IIPM business magazine and section Economy

The lack of strategic thought has always cost India dear in the battlefield

2011-11-17T11:08:00.000+05:30

IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri

Warfare: Strategically weak, are we?

Strategic thinking and military planning stem from political unity and coherence. Kautilya was the first to realise the need for unity and a powerful state to protect India from external invaders. He raised a massive 650,000-strong Mauryan army and generated a local RMA (revolution in military affairs) with a corps of 9,000 war elephants which were deployed to generate “shock and awe”. Kautilya was a pioneer in using information warfare against Alexander’s invading army. He thus unified India in just 25 years with his combination of war elephants, information war and covert operations.

Apart from Kautilya, no one ever thought of forward defence. Kautilya had secured the invasion routes by conquering Afghanistan and Baluchistan. After him, all the battles for the defence of Delhi were fought in the plains of Panipat and we lost each one of them. The Mughals could defeat Ibrahim Lodhi because they introduced the RMA of field guns, horsed archers and muskets – a deadly combination which caused Lodhi’s war elephants to panic and trample their own troops.

The third battle of Panipat was fought exactly 250 years ago between the Marathas and the Afghans of Ahmad Shah Abdali or “Shah Baba”. The Marathas had virtually won this battle, but ultimately lost it due to a total lack of discipline and coordination. One section of the Maratha troops moved out of the battlefield for no apparent reason and turned the whole tide of the battle. The Maratha artillery was taking a fearful toll on the Afghans when the Maratha mobile elements closed in from the flanks and came in the line of their own fire. The Indians thereby lost a winning battle. The problem was a lack of discipline and coordination. Indians have always been brave fighters individually. Their problem has been in functioning efficiently as a group.

The British organised the Indian sepoys into European-style modern Infantry battalions that were disciplined and efficient. The British native infantry defeated the Mughal style cavalry by generating the RMA of Infantry Battalions which could fire in disciplined rhythms, generate rates of fire of a thousand shots a minute and could decimate any cavalry charge.

India supposedly won its freedom via a peaceful and non-violent freedom struggle. Few realise the importance of the role played by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his INA which shook the British and was instrumental in forcing them to leave. Mutinies had broken out in the British Indian Army and in Royal Indian Navy when the INA officers were put on trial at Red Fort. The British had crushed the peaceful Quit India Movement but they could no longer rely on the Indian Armed Forces as instruments of subjugation and control. So they left in a rather tearing hurry.

The post-Independence Indian political elite, however, tried to take the entire credit for the British decision to leave and attributed it to their non-violent struggle. They therefore laid far too much emphasis on soft power, diplomacy and peace. It was a leadership deficient in strategic thinking and skill. They neglected the military and discouraged strategic thought. The result was the tragic fiasco of the 1962 border war with China. It was an urgently needed wake-up call. India began to expand and modernise its military post 1962. Pakistan was worried and cynically decided to press home its eroding military advantage in the 1965 war. It was its last gamble to seize Kashmir by force and it failed.

The 1971 war was a historic and decisive military victory that broke Pakistan in two and put 93,000 prisoners of war in Indian captivity. In just 14 days Indian forces liberated Dacca and formed a new nation state. This local RMA of sorts was created by India’s complete dominance over the skies of Bangladesh. The Indian Army launched a swift blitzkrieg under the air umbrella. Indian fighter bombers helped to decimate the Pakistani Army’s resistance. In fact Gen. Niazi’s meeting with the then governor of East Pakistan, Adam Malik, in Dacca itself was attacked by the Indian Air Force fighters with rockets. The Mukti Bahini played a very significant role by waging covert action in the Pakistani Army’s rear and supplying accurate intelligence to the advancing Indian troops.

So far, we have failed to transform economic power into credible and usable military power. India’s political elite seem to think that nuclearisation has rendered conventional military force obsolete. This is a serious error. Today India faces a three front threat from China, Pakistan and Jihadis and Maoists. It rapidly needs to modernise its armed forces and encourage strategic thinking and awareness of military matters. The Bangladesh War revived the Kautilyan tradition of strategic thought. Let us not waste it again. There are no soft power answers to hard power realities. We can not afford to repeat 1962 all over again.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri is Delhi franchise holder for i1 Super Series
IIPM ranks No 1 in International Exposure in the 'Third Mail Today B-School Survey'
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM

IIPM: What is E-PAT?
"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
IIPM Mumbai Campus

Corporal punishment in schools claims two more lives

2011-11-14T11:24:00.001+05:30

IIPM: What is E-PAT?

Karnataka Education: Teachers turn tormentors

The practice of corporal punishment in schools has claimed two more lives in Karnataka. Afzal Hamza Fayaz (15) and D. Varun (17) are the recent victims of this evil practice. The two incidents occurred within a short span of a month. While Hamza hailed from Kasaragodu Tonka, a village close to Honnavar city in North Canara district, Varun came from Bellary city.

January 11, 2011 turned out to be the most unfortunate day in the life of Abida Hamza Sab, a widow, as she lost her only son, Afzal Hamza Fayaz, on that day. Afzal Hamza, studying in The New English School, Honnavar, had been running fever for the past two days when his Physical Education teacher K.D. Naik ordered him to run around the field. According to Hamza's classmates, after this Naik kicked and caned the poor boy who then collapsed. Hamza was admitted to a nearby hospital but his life could not be saved. As the news of Afzal’s death spread, a mob ransacked the school. A shocked Abida has also been on the hospital bed since then.

In another incident, D. Varun, a student of 10th standard in Shettara Gurushanthappa Composite School, lost his life to the tyranny of his science teacher Basavaraj on December 16, 2010. Varun hanged himself to death. It is alleged that the science teacher would harass and humiliate Varun for not wearing shoes amidst his valid reason of skin disease. When the boy complained about this to his parents, the teacher got enraged and threatened the boy to flunk him in exams. The suicide note written by Varun, but discovered only after a month of his death, read: “My science teacher Basavaraj is the sole reason for my death.”

The parents of both the victims have filed complaints against the teachers responsible for the deaths of their sons. “Only nine complaints have been registered so far, of which three are sexual harassment cases by teachers. We have recommended stern action against the teachers involved ,” Nina Naik, chairperson, Karnataka Commission for Protection of Child Rights told TSI. She conceded that most of the cases of corporal punishment in schools go unnoticed.

State minister for primary and secondary education, Vishweshwara Hegade Kageri said, “The government has sent circulars to schools for taking action against those who harass students. We will take stern action. I have asked for a detailed report and ordered probe into the incidents.” The government has always maintained this stand, but corporal punishment continues to claim innocent lives. In most of the cases, the culprits are protected by school management bodies thanks to the poor implementation of section 23 of Juvenile Justice Act.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri bags Delhi team of i1 Super Series
IIPM ranks No 1 in International Exposure in the 'Third Mail Today B-School Survey'
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM
IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri

"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
IIPM Mumbai Campus

Saffron party's youth wing embarks on yatra to Srinagar

2011-11-11T10:13:00.000+05:30

Arindam Chaudhuri bags Delhi team of i1 Super Series

New Delhi Politics: BJP mobilises yuva brigade

For the first time in its history, the BJP has placed the reins of a very sensitive and important issue–the Kashmir issue in this case – in the hands of the party's youth wing, Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

As part of this move, a yatra was flagged off on January 12 from Kolkata, the birthplace of the party's founder Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The Kashmir issue has been on top of BJP's agenda for decades. But in the past, sensitive issues such as Kashmir, Ram temple and Uniform Civil Code were taken up and handled only by the top brass of the saffron political party.

The yatra will pass through several states including Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh before culminating at Sri Nagar's Lal Chowk on January 26, where the BJP leaders plan to unfurl the national flag.

This is for the first time in the history of BJYM that a programme of this magnitude has been done on a core ideological issue. There will be about 150 public meetings on way to Srinagar during 16 days.

The yatra aims to make people, and especially youngsters, “aware of the separatist movement” in the state. There is a political undertone to this yatra too. The party wants to organise the youth against the Congress and counter Rahul Gandhi's drive to bring more and more fresh blood into the party fold.

The BJP has always protested agaisnt the implementation of Article 370 of the Constitution in Kashmir, under which Kashmir is allowed to have a separate constitution and flag. People from outside the state cannot purchase land in the state, apply for government jobs here or enjoy adult suffrage.

Anurag Thakur, president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, says, “The Kashmir issue is historical blunder by the Congress that the country is still grappling with. The root cause is the implementation of article 370. The day it is withdrawn, this unnatural line of division will be wiped out. The solution to Kashmir issue should be found out under constitutional ambit and not religious.” Talking to TSI, national general secretary of BJYM, Manoranjan Mishra says, “This is the biggest campaign in the history of the yuva morcha. We also plan to directly contact more than one crore youths through internet.”

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM ranks No 1 in International Exposure in the 'Third Mail Today B-School Survey'
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM
IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri
Kapil Sibal’s voters want Jan Lokpal, not Government-proposed Lokpal Bill
IIPM: What is E-PAT?
"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
IIPM Mumbai Campus

Tribal girls relate their experience with the Maoists

2011-11-08T16:00:00.000+05:30

Orissa Maoists: Great escape, Great relief

“We can now sleep peacefully. We are now free from a life of hardship and terror,” said a 16 - year - old Shanti Soye, a Maoist, after she had surrendered to the police. Sudra Soye, Basanti Taisam, Sumitra Chattar and Raima Pingua also laid down arms after escaping from a Maoist hide - out in dense forests. The girls spent around two years in the camps.

“What we faced during these two years was exploitation and gruelling work. Our seniors always made us carry their luggage when moving from one camp to another in the jungle. Some of them even tried to molest us in an inebriated state. We complained to the committee head but nothing was done to stop the excesses,” revealed Raima Pingua.

The tribal girls, all of them aged between 15 to 17 years, were lured to join the Maoists with false promises. The leaders assured them of financial support and livelihood. They had also promised to solve the long-standing problems of the tribal people. But, as it turned out later, all that was mere eyewash.

Shanti Soye added, “I was taken to a Maoist camp by a girl of my village named Sabita. She lured me into dense forest in Telkoi area and there I was made a captive of sorts. I was given fitness training for about a month followed by arms training. When I asked them to let me return to my village, they refused.”

According to the police, Shanti, who belonged to Raighati village, was working as a deputy section commander under the direct control of Kaling Nagar Divisional Committee (KNDC) secretary Sushil alias Basanta. She was allegedly involved in several crimes including murder, attack on Police Station at Daitari, ransacking of liquor shops at Akul etc. The other girls, the residents of Ghasipura police station area, were working as cadres under the command of Dhiren, an area committee member of KNDC.

Ashish Kumar Singh, SP Keonjhar said, “The Maoist leaders attract the teenagers to join their organisation by giving false assurances. After spending a pitiable life for more than a year these girls have surrendered to lead a peaceful life. They will be settled as per the government’s rehabilitation policy.”

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM ranks No 1 in International Exposure in the 'Third Mail Today B-School Survey'
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM
IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri
Kapil Sibal’s voters want Jan Lokpal, not Government-proposed Lokpal Bill
IIPM: What is E-PAT?
"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
IIPM Mumbai Campus

What has a Ninjutsu Master got to say about His Holiness The Dalai Lama?

2011-06-29T15:23:00.000+05:30

The Dalai Lama: War And Peace

A lot more than you know, for Stephen K Hayes was security advisor to His Holiness for the better part of the 1990s, and continues to be a spiritual friend'

What was your first impression of the Dalai Lama and how real was he compared to your perception of a Godman?
I first met the Dalai Lama in India in 1986. I was very much moved by the energy of his very presence and by his bearing. I later learned the Tibetans sometimes call him Kundun, which means "the presence". I was impressed by the intense way he paid attention to each question I asked, and the way he answered honestly and directly. I was no statesman or business figure or celebrity, but he nonetheless gave me his entire attention for the hours I spent with him at our first meeting.

As a Ninja you are a man of war while The Dalai Lama is the ultimate symbol of peace. How did the two meet and what was your common ground for conversations and camaraderie?
My martial art is a way to make peace when others might choose violence or conflict. As a ninja I am trained to be a protector. Training to fight wars or fight as a competitor in a cage is very different, not what my martial art is about. I first met the Dalai Lama in 1986, when I came to India following a one-month visit to Tibet. I believe he agreed to meet me as a way of asking for my insights as to how things were in Tibet. I met him again in 1987 in Indiana in the USA when he was there to visit his brother. I happened to be at a small conference in California with the Dalai Lama in 1989 when he received news that he had won the Nobel Peace prize, and I helped his staff with some of the unexpected security concerns when all the reporters arrived. After that, throughout the 1990s I travelled with the Dalai Lama as a security escort when he was in the USA.

Did His Holiness ever suggest a path away from the martial arts?
No. He always accepted that martial arts were the path of discovery of my youth. It was how I came to be the man I am today. I teach others how to be so strong that they can chose compassion and patience out of strength instead of from fear. At the same time, he always displayed the speech and actions of one committed to peace. That of course had an effect on me. Today I still teach martial arts around the world, but I also spend a part of every year in India or Nepal studying with Tibetan Buddhist teachers that the Dalai Lama introduced me to.

What is His Holiness like, away from the concerns of an exiled head of state or faith?
I always tell my friends that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the few human beings I have ever met who totally lives up to his billing. He is so reassuring in his sincerity and compassion for all, and that is surprising for one who was born to be the spiritual king of his country. One might expect a more autocratic or impatient or haughty demeanour of a king, but none of that is there.

His Holiness has this amazing affinity and connection with the West, perhaps more so than any other Eastern Leader. What is the secret?
I think the key to the Dalai Lama's popularity in the West is his ability to speak from the heart in words that truly address the spiritual distress that people in the West feel today. He speaks in the common person’s common sense language, and his suggestions for spiritual peace do not come across as rigid religious commands. In that way he includes all people. Perhaps some other religious leaders present a strongly one-way view of how spiritual life must be, and that alienates all but the member believers..? The Dalai Lama does not do that.

His earnest speech allows many Westerners to be drawn to him, but at the same time I must mention that when he addresses higher level audiences of religious scholars, he exhibits an awe-inspiring knowledge of the depths of Buddhist teachings. He has the wonderful capacity to command both popular and scholastic presentations.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Border Fighting
IIPM announces Anna Hazare Fellowship
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Mobile application for Nokia phones is launched by The Times of India
Watching porn video is not a crime

Why your wife or girlfriend seems "off sex" of late?
A Healthcare Issue: Private hospitals' efficiency questioned
Katrina Kaif: A British Indian Actress Born on July 16, 1984
Domestic violence has been a silent relationship killer since time immemorial.
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

That the Assam govt was caught unawares by the Bodo extremists exposes a lack of political will

2011-06-26T10:20:00.000+05:30

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting

Bodo Impasse: Ball is in Dispur's court

November 8, 2010. It was the day US President Barack Obama addressed Indian parliamentarians in New Delhi. That very night, the NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) a banned rebel outfit, carried out a vendetta carnage in Assam killing many innocent people in cold blood. The casualties were mostly Hindi-speaking people residing in Bodo-dominated areas of the state.

The government should have seen it coming. That it did not reflects rather poorly on its ability to take prompt action when it is needed. On November 1, the NDFB had issued a press statement warning both the Central and state governments to stop the killing of the outfit’s cadre and innocent Bodo people. The militants warned that they would kill at least 20 Indians, be they from the Indian Army or the civilian population, for every innocent Bodo gunned down by the security forces.

Chillingly, they did just that. On November 7, a Bodo, supposedly an NDFB militant, was killed allegedly in an encounter with security forces. Exactly 24 hours later, the militant outfit struck in six districts, killing 24 people in the span of a day. Among the dead were innocent bus passengers, petty businessmen and even aged women. Despite a unified command system, the governments in Delhi and Dispur could do nothing to stop the designs of the extremists.

It is true that Dispur had some limitations. Army presence in Assam was reduced – securitymen were diverted to Jharkhand to comabt Maoists and to Bihar for the Assembly elections. Assam had 149 companies of the Army last year. At present, less than 100 companies are deployed in the northeastern state. To make matters worse, the state faces a paucity of policemen as there are more than 8,000 vacancies that are yet to filled. Dispur had initiated some steps in this regard including setting up of the elite Cobra battalion of CRPF. But the process of selecting state policemen as well as their training are going far too slow for comfort. That has allowed an extremist outfit like NDFB to run what could be described as almost a parallel government, as alleged by the opposition, in border areas, particularly on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river bordering Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.

The state government has pitifully taken shelter behind these limitations to cover up for its failure to tackle the terrorists. However, it is still unable to explain its total inaction in the face of a prior warning of violence that ahd been issued by the NDFB. The bellicosity and brutal nature of the NDFB cadre became evident when it unleashed serial bombings, killing almost hundred innocent people two years back. Yet the Tarun Gogoi-led government in the state did not take any precautionary measures to thwart the NDFB rebels who had threatened to wreak vengeance on Indian people.

Union home minister P. Chidambaram, who had hurriedly arrived in Assam on November 12, while addressing a top-level security meeting in a CRPF guesthouse, ordered an all-out operation by the security forces against the NDFB faction that is on a killing spree in the state. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, along with top police officials from the state, was present in the meeting. Chidambaram did not buy Gogoi’s suggestion that that Assam needed more security personnel. The Union home minister’s argument was that there were only about 150 NDFB militants in hiding in the state and it would not be difficult for the forces available in Assam to apprehend them.

NDFB is an offshoot of the long-drawn agitation by the Bodos for a separate Bodoland state. The Union government tried to assuage the feelings of the Bodo people by first granting them an autonomous area and thereafter putting the area under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The NDFB was totally sidelined in the entire process. A section of the NDFB is in government-designated camps after surrendering.

A few NDFB leaders, including its chairman Ranjan Daimary, are in jail. The group lost nearly 75 of its hardcore cadre in operations conducted by the security forces from January to November. Only those few who have remained outside are still clamouring for a separate and sovereign Bodoland and creating problems by resorting to terrorism.

What Assam needs today, besides additional Central forces, is the political will and acumen to take on the militant faction of the NDFB. The Bodo impasse will continue to be a thorn in the flesh unless the government in Dispur can muster up a coherent strategy to neutralise the extremists. In its latest fatwa, the belligerent faction of the NDFB has warned both Bodos and non-Bodos living in the Bodoland area not to conspire or hobnob with the security forces otherwise all would meet the same fate as on November 8. The government must take that warning seriously and act before it is too late.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India

Several finance institutions exploit poor farmers

2011-06-23T11:17:00.000+05:30

Orissa Agricultural loans: Micro Finance, mega bucks

A debt-ridden tenant farmer Ratnakar Jena of Andara village in Kendrapara district of Orissa committed suicide by consuming insecticide last month. The victim was landless and had taken loan from a local Micro Finance Institution (MFI) to cultivate the land he had taken on agreement. But a poor crop rendered him unable to pay back the loan in the stipulated time. A high rate of interest made the situation worse. And then there was pressure on the poor fellow from the MFI to repay the amount. In these circumstances, Jena had little choice and he chose the easiest way out— he quit! This is just one of the many cases of farmer suicide in the state. Although micro credit system is considered to be a tool for poverty alleviation, but the increasing number of farmer suicides under debt burden tells a different story. It shows that instead of providing relief to farmers, the MFIs are extorting money from them! It has often been complained that many fraud co-operative banks and micro finance institutions are operating in the rural areas of the state, and as expected, they do not go by the RBI guidelines and instead charge huge interest on the money they lend.

Although MFI operations in Orissa are widespread, there are no guidelines regarding the interest rate. In this context, noted economist Santosh Mahapatra opines, “While the banks provide loans to MFIs at 13 per cent (base rate 8 per cent and charge rate 5 per cent) but these MFIs charge 28 per cent to 36 per cent from their clients, which is obviously very high.” Kailash Mishra, chief of Awareness (India) Finance Limited, a micro credit organisation, says, “When MFIs take loans from the nationalised banks at 13 to 16 per cent, they will naturally claim more than 20 per cent from their clients.”

State Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadei says that the government is taking steps to minimise the exploitation of farmers at the hands of unscrupulous financial institutions by entrusting NABARD with a larger role in agriculture sector. NABARD will be the monitoring authority for the MFIs.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Police nab a Maoist living in the guise of a teacher

2011-06-20T11:15:00.000+05:30

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Andhra Pradesh Maoists: Story of a 'red' herring

It came as a shock to many. Some refused to believe it when they saw her picture in newspapers. For those who knew her as Sirisha, a playschool teacher in Hyderabad, it was hard to swallow that the woman was actually a Maoist and her real name was Padmakka.

Padmakka, also called Nirmala and Sharada, is the wife of top Maoist leader Ramakrishna alias Akkiraju Haragopal, better known as RK. She was arrested by Orissa Police at Koraput where she was to meet her husband. She had a reward of Rs. two lakh on her head.

For the last few years she had been working as manager cum teacher at Rainbow Home-Aman Vedika, a playschool for orphans run by the NGO Aman Biradari at Seethaphalmandi in Chilkalaguda. “It is really hard to believe that one of my colleagues was an activist of an outlawed outfit,” a worker at the orphan home told The Sunday Indian.

Another important aspect in the episode is her strategic silence. The present times, particularly the last three years, are considered to be the period of “recession” (some analysts say it's extinction) in the 40- year history of Naxalism in Andhra Pradesh. Besides the leaders of Janasakthi, like Riyaz, almost all the top guns of CPI Maoists, including Azad, Sudharsan, Ravi Kumar, Madhav, Rajamouli, Patel Sudhakar, Sakhamuri Apparao were gunned down during this period. With the counter-revolutionary action of the state government, the organisational structure of the Maoists in North Telangana, Dandakaranya and Andhra-Orissa border suffered a body blow. During this period Padmakka probably thought it prudent to remain away from direct action and in disguise to dodge the police.

Padmakka had approached Aman Vedika through a lawyer in 2008. She introduced herself as Kandula Sirisha, a destitute woman with modest education up to plus two level.

“Though she was appointed a play teacher to the kids, she was later elevated to the managerial post considering her dedication towards the kids,” an executive at the Rainbow Home told TSI on condition of anonymity. Sirisha treated the kids with the same affection as a mother would her own children. While working almost round the clock she seldom availed leave. It seemed like she had no other interests in life.

However, Sirisha took leave for 10 days against some ‘exigencies’ at her native place, on November 9— a day before the north zone Deputy Commissioner of police, Nagi Reddy, and the local Inspector of police were to visit the place for distributing clothes and fruits to the children.

Later, the staff and the children of Rainbow Home were shell shocked to see her photo in the newspapers and on the television screens, with reports stating that Sirisha was a Maoist and was caught at the Andhra-Orissa border.

But the small kids, to whom she was a beloved amma (mother), can't understand all this. Blissfully away from the politics-ridden, complex world of the adults, the children of the orphanage only know that the woman— whatever be her name— loved them and cared for them. And so they loved her and cared for her. The rest they don't want to know. So the children, about a hundred of them, are yearning to see her back amidst them. As they also came to know that she was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, the unyielding kids are reluctant to have food till their amma comes back. But as her return does not look possible, the people at the Rainbow Home are in a fix.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
Arindam Chaudhuri on his third National Award and his unique business formula for films
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

WBPCB's arbitrary decisions hurt fireworks traders

2011-06-17T10:08:00.000+05:30

Deafened by noise?

The West Bengal State Pollution Control Board’s dictum on noise pollution is not in accordance with the standard set by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The national standard at 125 decibels was fixed by the National Committee on Noise Pollution Control (NCNPC) after considering a detailed study done by National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Services (DIPAS). It also considered the permissible decibel standards in several other countries.

The WBPCB first set the permissible noise level at 65 decibel (dB) in 1996. But its decision was challenged in the Court where the counsel for the Board could not explain the logic behind fixing the noise level at 65 dB. Justice Bhagabati Prasad Banerjee of Calcutta high Court said in his order, “The Pollution Control Board in our view has acted in a manner which is illegal.” The court directed the Board to take a decision by October 3, 1997. The meeting with the fireworks dealers was held once, as had been directed by the High Court, but ended without any conclusion. Then, the PCB came out with new standard of 90 dB, again without any scientific data or study to support its decision. But it took shelter under Rule 3(2) of WBPCB Act, which empowers it to adopt more stringent standards. But can that right be exercised without any scientific logic?

Those who are directly affected by this decision include the manufacturers, workers and the traders who deal in fireworks. The fireworks industry is incurring losses in crores due to the PCB's arbitrary decisions.

West Bengal is the gateway to the markets for firecrackers— majority of which come from Tamilnadu’s Sivakasi-based industries— in eastern and northeast India. The Court has allowed importing fireworks of more than 90 dB (but less than 125 dB) for re-export out of the state. But the traders find it difficult as the police seize goods on way to export. A petition signed by 8000 traders and dealers, on behalf of the Pradesh Atasbaji Byabsaee Samity to WBPCB to adhere to the nationally accepted standard has been rejected. The Samity also approached the Standing Committee of the concerned department but it too went in vain.

The police, who seldom carry proper equipment to measure the decibels, harass the common people using firecrackers, and arrest indiscriminately even on festival days each year. They even do not care for the Supreme Court’s order dated March 26, 2007 that says, “…for the festivals and ceremonies, the restrictions can be relaxed… subject to directions given by the appropriate authorities of Department of Explosive”.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things

Sanjay Leela Bhansali opens up for the first time on his pain, Including Aamir Khan's 'creative differences' with the director

2011-06-14T09:59:00.001+05:30

IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

All my films are a process of self-annihilation

Why are you more exhausted this time after completing "Guzaarish" than you’ve ever been before?
You noticed that? I am completely drained of all energy. I didn’t realise how tired I was until the film was over. Then my body just gave up. To get myself out of the house to promote the film is an ordeal for me. All my films are a process of self-annihilation for me. With every film of mine a part of me gets left behind. With "Guzaarish" I’ve left more than just a portion of myself behind. In it I’ve lived the pain of facing the isolation of failure after "Saawariya".

Was that a tough time for you?
Yes, it was the toughest time of my life. Suddenly everyone disappeared, and that included the people who had worked with me on "Saawariya" for two years... Because of the suffering I began to get seriously interested in the subject of mercy killing. After studying the super-sensitive subject for almost a year I concluded that every human being should have the right to die with dignity.

That’s how "Guzaarish" was born?
Yes, the pain and suffering and the dignity with which I bore them prompted me to make a film on mercy killing. I was shocked to read newspaper reports of people pleading to let the life of a critically ailing child/parent/spouse go. While researching on the subject I fobbed off all temptation to watch films on the subject of mercy killing. I didn’t want to get even remotely influenced in my thought and vision by what other filmmakers have done on the subject. Having said that, I confess I enjoy the pain underlining my creations. I love cinema so much that I want to give it more and more. I had to work ten times harder on "Guzaarish" than my first film "Khamoshi: The Musical".

Curiously "Guzaarish" is your third film on physically-psychologically challenged characters.
I want to ask you one thing: Aren’t the fighters who face and overcome all physical and psychological and social odds our real heroes? When I made films on the hearing and speech impaired, "Khamoshi", and "Black" and now about a quadriplegic, people asked, why films on such peripheral people? Because I want such special people to enter our mainstream society through mainstream cinema. My hero may not be able to walk but his spirit soars. He has a story to tell, jokes to crack, a life to live. Although so much has been taken away from him, Hrithik in "Guzaarish" understands the value of life better than you or me. A hero doesn’t have to beat up ten people and put his hands up in the air in slow-motion and sing love songs.

So are your films supposed to be for a social good?
No no! I make them for selfish reasons. My survival instinct has sharpened after "Black" and "Guzaarish". I met quadriplegics who have lost the use of their limbs but not their spirit. They are not dark, defeated people. Our specialist on the sets, Dr Indu Tandon introduced me to bright people paralysed in body, and yet they are so buoyant. One of these kids John Julius became the hero of "Guzaarish". Hrithik plays this caustic undefeated hero in a wheelchair. John and Hrithik became great friends. They started exchanging emails. Hrithik changed John’s life completely. If my cinema can change one life, I’ve achieved what I had to achieve. We had to get the details right. It’s about a quadriplegic. But it isn’t about quadriplegia. Hrithik plays a magician who after an accident brings magic into people’s life on the radio, and his interaction with the two people in his life, played by Aishwarya and Aditya Roy Kapoor.

Aamir Khan thinks the little girl in "Black" (Ayesha Kapoor) was treated brutally.
Yes, I keep hearing the girl was traumatised. But Behroze Vachha, who has spent all her life working with the deaf and the blind thought otherwise; whom should I believe? I don’t worry about what others have to say. My proudest moment was when the principal of the Helen Keller Institute told me after "Black" that what she couldn’t achieve in 60 years, I did with that one film. I rest my case.

Aamir had a lot of problems with your "Devdas" and "Black"?
He did. But that’s because he cares about my cinema. If he didn’t he wouldn’t spend so much passion talking about it. He may not agree with what I do in my films. But finally I make what I have to make. I appreciate it when an actor of his caliber brings out a certain perspective on my cinema. As long as the intentions are not to run my cinema down I am open to all criticism. He has problems with my cinema just as I may have problems with a lot of his performances.

Would you like Aamir to see your new film?
I would certainly like him to see "Guzaarish". He genuinely cares for cinema. I was upset when he brought up issues regarding "Black" when his "Taare Zameen Par" was on release. The timing seemed unfortunate.

Why are your films so often set in the Anglo-Indian community?
That’s the influence of my school and teachers. The passion with which they taught, the homes in which they lived and where I was invited on rare occasions… I was enamoured of their lives, their eating habits, their red wine in crystal glasses… It was so different from the Gujarati life that I led in my chawl in Bhuleshwar. It provided me an alternate reality.

Hrithik actually learnt magic tricks and got flabby to play the quadriplegic in "Guzaarish"?
I don’t believe in method acting. I don’t instruct my actors too closely. I just tell them what I want. I wanted Hrithik to know his character’s state of mind. If he played a magician, he knew he had to learn magic tricks. A person who is in bed for 14 years had to be flabby. I am glad Hrithik has reached a stage in his career where he’s ready to surrender to a part and not be concerned only with looking good. Audiences want to see stars become part of the drama.

How has Aishwarya Rai Bachchan grown as an actor since "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Devdas"?
Because I know her so well I knew what to tap out of her in our third film together. Her character Sophia is very different from what she did in my earlier films. She is so strong and so resilient. She’s intelligent and hungry for good work because she lives in a family of great actors. She has nothing more to prove. She just enjoys the process of acting.

You’ve also composed the songs in "Guzaarish". How different is it composing your music from getting music from other composers?
You can never get the exact music you want from others. Since you know your characters you know exactly what kind of songs they would feel. The songs came from deep within me. I had a great time working with R.D Burman, Jatin-Lalit, Ismail Darbar and Monty. But the music in "Guzaarish" is my own and very important. My reward was when Amitabh Bachchan said he loved the music; it meant so much to me. Also, the fact that my songs have connected with the young people makes me want to go deeper into music.

People are commenting on the self-contained no-man’s land in which your cinema unfolds…
My films are my world. It’s a world different from the real world and different from the word you see in other people’s films. My "Devdas" was not set in 1939. It was timeless. This doesn’t mean I’d show Devdas talking on a cellphone. I want that moment that bonds two lovers to be relevant even a hundred years from now. For me the joy of crossing boundaries within mainstream cinema is what making films is about. I want to know how my quadriplegic hero Hrithik Roshan in "Guzaarish" is any less heroic than Salman Khan in "Dabangg". I firmly believe the common man has uncommon sense of aesthetics and drama. Wasn’t there a time when Bimal Roy’s films were mainstream hits? "Iqbal" and "Black" were hits in recent times. If Daniel-Day Lewish can be much appreciated as a quadriplegic in "My Left Foot", so can Hrithik Roshan. I’ve great faith in the audience.

Why Mamta Banerjee is fit to be India's Prime Minister too?

2011-06-09T14:38:00.002+05:30

IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism

DR. MALAY CHAUDHURI,
CHIEF CONSULTING EDITOR,
THE SUNDAY INDIAN

While reflecting on a Star Ananda programme that featured Mamata Banerjee amongst creative artists and intellectuals from different fields on the occasion of 'Vijaya Sammelani', it struck me to note that there is no other known politician in the whole country who finds pleasure in meeting creative artists and intellectuals, and discussing with them the current problems of policy issues and the ways to find solutions to them. It's incredible that despite her busy schedule, she meets intellectuals and creative artists almost regularly, and not just for a one-off photo opportunity. It is clear that she sincerely enjoys meeting them and discussing with them the problems of West Bengal.

This is something really worth thinking and pondering upon. Is there any other known politician in India who meets intellectuals and creative artists – the most sensitised of people – to discuss the direction of the socioeconomic change needed? In contrast, our dynastic democrats enjoy meeting dreaded criminals secretly, even openly, and are not ashamed to nominate them as candidates for electoral posts and induct them as ministers. Intellectuals around Mamata Banerjee are not only top experts in their respective fields, but they are excellent human beings. They are around her not because of the possibility to share power in the post election scenario – indeed, many of them have openly and publicly declared that they will not accept any political position in the government – but because they are committed to the people of West Bengal who suffered during the misrule of the corrupt Congress government for 30 years and then for another 33 years under the regional rural variety of Stalinist regimes.

Mamta Banerjee

Out here, it's worth mentioning that Jyoti Basu created history of sorts by demonstrating how a state level administration under an otherwise democratic Constitution at the Central level can be transformed into a dictatorial party rule by systematically rigging elections held every five years with the held of a unionised and most corrupt police force. Thus, dictatorship and party rule prevailed in West Bengal without the help of the army as well! In fact, Jyoti Basu is also famous for ushering in a state administration without any financial accountability! He openly denied the right of the Centre to ask for proper accounts for the money handed over to the state for implementing Centrally sponsored projects! He propounded the theory that since people of West Bengal contributed to the central kitty, which was the source of the fund handed over to the West Bengal government, the state government did not need to submit reports to the Centre on utilisation of the fund supplied by the Centre. In the process, state
budgets as well as Central funds were mismanaged and literally looted by the Left front parties to enrich themselves. The dynastic democrats of the Centre, of course, collaborated with the regional CPM Stalinists because they required numbers in the Parliament to continue their own loot, to promote crony capitalism and to share wealth cornered by the newly created billionaires by the dozens!

Most probably, people of West Bengal were the first to bring communists to power by the ballot way back in 1977. Although Kerala's communists were in power twenty years before in 1957, that was through a sort of caste and communal coalitions under the leadership of communists like Namboodripad and others including non-communists. In West Bengal, people in general were pro-poor under the influence of progressive writers and poets; and they voted consciously to bring into power a regime that they hoped will help the poor masses. And now, after being thoroughly betrayed by the Left front during the last so many years under Jyoti Basu and others, the masses are finding Mamata Banerjee a sincere and proper mass leader, who enjoys the image of being a non-corrupt politician. Her lifestyle – which is almost Gandhian – as a simple warmhearted person has contributed to her popularity immensely.

To electorally fight the self-styled Marxists of the most ferocious and unscrupulous variety who have immense money power (collected throughout the last 33 years) promoting corruption through a nexus of Ps (Promoters-Police-Politicians), Mamata Banerjee is likely to need coloured money and musclemen. But it is also clear, absolutely clear, that her involvement with questionable characters and coloured currency is minimal compared to the dynastic democrats in other states and the Centre. Therefore, the good-hearted and absolutely brilliant intellectuals and creative artists have reasons to be quite optimistic about the "change" she may usher in after coming to political power, when the compulsion to use colourful money and shady musclemen will no longer be there.

I would not deter from stating that she is absolutely superior quality material when seen against all political scamsters, patrons of criminals and corrupt crony entities of all varieties – despite their so-called "inner conscience" and commitment to "aam aadmi" (as per them, to those having income of up to Rs.5 to 10 lakhs) – as per definitions applicable to different states and their place in the corruption and political criminalisation index of parties.

Therefore, my support is not just for Mamata's Chief Ministerial candidature for West Bengal, but in the future even for the Prime Minister's post in the Centre, provided she really builds up a truly democratic party and implements a socio-political-economic programme with clear respect and perspective for the majority at the bottom of the pyramid; and provided she shows the way to reach out to the "suffering India" instead of standing only for the "shining India".

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM announces Anna Hazare Fellowship
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Mobile application for Nokia phones is launched by The Times of India
Watching porn video is not a crime
Why your wife or girlfriend seems "off sex" of late?

A Healthcare Issue: Private hospitals' efficiency questioned
Katrina Kaif: A British Indian Actress Born on July 16, 1984
Domestic violence has been a silent relationship killer since time immemorial.
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Hollywood's finest leading ladies Milla Jovovich

2011-06-06T11:10:00.000+05:30

IIPM Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Profile

A quick look at Milla Jovovich's filmography will tell you that she's not one to be messed with. Among Hollywood's finest leading ladies when it comes to kickass action, she talks about acting, stunts and motherhood with Neha Sarin

Tell us what you love about this character of Alice in the “Resident Evil” franchise that you keep coming back to her?
Well, I was always a real fan of strong female characters while growing up and watching Frederick Cats and watching Shira, and reading comic books and was really into Sci-fi, fantasy novels, and reading Dragon Land. I was a real fantasy geek growing up, watching Kung Fu theatre with my dad every Sunday, so for me I always had this dream of being one of those ninjas, it was always something I wanted to be and when I grew up, it was the same as well. Being physical was always a part of my life in a way, so when I got the opportunity to sort of be a past of this video games, it just seemed really fun, it was my brothers favourite game and he was like "Oh my God, you will play my favourite” so I pretty much did it for him and we never expected this kind of small film to snowball into what its become at this point. I met my husband through it and it's almost 10 years of my life dedicated to it and of course, I have such a love for it because it gives me an opportunity to do some that I love so much which is fly and do really crazy stunts.

What do you think it says about female empowerment?
Well, apart from Angelina Jolie's movies or the underworld stuff, it's one of the only films where girls really get to take control and they are not the ones saying, “look out, duck” which is normally the girls role in an action film which is either damsel in distress or a high powered corporate evil woman or something. But you seldom have a woman taking control physically and being able to take on these challenges physically…it's a very Asian thing; you see that a lot in Asian movies. You see really incredible action female theses, it is wonderful that it's been able to cross over and come over here.

What's interesting too is that the whole “Resident Evil” game franchise is based on female characters - Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Veronica - these are all really strong females. My brother played Jill Valentine, he was not playing like the dude in the game, he was playing the girl…so even the boys were playing the girl characters, which says a lot about how much these women kind of hit a nerve in a lot of young boys. I think it's amazing that we were able to take that and translate into the film world because “Resident Evil” was always that kind of underground game.

Do you think 3-D has made a difference?
Definitely! It's a very immersive experience, as immersive as it is for the audiences; it was just like that for us as actors. You really can't cheat, so when someone throws a punch, a lot of times you are going to get hit by it because you have to be so close, so definitely as actors, we felt like one with our characters, because when those action scenes had happened, you cant lie, you got to get right in there so that the camera doesn't see you cheating and a lot of time there was no cheating.

You are a tough girl on the big screen but you are also a fashion and beauty icon. How's is that combination working out for you?

Well this year, I have been doing a lot of movies, so I haven't been able to do fashion week. I love fashion week but modelling has built my career along with acting, and I have been so lucky to make such amazing friends in the industry and it's made me who I am. That's for sure…being around artists, amazing writers and photographers and art directors, its made my style what it is, inspired by people, by different photographers and different images, the books that I read and people going, “Oh! You have to read this photography book” and just being able to educate myself aesthetically. It's definitely made me who I am, as a person, stylistically what I like.

This may sound weird, but as an actor, I live in a bit of an insulated world. I work on sets, or modelling jobs on a airplane, I have my family so when I come home, I stay home a lot because LA has become a zoo when it comes to paparazzi and stuff and things that I was never used to. Six years ago, you didn't have this kind of madness, so I have become very insulated in my world. So, its fun fore me to inspire myself, I don't like to be boring.

You are the star of the movie, you are in the franchise. How is it at home, as your husband is the director? Do you whack him?
(Laughs) What kind of an interview is this? What part of my life are we going into?

In “Resident Evil: Afterlife”, Alice becomes a human. What does that add to everything?
Oh, there is a joy to it, there is a bit of a sense of humour that she has that she has never really had before. There is a more relaxed quality to her, now that she is part of a team again, throughout all the movies, she was always the outsider, in the first film, she had no memory and then when she did get her memory, it was like, “Oh! You are responsible for this disaster” and then she went to being on her own and now is the first time that she's being able to interact with people on a level that's equal.

Does your daughter accompany you while shooting?
Oh! She goes with me everywhere. You know that's one of the biggest blessings, now that I am a mom I realise that this career allows me to bring my child to work with me which is so rare for working moms. I am so lucky that she can be a part of it, especially now that I am doing “The Three Musketeers”, she is having a great time, she has got all these inexpensive princess dresses, the bigger the better, the more cheesy and rhinestones, she loves it. When me and the other girls are wearing out costumes, she is wearing her dresses, pink and gold.

So you won't be surprised if she wants to be an actress like her mother?
I don't know but it's hilarious she is such an actress and it's really fun to see her perform.

Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Rakht Charitra: A neo-modern-wannabe 300

2011-06-03T10:05:00.000+05:30

Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....

A bloody disgrace

You would be forgiven if you thought the narrator was choking on something. Couple of moments later, you would be betting on throat cancer. Ramu has done it again!

Through a thoroughly predictable effort, Ram Gopal Verma has reiterated that he is systematically losing his balance of sanity. This time he chose to disgrace the clichéd theme of political feud. The plot is simple: Rivalry degenerates into macabre killings involving huge rocks, sickles and even a bore well. Prathap (Vivek Oberoi), the son of a murdered former politician is out to avenge the cold-blooded murder of his father and brother. His target is any and everyone who conspired against his family. As the setup is Andhra, the cast, excluding a few exceptions has been borrowed from the Telugu film-industry. Apparently the movie is based on a true story. Whatever it is based on had inspired Ramu to shoot a sequel due next month!! At this rate of increasing audacity, don’t rule out a remake of David Lynch’s “Eraserhead”.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.....
An array of unconventional career options
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things

Jhoota Hi Sahi: Lacks the vital element of emotional engagement

2011-05-31T10:57:00.000+05:30

GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp

Judging by the number of names of lesser known philosophers touted around, you’d have expected the characters in "Jhootha Hi Sahi" to be a tad more realistic and matured. Instead most of the characters are conveniently written to pack in as much quasi pop philosophy as possible in two and a half hours. John Abraham is Sid, who runs a second hand book shop with his friends Omar (Raghu Ram) and Amit (Omar Khan). Thanks to a misprint on a suicide helpline number, Sid begins receiving calls on his home phone from people about to commit suicide. The chance connection results in Sid talking to Mishka (Pakhi) and they develop a strong bond.

Mishka coincidentally drops in to Sid’s bookshop, the next day and soon enough Sid fall in love. But complications are created by the existence of Mishka’s ex-flame (played by R Madhavan in a sketchily written role), Sid’s girlfriend, Krutika (Manasi Scott) and the fact that Sid has been cooking up fantastical stories about his life to keep Mishka upbeat about life on the phone.

The film has a few cute as well as hilarious moments but is terribly slow in its build up and is not cinematically engaging. A R Rahman’s music is decidedly below par and only helps jar matters further. Performances wise, there isn’t even a single one that stands out. At one point in time, Sid refers to a sketch made by Mishka as a painting. The film suffers from a similar flaw.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES
Anna Hazare: My Prime Minister

Letters to Juliet: Enjoyable, but too conventional

2011-05-28T10:49:00.000+05:30

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

“Letters to Juliet” is one of those romantic comedies which comes right out of the canvas of a painter madly in love. You can safely place your bets on each guess you make on the next ten scenes or rather the next fifty. Vanessa Redgrave as Claire is totally stunning and so are the locales of Verona where the film is shot. The letters in question are letters written and pasted on the walls under the balcony of the star-crossed lover Juliet Capulet of “Romeo and Juliet” fame. Amanda Seyfried, playing Sophie, discovers a fifty year old letter written by Claire and makes her embark a journey to find the love of her life, Lorrenzo (played by Franco Nero). During the search for Lorrenzo, Charlie (Claire’s grandson) and Sophie fall in love. Though, the movie could not quite portray why. One just accepts it in the sun bathed cinematography which makes everything seem romantic. At the end, it’s all rather pleasant, but it’s also all rather conventional.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Mobile handset production in India has seriously lagged the telecom services revolution.

2011-05-24T10:39:00.001+05:30

IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Current trends provide an opportunity to rectify this anomaly. Can India take it up when it matters?

Post liberalisation, the grand telecom story has been a flagship of India’s corporate prowess, and has developed business models that are benchmarks for players across the world. However, the flip side of the story is that while players, both Indian and international, have lined up in good numbers for the telecom services space, a similar exuberance wasn’t visible in the telecom handset manufacturing space in the initial years.

Slowly but surely, the MNCs that saw India as a market also started seeing its potential as a manufacturing hub. LG has manufacturing facilities for handsets near New Delhi and on the outskirts of Pune. It is further planning now to set up a facility in South India to export handsets from here to European and CIS countries. Its Korean counterpart Samsung also manufactures mobile phones at its facility in Chennai. Market leader Nokia set up its plant at Sriperumbudur, Chennai, with a manufacturing capacity of 5,00,000 units per day. The Indian Cellular Association (ICA) came out with a report titled ‘Enabling the mobile handset and component manufacturing value chain in India’ in 2005, where it had mentioned that indigenous design and manufacturing would help companies achieve higher localisation.

Considering the present scenario, the field is expected to split wide open now with the right impetus. India has become the world’s second largest mobile handset market with the sales expected to reach 140 million units in 2010 and grow to 206 million units in 2014, a CAGR of 20% (Gartner). Trends could soon change, considering the thrust being provided by the emerging domestic players who have eaten up a substantial market share from established international players in a short time. As was reported by IDC some time back, market leader Nokia saw its market share drop alarmingly to 36.3% in 2009 compared to 54% in the previous year due to players like Micromax, Spice, Lava, Karbonn and G’Five.

They are likely to follow the trail of the MNC giants before them and get into full fledged manufacturing. Sure enough, Micromax is expected to invest half of the money raised through its upcoming IPO to set up a manufacturing unit in Chennai. Other players like Videocon, Lava, Wyncomm and Karbonn are planning to start manufacturing operations, while Spice has commenced trial production. In fact, even Chinese players like ZTE and Huawei feel that the 5-10% of benefit on shipping from China is attractive enough to set up operations here. “With most local companies including ourselves seriously considering manufacturing in India, the country seems to be emerging not only as the second biggest EMS location but also a mobile manufacturing hub,” says Arvind Vohra, Co-Founder & MD, Wynn Telecom Ltd.

There are major reasons for visualising India as a global manufacturing hub or production factory. Firstly, the cost effectiveness of manufacturing in India. Ganesh Ramamoorthy, Analyst, Gartner, states, “The opportunity is very high to set up a manufacturing base in India. Two factors are involved for decision (to manufacture) – volume targetted by companies and business model used.” Mobile connections in India will grow by 27.3% in 2010 to reach above 660 million with revenue of $19.8 billion to be generated (mobile services). Along with this, mobile penetration for 2010 is projected at 55.9%, which is expected to reach 82% by 2014. Mobile production revenue in India is expected to grow from $10.14 billion to $28 billion at a CAGR of 18.1% (Gartner). According to Pankaj Mohindroo, President, ICA, “Around 135 million phones were manufactured in India last year, which is 11% of total global manufacturing. Out of this number, around 70 million were exported.” The plan is to take the share to 20%. There are people who contest these figures, saying that manufacturing in India is actually more of assembling.

S. N. Rai, Co-founder & Director, Lava International Ltd. admits, “In the long-run China will not be too competitive as compared to India. In order to get the ball rolling for manufacturing in India the players need to achieve a ‘Critical Mass Production and Market Base’ which will make manufacturing here profitable.” Now it’s up to the government to seize the opportunity and ensure that the local handset industry gets the required force and capability to meet the demands in future. One of the key demands of the industry is to be provided STPI as was done for the IT industry. For a manufacturing sector to grow, the most vital aspect is the ecosystem and supply chain, where China has a huge advantage. Presently, very little component sourcing is happening in India. Only electrical and mechanical parts are made here whereas electronic components are all imported. Just as handset manufacturers are showing interest, the government needs to attract component vendors to set up production here, which will help keep the handsets competitive. A thrust at this critical time can do wonders for mobile handset manufacturing in India. It is a bus we can ill afford to miss.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India

Amma makes her moves

2011-05-21T12:32:00.004+05:30

IIPM Professor Arindam Chaudhuri on 'OBAMA and OSAMA'

With three mammoth rallies in different cities of Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK Supremo is scripting a comeback to power in the state where Assembly elections are due in May next year

Madurai has witnessed many great political shows. The city, billed as the bastion of MK Azhagiri, Union minister for fertilisers and chemicals and elder son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, saw another one on October 18. The temple city was stormed by power-starved AIADMK cadres led by Jayalalitha who, after a four-year hiatus, spewed fire against DMK in a bid to recapture power.

Before Madurai, she held mammoth rallies in Coimbatore and Trichy. The Coimbatore rally was held in July, days after the government organised a hugely successful International Classical Tamil conference boycotted by AIADMK.

Both rallies pulled in the crowds. In Trichy, overwhelmed by the lakhs who had gathered, Jayalalitha exclaimed she had never seen such a huge crowd in her life. Sections of the press also went overboard with reports about the success of the rallies. Consequently, the DMK was forced to arrange public meetings at both places to prove its strength.

Karunanidhi himself addressed crowds there and responded to Jayalalitha's accusations. The fact that DMK had to follow Jaya's rallies with its own meetings, demonstrates that the party is shaken.

The mother of all rallies was in Madurai where zhagiri's writ runs unchallenged. In the run-up, the AIDMK chief received 16 letters threatening her with unpleasant consequences if she made it to Madurai. The Tamil Nadu government has said it will hand over these letters for inquiry to the CBI. Meanwhile, cadres of both parties put up posters in Madurai taking digs at each other. Karunanidhi himself intervened and wrote to his party members not to be carried away by the pricks of the opposition and follow the words of C. N. Annadurai who said: Vaazhaga Vasavalarkal! (long live those who abuse us!).

At the Madurai rally, Jayalalitha spoke for a record two hours. She criticised the policies of the government on many counts but her powerful and best punches were reserved for Azhagiri. ''By participating in this rally I have proved who really has a brave heart (Azhagiri is often called Anja Nenchar, a brave person). There are two governments in Tamil Nadu: one is led by Karunanidhi and the other in the southern part of Tamil Nadu is led by Azhagiri,” she thundered.

Later Jayalalitha claimed 50 lakh people had come for the rally but due to diversions by the police only 25 per cent could reach the venue. However, newspapers peggged the crowds at about 6 lakh.

These rallies have undoubtedly rejuvenated the party. Dr. Maithreyan, Rajya Sabha MP from the AIADMK, is jubilaint. ''The mood in the party is upbeat. We are inching towards Fort Saint George (the building where the Tamil Nadu assembly is located)”, he told TSI.

However, a win will come only with good alliance partners. The current DMK-Congress alliance is very strong as has been proved by the combination's win in the last Assembly and Parliamentary elections. Hence Jayalalitha is trying to pull Congress back to her fold.

''In all her rallies, she did not utter a word against the central government. The reasons are obvious.” comments Solai, a veteran political analyst.

AIADMK is also trying to get the support of actor Vijayakant's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). The party has a considerable vote bank of around 10%. Though MDMK and the Communist parties are with the AIADMK, they can't make a winning combination. It is less likely that the people will rise above the alliance arithmetic and vote in favour of the AIADMK.

But Dr Maithreyan exudes confidence. ''In Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai our leader has proved the people are with us. At the right time, she will take the right decision with regard to the alliance. Our party cadres know it very well,” he says.

Earlier Jayalalitha was quoted in an interview given to an English daily as saying that the Congress has to get out of the DMK alliance. A few days later, Karunanidhi and Stalin were seen waiting at the Chennai airport to welcome Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi who was on her way to Trichy to attend a party function. Karunanidhi even sent his daughter Kanimozhi to Trichy airport to receive Sonia.

Political observers indicate that though Sonia has been warm to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi has been consistently giving the party the cold shoulder. He has never gone to meet Karunanidhi even once in the last five years although he has visited Tamil Nadu many times during this period.

But to dislodge the DMK from power, the AIADMK would need to make herculean efforts, as the party's rule has directly benefited the poor through heaps of freebies.

On the day of her Madurai rally, the chief minister was busy reviewing the ongoing free housing scheme. Jayalalitha would need something more in addition to these huge rallies. But she has taken a step forward. A very bold step indeed.

Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
Dr Malay Chaudhuri, Founder Director IIPM, tells TSI why the IIPM Awards are in a league of their own
Bollywood's No.1 Mum Kajol: Step ahead MOM!
Katrina Kaif: A British Indian Actress Born on July 16, 1984

JULIA ROBERTS EATING, PRAYING, LOVING

2011-04-20T11:39:00.000+05:30

After Irom Sharmila last year, Anna Hazare wins IIPM's 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of Rs. 1cr. To be handed over on 9th May

With her ever smiling visage radiating in trademark style, Julia Roberts reflects on the journey that was 'Eat Pray Love'. by Cindy Pearlman

There are times when even a pretty woman has to let herself go, and for Julia Roberts one of those moments came at a local pizzeria in Naples, Italy, during the making of her new film, 'Eat Pray Love.'

'I ate eight slices of pizza in 45 minutes,' Roberts recalls. 'Sure, the utter deliciousness of it wore off on Slice 7, but there I was, just wolfing it down for womankind across the globe.'

Eight slices? Really?

'I was so excited to be in Naples that I had my character shove an entire slice of pizza into her mouth during the first take,' Roberts explains, laughing. 'I didn't even know why. And there were several takes to go.'

If any of that pizza went to her hips, it's not apparent on a cool summer morning in Napa Valley, Calif., as the 42-year-old actress settles in for an interview at a posh hotel. Arriving via a limousine, Roberts walks past a bar full of vacationing wine aficionados who don't look up as she passes, and sits down to talk about 'Eat Pray Love.' Looking willowy thin in black, pleated pants and a poufy, white-silk Givenchy shirt, Roberts wears her hair dark and flowing over her thin face, and her smile is supersized. The film, directed by Ryan Murphy, is based on the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert. Roberts plays Gilbert, who finds herself trapped in unhealthy habits after a painful divorce and decides to make a radical break with her past, heading on an around-the-world trip that includes extended stays in Italy, India and Bali, where she respectively learns to eat, to pray and to love again. Billy Crudup plays her ex, with Javier Bardem as Gilbert's future husband, Felipe.

'I gained under 10 pounds for this movie,' Roberts says. "Let's set the record straight, because I've read it was much, much more.

'I packed on the pounds during the Italy part of the shoot,' she says, 'but then people said, 'Oh, you'll lose it when you film in India.''

She rolls her eyes.

'Somehow I didn't get that memo,' she says.

It took a great deal of consideration, Roberts says, before she signed on to 'Eat Pray Love.'

'When I first had lunch with Ryan, I didn't have any clue if I'd actually do this project,' she recalls. "For starters, I'm a mother of three young children and this was a huge work load. This wasn't just driving to Sony three days a week to shoot on a sound stage. It was shooting around the world. I didn't know if I could commit my family.

'And the other issue was Ryan Murphy, who sat there as the most relaxed man in the world,' Roberts says. 'I thought, 'Who is this guy?''

To her surprise, instead of giving her a hard sell, Murphy told her that he didn't want her to take the part unless she could jump in with both feet. 'He didn't want me if I couldn't give heart and soul,' the actress says. 'And now I'm so glad I did the movie, because I leave it as in love with Ryan as I was on that first day.'

The two are, in fact, developing a new romantic comedy to shoot next year.

The biggest selling point, however, was Gilbert's memoir, which ' like millions of other women ' Roberts had devoured when it first appeared.

'I read the book before it was hugely popular,' she says. 'I'm someone who is easily swayed. I'm always determined not to like something or to like it better than anyone else. When I heard about this book, I didn't wait for the buzz: I bought two copies and sent one to my best friend in Chicago. I said, 'This seems special. Let's read it together.''

She decided to meet Gilbert herself only after she had sorted out how she would play the character.

'I didn't want to meet her until we got to the first location, which was Rome,' Roberts says. "It was one of the smarter things I've done in the last four years. I knew Liz Gilbert on paper, from the book and the script, which is how it should be. I didn't want to fall too in love with her and try to be her. It was my job to interpret her as an actor.

'So I waited until we were too far in the process to change my performance.'

Though it increased the cost and the length of the shoot, Murphy decided to recreate the arc of Gilbert's journey, shooting the film in chronological order.

'For me it was a great luxury to shoot it the way it happened,' Roberts says. "It was almost necessary for the emotional evolution. Plus you can't start any movie in Bali and then leave!

'Seriously, it was important for us to create the steps Liz took and understand exactly what she got from each part of her journey,' she says. 'She needed this wisdom before she could move on.'

The trickiest part of that journey was the first step, in which Gilbert ends what looks on the face of it to be a happy marriage. There is no cheating, no abuse, no conflict ' she has simply fallen out of love with her husband.

'More than anything else in the movie,' Roberts says, 'that had to feel real. There is often no right and no wrong in a relationship, and no one is right or wrong. Everyone is a little bit of both.'

The actress says that she can understand the search for true love. As is well known, she was engaged to Kiefer Sutherland and to Dylan McDermott, and also had relationships with Liam Neeson and Benjamin Bratt, as well as a previous marriage to singer Lyle Lovett in 1993. They divorced in 1995, and since 2002 she has been married to cameraman Danny Moder, father of 5-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus and 3-year-old Henry. 'I wasn't searching in the same urgent, persistent way as Liz experienced,' Roberts says, 'but I definitely knew that my life needed to evolve until I found a place where I wanted to live in forever ' which is the home I have now. I related to her searching and her perseverance.'

Her own search, she emphasises, is over.

'It's great to finally get there,' she says, 'to come home and say, 'Good. Everyone is here. We're all good.''

Roberts took her husband and their children to all the 'Eat Pray Love' locations, which wasn't for the faint of heart.

'I had this 10-pound box, I'll call my mother's pack,' the actress recalls with a laugh. 'It was filled with medicines and Tylenol and Band-Aids and another nine pounds of snacks. One of my favorite bites in India was the granola bars I packed.'

The sights and experiences of India were not to be missed, however.

'There was an extraordinary village where all of the women wore the most gorgeous, brightly coloured clothing,' Roberts recalls. 'They were profoundly stunning. I asked and was told that these bright clothes were only for women who were married ' if the husband passed away, then she had to take it all off.'

As for the local cuisine in Italy and Bali, well, it didn't hurt her efforts to gain a bit of weight for the role.

'I thought I'd hurt myself trying to get my jeans on,' Roberts says with a laugh.

She agrees with Gilbert, she adds, that men don't mind a few extra pounds.

'I also believe that guys don't care about what you look like naked,' Roberts says with a laugh. 'Anyway, that's what dimmer switches are for!'

Her scenes with Bardem, who joined the company only when it reached Bali, were among Roberts' favourites in the film.

'Working with Javier was like getting a puppy,' she says. 'I'm serious. I was settled into the role, and he came to the set with so much enthusiasm like a puppy. Javier was like, 'Let's go read scenes! Let's go talk! Let's go over stuff!' His excitement was actually contagious.'

Bardem was still fresh from 'No Country for Old Men' (2007), in which his performance as a stone-cold killer earned him an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.

'I was terrified of 'No Country for Old Men,'' Roberts admits. 'One day Javier pulled out a picture of himself as that character, and I jumped about 10 feet.'

The eating and loving get most of the attention in the film, but praying is a big part of Gilbert's story.

'It's your job to figure out how to pray,' Roberts says thoughtfully. 'I think you must relate to a creation that's more than you, or you can't accomplish other things in life. How you name it is insignificant. What you're doing to accomplish those prayers is what counts.'

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.....
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students

THE LOSERS: Losing the plot

2011-04-16T10:31:00.000+05:30

After Irom Sharmila last year, Anna Hazare wins IIPM's 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of Rs. 1cr. To be handed over on 9th May

TSI Five-O: Action packed and slick, but that's about all

A bunch of rugged looking men hailing from the Special Forces' unit sent in to destroy a drug establishment in the Bolivian Jungles ' this is how 'The Losers' greet you! Why they're called the losers isn't all that clear (when you can clearly see them accomplishing almost anything), but the plot is centered on a double cross and revenge scenario, where these five heroes are betrayed and left for dead.

Jensen (Chris Evans) is the tech guy; who proves his worth towards the end of the flick. Cougar (Oscar Jaenada) is the super sniper, a man of few words who manages to shoot almost anything from any distance. Pooch (Columbus Short) is the skilled driver who is skilled enough to make any vehicle operational but disappoints towards the end of the movie; not with his acting but due to poor direction by Silvain White, when he is shown driving, standing and fighting even while being shot in both legs. But then White perhaps went a little overboard with action sequences and stunts to honour the slick stylisation of the 'Losers' comic on which the film is based. Roque (Idris Elba) is the big guy handy with knives. And Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) tries to command them all.

Lying low in Bolivia and living a life of anonymity, the gang is desperate to get even with mysterious betrayer Max (Jason Patric), when Clay is greeted by Aisha (Zoe Saldana) who also has her own reasons to settle scores with the heavily guarded Max. With a zillion bullets, explosions and stunts, 'The Losers' finally get to Max, only to realize there is more to the betrayal saga!

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again...
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
An array of unconventional career options
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

WE ARE FAMILY: Family ties

2011-04-12T11:00:00.000+05:30

After Irom Sharmila last year, Anna Hazare wins IIPM's 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of Rs. 1cr. To be handed over on 9th May

TSI Five-O: Tearjerker that punches above its weight

Karan Johar's production values are always neat. Shunning Indian settings for foreign locales, the eye candy always masks the other weaknesses in the films; the plot, for instance. 'We Are Family' (an acknowledged remake of 'Stepmom') treads the same path and toes the same lines. And while it is good fare, its insistence on being a tearjerker all the way makes it a tad heavy. The film could have greatly benefited from a slightly higher dose of humour (more scenes like the one where the dad and son have a little chat at the dinner table). Melodramatic fare that it is, 'We Are family' lays it on thick in the 'situations-so-emotional-that-you-must-cry' department with the story of a divorced mom Maya (Kajol) bringing up her three kids who learns that she has cervical cancer. She shifts into succession planning mode hunting for someone to replace her for the kids, and needs to look no further than Shreya (Kareena Kapoor) who her ex-hubby Aman (Arjun Rampal) is currently dating. Terminally ill mom breaks the news to the kids, and brings the other woman into the picture. Predictably, they don't get along initially but Maya insists that Shreya can be a good mother. Her logic? She's also a woman, after all! The situations, though clich'd, are handled with maturity.

The reason is Kajol who shines in the film, managing the conflicting emotions within her character with 'lan while Arjun Rampal is mostly relegated to the background, but maintains an assured presence. Kareena Kapoor acquits herself honourably from a role that was tricky to say the least while the fresh faced kids pull off heartwarming performances. The youngest, Anjali, played adorably by Diya Sonecha is the pick of the lot. 'We Are Family' manages to strike an emotional chord (motherhood always does) but a protracted end slightly trivialises the gravitas the story acquires. All said, do remember to keep a box of tissues handy.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again...
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

The pride of India goes awry

2011-04-09T12:57:00.001+05:30

After Irom Sharmila last year, Anna Hazare wins IIPM's 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of Rs. 1cr. To be handed over on 9th May

It was during the pre-Independence era that the movement of khadi manufacturing gained momentum under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi. The movement of manufacturing and wearing khadi was aimed at dissuading Indians from wearing foreign clothes.

Gandhi once wrote: 'Swaraj (self-rule) without swadeshi (country made goods) is a lifeless corpse and if swadeshi is the soul of swaraj, khadi is the essence of swadeshi.' With these words of Gandhi, during the national struggle for freedom (Swadeshi and Non-Cooperation Movement), khadi became not only a symbol of revolution and resistance but also a part of the Indian identity.

No more rebate

The withdrawal of 10% rebate, which was given to the khadi industry around the year, and 20% that was given for 108 days a year to mark the Gandhi Jayanti, has left the local khadi industry in the lurch with many units facing an immediate closure.The government has decided to put an end to the rebate given to the khadi industry from April 1, 2010 onwards.The industry, which was highly dependent on the rebate, has been hit hard by the hurried decision.

Experts say that khadi and village industries in the country provide employment to a number of artisans. 'The government's move might render this workforce jobless in the near future,' an industry observer says. According to Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) members, a chain reaction has started in the rural khadi units ' no increment to the Sarvodaya Sangh workers, no daily wages to poor weavers, weavers moving to construction work etc. Opposition leaders raised the issue in Parliament, saying it is inappropriate and unfair on the part of the government to stop the rebate abruptly as this was introduced to promote the khadi industry, which was endorsed by Mahatma Gandhi himself.from bad to worse

The rebate was the lifeline for the industry as the clothes were being sold at 30% of cost, and undoubtedly, this will further push the sector towards extinction as this resource crisis gets worse. Sector experts say it's quite interesting that on one side, the government announced an allocation of Rs 400 crore for the khadi industry in the Union Budget 2010, and at the same time, it has done away with the rebate. At present, the government owes over Rs 450 crore to Haryana alone as rebate. Even bank loans, that were given at 4%, are now pegged at 12%, which makes it all the more difficult for the khadi units to survive. 'We shall continue doing the needful and live the Gandhian way in spite of all the opposition from the government and will fight for our cause,' says a store manager at Khadi Gramodyog in Delhi.

In order to promote market for khadi products, the government through KVIC brought in a policy of rebate on sale of khadi and khadi products till 2009-10. According to KVIC statistics, the khadi industry had a production of Rs 17,338. 87 crore as of 2008-09, a sales of Rs 22,748.19 crore and employment of 103.91 lakh. New schemes

The government is mulling to float a flexible scheme ' Market Development Assistance (MDA) ' as a replacement of the rebate on sales, which will be implemented in the next financial year. The scheme will provide financial assistance at 20% of production value on khadi and polyvastra, which will be shared among artisans, producing institutions and selling institutions in the ratio 25:30:50. It is believed that sales will be evenly spread throughout the year and further the institutions will have the flexibility to use the assistance in improving the outlets, products, giving incentives to customers.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for MSME, Dinsha Patel, said that the existing scheme caused delay in paying incentives to the institutions. Under MDA, incentive would be provided immediately after production of the items, which will ease the working capital situation of the institutions by ensuring immediate liquidity, which would in turn, ensure timely payment to the artisans, ultimately benefiting the artisans.

According to the 2009-2010 report of the MSME, the value of khadi produced in the country fell from Rs 585.25 crore in 2008 to Rs 484.45 crore by December 2009. Over 80% of annual sales of khadi products are during discount season, while less than 20% of sales are during the remaining eight months. The khadi commission employs a million artisans out of which 80% are women. In order to show their protest, the Khadi Stock Ashrams in Haridwar protested in front of the shop, weaving khadi on the charkha, showing their resistance in Gandhian style.

Forlorn hopes

The grimmer portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, grungy and faded colours of the national flags are ignored by passersby that lay unnoticed for years at the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan in Connaught Place (the central business district of Delhi), the somnolent air fills the place of its lost history and now even the purpose that it laid for years together, today hang broodingly while made-in-India flashes from one side. Naresh Kadyan, secretary general of National Khadi & Village Industries Board's Employees Federation, is running an online petition (change.org) that targets government to oppose these rebate cuts that make a common man suffer. At the time of filing the story, 132 people had signed the petition. He says, 'The withdrawal of rebate has hit the mission and due to lack of funds, activities will face huge financial crises. It would definitely make things worse, proper funding, monitoring and honest implementation is the need of the hour.'

Losing spirit

Khadi was introduced in 1920 as a political weapon and as the best instrument for giving concrete expression to the swadeshi spirit to boycott foreign goods. It is still being used as a political weapon but with a different approach. In those days, khadi rendered an opportunity to every man, woman and child to cultivate self-discipline and self-sacrifice as a part of the non-cooperation movement. However, all these spirits are dying with cultivation of corruption and selfish motives of the new India. On repeated attempts made by TSI to take official reaction on the issue, KVIC officials refused to comment. The khadi industry pleads for a major transformation today. As most of the politicians are shifting from khadi to linen clothes, there's no one left to cut a figure in the society for khadi.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Marches Ahead in B-School Rankings...
IIPM Proves Its Mettle Once Again...
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.....
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

An array of unconventional career options
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

KARNATAKA CAMPAIGN: Film industry girds up

2011-02-28T11:51:00.001+05:30

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

KFCC plans Anti-Piracy Squad, seeks govt's permission
Watching pirated film CDs will be a thing of the past in Karnataka as the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) is girding up to clampdown on such activities. A powerful Anti-Piracy Squad (APS) is to be set up soon, whose job will be to crackdown on pirated CDs and DVDs.

Confirming this, KFCC chairman Basanth Kumar Patil said retired police officers would head the squad. The government too has been informed about the move. Insiders said the cost of managing the squad that is Rs 10 lakh per month will be taken care of by Kannada film industry.

Patil announced that the squad will start functioning in August. Besides, it will also have the power to perform raids on outlets involved in piracy. But for turning this into a reality the film industry has to take permission from the state government. Will the government allow the film industry to take such a drastic step? Veteran actress, producer and former KFCC chairperson Jayamala is confident that the government will not block the move. She said: 'We have been considering to form such squad for long. If it gets a go ahead it will be easy for us to conduct raids and control this menace. We will do this by taking the government into confidence so it won't be illegal.' But Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari disagrees with Jayamala on this count. He said: 'Private squad cannot be given the authority to conduct raids. It has to inform us about the pirated CD trade and then we will take action.' Patil was not available for comment. When contacted by TSI he said he was busy in meetings and thus won't be able to speak on APS. In the past couple of years, the cinema and music industry in the state have lost Rs 250 crore to piracy. And thus they are pushing for the setting up of the APS. The government too is seriously taking the issue.

Earlier, the state government implemented Goonda Act for containing piracy of films and music. The police have already performed thousands of raids and captured lakhs of CDs.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

A language that divides
Ragging rights and

Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES
Role of Media in the moulding of youth

WEST BENGAL AWARD: A proud moment

2011-02-25T10:48:00.000+05:30

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Global applause for two young Indian scientists

Two young scientists ' Anis Mukherjee and Debarghya Sarkar ' are grabbing headlines after Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Lincoln Laboratory of the USA have re-christened two planets in their names.

Anis and Debarghya, the Higher Secondary pass-outs of Kolkata's South Point School, have won the second Grand Award in the Electrical and Mechanical category at the 2009 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair at Nevada. A statement released from MIT and LU said: 'Minor Planet 2000 AH52 (Citation No. 25629) and Minor Planet 2000 AT53 (Citation No. 25630) will henceforth be called Mukherjee and Sarkar respectively.' These two minor planets were discovered on January 4, 2000, by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research Team at Socorro, under its Linear Programme. A minor planet is an astronomical object, not a dominant planet or a comet, in direct orbit around the sun. Ceres, the first minor planet was discovered in 1801 and since then over 200,000 minor planets have been discovered. Most of them are lying in the asteroid belt.

Anis and Debarghya, who are pursuing their study at Jadavpur University, won accolades from the jury, comprising Nobel laureates and eminent scientists for their research. They designed a novel clamped bottle neck and cap for single and multiple uses that has the potential to curb bottle forgery.

The award comes with citations and US $1500 for the team. They discovered this unique clamped bottle neck and cap while they were students of Class XI. Casually they thought to compete in the global competition and sent application. They were awarded at the IRIS National Fair at Science City auditorium, Kolkata. Then in Mumbai they were among the eight national awardees. Among them only six were sent for the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair at Nevada. There they touched new heights. Debarghya. 18, told TSI: 'We are really delighted with the result. This was our first award in any science fair or exhibition'. Anis, 18, said: 'We won awards earlier too, but not in any science fair. Debarghya is a drama actor and bagged awards earlier too. I got awards earlier in this segment. But this is our first award for any science-related activities.'

Apart from pursuing their study they are now awaiting for the Patent rights, for which they have already applied for. 'Friends wanted a treat and we offered them. Our parents are happy too', said Anis. 'For the time being we will concentrate on our study. However, we will look for college-level competition as the Nevada show was school level one,' added Debarghya.

Interestingly, another Indian boy, Vishnu Jayaprakash, also won second Grand Award in the Energy & Transportation category. He won it for his comprehensive study and modifications to a cow-dung fuel cell which is almost 90 per cent cheaper than the one available in the market.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

A language that divides
Ragging rights and

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Role of Media in the moulding of youth

ANDHRA PRADESH CONTROVERSY: Politics over dismissal

2011-02-22T10:44:00.000+05:30

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

VC Kumari terms her dismissal a political vendetta

Is the post of vice chancellor of a university apolitical? This and other questions are being debated in the state after the removal of vice chancellor of Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Dr. P. Kusuma Kumari, by the chancellor and Andhra Pradesh governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.

Based on the report submitted to the government by Justice A. Hanumanthu, the governor dismissed the VC for willful omission and refusal to carry out provisions of the AP Universities Act. The nine-point report by Hanumanthu commission confirmed the charges of various irregularities committed by the VC while appointing assistant professors without required qualifications during the 2009-10 academic year.

Disgruntled Kumari termed her dismissal a political vendetta. 'With the death of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), we (her group) have become political orphans in the state and turned out to be vulnerable for political vindictiveness,' she wailed before the media.

Kumari of Sri Padmavathi Mahila University assumed office of SKU as a VC in August, 2008, using her political clout. She is the sister-in-law of former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, a close aide of late YSR and now a staunch loyalist of Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy (Jagan)'s camp.

Alleging partisanship in removal of Kumari, some MLAs in Jagan camp wittingly, or unwittingly confirmed that the VC was political prot'g' of YSR.

YSR was notoriously known for his nepotism. Besides, during his rule he had set an example by appointing his aides in pivotal posts for years, without following the basic norms. The appointment of Kumari also drew flak at that time. CPI leader and former MLA K Ramakrishna told TSI: 'Bhumana Subramanyam Reddy, VC's husband, was directly collecting money from candidates applying for the assistant professor posts.'

The Hanumanthu commission revealed that the VC, besides appointing unqualified assistant professors, illegally regularised the services of eight assistant professors who were appointed temporarily on contract basis under X Plan, with retrospective effect from the date of their appointment with payment of arrears. Taking a serious exception on ousted VC's remarks on her dismissal, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah faulted her for politicising the issue. Higher Education Minister D. Sridhar Babu, condemned Kumari's statements.

'As many as 23 vice chancellors were appointed during YSR's tenure but action was taken only against Kumari because she committed irregularities in recruitment,' he said.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

When foreign shores beckon
An array of unconventional career options
A language that divides
Ragging rights and wrongs

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Role of Media in the moulding of youth

FUNDING TERROR SCHOOLS: Crime is what they teach

2011-02-18T17:37:00.003+05:30

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Call it SOA or WHINSEC, the US must close down this war factory soon

The history of hiring mercenaries to conduct war on a country's behalf is certainly not a new phenomenon. The Saika mercenary group of the Kii Province, Japan, played a significant role during the Siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji in the 15th century. Although, the concept of mercenaries ' also known as overseas security consultants ' may have changed, but using these trained troops to do one's evil work is still rampant. The mercenaries, who had been hired for international peacekeeping duties, are now being used for different purposes. Present day governments across the world (especially in developed countries) use them as convenient tool to meet their political ambitions.

Ironically, Fort Benning'a mercenary producing factory and popularly known as the Army School of the Americas (or SOA) in Georgia ' widely known for recruiting best of instructors and students from Latin America's military forces. These instructors and students, however, undergo rigorous training for counter-insurgency, military intelligence, interrogation techniques, jungle operations ' to name a few. But these students are not trained to protect their border or safeguard their country from foreign invasion, rather to wage a war against their own people! Congressman Josheph kennedy was once found quoting, ''US Army School of the Americas is a school that has run more dictators than any other school in the history of the world." Apparently, if media reports are to be believed, in the past 60 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 mercenaries who have tortured and killed thousands of Latin Americans till date. Even Colonel Alberto Quijano (Colombian Army's special forces) was recently arrested for helping Diego Le'n Montoya S'nchez ' who is on FBI's most-wanted list and is the leader of Norte del Valle Cartel. Besides, name like Atlacatl Battalion, Romeo V'squez Vel'squez and Juan Velasco Alvarado are some of the alumni of this war factory. Moreover, Gen. Hernan Jose Guzman Rodriguez (responsible for the deaths of at least 149 people), Gen. Hector Gramajo (architect of genocidal policies from 1980-1991 in Guatemala) are other prominent names. Reports say, the SOA graduates conducts most horrendous crime across the world. In fact, over 10 high-ranking military officers (SOA graduates) are accused of human rights abuses.

After huge public outrage and protest, the SOA changed its named to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). However, reports have confirmed that the training at SOA still prevails in the Latin American countries. In 2008, the Congress completely terminated $20 million annual funding bill for the SOA/WHINSEC. This has boosted the spirits of NGOs and social watch groups, who are still optimistic about the closure of the facility. With Obama closing down the Guantanamo Bay and advocating humans rights across the world, activists seem hopeful that the US President will close the "bloody" school.

With series of WikiLeaks and surfacing of human rights abuses by the US, Obama may soon curb the funding of the institution, if not the closure.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

When foreign shores beckon
An array of unconventional career options
A language that divides
Ragging rights and wrongs

Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
Role of Media in the moulding of youth

IHLS: I hate lousy storys!

2011-01-12T09:24:00.001+05:30

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

TSI Five-O: A drowsy plot with a make believe caramel crust

Punit Malhotra's clich'd 'Luv' saga is a send up of almost all interesting rom-coms. With Karan Johar steering the production wheel and witnessing his kinda cinema being mocked, the movie surely has interesting bytes but lacks luster. An interestingly packaged stale tale that tells us nothing new or unexpected, manages to entertain in the first half but is a drag of a lifetime in the second.

'J' (Imran Khan) is portrayed as an ultra cool dude who hates the very concept of love. Mr. Casanova has a rather hard time working with the most mushy film director of the film industry, Veer Kapoor (Sameer Soni), who puts together all clich'd hits in a medley. Things become worse when Veer assigns Simran (Sonam Kapoor), who is an ardent fan of mushy love stories and has a perfect one in her life, to design artistic sets for his film and appoints 'J' to assist her.

Soon her perfect love story falls flat and Simran falls for J, only to realise that he has never been interested in her. As expected, Simran goes back to concentrating on her relationship with her childhood sweetheart, who still is willing to work on things, and J realises that now he's fallen for Simran. Kavin Dave, as J's office colleague, brings in the best of laughs with his creative and bold Tees and his unbeatable logic and graphs about girls, their hotness, tantrums and love. Vishal and Shekhar's music churns out foot stompers, but you won't retain or relish much apart from the popcorn.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

I Think I have Matured At 25

2011-01-09T10:19:00.001+05:30

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

Subhash K Jha catches up with Sonam Kapoor on the sets of 'Mausam'

Sonam Kapoor is being pampered no end on location at Edinburgh for 'Mausam'. And it's not just because it was her birthday on Wednesday. While Shahid gets shouted out by dad, Sonam is treated with kid gloves, almost like porcelain. Handle With Care.

When I speak to Sonam, Shahid is teasing her about the preferential treatment from his dad.

She laughs pleasurably, 'I don't know why. I am nurtured, pampered and protected on every set, right from the time I did 'Saawariya' when Sanjay Sir (Bhansali) looked after me like his child. And now I've Pankaj Kapoor ji doing it. Shahid is trying to look happy about my equation with his dad. I guess I am lucky.'

She is all praise for Pankaj Kapoor as a director. 'He's very nurturing and confident. I haven't had this kind of comfort level with anyone except for Sanjay sir. Whe- ther I'm able to deliver or not, you'll have to ask him.'

Sonam, who brought in her 25th birthday in Edinburgh on Wednesday, had the very prankish and spirited Shahid Kapoor for company. But she was missing her sister Rhea badly. This was her first birthday without her sister.

'But what to do?' sighed Sonam with all the maturity of a 25-year-old. 'Rhea had to be in Mumbai. She's supervising the release of our home production 'Aisha'. Rhea is very very hands-on about production details. While I am clueless about behind-the scenes stuff, Rhea knows all the details full-on.'

It was halfway through Sonam's birthday in Edinburgh on Wednesday when Dad arrived from Colombo. She had refused to celebrate with the other members of her 'Mausam' team including her mother until Dad's belated entry. 'He brings his energy and positivity wherever he goes. We partied only when he arrived. He got us into the mood,' says the proud daughter.

Ever since she has started working, Sonam remembers celebrating her birthdays on the sets of her films. 'I still remember I turned 21 on the sets of 'Saawariya'. I turned 22 on the sets of 'Delhi 6'.' She has worked for three days with Shahid and finds him 'simple and very decent, though he makes fun of me.'

Sonam is not in the least nervous about her two impending back-to-back releases in July and August. 'I was tried and tested in my first film 'Saawariya', so I am not nervous. I've done whatever I could in 'I Hate Luv Storys' and 'Aisha'. Now how well they do is the producers' ' Karan Johar and Dad respectively' look-out. I've to move on. Two releases in a month? I was happy when I had only two releases in two years. I'm happy now when I have two releases in a month. It's a good thing to do your work and let the audience judge you. How they respond is kismet.'

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

The Percept of Aadhaar

2011-01-06T12:11:00.004+05:30

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

Aadhaar is Percept/H's biggest challenge till day, perhaps bigger than its earlier Bharat Nirman campaign. With the pilot phase underway, TSI gives the freshest scoop into what's up!

Identity: one word that chases you along, right from your first breath till the last. Yes, we're referring to birth and death certificates. What are all these documents for? To authenticate that you are you and not someone else! But then, does anyone have any unique id that is not prone to manipulation? Passports, Driving Licenses, Ration Cards; you name it and it can be fabricated. Enter Nandan Nilekani, and a hope of getting a unique id, apparently immune to fudging.

Aadhaar, the government initiative with an eight digit number id promises every citizen of India his/her own identity, which will have a universal acceptability. This unique number would be given to each individual after he/she goes through a biometrics process, which involves scanning of all ten fingers, iris and facial structure. So even if you were Jason Bourne ' for the sake of a metaphor ' the system will remember you irrespective of you being oblivious of your own identity.

Percept/H has recently bagged the Aadhar account for handling the pilot phase of the campaign. Although they refuse to divulge the expected billings, one is given to understand through secondary sources that this is one of the biggest initiatives the government of India has undertaken in a long time. Percept/H itself is an old hand when it comes to handling government campaigns. One might remember the Bharat Nirman campaign that reached heights during the last assembly elections. Percept/H was the creative brains behind it, with its slogan, Bharat ke badhte kadam, har kadam par bharat buland.

For starters, why brand the current initiative Aadhaar? Apparently because the word means the same across various Indian regional languages. 'A foundation base,' says Amitava Mitra, COO (North), Percept/H, 'This rare word signifies the same thing across the nation.'

The Aadhaar campaign will be executed in three layers. Layer one involves letting people know what Aadhaar is all about including the benefits and the process. The second stage would be to build the brand across the country, maybe region wise as well. And in the final phase of the campaign, co-branding exercises would be undertaken.

So where's the 'media' in their 'campaign'? Well, cutting the suspense loose, there is no media involved as such. 'Aadhaar,' says Mitra, 'is really not about media. I don't think any organisation has ever gone into such a thing; we're not going so much into media. We're starting the campaign next month but we're not going to major cities. It will actually start in media dark areas, where media doesn't reach; nothing reaches, for that matter.' Aadhaar is a medium, which everybody is going to be riding on. It will act as an enabler, a facilitator, that will cut across political boundaries, and equalise opportunities in more than one ways. The arduous task ahead of Percept/H is to decide how to communicate this message so that it remains simple yet striking.

The creative team on board for Aadhaar comprises over 20 brains. Currently, the team has fled to the remote areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to get the common man's feedback, catch their vibes! 'We are testing lines, visual interpretations' We have to understand what visuals will work, what phrases will work, what slogans will work. For instance, government used a visual, which has a fingerprint. When we took it out in public, it gathered negative feedback. A section of people thought it symbolised being angootha-chaap; this is about ten fingers, not just one. Therefore, what you think you are trying to depict may not be interpreted likewise.' Not just using multi-lingual campaigns, but multi-dialect ones, and with next to zero media aid, Aadhaar is unpretentiously set to bring a new form of advertising that one might have never seen or heard of before! Will it work? If you've read this article, it's working already... 'Other vendors also fared well'

Awadesh Kumar Pandey, Assistant Director General (Media), UIDAI

How has it been working on a project that is so enormous in its reach and objective?

The project is still in its pilot stage and will be launched in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka. Our project will start from August 2010. As on date, it is going in the right direction. This project, just like any other, will be accomplished with resources and the guidelines formulated for the purpose.

Why percept/H?

We have our own selection procedures, consisting of DAVP and multi-media agencies. Percept/H has qualified, both in technical and financial evaluation. Hence, the firm has been awarded the work of Multi Media ' Creative Partner.

How did the others fare in competition? was it close?

Other vendors also fared well and were close to Percept/H. However, in our evaluation, we only follow the rules framed under the GFR and other guidelines framed for the purpose.

Other than aadhaar, what other brand names were suggested?

We had set up a Media & Advisory Council, consisting of eminent personalities that scrutinised and selected the brand name. The same has been accepted. There were many names, but this was only appealing.

Light at the end of the tunnel...

2010-12-27T13:42:00.002+05:30

IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri on Our Parliament and Parliamentarians' Work

A TSI expose on the plight of families of security personnel killed by Maoists in Orissa has shaken the administration out of its stupor but much more still remains to be done, reports Dhrutikam Mohanty

Jayakrishna Bardhan couldn't believe his eyes. Over the last couple of months, he had run from pillar to post to claim his brave son's dues but to no avail. But now a team of police officials had arrived to hand over to his daughter-in-law what had eluded him for so long. That apart, the proud father of Ajit Bardhan, an Orissa police sub-inspector who was killed by Maoists, was seeing the power of the media at work. Just two days earlier, The Sunday Indian had published a cover story on the official apathy faced by families of martyrs in Orissa.

The report had thrown light on how the dependents of police personnel killed in Maoist attacks were struggling to get their legitimate benefits from the government. 'I couldn't imagine that the impact of the TSI coverage would be so instantaneous. The police department has taken no time to release the pending dues of my son,' says Bardhan. He also expresses deep gratitude to TSI for organising a press conference at the Press Club of India in Delhi, where he got an opportunity to draw the attention of the national media to their woes.

'Darkness at Noon': this was the headline of our cover story in the April 19 issue, which had revealed the despair of victims of Naxal violence in Orissa and exposed the negligence of the government machinery in the matter of redressing the problems of the families of martyrs. But stray rays of sunshine are now breaking through the gloom. The piece of paper that Bardhan's daughter-in-law Rosalin received from a special messenger of the police department was a cheque of Rs 10 lakh. This was late Ajit Bardhan's insurance payout, which was handed over to the nominee nine months after his death.

Though Jayakrishna and his younger son Ranjit have been to the Rourkela SP's Office and IG Administration's office on several occasions to pursue the release of the dues nothing had been done. It was only after their despair was highlighted in media that the police department turned proactive. Along with the insurance benefit, department also disbursed Rs 1 lakh and Rs 70,000 towards Ajit Bardhan's unutilised leave and salary arrears.

Masse Madkami, wife of Ganga Madkami, a Special Operation Group (SOG) jawan who lost his life in a landmine blast two years ago, now feels confident that she would be able to bear the burden of the family as its sole bread-earner. Today, she can at least take the responsibility of her eight-year-old son Sunadhar and Ganga's ageing parents. We had found Masse in a state of hopelessness and scepticism when we met her in the tribal village of Udupa, nearly 25 km from the Malkangari, just a month ago. At that time she told us that she ran from one office to another for her dues after her husband's demise. She finally received Rs 4 lakh as compensation and Rs 10 lakh as life insurance. She had to travel to the capital city of Bhubaneswar, which is about 700 kilometers, every month to collect the family pension. Masse was eagerly waiting for the promised job and land. So, what actually brought about a sudden change in her attitude towards life? Says Masse, 'I am now employed in the office of the Superintendent of Police under the rehabilitation scheme as promised by the government. On May 19, 2010, I joined a Class IV post. I am really thankful to TSI as all this happened after my plight was highlighted by the magazine.'

The government of Orissa has also given a job to Manini Devata, widow of SOG jawan Kanhu Charan Devata, who was killed in a landmine blast on July 16, 2008, at MV126 village of Malkangiri. Manini is a graduate and was expecting a job under the government's rehabilitation scheme. However, her application took two years to draw the attention of the babus and she eventually got an appointment in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Koraput. From May 19, 2010, Manini is working as a junior clerk there.

Manini's mother Sanyukta Tripathy says: 'The news published in TSI was subsequently broadcast on TV channels. That made a great impact and the state government immediately swung into action.' According to home department sources, in the past month the state government has provided jobs to five dependents of police personnel killed in Naxal attacks.

Lady constable Pratima Rout, one of the survivors of Nayagarh armoury loot, had been severely ill-treated, cheated and mentally tortured by her own department. But now she can breathe a little easy given the confidence-building measures adopted by her department.

Pratima was on duty on that dark night of 2008, when 300 to 400 Maoist cadres barged into Nayagarh police post, firing indiscriminately. Pratima was shot four times before she fell unconscious. Though her wounds had not completely healed, the police department stopped spending on her treatment. The doctor treating her didn't take proper care of her and discharged her even though she had not recovered completely from her wounds. To make matters worse, she continued to receive notices from the office to join back despite everyone being aware of her situation. Though the state government had declared compensation to all injured police persons, Pratima has not received a single penny so far. 'TSI not only highlighted my misery but also gave me the chance to share my sufferings with the national media in Delhi. As a result, I got quick response from my department. The Nayagarh SP personally met me and gave me a patient hearing. He promised to provide me with all possible benefits from the department. Recently a special medical board examined my disabilities. I hope the report of this medical board will help me to get legitimate compensation from the government,' says Pratima, when asked what steps the state government had taken to provide succour to her.

However, the story of Prabhati Mishra, wife of late reserve inspector Sarat Chandra Mishra is quite different. Forget about the promises of land or job, she has yet to receive her husband's gratuity and family pension. She says, 'It seems the home department has no respect for the media. I came to know that some martyrs' families have been given jobs, then why not me? Is my husband's sacrifice lesser than that of the others? I have met the home secretary several times but nothing has been done.'

No doubt the state government and the police department are currently in action mode but the steaps that it has taken are still well short of being satisfactory. 'In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, a martyr's family gets everything cleared within a month while here in our state it takes years,' says Prabhati.

Jayakrishna Bardhan also nurtures a grouse. He says, 'Though we have received money from the police department we have not been properly informed. It is amazing but true: so far we have not received any official letter regarding the compensation and benefits. We don't know why the department wants to keep us in the dark.' Along with the Bardhans, many other martyrs' families have not received their GIC, CPF and Special Pensions, which are their legitimate dues. Similarly, the government has also failed to keep its promise to allot a piece of land to every martyr's family.

While a senior police officer has confirmed that the administrative activism shown by the department is a reponse to media reports, principal secretary, home department, Mr A.P. Padhy is not ready to accept this. Talking to TSI, he clarifies, 'Our department was working for the last couple of months to provide employment to martyrs' dependents under the rehabilitation scheme. When that process was completed we sent them appointment letters. The process is still on and all the beneficiaries will get government job as per the rules. Some complications had arisen in the process of fixing of special pension and this will be sorted out very soon. Allotment of land to martyrs' families is not within our purview and is handled by revenue department. The state government has empowered district collectors to allot land to martyrs. Moreover, we don't want to react to the allegations that have been levelled by the families of martyrs as we have tremendous respect for them.'

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM

IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

Dance in the hearts...

2010-12-11T16:44:00.002+05:30

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

Guru Syed Pasha leads an exceptionally talented dancing troupe of persons with disability at Ability Unlimited Foundation. K Raghav Sharma relates the overwhelming experience

Ten years back Vijay Kumar was a troubled parent. A resident of Jhilmil colony in Delhi, he was anxious about the future of his child Gulshan Kumar. With his crippled legs, Gulshan struggled to walk. But fate took him to Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha and the course of his life was changed forever. He asked Gulshan to join his Ability Unlimited Foundation (AUF), which works for the empowerment of talented children with disability. Gulshan's father Vijay was not convinced at first, but an offer of Rs 500 as scholarship and the dream of a prosperous future made him agree. Today, ten years since that rendezvous, Gulshan is no more thwarted by his handicap. He is currently pursuing his 12th standard education and is also earning a decent income as an artist.

Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha has thus brought hope and happiness to hundreds of differently-abled children with his unique and unparalleled concept called 'Dance on Wheels and Crutches'. For the last 25 years, many like Gulshan have secured a self-reliant and dignified life for themselves at the Delhi-based AUF. Guruji's flat in Patparganj is fully dedicated to the physically and mentally challenged, despite space constraints.

Wheels are a major part of the 'Bharatanatyam's on Wheels' show that is the result of five years of hard work put in by these children. An unprecedented piece of work in the history of natya, it is specially choreographed for the disabled. Combining the elements of Bharatanatyam, martial arts, Sufi dance, Bhagavad Geeta, yoga and many other arts, it is a sheer treat to watch.

Pasha works with artists whose conditions range from polio, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, autism and other mental, visual and hearing difficulties. On can easily imagine it to be tremendously taxing on one's stamina and patience.

In his journey, Pasha has known challenges that an ordinary mortal would have found difficult to withstand. 'As a guru of the disabled, you should not lose patience. These pains are part of the process and I need to face it anyway. To be frank, I have learnt the significance of patience and peace from these people only,' Pasha said.

Guruji Pasha was fond of dance and other arts since his childhood. 'Being a Muslim, it was not easy for me to practice Ramayana, Bhagavad Geeta, etc.' he recalls. 'In my childhood I had to face threats and beatings from my community because I was studying these art forms which were essentially Hindu. Around that time, one guru refused to teach me on the same grounds ' me being a Muslim. At Navasandhi Nritya too, they said, 'we can't teach nritya to a Muslim; it is purely meant for Brahmin people.'' Pasha hails from Anekallu, a village near Bangalore, and is now a professionally trained actor, Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer, a graduate in choreography and inventor of Therapeutic Theatre for persons with disabilities. He has worked as an International Scholar at Cornell University, and special pedagogic dance theatre director at many schools in Finland and at Sutra Dance Theatre ' Malaysia, USA and UK. He is also a National Award winner. 'For the past 10 years, I have been working in Delhi with differently-abled children and at present over 150 children avail of dance therapy in our Foundation. Though most girls here are deaf and dumb, you don't see a shadow of sadness on their faces. The feeling of loneliness or alienation has vanished,' Pasha said proudly.

Nishisth is a proud member of AUF. He has visited foreign countries and performed in many AUF productions including Natya on Wheels. 'I feel proud to be the member of this foundation. Guruji has taught us what life is and how to face it. I have learnt Bharatanatyam and various kinds of dances from Guruji. He is everything for us,' he says. Ashiq Ali, Kumar Manish, Harbir, Sonu Gupta, Ishrath, Priya Sharma, Karuna, Alka, Ajay Kumar are some other students presently learning and performing dance here. They were part of the show recently held in Noida, UP.

The foundation receives a number of e-mails and letters from parents of differently-abled children from various parts of India to treat their children and engage them with the foundation. With limited space, however, it's been a tough task for Pasha. 'Sometimes children directly come here and join us. Sometimes we do workshops, events and visit slums where we find variety of differently-abled children with multi-talents. So, we have given them a platform to prove themselves. People in Jhilmil Colony celebrate when they see Gulshan Kumar's performance on the television. After performing in America and UK, his confidence level is now sky high. At the end of the day, we see satisfaction in these children, which is important', says Pasha.

Guruji Pasha has urged the government several times to use 3 per cent reservation for disabled consistently. The 1995 Disability Act says that there should be equal opportunity for every disabled person, but sheer negligent attitude of the government compelled the foundation to hire legal help to allow them to draw attention to the apathy demonstrated by various government departments. 'I have written many letters to Cultural Department and even to the Sangeet Natak Academy, but never received a reply from them. It shows that they are unaware and not bothered about these children.' Even after passing the Disability Act, there is little done. Pasha acknowledges that the journey in the last 30 years hasn't been easy and, he says, the journey in the future is not going to be easy either. In any case, to this group of determined people, it is not a concern.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India

Planman Consulting
Prof Rajita Chaudhuri on 'THEY ARE COMING TO GET YOU – NOT ALIENS SILLY'
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

The winners of Rs 3,000 are...

2010-11-24T13:30:00.003+05:30

BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

Inspirational piece

The feature "Dead Man Talking" (TSI, May 17-23) by Prashanto Banerji on Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, his fight against pancreatic cancer in 2006 and in his famous book "The Last Lecture" was very emotive and educative too. The article touches the heart and teaches about how to live life with full jest. However, but Randy’s last lecture is quite stimulating and continues to inspire and educate millions. In fact, Prashanto has aptly paid his tributes by writing words like "Thank you for the Last Lecture Randy-- still clapping for you!." Although time is immortal and the man is mortal but people like Randy become immortal by leaving their fine footprints on the sand of time. Hats off to Prashanto for writing such a motivational piece.

Dilbag Rai

Chandigarh Liberal approach

This refers to Prasoon Majumdar's article “Censure Censor” (TSI, May17-23). It was an eye-opener and imparts right information on Cinematographic Act. I hope that with the passing of this Bill, the Censor Board will be liberal on scenes that have caused controversies before. When the government announced its intention of bringing in a new Cinematograph Act, it was hoped that there would be major changes in the censorship regime and a much more liberal approach to cinema would be the result. But a look at the draft of Bill that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has put up on its website and invites comments on it. However, it is pertinent to point here that the Cinematograph Bill is still at a preliminary stage, and will go through several rounds of consultation, both within the ministry and with people outside, before the Bill is introduced. Majumdar has correctly pointed out that it will enable the movie makers to concentrate on particular segment age wise too while creating the film, I still think but the problem of the film still being watched by all age groups irrespective of the certificate granted seems to stay in India for long. The Bill also will deal with piracy seriously. Severe penalties ranging from Rs 5 Lakh to Rs 25 lakh with imprisonment up to three years will be forced on people involved in it. But what measures will be taken to track them is still unknown. All in all, let's be positive about the new Bill and norms issued by the Centre and enjoy the movies with a new liberal approach.

Adyant Singhal

via mail Blessing in disguise

This refers to "Is the CPM on its way to yet another term in West Bengal" by Arindam Chaudhuri (TSI, May 17-23). Over many years, CPM has ruled West Bengal by adopting a calibrated strategies on the psyche of common Bengali man, through a slew of unfulfilled promises. But Chaudhuri's views rightly pointed that it may turn out to be a different story this time around because TMC's split with Congress will help CPM in the next local elections. However, only time will tell who will rule the roost, TMC or CPM.

Pradyut Hande

Mumbai

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.
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri: The New Age Woman
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
Planman Consulting: The sister concern of IIPM
Planman Consulting
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops

Business Process Outdated! (BPO)

2010-11-02T17:40:00.002+05:30

IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri: The New Age Woman

The prime driver for BPOs in India has always been cost effectiveness, but that differentiating factor is now fading away. Is Indian BPO industry finally headed towards the death bed? by Ashutosh Harbola

Business Process Outdated! Survival of the fittest is a phrase that British polymath philosopher Herbert Spencer first used in 1864 after reading Charles Darwin’s work On the Origin of Species. Simply put, it meant ‘only the fittest organisms will prevail’; and the very definition of ‘fittest’ has also changed with time. Those who understood it did sustain and those who didn’t went into oblivion; be it in the living world or in the corporate terrain. In fact, if the latest signals are anything to go by, then the BPO industry could be one inevitable addition to the extinct list, as its cost advantage fritters away; which means it certainly doesn’t remain the fittest on that count.

A latest Nasscom report would indicate this very speculation as baseless. As per the report, the $50-billion IT-BPO industry is headed for a 13-15 per cent growth in FY2010-11. But the recent survey by Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC) seems to be a clarion call of sorts, since it is only the latest of a series of reports that indicate how India is moving away from being the epicentre of cheap outsourcing centres and nations like China, Vietnam, et al, are becoming the most preferred spots to serve as offshoring centres. Only, the threat looks more real than it ever did in the past.

While Indian BPOs could complete an assignment at one-tenth of the compensation a few years ago, as compared to their US counterparts, the difference today is marginal. The major contributor to this rising cost has been the wage inflation, which was over 8 per cent in 2009 and is expected to touch a steeper 10.9 per cent by 2011. “With time, India’s price advantage will continue to diminish; hence, it needs to find a niche and continue to reinvent the business models, services and enabling technologies,” cautions Vishal Deep Dhillon, Regional Director – Asia, CSC.

Countries like China, Vietnam and Philippines are emerging as a big threat to India’s dominance in global offshoring industry. Thanks to the low-cost advantage and heavy investments to promote English as a spoken language, China has witnessed a whopping 212 per cent and 170.2 per cent y-o-y increase in signed off shoring contracts (worth $12.69 billion) and executed contracts (worth $7.34 billion) respectively in 2009 when compared with 2008. Not only this, the dragon nation has also added an astonishing 3,287 enterprises and 5,85,000 employees to its outsourcing industry count in 2009. Business Process Outdated! The Filipino BPO industry (with a growth rate of 19 per cent in 2009) is also in a neck-to-neck competition with India. In fact, Philippines has emerged as one of the top destinations (with 15 per cent market share) for outsourcing over the past few years; with revenues growing from $100 million in 2001 to $6.1 billion in 2008. The threat from Vietnam cannot be undermined too. While salaries of BPO workers in Vietnam are the lowest among almost all major offshore destinations (they are 40 per cent lower than India and China, and more than 80 per cent lower than Singapore), tax rates, too, are at par with other emerging markets. For instance, outsourcing software development work to a Vietnamese firm can cost a company up to 50 per cent less than what it would have cost it had it outsourced the work to India.

Historically, large talent pool has been one of India’s major strengths, but if one goes by a latest ASOCIO-KPMG report, employability of Indian graduates at present is considered to be really low, with EIU rating India as 2 on a scale of 5 on quality of labour force. This has made multinationals hesitant in outsourcing their work to India.

The next stumbling block is the high attrition rate in the Indian BPO industry which is invariably high (35 per cent) when compared to its Asian counterparts. The increasing cases of data breaching too are affecting outsourcing to third parties in India. Then there is the slated withdrawal of STPI scheme in FY 2011. The sunset clause u/s 10A and 10B of the Income Tax Act gives a tax holiday to IT-BPO companies operating under an STPI, where the tax rate works out to be 20 per cent for a BPO at present. This is expected to go up to 33 per cent, if the scheme is withdrawn. In all, the future of the BPO industry doesn’t look as sunny as road mapped by Nasscom with optimism deep sunk within. So is the major job provider (2.23 million) finally heading towards the death bed or is there a way out?

One possible way out could be to take BPOs to tier 2 and tier 3 cities where rising costs could be managed as compared to high cost offerings in the metros or tier 1 cities. The challenge there will be the training gap, but the investment does have long term potential. The next way could be to innovate within long term sustainable verticals like KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing), LPO (Legal Process Outsourcing), et al, for which even outsourcers are ready to pay a high price as they derive utility from them. In fact, Joel Perlman, Co-founder & President, Copal Partners feels that the next big opportunity for India could be DPO (Document Process Outsourcing) “KPOs and DPOs are high growth areas and India is well positioned to become a leader here,” he told TSI. K. M. Nanaiah, Managing Director, Pitney Bowes too holds the same view and feels that DPOs certainly have the potential to be the next big thing in India.

No doubt, because of its sustained cost competitiveness, experienced and large labour force, India has been considered to be a favourable BPO location in the past. But not any more! With radical changes in global economic environment & growing sophistication of customer needs, it’s now inevitable to evolve further. It’s therefore imperative for all stakeholders to identify challenges and put an action plan in place to meet them and identify areas that can catalyse future growth. If they are able to do so, good enough! If not, BPO, an acronym that most Indians rejoiced in, will soon become a reason to mourn over!

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.
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
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 Consulting
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
IIPM makes business education truly global

ARINDAM PAUL DIRECTOR, GIDF

2010-09-21T15:35:00.003+05:30

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

ARINDAM PAUL DIRECTOR, GIDF

How has your organisation been instrumental in bringing changes at the grass root?
The Aurobindo Chaudhuri Memorial Great Indian Dream Foundation (AMC-GIDF) is supporting developmental initiatives in more than 2,000 villages spread across India benefiting an estimated 1.5 million people. We are currently supporting 534 primary schools, 6 residential schools and 140 Baalwadis apart from running the learning centres. In rural India our initiatives also include building check water dams, working in areas of diversification of alternative livelihoods, specially with the women Self Help Groups. In the health sector, our initiatives include RCH Programmes, Mobile Outreach Programmes, HIV/AIDS Programmes, et al. We today cover 2,000 villages, but we have to reach up to 6 lakh villages. The task is daunting but GIDF will definitely see the light of the day.

How can social sector bear fruits in the long run?
Having worked for UNICEF, GAIL, NACO and similar organisations, we have realised that we need the civil society to change its attitude towards NGOs. We are helping the government on our own to bring in radical changes in the society. But change can never be sustained until all stakeholders are equally involved.

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.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy

Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
IIPM Related Links
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops

ET Now

2010-08-10T11:33:00.001+05:30

It’s time it’s now... et now: With the backing of the largest read business daily in India – The Economic Times, Bennett, Coleman & Co. went a step ahead and launched the much-awaited ET Now in the country in June 2009. The channel took no time in making a space for itself in the already crowded business news channel arena. It’s only been a few months that this broadcaster has hit the idiot box but it is already giving a tough fight to players like CNBC TV 18, NDTV Profit, Bloomberg-UTV, et al. But will it be able to repeat the success of The Economic Times on the idiot box? 2010 will surely have a better answer to that.

Pawan Chabra

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 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

Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)

SBI has introduced a new facility in mobile banking

2010-06-24T15:43:00.002+05:30

IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years

Even the public sector behemoth SBI is not far behind when it comes to offer mobile banking. Lately, SBI has introduced a new facility in mobile banking wherein central government employees receiving payments through SBI will receive the details of their transactions through mobile phones.

So, while HDFC and SBI are banking on Eko, banks like Dena Bank, Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank, Punjab National Bank, Axis Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, United Bank of India, et al are banking on A Little World’s (another technology provider) “ZERO” platform to reach to the customers.

Increasing competition has even prompted telecom service providers to move ahead of telecommunication services. In fact, now they are aiming at partnering with banks to provide mobile banking services to bank customers. Bharti Airtel, for instance, has entered into agreements with ICICI, HDFC, SBI, and VISA to offer mobile money transfer (MMT), postpaid bill payment, and prepaid recharge services in addition to ticketing services for air, rail, and movies. Likewise, Reliance allows ICICI Bank account holders with Reliance handsets (even on low-end handsets of Rs.1,000, with or without Internet connectivity) to make intrabank money transfers. Apart from this, it has also tied up with HDFC to offer Reliance mPay, a virtual credit card.

No doubt, mobile banking happens to be the buzz word with every single banker in India at present, but whether it will emerge as a clear successor of e-banking will depend on how customers across the country accept and acclimatise to this new banking channel. “Increasing mobile penetration cannot be the only indicator that mobile banking will slowly and steadily increase acceptance. However, factors like technological advancement in terms of software applications and service offerings, user-friendly products and services, security concerns, and last but not least, regulatory norms will play a pivotal role in the growth of mobile banking in any country,” states Rajan.

But who knows, with banks looking adamant on developing a more user friendly interface for their customers, mobile might soon become a popular tool for conducting financial transactions. And Pathak, who is today furiously clicking the keyboard of his laptop for transferring funds from his one account to another, might tomorrow be happily doing it through his cell phone!

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 enters into media education

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 Related Links
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)

The child insurance market is highly under-penetrated

2010-06-14T13:03:00.002+05:30

Pradeep Pandey,
Director (Branding & Comm.), AEGON Religare

4Ps B&M: What has been the impact of “Star Child” ad campagin?
PP: Our objective was to release a clutter-breaking communication capturing the emotions and aspirations of middle class Indian parents. We have received a tremendous response towards the Star Child campaign. People across age groups have liked the commercial, given the unique style of execution where an 18-month-old child performs expert moves such as an ace footballer and a guitarist.

4Ps B&M: How do you see the market of child insurance?
PP: The child insurance market is highly under-penetrated, as is the case with life insurance. Every parent wants to build a secure future for their children. This require savings and or investments towards children’s career, education or marriage. AEGON Religare Star Child Plan helps the parent save systematically for their kid. A unique feature in our Child Plan is that in the case of the death of the parent, the child will get the sum assured immediately and all the future premiums will be paid by the insurer. At the end of the policy term, the child will get the fund value as well. The parent also gets the added benefit of tax saving for as long as they pay the premiums.

4Ps B&M: How are you marketing the child insurance policies? Any special strategy that you adapt for the same?
PP: Our spends for the current Star Child campaign was Rs.8 crore across TV, Print, OOH and Digital medium. TV is the lead medium for us followed by OOH. We will release a complete social media strategy for the child insurance category, among other categories, shortly.

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.
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 Related Links
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

Playing with the audience?

2010-05-27T14:35:00.003+05:30

Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com

Viacom 18’s Nickelodean is gearing up for it’s worldwide event, ‘Let’s Just Play’. The event promotes the importance of active play and outdoor activities in the life of kids. It aims to establish that apart from indoor activities like video games and TV, ‘Active Play’ too is a cool and fashionable thing to do. The idea is to connect with their target audience (kids) at a stronger level. Nestle Milkybar has joined Nick in spreading this awareness message. Hey, but isn’t it like encouraging your audience to spend less time infront of TV? Nina Elavia Jaipuria, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Nick India believes otherwise. “Nick has always been a responsible broadcaster and we strive to go beyond just entertainment. Nick is deeply concerned about the issue of lack of play in the lives of kids and is pulling out all the stops to inspire as many kids and parents as possible.”

Pallavi 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.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

LALU BAN GAYA GENTLEMAN

2010-05-07T16:40:00.002+05:30

Lalu Prasad Yadav, President, RJD

At a time when ‘Hum Do Hamare Do’ has almost become the national anthem, Lalu Yadav, father of nine, has made himself a top selling political brand – with a national awareness (by playing to the gallery) and great performance (of turning around Indian Railways) across categories (of voters, we mean!).

While for a large part of the so-called ‘intelligentsia’, Lalu’s perceptual transformation came post the turnaround of Indian Railways, for the masses, Lalu’s charisma is not new. They’ve been laughing for years at his Hema Malini jokes, rustic posturing and deliberately cultivated joker-like image, and loving every moment of it. Agrees political commentator, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, “He’s the most astute, media-savvy politician. He’s used the amazingly device of smiling at the people who are laughing at him to emerge as a loved and popular celebtrity.”

Despite his questionable tenure as Bihar’s unquestionable CM and bossman during the 90s, sordid tales about his involvement in the Rs.1,950 crore fodder scam and allegations of nepotism when he propped up wife Rabri as Bihar’s CM, Lalu is one regional politician who has acquired national (even global) stature. Today, he spends his free time addressing hundreds of students from Harvard & Wharton, and has invitations from 8 Ivy League schools for lectures. All this even as rural India continues to sell ‘Lalu’ branded mangoes, firecrackers, dolls, rakhis, chocolates, fodder & even cosmetics! Now how’s that for brand appeal?

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.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)

By all accounts, even in your year 2009, the answer appears to be a resounding YES! Monojit Lahiri wonders why

2010-04-09T12:53:00.001+05:30

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

The Weaker sex! The Gentler sex! A community given to listen to their heart more than their head; driven by sentiment and emotion, instead of logic and analysis; excited by the colour pink or some floral motif to go for it without a second thought … these are some of the ‘perceived’ notions of marketers across the globe while targeting women. Which world are they living in? A recent US survey has indicated that women today drive the world economy! Globally, they are said to control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, a figure that could zoom north to touch $28 trillion by 2014! Also, their $13 trillion in yearly earnings could hit the $18 trillion mark in the same period. The survey further adds that, in sheer aggregate terms, women represent a growth curve bigger than India and China combined … Despite this, it states how dumbly – and chauvinistically – computer titan Dell wooed the female consumer by its soft-sell, make-it-pink drive. The communication went consciously ‘girly’ emphasising colours, accessories and tips for finding recipes and counting calories. The response was an unanimous and spontaneous protest against “talking down in condescending, dumb-down fashion” to a target group that deserved better … Immediately, damage control and correction course measures darted into action – but the point is: why was this potentially awkward positioning triggered, in the first place? The reason is simple. The phrase “It’s a man’s world” is so deeply ingrained in the male marketer’s psyche that they believe they can get away with any and every thing. Unfortunately, this thinking today must be dumped in the ‘fiction’ area; the truth lies elsewhere. It lies in the simple fact that today’s (male) marketers need to ‘learn’ how to sell to women.

In 2008, a hi-profile, professional consulting group did a comprehensive study of how women felt about their work, lives and how they were being served by businesses. The responses would wake the dead! Generally speaking, they felt hugely undeserved and despite their quantum leaps in the professional and social space, they felt undervalued in the market place and underestimated in the work place. Their multi-tasking is there for all to see, but few marketers have bothered to respond to manufacturing time-saving solutions for products and services specifically designed for them. For example, it is still so difficult to locate a pair of trousers get solid financial advice without feeling foolish, or patronised. Companies continue to offer them poorly conceived products and services and obsolete, irrelevant, outdated marketing narratives that promote gender bias and stereotypes. Examples? Cars are designed for speed not utility, which really matters to woman. Heard – or seen – an SUV built to accommodate a mom who needs to load her two kids into it? Then there was the recent ad for Bounty Paper towels where a husband and son stand, watching a spill cross the room, until mom comes charging and happily cleans up the mess!

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.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

SAFFOLA LIFE - MADISON MEDIA INFINITY

2010-03-25T13:08:00.004+05:30

Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

GOAL: To create maximum awareness for Saffola Life’s free Cholesterol test offer to ascertain heart disease risk levels in Mumbai.

STRATEGY: Drawing a parallel with the radio – just like the heart, radio too can only be heard and not seen. A week before World Heart Day 08’, RJs aired announcements saying that they were sacrificing their ‘sound’ for the sake of Mumbai’s heart.

THE IDEA: The execution would see Mumbai’s top radio stations simultaneously go without music, ads & strangely, even RJ chit-chat – playing just the sound of a beating heart.

ONE-HOUR BEAT: On World Health Day on September 28, 2008, at 10 AM, all the six FM stations in Mumbai initiated the campaign and 10 minutes later simultaneously started playing the ‘heartbeat’ for over half an hour, which gave the listeners an opportunity to ‘Listen to their Heart’. The one-hour program ended at 11 AM. For those 30 minutes, the radio personified the heart of every listener.

EFFECTIVENESS: 1.17 million listeners not only tuned in to the broadcast but also listened to the heart beat for 18 minutes on an average. It garnered more than 22,000 SMSs for cholesterol tests and generated 93% top-of-mind awareness for Saffola Life’s association with World Heart Day, strengthening the brand’s equity on heart care.

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.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

IIPM Related Links
IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year

Of broken wings & unmet dreams

2010-03-06T12:10:00.000+05:30

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

Many of these institutes have diversified. Their courseware now offers more than just training for aspiring cabin crews. For one, they are extending their soft-skill training and grooming sessions to polish management executives from many corporate houses. “We have tied up with a number of business houses to train and polish their employees to acquaint them and develop in them various interpersonal skills,” confirms Pammi Talwar, Chairperson, Inflight Air Hostess Training Institute (IAHTI). The good news is that these training sessions are proving to be a rather lucrative business, as corporates are beginning to understand the need to inculcate such interpersonal and soft skills in their employees. Kohli of Frankfinn is also planning along similar lines as he affirms, “We are re-launching our corporate training division by the name Frankfinn Corporate Cell, in November 2009. This division would specialise in imparting soft-skill lessons not only to the top managers, but also to employees at lower levels...”

There is more. With the increasing demand for various management courses, some of these air hostess training institutes have also started imparting management courses at both the bachelors and masters levels through distance learning courses, which are affiliated to various open universities. Courses such as management in hotel, hospitality and travel have also been introduced by many of these institutes. “We have recently started our distance learning MBA and BBA programs affiliated to the Global Open University of Nagaland,” states Talwar of IAHTI. All this diversification in the course content would definitely help these niche players to cater to a wider audience but the catch is that there are already a number of institutes which specialise in the above-mentioned courses, and unless these institutes succeed in eroding market share of the established management institutes, the future will only get more hopeless.

However, there is still hope that the future may not yet become a reverie for these crew planners, with the trajectory of both the economy and the aviation sector (air traffic registered a 26% y-o-y growth during August 2009) looking upwards. Moreover players like SpiceJet, Paramount Airways and IndiGo have unleashed fleet expansion plans, thus opening new opportunities for the prospective in-flight crew members. “As per DGCA, it is mandatory for airlines to have a certain number of cabin crew per flight. Thus the various expansion plans would once again encourage the students to pursue their flying dreams,” supports Kohli.

All said and done, for now the idea of course diversification seems to be the best bet for these air hostess training institutes in the country. Their journey into the skies may not yet be over, but for once, fortune has taught them how realistic things on the ground are... (Wonder if they were ever groomed for such a change!)

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...
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”

IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
IIPM B School : King Khan, Bollywood Badshah and Quiz Wiz — that’s Shah Rukh Khan for you

NRIs are passé!

2010-02-20T13:24:00.000+05:30

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

One of my friends was obsessed with the dream of a rich and handsome NRI who’d take her to America. On contacting her recently, Divya’s response was an absolute surprise. “No way! Don’t you know about the amount of lay-offs that have happened due to recession? If people are losing their jobs there, how do you expect me to find one?! Moreover, what’s wrong with our Indian men? In fact, I’d prefer getting married to someone from the same city so that my life and job is not disturbed,” she said. And what if the guy finds a better job elsewhere after marriage? Without batting an eyelid, Divya explained, “After marriage, it all depends on you and your partner’s understanding. One would have to do what’s best for both. And adjustment is important.” Another reason that has added to the unpopularity of an NRI groom, especially in arranged marriages, is the rise in the number of cases of the girl being duped after being taken abroad, and so even giving NRI a new meaning – ‘Non-reliable Indian’! “There have been many such cases and yes, that slight bit of uncertainty has frightened girls from crossing the border,” expounded Dipankar Chakravarthy.

India has witnessed an economic boom in the past and career opportunities are aplenty on this soil too. Moreover, girls these days refuse to part with their family and friends. So, parents who are seeking a suitable groom should rejoice at this new trend, for their daughters are now more likely to stay close to them. And those lamenting about this change in mind-set, it’s perhaps best to let your daughter decide what’s best for her!

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.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You

IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
IIPM Best B School – EVENTS
IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes
IIPM B School : King Khan, Bollywood Badshah and Quiz Wiz — that’s Shah Rukh Khan for you

4Ps B&M INDIA'S MOST PROMISING BRANDS 2009

2010-02-16T12:31:00.000+05:30

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

• Safexpress
• Red Tape
• Nikon
• Panasonic
• Fiat
• Fuji Films
• Aircel
• Bata
• UTV
• Colors

One of the most upcoming brands, Safexpress has been driving the warehousing revolution in India, having envisaged that warehousing would be the major growth area in the industry for many years to come. Safexpress has totally redefined the way supply chain functions in the country today. The comeback brand Fiat India laid the first successful milestone in Fiat’s third attempt to win in India by launching Fiat Linea earlier this year. Though experts had argued that an expensive sedan like Linea may not be able to get desired results for Fiat, the company proved all of them wrong, by managing to sell around 6,500 units of Linea despite a weak market.

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.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
IIPM Best B School – EVENTS
IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes

Once bitten, twice shy!

2010-01-20T15:45:00.000+05:30

Invariable issuance of pink slips has been a norm amongst companies over the last one year – well, to beat the downturn blues. But, not all have been successful in implementing the same. Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways, in October last year, was forced to take back 1,900 employees after it faced wrath and protests across the country. But, this private airline has once again unveiled its plans to cut down the extra flab in its workforce (by 2,000 employees) to save cost and stem its bleeding bottomline. But, then the real question arises too – Will it succeed in terminating the jobs this time or will it be forced to eat the humble pie once again? Certainly, with an aircraft to employee ratio of 1:145, the total manpower of Jet Airways currently stands at 12,000 and as such it’s planning to bring it to 10,000. “Streamlining the number of employees and capacity cut is imperative for Jet Airways to stem its current losses,” agrees Hatim Broachwala, aviation analyst, Khandwala Securities. However, learnt his lesson from the last fiasco, Goyal is strategically implementing the job cuts in various phases this time. Jet Airways, which pocketed a heartrending Rs.225 crore loss in Q1 FY 2009-10, is certainly cautious enough this time to not to go for a mass retrenchment. More importantly the airline is rightsizing the number of personnel in various verticals this time rather than churning out people from just one department. In fact, the process of issuing pink slips has already started in the company as 50 employees were off loaded last week. So, with this slow and steady approach (and without much noise), it seems that Jet might succeed in its endeavour without much fuss this time.

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.
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

Of booms and busts...

2010-01-15T11:55:00.000+05:30

Affordable housing has come as relief for the Indian realty sector. But, does it really need another boom?

The real estate sector seems to be on a recovery track as sales of housing and residential properties have started picking up, thanks to the concept of affordable housing. But what really is affordable housing? Affordable housing was perceived to be as property in the range of Rs.20-30 lakh and affordable to the mid-income group. Apart from clearing the myth of affordable housing, Kumar Gera, Chairman and Santosh Rungta, President – CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developer’s Association of India), reason why there should not be another boom in the real estate sector.

4Ps B&M: What exactly is the concept of affordable housing?
SR: Generally speaking, affordability is linked with houses being cheap. But it’s different from the common myth. For various levels of income group, the affordability is different. A person who is earning Rs.2,000-3,000 per month also needs a house and that should be affordable to him. Affordability is dependant upon the earning capacity of an individual. The right interpretation of the word affordability means to be in a situation to provide a product, which is affordable to each section of the society – low-income group (LIG), mid-income group (MIG), economically weaker segments (EWS) as well as the high-income group (HIG).

4Ps B&M: But, why did prices bloat in the first place?
SR: Price is always the mechanism of demand and supply. For developers, 30-40% of the component of price is that of the cost of the land. As cities grow, cost of land increases, and therefore cost of apartments also increases.

KG: In addition to that, input costs, material costs, steel, cement, labour cost, development charges as levied by local authorities, cost of power, et al, have sky-rocketed. Price is in fact a function of all these factors.

4Ps B&M: What issues are you discussing with the government to develop affordable housing?
SR: First of all there are land issues. Government has some land and we’re discussing how that land can be converted into housing. Then, some states still continue with the Urban Land Ceiling Act that needs to be immediately removed. There is also a question of land convertibility of agricultural land into housing land. The second most important issue is the creation of infrastructure. The land is expensive in the main cities and therefore we’ve to look at the suburban land. And for that there should be a good transportation network as every person living there needs to come to city to work. Roads are not laid out, so there has to be a policy on roads as well. Then it should also be known in which direction is the town moving, for which a masterplan has to be made and pockets have to be identified.

4Ps B&M: Region wise how is the sector performing?
KG: Pretty much the same. Areas which are IT centric may be suffering more than areas which have their economies based on certain other sectors that are more stable. In fact, real estate certainly depends upon the economy of a particular region to a marked extent.

4Ps B&M: So, when do you foresee the next real estate boom?
SR: I’ve been in this business for the last 40 years and I don’t want any boom in the sector. It is not in the interest of the sector. Our ideal dream is to move with the economy and let there not be a situation where real estate moves ahead of the economy. We don’t want prices to rise suddenly but to move progressively in line with the growth of the GDP.

KG: Sector will move up as input costs will increase and there will be a reasonable price increase, which people can accept. If prices go up, profit margins will go up, but then how many units will be sold? Volumes will go down, which will bring down the sector. So, there should always remain a healthy demand at price points.

Savreen Gadhoke

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.
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

Branding dead celebrities is a multi-billion dollar business and a slew of smart entrepreneurs are cashing in on the positive feelings associated

2010-01-06T15:38:00.000+05:30

with the celebrity’s image. By Sray Agarwal

No matter how morbid it sounds, Michael Jackson’s death has given a new lease of life to Hollywood’s ailing economy. As in life, even in death, everyone and anyone remotely associated with Michael Jackson (including his dear dad) is busy using his name to build up their respective bank balance. Just a couple of hours after Jackson’s death, the music industry re-launched many albums of Jackson and overnight a few of his songs booked top slots of charts. So much so that even eBay, iTunes and Amazon saw a new surge in demand related to Jackson products and merchandise. His father also joined the frenzy. Just three days after his son’s death, Joe Jackson was spotted on CNN’s Red Carpet casually plugging his new record label, Ranch Records. Buzz is that Joe is even lining up Michael’s children for a world tour as The Jackson Three next year. Even rapper Akon is suddenly touting a song with Jackson in his new record; and earlier this month Madonna too paid tribute to the singing sensation at London’s O2 Arena – where Jackson was supposed to perform – of course, to packed audience!

Gloomy as it may seem, marketing the dead is actually a billion dollar industry. A dead product (read: a dead celebrity!) has all the attributes that are required to make a brand. They have a fan following, they are idols, they are memorable, they are likeable, they are valuable and above all, as they are no more present to pamper their fans with their performance, their very names are cash cows for smart entrepreneurs. Barry Silverstein, a marketing consultant and co-author of the McGraw-Hill book, The Breakaway Brand spoke to 4Ps B&M and gave his take on the trend. “I believe using dead celebrities as part of a marketing program is both a short and long-term strategy. It’s short-term because marketers can capitalise immediately on a dead celebrity who dies, but it’s long-term because, as has been proven with Elvis Presley, a dead celebrity’s aura can live ten, twenty, or fifty years, thus providing a smart marketer with an ongoing path to potential sales and profits,” he says.

As per the Forbes’ list, the top 13 dead celebrities generated $242 million in 2007. Firms like CMG Worldwide and the Richman Agency (now a part of Corbis) buy the licence and intellectual property rights of dead celebrities. CMG boasts (even today!) clients like Rosa Parks, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Jesse Owens and Babe Ruth among its clientele. While the Richman Agency has few from non-glam world, CMG and Corbis receive 20% of the profits from any endorsement. Adds Barry, “Once a celebrity is gone, they will never act, sing, dance, speak, or perform again and that makes every collectible and every image associated with that person truly valuable.” Take Elvis Presley. He has still not lost his essence and stands firm in this highly competitive world... uh, the world of dead celebrities. According to Forbes Magazine, around 600,000 people visit Presley’s home every year. Elvis has already sold 118 million record albums and around 500 million commemorative Elvis US postage stamps were sold after 16 years of his death. But with Michael Jackson’s sad and untimely death, Presley’s top slot seems to have found a close competitor. Marketers are even planning to commercialise Michael Jackson’s estate in the lines of Elvis’ estate.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

FLANKING AWAY TO GLORY

2009-10-19T14:56:00.000+05:30

At a time when auto majors like Tata Motors have been painted in deep red, market leader Maruti Suzuki has been pulling all stops to move ahead SWIFTly

SHASHANK SRIVASTAVA, CGM-MKTG., MSI

Did you know that the design for Maruti Suzuki’s bestseller Swift was initially rejected on grounds of being far too radical? “Even months after it was launched in 2005, Swift wasn’t able to generate desired volumes for us,” avers Shashank Srivastava, Chief General Manager-Marketing, Maruti Suzuki India. Even Maruti’s long standing dealers doubted the potential of this car. They perceived it as ‘made for tech-freaks’ initially.

Today, honchos at Suzuki must be thanking their stars that they stuck with their plans for nurturing the Swift at that time with a carefully selected team of ‘Swift Champions’ to push Swift sales. Not only has the car delivered Maruti from the bane of being known as a small car maker, but the model also cornered about 70% of the market share in the premium A2 segment, adding significantly to the car maker’s bottomline in FY09. “You may not be the first mover in a particular category but catch that place in the consumer mind, the race is half won,” says Srivastava, referring to the fact that even though Hyundai was the first to launch a ‘premium compact’ car in India (Getz), in popular perception Suzuki Swift wears that honour. The launch of Swift DZire in March last year ensured that Suzuki created more than a splash in the sedan segment too during the last fiscal.

But this is not just about Swift. Fact is that Maruti, which sells every second car in the country, has been driving smoothly for a long time now. The key strategy is to create new segments within segments and flank its own offerings. Market watchers believe that it is this strategy that helped the company to smooth sail even during October-December quarter last year when auto sales saw a steep fall. Sure, like other auto majors, the year on year domestic sales growth for Maruti has been minimal, but the auto maker has registered mind boggling net profits of Rs.12.1 billion. While the steep profits were partly helped by its exports that registered a growth of 32% in the last fiscal, the bulk of the credit for beating the slowdown blues goes to the growth generated from clutter breaking models like Swift DZire and A-star. “DZire has eaten on to the sales of SX4 but overall it has expanded our share in the A3 category,” adds Srivastava.

In fact, experts believe that the A-star can be the next iconic product for Maruti Suzuki as the car is successfully positioned as one for the cool young urban consumer. Apart from creating new segments, the company’s expanded reach in India’s hinterlands has also helped it to maintain its profitability. Going forward, Maruti expects the rural contribution to its total sales to go up from the present 11-12% to 19-20% in the current fiscal. And then there is the high level of consumer trust and reliability that has been working in brand Maruti Suzuki’s favour even in times of slowdown. Just one worry though. Maruti is continuing to ride high on models made on the Swift Platform (DZire and Ritz), which can surely upset the company’s apple cart when a more innovative competitor saunters in. For now, Srivastava is also predicting a robust FY10 for India’s auto czar!

Pawan Chabra

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Event at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

A personal touch!

2009-08-28T12:50:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

Airtel knows that the key to capitalise on its growth prospects is to provide its customers a consistent, high-quality experience...

Subscriber strength of 100 million and counting… that’s Bharti Airtel for you! One of the oldest and the largest telecom players in India certainly knows how to take good care of their subscriber base and the latest ICMR and 4Ps B&M research data is testimonial to that fact. Being one of the first players in the Indian telecom industry, Airtel got its hands at the la crème of the Indian consumer-base and over the years it has only strengthened its grip further to stay put at its numero uno spot. “At Airtel the customers are always at the heart of all the things that we do and we take extra effort to ensure their satisfaction,” Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel tells 4Ps B&M the reason why the brand Airtel scores high in terms of customer service in the Indian telecom arena.

In the early days of its existence Airtel was seen more as a premium brand that gelled well with the lives of rich and famous. But, as the competition grew and mobile services became more affordable, Airtel did a seamless transition – from a niche brand to a mass brand that not only was known in all nooks and corner of India, but also appealed to all classes in a similar fashion. In fact, Airtel is always known to offer best in class service to all its subscribers irrespective of whether it is a high usage customer or not. What has now added to Airtel’s advantage is its huge network and its growing reach among the consumers. But then, with competition intensifying in the Indian telecom services market, Airtel now needs to focus more on developing new services, so that it could maintain its leadership in terms of subscriber base and set it apart from its competition.

However, in the past few years there are many first that the company has offered keeping in mind the Indian consumers. For instance, Airtel claims itself to be the first player that offered its customers the lifetime validity option. “We realised that there was a big customer base in India that was using mobile handset only to receive calls and that led us to introduce lifetime validity option on the pre-paid cards. This is a unique offering that is available only in India,” avers Sanjay Kapoor, Deputy CEO, Bharti Airtel. Even at the pricing front Airtel claims itself to be the first operator in India to lower the tariffs for the long distance calls (STD) to a flat rate of Re.1.

Certainly Airtel knew that the key to capitalise on its growth prospects was not only to establish deeper and more personalised relationships with its customers, but also to provide them a consistent, high-quality customer experience. Now that’s how they have travelled sea to shining sea!

Surbhi Chawla

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
2300 IIPM students get jobs
The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM, GURGAON

Naukri on the prowl - Did you hear from them?

2009-08-10T12:27:00.000+05:30

Professor Arindam Chaudhuri’s Profile

Brand : Naukri.com
Agency: FCB ULKA

H for Hitler, A for arrogant, R for rascal, I for idiot. The campaign with an original yet humourous storyline potrayed the employee’s psyche ‘not quitting their jobs but their bosses’ and succesfully positioned Naukri.com as the No.1 job portal website of India. Hari Sadu,the chief protagnist, a fictitious character, became synonymous with a pesky and arrogant boss. The message was clear, treat your employees well or Naukri is on the prowl. The campaign which defined employees right in terms of choice, won the Effie at Singapore & CASBAA Advertising award.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM
IIPM Best B-school
Four Phase of IIPM Global Plans
30 professors of international repute to IIPM
IIPM Global B-school
IIPM Alumni Officially on Facebook
IIPM Respected Business School

Brand: Ericsson

2009-07-25T13:37:00.001+05:30

The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School

Agency: Enterprise Nexus
The One Cup Coffee Please ad, conceptualised by Prasoon Pandey, was made in an era when wireless telephony had just swept upon Indian shores. Ericsson became a rage and the campaign won India its first metal at Cannes.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

APRIL’S FOOL PROOF STRATEGIES

2009-07-21T12:11:00.000+05:30

Four Phase of IIPM Global Plans

Much before April approaches, corporate honchos start having sleepless nights, crossing off days on the calender. The shivers come as much from the prospect of burning tons of midnight oil to prepare the financial report cards of their overtures (or failures) in the year gone by, as from the mammoth task of ideating and implementing fresh stwrategies for the new fiscal. Some of these strategies pay off and others don’t - waiting till next April to be praised or castigated in the next financial report card. Our team could not resist the temptation of compiling this snapshot of some fool-proof (or foolish) April strategies of the last few years...

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM
IIPM Best B-school
IIPM only B-school in India to be Ranked Ahead of The IIMs in so Many Parameters! Regularly!
Why has IIPM always been opposed to B-school rankings?
IIPM : One of the leading and most respected business schools
IIPM students on NDTV Television Chat Show
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri says
30 professors of international repute to IIPM
IIPM Global B-school
IIPM Alumni Officially on Facebook
IIPM Respected Business School

IN SEARCH OF SALVATION...

2009-07-06T14:03:00.000+05:30

IIPM : One of the leading and most respected business schools

As far as front-end is concerned, Vishal Retail is either resorting to re-sizing, re-locating or shutting a couple of stores on account of non-performance. “If Vishal Retail is not getting adequate return on investment from certain stores, then shutting them down is a viable option,” reasons a Delhi-based analyst. In fact, out of the total 187 stores (including hypermarts and small format stores) across India covering 300 million sq. ft. of retail space; Vishal Retail has already shut down close to 7-8 stores. Few stores, where RoI (return on investments) is not up to the expectations, it has resorted to pruning of its retail space (which is averaged at 30,000 sq. ft.). “Bringing down the retail space helps us to save on SKUs, manpower, electricity and per square feet return increases,” avers Khemka. In other cases too, Vishal Retail has either relocated its stores or renegotiated land rentals with the landlord (to the extent of 50% in some cases).

But then, just consolidating its operations alone may not be enough for Vishal Retail to make its way through the high tide. The retailer has recently seen its key personnel resigning from the company. Even its expansion plans have come to a halt for the time being, with over 20% inventory pile-up. Moreover, the winter sales were also not impressive enough to write back home. Therefore, the main area of concern for the retailer right now is to improve sales and get rid off the high debt lingering over it.

In fact, Vishal Retail has already started playing aggressively with its pricing and promoting its private labels to beat the slowdown heat. “Of the total apparel inventory we stock in our stores, 85% is our own private label,” proclaims Khemka. A right move as the company gets huge margins from its private labels. For instance, while on branded FMCG products the company gets a margin of 16-17%, on its own FMCG products the margin is as high as 25%. Sources close to the company also confirm that the retailer has plans to tie-up with the local kirana stores to promote their private labels. In return, Vishal Retail will look after the kirana store’s supply chain and work on a revenue sharing model. However, Khemka has refuted any such tie-up in the near future and says there are no such plans.

Be that as it may, cornering Vishal Retail as an odd retailer with huge debt liabilities may not be correct. Consider this: Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd. and Shoppers Stop Ltd. have increased their expenditure on interest by 77.50% and 311.07% (!!!) respectively for the quarter ended December 2008. It was debt of Rs.6 billion, severe liquidity crunch and inability to make payments to vendors that led to the closure of 1,600 Subhiksha stores. While the risk of Vishal Retail may be limited to 180-odd stores, but it is certainly a worrisome situation for the retailer as maximum profitability must be extracted out of these stores to overcome the liability. Although efforts are in progress, but Vishal Retail really needs a hard-hitting turnaround strategy to live up to its name, literally!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Why has IIPM always been opposed to B-school rankings?
IIPM students on NDTV Television Chat Show
Four Phase of IIPM Global Plans
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri says
30 professors of international repute to IIPM

This summer, marketers dare to explore the non-cola territories. And Savreen Gadhoke & Surbhi Chawla dare to forecast the outcomes...

2009-06-17T11:38:00.000+05:30

The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School

You must have heard a wiseman say this long back: “Love is to the heart what summer is to cola companies...” Alright, I admit, I was the wiseman, but really, that line does make a world of commercial sense! Summers have set in with its usual severity. Scorching heat, temperature soaring above 40 degrees, horse-like sweat, parched throats – this is perhaps what most Indians associate summers with. And summers being the first love of cola companies, the age-old bloodbath known as cola-wars (of course between titans Coca-Cola India and PepsiCo India) continue this season too. A lot of brouhaha is doing rounds in the Indian cola industry. Ending its 13-year long association with King Khan, PepsiCo recently terminated its contract with the superstar. SRK’s IPL team, Knight Riders too dropped Pepsi from its portfolio of sponsors and signed Coca-Cola India’s Coke brand instead. But this newsy fight is passé and the war has moved a level up. Recently, Coca-Cola’s lemon-flavoured aerated drink, Sprite, zoomed past Pepsi (as per ACNielsen) and sat proud occupying the number two slot with 14.6% market share in soft drink sales in India. With Thums Up already at the top slot, Coca-Cola India reigns over the black cola market with a consolidated market share of 57.8% as compared to PepsiCo, which commands a much lower 35.6%. But, the fight will get more intense this time, as the brawl has moved beyond the obvious & into ‘non-cola’ territories.

Last fortnight, PepsiCo India launched Nimbooz, a non-fizzy lemon juice with no artificial flavours under its 7UP brand. Giving it competition is Parle Agro’s natural lemon juice, LMN. On the other hand, Coca-Cola India too extended its brand Fanta and launched fruit flavoured aerated soft drink, Fanta Apple. Hitherto, Parle Agro’s Appy Fizz was the lone player in this segment with a complete control over the market for fizzy apple drinks. As beverage companies demonstrate their fascination toward lemon and apple drinks, carbonated black cola drinks may take a back seat...

But why a sudden affinity toward fruit-based drinks? The Indian consumers have, over the years, grown to be more health-conscious. With increased awareness about harms caused by the consumption of carbonated cola drinks, the consumers are seemingly wary about their health. And quick to encash on this frenzy of health consciousness, marketers have flooded the market with their fruit-based drinks harping over the health-quotient of the drink. And the one who gets to eat the juicy market share in the end will be the winner of this fruity fight.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

DRAWING COMPARISONS

2009-06-02T11:26:00.000+05:30

The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School

“In the western countries, it is the cable wire that also delivers broadband, and the companies should be looking at making use of the cable wire that is going in every household to make broadband popular,” informs, Sukanta Dey, President (Emerging Business), Tata Teleservices. It does sound as an innovative solution but is a misfit in the Indian context. “The cable broadband would require an integration of the broadband with the cable operators but as of now the cable sector itself is highly unorganised,” explains, Prashant Singhal, Telecommunications Leader, Ernst &Young. There are a great deal of synergies possible between cable and broadband as is seen in several developed markets where IPTV (a combination of these services) has gained much popularity. However, even though cable operators have fired all cylinders for market penetration, strangely broadband operators have remained numb. As a matter of fact even players like Sify and Hathway, which offer both broadband and cable while being around for quite some time, have not been able to do much in this direction. Apart from these there are BSNL and MTNL who are offering triple play services but the lack of awareness of their offerings ensures that there are no takers. The telecom market leader has just entered this arena with the launch of its IPTV (available only in Delhi) and it is expected that it would undertake some form of branding exercise in order to increase awareness. Sagar Mahableshwar, NCD, Redifusion Y&R, (agency for Airtel telecom service) reveals, “We are working on a campaign on broadband and it would be on air shortly.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Detail of all IIPM branches
1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Pawan Chabra throws up a stubbornly interesting claim that airport authorities

2009-05-20T16:21:00.000+05:30

and even oil marketing companies – should learn to make money from beyond the promised land, specifically, real estate...

It’s called the Boomerang Karma and it doesn’t need stuporous intellect to fathom. Pretty simple actually, and can be consolidated in my modified karmic conjecture – ‘What goes around, comes around... only if you throw it at the right angle!’ My conjecture centres around airport authorities and oil marketing companies and their ‘boomerang’, that is, the real estate they own; or rather, the investment locked within the huge tracts of real estate. And my hyper intuitive argument goes that to get their true returns on investment, airport authorities and oil marketing companies (OMCs) need to look beyond flying planes and selling oil! And where, dear Watson, should that be? Elementary, dear Holmes, just around the corner!

For the answer, ask yourself – the last time you were waiting in an airport lounge for catching a flight, what were you thinking of purchasing, other than of course cursing the fog for the delay? Bingo! There’s the answer. From selling food, drinks, books, apparel, accessories, shoes, gifts, to even providing for ATMs to get cash, airports are typical captive markets teeming with prospective consumers. And that holds considerably for even petrol pumps that can be exploited in more ways than just by selling fuel!

But what’s the real scene in India? “We make most of the money by our core business i.e. by fuel retailing and not by other activities. The scenario in India is very different as compared to the western countries,” confesses an HP petrol pump owner in Delhi requesting anonymity. It is true that the Indian retail industry is literally burning from the slowdown in the industry; and that’s the case with both low cost retailers like Subhiksha who are struggling to stay alive, and other regional retailers who are suffering a severe problem of cash crunch. But Airport Authority of India (AAI) and OMCs have the potential to make hay even while the sun isn’t shining. The reason is very simple – retail, despite the slowdown, is still one of the largest and fastest growing industries of India and with a contribution of over 10% to the country’s GDP, it accounts for close to 8% of total employment in the country.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School
Detail of all IIPM branches
1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

BOLLYWOOD IN ITSY-BITSY MODE

2009-04-22T17:17:00.000+05:30

IIPM set to beat economic slowdown

Small has been beautiful for Bollywood in 2008 and as far as 2009 goes, the jam on Bollywood’s slice is all set to match the flavour

Like India Inc., the slowdown sentiment has bitten tinsel town - a place where suited buited corporate types have become the norm rather than an exception. “2009 is likely to see fewer movies and I think actors will see less but more interesting work,” says filmmaker Pritish Nandy, firing the first salvo.

So will 2009 have more small budget movies? “Yes,” if ex-editor of Screen and Filmfare, Rauf Ahmed is to be believed. Says the veteran, “In 2008, movies with a small or moderate budget worked well. We’ll see more of the same this year.” Movies (with budgets upto Rs.12 crore) like Mithya, Aamir, Welcome to Sajjanpur, Jaane Tu..., A Wednesday, Rock on, Fashion, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, et al made fabulous moolah at the box office. “Jaane Tu is the biggest example of modest budget films working in 2008 and the trend will continue,” offers Shubhoshekhar Bhattacharjee, CEO, Planman Motion Pictures. Movies like Luck By Chance (from Big Pictures and Excel Entertainment) and Dev D (from UTV’s stable ) will be the first few movies in this genre to test the waters in 2009.

In boom time, the major focus is on top lines and attracting big numbers. But in a slowdown, people start focusing on the bottom line because that’s what helps to keep you going when the going gets tough. The risk in a small budget movie is less since a smaller investment is at stake comparatively. Even if the movie does average business, costs are easily recovered. Plus a greater focus on script at least ensures that the multiplex crowd is attracted. “You know that you don’t have a Shahrukh or Akshay to save you, so you work harder on the script,” argues Imtiaz Ali, the maker of Jab We Met. Producer Vipul Shah adds, “This year, the script will be the barometer of the film, not the star cast.” Sanjay Mehta, arguably the biggest film distributor in Delhi adds another dimension, “Multiplexes need small films as they have multiple screens and multiple shows in a single day. One obviously does not have a big film releasing each of the 52 weeks of the year to keep all shows running.”

But some disagree, arguing that big budget movies like Ghajini (which has broken all industry records, raking in over Rs.200 crore) are the face of Bollywood. They are not wrong. In fact, mega bucks and mega starers like Ghajini and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi continue to conquer every movie-goer inhibition viz. terror attacks or tight pockets. But sample this: at least 15 movies (taking a conservative estimate) were released in 2008 with budgets ranging from Rs.20 crore to Rs.50-60 crore. Only three of them (Ghajini, Rab ne and Singh is King) became a rage at Box Office. Movies like Love Story 2050, Drona, Yuvraj, Tashan, God Tussi Great Ho were disasters. Race and Jodha Akbar did well, but they were nowhere near Ghajini or Rab Ne in terms of collections, leaving just the big three (above) balancing the Bollywood balance sheet for big flicks in 2008.

This is not to say that big budget movies won’t be made in 2009. But since liquidity is a concern, they’ll be made with a lot more caution. Movies with swanky Rs.50 crore budgets will certainly not be the popular choice for film makers; if made, every effort will go into keeping spends under control. Nandy agrees, “The industry has to rethink and get into a viable mode. Everyone needs to behave responsibly and make movies at reasonable costs.” Small indeed promises to be beautiful on 70mm screen this year!

Pallavi Srivastava

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

“I WANT MY GUJARAT TO BE THE BEST”

2009-04-03T14:50:00.000+05:30

1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers

HIS ELECTORAL VICTORIES ARE NO FLUKE AND CAN’T BE CREDITED TO THE HINDUTVA ICON TAG EITHER. BRAND MODI ALSO SIGNIFIES ‘DEVELOPMENT’

Soon after his triumph in the January 08’ Assembly Elections in Gujarat, Narendra Modi in an exclusive interview to our sister magazine The Sunday Indian had emphasised his single minded focus on building a Vibrant Gujarat; something he seemingly values over even his own image. He said, “I don’t waste time on my own image building. I use my power, energy and time to build an image for Gujarat. I want my Gujarat to be the best.” Modi has lived these words ever since he accidently became Gujarat CM more than eight years ago (when incumbent Kesubhai Patel had to leave because of dissidence). Ever since, he has not just transformed the image of Brand Gujarat as a key investment destination in India, but himself has become a global brand signifying development and inclusive growth. According to K. V. Kamath, MD, ICICI Bank, “Modi has magically transformed Gujarat in the last 7-8 years from a drought-prone, power-starved state into one of the most developed states of India.” The praise is not unreasonable. As per RBI, during Modi’s tenure, Gujarat has received investment proposals of Rs.62,442 crore up to March 2008 (22% of India’s total investments). Further, sources in the government reveal that Gujarat’s development index has already surpassed nations like Singapore, Thailand & Brunei. And behind the makeover, there is the Modi mantra for inclusive development. Don’t go far, just look at the manner in which Modi wooed Tata’s Nano into his state with just a simple SMS – ‘Welcome to Gujarat.’ At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January, Ratan Tata had said, “Those who are not coming to Gujarat to invest are dunce.”

Least bothered about his detractors, Modi has concerned himself mainly on the development of Gujarat. “Politics for me is not ambition, but a mission,’’ he says. Small wonder that Adi Godrej refers to him as the CEO of Gujarat. He once said, “Whenever Modi says anything, we industrialists do not think that a CM or politician is talking. He is a CEO and whatever he says, he does.” Such confidence in a politician is remarkable, especially in a country where politics has almost become a dirty word. But Modi prefers to call himself a trustee of Gujarat, one whose mission is to accomplish Gujarat’s economic and social progress. He intends to make Gujarat the infrastructrural hub of India. “Gujarat leads the way on every front – be it economy or social. The Gujarat model of all inclusive development is benchmark,” he confidently avers.

Known in administrative circles for his strictness and demand for discipline, Modi has a 24-hour hotline number for the junta and promises that all complaints would be attended to within 48 hours. Even bureaucrats are under pressure to perform, having to routinely present their progress reports to him via PPTs. 24X7 electricity supply (Jyotigram Yojna) across Gujarat has been Modi’s greatest achievement. Love him for his progressive approach, or hate him for his regressive brand of communal politics, but you certainly can’t ignore this firebrand Modi!

Manish Macwan

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Return of the real McCoy!

2009-03-21T16:17:00.000+05:30

1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers

But then, terror attacks or no terror attacks, one cannot disregard the fact that it is purely the global economic slowdown that has resulted in the overseas rights of films getting hurt massively. Vikas Sahni, noted Mumbai based film agent, reveals, “People have either stopped buying overseas rights or are very cautious about it. Companies like Neptune, CA corporation, Venus et al have bought no overseas rights for a Bollywood movie in past few months.” Even Eros has stopped buying rights for new films as of now. And that is surely a big hit, given that some so called ‘intellectual’ movies (or multiplex draws) do badly domestically, yet make up big time overseas – Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures, confirmed to us, “The industry has become quite reliant on such sales to make movies payoff.”

Industry veterans like Sajid Khan, Imtiaz Ali and veteran journalists like Rauf Ahmed share with us that this situation may be beneficial for the industry in the long run as a lot of non-serious filmmakers, who got into the business just for the heck of it, will be discouraged now. Imtiaz adds, “This will also lead to price corrections resulting in tighter budgets and huge slash in talent fees.” UTV’s Kapoor confirms, “We are already working out with all the partners in the value chain (including directors and actors) on how to make costs more rationalised.” Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, no name is big in the latest move to ‘rationalise’ actor fees. Connected to these are collection estimates. “The kind of collection figures that have been put out by producers in the past, the kind of numbers actors displayed as their fee worth, is unrealistic and unreliable in terms of current viability,” feels Nandy.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Realty’s harsh reality!

2009-03-13T14:47:00.000+05:30

IIPM Admission Detail

If you thought that a fall in inflation by 1.74% to 8.98% was enough to force banks to cut down on their home loan rates then you might be a little disappointed. This is because the major lenders, including ICICI and HDFC, feel that cost of money has still not come down to a level from where they can go for a rate cut. ICICI, in fact, has increased its home loan rates by 100 bps from 12% to 13%. No doubt, the Central Bank has been persuading banks to lend more to the troubled realty sector and to make it happen it has also reduced the risk-weights on banks’ exposures to the real estate sector from 150% to 100%. But this still has not been able to restore confidence among banks. So, for a rate cut, we think, the wait gets litter longer!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Despite fears of creating a monopoly, one is almost sympathetic toward the deal. Reason? Pathetic state of Indian aviation

2009-02-26T13:26:00.000+05:30

IIPM Admission Detail

When the MRTPC gets down to its task of evaluating the Jet-Kingfisher deal on whether it really is a monopolistic alliance, the overriding reality in its mind would pertain to the bright red on the balance sheets of every airline in business today. The year 2008 was of open distress and agony for Indian aviation players; a year when their dreams crashed; a year when they reaped disappointing losses in return for their colossal investments; a year when even the 3Gs of the industry – Glamour, Girls and Gizmos – failed to entice consumers and moneybags. Here’s a look at what prompted the two competitors to rub shoulders and announce this sweetheart deal.

First things first – the red dot of a mind-numbing Rs.10 crore per day for each of their airlines is what instigated Goyal and Mallya to move into a huddle. It is sad to even contemplate sustaining such massive losses continually, especially when even government policies are seemingly unfavourable for aviation players. In view of this, their alliance (spanning areas such as joint fuel management, common ground handling, route rationalisation and cross-selling of flight inventories) not only makes sense but also enables them to save millions of dollars each.

However, government policies were not made in a day. They have been the same ever since Goyal and Mallya started their respective air operations. What has changed now are the skyrocketing Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices, which have reached an all time high of 50% of the operating costs, as opposed to just about 25-30%, say even about a year back. From thereon, it has become a vicious cycle. The high fuel price increases operating costs, which in turn cause a sharp rise in air fares, resulting in a decline in overall passenger traffic. Analyse fuel prices and you find that on every Rs.2,000 ticket, about Rs.2,900 is levied as fuel surcharge (with passenger service fee, transaction surcharge and congestion fee charged separately).

Had the fuel cost impediment not been there, the sector would still have witnessed losses, but the financial bleeding would not have been so intense. In India, ATF is sold at almost 70% higher prices as compared to international markets like Singapore et al. This price differential is due to the sales tax ranging from 4-30% levied on ATF in India. Any reduction in this tax would spell glad tidings for aviation players. And it is this price differential and other operating cost expenses that compelled Mallaya and Goyal to sign the deal.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!