RDA ULTIMATUM

Indian PR firms yet to jump on the social media bandwagon

2010-10-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

Let me start with New Marketing Labs President Mr. Chris Brogan’s quote “The difference between PR and social media is that PR is about positioning, and social media is about becoming, being and improving.” Yes that is what we are going to witness soon in India. Social media is not a media. It is a platform to listen, engage, and build relationships. And I doubt how many of us really make use of this new generation networking platform.
Ivy Ledbetter Lee, one of the founders of public relations had very good reasons to establish that PR can influence the world. It took time for many of the kosher lobbyists and PR brains in India to realize the possibility of PR in all aspects of life. Indian PR firms have been following the conventional mode to get the maximum visibility for their clients though the methods are obsolete. Now it is the time for adopting different tactics; and undoubtedly Social Media is the new platform for effectual Public Relations, which is yet to be explored. The India PR enterprises should try the Soicial Media tool which is absolutely cost efficient than any other PR practices. Let’s have a discussion about this next generation PR dynamism.

Press Releases and Social Media
Wiki says one anecdote on an origin of modern press releases is about an incident in 1906 involving Ivy Lee. Lee's public relation agency was working with the Pennsylvania Railroad, which had just fallen victim to a tragic accident in which 53 people died. Ivy Lee convinced the company to issue the first press release to journalists, before other versions of the story, or suppositions, could be spread among them and reported. He used a press release, in addition to inviting journalists and photographers to the scene and providing their transportation there, as a means of fostering open communication with the media.
Presently press releases are running the shows. PR professionals have been pushing their level best to get an utmost visibility for their press releases, however all these practices are utterly conventional methods of pitching. Social media can give a better acceleration for your stories (provided the release should be newsworthy). However data is pertinent for each press release and while using social media the PR practitioners should be aware of what to give and what omit.
Social media can really rejuvenate the press releases. It is an effective distribution channel and the reach will be umpteenth times better. Twitter, Facebook, Linked in and blog all can fortify your efforts. Before trying these practices you should have brevity. Suppose some journalists can not join the press conference the Youtube link of the client’s spoke person byte can actually facilitate the journalists. Lets have a look how Social Media Pres Release Works.
It is really hard to get social media community interested in traditional releases. Always consider the end user to ensure singular focus in a social media release. You need to have a blog platform which publishes only valid as well as relevant news. It is necessary to creat a story angle first and then publish your post. . Remember not to waste reader’s time, therefore each sentence should be informative and short. Headlines needs to be catchy. If you follow these steps, you will gain traffic to your blogs. Pitching Journalist using Social Media Pitching stories to a journalist through social media is an effective method with better response. Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, blogs let you know large number of journalists whom you can really be in touch. Pitching a journalist will not be happen instantly, you have to comprehend the journalist before you contact. The most pertinent factor is creating a fostering relationship with the journalists. Social media can undoubtedly fortify the rapport. New generation PR experts say that “Journalists like being helped rather than they like being pitched.” After all effective communication is necessary and social media can enhance the communication between Journalist and PR through blogs, online forums and discussions.
The journalist fraternity is very much active in blogging; your comments and retweet to the journo’s content is always good, adding their stories to your FB, Linkedin, and Twitter pages will be a good idea.
Edify your clients about social media
I believe the Indian PR practitioners should enlighten the clients about the gamut of social media. Perhaps we are lacking an effective communication between the PR professionals and corporate folks. Creating discussion group and survey in Linked In or in facebook, RSS feeds can actually facilitate your clients to get a maximum visibility. Regular client updates through social media will certainly give a good impetus among the multitude abruptly. Incredibly it will not charge you to an extent. Check how much time you can spend daily for social media. Above all if you can make your clients a little proactive in social media as a tool of dominant marketing strategy obviously that makes you the real generation-next Public Relation professional.
Connecting the PR world
People say that when you network you are your client. If you are in the PR world at least you should communicate efficiently. Social media is the only contrivance that enhances live interaction anytime across the globe. It is all about how you can market yourself or your firm. Networking is an inevitable part in public Relations; also keep the rapport with other PR professionals. Linkedin and Facebook is a real time avenue for social networking. Learning from others will always benefit, for that you need to actively participate in the online discussions and forums. Before I conclude let me say, the new generation PR pros have been realised that social media is a platform for non-stop networking and innumerable opportunities. Now get your works done swiftly using this breakthrough innovation. Let’s start clicking the opportunities.

Technocity: All set for the next IT revolution

2010-06-30T23:57:00.000-07:00

Kerala IT is on fast phase augmentation and the launch of Technocity has sparked another global IT revolution. Today’s Technocity on completion will be the largest technology park and Special Economic Zone in Kerala. It is one of the biggest projects of Technopark that will be developed in 450 acres of land in Pallippuram, 5Kms north from the main campus on the NH 47 to Kollam, as an integrated township, encompassing IT/ITES infrastructure, residential apartments, shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, educational institutions, and other support facilities.

The project, first of its kind, in the State would be a trail-blazer and will provide 100,000 IT/ITES jobs directly and 400,000 indirect jobs and will place Kerala resolutely in the global IT map as an IT powerhouse.

Technocity is designed to address the socio-economic commitment like rural development, employment creation, earning of foreign exchange, increasing tax collection etc. with an assured financial feasibility. An investment of over Rs 6000 crores is expected in this mega-project which will be developed on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. Considering the vast area, the project will be developed in a phased manner over a period of seven years of which the first major phase will be completed in a period of two years, to enable the parks to commence functioning by July 2012. The land acquisition for the same was completed earlier this year at a cost of Rs.340 crores funded by a consortium of banks headed by Central Bank.

Main highlights of Technocity

Technocity is well connected through road, as the campus is adjacent to the National Highway. The IT city is just 30 minutes drive from Trivandrum International Airport. Government of India through IT department and in coordination with Indian Railways is now working on a plan to develop the Kazhakuttom railway station (the closest railway station to Technopark campus and Technocity) with good infrastructure. So precisely the Technopark and its subsidiary parks are well connected, starting from Trivandrum up to Kollam.

Asian School of Business (ASB) is developing their state-of-the-art campus in the Technocity area. This will be one of the most modern campuses in the country when fully completed. Also The Trivandrum International School is very close to the Technoctiy. With the establishment of Technocity, the whole belt will qualify for consideration under the Government of India scheme of Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIR).

Kovalam, one of the most sought after tourist destination in Kerala is about 30Kms from Technocity. The tourism attraction adds value to the strategic location of Technocity.

Kerala has 60 per cent cheaper rents, 50 per cent lower operational costs, and the lowest power and water tariffs. A low cost of living means, lower cost to company per employee. Kerala is now already a recognizable place for the leading global IT players and many of them have expressed their business interests because of Kerala’s inimitability and our cultural diversity. Kerala is one of the best-networked States in the country in terms of telecom and datacom. The state’s tele-density is double the national average and all the telephone exchanges are digital. VSNL’s International Communication Gateway, with 2 high speed submarine cable landings (SEA-ME-WE-3 and SAFE) offering 15 Gbps bandwidth, is in Kochi. This gateway currently handles more than two thirds of the country’s data traffic. Optical Fiber connectivity up to the grass-root level makes high quality, reliable bandwidth available in any part of the State. In Human Development Index, Kerala heads the States in India and its achievements are comparable to those of the developed nations. Kerala has also achieved universal literacy. Also Kerala is one of the most vibrant and globalized societies in India, with a strong and mature service sector and one of the highest consumer spending profiles in the country. For Technocity all these factors will definitely allure global investments and make Technocity a global IT city.

Technocity is being developed as a satellite city that will not depend on the resources of Trivandrum city and the State government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the same. Kerala Water Authority is preparing a Detailed Project Report for an exclusive water supply system for Technocity. The officials have already taken up with PWD for improvement and maintenance of approach road to Technocity. Technocity project would also aim for investments in biotechnology, nanotechnology, high-end manufacturing and R&D. The project will be developed through multiple special purpose vehicles (SPVs) in association with private participants as well. Once completed, Technocity will become the largest IT city in India.

It already applied for funding to Japan International Cooperation Agency through Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India (GoI) for Rs.170 crores towards the infrastructure development of Technocity. Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) is the developer of the project. The master plan for the project has been completed envisaging the most suitable way to develop the IT city at the maximum possible speed to break down the entire area into smaller land parcels and develop through Public Private Participation model.

Flickering liquor

2009-01-27T05:01:00.000-08:00

Do you know when was first liquor produced? But I know that you don’t know the answer; because it is still unknown. For any piece of information we should start scavenging from Neolithic period. But that is history, today the situation is different, like an old saying “When the liquor was gone the fun was gone.” But it doesn’t mean that you get drunk and become wild and vile. You should hold your drinks.

Now I will tell you good news, it’s not because alcohol beverages is my domain. India is the largest alcohol consuming country in the world. Don’t be shocked!!! Chill … whether the market is bullish or sluggish, alcohol industry is booming. At this moment I just want to remember few words of W.C. Fields, “There are only two real ways to get ahead today – sell liquor or drink it.” Quite interesting right? I think he said this about his fellow performers.

I first tasted liquor when I was studying third standard. My first sip… nobody has given me that, it happened like that. My loving grandpa was about to have his royal drink and he told me that “Richy this is a medicine for me, you don’t drink this coz you will get disease.” Poor my grandpa he doesn’t know that actually I don’t want to go to school the very next day, I was thinking some other plans; now grandpa only gave me a new idea. When he went outside I had a sip of that “medicine” still I don’t know what was my feeling. Next day I went to school also, nothing happened to me. After that I don’t know when I started tasting variety brands, tequila, martini, cognac, champagne. Even if I know, do you think that I will say; this post will be clearly scrutinized by my loving sister and brother other than my friends; I want to be alive for few more years.

The alcoholic beverages industry is very strong. We are going to witness some crucial changes like, entry of global player into the country, availability of superior brands and others. I will write about various types of liquors in the world, not this time. I would like to say one thing, drink responsibly.

Friends can be our partners?

2009-01-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

“The glory of friendship is not in the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is in the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him”-Ralph Waldo Emerson U.S. poet, essayist and lecturer. I believe in this.

Let me ask something, is that fine if I propose my good friend? Any way I did, but later I decide it will create a big mess, coz she is from a Muslim family. I don’t have any problem in inter-cast marriage but my family has, so I sacrificed that. But I am happy. She is one of my good friends we had a reunion recently we all recollected our beautiful memories. Hmmm… I don’t want to reveal her name but she is very nice, doing her MBBS, cribbing about her studies and stuff like that. Happy Chick!!! It’s true that I had a crush on this doctor. Anyway, I won’t have any problem if my kids want to marry from other cast. 
Recently some of my friends also proposed their female friends and they asked my advice before the scene. To me there is nothing wrong in that; my buddies have taken my advice and some of them already started their love life and some others were devastated, coz their chicks are already engaged. I like to marry a girl whom I know very well and also she should know me thoroughly. Any way we should think about this topic. If you get a partner who trusts you, believes you, who loves you, who can understand you and your feelings and be your soul & shadow forever, then you are the luckiest person in the world. Relationship is not for fun, it is precious; everybody can get into a relationship but few will make it true. Do you have the spunk for get into a relationship?

A sister should be like this.

2008-12-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

Some of my friends asked me, “Richy, why are you writing only about your family and friends these days?” They know that these two are my weaknesses. My sister constantly tells me, "Grow up Richy, grow up!" You know why? Because, to her, I am still a kid, her youngest brother. She teases me like anything, and I just love that. She is a lecturer. Her 2-years-young kid Johan is ditto like her. Very naughty and smart. My sister suffered a lot for me and I troubled her for a long time:-( And my dad used to kick me whenever I hit her. To my family, my sister is first. I call her 'chechi'. I am blessed to have a sister like her. She is as loving-n-caring as my mom. All over my biceps, there are pinch marks, presented by my sister when I was a naughty, lazy bum.

My dear loving sister, u are also lucky to have a younger brother like me:-) And I am sure that even if I get married, you will continue to tease and pinch me. That is you, 'my chechi'!

The person I admire extreme in my life

2008-12-04T23:24:00.001-08:00

Why should we admire person? My answer is very simple. If I admire a person it means that personality influenced me very much. I admire my chachen. Oh... Sorry you don’t know who is chachen, that’s my bro. Roshen D Alexander. He is a lawyer. We have 7 years difference. He is my best friend. Only to him I share about my crushes and break-ups, and my ex-girlfriends. I am lucky that I have a brother like him. It’s not a general statement; he used to kick me till my 12 standard. And I am sure if I do anything wrong in future he will bang me, even if get marry J

Chacha you rock. If you wouldn’t beat me when I was young, I don’t know where I would be. So keep on hitting me. Then only I will learn. I owe him my life.

My life in Mumbai.

2008-12-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

Hmmm … after a long time, I am writing something about my thoughts. Basically,I didn’t have the time to sit and write. I am not acting busy. After my IIJNM life, I directly entered the corporate world. A business journalist, that is my tagline. I got what I dreamt. But, still, there is a looooooooooong way to go. May 15, 2008, I reached Mumbai, India’s trade centre, the most hectic metro in the country. I had little arrogance in my talk with my friends, who are located in different parts of the country, that I am working in Mumbai. Luckily, I got a superb place to stay, YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association). It is in South Mumbai. (The most happening place). Here, I have a lot of friends including mallus. It’s a calm and quiet place. This place gives me a sense of tranquility. Here, we have a health club and a swing pool, which I simply can’t miss a single day! Honestly, I don’t know swimming. But I enjoy watching the city's HOT chicks swimming. My greatest hangouts are Café Coffee Day, Kalpana Bar, Marine Lines, Pizzaria, and Totos. And I go to church along with my friends. Kalpana bar and CCD are our regular places. That is only because these places are a bit affordable than others. I don't spend too much. Still, I don’t have much bank balance. I usually go with my good buddies in the hostel: Ajith, working with a good construction firm; Arjun, my room mate, working as Assistant manager with ‘Knight Frank,’ that is very famous in the hostel because of him; Rosh, an investment banker, working as the Assistant Vice President with a private firm . I have a plan to write a special blog on my hostel life, and I'll post it soon…

My office is hardly 10 minutes away from my hostel, by fast train. Train journey is really adventurous, public don’t care about your designation. We all are സെയിം in the train. I think I improved my Hindi, little bit. My work is good, meeting big guys, writing features. I don’t have any complaints about my work. I got a very good team. I already started tasting world’s most expensive drinks. But I can justify myself, that is part of my job, I cover alcoholic beverages.

These all are fine. But one fine day I was totally fucked up. That is November 26, 2008. Mumbai terror attack. I literally missed being a victim of the attack as it started hardly 15 minutes after I left the place. But I am not going to write a description of the blast and attack coz I've already written a blog on that. The irony is that even after the attack, the security check is very bleak. Cops are busy chatting with female cops or dozing. Actually, I want to abuse them on their face. They are proud of themselves, speak only marati, and don’t pay to the shoe polishing guys. Just ചെവ് pan and spit on the wall. Yuk… wearied bastards. At this point of time, I remember a famous quote by Paul Wilkinson “Fighting terrorism is like being a goalkeeper. You can make a hundred brilliant saves but the only shot that people remember is the one that gets past you.” Any way, that is not applicable to us.

People are actively participating in demonstrations, holding pluck cards. That all is going to be only for few days. We should start taking initiatives. I am sick and tired of Mumbai. To whom do we say, 'wake up India'? Everybody should say to it to oneself. I know that I don’t have any guarantee for my life. But as a citizen of India, I have the right to say that, I don’t want these bloody politicians, these F*&@ %#s just spoiling India. Next time when we go for voting, remember that our votes are precious and don’t waste them. Politics is an art, it’s a service! But today, it’s a burden to the country. I am stopping here.

“Morality is always the product of terror; its chains and strait-waistcoats are fashioned by those who dare not trust others, because they dare not trust themselves, to walk in liberty.” ...by Aldous Huxley

This is more than enough

2008-12-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

From
Richy D Alexander
MUMBAI

To
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
New Delhi

Sub: This is more than enough

Dear Prime Minister,
Today is December 4, 2008, exactly one week after the Mumbai terror attack. I don’t want to waste your time. The main intention of this letter is to convey my agony to you. I know you have lot of things to do; you are not in a situation to sit and relax. But I’ll take only 10 minutes.
I was saved from the terror attack by a hair’s breadth and am still unable to recover from that shock. I am a young Journalist, hardly 23-years old, working with a business magazine in Mumbai. When I got into the train to Mumbai from Kerala, I had big dreams. Now I am scared of this place.
I can see a lot of cops at the railway station. But the saddest part is there is no proper checking at any of the major stations. Metal detectors are just for the namesake. I am not making a common statement generally made by people. I have proper grounds for that. Last night, RDX was found at the CST station, for which the cops had a funny explanation. Can you guarantee me and people that everything is fine after the single commando operation?

Now people of Mumbai are in good fortitude, but it will diminish within a week. We need a long-term solution, for which we need a good system, and the drivers of this system should be eligible, capable and vivacious. Right now, we don’t have any leaders with these qualities. Even if we have, they are scapegoats of Indian’s biggest terror group - the POLITICIANS. Should we not rip-off and throw these nuts? Aren’t people sick and tired of gory political drama? Are we just vote banks? We have the right to question these political terrorists. People should nab these futile creatures. Instead of lighting candles, everybody should go and visit the victims of the attack.

I am not grudging. We can do a lot. But we are not doing. If we do not do anything now, tomorrow, the assailants will come and take our country for a toss. We have good bureaucrats. Political drama is more than enough for now. Dear Sir, the whole country is with you. For a noble reason, for my country, I am ready to sacrifice my life and my family. Because I love my India.

Jai Hind.

Thank you for the consideration
Yours truly,
Richy D Alexander
Mumbai
richyjournalist@gmail.com

2008-11-18T02:28:00.000-08:00

The spices market is highly competitive
…says Navas Meeran, vice chairman of Eastern Condiments Pvt Ltd (ECPL), which is one of the largest exporters of curry powders in India. When Meeran joined his father in running the family-owned business in 1994, the turnover of the company was in the range of Rs10 crore. It did not take long for Navas Meeran to rework the business model and prepare for long-term growth. And, at the heart of his business model, was the core competency they had built up-an efficient distribution system. Eastern Curry powder did not remain in the league of the small player for long.
By 1998, the company’s turnover had surged to Rs 40 core and it was producing and selling a full range of curry powders. By 1996-97, Eastern brand crossed the boundaries to touch Karnataka. And in 1999, the Meerans took a strategic decision by getting into direct distribution of their products everywhere. Eastern’s turnover stood at Rs 162 crore in 2005-06. By 2006-07, it surged to Rs 208 crore. In the West Asian market, the company pulled off a triumph by emerging as the largest selling curry powders brand in the UAE.
At present, the company is weighing several new opportunities like private labelling and capturing new export markets. In this exclusive e-conversation with Richy D Alexander, Meeran shares his views on the Indian condiments market vis-à-vis the future plans of the company.

On the Indian condiments market…
The condiments market in India, specifically with respect to spice trade, is growing at a fast pace. The sector constitutes two main categories – straight powders (raw spices like coriander, chilly, turmeric, pepper, etc, in whole and in powder form) and blended spice powders (masala). While straight powders account for 70 per cent of the market, the blended spice powders make up for the rest.
The presence of regional and local players is significant in the straight powder’s market, while in the blended spices market the presence of organised sector is more prevalent. The masala market is characterised by regional tastes, which is different from region-to-region, state-to-state, or even within states. This poses a challenge to any national brand. And, with the influx of modern retail outlets, the markets are bound to expand further.

About Eastern Condiments Pvt Ltd…
Eastern Condiments Pvt Ltd (ECPL) commenced as a trading enterprise in Adimali - a remote village in Kerala, en route Munnar. It was established by a visionary entrepreneur M E Meeran and incorporated as a private limited company in 1989. Since then, the company has established itself as a leading player in the processed spices segment.
For 10 consecutive years, the Spices Board of India rated ECPL as the largest exporter of spice powders in consumer packs. This has helped the company in establishing itself as one of the market leaders for straight powders and spice masala in India The company exports its products to the markets in Middle East, Europe and the US. It has sales & distribution arrangements in 10 countries.
The company has several quality certifications and accreditations to its credit, which includes HACCP and ISO 22000. It is, today, on an aggressive growth path and is in the process of transforming itself into a highly mechanised, quality-conscious and IT-enabled organisation. It recently bagged investments from the US-based New Vernon Pvt Equity Ltd.

The company’s performance in the past one year…
ECPL clocked a turnover of Rs 200 crore for the financial year 2007-08. It has been growing steadily for the past few years, and during the last year, the brand made its foray into some of the North Indian states, which improved its distribution network in more than 10 states. We have done well in the southern region, while we have also grown steadily in other regions. We are increasing our product portfolio to include products with regional flavour and have successfully launched a few new products.
The company has increased its production capacity to 300 tonne per day and has emerged as one of the largest integrated spices and condiments processors in the country. The capacity expansion is a part of the series of efforts to consolidate market leadership of the company and expand towards new areas.
EPCL, the flagship company of the group, started production from its new facilities after installation of technologically advanced imported machinery and successfully conducting product trials. The current capacity expansion was undertaken with an investment of Rs 50 crore.
The company also plans to set up a chilly processing plant at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, coriander plant at Rajasthan and an export unit at Kothamangalam. These plants are in various stages of their planning and implementation.
The Spices Board of India selected the company for two awards for outstanding export performance of spices in consumer packs during 2003-04 to 2006-07 and also for outstanding export performance of spice mixes (including curry powder) during 2003-04, 2005-06 & 2006-07. The award is a testimony of their set global standards in quality and manufacturing process.
A unique business model employed by the Eastern Group, by making every distributor a partner and providing additional incentives to them, has proved to be of immense help in entering new markets. We are making a major foray into the Western Region, especially Maharashtra and Gujarat. The number of vehicles in Mumbai rose to 61 after launching the scheme one year ago.

Demand for Indian spices with respect to exports…
Indian spices are in great demand all over the world. They are mainly exported to the US, Europe, GCC countries, etc. According to the Spices Board of India, the country exports more than 0.40 million tonne of spices annually, and also accounts for around 48 per cent of the global export volume and 44 per cent of the export value. Overall, spices are grown in about 2.9 million hectares of the country. The spices production in India, as much of the agriculture in the country, is undertaken in millions of tiny holdings that determine the livelihood of a large number of the rural population.
According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), there are in all about 109 spices and India produces as many as 75 in its various agro-climatic regions. The term ‘spices and condiments’ applies to the natural plant or vegetable products or mixtures in whole or ground form, which are used for imparting flavour, aroma and piquancy to food items. Spices are also being used within the country for imparting flavour to the foods and in medicines, pharmaceuticals, perfumery, cosmetics as well as several other industries.

Eastern Condiments’ overseas operation…
ECPL operates through a set of dedicated distributors in most of the countries and has established its exports market in the Middle East, US, UK, Australia, Germany, etc. Majority of the exports is in the Middle East where the demand for exports is quite high. The company is also setting up a joint venture in the Middle East for processing and packing commodities. The joint venture with UAE-based Jaleel Traders for processing spices is about to commence the functioning. The facility is expected to improve the market share of the ‘Eastern’ Brand in the entire region of West-Asia. ECPL has been awarded the ‘Largest exporter of blended spice in consumer packs’ award by the Spices Board of India for 10 years in a row. Besides spices and condiments, Eastern Group has business interests in rubber re-treading, mattresses (Sunidra brand), readymade garments (King Richard brand) and packaged drinking water.

Quality initiatives taken by the company…
The company has installed a fully automated quality control laboratory to check quality in spices and ready-to-eat food products. The raw materials to finished products pass through stringent quality control measures. The lab has three sections - the chemical, instrumentation and the microbiological. The full bench of equipments from Biomerieux ensures that test results are received within hours compared to normal testing time of 2-3 days.

The competition within the spices market...
The spices market is highly competitive. It is high in case of straight powders segment, which includes different categories of suppliers and product value addition is limited. In the blended spices segment, taste and product quality are the differentiators. Capabilities in sourcing raw material, product development, supply chain management, and distribution network act as a key success factors in this highly competitive environment.

Trends in the condiments market…
It is a very dynamic market and we have been noticing the trend where the conversion from home ground powders to buying loose powders and now to the current inclination of buying branded spice powders is on the rise. The market for blended spices and ready-to-cook spice powders/paste is also growing albeit not at the same pace. A thriving economy with a growing middle-class segment and changing lifestyles offers ample growth opportunities.

Future growth strategies of the company...
We have a variety of strategies, which are the mantras for our growth. These include product portfolio addition; distribution channel expansion; setting up new manufacturing facilities; upgrading existing facilities; improving supply chain capabilities; acquiring and nurturing talent; imbibing state-of-the-art technology, etc. The group, with a turnover of Rs 260 crore, is aiming to achieve a target of Rs 1,000 crore by 2011. As part of our current expansion programme we will be entering the seeds and pulses market in the retail as well as bulk segments.

Outlook for the Eastern Condiments’ business...
Product portfolio addition, distribution channel expansion, setting up new manufacturing facilities, upgrading existing facilities, improving supply chain capabilities, acquiring and nurturing talent, imbibing state-of the art- technology wherever applicable etc. are what we believe are our mantras for growth. As part of our current expansion program we will be entering the seeds and pulses market in the retail as well as bulk segments. ECPL is on an aggressive growth path and in a few years from now we would emerge as a leading player in the Indian as well as the international markets

'Vinita Bali speaking', M D Britannia

2008-08-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

“VAT on biscuits should be reduced from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent”

…says Vinita Bali, managing director of Britannia Industries Ltd - one of the most trusted food brands in India. Britannia has been evolving under the magnificent leadership of Bali, who has a rich and diverse experience in packaged foods & beverages gained from working in a variety of marketing, sales and general management positions
An alumnus of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, Bali started her career with Voltas Ltd before moving to Cadbury and later to The Coca-Cola Company. After an eventful nine-year association with Coke in marketing, general management and strategy roles, Bali joined her mentor and globally acclaimed marketing guru, Sergio Zyman at the Zyman Group in July 2003 as managing principal and head of the Business Strategy practice in the company's Atlanta office. As a member of the company's board of managers, Bali shared responsibility for developing and managing Zyman Group's consulting business which doubled in that year.
It was in 2005 that Bali took over the reins at Britannia as its chief executive officer, and since then has been in the midst of leading a business model and culture transformation in Britannia. Besides transforming the company with her unique strategies, she also blends a high quality of Indian and international perspective having lived and worked in the UK, Nigeria, South Africa, USA and Chile.
On the jubilant occasion of Modern Food Processing’s 3rd Anniversary, Bali shares her views on Indian biscuits industry and Britannia’s future plans in this e-conversation with Richy D Alexander.

A brief history of Britannia…

The company we all know as Britannia today, was started in 1892 as a non-descript house in Kolkata manufacturing biscuits with an initial investment of Rs 295. By 1910, with the advent of electricity, Britannia mechanised its operations, and in 1921, it became the first company east of the Suez Canal to use imported gas ovens. It was in 1975, the Britannia Biscuit Company took over the distribution of biscuits from Parry's who till now distributed Britannia biscuits in India. In the subsequent public issue of 1978, Indian shareholding crossed 60 per cent, firmly establishing the Indianness of the firm.
In 1997, the company unveiled its new corporate identity – ‘Eat Healthy, Think Better’ - and made its first foray into the dairy products market. Britannia strode into the 21st century as one of India's biggest brands and the pre-eminent food brand of the country. In 2002, Britannia's New Business Division formed a joint venture with Fonterra, the world's second largest dairy company, and Britannia New Zealand Foods Pvt Ltd was born. The company is also recognised for its innovative approach to products and marketing.

The current status of the Indian snack & biscuits industry…
Biscuits contribute Rs 80,000 million to the FMCG industry and provide a vast opportunity for growth, as the per capita consumption of biscuits is less than 2.1 kg in our country, compared to more than 10 kg in the US, UK and other European countries and above 4.25 kg in South East Asian countries. Higher disposable incomes and the willingness of consumers to try new brands have attracted a number of players to the biscuit industry, both at the national & local level and generated intense activity in the marketplace. The branded market grew around 15 per cent to 16 per cent last year. Commodity inflation continues to have a significant impact on input cost and this inflationary pressure has put the industry profits under pressure.

Emerging trends in the Indian biscuits industry…
Today, there is a greater consumer choice both at the local and national level, together with a diversity of tastes & benefits ranging from health & nutrition to pure indulgence.

On the increasing inflation affecting the snacks & biscuit industry…
We are operating in an extremely high and unprecedented cost scenario and some irrational competition too. The result is a huge pricing pressure with limitations on price hikes for the entire industry and a shrinking profit pool of the industry. Wheat and oil prices are already showing an increase of more than 20 per cent. In addition, steep increase in crude oil prices and hike in petrol & diesel prices announced by the government has resulted in a significant increase in price of packaging materials, freight and production cost.
As far as Britannia is concerned, part of the challenge is to enhance and improve our productivity to absorb inflation in input cost to the extent possible and make our brands available for consumers at affordable prices. We have focussed on improving productivity, eliminate cost disadvantages and cut non-value adding activities to secure profitable growth. Through the various cost reduction initiatives – the company has taken over the last three years – Rs 1,200 million of cost has been eliminated.

Britannia’s business strategy and its performance during 2007-08…
Our strategy is simple – to get more people to buy & enjoy more of our brands – anytime, anywhere – everyday.
Britannia’s performance in 2007-08 was strong with sales growing 17.5 per cent, on top of 27.5 per cent growth in the previous year, adding Rs 8000 million of incremental revenue during this period (Total revenue for 2007-08 was Rs 26,170 million). Britannia is amongst the fastest growing FMCG companies in the last two years. Net profit increased by 77.5 per cent and operating margin by 307 basis points to 7.5 per cent in 2007-08 despite inflation in key commodities by 20 per cent-25 per cent in the last two years. Britannia continues to be the most trusted food brand of India, in a survey conducted by AC Nielsen ORG-Marg, consumers voted brand ‘Britannia’ among the Top 10 most trusted brand across categories for the fifth successive year. It was also rated as second most trusted food brand in 2008 and first in 2007. Across all categories, it was rated as seventh most trusted brand in 2008.
Consistent with its credo of Swasth Khao, Tan Man Jagao, Britannia created a partnership with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Naandi Foundation to supply iron fortified Tiger biscuits to supplement the mid-day meal program in schools. This has been recognised as a unique programme globally by GAIN. The World Bank Institute has written a case study and Britannia was invited to make a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, a non-partisan catalyst for action that brings together a community of global leaders to devise and implement solutions for some of the world’s pressing challenges like nutrition.

On the individual share of organised & unorganised bakery sector…
The biscuit category is one of the largest FMCG categories with a turnover of approximately Rs 80,000 million. The organised branded market is over 85 per cent with the top three brands holding close to 70 per cent share. In the breads category, the organised players account for 75 to 80 per cent share.

Challenges faced by the bakery industry…
The bakery industry consumes agricultural produce adding to the income of farmers. This is a direct contribution of the industry towards improvement of the agricultural sector and strengthening the rural economy. The industry also provides direct & indirect employment, locally as well as nationally. Despite this, the industry is faced with serious challenges. Rapid increase in cost of major inputs such as wheat flour, sugar, oil, packaging material, fuel, power, transportation etc. has made a serious dent in the viability of the industry. Added to this is the heavy burden of taxation, which is making it difficult for the organised biscuit industry to operate at an optimum level. Biscuits attract VAT at 12.5 per cent - like chocolates, confectionery and ice cream which cater to a much smaller and relatively more affluent consumer base. Other categories with lesser nutritional value like potato chips, jam, jellies, sweets, savories, namkeens, etc attract lesser or no VAT. Biscuits deserve parity with tea, coffee and other basic food products that are liable to VAT at 4 per cent instead of being subject to VAT at 12.5 per cent applicable to delicacies. This is restricting the growth of the industry, utilisation of agricultural produce and therefore larger revenues for the government. To create a level playing field for an industry that is serving a large base of the population both economically and from a nutrition and health angle, there is a need to reduce VAT on biscuits from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent.

On Britannia’s food processing and packaging portfolio…
Products are sourced from several manufacturing locations spread across the country and reach to millions of consumers through an efficient and widespread distribution chain. We have been augmenting our manufacturing facilities to meet the growing demand. The Britannia system has invested over Rs 2,000 million in last two years in capacity expansion. We plan to make substantial investments in this area for the next couple of years too.

Response as far as the launch of new products are concerned…
We have received an overwhelming response and extended these products nationally. The segment of bread, cakes and rusks is growing rapidly and the business has doubled in two years. Brand building & Innovation is a key driver of strong growth and you will continue to see more products in these categories.

Britannia’s overseas operations…
Consistent with our growth strategy to expand international presence and to grow through relevant geographic expansion, in March 07, we acquired a 70 per cent beneficial stake in two Middle-East companies, which are significant regional players in biscuit and cookies in the GCC markets. In addition, these companies export their products to over 30 countries around the world. Middle East is one of the fastest growing markets with significant synergies in terms of consumer profile, tastes, habits, attitudes, etc and provides a huge opportunity for growth. In 2008, we extended our international operations to Sri Lanka and are in the process of introducing a range of select brands.

Future plans and new innovations…
Innovations fall into several categories and include business model innovation, application of new technology and new products & packs. In 2007-08, The company filed two technology patents for designs developed indigenously. Britannia also led the market in product & pack innovation, commercialising both in-home & out-of-home consumption opportunities, some of the new products and packs introduced included Treat Fruit Rollz, NutriChoice Digestive, NutriChoice SugarOut, Good Day Jumbo, Tiger – Banana (fortified with iron), Good Day – Classic Cookies, Greetings – gift packs and a variety of cheese variants.
Additionally, several power brands were renovated to enhance their taste & health appeal. Britannia is the only biscuit company to have removed trans-fat from all its recipes.
The company also augmented its recipe and design capability to fortify products with micronutrients, consistent with ‘Swasth Khao, Tan Man Jagao’ and this included adding micronutrients to Tiger, Tiger Banana, Milk Bikis as well as bread. Approximately 50 per cent of the company’s bakery portfolio is now sold fortified with micronutrients. You will see more of our plans unfold in this year.

My rock icons

2008-07-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Like my previous post this is not a certificate to anybody. But I am writing about some of my friends who helped me to change and they made their marks in my heart. I am not writing about the whole batch of IIJNM 2008, any way I am coming to the point.
Idol no: 1. Sameer Ranjan Bakshi
I know who this guy is; we dreamt together, not about chicks, about our career, making money through modern journalism in simple words how we can rule this world. Our kinship is an audacious to all. Pure business oriented brain, his brain cost million dollars. So he is a million dollar baby. I call him SAAM or SAAMY. Very feisty, shrewd chap. He loves ‘goa’. He inspired me a lot. Nobody has touched my heart like that. Actually no need to write a comment about him, coz I don’t have words to write about him. Mr. Sameer Ranjan Bakshi, I am saluting you dude.

Idol no: 2. Debasis Mohapatra.
Debu… what should I say. Everybody can incur many things from Debu. He saying that he is old, His head cost billion dollars. You ask anything under the sun, our Debu will say. I am sure nobody in our group to beat him. Saam and I can beat him ‘literally’, not by words. He is mind-blowing (Mahiya). My best boozing partner. Debu is equal to Debu itself. He is like a mentor to me. A charming personality.
Three of us have a plan to start news business ventures, and make marks in the world. I hope that it will come true. Let see….

Idol no: 3. Rohan Ramesh
Hmmm... ‘Rock you like a hurricane’, that’s all I can say about my buddy. Right now he is working as a reporter at The New Indian Express. The big brain of IIJNM 2008. Very passionate about International Defence. We used to booze smoke (Stuff) & dance. He is a dude. We four were in one room in the hostel. He speaks only sense.

Idol no: 4. Ayesha Aleem
When she joined at IIJNM Nikhil & I thought she was a mallu Christian girl, but she was not. She helped me a lot, she is planning to go Boston University. I know her parents and they know me also. Ayesha I am saluting you my dear friend. She has a very good personality; she is very charming and very caring. She is doing really well. English alphabets are not enough to write about Ayesha, I really mean it.

All these 4 stars encouraged me very much and they stood for me when I really needed a support. They motivated me like anything. I am very lucky, coz I have very awesome friends; and I am sure that they are with me. And also I would be very near to them when they need my shoulder.
That’s all for now…..
I am coming with the latest……

For my sweet friend IS

2008-06-13T05:14:00.000-07:00

You know one thing, every person in the earth has some people to motivate and encourage. But it will take some time to realize who our motivator is? But fortunately I realized my motivators (other than my family). Journalism study at IIJNM has helped me a great extent to realize what real life is. It is not that what we see in movies, it is our life, where either we can win and shine (if we try) or we fail. When I joined journalism my life has changed drastically; interaction with different culture, change in the lifestyle etc... I got very few friends, friends in sense reliable friends. This posting is only about my good friend, IS. She is from Delhi (yah Delhi chick), she is good friend. She endured me a lot. I irritated her (big time). We had smoke together. She smokes only Classic Menthol. My brand is Classic Milds; but there was no conflict between us. Menthol is not good for men coz it leads to impotency. But I am metallica and also I am a scorpion so nothing can challenge my strength (yah I mean it). She helped me a lot. Finally we fought, that was in the final days of our college life. But we covered that hurdle also. I would like to say some points about IS. Here she is:
She is beautiful
She is very loving
She is very caring
She is very enthusiastic
She is a good motivator.
She is an all-rounder
She is very very SEXY (I can’t say lie, that’s why .
This is to certify that Ms. IS is my good friend.

Outsourcing benefits to small business.

2008-06-13T01:50:00.000-07:00

Outsourcing is an extensive term. It is a part and parcel of today’s business, if it is a small scale or a MNC. Outsourcing has been in India for more than two decades. In other words we can say that outsourcing is a subcontract work. For each and every business we can see the vital role of outsourcing. Small businesses are getting benefits from outsourcing. In most of the small companies we can see everything is outsourcing, like HR, finance (payroll) manufacturing, the list is going on. It helps to curtail the expense and improve the benefits. Today not only MNCs but also small companies are depending on outsourcing works. Outsourcing has both positive and negative impacts. It creates lot of job opportunities.
Outsourcing helps small firms in many ways. It attracts foreign clients. By distributing the work the company can perform well. Most of the companies are not self-sufficient; and they can not spend heavily without any profits. Outsourcing is a last resort to these small companies. When small companies distribute their workload they can fully concentrate on other imperative works. Outsourcing reduce the headache, most of the small manufacturing companies can not start expensive manufacturing units, so outsourcing is a benefit to small companies. The major use of outsourcing is reducing the cost. It would also increase the efficiency of a small company. Many small business firms are benefiting from outsourcing, when we speak about Indian context major benefit of outsourcing is ‘free of union strikes’. Outsourcing helps small firms to build innumerable relationships.

Finally became a journalist !!!

2008-05-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

At last that happened… what, what you think? Arre I became a journalist. I got into Infomedia India Limited. Those final days in the college (IIJNM) are everlasting. We all young journalists got one week relaxation time to recollect what we have done the entire academic year. It was so good. I didn’t expect that. That week our time table was like this; morning around 10’o clock, breakfast and fag, browsing, phoning, lunch, sleeping, snacks, tea, fag, get booze in the night and then declaration, hot discussion about India’s economic policy, automobiles and chicks sorry one more section, night drive to our favorite hang out Oasis. Any way I’m missing all those fun. I’m missing my sweet friends. All of them got nice placements. The one week complete boozing and outing. I would like to call that week as Oasis week. Shilpa my sweet friend gifted me a
‘nice magazine’… yaaaa FRONT. It was not a business magazine, and then… it was a junior play boy magazine. In that one week my magazine has circulated among all the guys’ room. People were already started crying, at that time I didn’t think about the knot between hearts. On convocation it was a day we can say in one my friend’s style ‘theeeeeee day’. We slept nicely in the convocation hall. That responsibility goes to Outlook editor Vinod Mehta. I made a scene there when I left the hostel. I cried like anything. After that my friends tolerated me by crying stronger than me. After a long break May 15 I joined my office infomedia, Mumbai. Its such a nice place to work, now I’m a journalist. I will tell u later about my office. Its rocking (in all sense).

Perspectives of globalization

2008-01-15T20:27:00.001-08:00

“Globalization” is a wooly term. It is also taken to mean Americanization, however questions of semantics though intellectually challenging have often, to be set aside, when one is confronted with serious practical issues. In the present work, the term is used in a shell empirical sense. Globalization means privatization of world economy.

Globalization generally refers to a package of socio-economic reforms that include liberalization, privatization and global interaction with special focus on market economy and economic efficiency in all sectors. Therefore, globalization is a process that involves the entire world, leaving marks on every human activity. How ever, it describes growing global interconnectedness and represents a significant shift in the spatial form of socio-cultural relations. Further more, it involves the organization and exercise of power at global scale. In this way, the interaction between local and global process becomes increasingly important. In other words, globalization is a multidimensional process, which characterizes homogenization of economy and culture, increased connectedness and interdependence. It applies to the whole range of socio-economic relations and all aspects of social life from the food we eat to the clothes we wear and the substantionability of environment. It is true that not all small units are disappearing under globalization some do survive. Due to globalization, small units must be globally competitive through technology up gradation. In other words, what is relevant is not just globalization but glocalization that is globalization at the local level.

I. Indian perspectives of Globalization.

If one is going to talk about globalization, the term globalization must be defined. That is the easy party. Globalization is defined as free cross border flow of goods, services, capital, labor, information, ideas, and intellectual property. Everything in fact. Globalization has a descriptive component, as well as a prescriptive one, the latter is more important than the former. The former is simply a factual statement. Today globalization is a faster one. There are however two differences between earlier phase of globalization and the present one. First, the speed of change is faster. Second, because most flows (including capital) are private ones, governments have become less powerful in controlling or determining the shape of globalization. Indian reaction to globalization cannot be considered independent of Indian reactions to liberalization. Globalization is so far as it only concerns the external sector, a subset of liberalization. According to the state reforms, it is more pertinent to say that non-liberalization is a subset of non-globalization.

The Canadian publisher Campbell Hughes had the following definition of a Canadian (related with globalization). “ A Canadian is someone who drinks Brazilian coffee from an English tea cup and munches on French pastry while sitting on his Danish furniture having just come home from an Italian movie in his German car. He picks up his Japanese pen and writes to this Member of Parliament to complain about American take over of the Canadian publishing business”. This is a very apt description of the urban Indian middle class.

The liberalization agenda is well known. Once liberalization is implemented, the globalization agenda will follow. That does not need debating. The question to ask is, why is it difficult to push through this agenda? The implicit assumption is that politicians and political parties do not know what is good for enough. They are irrationals. They do not realize that good economics is good is good politics. This is probably a facile assumption. Politicians and political parties are just as rational and anyone else. The reforms have increased disparities states, this is increasingly reflected in higher rates of growth in Gujarat, Maharashtra, New Delhi, Calcutta, and some of the South Indian states. The faster growing states also tend to have lower rate of population growth, leading to higher rates of per capita growth. But there is no evidence yet, of relatively backward states learning from the experiences of faster growing states and replicate that experience.

If one divides voters into urban and rural segments, the evidence is more like the following. Rural voting patterns rarely reflect economic issues and are influenced much more by the local considerations. Urban voting patterns do reflect economic issues, including liberalization. But if the earlier arguments are accepted, the conclusion is that there was support for globalization; because the middle class benefited as consumers. How ever increasingly, one has lost the support for liberalization, since the middle class tends to lose all producers. The three positive developments need to be mentioned.

Firstly, there is some limited evidence that the worst of the downturn is over. Three major segments of Indian society (large-scale industry, small industry, agriculture) have suffered for various reasons and have inevitably ascribed all their travails to globalization and W.T.O. Large scale industry wants high profitability and wants to postpone the

inevitable shakeout. Small-scale industry wants protection, especially since there is import competition. In general, agriculture has been squeezed by high input prices and large farmers and millers want government-guaranteed high procurement prices. With the worst of the downturn over, it should become easier to push through reforms.

Secondly, agriculture reforms have been on the explicit agenda since 1998. Before that, they were not even on agenda. It is now accepted that agricultural reforms must encompass both procurement and distribution. It is also accepted that agriculture is not just about rice and wheat. Most agricultural reforms however have to be implemented by the states. That will be a long haul. But the prospects for agricultural reform are brighter than what they were three years ago.

Thirdly, despite the generalization that the middle class is against reforms, there are isolated instance of the middle class, a civil society, acting as a countervailing force and demanding better delivery on the part of the government, across a whole range of public services. With the help of globalization there are instance of NGO involvement in education (helped to push the literacy rate up from 52% in 1996 to 65% in 2001) demanding Right to Information acts, or in rating public services. This too has a pro-urban focus, but is also spilling over into rural areas.

Therefore, there is no particular reason to despair. India will be much more confident about globalization once the pre condition of liberalization takes place.

Is India benefiting from the policy of globalization?

India has been following a mixed economy approach towards economic development in which the activities of production and distribution were carried out by the government as well as the individuals. The purpose behind following such a policy was to eliminate poverty, reduce inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, and achieve stable economic growth with social justice. This approach helped India in creating a large industrial base and increase in industrial production. Many public sector enterprises went into looses due to corruption, lack of efficiency in work and ineffective management. Several other problems like shortage or adequate capital and technological backwardness led the government to revise the policy. In 1991, it was observed that the government’s expenditure far exceeded its revenue. This situation led the Indian government to borrow capital from international financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF. Hence, a new economic policy was formed and the government decided to follow the policy of liberalization and globalization.

A number of complicated formalities like licensing, permission to import raw materials, regulation on price and distribution have been simplified to promote private enterprise. With globalization, Indian economy has integrated with world economy. In other words, we have become economically interdependent at the global or international level. Now many producers from outside our country are selling their goods and services in other countries. Globalization includes movement of not only capital, but laborers from one country to the other country as well. In this manner, Indian economy is now relating with the world economy. So that there is an exchange of capital, technology

and experience between various countries. Our government now encourages investors from abroad to invest in India.

Globalization has brought about noticeable changes in our country. We have better communication facilities and wide variety of electronic goods is now available at affordable prices. Many food-processing companies have entered our country and given us a lot choice to choose. India’s share of goods and services has increased marginally. Though some new jobs are being created in the economy, the policy has some how failed to generate additional job opportunities demanded skilled labor and technical knowledge, which was not available in rural sector.

However, there is a school of thought that rapid development due to globalization is depleting our resources and disturbing the ecological balance. It has been felt at times that the developed countries exploit the cheap labor and natural resources of the developing countries to suit their requirements. Environmentalists feel that rapid industrialization all over the world is creating a green house effect and causing global warming. Development should take place without damaging the environment and natural resources should be used judiciously so that our future generation does not suffer. The global concern today is therefore to adopt a strategy of economic growth that is eco-friendly. Eco- friendly development is called sustainable development, which is the need of the hour, and people all over the world are conscious of this issue.

Yet, another problem, which emanates due to globalization, is the encouragement of brain drain from developing countries to the developed ones. Globalization definitely encourages their process as MNC’s utilize intelligence and skilled managers of developing countries in developed countries.

II. Globalization and poverty

Globalization involves production, trade and finance. International trade has the potential to act as a powerful catalyst for poverty reduction. It can provide poor countries and people with access to markets; technologies and ideas need to sustain higher and more equitable patterns of growth.

Often in the end of discussions about poverty and globalization, critiques say that statistics give a superficial view. Economics is not everything. We should also ask poor people about what they think about globalization. We need a broad statistically sound selection of representative individuals. Recently that was done. According to the survey, 38000 people in 44 nations with coverage of the developing world in all regions, but that views of globalization are much more positive in poor countries than in rich ones.

This global attitude survey showed that only 28 percent of people in the U.S and Western Europe thought growing global trade and business ties was very good. It seems like Americans and Europeans more than others take freedom, wealth and technology for granted, without examing or understanding, the process of markets and internalization on which this depends. But people who are deprived of freedoms and opportunities see globalization as the way to get it.

Even though we have seen history’s biggest reduction in poverty, poverty is still with us, and in many places, it deepens. According to the World Bank 1-2, billions live in absolute poverty and 900 million people live in chronic hunger. History, statistics, theory and the poor themselves all say that the problem is not globalization, it is that they do not yet have access to the fruits of globalization.

III. Impact of Globalization in Culture

The impact of globalization is being felt around the world. Every country of the world wants to be part of the process of globalization. So that it can receive appropriate share of benefits out of it. It is precisely because global economy is penetrating into rural level and bringing rural economy at international level. In fact, globalization is playing important role in exchanging in economy and cultural values from one level to another. These cultural changes are practices have brought for the culture of development and culture of production.

Therefore, globalization is cutting across all geographical and political boundaries. The world is shrinking, not literary in size but in the ability and skill of people and of course, their idea to interact with people and places. However, the benefits from globalization are reaching more or less to every corner of the world and affecting every aspect of human life. Today people are plugged into global economy and culture. In this way it is producing a world that is economically, socially, culturally and politically more uniform, integrated and interdependent.

Globalization and Cultural changes

The impact of globalization on culture has been observed in many fields, that is economic, political and social. These are remarkably visible in the field of employment, education, health, people’s life style, food habits, beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills, ideas, thoughts, choice and objectives. Today people seem to be moving away from traditional values and are adopting new cultural values, religion, language, way of living, habits and so on; culturally, they are residing in different places, displaying fewer distinctions and more similarities in their cultural practices.

Impact of globalization on changing cultural order in relation to time and space is not easy to assess, as there is a global cultural diversification and complexities. However, dynamics of changing cultural order in terms of space and time can be examined as

A. Change in building and construction.

First change of globalization can be witnessed in the field of construction. Buildings and house built in one country or cities are being built on the similar pattern in other countries or regions. For example, underground rails, which are being built in London, New York and other cities, are also constructed in Delhi, Kolkatta and other cities of the world. Another example is construction of hotel complexes; flyovers and bridges are also constructed in many cities of the world in same architecture, which are being already built in many mega cities like London, Paris, New York, Mexico and Melbourne. Due to globalization faster means of transportations have been introduced, however building materials can be easily transported from one city or one country to another. These constructions are homogenous in architecture, shape and other aspects. How ever, it cannot be denied that globalization has brought revolution and uniformity in construction and building process. This can be termed as a uniform culture of building and constructions.

B. Change in clothing pattern.

Another major cultural transformation can be observed in the clothing patterns of people. Globalization has motivated people to wear new designed clothes. Today people are fascinated to wear new fashion and designs of clothes that is jeans, shirts, tops, skirts, jackets, T-shirts, shoe and other dress materials of their choice and brands. Wearing these type of dress materials has become status symbol. Here it is significant to mention that people have forgotten their traditional dress.

However, it is very much imperative that globalization has brought drastic changes in people’s clothing patterns. People are gradually giving up traditional clothes wearing and tempted to wear new design and style of clothes. Of course, it is also important to note that now-a-days people can buy any global brands and designs of clothes from markets. For example Addidas and Reebok from Germany, Levi’s and Nike from U.S.A. All these products are available in all part of the world. At same time traditional Indian dress- dhoti, sari, lehanga Chunni, Kurta- Payjama and other dress materials are available in U.S.A, Canada, England, Australia, Africa, and South American and Asian countries.

There fore globalization has brought total change in clothing patterns of the people all over the world. Dressing pattern of the people has become a fashion. Fashion technology is not producing new designs of clothes, according to people’s choice and interest, but boosting textile industry, generating global markets, providing employment opportunities, earning income and so on.

C. Change in Food Habits

Globalization has remarkably changed food habits of people and brought revolution in food processing business and markets as well. As a result of this, different taste and verities of global foods are available in the local markets. One can consume verities of dishes in one’s own country that is, burger of U.S.A, Italian pizza and Chicken biryani of Middle East. Coke, Pepsi and other beverages of U.S.A and other countries are very common which are being seen in each and every country around global market. South Indian foods especially dosa, idally, sambar, pickle and many more tasty dishes are equally available in European, American, African, Asian and Pacific countries. These food items are available not only in restaurants but also in star hotels and in other food resorts where these are being served in the name of continental dishes.

It may be mentioned here that urban people often feel to change their traditional food, and taste other country’s food. This has created demand developing restaurants and food resorts like Mac Donald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Huts, Nestle, Chinese and fast-food restaurants etc.. are running successfully in many parts of the world. It has created interest in people and tempted them to invest their capital in the most demanding industry. Now this is come under high profit business. This is helping people in many ways generating revenue, earning income, and providing job opportunities for the processing countries as well as the selling countries also. There fore globalization is playing crucial role in globalizing food production and thus changing people’s food habits too.

D. Change in Automobile production.

One of the most striking cultural changes is in the production of automobiles, especially cars, buses and mopeds. Global markets have been flooded with international brands of cars, bikes and buses. One can buy and drive any brands of cars or bikes in one’s own country, producing countries are selling their vehicles in all global markets. Different brands like B.M.W, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Opel, CRV, Maruti, Indica and Chevrolet are available in different models with varying speeds are being sold like “hot cakes”. Every year four or five new models of cars are coming to the international markets and people are very much enthusiastic to buy them.

The automobile business is flourishing day by day all over the world. This sector is garnering foreign exchange, providing employment to skilled and unskilled laborers, generating income, stimulating entrepreneurships, and boosting market economy and of course, accelerating socio-economic development in the society. On the other hand, production of vehicles is not only used for transportation but also as the means of cultural transformation as these cars and bikes are the product of human brains and ideas. In this way, people get an opportunity to intermix with other cultures and understanding cultural values.

E. Diffusion of Communication.

Impact of globalization has also received overwhelming response in the field of communication diffusion. In real sense, communication system is connecting the whole world and bringing people closer to each other. Communication revolution equally promotes globalization of culture through television, telephone, computer and Internet. In this way, globalization is underlying the uniform cultural changes through communication. Apart from entertainment, communication has also enabled the people to understand the culture and other aspects of global phenomenon. Today one can easily know what is happening in Africa, lifestyle of people there, their socio-cultural life etc.. However, transmission of cultural values on T.V channels is the diffusion of culture.

Telephone and Internet changed the lifestyle of people very much in the field of communication. It can connect people from one corner to the other corner of the world. Internet is one of the cheapest means to convey message. So globalization is bringing whole world under one cultural umbrella through communication. Therefore, above discussion reveals that globalization permits people to receive and exchange cultural values through different means of communication not only connect one part to other part, but also unify the cultural values of the world. Today people are using international brands of electronic devices. In this way, globalization is displaying uniform culture through the means of communication and diffusing across the world.

Assessment of globalization’s impact on cultural change is a difficult task as it has produced unprecedented transformation in the global society. This change is discernible in the realms of economic development, transformation of social life of the people and cultural landscapes. This change has spurred the emergence of new cultural spectrum. However globalization has brought rapid place of change in socio-economic development and cultural
order of the society. In order to make the process of globalization more successful and meaningful, there is need to involve each and every country and all segments of the society. So that fruits of benefits could reach every one in equal proportion.

IV. Impact of globalization in Higher education.

The impact of globalization in the field of higher education is far reaching. Today the Indian aspirants can select subjects at their own choices and can pursue studies. We can see that foreign universities directly enter our country and attract students to their universities. This is an effect of globalization in the field of higher education. Foreign universities offer immense scholarships for their students (across the world). Many foreign students also pursue their education in our universities. This give and take policy in the field of education helps in the import and export of educational culture of this world. It is a fact that foreign universities are always ahead in modern technologies. Due to globalization, such technological advances also reach our country through the students who preserves study in foreign universities. Due to globalization, it is easier for students from different countries to study abroad. Students from different parts of the world can study different subjects of their choice. The greatest blessing of globalization is that in all the international universities there exist a good relationship between teachers and students.

Due to the influence of globalization, most of the universities provide/ offer scholarships for the students to study at international educational institutions. Today there are many more subjects that a student can at international universities. Especially in the case of study of language, today there are no restrictions, that is one person can study many languages that he wants at international universities. Twenty years ago, a person could study only one or two languages from a reputed international educational institution. Now all have changed. Today the internationally reputed institutions have a competitive spirit in giving quality and standard education. All most all the universities pay greater attention in providing quality education.

Due to globalization native students are in a better positions to interact with students from different nationalities, also there is an exchange of cultures, and it is easier to learn about other culture. Globalization helps students in getting international exposure. Globalization enhances moral values and helps in the exchange of ideas. The net outcome of globalization in the education field has been very beneficial. It has created many opportunities for the student community.

Structural shifts in Higher Education

There are some structural shifts in higher education due to globalization; some of the most conspicuous shifts are set out below.

From To

1. Social science/ Humanities, Professional and
basic sciences technical courses.

2. Knowledge. Skill.

3. Process (Teaching/learning) Product (the student).

4. Access/ Equity Quality / Excellence.

5. Social Relevance Market Relevance.

An aftereffect of globalization is the mutual exchange of modern knowledge in the field of education, especially the development in the field of medicine and technology. In conclusion, the after effect of globalization is the exchange and development of culture, heritage, research, interaction with students and teachers, upliftment of educational standards etc…

Conclusion

Globalization rests on the argument that we are experiencing quantitatively and qualitatively different levels of international integration in the area of finance and production. Many now believe that the Western model should be applied everywhere. Globalization has made the world smaller and every one became savvier. In contrast, the underlying assumption with globalization is that the whole world is moving in the same direction towards the same destination. It is becoming and should become more and more like the west. The new attitude is driven by many factors. The emergence of an increasingly globalized market has inculcated a belief that we are all consumers now, all with a similar identity.

Globalization certainly produces winners and losers. The production becomes more concentrated in a more integrated world. The history of capitalism since the very beginning has been the history of western expansion and the system was always global. Thus, it is incorrect to say that globalization is totally new.

Bibliography

1. M.Kunhaman. “Globalization a subaltern perspective” Trivandrum
Published by K.A. Mani Ram for Center for Subaltern studies.
Date of publication 2004.

2. Barata, G.S and Dangwal, R.C. “Globalization and liberalization: New Developments”. New Delhi: Deep and Deep publications Pvt Ltd.
Date of publication 2000.

3. Ruberstein, James M. “ The Cultural Landscape: An introduction to Human Geography.” New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Date of publication 2002

4. Bibek Debroy “ Globalization and Anti-Globalization: An Indian Perspective”.
An article Published by Liberal Group Kerala.
Date of publication 2004.

'Has the media broadened its reach only to narrow its focus’?

2007-12-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

It is true that the media broadened its reach and now its focus is very narrow. This is today’s media. Before fifteen years there was only very few channels in India, that we could count in fingers. After globalization there is a boon in the media industry. Today we can see a selection of media. Like the slogan of BBC (Putting news first) Indian media are in tough competition for putting their news first. For that they are ready to go the extreme level. Sting journalism is the baby of today’s media. But here a question would arise. The question of credibility. All the media corporates should give the reply to this. Public is not fools. If they are fools, all the medias are machines that working for fools. So we can estimate the deeds of current media.

People are very familiar with ‘breaking news’ of the current media. Also in print media we can see the big charts, figures without any source. How can we believe that these figures and calculations are true without any source? Day by day media is changing its path. They are focusing to very narrow and silly subjects. When we watch the ‘main head lines, breaking news and front page news’ we can understand that the real focus of media. Today there is no value for the ethics in journalism. We can see the fabricated stories, sting operations etc..

‘Is good journalism is a bad business’ recently there was a hot debate about this topic. It was about the current media. Yes good journalism is a bad news. Nowadays we call all the medias are ‘industries, corporates etc.. What happened to our media? Why are they giving more concentration to page3 news? Why are our media personalities running after celebrities? Is today’s journalism has any moral values? The media has to promote their contribution to the country for a complete development. Media is for the people. The future of our country is in the hands of the Indian media. Media is the watchdog of our country. So media should never deviate from its obligation and ethics. Media has a prominent role in nation building process. Today we can see the exact proportion of advertisements and news in print media and in electronic media. It is too much. Media should concentrate on their duties and the purpose. They should have a good intention, ideology and moral values.

What is a good journalism? How to media should focus on issues? It is the high time to think about this subject. In India media enjoying a good freedom. People giving too much attention and respect to media. It is good that the action of media should be quick. But today we can see for catching the attention of the public our medias are fabricating stories and news. Media should not be biased. They should focus on the problems of the public than sensationalizing the subjects. People want good news. They are fed- up with Page3 news. There are only a few channels and newspapers that still giving good attention to the real news. They are not corporates and also they are keeping moral values and ethics. Media should be transparent. Today some of our newspapers and channels are monopoly of some big fishes.

Nowadays majority of medias are crossing the limits and interfering people’s private life. Media should raise its voice against corruption, terrorism and unscrupulous politics. Media can change the present pathetic situation of our society. Media should act according to the pubic interest. In early days media influenced us in a positive way. Today we can see the impinging of media into personal life. People are expecting something different from media. They want to imbibe good things from the media. Media should keep their moral code. Otherwise the readers and the casters will lose their faith in the media.

This situation will change only through the aspiring journalists. These budding journalists try to cultivate the moral value of good journalism. What the public really need from the media? Media is as powerful as democracy. Without a powerful media, a nation cannot become developed. Media is for the people.

India lacking in airline

2007-12-03T02:48:00.000-08:00

People are not satisfied with the service of the airlines in India. But when the private companies entered the domestic airline market. The situation changed. But still we need more domestic airline services. According to Sir Richard Branson (U.K based Virgin Airlines) India has lack of infrastructures. He is still planning to open the Virgin airlines in India. But the application is pending with the Government of Indian. The main issue of Indian is the airline market is not opened to true competition. At present the Indian Government does not allow international airlines to acquire a direct or indirect stake in domestic airlines. There are total eleven domestic airlines in India. Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Kingfisher Airlines, Air Deccan, GoAir, Spice Jet, IndiGo, Jagson Airline, Paramount Airways. Through out the world people are waiting for India's next stride on Airlines. India needs more infrastructures for airlines. It is still unclear that why India is not ready for an open competition? Indian government's aviation policy is abysmal. The recent incidents reveals that India facing big problems in aviation sector. Indian aviation ministry should rethink about why Sir Richard Branson plans to invest in Indian. Indian government has not yet ready to make a decision on Richard Branson's interest. If the India government should give more concentration on aviation, airline sector become the top booming sector in the country. The passengers are also commenting about the lack of infrastructures for airlines in India. Government of India's ministry of aviation cannot give an exact reply to the foreign investors. The state owned flight service India Airlines has many drawbacks. The eleven flight services in our country are not sufficient for passengers. India should concentrate on the infrastructures. India has lands still unexplored. We should open the aviation market for competition. It is the high time to think about new strategy for inviting international airlines.

AICC attempts to gag media

2007-12-03T00:54:00.000-08:00

Journalists are not terrorists. The
deeds of India's fourth estate are
indisputable. Nobody can imagine
a world without the media. Even
today, the media face threats and
challenges.
In India, we have freedom of the
press. But some incidents have
directly affected this freedom.
All India Congress Committee
(AICC) meeting was held at
Talkatora indoor stadium at New
Delhi on the 17th of this month.
Media persons could not enter the
venue because of extreme security.
At the same time, news broke
about the arrest of the terrorists
who plotted to hijack Rahul
Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
When the security guards got this
information they allowed nobody
to enter the stadium. The day
before the meeting AICC had
announced that everybody should
enter the meeting hall before
6.30am on the scheduled day.
AICC's media secretary Veerappa
Moily and Tom Vadakan
approached the securities to give
permission to the media persons to
enter the hall. But the securities
were very adamant. All the
journalists protested against this.
The journalists were treated like
terrorists even after they showed
their press card.
This is the first incident of its
kind in the history of an AICC
meeting. How can India claim that
our security is flawless? If a
terrorist group really wanted to
sabotage the Talkatora indoor
stadium on that day, it would not
have been very difficult for them.
The 13 December 2001 Parliament
attack and the repeated blasts in
Hyderabad on 25 August 2007 only
prove the ease with which such
operations can be conducted. After
all how can the security personnel
argue that the presence of
journalists would affect safety
measures? If the Prime Minister
would go late to a meeting how
would the securities treat him?
India is a democratic country.
Everybody is entitled to enjoy the
freedom that comes with it. Yet,
journalists face atrocities. The
repercussions of this incident
would be very high. The AICC
meeting is over but who will take
the responsibility for the freedom
denied to the press of a democratic
nation? Who has more power in
AICC-the committee members or
the security personnel? Who are
the real culprits?
It is dubious whether the action
against the journalists was preplanned
or not. Nowadays the
assaults against journalists
especially from the politicians, are
rising. This misbehavior reveals
the degrading values of Indian
society. Media is for the public and
not for the politicians. By telling
the truth journalists do a service to
the society.
In other words, it is high time to
think about the values of
journalism and politics.

'Has the media broadened its reach only to narrow its focus’?

2007-09-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

It is true that the media broadened its reach and now its focus is very narrow. This is today’s media. Before fifteen years there was only very few channels in India, that we could count in fingers. After globalization there is a boon in the media industry. Today we can see a selection of media. Like the slogan of BBC (Putting news first) Indian media are in tough competition for putting their news first. For that they are ready to go the extreme level. Sting journalism is the baby of today’s media. But here a question would arise. The question of credibility. All the media corporates should give the reply to this. Public is not fools. If they are fools, all the medias are machines that working for fools. So we can estimate the deeds of current media.
People are very familiar with ‘breaking news’ of the current media. Also in print media we can see the big charts, figures without any source. How can we believe that these figures and calculations are true without any source? Day by day media is changing its path. They are focusing to very narrow and silly subjects. When we watch the ‘main head lines, breaking news and front page news’ we can understand that the real focus of media. Today there is no value for the ethics in journalism. We can see the fabricated stories, sting operations etc..

‘Is good journalism is a bad business’ recently there was a hot debate about this topic. It was about the current media. Yes good journalism is a bad news. Nowadays we call all the medias are ‘industries, corporates etc.. What happened to our media? Why are they giving more concentration to page3 news? Why are our media personalities running after celebrities? Is today’s journalism has any moral values? The media has to promote their contribution to the country for a complete development. Media is for the people. The future of our country is in the hands of the Indian media. Media is the watchdog of our country. So media should never deviate from its obligation and ethics. Media has a prominent role in nation building process. Today we can see the exact proportion of advertisements and news in print media and in electronic media. It is too much. Media should concentrate on their duties and the purpose. They should have a good intention, ideology and moral values.

What is a good journalism? How to media should focus on issues? It is the high time to think about this subject. In India media enjoying a good freedom. People giving too much attention and respect to media. It is good that the action of media should be quick. But today we can see for catching the attention of the public our medias are fabricating stories and news. Media should not be biased. They should focus on the problems of the public than sensationalizing the subjects. People want good news. They are fed- up with Page3 news. There are only a few channels and newspapers that still giving good attention to the real news. They are not corporates and also they are keeping moral values and ethics. Media should be transparent. Today some of our newspapers and channels are monopoly of some big fishes.

Nowadays majority of medias are crossing the limits and interfering people’s private life. Media should raise its voice against corruption, terrorism and unscrupulous politics. Media can change the present pathetic situation of our society. Media should act according to the pubic interest. In early days media influenced us in a positive way. Today we can see the impinging of media into personal life. People are expecting something different from media. They want to imbibe good things from the media. Media should keep their moral code. Otherwise the readers and the casters will lose their faith in the media.

This situation will change only through the aspiring journalists. These budding journalists try to cultivate the moral value of good journalism. What the public really need from the media? Media is as powerful as democracy. Without a powerful media, a nation cannot become developed. Media is for the people.

Mt firstStory Idea.

2007-09-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

Richy D Alexander
2nd September 2007
Story Idea

The power of politics; EWS (Economically Weaker Sections quarters) people are still suffering. New shopping complex will come on EWS.
The BMP (Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, now it is BBMP) constructed 1,512 flats (42 blocks in all with 32 flats in each block) on a 13- acre plot during 1987-1992 (for Rs. 2.23-crore HUDCO loan) for the economically weaker sections. But now it is a slum, due to the inefficiency of the BBMP and the Karnataka state government. Several times (over 300) flats collapsed owing to poor quality of construction. The recent time (July 2007) some buildings were collapsed 3 people killed. There are no basic facilities such as drinking water, road and drainage for the over 1500 families residing in the area. The monthly rent is Rs- 500-1000 depending upon the size of the house. I got the relevant information (with headlines and the date) from the following newspapers:
Part of EWS quarters at Ejipura collapses (Sunday, Oct 16, 2005) The Hindu.
BMP to raze EWS quarters at Ejipura (Friday, Jul 23, 2004) The Hindu.
Torsteel says 20 blocks in Ejipura unfit (19 Nov 2003) Times Of India.
EWS Quarters residents to get homes (16 June 2007) Times Of India.
BMP urged to reconstruct EWS quarters at Ejipura (Monday, Oct 30, 2006) The Hindu.
New shelter for 432 families (Monday, July 23, 2007) Deccan Herald.‘Construct more flats to relocate residents of EWS Quarters’ (Monday, Nov 27, 2006) The Hindu. I studied all these reports. When I spoke to the deprived people of EWS quarters I could understand that. The offers that given by the government and the BBMP were just words. That is the power of politics. Any time anybody (POLITICIANS) can give promises. I saw and understood the plight of the people. People who lost their homes are living in zinc sheds, it seems like a jail, no electricity, no toilets, no bathrooms. The wastes are accumulating here and there. The people cannot even breathe fresh air. I spoke the officials of the EWS. Their statements were absolutely contradictory. I saw the weeping of the people. This story is a heart-breaking one. I feel that this story can reveal the nexus between the politicians and the officials.
One thing is still remaining unanswered, who gave the permission to the Maverik Holdings and Investments Private Limited construct a business complex? In EWS quarters. The latest news is, they would acquire half of the plot to promote its business. The people protested against this. I saw the rowdies (goonads) in EWS. People complained to me that, these anti-social elements are the troops of Mr. X. Louis, president, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Youth Social Welfare Association. These gangsters always disturb the poor people. They tried to molest a lady in EWS quarters. She was weeping and she said her life is insecure here. The allocations of fund are still in absurd. There are some questions still remaining unanswered, why the demolition and reconstruction work is stopped, what is the role of Maverik Holdings and Investments Private Limited Company? What is the duty of Mr. X Louis and his ‘troops’ in EWS quarters?
I spoke with Mr. Faizel an youngster who lives in EWS (Faizel, Contact Number: 9980840631), Mrs. Vijay Lekshmi (9902981150), Mrs. Lissy, Mr. Akram, Mrs. Renu, she is a lecturer working in Oxford college, Bangalore (9980332240). These people are living in EWS quarters. I want to interview Mr. R.Ashok, the Health Minister of Karnataka state, Mrs. Thejaswani, MLA, Dr. S.Subramanya, Mayors, BBMP Commissioner, Mr.Nagaraj, BBMP Joint commissioner. The commissioner and joint commissioner did not give their interview. I tried to speak with the private secretary of the commissioner of BBMP. But he denied my questions and he skipped-off. The health minister and the other officials gave false promise to the EWS people. I want to hear all the clear statements from the above personalities about EWS quarters, why the reconstruction was stopped? I want know about the allocation of fund for the renovation of EWS.
I want to visualize this story after the interview with the politicians and the officials by arranging a public meeting of the people of EWS, Mr. X. Louis, other members of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Youth Social Welfare Association, MLA, Commissioner of BBMP, Joint Commissioner of BBMP, chief Engineers, in the presence of Media persons. (All the channels and the Press persons from Bangalore).
The above story is obviously an interesting one to the public, especially the local audience. Because they want to know what is happening their left and right. The locals gave the full support to me. This subject has a public interest. Development means it start from the grass root level, but what is happening here?
End of Matter

Political leadership of India

2007-08-29T01:56:00.001-07:00

Political leadership of India

How long will we suffer the inscrutable leadership? We celebrated our 60th Independence. But it is clear that still we are in the chains, we are not yet free. India is a democratic nation, are we satisfied with our political leadership? Today we have perilous political leadership. How can we say that India is a developing nation? We faced famine, recession, etc.. But now have the caliber to change our country a developed.

We need political and economic freedom. In some part of the country there still exist cast discrimination. In some states there exists small percentage of illiteracy. Our politicians have a lack of integrity. Corrupted, unscrupulous people are now India’s political leaders. Are they committed to the country? Obviously no. We all know this fact. So why are we keeping silence. It is the high time to react. Every Indians got a vivid idea about the super Indian politics.

It is high time to revamp our outdated politics and also by the mean time we need powerful politicians. Most of the contemporary politicians are corrupted. Such politicians are actually intimidating our country. India’s greatest curse is these types of mentally outdated and expired politicians. For the past many years India’s political leadership was too dormant. India’s politicians are not exact “politicians” they are “politricians”.

Indian politics are impinging our day-to-day life. We should realize that India is the land of powerful voices. Why did our freedom fighters sacrifice their life? We want a liberal politics. We need powerful hands. Politics is a part our integrity. Wake up and realize the truth. India is eagering for the powerful voices and hands.

Richy D Alexander

Global Terrorism

2007-08-29T01:55:00.000-07:00

Global Terrorism
The impact of globalization was very much. It entirely changed our life. We gained a lot of things. We got both the good and evil through the globalization. Now we realized what is global terrorism. As global terrorists are constantly hitting new targets, the risk of possible new threats is accordingly increasing. What the last attacks proved in reality is that the capability of terrorists access to subways, which are considered to be surrounded with protective measures. What are global terrorists trying to achieve and when are the countries struggling against global terrorists right or wrong in their attitude towards them? The real damage that all terrorist attacks cause is the trace of chilling fear that stays in people’s minds. This situation can be described as the second wave impact of terror on massive parts of public on a large scale. Terrorist organizations are not structures, which are strong with their own capabilities. The solidification of these groups depends on the wrong reactions to their deeds. Terrorist organizations act with the purpose of speeding up societal disintegration and decomposition and at this point, they have to follow a strategy that completely contradicts with that of state forces. Both, societies and states must do what they are required to do, search for their responsibilities, and look at the other side of the mirror after each bomb attacks. If there is a growing trend of global terror and the clash among different cultures and beliefs is increasing, the terrorists are responsible for this picture. The people of the part struggling against terror must not disintegrate and must develop collective measures. Struggle against terror requires sincerity. The first condition is to remove the double-standard among countries. To realize this, disregarding the boundaries, countries must act collectively. We must take into our minds that terrorism is a fact that can be manipulated despite its origins, actors and places. At this point, the thought that “your terrorist” or “my terrorist”, namely the concept of possessiveness, should be avoided and the issue should be looked at from the general framework. India has suffered for the past nearly two decades from terrorism in Punjab, in Jammu and Kashmir and in other parts of India. Countless innocent lives have been lost to the terrorist's bombs and guns. In January 2000, the United States and India announced the establishment of a Joint Working Group on Counter terrorism. We could see that how many terrorist attacks happened in India. Terrorism is a threaten to our nation. The past so many years we faced many terrorist attacks. The terror attack at IISC Bangalore in 2005, the parliament attack in 2001 and the recent Hydrabad bomb blast were greatly affected our country. The 9/11 and the London terror plot revealed that all countries in the target list of the global terrorists. We cannot predict the terrorist attack but we can prevent by the cooperation of all countries. We need a global unity.

Richy D Alexander

A decade after liberalization; Is India growing in the right direction.

2007-08-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

A decade after liberalization; Is India growing in the right direction.

Liberalization is one of the most controversial issues that recently we hear. Its pathos and havocs are being popularly discussed. This was accepted by India before thirteen years. The aim was the quick and rapid development in all economic territories. The liberalization paved the way for huge private investment mainly in industrial and service sectors. When we analyze the increase in the private investment due to the liberalization, we have to evaluate its effects and defects also. We can see an increasing trend in the private investment in public sectors and service sectors. When India become a republic the public sectors and the private sectors were being safeguarded giving monopoly for the welfare of the general public. The government control was mainly for the welfare of the people. The prime motive of this sector was not profit maximization but service maximization.

The liberalization movement helped for decreasing the inflationary rate, created more employment opportunities, earned more foreign exchange and overall the financial system of the country became more stable. Due to the rapid industrialization, unemployment is curtailed. As more employment opportunities are created, the income earning capacity of the people increases. Hence, the status of the people also increased. The liberalization will help the allround development of the people of a country and the country become a developed nation. When we measure the development of a country based on the increase in the per capita income, the accurate temperature of the development may not be measured. Always the development should be in compromise with the physical development and the inner development.

Liberalization aims at the maximization of physical development. In the path of this development, more inequalities are created. The gulf between the haves and have not increases, even it will not affect the per capita income. Here a majority class is being depressed and suppressed by the haves. Else, the liberalization leads to capitalism and the result will be old evils of capitalism. The last ten decade, India is also in the way of capitalism, because a large number of private investors have doubled their working capital and the profit earning capacity. Once, the government controlled the share of the public sector undertaking. But now the gigantic private investors control the share market. As the control is in the hands of the private investors, they change the economic system according to their whims and fancies. As the profit maximization is the prime aim of the investors, they do not care the welfare of the public. In the last decade of liberalization, several employees were retrenched. The welfare of labour class is not protected. The investors need only the experts and efficients. But in the society of labourers there are efficient and inefficient based on the surroundings in which man live. So this differentiation has created an ethical problem and has created a society, which is full of fire, covered by ashes. The great result of liberalization (negatively) is the creation of these dissimilarities.

In India several socio-cultural organization has researched and pointed out the harms of liberalization. Moreover as I pointed out earlier, in liberalization the investors do not care in the development of the primary sectors of the economy. Once our country and our great leaders gave more importance to the agriculture sector. The development of India can expect only through the agricultural sector, because more than 70% of the people in our country live in the villages and they directly or indirectly depend on agriculture and traditional works. This is the backbone of our county and economy. But the investors neglected this sector and several farmers and traditional workers of different states had committed suicide, because their existence was dangerously hampered. This dissatisfaction is not the dissatisfaction of a minority class, but the discontent or dissatisfaction of a majority class. Now the government has agreed that there are defects in the liberalization policies. It is a good symptom of economic revitalization and again some control of the government in the private investors.

Hence, we should see that liberalization is a better means of development. But it is like a chariot without a charioteer, it is like a flood without proper water management. In short, I would like to say that always there should be a compromise with the effects and defects of liberalization and should be at the maximum welfare of the people, because the people in a country are its most valuable assets.

Richy. D. Alexander

The life of Che Guevera

2007-08-23T02:50:00.001-07:00

The Life of Che Guevara
Edited by Richy.D. Alexander

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (June 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas.
As a young man studying medicine, Guevara traveled rough throughout South America, bringing him into direct contact with the impoverished conditions in which many people lived. His experiences and observations during these trips led him to the conclusion that the region's socio-economic inequalities could only be remedied by revolution, prompting him to intensify his study of Marxism and travel to Guatemala to learn about the reforms being implemented there by President Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán.
While in Mexico in 1956, Guevara joined Fidel Castro's revolutionary 26th of July Movement, which seized power from the regime of the dictator General Fulgencio Batista in Cuba in 1959. In the months after the success of the revolution, Guevara was assigned the role of "supreme prosecutor", overseeing the trials and executions of hundreds of suspected war criminals from the previous regime. After serving in various important posts in the new government and writing a number of articles and books on the theory and practice of guerrilla warfare, Guevara left Cuba in 1965 with the intention of fomenting revolutions first in Congo-Kinshasa, and then in Bolivia, where he was captured in a military operation supported by the CIA and the U.S. Army Special Forces. Guevara was summarily executed by the Bolivian Army in the town of La Higuera near Vallegrande on October 9, 1967.
After his death, Guevara became an icon of socialist revolutionary movements and a key figure of modern pop culture worldwide. The Maryland Institute College of Art called Che Guevara’s picture "the most famous photograph in the world and a symbol of the 20th century."

Family heritage and early life
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna was born in Rosario, Argentina, the eldest of five children in a family of Spanish and Irish descent; both his father and mother were of Basque ancestry. One of Guevara's forebears, Patrick Lynch, was born in Galway, Ireland, in 1715. He left for Bilbao, Spain, and traveled from there to Argentina. Francisco Lynch (Guevara's great-grandfather) was born in 1817, and Ana Lynch (his grandmother) in 1868. Her son, Ernesto Guevara Lynch (Guevara's father) was born in 1900. Guevara Lynch married Celia de la Serna y Llosa in 1927 (one of her non-lineal ancestors was José de la Serna e Hinojosa, Spanish viceroy of Peru), and they had three sons and two daughters.

Birthplace of Ernesto "Che" Guevara in Rosario. The building was erected by Enrique Ferrarese and designed by Arq. Bustillo.
Growing up in this leftist-leaning, Ernesto Guevara became known for his dynamic personality and radical perspective even as a boy. He idolized Francisco Pizarro and yearned to have been one of his soldiers. Though suffering from the crippling bouts of asthma that were to afflict him throughout his life, he excelled as an athlete. He was an avid rugby union player despite his handicap and earned himself the nickname "Fuser" — a contraction of "El Furibundo" ("The Raging") and his mother's surname, "Serna" — for his aggressive style of play. Ernesto was nicknamed "Chancho" ("pig") by his schoolmates because he rarely bathed, something he was rather proud of.

Guevara on a burro at the age of 3

Guevara learned from his father and began participating in local tournaments by the age of 12.[9] During his adolescence, he became passionate about poetry, especially that of Pablo Neruda. Guevara, as is common practice among Latin Americans of his class, also wrote poems throughout his life. He was an enthusiastic and eclectic reader, with interests ranging from adventure classics by Jack London, Emilio Salgari and Jules Verne to essays on sexuality by Sigmund Freud and treatises on social philosophy by Bertrand Russell. In his late teens, he developed a keen interest in photography and spent many hours photographing people, places and, during later travels, archaeological sites.
In 1948 Guevara entered the University of Buenos Aires to study medicine. As a student, he spent long periods traveling around Latin America. In 1951 his older friend, Alberto Granado, a biochemist, suggested that Guevara take a year off from his medical studies to embark on a trip they had talked of making for years, traversing South America. Guevara and the 29-year-old Granado soon set off from their hometown of Alta Gracia astride a 1939 Norton 500 cc motorcycle they named La Poderosa II ("The Mighty One, the Second") with the idea of spending a few weeks volunteering at the San Pablo Leper colony in Peru on the banks of the Amazon River. Guevara narrated this journey in The Motorcycle Diaries, which was translated into English in 1996 and used in 2004 as the basis for a motion picture of the same name, directed by Walter Salles.
Witnessing the widespread poverty, oppression and disenfranchisement throughout Latin America, and influenced by his readings of Marxist literature, Guevara decided that the only solution for the region’s inequalities was armed revolution. His travels and readings also led him to view Latin America not as a group of separate nations but as a single entity requiring a continent-wide strategy for liberation. His conception of a borderless, united Ibero-America sharing a common 'mestizo' culture was a theme that would prominently recur during his later revolutionary activities. Upon returning to Argentina, he expedited the completion of his medical studies, completing his education as a medic in order to resume his travels in Central and South America and received his diploma on 12 June 1953.

On 7 July 1953, Guevara set out on a trip through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador. During the final days of December 1953 he arrived in Guatemala where President Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán headed the second fully democratic and modern government in the whole latin american region that, through land reform and other initiatives, was attempting to bring an end to the U.S.-dominated latifundia system. In a contemporaneous letter to his Aunt Beatriz, Guevara explained his motivation for settling down for a time in Guatemala: "In Guatemala", he wrote, "I will perfect myself and accomplish whatever may be necessary in order to become a true revolutionary."

Shortly after reaching Guatemala City, Guevara acted upon the suggestion of a mutual friend that he seek out Hilda Gadea Acosta, a Peruvian economist who was living and working there. Gadea, whom he would later marry, was well-connected politically as a result of her membership in the socialist American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) led by Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, and she introduced Guevara to a number of high-level officials in the Arbenz government. He also re-established contact with a group of Cuban exiles linked to Fidel Castro whom he had initially met in Costa Rica; among them was Antonio "Ñico" López, associated with the attack on the "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes" barracks in Bayamo in the Cuban province of Oriente, and who would die at Ojo del Toro bridge soon after the Granma landed in Cuba. Guevara joined these "moncadistas" in the sale of religious objects related to the Black Christ of Esquipulas, and he also assisted two Venezuelan malaria specialists at a local hospital. It was during this period that he acquired his famous nickname, "Che", due to his frequent use of the Argentine interjection Che which is used in much the same way as "hey", "pal", "eh", or "mate" are employed colloquially in various English-speaking countries. Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil (where the interjection is rendered 'tchê' in written Portuguese) are the only areas where this expression is used, making it a trademark of the Rioplatense region.
Guevara's attempts to obtain a medical internship were unsuccessful and his economic situation was often precarious, leading him to pawn some of Hilda's jewelry. He maintained a distance from any political organization, even though his political thinking at that time manifested a clear sympathy towards communism. Despite Guevara’s financial woes, he rejected an offer to work as a state medic when it transpired that he would have to affiliate himself with the Communist Party of Guatemala. Political events in the country began to move quickly after May 15, 1954 when a shipment of Škoda infantry and light artillery weapons sent from Communist Czechoslovakia for the Arbenz Government arrived in Puerto Barrios aboard the Swedish ship Alfhem. The amount of Czechoslovak weaponry was estimated to be 2000 tons by the CIA though only 2 tons by Jon Lee Anderson.
Guevara briefly left Guatemala for El Salvador to pick up a new visa, then returned to Guatemala only a few days before the CIA-sponsored coup attempt led by Carlos Castillo Armas began. The anti-Arbenz forces tried, but failed, to stop the trans-shipment of the Czechoslovak weapons by train. However, after pausing to regroup and recover energy, Castillo Armas's column seized the initiative and, apparently with the assistance of US air support, started to gain ground. Guevara was eager to fight on behalf of Arbenz and joined an armed militia organized by the Communist Youth for that purpose; but, frustrated with the group's inaction, he soon returned to medical duties. Following the coup, he again volunteered to fight but his efforts were thwarted when Arbenz took refuge in the Mexican Embassy and told his foreign supporters to leave the country. After Gadea was arrested, Guevara sought protection inside the Argentine consulate where he remained until he received a safe-conduct pass some weeks later. At that point, he turned down a free seat on a flight back to Argentina that was offered to him by the embassy, preferring instead to make his way to Mexico.
The overthrow of the Arbenz regime by a coup d'état backed by the Central Intelligence Agency cemented Guevara's view of the United States as an imperialist power that would implacably oppose and attempt to destroy any government that sought to redress the socioeconomic inequality endemic to Latin America and other developing countries. This strengthened his conviction that socialism achieved through armed struggle and defended by an armed populace was the only way to rectify such conditions.

Guevara arrived in Mexico City in early September 1954, and shortly thereafter renewed his friendship with Ñico López and the other Cuban exiles whom he had known in Guatemala. In June 1955, López introduced him to Raúl Castro. Several weeks later, Fidel Castro arrived in Mexico City after having been amnestied from prison in Cuba, and on the evening of 8 July 1955, Raúl introduced Guevara to the older Castro brother. During a fervid overnight conversation, Guevara became convinced that Fidel was the inspirational revolutionary leader for whom he had been searching, and he immediately joined the "26th of July Movement" that intended to overthrow the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Although it was planned that he would be the group's medic, Guevara participated in the military training alongside the other members of the 26J Movement, and at the end of the course, was singled out by their instructor, Col. Alberto Bayo, as his most outstanding student Meanwhile, Hilda Gadea had arrived from Guatemala and she and Guevara resumed their relationship. In the summer of 1955, she informed him that she was pregnant, and he immediately suggested that they marry. The wedding took place on August 18, 1955, and their daughter, whom they named Hilda Beatríz, was born on February 15, 1956.
When the cabin cruiser Granma set out from Tuxpan, Veracruz for Cuba on November 25, 1956, Guevara was one of only four non-Cubans aboard. Attacked by Batista's military soon after landing, about half of the expeditionaries were killed or executed upon capture. Guevara wrote that it was during this confrontation that he laid down his knapsack containing medical supplies in order to pick up a box of ammunition dropped by a fleeing comrade, a moment which he later recalled as marking his transition from physician to combatant. Only 15–20 rebels survived as a battered fighting force; they re-grouped and fled into the mountains of the Sierra Maestra to wage guerrilla warfare against the Batista regime.
Guevara became a leader among the rebels, a Comandante (English translation: Major), respected by his comrades in arms for his courage and military prowess, During the guerrilla campaign, Guevara was also feared for his ruthlessness, and was responsible for the execution of a number of men accused of being informers, deserters or spies. In March 1958, Guevara was tasked with directing a training camp for new volunteers high in the Sierra Maestra at Minas del Frío, one of a number of military schools set up by the 26th of July Movement. Though wishing to push the battlefront forward and frustrated by his more stationary role, Guevara spent the period developing contacts with sympathetic locals. He also conducted a brief relationship with eighteen-year-old Zoila Rodríguez, the daughter of a local guajiro.
As the war extended throughout eastern Cuba, Guevara and a new column of fighters were dispatched west for the final push towards Havana. In the final days of December 1958, he directed his "suicide squad" (which undertook the most dangerous tasks in the rebel army) in the attack on Santa Clara that turned out to be one of the decisive events of the revolution (although the series of ambushes first during la ofensiva in the heights of the Sierra Maestra, then at Guisa—and the whole Cauto Plains campaign that followed—probably had more military significance). Batista, upon learning that his generals — especially General Cantillo, who had visited Castro at the inactive sugar mill, Central Oriente — were negotiating a separate peace with the rebel leader, fled to the Dominican Republic on January 1, 1959.
On February 7, 1959, the government proclaimed Guevara "a Cuban citizen by birth" in recognition of his role in the triumph of the revolutionary forces. Shortly thereafter, he initiated divorce proceedings to put a formal end to his marriage with Gadea, from whom he had been separated since before leaving Mexico on the Granma. On June 2, 1959, he married Aleida March, a Cuban-born member of the 26th of July movement with whom he had been living since late 1958.

He was appointed commander of the La Cabaña Fortress prison, and during his five-month tenure in that post (January 2 through June 12, 1959), he oversaw the trial and execution of many people, among whom were former Batista regime officials and members of the "Bureau for the Repression of Communist Activities" (a unit of the secret police known by its Spanish acronym BRAC). José Vilasuso, an attorney who worked under Guevara at La Cabaña preparing indictments, said that these were lawless proceedings where "the facts were judged without any consideration to general juridical principles" and the findings were pre-determined by Guevara. It is estimated that between 156 and 550 people were executed on Guevara's extra-judicial orders during this time.
Later, Guevara became an official at the National Institute of Agrarian Reform, and President of the National Bank of Cuba. He signed all Cuban banknotes issued during his fourteen-month presidency with his nickname, "Che". Throughout his time in the Cuban government, Guevara refused his due salaries of office, insisting on drawing only his meager wages as army commandante in order to set a "revolutionary example".
During this time his fondness for chess was rekindled, and he attended and participated in most national and international tournaments held in Cuba. He was particularly eager to encourage young Cubans to take up the game, and organized various activities designed to stimulate their interest in it.
Even as early as 1959, Guevara helped organize revolutionary expeditions overseas, all of which failed. The first attempt was made in Panama; another in the Dominican Republic (led by Henry Fuerte, also known as "El Argelino", and Enrique Jiménez Moya) took place on 14 June of that same year.
In 1960 Guevara provided first aid to victims when the freighter La Coubre, a French vessel carrying munitions from the port of Antwerp, exploded while it was being unloaded in Havana .

Courtesy: The Motor Cycle Diary