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RAJASTHAN DIWAS:The Development Report

BIHAR 100:Towards a New Dawn

Kanchan BanerjeeEditor in Chief

email: [email protected]

Althoughmillionsare yet to receivebenefits of India’s

economicprogress andeffects of

globalization, thepast decade hasbeen a coursecorrection in

Bihar.

NGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE |MARCH 2012

As Bihar celebrates 50th an-niversary of its formation as amodern Indian state, it mayfeel like ages. But given the

state’s history, 50 years is a mere speck inthe sands of time. Bihar stands for ‘abode’in Sanskrit and Pali that finds numerousallusions in Buddhist monasteries, butlater it assumed the notion of ‘an educa-tional city’ heralding the glory of thelargest and best universities of that by-gone era -Nalanda, Odantpura andVikramshila. This ancient land of greatemperors like Samudragupta, Vikrama-ditya and Ashoka, and the great Chankyawere instrumental of what is called the‘classical’ and ‘golden’ periods in the In-dian history. The land of Lord Buddha,Lord Mahavir and Guru Govind Singh con-sisted of Anga, Magadha, Mithila and Vri-jji, and still speaks several great languagesof the past like Angika, Bhojpuri, Magadhi,Maithili and Bajjika. But history is seam-less here. The governments, educationalinstitutes, erstwhile trades may havechanged significantly in past two millen-nia, but the old Pataliputra in the name ofPatna still throbs .

Though the Greeks are credited withgiving democracy to the world, many his-torians noted that the concept existed inIndia from ancient times. Vaishali was gov-erned by democratic means and Bihar hasthe distinction of giving the world its firstdemocracy during the Lichchvi period.

Bihar may be 12th largest Indian state,but it’s the third most populous in thecountry. Poverty and backwardness wasthe defining image of Bihar until recently.Although millions are yet to receive bene-fits of India’s economic progress and ef-fects of globalization, the past decade hasbeen a course correction in Bihar. Many

projects taken up by the Nitish Kumar-ledgovernment are pro-people, making thema resounding success.

Many experiments in Bihar will bemuch useful for other states that alsoshare similar socio-economic conditions.A substantial section of Bihar now comesunder mineral-rich Jharkhand, which wascarved out more than 10 years ago; thebifurcation hasn’t deterred the motherstate’s strive for growth and development.Bihar sends a chunk of civil servants tovarious administrations around the coun-try, and also a large number of talentedyoung students to India’s best universities.

The state leads the young Indiabrigade, where a large number of thepopulation is below 35 or 25 years. Over58% of its population is under 25. Itwould be fascinating to see how theseyoung lives are nurtured and what oppor-tunities they get to excel in their respec-tive spheres of life. Bihar has significantimportance not only for India, but also forrest of the developing world. Bihar underthe leadership of its CM Nitish Kumar is arole model for many other Indian statesthat await reforms and inclusive growth.

Inclusive growth, which is popularizedby Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, is best evi-dent in the western Indian state. But,Bihar too is complementing India’s growthby giving an opportunity to the age-oldhave-nots.

NGI congratulates the people of Biharand urges Indians and India-lovers acrossthe globe to celebrate the occasion withnot just festivities, but also some con-structive supportive work. It is imperativefor the people of Bihari origin living acrossIndia and the world to explore how theycan give something to their home state,who in many ways shaped their lives.

edito

rial

CongratulationsBihar!

Inside...NEWGLOBAL INDIAN


EDITOR-IN-CHIEFKanchan Banerjee

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERHaimanti Banerjee

MANAGING EDITORUjjwal K Chowdhury

NGI MIDDLE EAST PUBLISHERK Sudhakar Murthy, ACORE Media

NGI-GIBM PROJECT HEAD, MARKETING(INDIA)

Deepak Chaudhury

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTSMadan Lamsal (Nepal)

Somanjana C. Bhattacharya (USA)Yasmin Chanda Singh (UK)

DESIGNShayoni Dhar

SUB EDITOR & CORRESPONDENTMritunjay Kumar

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTSRajesh Iyer(Mumbai)

Shekhar Srivastava (Lucknow)

IT CONSULTANTSBikram Singh

Sudhir Pandey (Pansoft Technologies)Chinmay Bajekal

MARKETING & BRANDINGShashank Bhatt,Gujarat

Archana, JaipurIndrani Sarkar, Hyderabad

BUSINESS CONSULTANCYAllunare Corporation

MANAGER- ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATIONAmit Tyagi

CONTACT NOS. AND EMAIL IDS:[email protected]

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EDITORIAL1 Why Should We Remember Them?4 Mandate 2012: Shift in Power?

RAJASTHAN5 Holding Aloft Desert State’s Glory6 Rajasthan: Unwind Yourself Here

BIHAR16 Bihar Century, But Still Growing

Strong18 Bihar Finds a Voice20 OIFC connecting to “New Bihar”, its

State Partner22 Bihar: A Work in Progress24 ‘I am emotionally connected to

Bihar’

INTERVIEW26 Lighting up Rural India

PBD RREPORTAGE28 PBD Decade and Way Forward

NRI JJUNCTION30 Know Your Roots

NEWS32 Profile34 NRI Newsbin

ENVIRONMENT36 Water as a human right

CONTENTS 02

16

26

36


LEADERSHIP45 Decoding Leadership

GUJARAT46 Modi govt powers rural revolution

in Gujarat

EDUCATION58 Conquering Distance

BRAIN TTRAIN60 Do you Have A “Healthy”

Personality?

INTERVIEW62 Recalling a forgotten tragedy

PROFILE64 Epoch

INNOVATION66 Indianama

ART68 The Man Who Made Dream Girl

Dance To His Tune

PHOTO GGALLERY70 GIBM on Progress

LEISURE72 The Ugly Indians

03 CONTENTS

58

46

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66

The 2012 polls for five state as-semblies in India have been themost interes�ng ones in recent�mes. And the impact can be

seen: some immediate and some long-term.

BJP has been defeated in most of theseats in Ayodhya-Faizabad belt, which isthe epicentre of the Ram Janmabhoomimovement. Congress has been routed inthe family pocket borough of Amethi-RaeBareily- Sultanpur for the first �me. AkaliDal-BJP lost vote share in comparison to2007 polls in Punjab, but got more seatsthis �me, and returned to power for arecord second �me, thanks to develop-ment agenda in governance.

One in every four Catholics of Goavoted for BJP for the first �me, helping itform the government in the sunshinestate on its own. The an�-corrup�onmood of the electorate spelt nemesis forCongress.

Less number of Yadavs voted for Mu-layam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party(SP), but it s�ll won spectacularly in UPwith the support of Thakurs, Brahmins,Muslims, and even Jatavs, a tradi�onalBSP vote bank. SP would not tolerate anygoonda raaj this �me around isAkhilesh’s post-poll pledge.

Wri�ng on the wall is clear. No blindvote-bank poli�cs will be encouraged bythe electorate.

The second set of impact will be feltin the 2014 general elec�ons.

First, it’s for the Congress-led UPAgovernment at the Centre. The UPA hasto make some dras�c change of tac�cs.Be it the 2G scam or the Anna Hazare-ledagita�on, the government sent out indif-ferent reac�ons mired in legalese cra�edby its lawyer-ministers.

The likely fallout for the UPA govern-ment will be put up with aggressive al-lies, especially Trinamool Congress,looking to keep it weak without topplingit, and the non-Congress CMs likely toprovide it with a crisis-a-fortnight in themonths to come. The ‘right-of-the-cen-tre’ rush of Home Minister P Chi-dambaram to opera�onalize the Na�onalCounter-Terrorism Centre did not findfavours with the non-Congress CMs andhelped SP consolidate within the UP’sMuslim electorate.

The ‘le�-of-the-centre’ agenda ofCongress as reflected through food secu-rity and secular pla�tudes is upstaged bythe conserva�ve mantra of ‘fiscal consol-ida�on’ the Union budget. The social

spending needed for food security andeduca�on as a right is in conflict with theconserva�ve demands on a governmentcoping with another global economicslowdown.

The next big poli�cal events will makethe UPA government weaker. Elec�on to50-odd Rajya Sabha seats over the nextfew weeks is likely to bring down its tallyin the Upper House of Parliament whereit already is in a minority. And, the elec-�on of a new President in July can leadto a surprise win of the Opposi�on spon-sored candidate if there is unity amongnon-Congress par�es on this. The onlyway for Congress to avoid it will be tofind a well respected minority or a Dalitleader for the post which the allies andeven BJP may find hard to oppose, justthe way Atal Bihari Vajpayee had found AP J Abdul Kalam.

Policy paralysis, sort of a hallmark ofUPA II, is expected to further accentuatewith an aggressive Mamata and muscle-flexing Sharad Pawar’s NCP as allies, anda non-dependent SP in power in UP, andPunjab and Goa lost.

The number of par�es who favourearly polls has arisen. Any Lok Sabha racewould be wide open due to Congress’sdecline and BJP’s inability to make equalgains. State satraps like Mamata Baner-jee, Ni�sh Kumar, Biju Patnaik, MulayamSingh Yadav, J Jayalalithaa would all lookfor an opportunity to appropriate the na-�onal space.

Federal poli�cs also got a boost inthese polls. Brand Rahul took a severebea�ng. He was unable to save pocketboroughs in spite of 200 plus publicmee�ngs in UP where younger sisterPriyanka, her husband Robert Vadrawere also roped in. Congress top-brasswas a picture of sycophancy as they triedto outdo each other for taking responsi-bility for the UP debacle. Perhaps, Con-gress is not yet ready for the largestelec�ons in the largest democracy of theworld. The 2014 polls are now too closefor comfort for Congress, while for therest it is an agonizingly long wait.

The rise of youth power (a la Akhilesh,Sukhbir Badal, Manohar Parikkar), thefocus on development and stabilityagenda (Punjab-UP-Manipur), and sup-port for an�-corrup�on plank (U�arak-hand and Goa) were visible in theseelec�ons. Voter spoke the last word, andNew India voted for development andnot caste or iden�ty poli�cs. It’s a lesson,indeed, for both Congress and BJP.

Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury Managing Editor

Dean, Whistling Woods InternationalSchool of Communication, Mumbai

email: [email protected]

edito

rial Mandate 2012:

Shift in Power?

Voter spoke the lastword, and New India

voted for development and not

caste or identity politics. It’s a lesson,

indeed, for both Congress and BJP.


05 RAJASTHAN

On March 30, 1949, the grand unifica-�on of the erstwhile princely statesof Rajputana gave birth to Rajasthanin the Union of India. Since then,

March 30th is celebrated as Rajasthan Diwasevery year. The annual celebra�ons aim toshowcase the desert state’s culture and her-itage and revive the tradi�onal sports, cuisinesand folk-art.

Rajasthan Diwas, 2011Weeklong celebra�ons marked RajasthanDiwas last year. It was a splendid day for Jaipu-rites as they woke up to the strains of santoorfollowed by the dare-devilry in the sky bySurya Kiran team and power-packed perform-ance by ar�stes in the play, Raangbhoomi.There was a musical soiree in the evening.

The Surya Kiran’s acroba�c show on Ra-jasthan University sports ground was the high

point of the event. Ra-jasthan government’stourism departmenthad organized all theac�vi�es.

Rajasthan Diwas, 2012Jaipur will witness a

mélange of fes�vity and cultural events onMarch 29 and 30 as part of the Rajasthan DayCelebra�ons (RDC). Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK)will be the hub for all the RDC events.

Usha Sharma, principal secretary and com-missioner, state tourism, said that the focuswill be on theatre, cultural programmes andRajasthan folk music. Besides, there will be aweeklong food and cra� bazaar.

While the cultural programmes will be heldat Muktaakash Manch, the theatre will bestaged at auditoriums. The cra� bazaar will beheld at Shilp Gram from March 27 to April 2,and the food fes�val on the JKK lawns. This isfor the first �me that all RDC events will beheld at JKK.

On March 29th, at 6 pm, “Ek Tha GaddhaUrf Aladaad Khan”, a play wri�en by wellknown sa�rist Sharad Joshi will be staged.Ashok Rahi of Jaipur’s People Media Theatre

will direct it. On the same evening, there willbe a cultural programme from 7.30 pm on-wards at the Muktaakash Manch, wherear�stes like Toshi, Sharib and Swaroop Khanwill perform.

On March 30th, the founda�on day of thestate, another play – “Chinta Chhod Chinta-mani” by Shri Om Katare – will be staged. Ra-jasthani ar�stes will perform in the evening.

Choicest Rajasthani dishes will be availableon the occasion. While, at the cra� bazaar, ar-�facts and handicra�s from all over the statewill be available for both sale and display.

Holding Aloft Desert State’s GloryShilipi BBatra reports on the high points of the annual Rajasthan Diwas

to be celebrated in Jaipur on March 29 and 30.

The Surya Kiran’s acrobatic show on Rajasthan University sports ground was thehigh point of the event last year. Rajasthangovernment’s tourism department had or-

ganized all the activities.

Usha Sharma, principal secretary and commissioner,state tourism, said that thefocus will be on theatre, cultural programmes and

Rajasthan folk music. Besides, there will be aweeklong food and craft

bazaar.


RAJASTHAN 06

The cover of Lonely Planet India sportsa beau�ful picture of a man in a pinkturban. Flip through the pages of thisbook, considered the bible for any

tourist, and you will find similar pictures fromRajasthan clearly domina�ng the visual illustra-�on of India. Not without a reason. Rajasthan isone of the most picturesque parts of IncredibleIndia and the state is one of the most favouredtourist des�na�ons in the country for domes�cand foreign tourists alike.

Its desert do�ed with rugged forts andbeau�ful palaces, lakes, wildlife and bird sanc-tuaries, charming ci�es, fairs and fes�vals, andcolourful culture form the most fascina�ng andunique basket of a�rac�ons for any tourist. Thisassortment is unique and unparalleled and nosingle des�na�on holds such a variety for atourist.

Popular tourist des�na�ons in Rajasthan in-clude historic ci�es (Jaipur, Udaipur), wildlifesanctuaries (Sariska, Ranthambore, Tal Chha-par), bird sancturies (Keoladeo, Kheechan),desert loca�ons (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer), pilgrim-ages (Pushkar, Nathdwara) and even a hill sta-�on (Mount Abu). The State runs famous luxurytourist trains ― Royal Rajasthan on Wheels andthe Palace on Wheels ― that connect some ofthe important tourist des�na�ons of Rajasthanwith Delhi and Agra.

Jaipur, the state capital forms the famous‘golden triangle’ with Delhi and Agra pu�ng iton the i�nerary of many an interna�onaltourists. The city has an interna�onal airportwith flights to UAE and Singapore. Besides,Commercial airlines offer services to the ci�esof Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Indian Airlinesand private airlines offer regular flights from

New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ban-galore, Ahmedabad and Goa. The state also hasexcellent internal connec�vity with high qualityhighways and luxury state transport buses ply-ing between major des�na�ons.

Tourism accounts for over 15% of the state'seconomy. During the calendar year 2010, up toDecember, the number of tourist arrivals in theState was 26.8 million (25.5 million domes�cand 1.3 million foreign). With State registeringan average annual tourist arrival growth rate of15% in domes�c and 12% in foreign tourists,the future of tourism is very promising in Ra-jasthan.

Rajasthan ranks 5th in the country in num-ber of domes�c tourists arrival (3.9% of totaldomes�c tourists) and 6th in number of foreigntourists arrival (7.8% of total foreign tourists).

Ci�es of Rajasthan, especially Jaipur and

Rajasthan is one of the most favoreddestination in the country fordomestic and foreign tourists andprovides all good reasons to investin its travel and tourism sector.A report by Archana

RAJASTHANUNWIND YOURSELF HERE


07 RAJASTHAN

Udaipur, are very popular MICE des�na�ons.During the tourist season, hotels and conven�oncentres have chock-a-block schedule with con-ferences of na�onal and interna�onal level.These ci�es and many a lesser known des�na-�on are also host to lavish des�na�on weddings.

In January 2012, Jaipur will play host to thetenth Pravasi Bhara�ya Diwas (PBD). PBD is anannual event jointly organized by the Ministry ofOverseas Indian Affairs and Confedera�on of In-dian Industries to mark the contribu�on of over-seas Indian community in the development ofIndia.

The state government has been inves�ng oninfrastructure development, heritage conserva-�on and development of new circuits in a bigway. Some new circuits like the Shekhawa� andHadau� have become very popular in recentyears. Jantar Mantar in Jaipur has been includedin the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO andeffort is on to get more

monuments there.Much recently, the government has taken up

promo�ng rural tourism and Eco-tourism in a bigway. These promise to become major draws fortourists in the coming years.

The booming tourism industry in the state of-fers a�rac�ve opportuni�es for profitable invest-ment in hospitality and related industries.Tourism is a thrust sector for the state govern-ment and there is a Tourism Units Policy in placethat offers concessions and incen�ves for se�ngup tourism units (For details, see box). Besides,the Government has recently announced Ra-jasthan Investment Promo�on Scheme for set-�ng up of new enterprise, enterprises going forexpansion, moderniza�on and diversifica�on,and projects set-up for common social good. Allkinds of investments are eligible under thisscheme. The new scheme also simplifies theprocedure for grant and disbursement of sub-sidy, and introduces transparency in system, by

introducing the system of online disbursementof subsidy .

Rajasthan has a developed tourism infra-structure, with over 6,000 hotel rooms in morethan 150 hotels. Of these, over 1,400 rooms (54hotels) belong to the heritage category.

The vibrant tourism sector in Rajasthan hasalready a�racted the best names in the hospital-ity industry to set up here. Some renowned play-ers like the Taj and Oberoi groups have a strongpresence at mul�ple loca�ons. Their proper�eslike the Rambagh Palace, Rajvilas and Udaivilasregularly feature among the best in the subcon-�nent. Other major players in the sector includeITC-Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Meridien, Marrio�,Royal Orchid to name just a few.

Besides hotels, the state has a vibranttourism ecosystem in terms of presence of serv-ice providers across the spectrum including touroperators, money changers, restaurants andfood joints serving interna�onal cuisine, taxi


RAJASTHAN 08

TOURISM UNITS POLICY 2007

The policy, already in place, covers Hotels, as well as all other units such as Her-itage Hotels, Camping Sites, Holiday Resorts, Health Spas, etc. • The minimum and maximum area for land to be auctioned from the land bankhas been prescribed. The minimum area in the 2007 policy is the maximum area inthe policy of 2006.• The cost of land has been differentiated with the budget and 3-star hotels baseprice fixed at less than 50% of the commercial reserve price.• Under Rule 7 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Rules 2007 (conversion of agricul-tural land for non agricultural purpose in rural areas), a proviso has been added ex-empting from conversion charges all those desirous of establishing hotels or anyother tourism unit on the land held by them.• Regarding conversion of residential land and heritage properties into hotels andother tourism units, a proviso has been added to the Rajasthan Municipal Corpora-tion Rules 2000 (land utilization conversion), where heritage property ownerswould not have to pay 40% of residential reserve price for conversion of the prop-erty into a heritage hotel, with the rider that the property should have a minimumof 10 rooms.• Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of existing hotels would be increased from 1.75 to 2, toallow construction of an additional floor. However, the land coverage area shall besimilar to previous permissible area. The additional floor would only be used forrooms.Rajasthan has a developed tourism infrastructure, with over 6,000 hotel rooms inmore than 150 hotels. Of these, over 1,400 rooms (54 hotels) belong to the her-itage category.The vibrant tourism sector in Rajasthan has already attracted the best names in thehospitality industry to set up here. Some renowned players like the Taj and Oberoigroups have a strong presence at multiple locations. Their properties like the Ram-bagh Palace, Rajvilas and Udaivilas regularly feature among the best in the sub-continent. Other major players in the sector include ITC-Sheraton, Holiday Inn,Meridien, Marriott, Royal Orchid to name just a few.Besides hotels, the state has a vibrant tourism ecosystem in terms of presence ofservice providers across the spectrum including tour operators, money changers,restaurants and food joints serving international cuisine, taxi services and the like.

TOURISM IN RAJASTHANAll good reasons to invest

• Rajasthan has a large number of heritage properties in various districts. The owners of theseheritage properties have indicated their willingnessto enter into contract with private parties.The State Government is facilitating an arrangement wherein private heritage properties(forts, fortresses, palaces and havelis) can be takenup by investors in a joint venture or on management contract. The Government is in theprocess of identifying government properties of her-itage value, which would be given out on leasearrangements.• Tourism Units Policy 2007 is in place which provides various incentives to various units.• A package of incentives is also available for newtourism units under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme 2010.The State Govt. with an ob-jective for easy establishment of Tourist Units haslaunched an innovative scheme of Land Bank.


09 RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme(RIPS) 2010The Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme(RIPS) 2010 is a package of financial incentivesand subsidies for investors. Subsidies:• RIPS 2010 provides investment subsidy to alleligible investors of an amount equal to 30% ofthe tax deposited, without any linkage with pay-ment of interest and wages. • Employment generation subsidy @ Rs.15000per employee/annum. For women, SC/ST and per-sons with disability this amount has been en-hanced to Rs.18,000 per employee/annum. • These subsidies have been announced for 7years, but to give boost to the MSMEs in the noti-fied area, time limit has been extended to 10years. • Procedure for subsidy disbursement has beensimplified by introducing a Challan for Adjustmentthrough Treasury (Form VAT-37B).

Exemption from Taxes: Some of the tax exemptions announced in RIPSare • 50% exemption from payment of Electricityduty;• 50% exemption from payment of Land Tax;• 50% exemption from payment of Stamp duty onpurchase or lease of land and construction/im-provement on such land;• 50% exemption from payment of conversioncharge payable for change of Land use.• The exemptions have been announced forseven years for payment of Electricity duty, andLand Tax


Aplace of great Natural Beauty, theearlier name of Rajasthan was Ra-jputana; it was famous for its brave,chivalrous warriors, beau�ful

princesses and hard-working, jovial and hos-pitable people. The Rajputs and the Mughalshave contributed greatly towards shaping thehistory of Rajasthan and made it the wonder-ful land that it is now. Its picturesque loca-�ons, splendid architecture, fascina�ng cultureand superb cuisine have lent it the shades of afairytale land. The varied physical features ofits unique landscape beckon people of alltastes because the tourists can either enjoy

the cool summers of Mount Abu in the awe-some Aravali mountain ranges or check outthe shimmering golden sands of the desert inJaisalmer. The indomitable forts, splendidpalaces, amazing sand dunes, tranquil lakes,beau�ful temples and exo�c wildlife of thisstate leave one truly mesmerized.

Treasure Trove of Handicra�sPeople of Rajasthan are gi�ed with an amazingvariety of tradi�onal skills. Its handicra�s, �eand dye work, hand block prin�ng, quilts, bluepo�ery, sculpture & statues, marble cra�, em-broidery, brass work, miniature pain�ng,

enamel ware, woollen and hand kno�ed car-pets, sandal wares and exquisite gems andjewellery, fit to adorn the nobility, are some ofthem. This range is perhaps unmatched else-where in India.

The Land of Glorious Achievers Several historical personali�es of the State likePrithaviraj Chauhan, Maharana Kumbha, Ma-harana Pratap Singh, Maharaja Sawai Jai SinghII, Rani Padmini and Rana Hammir have beenimmortalized in its history and their patrio�smand valour will always inspire later genera-�ons.

The princely state of Rajasthan, better known as ‘a landof courage and gallantry’,which has always fascinatedpeople from far and wide and have handful opportunities of its rich business environment.

RAJASTHAN 10


In modern �mes, Rajasthanis have excelled inall walks of life – be it economics, finance,business, art & culture, adver�sing, law, sci-ence or social work. Ila Arun, Gulabo Sapera,Irfan Khan, Mehandi Hasan and Jagjit Singh arethe cultural achievers while crea�ve brains likePiyush Pandey, legal experts like LM Sighvi, fi-nancial experts like Dr. D.R. Mehta, scien�stslike Prof. Goverdhan Mehta and defence per-sonnel like Madhvendra Singh have broughtlaurels to the land. Entrepreneurial spirit ofpeople of Rajasthan especially from the Mar-war and Shekhawa� regions is unparalleled.Prominent business families have emergedfrom here and personali�es well known at na-�onal and global levels like Lakshmi Niwas Mit-tal, Rahul Bajaj, Sir Gulam Noon, KumarMangalam Birla, Gautam Singhania, ChandaKochar, Anshuman Jain and many more havetheir roots in this land.

Some Business and Corporate Bigwigs fromRajasthan:

Lakshmi N. Mi�al: Lakshmi N.Mi�al is the Chairman andCEO of Arcelor Mi�al. He isalso a member of the IndianPrime Minister's Global Advi-sory Council, the Foreign In-vestment Council in

Kazakhstan, the World Economic Forum's In-terna�onal Business Council, the World SteelAssocia�on's Execu�ve Commi�ee and thePresiden�al Interna�onal Advisory Board ofMozambique. He is the richest man in UK andthe sixth richest in the world. He was awardedthe Padma Vibhushan in 2007.

Rahul Bajaj: Rahul Bajaj is aprominent Indian industrialistand member of the Indian Par-liament. He comes from thebusiness house of Bajajs of Ra-jasthan founded by Shri Jam-nalal Bajaj. Bajaj Auto is his

flagship company among other flourishingbusinesses. He was awarded the PadmaBhushan in 2001. He is currently listed 34th onthe Forbes list of richest people in India.

Sir Gulam K. Noon: LordGulam K.Noon, is a Bri�shbusinessman originally fromRajasthan, India. He hasfounded and operates a num-ber of food product compa-nies in Southall, London,

specializing in Indian cuisine. In the SundayTimes Rich List 2006 he was placed in 888thposi�on with an es�mated fortune of £65 mil-lion.

Kumar Mangalam Birla:Kumar Mangalam Birla is anindustrialist of Rajasthani ori-gin, belonging to the illustri-ous family of Birlas, and theChairman of the Aditya BirlaGroup, one of the largest con-

glomerate corpora�ons in India. He is also theChancellor of the Birla Ins�tute of Technology& Science. A chartered accountant by profes-sion, Kumar Mangalam Birla earned commercedegree from the HR College, Mumbai, and anMBA in HR from the London Business School,where he is also an Honorary Fellow.

Chanda Kochar: Ms. Kochar isholding the post of CEO andMD of ICICI Bank Ltd. Born inJodhpur and brought up inJaipur, this young corporateleader was recently honoredwith Padma Bhushan and

other awards such as Outstanding WomanBusiness Leader of the Year award by CNBCTV18 2010, Banker of the Year Award by Finan-cial Express 2010, Business Woman of the Year2005 by The Economic Times of India.

Economy of RajasthanRajasthan is in the midst of a historic transfor-ma�on – from an agrarian state to a modern,vibrant economy. The land of forts, palacesand camels is now also home to many IT com-panies, Car companies, Auto manufacturersand the world's largest Glass manufacturer.These investments are crea�ng hundreds ofthousands of jobs for the youth of the state.

The economy of Rajasthan is largely de-pendent on agriculture and small scale indus-tries. The handicra�s industry is an importantsector as it a�racts a lot of buyers. Apart fromthese, the tourism industry, automobile sector,IT & ITES sector and evolving solar powerplants are at their best here.

The Real & Effec�ve Single WindowRajasthan Government has been taking vari-ous steps towards improving the investmentclimate and simplifying the regulatory systemin the State. Towards this objec�ve, the Ra-jasthan Enterprises Single Window Enablingand Clearance Act-2011 has been promul-gated.

It is a Statutory Mechanism rather than anAdministra�ve System which is binding on thevarious Departments and Officers for providing�me bound clearances/permissions for se�ngup investment proposal/businesses in theState. This system is backed by an online elec-tronic clearance mechanism for a transparent,online submission and tracking of investmentapplica�ons.

If there is a place to invest in the solarpower sector, the place is Rajasthan. And ifthere was a �me to makethis investment, the �me is now!

Robust Growth in Auto SectorThe Indian Automo�ve Industry embarked ona new journey in 1991 with de-licensing of thesector and subsequent opening up for 100%FDI through automa�c route. Riding on a ro-bust economic growth, the Automobile Indus-try has grown at ~ 9.5 % in last 4 years, withthe level of produc�on of vehicles rising from9.74 Million in 2005-06 to 14.05 Million in2009-10. In fact, the Indian Automobile Mar-ket is the second fastest growing in the worldand has shown nearly 30% growth in 2010-11.

Bhiwadi-Neemrana-Alwar Emerge as an AutoCluster:The NCR sub region of Rajasthan (Bhiwadi-Neemrana-Alwar) has emerged as a cluster forAutomo�ve manufacturing ac�vi�es in thecountry. Auto majors like Honda Siel Cars,Honda Motorcycle & Scooter, Ashok Leyland,Eicher (TAFE) have presence in this region. Infact, Bhiwadi-Neemrana Belt in par�cular hastaken the shape of an independent Auto Hub.Prominent Auto Component Units have alsoestablished / are establishing their shops inthis belt. An exclusive Auto & EngineeringZone in Bhiwadi Area has been created. AtNeemrana, RIICO has created an exclusivezone for Japanese investment, where majorityof investment is from Japanese auto compo-nent companies. An ecosystem for Automo�veIndustry has developed in Rajasthan. Bhiwadi-Neemrana Belt which, in fact, provides compli-mentary / supplementary support ofopera�ons among OEMs, Tier-I, Tier-II andTier-III Industries in automo�ve domain. GOIhas ini�ated ac�on for se�ng up of a ToolRoom and Training Centre at Bhiwadi in PPPmode, which will be an important infrastruc-ture facility for Automo�ve Industry. Ra-jasthan, con�nuously receiving a�en�on ofinvestors in automo�ve domain, has emergedas an ideal des�na�on for Automo�ve Indus-try.


11 RAJASTHAN

• One of the world's oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, cra-dles the only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu, famous for DilwaraTemples, a sacred pilgrimage for Jains.

• The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world's first and oldest civi-lizations, was located in parts of what is now Rajasthan.

• Rajasthan is connected bymany national highways. Most renownedbeing NH 8, which is India's first 4‒8 lane highway.

• In Deshnok, Rajasthan, the 575-year-old temple of Karni Devi (one ofthe nine incarnations of Durga) has a large number of holy rats called'Kabas', believed to be the offsprings of the presiding deity.

• In the state, Bikaner is famous for its namkeens, Jaipur for its jew-ellery, Jodhpur for sweets and Jaisalmer for yellow stone, wall paint-ings of bundi.

• The Ranthambore National Park located in Sawai Madhopur, is oneof the finest Tiger Reserves in the Country which became a part ofProject Tiger in 1973.

• The Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, spread over an area of 3162km², is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar Desert, andits diverse fauna.

• The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmerhave gained international recognition.

• Rajasthan is often called a shopper's paradise as it is famous for tex-tiles, semi-precious stones and handicrafts.

• Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils and pulses.Cotton and tobacco are the state's cash crops.

• Rajasthan is the biggest wool-producing state in India and themainopium producer and consumer.

• The development of the frescos in Rajasthan is linked with the his-tory of the Marwaris, who have also played a crucial role in the eco-nomic development of the region.

• The Taj Mahal was built from the white marble which was minedfrom a town of Rajasthan called Makrana.

• State has the north India's largest integrated IT park, located inJaipur and is named as Mahindra World City Jaipur covering nearly3,000 acres (12 km2) of land.

• Māru-Gurjara Architecture show the deep understanding of struc-tures and refined skills of Rajasthani craftmen of bygone era. Māru-Gurjara Architecture has two prominent styles Maha-Maru andMaru-Gurjara.

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN

World Trade Park, Jaipur

RAJASTHAN 12

Handicrafts- JaisalmerLeather Work

Udaipur- KumbhalgarhClassical Dance FestivalNGI KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE |MARCH 2012

13 RAJASTHAN


The Trilegal Capital Markets Bulletin is a periodic updateon recent developments in capital markets laws andpolicies related to International capital markets.

Foreign Venture Capital Investors permitted to invest in secu-rities by way of third party sale and private arrangement

The RBI has issued a circular on 19 March 2012 allowing For-eign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) to invest in equity, equitylinked instruments, debt, debt instruments, debentures of anIndian venture capital undertaking (IVCU) or venture capitalfund (VCF), or units of schemes or funds set up by the VCF (col-lectively, the Eligible Instruments), by way of private arrange-ment or purchase from a third party, subject to terms andconditions stipulated in Schedule 6 of the Foreign ExchangeManagement (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person ResidentOutside India) Regulations, 2000. Until now, an FVCI could onlyinvest in the Eligible Instruments issued by an IVCU or a VCFthrough an ini�al public offering or a private placement, or inunits of schemes or funds setup by the VCF. The RBI circular clar-ifies that FVCIs would also be allowed to invest in securi�es on arecognised stock exchange, subject to the provisions of the SEBI(Foreign Venture Capital Investors) Regula�ons, 2000.

Authorised dealers directed to give prior in�ma�on for raisingthe aggregate limits for investments by Foreign Ins�tu�onal In-vestors or Non-Resident Indians under the Porolio InvestmentScheme

The RBI has issued a circular on 19 March 2012 clarifying thatany company that intends to raise the aggregate investment limiti) for Foreign Ins�tu�onal Investors (FIIs), from 24% to the appli-cable sectoral or statutory cap, or ii) Non-Resident Indians, from10% to 24%, shall provide prior in�ma�on of the same to the RBIalong with a cer�ficate from the company secretary to the effectthat all applicable provisions of the Foreign Exchange Manage-ment Act, 1999 and related rules and regula�ons, and the foreigndirect investment policy have been complied with.

Over-the-counter transactions in Certificates of Depositand Commercial Paper to be settled through clearing corpora-tions

The RBI and the SEBI have issued notifications dated 5March 2012, directing that all over-the-counter (OTC) tradesin Certificates of Deposit and Commercial Paper will be settledthrough the National Securities Clearing Corporation Limitedand the Indian Clearing Corporation Limited with effect from 1April 2012.

FII investment in ‘to be listed’ debt securities to be subjectto a 15-day listing condition

The RBI has issued a notification on 1 March 2012, permit-ting FIIs and their sub-accounts to invest in primary issuancesof ‘to be listed’ non-convertible debentures and bonds, only iflisting of such debt securities is committed to be completedwithin 15 days of the investment. If such debt securities arenot listed within such timeframe for any reason, the FII or itssub-account must immediately dispose of the securities eitherby way of sale to a third party, or to the issuer of such debtsecurities. The RBI has also directed that the terms of offer ofsuch non convertible debentures and bonds to FIIs or theirsub-accounts must contain a clause that the issuer shall im-mediately redeem or buyback the said securities from the FIIsor their sub-accounts in such an eventuality.

If you require any further information about the materialcontained in this alert, please get in touch with your Trilegalrelationship partner or send an email to [email protected].

The contents of this alert are intended for informationalpurposes only and are not in the nature of a legal opinion.Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel prior to actingupon any of the information provided herein. The text of thisalert is the copyright of Trilegal and may not be circulated, re-produced or otherwise used without the prior permission ofits originator. Allen & Overy owns the copyright in the tem-plate design and typographical arrangement.

BySabbirHussain

BIHAR 16

Bihar's success story, underCM Ni�sh Kumar, has im-pressed all and sundry,

evoking curiosity about the secretbehind it. The state has the po-ten�al, and could be a lesson forother regions. Double-digit eco-nomic growth, improved socialindicators, and poverty reduc�onhave fuelled the success coupledwith an indomitable triumph ofthe famed Bihari resilience.

Kumar has scripted a spectac-ular economic turnaround as thestate registered an annual growthrate of 11.36%from 2004-05 to 2010-11 from adismal 3.5%annual growth for previous fiveyears.

"The state government wasnot only working over�me to en-sure high growth rate over a longperiod of �me, but also to ensurethat the development indeedtranslates into prosperity of thepeople," deputy CM Sushil KumarModi said at the valedictory func-�on of the three-day Global Sum-mit on Changing Bihar that washeld in Patna in February.

Bihar Centenary Celebra�onsThe three-day Diwas will be cele-brated in Patna on March 22 tomark centenary celebra�ons.

Bihar was formed in 1912, a�erthe region -- comprising Bihar,Jharkhand and Odisha --- wasseparated from the then GreaterBengal Province.

However, Bihar, like the thenBengal, suffered two "par�-�ons" in the subsequentdecades, as Odisha became aseparate state in 1936,while the Jharkhand wascarved out in November,2000. In between, a partof easternBihar inKis-hanganj

district

wentaway toWest Ben-gal in 1956.

The statecapital’shotspotGandhiMaidanand build-ings sur-

BIHAR CENTURYStill Growing Strong

Mritunjay KKumar focuses on the growth-scriptof Bihar ensuring inclusive growth as the statecelebrates its centenary this month.

Nitish Kumar


17 BIHAR

rounding it will be bathed in blue light forthree consecu�ve nights to mark Bihar'sthree-day-long centenary celebra�ons.

"Stakeholders of all government and non-government buildings situated around thestraggling ground have been requested to illu-minate their establishments with blue light,"said D K Shukla, MD of Bihar State TourismDevelopment Corpora�on Ltd (BSTDC). Thebuildings will be illuminated by LED lightsfrom March 22 to 24.

Maurya Hotel, Twin Tower, HSBC, ReserveBank, Minar Plaza, IMA Bihar, Udyog Bhawan,Christ Church School, Police Headquarters,Gandhi Museum, St Xavier's School, StateBank, Biscomaun Bhawan and T N BanerjeeHouse are some of the buildings that will bebeau�fied and bathed in blue.

Blue has been chosen since it is the colourof sky, signifying progress and rise.

Colourful Prepara�onsThe rendi�on of Bihar Geet and BiharPrarthana is being held in all governmentschools as a run-up to the gala event. SixteenWorld Cup women's kabbadi teams took partin a tournament in the first week of March.Japan, Thailand, Chinese Taiwan, Sri Lanka,South Korea, Canada, Indonesia, Bangladesh,Malaysia, Mexico, US, Italy, Iran and Nepal

were the na�onswho had senttheir women’s

kabaddi teams. However, The Pakistani teamdid not turn up.

India clinched the first women's KabaddiWorld Cup championship �tle, defea�ng Iran25-19 in the final that was played at Patna’sPatlipura Sports Complex.

"Bihar’s rich in its cultural diversity. We or-ganized a special Bihar Food Fes�val in whichvisitors relished typically Bihari cuisines," saidAnjani Kumar Singh, principal secretary in theeduca�on department.

The narra�on of impressions and experi-ences of senior ci�zens, who are 90 years andabove has been recorded as the state’s oralhistory. The CDs and books on the art and cul-tural roots of the state are available on saleduring the event, Singh added. Moreover, Ra-jdhani Park has been developed into Bihar’sArt Park.

The celebra�on is taking place in a specialcontext. Modern-day Bihar is an amalgama-tion evolved into a unitary sub-nationalityout of common collective experiencesshared in its five ancient sub-regions, or lin-guistic and cultural zones like ancient Mag-adh, Mithila, Anga, Vajji Confederacy, andKarusha which constitutes ancient roots ofthe present-day Bhojpur region.

Patna Museum leads from the frontPatna Museum, which has been given animage makeover, is working overtime tomake the centenary celebrations a resound-ing success. Artists have prepared replicas ofancient heritage sites like Nalanda, AshokaPillar, Barabar Caves.

Sanyasi Red, a famous Bihari artist, isleading a five-member team for the exercisesince February 3.

Museum authorities have also developedan eco-garden on the campus to be thrownopen for the public by end-March. The pres-ent high-voltage lights in the museum prem-ises will be replaced with LED lights. SolarLights will also be installed. A lecture on‘Bihar’s contribution in last 100 years inchanging the archaeology and history of thecountry’ and ‘Gandhi and Bihar’ was held onMarch 25.

More ChallengesIs Bihar moving in the right direction and ata correct pace? The Global Summit, a stellargathering of a galaxy of economists, sociolo-gists, scholars, administrators, authors andleaders, promises to be a happy meetingground for an in-depth analysis on thestate’s future. The recent developments aresigns of interesting times. But, the real chal-lenge is sustaining the momentum and mak-ing the growth more diversified, balanced,equitable and inclusive.


BIHAR 18


Venue: Maurya Hotel, PatnaDate: February 17-19

Six plenary sessions and 11 workshops, spreadacross five medium and small conference hallsin the three-star hotel, a�racted 175 delegatesfrom 24 countries, who deliberated on how toaccelerate development in all walks of life.

Inaugural SessionVisi�ng Nepalese PM Dr Baburam Bha�arai,who led a 17-member delega�on, inauguratedthe session.

During his hour-long speech, he showedkeen interest in strengthening �es with India,par�cularly with Bihar, which has a sprawlingland-locked border with Nepal. He called for ajoint venture to harness the Himalayan na-�on’s huge hydro-power and tourism poten�alfor the benefit of both the countries. He saidthat Nepal needed to “leapfrog from poverty toprosperity” if it were to ensure double-digiteconomic growth in the near future.

Dr Bha�arai rebu�ed a gradual approach totransforma�on of the economy, underscoringthe need for massive investments in key sec-tors.

He said economic integra�on was the key tothe progress of the backward South Asian coun-tries, and pointed out that in spite of abundantnatural resources Nepal remained among themost backward regions in the world today.

Emphasising the strong bond betweenBihar and Nepal, CM Ni�sh Kumar remarkedthat there was natural symbiosis between peo-ple of the two regions.

“Our problems are interlinked and despitesome issues at the administra�ve level, thefeeling among the people of Bihar and Nepal isone of intense amity,” he said.

Kumar also shared the sen�ments of DrBha�arai and said that Bihar leadership woulddo its best to convince Union government forstrengthening the rela�onship with Nepal,which was crucial for Bihar. He said, “Nepalholds the key to many troubles bese�ng Bihar.At the poli�cal level, they may be separate en-��es but at popular level, Bihar and Nepal aresimilar and their sufferings and problems aretoo similar,” he said.

“Without Nepal’s help we can’t addressour problems. Somehow we (Bihar and Nepal)are associated with each other. We know ourproblems and understand them be�er. Wehave to work together for our progress with aformal understanding,” he added.

“Nepal’s Prime Minister’s presence in thisevent signifies that together we can solve ourproblems. We have lot many social and cul-tural similari�es, Nepal is a part of Bihar,”Kumar said.

The CM again referred to his demand thatthe Centre give special status to Bihar to makeit a developed state.

"I want to score a point that the centralgovernment should not give any financialpackage to Bihar. What we need is that theCentre accords us a special status. It will pavethe way for further development and invest-ments,” Kumar said.

“People’s dream of the old glorious Bihar isnow becoming a reality. Now, everyone is ex-pec�ng more and more from us. We havechanged the image of the state during the pastseven years of our rule. A lot of work has beendone, but a lot more is required to be done,”he lauded.

Special Plenary Session 1The first plenary session had deputy chairmanof the Planning commission Montek SinghAhluwalia, the governor of the Reserve Bankof India D Subbarao, Professor of the LondonSchool of Economics Prof Lord Nicholas Sternand JD (U) MP N K Singh, analyzing variousscenarios for the state’s growth and develop-ment.

While N K Singh pleaded for special cate-gory status for Bihar, Ahluwalia and Subbaraoba�ed for encouragement of other sectors likeindustries instead of concentra�ng on agricul-ture. The discussions largely centered on infla-�on, tax system, subsidy and central schemes.

Nicholas Stern hammered for environmen-tal aspects, health and educa�on for all rounddevelopment of the state.

Bihar fifinds aa VVoiceAnurag SSahai reports on the Global Bihar Summit that washeld from February 17 to 19 in state capital Patna.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar welcomes the Nepalese PM Dr Baburam Bhattarai at Patna Airport

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Nepalese PM Dr Baburam Bhattarai inaugurate Global Bihar Summit

19 BIHAR


Speakers gave thrust on controlling infla�onand pleaded for increasing credit-deposit ra�oin Bihar, and the state government muststrengthen coopera�ve system.

Ahluwalia pointed out that Bihar has devel-oped in the last five to six years. Though thestate GDP has jumped sa�sfactorily, helamented poor living condi�on of Biharis anddipping per capita income.

Bihar got a pat from him for achievinggood growth rate over the past five-six yearswith proper u�lisa�on of central funds.

B K Chaturvedi Commi�ee is working onstreamlining the central schemes andAhluwalia expressed hope that there would befewer central schemes in the 12th Five YearPlan.

Subbarao admi�ed that credit-deposit (CD)ra�o, which is 34-35% in Bihar, was terriblylow. Explaining the reasons behind the preva-lence of low CD ratio in the state, Rao said:“Remittances are huge from migrant people.Besides, the bank officials say there is no de-mand for credit in the state.”

Renowned British economist Nicolas Sternsaid climate change and poverty posed twomajor challenges before the world. "Globalwarming, climate change and poverty haveemerged as two critical and defining prob-lems of the world and its economy, and nei-ther of the problems should be taken lightly,"he said. The vagaries of climate change wereaffecting the entire world and would lead torelocation of billions of people, which wouldcause conflict over food and water, Sternsaid. Observing that all countries have beencollectively negligent in managing globalwarming and climate change, he said thatnone of us can postpone plans to deal with it.

Day 2 Bihar's economy has been growing at an aver-age of 11.4% for six years. Aditya Birla GroupHead, Kumar Mangalam Birla called it “an-

other wave of transformation”, and it is theright time to showcase a resurgent Bihar tooutsiders.

The panelists at the plenary includedPlanning Commission member Dr Abhijit Sen,emeritus professor at the London School ofEconomics, Lord Meghnad Desai, Aditya BirlaGroup chairman, Kumarmanglam Birla andBihar chief secretary Navin Kumar. The ses-sion was moderated by former Union minis-ter and chairman of Institute for RuralManagement Yogendra K Alagh. Institute forHuman Development (IHD) chairman AlakhNarayan Sharma presented the backgroundpaper of the summit.

Kumarmanglam Birla said, investments forheavy industries would be impossible withoutensuring proper power supply and suggestedthat Bihar take steps to improve its situationin this respect. ''Heavy industry captains can-not come forward for investment here with-out proper electricity supply. This is thereason why investments for heavy industriesin Bihar are not coming forward,'' he said.''The state (Bihar) government should encour-age private investments for improving thepower scenario in Bihar,'' he said. Praising Ni-tish Kumar for his leadership, he said Biharhas now come out from the 'age of backward-ness to an era of change,' adding the timehad come to turn challenges into opportuni-ties.

Lord Meghnad Desai called power subsidya “free feast”, which must stop. “Giving sub-sidy is not just waste but destruction of re-sources”, he said.

Dr Abhijit Sen described as "the catch-up"growth rate Bihar had now achieved after re-maining backward for a long time. "The statehas to cover a long distance in achieving theobjective of development with justice," hesaid adding Bihar had now joined the race ofdevelopment with present growth rate.

Day 3ICICI Bank’s Non-Execu�ve Chairman K V Ka-math said Bihar could become a BPO hub inthe field of IT sector given the unlimited op-portuni�es over the next two-three years.Bihar's youth have been going to Delhi, Chen-nai, Mumbai and Pune for employment oppor-tuni�es, but they could find job in their ownstate which could become a BPO hub as therewere unlimited opportuni�es in the IT sectorover the next two-three years.

The urban centres in Bihar could becomeBPO hubs as roads were good and the connec-�vity in rural and urban areas in the state hasincreased that could boost expansion of IT-re-lated services, he said.

Senior journalist M J Akbar said that therewas a need for both intellectual and privatecapital investment in Bihar to carry forwarddevelopment of the state. "Bihar had for longlanguished as the backward region with eventhe people and intellectuals losing hope for aturn around, but the situa�on has indeedchanged for be�er," he said.

Valedictory Func�onBihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said thestate's economic growth story would con�nueand the fruits of development would reach outto the people in less �me than envisioned.

Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkr-ishna Gandhi, the chief guest at the final ses-sion, lauded Kumar’s leadership but not beforereading out an imaginary le�er to LoknayakJayprakash Narayan “detailing complete loss ofvalue in present day poli�cs, now marked byopportunism, personal aggrandizement andvende�a unlike in JP days”.

Pain�ng a sorry picture of the poli�cal classin the country, Gandhi said the present-daypoli�cs has degenerated to such an extent thatit will be fair to add poli�cs to the saying“every thing is fair in love and war”.

Valedictory session in progressBihar Govt. Ministers at the Inaugural

function of Global summit

BIHAR 20


Overseas Indian Facilita�on Centre par�cipated in the “Global Summit of Changing Bihar: Forging Partnership for Devel-opment” a summit commi�ed to the cause ofdevelopment of Bihar. The Summit was a fol-low-up to the “Global Meet for a ResurgentBihar” organized by the Ins�tute for HumanDevelopment (IHD), in associa�on with AsianDevelopment Research Ins�tute (ADRI) in 2007at Patna. OIFC par�cipated with an objec�veto showcase its services and facili�es to the ex-is�ng Diaspora and assist them in their eco-nomic engagement with Bihar.

Five years a�er “Global Meet for a Resur-gent Bihar”, today Bihar has acceleratedgrowth and strengthened ins�tu�ons to sup-port economic development and public wel-fare. The governance in the state hasimproved and new social programmers arebeing applied. The 2012 Summit was a followup on one hand and on the other it con-tributed to and expanded the efforts of gov-ernment – both State and Central – and ofother stakeholders to deepen the process ofdevelopment in the State. It brought togetherleading development prac��oners, policymak-ers, scholars, industrialists, investors and rep-resenta�ves from the world.

Day 1 (17 February) the Summit was inau-gurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of Nepal Dr.Baburam Bha�arai and addressed by the ChiefMinister of Bihar Shri Ni�sh Kumar and theDeputy Chief Minister of Bihar Shri SushilKumar Modi and other eminent speakers. Theinaugural was followed by a plenary session on“Strategies for mainstreaming less-developedregions in the inclusive growth process (withspecial reference to Bihar)”.

Day 2 (18 February) commenced with a Ple-nary Session on “Transforming Bihar: achieve-ments, opportuni�es and challenges” and apresenta�on of the Summit’s backgroundpaper on Bihar’s development priori�es,achievements and challenges by Prof. AlakhNarayan Sharma, Director, Ins�tute for HumanDevelopment. It was followed by a series ofeleven thema�c workshops. Other plenary ses-sions were on “Forging Partnerships for Devel-opment in Bihar and Role of Cinema andTelevision in Cultural Renaissance in Bihar: AnInterac�ve Session”.

Day 3 (19 February) started with two ple-nary sessions – Accelera�ng the Growth of In-dustry and Services in Bihar and Vision forBihar’s Development and Emerging Agenda forAc�on – were organized that threw up ideasfor the development of Bihar. Speaking at theValedictory Session of the ‘Global Bihar Sum-mit-2012’, former Governor of West Bengal Mr.

Gopal Krishna Gandhi congratulated the Gov-ernment of Bihar for improving law and ordersitua�on in Bihar. At this session, Chief Minis-ter of Bihar Mr. Ni�sh Kumar outlined both theachievements of his government and chal-lenges lying ahead. Outlining the priority areaof his government, the Chief Minister prom-ised that agriculture sector will witness an-other green-revolu�on in next ten years.

With an enhanced par�cipa�on, this eventwas widely appreciated as a milestone for con-tribu�ng to an environment for change andprogress as well as for forging partnerships toboost development in the state. Organizedfrom 17th February to 19th February 2012 inPatna, about 1000 delegates from India andabroad par�cipated in the Summit, out ofwhich about 150 were dis�nguished academi-cians, prac��oners, subject experts from vari-ous fields, industrialists and entrepreneurs.

OIFC’s presence was felt and appreciatedOIFC’s State Partner, Department of Industries,Government of Bihar provided OIFC with a stallwhere OIFC showcased the services and publi-ca�ons that encompasses the context of ex-panding the economic engagement of IndianDiaspora with India. Several VIPs, speakers anddelegates including Shri. C. K. Mishra, Principal

Secretary, Department of Industries, Govt. ofBihar; Shri. Deepak K. Singh, CEO, Bihar Foun-da�on & Secretary of Forest Department; ShriUmesh Kumar Singh – Deputy Director, Depart-ment of Industries, Govt. of Bihar; Ms SuzanneRoss, Senior Development Advisor – USAID;Ms Charu C Garg – Health Economist, WHO,Geneva-Switzerland visited the stall and appre-ciated the plaorm.

The OIFC booth at the Summit receivedgood quality response. Around 50 people vis-ited the OIFC’s stall which included OverseasIndians; Experts/Consultants/Academicians;Professionals from Indian Industry; Officialsfrom Government of Bihar and prospec�veKnowledge Partners.

“Bihar Founda�on” invited OIFC at the “Di-aspora Mee�ng” held on the last day with itsrepresenta�ves from domes�c Chapters andacross the globe to present its ac�vi�es. HereOIFC got to brief and interact with the over-seas chapter representa�ves about the OIFCservices and facili�es for the Diaspora to en-able them to direct the Bihari Diaspora to OIFCportal to post their queries (both general andstate specific) and directly reach the plaorm.

OIFC will follow up with the contacts estab-lished and various overseas chapters of BiharFounda�on.

OIFC connecting to ‘New Bihar’, its State PartnerOIFC connects with Department of Industries, Government of Bihar & Bihar Foundation at “Global BiharSummit: Forging Partnership for Development”, February 2012, Patna, Bihar to facilitate economic engagement of Bihari diaspora and other Indians in the development of the State of Bihar.

CEO- OIFC interacting with delegates at Global Bihar Meet 2012

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BIHAR 22

BIHAR: A WORK IN PROGRESSAnurag SSahai captures a snapshot of Bihar, which has put its best forward in all-round growth and development under CM Nitish Kumar’s able leadership.

Speaking out against child marriage,some youths in Bihar, par�cularly girls,have impressed The Elders, a visi�nggroup of world leaders led an�-apartheid icon Archbishop Tutu ofSouth Africa and Nobel laureateDesmond Tutu. The state is believed tohave the highest prevalence of childmarriage in India.

The Elders were on a two-day visitto the state.

"It was a posi�ve sign that girlswere against child marriage as theyunderstood the risks of ge�ng marriedbefore adulthood and boys were alsonot ready to support child marriage,"Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Nor-wegian prime minister and ex-directorgeneral of WHO, one of The Elders,said a�er visi�ng Phulwar village,about 30 km from Patna.

Tutu, former Ireland president andex-UN high commissioner for humanrights Mary Robinson and Gandhiansocial ac�vist Ela Bha� interacted with20 young boys and girls at the village.

Robinson pointed out that anotherimportant element was the risingtrend of educa�on among girls. "Mostof the girls told members of The Eldersthat they are eager to pursue studiesand want to join college before mar-riage," she said.

Bha� said girls in Bihar are fullyaware of the risks of child marriage. "Itwill help us fight against child mar-riages," she said.

Bha�, the founder of India's SelfEmployed Women's Associa�on, saidThe Elders will fight against child mar-riage in Bihar.

The Elders have expressed concernover the high rate of child marriage inBihar and urged locals, the civil societyand the government to work to endthe age-old prac�ce.

Tutu said The Elders will launch acampaign against social evils like childmarriage in the state. "We have se-lected to visit Bihar as the state hap-pens to be one of the Indian stateswith the highest prevalence (69%) ofmarriage among girls under 18," hesaid.

"There are many loopholes in theimplementa�on of Indian laws on childmarriage. The aspira�ons of poli�cianshave led to laws, but there are manygaps in prac�ce. Births, deaths andmarriages are not registered. There isa need to encourage posi�ve schemesfor overall development," Brundtlandsaid.

Tutu said The Elders want to ap-peal to male leaders of developingcountries that "unless we set ourwomen free, we will remain back-wards".

The Elders members met Bihar CMNi�sh Kumar, who assured them of ini-�a�ng measures to eradicate childmarriage in the state.

It is illegal for girls under 18 andboys under 21 to marry in India.

BIHARI GIRLS IMPRESS THE ELDERS

A 1.8 km bridge that will be a lifeline to millions wasopened over the flood-prone Kosi in Bihar recently,78 years a�er an earthquake destroyed the earlierone.

Road, Transport and Highways Minister C P Joshiopened the bridge in the presence of Bihar CM Ni�shKumar.

The 20.76 meters wide Kosi Mahasetu will cut thetravel �me between Madhubani and Supaul districtsby around five hours. It would usually take abouteight hours. A devasta�ng earthquake in 1934 hadsnapped the major communica�on link between thetwo districts.

With the rail bridge on the Kosi caving in, peoplebegan to rely on boats or circuitous roads to travel.The Na�onal Highway Authority of India said thebridge was built at an outlay of over Rs 400 crore byGammon India.

South African Archbishop and Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu with former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.

AFTER 78 YEARS, KOSI GETS A BRIDGE


SIX BIHAR ADMINISTRATIVESERVICE OFFICERS DISMISSED

The state cabinet has decided to dismiss six Bihar Adminis-tra�ve Service (BAS) officials for their involvement in finan-cial irregulari�es in Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) in Arariadistrict in 2004-05.

Ashok Kumar Tiwary, Ramesh Jha, Gayanand Yadav,Surendra Roy, Mohammad Pervezullah and MohammadShamim Akhtar have been sacked.

Another BAS officer, Ram Niranjan Chaudhary, has alsobeen dismissed, while Rajesh Kumar Gupta has obtained astay order from the Patna High Court.

Two IAS officials are also involved in this case. Depart-mental proceeding has already been started against the thenAraria DDC, Valmiki Prasad, while sanc�on for administra�veac�on against the then Araria DM, Amrendra Narayan Singh,has also been given. Both of them have re�red from service.

They all have been charged with keeping the IndiraAwaas Yojana fund in the accounts of Primary AgricultureCoopera�ve Socie�es (PACS) in u�er viola�on of financialrules and other financial irregulari�es on a large scale in theIAY during their tenure in different blocks of Araria district inthe 2004-05.

The cabinet also sanc�oned a grant of Rs five crore forconstruc�ng the building of Chandragupta Na�onal Law Uni-versity and Rs 3.25 crore for acquiring land for the NalandaOpen University in Nalanda district. Now, it is running fromBISCOMAUN building.

It also gave its nod to increase the advance grant periodfor the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).tothree months from two.

The cabinet sanc�oned funds for construc�on of fiveroads sponsored by Asian Development Bank (ADB) andNABARD.

In a shining example of communalharmony in India, Muslims havehelped build a Hindu temple dedi-cated to goddess Durga in Bihar'sGaya district. They not only madedona�ons, but also supervised itsconstruc�on.

"Muslims have not only do-nated money for temple construc-�on, they have been involved in itlike us," Suresh Prasad said aboutthe shrine at Loco Colony near therailway sta�on in Gaya town.

Said Ashok Kumar, another res-ident, "There was ac�ve help fromMuslims, all of whom are railwayemployees. This temple is a sym-bol of Hindu-Muslim unity as bothjoined hands to construct it."

"We have been living here foryears and taking care of eachother. It is a gesture for communalharmony," said Tauhid Alam. Hesaid the founda�on of the templewas laid in 2010 and a�er thatMuslims and Hindus of the localityworked together to construct it.

"We joined Hindus to collectdona�on for temple construc�onand also supervise construc�onwork," said Mohammad Rafiq, an-other resident.

Muslims personally donatedand collected funds worth nearlyRs 5 lakh, locals said.

Mohammad Sahab saiddozens of Muslims donatedmoney and others helped bydoing other works for the con-struc�on.

Muslims make up around 16%of the 105 million popula�on ofBihar. In Gaya town, there areover a dozen Muslim locali�es.

"It is a posi�ve development.People ac�ve in public life shouldpropagate how Muslims helpedbuild a temple," he said.

Businessman Mahesh Agrawalsaid such coopera�on should beencouraged. "If Muslims can helpbuild a temple, Hindus shouldnow come forward to help Mus-lims in their projects."

ANOTHER FEATHER FOR SUPER 30 FOUNDER

A newly-formed provincial electoral district for the Legisla-�ve Assembly of Bri�sh Columbia (Canada), Maple RidgeMission (MRM), recently honoured Super 30 founder AnandKumar for coaching underprivileged students free of cost tocrack the pres�gious IIT-JEE. MRM had moved a proposal tohonour Anand a few days ago, which was unanimouslypassed.

A member of MRM, Marc Dalton said in the assembly,"His (Anand's) inspiring tale is something that can act as abig mo�va�on for all teachers. He deserves to be hon-oured." The felicita�on programme formed part of the de-bate of the assembly.

A minister of advanced educa�on department, govern-ment of Bri�sh Columbia, Naomi Yamamoto, said thatAnand is a 'gi�ed' teacher

Kumar was also felicitated at a func�on organized bySouth Asian Cultural Society in Vancouver, Canada. The pro-gramme was chaired by Paul Evans, professor and director,Ins�tute of Asian Research.

An overwhelmed Anand said: "It's the hard work of theunderprivileged students that deserves this honour. It givesme immense pleasure."

MUSLIMS HELP TO BUILD HINDU TEMPLE

23 BIHAR


BIHAR 24


‘I am emotionally connected to Bihar’

Recalling his childhood memories, which alsois the reason for his a�rac�on and emo�onala�achment with Bihar, Bilimoria said, “I havegrown up seeing Bihar, specially the Bihar Regi-ment in Danapur.” Billimoria;s father was onceposted in Bihar when the Lord was just“Karan”.

Congratula�ons for the successful startup ofBihta brewery.Thanks. It feels great to start a project in aplace with which you are emo�onally con-nected with.

Tell us about the Bihta brewery.Earlier, the brewery at Bihta, some 40km fromPatna, had a capacity to produce 1.5 lakh casesof beer on a monthly basis. A�er we took itover, its monthly produc�on capacity wasraised to 3 lakh cases. Produc�on commencedon February 15. It’s owned by Molson CoorsCobra India, a joint venture of Molson Coorsand Cobra Beer. In last June, Molson CoorsCobra had taken over the brewery owned byIceberg Industries Limited a�er buying 100%stake in the firm.

What would you like to say about your expansion of business in Bihar?We will focus on barley produc�on in Bihar.Barley is an essen�al component for beer. But Iam surprised to see why people have not usedbarley so far. We are purchasing barley fromHaryana. Soon, barley grown in Bihar will beused in the Bihta brewery. This will also createincome opportuni-�es for local farm-ers.

What’s your takeon “Bihar successstory”.We are very happyto be a part of this.We are ge�ng nec-essary support fromthe state govern-ment and are look-ing forward tosimilar response infuture. The leader-ship in Bihar hasachieved great suc-cess, especiallyunder the steward-ship of (chief minis-ter) Ni�sh Kumar.

In your sessions you compared Ni�sh Kumarto Margaret Thacher. Please elaborate.Margaret Thatcher was called the ‘Iron Lady ofEngland’ for steering Britain from being the‘Sick Man of Europe’ to a model of free enter-prise. Similarly, Ni�sh Kumar has changed pop-ular percep�on about Bihar. I would say he isthe ‘Iron Man of Bihar’. It is true that lots ofmistakes have happened in the past. But �mehas come to promote Brand Bihar globally. Wehave to encourage industry in the state andsky is the limit for Bihar.

Why did you choose Bihar for your project?Bihar has a lot of poten�al and it is one of thefastest growing states in the country. When Idecided to set up a brewery in Bihar last June,many people had told me that it was not awise decision. But the brewery in Bihta hasstarted func�oning. We have doubled our ca-pacity and are using latest equipment to pro-duce beer at the unit. If everything goesaccording to the plan, we will have at least 10

breweries in the state in future.

What are your future plans for Bihar?If Odisha can have five breweries, Bihar willcertainly have 10 in years to come.

You went to see the Ganges, did you get achance to see the Gange�c Dolphins, the Na-�onal Aqua�c Animal of India? Dolphins are rare species and we have to savethem. I saw a few in the Ganges. They arebeau�ful. I have heard that these dolphins arefacing ex�nc�on. I am planning to adopt someof them.

What’s your special connec�on with Bihar?The Bihari diaspora is sca�ered all around theworld. I am also a Bihari as my father was anADC to the country’s first President RajendraPrasad, and later he served in 5th ba�alion ofBihar Regimental Centre before leaving for theUK.

NRI beer baron Karan Bilimoria has some promises for Bihar to say cheers. “If everything goes well,the day is not far when we will have at least 10 breweries in Bihar,” the chairman of Cobra Beer toldAnurag SSahai on the sidelines of a recent three-day global summit in Patna.

I am also a Biharias my father wasan ADC to thecountry’s first

President Rajendra Prasad,

and later heserved in the 5thbattalion of Bihar

Regimental Centre before

leaving for the UK.

Karan Bilimoria

INTERVIEW 26

Lighting up rural IndiaMritunjay KKumar profiles Harish Hande,Magsaysay prize winner Indian social entrepreneur, who is making a difference to the poor in the hinterland.

Harish Hande, who founded SELCO, haschampioned solar power to light up thepoor households in rural India. Hande’s

work has been roundly appreciated, and he isfrequently cited as one of the top Indian socialentrepreneurs and a leading light of the devel-oping world.

The road to SELCO’s success, however, hasnot always been smooth. Hande co-foundedSELCO (with Neville Williams) in 1995 to selland service photovoltaic (PV) systems in hishome state, Karnataka.

Initially, the firm expanded to gain bothcapital and experience. Then, in an ill-fated bidto scale-up during the early 2000, SELCO cre-ated a franchised dealer network, seriouslyhurting the company financially and deviatingfrom its mission to help the poor. As the com-pany was recovering from this move, the priceof solar panels spiked and sales declined. In-vestors put pressure on Hande to lay off em-ployees.

With the help of the World Bank’s commer-cial finance arm, the International Finance Cor-poration (IFC), Hande was able to restructurethe company in 2008. SELCO remained a for-profit business, but he was able to seek newinvestors, who were more aligned with its mis-sion. Besides, he was able to keep his salesand service organization intact along with itscore of motivated employees.

SELCO was able to continue devising inno-vative solar solutions. The company had be-come known for redesigning off-the-shelf solarelectric components to suit the particularneeds of both urban and rural poor. The SELCOdesign process began with an extensive needsassessment of a particular segment or activity.Whether designing for street vendors, mid-wives, or rural farmers, SELCO created solu-tions for the particular needs of its targetmarket. At times, this meant redesigning thesolar equipment and also restructuring activi-ties so that solar energy could power a client’sneeds.

Whether designing for street vendors, midwives,or rural farmers, SELCO created solutions for the

particular needs of its target market.

Harish Hande


27 INTERVIEW

Hande realized from his field researchearly on that the success of solar installa-tions for the poor would depend on design-ing creative financing solutions for itscustomers. Many thought the capital ex-pense of purchasing solar panels and batter-ies put this technology out of the reach ofthose at the bottom of the income-generat-ing pyramid. But, SELCO spent time cultivat-ing India’s banks and microfinanceorganizations to convince them of the solarpower’s efficacy.

Over time, the company formed partner-ships with these institutions to craft finan-cial instruments that allowed entrepreneurs

and families to repay the capital expensesassociated with installing solar equipment.

However, SELCO’s careful process ofneeds assessment, design, financing, andservice was both time-consuming and costly.The company had provided energy solutionsfor over 100,000 households in its 15 yearsof existence, allowing customers to increasetheir income and quality of life. However,India’s developmental problems were daunt-ing; over 400 million individuals were inpoverty. Observers frequently wondered ifSELCO’s activities could be scaled up to ex-tend solar energy's benefits to more people.

In 2009, SELCO was considering its plans

for how the company might expand. Thecompany decided to institutionalize its de-sign process by building an innovation cen-ter. SELCO also added products thatprovided energy solutions beyond solar.Some within the company were hoping thecompany would go “deeper” and look at de-signing solutions for even poorer membersof the Indian population. Others were hop-ing that the company would go “wider” andexpand beyond its current geographicalareas in Karnataka and Gujarat. The strate-gic choices that the company made wouldbe crucial to determining its continued success.

You have won many awards including theAshden Award, Tech Museum award etc.What does this award mean to you?Frankly awards have very li�le relevance tome personally. It has been the efforts of mycolleagues and I have been the courier.

What made you model SELCO into a socialenterprise instead of a profit driven company?I believed in holis�c sustainability – hard or-ganiza�ons cannot do that.

What are the bo�lenecks and constraintsthat a social entrepreneur faces in India?The biggest challenge is to convince young-sters’ conscious of the issues and makethem solu�on providers.

Being a business entrepreneur is fraughtwith risk where the rate of failure is high.How easy or difficult is to be a social entre-preneur where the focus has to be societalgood rather than bo�omlines?It is the challenge of balancing social and fi-nancial sustainability that is addic�ve. But Isee no other op�on if we have to see a sus-tainable and equitable world.

There is a strong percep�on in India thatsocial ventures cannot be run as commer-cial en��es. What’s your take?We have been here for 17 years, and that it-self is a proof.

Barring the excep�on of Amul started by DrKurien, there are hardly any social enter-

prises that have made great impacton a na�onal scale. Why is it so?It is not true as many businesses have beenreplicated – in health and water sector – andreplica�on is form of scale.

How is the response from commercialbanks when it comes to gran�ng loans or topersuade investors to invest in the socialenterprise in India?In India, it is very difficult.

You have strong views on India’s educa-�onal system. What changes do you sug-gest to revamp the educa�on system?We have a rote-based educa�on system. Wedo not have a system that’s congenial for in-nova�on. We are afraid of failures, and thatneeds to change. We need teach students torespect failures and remove their fear of ex-perimenta�on.

You hail from Karnataka and your social en-terprise has branches in Karnataka and Gu-jarat. What made you choose Gujaratinstead of other southern states wherethere is more cultural similarity and henceeasier acceptance?That’s largely because of the partner – SEWABANK that we chose Gujarat.

What are the other key areas social entre-preneurs need to focus on?We need to focus on health and educa�on.

What are the prospects and challenges in

social entrepreneurship inIndia?India has no choice but to de-velop social entrepreneurship. Challengesare the youth – they are not willing to go torural areas – and they need to be inspired.

What concessions do you think the govern-ment should give to social entrepreneurs?It is the ability to create hybrid ins�tu�onslike in the US.

What are your future plans?We hope to encourage the youth to take upsocial entrepreneurship.

The failure of Solyndra with huge amountof US government funding is a red-flag forthe en�re industry. What lessons othergreen energy-related organiza�ons shouldlearn from it?Many industries have failed before. Solyn-

dra was one of them, and I would not readtoo much into it.

China plans to forge ahead of US in Solarand other alternative energy sectors.What does it mean for the global energybusiness sector? What are the opportunities and challenges for India inthis context?The solar panels are getting cheaper be-

cause of China, which is good for the world.Challenges for India is that it needs to becompetitive the manufacturing space – elseit will just become a consumer like the US –that not good for a growing economy.

Hande spoke to Kanchan BBanerjeeELATING SALCO


The recently concluded PravasiBhara�ya Divas (PBD) in Jaipur in Rajasthan was a landmark event forthe NRI’s and People of Indian Origin

(PIO’s). This is because it marked the comple�on of ten years of annual celebra�onwherein the Indian Diaspora from all parts ofthe world make a beeline to India to connect totheir roots.

This event is celebrated on 9th Januaryevery year to mark the contribu�on of OverseasIndian community in the development of India.January 9 was chosen as the day to celebratethis occasion since it was on this day in 1915that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, re-turned to India from South Africa, led India’sfreedom struggle and changed the lives of Indi-ans forever.

Some of the delegates who converge hereare NRI’s holding Indian passports who keep vis-i�ng this country on and off while there are

others who have become ci�zens of othercountries and are flourishing well. There aresome who have become business tycoons,some renowned authors while there are alsosome who have become the President andPrime ministers of the host countries. But thenostalgic memories of India, its cultural pull andthe intense desire to do something to their“motherland” or “grand-motherland” a�ractsthem every year to par�cipate in the PBD whichhas become not only a cultural des�na�on butalso a plaorm of networking.

These “ambassadors of India” have not onlymade India proud but also made the world gaspwith astonishment with their success. If LaxmiMi�al has made India proud by becoming one ofthe richest tycoons in United Kingdom, thenAniroodh Jagnauth and Navin Ramgoolam havemade India proud by becoming the Presidentand Prime ministers of Mauri�us.

The rela�on which these ambassadors of

India have with India can be summed up by thewords of the Prime Minister of Trinidad & TobagoKamla Prasad Bissessar in her address whereinshe described India as her “grandmother land”.

But ten years of celebra�on is big thing. Inthis backdrop it would be worth analyzing itsachievements , shortcomings and then what liesahead. Is it possible to make a performanceaudit of what the PBD has achieved so far so asto forecast what lies ahead? When the Govern-ment of India and the state governments havespent crores of rupees in organizing these megaevents is it feasible to analyse what India hasachieved in terms of Return on Investment andReturn on Time given for organizing theseevents? How much have the aspira�ons of theNRI’s and PIO’s have been fulfilled? Has theevent become monotonous over the years?Why the turnout of youngsters is miniscule insuch events? These are some of the ques�onsworth analyzing.

PBD REPORTAGE 28

PBD Decade and Way ForwardChandran IIyer takes a snapshot of what the PBD has achieved so far and what the future holds for it.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award from President of India, Pratibha Patil


29 PBD REPORTAGE

Interconnec�ng DiasporaOn the posi�ve side, the PBD has proved to beone of the most important event of intercon-nec�ng the Indian Diaspora who le� thehomeland about 150 years ago as indenturedlabours on the distant shores. Since its firstedi�on in 2003, the event has been bringingtogether the NRI and PIO business leaders, ac-�vists, scien�sts, lawyers, doctors and otherprofessionals into one plaorm where they in-teract with the Indian government and the bu-reaucrats at large and par�cipate in India’sgrowth story.

The PBD series of conven�ons have beenreitera�ng each year the powerful bonds oflove to link the diaspora with their homeland.In this regard the Ministry of Overseas IndianAffairs has been playing the key role of being afacilitator and enabler of the bilateral rela�on-ship. The ministry of Non-Resident Indians Af-fairs was set up in May 2004 and renamed asMinistry of Overseas Indian Affairs in Septem-ber 2004 to meet the expecta�ons of thepravasis.

The Government of India’s Know India Pro-gramme and Tracing Your Roots Scheme helpsPravasis to discover India and find out abouttheir forefathers who le� the country in theprevious genera�ons. The 14th, 15th and 16thedi�ons of the Know India Programme wereheld during 2010-11 in partnership with statesfor 100 overseas Indians from different coun-tries . The Overseas Ci�zenship of India card isapplicable to those who have at least onegreat-grandparent from India.

Another achievement has been the MOIAsini�a�ve of building the Pravasi Bhara�yaKendra. This will serve as a focal point for net-works with and among Overseas Indians. It willbe developed as a hub of ac�vi�es for sustain-able , symbio�c and mutually rewarding eco-nomic, social and cultural engagements ofIndia and Pravasis. The Prime Minister un-veiled the founda�on stone of the building on8th Jan 2011 during the inaugura�on of PBD2011 in New Delhi.

Another achievements of the governmenthas been the organizing of mini –PBDs in dif-ferent parts of the world. In 2011, Pravasigatherings with MOIA were held in Trinidadand Tobago and in Toronto. These were ad-dressed by the Minister for MOIA Mr VayalarRavi as well as other key ministers.

The Minister for Overseas Indian AffairsVayalar Ravi when asked by NGI on the side-lines of PBD about the tangible achievementssays “ it is not possible to make an audit ofevents like PBD. One can audit the perform-ance of an industry but not events like theseas the main purpose of organizing is not justto a�ract investments. The main purpose is tobring together the diaspora together. Oneshould not look at such events from cri�calangle” he added.

He said “if somebody feels that PBD meansinvestment then he is wrong. Investment cancome as a by-product, but the main purposeof PBD is to talk about the larger issues ofNRI’s and PIO’s”, Vayalar added.

“Besides, there are so many Indians livingoverseas who are coming to India on the occa-sion of PBD. Not everyone is very rich thatthey come here to invest. The come here toknow India and get connected to the roots. Ifthat happens well, then the purpose is served,said Vayalar.

Indo-Centric IssuesAshook Ramasran, the Interna�onal Presidentof Global Organisa�on of People of Indian Ori-gin ( GOPIO) however feels that over the �methe PBD has shi�ed its focus and it needs to bebrought back into the track. He feels that PBDshould not just focus on Indo- centric issuesbut other interna�onal issues which havelarger ramifications for the NRI’s and thePIOs.

“ I hope to see PBD taking up more of in-ternational issues that interest the diasporawhich includes racial issues, regional issuesand human rights issues which are of keeninterest to the Indian diaspora”.

But one person who called spade a spadeand brought out the mismatch between theperformance and expectations was ProfessorG Mohan Gopal, the Director Rajiv Gandhi In-stitute for Contemporary studies. He insistedon introducing economic and policy reformsas the central theme for the PBD in its wayforward.

Mohan, who delivered the keynote ad-dress during the 'Partnering for Prosperity'session here was most vociferous in his de-mands for the NRIs for ensuring policychanges in India. He wanted that PBD shouldplay a crucial role in addressing this issue

and that the NRI’s should not just be satis-fied by investments and partnerships madein India but should join hands in orchestrat-ing policy reforms for the NRI’s and PIO’s.

Civil Service ReformsHis speech touched a chord with the NRIsand PIOs who gave a thunderous ovation ashe came down heavily against the Indian bu-reaucracy and said “ civil service reforms inthe state are a must. The state in India is stillstuck in the colonial mindset. The relation-ship between the state and the poor peopleis of exploitation ,corruption and oppression. People have poured out into the streetsagainst corruption because they feel thatthere is no other way they can battle againstthe scourge of corruption. I feel that the In-dian Administrative Service ( IAS) has out-lived its utility. Policies have become verycomplex and need specialized knowledge todeal with them. This is something which NRIshave but the bureaucracy is not interested tolisten.

I have worked with the World Bank forseveral years and I have more experience innegotiating internal treaties than anybody,but I can tell you that there has not beenany single instance when an Indian bureau-crat has phoned me and asked whether hecan learn from my overseas experience. Theyhave closed mindset and are scared of spe-cialized knowledge which we NRIs possess.We have to join hands and ensure that thereare policy changes” Gopal added.

A large number of NRI’s feel that the PBDshould be tweaked to attract more young-sters. As of now most of the delegates whoare attending the event are in their late 50’s.Lets hope that in the next PBDs one seesmore participation of the youngsters-- afterall the future is in their hands.

A still from PBD 2011


NRI JUNCTION 30

Know Your RootsMritunjay KKumar gives an overview of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs’ Know India Programme,a three-week-long orientation workshop, which acquaints PIOs in the 18-26 age group withtheir motherland.

Know India Programme of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs (MOIA)is a three-week orienta�on work-shop for diaspora youth conducted

to promote awareness on different facets oflife in India and the progress made by thecountry in various fields like economic, indus-trial, educa�on, science & technology, commu-nica�on & informa�on technology, culture. Theprogramme is conducted in partnership withone or two state governments.

The par�cipants, Persons of Indian Origin(PIOs) in the 18-26 age group, are selectedbased on recommenda�ons received fromheads of Indian Missions/Posts abroad. Se-lected par�cipants are provided with full hospi-tality in India during the dura�on of theprogramme. About 90% of the total cost of air

�cket (at lowest economy excursion fare) is refundable to the par�cipants on successfulcomple�on of the programme by them.

1. Dura�on of the programme would be forthree weeks.

2. The programme is open to youth of Indianorigin (excluding non-resident Indians) in the18-26 age group as on the first day of themonth in which the programme commences. Itis open to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) fromall over the world.

3. The total number of par�cipants in any KIPmay not exceed 40 at a �me.

4. Minimum qualifica�on required: a bachelor’s

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

a. Presentations on the country, political process, developments in various sectors.

b. Interaction with faculty andstudents at a prestigious university/college/institute.

c. Presentation on the industrial development andvisits to some industries.

d. Visit to a village to betterunderstand the typical villagelife.

e. Exposure to Indian media.

f. Interaction with NGOs andorganizations dealing withwomen affairs.

g. Visit to places of historicalimportance/monuments.

h. Taking part in cultural programmes.

i. Exposure to yoga.

j. Call on high dignitaries,which may include President ofIndia, Chief Election Commissioner of India, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and ministersfor Overseas Indian Affairs,Youth Affairs and Sports.

KIP Edition Tentative Period Partner State Last date for receipt of nominations in the MOIA

20th KIP 25th April – 15th May, 2012 Goa 10th March, 2012

21st KIP 29th August – 18th September, 2012 Uttarakhand 12th July, 2012

22nd KIP 21st December, 2012 - 10th January 2013 Karnataka 8th November, 2012


31 NRI JUNCTION

degree or pursuing an undergraduate course.5. The applicants should be able to converse inEnglish. [They should have studied English as asubject at the High School level or should haveEnglish as a medium of instruc�on for under-graduate course]6. The applicant should not have par�cipatedin any previous KIP or Internship Programmefor Diaspora Youth (IPDY). Students and thosewho have not visited India before are encour-aged to apply.

7. The par�cipants are provided the followinghospitality/facili�es in India:i.local hospitality e.g. boarding/lodging in stateguest houses or budget hotels,ii.Internal travel as per the programme.iii.Per diem allowance of Rs. 100/- for out-of-pocket expenses,

Selected par�cipants would be required topurchase air �cket for their journey from thecountry of residence to India and back, as perthe schedule prescribed for the Programme bythe Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. Con-cerned Indian Mission/Post would reimburse90% of the total cost of air �cket by the cheap-est economy class travel to the par�cipants ontheir successful comple�on of the Programme.

Gra�s visa by Indian Missions/Posts abroadwill be granted to the selected par�cipants.

The Mission should seek a medical fitnesscer�ficate from the par�cipants before recom-mending them for the programme. Every par-�cipant should have medical insurance beforethe visa is granted to them.

The prevailing weather condi�ons in placesof visit in India will be communicated to thepar�cipants prior to the visit. The par�cipantswill also be briefed that stay in a rural area ispart of the programme where air-condi�onedaccommoda�on is o�en not available.

All applicants for the programme may beasked to write an essay of 250 to 300 words onwhy they want to par�cipate and what theyexpect to gain from the programme.

Selected par�cipants would be required toabide by the regula�ons of the Know IndiaProgramme as conveyed to them by the Min-istry of Overseas Indian Affairs or its agencynominated to conduct the Programme orthrough Indian Missions/Posts abroad. Thepar�cipants are expected to cooperate andabide by the regula�ons of the Programme inorder to ensure its smooth conduct.

In the event a par�cipant is found guilty ofmisconduct or indiscipline he/she may beasked to leave the Programme. Such par�ci-pants would have to meet the en�re cost oftheir air travel from his/her country of resi-

dence to India & back. Benefits under ‘clause10’ above would not be applicable to them.Drinking and smoking in many places in India isbanned and is discouraged during the Pro-gramme. Par�cipants are expected to remainwith the group.

The par�cipants will not be permi�ed toleave the Programme mid-way. All are ex-pected to par�cipate in the various Pro-grammes organized for them enthusias�cally& are not expected to stay back in their hotelroom, except for medical reasons, as per theadvice of the doctor. Par�cipants who leavethe programme on their own will not be en�-tled to either the airfare or the per diem al-lowance.

The organizers will take care of the par�ci-pants for the dura�on of the scheduled pro-gramme. If the par�cipants wish to arrive earlyor delay departure they will make their ownarrangements at their own cost.

Duly completed applica�on form for theprogramme, along with a passport size photo-graph, is to be submi�ed at the Indian Diplo-

ma�c Mission/Consular Post that covers thearea of residence of the applicant. Nomina-�ons received a�er the due date, incompleteand unsigned applica�ons, or forms not ac-companied with photographs will be rejected.

Nomina�ons, duly recommended byHOM/HOP, should be sent by e-mail/faxto the Under Secretary (DS-I), Ministryof Overseas Indian Affairs, AkbarBhawan, 9th Floor, Chanakyapuri, NewDelhi – 110021; e-mail:[email protected]; fax: (011) 24197942with a copy to the event manager. Theapplica�on form in original should besent by diploma�c bag to Under Secre-tary (DS-I), Ministry of Overseas IndianAffairs, 9th Floor, Akbar Bhawan,Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021.

Details of the Programme/EventManager will be posted on the website.h�p://knowindiaprogram.com.

Overseas Indians during an event


32PROFILE


Black Engineer of theYear's Science Spectrum Trail BlazerAward for BishnujeeSinghCayley Aerospace Inc CEOBishnujee Singh is recipi-ent of Black Engineer ofthe Year's Science Spec-trum Trail Blazer Award2012 by Council of Engi-neering Deans, LockheedMar�n Corpora�on andCareer Communica�onGroup at BEYA STEM atPhiladelphia, USA. TheTrailblazers are outstand-ing Hispanic, Asian Ameri-can, Na�ve American, andBlack professionals in thescience arena whose lead-ership and innova�vethinking on the job and inthe community extendthroughout and beyondtheir industry. Mr. Singhhas been awarded withModern Day TechnologyLeader Award in 2011 atBEYA mee�ng in Washing-ton DC,USA. Singh hasbeen also honored withLegacy Award on June2011 at Florida, USA byMIRS, WOC, and BEYAAlumni Reunion meet.

Indian-American getsmost powerfulwoman of CaliforniaawardShefali Razdan Duggal, atop Indian-Americanfundraiser at PresidentBarack Obama's re-elec-�on campaign, has beenconferred with the "MostPowerful and Influen�alWomen of California"award. The award waspresented to 40-year-oldShefali, also a member ofObama's Presiden�al Part-ners, Na�onal FinanceCommi�ee and NorthernCalifornia Finance Com-mi�ee, at a ceremony lastweek in recogni�on of herleadership in the State.Na�onal Diversity Council,an NGO which championsdiversity in workplace andcommuni�es, had chosenShefali as one of the"2012 Most Powerful andInfluen�al Women of California".

Israel's PresidentialMedal to ZubinMehtaIndia-born music conduc-tor Zubin Mehta 75, hasbeen honoured with Is-rael's first Presiden�alAwards of Dis�nc�on, thecountry's version of theFrench Legion of Honouror the Order of Canada.The award is being be-stowed upon those 'whohave made an outstandingcontribu�on to the stateof Israel or to humanity,through their talents,services, or in any otherform,' a statement fromthe Israeli Presidency said.The Indian conductor, whois the music director ofthe Israel PhilharmonicOrchestra (IPO), will beawarded the honour 'forhis unique contribu�on tothe world of Israeli music.

BISHNUJEE SINGH

SHEFALI RAZDAN DUGGAL

ZUBIN MEHTA

Indian-American attorney PreetBharara appears onTime coverEminent Indian-Americana�orney Preet Bhararahas made it to the coverof the pres�gious Timemagazine for his crusadeagainst Wall Street cor-rup�on and irregulari�esincluding insider trading."This man is bus�ng WallStreet" Bharar's pictureappeared in the latestedi�on of Time yesterday,the day on which he an-nounced to have takenac�on against one of theoldest Swiss banks forhaving evaded Americantaxes and helping in flightof US money. CurrentlyUS A�orney for theSouthern District of NewYork, Firozpur-bornBharara is engaged in anumber of high-profilecorrup�on cases includ-ing the one of insidertrading against that ofRajat Gupta, former McK-insey head and a formerGoldman Sachs director.

Indian American Akshay Desai hasbeen appointed tokey Republican postin FloridaIndian-American AkshayDesai has been appointedto a key Republican post inFlorida, making him re-sponsible for the party's fi-nances in this elec�onyear. "In this elec�on yearwe need the resources forvictory, and Dr Desai's longhistory of work for thestate and our party makehim a proven leader," Re-publican Party of Florida(RPOF) chairman LennyCurry said in a statement.Desai has been appointedto serve as the chairmanof Finance Commi�ee ofthe Republican Party ofFlorida.

PREET BHARARA

AKSHAY DESAI

NGIN

EWSM

AKE

RSMritunjay

Kumar profiles achievers fromthe NRI and PIOCommunity.

Indian-origin Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ofTrinidad and Tobago and Hindus in the Caribbean island na-tion joined the rest of the Indian diaspora to celebrate Holi.At over 100 specially arranged competitions centres, cashprizes and trophies were given away. The young and the old -accompanied by tass drums and cymbals - danced and pa-raded through the streets, making this year's celebration an-other grand one. The Mahatma Gandhi Centre for CulturalCo-operation led by Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishramarked Holi. Holi is not a public holiday in Trinidad and To-bago so it is celebrated on the weekend, Sunday closest tothe official date.

Rohit JJain takes a sneak peekinto NRIs’ engagement in allwalks of life.

NEWSBIN

NEWSBIN 34Indian-American Doctors Win Racial Discrimination

Case In The US

Trinidad and Tobago celebrates Holi

N R I

Three Indian American doctors, who were derogatorily called "the Indians" and treatedas "second-class citizens" by the CEO of a medical center in the US, have won a racialdiscrimination case in a Texas court.

The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that Citizens Medical Center in Victoria hadviolated the equal protection rights of the doctors. The court ruled in favor of Ajay Gaalla,Harish Chandna and Dakshesh Parikh.

In February 2010, the medical center filed a resolution that would allow only cardiolo-gists with contracts at the hospital to exercise clinical privileges in the cardiology depart-ment or part of the hospital's heart program.The cardiologists fought back with a lawsuit stating they were being barred from prac-ticing not based on their merit and expertise, but because of economical and racial rea-sons. This not only affected them, but their patients who were denied the right to see thephysician of their choice, according to the court documents.

The hospital claimed the resolution was based on the doctors' disruptive behavior andissues with Dr Yusuke Yahagi, a cardiovascular surgeon at the hospital. Court documentsalso showed that the three cardiologists were derogatorily referred to as "the Indians."The cardiologists also cited a comment from David Brown, the hospital chief executiveofficer, as saying the hospital was working on a plan for "getting the Indians off thereservation." The cardiologists said the resolution hospital placed violated their equalprotection rights - and now the Fifth Circuit has voted in their favor.

The three doctors said they were consistently treated like second-class citizens, re-moved from committees and pushed out of laboratory posts arbitrarily, or overlooked infavor of "less-qualified" cardiologists CMC hired.For now, the case is in stay, or on hold, according to Monte James, the lead attorney forthe cardiologists. He expects the federal court will take it off hold, and it will proceed totrial.

Two Indian schools get outstanding rating

Two Indian schools in Dubai have been awarded an 'out-standing' rating for the first time by the emirates' educationauthority.

The Indian High School and Modern High School were ratedoutstanding in a report based on the inspection of Indian andPakistani schools in Dubai by the Knowledge and Human De-velopment Authority (KHDA). The report, made public on Mon-day, showed that both schools improved their rating fromgood to outstanding, while two others declined, going fromgood to acceptable, while the remaining schools retained lastyear's rating.

The report pointed out that more Indian pupils are gettingbetter education now, with over 16,230 pupils attendingschools getting a better rating. But the pace of improvementof Indian schools has slowed down significantly, Gulf Newsreports.


Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairshas brought out booklets and pam-phlets on safeguards, legal reme-dies and whom to approach forredressing of grievances to helpwomen deserted by their non-resi-dent Indian (NRI) husbands. Thepamphlet "Thinking of the marriageof your daughter with an NRI?"highlights precautions for parents totake before entering into a marriagewith an NRI man. The booklet, 'Mar-riages to Overseas Indians', hasspecific information on safeguardsfor women deserted by their NRIspouses, legal remedies they canavail of and the authorities they canturn to for redressing of their griev-ances.The government has also been pro-viding legal and financial assistanceto deserted or divorced overseas In-

dian women. Now, the scheme hasbeen revised to help Indian womenwho have been deserted by theiroverseas Indian/foreigner husbandsor are facing divorce proceedingsabroaad. Government help is pro-vided to only to such a woman whohas been deserted in India or over-seas within 15 years of her mar-riage or her Indian/foreign husbandinitiated the divorce proceedingwithin 15 years of their marriage.Financial assistance will be limitedto $3,000 per case in developedcountries and $2,000 per case indeveloping countries. The funds arereleased to the legal counsel of theapplicant or Indian community asso-ciation or women's organization orconcerned non-government organi-zation which assists the woman inpreparatory work for filing the case.

35 NEWSBIN

MOIA Brings Out Booklets For Guidance ToWomen Deserted By NRI Spouses

At the Asian Who's Who Awards 2011 which took place at Dorchester Hotel, ParkLane, London, seven outstanding members of the Asian community from aroundthe world were recognized for their achievements in selected categories. Now inits 36th year and an institution in itself, the high profile event pays homage to themost influential Asians the world over, who have made a phenomenal contribu-tion to their respective fields and continue to set a shining example to their peersamong the global Asian fraternity and beyond. Prominent BBC journalist SangitaMyska was the event emcee.

Those honored are as follows:Joginder Sanger, a leading NRI hotelier, has been named the Asian of the Year2011.Rajesh Agrawal, founder of RationalFX, for Asian Leadership as Young Entrepre-neur.Natasha Mudhar, Asian Leadership in International Media – CEO and MD of Ster-ling Media.

Asian Who's Who recognizes exemplaryachievers at UK event

Now, RTI plea online for Indians abroadThe first step to seek online information from the government under the RightTo Information Act has been taken. Banking regulator, the Reserve Bank ofIndia, has allowed sale of electronic postal orders to Indian citizens livingabroad through their credit and debit cards. "The facility will be used only forpayment of fees under the RTI Act," says an order issued by RBI. The facilityavailable only for Indians living abroad would soon be extended to domesticcitizens. "It is only matter of time before the government extends the facility tocitizens living in India," said a senior government department.

The RTI activists have been demanding online filing of application to reducecost of seeking information from the government. A study by National Cam-paign for People's Right To Information had found that a person spends aboutRs 220 for filing an RTI application with a government department.

"By providing online facility this cost will reduce dramatically," said Com-modore (retired) Lokesh Batra, who had filed several RTI applications on theproblems faced by Indians living abroad in using the transparency law since2008. Till now, the Indians living abroad were allowed to file RTI applicationswith the Indian embassies and high commissions only. Many embassies andhigh commissioners had expressed their inability to accept a large number ofRTI applications citing resource crunch.

Many NRIs and PIO's and were recog-nized at awards ceremony staged by"Arabian Business" Middle East Mag-azine, along with Special "Trade Rela-tions Award" for India's ConsularGeneral Sanjay Verma. INDIAN CEOAWARDS organizers said "The contri-bution of Indian business leaders tothe growth of the GCC economies isunmatched, and tonight's awards areabout rewarding the right people, whobetween them have done so much todevelop the region in a number offields.

EMKE Group founder Yusuffali M A won the coveted Lifetime AchievementAward at the inaugural Indian CEO Awards, held at Dubai's Armani Hotel. TheRetail King was one of 16 leaders honored in the first ever event to recognizethe achievements on Indian Diaspora Business Leaders. Yusuffali MA waspraised by the judges for "having delivered over several decades an incrediblecompany, incredible growth and an incredible performance".

Other big winners on the night included Dr. B. R. Shetty (Chairman - NMC)from Abu Dhabi with many achievements in Health Care. Earlier he has beenhonored with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and GOPIO Community Serv-ice Award. Dr Ram Buxani CEO and Stake Holder of ITL was declared "Inspir-ing Business Personality" of GCC. Business Tycoon Vasu Shroff of Regal Groupwas recognized as "Philanthropist of The Year". Founder of Nikai Group ParasShahdadpuri was honored for " International Achievement" in taking his brandbeyond GCC on Asian Platform.

Standard Chartered boss V Shankar, who won Banking CEO of the Year, Ap-parel Group boss Nilesh Ved (Fastest Growing Company), Sarah Belhasa (Fe-male CEO of the Year) were also recognized.

Gulf Cooperation Council Honours IndianDiaspora Business Leaders


The United Nations General Assemblyin July 2010 adopted a non-bindingresolution proclaiming water as ahuman right. The resolution was ap-

proved by 122 countries, overwhelmingly fromthe developing world. Another 41 countries,mostly developed, constituted the main blockthat abstained. No country voted against theresolution.

Unlike other human rights, right to waterwas not decided by any specific conven�on likerights to food or health. It is a new form ofright that is derived from several other exis�ngconven�ons like the Interna�onal Covenant onEconomic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966),Conven�on on elimina�on on all forms of dis-crimina�on against women (1977) and Con-ven�on on the rights of the child (1989). It hasbeen evident from the poli�cal atmosphere ofthe past two decades that expanding human

rights to new areas through conven�ons is un-likely to succeed since minimum number ofcountries needed to ra�fy such a conven�on isunlikely to materialize in foreseeable poli�calclimate. Hence, the concept of human right towater was in sense introduced through thebackdoor, irrespec�ve of its need or merit. Em-inent interna�onal legal scholars disagree as towhether such derived rights can truly cons�-tute a new human right.

The General Assembly resolu�on acknowl-edged that clean drinking water and sanita�onare essen�al to realize several other humanrights. It called upon all countries and interna-�onal organiza�ons to provide financial re-sources; help build capacity and transfer

technology to developing countries to provideclean, accessible and affordable drinking waterand sanita�on to all.

India voted for the resolu�on.We would explore here what difference

this UN resolu�on is likely to make to the In-dian scene to provide clean drinking water andgood sanita�on to all its ci�zens.

In India, water is a concurrent subjectbeing dealt with by both central and state gov-ernments. The Indian vote at the General As-sembly was cast without any consulta�on withthe states and municipal bodies who are re-sponsible for most of the urban water suppliesabout their implica�ons, responsibili�es andaccountabili�es to live up to the resolu�on, in-

ENVIRONMENT 36

WATERAS A

HUMANRIGHT

Rajiv KK. GGupta and Asit KK. BBiswas draws focus on the UNGA’snon-binding resolution in 2010 to make potable water accessible for all, and its implications.


cluding the difficult issue of who will providethe funding necessary for its implementa�on.From our discussions in various states and mu-nicipali�es, overwhelming majority of themare not even aware of the UN resolu�on thatdeclared water is a human right, let alonewhat could be their roles in implemen�ng thisresolu�on. No na�onal strategy thus far hasbeen formulated to opera�onalize this resolu-�on, nor is there any sign that such a strategywill be forthcoming in the near future.

Realis�cally, the UN resolu�on is unlikely tohave any percep�ble impact in India in termsof access to safe drinking water in rural andurban areas unless a coordinated na�onalstrategy is formulated by extensive consulta-�ons with the states and municipali�es. Apartfrom the considera�on of availability of ade-quate quan�ty of water, the main problem inIndia is that of poor water quality, and its con-sequent health impacts. More than 21% ofcommunicable diseases in India are due to un-safe water which also is the single largest rea-son for child mortality in the 0-5 age group.According to recent es�mates, about 1.5 mil-lion children below the age of five years dieeach year from water-borne diseases speciallydiarrheoa. Availability of safe drinking waterand sanita�on is s�ll a major issue in bothurban and rural India. Microbial, fluoride, ni-tride, arsenic and salinity contaminants havecreated water quality problems all over thecountry. One will be hard pressed to iden�fyeven one major or medium Indian urban cen-

tre where people can safely drink water fromthe taps supplied by the municipali�es withoutaddi�onal treatments at homes. The phenom-enal growth of the bo�led water industry inIndia during the last decade is a direct result ofpoor water quality. We es�mate that the poorwater quality in India is reducing its GDP bysome 5% to 7%.

In South Africa right to access to water isenshrined in the Cons�tu�on which states thateveryone has the right to have access to basicwater supply and basic sanita�on. It requiresthe state to take reasonable legisla�ve andother measures within its available resources,to achieve the progressive realiza�on of theright. The Cons�tu�ons of other African coun-tries like the Democra�c Republic of Congo,Ethiopia, Gambia, Mauritania, Tanzania,Uganda and Zambia, also include the obliga-�on of the state to provide clean and safewater to the people. However, irrespec�ve ofthese cons�tu�onal requirements, these coun-tries have made only incremental progress.

In addi�on, the present trend is to treatwater as a human right is basically for drinking.However, globally less than 8% of water is usedfor drinking. In India, it is even less. For coun-tries like India and Egypt, some 90% of water isused for agriculture. No food or electricity canbe produced without water. Yet water requiredfor agriculture produc�on and electricity gen-era�on do not come under human right con-sidera�on. People cannot survive without food(another human right) and food cannot be pro-

duced without water. The UN resolu�on thusneeds to be revisited to fill in such gaps.

It should be noted that the Supreme Courtof India has ruled that both water and sanita-�on are part of the cons�tu�onal right to life(Ar�cle 21). The apex court has stated the ‘theright to access to clean drinking is fundamentalto life and there is a duty on the state underAr�cle 21 to provide clean drinking water to itsci�zens’.

In India, Food Security Bill, 2011 is a hotbu�on issue. Ac�ve consulta�ons with stategovernments are being undertaken for finaliz-ing the modali�es of right to access of food topoor families. Administra�ve and financial re-sponsibili�es are expected to be shared be-tween Central and state governments. If rightto food becomes a requirement, the implica-�ons of this right for the current water, energyand environmental management strategiesneed to be carefully analyzed. One affects theothers, and, in turn, is affected by the others.Unless all these strategies can be carefully co-ordinated, the country will most certainly faceserious and unexpected adverse impacts in thecoming years.

(Rajiv K. Gupta is a senior IAS officer fromGujarat, and Asit K. Biswas is the founder ofthe Third World Centre for Water Manage-ment, Mexico, and Dis�nguished Visi�ng Pro-fessor, at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,Singapore, and Mentor of the Indian Ins�tuteof Technology, Bhubaneswar.)

37 ENVIRONMENT

Availability of safe drinking water and sanitation

is still a major issue in bothurban and rural India.

World Water Day is celebrated on 22nd March


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The Global Indian Business Meet, 2012

An Initiative of the NGI Foundation

Date: September, 20-23, 2012, Venue: Marriott Marquis,

Times Square, Manhattan, NYCTheme: Doing Business in Challenging Times - the Indian Way.Global Networking for Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Growth.

GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS MEET

2012

G BMImpacting Business Worldwide

September 20-23, 2012, New York, USA

A must attend business event for entrepreneurs & investors to develop strategies in times of economic slowdown

�

bringing together Indian origin CEOs and heads of businesses from around the world, leaders from various Indian states along with Entrepreneurs and Investors.

� Largest ever India-focused global business Platform with participation of the Indian Diaspora from more than 25 countries in the centre of global business, New York City.

� A global platform for forward-thinking Indians living all over the globe, connecting them to generate resources, interactions, visibility, branding, networking, technology, business partnerships, new ideas and investment opportunities.

� Impacting global business, and thereby human development, by taking the best Indian run enterprises and the new resurgent India to the world, thus chartering new avenues for investment, entrepreneurship and building sustainable growth models.

The Global Indian Business Meet, is the first ever global meet

What is GIBM

GIBM Mission

Some of the dignitaries expected to grace the event


2012



Pranab Mukherjee John Bryson Anand Sharma

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Vinod Khosla Ajay Banga

Ratan Tata Sunil Mittal

Indra Nooyee

Andrew Cuomo

Naveen Jindal

Anshu Jain

1. Visibility and branding on a global platform.

2. Networking with successful global Business Leaders, Politicians & Investors.

3. Forming Strategic Alliances and Partnerships; Global Investment Opportunities - M&As /JVs etc.

4. Platform to show-case products, services, new business and investment opportunities.

5. Exploring new business ideas, models, strategies and ways to conduct business during an economic downturn.

6. Understanding the best global practices in Trade,Research & Development, and Consulting

(applicable for SMEs).

7. Attracting Investments, Businesses, Technology Transfer and Tourism from HNIs, NRIs, and PIOs.

8. Global positioning of political executives and globalnetworking for the administrative executives in

governments.

9. Highlighting the phenomenal Indian Growth Storyand the Opportunities ahead amid continuing global slowdown.

10. An excellent opportunity to showcase the “Power of Rural India” which is opening up to its huge untapped business

potential.


2012



10

REASONS

FOR YOU

TO BE A

PART OF

THIS

EVENT!

Thursday - September 20

Friday - 21st September

Saturday - 22nd September

Sunday - 23rd September

�Private Dinner (by invitation only) with Dignitaries and Speakers.�Entertainment: Indian Classical Music.

�Keynote Address by Indian Finance Minister, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee�Special Address by US Secretary of Commerce, Mr.John Bryson�Panels, discussions and interactions of top Business Leaders with the delegates

�Panel of Chief Ministers/State Government Senior Representatives �Cocktails & Dinner followed by some Entertainment!

�Inaugural Plenary Session: Theme: Incubating a world ofEntrepreneurship - A Summit on Entrepreneurial Excellence�Panels, Interactive Discussions and Hands-on learning sessions�Pitching Session: Entrepreneurs' presentation, highly rated businessplans before Business leaders and Investors for support.�Discussions with domain experts on practical subject matters amongEntrepreneurs, Business Leaders, Bankers, Academics, VentureCapitalists & Financial Consultants.

�Investors' Summit Inaugural Plenary Session�Discussions/Panels

�Opportunities in various Indian states, regions and cities including select SEZs seeking investors�Partnership opportunities among various states and cities around the world

�Business Tie-ups�Financing Entrepreneurs�Businesses and Business models of future�Transfer of Technologies

�Cocktail & Dinner�NGI Excellence Awards�Entertainment: Bollywood/World Music Show

�Entrepreneurs' Sessions�State Sessions�Networking Forums

Business Leaders' Summit

India Business Summit Inauguration

Entrepreneurs' Summit

Investors' Summit

India Business Summit

Networking Forums

Evening Program


2012



GIBM

2012

PROGRAM

SCHEDULE

VENUE & ACCOMODATION

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

Located in the heart of the Times Square and theBroadway theater district, Marriot Marquis atManhattan, New York, is an ideal locale for weekendgetaways and family and business events. Completewith well-appointed rooms and suites, high-speedelevators, famed Marriott service, creativecatering and a variety of ballrooms, restaurants, and lounges, the one-stop address has several spin-offs: Fifth Avenue shopping, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios and the Central Park. It is also close to other Big Apple touristy attractions like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the UN and Madison Square Garden.

New Global Indian Foundation(NGIF - USA and India):The NGI Foundation was established in 2010 to take up projects that impact societies by augmenting the empowerment of young minds. Center for Development and Policy Studies (CDPS)and NGI Entrepreneurship Development Project was launched in India in 2011 to identify, train, and support large number of potential young entrepreneurs. CDPS plans to work with various states in India in the areas of Environment, Water, Health, Education and many more. Similar projects are being planned by NGIF in other parts of the world.

GIBM 2012 is being organized by the New GlobalIndian Foundation in association with numerousIndian, American and other global organizations.Indian origin global business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and Indian governments (both the Centre and the states) along with many associations and groups are coming together for three days to offer the following:

To Inspire and StrategizeTo Plan and Give DirectionTo Explore New OpportunitiesTo Network and Support


2012



Contact Information

Kanchan Banerjee 001-617-306-6609 (USA)

[email protected]

Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury +91-9373311239 (India)

[email protected]

K Sudhakar Murthy 00971506545894 (Dubai)

[email protected]

Deepak Choudhary +91-9821899753 (India)

[email protected]

[email protected]: www.gibm2012.org

First Floor, D1/4, Aacharya Niketan, Mayur Vihar Phase - 1,

New Delhi 110091

602, Suswagatam Society, Kurar Village, Malad East, Mumbai

109, Gulliver Street, Milton, MA 02186 USA

307 B, Mina Building, Al Mina Road, Bur Dubai, P.O Box 102604,

Dubai, UAE.

Delhi :

Mumbai :

USA:

Middle East:

We invite you to be a part of this historic meetand seek your support in the form of participation and sponsorships.


2012



An Initiative of NGI Foundation

45 LEADERSHIP

Decoding Leadership

“Be the change you want to see in the world” ---Mahatma Gandhi

Leadership is about empowering othersand power expands the moment you share it.

Leadership in itself entrusts and talks aboutresponsibili�es. It's not responsibility someoneelse gave to you it's a responsibility you chosefor yourself. The ability to influence is a won-derful tool that can be strengthened and re-fined. But one should release that the powerlies in what degrees it matches the situa�on.When we understand where our power comesfrom, we can learn to use it more effec�velyand in the most appropriate way --- therebyimproving the breadth and scope of our influ-ence.

I believe that effec�ve leaders should readand be aware of currents trends and thoughts,but the ac�ons should be personally unique.An effec�ve leader synthesises new informa-�on and chooses the path that best pairs withan individual's management style and organi-za�onal business needs.

Leadership had a new meaning for me sinceI a�ended Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leader-ship Summit in New Delhi a few weeks ago.The summit brought together a core group ofover 150 Asia 21 Young Leaders Fellows anddelegates from Asia and the U S who representa wide range of fields and all under the age of40. It aimed to prepare tomorrow's leaders forthe challenges and responsibili�es of globalci�zenship by bringing together delegates fromacross the region to generate crea�ve, cross-sectoral approaches to leadership and prob-lem solving; to build networks of trust acrossgeographic boundaries; and, to educate eachother in the highest ideals of values-basedleadership. During the three- day, invita�on-only event, young leaders discussed best prac-�ces in leadership, dichotomies in the world,and what the coming genera�ons should do tocreate new opportuni�es for partnerships, sus-tainability, and coopera�on.

I had the fortuitous opportunity to a�endFortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit inCalifornia that incorporated a visit to theWhite House for a panel discussion. I was atthe India Today Leadership Conclave in March

that revolved around leadership prac�ces inthe corporate space.

Some�me ago, I had read an ar�cle in TheHindustan Times by Gautam Thapar aboutcoping with global uncertain�es and what skillsets do India’s business leaders need to suc-ceed. I couldn’t help agree with the premisethat there are very few bad businesses, but itis always about just poor leadership and man-agement.

Thapar’s piece states that it is the EconomicLeadership that determines Thought Leader-ship and it becomes impera�ve to examinehow prepared Indian businesses are. Accord-ing to him, one needs to iden�fy the skill setsthat leaders need to succeed? First, oneshould be prepared for dis-con�nuous change. Sec-ond, one should focus ondeliverables instead ofmicro-managing. Third,leverage our advantageof having been

brought up in the homelandof frugal manufacture.Fourth, hone the pioneer in-s�nct that is the confidenceto handle situa�ons with noprecedent. Add to this theability to combine mul�pleknowledge bases and cul-tural experiences. Andfinally learn humilitybecause unless youare prepared tolearn from everyperson and everyexperience aswell as fromevery failureyou cannotsucceed.

I realizedthe importance

of ‘humility’ when I met Warren Buffet in Cali-fornia in October. I can cite more examples likewhen I met L K Advani during the opening ofNa�onal school of Drama in Madhya Pradesh,Sheila Dikshit hos�ng the Asia Society dinnerat her residence recently. Designer RobertoCavalli during Milan Fashion Week, IndraNooyi, Sheryl Sandberg Facebook, SusanChambers Walmart, Pa�e Sellers, MollyAshby, Sherrie Rollins Wes�n …the list is end-less.

Recently, I also a�ended the HT leadershipSummit that had both na�onal and interna-�onal speakers. But, Dr Steven Levi�, WilliamOgden Dis�nguished Service Professor of Eco-nomics at University of Chicago, who spoke onUnconven�onal Thinking for an UnpredictableWorld, was the most impressive. Maharashtrachief minister Prithviraj Chavan said peopleneed effec�ve leaders more than the powerfulones.

The introduc�on of an efficient leader intothe management team is definitely one of thebest investments in an organiza�on. Leadersare individuals who visualize plans, plan courseof ac�on and inspire subordinates. And, Indiais poised to be one of them on the globalstage.

Stuti JJalan attends several summits round the year to get a sense of how an effective leader synthesises new information and chooses the path that best pairs with an individual's

management style and organizational business needs.


GUJARAT 46

The Gujarat government under theable leadership of CM NarendraModi has given importance to thedevelopment of its villages. For in-

stance, a visitor will be ac-quainted with thestate govern-ment’s phi-losophy ofaatmagaavki,

suvidha sheher ki (keeping the rural charac-ter of villages alive while invigorating themwith facilities associated with cities). Thestate government seeks to realize this

dream, thanks to a happy blend of innova-tion and efficient execution.

Usually known for unity andclan solidarity, villages turn into

virtual battlefields duringpoll-time. This is an all-India phenomenon and

the situation is worseduring panchayatmore than

parliamentary or assembly elections.In order tide over this trend, the Gujarat

government introduced the Samras GramYojana. The initiative was aimed at inculcat-ing a culture of consensus and collective de-cision-making. Samras Grams are thosevillages that select their panchayats on aconsensual basis. The villages are grantedSamras Gram award, which carries a cashprize of Rs 1.5 lakh each, and those withwomen panchayats is given Rs 3 lakh each.Gujarat has a total of 8,044 Samras Grams,and 40 of them are governed by women.The Samras Gram Yojana has made repre-sentatives not only more responsible, butalso humble and sensitive towards populargrievances. The mandate-oriented approachhas paved way for consensus and collectivedecision-making, where everybody is anequal stakeholder.

Political consensus helped the govern-ment to tackle the menace of crime and so-cial disturbances in the villages. The PaavanGram and Tirth Gram Yojanas were ideal ve-hicles to strengthen goodwill and social har-mony in the villages. A village that is crimefree for five years is classified as a TirthGram, while a village that is crime freefor three years is called a PaavanGram. A Tirth Gram gets an awardof Rs 1 lakh and a PaavanGram is awarded Rs50,000. Gujarat has867 and 206 TirthGrams and Paa-van Grams, re-spectively.

Gu-

Modi Govt Powers Rural Revolution in GujaratShashank BBhatt finds out how the showpiece Indian state is focusing on developing its villages by

marrying age-old tradition with new-age technology.


47 GUJARAT

jarat can show the wayhow villages can be-come centres of devel-opment rising abovepetty politics. There are11,000 Nirmal Villages inGujarat that are thriving onexcellent standards of hy-giene and sanitation. Lakhs ofwomen in the state havejoined Sakhi Mandalsthrough whichtheymanagefinan-cial ac-tivitiesworthmorethan

Rs 1,000

crore. Vil-lages are being

developed as cen-tres of harmony, con-

sensus and self-reliant. Thegovernment pulled out all

stops to ensure uninterruptedsupply of electricity.Jyoti Gram Yojana is providing 24x7

three-phase power supply to Gujarat’s vil-lages. About 18,000 villages in Gujarat havehosted the annual Krishi Mahotsavs, enrich-ing the lives of the farmers. Besides, 6.5lakh check dams have been built along withnumerous farm ponds and bori-bandhs forwater conservation.

A village cannot be called developed if itlacks access to latest technology. A majorrole was played by the e-Gram Yojana dueto which the villages enjoyed continuedbroadband connectivity. This has made

griev-ance redressal much simpler and hasbrought the people very close to their CM,ministers and other government functionar-ies. Simultaneously, these villages require abalanced work: life ratio. With the Panch-vati Yojana, parks and gardens were con-structed to compliment a hard day’s ofwork.

CM Narendra Modi gave the con conceptof ‘Rurban’- the rural spirit with world-class‘urban’ facilities. It’s heartening to see thestate work overtime to achieve this. Thetrends have been quite encouraging. Justrecently, the Gujarat government awardedthe Best Panchayat Prize to Punsri village inTalod Taluka. Among many things, the vil-lage developed its own bus transport serv-ice.

Pro-people, pro-active governance“Mere good governance is not enough; it

has to be pro-people and pro-active. Goodgovernance is putting people at the centerof development process.” – Gujarat CMNarendra Modi

Narendra Modi has made the govern-ment machinery function so proactivelythat Gujarat has become an icon of change

for the world. He advocated the need for‘pro-people, proactive good governance’(P2G2) to solve the people’s problems andfulfill their aspirations. P2G2 models haveworked in Gujarat since they are pro-peo-ple, development-oriented, transparentand open.

Stability, policy-driven governance anddeliverance have contributed to the suc-cess. Modi has effectively used the proac-tive governance strategy as many of hissuccessful projects bear out. He saidwhenever he makes a decision there is nopolitical consideration. Gujarat’s approachhas always been citizen centric, transpar-ent and inclusive.

Gujarat’s pioneering initiatives in areassuch as water management, disaster man-agement, healthcare, education, womenempowerment, rural development, indus-trial development, investment promotionhave been studied and several of themhave been replicated and other states ofthe country.

In 2009, the Chief Minister’s Office(CMO) was awarded The InternationalStandards Organization (ISO) 9001 Certifi-cation for Quality Management Systems.CMO showed constant deliverance to thepublic and effective systems to enhancecustomer satisfaction.

Focused on infrastructure, industry andsocial service, the state has been able tointroduce dynamic yet sustainable eco-nomic growth and inclusive wealth cre-ation. Its strategy has been framed by fivecore principles — the Gyan, Jal, Urja, Janand Raksha Shakti – a panchamrut philoso-phy that has worked wonders for proactivegovernance.

Gujarat is the only state that empowerspeople as active partners in developmentas a mass movement. It also empowers itsown government employees. The govern-


Connec�ng To Global Gujara�s, Crea�ng AWorld -Class Gujarat

Gujarat State Non Resident Gujara�s' Foun-da�on (NRGF) has been establishment to fur-ther the common interests and concerns thatbind Gujara�s within& outside Gujarat,thereby developing rela�ons that go a longway in genera�ng mutual benefits.

Vision To create World class Gujarat by op�mal u�-liza�on of knowledge, skills and connec�ons ofNRGs.

Mission• Connect to Global and Indian NRGs and bringthem closer to their roots.• Enhance belongingness to their Motherland.• Conceive & implement effec�ve schemesand conduct various programs to achieve theabove goals.

Focusing on Global Gujarat Inclusive GrowthCore Objec�ves• To establish effec�ve communica�on withNRGs outside Gujarat• To prepare and maintain a comprehensiveNRG data base

• To study from �me to �me, social and cul-tural issues of NRGs and take steps to formu-late schemes that meet their specificrequirements.• To take effec�ve steps to survey and assessthe technical and professional skills of NRGsand to dovetail those into Gujarat's develop-ment efforts.• To tap the technological, managerial and fi-nancial resources of the NRGs into Gujarat'sdevelopment efforts for mutual gains.• To monitor the general welfare of NRGs andin �mes of crisis, iden�ty specific problems ofGujarat NRI groups and take them up with theappropriate authori�es.

Gujarat Card - A Dis�nguished Iden�ty forNRGs

Gujarat State Non -Resident Gujara�s' Founda-�on is issuing Gujarat Card - a dis�nc�ve iden-�ty connec�ng every Non Resident Gujara�swith his origins.

Gujarat Card is being issued to Non-Resi-dent Gujara�s residing outside Gujarat andIndia at the nominal fees of US$ 5 or Rs 225.On filling the prescribed applica�on form alongwith a�ested copies of passport/residenceproof and recent photograph, any NRG can ob-tain Gujarat card.

The Gujarat card applica�on form is avail-able at:• NRG Founda�on Office• NRG Founda�on website:www.nri.gujarat.gov.in• All District Collector's Offices• All NRG Centres

Gujarat Card offers special value privilegesto NRGs, making their visit to Gujarat a won-derful and memorable experience. GujaratCard holders can avail excep�onal discounts at47 venues including 24 pres�gious hotels. 7readymade garments store, 7 gem and jewelrystores and 9 major hospitals of Gujarat. Moreand more prominent organiza�ons are beingadded to this list.

Gujarat Card can also help the NRGs in ap-

CelebratingOur Roots,

StrengtheningOur Wings

GUJARAT STATE NON RESIDENT GUJARATIS’ FOUNDATION

Gujarat is now a Global family... A family which iswell rooted yet progressive, which is not bondedwith borders but one Gujarati spirit and whichgrows collectively through love and mutual care,'Non-Resident Gujaratis' Foundation born out withthis philosophy and lives by this axion.

GUJARAT 48


proaching the local governmentoffices like the Collectorate orthe police.

Gujara� Samaj BhavansMini Gujarats,outside Gujarat!The Government of Gujarat is ona mission to create a pan Indianetwork of Gujara� Samaj Bha-van. These Samaj Bhavan estab-lished all over the na�onpromote ac�ve communitygatherings for NRGs, serve as alink to their homeland as wellas to contribute towards theprogress of their adopted home-lands through philanthropic ini-�a�ves.

The Government of Gujarathas introduced a scheme ex-tending financial assistance toGujara� Samaj all over India forGujara� Samaj Bhavans. The as-sistance is eligible for construc-�on, extension or purchase ofSamaj Bhavan upto Rs 10 lacs or25% of the cost of the expendi-ture, whichever is less. The Fi-nancial Aid Scheme for Gujara�Samaj Bhavan has been a phe-nomenal success.

Till date , 14 Gujara� Samajshave benefited from thisscheme: Jabalpur, Bhopal & Uj-jain in Madhya Pradesh,Kanyakumari, Salem and Madu-rai in Tamil Nadu, Kolkata inWest Bengal, Bhubneshwar andBhadrak in Orissa, Aurangbadand Shrirmapur in Mahrashtra,Chandigarh in Punjab, Udaipur

in Rajasthan and Chhindwada inMadhya Pardesh.

These Gujara� Samaj Bha-vans are true microcosms of lit-tle Gujarats do�ng the countryand binding the Gujarat commu-nity.

NRGs CentreProviding inclusive Facilita�on toNRGsNRGF has established NRG cen-ters all over Gujarat, which actas facilita�on points for visi�ngNRGs. These Centers providecomprehensive assistance in-cluding.• Tourism Guidance• Accommoda�on Assistance• Assistance in Medical Services• Guidance on Business Oppor-tuni�es• Guidance of Educa�onal Op-portuni�es• Help in case of Foreign Cur-rency Requirement• Facili�es for Shopping• NRG Directory Assistance

In case of emergency orgrievance NRG Centers also takeup problems of NRGs with con-cerned authori�es.

The 6 NRG Centers estab-lished so far are operated withthe help of voluntary local or-ganiza�ons, namely:• Gujarat Chamber of Com-merce and Industry, Ahmedabad• Vadodra Chamber of Com-merce and Industry, Vadodra• The Southern Gujarat Cham-

Gujarati Samaj Bhavan

49 GUJARAT


GUJARAT 50


ber and Commerce and Industry, Surat• Saurashtra Medical and Educa�onal Charita-ble Trust, Rajkot• Sardar Patel Educa�on Trust, Anand• Mehsana Chamber of Commerce and Indus-tries, Mehsana

Vatan Seva report Be a part of Gujarat’s Success StoryVatan Seva is a compila�on of key develop-mental schemes being implemented by Gov-ernment of Gujarat. This book is published anddistributed amongst NRGs in order to assistthem in iden�fying projects they can par�ci-pate in or contribute to.

NRGs offered generous dona�ons for con-struc�on of School/ College Buildings EntranceGates in villages, Hospitals, Temple, ElectricityHouse, Water Pump, etc. A book Vatan ni Vatehas been published by the Founda�on torecord and disseminate the details of donorsamongst Non Resident Gujara�s’. The book isavailable on the Founda�on’s websitewww.nri.gujarat.gov.in

Educa�onal Ini�a�ves by NRGsA Vision to Drive Gujarat’s Growth throughKnowledgeProac�ve NRGs are systema�cally developingGujarat’s educa�onal infrastructure from itsvery founda�on. Empowering the gen-next ofGujarat. NRGs are crea�ng inclusive knowl-edge enhancement oppurtuni�es with ins�tu-

�ons impar�ng basic intermediate and highereduca�on.

Charotar University of Science and Technol-ogy at Vallabh Vidyanagar, Ganpat Universityat Kherva, The Joi�ba College of Nursing atBhandu, The Manchhiba Laljibhai Ins�tute ofDiploma Studies and numerous educa�onal in-s�tutes in Vallabh Vidyanagar, established withgenerous aid from NRGs, have brought highereduca�on and with it, a treasure chest of op-purtuni�es within easy reach of the youth ofGujarat.

Today Gujarat has truly developed as theKnowledge Hub of India. The philanthropic do-na�ons made by the NRGs have played amajor role in this laudable accomplishment.

Healthcare Ini�a�ves by NRGsRedefining the Healthcare Scenario in ruraland urban GujaratIn associa�on with the Government of Gujaratconcerned NRGs are on a mission to createworld class healthcare Infrastructure in Gu-jarat.

The Atri Hospital in Sinor, Vadodara, theGlaucoma Eye Hospital at Dharmaj, the ShardaMaternity Hospital, Anand, Smt RukminiChainani Gynecology Centre. Baroda, the CUShah Medical College and Hospital in Suren-dranagar and a number of other medical ins�-tu�ons are built and managed bt NRGs.

Forma�on of District Commi�ees

The Government has formed NRG commi�eesunder the chairmanship of the Collector in allthe districts of Gujarat for resolving any prob-lems/ issues faced by the Non- Resident Gu-jara�s, including those related to theirproperty/ land in their na�ve place Non Resi-dent Gujara�s can directly contact the Mem-ber Secretary of the Commi�ee, the residentAddi�onal Collector of the concerned district,or can get in touch with the NRG Founda�on.The Founda�on plays the role of co-ordinator

NRG Centre

Ganpat University

51 GUJARAT


to ensure mee�ngs of this commi�ee are con-vened regularly.

The district commi�ee also has representa-�on from the NRG commi�ee. Four NRGs whoare na�ve of the respec�ve districts are ap-pointed as members of the commi�ee. DistrictDevelpoment officer & District Superintendentof Police are also members of the commi�ee.The commi�ee helps the NRGs in making in-vestment in the state, extend required facili-�es to them when they are visi�ng the stateand assists the new genera�on of the commu-nity in maintaining a�achment with Gujarat’srich culture.

Developing Linkages, Bridging Growth

30th April 2011: NRG Meet- Gujarat UniversityConven�on Centre, Ahmedabad

Shri Narendra Modi presented the SwarnimKalash to NRGs encouraging them to celebratethe Golden Jubilee year of Gujarat’s incep�on intheir respec�ve regions with great enthusiasm.

30th April 2011: NRG Meet- Mahatma Mandir,Gandhinagar

Shri Narendra Modi felicitated NRGs for theirsupport in organizing Swarnim Gujarat celebra-�ons throughout the world.

29th Dec 2011: NRI Marriage Seminar- GCCI,Ahmedabad

CU Shah Medical College and Hospital, Surendranagar

Inauguration of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj (USA) Inc. in Atlanta

To spread awareness for a be�er understanding ofnecessary precau�onary measures to be taken in caseof marriage with NRI.Laying Founda�on of a Prosperous FutureMahatma MandirGujarat Chief Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid thefounda�on stone of Mahatma Mandir on May 1, 2010at Gandhinagar. As a gesture to the Father of our Na-�on, NRGs from various states & foreign countriesbrought holy water & earth from their respec�ve re-gions in a Kalash which were used to lay the founda-�on stone of this epic monument.

Converging the Diaspora: NRGF programs at aGlanceGujara� Diaspora SeminarIn associa�on with U�ar Gujarat HemchandrachryaUniversity, Patan Gujarat NRG Founda�on organized athree day seminar on 50 yrs of Swarnim Gujarat- therole of Gujara� Diaspora from Jan 2 to 4, 2011. Ex-perts from India & abroad took part in this seminar.The main objec�ve behind organizing the seminarwas to promote research on Gujara� Diaspora.

Pravasi Bhara�ya Divas 2011Like every year since 2003, the 9th Pravasi Bhara�yaDivas was celebrated in Delhi from January 7 to 9,2011 NRGF ac�vely took part in the celebra�ons andits exhibi�on at the venue received overwhelming re-sponse from the delegates and dignitaries. The pavil-ion outlined the progress made by Gujarat andvarious ini�a�ves taken by Government of Gujarat instrengthening �es with NRGs in a mutually benefi�almanner. NGRF also ac�vely par�cipated In PravasiBhara�ya Divas, 2012 held at Jaipur.

Celebra�ng the Golden SunriseSwarnim Gujarat Celebra�onGujarat Chief Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugu-rated Swarnim Gujarat Celebra�on at Nagpur, heldduring February 4-6, 2011. The NRGs took part in thiscelebra�on in large numbers and the Gujarat NRGFounda�on put up a pavilion at the venue to createawareness about its ini�a�ves & ac�vi�es undertakenfor NRG community.

A Tribute to the MahatmaMahatma Mandir has been built at Central Vista,GandhinagarIt is spread over 60,000 sq. mtr.It houses a grand Conven�on Center, Exhibi�on Cen-ter, Salt Mound and an Open –air Theatre alongwithsplendid landscaping and pathways with a suspensionbridge. It will also include Museum and Food Courts.

Gujarat State Non- Resident Gujara�s’Founda�onBlock-16, 3rd Floor, Udyog Bhavan,Gandhinagar-382017, Gujarat, IndiaTel: 079-23238278, 23238280Fax: 079-23251312Email: nrgfounda�[email protected]

Narendra Modi at Vibrant Gujarat

Narendra Modi at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2011

Swarnim Gujarat

GUJARAT 52


Narendra Modi’s Twitterpage received yet an-other shot in the arm asit crossed 500,000 ‘fol-lowers’ among theTwitteratti. Stared in2009 summer, Modi’sTwitteraccount has been a hitamong the netizenssince hecommands more ‘follow-ers’ than most politicians inIndia.

Interestingly, he also drawsmore followers than USRepublican President hope-fuls Mitt Romney and RickSantorum.

Modi has tried two very in-novative things on his Twit-ter page. Firstly, he decidedto ‘follow’ commoners on

Twitter. Thus, the individu-als who he ‘follows’ nowhave the opportunity to di-rectly communicate withhim and convey theirviews, requests. Modi maynot reply toindividual tweets but hedoes ensure that action istaken on most suggestionsthat he receives on themicro-blogging social net-working website.

Over 5 lakh follow Modi on Twitter

CM Modi inaugurated a private emergency responsetraining centre at Navagama village in Vaghodiyataluka, 20km. from Vadodara. On the occasion, theCM expressed desire to equip the disaster manage-ment mechanism in petroleum and chemicals sec-tors with latest technology.The emergency response centre has been started byCheckmate Service’s Institute of Fire Safety and Dis-aster Management Study (IFSDMS). The state-of-the-art disaster management training will beprovided for the first time in Gujarat in entire Asia byIFSDMS in association with the Fire Science Acad-emy of USA’s Nevada University. The centre will im-part training for disaster management andemergency rescue and safeguarding.CM said the challenges related to safety will increase with thedevelopment. But the losses can be successfully reduced witha quality disaster management system.Modi said that Gujarat turned the time of devastating earth-

quake into an opportunity and enacted nation’s first disastermanagement law. Local bodies, municipalities and municipalcorporations have been equipped with latest disaster manage-ment resources.

CM inaugurates Disaster Management training centre

'Modi Means Business' – saysTime Magazine's cover page

Gujarat Chief MinisterNarendra Modi figures onthe cover of the forthcom-ing issue of Time maga-zine which praises him inan article for developmentof the state he has beenruling for over a decadebut wonders if he can be-come the Prime Minister.The cover of the Timemagazine's March 26issue features Modi, withthe caption: "Modi meansbusiness but can he leadIndia".

Only seven In-dian politicianshave appearedon the cover ofone of the mostprestigiousmagazines of

the world. They are Ma-hatma Gandhi, Netaji Sub-ash Chandra Bose, PanditJawaharlal Nehru, SardarVallabh Bhai Patel, Lal Ba-hadhur Shastri, IndiraGandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.Four of them held the topjob of prime minister ofIndia. TIME recognizedModi being seen as a"firm, no-nonsense leaderwho will set the nation ona course of developmentthat might finally put it onpar with China".

53 GUJARAT


The Gujarat government declared that2012 would be celebrated as the ‘Year ofYouth Power,' to commemorate the 150thbirth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

The former President, A P J Abdul Kalamsaid: “Like Swami Vivekananda, the youthof India should have firm faith in [the]self and then resolve to utilise the samefaith in the service of nation through

sheer hard work.”“I can do it, we can do it and India can doit,” he said.

Modi said Vivekananda had been sourceof inspiration to the youth. “He inter-preted the Vedas to explain highest formsof spirituality in a simple language inorder to rake up inner strength [for] na-tion building,” Modi said.

Modi declares 2012 ‘youth power year' in Vivekananda's memory

Contributing over 25% at Rs 20,000 crore, Gu-jarat is quickly emerging hub for thetechnical textiles sector, says the AssociatedChambers of Commerce and Industry of India(ASSOCHAM). Recently, the industry body re-leased a study on the textile sector titled'Textile Industry in India – Current Status and theWay Forward'.

With the Rs 75,000-crore sector expected togrow to over Rs one lakh crore by the next fiscal,share of Gujarat is also set to propel in near fu-ture. According to the study, as one of the lead-ing industrial states in India, Gujarat needs tomodernise and upscale its textile and clothingindustry besides setting up industrial parks forvarious segments of the value chain. AS-SOCHAM, however, has been working with tex-tile associations and industry bodies like

Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association (ATMA) andAhmedabad Textile Industry Research Associa-tion (ATIRA) for setting up Centre of Business Ex-cellence (CoBE) for training entrepreneurs insetting up textile units.

Gujarat is emerging as technical textiles hub: ASSOCHAM study

GUJARAT 54


Lauding his decade-long rule in Modiclaimed that Ahmedabad wouldemerge as the biggest centre of em-ployment in the country.

He said this recently at the end of hisday-long Sadbhavana Mission fast inAhmedabad, while referring to theauto-hub coming up in neighbouringSanand.

Modi had launched his SadbhavanaMission in Ahmedabad city last Sep-tember, but had not announced anydevelopmental packages in the initialfasts. But now, he announced a pack-age of Rs 3,800 crore, of which Rs2,000 crore, would be for Ahmedabad.The money would be spent on educa-

tion, hospitals roads, gas pipelines andother infrastructure projects.

Modi said his Sadbhavana Mission hadturned into a ‘social revolution’ andthat his 10 years of rule in the statehas only taken Gujarat on the fasttrack of development unlike the Con-gress regimes which only followed the‘vote bank’ policy and kept the peopleof the state divided on religion, casteand other basis.

Modi projects Ahmedabad as India’snext employment hub

Second Green Revolution

Gujarat has achieved double-digitgrowth in agriculture sector and thestate is a pioneer of second greenrevolution in the country. Farmers’earnings have increased due to pro-gressive agriculture policies of thestate government. While agricultureproduction in most states is plum-meting, Gujarat has a turnaroundstory with agriculture growth rateleading to 10.97% against the coun-try’s average growth of merely 3%.

Gujarat is the first state which issuesSoil Health Card scheme for everyland to farmers. Gujarat farmers whoused to grow one-two crops can nowgrow three-four with increase inprofit. Also, Contract farming and im-proved irrigation facilities in the statehave helped farmers increase theirearnings by more than double. An-other success key point in Agricultureis increased access to water. Gujarathas created history in water conser-vation, by launching a drive for bluerevolution, constructing number ofcheck-dams, boribunds and Khet Ta-lavadi (farm ponds). World’s LargestIrrigation Network made possible bythe Sardar Sarovar Project on Nar-mada with the Dam height raisedfrom 90 meters to 121.9 meters isthe biggest project. The project hasimmense contribution towards irriga-tion, hydropower and drinking watersupply.

Modi govt gives security & prosperity to migrants

A few days ago Narendra Modi deliv-ered a speech in Surat during a gather-ing of north Indian migrants. Thegathering was a Holi programme andthe listeners were predominantly mi-grants from North India. The mood onthe ground was something one had tosee to believe --- an ocean of human-ity had descended there to hear him.Not only was the ground jam packed,there were people waiting outside aswell to hear him speak.

The points he made there can truly setthe tone in terms of dealing with is-sues of migrants, nativism and holisticdevelopment. While the world attrib-

uted only crime, negativity and vio-lence to migrants Modi said that it wasthe toil and swear of migrants thatcontributed to Gujarat’s development.Modi said he was extremely proud ofthe fact that anybody can come to Gu-jarat and start a new life with an at-mosphere of peace, security andconfidence.

Modi said that migrants are the trueambassadors of Gujarat when they goback to their home states and heappraises on the standard of life in thestate. The message was clear- if thereis development in Gujarat, the migranthave played a substantial role in this.

55 GUJARAT


The most crucial form oftechnology in educa�on is theprint material. In IGNOU, qualityprint material is the fundamen-tal teaching tool that has cardi-nal importance for a distance

learner. The self-instruc�onal material is a viamedia between the teacher (the academiccounselor) and the taught (the learner). Theteacher or the tutor, popularly known as theacademic counselor, mediates between theprinted text and the students. Yet this is sim-ple apparatus of the textbook is an integralpart of conven�onal educa�onal system and“classroom teaching”. Unfortunately, in theconven�onal system of educa�on); there is anincreasing debasement of the quality text-book culture mainly due to the emergence ofpoor quality notebooks. In the cultural con-text of distance educa�on one is confrontedwith: how to devise good quality texts as aneffec�ve means of teaching the sca�eredlearners?

IGNOU and the classroomTeaching or learning in IGNOU is envisaged aspart print, part audio-visual; to supplementthe wri�en texts and part tutoring. Counsel-ing sessions does not rigidly adopt the “lec-ture” method and are informal.

The print material popularly known as thestudy material is a teaching tool mechanisminherently built in the support system of the

university. It is also known as the self-instruc-�onal material. Distance educa�on is an inde-pendent method of study where the studenthas to derive or strive to derive a maximum oflearning resources offered to h/him. Insteadof the student going to the classroom, thiscomes to h/him. Viewing video CDs and learn-ing from them will depend a great deal on thestrategies deployed by the student as well asthe �ps s/he gets from h/his academic coun-selor. The same holds true when the studentlistens to audio casse�es. In IGNOU, audio-video casse�es are available to students overDoordarshan, the government-run televisionagency and All India Radio. For example, theIndira Gandhi Na�onal Open University tele-casts its video casse�es every Monday,Wednesday and Friday through the na�onalnetwork from 6.30 a.m. On similar lines, theaudio-video casse�es are broadcast throughthe IGNOU’s FM Sta�on known as Gyan Vani.The government has given the responsibilityof the televised educa�onal channel GyanDarshan to IGNOU that operates 24x7. Stu-dents in any part of the country can availthemselves of these services. The UniversityGrants Commission, an apex body of all recog-nized colleges and universi�es in the country,had a parallel system in as much that it tele-cast its informa�ve programmes through itsmedia centres in a�ernoons, and then recy-cled them in the evenings. This is how experi-mentally; teaching-at-a-distance and the

classroom face-to-face teaching are comingcloser, significantly establishing a rapport withone another. The UGC-IGNOU-ISRO (IndianSpace Research Organiza�on) experiment on“New Communica�on Technologies” held inDecember, 1994, is a case in point. Shillong,one of the Regional Centres of IGNOU, wasone of the learning ends among the 16 cho-sen centres across India. The UGC-IGNOU-ISRO experiment was significant andpath-breaking because:

It opted out of stereotypes, classroom teach-ing;It used non formal areas in teaching as sub-jects for discussion;It used teleconferencing (like Open Univer-sity);It invited college and university students topar�cipate;And, it was also open to those who wished toview si�ng at home through the regular UGCtelecasts.

In this experiment in Shillong about 50students from Imphal and Shillong par�ci-pated in more than the week long ac�vity, andIGNOU collaborated in this very seminal ven-ture.

The two-way didac�c mode of communi-ca�on adopted by IGNOU, envisions that thestudents have an ‘audience’ for an effec�vetwo-way communica�on. The academic coun-selor is also a pa�ent listener. This point is re-

Conquering DistanceAnanya GGuha illustrates how the varsity’s successful distance education

mode has struck a chord among adults of various age groups.

EDUCATION 58


iterated and reinforced; just as the teacherhas an ‘audience’ in the form of the student,the converse also holds good. The roles arethen reversed, teaching learning perspec�vesalso shi�. This switching of roles is very impor-tant for the two-way didac�c communica�on.

Such an approach will call for be�er andricher student par�cipa�on. It will also en-hance the rela�onship between the teacherand the taught. Increasingly teaching in dis-tance educa�on and the Open Universi�essuch as IGNOU is becoming more non-formal.

Crea�ng more ClassroomsThe expression Student Support Services is avery popular one used in IGNOU and it is alsovery central to its essen�al philosophy. Themain props of Student Support Services are:

Study CentresAcademic Counseling and General Counselingto sort out student’s problemsLaboratory services and prac�cal workTeleconferencing and tele-teachingTele-advising; counseling students over tele-phonePre-entry and post-entry guidance to learners

The support extended to the student invarying degrees such as academic counseling,advising, admission work, library work anddistribu�ng study material is the crux. The dis-tance educator in IGNOU achieves suchwholesome objec�ves.

Distance educa�on is higher educa�on,adult and con�nuing educa�on, cer�fica�on,professional training are a complicated mix.One simply cannot draw any lines as the stu-dent profile ranges from the 20 year to 70-year olds, clearly evinced in the IGNOUexperiment. The distance educator must reachout. Distance educa�on is the blend of a prag-ma�c administrator, an educator and ateacher.

One of the endeavours of IGNOU is popu-lariza�on and publicity. The support extendedto the student, prospec�ve or otherwise is en-hanced by general publicity and publicity withthe help of the media. It makes no shamsabout marke�ng educa�on, selling ‘products’i.e. its courses. Pre-entry counseling and guid-ance to the prospec�ve student is a very im-portant case in point where the staff maya�end to students’ queries and advise themregarding choice of their programmes andcourses.

The beauty and flexibility of distance edu-ca�on is that the academic staff has adminis-tra�ve func�ons to perform and the otherround. Roles are not easily defined here andthey can be automa�cally switched. Each ofthe administra�ve and academic units,whether it is handling admission work, pro-cessing data, receiving students’ fees, dealingwith general administra�on or a�ending to re-imbursement of fees, is effec�vely directed to-wards the student and his well being.

Student Support Services in IGNOU help increa�ng more avenues and in the final analysismore “classrooms”.

A Complementary (And Diverse) System ofEduca�onDistance educa�on in universi�es such asIGNOU is not meant to be an alterna�ve modeof educa�on. It is a parallel system to conven-�onal methods bringing about radical changesin evalua�on strategies, course development,prac�cal work etc. It complements the conven-�onal and tradi�onal system of educa�on byinnova�on, at points; where the conven�onalsystem has become either too orthodox orrigid.

Con�nuous evalua�on is not stymied; it helpsgreatly, in the following respects:The student is made to work throughout the

year.There are objec�ve ques�ons/answers whichtest the student’s ap�tude and sense of infor-ma�on.Short ques�ons/answers do likewise.Assessment is more objec�ve.Cramming is not required while appearing forterm end examina�on.

IGNOU has stuck to the method of con�nu-ous evalua�on as an academic prac�ce, andalso as a more objec�ve appraisal of students’performance. Even in the area of prac�calwork IGNOU has made the exercise more in-formal by conduc�ng it in the form of a con-tact/extended contact programme. Theintroduc�on of seminars in variouscourses/programmes is in itself innova�on inspirit. By evolving supplementary and innova-

�ve techniques distance educa�on catches ourimagina�on and comes to terms with it. Whatis called tutorial class in say, a college or a uni-versity which in turn has become hackneyed,in many instances, is an extended contact pro-gramme spread over a few days in IGNOU. In-terac�on not only with resourcepersons/academic counselors, but also withpeer groups is a must. The emphasis is onlearning by doing; not on learning by rote.

In the 21st century, instruc�onal methodsand pedagogy are undergoing swi� changes,thanks to informa�on technology. IT haschanged our daily lives to make communica-�on swi�er and easier. Computer aided in-struc�on is a reality, which has le� tradi�onalteaching outmoded. The concept of the tradi-�onal classroom, with its four walls has beenextended and ramified. The IGNOU is an ``Uni-versity without walls”. The computer has had amul�plier effect on teaching and learning. Letus briefly look at what these effects are on:Tradi�onal teaching;Bridging on campus and off campus reali�es;Distance educa�on;Integra�ng computer with the radio and thetelevision;Virtual campuses and universi�es; andWireless communica�on as a mode of teaching.

Distance learning has found a new expres-sion: flexible learning a term in common usagein countries such like ustralia and universi�essuch as the IGNOU have adopted blendedlearning.

(Ananya S Guha is an Officer on SpecialDuty, IGNOU Ins�tute for Voca�onal Educa�on& Training (IIVET), Shillong in Meghalaya)

59 EDUCATION

Distance education is higher education, adult and continuing education, certification,professional training are a complicated mix.


Q1.You rush into an important officemeeting and the contents of your brief-case spill onto the floor in front of allyour colleagues: 2 black gel pens, a hilighter, a laser pointer and 3 pink con-doms, you:a. Flee the scene, and feel embarrassed forthe rest of the week.b. Say something like: “Shit, I forgot the whipand chains!”, then proceed to take a seatand get on with the meeting.c. Mumble something like: “Gosh, I am sucha clumsy idiot” and then go on to apologize.

Q2. Your exercise programme could bestbe described as:a. Total hard core. Your either pumping ironor running marathons.b. Totally sporadic. You only exercise whenyou have the time and energy.c. Pretty regular. You work out for at least 30minutes, thrice a week.d. Pretty frequent. You walk or jog every day.

Q3. Which of the following best describesyour professional life.?a. Your job is dull and repetitive and youoften feel trapped.b. Often your work is boring or overwhelm-ing but you find ways to make it interesting.c. You love your job as well as your boss andyour learning a lot on the job.

Q4. Which of the following best describesyour social life?a. Deep down you feel your family andfriends really don’t understand you.b. Your not really close to family, but you dohave a few good friends whom you can re-ally talk to.c. I’m really close to my family and haveclose friends both at office and out.

Q5. You and a close office colleague aretrying for the same position at work. Theboss calls you in first, you:a. Say something like “I hope you have somegood news for me!”b. Think, “I’m sure my colleague is going tobe promoted, the boss just wants to ease theblow”c. Think, “May the best person win”

Q6. You get an SMS from yourboyfriend/girlfriend canceling a dinnerdate because he/she has to attend an im-portant office party, you:a. Call them up and yell at them for standingyou up.b. Call them up, tell them how you feel andask why it’s so important for them to attendthis particular party.c. Boil inwardly. Your too cheesed even totalk about it.

Do you Have A “Healthy” Personality?Yes, you probably have a whole lot of healthy habits like sleeping early, rising early, eatingsmart and exercising regularly, but beware… just one powerful factor can ruin all your hardwork… a “negative” attitude!. Experts tell us that latest research reveals that negative emotions and behaviour’s have nowbeen proven to be the main culprit behind back pain, insomnia, headaches and even infertility.

So how do you go about finding out if your mental make up is injuring your health? Simple, just take our quiz and learn to harness the healing powers of your mind!

Scoring:

1. a 0 b 2 c 12. a 1 b 0 c 2 d 2 3. a 0 b 1 c 24. a 0 b 1 c 25. a 2 b 0 c 16. a 1 b 2 c 0

Score Interpretation:

9 -12: You’re a pretty, intelligent well balancedperson who knows that a sound body and asound mind go together hand in hand. How-ever, if you have scored “ 0 ” in any questionthen you may have to work on that trait, sinceit alone may put you at risk for health prob-lems.

4 -8: Your a literal “mixed bag” ofemotions/behaviour’s. Maybe you work outregularly and look on the bright side of things,but a bad temper and a claustrophobic sociallife may well negate the plus points. Check outwhich questions you scored lowest in andwork hard to improve those habits.

0 -3: You seem to be a person who is con-stantly stressed, and also most probably youreasily angered too. The good news however, isthat recognizing and acknowledging your selfdefeating attitude is a positive step. Learningand practicing stress management techniqueswould help in a big way. In extreme casescounseling may help.

Noel Keymer 9821432408/26399330 [email protected]

BRAIN TRAIN 60


INTERVIEW 62

India's pres�giousSahitya AkademiAward-winning As-

samese author RitaChowdhury has wri�en

a number of highly-pop-ular novels, but none has

created a public debate asher latest one has. Thenovel, Makam, a 602-pager,is a fic�onal account of areal tragedy that has re-mained away from publicconsciousness since ithappened way back in1962 – the internmentand then deporta�on ofaround 1,500 people ofAssamese ‘Chinese’

people based mostlyin Makum in the

backdrop of theIndia-China war.

The only fault ofthese people

was thattheir roots

lay inChina,butwhentheirforceddis-place-

ment

happened, it was a�er over 100 years sincethe forefathers of many of them had beenbrought in as indentured labour by the Bri�shto work in the first tea gardens in Assam in theearly 19th century. The fact was that exceptperhaps their names and remnants of somecultural traits reflec�ng their roots, there wasnothing ‘Chinese’ in them. Most of them wereIndian ci�zens by birth, and those who werenot had come and se�led in Upper Assamareas during the Second World War, whenIndia was s�ll ruled by the Bri�sh. For Chowd-hury, a senior lecturer of poli�cal science atGuwaha�’s Co�on College, the research intothe subject was so full of personal impact thatshe has taken up the community’s cause.

What are the issues that are at the core ofyour post-Makam campaign?Over 1,500 so-called ‘Chinese’ were roundedup on November 19, 1962, at Makum in theeve of the signing of the treaty with China.They were all Indian Assamese, whose forefa-thers were forced migrants. By no sense ofterm could they be termed foreigners.

They were interned first to the Deoli Intern-ment Camp in Rajasthan, where some of themwere kept for up to six years, before a largenumber of them were deported even as theirproper�es were labelled as ‘enemy property’and auc�oned off by the government. Thecommunity has a deep sense of wound, and Ihave portrayed their story with the appropri-ate historical perspec�ve. While it may not bepossible to give them back their proper�es orpay them compensa�on for all the mental andphysical agony they suffered, the governmentof India should at least acknowledge thewrong done to them and say sorry to thewhole community.

In your campaign to get them at least a senseof jus�ce, what is your thrust?I am not looking at the legal aspect, only fo-

cusing on the humanitarian aspects. And I amge�ng complete support from all sec�ons ofthe society, including poli�cians. I met AssamChief Minister Tarun Gogoi over this, and hetold me that the state government would wel-come any member of the community staying

Recalling a Forgotten TragedyFollowing up on the novel, Rita Chowdhury has created a campaign to try and heal the wounds of the community, many members of which are scattered across the world, in China, Australia, Nepal and Canada. Chowdhury gets candid with Utpal BBorpujari on why the subject of Makam is so special to her.


63 INTERVIEW

abroad who wishes to come and visit Makum.All par�es spoke in one voice in support of thishumanitarian issue when it was raised in theAssam Assembly. So many families got brokenup during the internment and deporta�on, butwithout anyone virtually no�cing it. It is atragedy that is not known, perhaps because itwas not reported in the media then. The com-munity is feeling relieved now that their storyhas come out through my novel. My appeal ishumble. I don’t want to blame anyone, as thesitua�on was different, Indian democracy wasnot yet that mature, and the media was notthat strong as it is today. Instead of blaminganyone, the idea should be put a balm on theirwounds, and help them overcome their senseof insecurity, fear and iden�ty crisis.

When did you decide to start this campaign?And why?I took it up because I genuinely felt for themas a human being. I am even ready to face theconsequences since as a senior lecturer in agovernment college, I am not authorised to doit. But I sincerely hope human rights bodiesand the media will take the issue forward as Ialone cannot take it beyond a point. I will defi-nitely be always there to lend my support. Iwant that India say sorry to them, and theyshould be given poli�cal rights like Anglo-Indi-ans have. As a writer, I have brought this tragicstory out using my pen. It is really sad thateven a�er 48 years of the Indo-China war, thepain suffered by those innocent people s�ll isuna�ended to.

What kind of research did you carry out be-fore you sat down to write the novel?It took me four years of travelling to variousplaces within and outside the country, meet-ing people and wri�ng and recording their sto-ries which I have used to develop my story.These people were called spies and enemies,but seizure lists collected from police recordsshow that the only things seized from themwere items like books, bicycles, spectacles,umbrellas, and implements like those of car-penters and shoemakers. What my novel has isall true stories that have been fic�onalised.When I interviewed people from the commu-nity, I found out that they s�ll have a deepsense of hurt in them. When they were ar-rested, people were picked up randomly, fami-lies were divided, and many did not ever seetheir separated family members again. The in-ternment at Deoli and the deporta�on ofmany from there – while some chose to stayback and eventually return to Assam – led to aof trauma, which con�nues to rankle thems�ll. Those who were deported to China alsosuffered a lot as locals treated them as out-siders who looked different, did not know Chi-nese and had family members who were fromvarious other communi�es thanks to inter-

marriages. For example, they used to faceproblems if they would sing an Assamese orHindi song in China. I found a woman, whowas about two years old when her parentswere taken away while she was playing at aneighbour’s house. She got le� behind,brought up by others, and a�er 30 years, herfather wrote to her from China. He sent her aphoto of him, her mother and her sister bornin China. She got just that single le�er butnever got to meet them. I am ge�ng a docu-mentary made on the community, because it isa very sensitive subject.

Are they still bitter?Not all of them. All those abroad get togetherevery year to celebrate their roots in India,singing and dancing to Assamese, Hindisongs. They remember India every moment.Of course, their next generations do not con-nect that much because they have been bornoutside the country. They are very fond ofHindi films, and music of Assamese singerZubeen Garg. In their gatherings, they danceand sing, but when they do so, they are actu-ally crying inside, crying in the memory oftheir lost homes.

Don’t you think if the novel is translated intoother languages, the issue will getter visibility?

Definitely. Already the Japanese and Chineseversions are being worked upon. I want to getit translated into English too, and we areworking on that aspect.

Quite a few of your novels have had a back-drop of recent or past history and society.Why?I like to write on subjects that have touchedme. For example, when I wrote Deo Langkhui(The Divine Sword, which won her theSahitya Akademi Award), I chose the canvasof society, culture, politics. My idea was toshow while the current Assamese society isfragmented, how small communities 800years ago had avoided clashes and lived ami-cably through a system. Ei Xomoy Xei Xomoy(These Times, Those Times) was a look at thetime of the Anti-Foreigner’s Agitation, whichimpacted so many millions of people inAssam in the early 1980s. It is an importantsubject as there was a lot of emotion in-volved in that agitation. I wanted to writehow it impacted individuals and the society.Now my goal is to work towards recordingthe oral history and folk traditions of all eth-nic communities in Assam.

(The interviewer is a New Delhi-based sen-ior journalist and film critic)

At the launch of Makam



Life is a journey full of awful ups and wonderful downs. We should thankGod for all the happiness of the upsand for all the strength to surpass the

downs.26th April, 2008 was the Epoch that marked

the beginning of a downfall in a family whichin turn brought Odias around the world to joinhands.

The family was mine. The year was 2008. Itbegan with loads of fun and frolic and success.Yes, success. My Baba’s much awaited film“Pagal Premi” had released in the month ofJanuary in two languages – Bengali and Odia.Itwas a period of rejoice, happiness and bliss inthe family.

But life and des�ny always has differentplans. Suddenly my dad fell ill. He used to usu-ally have high fever but being the workaholicthat he is, he kept ignoring it. One day he was-n’t able to get up from his bed and go for theshoot. That was when doctors suspectedsomething serious. The tests were done andthe verdict was announced: BLOOD CANCER!Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (Blast Crisis Stage).The crest fell over all of us. My family wasshaken up and could not swallow this piece oftruth.

I was not ready to believe it too. I had seensuch things happen only to protagonists in myfather’s masala flicks. It couldn’t be happeningto my Baba. He can’t have Blood Cancer. Wedid not have any medical history of the diseasein the family; he was not showing any majorsymptoms. Yet the docs said that he was bat-tling with life in the last stage of cancer. Thefact did not sink in for quite some �me but onehardly has �me to get acclima�zed to suchthings in life. One has to accept it and fight,there is hardly an op�on.

Baba was taken to Chris�an Medical Col-lege, Vellore. It is one of the best ins�tu�onsof the country trea�ng cancer with all itsmight. Doctors examined my Baba and theiranalysis shook all the guts out of us. They saidthat my Baba did not have a chance to survivethe dreadful disease. One of the doctors alsocommented that my mother and uncle shouldprepare for transpor�ng the dead body backto Odisha. My mother had lost her spirit of liv-ing but just kept her uncondi�onal faith alive.

EPOCH

There are many people who willcatch your eyes but a very few willtouch your heart and even less cancapture both. Hara Pattanaik is apersona who has managed to con-quer and rule over the hearts of allfilm lovers through his immense con-tribution to the Odia film industry.

Born on 12th October 1958 to alower middle class family of Mr.Bipin Bihari Pattanaik and Mrs. An-nada Pattanaik, he always had highambitions and even higher determi-nation to achieve them. His aspira-tion since childhood had been to bea part of the entertainment industry.He always had a path-breaking atti-tude. In a state, where acting or any-thing related to the glamour worldwas considered a taboo, he wentahead to become one of the biggestnames that this state would hear of.He completed his graduation in thestream of arts from ChristCollege,Cuttack to satisfy the socialnorms but went ahead to do a coursefrom Sangita Mahavidalaya (MusicUniversity) in direction to satisfy hisaspirations. He then joined theatrewhich in turn became an integralpart of his life. From being an assis-tant director to his guru Shri SisirMishra, to being a forced actor innegative role and then directing hisown movie, was like a dream cometrue for him. He dreamt, he strivedand he achieved. He started his career as a film direc-tor in the year 1990 from “DaibaDaudi”. It was a blockbuster. And

ever since, he hasn’t looked back.Films after films, hits after hits, werehis career-o-graph. On this journey,awards, praises and critical acclaimcame as a nominal part and parcel.He enjoyed his work and that madeit all the more easier.

His acting career was more of a coin-cidence but that has also left all audi-ences in awe. In his accidental debut,he played a negative character andthat became his trademark. He isconsidered to be the best negativeactor in the Odia Film industry. Thedirectors loved his performances,the producers loved his efficiencyand the audiences hated the charac-ter that they saw. He enjoyed andadored all of this.

Even after 20 movies as a directorand 70 movies as an actor, he feelshe is a debutant. His fame and loveof all his audiences has alwayshelped him to aim higher and thenachieve it. He now has become ahousehold icon. His ill health has notdeterred him. He is still striving tomake movies and always be a part ofthe industry. The love of all Odia filmlovers has helped him do so.A loved actor, an admired directorand now, a survivor! An icon who in-spires you to fight life and makesyou see life from a different perspec-tive. He is currently under treatment butis still directing the television serial“Shri Jagannath” and is shooting hisnew film “Om Sai Ram”

PROFILE 64

Ananya PPattanaik, the younger daughter of noted Odiyaactor-director Hara Pattanaik, recounts the painful experienceof her family’s fight against cancer and how Odiyas’ aroundthe world offered their much-needed helping hands. Hara Pattanaik

HARA PATTANAIK ‒ My Baba


as a very good human being. Good will comeback to him”.

The bleak silver lining on the cloud was thatthe doctors were willing to take a risk and chal-lenge medical science. The risk would, how-ever, be worth 60 lacs. Even though we were astar family, the naked reality was that the re-gional industry does not pay enough to savethat kind of an amount. And my father had al-ways lived life to his fullest and executed all hisresponsibili�es, some�mes a son, some�mes abrother, some�mes a husband and some�mesa father. These responsibili�es did not allowhim to have a huge bank balance. The mostdreadful part was this: we had no savings! Ar-ranging this lump sum amount was an impossi-ble hurdle.

I felt helpless. Why was I in my twel�h stan-dard? Why didn’t I have a job? Why wasn’t Iearning? Why can’t I contribute towards my fa-ther’s treatment? My Baba was the backboneof our family. My mother, sister and I were in-complete without him. He had to live for us.But how?

The elders in the family decided to seek thehelping hand of the people of Odisha for thecause of my father. We revealed Baba’s healthcondi�on across all media; print, electronicand new media. Till then, I had no idea abouthow big a star my Baba really is. My upbringingwas similar to any normal middle class family’sdaughter and I was ignorant of the popularityof Baba.

But surprisingly we were proved to bewrong. The people of Odisha and all Odia’s puttheir hands together to get Baba and my fam-ily out of that trauma�c situa�on.

A daily labourer who earns 10 rupees perday donated 5 rupees out of his income to theHARA PATTANAIK RELIEF FUND. All the actors

and technicians of the Odia film industry or-ganised shows and concerts around the stateto contribute to the cause of Baba’s health.There were several NRO’s (non residen�alOdias) who supported us through generousdona�ons online. People from all over thestate, country and world joined hands to gettheir favourite actor and director out of thedeath bed.

Apart from money, people sent their bestwishes, prayers and blessings for the quick re-covery of Baba. And it is undoubtedly a miraclethat Baba’s weak body was able to stand inten-sive chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.His desire to live quadrupled due to the lovethat his people bestowed on him.

It is said that the world stands by you in the�mes of prosperity but only your near anddear ones stand by you in �mes of need anddifficulty. All those people who stood by Babaproved this saying wrong. I can also say thatthe gesture that these god sent helpers madeautoma�cally made them a part of Baba’s fam-ily, our family.

Three years have passed. Baba and ourfamily are both healing from the downfall.Baba is s�ll ba�ling cancer, as we all know thata cure hasn’t been found for this terminal dis-ease. However, he is hale and hearty and hasstarted his second innings in the Odia film in-dustry. My parents celebrated their 25th Wed-ding Anniversary last year. The love andsupport of all the people has been the remedyto all miseries. This Epoch has taught me thebiggest lesson in life: If you do good, goodcomes back to you!THANK YOU ODISHA!THANK YOU ODIAS!THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING MY BABA BACKFOR ME!

65 PROFILE

I have specially collected thebest messages that peoplefrom far and wide sent for Babaduring the catastrophic times:

�“You are the backbone of theOdia film industry. You haveentertained us all the way. GODBLESS YOU!” -Uttam KumarKhatei, Mumbai, India.

�“You have ensured thedevelopment of the people ofour state via the entertainmentindustry. You havesingle-handedly changed thedestinies of several proteges.But we want to be entertainedby you for manymore years.We feel your presence willsurely make a big difference. Ipray to Lord Jagannath for yourwell being and a healthy andsuccessful life.” -Akash Bhyuan,Sydney, Australia.

�“Hara bhai... I pray to Godthat he heals you fast...Ollywood needs yourinnovative ideas...get wellsoon” -Ayashant, California.

�“God bless you Hara bhai”- Priya Ranjan Nayak, Phoenix,USA.

�“I am sure you will get wellsoon. As always, you are stronglike a rock and you willovercome all odds. You havemiles to go to take our Odiafilm industry to greaterheights.” -Ashok Patnaik,Philadelphia, USA.

Tulkalam-Hara Pattanaik

The younger set of Indians (25-30years) hasfaced a unique set of circumstances. Theywere born between 1980-1985 and thus haveliterally grown up in the post 91’ era. Theirgrowing up experiences and the world aroundthem is not a progression of the reality of theearlier genera�on but indeed a new reality.

A reality that in its urban context is charac-terized by cell phones, internets, malls, pubs,AC school buses, themed birthday bashes, ris-ing rates of divorce, increasing salaries but alsomoun�ng of expecta�ons, stress and panic.Thus a sense of plenitude and penury experi-enced at once with no �me to take a break.

Their parents are products of post-indepen-dence India and hence deep down even thisgenera�on have imbibed some of those cuesof modera�on, construc�ve indulgence etc.The recessionary waves of the last 1-2 yearstoo have had a sobering effect

As we look back at the last decade of liber-aliza�on led changes in India two things standout. Our na�ve logic and how it has survived incertain cases in spite of the global value on-slaught and the emergence of the Neo Logicwhich is a clear harbinger of the change beingexperienced by India and Indians

Na�ve LogicWe as Indians may be going global but as peo-ple / consumers we s�ll retain some uniquena�ve logic traits. Here are some examples.

Na�ve valuesWan�ng more is acceptable only if you realizeit bit by bit.Tradi�onally we have been frugaland conspicuous consump�on has alwaysbeen frowned upon. With the advent of newmoney thanks to globaliza�on consump�onpa�erns did change. However our innate dis-comfort with overt cues of consump�on s�llremained. A middle ground was found by sa-che�sing our new experience constructs. Sowe would “eat out once a week”, try the newflavour of chips in a “small pack”, buy my fa-vorite new brand when there was “20% extra”This is different from fundamentally buyingsmall. This is about jus�fying big buys, bigshi�s by invoking a gradual step up ladder.

Value is maximized by the amount of effort Ihave put in. A good bargain is the icing on thecakeOur construct of gra�fica�on is intertwinedwith the concept of hard work. Smart ways ofworking is s�ll a suspect and something we as-sociate more with the younger genera�on. Thenew Idea 3G ad shows a couple on a shoppingspree comparing prices and the husband will-ing to travel to another shop for an addi�onaldiscount not taking into account the autofare required. The 3G solu�on pitched asthe smart way to get good deals is re-ferred to as the New Idea.

Na�ve consumersQuality must be judged with my handsFrom buying vegetables to dal to a�a weprefer to touch and check the quality withour hands. Conven�onal wisdom that if itis packaged it must be good is not enoughfor the Indian housewife. If it feels good itmust be good. I always check the dal withmy hands. You can make out if there isanything mixed in it easily” Delhi house-wife Even marketers have woken up to thisuniquely Indian way of processing quality.Big Bazaar has an open area for dal, a�a,spices reminiscent of the tradi�onal Indiankirana shops that allow a consumer totouch and feel the good before they pur-chase the same. The vegetables and fruit

sec�onin most modern retail chains such asMore, Big Bazaar, Reliance Fresh, Mother DairySafal is an open sec�on that has loose vegeta-bles to facilitate the tac�le judgments

Our need for touch is not just in terms ofbuying staples and vegetables. We prefer con-tact and people to people transac�ons

Face Value s�ll more cri�cal than FacelessValue irrespec�ve of the creden�als of thebrand

I may say hello to a faceless person on theinternet but I will pay money to someone onlyface to face. Modern retail formats may be of-fering space and experience but are s�ll strug-gling with the conviviality and personalizedhome delivery (even 1-2 goods delivered) serv-ices of the local kirana stores. E commerce didnot really take off �ll the concept of cash ondelivery was introduced and now it appearsthat Flip Kart is taking it a step further bybringing card on delivery func�ons.

The New Global Indian is significantlydifferent from this commonman. Theindividual is all about the league of theextra ordinary. The world centers onthe person and h/his perception ofbeing confident and optimistic.

Besides, the sense of entitlement ismore intuitive.

RK Laxman’s Common Man

Ash in L’Oreal ad

A series on people, consumer, culture andeverything that is Indian at heart .

- Shreyanka Basu

INDIANAMA

INNOVATION 66


Neo LogicIncreasing exposure to global culture has re-sulted in the emergence of some interes�ngneo logic traits. Here are some examples.1. I am the Master of the YOUniverse. I amen�tledHistorically society has followed the principleof might is right. People born into rich ness,higher caste did truly stand a be�er chance atsuccessful future. Our past is best exemplifiedby RK Laxman’s Common Man who is a mar-ginal and silent spectator to all things that hap-pen around him.

The New Global Indian is significantly differ-ent from this common man. He/she is allabout the league of the extra ordinary. Theworld centers around them and their self-per-cep�ons are confident and op�mis�c. Theirsense of en�tlement is also more intui�ve.

“Tradi�onally the sense of denial wasstroked to keep people in control. But the newgenera�on is born in different �mes andclearly has the means and access to challengecontrol leading to a greater sense of en�tle-ment.” - JitenderDabasSenior Vice President&Head of Strategic Planning at McCann Erick-son

“I know I am the best and no one is going totellmeotherwise-”Amy, student

Even our adver�sing is playing up this new-found sense of en�tlement. Boundaries arebeing pushed, restric�ons being ques�onedthough the tonality may differ across youngerand older target groups. So you have PriyankaChopra asking why should boys have all thefun in a Sco�y Pep advert and Cadbury cele-bra�ng ShubhArambh with a typical middle-class housewife donning her first pair of jeansand L’Oreal and Ash reminding us that we areworth it always.

2. I do have a choice …some at leastWhen we go back in �me our professions werepre�y much dictated by the family/ caste we

were born into. Hindi films of the 50s,-80s indicates that finding a job was in-deed a very difficult task and If one gota job one usually re�red from the samejob as an embodiment of the lack ofchoice. Naukri.com clearly signals therevolu�on of professional choicesthrough the Hari Sadoo series.The ad-vert of Tata DoCoMo- You are Hired (onyour own terms!) also takes the abovepoint forward.

In the past our marriage decisionswere taken by elders. It was not uncom-mon to have not met your spouse faceto face �ll the �me of marriage. Nowthe concept of Remixed Tradi�ons al-lows us to date within the boundariesof an arranged marriage.3. Exposure in the here and now makesme wise, not just experience thatcomes with age

We have mostly grown up with thebelief that the old are wise and elders knowbest.Hindi movies have countless dialogues onPitajiaapjokehenge ,Maaaapkiiccha etc.

Rapid pace of change, increasing diffusionbetween global and local,ever increasing tech-nological advances however have significantlychallenged these beliefs in modern �mes. Therise of the youdult is a tes�mony of this phe-nomenon.Anyoudult is typically a youth witha high exposure level to any new area of in-formation and opportunity resulting in his/her ability to speak from a position of beingin the know. This exposure could be a func-tion of the youth’s ability to better leveragenew modes of learning (peer to peer), har-ness technology (internet, social media,search engines) and propagate himself as aquasi-expert (status updates, blogs, web pro-motions)

This exposure could also come about froman increasing lack of parenting – both in-tended and unintended. This is resulting inthe kid taking independent decisions muchsooner than in the past. Sometimes parentsjust don’t know enough about the world andissues that are affecting their children andclaim a sense of helplessness. ”These days welet him decide about his future because heknows more about the new courses etc.”-aparent in Kolkata.

At times the neo trends of trying to befriends with your children have meant thatparents often stop short of reprimanding kidsfor fear of losing their friendship. Strict par-ents like Windows old versions becoming ob-solete. Recently on the show Big Switch onBindass which is based on the concept ofsuper-rich kids getting a exposure to real lifeto better value their privileges one of thecontestants actually confessed “I wish my fa-ther had slapped me when I was growing up,then I would not be this way”

So how can brands address this Native VSNeo swings?The technology boom, the idea economy ofthe 90s/ 00s meant that for the younger TGtheir hard work is increasingly getting re-warded harder and faster. Their need forspeed is seen as quasi fundamental need.Need to ensure that brands continue toevolve and reinvent constantly. They need tokeep things real while building some aspira-tion is acceptable pushing the same towardsfluff and gloss does not work.

Pretense is out of the window. As Indiansget increasing confident in their own skin andshout out loud we are like this only, Credibil-ity and Authenticity will become the newbuzzwords for brands.

A still from Cadbury Celebration ad

Priyanka Chopra in a Scotty Pep ad

67 INNOVATION


ART 68


“I never thought I’ll teach bharat-natyam to such an acclaimed actresslike Hema Malini. Though she is sen-ior to me, still she took me as herteacher. While working with her forher stage performances I learnt

things that I did not learn even from my guru,says Hema Malini’s Bharatnatyam teacher S PSrinivasan.

Srinivasan who comes from Srirangam, asmall village near Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu,learnt dance at the Kalakshetra, Chennai,moved to Mumbai and trained Hema Maliniand for a short period her daughters, Esha andAhana Deol as well in Bharatnatyam.

“I come from a very poor family in Sri-rangam. I learnt dance but I did not know whatfuture I had. I never thought I’ll end up trainingHema Malini, who is senior to me,” he said.

When Kitatpa Pillai, Hema Malini’s thenbharatnatyam teacher fell ill in the 90s, shecalled S P Srinivasan to be her teacher, aboutwhom she had heard from Kitatpa’s students.“I was already teaching dance in Mumbai andhad become known amongst the bharatnatyamfaculty. Hema Malini heard about me andcalled me to train her,” he said.

Srinivasan taught Hema Malini for about 4-5 years and even accompanied her on her stageshows all over the country. “I accompanied her(Hema Malini) for her stage shows. I was herteacher but lot of things that I did not learnfrom my guru, I got to learn when workingwith her for her stage shows,” he says.

Srinivasan gives full marks to Hema Malinias a disciple and as an actress but not as aBharatnatyam dancer. “Hema is an excellentstudent, very polite, respectful to the teacher. Iwill give her full marks as a student but I can-not give her good marks as a Bharatnatyamdancer. She is a better actress and she dances aswell so that is an additional credit to her. But asfar as only Bharatnatyam is concerned, she is abit easy going. She has always been like that.She is a great learner but not a hardworkingone,” he said

He also taught Hema Malini’s daughters,Esha and Ahana, though for a short period oftime. “I taught her daughters only for a short

period of time. They were learning Odissi aswell and were interested in a number of danceforms while I teach the traditional Bharat-natyam.

Srinivasan comes from the old school ofBharatnatyam and is totally against combiningit with other modern dance forms. “SinceHema Malini is also growing old now, so shewants to mix it with ballet and do more ofmovements rather than sitting postures,” hesaid.

Though training Hema and her daughtersbrought fame to him, but he doesn’t consider itas a milestone in his career. “It did bring lot offame for me, it was like advertising myself.But it was not a turning point in my career,”Srinivasan says.

The 57 year old Bharatnatyam teacher said,“I have been teaching dance for 35 years now. Istarted teaching dance at the age of 22 and Iwas already known for my Bharatnatyamteaching skills for which Hema Malini ap-proached me,” he said.

Srinivasan teaches at two well known danceinstitutes in Mumbai and takes a few privatetuitions as well. “Today I am well known inMumbai for my Bharatnatyam dance. But it isnot because of Hema Malini alone. For me thisjourney has been possible step by step.

Today I live in a luxurious flat with ACs butit was not the same always,” he recalls.

He started with teaching only 5-6 stu-dents and getting a meagre Rs 400 permonth. “Out of Rs 400 that I got permonth I paid Rs 80 as paying guest fee tomy landlord, sent Rs 100 to my parentsand saved Rs 100 in the bank. Then slowly Iearned upto Rs 1200 per month and then 3k.And today I am teaching not less than 250 stu-dents,” Srinivasan says.

The dance guru even teaches students whoare older to him and even the ones who are es-tablished dancers. “The already trained dancersare also learning from me ” he says.

When Srinivasan at the age of 18 decided toabandon studies after 12th and take up dance asa career his parents were worried. “They didnot discourage me but they were not sure whatfuture I had in the field.

His parents did not even have money to paythe fee of Kalakshetra, Chennai. “My fatherwas retired and could not even pay the fee toenroll me for dance. But I managed to get ascholarship. So I started formal training inBharatnatyam only at the age of 18,” Srini-vasan said.

Srinivasan learned 3 years of Bharatnatyamat the Kalakshetra, Chennai and then moved toMumbai. He learned for another 2 years fromother Bharatnatyam teachers before moving tobecoming a full-time teacher himself.

He believes that females are always betterin giving stage performances because they areable to portray the expressions of mythologicalfemale characters better around which our In-dian classical dance performances revolve. “Irealized soon enough that if males take updance as a profession, it has tobe in the field of teachingbecause females givebetter stage per-formances. That iswhat I tell my malestudents as well,”he added.

The Man Who Made Dream GirlDance To His Tune

S P Srinivasan, who has taught Bharatnatyam to danseuse-screen diva HemaMalini, takes a tripdownmemory lane while talking to Meghna AAgarwal

PHOTO GALLERY 70

GIBM in ProgressHere we are sharing some unseen pictures of team NGI, working on their

much awaited project GIBM 2012 (Global Indian Business Meet)

GUJARAT MAKES YOU GLOW: Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi with Ujjwal K Chowdhury and Kanchan Banerjee.

SAAT SAMUNDAR PAAR: NGI Middle East Publisher, Sudhakar Murthy with Minister of Corporate Affairs, Veerappa Moily.

DADA’S BLESSING: Indian Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee taking GIBM details from Kanchan Banerjee.

BONG CONNECTION: Haimanti Banerjee with Partho Chatterjee, Industry Minister,West Bengal.

PICTURE PERFECT: Archana with Mauritius President, Anerood Jugnauth.HIGH SPIRITS: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister,Raman Singh with Kanchan Banerjee.


71 PHOTO GALLERY

TOURISM TALKS: Bina Kak, Tourism Minister, Rajasthan with Kanchan Banerjee during PBD 2012, Jaipur

RANCHI TO NYC: Haimanti Banerjee with Jharkhand Chief Minister, Arjun Munda at JFK Airport, New York

LET’S FIRE THE STAGE:Kanchan Banerjee discussing on GIBM Cultural Night with Shaimak Davar.

URBAN TOUCH: Ujjwal K Chowdhury and Kanchan Banerjee with Anandiben Patel,Minister, Revenue, Disaster Management, Roads & Buildings Capital Project,Women & Child Welfare, Government Of Gujarat.

WELL WISHER: Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Raviholding NGI PBD Special Issue with Kanchan Banerjee

SHADES OF VICTORY: Archana with Delhi Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit


72LEISURE


THE UUGLY IINDIANSSaritha RRai catches up with an anonymous and facelessmysterious Bangalore group, who believes in the motto:“Maatu beda kelasa madu”, “kaam chalu mooh band” thatloosely translates to “only work, no talk.“

We litter the streets, spit paaneverywhere, paste posterson empty walls, pee on thestreets and dump garbage

around the corner from our houses. Weare ugly Indians. Not every day, noteveryone. But even occasional transgres-sions can add up to a lot in a country of1.2 billion.

A faceless, mysterious Bangalore groupcalling itself “The Ugly Indian” is goingabout slowly and stealthily changing thedreadful streets in the city. The group,which proclaims itself a “random, unor-ganised” group is media-averse and oper-ates only through an anonymous emailaddress. It has a three-language motto:“Maatu beda kelasa madu”, “kaam chalumooh band”, “only work, no talk”.

The Ugly Indians seem to be Banga-lore’s answer to the Anna movement. Butrather than pointing out all that is wrongwith the system, the low-key group mem-bers are going about, simply showing howthings can be righted. There is nofinger-pointing, period. Instead ofcribbing about the filth and blamingthe lower-rung civil staff, the UglyIndian has been busy “Spotfixing” inBangalore. Self-funded volunteerswho aggregate through the group’swebsite, email and Facebook page,descend on a particularly neglected(read, filthy) corner of the citywhere they each proceed to ploughin and mend the spot.

The anonymity of the group hasworked in its favour. “No names areexchanged, no introductions aremade, no socialising, no network-ing. Everyone gets it,” the Ugly In-dian described in an email to thiscolumn. And so the group quietlygoes about clearing garbage, fixingpavements, providing litter bins(quirkily named “tereBin”, designedsmall to save pavement space andkeep stray dogs out), painting wallsand righting road medians.

The Ugly Indian’s approach is re-freshing. The Indian explanation,“we are like that only”, is cute but

does not help, says their website; ac-cepting that “we” are part of the prob-lem and only “we” can help fix theproblem is more like it, they say.

In Spotfixing, the group makes over achunk of a busy Bangalore street or cor-ner in a way that engages local store-keepers, civic agency cleaning staff andthe public, without apportioning blameor expecting recognition.

If downtown Bangalore’s restauranthub Church Street has regained its chiclook, it is the handiwork of The Ugly In-dian. If the city’s Central Business Dis-trict is looking neat with cheerfulgarbage bins, it is the group’s effort. Acouple of days before the Namma Metrowas launched, the group “fixed”’ the MGRoad metro station.

The group operates in stealth mode.Once Spotfixing is done, it details thetask in whodunit-like detail through pho-tos and video on its website and Face-book page. A spotfix at a narrow but

busy street in Bangalore’s Koramangalaneighbourhood began like this: first, TheUgly Indian spends time observing thespot. “The best time to observe a dumpis between 7.30 am-8.30 am — that’swhen people generally dump garbage.”The Ugly Indian studies the spot, makesa list of possible culprits, but never con-fronts them. The group pieces togetherthe story of the dumping spot with evi-dence from the dump; approaches theculprits with tact after the clean-up, andbefriending and drafting local retailersand civic agency staff helps to keep theplace spotless, post the fix. A completechange-over could take concerted andrepeated clean-ups, which could take upto a year.

A financial analyst who volunteeredat a Spotfix said she was inspired by thegroup’s philosophy of not telling peoplewhat they should do but showing peoplewhat a sincere group can achieve. “I did-n’t know who they are, they didn’t ask

me who I was... we worked to-gether to clean up and it feltgood.”

Bangalore seems to haveadopted this faceless, silent revo-lution-in-the-making. The grouphas thousands of admirers onFacebook. Hundreds of anony-mous people have volunteered forclean-up tasks and to sponsor thetereBins. Anonymity has indeedbeen the strength of this small ini-tiative. No faces means no labelsand no critics. The group has re-buffed the media and refused tomeet local politicians, who wantto get involved for obvious rea-sons, they say. All those who havejoined The Ugly Indian movementhave been committed to a strictcode of conduct. It is “almost likea secret society,” the Ugly Indiansaid in a further email.

This is one honest, if mysteri-ous, public-private joint venturethat seems to work. India needsmore Ugly Indians.

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

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