From pink slips to
Pink of health
Hiring environment is turning bullish this fiscal, and job seekers have a lot to rejoice about, writes Charandeep Singh

With the economy on track again, and the headhunters back in business looking out for active manpower, “All izz well” seems to be the ruling sentiment in the corporate sector.. Recruitment agencies are in top gear — giving frantic calls to probable candidates, pestering them to change the existing jobs, even profiles sometimes, ensuring suitable fitment in new organisations.

All major news items these days carry the tag that the “worst is probably over”. Bearing testimony to this fact are the major expansion plans lined up by most companies across all sectors. P.D Jose, Chairperson of Career Development Services, IIM-Bangalore says, “Good times are back but not as they were in the past. But recession never hit India as badly as it hit the rest of the world and thus recovery should have been faster”.

Who all are hiring

Job seekers are heaving a sigh of relief as the hiring activity has gained momentum once again. According to NASSCOM, after recession, an upward trend will be seen in the business and particularly in the field of outsourcing and engineering. Major hiring, as of now, would be done by telecom industry in which Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd and Aricent are the topmost companies that are hiring. As per Manpower Consultants, in India telecom companies require around 1,50,000 employees.

The banking sector is also sending positive signals in terms of hiring manpower. A survey on Headcount Expansion Activities conducted by Assocham, has revealed that the banking sector has generated many jobs and hired about 16,000 employees. The State Bank of India has announced 13,000 jobs. Pushpinder Kaur, AGM, State Bank of India, says, “Our recruitment was not propelled by the fears of global economic crisis, they were just need-based. We have a large number of retirements coming up in 2011, so we have hired the requisite manpower in advance. By the time our employees retire, we have new staff properly trained without hampering our day-to-day activities.”

Following closely is the IT/ITES sector. Wipro Technologies sees huge expansion in its outsourcing sector. Wipro, TCS and Infosys have announced major recruitment drive in the campus placements. TCS alone has announced to pick about 2,500 IT graduates from campus placement programmes. Tarun Awaasthi, who is working as a system analyst with a leading BPO says, “Our business is directly proportional to the US economy. For the first time since recession, things are bouncing back in the US, and there is a flurry of activity in our business in India, too. So, we expect salary hikes, promotions and bonus in the current year”.

Pharmaceutical industry is also one of the top most sectors to hire manpower. Pharmaceutical industry is growing swiftly with the growth rate of 8-9 per cent annually, and its worth is about $4.5 billion. With the international market opening up, the avenues of trade have become brighter. So there is more scope of growth and most of the companies are now bullish on growth and expansion to make up for the time and revenues lost during recession.

In terms of growth also comes the steel, aviation and consumer durable industry that is growing swiftly, leading to change in the job scenario in India. “The expansion plans for all the major airlines were put on hold because of the sharp increase in oil prices. The aviation industry has started recovering from recession because of good load factor and because of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. The tough phase which the aviation industry was in for the past 12-14 months has eased”, observes Rajeev, HR manager with Kingfisher Airlines.

PSUs are also contributing to recruitments in a big way. There are about 260 PSUs all over India. BSNL is going to hire 3,945 Junior Telecom Officers. LIC has plans to hire 45,000 people this year. BPCL, which is one of India’s largest PSUs, is planning to add more than 1000 engineers over the next couple of years. No doubt, Indian PSUs are becoming the latest refuge of job-seekers as they provide stability and are impervious to the vicissitudes of recession and market jolts.

Amandeep Singh, who recently got selected as a Probationary Officer in a public sector bank, says, “I was working in a private bank as a manager for almost 13 months, when suddenly I was asked to leave. With my selection as a Probationary Officer, I feel secure. It is a stable option and that also with pension.”

Kelly Services expects healthcare and banking sectors to provide around 2.5 lakh and 40,000 jobs, respectively in FY 11. The experts believe that hiring would be also be robust across sectors such as real estate, retail trade sector and manufacturing among others.

New practices

Post economic downturn companies have become very sagacious as well as choosy in selecting candidates for a given job. Hiring has undergone a transformation post recession. The effect of recession has brought new challenges for companies as well as job aspirants. According to Meenal Vasal, faculty, International Business School, “taking advantage of an improving economy, employers are planning to recruit new employees in their organisations in the near future while maintaining their talent pool”.

These days companies lay special emphasis on talent management, whereby greater emphasis is on selecting the candidates who have specialisation and experience in certain domain.

Another special drive being launched by the corporate sector is rehiring of ex-employees. The employees that were laid off during recession are now being reconsidered and preferred upon new fresh recruits. According to Surinder Bhandari, working as HR manager in Ranbaxy lab, “former employees are aware of the organisational culture and productivity standards expected out of them. So we need not train them as it saves our cost and time.”

Another innovative method, which the corporates are trying these days, is to hire candidates from sources as it is cost effective. For this employee referral scheme is considered to be the most reliable, as your trusted employees pump in fresh blood in the company. Companies are also going slow on campus placement drives, as these are quite expensive. These days they prefer to recruit candidates from an online web portal.

Companies have also become extremely choosy in selecting a candidate for the desired profile. Like in life insurance companies, the location head, whose selection was earlier the prerogative of the Zonal Head, is no longer there. The candidate is supposed to have a video conferencing done with the national head before being given the green signal.

Time to reap benefits

As the recovery is under way, the employees can ask their bosses for a raise or promotion, since they are the ones who bore the brunt of recession. As employers need to ensure that their best employees remain with them, when they are presented with other opportunities, better salary packages and other benefits and perks will play a critical role in retaining their employees. So post recession it is a win-win situation for all in the job market.

“We have major ramp up plans whereby we propose to add around 1,250 new candidates in the managerial cadre and side by side plan to increase our fleet on street by around 5,000 in this fiscal in the northern region.”

Ruchi Sharma, Regional HR manager in a life insurance company

IT rocks

“The recruitment scenario is witnessing a tremendous change in the IT sector. As the IT companies are bagging more and more projects overseas, they need huge manpower back home in India. In the past few months we have received a good number of queries from the IT companies, asking us to provide us suitable manpower. It’s a sea change actually, just a few months back; pink slips were the order of the day. Thousands of software engineers were forced to leave jobs. Now this sector is back in action. Even the quarterly results, bonuses being offered by these companies prove this. Almost all companies in Chandigarh are on expansion spree, time is to provide them quality man power.”

— Sharad Kamra, Director of IICE-computer education and Webcom Technology, Chandigarh 

Career Hotline
Pervin Malhotra
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address 
and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com 
Best foot forward

Q. I have appeared for Class XII exam. I am keen on taking up a job in the footwear industry, preferably as a designer. Please tell me about the prospects in this field.

— Kanwar Singh

A. India's footwear industry has been growing at an unprecedented pace (10 per cent annually) over the past few years touching Rs 10,000 crore. Today, India is the second largest footwear manufacturer in the world. Apart from growth in the domestic sector, exports (mainly to the US and Europe) are likely to double — touching $ 3.37 billion by 2013-14.

Of the total leather goods industry, footwear alone constitutes 40 per cent.

The industry, which turns out over 2.06 billion pairs of shoes in different categories, employs over one million people.

Several international brands are shifting their sourcing and manufacturing base to India. What's even more encouraging is that India allows 100 per cent FDI in this sector.

There are primarily three segments in this specialised industry that requires sophisticated machinery and technically skilled manpower — designing, manufacturing and marketing.

Designers handle the creative part of the job, which involves creating new footwear styles and patterns. They are hired as Technical Designers who have formal training in shoe pattern-making, cutting, designing and sample preparation, or as Stylist Designers who need to be clued into the current international fashion trends and can conceptualise an attractive and saleable product.

Armed with technical skills, precision and computer savvy (CAD/CAM) which a good course in footwear design would provide, you will be taken on as a designer — either on the rolls or as a freelancer. Since footwear is an integral part of the booming fashion industry, footwear design is a hot career choice. Thousands of new designs are flooding the market to keep pace with increasing brand and fashion consciousness. Understandably, jobs are not hard to come by, and as a fresher you can earn anything between Rs 15,000-25,000 depending on your qualifications and the recruiting organisation.

On completing your course you could either work with shoe manufacturers or handle independent projects for them.

In this industry, career progress is purely performance-based and innovative designers can rise quickly through the ranks of Junior Stylist and Senior Stylist to become the Chief Designer of a plant or a company.

After you've gained some practical hands-on experience in a well-established design and fabrication unit, you could even consider set up your own outfit catering to international as well as domestic markets.

As this is not a very cost-intensive venture, a single line small-scale unit could be set up with a relatively small investment. Besides, labour and raw material are still available at a reasonable cost and power consumption is minimal.

Additional skills

Q. After completing BSc Home Science (with nutrition & dietetics), I am currently doing MSc Bio-Chemistry. After this I want to do some evening courses which will help me get a good job. Please advise.

— Neerja Bedi

A. It appears from your question that you apprehend that the course (MSc-Bio-chemistry) which you are currently pursuing may not lead to a good job.

Regarding pursuing an evening course simultaneously, you would be aware that the universe of part-time courses is indeed very wide — ranging from languages to computers to fashion to engineering and IT. The important thing, therefore, is to select a course that builds on your existing academic knowledge or some other personal strengths.

You could consider building on your background in food and nutrition — since opportunities are available in a number of fields such as hospitals, healthcare, hotels, fitness centres, industrial canteens, airlines and the processed food industry. Working in a health programme or NGO as an extension worker — educating specific segments of the population e.g. young mothers or villagers in the special food and dietary value of certain food stuffs, could be yet another option. Sports nutrition is yet another area you could look at.

India's rapidly developing food processing industry, spurred by the popularity of pre-packaged foods, export potential and the entry of international giants, offers ample opportunities for qualified nutritionists, quality control managers and dietitians.

However, it is not very clear from your letter whether you are considering an evening course so that you can switch to a completely different field. If that's the case, I'd be happy to provide you information on specific courses in whatever field you may have short-listed.

Don’t lose heart

Q. In my Plus II board exam I could not do well in one subject because there was an accident in my family. I'm afraid of even failing in this paper. If there is any way to save my year, please counsel me.

— Shrey Chaudhry

A. Any student who fails to clear the CBSE Board Exams (Secondary/Senior School Certificate) has three chances, to clear the compartment exam.

What’s more, the CBSE Board issues a consolidated marksheet, which does not show whether the marks have been acquired through the main or the compartment exam.

Earlier, the compartment was indicated on the initial marksheet, while a separate marksheet was issued for the compartment subject/s, which often proved to be a stigma creating problems of acceptability in many places.

So even if you have fared somewhat poorly, don't lose heart for all is not lost.

Moreover, Delhi University makes a provision for candidates with compartment in one subject only. You can get a provisional admission in DU colleges, School of Open Learning, Non-formal Education Cell as well as in the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board, provided you have obtained the aggregate by adding the minimum pass marks of the subject in which you have been placed under compartment to the marks obtained in the remaining three subjects.

Students who get a compartment in one / two subjects who are not eligible for provisional admission to a regular college or the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board) may, after clearing their compartmental exam and securing at least 40 per cent marks, be admitted to a college before the prescribed last date, subject to the availability of seats.

You are also eligible for provisional admission in some universities. Do check.

This is of course subject to the condition that you pass the compartment exam by December.

Understanding Terms

Q. What exactly are interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary courses?

— Neha Garg

A. Interdisciplinary fields are areas of study that involve the interaction of two or more academic disciplines.

Consequently, an interdisciplinary person is one who has degrees in one or more academic disciplines with additional interactional expertise in one or more additional academic disciplines, and new knowledge that is claimed by more than one discipline.

For instance, industrial ecology is an interdisciplinary field that covers social sciences, economics, environmental sciences, technology and systems theory.

This success of "interdisciplinary" programmes in life sciences has led to a huge growth in the number of interdisciplinary programmes in biosciences in the past two decades. With a few exceptions, most interdisciplinary courses in India are offered at the postgraduate level and beyond. Browse the websites of some of the IITs or the Indian Institute of Science to get an idea.

Over time, interdisciplinary work may lead to an increase or a decrease in the number of academic disciplines.

Crossdisciplinarity is the act of crossing disciplinary boundaries to explain one subject in the terms of another, foreign subject or method.

Some examples of crossdisciplinary approaches are studies of the physics of music or the politics of literature.

Remote infrastructure managem ent

Mumbai: N-Power, the Hardware and Networking training wing of Aptech Limited, has launched “NCESE-RIM”, an exclusive 19-month programme in Remote Infrastructure Management (RIM).s

The course has been divided into five terms offering exit profile at the end of each term starting from Hardware Professional, Systems Administrator, Network and Security Administrator, IMS Professional, RIM professional etc. It will also cover new age technologies such as MCTS-Windows7, MCITP Win 2008 Server Administration track, Cloud Computing, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), SQL Server installation and configuration, Virtualisation and Desktop Optimisation and many more.

Ninad Karpe, CEO and MD of Aptech Limited, said, “This is an appropriate course for all those who aspire to manage Information Technology (IT) infrastructure such as workstations (desktops, laptops, notebooks, etc), servers, network devices, storage devices, IT security devices, etc of a company, from a remote location. I am confident NCESE- RIM will help the aspirants to attain the required skills for this burgeoning industry.”

Currently the Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) is pegged at $ 524 billion industry. India is well positioned to capture a disproportionate share of $ 13–15 billion in field of Remote Infrastructure Management (RIM) by 2013 and is likely to create 325,000 to 375,000 jobs as emphasized by McKinsey & Company. Leading IT companies in India like Sify, HCL Technologies, Capgemini, Accenture, IBM, Patni, EDS, Mphasis, Microland, Wipro, Cognizant and many more have been expanding their RIM workforces by 50 per cent year-on-year.

Advanced diploma in 3D animation

Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC) has announced the launch of Advance Diploma in 3D Animation EDGE — a 27-month, comprehensive 3D Animation programme with focus on complete process of film making which includes pre-production, production and post production stage.

AD3D EDGE has been designed to enhance the skill set of the students. The course offers four elective specialisation options in Modeling and Texturing, Lighting and Shading, Animation, and Visual Effects. It also incorporates training in various softwares such as Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Mudbox, Eyeon Fusion, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Autodesk Matchover.

This programme is validated by University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and the students will be conferred a dual authenticated certificate by MAAC and CIE, on successfully completing the programme.

The programme will be made available across MAAC centers in the country. On course completion, students would be able to get openings as Modeling Artist, Lighting Artist, Render Artist, Character Animator, Layout Artist, Digital Sculptor, Rigging Artist, FX Artist, Roto Artist, Match Mover, Video Editor, Motion Graphics Artist, and Motion Graphics Artist in the leading companies.

Study Abroad singapore
No more an underdog
R.J.S. Atwal

Singapore may not be that popular with students from the region, but the country promises a bright future for those wanting to add the punch of a foreign degree to their CV.

“Today, our students are attracted to Singapore for its quality and affordable education. Cheaper living and education costs, and comparatively easy visa regulations, make all the difference in view of the dicey situation in countries like the UK and Australia,” says Rohit Sethi, a Singapore student visa expert of Jalandhar-based VIEC. Excerpts from an interview:

How’s Singapore faring as a study destination in comparison to bigwigs like the USA and the UK?

In the current scenario, when other countries have further tightened their visa regulations, getting a Singapore student visa is comparatively easier. Tuition fees and living costs are cheaper there as compared to the UK and USA. There is no need for students to show old funds and face the ‘dreaded’ High Commission interview.

But all this does not make Singapore any less important in terms of quality education. With no natural resources to draw from, the country has invested heavily in all levels of education to drive its successful economy. As an added advantage, institutes in Singapore offer students an opportunity to attain international certification at a much affordable cost through their partnerships with popular international universities from the UK, USA, Australia, etc.

Which courses are in high demand?

Diploma courses that top the list , include the ones in Hospitality (six months study and six months practical training) and Casino Management.

There are enormous job opportunities available with the opening of two integrated resorts, and the commitment of the Singapore Government to develop the city- state into an international entertainment hub in the next five years. Engineering, Business Studies, Mass Communication, Design and Info-Communications, and IT courses are also quite popular among international students.

Why do you think not many students are attracted to Singapore?

It’s mainly because the students are not aware of the immense study and post-study settlement options available in this beautiful country. It is still considered more of a tourist destination in this region. Everybody knows that foreign students are not allowed to work in Singapore, unless they are granted “Work Pass” exemption under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Pass Exemptions) Notification. It is noteworthy that overseas students at IHL (Institute of Higher Learning) are exempt from applying for a work permit if they wish to work during the vacation time. To safeguard the interests of the students, two key initiatives have been put in place. These are: CaseTrust for Education and Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO). Very soon CaseTrust will be replaced by EduTrust Scheme.

What about the study gap? Does it affect visa chances?

Though the admission criteria vary from institute to institute, if a student can convince an institute about his interest in the particular course then study gap is no problem.

Each private school has its own admission process and interested students should directly contact the school concerned. Usually the student’s statement of intent attached with each application should be self-explanatory and give the reason for choosing that particular course. If the school is satisfied, admission may be granted. The institutes encourage students to have a keen interest in their chosen area of study. But there are certain conditions attached to this and admissions are granted on case-to-case basis.

What are the main points that students should keep in mind while choosing Singapore as their study destination?

Singapore is a beautiful and one of the safest countries across the globe. Before finalising your plans please do your research on the courses and institutes. Students opting for private institutes must check if they have the CaseTrust Certificates. My advice is never indulge in unlawful activities while studying. PR, of course, is top on your minds but always remember that it is the quality education which will help you in the long run. Investment in education is an investment in your future. 

Top universities/ colleges:

n Melior International College

n Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management

n Auston Institute of Management

n Beacon School of Technology

n DPS International School Singapore

International students can also choose an exchange experience with Singapore’s public universities such as National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) or Singapore Management University (SMU) on a tuition-waiver basis.

Courses

Management programmes (MBA) etc., IT (Telecommunication) etc., Engineering, Tourism and Art & Design.

Admission time

Universities generally conduct admission process in the month of August and July.

Polytechnics have July intake running throughout the year. For private institutes you have to apply three months in advance before the actual intake.

Tuition fees

Annual tuition fees ranges from S$ 5,500 to S$ 39,000. Under The Tuition Grant Bond fees may be subsidised with the obligation for the international student to work for three years (Medical and Dental courses five years) in Singapore. 

Look before you leap

Before selecting a course, a student be should crystal clear about what he or she wants to pursue. Once decided, the student should start looking for the institutions, which offer the course. It is always better to go through institutions websites and online brochures to have a better idea about what the course curriculum offers and whether it’s in tune with the industry needs or not. Students must be careful about selecting an institution. It must be a genuine and recognised one. It’s advisable to check Singapore Government’s higher education website before opting for an institution.

Fuel sector needs manpower
S.C. Dhall

Petroleum is one of the most vital natural resources and a primary source of energy. Concerns of energy security coupled with declining petroleum reserves in the world necessitate the presence of professionals who not only possess the technical knowhow, but are also capable of churning out innovative technology and process to meet the world’s ever-growing energy demand.

The global exploration and production workforce alone is around 3,75,000 people. Looking at the current demand-supply scenario of trained manpower for professional services in oil and gas sector by 2012, the manpower requirement would double.

Oil exploration and production companies are not only facing an acute shortage of drilling rigs (over 60 per cent), but are also facing shortage of skilled personnel (30 per cent). This has resulted in inordinate delays in their hydrocarbons discovery schedule, with project costs exceeding about 30 per cent in the past three to four years.

These were the findings of a paper on “Indian Oil & Gas Sector: an overview”, brought out by Assocham. The paper highlights that the problem of mismatch between demand of drilling rigs and their supply needs to be addressed immediately. Besides, there is an acute shortage of skilled personnel for oil and gas exploration. These problems need immediate attention. Otherwise, India’s crude import will go up by 20 per cent.

Currently, 70 per cent of India’s petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) requirements are met through imports which might go up to 90 per cent by 2012.

The rigs’ demand has risen globally in response to relatively higher energy prices and Indian exploration and production companies are feeling the pinch of an acute shortage of these to the extent of over 60 per cent.

As per available statistics, a total of over 145 offshore rigs are on order or under construction until recently as compared to just 29 in April, 2005. “Fabrication yards that make rigs are running huge backlogs and some of the reputed yards are completely booked with current orders until the end of 2010.

As for skill shortage in terms of manpower, the upstream sector faces it to the extent of 30 per cent against its total requirement. Out of 4,00,000 engineers, 60,000 MBAs and 7,000 PhDs that India produces every year, only 10 to 25 per cent are considered employable.

Of this employable lot, nearly 35 per cent are absorbed by IT and ITES sectors and about 45 per cent by manufacturing sector. Exploration and production being a highly risky profession, good engineers, geologists and geophysics are always in demand.

Fortnightly Quiz-361

1. Name the topper of this year’s Civil Services examination.

2. Which legendary Indian poet and author’s 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated this year?

3. Name the country’s first home-built stealth warship, biggest in its class in the world, that was recently inducted into the Navy.

4. In which US city is the famous tourist hub, Times Square, situated?

5. Which iconic cult bike-maker of the USA recently opened its headquarters in Gurgaon?

6. Where was a massive oil slick reported from an exploration well near the south-eastern USA recently?

7. Who has been appointed the new Chief Justice of India?

8. Name the IIT alumnus who was recently named the Dean of Harvard Business School, the first time an Indian-origin person has been named to the post in the prestigious institution’s history.

9. Name the largest bird in Australia and the second largest in the world after ostrich.

10. Who recently became the first Indian to score a century in international T-20 cricket?

— Tarun Sharma

Winners of quiz 360: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Mohit Bansal, class VIII-A, SDKL DAV Senior Secondary Public School, Water Works Road, Mansa , Pin Code - 151505

Second: Jasmine Sodhi , class VIII, Bal Vikas School, GT Colony, Model Town, Panipat, Haryana, Pin Code - 132103

Third: Smilee Koundal , class VII, Mount Carmel School, Gagal, district Kangra, Pin Code – 176209

Answers to quiz 360: Iceland; April 24; Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO); Oil India Limited; 56; Management; Tipu Sultan; Zakumi; Wembley Stadium (London); Chennai Super Kings

Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address.

Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place to facilitate the delivery of the prize money.

Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Boss, appear fair

If the man on top blatantly acts favourably towards a select few team members, it can cause bad blood in the lower rungs. It is vital that the boss appears fair so that no ill will harms the product or worsens the situation.

Ashwapathi gave his daughter Kaikeyi in marriage to Dashratha on condition that her son would inherit the throne. In order that Kaikeyi doesn’t press him to fulfil his vow and ruin Rama’s chances, Dashratha started spending extra time with Kaikeyi. Dashratha’s favouritism towards his second queen made elder queen Kaushalya jealous and she chided her junior for being extravagant.

The soured relations between the two women and Manthara’s contention that Kaikeyi would be rendered to being Kaushalya’s slave when Rama is enthroned tilted the scales in Bharat’s favour. Favouritism and the ensuing ill will resulted in the throne remaining unoccupied for the next 14 years.

“I love Arjuna more than my son Ashwathama,” Drona had once declared. The master’s extra attention to his favourite pupil made two skilled warriors — Ashwathama and Karna — join Duryodhana’s camp.

Blind in love for his eldest son, Dhritrashtra always gave his nephews a raw deal. In the partition of the kingdom, he gave the Pandavas a wasteland. Then, he allowed them to be cheated during the first game of dice and humiliated in his courtroom.

Even while the wise Gandhari advised her husband Dhritrashtra not to re-invite the Pandavas for a game of dice, the blind king said, “Let our race be destroyed. I will not restrain my son.” Thirteen years and a war later, all but 11 warriors remained on both sides.

A boss’ job isn’t easy as he has to encourage the talented in his team and yet appear fair to all.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com