We are also open to the idea of providing buses, depending on customer requirements.

What kind of customer management activities is your company engaging in for long-term growth?
We have tied up with Bharat Petroleum, which provides smart cards for fuel management. The card is charged every time one refuels. While the bill is settled with the company on a cumulative basis after a defined period, the advantage of the card is that it also keeps a check on the car’s fuel efficiency. This year, we’ll be pushing this service much more with our customers

The business that you are in adds to carbon emissions – a big worry globally. What initiatives are you taking for the society?
We launched the global GreenPlan strategy in 2009 under which the first phase will include funding, planting and maintaining over 1000 trees in Delhi and NCR.

Pawan Chabra

IIPM Press Release - IIPM Ahmedabad Convocation Ceremony mentioned in the Press.

2010-08-27T16:28:00.002+05:30

IIPM, Ahmedabad conferred Diploma Certificates to students of batch 2007-2009 on the successful completion of their Post Graduate Programme in Planning & Entrepreneurship and also the Post Graduate Degree in Management from IMI, Europe.

Below are two press reports covering this event.

Ahmedabad Mirror:

Divya Bhaskar

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-26T11:18:00.000+05:30

Ricardo Fort

VP – Marketing, Coca-Cola India

The most exciting project I have managed was the global activation of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Coordinating a network of more than 150 countries to jointly develop advertising, promotions, package and point of sale material design, et al. was a great challenge. The project lasted almost three years and it was the greatest global initiative the Coca-Cola Company ever implemented. The result was the consumer recognition and the FIFA research validation that Coca-Cola was the brand that best leveraged the event to drive preference and consumption. Papers around the world reported that the great performance the company had on the second quarter of 2006 was a lot because of the implementation of this initiative.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-25T12:22:00.000+05:30

Punita Lal

Executive Director Marketing, Beverages, PepsiCo India

Punita Lal’s journey from the creative environs of advertising transcended to the strategic wide screen of marketing when she joined PepsiCo in 2002. She oversaw the Absolutely Mangolicious campaign of rebranding Slice in 2008 and led from the front in the launch of packaged lemon juice Nimbooz before last summer. The unique highlight in her stint at Pepsico is important role in strategizing the advertising and launch of the Give Us Your Dillicious Flavour campaign for the India’s highest selling potato chips, Lays. Apart from the star performances, the rebranding of the Youngistan campaign and the launch of the ‘Smart Choice’ Cafes in select cities of India also add to his multidimensional visions and marketing insight.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-23T14:13:00.000+05:30

Nadia Chauhan

Joint Managing Director & Chief Marketing Officer, Parle Agro

Though there are many moments, one of my most recent best marketing moments would be when people from all across the country were talking about Hippo a week after the product launch without a rupee spent on media! Not by default but by design. A packaging design and distribution driven strategy. In fact, the initial marketing strategy for Hippo was focused on distribution, retail visibility and consumer sampling. The TVC was rolled out only after completing a pan-India roll out of the brand. But the brand had huge recall even without any advertising. Further, for Hippo, we kept a very clean look with simple yet attractive colours. The colours and the character did wonders to the packaging. Bright colours made the pack distinctively attractive, while the Hippo character made the packaging adorable. Hippo packs drew consumer attention and gave the brand a high shelf visibility.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

GOOGLE BLINKS

2010-08-20T17:17:00.000+05:30

It was rumoured for quite sometime that Google would launch a TVC. It all started when CEO Eric Schmidt implied in a Twitter post that there could be one ad during the third quarter. Apparently, all the rumours were true. Google made its first major push into TV advertising. Google took this bold step by running its commercial during the third quarter of the Super Bowl Games. The ad called ‘Parisian Love’ is the story about a grad student who goes to study in Paris, falls in love and marries a highly literate Parisian beauty, told beautifully in the language of ‘Search’, synonymous with Google. As it turns out, the ‘Parisian Love’ ad has been on YouTube since November 19, 2009, as part of Google’s ‘Search Stories’ ad campaign; but this was online only until the Super Bowl. The ad had chalked up over a million views on YouTube. Evidently. Google’s ads could be a response to newer players like Bing (from Microsoft) coming up stronger than expected.

Amir Moin

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

HOW DOES THUMS UP KEEP STEALING THE THUNDER!...

2010-08-19T17:28:00.000+05:30

If Wal-Mart became iconic for ‘Always Low Prices’, there’s no doubt where Thums Up saves its hyperbole in ‘Taste The Thunder’, exemplified contemporarily by an ad campaign of Thums Up where Akshay Kumar (its brand ambassador since 2003) performs the extreme sport of ‘parkour’ to grab his bottle of Thums Up from a suggestively attractive lady. “Taste the Thunder has been the most breakthrough communication campaign for the brand. It stands for masculinity that has constantly been redefined over the years, yet keeping the execution relevant to today’s times,” says K. V. Sridhar, National Creative Director, Leo Burnett (the agency which handles Thums Up’s account) to 4Ps B&M. But then, the acutely bewitching punch-line of Taste the Thunder did not come about so easily. Some would know this, that when Thums Up was launched in 1977, Ramesh Chauhan unabashedly played to the galleries by tagging Thums Up with the caption Happy days are here again that indicated that the market was free from the ‘capitalist international companies’ (PepsiCo and Coca Cola) and an Indian cola was available in the market. That’s when postcards featuring Gavaskar and Imran Khan were released. However, 1980s saw Campa Cola, which was owned by Pure Drinks Ltd (bottling partner of Coca Cola in India) giving tough competition to Thums Up by cornering a staggering 30% market share. That was when Ramesh Chauhan approached Ashok Kurien and Elsie Nanji (partners at Ambience Advertising) to not only devise a new communications campaign for the brand, but also strategise a complete business plan to market the product. And so were born the legendary taglines: Toofani Thanda and Taste the Thunder in 1987. Campa Cola was also launched in the 1970s and had a taste similar to that of Thums Up – strong, fizzy and high on carbon dioxide levels. However, contrary to the taste of Campa Cola, its positioning was that of a drink for good times. Explains Neeta Wali, Director, Brand Talk, “1980s was an era when the Indian youth was more rebellious & flaunting in nature. It believed in showing off its machoism and Thums Up fitted nicely with the then youth ideology as opposed to the ‘fun-time’ positioning of Campa Cola. Campa Orange made the same mistake and failed.”

While Taste the Thunder ran on English channels, Toofani Thanda was shown across Doordarshan targetting the Hindi speaking belt (the ‘thanda’ proposition was later incorporated by Coca Cola in its ‘Thanda Matlab Coca Cola’ campaign). Soon, Thums Up walloped Campa Cola across regions on its way to become the undisputed leader. Things reached such a stage that Campa Cola died an eventual (unknown) death in 2000.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

NOW FOR SOME FARMING

2010-08-18T15:42:00.000+05:30

Being a farmer was never an occupation choice for the über. But thanks to Zynga Games’ Facebook application, Farmville, playing farmer has become the latest fad among Netizens. But how about doing some farming in reality? If Facebook’s Farmville has brought out the farmer in netizens, then Nirvana Farms gives a chance to do some real farming, where people can actually own a farm beside their house or engage in community farming at a place not more than 100 kilometers from Mumbai. Conceptualised by Disha Direct, a leading real estate marketing organisation, Nirvana Farms merges the exciting experience of farming with an ideal opportunity to participate in sowing, ploughing and reaping a harvest of choicest variety. Under the able guidance of a horticulturist, the dwellers of Nirvana Farms can participate in farming a crop of their choice. Apart from availing self participation in the initiative, the dwellers are also entitled to the option of receiving fresh farm produce free for five years. Who said innovation is dead in real estate?!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

ROADBLOCK IS THE NEW WEAPON

2010-08-17T17:40:00.000+05:30

What is the jargon used to describe the manner in which your favourite channel on the idiot box is bombarded with ads after ads of the same brand? What is the term used to explain the ads of the same auto brand plastered all across the first few pages of your daily newspaper? 4Ps B&M adds a word to your marketing dictionary. Call it ROADBLOCK! PRONUNCIATION –ROHD-BLOK NOUN – ACTION USING A MEDIA VEHICLE TO OBSTRUCT EXPOSURE TO RIVAL BRANDS

Industry veterans feel that Roadblock advertising works best in two situations: (a) When there is a major shift in the communication strategy of a brand; and (b) When a new brand (product or service) is launched or when a brand enters a new market.

The best example of Roadblock advertising in the first case (i.e. to convey change in the communication strategy) was the campaign to announce the rebranding from Hutch to Vodafone in September 2007. The day-long roadblock advertising that ran across 13 channels on Star network brought-in 90-95% brand recall for Vodafone. Similarly, in March 2009, Aircel’s Roadblock on the day of launch of its services on Red FM (Mumbai) was memorable as far as adding the spice of innovation to this practice goes. There was a complete overhaul of the station format, to fit within the brand template; for instance, the usual ‘Fevicol ke char gane chipakke’, became ‘Aircel ke paanch gaane chipakke’ alongwith Aircel’s launch campaign’s tagline – ‘Your world of possibilities’.

Similarly, the best example for the second case [i.e. a brand entering a new market] was the aforementioned print roadblock by Volkswagen in The Times of India, with each of the sixteen editions of ToI featuring Volkswagen ads, and Volkswagen ads only, on the D-day. Justifying the cash spent on the advertising warfront, Lutz Kothe, CGM – Marketing & PR, Volkswagen Group Sales India affirms, “We have witnessed a huge rise in the awareness for the Volkswagen brand within a very short time period in the country post the campaign. Apart from increasing the sales of the New Beetle and Touareg, the Volkswagen brand received a huge number of Internet hits, which clearly signifies the rise in the brand awareness for the Volkswagen brand in India. In fact, the campaign has also resulted in huge motivations amongst the dealers and employees of the company.”

Roadblock advertising can be segregated into two broad categories – Vertical and Horizontal. Vertical Roadblock is when a particular media network [a channel or a newspaper] is blocked by the marketer for a single day, while Horizontal Roadblock is when different media networks are blocked for a single time slot by a particular brand. Of course, while both have their own advantages, the company should be extremely careful about its choice in this regard; afterall airtime in either the Vertical or the Horizontal plan cannot be just bought with a few precious dimes! Therefore, which amongst the two should be used depends completely on the objective one wants to achieve from the campaign as MTV’s Swamy advises, “Vertical should be used when you want to maximise frequency of your advertisement(s) & Horizontal is to be used if you want to maximise the outreach of your mass communication.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS RE-VISITED!

2010-08-16T16:43:00.000+05:30

Are celebs paid monster-bucks for their glamour, star attraction and red-hot performance curve in their area of showbiz, or snow-white morality and politically correct image in the public space?

Ad film-maker Prahlad Kakkar insists that “How hypocritical and corny can society get? I think most of the men could secretly wonder how better endowed the Golf Superstar is compared to them, to rattle-up such a fantastic score-card! I would advise Tiger to immediately relocate to France, the one place on earth where girlfriends and mistresses are perceived as trophies and winning advantages! Jacques Chirac at age 80, is still on the job [if reports are to be believed], so Tiger could be a God there!” Media Entrepreneur & Chairman of PNC, Pritish Nandy dismisses it disdainfully as he says, “It’s a reflection of the double-faced and hypocritical times we live in. We’ve had far more scandalous goings which have not been talked about.” Nandy points out that the Western Media – US especially – believes that celebrities should lead sanitised, squeaky-clean lives and be held up as models of virtue and values. “Do you know that reports and statistics have indicated that nine out of ten marriages collapse in the US because of infidelity? Which planet are they living in?!” questions Nandy.

Chicago-based ad-person Namita Sen, however, is hopping mad! “It’s a disgrace! Sure the sponsors pick up a celeb for skills he/she exhibits in his/her chosen field, but not at the expense of immoral and irresponsible behaviour! Once you are in the public domain, revered, idolised and hero-worshipped by your zillion-fans, you have a moral obligation to not ‘be seen’ doing anything that would tarnish this image. Agreed they are also human beings with their share of weaknesses, but for gawdssake, at least be discreet.” Mumbai-based housewife, Suman Mehra agrees, “It’s shocking! I loved Tiger Woods. He was cool, sexy and charismatic with a gorgeous wife and lovely kids. What a creep he turned out to be! He’s bad news as a brand ambassador. A brand is about reflecting core values.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

“Our concern was – How do we manage our rate of debt?”

2010-08-13T16:27:00.000+05:30

In the midst of the general concern and uncertainty in the market regarding the realty sector and companies like DLF, the company’s Group Executive Director Rajeev Talwar is optimistic of a more evolved market & consistent supply in the coming years. In this exclusive with virat bahri of B&E, Talwar talks about DLF’s downturn adjustments and future vision. Some excerpts

Therefore your cost of acquisition becomes high. It therefore becomes impossible to give you what is normally called affordable housing or middle income housing below Rs.20 lakh. But Rs.10-20 lakh homes, even below, will be available for the poor. If housing costs Rs.50-75 lakh as mid-income housing in the super metros; in a tier 1 city it will cost Rs.45-60 lakh and going down to a tier 3-4 cities, you will get good homes at even less than Rs.20 lakhs. Since we are not in those cities and towns, I don’t think it will be possible for DLF. Our value housing even below Rs.5 lakh and Rs.10 lakh will be adjunct to the service category of our mid-income and high income group housing in super metros & tier 1 towns. Due to our name, quality, & location in the heart of the town, we tend to be in the upper end, but certainly, we also provide housing for the economically weaker section. Those will also be coming & will be costing anywhere between Rs.5-20 lakh depending on their proximity to premium locations.

B&E: Downturn increased debt levels significantly. How have you managed them over the past year?
RT: Some time after 9/11 in the US, everyone thought there was no end to the upswing. When it did come, it caught everyone by surprise. They weren’t unmanageable levels of debt for us but the only concern was how do you reduce the rate and increase the tenure. There was so much commercial paper in the market prior to that. Anywhere from 120-180 days seemed to be a long cycle till the time we realized that a good long cycle commercial paper or debt is of a period from 3-5-7-9 years. The second lesson was to reduce the interest rate. Our debt from under 1 year has increased to 3-5 years in tenure and also has portions of 7-9 years. At the same time, from 11.98% interest level, we have already come down to 10.5%. In real estate, people ask whether your debt levels are high or going higher. The fact is that there is so much of embedded value in your assets that debt is not something that you are normally so worried about, till the time a company is so highly leveraged that it cannot meet its development requirements (front flow) or its overhead costs for its normal cash flow. For us, thanks to various policies before and therefore very far-sighted policies even to take care in a downturn where you have a steady rental inflow of income, we have been through that much more easily. It’s already established that whatever overhead developmental costs or interest costs we have are well met from our usual leasing and launch businesses; so DLF doesn’t face pressures that some other overleveraged companies may face.

B&E: As far as divestment is concerned, which are your prime targets?
RT: Hotels seem to be an obvious choice, as we don’t have the expertise to run hotels. There are other businesses also where we got into aggressive banks of land. If they don’t fall into our pipeline visibility of 5-7 years for development, there is no sense in holding these and adding to holding costs. We have been withdrawing from projects of very long gestation. If they are large enough projects and if there was money committed to it, we said that if they have not been launched to the public, then might as well get back.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Is your work killing you?

2010-08-12T17:49:00.000+05:30

Working non-stop could be the ladder to a promotion and a host of health problems...

Most urban Indians are caught-up in a fast-paced lifestyle where home is a place to quickly gulp down dinner, exchange a word or two with the children and other members of the family, and then either pin the phone to the ear or start punching the keys of the laptop. Not that you’re to be blamed; yes, the times are such, but while you flow with the rapids, it’s also important to be wary of the rocks along the way. And stress happens to be the harmful side-effect of overwork, which can lead to various health issues. A survey conducted by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy reported that one in every four employees is risking their health by working continuously without breaks or by reporting to duty while ill and working for long hours with no space for exercise in their schedules. In our country, people employed in the BPO sector suffer additional stress as their body clock goes for a six as their work begins at night and ends at day-break.

Dr. Ajay Pal Singh, Consultant Psychiatrist at Max Healthcare, agrees with the findings of the survey and adds, “It’s only in the last couple of years that cases of health issues due to stress have started pouring in. I have seen patients struck with depression, hypertension, loss in immunity, obesity and back and joint problems due to overwork.” In this competitive environment, overwork is inevitable. “But by accommodating some exercise like half-an-hour walks daily, healthy and timely eating habits, and taking a vacation once in a while, will reduce the risk of health problems”, said Dr. Singh.

In India, to a very large extent, men are still considered the bread-winners of the family. And as most of the men reach their 30s, they noticeably begin to look much older than their actual age. While women still manage to maintain their beauty and health, men start developing a paunch, their hair begins to grey and many also start experiencing major hair loss. Makes one wonder if men tend to neglect their health and ignore the warning signs, or whether they are simply less aware than women. “Both. Also, men are more prone to health problems because they easily resort to drugs and alcohol. I’ve had cases where wives have come to ask for help for their husbands. But unless the person who needs help does not visit, I cannot even recommend anything! Men, by nature, are more hesitant in taking medical help. Also, women socialise more, talk more and show their emotions more than men, which helps busting their stress. And this is also one reason for them having a longer life-span”, explained Dr. Singh.

Time travelling to a relaxed stress-free world is unfortunately not possible. The world stops for none and there’s little one can do but to keep coping-up with the changing times, but one must remember that this must not be at the cost of one’s health. It isn’t just coincidence that one of the most popular adages about health is – ‘Health is Wealth’!

Spriha Srivastava

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Dr. Manish Gupta

2010-08-11T13:15:00.000+05:30

Director, IBM Research - India & Chief Technologist, IBM India/South Asia talks at length with virat bahri of B&E on IBM’s Vision 2015 and the future of business analytics

B&E: IBM has established a new vision for 2015 based on smart world technology. What is the smart planet concept all about?
Dr. Manish Gupta (MG): Technology is now becoming an enabler of fairly profound changes that we can make happen, in not just what was traditionally the field of IT but also to solve some of the long standing problems affecting society. A lot of it is behind the so called smarter planet vision that we have. With the cost of transistors having dropped to say fractions of a paisa, it has now made it possible for us to build sensors very cheaply. And the sensors can be essentially embedded anywhere, which lets us measure the exact condition and status of practically anything. We used to talk of the internet where people would interconnect. It is now evolving into what can be called the internet of things. These sensors or these objects are now available on the internet. The status of what’s going on, like the traffic situation on the highway or where my goods are at a given time through RFID tags; all this is potentially available on the Internet of things. Earlier, the concept was sense and respond, now we are reaching the stage of predict and respond. For example with smart transportation systems, you don’t want to wait for the traffic to build up before doing something; you want to predict before the build-up of the traffic and then plan how to prevent the build up.

B&E: Tell us some practical implications and the business potential that you see with the smart planet vision.
MG: A study done by the IBM institute of Business Value revealed the following. The entire world economy is estimated at $54 trillion and $15 trillion of that is wasted. Examples are billions of gallons of fuel wasted every year in cars stuck in traffic. Another estimate says that in Delhi alone, we waste 3 million litres of petrol daily (essentially vehicles). We estimate that roughly half of the food supply produced by the world is not reaching people. There are a lot of cities, where again upto 50% of the water could just be getting lost. A lot of sub-optimal decisions have to be taken. In any industry, you can see a lot of inefficiencies and the estimate is that around $4 trillion of inefficiency can be removed using IT. That, in a sense, is the kind of market for smart planet. Also, any business that is able to sense or predict some of these changes in environment, supply chain, demand, businesses have and meaningfully act upon it in real time will have a significant advantage. IBM has launched Business Analytics & Optimisation (BAO). We believe that globally it is a $100 billion opportunity today and growing very fast, at around 8% per annum. We believe that business analytics will be bigger than ERP.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

An electric shock or a safe recharge?

2010-08-10T15:45:00.000+05:30

Despite promises, Reva has been struggling over the past decade to strike gold when it comes to sales. But with M&M acquiring a controlling stake in the electric carmaker, much is expected to change in the near future. So has Anand Mahindra placed an electrifyingly winning bet? by Pawan Chabra

He was all of six when he surprised many by winning an award for having designed a remote-controlled toy car during one such competition at school. Chetan Maini’s love for machines had just started bearing its first fruit. Much water has flown under the bridge since then, but what has remained unchanged in the past 34 long years has been Maini’s (today the Chief of Technology & Strategy at Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicle Company) love for machines. He started Reva in 2001 and nine years later, has witnessed the change in ownership at the electric car manufaturing company. And just like every other journey, there have been times of thirst for Maini too. This mechanical engineer (from Stanford University) turned entrepreneur’s has been time and again running after banks to finance his business plan. He finally seems to have found solace in Anand Mahindra’s cash-loaded arms. On May 26, 2010, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) bought a majority stake (55%) in Reva. [Post-sale to M&M, Maini’s family will hold just 31% in the new Reva. It’s now called Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicle Company. The other large shareholder will be Lon Bell, the other co-founder, who holds 11%.] So, the question bothering many a well-wishing heart is – Is this really the end of problems for Maini? Seemingly, yes. But chances are, the Oracles might just be proven wrong this time.

Interestingly, for the lesser informed, Reva had joined hands with GM India in December 2009, for developing an electric version of Spark for the Indian roads. The final product was to hit the market in December 2010, and was to be sold via GM’s sales & distribution network. GM however called off the deal (most likely for information security purpose) once M&M entered the scene. So, while many are grieving over GM’s loss in the process, the more pertinent issue to mull over would be to question what the transaction brings to the table for both Reva & M&M.

“The deal between M&M and Reva is beneficial for both the parties in their own ways. While Reva will benefit financially, Mahindra can add Reva’s technology to complement its vast existing portfolio,” says Pankaj Karna, MD, Maple Capital Advisors. So for now, Maini’s footsoles can take some rest from rambling about in search of fresh fund infusion, as the stake purchase by M&M brings-in close to Rs.450 million for the electric carmaker. For M&M of course, the case is stronger. It gives it the much needed hybrid edge, something which it would have been eyeing for long now. Maini’s brainchild would further strengthen M&M’s electric vehicle portfolio, that as of now consisted of only a three-wheel vehicle called Bijlee apart from a yet to be launched ‘Maxximo’, an electric-powered mini-truck.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Great power needs great responsibility

2010-07-26T17:01:00.000+05:30

Privatisation has done wonders for sectors like pharma, telecom and auto. Can we expect the scenario of power to change as dramatically in the coming years with increasing privatisation? B&E elaborates on some of the most critical circuit breakers en route

In 2007, when Anil Ambani was announcing the Reliance Power IPO, one question emerged quite prominently in everyone’s minds. Would the company be able to indeed deliver on its power projects considering that it was a new and difficult terrain? At that time, Anil Ambani had enthusiastically pointed out how his father had started the petrochemical refinery of Reliance Industries without any past experience.

Leave alone IPOs, private players have been on a money raising spree for creation and expansion of power facilities over the past few years in general. 2009 saw $2.2 billion being raised by the power sector through IPOs, $412.85 million through private equity investments and $235.85 million through QIPs (Grant Thornton Advisory). The big names in 2009 were Indiabulls Power and Adani Power, besides the state owned NHPC. In 2010, the market is anticipating the IPOs of Jindal Power, Usher Eco Power Ltd., Tarapur Transformers, Everest Infra Energy and Sterlite Energy.

However, we seek to move beyond the debate on valuations and subscriptions to IPOs and FPOs and their ilk for the time being and focus on the larger issue that we talked about in the very beginning – inexperience. And this has little to do with the fact that Reliance Power is caught in a quagmire due to the legal battle on natural gas price with RIL and is facing enormous delays.

On a much more macro level, is the entry of private players going to indeed change the dynamics of a sector that has been known since ages for the power it did not provide? Are we going to see the vision for ‘Power for all’ in India (Ministry of Power laid down 2012 as their target year); which most experts believe in but refrain from giving a timeline to, get realized ultimately? In other words, will the growing private presence in power generation (21% by 2012) ‘light the bulb’?

On the question of whether we will indeed have ‘Power for All’, a study by consulting form McKinsey does light some bulbs. The consulting firm is pretty certain about where the demand is headed, as it projects the demand to be between 315-335 GW by 2017, as compared to 120 GW in 2007. This assumes several factors – a steady GDP growth rate of 8% per annum, growth in manufacturing and residential demand (the latter by 14%) and fulfilment of the government’s vision to provide connection to 1,25,000 villages. And the report estimates that the sector provides an investment opportunity of $600 billion from 2007-2017.

Indeed, privatisation has made great strides in sectors like telecom, pharma, auto and IT in India. But power is a unique ball game. R. V. Shahi, former Secretary, Power and currently Chairman, Energy Infratech said at the Powering India summit organized by Essar in New Delhi recently, “In the power sector, what you plan now takes a time cycle of 6-7 years for completion.” And they could turn out to be pretty tense years too for a variety of reasons, starting from the critical issues of land allocation and R&R that mar so many large projects in India today.

The most prominent that one would mention is the availability of raw material. India’s power story still relies quite heavily on coal. The update by the Ministry of Power for given on February 28, 2010 reveals that thermal power plants (coal, gas and oil) still fuel 64.6% of India’s power generation capacity, with coal alone accounting for 53.3%. Kameswara Rao, ED & Industry Leader, Energy, Utilities & Mining, PwC, cautions, “Thermal coal imports are likely to triple in near term.” Power Minister H. S. Brahma has stated on record that India’s extreme reliance on thermal power won’t change significantly over the next 20-30 years.

Obviously, this creates a pressure for private players to secure coal supplies for the long term. But the major caveat is still the coal policy, which has not kept pace with the demands of the power sector. Demand for coal has been increasing by 8-9% per annum, but Coal India’s production has only increased by 5-6% CAGR from 2004-09. The government’s plan to open captive mining to private players has not yielded the desired results as the blocks allotted have not proved economically viable for many reasons. The government has introduced a useful policy initiative for allotment of coal blocks on competitive bidding basis. But the framework for final allocation is still not finalized; and that’s impeding projects by a great deal. It is also being proposed by some sections that blocks be given to private players for commercial use too.

Coal has limitations, thanks to green concerns, due to which there has been an imposition of a coal cess on thermal power generation and a growing commitment to reduce its use. Hydro is a very useful alternative, but the pace has been too slow. V. P. Bhargava, Director-Technical, NHPC, comments, “We need to have 10-year plans in the sector to fulfil current five year plan targets!” India’s hydro generation capacity is around 1,48,700 MW and we have exploited just about 47,000 MW. Out of total installed capacity, share of hydro is only 25% whereas for stability of the grid, it should be 40%. Policy clearances play the main villains here too, besides geographical issues. Post the announcement of the plant, actual clearances take 3-4 years. Most unexploited potential is in the north east (around 60000 MW); primarily in Arunachal Pradesh. Bringing this power to other parts of India through the chicken neck (the thin tract of land that connects North East to West Bengal) presents its own set of problems.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Kitchen ka Khiladi too?

2010-07-02T16:30:00.000+05:30

After enjoying the profits of his production “Housefull”, Akshay Kumar has his hands full with films like “Patiala House”, “Khatta Meetha” and interestingly, a television show. An Indian version of the hit American TV series “Top Chef”, which is internationally hosted by top model Padma Lakshmi, is being launched by Star Plus, and the 42-year-old Khiladi, who was once a humble chef in Bangkok, will be the host of the show. Having made his successful small-screen debut by hosting two seasons of “Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi,” let’s see if Akki gets the recipe right this time too!

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An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Arrested for alleged complicity in the Lajpat Nagar blasts when he was just 16, Syed Muhammad Maqbool Shah

2010-06-30T13:34:00.000+05:30

“My brothers were businessmen. They would collect papermache products from craftsmen in Kashmir and sell them to Delhi shopkeepers. But now they have lost all that business. Now my brothers are themselves working as craftsmen. Poverty becomes evident once one visits my home. Every one around has grown rich but my family has lost every thing due to this unfortunate occurrence,” says Maqbool.

“We closed down our business in Delhi as the police had seized all our business documents and bill books. We had some savings at that time but we lost it too, fighting for justice in courts,” adds Maqbool’s brother Syed Hassan Shah.

“They have ruined us by imprisoning my innocent son for 14 years. How could they think that a child was involved in such a big crime? I have lost my husband and daughter due to this,” 75-year-old Zoona Begum, Maqbool's mother, tells TSI.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) has urged the government to compensate Maqbool for gross violation of human rights.

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat recently demanded in the Rajya Sabha that Maqbool should be “adequately compensated" for the injustice he has faced.

“The Centre should intervene and give him a job to ensure a secure life. He has been a victim of a totally flawed investigation and we cannot shrug it off as collateral damage. We should rehabilitate him in order to send the right message to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Brinda said in Parliament.

“The society and the country owed compensation to Sayeed Maqbool Shah for gross violation of human rights,” she added. The demand by a Rajya Sabha member has raised Maqbool's hopes.

He says, “I hope they (Central Government) will pay attention to this demand. It is the moral responsibility of the government to provide me with all the facilities that I need to lead a respectable life. And, it is the very least I am asking for. I am not asking for justice because I know they can not deliver. the same.”

“They detained me illegally, charged me with serious crimes and imprisoned me for 14 long years. Now they themselves accept that I was not guilty and they have released me. But I want to ask them that who will give me my 14 years back? Can they return me my youth? Can they bring back my educational career? Most of all can they bring my father and sister back,” asks a visibly annoyed Maqbool.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Just arm-candy? No Thank You!

2010-06-17T15:11:00.000+05:30

It is rare that Akshay Kumar rubs his heroines the wrong way but apparently miss hoity-toity Sonam Kapoor is miffed with him for chopping her role in their forthcoming movie “Thank You” in which she portrays the role of a tennis player. Though the shooting for this movie started some time ago, Sonam was only informed a few days back. Perhaps she is scared of being reduced to just another PYT on Akki's arm?

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Encounters haunt police force

2010-06-15T16:24:00.000+05:30

More officers may be arrested in the Sohrabuddin case

The Sohrabuddin Shaikh and Tulsi Prajapati fake encounter cases continue to haunt not only the Gujarat government but the state police force also. Till date, four IPS officers and eleven policemen have been arrested in the fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin.

Also, the CBI had summoned six more IPS officers for questioning in this case. They included retired additional director general of police OP Mathur, ADGPs Geetha Johri, VV Rabari, retired DGP GC Raiger, DIG Rajnish Rai and superintendent of police GL Singhal.

On November 26, 2005 Sohrabuddin was killed in an encounter and the investigation was handed over to the CID (Crime) of Gujarat. However, after Sohrabuddin’s brother Rubabuddin filed a petition, the Supreme Court handed over the investigation to the CBI in January 2010. After two months of investigation, the CBI, just two days before the celebration of Swarnim Gujarat, arrested IPS officer Abhay Chudasama the then DCP (Crime Branch) Ahmedabad. Since then Chudasama is being described as the main conspirator in the Sohrabuddin case.

Official sources say the CBI has ample evidence that Chudasama played an important role in the Sohrabuddin encounter case.

Till now, the CBI has received some 200 complaints of extortion and corruption against Chudasama. According to some officials, these complaints were filed by those people who allegedly suffered at the hands of the controversial IPS officer. After the CBI arrested Chudasama, the CID Crime also swung into action. It arrested Dahod SP Vipul Agrawal on May 3 in connection with the Tulsi Prajapati fake encounter case. It is understood that Tulsi was the only eyewitness in the Sohrabuddin encounter case.

Both the cases are making the Gujarat police antsy. A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity told TSI: “When the Gujarat CID arrested IPS officers DG Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh MN in connection with Sohrabuddin encounter case, the cops were not jittery. But the recent arrest of Abhay Chudasama by the CBI has made them nervous.”

Moreover, Amit Shah, Minister of State for Home and close aide of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, is maintaining a low profile. He has not been seen at public places since last week. He was even not present at the mega celebration of Swarnim Gujarat. Amit’s absence from such an important event has become the talk of the town. Rumours have started circulating about his possible arrest and resignation. But nobody, even those at the top of the BJP, is willing to discuss the sensitive issue on record. Even senior officials in the police force have adopted wait and watch policy.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Money Madness

2010-06-07T12:56:00.000+05:30

Forty-six year old Nicolas Cage is trying to take up a lot of projects, one after another, to come out of the financial crisis that he has been going through. But most of these recent roles taken up by him are slightly wacky. Whether it is the ‘twisted crime fighter’ in a flick titled "Kick-Ass" or a 'drug-addled detective’ in "Bad Lieutenant", he has been heard as saying that all his characters have a 'glint of madness'. Well, signing up for films randomly, without giving much thought to roles and scripts, is no less a sign of madness!

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Better treatment for stars

2010-06-04T15:24:00.000+05:30

A code of conduct is issued for actors, producers & directors

T he Association of Television Media artists (ATMA) and Malayalam Television Fraternity (MTVF) want serial actors, producers and directors to follow a code of conduct. Of late, the TV industry was rocked by bickering between actors and producers.

And the ATMA is unhappy with the development as it gives a bad name to the industry. Issuing a circular, the ATMA states that it doesn’t want such a situation to arise in Malayalam serials. Besides, it has asked its members to sign an agreement with the producer of the serial in which the guidelines, including the dates, remuneration and working time, are mentioned clearly. Producers have been asked to give second class AC train ticket fare to the artist in case s/he is from other city. For woman artists, fare for the accompanying person should also be offered. Guidelines also talk about giving accommodation to the artists.

The circular asks directors to complete the daily shooting by 9 PM. Artists can be requested to stay on stage only in emergency situations till 10 PM. For the night schedule, artists should reach the location at 4 PM instead of 7 AM for the regular schedule. K.B. Ganesh Kumar, MLA and president of ATMA, says: “We have received complaints from many artists that directors block their dates in advance and cancel work at the last minute. Thus they lose their chance to work for another serial. This should be stopped. ATMA and MTVF have issued notices to the people to avoid such a situation in future.”

The TV industry in Malayalam is going through a hard time. Reality shows are all the rage. Many serials that started well have been shifted to non-peak hours because of their waning popularity and hence the industry is worried.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!

There’s a lot about Hrithik Roshan that hasn’t changed with the stardom he’s attained

2010-06-02T12:41:00.000+05:30

Anurag says that “Kites” has changed you a lot as a person too. Would you agree?

I think it’s quite true because I have evolved. In fact, the person inside me changes with every film. I’ve been doing “Guzaarish” for the past 8-9 months where I see the world go by through the eyes of a paralysed man. So, all films teach me a lot. It helps me to filter out all the significant things from the trivial issues that would bother me every day.

So has this change helped you become a better actor as well?

Yeah, definitely. I think your work is a reflection of the person you are and how you live your life. You, as a person, are inseparable from the work that you do. So if you want to create anything that has to have a value, you have to live that kind of life to develop those instincts to create that. The experiences that I’ve had in the journey of my life have helped me learn and grow. And your interpretation of life in your work subconsciously travels into the hearts of the audience who are watching you. So it’s always you that will reflect in your work. You know, it’s like, between the painting and the painter, one can’t say which is better. A painting is the manifestation of the painter’s vision of the world that he portrays in the painting. It’s as simple as that.

Which is the most memorable moment that you have of “Kites”?

When Anurag Basu narrated the script was the most memorable moment. It was at a point when I was contemplating not continuing as an actor because of my knee problem. I had given up and was depressed and heart-broken. I didn’t want to continue as a compromised actor, you know. I was at a crossroad of sorts, thinking of what do I do ahead of here. And then came “Kites”. When Anurag narrated the script to me, I could see my face on that character. I had a vision and that the vision was so strong that I knew it had to manifest. I just kept struggling and working on it and imagine that right before the shoot, in fact on the day of the shoot my knee healed, quite dramatically!

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!

Setback to vedanta

2010-06-01T16:06:00.000+05:30

Foundation asked to stop all construction works

Anil Agarwal’s plan to establish the Rs. 150 billion Vedanta University in Orissa has hit a roadblock. On May 11, 2010, the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has kept in abeyance the environmental and Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance that it had granted for the establishment of the proposed education institution near the Puri-Konark marine drive spread over 6,892 acre. Besides that, the Ministry has also directed the Foundation to stop further construction on the site. The Ministry has issued the letter after objections raised during the Orissa Coastal Zone Management Authority Meeting.

In July 2006, the Orissa government signed an MoU with the Vedanta Foundation, later renamed the Anil Agarwal Foundation, for setting up the Vedanta University an par with world-class universities like Stanford, Oxford, Harvard etc. Later on, Vedanta’s proposal to acquire 6,000 acres on the Puri-Konark coastal belt rolled into the rough because of environmental concerns. But the government, after considering the issues, decided to pass a bill in July 2009 to allow the university to be set up.

This led to petitions being filed in the Lok Pal by labour union leader Dwaraka Mohan Mishra. Justice R.K.Patra of Lok Pal subsequently expressed his views over the previous MoU for land allotment to Vedanta University. In a 26 page order, the Lok Pal observed: “The MoU signed by the parties doesn’t constitute a legally enforceable contract.” The Lok Pal’s findings indicated that the 6,000 acres targeted by the Foundation includes 1,300 acres of arable land belonging to the Jagannath Temple and another large stretch of land containing huge quantities of thorium and other rare minerals. This apparently violates the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954.

But the Lok Pal logically also supported the project in a neutral way. Justice Patra has asked the State government to constitute a vigilance cell to monitor the progress of the project. Besides, Lok Pal wants the government to offer land to the foundation in phases to ensure the full educational use of the land. But the recent direction issued by the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment seems to be the toughest one for Vedanta as the environmental and Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance is imperative for the university to come up without future hindrances.

Given that the Foundation still has much at stake in Orissa – and not all this stake commercial – it would be highly pertinent for both the Ministry and the Foundation to get into a mode of resolving the issue rather than keeping it hanging, more so as a positive resolution of the issue would perchance provide Orissa with a university at global standards – something that Orissa direly needs to up its global investment image – and a negative resolution would free up the land for alternative use. Non-resolution of the issue could put a bad light on future investments into the state.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!

Tipplers left high and dry

2010-05-03T16:17:00.000+05:30

Breweries work overtime to meet soaring demand

Beer is in short supply in Kerala. Many outlets of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) are hanging hoardings: ‘Beer out of stock.’ It is a hard time for beer drinkers in the state. However, some 337 BEVCO outlets are working 24 × 7 to meet the demand of the customers.

Kerala banned arrack, the locally-made liquor in 1989. The current Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who played an important role in the ban of arrack, was the then chief minister of the state. From then onwards the state took the responsibility of providing safe alcohol through a regulated system. But now, the black marketing of alcohol thrives even as the state provides plenty of liquor through BEVCO. Official statistics show that more than 80,000 people visit BEVCO outlets every day. There are 600 bars in addition to 5,000 toddy (palm wine) shops across the state. The total income through liquor is around 40 per cent of the state revenue. That is why officials are fretting over the shortage of beer.

What is the real cause for this unprecedented crisis? Is it an artificially created problem? These and other questions are being discussed by beer lovers. While presenting the budget, the government announced that beer would cost less. Sources say the profit of margin is between Rs 5 and 10. Most of the experts don’t know the main reason behind the sudden shortage of beer in the state. But BEVCO managing director N.Sankar Reddy has the answer. He told TSI that the sharp increase in consumption has led to the shortage of beer. “Last year, the consumption of beer was eight lakh bottles per day during this time. But now it rose to 13 lakh bottles. Kerala, having a production capacity of about 10 to 12 lakh bottles a day, is working overtime for maximum production,” he said. He doesn’t agree with those people who say that the shortage started only after beer supply from Karnataka was stopped. The state receives only a small quantity of beer from other states, he said. Two new Hyderabad companies are willing to supply beer.

Of late, anti-liquor movements and religious bodies have criticised the state government for its liquor policy. Officials say they are implementing prohibition stage by stage. Sociologists say it would be an arduous task that too in a state where consumption of liquor is the highest in India. There has been a 100 per cent hike in consumption in the last four years. And most of the beer lovers are youths.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!

Darkness at noon

2010-04-28T16:29:00.000+05:30

Dependants of jawans killed by Maoists struggle to stay afloat. A report from Orissa by TSI’s Dhrutikam Mohanty

Two years of anguish have gone by since Mase Madkami’s husband, an SGO jawan, lost his life in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists. But life hasn’t returned to normal for the 25-year-old woman. She lives in the southern Orissa village of Udupa, 25 km from the Malkangari district headquarters. Her hut, located in a distant corner of this tribal hamlet, has four rooms. Her husband, Ganga Madkami, was the family’s sole breadwinner. Today, the responsibility of their eight-year-old son and Ganga’s ageing parents is on Mase’s frail shoulders.

We reach her house at dusk. Her son, Sunadhar, is studying in the front room. Mase is busy cleaning a lantern. Udupa does not have electricity. In a while, the lantern will be the only source of light in this benighted home. “I never imagined I’d ever have to see such dark days,” Mase begins to narrate her tale of woes. “Five days after the incident, the chief minister handed out cheques to the families of the martyrs. He also promised each affected family a job, a plot of land and other government benefits. He had tears in his eyes. We had reason to believe that we’d be taken care of by the government.”

But Mase’s hopes were dashed. “For six months I ran from one office to another to get my dues. I finally received Rs 4 lakh as compensation and Rs 10 lakh for his life insurance. But I am still waiting for the promised job and land,” she says.

Her problems have increased manifold with the passage of time. She has to travel to Bhubaneswar every month to collect the family pension. Being a single lady, she is usually accompanied by somebody from the village, which entails additional expenses. At times she has to travel to the state capital more than once for the same purpose. Sometimes the officers concerned are not available. At other times, the processing of her payment is deferred. “We are illiterate poor villagers and don’t know much about government procedures. But running around like this for what was promised to me is actually hurting me more than my husband’s death,” says Mase, tears welling up in her eyes.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!

Is it too little... and too late?

2010-04-13T15:57:00.000+05:30

Reforms in coal sector, on which India’s power generation is heavily dependent, have seen a faint light on the distant horizon courtesy reform proposals in this budget. B&E’s anchal gupta argues that the steps may be too small considering the delay and a lot more needs to be done, quickly.

“Not a penny off the pay, not a second on the day.” This blunt reply by the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), the national union of mine workers to coal mine owners was a spark that ignited the chain reaction culminating in the famous 1926 General Strike in the United Kingdom. Mine owners, under the veil of a soaring pound, hurting exports and low productivity of mines decided on wage cuts to normalise profits. Despite massive subsidies to the coal mine owners, the wage cuts were implemented. The strike began on May 3 and lasted for 10 days. In the aftermath, coal mining was forever transformed in UK with the extra labour being sucked out and productivity rocketing from below 100 tonne per miner per annum to over 300 tonne by the World War II.

Swivel back to the present and India’s coal mining output still hovers at less than 200 tonne for some of its mines while the average productivity is less than one tenth of mining giants in US and Australia. And despite a new glimmer of hope in the form of proposals to reform the sector in this years’ budget, the pertinent question remains: Is it too little… too late? But for all the hype surrounding renewable energy and efficient usage, India stands tall among the planet’s most un-efficient energy user (read massive wasters). And, till date, more than 53% of our electricity is generated in power plants fueled by the black treasure hidden deep below our rocky terrains. Estimates suggest that by 2012, India will stare at more than 100 million metric tonnes (MMT) of coal shortage and around 250 MMT by 2025. Ironically, we have the world’s largest coal miner Coal India Ltd. (CIL), a Navratna PSU. The repercussions are perilous.

According to Girish Solanki, Energy analyst, Religare, “The coal mined in India has not been enough to meet the demand. The shortage has resulted in loss of electricity generation in power plants. The power companies in India imported coal in FY2009 to keep the plants running. Coal India, for the first time in history, resorted to import of coal in FY2009. Further the calorific value of coal mined in India is at 4,000-5,000 kcal/kg. substantially lower than the coal mined in countries like Indonesia which have calorific value in excess of 6,500 kcal/kg.” The impending entry of mining giant, Trimex to strike long term coal supply contracts with Indian power producers is just the beginning of the dark tunnel. Courtesy archaic laws and divided authority over every link of the value chain, much of the coal remains buried and much of India remains dark.

In fact not just power, other core sectors dependent on coal feel strangled too. As per Ashok Jainani, Analyst, Khandavala Securities, “India largely depends on imported metallurgical coal for steel making. Our met-coke imports are as high as 80% of requirements and the situation is likely to remain so in the foreseeable future. As regards thermal coke, it still remains highly protected business within government control.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Winners ideate

2010-04-12T12:21:00.000+05:30

What nanotechnology can do!

Finally, nanotechnology is all set to revolutionise the age of modern technology. For the uninitiated, nanotechnology is old age manufacturing with new age atoms. The Centre for Responsible Nanotechnology observes that this technology will help in making new nanofactories that will produce any product rapidly, cheaply, and cleanly. Technically, it is a revolutionary, transformative, powerful technology. But more importantly, it can be potentially either very dangerous or extremely beneficial.

Going by statistics, investment in nanotechnology has increased exponentially in the recent years. According to a nanotechnology development blog, investment in nanotechnology research was over $8.6 billion globally in 2004, which increased to $12.4 billion in 2006; the area accounted for $50 billion of global sales in 2006. Countries investing heavily in nanotechnology are the US, Germany, Japan and South Korea. But China is rapidly emerging too. Nanotechnology is of particular interest to China to maintain itself as the manufacturing hub of the world. While the US is the leading investor in nanotechnology with 28% global share, others include Japan with 24%, Western European countries with 25%, and the remaining being accounted by other regions, including Asia, Canada and Australia. In 2010, the National Nanotechnology Initiative of the US government gave a nanotechnology funding request in 13 federal departments and agencies for $1.64 billion. In 2001, this figure was $494 million. The UK government, during the middle of this decade, prepared a report berating their slow response in nanotechnology.

What cannot be denied is that although the field has huge promise, it also poses the danger of misuse (for example, to create untraceable weapons of mass destruction). The emergence of this technology field is inevitable. Imperative is the need for global regulations controlling research and funding, and intelligent use.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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The buddhist circuit exudes religious fervour and architectural beauty in equal measure

2010-04-08T15:48:00.000+05:30

Sarnath Museum: The museum boasts several paintings and busts related to Buddhist culture. The famous Ashoka Pillar with four lions is also kept here. Similarly, there are several stone tableaux that are filled with Buddha’s messages.

Kaushambi: It was the capital city of King Udayan’s Vatsa Janapad from 6th to 9th century AD. This historical city was visited by Buddha and was the site for one of his sermons. The place has several fingerprints of Buddha that have been preserved in various forms. One can also see the currency that was prevalent at that time. These have been shifted to Allahabad Museum for preservation. The place also has an Ashoka Pillar and an old fort.

Sravasti: The place is also linked to Buddha. Situated in north-eastern UP, it was part of the Kosala kingdom from 6th century BC to 6th century AD. This was a huge trading centre. It still has an old Stupa in a village situated on the border of Sravasti and Balrampur. The place hosts a huge fair in the month of Kartik. Another huge fair takes place during Buddha Purnima.

Kushinagar: It is one of the most important places in the Buddhist tour circuit because this is where Buddha attained nirvana. Archaeologists stumbled upon this place in 1861. The place has an old Nirvana temple and Stupas. The place also has several mathas. The Nirvana Stupa was excavated in 1876. Its height is 2.74 meters. There are inscriptions written in Brahmi and it has been erected at the same place where Buddha attained nirvana. It also has a 6th century, six-meter sandstone statue of Buddha. Nearby is Mathakur that has a Buddha statue in black. This is the site where he delivered his last sermon. Nearby is Chaumukhi Stupa that is 49 feet tall. Temples constructed by the Chinese and Japanese stand nearby.

Sankisa: Located in Farrukhabad district, this place has a statue of Buddha built by Emperor Ashoka. It also has a Ashoka Pillar and a statue of an elephant. The place has been extensively excavated and a 500 square yards of remains have been unearthed. Famous Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang visited this place and mentions it in his travel diary.

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa: A 122-km drive from Gorakhpur is Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Only private vehicles are available for the last 26 kilometers of the journey. This is where he renounced his royal life and became a hermit. He returned to this place after he attained enlightenment.

Buddhists are centred in East and South East Asia. The government has plans to consolidate this circuit. It will be linked with the circuit in Bihar and Nepal. Avnish Awasthi, director-general of UP tourism department, says, “The state has a plan in place. To attract domestic and foreign tourists, it is essential for us to build world-class infrastructure. In the last few years, we have built several hotels, tourist bungalows and airstrips.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Keep the Faith In prez Obama

2010-04-06T13:34:00.000+05:30

Will the controversial health reforms' overhaul lead to a better life?

After many decades of failed endeavours, a Democrat President finally signed the landmark healthcare legislation on March 23, 2010, to overhaul the healthcare system that will ensure 32 million uninsured Americans can access to medical insurance. Two days later, the Bill was voted in the House, with the Democrats prevailing a 220-207 majority in spite of 32 defections and a united Republicans voting against it. Earlier in the same day, the Bill was passed in the Senate where some Democrat senators defied the chosen party line. President Obama can surely now claim it to be a historic event that will seal his position as an American President who succeeded at refurbishing the nation’s healthcare system since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid legislation by President Johnson in 1965. That was also a milestone in the history of America’s healthcare improvement, which extended insurance cover to additional millions for the first time. It also speeded up the process to end segregation in hospitals, as federal payments were hitherto barred for these segregated wards. Later on Bill Clinton tried mightily to bring about a paradigm shift in the healthcare system - even his aides wrote a 240,000-word Bill- but failed miserably as Republicans took control of the Congress in the mid-term elections of 1994. The most important difference between then and now, is that employers and business groups being concerned by the spiraling cost of healthcare decided to sit in the negotiating table, instead of defeating the plan outright as they did in 1993-94. Consequently, Obama’s cookie did not crumble, like before, he showed the world that he can pull it off from the edge - when in his budget for 2010, he asked Congress to keep back $600 billion as a reserve for his ambitious healthcare restructure over the next 10 years. According to Congressional Budget Office, the total cost of the government will be massive $938 billion over next 10 years, and it will reduce federal deficit by $138 billion over the same period.

In the capitalistic economy of United States, the intrinsic “right” to medication never existed - like it exists in Canada or UK - where 830,000 Canadians and 1.8 million Britons are in waiting for treatment or to be admitted in the hospitals. The government there provides these facilities- in fact, in all the countries with socialised medicine ration healthcare by compelling their citizens to stand in the lines to receive scarce treatment. The citizens of these two countries receive additional healthcare allowance from their governments which they can use freely, the way they want. But, the United States is jittery of government intervention in any industry, as one Republican Senator warned that the current Bill will lead to the “quasi-nationalisation of the healthcare industry”.

In spite of criticism, flack and tumultuous debate, there is no doubt that the healthcare bill is historic that can rewrite care for millions; which has brought death threats; and socialism and has opened up a divisive battle with the Republicans in the run up to November elections and beyond. Whether the Bill would turn out to be a boon for socio-economic dynamics remains to be seen, but certainly Obama’s courage and ability of what all other Democrats had promised but failed to deliver, is the legacy that will ensure maximum attention in the years to come.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Expecting too much?

2010-04-05T14:14:00.000+05:30

Appointing an expat CEO, for traditional Indian companies, has always been a high stakes game, especially as their being ‘culture unfriendly’ is a huge disadvantage! Then why do Indian companies still take expat CEOs? Any valuable lessons yet?

As the troubled General Motors was busy finalising its restructuring process and doing some heavy duty pondering over hard decisions of retaining and shedding various brands under its vast portfolio post the bankruptcy filing under Chapter 11, home-grown Tata Motors was keeping a close eye on the developments. Around the same period, Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM’s European operations, had a decision to make of his own; one, a bigger job at General Motors – perhaps even the global head – and, two, becoming Group CEO of Tata Motors. Having worked at companies like GM, BMW and McKinsey, the Tatas knew that if Forster could be convinced, he would bring a lot of valuable experience on the table. For the London-born Forster (raised in Bonn and Athens, worked across the globe), India could promise to be an enlightening experience. But Forster also knew that if he were to join the Tatas, however hard he tries, he would – by rote nomenclature – be known as an ‘Expat CEO’ (short for expatriate CEO). Along with the bouquets that accompany this garnishing, Forster would have had the benefit of being brandished with the standard ignominious accusations reserved with honour for expat CEOs. But really, why do typically Indian companies take expat CEOs in the first place? Are there any lessons?

To be fair, this is not the first case of an Indian company headhunting for an expat CEO; and it definitely won’t be the last. In fact, the Tata group itself has believed heavily in global talent for top positions; which is logical since a huge 65% of the group’s revenues come from overseas markets. Raymond Bickson, MD, Indian Hotels (of the Tata Group), contributed heavily to the company’s global expansion through innovative acquisitions and tie ups with luxury hotel chains and cruise lines. But taking in Daryl Green as MD of Tata Teleservices wasn’t as rewarding as Green quit in two years, citing personal reasons and amid rumours attributing his resignation to his inability to mingle with the culture of the Tata Group.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Rajpal Singh Captain Indian Hockey team

2010-04-01T17:26:00.000+05:30

“It’s larger than the movie industry”
Despite a Tiger Woods, there are more role models than fallen angels!

Bula Chowdhury

Swimmer & National Champ who crossed all seven channels

I still remember how on the eve of the Commonwealth Games, my mother was asked to deposit Rs. 7,500, so that I could compete. Nothing much has changed since that day. Athletes are being told that if they can’t pay the required amount for selection, then someone else will be taken. That is totally horrendous!

Viren Rasquinha

Former Captain, Indian Hockey team

In India sports is not given due importance. It can help in building a more disciplined society. The problem is that unlike Cricket, other sports lack stars and are not marketed well. PSUs can become the link between grass-root talent and real sports. Through their tournaments, they can help in nurturing domestic talent...

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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An icon in exile

2010-03-31T12:41:00.000+05:30

At the age of 95, and away from the land that inspires his art, painter M.F. Husain has lost none of his legendary flamboyance and passion for life. Here, in an intimate, freewheeling interview with Parvez Ahmed in Dubai, he bares his heart. The artist talks about his early years, his decision to take up Qatari citizenship, his likes and dislikes, and the many things that still keep him going

You have been out of India for a long time. Don't you miss your friends, fans, the alleys and the neighbourhoods, the bazaars?
Memories have their own ways of touching your heart…I have spent the best part of my life in India. But cell phones and computers have made the world smaller. I can talk to anybody whenever I feel like. I keep in touch. Distance does not matter anymore. I can say that I don’t miss anything… (Smiles)

So, are you cutting yourself off?
How can I? I am an Indian and I will remain an Indian. Just because I've become a Qatari citizen doesn't mean I will lose my Indianness. I'm getting NRI status, which means a lifelong visa and I can buy property anywhere in India.

When do you hope to return?
I will. I don't know when, but certainly in the near future. At the moment, I have two big projects in Qatar. I am doing a series on Arab civilisation. Then in England, I will be working on a series on India. I can never get away from India.

What pushed you towards painting?
I was fond of drawing since childhood. I never threw tantrums for anything else apart from eraser, pencil, paint and brush. I used to draw on every possible empty space. My relatives gave up on me. They often said I would neither land a decent job nor find a girl to marry. They were right. I never had a job in that sense and the girl I loved was not allowed by her parents to marry me. In Indore, there were two large portraits of Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar and his queen. I used to look at them for hours. I was later told it was painted by the French painter Brancusi who had stayed for two years in Indore on the invitation of the Maharaja. I used to think that had they given me just two days, I would have produced better work. As I grew up, I began participating in events. I used to closely study the paintings of great painters of that era and before.

It is generally believed that your iconic horse was also born in Indore?
During Muharram, people used to make huge taziyas and decorate horses. I got attracted to them since my childhood. In fact, I used to visit Imambaras to see horses. And then, as time passed, I started to incorporate them in my paintings. I did a lot of experiments. I saw horses of different breeds—Chinese, Japanese, Turkish and Arabian. From them, my horse took birth. It is altogether different. If you watch closely, the hips of my horses have a feminine touch, and that is why they look so attractive.

You were nominated to the Rajya Sabha but never showed any inclination towards politics…
My personal belief is that every person should be politically aware, must have an ideology, a point of view and should have political street smartness. But, having said that, I also maintain that an artist must detach himself from all these. He should be away from active politics. During my growing days, I heard the speeches of several people, Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah and Hitler, to name a few. However, I did not get carried away. I supported whom I thought to be prudent. But I never became a part of their politics.

You also saw the days of the Raj…
I hated them. I used to be furious at people who were hangers-on. In many of my initial paintings, I protested against their policies. Way back in 1930, I made a painting where I showed a British lying on the road with a dog beside him. They used to hate us and the same hate I reciprocated in my paintings.

And when Partition happened, did you think of migrating to Pakistan?
Never. I was always against the Partition. Leave alone going there, I barred the letters of one of my brothers-in-law who had migrated there.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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ULFA’s last gambit?

2010-03-30T16:07:00.000+05:30

The banned outfit’s fugitive chief Paresh Barua may seek Maoist help in a bid to bounce back, reports Monalisa Gogoi

Facing growing heat from security forces in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, Maoist rebels are believed to be looking towards the north-east to forge new partnerships and set up hideouts. According to intelligence reports, they have already begun to send out feelers to dormant militant outfits in the region, especially the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), whose self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua is still on the run.

The Maoist game-plan is to help north-eastern militant organisations regroup so that the security forces are compelled to ease their anti-Naxal offensive and turn their attention to other disruptive outfits. This, the Maoists feel, will give them some breathing space and allow them to bounce back.

Until last year, the North-East was a beehive of militant activity. But during the past year, the region has experienced relative calm. With ULFA indicating a willingness to come to the negotiating table, Assam has been largely incident-free during the period.

Dima Halom Dauga (DHD-J), referred to as Black Widow, had unleashed a reign of terror in North Cachar Hills of Assam. Hundreds of innocent people had lost their lives in barbaric attacks by the militant outfit. DHD(J) surrendered last year and the people of NC Hills heaved a collective sigh of relief.

After the arrest of ULFA president Arabinda Rajkhowa and top leaders of the outfit like Shasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika, it was assumed that the banned organisation had lost ground. Moreover, after their release from jail, ULFA vice president Pradip Gogoi and Mithinga Daimary have been travelling around the state to mobilise a consensus for government-ULFA talks.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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lessons from the past

2010-03-26T16:04:00.000+05:30

The rotational chief minister system was experimented with by the BJP and the BSP in 1998 in Uttar Pradesh where a deal was stuck under which Mayawati was to be chief minister for the first six months of the coalition government following which the BJP’s chief minster nominate would have taken over. BJP got the posts of deputy chief minister and leader and deputy chairman of the Legislative Council. However, merely 28 days after her six months got over and Kalyan Singh became the CM, Mayawati did a volte face and withdrew support.

When the Congress and PDP formed a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir after the 2002 elections, they had decided to share the post of the chief minister for three years each. They had shared power accordingly starting with PDP chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed at the helm. The transfer of power was smooth and Ghulam Nabi Azad took over after three years. However, the PDP never came to terms with the reality and a section of it never actually wanted Azad. In short, they were looking for an opportunity to withdraw support. It came in the form of the Amarnath land issue, following which, PDP left the government in a lurch.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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