BW BUSINESSWORLD 26 MARCH 2022

Mission (SBM) in October 2014, making “This changed disposition of Photographs: Allg
our job much easier.” The ISC has since corporates vis-à-vis
worked in partnership with the Union sanitation is likely to go a long involvement in the Swachh Bharat Mis-
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanita- way in helping India achieve sion has been bringing the private sector
tion and Union Ministry of Housing and its targets of ODF on board the SBM. “This changed dispo-
Urban Development (Mohua) on sanita- sustainability,” sition of corporates vis-à-vis sanitation
tion projects across the country. is likely to go a long way in helping India
NATASHA PATEL, CEO, ISC achieve its targets of ODF sustainability.
Over the past eight years, says the And ISC is committed to partnering with
ISC Chair, the “Swachh Bharat Mis- have been engaged in the operation and them to achieve these objectives,” says ISC
sion (SBM) has saved millions of lives maintenance of treatment facilities (SeT- CEO, Natasha Patel.
and has had a lasting impact on health, Ps) in eight cities; in Jharkhand, trained
environment, household income and women masons built over 15 lakh toilets A recent initiative led by ISC in collabo-
savings, national income and savings, in one year, and the state was declared ration with the Department of Drinking
inclusiveness for senior citizens and the open defecation free (rural) much ahead Water and Sanitation, Union Ministry of
differently-abled, and most importantly of the national cut-off date of October 2, Jal Shakti, has been named the 100-dis-
the safety and dignity of women.” The 2019,” she says. tricts model block or village initiative.
mission achieved all these goals by sim- “Through this initiative, corporates, de-
ply constructing toilets within homes and The most outstanding impact of ISC’s velopment partners, and the government
schools. It has now embarked on address- would work together to achieve sustain-
ing sustainable liquid and solid waste able solid and liquid waste management
disposal (SLWM), which will at one go in villages of selected 100 districts and
prevent contamination of waterways and demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency
make the village environment disease- in the implementation of SLWM arrange-
free and pristine. ments that could be scaled up across the
country,” says Naina Lal Kidwai.
The biggest beneficiary of the Swachh
Bharat Mission have been rural women. A clean India where urban facili-
A study conducted by the UNICEF, ties stretch into the rural backwaters
BMGF, and Sambodhi on the SBM’s and bridge that ugly divide between the
impact on women in 2020 revealed that privileged and the under-privileged is
88 per cent of women emerged as proud no longer a dream, but a blueprint. “We
owners of a toilet. Naina Lal Kidwai says need more private sector engagement and
women were now quickly and ardently more NGOs and practitioners,” says Patel.
coming forward to lead SBM projects. Even so, a beginning has been made.
“For example, in Odisha, women and
transgender Self-Help Groups (SHGs) *Read the conversation with Lal

Kidwai and Patel on businessworld.in

[email protected]

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 97

IN CONVERSATION

Thinking
big: Baba
Kalyani, CMD,
Bharat Forge
& Kalyani

Defence

“WITHIN A YEAR, YOU
WILL SEE A LIGHT TANK
COMING OUT OF OUR

WORKSHOPS”

98 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

Fire power: Kalyani Defence is developing a range of field artillery including ATAGS (L) and Garuda 105

BabaKalyani,CMD,BharatForge&KalyaniDefence,inaninteraction
withBWBusinessworld’sManishKumarJha,talksabouthiscompany’s
effortstoachieveindigenouscapabilitiesfortheIndianarmedforces
aswellhisvisionfordevelopingcriticaladvancedmaterialsaswellas
complexstructuresforaeroenginesandpropulsion.Editedexcerpts

For decades, the Indian Army has been looking for a Our level of expertise in metallurgy is extremely high,
robust artillery system. You have thought of bringing even globally. So I think it’s a very natural that we look at
your critical experience in metallurgy into building the artillery gun. What are the main parts of an artillery
artillery guns. But defence is about heavy investment gun? It’s the gun barrel, the breech, the recoil system and
and a long acquisition process. What inspired you to the muzzle. Rest of it is just fabrication. Then there’s the
take the plunge and make it the core of your vision? control system, which is a lot of electronics, etc. So we
Everything that you do has to make business sense. So make our own barrels. And that’s the most difficult part.
that’s a normal process. For us, being in the defence sec- We have a huge capacity and two production lines. We
tor is not something new. We have been present in the make our own breech, recoil systems, and muzzle brakes.
defence sector from the day I started working in 1972. Now we make our own electronic control systems that go
Except in those days, private sector participation in the into this. We have a lot of sub-supplies who we work with,
defence sector was largely confined to being sub-suppli- but they’re all local. Now, if you don’t make these things
ers to ordnance factories. So in the 70s, for example, we and you still say you make artillery guns, it’s meaningless.
used to make 81mm mortars for the Indian Army. In the
80s we started making larger mortars, 120mm; 105mm, How difficult it is to get into making big advanced
120mm and 130mm shells; and later in the 90s when artillery kind of machine, which requires a long ges-
the Kargil operation started, India ran out of ammuni- tation period of trials and rigorous efforts?
tion for its Bofors 155mm artillery guns, and we got an Actually, if you look at the ATAGS programme, it was
emergency request from the MoD to make ammunition. begun by DRDO. The basic design is from DRDO, and
So we did a lot of that. they chose production partners. This programme should
have been over a long time ago. Our problem largely is
So we’ve been in defence for a long period of time. The that it takes just too long a time.
basic reason for this is that defence by and large, at least
in areas of defence land systems, artillery guns, smaller For testing, having test facilities available is important.
arms, armoured vehicles and to some extent aircraft, is Although such facilities are available to the private sec-
largely dependent on sophisticated metallurgical skills tor now, there is always a queue as there are not enough
and metallurgical components, which has been our area facilities. You need to have almost double or triple the
of expertise, and still is. number of test ranges.

Photographs: BharatForge 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 99

IN CONVERSATION

One platform has been Unmanned MPV: ECARS
tested for almost close to
four to six months in the 6x6 is a multi-terrain vehi-
mountains, which is ours,
what we call as Garuda. It’s cle developed by Kalyani
a very, very unique technol-
ogy. It’s a 3-ton 105mm field Group
gun. Now, this is the capa-
bility that we have. It’s been pect the advanced towed
tested even on the vehicle on artillery guns system
which this gun sits. So we (ATAGS) to be inducted
not only design the gun, we by the Indian Army?
can design the vehicle. We I hope this year. I’m ex-
can do all this thing. pecting not only the
ATAGS to be inducted.
You have been focusing I’m also hoping that our
on the lighter infantry Garuda gets inducted. I’m
field artillery platforms. What are your priority ar- also hoping that pro light
eas given that trials are so rigorous and a costly affair weapon gets inducted.
too? How painful has been the journey? Timings may be different,
First of all, I don’t think the journey has been painful. We but I think at some point, the system will realise that
have fired almost 2,800 rounds. I don’t think anybody here’s a company that has the capability and the maturity
fires that many rounds for trials. But with that experience, to design, develop and produce an indigenous product,
when we fielded our 105mm light gun mounted on a ve- a real Atmanirbhar product and not dependent on any-
hicle, we fired only 60 rounds. Of course, you go through body else.
further trials, but we were able to prove that everything
works exactly the way it should work. What is your thought on the light tank? The Indian
Army has let out a RFI and light tank is such a neces-
So, I think it’s also a learning curve. It’s also sity for the mountain corps division...
an experience when you do anything for the Just wait for a year. You will see a light tank coming out
first time, I mean the 155mm, 39-calibre of our workshops.
ultra-light Howitzer, and at a very com-
petitive cost. What about the design?
We’re already working on it.
And we have now made a truck
mounted gun system (MGS) of 155mm Please do elaborate more in terms of weight in the
/ 39 calibre. We have done the initial pro- RFI which is 25 tonnes, a stringent requirement,
filing on that. We still have to do a and the firepower that nobody in the world has done
lot of tests on that, but perfor- so far...
mance is excellent. If you see
the videos of that firing the Nowhere in the world has anybody made a
truck doesn’t even move. 105mm artillery gun weighing 900 kg. All
the 105mm artillery guns in the world weigh
In most Indian defence plat- 3 tonne (3,000 kg). 105mm is the small-
forms, usually the electronic est gun and the Indian army has almost
is all coming from outside. We 2,000 guns that was the old British field
earlier had electronics coming gun. They were the mainstay of our
from outside, but during Covid artillery in the old days; then came
we were able to develop every- the 130mm, which the Russians got.
thing here. So now it’s a 100 per And then the NATO came up with
cent indigenous gun. And the ad- 155mm, which has now become pretty
vantage now is we can keep mak- much standard calibre.
ing it. We are expecting this gun If we can design a 900 kg gun, which weighs 3
fires 48 kilometres.” tonne all over the world, you think we can’t design
a tank, which weighs 50 tonne to 25 tonne?

So when you do you ex- [email protected]

Photographs: BharatForge 100 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

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IN DEPTH REALESTATE

BARELY70DAYSAGO,whileprovidingitsout- HOUSE OF
look for 2022, Knight Frank India, a leading WOES
real estate consultancy firm said that housing
prices may rise 5 per cent during 2022 on im- The contraction of the
proved demand. Similarly, a CII-ANAROCK
Consumer Survey – H2 2021 said 56 per cent construction indutry in the
respondents expect the housing prices to rise in 2022. “The
housing prices are likely to rise 5-8 per cent in 2022 due to third quarter along with the
increased input cost pressure and supply chain issues. Hard-
ening interest rates, which are very likely in the second half of rising cost of essential raw-
2022, will be another factor driving up the overall acquisition
cost for homebuyers,” Anuj Puri, Chairman, ANAROCK materials and ‘wait-n-watch’
Group said. The survey concluded that a sub-10 per cent
price increase would have a moderate-to-low impact. How- by potential homebuyers may
ever, an increase of more than 10 per cent would have more
profound repercussions on buyer sentiment. Therefore, the flounder the overall revival
larger takeaway is: “Pay more for your home in 2022.”
narrative By Ashish Sinha
Then comes the Russia-Ukraine crisis. As a result of that,
the Brent oil prices have risen by 29 per cent globally. In In- at about a million units. That is 10 lakh units of ready-to-
dia, increase in crude prices will push the domestic fuel prices occupy houses. But the supply is just about 20 per cent of
which in turn will impact the transportation cost that alone that requirement (based on 2021 numbers; it’s even lower
accounts for 20 per cent of the total construction costs. Steel for 2020). And that is why there exists a perpetual ‘pent-
prices have risen by about 17 per cent in just a week. Cement up demand’ for housing units that keep driving the prices
prices are rising too. “The combined impact of this surge in northwards, irrespective of the sales figures for any particular
input costs is likely to escalate cost of construction and thus year. Another reason: owning a home is aspirational. And
impact pricing in the real estate sector,” says Ramesh Nair, anything aspirational comes with a higher price tag.
CEO, India & Managing Director, Market Development,
Asia at Colliers. Even though housing loans continue to corner a lion’s
share in organised borrowing, there is not enough delivery
The Numbers Game happening. Those who can afford to take risk, avail these
Before moving ahead, it’s important to understand the ‘why’ loans and wait for delivery (it is 24-36 months for a reputed
aspect of housing prices hardening despite any major uptick builder; much more for the rest). In the meantime this great
in buying trends. For the calendar year 2021, developers sold mismatch continues to make fence-sitters out of lakhs of
2.06 lakh homes (across top eight cities that are indicative willing homebuyers.
of overall housing market trends). In simpler terms, this
number means an average per day sale of 547 housing units Meanwhile, prices of essentials for the housing sector —
in 2021. In itself, the number sounds fantastic for the devel- land, cement, steel, labour — continues to go north across
opers, not so much for the end-consumer as it is far from the the top eight housing markets in the country. From Octo-
potential demand for houses. ber 2021 till about January 2022, cement prices rose every
month. The same was true for steel. Both cement and steel
Overall, industry reports peg the annual demand for are essential raw materials used in construction, especially
homes (for the middle-to-high income group categories) housing. Irrespective of the fact that the housing market has
been stagnant for the past several years, neither the house
prices have declined, nor the consumer sentiments have
shown any significant sign of easing. Lower interest rates
for the past 24 months or so has also not helped in boost-
ing demand for houses in any major way primarily because
construction is a capital- and time-intensive sector. Access
to cheap capital remains a challenge for most developers.

102 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

In the coming months, experts say, the Even though tributed to low base effect).
government would continue to tackle housing loans This sector encompasses all kind of con-
rising inflation and growing stagnation,
both worrisome factors for any miracu- continue struction—roads, bridges, railway network,
airports, buildings, warehouse, housing,

lous turnaround in consumer sentiments. to corner a commercial, etc. It accounts for 5-7 per cent
Yet, whatever stock of under-construction lion’s share of the overall gross domestic product of the
houses, particularly those in the price rang- country. In terms of employment genera-

es of under Rs 60 lakh, Rs 80 lakh and Rs in organised tion, it is considered the second largest af-
1 crore, they seem to give no indication of borrowing, ter agriculture. Therefore, it is pertinent to
any panic selling (at revised prices) or big understand that any fluctuations in con-
there is not
discounts or a cut in retail price of housing struction has a wide-ranging impact. Why?

units. Developers remain steadfast about enough delivery Because it is inter-linked with the entire
higher sales because of pent-up demand ( of houses) supply-chain network—manufacturing
for owning one’s own property, particularly and selling of cement, steel, raw-materials,

among the salaried class, non-resident In- happening labour to the end-use projects getting op-
dians and others with access to wealth. erationalised. However, here we have dealt

with the impact on housing, an important

Construction Sector & GDP subset of construction.

The latest set of data points on GDP show that the construc- The cost of construction of housing units itself has seen

tion sector contracted in the October–December quarter of an escalation in recent years. The average cost for a 1,000 sq

the current financial year and manufacturing barely man- ft house swings between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 25 lakh or even

aged to remain flat. The construction sector witnessed a more. The cost of labour is also at an all-time high. Bottom-

contraction of 2.8 per cent at Rs 2,66,947 crore in Q3 FY22, line: Owning your own dream home in 2022 may just be

compared with Rs 2,74,752 crore in Q3 FY21. In Q3 FY21, limited to a select group of lucky ones, like previous years.

the construction sector witnessed a growth of 6.6 per cent

over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal (at- [email protected]; @Ashish_BW

Photograph by Manu Bahuguna 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 103

104 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

IN CONVERSATION

“PRICESWILL
RISEINCOMING
QUARTERS”

BomanRustom will eventually perforce have to pass on some of the bur-
Irani, Chairman den. As a result, the government’s continued assistance,
and Managing which includes stamp duty reductions and historically low
Director, home loan rates, will help the industry maintain its strong
Rustomjee Group, growth. Even though raw material prices are a part of the
President Elect, cause for the price increase, it is also proportional to the
CREDAI National as well as growth in demand from buyers. Because of the introduc-
President, CREDAI MCHI talks tion of digital technologies, the industry has remained
toASHISH SINHAofBW resilient and constantly met the demands of buyers.
Businessworld on the various
industry and region specific What are some of the items on your agenda as the newly
challenges for developers, elected president?
homebuyers and the overall The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations
housing business. Excerpts (CREDAI) is committed to act as a catalyst and provider to
serve the holistic development of the Mumbai Metropoli-
How do you think the increased prices will affect home- tan Region (MMR) and of the industry. In 2022 we shall be
buyers in India? The real estate market in India has focusing on our well-received, long-term initiative to max-
been in a seven-year down cycle, which is now ending. imise, modernise and revolutionise MMR. The apex body
How do you see the change affecting the industry? is committed to the success of our members, the positive
While the price increase has been a hot topic in the real es- influence of our industry and the vibrancy of our dynamic
tate sector for some time, developers are now raising project business arena. As we all know, CREDAI-MCHI is an apex
pricing as the cost of raw materials has surged dramatically. body consisting of members from the real estate industry
Raw material prices have risen significantly over the last from the MMR. With a strong membership of 1,249 lead-
three quarters, by 20 to 30 per cent, forcing fellow realtors ing developers in the MMR, we are the only government
to raise their prices. While the developers have majorly at- recognised body for private sector developers in MMR and
tempted to absorb most of the costs to add impetus to the consistently working to make the industry more progres-
buyer sentiment, industry forecasts indicate that prices sive and organised.
will rise much more in the coming quarter and developers
There was a sharp increase in housing demand last
year due to stamp duty exemptions, low interest rates,
and other offers. Did it help in reviving consumer con-
fidence?

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 105

IN CONVERSATION

With support from the government through its industry re- 2021. How do you see the trend panning out this year?

viving initiatives, the buyer sentiment has significantly im- The financial capital of the country, Mumbai, has witnessed

proved after the onset of the pandemic. The MMR saw the a surge in new-age constructions of luxury apartment com-

maximum revival in sales in 2021 with a rise of 93 per cent plexes in suburban areas as well, owing to the high-end

registrations since 2019 and 71 per cent from 2020. Thane developers stepping in. The added impetus through his-

accounted for the highest number of registrations with a torically low interest rates on home loans, flexible pay-

42 per cent share. Moreover, initiatives such as reduction in ment options, better consumer awareness and supportive

stamp duty has provided a fillip to affordable and mid-seg- government policies has transformed the real estate do-

ment housing of more than Rs 1 crore. As a result, property main not just in the state but across the country. Demand

registrations in these segments rose 22 per cent in 2021, in luxury segment bounced back after several years. Sales in

compared to 2019. Addition- the luxury segment (upwards

ally, the awareness amongst of Rs 3 crore) almost doubled

buyers for owning a home than Due to the pandemic’s in 2021, compared to 2019,
living in rented accommoda- accounting for the highest

tions has helped improve the constraints, which share in three years. With the
sentiment. Apart from that, caused customers to proposal for introduction of a
members of CREDAI-MCHI Central Bank Digital Curren-

have also upped the ante to stay indoors, develop- cy (CBDC) and the growth in
cater to the evolving needs of ers have had to turn the cryptocurrencies market,
the consumer. We have noticed to more imaginative there may be a rise in the buy-
an uptick in innovative designs ing capacity of homebuyers
in similar sized spaces to add and will position real estate as

areas for working from home digital solutions to an attractive option to invest.
and other needs. There is an maintain demand. AR Moreover, after the onset of
increased awareness amongst the pandemic, there has been

homebuyers, and the custom- sightseeing, online a leap in interest from the
ers understand the value of open houses, and vir- uber-rich category of the so-
possessing their own home. ciety to invest in luxury homes

With the easing of restric- tual bookings have all and as the luxury market
boom expands, we can only
become more prevalent
tions across states, site visits see this trend inflate in the
by homebuyers have signifi- coming years.

cantly increased. Do you feel

the industry’s digital trans- The Budget didn’t have

formation will continue to be a key driver of growth? much for homebuyers this year. As a developer and

There is no doubt that the digital-first approach is becoming president of CREDAI-MCHI, how do you think the

more mainstream for both developers and homebuyers. The sales can be boosted to maintain the 2021 traction?

disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated We believe the Budget remains dedicated to boosting real

digitisation across sectors, including the real estate industry. estate transparency and simplicity of doing business. Some

Due to the pandemic’s constraints, which caused customers of the significant announcements for FY2022-23 including

to stay indoors, developers have had to turn to more imagina- the allocation of Rs 48,000 crore for the affordable housing

tive digital solutions to maintain demand. AR sightseeing, segment to build 80 lakh houses in rural and urban India,

online open houses, and virtual bookings have all become digitisation of land records, data centre infrastructure sta-

more prevalent. While just a handful of developers have used tus, a 35.4 per cent rise in capital expenditure to Rs 7.5 lakh

digital solutions so far, we expect to wider adoption of such crore, with no increase in direct taxes, is intended to give

methods this year, with smart contracts and unique virtual the whole development process a boost.

experiences for homebuyers. With the pandemic ebbing

in the country, there may be resumption of on-site visits Do you believe that sustainable real estate will become

by homebuyers, but in the long run, digitisation will play a an option of choice in the years to follow?

significant role in their home buying dream. As the globe prepares to combat the effects of climate

change, any effort to reduce environmental deterioration

The luxury real estate segment has picked up pace since will help conserve our surroundings. Consumers have be-

106 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

ing the use of non-renewable resources,
including more eco-friendly, recyclable
materials, aid in the sustainability of a
project. While such techniques have long
been the standard, 2022 is projected to
see an increase in environment friendly
building processes. With timely updates
in equipment and effective use of modern
tools in the construction industry, innova-
tive projects with world-class standards
can be created, further raising the Indian
standards in the international market.

come increasingly concerned about their carbon footprint Given the current stock market crisis,
over the last few years. New-age buyers are cognisant of do you think real estate is a better in-
their lifestyle choices and strive for long-term sustain- vestment option for millennials than
ability. stocks? If so, why?
Globally, even though there has been
As a result, developers are implementing various initia- an expansive rollout of vaccinations
tives and green building practices including but not limited across countries, the overarching mes-
to solid waste management, water recycling, rainwater har- sage from the top 50 financial institu-
vesting, use of renewable energy sources, efficient design tions across Wall Street suggests that
that maximises natural ventilation, and ensuring adequate growth will ease, returns would turn
blue and green infrastructure in their properties. Minimis- moderate and risks will abound in the
stock market. Safe return on invest-
ments was one of the main reasons why
investing in a home became one of the
top priorities for Indian households for
the previous generations and continues
to hold significance in today’s time. Real
estate has consistently performed well
and garnered great returns for inves-
tors over the years. Even though there
was a slight slump owing to the effects
of the pandemic, the real estate sector
has continued to be resilient overcom-
ing the challenges posed, thereby further
strengthening the industry growth chart.
Given the recent rise in prices, returns
are expected to grow manifold.

Despite the challenges faced by the
world and given the growth trajectory,
we expect the industry to reap far greater returns in this
financial year. Especially in the MMR region, we are expect-
ing a further 7-8 per cent rise in prices over the year and
that should improve the buying sentiment as people look
for safer investment havens.

(Data sourced from CREDAI MCHI – Colliers – CRE
MATRIX Report 2022)

[email protected]; @Ashish_BW

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 107

IN DEPTH EDUCATION

By Vasudha Mukherjee

THE
MANAGEMENT
CLASSROOM
IN TRANSITION

108 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

In the wake of the pandemic, the more relevant while providing flexibility and options for stu-
dents. Digitisation and the use of technology as a primary edu-
upgrading of B-school curricu- cational tool has made consistent teacher training and skilling
the need of the hour. Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship
lum, a push towards diversity and skills are in greater demand from industry and students alike.
Moreover, the call for inclusion and diversity in leadership is
the rise of the digital university stronger than ever.

are transforming the manage- Upgrading The B-school Curriculum
For educators, students and families, this past year has been
ment education classrooms a test of patience and persistence. Finishing the school year
remotely, creating contingency plans for a new year and pre-
C HANGESNECESSITATEDbythepan- paring facilities for in-person learning this fall has forced
demic are recreating the spaces and ways many of us to reflect on the state of our learning environments.
in which business students can learn Technology was a lifeline between students and educators
and plan for the long term. The MBA during Covid, but even the biggest fans hit a tech-fatigue wall.
classroom is transforming its content,
pedagogy and redefining the meaning Madhu Raghavan, Director, TAPMI , Manipal, emphasises
of management education. Curriculum the need to build soft skills, stating, “Today work has tran-
and courses are being expanded to be scended all boundaries. Schools like UCLA, Oxford, Berkeley,

Photograph by Kasto 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 109

IN DEPTH EDUCATION

MIT all have had to change their curriculum”. Raghavan play a role here.”

believes that changing the curriculum is a fundamental re- Working on the attention span of students is another is-

quirement to adapt to the post-pandemic environment. The sue faced by academicians. Mohua Banerjee, Director, IMI

curriculum needs to be industry-relevant, technologically Kolkata suggests introducing meditation sessions before the

conscious,awareofchangesinskillsetandresearch-oriented. startofclassesforthestudents,whileBigyanPrakashVerma,

Ajitesh Basani. Executive Director, Acharya Bangalore B- Director, Sies College of Management Studies, Mumbai,

school observed a faster burn- supports the introduction of

out rate with students. To con- hackathons for the students or-

front the problem, they started Asit K. Barma, Director, ganised by the alumni of the uni-

a programme called ‘Theatre in Bharathidasan Institute of versity where students are asked

Management’, which included Management, Tiruchirappalli: Every to resolve real-life problems.

various management function- time there is a pandemic or any disruption, the Atmanand, Director, MDI,

alities which translated into economy has to find new ways of recovery. Murshidabad points out that

better communication skills We have to understand how the students of technology infrastructure used

in students. “Students from B-schools can play a role here by the faculty to impact educa-

the younger generation have tion must be fully understood

been coping quite well with the by the faculty first. Health con-

new change, but at the same time effectiveness of the pro- siderations andbudgetcuts,along withinvestments made to

grammes have to be improved”, he added. build technology infrastructure and support blended delivery

On the impact of the pandemic on B-schools, Asit K. models during the pandemic, are set to have a lasting impact

Barma, Director, Bharathidasan Institute of Management, on the look, feel, and experience of B-school campus life.

Tiruchirappalli says, “While discussing the curriculum and

pedagogy,alotoftimeisgiventothehybridonlineandoffline Enhancing Diversity And Inclusion

programmes. B-schools always imbibe what is happening There is a need to bring students from diverse backgrounds,

in the environment. Every time there is a pandemic or any differentunrepresentedcommunitiesandincorporategender

disruption, the economy has to find new ways of recovery. parity.Indiahasagreatvibrantandviablelegacyfordiversity

We have to understand how the students of B-schools can and inclusion in the education system.

110 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022 Photograph by Macrovector

One can go back 2,500 years when students from different A diverse class has different needs that also require B-

backgrounds and geographies came to great universities like schools to upgrade their curriculum and teaching methods.

Takshila, which contributed significantly to our advanced Startingconversationsandbecomingawareofwaysinwhich

education system today. However, of late, if we see some cur- outreach programmes are working and finding areas where

rent statistics and especially in B-schools, there is a lot that work still needs to be done are crucial to inclusion.

can be done to enhance diversity and inclusion. For example,

the MBA Batch of 2021-23 across all IIMs saw an 11 per cent Digital University And The B-school

decline in female students. Also, the inclination is towards The integration of digital technology into everyday life has

engineering students in the admission process. The majority become a core part of education over the last two years. The

of the students in India’s B-schools have nearly 60 per cent concept of digitisation is not new, however, the accelerated

engineers. adoption of technology has been unprecedented and many

Thereisaneedtobringstudentsfromdiversebackgrounds, educational institutes are still figuring out how to seamlessly

different unrepresented communities and incorporate gen- conductonlineandhybridclasses.Whileonlineeducationhas

der parity. The Government of India now been an integral part of our lives,

and various regulators have empha- Ajitesh Basani. Executive it has brought a digital divide for the
sised diversity and inclusion as an Director, Acharya Bangalore overall society.
essential aspect of ranking multiple
institutions, especially in B-schools B-school: To deal with the The future world might see hy-
brid classes, but lose the emotional
pandemic, we started a programme
and has also made it a part of the Na- connection between students and
called ‘Theatre in Management’,
tional Institutional Ranking Frame- faculty. Moreover, B-schools and
which included various functionalities
work (NIRF). digital universities need to train the
which translated into better
GNIOT Institute of Manage- students as per recruiters’ perspec-
communication skills in students
ment Studies (GIMS) has intro- tive. Management institutions and

duced GAT, GIMS’ aptitude test. In digital universities are bound to have

the past two years, a lot of students different education processes and

missed out on examinations such as Arun Kumar Singh, Director, students. B-schools focus primar-
CAT due to technological or remote GIMS, Greater Noida: Wealso ily on students’ learning experience,
location issues. This allows them to balancing knowledge with practical
appear for the exams. They are spe- have many students at GIMS from the experience, through the recruiter’s
cially designed and created for these perspective.
students. This introduction has al- northeastern region of the country. All
lowed the institute to bring in a lot A digital university’s function is
of students and provide them with this speaks volumes about the kind of to provide a mass education system
that can be challenging with various
diversity we bring into our system and

institute

a platform. barriers. Online courses can provide

To encourage female students, an initiative called GIMS accessibility and affordability across vast geographies, how-

Shakti was launched. Through this initiative married female ever,thatisnottheprimarygoalofamanagementinstitution.

studentsareofferedscholarshipstopursuehighereducation. Vandana Sonwaney, Director, SIOM Nashik points out, that

Arun Kumar Singh, Director, GIMS, Greater Noida, adds, although a lot of skills can be developed virtually, “not the

“WealsohavemanystudentsatGIMSfromthenortheastern whole of management education can be replaced by virtual

region of the country. All this speaks volumes about the kind education”.

of diversity we bring into our system and institute”. While B-schools are doing their part to be accessible to

Diversity is the first step, but without inclusion, there is a learners everywhere, a lot of the practical experience, peer-

risk of tokenism, that must be avoided. Studies have shown to-peerlearning,buildingsocialcapital,cannotbedonesolely

thatdiversityinleadershipcancontributetopositivegrowth, throughonlinemeans.Onlineandhybridlearningspacesare

increased collaboration, a better understanding of customer the future of learning. Roaming cameras, smart classes, live

needs and an overall better work environment. lectures, gamification and many more innovations are here

For this to be successful students need to feel safe in the to stay. While network issues, device shortages and building

classroom.Safetyheremeansthatallstudentsarevalued,eve- a robust digital infrastructure remain challenges, business

ryone’svoicesareheardandtheircontributionacknowledged. schools, edtechs and government initiatives are all working

InavastnationlikeIndia,weneedtoseethediversityreflected to close this digital divide. The true challenge for educators

inourleaders.Institutesaremakingstridesbyincludingmore will be to maintain an emotional connection and build the

women and reaching out to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. teacher-student relationship within the hybrid classroom.

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 111

IN DEPTH EDUCATION

PLACEMENT,
EMPLOYABILITY

WOES

As the role of managers has evolved, skills too have changed.
Innovation, dynamism, creativity, strategic thinking, problem-

solving are the major areas where skills need to be built

By Team BW

T HERE IS A fundamental transformation these same skills have become a challenge online, which
going on as far as business and manage- in turn has become a more valuable asset for students.
ment education is concerned in the wake
of the pandemic. Presently, management Commenting on the new mode of study or shift to the
professionals are playing crucial roles as digital world, M. P. Jaiswal, Founding Director, IIM Sam-
balpur says, “Interaction and other things become very

world economies are moving on the path constrained in this digital mode.

of economic recovery. Hence, we will have to disrupt our learning pedagogy.

As the role of managers has evolved, the skills of fresh Teaching has to shift to learning. When we talk about

graduates have changed. Management institutes now car- learning, 80 to 90 per cent is the job of the students as they

ry the responsibility to rapidly adapt to meet the demands are the stakeholders”.

of the industry and the expectations of their students. Students are also under great pressure to stand out

As far as the growth of the Indian economy, educa- among their peers. Monica Khanna, Director, K J

tion and business are concerned, S. Sreenivasa Murthy, Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai comments,

Director, IPE, Hyderabad, states, “If India has to progress, “In today’s hyper-competitive environment, students need

management institutions and industry have a great role to to be multi-skilled.

play. And what type of graduates we are providing to the As a B-school, we should provide them with the facilities

industry matters here. We at B-schools constantly look for so that they can choose their desired subjects. We have to

important aspects.” think of them as unique entities instead of big masses.”

According to the India Skill Report 2022, management Ideally, students should be provided with a range of

programmes are the most sought-after, however, a little subjects on par with their interests to better enable them

more than half, that is, 55.09 per cent of MBA graduates in planning careers.

are employable. Industry and academia are joining hands Apart from that, the only other major change in the

to provide more practical experience and industry knowl- education ecosystem is the shift towards the digital world

edge to students. which has led to more opportunities and easy learning for

students.

Changing Skills Demand

Strong soft skills make candidates stand out better during Internships And Induction Programmes

recruitment. Management students are expected to bring Internships have always been considered as a crucial cog

strong leadership and communication skills. Building in the wheel of MBA education. While theoretical classes

112 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

M.P. Jaiswal, Founding Monica Khanna, Director, S.S. Murthy, Director,
Director, IIM Sambalpur: K J Somaiya, Mumbai: Intoday’s IPE, Hyderabad: IfIndia

We will have to disrupt our learning hyper-competitive environment, has to progress, management

pedagogy. Teaching has to shift students need to be multi-skilled. As a institutions and industry have a

to learning. When we talk about B-school, we should provide them with great role to play. And what type

learning, 80 to 90 per cent is the job the facilities so that they can choose of graduates we are providing to

of the students their desired subjects the industry matters here

lay the groundwork, the application of knowledge is what path one can pursue. “You may have initially wanted to
makes a management student’s education complete. be a marketer, but suddenly realise what you prefer. This
gives you the opportunity to kind of explore”, he adds.
While information is available at the click of a button,
experiential learning is what counts in today’s skill econ- Internships, also, provide MBA students with a peek
omy for an MBA student. into office dynamics and politics. Whether it is knowing
the soft skills or learning the dos and don’ts of the work-
Talking about the role of internships, Janat Shah, Direc- place, internships lay a solid platform. Students have a
tor, IIM Udaipur says, “The application is very important. chance to network, build social capital among other op-
When we do a case study, the whole idea is to see if we can portunities.
create that kind of environment. But you know, all that is
still a limited environment. And that’s where the expectations of Gen Z come in.
Today’s youth is considered impatient when it comes to
What your internship does is give you an opportunity making career choices. The career plans are meticulously
to be in a real-life environment and work on a specific laid and growth trajectories may get defined too soon.
problem”. That’s where the human element comes into the picture
which companies need to have a pulse on.
While acing the MBA assignments may release a short
burst of endorphins, nothing beats the experience of suc- A classroom environment gives a student an opportu-
cessfully meeting a deadline. nity to sharpen his intellectual understanding of mana-
gerial concepts, the secret to getting the dream job lies in
Add to this, internships give an MBA student a chance action learning coupled with harnessing your emotional
to learn under supervision. And the best part is that it is intelligence and internships make it possible.
during these projects that a trainee can actually figure out
which domain works the best for them. The role that internships play in a student’s life paves
the way for his holistic professional development and can
Concurring a similar sentiment, Nasir Shaikh, CEO, often lead to a golden future if done right.
Lexicon Group of Institutes states that internships are
an opportunity to understand the field and future career

Photograph by Vadymvdrobot 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 113

IN DEPTH FUTURELEADERS

CREATING GEN
NEXT LEADERS

Management institutions are learning a significant
lesson – one cannot be prepared enough for the future and

not all lessons are learnt in classrooms

By Team BW

M ANAGEMENT EDUCATION, an es- education and 70 per cent of the curriculum involves
sential part of every organisation and learning on the field. Having the right skills for the future
business, plays a key role in equipping is paramount for future leaders.
our future managers with the crucial
skills needed to face the challenges of Developing Entrepreneurial Skills

the dynamic business world. As or- Building social capital, peer-to-peer learning and physical

ganisations reinvent their strategies classes are crucial to management education. For budding

and operations in the wake of the pandemic, B-school entrepreneurs, management institutions play a crucial

leaders are learning a significant lesson : one cannot be role in developing business acumen. With a shift to virtual

prepared enough for the future and not all lessons are platforms and online learning, a lot of peer-learning and

learnt in classrooms. practical experience has been lost.

The nature and purpose of management education have

21st Century Skills grown over the decades. Before the pandemic in 2020, the

The world is evolving and becoming more digital and 2008 economic crisis was a major turning point, bring-

mechanised. With numerous professionals stuck at home, ing forth questions on the relevance of B-schools, the

organisations are scrambling to find digital solutions that coursework and how well management students were pre-

benefit customers and employees. pared to handle a financial crisis.

Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Director, ORGANISATIONS EXPECT In 2020, the question arose again,
IIM Bangalore believes that the how well were management grad-

skills which a leader of “tomorrow- CANDIDATES TO BRING uates equipped to handle a crisis

land” needs to possess, are as fol- INTRAPRENEURSHIP SKILLS. and how well could they adapt to a
lows: impeccable decision-making new work structure?
skills; being aware of the psycho- MANAGEMENTINSTITUTES
One of the major changes wit-

logical barriers which creep in, ARE NOW PROVIDING nessed over the pandemic is the
particularly referring to the con- SPECIALISED COURSES ON rise in startups. Whether it was
firmation bias’; possessing the art due to lay-offs, or the gaps in the

of deciphering weak signals; and ENTREPRENEURSHIP,WHICH market for tech companies, the
lastly, the importance of collabo- CAN BE A MAJOR ASSET FOR pandemic fuelled start-ups. Entre-
ration. The education institutes preneurship has become a sought

today espouse an outcome-based GEN NEXT LEADERS after career path for many young

114 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

people and professionals of the in- MANAGEMENT TEACHING not because they need some educa-
dustry, alike. Therefore, students SHOULD BE BASED UPON tion, experience and exposure to
are turning to business schools to create something wonderful and

better guide them on this. Even PRACTICALEXPERIENCES hence helpful to society but are gen-
organisations expect candidates erally motivated by the positive con-
to bring intrapreneurship skills. DERIVING POWER sequences associated with manage-

Management institutes are now FROM INDIAN ETHOS. ment education. 21st century India

providing specialised courses on MANAGEMENT EDUCATION experienced a massive change in its
entrepreneurship, which can be a NEEDS TO BE MADE VALUE- educational structure.
major asset for gen next leaders.
The process of liberalisation, pri-

Rajesh Chakrabarti, MDI, Gur- BASED, RATHER THAN vatisation and globalisation has not

gaon points out that while their MONEY-BASED only replaced the conventional ap-
job, as an institution, is to be en- proach with a more efficient profes-

vironmentally and socially con- sional approach; but also introduced

scious, they also have a responsibility towards meeting new-age courses in line with industry demand which has

the student’s expectations. Most students who pursue a moreeconomicvalueinthepresenttime.Managementedu-

management degree expect placement at the end of their cation has got a new dimension with this evolving time. ”The

degree. This cannot be taken lightly, nonetheless, stu- market and the fundamental change that needs to happen is

dents must be made ready for a variety of career prospects. aboutthechangeinmetricthatweareusing.Andthechange

Vishal Talwar, Director, IMT Ghaziabad reiterates this in the metric that needs to happen here is that we need to

sentiment, stating that as management institutions they go beyond the metric of GDP, it maximisation to a metric

want to “move beyond being viewed as people who can wherein we really say that it has to be about how are we really

provide successful placement”. Entrepreneurship requires impacting societies,” says Amit Kapoor, Chair, Institute for

more nurturing than what virtual platforms can provide. Competitiveness, Visiting Scholar and Lecturer, Stanford

While entrepreneurship is a desired skill, most students University,underliningthefutureofmanagementeducation.

are likely to seek work experience fresh out of school. There is also a need that our dependence on foreign tech-

niques and literature should be reduced and management

The Future teaching should be based upon practical experiences deriv-

Management education is seen as elitist in India. Young ing power from Indian ethos. Management education needs

women and men are fascinated by management education to be made value-based, rather than money-based.

Photograph by Denisimagilov 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 115

GUEST COLUMN We’realreadybeginningto
seethestirringsofdisruption
Gowthaman Ragothaman inthecreatoreconomy
valuedat$104.2billionwhere
WHAT LIES non-fungibletokens(NFTs)
AHEAD FOR THE areenablingentertainers,
musicians,andartiststo
ADVERTISING bypassindustrygatekeepers.
ECOSYSTEM IN Asmuchas77percentof
contentcreatorsrelyon
2022 branddealstostayafloat,
butNFTspresentanexciting
AS A NEW YEAR BEGINS, the advertising industry already has opportunityforcreatorsto
a whirlwind of anticipated developments and disruptions to con- generateatokeneconomy
tend with. With the cookiepocalypse looming ahead, we’re likely oftheirown.Fromexclusive
to continue seeing publishers and AdTech platforms furiously perks,loyaltyschemes,ora
innovating to finally produce a foolproof, first-party data-based full-oncreatorcoin,NFTscan
solution. Meanwhile, the growing landscape of digital spaces – across both the helptoaddanewlayeroffan
familiar territories of social and the unfamiliar terrain of the Metaverse – is engagementandincrease
presenting new opportunities and challenges for both brands and marketers monetisationopportunitiesfor
alike. As we look ahead to the rest of 2022, what can we expect? creators.

The Dominance of Digital

In spite of the ongoing post-pandemic recovery taking place across the globe,
the ways in which consumer habits have evolved in the past year are likely here
to stay. From a growing acceptance and preference for online shopping to new
app-based innovations in domains such as healthtech, we’re seeing a broad-
ening spectrum of traditional services now transitioning to digital. To adapt,
platforms have gotten creative, tapping into predictive analytics and gamifica-
tion strategies to understand what makes consumers tick and how to get them
to stay on apps for longer periods of time.

Throughout the past year, Asia has especially taken the lead in this regard
with many of the continent’s ecommerce giants such as Shopee, Lazada, and
Taobao, fusing entertainment with shopping. This novel approach to sustaining
customer engagement and loyalty has been largely driven by livestreamers. Live
ecommerce has largely matured as a sector in mainland China, where viewers
spent over $188 billion (CN¥1.2 trillion) in 2020 alone. Even though the West
is yet to see the same traction on its platforms, some retailers have started to
experiment. Walmart, most notably, was an early mover in 2020 and has since
expanded its live commerce efforts beyond TikTok to Twitter, YouTube, Face-

116 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

book, and even media partners such as Buzzfeed. growth and subsequent reliance on the data economy as
we know it. With so much of our lives now lived online, it’s
A Solid Privacy-First Play no surprise that we’re estimated to generate 2.5 quintillion
We may only be in the first few weeks of 2022 but for the bytes of data each day.
advertising ecosystem, the phasing out of third-party cook-
ies is on the horizon. With Google set to disable support by Amid regulatory pressures surrounding cookie consent
2023, the industry is still scrambling to find a sustainable rules that have led to substantial fines, the data economy is
solution that benefits all those involved. After all, it’s telling rightfully taking a decentralised turn: Welcome to the age
that when Apple rolled out its App Tracking Transparency of Web3. Positioned as the next iteration of the internet,
(ATT) framework as part of its iOS 14.5 update, 96 per cent distinguished by interoperable (non-walled garden) envi-
of US users chose not to allow app tracking. ronments and token-based economics, Web3 purports to
truly put the power back in the hands of users.
In line with these shifts, it’s clear that brands will need
to invest in private-by-design infrastructures that can pro- We’re already beginning to see the stirrings of disruption
vide greater assurances of their customers’ privacy. From in the creator economy – valued at $104.2 billion – where
privacy-preserving data clean rooms that allow brands, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are enabling entertainers,
publishers, and platforms to share consumer data with musicians, and artists to bypass industry gatekeepers. As
their consent to decentralised alternatives that ensure much as 77 per cent of content creators rely on brand deals
privacy-assured audience targeting, 2022 is likely to see a to stay afloat, but NFTs present an exciting opportunity
plethora of experiments. for creators to generate a token economy of their own.
From exclusive perks, loyalty schemes, or a full-on creator
Ushering in the era of Web3
Discussions of the new phase of the internet have been coin, NFTs can help to add a new layer of fan
making their rounds across the web for the past few engagement and increase monetisation op-
months, with many stating that the age of Web2 is now portunities for creators.
over. Web2 is largely characterised by a peer-to-peer ethos
in how content is disseminated online – user-generated Simultaneously, NFTs can be equally lever-
content and participatory culture was (and is) all the rage. aged as a digital identity solution – a fascinat-
In spite of its seemingly ‘people-first’ philosophy, Web2 has ing experiment in the light of a possible fu-
been built on the backs of big tech giants. ture internet powered solely by blockchains.
Recently, blockchain domain provider, Un-
From the social commerce entrepreneurs who’ve built stoppable Domains, launched Login with
steady followings on Facebook to self-made influencers Unstoppable, a single-sign-on (SSO) feature
who’ve come of age on Instagram, Web2 has inevitably that is 100 per cent user-owned and prevents
raised a new generation of enterprising creators but all websites from mining and selling user data.
have been limited to these closed-loop ecosystems. As the industry grapples with the demise of
third-party cookies, this shift towards decen-
The implications aren’t new to us in the advertising and tralisation may very well be the impetus it
marketing world – after all, Web2 has largely catalysed the needs to commit to privacy-preserving solu-
tions for the long term.

One thing’s for sure. At Aqilliz, we’re es-
pecially excited about the ongoing decentralised revo-
lution that’s been long underway. As an early pioneer in
blockchain-enabled solutions for the AdTech and MarTech
ecosystem, the myriad industry developments that have
taken place across recent years have all the more pointed
to the need for an ecosystem that properly rewards all
those involved.

From the ongoing forays into the Metaverse that will
surely expand beyond viral marketing campaigns to the
rise of a new vision for the internet, driven by a new phi-
losophy that users will underwrite, 2022 is set to be an
exciting year and we can’t wait to see how our ecosystem
evolves.

The author is Chief Executive Officer at Aqilliz, an early pioneer in

blockchain - enabled solutions for the AdTech and MarTech ecosystem

Photograph by Emojoez 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 117

BW EVENT / DISRUPT

CELEBRATING
EXCELLENCE AND

INNOVATION

With India churning unicorns, a lot of credit goes to the rapid
adoption of tech-driven solutions. What explains this exponential

growth of India’s startup ecosystem? By Resham Suhail

From left to right: J. C. Chaudhry, Chairman, Aakash Educational Services (AESL); Sethurathnam Ravi, Managing Partner, Ravi
Ranjan & Co., Chairman, TFCI and Former Chairman, BSE; Deep Kalra, Founder and Group Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip

T he Economic Survey 2021-22 showed that India seems to be only multiplying.”
had become the world’s third- largest startup Adding to it, Vikram Gupta, Founder and MD, IvyCap
ecosystem after the US and China. It noted that
the government in the past year recognised over Ventures said, “The nation’s innovators are making the
14,000 new startups compared to 733 in 2016-17. country proud globally, it is a great time to be an investor
Moreover, India saw a record 44 startups turning unicorns in and an entrepreneur in India.” IvyCap Ventures has recently
2021 and just two months into the New Year, India has already announced the first close of its third fund at ₹Rs 1,608 crore
registered 10 new unicorns. ($214 million).

In the opening chat, Dinesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, FUTURE-FIT SOLUTIONS
IndiaMART said that digitisation and significant capital
investments in the last two decades have resulted in this Pondering as to what can be the master plan to address the
dramatic growth of the Indian startup ecosystem. dynamic change in consumers’ behavior, Moneyhop’s ( an
international money transfer company regulated by RBI)
During an initial virtual session, Annurag Batra, Chairman Founder and CEO, Mayank Goyal shared his viewpoint,
and Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, “Currently, we are witnessing cross border payments and
exchange4media stated, “The appetite in Indian startups remittances companies holding consumers from end-to-end.”

118 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

The panel discussions during the day dealt on topics of work are needed to achieve success. There is no easy path for
digital inclusion amongst new-age startups, penetrating entrepreneurs.”
newer solutions to remote areas, future of workplaces,
fostering resilience, strategies to reach to launch IPOs and Deep Kalra, Founder and Group Executive Chairman,
addressing new concepts of investment deals. MakeMyTrip put forth his take and inspired all the present
founders not to forget their integral supporters, co-workers
INDUSTRY CAPTAINS’ VIEWPOINT and intrapreneurs and keep them first as they go ahead.

Being a part of the incubator, Sethuratnam Ravi, Managing Sharing his insights, J. C. Chaudhry, Chairman, Aakash
Partner at Ravi Rajan & Co., Chairman, TFCI, and former Educational Services enlightened the listeners and said, “The
Chairman, Bombay Stock Exchange shared his first-hand intensity of hunger in your belly will eventually decide how far
experience saying, “Passion, ideas, vision coupled with hard will you go.”

Agreeing with the other speakers on one of the panels,
Capita-A’s Ankit Kedia, asserted that establishing a rapport
with the person is extremely important before one takes the
leap of faith and makes an investment.

THE DIFFERENTIATORS BREWING
SUCCESS

“Unacademy is a completely online platform, if we depend on
online infrastructure to get an education, it will take another
50-60 years before last-mile delivery happens,” said Roman
Saini, Co-founder of Unacademy while shedding light upon the
importance of online education.

At such a time, Srinath Ramakkrushnan’s team at Zetwerk
invested in on-demand mental counsellors. He also added
that, due to the lack of time constraints created by virtual
workspaces, people find it difficult to manage time.

Rahul Sharma, Country Head of Slack added that the
benefit of virtual workspaces was that employees could be
learning how to spend time with family while they continue
to work. He strongly held the opinion that the physical idea of
headquarters is fast evolving into a digital space.

SET TO EMERGE STRONGER IN 2022

Which idea can become a unicorn quickly? No one has a fixed
playbook but founders shall hold their convictions stronger
and never forget to follow their dreams.

Going beyond a traditional summit, the event acknowledged
the dynamism of the entrepreneurs, all of which ride alongside
the want to make an impact and add value to the existing
startup sector of India.

BW Disrupt 40 Under 40 is in its fifth year of recognising
and acknowledging the very best of the founders’ sector.
BW Disrupt was celebrating the most definitive gathering of
innovators and distinguished change makers.

The eventful and impactful day drew to a close with a
major attraction -- the award ceremony of BW Disrupt 40
under 40, 2021.

Photographs by Bobby Singh 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 119

AFTER HOURS HEALTHCARE

CORPORATE TELEHEALTH: all to benefit from.

OFFERING A new business model
CUSTOMISED The potential of telemedi-
SERVICES cine became very obvious
in the wake of the global
Corporate telehealth ensures the employees pandemic. A nationwide
poll conducted by the
have access to remote healthcare at a moment’s American Psychiatric
Association reported that
notice, enabling them to work more comfortably 82 per cent of their patients
experienced telemedicine
andsafely By NIDHI JAIN for the first time during the
pandemic. A confirmed 38
T ELEMEDICINE is a novel con- per cent of them have con-
cept of providing primary health- tinued to use telemedicine
care to those in need regardless of even after the pandemic.
their circumstances and geo- According to McKinsey,
graphical location, bringing the there has been a 38 times
doctor to the patient. Though it once seemed higher acceptance rate and
like a far-fetched concept, the Covid-19 pan- implementation of tele-
demic has made it a vital part of healthcare. The medicine and telehealth
pandemic made physical interactions a threat, services across all special-
and the hospitals became the most dangerous ties. More than 40 per cent
places that a person could visit. While the con- of the users are willing to
ventional healthcare system did a remarkable continue with telemedi-
job treating affected patients, telemedicine pro- cine services.
vided a medium for doctors and regular patients
to interact safely. Telemedicine and other tele- Most importantly,
health services ensured that those in need of investment in virtual
healthcare had uninterrupted treatment access healthcare has witnessed a
as quickly as possible. never-before-seen
increase in the number of
Even though telemedicine gained the major- assets being backed by
ity of its traction in the aftermath of the pan- venture capitalists. These
demic, it is in no way a solely pandemic situa- are clear indicators of the
tion. Healthcare providers and patients have growing faith and adop-
witnessed the potential of telemedicine enough tion of telemedicine ser-
to roll it back. Serious steps have been taken to vices.
ensure that telemedicine shaping towards tele-
health is more mainstream and normalised for The merits of imple-
menting telemedicine
extend beyond ensuring
safe and immediate
healthcare to patients.
There are numerous bene-
fits for hospitals and
healthcare centres in
implementing telemedi-
cine. For instance, the con-
sultation of patients can be
significantly optimised by
only calling in patients

120 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

that require a more com- Teleconsultation, IoT, healthcare centres can from providing just med-
prehensive examination. smart medical devices, benefit from streamlined ical insurance for admis-
Telehealth services extend remote monitoring, home operations; this is why sions care, corporate tel-
the reach of patient care nursing services are mak- even long after we have ehealth allows companies
irrespective of hospital ing healthcare accessibility seen the last of the pan- to offer their employees
location and doctors with a reality in the true sense. demic, telehealth has to 24x7 healthcare access to
specialities are accessible become every hospital’s services like virtual con-
to Tier-2 and Tier-3 places Another instance is business model and be sultations, ordering and
by combining the digital implementing a virtual part of the digital solution refilling prescriptions
power of 4G/5G, smart- consult during an emer- with solutions such as online, ambulance book-
phone with digital pay- gency which would enable HIMS, LIMS, RIS, etc. ing, performing lab tests,
ments. hospitals to quickly access e-prescriptions and fol-
all the incoming patients Corporates telehealth low-up care through IoT-
Telehealth ser vices and ensure that the staff is An increasing number of enabled remote patient
empower hospitals to prioritised in accordance companies have begun to care devices. The
think in a very different with the emergency. On realise that to compre- expenses of such services
way, wherein patient and the whole, the implemen- hensively ensure the are generally borne by the
care professional do not tation of telemedicine pro- safety of their employees, company or shared
have to be at the same loca- vides continuous and they need to provide safer between the employer
tion which has been the immediate healthcare healthcare access, which and employees. This ena-
basic premise of health- access to patients and has resulted in the bles corporates to give
care services for the last allows healthcare profes- increased implementa- their employees peace of
few decades. Now, tele- sionals more elbow room tion of ‘corporate tele- mind so that they can
health allows hospital to provide care for their health.’ Vastly different focus on their work.
CIOs to think differently. patients thoroughly. The
Telehealth has enabled
holistic care to be made
available remotely.
Regardless of the circum-
stances and geographical
location, patients now
have access to quality
healthcare at the click of
a few key strokes. The tel-
emedicine market is pro-
jected to experience an
unprecedented growth
and become a $459.8 bil-
lion industry by 2030.
This is further testament
to the increased traction
and the widespread
adoption of telemedicine
as a more permanent
source of healthcare.

The author is founder & CEO

of KareXpert, a Jio Platform

funded venture that has

built an AI-led, cloud-based

digital healthcare platform for

hospitals

Photograph by magurok5 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 121

[ [DESIGNOMICS DAWAR
HOUSE: Go
Architecture ‘wow’with
minimalism
TrendsFor

2022

I N the shape of Metaverse and JPN MUSEUM:
AI, the complete postulation of Go Green!
a virtual community is playing
a big role in our lives this year. A
shift towards customised and lavish
residences, located in desirable and
open locations, has raised the de-
mand for high-quality homes. Space
is the real luxury.
Here are five architectural trends to
watch for this year:

By Shabnam Dhar

Metaverse: A Virtual Community
In the Tech scene Metaverse is the
hottest buzzword. The whole world is
witnessing a major shift, and the move
toward digital has been accelerated

122 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

dramatically. In the Metaverse, architects play a key role in the realisation of overall functioning and ergonomics
innovative designs. Metaverse is a vision of interconnected, real-time, and en- rather than start from scratch.
during virtual communities of individuals teleporting across digital realities.
Minimalism
Home Automation and 3D Printing ‘Less is More’, is more relevant today
Home automation is the newest trend in the architecture industry that al- than before. Covid lockdowns have
lows you to control almost every aspect of your home through the Internet taught us all how to make do with min-
of Things (IoT). Because you can use it for home security, smartphone apps imal possessions, needs and demands.
that automate door locks, managing appliances, monitoring energy use, as This learning has trickled down to all
a personal assistant, caring for the elderly or disabled, and more. Nowadays aspects of our lives – architecture in-
a smart building provides additional convenience to its occupants while also cluded. More and more clients are de-
lowering utility costs. manding Minimalism in design.

The requirement to produce and consume ethically and responsibly shows Simplicity in design and ap-
a social understanding of sustainability in domestic architecture. In addition proach is the new client brief.
to being employed for elaborate construction and technology, 3D printing has Focus on pure forms that re-
flect the design essence has
been rigorously tested in the housing industry as well. replaced ornamentation and
decoration. Minimalism is
LUCKNOW In reality, several 3D printing residential construc- also making a resurgence in
tions have been created this year. With these beneficial terms of the materials used
SHILPGRAM : implementations in mind, digital visualisation of every to construct.
3D printing component, via software such as BIM has been critical
Go Green
in progressing the printing process. It is feasible to see Because sustainability is a
growing concern for busi-
how elements and features of design integrate. This results in smarter, more nesses, architects have taken
significant steps to address
innovative designs – by precisely modeling construction systems, with all of it, including environmen-
tally responsible design and
their dimensions and layers. A tool not available till recently. construction. The tendency
to use quality materials that
Multifunctional Spaces ensure thermal and acoustic
There has been a need to improve the efficiency of spaces making them multi- insulation will go a long way
purpose because from work to play, our homes have become the hub for just in benefiting the environ-
about everything these days. For architects, WFH (Working from Home) ment.
has meant determining how each corner is used and how they may improve The Architecture, Engineering and
Construction (AEC) industry is col-
laborating to invent and design new
methods of limiting the negative im-
pact of construction and therefore
“saving the planet”. Designing build-
ings using natural resources and
passive climate control strategies is
almost a given norm today and will be
taken to the next level in the coming
years.

The author is a Partner, STUDIO ARCHOHM
The views expressed are personal

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 123

MINIMALISTIC[ [DESIGNOMICS Q&A

LUXURY

COLLECTIONS: Nappa Dori
brands span across a spectrum
fromCafe Dori, Dori Living,
stationary, leather accessories,
travel essentials to shoes

124 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

Q&Awith

Gautam
Sinha,

FOUNDER & with the products and we try to
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, incorporate that in all our collections.

NAPPA DORI What are the different categories
the brand is focusing on? Is it Cafe
M arket reports peg the luxury goods market revenue at $337,314 Dori, Dori Living, stationary, leath-
million in 2022. We pick Nappa Dori Founder and Creative Director, er accessories, travel essentials or
Gautam Sinha’s mind on the luxury market, as his company cel- shoes?
ebrates its 11th anniversary. Sinha also talks about the inspiration Currently, we have just launched our
behind his designs and expansion plans for his brand footwear collection and that’s been very
well received. We have worked hard to
By Jyotsna Sharma we need to untie the knot get this on the floor and are extremely
so to speak.
How do you assess the Indian luxury excited about it. Other than
market in the months ahead? Which tech trend will that we are also trying to
I feel the market is on an upward trend we see next in the luxury extend our travel luggage
sincethebeginningof thisyear.Even market? offering. I feel there will be
though with the current turmoil, with Well, I feel everyone a surge of travel that will
the war, you never know what’s going to is gravitating towards happen in the next few
happen. Overall, I feel the prospect of the Metaverse. Retail years, especially after the
the luxury market is great. in that segment is pandemic, and we want to
something really interesting, and I feel be a part of that journey.
What are the key differences be- it will transform the way we do online
tween the Indian and the global shopping. We are also already exploring Which product line has been the
luxury market? most successful?
Well in one word, the wedding options in that domain. I have always been asked this question
segment, which has dominated the and I still believe our strong point is our
segment in India, and on a global Please tell us about the in- handbags. They have made the brand
platform, is not that spiration and references what it is. I started with handbags, and
prominent. I feel the behind the collections at still believe it’s our strongest segment.
Indian luxury segment is Nappa Dori?
too pegged on catering to I have always got my Tell us about Nappa Dori’s expan-
the wedding market, inspirations with all things sion plans.
and that needs to timeless and classic. I We are opening our Bandra store this
change in a big way. travel extensively and month which we are excited about.
It can always be always explore flea It’s been a while since we opened our
an important markets and thrift second location in Mumbai. We are also
segment but stores all around. I in the process of opening at our second
for us to truly feel that while designing international location after London, in
be global, something, there needs to Dubai. Exciting times! As you can see,
be an emotional connect our focus on brick and mortar stores
hasn’t been diverted.

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 125

AFTER HOURS INCLUSION&DIVERSITY

I believe that it is increase in women repre-
important to create sentation on our Board.

environments We have had some key
where people from learnings from imple-
all walks of life are menting a top-down
approach, which includes:
encouraged to l Ensuring inclusive
draw upon their behaviour, and uncovering
uniqueexperiences hidden biases
l Setting diversity goals
By Jasmin and expectations at the
Ignatius leadership level
lSetting team processes
O rganisations THE VALUE that are embedded in a
must pause culture of respect
and reflect OF BEING lCreate open, safe spaces
on their for team members to share
diversity YOURSELF their opinions, without
and inclusion initiatives fear of retaliation
and how they have become business, attract talent, a fiduciary responsibility lCreate allies and ambas-
a powerful business and develop brands. I to create a space for an sadors to spread the mes-
requirement. It is true believe that it is important increasingly diverse soci- sage and drive our pro-
when we say that a huge to create environments ety to understand, include, grams forward
amount of talent gets where people from all and reflect their differ-
wasted when the potential walks of life are encour- ences, ultimately creating The way ahead
of women remains aged to draw upon their an equitable system for all Diversity is our differenti-
untapped. I feel, women as unique experiences, per- to have a fair opportunity ating strength. Strong
powerful agents of change, spectives, and back- to succeed. DE&I policies support our
have been making their grounds to advance busi- collective effort to create a
mark across multiple sec- ness goals. For any com- At BNY Mellon, our culture where we all feel
tors, breaking the glass pany, the DE&I strategy efforts to ensure gender that we belong and can
ceiling to advance towards should be guided by the equity have led to some succeed regardless of our
some of the most challeng- company’s core purpose, bright spots over time, differences. We view issues
ing leadership roles. values, and behaviours. with year-on-year growth and solve problems
seen in new women hires according to the skills and
Why Inclusion matters Companies are part of a and senior women leader- experiences acquired
Today, it is widely accepted larger ecosystem and have ship globally, and an throughout our lives. In
that Diversity, Equity, and the hyper-connected
Inclusion (DE&I) strate- world that we live in,
gies are going to play a engaging with people from
vital role in how we do different countries with
their own set of cultures
and practices is the norm.
Therefore, creating an
inclusive organisation
enables us to thrive despite
such differences.

The author is the Chief

Operating Officer, BNY Mellon

India

126 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

AFTER HOURS MINDMATTERS

OUR MENTAL The one thing we all expe-
rience as human beings is a
WELLNESS rainbow of emotions, and
we unanimously agree that
IS A DAILY EXERCISE sadness, pain, and depres-
sion are unwanted colours.
An actor and It’s important for any of
entrepreneur shares us experiencing what we
her recipe for a tranquil consider “depression” or
“emotional abyss” to truly
mind and body understand our journey as
By POOJA BEDI humans. Pain is not exclu-
sive to you.
P EOPLE TODAY, HOW YOU RESPOND TO WHAT IS THROWN
across all strata, AT YOU, WILL DETERMINE YOUR JOURNEY There isn’t one person
are far more OF LIFE. WE WOULDN’T BE HUMAN IF WE on this planet who will not
aware of the im- face pretty much the same
portance of im- DIDN’T EXPERIENCE THESE EMOTIONS. stuff you do, be it the death
munity building through HOWEVER, HOW LONG YOU CHOOSE TO of a parent or a loved one,
food and physical fitness. LET IT ENGULF YOU IS YOUR DECISION job loss, failed relation-
Fitness isn’t just about the ship, broken friendships,
physical well-being quo- books on how to “heal your trigger disease within your etc. The same incident, say
tient. Mental wellness, life” by simply changing the physical body. a failed relationship or job
financial wellness, social way you think. loss, to two different people
wellness, emotional well- Each thought process is will result in one emerging
ness, and sexual wellness Her large body of work linked to a specific disease, as a victim and one a vic-
are all essential for well- spanning decades, corre- and to be able to combat the tor. What determines your
ness. lates how your thoughts af- disease you need to iden- journey of life is how you
The lockdown impacted fect your emotions and how tify and release the thought respond to what is thrown
jobs, relationships, health, chronic emotions lodge and process that manifested it. your way. Sadness and self-
and most importantly, pity are healthy.
mental well-being. It is
well documented that all We wouldn’t be human if
our problems originate in we didn’t experience these
our thoughts. emotions. However, how
Alternative sciences are long you choose to let it
fascinating to me because engulf you is your decision.
so much of that informa- Don’t be afraid of negative
tion is gradually understood emotions. They are as nor-
and validated by modern mal as the positive ones,
science but is available for and you wouldn’t be hu-
the benefit of all those who man without them. Mental
choose to partake of it. Lou- wellness is a series of daily
ise Hay has written many exercises.

Focus on the good in your
life, practice the repetition
of positive affirmations
daily and always remember
self-love, self-respect and
self-worth are three treas-
ures hidden within you.

Find them.
All of these are inextrica-
bly linked.

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 127

AFTER HOURS INCLUSION&DIVERSITY

Indian Assistant Director General
agriculture, of FAO and an eminent
where the agricultural scientist of
majority of the India, Padma Bhushan,
workers are Dr. R. B. Singh, a number
women, provides of steps were identified:
around 58 per • Equal pay for equal work
cent livelihood to must be ensured. In many
Indians parts of the country, even
By ALKA RAZA in MNREGA women are
less paid for the same job.
ARE WE • There has to be a mindset
change towards inclusion.
INCLUSIVE •Women have to be
empowered to be able to
ENOUGH? participate in overall edu-
cational progress.
India is the second– communities’ livelihoods. changes required for sus- •Women’s healthcare
largest agrarian Rural women are often tainable development. should be a priority.
economy. Nearly 66 concentrated in low– Limited access to credit, •Skill development and
per cent of its popu- skilled and low–paid jobs healthcare, and education vocational education is
lation lives in rural with poor working condi- are among the many chal- vital to help rural women
areas and environments, tions. Because of gender– lenges they face. become entrepreneurs.
and women constitute 48 based discrimination and Empowering them is
per cent of the total rural social norms, most of their essential. Promoting gen- Indian agriculture,
population. 74.8 per cent work remains underval- der equality and women’s where the majority of the
of women are agricultural ued. Also, they shoulder a economic empowerment workers are women, pro-
workers, but only 9.8 per disproportionate burden go hand–in–hand. Both vides around 58 per cent
cent own a piece of land. of unpaid household work, are important in ensuring livelihood to Indians. In
99 per cent of households caring for children, the that women enjoy their recent data, agriculture is
are headed by a male. sick, and the elderly. Rural human rights and can con- the primary source of
Women in rural India women are key agents for tribute to inclusive and income for half of the pop-
work as farmers and wage development. They play a sustainable development. ulation, contributing 17 to
earners. They also have an catalytic role towards the 18 per cent to the GDP.
important role as custodi- achievement of transfor- So, how can rural India ranks 140 of 156
ans of traditional knowl- mational economic, envi- women be sustainably countries in the World
edge that is key for their ronmental, and social empowered? In a conver- Economic Forum’s Global
sation with the former Gender Gap Report 2021.
The country has fallen 28
places, making it one of the
worst performers in South
Asia. Gender inequality is
not only a pressing moral
and social issue but also a
critical economic chal-
lenge for the country.

The author is Chairperson of

the Centre for Gender

Equality and Inclusive

Leadership (CGEIL) at

XLRI, Jamshedpur.

128 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

COLUMN By Astro Friend Chirag Bejan Daruwala

What the Stars ergy, but concentrate on key tasks. Tem-
Foretell for You porary joys you experience now may cost
A RIES: Ganesha says, your you dearly in the long run, so be cautious.
week will be devoted to aca- improve now. Visitors brighten up your Rahu’s passage through your zodiac may
demic activities. You will week. Your self-confidence increases, al- pose marital problems, however.
have a clear picture of your lowing you to take on new initiatives at
professional prospects. You work. Don’t let tensions get the better of SCORPIO: You’ll be preoccupied with
will boldly make important changes in you. The diminishing effect of Rahu en- individual and career responsibilities.
your life. But be wary of someone trying hances your love life. Avoid spicy food. You will be perceived as someone who
to influence you. You and your partner can deal with a lot of pressure and stress.
may travel a lot now. LIBRA: You will get the acknowledg- Be careful of what you say, however. You’ll
ments that were previously deferred. be able to ensure that your emotions are
TAURUS: You’re likely to discover You’ll be gifted with a burst of creative en- in order and love will grow in your life.
a new and untapped reservoir of
power within yourself. You’ll be con- SAGITTARIUS: Your week will be
cerned about the health of someone packed with fresh and interesting en-
you care about. You’ll have to juggle counters. You’ll consider shifting your
a lot of things at once. Later in the
week, your health may suffer a lit- job path, which will be for the best.
tle bit. Avoid peer temptations. Venus will
transition into a malevolent posi-
GEMINI: You’ll give someone im- tion later in the week, and you may
portant to you some sound advice. have a spat with your companion.
You are very compassionate now.
The blessings of Lord Sun will re- CAPRICORN: You will have rapid
lieve all your troubles. Don’t take an- progress this week and be able to
ything for granted, though. You will make significant advancements.
heal yourself mentally this week. Promises made to you will be kept
in the second half of the week. Don’t
CANCER: A financial windfall may Astrologer: Chirag Bejan Daruwala jump to conclusions, though.You
bring joy to you and your family. may get involved with someone you
You’ll be able to locate the type of WHAT DOES THE have known for long. You may suffer
property you’re looking for. A good 14-20 MARCH 2022 periodic headaches.
time to refurbish your house. You must PERIOD HAVE IN STORE
keep your kids away from social gath- FOR YOU? CARRYING AQUARIUS: . This week, you’ll get
erings, though. With Venus in your 7th FORWARD THE LATE BEJAN a perfect 10 in your field of employ-
House, singles may find a match. DARUWALA’S LEGACY, THE ment. You will need to adapt to di-
AUTHOR GUIDES YOU SO verse views. You’ll be able to stick to
LEO: Judgments you made by believ- YOU MAY MAKE THE MOST the schedule you’ve set for yourself.
ing in your intuition will enhance your OF WHAT LIFE HAS TO Avoid being impulsive. Don’t react too
legal and economic life. Possibilities will hastily and let individuals learn their
undoubtedly present themselves in the OFFER lessons the hard way. Avoid traveling on
second half of the week. Your kind nature Thursday and Friday.
will win the heart of someone and this
will become the first step towards your PISCES:Dear Pisces, you’ll be inclined
new relationship. to reconcile with old alliances this week,
which will bring peace in your life. You
VIRGO: Your dilemma untangling skills may receive new assets. You may squan-
der your energies on less vital matters,
though. The health of your children may
need attention, however.

The author is the reknowned astrologer Bejan
Daruwalla’s son and carries forward his legacy

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 129

AFTER HOURS/ HEALTH By Rachna Chhachhi

M ARCH is International resolved when the yin
Women’s Day month. And and yang balance is re-
while everyone is pamper- stored.
ing their women employees,
celebrating the feminine en- Balance. Assess which
ergy and incorporating it in each one of
us makes our health, work and organisa- side of you is weaker. Ir-
tional output more efficient and profit-
able. So what really do we mean when we respective of your gender,
say that yin and yang work in balance to
give this output? you can channelise your

Whether we are human beings, an yin energy by getting into
organisation or the earth, everything is
governed by masculine and feminine en- meditation, yogic breath-
ergies. And any human being who has the
right balance of these surely becomes the ing like anulom vilom and
wise person with leadership qualities. For
example, along with visible ambition, if a sheetali to stay calmer, get
leader has team spirit, compassion, high
emotional quotient, their yin is balanced more in touch with your
along with their yang.
inner self so that you ac-
Whenever there is an imbalance
of these, the output is compromised. knowledge and under-
Hence, for any healthy working profes-
sional, working towards channelising stand your feelings. This
your yin and yang balance will bring
about a healthier output as an organisa- way, you would be able to
tional leader. So how do you do that?
enhance your feminine
Understand. Why do you need this
balance? It’s not just for your profes- energy and ensure that
sional growth, it is also for your per-
sonal health. For those whose yin side your organs are healthier.
is weaker, which means the feminine
energy is suppressed, please remember For those whose yang is
that yin organs in the body are the heart,
lungs, spleen, and kidneys. More men weaker, doing rapid yogic
come to me with heart and kidney is-
sues (very often both issues in the same breathing like kapaalbha-
person), and the common personality
trait amongst all of them has been that ti along with short bursts
their yang is dominant – which means
their aggressive male force is more pow- of aggressive exercise like
erful. Major yang organs are the small
intestine, triple heater (empty space in 20 minutes jogging, twice
the trunk and diaphragm of your body),
large intestine, gallbladder, and uri- Increasing a week, two kilo dead-
nary bladder. More women have issues weight lifts with repeti-
of heartburn, bloating, acidity, UTIs, tions balances their yang
urinary incontinence as their yang en- Your Yin energy.
ergy is suppressed. These issues can be
Find the right mentor.
Look around you, within

While every organisation your vicinity, there are
needs aggression for growth,
it also needs the gentility of leaders who have this bal-
ance. Seek them out and
have conversations with
them to explore and take

a stable and relaxed pace for advice on how you can
compassion and kindness balance yourself out. You
will be surprised that good

leaders who have balanced

yin and yang will always take out time to help others.

Women’s Day celebrates the feminine energy in us. Let us

channelise this feminine energy to get healthier and make the

world a kinder place. As the Dalai Lama says, “I call myself

a feminist. Isn’t that what you call someone who fights for

women’s rights?”

Rachna Chhachhi is a certified holistic cancer, nutrition and yoga expert and
author of four bestselling books on health. She treats across 27 countries

130 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022



BOOKMARK REVIEW

LEAD an illusionary world. This is
REVIEW thenarrow “wronglife”,Paul
discovers on his journey of
The Pathless Path: the Pathless Path.

Imagining a new story This book will permeate
for Work and Life your soul, probing your work
life, step by step and ask if
Paul Millerd you are living the life that you
should be living. It will subtly
PUBLISHER: PAUL investigate your current path
MILLERD and vehemently make you
realise the change you need.
Pages 224; Rs 3,295
(Hardcover) Ipersonallyresonatedwith
Paul’s view, having taken that
LIVE THE path myself, quite magically,
LIFE YOU ARE a few years back. Every page
CAPABLE OF was like déjà vu. This book
LIVING gives a strong alternative
perspective to our work life.
This book will permeate your soul, probing your work life,
step by step and ask if you are living the life that you should Pick this book, even if
be living. It will vehemently make you realise the change you you have read the regular,
preachy “i-quit-my-job-
need,says By Rajeev Sharma and-changed-my-life-
to-became-something”
IF SOMEONE TALKS about of PathlessPath:Imagining family tragedy and health books. This one is bold and
Alternate life or Default aNewStoryForWork issues, Paul has scripted this non-prescriptive. Fresh
path and tries to convince and Life, felt this way. He marvellous inspiration, from and life-changing. A strong
you to believe that most of us drifted away from strategy across his life and career. narrative, intermixed with
could have been subjected consulting, a dream job in quotes from great thinkers, it
to dullness at work or been his dream company and Weknowthatmostof the will make you sit, pause and
unknowingly numbed to slowly disappeared into a goals we set for ourselves reflect. It will expand your
silence over the years, you new world, embracing the have an end objective and a thinking, starting from the
would find it strange and pathless path. He believes rationale. Why are we doing Default path, which Paul has
shocking. that a lot of us may be living it? What are we going to quoted in the book, to many
a “wrong life”. Undergoing a achieve by doing it? How other associated aspects
Welcome to the discovery phase of gradual awakening will we succeed? Rarely do not even covered in the
of the Pathless Path. This himself, he has done a we know what measures book, like Default successes,
220- page book will slowly superlativeeffortof joining success and very few ask how Default satisfaction, Default
open up a journey of the dots to place a mirror in will we achieve happiness. growth and Default sense of
awakening and realisation. front of us. A mirror that’s According to Paul, we all fall belongingness.
Whichever life stage you are cherish-able on one hand, prey to the default career
in, it will make you reflect the but complex and challenging path, unfortunately, in So go ahead reimagine life
best kept secret around your to decipher on the other. building a life around our making it fulfilling, starting
work life. With his own personal issues, work, without even getting today and design a life that
to know about the creation of puts life first. Live the life you
Paul Millerd, the author are capable of now, rather
than the life you are allowed
to live. Kudos Paul you made
our day!

Rajeev Sharma is
Founder, AwrizonDigital

Consultancy

132 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

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BW DISRUPT/ PHOTO ESSAY

01

CITNHEDELIEASB’PSRIRYAOITTUIONNFGG 02
DISRUPTORS
03
BW Disrupt in association with BW
Businessworld not only discovered 01Cheerful group picture of winners of
40 trailblazers of startup ecosystem BW Disrupt 40 Under 40 with four
but also brought together industry winners on the screen behind who joined
captains to have conversations on in virtually
various subjects
02Discussion on how to strategically
plan for efficient investment flow
In the frame (from left to right): Anubhav
Jain, Co-Founder & CEO, Rupifi; Chirag
Taneja, Co-founder & CEO, GoKwik; Preet
Pal Thakur, Co-Founder, Glamyo Health;
Prerna Kalra, Co-Founder, Daalchini; Alok
Kumar, CEO, Stock Daddy; Session chair -
Jyotsna Sharma, Sr. Associate Editor, BW
Businessworld

03Deep Kalra, Founder and Group
Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip
advising startup leaders to keep co-work-
ers and intrapreneurs first while giving his
co-jury chair address

134 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

04

05 07
06 08

04Founders’ point of view on shifting consumers’ behaviour which further forces evolution. In the frame (from left to right): Session Chair - Sudhir Mishra,
Managing Partner, Trust Legal; Mayank Goyal, Founder & CEO, Moneyhop; Prabhu Rangarajan, Co-Founder, M2P Fintech; Pallavi Agarwal, Founder & CEO,
goSTOPS Hospitality; Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, COO, BharatPe

05Group picture post concluding a successful panel discussion. In the frame (from left to right): Swagata Sarangi, Co-Founder, Smytten; Archit Garg,
Co-Founder, Glamyo Health; Roshan Farhan, Founder & CEO, Gobillion; Session chair- Harsha Bennur, Head of Marketing, Slack India; Utsav Malhotra,
COO, Noise and Bhavin Patel, Co-Founder & CEO, LenDenClub. Manish Taneja, Co-Founder & CEO, Purplle.com and Sujata Biswas, Co-Founder, SUTA joined the
conversation via a virtual platform

06Panel discussion conducted virtually, Row 1 (from left to right): Sreevathsa Prabhakar, Founder and CEO, Servify; Jitendra Chouksey, Founder and CEO, Fittr
Row 2 from left to right: Srinath Ramakkrushnan, Co-Founder, Zetwerk; Session Chair - Rahul Sharma, Country Head, Slack India- SAARC

07Unveiling the cover of the special edition of BW Businessworld. In the frame (From Left to right): Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW
Businessworld Media & Founder, exchange4media; Sethurathnam Ravi, Managing Partner, Ravi Ranjan & Company, Chairman, TFCI and Former Chairman,
Bombay Stock Exchange; J. C. Chaudhry, Chairman, Aakash Educational Services (AESL); Deep Kalra, Founder and Group Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip; Ashish
Singla, Managing Partner, N+1 Capital

08Sethurathnam Ravi, Managing Partner, Ravi Ranjan & Company, Chairman, TFCI and Former Chairman, Bombay Stock Exchange shared his mantra, “Never
lose hope, be happy and be passionate about whatever you do”

Photographs by Bobby Singh 26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 135

BW DISRUPT/ PHOTO ESSAY 10

09

11

12

09Group picture post concluding
a successful panel discussion
chaired by Jyotsna Sharma, Sr. Associate
Editor, BW Businessworld

10Annurag Batra, Chairman &
Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld
Media & Founder, exchange4media
extending his heartfelt gratitude towards
chief guests for the day

11Audience applauding awardees as
they get on to the stage to collect
the trophy and certificate

12J. C. Chaudhry, Chairman, Aakash
Educational Services (AESL) being
facilitated by Roshan Suhail, Founder,
SpeakIndia and Akshar Kala

136 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022

13

14 16

15

13A still shot from a
panel discussion,
Bhavin Patel, Co-founder &
CEO, LenDenClub speaking
holding a mic

14Prerna Kalra,
Co-Founder,
Daalchini with mic sharing
her thoughts during a
thought-provoking dis-
cussion

15Cheerful group pic-
ture of winners of BW
Disrupt 40 under 40 joined
by 4 winners through the
virtual platform

16From left to right: Pal-
lavi Agarwal, Founder
& CEO, goSTOPS Hospitality
and Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl,
COO, BharatPe in the frame

26 March 2022 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 137

LAST WORD Sadhguru

Feminine Nature is
Misunderstood as Weakness

Spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru explains why the feminine
has been represented as the most powerful dimension of life in Indian culture

Shakti” means energy. The exist in balance within can a hu-
energy which makes the man being live a life of fulfillment.
atom work is the same en-
ergy which makes the cosmos Feminine is not weakness

work. And this energy is always Today, women have also mis-

identified as feminine. The Indian understood feminine nature as

culture has always represented weakness. They are trying to be

the feminine as the most power- like men. If you compare physi-

ful dimension of life. You will see cally, definitely a man is stronger.

it even in calendar art where Kali Because your perception of life has

is standing on the chest of Shiva been totally limited to the physi-

who is lying dead. The purpose is cal, you consider masculine as

to show you that the masculine is strength and feminine as weak-

lifeless unless it is invigorated by ness. That is a foolish way of look-

the feminine. ing at strength. We have chosen

Feminine worship is the most the power of gross conquest over

ancient form of worship on the the subtleties of love, compassion

planet. India, Europe, Arabia, as and embracing life. If you just have

well as large parts of Africa en- masculine strength, then you will

gaged in goddess worship. But see you will have everything, but

today, because of too much em- you will have nothing.

phasis on the masculine world- The feminine can get its proper For a long time, as survival was
wide, the only culture which place only when societies have the dominant factor, humanity
still practices feminine wor- handled their survival well and
ship is India. reached a certain level of stabilised has given too much signifi-
cance to the masculine. The
The age of equality culture and civilisation feminine can get its proper
place only when societies have

At one time, India was a culture handled their survival well and

where men and women lived in to- reached a certain level of stabilised cul-

tal equality in all respects. A woman is as capable as ture and civilisation.

a man when it comes to inner nature, and right from Ve- Today, because economics has become the main force in

dic times, there have been many women who reached the the world, once again everything is back to the law of the

very heights of their consciousness. Women also wore the jungle — survival of the fittest. Once you do that, again the

sacred thread, and like a man, a woman could live in mar- masculine will dominate.

riage for 10-20 years, and when she felt the urge to become Consciously nurturing and celebrating the feminine in a

spiritual, she could renounce the family. However, women society is very essential. This needs to happen right from the

slowly lost their freedom when barbarian hordes invaded, school level. Children should go for music, art, philosophy,

because the feminine can flower only in a certain situation and literature as much as they go for science and technol-

of relaxation. ogy. If this does not happen, there will be no room for the

Feminine does mean “female.” The “feminine” and “mas- feminine in the world. Female you may be, but masculine

culine” are certain qualities. Only when these two qualities you will become.

138 | BW BUSINESSWORLD | 26 March 2022