Human brain is one such treasure chest, which possesses invaluable and immeasurably conversant ideas with creative perceptions. People have the ability to write, not just casually, but the knack to pen down the thoughts that flow through their mind concerning a particular subject matter. The delay or dormancy lies in the fact that not each one of us actually realizes that our perceptions and comprehension can turn out to be very influential and imperative if analytically penned down.

The power of “Ink Hues”, the shades of an ink, is something unimaginably beneficial for the world. Writers are not born, neither are they confined to a few who are literary well versed. The making of a writer begins with writing each and every reflection regarding which the essayist itself must be convinced and determined about. The articles need not be written in flowery language or volcanic vocabulary, for sometimes the simpler words, linked well, impact the reader and make him comprehend the real essence, what the writer wants to convey.

Any person belonging to or pursuing any profession or career, has the hidden skill to utilize his/her understanding about the field they’ve chosen and write about what they know, feel or expect from the profession and its latest events or occurring, thereby sharing their work with the society; making people aware of numerous options and fields, may be sometimes helping youngsters to chose a career, or make the unknown aware of something they do not know, but might interest them.

For instance writing can be an excellent career option for an Engineer. Having learnt and tasted so much about science and its components, an engineer can review gadgets, pen down his/her take on the latest satellite, space mission, and even about the economic policies of the government relating to scientific progress and improvisation in the country. Guiding students who want to pursue engineering, how to prepare, relieving the stress of not making it to the IITs, discovering other options in colleges, branches. When Chetan Bhagat can write books totally contrary to his profession, and that too successfully, then why can’t an engineer write at least what he/she is well versed with?

Similarly, people belonging to the commerce world have a pool of invaluable information to share with the masses, in the form of, economists: writing blogs on varied economic situations in the world, or blogs on business developments, stakes, stock market, or can even write books on the subject that may be of great help to students and other people working in the same field.

Once a Real Estate Business man was about to shut his business due to lack of capital investment. It was only then when he accidently wrote a piece on real estate which was eyed by a successful magazine. Thereon they hired him to write what he had experienced his whole life dealing in real estate matters, proving to be a boon for his sinking career.
Those who can teach from the books written by others can also write a book themselves.

There are eminent teachers in schools, out of which some of them are attempting to write their own books with the understanding they’ve been sharing with their students for so many years, may be in a more precise manner than they have seen. An English teacher is writing, Shakespearean Tales- Retold, in a voice that is way too simple to understand for those who find it difficult to learn the Latin versions of the plays.

Even student at undergraduate level who falls short of books relating to the syllabus, can write a book form his/her very own notes and material that they are studying from. Once the mind is channelized in the right direction, even the most difficult of tasks seem to be effortless.

Doctors can write for journals and websites that cater to health and lifestyle genres sharing their views, opinions and knowledge for the wellbeing of the citizens, thereby utilizing their intelligence constructively. Everyone or anyone interested in doing so can initially start with writing blogs online, and write for websites and online magazines to get familiar with the kind of writing that is in fashion or required.

Writing is the outcome of initiation, imagination and the will to save your thoughts forever. It is not that tedious a task to perform when your mind is brimming with some unique ideas that might be of any interest to someone. Once we begin writing, slowly and eventually, we tend to encounter our own mistakes, improvise are writing skills, expression, and grammar. There are editors to mend your errors and make the article look good. Excusing yourself from writing giving various reasons of not being able to write might just not let the hidden persona you have, and the skill to affect people while voicing out your opinions.

Imagine, align, and pick up a pen,
You’ll voice out your opinion not knowing until when;
There are many who can write, but hardly any have the clues,
Exploit your knowledge and abilities, to wisely use the Ink Hues.

Shefali Saxena

Image Source [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjpacres/3293117576/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

A frail old man holds the government to ransom while a yoga guru threatens to form an army. The roads are perennially blocked and the politicians put soap operas to shame. Indian society, my friend, is teeming with comic brilliance. Aspiring to be a standup comic therefore, is not as ludicrous as is sounds. How many times have you seen that stock character in movies that goes from funny guy in college to bogged down corporate stooge in the space of a few years? The answer is – plenty of times. Well, standup comedy provides a way to sustain your fun loving side while getting paid for it.

REQUIREMENTS

A healthy sense of humour is the basic requirement to this career option. Being able to see the funny side to situations, on and off the stage, is necessary. If you’re not conventionally good looking and your looks border on the comic, it could be an advantage. The best examples for this are Johnny Lever and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). The funnier you look, the lamer jokes you can pull off. Certain entertainers can elicit a giggle by using just their faces. You should have a real drive to make people laugh. Providing people with a lazy, breezy evening; a break from their hectic lives, should make you happy.

ELIGIBILITY

No formal degree is needed to make it big as a standup comedian. It is one of those fields where raw talent can take you places. Famous Indian standup comedian Sunil Pal used to work as a waiter and slept on the footpath during his struggling days. He then went on to win a T.V. show and is now at the top of the game. If viable, a performing arts course can be done from any film institute in order to gain stage experience. MAD ARTS, owned by funny man Jaspal Bhatti, deals centrally with comedy and provides courses which are humour oriented.

OPPORTUNITIES

As long as there is government, there will be humour. A good comedian can never run out of work; especially in a third world rising economy that knows how to laugh at itself. Some of the many opportunities available to comedians include – providing entertainment at corporate client parties and meetings, opening up/ working at a comedy club or night bar, doing small time college events, participating in the myriad comedy shows on television etc.

Being a successful comedian could open up avenues like world tours and lucrative Bollywood roles. Vir Das, now the face of the Indian standup community, has successfully proceeded into movies and has many international tours under his funny belt.

A bar could pay anything from Rs. 10,000 – 15,000 per act if you’re good. The pay depends on your popularity and experience. Veterans could rake in up to a lakh for a night’s performance.
A few things that a novice ought to keep in mind before entering into the world of humour – don’t expect fame overnight. It takes time to build a reputation and have a loyal following. Don’t play hardball at the start of your career. Be ready to perform for peanuts. Getting an audience to know you is imperative. Be ready to change your style and don’t be stubborn about your acts. Be ready to improvise according to the audience. A stressed out corporate guy, for example, would not enjoy a joke meant for a beer headed teenager.

The comic scene is an up and coming option for the well informed, fun loving youth of the country. Tremendous opportunities await the standup artist and, as comedian Kunaal Roy Kapoor says, “A lot of people in Mumbai are trying their hand at being comics, watching people from abroad come in and improving acts. You can’t call it an industry yet but it’s not a fad either.” Comedy is timeless and is here to stay.

Anirudh Madhavan

Image Source[http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4713644848/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

Leroy Chiao has literally reached the absolute heights of his profession: He’s one of the most accomplished and respected astronauts in NASA history.

During his stellar 15-year career, Leroy logged 229 days in space, flew three space shuttle missions and eventually earned the honour of commanding the International Space Station. He’s also one of only 166 people to walk in space — a feat he accomplished six times — and was one of the few foreigners ever allowed to pilot Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft.

We figured if this guy managed to overcome staggering odds (there aren’t many spaceman openings on the job boards, you know) to succeed in one of the most elite professions on Earth and above it, he must know something about building a career. So we put on our jet packs to catch up with Leroy, asking him to share his flight plan for success. (That’s right: We have jet packs in the office. Don’t you?) Here are his inside tips to keep you soaring towards your goals.

Be Prepared
“This is important in any aspect of life. You need to be properly prepared mentally and/or physically for any task. Learn what’s expected of you and make sure you familiarise yourself with all the requirements of any challenge. You need to walk yourself through them mentally to discover any possible gaps. Proper preparation will bring proper execution. Like we say, ‘Train like you fly, and fly like you train’.

“We prepped endlessly when I was training to build the International Space Station. I would prepare in a water tank in my suit 10 hours for every hour I walked in space. With that level of preparation, everything becomes second nature. In reality, nothing goes as planned — but preparation offers you options.

“Once, I was piloting the shuttle, and as we were about 1000 meters from the space station, all the alarms went off. There was a failure in the auto [pilot] system. Our ship started speeding up instead of slowing down. But my training clicked in and we ran the emergency procedures I was taught. I took control and stopped the spacecraft only 50 meters from the station. If I hadn’t gone to manual, we could’ve hit the station and killed everybody.”

Never Lose Your Determination
“This is a quality you’ll need to achieve any goal. In my case, it started way before I became an astronaut. NASA looks for persistence. The typical applicant goes through several interviews and rejections before they qualify.

“I put through my first application when I was still doing my Master’s … and I was rejected. And while I was disappointed, I was determined to try again and make it. So I finished off my Ph.D. and put in another application … and I was accepted. I wasn’t going to walk away from a challenge.

“Never let anyone deny you your dreams. Never let disappointment get you down. And keep your focus on your goals. But remember: You need to work hard enough to achieve them.”

Be Innovative
“At NASA, you receive very specific training, as in any job. But you need to be able to take that preparation and use it to respond to situations that you may not have expected. You need to be able to think on your feet and show your boss you can be innovative to find solutions.

“After a launch, something unexpected always happens: It’s how you deal with it that separates you from the pack.

“Once, when I was on one of my space walks and working on the space station, I was using a foot restraint that allowed me to use both hands to unfold a giant antenna. But there was a piece of equipment in my way that wouldn’t allow me to reach the antenna. I substituted a tether for the foot restraint. This gave me the flexibility to manoeuvre around the obstruction and do the work without being bound by the restraint. It was dangerous, but I was able to innovate because I knew the task so well. It saved the mission.”

Remember: No Task Is Too Small
“As a kid, I worked at McDonald’s, and even then there was a lot of detail. Even though I was just making burgers, I had to get the right number of burgers done and out on time. You’re still learning to be a part of a team.

“This would carry over into my training sessions as an astronaut candidate when we had to go through systems checks over and over. We checked every last detail endlessly to see what the failures might be and how to deal with them. It was so tedious! But in flights, you have to recognise those failures when they occur and how to troubleshoot them. It could save your own life — and those of your crew.

“Whether it’s reading a boring book for homework or doing menial tasks at a job early in your career, the key is this: Do the best you can. This way, you’ll learn how to be successful.”

Mike Hammer

Content Partner: Men’s Life Today, in association with Gillette

Mah:

At first, it sounds like the vehement bleating sound of a goat whose tail has
just been plucked off. Then it reminds me of the hard and loud burp, fuelled by
the large swig of soft drink, shooting out of stomach to blow all the smiles
off our enemies’ faces. But on deeper introspection, it is an illegitimate and
disfigured off spring of the traditional ‘My’ fathered by the SMS and messenger
using generation to communicate with one another easily. However, the one thing
that still baffles me is that despite being greater in word length, why is it
preferred over its old fashioned mother?

Kewl:

The second one in the family and very innocently rhyming with mule. Gone are
the days when on witnessing something really whacky, we used “How cool that
is”. Instead things are now kewling off to something that is beyond my
comprehension for it bears no resemblance whatsoever at its root word,
which might as well be considered to be included in the Latin lexicon for its increasing
lack of usage in modern times. In fact they are as close to each other as Mike
Tyson endorsing a fairness cream. Still, you must know it to be kewl.

Cole:

Ok, until recently, the only Cole I knew was Cheryl Cole for obvious reasons. I
never had even an iota of inkling that due to her popularity amongst men, the
parallel English societies were deciding to make her name immortal by very
subtly replacing the word ‘Call’ with it. I hope when they bring out the official
dictionary of their work, they have a bikini clad picture of Cheryl Cole
alongside saying ‘Cole me’. If not anything, even the Chinese people will also
buy it and make some unconscious contribution to the flagging economy.

TQ:

When I first came across this word, I was as surprised as any old user of
English would be. It was like giving an IPhone to a person still spinning in
the round dial of old age telephones. Still, when I recovered from the blow, I
expected it to be somehow related to Intelligence Quotient (IQ). But it was
not, at least not to my IQ. A very kind gentleman, getting a whiff of my
predicament told me that it was being used for ‘Thank you’. So finally
Shakespear could shove his brutal Thy, thine, thou and the many other words
which make an embarrassing spitting sound whenever spoken up his nose. Touched
by the gentleman’s warm gesture, I could not help but uttering, “TQ Sire”.

Cum:

Are you kidding me? Cum on to the next one.

Congo:

Imagine a man with his shirt on but nothing below the waist. I know the mere
imagination is more than disgusting (Of course, had it been Jessica Alba
we would have merrily wished this imagination turned into reality). Same goes
with this word. Often used to express one’s good wishes on someone’s
accomplishment, it is a semi naked version of ‘Congratulations’.

I can’t help but draw an analogy between this poor word and Draupadi for both of them are
the victims of being stripped of their clothing by the society for no apparent
reason. Alas! There are no Krishnas in this age to savage it and moreover, the
Sarees are so costly these days that even the Lord would have to lend money
from China as it’s the only rich daddy left on Earth.

Ssup:
It is a word thrown at the face of all those people who considered that making
a sound while sipping your tea amounted to bad mannerism. According to my
knowledge , all the “Hey! How are you? How is it going?” have been
compressed to this four letter word, which looks no less than the name
of some Government service examination. Now MTV tells me that it finds its utility
more amongst the tilted cap wearing dudes with chains dangling all over from
clothes twice or even thrice their actual size probably picked up in a jiffy
from a store up on a clearance sale. Some desi gossip doing the rounds in
political circles is that it is a special code word that expands as ‘Sweet
spirited Uttar Pradesh’, to be used as the party slogan of BSP in the upcoming
state assembly elections. And all the people who publicize and popularize this
word would be awarded with larger than life statues in the middle of the
road. Now, I have no idea, which one of them is true.

K:

Such a sweet and simple word..and the one taken for granted mostly. From the
taunts of grumpy and sexually frustrated mother in laws to their daughter in
laws (Kalmoohi, kulta etc) to the way of agreeing or saying ‘OK’. But this OK
is a thing of past now. Its existence has been totally wiped out or better
KO(Knocked out). Now there is either K or Okkkk. It’s rather funny that the
latter version reminds me of the King of farts..err I mean hearts who redefined
and revolutionized this word while saying(at last) “Kkkkkiran”. Anyway, I’m
somewhat uncomfortable in using this form. Or in other words, I’m not K with
it. So I’ll just stick to the basics. And yes, I do hope that all the SRK fans
are okkkk with me for taking a harmless dig at him.

Ankit Srivastava

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V.S. Singh

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It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. – Harry S. Truman
Mr. Truman, albeit quite possibly inadvertently, has captured in one sentence what binds the whole human race together. For your convenience, we will refrain from branding the “virtue”; so that you can go forward with reading this, without raising either of your eyebrows.

To understand and appreciate what I am about to put forward, you must first acknowledge that in most ways we are like other animals that co-habitate this planet. Primal instinct is what guides almost all their actions and whether we like it or not, even after years of dispensing gospels about how we have metamorphosed into a civilized, more refined form of life, we still are the same.

Well to tell you the truth, we have gotten worse; what we used as a survival mechanism in the beginning has over the years, been crafted and been moulded into a tool to serve our petty selfish motives. The act of callousness comes all the more easily to us now.

Now that we have shattered the myth, let’s dig in deeper and find out what makes us tick. Instinct is but a physical manifestation of our deeper aspirations. Well you see, we have learnt the art of euphemizing and hence justifying everything that we want. We always seem to desperately need the approval of others around us before we go ahead and do what we want.

What do we actually need, what is the one thing that governs all our actions? The answer is control. For the ones like us, the goal is limited to taking control of our own lives. We are happy when we are in control. We have control when we have money, power. I think you get the idea. The reason why the world is a colossal distraught right now is because of what each man can stoop to in order to gain that control. The intellectual section would again explain this by saying that it’s just basic instinct. And as much as I would hate to agree, it is the incontestable truth.

Success is measured in terms of how much control of your life you are in and most of the frustration comes from the realization of the fact that how minimal that is. Every relationship is a power-play, a wait for who caves in first. The struggle for control doesn’t end here. Once you’ve managed to take control of your own life, the next thing to do would obviously make inroads into others’. Most of the people who are trying to win a crown of some kind, would say that their ultimate motive is to impact lives other than their own. What they actually have in mind is to have that speck of control, however miniscule it may be, in those lives. When people in menial jobs try to show their substance, it’s not because they have a beef with you.

It’s just because they are trying to get control – the kind that they don’t have in their own lives and try to gain by ascertaining their supremacy over you. Giant corporations, well they are the worst. They have even come up with a name for the con that they are running. It’s called Corporate Social Responsibility. My god, what a sham. And tto think, we can’t see through their veil of deceit. All this, doesn’t come from some deep rooted sense of cynicism, nor is this something that infuriates me. It’s just something that we need to understand, accept and move on.

We are after all, what we were made to be.

Abhishek Mandal

Image Source[http://www.flickr.com/photos/traftery/3231329018/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

Last December, a newspaper reported the appointment of an LSR alumnus, Gita Gopinath, as the professor of Economics at the prestigious Harvard University. She was only the second Indian and third woman to receive the honour. This news brought a sweet grin on the typical Indian reader’s face, who takes pride in every Indian’s achievement considering it their own.

But overwhelmed Overwhelmed with the amazing feat, the “typical” Indian missed the important part, her concern for the undergraduate studies, which she shares with Chetan Bhagat and many other intellectuals of the country.
Harvard University, which has produced many Nobel Laureates and innovators like Mark Zuckerberg (he invented facebook in this university’s dorm) over the years, has continued to set benchmarks in the education and boasts of an impeccable educational system.

It is during the pursuit of the undergraduate degree that a student realises realizes his true interests. Harvard University’s undergraduate department does justice to this argument by offering a wide range of courses in the freshman year. This flexibility enables students to pursue their interests and hone it in the right direction. Another outstanding attribute of the system is are the ample research opportunities and incentives it offers to the students. The University allocates huge amounts of funds to research projects. The beauty of the atmosphere that has evolved as a result of such policies is reflected from Mark Zuckerberg’s statement “Money or the ability to make money does not impress anyone here. Novelty does”.

On the contrary, Indian universities are known for their strict curriculum and thus, limit the opportunities for the students. To get a clear picture, let us take the example of IITs. They are considered to offer the best technical education in the country. The truth is, they hardly have anything to offer except technical courses. Firstly, the humanities courses offered are very less and secondly, the rigid curriculum eliminates any option of doing these courses for at least 2 years.

The research opportunities offered by the universities lack “lustre” and hardly attract students. The result: IITs produce more civil servants than researchers and the initial days of placements (then, the best companies come to campus to recruit the top performers) includes consulting firms, investment banks and hardly any technical firm. Is this what these technical educational institutions are set up for? I don’t think so.

India has not produced a significant scientific discovery and remains dependent on other countries for technology. Recently, many deals worth billions of dollars were signed with France, US and Russia during their visits to India. All those deals had one thing in common: India was “buying” technology for defencedefense, nuclear power etc. I still remember my Power Engineering professor saying “A gold medallist in Commonwealth games is awarded with lacs of rupees, accolades and fame but a scientist, involved in the success of Chandrayaan, gets an award of meagremeager Rs.10,000 and a congratulations from President. Such is the irony ”.

Establishment of a conducive environment for research and development of global standards requires several immediate measures. Firstly, flexibility in the curriculum should be introduced with the widening of options in courses. Secondly, the appeal of research should be enhanced by proper measures. This can be done by providing incentives in the form of money and recognition. The government has a bigger role to play in advocating the importance of R&D among the general public and attract more people in the field.

Charles de Gaulle once said about Brazil “This country has great future, always will have.” Let’s hope this statement does not hold true for India!

Vidit Aatrey

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Retailing, until recently meant small, petty shops run by local shopkeepers. But since the last decade large business firms have started investing extensively in this sector, thus changing the structure of retailing in India. The retail sector today comprises of departmental stores, specialityspecialty chains, supermarkets, malls along with the traditional general stores owned by local individuals.

Retailing as an industry first emerged in US. After the Second World War and with the emergence of the suburbs in the US and Canada the concept of Supermarkets and SpecialitySpecialty Chains came into being. Indian retailing has come to light as one of the most profitable retail markets in the world. Initially the retail market in India was mainly unorganized, comprising of small individual grocery stores and drug stores. The change in the structure of the retail industry and growth therein is mainly attributed to the increase in purchasing power of the customer and the rapid urbanisation.

These two factors have led to a drastic change in the lifestyle and living standard of the people which gets reflected by the amount of money spent on luxury goods and entertainment. A vast majority of the youth preferVast majorities of the youth prefer branded clothes and packaged food items and want to have all kinds of goods, food as well as non-food, to be available under one roof. This preference has given a huge boost to the organised retail sector. This is evident from the growing number of supermarkets, departmental stores and malls that are being inaugurated in every corner of the country.

The icons in the organized sector are Kishore Biyani, the founder of the Pantaloons Retail and its various formats such as Pantaloons, Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar. Tata and its retail format TRENT, including Croma, Westside, Star India etc. The Raheja Corp group, proprietor of Stopper’s Stop, Crosswords, Hypercity etc. R.P. Goyenka, the founder of RPG retail and its formats like the Music World, Food World, Health and Glow, Spencer’s etc. The freshman in this sector is Bharti Walmart retail group, who are expected to come up with eight to ten stores by end of 2011, under the Best Price Modern Wholesale brand name.

Electronic retailing is another stem of the Retailing Industry which had been mainly confined to a business to business space, is now significantly shifting to a business to customer space. This is characterised by numerous online stores coming up in the web space with attractive prices and customized delivery system.

In recent years the retail sector have had huge profits and amounts to almost 60% of the overall domestic consumption. The tremendous potential of this sector is presumed to attract global retailers in near future. With the inflow of such Foreign Direct Investments, the domestic competition is expected to increase and only the superior players will be able to survive. However, these foreign interventions will aggravate the job opportunities, especially at the local level. This is because retail is highly localized business, so for any foreign retailer to dig a foot hold in the domestic market, local experience and local talent is a requisite. So with the upcoming FDIs this sector will expand and India will have a major grab in the global retailing.

Amrita Sarkar

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When Warren Buffet and Mr and Mrs. the Gates couplevisited landed down in India a couple of months back, they had their sights set firm on the one thing, one thing that has been “eschewed” by India Inc all these years- Corporate Social Responsibility, or in a more specific sense, Philanthropy. Recognizing the “immediate need” of Corporate India, ‘to look into the aspect of giving back’, both these billionaires, and I must say, Visionaries, hadve stepped on to the land of Ashoka and Harshavardhana, trying to give India, a taste of its own medicine.

No doubt that these two men have a phenomenal record of giving back to the society, but the conundrum that lies in front is whether their “words of wisdom” would be transformed into visible action, here in India. Buffett, worth an estimated $50 billion through his investment company Berkshire Hathaway, told Indian business leaders bluntly there was no conflict between making money and being philanthropic. “You can create jobs and be Santa Claus at the same time,” joked Buffett, who has pledged to donate 99 percent of his wealth. Bill Gates, heading the $33 billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, echoed his views when he said “India has historically produced some of the most important philanthropists the world has known. I am certain it will continue to do so again”.

The two have tasted success in making corporate biggies like Mark Zuckerberg and Ted Turner pledge towards philanthropy, but from an Indian perspective, the scope of their charm seems to be innocuous. India Inc., the reason behind India’s astounding 8% GDP growth, seems to find fewer takers for this ambitious vision. Even as pink papers celebrate the stupendous success of the corporate India, many have wondered what the richest people in India — often criticised for their opulent displays of wealth — have actually done for the nation’s poor, estimated at a staggering 350 million?million.

Corporate Social Responsibility is not new to India. It has existed through the ages, and while the Tatas and Birlas have been harbingers, the Murthys and Mittals have followed suit. But the fact still remains that such philanthropic activities account to a meager 0.6% of the country’s GDP. These figures, seriously striking figures, bring a picture of stark reality that, reflects how little has been done to the most vital aspect plaguing India today. The Indian media also has not withheld itself from showcasing the reluctance of the conglomerates in helping alleviate poverty in the country where 455 million people earn less than $ 1 per day.

Several major CSR initiatives have been launched in India since the mid-1990s. The first among these was the “Desirable Corporate Governance: A Code”, established in April 1998. This was an initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India’s largest industry and business association. A National Foundation for Corporate Governance (NFCG) has been established by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The purpose of the National Foundation for Corporate Governance is to promote better corporate governance practices and raise the standard of corporate governance in India towards achieving stability and growth. These initiatives too have failed to elicit adequate response from the men who matter.

The crumbs on the platter:
A study found TATA group (67%) emerging as the most clued-in to CSR initiatives, followed by Infosys at 13%, ITC at 12%, Anil Ambani Reliance Group at 10%, Ambuja Cement at 9%, Microsoft at 7% and WIPRO, BILT and L&T at 6%. But, it was found that mainly people living in the vicinity of these organisations were beneficiaries.

Consider Jamshedpur, the home of Tata Steel and perhaps the world’s most successful company town. Tata Steel runs almost all the city’s institutions: these include a 980-bed hospital, a zoo, a giant sports stadium, academies for football, archery and athletics, golf courses and the local utility company. The company also employs 250 people to work with local tribesmen, to improve agriculture, health care and education, and regularly sends a hospital train farther into the hinterland. The city is remarkably well run by Indian standards, with broad avenues, green parks, reliable power and water that you can drink.

Tata Steel gently mocks all this corporate philanthropy with the slogan, “We also make steel”. This largesse has come under some strain in recent years. Tata Steel has reined back some activities (it no longer makes ice or shoes) and created a separate utility company. Tata Tea (now Tata Global Beverages) has sold its vast plantation in the Western Ghats where it was the biggest employer for more than a century. But rationalisation has not gone far by Western standards. The tea plantations were sold to former employees. But still, Tata Steel gave generous pensions to the thousands of workers it got rid of.

The ITC also found a way to wash of all its sins of killing thousands of people over the years, by extensive CSR initiatives like e-Choupal, a rural digital infrastructure project that has benefitted over a million farmers, women empowerment programmes, rural education initiative etc., which have successfully masked the demon behind.

The Azim Premji Foundation, garnering a lot of media glare, too has found refuge in starting Field education programmes and the upcoming Azim Premji University. Recently, Premji also announced a $2 billion fund for education programmes. How far it materializes is yet to be known.

Rohini Nilekani, wife of Infosys’s Nandan Nilekani, runs an education foundation — Nilekani has pledged a big portion of his wealth to philanthropy. Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Foundation promotes education for underprivileged children. HCL’s Shiv Nadar has reportedly donated a tenth of his estimated $4.2 billion wealth.

While the senior Ambani sibling, whose net profit for the third quarter of 2008-09 — despite volatility in oil prices — was still $778 million, doesn’t seem to have a high philanthropic profile, his younger brother’s Anil Dhirubahi Ambani Group (ADAG) manages an old age home in Mumbai and has recently pledged 25 percent of beds at the newly constructed, Rs 500-crore, state-of-the-art Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital and medical research institute in Mumbai, for poor patients.

Does all this really showcase the true colours beneath the real picture?

For the thousands of crores that are minted by these corporate giants, the efforts that they have undertaken towards CSR, demonstrate nothing more than a miniscule. The Government on its part suddenly seems to have woken up from its slumber, and as a part of the proposed Companies Bill, envisions the corporate biggies to spend a meagre 2% of the average income of three years.

A committee, headed by former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, has suggested that companies with a net worth of Rs 500 crore or more, or those that have an annual turnover of at least Rs 1,000 crore, or companies with a net profit of Rs 5 crore or more, be covered by the norms. Our prime minister, from out of the blue, brought the issue out at a CII seminar, saying “Eschew conspicuous consumption, save more and waste less and care for those who are less privileged and less well-off and be role models of moderation and charity”.

Perhaps, the CSR would have better takers if the Government had announced incentives to companies that implemented CSR, rather than make it mandatory, it would have garnered an immense following. Regardless of what the Government has done or proposes to, CSR being made mandatory is one more cauldron that is all set to leak.

Compelling CSR- Calling for trouble:

Corporate Social Responsibility, defined as “the ethical behaviour of the company towards the society” is something which should be started per se and not something to be pressed on. If it is made a compulsion, there would always be those trying to sneak through the loopholes. It would result in an unprecedented publicity of the schemes that companies would supposedly undertake.

Also the mandatory norms could lead to a lot of money in the name of CSR being shifted towards corrupt activities or even branding exercises. Misrepresented audits, frenzied stock market curves, emergence of a new class of middlemen, and above all, defamation of the country in the name of philanthropy, through ads showcasing the country in bad light is the immediate outcome of such legislation.

Philanthropy would serve nothing more than an epitaph to the already plummeting ethics of business houses. A rat race would start amongst the biggies themselves, and in their thrust towards the materialistic goals, the bigger picture would remain out of their realm. The image of corporate becomes similar to that of politicians, except that they do not seek votes, instead a showcase of their plight towards the cameras. The legislations on competition would be defeated, and if something would prevail, then it would not be sense, but instead a pandemonium of sorts. The relentless epoch of corruption will continue to reign supreme, and myriad scams will rule the roost.

Come Buffet or Gates, India Inc is simply not ready to spend “considerably” on such social programmes. It would take eons of reckoning and rethinking before these companies succour to the call of the “Otherside Indian”. But if sense and rationale take over soon, let these Goliaths know- “Charity begins at home!”

Sammith Dixit

Image Source[http://www.flickr.com/photos/trypode/6095932479/sizes/m/in/photostream/]

The word career is rightly derived from the Latin word carrera, which means race. It is simply a race in which everyone participates and more often than not loses their individuality and forgets their true passions and talents. Most people run after building a career in some fixed set of fields like medicine, engineering, law etc. These career options over the years have become the most respectable and people tend to choose them on the basis of mass following. There are many other career options available, which initially may have been a hobby but can definitely be converted into a full time career option. Scuba or deep sea diving is one such activity which is extremely adventurous at the same time a lucrative career option.

Self Contained Under Water Breathing Apparatus, popularly known as SCUBA diving is not a run-of-the-mill kind of a career option. To pursue a career in this field, all you need is love for the sea, its vast flora and fauna and a bit of an adventurous spirit, although there are a few practical and theoretical examinations that one has to clear to be certified professionally.
Scuba diving jobs can be broadly classified into two categories, namely recreational and commercial. To be qualified for such jobs, one has to be certified as a dive instructor by one of the many scuba diving schools such as Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Scuba Schools International (SSI), Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS).
Recreational scuba diving has a number of disciplines including wreck diving, cave diving, deep diving and ice diving. Recreational diving jobs are basically where one works for either a resort or a dive shop or a cruise. The tasks expected to be performed as a part of the job may include leading dives, teaching newcomers, maintaining scuba gear, filling tanks and captaining a dive boat. In such a job, the job seeker is also expected to have good interpersonal skills as he would have to interact with customers. With diving increasing as a tourist activity, the number of job openings for recreational scuba divers is on the rise. This provides an opportunity to travel around the world and experience the varied underwater ecosystem of different places. What could be more rewarding for a diver than getting paid for his explorations? On an average the pay would be in the range of $15,000 to $20,000 per annum.

Commercial diving has a far greater number and more lucrative job opportunities, but at the same time demands more specialized skills. Most of these divers would be employed by companies dealing with underwater civil engineering tasks. They require divers to conduct underwater research to assist engineers in their plans for the offshore constructions. Other related tasks would include offshore oil exploration and underwater welding. Other categories of commercial diving would include search and rescue operations, salvage of wrecks, underwater photography or film making and fishing. The most challenging of the commercial diving jobs is the military diving for military personnel who have to train in activities like underwater combat, stealthy infiltration amongst others. Although commercial diving can get very demanding in terms of endurance and skills, it does pay very well. Average starting salary for such type of diver would range in between $40,000 to $60,000. With experience it would even touch $100,000.

Scuba diving not only offers job opportunities for the able bodied. It has opened an entirely new avenue of jobs for the disabled as well. Scuba diving is seen to have a therapeutic impact for the handicapped, not only physically but also mentally. It helps them gain in confidence and it provides movement of the joints and muscles.

Although scuba diving as a career can be extremely exhilarating, it does require a lot of hard work and skill. There are also important precautions that need to be taken to avoid health hazards. One of the most common hazards is the decompression sickness which may be caused by quick ascent after a dive, causing gas to dissolve in the blood to form bubbles in tissues. There are many such health hazards involved which the diver needs to be aware of and take necessary precautions to avoid any accidents.

Just like any other job, a diver has to undergo a job search. There are many websites which help divers around the world in this matter. Some of the well known websites include www.jobs4divers.com and www.diversjobs.com. Apart from this one could also join a dive school to first get trained and then be placed through their placement office. A couple of well known dive schools include Bob Brayman’s International Diving Career Institute at Hall’s and Pro Dive International. Thus scuba diving can be considered as a good career option where there are plenty of job opportunities with something to offer of interest for everyone, whether an engineer, a photographer, a biologist or an environmentalist.

Divya Shah

Image Source: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/deanmeyers/3598159727/]