Sunny days are here for MBA students
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, October 8
The dark clouds, which had enveloped the career horizon after the economic slowdown, have finally started clearing, marking the return of sunny days for MBA graduates. Corporate recruiters in large numbers returned to the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) campus yesterday to offer summer placements for first year students.

The renowned B-School received a deluge of offers from diverse industrial sectors with some recruiters making four to five offers, a marked increase form last year. Highest demand came from the Finance, FMCG and Manufacturing sectors even though traditional recruiters in the consulting segment equivocally stayed away.

Thirty-two recruiting companies, including Citibank, Bank of America, ICICI Bank, StanChart, HSBC in the banking sector and HLL, Nestle, Coke, Pepsi, ITC, Cadbury’s, Gillette, GSK in FMCG, were present on the campus. Traditional recruiters returned with added fervour in the form of higher stipends and more offers. The average stipend offered was Rs13,000 with the maximum of Rs 20,000 being offered by Standard Chartered. In total, 94 jobs were offered to the batch of 76 students.

Another indication of the positive signs in the job market was evident when second year students received six pre-placement offers (PPOs) and two pre-placement interviews (PPIs).

The offers came from Coke, Marico, GE Caps and HLL with the last two also scheduling interviews. The saying, “When it rains, it really pours,” seems absolutely apt for MBA students at FMS as far as job offers are concerned.

COURTS

Install speed governors: HC 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 8
The Delhi High Court today issued a directive to the government, asking it to issue a notification within two weeks making it compulsory to install ‘speed governors’ in all four-wheelers in the national Capital.

A Bench comprising Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice H. R. Malhotra directed the Delhi State Transport Authority (STA) to issue the public notification to comply with court's January 9 order and get it publicised in three English and three Hindi newspapers within two weeks.

The court was hearing a suo motu petition in the matter. It further directed the Delhi Government and the STA to file a compliance report by October 24, the next hearing of the case.

Earlier, the Delhi Government counsel Avnish Ahlawat informed the court that the public notification as per its earlier direction would be issued soon. The court had initiated suo motu action in the matter last year in view of the high accident rates and crushing to death of a child by a speeding bus.

The Centre, in a notification issued on September 24 last year, had specified that all vehicles, other than three-wheelers, operating in the National Capital Territory should be fitted with speed governors, which may be approved by the testing agencies in a manner notified by the Delhi Government.

The Bench said the Centre had issued the guidelines in this regard following the order of the Supreme Court, which had incorporated in its judgement the ten-point directives issued by the High Court some years ago.

The Centre had said the Transport Department of the state government would notify the time schedule, procedure and other statutory requirements regarding mandatory fitting of the speed governors.

The Delhi Government counsel submitted that it had sought reports from four companies -- Ashok Leyland, Telco, Pricol and Siemens VDO -- to suggest ways and means for fitting the device in buses.

It was pointed out that the first three companies had expressed their inability to provide the technology. The Delhi Transport Corporation had given the approval for fitting of speed governors in its 100 CNG buses on an experimental basis.

However, Siemens VDO's counsel Rajiv Nayar said there was no technical problem with the device of the company and all the issues had been resolved by it with the DTC. 

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
She breathes poetry into pottery
Smriti Kak

For a student of political science who has not even had the basic training in fine arts, Anju Kumar has done herself proud, learning the art in its purest form. “I have received no instruction of any formal kind, I just learned on the job”, says Kumar, who is already 50 exhibitions old.

A Punjabi by descent, the influence of Rajasthani art is unmistakable in her creations, “My husband was posted in Bikaner for five years. It is there that the influence seeped into me and filtered into my work”, says Kumar.

Working under the brand name, ‘Anmol,’ Kumar began her foray in the realms of creativity when people started complementing her for pieces she had done for her house. Earthen planters and urns, designed and painted by her, elicited not just praise, but also inspired her to take her art more seriously. What followed was a commission to make 23 huge urns for a hotel. The challenge was met with zeal, Anju worked painstakingly to match the urns with hues and shades of the hotel.

Kumar’s emphasis is on using clay to make things which have some utility, like garden furniture, table lamps etc. “I make things of various shapes and sizes, from six-inch to six-feet. We follow the traditional techniques”. Assisted by a couple of craftsmen, Kumar bakes each piece in the ‘bhatti’ before giving it a new look with the strokes of her brush.

“We have a new look each year. This year, we have used ample colours. The pieces have been done in unusual colours like turquoise and burnt red. There are paintings that have been coordinated with tall vases”, points Kumar, confessing, “I am always excited about my work”.

Pottery for Anju is the most challenging and flexible medium, ideal for self-expression. She uses various combinations of clay, paints and processes, which are her tools, for creating pieces which are distinctive and exclusive. That is why she has 50 exhibitions and prestigious contracts from leading hotels to boast of.

The range is all-comprehensive, from Diyas to table lamps, statues, murals and even jewellery, but her Ganesha collection is by far the most sought after. This year her range will include ceramic work on wood. Most of these have been inspired by colourful Rajasthan.

Anju’s exhibition is currently on at the Blind Relief Association lawns, an annual event that marks the beginning of the Diwali festivities.

Reinventing a form

Applying one’s mind and paying attention to detail are lessons not just for the corporate honchos, but have been successfully imbibed by those who wish to strike a deal with perfection.

Couture jeweller Roopa Vohra belongs to the tribe that believes attention to detail can evoke images of the painstaking effort that has gone into the workmanship.

Roopa will be displaying her collection, Naqaashi, at the forthcoming ‘Bridal Asia’.

Describing Naqaashi as a ballad of artistry and craftsmanship, the designer has tried to make her pieces fluid and with a touch of poetry.

Naqaashi is the age old and somewhat forgotten Mughal art form of etching on gold, that has been revived by Roopa. In attempting this, she has brought in her expertise in glass making to this art form.

Roopa, who is launching her collection in the Capital, believes that like this historic city, which has been rebuilt seven times, Naqaashi is an art form that constantly reinvents, using old techniques in a modern way.

Evergreen hero

Bollywood personality Dev Anand with distinguished guests in the Capital.

Dev Anand refuses to take a bow. The arc lights continue to focus on his never-say-die attitude, which is in evidence where ever the actor goes. In a recent event organised in the Capital by the Sur Aradhana, a socio-cultural society, the actor was the star of the evening and was all praise for the Capital.

He urged the artists in the city to display their talents in the tinsel town. He went on to add that he would like to shoot his next film in the Capital.

Union Ministers Sahib Singh Verma and Vijay Goel represented the political frat whereas playback singer, Udit Narayan, Bappi Lahiri, Shekhar Suman and Shankar Sawhney added glitter to the event, ‘Gaata Rahe Mera Dil’. The USP of the event was that the singers had to sing songs from Dev Anand films.

The organisers, meanwhile, had this to say: “We are organising Sur Aradhana Awards for the last 15 years and we would like to organise a grand programme when Dev turns 100”.

Beauty is not just skin deep

Orange Tonic is Azzaros’ newest launch in the perfume section. Here is what the company has to say about the latest product: “At the heart of the Orange Tonic concept is the orange – that biblical, magical fruit with its citrus fragrance and vitamin-rich ingredients.

Orange tonic above all brings the radiant, sun-kissed fruitiness of citrus notes. It also has a beauty-enhancing power, which leaves the skin marvellously soft. Such is the signature of this vitamin-rich duet, which acts on skin hydration and elasticity, as well as its suppleness and softness”.

Certainly, modesty is at a premium these days.