Showing posts with label news weekly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news weekly. Show all posts

Friday, July 02, 2010

‘Hope floats’

Looks like the "Ms Congeniality" actress, Sandra Bullock has a proposal coming her way. Her ex-husband, Jesse James, has been spending time with his daughter, and is apparently using her to get Sandra back in his life. Meanwhile, the bombshell Michelle McGee, who poses nude regularly in tattoo magazines, had once said that Sandra should be grateful to her for revealing that Jesse was having an extramarital affair, has now been sending the actress apology letters for causing her pain. Well, the girls should probably join hands and together bring down the culprit of their lives!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Nepal Conundrum

The Maoists are mounting pressure on the PM to resign

The red colour draped around the bodies of 1.25 lakh men and women on the streets of Kathmandu is nothing new. The Maoists, under the leadership of Prachanda, have begun their indefinite strike but this time it is not going to be a simple event as stakes are high for both, the Maoists and the ruling parties.

Since 1996, activities initiated by Maoists, including strike and complete closure have regularly added to the woes of this beleaguered nation where the per annum income is not more than $400. But then, this bandh is at a juncture where politics in Nepal has turned a full circle. What began with the ceasefire of 2006 and the consequent government under the leadership of Prachanda shifted into the hands of Madhav Nepal. Maoists are yet again determined for a change and are demanding for the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has been put forth.

Nepal has a support of 22 parties out of 25 which in effect has 350 Members of Parliament with them in the House of 601. But the truth is that even today the government remains limited to the towns and zonal centres. This also means that development is just a word which might sound alien to more than half the population that has been ravaged with blood and gory murders. The poor common man is finding himself at the crossroads.

With the ceasefire, the cadre of Maoists were sent into barracks at seven division headquaters and the reign of the government was handed over to Prachanda. But then, nothing was done on the part of returning the property which was captured by the Maoists and they did not finalise the rehabilitation of the Maoists cadre into various security, paramilitary and police forces. People are scared that they may get embroiled into violence yet again which had claimed about 13000 lives and a displacement of around 1.5 lakh. What about the constitution which was supposed to be completed by May 28, 2010 ? Here lies the faultline.

This entire scene is the result of primarily two issues. It all started as both sides took strong position on the demand for rehabilitation of Maoists cadre in army and the drafting of the constitution. “The differences cropped up when Maoists demanded for the completion of the drafting of constitution and then rehabilitate its cadre whereas the other parties wanted to finish the rehabilitation of Maoists into the security forces and then complete the drafting of constitution,” says Nihar Nayak, Associate Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Here, the important thing to note is that if the exercise of drafting constitution is not completed by May 28, 2010, then the Assembly may get dissolved and the Maoists will lose thair majority status in case Madhav Kumar Nepal resigns or steps down as Prime Minister in between. "Thus, the entire exercise to adopt pressure tactics is to somehow get some decision in favour (of Maoists) and get to rule the government”, adds Nihar Nayak. The Maoists had claimed to gather about 400,000 cadres in Kathmandu but the reports clearly states the number not more than 130,000. Now, once they have congregated such a huge number they should have prepared for logistics of the cadres which the sources say has not been done and this is causing a lot of trouble for the cadre. The National Congress has also made it clear that the solution could be reached with dialogue instead of using bandh and pressure as tactics. With 22 parties making it clear that they are with Madhav Nepal's government, it is going to be a long drawn tug of war. The Maoists know that if they will not be able to get a decision in their favour, then they may face disenchantment amongst the cadre. The ruling parties are of the view that they will not let Maoists succeed in their tactics, as this will only lead to a situation where Maoists will get everything done for their benefits.

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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, June 09, 2010

Doting donor

The 37-year-old Hollywood actor, Ben Affleck credits fatherhood for instilling in him a higher sense of responsibility and sensitivity towards other people’s suffering. The “The Goodwill Hunting” actor, who recently launched the ‘Eastern Congo Initiative’ and travelled to the state for charitable causes, feels motivated because of his two daughters – Violet Anne (four) and Seraphina (15 months) – with his wife Jennifer Garner. Such is the impact of charity causes in Ben’s life that he has also ‘confirmed to participate in the World Series of Poker Ante Up For Africa charity tournament’ with celebrity friend Matt Damon. Well, gambling for a noble cause seems noble enough!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

In trouble for proactive role

The Governor takes the flak for changing things for good

A court’s negative remark against Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has generated heated debate in the state. Raising the issue in the Assembly, Congress legislators said that the court’s remark against the governor, government and police could send a wrong message to people. The Governor is hyper active in leading the state administration. Andhra lobbyists and the Telanganites have attacked Narasimhan for his role in the ‘ruthless’ handling of Telangana movement. The cops were given full freedom to silence the protesters. The Governor was also attacked for his ‘unusual silence’ on the communal strife in the twin cities.

In fact, Narasimhan has adopted a different style of functioning. His detractors call him tough and stubborn. In an unprecedented move, he started touring the entire state from Adilabad district. Sources said he visited agency areas and interacted with tribal people in their mother tongue. Besides, he forced the state administration to fork out Rs 36 crore crop compensation that the government had promised to release earlier. Interestingly, after his interference the money was released in half an hour. He got down to business just three hours after being sworn-in as Governor of the state. While interacting with the chief minister, he tossed at him tough questions. Top police officials were also not spared. They were asked about the steps taken to maintain peace after Hyderabad was rocked by riots.

Also, the governor dissolved the executive councils of several state universities in order to ‘reform’ them. This was unprecedented as before him no Governor got himself involved with the universities’ functioning. A few weeks after he took charge, he held a vice-chancellors’ meet where he ordered them to submit a report about the universities’ activities once in every six months. He has asked the department to initiate large-scale infrastructure developments in all universities and technical institutions. The Governor’s enthusiasm drew flak from vice-chancellors. “There are officials who have been dealing with higher education and we have been following their orders. It is strange for a Governor to get involved,” a vice-chancellor told TSI on the condition of anonymity. But, minister Sreedhar Babu has welcomed the Governor’s proactive role.

Impressed by him, he says: “The Governor has been making suggestions to improve higher education as the chancellor of the state universities and it must be welcomed.” Narasimhan, known for his simplicity, is planning to hold a ‘Praja Darshan’ in the Raj Bhavan once a week to interact with people and solve their problems.

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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, June 07, 2010

Gimme Mori!

Its Barbara Mori's very first venture in Indian cinema, and she’s already the talk of the town. In a tête-à-tête with Spriha Srivastava, the lissome Latino lass shares the anxiety and excitement of her foray into Bollywood…

The Mexican damsel was preening herself in front of the mirror as I entered the room. She greeted me with her stunning smile and a hearty “Hello”, took a quick approval from the stylist about her tresses and offered me a seat. A pink dress flowed over her curvaceous figure, made complete with towering heels and minimal make-up; Barbara Mori looked as glamorous as she looks in the rushes of “Kites”. Without keeping her guest waiting, she propped up a couple of pillows behind her on the bed to make herself comfortable, her light eyes signaling me to shoot…

Was your foray into Hindi cinema a planned one?

“No, never! You know, in Mexico, you can imagine Hollywood and all, but Bollywood, never. It’s been such a huge and exciting experience.”

New to Bollywood as well as the language, Barbara chose her words carefully – perhaps wary of the controversies shadowing her – and when articulated in that Latino accent, exuberated a delightful charm and an innocent honesty. Barbara Mori is a popular TV soap actress in Mexico and has showcased her talent in many local movies too. When talking about her first reaction to being offered a role in Bollywood, Barbara threw her head backwards, seeming to relive that moment. “Ah! I was surprised. I never imagined myself here. My career was only limited to Mexico. I never imagined that a producer from Bollywood would want me in his movie. So, I’m really fortunate…Yeah, very fortunate to have got this opportunity.

And what impression did you have of Hindi cinema?

“I did know about India and the film industry, but I knew about no one from Bollywood. I knew no Hrithik… nobody from the industry. I never watched any Hindi film also. After “Kites” was offered, for the first time I heard about Hrithik, Rakesh and Anurag.”

She shrugged and laughed apologetically at her embarrassing ignorance of the famous names of Mumbai marquee.

So was it the glitz and glamour of the industry that pushed you to grab the offer?

“Oh no, no! I really fell in love with the script. The love story touched my heart. You know, I always want something like this. When I read through scripts, I feel that the story should make me feel something about it, make me cry…or…should just touch me. This story was something like that. That is why I decided to do this movie.”

Anurag Basu, the director of “Kites” had mentioned that the narration of the script to Barbara was extremely exhausting, for Barbara had to struggle with his Indian accent to comprehend the story. On being reminded, she laughed, nodded in affirmation and reminisced those rough patches while shooting. “At times I did not understand what the scene demanded! Before I started shooting, I was very nervous and scared about how it would turn out to be. Yeah I’d thought that Indian director, talking in Indian accent, will be very hard to understand. But then when I got into it, I realised that it was turning out to be good. Sometimes these guys would get talking and I would not understand anything so I would just say, ‘Hey! Speak in English’. And then Anurag would say ‘I am talking in English!’ I didn’t understand because he would talk very fast and I would find it difficult to grasp. But since the first day Hrithik was always there saying, ‘Don’t worry; I would explain it to you’.”

With all new people – Hrithik, Rakesh Roshan and Anurag - what was the first day at the shoot like?

“Oh! I had to start with an action sequence. I was very excited. It was fun.” And then resting her face on her palm, said, “You know, I found the song and dance thing in Hindi movies little weird. It’s very funny actually. And I had to do the same thing! In Mexican cinema, there is nothing like this. I found it weird because Hrithik, at one moment, is killing someone and has blood all over his arm and then suddenly he starts dancing and smiling. So I always laughed about it.” That’s the innocent honesty I was talking about.
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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, June 04, 2010

Split wide open

Chandrasekhar Bhattacharjee looks at the possible permutations and combinations as 81 civic bodies go to polls in West Bengal.

The Left Front had scored a landslide victory in the 2006 Assembly elections, bagging 235 out of the 294 seats in West Bengal. Data shows the Front secured 50.18 per cent of the total votes polled. In this the leading constituent, Communist Party of India's (Marxist) [CPI(M)’s] share was 37.13 per cent, Forward Bloc got 5.66 per cent, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) secured 3.71 per cent and the Communist Party of India (CPI) managed only 1.91 per cent of the votes. The rest of the votes were divided among smaller partners such as DSP, WBSP and MFB.

The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian National Congress (INC) fought separately to bag 35 and 30 seats respectively. Their vote share was 28.77 per cent and 15.41 per cent respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fought alone and got only 1.93 per cent of the vote share. Besides, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) won two seats. Polls to 81 civic bodies were held in 2005, just a year before the last Assembly elections. The Left Front had secured 51 per cent of the votes, the TMC bagged 21 per cent while the Congress got 26 per cent of the votes. Of the 81 civic bodies, the Left Front won 55 municipalities and municipal corporations. The TMC, INC and others bagged 36 — in some cases as a combine.

In other words, if the TMC and the INC had fought the elections together, their vote share could not have been less than 47 per cent. Figures also show that despite bagging 235 seats in the 2006 Assembly elections, the CPI (M)’s vote share dipped from 43 per cent in 2005 to 37.13 per cent in 2006.

Things started changing since the Singur-Nandigram days. The spontaneous movements launched by people and the TMC leadership’s calculated association with them translated into a rich harvest for the TMC in the Lok Sabha elections of 2009. This time around, the TMC-INC alliance pushed the CPI (M)’s vote down to 33.09 per cent — a 10 per cent decline compared to the 2006 Assembly polls.

The Left Front as a whole got 43.29 per cent of the polled votes, while the Trinamool Congress secured 31.19 per cent and the INC got 13.46 per cent (together they got 44.65 per cent). The SUCI, too, as a partner of the coalition, got a sizeable chunk of the votes.
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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, June 02, 2010

Food and fuel is hard to find even at five times the actual cost

The minister said it would not be possible to ferry goods like oxygen canisters and petroleum products on cargo planes. But the government airlifted 3.5 metric tonnes of medicine and 3.5 metric tonnes of rice from Guwahati on Monday. The Food Corporation of India airlifted 35 quintals of rice to Imphal on Monday on an SOS from the Manipur government. “Another 35 quintals will be lifted tomorrow from Guwahati along with life-saving medicines in a 50-quintal-capacity IAF aircraft because of the ongoing crisis in that state. Every family will get 5 kg rice at Rs 15 a kg on producing ration cards,” M.K. Gogoi, general manager, Northeast, FCI, told TSI. Trucks were on their way to Imphal from Guwahati through NH-150, which links Imphal and Guwahati via Mizoram.

As Muivah is seen as a divider of communities, a threat to the unity of Manipur and responsible for several criminal acts and human rights violations by the people and the state government, people are angry. Muivah should not be shocked if he can recall what NSCN (I-M) under his leadership has done to Manipur and her people. “Kukis can not forget their ethnic cleansing and suffering at the hands of NSCN (I-M) in the 1990s,” says Dhanabir Laishram, a lecturer. Unlike Nagaland or any other region of the world, Manipur is like a mini-India with various communities living together with no restriction of people coming to or going out of the state. It’s been home to Meiteis, Muslims, Nagas and Kuki-chin people with close socio-cultural, economic, political and emotional ties.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) says impending visit of Muivah to Manipur has created a state of confusion among the people. The special treatment fitting for a head of the state accorded to him by GOI is all the more unsettling for the people of the North East. “His supporters call him the champion of peace but he is responsible for killing over 900 Kukis, destroying 350 Kuki villages and rendering over 1,00,000 Kukis refugees in their own land during the 1990s.”

Kuki National Organisation (KNO) secretary Lenin H. Kuki in a statement asserted that it is due to Muivah’s Machiavellian and nihilistic designs that Manipur valley witnessed a bloodbath in June 2001 in which 20 lives were lost. The KNO is of the opinion that until justice is meted out to the victimised Kukis in the form of political dialogue to solve their issues, any sort of peace and security initiatives taken by the government in the northeast would be futile.

The United Committee Manipur and various organisations of the valley oppose Muivah’s homecoming. UCM president Yumnamcha Dilipkumar describes Muivah’s proposed visit to Manipur as “provocative”. The UCM has requested the Centre to exercise political wisdom in cancelling the controversial visit of Muivah to Manipur latest by May 20. It also warned that the government does not heed its advice, the people of Manipur would be left with no other choice but to resist the alleged evil designs of the centre, by launching people’s democratic movement with the declaration of public emergency throughout the state from May 21. It also blamed the central leaders of igniting the political time bomb by unnecessary prolonging the issue.

K.Dutta, a social worker, says it is ironical that the Centre is extending a warm welcome to a person who has fought violently against it for decades. But the same powerful rebel leader is not able to visit his birthplace in Ukhrul, Manipur. Former Manipur chief minister W. Nipamacha says Muivah’s attempt to visit his birthplace is not a simple homecoming. It is a calculated political move.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Import of chinese SIMs can compromise national security

Several Chinese and European companies sell SIM cards in India. Other than the Chinese companies, almost every other company has set up its personalisation centre in India. The fact that Chinese companies have not set their personalisation centre in India generates more suspicion. The two main Chinese companies, Watchdata and Eastcompeace, control more than 30 per cent of the Indian SIM card market. Data from Electronic Computer Software Promotion Council, Union ministry of commerce, reveal that during the last year (Between April 2008 and February 2009) around 11,68,17,092 SIM cards have come from China. These companies are selling SIM cards to Indian cellular companies since last three years. As per an estimate, more than 30 crore chinese SIM cards have reached the Indian market. The country head of Eastcompeace, Rajnish Giri told TSI, “We are the largest SIM card and Smart Card manufacturers of Asia. Our personalisation centre is completely safe and is SAS certified.” The SIM secure keys are kept with the Chinese bosses.

When TSI asked why Watchdata does not have its personalisation centre in India, Vijay Parthasarathy, country head, Watchdata Technologies (India), said, “Our personalisation centres are in Singapore and Japan. The whole issue of setting up a personalisation centre in India is ridiculous. I don’t think your question has an answer”.

It is an important question that how safe is our SIM card data in the hands of a country which has been accused of hacking and stealing data of other countries. India and China have a nervy relationship. Apart from the Tibet controversy and Chinese help to Pakistan, India has boundary disputes with China. Stealing important information of countries is part of the Chinese foreign policy. An advisor with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, Brigadier (retd) Rumel Dahiya says, “Around 30,000 people are supposed to be involved in the task of hacking Cyber and communication networks. Also, a large number of people in China are doing it out of curiosity and nationalism.” There is an unofficial ban in America and European countries on import of mobile phone and communication service equipments from China. If china is viewed with suspicion by not just India but the whole world, there is solid reason behind it. Suvrokamal Dutt, an expert on international affairs, says, “Inquiries into hacking of computers of important organisations around the world has revealed that since the 80s, the source of nearly every hacking was in China. Right from Microsoft and NASA to White House and the British Parliament, all have had their servers and computers accessed by Chinese hackers. As Chinese companies are controlled by the government, they come under suspicion. Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s action is totally correct.”
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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, May 03, 2010

The Delhi government is setting up a secure radio network for the upcoming CWG in Delhi

Motorola and HCL Infosystems are now even jointly looking at more opportunities in this area. The duo expects business to the tune of Rs10 billion over the next two years through this technology. “Multiple cities are looking at deploying this model because of the advantages that it seeks to offer even in terms of their day-to-day working,” George Paul, Executive VP, HCL Infosystems, tells B&E. And not just in India, TETRA is expected to garner a lot of its profit from across the globe. According to Phil Godfrey, Chairman, TETRA Association, “There is still plenty to do. TEDS technology will bring TETRA’s data capability up to a more useable data rate of 150kbit/s and upwards resulting in many more data applications becoming viable. In addition, the Association has been working with ETSI on a project to develop a Broadband capability for the future. This will ensure that TETRA remains a relevant and current technology.” The global market for TETRA is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15% over the next 4 years.

But that’s not the critical part. There is another critical advantage that TETRA offers. During emergencies, phones and other communication networks inevitably get either clogged out because of the increased traffic load on them or are shut down by the government itself (such as what happened during the 26/11 attacks or the bomb blasts in Delhi). And in disaster management scenarios, such networks could even be physically wiped out (the recent earthquake in Chile being a case in point). TETRA apparently doesn’t! TETRA has been a qualified reliable network as it is a dedicated network built with a view to provide seamless communication access even at the time of natural or manmade disasters. In fact, with features like fast and advanced group calls, short and packed data services, TETRA has already found itself a place at many international events, similar in magnitude to CWG and even bigger. As a matter of fact, China had set up a government network on similar routes for the recently held Beijing Olympics! Not only this, TETRA has been widely applied all across the globe, with Australia being the classic example and North America being a classic exception (See graph for more details).

Given that, it’s surprising that the Indian government waited so long to settle in for this network. It is expected that TETRA in New Delhi will have 46 base stations and would be completed by June 2010 giving enough time to the stakeholders to get a hang of things well before the Games begin. Though this network has been set up with the CWG in the mind, one advantage is that it would still continue to provide seamless communication to all agencies and help them with their day to day functioning even beyond the event. However, what has not been answered is whether Indian security agencies will actually use the network to share information? Given the learning experience in the US – where CIA and FBI still mistrust each other to a large extent – the expectations in India are not that encouragingly positive. On a more neutral front, before we seal the notes on how successful this technology would be, it’s important to remember that it’s not tested in real time crisis yet in India. It took one 26/11 for India’s elite NSG to realise they didn’t even have operational backup in key Indian cities. Especially when push would come to shove, would TETRA successfully withstand the nervous edge? We’re not taking a call...

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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 16, 2010

Will the new bankers please stand up?

After many years of waiting, Pranab Mukherjee says RBI will issue licences to new banks. Is the RBI on the same ground as Pranab Mukherjee? Evidently not!

Think of financial ‘inclusion’ in India, and you will invariably discover that financial ‘exclusion’ is far too conspicuous. Digest these for some evidence: out of the 600,000 odd villages in the country, only 5.3% have a commercial bank branch, which translates to one branch catering to 26,000 individuals in rural areas. Even if we take the entire country’s population into consideration, only 40% possess a bank account in India, as compared to 95% in US! The proportion of people possessing any form of life insurance cover is as low as 10%, while those with a non-life insurance is an abysmally low 0.6%. Only 13% Indians possess a debit card, while the credit card cover is as low as 2%. The most recent National Sample Survey Organisation 2008 study reveals that out of the 89.3 million farming households in the country, 51% did not receive credit from either institutional or non-institutional sources of any kind. Even where 33 million ‘no-frills’ bank accounts are claimed to have been opened, 89% of these accounts are dormant today, as per K. C. Chakrabarty, Deputy Governor, RBI.

These statistics are perhaps sufficient to prove the extent of financial exclusion in the country. At the same time, there can be no second thoughts on remedial actions that need to be taken in order to unleash the power of fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. Perhaps, it was an admixture of these very glaring statistics, added to the recommendation of the S.S. Tarapore & Raghuram Rajan committee report that played the motivation pill for the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who promised to take a step towards altering this gloomy state of affairs. In his Union Budget 2010-11 statement, he said, “We need to ensure that the [Indian] banking system grows in size and sophistication to meet the needs of a modern economy. Besides, there is a need to extend the geographic coverage of banks and improve access to banking services.

RBI is considering giving some additional banking licenses to private sector players. Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) could also be considered...” Strong reason to smile for many, but the celebrations are still miles away, thanks to the dictionary which does define a ‘promise’ and a ‘policy’ very differently!
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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, March 31, 2010

Shahid’s badmashi!

After winning accolades for “Kaminey”, Shahid is being extra cautious about his roles and his image. He recently gave director Parmeet Sethi and choreographer Ahmed Khan a tough time during the shoot of a song sequence for “Badmaash Company”. Shahid, who is trying to tone down the muscles to portray a depressed guy in dad’s directorial venture, refused to sport a white vest for the song and finally wore a white t-shirt instead. Well, can’t really blame Shahid because if he fails to look good onscreen, he’d be the one to face the brickbats too!
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Outlook Magazine money editor quits
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ferrari's newest ace

Formula 1’s most intriguing season in recent times kicked off in Bahrain on March 14th, and Ferrari's latest recruit, Fernando Alonso, having finished on top of the podium may hold all the cards to lead a resurgence of the prancing horse. By Francoise Inizan

How did you feel the first time you drove for Ferrari’s Formula One racing team?
Ha! That’s what everyone wants to know! Fortunately, next year, no one will ask me that anymore (laughs). You don't really realise what Ferrari represents until you arrive in Maranello and discover the passion surrounding the name. The same pride exists even in the plants that make their production cars. People are happy to go to work for Ferrari each day. That's rare.

But when you got behind the wheel...
My first test drive of the F10 was on February 3 in Valencia, and it was my father's birthday. He was there. And it was like a gift for him, since throughout my career he never stopped saying, "If one day you race for Ferrari, then you’ll be able to retire. Your life will be complete." After winning two titles with Renault, I said to him, "But Dad, I’m already happy with my career. It’s already complete!" He objected, "No, no! If you race for Ferrari, people will forget your two titles. They’ll only remember you as a Ferrari driver!" "OK Dad!"

Have you felt the almost infatuated worship of the “tifosi” since you’ve been with Ferrari?
Yes, it's a big change! I’m talking about men, OK (laughs). It’s a new feeling and an additional motivation. It’s really nice. I know that it’ll be even better if I win. I also know that if I lose, it’ll be awful. But that's what it means to be a Ferrari driver.

Have you eaten at Mamma Rosella, the famous restaurant frequented by Ferrari regulars near Maranello?
Yes. I've visited all the legendary Ferrari spots. The famous restaurant, and Enzo Ferrari's office, which hasn’t changed since his death, in 1988... It’s difficult to describe the impression because the atmosphere is so unique.

With Felipe Massa's accident and Kimi Raikkonen's average results, the 2009 season was difficult for Ferrari. Do you feel a sense of obligation to bring the team back to the top?
All the major teams suffered from the new rules on cars last year. Except (Ross) Brawn! It was also a difficult year what with the political affairs between the manufacturers and the International Federation. By getting back to a normal season, with more stability in the regulations, the major teams will return to the forefront.

These last three years, with McLaren in 2007, and then Renault, were also tough for you personally. Did that affect your passion for F1?
No, not at all. 2007 was difficult, but even though I missed winning the (FIA World) Championship by one point, it was a very enriching experience. (Alonso finished third, tied for points with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, just behind Raikkonen.) 2008 and 2009 were something else entirely. I fought for seventh place, but I learned from that. Starting in the middle of the pack. Crucial pit stops. The opportunity to take risks in the rain. All these things were interesting and I told myself, "When I have a better car, I’ll be more ready than ever. And I’ll be the best." That time has come.

Do you sympathise with Jenson Button, who just arrived at McLaren? He’ll end up like you, a two-time world champion, just like you when you arrived at McLaren in 2007. And there were some problems with Hamilton, the rookie in the house...
I think the situation is different today, because while I learned from that season, I’m sure McLaren did too.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Outlook Magazine money editor quits
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Friday, March 26, 2010

“Public Enemies” star stabbed!

French actress Marion Cotillard was recently bestowed with one of France’s highest cultural honours – a knighthood in the Order of the Arts and Letters. The proud moment, however, is now becoming famous as when Marion was ‘stabbed’ by France’s culture minister Frederic Mitterand! For as he tried to pin the medallion to her blouse, he, accidentally, jabbed her on her torso! Both were seen gasping, and then breaking into laughter! In the same ceremony, director Tim Burton was made an officer in France’s National Order of Arts and Letters. Thankfully, the French minister did not injure him too.
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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, March 18, 2010

Rs 718 cr for image makeover

State plans spruce up of tourist spots to attract foreigners

Upset with the low inflow of foreign tourists to Orissa, the Naveen Patanik government has decided to fork out Rs 718 crore for the all-round development of tourism in the state. Besides spruce up of various tourist places all across the state, the five year plan also focuses on direct and indirect employment generation. State tourism minister Devi Prasad Mishra says: “This plan envisages jobs to about 4.2 lakh people. Some 1.2 lakh people will get direct jobs from this project.”

Also, the government will be working overtime to improve its image that took a beating after the communal violence in Kandhamal district. “As the rate of foreign tourist flow is low, the Orissa government has decided to launch its campaign in international media to attract foreigners. Of the 69.1 lakh tourists who visited the state last year, the ratio of foreign tourists was only one per cent. Now efforts are on to woo them by developing beach tourism, eco-tourism, rural tourism and Buddhist tourism,” the minister told the reporters.

The government is claiming that favourable environment has been created in the state to increase inflow of tourists. However, some in the tourism industry don’t agree with the government. They say, a lot has to be done. They cite of incidents in which foreign and domestic tourists were attacked. In January 2009, a Russian tourist Lisina Nadedza, a telecom engineer, was stabbed and robbed of her belongings in beach town of Puri. Police reports confirm the incident. Though the cops arrested the culprits but the incident dented state’s image. Likewise, louts abused an elderly Swiss woman Monika Kessler and her brother Niklaus Kessler last year. A local resident accompanying them was also assaulted. Ironically, the cops who were on the spot had even refused to accept tourists’ complaint. Horrified by the experience, the duo decided to cut short their trip, lodging complaints with the Swiss Embassy. Not only foreign tourists, even local tourists are unsafe in the state. Last week police busted a racket of anti-socials, who had been blackmailing local tourists in Ratnagiri, a popular Buddhist heritage site. They were accused of clicking obscene pictures and videos of couples forcefully. The racket was going on for the last one year. But the Jajpur police arrested four people belonging to a nearby village involved in the harassment and blackmailing of tourists.
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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, March 17, 2010

Let Us Bleed!

The proposed BRAI bill is all set to roll out red-carpet to GMOs

India will take another two years, as it contemplates to setup her own independent regulatory body, to monitor viability and safety of genetically engineered crops. Jairam Ramesh implemented indefinite moratorium on Bt Brinjal because our country lacks credible regulatory authority to monitor genetically modified (GM) products. Even if the ‘Biotech Regulatory Authority of India’ bill (BRAI bill) is cleared, it will take a year for it to start functioning. Presently, an arm of environment ministry called Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has the final say on production and commercial distribution of GM organisms. The intended regulatory body will have three important scientific divisions: Human & Animal Health; Agriculture, Forest & Fisheries; and Environmental & Industrial Application.

However, in spite of such noble intention, there is public outcry against certain clauses of the bill. So much so that the concerned groups are in favour of setting up National Biosafety Protection Authority; as a buffer against BRAI! It is argued that there are draconian clauses in the bill, which are meant to allow MNCs producing and marketing GMOs rather than protecting health and environment; apart from throttling voices raised against such malpractices. Further, the bill has ignored the immense sphere of biotechnology, and got itself confined only with genetic engineering, thereby exposing the ignorance of the people who crafted it.

The seriousness with which the objection is raised on a section of that bill is alarming. As it states "Whoever, without any evidence or scientific record misleads the public about safety of GMOs and products thereof shall be punished”, not only with fine but imprisonment as well. It sounded more like a promotional mouthpiece of the corporations releasing GMOs without regulatory tests, rather than an agency trying to shield the masses from their selfish blight.
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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, March 11, 2010

A few billions less...

Indian business owners have been among the worst hit this year

The cat is out of the bag, while many Indian tycoons would have wished it stayed inside! While they have hitherto been shouting from the roof tops that the global meltdown has not impacted their enormous wealth; the testimony to that – the Forbes World Billionaires list, elucidates just the converse. Out of the total 53 Indian moguls who made it to the list last year, only 24 could hold on. Mukesh Ambani, who slipped two positions down, surpassed the steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal (currently at number 8, was at number 4 last year) and sat perched at the fifth slot as richest Indian with net worth of $19.5 billion.

Anil Ambani, the biggest gainer in 2008, was the worst hit this time, after losing $31.9 billion in net worth. At the 34th position, his current fortune stands at a relatively modest $10.1 billion. Says Hitesh Agrawal, Head of Research, Angel Broking, “His (Anil Ambani’s) fortunes are directly correlated to the stock market... recovering all the lost sheen in 2009 for ADAG Group seems unlikely.” While Lakshmi Mittal saw his personal fortune dwindling from $25.7 billion in 2008 to mere $19.3 billion in 2009; DLF’s K. P. Singh, too, witnessed his wealth being gnawed down by $25 billion. Notable among the tycoons who lost the billionaire title were Vijay Mallya (UB Group), Ramesh Chandra (Unitech), Sameer Gehlaut (Indiabulls), Tulsi Tanti (Suzlon) and Jignesh Shah (MCX). Tough economic conditions in their respective sectors have led to this predicament. The only gainers were the Singh Brothers – Malvinder Mohan and Shivinder Mohan of Ranbaxy – whose net worth increased over the past year (currently at $2.6 billion). The sale of 34% stake in Ranbaxy, enabled them to add $550 million to their net worth.

The correction in the personal fortunes of these ‘once-a-billionaires’ has also lead to China displacing India as the Asian country with highest number of billionaires (28 tycoons) in 2009. However, the combined value of Indian billionaires stands at $107 billion, double their Chinese counterparts, which is a humbling $44 billion. Small mercy though. For, with experts opining that the current fiscal will be equally challenging for Indian business tycoons, considering the setback that equities witnessed in 2008 and the continued risk aversion amongst investors; it would be an uphill task for this year’s survivors to hold on to their positions for another year. And an even more challenging task for dropouts is to devise a comeback strategy to regain a position in the Forbes World Billionaires 2010. They will have to really come up with something dramatic to enthuse the stock markets.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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