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Green Initiative : A man-made sanctuary in Kodagu

2011-10-03T23:34:00.000-07:00

This little sanctuary in South Kodagu is a man-made paradise. We are talking about Save Animals Initiative (SAI) Sanctuary, which encompasses an area of 300 acres and is a village by itself.

The fact that the forest in the area has been nurtured and retained in its purest natural form is due to the efforts of Anil Kumar Malhotra and Pamela Gale Malhotra, Managing Trustee and Co-Managing Trustee of SAI Sanctuary Trust.

“We started this initiative way back in 1993 with a meagre 55 acres and have expanded it as forest land. Some of the area is also used for cultivation of coffee, cardamom, bamboo, rice, banana, tomato and other vegetables and fruits,” adds Pamela. Anil quips, “The Western Ghats region is key source for fresh water and Kodagu is the heart serving Maharashtra and Karnataka.” The duo has settled in India, after donning various hats in the US (finance professionals, waiters, bartenders and hoteliers), only to find later that nature was their true calling.

“Preserving pristine water resources, expanding and protecting the sources of fresh water, cultivating natural organic foods without disturbing native trees and putting waste land to proper use,” has been their mission and they modestly admit to having achieved it gradually and add that they have miles to go.

So was the path all smooth? “Not at all,” Anil hastily adds. “Right from getting workers to procuring materials to managing finances, it has been an extremely tough but rewarding journey.” The Malhotras have also protected the environment while serving the economically downtrodden and socially backward classes for almost a decade in the Himalayas before embarking on this mega venture. Apart from protecting forests and freshwater, their other priorities include rescue, rehabilitation and release of wildlife, besides conservation of energy. The sanctuary boasts three micro hydro-generators, micro windmills and several solar panels along with solar hot water systems—all of which provide enough electricity to meet their needs. More importantly they do not avail the services of the State’s electricity grid and do not have a single connection to or meter of the power grid. The Malhotras fondly refer to the sanctuary as a natural forest.

True to its name, the sanctuary provides a sanctuary for elephants, deer and tigers to feast on while supplying fresh water to quench their thirst from its river and ponds. They also engage a veterinarian to treat injured birds and animals which come to the sanctuary and those brought in by villagers. The Malhotras themselves have saved an impressive collection of African love birds which are housed in a large aviary.

The sanctuary is characterised by the flavour of nature, be it in the form of homemade cottage cheese/paneer procured from their own cattle and served to guests or the walls made of natural stones (resembling entrances of caves). The Malhotras also take you to the roof-top tree canopy to help you get a bird’s eye view of the sanctuary stretching to the borders of Brahmagiri hills. The view is breathtaking. Anil proudly claims to have spread awareness in several villages on the advantages of organic farming. Anil points out that the place is not a picnic spot or a holiday destination, and says only those genuinely interested in nature should visit the sanctuary. SAI Sanctuary is located at Theralu Village and Post, South Kodagu District. It is near Birunani Village which is a 20 minute drive away.

This article was published in Spectrum, a supplement of Deccan Herald , dated October 4,2011.

Heaven on earth : Untouched beauty

2011-09-22T01:01:00.000-07:00

I had booked myself on a group tour to explore central and north India and I was content with enjoying only a few landmarks in Delhi and Punjab as the sense of urgency to land in Kashmir superseded the tour’s itinerary.

Watching Bollywood blokes dance around chinar trees in Kashmir, way back in ‘70s and ‘80s, fascinated me and I always had a desire to visit this pristine land. A look at River Jhelum in Kashmir was love at first sight. Our fetish for Kashmiri food landed us at a dhaba and we were served a plate of sweet Kashmiri rice accompanied by Kashmiri tea made of dry fruits, green cardamom (mixed in powdered form) saffron and hot water. Kashmiri tea is light on the stomach, tastes very smooth and has a soothing effect on the throat.

Around midnight, the tour operator wakes us to inform that we have reached Srinagar (the chill breeze confirmed his statement). We retire for the night, eagerly awaiting to explore the city the next day. The next morning, we jump with excitement when we are told that the Dal Lake is walkable from our hotel. A fleet of houseboats, several dozens of shikaras waiting to carry the eager, is the typical scene. We pay Rs 200 for a two-hour boat ride while those wanting a longer ride paid Rs 300 for three hours. We split into groups of four to board the shikaras. The seating is ornamental, comfortable and customised according to individual comfort.

The boatman rows with amazing shrewdness and as we sail along, our eyes catch the attention of a dredging vehicle deployed in the middle of Dal Lake, removing and disposing weeds. Vendors travel in exclusive shikaras to sell Kashmiri silk saris, dry fruits and ornaments to travellers. Passengers get to visit a park nearby as the boatman rests. In the park, one can wear Kashmiri robes and get themselves photographed to treasure cherished memories.

We get back to our respective shikaras and reach Village Bazaar. This is reminiscent of the water-laden streets of Venice. Muttons, stationeries and toiletries and Kashmiri silk saris, you have them all there, besides super markets, barber shops and cobbler shops — all housed in exclusive boats. Tourists plying to houseboats with luggage in shikaras catch our attention. Though the houseboats are anchored, they are moved to other places as per customer requests, to areas as far as Jhelum or canals of Srinagar.

Post-lunch was reserved for exploring gardens and shopping. The first garden on our itinerary was Shalimar Bagh, which is 15 km from Srinagar. In Shalimar Bagh, canals made of fine polished stones run in the middle of the first and second terrace, whereas the third terrace has a black marble construction. Mughal emperors entertained their guests here, we are told, whereas the fourth terrace was meant for Mughal queens and royal ladies. Our next stop was Pari Mahal. This garden is a 10-km drive from Srinagar.

There are six terraces and the notice board informs onlookers that the monuments are protected by the government (though only ruins are left now). But the ruins too are beautiful and we could only imagine their grandeur in the days of yore. Chashma Shahi, another popular garden here, is a five minute drive from Pari Mahal and the water here, which flows in from a local spring, is said to be rich in medicinal properties.

On our second day in Srinagar, we started early to procure jackets, hoods and snow protection shoes, on rent, before visiting the Gulmarg snow peak, which is an hour’s drive from Srinagar. We could see several adventure junkies trying to reach the hill top.

The most amazing feature of these snow peaks is that sun rays, somehow, do not melt the ice. We left Gulmarg late evening, after playing our hearts out in the snow. Early next morning, our last day in Srinagar, we decided to seek some adventure by white water rafting on Lidder River. It is offered in two stretches. A two-km ride costs Rs 200 and a seven-km ride Rs 700. A rower and a life saver accompany passengers in boats of varying capacities; some can accommodate four, the others six, and some others even eight people.

Later, we head to Pahalgam by bus. The horse ride here is also quite adventurous. And as we retired for the night, we looked back and realised why people call Kashmir ‘heaven on earth’. It definitely is. Green gardens, snow-covered hills, beautiful lakes adorned by shikaras, and of course, warm locals. Kashmir is a paradise you need to savour at least once in your lifetime.

This travelogue was published in Sunday Herald ( a supplement of Deccan Herald) on August 28,2011.

Careers in Content Marketing

2010-11-22T01:31:00.000-08:00

Careers in Sales and Marketing were long restricted to a few designations like Salesmen, Marketing Executives, Cold-callers, Sales Managers. But, now there are a plethora of opportunities and one can be an Account Manager, Ad-Sales/Operations Manager, Marketing Communication/Brand Communication Manager, Pre-Sales person, Customer-care Representative, Business Analyst so on and so forth. The opportunities for marketing professionals are endless and it is ever-expanding with the emergence of a multi-million dollar industry, namely Content Marketing.

What is Content Marketing?

Content and Context are the buzzwords these days. Content Marketing is a judicious mix of traditional and modern marketing to engage customers. In simple words it is the application of social media tools, effective use of online medium for creating and promoting “Thought and Action Leadership content”, not to influence customers regarding buying decisions but to keep them informed about industry trends, provide clarifications and address their needs. Content Marketing aims to provide customers with what they want in terms of information products rather than trying to sell a company’s product or services/dump the prospect with the company’s sales literature.

Content Marketing is a million-dollar industry. It is a by-product of the Information Technology revolution in the Marketing arena. Content Marketing is the precursor to revamping messaging themes, conveying the essence of large text in few lines, irrespective of which part of the globe readers are. Content Marketing essentially addresses increased consumer awareness, constant demand for in-depth and research information, the opportunity to enhance a company’s brand etc and serving global audience.

How does it work?

If one were to buy a car or plan a holiday what would one do? One would browse travel-related websites, or websites of different companies manufacturing and selling cars, evaluate prices, features, go through user reviews, customer testimonials and then arrive at a purchasing decision. The whole process happens through a click of a mouse and irrespective of whether the person is at home or travelling. Content Marketing provides users with what they want and in the place and through the device preferred by them. For instance all the above steps can be executed either through a laptop or a mobile phone with an internet connection.

In comparison, in the past, buyers had to contact different dealers or travel agents over phone as the case may be, get competitive quotes, meet them at their place, and negotiate and so on. Content marketing provides the convenience of doing all that immediately as compared to the earlier time span of weeks or months for the same process.

Job Opportunities in Content Marketing

Web/Content Writer

A content/web writer’s role involves writing crisp and concise copy such that it immediately grabs the attention of online readers. Surveys claim that most of the readers decide to skim through an article only if the headline is impressive, since they do not have the luxury of time anymore. These writers are employed by companies across all sectors. With the digitalisation of newspapers, magazines, websites of television channels offering live-updates and the increasing online advertisements, even advertisement agencies employ them. A knack for writing, attention to details, ability to work under tight pressures and deadlines, multitask and coordinate are some of the prerequisites for the job. Graduation/Post Graduation in English and working experience in the same sector are preferred. Journalists and Writers with some relevant experience are the ideal candidates for this job. The salary could range from `12,000 to 15,000 for freshers whereas experienced candidates could fetch a greater sum ranging from `30,000 to 45,000 (experience of 4-5 years). In India, we do not have any specific institute offering courses in web/content writing, and even the veterans in the industry are either from journalism/advertising background. The ideal career growth could be Senior Content Writer, Content Manager, Content Lead and Content Head. Content Heads with experience of 13-15 years draw a salary of `18, 000,000 to 20,000,000. Content writing also involves the effective use of instructional design techniques to create storyboards, presentations that can be uploaded online and provided to readers. There are several institutes offering courses in instructional design or web content writing through the online medium, but the fees are highly expensive and it may be worth to pursue a program, only after several years of relevant work experience.

Online Marketing Executive

An online marketing executive is expected to almost everything if not more than that of a traditional marketing executive right from generating leads to conducting specific campaigns to providing sales support to gather marketing/business intelligence. The only difference is that he or she has to do it in an online medium. Important job skills include the ability to research information on the internet, awareness of cyber regulations like spamming, effectively using online alerts like Google Alerts in the interest and towards fulfillment of business objectives. An MBA from a reputed institution is the most sought after qualification for this job. Salaries could range anywhere from `20,000 to 30,000 and as one moves up the career ladder, they can earn much more handsome rewards. Online Marketing executives can also consider moving into areas like adwords, demand generation through online content.

Webmaster

This is one of the newest job profiles and is a very niche skill required in the industry. A webmaster’s job involves managing the website, ensuring that the organisation’s goals and objectives are kept in letter and spirit in the online medium, comfortably manage different online tools like Google Ad words, Content Management Tools developed in-house, and coordinate with writers, designers and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to ensure timely delivery of content on the web. A graduate in any stream is eligible to apply for this job. Since it involves a high degree of coordination and creativity, aspirants are required to have a deep orientation towards planning and execution. A successful webmaster is one who uses the web as an effective marketing tool. The salary range for freshers could be anywhere from `8,000 to 12,000 but with 3 to 4 years of experience candidates can earn a huge sum as much as and even more than `50,000. Since this is a widely growing phenomenon it would not be possible to define a certain career path but is undoubtedly a very promising opportunity.

SEO and Social Media Specialist

Large organisations employ a SEO/and Social media specialist in addition to a webmaster, but in small organisations the task is often taken care by the webmaster. SEO expands Search Engine Marketing and it involves effective use of keywords to ensure that the company’s website is ranked high among search engines. They procure keywords that are searched frequently by web crawlers. Web crawlers are tools used by search engines to spot the keywords relevant to a particular industry/area of interest. On the other hand a social media specialist works towards ensuring timely delivery and consistency of the company’s messages across social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, internal and external blogs etc. Since both jobs are a sub function of the previous, the aspirants could lose interest and feel that it is monotonous unless they are able to think out of the box and exhibit zeal in the creative ideas that they could come up with. Salaries and career growth possibilities are similar to the former jobs listed above.

This article was published in the October issue of STC India newsletter.

Content: The News Marketing Tool

2010-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

The rules of marketing undergo significant changes, as time passes by. From a seller-dominated market to a buyer-dominated market, it has come a long way to ultimately crown the consumer. Other ancillary functions like marketing communication and advertising undergo a sea-change. So, “blowing one’s trumpet” is no more the way of selling, as everyone, right from the consumer to the competitor, is well equipped with information, facts, and figures.

The dramatic shift in marketing is characterized by the advertising language that uses the tone of informing than selling. In today’s world a seller needs to be proactive, anticipate changes, and create awareness among the community. To reach everyone in the right time, place and to convince and provide a multitude of options is the goal of every seller and marketer. Content Marketing empowers one to do that.
What is Content Marketing?

Content Marketing is the creation of engaging, compelling, and customer-centric content, effective use of various modern media (internet, website, blogs, social media marketing) to communicate the focused information to target buyers. Content marketing is an improvement over traditional marketing (print, advertising, and magazine) and yields fantastic results at nominal investments and minimal maintenance costs.

To be explicit, content marketing involves viral marketing for your campaigns – remember the SMS virus created by BJP asking people to vote them to power, during the 2004 elections or the electoral magic created by Obama through effective campaigning in social networking sites and online media? The intended communication reaches the target audience through the click of a mouse. A successful content marketing strategy involves offering information products to end-consumers. Servicing customers, achieving increased user satisfaction in a highly competitive scenario amidst expanding overseas presence is possible easily through content marketing.
Content Marketing industry

Content Marketing is a multibillion dollar industry. There is a thin line between Content Marketing and Traditional Marketing. It is not a substitute but a supplementary function that improves the effectiveness of the latter, phenomenally. A point to be noted is that most of the newspapers, magazines, and even advertisement agencies and TV channels have established an online presence. Having embraced the philosophy of integrated marketing communication, they are offering the benefits offered by content marketers in addition to what they have been offering from time immemorial. However, there are niche areas like Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click (PPC) that only content marketers offer. Content marketing has enormous potential in terms of generating employment opportunities or simply put change the face of marketing.
The competitive edge

Why do the leading television channels play recorded videos of their programs in their websites? Why do magazines publish their news articles online and in social media marketing tools like Facebook? Why do CDs and DVDs accompany the media kits of corporate? Why do companies invest more and more money in creating their own content? Why are regional websites attaining popularity? Why are blogs and twitter posts in the limelight? Limited attention spans, constant urge for information on products are some of the reasons. Added to that is the viability to access content at any place and time – for instance travelers read mails during flight journeys. Content marketing helps reach the audience conveniently be it during their leisure or while attending a board meeting or even when driving a vehicle. It does not surpass traditional marketing, but helps your target audience access information in the shortest time span. Added to that, other factors like user-friendly language, mechanism of crisp communication and the possibility of providing actionable items are some of the factors that favor content marketing. For instance, there are options to read related posts or contact a subject matter expert by email or chat in most of the websites.
Adopting Content Marketing

A judicious mix of traditional and content marketing will help in achieving your company’s objectives or ROI from marketing budgets. That said, it is not easy to transform the mindset of a company’s top management to publish all their customer-centric information on the internet, or post thought leadership content on their inventions in a public-domain, more so in the case of traditional organizations. But one needs to communicate the success of solepreneurs, multinationals, and even non-profit organizations who have utilized this powerful medium to achieve marketing objectives by spending only a fraction of their marketing budgets. Above all making an effective use of the content marketing devices involves only a one-time investment and thereafter it is only maintenance and content creation costs, for instance in the case of a corporate website all that an organization needs to invest is in buying a domain name and for the initial layout, design etc. Organizations that fail to consider content marketing will lag behind their competitors, no matter the quality of their offerings, reputation in the market or any other factor that has been influential to the organizations growth, till now.
The future of Content Marketing

Content marketing is here to stay. But what will happen to it in the next ten years is anybody’s guess. Just like every technology or invention there will be improvements over Content Marketing. But, until anything of the sort happens, it is an important marketing mix. If you have not yet looked into implementing it in your company so far, it is high time you act upon it.

This article was published in STC(Society for Technical Communication) India Newsletter(August Issue).

Managed Services - Minimising IT spends, labour on maintenance

2010-09-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

CEOs and CTOs of technology companies are on an unfulfilled mission.

While the quest for innovations in the stream of IT development continues in an uninterrupted manner, there are innumerable challenges in the other end of spectrum viz., IT maintenance and the need to ensure customer satisfaction, seamlessly.

Despite the increase in system efficiency and skill-levels of knowledge workers, the problems in IT maintenance continue to loom. The biggest setback of this is that it could have an impact on continued business, even in the case of key accounts and ultimately affect the top-line.

IT maintenance problems could prove to be a setback to the outsourcing business model. Some of the common problems include delay in tracking issues to closure, having to use excessive bandwidth, deputing additional and experienced resources, security and vulnerability constraints and a break-down in day-to-day operations.

Apart from affecting future business prospects, this could tarnish your company’s image in the market.

What is Automated Managed Services?
Automated Managed Services(AMS) is the one-stop-solution that addresses the crucial problem of any industry that uses IT solutions. They involve taking care of entire IT maintenance remotely and through a web platform.

Managed services take away all the constraints in IT maintenance; be it money or man-power or timelines. Irrespective of whom your customer employs: (be it tech-savy or non tech-savy professionals), their maintenance needs are taken care at a minimal cost and at a much faster phase than in the past.

How does one procure it?
AMS services are provided by vendors specialising in making and distributing IT automation licenses. Purchasing a license, installing and renewing it periodically ensure that the vendor takes care of IT maintenance at his office; irrespective of the location of your office where there is a problem.

The convenience of using this service is that it does not involve the time of your key-resources and you will only need to deploy a minimal fraction of the present workforce engaged in maintenance related activities.

In the case of smaller companies and SME’s the numbers could be still restricted, depending on the requirements.

Promising returns
Instead of paying a monthly emolument to every resource engaged by your vendor currently, you end up paying only for the issues that they track to closure. And they do all this without taking up your office space or much of your IT manager’s time.

Sending periodical reports or patches to clients, advising them on upgradation, alerting and doing away with virus infections and any issues relate to IT maintenance would be their responsibilities.

Audit features
Apart from the convenience of not having to engage so many service engineers and disrupting normal course of work, there are also added benefits as AMS keeps a watch on the application downloads, objectionable content etc. and immediately alerts.

You can also customize it to add more security features should you fear the retrieval of credit card data or instruction manuals or chapters of a book etc.

The requirements of Data Protection Act easily be met and thereby improve the maturity levels of IT infrastructure. The advantage of AMS is that since it supports web-based features, the tracking and resultant decisions can be done in seconds.

Servicing multiple customers
By procuring an AMS license, it is possible to install the same in multiple-touch-points. This essentially means that you can service more customers earn more money, at a one-time investment.

You can aim at increasing customer satisfaction because AMS can help in identifying problems well in advance and address the root-cause, rather than looking at it after it has erupted. Apart from increasing performance levels, it can also help to bolster professionalism and improve your corporate image in the lines of a trusted service provider.

So if you do not have adequate manpower or infrastructural capacity to service existing customers, do not worry any more.

Doing away with constraints
The biggest advantage of managing IT infrastructure remotely is that it does not require you to pay for service engineer’s visit. Many a time, companies handle infrastructure management problems internally to avoid these costs. For this reasons even upgrades are shelved.

But with an AMS in place, these issues do not matter anymore and added to that the solutions to the problem is identified immediately and solved, be it auditing or data protection issues or regular-maintenance or downtime.

Business-Centric solution
Infrastructure management primarily addresses technology needs. But AMS also takes care of aligning business and technological requirements. As a matter of fact the requirements for an AMS solution are vetted and signed-off both by business and technology users.

Challenges
Having said that AMS results in a win-win situation, the transformation from traditional IT support to the later is not a smooth one and the typical resistant to change management have an indomitable role here too.
The following paragraphs list some of the general challenges and the means to tackle them:

Automation
The solution also turns out to be a problem in the first phase! Since AMS calls for a high degree of process efficiency and least dependence (and even nil) on manual intervention, this could pose a trouble if companies are not able to completely automate.

In the sense, the efficiency of AMS could decrease as compared to the traditional engagement models that were product centric, if the supporting processes in IT are not completely automated.

In such a circumstance it would call for partial or even full manual intervention and the ultimate objective of an AMS could be defeated. In simple words they should allow IT to take care of itself.

That does not mean that automatic managed services is a magical box that can work around if your own IT-set up is not on par with the requirements of the former. AMS should not be viewed as a product but an integral process.

Hence companies should take the necessary measures that they would do put an integral process in place. In this case it could range from reengineering the tools, bringing in a meticulous maintenance model and so on.

Delegate greater responsibility
AMS do not mean that the staff in the IT maintenance department can rest and assume that the systems will take care of everything. Even after ensuring a proper system in place, AMS cannot function efficiently if it is not periodically monitored and regulated.

In the initial phases this could be much more time that what the staff spent in traditional set-ups, but in the course of time the process will take care of everything. Many IT staffs fail to understand this logic and appreciate the benefits of this service as they look at it as a burden or extra work.

AMS should not be seen as a ad-hoc arrangement and if companies can drive the message that it is not a replacement device but a mechanism to improve productivity, there are lesser chances of feelings of disgruntlement among employees.

So the success of AMS depends right from the day of orientation.

Reliability
There is a sense of insecurity and employees are many times apprehensive on the effectiveness of AMS. As a result of lack of trust there are many instances where a managed service is deployed due to pressure from the management and the staff continues practicing traditional maintenance tools.

This way it becomes difficult or impossible to measure the returns from AMS. While initially employees will tend to hesitate to move away from the Annual Maintenance Contract, companies should reinforce the fact that AMS are not only beneficial to the company but also to employees by addressing the initial resistance through demonstrating a series of proven beneficial models and how the same can be applied towards achieving bandwidth issues in the organisation.

Automated Managed Services in the emerging markets
Since AMS are highly depended on technological efficiency and the skill levels of the knowledge worker, there is adequate scope and a growing market for them in the developing nations as a service provider, beneficiary and employees.

On the employment front programming and marketing these services are a lucrative option. On the services front there are few companies aiming to capitalize on this service, but have not developed adequate service efficiency, whereas companies availing these services have already gained a lot of benefits in terms of costs and labour.

And your decision...
AMS is catching up in a rapid manner across the globe. Companies were initially apprehensive but later saw through not only its benefits but also the flexibility it offers in terms of modes of engagement.

For instance you can use an AMS provider only to beef-up your security needs or you can use it for the upkeep of disaster recovery centre or for day-to-day operations. Whatsoever be your objective, managed services are bound to satisfy them in fulfilling them at the shortest span. So have you already started looking out for an IT Managed Services Provider? Say “I do”!.

This article was published in www.ciol.com

What will the world economy look after recovery/ Life after recession- The New World Order

2010-09-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Vicious Circle
Abstract:
Financial institutions will come under the scanner of governments and central banks and there will be stringent measures to regulate lending. Financial governance will be an important element in election manifesto and a winning trump card in the contests for public offices. There would certainly be lax after the economy booms and this would snowball into a clamor and perfectly set the stage for the next economic meltdown. The vicious circle will repeat for ever no matter whatever may be the levels of investor awareness, corporate governance, government regulations addressing the sale of financial products at the national and international level. As human beings we are prone to make mistakes, learn and rectify them only to make smaller or bigger mistakes of different nature in future! (No pun intended), both monetary and non-monetary.

Preface: The underlying principle of the wheel of fortune is universally applicable, whether it is the laws of economics or of ecological balance. Hence, the belief ‘Whatever goes up needs to come down’ holds true in every aspect of human life. It is no exaggeration to say that the present scenario is akin to a breathing gap.
As we think of celebrating the recovery from a full blown recession that has plunged the very foundations of global economy, one is reminded of the infamous ‘Great Depression’ of 1930’s. There are massive attempts to keep a check on financial regulations, implement better measures to improve accountability as well as corporate governance, by appointing managers and CEO’s with corporate conscience. Similar efforts are being taken across nations, to establish powerful machinery to do away with financial mismanagement in corporations and cross cultural trades.

Short terms effects:
Enactment of laws or jurisprudence did little to curtail corporate scams; greater degree of transparency will be demanded in financial systems and policies. Though spending will be restricted by few sections of the society, the idea of thrift will not strive for long, as public memory is short, be it elections or economics. The stock market volatility will be a major concern to all stakeholders. Prudence and extreme sense of caution will prevail among investors.

Long term effects:
Financial institutions will come under the scanner of governments and central banks and there will be stringent measures to regulate lending. Credit rating agencies will play larger than life role in deciding the fate of borrowers. However, they will also be subjected to strict scrutiny by governments. Further, banks will think twice before lending inspite of whether the loan applicant is a wealthy individual or a cash-rich corporation, irrespective of the collaterals and guarantees they produce in addition to their satisfactory credit ratings. Shadow-banking system will be the least preferred by customers and governments shall act sternly against those bankers in case of financial malpractices, even to the extent of making them state-run. High-risk lending practices like ‘Future Mortgages and Sub-prime Mortgages’ will be strongly discouraged.

Jobs- a very serious affair, in future:
The employment scenario would be bleak for certain months and gradually progress. Even if job markets flourish there would be greater stress on performance, skill sets elimination of flab and being leaner meaner, and efficient. Similarly hiring and replacement would occur at limited intervals and there will be a great demand for candidates possessing multiple and need based skills as opposed to the present genre of specialists. Manpower industry will face severe setbacks and hence they will diversity and extensively specialize in allied HR areas like payroll processing, Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) and Training and Development (T&D) activities.

Realty a Reality:
Real Estate will revive at a very slow pace. Property prices will increase steadily. Commercial markets, especially in prime areas, will have a quicker recovery than residential ones. There will not be any unrealistic escalations at least for the next one or two years. Small, medium investors and large investors with undiversified interests will face setbacks, due to liquidity crunch.

Strengthening Investment rationales:
Investor awareness will be greater in trading of financial and wealth management products. Investments will only be treated as a luxury and not as a necessity until the economy shoots upto, at least double digit rate in developing countries and a high single digit rate in developed nations. This segment will witness development of multiple products and taxable options at the disposal of average consumers. Financial consultants will be highly innovative and aggressive to push the sale of financial products even as the average investor will demand more benefits at minimum price and not vice versa. Investors will no more be carried away by listening to impressive presentations of consultants. Companies selling complex financial products like derivates and hedge-funds will face severe cost pressures and their schemes and new product launches will be subject to constant surveillance and ratification of financial policy regulators appointed by the respective states. Global Financial regulatory agencies will be set up to protect the interests of Foreign Institutional Investors and domestic investors. Financial companies will have no choice but to revamp products and services at a much better proposition to consumers. They will constantly aim at spreading investor awareness in the interests of selling their products to ensure customer satisfaction and understanding.

Financial reforms and politics:
Financial governance will be an important element in election manifesto and a winning trump card in the contests for public offices. Barrack Obama scored a landmark victory to be crowned as the 43rd U.S. President, because apart from others his election manifesto vowed to restore America from the financial mess and mayhem. It also deserves mentioning that his administration has kept its promises. Though there are lots of criticism on his bail out packages and health care insurance reforms, he has maintained in letter and spirit progressive actions for benefit of the tax payers, the unemployed, the sick companies and the economy as a whole. Similarly, leaders through the world will concentrate on enforcing effective systems in regulating financial institutions and companies.

Conclusion:
‘All said and done’ the cycle will repeat and the world would certainly witness another recession after several years though it is not possible to forecast the exact time of its occurrence, now. Whatever has been discussed in the essay as trends and expected behavior of consumers, governments and financial corporations will indulge in knee-jerk reactions. It does not necessarily mean change in their mind-set with regards to money-matters. Hence, there would certainly be lax after the economy booms and this would snowball into a clamor and perfectly set the stage for the next economic meltdown. But, from the lessons learned from the present and the past there will be proactive measures to minimise the impacts of recession. The vicious circle will repeat for ever no matter be the levels of investor awareness, corporate governance, government regulations addressing the sale of financial products at the national and international level. As human beings we are prone to make mistakes, learn and rectify them only to make smaller or bigger mistakes of different nature in future! (No pun intended), both monetary and non-monetary.

Courtrallam - The spa of the south

2010-09-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

Everybody's talking about Coutrallam now. The irrepressibly majestic waterfalls have put the tiny town on the international tourist map. This also happens to be the best time of the year to visit Courtallam – the temperature is just right and the roar of the waters, which are infused with rare herbs, cascading onto your body is guaranteed to chase your stress away.

Here is the Guide to the place known variously as Tamilnadu's Niagara and the Spa of the South!

Situated in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Coutrallam is a part of the Podhigai Hills of Tirunelveli district in Tamilnadu. This is one of the few waterfalls in the country where tourists are allowed to bathe. A cool breeze, a drizzle and the imposing range of Western Ghats greet you when you enter Coutrallam. The annual 'Saaral Vizha' marks the beginning of the tourist season.

The Must-See Waterfalls are:

1) Main Falls: This is the most popular and perennially crowded waterfall in the region. When water cascades down at its full strength, the stretch equals the width of 15 persons standing next to each other!

1) Main Falls: This is the most popular and perennially crowded waterfall in the region. When water cascades down at its full strength, the stretch equals the width of 15 persons standing next to each other!

2) Chittaruvi/ Forest Falls: Locals fondly call it the 'Bathroom Falls'. As the name signifies, you will find plenty of bathing rooms right beneath the falls, though only a few people can be accommodated at a time.

3) V.I.P/ Orchard Falls: Straight out of a beautiful dream – that is how picturesque the Orchard Falls are! But you require special permission from the tourism office to bathe here. Psst, several important personalities were denied the privilege.

4.) Five Falls:

Rated as one of the most popular falls, the temple nearby adds to the appeal. Water from the V.I.P Falls directly flows down here and gets diverted into five different falls and hence the name.

5.) Tiger Falls:

Untill 1950, water was flowing without restrictions here. But, thanks to the efforts of renowned industrialist Sri.Karimuthu
Thyagaraja Chettiar, the falls were made suitable for public bathing. He was the one who had constructed the tiger caves. It is believed that in those days, tigers use to rest in the caves at night.

6) Old Courtallam Falls:

Inaugurated by Shri K.Kamaraj in 1960 when he was the chief minister of the state, the Old Courtallam Falls has its own set of loyal fans.

7.)Shenbaga Devi Water Falls:

Named after the Shenbaga Devi Amman temple located nearby, water from the falls flows over a deep pool beneath. Dangerous rocks line in the floor of the pool. There have been several instances of deaths due to careless plunges. Still, even statistical displays of death tolls, haven’t stopped over-enthusiastic tourists from jumping in.

8.) Honey Falls:

Situated above Shenbagadevi Falls, you need to swim a few yards in a pool to bathe here. The falls are named after the cluster of bee hives above them.

9.) New Falls:

At an elevation of roughly 1000 ft, the New Falls are situated above 2 Kms from the Main Falls. The pristine waters and the sylvan landscape all around have ensured the popularity of the falls among tourists.

Apart from these, there are other waterfalls here which are in privately owned farmlands and gardens. Public transportation
is not available for all the waterfalls. You might have to trek.

A plethora of massage parlours dot Courtallam. For a taste of rustic boho, get a vigorous massage, bathe in the falls, have a spicy meal and sleep all the day exactly in that order.

Mythical Courtallam? Yes, that too!

When all the gods and goddesses converged at Mount Kailash to witness the celestial wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvathi, their combined weight was so heavy that the northern plate tilted. Lord Shiva summoned Maharishi Agasthya and asked him to proceed south of the Vindhyas to balance the weight. So immense was the Maharishi’s yogic powers that the north-south balance was quickly restored.

With his divine vision, Agastya witnessed the wedding right from Courtallam. There are many who still believe that he still lives in the jungles.

Another narrative has it that the deity at Courtrallanathar temple was initially that of Lord Bramha. It was later transformed into the deity of Lord Vishnu. In its current form, it is the deity of Lord Shiva. The Lord and his Consort are Parvathy are known here as Courtalla Naadhar and Kuzhalvaimozhi. Courtallam is also known as ‘Chitra Sabha’, one of the five celestial dancing halls in which Lord Natraja performed his divine dance.

References to the Courtallam temple are found in the literary compositions of the last Sangam era. Many miracles are attributed to the place. In the year 1949, a 12-year-old speech-impaired girl named Meenakshi suddenly found herself cured of the disability. Devotees believe that Mother Parvathy had cured the little girl. The fact that the news was published in London journal named ‘prediction’ in 1950 might make you want to reconsider the instinct to dismiss it as gossip.

The Europeans were the first to call it the ‘Spa of the South’. In memory of Lord Casa Major, a neighbouring village was named Kasimejapuram. You will also find many magnificent bungalows built by the English officers of the East India Company and the subsequent rulers. The British were also the ones who had constructed the arch through which water flows to the main falls.

Water conservation:

There are about 70 tanks to save the water from the falls for irrigation and drinking. Courtallam hills also boast of about 350 rare and exclusive herbs.

Accommodation and Food:

There are as many as seventy lodges, 100 hotels and 450 houses with paying guest/ cooking options to choose from. Book in advance, else you might not find a place to stay! Visitors often end up buying properties in the area to construct expansive retreat-style homes.

You might find the local cuisine very spicy. Fret not, because all the extra spice will prepare your body for the cold waters!

Prominent places of stay are:

1.) Isakki High View Resorts-04633283773
2.) Kurinji Villa – 04633 083267
3.) Dalavoi House – 04633 283027, 04633283447
4.) Hotel Tamilnadu – 04633 283003

Shopping…..

Don’t expect to do any exotic souvenir shopping in Courtallam. Still, you might want to buy fruits like mangosteen, custard apple and of course , the local spices. Chilli bajji is the most popular local snack. And don’t forget to treat yourself to the inimitable Tirunelveli Halwa!

Season:

June to August is the peak season for tourists, but the best time to visit is September. This is the month when Courtallam is not very crowded and you can enjoy your trip in leisure. It is not a good idea to visit Courtallam between October and December; the water would freeze your bones!

Other places of interest near Courtallam:

Kasi Viswanathar Temple: 5 Kms

Milk Falls at Ariyankavoo , Kerala : 30 kms

Upper Dam at Papanasam : 54 Kms

Nellaiappar Kovil at Tirunelvelli : 60Kms

Kanyakumari : 140 Kms

Transport:

Madurai Airport is 120 kilometers away while Trivandrum Airport is 160 Kilometers away from Courtallam.

This article was published in RITZ magazine.

Courtesy: RITZ magazine

KNOW YOUR BUILDER - Quality servicing and end-to-end solutions.

2010-09-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

MDS Prabu

Gayathri Punjabi Mirza Director of KG Developers and Promoters talks on the fundamentals of real estate industry.

She happens to be one of the few woman leaders in the field. And more importantly she heads one of the biggest firms. Gayathri Punjabi Mirza says she was always involved with the industry and proudly informs us that she did her bachelors and masters in Real Estate Finance from USA. KG Developers and Promoters is one of the oldest companies that has completed more than one hundred projects since its inception… and carrying its success story ahead is gayathri leading the path set by her founder father.

“We help the buyer in everything right from tenanting to resale and we cater to both commercial and residential properties,” she tells us stressing on the priority of providing high quality services. She has a high regard for buyers and notes that they are knowledgeable and well exposed. Gayathri points out that one of their USPs has been to offer facilities for future and growing needs. “As a matter of fact we make use of high quality raw materials and we utilise those that are at least 3 or 4 times higher in quality than the standard ones,” she quips.

“Instead of buildings that face roads we construct in such a way that they face the inner side. This is an international model and it has been highly appreciated by property enthusiasts,” says she and adds that in their projects many facilities like clubs, gyms and other amenities are an in-built feature. Today people do not have the time practically to go out for each activity and therefore it is these areas we address to make a difference.”

While discussing about the kind of service they offer she says that a lot of planning goes behind the scene and that they have always ensured transparency with the clients.” We maintain relationships even after the project is completed,” she tells us. On the kind of sectors the builder targets, Gayathri says that they cater both to commercial and residential properties. Explaining about the kind of services that they undertake in IT projects she says, “We offer all modern infrastructure and amenities to the full satisfaction of the clients. For instance our mega project in Perungudi the landscape, exteriors and entrance have been constructed on the basis of eco friendly standards. It even has an independent service building.”

She also explains about their forthcoming-gated community project, KG Green Meadows in Velachery, “It is the first of its kind in the city with 100 semi detached villas. We have provided for a healthy living environment with oxygen parlours, jogging track, sauna, steam, foot reflexology pathways, amphi theatre and swimming pool. We have also put up hydraulic unique plumbing system that avoids the use of overhead tanks above each villa”.

On the scope of real estate market she is extremely optimistic and says that disposable income among people and the willingness to buy homes will always remain. When asked about the moves she would suggest for the benefit of the industry she called for better infrastructure development and private public partnership.

She has an important piece of advice to buyers “Choose your buyer with discretion and pay proper attention when you choose a location”.

This article was published in ET madras Plus dated 6.4.2007.

FESTIVE FARE - Rural Urban!

2010-09-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

ET M+ takes a look at how the city deviates from the traditional norms of Pongal festivities…

MDS Prabu

Come January, and Chennaiites are all agog about Pongal, which, as we all know, is an embodiment of Tamil culture! But the question here, is about the spirit and attitude with which the festival is celebrated. While practical difficulties seem to be a great barrier for the celebration of the festival(due to space constraints), there are also a host of other issues that contribute.

J Hemalatha, a homemaker, says that the true spirit of Pongal is lacking. She blames the mushrooming of apartments, and also feels that the festival is merely restricted to the making of the much loved pongal. Similarly, subsequent celebrations like Maatu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal have no relevance at all within the precincts of the city. She does mention, however, that people are still courteous enough to pay respect to the ’God of the Sun’. "This culture has been inculcated in the minds of a majority of the youth," she says, with a smile.

For G Naveen Deepak, a software engineer with Altech Star Solution, the festival has nothing special to offer. He looks at it as a long weekend and an opportunity to catch up with friends. “I also catch up with the movies that release during this time," he says.

RS Damodaran, a businessman originally from Satthoor (a village down south), has been in Chennai for the past thirty years. He feels, "Whether it is the city or village, or even abroad, Pongal is a very special occasion." He says that his enthusiasm for the festival has increased during his stay in the city. He also reminisces about how he celebrated the festival in his native place. "We would get up very early in the morning," he recalls, "and offer prayers to God. Sugarcanes and other puja items would add fragrance to the serene atmosphere. Maatu Pongal was equally special and the youngsters would have a great time!"

Note : This article was published in ET Madras Plus dated 13.01.2007.

COMIC CAPERS - All for laughs!

2010-09-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Movies are often remembered for their comedians. ET M + traces the evolution and relevance of comedy in Kollywood…

mds prabu Be it the vazhaipazham joke in Karakattakaran, Nagesh’s funny lament in Thiruvilaiyadal or Vivek and Vadivel’s timing in the movies of recent times, comedy has played an indomitable role in Tamil cinema. Laughter as they say is the best medicine; no wonder then that some films make it big at the box office and are remembered solely for their comic scenes! Writer, actor and director K Bhagyaraj says that comedy was an independent element in movies until very recently, "Comedians did not have a major connection with the story or even the hero or heroine. This did not just apply to Tamil films, but also to Indian cinema in other languages. However, that is no more the case. People like K Balachender and I like to weave comedy along with the main storyline." He says that most often, comedians would appear at the meeting place of the hero and heroine, and gradually occupy a significant place in the story. He also feels that a lot of times, the comic element is added only because it provides relief to the audience. Stressing that slapstick comedy will not stay long in the minds of viewers, he opines that situational comedy has greater impact. He remarks, "Parthiban and I have been able to bring comedy to the forefront, because we happen to write the script as well as direct the movie." Bhagyaraj adds "Comedy should also touch the heart and make judicious use of presence of mind." Present day comedy, he says, hasn’t changed much except for the improvements in technology. Says R Parthiban, actor and director, "The audience plays a major role in helping directors decide what comedy elements to use. When we discuss the storyline with four or five assistants, it becomes possible to understand the reaction of the audience and decide if a particular concept will be received well or not.” Veteran comedy actor YG Mahendran says, "The audience expects wholesome fun from comedians, but they manage to get away with any comments they pass." He also feels that comedy trends change once every 10 years, depending on the type and class of the film-going audience. In the present day comedy scenario, he comments that there are several top-class artistes but viewers are mostly subject to ordinary fare. However, film historian Randor Guy is of an entirely different view. "A lot of the humour in the 30s and 40s had social content but today, it is not the case," he points out. He believes that the best days of comedy in Tamil films are over. He says that the quality of humour has diminished because they have accepted vulgar and repetitive jokes. In reply to that, one of the most popular comedians of recent times, A Vivek says, "Making a comedy is a no joke and one has to work hard towards it. We are always under pressure to produce something new in every scene." He believes that in those days, humorists were trained in both body and mind. "However, today, comedians have a mix of situational and verbal comedy," he tells us. What is the one thing that sets today’s comic sense apart from that of the yesteryears? "Timing is one of the main differences between the old days and the present. We have to deliver everything at a very quick pace to grab the viewer’s attention." He says that a script is very important to the success of a comedy and so are other factors like the situation and performance of the artiste. "There is no magic formula for the success of a comedy. It has never been possible to predict the success or failure of a particular comedy scene," he laughs. The bottom line is that the audiences have an important role to play in deciding the success of a comedian or a comic scene, because they have benchmarks and have seen great comedians come and go over the years. He believes that comedies that point at the obvious will not succeed and if people try to play with only body language or wit, it will not serve any purpose. "Comedy should also touch the heart and make judicious use of presence of mind," he comments. Present day comedy, he says, hasn’t changed much except for the improvements in technology. Says R Parthiban, actor and director, "The audience plays a major role in helping directors decide what comedy elements to use. When we discuss the storyline with four or five assistants, it becomes possible to understand the reaction of the audience and decide if a particular concept will be received well or not. However, we make sure that the humour is subtle and does not spoil the other components of the movie." Humour has indeed occupied a significant place - be it old or new movies. Agrees veteran comedy actor YG Mahendran, "The audience expects wholesome fun from comedians, but they manage to get away with any comments they pass." He also feels that comedy trends change once every 10 years, depending on the type and class of the film-going audience. In the present day comedy scenario, he comments that there are several top-class artistes but viewers are mostly subject to ordinary fare. However, film historian Randor Guy is of an entirely different view. He tells us that comedy was a supreme concern during the 1930s and 40s. "A lot of the humour had social content but today, it is not the case," he points out. He believes that the best days of comedy in Tamil films are over. Blaming the taste of audiences, he says that the quality of humour has diminished because they have accepted vulgar and repetitive jokes. In reply to that, one of the most popular comedians of recent times, A Vivek says, "Making a comedy is a no joke and one has to work hard towards it. We are always under pressure to produce something new in every scene." He believes that even with modern technology, we cannot replicate the comedy of legends like Charlie Chaplin, because in those days humorists were trained in both body and mind. "However, today comedians perform because of inspiration, and it turns out to be their style once it succeeds. Present cinemas have a mix of situational and verbal comedy," he tells us. What is the one thing that sets today’s comic sense apart from that of the yesteryears? "Timing is one of the main differences between the old days and the present. We have to deliver everything at a very quick pace to grab the viewer’s attention." He says that a script is very important to the success of a comedy and so are other factors like the situation and performance of the artiste. "There is no magic formula for the success of a comedy. Every time I perform, I keep my fingers crossed because it has never been possible to predict the success or failure of a particular comedy scene," he laughs. The bottom line is that the audiences have an important role to play in deciding the success of a comedian or a comic scene, because they have benchmarks and have seen great comedians come and go over the years.

Note: This article was published in ET madras Plus dated April 13, 2007.

Sound bytes - The Radio Renaissance!

2010-09-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

The radio industry has seen a revival, and is now back in the reckoning…

M D S Prabu
The radio boom is back, and it’s bigger than ever! In fact, it sometimes makes us wonder if people back in the 1940s (closer to its invention) used it as much as we do now! As on January 26th 2006, there were just three private players in the city, but in just a year, the numbers have increased manifold, to more than double! Mahesh Shetty, Station Director, Radio Mirchi explains, "Since radio has been able to relate to the changing tastes of the consumers in terms of music, movies and social events, it has been able to make a mark. This is also a personalised medium with special characteristics that are distinct from television or the internet." He says that the radio jockeys have been able to lend a personal touch and the popularity of FM has grown because other gadgets like mobile phones are now connected to FM channels. "Today radio programmes are aired even in cafes, restaurants and supermarkets," says Mahesh. He tells us, "The revenues have shot up drastically - by around 40% - in the past one year. Great frequency and high reminder values have made radio an integral part of every marketer. Radio Mirchi has jumped into leadership because of innovative programming and our direct link to Kollywood". Ajay Titus Alexander, an RJ with Radio Mirchi says that the listener now has varied choices and therefore there is neck-to-neck competition to deliver the best. "RJs have a lot of challenges. The constant innovation in terms of programmes and upbeat entertainment has helped the industry." Archana Ram, an RJ with Radio City tells us that one of the reasons for the growing popularity of radio is that the RJs are ’down-to-earth’ and not ’celebrities’ as in the case of other media. She says, "This connectivity factor gives them a personal touch." Ajay adds, "A radio listener need not necessarily be educated. This medium is powerful enough to carry its popularity through just word of mouth. The more the infotainment, the greater will be the number of listeners and this golden formula has sparked magic for the industry." Ibrahim Ahmed, Programming Head, Radio City however, feels that the impact of FM channels in the industry was too much until five years ago. "Though it is only in its infancy in India, things are bound to shape up soon and radio will start catering to a niche segment," he says. "We have to constantly supply information in tune with the listener. The last five years have seen a revolution in terms of listeners’ choice, programmes’ content quality and other important aspects, which have only made things better," he explains saying that the evolution has also been made possible due to cheap licenses, many players and systematic business models. R Srikanth who works as an Assistant Director feels that radio is able to quench his thirst for music even while on a drive and therefore it scores over other forms of media. "I would certainly spend more time on radio if news and current affairs were also included regularly," he says explaining what his expectations were from radio programmes. A Archana, a Postgraduate Physics student, University of Madras says, "Radio was certainly not my kind of entertainment until FM Channels came into the picture." She also reveals that it is very flexible since it does not interfere with regular work. "In fact, I prefer it to television and the Internet!" she exclaims. The radio industry sure has taken the city by storm!

Note : This was published in ET madras Plus dated 2.2.2007.

FESTIVE FARE - Rural Urban!

2010-09-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

WOO-MAN ATTENDERS

2010-09-01T06:28:00.002-07:00

Calling the ’Shots’Bartending has become a career option for women in the city.

ET M+ takes a look…MDS Prabu / Pratiba Raman

Women’s empowerment has surpassed all barriers, and the fairer sex has started stepping into domains that were predominantly considered ’a man’s forte’. Essaying challenging real-life roles - right from a homemaker to a corporate bigwig - the new-age woman has stepped into every sector, leaving no single field unexplored. And now, she’s beginning to prove herself in the field of bartending as well! Ami Shroff, a celebrity bartender, agrees with the increasing popularity of this profession among women in the city. Being a self-taught bartender, she says that she learnt the art while partying and moving around with friends. "I also learnt a lot from books and the Internet," she recalls, "I was inspired by the movie Cocktails." The film sparked her interest further and there was no looking back. "I worked with a friend of mine and our collective interest helped in learning and exploring more," she says, with an air of satisfaction. She adds further that the trend of "freelance bartending" is also catching up in the city. Though women bar enthusiasts are plenty, very few end up taking it up as a full-time profession. Adarsh Singh, a student of Beeman, a city-based bartending institute, says that women are generally preferred, as they interact well with customers. But, highlighting a negative point, Ami says that everything is not always hunky dory, as ego clashes with men do find their way into the workplace. Prasanna, Founder of Beeman, says that crash courses in bartending offered for women are in high demand. Many women undertake these courses and even attend a few private parties, he reveals. And even monetarily, the profession is quite lucrative, Ami says, as the starting salaries can range from Rs8,000 to Rs15,000 in good hotels. Celebrity bartenders earn huge sums running into several thousands for each individual party. In the case of the starters who freelance, a sum of upto a Rs1,000 per event is a given. Hard work and staying in tune with the trend will help one excel," she adds. She explains the two major categories of bartending - flare and mixology. Most bartenders agree that women make good mixologists. Mixology is all about different concoctions that make different innovative drinks. Flare is the art of blowing fire through the mouth, explains Ami as she demonstrates her flaring techniques. Sakunthala Roy, Director - Public relations, Taj Hotels, says that this trend further signifies the empowerment of women. "Many customers prefer women bartenders due to their pleasant nature. In fact, people love to be served by a lady bartender!" she enthuses. Prasanna notes that most homemakers and women in corporates take up the course so that they can host parties. Lavanya Iyer who has just completed the course says that innovative careers give women that much needed boost, as they are able to do something that was long dominated by men alone. Despite hailing from a conventional background, the encouragement from her parents has helped her set foot in bartending. It is well-known that this niche segment for most part remains fairly unexplored in Chennai, when compared to the other metros. But what makes it exciting is the fact that many believe this trend has tremendous growth potential in the city!

Note: This was published in ET Madras Plus dated 17.2.2007

Letters to The Editor

2010-09-01T06:28:00.001-07:00

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Newspaper byelines

click the following links to see my opinions published in newspapers.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/03/18/stories/2004031800140801.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/03/19/stories/2003031900160206.htm
http://www.indiavarta.com/yes/News.asp?Topic=1&Title=Reports&amp;ID=IFY20050805070411&nDate=&Sub=&
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/09/14/stories/2005091403281000.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/08/06/stories/2003080600150200.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/20/stories/2004122000951002.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2005/11/21/stories/2005112102521000.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/07/09/stories/2003070900130208.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2005011303591004.htm&date=2005/01/13/&prd=th&
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2005091403281000.htm&date=2005/09/14/&prd=th&
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2003080600150200.htm&date=2003/08/06/&prd=mp&
http://www.hindu.com/2003/12/01/stories/2003120102331002.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/20/stories/2006032003221003.htmhttp://www.hindu.com/2006/03/27/stories/2006032703121001.htm

Corporate trends- Get Away, to work

2010-09-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

ET M+ takes a look at the evolving corporate culture that seeks to keep its executives happy…

M D S Prabu

Get a fix on this - a cool-looking dude lounges comfortably by an aqua pool, sipping something that looks tall, cool and refreshing. And he’s not on holiday! His laptop takes all his attention, yet his entire body-language screams `relaxed’! Welcome to the corporate world where employers are realizing the importance of rejuvenating their workforce, keeping them completely happy and energized. Jayanthi Vaidyanathan, Director, Human Resources, Covansys India, agrees, "Such offsite experiential learning exercises are becoming popular since it brings in personal growth as a result of direct experiences in a setting outside of the routine of everyday work. Apart from de-stressing, it helps the employees know one another better." She adds that off-site does not necessarily mean discussing business strategy. "It could just be spending time out together, connecting up, resulting in better teaming." Many corporates do not observe a fixed framework for such leisure/work trips - since the most important feature is time availability. R Ram Kumar, Director, Corporate Marketing and Communications, Cognizant, also endorses the concept. "We recently had our European leadership and business development strategy offsite program in Goa. This was attended by approximately 70 senior professionals from across our European and Indian operations," he informs ET M+. He opines that apart from strong networking, offsite working and get-togethers help in establishing a high degree of bonhomie and camaraderie. How else are offsite exercises beneficial? Drawing a direct relationship with productivity, Ram reveals that these exercises at Cognizant are a good mix of work and fun which help in relaxation and returning to work re-invigorated. "In the IT industry, a company’s success is primarily dependant on team work and team leadership; as such, offsite meetings help greatly in strengthening these key attributes," he points out. Jayanthi tells us that it has definitely helped in personal growth, bonding people together and energizing them which ultimately contribute to retention. Ravi Vishwanathan, Vice President of Tata Consultancy Services feels that offsite holidays give one fair time to brainstorm. "The primary objective is brainstorming in an atmosphere where one is free from the day-to-day office routine. Only when you are out of office cubicles are you tension-free." These exercises are always conducted on Saturdays or other holidays in TCS. "Ultimately the deliverables to the client matters and there should be no compromise on the time required for executing projects," says Ravi. "At Cognizant," reveals Ram, "These exercises are done business unit wise, location wise, and function wise involving employees across all levels in the organisation. These sessions are generally spread over two-three days. Usually, half the time is spent on discussing and strategizing on business. The remaining time is spent on team building activities and on having fun or partying. Besides, we also bring in external experts who moderate the sessions, and give presentations on strategically thought out leadership themes with case studies from across the industry." Jai Mundra who operates Events, an event management company, says that this is the norm now in many corporates. Preferred destinations, Jai tells us, include distantly located farm houses and other recreational sites. "They make a great impact both on the employer and employee. While it is a sense of renewal for the employee, the employer is able to have a check on attrition," says Jai. Udeep B, CEO of Mayajaal reveals, "We have companies coming in here all the time. With lots of leisure options in one spot here (movie, bowling, resorts), we are one of the preferred choices most of the time. Almost 30% of our revenue comes from entertaining such projects." So work, need no more be boring - it can be leisure too, if more corporates get into the act!
Note: This was published in ET Madras Plus dated 24.2.2007

BUS BUZZ Orange and white, buses delight!

2010-09-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

The new fleet of buses gives disciplined commuters a reason to rejoice while disappointing bus ’hangers’
M D S Prabhu
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) is all set to make the city colourful and chic! With the introduction of semi-low floor buses, automatic doors and prepaid tickets, travelling in an MTC will never be the same for a regular commuter. "The aim is to offer excellent commuting experiences at a reasonable price and still make profits," says R Balasubramanian, Managing Director - Metropolitan Transport Corporation, while adding that the idea sparked on an official tour with the Transport Secretary to Los Angels and Columbia. Proposals to introduce Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) are also in the pipeline. "We have submitted the recommendations to TNRDC - Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation - and if everything goes well we will have exclusive buses on the OMR," says Balasubramanian, "We have fifty white buses and have made arrangements for portable washing machines to clean them on a regular basis. "80% of the accidents are caused due to footboard travel, but the automatic doors will curb this menace. This bus will also have air suspension (air bellows instead of springs to support cushions) and two steps to facilitate ladies and elderly people to get in easily. The revenue model in this is great. Only our initial investments and capital costs are high but the returns in terms of revenues can be generated quickly… as early as within a month!" The buses have been manufactured at a cost of Rs13.5 lacs each. White-line buses will operate at Rs5 and Rs10 - fixed for particular distances. Orange liners will charge the same rates as yellow and blue liners. The white-liners will also ply chartered trips to various software and manufacturing companies at the IT corridor and Sriperumbudur from 6am to 8am in the mornings and 5pm to 6pm in the evenings. "During the rest of the day, they will travel within the city and their terminus will be Kelambakkam. Orange liners will ply like mofusil buses and their minimum one-time journey will be a distance of 50km," remarks an MTC official. And if your biggest worry is procuring tickets from unfriendly conductors, things are about to change! The new service will also have ticketing machines installed at various bus stations for prepaid tickets valid for the journey undertaken! So happy travelling!

Note: This was published in ET Madras Plus dated 22.03.2007.

CROSSOVER- Finding Father

2010-09-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

A telefilm by a cross-cultural team that attempts to capture the changing ethos and clear cultural misconceptions…

M D S Prabu

His passion for the film genre lay latent even as he retired from his traditional diamond business. Business travel took him to Singapore and the US, but somewhere along the way, Mahender Jogani knew that he would make a film. On one of his American sojourns, he met up with an old friend, once a Chennai resident,R Ganesh, who had a script and an idea. Things clicked, and the result is My Dear Father, a cross-cultural attempt at capturing human family emotions, which the duo feel, are the same the world over.

For Ganesh, a theatre person now settled in Atlanta, in the US, it was a meeting of minds when Mahender articulated his passion. In today’s current environment, ageing poses its own issues. `Retirement homes’, `old age homes’ and going the `western way’ are some of the oft-repeated realities. The telefilm seeks to explore this theme and break pre-conceived notions about family ties in the Western world. The crossover venture is aimed at Indian UK and US audiences, with a script written and directed by Ganesh.

"Those from the West have plenty of sentiments regarding their families," states Ganesh, "They have family reunions and maintain family trees. The spark for the script came from an instance a friend once narrated to me, about a European woman who came to India to find her father." The peg for My Dear Father is precisely this - the heroine, played by Linda Arsenio, comes to Chennai to find her father. The plot of the whole movie revolves around how she finds him after several struggles.

Linda, well known as the heroine of Kabul Express, tells us how the whole experience was special and helped hone her acting skills. "This is my first crossover film and each scene proved to be important," she says gladly.

The hero of the film Krishna is on cloud nine about this very different experience. Fresh from his notable success as a villain in Azhagiya Asura, he tells this newspaper, "This kind of film is a perfect balance between art and commercial films. While the former is too slow, the latter is not realistic most of the time." He explains that his role was very challenging since there needed to be a blend of accurate depiction and performance.

The film has been made for television and the makers are planning to showcase it at select film festivals. Mehendar tells us that songs have been added to the Tamil version, to ensure that it does not get slotted as an ’art film’.

Veteran Actor YG Mahendran who plays an important role in this movie hopes that this will be a trendsetter. "This film will be an eye-opener to the tinsel world where the potential for cross-cultural films are concerned," he feels, "I expect more of the genre to happen once this is released."

The English version of the film is scheduled to be released by the end of next month whereas the Tamil version is expected to be ready sometime in March.

Note:This article was published in ET Madras Plus dated 19.01.2007.

Overseas education

2010-09-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

Overseas education does not guarantee a job. Don't let the hype about it fool you. Cross-cultural interaction helps in education and taking a loan is a good idea, if it's for a seat in a reputed institute. But don't take a loan to study in a mediocre institute. Research the institute before you move heaven and earth to study there. If you can afford the fee without hassles or can get scholarships for the whole fee, then you can opt for it. If not, and if the institute is commonplace, don't slog for the funds. Imagine coming back unemployed after having paid the moon for your studies abroad. Or, the loan repayment taking a huge slice from your modest salary. Many substandard institutes try to woo students with colourful brochures. The victims may end up as illegal immigrants, having to pay all their earnings towards student loans. In one case, one well-publicised institute was operating from a hotel in London.

Most often, overseas educational consultants are not forthcoming with information about the numberof people who have sought their help and found employment. The consultants should do so to make life easier for people whose dreams cross boundaries. Don't let the lack of funds for your education abroad dampen your spirit. You can work in your country and with the experience, find employment overseas. Once your earnings are adequate, you can fund your studies. There are no shortcuts to success.

Click http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/03/04/stories/2006030402160100.htm to read this online.

Monsoons in India

2010-09-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

Indian agriculture has been described as gamble of monsoons. I would describe our economy also as gamble of monsoons since agriculture has been the backbone of our country right from time immemorial.

Apart from agriculture there are several other beneficiaries. For instance business houses in hill stations and humid places flourish only due to monsoons. Hence there can be no doubt regarding its versatile uses or benefits (other than the ones like agriculture whose basic survival is monsoon). Of late people abroad are attracted to our climate.

Will it not be appropriate to call this as a wealth of our country that will never get depleted? Under such circumstances is it not our bounden duty to make use of this asset, which is as prestigious as our national heritage, and can we say for sure that we have been successfully doing this so far? The answer is obviously negative.

Our monsoon’s primary function is facilitating agriculture and its allied industries while the secondary function is serving business houses in hill stations and humid areas. Let us see how they are not being utilized in these two areas and the reasons for the same.

Right from the time India attained independence agriculture has been given least importance. On the contrary industrial sector always assumes significance. This goes without saying that we are ignoring or rather neglecting agriculture whose root cause is monsoons (both these are the eyes of our nation). The fertile lands and the pleasant monsoons call for more concentration in the agricultural sector than the industrial sector.

People in the agricultural sector keep on lamenting that the monsoons are undependable and so there is a change in their attitude towards agriculture and allied industries. But my argument is why not people make use of modern equipments and stop blaming our precious agriculture. Why are we still sticking to the conventional methods of agriculture (wherein one’s sole dependence was monsoon). I am not of the opinion that monsoons are totally unreliable but I only insist that their failure can be compensated to a considerable extent in this technological era and even in case of their failure the cause is to be estimated and the necessary action is to be taken. We are living in a highly developed and advanced society. Is it sane on our part to complain about monsoons when we fail in agriculture just like “A bad workman blames his tools”?. Thus we Indians fail to make use of our monsoons primary function.

The secondary function of monsoon also faces the same fate. This can be explained with the case of my native place. Courtallam is the spa of south India that boasts of more than 9 waterfalls (the only place in the world where one can have bath in all the falls). Business in this place is absolutely seasonal. Being a tourist center people from all over the country especially tamilnadu (and even foreign tourists) visit this place in the months of June, July and August (when the climate is pleasant).Business houses here and in the neighboring places prosper only in this period. A flood in 1992 created havoc and many catastrophic disasters. Due to these vacant places where water gets stored previously, is completely filled with sand and other organic and inorganic wastes. Hence the rainfalls are an utter failure these days. Constructing a checkdam can easily solve all these problems. But the government is very lethargic and blames the monsoon whenever a proposal is made.

Thus I conclude with a note saying that we are no more bothered about our own monsoons .We are solely responsible for its failure. This nature’s god is blamed for human’s inhuman act.

Note: This essay won me a consolation prize in a national level essay contest conducted by CSR GK today.