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Back with a bang
Immigrants dislodge British workers
Reality factor
First
PERSON
Green tech to beat stress
Case study contest
Sychophancy, not a compliment
Creative CONTENT
IT training initiative for jawans
Happiness work
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Back with a bang
The lure of foreign shores and greener pastures makes thousands of youths from the region pack their bags and board international flights leaving the corporate world and politicians crying hoarse over brain drain. But in the midst of all this there are certain mavericks who have not only decided to return to their motherland after tasting the life abroad, but have also set up successful business ventures here.
These young guns are committed to enrich their own country with world-class knowledge and experience. Marching straight in tune with the times they have proved their mettle with aplomb. Here are some of the success stories of young entrepreneurs from the region who have made the best of their “foreign” experience after coming back home.
BUILDING FAMILY LEGACY
According to Harvard-educated younger Sonica (31), confidence is the key for a woman who can achieve anything in life provided she is capable of taking her own decisions breaking the ‘boundaries of mind.’ Sonica has come back from the USA recently after doing her PLD (Programme for Leadership Development) to look after her family business diversifying from books to hospitality industry. All geared up for better office management, she opines that hospitality is a very good career option for girls today. Heading the Hospitality and Publishing (Finance) departments of the MBD group, this young Director believes that every employee in an organisation should be given due respect. “Gone are the days of an authoritative type of approach at workplace. It is only the people-oriented type of functioning coupled with decent wages that click today,” adds this graduate in Finance from IMI, New Delhi. “Thankfully, our youth have started realising that actually studying abroad and not a PR is what they should be looking for overseas,” Sodhi adds.
doc with love for his roots
“Setting up my own centre in Jalandhar was the obvious choice”, he says while adding that with no dearth of medical institutions in Punjab, such unique career options have opened new vistas for the youth in the region.
IMMIGRATION GURUS
According to Sethi, who started his career with an Australian company in 2006, in order to be a successful businessman one should have a positive attitude towards life and work. “My foreign exposure and experience have helped me in maximising my output because studies there (abroad) are very practical. It has helped me become a better manager,” he says. This 31-year-old GM believes that adding value to one’s product is as vital as hardwork because creativity lies in a person and not in his job. “This is the success mantra to move up the corporate ladder. If I could, then others too can,” Sethi says, adding, “There are hundreds of opportunities in India itself. One has to think big to get big.”
According to her, in the late 1990s student visa for the US was not that popular for Punjabis because of the “scary” face-to-face embassy interview. “So, most of the Punjabi youths chose the illegal way of migration. Since I was already studying and working there in the US, I thought why not go back and start my own student visa migration business,” she explains. According to Sodhi, who feels that her US experience has given a ‘competitive edge’ to her venture, in this age of ‘super specialisation’ with technology reigning supreme, simple career options have assumed wider dimensions. “Today, we have 50 different fields of Information Technology like animation, graphic designing, etc. So, students have better options now,” she says.
charting a new course
“Today, hospitality is a great career for youngsters, especially for Punjabi youth. I liked cooking so became a chef,” says Singh who had done BSc in Food Science Technology from PAU Ludhiana before flying to Canada.
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Career Hotline
— Mili sharma A. In the case of the University of Oxford, the one essential condition for being accepted for pursuing a PhD programme is evidence of previous academic excellence, and of future potential. Commonly, students are first accepted to an MPhil programme and may transfer to PhD upon satisfactory progress. Termed as APG (Advanced Postgraduate) status, this is typically done after one or two years, and the research work can potentially count towards the PhD degree. If a student fails to make satisfactory progress, s/he may be offered the opportunity to write and submit for an MPhil degree. Experience of working on a research project is very useful. A research proposal is an essential part of any application for a research degree. This should be short (perhaps two-page) summary-based on research in your field. The Faculty of English Language and Literature at Oxford is by far the largest English Department in the UK, with over 75 permanent postholders plus 70 Faculty members. For details, log onto: www.english.ox.ac.uk/ For more information about research at the prestigious Faculty of English, Cambridge University, please visit www.english.cam.ac.uk/ , www.rceal.cam.ac.uk/, www.asnc.cam.ac.uk/. You could try applying for Commonwealth Scholarships. The information is available atwww.education.nic.in Next to USA, the largest number of fellowships, especially for India, are offered in the UK. Moving beyond the Chevening and Commonwealth programmes, you could look at different trusts like the Welcome Trust etc that offer funding and bursaries. For information on other scholarships like those offered by Felix Trust Felix Scholarship Trust, UK (www.felixscholarship.org), Inlaks Foundation (www.inlaks.foundation.org) Also visit: www.britishcouncil.org.in/scholarships, www.educationuk-in.org The Oxford & Cambridge Society of India, New Delhi
(www.oxbridgeindia.com/scholarship.php) You could also try: www.applicationsresearch.com. This is a company devoted solely to the Oxbridge selection process run by Oxbridge graduates.
Fellow programmes in management
— Sonia A. Doctoral programmes in management and related disciplines are offered at a large number of B-schools, including premier ones like the IIMs, MDI, BITS, Pilani, IITs, ISM, Jharkhand, NMIMS, XIM, IMI, ICFAI, Loyola Institute of Business Mgt etc. PhD in management is also offered at a large number universities that offer MBA programmes like Delhi University etc. The programmes are ideally suited for the academically inclined who have some professional experience, intellectual curiosity and discipline, which are the prerequisites for any scholarly inquiry. They are perfect for those who wish to go into teaching, advanced research or training as well as for those looking at consulting or post-research benefits abroad. Termed as Fellow Programmes in Management (FPM), they introduce students to major functional and general management areas and provide a thorough understanding of the concepts and theories underlying management practices. The first two years of the doctoral-level FPM at the IIMs is devoted to course work and the rest to qualifying exams followed by dissertation work. Admission to these programmes is based on entrance test and interview, details of which as well as of the eligibility requirements and Fellowships etc is available on their respective websites.
Scope in hydropower sector
— Santosh Dhiman A. As with most other renewable energy technologies, the design, construction, and maintenance of hydropower plants requires electrical and mechanical engineers, technicians, and skilled workers. If the hydropower project also involves managing the reservoir and the surrounding land, the developer will also hire recreation planners and resource managers. In addition, licensing laws now require current or prospective hydropower plant developers to assess the environmental effects of their operation. Thus, the hydropower industry now also employs environmental scientists (biologists, hydrologists, ecologists, and wildlife habitat specialists, for example) to assess environmental impacts and address environmental remediation. Environmental scientists, as well as engineers, also participate in R&D efforts through private companies, national laboratories, and universities.
On road to research
Q. I am doing masters in political science from IGNOU, will i be eligible for MPhil, PhD in any regular university? I want to know something about NEUPA.
— Avni Lal A. Sure, why not. You can certainly do a regular MPhil from a good university as long as you fulfil the requisite eligibility conditions. The National University of Educational Planning & Administration (NUEPA) is an apex national institution of educational planning and administration based in Delhi engaged in educational research, training and consultancy. A Deemed University, NUEPA offers full-time MPhil and PhD programmes in educational policy, planning, finance and administration from a broader inter-disciplinary social science perspective. The focus areas of research cover school education, higher education, inclusive education, constitutional rights and management information system, etc. from the perspective of national and international development. You can get all the relevant information at its website www.nuepa.org
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Immigrants dislodge British workers
Declining standards among British graduates are leading companies to fill jobs with foreign workers as employers believe they are too poorly educated to rival immigrants, a study has warned.
The companies believe that standards are declining fast among graduates and school-leavers and want migrants to fill jobs instead, it said. One in five firms have recruited migrant workers this summer and a similar number will do so during the autumn, the Daily Mail reported earlier this week. A third of the immigrant staff will be brought in from outside Europe, according to the report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and KPMG. Managers believe that British candidates do not have the skills to match migrants and that the readiness of Britons for work is getting worse year by year. Four out of 10 employers think literacy and numeracy among British graduates and school-leavers has worsened over the past five years. A third think that business acumen has fallen off among British candidates and more than a third think their personal skills are worse now than five years ago. The Labour Market Outlook report said that demand for immigrant workers is rising in line with improvements in the economy. Author Gerwyn Davies warned that multinational companies will shift jobs abroad if they cannot get qualified staff in Britain. He said the proposed migration cap, which is due next year, comes at a time when many employers are still struggling to fill skilled vacancies despite the high unemployment rate. The resulting shortfall of skilled candidates following the cap could damage British companies, Davies said. But Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “Businesses are going to have to reduce their reliance on migrant workers as this has done nothing to help the millions of unemployed.” Numbers of skilled workers coming in from outside Europe this year were cut by five per cent in June as an “interim measure” before the overall cap comes into effect next year.
—IANS
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Reality factor
Years of regimented learning creates perceptions that you must dissipate before you go out and seek that job. You will be surprised to know the difference between what you are taught to believe, and the reality, that is. Here are some of the common misconceptions that need to be ripped apart to open the window to reality.
I should know as many programming languages as I can No. Companies do not want you to know multiple languages, they want you to know programming concepts and algorithms really well. A company looks for the right fit. In-depth knowledge of a subject is more critical than being Jack of all trades and master of none. Putting a lot of projects in the resume helps The numbers matter only as far as your knowledge goes. Only mention those projects which you know inside out. In fact, it is a big negative if you have a project on your resume which you cannot explain. College percentage does not matter On the contrary, almost all companies and interviewers give high weightage to college percentage to make final selection. Good English is not needed for an IT job Basic written and spoken English skills are necessary for most software jobs. Moreover, learning all words in a dictionary does not improve your chances of getting your job. Companies look for whether you can speak grammatically correct English or not. It does not help to know too many words beyond a point. It is better to give some answer even if you don’t know the answer If you do not know an answer, it is best to say ‘I do not know’ rather than giving a clumsy or wrong answer. Interviewers look for the right answer rather than the quick answer. You can ask for time to think, if you think it helps. The writer is Co-Founder, Aspiring Minds,
Gurgaon.
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First
PERSON
Titus & Co. is one of India’s leading law firms networked in 40 major cities across the country. The firm is engaged in a substantial international practice representing an extensive international clientele comprising US, European, Australian and Asian corporations, including 48 Fortune 500 Companies. Diljeet Titus, Founder and Partner, Titus and Co, talks about various aspects of Law as a career. Excerpts from an interview: Give some details about Law as a career? Lawyers are held in high esteem in our society because when all options fail, one has the option to take recourse to the legal system. In our daily life in one way or the other we may come across situations where legal advice is indispensable. In such situations we need the advice of legal professionals who are capable of analysing and interpreting the law in a technically correct manner. The legal field covers a wide range of activities, but is not limited to conducting and handling corporate/commercial transactions, client counseling, drafting and vetting legal documents and to represent clients before courts/judicial/quasi judicial authorities. Historically, a male-dominated field, it is now being increasingly opted for by women as well. Law as a career stands out from other professions as academic excellence is not the only criteria to achieve success in the profession. Professional competence acquired through experience, practicing with efficient senior lawyers, interaction with clients, the hunger and desire to handle complex and challenging matters lead to success in this profession. What options are available to those wanting to enter this field? Law as a career presents a wide range of options. In addition to the conventional path of practising in courts of law and be appointed as Judicial Officers and after acquiring the requisite qualification and experience be appointed as a Judge in Courts or Solicitor/Attorney General to the Government of India, the profession in today’s business oriented world presents options to work as transaction lawyers or to be in-house counsel to companies. Law graduates can also work as legal advisors and assistants in various government departments etc., or be a part of the legal branch of defence forces. Besides these options lawyers have ample career options to go back to law schools/colleges as professors/ lecturers. They can also work in newspapers and television news channels as legal reporters or as columnists in publication houses, legal and business websites. Which are the areas of specialisation in this field? The areas of specialisation in law are — Civil/Criminal litigation, Corporate/Commercial Litigation, Alternate Dispute Resolution, human rights, Intellectual Property Laws including Qualified Patent Attorneys, Domestic and Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions including General Corporate Practice. Which are the new areas that are coming up apart from the usual ones? Globalisation of the Indian economy has lead to advancement in business, consumerism and technology. Some entirely new legal areas have evolved such as Competition Laws, Cyber Laws, Anti-Dumping Laws, Space Laws, petroleum laws etc and there is a scope for specialisation in these areas. What are the future prospects in this field? Future prospects in the legal field are inexhaustible. Business houses and litigants are opting for cost and time effective modes for resolving disputes and the online dispute resolution mechanism, which is in its formative stages in India, will gradually move towards a perceptible shift requiring the use of technology in the resolution of disputes. Therefore, there is a need for trained and qualified professionals having adequate knowledge of both Information Technology and procedural and legal aspects of dispute resolution. The theme in law, as elsewhere, will be that the natural first port of call will be on-line facilities and services. It would introduce a variety of enabling techniques which are likely to lie at the heart of legal system of the future. What is your advice to the those wanting to make a career in law? The only thing that is constant in law is change itself; hence those desirous of entering this field should learn to be students of change. Before entering the field one must understand the dynamic nature of law as well as its scope and importance. The life of law has not been logic; it has been reason. Thus, the profession requires a broad understanding of human history, the ability to think clearly and organise thoughts, ability to identify issues arising out of a problem, excellent drafting skills and an appreciation of values and responsibility. Students must invest time in reading legal journals, business magazines and should keep themselves abreast with current affairs and the latest amendments to different laws. Aspirants should be good communicators, have a strong command over the English language, must be tech savvy and should lay emphasis on developing analytical and reasoning skills. I must again emphasise that the profession requires patience, perseverance and ability to work long hours. Students should also build and maintain good connections. One needs to understand the responsibilities that one is encumbered with upon entering this field and the dignity and integrity that one has to maintain throughout one’s career. Above all, one needs to have the right set of ethics and passion for justice. All of the above combined with the right aptitude and attitude are the essential pre-requisites for a successful career in the legal profession. Law students and young law graduates should go through books like “How to Start and Build a Law Practice” published by the American Bar Association – Law Student Division; and “What Clients Love” - published by AOL Time Warner Company.
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Green tech to beat stress
One can dramatically improve the air quality in homes or offices with only three varieties of plants. These are Areca palm (living room plant) that produces oxygen during the day, Mother-in-law’s tongue (bedroom plant) produces oxygen at night and money plant which is used to remove VOCs from the air. Generally, air purification through plants is done scientifically. Air from a height of 120 feet is scrubbed with purified/treated water and is pumped into green house that enrich it with oxygen and increase its humidity. The water is UV treated to kill bacteria or any kind of fungal growth. The oxygenated air is then fed into the AC plant for cooling. Another innovative technology used is Hydroponic culture. Here plants thrive on nutrient solution rather than on soil, produces healthier plants and increase oxygen efficiency than traditional gardening. Research conducted also reveals that people working in clean atmosphere have 10-12 per cent less lung impairment as compared to people working in atmosphere where the indoor air is not clean and pure. The incidence of eye irritation reduced by 52 per cent, respiratory symptoms by 34 per cent, headache by 24 per cent and asthma by 9 per cent in this type of working atmosphere. It also shows that there is an amazing increase in human productivity resulting by having green plants in the office building, almost >20% and Energy Costs reduce by an extraordinary 15-20%. Study has also shown that employees are less prone to diseases, which automatically means fewer sick days. The reason behind this is an increase in blood oxygen levels, which ensures that even after a strenuous eight working hours, the employees remains fresh and relatively stress free. These special indoor plants not only add oxygen but also help in reducing pollutants and increase oxygen supply as per demand. The writer is the CEO of Paharpur Business
Centre, New Delhi
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Case study contest
The Pearl Academy of Fashion is going to organise an International Case Study competition on “Fashion Retailing & Marketing” on October 23, at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. This competition is open to faculty members, trainers, researchers, students, consultants and working professionals.
Participants can register in the competition individually or in a group. The group comprises of three members. There are 10 themes of this competition. The participant or group participants have to develop and cover those particular themes which include Fashion and Lifestyle Retailing, Fashion & Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Fashion Design & Retail, Luxury Retailing, Buying & Merchandising, Retail Marketing and Branding, Retail Operations, Strategy, Research and Planning, Sustainability. The academy has invited original submission of case studies relating to the themes of the competition. The last date of case submission is September 20. The best case studies will be published in the form of a book and the author of the three best cases will be awarded with cash price worth of $ 1000 (1st), $ 750 (2nd), and $ 500 (3rd). Those interested can either mail their casestudies to tarun@pearlacademy.com and ontinuum2010@pearlacademy.com or directly send it to the academy.
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Sychophancy, not a compliment
Some bosses, however, intentionally breed an army of chamchas. Such officers are themselves weak. They need a dose of flattery daily in order to compensate for their weakness. But this never pays as sychophants are never sincere. They concoct stories to please their boss to grind their own person axes. Sycophants have made competent leaders like Napoleon fail at Waterloo. King Lear’s sycophant daughters made him suffer and learn a costly lesson. Hitler got himself defeated at Moscow because of an “army of yes-men” around him. There is no lack of flatterers and sycophants at any workplace. Genuine compliments are not bad. If a senior guides, helps and cooperates, then the worker must never miss the chance to give sincere, well intentioned compliments which the officer generally craves for in his heart. Any ill-intentioned praise can spoil the image of the worker. While employees must never miss the chance of making use of the words like “please” and “thank you” while dealing with their boss and other colleagues, the boss must never lose the opportunity to praise his workforce with words like “well done”, “excellent” , and “very good”. These words boost the morale of even a weak worker. Good workers and competent officers never lose the chance to do their best in this respect. Sometimes the work done by an employee can be sub-standard. But in that piece of work too, at least some good points are there. A good officer never gets impatient. He criticises, but his criticism is never bald. He points out the flaws but achieves his targets by infusing enthusiasm in the worker, with statements like: “I know you are an excellent worker, but I think you have not been able to put in your best efforts in this piece of work. I am sure next time you will do much better.” And the chances are that the worker improves a lot. Situations occur where a weak worker who is a sychophant is being praised while a good worker is being criticised by a senior. In such a situation even a good worker is tempted to lose his temper. Here the worker needs to be patient. He should rather be cool. Though taking undue criticism head on is not good, but the situation demands it so. It is always better to avoid ugly stand offs. It is better to meet the senior in private when the latter is calm and cool calculated and convey your feelings. A good worker always expresses a genuine sense of gratitude towards a good, helpful and cooperative senior. Never acting like a chamcha, he genuinely thanks his officer for his genuine and timely help and support. A sincere word of thanks never goes waste. The worker may sometimes think that the senior never takes a note of it, but it is not so, rather the senior notices of it when the worker does not appreciate genuine help.
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Creative CONTENT
Would you like to have a job which you can do while sitting at a beach in Goa , or in a cosy mountain chalet in the Himalayas, or even sitting at home while minding your two-year old? Such an ideal job profile may have been unimaginable some years ago, but not any longer. Today a click can get us more than what we need — at any time, and any place!
The electronic world has made location irrelevant with access to the largest resource centre WWW, the World Wide Web from anywhere. With over billions of websites constituting the Internet, and many more being added almost everyday, information on virtually anything and everything is just a click away. Millions of pages of information, thousands of sites where you can source anything — from the latest electronic gadget to interesting nuggets of historical or scientific information, web content makes it all possible. Today the computer has emerged as the largest storehouse of information and telecommunication technologies have become essential information system components. The content put together on a website by content writers is the most important aspect of any website. Every website needs high quality content in order to attract viewers. After all, it is the content on a website that indicates its relevance and usefulness, and draws more people and earns the website its revenue. Content writing implies development of content for a website according to its subject, relevance and focus. It can also include building of website structures according to the requirements, creating content, re-writing of content, and also editing and sourcing of new material. This implies the requirement of content writers for practically all subjects, from the technical, medical and philosophical to the DIY and quirky. Unlike other kinds of writing whether journalistic, fiction or prose, writing for the web is a specialised task. Visitors surfing the Internet everyday require information that is quickly and easily available and is fresh and relevant. Website content, therefore, needs to be made available in a manner which is easy to find, scan through and understand, and is updated regularly. Web experts create search-engine-friendly content by populating it with keywords that makes it easier to get to the relevant material.
Getting In
No specialised training is required although those with a basic degree and above average writing and creative skills are more highly sought after. Most web content writing firms, BPOs and KPOs conduct admission tests for the candidates willing to join these organisations as web content writers. The examinations are conducted to evaluate the writing skills of the candidates. Content writers are required to write articles on a wide variety of topics. Web content writers can work full time with a website or with a content writing company that handles a variety of web related information. Alternatively, those who are looking at the flexibility of their time can also handle this work on a freelancing basis, working on a variety of different sites or genre of writing. More and more people today are working from their homes and using the power of the Internet to deliver their writing services to companies and individual webmasters. Once you are established on the web, your services could be much sought after. With some experience you can also startup your own Web Content Writing business, which is gaining ground in India. A large number of overseas companies outsource website writing to India as one can find several good writers in English specialising in different areas like travel, business, technology, educational information and more. Content writing jobs are provided by a number of companies offering this service on the net. There are also quite a number of KPOs in India and abroad where you can look for a job as a web content writer. As Indian costs are lower than international, India has become global hub for the companies looking for inexpensive and highly professional and talented writers. So if you have a talent for writing but have only got rejection slips from newspapers and magazines, here is a career that can give you an opportunity to express yourself!
Writing for the web
Basic content writing — This includes creating new content for a website, or re writing already existing content. This material may be informative, factual – list and pricing — and sometimes educational. Creative writing — Some sites may require the services of a Creative Writer putting ordinary thoughts into words in an elegant manner. Short of words for an after dinner speech, or condolence letter, find it on the net! Technical writing — This is a specialised field of work as it can include writing user manuals and product guides, technical reports, and so on. Engineers, scientists, pharma professionals and others who help create the information need the help of technical writers who understand the material and are able to explain how something technical works to the common man using the website. Technical writers may also be required to research information or put together large amounts of data, into a desired format. Business writing — Companies use the services of a content writer to create a professional website that has the potential to attract customers. Website copywriting — Writing web ads and persuasive copy to meet advertising and marketing needs. This could also include ideas for online advertising, as well as the manner of delivery and format of the ad.
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IT training initiative for jawans
Named ‘Kshamta’ (capability), it is aimed at teaching the basic computer skills and spoken English to jawans. It will help the soldiers to secure ‘good jobs’ after retirement. It was launched in Delhi last week. As soldiers retire early (around 36 years), the Army wants them to be self-dependent after they leave the armed forces. With the help of this training, they will gain confidence and get good jobs. The aim is to improve their post-retirement options. The programme is a collaboration between the Indian Army and Microsoft India and is a part of project “Samarth” which has a number of similar initiatives under it. A special programme to train the soldiers will be used by Microsoft. It will run in 48 training institutions provided by the Army across the country and will be headed by around 1,300 master trainers provided by Microsoft. On its successful completion each soldier will be awarded a Microsoft certificate which would help them in getting a good job. The options may include data entry operators at BPOs. The other aspect is to have partnerships with placement agencies to help the soldiers find suitable jobs. A satellite link between IGNOU and Leh has also been inaugurated to provide distance education to soldiers posted in remote areas. The Army has also announced the setting up of an Information Technology Academy jointly with Microsoft India. The flagship initiative under “Samarth” is “Gyandeep”, which recognises in service training done by soldiers and makes them eligible for the award of certification by IGNOU. Under this initiative, over 68,000 soldiers have been registered so far and over 2,300 of them have been awarded diplomas and degrees already.
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Happiness work
Yama, the god of death, walked away with Satyavan’s soul, but his wife Savitri wanted a better ending. So she followed Yama who finally acceded to giving her three boons. “Let my father-in-law Dyumatsena get back his sight and kingdom, let my father Asvapati have sons, and let me have a 100 sons,” she requested. “Granted,” said the god of death. “But how can I sons if my husband is dead,” asked Savitri. So that his word gets kept, he revived Satyavan and gave him a long life so that he could father 100 sons. Adi Sankaracharya’s end was near when Ved Vyas came visiting. After going through Sankara’s commentary on Vyas’ Brahmasutras, Vyas doubled the life of the 16-year-old genius from Kalady, Kerala. “Reestablish Advaita throughout India,” said the writer of the Mahabharata. In contrast, Hanuman was in a bind at the Asoka Vana finally. Indrajit, Ravana’s son, had let go of the Brahmastra. But the Asura hordes, which the mighty simian had pounded a little while ago, were so terrified of him that they bound him further with ropes undoing the power of the celestial missile. “As soon as physical binds are employed, the astra withdraws its grip,” thought Indrajit, “Nothing but mere ropes hold the monkey now.” A little later, Hanuman freed himself, set fire to Lanka and returned home. Vriddhakshatra, father of the Sindhu King Jayadratha, had planned the perfect end for his son — he had a boon that the head of the warrior, who makes Jayadratha’s head roll on the ground, would burst into a 100 pieces. But Krishna had other plans. He asked Arjuna to send a volley of arrows so that the Sindhu King’s head drops into the lap of the meditating Vriddhakshatra at a nearby hermitage. As soon as he got up, his son’s head fell from his lap, rolled on the ground splitting the old man’s head into a 100 pieces. End well so that the last impression lasts long. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Content writing for Web is a specialised task, writes Usha Albuquerque
Sky doesn’t seem to be the limit for young entrepreneurs like Sonica of MBD Group, determined to realise the dreams of her father, Ashok Malhotra. She, and her sister are managing 35 branches of the group in Jalandhar and elsewhere. Being run through a 3,500 workforce, the multi-crore MBD empire is currently expanding into hospitality and real estate businesses too.
After studying the latest scanning techniques in the US, Austria, London and Hong Kong,
Dr. H. S. Mann opened his own ultra-modern scanning centre in Jalandhar and is at present the city’s renowned ultrasound specialist. As per him sonography can be an excellent career option for youngsters. “Medical tourism has really given a boost to this field in India. Country would be needing thousands of professionals in this unique field in the years to come,” says Dr. Mann. 
Rohit Sethi, General Manager of Viv’s Indian Education Centre Pvt. Ltd (VIEC) in Jalandhar , came back to India in 2002 after “arming” himself with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Melbourne, Australia. According to him youth need to have a proactive approach towards life. “They must do proper homework after Plus II and bring a change in their attitude and aptitude by thinking global but acting local,” he avers.
Diamond
Sodhi (37), an MBA Finance from Colorado Tech University,
USA, who is currently heading Jalandhar-based CAAN Wings Immigration,
believes that the youth today are very much aware of opportunities
available in India. “Of late, there has been a paradigm shift from
brain-drain to brain-gain with MNCs becoming a big attraction in
northern India. We see a lot of campus placements every other day in
Punjab. It is really good for our students,” avers Sodhi who came back
from the US in 2001. 
For Bikramjit Singh the transition was not only from Vancouver to Ludhiana, but also from engineering to hospitality industry. He entered into the hotel business in 1996 after doing his Electronics Engineering diploma from Kwantley College, Vancouver, Canada. He worked in an electronics company for two years in Canada but chose to enter the hospitality industry back home. At present, he owns a three-star hotel and a resort in Ludhiana. 
Q. I am currently pursuing my M.Phil (Eng) as a regular student at Punjabi University Patiala. I did my masters in English from PU (65%) and in addition I have also done B.Ed with 79% marks. I have scored first division throughout my academic career. I want to pursue Ph.D/D.Litt in UK (preferably Cambridge or Oxford). Kindly let me know the procedure to apply and the scholarships available.
Q. I have done B.Sc (IT) with 72 per cent marks. Apart from it, I have done MBA in Human Resources (69 per cent). Both of these courses i have done through distance education, and both of the degrees are recognised by UGC. I want to pursue a regular Ph.D. in Management with fellowship. Am i eligible to pursue it?
Q. I am doing BE (third year).Could you please tell me something about jobs in the hydropower sector.
Law has emerged as an exciting and lucrative career option in today’s world. In India alone, there are more than 6,50,000 lawyers providing legal services on an individual or organisational basis. In the era of globalisation, this profession is witnessing a rapid change over the past and there are new avenues coming up in this filed.
The Legal profession is dynamic in nature and is developing at a fast pace as a lucrative career option. The profession is adventurous as well as an exciting career option for enthusiastic, solution oriented individuals. Being a law practitioner equips an individual, not just to be an accomplished lawyer but also evolves a person as a businessman, bureaucrat, diplomat, social activist and academician. The initial years in the profession may not be highly rewarding financially, however patience, perseverance, hardwork and the ability to think out of the box in an individual leads to academic as well as financial growth. 
Stress is found at all workplaces, and can affect individual’s performance, health and well-being. An effort to control or manage stress levels at workplace should be an integral part of all corporate houses. Many corporates are now introducing “green technology” to provide a healthy and stress free environment to their employees in order to increase their productivity and reduce stress. They have set a new motto for themselves as well as for their employees i.e. “the cleaner air you breathe, smarter you work and the longer you live” and based upon this motto they are modifying the work environment to reduce high levels of stress by improving indoor air quality. A full-fledged Indoor Air Quality division, CleanAir is equipped with lab facilities to monitor and improve indoor air quality. Air purification methods include: removal of Nox / SOx & SPMs; removal of VOCs; removal of bacterias and fungus; addition of natural O2 by using bio-technology.
These technologies improve office environment and take care of the health of the occupants. Green technologies are all the more effective to de-stress employees so that they can contribute more effectively to their work. 
Sycophancy and flattery are not what genuine praise is. A sycophant is the one who flatters those in authority to serve his selfish ends. While some competent officers don’t like sychophancy and flattery, they themselves shower genuine praise upon their good employees very often. True, flattery and sychophancy are destructive, while genuine praise and true compliments work wonders at a workplace.
In a new initiative to upgrade the skills of its jawans, the Indian Army has launched a programme to impart specialised vocational skills, including computer operations and spoken English, to soldiers.
Your final touch says a lot about you. Before submitting your work for final inspection, make sure there are no rough edges. And when you leave office for the day, tidy your workstation, switch off your computer, file the important papers and discard the rest.
