Poinsettia – a poignant expression

While in a cab on my last visit to Singapore, my driver in a bid to engage me in conversation said, “You from India but which part?” When I said Delhi, he quipped that it was the city with four seasons. Despite spending a better part of my life in the capital, this thought was never in my conscious mind. All of a sudden I was consumed with a sense of privilege and pride.

Moving from one season to another, an average Delhi ite experiences a see saw of highs and lows. From a change of wardrobe to rising levels of pollution, to pest infestation, water and electricity issues-the changing weather has its ways of making its presence felt. The common cold and flu is probably the commonest problem that the common man faces with even a slight change in temperature! For a better part of the year, the unbearable summer heat forces people to move into a ‘hibernation’ of sorts. With the onset of autumn and winter, one can sense a palpable shift in the joi de vivre of city dwellers. The cooler temperatures, the radiant colors of the flora, the string of festivities do wonders to boost the morale and enthusiasm in people.

I celebrate my favourite seasons by adding colour to my otherwise frugal garden. For close to nine months I try desperately to ensure that the spirit of the greens does not sag through the rising temperatures. I feel like a supervisor in an organization trying to motivate their team to keep working with a lure of getting them a bonus at the end of the year! So come November, I make a beeline for the nursery to buy chrysanthemums, roses, dahlias and poinsettias. Like the bonus that gets used up in no time, the survival time for these gorgeous plants is only a month or two, but it still makes the effort and expense worthwhile.

One such poinsettia that I picked last December has completely outdone itself. It seems to possess an unusual but heartening self multiplier plan! It’s been close to 5 months now and my Christmas plant (as it is commonly known) has been fighting to stand tall as the only dash of color in a sea of greens. Not only has it survived its expected life span, it also continues to sprout tiny green leaves every now and then as if to flaunt its unfailing spirit. It is indeed a miracle plant!!! While the other green plants are already feeling the heat and finding it difficult to manifest their full potential, this tiny Poinsettia seems to be doing quite well in comparison. I’m sure the greens must look down at him in complete awe and wonder of what makes him tick against the odds. I can almost hear them say, “Your time is up, what you are waiting for? Christmas??J” Every time I get pensive of what lies ahead, this one foot red top wonder peers at me to fill me with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. It makes me marvel of the countless ways in which the forces of life and the universe are able to communicate to us.

Being like Rajini

At a staggering 375 crores, 2010 saw one of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema- Rajinikanth’s Endhiran. Frenzied followers of the Rajini cult queued up at theatres in Chennai for a 4am show. In the history of film screening this level of adulation for one star alone has been unheard of. Cutting effortlessly across all kinds of demographics, psychographics and geographies, one wonders what really makes him the rage that he is. Adding further to the enigma, is that he seems to be defying all conventional norms of stardom; almost as if it were with a vengeance! As a columnist who was trying to decipher the Rajinikanth phenomenon remarked, “if you are middle aged, don’t have great looks, or a 6 pack to flaunt, you could aspire to be Rajinikanth!”

My own state of bewilderment shifted to respect and admiration when I heard him speak at an award ceremony that bestowed upon him the ‘NDTV Entertainer of the decade’ title. His demeanor spoke volumes of his humility that one has often heard of. The excitement in the voices of Vidya Balan and Katrina Kaif on sharing the stage with him, didn’t affect him in the least. When asked by Prannoy Roy on how he feels to be such a mega star, his response floored the crowd, “What can I say. I am just doing my work. It is the act of God being played through me.” A ring of deep conviction in what he’d said was palpable.

What struck one instantly was how rare such a quality is among people, in particular those who have achieved success or for that matter are in positions of authority. What one sees in great measure is the sense of “I” or “me” factor that is so predominant that they have somewhere lost themselves behind this fabricated veneer. The ability to live in this illusory world and yet see oneself as separate from it is to my mind indicative of high strength of character. One sees very few people who portray this sense of attached yet detached state of being. Come to think of it, it is not that difficult to see ourselves as a microcosm of a larger macrocosm; yet the ability to be in constant awareness of it as we carry on with our lives seems to be difficult. The dilution of this belief, is leading us away from the manifestation of humility and other such sterling qualities that the human being is capable of. Fighting to protect a false sense of the “I” there is a greater tendency to resort to tactics that are more fear and greed based rather than those of humility and gratitude. A dearth of such qualities in our leadership, clearly explains the spate of corrupt practices that we see in our institutions and society today. When the mind is obsessed with materialistic benefits then it’s bound to adopt devious measures in amassing more for the self. Strangely enough, capital seems to be directly proportional to success and power. To make matters worse, society adds to a compounding cycle of high respect for people with wealth and power; with absolutely no regard to the substance of their being.

Rajini’s rise to stardom from that of a bus conductor is akin to rags to riches story. Yet his ability to remain in touch with that reality hasn’t diminished over the years. A conversation with any Rajini fan will get them to recount instances where the star has made an effort to mingle and be just like them. The fact that he brushes off his shoulder; his star status is what further increases his appeal factor. At no point in time is there an effort to minimize Rajini’s talent. His ability to expand the world of possibility in the most comical manner makes him the most sought after entertainer. Any child will tell you that there is nothing in the world that ‘Rajini can’t’ do! It’s very clearly the potent combination of onscreen hungama and off screen persona that has thrust him to the ‘Boss’ status.

We need more Rajinikanths in our society today and in leadership roles, to help people shift the way they think and act. Imagine the world of politics, bureaucracy, social and corporate bodies replete with Rajinikanths. It was easy to make clones of him in the movie Robot; can we do the same in real life too? J

Trivia getting stuck

Years after one has moved on from past relationships some of its weirdest remnants remain deeply etched in our memories. What was the trigger for such unusual and hardly significant things to get stuck? Clothes that one wore, spoke in a certain manner, what the parents wore....why does the human brain collect such trivia? Years later its funny to discover what may have remained stuck in someone's memory while some important events may have completely been wiped out!!!

Praha-An unforgettable experience

For the longest time that I can remember, I have always dreamt of dancing on stage in my complete Bharatanatyam dance attire. In addition to the very emotive dance itself, the bright costumes and jewelery have always held a fascination for me and I visualized myself in it someday. Not in my wildest imagination would I have thought that this dream of mine would be realized at an international dance festival.

As an annual event, the New Prague Dance Festival provides a platform for aspiring dancers to showcase their dance styles. It beautifully reflects the vision of David and Roberta, the organizers, to bring diverse cultures together. While it is a competition, the bonhomie and a genuine desire to learn about other art forms is what defines the spirit of this festival.

After close to 5 months of practice we were ready to take on the world!!! At the Delhi airport, the security fished furiously through Shradha’s hand bag to figure out the metallic beep. It was no coincidence that a small brass Ganesh ji in her bag was making his presence felt to wish us good luck. After a fairly comfortable 8 hour flight we arrived to a warm welcome by the dance festival organizers; at the sparsely populated Prague Airport. Along with some more dancers from Switzerland, we zipped towards Hotel Ibis in the Old Town. At the hotel we met with Lucy and Eva who would be our guide and coordinators for the festival. With the festival brochure and kit in hand we checked into our rooms and hit the beds for the much needed snooze.

For a large part of the first two days we had ample time to ourselves, so the 5 of us( Navya, Namita, Shradha, Jyotsna Ma’am and I) set out to explore the city. At the Old Town Square we waited patiently for the Astronomical Clock to strike at the hour. The clock was an amusing sight to see—all parts of the tall tower had small puppets that set into motion while the gong struck 5. I thought it was a more elaborate and animated version of the conventional cuckoo clock. Come to think of it, there seems to be some fascination with clocks all across Europe. The clock tower is usually a well known landmark and one finds varied versions of clocks dotting the cities. The soothing sound of the several clock tower and church bells every hour just gives me the goose bumps. While window shopping at exorbitantly priced but exquisite Swarovski crystal stores we suddenly realized we had ambled quite far away from our hotel. Namita and I pored over the map to figure out what would be the best way to get back since retracing our steps was not an option. With signs of fatigue being voiced by some of us we had to find a solution quickly. So with a faint knowing of an alternative short cut we egged the group to move on. With a few breaks in between where we didn’t lose the opportunity to ogle at some good looking cops closing in on miscreants ; we found our way home. On our return we flipped through the brochure to check the schedule of events. One complicated puzzle it turned out to be and had all five of us rendering our diverse interpretations of it. I still haven’t understood why it carried several pages on arrivals and departures of groups to the theatre!

The next day, Lucy guided us to the Narodini Divaldo, the National theatre which she said was a 10 minute walk from the hotel. At our pace it turned out to be a 40 minute one!! We realized how unaccustomed to walking we were and Lucy made no bones about saying so! The theatre was so huge that it needed a proper guided tour. The stage was ten times the size of the dance floor that we have been used to. The entire enormity of the place overawed us and it did show up in the dismal stage rehearsal we had later that evening. We were losing our balance and forgetting our steps and we wondered why! This episode reflected quite sweetly in Shradha’s dream that night when I heard her mutter “ Please, please clap for us”. With the way we had performed on our rehearsal day she probably imagined there would be no applause at all! Every night after returning to hotel no matter how tired we were, a rehearsal was a must. Any open space we found was enough to get us started. On one occasion it even invited a complaint from the hotel! Our midnight practice and unending chat sessions over chai (made with tap water from the washroom!!!) were truly memorable experiences. We baulked at the idea of drinking out of the taps initially but got used to it later. In India we have been so conditioned to relating tap water to falling ill, that it did require some time to de-condition that thought. The force of the water flow made a filled up glass look misty initially causing a brief moment of horror. Ofcourse it settled down later to crystal clear water!

Getting ready for our first day of performance was quite a task. It took us over two hours and had us scurrying to the theatre to be there on time. By the third day of our performance we had mastered the act and got dressed with ease and then strutted through confidently in the Metro and the streets of Prague to get to the theatre! I can’t imagine walking the streets of India in all our finery. Once when we were returning to the hotel, our Christmas tree like bright attire attracted a Russian couple who stopped us for a photo op. Another day we were accosted by a cop on a routine check in the metro for tickets. While we had our hearts in our mouth through the ordeal, we can now look back and laugh at yet another interesting episode to add to our Prague experience.

Stitching the ‘rakodi’ ( or ‘rokda’ as Namita once referred to it and had us all in splits!!) on the hair buns, pinning every part of our 5 piece costume and jewelery, the war paint like make up, fixing our battery operated diyas for the aarti, using red marker pens for ‘alta’, last minute rehearsals were all moments of fun, nervousness and excitement that I will cherish forever. It just made all the effort of the last 5 months so so worthwhile. On each successive performance day, the back stage management is what amazed me. 45 teams from across the world, over 450 dancers with props and elaborate outfits and everything moved with clockwork precision. The PA system announcing “ No. 16, you are next” still echoes in my ears. Moving up to the wings silently to avoid the sound of our ghungroos from disturbing the other artists; Navya, Shradha and I would hold hands, take a deep breath and wish each other luck. My guru’s words of encouragement and prayers did a lot to boost our morale. I just hope we lived up to her expectation and months of untiring effort.

We had prepared three very different dance pieces. Our flagship brand in our repertoire was ‘Rhythms’, a peppy fast paced choreography on a Shankar Mahadevan number, ‘Dheemtana.’ This had taken us the longest to choreograph and practice and was one based on pure footwork. For an international audience, I thought this piece represented a good balance of a traditional dance, set to contemporary music. The second choreography was based on Meera’s devotion for Krishna. With a combination of footwork and ‘abhinaya’ this won the applause of many and even an award in the second placeJ. As Roberta, the organizer put it, “ You were telling a beautiful story.” The third was an ‘Aarti’ which had a brief explanation through a audio visual projection while we danced with diyas. Without meaning to sound boastful, I genuinely felt proud in showcasing our culture, tradition and spirituality at an international platform. The immense depth and richness in our art forms is truly unparalleled.

In the hectic six days of the festival, the audience witnessed a kaleidoscope of creative dance forms. From jazz,hip hop, ballet, ethnic dance; there was no dearth of talent here. During the day, there were workshops to facilitate an appreciation of other cultures and art forms. Of the three workshops on jazz, we managed to attend just one and bunked the others for either a sightseeing visit or were just too lazy to stir from bed!

One was pleasantly amused to see that the world of Bollywood has cut across geographies – an Israeli group performed a swinging dance number to kajra re! At the Karlstejn castle, we met an Azerbaijani lady who broke into “Mur mur ke na dekh” and “Ichak dana” when she learnt we were from India. Meeting people from other parts of the world was another unique experience. !As Roberta remarked, “I liked the mixing of cultures and the bonhomie that spread.” A noble mission indeed to use dance as a medium to bring the world closer. One lady from Basel, Switzerland said, “ Oh you are the group that makes noise from the feet”, referring to our bells. What we consider as integral to dance can be so unusual and intriguing for another. On our free day, the festival organized a visit to Kutna Hura, a quaint town on the outskirts of Prague; known for its Bone Church and the St. Barbara Church. A day well spent with friends in the company of bones, skulls and the serenity of an exquisite Gothic church. Several years ago when the graveyard was attacked, it unearthed several bones and skulls of people who had died during the plague. A truly ingenious idea to make intricate and creative artifacts using them. One has to see the pictures to believe this! In the evening the dancers were treated to an exotic cruise on the Vltava river. The ride offered a breathtaking view of Prague during the day and by night.With the wining and dining and ofcourse dancing the excitement of the group was palpable.

Each day in Prague, each performance had something unique to offer. There were countless cherished moments of joy, pride, disappointment during those 6 days. The varied emotions, the strong bonds that the five of us shared , made the entire experience so special. I guess beyond a point words and pictures cannot express much-- it just has to be experienced!

Harmony in Diversity--A dance jugalbandhi

I have always been intrigued, at times even humbled by the vast variety in every field that India has to offer. As senior bureaucrat turned politician, Mr Shashi Tharoor once remarked “ When you speak of India you can only speak of it in the plural”. Given my inclination for culture and art , the rich diversity that one nation alone can accord, has never ceased to captivate me.

Last week I witnessed one of the most spectacular jugalbandhis of Kathak and Bharatanatyam conceptualized by Jyotsna Shourie of The Dance Centre. I have to admit that I’ve been a little wary of fusion art forms since my experience in the past has not been so pleasant. I believe this is a tricky path that calls for a skillful balance in maintaining its purity while exploring a harmonious blend. In addition there is always the danger of diluting each art form and inviting a raised eyebrow from a pro purist art critic or for that matter even seasoned connoisseurs. This jugalbandhi by The Dance Centre was by far one of the best that I have seen. What struck me most is how seamlessly they had come together despite being so distinct in their style and from divergent parts of the country. It was little wonder then that this performance had me in raptures.

The evening commenced with a short hymn to Lord Krishna after which Nandita Kalaan, one of Jyotsna’s foremost disciples presented a varnam in raag bhairavi set to Rupaka taal. It very beautifully depicted the yearning of a nayika for her beloved. As an emotive dancer Nandita brought out the pain that a nayika goes through when the divine who she has been earnestly seeking is elusive. A brilliant choreography of complicated nritta interspersed by abhinaya.

Building up the momentum from a fast paced Bharatanatyam piece, Rashmi Uppal, the Kathak exponent for the evening, revved it up to break neck speeds. Not much of a Kathak enthusiast myself this dance was riveting enough to get me to start liking it. Rashmi’s flowing grace juxtaposed with intricate rhythmic footwork was a sheer delight. I loved the way she beautifully glided across the stage in her chakkars. It was amusing to see the crowd bobbing their heads and tapping to her taal in complete unison.

After fascinating individual performances the exponents of the two dance forms came together in a jugalbandhi. Preceding the dance was a jugalbandhi by the artistes of both dance forms. What initially sounded like the tuning of instruments transitioned into a brilliant fusion of taal, laya and swara. Its not very often that you see the the pakhawaj and the mrindagam do a tango of sorts. Nor do you hear the rendition of a tillana, an integral part of the bharatanatyam repertoire, by a vocalist of the Kathak style. As a dancer myself I found it very fascinating to see a Kathak dancer tap effortlessly and in perfect synchronicity to the beats of the Mridangam. Another case of harmony in diversity was brought out by the attire of the musicians from both sides. The Kathak musicians all attired in shades of cream and white were a complete contrast to the vibrantly coloured Kancheevaram sarees and kurtas of the Bharatnatyam musicians. So in every way I saw a contrast blended in harmony—sounds like an oxymoron but its this play in representation that I enjoy most.

The jugalbandhi built up to a crescendo was just the perfect end to the evening’s performance. The dancers and musicians had enthralled the audience with their scintillating performances. Two dance forms, a jugalbandhi of dance and music—what more could a dance lover ask for? In the years to come I hope such compositions inspire other dancers to widen their boundaries to uncover new vistas of creative partnerships.

The Road Less Travelled

After a four year stint at the Times of India group where I handled space selling , I was on the lookout for another opportunity. Of the several interviews that I went through, way back in 1998,I have very vivid memories of the one I attended for a role at Schindler. I had gone quite unprepared expecting to be interviewed by one person. I was so wrong because this was not one or two but a 5 member panel conducting interviews!! As I was being introduced by the head of HR to the VP-Operations, MD, CEO and the other functional heads, I could feel my knees quiver and my heartbeat race. I felt intimidated by the erudite management team and tried hard to keep myself focused on the questions being asked. From details of my work experience to academics and my interests in dance-there was nothing in my CV that I had not been quizzed on. I emerged from the room an hour later; heaving a sigh of relief that it was over, but also pleased. I remember saying to myself, “I don’t know if I made it but that was a rocker of an interview experience!!”

A month later on a wintry January morning, I found myself on the 15th floor of Gopaldass Bhawan , Connaught Place; as I embarked on my journey at Schindler. It wasn’t hard to notice the stark change from Times of India, in more ways than one. From an office which was only full of women, this one had none! From sharing my desk and phone with three others, I now had an independent work station with a state of the art Siemens landline, all to myself. From an antiquated desktop which was also shared, I now had an IBM laptop and a mobile phone to complete the set. Way back in 1999, this level of gadget comfort was still uncommon and an aspiration for many, so needless to say I was very thrilled with my acquisitions. My enthusiasm was however dampened when I was informed that there has been a slight change in my role and that I would handle product sales for a while. Maintenance contract led sales for which I was hired had been shelved as a business by the management and hence the decision. After a brief conversation with my managing director, I was convinced that I had made an error of judgement and would give this a shot only for a month and not more. I was so wrong—not only did I adapt to product(new installation) sales but also did it for six years and in two diverse markets!!!!

I distinctly recall this episode; when my father had come to pick me up from office, one evening. Out of concern for his daughter, he very earnestly asked the CEO, “She has no industry experience, she is not even an engineer. How will she cope? Why have you hired her??” The CEO, an Italian head of the Indian subsidiary; smiled assuredly. He explained, that they were seeking a fresh perspective from talent outside the industry and a lack of an engineering degree would not be a barrier. His confidence gave me a ray of hope and I decided to give this my best shot. At Schindler India's 25th year celebration last year, Mr Silvio Napoli ( who was CEO Schindler India in 1999)  narrates jokingly, " Hiring Aparna was not enough, I had to sit for an interview with her father to keep her!!!"

The first 100 days were tough to say the least. I had to start from scratch and move quickly.
My induction as a new joinee was truly novel. I was asked to report to the roof- top of a residential building, on Hailey Road, where Schindler’s first installation was underway. This is where I spent a better part of the winter of 1999, observing how an elevator is installed. On one of his surprise visits, the head of field operations, asked me pointedly, “So how does one align the guide rails?” “How is the DBG(distance between guide rails) calculated?” Every part of me was screaming to say that tools and equipment didn’t interest me and I couldn’t be bothered about guide rails. One look at him and I knew he would have none of this. Learning by doing was his principle and I had no option but to hop onto the car top and figure it out. So quite grudgingly I donned a helmet and a harness and carefully stepped on to the top of the lift cabin. From the 14th floor when I looked down the shaft, I felt dizzy and shrieked in panic. All work that day came to a standstill as I became an amusing spectacle. A few days later we learnt that there was an erroneous shipment of some of the components of the elevator. This stalled the entire installation process and nobody was more pleased than me. Playing cricket, mobile phone games and sipping umpteen cups of masala chai at the roadsidel tea shop, is how we spent our time; till such time as work resumed.

One of my first questions on ‘what is a machine room’ invited a sniggered response from some of my more seasoned colleagues. I was a silent participant in all technical discussions.They spoke an alien language altogether and I was always scared of asking a stupid question. With each passing day, like a child learning a new language I learnt to construct sentences using the right technical words. It was not long before hoistway size, column thickness, lintel height, rag bolts and the like were words that became a part of my everyday vocabulary. Through this entire phase the unflagging support of some colleagues and my senior management is what kept me afloat. There were many a times when I asked myself, “why am I doing this?” “Will I be able to do this?” Almost unfailingly, each time clouds of doubt enveloped me, there was someone in the organization who encouraged me to keep moving. Sometimes I felt, I was holding on, more for the confidence they reposed in me; than for myself!

While I was trying to cope with my lack of technical and industry experience, I realized there was another barrier I would have to deal with— that of my credibility as a female professional in a male dominated industry. Builders and architects were not used to negotiating with a lady, for a technical product and hence an initial apprehension was an additional challenge I had to face. It was strange for me to reckon with the fact that there was a buzz in the industry of a woman having entered a male bastion. In an industry where people movements are monitored quite closely this was probably headline news. Three years later, when I moved to Bangalore as part of Schindler’s foray into the southern market,a feeling on déjà vu was all consuming. On many an occasion when I walked in for a meeting, I found my prospective client, looking expectantly over my shoulder for someone else to accompany me. When I told them I was alone, it was met with a response of skepticism and to an extent bewilderment, on whether I would be able to handle techno-commercial negotiations. To see perceptions change and prejudices break over a period of time, was definitely a huge high.

One of my first contracts, my first ‘taste of blood’ as my boss would put it, was met with much jubilation and cheer within the organization. Everyone was waiting with bated breath on how I would fare and so a string of congratulatory mails from everyone in the organization followed. For me it was significant because I had broken barriers within myself ---I had moved from a ‘I cant do it” to an “I can and its possible” one. This contract of two elevators was for a posh building in a South Delhi, colony, owned by a rather typical unrefined Delhi builder. Most of our meetings happened on a half broken chair at his building site. In addition to the sales pitch I was also preoccupied with balancing myself on the rickety chair while ducking pieces of concrete falling from the top floors!!! Every time I met him he would try desperately to pronounce Schindler but found it a tongue twister. On one occasion he introduced me to another builder friend of his as “ Madam from Chandelier company”. When I corrected him he tried to copy me, to say “Sachindler" !!!!

In its first year of its operations, Schindler had launched the machine room less elevator and so a lot of my time was invested in proposing this concept to architects and structural consultants. For fairly obvious reasons, I found my comfort zone in concept selling more than in product selling. It took some time and experience to start enjoying the latter. Schindler also introduced the concept of account management. i.e All aspects of project management from selling, PR, collections, complaints, site execution was coordinated by a single point interface between the client and the organization. While this was well received by the market, the poor account manager had a tough time juggling several balls in the air. No mean task, especially as the number of projects kept increasing each successive year.

As part of business development, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting a wide cross section of people. From the rustic to the more cultured ones, from the young and inexperienced to the old and well versed, my tack and approach varied substantially, making my profile very dynamic. Every contract therin was unique, offering a different experience and learning.While some client interactions I would like to obliterate from my memory, quite a few of them presented an enjoyable experience.

An interesting incident comes to mind--one of my clients, was getting an elevator installed at his residence. He owned two rather ferocious German Shepherds,so every time I visited him he would have to chain them up before I could enter the premises. Once the shaft was ready and the scaffolding in place,I was accompanied by two of my site installation engineers. I had warned them about the dogs but they didn’t seem very concerned about it. Just as we were inspecting the shaft, we heard the dogs race down from the terrace. The din they created sent a shiver down my spine and I was fortunately close enough to the front gate to rush out to safety. After the dogs had been contained by their master, I re entered the house but couldn’t see my colleagues. I then heard them calling out from the top of the hoistway.In sheer fright they had climbed up the scaffolding like monkeys !!! Every time this incident was recounted to others, we share a hearty laugh.

Preparing for the pre qualification process of the Delhi metro Rail project is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. This was the first time that we were handling a project of this scale,so it needed several hands to put the requisite documents together. Everyone at the Delhi and Mumbai offices was in some way or the other involved in probably the biggest project that the Indian market was witnessing. As the deadline for submission approached, the pace of work got more frenetic. Despite being weighed down by the mound of work, it was interesting to notice that there were no complaints of fatigue or ennui. Everyone revelled in the camaraderie that they shared as each one put their best foot forward. It was an excellent display of bonhomie and team spirit—one that I am proud to be a part of.

After spending close to three years at the Delhi office, I moved to be a part of the Bangalore operations. Penetrating the market where some of the local brands were deeply entrenched, was an enormous task. Change doesn’t go down well with the risk averse South Indian psyche,so breaking through their mindset with a new product concept(machine room less elevator) and brand name was immensely challenging. To add to our woes, the economic downturn post 09-11 had an adverse effect on sales. In my entire professional career so far,2002 was clearly the most stressful. Bookings were far from target, collections was minimal, bosses were hollering and the morale was down. It was only about a year later that business started looking up. Our hopes were renewed with the sprouting of malls in Bangalore as the demand for escalators increased.

Around this time when I was attending an offsite, I was introduced to another female colleague who had recently joined the organization. It was heartening to see the gender balance tilting; albeit slowly. I was very happy to meet with her and felt an instant connect. Quite instinctively I took on a protective role and advised her(not sure if it was solicited by her!!) on what lay ahead in this fairly daunting industry.

As I look back at the six years I spent at Schindler, I feel I have come a long way. It has been an interesting kaleidoscope of experiences sprinkled with several highs, lows, challenges, and opportunities..A unique learning curve that has helped me grow manifold, both personally and professionally. Its been two years since I moved on from Schindler but the close relationships formed; I will cherish for a life time to come. Thanks to technology most of us(now ex Schindler) still keep in touch and meet up regularly to walk down memory lane.

An Idea for change

Was the last month’s blow a turning point in India’s history?
Where do we go from here?
An idea for change

For several years now, India has been the soft target of some mavericks who either believe that brutal carnage in this country is their stepping stone to jannat or are probably part of a state sponsored destabilizing operation. Given the coordinated manner in which these barbaric acts are being conducted, coupled with the privileges and funding they enjoy, I am more inclined to believe the latter. In the process, its leading to unimaginable mutilation of a religion which at the very core , is based on peace loving principles. Its sad to see how any devout follower of Islam can stoop to ridicule their sense of identity. How in jannats name can violence be justified as serving a higher purpose? Why then, haven’t all the other religions of this planet interpreted it, in the same manner? Are they missing something that these fanatic Muslims seem so sure of? Given its irrational belief system, I am of the view that the terror story clearly has a more political flavor than a religious one.

So what should India do? Feel like a hapless victim and point a finger towards Pakistan? While the super powers have voiced their concern and rendered help, I believe India has to fend for herself. This is our battle alone and we have the wherewithal to douse such fires which stem not from strength but reek of fear, insecurity and a false notion of power. Challenging circumstances are an opportunity to reflect, introspect and source from our inner reservoir of unlimited strength and fortitude. Wallowing in pity or indulging in a blame game like our politicians are most likely to do, are reactionary tendencies that will not yield any results. There is nothing that we can do to change our political or bureaucratic system-they are too horribly mired in their web of petty games to expect sound governance from them. Even after 61 years of independence our political leaders have not been able to strengthen the infrastructure in this country. It would be foolish to allow them independence in matters that are critical to the nation’s growth. The current scenario therefore calls for a change in the rules of the game.

The need of the hour is to create an equally powerful constructive force that could negate the inherent flaws and wrongdoings of the government. I believe this force rests unequivocally with Corporate India. No longer can organizations exist in isolation of their socio political environment. There is increasing need for business houses to consider an expansion in their dimension of operation to include an responsibility to people of society and planet in addition to profit. Organizational success and sustainability needs to encompass a triple bottom line concept of people, planet and profit- a paradigm adhered to, by only a few organizations today. Corporate India can no longer afford to let the government take its own course. Our responsibility as part of corporations doesn’t end with making a choice between the devil and the deep sea. We need to build a sustained partnership with those in the political realm. Only a move which goes beyond electing to engaging with them can save the nation from the perils of poor governance.

Such efforts have been initiated but are too small scale to witness a nation wide change. Janaagraha,(www.janaagraha.org )a citizens’ initiative started by ex Citibank honcho, Mr Ramesh Ramanathan is indeed a praiseworthy effort. From a movement to include people's participation in public governance it has now evolved into a robust institution for citizenship and democracy. Its advisory board includes several eminent members from Corporate India. Such bridges of government-corporate partnerships will enhance transparency, accountability and hasten the pace of progress. India Inc probably commands the loudest share of voice in the corridors of political power. As an active partner in decision making, particularly on matters critical to the nation’s growth, Corporate India can ensure that politicians do not get away with murder(quite literally!)

On a program I was viewing last week, titled Ideas for Change, Mr Amit Chandra of Bain India mentioned a public interest litigation filed by them stating a complete action plan to combat issues arising out of inadequate infrastructure. The government has been asked to draft their own timelines for completion, subsequent to which the project execution will be closely monitored. He very rightly called for corporates to change responsibility in CSR to corporate social Necessity. Kudos to him for taking such a constructive action oriented step.

The media can play a crucial role as the official watchdog- such coverage will be more in the nation’s interest than a fear soaked ‘bleeding hearts story’.

So lets stop blaming the government for what hasn’t been done- the time now is to explore avenues of partnerships with them such that a constructive, action led task force can be established. Probably through such engagements, the government might pick up a leaf or two on leading effectively. Who knows- it may even inspire an authentic leader from India Inc to dive into the political arena and change the system.