Pbi varsity to start efforts to include gurmat sangeet in NET-JRF

Punjabi University will urge the University Grants Commission (UGC) to include gurmat sangeet-the Sikh religious music-as a subject in National Eligility Test- Junior Research Fellow (NET-JRF).
Currently, the  students of this subject appear in music subject when they take the NET-JRF. The syllabus of music is different than that of gurmat sangeet.
The gurmat sangeet is being taught in the university since 2003. The subject is avaialble in BA (Honours) and MA. Masters in the sunject can be down in three strems-vocal, instrumental and tabla. Undergraduate and diploma courses are also avaialbel through distrance education.
"The university will request the UGC to include it as a different subject in NET-JRF as soon as possible. A formal request will be sent by next week," vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh told Hindustan Times, on the sidelines of launching the technical terminolgy of the subject, compiled by the department.
The V-C said that 'Rabindra music' (the songs writeen and sung by Rabindra Nath Tagore), which is being tought in West Bengal, had been recognised by the UGC a differetn subjec in NET-JRF a few years back.
As per claims of the Punjabi University, the gurmat sangeet had more potential for introduction in the NET-JRF since the subject was being tought in more than 50 foreign countries.
Currently as many as 21 students are pursuing PhD in gurmat sangeet.
"After the successful development of the subject, it will be a matter of pride for university as well as the Sikh community if we get UGC recognition for it," director, monitoring and planning, Davinder Singh said. He has been entrusted with the task to communicate with the UGC on this particular issue.
Earlier, the V-C released the "Gurmat Sangeet Terminology" in a book form, compiled by the department of gurmat sangeet of the university.
Gurnam Singh, HoD and chief editor of the compilation,  while welcoming the guests said that the first edition of terminology had been finalised with an objective to make it easily adaptable in research and teaching.

Deutschland diaries Shafique Mamdani, an alum of Frankfurt School of Finance and Management explains why he believes Germany is a preferable study destination

Deutschland diaries

Shafique Mamdani, an alum of Frankfurt School of Finance and Management explains why he believes Germany is a preferable study destination

    More often than
    not, my conversation with people
    begins with, "Why
    Germany?" And my response has been, "Why not Germany!" It may currently not be a popular destination for higher education among Indians but, having lived there, I am convinced that things will change in the future.
    The institute I studied at is one of the finest schools and its programmes are highly sought after.
    However, as much as a school ensures to invite the best-of-the-best experts and encourage extra-curricular activities, it is really up to the students to grab these opportunities. I have met some incredible people including the Nobellaureate Muhammad Yunus and Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, CEO of the Hugo Boss. Schools also have a number of other student initiatives which one can be a part of.
    Frankfurt is a rather expensive city but it allows you to choose your lifestyle. In addition to the tuition, one can comfortably live spending 650-700 euros/ month, all inclusive. Also, if you prefer working while you are studying, you can choose to so. However, it's subject to a maximum of 20 hours/ week. I worked at Santander bank for three days a week while attending school the other three days. I would highly encourage fellow aspirants to apply early on. November is the right time to finish applying for corporate and investment banking positions. I got an opportunity to intern at RBS and secured a full-time position, a full year in advance of graduating.
    Studying in Germany is also great because you can explore the rest of Europe by just hopping on a train. It is not very expensive and worth every penny. You can go ski in Austria during winter and enjoy the beaches of Spain in summer. People there are sport-freaks, so you will not have any problem being in the right company. And if this is not enough, you can opt to complete your final semester abroad, in literally any school around the world. I chose to go to the Boston University and this again has my highest recommendation.
    Finally, what puts us Indians at a disadvantage, among all the great things, is the language. Ability to speak German is very important. If you desire to work while you study, it is imperative that you pick up the language. I have been lucky to work at Santander with very little knowledge of the language. There are a lot of schools that you can go to learn the language but my favourite is A-viva. Viel Glück!

There is no ‘best’ business school in the world, but there may be a ‘best’ business school for each individual

WHO IS THE BEST OF ALL

There is no ‘best’ business school in the world, but there may be a ‘best’ business school for each individual

    The appetite for rankings of the world’s top B-schools remains undiminished, with BusinessWeek, the latest to produce its biennial MBA ranking last month amidst a wealth of data on salaries, selectivity and student satisfaction. Critics of the MBA rankings, and there are many of them, point out that they typically only measure what is easy to count — things like post-MBA salaries, GMAT scores and the percentage of international students and faculty. The over-reliance on self-reported data is also called into question, and the absence of any meaningful indicators for teaching quality, personal development, or the impact of the alumni network. But what happens when you take all the MBA rankings collectively? Business schools are separated into four regions (US, Europe, Canada and Asia-Pacific) to account for the fact that only the Financial Times (FT) and The Economist make direct international comparisons. Overall performance is calculated by looking at the position within each region, and taking an average of those results based on the number of rankings in which the schools appear. In the US, the four top places continue to be dominated by Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth, Stanford GSB and The Wharton School. But further down, the volatile financial markets may have contributed to the slip of the Columbia Business School and NYU Stern, while the University of Virginia’s Darden made it to the top 10 on the back of its teaching quality and student satisfaction. Cornell’s Johnson School also moved upwards, following a strong showing in BusinessWeek. The London Business School maintains the top spot among European schools, with an impressive 12-month performance that sees it as the #1 European Business School in three of the major rankings. IESE Business School climbed into the top three following the school’s strong performance in both the BusinessWeek and The Economist rankings, with France’s HEC Paris also rising at the expense of Spain’s Esade. In the UK, Oxford University’s Saïd Business School has overtaken Cambridge Judge based on their performance in BusinessWeek and The Economist rankings. And for the first time a German business school is closing in on the European top 10, with Mannheim entering the ranking on the back of some great results, though they are yet to be ranked by the FT. In Asia, the IIM Ahmedabad keeps its #2 position on the back of strong results in the FT and The Economist, surrounded by schools from Hong Kong and mainland China, while in Canada, the big winners this year are York University’s Schulich and McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management. But as McGill-Desautels dean Peter Todd explains, there is no ‘best’ business school in the world, but there may be a ‘best’ business school for each individual. “Rankings measure a variety of things, and are a useful tool for candidates, but they are only one component of many to ensure the best fit. A school’s approach to teaching, the blend of classmates, and a management education that ensures career development and prepares students to do right in the world are all part of the bigger picture.”
(The writer is chief editor, MBA50.com)
For complete story click on ‘Management’ under ‘Careers’ on www educationtimes com 

METHODOLOGY: (See Table) Here is a calculation of the overall performance by looking at each ranking position compared to other regional schools. For example, if a Spanish school ranked #33 in the overall FT ranking and #18 in the overall The Economist ranking, but among European business schools was #12 in the FT and #5 in The Economist, then this regional figure was used for the calculation. The idea is to compare the performance of schools in multiple rankings, and therefore does not include the many business schools, particularly those from outside the US, that appear in only one ranking. To be included in the evaluation, a US business school must appear in at least four major rankings, and all other schools must appear in at least two major rankings. This means that schools such as the Indian School of Business, Canada’s Queen’s University, and the UK’s Imperial College, outstanding business schools as recognised by their positions in the FT, The Economist and BusinessWeek have not been included for 2012

India's 10 Unsung Personalities

There are people who contribute to the society greatly but are seldom known. They quietly do their bit without expecting anything in return. These extraordinary and selfless people bring meaning to hundreds of lives. Here are the unsung heroes of the nation, as listed by Tenzin Yangdon for Yahoo news.

Irom Sharmila:
Irom Sharmila is also known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur". She is a civil rights activist and a political activist. Sharmila is an example of a woman's perseverance. Since 2 November 2000, she has been on a hunger strike to demand that the Indian government abolish the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which is a cause for violence in Manipur and other parts of northeast. Not having eaten food or water for more than 500 weeks, she has been called "the world's longest hunger striker". She is on a continuous hunger strike for past 12 years. She has certainly shown the world the choice to live without fear in one's own homeland.

Ashok Khemka:
Ashok Khemka is another unsung hero on the list. He is widely known as 'Haryana's most shoved about civil servant' and was the one who blew the whistle on Vadra’s DLF deal. He is an example of an honest, dedicated IAS officer. He chose the life of an IAS officer instead of a comfortable life that usually accompanies an IIT graduate. In his 21 years in service, Khemka was transferred an enormous 43 times.

In 2008, Robert Vadra had purchased a 3.5 acre plot for Rs 7.5 crore, which he then sold to realty major DLF for Rs 58 crore. On October 8, Khemka questioned this relationship between Vadra and DLF and sought a list of Vadra's land deals. But, instead of the list he got a transfer order.

Akhil Gogoi:
Akhil is a peasant leader and an RTI activist from Assam.  Akhil came to national attention after he was awarded the Shanmugam Manjunath Integrity Award in 2008 for his persistent fight against corruption and attempts to bring transparency in the government. He was awarded the national Right to Information (RTI) Award by Public Cause Research Foundation in 2010 for his role in exposing the 1.25 crore scam in Sampoorna Gram Rozgar Yojna (SGRY) and Rs 60 lakh scam in the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in Golaghat district of Assam by using the RTI Act. Akhil donated the entire sum of 2lakhs of the Award to his organization KMSS.

Babar Ali:
Babar Ali is a student and teacher from Murshidabad in West Bengal. He was called the “youngest headmaster in the world” by BBC in 2009, at the age of sixteen. Babar, a student himself, enrolled at the government-run Raj Govinda School in Berhampore. In the afternoons he would teach students in a school he founded in his parents’ back yard in Murshidabad. He began teaching at the age of nine, mostly as a game, and then decided to continue teaching other children. The school continues to be run as an outdoor school and has ten teachers including Babar Ali himself. All of them are students at schools or colleges and volunteer to teach at the school. There are 800 children learning at the school and education there is completely free for the poor. In 2009, Babar won a prize for his work from the programme Real Heroes Award of the Indian English news channel CNN-IBN.

Jyotsna Sitling:
Jyotsna Sitling is the first female tribal Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. Jyotsna is a green warrior who has spent her life restoring the eco system, from cleaning up the hills to creating jobs for the locals. With more than 25 years in the IFS, she has cleaned, planted and restored the environment. She is well-known for restoring The Valley of Flowers National Park. The hills of the Nanda Devi Biosphere had turned into a heap of plastic littered by pilgrims and Jyotsana took it upon herself to clean the entire region involving the locals. The area was later declared as a World Heritage Site in 2005 by UNESCO.

Kulandei Francis:
Another unsung hero on the list is Kulandei Francis. He is an activist, social worker and the founder of the NGO Integrated Village Development Project in Tamil Nadu. Francis has been working diligently to improve the living conditions in rural India. His organization began small with a night school and a first-aid centre in Krishnagiri. Over the years, IVDP has established over 8,200 self-help groups and has empowered over 100,000 women, giving families a stable livelihood. He was also one of six recipients of the Magsaysay Award this year for "his profound faith in community energies, and his sustained programs in pursuing the holistic economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families in rural India"

P Kalayanasundaram:
P Kalayanasundaram is from Tamil Nadu and is a gold medalist librarian, who not only dedicated his life to the poor but also donated his salary, every single month for the 35 years that he was working. The 60-year-old had no worries to earn a living doing tedious jobs. He is the Founder of 'Paalam' an NGO that he set up. The organization acts as a connection between those who wish to donate and those who need the donations.

Anand Kumar:
It isn’t an easy job to clear an IIT entrance exam. But the Ramanujan School of Mathematics in Bihar changed this notion. This year 27 made it to the IITs of the 30 students trained there. The coaching centre only teaches students from the lower income families. Students have to pass a competitive test to find a place in Super 30. The selected students devote an entire year to study and students receive food and accommodation for this duration. The institute does not accept any donation from anyone and is run chiefly by the fees collected from students who can afford to pay.
Anand Kumar, a mathematician started the coaching centre as he knew how hard it was to get good education if you are poor. Kumar gained admission at the Cambridge University but had to give up the dream of studying due to his poor financial state.

Chhavi Rajawat:
Chhavi Rajawat makes it to the list as well. This young MBA degree holder chose to work with rural India and at 32 she is the youngest woman sarpanch of her village Soda, near Jaipur. Her aim is to make her village 100 percent educated. Chhavi also works at her family home-turned-hotel called Kailrugji and has also set up a horse-riding academy in Jaipur.

P Narayanan Krishnan:
Madurai-based Narayanan Krishnan started the Akshaya Trust, an NGO in 2002. The trust has been a blessing for many homeless, ailing and hungry people.  In the first year of commencement, Krishnan used his own savings to feed around 30 people. Ever since, he's cooked and served meals to around two million people. Presently, a shelter home is being built to home those in need of shelter. Realizing that there were many Indians living overseas who wanted to contribute to the cause, Krishnan founded Akshaya USA in 2012. The foundation supports the homeless, mentally ill, elderly and the disabled.

WAHEEDA REHMAN Actress and eternal beauty ON ageing gracefully

WAHEEDA REHMAN

Actress and eternal beauty ON ageing gracefully

ACCEPT YOUR AGE:
MOISTURISE: It helps, every season. 

 

STAY HAPPY: Happiness is the key to beauty. If you’re content mentally and emotionally, you’ll stay beautiful no matter how old you are. With age, you grow as a person, so learn to understand yourself. 

 SAY NO TO BLACK: Don’t dye your hair. When you’re 70, everyone knows you’re grey, so why hide it? Leave it be. It’s more graceful.

ACT YOUR AGE: Don’t try to look younger than you are – even if you’re not an actor.

KEEP IT CLEAN: Don’t use makeup when it isn’t needed. I still don’t use anything but kajal, unless I’m shooting or have a big event.

BE CALM: Yoga, walks and meditation help a lot. I’ve been doing them for years. If you’re calm from within,it always shows

GAUTAM GAMBHIR Cricketer ON learning from every defeat

GAUTAM GAMBHIR

Cricketer ON learning from every defeat

From page 1 ple of different mindsets. Some players like Munaf Patel or our KKR coach Vijay Dahiya have strange but interesting way of looking at tight situations. Once you listen to how they summarise the situation, it’s amazing. At the workplace, you need people who are good stress-absorbers.

And you can’t ignore clear, clever and consistent practice. There is no shortcut to the top. Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh are one of the most talented cricketers but they don’t just turn up at and hit those sixes. They work bloody hard. When practising, even Sachin Tendulkar is always working on a specific area – his stance, backlift or just leaving a lot of balls outside the offstump. Most failures can be avoided by good practice. At the very least, it makes you confident that you have prepared well. I flunked in Class X. It was terrible. I was quite a dude because of cricket and all of a sudden, the bubble burst. That’s when my mom told me that it is not how you start but how you finish. It was my first big lesson: one failure doesn’t mean that the game is over; it is just a point lost. And none of the failures means it is The End, it is a learning curve. God has his way of developing an individual and I feel failure is part of the process.
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of different characters in a team game. You have to have people of different mindsets.

Expert advice from Rani Mukerji

RANI MUKERJI

Acclaimed actress, the Khandala girl and bona fide Bollywood bombshell Life is short. Too short to climb every mountain, reinvent every wheel and make every mistake yourself. So why waste time when those who did it their way and did it well show us how to

You decide what you want to wear. Your spectacular could be someone else’s hideous. I say, go with your spectacular!

SMILING WIDE, EVEN ON A BAD DAY
Being in the public eye is no picnic. You have to always look good, smile, behave, put your best foot forward. You have to be just perfect every single time. For stars, it’s an occupational hazard, but anyone, in any profession can feel that pressure.
I learnt to deal with it on the job. If the brooding and the negativity gets too much, disconnect, immediately. The minute I start feeling low, I bake wonderful cakes that everyone loves to eat. They bust my stress and get me compliments. You could take a holiday. Or try pottery. Or just read a book, or catch a film. But do something that is unrelated to your stress.

ON DEALING WITH ADULATION AND CRITICISM
Somewhere, some time someone will be saying or writing something that’s not going to be nice. Pay it no heed. Every time I read a rumour or a bad thing about me, I let it pass. It’s possible that the person was expected to write a negative story. Should they have checked? Of course. Should they have been a little sensitive? Absolutely. But they didn’t. Does it hurt? Sure it does. But should you let it affect you? No. Remember: the fact that they are saying things about you means you are important to them.

 

You cannot, cannot please everybody all the time. And no one really wants to hear your defence. Everything I do is scrutinised – from the dress I wear at a party to how I look in a film. I was panned for wearing a ‘nightie’ gown to Karan Johar’s party. Sure, it may have looked like a nightie. But hello, can I please also have a bad day? There are days when you’ll look or feel bloated, when you’re just not in the mood to wear a perfectly fitted gown. So what? You decide what you want to wear. Your spectacular could be someone else’s hideous. But I say, go with your spectacular!

ON FINDING PRIVACY
Who says actors can’t have a private life? Maybe it is a little messy to walk down Linking Road, but it isn’t difficult to catch a private dinner or an evening out. The trick is not to announce it to the world. I go out with family, friends or whoever. I just make sure am not telling the world where and when I’m going.



ON LIVING YOUR DREAM
Everything has a silver lining... No it’s not just something people say. I believe in it firmly. My first film flopped badly. For all practical purposes, I should have been written off. But both Aamir and Shah Rukh saw some trailer or some song of the film and recommended me to their directors, Vikram Bhatt for Ghulam and Karan Johar for KuchKuchHota
Hai. Chance? Could be, but it gave me a huge belief in positivity. Everything has a good side. Believe in it and you’ll believe in yourself. But be secure – you can’t hold on to the crown forever.

Vocational courses to become costlier

Vocational courses to become costlier

Vocational education in the state is set to become costlier, if a proposal asking for an increase in the fees for the short-term courses is passed. The fees for these courses, which currently cost between Rs2,000 to Rs5,000, will be increased significantly once the newly-designed formula for deciding fee structure is put in place. The Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) is currently awaiting the final official nod to the proposal. “Taking into account inflation and the kind of technical and logistic support required to conduct vocational classes, it is difficult to continue.with the current fees. These old fees in our department are very low compared to fees for similar courses offered by private institutes,” said a senior official from DVET. JD Bhutange, the director of the department, confirmed the news, saying, “The department is considering the proposal, but no final decision has been taken yet.” Usually, other institutes increase the fees by a certain percentage every year. As most students seeking admission for vocational courses come from underprivileged families, they would not be able to afford the high fees. Hence, DVET officials have devised a formula as per which the total expenditure for the course will be divided by the number of students studying that course. Then, around 75% of this amount will be finalised as the fee for the course. “Most of these students take admission with the help of schemes and other policies which make the education free for them,” said the official.

Military school battles to stay open Teachers of this CBSE institute have not been paid for months, power bills are pending, but principal tries to keep it going

Military school battles to stay open

Teachers of this CBSE institute have not been paid for months, power bills are pending, but principal tries to keep it going

The students and teachers from Raigad Military School in Andheri are fighting to keep their school from shutting down. With the school management being caught in court battles, teachers have not been paid for the last few months. In fact, the school received a notice of disconnection of electricity on Friday for not paying electricity bills. The CBSE school in Behram Baug, Andheri, was started by a group of freedom fighters and has students from nursery up to class 12 studying in it. Today, the school’s principal and a few dedicated teachers are still trying to run the school in spite of not receiving their salaries. Lata Pol, the principal of the school, says that the school received an electricity disconnection notice as they had not paid the bills. “We were not able to release the money for paying electricity bills. But we are trying to resolve this issue by Monday. Luckily, the school is shut for the weekend, so students will not suffer,” said Pol. “Around 90 students have already left, but we have no intention of closing down the school. The CBSE affiliation is valid till 2017,” she added. However, she admits that she doesn’t know what the management intends to do. Jayant Jain, president of the NGO Forum For Fairness in Education, says, “If no action is taken, the management will shut the school permanently. It appears that the management is not interested in running the school and therefore have stopped paying salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff. The employees have not received their salaries for the past few months, and the teachers are thinking of quitting.” Members of the Forum, along with some parents, met NB Chavan, the deputy director of education, to dicuss the issue. But the department didn’t take any action as the school is affiliated to the CBSE board, and government rules do not apply to such schools. “The management is playing with the future of the children. They might construct a residential complex or even a mall in place of the school. Both the children and parents are worried as they don’t know what will happen in the future,” said Jain.

Excerpted from ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ by Robin Sharma

‘All great leaders are initially laughed at’

The old model of leaderhip is obsolete. Now for an organisation to truly excel in these times of deep change everyone — at every level — must show leadership and do their best work. Commit to excellence. Become massively innovative and wear your passion on your sleeve. They might call you different or weird or even crazy. But please remember, every great leader was initially laughed at. Now they are revered. Either you set your goals and, in doing so, have your life governed by choice or you do nothing and have your life governed by chance. Each day, life will send you little windows of opportunity. Your destiny will ultimately be defined by how you respond to these windows of opportunity. Shrink from them and your life will be small, feel the fear and run to them anyway, and you life will be big. Life’s just too short to play little. The ultimate competitive advantage of your enterprise comes down to a single imperative — your ability to grow and develop leaders as fast as competition.

Genesis 2012 held

Genesis 2012 held
Fore School of Management, New Delhi organised its 21st annual management and cultural fest, Genesis on November 23-24, 2012. The two-day event witnessed large participation by students and industry experts. It presented an innovative blend of both cultural events and management games. This year’s event had participation from institutions such as IIMs, Indian School of Business Hyderabad, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Delhi, IIFT, FMS Delhi University, IMI, K J Somaya. Students had meaningful interactions with various corporate guests, from different domains of management.

International conference held at iFEEL

Campus Update

International conference held at iFEEL
The iFEEL International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship was held on November 24, 2012. The keynote speaker, Pradeep Kashyap, CEO, MART, said, “Innovation is an outcome of constant efforts to always find new ways of improving processes and products. Out of the highest level of commitment and hard work, innovation is translated into reality.” The conference was attended by a host of eminent personalities from industries and business houses including Anjali Byce Nair, director, HR, SKF Ltd.; Maneesh Johari, CEO, Buzan Centre and Abhishek Rai, Asst VP (HR) Ncdex, who also addressed the gathering. The conference also saw the launch of the third book of Dr HS Cheema in the span of two years, 'Emerging Trends at the Bottom End of Pyramid' along with its research journal, 'Gyan Samhita' and the Souvenir of the conference by the guests. The event was attended by eminent directors of leading B Schools, faculties and more than hundred research scholars and students from various B schools.

quick bites for study sessions

So, what's cooking?

The sequel to last week's column on quick bites for study sessions

In my previous article, we looked at ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while studying. This week, we look at ways to spice up normal snacks or basic ingredients that are easily available in the kitchen. Quick Rolls Make a sada dosa or thin uttappa and spread jam across the inner side. Roll it up. You can also do this with a plain roti or chapatti. Try a tangy jam like orange marmalade in one roll and a sweet jam like raspberry in another for variety. Alternatively, spread the sweet jam inside and spread thin streaks of the tangy jam on top of the roll. Jam Curls Spread jam on bread, roll it up and cut off the edges. Now slice the roll into 2-3 pieces. You can also make innovative sandwiches using idlis or dhoklas. Cut them in half horizontally, add a layer of cheese spread and jam before closing it. Add a different flavoured jam on top. Bhaji burgers You can convert any bland food item into a lip smacking one with a generous helping of ketchup. Be it yesterday’s leftover rajma or green pea vegetable. Take boiled and peeled potatoes, cut them into medium chunks and stir fry in a few spoons of butter. Add the leftover vegetable, take off the heat and let it cool down. Add ketchup to the mix. Cut a bun in half. Spread cheese spread on the inner sides and spoon this mix in between. Top off with another generous helping of ketchup. Instant Pizza Take a thick roti or utappa. Cover the surface with cheese spread. Add a layer of ketchup. Sprinkle pieces of onion, paneer, boiled corn and sliced olives. Heat for 20 seconds in a microwave and serve hot. Tangy Fries Take ketchup in a bowl. Add chilli flakes, oregano, pepper powder, chilli powder and lemon juice. Mix well. Take freshly made thick fries using different ingredients – potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam and paneer – in a bowl and toss with salt. Then drizzle the sauce over them and mix well till every fry is well coated and serve at once with a sprinkling of coriander and tiny raw mango pieces. Spice Bowl Take boiled kabuli chana and moong sprouts in a bowl with salt, pepper, a bit of sugar and lemon juice. Add chopped mushrooms and bell peppers after they are lightly sautéed in butter over a low flame. Add tangy sauce from the previous recipe and serve hot on salty crackers or khakhras. Another option is to add chopped cucumber to cream cheese spread and top off the mixture with a generous dollop. Share your favourite 'study snack' recipes with other students through this publication. Email them to dnaeducation2012@gmail.com and dnaeducation@dnaindia.net

Deadline to register for campus visits extended!

Deadline to register for campus visits extended!

The DNA Education special feature on studying at Lonavala-Khandala and the opportunity to visit two elite institutions received a tremendous response. Since there are several inter-collegiate festivals being held during December, we were requested by students to conduct the visits in January. Accordingly, the visit and deadline to register for it have been extended. Hand over an 'account payee' cheque for Rs 250 in the name of 'Cyquator Media Services Pvt Ltd' at one of the DNA circulation offices listed below.

Elphinstone: Indiabulls Finance Centre, Tower 3, 11th Floor, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone (W), Mumbai - 013.

CST: Gala No. 46, Mahindra Chambers, D. N. Road, Above Mc Donalds, CST, Mumbai - 001.

Jogeshwari: 48-A, 2nd Floor, Satyam Industrial Estate, Subhash Road, Jogeshwari (E),

Mumbai - 060.

Borivali: 3-B, First Floor, Shakti Niwas, Next to Yashwant Shopping Center, 7th Kasturba Road, Borivali (E), Mumbai - 066.

Vasai: Gala No. 110, 1st Floor, Royal Shopping Centre, Ambadi Road, Nr. Manikpur Police Station, Vasai (W).

Thane: 101, 1st Floor, Shivanand Apartment, Londhe Compound, Opp. Rajmahal Lakhichand Jewellers, Thane - 602.

Vashi: 506/507, 3rd Floor, 'D' Wing, Vashi Plaza, Sector - 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 703.

DNA Press: Plot No. EL-201, TTC Industrial Area, MIDC, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 705.

Mention your full name, email id and contact number on the reverse. You will get an email regarding your registration and further details.

For clarifications please call Rajesh: 9833411823.

How to make Careers in real estate?

Careers in real estate

Is the Indian real estate sector the right place to make a serious career in now? Compared to more developed countries, the Indian real estate sector still lacks sophistication and transparency. However, it continues to be in the limelight of domestic and international investments. This has naturally brought on the need for better, more capable human resources. Though real estate is not nuclear science, there is a fair degree of complexity involved. As in any other business, real estate businesses operate either on: 1. The basis of knee-jerk reactions to currently existing market trends and opportunities 2. A learned understanding of the market, anticipation of emerging possibilities and with provisions for market integrity over the long term The first method is reactive and often opportunistic. The latter is based on information rather than gut-feelings, and results in assured growth rather than short-term gains via calculated risks. There is increased emphasis on the latter approach today – therefore, there is definitely scope for making a career as a real estate professional.

Go behind the scenes

Go behind the scenes

Remember the warning, which is shown before every movie begins saying that the plot and characters depicted are fictitious having no resemblance to reality? Guess what? Nobody reads it and those who do, forget it the minute the movie starts. The perils of choosing a career depicted quite often in movies hit home one day when I returned from office. My sister welcomed me with the song ‘Aali re...’ and the lyrics describing the journalist character essayed by Rani Mukherjee suddenly stopped being funny. Being termed an empty-hearted person who has a brain filled with chopped salad (bheje mein katchumber bharke dil ka pinjra khaali re) isn’t how anyone would like being welcomed home. Moreover, being a journalist I know for a fact that not all females in this profession use four-letter words indiscriminately but people expect it of me nevertheless. Similarly, journalists are not easily manipulated puppets who dance to the tunes of an unknown caller like the character portrayed by Deepal Shaw in the movie ‘A Wednesday’. Nor is reporting an unending trip in the glamour world as shown in ‘Page 3’ where the lead character attends constantly attends parties. In reality, reporters have to chase after experts to get quotes on flooding during the rains and air pollution during Diwali!

Parental pressure on children

In the article, ‘The burden of great expectations’ the writer, D Sheetal, has rightly pointed out that there is too much interference from the parents in the academic lives of their children without being realistic and without any understanding of their capabilities. They should be taken for what they are and should not be compared with the neighbours’ kids. It is also very necessary to find out what they are interested in instead of packing far too many items in their daily timetable like music, karate class, etc., without leaving enough time for themselves. It is enough if they see to it that before the examinations the children put in the required quantum of preparations and help them to be at ease.
­—Dr V Subramanyan, former
professor of Geology, IIT Bombay

While English films may seem more slick and impressive, Indian films are more relevant

‘Inspired’ by Bollywood or Hollywood movies?

While English films may seem more slick and impressive, Indian films are more relevant

The general perception of college students is that they like to bunk lectures and watch movies. What gets missed is that even students who religiously attend lectures six days a week do watch movies occasionally to unwind from the pressures of studying multiple ‘taxing’ subjects. Also, while students are not really supposed to take what happens in movies seriously, there are some instances when you get a fair idea of what a career involves by watching them. The question is whether you should consider Bollywood or Hollywood movies as an indication? Quite frankly, it’s a choice between style and substance. The character essayed by Jennifer Lopez in ‘The Wedding Planner’ may seem more professional but in the Indian context, a ‘Band Bajaa Baraat’ is much more relevant. Similarly, Tom Hanks may make a great soldier in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ but the characters in movies like ‘Border’ or ‘Prahaar’ give you a more realistic picture of what being in the Indian armed forces entails. Watching Shahrukh Khan as the chef in ‘Duplicate’ is an eye opener to the pressures that have to be dealt with while the prima donna act by Catherine Zeta Jones in ‘No Reservations’ would surely get you thrown out of a job here! Even if you feel like taking up teaching as a profession, it’s better to see a ‘Taare Zameen Par’ or ‘Paathshala’ rather than Sidney Poitier in ‘To Sir, With Love.’ Bollywood films have evolved to the extent that they don’t hesitate to show the realities of professions. So characters of doctors or even architects, while not comprehensive enough to give the complete picture, at least provide a fair idea of the challenges that lie ahead.

‘Students can get the best of both worlds’ Insights on the importance of a unique approach towards education and advantages of relevant tie-ups with universities abroad

‘Students can get the best of both worlds’

Insights on the importance of a unique approach towards education and advantages of relevant tie-ups with universities abroad

My approach towards education is that every person who gets an opportunity to contribute in any way in the field should try and do that. It is the most sacred profession, really satisfying and fulfilling. There is a difference between business and profession; I think even in profession, education has a special place. Kohinoor Education Trust (KET) subscribes to this view. Its institutions are well poised and equipped with the necessary facilities for the courses that KET delivers. The philosophy of the trust is to provide best quality education through the best facilities and best technology available while creating the foundation of the students based on our rich value system. All the skills that you can impart and master won't actually make you successful unless your foundation is based on core values and your values are very strong. That is what we believe in. All the institutions have a very strong philosophy based on our ancient and traditional value system. We also believe in providing the best facilities, technology and faculty. We have an extremely strong advisory board with people like the former vice chancellor, former UGC chairperson, the best brains in the industry.Effort is taken in researching courses needed by the industry at the moment and also in next 15-20 years; all those skills set are included. The world is becoming a global village so students should get relevant exposure at international level. To ensure this we already have tie-ups with two US universities. These tie-ups are done very selectively by us. We just don't go by foreign label; if it makes sense for our students and there is going to be any value addition for them only then are such tie-ups relevant. One who joins a PGDM or MBA with Kohinoor for two years has an option to go Georgia College and State University, do the second year there and get the full MBA degree from them. More importantly, special concessional fees are worked out. Then they also get an opportunity to do their internship with the US industry through Georgia and Valparaiso universities. Through Georgia they have opportunity to do an internship programme with Disneyworld also. Doing this, you can get the best of both worlds. You do part of the course in India, get the internship here and understand the ground reality of the market, which is one of the going to one of the top two largest market in the of world. Then, you go to the countries that already have the best practices in place, achieved lot of growth in their economy and see how it works. This can make a difference and the world opens up for students as far as career opportunity is concerned.

Teachers are role models Dr G Ramachandram

Teachers are role models

Dr G Ramachandram

In my observation, most of the teachers are poor communicators. They don’t make efforts to improve their communication skills. Although we can understand the regional accent of English language, the spoken English of teachers in most cases is faulty and grammatically incorrect. Some teachers, particularly those teaching mathematics and science subjects, even have the temerity to suggest that 'communication is not that important as the mastery of the subject.’ But how can a teacher make the students master his subject unless he communicates effectively in the medium of instruction in a correct and acceptable idiom? Not only is the communication poor, even the voice of most of the teachers is not audible beyond the front one or two rows. It is also unpleasant and embarrassing. Often teachers do not realise that raising and maintaining the voice at a certain level throughout the lecture session in a class of about 100 students is very important. A soft spoken voice and conversational language cannot make a lecture effective. The back benchers should be able to clearly hear what a teacher is saying from the podium or behind the table on the platform. It is desirable that a teacher uses a microphone with sound speakers while having absolute clarity of spoken language. Some teachers have a habit of sitting on the table or on a bench in the middle of the class room and talking to students. This is a very unhealthy practice. Many teachers walk into the class room without adequate preparation. Students are the best judges. They can make out how good or bad a teacher is in teaching. The most distressing thing is that teachers do not groom properly to make themselves more presentable in a class. They dress shabbily and walk into class rooms. Again, the attitude is, ‘it does not matter how you dress but how you teach.’ This attitude shows the low self esteem that teachers have of themselves. Students would like to see their teachers well dressed in a formal way. They do not respect teachers who are shabby since an average student being trendy is smartly dressed. Teachers should have a democratic temperament of tolerating different opinions, view points and disagreements of their students. They should be humane and humble. Teachers should be reasonable and impartial in treating students and should never identify them on the basis of caste or creed or region. To students, teachers are not only the depositories of knowledge, but also the role models and embodiment of ideals and values. A sincere and honest teacher commands more respect from his students. Dr G Ramachandram is a professor of Political Science and retired Principal, Kandivali Education Society’s College

MAAC celebrates tenth anniversary Presents 24 FPS Annual International Animation Awards 2012

MAAC celebrates tenth anniversary

Presents 24 FPS Annual International Animation Awards 2012

Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC) the 3D animation and VFX training institution, celebrated its tenth anniversary with the 24 FPS Annual International Animation Awards 2012. Organised by MAAC in association with the UNIC on December 7, 2012 at the Lalit Intercontinental in Mumbai, this year’s presentation had ‘Poised’ from MAAC’s Andheri centre in Mumbai, bagging the Best Animated Short Film 'Gold' award. The Best Visual Effects Short Film 'Gold' was won by ‘Karmchariiz’ from MAAC’s South Extension in Delhi. The one-day festival had interactive sessions with industry experts, exhibitions and entertaining competitions such as, MAAC Got Talent, LIVE Rock Band, B-Boying and Paint Yourself workshops. The winners were awarded certificates and exciting prizes on the spot. The event was hosted by actor Shibani Dandekar known for her stint in the television show 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa.' The dance performance by ‘Fictitious Troupe’ from the show 'India’s Got Talent' and stand-up comedy by ‘VIP’ from 'Comedy Circus' captivated the audience. Compared to the past eight years, with more than 250 entries from countries like China, USA, Singapore, France, Germany, and UK, 24 FPS rose to a level further this year, effectively promoting animation as the ‘Career of the Future’. The global jury panel comprised of personalities from the animation fraternity including Shelly Page from Dreamworks, Pete Draper from Makuta Studio, Merzin Taveria from Prime Focus, E Suresh from Eeksaurus, Viral Thakkar of Pixion, Mehul Hirani of Crest Animation Studios, Subhajit Sarkar of Rhythm & Hues and others. The competition was judged in a manner upholding the historical standard of excellence that 24 FPS represents. Vaibhav Kumaresh from Vaibhav studios and Gitanjali Rao, an independent animation film maker shared their experiences spent with MAAC students and the faculty members. Ninad Karpe, MD & CEO, Aptech Ltd, said, “We congratulate the animation enthusiasts for their wonderful efforts. We look forward to nourish and nurture these young and fresh artists and guide them in the chosen field. We have received tremendous support from UNIC and thank the organization for providing a platform to the budding artists.” Ram Warrier, business head, MAAC, said, “We are amazed at the response received for the event and happy to see such a massive crowd joining in our celebrations as we complete a decade this year. This time, we came across finest work done by our students and industry experts from India and abroad. The animation films were based on the theme 'The Future We Want,' showcasing insightful creativity of the artists. We hope to bring the best talent forward through such events in future.” Founded in 2001, MAAC has trained over 30000 students across the country. It has over 80 centers with cutting-edge infrastructure in over 40 cities. MAAC offers industry-relevant diploma courses on 3D animation and visual effects. It offers real-life training environment to the students backed by an excellent faculty, infrastructure, and the latest technical educational tools. MAAC’s students are placed as modeling artists, lighting artist, render artist, character animator, layout artist , digital sculptor, rigging artist, fx artist, roto artist, match mover, video editor, motion graphics artist, compositors, visualizes, content developers and pre and post production executives in blue chip animation studios and entertainment companies like Prime Focus, Rhythm & Hues Studios, Crest Animation Studios, BIG Animation, Cornershop, EFX, Toonz Animation, DQ Entertainment, Paprikaas Animation Studios,  NDTV, Studio 9, Redchillies.VFX, Vaibhav Studios, IBN7, Animax, Pixion and Tata Elxsi Ltd. etc.

How do movies influence career choices in college?

How do movies influence career choices in college?

Students share their perspectives on how the process works and why films inspire them to get into specific courses

I think that movies play a very important role in a student’s life and influence his or her decisions to a large extent. Personally, I am of the opinion that movies do affect one’s decisions from a career perspective as some part of us wants to be like the movie stars, adopt the way they talk, the way they dress, they way they behave, etc. Even the varied characters they play in the movies do affect a student’s psyche like no other thing can. Also, when students see their favourite stars 'on the job' and when they read about their life, they try to ape them in every way possible. For instance, the movie that has influenced me in a way is 'Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year' as they show his amazing marketing skills, the way of managing people and dealing with the tricks of seniors very brilliantly. Also, they show the character to be dedicated to his work. So, in a way the movie did inspire me to be as dedicated as the character academically and also to take up a stream, which allows me to take up a career in management in the future. —Priya Athwal, FYBA, GN Khalsa College of Arts Science and Commerce If you ask me whether films have played a part in my career choices and to get into specific courses, my answer would be no, not at all. While some movies are influential, they have not really inspired me to take up a career as such. But yes, some genres of movies are a great influence. However, they haven’t really affected my decisions as I am of the opinion that movies are a relaxing way to pass time. They are just made for entertainment purposes. Although the movie 'A Beautiful Mind' did inspire my interest in psychology, it did not really make me want to choose a career by itself. I think one should not really take movies very seriously. This is because movies in general, no however realistic they may be, are purely fictitious. Hence, they should only be considered to be a source of entertainment and not form the basis for career decisions. ­­—Divya Mistry, SYJC Arts, Ruia College of Arts and Science

Don't try to fit in, stand out instead!

Don't try to fit in, stand out instead!

Vocational education has diversified considerably and now exists in industries such as retail, tourism, information technology, funeral services and cosmetics, as well as in the traditional crafts and cottage industries. These days, students are increasingly opting for innovative courses that provide the scope to follow their passion and career opportunities in parallel fields are also on the rise. Ten years ago, if a student declared the intention to become a DJ or bartender, chances were parents would have him or her declared insane. Today, with both professions boasting of several names that have become celebrities in their own right, the opposition is considerably less. In fact, given the very high level of competition for traditional or normal careers, opting for offbeat courses in music, becoming a fitness trainer or a potential top chef would be a smart move indeed.

Take proper guidance from the experts

When you opt for a specialised course or even the basic stream of study, it is the first step towards building a career. Obviously then, such a decision should take several aspects into consideration, like your aptitude, interests, personality and so on. From Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ) tests to personal and online counselling, there are a variety of tools available to help you take an informed decision.
However, not all students go through this route. If they hear that their friends are opting for a particular course, some students happily queue up behind them. Regardless of it makes sense for them or not, they just prefer to play 'follow the leader.' Even if they overhear someone saying that a particular industry pays well or has perks that ensure a luxurious lifestle, such students will rush to sign up for the course.
If you are serious about taking up a career-oriented course, make an effort. Speak to professionals from that field, go online, try to find out what the real picture is. Only then should you take a step forward.

The character portrayed by your favourite actor in a movie does not reflect what you will get to do at the workplace in real life

Get real about reel careers

The character portrayed by your favourite actor in a movie does not reflect what you will get to do at the workplace in real life

What was the last time you saw a movie where the performance of your favourite actor made a strong impression? Inspired you to aspire for the same 'role' in real life? If that is the case, here's a reality check for you. One of the worst things you can do is take a course just because it leads on to a career that you saw in a movie, one which had a character portrayed by your favourite actor. The sad reality is that 'reel' careers are far removed from what happens at the workplace in real life. In some cases, the movies cover perhaps 2% of what the career entails; in most cases, not even that much. Movies are getting realistic and do show the dark side of careers, but they tend to exaggerate. While some movies end up overstating the advantages of a career, others show it in a highly negative light, dissuading even those who would legitimately want to pursure the profession. So keep in mind that while it is okay to enjoy movie characters within the multiplex, learn to say goodbye to them with the closing credits. Get back to real life and college courses.

WHAT EXACTLY IS DATA SCIENCE?

DATA DYNAMICS

Anjul Bhambhri, vice president, Big Data, IBM demystifies the new emerging field of data science

RECENT STATISTICS SHOW A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN JOBS IN DATA SCIENCE AND HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW HAS NAMED IT AS ONE OF THE TOP JOBS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS DATA SCIENCE? 

Data science is the mathematical mining of data for discovery of new knowledge. It requires leveraging big data by using advanced analytical tools, machine learning algorithms and building more accurate predictive models. 

WHAT IS BIG DATA? From a technologist’s standpoint, big data is about extracting insights from an immense volume, variety and velocity of data. At IBM, we define big data as: 1) Scale of volume-petabytes and zettabytes instead of terabytes of data. 2) Wider variety-beyond traditional data sources including machine data (logs, web logs, instrumentation data, and network data) and social data. 3) Generated with high velocity-Data generated by machines is multiplying quickly, and it contains valuable insights that need to be discovered.
WHAT DOES THE JOB OF A DATA SCIENTIST ENTAIL? Data scientists are the change agents in an organisation who perform the job of discovering “new” knowledge by examining data that may have inadvertently been ignored and not leveraged in the decision making process. They sometimes have been referred to as the ‘renaissance men’ or even the ‘Sherlock Holmes of data’. They require the ability to take data within and outside the enterprise, use advanced technologies to understand it, process it, extract new insights from it and communicate it to various stakeholders. In essence, data scientists need an innate desire to explore data.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE? Business intelligence involves database design, data warehousing, querying and reporting on data. It is all about managing, slicing/ dicing and reporting on business data in order to better manage the enterprise.
    However, classic data science problems are risk management, fraud detection, catching outliers, detecting anomalies, predicting and preventing customer churn, getting a 360 degree view of the customer, email/ call transcript analysis, optimising network operations and predicting maintenance windows to name a few.
WHY IS THIS RELATIVELY NEW PROFESSION ATTRACTING SO MUCH INTEREST?
There has been a data explosion in the last two years. Every day, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are being generated. If you think of the world as a digital universe then 90 per cent of the world’s data was created in the last two years. And at the same time, there has also been a breakthrough on the technology front which is making it possible for businesses to analyse and make business decisions by leveraging all of this data and not just subsets of data. This has created a new profession, that of a data scientist, a role that can make data the new oil for businesses.
    All industries are now hiring data scientists-financial sector, banks, retail, insurance, healthcare, energy and utility, marketing and media, academia, intelligence community, and so forth. 

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS ASPIRANTS NEED TO HAVE? Data scientist skills are part science and part art. Aspirants usually require technical expertise in some scientific discipline, for example, a strong background in mathematics, statistics, machine learning. In addition, they need to either have subject matter expertise in the domain/ business that they are working in.
    In addition, they need to have curiosity, along with the ability to go beneath the surface and distill a problem down into a very clear set of hypotheses. Data scientists need “out-of-the-box” thinking and the ability to look at a problem differently.
    Storytelling is another skill they need to have. This is the ability to use data to tell a story and to be able to communicate it effectively. 

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? Foundation for the cities of future will be the network and information they carry, enabling the delivery of vital services from transportation utilities and security to entertainment, education, and healthcare. Everything will be connected, intelligent, and green: offices, buildings, appliances, hospitals and schools. The list of possibilities is endless.
    Analytics on big data makes it possible to predict and solve problems that were not possible before and data science is the discipline that is enabling all this. Data scientist will be a very exciting and satisfying career in the next decade.
    —As told to Ruchi Kumar

Completed Master’s in Social and Cultural Psychology from the London School of Economics. She shares her experience of studying and living in the UK

STUDENT SPEAK

London Eye

Completed Master’s in Social and Cultural Psychology from the London School of Economics. She shares her experience of studying and living in the UK

I could describe my time as a master’s student at LSE in one phrase—it was worth it—worth the sleepless nights during the application process, writing unending essays to earn scholarships, the anxiety of leaving home for the first time, finding my bearings in a foreign country, acclimatising to a drastically different education system—it was all worth it; for in return, I gained an enriching experience of a lifetime.
    In the beginning one is bound to feel lost; but all universities are equipped to help international students find their way. From assistance with accommodation to tips for writing a dissertation, the student service centre at your university will guide you at every step; all you have to do is ask. Since LSE is a research intensive university, there is emphasis on independent thinking and critical analysis of theories. We would be encouraged to develop a unique point of view.
    Living in London was overwhelming at first. The cultural diversity is welcoming. It is a city bustling with energy and exciting things to do. It is also a student friendly city, so look out for student discounts at local eateries, cinema halls and even entry into tourist attractions.
    If you’re a student going to London, here are a few do’s and don’ts:
    Choose a university based on the course and the location as well. Keep in touch with the university’s admission’s office for guidance on scholarships to assistance with your visa application.
    Carry clothes which can be worn in layers. Avoid packing heavy winter wear, it is better to buy it in UK; there is a greater variety and they are better suited for the weather. Carry stationery as well, it’s easier to carry than spare the three pounds for a pen.
    Avoid carrying toiletries – they are very reasonably priced in the UK. Avoid carrying kitchen utensils, at most you may want to carry a small pressure cooker.
    Open a bank account and get yourself a student Oyster card (for public transport).
    Move out of your comfort zone; make effort to interact with other international students. Keep abreast with seminars, workshops and events happening on campus.
    Don’t hesitate to talk to your professors, course mates. Ask questions and avoid studying last minute.
    Finally, don’t lose touch with the people you have met. Join alumni networks and stay connected! Eventually, all that matters is what you take from the experience. So go with an open mind and make the most of everyday you spend in the UK; it promises to be the one of your life’s most memorable phases.
    —As told to Ruchi Kumar

The world will need more entrepreneurs than ever to turn 21st century challenges into opportunities. Tirna Ray finds out why

WHAT AN IDEA

The world will need more entrepreneurs than ever to turn 21^st century challenges into opportunities. Tirna Ray finds out why

    Recession, global economic slowdown and now the Eurozone crisis have established an element of uncertainty in the air. A regular job is no longer the answer to one’s career apprehensions, but the beginning. With pink slips and pay cuts becoming 21^st century realities, the world is in need of ideas, innovations, creative solutions and fresh perspectives that can cater to the changing market demands, emerging economies and a new world order.
    So what is the solution? How can one create more jobs? How can it be ensured that the jobs are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable? Entrepreneurship is the
answer, feel academics, industry leaders and global thinkers across the world. As Tugrul Atamer, vice-president, EMLYON Business School, France, points out, “In the next half century, with the world facing challenges and discontinuities, we will, more than ever, need entrepreneurs in all domains. Only entrepreneurs can turn these challenges into opportunities and bring about change that will take us into a more sustainable and equitable era by 2050.”
    The times may be uncertain, but opportunities are ample, feels Melissa Kushner, founder of ‘goods for good,’ who works with orphans in Malawi, Africa. In essence, ‘goods for good’ aims to meet the immediate needs of children and builds businesses with community centres to sustain orphan care. “For our generation, it is a wake up call, which says that the banks may not always be at the top of the world. The challenge is to think creatively. Our generation is not only looking at different ways to get employed and earn money, but also to make the world a better, safer and stable place. The ownership is on us.”
    Steven Fang, group CEO of Cordlife and deputy chairman of ACE, Singapore, agrees to say that the resurgence of entrepreneurship has been in the making for a long time. Considering the
way in which the business world and the market place have evolved in the last 20/30 years, he strongly believes that the rate of change has been pushed along with the development of new technologies like internet, biotech, etc. The pace of change for these markets has been so fast that the products and services that are being designed and built by big companies are catering to yesterday’s needs.
    “Therefore, you would require companies that are flexible and responsive to today’s market needs. That is a gap that can be filled in by future entrepreneurs. A start-up company, as we assume, will be more flexible and in tune with what the market needs are,” he says.
    While entrepreneurship is the future roadmap, an entrepreneurial ecosystem is the platform for successful implementation of innovations and ideas. In fact, drawing a parallel with the bioeco system, Lily Chan, CEO, NUS Enterprise, National University of Singapore (NUS), says that certain concepts in biological ecosystems translate well to the business world. For instance, Chan stresses that similar to ecology, a business must find its niche in order to survive. Also, she adds that creating a network of entrepreneurs — virtually or through geographical clusters — is one of the key elements of an effective ecosystem.
    The world seems to be having similar kind of problems. So reiterating the need to facilitate a culture of entrepreneurship among communities, Inderjit Singh, chairman, Enterprise Committee; board member, NTU (Nanyang Technological University) and member of Parliament, Singapore, says that if we can all come together, we may be
    able to build an ecosystem, which is conducive to entrepreneurship.
    As part of a favourable ecosystem, it is also imperative to focus on entrepreneurship education. While fresh approaches need to be taken into account and an entrepreneurial mindset needs to be promoted, Sarah Green, cofounder of EMPACT, a social enterprise, is of the opinion that higher education needs to adapt to new practices such as co-learning and mentoring.
    While a new breed of young entrepreneurs are ready to take on the world, Kushner has a word of advice for them: “There will be a lot of ups and downs. While the highs are the best highs one can have, the lows are the worst lows that one can be victims of. Overcome those lows, because if there were no lows there would be no highs. So don’t give up. If your first idea doesn’t work, try another. Seek the advice of your contemporaries, people who are a bit ahead of you as well as people who are a bit behind you. Learn from each other and support each other.”
(The speakers were participants at the recently-held World
    Entrepreneurship Forum 2012 in Lyon, France)

Amid downturn, hefty offers good news for engg students

MUMBAI: The average annual salary on offer during campus recruitment has risen at engineering colleges across the city, with hefty pay packets being discussed at several institutes other than IIT-Bombay.
Students at the city’s Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-B) tend to bag the highest-paying jobs — this year’s highest annual package is reportedly R81 lakh — but placements at other engineering institutes are also on the upswing this year.
At Thadomal Shahani Engineering College in Bandra, the annual average salary offered rose from R3 lakh last year to R4 lakh this year. At the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) in Matunga, it rose from R4.75 lakh to R5.2 lakh. And at Veermata Jijabai Techno-logical Institute (VJTI) in Matunga, from R3.5 lakh to R4.5 lakh.

Placements are still underway at these institutes, so the average package offered is likely to go up further, officials said.
“We are seeing increased competition between companies, which has driven salary packages up,” said Virendra Rathod, head of the placement and training cell at ICT.
Added GT Thampi, principal of Thadomal: “This is unexpected. There has been a turnaround in IT. The recession seems not to have affected placements.”

Work-from-home staff toil harder They add 5-7 hours to the standard work-week

Work-from-home staff toil harder

They add 5-7 hours to the standard work-week

Employees who work from home slog away for at least seven hours a week longer than those in office, according to a new study published in the Monthly Labour Review. Researchers at the University of Texas in Austin, the US, found that contrary to popular opinion, home workers toil harder than their colleagues who commute, and that teleworking is not helpful in reducing work-family conflicts. The study found that employees who work from home add 5-7 hours to the standard 40-hour week compared with those who work exclusively at the office, the Daily Express of the UK reported. Employees admitted to using technology such as email to perform office work even when sick or on vacation. The study found that so-called teleworking blurs the boundary between work and home. Rising petrol prices and increasing demand for a more equal work-life balance had prompted many white-collar staff to work from home. The researchers also found that parents with dependent children are no more likely to work from home than the population as a whole.

Author of “The 12 Pillars of Project Excellence: A Lean Approach to Improving Project Results”

Path Of the Sensei

Author of “The 12 Pillars of Project Excellence: A Lean Approach to Improving Project Results” and co-Author of “The Lean Handbook: A Guide to the Bronze Certification Body of Knowledge”,  the Texas based, Adil Dalal is a world renown success guide, who has shared the dais with personal motivation greats including Deepak Chopra amongst others of the Hall of fame.  CEO of Pinnacle Process Solutions International, LLC, Chair of Human Development & Leadership division of ASQ, he is a much sought after international speaker, an executive coach and the host of an international radio talk Show “See2B” on the Amazing Men of Power Network. With his leveraged expertise in Business Excellence, Project Leadership and Advanced Flow Technology, this Guru or may we say ‘Sensui’, who is now in India, in an exclusive for the Afternoon, in his own words describes the easy path to success…

“You are more than you can ever imagine” is my personal motto and belief.  I truly believe that within any entity, including an individual, a team, a corporation or even a nation, exists a latent potential which is waiting to be discovered. A human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons and trillions of connections making it one of the most complicated structures in the universe. The brain has approximately 100 times more processing power than even a modern super-computer. Apart from our bodies, even the human spirit holds within it an amazing reservoir of highly potent energy which can transform corporations and even nations. Have you ever wondered why are we endowed with such amazing power?  Why has such power been designed into our DNA? I am not sure of the answer yet, but I am quite positive that it is an immoral waste if we allow it to lay dormant within us for most of our lives. Unlocking this latent potential can truly transform this planet.

Why do I believe that it is critical for all of us to aspire to reach the highest potential?  Well, the global and national landscapes today clearly indicate some fundamental flaws in our existing way of life.  As a race, we are facing crisis on several fronts – economic, social, ecological, and above all a crisis of personal responsibility and leadership.  Stress on employees globally is also a growing epidemic. 

But, how can we discover this latent potential within individuals, teams, corporations and nations? That discovery cannot be made with the existing mind-set, but by developing a new mind-set of an unwavering pursuit of excellence in everything we do.   How does one go about developing this new mind-set? There are several ways to do that. One of the easiest ways is be inspired by words of those have experienced it first-hand.   For example, Vinci Lombardi, head coach of the Green Bay Packers which won numerous championships, once said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” According to Steve Jobs, “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and everyone should be really excellent.  Because this is our life.” It is also important to understand that excellence is not perfection—perfection is a requirement for robots; humans can only aspire for excellence.

I have been asked many times which of the 12 Pillars are most critical to achieving excellence within an organization.  This is a tough question to answer because just as a parent is proud of all their children, I think all the Pillars are equally important.  However, in order to truly discover and live up to our latent potential, Pillar 1 on leadership, Pillar 11 on making organizations stress-free zones and Pillar 12 on the “appreciating assets”, are the most critical Pillars to understand and apply.
Pillar 1 is absolutely critical to address the leadership crisis in corporations and in nations.  Having a mind-set of a master leader or a Sensei Leader will be absolutely necessary for future leaders.  In the book I provide a formula for transformation from the mind-set of management to that of a Sensei Leader.  The key is that every manager needs to acquire 5 powers which are:

The Power of Delegation
The Power of Dynamic Leadership
The Power of Visualization
The Power of Lean Thinking, and
The Power of Humility

Of the above 5 powers the Power of Visualization is my absolute favorite.  Unleashing the V-Factor, which has its basis in neuroscience, can help transform individuals, organizations and even nations.  The Power of Visualization has been used by many great leaders like Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. to transform corporations and nations. 

It has also been used by several celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Jim Carrey and others to transform their lives.  Sports legends like golfer Jack Nicklaus, Olympic skiing champions like John Claude Tilly, baseball stars like Sean Casey have all used this power to scale to the height of their profession.  Even the US military and the elite forces around the globe are using the power of visualization to be at their absolute best.  However, most leaders and individuals are using this intermittently as they do not know how to consistently use this power for best results.  My upcoming book “The V-factor” will demonstrate how the art of visualization can be converted to a science which can be learned and applied on a consistent basis by leaders and individuals to transform themselves, their organizations and even their nations.

Pillar 11 discusses a topic very seldom openly discussed in organizations – stress on employees. A recently published Harris Interactive survey revealed that 73% of Americans consider themselves to be stressed at work.  In countries like India the numbers may be even higher as just getting to work in the daily chaos called “traffic” is enough to stress out even the most blissful individual. 

Several doctors and neuroscientists have confirmed that stress can cause physiological disorders, lead to diseases and can also lead to permanent damage for some individuals. In the present day of intense global competition and extreme economic pressures, no one seems to want to understand the impact of stress on workplace productivity, student productivity and on long-term effects of a chronically stressed population. No one is immune from the impact of stress - but young executives, managers and even students are most at risk for heart attacks, psychosomatic disorders and even cancer, all resulting from acute stress. The corporations are sometimes their own worst enemies and add to the stress rather than attempt to reduce it. Leaders in the organizations unknowingly perpetuate stress by their lack of direction, unclear requirements, poor planning, lack of understanding of individual stressors, extra-tight deadlines, over allocation or disproportionate responsibilities. This leads to burnout, poor performance, poor quality, increased failure rate, physical and emotional problems, team conflicts and overall inferior results. Thus, stress is not just a personnel problem; it is an organizational dilemma impacting national productivity. It needs immediate attention.

What can one do to reduce stress? Well, the first step towards solving any problem is the awareness of the problem and an acknowledgement that it exists and needs to be solved. The human performance curve consists of five zones which represent the areas of stress levels that every person goes through:
1.    Zone of boredom
2.    Zone of safe work
3.    Zone of fatigue
4.    Zone of exhaustion, and
5.    Zone of injury or breakdown.  

Pillar 11 identifies the 6th zone called the Pinnacle Performance Zone.  The Pinnacle Performance Zone is similar to the zone in which great Olympic athlete’s train– constantly pushing them just beyond the comfort zone for an ultimate breakthrough performance for individuals and for teams. There is also an advanced software developed also called the Pinnacle Performance Zone which allows executives, employees and teams to train within an environment where they can identify their zone of optimal performance. This training when applied to their professions allows employees, managers and leaders to work smarter not harder, rapidly increase their productivity by at least 20% to over 50%. Can organizations afford to train their employees like athletes? Today, with the level of performance and accuracy required in order to be globally competitive; allowing employees to train like Olympic athletes and be in the ‘optimal zone’ is not a luxury but an immediate need not only for corporations, but also for nations.

Pillar 12 talks about “appreciating assets”. I truly believe that, “Things do not appreciate; only people do!  Buildings and equipment can only provide a static structure; but only our employees can help define the dynamic culture needed for retaining and delighting customers in this ultra-competitive global playground.

Tangible assets like buildings, machinery, software, and even products do not appreciate in value over time; rather it is the talent, vision, skills, leadership, knowledge, and creativity of employees that drive a company’s results. People should be considered as the prime appreciating assets in any organization. Some companies use this notion as a slogan, but only a few organizations truly believe it.

In order to build the “roof of excellence” consisting of delighted customers, profitable business, and loyal employees; a strong “foundation” consisting of skills and talents of the employees needs to be in place and constantly strengthened by “appreciating these assets. A chronically stressed workforce puts the entire organizational structure at risk.  What causes chronic stress? Apart from the obvious financial factor, some key non-financial contributors to stress are unclear requirements, poor or inadequate planning and lack of emphasis on understanding an individual’s talents and skills.  Another key contributor of stress among employees is the lack of control on their daily operations and in decision making. Organizations can use simple techniques like involving the employees in creative problem solving and in lean kaizen events where the employees feel that they have been in control and have made decisions impacting the future of the company.

Challenging the employees to use their creativity to solve corporate problems, allows the corporation to save on capital expenditure, which can be invested back in the training and development of the appreciating assets – a win-win situation.  

Organizations which decide to retain their employees during downturn get benefits in excess 200% over those who decide to down-size.  The reason is that people who are highly motivated, tap into the core of their creativity and achieve results beyond their wildest dreams – another win-win situation.  In a vast majority of cases, the success or failure of any initiative will depend on the people who execute it rather than on any equipment, consultant, software, or other tools and techniques. 

People being the key common denominator for success, focusing on the “human assets” and “appreciating these assets” is the most intelligent action any supervisor, manager, leader or executive can take for long-term success of the organization. It is a simple, common sense solution which can help several organizations overcome current economic woes.  But then, sadly, very few leaders believe in simplicity and common sense solutions these days, and the results are quite evident.  For a better future, it is vital for leaders to get back to the basics and focus on strengthening the foundation of the organization by appreciating their human assets.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The future depends on what we do in the present”.  I hope we, as individuals, as corporations and as nations, make a conscious choice and a diligent effort to be “more than we can ever imagine starting NOW!
In my book, “The 12 Pillars of Project Excellence: A Lean Approach to Improving Project Results”, I have attempted to provide a step-by-formula not only for project excellence but also for individual excellence and for overall business excellence. The12 Pillars are as follows:

1.    Five powers required to transform to a master leader

2.    Creating a balanced project/organizational structure

3.    Delighting the customers using vision statements

4.    Preventing scope creep using a signed charter

5.    Communicating like a leader by diffusing the passion

6.    Utilizing lean thinking to add value to customers

7.    Minimizing death of resource efficiency due to meetings (meeticide)

8.    Taking calculated Risks

9.    Identifying value-added data in the age of too much information

10.    Learning from failures

11. Making projects/organizations less stressful, and

12.    Investing in your “appreciating assets” (people)
Adil Dalal holds several degrees, including  a MSE in Engineering Management, a MSE inMechanical Engineering and a BSE in Automotive Engineering.

Additionally, he holds numerous certifications, including a Certified Project Manager (PMP), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Lean Bronze Professional (LBC) and Certified Executive Coach (BCC). Adil Dalal is a registered training provider for Lean Certification classes through SME, ASQ, AME and Shingo Prize. Adil resides in Austin, Texas, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Performance Psychology.

He has leveraged his expertise in Business Excellence, Project Leadership and in Advanced Flow Technology to increase the performance of organizations around the world. His mastery has made him a sought after strategic business partner and executive coach as he continues to drive excellence by implementing strategies for growth and long-term success.

His mission is to focus on enhancing the value of the ‘appreciating assets’ and optimizing the human potential in addition to developing the necessary technical skills for ensuring the long term success of individuals and corporations.