Eurozone pledge for IndIa's $10 bn
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PUBLICATIOn OF THE COnSULATE GEnERAL OF InDIA In DUBAI VOL.4 ISSUE 6 | jUnE 2012
IndIa’s $10 bn
pledge for
eurozone
At the G-20 Summit, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh says the move is
crucial for revitalising emerging economies hit by the European crisis
CONTENTS
FROM THE CONSUL-GENERAL’S DESK
04 COVER STORY
India pledges $10
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the June edition of India Matters. This bn for Eurozone
month, the world’s leading economic powers joined hands Prime Minister urges other
in the G-20 summit to mitigate the Euro Zone crisis. The nations to also assist in bailing out
cover story highlights India’s contribution of $10 billion to ailing Eurozone economies
IMF’s kitty created to deal with the crisis. The Prime
Minister’s speech during the summit stressed the need to
strategise for the long term by increasing investments to
06 IN FOCUS
‘Foreign service
build infrastructure, which would stimulate the sagging
economies in the near term. strength to be doubled’
With India’s rising international profile, a commensu- Minister of External Affairs S.M.
rate upscaling of the country’s diplomatic apparatus Krishna, talks about the drive for
becomes inevitable. In this issue, the External Affairs more staff
Minister speaks about recent reforms undertaken to
strengthen the ministry, as well as India’s diplomatic serv-
ice. Initiatives like outsourcing of non-core jobs and taking
08 ECONOMY
‘Revive the animal
in subject experts and consultants from outside the min-
istry, are also discussed. Read the In Focus, ‘Foreign service spirit’
strength to be doubled’. Dr. Manmohan Singh reinvigo-
In 10 Questions, our guest is the well-known banker and rates the Finance Ministry,
founder CEO of Dunia Finance, Rajeev Kakar. In addition to
thoughts and values that have shaped his business philoso- 10 CINEMA
Untold stories, rare
displaying his old acumen
phy, he shares his opinions on the financial sector, the
Indian economy and the challenges in building a brand in
pictures 14 10 QUESTIONS
‘An opportunity in
A new biography of Dilip Kumar to bring
tough times. Read ‘An Opportunity in Every Crisis’. to light some rare photographs of the thes- every crisis’
pian Rajeev Kakar, Founder of Dunia Finance,
Happy Reading!
Sanjay Verma on what made him take the plunge during
the global crisis of 2008
16
FEATURES
A facelift for the Mall
After Gaity Theatre, it’s the turn of the Town Hall
RADIO MATTERS and Mall Road in Shimla to be restored to old glory
The Consulate General of India in Dubai brings to you its weekly
radio programme ‘India Matters’ on Suno 102.4 FM. The purpose of
the show is to highlight the services provided by the Consulate and talk
about the events and news related to India and the Indian community
in UAE.
India Matters is aired every Friday between 5 and 6 pm on Suno
12 LIFESTYLE
Two days on a pass
102.4 FM and repeated every Saturday between 12 and 1 pm. Kai Friese describes the high point of his life
For more details visit www.cgidubai.com and www.suno1024.com at Parang La
18
BOOKS
A Mahabharata for Gen Y
Economist Bibek Debroy, understanding the reading
habits of the young generation, translates the epic for
them in English
Winner of the May 2012 monthly quiz contest is 20 SUPERBRANDS
Birla White
Parvathy Nair India Matters is a monthly publication of the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be produced, stored
ns!
Congratulatio
The winner gets a gift hamper. or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the CGI Dubai.
Editorial correspondence and manuscripts can be addressed to indiamatters@cgidubai.com
Content and design by IANS (www.ianspublishing.com) on behalf of Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Editorial Coordinator: Zarin Amrolia, Dubai
2 IndiaMatters|June 2012
SEPTEMBER 2009 June 2012|IndiaMatters 3
CovEr story
was pulling down even emerging
economies like as India and China, which
were earlier on a high growth path.
“This calls for policy action on several
fronts. Of greatest concern at present is the
uncertainty affecting the Eurozone. The
sovereign debt crisis and the banking crisis
now on the horizon have grave implica-
tions for the health of the entire global
economy.”
The Prime Minister again laid emphasis
on infrastructure investment, as he had in
earlier G20 Summits, saying less devel-
oped and emerging economies were also
facing serious problems because of the
global crisis.
“Infrastructure investment in develop-
ing countries assumes special importance
in this context. It lays the foundation for
rapid growth in the longer term, while pro-
viding an immediate stimulus for their
economies and also for the global econo-
my, by providing a robust source of
demand,” he said.
But more infrastructure investment in
the developing world is only possible if it
gets access to long-term capital, he said,
ManMohan, hollandE
adding, “Multilateral development banks
can play a major role in this context.” talk planE dEal
Investment in the world economy: Dr. Manmohan Singh with world leaders at the G-20 Summit in Mexico INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES … LAYS T he recently-concluded G20 summit in Los Cabos may have
focused on the global economic crisis, but when French President
India pledges I
THE FOUNDATION FOR RAPID Francois Hollande met Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on
ndia has pledged $10 billion to the its sidelines, their discussion also veered towards India’s $20-billion
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to
GROWTH IN THE LONGER TERM, tender for 126 combat planes for which France’s Rafale is the lowest
help Eurozone countries out of the current WHILE PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE bidder.
$10 bn
crisis and prevent any adverse fallout on STIMULUS FOR THEIR ECONOMIES Top Indian officials, who accompanied Dr. Singh to Los Cabos, told
emerging economies. AND ALSO FOR THE GLOBAL mediapersons that the French President expressed “happiness” over
“The International Monetary Fund has a crit- India selecting French aviation major Dassault’s Rafale plane as the
ical, supportive role to play in stabilising the ECONOMY. lowest bidder for the tender, described as the “mother of all defence
Eurozone. All members must help the fund to — Dr. Manmohan Singh deals” for its sheer size.
play this role,” Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Hollande told Dr. Singh that he was hopeful the cost negotiations
Singh told the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, for the Rafale that are in progress in India will conclude soon. India
Mexico, on June 19. Efforts were underway in India to spruce named the Rafale as the lowest bidder in February.
“I am happy to announce India has decided up infrastructure with massive investment Rafale had beat its closest competitor, European consortium EADS
to contribute $10 billion to IMF’s additional and ambitious targets, he said. Cassidian’s Eurofighter Typhoon that is in service with the four part-
for Eurozone
firewall of $430 billion,” Dr. Singh said, also The Prime Minister said while the per- ner-nations — Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain — and has been cho-
appealing to countries with surpluses such as formance of the Indian economy, now sen by the Austrian and Saudi Arabian air forces.
China to make similar contributions. growing at 6.9 percent as against 8.4 per- If India signs the contract with Dassault, it will be Rafale’s first
The Prime Minister congratulated the new cent in 2010-11, may look good to the export order. Rafale is the frontline combat plane of the French air
government in Greece, as it has given hope that world outside, it was not enough and that force as of now.
the debt-laden country will stay in the citizens expected more. “Yet the funda- The Rafales, once the deal is signed and the delivery of the planes
Prime Minister urges other nations to also assist Eurozone and take up critical reforms. “We mentals of the Indian economy remain begins, will replace the aging Soviet-era MiG-21s of the IAF and will
in bailing out ailing Eurozone economies, wish them well and are encouraged by the early strong and we are confident of bringing be the frontline plane of at least six or seven squadrons.
statements of intent.” He, nevertheless, said back the rhythm of high growth of 8-9 per-
writes Arvind Padmanabhan the crisis in Eurozone remained worrying, as it cent per annum.” n
4 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 5
In FoCus
tional organisations, including the IN ALL PROJECTS RELATED TO India has scaled up aid and soft loans
G20, the Non-Aligned Movement, of over $11 billion to developing coun-
BRICS and IBSA, Krishna said his THE MINISTRY, WE HAVE AN tries as part of its long-term game-
ministry has accelerated the process OPEN TENDERING SYSTEM SO plan to push India’s strategic inter-
of expanding the Indian Foreign THAT WE CAN GET THE BEST ests through economic diplomacy and
Service whose size remains smaller soft power projection.
than that of Singapore and Malaysia.
SERVICE PROVIDER FOR A The foreign aid, which India likes to
“We realised in the last three years PARTICULAR PROJECT. call developmental assistance,
that there is an urgent need for —S.M. Krishna includes $7.5 billion to Africa, $2 bil-
expansion of our foreign service. The lion to Afghanistan, $1 billion to
Indian Foreign Service has a great Myanmar and substantial aid to
legacy and it has some of our best and departments. We also plan to get neighbouring countries like Nepal,
brightest officers. But our number is more experts from outside the system Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
small,” he said. to make our system more efficient “We believe in providing total
There are barely 800 Indian diplo- and competitive,” he said. transparency in all our operations.
mats across the headquarters in New Other steps taken by the external It’s a fact that in the last four-five
Delhi, 119 resident missions and 49 affairs ministry to upgrade India’s years India has emerged as one of the
As certain functions are being consulates, a woefully small size given diplomatic capacity in the last three big donors among developing coun-
outsourced to agencies, India’s rising power and its aspira- years include the introduction of tries for less developed and smaller
tions for a UN permanent seat. mid-career training for officers and countries,” Krishna said during the
professionals are being absorbed Compared to that, Brazil, a fellow encouraging specialisation and interview.
from other Departments for their BRICS country, has a 3,000-strong domain expertise. The ministry has “We have worked out a system to
domain expertise diplomatic staff, China has 6,200 also outsourced some protocol and ensure transparency and will not be
diplomats and the US tops the list passport-related work to private found wanting,” he replied when
with 19,667 diplomats. agencies to free up diplomats to asked about the oft-iterated allega-
“The cabinet has approved the pro- focus on more substantive policy tions of funds diversion and delays in
W
ith more countries supporting posal of the External Affairs Ministry issues. delivery of aid.
New Delhi’s quest for a per- for doubling the strength of the for- Stating that all aid is being chan-
manent seat in the UN eign service in 10 years,” he said. transparency in aid nelised through the Development
Security Council and its global Krishna, a former chief minister of Amid off-and-on allegations about Partnership Administration (DPA),
profile growing, India will expand its woe- Karnataka who completed three years corruption and bureaucratic delays in launched in January this year,
fully understaffed foreign service by open- as foreign minister in May, however, dispensing funds to foreign countries, Krishna said that the DPA’s strength
ing doors to more experts and step up its pointed out procedural complexities, Krishna discussed the host of steps he will be doubled over the next six
diplomatic outreach around the world, says saying “the fact remains that the has initiated, including the setting up months in view of the need to fast-
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna. recruitment process is a time-con- of a central aid agency, to inject track commitments made by India to
“Our global profile has been steadily suming process”. greater transparency and swiftness in various countries.
growing. We have conducted our diplomacy In order to meet the shortfall, said delivery systems. The DPA currently comprises
effectively as a responsible (non-perma- Krishna, “We are trying to get more Given China’s aggressive diplomat- around 20 officials, who also include
nent) member of the UN Security Council. professionals and officials from other ic outreach in the developing world, professionals from other countries.
We have been very responsible and Experts from other ministries,
restrained,” Krishna said in an exclusive including the railways, telecommu-
interview aboard his special aircraft as he nications, agriculture and human
flew back from Beijing to Bangalore.
“We haven’t been subjective; we have MEa, In ExpansIon ModE resource development, are being
brought on deputation into the DPA
been objective in taking stands on leading u 800 Indian diplomats across work being outsourced to pri- fold, to meet the shortfall. Experts
global issues. Our credential for becoming a New Delhi, 119 resident mis- vate agencies; diplomats asked also join from outside the
member of the UN Security Council is gain- sions and 49 consulates to focus on policy issues Government as consultants on a
ing momentum,” he said. “The G4 countries u The Cabinet approves the propos- u India has scaled up aid and soft project-to-project basis.
and India are now being supported by a al for doubling foreign service loans of over $11 billion to Krishna also stressed that he
large number of countries,” said Krishna. strength in 10 years developing countries wants to keep the ministry’s opera-
The G-4 includes India, Japan, Germany u Professionals and officials being u Development Partnership tions and activities above board.
and Brazil that are collectively pressing for a absorbed from other depart- Administration, responsible for “That’s why in all projects related to
permanent seat in the UNSC. ments disbursement of $11 billion soft the ministry, we have an open ten-
u Mid-career training for officers to loans, to have double the staff dering system so that we can get the
time for expansion promote domain expertise strength in the next six months, best service provider for a particular
Against the backdrop of India’s rising global u Protocol and passport-related from its present 20 officials project. These contracts are not done
stature and its membership of key interna- through nomination,” he said.n
6 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 7
economy
Finance Secretary Montek Singh
Ahluwalia, among others. They are
back advising the Prime Minister as CAMSCANNER
chairman of the Prime Minister’s CamScanner turns your phone into
Economic Advisory Council and a scanner and fax. With
Deputy Chairman of the Planning CamScanner, you are able to digi-
Commission, respectively. tise any paper documents. Simply
take a picture of any paper docu-
mood meter ments such as receipts, white-
To assess the mood after boards, notes and agreement.
Dr. Manmohan Singh took charge of
SNAPSEED CamScanner can auto-crop
the finance portfolio, the Associated This app by By Nik Software, Inc. image, enhance image quality and
Chamber of Commerce and Industry is designed for both iPhone and create an industry standard PDF
of India (Assocham) commissioned iPad. file. And the scanned documents
a survey among top 150 industrial- It helps in enhancing, transform- can be
ists in the country. ing and sharing your photographs shared
The findings corroborated the with ease. It helps you adjust your via
overall change of mood. The survey photos with a single tap using email,
found that 80 percent of the chief Auto Correct; and tweak your faxed via
executives firmly believed that the photo to perfection with Tune internet,
Prime Minister will now act quickly Image. uploaded to cloud like Dropbox,
and pursue reforms in areas like It also enables you to use Google Doc, Box.net, and man-
retail trade, aviation, insurance, Selective Adjust to enhance spe- aged by tag, copy, move or
banking and pension without fur- cific objects or areas in your pho- search.
ther indecisiveness.
‘Revive the animal spirit’
tos and experiment with fun and A January update adds
The markets, too, raised a toast. innovative filters like Drama, password protection to
The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Vintage, Grunge, and Tilt-Shift. specific documents.
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) rose You can share your creations via
some 500 points since Dr. Singh email, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter
took charge of the Finance Ministry and Instagram. HISTORY
Upon taking over the Finance Ministry, Dr. Manmohan Singh shows the same vigour and was ruling at a two-month high ERASER
in late June. GOOGLE VOICE
which he had demonstrated in 1991, writes Arvind Padmanabhan On June 29, the bourses started With this app, you can make
This app can
erase history data on your Android
off the day in green, Sensex at cheap international calls, send device, cleanup your phone,
17,134.61 and Nifty at 5,189, and wit- free unlimited text messages and
W
delete your search history, delete
hen Prime Minister Dr. reforms programme in 1991, when he On the external front, I am concerned nessed gradual upward trend there- sift through voicemails left at your web history, remove your call log,
Manmohan Singh met first became the Finance Minister. about the way the exchange rate is after. The 30-scrip sensitive index Google Voice number. Initially, clear all apps’ cache files, delete
senior officials from By saying he had been away from going,” he said. (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Google sms, clean your clipboard, clear
North Block in late June the nitty-gritty of the ministry for a Exchange (BSE), closed at 17,429.98 Voice frequently called, and erase mar-
after taking charge of the Finance long time and that he wanted proper Return to old form? points, up 2.59 percent or 439.22 was not ket search history. It is similar to
Ministry again, his speech was short feedback now from the ministry offi- “Revive the animal spirit in the coun- points from its previous close of techni- ccleaner on the PC. It is a good
and to the point. But the message that cial, the Prime Minister also sent a try’s economy,” he told the officials, 16,990.76 points. The wider 50- cally an “app” because Google sweeper and frees up memory and
had to subvert Apple’s iTunes
went out was loud and clear, with an signal that he intended to retain the drawing from one of his most-liked scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National space. Just click to clear all
store by building it into the Web. cached files for getting more avail-
added but important acceptance for portfolio for some time at least. phrases penned in John Maynard Stock Exchange closed 2.52 percent
But Apple finally let it through. able space and free memory.
the first time — that there was indeed “In the short run, we need to revive Keynes’ book The General Theory of higher at 5,278.90 points. n
a widespread public perception of investor sentiment, both domestic Employment, Interest and Money,
policy paralysis in the Government and international. There have been which describes it as an emotion that
and he wanted the situation to change many factors that have contributed to influences human behaviour into BUSINESS BUZZ
as fast as possible. this general negative mood,” he said spontaneous action.
In barely a few days since his inter- in a frank manner. These candid remarks were enough US$ 40 billion is the expected value of annual bilateral industrial proposals approved by the Government of Andhra
trade between India and Australia, by 2017. Pradesh.
action, there has been a buzz all “At the current juncture, we are to once again rekindle hopes within
US$ 30.4 billion is the Indian corporate sector’s domes- US$ 10.8 billion was the volume of venture capital fund-
around that with Pranab Mukherjee passing through challenging times India Inc that economic reforms will ing in Indian companies in 2011, according to SEBI.
tic IT expenditure, according to advisory firm Zinnov.
now pursuing a career outside real economically. The growth rate has be back on track, especially since
US$ 12.54 billion was the total trade between India and US$ 5 billion is the projected investments by Coca-Cola in
politics as a candidate for presidential taken a dip, the industrial perform- ‘Team Manmohan’ of 1991 is back in India in the next 10 years.
Malaysia in 2011, registering an increase of over 40 per
polls, Dr. Singh has finally stepped in ance is not satisfactory, things are not the saddle. Prominent members of cent from 2010. US$ 3.52 billion is the expenditure for networking all the
with the same vigour that saw him rosy on the investment front (and) this team then were Reserve Bank of
US$ 7.09 billion is the total investment outlay of 25 gram panchayats with optical fibre in the next 2-3 years.
unfold India’s liberal economic inflation continues to be a problem. India Governor C. Rangarajan and
8 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 9
cinema
the sky’s full of kites
“Yes, you all will also see rare pic-
tures of Dilip saab and his family
members in the biography. Earlier
too, many books on him have hit the
Untold
market, but this is the first authentic The old sport finds new celluloid expression;
book where Dilip saab has told his the backdrop is usually Gujarat
story in his own words from the day
he was born in Peshawar (now in
stories,
Pakistan) till now,” said Nayar. For some it denotes a victory call, for others a struggle against obsta-
“There are a lot of untold stories cles and important life lessons — India’s age-old tradition of kite-flying
that one will get to read in this biog- is being interestingly woven into the plots and sub-plots of films like Kai
raphy. Of course, you will also read Po Che!, Patang and Gattu with varied metaphorical inferences.
rare
about his love story with Saira Banu. Be it in titles or story, kites are finding renewed popularity in the film
It has been the longest-lasting love world. Most such projects are set in Gujarat, where colourful kites of
story,” she added. all shapes and sizes dot the sky around Independence Day and Makar
Earlier, three books on Dilip Sankranti every year.
Kumar by Vinita Lamba, Sanjit
pictUres
Abhishek Kapoor has used the Gujarati phrase Kai po che, a street
Nawrekar and Lord Meghnad Desai term used popularly in the state during the kite flying festival, as the
were published. title of his next film, based on Chetan Bhagat’s The 3 Mistakes of My
The biography by Nayar, which is Life. It is so due to two reasons, he explained: “My movie is set in
yet untitled, will be launched on Gujarat, and ‘Kai po che’ is a victory call when you cut someone’s kite.
Dilip Kumar’s 90th birthday on It is also the sound of celebration.”
December 11, 2012. Dilip saab’s wife, The term ‘Kai po che’ was also used in a peppy song from Hum Dil
actress Saira Banu, is deciding on a De Chuke Sanam. Its lyrics and picturisation were primarily around the
title for the biography, she said. kite flying tradition in Gujarat.
A new biography of Dilip Kumar offers fresh insight into the thespian’s life and movie “The year 2013 marks the 100 Indian-American director Prashant Bhargava, whose debut film
years of Indian cinema and this book feature film is titled Patang,
career, writes Uma Ramasubramaniam will be a tribute. Dilip saab has com- says he was inspired by the
pleted sixty-eight years in the indus- way people of Gujarat use
try...,” she added. kite-flying as a means to deal
U
day Tara Nayar has written Dilip Kumar’s The 1944 release Jwar Bhata was with their problems.
biography, set to be launched on the leg- his first film and after that he went “What touched me about
endary actor’s 90th birthday in December. on to give classics like Madhumati, Gujarat was the way people
The author says the two-part book focuses on Shaheed, Devdas, Andaz, Amar, handled tragedy — riots, natu-
the actor’s nine-decade-long journey, his love story with Mughal-E-Azam, Ram Aur Shyam, ral disasters. And kite-flying
Saira Banu, some untold stories as well as rare pictures Karma and Saudagar. His last film played such an important role
of the thespian and his family members. was Quila in 1998. in providing them that
“The book has two parts. The first part has Dilip saab He was crowned the Tragedy King momentum to pursue (happi-
All the kite runners: Gattu, a film
speaking about his career. And the second part is where of Bollywood for playing the doomed ness) and persevere,” says
dealing with child’s fantasies
various people have talked about him. People like Yash lover in films like Andaaz, Baabul, Bhargava.
Chopra and Subhash Ghai, who have worked with him, Mela, Deedar and Jogan. “For me, kite-flying was a meditation and a purifying experience.
have spoken about him,” Nayar told mediapersons. While many were keen to pen That magic that I saw during the research period was something that I
Dilip Kumar teamed up with Chopra in Mashaal and Dilip Kumar’s biography, Nayar says wanted to preserve,” adds the director, who has captured the emotions
with Ghai in Saudagar. But there would be many more she was the fortunate one to get the that kids go through while flying kites in his film.
who would have memorable experiences to share about chance. Kite-flying also forms the ground for Gattu, a children’s film directed
him, including his leading ladies. “I consider myself fortunate that by Rajan Khosa. He pans the camera around the story of a young boy
Saira Banu and Dilip saab chose me who wants to win over a mysterious kite in the sky and goes out of his
to write the biography. We didn’t way to achieve this dream. The movie, releasing on July 20, has trav-
I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE THAT SAIRA start writing it yesterday or day elled to various international film festivals, and has already received its
before yesterday. I have been writing share of acclaim.
BANU AND DILIP SAAB CHOSE ME TO WRITE THE this for three years. Right now the Yeh Khula Aasmaan was another film this year which focussed on
BIOGRAPHY. WE DIDN’T START WRITING IT YES- production work is going on,” said kite-flying. Raghubir Yadav, who played a kite runner in the movie,
TERDAY OR DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY. I HAVE BEEN the author. where a kite was used as a metaphor to teach lessons of life, says the
The book will be published jointly movie gave him a chance to relive his childhood love for flying kites.
WRITING THIS FOR THREE YEARS. by Saira Banu’s entertainment The figurative use of kites was also loud and clear in Rakesh
— Uday Tara Nayar
enterprise Sharp Focus and New Roshan’s 2010 affair Kites. The story revolved around how
Media, a publishing house. n love goes beyond boundaries and how it grows in tough times.
10 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 11
lifestyle
two days
the world’s highest permanently
inhabited settlement. Between Kibber
and Korzok lie a hundred kilometers
of entirely uninhabited wilderness.
How to reacH
In winter these marches separate There are two ways which one can hours from a local bus.
on a pass
Ladakh and Spiti. In summer they are take to make it to Spiti valley. One Another route, open throughout
a connection, a trade route. Trains of is from Delhi via Manali and the the year, is from Shimla. You take
small Spiti horses head north and other is through Shimla. the train/road route from Delhi or
return, transformed by the miracle of One can either fly to Kullu Valley even fly. From Shimla, one has to
commerce as shaggy herds of yaks. or take an overnight bus or just take the road which goes through
I was hoping for a gentler transfor- drive around 12 hours to reach Kinnaur and Upper Kinnaur. Taking
mation myself: for a sense of health, Manali (250 km from Shimla) from a bus from Shimla to Rekong Peo,
well-being, space — the things that Delhi. However, the road from (10 to 12 hours) is the easiest
slip away as you settle in the depths of Manali side is open to public only way. One has to spend one working
Delhi. Now, perched on Parang La, it for two and a half months i.e. From day in Rekong Peo to get an 'Inner
seemed the cathartic moment had mid June to end August. Line' permit (this permit allows you
arrived. This was, after all, a water- One can use that road to reach to travel from Rekong Peo to Tabo,
shed and, at least literally, the high Spiti via Rotung and Kunzum close to the Tibetan border. The fol-
point of my life. I was breathless from Passes into Spiti valley. This travel lowing day, one can continue on to
the ascent as much as the view. will take 9 hours from taxi and 12 Spiti Valley on the bus.
But a pass is a limen, a threshold,
and the idea is to cross it, not to linger.
I crossed the line and passed the small pulmonary oedema and kill you at
cairn hung with tattered prayer flags 8,000 feet. Or leave you untouched at
where local travelers leave small offer- 25,000. Or like me, you could have
ings to pardon their trespass. Benign Acute Mountain Sickness ROUTE MAP
I skirted the Bergschrund, the (BAMS, i.e. headache, lethargy, dizzi-
boundary between the mountain and ness, loss of appetite) and recover. To Leh/Pang Via N
the glacier, and stepped onto the enor- Well BAMS was no mystery to me Tso Kar - 15007’
E
mous tongue of ice. The sensation of anymore. I knew exactly what was Karzok W
15023’ Tso Moriri
walking on it, though achieved by the happening. An hour ago I had been in S
feet, was utterly oral. Sink, bite, grind. the mountains peering down a chasm. KibbEr-ParaNg La
Kai Friese describes the high point of his life at Parang La I was chomping my way down the Now the mountains were in me. The iSO MOriri Kiangdom
TrEKKiNg MaP 14910’
slope, when I turned around to see abyss had stared back. I was cornered (NOT TO ScaLE) chumak Shelte
14865’
that the glacier was eating DonQui. on an internal precipice. The All heights given here are meas-
T
ured by Garmin-GPS-Emap Norbu
he Greek word for porter is Swallowing him whole. His slender Endocrine Canyon. I was delirious. I er
Sumdo
14810’
riv
metaphor, but I called ours hooves had sunk right through the cursed DonQui Khota and his tribe of e -c
hu
Pa r racholamo
DonQui Khota. We were not snow and the more he struggled the metaphors. And I waited for morning. Datang Yogma
Humna 15065’
16020’
15630’
in Greece and he was a reluc- further he dug himself in. Before long, But morning didn’t come. Evidently Takdingla Nala
Dak Kardom
tant metaphor. As we stood on the all that remained was the bubble of his I hadn’t suffered enough. So when I Lakku camp 16020’ references
16650’
cusp of the Parang La pass at 18,300 pack and his sweet, resigned face stepped out of the tent I found a bliz- Road
Trek Route
feet, on a glittering morning, the floating above the plane of the ice. zard. Yesterday’s vista had become a Pass
Parang La Village/Halt
Parang glacier stretched beneath us, Somehow, we extricated him and void and we were enveloped in the 18342’ River/Stream
and I surveyed the landscape ahead hauled the ass, so to speak, back up to white noise of snow. There was noth- Dhakchu
17373’ borochin
Lake
Peak
greedily. But DonQui Khota executed the high ground of Parang La. As we ing to do but wait, vomit occasionally 16650’ Clacier
R 13
an 96
Temple
g 2’
a slow about-turn and assumed his lay panting just out of the glacier’s and wonder: Had the stupid donkey Jugtha
N
al
a
14276’
usual posture of gentle reproach; star- reach, we decided that the only hope taught me some great metaphorical Thalkat
15235’ ala
Shilla
N Kanamo
ing fixedly at the horizon we had left was to camp here and descend at first lesson? Dumla
gpa
lug
San 12950 19600’
20120’
behind. The animal was homesick. light the next day while the surface of I think not. The skies cleared on our 13430’
Kibber 13506’
Home for the donkey was Kibber, the ice was firm. Suddenly this seemed third morning on Parang La and as we chickem
Key gompa
12925’ chou chou Kang Nilda
which, if you have read your Spiti like a fine idea. To just lie here in the bounded down the glacier I quickly Kaza 12100’
20680’
To Tabo
handbook, is the world’s highest per- sun and sleep… I slept. And when I recovered my equilibrium. I remem- To Kunzum La
manently inhabited settlement. Our awoke, I wished I was asleep. My head bered the old school motto: Per
destination was the mountain lake of was splitting, my bones hurt and my Ardua ad Alta. And, I might add,
Tso Moriri and Korzok, a tiny village stomach squirmed. Nauseam. n
on its northern shore, which, if you Mountain sickness is a minor med- — The writer is the former editor
have read your Ladakh handbook, is In no man’s land: Friese with his porter in the tough terrain ical mystery. They say it can give you a of Outlook Traveller
12 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 13
10 QUESTIONS
‘An opportunity in
sional integrity to ensure a shared many people whom I admire for dif- learn and have the confidence and
responsibility in this regard. ferent things. When it comes to lead- ability to recognise opportunities,
ership I basically admire people who and overcome challenges along the
5 What are your thoughts on
the Indian economy in gen-
have focus, energy, passion, creativi-
ty, innovation, ability to execute, and
way to deliver success. My advice is
to follow your heart and chase your
every crisis’
eral and the Indian banking a high standard of personal and pro- passions.
sector in particular? fessional integrity. I believe that I also believe that people should
I am extremely bullish on account of these are essential for successful build skills sets that are ‘spikey’ —
it being an important emerging mar- leadership, and so I respect anyone unique skills and knowledge that
ket with all the important ingredients who displays these qualities. people are willing to pay for.
for growth. While it does have the
Dunia Finance, launched in the turbulent 2008, has emerged as a leading financial
services provider in the UAE. For its customer-centric approach, the company was
obvious strengths of a large and
young population, India is unique on
account of its diversity, secularism,
8 What has the IIT and IIM
combination meant
for you?
ranked 9th in the ‘Gulf News Best Practices in UAE Customer Services’, early this year. well-established domestic institu- I am very happy with what I studied
And Singapore Management University has prepared a case study on it. Rajeev Kakar, tions, a deep-rooted bureaucracy, a at these leading institutions for sev-
Founder CEO and Executive Director, speaks about his success mantra large English-speaking population, eral reasons. They provided me with
high emphasis on education and skill the opportunity to learn early in life,
development, and high savings rate, create strong relationships, build
1 Dunia finance was born dur-
ing the economic downturn.
Was it an easy climb up?
In order to ensure that such a
proposition is delivered, we focused
on building a very strong back end,
large part of my career in emerging
markets and I’ve always believed in
their potential. Fundamentally, I
which can fund the huge inherent
opportunity for investment in infra-
structure. All ingredients are rightly
strong personal and professional net-
works, learn to handle diversity, and
build a strong personal work ethic,
I remember that Dunia’s launch in which is paperless, rule-driven, ana- believe that the individual is the crit- positioned for growth. which serves me well even today. To
September 2008 coincided with the lytics-supported, and credit-linked, ical link between the macro and As far as the Indian banking sector me, education is not only about what
onset of the global macro-stress. so as to provide for the unique needs micro elements of any economy. is concerned, I believe it has a signif- one learns through textbooks, but is
Looking back, it was not an easy of the customer. It was challenging to Therefore, to me, emerging markets, icant role to play in the realisation of also a conditioning process, which
climb up. It was a very challenging set this up, as it is very unique to our which typically have characteristics India’s potential, because this latent helps one handle and distill informa-
journey, and certainly not for the organisation, but once done this has of large and young population sizes, growth can only be driven through tion, in a diligent and systematic
faint-hearted. Entrepreneurial ven- helped us “wow” our customers, offer the necessary raw material for financial inclusion initiatives through manner. It has helped me learn how
tures are always challenging, but to while also making it possible for us to being key drivers of macro growth in the use of technology, by leveraging to “frame problems” and just how to
dare to build an organisation from surpass our financial goals in order to today’s world. It is for this reason the network of well-established WE REALISED THAT TO BE “solve them”.
scratch in the midst of the biggest cri- increase shareholder value. that, despite the current slowdown in banks in the country. SUCCESSFUL WE NEEDED TO
sis of the century required a lot of
conviction and commitment – and
we had both.
Our business approach is simple,
but powerful. It starts with under-
standing the unique needs of our cus-
the BRICS nations, I still strongly
believe in the potential of the BRICS
nations and in their power in being
With a large geographical expanse,
such financial inclusion initiatives
will drive productivity to the econo-
DISRUPT THE STATUS QUO, FOR
WHICH WE INNOVATED AND
9 If Rajeev Kakar was not in
the financial sector, where
would we find him?
It is believed that there is an oppor- tomers, designing comprehensive important drivers of global growth in my, as it will help make finance and CREATIVELY EXECUTED. I really cannot say what I would be if
tunity in every crisis. As I look back, I solutions that cater to these needs the times ahead. capital available to those who need it. I was not in the financial sector. In
can vouch for it because we never let and aligning the organisational high school I aspired to be an engi-
the crisis allow us to deviate from the
chosen path. We planned with excru-
framework and technological back-
bone to ensure customer delight at 4 Will reforming the finan-
cial sector alone put the 6 Which economist would
you listen to and which
neer. It became a real obsession, as I
then wanted to build bridges, build-
ciating detail. We realised that to be
successful we needed to disrupt the
status quo, for which we innovated
every Dunia touch point. Through
extensive market research, we con-
tinuously strive to finetune and per-
global economy back on track?
The financial sector does require
reform. There is no denying this.
business leaders or entrepre-
neurs do you admire the most?
I am an avid reader and like to read
7 What would be your advice
to young students on career
choices? Which sectors have
ings, roads, etc.
I then believed that as an engineer,
I could prepare myself for my entre-
and worked creatively. We worked as fect our financial solutions, so that However, to my mind, the definition divergent views offered by different good prospects in the near preneurial goal of starting my own
team on our journey, determined to we not only match our customers’ of reform is not that easily under- economists. However, I do believe in future? factory and running my own busi-
create history. expectations but exceed them every stood. While there is a greater need distilling all the different information People often ask me how they should ness. What excited me was to manage
time. Dunia’s unique segment based for regulation and we will see more of that I read and hear, and like to cre- plan their careers, and my advice is all aspects of a business, and deliver
2 Is the market segmentation
strategy the USP of Dunia?
How has it worked for you?
approach ensures that the customer
experience at every stage is nothing
short of being exceptional.
it in the future, I believe there is a
stronger need for ensuring a strong
reform and realisation process across
ate my own informed opinion. When
it comes to economics, there can be
no right or wrong answer, and so I
that they should focus on learning,
building networks, and confidence in
being able to successfully execute for
impact through innovation and
creativity.
The customer is always at the centre
of our focus, around whom we build
all our capabilities, so as to serve and 3 BRICS nations were seen
as the new frontiers of
the multiple stakeholders that play
an important role in influencing the
growth of the global economy. And,
believe that it is important to have an
open mind to multiple views, in order
to form my own view. I try not to
results. The rest follows! In my own
career journey, I did not follow a
rigidly advance charted course; I pre-
10 Please share us your
favorite film, book, song
and holiday destination with us.
deliver quality products and services. growth. Do you think the here I am talking about issues related form biases upfront. pared myself for life’s twists and Film: A Few Good Men
This has worked very well for us, as current pessimism on their to the need for building greater gov- As for specific business leaders or turns, as one never knows what lies Book: Lust for Life
most organisations take a “product prospects is misplaced? ernance, greater accountability and a entrepreneur, I have no such fixed around the next corner. I believe that Song: Wind beneath my Wings
centric” approach. I have been a person who has spent a higher sense of personal and profes- role models. However, there are one should simply prepare oneself to Holiday destination: Seychelles n
14 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 15
feAture
Tracing the Town Hall’s history,
Bhasin said it has been the centre of
municipal activities in Shimla right
from the day it was opened in 1908.
The municipal committee of Shimla
passed a resolution on October 21,
1880, for setting up a public building
to serve as town’s civic offices as well
as for public meetings, banquets and
concerts, tourism department
archives say.
The resolution reads: “Any other
town in the world of the same size or
importance as Simla and a seat of the
government would not be absolutely
without a public hall as Simla now is. Boulevards of bygone times: (Above) The Town Hall, as it existed during
There is no room in any building in the British times; (facing page) The Mall Road
Simla where His Excellency the
Viceroy or the Lieutenant Governor have been damaged or refurbished, along the buildings housing govern-
can hold even a small durbar, or where while others have simply vanished. ment offices, have disappeared,” he
public meetings or gatherings can take “Shimla is far from the city the points out.
place with safety or without over- British had visualised. Its glorious However, there are some hon-
crowding or inconvenience.” past is now history. So many relics ourable exceptions: Ellerslie, housing
The ‘Queen of Hills’, as Shimla was have disappeared — either stolen or the State Secretariat; the Vidhan
then called, was the summer capital of damaged,” M.R. Kaundal, an octoge- Sabha; Peterhoff, which was com-
the British colonial rulers. More than narian, who has been settled in Shimla pletely renovated after being devastat-
A facelift for the Mall
60 years after the British left, this since 1950, says. ed in a fire nearly two decades ago and
town still attracts their descendants, “The hydrants, once used to clean which now serves as the state guest
who are eager to explore their roots. the Mall and the Ridge, are either house; Barnes Court, which is the Raj
Sadly, the buildings that were once missing or have been rendered use- Bhavan; the Viceregal Lodge, which is
institutions of power are slowly fading less. Even stately emblems, which home to Indian Institute of Advanced
into oblivion. Some of the buildings once adorned the majestic banisters Study; and the Gordon Castle. n
Soon, you can saunter on cobblestones on the famous Mall Road and relish the Town
Hall of Shimla in its original gothic beauty, writes Vishal Gulati
GoA’s church to Go Green
T
he Town Hall, one of the 91 been approved by the ADB,” Arun tion will gel with the original architec-
British-era buildings in Sharma, Director, Department of ture and style,” an official added. He
Shimla, and the Mall Road Tourism, told mediapersons. said like in the case of the restoration The Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of against the move and demanding that
are to get a facelift, thanks to He said the exteriors and interiors of of Gaiety Theatre in 2009, lime mor- Goa’s most revered churches, will modern galvanised sheets be put up
a `-190-million loan from the Asian the building, built in the half-timbered tar would be used in place of cement. soon have an eco-friendly roof, thanks on the Basilica roof. We agreed,”
Development Bank (ADB). Of this, Tudor style — all wooden frames and to the Archaeological Survey of India Barretto said. “We were informed that
`140 million will be spent on the Town shingled eaves — would undergo mas- A walk down history lane (ASI), which wanted visitors to the asbestos is not eco-friendly and
Hall and `50 million on beautifying sive restoration work. “The process As for the Mall Road, it is set for a over 400-year-old building to have a according to studies it could cause
the Mall Road and creating leisure has begun to move the municipal cor- facelift with the asphalt road surface “healthy” experience. diseases like cancer,” he said.
plazas, an official said. poration out of the Town Hall building being replaced with European-style The massive asbestos roof on the Built in 1604, and located a short
Built in 1908 with stone and timber, and start the restoration work as early cobblestone patterns. imposing laterite stone building will be distance from Panaji, the Basilica of
the Town Hall currently houses the as possible,” Sharma said. Welcoming the decision to restore replaced by eco-friendly galvanised Bom Jesus attracts thousands of
Shimla Municipal Corporation. Officials involved in its restoration the Raj-style structure, Raja Bhasin, sheets. The decision was taken on tourists and devotees every year.
said the use of slate for roofing, glazing co-convenor of Himachal Pradesh the recommendations of the ASI to The Basilica contains mortal
Gothic glory work inside the complex and Chapter of Indian National Trust for ensure that tourists are not exposed remains of the Spanish saint St.
“The entire building will be restored ornamental stonework on the outer Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to the risk of cancer due to exposure Francis Xavier, who brought
and conserved aesthetically, keeping walls would be done as per the original said, “ The restoration should be done to asbestos, Savio Barretto of the Christianity to the region. The
in mind its original Gothic style archi- pattern. “Its revival is really a aesthetically, like the Gaiety Theatre.” Basilica of Bom Jesus told Navarra-born saint is now the patron
tecture, within two years. For this, a Herculean task. Before starting its The conservation project of the mediapersons. sheets with new asbestos sheets. But saint of Goa. The Basilica is also
loan of `140 million to the renovation, we have to carry out Gaiety Theatre was completed in 2009 “A few years ago, the ASI had done in a recent meeting, officials informed recognised as a UNESCO world
Department of Tourism has already research to ascertain that the restora- after six years. the roof-work and replaced older us that people were protesting heritage site.
16 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 17
BOOKS IndIAn dIploMAt pens
MYtholoGIcAl epIc
of advice to Arjuna and enters the battlefield
of Kurukshetra. Drona is made the commander of
the Kuru army for five days of the war after
Bhishma’s fall.
A n Indian diplomat in London has written a mythological
adventure novel drawn from the vast repertoire of
Indian spirituality and metaphysics.
In Jaal, author Sangeeta Bahadur combines laws of mat-
Dealing with the tome ter, the Hindu story of creation, mythology, Vedic philoso-
“On an average, I try to take out time for 1,500- phy and metaphysics to weave the epic of Aushij, the Lord
2,000 words — i.e. one chapter — every day. But it’s of Maya (illusion) and Arihant, a young warrior with divine
not always possible, especially when I am travelling. powers. Arihant is both a taarak (saviour) and a vinashak
I usually work on it in the evenings, cutting down on (destroyer).
some social engagements,” Debroy says. The story uses “a primordial war between the four chil-
An econo- The final manuscript of the 11th volume of the dren of Adi Purush and Adi Shakti
mist’s epic: translated epic will be ready by the first half of 2014. — Aushij and his three siblings —
Debroy and the The machanism of translation is complex. Debroy in the 51st year of creation” as
book design of simultaneously reads and translates the epic. “I read backdrop.
his work the Sanskrit and translate on the computer. Ninety- Bahadur feels her book would
five percent of the cases are straight-forward. In five allow young readers to relate to his-
A Mahabharata for Gen Y
percent of the cases, I have to consult dictionaries. tory. “It is an adventure story. I
In some instances, even dictionaries don’t help. I have created my own mythology. It
have to chase references and do some research,” is completely invented,” Bahadur,
Debroy says. director of the Nehru Centre in
After doing his draft translation, Debroy checks London, told mediapersons during
with translators Kishori Mohan Ganguly, Manmatha the book’s launch in New Delhi in
W
Leading economist ell-known economist of the Mahabharata did not exist. The Nath Dutt, J.A.B. van Buitenen and John Smith to mid-June. The novel was released by Selja, the Union
Bibek Debroy is address- language is archaic,” Debroy says. discover if he has “missed something”. Minister for Culture and Urban Housing and Urban Poverty
Bibek Debroy is ing a growing need The Critical Edition of the “Once the page is off my computer screen, I don’t Alleviation, in New Delhi. Jaal also earned the rare honour
translating the epic into among youngsters bred Mahabharata, which takes into take a second look until the time the editor asks for of being released in the House of Lords by filmmaker
on English as their staple tongue: He is account various versions of the clarifications, if any,” Debroy says. Shyam Benegal.
an 11-volume tome, translating the Indian epic Sanskrit epic compiled over centuries, The author believes that the Mahabharata is still Published by Pan Macmillan, the novel is the first book
with modern language Mahabharata in 11 volumes into con- runs into 13,000 pages in 19 volumes. relevant because it deals with human sentiments in the Kaal trilogy, comprising Vikraal and Mahakaal.
usage, writes temporary English. It was collated by scholars of the and relationships which are universal even though An Indian Foreign Service officer, Bahadur has, in the
This ‘assignment’ is unusual for a Bhandarkar Oriental Research the contexts might have changed. last 25 years, been posted in Spain, Bulgaria, Mexico and
Madhusree Chatterjee full-time economist, who is a research Institute in Pune between 1919 and If Debroy had a wishlist, he would have “liked to Belgium, besides having served in the Indian Council for
professor at the Centre for Policy 1966. This work, often referred to as be born in 19th century Bengal with a benefactor Cultural Relations. — IANS
Research, an economic and socio- the Poona Edition of the Mahabharata, funding the Mahabharata project”. n
political think-tank. But Debroy is a is used for current studies of the epic.
veteran at his job. The economist has But the Critical Edition, with its
translated the Vedas, the Puranas, the explanatory and comparative notes, TOP TEN
Upanishads and the Bhagwad Gita, puts off young readers, who are used Breakout Nations The Meadow Empire Of The Fifty Shades Of
before taking on the Mahabharata in to single, uninterrupted narratives. Author: Ruchir Author: Adrian Levy Moghul: The Grey
& Cathy Scott-Clark Tainted Throne Author: E.L. James
2009, when he published his first vol- “There is a new generation brought up Sharma
Publisher: Penguin Publisher: Penguin Author: Alex Publisher: Arrow
ume. “There is no satisfactory answer on English. They do not have access to Price: `599• Price: `499• Rutherford Books
as to why I wanted to translate the vernacular translations and the knowl- Publisher: Hachette Price: `350
“THERE IS A NEW Mahabharata. It came from inside and edge of Sanskrit is dying out. Price: `599
GENERATION BROUGHT UP I felt that I needed to do it to purge Therefore someone needs to address Thinking Fast and
Bring Up The
ON ENGLISH. THEY DO that internal urge,” Debroy says. the vacuum,” Debroy says. Slow
Bodies
Non-Fiction
Author: Daniel
The fifth volume of Debroy’s Author: Hilary
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
VERNACULAR TRANSLA-
Previous attempts
Debroy says contrary to popular
Mahabharata was published by
Penguin Books India recently. It is pri-
Kahneman
Publisher: Allen
Lane
Mantel
Publisher:
Fiction
Price: `499 Fourth Estate
TIONS AND THE KNOWL- impressions, “there aren’t any marily the Udyoga Parva of the Price: `399
unabridged or complete translations Mahabharata, in which Amba is
EDGE OF SANSKRIT IS DYING of the Mahabharata in English”. reborn as Shikhandi, who is used
India: A Sacred Pakistan On The
Brink: The Future
Geography Calico Joe Guilty Wives
OUT. THEREFORE SOMEONE “Most of the ones that one sees are strategically in the war between the Author: Diana L. of Pakistan, Author: John Author: James
Eck Afghanistan and
NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE abridged and other attempts are still Kaurava and Pandava brothers. The the West
Grisham Patterson
Publisher: Publisher: Publisher: Century
VACUUM.” incomplete. The two completed and volume also includes Bhishma Parva, Harmony Books Author: Ahmed Rashid Hodder Price: `550
unabridged ones go back to the late which covers the first 10 days of the Price: `599 Publisher: Penguin Price: `350
19th century, when the Critical Edition war, touches on Krishna’s first words Price: `399
(Source: Bahri Sons, New Delhi, www.booksatbahri.com. All the books listed above are available online)
18 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 19Introducing India’s
paint companies, the consumers of is a pioneering merchandise that’s
white cement were primarily small- become a global best seller. This
scale tile manufacturers and applica- lightweight, mouldable finishing
tors. They lacked marketing and material can be crafted for all kinds
advertising muscle to create product of architectural elevations.
MARKET awareness. Many projects in India have used
In the construction industry cement So white cement as a category Birla White GRC with stunning
is the most prominently used materi- simply stagnated. For Birla White results. These include The Leela
al: solid, functional and uniformly, this was anathema; it was unwilling Palace in Bangalore, Hotel ITC
dull grey. However, as disposable to accept this market reality and Sonar Bangla in Kolkata and the
incomes have increased a new resolved to change the rules of the Nareli Temple in Rajasthan.
sense of aesthetics has pervaded entire category.
simple functionality. In a laudably short time, Birla BRAND VALUES
In this environment, where fren- White did several things: it set about Birla White has always been the
zied infrastructural development is changing the goalpost. It positioned penultimate modern consumer brand
taking place and planned housing itself as the ‘whitest cement’ in – a utility product inventively and
and office projects are being con- what was virtually an industrial inextricably interwoven with a sub-
structed at a dizzying pace, it is no beauty contest, where whiteness of tle, upmarket lifestyle statement.
longer enough to have a building the cement was a gauge of its supe- The brand has constantly reinvented
comprising four walls and a roof. riority. It grew and developed the itself to keep in sync with changing
Visually pleasing designs are market and in a commendably short consumer attitudes and needs.
increasingly taking centrestage. It is time, it built a rock-solid reputation Thanks to its commitment to con-
for this reason that the growth in for quality and innovation, going on tinuous research and development,
the cement industry has not just to becoming a best-seller. the brand’s focus on innovation has
been quantitative. The niche white While several elements played a been consistent. With this focus at
cement sector, too, has shown gory, is the single most important first white cement company in India key role in its success, the one that the heart of its manufacturing and
remarkable and significant growth. accomplishment of Birla White. That to receive the CE (Communauté underlayered every thing was the marketing policies, Birla White has
Today, in fact, it plays such a funda- it was able to stimulate the creation Européenne) certification – a covet- company’s uncanny ability to read the main ingredient in the applica- always offered the consumer innova-
mental role in improving eye appeal of a whole new market, despite nat- ed seal that suggests that the prod- the pulse of the market and keep tion of mosaic tiles and terrazzo tive building solutions. These have
that it has actually hastened the ural inertia to change that people uct meets the safety, health and pace with the changing times. It floorings. The range of unique stand- not only challenged the limitations of
decline of the conventional use and have, is a tribute to its dedication environmental standards set by the innovated tirelessly. The launch of alone products that Birla White has traditional thinking but, in a very
application of white cement. and the fine craft of marketing European Union. white cement-based putty was a introduced includes Kool n Seal, agreeable way, have nudged for-
Birla White was the first to spot excellence. But while the brand set high stan- watershed moment. The product Wallcare putty and Levelplast. ward the evolution of the reconstruc-
this emerging opportunity. In a man- Thanks to the consumer pull that dards in the international market its found ready acceptance in homes Between them, they facilitate care tion of India.
ner of speaking, to cement its place its initiatives were able to garner, performance within the Aditya Birla and in the industrial sector, giving for walls and enhance interior www.birlawhite.com
in the industry, it quickly ascer- the company actually embarked Group of companies did not go unno- white cement a new direction and appeal. Kool n Seal, for instance,
tained market trends and developed upon a capacity expansion pro- ticed. The company was conferred consumers, great finish to walls. does precisely what its name sug- THINGS YOU DIDN’T
and launched a slew of innovative, gramme – ramping up output from the Sun Award in 2009 – the high- gests – it cools and seals; Wallcare KNOW ABOUT BIRLA WHITE
white cement-based surface finish- 80,000 MTPA to 360,000 MTPA in est honour given within the group. PRODUCT putty, on the other hand, provides a
ing products. As happens in virgin the first phase. Other honours include the Indian A strong belief in innovation and protective base for expensive paints, n In 26 countries of the developed
markets, such as India, this led to a Simultaneously, production facili- Merchant Chamber (IMC) recogni- challenging market boundaries has while Levelplast is a modern, superi- world, Birla White is the pre-
new trend – and to the emergence ties were enhanced with up-to-the- tion given by Ramakrishna Bajaj always driven the company. This or substitute for the aging plaster ferred white cement
of several me-too concepts. minute equipment, high-speed pack- National Quality Award for outstand- explains the remarkable product of paris. n Breaking convention, Birla White
It is estimated, today, that white ing machines, process automation ing achievement in business; the portfolio that Birla White boasts of In extending its franchise, Birla became the first company in
cement – literally an industry within and world-class research and devel- Golden Peacock Corporate Social today. White has also introduced a number India to introduce white cement
an industry – has an immediate opment facilities. Responsibility award by the Institute Defining and redefining usage pat- of products, which allow a consumer in convenient small packs
potential of over 800,000 metric Cumulatively, and supplemented of Directors; a Platinum in The terns, Birla White Cement has suc- to make a personal style statement. n CE (Communauté Européenne) –
tonnes per annum (MTPA). Thanks by value addition, sales propelled Economic Times/Frost and Sullivan cessfully created a whole new niche Take Textura; Textura is a cement- the certification to sell in the
to intense market feed back and forward, growing from a sluggish 2% India Manufacturing Excellence within construction – one that owns based wall finish that adds distinc- European Union – was first
continuous innovations, Birla White in 2004/05 to an average of 10%. Awards (IMEA) in the process cate- the properties of whiteness and tive character to walls. Its exhaus- earned in India by Birla White
leads the pack, commandeering a Indeed, value-added products now gory; the Capexil Award for exports exquisite surface finish. tive range of textures, designs and n Birla White is the first eco-friend-
share of over 63% (Source: market account for almost 50% of revenue and the Bizz Award for Business Birla White is a critical component colour patterns have made it a ly white cement in India
estimates). contribution. Excellence from the World in wall finishes such as Grit Wash, favourite in international markets. n Birla White Wallcare Putty has
2007/08 was a landmark year Confederation of Business. Stonecrete and Tyrolean. It is also Glass-fibre-reinforced concrete (GRC) anti-carbonation properties
ACHIEVEMENTS with turnover registering an increase
Successfully introducing customers of 30%. Riding on the back of this HISTORY
to a new product, in an untried cate- success, Birla White became the In the early days, apart from cement (Reproduced with the permission of Superbrands India Private Limited — copyright owners)
20 IndiaMatters|June 2012 June 2012|IndiaMatters 21You can also read
