THE BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDINGS

Volume 3 Issue 3 NOVEMBER 2012 Price: `50 I US$3 I £2 I €2

Indian Roots. Global Reach.

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INDIA | MIDDLE EAST | AFRICA | SINGAPORE

THE BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDINGS

Travel to Exotic Locations

R

Kanchan BanerjeeEditor in Chief

[email protected]

November heralds global leadershipchanges that may portend both politicaland economic directions for the comingyears. US presidential poll and the handover of power in China — two differentsystems, but in a strange coincidence thatcan impact the world in a big way. Theeconomy, food, energy, social justice,human rights, fundamentalism, globalpeace, climate and many more importantmatters will be affected by the change inleadership. The changes happening inBeijing and Washington have both domestic and global implications since both areeconomic superpowers. India must prepare itself to effectively deal with thesechanges.

Perhaps, it was no coincidence that thediscovery of modern America had an Indian connection a goldrush to the richest land on earth. While Chinese travelersand students �locked to India for centuriesin quest for knowledge and spirituality.

India and China are oldest continuouscivilizations. Both nations have love forloyalty to authority and loyalty to the royalfamilies, which is replaced by the partyand partyelders. India had early forms ofdemocracies, even before Greece, whichsomehow escaped China. America, too, decided to go for democracy shortly after thebirth of the nation. With many limitationsof democracy – it has been the best formof governance for modern society. Allthree countries are �ighting terror and religious fundamentalism, yet China has itsbloodstained hands in Tibet, TiananmenSquare and more. All three have faith incapitalism and both China and India areslowly moving away from their socialisticpasts. American Right feels that Obama isbringing socialistic ideas to the country.

India and China suffers from massivecorruption and the masses are ruled bythe rich and the powerful. The US justicesystem is one of the best in the world.

Even a highest level political leader or richwon’t escape the rule of law if found guilty.

How best we can learn from each otherand live together in a cooperative worldwithout imposing one particular worldview on the others is crucial – thisapplies in the sphere of economics, culture, religion and geopolitics.

Time has nigh, where no single superpower can rule the world. The power ofinformation, science and technology is removing all barriers, all centralization ofpowers. Each nation should look at theirstrengths and weaknesses and work withothers for their own as well as the futureof the world. However, old human traits ofgreed, dominating, controlling and manipulating of weak by strong, poor by rich isnot going to even reduce, until an Indianconcept of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (theworld is one large family) is adopted. And,India must uplift the masses from utterpoverty, illiteracy and poor health conditions.

Since the US has reelected BarackObama for a second term and Chineseleadership comes from the same ideological group, there is a great sense of continuity in the works, much to India’sadvantage. Can India now negotiate withAmerica and deal with China as equals forits own bene�it? That will be the greatestservice to a billion plus people of India andthe world at large since much of the worldlook up to India as a role model: a developing democratic nation with vast population and the most complex pluralistic society in terms of religions,languages and even local customs in everypart of the country.

On the occasion of the festival of Deepavali, the festival of light, one can onlyhope for the best for India and the world,proving that the end of Mayan calendarthis December is not meant for end of ourcivilization, but a new beginning.

Editorial

Defining globalleadership changes

CONTENTS 02

NGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

EDITOR�IN�CHIEF Kanchan Banerjee

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERHaimanti Banerjee

MANAGING EDITORUjjwal K Chowdhury

MANAGEMENT ADVISORVijay NahataSmt Chandan Rathindranath Banerjee

NGI MIDDLE EAST PUBLISHERK Sudhakar Murthy, ACORE Media

EXECUTIVE EDITOR & PUBLISHING PARTNER SOUTH AFRICAProf Dasarath Chetty

PUBLISHER �ASIA PACIFIC EDITION�Mohan Mulani

HEAD, PR AND ADMINISTRATIONDr Kapil Raina

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER �MARKETING�BRANDING�Ashish Sharma

CONSULTING EDITORBiswadeep Ghosh

DESIGNShayoni DharManoj Mulwani

SENIOR SUB EDITOR Mritunjay Kumar

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTSRajesh Iyer(Mumbai)Shekhar Srivastava (Lucknow)

IT CONSULTANTSudhir Pandey

NEW GLOBAL INDIAN

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NOVEMBER 2012

EDITORIAL1 Defining global leadership changes4 Lessons from WEF for India’s Growth

COVER STORY6 Say `I do’ in choicest Indian locales14 Big Fat Indian Weddings

DEVELOPMENT18 Changes for the better

CHALLENGES22 Mismanagement In Indian

Power Sector

SPIRITUALITY26 Management Ethos, Ancient Wisdom &

Swami Vivekananda

NEWS30 NGI Newsmakers32 NRI Newsbin

CONTENTS 03

MARKETING & BRANDINGShashank BhattSuraj RaghavanIndrani SarkarArchanaKaushal KumarRijuta Khurana

MANAGER� ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATIONPankaj Juyal

CONTACT NOS. AND EMAIL IDS:[email protected]@gmail.com91 9373311239 (India)001�617�306�6609 �U.S.A.�

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Mumbai: 602, Suswagat, Near Triveninagar, Kurar, Malad East, Mumbai.

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Middle East: 307 B, Mina Building, Al Mina Road, Bur Dubai, P.O Box 102604, Dubai, UAE.

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NGI Knowledge Exchange is owned by Nav Gatih Initiatives & Media Pvt. Ltd., printed and published byUjjwal Kumar Chowdhury, Printed at Zen Computer &printers, Shaniwar Peth, Pune411030 and published at Amar Kamal Niwas, SurveyNo258, Plot No12, Khese Park, Lohegaon Road (BehindVaishnavi Building), Pune411032 Editor Ujjwal KumarChowdhury. Copyright with respect to all contents remainswith Nav Gatih Initiatives & Media Pvt. Ltd.,The views expressed in some of the articles or interviews are of thewriters or interviewees themselves and do not necessarilyexpress NGI's opinions and beliefs.

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NGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE NOVEMBER 2012

MIDDLE EAST34 Time For Tee

INTERVIEW42 Tee Time With Sharmila

LESSON44 Hurriciane Sandy Lessons for India

TRAVEL56 Baliyatra the legacy continues58 The World Is His Oyster

FESTIVAL62 The World Is His Oyster

CINEMA66 `I let my work to do the talking’

PHOTO GALLERY70 Celebration of Life

LAST WORD72 The Mill-Yen-Er In Me

Prof Ujjwal K ChowdhuryManaging Editor

[email protected]

The World Economic Forum India 2012meet held in Gurgaon was signi�icant notjust for India but for the rest of the worldas well. More than 700 business leadersfrom 43 countries took part.

The discussions involved several concerns. As Europe continues to face amassive liquidity crunch – barring Germany – it is looking towards BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, SouthAfrica, and perhaps Turkey. A major worryis that India may grow at the slowest ratein a decade, surely below 6%. A slump inindustrial activity because of slow policymaking and the global slowdown,along with a drought, has affected its performance this �iscal year.

Any policy watcher knows about thenegative impact of UPAI and UPAII's populist reforms. Schemes like MNREGA, wellmeaning in terms of poverty alleviation butunwise in its focus on 'nonasset building'earthworks, have burdened the exchequer.Tax collection has gone up by 36 per centbetween 2008 and 2012. But expenditurehas shot up by almost 400 per cent in thecorresponding period. The widening gapbetween out�low and in�low has led to veryhigh in�lation. Writeoffs of corporate loansand debts (some estimates put it at upwards of $150 billion) have also contributed to the mounting �iscal de�icit.

Even when India had a high growthrate, it was hardly growth with justice.Also, the country is yet to move beyond�irst generation structural reform. Whilethe 1991 liberalization had a wellde�ined blueprint, a wellarticulated roadmap sincethen is yet to emerge. Growth isn’t inclusivewith expensive schemes being �loated tobene�it the poor and the underprivileged,thereby contributing to �iscal de�icit andenhancing in�lation further.

According to David Thomlinson, GlobalHead at Accenture, UK, a young and vibrantpopulation is a critical mass in the process

of growth. However, India needs improvement on the infrastructure front. "Iwill specify power, water and transportation. I also think education needs to get lesstraditional and get more skilloriented andI believe broadband penetration along withthe spread of handheld computing willshow the way."

The government has kickstarted theprocess of skills development. The National Skills Development Corporationaims at training 10 million people everymonth to achieve the goal of training hundreds of million people by 2015. The planto connect 250,000 village Panchayats bybroadband will be bene�icial. India Inc.wants to engage with rural India, not out ofempathy or greatness but because it standsto gain. MNREGA’s focus must be shiftedfrom earthworks to more assetbuildingexercises.

The Forum noted that corruption canhurt India economically and also in termsof perception abroad. Eighty per cent ofthis involves petty corruption, an upwardsrevision of salaries will salvage money lostthrough corruption and improve India’simage as a clean place for doing business.Then there is collusive corruption in whichcorporate houses and government of�icialsjoin hands to avoid paying actual taxes.

The government is contemplatinggrants of new licences to banks. The infrastructure development fund savingsschemes are doing well. The government istalking to sovereign wealth funds for the $1trillion required for the infrastructure sector.

For the Indian growth story to reemerge, populist measures by the rulersmust end. Land acquisition process and environmental clearance processes need tobe reworked, keeping all sensitivities inmind, labour market reforms brought in,along with corporate governance regulations, GST, and Direct Tax Code.

Editorial

Lessons of WEF forIndian Growth Story

COVER STORY 06

They say marriages are made in heavenand many of couples want to create it anepic grandeur, and opt for exotic localesfrom tranquil beaches to royal palaces.Weddings in India have always been alarger than life affair. Mritunjay Kumar explores some of the best destinations for weddings in India


COVER STORY 07

Nowadays, bachelor hangouts in Goa and ethereal bridalshowers in the pristine locale of the Himalayas are notenough to pump up the adrenaline rush, topping on thecake is to locate exquisite venue to say “I do”. We knowyour dream destination for wedding should be serene,

familyfriendly and �illed with romance.Our religious beliefs have more to do in ceremonies but

dream destinations are also modi�ied in that way to keepall the emotions intact. In recent years India has

increasingly gained prominence globally for destinationweddings as the country offers some spectacular optionsfor weddings depending on your choice. Many NRIs optfor such tours as having a wedding in their motherland

not only connect them to their roots, and the budgets alsotend to ensure a beautiful and exotic wedding.

For so long, couples and their family put their thinkingcaps on to zero in on the picturesque destination to

exchange vows but sometimes it proves to be a tedioustask. Here you will �ind out a few grand and glorious

venue options and also various wedding ideas that willvouch to hold luxurious weddings with full grandeur.

Destination weddings always enhance whole rituals intoa fun holiday. Hop on to the bandwagon!

SAY

IN CHOICEST INDIAN LOCALES

`I do’


The land of picturesque backwaters and ethical temples, Kerala is one of the best blends of beauty and tranquil atmosphere and thus serves as the ideal venue for your exoticwedding in India. Referred to as the “Gods Own Country,” Kerala is one of the right places to seek God’s blessings. If youwant a quiet and picturesque wedding in a tropical atmosphere along the banks of a lake or a palm fringed canal, withfood served on banana leaves, then Kerala is the right choice.

Kerala: God’s blessing

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WHAT’S MORE:• Couples and their family and friends can comfortably accommodated in one of the beach or backwater resorts of Kerala.The south Indian paradise is also popular for elephant themedweddings.

• The bride shall adorn traditional Indian attire for the wedding that includes a silk sari and the designed jewelry to complement the look. The apparel for groomshall be a dhoti and white shirt with white shawl and all with make-up and dressing shall be perfected.

• The wedding will take place under a huge pavilion (pandal) beau-tifully embellished with flowers. The exquisite sounds of live Indian music and the delectable feast on banana leaves are the memories you shall cherish for life.

• The wedding celebrations include the arrival of the groom on the beautifully decorated elephants and a performance of classical Indian dance form all thismakes the exotic weddings in India very special.

SOME EXOTIC LOCALES IN KERALAThe Leela - Kovalam BeachKumarakom Lake ResortBrunton BoatyardTaj Garden Retreat - VarkalaZuri Kumarakam - Alleppey

DON’T MISSAyurvedic massage, Elephant ride, a trip to forest river in Wayanad

Several wedding couples get hitched in the serene beaches of Andaman, situated in Bay of Bengal as their wedding venues. The cluster of 572 islandswith virgin seashores, crystalclear sea waters and unblemished spread ofsand will simply overwhelm you if you arrange your dream wedding in Andaman. Bedecked with �lora and fauna, this makes the island of Andaman avery romantic spot. The theme to get married amidst the solitude of a wholeisland is different from the beaten track of getting married in a metropolitanarea and so your wedding could be a great success in Andaman beaches.

WHAT’S MORE:• You will get a variety of islands inAndaman that can arrange yourwedding in an exclusive style. Noneed to worry because you can perform all the wedding rituals ofyour community at the beaches justas these customs is executed in atraditional wedding mandap. • Wedding venue can be a JungleResort in the scenic landscape andis put up in an eco-friendly mannerwith home-grown resources as its constituents, barefoot on silver sand can give a new twist.• The wedding venue can be created with Padouk red wood representing the tribal life of Andaman Island with all floral decoration of wedding altar, Thaimusic in the background with staffsdressed in Thai costume and fooditems complementing the theme.• Venue should be striking, presenting vast expanse of silverysmooth sand, remarkable coralreefs along with exceptional aquamarine, beautifully dressedgroom and bride in corsages showcasing all vintage charm.

SOME EXOTIC LOCALES IN ANDAMANHavelock IslandRoss IslandRed Skin IslandClub Andaman Beach ResortSiversand Beach Resort

DON’T MISSScuba trips, nature walks, snorkeling excursions and more.

Andaman: a wedding delight

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The state of beautifully structured palacesand forts, Rajasthan serves as an idealvenue for those planning their weddings inthe exotic locales. Every palace is a timeless jewel and exudes a charm of itsown. Regal weddings are among the mostpopular themes. Often held in palatial hotels, or even old palaces, such affairstreat the bride and groom like queen andking. A marching band welcomes the couple to the palace while women showerthe path with rose petals. Horsemen andtorchbearers escort them to the altar. Afterthe ceremony, a DJ plays beneath �ireworksin the palace courtyard.

Rajasthan: historical touch


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WHAT’S MORE:• The ceremony of Mehndi andSangeet shall be magnificently organized with complete ethnicalprovisions. These arrangementsinclude attractions such as Heenaprofessionals and bangle-sellers.• The lip-smacking buffet mealwith a wide variety of cuisines asper the guest’s choice shall beserved on this day of the exoticweddings in India. • The live folk dance performances and live traditionalmusic will further enhance thepleasure of planning a wedding in India.

JAIPURPink city of India, Jaipur is one ofthe favorite destinations for weddings, not only among Indiansbut also foreigners who travelfrom far across the sea to maketheir weddings regal amidst theroyal palaces. There are ornateand royal palaces, which now havebeen transformed into weddingdestinations.You can select the authentic ornate palaces like the RajPalace, Rambagh Palace and JaiMahal Palace for your wedding.You can also select to wed in theold mansions like the AlsisarHaveli and Mandawa Haveli if yourbudget is less. Samode Palace isthe best heritage venue for marriages in Jaipur.

UDAIPURThe Princely state of Udaipur inRajasthan is known for its Rajput-era palaces. Udaipur isone of the most romantic andcharming destinations in India.Many of the palaces here havebeen converted into luxury hotels,which host destination weddingswith great aplomb.If you are looking for a uniquefairytale wedding, then you canchoose to marry in the beautifullake palace hotel here. Locatedamidst the serene lake Pichola,you can make your marriage inUdaipur memorable. If you preferto marry in an authentic palace inmore contemporary style, then

you can select the 18th centuryfort palace, Devi Gargh, which isbuilt in modern minimalistic style.

JODHPURJodhpur is one of the most soughtafter places in India for weddings.It's also titled the 'Blue City' dueto the blue-painted houses aroundthe Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur liesnear the geographic centre of Rajasthan state, which makes it aconvenient base for travel bytourists.Jodhpur has witnessed some verylavish weddings at Umaid Bhavanand the best place to say ‘I do’. Ifyour budget for wedding is less,then you can select the two popular heritage places for destination weddings namelyRanbanka Palace and AjitBhawan. The other best place toarrange wedding reception is theImposing Mehrangarh Fort.

JAISALMERJaisalmer is an exotic and unusual destination wedding, foralthough built on the desert, thiscity with its golden sand dunes,exquisitely carved golden-yellowsandstone havelis, and warm colorful people is simply overwhelming, and very inviting. Setagainst the backdrop of endlessspan of sand hills of all shapesand sizes are making it a primetourist destination.Royalty of Palatial architecture &rawness of the region mixes sowell to give a perfect taste of Rajasthan that Wedding inJaisalmer could not only be aregal treat but also a fun filled experience. For those who arelooking for an ideal venue forRoyal Wedding in Jaisalmer, youcan tie nuptial knot in the Gorbandh Palace, Jawahar Niwas,Narayan Niwas and also in HotelFort Rajwada.

DON’T MISSDinner in Sand Dunes, BBQ night,Kalbelia and puppet entertainers,Snake charmers, Camel ride, Kiteflying, Camping, Royal processionand more.


Church and Beach weddings are considered the most gorgeousthemes by most urban couples and what better location thanGoa for that big day. One of the most loved Theme Weddings,Beach Wedding in Goa is indeed an experience which willmake your wedding a cherished one. How about you and yourbeloved exchange wedding vows in some exotic tropical paradise, squeezed between azure blue seas and verdanthills…where stretches of silvery sands, swaying palms and thesoft murmur of the sea inspire the love in you.

WHAT’S MORE• Almost all Goan beaches can bethe venue of your dream wedding,in a church by the beach or a garden or a luxury Yatch decorated with flowers, perfumesand ofcourse wedding cake.• If by any chance your weddingdate coincides with any suspiciousday like Christmas, New Year,Easter then you can opt for aChristmas Theme, ValentinesTheme, Easter Theme, CarnivalTheme, Caribbean Night Theme,Hawaiian theme or Arabiantheme. • Dressed in the exotic local wedding -attire with garlands offresh, fragrant flower; as you approach the lovely chapel, youwill be heralded by a soul inspiring choir.

SOME EXOTIC LOCALES IN GOAThe beautiful beaches in Goa, including Chapora, Anjuna, Baga,Calangute, Candolim, Sinquerim,Dona Paula, Bambolim, Morjim,Mobor, Majorda and Siridao serveas excellent wedding locations.Apart from the beaches, the beautiful churches and lush tropical gardens that Goa has onoffer are ideal for formal weddings. The Leela and Taj Exotica are also graced with hundreds of miles of pristinebeachfront property.

DON’T MISSFull moon parties on Cruise,Music Bands and Rain dance.

Goa: a foreign treat


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We chose Khajuraho because no one had explored it as a 'wedding destination', despite it being a World Heritage site.Khajuraho is a dream wedding destination for those nuptials who wish to exchange vows in a quaint town amid the famous temples of love. Khajuraho group of monuments is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been listed as one ofthe seven wonders of India. Unlike other temples of India where the deities are worshipped, Khajuraho temples arefamed for erotic sculptures etched on their walls. These historic temples in Khajuraho reveal all aspects of treasure ofpassion, lust and eroticism.

WHAT’S MORE:• Both the sides shall be welcomed at their advent with theritual of anointing the foreheadwith vermillion paste (Tilak) andgarlands symbolic of wishes for apleasant stay in the country.• The world heritage sight of thetemples of Khajuraho, famous fortheir erotic art forms shall be theperfect setting for organizingone’s wedding in exotic locales inIndia. The temple planned to serveas the wedding venue is ChausathYogini Temple, this temple is withan 11 headed statue of LordVishnu depicts his ten incarnations. • Mandap should be elegantlydecorated with flowers. The wedding rituals shall first includethe Varmala, exchanging of garlands which shall be followedby performing Saptpadi whichshall tie the pious knot of wedding. • A performance of “Dances ofIndia” at the Main Temple in Khajuraho followed by the granddinner in an ethnic way.

SOME EXOTIC LOCALES IN KHAJURAHOHotel Usha BundelaRadisson HotelRamada HotelChausath Yogini TempleChandela Hotel

Varanasi and Tirupati are the perfect locations for temple andholy sanctum weddings.

DON’T MISSCarvings and architecture of various temples, Kujhraho DanceFestival in February

Khajuraho: a rustic touch


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India has been famous for its big fatfairytalelike weddings. And, couplesare increasingly opting for dream weddings, embracing the modern and funlocales. With the help of populardream merchants (wedding planners),couples are quickly getting their �ix onthe latest destinations, food, décor andecofriendly themes. Wedding destinations have become the order of the day,with over thousands of highpro�ile

guests or relatives and friends being�lown into chosen destinations. Suchhumongous and lavish affairs are beingorganised by upper middle class urbanIndians or the af�luent in domestic locales such as Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur ,Jaisalmer, Amby Valley, Kerala and Goa.

Depending on the size of the wedding, their budgets, accessibility andhospitality infrastructure, places arezeroed in on. Among foreign locales,

BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDINGS!Kavita Wadhwani says when itcomes to wedding destinationsIndians are leaving no stone unturned to make it a cherishedand memorable experience


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Thailand is a hot destination for weddings. Hua Hin, Phuket, Chiang Mai,Bangkok, Koh Samui, Krabi and Patayaare extremely popular for wedding andholidays in the Land of Smiles. Thailandhosts as many as �ive to 10 Indian weddings every month during the peak season. Also, the Maldives, Mauritius,Langkawi, France and Bali have emergedas popular beach destinations. Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok,Dubai, and Istanbul too are hotspots. European destinations such as Tuscany inItaly, Prague in the Czech Republic,Switzerland and Ireland have had a fewhighpro�ile Indian weddings in recentyears, apart from the usual Paris,

Barcelona, Budapest, London, New York,San Francisco and Las Vegas as destination choices. Earlier most of the tourismboards or touristfriendly destinationsacross the world looked at India as amiddle class market, however, that perception is beginning to change. Weddingis a status symbol in India and familiesoften save for decades to host a lavish affair.

The highend Indian traveler or couples are de�initely willing to spend andconstantly looking for something exciting or the unique wow factor for a wedding in the family. Destination weddingsare mostly not budgetfriendly, and witheach passing day the big fat Indian wedding are becoming an abundant affair.However, not all destination weddingsare luxurious, these are ideal for peoplewho want an intimate and cost effectiveexperience. Destination weddings can bebudgetfriendly if the couple decides tohave the celebrations for not more thantwo days. And the guest list should berestricted to family, close relatives and afew friends. Also the travel, air ticketsand accommodation should be made inadvance to get a good deal. These weddings also double up as honeymoonweddings, as they combine wedding andhoneymoon together. So once the guestsare gone, the couple can enjoy solace ineach other’s company without the needto travel to another destination. Somerich Indian parents put up their bestshow for son/daughter’s wedding. Mostof these splendid weddings stretch over�ive days, and include hundreds ofguests and tend to have the trappings ofa traditional Indian wedding, talentedteam of chefs and kitchen assistants

�lown in to prepare hundreds of specialmeals, and a hugely adorned horse forthe groom to sit astride for his majesticentrance.

All of these wedding destinations entail, four or �ive days of festivities, at resorts, hotels, beaches or hill tops. Thesehighend weddings are mostly completewith top DJ’s, star performers shaking aleg or making a guest appearance, generous �lower decorations, photographer,videographer, food pre wedding, wedding and post wedding menu, guests airticketsstay, wedding dresstuxedo, hair& make up, wedding cake, wedding invitations, wedding bands, cocktailliqour,bachelor bash, security, the list is endless. And needless to say, all this is takencare of by the wedding planners charging the couple a bomb.

Says wedding planner, NeelabhKapoor, “Weddings in India are always agala affair be it for star couples, industrialists or business families. Star weddings are a step forward with all theirprecise preplanning and clockwork execution owing to the quantum of eye ballsthey get. The large scale of the star weddings along with celebrity guests alsocontribute towards making it large. Destination weddings are like extended family vacations with an agenda of themgetting together and know each otherbetter. They have gained huge popularityin the last few years and have emergedas a choice amongst the options available in wedding planning. The fewthings that drive these are the total number of guests, destination connectivityand costs. Thailand is amongst the topchoices owing to its connectivity andcosts, however those who want to createa difference and money isn’t a constrainthave moved to Europe be it Florence(Jindal Wedding) / Istanbul (Mittal wedding) /Venice (Agarwal Wedding) etc.There are varied themes like Tiffany,Tavern, Roman, Palaces, Rajasthani KitchMela, Karma Kola Indian cupids, Buddha south east Asian, etc to go with gowith the occasion.”


COVER STORY 15

Wedding destinationshave become the order

of the day, with overthousands of

high-profile guests orrelatives and friends

being flown into chosendestinations.

He adds, “The success ofplanning any wedding ismeasured by the contentmentand satisfaction level of thefamilies by getting the rightresponse from all guests.From there on the next way tomeasure up is by the no. Ofreferences /world of mouthclients we get passed on to!Our future clientele attendsthe set ups we create for current weddings hence we needto be extra careful to deliver asuccessful event.” The wedding lanners are raking in themoolah and making hay whilethe sun shines!

A couple in Mumbai hasbeen saving up the last fewyears ever since they havebeen dating, to have a dreamwedding in Udaipur. Says RitiKapoor, “I decided to take theplunge after dating for �iveyears. My husband and I saveda tidy sum for our wedding &honeymoon, besides our parents had kept aside a goodamount of money for our wedding as well. We both wanteda destination wedding, so wechose Fateh Garh RenaissancePalace in Udaipur. It was alovely venue, with a beautifulbackdrop, we were providedvintage cars. The rooms werepalatial, with a spectacularview, swimming pool et al. Ifelt like a queen. We had athree day wedding ceremony,complete with cocktail party,mehendi party, wedding andreception. We had to have ourfamilies, close relatives andhandful of friends. It was anexclusive wedding. Our photographer was a family friendwhile I was styled by a friendwho designed my clothes and

I wore my mom’s traditionaljewellery. We booked thevenue way in advance so wehad got good deals. Our relatives �lew down from acrossthe country to Delhi and thenthey were driven to Udaipuron a bus. It was a fun journeyand onceinalifetime wedding extravaganza. And, mybrother took the plunge inThailandPhuket and tookwedding celebrations to another level. Well, from lakhs toa couple of crores here andthere for a grand event is normal for an upmarket couplefrom a metro city.”

Many young couples whohave the dough to spendabundantly are also scoutingfor offbeat wedding destinations. It could range from thelikes of a Canadian Wineyardsor Rockies, to tying the knotduring a Shark Safari or atDolphin bay in Dubai. It couldeven be as adventurous assealing your relationship at aSalt mine 101 metres underground in Poland, or weddingat a baroque architecture inBudapest, or romantic castles/ Hluboka Chateau, wedding on Vltava River/ PetrinTower in Prague to addingnew heights to your weddingsvows with a Cable Car wedding in New Zealand. Or perhaps a crazy wedding insparkling lights of NYC whilesea lions leisurely glide by.When it comes to weddingdestinations, Indians are leaving no stone unturned to makeit a cherished and memorableexperience.

So get inspired and set up apicturepostcard wedding instyle!


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��

CHANGES FOR THE BETTERA large percentage of rural India needs proactive action so that people can enjoy a

higher standard of living. Rijuta Khurana and Mirayah Siingh find out more

In a nation like India, a sizeable percentage of the population is �inancially weak. The need for employment is a neverending one. ‘TheKalpvriksha Mushroom Project' is an innovation which has given employmentto many poor families in rural areas.Ramesh Randive, whose own �inancialsituation was weak, not only infusedprosperity in his own household butalso in the families of those who werewilling to believe in his concept of growing mushrooms.

Realizing the great demand formushrooms and aware of the convenient climatic conditions for growth, Randive made a very small initialinvestment. He started his mushroomplantation, which has grown into a bigsetup now. That has resulted in jobs formany individuals. Not only that, he alsogives training about mushrooms to interested individuals. They start theirown plantations, thereby bene�iting notonly �inancially but also healthwise.

Signi�icance Mushrooms is referred to as the 'Immortal Mushrooms' in Japan, the‘Longevity Mushrooms' in Korea and isconsidered to be ‘God's Diet ' in Romefor good reasons.

In India, they ought to constitute asigni�icant part of one’s diet. Protein de

�iciency is a common problem in Indians, especially those who are young.Mushrooms provide the perfect solution. They have properties that are essential for the sound growth of humanmind. They are richer in vitamins thanfruits and have all the important components for healthy skin.

Mushrooms being fungi do not needsunlight to grow since they make theirown food. A temperature of about 18degrees Celsius for Oyester mushroomsand about 20 to 30 degrees for Valverialla mushrooms is enough, althoughthey require humidity up to 85 percent.The science of mushrooms is not verydif�icult or technical. Even a commonman can grow them in his house.

Great for health and easy to grow,mushrooms can be part of one’s dietand also provide an avenue for a good

standard of living. Understanding andappreciating both has its bene�its forsure.

The Kalpvriksha Mushroom Project is thebrainchild of Ramesh Randive of Osman-abad, Maharashatra. He can be reachedon [email protected]

Realizing the great demand for mushroomsand aware of the convenient climaticconditions for growth,Randive made a verysmall initial investment.He started his mushroom plantation,which has grown into abig set-up now

Mushrooming Prosperity

Mushroom cultivation

DEVELOPMENT 18


The Kalpvriksha MushroomProject has benefited severalfamilies who have eitherstarted their own plantationsor are working in one of them

People can sell anything if they knowhow to market it. Nothing, however, canbe sold without the right mix of advertising. In this era of cutthroat competition, costeffective advertising isdif�icult to get, much to the inconvenience of smallscale enterprises.

Addressing the dire need, RajatGupta, who had spent a good 10 years inoutdoor advertising, came up with a solution with an initial investment of onlyRs �ive lakh. He introduced the conceptof ad rickshaws designed speci�ically forsmall towns and rural areas.

Inclined towards innovation, Gupta hitupon the idea in 2007 during a trip toRajpur. Circus owners used to have anaudio announcer to make announcements with a poster stuck on rickshawsfor local advertising. This gave rise to theidea of ad rickshaws that could have allelements of advertising and still be costeffective.

An ad rickshaw is quite similar to anormal cycle rickshaw except that theseat is replaced with an ad space, a public address audio system, and most importantly, an approachable announcer.

FeaturesAn ad rickshaw is a budgetfriendlymedia option. It doesn’t cost more thanRs 400 per day, and enables local as wellas national advertisers to tap smalltowns and rural areas. “Such vehiclesprovide advertising and interactivitywith the target audience. The ad rickshaw offers a complete package of sight,sound, interactivity and taste," saysGupta.

Sight: An excellent view for both mobileand stationary audience.Sound: Recorded audio delivered onDVD/MP3 format, which provides clarity.Interactivity: All rickshaw riders arepromoters in the client’s uniforms andinteract with the target group. The eligibility standard for rickshaw riders arethat they must have passed secondarylevel, and have some knowledge of English as well as the local language. Theyare trained to be wellinformed about

the product or service being advertised.They distribute �lyers and brochures, andcan �ill up short response or contestforms.Use: It may come in handy for FMCGcompanies at the national level and confectionaries or food joints at the locallevel.

The mediumGupta designed the ad rickshaw with thehelp of a fabricator. Electrical and internal components were very simple andreadily available in the market. Philipstube lights and a 400ah inverter with 90ah battery and a DVD and a loudspeakermake up the basic elements.

The campaigns can run from two daysto two months. The cost of advertising isRs 400 per day per ad rickshaw. A brieftraining session to the rickshaw pulleron products/services and �lyers and thebrand message uniform ful�ill the visualneeds.

Gupta says, “Our effort is to providethe advertisers with a perfect rural advertising medium.”

PopularityThe ad rickshaws were launched onApril 19, 2008. The cycle rickshaw industry was facing a slow death at the timewhen ad rickshaws were launched. Itprovided a new lease of life to many people. The rickshaw garages that were running low on business because of theentry of auto rickshaws quickly copiedthis idea, and got good business fromlocal clients wanting to advertise.

The concept became really popular during theNovember 2008elections in Chhattisgarh, MPand Rajasthan.Both the BJP as wellas the Congressemployed thismedium for promotions. It is estimated thataround 5,000

rickshaws were converted into ad rickshaws during that period. Since then,this new medium has gained in strength.The future of ad rickshaws is bright with ecycle rickshaws powered by solar energy that can cover more ground andbe less taxing on the human element.

Slowly, corporate houses such as Reliance, Big Bazar, Vishal Megamart andCRI pumps sought to make the most ofthe innovation. Government agencies likePulse Polio, CINI and DOTS contributed to the requirement of adrickshaws. Local retailers like PrakashSarees and Shopper Citi as well as political parties like the BJP and the Congress too have enhanced its popularity. Even local �ilm theatres havebeen added to the list of users.

Ad rickshaws can be also used assmall sales deliverycumadvertising vehicles. The larger boot area allows oneto store stock for a day. Clearly, such isthe concept that the future of ad rickshaws is nothing but bright.

The above mentioned innovation has beenmade by Rajat Gupta. He can be reachedat [email protected]

Spend little, sell well

Ad Rickshaws

DEVELOPMENT 19


The future of ad rickshawsis bright, thanks to e-cyclerickshaws powered by solarenergy that can cover moreground and be less taxing onthe human element

Various types of ICT projects have beenimplemented in the area of agriculturein rural India. But, there is no ICT initiative in the villages with poor tribalpopulation in the states of the Northeast. The ereadiness assessmentreport (2005 and 2008) of the Ministryof Information Technology, Governmentof India, showed that all the states of theNortheast had been categorized underbelow average and least achievementcategory.

Hence, implementing touch screenkiosks for farm information facilitationwill be an innovative approach in theregion. Considering the geographicalremoteness, hilly terrain and poor roadconnectivity, IT provides a lot of scopefor timely information dissemination tothe tribal farming community in theNortheast. Touch screen kiosks couldgo a long way in providing informationon various modes of farming practicesincluding the crops, commodities, andenterprises. EAgriKiosks (touchscreen kiosks) facilitate access to relevant technical information withoutdisrupting the routine engagement offarmers. It can even disseminate information and knowledge on climaterelated practices, which are organic in nature.

Role •Advanced agricultural technologicaland information access to the tribalfarmers.

•Adoption of improved agriculturaltechnologies.

• Capacity building among tribalfarmers to use and retrieve theinformation from the kiosk.

• Helps to improve agricultural productivity and tribal farmers’ income.

• Accelerates socio economic development and empowerment oftribal farmers.

• Helps to reduce digital divide.

ParticipantsThe idea has been implemented by theCentral Agricultural University (CAU)Constituent Colleges; the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Pasighat,Arunachal Pradesh and College of PostGraduate Studies, Barapani, Meghalaya.

Bene�iciariesTribal farmers will be the main bene�iciaries of the project. It will alsohelp to create awareness among the administrators and policy makers whocan subsequently use ICT foragricultural development.

Outcome measurementThe touch screen kiosk’s impact will beassessed by the selected indicators onbehavioral change (knowledge, attitude,skill, acceptance, adoption, etc.), socioeconomic impact (income, poverty,gender equity, empowerment etc.) andclient satisfaction (relevance, quality,usefulness of the information kiosks).

Future prospectsThis innovation can be scaled up in theEast Siang district in Arunachal Pradeshfor those who are communicating in Adidialect. Further, after language recording, similar eAgriKiosks can bereplicated all over Northeast India. Forthe scaling up of the eAgriKiosks, publicprivate partnership with the agriculturaldevelopmental departments, NABARDand other agribusiness �irms need to beestablished. The eAgriKiosks can bereplicated by the Departments of Agriculture, agricultural universities andKrishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).

The article has been authored by Dr. R. Saravanan, Principal Investigator, e-AgriKiosk Project and Associate Professor (Communication), School of Social Sciences, Meghalaya. He can bereached at [email protected]

A woman using e-AgriKiosk

Just a touch away

DEVELOPMENT 20


Considering the geographical remoteness,hilly terrain and poor roadconnectivity, IT provides alot of scope for timely information disseminationto the tribal farming community in the Northeast

Asit K Biswas analyses the policy paralysis that besets electricitygeneration, impacting economic and social development in a big way

Early August more than 10% of theworld’s population suddenly found outthat they have no access to electricity. Alargescale failure of this magnitude hasnever happened. It did immense longterm damage to the credibility and reputation of India in terms of attractingforeign direct investments (FDI) to keepits economic development engines humming. With declining FDI and lower GDPgrowth rates, this failure is likely tohave longterm adverse implications forIndia’s economic and social development.

In retrospect, while the actual timingof this event could not have been predicted, all the indications were evidentfor some time that it was an accidentwaiting to happen. Signs of this impending catastrophe have been evident foryears.

Genesis of the problemIndia’s power sector faces severe headwinds due to innumerable challengeswhich have been consistently ignored orpoorly confronted for decades. To beginwith, the country has consistently underinvested in the power sector for thelast six decades. Also, the country’s lackof inclination towards making tough

policy decisions for longterm powerdevelopment is well documented. Thegovernment has consistently ducked theopportunities for fundamental reformsand opted for shortterm, politically expedient solutions that often have contributed to longterm adverse impacts.

To make matter worse, there hasbeen a proliferation of central and stategovernment institutions which have �ingers in every pie but have differentagendas and interests. These squabbling institutions have become part ofthe problem rather than offering costeffective solutions. Add to these weakkneed regulators who have no teeth,illinformed and outoftouch politicians invariably opt for politicallymotivated solutions rather than what isgood for the country, mandarins withmonumental egos but often awfully ignorant of real problems and solutions,environmental and social activists, business tycoons with their vested interests,rampant corruption coupled with ofcrooks, bandits and terrorists, and thepower problem looks insurmountable.In fact, the miracle is how India’s powersector has managed to muddle throughthe past 60 years in spite of these shortcomings.

The arrogance and incompetence isnot con�ined to political �igures alone.The chairman of Power Grid Corporation, the country’s largest powertransmission network which is astateowned body, proved his loyaltybut lack of appreciation of the magnitude of the problem by proclaiming“The country is in safe hands”, evenafter the grid had collapsed twice intwo consecutive days.

Current and past problemsThe power sector is facing innumerablechallenges which would not be easy toovercome because of social, economicand political problems that have beenallowed to fester unchallenged fordecades. A major problem is what thecountry targets in its �ive year development plans and what the sector actuallydelivers. For example, for the 8th, 9thand 10th Plans, spanning between 1992and 2007, the Planning Commission hasestimated that only about 50.5% of thepower sector targets were achieved.Even for the 11th Plan, by mid2011,only about 40% of the target of 78.7 GWwas achieved even though the Plan endsin 2012. The original target was reviseddown to 62.37 GW. By all indications,

Mismanagement In Indian Power Sector


CHALLENGES 22

even then, the country will meet about60% of this reduced target. Thus, likethe earlier plans, it is likely to achieveonly about half of its original target.

The reasons for such poor performances have been welldocumented bythe Planning Commission and observers. For example, for the 10th Plan,among the main problems were shortages in core equipment availability(boilers, turbines and generators), serious bottlenecks in mining and transporting coal, delays in investmentdecisions, release of funds and award ofcontracts, signi�icant delays regardingacquisition of land and environmentalclearances, and intense interministerial in�ighting. None of these problemshave ever been resolved. The continuous mismatch of targets and achievements has severely eroded thecredibility of all the government institutions linked to the power sector.

The problem is not going to disappear for even the 12th Plan (2012–17).The Commission has accepted a targetof 100 GW which would allow the country grow at 9% rate. However, the environment ministry has concluded thatthe target is “ecologically unsustainable”. In the absence of anyone with authority or inclination, the country willcontinue with the saga of nonimplemented plans and unachievable targetsfor years to come.

Current power situation in IndiaThe 2011 census showed that onethirdof the households do not have regularaccess to electricity. The original targetwas that by the end of this year everyIndian would have access to electricity,which now appears impossible.

If more Indians are to enjoy the bene�its of middle class life, the country hasto ensure that electricity availability increases roughly in line with economicgrowth. Within the next decade alone,India’s power demand is likely to double because of increasing industrial demands and rising per capitarequirements. By 2050, the Indian population is estimated to increase by another 500 million. The aspirations andexpectations of average Indians for abetter quality of life will not be achievedif the electricity availability cannot beincreased very signi�icantly. If this doesnot happen, the country is likely to faceconsiderable social and political unrest.With an accelerating power de�icit andpolitical unrest, FDIs which are essential for its economic growth are likely todry up signi�icantly.

If India has to compete favourablywith its Asian neighbours, all its citizensmust have access to reliable supply ofelectricity and it would have to increaseits per capita electricity availability rapidly. The country is already well behind.Per capita electricity consumption inChina is about 3.5 times that of India,Malaysia (6.33), Thailand (3.5), Singapore (14) and Korea (16.6). Thus, Indiahas to signi�icantly increase its electricity generation, transmission and distribution facilities during the next decadesand continue this accelerated development of power till at least 2050.

Power generationAt the end of June, thermal power accounted for 66.4% of the total installedcapacity of the country, of which 56.6%was based on coal. Hydropower accounted for 19.1%, nuclear 2.3%, andrenewable (small hydro, wind, solar,

biomass and urban industrial wastepower) the rest. India thus depends oncoal and hydro to provide over 75% ofits power.

Hydropower generation should havebeen signi�icantly better than what it istoday. Jawaharlal Nehru, the �irst IndianPrime Minister, considered hydro damsto be “temples of modern India”. Duringthe early 1960s, hydropower providednearly half the country’s electricity. Ifmore of Nehru’s “temples” were constructed, India would not have been insuch dire straits. At present, only about25% of the country’s hydro potentialhas been harnessed.

Lack of vision, populist tone of muchof country’s politics, social and environmental activism, rampant corruption,decisionmaking at a snail’s pace, andweak law enforcement have ensured hydropower contributes to less than 20%of the country’s current electricity generation. In April, power secretary UmaShankar announced a reduction of 75%of the planned hydropower generatingcapacity for the next �ive years, from 30GW to 10 GW because of regulatory delays, problems with environmentalclearances and land acquisition for projects and poor planning practices. Sadly,these are not new problems. They wereall identi�ied as serious constraintsunder 8th, 9th and 10th Plans which ensured that barely half the planned capacity increase could be realized.Decades of dithering has ensured thatnot much has been done to solve theseproblems. The future of hydropower inthe country is not bright unless the current conditions change radically. Sadlythere are no visible signs that this maybe the case in the foreseeable future.

This is in marked contrast to theprogress countries like China and Brazilhave made in hydro development. Indiasimply could not have built ThreeGorges Dam which now accounts forabout 10% of China’s electricity use because of its chaotic planning and decisionmaking processes.

The power sector is facing innumerable challenges whichwould not be easy to overcome because of social, economic and political problems that have been allowed to fester unchallenged for decades.


CHALLENGES 23

Coalbased thermal power Coal now accounts for more than half ofIndia’s electricity generation. The country has the world’s �ifth largest reserveof coal but its quality is poor because ofvery high ash contents. Coal India is90% controlled by the Government. Itsobjectives are amorphous. Whether itshould maximise pro�its, or pay a highdividend to its majority shareholder whohas a serious budget de�icit, or providecheap fuel to the country is not clear. It isbasically a nonregulated monopolywhich has not increased production fastenough to meet the country’s needs.Compared to China’s rapidly increasingoutput, its production has reminded almost stagnant during the past two years.Existing mines have strict limits as tohow much coal they can extract. Newmines are dif�icult to open because of obtaining environmental and land clearances within reasonably time periods.

Coal prices are �ixed by the government at far below international levels.Coal India has $11 billion of unused netcash in its balance sheet but reinvestsonly about 20% of its gross cash �low.Technology and management practicesused for mining and transportation areoutdated. Management is weak becauseof strong trade unions and the system isrife with corruption. Presence of Maoistterrorists in some of its coal mining areahas not helped.

On the �inancial side, most consumersreceive heavily subsidized electricity.Farmers get free power to pump groundwater for irrigation, but some of thispower is illegally diverted to factories.Since electricity is free, farmers run theirpumps irrespective of whether crops require water or not. As a result groundwater levels in many states are declining byover 1 metre every year. This means eachyear farmers have to use more and moreelectricity to pump water from increasingly higher depths, thus accelerating thevicious circle.

Not only increasing the production ofthe coal is a problem but also its transportation from the eastern productionbelt to other parts of the country wherethe thermal power plants is located. TheIndian Railways, another unregulatedstate monopoly, is simply not ef�icientenough for timely transportation of coal.

During June, because of the produc

tion and transportation bottlenecks, thethermal power plants received 33 MT ofcoal when the demand was 40 MT. 31power plants had critical coal stock ofless than seven days, out of which 25 hadstocks of less than four days. In addition,coal supply for 8,000 MT of new thermalpower plants had not even commenced.

As a result at the end of 2007, the demand for coal for the power sector exceeded supply by 35 million tonnes(MT). This gulf is estimated to widen to83 MT by the end of this year, and an astronomical 220240 MT by the end ofnext Plan in 2017.

While private sector has been allowedto construct power plants, they aresqueezed by the two national monopolies: Coal India and Indian Railways,which favour the public generatingplants. Private sector plants often are thelast to receive coal.

In a burst of enthusiasm, private sector operators spent over $7 billion in acquiring mines outside India during thepast few years in order to have an assured coal supply. However, ports andrailways cannot handle the transportation of this extra coal. Besides, foreigncoal is signi�icantly more expensive thanthe pricecontrolled Indian coal. It is estimated that foreign coal could be three tofour times more expensive in terms oftheir thermal value equivalent.

Use of imported coal means higherprice for the electricity distributorswhich are predominantly state controlled and are invariably run poorly.They lose between 25% and 40% ofpower because of inef�icient grid equipment, poor management and outrighttheft. Most are basically bankrupt for allpractical purposes.

The regulators who set tariffs are theoretically independent but for all practical purposes have proved to be totallyineffective. The tariffs dictated by thelocal politicians, who mistakenly want tokeep the price low for political expediency to win votes. In many places, theelectricity rates have not been revisedfor years. For example, in Tamil Nadu,the tariff was not changed for aboutseveneight years. It is estimated that thecombined annual losses of state electricity boards which operate the grid will bearound $19.2 billion. No institution canbe run ef�iciently with such heavy losses

year after year.Accordingly, the Boards have insuf�i

cient funds to maintain and upgrade thegrid on a regular basis. It is estimatedthat they would need capital investmentof around $200 to $230 billion which ofcourse they do not have, and will nothave unless they are managed in a radically different manner. This means thatin most states the networks will continueto worsen steadily.

Electrical infrastructure developmenthas been consistently neglected fordecades. Even now, interregional transmission capacity is only about 1/8th ofthe installed capacity.

An important challenge facing thepower sector is the multiplicity of factors, with varying agendas and interests.At the central level there are variousministries, regulatory institutions, bureaucrats and politicians who often workat cross purposes. There is no one whocan knock heads of squabbling politicians and bureaucrats together so thatan agreed policy is followed that wouldensure adequate power for the country’slongterm development.

Similar complexities exist also at thestate level. There are powerful businessempires whose tentacles entangle central and state politicians and bureaucrats, single issue environmental andsocial activists, and pervasive corruption.

For India to grow at 7% to 10% peryear in the coming decades, energy security is prerequisite. Without assured supply of electricity and with increasingpopulation and rapid urbanization andindustrialization, the country will not beable to ful�il the increasing aspirationsand expectations of its people.

Perhaps the largest electrical blackout in human history will “concentrate”the minds of the politicians and the bureaucrats because of an enraged public,private sector and media. The countryhas the technology, skilled people and investment funds to ensure power security.What it does not have is political will orthe capability to make this possible, atleast over the short and medium terms.

Asit K. Biswas is the Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Lee Kuan YewSchool of Public Policy, Singapore, andFounder of the Third World Centre forWater Management, Mexico.


CHALLENGES 24

SPIRITUALITY 26

Children grown as youth hold thefuture of a nation in their delicatehands, and they need us to enablethem to shape that future, to inspirethem to imagine and dream of anew world order, of hope, peace andlove, and to empower them with theconcepts, values and attitudes,skills, morality and practices tomake their dream come true. Teachers, parents, society, media are allresponsible for in�luencing and conditioning the minds of the youngchildren. Youth today live in a society where numerous problemsplague the nation and instant grati�ication is the order of the day. In�luence of the western culture underthe pretext of modernization is veryhigh and morality is at the lowestebb. Core human values like morality, humanity, honesty have been adversely affected.

In this context, I would like tohighlight ancient wisdom Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita in thelight of Swami Vivekananda’s visionof future civilization of the worldand why morality is most signi�icantin this day and age and how it willhelp realize our dreams.

Three Dimensions of a PersonalityWe know, ‘three dimensions’ is always preferred over ‘two dimensions’. The education system tillnow was emphasising on two instead of three dimensions of a personality physical and intellectual.However, we found a new uproar inthe �ield of ethics which is very en

couraging. In the management studies we �ind management ethos anew concept based on ancient management techniques. If we re�lect onthe great leaders of our ancient society, we �ind that their base wasethical and moral. Great Indiansages of every era like Chanakya,Lord Buddha, Christ, MahammadPaigambar, Sita, Savitry, Mandodari,Ahilya, Maitryei, Gargi, and very recently Sri Ramakrishna, SwamiVivekananda, Ma Sharada Devi, YogiArvind, all had built up their policies, opinions and convictions upona key factor i.e. ‘Goodness TowardsAll Without Personal Ambitions’which re�lects in our ancient prayer Let’s all be happy! Let all behealthy! Let’s all see good aroundthem! Let’s not a single person suffer!

Morality The Third DimensionModern management shouldunderstand it clearly that accountability towards customer enhances when weadd values to the services.Morality is hard to be imbibed in later part of life. Itis improved by drivingforce of our thoughtsand the depth of purpose of life we choose.Why we want to live?Whether we want a selfcentric life or peoplecentriclife? Why not selfcentric?Why peoplecentric? The answer is simple. When I am

MANAGEMENT ETHOS,ANCIENT WISDOM & SWAMI VIVEKANANDASwami Supradiptananda explains Swamiji’s visionof future civilization and why morality is most significant and how it helps realize our dreams


SPIRITUALITY 27

thirsty, I generally delay to drink water.That implies ef�iciency decreases. Ifyour company is driven by the sole aimto improve the pro�itability, you may notsatisfactorily deliver the goal. But ifyour company is driven by the ‘customer satisfaction’ concept, you mayend with unexpected pro�itability.

Right Service AttitudeSwami Vivekananda, the Cyclonic Monkof India, recommends “Shiva JnaneJivaSeva”, or serving a person as if we areserving God, or the supreme commander. Customer is our supreme commander. This attitude brings outunsel�ish perfection within the managers. It is more enjoyable and absorbing. Person remains focussed till hereaches the goal. The process turns intoenjoyment. No extra entertainmentneeded. And what a person wants is enjoyment. Isn’t it? Thus, unsel�ish perfection actually gives us real enjoymentfollowed by money, name, fame, facilities etc.

Modern management must trade thepath of service than the pro�itability. Weknow where there is better customerservice there is pro�itability. Our goalshould there be how we can bring outbest out of our managers. Along withphysical and intellectual it is thereforemore important to check out our morality and ethics behind the new ideas. Inshort, managers must pay attention tothe moral dimensions of the proposedidea, �irst. Morality is derived or improved by the in�luence of good inspiring lives of the great heroes like SwamiVivekananda who derives all hisstrength from our ancient wisdom forexample Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita etc.

Vivekananda says, “Know your past.Out of the past is built the future. Whoever tries to bring the past to the doorof everyone, is a great benefactor to hisnation. Look back, therefore, as far asyou can, drink deep of the eternal fountains that are behind (Upanishads), andafter that look forward, march forwardand make Bharat brighter, much higherthan she ever was.”

How Can Upanishads Give Us ExtraLeverage?Ancient wisdom helps us to drive our

attention to the root cause behind thisworld. In the Kena Upanishad it is said,

(What drives this world to move on?What makes mind work? What makesvital forces of our body march on? Whoprompts our sense organs? Whoprompts our Ears, Eyes to engage themselves in their respective duties?)

We must go deep into the mysteriesof the world i.e. cosmic powers whichdrive our sense organs and thought patterns. We must pay deep and sincere attention to derive our inspiration fromthose noble thoughts, which are applicable in every era.

The concentration of mind is attended systematically through understanding and actually living as per theprincipals behind this universe. Isha Upanishad proclaims,

Cosmic energy is always perfect. Thisvisible world is perfect. The perfectionis also the outcome of perfect cosmicenergy. If we negate the perfection fromthe perfect, what remains is also a complete or perfection.

To attain real perfection in ourjob we need the inspiration and guidingthoughts at every step. Inspirationcomes more from the sensitivity ofheart and least from the sharp intellect.

Inspiration Verses Sharp IntellectOne thing should be understood herevery clearly. Sensitivity of heart doesnot mean lack of abilities to take necessary unpleasant, hard and drastic steps.That is weakness of heart which mustbe taken care of.

Swami Vivekananda says, “"Whenthere is con�lict between the heart andthe brain, let the heart be followed, because intellect has only one state, reason, and within that intellect works, andcannot get beyond. It is the heart which

takes one to the highest plane, which intellect can never reach; it goes beyondintellect, and reaches to what is calledinspiration. ...Men of heart get the 'butter', and the 'buttermilk' is left for theintellectual."

Most of the world is happy with the‘buttermilk’. They are yet to test ‘butter’.So Let us explore the way to this ‘butter’of life. We have to churn out the butterfrom the milk (out of our duties). Howto do that? Our Upanishads says –

Let both of us be protected! Let ussurvive together! Let us be bene�itted byeach other! Let us grow in strength together the experiences of each other!Let us improve our intellect with thehelp of each other! Let not hate eachother. (Us = Vendor and Customer)

Calm mind is the �irst condition forexploring and understanding the eternal principals of the world. Calm mind isthe outcome of the moral aspect of eachperson. Vendors should refrain from approaching their customers for a meagrepro�it. There should be a strong foundation of the famous theme, “How I canhelp you?” It will help improving oursensitivity towards the need of the customer. Sensitive mind will inspire usand forward this requirement to oursharp intellect. Rest of the thing will bereached accordingly.

The famous thinker William JenningsBryan says, "Destiny is not a matter ofchance, it is a matter of choice; it is not athing to be waited for, it is a thing to beachieved.”

Managers must work out their destiny being more sensitive in real sensetowards the customers.

Perfect achievement is only possiblethrough sensitivity of mind �irst, followed by sensitivity of intellect. Modernmanagers must shift their approach accordingly. It will bring healthy public relations, improved ef�iciency, ability tolearn quickly, enhanced joy in familyand social life, greater accountability towards the job, more perks and foremostof all – a deep satisfaction without frustration and cravings.

The author is Vice-Principal of Ramakrishna Mission School NarottamNagar, Arunachal Pradesh. He can bereached at [email protected]

Perfect achievement is onlypossible through sensitivity

of mind first, followed by sensitivity of intellect.

Modern managers must shifttheir approach accordingly.


OPINION 28

The relationship between the nonresident Indian and the home country has always been a tad ambivalent. On the one side, NRI feelshe is a bit done in by the attitude of theprivate sector, the media and even thered tapes that snarl the public sector,which suggests that nearly 30 million ofus ran away for our creature comfortsand should pay a sort of price for it.

By the same token there are enoughIndians who add to the chasm by theirboorish conduct, constant whining,rudeness and impatience with all thingsIndian, the dirt, smells, systems et al, we can be hurtful and thoughtless andthere is no point pretending otherwise.This category of person has often beenobserved at airports getting into arguments, being oa�ish and illmannered.

At one stage when nothing was beingdone to improve all matters NRIs,wounded by their inability to eithervote or have representation in Parlia

ment began to refer to themselves asNon Required Indians. Fortunately, technology and a new awakening afterthe �irst Gulf war in 1991 spurred thebridging of the gap and as more Indianstravel for leisure and work, the oftenclumsy mystique of living and workingabroad has largely vanished.

Today, travel and technology have actually caught their �light back andacross the work spectrum Indians arenot that keen on placing themselves onthe global market. In fact, the contraryhas become the norm. And opportunityis not going abroad but doing well athome. As a result, the genial contemptin which the majority held the minorityhas evaporated.

Not just that but both sides have realized they can commercially gainfrom each other and the network of theIndian diaspora is a powerful weapon.

But let me try to bring a new dimension to an old equation.

At the outset, let us put aside thepast. The old suspicions and distrusts,the play on the NRI as being Not Required Indian and its many interpretations have no place in the hitech world we live in. These are prejudices that found root when theworld was not a global village.

It has now shrunk dramatically andthe longest distance is less than secondsaway on the internet and only hours inperson.

Reputed UAEbased NRI Ram Buxani,in his bestselling book Taking the HighRoad, makes a succinct argument.

“This social network has created acloseness that we must both exploit tothe maximum and gain from it.

We are Indian and we will always beIndian. On our part it is time to stop‘licking our wounds’ and feeling ‘leftout’ or ‘put out’ by actions we attributeto our governments and the authoritiesover the years. So much good time has

Non Required Indian

Bikram Vohra explains how empowering NRIs can help them evolve as ambassadors at large

FACT OR FALLACY


OPINION 29

been lost, so much endeavour placed onhold, so much commerce left to rust because NRIs had become a label.

I propose we decide here and now todrop the label. We are Indians who liveabroad and our hearts are here and always will be. Let us change the underlying sentiment of the NRI andmake it a proud one.

Our priorities are the same and ifthere is a hill for us to climb it lies in ensuring that we do not create toomuch distance between our childrenand their homeland. “

For Gulf Indians freighted by proximity that almost makes livingabroad a facsimile of life at home withthe added advantage of lifestyle the fearis the impermanence of their stay andthe fact that their children, having enjoyed a �inancial liquidity may notwant to go home.

We are now eight million Indiansdoing extremely well across the boardin the GCC enclave. This is a huge reservoir of Indian talent and acumenand capability.

Tap it in India. In South Africa, as wetap into you. We are a robust community in Singapore, Hong Kong,Kenya and other parts of east Africa.Let us now begin to share our bountyand knowledge and make the NRI atruly global entity.

And what, you might ask, has to bedone to bring this about. To begin with,inculcate a higher level of mutual trustand acknowledgement. A long promised setting up of a ministry to

deal with Indians who live abroad thatgoes beyond window dressing and ispredicated on a longterm programme.Also, fast track paperwork and theclearance of projects. India is a globaltomorrow, and we are the nation’s ambassadors at large.

It is not the $50 billion that Indiansrepatriate every year to their homecountry. It is the still lingering sense ofisolation that we sometimes feel…thesame sort of sensation when a brothersays, yes, it is okay for you to be herenow paying the bills but where wereyou when Dad was ill and we had torush him to hospital, where were youwhen Mother broke her hip, wherewere you when we fought the case incourt. WHERE WERE YOU?

We were working, but we were neveraway in spirit or in mind and distance. We were representing Indiawith pride and with commitment andwe were making a living…nothing to beashamed of or apologise for.

It has been said that unless nonresident Indians are given the right tofranchise, something guaranteed by theConstitution, there is no vote bank and,therefore, no political interest in thishuge entity. That may well be true andthe few stabs made in that direction havenever really been penetrative, dying feebly in editorial columns and letters tothe editor.

There are other issues that have to beplaced on the anvil.

Let the authorities de�ine the status ofPravasi Bharati and accord Pravasi

Bharatiya Praman Patra to those who satisfy the requirement. It is time that certain parameters were placed upon theentity and its functioning.

By that very token the question of dualcitizenship and the holding of an Indianpassport becomes a front burner issue.

With liberalization, today almost everysixth Indian periodically travels overseason an Indian passport. But merely possessing the document does not establish that a person is a NRI.

An Overseas Indians representationneeds to be nominated in the law making body. If artistes and other professionals could �ind a berth in theRajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, overseas Indians should also be considered fornomination in the lawmaking body. They are bound to contribute substantially for the bene�it of the country.

As these aspects fall into place we canbuild on the foundation.

The Indian Missions in the Gulf countries can be equipped with professional educational counsels toguide the children about availability ofthe educational academic as well astechnical facilities within the country.

In much the same fashion a separateMinistry for Overseas Indians could coordinate with various ministries regarding different issues faced by theNRI is a need of the hour and the government should consider this matter.

All it will do is bring us closer to home.And there can be no harm in that.


Lakshmi Mittal honored by SpecialSikh AwardIndianorigin steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittalhas received a SpecialRecognition Awardfrom the Sikh community here for his outstanding contribution in setting up a USD4 billion joint venturere�inery in Punjab.Receiving the SikhAward a programmehere last night, Mittal,Chairman and CEO ofArcelorMittal theworld's largest steelproducer, said, "TheSikh Award given to anonSikh is very important... This awardis for the Sikhs and thepeople of Batinda andPunjab".

Indo-American teenhonored for being‘America’s Young Scientist’FourteenyearoldDeepika Kurup of Indian origin won'America's Young Scientist' title. Kurup,who lives in Nashua,Boston, won the prestigious award along witha cash prize of $25,000for designing an affordable water puri�ier thatruns on solar power.She intends to use apart of her award to deploy her prototype incountries facing shortage of potable watersuch as India. Kurup'sparents hail fromTrivandrum in Kerala.Kurup, a Std IX studentfrom Nashua highschool, competed withnine other �inalists inthe 'Discovery Education 3M YoungScientist Challenge' andemerged as the winnerafter three rounds. The�inalists were mentored by scientistsat 3M for three months."One of the challengeswas to create prototypes using 3Mproducts.

Shah Jahan finds acompetitor: NRI ArunMehra builds Taj Arabia in DubaiLike all hardworkingIndians in Dubai, ArunMehra started work ona billiondollar ornate,functioning replica ofthe Taj Mahal, threetimes bigger than thewonder of the world atAgra. Mehra wants todedicate this new monument to 'love inthe world' Mehra plans to invitecelebrities, and hopesto host a few megaaward functions aswell. The huge MughalGardens, thrice the sizeof afootball �ield, couldorganise large concertslike, say, the Grammys.His team has set itselfan ambitious target to�inish all of this in twoyears, by end2014.This is the pace atwhich Dubai works,says Mehra, who camehere in 2004.

LAKSHMI MITTAL

DEEPIKA KURUP

ARUN MEHRA

Scotland Universityhonours NRI entrepreneurHari Harilela, one ofthe most known Indian origin entrepreneurs inHong Kong whofounded a billiondollar enterprise, hasbeen honoured with ahonorary doctorate inBusiness Administration by the EdinburghNapier University. Harilela, 90, who isChairman of the Harilela Group, ownsa range of companiesacross the world including restaurants,hotels and real estate.He has been previously honouredwith the PravasiBharatiya Sammanfrom India as well asthe Order of theBritish Empire (OBE).

Bill Clinton endorsesNRI Ami Bera for USCongressDr Ami Bera, the IndianAmerican Democratic Party candidate from a Congressional seat in California was endorsed bythe charismatic formerUS President Bill Clinton.Last week, Bera was endorsed by SacramentoBee; the largest newspaper of the area."Bera hasseveral qualities thatwould make him an ablerepresentative," the endorsement read.

HARI HARILELA

DR AMI BERA

NGINEWSMAKERS

Ishita Sharmaprofiles

achievers fromthe NRI and PIO

community


NEWS 30

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Manoj Mulwani takes a sneak peek into the NRIs’ engagement in various fields

NEWSBINN R I

DIVALI MAGAZINEON INDO-TRINIDADIAN LITERARY WRITERS

IndoCaribbean Divali Publication Ltd (ICC) is proudto announce the publication ofits latest Divali souvenir magazine. Divali, the HinduFestival of Lights, will be observed as a national holidayon Tuesday November 13,2012.

The theme of this year’s edition of the magazine is TheBrilliance of IndoTrinidadianLiterary Writers. From the1930s, Seepersad Naipauland his family began to establish themselves as thefirst literary dynasty, notonly among IndoTrinidadians, but also among writersthroughout the Englishspeaking Caribbean.Seepersad was followed byhis son Vidia (VS), who wonthe Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992, and hasbeen the only Trinidadianto claim this internationally coveted prize so far. The

Naipauls have been followedby writers up to this day suchas Neil Bissoondath,Rabindranath Maharaj, RonRamdin, Raymond Ramcharitarand Kevin Baldeosingh. Acclaimed women writers include RajandayeRamkissoonChen, MadeleineCoopsammy, Lakshmi Persaud,Ramabai Espinet, ShaniMootoo and Niala Maharaj. Itwould surely be akin to blindness not to notice the happy coincidence of the literary success of these women, and thegroundbreaking appointmentof an Indian woman as PrimeMinister of Trinidad and Tobago in the person of KamlaPersadBissessar.

Contact :Indo-Caribbean Divali Publication Ltd (ICC), 10 Swami Avenue, Don MiguelRoad, San Juan, Trinidad andTobago. e-mail [email protected]

GADAR MOVEMENT'S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS STARTED

NEW INVESTOR VISA CATEGORY OF AUSTRALIA COULD ATTRACT HNI ENTREPRENEURS FROM INDIA

Gadar movement's yearlong centenary celebrations have beenlaunched in the US by a group ofeminent IndianAmericans, remembering the 1913 rebellionin history as a testimony of thedeep love the immigrants had fortheir motherland.

The yearlong Gadar Centennial celebrations were formallylaunched in the presence of Ambassadors to the US from fourcountries, India, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

An initiative of Global Organisation of People of IndianOrigin (GOPIO), eminent IndianAmericans were behindthe yearlong celebrations asthey hailed the Gadar movementfor being a testimony of the deeplove that the Indian immigrantshad for their motherland.

Gadar was a newspaper published for the Hindustani Association of the Paci�ic Coast,founded at Portland in 1912. TheGadar Party, built around the

weekly paper, was formed in1913 in the United States underthe leadership of Har Dayal, withSohan Singh Bhakna as its president.

The Gadarites wanted Indiafreed from the British and did nothesitate to make any sacri�ices for the cause of freedom, dignity and prosperityof their motherland, the IndianAmericans said.

"India and overseas Indiansshould pay �itting and well deserved tributes to Gadarites,"Inder Singh, Chairman of GOPIO,said.

Observing that the GadarMovement is an integral part ofthe rich heritage in the UnitedStates for the IndianAmericansand of Indian history, AshookRamsaran, GOPIO president saidthat Gadarites left an extraordinary legacy for the future generations and a globalcentennial commemoration is a �itting and well deserved tribute.

The Australian government's newsigni�icant investor visa, which provides a pathway for migrant investors, is set to roll out on November 24. The applicantsunder this category will need tomake investments of at least A$5million (Rs 27.8 cr) in the countryto qualify.

While candidates have to meetthe criterion on business innovation, there is no upper age limit.This visa category is attracting a

great deal of interest in Indiaand could make Australia the nextbig destination for high net worthIndians who want to immigrate.

Though the Australian department of immigration andcitizenship (DIMIA) is not willing tospeculate on whether this new category is likely to attract a largenumber of Indians, India has recently emerged as the top sourcecountry for permanent migrants to Australia.

NEWSBIN 32


The stage is set, as the Indian PropertyShow announces its return with arecord number of participants takingthe show to greater heights. Expectedto be the biggest show yet in its history,the 3 days property extravaganza begins from 13th to 15th December at theWorld Trade Centre With more than 80exhibitors and 120 stands spreadacross 4000 sq.mts the show is largerthan the previous editions. Number offootfalls is also expected to increasewith over 16,000 visitors likely to visitthe show.The Indian Property Show has becomea launch Pad for developers over theyears. New projects with exciting dealsare announced and showcased here forthe first time and NRI’s get best bargains in return. Properties as low asINR 18 lakhs to high end luxury properties are made available. Even this edi

tion promises a good mix of propertiesPAN India with developers coming fromTier 1, tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The showenables the buyers to understand thepulse of property scenario back home. The show will witness regular leadingexhibitors such as Unique Group, SobhaDevelopers, Nirmal Lifestyle, Hiranandani Constructions, Ansal Housing,IREO Pvt.Ltd, Amrapali, Vatika, Brigade,Godrej etc. And new entrants such asOzone group, Adarsh Build Realestate,Omkar, Hub town, Pacifica, Rustomji etcwill be vying for the audience attention.The special Pune Pavilion by Credai Maharashtra will be available again withmajor realtors such as ShapoorjiPalonji, G corp, Nyati, Sairung etc exhibiting at the show. Partnering andsupporting the show as sponsors willbe Investors Clinic and India Bulls Pvt.Ltd.

The Punjab governmentwill organise a threedayNRI sammelan from January 3 next year, saidminister Bikram SinghMajithia. During thesammelan, the state government will announce a comprehensive packagefor NRI Punjabis settledin various countries, hesaid. Majithia, the NRIAffairs minister, alongwith Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir SinghBadal reviewed theworking of the department. The �irsttwo days of the sessionwill be held in Chandigarh and the lastday in Jalandhar.Sukhbir said the NRI Affairs department has toadopt a proactive approach and open an interactive channel ofcommunication with theNRI fraternity besidesinculcating a sense ofcon�idence among Punjabis settled abroad.

Expressing concern overillegal occupation ofproperties of NRIs inPunjab, he asked N SKang, Principal SecretaryNRI Affairs, to form asubcommittee with theIG NRI Affairs and comeout with a legal framework to ensure protection of NRI properties.Worried over risingcases of illegal immigration and travelagents �leecing innocentyouths, he said the stategovernment has alreadygiven its approval to theHuman Traf�icking Actand is awaiting assent ofthe Union government inthis regard.Taking a serious note ofincreasing cases of'fraudulent marriages'by NRIs, he said the Punjab government isawaiting the assent ofthe Union governmentfor compulsory registration of marriageby NRIs to check thismenace.

Tulsi Gabbard, who appears all set to become the �irst Hinduto be elected to the USHouse of Representatives, has said her faithwould be an asset in theCongress as it wouldhelp enhance mutual understanding betweenAmerica and India. "It isclear that there needs tobe a closer working relationship between theUnited States and India.How can we have a closerelationship if decisionmakers in Washingtonknow very little, if anything, about the

religious beliefs, values,and practices of India's800 million Hindus?" Gabbard asked.Still, her potential election has electri�iedthe Hindu Americancommunity, which is estimated to be from600,000 to 2.3 million,most of them IndianAmericans. Gabbard, wasborn in American Samoato a Catholic father and aHindu mother, fully embraced Hinduism as ateenager. Gabbard waselected to the Hawaiistate legislature in 2002,when she was only 21.

INDIAN PROPERTY SHOW IS BACK WITH A BANG!POISED TO BE THE BIGGEST EDITION EVER!

NRI SAMMELAN IN PUNJAB NEXT YEAR

FIRST HINDU TO BE ELECTED TO THE US HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES

NEWSBIN 33


MIDDLE EAST 34


This magni�icent obsession has come along way since then, becoming a multibillion dollar sport with more millionaires made on the links of the worldthan even in tennis or football.

The absolute acme of the corporateworld, it is said that more networking isdone on the course and executives whoplay the game are more likely to climbthe rungs of the company ladder thanthose who do not. Careers are made andbroken and character �laws underscored. Business is not only brokered onthe Par 5 but even mergers have beenknown to happen between a drive and achip shot onto the green.

Smack, right dab in the middle of thiswonderful revolution is Dubai, a citypassionately involved in encouragingthe game and giving the world a choiceof courses that are comparable to thebest in the world. Already established asa venue par excellence Dubai keepsadding on to its list of prestigious golfcourses, designed by internationalnames like Nick Faldo, Karl Litten, GregNorman, Gary Player etc.

When you come here for the 2013NGI meet you will have the honor ofplaying off the same tee as Tiger Woods,Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Ian Woosnam,the greatest names in the game.

In fact, so awesome is the choice andso incredible the courses you start plan

ning your chip shots now. It wasn’t always like that.In the early eighties golf crazy expats

would carry squares of green Astroturfas they played nine holes on the brownsof the Dubai Country Club golf course(Al Awir). There was no great swell ofenthusiasm and it was a sort of ‘maddogs and Englishmen’ thing with thehardiest swinging clubs even as themercury soared past the hundred mark.In those early pioneering days of theUnited Arab Emirates a small and rathereccentric group of Europeans set aboutsculpting a golf course out of sand andoil.

They were the pioneers of golf in theemirates. The true front liners, men andwomen who went into the hot sun toclout the little white ball and set in motion a series of events that would intwenty years drive, chip and putt theEmirates onto the world's stage as apremier gol�ing destination.

No true golfer’s stay in the UAEwould be complete without testingthemselves on the sand links here. AlGhazal course in Abu Dhabi is an alltime favorite, the ultimate ‘Desert Challenge’. Don't laugh it off, there is nothingcomical about it. The course requiresmore grit and staying power than onemight imagine. Al Ghazal has previouslyplayed host to the World Sand Golf

Championship featuring some of thebiggest names in the game.

Sand players develop a fascinationfor the technique needed to play onsand and become experts. If there was aglobal sand tournament the Emiratesteam would probably win 'sands' down.

How dramatically things havechanged. Green courses dot the desertlandscape in unbelievable contrast.Today, there are over 7000 regulars anddouble that number of eager beaversready to go out there and �ight for theirhandicaps. Golf not only commands theattention of the party circuit but hasbeen espoused as one of the favoritesports of the locals. Not just that, butthe facilities are world class. Touristsfrom all over the world �lock to Dubaiand the �irst (or second) order of business is golf. The golf industry in Dubaiin particular is booming with its lushcourses drawing business and leisuretravelers from across the world, andmost of the city’s hotels have forgedclose links with the courses, offeringsun and golf packages which are beingsnapped up by growing numbers of visitors. And you don’t have to be worldclass. In the UAE, the locals have takento the game with grim determinationand even ladies have a robust membership. After all, the aura of the international circuit seeps into the ambience.

Legend has it that one sunny day in Scotland (they have them occasionally) a young shepherd boy,bored with counting his flock, upturned his wooden crook and tried to strike a pebble into a small

hole. He finally ‘putted’ it and jumped with joy at the satisfaction he got from his achievement.And the game of golf was born. Through the centuries no one was able to figure out what cerebral

and physical glee was derived from putting that little white ball into a pin on a blaze of grass. Technically, of course, the roots of the game are less romantic. Although its origin is unknown, golf

is clearly identified with Scotland, where it was played as early as 1457. The British OpenTournament was established in 1860. The game may have been played in America in the 17th

century but the first permanent club, at Yonkers, N.Y., was not organized until 1888.I like the shepherd boy story more.

TIME FOR TEEDubai's golf drive goes global

By Bikram Vohra

MIDDLE EAST 35


Where else can you putt off the greenwhere Tiger Woods and Greg Normanand Colin Montgomerie have pittedtheir talents on courses at Emirates GolfClub and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Clubthat are now part of the European Tourcircuit and open to residents and visitors all year around.

Professionals and amateurs alike gothe course with vim and vigor and not afew slices and misses. The Track at Meydan, The Montgomerie at Emirates Hillsare all unparalleled as gol�ing challenges.

Investment in golf by the governmentof Dubai and the private sector hasproved to be a shrewd move and manyof the evergrowing number of visitorsto the Emirate, from businessmen to vacationers, say that the existence of excellent golf courses has contributed to

their decision to travel to Dubai.

What are you doing today? Playing golf.

What are you doing tonight? Playinggolf.

With a mission to ensure that moreand more people around the world areaware of what Dubai has to offer togolfers, the international marketing andpromotion of Dubai as a golf destination was taken on by Dubai Golf – theorganization that owns and managesthe Government�inanced Emirates GolfClub and the Dubai Creek Golf & YachtClub.

Working alongside the Dubai Government’s Department of Tourism andCommerce Marketing, Dubai Golf participates extensively in major travel tradefairs, principally in Europe where Dubai

has its strongest gol�ing market led bythe Scandinavian countries, Germany,Switzerland and the UK, and also in theFar East, with South Africa and Australia presenting new opportunities.With direct �lights by Emirates (theUAE’s international airline) betweenAsia and the United States a reality(Emirates has a daily nonstopper to theBig Apple) a whole new marketplace isopening up.

The happy hysteria has also travelledfrom UAE to other parts of the GCC.

Qatar has established a plush course,which hosts a European Tour event theweek after the Dubai Desert Classic,and Saudi Arabia’s �irst grass courseprovede to be a popular recreationalvenue in its capital, Riyadh. It holds annual international events attracting international exposure. Another country

MIDDLE EAST 36


to join the GCC’s golf club isthe island of Bahrain, where asuperb 18hole grass courseis connected to two enormous 700,000gallon storagetanks to ouse the water required to irrigate the greensand wadi areas of the 155acre site. Its clubhouse is another architectural dreamwith three �loors containing aspacious restaurant with avista to the course’s greenlakeside area, proshop,meeting rooms, sociallounges and superbly appointed changing rooms. Notto forget, Oman also hasthree grass golf courses now Al Mouj Golf at The WaveMuscat development, Muscat

Hills and Ghala Valley.In fact, the golf fever is so

strong that those who do notplay actually feel left out ofthings since golfers, by theirvery nature, need to discussevery shot of theirs after thegame is over. There is morepost game analysis than thereis in Bridge.

It isn’t easy getting a reservation though and truediehards can be seen arrivingon the tee just as the sun begins to fetch up.

Dubai has them all. Theearly bird brigade, the midday madhatters and the sundown squads.

And why not? After all, anytime is tee time.

Christopher May, General Manager ofDubai Golf who manage two of the mostestablished and internationallyrenowned golf clubs in the Middle East -Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf& Yacht Club commented, “The expatriate Indian community accounts

for a significant number of our golf members and visitors across our clubs. The Indian community havebeen strong supporters of our clubs since 1988 whenthe first grass course in the region, The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club opened. Participation in many ofour club tournaments and networking events, including the inaugural Ambassadors Cup in 2011 whichsaw the Indian Business and Professional Council emerge as the overall winners, has ensuredthat their support has continued. Golf is great way tocombine sport, diplomacy and business networking intoa single platform and has time and again proven to beextremely successful in bringing together a diverse group of business people.”

Julian Danby, Senior Manager-Commercial runs the commercial operations of Dubai Golf’s managedcourses commented, “Golf has beenwidely publicised for a number of yearsas the leading ‘business sport’ and Iknow of nowhere else in the world

where this rings more true than Dubai. There are manygreat advocates of golf being a platform to create andnurture business relationships, however in particularthe expatriate Indian community have seized this mantle more than most. The IBPC in Dubai has an extremely strong affiliation to golf and on the back ofthe golfing successes of their UAE based business leaders, the use of golf as a business tool has reverberated throughout the community. At the end ofthe day there is no better way to get to know somebody(and when I say this, I mean for better or for worse!)than spending four hours with them a golf course!”

TEETALK

MIDDLE EAST 37


UAE GOLF: Rising from the dunesRuqya Khan outlines a mixture of different Golf courses andvaried Golfing facilities of UAE

Lush landscaped golf courses carved out of dunes, world class events and tournaments – the gol�ing scene in theUnited Arab Emirates is always hip and happening. In the world of golf, it is one of the most unique, spectacular andmust visit gol�ing destinations today. Whether you are working in the region, living here or just holidaying, there is acluster of great gol�ing experiences to be had, in fact it is a golfer’s paradise on many levels.

If you are looking for Championship Golf Courses, Links Golf, Beach Golf, Sand Golf Courses or 9 Hole Golf Coursesthe UAE has a bit of everything with service to match. You also cannot discount some of the superb Gol�ing facilitiesthroughout many of the Golf Courses including ranges, academies and F + B outlets. Not only would you be contenton the playing side of Golf, you can then throw into the equation a large selection of Golf events on all levels including European Tour sanctioned tournaments and you have an amazing mix of Golf all year round.

Currently 4 of the 7 Emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras al Khaimah or Sharjah have a mixture of different Golfcourses and varied Gol�ing facilities.

ABU DHABI CITY GOLF CLUB is the region’s first allgrass course. Easily the friendliest golf club in theUAE. 9 challenging holes without any of the stuffi-ness of the other courses. Compe��ve rates andregular compe��ons. The outside area has been to-tally revamped with a new bar and has become theplace for a relaxed drink and meal, at the weekend.

ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB, Na�onal Golf Course inAbu Dhabi ini�al home the HSBC Abu Dhabi GolfChampionship which is now an established event onthe European Tour desert swing. Featuring 27Championship holes of golf, the club presents itselfas one of the most luxurious golf resort experienceswithin the Middle East. Spread over 162 hectares ofland, the course features an undula�ng terrain me-andering through pockets of palms and ornamentaltrees, shrubs with seven spectacular saltwater lakes.

AL AIN EQUESTRIAN SHOOTING AND GOLFCLUB was formerly known as the Palm Sports GolfResort and is situated in the town of Al Ain in AbuDhabi. It offers a picturesque and challenging expe-rience for all golfers. The Golf Course also boaststhe longest hole in the UAE on all the Golf Courses.

AL DHAFRA LINKS GOLF CLUB is a unique club inits own way, which is located in Ruwais. The beau�-fully tended 18-hole, 5,754 yard par 72 sand courseis located near the coast, alongside the Al DhafraBeach Hotel and enjoys panoramic views over theArabian Gulf and the nearby massive Oil refinery.The course was build to sa�sfy the thirst for golfwhich every dedicated member of the then con-struc�on team needed quelling!

AL GHAZAL GOLF CLUB con�nues to be a hub forthe local community and for golfers in Abu Dhabi. Itis owned and run by ADAC. Located near the AbuDhabi airport, this 18 hole, 6,711-yard Sand Golfcourse is one of the best in the world - a stern testof one’s golfing skills.

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB is one of the world’smost uniquely cap�va�ng golfing projects. Designedby golfing legend Gary Player and as the ArabianGulf’s first and only ocean course, it features severalbeach-front holes with spectacular views of the

crystal blue waters fringed by pris�ne white sands.The course is organically designed so that golfersdon’t ever have to play the same hole twice. It isalso the only daily pay and play facility in the MiddleEast, where golfers receive a “Member for a Day”experience with the op�mum level of genuine cus-tomer service.

YAS LINKS GOLF CLUB is situated on the Westshores of the Yas Island development on the out-skirts of Abu Dhabi. The 18 hole, 7,450-yard Cham-pionship Links course is the first Golf course of itskind in the UAE and region. The course combinesunparalleled visual glory with the thrill of golf’s ul�-mate test – it has swept the board in most of theawards for best Middle East Golf Course.

DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB overlooks theCreek and Marina. The 18 hole, 6,857 Yard, Par 71,Championship golf course and academy par 3 domi-nates Dubai's enchan�ng waterfront. It has beenhost to numerous tournaments and events, includ-ing the Dubai Desert Classic on two occasions.

JEBEL ALI RESORT AND SPA GOLF COURSE inDubai is a 9 hole, 3,299 Yard, Par 36, golf course sit-uated within the Jebel Ali Hotel complex on theseafront in Dubai. Each hole is uniquely landscapedwith exo�c trees, shrubs and original desert floraand also features a saltwater lake which comes intoplay on five holes.

THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI champi-onship golf course covers 265 acres which consist of123 acres of turf, 49 acres of man-made lakes (atotal of 14 lakes), 93 acres of landscaped gardensand is sca�ered with 81 large bunkers. A course setto challenge and intrigue players of all levels, it pro-vides for an undula�ng "links land" style fairwayswith generous landing areas.

AL BADIA GOLF CLUB by InterCon�nental DubaiFes�val City boasts an 18-hole championship golfcourse, layout incorporates eleven lakes, severalsmaller ponds, streams and numerous cascadingwaterfalls. Its “rivers of sand” concept adds anotherlayer of texture to the design – providing a visual ex-tension of the lakes and streams.

MIDDLE EAST 38


ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB is built as a true18 holes, 7,691 yard, par 72 desert-style grassChampionship Golf Course. It is a challenge forgolfers of all abili�es, miss the immaculate grassof the fairways and greens and you enter the'sandy waste', which makes the most of the natu-ral terrain with its indigenous shrubs and bushes.

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB DUBAI takes pride in its36 holes of world-class golf, the club sports two ofthe city's finest must-play courses, the Majlis andthe Faldo Course. The Majlis course has the hon-our of hos�ng the European PGA Tour OmegaDubai Desert Classic and the Ladies' EuropeanTour sanc�oned Omega Dubai Ladies Masters an-nually.

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES is is a part built luxuryresiden�al golf community with courses showcas-ing different environmental themes – Fire, Earth,Water and Wind. The Dubai World Championship,now renamed The DP World Tour Championship,Dubai have been held on the Earth Course for thelast 3 years. The development is a semi privateclub open to members and visitors.

TRACK MEYDAN GOLF CLUB measures 3700yards off the Black championship tees, but withfour other varying tee boxes this allows every abil-ity of golfer a chance to play and enjoy the experi-ence of Meydan Golf.

ELS CLUB GOLF COURSE is situated within thedeveloping Dubai Sports City area. It is sprawling18 hole, 7,538 Yard, Par 73, golf course that offersplayers a challenging round accompanied by allthe essen�al facili�es that extend beyond the im-maculate fairways and greens.

SHARJAH GOLF AND SHOOTING CLUB boasts a9 hole, Par 36, golf course that provides a par 72layout that stretches in excess of the 7,300 yardmark.

SHARJAH WANDERERS GOLF CLUB has a 18hole, par 72, golf course that is interspersed withdesert terrain and vegeta�on, it gives a genuine'links' feel to the impending round of golf.

AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB, Ras al Khaimah is de-signed with five varying tee op�ons on each hole,the Par 72 Championship course lends itself per-fectly to all levels of golfers, providing the fledg-ling novice or the most accomplished of playerswith an enjoyable and interes�ng golfing chal-lenge.

TOWER LINKS GOLF CLUB, Ras Al Khaimah has a18 hole, 7,200 Yard, Par 72, golf course meandersthrough a mangrove reserve with the HajarMountains serving as a majes�c backdrop. It possesses an ac�ve Golf and Social Member-ship that caters to the demands of golfersfrom the surrounding Emirates as well asthe growing Interna�onal tourists.

Vikram Judge, a man with a glorious golfing background has morethan 15 wins under his cap. A successful businessman who has beenliving in UAE for 22 years now, his connect with golf goes back to hischildhood days. He recalls, "As a young boy I have seen my father playand enjoy a good game of golf. It caught my attention and I took to thegreens when I was 16. Steadily it became a way for us to connect, I stilldo play often with him. The times are special. I've gathered a lot fromhis game. I've played the world over, won many championships hereand abroad but I think the best in terms of golfing choice, service, in-frastructure and facilities is here, in UAE. The like minds that you meeton the golf course makes all the difference. The golfing scene is for-ever growing and evolving in the Emirates. Designer courses, differentlinks, there can be no comparison to what the UAE offers."

We were very proud to have won the 1st ever Inter Business CouncilTournament – K Sudhakar Murthy (Captain)

It gives me immense pleasure as the Captain of the IBPC Golf Team totalk about Golf in Dubai and the popularity of the game in the whole ofUAE. It was a natural move for me to move from Cricket to Golf asmore and more greens were coming up in the UAE. A perfect place to

relax, enjoy and network! The Indians are probablyamongst the largest community to contribute tothe game of golf in the UAE. We were very proud

to have won the 1st ever Inter Business CouncilTournament in Dubai conducted by Dubai Golf in col-

laboration with Dubai Chamber of Commerce and AustralianBusiness Council Dubai. This victory has notonly increased the interest amongst the In-

dian Community but has opened a new net-working cum business opportunity among

the various business community... A novelbeginning for a Global Citizen! We look for-

ward to seeing the Global Indian Busi-ness Community in Dubai shortly!

Sudhakar Murthy, Captain IBPC Golf Team receiving ‘The Ambassador’s Cup’ fromH.E.Abdul Rahman Saif AL Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

MIDDLE EAST 39


UNION CABINET APPROVES PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY THEMINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS TO AMEND THE COMPETITION ACT, 2002On 4 October, 2012, the Union Cabinet approved the proposalsubmitted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government ofIndia, to amend certain provisions of the Competition Act, 2002(the Competition Act or the Act), in order to finetune the Actwith the experiences of the Competition Commission of India(Commission) in enforcing its substantive provisions. The substantive provisions of the Competition Act relate to (i) anticompetitive agreements, (ii) abuse of dominant position, and (iii)the merger control provisions. While provisions relating toanticompetitive agreements and abuse of dominant positionare being enforced since 20 May, 2009, the merger control provisions came into effect on 1 June, 2011. Based on the Press Release issued by the Government of India earlier this month, thisBulletin deals with the salient features of the proposed amendments, relating to the areas of (i) merger control, and (ii) consultation between the Commission and sectoral regulators.Please note, however, that the amendments have, at this stage,merely been proposed by the Union Cabinet. Therefore, it maybe premature to comment on the final shape that such proposedamendments may take.

Amendments to the Merger Control Provisions A. Definition of "Turnover"The Competition Act prohibits a 'combination' (i.e., a merger oran amalgamation of enterprises, or the acquisition of one ormore enterprises) which causes, or is likely to cause, an appreciable adverse effect on competition. The Act provides formandatory notification of a proposed combination, within thirty(30) days from the date of (a) the final decision of the board ofdirectors to effect a merger or an amalgamation, or (b) the execution of binding document(s), conveying an agreement or decision to acquire control, shares, voting rights, or assets. Themandatory notification requirement, however, applies to onlythose proposed combinations in which the assets or turnoverinvolved exceed the thresholds prescribed under Section 5 ofthe Act. Section 2(y) of the Act defines "turnover" to include thevalue of goods or services. The Act de�ines "goods" and "services" (and accordingly "turnover") quite broadly. The de�initionof "goods" not only includes manufactured, mined or processedproducts, but also debentures, stocks and shares after allotment.The de�inition of "service" includes services rendered in connection with the business of any industrial or commercial matters(e.g. banking, �inancing, insurance, real estate, transport, advertising, etc.). Accordingly, the de�inition of "turnover" in its currentform is too broad and creates ambiguity in computation of thethresholds under Section 5. This increases the likelihood of aproposed combination being noti�ied to the Commission. Thisde�inition is also applicable for computation of the quantum ofpenalty to be imposed on an enterprise which has entered into ananticompetitive agreement (including a cartel), or has committed an abuse of its dominant position. Given the above, some

clarity in the de�inition of turnover would be a welcome move.However, since the Press Release does not specify the exact nature of the amendment to the de�inition, the impact of anyamendment to this de�inition will have to be assessed once details are released by the government. B. TimelinesThe Competition Act provides that on receipt of a notice of a proposed combination, the Commission shall inquire as to whethersuch combination has caused or is likely to cause, an appreciableadverse effect on competition in India. A combination cannot beconsummated until the earlier of (i) 210 days from the date onwhich notice is given to the Commission, or (ii) any order ispassed by the Commission in respect of such combination. Section 31(11) of the Act deems that in the event that the Commission fails to pass an order even on the expiry of a 210day periodas referred to above, it will be deemed that the Commission hasgranted its approval. The Competition Commission of India (Procedure in Regard to the Transaction of Business relating to Combinations) Regulations, 2011, prescribe that the Commissionshall "endeavour" to pass an order within 180 days from the receipt of notice of the proposed combination. The proposal seeksto make it mandatory for the Commission to pass an order in respect of a proposed combination within 180 days (instead of theexisting 210 days). This is likely to lessen the timeperiod andthe associated costs involved in a proposed combination.

Mandatory Consultation with Sectoral RegulatorsIn accordance with Section 21 of the Competition Act, a statutoryauthority "may" refer to the Commission, any issue raised by aparty in the course of any proceedings that any actual or proposed decision (of such authority) is, or would be, contrary to theprovisions of the Act. The proposal seeks to replace "may" with"shall". This will make it mandatory for other statutory authorities to refer any competition lawrelated issue to the Commission.Similarly, the Commission must also refer all sectorspeci�ic issues to the sectoral regulator. In the light of the Central ElectricityRegulatory Commission's recentlyreleased Draft CERC (Prevention of Adverse Effect on Competition) Regulations, 2012, theissue of the Commission's jurisdiction visavis statutory authorities has assumed signi�icance. Therefore, the above amendmentis clearly a step in the right direction

Conclusion The proposed amendments to the Competition Act are likely toiron out the creases in the working of the Competition Act. Theamendments are steps in the right direction. Reducing the timeperiod involved in the consideration of a proposed combination(from the existing 210 days to 180 days) will reduce the timelines and associated transaction costs. More signi�icantly, themandatory consultation process is likely to eliminate the secondguessing of competitionrelated issues by statutory authoritiesand thereby �irmly establish the Commission's jurisdiction overall competitionrelated issues, which will enable effective enforcement of the Competition Act.

COMPETITION LAW

The Trilegal Competition Law Bulletin is a periodic update on recent developments incompetition law and policy in India.


GONE WITH THE WINDTalented golfer Sharmila Nicollet promises Marlan Padayachee that she will do what it takes to promote women’s golf in India

Born to a French father and an Indian mother, Sharmila who has been a Bangalorean all her life startedattracting attention with her golfing prowess when she was 15. Merely six years later, she is making manyeyes turn on the runway of international golf.

AIMING FOR THE SKY: Golfer Sharmila Nicollet is all set to make a greater impact on the international circuit

INTERVIEW 42


A young member of the gol�ing royalty,21yearold golfer Sharmila Nicollet’sbeauty can take one’s breath away.Standing tall at 1.73 m, this fashionconscious icon of the modernday gol�ingorder has become the new face of anelite sport that has captured the heartsand minds of women in many liberaldemocracies.

Born to a French father and an Indianmother, Sharmila who has been a Bangalorean all her life started attractingattention with her gol�ing prowess whenshe was 15. Merely six years later, she ismaking many eyes turn on the runway ofinternational golf. In South Africa, thegifted golfer charmed her way throughthe greens and fairways of the SelbornePark Golf Park in Pennington, which liessouth of Durban. Sharmila made a fairdegree of impact, �inishing 36th in theR2.7 million South African Women’sChampionship.

“The blustery winds gave me a hardtime. This course was very challengingcompared to other countries,” she saidafter the postmatch party at the famousgolf hotel on KwaZuluNatal’s idyllicsouth coast resort. Following a tough�inal day, Sharmila viewed her participation as an important steppingstone to stardom after playing a goodround of golf, carding 75 and 78, in theSA Open and making the second cut thisseason on the Ladies European Tour.

She told us that she enjoyed her gol�ing days at the seaside course, lappedup the sunshine and African hospitalityand cuisine: “I am coming back in 2013to compete in the European Tour, and Iam also looking forward to playing in Johannesburg and Cape Town. But I hopeto return to Durban.” She added, “I enjoyed playing along the coastline atSelborne Park. I also enjoyed the sharkcage diving. This is my �irst European Tour in South Africa. I just lovethis place.”

Not far from where the young golferparticipated in the highly competitivetournament are the barracks of thedescendants of the Indian sugarcanelaborers. The 18hole golf course is encircled by sugarcane plantations andestates where generations of Indianstoiled from dawn to dusk before making

these rural towns theirhomes.

Sharmila is morethan just a golfer. Shewants to become theface of women’s golf inIndia. She believes herinner strength andbeauty will go a longway in making her amodel for the game.She looks up to someof the major womensportspersons as herrole models in herquest to popularizewomen’s golf in India,and also encourageyoung women across the planet to takeup golf professionally and play the gameregularly.

Described as India’s Maria Sharapova, she says she will do whatSharapova has done for tennis, and alsowhat Russia’s Maria Verchenova hasdone to add celebrity value to promotegolf in Eastern Europe. She is full of admiration for Verchenova who has usedher good looks and passion for the gameto improve gol�ing facilities and coachingin her native Russia.

“I am the youngest Indian golfer and Iwant to imitate and emulate badmintonstar Saina Nehwal who came fromnowhere to be among the leading players in the world. Globally she is unbelievably popular,” said Sharmila,adding, “I want to follow individuals likeher and capture the world’s attention. Iwant to change the image of golf in India.I want to give women’s golf a realfacelift.”

She is one of the 94 professionals whoare trying to make a living in a game thathas been maledominated for over 40years in India. However, she said emphatically, “Now women’s golf is setto soar and I want to be the face of thechanging game. I am hoping to promote the game in India wherewomen golf is not too big. I hope I canwin a European Tour tournament. Mygoal is to be the world’s newest LadiesPGA champion and win the EuropeanTour. I am competing in the Evian Master’s which is one of the biggest on

the tour, and I am going to give it mybest shot.”

She hopes that women’s golf will �indits place under the sun in a cricketcrazy country. “Cricket is still a religionback home, and I want Indians to look beyond the cricket pitches. Women’sgolf has to be noticed in India. We desperately need better courses, facilities, coaching and sponsorships toget women’s golf going,” she said.

Sharmila is eyeing the 2016 OlympicGames and hopes that by winning tournaments in Europe and SouthAfrica next year, she will make the cutfor India in women’s golf in the world’sbiggest sporting extravaganza. That isvery much achievable for this determined girl who has come a longway from being placed 89th early in hercareer to making the Top 40 in SouthAfrica by playing in her homegrownstyle.

A former national subjunior levelswimming champ as well, Sharmila’s meteoric growth as a golfer had motivated a commentator to write:“Blessed with eyes that are a curiousmix of brown and grey whirlpools andan attitude that’s forthcoming, this Bangalorean has got the golf circuit excited for reasons that go beyond herswimming skills. Within months ofgoing pro, Nicollet’s not only accumulated titles…but also legions of fans.”What makes her success story evenmore interesting is that she is 21: whichis really young in a sport in which mostplayers peak at a much older age.

SHARMILA’S XFACTOR: Theyoung golfer’scharm has guar-anteed her a hugefan following

INTERVIEW 43


Be it Japan, Haiti, Indonesia or the US, Mother Nature treats each one nation with equal vengeance.Hurricane Sandy came and washed up onethird ofthe United States of America. States like New York,New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania are stillstruggling to return to normalcy.

Many a lesson is to be learnt from HurricaneSandy — predisaster management to postdisasterrestoration of normal life — and how the US faced itall while still �ighting to get back on track.

Accuracy in forecastThe degree of accuracy in the forecast and the warning signals is unthinkable. The perfect prediction tothe course of the storm by meteorologists helpedprepare the Obama administration to take necessaryactions. Informing and updating people everyminute with the most recent developments de�initely helped save many precious lives. Technological advancement for every country is crucial in orderto better prepare for any situation.

HURRICIANE SANDYLESSONS FOR INDIA

Anamitra Sarkar looks back at the natural disas-ter that lashed the east coast of the US recently,and how to cope with such emergencies.

LESSON 44


Human loss is irreparable. Thankfully, timely prestorm evacuations keptthe human loss to a minimum. Providing transportation to move these peoplesmoothly and safely, housing them inproper shelters, and providing emergency medical care for displaced citizens require a huge amount of money.Being prepared �inancially for such adverse situations is becoming more important than ever. Constant, repetitivepublic announcements by the responsible civic authorities to take things seriously made a big impact.

Minimum inconvenience to publicNecessary actions were taken by the

local authorities to incur minimum inconvenience to the public. Preinforming masses about the possibility ofpower losses for extended periods, unavailability of public transportation, anddisruption of communication links thatwill bring life to a temporary halt was akey in helping the public prepare for thestorm. The Police and the Fire Department personnel worked tirelessly, aboveand beyond the call of duty, to serve theaffected areas of the nation, even in themidst of the storm. These brave peopleconstantly patrolled local neighborhoods to keep a watch on anyone seeking help.

Overcommunication was the need ofthe hour. PostSandy, constant updatesby the borough on power back up,school closing, and other essentials keptpeople informed. Mobile serviceproviders extended their generosity forextra data allowances, with no additional charge. This was a major help ascellphones were the only source of accessing online information.

The level of competency displayed byutility workers was simply mindblowing. One could complain about not having power for �ive days, but these menand women worked round the clock trying to restore services to the stilldarkneighborhoods. Not to forget that thesepeople were also affected. A positiveframe of mind can do wonders. It is ahuge setback for the US but still with a

neversaydie attitude the people havestood up and are working hard to getback in action.

Emergency tipsEmergency services such as hospitalswhich were built to be insulated fromsuch natural disaster were not spared.The heartbreaking stories of movingcritical patients from one location to theother only proves the integrity andcourage of human souls and the valuesthat bind us in times of despair. By planning our communities better, the aftereffects of intense weather events can belessened and suffering alleviated. Hospitals and other emergency services mustmaintain a backup energy source, butthe loss of power across communitiesaffecting millions of people can only bedescribed as dependency on centralizedpower sources. Life in the few days immediately after the hurricane has de�initely pushed civilization back by atleast a few decades.

The most important lesson to belearnt is proactivity. If railroad transportation for New York, New Jersey andConnecticut can come to a halt, IndianMetro Rails are also vulnerable to suchcalamities. Indian government needs tomake preemergency plan to minimizethe damages when such a situation isfaced by any of its cities. Emergencieswill not cease to befall, but having astrong contingency plan and proper execution at the time of need is what matters. If more than a 100yearold NewYork subway system was restored in lessthan a weeks’ time, the of�icials are thorough professionals who know deliverables, can withstand pressure, work ontight schedule and generate acceptableoutputs all within tough deadlines. It’sagain this knowledge, work ethic, andsense of responsibility that needs to beharped on by Indian citizens when combating crises.

If a natural disaster is coming, makesure you have key contact information onhand. That way, you’ll be ready to springinto action and take care of any necessarycalls, tweets or emails. In fact, make your

list today and store it in your cellphone.Some of the companies and professionalswhose phone numbers that are needed inthe �irst 24 hours after a hurricane andthe ones you should have on your postdisaster list: power company hotline,phone company hotline, water utility, treeremoval service and electrician. It’s also agood idea to get the email addresses andTwitter handles of these companies, sincethey may be better able to respond viaemail and social media if their phone linesare down or jammed. And if your parentshave a home, it’s smart to have the numbers, email addresses and Twitter handlesfor the companies and professionals whocould handle their problems, too.

Regulations and adhering to strictguidelines for construction of bridges,buildings, schools and hospitals should bemonitored and followed strictly. In a situation when a city faces this kind of crisis,infrastructure and human lives should notbe lost due to selfinterests and prior negligence of authorities. Once damage isdone, there is no point �inding the culpritbehind it. Energy and resources cannot bewasted on such things when the countryneeds bigger help.

Key lessonBut the most important lesson from sucha disaster is perhaps the transparency, integrity and sincerity of the common manworking at emergencyresponse systemsseem to have lost a lot in India. Thatphones not only ring at power companiesbut there is a responsible response toyour call when you get through, that yourtweets get a reply, that there are timelyupdates at the Facebook page, that theschedule at which they are currentlyworking is available for you to see online,that your power lines will not get restoredany faster even if you know the Governor’s cousin – are values that are taken forgranted in the US and are exactly thosethat India would need in a similar crisis.Slowly but steadily, let us get back to ourvalues and perhaps even Mother Naturewill calm down and spare us from hurricanes, droughts, �loods, earthquakes,global warming.

LESSON 45


The first ever Probasi Bangali Utsav is being planned in Kolkata byProbasi Bangali Utsav Trust (PBU) in association with ILEAD (Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Development) to attract people of Bengal origin (from both West Bengal & Bangladesh) to come on oneplatform to exchange ideas, discuss, debate, deliberate, celebrate, shop,entertain and get entertained. The following events are planned duringthis two week celebration period from 14th December to 30th December.

INDIA INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR14-28th DecemberKolkata’s largest and most popular retail event, the India InternationalTrade Fair is one of India’s largest trade fairs is part of the Probasi Ban-gali Utsav. Food festivals and ethnic handicraft exhibitions will also beorganized. One can shop till he drops for music, movies, books, jew-ellery and clothes on exhibition under one roof!

This one-of-a-kind trade fair brings together the latest developmentsin a large number of industries from this state. The ambience of thisMega Fair is therefore quite different from that of other exhibitions. It isa fully carpeted, dust-free zone. The 12th India International Mega TradeFair 2012 sets itself apart from all other commercial exhibitions by en-suring a quality experience for the whole family of Kolkattans and thefamilies of NRIs and NRI businessmen.

Apart from being the ideal venue for both Business to Business (B2B)and Business to Customer (B2C) activities, the IIMTF is the perfect placeto witness the economic flourishing of Kolkata as a commercial hub as ithosts India’s biggest trade fair, with its approximately 700 stalls spreadout over 11 Mega AC pavilions, each with a different theme.

This will be an event to remember. It will strengthen the bond of theNRI Bengalis with their roots. Bring in the heady nostalgia that onlyKolkata can reignite. It will also have 120 stalls from Bangladesh with allvarieties of Bangladeshi products which include : Saris like Jamdani,and Rajshahi silks | Nakshikantha | Tangail | Kota | Handmade sarees |Jute | Embroidery | Handicrafts | Knitwear | Salwars | Processed Food |Specialty home-décor, etc. There will also be stalls from the hinterlandof West Bengal showcasing the rare artifacts and handicrafts of Bengal.

There will also be stalls from Nepal and Kashmir which will have ondisplay embroidered winter wear like embroidered shawls, scarves andstoles made from Pashmina and wool which are in high demand not onlyin Western countries, but all over the world.

BANGLA-FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL & PROGRAM 15th-30th DecemberThere will be screening of both French and Bengalifilms followed by panel discussion amongst the filmmakers, directors and other participants of the film.

DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING16th December16th December 1971 was an exceptional day in Indianhistory. India won an outstanding military victoryagainst a foreign power, her soldiers decisively de-feated world’s fifth strongest military force, the Pak-istan army, and liberated the oppressed people ofEast Pakistan to become an independentBangladesh. A special screening of a documentarydeveloped by iLEAD at Fort William is planned.

TRIBUTE TO RAJESH KHANNA16th DecemberA musical tribute to Rajesh Khanna, India’s first su-perstar. The program will be organized at KalaMandir. A coffee table book on Rajesh Khanna wouldbe released by his family members. Sharmila Tagore,his co-starrer is also expected to grace the occasion.

SHOWCASING TALENT17-23th December ILEAD will organize a week-long artistic extrava-ganza to showcase young talent from India andabroad at a 300-seater, air conditioned auditorium atthe International Trade Fair at Science City. Perform-ers (below 30 yrs) will be selected from entries re-ceived and short listed by a panel of judges.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS26-28th DecemberEmerging youth icons from diverse fields – music,entertainment, films, business, sports, politics andmedia will discuss what they can do to restore thepride of Bengal.

CLASSICAL MUSIC & KATHAK RECITALS28th DecemberA team of Non-Resident Bengalis from California,USA will be performing a Kathak recital.

MUSICAL EVENING ON TAGORE’S SONG IN BANGLA& FRENCH29th December

THEATRE FESTIVAL Week-long programs to keep theatre enthusiastssated!

Participation in all these events for Probasi Bengalis(Bengalis living outside West Bengal/India) is FREE.For passes and participation please contact us at:Mobile: 9830015201/02|033-40182000Fax: 033.22852339| Email: [email protected] Matheswartola Road, Topsia, Kolkata - 700046


OIFC facilitates successful interaction between business leaders at the

India-Mauritius Business Round Table

Approximately 250 delegates from Mauritius and India attended the IndiaMauritiusBusiness Round Table (IMRBT) organizedjointly by the Government of India and theGovernment of Mauritius in association withOverseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC)on October 26, 2012 in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

The Business Round Table showcased aunique platform to connect the Indian Diaspora, Mauritian citizens and citizens of othercountries about investment opportunities inIndia, Mauritius and Africa. The three plenary sessions consisted of more than 20 interactions over themes like how the IndianDiaspora can engage with India and Mauritius a Gateway to do business in Africa.These discussions and presentations focused on the enormous opportunities for Indian Diaspora to engage with India inhealthcare, �inancial services and banking,energy, education and many more sectors.

OIFC’s Business Roundtable was attendedby the Hon Cader SayedHossen, Minister ofIndustry, Commerce and Consumer Protection of Mauritius who commented “Wehighly welcome the IMBRT. We hope throughthese business interactions, Mauritius maysucceed to transit to next phase of its economic growth. We value the business acumen and expertise of Indian businessleaders who can help Mauritius to developits high technological industries.”

Speaking at the OIFC Business Roundtable, T.K. Manoj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said, “TheIndian community in Mauritius is politicallyvisible, successful, hard working and enterprising. The progress achieved in this round

of dialogue with Mauritius has opened opportunities to reachout to other Africannations. India’s globalpro�ile has beensteadily growing and itis heartening to notethat the Indian Diaspora in Mauritius extends relentlesssupport in ourprogress”.

OIFC endeavors togenerate a greater momentum towards adeeper, strengthenedand diverse partnership between the twocountries by promot

ing B2B meetings between the delegates andthe representatives of State Governmentsand industry players from India.

Addressing the delegates at the IndiaMauritius Business Roundtable, Sujata Sudarshan, CEO, OIFC said, “I would like tothank and congratulate the delegates formaking the OIFC Business Roundtable agreat success, thus highlighting the role thatthe Indian Diaspora can play in not only capitalizing on economic opportunities in India,but also help build synergies between Indiaand Mauritius and with Mauritius as thegateway to Africa for India.”

With a weighty aggregate of business andindustry leaders who attended, the IndiaBusiness Roundtable itserved as a privilegedplatform for interaction for all those whowanted to partner withIndia and the Indiandiaspora spread overall continents. Thisevent saw participation of reputed Indianchambers of commerceand industry associations along with theirpartners from Mauritius.

Speaking at theBusiness Round Table,Dev Chamroo CEO ofEnterprise Mauritiusmade an appeal to thebusiness community tojoin hands with Mauri

tius partners and use the country as an island to secure their investment in Africa.“Investors should not see Mauritius as alanding strip but rather like a runway totakeoff their businesses worldwide. Wewould like to create joint ventures with Indian partners to reach the wider Africanmarket”.

The tourism industry is also another sector where OIFC would like to promote moreinvestment. Jocelyn Kwok, CEO of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Mauritius (AHRIM) spoke about the growingIndian tourists in Mauritius. Since the pastthree years the tourist arrival is on the increase and �lights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore have helped to tap intothat market. “Investment in tourism in Mauritius is signi�icant. The island is de�initelygrowing in the MICE (Meeting and IncentiveCE) market, especially for high end Indianweddings. There is de�initely a willingnessto grow investment”.

In the �inancial sector, Mauritius can bean important link in the value chain. AfsarEbrahim, from BDO Audit �irm said “Indiacan invest in Africa through and from Mauritius and by Mauritians, “Mauritius offersmuch more than a low tax jurisdiction. Weare open for business and we have leadingplayers and have �inancial professionals toserve India’s growing needs”.

The OIFC’s meet provides a new dimension to Indian Mauritius Business Relationthrough the involvement and support of theIndian diaspora.

(L-R) Mr R. Raghuttama Rao, MD & CEO Indian Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) Manage-ment Consulting Services Limited (IMaCS); Mr Deepak Sharma, Executive Vice Presi-dent Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd; Mr T.K. Manoj Kumar, Joint Secretary (DS), Ministry ofOverseas Indian Affairs; Hon Sayyad Abd-Al-Cader Sayed-Hossen Minister of Industry,Commerce and Consumer Protection of Mauritius; Mr Cedric de Speville, President,Mauritius Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Mr. Prashant Pise Deputy High Commis-sioner, High Commission of India; Mr Rajiv Arora, Vice Chairman, Rajasthan Foundationand Ms Sujata Sudarshan CEO, Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre

(L-R); Ms Sujata Sudarshan CEO, Overseas Indian Facilitation Centrewith Hon Sayyad Abd-Al-Cader Sayed-Hossen Minister of Industry,Commerce and Consumer Protection of Mauritius at IMBRT


INDIA REPORT

500+ issues over 17 years

LALCAP

LALCAP LTD, Level 7, Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HN, UK E: [email protected] Tel: + 44 (0)20 3519 0909 Fax: +44 (0)20 3519 0910

Deepak N. Lalwani OBE, FCSI, FCCA : Director - India E: [email protected] 12 November 2012

BOMBAY

INR R / USD $1= Rs55.05

INR R / GBP £1= Rs87.22

INR R / EUR �� Rs69.98

The SENSEX closed barely unchanged. Investors who are normally bullish ahead of Diwali were shocked by economic data which points to a deepening slowing down. They have been expecting a recovery. The SENSEX still held above 18,500.

Source: chart & following table: Bloomberg

Close: Index PE 2012/13

5 Year PE LONDON / NEW YORK 12 Nov 2012 Level Pts Chg-

Day % Chg YTD

High Low Avg Most GDRs/ADRs we follow show double-digit gains YTD. L&T leads with + 55%, Tata Motors +51%, ICICI Bank +48%. IT companies still show losses YTD.

SENSEX 30 18,670 - 13 +20.9% 15.5x 25.0x 8.1x 18.4x NIFTY 50 5,684 - 3 +23.0% 14.9x N/A N/A 18.0x

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ECONOMIC NEWS

Economic data disappointed investors. It surprisingly showed a deepening slowdown in India. Industrial production shrank an annual 0.4% in September vs expectations of a rise of 2.8%. Production of consumer goods fell 0.3% in September from a year earlier. Capital goods, a proxy for capital investment in the economy, shrank an annual 12.2%. Delays in regulatory and environmental clearances have hurt industrial and infrastructure projects. Provisional data showed exports fell an annual 1.6% to $ 23.2 bn in October, while imports jumped 7.4% to $44.2 bn. This left a trade deficit of $ 20.9bn - the worst monthly deficit on record for India. The Rupee as a result of weak economic data fell to a 2-month low.

Wholesale Price Inflation (WPI), the main inflation gauge watched by the Central Bank for policy decisions on interest rates, is expected on Wednesday to jump to an 11-month high of 7.95%. The next monetary policy meeting of the RBI is due on 18 December. No interest rate cut is expected in December because of the elevated level of inflation which remains stubbornly high. However, with the economy slowing down further industry and businesses are clamouring more for a rate cut. Sooner, rather than later.

South Korea's Hyundai Motors, India's second-largest car maker, is to invest $300 m in a new engine plant and metal processing shop to expand in the country's fast growing diesel car segment. The Indian Government subsidises diesel fuel - this has increased demand for diesel vehicles. No details are available of dates. The investment will be at its current production site at Madras, which is already running at full capacity. Hyundai has been losing market share over the last year due to a lack of diesel models.

Boeing has been chosen by India as the preferred bidder for 15 Chinook twin rotor heavy lift helicopters worth $ 1bn. Boeing was the lowest bidder and will hold exclusive negotiation with the Defence Ministry. In India exclusive defence negotiations are not a guarantee of sale. India is the

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world's largest arms importer as it modernises its antiquated arms, mainly stocked from Soviet Union days. India still buys about 60% of its defence needs from Russia but recent diversification has resulted in Israel now becoming the second largest supplier. The U.S. and France are increasing their deal size also. In an effort to make the forthcoming privatisations of state-run firms successful the Government in late-September launched the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme. Privatisations are necessary to reduce the fiscal deficit. The scheme aims to bring over 20 million first-time investors into the stock market by offering them a tax incentive. This would increase market liquidity, widen the investor base for shares, reduce reliance on foreign investors and also divert savings from gold imports which at current high prices ($1,730/oz) are contributing to widening the current account deficit. The scheme is named after the popular Prime Minister who was assassinated in 1991. His widow, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, is the current President of the ruling Congress Party. So how would the scheme work? First time investors earning less than Rs 1 m ($ 18,321, £ 11,522, � 14,400) would be eligible for a tax break on share investments of up to Rs 50,000. In order to reduce risks to new investors eligible investments for the tax relief are confined to the top 100 listed companies and state-owned companies. Investments are also allowed in mutual funds. Investors have to keep their money invested for at least 3 years. This should help them ride out the volatility of Indian stock markets. Although the SENSEX 30 has been in the red in only 8 out of the last 31 years, it has risen or fallen in double-digit percentage terms in 18 out of the last 20 years. If all the 20 million Indians (out of a population of 1.2 billion) invested the maximum allowed the potential inflow could be about $ 2 trillion - more than the country's gold assets. What makes the above scheme very ambitious? Although India has one of the highest savings rate in the world at over 30% (more than double that of the U.S.) the bulk of the nation's $ 800 bn in savings is in gold which investors can touch, wear and see the jewellery it is made of. The average Indian earning up to Rs 1 m is not educated enough to invest in shares. However, it may be a structural start of developing a savings plan like the 401K pension model in the U.S.

6,000

11,000

16,000

21,000

Nov

.07

Nov

.08

Nov

.09

Nov

.10

Nov

.11

Nov

.12

Bombay Sensex 30 : 5 Year Chart

Bombay Sensex 30 200D MA 50D MA All Time High 21005 (5/11/2010)

2012 Hi: 19,058 (4/10/12) 2012 Lo: 15,517 (2/1/12)

12 November 2012 INDIA REPORT LALCAP

SELECTED SHARE PRICES GDR OFFER PRICES (US$) LONDON � 12 Nov 2012 : 1630 GMT

Company �� Price

YTD % Change


YTD % Change

L&T $29.55 + 55% SBI $ 80.90 + 27%

M&M $16.59 + 27% Suzlon Energy $ 1.10 - 27%

Ranbaxy $ 10.20 + 29% Tata Steel $ 7.09 + 1%

Rel. Inds $28.55 + 9%

Source : Thomson Reuters

ADR OFFER PRICES (US$) NEW YORK � 12 Nov 2012 : 1945 GMT


YTD % Change


YTD % Change

Dr.Reddy $ 32.16 + 9% Sterlite $ 7.28 + 5%

HDFC Bank $ 38.04 + 42% Tata Com (ex VSNL) $ 8.69 + 9%

ICICI Bank $ 39.19 + 48% Tata Motor $25.55 + 51%

Infosys $ 42.84 - 16% WIPRO $ 8.30 - 18%

MTNL $ 1.03 + 35%


AIM (LONDON): in GB p unless stated otherwise � 12 Nov 2012 : 1630 GMT Company ��

Price YTD % Change


YTD % Change

Caparo (now Mytrah) 79 - 16% IEnergizer 366 + 37%

DQE 32 - 6% Indus Gas 1,028 + 43%

Eros 187 - 17% Ishaan 31 - 30%

Greenko 138 + 14% OPG Power 50 + 42%

HIRCO 38 - 21% SKIL Ports 102 - 34%


OTHER : in GB p unless stated otherwise � 12 Nov 2012 : 2000 GMT Company ��

Price YTD % Change


YTD % Change

Essar Energy 13 - 19% Collective Funds

Vedanta Resources 1105 + 7% London:

Aberdeen New India 217 + 11%

JP Morgan India 366 + 14%

New York:

MS India $17.17 + 23%

The India Fund $22.32 + 18%


Taking the initiative for greater cooperation and coordination betweenthe United States of America and UttarPradesh, Chief minister Akhilesh Yadavin Lucknow said that he would visit theUS in January next year to promote UP.

Following the Chief minister's visit toattract industry into the state, the USIndia Business Council (USIBC), a delegation of which met the CM in lucknow on oct 5th , also said it would facilitate a "full size" US business delegation visit to UP in March 2013.

A delegation of US India BusinessCouncil representative of the top 400companies in USA led by chairman AjayBanga and president Ron Somers metChief minister Akhilesh Yadav and seniorUP government top brass at lucknow and indicated interest by UScompanies to invest in UP. Speaking onthis, Infrastructure and industrial development commissioner, Anil KumarGupta, said, "The delegation expressedspecial interest in infrastructure, power,roads, education and ancillary industriessectors. They were here to explore thepossibilities of investing in UP." Thoughthe delegation also discussed the meritsand demerits of the controversial FDI(Foreign Direct Investment) in multibrand retail, thoughno of�icial representation was made onthe subject.

Speaking to the USIBC

representatives, Chief minister AkhileshYadav said the Samajwadi Party government had taken several measures in theareas of industrial and infrastructure development. During the meeting, top functionaries of the state governmentdiscussed on the new industrial and infrastructural policy ofthe state government and other similaramenities with the visiting delegation.

Arriving at a consensus to magnetizemaximum venture from US companiesinto UP, president of USIBC,Ron Somers,who was overwhelmed and delighted bythe publicprivate partnership projectsundertaken by the state government forbuilding expressways, airports and othersectors also enquired if US companies would be quali�ied to bid forthese projects. He said that he was impressed by the bold initiatives of UPgovernment to develop infrastructureand fresh policy interventions. IDC DrAnil KumarGupta told Ron Somers thatsince developers needed to have working familiarity in India, US companies could participate in the PPPprojects by forming a Special PurposeVehicle with Indian developers.

Among other subjects taken up by theUS delegation, Somers said the Indian 'Liability Bill' would be a proli�icstep towards sealing the IndoUS nuclear deal. Somers also said once implemented, Indian states could then

obtain power from nuclear power plantsirrespective of their location withinIndia.

Responding to the state's steps to promote IT industry, both Ajay Bangaand Ron Somers said the defence offsetpolicy of the Government of India wouldallow an investment of US$ 3 billion byAmerican companies in the �ield of defence and security. Somers also advised the state government to coordinatewith the Centre to smooth the progressof investment in civil aviation, ITbasedpolice and security modi�ications and fortechnology enhancement. Banga, said,"Given the fresh efforts of state government to promote enterprises andindustrial development, USIBC is sure toconvince the US business community toinvest in Uttar Pradesh.

The US delegation was also shown acomprehensive presentation on thesocioeconomic, industrial and proposedinfrastructure projects by joint executivedirector, Udyog Bandhu, and special secretary, infrastructure development,Kaushal Raj Sharma. Applauding thestate's efforts to improve the trade andbusiness environment, Somers said hehoped faster reforms and crystal clearprocesses were implemented to enthuseand attract US companies to the countryand state.

By Shekhar Srivastava

UP & US, could be a benificial tie


UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav flanked by delegates

ECONOMY 54

Silicon Valley `Dream’Still Alive For Indians?Shyamal Roy explains why it’s time to recalibrate the definition of the Valley dream for Indians and for that matter anyone else in the world

Silicon Valley is booming again. I do nothave to follow the stock market to reachthis conclusion. My conclusion is basedon the wait time these days for lunch atMadras Café in Sunnyvale, rush hourfreeway congestion, and the number ofFerraris recently sold in the local dealership. There is an air of breakthrough everywhere. Apple Computer hita home run again with the iPhone 5,Google seems to be opening new pro�itopportunities every day, and Yahoo iscontinuing to seek the optimal CEO. Athreebillion dollar cloud of fresh VCcash is hovering over the Valley lookingfor the next big thing.

Is the Silicon Valley dream still alivefor Indians today? Well, it is for all andsundry. Save, the rules of engagementhave dramatically changed. Now, it’s abigger challenge to make a breakthrough. Hardware developmentand manufacturing are gone from theValley, perhaps for good. Software massproduction is outsourced entirely.Networking companies are struggling to�ind differentiation in order to providebandwidth consistent with this day andage’s mobile computing and data security needs. Gone are the days when onecould �inish MBA and make a twopagePowerPoint presentation to raise millionbucks after the second VC meeting. Hitech is a bigger game nowadays encompassing resources all over the planet.The opportunities are more complex.

Historically, several Indian engineerscame to the US since the late 60s forhigher education. Many of them decidedto take up jobs in American companies tohone their technical skills. A few brilliant Indian engineers working in the USinvented enabling information processing technologies; mostly in the hardwarearena, and through the 80s there was aplethora of highly successful companiesthat were founded by Indians in the Valley. Around 30 years ago also saw thepersonal computer explosion and gave

an opportunity to many Indians in theValley to develop fast microprocessorsand game changing networking solutions. By the 90s the focus shifted to theinternetrelated software companies andnumber of major �irms started by Indians started to dwindle. At the same timeY2K raised its potential threat thatneeded armies of software engineers tomitigate the potential problems. Theworld turned to India for inexpensivesoftware development resources. Indians were recognized worldwide as software gurus. Since then it has beenalmost a pure software play in the Valley,and for some reason Indians have notbeen able to play in this game. Currently,it is dif�icult to identify a major companystarted by an Indian in the Silicon Valleyin the past 10 years. There have been afew singles and doubles, but lately no Indian founded company has hit a homerun.

However, the need for the best brainsin the world is always a constant in Silicon Valley. Stanford and Berkeley arecontinuing to produce great scientistsand engineers but they cannot meet theinsatiable demand. Thousands of professionals of Indian origin are working inchip development, networking equipment, computer software, social media,IT services, search, and biotechnologycompanies in the Valley. I was very fortunate to meet a few students graduatingfrom IITKharagpur, my alma mater, during my last visit to India earlier this year.Many of them had already been snappedup by the big names based in the Valleywith unprecedented salaries and compensation packages.

Unfortunately, due to the sluggisheconomy many middle managers in theValley are out of work these days. Theother day I went to a �ish curry dinnerparty in an Indian household in San Jose.The food was superb, but sadly many ofthe guests in their late 40s and 50s hadbeen out of a job for months. In the Val

ley, the poverty line starts at incomebelow $70,000 per year. I will not be surprised if many engineers return homefrom the Valley in the near future to bene�it from demand and booming economyin their country of origin.

Perhaps, it is time now to recalibratethe de�inition of the Valley dream for Indians, or for that matter anyone else inthe world. It is a great melting pot for intellectuals, technical and otherwise, wholive and work in a great place The dreamcould perhaps be not to start a companywith a burning desire to go from nothingto millions in a short time; instead theability to contribute one’s skills whileworking in companies that welcome innovators and risk takers, where one isdeveloping products rather than working on projects, while getting paid betterand living a great family and social lifemay be a worthwhile vision.

My stay at the Valley has been exciting for me since I came here in 1974.Since then I have watched the Valley gothrough many changes. I myself havestarted three companies. First one was awashout; the second delivered handsome returns to the investors, and mycurrent enterprise is a privately ownedmechanical design software company. Ilive in a modest house not far from theAtlantic Ocean, and have a few greatfriends. I am having a great time in theValley some people call it the bestplace to live in the world. I think the bestplace to live in the world is where yourfriends are.

About the author: Shyamal Roy a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, received the Distinguished ServiceAward 2012 from hisalma mater for his photojournalism workrelated to the institution.He can be contacted [email protected].


Arjya Patnaik explores the varied perspectivesof the historical annual trade extravaganza ofOdisha - the Baliyatra

Baliyatra is a mela with multidimensional aspects. It is a historical trade fair, a maritimelegacy and a symbol of the rich culture and tradition of Odisha. It represents the spirit of celebration, rejuvenation and ecstasy. Also referred to as the “sand festival”, Baliyatra is heldin the month of November for a period of sevendays in the silver city of Cuttack. Baliyatra meansa lot to Odisha, especially the people of Cuttack.The sea of humanity �lowing in, wearing a radiating smile on their faces, re�lects the heightof stimulation in their hearts.

Turning The Pages Of History Baliyatra bears testimony to the prosperity ofthe ancient mariners of Odisha. The Sadhavas ortraders of Odisha ventured on long journeys todistant places like Bali, Sumatra and Indonesiafor trade. The wives of the sadhavas used to perform puja and rituals on the banks of the riverMahanadi to bid farewell to their husbands before they started off on their journey. The sadhavas returned to their native land with lot offame and riches. This huge fair was meant to honour the sadhavas who made their land proudabroad. Baliyatra is celebrated to commemoratethe glorious past of the voyages that were undertaken to the different South East Asian countriesfor commercial purposes. Today, such voyagesare no more. Baliyatra has much more to offerthan its history.

Foodie’s Delight Any fair, any trade, any function the essence isthe food served. The exclusive delicacies of Baliyatra invite food lovers from far and near.Thunkapuri is a kind of deep fried chapatti madeof �lour found only during Baliyatra. It is served

TRAVEL 56


BALIYATRATHE LEGACY CONTINUES

with chhena tarkari (cottage cheesecurry) and kobi aloo bhaja (cauli�lowerpotato fry). Betel nuts are availableround the year but Baliyatra’s specialpaan has a unique Varanasi taste. To topit all up, is the sweet dish kheer sagarmade of milk, cheese and sugar. The demand of regular junk food has increasedin recent times at Baliyatra. Some visitors, however, do not eat at Baliyatra asthey consider the food to be unhealthy. Itis often said that bali (read sand) is amajor ingredient of all food items atBaliyatra. Baliyatra is not an ideal placefor hygiene conscious people. If one is interested to enjoy the food at Baliyatra, hehas to close his eyes to health and hygiene. Only then can he gobble the fooditems with satisfaction.

Hip Hip Hurray! There is no Disney land or Essel World atCuttack. But the joyrides at Baliyatra areenough to compensate the loss. Thesejoyrides are a perpetual source of rejoice.Each ride offers a great sense of thrill andadventure. Joyrides make Baliyatra alively experience. It is for joyrides alonethat Baliyatra is regarded as a ‘fun’ fair.Giant wheels, merry go rounds, discochairs and roller coasters �ill half of theBaliyatra area. Families, couples andchildren enjoy these joyrides to theirhearts’ content. The joyrides relieve theaverage fairgoer from stress and tension. One forgets his qualms for thosefew minutes that he sits on the joyride.Being at the topmost position on a giantwheel is great fun. One can see thewhole of Baliyatra. It gives the feeling ofbeing on top of the world. The heartsinks when the wheel moves downward. This is also a great feeling. In thedisco chairs, one feels like clothes in awashing machine. The rollercoasterrides are life itself with its’ ups anddowns.

Handson HandicraftsBaliyatra serves as a ground for craftsmen and artisans to showcase theirproducts. Stalls are set up with a varietyof handicrafts – Cuttack’s silver �iligreework, Pipli’s chandua (appliqué),Mayurbhanj’s pickle, masala and clayproducts. Sellers from other states alsocome to Baliyatra. One can purchase authentic Kashmiri shawls, Khadi from Uttaranchal, Lucknawi silk, etc. Alsodecorative items like Nagaland’s dry�lowers, Bengal’s jute and palm leaf

works, beautiful small candles fromPunjab, Rajasthan’s Mojri are availableat Baliyatra. People purchase these collector’s items at reasonable prices during Baliyatra. In fact these items aremuch in demand as they are not otherwise available in Odisha.

Tech Savvy Baliyatra In the last few decades, Baliyatra hasturned into a grand exhibition. It is ahuge trade opportunity for both localand multinational companies. Baliyatrais instrumental in raising funds for thegovernment. All interested organisations set up stalls at Baliyatra after paying rent for space to the municipality.

All kinds of products are showcasedin Baliyatra. From basic products likefood items, household commodities andgarments to high end products likegadgets and gizmos. The companies tryto attract customers by lowering theprice of the product, distributing freebies or packaging the product differently. “Buy one, get one free” or“Discount up to 50%” are common slogans at Baliyatra. Baliyatra is an apt example of local marketing strategiesadopted by global companies to increase sales and enhance their brandrecall.

A scent of Uniqueness While Baliyatra is mega business timeto big companies; it is a site of negligence for some. At one end of the Baliyatra, there is a spectrum of roadsidesellers. The bunch of dried�ish sellerssitting on the side of the road earn onlyan irritable expression laced with acomment by visitors of Baliyatra. Apartfrom the dried�ish sellers, there are afew small stalls of wooden painted toys,idols, etc. The high pro�ile visitors ofBaliyatra do not spend much time atthese stalls. Hence these street sidetraders run a relatively secluded business keeping their core culture intact.Another special aspect of Baliyatra isthe antics performed by some talentedphysically challenged people. Theypresent their unique skills par excellence. In spite of hardships and dif�iculties, these people always attempt toentertain the visitors. These shows turnout to be one of the major crowd pullersof Baliyatra.

Being Alert The whole of Cuttack city is out to enjoy

Baliyatra every year. People from othercities, states and countries also visit thispart of Odisha to be a part of this yearlyfestivity. Around forty thousand peoplevisit Baliyatra everyday. There is highpossibility of confusion and chaos in theBaliyatra area. Large police forces aredeployed to check any such disturbances. Nevertheless, certain incidentsreveal a few loopholes in the securitysystem. In recent years, the security system has improved tremendously. Thereis a ‘lost and found’ section which functions effectively especially when parents lose track of their kids in the thickcrowd. Vital steps are being taken toprevent eveteasing and harassment ofwomen. Special squads are appointed togrant punishment to mischief mongers.NCC cadets, scouts and guides from different schools and colleges help the police to maintain peace at Baliyatra. TheRed Cross society and other NGOs arepresent for the �irst aid and safety ofvisitors in case of a sudden mishap. Firecontrol units are set up due to highprobability of accidental �ire. However,the security system at Baliyatra needsto improve. Latest technological gadgetsand advanced equipment should beused to ensure more safety and securityto the visitors so that accidents do notspoil the spirit of Baliyatra.

The undying spirit Baliyatra has proved to be a kind ofsociocultural thread that binds peoplecoming from all sections of society. It isa fair for all irrespective of caste, creed,sect or religion. There is no age bar atBaliyatra. Everyone waits throughoutthe year to be a part of Baliyatra. Plansand preparations to visit Baliyatra begina month in advance. Young childrensave their pocket money for Baliyatra.Families, couples, aged people visitBaliyatra with great enthusiasm. Thefair is so huge that one day is notenough to visit it completely. People repeatedly visit speci�ic parts of Baliyatraas per interest.

Miniature forms of Baliyatra havebegun at other places in Odisha likeParadip, Tirtol and Balikuda. Baliyatrahas no more remained a mere fair forpeople of Odisha. It is a cherished timeof the year to enjoy with loved ones. It isa treasured memory for years to come.It is a proud feeling of belongingness towards a historical legacy which is exclusive to Odisha alone. It is a part of life.

TRAVEL 57


TRAVEL 58

THE WORLD IS

HIS OYSTER


LIVING HIS PASSION: Apurv Satdev connecting to differentlocations around the country

Apurv Satdev, an intrepid globe-trotter tellsMritunjay Kumarhow he wants toexplore the worldin his Toyoto Innova

TRAVEL 59

Being a Mumbai lad, I started my tripfrom my native state, Maharashtra, in October, 2011 and what I loved the mostwas its coastal parts. So far, I have managed to cover the entire South India –Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu andAndhra Pradesh. I have also traveled toChhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal recently. My aim is to �inish travelling Indiain the next one year. Next, I will move tocover the northeast in my Toyota Innova.

I am crazy about driving, and that explains a world tour by road – something that sets it apart from otherglobetrotters. I never get bored on theroad, thanks to the diversity, which keepsme engaged and entertained all the time.

At the outset of my odyssey, I neverhad any expectation about a place because I don't like to be disappointed.However, I liked the princely state ofChhattisgarh a lot. It has an exciting rangeof attractions like lush green forest, wildlife, exotic waterfalls, caves,rock paintings, tribal villages, ancientmonuments, temples, Buddhists sites &heritage palaces.

My �irst stop abroad will be Pakistan,followed by a few Asian countries andthen to Europe. Once my overseas itinerary is �inalised, I will start applying for visas.

Earlier, I was working as a visual merchandiser, but quit my job two years ago.Now as I travel, I make two to threeminutelong video diaries of my experiences in new places and meeting newpeople. Amazingly, I learnt videography on the road, and have gotaround 120 clips.

To manage my expenses, I take uplocal jobs wherever I go to sustain myself. I know farming which is my passion other than traveling. Also I am acerti�ied yoga teacher from the SivanandaAshram. So, I teach yoga on the go as wellas Tai Chi which I have learnt fromKalimpong seven years ago. Moreover, Ialso use my car as a taxi to earn.

While haggling with villagers in mostof the places I visit, just to further

engage with them, I took time out of myday, involved myself in farming or engaged myself in their main earningsource. Throughout my tour, I made aconscious effort to talk to and engagewith everyone I met. I trusted them as myfriend and they would return my kindness. Truly speaking, traveling haspushed me outside my physical, mentaland cultural comfort zone. More thananything or anyone else, it has been mymost valuable master which keeps megrowing with each tour.

My travel philosophy is simple, perhaps even a cliché, but it works well. Iwant to travel for my satisfaction. Whenyou explore the world outside of yourself,do it with a loving and open heart, trustin the inherent goodness of people andcast aside what you think you knowabout the world.

I always wanted to experience it all. Iadopt the situation by being open to theplace I visit and its people, I move to another destination with a better understanding of the human community. I always letthe experiencechange me. For me,that is the key purpose to traveling. We must growfrom each trip wetake. So, more you explore, the moreyou grow.

Since childhoodI’ve always had a loveof travel and a spirit ofadventure that later developed like a passionas I grew older.

When I took decisionof my traveling, my family was beside me andthey supported me and wereopen about my whole plan.My dog Jazz is the onlylucky one who has traveledwith me to some of the destinations and he is more like

family to me.While touring, I may get close to

several cuisines, which can be best andworst, I really never thought of. But I prefer to cook myself and I store all the necessary items required for cooking in myvehicle and trust me this helps a lot.

It is dif�icult to answer that what I‘ll bedoing after 10 years but I would say,down the line I would still see myselftraveling and might discover the bestthings.

For a newbie traveler, they should havezest and zeal to explore the world, if youhave just nail it. Only that hunger canmake them an avid traveler. The bestthings in travel happen when you letyourself go with the �low and then youcan discover the maximum.

Traveling allows us to see how different we are from each other, but evenwith these differences we are also all thesame. They illustrate our individuality and our commonality at thesame time. That is the beauty of this art.

So when you travelnext, take some risk.Be alert about it, butmake sure to feel atleast a little uncomfortable. In the unknown, you will �indunfamiliar possibilities.

Last but not theleast, I do not planout my routes,there are no speci�ic maps, GPStracker or tourguide to direct my ways. Ihave to pave myown path andjustify thissong “Musa�irhoon yaaron,na ghar hai nathikana,mujhe chaltejaana hai bas

chalte jaana.”


“A wise traveler never despises his own country” is a moral aphorism. And this goes aptly with Apurv Satdev (39), who set out on a world tour

by road from his motherland, India on October 11, 2011

Apurv Sardev

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FESTIVAL 62

FESTIVE CHEER TO RING OUT YET

ANOTHER YEARThe chilling winds sweeping the region seem to be heralding to thebunch of festivals. Quietly, unseen by everyday life, now the festiveseason already floated into Indian environment like Diwali, Chhath

and Christmas by year’s end. Whenever we creep to the last quarterof the year, our mind instantly reminds us of Diwali’s diyas/candles,Chhat’s thekua (prasad) and Xmas’s gifts. Ishita Sharma recaps the

emerging trends of three festivities -Diwali, Chhath and Christmas – celebrated in quick succession, marking the

passing of yet another year.


FESTIVAL 63

Candle SensationA festival of lights, Diwali celebrates the victory of divinespirit over the evil. Apart fromthe exchange of sweets andgifts, new clothes, shopping and �ireworks, illumination ofpremises with diyas, candlesand lights play a prominentpart in the festival. By lightingcandles in every nook andcranny of home and premises,we try to destroy the reign ofdarkness, on the night of Diwali.

Nowadays, innovation is soaring in every festive market,apart from beautiful chandeliers, handpainted diyas, designfriendly candles arevery important ornament of decoration. Besides the regularchemical wax, jelly and fragrance candles, this timearound we have somethingmore colorful and natural.

Natural waxes have capturedthe market. Although paraf�inwaxes tend to offer more �lexibility in aesthetics, manycandle dealers are �inding

success by offering a line of natural waxes. They are more expensive but then one has topay to feel the difference.

Clear pillar technology is theperfect answer for a peoplewho are looking for somethingthat has never been offered before. One can even make thesecandles at home. Professionalcandle makers are using earthtone colors to re�lect some ofthe increasing awareness forour natural surroundings. Candle wick has added newearth tone colors available incolor blocks and liquid dyes tore�lect these preferences.

Pillar candles made with aluminum moulds and designer polycarbonate mouldsseem not just economical butalso seem to be doing well forcandle makers. They are usedin many formal interiors wherethey could sit on a mantle foryears as a decorative piece.These candles would bring outthe best of every house whowants to celebrate Diwali.

Tealight Candles Made of high quality wax, tealight candles are scentedones, which can burn formany hours. Tea light candles

are safe and perfect for lighting crackers.

Gel Candles Gel candles come in set of petite

glass pots that contain coloredgel in them. Apart fromilluminating your home on

Diwali, gel candles can serveas beautiful decorative items.

Sparkling Candles Sparkling candles look very

charming and attractive. Withthe glory of their sparkles,they would make your Diwalitruly bright and sparkling.

Perfumed CandlesPerfumed candles are molded in

small containers. When illuminated, they would fill theambience with soothing fragrance and boost up the

festive spirit of your family andfriends.

Floating Candles There are designer candles avail-

able in shapes of various flowerssuch as rose, lotus, lily, orchidetc. and colored accordingly.These candles float on water

and when lighted fill in yourambience with the lights of joy.


FESTIVAL 64

The festival is celebrated on the sixth dayafter Diwali every year, and is usually a fourday long celebration. Itculminates with the ritual of'Suryashashthi'. One the �irst day, devotees take a dip in river Ganga andtake the holy water to their homes. Thenext day which is day before the Chhath,devotees observe a daylong fast whichends after sunset. The day three is'Chhath' when devotees visit the riverbank and offer prayers to the setting Sun.A day after Chhath, which is the �inal dayof the puja, devotees along with theirfriends and relatives assemble at theriverbank before sunrise and offer'arghya' amid chantings of mantras andhymns from Rig Veda.

Okay! Chhath is not all about SuryaNamaskar, The Arghya, The Vratta andThe Vedic Prayers, when kids decide toinvolve themselves through this processof ‘Chhath Puja’ it is all for the prasadthat they get to gorge on tempting‘thekua’. Thekua is sweet dish preparedin this occasion. And special emphasis islaid on preparing prasad for Chhath.

The second day of the festival, also

known asKharna, involvesdevotees to observe a fast forwhole day, whichthey break late inthe evening afterworshipping motherearth. The commondelicacies offered anddistributed on this occasion include kheer(rice delicacy), puris and fruits like bananas. Kheer is prepared by fresh sugarcane juice as sugar is not used. Forthe puja, we usually start preparing theprasad in the morning on soil stove andgo to river ghats in the evening to worship Sun God. Later, we have thisfood in the form of prasad.'' Apart fromkheer which is immensely popular dishduring Chhath puja, another importantsweet dish prepared in this festival isthekua.

Thekua, made from jiggery, desi gheeand wheat �lour, is cooked on the secondlast day of Chhath. Traditionally, the foodis cooked on soil stove and mango

wood isused as fuel. Only bronze

or soil utensils are used for preparingthis prasad. Making thekua is a tediousprocess and takes a lot of precautionwhile cooking and a single mistake in themeasurements of the components thatare required to knead the sugary doughwould ruin the texture.

Tempting Thekua

One the first day, devoteestake a dip in the Ganges andtake the holy water to their

homes. The next day, which isa day before the Chhath,

devotees observe a day-longfast which ends after sunset.


FESTIVAL 65

Dashing through the snow in a one horse open slay, over the�ields we go laughing all the way Bells on bop tail rings, makingspirit bright, Oh! What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighingsong tonight - jingle bells, jingle bells jingle all the way . . singingChristmas carols with family on Christmas eve or playing them in the house for the whole week before Yuletide,builds up so much excitement about the gifts that Santa is going to bring.

As Christmas draws near, people get into a festive moodwith the shops offering innumerable gifts item.

It is the season to be jolly. And for some reason, Christmastends to brings out the child in us. Can there be a better way of celebrating this festival than by bringing a smile to a child'sface?

It is not just toddlers but also adolescents who are allexcited to open the gifts on the Boxing Day after arestless night of waiting for ‘Santa’ and sleepingwith the dreams of the gift they have been waitingfor. Hanging red socks on the tree is another oldtradition with its own mythical story that it bringsgood luck to the gift. And sleep in hope of gettingcandies and chocolates from

Santa next morning. Santa's coming to town and it's time to

celebrate. What with scrumptious Christmaspuddings, chocolate bunnies, sinfully rich

chocolate cakes, gooey guglehuphs anddelectable Lebanese Baklavas just waitingto be tuck into. It is not just the adrenalin

rush after seeing the presents, but also thewhole day of Christmas �illed with yummy

‘treats’ as the kids like to call it.The sugary smell of the freshly baked cake

and the whole process of putting the icingmakes the young girls cling to theirmamma’s hem until the decoration is overand they get to put the cherries or gems ontop and look at it longingly when mum’s putting it in the freezer until meal time.Some people also prepare wine and they

taste it on the Dday after the mandatory21day fermentation.

Yuletide Goodies


CINEMA 66

`I LET MY WORK TO DOTHE TALKING’She is undeniably cool. It is her deeppassionate sensuality that emanatesfrom her captivating smile and smouldering eyes. Sonakshi Sinha gotrave reviews for her pivotal role opposite Salman Khan in Dabangg,However, her curvaceous figure thatbordered more on the broader side gother immense flak too. This prettyyoung thing has overcome all the criticism, and emerged into a confidentpersonality, who is also grounded tothe core. Simple, secure and stunningbest describe this star child, saysKavita Wadhwani.


CINEMA 67

Why did you choose this role inSon of Sardar?When I was reading the script, Ithought it was an extremely entertaining �ilm. I couldn’t stop laughingand wanted to do this role for sure. Itwas not dif�icult, but I can’t say it waseasy either because I am not a Punjabi myself so I had to look convincing enough, in terms of my looks andmy character. Ashwini, my director,also helped me tremendously. He is atypical Punjabi, so observing him Igathered a lot besides he helped meget into the skin of the character.

You seem to be enjoying your stintwith comedy roles of late?I like comedy �ilms, I thoroughlyenjoy doing them and I am sure itshows onscreen. My character is verycolourful, vibrant, and talkative andaction oriented. This �ilm is very different as compared to the others Idid earlier. I didn’t know I would bedoing a bike stunt in this �ilm, theteam taught me how to ride a bikebefore I started the �ilm. I don’t ridebikes usually and this stunt was onlyfor the �ilm. I have a licence so I did itall fearlessly.

You have been lucky enough to beworking with big stars so far?I feel tremendously blessed to haveworked with Ajay, Salman, Akshay atthe start of my career. I have beengetting a lot of good offers and lovelybanners to work with but with eachnew �ilm and star meant having towork harder. It de�initely bene�its towork with stars in most of you �ilms,but sustaining it is also tough. If audiences come out of the movie hall remembering even one of mydialogues, I think I can consider myself extremely lucky.

You think you feeling content withthe yourself. You have reached thestars; do you think you have it allnow?I think if you feel content, laid back,

unambitious with time, then you definitely become lazy, complacent andunprofessional. If my directors, producers and costars expect me to givethe best to the audiences, then Iwould try to rise up to the expectations with immense hard word. It isno cake walk to please the audienceswith every release.

You �ilm Son Of Sardar will be a Diwali release, which is the best timeto hit the market?Diwali is a big festival across thecountry. It’s a great opportunity for abig �ilm to release audiences like towatch all kinds of �ilms during thistime. I am not superstitious or doanything special when my movies areset to release on a Friday. I perhapsbecome calm, Zen mode, cut off a bitsocially and I go like Kay Sera Sera!

However the pressure is on everyone from the movie to do well andaccepted by the audiences, not juston the hero or the heroine of the �ilm.We hope that this Diwali our moviesees a great response. For Diwali Iwould be going for my �ilm, have apuja at home and attend family reunions.

You don’t seem to be intimidatedby anyone in the industry, unlikeother new actresses?I think I am like this from my birth.Thanks to my family I am what yousee today a well brought up girl. I amcon�ident, good speaker, talented likemy dad. While, I have got my looksand sweet nature from my mom(smiles).

Are you conscious about yourlooks on screen?I have faced criticism for looks, actingand it is hard to get to this positionor getting �lak after losing 30 kg. Itwas an emotional struggle and had itbeen any other girl in my place shewould have crumbled. I don’t doroles which require me to stick thinor size zero or even wear a certain


CINEMA 68

kind of clothes. All of India is going backto the roots, so the trends of cinema orthe look of a heroine is changing. Peoplesay a hundred things to release theirgrudges or criticize people for anythingand everything. As for me, when my �ilmreleases I let my work do the talkingand shut them up instantly (chuckles).

Your �ilm is a remake of another �ilm,what do you have to say about it?Yes, Son Of Sardar (SOS) is a remake ofanother �ilm. I did watch the �ilm sometime ago. The situations have beenchanged according to a Punjabi set upand I am sure I like SOS better.

You were a fashion student and youended up acting, any regrets?I was studying fashion for three yearsand gave my best to it. I would workhard late into the night and stand �irstwith good scores in my fashion school.Similarly I worked hard and when my�ilms do well, I feel accepted. Now thereis no looking back, I am enjoying everymoment of it and look forward to goingto the et each morning and having a productive day.

Do you consult your family before taking up a role?I consult my parents often. They havebeen in the industry for the last 3035years, my mom come with me sometimesfor narration sessions, or I give my parents a gest of the �ilms I am being offered.We have open discussions in the houseabout my movie roles but the decision ismine at the end of the day.

Your last �ilm Joker was not acceptedwell by the audience, any regrets? It isbelieved that Farah was upset withyou post the �ilm?Success or failure of a �ilm is not in myhands. Joker was a risk, it wasn’t acceptedwell by the audiences but I have no regrets whatsoever. It was a great shootingexperience, with a lovely star cast and Ilearnt a lot from the team. Farah is like anelder sister to me, she is jovial and a totalpataka on the sets while Shirish and Ihave a great working relationship.

Farah and I share a great relationshipand the result of a movie has not changeour chemistry one bit. There is really

no animosity here!

Your item number with Prabhu Devain the movie Oh My God was well accepted, how does it feel?OMG was a different, fun, youthfulJanamshtami song which can quite becalled an unusual item number. Also tobe in the same frame as Prabhudevaji,was something I couldn’t resist. WhenAkshay casually asked me if I would bekeen on doing this dance number Ijumped at it. I simply couldn’t say no tohim and the dance number turned out sowell. We rehearsed for the song for over�ive hours at a stretch over a period oftwo days.

You are into photography these days?I like clicking pictures, and I have an eyefor good things. It’s more of a hobby thanpassion!

How did you take to the dance stepswith Ajay, considering he runs awayfrom such sequences?Ajay was a little apprehensive initiallyabout the dance sequences but it wasgreat fun altogether. He would rehearseand get it right, even the team memberswould leave their work at hand and joinin to see him dance or enjoy his steps.

What did you remember from yourshooting sequences in Punjab?Well, I clearly remember a lot of food onthe menu. From paranthas to chaas, dollops of butter we had a good time eatingaway to glory. We saw all season in Punjab because we shot there for such a longtime. We shot in a small village, and had

great people around. People would staythere in thatched roofs and wouldshower us with love and care. I havegreat memories of my stay in Punjabwhich will remain with me for a longtime to come.

Akshay seems to be very fond of youas a co star as you have worked withhim in a number of projects?Akshay and my on screen chemistry isgood, we have been well accepted by theaudiences. People like to watch us together so the same casting happened in afew �ilms. I think I share the best workingrelationship with him. It’s a nice atmosphere when he is around on the sets. Infact I guess, Akshay behaves youngerthan any of us on the sets. I am fortunateto be working with him as his costar.

You have been doing plenty of fun�ilms, any serious roles in the of�ing?I have Lootere coming up, for which I amshooting at the moment. It’s a deferentlook, location and character for me. It’s aserious �ilm, belongs to the 1950 era. Iam looking forward to it.

Do you have a 4 am friend in the industry or otherwise? Do your friendsfeel that you have changed from thetime you got into Bollywood?No, I don’t have a 4 am friend and I like tosleep at that time. All my friends are frommy school and college days and I amhappy to share things with them. I don’tthink I have changed or they havechanged either. They are the ones whokeep me grounded if I happen to �ly highfor any reason. I prefer to have friendswho don’t change like weather.

Do you think any of contemporariesare a serious competition for you?I don’t think so. I appreciate talent. I likeAnushka, Deepika, Parineeti and thinkthey all are doing a great job out there.

Who do you con�ide into amongst actors as friends?I think I can con�ide into Salman, I haveknown him for over 17 years now. And Ithink I can trust Akshay completely.

An ideal date place for you would be?I think it would be a coffee shop for sure.


I am not superstitiousor do anything specialwhen my movies areset to release on aFriday. I perhaps

become calm, Zenmode, cut off a bit

socially and I go likeKay Sera Sera!

“

Mela dilon ka aata hai ek baar,Aake chala jata hai...I am fond of fairs, amusement parks,circus and more which thrills me.O! I wanted to buy this charkhi...Then gave it a second thoughtto better click it.So, tried my creative hands,and preserved it forever...

FAIRY TALES

Location- GuwahatiTime - 3 pmReason- Monsoon FestivalOkay, I arrived on time.Suddenly, Mom shouted...Ankur, come out now,else you will get sick.But Ankur denied, he wasdancing on tunes of music and fountain.And I clicked my picture perfect :)

NOT A BABY SHOWER

Celebration of life

Photo: Arpan Kalita

Photo: Sanghamitra Bhargov


PHOTO GALLERY 70

Last Diwali,While decorating our home.Me: What are you doing didi?Sis : Can't you see, I am lightening diyas?Me: Why is it needed?Sis: Just to Welcome GoddessLaxmi :)Me: Then, if she comes here.we will get financial blessing.Sis: Hehe, you are still a kid.But, yes you are right to someextent :P

LIGHTEN OUR DARKNESS

Last year, I can remember all the fun,During Sindur Khela,Still I can recoll everything..Escaping myself and my camera fromvermilion.( Sindur Khela is an event of Dashamiof married women where they pray tothe goddess with vermilion, betel leaf,sweets and smearing each other withsindur to bid farewell to the Devi.)

MOHE RANG DE

Text: Mritunjay Kumar

Photo: Shayoni Dhar

Photo: Shayoni Dhar


PHOTO GALLERY 72

LAST WORD 72

THE MILL-YEN-ER IN ME

I want to be a winner. Badly. So badly Ican taste it.

These days I have this tremendousdesire to win something. Something todo with the everyone driving away withluxury cars and, worse, some of thembeing people you actually know and youhave to say congrats, well done whenwhat you really want to say is, I hateyou because all I get is a card to scratchand it says, thank you try again.

I'd like to win a top of the range carthat has more than a 1.4 litre engineand is bigger than a suitcase. A villa onthe Costa del Sol. A family trip BusinessClass to Disneyland all expenses paid.Gold. Cold cash. Oodles of it. Stuff thatmakes all our friends play house to thegreen eyed monster.

Then I can act blase, pretend thesewindfalls come into my life on a monotonously regular basis and really, goodfortune isn' t everything in the world,there are other more important thingslike family life, health and sitting together with good friends watchingone day matches on the telly…where doyou guys live, here, eat my dust.

I want have my photograph inthe papers and be interviewed so Ican say all these intelligent thingsthat winners say when they winlike the money had upgraded theirwisdom quotient.

Like, I am thrilled, I didn' t expect it.

I believe in good, clean virtuous living, which is why I won.

I will give 32 percent to charityand nine percent to my favouriteaunt who looked after me when Iwas young…gawarrrrrrnnnnn.

The winners look happy as theyperch on their cars(even if theydon' t have driving licences) andthey say these sweet, syrupy thingsabout thanking everyone aroundthem for their blessings and youwant to say, look, really, don't thankme, because I am somiserableabout your win, you can' t evenguess how miserable.

Like with bullets, I know thatsomewhere out there is a fortune withmy name on it, justwaiting to be won.Only a question of time before I canhold the press conference and take mymillion home.

Lying in bed at night I practice my acceptance speech. What'll I say as I drivethe Aston Martin out of Dubai DutyFree? How I'll tell the Manager of theBank folks, thanks for the million bucksbut I am putting it offshore.

Then I want to swan into one of theMalls and be stared at as that guy whowon the villaor the ten kilos of gold andact cool, so cool.

I have been wanting to act cool since2003 and it just does not happen.

I don't think anyone realises exactlyhow depressing it is to win miniminiprizes, onesthat people laugh in yourface for and then sarcastically say, goodshow, well done, luckysod.

Lucky sod : For winning a packet oftoffees when that fellow out there has asore thumbcounting his lolly and hehasn't even been through half the stack.and I am determined to be a big winner.

Then I can philosophise on cosmic subjects and everyone will listen to me.My wife's eyes will shine with pride asshe looks at me and says, my husband,wattaman. My children will have respect, they will genu�lect and look up tome rather than have that perpetual expression of 'who, him?' that today's children generally reserve for their parents.

It has been said that the tea is assweet as the sugar you have put in it.Well, I have paidmy dues. I have bought33 tickets for several lotteries and several raf�les. I am investing daily inlucky bonanzas by the dozen, if it has aprize, Vohra is there battling it out withthe best of them because you don'tmuck about with Lady Luck, she is verysensitive. I have �illed more forms than Idid paying for a US visa.

And if you do come to our home itisn't that I am serious about superstition, it is just a sheer coincidence that we have four leafclovers, horseshoes, lucky talismans,charms andother such celestial investments and I do have this tendencyto touch wood and keep my�ingerscrossed and generally read my horoscope before marching out to testmy luck.

After all, if there is a million bucksout there who cares if the neighboursthink you are nuts.

We just won’t invite them for the celebrations.

Bikram VohraGroup Consulting Editor

NGI Knowlegde Exchange


`

NGI Knowledge Exchange RNI TC No. MAH ENG 12553/13/1/2010- TC Decl. No. SDM/Pune/SR/138/2010

THE BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDINGS

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