Felt rather disgusted when I first read this in ET:
In a shocking case of corporate misgovernance, a senior executive of Samsung India Electronics, the Indian arm of the South Korean electronic giant, misappropriated funds worth several crores of rupees from his firm, using ingenious methods to achieve his task.
Vivek Prakash, vice-president, sales and marketing (IT division), had everything going for him. He was only 34 years old and, in the firm’s hierarchy, he was next only to the director, drawing a handsome salary. His total package amounted to Rs 40 lakhs per annum.
Yet, he put in his papers abruptly one fine morning, last January. When he did so, his bosses in India and in South Korea were not surprised. From late last year, they could detect irregularities in his functioning. On scrutiny, they stumbled upon something to give them sleepless nights for many days.
Using R S Sahu, manager, accounts (receivables), an officer who was reporting directly to him, as an accomplice, Prakash had duped the company of Rs 18 crore. While the Delhi Police’s economic offences wing (EOW) had already laid its hands upon evidence on the embezzlement of this amount, there is a feeling that magnitude of the fraud could be bigger.
Was even more disgusted when I learn that this guy is an IIM grad (Bangalore - '95 batch).
Yes, one on the one hand there is Manjunath who sacrificed his life, unwilling to be bought out. And on the other hand there is Vivek Prakash who sacrificed his honour, who so willingly sold out.
And for what? Why would someone who had everything going for him take such a risk? I guess he thought he was just too smart to get caught.
But he did and the future looks pretty bleak. The Delhi high court recently refused his application for anticipatory bail.
Smarts vs Ethics
There is a hectic debate going on in some of the IIM egroups and mailing lists. One alum wrote:
I suggest IIMs and alumni collectively should take the lead in denouncing this guy (and any other alumnus caught doing such things or worse)... take back the degree, etc. To send the message that while even IIMs may have black sheep, we strongly condemn such behaviour, and will take the lead in punishing him, in whatever ways we can.
Another adds: I just finished reading a book about the Enron collapse ("Smartest Guys In The Room"), where most of the fraudsters were very highly educated. Education is no guarantee for ethics... But still, it is a shock - coming so soon after Manju.
Of course in case of Enron it wasn't one individual but an entire organisation built on a culture where the bottomline came first and nothing else mattered.
Oh, they did have an 'Official Code of Ethics'. As Michael Miller describes it: The July 2000 booklet is nearly 65 pages of take-the-high-road legalese that must have made employees feel they were working for the Vatican or some other equally pure and clean organization...
As they say it's all about what you do and not about what you say or preach. And a conscience is something that ought to prick you when no one is looking.
A blot on us all?
I don't know what the IIM 'community' can do to punish Vivek Prakash.
But yes, in some small way his individual decision to embrace the Dark Side does leave a small blot on the collective brand equity of IIM graduates. Just like Manjunath's principled stand added a positive shine to it.
We, who condemn corruption at large should highlight the need for ethical practices in business. And along with Manjunath, include a case study on Vivek Prakash to be taught in b schools as well!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Ethics of MBA Admissions
A decade ago life for a b school aspirant was relatively simple. You gave the CAT, CET and XL entrance - then hoped to get in somewhere.
Now, the sheer multitude of entrance exams, procedures, interviews, GDs - simply boggles the mind. Add to that admission deadlines and the ensuing decision dilemmas that candidates face. Because B schools can't follow student-friendly policies.
Some announce their admissions as early as February, others in April. Students who pay up at B schools which close their admissions early end up losing anything from Rs 50,000-100,000 even though they withdraw their applications a full two months before the start of the academic session.
The vacated seats are invariably filled up by wait-listed candidates.
Nilesh Gupta, an FPM student at IIM A decided to take up the matter and blogged about it here. The strange bit is Nilesh is doing this not because he himself lost any money but because he feels justice must be done.
We at JAM too share in Nilesh's concern for the student community and hence teamed up with him to bring out a detailed and exhaustive story of the many students who have faced this 'non-refund' problem. It's a problem that prevails at a multitude of institutes.
JAM has a 2 page feature on 'Ethics of MBA Admission' in its Dec 15 issue which hits stands shortly.
You can also access the article here. Feel free to share your own views and experiences in the comments section.
There will be more updates on this and other admission related issues, in days to come.
Now, the sheer multitude of entrance exams, procedures, interviews, GDs - simply boggles the mind. Add to that admission deadlines and the ensuing decision dilemmas that candidates face. Because B schools can't follow student-friendly policies.
Some announce their admissions as early as February, others in April. Students who pay up at B schools which close their admissions early end up losing anything from Rs 50,000-100,000 even though they withdraw their applications a full two months before the start of the academic session.
The vacated seats are invariably filled up by wait-listed candidates.
Nilesh Gupta, an FPM student at IIM A decided to take up the matter and blogged about it here. The strange bit is Nilesh is doing this not because he himself lost any money but because he feels justice must be done.
We at JAM too share in Nilesh's concern for the student community and hence teamed up with him to bring out a detailed and exhaustive story of the many students who have faced this 'non-refund' problem. It's a problem that prevails at a multitude of institutes.
JAM has a 2 page feature on 'Ethics of MBA Admission' in its Dec 15 issue which hits stands shortly.
You can also access the article here. Feel free to share your own views and experiences in the comments section.
There will be more updates on this and other admission related issues, in days to come.
Sting Thing
What an amazing sting! Amazing because just a few days ago Aaj Tak was pleased as punch that apna reporter managed to sneak into Amitabhji's hospital room.
Yesterday, with Operation Duryodhana, executed in partnership with Aniruddha Bahal's Cobrapost , the channel gave a real and powerful example of what being 'sabse tez' can be about.
Yes, competition may have dumbed down TV but with it also comes the incentive to take risks and do something to rise above the clutter. Something like Operation Duryodhana.
It's great that Aaj Tak recognised 'we can't do everything'. No major media house would have the expertise, the patience or the balls to pull of a sting operation of this magnitude. Working 8 months on one story? Uh, 8 days is a major 'well-researched' magazine cover. 8 hours is more like it on most days.
For Cobrapost too, the Aaj Tak tie up makes a lot of sense. Remember what happened with tehelkagate? Sure it got coverage but by giving co-ownership of the Duryodhana story to the Today group, Cobrapost's sting makes a huge impact. And won't die down easily either.
Within hours all the parties whose MPs are implicated had suspended their MPs. Excepting the RJD.
Contrast with the tehelka scandal where those caught on camera remained defiant and instead tried to harass tehelka. Probably thinking: woh log chhote hain, unka mooh band karva sakte hain.
Now, it ain't gonna be possible. You can attack Aniruddha Bahal and his team but can you malign the India Today group and get away with it?
Win-win
The Aaj tak tie up also makes great financial sense for the Small Guy. 5 lakhs were paid in bribes to the MPs alone. There must have been hajaar other incidental expenses. And of course the cost of running the Cobrapost operations - salaries, cellphones et al.
Instead of worrying about how the office electricity bill - as well as how to create an impact with the story - Cobrapost could concentrate on its core area of expertise: conducting the sting operation.
And it looks like they invested in some really great spy cameras 'cause the picture quality is far far superior to the grainy visuals generally seen in a sting operation.
As far as Aaj Tak is concerned what is Rs 15-20 lakhs? Or even more?? Sure there was a small risk that things would not come through but with Bahal's reputation that was a risk worth taking.
The result is a story that will give Aaj Tak eyeballs worth several crores. Given that the channel had Star News nipping at its heels recently, this is surely just what the TRP doctor ordered.
And it goes to show that no matter how many times you change your channel graphics, the ratings will come only when you give viewers a reason to tune in for your core offering - NEWS.
Giving Credit
The issue is of such national interest that no competitor can afford to ignore it. But surprisingly, this time almost all have been graceful enough to acknowledge it was a Cobrapost-Aaj Tak sting operation.
This includes even the biggies like TOI and HT although curiously ET has not done so and in its online article TOI is a little more coy, only mentions Aaj Tak.
Only NDTV appears to be in denial and sulking. . No mention of this news at all on their current homepage
In their late night bulletin last night the top story was 'opening of Pune International airport'.
Star News, meanwhile, took a 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' view and was airing its own series of 'look, these are your dirty politician' bulletins.
Questions
Getting politicians from across the spectrum of parties was a really smart idea. Perhaps that's what took the operation so long?
Given that 6 BJP MPs succumbed to the Dark Side one can infer that those in the party out of power have less avenues for 'income' and can be tempted more easily.
But how come there are no MPs from Left parties? Can the public conclude they have more integrity?
Secondly, did all the MPs approached agree to take bribes? Or were there some who refused? That might be interesting to know.
Some of the questions MPs agreed to raise were absolute rubbish. eg an imaginary genetically modified "Catch 22 cottonseed" . And the ROTFL :
“Is it true that while NRI firms such as India Uncut of USA, Sepia Mutiny of Britain and AnarCap Lib of Netherlands have been allowed to invest in Indian SSIs, the reputed German investment firm Desipundit has been denied permission? If so, the reasons thereof?
Is the Union Government of India planning to make automatic the long procedure of permission for SSIs to import new technologies such as Trackbacks, Pingbacks, Blogrolls, Splogs and Hitcounters?”
This question was submitted with the purpose of getting a reply from the minister of Small Scale Industries. Thankfully, there are some brains functioning in Parliament house because from Cobrapost's press release it would seem that none of the faltu questions actually made it to the floor or even as questions worthy of written replies.
But yeah, they make for a great story. It's good to see the Cobrapost guys retain a sense of humour in what must have been a tense and trying time.
And I love the name 'Operation Duryodhana'. Although it's not apt in the literal sense coz the operation was more of a political 'vastraharan'.
This time the Duryodhans were the ones getting 'exposed'. And ironically, it was a woman - Cobrapost's intrepid Suhasini Raj - who was doing the exposing.
And much as I'd like to see who she is, I hope she and the rest of the sting ops team stays away from the limelight. So we can look forward to many more such Duryodhans and vastraharans!
Yesterday, with Operation Duryodhana, executed in partnership with Aniruddha Bahal's Cobrapost , the channel gave a real and powerful example of what being 'sabse tez' can be about.
Yes, competition may have dumbed down TV but with it also comes the incentive to take risks and do something to rise above the clutter. Something like Operation Duryodhana.
It's great that Aaj Tak recognised 'we can't do everything'. No major media house would have the expertise, the patience or the balls to pull of a sting operation of this magnitude. Working 8 months on one story? Uh, 8 days is a major 'well-researched' magazine cover. 8 hours is more like it on most days.
For Cobrapost too, the Aaj Tak tie up makes a lot of sense. Remember what happened with tehelkagate? Sure it got coverage but by giving co-ownership of the Duryodhana story to the Today group, Cobrapost's sting makes a huge impact. And won't die down easily either.
Within hours all the parties whose MPs are implicated had suspended their MPs. Excepting the RJD.
Contrast with the tehelka scandal where those caught on camera remained defiant and instead tried to harass tehelka. Probably thinking: woh log chhote hain, unka mooh band karva sakte hain.
Now, it ain't gonna be possible. You can attack Aniruddha Bahal and his team but can you malign the India Today group and get away with it?
Win-win
The Aaj tak tie up also makes great financial sense for the Small Guy. 5 lakhs were paid in bribes to the MPs alone. There must have been hajaar other incidental expenses. And of course the cost of running the Cobrapost operations - salaries, cellphones et al.
Instead of worrying about how the office electricity bill - as well as how to create an impact with the story - Cobrapost could concentrate on its core area of expertise: conducting the sting operation.
And it looks like they invested in some really great spy cameras 'cause the picture quality is far far superior to the grainy visuals generally seen in a sting operation.
As far as Aaj Tak is concerned what is Rs 15-20 lakhs? Or even more?? Sure there was a small risk that things would not come through but with Bahal's reputation that was a risk worth taking.
The result is a story that will give Aaj Tak eyeballs worth several crores. Given that the channel had Star News nipping at its heels recently, this is surely just what the TRP doctor ordered.
And it goes to show that no matter how many times you change your channel graphics, the ratings will come only when you give viewers a reason to tune in for your core offering - NEWS.
Giving Credit
The issue is of such national interest that no competitor can afford to ignore it. But surprisingly, this time almost all have been graceful enough to acknowledge it was a Cobrapost-Aaj Tak sting operation.
This includes even the biggies like TOI and HT although curiously ET has not done so and in its online article TOI is a little more coy, only mentions Aaj Tak.
Only NDTV appears to be in denial and sulking. . No mention of this news at all on their current homepage
In their late night bulletin last night the top story was 'opening of Pune International airport'.
Star News, meanwhile, took a 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' view and was airing its own series of 'look, these are your dirty politician' bulletins.
Questions
Getting politicians from across the spectrum of parties was a really smart idea. Perhaps that's what took the operation so long?
Given that 6 BJP MPs succumbed to the Dark Side one can infer that those in the party out of power have less avenues for 'income' and can be tempted more easily.
But how come there are no MPs from Left parties? Can the public conclude they have more integrity?
Secondly, did all the MPs approached agree to take bribes? Or were there some who refused? That might be interesting to know.
Some of the questions MPs agreed to raise were absolute rubbish. eg an imaginary genetically modified "Catch 22 cottonseed" . And the ROTFL :
“Is it true that while NRI firms such as India Uncut of USA, Sepia Mutiny of Britain and AnarCap Lib of Netherlands have been allowed to invest in Indian SSIs, the reputed German investment firm Desipundit has been denied permission? If so, the reasons thereof?
Is the Union Government of India planning to make automatic the long procedure of permission for SSIs to import new technologies such as Trackbacks, Pingbacks, Blogrolls, Splogs and Hitcounters?”
This question was submitted with the purpose of getting a reply from the minister of Small Scale Industries. Thankfully, there are some brains functioning in Parliament house because from Cobrapost's press release it would seem that none of the faltu questions actually made it to the floor or even as questions worthy of written replies.
But yeah, they make for a great story. It's good to see the Cobrapost guys retain a sense of humour in what must have been a tense and trying time.
And I love the name 'Operation Duryodhana'. Although it's not apt in the literal sense coz the operation was more of a political 'vastraharan'.
This time the Duryodhans were the ones getting 'exposed'. And ironically, it was a woman - Cobrapost's intrepid Suhasini Raj - who was doing the exposing.
And much as I'd like to see who she is, I hope she and the rest of the sting ops team stays away from the limelight. So we can look forward to many more such Duryodhans and vastraharans!
That sinking feeling
Imagine this hideous thing in your bathroom. With a matching commode and similar fancy-shmancy tiles.
Imagine staring at this for for 10 minutes of every day for the next 20 years of your life.
Because that's what happens if you buy the wrong bathroom fittings. You can sell off dud shares. You can throw away ill-fitting clothes. But junking a bathroom? Next to impossible.
And it's not just the money although yes - it costs a bomb. The bigger cost is your time and your life, both of which get screwed when random workmen float in and out of your house. And keep requiring random sums of money for screws and pipes and what not.
After which you check on the progress made in the last hour and note the shelf is slightly crooked or the tiles don't look like they're stuck on right.
But do you want perfection or do you just want peace? If you're not Monica from Friends, you know the answer!
Thande thande paani se...
...Log kisi zamaane mein nahate the. These days jacuzzis and shower cubicles and all those jazzy '5 star' type bathrooms are yours for the asking. (Even those lovely transparent glass sinks!)
Of course if you are an average dude living in a 900 sq ft Mumbai flat the best you can try for is a shower with jet-sprays. For which you have to spend on installing a pressure pump and a storage geyser and what have you.
Apparently, the real high end stuff sells for as much as Rs 7 lakhs.
The latest in this is a steam shower with transparent glass cabin with two seats and a door. It is equipped with an overhead shower and two bodyshowers. Other installation cabin includes a steam generator, thermostat temperature sensor, lighting and ventilation unit. An automatic fragrance unit is another temptation.
That article appeared in the Chandigarh Tribune and honestly I think that's where the real market for these products is. The last time I was in Ludhiana I was amazed by this 3 storey high shop on the outskirts of the city with model after model of amazing 'imported' bathroom fittings.
I guess they don't pay 1 crore for poky flats in Cuffe Parade and Bandra - they build sprawling kothis. And each bathroom is lovingly done up to reflect one's status in life.
The old joke was you hid your non-tax paid money beneath the bathroom tiles -now the money stares back at you from the crystal plated faucet.
Nah, I don't grudge 'em these small joys. Sanitaryware zindabad. Yes, we want our bathrooms to be 'glamourooms'.
But sadly, you never quite know if it's gonna go the glamour way or the horror way... I myself have one half-finished orange and white bathroom to ponder over. Kaafi bhayanak lag raha hai.
Pray for me.
P.S. On popular demand, I am adding on Google Adsense. Will let you know if and when I make enough to pick up a couple of designer soapdishes!
Friday, December 09, 2005
Nil n Icky
"That movie is gonna be one of the worst ever..." predicted one reader in response to this post last month.
You were dead right, girl. Neal n Nicky is not "funny, frothy and fantastic" . If there is one F word that describes it (besides the obvious one) it's FAKE.
Neal, "the Neal", if you please describes himself as a typical Indian boy with "nothing typically Indian about him". However, the only "unIndian" quality he exhibits is playing American football (or perhaps the Canadian version ).
Who else but a desi banda plays the field but knows deep down in their heart: I will have an arranged marriage!"
Because my Mummy knows what's best for me.
Come again?
The trouble is, if Neal is supposed to be this suave 'ladies man' then it's not clear why his eyes pop out everytime a hot chick passes by. As in God-I-am-so-lucky-she's-even-looking-at-me.
Then we have Nikki, who is out to prove that Indian naaris can also look as starved as Kate Moss. We can roam around in bikini tops and mini skirts, just like those white chicks. And have dishy ex-boyfriends who speak French. But wait, the Indian naari is superior because she will still be a virgin.
Of course she does behave badly once in a while, but only when drunk. That's when she sings songs with lyrics like: "I wanna show my body groove the nite away .. Halla re, halla re". And says to strangers 'take me home'.
But she meant her own home, silly.
What went wrong
You know the teens-finding-true-love-after-trashing-the-countryside genre of films in Hollywood. This is the Yashraj version. But no, it just does not work. For one the actors can't carry off their parts. Uday is too wannabe, Tanisha screechy and desperate to show off her ribcage ("see, see how much charbi I lost!")
The first half is particularly and spectacularly bad. Things actually improve after the interval. And the ending is rather sweet. But, it's too little, too late. The movie ends and you don't really care this way or that.
There are some nice touches here and there, of course. The most memorable 'kracter' of the film is the sardar with a guitar (modelled on Rabbi Shergill) who suddenly jumps out and plays a crucial part.
Which is sad because there was plenty of comic potential. Except someone forgot to write the jokes and decided to distract the audience with cleavage instead.
India Rocks
You know how for years we Indians lamented that Hollywood shows India as a nation of elephants and snakecharmers? Well we are finally having sweet revenge with Bollywood. And Yashraj films is leading the charge...
It started with Bunty aur Babli where the duo made an idiot out of two dumb whites by 'selling' them the Taj Mahal. Then in Salaam Namaste you had Jaaved Jaffrey's bimbo sidekick whose only dialogue was 'sorry?'
Now, you have dozens of white bimbo chicks pouring out of tight t shirts. All eyeing our Indian hunk. One babe even introduces her body parts by name (yeww, but true). If I were white and female I'd scream,"Hey, we're not all like that! Bollywood, you have the wrong idea..."
Tough luck, sister. You're an extra in our films now - like we were once in yours.
Parody time
Lastly, the makers do try a touch of self-deprecating humour. There's a small parody of DDLJ with Neal and Nikki running towards each other in a sarson ka khet before they say "nah". That's not our style.
But it's taken to literal and ridiculous lengths when they actually dance on mountain tops in true Bollywood style, to make Nikki's firang ex-boyfriend 'jealous'. Again, it could have been funny but isn't.
Bottomline: Neal n Nikki is going to get very bad reviews. I would give it 1.5 stars. Only for the ending - make that two.
It's not about being meaningful or making sense. But films like Kya Cool Hain Hum or No Entry were at least fun and feel-good. This one never quite evokes even those feelings.
Neal 'N' Nikki better not be a hit! declared rediff.com and I sincerely hope so too. Because that would force the film makers to treat the youth audience with more respect.
And enough of globe-trotting. Can we have a youth-centric Yashraj film set in contemporary India, for a change?
You were dead right, girl. Neal n Nicky is not "funny, frothy and fantastic" . If there is one F word that describes it (besides the obvious one) it's FAKE.
Neal, "the Neal", if you please describes himself as a typical Indian boy with "nothing typically Indian about him". However, the only "unIndian" quality he exhibits is playing American football (or perhaps the Canadian version ).
Who else but a desi banda plays the field but knows deep down in their heart: I will have an arranged marriage!"
Because my Mummy knows what's best for me.
Come again?
The trouble is, if Neal is supposed to be this suave 'ladies man' then it's not clear why his eyes pop out everytime a hot chick passes by. As in God-I-am-so-lucky-she's-even-looking-at-me.
Then we have Nikki, who is out to prove that Indian naaris can also look as starved as Kate Moss. We can roam around in bikini tops and mini skirts, just like those white chicks. And have dishy ex-boyfriends who speak French. But wait, the Indian naari is superior because she will still be a virgin.
Of course she does behave badly once in a while, but only when drunk. That's when she sings songs with lyrics like: "I wanna show my body groove the nite away .. Halla re, halla re". And says to strangers 'take me home'.
But she meant her own home, silly.
What went wrong
You know the teens-finding-true-love-after-trashing-the-countryside genre of films in Hollywood. This is the Yashraj version. But no, it just does not work. For one the actors can't carry off their parts. Uday is too wannabe, Tanisha screechy and desperate to show off her ribcage ("see, see how much charbi I lost!")
The first half is particularly and spectacularly bad. Things actually improve after the interval. And the ending is rather sweet. But, it's too little, too late. The movie ends and you don't really care this way or that.
There are some nice touches here and there, of course. The most memorable 'kracter' of the film is the sardar with a guitar (modelled on Rabbi Shergill) who suddenly jumps out and plays a crucial part.
Which is sad because there was plenty of comic potential. Except someone forgot to write the jokes and decided to distract the audience with cleavage instead.
India Rocks
You know how for years we Indians lamented that Hollywood shows India as a nation of elephants and snakecharmers? Well we are finally having sweet revenge with Bollywood. And Yashraj films is leading the charge...
It started with Bunty aur Babli where the duo made an idiot out of two dumb whites by 'selling' them the Taj Mahal. Then in Salaam Namaste you had Jaaved Jaffrey's bimbo sidekick whose only dialogue was 'sorry?'
Now, you have dozens of white bimbo chicks pouring out of tight t shirts. All eyeing our Indian hunk. One babe even introduces her body parts by name (yeww, but true). If I were white and female I'd scream,"Hey, we're not all like that! Bollywood, you have the wrong idea..."
Tough luck, sister. You're an extra in our films now - like we were once in yours.
Parody time
Lastly, the makers do try a touch of self-deprecating humour. There's a small parody of DDLJ with Neal and Nikki running towards each other in a sarson ka khet before they say "nah". That's not our style.
But it's taken to literal and ridiculous lengths when they actually dance on mountain tops in true Bollywood style, to make Nikki's firang ex-boyfriend 'jealous'. Again, it could have been funny but isn't.
Bottomline: Neal n Nikki is going to get very bad reviews. I would give it 1.5 stars. Only for the ending - make that two.
It's not about being meaningful or making sense. But films like Kya Cool Hain Hum or No Entry were at least fun and feel-good. This one never quite evokes even those feelings.
Neal 'N' Nikki better not be a hit! declared rediff.com and I sincerely hope so too. Because that would force the film makers to treat the youth audience with more respect.
And enough of globe-trotting. Can we have a youth-centric Yashraj film set in contemporary India, for a change?
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
This is a recruitment ad
I once signed up for Google Adsense but never added the code to my blog. Because I don't think it's gonna fetch me any significant revenues.
But the non-monetary benefits of blogging have been more than sufficient to keep me going. Besides the pleasure writing gives me, it's amazing to see the amount of young creative talent on display. And heartening as well.
Because the first rule of 'wanting to be a writer' is you have to WRITE! Yet, over the last 10 years hundreds of young people have written to me with eir 'inclination' to write for JAM. Very few actually send you any proof of their ability to do so.
Ask 'em to write and send you sample and many say 'give me a topic'. Well, that's the second rule of 'wanting to be a writer' - you gotta find a topic and sell the idea to your editor. Sure, I might give out assignments from time to time but definitely favour those who come to me with *some* thoughts of their own.
If I do all the thinking for you, where's the fun?
And that's why I like bloggers who write to me saying they'd want to contribute to JAM - they have an existing body of work.
Conversely, when a blogger's work impresses me I do not hesitate to ask him/ her -"Dude, can we publish this post?" Aditya, Gaurav, Anantha Narayan and Chanakya are a few of the bloggers whose bylines have graced JAM in recent months.
Going one step further, I have offered assignments to bloggers. Bhavya Khanna covered India Fashion Week 2005 for JAM and did a fantastic job of it. More so because he had no experience - he saw the event with fresh and freaky eyes.
Assignments anyone?
So here's the deal. JAM is not a magazine with a fleet of 26 reporters. We could do with eyes, ears and legs everywhere. But eyes, ears and legs who can write with attitude and flair.
Some of our current requirements include folks who'd like to cover:
a) Rock shows/ rock bands
b) Review music albums (they can be couriered to you)
c) Review movies - this would suit the vela types who can attend preview shows on weekday mornings in south Bombay.
d) Review eating joints
e) Review nightspots
f) Review college festivals
g) Write on tech trends, sports
h) Lastly and most importantly - write humour pieces and even JAM cover stories!
Location: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune in particular but rest of India may apply as well. Phoren based writers? What the heck, we could use great content from anywhere in the world.
OK, so I'm not expecting any one person to do all of this. Just pick and choose what turns you on and where you think you can deliver.
We pay for all published articles + expenses on specific assignments. So there's your chance for some pizza money. And fame, fortune, glory! Nah - that you have already :)
And oh, lastly. Am also looking for a writer who'd like to WORK with JAM full time, based in Mumbai. If you are crazy enough to apply for a job you saw advertised on a blog - you could be just the person we're looking for!
But the non-monetary benefits of blogging have been more than sufficient to keep me going. Besides the pleasure writing gives me, it's amazing to see the amount of young creative talent on display. And heartening as well.
Because the first rule of 'wanting to be a writer' is you have to WRITE! Yet, over the last 10 years hundreds of young people have written to me with eir 'inclination' to write for JAM. Very few actually send you any proof of their ability to do so.
Ask 'em to write and send you sample and many say 'give me a topic'. Well, that's the second rule of 'wanting to be a writer' - you gotta find a topic and sell the idea to your editor. Sure, I might give out assignments from time to time but definitely favour those who come to me with *some* thoughts of their own.
If I do all the thinking for you, where's the fun?
And that's why I like bloggers who write to me saying they'd want to contribute to JAM - they have an existing body of work.
Conversely, when a blogger's work impresses me I do not hesitate to ask him/ her -"Dude, can we publish this post?" Aditya, Gaurav, Anantha Narayan and Chanakya are a few of the bloggers whose bylines have graced JAM in recent months.
Going one step further, I have offered assignments to bloggers. Bhavya Khanna covered India Fashion Week 2005 for JAM and did a fantastic job of it. More so because he had no experience - he saw the event with fresh and freaky eyes.
Assignments anyone?
So here's the deal. JAM is not a magazine with a fleet of 26 reporters. We could do with eyes, ears and legs everywhere. But eyes, ears and legs who can write with attitude and flair.
Some of our current requirements include folks who'd like to cover:
a) Rock shows/ rock bands
b) Review music albums (they can be couriered to you)
c) Review movies - this would suit the vela types who can attend preview shows on weekday mornings in south Bombay.
d) Review eating joints
e) Review nightspots
f) Review college festivals
g) Write on tech trends, sports
h) Lastly and most importantly - write humour pieces and even JAM cover stories!
Location: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune in particular but rest of India may apply as well. Phoren based writers? What the heck, we could use great content from anywhere in the world.
OK, so I'm not expecting any one person to do all of this. Just pick and choose what turns you on and where you think you can deliver.
We pay for all published articles + expenses on specific assignments. So there's your chance for some pizza money. And fame, fortune, glory! Nah - that you have already :)
And oh, lastly. Am also looking for a writer who'd like to WORK with JAM full time, based in Mumbai. If you are crazy enough to apply for a job you saw advertised on a blog - you could be just the person we're looking for!
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Yeh India, woh India
6th December is a date which will be remembered in history textbooks as the day on which the Babri masjid was demolished.
But, if you are a resident of Mumbai, it is the day you know you'll be stuck in a massive traffic snarl. Because 6th December is the day that thousands of dalits descend on Chaityabhoomi near Shivaji Park - to pay homage to Dr B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary.
Many will stay on for a day or two - to 'see' the city. They will camp on the roads, at railway stations. Their presence will be an eyesore and a nuisance to us city-slickers.
And yet, we can only be grateful that they do go back to whatever miserable existence they know. That they don't choose to stay on here and demand a share in the visible prosperity of the 'other India'.
Because with their sheer magnitude in number, under an able leadership, they can easily decide it's time for 'revolution'!
On the other hand...
Even as the 'have nots' choose to stay peaceful, the haves are going on rampage. And over what? A bucket of water!
TOI reports:
It all started on Saturday morning when two first year MBBS students, Sanchit Mittal and M Chandrakant, got into an argument over who would first get hot water for a bath. Chandrakant complained to the acting secretary of R M Bhatt Hostel, Ramdas Morale, a third-year student.
Morale and four others confronted an injured Mittal and later warned all non-Maharashtrian students not to "trouble" others.
Despite efforts to broker peace on Saturday and Sunday, a huge mob entered the hostel shouting slogans Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji! on Sunday night, students said. They vandalised the hostel rooms and beat up non-Maharashtrians.
All students are now out on bail - the judge apparently took cognisance of the fact that they have exams coming up. So instead of cooling their heels in the lock up, they only have to 'report' to the police station twice a week.
And finally...
As I write this TV channels are flashing the news that there has been a lathi charge at Mumbai airport. Supporters of spiritual leader Swami Narendra were protesting against him being frisked by airport security.
To disperse this crowd, which refused to leave after demonstrating for over 2 hours outside the domestic terminal, a lathi charge was ordered. TV reporters say many have been injured...
The question: Why was Swamiji flying if he or his supporters have a problem with airport security? And if they did have a problem was protesting loudly the correct and spiritual thing to do?
Yes, on the surface there is 'civilisation'. But it doesn't take much for an almost-like-Bihar scenario. It takes but a minor spark to start a fire over imaginary 'issues'.
India is a cauldron, simmering with frustrations. Something is cooking - and it doesn't smell good.
But, if you are a resident of Mumbai, it is the day you know you'll be stuck in a massive traffic snarl. Because 6th December is the day that thousands of dalits descend on Chaityabhoomi near Shivaji Park - to pay homage to Dr B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary.
Many will stay on for a day or two - to 'see' the city. They will camp on the roads, at railway stations. Their presence will be an eyesore and a nuisance to us city-slickers.
And yet, we can only be grateful that they do go back to whatever miserable existence they know. That they don't choose to stay on here and demand a share in the visible prosperity of the 'other India'.
Because with their sheer magnitude in number, under an able leadership, they can easily decide it's time for 'revolution'!
On the other hand...
Even as the 'have nots' choose to stay peaceful, the haves are going on rampage. And over what? A bucket of water!
TOI reports:
It all started on Saturday morning when two first year MBBS students, Sanchit Mittal and M Chandrakant, got into an argument over who would first get hot water for a bath. Chandrakant complained to the acting secretary of R M Bhatt Hostel, Ramdas Morale, a third-year student.
Morale and four others confronted an injured Mittal and later warned all non-Maharashtrian students not to "trouble" others.
Despite efforts to broker peace on Saturday and Sunday, a huge mob entered the hostel shouting slogans Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji! on Sunday night, students said. They vandalised the hostel rooms and beat up non-Maharashtrians.
All students are now out on bail - the judge apparently took cognisance of the fact that they have exams coming up. So instead of cooling their heels in the lock up, they only have to 'report' to the police station twice a week.
And finally...
As I write this TV channels are flashing the news that there has been a lathi charge at Mumbai airport. Supporters of spiritual leader Swami Narendra were protesting against him being frisked by airport security.
To disperse this crowd, which refused to leave after demonstrating for over 2 hours outside the domestic terminal, a lathi charge was ordered. TV reporters say many have been injured...
The question: Why was Swamiji flying if he or his supporters have a problem with airport security? And if they did have a problem was protesting loudly the correct and spiritual thing to do?
Yes, on the surface there is 'civilisation'. But it doesn't take much for an almost-like-Bihar scenario. It takes but a minor spark to start a fire over imaginary 'issues'.
India is a cauldron, simmering with frustrations. Something is cooking - and it doesn't smell good.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Too much of a good thing
"When Fun Republic opened opposite Fame (the Shringar-owned mutliplex) in Andheri, my weekly profit after tax (PAT) came down to Rs 17 lakh from Rs 19 lakh in the first week. But Fun Republic's PAT for the first week was Rs 11 lakh. What interested me the most was not my decline in profits, but the overall increase in entertainment spending of Rs 9 lakh in the same week, on the same patch of road."
- Shravan Shroff, Shringar films speaking to Businessworld magazine in Dec 2003.
Wonder what Shroff has to say, now that one more retail wonder has come up on the same patch of road. A stone's throw from Fame is 'Infiniti', a swanky new mall-cum-multiplex housing a Westside, Food Bazaar, assorted 'brand' shops, food court and Cinemax theatres.
On a Saturday evening, Fame wore a deserted look as did the shopping complex attached to it. Infiniti was gleaming and comfortably crowd-free - no major footfalls happening here either. No waiting at any of the dozen restaurants dotting the area - from Only Parathas and Kailash Parbat to Little Italy and Ginger Marie.
Now it could be that the duds at the box office (Home Delivery, Mr ya Miss etc) are keeping junta away. Or they're taking a temporary breather in between Diwali and Xmas shopping.
But the bigger question is: how many malls and multiplexes does a single locality need. Or want? How many can it support??
It is estimated that 300 malls are 'under construction' around the country . Great - let Ludhiana and Coimbatore get malls. Let Mira Road and Belapur get malls. But let's use common sense and not add more malls per sq ft in certain areas than there are roads!
According to Chesterton Meghraj, over 40 million in India have same purchasing power as Americans. But Pricewaterhouse Coopers notes:
a. Majority of upcoming mall developments remain fragmented and sub-optimally planned
b. In near future there is likelihood of a shake-out within shopping mall business.
Aur phir kya hoga? Well maybe we can shift our schools and colleges to all those abandoned mall buildings! Or at least the coaching classes...
- Shravan Shroff, Shringar films speaking to Businessworld magazine in Dec 2003.
Wonder what Shroff has to say, now that one more retail wonder has come up on the same patch of road. A stone's throw from Fame is 'Infiniti', a swanky new mall-cum-multiplex housing a Westside, Food Bazaar, assorted 'brand' shops, food court and Cinemax theatres.
On a Saturday evening, Fame wore a deserted look as did the shopping complex attached to it. Infiniti was gleaming and comfortably crowd-free - no major footfalls happening here either. No waiting at any of the dozen restaurants dotting the area - from Only Parathas and Kailash Parbat to Little Italy and Ginger Marie.
Now it could be that the duds at the box office (Home Delivery, Mr ya Miss etc) are keeping junta away. Or they're taking a temporary breather in between Diwali and Xmas shopping.
But the bigger question is: how many malls and multiplexes does a single locality need. Or want? How many can it support??
It is estimated that 300 malls are 'under construction' around the country . Great - let Ludhiana and Coimbatore get malls. Let Mira Road and Belapur get malls. But let's use common sense and not add more malls per sq ft in certain areas than there are roads!
According to Chesterton Meghraj, over 40 million in India have same purchasing power as Americans. But Pricewaterhouse Coopers notes:
a. Majority of upcoming mall developments remain fragmented and sub-optimally planned
b. In near future there is likelihood of a shake-out within shopping mall business.
Aur phir kya hoga? Well maybe we can shift our schools and colleges to all those abandoned mall buildings! Or at least the coaching classes...
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Ham Delivery
When the going gets tough, actors change the spelling of their names. So Vivek Oberoi is now Viveik Anand Oberoi.
But that does nothing to alter the fact that Home Delivery is an absolute and complete dud of a film. With Vivek/ Viveik playing an absolute and complete dud of a character.
Sunny Chopra is a 'writer' whose claim to fame is writing an agony aunt column in 'The Times of Hindustan'. He is known as 'Gyaan Guru'. In addition Sunny is writing a script for Karan Johar. And he has a beautiful live-in girlfriend (Ayesha Takia) whose chief occupation is making coffee for him and pottering around their swanky studio apartment.
The problem is Sunny is the most fake, insincere and unlikable hero I have ever seen portrayed in Hindi films.
He lies to his boss about being ill so he can work on the script. He lies to Karan Johar because he has no script yet. He lies to his fiancee for a chance to make out with Maya - an actress he meets on a talk show who happens to be his teenage fantasy.
What is even worse is the way he cheats on ordinary matters. Like refusing to pay for the pizza he's ordered because 'if it's late, it's free'. Even when it's bang on time. A guy who wears an Omega and refuses to pay Rs 265 for pizza (shudder - this is not an official product placement, I hope!)
And oh, he also returns worn shirts and used CDs to shops. Girlfriend mildly scolds him and says 'this is not correct'. Why she wants to marry this loser is what I am trying to figure out.
At one point he drops her off at a market, says he's parking the car and instead zooms off for a rendezvous with Maya. And no, none of this is slapstick or comic like in 'No Entry' or 'Kya Cool Hain Hum'. It's high decibel irritating!
To add to the sar mein dard there are a host of peripheral characters who are supposed to be 'funny'. One mad neighbour who is a brahmachari, another who sings to produce rain and a lunatic who kills Page 3 types.
Plus there's a string of 'guest appearances' - Karan as himself, Sunil Shetty, even Abhishek Bachchan in a blink-and-you-miss-him appearance. But it's like dal hi jal gai toh usme tadka maar ke koi faayda nahin.
Far, far more was expected of director Sujoy Ghosh after Jhankaar Beats. Sadly, success probably went to his head. The script looks like it was written on a napkin by a bunch of friends who went out drinking.
Basically, someone first sat and wrote down 20 one liners and cool ideas and then decided to weave a screenplay around it. For example, you have to suffer Sunny referring to his girlfriend as 'Nani' for two hours. Just so that when he gets bonked on the head they can use the lame joke 'nani yaad aati hai'...
No Delivery
Eventually Boman Irani, playing a pizza delivery 'boy' enters Sunny's life and shows him the correct rasta. But not before he too is humiliated, bullied and treated like a piece of garbage - after doing a series of good deeds.
OK, so in the end Sunny apologises to pizzaboy and his girlfriend and realises what her value is but it's really unconvincing. Sunny is meant to represent the modern, metrosexual man. A guy who is afraid of making a commitment.
Fine - such people exist. But the character sketch we are given of this man is so shallow ki usme chullu bhar level ka bhi paani nahin hai. The man hangs a huge blow up of his own smiling face in the living room for Godssake!
But the worst, absolutely worst cut of all is that he dishes out advice as Gyaan Guru and practices the exact opposite in his own life. Maybe some actor could have carried it off - but not Vivek, whose every strand of hair is held in the right place, with the right amount of gel. A man whose I-love-myself-too-much look does not even look like it's taking much effort.
Vivek, the bottomline is it doesn't matter how you spell your name. None of the films you've acted in after Saathiya have given the audience a reason to like you. While watching Kaal I remember thinking it wouldn't be too bad if your character got mauled by one of those tigers.
Here's the really strange bit. Salman Khan killed innocent deer, ran over a sleeping man and beat up his girlfriend. He is not a great human being. And yet when he comes on screen, we forgive him for those couple of hours.
In film after film, Salman plays the lying and cheating cad. But he's the lovable rogue, someone you just can't dislike.
I don't know what the secret is but you sure need to find out! And please, no more wishy-washy roles as rich spoilt brats. Step out of the box, stop looking in the mirror and patting your hair in place.
When the going gets tough, show us you can act!
Friday, December 02, 2005
Bull run
On a regular sleepy afternoon, two sassy young women barge into the JAM office and offer us free cans of 'Red Bull'.
These cans are taken out of cute little silver and blue backpacks along with the crisp instruction: "Don't share the can".
But, uh, why exactly is what you generally think of as a 'club drink' being sampled in offices in the daytime? Let me take a guess. The club market is rather small so someone in marketing decided to 'expand occassions of use'.
"Office workers feel sleepy by mid-afternoon. Let's offer them an alternative to coffee!"
Next brainwave: let's get some cool-looking people to promote the idea and make our already cool drink appear cooler. And let's do other cool things like give these folks a cool n fancy name - 'mobile energisers'.
So far so good but the uncool truth is the can costs 75 bucks. And it tasted horrible to me. Like concentrated kala khatta, except this smelt far worse.
Of course, this is a purely personal opinion - although there are others whose tastebuds seem to share it. Reviews here and here.
However 2 billion cans were guzzled worldwide last year, so there are obviously people who feel differently!
As the Las Vegas Review Journal noted: BusinessWeek reported this summer that Red Bull earned a D+ in a taste test by BevNet.com... After a diplomatic pause, Andre Teixeira, manager of rumjungle at Mandalay Bay, said of the flavor: "It's definitely one of those you have to acquire."
That may be part of the attraction :)
'The drink with wings'
The real USP of Red Bull is that it is supposed to energise or give a 'kick'. Every 250 ml can contains 3 times the caffeine in a cola but less than what you might have in a cup of instant coffee (60-100 mg per cup) or freshly ground coffee (80-350 mg per cup)
Besides caffeine, the label on the can says the drink contains vitamins, a carbohydrate (glucuronolactone), an amino acid (taurine), and about five teaspoons of sugar. When Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) asked a laboratory to analyse the drink it found 1000 mg of taurine and 600 mg of glucuronolactone - a naturally occurring substance manufactured by the human body.
Both taurine and glucuronolactone are supposed to detoxify the body.
It's the combination of all these ingredients that gives the Red Bull 'kick' (can't vouch for that - because I gave up after 3 sips!). However it is for that very reason that France, Denmark and Norway have banned sale of the drink.
CBC reported in February 2005 that French nutritionist Isabelle Vanrullen, who works with the country’s food safety agency, says France banned the brew because of how the ingredients in Red Bull interact: “There are various side effects for each one of these three substances, which vary in degrees of severity. And they can also interact with each other.”
The other concern is that unlike energy drinks like Gatorade, Red Bull dehydrates the body. So you shouldn't drink it to replenish your body after strenuous exercise.
Also, it tastes good as a mixer with vodka but there were some concerns when two apparently healthy young people died in 2001 . But although they had consumed Red Bull mixed with vodka no evidence could be found about Red Bull causing those deaths. In any case that was 4 years ago and there have been no adverse reports since.
Personally, I don't see Red Bull a a 'health' issue. Like it? Drink it. I still think it would taste a lot better in a smoky, dimly lit club, with 1000 watts of music - than in front of the office computer.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
MBA entrance: time for a rethink?
Rohit Awasthi wrote in to me with info on a screw up at this year's IIFT extrance exam, held on 27th Nov. As this thread on pagalguy.com shows, students at some centres are aggrieved. This is the gist of their online petition which currently has 69 signatures
The complaints:
1) The papers were not sealed and were distributed 5-7 minute before the test started. In some centres they were distributed 10-15 min earlier because invigilator were unaware of the correct instructions to be followed i.e. Question papers were distributed before OMR sheets.
The point being that in an exam where there is fierce competition even a small headstart may give an unfair advantage. A single extra answer may get you that coveted GD/ PI call.
2) At some centres there was precious time lost by the students owing to mismatching between Question paper and OMR sheets distributed by the invigilators. In many centres the mismatching went unnoticed.
3) There were numerous printing errors on the paper leading to confusion in marking answers.
More discussion is going on here.
There is even talk of exerting pressure on IIFT to reconduct the exam - by filing a PIL. Given the current media obsession with everything-to-do-with-bschools, it may make the front pages as well.
Not a nice prospect for IIFT, which is generally considered an A + or "top 10 institute".
Questions that arise
Must IIFT have its own separate exam based on the argument that we are a 'foreign trade institute'? If MICA can take in students through CAT, although it is a specialised advertising and communications course, why not IIFT?
They can test short-listed candidates on foreign trade knowledge at the GD and interview stage - MICA does something similar.
The reason I stress on more institutes joining CAT is that barring the 2003 leak it is a well-conducted exam. There is a set procedure where senior academic and non-academic staff from IIMs are deputed to supervise the administration of the exam at different centres.
From what I know they take the discharge of this duty extremely seriously and one has not heard of IIFT-like complaints.
The reason b schools insist on their own exams is to make a neat packet on the exam fee (average : Rs 1000) from the 10-15,000 students who take each test. (adding up to a couple of easily earned crores)
To put students through this expense and hassle and then not conduct a fair exam is, therefore, rather inexcusable.
With regard to the IIFT exam the buzz is 'such things have happened before'. It's just that with online discussion forums like pagalguy.com more students are airing their grievances. And their voice is more likely to be heard.
Going online
Conducting paper and pen exams on gigantic scale is becoming a pain for b schools. But when XLRI did an online exam a couple years ago the result was an embarassing system crash. They're back to pen and paper since.
The future of b school entrance is online, but getting the technical and infrastructural details right will take a couple of years. We would have to go the GRE/ GMAT way and not insist on a simultaneous exam for 150,000 students.
But then, doubts might be raised about the difficulty levels not being the same for every exam taker. Yes, the same happens with GRE/ GMAT but that is not a make-or-break score.
Even with a relatively poor GMAT score you can hope to get into a good b school - if your profile is outstanding in other ways. The same is not true in India.
If CAT is to go online, the entire approach to b school admission would have to change. But, you might ask, how will an IIM A or B cope with the US style admissions. How will they sift through essays from 150,000 students?
Allwin Agnel, a non-MBA and founder of pagalguy.com has an interesting perspective on this. Right now, he says, we have 150,000 applicants because all they have to do is take a 2 hour multiple choice exam.
Make it harder - ask applicants to write 3 essays, get recommendation letters, demonstrate leadership capability through past work experience. The number will fall drastically, as only committed students will apply.
Winds of change
That could well be true. IIM A's newly launched PGP X program is a 1 year course for managers with 7-15 years experience. The admission procedure was very different - GMAT scores were accepted, candidates had to write essays and 'leadership potential' was an important selection criteria.
This participant profile: average GMAT of 700, age of 32 years and work experience of over 9 years. The average salary applicants are forgoing to join the program is Rs 10.7 lakhs. The course fee for PGP X is another Rs 10 lakhs.
So while IIMA is offering placement services, that is not the only carrot. This is going to be one bunch of let-me-get-the-most-out-of-this-course participants. Compared to regular PGP students, these folks will be far more knowledge-hungry - no doubt about it!
As regards selectivity: around 1000 applications were received; admit offers were made to 71 candidates of which 67 accepted (a bit of a surprise - the institute was expecting 60 to join). But overall, the selection committee was delighted with the profile, depth and breadth of experience on offer.
This could well be the future of b school entrance but then we would have to accept some level of subjectivity creeping in. And that, in India, always leaves scope for doubts and corruption.
ISB admissions and IIM A's PGP X are indications that it can be done in a fair and credible manner. But it would mean moving out of the comfort zone. Never easy but probably inevitable.
Let's wait and watch!
The complaints:
1) The papers were not sealed and were distributed 5-7 minute before the test started. In some centres they were distributed 10-15 min earlier because invigilator were unaware of the correct instructions to be followed i.e. Question papers were distributed before OMR sheets.
The point being that in an exam where there is fierce competition even a small headstart may give an unfair advantage. A single extra answer may get you that coveted GD/ PI call.
2) At some centres there was precious time lost by the students owing to mismatching between Question paper and OMR sheets distributed by the invigilators. In many centres the mismatching went unnoticed.
3) There were numerous printing errors on the paper leading to confusion in marking answers.
More discussion is going on here.
There is even talk of exerting pressure on IIFT to reconduct the exam - by filing a PIL. Given the current media obsession with everything-to-do-with-bschools, it may make the front pages as well.
Not a nice prospect for IIFT, which is generally considered an A + or "top 10 institute".
Questions that arise
Must IIFT have its own separate exam based on the argument that we are a 'foreign trade institute'? If MICA can take in students through CAT, although it is a specialised advertising and communications course, why not IIFT?
They can test short-listed candidates on foreign trade knowledge at the GD and interview stage - MICA does something similar.
The reason I stress on more institutes joining CAT is that barring the 2003 leak it is a well-conducted exam. There is a set procedure where senior academic and non-academic staff from IIMs are deputed to supervise the administration of the exam at different centres.
From what I know they take the discharge of this duty extremely seriously and one has not heard of IIFT-like complaints.
The reason b schools insist on their own exams is to make a neat packet on the exam fee (average : Rs 1000) from the 10-15,000 students who take each test. (adding up to a couple of easily earned crores)
To put students through this expense and hassle and then not conduct a fair exam is, therefore, rather inexcusable.
With regard to the IIFT exam the buzz is 'such things have happened before'. It's just that with online discussion forums like pagalguy.com more students are airing their grievances. And their voice is more likely to be heard.
Going online
Conducting paper and pen exams on gigantic scale is becoming a pain for b schools. But when XLRI did an online exam a couple years ago the result was an embarassing system crash. They're back to pen and paper since.
The future of b school entrance is online, but getting the technical and infrastructural details right will take a couple of years. We would have to go the GRE/ GMAT way and not insist on a simultaneous exam for 150,000 students.
But then, doubts might be raised about the difficulty levels not being the same for every exam taker. Yes, the same happens with GRE/ GMAT but that is not a make-or-break score.
Even with a relatively poor GMAT score you can hope to get into a good b school - if your profile is outstanding in other ways. The same is not true in India.
If CAT is to go online, the entire approach to b school admission would have to change. But, you might ask, how will an IIM A or B cope with the US style admissions. How will they sift through essays from 150,000 students?
Allwin Agnel, a non-MBA and founder of pagalguy.com has an interesting perspective on this. Right now, he says, we have 150,000 applicants because all they have to do is take a 2 hour multiple choice exam.
Make it harder - ask applicants to write 3 essays, get recommendation letters, demonstrate leadership capability through past work experience. The number will fall drastically, as only committed students will apply.
Winds of change
That could well be true. IIM A's newly launched PGP X program is a 1 year course for managers with 7-15 years experience. The admission procedure was very different - GMAT scores were accepted, candidates had to write essays and 'leadership potential' was an important selection criteria.
This participant profile: average GMAT of 700, age of 32 years and work experience of over 9 years. The average salary applicants are forgoing to join the program is Rs 10.7 lakhs. The course fee for PGP X is another Rs 10 lakhs.
So while IIMA is offering placement services, that is not the only carrot. This is going to be one bunch of let-me-get-the-most-out-of-this-course participants. Compared to regular PGP students, these folks will be far more knowledge-hungry - no doubt about it!
As regards selectivity: around 1000 applications were received; admit offers were made to 71 candidates of which 67 accepted (a bit of a surprise - the institute was expecting 60 to join). But overall, the selection committee was delighted with the profile, depth and breadth of experience on offer.
This could well be the future of b school entrance but then we would have to accept some level of subjectivity creeping in. And that, in India, always leaves scope for doubts and corruption.
ISB admissions and IIM A's PGP X are indications that it can be done in a fair and credible manner. But it would mean moving out of the comfort zone. Never easy but probably inevitable.
Let's wait and watch!
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Till debt do us part
While the oil mafia tried to entice him with bribes to turn a blind eye on fuel aduletaration, murderd IOC sales manager S Manjunath refused to waver in the line of duty, despite his own financial constraints.
So reads the poignant story in today's Indian Express.
Details printed by the paper reveal that of his modest monthly salary of Rs 25,000, Manjunath was paying Rs 10,100 as EMIs towards two education loans (of Rs 3.5 lakhs) taken to finance his studies at IIM Lucknow. In addition, 3 months ago, he had availed of a car loan from his employer (EMI: Rs 1300)
It feels odd and a little sacrilegous to read about the private details of a deceased person's life. But in this case, the details are being published to make a point - that Manjunath could easily have taken the bribes offered and made his life easier.
He had apparently defaulted on the previous month's EMI for the PNB loan, prompting his father to write a stern letter to the son. A letter the son did not live to read...
Feeling Loansome?
In the last 5 years, education loans loans have become a way of life. Fees at professional schools - whether medical, engineering or management - have shot up. If and when students complain, they are offered a quick and ready solution: "take a loan".
And yes, getting a loan is not difficult. Loans upto Rs 4 lakhs don't even require margin. But repaying the loan is not all that easy. The interest rates charged by banks like SBI and Bank of Baroda is 10.5%.
This is linked to the BPLR (Bank Prime Lending Rate). Compared to housing loans which are available at 8-8.5%, education loans are pricier. But here's the surprise -BOB will even give you a car loan at 2% below the prime rate (ie at 8.5%).
I am not a banking expert so I can only conjecture that educational loans (below Rs 4 lakhs) are unsecured and hence the 2% additional interest rate charged is to cover the risk of default. In case of both cars and houses, the bank can attach the asset in case the borrower fails to repay.
Student loans have long been a millstone around the neck of college goers in the US. Interest rates (linked to their BPLR) are lower than in India, but the sheer number of people who take loans (practically every college-goer!) means the overall student loan market is huge.
The happy news for them however is that interest rates on federal student loans dropped to an all-time low - at 4.06% in July 2005.
This is a political decision. "The Bush administration is committed to helping students and their families finance college and career training," declared Secretary of Education Rod Paige while announcing the rate cut.
Student loan-seekers are not yet a big enough interest group in India but in years to come they will be. Future PMs, please take note!
Soon enough there may be a market for loan consolidators as well.
Think before you...
The point is 'how to finance your studies' is the easy part. But before joining a particular institute, make sure you have an idea of the kind of salary you will earn on passing out. Most banks offer a 6 month grace period after which EMIs begin.
The average salary from the average b school is about Rs 15-20,000 p.m. Ditto for engineers getting into IT jobs. Can you afford to live in Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore on Rs 10,000 a month (rent, transport, food, bijli et al) and repay Rs 10,000 as EMI?
Of course, you'll eventually earn more but not right away! A cousin who graduated from ICFAI Business School and got a 'decent' job found the going tough. The first 6 months, she was happy enough. Then the EMI payments started and suddenly every small indulgence became a major issue.
Inevitably, she ended up defaulting on the EMI. And then hopping jobs twice, lured by a couple of thousand more. I'm not saying this would happen to everyone - but it's a very real danger!
But the worst off would be medical students. Given that they earn paltry sums until they complete their MDs, it makes sense to take a loan only if your dad owns a nursing home or is willing to shoulder your EMI burden for several years to come!
Loans for studies abroad (which require collateral, and attract higher interest rates) are another case in point. You can take a loan - even upto Rs 50 lakhs. But will you be able to earn in dollars or pounds after finishing the degree - at least to recover your tuition costs?
If not, are your parents wealthy enough to start forking out the rather large EMIs that will follow??
So be a 'loan ranger' but make doubly sure the country you choose to study in has work permit possibilities. And that the institute you join has genuine campus placements. In case of bschools, a posting on www.pagalguy.com should get you an honest answer.
And even then, be prepared for some amount of struggle in the initial years. The best education adds long-term value - and you have to be willing to pay the price.
The problem is, not all degrees, diplomas and quasi-degrees/ diplomas are really a value-add. But we live in a culture where people think an 'additional qualification' is definitely an asset. At least it looks good on paper...
Unfortuntely, sometimes it's better to keep that kaagaaz kora. Save on those EMIs. And write your own destiny.
So reads the poignant story in today's Indian Express.
Details printed by the paper reveal that of his modest monthly salary of Rs 25,000, Manjunath was paying Rs 10,100 as EMIs towards two education loans (of Rs 3.5 lakhs) taken to finance his studies at IIM Lucknow. In addition, 3 months ago, he had availed of a car loan from his employer (EMI: Rs 1300)
It feels odd and a little sacrilegous to read about the private details of a deceased person's life. But in this case, the details are being published to make a point - that Manjunath could easily have taken the bribes offered and made his life easier.
He had apparently defaulted on the previous month's EMI for the PNB loan, prompting his father to write a stern letter to the son. A letter the son did not live to read...
Feeling Loansome?
In the last 5 years, education loans loans have become a way of life. Fees at professional schools - whether medical, engineering or management - have shot up. If and when students complain, they are offered a quick and ready solution: "take a loan".
And yes, getting a loan is not difficult. Loans upto Rs 4 lakhs don't even require margin. But repaying the loan is not all that easy. The interest rates charged by banks like SBI and Bank of Baroda is 10.5%.
This is linked to the BPLR (Bank Prime Lending Rate). Compared to housing loans which are available at 8-8.5%, education loans are pricier. But here's the surprise -BOB will even give you a car loan at 2% below the prime rate (ie at 8.5%).
I am not a banking expert so I can only conjecture that educational loans (below Rs 4 lakhs) are unsecured and hence the 2% additional interest rate charged is to cover the risk of default. In case of both cars and houses, the bank can attach the asset in case the borrower fails to repay.
Student loans have long been a millstone around the neck of college goers in the US. Interest rates (linked to their BPLR) are lower than in India, but the sheer number of people who take loans (practically every college-goer!) means the overall student loan market is huge.
The happy news for them however is that interest rates on federal student loans dropped to an all-time low - at 4.06% in July 2005.
This is a political decision. "The Bush administration is committed to helping students and their families finance college and career training," declared Secretary of Education Rod Paige while announcing the rate cut.
Student loan-seekers are not yet a big enough interest group in India but in years to come they will be. Future PMs, please take note!
Soon enough there may be a market for loan consolidators as well.
Think before you...
The point is 'how to finance your studies' is the easy part. But before joining a particular institute, make sure you have an idea of the kind of salary you will earn on passing out. Most banks offer a 6 month grace period after which EMIs begin.
The average salary from the average b school is about Rs 15-20,000 p.m. Ditto for engineers getting into IT jobs. Can you afford to live in Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore on Rs 10,000 a month (rent, transport, food, bijli et al) and repay Rs 10,000 as EMI?
Of course, you'll eventually earn more but not right away! A cousin who graduated from ICFAI Business School and got a 'decent' job found the going tough. The first 6 months, she was happy enough. Then the EMI payments started and suddenly every small indulgence became a major issue.
Inevitably, she ended up defaulting on the EMI. And then hopping jobs twice, lured by a couple of thousand more. I'm not saying this would happen to everyone - but it's a very real danger!
But the worst off would be medical students. Given that they earn paltry sums until they complete their MDs, it makes sense to take a loan only if your dad owns a nursing home or is willing to shoulder your EMI burden for several years to come!
Loans for studies abroad (which require collateral, and attract higher interest rates) are another case in point. You can take a loan - even upto Rs 50 lakhs. But will you be able to earn in dollars or pounds after finishing the degree - at least to recover your tuition costs?
If not, are your parents wealthy enough to start forking out the rather large EMIs that will follow??
So be a 'loan ranger' but make doubly sure the country you choose to study in has work permit possibilities. And that the institute you join has genuine campus placements. In case of bschools, a posting on www.pagalguy.com should get you an honest answer.
And even then, be prepared for some amount of struggle in the initial years. The best education adds long-term value - and you have to be willing to pay the price.
The problem is, not all degrees, diplomas and quasi-degrees/ diplomas are really a value-add. But we live in a culture where people think an 'additional qualification' is definitely an asset. At least it looks good on paper...
Unfortuntely, sometimes it's better to keep that kaagaaz kora. Save on those EMIs. And write your own destiny.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Want to be a 'creative commando'?
This is a recruitment ad published today in DNA.. At first glance, it appears to be an ad for the armed forces.
But then the headline says join the team of "creative commandoes" at GAIL and unleash your creative prowess.
GAIL - as in "Gas Authority of India"? GAIL and creative prowess?? The company is seeking executive trainees in the field of corporate communications with a 2 year full-time diploma in Mass Comm/ Advertising or PR.
The recruitment ad takes up 70% of the page and the headline tries to convince the prospective candidate it's a really 'creative job'. But, the entire copy reads like a typical old-school government job advertisement.
The payscale, age limit, company benefits - OK, those are relevant information. But under "how to apply" there's a long list of 11 points including please send "mailing address with pin code; tel nos with STD codes".
It's a step-by-step guide on how to write a resume! Considering the profile of candidates they're recruiting, is that really necessary?
There is no job description whatsoever. Or indication of how the candidate, if selected, will be allowed to unleash their 'creative prowess'. Unless you count the 'creative commando' photo, which I would not count as a good example of creativity!
What's more, a 9 pt caption notes that the people posing in the pic are 'the creative team at GAIL led by DGM (Corporate Communications). Why the mention of DGM? Because, it's a government organisation after all. A bit of fancy dress and war paint doesn't change that...
I wonder how effective this ad will be. And why companies go to such lengths to produce 'cool sounding' recruitment advertising. A job is a serious matter. Tell me what the job is. Not just how much fun it's going to be.
And never be creative for the sake of being creative, especially if it's for a 'creative' position.
Friday, November 25, 2005
In 'letter' and spirit
I picked up the Indian Express this morning and scanned it for a follow-up on Manjunathan's death - a story which was front paged yesterday. Because I know Express usually does follow-ups.
What was I expecting? Maybe a statement from Mani Shankar Aiyar. What IOC is planning to do to fix the adulteration problem, while ensuring staff safety. Or maybe just what is expected to happen to those arrested for the murder.
And sure enough, there was a huge centrespread piece titled "Where do we see such courage". The intro copy reads: We have received an outpouring of letters from readers in India and overseas, many of them former classmates of the slain Manjunathan.
"Excellent!" I thought and started reading. The very first name? My own! Um, only problem is I never sent a letter to Indian Express. What they printed was the first few lines and last few lines from this post on my blog.
A few other 'letters' following mine were excerpts from comments on that post.
Strange! Amit Varma thought so too and wrote about it here before I could get around to it.
Wheel turns full circle
Express broke Satyendra Dubey story - and it generated a tremendous outpouring of response.
This time it was different. I learnt of the Manjunathan story through Gaurav, who was his junior at IIM-L. First through an email, and then through his blog.
Then the story circulated in IIM e groups, mailing lists and more people blogged about it. Almost every blogger said "why isn't it being covered by the mainstream media".
Many of them emailed friends or associates or simply the editors of newspapers/ TV channels saying "This is shocking - please cover it!"
And 2 days later, it was covered in The Telegraph (front page) and the TOI (inside page). That night the story ran prominently on NDTV. On Thursday Express frontpaged it as well.
The wheel turned full circle because when we all first heard of the incident, we wanted 'confirmation'. One blogger found a small story in Express Newsline's Lucknow edition confirming the murder.
But murders - in UP or elsewhere - are not uncommon. The issue may never have received so much national media coverage, had it not been discussed so fervently via email, and blogged about.
I say "may" - because I do not know. I think it would have gone mainstream, but taken far longer to do so.
Also, the blogs written by Manjunathan's friends and batchmates painted a vivid picture of a sincere and well-loved individual. The blogs made him more than a statistic, they made him a compelling human interest story.
But at the end of the day, unless a blog post is sent as a letter to the editor, it is incorrect to label it as such. And that is the issue here.
Phir kya hua
This afternoon I got a call from the Express admitting that publishing part of my blog post as a 'letter' was a mistake.
And no, you can't see the online page which carried the 'letters' because it was removed sometime this afernoon and replaced with alternate content.
I have asked for a written apology and hope to get it - soon.
The Manjunathan episode illustrates the importance of bloggers and MSM collaborating - not competing with each other. And this can happen only when we both treat each other respectfully.
Of course, I am part-blogger, part-MSM... but that, I shall ponder on some other day.
Thou shalt not forget...
This is a blog set up by Manjunathan's friends from SJCE, Mysore. You can write condolences here, as well as help keep his memory alive.
Update: On Saturday, 26th Nov Express published a clarification, Amit writes about it here.
The post was to be published on rediff.com as a column. And that it was, on Monday, Nov 28.
What was I expecting? Maybe a statement from Mani Shankar Aiyar. What IOC is planning to do to fix the adulteration problem, while ensuring staff safety. Or maybe just what is expected to happen to those arrested for the murder.
And sure enough, there was a huge centrespread piece titled "Where do we see such courage". The intro copy reads: We have received an outpouring of letters from readers in India and overseas, many of them former classmates of the slain Manjunathan.
"Excellent!" I thought and started reading. The very first name? My own! Um, only problem is I never sent a letter to Indian Express. What they printed was the first few lines and last few lines from this post on my blog.
A few other 'letters' following mine were excerpts from comments on that post.
Strange! Amit Varma thought so too and wrote about it here before I could get around to it.
Wheel turns full circle
Express broke Satyendra Dubey story - and it generated a tremendous outpouring of response.
This time it was different. I learnt of the Manjunathan story through Gaurav, who was his junior at IIM-L. First through an email, and then through his blog.
Then the story circulated in IIM e groups, mailing lists and more people blogged about it. Almost every blogger said "why isn't it being covered by the mainstream media".
Many of them emailed friends or associates or simply the editors of newspapers/ TV channels saying "This is shocking - please cover it!"
And 2 days later, it was covered in The Telegraph (front page) and the TOI (inside page). That night the story ran prominently on NDTV. On Thursday Express frontpaged it as well.
The wheel turned full circle because when we all first heard of the incident, we wanted 'confirmation'. One blogger found a small story in Express Newsline's Lucknow edition confirming the murder.
But murders - in UP or elsewhere - are not uncommon. The issue may never have received so much national media coverage, had it not been discussed so fervently via email, and blogged about.
I say "may" - because I do not know. I think it would have gone mainstream, but taken far longer to do so.
Also, the blogs written by Manjunathan's friends and batchmates painted a vivid picture of a sincere and well-loved individual. The blogs made him more than a statistic, they made him a compelling human interest story.
But at the end of the day, unless a blog post is sent as a letter to the editor, it is incorrect to label it as such. And that is the issue here.
Phir kya hua
This afternoon I got a call from the Express admitting that publishing part of my blog post as a 'letter' was a mistake.
And no, you can't see the online page which carried the 'letters' because it was removed sometime this afernoon and replaced with alternate content.
I have asked for a written apology and hope to get it - soon.
The Manjunathan episode illustrates the importance of bloggers and MSM collaborating - not competing with each other. And this can happen only when we both treat each other respectfully.
Of course, I am part-blogger, part-MSM... but that, I shall ponder on some other day.
Thou shalt not forget...
This is a blog set up by Manjunathan's friends from SJCE, Mysore. You can write condolences here, as well as help keep his memory alive.
Update: On Saturday, 26th Nov Express published a clarification, Amit writes about it here.
The post was to be published on rediff.com as a column. And that it was, on Monday, Nov 28.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Dumb and dumber
"Remember", the instructor said to the class,"a 35 year old American's brain and IQ is the same as a 10 year old Indian's brain.... Americans are dumb, just accept it. "
- pg 53, One Night in a Call Centre
Yeah right. Much as I would like to revel in the idea of Indians being mentally superior, tuning into Go 92.5 FM's morning show over the last week has brought home this sobering reality.
We Indians are right up there when it comes to "dumb". How else would you explain the pathetic performance of listener after listener in Go's '30 ka 30' contest (30 foreign holidays to be won in 30 days!)
The questions are absolutely junta-level and yet, contestants struggle and squirm.
Q: Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of which US state?
Ans: Minnesota?
Q: In which country is carmaker Hyundai based?
Ans: Japan?
Q: Complete the book title: Zen and the Art of _______ Maintenance
Ans: Could you repeat the question, please?
Competition is stiff. There have been instances where answering just 1 out of 4 such questions wins you that free trip. Sometimes both people get that 1 answer right and there is a 'tie-breaker'.
RJ Taraana herself got exasperated and had to clarify: It's luck, pure luck, who gets selected. So there. Don't blame us - we don't have a rigorous screening procedure. Boo hoo hoo to that!
Now you might argue 'low IQ' and 'poor GK' are two different things. Perhaps.
But Go 92.5 is aimed at people whom advertisers refer to as SEC (Socio-Economic Classification) A/ A1 category of listeners. The padha-likha class.
Lagta hai sab class mein chain ki neend so rahe the... !
- pg 53, One Night in a Call Centre
Yeah right. Much as I would like to revel in the idea of Indians being mentally superior, tuning into Go 92.5 FM's morning show over the last week has brought home this sobering reality.
We Indians are right up there when it comes to "dumb". How else would you explain the pathetic performance of listener after listener in Go's '30 ka 30' contest (30 foreign holidays to be won in 30 days!)
The questions are absolutely junta-level and yet, contestants struggle and squirm.
Q: Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of which US state?
Ans: Minnesota?
Q: In which country is carmaker Hyundai based?
Ans: Japan?
Q: Complete the book title: Zen and the Art of _______ Maintenance
Ans: Could you repeat the question, please?
Competition is stiff. There have been instances where answering just 1 out of 4 such questions wins you that free trip. Sometimes both people get that 1 answer right and there is a 'tie-breaker'.
RJ Taraana herself got exasperated and had to clarify: It's luck, pure luck, who gets selected. So there. Don't blame us - we don't have a rigorous screening procedure. Boo hoo hoo to that!
Now you might argue 'low IQ' and 'poor GK' are two different things. Perhaps.
But Go 92.5 is aimed at people whom advertisers refer to as SEC (Socio-Economic Classification) A/ A1 category of listeners. The padha-likha class.
Lagta hai sab class mein chain ki neend so rahe the... !
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
NDTV on Manjunathan
Tonight's 10.30 pm bulletin had an excellent story on what NDTV refers to as the "IIM Murder Case".
The channel visited the petrol pump in the interiors of UP where the killing took place. It even got a witness to declare - on camera - the names of the two people who shot Manjunathan. One of them was the petrol pump owner's son, Monu Mittal, as reported earlier.
So for once, bloggers should have no complaints with the "MSM"!
Ironically, the top story - preceding this one - was also about a man dying simply for doing his job. M R Kutty, 36, was a driver working for the Border Road Organisation (BRO) which is building roads in Afghanistan.
The Taliban ain't too pleased about roads reaching their part of the world - so what do they do? Abduct Kutty. The demand: "BRO, return to India, or else". Kutty learnt the cruel meaning of 'or else'.
His decapitated body was found "dumped by the roadside in Delaram, a district in southern Afghanistan's Nimroze Province".
Dangers ahead
There are apparently 290 employees of BRO still in Afghanistan - and work on the Zaranj-Delaram road project must continue...
Should they stick to their jobs or petition the government to be brought home? What would you advise if someone you loved was in such a dilemma?
We all know the answer...
And Manjunathan's father was on his son's case too. "I often pleaded with him that he should give up this job in that part of north India where the border with Nepal and the forest terrain made mafia operation conducive," Shakumugan told The Telegraph.
"But he would not listen," he sobbed, "and he would say he loved Lucknow which gave him his management degree, and that he was ready to give his life for Indian Oil..."
And he did.
Update: Indian Express has front-paged the news this morning. Read the report here.
The channel visited the petrol pump in the interiors of UP where the killing took place. It even got a witness to declare - on camera - the names of the two people who shot Manjunathan. One of them was the petrol pump owner's son, Monu Mittal, as reported earlier.
So for once, bloggers should have no complaints with the "MSM"!
Ironically, the top story - preceding this one - was also about a man dying simply for doing his job. M R Kutty, 36, was a driver working for the Border Road Organisation (BRO) which is building roads in Afghanistan.
The Taliban ain't too pleased about roads reaching their part of the world - so what do they do? Abduct Kutty. The demand: "BRO, return to India, or else". Kutty learnt the cruel meaning of 'or else'.
His decapitated body was found "dumped by the roadside in Delaram, a district in southern Afghanistan's Nimroze Province".
Dangers ahead
There are apparently 290 employees of BRO still in Afghanistan - and work on the Zaranj-Delaram road project must continue...
Should they stick to their jobs or petition the government to be brought home? What would you advise if someone you loved was in such a dilemma?
We all know the answer...
And Manjunathan's father was on his son's case too. "I often pleaded with him that he should give up this job in that part of north India where the border with Nepal and the forest terrain made mafia operation conducive," Shakumugan told The Telegraph.
"But he would not listen," he sobbed, "and he would say he loved Lucknow which gave him his management degree, and that he was ready to give his life for Indian Oil..."
And he did.
Update: Indian Express has front-paged the news this morning. Read the report here.
Manjunathan - Soldier of Conscience
There are people who live for their jobs. And a few, very few who die for them. In the latter category you generally think: soldier. Dying to protect the Motherland. Yes, we have plenty of those, making the 'ultimate sacrifice' to protect our borders.
But Manjunathan was no soldier, he was a sales officer with Indian Oil Corporation. He did not join this company pre-warned about any mortal danger. And yet, for merely doing his job, he paid with his life.
The 27 year old IIM Lucknow graduate was murdered in UP on Nov 20. According to the first report on the matter, which appeared in the Lucknow edition of the Indian Express, Nathan had sealed Mittal Automobile Petrol Pump at Gola, about 50 km away from Lakhimpur district for adulteration of petrol.
He had also recommended cancellation of the petrol pump’s licence, said an IOC officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Consequences
Gaurav Sabnis was Manju's junior at IIM L and this is what he writes in his blog tribute: "Manju was murdered for doing his job honestly. Considering the circumstances, this case is no different from that of Satyendra Dubey".
Except this news has not yet stirred the nation's conscience. It has appeared on page 12 of today's TOI, Mumbai edition. And was reported on the CNBC ticker last night. Ironically, the same ticker reported that Captain Satish Sharma has been let off by the CBI in the petrol pump allotment scam.
Were the cases againat Sharma dropped for lack of evidence? Um, not exactly. PTI reports: After hearing two days of arguments, Special Judge Pratibha Rani accepted the closure report filed by the agency which said it was willing to wind up the cases against Sharma as the Home Ministry refused sanction for his prosecution.
The order came even as a PIL was pending in the Supreme Court against the Centre's refusal to grant sanction of prosecution on which the apex court had issued notices to Sharma, CBI and the Union Government.
The colour of money is black. So is petrol...Yahaan koi dudh ka dhula hua nahin hai. More recently, the NDA government was rocked by a similar petrol pump allotment scam.
Politicians come and go, but the Oil PSUs - the so called 'navratnas' - remain under the changul of the netas. I mean yes, they do have professional management but these professional managers - like IAS officers - are expected to function within certain boundaries.
Cross the line and well, you can see what happened to Manjunathan.
Of course, you might argue, Manju was not knocked off by the government. But those who perpetrated the crime did so to protect their 'basic right' to adulterate petrol. Their line of thought: Bhai sab karte hain... Itne saalon se kisi ne roka nahi - yeh launda kahaan se aa gaya?
The conversation from Gaurav's last meeting with Manju, a year and a half ago: We asked him how it felt to work in a PSU like IOCL. ... He shrugged. He said work was OK and all, but he felt that the business would improve a lot more if there was transparency. Apparently, part of his job was to inspect samples from petrol pumps, and report back to the company.
Well, adulteration was rampant and here is why: Manju said the reason why this adulteration happened so brazenly was that the dealers knew that no matter what happens, their licenses couldn't be cancelled. If everyone does it, how many pumps will the company shut down?
He said he usually tried to cajole, convince and scold the dealers to not indulge in such dishonesty. He said some fell in line, but most of them usually got back to the same old adulteration business. In fact Manju said, some of the petrol pump owners are downright scary.
But even he could not have imagined such an outcome. I mean, people like you and me don't consider violence as a means of settling a dispute. In UP and Bihar, it must be common enough for someone to believe he could kill an IOC officer and get away with it.
It was, in fact, pure luck that the vehicle in which the murderers were transporting the body was intercepted by the police. They had broken the signal and were speeding. Else who knows in which river or ravine the body would have ended up? And no one would be the wiser.
Aakhir kyun?
The cynical have observed that 'discretion is the better part of valour' and that Manju had no business trying to 'change the world' in the first place. Again, I would like to point out that Manjunathan did not decide to be an activist or crusader. He was merely doing his job.
As friend and classmate Sharad notes : "He received some threats from the Petrol pump owner and bribe offers too, but he refused to change his assessment".
Ho sakta hai soon enough Manju himself would have thrown up his hands and say "I quit!". I'm sure there would be no dearth of jobs - Reliance, for example would have quickly snapped him up.
The fact is, Manjunathan stuck on at IOC for 2.5 years after graduating from IIML. Despite his integrity being constantly tested. Despite being posted in UP. And that says something about the "IIM stereotype" that exists in most people's heads.
As another of his friends wrote : Manju was known to the entire batch as an awesome singer (especially for a song he used to sing with Badri aka Bhoja called Rama ho... ), with a natural feel for music and could light up your day by his presence.
That light has been snuffed. That voice has been silenced. But what he stood for - and stood upto - that, I hope will live on.
Widespread media coverage - yes of course! Let's work for that, lobby for it. But beyond the moment, I would like to see a lasting impact. For example, a case which is actually taught at b schools.
Because we all speak of 'ethics' in business. But it's a rare and extraordinary person who makes the 'ultimate sacrifice'. A sacrifice that - like that of our soldiers on a border we can't get a fix on after 58 years - simply might go in vain.
But Manjunathan was no soldier, he was a sales officer with Indian Oil Corporation. He did not join this company pre-warned about any mortal danger. And yet, for merely doing his job, he paid with his life.
The 27 year old IIM Lucknow graduate was murdered in UP on Nov 20. According to the first report on the matter, which appeared in the Lucknow edition of the Indian Express, Nathan had sealed Mittal Automobile Petrol Pump at Gola, about 50 km away from Lakhimpur district for adulteration of petrol.
He had also recommended cancellation of the petrol pump’s licence, said an IOC officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Consequences
Gaurav Sabnis was Manju's junior at IIM L and this is what he writes in his blog tribute: "Manju was murdered for doing his job honestly. Considering the circumstances, this case is no different from that of Satyendra Dubey".
Except this news has not yet stirred the nation's conscience. It has appeared on page 12 of today's TOI, Mumbai edition. And was reported on the CNBC ticker last night. Ironically, the same ticker reported that Captain Satish Sharma has been let off by the CBI in the petrol pump allotment scam.
Were the cases againat Sharma dropped for lack of evidence? Um, not exactly. PTI reports: After hearing two days of arguments, Special Judge Pratibha Rani accepted the closure report filed by the agency which said it was willing to wind up the cases against Sharma as the Home Ministry refused sanction for his prosecution.
The order came even as a PIL was pending in the Supreme Court against the Centre's refusal to grant sanction of prosecution on which the apex court had issued notices to Sharma, CBI and the Union Government.
The colour of money is black. So is petrol...Yahaan koi dudh ka dhula hua nahin hai. More recently, the NDA government was rocked by a similar petrol pump allotment scam.
Politicians come and go, but the Oil PSUs - the so called 'navratnas' - remain under the changul of the netas. I mean yes, they do have professional management but these professional managers - like IAS officers - are expected to function within certain boundaries.
Cross the line and well, you can see what happened to Manjunathan.
Of course, you might argue, Manju was not knocked off by the government. But those who perpetrated the crime did so to protect their 'basic right' to adulterate petrol. Their line of thought: Bhai sab karte hain... Itne saalon se kisi ne roka nahi - yeh launda kahaan se aa gaya?
The conversation from Gaurav's last meeting with Manju, a year and a half ago: We asked him how it felt to work in a PSU like IOCL. ... He shrugged. He said work was OK and all, but he felt that the business would improve a lot more if there was transparency. Apparently, part of his job was to inspect samples from petrol pumps, and report back to the company.
Well, adulteration was rampant and here is why: Manju said the reason why this adulteration happened so brazenly was that the dealers knew that no matter what happens, their licenses couldn't be cancelled. If everyone does it, how many pumps will the company shut down?
He said he usually tried to cajole, convince and scold the dealers to not indulge in such dishonesty. He said some fell in line, but most of them usually got back to the same old adulteration business. In fact Manju said, some of the petrol pump owners are downright scary.
But even he could not have imagined such an outcome. I mean, people like you and me don't consider violence as a means of settling a dispute. In UP and Bihar, it must be common enough for someone to believe he could kill an IOC officer and get away with it.
It was, in fact, pure luck that the vehicle in which the murderers were transporting the body was intercepted by the police. They had broken the signal and were speeding. Else who knows in which river or ravine the body would have ended up? And no one would be the wiser.
Aakhir kyun?
The cynical have observed that 'discretion is the better part of valour' and that Manju had no business trying to 'change the world' in the first place. Again, I would like to point out that Manjunathan did not decide to be an activist or crusader. He was merely doing his job.
As friend and classmate Sharad notes : "He received some threats from the Petrol pump owner and bribe offers too, but he refused to change his assessment".
Ho sakta hai soon enough Manju himself would have thrown up his hands and say "I quit!". I'm sure there would be no dearth of jobs - Reliance, for example would have quickly snapped him up.
The fact is, Manjunathan stuck on at IOC for 2.5 years after graduating from IIML. Despite his integrity being constantly tested. Despite being posted in UP. And that says something about the "IIM stereotype" that exists in most people's heads.
As another of his friends wrote : Manju was known to the entire batch as an awesome singer (especially for a song he used to sing with Badri aka Bhoja called Rama ho... ), with a natural feel for music and could light up your day by his presence.
That light has been snuffed. That voice has been silenced. But what he stood for - and stood upto - that, I hope will live on.
Widespread media coverage - yes of course! Let's work for that, lobby for it. But beyond the moment, I would like to see a lasting impact. For example, a case which is actually taught at b schools.
Because we all speak of 'ethics' in business. But it's a rare and extraordinary person who makes the 'ultimate sacrifice'. A sacrifice that - like that of our soldiers on a border we can't get a fix on after 58 years - simply might go in vain.
Monday, November 21, 2005
It's not about sex
"If we are accepting pre-marital sex, we are making youths cannibals"
"It should stopped, no debate required"
"Yesh vaishyavati hai... videsh se layi gayi gandagi hai. "
These are just a few of the comments SMSed by viewers which scrolled on the NDTV India ticker during a heated debate on Pre Marital Sex.
A topic that is suddenly all the more topical with Khushboo's views being attacked. And poor Sania Mirza getting dragged into the controversy.
Approximately 40% of NDTV India's viewers appeared violently opposed to the very idea of pre-marital sex, while 60% opined it was an individual choice. Pooja Bhatt, summing up "pro" view, said: "Main apne vichaar aap par nahin thop rahi hoon - toh aap apne vivhaar mujh par kyun thopna chahte hain."
Let me be free to hold my views - you are free to hold yours. And herein lies the crux of the issue.
It's not about sex, really. And it's not a cut and dried Indian sanskriti vs Western culture kind of debate either. We are a society in transition. People - and young people in particular - are redefining their personal value systems and the Old Order is feeling threatened.
A decade ago, the 'hip' young Indian was like a Michael Jackson, desperately trying to be White. But we've evolved since then and realised aping the West is uncool.
Someone once coined the term 'coconut' to describe young people of 'Asian' descent in the UK. Meaning they were Brown from the Outside but White from the Inside.
A similar generation of 'coconuts' now exists in India. These are young people who will embrace Indian food, Indian clothes, Indian music. The external and interesting paraphernalia of our culture are gladly accepted.
However the "white on the inside" bit is about being increasingly individualistic. About deciding what is wrong or right for oneself. So in the case of pre-marital sex what most 'coconuts' believe is not that it is inherently right or wrong, but that it is for each person to decide.
On the other hand you have the White from the Outside but Brown from the Inside brigade. Let's call them 'cappucinos'. On the surface they have adopted certain 'Western' things - they will happily wear jeans, not dhotis and wolf down pizzas and burgers.
But beneath the layer of white foamy froth, they are deeply "brown".
In such a value system, the writ of Society or 'samaaj' prevails over an individual choices and desires. And it's not just about pre-marital sex. It's also about who you should marry (ideally someone from your own caste), when you should marry (preferably around 25, definitely by 30!), having children ("arre, shaadi ko do saal ho gaye - koi issue nahin hai?) and so on and so forth.
Whose life is it anyways
The whole debate about pre-marital sex, for example, does not take into account the idea that some people may not want to marry. Or maybe they do but only if they meet the 'right' person and not because they are past their 'sell by' date.
Must such a person promise to remain celibate all their life? "Underage" sex and pre-marital sex are thus not one and the same thing.
And clearly, many of the young people who - in theory - support pre-marital sex aren't necessarily doing it 'without thinking'. At least, they're waiting for the right time, place and person.
According to the Durex Sex Survey 2005 Indians lost their virginity at an average age of 19.8 years as compared to 17.3 years (the average age when people had sex for the first time worldwide).
Another pertinent question in the Indian context may be how many people choose to remain virgins until they marry. These could include both the 'coconuts' and the 'cappucinos'. But the two may make their choices for different reasons.
Coconuts may not have sex before marriage but reserve the right to do, should they meet someone special. The other brigade will, on principle, not have anything to do with 'sex before marriage'.
Sex Surveys
All three major news weeklies (India Today, Outlook and The Week) have annual sex surveys. So do the likes of Durex.
A few points to note - the Durex survey was apparently done through the durex.com website which means it was not a random sample representative of the general population
Then there's the the touching belief that people will answer questions about their sex life correctly. I have my doubts, although the stats regarding India are conservative enough to sound 'real', unlike the surveys by Indian magazines!
Globally, people have had an average number of nine sexual partners. The Turks have had more partners than any other country (14.5), Indians have had the fewest sexual partners (3)
But I also wonder what 'losing one's virginity' means to Indians. Would it necessarily mean going all the way?
I ask this because the term 'proposal' has its own strange connotation. A college student saying "He proposed me" is not about getting married. It's agreeing to be someone's steady gf/ bf and go to the movies!
Similarly, there would be plenty of young people who will kiss and cuddle but don't 'go all the way'. In fact the Brown on the Inside brigade will often do everthing "but that" and justify to themselves that "I didn't actually do it".
Getting back to the original issues raised by Khushboo. It's not about advocating what's right or wrong but just acknowledging that people do have sex before marriage - even in India. So if you have made that decision, be safe about it. Better safe, than sorry!
P.S. Please, no Khushboo style protests to this post! On my part, I won't be making any Sania style retractions.
"It should stopped, no debate required"
"Yesh vaishyavati hai... videsh se layi gayi gandagi hai. "
These are just a few of the comments SMSed by viewers which scrolled on the NDTV India ticker during a heated debate on Pre Marital Sex.
A topic that is suddenly all the more topical with Khushboo's views being attacked. And poor Sania Mirza getting dragged into the controversy.
Approximately 40% of NDTV India's viewers appeared violently opposed to the very idea of pre-marital sex, while 60% opined it was an individual choice. Pooja Bhatt, summing up "pro" view, said: "Main apne vichaar aap par nahin thop rahi hoon - toh aap apne vivhaar mujh par kyun thopna chahte hain."
Let me be free to hold my views - you are free to hold yours. And herein lies the crux of the issue.
It's not about sex, really. And it's not a cut and dried Indian sanskriti vs Western culture kind of debate either. We are a society in transition. People - and young people in particular - are redefining their personal value systems and the Old Order is feeling threatened.
A decade ago, the 'hip' young Indian was like a Michael Jackson, desperately trying to be White. But we've evolved since then and realised aping the West is uncool.
Someone once coined the term 'coconut' to describe young people of 'Asian' descent in the UK. Meaning they were Brown from the Outside but White from the Inside.
A similar generation of 'coconuts' now exists in India. These are young people who will embrace Indian food, Indian clothes, Indian music. The external and interesting paraphernalia of our culture are gladly accepted.
However the "white on the inside" bit is about being increasingly individualistic. About deciding what is wrong or right for oneself. So in the case of pre-marital sex what most 'coconuts' believe is not that it is inherently right or wrong, but that it is for each person to decide.
On the other hand you have the White from the Outside but Brown from the Inside brigade. Let's call them 'cappucinos'. On the surface they have adopted certain 'Western' things - they will happily wear jeans, not dhotis and wolf down pizzas and burgers.
But beneath the layer of white foamy froth, they are deeply "brown".
In such a value system, the writ of Society or 'samaaj' prevails over an individual choices and desires. And it's not just about pre-marital sex. It's also about who you should marry (ideally someone from your own caste), when you should marry (preferably around 25, definitely by 30!), having children ("arre, shaadi ko do saal ho gaye - koi issue nahin hai?) and so on and so forth.
Whose life is it anyways
The whole debate about pre-marital sex, for example, does not take into account the idea that some people may not want to marry. Or maybe they do but only if they meet the 'right' person and not because they are past their 'sell by' date.
Must such a person promise to remain celibate all their life? "Underage" sex and pre-marital sex are thus not one and the same thing.
And clearly, many of the young people who - in theory - support pre-marital sex aren't necessarily doing it 'without thinking'. At least, they're waiting for the right time, place and person.
According to the Durex Sex Survey 2005 Indians lost their virginity at an average age of 19.8 years as compared to 17.3 years (the average age when people had sex for the first time worldwide).
Another pertinent question in the Indian context may be how many people choose to remain virgins until they marry. These could include both the 'coconuts' and the 'cappucinos'. But the two may make their choices for different reasons.
Coconuts may not have sex before marriage but reserve the right to do, should they meet someone special. The other brigade will, on principle, not have anything to do with 'sex before marriage'.
Sex Surveys
All three major news weeklies (India Today, Outlook and The Week) have annual sex surveys. So do the likes of Durex.
A few points to note - the Durex survey was apparently done through the durex.com website which means it was not a random sample representative of the general population
Then there's the the touching belief that people will answer questions about their sex life correctly. I have my doubts, although the stats regarding India are conservative enough to sound 'real', unlike the surveys by Indian magazines!
Globally, people have had an average number of nine sexual partners. The Turks have had more partners than any other country (14.5), Indians have had the fewest sexual partners (3)
But I also wonder what 'losing one's virginity' means to Indians. Would it necessarily mean going all the way?
I ask this because the term 'proposal' has its own strange connotation. A college student saying "He proposed me" is not about getting married. It's agreeing to be someone's steady gf/ bf and go to the movies!
Similarly, there would be plenty of young people who will kiss and cuddle but don't 'go all the way'. In fact the Brown on the Inside brigade will often do everthing "but that" and justify to themselves that "I didn't actually do it".
Getting back to the original issues raised by Khushboo. It's not about advocating what's right or wrong but just acknowledging that people do have sex before marriage - even in India. So if you have made that decision, be safe about it. Better safe, than sorry!
P.S. Please, no Khushboo style protests to this post! On my part, I won't be making any Sania style retractions.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
And, the "no 1 CAT coaching class is..."
Drumroll, taaliyan, bahut bahut badhaiiyaan. Magar ek chhota sa problem hai. I no longer know who the "no 1" is. Or, what no 1 is anyways!
Is No 1 defined as:
a) The institute with maximum number of students enrolled?
b) The institute with maximum number of students who make it to IIMs?
Till yesterday, I was pretty sure IMS had the maximum number of students. IMS is the original pioneer in MBA entrance coaching and has continued to flourish despite many new players entering the scene. IMS claims to have 35,000 students enrolled for its CAT coaching this year.
Number 2 in terms of student enrolment I would think is Career Launcher. They too claim to have 35,000 students. I think it's closer to 30,000, but can't say for sure. My perception is, CL is no 2.
Which is why I was a bit surprised to learn from CNBC TV 18's 'Countdown to CAT' show - where T.I.M.E. experts were imparting fundas - that T.I.M.E. uses the slogan "no 1 CAT coaching institute".
Its website states that in "the last one year, about 45,000 students have gone through the portals of T.I.M.E. at various locations in the country and have benefited from our courses".
True? I know T.I.M.E. is popular down South, and that it is relatively cheaper than IMS and CL, which could mean big numbers. But I cannot provide an authoritative answer. Fact is, all CAT coaching institutes manipulate their numbers to some extent.
After the list of successful candidates is declared, X MBA institute will claim they had 800 successful students and Y institute will claim 900. The total of all institutes combined far exceed the number of IIM seats!
The truth is, students do enrol for 2 day GD/PI workshops or SIMCATS/ Mock CAT conducted by various institutes even while they have actually studied the material/ attended classes by another one.
As a successful A list B schooler recommended to JAM readers trying to pick the 'best course' :
To get the best of everything I would recommend:
Mock CAT & Correspondence - Career Launcher
GD/PI coaching - Take the TIME course
The 2-day IMS Achiever’s Workshop
So, we'll it pass. IMS ho, CL ho, TIME ho, jo bhi ho, fact is no matter no one can "assure success, everytime"
As I wrote in a column on rediff.com after CAT 2004, titled
"Where there's a coaching class, there's Hope!"
A huge industry -- mostly headed and fuelled by IIM alumni -- has convinced lakhs of students that if they practise long enough and hard enough, they stand a chance of making it. It is a myth that classes actively propagate and one that students choose to believe.
I have nothing against coaching (yes, I did take up a correspondence course and gleefuly passed on the material to two siblings who also cleared CAT :))
But the point is, God helps only those who help themselves. And so it is with coaching.
Practising shortcuts and solving mock papers can give those with the basic ability an added edge. But there is no way it can phenomenally improve your basic verbal, quantitative and reasoning skills.
Qualities which, frankly, are lacking in a large number of CAT aspirants.
The number of e-mails I receive, with incredibly poor English, asking for advice on 'how to make it to IIMs' would be amusing, if it weren't so sad. A couple of 100 percent real (unedited) samples:
"I am engineering student , what is the next step to select for my further studies.Is it better to continue my engineering studie s or i go to business studies which is the beter one"
"I'M EXPECTING SOME SKILLFUL AND EXPERIENCED KNOWLEDGE FROM U WHERE TO ENROLL FOR COACHING ETC. AND WHT MY REGULAR EXERCISE SHOULD BE.."
Is there any real hope for such aspirants?
I don't doubt these individuals have some unique passion or potential. But clearing the CAT exam is clearly not one of them.
The thing is, 90 percent of the folks who clear CAT would have done so with or without coaching. Because they possess the kind of IQ CAT tests. So why do they enrol in coaching?
The coaching craze operates on the 'tipping point' principle. Once it has attracted a large enough mass of people (of which a reasonably impressive number are successful), it becomes the 'done' thing.
Cosmetics is the business of selling 'hope in a jar'. Coaching is pretty much the same thing, except in an overcrowded little classroom.
And it's a big business! Bennett Coleman & co has just picked up a 9.57% stake in MBA coaching institute Career Forum, valuing the company at Rs 94 crores (!!). And CF is one of the chhotu ones.
All the best for CAT. But never forget - there is life beyond it as well!
Is No 1 defined as:
a) The institute with maximum number of students enrolled?
b) The institute with maximum number of students who make it to IIMs?
Till yesterday, I was pretty sure IMS had the maximum number of students. IMS is the original pioneer in MBA entrance coaching and has continued to flourish despite many new players entering the scene. IMS claims to have 35,000 students enrolled for its CAT coaching this year.
Number 2 in terms of student enrolment I would think is Career Launcher. They too claim to have 35,000 students. I think it's closer to 30,000, but can't say for sure. My perception is, CL is no 2.
Which is why I was a bit surprised to learn from CNBC TV 18's 'Countdown to CAT' show - where T.I.M.E. experts were imparting fundas - that T.I.M.E. uses the slogan "no 1 CAT coaching institute".
Its website states that in "the last one year, about 45,000 students have gone through the portals of T.I.M.E. at various locations in the country and have benefited from our courses".
True? I know T.I.M.E. is popular down South, and that it is relatively cheaper than IMS and CL, which could mean big numbers. But I cannot provide an authoritative answer. Fact is, all CAT coaching institutes manipulate their numbers to some extent.
After the list of successful candidates is declared, X MBA institute will claim they had 800 successful students and Y institute will claim 900. The total of all institutes combined far exceed the number of IIM seats!
The truth is, students do enrol for 2 day GD/PI workshops or SIMCATS/ Mock CAT conducted by various institutes even while they have actually studied the material/ attended classes by another one.
As a successful A list B schooler recommended to JAM readers trying to pick the 'best course' :
To get the best of everything I would recommend:
Mock CAT & Correspondence - Career Launcher
GD/PI coaching - Take the TIME course
The 2-day IMS Achiever’s Workshop
So, we'll it pass. IMS ho, CL ho, TIME ho, jo bhi ho, fact is no matter no one can "assure success, everytime"
As I wrote in a column on rediff.com after CAT 2004, titled
"Where there's a coaching class, there's Hope!"
A huge industry -- mostly headed and fuelled by IIM alumni -- has convinced lakhs of students that if they practise long enough and hard enough, they stand a chance of making it. It is a myth that classes actively propagate and one that students choose to believe.
I have nothing against coaching (yes, I did take up a correspondence course and gleefuly passed on the material to two siblings who also cleared CAT :))
But the point is, God helps only those who help themselves. And so it is with coaching.
Practising shortcuts and solving mock papers can give those with the basic ability an added edge. But there is no way it can phenomenally improve your basic verbal, quantitative and reasoning skills.
Qualities which, frankly, are lacking in a large number of CAT aspirants.
The number of e-mails I receive, with incredibly poor English, asking for advice on 'how to make it to IIMs' would be amusing, if it weren't so sad. A couple of 100 percent real (unedited) samples:
"I am engineering student , what is the next step to select for my further studies.Is it better to continue my engineering studie s or i go to business studies which is the beter one"
"I'M EXPECTING SOME SKILLFUL AND EXPERIENCED KNOWLEDGE FROM U WHERE TO ENROLL FOR COACHING ETC. AND WHT MY REGULAR EXERCISE SHOULD BE.."
Is there any real hope for such aspirants?
I don't doubt these individuals have some unique passion or potential. But clearing the CAT exam is clearly not one of them.
The thing is, 90 percent of the folks who clear CAT would have done so with or without coaching. Because they possess the kind of IQ CAT tests. So why do they enrol in coaching?
The coaching craze operates on the 'tipping point' principle. Once it has attracted a large enough mass of people (of which a reasonably impressive number are successful), it becomes the 'done' thing.
Cosmetics is the business of selling 'hope in a jar'. Coaching is pretty much the same thing, except in an overcrowded little classroom.
And it's a big business! Bennett Coleman & co has just picked up a 9.57% stake in MBA coaching institute Career Forum, valuing the company at Rs 94 crores (!!). And CF is one of the chhotu ones.
All the best for CAT. But never forget - there is life beyond it as well!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Neal n Nikki
Nikki Bakshi
Sweet n sexy
Full on rocking
Hot n happening
The evolved junta might go ugh! but brace yourself. This is the tune which will be ruling the airwaves in the coming weeks. It's a Yashraj film and you know how hard their Promo Machine works.
Yup, those are the rather cheesy lyrics from the catchy title track of their next release - 'Neal n Nikki'. A film, which, like Salaam Namaste seeks to redefine what being 'young and Indian' is all about. But from a continent away.
So while Salaam Namaste was set in Australia, this one's got Canada as the backdrop. And judging from the promo CD sent to JAM magazine by Yashraj, it's DDLJ in reverse.
Synopsis: Neal (Uday Chopra) gives into his parents’ wishes of marrying a girl called Sweetie from Bhatinda, but has just one pre condition to getting married. He wants to live it up one last time and wants to go to Vancouver on a 21 day bachelor vacation.
So the poor dear is let off for one last, long roll in the hay...
Neal gets lucky on his first day out in Vancouver and is asked out by a hot super model. A silly, spunky Indian girl screws up the date. The girl? Nikki Bakshi (Tanisha Mukerjee)!! But this is only the first of many chance encounters, where Nikki – mostly by accident – ensures that Neal never, ever gets lucky!!
Whatever Neal does, Nikki un does. Call it luck, call it fate, call it anything. Bit by bit, Neal’s bachelor vacation starts falling apart – whether he is going skinny dipping with a girl, or enjoying a romp in the back seat of a car. Nikki turns up everywhere to spoil things for poor, poor Neal!!
So far, so good. Now comes the really 'cool and modern' bit.
A truce is called between the two, when Nikki decides to help Neal get some serious action. She tells him she can get him laid and takes him to “babe heaven” – Whistler!!
Will it work?
Most likely, yes. Neal is living out every Young Brown Male's fantasy. Getting 'lucky' with a hot white chick on the day he arrives in Vancouver, for example. It's what every nerd who steps out of the airport is secretly hoping!
As for Nikki, she represents the "I can be naughty, but I'm basically nice" face of the young Indian woman.
I know, the film's tag line is "Nice is out, naughty is in" but I'm pretty sure they won't be showing Nikki "going skinny dipping with a boy, or enjoying a romp in the back seat of a car". Trust me on that.
The special feature of the Yashraj 'trendy' films factory is somehow, they get the styling just right. And I don't mean just the clothes. They do push the envelope, but not so much that it tears.
I mean in the end of Salaam Namaste, Preity isn't just left holding a baby she conceived while in a live-in relationship. The couple does marry.
Secondly, Yashraj is definitely formula but they always add some interesting touches. In 'Salaam Namaste' for example, the Jaaved Jaffrey character was quite a riot. Like 'Kaantaben' was, in Kal ho na ho.
Thirdly, Aditya Chopra is definitely the Invisible Hand orchestrating it all. Arjun Sablok is credited with story, screenplay and direction. Which is bad news - given his earlier, excruciating 'Na tum jaano na hum'!
But, if Yashraj has decided to film it, you can be sure the kinks and chinks have been ironed out. The same happened with Kunal Kohli, after all. After a disastrous Mujhse Dosti Karoge he managed a Hum Tum.
I thought the film was a poor rip-off of When Harry met Sally but most of India went gaga over it! Of course, Saif as leading man (and Rani to an extent) also added charm to Hum Tum.
Will two relatively lightweight stars like Uday Chopra and Tanisha manage to work the same magic? Well, at least Uday has worked hard on his 'look'. Pehle se accha lag raha hai. Tanisha has lost oodles of weight (a little too much I think!) but seems to suit the role.
But hey, one more chi-chi youth film with Preity/ Rani/ Saif in the lead would have been hard to swallow. It's been-there-done-that, we're-bored-what-next.
Having lesser known stars can be a blessing in disguise. The producers simply have to pay more attention to the story and dialogue.
They know that if the film's an entertainer, the word-of-mouth from the first weekend crowd will bring in enough audiences in the days to follow!
Bollywood goes corporate
Yashraj has managed to 'scale up' and corporatise. Cranking out more and more content for an entertainment-hungry India.
And when one has to churn out 2-3 'products' a year, originality is what takes a hit. The designer youth films of the Chopras are invariably 'inspired' by phoren ones.
Of course, being far smarter than the Bhatts, Yashraj never copies scene by scene.
Wonder Neal n Nikki ka idea kahaan se uthaya hai. With the film getting released next month, we'll know soon enough!
The caveat
For all its fabulous promos, box office success and even awards, a Yashraj film is never what I would call a 'classic'. That's because it is based on formula - although one that's been tweaked a bit and packaged beautifully.
I don't see Yashraj ever making a true cult film like Dil Chahta Hai. A film which was made with a completely different mindset.
Trouble is, even Farhan Akhtar can't make another Dil Chahta Hai (and shouldn't be expected to either!). We need both kinds of filmmakers. And then some!
For now, let's just hope Neal n Nikki is at least half as "Funny, frothy, fantastic!!" as Yashraj promos describe it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)