Friday, April 30, 2010

Her own woman

Right from her evocative, sensitive and moving cinematic essay on loneliness, fleeting joys and heartbreak of an Anglo-Indian spinster (“36 Chowringhee Lane”) to her last, a dramatic, powerful, even cathartic take on the life and time of a schizophrenic (“15 Park Avenue”) which incidentally fetched her yet another prestigious National Award), film-maker Aparna Sen has consciously continued to hit the road, less travelled. More “humanist” than “feminist”, her leitmotif/themes – loneliness, primal truths, emotionally, mentally, physically challenged – resonate with a universality that engages, enriches and empower in one glorious sweep. Her latest film – “The Japanese Wife” – promises to be yet another masterpiece from this amazing story-teller. In this exclusive interview with Monojit Lahiri, Aparna Sen lays it on the line…

First things first. Contrary to a belief in some circles that “The Japanese Wife” (TJW) marks a total departure from her earlier work, the Director Sahiba is at pains to explain that this is not so. “Loneliness defines the persona of at least 3 – the man, the Japanese wife and the widow who takes shelter in his house – of the 5 main characters of the film. However, it is different in one aspect – it is not my story but somebody (Kunal Basu) else’s”. She admits to being completely blown and bowled over, (during a casual narration by the author) by this amazingly unusual love story about a cross-cultural marriage between two people who never actually meet or see each other! “It was so cinematic, held such scope for great, exciting visuals that it really got to me! The sheer improbability of it all, the magical innocence and the pristine love that colours the storyline – in a world constantly confronted with mindless violence and mockery of basic human values – really fascinated me. Right there and then I warned him that he dare not give the story to anyone because I was going to translate it to a feature film”. She laughs. “He sweetly and charmingly agreed, instantly. Fact is, he was familiar with my work and I guess, knew that I would take pains to capture the essence and spirit of the story in its entirety with the required sensitivity, truth and power without distorting it”.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Cruising Heights

Her life defines expedition. At 19, Krushnaa Patil is the youngest Indian to scale the Everest (2009), and has already been bestowed with numerous accolades including the Rajiv Gandhi Woman Achiever Award (2009), Indira Gandhi Award (2009) and Young Achiever Award (2009). The only woman from India planning to climb the highest peaks in every continent – only three to go – Krushnaa describes her precocious ascent to Spriha Srivastava

What drew you to mountaineering?

It’s just a year or two back that I consciously decided to pursue mountaineering. My mother had initiated me into adventure sports when I was in third standard. I used to go for treks, rock climbing, river crossing. My family would go to the Himalayas in the summers. So I’m sort of addicted to the mountains. I did my first adventure course in Uttarkashi when I was 15. I managed this along with my school during the winter break in 12th standard. Later in 2007, I did my basic mountaineering course from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Then in 2008, I went for advance course and excelled in it.

What is mountaineering training like?

We start with basic things like running for about 6 kms every morning at 5 am. We are not allowed to wear caps or sweaters, no hands in pockets, no gloves… We have to train ourselves to carry 15 kgs on our back. There’s rock craft which includes rock climbing, defending on rocks, camping on rocks, how to fix ropes on rocks. Then there’s ice craft which includes everything to do with ice, how to climb on a vertical ice wall, how to set up camps in snow etc. We are also trained on what to do in an avalanche. The last level is when we go to a height of 16,000 ft. They are very strict – it’s almost like a military training.

What are the basic strengths or skills required to pursue a course in mountaineering?

I would say physical fitness is very important. You know, about 90 girls join the course, 75 do the whole course and only about 15 get an A grade. It’s a very tough course; apart from physical fitness, one has to be mentally inclined and prepared to do this.

How much would you attribute to mental strength for achieving the feat that you have?

70 per cent. Physical strength can always be developed, but mental strength doesn’t come easy. For example, if you’re phobic or nervous about something, there’s little you can do about it. Physical strengths like building stamina can however be worked on.

How did your parents react to your decision of pursuing mountaineering and your 7-Summit quest?

They were very supportive. In fact, during my first expedition, my team leader called up my mother to tell her that nobody’s return is guaranteed. She told my mom of incidents where people lost lives and wanted to know if she was okay with that. My mother just said yes. She didn’t want to stop me from doing something that I really wanted to. My dad was a little scared and apprehensive but no one really stopped me.

What was the scariest incident that you encountered during an expedition?

On the Everest we lost one of our sherpas in an avalanche while coming down. That was one of the toughest moments that I faced. To actually be in a situation where you lose someone forever, that’s really tough to battle.

Is scaling Mt Everest the hardest of all? Which has been your toughest climb?

There are peaks that are tougher than the Everest. The climb of Aconcagua in South America and Vinson Massif in Antarctica were more difficult. Actually, it depends on the weather too. When I climbed the Everest, the weather was brilliant. It was easy for me. But someone who has faced bad weather would say that the Everest is the toughest. It also depends on how fit one is. When I scaled the Everest I was extremely fit, so it wasn’t very difficult as others say it is. The degree of difficulty varies from person to person.

You are a member of Women Adventure Network of India. What is that all about?

It is an association of senior women mountaineers of India. The basic motto is to empower women through adventure. We’ve planned a cycling expedition (in November), called ‘Go Green Girl’, from Kolkata to Kanyakumari. We want to instill confidence in women through these initiatives and get them to experience activities that are wrongly believed to be only for men.

How do you think adventure sports can be made popular in India? Can the government help?

The government is already doing quite a lot. We have very good courses in mountaineering in India. Then, they can obviously help with more expeditions.

In India, do you see enough youngsters participating in adventure sports?

I definitely think adventure sports are getting popular, especially with corporate offices encouraging team building and training programmes that include a lot of adventure sports. I also think parents need to encourage children to go ahead and participate in adventure sports, and maybe even make a career in it.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Monday, April 26, 2010

Death-row prisoner seeks court’s permission to sire child

Gursharan Kaur Maan, counsel for the couple says: “Both have asked the court to allow them conjugal rights in the jail. This has been allowed to prisoners in many developed countries.” But Jeevan Garg, superintendent of Patiala Central Jail, doesn’t agree with her. He says: “We have no such precedent. So far, we have not received any instruction from the seniors.” Lawyer Maan is not ready to budge. She argues: “In their case, the demand is not for personal sexual gratification. Jasvir is the only son of his parents and they wish to have a child to save the lineage.” The issue that has grabbed headlines across the country has divided society. Some people are fiercely opposing it.

They say child killers should not be allowed to have a child as the crime strips them of their civil rights. However, others argue if the purpose of punishment is to reform the culprits then they should be allowed conjugal rights for the sole purpose of having a child. All eyes are on May 24 when the Punjab and Haryana court hears the case. A positive judgment may have a long-term impact on prison laws and human rights in India.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Friday, April 23, 2010

“My brother tried to prove his innocence through his death”

After the death of our father, the whole family’s responsibility came upon my brother Pushkar’s shoulders. He was a government employee in Lucknow. He was falsely implicated by his wife under the Dowry Act. After the complaint was lodged, Pushkar was locked up for 15 days but was released on bail. However, his wife's family threatened those who gave the bail. They withdrew the bail and he was sent to jail for four months. He kept fighting for three years but in vain. Ultimately, he committed suicide by hanging himself. His suicide note read, “My wife has wrongly implicated me in a dowry case...I had to sell my house as the financial situation of my family worsened. My in-laws are responsible for my death.” Rani added that her brother was innocent and was twice put behind bars. She also said that no one heard Pushkar’s plea.

My mother is ill and my younger brother handicapped and unemployed. I have two sisters who are married. So, there is no one to take care of my mother. In fact, we live in a rented house and running a household has become next to impossible for us.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Monday, April 19, 2010

Vishal Retail has been under the storm for quite some time now

The logic was that once they expand, and have the topline, they could hit capital markets again to fund expansion and retire short-term debt or convert into long-term debt. But before it could materialise, the Lehman Brothers collapse happened. Anticipating its expansion, Vishal had placed orders with suppliers (in apparels, Vishal had to place orders six months in advance). When stores did not come up, deliveries piled up and consumption slowed (industry sources say Vishal was also talking to some private equity investors who withdrew at the last moment). The supply chain got choked and the result is in front of us.

However, recently, Vishal has done its bit in solving this issue. In fact, the results are visible. While sales have shown a growth of 30-40% in the last two months as compared to same month last year, bad inventory levels too have gone down significantly. “We have almost cleared our entire dead, slow-moving, broken, pilferage inventory and now we are operating with an inventory level of just 60 days. We think this is the best STR in the Retail Industry currently,” says Agarwal.

While sales may have started showing green shoots of revival, bleeding bottomlines are still a hug roadblock in front of Vishal Retail to steer clear of its rough path. Moreover, the debt problem remains as big as it was earlier. Although efforts are in progress to save Vishal from becoming another Subhiksha, it really needs a hard-hitting turnaround strategy to live up to its name … and this certainly comes in form of TPG. Reason: Like other retailers, the problems for Vishal Retail remain more or less the same; but unlike most others of its clan, it is not supported by any cash-rich parent.

Vishal Retail’s total debt obligation is about Rs.7.3 billion, of which Rs.1.4 billion is high-cost short-term debt. Even the rate of interest, which the company is paying on this debt, is between 14-16%. So, with an interest coverage ratio of about 1.5 and estimated debt-to-equity of about 2.66, the company certainly faces an uphill task. Agarwal certainly needs the support of a private investor, be it TPG or some other, to really get out of the woods.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Friday, April 16, 2010

K. R. KIM

The Vice Chairman & CEO, Videocon Industries (formerly LG India head), takes a break from company matters and talks to B&E’s Deputy Editor Virat Bahri, on his unique perspectives of how India and Korea can help each other achieve their objectives

B&E: You have been in India for the past 12 years. What is your view of the Indian economy’s transition and also about its future?
KRK: For the next 30 years, India and China will play a big role; be it politically or economically. The challenge for China in the next 30 years will be how they can improve the political situation and how they can convert to a democratic country in a gradual and stable way and in a peaceful manner. For India, the challenge in the next 30 years will be how India can maintain a 8-9% GDP growth to get out of poverty. Which is easier? India’s challenge to grow continuously by 8-9% will be easier than China’s democratic transition. Political change is much more difficult. India did a good job post independence to maintain a democratic system; not a 100% perfect system, but who is perfect? India has a good foundation in its political system. Now it is the time for India to grow.

B&E: What are the similarities and differences between India and Korea as markets?
KRK: All three countries (China, Korea and Japan) are built on military culture and discipline. Even the weather is very different. Winter is very cold in Korea. Climate also changes the people’s mindset. India is a semi-tropical area where most areas have very less winter. It means an easy life; and is good for philosophy! On the other hand, the key similarity is the mindset of being Asian. In Asian countries, basic philosophy is Buddhism. Hinduism and Buddhism are 90% similar. So philosophically they have a common ground.

B&E: India and Korea have signed a historic free trade agreement. How can the two countries leverage on each other’s strengths?
KRK: If you see Korea and India, what Korea did in the last 30 years was hard culture development – manufacturing, discipline, product oriented. Korea improved a lot over the last 30 years. During the Korean war, Korea received aid from India. After that, Korea developed economically and did a good job of developing what I call hard culture. India developed soft culture in the last 30 years – democracy, software, content oriented. Now it’s time for Korea to inculcate India’s soft culture and India has to inculcate more of Korea’s hard culture. We cannot classify everything in that way, but this is to simplify the discussion. Without soft culture, Korea cannot become a high income country. Korea wants to go to around $40,000 income levels. But without improving the soft culture including the political situation and having flexible mindsets and software and content orientation, this cannot happen.

B&E: And what does India need to learn, in your view?
KRK: For India to continue on 8-10% growth, India must focus on hard culture – manufacturing. Everyone cannot be intellectual, so more manufacturing focus is needed to create more employment. Also India has to push exports. In Korea, exports helped us move out of poverty. In Korea, our market size was small till about 30 years ago. In India also, though the population size is big, per capita income is very small. So you have to develop the exports and create more employment; then these newly people will buy more products and the domestic market will also grow. Korean companies can help Indian companies in the realm of application technology. If the two countries can benchmark each other, it will be great for the future.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, April 09, 2010

Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park, christened the most beautiful park in Asia, is spread across 940 square km and is known for its vivid fauna and flora. Sprinkled with Sal trees and bamboo, large tracts of grass and shallow brooks, the park boasts of 131 tigers, the highest in the country. MPTDC chief general manager Bal Mukund Namdev says, “It is very easy to spot tigers in the national parks of MP than anywhere else in the country.”

There are many spots here where we can take the pleasure of watching wild animals in their natural habitat. And if you think that the park only has tigers to offer, wait a minute. The guided tour can take you to places where you can see foxes, boars, cheetals, antelopes, sambhars, Black Buck and as many as 200 species of birds. A handy pair of binoculars and a map can prove quite handy. The sunset at Bamni Dadar is an added attraction.

Because of the rush in the tourist season, it is advisable to book a guided tour before landing here. This includes a jeep and a guide. The park is spread across two districts and there are two major gates to enter—Mukki and Khatia.

Jabalpur is the nearest railhead. From here, one has to take either a taxi or a bus to reach Kanha. The closest airports are Raipur, Nagpur and Jabalpur. There are many hotels and guest houses run by MPTDC and the Forest Department.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Thursday, April 08, 2010

Drive-in beach

The importance of Wayanad does not end in its natural splendour. There are a number of historic and ecological spots. Wayanad has a past that stretches back to the Stone Age. The Edakkal Cave can be spotted in the pre-historic map of the world for its pre-historic rock etchings. It is a where historians, anthropologists and archaeologists from all over the world flock to. The different sets of petro glyphs found on the caves here are supposed to be date more than 5000 years back.

Sulthan Bathery or Sultans Battery, a small town in Wayanad, is another centre of tourism. It got its present name from Tipu Sultan of Mysore who attacked and took into custody the Jain Temple and used it as his battery in the 18th century.

Thirunelli temple at the foothills of Brahmagiri, Ananthanantha Swami temple at Puliyarmala, Sreemahaganapathy temple and Pallikkunnu Church are famous centres in Wayanad. Pookkode Lake is another attraction near Lakkidi. The Chempara Peak, Banasura Sagar Dam, Kuruva Dweep (island), Soochipara, Kanthapara Meenmutty waterfalls in Meppadi-Ambalavayal offer a wide range of varied experiences. Pakshipathalam, the place located about 1740 meters above sea level, is a habitat of a variety of birds. It is a good trekking spot too.

Kabani River is the lifeline of Wayanad with its tributaries Kalindi, Mananthavadi and Panamaram.

Compared with other districts of Kerala, the demographic structure of Wayanad is very unique. Thirty six per cent of Adivasis in the state live here. They consist of Paniyas, Adiyas, Ooralis, Kurumas and Kattunaykkans. The Jains came here from Karnataka in the 13th century. Hindu upper caste Nairs came here in the 14th century and established their feudal system. Then came the Muslims. In 1950s, Christian migrants from the southern districts started the plantation culture in Wayanad.

The district is connected with the neighbouring towns by a number of good roads. The Calicut-Mysore National Highway 212 cuts through through the middle of the district. If you are lucky, you may spot elephants on the highway too.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

The National Commission for Minorities Act

“The Rangnath Commission report is not different from the Sachhar Committee report. It is also on the lines of Pirpur Report, Sharif Report, Fazal Haq Report and Kamlayar Jung Report prepared by Muslim League before partition. It will lead to communal polarisation of the country,” said Rakesh Sinha, director at India Policy Foundation, New Delhi. “It has completely sidelined the linguistic minorities and only focused on religious minorities. It has tried to rewind the clock to the period before 1947,” Sinha added.

It is important to mention that the National Commission for Religious and linguistic Minorities was constituted on October 29 by the Centre with the clear cut terms of reference not only to suggest criteria for identification of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities but also to recommend measures of welfare for them including reservation in education and government employment and to suggest the necessary constitutional, legal and administrative modalities required for implementation of its recommendations.

Justice Rangnath Mishra, the former chief justice of India, was appointed its chairman with Tahir Mahmod, Anil Wilson and Mohinder Singh as its members. The commission was asked to present its report within six months but it finally submitted it on May 10, 2007. It is pertinent to note that Asha Das, a former secretary to the government of India who was appointed as the member secretary of the commission, had a difference of opinion to the extent that she put in a note of dissent on conferment of scheduled caste status to SC converts to Christianity and Islam. While dissenting to the recommendations of commission in her 12-page note, Das has not uttered a single word about linguistic minorities but has criticised the concept of identifying a caste or community as backward caste or scheduled caste by saying that “It has now become archaic and has created a vested interest in backwardness.” She further adds, “After nearly 60 years of planning and affirmative action in favour of backwardness and scheduled castes, there does not possibly exist a single caste or class in which every constituent is backward.”

Das has also pointed out that, “There is enough evidence to establish that ‘untouchability’ is on the decline…According to a government report, on the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, during 2003, only 651 cases were registered in the country in 12 states as against 4,000 cases registered annually under the Act during the first half of the 1980s.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Monday, April 05, 2010

“You have to put all processed food items in the Zero VAT Category...”

Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet, analyses the industry in an exclusive interview to B&E

Godrej Agrovet has been associated with agribusiness and food processing for quite some time now. Here, Balram Singh Yadav, MD, Godrej Agrovet, gives rare insights into the dynamics of the industry...

B&E: Distribution and intermediation due to a fragmented supply chain increase costs in India by 15-30%. What should the government do to overcome such barriers?

BSY: Two things need to be addressed for this. Firstly, investment should be made in education of farmers on post-harvest technology. This is of particular importance to fruits and vegetables. Secondly, government should invest in storage and transportation in cold chain by subsidizing entrepreneurs and forming private-public partnerships.

B&E: Do you believe contract farming as a model will become successful to allow growth of large food processing units in the country?

BSY: Contract farming is difficult because of fluctuations in market prices at the time of harvest. Farmers are against fixed price procurement regime as they believe that they will not get the benefit of higher prices if they exist at the time of harvest. However, in case of price contract, farmers have always insisted on a price above Minimum Support Price even market prices are below that. Legal framework for enforcement of contract in contract farms is very poor.

B&E: How should the incentives for R&D in India’s food processing sector be enhanced so that rapid technological innovation can take place?

BSY: R&D expenses are already eligible for tax deduction at 150% level. Since R&D takes a long time, the government could give more deduction for R&D expenditure. The biggest support government can give the food sector is to put all Processed Foods in Zero VAT category.

B&E: How will the concept of Food Technology Parks as mooted in the Vision 2015 for the sector be effective in revamping and unlocking the sector?

BSY: The concept of Food Technology Park is wonderful, but it must be noted that raw material is spread over different geographies. Having Food Parks at one place may or may not work in case raw material supply chains are long.

B&E: What do you feel as a company are the major policy changes required by the government so that potential of the sector can be further opened up?

BSY: The subsidies should be increased for establishment of production units. Currently, subsidies being given are very low. The reason for increasing subsidy is to lower the breakeven for these units as value added food has long gestation period and very thin margins.

B&E: Processed food currently forms a very small percentage of India’s exports. How can this scenario be improved with India’s inherent cost advantages?

BSY: To compete in world market, we need to be competitive in cost and quality and both are also dependent on scale of operations which will come in case we can also make food processing successful for the domestic market.

B&E: As a company, how do you see the future for the sector in a 3-5 year timeline and what are the biggest opportunity areas within the sector ?

BSY: We believe that the Food Processing has a very bright future in the long run as cost of food is going up. This will require very efficient use of agricultural produce which is seasonal in nature and has very small windows of availability. The advent of modern retail and increased per capita income will make availability and affordability better.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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Saturday, April 03, 2010

Cancer has become a major concern worldwide

But after spending billions of dollars on research and decades of hit-or-miss treatments, it is now time to rethink the war on cancer. The million dollar question - is all the hype worth the attention? The fact is that cancer does get cured, but only to a large extent in developed nations. Cancer treatment is one of the most expensive among all and in developing nations the cost s are out of the pockets. For example, in Norway, five percent of young adults and children are cured because they have a strong public health system with good cancer research. Scientific evidence says that two thirds of cancers can get cured. But this has no meaning for 80 % of the globe. We all know they can get cured if they get diagnosed early and if the system attends to it. There are so many people who do get diagnosed early but still don’t have the means. There is no insurance and no socialist medicine. So they go back to work for as long as they can. These facts are reinforced by The International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research (INCTR) which says that Cancer is and has been relatively neglected in developing countries. This stems from the fact that cancer is a particularly complex health problem which consumes extensive human and financial resources. This acts as a disincentive to national policy makers in resource-poor countries and international agencies to address it.

To get cancer cured depends on two things – to detect it early and to have a healthcare system that can allow timely and effective treatment. A lot depends on the healthcare system, as in how professionals are trained to detect cancer early and also to refer it. This is one of the major problems in low resource settings. Cancer is not included in the priorities of development agencies and agenda of donor countries. According to INCTR cancer will become an increasingly important cause of premature mortality in the developing countries as their populations expand, tobacco consumption increases and diets are westernized. Already, approximately 60% of global cancer cases occurs in developing countries and unless the increasing incidence rate of cancer can be slowed - 10 million new cases per year at present - it is likely to double by 2020, the majority of this increase occurring in developing countries.

It is high time that the attention of the global cancer authorities be now turned towards developing countries because that is where the real battle has to be fought. No doubt we are fighting cancer but if developing countries are considered then cancer will have the last laugh.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, April 02, 2010

Next time you reveal your A/S/L (Age/Sex/Location), please watch-out for predators keeping an eye on you!

Blissful at the look of increasing number of fans and followers or admiring the up-to-mark look of one’s new profile shall soon be passé. Cyber crime is growing by the hour and with every piece of extra information, which may aid even the most uninitiated net-using criminal mind, it is getting simpler too. “There is a huge list of scams such as online earning proposals, duplicate websites, phishing and Spam e-mails, credit card frauds and EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) frauds.

Globally, more than $6 billion are stolen from consumer accounts by attacks called Phishing, and the scale of such frauds in India is fast catching-up too,” says Advocate Vivek Tripathi. With the availability of Internet on the move via Blackberry, i-Phones and portable USB net devices, it has become a lot easier to log in as and when desired. Our passwords, e-mail accounts, bank accounts, social networking profiles and more can be easily hacked; and not only that, our status messages and personal information lead criminals to our doorstep with incredible ease. Revealing too much information on the net such as making your contact number and residential address public is unadvisable. The moment you update a status message conveying ‘off to ___’ through another computer or mobile, someone keeping an eye on you would know where you logged in from and how authentic your information may be. Guardians of the law and those safeguarding our personal interests recommend awareness and precautions on the Internet.

Technology is man-made and so are its hazards. It depends on the user of the technology as to how he/she takes control and uses it to the optimum. It may be noted that when mind-freak programmers and criminal minds join hands, they can stir-up a deadly concoction, which can easily give the gullible a ‘kick’
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Thursday, April 01, 2010

For the future of Sports India

Amidst circumstances, which force us to close our eyes and hope troubles for Sports India fly away sooner than later, there appears to be a glimmer of positive light at the end of the tunnel, all thanks to the apparent tactical shift in attitude of India Inc. and other non-state agents. Reacting to the recent developments, corporates like Bajaj Allianz, Shree Cements et al and other State governments like Punjab, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh et al, have assured financial help for Indian Hockey. While Sahara India Parivar, which is the official sponsor of India’s cricket, hockey, boxing and wrestling teams has taken the lead in this regard, other corporate houses are following suit. Hero Honda, Coca-Cola and Reebok have signed sponsorship deals for the Hockey World Cup 2010. Then there is L N Mittal’s Mittal Trust, which is contributing a substantial $10 million for the training and nurturing of 40 Indian athletes, including boxers and shooters. [It is the same body which also funded the overseas training camps of ace shooter Abhinav Bindra.] From Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which has shown a keen interest in kabaddi, to conglomerate ITC, which is currently associated with the Sunfeast Open Women’s Tennis Tournament, the tide seems to be changing gradually in favour of the largely ignored sections of Sports India, a manifestation of which can be found in the manner in which major sponsors like Hero Honda and LG are slowly yet steadily moving over from just cricket to other sports. While PSUs like NMDC, ONGC, NTPC and NACIL have been for years organising tournaments and providing employment to athletes, even bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and singer Salma Agha are now providing solidarity for various sporting formats.

With the year 2009 Pitch–GroupM report forecasting the $19 billion Indian sports marketing business to grow at an annual rate of 25%, there is great hope and greater expectations of much more participation of business entities to encourage the growth of Sports India. But the truth is – much remains to be done to reach the levels of the US, where the captive sports marketing business is valued at $400 billion! The current state of affairs of Indian sports is therefore for now, a story of mixed chances, giving worries to various stakeholders involved.

And what about policy bottlenecks? Says B. K. Sinha, former Secretary, SAI to B&E, “Our sports policy is not bad but enough money is not being spent on sports and training of the athletes. Here, on an average, one coach trains 15-16 sportspersons, whereas in Europe and US, a coach is specially assigned to one athlete. Are we ready to spend so much?” At the same time, other sports should take a leaf from Indian cricket’s books, for over time, the influence of bureaucracy has been reduced to a minimum in Indian Cricket, something which is not found in other sporting formats.

The autonomous governing body of Indian cricket – BCCI, has also marketed itself well, unlike The All India Football Federation (AIFF) or the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), which are much lesser known names; no wonder cricket gets all the favours from the ad world! Much to the dismay of other sporting federations, since 2008, BCCI, India’s richest sports board, has donated $27 million to the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) to mobilise resources for sports other than cricket. It’s therefore also time that BCCI teaches NSDF and other related federations to promote sports, not merely as a good career, but as a good business proposition too! Of course, this challenge for NSDF can only be dealt with proper piggybacking of available media resources, after proper promotion to raise TRPs, using monetary resources (gained from BCCI, the Ministry of Sports and other entities like Rural Electric Corp., Power Corp. Of India, Oriental Bank and individuals like ex-cricketer like Kapil Dev), which annually exceeds $12 million! But forget promotions, for at present, a known body like the IHF even lacks any arrangement to telecast live anyof India’s international matches! As far the media community is concerned, it has a responsibility too, towards ensuring that Sports India gets up on its feet, as Rajpal Singh, Captain of the Indian Hockey Team, says, “Media should adopt a professional approach towards covering sports and every bit of information about games should be published on the basis of facts.” Even Viren Rasquinha, a former captain of Indian Hockey team and is currently the COO of Olympics Quest for Gold, strongly believes that Indian sports today, need stars and that can happen only with the help of media.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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