Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com My online journal with thoughts, opinions, comments and more.. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:36:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com/images/favicon.gif http://drishtikona.com en Privatization and Education http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002189.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002189.php#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:06:57 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002189.php As estimated, India in private sector has 140 medical colleges with a total students' capacity of 70,000, 1,200 engineering colleges with 1,440,000 students capacity and 300 schools of business management with students' capacity of 90,000. Here are some data on private education sector: ·India's 75,000 private schools account for just 7 per cent of total institutions and enroll 90 million students. About 129 million go to public schools. 142 million students are still not in the system. Is it not a great challenge and potential business? ·India has nearly 370 universities and 18,000 colleges, 500,000 teachers and the third-largest system in terms of enrolment with more than 10 million students. India certainly needs more as Japan with its nearly 128 million people, has 684 universities, and USA with 300 million people has 2,364 universities. NKC has recommended 1500 universities. ·According to analysts estimate, the education industry-Kindergarten up to Standard XII (called K-12, for short), coaching classes, business schools, etc.- to be worth $40 billion, with a potential 16 per cent fiveyear CAGR as per the CLSA report. ···1. The marker size of the pre-school level (i.e., for children aged between two years and four years) is estimated at around $900 million. ···2. The primary education business is valued at $20 billion. ···3. At least 20 million children take some form of tuition outside the classroom. ·As per an estimate, the demand for the paraphernalia around education is huge: textbooks (worth $2 billion annually), stationery ($1.3 billion) and learning aids such as CD-ROMs ($120 million) all recording exponential growth. ·As the wired classroom is going to transform education in the years ahead, analysts estimate its market to worth $30 million at present and with the potential to be an $800-million market. Interactive whiteboards, appliances for assessment, laptops, Internet, and related accessories are in huge demand. Business houses, startups, NGOs, and many are trying to cash on the rise of education. ·The preparation institutes for students wanting admission in IITs, MBAs, medical colleges and civil services are pulling in $1.7 billion a year. ·The market for vocational training soar is estimated to be worth $1.4 billion a year. ·Training for BPOs is another area of demand with a $40 million potential. ·PE and VCs last year invested more than $90 million in Indian education companies, against the $17.5 million they invested in 2006. ·According to the CLSA report estimates that over the next four years (i.e., 2012), the entire education space would be worth nearly $70 billion (some predict it to be of $170 billion), with nearly 40 per cent of the urban children going to pre-schools and some 90,000 private K-12 schools. Among colleges, there would be an addition of 800 engineering, 300 MBA and 60 medical schools in the country. Education is big market. Many private companies have come up to fill the gaps in education sector and going is so good that many aspire to be at least a billion dollar big in the next few years. StudyPlaces, Tutor Vista, Brainvisa, Career Launcher, New Horizons, India and Everonn systems are some of them. Manipal Group, Amity, Rai University and many have become mass scale graduate manufacturing companies. Fund raising is no problem. And these companies are investing impressively. Educomp Solutions is looking to invest around Rs 800 crore. New Horizons is aiming to put in Rs 100 crore. All good teachers with a little entrepreneurship mindset can go for tutoring on line. Tutor Vista, set up in 2005 has now 800 teachers across 29 Indian cities and has over 10,000 students on board. Established companies such as Infosys, HCL, and many are having huge facilities to train the employees. Some are tying up with ITIs and colleges to provide specialized skill training. But professional skills development companies are also emerging perhaps mushrooming. Technology is assisting education in many ways to deliver better education to the children. NGOs are helping to improve the quality of teaching in schools away from the metros. The whole task of educating and skilling India's human resources presents huge potentials for teachers, scientists, technocrats and entrepreneurs. But the numbers at the bottom of the pyramid being largest, the solutions are to be innovative and affordable, IIT and IISc are working on a Rs 400 or $10 laptop beside Anil Ambani Group getting into 'one laptop for every child' initiative. The wave must cover all habitations, and also include those in higher age group who had not been lucky enough in their childhood. There is hope of brighter days- Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya ]]> As estimated, India in private sector has 140 medical colleges with a total students' capacity of 70,000, 1,200 engineering colleges with 1,440,000 students capacity and 300 schools of business management with students' capacity of 90,000. Here are some data on private education sector: ·India's 75,000 private schools account for just 7 per cent of total institutions and enroll 90 million students. About 129 million go to public schools. 142 million students are still not in the system. Is it not a great challenge and potential business? ·India has nearly 370 universities and 18,000 colleges, 500,000 teachers and the third-largest system in terms of enrolment with more than 10 million students. India certainly needs more as Japan with its nearly 128 million people, has 684 universities, and USA with 300 million people has 2,364 universities. NKC has recommended 1500 universities. ·According to analysts estimate, the education industry-Kindergarten up to Standard XII (called K-12, for short), coaching classes, business schools, etc.- to be worth $40 billion, with a potential 16 per cent fiveyear CAGR as per the CLSA report. ···1. The marker size of the pre-school level (i.e., for children aged between two years and four years) is estimated at around $900 million. ···2. The primary education business is valued at $20 billion. ···3. At least 20 million children take some form of tuition outside the classroom. ·As per an estimate, the demand for the paraphernalia around education is huge: textbooks (worth $2 billion annually), stationery ($1.3 billion) and learning aids such as CD-ROMs ($120 million) all recording exponential growth. ·As the wired classroom is going to transform education in the years ahead, analysts estimate its market to worth $30 million at present and with the potential to be an $800-million market. Interactive whiteboards, appliances for assessment, laptops, Internet, and related accessories are in huge demand. Business houses, startups, NGOs, and many are trying to cash on the rise of education. ·The preparation institutes for students wanting admission in IITs, MBAs, medical colleges and civil services are pulling in $1.7 billion a year. ·The market for vocational training soar is estimated to be worth $1.4 billion a year. ·Training for BPOs is another area of demand with a $40 million potential. ·PE and VCs last year invested more than $90 million in Indian education companies, against the $17.5 million they invested in 2006. ·According to the CLSA report estimates that over the next four years (i.e., 2012), the entire education space would be worth nearly $70 billion (some predict it to be of $170 billion), with nearly 40 per cent of the urban children going to pre-schools and some 90,000 private K-12 schools. Among colleges, there would be an addition of 800 engineering, 300 MBA and 60 medical schools in the country. Education is big market. Many private companies have come up to fill the gaps in education sector and going is so good that many aspire to be at least a billion dollar big in the next few years. StudyPlaces, Tutor Vista, Brainvisa, Career Launcher, New Horizons, India and Everonn systems are some of them. Manipal Group, Amity, Rai University and many have become mass scale graduate manufacturing companies. Fund raising is no problem. And these companies are investing impressively. Educomp Solutions is looking to invest around Rs 800 crore. New Horizons is aiming to put in Rs 100 crore. All good teachers with a little entrepreneurship mindset can go for tutoring on line. Tutor Vista, set up in 2005 has now 800 teachers across 29 Indian cities and has over 10,000 students on board. Established companies such as Infosys, HCL, and many are having huge facilities to train the employees. Some are tying up with ITIs and colleges to provide specialized skill training. But professional skills development companies are also emerging perhaps mushrooming. Technology is assisting education in many ways to deliver better education to the children. NGOs are helping to improve the quality of teaching in schools away from the metros. The whole task of educating and skilling India's human resources presents huge potentials for teachers, scientists, technocrats and entrepreneurs. But the numbers at the bottom of the pyramid being largest, the solutions are to be innovative and affordable, IIT and IISc are working on a Rs 400 or $10 laptop beside Anil Ambani Group getting into 'one laptop for every child' initiative. The wave must cover all habitations, and also include those in higher age group who had not been lucky enough in their childhood. There is hope of brighter days- Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002189.php/feed/ Farmers Need Lobbying and Support http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002145.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002145.php#comments Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:32:33 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002145.php Abhay Firodia of Kinetic Engineering writing for the farmers. I come from a farmer family and have some special motive to see farmers getting prosperous. They toil hard. They produce all the food grains and vegetables, fruits and flowers. But they remain poor and perhaps if the condition doesn't change, they will remain poor, as they hardly get any advantages out of the inflation of their produce. However, the middlemen between the farmers and the consumers at different points of the supply chain keep getting the maximum benefits becoming millionaires, and some even billionaires too by creating artificial scarcity, by hoarding, or simply by their marketing skill. If the Arab sheikhs can keep on increasing the crude oil price and becoming the richest in the world, why can't the farmers be allowed their right shares out of the money the consumers pay for their produce? Why should the middlemen keep on getting the best from inflation, while the farmers starve, live a miserable life, and quite often resorts to suicides? Firodia also has come out in support of the farmers. "Higher food prices can act as an incentive to farmers leading to increased production. Food prices then automatically come down. The catch is that higher food prices do not always reach the farmers; the middlemen pocket it. The government must create conditions where farmers are able to sell their produce directly to consumers so that both can benefit." I wish those who matter will listen. Let us look at the story of the uncontrolled cotton exports and who gets benefited out of the deals? "It is common knowledge that farmers do not export cotton. Our cotton crop starts arriving in the market by October and farmers by February-March sell most of it. A careful examination of the price trends of cotton will show that most of the increase in prices occurs every year after March, when the cotton is already in the hands of ginners and traders. Thus, farmers get only a limited share from the increased cotton prices." The cotton farmers must get the right share of the price that the produce fetches for the exporters. It is the same story with all the food grains, be it wheat, paddy, or pulses. The middlemen, traders and the exporters use criminal tactics to get the farmers sell at the minimum. In cases of short life items such as vegetables and fruits, the traders create a condition where the farmers leave the produce in mandi and leave. Farmers being a marginal landholder always in debt can hardly hoard waiting for the right time and market for getting the best price, neither have they the facilities such as warehouses or mills. Instead of giving waivers and subsidies, the government must facilitate in creating sufficient number of the right type of warehouse and refrigerated transportation facilities. Organized retail sector can certainly come to help the farmers on condition it is genuinely interested in it. At least many such as ITC, Reliance Retail, or Bharati Group have declared their intentions to protect the farmers from the exploitation by the petty traders and middlemen. As reported, Aadhar is becoming the sourcing hub for Future group retail outlets such as Big Bazzar or Food Bazzar. that are today the biggest. Reaching out to 50,000 farmers every month, the company has already employed 300 people to directly access the produce of farmers across 2,000-odd villages in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Other retailers such as Bharati are also taking initiative to involve the farmers directly and that will certainly get them better prices. Some NGOs such as Sevashram are advising the farmers in ways to have better returns with organic farming. It buys the produce that the farmers want to sell. It often pays more than the market price. Naturally, the marginal farmers are in need of such handholdings. NGOs and the exponentially growing organized retail sector can come out with contracts and direct purchase at the right price or for storing on behalf of the farmers so that they can get the best price. I wish one the farmers of the country lead a life of, if not luxury at least of affluence, as Arab sheikhs do. ]]> Abhay Firodia of Kinetic Engineering writing for the farmers. I come from a farmer family and have some special motive to see farmers getting prosperous. They toil hard. They produce all the food grains and vegetables, fruits and flowers. But they remain poor and perhaps if the condition doesn't change, they will remain poor, as they hardly get any advantages out of the inflation of their produce. However, the middlemen between the farmers and the consumers at different points of the supply chain keep getting the maximum benefits becoming millionaires, and some even billionaires too by creating artificial scarcity, by hoarding, or simply by their marketing skill. If the Arab sheikhs can keep on increasing the crude oil price and becoming the richest in the world, why can't the farmers be allowed their right shares out of the money the consumers pay for their produce? Why should the middlemen keep on getting the best from inflation, while the farmers starve, live a miserable life, and quite often resorts to suicides? Firodia also has come out in support of the farmers. "Higher food prices can act as an incentive to farmers leading to increased production. Food prices then automatically come down. The catch is that higher food prices do not always reach the farmers; the middlemen pocket it. The government must create conditions where farmers are able to sell their produce directly to consumers so that both can benefit." I wish those who matter will listen. Let us look at the story of the uncontrolled cotton exports and who gets benefited out of the deals? "It is common knowledge that farmers do not export cotton. Our cotton crop starts arriving in the market by October and farmers by February-March sell most of it. A careful examination of the price trends of cotton will show that most of the increase in prices occurs every year after March, when the cotton is already in the hands of ginners and traders. Thus, farmers get only a limited share from the increased cotton prices." The cotton farmers must get the right share of the price that the produce fetches for the exporters. It is the same story with all the food grains, be it wheat, paddy, or pulses. The middlemen, traders and the exporters use criminal tactics to get the farmers sell at the minimum. In cases of short life items such as vegetables and fruits, the traders create a condition where the farmers leave the produce in mandi and leave. Farmers being a marginal landholder always in debt can hardly hoard waiting for the right time and market for getting the best price, neither have they the facilities such as warehouses or mills. Instead of giving waivers and subsidies, the government must facilitate in creating sufficient number of the right type of warehouse and refrigerated transportation facilities. Organized retail sector can certainly come to help the farmers on condition it is genuinely interested in it. At least many such as ITC, Reliance Retail, or Bharati Group have declared their intentions to protect the farmers from the exploitation by the petty traders and middlemen. As reported, Aadhar is becoming the sourcing hub for Future group retail outlets such as Big Bazzar or Food Bazzar. that are today the biggest. Reaching out to 50,000 farmers every month, the company has already employed 300 people to directly access the produce of farmers across 2,000-odd villages in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Other retailers such as Bharati are also taking initiative to involve the farmers directly and that will certainly get them better prices. Some NGOs such as Sevashram are advising the farmers in ways to have better returns with organic farming. It buys the produce that the farmers want to sell. It often pays more than the market price. Naturally, the marginal farmers are in need of such handholdings. NGOs and the exponentially growing organized retail sector can come out with contracts and direct purchase at the right price or for storing on behalf of the farmers so that they can get the best price. I wish one the farmers of the country lead a life of, if not luxury at least of affluence, as Arab sheikhs do. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002145.php/feed/ Ranbaxy Deal Shames India http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002129.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002129.php#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:47:46 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002129.php Ranbaxy laboratories to Daiichi Sanko for nearly $4.6 billion, or $17.14 per share, a 31% premium over Ranbaxy's current share price, I got a similar feeling. Perhaps many in India might not have taken the deal as a good move by the grandsons when the founder grandfather was alive. It might be a good business deal as many pink papers reported, but it must have tarnished the perception about the young men who owned Ranbaxy. Business Week called it 'India's Shocker Pharma Deal'. Why would Ranbaxy Managing Director Malvinder Singh bail out of a company set up by his grandfather Bhai Mohan Singh and built by his visionary father, the late Parvinder Singh? Am I getting unnecessarily sentimental? Are these deals not connected with the nation's pride? Is it just a business strategy to earn the best from what one owns at the right time? But then why should we grumble when Europeans or Americans expressed similar views when Mittal took over Arcelor, or Tata acquired Corus? Why should those acquisitions got so much of hype in Indian corporate houses and even in the political circles? It is interesting that none of the biggies in corporate India made any remark on the Ranbaxy deal, though Ranbaxy for years was the exemplary success story of Indian pharma sector almost similar to Infosys and Wipro for IT sector. Even among the political leaders I read only Advani making some remarks against the deal. What a shame! Malvinder Singh is happy to remain the CEO of the new group. It is difficult to understand what Singh meant his statement, "The deal would "allow us to transform and go to the next level." I consider such deal reflects poorly on the management talent of the enterprise that gets acquired. Should India take note of it? Couldn't some Indian business houses, such as Ambani brothers, buy the company and run it better? ]]> Ranbaxy laboratories to Daiichi Sanko for nearly $4.6 billion, or $17.14 per share, a 31% premium over Ranbaxy's current share price, I got a similar feeling. Perhaps many in India might not have taken the deal as a good move by the grandsons when the founder grandfather was alive. It might be a good business deal as many pink papers reported, but it must have tarnished the perception about the young men who owned Ranbaxy. Business Week called it 'India's Shocker Pharma Deal'. Why would Ranbaxy Managing Director Malvinder Singh bail out of a company set up by his grandfather Bhai Mohan Singh and built by his visionary father, the late Parvinder Singh? Am I getting unnecessarily sentimental? Are these deals not connected with the nation's pride? Is it just a business strategy to earn the best from what one owns at the right time? But then why should we grumble when Europeans or Americans expressed similar views when Mittal took over Arcelor, or Tata acquired Corus? Why should those acquisitions got so much of hype in Indian corporate houses and even in the political circles? It is interesting that none of the biggies in corporate India made any remark on the Ranbaxy deal, though Ranbaxy for years was the exemplary success story of Indian pharma sector almost similar to Infosys and Wipro for IT sector. Even among the political leaders I read only Advani making some remarks against the deal. What a shame! Malvinder Singh is happy to remain the CEO of the new group. It is difficult to understand what Singh meant his statement, "The deal would "allow us to transform and go to the next level." I consider such deal reflects poorly on the management talent of the enterprise that gets acquired. Should India take note of it? Couldn't some Indian business houses, such as Ambani brothers, buy the company and run it better? ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002129.php/feed/ Bihar Under Transformation http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002128.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002128.php#comments Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:37:18 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002128.php writes, "The grammar of politics is changing in Bihar. Election hereafter cannot be fought on the basis of the earlier benchmarks of muscle and firepower. The most under-governed and underdeveloped state of the country, for the first time after -Independence, is working out new development architecture. The discourse on development and its social or political matrix has changed in the state. The prophets of doom, quick to write Bihar's epitaphs earlier, are now revising their script. Now Nitish Kumar, with the mandate of the 'coalition of extremes' and with an eye for detail, is using the same state structures in scripting an inclusive delivery system. In future, any political party that wants to make an electoral breakthrough in the state will have to do some introspection. Without a cohesive agenda and a cadre-building exercise, political parties would run the risk of electoral obsolence." With the news appearing in media, the prediction of Mr. Gupta seems to be right. However, perhaps Bihar at grassroots level needs some change in the mindsets of its people. The incident connected with cabinet minister Narendra Singh and legislator Phalguni Yadav or the post cabinet-reshuffle bickering for the head of Sushil Modi was the manifestation of the same old mindset connected with the caste bias. It can't come without education and employability. New institutes such as Chandra Gupta Institute of management, or Chanakya Law University or for that matter IIT in Patna will certainly bring respectability. But Bihar must focus on creating more and more of its soft power, be it its school of art, yoga, or its cuisines. Simultaneously, the existing institutions and its faculty must work to bring honours through its research works, so that the students from all over India hanker for getting entry into those institutions. Again, Bihar must get the professional institutes in hundreds allover the state. But here is one more story that again appeared in Indian Express. Can you relish it?

"How is the number of a polling booth related to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment headed by Meira Kumar? Well, without it a voter from the Congress leader's constituency, Sasaram in Bihar, cannot hope to meet the minister and plead for help. Recently a young chap who had come all the way from Sasaram to Delhi to meet the minister was flabbergasted when the minister's aide asked him the number of the booth where he casts his vote. "I have never voted. I am less than 18," he mumbled. "You don't look underage," observed the aide. "Anyway, without the booth number you can't meet the minister." There was a typically Bihar solution to the whole problem, however. "State any number. Is he going to check it?" said someone there. Well, this is one poll booth strategy that may not work any longer."

If it is not true, will Meira Kumar say so in media? I was going to write a letter to her for two things: I wish Meira Kumar with Mrs Ambika Soni could get Sasaram a status of heritage city. Unfortunately, neither she nor her illustrious father JagJivan Ram did anything for Sasaram. I also wanted to request her for getting electricity for my village Pipra (mardan Rai ka Pipra). Now I dare not write that letter. I don't vote there. Can someone help me? ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002128.php/feed/ Pitiable Politicking http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002126.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002126.php#comments Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:33:17 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002126.php Why rush N-deal now? Govt wants quick IAEA, NSG, nod'; 'Govt's N-energy claim just a cover: Left';'UNPA will decide stand: Mulayam'; 'Dithering on nuke deal shows PM's lack of authority: BJP'; and 'Left may seek BSP, BJP help to pull down govt'. Similar ones have appeared in other national dailies too. Left parties are more vocal on the Deal. It is unfortunate to hear the leftists spreading all wrong information about the deal and misleading the people of the country about the necessity of nuclear power even on important TV channels. It amuses when they talk of cost of nuclear power vs. thermal power based on coal. They are hell bent to stall the deal that will please their mentors in Beijing. The mission is one and that is to stop India getting nearer to USA. Mulayam wishes to keep all doors open for remaining important on national scene. I couldn't but laugh when I heard him saying, "Hum sirf desh ke saath hain". It is unfortunate that even BJP is opposing the deal, as it is in opposition. With their ego, neither Man Mohan nor Sonia will like to contact BJP to get the deal through in time. Why can't the Congress decide to sacrifice the government, if ultimately it means that, for the shake of the deal if it is convinced that it is the best for the nation, as so many intellectuals and experts also advise? Why can't Man Mohan as an economist PM and initiator of the deal take a stand on the deal? I wonder how shall he like to be remembered by the posterity as a bold administrator or a sycophant? Why can't Sonia Gandhi make up her mind? Can the leftists win her the next general election and make her lead the nation by forming the government? Is the win of the party is more important than the nation? I felt ultimately ashamed reading the news of Australia refusing uranium's request of India. I m sure all Indians would have felt equally ashamed. The request of the uranium was to keep on running the existing power plants to its capacity. Are the leftists also ashamed? Will they be able to arrange that from China or Russia? Why can't the leftists and the people of India understand this? I tend to believe, we get the politicians we deserve. ]]> Why rush N-deal now? Govt wants quick IAEA, NSG, nod'; 'Govt's N-energy claim just a cover: Left';'UNPA will decide stand: Mulayam'; 'Dithering on nuke deal shows PM's lack of authority: BJP'; and 'Left may seek BSP, BJP help to pull down govt'. Similar ones have appeared in other national dailies too. Left parties are more vocal on the Deal. It is unfortunate to hear the leftists spreading all wrong information about the deal and misleading the people of the country about the necessity of nuclear power even on important TV channels. It amuses when they talk of cost of nuclear power vs. thermal power based on coal. They are hell bent to stall the deal that will please their mentors in Beijing. The mission is one and that is to stop India getting nearer to USA. Mulayam wishes to keep all doors open for remaining important on national scene. I couldn't but laugh when I heard him saying, "Hum sirf desh ke saath hain". It is unfortunate that even BJP is opposing the deal, as it is in opposition. With their ego, neither Man Mohan nor Sonia will like to contact BJP to get the deal through in time. Why can't the Congress decide to sacrifice the government, if ultimately it means that, for the shake of the deal if it is convinced that it is the best for the nation, as so many intellectuals and experts also advise? Why can't Man Mohan as an economist PM and initiator of the deal take a stand on the deal? I wonder how shall he like to be remembered by the posterity as a bold administrator or a sycophant? Why can't Sonia Gandhi make up her mind? Can the leftists win her the next general election and make her lead the nation by forming the government? Is the win of the party is more important than the nation? I felt ultimately ashamed reading the news of Australia refusing uranium's request of India. I m sure all Indians would have felt equally ashamed. The request of the uranium was to keep on running the existing power plants to its capacity. Are the leftists also ashamed? Will they be able to arrange that from China or Russia? Why can't the leftists and the people of India understand this? I tend to believe, we get the politicians we deserve. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002126.php/feed/ They also Serve India http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002125.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002125.php#comments Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:30:30 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002125.php Billions of Entrepreneurs- How China and India are reshaping their futures- and yours'. And then I moved to 'The new Age of Innovation- driving co-created value through global networks' jointly written by CK Prahalad and MS Krishnan, that is more about a new management concept of co-creation for innovation. While going through the books of these categories, I would have always loved to read them as e-books, however with some more features integrated in present technology of e-books. My e-book reader must have a provision to customize the book in such a manner that I could change or rather update the data provided in the book on real time as well as it must have provision to integrate my views wherever I wish to do that. I don't know if any such gadget is commercially available on date. Khanna and Prahalad both have used quite a good number of case examples from Indian industries and mentioned of many Indian managers. So the books go a long way to sell and promote India and Indian industries globally. Both the authors have earned a lot of reputation, frequently travel abroad and keep on speaking on different forums of the world. I see in them Deming and Zuran of yesteryears who were traveling to Japan and bringing a new revolution there through their quality management lectures. The case histories of Indian enterprises, entrepreneurs, and managers would make India known better and in right light. Prahalad talks extensively about the innovative approaches of ICICI, ITC's e- Choupal, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and Satyam that are becoming new MNCs. 'Satyam is experimenting in leveraging resources from Indian villages to improve its efficiency of its recruitment process. With manpower cost of less than a dollar a day, Satyam is also experimenting with doing some traditional accounting business processes in the villages.' One can imagine the cost benefit leverage it can provide with competition. Prahalad has mentioned in this new book about even innovative business model of startups such as TutorVista in the business of providing customized tutoring and Nirvana, an emerging BPO company in Bangalore. Tutor Vista currently has over 10,000 paying students, and is expanding its tutor base of over 5,000 tutors to countries outside India, including the United States. Nirvana serves global financial services clients in customer support and other backoffice processes.The company through its unique applications of analytics and process discipline constantly is improving its understanding of customers and deliver value through global resource leverage.' Meritrack is another startup in India 'that has developed methods for providing a testing service for the quantittive and reasoning skills of people.' It got a mention in Prahalad's book. Prahalad also refers to the simple gadgets of $30 cell phones that Madras Cement provides to all delivery truck drivers to improve efficiency and delivery. "To date, the simple, innovative solution has led to recurring annual savings of more than $4 million." Prahald talks about the organisational revolution and various process inovations at Madras Cements that resulted in a recurring $8.5 million increase in annual profits- an increase of 21% in 2001. Taruun Khanna has many success stories of Indian corporates and institutions in his book. In each of the chapters, he has dealt with Chinese enterprises with Indian ones, such as Infosys with TCL in 'Unshackling Indigenous Enterprise' or Microsoft with Metro Cash and Carry in 'Views from the World's Corner Offices'. While writing on DLF story, Khanna emphaises, "Here (Gurgaon), a private-sector entrepreneur has achieved-albiet much more slowly-what the state achieved in Shanghai." He writes equally lucidly about the wonderful work of SEWA and Dr. Devi Shetty and his "Wal-Martization' of healthcare. The book mentions many Indian enterprises and the entrepreneurs. Bookshops are today flooded with many books on the rising India. They tell the stories of the indian enterprises small and big for the readers in all English speaking countries of the world and help in brand building for India. CK Prahalad and MS Krishnana are professors in Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Tarun Khanna teaches in Harvard Business School. Prahlad, Krishnan, Khanna and other writers are serving and selling Incredible India to the world. Many a times I wonder why do I not come across the such books by any such professors from India's so famed IIMs. Are they all introvert and don't wish to write about Rising India? Are they not sure if India is on its way of becoming the superpower one day very soon?Are they banned by the rules of the institutes that are government aided from writing books that help in creating the image of the instituions and the country? I wish some one writes some authoritative book on 'Manufacturing India'. ]]> Billions of Entrepreneurs- How China and India are reshaping their futures- and yours'. And then I moved to 'The new Age of Innovation- driving co-created value through global networks' jointly written by CK Prahalad and MS Krishnan, that is more about a new management concept of co-creation for innovation. While going through the books of these categories, I would have always loved to read them as e-books, however with some more features integrated in present technology of e-books. My e-book reader must have a provision to customize the book in such a manner that I could change or rather update the data provided in the book on real time as well as it must have provision to integrate my views wherever I wish to do that. I don't know if any such gadget is commercially available on date. Khanna and Prahalad both have used quite a good number of case examples from Indian industries and mentioned of many Indian managers. So the books go a long way to sell and promote India and Indian industries globally. Both the authors have earned a lot of reputation, frequently travel abroad and keep on speaking on different forums of the world. I see in them Deming and Zuran of yesteryears who were traveling to Japan and bringing a new revolution there through their quality management lectures. The case histories of Indian enterprises, entrepreneurs, and managers would make India known better and in right light. Prahalad talks extensively about the innovative approaches of ICICI, ITC's e- Choupal, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and Satyam that are becoming new MNCs. 'Satyam is experimenting in leveraging resources from Indian villages to improve its efficiency of its recruitment process. With manpower cost of less than a dollar a day, Satyam is also experimenting with doing some traditional accounting business processes in the villages.' One can imagine the cost benefit leverage it can provide with competition. Prahalad has mentioned in this new book about even innovative business model of startups such as TutorVista in the business of providing customized tutoring and Nirvana, an emerging BPO company in Bangalore. Tutor Vista currently has over 10,000 paying students, and is expanding its tutor base of over 5,000 tutors to countries outside India, including the United States. Nirvana serves global financial services clients in customer support and other backoffice processes.The company through its unique applications of analytics and process discipline constantly is improving its understanding of customers and deliver value through global resource leverage.' Meritrack is another startup in India 'that has developed methods for providing a testing service for the quantittive and reasoning skills of people.' It got a mention in Prahalad's book. Prahalad also refers to the simple gadgets of $30 cell phones that Madras Cement provides to all delivery truck drivers to improve efficiency and delivery. "To date, the simple, innovative solution has led to recurring annual savings of more than $4 million." Prahald talks about the organisational revolution and various process inovations at Madras Cements that resulted in a recurring $8.5 million increase in annual profits- an increase of 21% in 2001. Taruun Khanna has many success stories of Indian corporates and institutions in his book. In each of the chapters, he has dealt with Chinese enterprises with Indian ones, such as Infosys with TCL in 'Unshackling Indigenous Enterprise' or Microsoft with Metro Cash and Carry in 'Views from the World's Corner Offices'. While writing on DLF story, Khanna emphaises, "Here (Gurgaon), a private-sector entrepreneur has achieved-albiet much more slowly-what the state achieved in Shanghai." He writes equally lucidly about the wonderful work of SEWA and Dr. Devi Shetty and his "Wal-Martization' of healthcare. The book mentions many Indian enterprises and the entrepreneurs. Bookshops are today flooded with many books on the rising India. They tell the stories of the indian enterprises small and big for the readers in all English speaking countries of the world and help in brand building for India. CK Prahalad and MS Krishnana are professors in Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Tarun Khanna teaches in Harvard Business School. Prahlad, Krishnan, Khanna and other writers are serving and selling Incredible India to the world. Many a times I wonder why do I not come across the such books by any such professors from India's so famed IIMs. Are they all introvert and don't wish to write about Rising India? Are they not sure if India is on its way of becoming the superpower one day very soon?Are they banned by the rules of the institutes that are government aided from writing books that help in creating the image of the instituions and the country? I wish some one writes some authoritative book on 'Manufacturing India'. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002125.php/feed/ Noida Sector 41- Election Time Again http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002109.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002109.php#comments Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:47:05 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002109.php Lastly, I have a question for the residents of sector 41. Will the residents like to live with the same executive panel forever? I feel the answer must not be 'yes', as it will be perpetuating a new definition of democracy- 'by the few, of the few, and for the few'. Finally, hearty congratulations to the winners with an expectation that they will carry out the task of better service to the residents! ]]> Lastly, I have a question for the residents of sector 41. Will the residents like to live with the same executive panel forever? I feel the answer must not be 'yes', as it will be perpetuating a new definition of democracy- 'by the few, of the few, and for the few'. Finally, hearty congratulations to the winners with an expectation that they will carry out the task of better service to the residents! ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/uncategorized/002109.php/feed/