When Sunday brunches replace toss up breakfast at home, when impulsive shopping gives way to planned expenditure and official business trips happen on economy class, it is definitely recession. And that has affected everyone; right from a Multi-national company CEO to the messenger in that very organisation. The steep fall in the lines and bars of sensex graph, and suddenly the concepts so believed in; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ethics seem dispensable and redundant. Cruel ironies of time! Things considered bare necessities abruptly appear luxuries.

Confederation of Indian Industries’ recent meet on best practices was a step in the right direction at the right time. Even in uncertain times, there are corporations that choose to step beyond the rigmarole of fatal deadlines and saving balance sheets.

Don’t believe? Need an example? Maruti Suzuki, the auto-giant, recently unveiled its National Road Safety Mission programme under which they plan to train 500,000 people in safe driving in the next three years across India. Responsibility in times of recession indeed! Says R. K. Parimoo, general manager, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., “We had worked on this plan around seven months ago. Wanted to roll it out some time in September, but in the meantime, recession entered the scenario. Management decided to remain committed to its objective and irrespective of slowdown we decided to go ahead and launched it in December.” Meanwhile, models intrinsically based on socially responsible business continue unabated. Says Reshma Anand, CEO, Earthy goods, a social enterprise working with small farm-based ventures, “Last year, we launched ‘Gift for God’, a corporate gifting initiative which was supported by organisations including ICICI Bank, GPI, SRF, UPS and others.”

Times when companies seem to be on a cost cutting spree left, right and center, when marketing budgets to even coffee served to employees is being reduced both quantitative and qualitatively. Did they constrict their CSR allocation too? Says R.K.Parimoo, “Not at all. Nothing has been cut. In fact, now we launched the drive even more formally and fervently.”

“The current situation does take its toll, but by no means have the companies stopped spending on philanthropic activities they were committed to,” says Srikant Sastri, founder Growth For All, a non-profit organisation that brings together individuals, corporations and NGOs. They partnered with CII and released a knowledge report, on social issues circling Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, aiming to serve as blueprint for organisations that wish to take up CSR activities in community participation and social equity.

Statistics plummet swiftly not identities. As Srikant Sastri says, “Tata’s have always been associated with the concept social responsibility, their policies won’t change overnight.”

Rather the gloomy forecast makes it imperative. Agrees R.K.Parimoo, “These times are tough for everyone. In such times, if companies are able to create employment for the poor and the affected, it is certainly called for on every organisation’s part.” However, Reshma Anand has a different take, “CSR cannot be used as a fair weather strategy to generate short-term goodwill. Companies that are serious in their intent and commitment to CSR realise that only sustained efforts and investment over a period of time pay off.” Understandably. “It does become all the more important. The pressure on the not so privileged strata of society to even the common man on roads is much greater. Therefore, all the more reason to indulge social and community welfare practices,” is how Srikant Sastri puts it. Hope the thought process finds an echo in every corporate citizen and every citizen heading that corporation.

manpriya@tribunemail.com

With the economy sinking deeper into recession, a new survey reveals that companies are digging deeper into the cost-cutting toolbox. In many cases, they are using a creative combination of measures, from salary freezes to forced vacations, to achieve savings objectives. The most surprising result of this multifaceted approach to cost containment is the fact that nearly half of the companies surveyed have been able to avoid making permanent layoffs. Few companies remain unscathed from the current economic crisis, with 92 percent initiating some type of cost-cutting action, according to the survey findings by global outplacement and business coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. The results are based on responses from approximately 100 human resource executives in a variety of industries nationwide.

The most often-used cost-cutting initiative was reducing travel expenses, cited by 67 percent of survey respondents. It was followed by hiring freezes and reductions, which are being utilized by 58 percent of companies in the survey. Other leading cost-cutting measures included cancellations of holiday parties, salary freezes, cuts in workers’ hours, reductions in or the elimination of year-end bonuses, and cutbacks in various perks.

Yahoo Inc. announced that its employees would not be receiving annual salary increases this year. Pay freezes have also been announced by Starbucks, Avis, the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City and engine-maker Cummins Inc.

In December, Agilent Technologies Inc. trimmed salaries by 10 percent, and Brandeis University in Massachusetts recently introduced a 1.0 percent across-the-board salary cut to avoid cutting jobs.

Meanwhile, FedEx Corp., which has been adept over the years at avoiding large-scale workforce reductions, announced a 20 percent base pay cut for its CEO Frederick Smith and a cut of 5 percent to 10 percent for its approximately 35,000 senior executives and non-union salaried employees in the United States. FedEx will also take a one-year hiatus from contributing to the accounts of the 140,000 workers who participate in the company’s 401(k) plan.

The South super star who debuted in Bollywood with Rehna Hai Tere Dil mein and known for his solicitous performances in films like Rang de Basanti, Guru, Mumbai Meri Jaan, Yuva (Tamil version), R. Madhavan is all set to try his hands on a bilingual supernatural thriller-13B, releasing on March 6.

We talk to R. Madhvan about his new movie.

After films like Rang De Basanti and Mumbai Meri Jaan, why did you choose to do a supernatural thriller like 13B?

Vikram (the director of the movie) brought the script to me almost three and a half years ago as a shell. We've worked on it form there to what it is today. That is how I selected 13B.

You have always played different roles in your career. Why did it take so long to do a supernatural thriller?

Whatever character that I have played before are very special and I do not think they have been formulated after some one in terms of story or the characterisation. I wanted to do a film that chills you to the spine; sort of like Sixth Sense but this is slightly better because this one does not have any visual ghosts or gore but still frightens you.

How was it working with director Vikram K. Kumar?

Vikram is a National Gold medal winner for his documentary The Silent Scream. I have faith in him. It was a good experience working with Vikram who is the only director that has shoot two languages simultaneously.

Have you done a bi-lingual film before?

This is my first bilingual that I have shoot back to back.

Is Televesion the main protagonist of this film?

Yes, it is and this is what we wanted to project.

Tell us about your character in 13B.

I play a character named Manohar who is a civil engineer by profession. He has an analytical mind and this enables him to handle all strenuons situations with a presence of mind and clear thinking.

How was it working with Neetu Chandra?

It was fun working with Neetu Chandra. She is very enthusiastic about the film and she did a great job.

Do you believe that 13 is an unlucky number?

I am not superstitious. But I have to tell you it has been really strange. Every 13th day of shoot there would be some disaster. On the 13th of every month the weather would play havoc with our shooting. It played a huge role. 

— Dharam Pal

Sanjay Dutt has done what many of the biggest banners of Bollywood, including Yash Raj Films, couldn't. He has managed to convince Raj Kumar Hirani to direct a film for his production house.

Hirani is a Vidhu Vinod Chopra loyalist and nobody could have convinced him to move to a different banner. In fact, two years ago Rishi Kapoor offered Hirani a chance to direct his son Ranbir in a R.K. banner film after seeing Lage Raho Munnabhai. But he politely turned down the offer.

So what could've convinced Hirani to finally direct a film for Sanjay Dutt Productions (SDP)?

"It was simpler than one would think," said a source. "Sanjay actually took permission from Chopra. The two of them share a very warm rapport ever since Sanju worked in Chopra's Mission Kashmir.

There was no way Chopra, known to be extremely possessive about his crew, could say no to Sanju."

Hirani, who worked with Sanjay in Munnabhai movies, will direct a comedy for the actor as soon as he's done with Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots. But the comedy that Hirani will make for Sanjay's production house will be very different from the Munnabhai movies.

The next instalment in the Munnabhai series entitled Munnabhai Chale Amrika also goes on the floors by the end of next year. — IANS 

Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan have been bestowed with first FICCI-IIFA's 'Most Powerful Entertainers of the Decade' awards here.

The two were among the 10 stars who have been felicitated with the 'Most Powerful Entertainers of the decade' award at the ongoing annual FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry)-Frames exposition on media and entertainment industry.

The awards came in contrast for Shah Rukh as he gave last year's IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) awards ceremony a miss. Rumours were rife that he skipped the awards courtesy a cold war with Amitabh, who is the brand ambassador for IIFA.

Joining the stars in the league have been eight other actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty. —IANS

Filmi

1.Dilli 6 T. Series

2.Raaz Sony

3.Slumdog Millionaire T.Series

4.Dev D T.Series

5.Billoo T. Series

6.Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Yash Raj Music

7.Jai Veera T. Series

8.Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye T. Series

9.Dostana Sony

10.Ghajini T. Series

Non-filmi

1.Teri Justjoo Various Artists (Sony)

2.Sufi Gold Various Artists (Times Music)

3.Sufi Rocks Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan (Music Today)

5.Charkha Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (SA RE GA MA)

6.Sufi Jannat Various Artists (Tips)

7.Ghalib by Abida Abida Praveen (Times)

8.Yaad Piya Ki Wadali Bros (Times Music)

9.Kisi Roj Milo Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (Nupur Music)

10.Sufi Maestro Various Artists (Times Music)

Courtesy – Chandigarh Music Centre- 18

Say the word Shahenshah and the first reaction is, rishtey me toh hum tumhare baap laghte hain, naam hai Shahenshah. Though the dialogue is a trademark of Big B and envisages his jazzy black and silver outfit in mind; in city Shahenshah is not about Bachchan, but is the name of a fine dine restaurant cum bar cum lounge that recently opened in Sector 17.

Offering a multi cuisine five-course meal menu that has Oriental, Thai, Mexican, Continental and Indian delicacies, the restaurant can seat 135 people, has a banquet hall and a bar. With resources to whet your appetite the restaurant flaunts chic interiors.

“We want Shahenshah to become a landmark in city with its quality, service and food. With over 30 years in hospitality industry on our side, we have earned a reputation and Shahenshah will take it forward,” says Harmohan Dhawan, chairman and managing director of Mehfil Hospitality Ltd and former union minister for civil aviation. Their earlier ventures in hospitality industry include, Mehfil restaurant and Mr Burger. Ask him the USP of Shahenshah and he replies, “Standardisation is not the word usually associated with Indian food. But every recipe on our menu is standardised. We have computerised the concept of cooking and it has taken us three years to make that happen.” Some of the international delicacies on menu include fajitas, golden prawns, Thai red curry along with the diverse Indian palette.

The banquet hall has an open terrace on three sides, with a lush view and a capacity of 400 people and the restaurant is also equipped with large projection screens. For future, Dhawan intends to carry forward the name to major cities in Punjab and is planning to turn the restaurant into a chain. —TNS

If it’s the future of the girl child that’s at stake, what better than melody to create an awakening. That’s what a new album by singer Usha Uthup, Agge Vadho, 
promises to do.

What makes it easier to identify with the cause is that the lyrics of the album have been penned closer home by city-based lyricist S. Rakesh.

His composition in Punjabi, Hun sannu agge vadhna hai, has made it as part of the album that Uthup brought out last month under a Government of India campaign to check foeticide.

It is a pledge of the girl child to become the new face and destiny of India, Bharat di navi kahani ban, hun is da roop badalna hai, apna itihaas badalna hai.

The lyricist’s composition on Chandigarh, Patharon ka nahi…yeh nagar to phakat dilnashinon ka hai , won the title of ‘city song’ in 2007 and was rendered by city-based classical singer Vinod Sood at last year’s Rose Festival. It was presented by a choir at the inaugural function of the newly renovated Tagore Theatre. —TNS

He School of Architecture, CET & Construction, Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, GA, USA, is holding a seminar on Le Corbusier: Architecture, Urbanism, and Theory, from February 26 to 28, 2009. Call for papers made on the InterNet received an overwhelming response to several themes of the seminar on the 20th-century’s greatest architect, who had put India on the world-map of modern urbanism and architecture through his masterpiece, Chandigarh, we fondly call the “City Beautiful”.

And Chandigarh has done a hattrick in this first-ever worldwide event in that three of the 26 papers selected by the (blind) jury have been authored by Archana Chaudhary, Praveer Goel, and Dr SS Bhatti. Archana, an architect with Haryana Housing Board, has written on “Le Corbusier in India and his Influences on Modern Indian Architecture”, while architect Praveer of the Department of Architecture, Haryana, has deliberated on “The Role of Nature in Le Corbusier’s Work, Writing and, Legacy” “Le Corbusier: Corroborative Evaluation of Three Scholars’ Critique of Chandigarh” is the theme dealt with by Dr SS Bhatti.

Archana highlights that Le Corbusier’s advent in India in the ‘early-fifties radically transformed the image and status of architects as well as the architectural profession. He inspired the Indian architects, who were struggling for a new identity, to evolve a well-delineated style of their own. By virtue of their alliance with the Master Architect, the young Indian architects thus became the torchbearers of modern architecture on the subcontinent. It is evident in the style of architecture that their buildings bear even today, she adds. This markets the Chandigarh style of architecture.

According to Praveer, Le Corbusier’s unmatched contribution lies in his incredibly comprehensive Method of Approach to the complex problems of Modern Architecture and Urbanism. The most noteworthy point is his magnificent psycho-emotional preparedness in handling varied projects of the size of cities. As the world moves out of its current marketing sloganeering and professional faddishness, emphasizes Praveer, it will definitely discover in Le Corbusier’s work, writing, and legacy the healthy seeds and saplings of an Artistic Holism.

In my doctoral thesis done on Chandigarh in 1991, avers Dr Bhatti, I developed a methodology having the subjective, objective, and metaphysical dimensions. Using the objective dimension, I gleaned from the conclusions of Chandigarh’s three major scholars, Norma Evenson, Madhu Sarin and Ravi Kalia, the most eloquent material as the basis of this paper. He asserts, “My agreement or disagreement with their findings, coupled with my independent inferences, paints an unexpected picture of Le Corbusier’s Architectural Creativity.” His doctorate won the national award for excellence in architectural research in 1993.

Interestingly, Dr Bhatti had listed over one hundred names in his thesis to show how the unique creative climate of the City Beautiful had produced world-class professionals in all fields. His assertion stands vindicated today by Chandigarh having achieved a hattrick in this international seminar on Le Corbusier himself He and his two students are the only three professionals selected from Asia along with others from the USA, South America, Europe, etc. —TNS

Rajasthan is definitely the flavour of the month and has brought another piece of its cultural pie for city. Rajasthali, an exhibition, crafts demonstration cum sale of ethnic crafts from Rajasthan that has figments of rich collection of the state’s best handicrafts. On at Punjab Kala Bhawan-16, it has over 11 artists and craftsmen from Rajasthan displaying their talent.

Bikaneri traditional jewellery, marble handicrafts with pure gold engravings, miniature paintings form a list of items up for sale. The traditional shekhawati furniture made from Rajasthani wood decked up with miniature and oil paintings forms a collector’s item. And so does the white metal stuff that stand as a souvenir for the state’s art forms. The other stalls include Rajasthani puppets and dolls and hand block printed fabrics in cotton.

The exhibition is organised by the Rajasthan small industries corporation and the government. —TNS 

A giant, grey version of MonaLisa with tears in her eyes and streaks of paint running down herfront goes on display at the Louvre museum this week in the room next to the original by Leonardo da Vinci.The new work by Franco-Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming is the centrepiece of an exhibition entitled “The Funeral of Mona Lisa”, part of the Louvre’s efforts to bring contemporary art face to face with the masterpieces of old.The display consists of five paintings. The huge grey MonaLisa is in the centre, framed by two mysterious images that look like grey clouds and are dotted with images of skulls modeled on scans of the painter’s head.At the far ends of the display are a portrait of Yan’s deadfather and a self-portrait of Yan himself in a deathlike pose.He said the works were “a homage and a funeral” for MonaLisa, without further explanation. Yan is famous in contemporary art circles for portraits of20th century icons ranging from Mao Zedong to Bruce Lee.The Louvre is the world’s most visited museum. It hosted 8.5million visitors in 2008, many of them tourists for whom theMona Lisa is the star attraction.Many artists have used Da Vinci’s masterpiece as the basisfor their own works, sometimes parodying the original.