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Career Hotline
Check out work-from-home option
Taming the High Seas
Walking the tight rope
Advanced placement exams
work station
Firms to review benefits strategy
Increase in demand for entry-level jobs in 2013
Course chat
Newsboard
Happiness @ work
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Fairway to success
Swati Rai Work-life balance, multi-tasking, flexi work hours and mental and physical stress of juggling the many roles in the family, are some issues that a working woman comes across. It’s no mean feat to tackle all this and handle work and life with panache. While each working woman grapples with these issues on day-to-day basis, the motivation levels do plummet at times and there is that temptation to leave it all and crossover to the ‘other side’. But there are several inspirational examples around us of ordinary women who have not only courted professional success, but have also managed to balance their personal lives with it. Ahead of the international Women’s Day (March 8) we bring you the success mantra of some women professionals who are pushing the envelope yet again Green Fingers
Myna Batavia: Chief Consulting Director, Green Carpet —The Garden Centre Role play
Myna oversees all aspects of the business which include product sourcing, quality check, marketing, dealer appointments, dealer sales, dealer management, showroom sales, corporate sales, finance and accounts, warehouse and inventory management and paint booth management.
Motivation
Juggling the personal and professional space can be challenging but for Batavia, “The benefits that one reaps more than compensate the pains associated with running an independent enterprise. They, in fact, provide that sense of accomplishment and the respect that gets generated.”
Green Carpet believes and strives to sustain respect for natural resources and commitment to excellence. Myna elaborates, “At Green Carpet, we understand the need to conserve and respect the value of our natural resources.
Role Model @ work
Myna feels that every employee at Green Carpet is a contributor. In their respective work area, complete freedom is given to the employees and their decisions are respected and implemented. She adds, “This freedom at workplace has instilled in the employees a sense of belonging and responsibility towards their respective work profiles.”
Myna believes that women are extremely capable, organised and goal driven. “I strongly urge every woman to nurture the entrepreneurial streak in her and take the plunge; addressing the risks head-on!”
A Voluntourist
Sujata Sahu, Founder of 17,000 ft. Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to improving lives of people in high altitude Ladakh, was a techie by profession earlier. After working for many years in Corporate IT in India and in the USA she
Sujata Sahu: Founder of 17,000 ft. Foundation Motivation
When she envisaged the foundation convincing her husband to join in her efforts took time, but it was not too difficult as he too had a very deep and long connect with the region. Over the years her husband, a corporate advertising professional and a trekker himself, has supported and encouraged her solo trek to Ladakh and has also taken the responsibility of looking after their children in Gurgaon when Sujata is busy with her work in Ladakh.
Role play
Sujata is responsible for programme conceptualisation, training and implementation; visualising, creating and managing the technology systems required for collecting, harnessing and analysing the data of over 900 schools and over 70,000 students.
I believe
With offices in Gurgaon and Leh, Sujata is a firm believer in learning by doing and hard work. She adds, “I place as much importance on the daily story telling sessions in the office as on the back-end process.”
Parting shot
“My personal belief is that women make better leaders, with their natural instinct for deep commitment, involvement and compassion and this, combined with other skills, can be translated to success in any field.”
All for a Special Cause
Ravinder Arora is the Founder and Director of Purti — A Special Education School in Delhi. She set this
Ravinder Arora: Founder and Director of Purti Role play
As the Founder, Director and teacher at Purti, Ravinder’s days are packed with activities ranging from administration and management to taking classes. “My primary focus is to teach as that is what I am best at, and I am usually teaching students and aiding teachers in creating and implementing Individualised education programmes”, she adds.
Motivation
Breaking the mould and doing something different is what keeps her going. “I am often asked ‘Why don’t you run a boutique, why a school focused on such children? Why not sell jewellery from home?” I remain calm in these situations and preserve my energy to teach children,” she says
I believe
A dedicated teacher in her special school, she feels that her greatest motivation is, “instilling a sense of ‘I am normal, my life is OK, there is nothing wrong with me as such’ in my students is one of the biggest motives behind running the school.” Role model @work A team worker to the core, Ravinder believes, “A boss is usually in the office issuing orders, but a true leader is there with her team and working with them.”
“Getting practical experience is much more important than having degrees only. If you have your own venture then it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, what matters is one should be willing to work hard”.
In high spirits
Lisa Srao Chairman & M.D I Brands Beverages Ltd. Role play
Lisa is deeply involved in all aspects of her company whether it is developing the right blends for her brands or designing the labels and bottles or marketing and distribution of the products. Her design for Granton Whisky was adjudged as the best in packaging recently at the Ind Spirit 2014 competition. But resting on her laurels is not her habit as she believes in innovating constantly. “India’s liquor market is very complex whether it is the marketing strategy, taste preferences in different regions or the government policies, so a thorough knowledge of all aspects is very necessary to have a brand presence”, she says.
Parting shot
“Persevering and following your dreams and not letting go of your passion is my mantra of success. I surely did struggle but never had any second thoughts about my choice as I love what I do and at the end of the day it is your passion for your work that counts. If you want 100 per cent success then be ready to put in your 1,000 per cent”. As told to Geetu Vaid
As the Human Resource Director at Xavient Information Systems, Deepika Pillai is responsible for the overall functioning of Human Resource for Xavient India and Sri Lanka.
Deepika Pillai Human Resource Director at Xavient Information Systems Role play
She has her hands full as she juggles front ending and partnering with the delivery leaders to achieve corporate objectives, employee retention, people development and implementation of employee HR Life Cycle processes.
Motivation
Married for five years now, Pillai has her share of personal and professional life balancing issues to deal with sometimes. She says that the support of the organisation and family is a big plus in her case for handling the tussle between professional and personal life. "For women in our organisation we do have flexi hours work policy if she is the primary caregiver in the family and we also have plans of establishing a crèche for the employees’ children.”
Being fair and forthright are the qualities that will stand you in good stead. I have to balance between the organisational goals and employee expectation. This dual role ensures that I give a pep talk to an employee when required along with laying down the ground rules of employee behaviour.
Parting shot
“A woman can empathise with others more than men can and put themselves in the employees' shoes to understand their problems.”
Tisha Kapur Khurana, Executive Director, Officina Farmaceutica Italia (OFI), India /Bottega Di Lungavita, handles retail and brand management at OFI bringing to the table an enriched experience in brand building, retail and marketing.
Tisha Kapur Khurana Executive Director, Officina Farmaceutica Italia (OFI), India /Bottega Di Lungavita Motivation
Taking new challenges keeps her motivated. A Mumbai girl who has recently shifted to Delhi she says, “Delhi as a city makes you dependant because of the distances involved in commuting.” Recently married and loving it, Tisha sees no challenge in juggling personal and professional space.
Role play
Tisha's focus is on expanding her group’s retail presence across Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta and Pune. Added to this is her own company , TSquare Corp, heading events under the name of "Bizzare Bazaar" responsible for showcasing new and different talent under one roof for shopping in association and aid of NGOs.
I believe
I have always believed one can do anything by having a positive attitude and working hard. I value teamwork and communication as important in all aspects of my life.
Role model @ Work
“I feel what I am today is attributable to my positive outlook towards life. For me, when life gives me lemons I make lemonade.”
Parting shot
“Women in our country are more empowered today than they have ever been. The key to success is to dream, to desire and then to know that you have it in you to fulfil it.
Shilpi Marwaha, member of the Delhi-based Asmita Theatre Group, which is one of the leading Hindi theatre groups in the country stands committed to aesthetically innovative and socially relevant theatre. The group takes up contemporary issues to highlight the socio-political issues plaguing the country.
Shilpi Marwaha: member of the Delhi-based Asmita Theatre Group Role play
She is in-charge of the Asmita group's Street Plays wing and also the associate editor of Asmita Theatre Review, under the Resident Director of the group, Arvind Gaur. She recently featured in the Hindi movie Raanjahana with Sonam Kapoor. Shilpi also plays the role of a mentor, confidante and friend to the new members of this group.
Motivation
With a majority of the theatre group members being men, Marwaha feels that women do have a hesitation in joining theatre because of late-hour rehearsals and the fact that it is not looked at also most don't look at it as a steady job. “Having said that, I do feel that since women are more sensitive, it is a great medium that is supportive of their talent and creative instincts."
I believe
“When we perform on issues like female foeticide, sexual abuse of children and women and other such sensitive issues, we want to bring about change starting from each individual which is not easy. So I guess patience and perseverance also play a great role.”
"Self-discipline, commitment to a cause and belief in working for the good of all have been my guiding principles professionally and personally. If you do your work with sincerity and dedication the rest will follow suit.”
“I do see myself doing movies but not leaving theatre, because that’s my life and passion! So I would say whoever wants to come into this field should be prepared to give 100% commitment .
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Career Hotline Q.I am a 35-year-old housewife with two school- going kids. I have some free time in the mornings which I would like to put to some use. However, except for cooking for the family, I don’t possess any specific professional skills. Please suggest what I can do. — Jeet Chaddha
I know of this enterprising lady who has made a successful business out of home-made rotis which most people find a chore to make after a hard day’s work. Just use your imagination and ingenuity to keep innovating and varying your menu. Include some healthy (but tasty) low-carb fare for the weight-watchers, and soon you’ll be a hit! Whatever your cuisine, just make sure you maintain impeccable hygiene and use fresh and pure ingredients and good cooking oil. Keep an eye on the bottom-line but at the same time don’t stint on the portions (How often we curse the 5-star hotels for their measly helpings). Apart from offices, you can also supply regular packed meals for college students and the elderly. Along with a decent income the returns will include the appreciation you receive from your satisfied clients who will bless you for the nutritious and reasonably priced home-cooked meal in an alien city. And one happy customer spreads the word to several other prospective customers. Use the social media to promote your venture. Start a no-fuss FaceBook Page, to begin with. And if your stuff is good and service prompt (which I’m sure it is), you’ll be amazed to see how your business grows through word-of-mouth publicity. And, what better way to touch someone's heart than through the stomach!
Loans for women entrepreneurs
Q.I am very fond of gardening. I am planning to start a small nursery for growing organic herbs and veggies in my backyard, but do not have the necessary funds to hire a mali and some necessary equipment. I don’t wish to seek help from any of my family members, if I can help it. Is there any institution I can approach for a small loan, which I’m sure I will be able to repay within a couple of years?
Those seeking loans above ~7.5 Lakh will get a further discount. BMB will also offer cheaper education loans to girl students.
Check out work-from-home option
Q. I have been working as a CA in an accounting and auditing firm for the past five years. While I’ve always been a top performer, now with a small autistic child and lack of proper help at home, I’m simply unable to do justice to my job which often involves working long hours. Can you suggest a less demanding and time-consuming option. I’m even willing to change my profile and settle for a lower income, if need be. —
Amita Malik
In a welcome development, the apex body of your profession, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), is seeking support from Indian companies to offer women CAs flexi-timing and options to work from home. Taking up the case of women CAs like you, the ICAI is writing to companies asking them to permit them easy timings so they can continue to work. It may also develop a software that would help women work from home. The 47,634 women CA members presently affiliated with the institute account for 22 per cent of the total membership.
Companies — both public and private — are beginning to focus on gender diversity and actively creating a conducive women-friendly environment to enable them to pursue their careers. Companies, including banks, have mandated most staffing firms to focus on women following the government’s emphasis on the need to focus on the issue.
A high percentage of women drop out mid-career due to pressing personal reasons. They would benefit from flexibility in working hours as well as the option to work from home to retain their talent. The apex body has also decided to promote women as independent directors. For this, ICAI will also organise specialised training programmes for women members to help them take up these roles.
In the meanwhile, do speak to your company about handling some of the work from home on a trial basis. Quite a few progressive firms do. It may take a bit of convincing, but once they see that the work doesn’t suffer, they’ll come around!
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Advanced placement exams
High School students throughout India can now register for College Board’s Advanced Placement Exams in 22 different subjects. The exams are scheduled for May 5-16, 2014, and the deadline for registration is March 26, 2014.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables motivated students to pursue university-level studies while still in high school. The AP Exams are administered at authorised USIEF centres and schools in 11 cities across India — Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Rajkot. The test centre in Delhi is US-India Education Foundation
(USIEF).
Taking AP courses help students stand out in the college admissions process, by demonstrating to admission officers that the student has sought the most rigorous curriculum available to him/her. Students with successful AP scores (defined as a score of 3 or higher on the 5-point AP Exams scale) also have an opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both at a majority of colleges and universities. This can enable them to move into upper-level courses sooner, pursue a double major, graduate early, and save on tuition and fees. In addition, students who earn qualifying scores on their AP Exams can earn academic scholarships and awards.
AP courses and exams also help students to develop the critical thinking, reasoning and communication skills that are essential for college success Research indicates that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically experience greater overall academic success in college.
Many universities across the US offer credit, advanced placement or both in one or more subjects for qualifying AP Exam scores. Additionally, nearly all leading universities in Canada and UK recognise AP for admission, credit or placement, as do many European universities. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) also grants equivalence certificates to students taking AP courses and exams as part of their high school diploma requirement, to help them enroll in a bachelor’s degree programme in India.
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Walking the tight rope
Integrate work and life
For decades now, we have concentrated on an ‘either or’ situation. It is a struggle to achieve and strike some kind of balance. Yet work and life are inextricably intertwined, they cannot be split in water tight compartments. Make your family understand that it is work that supports loved ones; it constitutes a big part of your identity, and it often shapes your social life. The smartphones and other devices that bind us tightly to work also keep us in close touch with our non-work-lives. Keep all your personal and professional commitments on a single, integrated calendar, treating each one of them as inviolable. The challenge is to integrate work and personal life effectively, not keep drawing a line in the water.
You can’t have it all
When our parents told us tales of glory of women who had made it big, they just concentrated on their accomplishments. No one told us about the misses and slips. It is perfectly alright if you live with slight imperfections. If you are doing well in the corporate life, there are bound to be some imperfections in your personal life. Your cupboard might be a mess; the kitchen might not be that sparkling clean, your child might catch the flu. Every time something like this happens, do not beat yourself up. You are not to be blamed. It can happen to all those who have the home as the primary focus. Expect to fall short some of the time. Then try to do better. Think of it as continuous improvement but keep your inner Deming on mute. It helps, of course, if you have loved ones who areunderstanding and neither hold you to an impossible standard nor let you entirely off the hook in case you have something amiss.
Live in the moment
Whether it is work or family time, give it your 100 per cent. Be there and enjoy the moment. No zoning out thinking about work. No relying on the discreet kick under the table calling you back to planet earth. On the other hand, don’t treat these personal encounters as you would a meeting, where you check in with each of your loved ones as you might with your corporate counterparts.
Don’t dilute the you in you
What often gets lost in the push and pull between work and personal relationships is your own well-being, body and soul. You skip your workout, delay your annual physical, rarely take up a book that’s not work related, and make no time for self-reflection.
The right choice
By making deliberate choices about which opportunities you’ll pursue and which you’ll decline, rather than simply reacting to emergencies, you can and do engage meaningfully with work, family, and community. To quote W.B YeatsThe intellect of man is forced to choose perfection of the life, or of the work, He considers the consequences of choosing “perfection of the life, or of the work” and suggests that choosing the latter can exact a high personal cost and end in great remorse. Though perfection in either realm is unattainable, we do have the power to choose- not only what we would focus on but also our responses. Between the stimuli and the response — is LIFE… — The writer is a
Ludhiana-based career consultant
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work station
The powers that be have decreed that the company is bleeding money, and the time for cost cutting is here. There’s mayhem in the cubicles and corridors, and though no layoffs are predicted, extreme measures are in store. The paper cups from the water cooler have disappeared and a new notice has gone up on the wall proclaiming “Please use your personal mugs for water. Due to wastage and overuse, paper cups will no longer be provided.”
This is an all too familiar scenario for us all, as the inevitable semi-annual or annual cost cutting fever consumes top management. Like a virulent flu it burns hot for a while and leaves in its wake bewilderment, weakness and general confusion. Over a period of time, offices get used to running along predictable lines and systems. Any sudden disruptions and it throws everything off-kilter. Not that I’m opposed to cost-cutting; it’s just that it has to be implemented in a phased manner and consistently applied throughout the year. Frantic measures are just that — frantic. While very little ‘real’ cost-cutting is achieved, a great amount of office disruption and ill will is generated. A marketing professional I recently talked to had this ‘cost-cutting’ horror story. It had been decreed in his office that the printer was being overused, and much worse, used for personal work; so from now on it would be placed in the boss’ office. Anyone wanting to print something would have to go pick up the printouts from the top guy's office. Besides that office being at the other end of the hall, the boss was usually busy in a meeting or on the phone. So obtaining a printout became a chore - it had to be planned in advance and timed perfectly with the availability and access to the printer. In addition, it wasn't uncommon for the boss to glance over the contents of the printouts and ask a few questions about them. So, what had been a simple printout job, soon turned into almost a daily performance appraisal session in the boss’ office! Things came to such a head that one brave volunteer would be selected to go into the ‘lion’s den’ and retrieve everybody’s printouts in one go. This worked well for all except the junior most member in the office, who was regularly ‘deputed’ for the duty. Incidents such as this are too numerous to recount here. If it’s not printing paper, it’ll be paper clips. If it’s not turning off the lights in the office, it’ll be switching off the blowers or turning down the air-conditioning. And all of it usually amounts to nothing, as everything reverts to the usual as soon as pressure from the top is eased. What is surprising is the failure to see that ad hoc measures do not work in such things as cost-cutting. Only a systematic, evenly enforced policy will work. The whims, fancies and capabilities of individual bosses is not going to do it. In fact, some will just use this as yet another tool to ‘control’ or browbeat the employees. It’s like missing the woods for the trees; being paisa-wise and rupee-foolish. For after all, it’s the productivity, or lack thereof, of the workers in an office that has a direct link to costs and savings. An enlightened boss is better of gunning for a super efficient office, than for a miserly run one. And this brings us back to the incident about the printer being taken into the boss’ office. It seems people had had enough of the situation and a couple of enterprising souls snuck in late one evening and garlanded the printer, anointed it with a vermillion tika and lit an agarbati nearby. The boss luckily was a genial kind who obviously could take a joke, and in no time the printer was back in the main hall and easily accessible to all! Khushwant Gill is an Organisational Identity Consultant
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Firms to review benefits strategy
Around 60 per cent of Indian firms are planning to review their employee benefit strategy in the next 12 months amid economic slowdown and high inflation, says a survey. Rising benefit costs and the fact that employees do not sufficiently value the benefits provided to them is driving companies in India to review their benefit strategy, according to global professional services company Towers Watson.
Its India Benefit Trends survey showed that one in three Indian employers is spending more than 20 per cent of total payroll on benefits, yet a sizable segment, 43 per cent, believe their employees do not sufficiently value the benefits provided to them. “Amidst the economic slowdown, rising inflation and increased benefit costs, benefit optimisation has become the buzzword among employers,” Towers Watson India Director - Benefits Anuradha Sriram said. Sriram further added that “as the war for talent intensifies, employee benefits have gradually emerged as a powerful tool to attract and retain key talent and are increasingly being leveraged to enhance the Employee Value Proposition”. Employers also recognise the need for innovation with almost one-third offering or planning to offer non-traditional benefits and an equal number planning to introduce flexible benefits. Commenting on this trend, Sriram said: “Given the poor understanding of benefits among employees, companies in India are faced with a balancing act of offering flexible, innovative and customised benefits, increasing perceived value and sustaining employee costs.” “In time to come, we foresee companies moving away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach to a more customised model by employing a robust benefit framework designed to meet the varying needs of a diverse workforce,” Sriram added. — PTI
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Increase in demand for entry-level jobs in 2013
The demand for entry-level jobs increased by 6.7 per cent in 2013 as against the previous year, even as the jobs for middle and senior level positions declined by 5.1 per cent, according to an Assocham study.
“We analysed data from vacancies posted by about 4,500 companies via various job portals, along with advertisements offering employment opportunities published in national and regional newspapers across 56 prominent cities,” Assocham Secretary General D.S Rawat said. Overall, jobs created in the cities dipped marginally to 5,50,000 in 2013 compared with 5,52,000 in the previous year. Among Tier-1 cities, Delhi and NCR recorded highest growth for entry level jobs generated at 26.8 per cent in 2013 as against 2012. In the Tier-II cities category, prominent cities that registered a surge in entry level hiring during 2013 include Nagpur (64.7 per cent), Lucknow (39.1 per cent), Cochin (35.3 per cent), Vishakhapatnam (22.7 per cent), Vijayawada (15.9 per cent), Jaipur (9.5 per cent), Meerut (6.9 per cent) and Chandigarh (6.8 per cent). — PTI
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Taming the High Seas
As a young officer of the Indian Navy, Lt. Cdr. Shweta Kapur has earned the distinction of being the first woman officer of the Indian Navy to sail on board INSV Mhadei, in a trans-oceanic voyage across the Indian and Atlantic Ocean, to participate in the Cape to Rio International sailing championship, clocking more than 8,000 nautical miles! She is the only officer in the Navy to lead the naval contingent thrice during the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath. For the first time in 64 years, history was created when the naval contingent lead by Kapur was adjudged as the best marching contingent during Republic Day Parade in 2013. She talks exclusively to Jobs and Careers on taking up challenges as a woman and an officer.
What was your inspiration behind joining the Indian Navy? I love travelling and visiting new places. Right from my childhood, I was always fascinated by the sparkling white uniform. My father is also in the Navy and as I was growing up, seeing him in uniform got me really drawn towards the Navy and I knew where I wanted to be. I did my Post Graduation in Physics from Wadia College, Pune, and joined the Indian Navy in 2007 as an Education Officer. Talking about your job profile, what are your key duties? Any service will be as good as the training that its officers and men receive. I am serving in the Education cadre of the Indian Navy. As an Education Officer, I am responsible for the training of Naval Officers and Sailors. As a part of training, my role includes implementation of scientific and methodical instructions, including theoretical aspects of technical subjects of all branches of the Navy and for general education. Tell us your thoughts on the latest feather in your cap — the Trans-oceanic voyage. When I joined the Navy, I was very happy that I got an opportunity to pursue various adventure activities. Sea had always fascinated me and there was something about the blue waters that attracted me. Prior to this trans-oceanic voyage, I had sailed on smaller boats like the Enterprise and Laser class and actively participated in the Navy Sailing Championship every year. For the current voyage, the Navy was seeking volunteers with sailing experience to participate in the Cape to Rio race. I volunteered for the same and got selected to become the crew of INSV Mhadei. The Cape to Rio race is an international sailing competition which is conducted once every four years and this was the second time the Indian Navy had participated in it and the first time that a woman Officer from the Navy participated as a crew. What has been your guiding force? I have served in the Navy for almost seven years and have loved every single day of it. I became successful due to several reasons. I never gave up on my aspirations and I never let anyone or anything get in my way. I use the power of positive thinking to tackle obstacles and challenges so they don't defeat me. I have made my own choices and have made them responsibly. Most importantly, one thing that my father always taught me was that success and comfort do not co-exist. To be successful in anything that you do, it is of paramount importance that you come out of your comfort zone and be willing to dare to do things differently. No doubt there would be endless adversities and obstacles in your path, but if you are determined, focused and fearless, none of these hindrances can ever stop you from becoming what you have aimed for. As Winston Churchill says "Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it." A brief of how your first ocean sailing experience on board INSVMhadei? It was a privilege and a great learning experience to be sailing with Commander DilipDonde , Shaurya Chakra, who is the first Indian to have done a solo circumnavigation around the world, and the other two Officers Commander TGS Bedi and Commander MVV Satish. The most important responsibility which was required to be carried on this voyage was a positive attitude as ocean sailing for a long duration like this is both mentally and physically demanding. You need to be an "Optimistic pessimist" to be a part of the crew for ocean sailing. The optimist looks forward to the sun, the wind, the waves, the dancing dolphins and the quiet sunsets at anchor at the end of the passage. He knows that the storm will end, the boat will survive, and all will be well. The pessimist says, "What can go wrong", and prepares for the eventualities, protecting the boat and the crew and ensuring the success of the voyage. He wakes up in the middle of the night, hearing a new sound that's "not quite right", and ferrets out the cause. Without both, the chances of truly enjoying the experience will be less. What is your message to women in particular and everybody else in general who wish to follow your path/ job profile? I feel that women today are far more confident and competent than they were ever before. Be it in any field of life, when women take their success into their own hands, when they take ownership of their achievements, development and ambitions, there is no limit to what they can accomplish. Any task or challenge that a woman decides to undertake just becomes one step closer to her as she takes on the idea and fights her fears head on in pursuing the desired task. Fearlessness is not the absence of fear. Rather, it's the mastery of fear. It's getting to the point where our fears do not stop us from daring to think new thoughts, try new things, and take risks, fail, and start again. Fearlessness is all about getting up one more time when we fall down. Great careers are no longer passed down or handed over. They must be sown, tended and grown-and you are the gardener. There have been many young men and women who are joining and many aspirants who want to join the prestigious and most dignified career in the country today i.e the Army, Navy or the Air Force. I would like to convey to all these youngsters that your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure because fear is a habit. So is self-pity, defeat, anxiety, despair, hopelessness and resignation. You can eliminate all of these negative habits with two simple resolves: I can! And I will!"Never be afraid to stand for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone. Follow your heart, follow your dreams and remain focused in whatever you do. What are your future plans? I look forward to scaling even further heights in the future with my newly acquired ocean sailing skills and undertake more of such sailing expeditions that will further the image of India and the Indian Navy. Also, I would love to interact with the youngsters aspiring to join the Indian Navy and apprise them of the various challenges that Navy can offer and how it is not just a regular job but a career for a lifetime in its own way.
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Management
courses
LM Thapar School of Management, Dera Bassi Campus, is inviting applications for admission to the following courses: *
18-month Executive MBA for working professionals with focus on Corporate and Academic Leadership Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline with 50% marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA or equivalent grade from recognised university/institute Candidates must have a valid CAT/CMAT/GMAT/GRE score or must clear the Thapar University entrance test How to apply: Candidates need to visit www.lmtsom.thapar.edu and fill the online application form. Once they have applied, they can either pay the application fee of Rs 1,000 online or through a DD in favour of 'The Registrar, Thapar University', payable at Patiala. Deadline: March 14 Check out: www.lmtsom.thapar.edu
Air and space law courses
Centre for Air Space and Law (CASL), NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad has invited applications for admission to the following On-Site and On-line Air and Space Law courses of academic year 2014-15: *
Two-year Master’s Degree in Aviation Law and Air Transport Management (MALATM) *
Two-year Master’s Degree in Space and Telecommunication Laws (MSTL) *
One-year PG Diploma in Aviation Law and Air Transport Management (PGDALATM) *
One-year Post-Graduate Diploma in GIS & Remote Sensing Laws (PGDGRL) Eligibility: *
Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree in any discipline from any recognised university with 50 per cent marks; or *
Three-year degree/diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) along with three-year industry experience. How to apply: Interested candidates are required to submit the filled-in application form available on the website http://www.nalsar.ac.in along with a Statement of Purpose (SOP), an attested copy of degree/diploma certificate along with a DD for
Rs 1000 drawn on favour of “Registrar, NALSAR-CASL A/c”, payable at Hyderabad. Selection criteria:The selection would be based on (i) the written performance in SOP, (ii) Group Discussion and (iii) Interview. Deadline: April 30, 2014 Check out: http://www.nalsar.ac.in
Self-supporting courses
Applications have been invited from eligible candidates for admission to the following self-supporting courses of Jammu Varsity conducted at Department of Lifelong Learning (CACE&E): *
Spoken English and Personality Development - Graduation * Basic Course in French - 10 + 2 *
Advanced Course in French - 10 + 2 & Basic Course in French * Basic course in Urdu- 10 + 2 *
Basic Course in German - 10 + 2 * Advance Course in Urdu - 10 + 2 & Basic Course in Urdu Eligibility: Graduation for spoken English course. Plus II for other courses How to apply: Application forms can be downloaded from the website: http://www.jammuuniversity.in Completed applications are to be supported with application fee of ~120 (Non-refundable). Deadline: March 12, 2014. Check out: http://www.jammuuniversity.in/upload/Announcements/pic1941.PDF
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Course chat
Edureka, a leading online IT, cloud and mobility education provider offering live web support 24X7 to students on subjects such as Big Data, Analytics, Cloud, Mobility, introduced an online Data Science course recently. The Data Science course covers topics on Hadoop, Analytics with R and Machine Learning techniques encompassing the complete Data Science study. This course is designed to provide knowledge and skills to become a successful Data Scientist for mid-career professionals.
The duration of the course is four weeks. Speaking about the course Lovleen Bhatia-Co-founder & Chairman, Edureka said, “As Data Science is an emerging field, there are plenty of opportunities available world across be it in IT, Healthcare, Retail, Government offices, Academics, Life Sciences, Oceanography, etc. There is a clear need now and in the foreseeable future for many more data science professionals. These people need to have the strong statistical knowledge, software engineering ability and communication skills which only a well-designed multidisciplinary programme can provide. Data scientist as a job title is significantly trending upwards.”
The course is aimed to gain an insight into the roles played by a Data Scientist, analyse Big Data using Hadoop and R, learn tools and techniques for sampling and filtering data, and data transformation. Also, the course provides an understanding of various Machine Learning techniques and their implementation using Apache Mahout. This will also help to gain insight into the visualization and optimization of data. Data Science is becoming a very promising field to harness and process huge volumes of data generated from various sources.
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Newsboard
Sikkim Manipal University, Directorate of Distance Education (SMU-DE), has won ASSOCHAM’s ‘Best University in Distance/Open Learning’ award as part of the ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry) Awards of Excellence in Education, 2014. Dr. Shivram Krishnan, Dean Academics, HoD of Arts, Humanities, Commerce and Vocational Science, SMU-DE received the award from Rajya Sabha MP, Dr. Karan Singh, at a ceremony held in New Delhi recently.
ASSOCHAM has been recognising universities and institutes for best practices in delivering quality education in India, and honouring those who have contributed significantly in improving excellence in education, innovation, research and development in the country. The nominated educational institutes were evaluated on the basis of their innovation, scalability, their ability to overcome challenges and positively contribute to the progress of their students. SMU-DE is providing quality affordable education to over 4 lakh students through its world class online learning platform – EduNxt.
Meanwhile, Manav Rachna International University was recognised as the Best Private University promoting Research by the ASSOCHAM. MRIU has 30 Filed Patents, more than 2500 published research papers published by the faculty of MRIU in the last five years. — TNS
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WLCI Scholarship Test
Study subject: Scholarships are provided in the field of Fashion Technology, Advertising and Graphic Design (undergraduate) and Business Management, Fashion Technology and Advertising & Graphic Design (postgraduate). Eligibility: For undergraduate programmes: Students appearing for Plus II exams in 2014 or Plus II pass students. * For postgraduate programmes: Students appearing final year graduation exams in 2014/Graduates. Details: Each individual scholarship up to Ra 750,000 per student will be awarded. The following scholarships will be awarded:
* Score of 90 per cent and above in the Scholarship Test: 100 per cent scholarship How to apply: Online.
Deadline: Contact employer. LSE India scholarships The London School of Economics (LSE) is offering up to 40 India scholarships for master’s students. Scholarships are available for studying a master’s programme at the school starting in 2014. Eligibility: Students must be holding an offer of place on a master’s programme at the School by April 28, 2014. Assessment for an award will be made on the basis of financial need. Details: Scholarships will range in value from £3,000 to £32,000 depending on financial need. How to apply: Online. Deadline: April 28, 2014. Check out: http://www.lse.ac.uk High Achiever’s Scholarship in Australia Charles Darwin University, Australia, offers Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achiever’s Scholarship for international students who have a record of educational excellence and high achievement. Eligibility: Eligible applicants must:
* have a demonstrated record of academic excellence and high achievement in previous relevant Details: A limited number of 50 and 25 per cent tuition fee waiver. How to apply: Candidates can download the Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achiever’s Scholarship Application Form (pdf 59KB) and submit with their application for admission to a degree program at CDU.
Deadline: June 13, 2014.
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Happiness @ work With more and more women storming male bastions, unisex workplaces are becoming the norm. But never forget that “gods don’t reside where women are not respected,” says the Manu Smriti.
During their 13th year of exile — that they had to spend incognito — the sextet sought shelter in Matsya kingdom. Kichak, the Matsya Commander, made advances to and physically assaulted Draupadi who then went by the name of Sairandhri. After luring Kichak alone to the dancing hall at night, Bhima killed Kichak to avenge Draupadi’s humiliation. For the conquest of the Malwa sultanate, Mughal Emperor Akbar sent his nurse’s son, Adham Khan, as Commander. After defeating Sultan Baz Bahadur of Malwa, Adham Khan set his eyes on Baz’s wife Roopmati. To prevent him from getting his dirty hands on her, Roopmati consumed some powdered diamond and killed herself. Seeing his indecent behaviour, Akbar recalled him to Agra and replaced him with Chief Minister Atkah Khan. But Adham killed Atkah. So Akbar had Adham thrown over the parapet twice — to his death. After killing King Grahavarman of Kannauj by deceit, King Devgupta of Malwa forcibly carried away his wife Rajyashri and imprisoned her in Malwa in the seventh century AD. Rajyashri’s brothers — Rajyavardhan and Harsha — attacked Malwa and killed Devgupta. Rajyashri, who had escaped from the Malwa prison with help from a noble guard, was saved by Harsha just as she was about to jump off a cliff. Due to an ego clash between Lord Shiva and his father-in-law Daksh Prajapati, Sati, wife of Shiva, was not invited to Daksh’s yagya. When she went there uninvited, Daksh termed Shiva unfit for civic company. Unable to bear the insult, Sati discarded her physical self “to be reborn to a father who she could respect”. Enraged, Shiva’s attendants, Virbhadra, Mahakali and Nandi disrupted the sacrifice and beheaded Daksh. To complete the sacrifice, Brahma, Vishnu and the other gods pleaded with Lord Shiva. So he brought Daksh to life with a goat’s head. Enamoured by the beauty of Vaishnavi Devi, Bhairon Nath began stalking her. She hid herself in Adh Kunwari cave for nine months, but Bhairon found her out. Seeing him not giving up her pursuit, she transformed herself into Kali and cut his head off. For bright future, treat the fairer gender well. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
As a young officer of the Indian Navy, Lt. Cdr. Shweta Kapur has earned the distinction of being the first woman officer of the Indian Navy to sail on board INSV Mhadei, in a trans-oceanic voyage across the Indian and Atlantic Ocean, to participate in the Cape to Rio International sailing championship, clocking more than 8,000 nautical miles! She is the only officer in the Navy to lead the naval contingent thrice during the Republic Day Parade at
Rajpath.
The powers that be have decreed that the company is bleeding money, and the time for cost cutting is here. There’s mayhem in the cubicles and corridors, and though no layoffs are predicted, extreme measures are in store. The paper cups from the water cooler have disappeared and a new notice has gone up on the wall proclaiming “Please use your personal mugs for water. Due to wastage and overuse, paper cups will no longer be provided.”
Myna Batavia is Chief Consulting Director, in one-of-a-kind company, Green Carpet - The Garden Centre, in Bengaluru. She set up this company in 2002 to fill the all important gap between demand and supply of complete garden solutions. Providing one-stop-shop for garden solutions Green Carpet is committed to bring greenery as a way of life to everyone’s doorsteps.
decided to move back to her home country in 2002. Today, just into the second year of its operation, her foundation supports 100 schools, all of which are in remote areas and are ignored and lack any kind of support. Sujata’s efforts have resulted in over 40,000 books being sent to these schools, libraries and playgrounds being set up and colourful furniture added in these schools.
school in 1997 and the inspiration came from her own learning disabled daughter. She wanted to change the popular belief that “learning disabled” children were “mentally challenged”. Purti started with only one student and now she has 70 students, including those suffering from cerebral palsy and autism. Purti has managed to help several students clear their NIOS examinations for Class X and XII.
Taking a path less travelled in a new country and culture is what sets effervescent and vivacious Lisa Sarao apart. This UK-born and bred young entrepreneur left a promising career in media in the UK to shift to India post her marriage in 2003 and set her eyes on adding an international touch to India’s $9 billion liquor industry. Taking cultural prejudices against a woman running liquor business in her stride she set up I Brands Beverages Ltd, also known as International Brands Beverages Ltd and has brought her company among the top distributor and manufacturer of international alcoholic beverages in India. In just a span of four years, the company has managed to successfully launch a luxury premium segment whisky called Three Royals, a premium segment whisky known as Granton Whisky, Jamaican flavoured dark rum called Rum 99. This charismatic mother of two is one of the few women in the country to run a show on this scale, managing to stay afloat in a ruthless and male- dominated industry that is known for new entrants shutting shop by the sixth month of business operation.
The Human Factor
Business Wise
All the World's a Stage
A.With a large number of people moving away from the family to earn their living in big cities, the tiffin-dabba enterprise has gained traction. All you need to start this service is good cooking skills and the desire to feed and nurture. It’s the best way for a housewife who does not have other professional or academic qualifications to make that little extra money while doing what she’s most adept at. Your customers will simply call you up during the day to order meals which you will send to their offices hygienically and conveniently packed.
A.The newly opened Bharatiya Mahila Bank is specifically focussing on women customers (Homemakers and MSMEs) who seek small-sized loans to start an enterprise — anything like a day-care centre or catering service, a beauty salon or even a boutique —enterprises that have no major co-relation with the broader economy. Even women CAs can get a loan for setting up their own practice.
A.I can imagine the stress you must be undergoing while trying to juggle multiple balls and maintaining your sanity. But please don’t be in a hurry to jettison your career and change streams yet.
The morning after Sneha gave birth to her first child -
Anjali, she received a call from her office that her name was among the ones nominated for all those who had been handpicked for the H1 visa for a visit to the United States. She had to head the trainings division. She said yes and used her three-month maternity leave preparing for the trainings. Suddenly, at 25, she was a working mother with two big jobs, juggling between training sessions, business meetings, and baby nurturing and rearing. It was so overwhelming, like handling twin careers at the same time. There were times when she had to travel so much that she was tempted to take naps in the car so that by the time she reached home she had time for her little daughter. She was lucky to enter the corporate world at a time when the company offered her flexi timings and paid her by the hour. It affirmed her instincts about the best way to balance career and family. At work, her colleagues would see that she was a committed mom. And at home, her family would know how much she valued work. By embracing both parts of her life, she would become more focused and effective in each.Over the next year, she found a happy balance between her job and her family. Are we all able to cope with multiple demands? Is there a tug of war between family and work? Do you often go on guilt trips on how you have ignored your family? Or do we find ourselves stressed and playing catch up with time? At the same time, it’s not exactly that there’s a glass ceiling or maternal wall: the days of blatant discrimination are behind us. However, the truth is that there’s no magic formula, especially for women in C- Suites or in comparably demanding positions. Let us pause and come up with some guiding principles to keep in mind to wriggle out of such situations:
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Two-year regular MBA for all graduates and one-year intensive MBA for graduates with a four-year professional degree or postgraduation
WLCI is announcing scholarships for Indian students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate study. Over 100 scholarships are available for students on the basis of their performance in the WLCI Scholarship Test. WLCI Business Scholarship Test is designed to test the student’s business analytical skills and a chance to help stand out, WLCI Fashion Scholarship Test is designed to test the student’s creative and visualization abilities and WLCI Design Scholarship Test designed to test the student’s imaginative and visual design abilities.
In the Mahabharata, King Jayadratha of Sindhu — on a trip to the wild — found Pandava Queen Draupadi all alone in her abode during the period of their 13-year exile. As the Pandava brothers had gone hunting for food, Jayadratha abducted Draupadi. When the Pandavas returned, they gave chase, rescued their wife and would have killed Jayadratha but for Yudhisthira’s intercession. “Spare him as he is our cousin Duhshala’s husband,” the eldest Pandava reasoned.