VKP CONTENTS PAGE - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 4CONTENTSEditorial 8I Section – 1Spiritual Organisations 13 - 70II Section – 2Brilliant Individuals - National Heroes 79 - 120III Section – 3Shining Institutions - National Treasures 129 - 197IV Section – 4India’s Achievements 207 - 295

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 8EditorialTHE VISION OFSWAMI VIVEKANANDASwami Vivekananda believed thatIndia lives on the strength of herspirituality. He defined Indiannationalism as “Bringing together anduniting the scattered spiritual forces of thecountry”. It was one of his fundamentalarticles of faith that every nation has a specialcharacter of its own and the nation wouldlive only so long as that character – thenational ideal - is cherished, protected andpreserved. For India, that idea wasspiritualism. He unhesitatingly called ours aspiritual nation and defined it as Hindunation. He was one of the first renaissancethinkers who popularized the term HinduNation – a legacy which was carried forwardby seers and statesmen like Shri Aurobindo,Lok Manya Tilak, Savarkar, Dr. Hedgewarand others. As a matter of fact, SwamiVivekananda was the “Manthra Drushta” ofHindu Nation. Vivekananda Kendra is tryingto propagate and bring to life this seed ideathrough its multifarious activities, like YogaVarga, Samskara Varga etc..Today the very concept of Nation is beingviewed with suspicion. There are many socalled modern historians who studiouslypropagate that nationhood in India is a post-British phenomenon, imported from Europe.This is totally unacceptable to SwamiVivekananda. According to him India as anation existed even before history as weknow it, was not known. History in fact isthe recorded or unrecorded memory of theNation about its past. Origin of Hindu Nationgoes beyond the realm of recorded history.Swamiji insisted that a proper study ofhistory alone will instill a sense of pride andself respect in the new generation. One ofSwamiji’s serious criticisms about the Britisheducation system was that it gave a muchdistorted picture of the history of ourcountry and filled the student with a senseof shame and inferiority complex. ThereforeSwamiji wanted a thorough overhauling ofthe system of education. To quote “Theeducation that you are getting now has somegood points, but it has a tremendousdisadvantage which is so great that the goodthings are all weighed down. In the first placeit is not a man making education, it is merelyand entirely a negative education. A negativeeducation or any training that is based onnegation is worse than death. The child istaken to school and the first thing he learnsis that his father is a fool, the second thingthat his grandfather is a lunatic, the thirdthing that all his teachers are hypocrites, thefourth that all the sacred books are lies! Bythe time he is sixteen he is a mass of negation,lifeless and boneless..... Education is not theamount of information that is put into yourbrain and runs riot there, undigested all yourlife. We must have life building, man –making, character – making assimilation ofideas. If you have assimilated five ideas andmade them your life and character, you havemore education than any man who has gotby heart a whole library. If education isidentical with information, the libraries arethe greatest sages in the world, andencyclopedias are the Rishis. The ideal,therefore, is that we must have the whole

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 297TSUNAMI RELIEF WORK BYVIVEKANANDA KENDRAVivekananda Kendra providedmaterial assistance worth aboutRs.4 lakhs and this wasdistributed on three days, viz., 29, 30 &31 December. Shri A. Balakrishnanji, VicePresident, Shri Bhanudasji, GeneralSecretary, Sister Shantha, Secretary, RDP,Shri P. Thangaswamiji, AdministrativeOfficer, Shri Avinashji, Public RelationsRelief provided for the affectedOfficer, and many social workers of RDPtook part in the functions. The localofficials and the general pubic alsoextended their cooperation andparticipated. Vivekananda Kendra hastaken up a massive total rehabilitation of1,000 affected families in Kanyakumari &Tirunelveli Dts, supported by the HelpageIndia.Sl No Affected village Benefitted families Materials provide1 Kanyakumari DistrictSambasivapuram village, Sarees, Skirts,Dhoties,Collachel. (Kurunthankode Block) 70 Towels,Plates, Tumblers,Soaps, Oil, etc2 Muttam & Azhikal villagesVellichanthai(Kurunthankode Block) 240 -do-3 Melathurai & Pillaithoppu villages,Thalavaipuram(Kurunthancode Block), 195 -do-4 Veerabagupathi and Keelaputhalamvillages, Rajakkamangalam Block 39 -do-5 Tirunelveli DistrictIdinthakarai village,Sarees, Skirts, Dhoties,Radhapuram Block. 98 Mats, Bed sheets, Towels,Plates, Tumblers, Soaps, Oil.Details of Materials distributedSl No Camp site Material supplied Value1 Periavillai village, Two bags of rice, other provisions,Kurunthancode Block vegetables, bread & biscuits Rs.5000/-2 Vellichanthai Kurunthancode Block Milk powder, Bread and Biscuits,Phenol, Bleaching powder Rs.2000/-3 Thalavaipuram Kurunthancode Block -do- Rs.2000/-4 DVD Govt. Hr. Sec. School, Nagercoil -do- Rs.2000/-

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 298CHENNAI AREA300 Families were given a kit consisting : abig plastic bucket, a mug, twp plates, a glass,a stove, a mat, a bed sheet, two vessels, aladle - in the villages of Karikaattu kuppam,Kovalam, Nadu kuppama and Palaverkadu.The total value will be Rs. 2,50,000/-300 Families near Cuddalore were given theabove kits worth Rs. 2,00,000/-3500 persons were fed on 26 th in acommunity kitchen.For Andaman & Nicobar Islands:Consignments worth Rs. 8,00,000/- in theform of clothing and food material was sent.The Kendra branches at Vadodara has senta consignment consisting food, clothing andhousehold vessels of 2 lorries for the reliefwork.Fishing nets worth Rs. 8,00,000/- weredistributed in the villages of NTO Kuppam,Eranavoor, Ennore Chinna Kuppam, EnnorePeriya Kuppam, Kovalam and Semanjeri.Proposals :1. Temples and community halls (fortailoring classes, samaya vahuppu,bhajans, etc.)2. Plantation of bamboos, casuarinas,mangroves on sea coast3. Diary scheme – cow, buffalo, goat,etc.4. Poultry farm5. Bio-diesel farming like katamanakku,castor, etc.6. Cottage industries – soap, candle,craft7. Housing with drainage, roads,ground, rain water harvesting,kitchen garden8. Tailoring unit9. Counseling – yoga, bhajans, spiritualdiscourses, doctors’ visit, culturalprogrammes, exhibitions10. Palm, coconut tree leaf for kidugu,chippam, donnai, etc.11. Mobile dispensary – medical camps,siddha camp12. Coir works – handmade and machinemade – through SHG, Co-operative13. Water scheme for the village14. Adoption of children – anbu illam15. Catamarans, fishing nets, boats16. Assistance in obtaining Documentslike school certificates, pass port,ration card, land records, etc.17. Chuna – artificial shell production18. Community hall in the village onraised platform – Shelter houseThe Schools in Andamanand Nicobar IslandsIn Andamans Kendra workers and other sisterorganizations have engaged themselves reliefworks in a big way. We have 9 schools inAndamans and the available reports show theeffect of the Earth Quake/Tsunami asfollows:VKV-Hut Bay:This Vidyalaya is the worst affected. As therewere some personal works for the teachers,all except the In-Charge of the school (ShriDinesan K V) were in Port Blair when theincident occurred. Shri Dinesan was alone.Water due to the tsunami waves entered thecampus and the buildings were under waterwithin no time. We have lost all 3 computers(the systems and printer), Telephones,Television, Tape recorder, Library books,School records and many of the furniture.Some of the portions of the school arepartially damaged too. As the area wasgetting filled with sea-water and there wasno time to assess further, Shri Dinesan alsoran out and escaped with the only cloth he

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 299was wearing. The next two days & nights hewas staying in the jungle along with some ofthe people who could escape luckily. Theycould watch dead bodies of human beings andcattle floating in and around including ourschool campus. The school may not functioneven by the end of this month (Jan.) as theBoat Jetty is not serviceable or othercommunication is not restored yet. Thesituation is returning to normalcy.FUNDS AND OTHER MATERIALS :Vivekananda Kendra through its 181 branchcentres all around the country, the wellwishers and the donors in the society is raisingfunds to meet these huge expenditure whichmay run in crores. Based on the funds receivedfrom the donors, we shall take up the work.Plans for RehabilitationVKV-Port BlairThe school has got many cracks in the wallsof almost 30 class rooms and newly builtoffice block. The old Assembly hall whichwas being used for primary section’sassembly till last week has partiallycollapsed. Now that building is not useful forany further use and it needs to be demolishedimmediately to avoid any threat to children.Water supply lines are broken. The repairingis being done. 2 computers fell down andbroke. Almost all the glass racks of office,library, staff rooms and laboratory arebroken.No casualty for any staff or students. Fatherof one of the class XI students has drownedwhen he went on special duty for a week toNicobar. Around 30 students of our schoolhave lost many of their personal belongings,text books, note books and house hold itemsas water has entered their houses, taken awayso many of their things.VKVs at Rangat, Chouldari, Diglipur,Kadamtala, Pahalgaon, Basantipur andVKV Nagar Palika at Port Blair1. Adoption of boys : To adopt 25 boysbetween the age group of 5-8 years inTamil Nadu and 25 boys fromAndaman and Nicobar islands will beselected and accommodated in the PortBlair school. All their needs andeducation will be taken care of by theKendra.2. The livelihoods of the villagers : weare engaged in securing fishing nets,repairing boats and motors of thefishermen and creating awarenessabout insurance coverage for theirmaterial holdings.3. The average cost of a boat, a fishingnet and equipments works out to Rs 1lakh per unit.4. Rehabilitation — Financial assistanceand construction materials for the2250 affected families.5. Education for the orphan and destitutechildren.6. Financial assistance or supply ofprovisions for 2250 families offishermen for the next 3 months.The buildings in all these Vidyalayas havedeveloped cracks and they need urgentrepairs.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA FEB.-JULY’05 4SYNOPSIS VOL. 34 NO.2SAMARTHA BHARATAThis issue of the Vivekananda Kendra Patrika on Samartha Bharata isa continuation of the last issue ( Vol. 34 No.1).Bharat has made great strides in all the fields contributing to thegrowth and development. The upsurge is unstoppable and remarkable.As a nation the whole country is cruising towards ‘Vision-2020’. Anindividual as a citizen of India has a major role to the total developmentof India - Samagra Vikas to chisel the Nation as a Samartha Bharat.The heritage of Bharat is a shining example of art, literature andsculpture. The men and the spirit behind these unparallel creationsare unseen and unheard. India has set standards to the world in thefields of art, literature and sculpture to be followed by generations tocome. The next Kendra Patrika (Vol. 34 No.2) will contain such topicswhich instil a sense of pride and self-confidence by discovering theSpirit of Bharat. Some of the forth coming issues of the VivekanandaKendra Patrika will have core themes such as :Cultural Nationalism, Handicrafts, Journalism in India, Christianityin India, Terrorism in India, Ancient sages and their Teachings, Islamin India, Great Builders of Educational Institutions etc.

SECTION - 1SECTION - 1SPIRITUAL ORGANISATIONSUnity in variety is the plan of nature,and the Hindu has recognised it.Every other religion lays downcertain fixed dogmas, and tries toforce society to adopt them. It placesbefore society only one coat whichmust fit Jack and John and Henry,all alike. If it does not fit John orHenry, he must go without a coat tocover his body. The Hindus havediscovered that the absolute canonly be realised, or thought of, orstated, through the relative, and theimages, crosses, and crescents aresimply so many symbols — so manypegs to hang the spiritual ideas on.It is not that this help is necessaryfor every one, but those that do notneed it have no right to say that it iswrong. Nor is it compulsory inHinduism.- Swami VivekanandaSAMARTHA BHARATA 1

SECTION - 1Thus Spake Swami VivekanandaIf a man can realise his divine nature with the help of an image,would it be right to call that a sin? Nor even when he has passedthat stage, should he call it an error. To the Hindu, man is nottravelling from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lowerto higher truth. To him all the religions, from the lowest fetishismto the highest absolutism, mean so many attempts of the humansoul to grasp and realise the Infinite, each determined by theconditions of its birth and association, and each of these marksa stage of progress; and every soul is a young eagle soaringhigher and higher, gathering more and more strength, till itreaches the Glorious Sun.SAMARTHA BHARATA 2

THE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH OFMODERN INDIASECTION - 1While great attempts are being madeto make Bharat Samartha in allwalks of life, the spiritual andreligious fields have not lagged behind. Infact they underlie all other facets ofdevelopment.Even in the pre-1947 years, our leaders knewthat Free India’s spiritual goals andprogrammes should take great importanceand form the foundation of our public andprivate lives.The ancient movements, maths, adheenamsand ashrams founded by our Great Acharyasand Nayanmars have been functioning for athousand years or more.Organizations and movements like theRamaKrishna Math, R.S.S. and the Gandhianorganisations have been continuing to carryout their great work and have become partof the Indian skyline.Free India saw the emergence of a largenumber of new organizations, inspired bysaints carrying out spiritual training,religious propaganda and spiritually orientedSocial Service.This section emphasizes mostly on post –1947 organizations of religious and spiritualimportance which have made BharatSamartha in this unique field, which isBharat’s speciality, its identity.‘NO ECONOMIC STRUCTURE WITHOUTA SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION’“Healthy economic development is possible only in a society based on ethics,morality and integrity as there can be no strong economic structure without aspiritual foundation,” said Raja J.Chelliah, Chairman of the Madras School ofEconomics.Mr.Chelliah said a society based on spiritual values could achieve good results inthe economic sphere because in an economy one had to work together and establishrules for sharing the common output. The more moral and spiritual the societywas, the greater the peace and healthy cooperation and the higher would be theoutput.He said though the country had come a long way in the path of economic progress,there was still darkness as nearly 200 million people were living below the povertyline. The literacy rate was less than 70 per cent. In the next phase of development,the country had to pay more attention to these issues than to raising the overallrate of growth. For this the country needed strong spiritual guidance from seerslike Kanchi Acharyas, he said.SAMARTHA BHARATA 3

SPIRITUALITY & PROSPERITYKarmayogiThe Nation’s Growing Wealth is personal ProsperitySECTION - 1Arich nation has rich citizens. Peoplebecome rich not by being dependenton others, or the family or even theirorganization. He who leads others, heads thefamily, or proves innovative in theorganization makes himself successful andrich. A nation thus becomes wealthy. Suchpeople are called entrepreneurs. What arethe characteristics of an entrepreneur? Inshort, one who does not conform to thesocial codes is an entrepreneur. Can we makeit more explicit? Let us divide the populationinto two parts, leaders and followers. Oursubject here is the leaders.A nation becomes wealthy, rich, prosperousand famous by those who are willing to diehappily for her, to give their all, who do notcalculate or think of the future only, whonever count their chickens, who HAVE intheir hearts the glory of Mother India. Areyou one of these? Are you willing to throwaway your job and walk naked in the street?In 1920 Gandhiji asked people to leave theBritish schools, British courts, and Britishoffices. Many followed him. Some becameglorious leaders; others became volunteers.Even after freedom, they remained poorvolunteers. That was before 1956, before thedescent of the Force. I invite you to throwaway a lucrative bank job and start anindustry. If you are an entrepreneur, I assureyou your several thousand rupee salary willbecome several thousand crores of business.At least one person listened to me, opposedhis family, resigned a government job, anddid what I asked him. Today he has as manycrores as he was earning in rupees assalary. He is a tireless worker, has neverdeserted a friend, and not for one momentwavered in his loyalty to his duty. He is atop industrialist in the country. He startedan unconventional energy project,introduced the latest agriculture technology,and sponsored ways of life that will inspireyoungsters. He was betrayed by almosteveryone. He had the Great Good Sense tosay, “What they do is up to them. Let me dowhat is right and good”. He knows how toface every difficulty. Even his mostvirulent enemy was forced to change hisattitude towards him. He is anentrepreneur. India needs NOT salariedemployees. India needs patriotic leaders.Everyone is a leader. Will you lead theleaders? (The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA 4

SECTION - 1SRI SATHYA SAI BABA AND HIS MISSIONBhagawan Sri Sathya Sai baba, hailedas an avatar by millions of hisfollowers was born on 23/11/1928 inPuttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh.Very early in his life he recognised hismission of leading all mankind to bliss, tolead them to goodness, to remove thesuffering of the poor, and to teachequanimity.Bhagawan’s mission spread rapidly after theconstruction of Prashanti Nilayam, (theabode of supreme peace) the head quartersof his mission.His main messages are 1. Sathya 2. Dharma3. Santhi 4.Prema and 5. Ahimsa.Sanathana Sarathi, the mission’s mouthpieceis published in English, Tamil, Teluguand a number of world languages, carryingthe Bhagawan’s message of love.His speeches have been collected andpublished in more than 30 volumes.Sri Sathya Sai Organization started in 1965has now branches in 180 countries all overthe world.In 1981 Sathya Sai institute of higherlearning came up. Sri Sathya Sai SuperspecialityHospital came up in 1991. Thefamous drinking water projects of Anantapurcame up in 1995. Medak and MehboobNagar Districts are also being covered.His Sathya Sai education in Human valueshas gone to remote villages in India. It hasalso been taken to many countries across theseas.Sri Bhagawan lays great stress on girls’-education.Sri Bhagawan’s medical works has thefollowing policy a) Globalisation of medicineb) Decommercialisation of medicine c)Human values in medical care d) Spiritualwell-being as a medical concept.Bhagawan Baba’s work involves crores offollowers across the globe. From childrenHis Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj : A Hindu spiritual leader from Gujarat, who has wona place in the Guinness Book of World Records for building maximum number of temples.SAMARTHA BHARATA 5

onwards, his mission covers the entire cross-section of people.SECTION - 1His spirit of unity concerts attract millions of people.Bhagawan Baba’s work is veritably the work of Sanathana Sarathi.His Spirituality Expresses itself in Service: For example:Anantapur District in Rayalaseema area in Andhra Pradesh was a notoriously droughtpronearea. With Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba’s blessings, the massive drinking waterprogramme was undertaken, funded by the devotees. Its success inspired similar a work inMedak and Mehaboob Nagar Districts also.Anantapur Dt. - Medak-Mahaboob NagarNo. of Villages benefited 731 270Population benefited 9 lakhs -Project Cost 250—300 crores 66 croresPipelines 2500 km 900 kmOverhead reservoirs 268 Numbers 30Ground level 145 65Treatment Plants 64 9Bhagawan Sathya Sai Temple of healing, Super speciality hospital has the followingSpecialities: 1. Cardiology 2.Orthothoracic Surgery 3. Uro-nephrology (including Kidneytransplantation) 4. Ophthalmology 5. Litho tripsy.In this manner, the Spiritual, educational and service programmes strengthen India andtake India’s spiritual message to the whole world. (From Sanathana Sarathi)A SHAIVAITE MATHHis holiness Sri Balagangadhara Nathaswami is the 71 st pontiff of AdiChunchanagiri Math near Bangalore. His is South India’s largest monastery. Hehas also a large congregation of householder devotees. He runs a dynamic andextensive Hindu mission comprising hospitals, educational facilities at all levels,schools for the blind, hostels, orphanages, shelters for destitute women,programmes and centres that serve Dharma to millions throughout Karnataka.SERVING THE CAUSE OF INDIAN CULTURE - THE UNBROKENTRADITIONMunrshiram Manoharlal PublishersMotilal Banarsi Das PublishersYear of Founding 1870. Titles in print1500. New Titles per year 50-60.Print Run 1000-5000.Year of Founding 1903. Titles in Print2000. New Titles per year 150. PrintRun 500-2000.SAMARTHA BHARATA 6

SECTION - 1THE CHINMAYA MISSION-A GLOBAL MOVEMENTSwami Chinmayanandaji,the inspired Master, wasthe disciple of SwamiShivananda of Rishikesh andreceived instructions in thesublime aspects of Arsha Vidyafrom the Himalayan Tapasvi,Tapovanji Maharaj.Swamiji Chinmayanandaunleashed a tremendousamount of spiritual energy inthe world with thecommencement of the great spiritualmovement in 1951.In the last 53 years the movement has trainedthousands of Sannyasins and Brahmacharis.The sadhus of the mission led by the nobleexample of the master, have conductedthousands of Gita Jnana Yagnas in all partsof the globe. The Upanishads and otherVedanta classes are equally inspiring andpopular.Apart from the general public, special groupshave been formed to tap the spiritualenergies, social concern, patriotic fervour,and human love in the hearts of men, ladies,youths and children and channelise them intodoubly blessed inner growth and outerwelfare activities.Swami Chinmayananda’s disciples havefanned out into Australia (3 centres), NewZealand (2 centres, Singapore (1), Indonesia(1), Philippines (1), Hong Kong (1), UnitedStates of America (21 centres), Canada (5centres), Mexico (1), Trinidad and TobagoSAMARTHA BHARATA 7(1), England (1), France (1),Switzerland (1), South Africa(1), Kenya (2), Mauritius (1),Nigeria-Lagos (1), Tanzania(1), Reunion Islands (1),Bahrain (1), Muscat (1), AbuDhabi (1), Dubai (1), Kuwait(1), Nepal (2) and Sri Lanka(2).Within India, Andaman &Nicobar islands have onecentre. Andhra Pradesh (54centres), Assam (2 centres),Bihar-Jharkhand (6), Delhi (1), Goa (6),Gujarat (6), Karnataka (14), Kerala (30),Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh (6),Maharashtra (28), Meghalaya (2), Orissa (8),Punjab (2), Rajasthan (1), Sikkim (1), TamilNadu (15), UP and Uttaranchal (15), andWest Bengal (1) Centres function well.Swami Chinmayanandaji and his band ofmissionaries use all the tools ofcommunication, to carry the Vedanticmessage to the common man, to thespecialist, the foreigner, the politician, thescientist, the manager, the women, youth andchildren. Formal and informal education,training courses, Gurukulas, Serviceactivities, modern print and electronic media,all have been pressed into service topropagate the wise sayings of the Rishis.A genuine love for India shines through thespeeches and writings of Swamiji.Books by the Swamiji and other Sadhus ofthe mission are very popular as are themission’s journals in various languages.

Swamiji’s innovative scheme ofpublishing only future books assouvenirs of his Gita Jnana Yagnas,has gifted the Nation with bookswith excellent themes. His NationalYagnas are great integratorsbringing people of all languages andstates together in Spiritual Unity.After Swami ChinmayanandajiMahasamadhi, the mantle ofheading the great mission has fallenon Swami Tejomayanandaji. Whilekeeping alive the spirit of his greatguru, Swami Tejomayananaji feelsthat the only way to stabilise is togrow. A great amount ofconsolidation and growth is beingdone in the mission now.During the Kargil conflict the head of theChinmaya Mission, not only instructed all thebranches of the mission to collect KargilSECTION - 1Fund, but, as an expression ofresponsible and proactivepatriotism, personally went to thePrime Minister to handover theamount. Thereby he sent themessage to the world thatpatriotism and Vedanta are twosides of the same coin.The mission has started Vedantacourses in all Indian languages tobring Vedanta nearer to everyone.The Chinmaya Mission is a fineexample to prove modern India’slove for Vedanta-and the SanatanaDharma.Saints like Swami Chinmayanandaencapsule the spirit of ourSanatana Dharma-Nitya-nutana-SanatanaThe Eternal message is ever fresh.(Compiled from The Mission Publications)CHINMAYA MISSION1. International Residential schools2. Sanskrit / Scriptural / textual research centres3. Cultural centres4. Archives5. Temples / campsites6. International level competitions on Gita, AwakeningIndian to India, programmes.7. Special awareness programmes for Youth, Children andDevis to make them understand Indian Culture better.8. International Youth / Student exchange programmes9. Special cultural training programmes for NRIS.10.Teacher training programmes.SAMARTHA BHARATA 8

SECTION - 1THE MEDIA EXTOL INDIAN STRENGTHAnumber of magazines devotedexclusively to Hindu Religion andspirituality have appearedin the market. They are found tobe commercially viable also. Todaycommercial publishers dedicatemagazines to this purpose.Specialist magazines for Jyotisha,temple and pilgrimages, have comeup. Virtually every newspaper ormagazine of general interest alsoallots space for religion, spiritualityand discourses by religious andspiritual leaders. Dozens of magazines andjournals have sprung up exclusivelyreporting on Yoga, Yoga research and Yogatherapy.The economic growth of India, its technicalstrength, the large number of yoga teachers,intellectuals and artists hailing fromIndia and working in the West, haveinspired the writers in the west toproduce books on India and HinduDharma. These books seek tointroduce our Dharma and our cultureto the average westerner.Books exclusively studying India’smilitary strength, food production,technical man power, intellectualwealth and educational patterns have appearedin dozens in the book bazaars in the aftermathIndia’s achievements. There is a natural enquiryinto India’s Cultural and Spiritual roots whichenergise its creative, scientific, economic,industrial and other growth. (Compiled)SPIRITUALITY AND SERVICE - REMOTE AREASEkal Vidyalaya Foundation has an intenselyThe years after freedom saw great andlarge spiritually orientedorganizations taking ourNational values to remote,backward and Tribal areas to bringspirituality in concrete terms to ourbrethren. Kalyan Ashram, with itsnetwork of hostels and schools,service projects and medical centreshas fanned out into the TribalAreas.Vivekananda Kendra has established a webof Schools and Service-centres in remoteareas and has led its workers to live with thepeople whom they seek to serve.SAMARTHA BHARATA 9penetrating network of one-teacher schools,health and rural development projects in allparts of the country. The Foundationhas also been training a large numberof itinerent Ramkatha andKrishnakatha tellers so that thesemen and women can go to the tribalbelts to tell them the stories whichthe people want to hear. GreatPauranikas like Saint Moraribapuhave associated themselves with suchprojects.The Vishwa Hindu parishadhas trained thousands of Pujaris in TamilNadu. All these activities have strengthenedthe social, moral and economic growth ofour country.(Compiled)

VIVEKANANDAASHRAMFinding proper religious instruction asthe best way to consolidate Hinduforces and to prevent religiousconversion, Swami Madhuranandaji Maharajof Vivekananda Ashram, Vellimalai foundedthe Hindu Dharma Vidya Peetham. TheVidya Peetham, by writing books forsystematic religious instruction in fivegrades, and by training local volunteers forconducting weekly classes in villages, hasdone great service to the cause ofNationalism andSECTION - 1MORARI BAPU ANDOTHER RELIGIOUSPREACHERSSant Morari Bapu, Dongreji Maharaj,Kripananda Variar, Anjam MadhawanNumboodri, Sant Keshavadas, PulavarKeeran, Sengalipuram Ananta RamaDikshitar and a large number of Pauranikas,tell the public, the stories of the Ramayana,the Mahabharata, the Bhagawatam and thestories of Nayanmars. Moral lessons,spiritual training, practice of Bhakti andconsolidation of the social forces are thebenefits that accrue to the society. Moderncommunication facilities have made itpossible for millions of people assemble atone place and build up an atmosphere ofdevotion, wisdom, and togetherness, whichall reflect the strength of India.spirituality. Hundreds of classes involvingthousands of children are held everyweekend to give moral and religiousinstruction to them, through, stories, songs,lessons and games. Equally significant arewomen’s organizations conductingsystematic Deepa Puja in villages. DeepaPujas have brought lakhs of women togetherand have given them a religious identity andtraining. Swami Madhuranandaji’sprogrammes are being taken up in theneighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu and inother countries where Tamil Hindus live.VIVEKANANDA ASHRAMVELLIMALAI, KANYAKUMARI DT.SAMARTHA BHARATA 10

SANNYASINIS OFTIRUENGOIMALAITiru Engoi Malai is a temple town onthe Trichy-Salem high way in TamilNadu. It has a tradition ofSannyansinis worshipping Lalitha-Parasakthi. This old tradition of Sannyasinishas been praised by saints like SwamiShivananda of the Divine Life Society.Women taking to spiritual life as renunciates,have grown in numbers in free India. TheRamakrishna Sarada Math and Mission,Swami Chidbhavananda-established SaradaMission, Sannyasinis of Divine Life Society,Chinmaya Mission and Arsha VidyaGurukulam, and a number of large and smallorganizations have created and enlargedwomen’s space in the spiritual and religiousspheres.SECTION - 1VAISHNO DEVI,TIRUPATHIIn recent years the Vaishno Devi Templeat Katra in Jammu and Kashmir State hasassumed great religious and spiritualsignificance. In 2004 Navaratri festival time50 lakhs of pilgrims visited the Devi temple.While Amarnath is very difficult to reach,the government restrictions limiting thenumber of pilgrims to a few lakhs, templesin Vaishno Devi and Tirupathi attract millionsof pilgrims every year, sustaining the spiritualfervour, and the religious discipline of thepeople. Better travelling facilities in the last50 years have made, Kashi, Puri, Dwaraka,Rameswaram and other major pilgrimcentres easily approachable for men, womenand children. The average Indian has put allscience and technology to religious andspiritual applications.SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV AND THE DHYANALINGAThe Dhyanalinga situated inCoimbatore district in Tamil Nadu,is very much a part of India’s glorioustradition of Siddhas, Seers, Sages andEnlightened beings.The Dhyanalinga was consecrated bySadhguru Jaggi Varudev a realised Master.The primary purpose of Dhyanalinga isspiritual liberation.Nadha Aradhana, Omkara Diksha, Water andMilk abhisheka to Dhyanalinga on Amavasyaand Pournami days and the celebration ofMahasivaratri are the special methods ofspiritual practice in this Isha Yoga Center.SAMARTHA BHARATA 11

SECTION - 1SHRI PANDURANG SHASTRI ATHAVALEShri Athavale (19-10-1920 to 25-10-2003) known respectfully as Dada byhis co-workers began bhav-pheri(devotional visits) in 1954. With less than20 helpers, he went to the villages aroundMumbai to spread the message of love forGod, and love for all people, considered bythe workers to be God’s children. Believingin self-knowledge as the preliminarycondition for an inner growth that leads to aloving, enlightened social concern andoutreach, Athavale initiated the practice ofSwadhyaya-Self-Study.Swadhyaya has spread to nearly 100,000villages across India, and is estimated to havedirectly improved the lives of 20 millionpeople. Athavale’s Hindu philosophicalbeliefs ask people to recognize the innerpresence of God which leads to a sense ofself-esteem as well as an awareness of thedivine presence within all persons. This beliefhas led to the betterment of individuals andcommunities around the world.He secured the 1997 Templeton Prize forprogress in Religion.Shri Athavale’s concepts in practice andaction of right living are:1. Bhaktiferi – Devotional visits tospread the healing message of loveto all communities.2. Amrutalayam (Village temples) Builtby joint efforts of the villagers forpeople from all religions, castes, andeconomic strata to worship together.3. Yogeshwar Krushis-farms of Godwhere the villagers give a few daysof labour a year to show theirdevotion to God, with the village’sneedy sharing the produce.4. Matsyagandhas (floating temples ofGod) – fishing boats on which thefishermen give their time for a fewdays a year, as devotion to God, andshare the harvest with the needy.5. Vrikshamandirs-orchard templeswhich are cultivated impersonally bythe villagers and the produce is givento the needy.6. Jeevan Sampada (Wealth of Life) isan ingenious activity. Religious songsare recorded and distributed, relatedto each Swadhyaya activity.7. Gauras (home dairies) are villagelevelmilk cooperatives.8. Bahna Kendra-ladies centres.9. Bal-Sanksar Kendras-Children’svalue centres.10. Dhananjay Kreeda Samuh-Arjuna’ssports groups.11. Tattvajnana Vidyapeeth-philosophicknowledge centres. Sri Athavalejiused Bhagawad Gita as the tool forreaching people in large numbers.USA alone has 350 Swadhyaya centres(15000 followers) in 38 centres.But it is his work among the fishermen ofWestern India that is very important toSamartha Bharata.(With inputs from “Hinduism Today”2003)SAMARTHA BHARATA 12

SRI SARADA MATHA CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTIONSECTION - 1Anew and significant chapter wasadded to the cultural and religioushistory of India, when SwamiVivekananda’s prophetic vision ofestablishing a monastic order for women wasat last fulfilled and Sri Sarada Math cameinto existence in 1953, the centenary year ofHoly Mother Sarada Devi.In 1952, the Sri Ramakrishna Math andMission formed a groupof dedicated womenworkers. They were to behelped throughreasonable stages to formas early as possible anindependent organisationof their own.On 2/12/1954 Sri SaradaMath was formallyopened with Sarala Devia direct disciple of SriSarada Devi as its firstpresident.In 1959, the first batch ofSannyasinis wereordained by the thenPresident of Sri R.K.Math.Then was established Ramakrishna SaradaMath Association with the object of carrying-out educational, cultural, charitable andsimilar activities among women and childrenlooking upon them as veritablemanifestations of the divine, irrespective ofcaste, creed, colour or nationality. Sri SaradaMath emphasises religious activities andpreaching. Ramakrishna Sarada Mission isconcerned mainly with welfare activities forchildren and women.The math and the mission carry out thefollowing activities.1. Educational work: Primary andSecondary schools, Colleges, hostels,computer classes, spoken English classes,Sanskrit classes and freelibraries.2.Medical Services, Amaternity hospital,medical clinics,homeopathic clinics,old-age homes, andperiodical medicalcamps.3.Rural uplift work.There are three branchcentres in the rural areasof West Bengal and onein Arunachal Pradesh.Other centres alsoprovide various kinds ofservice in nearby ruralareas.4.Relief and help to theneedy was rendered for example, to theKargil war-wounded soldiers, to themigrants from Jammu and Kashmir, to thevictims of Orissa Cyclone and Gujarat earthquake.5. Spread of cultural and spiritual ideas.This is done by regular preaching in Indiaand abroad, study circles, scriptural classes,SAMARTHA BHARATA 13

publication of books, English Semi-annualjournal, Samvit, and the Bengali quarterlyjournal, NibodhataThe math and mission centres function inUttaranchal, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamil Nadu,Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra,SECTION - 1Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal (10centres) and in Sydney in Australia.Sri Sarada Math has blazed a new trail inthe spiritual history of our Ancient Nationby helping the emergence of a formal orderof Sannyasinis.(Adapted from-From SAMVIT)THE VITALITY OF NATIVE GENIUSShri Narayana Guru was one in theGalaxy of great men who gave rise inIndia, to an era of rich creativity inevery field of our National Life. Born in theerstwhile State of Travancore as a memberof the depressed Ezhava Community, he roseto supreme spiritual heights. Within the spanof his own life time, he brought about apeaceful revolution in the condition of thedown-trodden people of Kerala, anaccomplishment rarely equalled, much lesssurpassed. It won for the Guru, theunreserved appreciation of men like Tagore,Swami Shraddhananda and MahatmaGandhi.Really Shri Narayana Guru is a Prophet ofour National Renaissance.He consecratedthe temples at Aruvipuram, Jagannath templeat Tellicherry, Sree Kanteshwarar temple atCalicut.He founded the SNDP yogam in1903 and registered the Sree NarayanaDharma Sangham in 1928.Shri Guru left a rich treasure of literature,both philosophical work and prayer songsin Malayalam and Sanskrit.His followerscontinue the great work of the Guru, byrunning temples, schools, monasteries andhospitals, and for the spiritual and socialupliftment of the followers of the Guru andfor the whole Nation.(Collected from various sources including‘Shri Narayana Guru’ by P.Parameswaran)SAMARTHA BHARATA 14

SECTION - 1Living the full Upanishadiclife-span of 100 years,Kanchi Paramacharya, wasa great source of strength to India,in its troubled days. He repeatedlytold our masses as well as ourNational leaders, that the Eternalvalues of India’s SanatanaDharma, can find application indiverse fields of our national life,in our polity, education andcommunity life.KANCHI PARAMACHARYAHe was the first to recognizeand urge people to interpretsecularism as equal respect forall methods of worship.Secularism for him did notmean to be ‘DharmaNirapekshata’. It means to be‘Pant-Nirapekshata’.He was agolden link between theancient India of our seers andthe modern Nation.BLACKSHIRTS! NO! IT IS A GREAT SPIRITUALAND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTCome November-December-January,millions of devotees clad in black withthe auspicious Irumudi (pair of knots)with shouts of ‘Sharanam Ayyappa’ will startmoving towards Sabarimalai in South centralKerala, the abode of Sabarigirisha, AyyappaShasta as the Lord is variously called.Millions of devotees, poor and rich, learned aswell as unlettered, go through a 41 day penanceabstaining from sex, meat and intoxicating drinks.They then undertake the arduous trek towardsthe temple, crossing forested mountains. Modernfacilities have eased the strain of the pilgrimage,but that has not diluted the devotion of the faithful.Mystical, devotional, spiritual, religious, theAyyappa movement is phenomenal. From whatwas a strenuous trek for a few thousand pilgrims,in a restricted period in the calendar, it has nowgrown into an great movement involving croresof devotees, spreading across states andcountries.If spontaneity is the hallmark of Spirituality, theAyyappa movement is the most spontaneousspiritual upheaval. It is not ‘managed’ fromabove, there is nocentral organization,and there are fewfacilitators.Ayyappa is calledDharma Shasta,- onewho upholds andt e a c h e sDharma.Ayyappa isthe child of Mohini(Vishnu’s female Avatar assumed forapportioning Nectar at the time of churning theocean of milk) and Lord Shiva.The Ayyappa movement has all the ingredientsof a full scale spiritual movement. It has rituals,it has legends and puranas and it has philosophy,the philosophy of absolute surrender to theultimate power.The movement has built itself intoa brotherhood, All India Ayyappa Seva Sangham,a huge organisation has come up. But essentiallythe movement has remained a commonman’smovement-of devotion, penance andsurrender.(From inputs from various sources)SAMARTHA BHARATA 15

SECTION - 1BANGARU ADIGALAR OF SIDDHA PEETHAMSri Bangaru Adigalar, a well-knownSiddha Purusha of Melmaruvathur inNorthern Tamil Nadu, is a greatsource of religious inspiration to millions ofdevotees in the southern states of India. Hisdevotees have spread all over the world.Among the devotees, women wear red sareesand men sport red shirts. The movement isaffectionately called the ‘Red dress’movement. The devotees worship ‘Shakti’,accept Sri Bangaru Adigalar’s divinity andmeet systematically every Thursday toworship the deity in the local temple. Theseare called weekly worship groups.Religious devotion, character building,organization of devotees, systematic andsincere worship, coupled with properreligious and moral training have made theRed dress movement literally a Revolution.It brings people of various castes, variouseconomic strata and social levels together.The movement also has blossomed into asignificant service movement, with schools,colleges, medical programmes andmagazines.Sri Bangaru Adigalar’s Adi Parashaktifellowship is a important factor instrengthening the society and giving religiousfervour, a discipline and a system.(Compiled from ‘Shakti Oli’ Tamil)ACHARYA SABHAThe meeting of the Hindu DharmaAcharya, Sabha held at Chennai onNov.29, 30 Dec-1, 2003 passed thefollowing resolutions.1. It defined religious freedom as thefreedom to follow one’s own religion or faithand peaceful practices but does not includethe right to denigrate any other religion.2. It rejected the theory of religiousconversion that converts by denigration ofother religions.3. The Sabha said the welfare of templesand use of funds and property of temples areof matters of great importance. Now theincome is spent by the governments’ generalbudget and the funds lose their sacredidentity.4. The Sabha called for enactingcommon civil code for the country.5. It urged the government and thesociety to ban cow slaughter.6. It established Hindu Acharya DharmaSabha and Dharma Samstha Pramukh Sabha,the federation of Dharmic institutions,engaged in economic and social upliftmentof the Hindu populace.(Adapted from Arsha Vidya Ashram Newsletter)SAMARTHA BHARATA 16

DR.PICHAI SIVACHARYASECTION - 1Dr.Pichai Sivacharya (53) ofPillayarpatti, Sivaganga district,Tamilnadu has been chosen for HinduRenaissance award 2004, for bringing about asignificant revolution among the priests of theSouth Indian traditions. His two schools inPillaiyarpatti are turning out highly trainedpriests who undergo a stringent five year studyprogramme. They are so knowledgeable,especially in the Agamas, that they have raisedthe standards of every temple in which theyserve. And in a real innovation, Dr.Pichai hasopened his school to non-brahmins. He hasrendered exemplary service to Hinduism byreinvigorating the priesthood, and extendingthe gurukula system to Hindus born in otherlands and in other castes.There was a time when priests would not allowtheir bright children to be trained in the familyprofession. It was neither paying nor carryingmuch social respect. But when well-educatedHindus went to the west to make their fortunes,they felt the need for their temples and theirattendant grandeur. They established hundredsof temples across the west, then sent for prieststo India to serve the temples. Temple work inthe West was paying well by Indian standards,and carried with it more respect. ThoseWestern temples too wanted grand ceremonyand started bringing priests by the dozens fortheir events.This was a big change. Dr.Pichai’s work startedin 1980 began showing real promise. Goodpriests were in high demand and he was anexpert in turning them out. Discipline at theschool is exemplary. Students considerDr.Pichai not only as a skilled teacher, but astheir spiritual master and guru, an inspiring,powerfully motivated, leader.Dr.Pichai discovered that the performance ofgrand yagnas and like rituals involving dozensof his students at a time, were very popular inIndia and a significant source of income forhis schools which now has 220 students.Such events were also held in the temples inthe West, with the temple trustees demandingthe quality seen in India. The gradutes ofDr.Pichai’s school are providing that highestquality world wide, with a resulting backwash,prestige and concerted effort on the part ofmany temples in India to improve their ownritual observances.Dr.Pichai’s students are trained well in themystical arts of opening a door from this worldto the higher worlds, through which theblessings of Gods and Goddesses pour outupon the devotees.Dr.Pichai turns out such well and broadlytrained priest by the dozens.(From Hinduism Today Oct-Nov-Dec 2004)SAMARTHA BHARATA 17

SECTION - 1SWAMI PRANAVANANDA AND THE BHARATSEVASHRAM SANGHBrahmachari Vinod (b 1897 d 1941)turned Swami PranavanandajiMaharaj, the founder of BharatSevashram Sangha was an unusual person.He was variously described by his learnedcontemporaries as an epoch maker,possessor of limitless powers, seer, supermanand omniscient, a creator unusually strong,divine personality of the age, seer of gloriousIndia, a farsighted seer, a missionary forHindu Regeneration, rebuilder of modernHinduism, a great man of peerless talent andspiritual power, a beacon light, a person withthe strength of the spirit, a true servant ofIndia, a man with solution for the Nationalproblems, a Nation builder, a missionary inhuman service, a preceptor of the age, andthe great apostle of selfless service.To guard India from impending communaldangers, Swamiji founded Bharat SevashramSangha and planned to build Hindu MilanMandirs and Rakshi Dals.The organization did great service to Hinduswho have been victims of communal riotsbefore and on the eve of independence.He was born in the village of Bajitpur in thedistrict of Faridpur in present Bangladesh.Reconstruction of dormant Hindu Society onthe basis of ancient Indian heritage becamethe life’s aim of this young saint. In the fieldof National reconstruction, Swamiji followeda method of his own. He did not approve ofa political movement bereft of religion. Herealised that real awakening of a Nationwould easily come through selfless service,celibacy and practice of one’s own religion.He built up the character of his disciples onsound moral foundation. He was a livingexample before them. He inspired them topay special stress upon the reconstructionof the Hindu Society. They were topropagate the lofty ideals of Hinduism tohumanity at large. He realised the necessityof building up a systematic organisationthroughout the length and breadth of thecountry, in order to remove age-old defectsin the Hindu Society. These units became thecommon platform for all Hindus.The ultimate object of the Sangha is thereorganisation of the vast heterogeneousIndian masses into a homogeneous one, acompact and powerful Nation, rebuilt on thebasis of its ancient spiritual and culturalideals and traditions, skilfully readjusted andreadapted to suit the changed circumstancesof the present scientific age.With this object in view, the Sanghaundertook a comprehensive plan of work.The multifarious activities of the Sangha thatgradually run through the entire rank and fileof the society can be classified into somedistinct lines.a) Propagation of the Traditionalspiritual and cultural ideals in Indiaand outside, through individualsannyasin preachers and also throughSAMARTHA BHARATA 18

organised preaching parties of themonks and selfless workers.Restitution of the spiritual andreligious atmosphere there.b) Reformation of the holy places ofIndiac) Spread of education based on Indianmoral and spiritual idealismd) Humanitarian services of all kindse) Reorganization of the disintegratedIndian masses and reconstructionworks of the Indian society(including removal of untouchability,welfare of the backward classes,uplift of the tribals as an integral partof the Indian Society and defenceparty organisations.The Sangha since its inception has beenrunning its educational activities in variousways.a) Brahmacharya Vidyalayas, runaccording to the ancient Gurukulsystem of India.b) Free primary schools, Night schools,Junior high and multilateral HigherSecondary Schools.SECTION - 1c) Students’ Homes under the guidanceof the Sannyasins of the Sangha.d) A department for producing andcirculating character building type ofliterature.e) Organising discourses and lectures tocreate an atmosphere for introducinga system of ideal education in theschools and colleges.f) Bringing students and youth inpersonal touch with the Sangha.Now the Sangha has established itself as aNationwide organisation doing great serviceto make India Samartha. Bharat SevashramSangha has activities in Suriname, Jamaica,Barbados, Trinidad, and Guyana.The other centres are in Canada, USA,Trinidad, Guyana, Bangladesh and 40centres in India.(Adapted from “Acharya Pranavananda inthe Eyes of the learned” – SwamiShantananda, Bharat Sevashram Sangh,Hyderabad 29 – 1975 and Ideals of IndianEdcuation and culture, SwamiVijoyananda, Bharat Sevashram SanghaCalcutta 19, 1962-)SAMARTHA BHARATA 19

SECTION - 1MAHAYOGI SRI AUROBINDO (1872-1950)One of the greatest pioneers of theIndian Renaissance, Sri Aurobindowas educated in England and wasproficient in Greek, Latin and English. Yetthere was no greater or more brilliantexponent of Indian culture from the point ofview of the Vedic spiritual tradition. He wasno philosopher content with weaving verbalrhetoric. He was a yogi, an integratedpersonality whose life was a sadhanatowards realizing the Self-divine. He hasbeen described as the “Poet of patriotism”and the “Prophet of Indian Nationalism.”Aurobindo envisaged the emergence of asuperman, the truth-conscious being, onewho has realized the Divinity within himselfas the goal of human evolution.Born on August 15, 1872, Aurobindoattended schools in England from the age ofseven. He returned to India in 1893, taughtFrench and became Professor of English atthe Baroda State College. He was in Barodafor 13 years. Aurobindo was drawn intopolitics in 1905 when Bengal waspartitioned. He was associated with theBengal daily Yugantar and the English dailyBande Mataram. He followed Tilak in hispolitical thinking and was with the extremistsat the Surat session of the Congress in 1907.Aurobindo was arrested in 1908 forrevolutionary activity and acquitted after oneyear. He became a spiritual aspirant duringhis imprisonment and chose to pursue aspiritual mission. He went to Pondicherryand stayed on there till his Mahasamadhi onDecember 5, 1950. He wrote copiously inhis inimitable, elevated literary style.(From ‘Hinduism Today’)AUROVILLEInspired by the Vedic and Nationalisticteachings of Shri Aurobindo and theMother, an international community hasstarted working at Auroville nearPondicherry. Applying spiritual values ofefficiency, sincerity, fellowship and love tomodern technologies and bringing thiscombination to serve the society in a holisticmanner, Auroville has made significantcontributions in the fields of environmentalawareness, ecology, waste-land reclamation,afforestation, cost effective housing, watermanagement, educational psychology andrelated fields.SAMARTHA BHARATA 20

SAINT SHRI ASARAMJI AND YOGAVEDANTA SEVA SAMITISECTION - 1The Yoga Vedanta Seva Samiti of Sri Asaramjispreads the concept of Vishwamanava, theUniversal Man. He talks about the personal,moral and ethical, social, National and spiritualduties and responsibilities of Man. He exhortsman to realise his true nature, while dischargingthe worldly duties.Mass-awakening programmes are undertakenby the Saint and his institution. He uses themedium of traditional festivals such as RakshaBandhan, Guru Poornima, Sat Sangh,Narayana Seva, Daridra Narayan Seva andKrishnajanmashtami, to awaken the spiritualnature of the common people. Thousandsthrong to his meetings, Satsanghs, Kirtanprogrammes and Homam programmes.Swamiji emphasises on equality, happiness,humility and generosity as divine virtues.He effectively employs, TV, newspaper,cassettes, (both audio and video) and theashram magazine Rishi Prasad (Hindi) to takehis message to the millions of faithful devotees.(Compiled from Rishi Prasad (Hindi))Dr.VEERENDRA HEGGADEDr.Veerendra a Jain, is the guardianof Sri Manjunatheswara Templelocated in N W Karnataka, 44 kmsfrom Mangalore. He acts as the local judge,a custom followed over 800 years. Hisdecisions are accepted as law and honouredby the civil courts of the country.Dharmasthala (Abode of Dharma) the placeis called. It is also active with many socialservice programmes all led by Dr.Veerendra.Five days a week, thousands of guests areserved free, high quality meals. Clothes aredistributed as well. Financial assistance isgiven. Mass weddings are arranged.Hospitals, 40 schools from primary tocollege also function. One of the recentsuccesses has been the rehabilitation of 1800alcoholics, who were inspired by dailybhajans at Dharmasthala, to give up theirharmful addition.The temple spends around 10 crores ofrupees annually, on religious and serviceactivities.In this Siva temple, the priests areVaishnavaits and the Trustee is a Jain.Shri Heggade also has brought back 21ancient temples from ruin.(Hinduism TodaySAMARTHA BHARATA 21

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETYSECTION - 1Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj was inhis pre-sannyasa yearsDr.V.Kuppuswami of Pattamadai,Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. Hewas serving as a medical doctor in Malaya,when he got he inspiration to seek God andserve humanity.He was initiated into Sannayasa by SwamiVishwanandaji of Hrishikesh in 1924. Afterlong spells of Tapasya and a life ofParivrajaka, came the intense teachingperiod. He taught, yoga, Vedanta andbhajans to seekers through, lectures,satsanghs, radio talks, pamphlets, books andjournals. The movement gatheredmomentum, spread countrywide. The DivineLife Movement, the sole purpose of whichwas to divinise the lives of human beings asinstructed by our ancient rishis, saints andmonks was born in 1938.Swamiji was a prolific writer. He wrote morethan 200 books on yoga, vedanta and IndianCulture between 1929 and 1963 when heshed his body. His books includedcommentaries on the Bhagawad Gita, thePrincipal Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras,Patanjali’s Yoga Sustras, and Narada’sBhakti Sutras; scores of books on thepractice of yoga and Vedanta; and manyvolumes on health and vigour. He wrotepoetry, drama, letter and essay, story andparable, aphorism and lecture-all media wereadapted by him to spread the knowledge ofDivine Life.Then he started the great taskof training disciples.Sivananda inspired his students by the forceof his own personal example. His life wasan open book, all could see him, humble,serving, praying, singing kirtan, bathing inthe Ganga, prostrating to everyone,remembering God always, cheerful all thetime, not attaching importance to worldlyhappenings and living in the spirit of theMahawakya Tat Twam Asi (Thou Art That).His students learnt many things just byobserving their Master.Swami Sivanandaji gave sannyasa liberallyto people, creating a large band of sannyasidisciples who are manning the Divine Lifesociety in hundreds of its branches all overIndia. His disciples were of great eminence.Swami Chidananda, Sri Krishnananda,Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Satyananda,Swami Purushottamananda, SwamiNirmalananda, Swami Omkarananda, SwamiVenkatesananda, Swami Sivapremananda,Swami Pranavananda, SwamiVishudevananda, Swami Gnanananda,Swami Jotirmayananda and others becamemasters in their own right and establishedashramas and spiritual centres in India,Australia, South Africa, America, Europeand other places.Today the Divine Life Society and its offspringshave become together a world wide movementbringing peace, enlightenment and happinessto millions, through lectures, personal trainingand publications. This has kept alive the eternalmessage of Sanatana Dharma, SamarthaBharata’s gift to humanity.(from Divine Life Society Publications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 22

SECTION - 1THE YOGA INSTITUTE-SANTACRUZ, BOMBAYShri Yogendra founded the YogaInstitute Santacruz, Bomaby around1932. The purpose of the institute isto investigate the secret but traditionallyknown practices of yoga, both academicallyand scientifically in regard to their variousclaims and also their utility in modern life.Shri Yogendra acquired directly all the hathayoga practices from the great yoga teacherParamahamsa Madhavadasji of Malasana(1798-1921). Shri Yogendra applied someof them to thousands of students and patientsunder medical supervision in India, Americaand elsewhere. The ancient wisdom has nowbeen compared with modern sciences bytextual references and corroborations wherepossible; and it is after detailed scientificinvestigation carried on by Yogendraji incooperation with eminent scientists that hehas given the final shape to a methodicalstudy of the subject for its incorporation intoone’s daily life.Yogendraji started the Training institute ofyoga recognized by the Government for thepurpose of training teachers of yoga.Yogendraji is certain that when the scienceof yoga will be studied by the scholars andscientists as closely as they have exploredother branches of India’s ancient civilization,a new field of investigation will open beforethem of wider extent than any other that hasyet been explored or even known to exist.The Yoga institute of Santa Cruz is arecognized research institute. It acceptsscholars for academic, scientific, andeducation researches in yoga. Competentguides, library and lab facilities are available.One-year yoga certificate courses, 21 daysyoga courses, six-month certificate coursesand provision for teacher member of theacademy are available.A Yoga hospital, yoga education to thegeneral public, publication of books andjournal are the other activities of theinstitute. The institute is presently lookedafter by Dr.Jayadeva Yogendra.(From the Institute Publications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 23

THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONKarmayogiSECTION - 1Revolutions are landmarks in history.Form the point of view of Spiritualevolution, revolutions are criticalstages in the evolution of the earth. Mothersays Sri Aurobindo was present on earth atevery such critical stage. She too was withHim invariably. He says the FrenchRevolution originated in the Himalayas.Anything fundamental anywhere in the worldshould originate in the Spirit, just as any newproduct of technology should originate inscientific research. Ourscience is calledexperimental science.Some people think it ismaterial science, as it is thescience of the materialworld. The phrase ‘Lifescience’ has come to stay.What the world needs isthe Science of Life, abranch of knowledge thatstudies how life behaves.It may not be justpsychology, but willinclude psychology. Psychology studies thebehaviour of the Mind. Should a subjectcalled ‘Science of Spirit’ come intoexistence, the occurrence of revolutions asthe unfolding of the earth’s evolution willbe seen.Sri Aurobindo has remarked on India’sevolution that if is a nation destined to leadthe world spiritually. Apparently they arestray remarks inserted in various places. Onlyhe who has the spiritual vision of what SriAurobindo stands for can know thesignificance of those statements and howthey all go together around a central vision.The following are some of those statementsthat I can recollect now:1. Nature resorted to foreign invasionto unite India geographically, as all herprevious efforts had failed.2. India became FREE in the subtleplane in 1910.3. Indian FREEDOMwould lead to the freedomof Asia.4. World union willcome into existence.5. India will become theGuru of the world.6. Mother has said thatFrance will collaboratewith India in this mission.7. . Indian bodies carry Spiritual light.8. America is in the vanguard of theearth’s evolution. The Americans exhibit acuriosity to know of the evolutionarypossibilities.9. Sri Aurobindo said that he has playedrole in the world wars, particularly in Irelandand Turkey. He also had a little to do withthe Russian Revolution.(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA 24

SECTION - 1KAIVALYADHAMAKaivalyadhama is a yoga research andpropagation institute founded by thesage Swami Kuvalayanandaji in1924.The institution runs a yogaashram at Lonavala inMaharashtra.Kaivalyadhama ShreemanMadhava Yoga Mandir Samitiruns the G.S.College of yoga andcultural synthesis (estd in 1950).The college runs a one-yearDiploma course in yogaeducation and a certificate coursein yoga (six weeks).The Kaivalyadhama also runs a researchcentre to teach M.Phil / PhD courses inphysical education with yoga as a coresubject.The Dhama conducts yoga camps, shorttermtraining programmes for teachers andstudents of academic institutions throughoutMaharashtra.The institution is known for its yoga trainingdesigned to the needs of Naturopaths,Physical Education teachers, generalteachers, yoga therapists, executives of thecorporate sector, musicians andmusic teachers, psychologists,police officers, etc.It runs special classes on Sanskritto help yoga students inunderstanding texts.All these activities are carriedout in addition to research andteaching activities in yoga at theDhama.The research work includes, yoga and humanresource development, yoga teachingmethods, textual studies, yoga and obesity,yoga and heart, yoga and body flexibility,studies in Shavasana, yoga and sports.Kaivalyadhama publishes and researchquarterly magazine “Yoga-mimamsa” inEnglish.(From ‘Yoga Mimamsa’)SAMARTHA BHARATA 25

SECTION - 1A.C.BHAKTI VEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADAAND THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENTBorn in 1896 in Calcutta, India, BhaktiVedanta Prabhupada met his Guru SriBhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Gosvamiin 1922. His Guru had founded 64 GaudiyaMaths. Srila Prabhupada became his studentand was initiated in 1933 for whole-timework of propagating Vedic knowledge. Hewrote a commentary on the Gita in 1937 andstarted an English journal in 1944. This isnow printed in the west by Prabhupada’sdisciples. It is published in 19 languages ofthe world.1950 saw Prabhupada, now given thehonorary title of Bhakti Vedanta, going tothe Holy Vrindavana and begining a life ofausterities. He renounced the worldly life in1959. He wrote a sixty-volume commentary,his master piece, on Srimad Bhagavatam.In 1965, Prabhupada came to U.S. to fulfilthe mission of his Master – to propagate theVedic knowledge in English. He wroteanother set of sixty volumes of authoritativetranslations, commentaries and summarystudies of the philosophical and religiousclassics of India.In 1965, Prabhupada came to the US as apenniless pilgrim. After almost a year ofgreat difficulties, he established theInternational Society for KrishnaConsciousness in July of 1966. Before hispassing away on 14-11-1977, he guided thesociety and saw it grow to a world-wideconfederation of more than one hundredasramas, schools, temples, institutes andfarm communities.In 1968 Prabhupada created New Vrindaban,an experimental Vedic community in the hillsof West Virginia US. It was a success. Nowseveral similar communities have beenstarted in India and abroad.In 1972, Prabhupada, started the Gurukulaschools in the West-Dt. Dallas-Texas. Tensuch Gurukula schools have been startedsince.Large International Cultural Centres,planned Spiritual cities and temples, inVrindavana, Bombay and elsewhere, havebeen constructed.Sri Prabhupada’s most significantcontribution is his books. Highly respectedSAMARTHA BHARATA 26

y the academic community for theirauthoritativeness, depth and clarity, they areused as standard text books in numerouscollege courses. His writings have beentranslated into 28 languages. The BhaktiVedanta Book Trust (1872), publishingexclusively his books, has become theworld’s largest publisher of books in the fieldof Indian religion and philosophy.In just 12 years, Sri Prabhupada circled theglobe fourteen times on lecture tours, thattook him to six continents. His writingsconstitute a veritable library of Vedicphilosophy, religion, literature and culture.SECTION - 1Today, the Hare Krishna movement(ISKCON) has made Negro Sannyasis, hasbuilt a Krishna temple in Moscow, haspenetrated the bamboo curtain in China, andhas converted a professor of Islamic law inTeheran (Iran) University to Ravanaridasa,a staunch Krishnaite. Chanting “HareKrishna Hare Krishna Krishna KrishnaHare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare”, ISKCON members havesold Bhagawad Gita copies to those standingin queues in Cinema theatres saying thatMahatma Gandhi was inspired by the Gita.Such is the enthusiasm of the followers ofSrila Prabbhupada.(Extracts from ISKCON publications)THE ANSWER LIES IN YOGA, SAY EXPERTSWORLD HEART DAYPeople should follow yogic lifestyle asthere was considerable evidence todemonstrate that yogic practices couldhalt, arrest and even reverse the process ofheart disease, says director of HaffkineInstitute Dr.S.M.Sapatnekar.Speaking on ‘Reversal of Heart Diseases:The Yogic Way at the yoga institute here,Sapatnekar said on the World heart Day 26/9/04, “I trust that rectification of the diseaseprocess is merely a fringe benefit as yoga isa way of life and it changes oneself.” Directorof the institute, Jayadeva Yogendra said,“Loss of balance (prajna-aparadha) canoccur when spiritual values are given a goby,hence the enemy of a cardiac patient isnot just fatty food or cholesterol, stress orhostility, but crass materialism, selfishness,egoism, negative emotions and all kinds ofexcesses.” One should turn towardsspiritualism for a long, healthy and happylife, Yogendra said. The president of theInternational Board of yoga, Hansa Jayadevasaid, “institute’s” caring heart project’, hasmade people “better human beings—morecaring, loving and relaxed with better willpower to handle any stress”. Meanwhile,cardiologists in Mumbai urged thegovernment to set up a preventive cardiologycouncil to carry out extensive education andawareness programme in the country incollaboration with the NGOs.(P.T.I)SAMARTHA BHARATA 27

SECTION - 1SWAMI RAMA AND HIS HIMALAYANINTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF YOGASCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHYSwami Rama, the founder of theHimalayan International Institute ofYoga Science and philosophy was bornin 1925. He was ordained a monk early hischildhood in the Shankaracharya Parampara(tradition). He also studied WesternPsychology and medicine and taught in Japan.He came to the US in 1969 to teach yoga. Hehas written extensively on yoga and spirituality.There a programme in holistic studies offers aunique and systematic course combiningWestern Empirical Sources and EasternIntrospective Science.Stress management, physical fitness courses,and an annual international congress devotedto the scientific and spiritual progress ofhumanity, are the other programmes.The Himalayan institute, founded in 1971,combines Eastern and Western teachings andtechniques to develop education, therapeuticand research programmes for serving peoplein today’s world.The goals of the Institute are to teachmeditational techniques for the growth ofindividuals and their society to make knownthe harmonious view of world religions andphilosophies and to undertake scientificresearch for the benefit of the human kind.With its Headquarters at Pennsylvania in US,the institute conducts seminars, lectures,workshops and classes.The residential and self-transformationprogrammes provide training in the basic yogadisciplines, diet, ethical behaviour, hatha yogaand meditation.The psycho-physiological lab of the institutespecialises in research on breathing,meditation, holistic therapies, and on stress andrelaxed states. Exercise stress testing andpsycho-physiological measuring, areconducted in the labs. Brain waves, patternsof respiration, heart rate changes, and muscletension are measured. The staff investigatesEastern Teachings through studies based onWestern experimental techniques.Swami Rama’s books include those anUpanishads / Yoga, Bondage of Karma, Japji,Life Hereafter, Bhagawad Gita, SukhamaniSahib, Patanjali, Bhakti yoga, Hatha yoga etc.The book on Diet and Nutrition is a classic oninter-disciplinary studies on Food.Swami Rama and his co-workers bring ascientific temper to studies in yoga.(Collected from the Institute Publications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 28

YOGIRAJ VETHATHIRI MAHARISHIAND HIS SKYSECTION - 1Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi feels thatRaja yoga is best suited for our ageand that it is the only hope for themodern man with his awakened andquestioning intellect.He has developed the Simplified KundaliniYoga (SKY) for helping the common man.He has also developed the simplified Kayakalpa yoga as an adjunct to an advance onSKY.Swami Vethathiri (b 1911) an orderinaryweaver turned yoga-researcher founded theWorld Community Research centre in 1958.The organization has branch-centres all overIndia, in the USA and in Japan.He has also founded the World Peace Trustwith the objective of building up peaceconciousnessin all parts of the globe. Heteaches Advaita and Raja Yoga in a mannerto reach out to all sections of the society,hence he is known as a common man’sphilosopher.A system of simple physical exercises,Simplified Kundalini Yoga, and steadyintrospection, a combined practice of thesethree, would ennoble man and lead him torealisation says Swamiji. And since hehimself lives out his teachings, his words,spoken and written, have a profound impacton all who come into contact with him.(Adapted from ‘Hinduism Today’)SAMARTHA BHARATA 29

DURGA GOES GLOBE-WIDESECTION - 1Come Durga Puja, which falls inOctober, the Goddess will leave Herabode in the Kailash and go globetrotting—fromCalifornia to Tokyo, fromCalgary to Cape Town. With the BengaliDiaspora spreading its wings the world over,the community’s own Durga Puja isbecoming more and more popular in almostevery corner of the world.Up from last year’sexport of 26 Durgaidols, this yearartisans from thefamed Kumartuli aresending 33 idols toleading cities in theUnited States,Japan, Canada andSouth Africa.Clay artisanAmong theexporters of theidols from the dingylanes of Kumartuli isclay artisan AmarNath Ghosh. WhileMr.Ghosh exported 18 idols to the West lastyear, this year he is sending 21.“Eighteen of my idols have already beenshipped and one is being despatched today.Two of them are yet to be sent,” saidMr.Ghosh, whose nine idols made of pith arefinding patrons in the US and the rest arebeing shipped for Canada, the UK, Germany,Italy, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.The boom in the pith, glass-fibre and paperpulp Durga idols is the result of the“explosive growth” in the popularity of thepuja in the UK andthe US.Another artisan,Montu Pal, is busymanaging theexport of his idolsto Dallas, Leeds,Berlin andMauritius.Mr.Paul, who firstbegan exporting hisfibre-glass idolsfour years ago, saidhe was fighting tomeet the deadlinefor his Baltimoreand Leeds-boundconsignments.Gopal Chandra Sarkar and Amar Pal, whoseidols are finding takers in Rome, New Yorkand Stuttgart, also confirmed that globaldemands for Durga idols from Kumartuli areincreasing every year.—UNISAMARTHA BHARATA 30

SADHU VASWANI MISSIONSECTION - 1Sadhu T.L.Vaswani (Dada) was born on25/11/1879 in Hyderabad Sind, nowin Pakistan. Even as a child he wascompassionate, kind, and prayerful. He wasa brilliant scholar and became a professor inKolkata.At the age of 30, he went to Welt congress,the world congress of religions in Germany,stirring the hearts of his listeners with a lovefor India and its spiritual quest. At the age offorty, when his mother passed away, herenounced the world, to be “an humble servantof India and the Rishis.”He entered the freedommovement, wrote articles and books on India’spolitical and spiritual freedom. Some of hisbooks were proscribed by the British.DadaVaswani started youth centres, Shakti ashramsand conducted youth conferences. He latertried to build spiritual bridges between the Eastand the West, winning allround admiration forhis work.Turning his attention to the field of spiritualisededucation, Dada Vaswani founded in 1933 theMira movement in Education with activecentres in Poona and Sind. The emphasis inthe teachings passed on in Mira Educationalintuitions is that education is a thing of the spiritand that the end of all knowledge is Serviceserviceof the poor and the lowly, the sick andafflicted ones.Under the direct supervision ofDada Vaswaniji, charitable institutions, aPathological lab,St.Mira’s College and St.Miraschools were set up to serve humanity. Welfarefund for the displaced persons, Shanti SevaNiketan for women, Bhandara, a feeding centrefor the poor, Shanti Clinic, a diagnostic centre,and a Jiva Dayadepart-mentdedicated to thewelfare of birdsand animalswere the otherinsti-tutions hebuilt.Living upto hismessage of love, prayer and compassion, Dadawas a great source of comfort to the millionswho had to leave everything and resettle in theaftermath of the tragic partition. He continuedto radiate love and compassion upto his lastbreath 16-1-1966. His memory continues toinspire millions.Dada’s visit to the Kotwalarefugee camp inspired thousands to rebuildtheir lives. He started a paper “Jago” (Awake)and recorded his message for the suffering.Hissatsangs look the shape of Mira Sat SanghAssociation in 1961.After the Mahasamadhi of Dada, ShriJ.P.Vaswaniji a close follower of Dada, isleading the movement. Shri J.P.Vaswani worksthrough the mission, now renamed SadhuVaswani Mission. He and his band of dedicatedworkers, travelling all over the world, try tobring spiritual consolation to the millions whohave been uprooted and transplanted elsewhereat the time of partition. Providing the culturalumbilical cord to the motherland, to those whoare scattered across the world, Sadhu Vaswanimission, provides spiritual, cultural, medical,educational services to the people.(Sadhu Vaswani Centenary Souvenir)SAMARTHA BHARATA 31

BHAGAWAN SRI RAMANASustainer of Spiritual RealityDr.S.RadhakrishnanBhagawan Sri Ramana’s Realisation is unique andunparalleled in the annals of history. He realised in hisboyhood the Eternal Truth the self-supreme, without theaid of initiation by any external Guru, without the needfor a theoretical knowledge or study of the Sastras, andScriptures and without having resorted to any kind ofSadhana, other than his spontaneous realisation of theeternal nature of the ‘I’ the self-supreme. He sat in theState of Transcendental silence at the Hill of the HolyBeacon Arunachala.It is somewhat surprising that maystudents of religion assume that thereligious seers, the true representativesof religious genius, belong wholly to the pastand we to-day have to live on the memoryof the past. If religion is a living truth, if ithas any vitality, it must be capable ofproducing men who from time to time bearwitness to the truth and confirm and correctfrom their own experience the religioustradition. When the springs of experience dryup, our love for religion is a mere affection,our faith a belief and our behaviour a habitwith no reality behind it. In the Indianreligious tradition religion has meant not animaginative or intellectual apprehension ofReality but its embodiment in regeneratedliving. Religion should energise ourconsciousness, transform our character andmake us new men. The truly religious arethose who have solid hold of the unseenReality in which we ordinary men merelybelieve. They are not freaks proclaiming thereality of spirit, which is esoteric and intense.They tell us that they have a directknowledge of the Real of which we haveSECTION - 1indirect or inferential knowledge. Forthem God is an Abiding Fact, aLiving Presence, and in theconsciousness of this fact their wholeexistence is transformed. These artists ofthe inner life are of different types. Someare full of poetry and music; others arevigorous men of action; still others aresolitary souls. Despite these differences theywalk the same road, speak the same languageof the soul and belong to the same family.The Indian tradition has been kept alive byseers who were born in every age andincarnated the great ideal. We have suchGod-engrossed souls even to-day. It is ourgood fortune that we have with us to-day aliving embodiment of God-centered life, aperfect image of the life divine in the mirrorof human existence. Sri Ramana Maharshiis not a scholar; he has no erudition, but hehas wisdom that comes from directexperience of Reality, the wisdom we acquirethrough the discipline, not of intellect but ofone’s nature, through chastity, poverty andobedience. The possession of this wisdomyields the fruits of spirit, love and purity,courage and humility, courtesy and holiness.(Extracted from Aradhana Souvenir ofRamanashram)SAMARTHA BHARATA 32

SWAMI DAYANANDASARASWATI AND THEARSHA VIDYA GURUKULAMSECTION - 1Arsha Vidya Peetam, Rishikesh, ArshaVidya Gurukulam Smriti SevaTrust, Anaikatti Coimbatore, ArshaVidya Gurukulam Institute of Vedanta andSanskrit Saylorsburg, Pa-USA are allfounded by the inspiring Swamiji of RishiParampara, Swami Dayananda SaraswatijiMaharaj.Swamiji started his life as a journalist. Hewas accidentally exposed to a lecture on theUpanishads by Swami Chinmayananda andthis event created a momentous change inhis life, propelling him towards theHimalayas and a life devoted exclusively tothe spiritual pursuit.His teaching is notmerely an exposition of a theory orphilosophy. He makes every student see thetruth, as clearly as the eyes see, that sorrowis not the lot of the humans. This truthrevealed in the Upanishads is not a matterof conjecture, but a verifiable fact.His most significant contribution has beenthe teachers he has created to teachVedantah, each adhering strictly to thetraditional method of teaching. Their abilityto make the teaching easily understandableby communicating clearly in English andother modern languages, while preservingthe ancient traditional teaching in its pristineform is itself a tribute to Swamiji as a teacherof teachers.Inspired by the Swamiji the AllIndia Movement (AIM) for Seva, waslaunched with a view to caring the peopleliving in remote areas, away from themainstreamSociety. This amovement for thepeople and by thepeople. Thismovement isdedicated toproviding health care, primary education,nutrition for children, women empowerment,providing drinking water facilities etc. TheMovement plans to open at least one hostelfor poor students in every district of India.Quite a few hostels have already come up.Swamiji’s role in uniting acharyas whosemaths and adheenams have been propagatingour Dharma for more than thousands yearshas been remarkable. Similarly maths andmissions of recent origin have also beenbrought together. The purpose is to raise thevoice of the Nation against ReligiousConversion, cultural degradation and tochannelise the positive forces of service andvalue-education.Swamiji has also taken upa broader canvas by trying to bring all thenon-converting, non-aggressive religions ofthe world. The purpose is to proclaim thatreligious conversion is a violence againsthumanity and to say that every religiousbelief has a right to survive and be practisedby its adherents.In this manner SwamiDayananda Saraswati and his followers carryon the twin tasks of defending andpropagating the values preached by ourRishis.(Compiled from The ashrampublications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 33

SECTION - 1GANAPATI SACHCHITANANDAJI MAHARAJV.G.RamachandranGanapathi Sachchitanandaji was bornin 1942 to a father who had almostrenounced the world. The child wasnamed Satyanarayana. After his mother’sdeath he moved to Andhra and lived on almsin the discipline of a Brahmachari. After twoyears in total isolation, he assumed the nameof Ganapthi Sachichitanandaji and startedpreaching the truths of Sanatana Dharma.He teaches Yoga, Bhakti and Jnana to hisdisciples. His trust teaches to the people theVeda and the Vedic literature, music andrelated tools of bhakti, trains people, holdsVidwat Sadas and seminars, and undertakeshumanitarian activities.He is a Nada Yogi, plays on the Veena, tothe delight of his world-wide band offollowers.Swamiji’s havans are very well attended.Swamiji works with his headquarters at thebase of the Chamundi hills in the Mysore-Nanjangud road.B.K.S. IYENGAR AND ‘THE YOGA DIPIKA’Yogacharya BellurKrishnamacharSundararaja Iyengarlearned yoga from greatmasters and took great stridesin popularizing yoga. He wrotethe classic “Light on Yoga”(Yoga Dipika) and establishedthe Ramamani Iyengarmemorial Yoga Institute. He isacclaimed as a yoga artist withgreat control over his body andmind, backed by a wealth ofwisdom and humanity. Hiscareer as a yoga teacher saw him as a manof great influence. He taught yoga to greatmen like Jayaprakash Narayan, philosophersand savants like J.Krishnamurti,internationally famous musicians like YehudiMenuhin and Clifford Curzon and generalsof Indian Army-and the pupilsof his pupils number severalthousands.Yogacharya Iyengarnever went through anyuniversity training. Yet whathe acquired through his singledevotion to yoga for over 40years now provides courses forseveral universities abroad.He has now completed acompanion volume to his yogabook – “Light on Pranayama.”Iyengar’s work in popularizing andstandardising yoga practices has helped theIndian Yoga tradition establish itself as ascientific, learnable, repeatable, andprofitable art and science. (Compiled)SAMARTHA BHARATA 34

SECTION - 1BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVANBharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s bookuniversity, its journals and itseducational programme form acomprehensive package. They are veritablythe well-spring of the best scriptural,spiritual, literary and political wisdom of theworld’s oldest civilization.The Bhavan deliberately acts to establish asymbiotic relationship between the Preindependence Bharat and the Post-Independence country.Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was born nine yearsbefore Independence.The imminence of freedom spurred KulaptiK.M.Munshiji to speculate on what kind offree India it would be. Will the likely casualtyof freedom be India’s time-honoured culture,traditions and scriptural wisdom? Preservingand promoting Bharatiya Vidya was the firstpriority to Munshiji. Spreading learningbecame the Bhavan’s principal goal andactivity. With Bhavan came its bookuniversity.Bhavan had the blessings of MahatmaGandhi, Rajaji, Nehruji and Sardar Patel.Episodes from the epics Ramayana andMahabharata, analysis of the Vedas andUpanishads, prayers to Gods of varioussaints as Sankara, and Ramanuja to RamaKrishna Paramahamsa and Vivekananda,embellished the pages of Bhavan’s books andjournals, as did the contemporary writingsof Mahatma Gandhi, Annie Besant, Tilak,Gokhale, Tagore and SubrahamaniyaBharati.ACTIVITIES1. Schools, Colleges, EngineeringInstitutions.2. Management, Public administrationinstitutions.3. Computer education centres.4. Correspondence courses on Vedanta,Gita, Indian culture.5. Sanskrit education / Cultural gradedcourses6. Book university, Journals,Publication of Books of permanent value7. Promotion of Indian Culture amongYouth / Students8. Preservation of manuscripts.9. Projects for rewriting Indian History,republishing accounts of FreedomMovement10. Schools of dance, music.11. Kata Kalakshepam Training College12. Opening Centres abroad, New York,London, Sydney centres are alreadyfunctioning.13. Teachers training and Teacher’sorientation14. Jainology Research / Propaganda(Compiled from the issues of The Bhavan’sjournal)SAMARTHA BHARATA 35

SECTION - 1YOGODA SATSANGAThe Yogoda Satsangha (YSS) is aglobal organization training peoplein yoga and meditation. It wasfounded by the great yogi, ParamahamsaYogananda (‘Autobiography of a Yogi’frame). Now the movement is headed byDaya Mata.The organization is devoted to healing ofBody, mind and Soul-Healing of body ofdisease by proper diet, and recharging thebody with God’s all powerful cosmic energy,removing in harmonies and in efficiencyfrom the mind by concentration, constructivethinking and cheerfulness; and freeing theever perfect soul from the bonds of spiritualignorance by meditation.The Yogoda Satsanga and Self-RealisationFellowship work with headquarters atRanchi, India.Apart from dissemination ofSri Paramahamsa’s teachings, the YSS runsschools and hospitals, publishes books andjournals and trains the public through directcontact and through the audio visual media.The YSS also runs centres at Igatpuri, Pune,Surat, Puri, Chandigarh, Dakshineshwar(Kolkata) Ranchi and other places.YSS sannyasis and brahmacharis travel allover the world, to teach (aspirants includingchildren) the essentials of the Master’steaching through KRIYA YOGA, atechnique developed by the Master.(From Satsangha magazine-Self-Relisations)SAMARTHA BHARATA 36

SRI RAMAKRISHNA TAPOVANAMDr.K.SubrahmanyamAgrove or garden is rich in proportionto its number of trees and the fruitsthey produce. A family is great inproportion to its number of individuals andthe quality of their out-put. A country isglorious in proportion to its institutions andthe individuals of high quality contributions.India from times immemorial has been richon account of her institutions andindividuals.Individuals establishinstitutions; and institutionsinturn regulate and elevateindividuals. They bothcontribute to the glory of thenations. The rishis of Indiahave been great researchers.They have not onlydiscovered great truths, butestablished institutions for therest of the individuals to realise the sametruths and ascend to the heights of peacefulco-existence, social harmony and spiritualsplendour. Morality and ethics are very welltaken care of. Material prosperity has neverbeen neglected though it is never given apriority over the other. The lasting peace isspirituality; and momentary pleasure ismaterialism. In between there are individualsand institutions to lead us through moralcodes of conduct and ethical bonds ofhumanism in a well-knit social living ofharmonious advancement. And that isdharma a balanced and methodicalenfoldment of the self-within through action,emotion and intelligence. Varnasramadharma is the greatest institution evolved bySAMARTHA BHARATA 37SECTION - 1the rishis of India for realising the goals ofmankind.All religious establishments, schools ofphilosophic thought and educationalinstitutions in India have a common goal andthat is spirituality. If India is to forget itsideals and lose direction, there is noredemption. As and when there is a cyclonicwhirl-wind to eclipse thebeacon light of spiritualityand cut the roads leadingtowards it, there are greatrishis reborn to brighten thetorch and lead the way.Buddha, Mahaveer,Gurunanak, ChaitanyaPrabhu, DayanandaSaraswati, Adi Sankara, SriRamanuja, Madhvacharya,Vallabhacharya, SriRamakrishna, Sri Ramana and SwamiVivekananda and a host of spiritual stalwarts,out of compassion for society, establishedinstitutions, which in turn have contributedimmensely for the national glory.When there was a wave of materialism andpseudo-rationalism disturbing the socialharmony and spiritual pursuits in Tamilnadu,there arose a sage, of SwamiChidbhavananda from out of SriRamakrishna order to establish an institutionfor a cultural revival, educational reform andan overall renaissance in every walk of lifewith a spiritual goal. Sri RamakrishnaTapovanam is the organisation founded byhim in 1942 with a specific purpose. Todayall over the state there is an awakening in

the public. People in general and students inparticular who have been moulded by theTapovanam are remarkably different fromthe common folks. Stones have beentransformed into saints. Superstition andselfishness have been greatly erased by theardent efforts of the institution.India has an excellent system of education.And it is “Indian national education” evolvedby the rishis. Because of certain foreigninfluences, its direction has been divertedfrom spirituality to materialism. And theteaching-learning process has also been to agreat extent disturbed upsetting the culturalenvironment. Moral and ethical atmosphereis greatly polluted. Now it is the task of SriRamakrishna Tapovanam to purify thesystem, re-establish the direction of revivingthe paths towards perfection. Therefore theTapovanam in the foot prints of India’s timetestedtraditions, has established educationalinstitutions in the name of Sri Ramakrishna,Holy Mother Sarada Devi and SwamiVivekananda. Simplicity and austerity, selfconfidenceand self-reliance, discipline andself-dedication, purity and spirituality arevery much visible and perceptible in the day’sroutine of the institutions founded by theTapovanam. In these days of materialism andcut-throat competition, it has been madepossible to revive Gurukul pattern ofeducation. Not only at the primary andsecondary but at the collegiate level ofeducation as well we find Gurukul mode offunctioning very much successful in theTapovanam. The day is not far of when thepotential educational system of Indiabecomes vibrant and popular. People all overthe country have been able to feel thenegative impact of the present system. It isunable to spot out the hidden gifts, providethe conducive atmosphere for it to flowerSAMARTHA BHARATA 38SECTION - 1and direct it well for the public weal and selfrealisation.Therefore educationists havebegun to introduce ‘Value Education’.Education will be of value when it is usefulto all, at all times, in all places, at all levelsand for the harmonious advancement ofaction, emotion and intellect with a spiritualunder-current all through. And in theinstitutions run by the Tapovanam, we haveValue Education.The potential ability to awaken itself andillumine all lies in the Indian Educationalsystem and that is Gurukul Vidya. SwamiVivekananda has been able to recognise itsefficacy and so he propagated it. SwamiChidbhavananda has caught the spirit of thesystem and evolved a method by whicheverybody is benefited.In additon to reviving the Gurukul system,Tapovanam has evolved a mass movementto educate all on right lines towards spiritualgoals. It is Antaryogam, a type of spiritualretreat. It brings people togethertranscending all petty barriers of caste andcreed. Sri Rama the prince of Ayodhya andGuha a tribal person have embraced eachother. Sri Krishna the lord of Dwaraka andKuchela of poverty sat on the same throne.Indian culture is to make all people transcendthe differences and be together. And thathealthy and wholesome co-existence to agreat extent is revived through theAntaryogams (spiritual reseats) evolved bythe Tapovanam.“Education is the manifestation of perfectionalready in man” “Religion is themanifestation of divinity already in man.”These two are the key sentences workingwonders in the Tapovanam. Education hasto be religious. Religion has to be educative.

Education without religion makes manmaterialistic. Religion without propereducation makes him superstitious.Tapovanam is an institution striving to bereligiously educative and educativelyreligious. And the efforts have borne fruits.SECTION - 1India in general and Tamil Nadu in particularhave been richly re-established by theTapovanam. Let there be many more similarinstitutions to bring out the hiddenpotentialities of India to lime light.THE SWAMI NARAYAN MOVEMENTInspired by the Saint Bhagawan SwamiNarayan, the Bochasanwasi Sri AksharPurushottam Swami Narayan Sanstha(BAPS) led by Saint Pramukh Swami Maharajhas been doing yeoman service tonurture the values of Sanatana dharma.The Pramukh Swami Maharaj, thepresent head of the movement hasinspired people to build over 550temples world wide, which are centresfor 160 humanitarian activities in thefields of education, heath, environment,social work, culture and spirituality.With 10 lakh followers world-wide, themovement has 55,000 youth volunteers, and9090 satsangh centres world wide.Its members offer 12 lakh annualvolunteer-hours in service.The movement undertakes 27moral and cultural activities.Nearly 5 lakh annual assembliesare held. Its 9 international culturalfestivals are visited by 33.5 millioninterested people.The B.A.P.S. movement holds culturalexaminations involving 4.25 lakh students ayear.Its ten hospitals and 12 mobile dispensariestreat the suffering. Its 15,000 doctors receiveregular training in medico-spiritualconferences.There are 29 permanent educationalinstitutions, provision for regular scholarshipsfor poor students and public schoolsand institutions rebuilt after naturaldisasters.Environmental activities including treeplanting, recharging wells, rainharvesting projects, disaster reliefoperations, family assemblies to rebuildcommunites with families at the centreand encouraging people to quitaddictions (smoking, drinking, drugdependency) add to the purposeful work ofthe movement.With its 35 permanent tribalupliftcenters, the BAPSmovement undertakes moral,education, socio-economicprogrammes for tribals.The Swaminarayan movementworks across continents tobring the transplanted Indians,nearer to our Culture andDharma.New India has been strengthened by suchspiritual and service movements as the SwamiNarain organisation.(BAPS New Bulletin)SAMARTHA BHARATA 39

SPIRITUALITY & PROSPERITYKarmayogiThe Nation’s Growing Wealth ispersonal ProsperityArich nation has rich citizens. Peoplebecome rich not by being dependenton others, or the family or even theirorganization. He who leads others, heads thefamily, or proves innovative in theorganization makes himself successful andrich. A nation thus becomes wealthy. Suchpeople are called entrepreneurs. What arethe characteristics of an entrepreneur? Inshort, one who does not conform to thesocial codes is an entrepreneur. Can we makeit more explicit? Let us divide the populationinto two parts, leaders and followers. Oursubject here is the leaders.A nation becomes wealthy, rich, prosperousand famous by those who are willing to diehappily for her, to give their all, who do notcalculate or think of the future only, whonever count their chickens, who HAVE intheir hearts the glory of Mother India. Areyou one of these? Are you willing to throwaway your job and walk naked in the street?In 1920 Gandhiji asked people to leave theBritish schools, British courts, and Britishoffices. Many followed him. Some becameglorious leaders; others became volunteers.Even after freedom, they remained poorSECTION - 1volunteers. That was before 1956, before thedescent of the Force. I invite you to throwaway a lucrative bank job and start anindustry. If you are an entrepreneur, I assureyou your several thousand rupee salary willbecome several thousand crores of business.At least one person listened to me, opposedhis family, resigned a government job, anddid what I asked him. Today he has as manycrores as he was earning in rupees assalary. He is a tireless worker, has neverdeserted a friend, and not for one momentwavered in his loyalty to his duty. He is atop industrialist in the country. He startedan unconventional energy project,introduced the latest agriculture technology,and sponsored ways of life that will inspireyoungsters. He was betrayed by almosteveryone. He had the Great Good Sense tosay, “What they do is up to them. Let me dowhat is right and good”. He knows how toface every difficulty. Even his mostvirulent enemy was forced to change hisattitude towards him. He is anentrepreneur. India needs NOT salariedemployees. India needs patriotic leaders.Everyone is a leader. Will you lead theleaders?(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA 40

SECTION - 1SIVAYA SUBRAMUNIYASWAMI AND THEHIMALAYAN ACADEMYThe Himalayan Academy was foundedby Sadguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswamyas a non-profit educational activity. Ithas the following purposes.1. To Foster Hindu solidarity as a unityin diversity among all sects andlineages.2. To inform and inspire Hindus worldwideand people interested inHinduism.3. To dispel myths, illusions andmisinformation about Hinduism.4. To protect, preserve and promote thesacred Vedas and the Hindu Religion.5. To nurture and monitor the ongoingspiritual Hindu Renaissance.6. To publish a resource for Hinduleaders and educators to promoteSanatana Dharma.The Academy also publishes The Journal“Hinduism Today”.Now the movement is headed by SatguruBodhinatha Veylanswami.The movement maintains the KauaiAadheenam monastery. It has a beautifulIraivan temple in Hawaii. It runs themagazine “Hinduism Today”. It organizesHindu Businessmen of America. Every yearone Hindu worker who does the best workfor Hindu Renaissance is selected andhonoured. It runs a gurukulam in the nameof Tirunavukkarasar, the great Saivaite saint.The movement has a special youth wing tonurture young Hindus all over the world inthe true Hindu spirit. It has a wing to publishbasic as well advanced level books onHinduism. The movement runs orphanagesand Dharma Salas. It strives to preserveHindu arts and artefacts. Its activities forpromoting pilgrimages to places of Hinduinterest, and for helping visually impaireddevotees have won praise from all around.All these activities are supported by theHindu Heritage Endowment (HHE), fundedby public donations. The HHE holds 59professionally managed endowment fundsthat benefit orphanages, temples, ashrams,educational institutes, monasteries, homesfor the elderly and various publications.These activities are spread over Bangladesh,Fiji, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka,and the U.S.A. The HHE maintains an officeat the Hindu Monastery on the Hawaiianisland of Kauai and is overseen and managedby the Monastic stewards and staff.Three prestigious publications of themovement 1. Dancing with Siva 2. Livingwith Siva and 3. Merging with Siva, showwhat kind of quality and excellence areattached to their work.(Compiled from “Hinduism Today”)SAMARTHA BHARATA 41

PRIDE OF A NATIONKarmayogiSECTION - 1It is a fact that in Asoka’s India a womancould travel around safely, which showsthe law and order of his rule. In the fifties,the Soviet government challenged its citizensto show four square inches of dirt inMoscow. Macauley spoke about India of histimes and said he had never heard of theft ormet someone who lied to him. When greatvalues spread across the country and cometo settle down as culture, the nation is proudabout it. Evading customs duty was auniversal passion in England of the 18 thcentury, among the rich as well as the poor.Will a day come in future when we can beproud of saying that nowhere in India canone meet a man who had his work done bygiving bribes? Or can we hope to see a daywhen smuggling can no longer thrivebecause no one will buy smuggled goodswith a clear conscience? We have, by now,outgrown such ways. Surely such days willcome in the future.Centuries of existence give rise to a littlehistory. Centuries of history yield a few dropsof culture. Culture is a way of life based onvalues. Existence is survival. One strugglesto survive. Prosperity releases man fromsuch a struggle. Prosperity is the result ofintelligent industry which comes fromeducation. So education, intelligence andindustry over the centuries move men frommere existence to a little history, a life ofachievement to remember. Corruptpoliticians sometimes send their childrenabroad. They return not only educated butwith a little self-respect. They are ashamedof parental corruption. They accept as theirgoal never taking a bribe. It is commonamongst as to be happy about influentialcontracts. No one scruples to move suchcontacts and get things done. There is noquestion of being ashamed of it. Often peopleare proud of it.To have your M.Phill thesis written byanother, to secure an admission by goingaround the rules, to accomplish thingsthrough money are not things people areashamed of. A new generation highlyeducated, with a developed sense of selfrespectshould step in before such valuesbecome personal ways of life. Without thisself-respect, one cannot be truthful inside.Utter Truthfulness is the channel throughwhich in Spirit emerges. To subtle vision,such a truthfulness in a person appears to bea dot of light in him or a bright aura aroundhim. India is great in spirit, but only inpotential. It will be come actual reality inlife through the medium of TRUTH.(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA 42

THE GITA PRESS, GORAKHPURSECTION - 1Led by the great and scholarly examplesof Hanuman Prasadji Poddar andJadyadayalji Goyendka, andsupported by the munificence of the Housesof Businessmen, the Gita Press, Gorakhpurhas been doing yeoman service to the causeof Hindu Dharma, our National values andthe Renaissance of Sanatana Dharma.Taking advantange of the print media, whichcould bring out the scriptures with goodHindi, English, Tamil, Bengali or otherregional language-translations, the GitaPress, Gorakhpur (78 years old) brings outVedic scriptures, Puranas, The Ramayana,The Mahabharata, and the Upandishads withBhashyas by eminent acharyas at affordableprices. The quality of the highly subsidizededitons speaks for itself, placing the GitaPress as authentic and reliable.Gita Press concentrates on the BhagawatGita and the Vishnu Sahasranama editionswhich have sold in various languages to thetune of crores of copies.The Gita Press also runs the magazineKALYAN (Hindi) (78 years) and KalyanaKalpataru (English) (49 years). These arehousehold names in India.The annual numbers of Kalyan and KalyanKalpatru are published as separate books.These are all collectors’ items. The GitaPress also brings out simple books on rightliving, stories for children, posters on theRamayana, the Gita, Namasmaranam etc.The various editions of Tulsi Dasji’sRamacharitramanas, have been very widelyreceived by the readers both in Hindi and inEnglish.In the years before and after 1947, the roleof the Gita Press in making Bharat‘Samartha’ in the religious, moral andspiritual sense is to inscribed in goldenletters.Some of the titles mentioned below, apartfrom Veda, Purana, Upanishad, Gita textsand commentories, show the nature andscope of the work of the Gita Press.1. Some methods of mind control(Hindi)2. Brahmacharya (Hindi)3. Present day educational system(Hindi)4. Dowry in marriage (Hindi)5. Ideals of a householders’ life.6. Our duty towards the suffering andthe down-trodden.(Compiled from various Gita PresPublications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 43

SECTION - 1BIHAR SCHOOL OF YOGAModern India’s attempts to interpretyoga scientifically have resulted inthe establishment of a number ofschools, colleges, institutes and universitieson yoga and yoga research.Srimat Swami Satyananda Saraswati and hisdisciple Srimat Swami Niranjanananda aresaints and yoga teachers of internationalreputation.Established by Swami Satyananda Saraswatiand nurtured by Swami Niranjan, the BiharSchool of Yoga, now called Bihar yogaBharti (BYB), is an institute of Advancedstudies in yogic sciences.Apart from conducting original research inyoga, publishing advanced level text booksand research papers on yoga, the BYB alsotrains the public in yoga. With Hindi andEnglish as media of instruction, the BYBorganises four-month certificate courses inyogic studies, one year P.G. diploma coursesin Yoga Ecology, one year diploma coursesin yoga philosophy, one year diploma coursesin yoga psychology and one year diplomacourses in Applied yogic science.The glory of BYB does lie not only inteaching the ancient Yoga Vidya in modernformat, but in the greatness of the personalityof Swami Satyananda Saraswati and SwamiNiranjan, the true masters.They have taken the Yoga Vedanta lessonsacross the globe and have even penetratedthe supposed by hardshell of the SouthAmerican continent. They have establishedcentres in Europe and America, and asannyasi training centre in Australia.In the true tradition of India’s ancient yogisand rishis, these two acharyas try toresuscitate the Brahmavidya and express itin modern idiom to bring enlightenment,happiness and peace to the strife-torn world.They also use traditional tools such asmantra diksha, homa, yajna, bhajans,utsavas and festivals, sacred rituals etc. todrive home to the minds of the practitioners,the fact of the vedantic truth.Non-traditional areas like Australia, Spainand Egypt have been brought under theirinfluence by sheer hard work, tapasya,sincerity and love.Their spiritual and yoga activities are ablysupported by their humanitarian work for thepoor.Their other works include, earthquake reliefsin Gujarat, yoga therapy courses, children’syoga fellowship and yoga in education.(From BSY Publications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 44

MATA AMRITANANADA MAYIAND HER MISSIONSECTION - 1Born in the house of a humblefisherman in Kerala, MataAmritananda Mayi (Amma) has risento spiritual heights by sheer Tapasya. She ishailed as the Divine Mother (Amma) bymillions of people across the world.She is the Divine symbol of Motherhood andshe embraces the whole world with all itsliving beings in her loving fold. She is theliving example of the Divine qualities of love,compassion, simplicity, culture andrenunciation.Cutting across differences of caste, creed andnationality, crores of people come to Amma’sfeet seeking consolation from the cares ofthe world.Her mission headquarters arelocated at Amritapuri, Her birth-place. Morethan 2000 sannyasins and celebates, bothmen and women stay there, serving thepeople. They, under the direct supervisionof Mataji serve humanity. A large number oflocal people help the programmes succeed.The projects include spiritual ministry andsocial service.Amma has established temples in India andabroad to enable devotees perform directworship. Amma herself undertakes toursduring which she sings enchanting songs,gives lectures on spiritual and social topicsand trains people in Meditation. Her aim isto instruct people on the noble goals ofhuman life and bring about a spiritualrevolution in the world.In 2003, Amma’s 50 th birthday wascelebrated with participants from 191countries, rededicating themselves to selflessto work for Amma’s world vision. Theparticipants included India’s top governmentleaders and artists, painters, singers andsocial activitists from all over the world.On a permanent basis the Mata AmritanandaMayi Mission runs the following activities:1. An orphanage with 600 children is beingrun by the Mission in Paripalli in theKollam district of Kerala.2. Under the Amrita Kuteeram scheme,30,000 houses have been constructed forthe poor in all parts of India. In the nextten years, it is planned to extend thescheme to build 1,000,000 houses.3. In the earthquake-hit Gujarat, the Missionhas rebuilt 3000 houses, prayer halls andSAMARTHA BHARATA 45

has helped in the comprehensivedevelopment of 3 villages.4. Every month, the mission rendersmonetary help to 50,000 widows anddestitutes.5. There is a special school in Trichur inKerala, run by the mission for the dumband deaf.6. A hospital of international standards hasbeen built at Kochi, to serve the peopleeither freely or at affordable costs. Amedical college, a pharmacy college anda Nursing college are part of this medicalcomplex.7. For terminal cancer patients, the missionruns a home in Baglapur in Maharashtra.The Mission is opening an AIDS Refuge-Home in Tiruvanantapuram.8. There are more than 45 AmritaVidyalayas functioning across thecountry.9. Three Engineering Colleges are being runby the mission in Amritapuri (in Kerala),Coimbatore, and in Bangalore. RecentlySECTION - 1they have been brought under a Deemeduniversity,. Amrita Vishwa VidyaPeetham.10.There are eleven computer centres of theMission functioning in various parts ofthe country.Mata Amritananda Mayi was invited toaddress the Sarva Dharma Conference inChicago in 1993. The Confencecommemorated the 100 th year of SwamiVivekananda’s Chicago speech. In theGolden Jubilee year of the United Nation,Amma was invited again to address the worldforum. She addressed the World Conferenceof women in Switzerland in October 2002.Amma was conferred the Gandhi-Kingaward for her work for world peace.With all her eminence, spiritual and socialachievements, Amma remains simply whatshe really is, a true respresentative ofSanatana Dharma and a real example ofIndia’s spiritually inspired motherhood.(From Mission Publications)SAMARTHA BHARATA 46

SECTION - 1INDIA’S SAVIOR OF SACRED PLANTS“Preservation through documentationand education”, “This is the modusoperandi of Dr.S.K.Jain, the retiredyet tireless defender of India’s infinitelyuseful and especially sacred plants and trees.Jain, now 73 and still very active in the field,is the Scientist Emeritus of the NationalBotanical Research Institute in Lucknow. Hebegan in the early 1960s by studying theethnobotany of the Adivasi tribals in centralIndia, in what then was unprecedentedefforts. His objective was to record inscientific detail the tribals’ medical use ofplants. Later, his sister, a scholar of theVedas, revealed to him how the same plantsare described in the Vedas. His interestgerminated, and soon his research blossomedto include recording how and why India’sflora are found to be sacred. With this dualobjective, he served the Botanical Survey ofIndia for nearly three decades and was itsdirector for almost seven years. He initiatedand organized broad-based ethnobotanicalstudies in several parts of the country andcoordinated all-India research projects inendangered species and ethnobotany. Hiswork attracted funding from the FordFoundation and the Smithsonian Institutionof the US.Dr.S.K.Jain says: “The extent to which plantsin India are used in worship and medicine isunrivalled. The closest match perhaps be theforest and mountain-dwelling tribals ofCentral and South America. Retired HarvardUniversity professor Richard EvansSchulters, who is now over 90 years old,acknowledged this fact. In 1991 he describedhow India is “A nation blessed with anextremely diverse flora but likewise anextraordinarily large population of tribalswho still have an unequalled, rich knowledgeof the properties of their ambientvegetations.” In India, this deep knowledgeof and faith in plants, animals, and forestshas largely contributed to naturalconservation of the environment and itsbiodiversity.There is hardly any sphere of human activityin India where sacred plants do not play arole. Even nonbelievers who usually scornat “mythology” and “magic-o-religious”beliefs are likely to pray at a particular treeor offer certain specific flowers when itcomes to helping their ailing kith and kin. Inmy book, Directory of Indian FolkMedicine and Ethnobotany (1991, DeepPublication, New Delhi), I have enumeratedsome 2,500 species and 15,000 folk uses ofplants in India. But there is much moreknowledge yet to be codified.”Apart from individual plants, some wholeforest patches are considered hallowed.These sacred groves are known locally asvanrai, and there are hundreds of large andsmall vanrai in India. A study has revealedthe presence of several hundred and groves,in the state of Maharashtra alone.(From ‘Hinduism Today’)SAMARTHA BHARATA 47

SPIRITUALITY AND SERVICEDr.K.SubrahmanyamSpirituality is the soul and invinciblepotentiality of Indian view and wayof life. It is at the core of all activityand the very bedrock of Bharat. Dependingupon the requirements of the time andsituation, it has its mighty manifestation asDharma, which is both sanathana and yuga.Sanathana dharma is the propeller ofspirituality. Yuga dharma is the rudder torender it responsive to social and individualneeds of the age. Sun’s light is colourless,straight and bright. But it becomes colourfuland curved as the rainbow of seven hueswhen refracted. The core spiritualitymanifests as service activity of diversedimensions and intensity when refracted andreflected by the prism of societal needs ofthe age. Individually it is Vyashtidharma asthe Ashrama dharma wherein theunfoldment of spirituality is but selfpreparationthrough the unselfish service asa celibate, householder, recluse andrenouncer placing one’s all at the disposalof others. Collectively it is Samashti dharmaas the Varnadharma wherein the manifestingevolution is through the unselfish divisionof labour or the service activity as physical,financial, administrative and intellectual—allvibrant with the spiritual undercurrent.Dharma, thus is spirituality both unmanifestand manifest, at the individual and sociallevels for the realization of Self through theunselfish service of all.SECTION - 1ever been neglected. Enough researchpreceded every developmental activity. Andthe persons who engaged themselves in theresearch and development were called rishisin ancient times. Vasishta is a rishi of spiritualscience. Patanjali is of yogic science.Dhanvantari is of medical science. Bharatarishi is of music and dance. Sex too has beenthoroughly studied and its art and scienceare provided by rishi Vatsayayana in Kamasastra. In every field of study and in everywalk of life, we find stalwart researchers andbenefactors, evolving to the peaks ofspiritual perfection while simultaneouslyelevating, by their loving guidance, thesociety around them through a harmoniousadvancement of action, emotion and intellectfor everybody’s realization of SELF. Thusevery welfare activity in India has ever beenspiritually oriented. It is for all, all time andfor realizing the highest bliss. There is nopatch work. Nor is it lop-sided or transientto fulfill the day’s needs.In the ancient India of glorious spiritualityand self-ennobling zeal, there was not muchof necessity to be equipped with patrioticfervour. Self-respect and self-rule are butinseparable facets of spirituality. When theywere at stake, the attention of the rishis wasdrawn to the pressing need of independencefrom the foreign yoke. Therefore we find ahost of spirituality. When they were at stake,the attention of the rishis was drawn to thepressing need of independence from theforeign yoke. Therefore we find a host ofspiritual stalwarts resorting to nationalismas the need of the hour to help evoloveAll the organizations and institutions in Indiathus have the spiritual undercurrent of selfpreparationfor self-realization and the socialservice activity in the required areas ofsocietal needs. No area of public welfare hassmoothly in spirituality. Along with theSAMARTHA BHARATA 48

innate spiritual splendour, nationalistdynamism became vibrantly visible in allwelfare activities of the self and society.Patriotism has gradually been very closelyidentified with the core spirituality and theallied service activity. Swami Vivekanandathus has become the pioneer in the spirituallyoriented nationalist activities of socialwelfare. Taking the cue from him we find ahost of leaders establishing institutions ororganizations for the spiritual unfoldmentthrough service activities of nationalism. Ina way, spirituality and nationalism have beenthe twin ideals of all.Bala Gangadhara Tilak, GopalakrishnaGokhale and Mahatma Gandhi are basicallyof spiritual sublimity. They have directed theflood of spirituality to flow through thecanals of patriotism to irrigate every field ofservice activity. Religion too has been madepatriotic. Every thought, word and deed wasfor them charged with patriotic fervour.Subhash Chandra Bose was so inspired bySwami Vivekananda’s message that he wasready and spontaneous to declare: “Had he(Vivekananda) been alive, I would have beenat his feet.” Sri Aurobindo who was basicallya yogi of spiritual science was inspired byVivekananda to be a patriotic yogi.Rabindranath Tagore of poetic exuberanceSECTION - 1and educative zeal turned out to be a personof patriotic fervour. His creative genius inart and education has not only been spiritualbut nationalistic as well. His Gitanajali andSantiniketan are fragrant, vibrant and brightwith the flood of nationalism, whosefountain-head is in spirituality.Foreigners like Dr.Annie Besant, SisterNivedita and the Mother of Pondicherrywere so impressed with the spiritualluminosity of Bharat that they became a partand parcel of Indian soil and establishedinstitutions for nationalistic purposes.Indian Nationalism is in tune with thespiritual undercurrent. Patriotism, if it isseparated from the spiritual foundation, willbe lifeless and will fall like a castle built withplaying cards. Nationalism derives its lifeforce from spirituality. For any activity inIndia spirituality is the saproot. Andspirituality when made visible or tangible isbut unselfish service activity. Self-realizationis made easy and possible through serviceactivity. Swamiji therefore has established inhis master’s name “Sri Ramakrishna Mathand Mission”. Math is for self-realization andMission is for service. Self realization is thegoal of life. Service is the means of Atmanomokshartham, Jagat hitayacha…SAMARTHA BHARATA 49

SECTION - 1THE NATION OWES SO MUCH TO THEMThe sections III & IV on Brilliantindividuals and Shining Institutionscould have included many more greatnames. Mother India continues to bring forthgreat children and create great institutions.Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, JawaharlalNehru, Indira Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee,Narasimha Rao, Jaya Prakash Narayan, LalBahadur Shastri, Kamaraj and a host ofpolitical-luminaries, have served the Nationin their chosen field.B.C.Roy, Dr.Sethi, Dr.K.M.Cherian,Dr.Pratap Reddy, Dr.A.S.Paintal,Dr.G.Venkataswamy and other doctors haveserved India in the medical fields along withgreat Ayurveda Centres like Arya VaidyaShala and Vaidya Madom. Great SiddhaVaidyas and Yoga therapists have helpedIndia serve humanity.Great educationists, great scientists, greatsportsmen have made India proud.Agricultural and Dairy Scientists, greatartists who took India’s cultural messageacross the world have served the Indiancause so well.Organizations such as R.S.S, BharatiyaVidya Bhavan, Gita Press, Gorakhpur andThe Ramakrishna Math have shown to theworld, that the organizational base, theneeded strength and consolidation of theforces of emerging India could be providedfrom within.Saints like Swami Vivekananda, SriAurobindo, Vinoba, and many others haveguided India during her critical times andhave predicted great future and a great rolefor India in guiding human destiny.The section I & II of the book chooses tohigh-light only a small section of such greatpeople and great institutions.SAMARTHA BHARATA 50

RELIGIOUS GURUSMaharishi Mahesh YogiSECTION - 1Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder ofTranscendental Meditation (TM),is perhaps the most suc-cessful ofall the gurus who have taken Hinduphilosophy to the West. By 1994 there wereover 1,200 TM centres in 108 countriesaround the world, employing more than30,000 trained teach-ers. He has establishedtwo universities: the Maha-rishi EuropeanResearch University in Switzerland and theMaharishi Inter-national University in Iowa,USA.The Maharishi was born Mahesh Varma in1917. He studied with the guru SwamiBrahmananda who, he claims, taught him theyogic technique that he later developed intoTM. He founded the Spiritual Regenerationmovement in 1957, and in 1959 set off forthe United States where his success owedmuch to the secular, psychologi-cal natureof his doctrine, in contrast to the spiritualemphasis of other gurus.Nearly fifty years of constant teachingactivity around the world have made HisHoliness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi widelyknown and revered. He is the latestsignificant teacher in the long history of theVedic tradition. Having received hisuniversity degree in physics before studyingwith the most illustrious recent master of theVedic tradition (His Divinity BrahmandaSaraswati), Maharishi combines expertisefrom both modern science and ancientwisdom. He has thus been uniquely qualifiedto bring about a synthesis of objective,materialist science with the subjective Vedicscience of consciousness. For hiscontributions to this profound body ofknowledge (in more than 20 books and14,000 hours of videotaped lectures),Maharishi is widely recognized as theworld’s foremost Vedic scholar, as well asits leading scientist of consciousness.It was due to Maharishi’s constantinspiration to researchers, and his clearpredictions about measurable results, thatresearch on his Transcendental Meditationtechnique first made meditation, andTranscendental Consciousness, scientificrealities. After the appearance of more than600 studies, Maharishi’s success inestablishing the benefits of meditation for theindividual can be judged, in part, by nearly$20 million in federal research grantsawarded to scientists at Maharishi Universityof Management (Fairfield, Iowa) for in-depthstudies on the TM technique. Maharishi nowoversees a teaching organization establishedin nearly 100 countries around the world.After long centuries of confusion, Maharishihas brought to light the Vedic truth thatmeditation is not based on effort andconcentration, but rather takes placespontaneously and naturally once the mindis given the correct start. It is thistransformation in understanding, embodiedin his Transcendental Meditation technique,which has opened the benefits of meditationto people of all cultures and walks of life.For his ability to teach the transcendingSAMARTHA BHARATA 51

process, and make available the experienceof the unified field (in TranscendentalConsciousness) to people of all ages,religions, and walks of life, he is recognizedworldwide as the most effective teacher ofenlightenment in many generations. Forcenturies into the past, only a few peoplewere deemed worthy of meditation, andsociety as a whole was left to fend for itself,but Maharishi’s stated goals are to bringenlightenment to every individual on Earth,and to establish a state of permanent peacein the world.SECTION - 1As this site is created, terrorism and warendanger the world. Maharishi, however, hasrevived the knowledge of peace creation—the use of large groups of peace-creatingexperts to radiate a measurable influence ofharmony and coherence into society. He isdetermined not to wait for governments toact, but to assemble and maintain largepeace-creating groups as quickly as possible.At this dangerous time in world history, allpeople who love peace are invited toparticipate—to take part in this historicundertaking to bring an end to the age-oldlegacy of violence and war, and to create apermanent state of peace on Earth. (Pleasesee What can I do?)(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 52

WHO ARE THE BRAHMAKUMARIS ??SECTION - 1IntroductionPrajapita Brahma Kumaris IshwariyaVishwa Vidyalaya is, in many ways, aVishwa Vidyalaya with a difference.Whereas most other universities enable aperson to attain academic education, thisVishwa Vidyalaya enables him to be themaster of his own thoughts, desires,emotions and sense-organs and to be adoctor, so to say, of the philosophy- of - lifeso that he can lead a healthy and happy life.The thrust of knowledge imparted in thisVishwa Vidyalaya, is, first, to make man, inreality, a man and to enable him to havepractical wisdom and to learn lessons forconstant peace and happiness and forexcellence in life.Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya VishwaVidyalaya, (Brahma Kumaris in short) is aunique Vishwa Vidyalaya (university) and awell known spiritual value based educationalinstitution. Through it’s teachings, theinstitution has gained global acceptance andunique international recognition. Theinstitution believes in the parenthood of Godand the brotherhood of man and is open tothe people of the entire globe irrespectiveof their caste, creed, age and social,economic or political status.Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya and the twoother institutions created by it, namely RajYoga Education and Research Foundationand Brahma Kumaris Academy for a BetterWorld are dedicated to the goal ofestablishing a Value-based society. The mainfocus is the development of human potential.They aim at bringing harmony in humanrelations and changing the attitudes andoutlook of man so that there is the spirit ofbrotherhood, love and co-operation.Theyteach theory and practice of RajyogaMeditation so that the mind becomes freefrom tension, bias, prejudices, hypocrisy,jealousy, hatred, greed, ego and such othernegative tendencies that cause conflict in thesociety and degrade the person himself. Itgives special guidance for the effort ofinculcating moral values and divine virtuesin the self and enables a person to experiencedeep peace and bliss through Meditation andSpiritual Wisdom.The emphasis is on promoting the qualitiesof humanism, tolerance and never-endingenthusiasm for spreading the knowledge oftruth in every sphere of life.As an international institution, the BrahmaKumaris offers people of all backgrounds anopportunity to learn meditation and deepentheir understanding of universal principlesand innate values through a variety ofeducational programmes, courses andlearning resources. As a worldwide familyof individuals from all walks of life, theinstitution provides a caring, co-operativeand supportive environment, whichencourages individuals to bring out the bestin themselves. As a global organization, theinstitution has created opportunities forpeople across the world to participate in avariety of initiatives aimed at creating aSAMARTHA BHARATA 53

etter world where people live in peace andharmony.Brahma Kumaris is an institution with adifference. It is run mostly by women with aspirit of dedication, devotion, renunciationand sacrifice for the welfare of the societyas a whole, without any distinction on thebasis of race, religion, nationality, caste orcreed and without charging any fees. It issupported by voluntary contributions of itsstudents.The institution was established by theincorporeal God Father through the humanmedium of Prajapita Brahma. Hesurrendered his mind, body and wealth anddedicated the remaining 33 years of his lifeto this task.In 1951 the Institution’s world headquartersmoved to Mt Abu in Rajasthan, India, whereSECTION - 1it remains to this day. Prajapita Brahma lefthis mortal coil in 1969.Dadi Prakashmaniji is the present Adm Headand Janaki Dadiji is the additional adm head.The Institution has created opportunities forpeople in 129 countries to participate in avariety of initiatives aimed at creating abetter world where people live in peace andharmony.Fundamentals of spiritual teachingsFundamental Spiritual Teachings TheInstituition has now grown into a gigantictree with more than 6000 branches, spreadover India and more than 80 other countries.About 7,00,000 persons daily study moraland spiritual values and practice meditationat these centres. Some of the teachingsimparted here are about God, inculcation ofdivine qualities in human beings, preparingfor a golden age, re-establishing Satya Yuga.(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 54

SECTION - 1ART OF LIVINGEstablished in 1982, The Art of LivingFoundation is an educational andhumanitarian foundation, registered inthe US as a tax-exempt and nonprofitorganization. It is not a religiousorganization, but as one adhering to the basicspiritual principles of love, kindness andunconditional service to the world. It carriesout numerous charitable, educational andhumanitarian programs throughout the worldon the basis of donations.All the activities of the foundation are basedon the saying of its founder teacher Sri SriRavishankar—”a truly religious person willbe secular in nature. Secular means one whothinks all human beings are his or her own.”The Art of Living works in specialconsultative status with the Economic andSocial Council (ECOSOC) of the UN, andas such it has accredited representatives atthe UN in New York, Geneva and Vienna. Italso works in formal consultation with theWorld Health Organization (WHO).1.DOLLAR-A-DAY PROGRAMFrom 1985, the Art of Living startedsupporting the Dollar-a-Day serviceprogram, for rural children of India, whichprovides them with the basic amenities oflife and much more. This innovative activityis pursued under Care for Children programwhere children learn, other than thetraditional courses, the fine art of living, theskill of making friends, handling negativeemotions and value of service to the fellowbeings. The children are taught to take thestudies as an enjoyable challenge, pick upthe habit of hygienic living and mostimportantly, develop the skill of communityliving, a sense of belonging to each one ofit.2.THE 5H PROGRAMOne of its many commendable programs isthe 5H Program, which focuses on—Home,Health, Hygiene, Harmony in Diversity andHuman Values. It aims at bringing about asocial transformation so that the completepotential of each individual is expressed. SriSri Ravishankar is the inspiration behind theprogram.3.ART EXCELThe Art Excel program is perhaps the mostpopular program, which offers courses forall round development of children and youth(8 to 21 years old). Through simple playwaytechniques and awareness games theparticipants learn how to develop their personalpotential and manage stress in their life.This highly admired program is currentlyoffered in major Indian cities like Mumbai,Delhi and Calcutta, and in countries likeCanada and the USA. The Art of Living programis working closely with UNICEF tomake this program available to the worldcommunity at large.4.PRISON SMARTPrison SMART is another laudable programproviding training on stress management andrehabilitation for juvenile and adult prisoners,prisoners on parole and probation, victimsof crime, at-risk youths, and even thelaw enforcement officers and probation staff.The Prison SMART Foundation Inc. thatcarries out these services was established inSAMARTHA BHARATA 55

1992. This unique foundation is the first ofits kind in the USA and now has gained nationalrecognition to offer services in theprisons and juvenile halls across the country.The foundation provides vision, resourcesand a committed corps of talentedvolunteers.5.INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONFOR HUMAN VALUES6.YOUTH TRAINING PROGRAMThe Youth Training Program (YTP) in Indiafocuses on the education of the ruralyouth and encourages them to work for thebetterment of their community. Arrangingmedical camps, distributing clothes to thepoor, creating sanitation facilities and settingup local cooperative groups.Working on the principles of love andessential human connectedness as delineatedby their founder member, Sri SriRavishankar, the Art of Living tries to followa holistic way of living coupled withhumanitarian values. It teaches a widevariety of courses including a meditationcourse called sahaja samadhi, a natural andSECTION - 1effortless meditative technique. It admits thatall its self-development courses andprograms are a form of yoga, which isnothing but a “union with the Self.” Thesudarshan kriya and other related techniques,propounded by the Foundation, are all basedon the ancient yogic science of breathing,which explores the connection betweenmind, body, the emotions and rhythms ofbreath. Over a million people in more than100 countries have taken Art of Livingcourses.The Foundation has Vyakti Vikas Kendrasall over India, to teach people how to revivelove among themselves, improve theirinterpersonal interactions and to reach outto the world in a positive manner. Corporatecourses are offered to executives and all, toenhance their efficiency and team spirit.Above all, the Foundation endeavors to drivehome Sri Sri Ravishankar’s message that—even though practices remain different, allgreat religious traditions share the samecommon goals and values, and mankindwould do well to cut across these barriersand anomalies to connect with each otherthrough love.(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 56

GAYATRI PARIWARSECTION - 1Mission & VisionAims and ObjectiveIn words of Gurusatta Their Assurance· Awaken individual’s inner spiritual forceby sound body and clear mind· Create addiction free society·Promote Vegetarianism· Work towards establishing a well balanced,pollution free ecosystem· Harmony, friendship, brotherhood, peaceand prosperity of the whole universe· Promote Scientific Spirituality· Inculcate family and cultural values inyounger generation via Multimedia and otherstate-of the art technology· Women awarenessEstablishments:1.Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura: AkhandJyoti magazine publication center, and aresidence of Poojya Gurudev Pt. ShriramSharma Acharya from 1941 to 19712.2. Gayatri Tapobhumi, Mathura: Publicationand mass training through religiousestablishments3. Janmabhumi Anvalkheda: The birthplaceof Poojya Gurudev, Girl’s Inter and Degreecollege, a Mata Bhagwati Devi Hospital4.Gayatri Teerth - Shantikunj,Brahmavarchas Shodh Sansthan & DevSanskriti University, Hardwar: A ResearchCenter dedicated to Inter communion ofScience and Spirituality5.Gayatri Shaktipith: Centers for masspropagation of Gurudev’s teachings(Approximately 4000 centers worldwide)6. Pragya Mandal, Mahila Mandal: About24000 centers spread all over India. Theygive basic lessons of self-sufficiency throughcottage industry trainingMission Highlights:o Diksha: More than 50 million people havetaken Diksha (initiated) of Gayatri Mantrao Samaydan: Around 1 million workersdevote three months to one year time as andwhen needed for noble causeo Herbal healing: An herbal system has beenestablished as a recognized method ofhealing. The institute conducts distinctiveresearch on more than 500 plantso Personal development: More than 15million people have left their bad habits andaddictions, families have been reunited andimbibed with spiritual disciplineso Eco-friendly rural industrialization: Thishas been promoted all over the Indian subcontinentand such objectives are advocatedall around the worldo Lessons of national integrity: Acceptingwhole ecosystem and mother earth as ourdeity, have been widely accepted by millionsof Gayatri Pariwar discipleso Awakening of collective consciousness:Through Yug sandhi mahapurashcharan(recitation of specific number of GayatriMantra with meditation in early morning andevening hours till critical transition phase isover). It has been one of the giganticendeavors of this Century in which more than250 million people will be participating thisyearo Women emancipation: : The missioncarries out activities and programs outliningthe significant role that, women of modernworld have to play by conducting rituals andSAMARTHA BHARATA 57

eciting Gayatri Mantra. This is one of theunique achievements of this organizationo Grand Ashwamedha yagnas: To this date,total of 27 such grand scale Ashwamedhayagyas have been performed. The Purnahutiin Anwalkheda have been performedsuccessfully with participation of about 2.5to 3 million people or moreo Gurudev’s Writings: Pujya Gurudev hashandwritten an enormous amount ofmaterials on various subjects. This amountsto more than 100,000 pairs of encyclopediaBritannica size books.Our Manifesto-Solemn PledgeThe foundation of Yug - Nirman movementof Gayatri Pariwar is the ‘Solemn Pledge’[Satsankalp] on which rests the emergenceof all-round peace, happiness and brightfuture. This is our manifesto, declaration onwhich all the ideologies, planning andactivities of Gayatri Pariwar are based. Thesedeclarations incorporate the formulas forchanging and reforming individual, the familyand the society. These precepts promoteunity & equality and materialize the conceptof ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. Immense andlimitless is our power of determination. Letus read, understand and digest theseconcepts [pledge] daily. They motivate usto concentrate on self-reformation ratherthan on giving advice to others. A change inevery individual is bound to lead to theformation of a better society. The incarnationwhich needed for Yug Parivartan [Changeof the Era] will initially be in the form ofaspiration & determination. The subtle formof this incarnation is this Yug NirmanSatsankalpa.1.Firmly believing in the Omnipresence ofGod and His Unfailing justice, we pledge toabide by basic Divine principles (Dharma).SECTION - 12. Considering the body as the Temple ofGod , we will be ever watchful to keep ithealthy and full of vitality by adopting theprinciples of self-control, order and harmonyin our lives.3. With a view to keeping our minds freefrom the inrush of negative thoughts andemotions, we will adopt a regularprogramme of study of ennobling andinspiring literature (Svadhyaya) and ofkeeping the company of Saints (Satsanga).4. We will vigilantly exercise strict controlover our senses, thoughts, emotions and inthe spending of our time and resources.5. We will consider ourselves inseparableparts of the society and will see our good inthe good of all.6. We will abide by basic moral code, refrainfrom wrong doing and will discharge ourduties as citizens committed to the wellbeingof the society.7. We will earnestly and firmly imbibe in ourlives the virtues of Wisdom, Honesty,Responsibility and Courage.8. We will constantly and sincerelyendeavour to create an environment ofloving kindness, cleanliness, simplicity andgoodwill.9. We will prefer failure while adhering tobasic moral principles to so-called successobtained through unfair and foul means.10. We will never evaluate a person’sgreatness by his worldly success, talents andriches but by his righteous conduct andthoughts.SAMARTHA BHARATA 58

11. We will never do unto others what wewould not like to be done unto us.12. Members of opposite sexes whileinteracting with each other will have feelingsof mutual warmth and understanding basedon purity of thoughts and emotions.13. We will regularly and religiouslycontribute a portion of our time, talents andresources for spreading nobility andrighteousness in the world.14. We will give precedence todiscriminating wisdom over blind traditions.15. We will actively involve ourselves inbringing together persons of goodwill inresisting evil and injustice and in promotingNew Creation.SECTION - 116. We will remain committed to theprinciples of national unity and equality ofall human beings. In our conduct, we willnot make any discrimination between personand person on the basis of caste, creed,colour, religion, region, language or sex.17. We firmly believe that each human beingis the maker of his own destiny. With thisconviction, we will uplift and transformourselves and help others in doing so. Webelieve the world will then automaticallychange for the better.18. Our Motto is: “ Ham Badlenge - YugBadlega” , “ Ham Sudhrenge - YugSudhrega” . When we transform ourselves,the world will be transformed. When wereform ourselves, the world will be reformed.(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 59

SECTION - 1INDIAN SPIRITUALITY IN THE AGE OFSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYAll over the world, the growth ofScience and Technology has hadtwo adverse effects on civilization,though Science & Technology (S&T) havefought against hunger, contained diseases andhave helped in the growth of knowledge andcommunications.The adverse effects are (1) Giving a fracturedvision of Reality, S&T have allowed man todestroy his family, community, his tradition,his National identity and break his ties withNature and the Rest of the creation. (2) S&Thave condemned man to a life of materialism,destroying his faith in God and in himself. Withexceptions, this is the overall scenario.The West has been fed on the conviction thatReligion cannot survive the onslaught of reasonin the form of S&T. In India the growth ofS&T has been put to proper use. Whilecertainly helping India achieve, materialprosperity, better communication, transportand health, for her children, Science also hasjoined hands with spirituality to help man geta fuller vision of reality.1. Science has given spirituality better tools ofcommunications and propagation. Shri MorariBapu can speak to a million people on theRamayana, thanks to fine public addresssystems and closed circuit TV. The Gita Presscan print millions of copies of the Gita andVishnu Sahasra Nama. Sri Ramananda Sagarcan make crores of viewers see the RamayanaTV show. Swami Dayananda Saraswati saysthat in the modern era, cassettes and CDs cansupplement a living Guru in spiritual teaching.2. Scientific tools have helped man understandbetter the effects of yoga practices on his body,mind and breathing systems. Man can usefeedback loops etc. to improve his efficiencyin yoga practices.3. Scientific studies of yoga, expansion ofconsciousness etc have prodded man toextrapolate the stretch of consciousness andask “What more?” Science has certainlysharpened and extended man’s spirit of enquiry.4. Science itself has come to realise itsimitations in describing truth and has improvedits language, refined its tools and expanded itsunderstanding. It has also become humbler inthe bargain.5. Great Indian men of modern science, likeJagadish Chandra Bose, Raja Ramanna,Dr.Bhagawantam and Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalamhave helped narrow the gap between thecommon man’s understanding of science andhis notion of religion and spirituality.6. Studies on consciousness all over the worldand in India have shifted Religion andSpirituality from the Realm of mere FAITH tothe Realm of experimentation and experience.The lives of Sri Ramakrishna, SwamiVivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Sri Ramana,have told us that spirituality is logical,learnable, experimental, experiential and istruly a systematic search for truth. Faith is butone aspect of spirituality.7. Many spiritual movements employingscientific tools and methods in the service ofsociety have helped in dispelling the doubts inthe minds of the common people-doubts aboutthe ‘practical’ use of spirituality.8. At least a few scientists have taken the stand,‘Spirituality for its own sake’SAMARTHA BHARATA 60

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2SECTION - 2Brilliant IndividualsNational HeroesIf there is any land on thisearth that can lay claim to bethe blessed Punya Bhumi,...The land where humanity hasattained its highest towardsgentleness, towards generosity,towards purity, towards calmness,above all, the land of introspectionand of spirituality--it is India.As I look back upon the historyof my country, I do not find inthe whole world anothercountry which has done quiteso much for the improve-mentof the human mind. ThereforeI have no words of condemnationfor my nation. I tellthem, ‘You have done well;only try to do better.’SAMARTHA BHARATA 61

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2Thus spake Swami Vivekananda“Arise, awake, and stop not till the desired end is reached”. Be notafraid, for all great power, throughout the history of humanity, hasbeen with the people. From out of their ranks have come all thegreatest geniuses of the world, and history can only repeat itself.Be not afraid of anything. you will do marvellous work. The momentyou fear, you are nobody. It is fear that is the great cause ofmisery in the world. It is fear that is the greatest of all superstitions.It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is fearlessnessthat brings heaven even in a moment. Therefore, :Arise, awake, andstop not till the goal is reached”.SAMARTHA BHARATA 62

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920)hailed as an all-time greatmathematician, like Euler, Gauss orJacobi, for his natural genius, has left behind4000 original theorems, despite his lack offormal education and a short life-span. In hisformative years, after having failed in his F.A.(First examination in Arts) class at College, heran from pillar to post in search of a benefactor.It is during this period, 1903-1914, he kept arecord of the final results of his originalresearch work in the form of entries in twolarge-sized Note Books. These were the oneswhich he showed to Dewan BahadurRamachandra Rao (Collector of Nellore), V.Ramaswamy Iyer (Founder of IndianMathematical Society), R. Narayana Iyer(Treasurer of IMS and Manager, Madras PortTrust), and to several others to convince themof his abilities as a Mathematician. Theorchestrated efforts of his admirers, culminatedin the encouragement he received from Prof.G.H. Hardy of Trinity College, Cambridge,whose warm response to the historic letter ofRamanujan which contained about 100theorems, resulted in inducing the MadrasUniversity, to its lasting credit, to rise to theoccasion thrice - in offering him the firstresearch scholarship of the University in May1913 ; then in offering him a scholarship of250 pounds a year for five years with 100pounds for passage by ship and for initial outfitto go to England in 1914 ; and finally, bygranting Ramanujan 250 pounds a year as anSRINIVASA RAMANUJANBorn: 22 Dec 1887 in Erode, Tamil Nadu state, IndiaDied: 26 April 1920 in Madras, Tamil Nadu state, IndiaK. Srinivasa Rao, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Madras-600 113.allowance for 5 years commencing from April1919 soon after his triumphant return fromCambridge “with a scientific standing andreputation such as no Indian has enjoyedbefore”.Ramanujan was awarded in 1916 the B.A.Degree by research of the CambridgeUniversity. He was elected a Fellow of theRoyal Society of London in Feb. 1918 being a“Research student in MathematicsDistinguished as a pure mathematicianparticularly for his investigations in ellipticfunctions and the theory of numbers” and hewas elected to a Trinity College Fellowship, inOct. 1918 (- a prize fellowship worth 250pounds a year for six years with no duties orcondition, which he was not destined to availof). The “Collected Papers of Ramanujan” wasedited by Profs. G.H.Hardy, P.V. Seshu Aiyarand B.M. Wilson and first published byCambridge University Press in 1927 (later byChelsea, 1962 ; and by Narosa, 1987), sevenyears after his death. His ‘Lost’ Notebookfound in the estate of Prof. G.N. Watson in thespring of 1976 by Prof. George Andrews ofPennsylvania State University, and its facsimileedition was brought out by Narosa PublishingHouse in 1987, on the occasion of Ramanujan’sbirth centenary. His bust was commissionedby Professors R. Askey, S. Chandrasekhar, G.E.Andrews, Bruce C. Berndt (‘the gang of four’!)and ‘more than one hundred mathematiciansand scientists who contributed money for thebust’ sculpted by Paul Granlund in 1984 andanother was commissioned for the RamanujanTata group chairman Ratan Tata has bagged the Telecome Man of the year award by Voice andData magazine.SAMARTHA BHARATA 63

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2Institute of the University of Madras, by Mr. (March 1919 - April 26, 1920). The last andMasilamani in 1994. His original Note Books only letter he wrote to Hardy, from India,have been edited in a series of five volumes after his return, in Jan. 1920, four monthsby Bruce C. Berndt (“Ramanujan Note before his demise, contained no news aboutBooks”, Springer, Parts I to V, 1985 his declining health but only informationonwards), who devoted his attention to each about his latest work : “I discovered veryand every one of the three to four thousand interesting functions recently which I calltheorems. Robert Kanigel recently wrote a ‘Mock’ theta-functions. Unlike the ‘False’delightfully readable biography entitled : theta-functions (studied partially by Prof.“The Man who knewRogers in hisInfinity : a life of theinteresting paper)Genius Ramanujan”they enter into(Scribners 1991;mathematics asRupa & Co. 1993).beautifully as ordinaryTruly, the life oftheta-functions. I amRamanujan in thesending you with thiswords of C.P. Snow:letter some examples“is an admirable story... ”. The followingand one whichobservation ofshowers credit onnearly everyone”.During his five yearstay in Cambridge, which unfortunatelyoverlapped with the first World War years,he published 21 papers, five of which werein collaboration with Prof. G.H. Hardy andthese as well as his earlier publications beforehe set sail to England are all contained inthe “Collected Papers of SrinivasaRamanujan”, referred earlier. It is importantto note that though Ramanujan took his“Note Books” with him he had no time todelve deep into them. The 600 formulae hejotted down on loose sheets of paper duringthe one year he was in India, after hismeritorious stay at Cambridge, are thecontents of the ‘Lost’ Note Book found byAndrews in 1976. He was ailing throughoutthat one year after his return from EnglandSAMARTHA BHARATA 64Richard Askey isnoteworthy: “Try toimagine the quality ofRamanujan’s mind,one which drove him to work unceasinglywhile deathly ill, and one great enough togrow deeper while his body became weaker.I stand in awe of his accomplishments;understanding is beyond me. We wouldadmire any mathematician whose life’s workwas half of what Ramanujan found in the lastyear of his life while he was dying”.As for his place in the world of Mathematics,we quote Bruce C Berndt: “Paul Erdos haspassed on to us Hardy’s personal ratings ofmathematicians. Suppose that we ratemathematicians on the basis of pure talenton a scale from 0 to 100, Hardy gave himselfa score of 25, Littlewood 30, Hilbert 80 andRamanujan 100”. G.H.Hardy, in 1923, editedChairman and chief mentor of Infosys Technologies. N.R.Narayanamurthy, has becomethe first Indian to win the Ernst & Young World entrepreneur of the year award.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2Chapter XII of Ramanujan’s second original Ramanujan Notebooks are with theNotebook on Hypergeometric series which Library of the University of Madras, somecontained 47 main theorems, many of them of the correspondence, papers/letters on orfollowed by a number of corollaries and about Ramanujan are with the Nationalparticular cases. This work had taken him Archives at New Delhi and the Tamil Naduso many weeks that he felt that if he were to Archives, and a large number of his lettersedit the entire Notebooks “it will take the and connected papers/correspondence andwhole of my lifetime. I cannot do my own notes by Hardy, Watson, Wilson are with thework. This would not be proper.” He urged Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge.Indian authorities and G.N.Watson and B.M. “Ramanujan : Letters and Commentary”, byWilson to edit the Notebooks. Watson and Bruce C. Berndt and Robert A. RankinWilson divided the task of editing the (published jointly by the AmericanNotebooks - Chapters 2 to 13 were to be Mathematical Society and London Math.edited by Wilson and Chapters 14 to 21 by Society, 1995) is a recent publication. TheWatson. Unfortunately, the premature death Ramanujan Institute for Advanced Study inof Wilson, in 1935, at the age of 38, aborted Mathematics of the University of Madras isthis effort. In 1957, with monetary assistance situated at a short distance from the famedfrom Sir Dadabai Naoroji Trust, at the Marina Beach and is close to theinstance of Professors Homi J Bhabha and Administrative Buildings of the UniversityK. Chandrasekaran, the Tata institute of and its Library. The bust of Ramanujan madeFundamental Research published a facsimile by Mr. Masilamani is housed in theedition of the Notebooks of Ramanujan in Ramanujan Institute. In 1992, the Ramanujantwo volumes, with just an introductory para Museum was started in the Avvai Kalaiabout them. The formidable task of truly Kazhagam in Royapuram. Mrs. Janakiammalediting the Notebooks was taken up in right Ramanujan, the widow of Ramanujan, livedearnest by Professor Bruce C. Berndt of the for several decades in Triplicane, close toUniversity of Illinois, in May 1977 and his the University’s Marina Campus and died ondedicated efforts for nearly two decades has April 13, 1994. A bust of Ramanujan,resulted in the Ramanujan’s Notebooks sculpted by Paul Granlund was presented topublished by Springer-Verlag in five Parts, her and it is now with her adopted son Mr.the first of which appeared in 1985. The three W. Narayanan, living in Triplicane.(From the Web Site)The greatest hockey player of all times, Dhyan Chand was a magician with a hockeystick. His was the Golden Age of Indian Hockey. In 1928, he won India’s first goldmedal in the Amsterdam Olympics, the first of three successive gold medals in hockeythat it would win at the Olympics. At the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, India beat the US24-1, the highest number of goals ever scored in an international match. India defeatedGermany in the 1936 Olympics and Hitler hosted a special dinner of which Dhyan Chandwas offered the post of colonel in the German army if he emigrated. He refused. Afterindependence, he was promoted to the rank of major and was honoured with a PadmaBhushan. Indian hockey has declined since then, but Dhyan Chand will remain a legendof Indian sports for times to come.SAMARTHA BHARATA 65

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2RAMANUJAN’S GROWING INFLUENCEA TRIBUTEKrishnaswami AlladiSrinivasa Ramanujan’s influence seemsonly to increase and not diminish with time,in the early part of the twentieth century.Ramanujan was perceived as a mathematicalphenomenon emerging G.H. Hardy andothers at Cambridge University. Althoughthey admired Ramanujan for his genius,Hardy and his contemporaries could notmeasure the full significance of Ramanujan’sdiscoveries and the eventual impact thiswould have. Over the years, the magnitudeand importance of Ramanujan’s mathematicshas been realized, and its impact in variousbranches of mathematics such as NumberTheory, Combinatories, Analysis, ModularForms, Basic Hyper geometric Series, andSpecial Functions, is deep and everlasting.Indeed, Ramanujan’s identities have madetheir presence in other subjects like physicsand computer science.Hardy nurtured Ramanujan, and lecturedoften on Ramanujan’s work. Hardy’s TwelveLectures on Ramanujan’s is a model of themathematical exposition. These lectures,along with Ramanujan’s Collected Papers,served as the principal source of inspirationand reference for many years for those whodesired to understand the remarkable workof the Indian genius. In the last few decades,there have been several significantpublications expanding on Ramanujan’swork, and therefore have impacted a muchwider community of researchmathematicians. We owe a special debt ofSAMARTHA BHARATA 66gratitude to the great Trinity of the Worldof Ramanujan—(1) to George Andrews forexplaining the significance of many ofRamanujan’s identities, especially in thecontext of partitions, and for discoveringRamanujan’s “Lost Notebook” and helpingus understand hundred’s of deep identitiescontained therein including those on mocktheta functions, (ii) to Bruce Berndt forediting Ramanujan’s Notebooks in FiveVolumes, and (iii) to Richard Askey forproviding the broad picture of howRamanujan’s work is in the world of SpecialFunctions. Thus the present-day researchercan easily enter the mansion of Ramanujan’stheorems and make connections with currentresearch.The Ramanujan Centennial, celebrated in1987, was an occasion when mathematiciansaround the world gathered to pay homageto the Indian genius. The centennialcelebrations showed clearly how aliveRamanujan is in current mathematicalresearch, and how much an inspiration hewas to celebrated mathematicians like AtleSelberg. While attending the centennial, Iwas inspired to create something whichwould simultaneously be a tribute toRamanujan and would connect Ramanujanto current research developmentscontinuously. Thus I got the idea to launchThe Ramanujan Journal – an internationaljournal dedicated to all areas ofmathematics influenced by Ramanujan. ThisRakesh Sharma became the first Indian cosmonaut to go into space, aboard theSuyuz T-11, for a rendezvous with Salyut-7 in 1984.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2desire of mine became a reality in 1997 afterthis idea received support from theinternational community of experts, some ofwhom serve on the Editorial Board with me.In the last decade, Ramanujan has made animpact beyond mathematics, on society ingeneral. Of course, throughout India,Ramanujan’s remarkable story is wellknown,and Ramanujan, a hero to everyeager Indian student of mathematics. Butwith the publication of Robert Kanigel’sbook. The man who knew infinity,Ramanujan’s story reached out to societyaround the world, and the importance of thisimpact cannot be underestimated.Subsequently, Bruce Berndt and RobertRankin have published two wonderful books.The first one called Ramanujan – letters andCommentary collects various letters writtento, from, and about Ramanujan, and makesdetailed commentaries on the letters. Forinstance, if a letter contains a mathematicalstatement, there is an explanation of themathematics with appropriate references. Ifthere is a statement about Ramanujan beingelected Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS),then there is a discussion about theprocedures and practices for such anelection. The second book calledRamanujan—Essays and Surveys is acollection of excellent, articles about certainindividuals who played a major role inRamanujan’s life. Thus both books willappeal not only to mathematicians, but tostudents and lay persons as well.SAMARTHA BHARATA 67In what other ways will we see Ramanujaninfluence us in the future? Courses onRamanujan’s work are regularly ordered atvarious universities where there are groupsof experts working on Ramanujan’smanuscripts. In writing the Editorial for therest issue of The Ramanujan Journal, I said,“The very mention of Ramanujan’s namereminds us of the thrill of mathematicaldiscovery.”Now with the appearance of these books thatare now having an impact on society ingeneral, it may not be an exaggeration topredict, that in the future, Ramanujan willbe a topic or subject that undergraduatemathematics students worldwide may bestudying regularly.The latest big event in the world ofRamanujan is the recent acquisition ofRamanujan’s home in Kumbakonam bySASTRA University. This private universitythat was founded recently has grown by leapsand bounds. We owe special thanks toprof.R.Sethuraman, Vice-Chancellor ofSASTRA University, and his family, fortaking steps to ensure that Ramanujan’shome will be properly maintained. Since auniversity has purchased Ramanujan’s home,we now have the active involvement byadministrators, academicians, and students,in the preservation of Ramanujan’s legacyfor posterity.(The author is with the Department ofMathematics, University of Florida, andGainesville) (The Hindu)For long a colony of the British, the Indian initiative in science could be said to berestricted for many years. Ironically, C.V.Raman could win the Nobel and Bose couldcome close to it only during the British rule. India has been made self-reliant inmanufacturing weapons and missiles, original research has been conspicuous by itsabsence. One name stands who has made a contribution that has changed history—that of M.S.Swaminathan, whose legacy extends much beyond India.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2RAMANUJAN REVOLUTIONISED MATHEMATICSThe world is passing through one of themost exciting times with respect tomathematics, George Andrews, Evan Hugh,Mathematics Professor, and PennsylvaniaState University,United States, said atKumbakonam today(22/12/2003).Delivering a lecture incommemoration ofthe 117 th birthanniversary of themathematician,Srinivasa Ramanujanat the SrinivasaRamanujan centre of Shanmugha ArtsScience Technology and Research Academy(SASTRA), Dr.Andrews said the computerrevolution the world witnessed was nothingbut a mathematics revolution and no branchof science could exist without mathematics.Mathematics was a “world language”.DescribingS r i n i v a s aRamanujan as theg r e a t e s tmathematician ofthe 21 st century, hesaid Ramanujanrevolutionized thesubject. Regardinguse of many toolssuch as calculatorsand computers in education, Mr.Andrewssaid, “We have to keep machines undercontrol in education”.(The Hindu).The list of records achieved by Sunil Gavaskar is long; He broke DonaldBradman’s record of highest number of Test centuries in 1984 and becamethe first batsman to score more than 10,000 runs in Tests. He was Wisden’sCricketer of the Year in 1980. He made a great impact on sports not only inhis country, but world-wide. He will also be known for helping players andwas instrumental in getting for them a better financial deal from the Board ofControl for Cricket in India (BCCI). It was Gavaskar who got hugeendorsement from companies for players, giving them a better financialsecurity than was earlier available to them. After retirement he is stillassociated with the game as commentator and as an advisor to young players.Indian cricket owes much of its present popularity to Gavaskar.Milkha Singh was a sporting hero for an entire generation. He won two golds at theTokyo Asiad in 1958 and came to be known as the ‘Flying Sikh’. However, despite breakingthe world record, he could finish fourth in the 400m final at the Rome Olympics in 1960.He stands out for his individual effort and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1959.SAMARTHA BHARATA 68

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2FIRST ASIAN TO ENTER ‘HALL OF FAME’M.R.AravindanFor eminent persons, honours matter littleat one stage of their professional career,as serving the society becomes moreimportant. Dedicated to their service, thesemen continue to make great contributions tothe field they are associatedwith.However, the society takespride in honouring the nobleservices of such stalwarts.Dr.G.Venkataswamy,Founder-Chairman, AravindEye Hospitals, is a goodexample. He is inducted into the‘Ophthalmology Hall of Fame,’ created by theAmerican Society of Cataract and RefractiveSurgery (ASCRS), in recognition of hisservices and contributions to modernophthalmology.The ‘Ophthalmology Hall of Fame’ was createdby the ASCRS in 1999 to honour experts inthe field of ophthalmology. In the past six years,33 outstanding ophthalmologists have beenaccorded this unique honour by means ofglobal nominations.Another uniqueness of the achievement byDr.Venkataswamy is that he is the first Indianand Asian to enter this ‘hall of fame.’Dr.Venkataswamy has so far performed100,000 successful eye surgeries. He hasdeveloped and pioneered the concept of eyecamp and safe, assembly-line techniques. Itbecomes a model for blindness prevention andtreatment programmes worldwide.The induction ceremony was held during aspecial convention of the ASCRSat San Diego, US, on May 1 thisyear.Dr.Venkataswamy was conferredwith an award, which waspresented by Dr.Arvind,Administrator, Aravind EyeHospitals, as requested by theconveners of the convention.A special brochure released on the occasionsaid, “The American Society of Cataract andRefractive Surgery is proud to induct into theOphthalmology Hall of Fame, three individualswhose contributions to the field have pavedthe way for the modern ophthalmology, whichis being practiced now. These pioneers laid thefoundation for the modern practice ofophthalmology by advancing research inophthalmic biochemistry, developingknowledge and treatment of glaucoma, trainingthousands of ophthalmologists throughout theworld, building institutions that will continuean ophthalmic research for years to come, andcreating programmes that could extend thebenefit of eye surgery to the people in theunderdeveloped nations.” (The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA 69

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2A HOLISTIC VIEW OFEYE CARE N. VENKATESH PRAJNAShastry.V. Mallady“About 15 percent of the ophthalmologistsin the country would have had some sortof training from us. Since 1996, we havebeen one of the top post-graduate centresin the country”.The four letters of the English alphabet,which a doctor covets to adore hisnameplate, are F R C S (the Fellowof Royal College of Surgeons)—aqualification that comes from London. Therest of the world travels to the UnitedKingdom for the test to get this distinction.However, this royal tag can be obtained fromthe Temple City without having to go toEngland. The sheer determination of theAravind Eye Hospitalhas made it possible forMadurai to get this rarehonour. You can get theFRCS right from thisplace, and the examinersvisit the city to conductthe test. “We have shattered the myth amongthe post-graduates that the FRCS is a toughexamination, and that only London could bethe centre fro it. For a place like Madurai tobe recognized as the only centre outsideLondon is a national achievement,” saysN.Venkatesh Prajna, Chief of MedicalEducation, Aravind Eye Hospital. Comingfrom a family of distinguishedophalmologists, Dr.Prajna is a cornea expertwho keeps his eyes wide open to the globaldemands, and a local who says he will doanything for Madurai. And his efforts madethe city the FRCS exam centre. He recallsthe journey of excellence.The efforts made by him to realize his dreamof making Madurai an FRCS centre arepainstaking. The first was to get internationalexaminations conducted in the city. In thelast five years, around 60 post-graduates ofthe Aravind Eye Hospital have passed theFRCS examination without leaving thecountry.After Milkha singh, Indian athletics has been synonymous with P.T.Usha’s name.Hers is a story of extraordinary courage and motivation. She has been on the sportingscene at an age when others think of retiring—she was 34 when she took part in theBangkok Asiad in 1998. She dominated athletics during 1983-89 and won numerousmedals in Asian Track and Field Championships and at Asiads in New Delhi andSeoul. However, she missed the bronze medal in the 400 m hurdles at the 1984Olympics in Los Angeles. She was back in 1997, winning a national championshipand in 1998 won two bronze medals in the Fukuoka ATF meet. A better story ofpersonal courage and motivation would be hard to find.SAMARTHA BHARATA 70

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2A high pass percentage, says Dr.Prajna, hasprompted the Royal College to shift itsexamination centre to Madurai, the onlycentre in the world outside London. “Earlier,it was considered a big thing, but it is a mythnow. Madurai has earned a great distinction,”says this 37-year old doctor, who has a longagenda for the hospital.In the background of the whole effort arethe belief that Indian doctorsneed not feel inferior and aneffort to erase the feeling thatthe FRCS is not conquerable.That ‘complex’ mentality hasbeen removed now, he saysproudly. The corneaconsultant, an alumnus of theMadurai Medical College andthe TVS LakshmiMatriculation Higher Secondary School, seesthe Aravind Eye Hospital as a brand and amedical institution that blends sophisticationwith simplicity, “Sophistication in learningand simplicity in practice,” he says, is themotto.With the aim of training as many doctors aspossible to the highest possible standards inophthalmology. Dr.Prajna says the hospitalhas introduced the trainer’s concept. “About15 per cent of the ophthalmologists in thecountry would have had some sort of trainingSAMARTHA BHARATA 71from us,” he says with satisfaction. “Since1996, we have been one of the top postgraduatecentres in the country”.The examiners from the United Kingdomoversee the Royal College of Ophthalmologyexaminations.Dr.Prajna looks at the eye care system witha holistic view. “When Coke can reachremote areas and establish its brand, can’tthe healthcare providers go tothe rural people,” he asks. Thehospital handles one millionoutpatients every year, andaccounts for five per cent of theeye surgeries in the country withonly 0.3 per cent of themanpower.“We want to be like the IndianInstitutes of Technology and the IndianInstitutes of Management in eye care, andso the aim is to invest in quality training.”He sees the possibility of “healthoutsourcing” too, as the patients abroad waitfor months. So, Madurai should not miss thetrend, “Aim, dream and ambition guide thehospital,” he says, while expressing delightthat the President, A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, hasmentioned about the hospital in his book,‘Ignited Minds’.And, now Dr.Prajna isigniting the Madurai minds.(The Hindu)Jagdish Chandra Bose worked on radio waves and in 1899 published a paperannouncing the invention of the Coherer, an early form of a radio receiver. Marconi’swireless was based on the Coherer but though Marconi won the Nobel Prize, Bose’scontribution was not recognised. Despite this, he remained an inspiration for Indianscientists during the first half of the century. Through his work, he showed thatIndian scientists could be as good as any in the world despite limitations of materialsand resources. He founded the Bose Research Institute in 1915.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2A MISSION THAT CARRIES WEIGHT“There are many more avenues whereindefence technology can be used fora social cause,” says the President,A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. His passion for usingthe missile technology to construct artificiallimbs propelled the authorities concerned touse light-weight carbon material designed forAgni missile to make calipers.The composite materialreduces the weight of calipersfrom the conventional four kgto just 400 gm.In keeping with this mission ofthe President, the Rotary Clubof Coimbatore Mid-Town, inassociation with the RotaryClub of Madurai, introducedthe Rotary’s Artificial Limb Centre onWheels, a mobile artificial limbmanufacturing unit, in Madurai, andprovided artificial limbs to the deservingpersons free of cost.The project identified amputees, who losttheir limbs in accidents, occupational hazardsor because of diabetes, etc., in Tamil Naduand Kerala.Various campsites were identified and mobileworkshop unit was also stationed at thecamp. The unit had the entire requiredinfrastructure to fabricate required size andtype of walking and (limbs, boots, etc.)“Wetake measurements of the handicappedpeople, then we cast the mould using Plasterof Paris. The weightless and unbreakablehigh-density polyethylene material will beheated to reach 206 degree to 230 degreeCelsius. The artificial limb is made insertingthe mould into the molten material. Aftermaking the limb, it is fitted with therubberized foot imported from Jaipur. Thelimbs and foot come in black and skincolour,” R.Sankara Subbu, Orthotic andProshetic technician, says.The van visited several placesbased on requests from peopleof particular place. “We maketwo limbs a day. We visit placeson requests from amputees.This time we have come downto Madurai and made 23artificial limbs, which weredistributed by the Rotary Clubof Madurai,” says Mr.Sankara Subbu.So far more than 1000 persons havebenefited from the programme. The mobileunit visited the Thiruvananthapuram MedicalCollege and provided artificial limbs topatients who lost their limbs owing to cancer.The unit has also visited Neeleswaram,Parur, Kodunkalur, Mulenthuruthi andPulpalli.In Tamil Nadu, the unit has already visitedSathyamangalam, Udhagamandalam,Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Salem,Udumalaipettai, Palani and Madurai.“Weplan to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islandsnext month and in February 2005 we willvisit Philippines,” Mr.Shankara Subbu says.SAMARTHA BHARATA 72

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2SERIOUSLY RICHBillionaire faces in globalizing IndiaHow things have changed! There wasa time when Indian tax rates wereso high they exceeded people’sincomes. In less than ten years, the countryhas seen companies growing super-fast andrushing past the $1 billion turnover. Till fiveyears ago IT was a$150 millionbusiness. Today ITmajors Infosys andWipro have becomebillion dollarcompanies.The scales are muchhigher now then theywere ten years ago.Even twenty yearsago Rs.100 crore turnover was consideredbig. Companies today talk in terms of puttingup global size plants. Ranbaxy, thepharmaceutical leader, is nudging towards a$ 1 billion turnover. Kiran Mazumdar, thenewest Indian billionaire, is confident oftaking her company, Biocon, to the billiondollar league in the next few years. It ishappening in all sectors. The TVS group,which makes auto components and twowheelers among other things, has a turnoverof more than $2 billion. The Tata groupcompanies Telco, Tisco and TCS have allcrossed the billion dollar figure. In thisprocess not only are big corporations beingcreated, but also many individual billionaires.They in turn create many jobs. The TVSgroup in the South employs 23,000 people.Wipro has almost30,000 on itsrolls and themuch smallerBiocon has astaff strength ofabout 1,000.Size bringsrecognition,particularlyg l o b a lrecognition.Today international business magazinesinclude Indian billionaires among the liststhey prepare. A much-anticipated list is theAmerican magazine Forbes’ list of Indianbillionaires. Some of them are inheritors andsome are first generation entrepreneurs.Their elevation to big league has come inthe last few years.(The New Sunday Express - TNSE)Every major defence or space related development in recent times in the countrycarries the involvement of A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, who has been with the DRDO orISRO for over 40 years. He was responsible for the success of the Satellite LaunchVehicle and missiles like Agni, Prithvi, Trishul and Nag, using indigenoustechnologies. He has also been the guiding force behind the nuclear tests of May11-13, 1998. He will be remembered for making India a nuclear power and ofmaking the weapons required for the country’s defence.SAMARTHA BHARATA 73

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2SHIV NADARReclusive CEOThe rather low profile Shiv Nadar isthe brain behind the HCL group,which is rated as one of the biggestcompanies in the Indian IT industry. ShivNadar along with friends like Arjun Malhotrawho now runs Tech Span, started the HCLfrom a small flat in Delhi in 1976. Anelectrical engineer from Coimbatore, Nadarwas among the first to work out the onsiteoffshoremodel, realizing the limitations ofthe offshore business model. He spearheadedstrategic alliances, joint ventures andacquisitions during 1995-97, the periodduring which HCL laid the foundation forits growth. In 1996, Nadar’s clout in theindustry was such that when Microsoft chiefBill Gates visited India he met with Nadarsoon after his breakfast with the PrimeMinister. In December 1999, the companysuccessfully completed an IPO and raisedRs.823 crore (Rs.8.23 bilion). Apart fromHCL technologies, Nadar has two othermajor investments: NIIT and HCLInfosystems. However, he stepped down aschairman from both these companies and, inthe last three years, has almost completelydisappeared from the limelight. With afortune of $1.8 billion, the 58-year-old Nadarbags the 310 th spot in the Forbes list.(TNSE)ANIL AGARWALCable CzarSterlite Industries’ Anil Agarwal is atypical first generation risk taker. Andhe has had his share of hits and misses.In 1998, Sterlite made a hostile bid for IndianAluminum Company but got pipped to thepost by Hindalco in one of the most vitriolictakeover battles that corporate India hasseen. But in 2002, Sterlite bid for Balcosuccessfully and turned Balco into a modelfor the government’s divestment programme.Agarwal set out as metal scrap merchant, acable manufacturer and then branched intotelecom. Corporate India started takingnotice of this first generation entrepreneurin the early 1990s, when he decided tointegrate his cable business.Today, Sterlite is a near monopoly in theoptic-fibre industry. Meanwhile, Agarwal hasbecome an integrated player in cables,copper and aluminum, all businesses integralto the fast growing telecom sector. He plansto double Sterlite’s annual turnover toaround $3 billion by 2005-06. fifty-year-oldAgarwal, with a worth of $1 billion, is ranked552 nd in the Forbes list and is poised to bethe infrastructure king of India’s telecomsector.(TNSE)SAMARTHA BHARATA 74

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2SHOEMAKER LEADS GOVERNMENT WARAGAINST TBToufiq RashidIt’s an unlikely battleground in India’sfight against TB, a disease that PrimeMinister recently said poses a seriousthreat to the country’s progress and wellbeing.And Bansi Lal is an unlikely warrior.But try telling him that. A shoemaker, wholost his father to the disease and saw hisbrother struggleagainst it, has turneda small room in hisrun-down doublestoreyhouse inKarnal’s Sadar Bazararea into a TB clinicfor nearly 110patients.After having joined asa communityvolunteer in the TB.TB controlprogramme of thegovernment a yearago, he has put 50patients on the path torecovery. Starting from identifying possibleTB patients in his neighbourhood to ensuringthey take their medicines on time, Bansi Laltakes care of all. Be it the neighbourhoodChachi who was heard coughing for monthsbefore Lal took her to the doctor, or hishelper Kanaya, whose illness has turnedchronic by the time. It was this work thatearned him a WHO honour at a function heldin the capital in the third week of March 2004as part of the second Stop TB conference.Lal decided tojoin the TB war,for which he takesno remuneration,after his youngerbrother got andsurvived thedisease.Everyday TBpatients fromnearby houses lineup outside Lal’shouse to take theirdaily dose ofmedicine. If thequeue gets too long, his teenage daughterMadhu and his younger brother Mohan Lalpitch in. Inside the small room doubling as aAfter almost a decade of working as assistant accountant-general C.V.Raman returnedto his first love, science. In 1930 he became the first Asian to win the Nobel prize inscience, for his discovery, the Raman Effect. The Nobel came at a time when India wasnot independent and nobody believed any worthwile research could come out of thecountry. Raman was not merely a scientist but a builder of institutions: He founded theIndian Academy of Sciences in 1935 and the Raman Institute in 1947.SAMARTHA BHARATA 75

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2clinic, the furnishings include a water cooler,a small stool holding two glasses, greencolouredalmirahs stocking hundreds ofboxes of medicine, a few old pieces offurniture and a register with the names andaddresses of the patients. A graduate, Lalupdates the registration cards of the patientsas well as his own records.Doctors at the district TB centres registerthe names of the patients and after a fullexamination and diagnosis refer them to Lalif they happen to be from his neighbourhood.The TB health visitor introduces him to thepatients, besides giving him a copy of theirregistration cards and boxes of theirmedicines for the entire regimen. Lal is oneof the hundreds of volunteers registered asDOTS provider under the Revised NationalTuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP)in India. The programme advocates takinghelp from the community to implementDOTS, wherein a patient is given medicinesunder the supervision of a doctor or aparamedic.Bansi Lal also constantly reminds thepatients of the dates of their check-ups andsputum examination. “If the patient fails tocome on the fixed day, I send out my familymembers to look for him,” he says.What works in this system is the personalrapport shared by a volunteer like Lal andthe patients, most of whom are hisneighbours or acquaintances. A tea shopowner, Mohan Lal lives in the house next toLal’s and has been taking medicine at hisDOTS centre for seven months. Kamala,who is to complete her six-month treatmentthis month, is gushing in her praise for Lal.“Sabki Seva Karte hain aur ek paisa bhi nahinlete (He serves everyone else, takes nothingfor himself),” she says:TB in-charge of the district Dr.N.Saini says:“To have each and every TB patientmonitored by a doctor is not possible inIndia, as the patient load is very high andthe number of doctors very less. So thesecommunity volunteers are a great help.”Though Karnal district has about 10community volunteers, what puts Bansi Lalapart, says Dr.Saini, is his compassion andthe number of people who have been curedthrough him.He himself says that’s all he want-to be ableto serve. “I met the Prime Minister (at theTB conference last week), saw a totallydifferent world in my two days of stay inDelhi. I have got everything I want,” Lalsays. But there is one thing. He is lookingforward to his 17 year-old daughter Kanchanbecoming a doctor and carrying on his work.[TNIE]Ornithologist Salim Ali’s books are an authority on Indian birds. He studiedornithology in Berlin and worked for the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).In 1941, the first of his books, The Book of Indian Birds, was published. Heearned worldwide recognition and 1976 won the Paul Getty Wildlife ConservationPrize, the amount of which he donated to BNHS.SAMARTHA BHARATA 76

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2AMBANI: AMBITION SPELT DIFFERENTLY!This is the story of a man who hadnerves of steel and an astonishingresolve flowing in his veins. A manof modest beginnings, he was instrumentalin spurring the industrial sector to life inIndia and giving the country its largestprivate sector enterprise—RelianceIndustries.The ‘polyester prince’ Dhirajlal HiralalAmbani, better known as Dhirubhai,spawned a behemoth Rs.65,000 crore empireand gave entrepreneurship its real meaningin the Indian context. He passed away onJuly 6, 2002.Reliance is the only Indian private companyto make the global Fortune 500 list of theworld’s largest corporations, and Ambaniwas listed by Forbes as the 138 th richestperson in the world this year (2002).This forerunner of indigenous enterprise wasborn to a school teacher in Chorwad, a smallvillage in Junagadh district of Gujarat.Cherishing dreams of making it big, thisyoung man made Aden his home at the ageof 17, where he worked as a gas stationattendant for Besee and Co. Fate had etchedsome great plans for Dhirubhai and hesteadily moved ahead, gathering the fundsthat would serve as the capital for startingthe life that would gain epic dimensions inthe times to come. He returned to India in1958 and established Reliance CommercialCorporation that exported spices and generalmerchandise and imported-polyester yarn.In a few years’ time, the foundations werelaid for Reliance textiles and from then thereSAMARTHA BHARATA 77was no looking back. Vimal, the textile brandhe set up, flourished and remains a householdname in India today. Dhirubhai’s effortsbegan in an era that was infamous as thelicense-permit raj. The Indian industrialscene then was dominated by a few names.For any other individual or firm to gatecrashinto this coveted kingdom of few names,acquiring the license was the first majorhurdle to be overcome. Numerous storiesabound about Dhirubhai’s acumen forcontrolling the factors that could haveaffected his business. Some attribute thesuccess of this silver-tongued man to hissuave ways and the element of ruthlessnesswith which he pulled strings behind thecurtains, to have the tide turn his way.In 1980 the party in power is said to havegone a long way in facilitating many ofAmbani’s mega plans, including thePatalganga project. Luck was also playingalong and by the time Dhirubhai was ready,the licensing system was proving to be totallyfutile. Ambani’s desire from the verybeginning was not to become competitiveglobally, but to acquire world classcapacities, so that the enterprise had strongfoundations before it ventured outinternationally.For setting up the requisite capacities,another major obstacle was the funds.Dhirubhai Ambai broke the convention thathad hitherto been followed—obtaining loanfrom the banks. He went on to sell dreamsof instant riches to the ordinary individuals,these were dreams that he was committedto making a reality. He raised incredible

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2amounts on the stock markets. Thehousehold savings were mobilized initially,when the foreign companies (under pressurefrom Foreign Exchange Regulation Act) firstsought to dilute their equity by offering themto the public in small lots. Dhirubhai smelledblood and went for the kill. Besides moneyraised in this manner, Reliance also used theconvertible debenture route and theAmerican Depository Receipt (GDR) issues.The razor sharp Dirubhai rose to instant famein 1982 when he averted Bear hammeringof Reliance shares at the Bombay StockExchange. Reliance brokers acted well intime to purchase the company’s shares andupset all plans of pulling down the company.The impact of the incident was more on thebears, who had to suffer heavy losses.Reliance has over 40 lakh shareholders,which is a record of sorts. Its shares offeredgenuine value, and those fortunate enoughto have had faith in the company in its earlyyear eventually became millionaires. Annualgeneral meetings were held in sportsstadiums, where Ambani would be heroworshippedby shareholders.Along the road to growth, Dhirubhaimanaged to earn a good number of enemiestoo, who spelt hindrance in Reliance’sgrowth. After change of government it wasa smooth sailing for Reliance again.and further upstream into basic buildingblocks like paraxylene. The company alsowent about managing horizontaldiversification into petrochemical endproductssuch as linear alkyl benzene (LAB),or thermoplastics like high densitypolyethylene (HDPE), low densitypolyethelene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride(PVC) and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR—synthetic rubber) and a lot more.With inflow of large profits from itspetrochemical operations (the Reliancerefinery in Jamnagar is the largest in theworld with a capacity of 27 million tonnes.The company has acquired a 10 per centstake in Petronet India Limited, set up forestablishing a network of pipelines across thecountry), share premium reserves andadditional equity and debt coming from themarkets, Reliance fuelled its growth bringingit where it stands today. Sensing that the timewas right, Reliance decided to take the routeof diversifying entering sunrise industries liketelecommunications along with power andfinancial services.Setting up and implementing mega projectsis known to be Reliance’s core competence.Reliance Infocom is a new venture in whichReliance Industries has a 45 per cent stake.It is the conduit for wire line telecom, whileReliance Telecom is mostly involved with thewireless business. It has already started workon fixed line, mobile, long distance andinternational telephony. Reliance is in theprocess of establishing an international scalebroadband, IP backbone, connecting India’stop 115 cities. Reliance Telecom has licensesfor cellular mobile telephone services inseven circles spanning 15 States. With asubscriber base of nearly 2 lakh, RelianceIt was Ambani’s decision to integratevertically in the initial years and concentrateon petrochemicals and downstreamproducts. Reliance moved from manufactureof synthetic textiles into the manufacture ofpolyester fibre and filament yarn; from yarnand fibres to intermediates like purifiedterephthalic acid and mono-ethylene glycol; Telecom is active in 86 towns.SAMARTHA BHARATA 78

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2The unmatched business sense of Mr.Ambanishowed up again when the privately-heldReliance Life Sciences shot to fame when itfigured on the list of 10 laboratories worldwide that met US President Bush’s eligibilityguidelines for becoming a source of stemcells and eligible for federal funding. Thecompany invested $5 million in stem cellresearch in 2001, at the HarkisondasNarrotamdas Hospital in Mumbai. Theventure now has an investment of $25 millionfor a period of nearly four years, duringwhich the biotech arm plans to set up skinbanks for burn patients.Power generation also fitted the bill and isnow part of the company’s portfolio. Itspower plans started taking shape almost adecade ago when it picked up a 10 per centstake in Mumbai-based power utility BSES.Reliance has tied up with Mirant Asia PacificLimited and is setting up a thermal powerplant at Hirma in Orissa. In addition, thereis the 447 mw Patalganga project and the500 mw project at its Jamnagar complex inGujarat.Reliance set up two subsidiaries (RelianceGeneral Insurance Company and RelianceLife Insurance Company) when the insurancesector was thrown open for private players.Reliance General Insurance, giving attentionto the corporate sector, has booked a totalpremium income in excess of 60 crore rupeesin fiscal year 2002. However, Reliance LifeInsurance Company is yet to becomeoperational as it awaits the ascent from theInsurance Regulatory and DevelopmentAuthority (IRDA). The subsidiary plans tosell insurance online.For a man who moved from the village toworking as an attendant, to living in a chawlin Mumbai, to giving the common man ameans to realising his dreams and realisinghis own, life was one well lived. To the manwho proved it that it is possible for a rankoutsider to storm the bastion of the elite, thatmiracles do happen, a few faults areforgivable.(Adapted from “The Competition Master”)N.R.Narayana Murthy: Co-founder and Chairman of Infosys, he has beennamed in the Time-CNN survey of the top 25 influential global executives.He is the only Indian to be named in the list.SAMARTHA BHARATA 79

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2INDIA SHOWS THE PATHAll over the world, elections in anycountry are attaching observers frommany other Nations. But the 2004elections in India were unique and werewatched with special attention from manyplaces. Special observers come from manycountries to watch the hugeexercise of electronic votingmachines being put to use atsuch a large scale. The worldwanted to know how Indiahandled this mammoth event.From 1952 general electiononwards India has beenintroducing innovation inevery election. The culmination of that seriesof experiments is that this year, 67 crores ofpeople were pressing buttons in 10 lakhs ofvoting machines in the 2004 poles.The first electronic voting machine (EVM)was designed in 1982. But to perfect it andto put it to public use, it took eight moreyears. In one or two by-elections the EVMwas used experimentally and then across thestates in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan inthe assembly elections. In Tamilnadu’s 2001assembly elections the EVMs were pressedinto service. All this showed that the Indianvoter is open to new ideas. The limitation ofEVM is that it can handle a maximum of 64contestants only is a constituency. Itscredibility was proved beyond doubt in the2004 elections.This system is catching onacross the globe. Mauritius,Singapore, Malaysia, and SriLanka hve placed orders forEVMs for experimental work inthose countries. US may usesuch machines in this year’sPresidential poles.Many envoys of countries accredited to NewDelhi have seen the functioning of EVMs andhave landed them.Many Commonwealth countries whichparticipated in the 2003 London meet onDemocracy have opted to follow the IndianExample. In its fifty years as a Democracy,the Indian republic has given the world agood example and a useful lead.(Translated from an Editorial in TamilNewspaper Dinamani)One of the enduring pictures of Indian sports has been of Kapil Dev holding theWorld Cup in 1983. Kapil Dev is undoubtedly one of the greatest cricketers that thecountry has produced. He was an incredible all rounder, who wielded the bat with asmuch aplomb as he bowled. He demolished the myth that the country could notproduce a genuine pace bowler. He held centre-stage in bowling for almost 15 years.In 1975 he made his debut in First Class Cricket and had led India to a World Cupwin in 1983, scoring 175 not out in the finals after he took the bat at 17 for 5. by1994 he had broken Hadlee’s record to become the highest wicket-taker in Tests.SAMARTHA BHARATA 80

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2VERITAS HAILS ITS INDIAN INVENTORSAnand ParthasarathyThe dinner party at “The Corinthian”country club on the outskirts of Punecity a few days ago (3/10/2003) hadan unusal entry qualification: youneeded to have an innovation inInformation Technology-and a patentapplication—in your name.Among those who got special mention wasVeritas India’s director of technology, AnandA.Kekre, who has personally contributed toOf the nearly 100 who attended, nearly70 were Indian software engineersnamed in a U.S. patent application fieldon behalf of the global storagemanagement leader, Veritas.It was possibly the most awesomedisplay of ‘desi’ Intellectual Property (IP)in one place.Except for a handful of engineers from theUnited Kingdom and the United Statesoperations of Veritas, all those presentworked with the Pune-based R&D centre ofthe company, currently 940 strong, andpoised to becoming its largest developmentcentre anywhere.The party was the Mountain View,(California, U.S.)-based player’s way ofsaying ‘thank you’ to the massive Indiancontribution to its portfolio of products inthe emerging technology area known as‘utility computing’.over 30 of the recent patent filings of thecompany—mostly in the area of storing,backing-up, restoring, and replicating criticalbusiness data. With Ankur-Panchbudhe, heshared the special annual award institutedby the company for an innovative and farreachinginvention.Basant Rajan was honoured for “outstandingcontribution” and Niranjan Pendharkar drewwild cheers for being one of four engineerswhose patent has just been granted. TheIndian engineer’s innovation constitute ‘aphenomenal performance,” said thecompany’s Vice-President in-charge ofIntellectual Property—a special post createdafter the flood of ideas flowing fromengineers. In fact, one in three patents filedDr.Sharadkumar Dicksheet; Four time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, he has been awardedthe $ 100,000 Kellogg’s Hannah Neil World of Children Prize in recognition of his dedicationto providing free plastic surgery to 57,000 poor children in India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 81

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2by Veritas world wide, names an Indianengineer, he added.“We had to constitute a special patent filtercommittee just to whet the suggestions,”Veritas executive president, said “We havesix guys from our Pune centre in thecommittee.”Radha Shelat, the chief technology officerof the Pune unit, who has been with the teamsince Veritas came here in 1991, said thecompany’s policy of giving credit to theengineers who came up with innovations informal patent filings, distinguished it frommany other IT majors.Sharad Sharma, vice-president, productoperations, who heads the India units, saidIndia-based engineers have worked on everyVeritas product in its portfolio and nowexercised global responsibility for them, fromPune.The chief guest and NASSCOM president,Kiran Karnik, said the association was tryingto work with the Government to increaseawareness on the need to protect Indian.Intellectual Property Rights and createspecial IPR courts to help enforce them ifnecessary.(The Hindu)SUNIL MITTALDial M for RichesSunil Bharti Mittal’s schedule hasbeen hectic during the last fewmonths. A chairman of the Rs.4,000crore Bharti group finalized a $ 250 milliondeal with IBM to outsoure the group’s entireIT infrastructure to Big Blue.That comes close on the heels of a $400million deal with Ericsson to outsource andmanage the groups mobile infrastructure. Heis also getting into aviation infrastructure andis partnering Singapore’s Changi Airport tobid for the Delhi and Mumbai airports.Mittal, after graduating from PunjabUniversity, started a tiny bicycle business inthe 1970s. That company, BhartiEnterprises, has grown to be one of India’sbiggest telecom service providers. Theturning point in Mittal’s life came in 1992when the cellular licence for the Delhi metrocirclewas being given out to the privatesector. He partnered with French telecomcompany, Vivendi, to bag the licence. He hasnot looked back since. Today Bharti offerscellular services, basic telephony, and islaying optic fibre cable across 200 cities withits partner Singapore Telecom connectingChennai with Singapore. And Sunil BhartiMittal dreams of making Bharti one of thetop two telecom player in the country. Henow has a net worth of $2.7 billion and aranking of 186 in the Forbes list.(TNSE)SAMARTHA BHARATA 82

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2DEVELOPMENT WITH A HUMAN FACEStudents of unaided engineering colleges are crankingout absolutely first-rate stuff these days.Take for instance, a bright young duofrom Sri Sai Ram Engineering, WestTambaram, R.C.Aravindakshan andR.S.Bharath (II year Computer Sciences andEngineering). They have jointly developedthe “I-Cane” or intelligent canethat helps visually impairedpersons. The cane has a guidancemotor and a computerized ‘brain’and scanner that warns the userabout obstacles—pits, bumps,objects, or overhanging wires,branches or other static obstacles.It also factors in dynamicobstacles, though that is yet to beperfected.with three IIT professors S.Ramesh, G.T.Manohar and Ravindran and Sri SairamCollege’s head of computer sciencesdepartment Saravanan guiding theyoungsters.A versatile sniffer robot developedby P.Rajan, A Raja andE.Lavakumar, of the samecollege, won the “Innovationpotential of students” projectaward this year from the IndianNational Academy ofEngineering.Triumphant returnAravindakshan is bursting withpride and with good reasons: hehas an invitation from organizersof Robomaxx 2004 to display the‘I-cane’ in Grants Pass, Oregon,U.S. next month. He and Bharathare, meanwhile, trying to cut theweight of the cane to less than akilo.Arvindakshan points out that safety is thebiggest concern for visually impared persons.“Walking or taking the next step comesnaturally to normal persons, not so for thesepeople. I want to perfect the equipmentbefore going commercial. We are in theprocess of patenting the idea…” the adds.A private company, Essem Systems, ishelping them fabricate the parts for the cane,SAMARTHA BHARATA 83Two third-year Electronics andCommunication Engineeringstudents of Velammal EngineeringCollege, V.K.Lakshmanan andS.Gayatri, created ripples at aninternational meet on nanotechnologiesat the TechnicalUniversity of Munich, Germanylast month. They were the youngest and theonly two undergraduate participants at themeet.Their paper, “A basic Architecture for aMulti-state Memory System using Nano-Antennas,” described an architecture toimprove the memory states from two to ‘n’states—thereby representing more than onebit per state.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2The students won 400 euros (Rs.23,000)each for the best research paper award. TheAugust 16-19 2004 conference dealt with thelatest advancements in nanostructure,nanophotonics, nano-materials and theirapplications.Says Lakshmanan, “The optical memorysystems supporting present day computersuse two state memoris (which represent 1’s& 0’s).To increase the memory capacity one canincrease the media density and reading speed.But this has its own limitations.Our paper describes how the memorycapacity can be increased by increasing thenumber of states that a memory system canrepresent. If a memory system can have fourstates, then each state can represent two bitseach, thereby doubling the memory capacityi.e. (00,01,10,11) for each state.The conference organizers readily acceptedthe paper and even waived the registrationfee. Velammal Engineering College and ateacher at the IIT. Madras, M.Kumaravelhelped them raise the air fare and otherexpenses for the five-day trip.After their interaction with foreign scientists,the two say they hope to pursue postgraduation in material and nano-materialsciences.Innovative softwareCommercial software makers are eyeinganother development, this time by a womanstudent of Jeppiaar Engineering. This is a“combination of front-end and back-end”created by B.Shanmugapriya, a computersciences student.With this, one can use the same tool to createfront-end controls such as labels and textboxes and creating tables. “It has only usedata type ‘Text’ to view, add, delete, updateand modify the design and contents of thetable. Essentially it provides an inbuiltconnectivity between the front-end and backend,”she adds.(The Hindu)BINDESHWAR PATHAK, FOUNDER,SULABH INTERNATIONALPathak has touched the souls of the erst-while ‘untouchables’.Sulabh International, a social service organisation, provides cost-effectivesanitation systems in cities, at bus-stops, railway stations and other public places.It converts dry/bucket privies to sanitary toilets, supplies toilets to houses whereno latrines existed before, provides well-designed and maintained communityfacilities, trains and most importantly, rehabilitates scavengers to find other jobs.(TNIE)SAMARTHA BHARATA 84

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2SIR CHANDRASHEKHARAVENKATA RAMAN (C.V.RAMAN)Chandrashekhara Venkata Ramanor C.V.Raman, as we popularlyknow him, was born on 7th Nov.1888 in Thiruvanaikkaval. He finished schoolby the age of eleven and by then he hadalready read the popular lectures of Tyndall,Faraday and Helmoltz. He acquired his BAdegree from the Presidency College, Madras,where he carried out original research in thecollege laboratory, publishing the results inthe philosophical magazine. After joining thefinancial services of the Indian Governmentat the age of eighteen, he carried out andpublished extensive research on acousticsand optics in his free time for a decade.Also around the time he was married to‘Loksundari’. In 1917 he was offered the‘PALIT CHAIR’ in physics in CalcuttaUniversity by the then Vice ChancellorAshutosh Mukherjee. In 1921 he delivereda lecture at the Oxford conference on thetheory of stringed instruments. In 1924 hebecame ‘FELLOW’ of the Royal society andwas eventually knighted by the BritishGovernment.While in Calcutta, he made enormous contributionsto vibration, sound, musicalinstruments, ultrasonics, diffraction,photoelectricity, colloidal particles, X-raydiffraction, magnetron, dielectrics, and thecelebrated “RAMAN” effect which fetchedhim the Noble Prize in 1930. The mood ofself-confidence can be gauged from the factthat he had his tickets to Sweden bookedbefore the prize was announced. From 1933till 1970 (his death) he lived and worked inBangalore, first at the IISc and then his own(Raman Research Institute).All in all, he published 475 papers and wrotefive monographs on an incredibly wide rangeof topics. He enthused generations ofyounger people with his excitement aboutnature and science, and left an incrediblemark on the landscape of India.THE RAMAN EFFECTFor more inquisitive minds, the Raman effectoccurs when a ray of incident light excites amolecule in the sample, which subsequentlyscatters the light. While most of thisscattered light is of the same wavelength asthe incident light, state (i.e. getting themolecule to vibrate). The Raman effect isuseful in the study of molecular energylevels, structure development, and multicomponent qualitative analysis. some isscattered at a different wavelength.This inelastically scattered light is called‘RAMAN SCATTER’ which, results frommolecule changing its molecular motion.Energy difference between incident light &the Raman scattered light is equal to theenergy involved in changing the moleculevibrational.“Great advances in knowledge camethrough questioning the orthodox view”-SIR CV RAMAN(The Competition Master)SAMARTHA BHARATA 85

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2INDIAN ORIGIN SCIENTISTS AMONG TOP 100Seven Indian origin scientists, includingSrinidhi Varadarajan who built a supercomputerfrom off-the-shelfcommercial products, were named amongthe world’s top 100 young researchers byTechnology Review published by theMassachusetts Institute of Technolocy.The top 100 honour, an event by the institute,recognises exceptional talent in fields likebiotechnology, medicine, Nano-technologyand computing. Besides Varadarajan, otheryoung Indian origin researchers selectedwere Anuj Batra, Ramesh Raskar, ChaitaliSengupta, Ravi Kane, Vikram Sheel Kumarand Ananth Natarajan, according to themagazine.,Varadarajan, director of Terascale computingfacility, Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University, conceived and built theworld’s third-fastest supercomputer from acluster of 1,100 Apple Macintoshes. Theproject cost at around $5 million whenworld-class supercomputers cost $100million or more. The young researcher usedoff-the-shelf commercial products to designthe supercomputer in less than three monthsas he did not have the hundreds of millionsof dollars for the purpose. Batra, 34, is asystems engineer at Texas Instruments. Heleads one of the industry’s top teamsadvancing ultra wideband Wirelesstechnology, which provides the high speedsneeded for streaming media applications withlow power consumption.Raskar, 34, a visiting research scientist atMitsubishi Electric was named for buildinglarge computer display systems thatseamlessly combine images from multipleprojectors.The computer scientist’s image-processingand graphics research may lead to newapplications in entertainment, image-guidedsurgery, and user interfaces. ChaitaliSengupta, 34, is a systems architect withTexas Instruments which oversees thearchitecture of the communication chips.These chips are useful in multimedia cellphones which handle internet access, videoconferencing,and mobile commerce. RaviKane, 32, assistant professor, RensselaerPolytechnic Institute, was selected forcreating a highly potent anthrax treatment.Another young researcher, Vikram SheelKumar, 28, co-founder and CEO, Dimagi,developed an interactive software thatmotivates patients to manage chronicdiseases such as diabetes and AIDS. AnanthNatarajan, 33 CEO, Infinite BiomedicalTechnologies, was named for devisingtechnology that enables implantable cardiacdevices to detect heart attacks. PTIRaghav and Lavanya Haran: Raghav of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore;and Lavanya of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi are among 103 of the ‘world’sbrightest students” from 20 countries chosen by Lucent Technologies at its second annualworld-wide summit of the Lucent global science scholars programme. (T.N.I.E.)SAMARTHA BHARATA 86

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2MS – SHE SINGS ONLY FOR THE LORD: BUTHUMAN BEINGS ALSO LISTENThe music of MS had that strangeability to subdue the most egoisticalof humans. And yet, all the honoursand encomia that she had received in her lifehad not made this greatest musician of ourtimes one whit arrogant.Over the past six decades, no one could keepcount of the number of organizations andpublic causes that MS had helped fund andfructify. From America to Europe to the FarEast, she had given concerts in internationalforums and musical audiences.MS is the supreme role model for all aspiringmusicians anywhere in the world. She tookevery concert as her first one rendered withtotal dedication, commitment and expertise.A master of concert technique, gifted with afine voice and mastery of raga and bhavaall backed up by relentless sadhana, MSstrode the Indian musical scene like a clossusfor more than sixty years.Amidst all the fame and popularity, MS hasretained her humility, grace and friendlinessfor all to remain an inspiration and an objectof reverence from one and all.Unlike many top classical musicians, MSnever flinched from rendering songs fromother systems.Be it Meera Bhajan, Rabindra Sangeet, Sikhhymn from Gurbani, ‘Alwar’ Pasuram inTamil or Marathi abhang, she took to allmusic with the avidity of a seeker. Her voiceresonates in the sacred hill of Thirumalaevery morning chanting the VenkatesaSuprabhatam as much as in Indias’ homes inthe USA and Europe.She never lent her voice to commerce orpersonal enrichment.Music for her is not a skill or talent but adivine sanction to be sustained by rigoriousSadhana and relentless practice. Well past80, she still spends three hours in a day fineturning her voice and practicing ragas.All that she would like is for our “young ladyartistes not to lose their identity with Indianwomanhood however famous they becomein the field.” M.S.Subbulakshmi symbolizesthe best of Indian womanhood.(From The Bhavan’s Journal 31-9-2004)SAMARTHA BHARATA 87

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2LATA MANGESHKARFor close to 55 years, when Lata sang,all of India sang with her. It is a songwhich has no end. Recognised by theGuinness Book of World Records as theworld’s most prolific singer with over 25,000songs to her credit, Lata is a living legendand an icon of icons.Lata is a monument of committed anddevoted singing. She is a very private personand not much about her private life has everbeen discussed in the media. She is rarelydiscussed in the social circles except for herdivine vocal chords, which plumbed thetearducts of Prime Minister JawaharlalNehru when he heard Lata singing theunforgettable ‘Ae Mere Vatan Ke Logo’. Feweyes remain dry when this song is heard bypeople even today.The attributes of Lata as a singer are that ofa stern disciplinarian who is never late to arecording session and her riyaz never failsto come through. Her songs often outlivedthe films in which they figure and even thecomposers of the songs.(The Bhavan’s Journal 31.8.2004)DR.VARGHESE KURIEN – AND THE AMUL-MOVEMENTIn 2000, India emerged as the world’slargest milk producer, all because 50years earlier, a young man namedVerghese Kurien joined the Kaira DistrictCo-operative Milk Producers’ Union inAnand, Gujarat, as a manager.Starting with two village cooperatives and250 litres of milk per day, Kurien went on tocreate India’s White Revolution. HisOperation Flood, launched in 1970, followeda simple structure (called the Anand pattern):at the core were farmers and the cooperatives;on top was a district-level milkproducers’ union, and finally there was astate federation that did the marketing. TheNational Dairy Development Board, whichKurien founded in 1963 (he won the RamonMagsayasay Award for Communityleadership in the same year), today runs aco-operative network comprising 170 milkunions and 10.7 million farmer members.According to Indiadairy.com, the industryracked up Rs.1,05,000 crore from milk,cheese, butter, and other dairy products.There are an estimated 96 million milchanimals producing 203 million litres of milkper day. The World Bank estimates thatOperation Flood resulted in dairy farmersmaking $9 billion more per year than theywould have if milk production had continuedat the 0.7 percent growth rate prior to thelaunch of Operation Flood.(The Bhavan’s Journal 31.8.04)SAMARTHA BHARATA 88

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2TENDS FARMS, WINS LAURELSP.SudhakarDespite his age, excruciating kneepain, regularly invasion by wildanimals and, finally, water shortage,73- years old N.S.A. Velu Mudhaliar ofPuliyangudi, a small town about 70 km fromTirunelveli, Tamilnadu has grown over10,000 trees of various species on a rockyterrain of 20 acres at the foothills of WesternGhats.Still he yearns to grow more and more trees,which got him the ‘Indra PriyadharshiniVriksha Mitra Award for 2001’. Shri Veluwill receive the award in New Delhi onSeptember 9 in recognition of his concernfor protecting environment.When he started intensive farming, paddywas the only crop which occupied his entirefield. But a truant monsoon and an alarmingfall in groundwater table forced him to planttrees of various varieties. This effort has wonhim laurels.Enriched by experience, Shri Velu hasdesigned his own rainwater harvestingsystem, setting up land at various elevations.As his teak farm starts just from the foothillsof the Western Ghats, rainwater from the hillimmediately enters it. He has separated theteak farm into small portions, eachmeasuring about 100 x 100 feet, with smallbunds to store rainwater. After filling the firstportion kept at a significant height, wateroverflows through pipes to the next sectionand the process continues. After covering thelast portion, water flows to the next plot,where Shri Velu has raised neem, tamarind,SAMARTHA BHARATA 89coconut, lemon, mango, casuarinas, teak,sapota, guava, drumstick etc,“Not a single drop of water goes out of myfarm and I judiciously use every drop ofwater the Almighty gives me.”As he uses organic manure, waterrequirement is very less. When he plantssaplings, he digs pits and fills it with tanksilt. “In the first year, we have to water theplant according to requirements. In thesecond year, watering once in two monthsis enough and in the third year it may be doneonce in three months, as the tank silt retainswater. In the fourth year, the plant will startyielding.” Shri Velu unravels the trade secret.Never does he use the hybrid varieties, whichhe believes, could not withstand diseases andother adverse conditions.The withered leaves of trees on the farm areconverted into manure. A small portion ofleaves is allowed to portion of leaves isallowed to pile up around the roots, whichprotect the water flowing from the drip foran extended priod.Peacock plays guardBesides getting good revenue from the farm,the satisfaction Shri Velu draws from hisfarming operations is unmatched.He does not rear any dog to guard his farm;this duty has been “assigned” to peacocksof the Western Ghats which crowcontinuously on seeing strangers. When hisfamily members cross the main entrance, the

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2bird crows just once or twice and becomessilent soon.“Never do we harm the wildanimals which enter our farm, thoughspotted deer and wild boar cause extensivedamage to small tress and saplings we growagainst all odds,’ says Shri Velu.For Shri Velu, a father of six children, hisfarm, three km west of Puliyangudi, is hisfirst child as he spends over 12 hourseveryday in his ranch. His vision is sharp andhe does not wear spectacles, his spirit is highand he enjoys every moment of farmingoperation. “I’ll plant more trees to make thispart of the earth more viable for living,” saysShri Velu, who has studied up to StandardIV. (The Hindu)CHESS CAREER- VISHY ANANDAruna AnandViswanathan Anand, popularly knownas “Vishy, the Tiger from Madras”learnt chess at the tender age of six.His assets, his lightning speed of play &intuition saw him through as the YoungestNational Champion at the age of 16.In 1987 he became the First Asian to winthe World Junior Championship. He alsoearned the coveted Grandmaster title. Hecarved a special place on the chessboard bywinning the strongest tournament at thattime, The “Reggio Emilia” in Italy in 1991ahead of Kasparov & Karpov.He has been a World Championshipchallenger in the PCA(New York 1995) &FIDE(1997 Lausanne) cycles. He has thedistinction of winning the Strongest knockout tournament in recent chess history inGroningen in December 1997.He has also won the Linares Super Torneoin 1998, the strongest tournament at thispoint. His other great victories include theMelody Amber tournament (1994 & 1997),the Credit Suisse Masters (1997), DosHermanas (1997) and Wijk Aan Zee(1998).Anand is currently rated NUMBER Two inthe World in both the rating lists, namely,the PCA & the FIDE lists.Anand has been awarded many prestigioustitles in India like the Arjuna Award, thePadmashri (the youngest recipient of thetitle), the first recipient of the Rajiv GandhiKhel Ratna award, the Soviet Land Nehruaward, the BPL Achievers of the World,Sportstar, Sportsworld “Sportsman of theyear 1995” Award.Anand holds a degree in commerce, his otherhobbies are reading, swimming & listeningto music.Anand, known as the “One man Indian Chessrevolution,” keenly promotes the game,through innovative methods in the country,where the game first originated. He lives inCollado Mediano in Spain with his wifeAruna. (From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 90

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2RAHUL DRAVIDFull Name : Rahul Sharad DravidBirthday : Jan. 11, 1973Birth Place : IndoreCountry : IndiaBatting : Right hand batsmanBowling : Right arm Off BreakODI Debut : Vs. Sri Lanka atSingapore, on 3/4/96Test Debut : India v England atLord’s, 2nd Test, 1996Rahul has been one of the main pillars of theIndian batting with his blend of technicalproficiency & stylish strokes. His strokes areso perfect technically that he is considered asthe “wall” of the Indian Team. His batting stylewas regarded slow for the ODI’s initially butwith his imaginative placing of the ball &innovative strokes he made himself as anintegral part of the Indian team for both Testsas well as ODI’s. His temperament for boththe versions of the game is exemplary and hasearned him respect from all the other players.The Indian Vice Captain has frequently playedthe sheet anchor role to perfection. . He wasverily the batsman of the 1999 World Cup withtwo hundreds and the highest aggregate. Forthis, he was named as Wisden cricketer of theyear, one of the few Indians to receive thisspecial accolade. In 2004 Rahul was namedI.C.C.Cricket of the year and I.C.E. Test playerof the year.(From the Web Site)One of the top ten batsmen of all time, Sachin Tendulkar is an icon of the presenttimes. He made his debut in first class Cricket in 1987 at the age of 14 and is theyoungest Indian to play Test Cricket. In 1998 he broke the record of DesmondHaynes of the highest number of centuries in one-day internationals. The legendarybatsman Donald Bradman, has likened Tendulkar’s batting to his own. Known as‘Little Champion’ Tendulkar still has many years of cricket ahead of him.World title: Nineteen year old Pankaj Advani brought the World Snooker crownback to India after a 19-year gap when he out-played Saleh Mohammed of Pakistan11.6 for the title at Jiangmen in China.SAMARTHA BHARATA 91

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2P.GOPICHANDBorn: 1973Pullela Gopi Chand is the brightest starto emerge on the Indian badmintonscene in a long time, after PrakashPadukone He was born on November 16th1973, in Nagaland to Pullela SubhashChandra Bose and Subbaravamma who wereboth interested in sports. Gopichand isindeed a story of sheer hard work, dedicationand pure determination for the game ofBadminton.Though Gopichand nicknamed Gops,favoured cricket earlier, his elder brothermade him switchover to Badminton. Gopi’sskill at Badminton was the talk at St.Paulswhere he had his schooling, when he washardly around 10 years old. He suffered asetback in 1986, when he suffered a multipleligament rupture. But this young fightercame back to the field with sheerdetermination and reached the finals ofAndhra Pradesh State Junior Badminton shipin 1987, even though he lost the title to hiselder brother Rajashekar. By the time hepassed out of school in 1988, he had alreadymade a mark in the Badminton field. He didhis graduation in Economics from AVCollege, Hyderabad. In 1989 he won his firstsingle title at the National Championship atGoa and then went on to win the doubleschampionship also.By 1999, Gopichand achieved a worldranking of 26 winning the Indianinternational, Scottish, Toulouse, Frenchchampionships etc. He received the SAARCgold medal the same year. Always a fighter,SAMARTHA BHARATA 92he refused to be crushed by his defeat in the2000 Sydney Olympics and true to hisrecognition out played the Olympicschampions to reach the finals of the AllEngland Badminton ship, finally arriving atthe forefront of international badminton. Hedefeated Olympic Gold medallist AndersBoeson in the Quarterfinals of thistournament. In the Semifinals he defeatedworld No.1 ceded player Peter Gade ofDenmark, and in the finals he defeated ChenHong of China. He achieved his career bestworld ranking of 5 in April 2001.Gopichand was awarded the ‘Arjuna Award’India’s highest recognition for sportspersons,in 2000 for his excellent performance in thesport. He has tremendous respect for the richIndian culture and tradition. He is thefollower of ‘The Art of Living’ Guru Sri SriRavishankar. He is proficient in yoga andpractices it in his spare time which help himto relax and focus better. Gopichand is alsointerested in music. A disciple of Prakash,this gentleman is considered a gooddefensive player, precise in his net play. Heis employed by the Indian Oil Corporationin Hyderabad, but the IOC has permitted himto spend most of his time training at theSports Authority facilities in Bangalore. Thisgreat player, with the vital combination ofmental strength and concentration is sure totake the sport of badminton in India to newheights.P.Gopichand was bold enough to turn downthe rich offer by a multinational soft drinkcompany. He would not allow his name tobe used in advertising endossments.(From the Web Site)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2Azim H. PremjiClifford SawhneyAzim H. Premji, Chairman, WiproCorporationIn a world whereintegrity purportedly counts fornaught, Azim Hasham Premji symbolizes justthat. The 55-year-old Wipro chairman madeinternational waves in 2000 ever since hisgroup became a Rs 3,500-crore empire witha market capitalization exceeding Rs500,000 million! If any stargazer had beenfoolish enough to predict in 1966 that a 21-year-old Indian at Stanford University wouldone day achieve all this, he’d have beenlaughed out of business. At that juncture,Premji was forced to discontinue hisengineering studies in the States due to theuntimely death of his father. Returning toIndia to take charge of a cooking oilcompany, the youth infused new life into thefamily’s traditional mindset and trade.Over the years, Premji diversified intosectors like computer hardware and lighting,disregarding marketing laws that extolled thevirtues of core competence and frowned onbrand extensions into unrelated segments.Despite all the success, the media-shy Premjimaintained a low profile, letting his work doall the talking. Until early last year the mediabroke the story that Azim Premji had becomethe second-richest man in the world… Inspite of his billions, however, he still travelseconomy class and stays in budgethotels.When the man was recently honoredwith the Businessman of the Year 2000award, he attributed his stupendous successto the 12,000 people who work for WiproCorporation. Nor did he forget to mentionhis family. The great man then shared sometips for success:• Have the courage to think big.• Never compromise on fundamental values,no matter what the situation.• Build up self-confidence, always lookahead.• Always have the best around you, even iftheyare better than you are.• Have an obsessive commitment to quality.• Play to win.• Leave the rest to the force beyond.Premji the businessman practices what hepreaches. When it comes to upholdingpersonal values, there’s no margin for error.Wipro managers speak in awe of the timethey received a terse message that theirchairman was flying down to Bangalore fora meeting. It was clear that something majorwas in the offing. Premji came straight tothe point. A senior general manager of thecompany had been given marching ordersbecausehe’d inflated a travel bill. The man’scontribution to the company was significant;the bill’s amount was not. Yet he had to gofor this solitary lapse. It was, Premji stressed,a matter of principles. Wipro’s code ofconduct for employees says it all: Don’t doanything that you’re unwilling to havepublished in tomorrow’s newspaper withyour photograph next to it. It’s that kind ofintegrity that has catapulted Premji andWipro to unprecedented heights.(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 93

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2in the distribution of wealth that madeINFOSYSInfosys one of the first Indian companies tooffer employees stock-option plans. InfosysMukta Hegdenow has 400 employees who are dollarmillionaires.N.R.Narayana Murthy, Chairman,Infosys Technologies LtdAn Indian IT chief who’s really madeit big without dropping his ethicalprecepts by the wayside is NagawaraRamarao Narayana Murthy, Chairman ofInfosys. Born in 1946, Murthy’s father wasa schoolteacher in Kolar district, Karnataka,India. A bright student, Murthy went on toacquire a degree in Electrical Engineeringfrom Mysore University and later studiedComputer Science at the IIT, Kanpur, India.The Infosys legend began in 1981 whenNarayana Murthy dreamt of forming his owncompany, along with six friends. There wasa minor hitch, though-he didn’t have anyseed money. Luckily, like many Indianwomen who save secretly without theirhusband’s knowledge, his wife Sudha-thenan engineer with Tatas-had saved Rs 10,000.This was Murthy’s first big break.The decade until 1991 was a tough periodwhen the couple lived in a one-room house.The second break came in 1991 when Indiandoors to liberalization were flungopen… Murthy grabbed the opportunity withboth hands and has never looked back eversince. Today, Infosys is the first Indian companyto be listed on the US NASDAQ.While working in France in the 1970s,Murthy was strongly influenced by socialism.The bubble was pricked, however, when hewas arrested in Bulgaria on espionagecharges. Today, he says: “I’m a capitalist inmind, a socialist at heart.” It was this beliefIn a poll conducted by Asiaweek, the quiet,soft-spoken man was selected one of the 50most powerful people in Asia for 2000. And50 per cent of the respondents in an onlinepoll conducted by The Economic Timesvoted him the best CEO of India.Heading a company with the largest marketcapitalization hasn’t changed Murthy’s lifestylemuch. The man still doesn’t know howto drive a car! On Saturdays-his driver’sweekly off-the Infosys chief is driven to thebus stop by his wife, from where he boardsa company bus to work! Incidentally, SudhaMurthy is now chief of the InfosysFoundation, which channels Rs 50 millioninto charity every year.Simplicity, humility and maintaining a lowprofile are the hallmarks of this super-richBangalorean. And the man is principled to afault. Murthy’s unprecedented wealth hascatapulted him into the public glare. Afterthe kidnapping of Dr Rajkumar by forestbrigand Veerappan, the Home Ministry hassounded out the local government aboutproviding Z-category security to Murthy andPremji. Both characteristically turned downthe offer.In a letter to the police top brass last month,Murthy said he was a simple man who hadno intentions of annoying his neighbors anddisturbing traffic with an intrusive entourageof security vehicles and personnel.That’s Narayana Murthy for you.(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 94

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2NARAYANAN VAGHULFormer CEO, ICICIHe retired in 1996 as chairman of theIndustrial Credit and InvestmentCorporation of India (ICICI),During his 11-year tenure as CEO, ICICIcame to be transformed from a small size,long-term credit bank to a large diversifiedfinancial conglomerate. Besides, Vaghul isalso on the board of several companies andhis work takes him all over thecountry though he is now settledin Chennai, India. Since 1998 hehas been a visiting professor atNew York University, teaching aregular course “EmergingEconomies” to MBAstudents.Next to finance,spirituality is his forte. Vaghulwas one of the earliest people tointroduce spirituality at theworkplace. His spiritual journey,he says, went through differentstages. “I belong to a traditional,religious family of Chennai. In my earlyyears, I had deep abiding faith in God.During my twenties, my scientifictemperament questioned the concept of God.In the next two decades, I explored variousbeliefs, delving into the metaphysical and theconcept of spirituality. I sought knowledgefrom various religious texts and also metluminaries: Swami Chimayananda, DayanandSaraswati, Swami Parthasarthy. Graduallythe realization dawned on me that it is notpossible to find the solution merely byreading books. The truth lies within our ownselves, and we alone have to explore andreach it.”About 12 years ago, seekinganswers to some of his doubts led him toS.N. Goenka. He learnt Vipassana and eversince, he has been an ardentfollower.”Purifying the mind involves deconditioningit, which is difficult as it isalready conditioned in many ways and alsofull of impurities such as self-centeredness.Look at it this way, supposethere is this huge tree to be cutdown. You can either snip thebranches or go to the root level,which is more difficult. To gaincontrol of the mind, you haveto still it first and then slowlywork towards getting rid of theego that is the ‘I’consciousness.”At work, Vaghul’s spiritualvalues influenced the workculture in many ways. “I don’t favor forcinganyone to do anything, but I feel the bestway to teach anything is by example. I usedto often talk about Vipassana and encouragepeople to go for it. I believe in merely actingas a catalyst. Those days, we used to sendour middle-level executives to theVivekananda Yoga Kendra near Bangaloreto introduce them to spirituality. This has theimmediate effect of bringing about a levelof calmness and lowering blood pressure.These days there seems to be a trend towardsconducting stress management workshops inmany organisations, but more often than not,it is superficial.”(From the Web Site)SAMARTHA BHARATA 95

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2KIRAN MAZUMDAR-SHAWBioqueenMazumdar-Shaw joins the leaguewith a net worth of Rs.2,303crore. Kiran took Biocon from anenzyme research company to a biopharmaunit with a market-cap of over $1.11 billion.Kiran, who holds 39.64 percent of Biocon’scapital, hit the big time after the company’sscrip closed at Rs.581.20 on the BombayStock Exchange recently. Her net worth isRs.1,920 crore. Kiran’s biocon is an amazingsuccess story almost with no parallel in India.A 25-year-old middle class girl started acompany 25 years ago. The company grewsteadily for many years. With accumulatedknowledge, Kiran transformed herindustrial biotechnology company. It hasnow become a major international pharmaplayer.Kiran says she would rather concentrateon building her business than keeping awatch on the billionaire’s list.(TNSE)George, Anju Bobby: Her feat of winning the long jump bronze at the World AthleticsChampionship in Paris on August 30, 2003, has put her on a pedestal in Indian athleticsreached by very few.She leaped to 6.70 metres at the Stade de France that gave her a bronze and India ahistoric medal. No Indian athlete has ever won a medal of the World-level. Anju, infact, is the only second Indian at a world final, the first being discus thrower NeelamSingh.She was declared the Best female athlete of National Games 2001-2002. She washonoured with Arjuna Award in 2003. she is the first Indian woman athlete to secureCommonwealth medal. She is also the first Indian woman to win Asiad gold in longjump and the only Asian woman to reach World Indoors finals.An Indian American, Akshay Buddiga, 13, won the second spot in the prestigious77 th National Spelling Bee in Washington.SAMARTHA BHARATA 96

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2BIOTECH QUEEN IS INDIA’SWEALTHIEST WOMANKiran Mazumdar Shaw probablybecame India’s wealthiest womanin 2003 after shares on BioconLtd, the biotechnology company shepioneered, had a blockbuster opening on theBombay Stock Exchange.For Mazumdar, the initial public officer(IPO) marks a high point in a 26-year journeythat transformed Biocon from a smallenzyme maker into a drug firm challengingglobal insulin makers such a Eli Lily andNovo Nordisk.The 50-year-old, who founded the firm with10,000 rupees ($229) in 1978, holds nearly40 percent of Biocon, India’s flag-bearerbiotech company.Biocon sold 10 percent of its capital to raise$72 million, an offer that was subscribedmore than 32 times.The shares were priced at 315 rupees eachthrough a book-built issue, and zoomed upto 507 rupees after opening at 435. They haddrifted to around 490 rupees later.At this price, the company’s value crosses$1.1 billion, putting Mazumdar’s stake at19.6 billion rupees ($449 million) andmaking her one of India’s richest women.“To me it is just a number”, Mazumdar toldReuters after the listing. “I built this companyto deliver a different kind of value. Thesenumbers are just notional but it makes mevery proud. The team has made thispossible.”Bangalore-based Biocon aims to grow itsrevenue by 30 percent a year, and is India’sfirst significant biotech company to list itsshares in the nascent industry. Besidesmaking enzymes and drugs to fight diabetes,cancer and cholesterol, Biocon has separateunits offering contract research and clinicaltrial services for global clients, a bid to cashin on India’s relatively inexpensive scientists.Biocon was named after Mazumdar’s initialIrish joint venture partner, whose stake waslater acquired by Unilever. The Indian cofoundersbought back that stake when theAnglo-Dutch group exited the JV in 1998.The daughter of a master brewer at leadingIndian beer maker United Breweries,Mazumdar is proud of her father.She followed her father to take a master’sbrewing degree in Australia after graduatingin zoology in her hometown, Bangalore, andlater co-invented a unique cauldron thatblended her skills. Biocon’s patentedbiotechnology reactor based on fermentationSatyajit Ray (1921-1992)Ray is the greatest film director India has produced. He won special Oscar award and BharatRatna in 1992. His most famous films are Pather Panchali, Aparajita, and Charulata.SAMARTHA BHARATA 97

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2techniques is a key showpiece of thecompany’s achievements.Sporting a fancy scarf, and a friendly smile,Mazumdar hardly looks like a bookishscientist who heads a 1200-strong team oftechnical experts and a company with 130patents to its credit.Biocon aims to grow its revenue to morethan $1.0 billion over the next decade froman estimated $126 million in the year toMarch (2003), for which final results are yetto be released. Mazumdar is also active as asocial worker in public-private partnershipsto boost the creaking infrastructure of India’stechnology capital.Thanks to her Irish connection, Mazumdar’soffice in Biocon’s 80-acre campus onBangalore’s outskirts doubles as the city’sIrish consulate. She works with her Scottishhusband, who quit his job as a financialexpert in a textile company to becomeBiocon’s vice-chairman. “Art brought ustogether,” says Mazumdar. The couple havea collection of 250 paintings, four of themby a famed Indian artist.(T.N.I.E)“OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON AGRICULTURE”M.S.SwaminathanOnly three Indians find a place inTIME magazine’s 20 mostinfluential Asians of the 20 th century.Professor M.S.Swaminathan is one ofthem. The other two being Mahatma Gandhiand Rabindranath Tagore. A plant geneticistby training, Professor Swaminathan isconsidered the architect of the GreenRevolution. His advocacy of sustainableagriculture leading to an ever-greenrevolution makes him an acknowledgedworld leader in the field of sustainable foodsecurity.Professor Swaminathan has won manyawards including the Ramon MagsaysayAward for Community Leadership in 1971,the Albert Einstein World Science Award in1986, and the first World Food Prize in 1987.Recently, the Union government appointedhim as the head of the National Commissionon Farmers.Dr.B.R.Ambedkar (1891-1956)Indian Jusist, social worker, Politician, Writer, educationist, Emancipatorof the downtrodden, fighter for social justice. He framed the Indianconstitution. He was minister in the Indian Cabinet. Bharat Ratna – 1990.SAMARTHA BHARATA 98

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2PROF. M.S.SWAMINATHANProf. M S Swaminathan has beenacclaimed by TIME magazine as oneof the twenty most influential Asiansof the 20th century and one of the only threefrom India, the other two being MahatmaGandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. He hasbeen described by the United NationsEnvironment Programme as “the Father ofEconomic Ecology” and by Javier Perez deCuellar, Secretary General of the UnitedNations, as “a living legend who will go intothe annals of history as a world scientist ofrare distinction”. He was Chairman of theUN Science Advisory Committee set up in1980 to take follow-up action on the ViennaPlan of Action. He has also served asIndependent Chairman of the FAO Counciland President of the International Union forthe Conservation of Nature and NaturalResources.A plant geneticist by training, Prof.Swaminathan’s contributions to theagricultural renaissance of India have led tohis being widely referred to as the scientificleader of the green revolution movement. Hisadvocacy of sustainable agriculture leadingto an ever-green revolution makes him anacknowledged world leader in the field ofsustainable food security. The InternationalAssociation of Women and Developmentconferred on him the first international awardfor significant contributions to promoting theknowledge, skill, and technologicalempowerment of women in agriculture andfor his pioneering role in mainstreaminggender considerations in agriculture and ruraldevelopment. Prof. Swaminathan wasawarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award forSAMARTHA BHARATA 99Community Leadership in 1971, the AlbertEinstein World Science Award in 1986, thefirst World Food Prize in 1987, VolvoEnvironment Prize in 1999, and the FranklinD Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award in 2000.Prof. Swaminathan is a Fellow of many ofthe leading scientific academies of India andthe world, including the Royal Society ofLondon and the US National Academy ofSciences. He has received 43 honorarydoctorate degrees from universities aroundthe world. Recently, he has been elected asthe President of Pugwash Conferences onScience and World Affairs. He currentlyholds the UNESCO Chair in Ecotechnologyat the M S Swaminathan ResearchFoundation in Chennai (Madras), IndiaM. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation(MSSRF) was registered in 1988 as a nonprofitTrust. The basic mandate of MSSRFis to impart a pro-nature, pro-poor and prowomenorientation to a job-led economicgrowth strategy in rural areas throughharnessing science and technology forenvironmentally sustainable and sociallyequitable development.MSSRF is doing research in the followingfive areas: Coastal Systems Research,Biodiversity and Biotechnology,Ecotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture,Reaching the Unreached, and Education,Communication, Training and CapacityBuilding.The Foundation operates through thefollowing pathways to agricultural and rural

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2development: conservation and enhancementof natural resources, promotion ofsustainable livelihoods, gender equity andvoicing the voiceless as well as informationand skill empowerment. Through the HinduMedia Resource Centre the Foundationpromotes public understanding of sciencethrough media practitioners.The Foundation is known for its emphasison bottom-up participatory approach, whichplaces people before technology.(From the Web Site)Father of India’s green revolution M.S.Swaminathan was instrumental in making India a netexporter of food grains. In the sixties the question in everybody’s mind was how would India feedits growing population. Several dark prophecies were made and the Malthusian viewpoint wasstrong. In China, some 30 million people had starved to death. In 1964 Swaminathan developedand introduced high-yielding varieties of food-grains, ushering in the green revolution, and thiswas to become the most dramatic success story of modern India. Having returned to India afterrefusing a job abroad, he set up 2,000 model farms near Delhi to show what the new seeds werecapable of. He got the support of the political leadership as food dependence was seen as apolitical weapon. In just a few years, India’s food grain production doubled from 12 milliontonnes to 23 million tonnes; today food grain production is above 220million tonnes. In retrospect,we can say that it was this single achievement that has made India self-reliant.Swaminathan set up several institutes, including the International Crop Research Institute forSemi-Arid Tropics and the International Federation of Agricultural Research Systems forDevelopment. He won the World Food prize in 1987, the UNEP Sasakawa Award in 1994 and hasalso been honoured with the Magsaysay award.KUMAR MANGALAM BIRLAPrized ScionWhen Kumar Mangalam Birlastepped into his father AdityaBirla’s legendary shoes in 1995,he was 28. everybody wondered how hewould cope, how he would run the 60 yearold-group.In the eight years he has been atthe helm, the turnover of the group hasjumped from Rs.7,200 crore to Rs.27,000crore. “One thing my father used to alwayssay was you should have a view of the longterm and no short cuts,” he said in aninterview to a business magazine. Birlaremains unassuming and is known in theSAMARTHA BHARATA 100corporate circles for his humility althoughhe is estimated to be worth $3.2 billion.Today he has transformed the culture of theBirla group and has steered it to new levels.In late 1997, he decided that the groupexecutives would compulsorily retire at 60years—something unheard of before in thegroup. He got the group to enter highpotentialsectors such as software, insuranceand branded apparels. Despite sitting onwealth, Birla is not the sort to flaunt hismoney. A non-smoker and a teetotaler, hisonly passion is paintings. He is ranked 147 thin the Forbes list.(TNSE)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2THE BUSINESS ETHIC OF J.R.D. TATAR.M.LalaIn the public mind, ethics in business ismainly identified with financial integrity.Important as that is, the real meaning ofethics goes beyond that. The dictionarydefines it as “the science of morals in humanconduct, a moral principle or code.” Itencompasses the entire spectrum of humanconduct. Business ethics lays down how aperson in businesses deals with his or hercolleagues, staff and workers, shareholders,customers, the community, the government,the environment and even the nation at large.J.R.D. Tata was meticulous when it cameto financial ethics. When I pointed out tohim in 1979 that the Tatas had not expandedas much in the 1960s and 1970s as someother groups had, he replied: “I have oftenthought about that. If we had done some ofthe things that some other groups have done,we would have been twice as big as we aretoday. But we didn’t, and I would not haveit any other way.”The well-known tax consultant, Dinesh Vyas,says that JRD never entered into a debateover ‘tax avoidance,’ which was permissible,and ‘tax evasion,’ which was illegal; has solemoto was ‘tax compliance.’ On one occasiona senior executive of a Tata company triedto save on taxes. Before putting up that case,the chairman of the company took him toJRD. Mr.Vyas explained to JRD: “But sir, itis not illegal.” JRD asked, softly: “Notillegal, yes. But is it right?” Mr.Vyas saysthat during his decades of professional workno one had ever asked him that question.Mr.Vyas later wrote in an article: “JRDwould have been the most ardent supporterof the view expressed by Lord Denning:“The avoidance of tax may be lawful, but itis not yet a virtue.”Attitude to colleaguesWhen he rang us in the office he would firstask: “Can you speak?” or “Do you havesomeone with you?” or “Except when he wasVikram Sarabhai had varied interests and was involved in many things—business,management institutes and space research. Born into a business family, he startedmany companies bearing the Sarabhai name. In 1962 he helped found the IndianInstitute of Management, Ahmedabad. He was to give up the life of an Industrialistfor his first love, space research. In 1993 he was inducted into the InternationalSpace Hall of Fame, a crater on the moon has been named after him by the InternationalAstronomical Union. He was Chairman of the Indian Atomic energy Commission asHomi Bhabha’s successor and was President of the 14 th General Conference of theInternational Atomic energy Agency in Vienna in 1970. He laid the foundation ofspace and nuclear research and mode it capable of withstanding various sanctions bythe developed world. The low-cost infrastructure for launching of satellites that existstoday is also because of Sarabhai.SAMARTHA BHARATA 101

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2agitated, he would never ask you: “Can youcome up?” He was always polite.JRD’s strong point was his intense interestin people and his desire to make them happy.Towards the end of his life he often said:“We don’t smile enough.” When I waswriting The Creation of Wealth, he told meabout his dealings with his colleagues: “Witheach man I have my own way. I am one whowill make full allowance for a man’scharacter and idiosyncrasies. You have toadapt yourself to their ways and dealaccordingly and draw out the best in eachman. At times it involves suppressingyourself. It is painful but necessary…To bea leader you have got to lead human beingswith affection.”It is a measure of his affection that even aftersome of them retired he would write to them.He was always grateful and loyal. To him,ethics included gratitude, loyalty andaffection. It came about because he thoughtnot only of business but also of people.In dealing with his workers he wasparticularly influenced by Jamshedji Tata,who at the height of capitalist exploitationin the 1880s and the 1890s gave his workersaccident insurance and a pension fund,adequate ventilation at the workplace andother benefits. He wanted workers to havea say in their own welfare and safety, and hewanted their suggestions on the running ofthe company. A note that he wrote onpersonnel policy resulted in the founding ofa personnel department. As a furtherconsequence of that note came about twopioneering strokes by Tata Steel: a profitsharing bonus and a joint consultativecouncil. Tata Steel has enjoyed peacebetween management and labour for 70years.Beyond businessDecades later, Tata Steel workers hadreceived several benefits. Then JRD lookedfurther.In a speech in Madras in 1969 he called onthe managements of industries located inrural or semi-urban areas to think of theirless fortunate neighbours in the surroundingsregion. “Let industry established in thecountryside ‘adopt’ the villages in itsneighbourhood; let some of the time of itsmanager, it engineers, doctors and skilledspecialists be spared to help and advise thepeople of the villages and to supervise newdevelopments undertaken by cooperativeeffort between them and the company.”To put JRD’s ideas into action, the Articlesof Association of leading Tata companieswere ameded and social obligations beyondthe welfare of employees was accepted asIndia’s nuclear status owes much to Homi Bhabha. Trained by C.V.Raman at theIndian Institute of Science, he was to become director of the Tata Institute ofFundamental Research in 1940 and Chairman of the newly formed Atomic energyCommission in 1948. He had the unstinted support of Nehru. He was President ofthe UN Conference on Peaceful uses of Atomic Energy. India’s nuclear policy hasbeen shaped by Bhabha. It was the foundation laid by him that has resulted in Indiadeveloping its nuclear capability today.SAMARTHA BHARATA 102

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2part of the group’s objectives. In the 19 thcentury. Baron Edward Thurlow, the poetasked: “Did you ever expect a corporationto have a conscience?” The answer fromJ.R.D. Tata was: ‘Yes’.Whenever he could, he raised his voiceagainst state capitalism. He never bent thesystem for his benefit. L.K. Jha recalled in1986 that whenever JRD came to him whenhe was a Government Secretary, he came noton behalf of a company but the wholeindustry. He wanted no favours, onlyfairness.In his last years he was veryconscious of the environment and industry’spart in spoiling it. He wrote in his Forewordto The Creation of Wealth in 1992: “I believethat the social responsibilities of ourindustrial enterprises should now extend,even beyond serving people, to theenvironment.”The J.R.D.Tata Centre for Ecotechnology atthe M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundationwas created in furtherance of his desire.To him India was not a geographicalexpression; it was people. When he wasawarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992, Tataemployees arranged a function on the lawnsof the National Centre for Performing Artsin Mumbai. A gentle breezes was blowingfrom the Arabian Sea. When JRD rose tospeak, he said: “An American economist haspredicted that in the next century India willbe an economic superpower. I don’t wantIndia to be an economic superpower. I wantIndia to be a happy country.’This was not only his hope, it was also hislife. He brought sunshine into the lives ofmany of us who knew him.(Russi Lala is the author of “Beyond the LastBlue Mountain: A Life of JRD”)SAMARTHA BHARATA 103

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 2G.D.BIRLA-MASTER SCULPTORD.P.MandeliaShri G.D.Birla was a visionary. Healways thought of the future. Heremained always a great student ofour culture and philosophy. Although he wasa Hindu by birth, he revered every otherreligion as he thought that the basic tenetsof all religions were the same. He was a manof character.His wife died when he was only in his thirties,but he decided to lead the life of a celibatetill his last breath.In 1942 when the Quit India Resolution waspassed, Mahatma Gandhi with all hisassociates was staying with Birlaji inBombay. He and his elder brother,Rameshwardasji were the hosts. One finemorning Gandhiji decided that nothingwould help the freedom movement than the“Quit India” Resolution. As he was stayingwith a big industrialist having great stakesunder the British rule, Gandhiji did not wantto embarrass his hosts. He, therefore,decided to shift to the Congress Office inBombay. When Rameshwardasji andGhanshyamdasji heard of this, they wereshocked, and felt insulted. They approachedGandhiji humbly and told him that he wouldbe doing injustice to them if, for fear of theirbearing the anger of the British Empire, heshifted to the Congress Office and passedthe resolution there. “God willing, we willbe able to weather the storm, if it comes,and we would request you to stay on hereand pass the resolution,” they said.The resolution was ultimately passed in theBirla House and it was from there that theBritish police took Gandhiji and hisassociates at midnight to the Yeravada Jailin Pune. That shows the principles to whichBirlaji attached the greatest value and towhich he adhered till the very last momentof his lifeI would compare Birlaji to a superb mastersculptor.Birlaji did not sculpt inanimateobjects but animate subjects—young men.Whenever he chose persons to take chargeof his industries, charitable institutions,educational institutes or any other projectsthat he thought worthwhile undertaking, hewould not care to go in for an experiencedman, as ordinary men do; he would go andlook for a novice, a young man. But not anyyoung man-not any novice just picked upfrom the street. No, he would first look tohis heredity.Birlaji never left for the morrow anythingthat could be done today. This was the keyto his success. Birlaji wanted India tobecome independent and strong and for thatpurpose started industries. Not onlyconventional industries, basic industries, newindustries, but he wanted to improve theagricultural produce quantity-wise andquality-wise. He introduced new vegetables,new fruits. He even started an AgriculturalFarm and a Dairy at Pilani.(The Bhavan’s Journal 31-8-2004)SAMARTHA BHARATA 104

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3SECTION - 3Shining InstitutionsNational TreasuresEach soul is potentiallydivine. The goal is to manifestthis Divinity within, bycontrolling nature, externaland internal. Do this either bywork, or worship, or psychiccontrol,or philosophy —byone or more or all of these —and be free. This is the wholeof religion. Doctrines, ordogmas, or rituals, or books,or temples, or forms, are butsecondary details.Sitting in luxurious homes,surround with all the comfortsof life, and doling out a littleamateur religion may be goodfor other lands, but India hasa truer instinct. It intuitivelydetects the mask. You must giveup. Be great. No great workcan be done withoutsacrifice……Swami VivekanandaSMARTHA BHARATA 105

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Thus spake Swami VivekanandaThis is the time to decide your future - while you possess the energy ofyouth, not when you are worn our and jaded, but in the freshness andvigour of youth. Work - this is the time; for the freshest, the untouchedand unsmelled flowers alone are to be laid at the feet of the Lord andsuch He receives. Rouse youselves, therefore, for life is short. Thereare greater works to be done than aspiring to become lawyers andpicking quarrels and such things. A far greater work is this sacrificeof yourselves for the benefit of your race, for the welfare ofhumanity.What is in this life?SMARTHA BHARATA 106

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3BHILAI STEEL JOINS LONGRAIL CLUBN.N.SachitanandThe Indian Railways, which operatesthe second largest railway network inthe world under one management,with nearly 109,000 km of rail tracks, willsoon be taking one step closer to being ableto run high speed trains such as those inJapan and France. This is because its solesupplier of rails, the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP)of the Steel Authority of India Ltd., hasrecently joined a select group of railmanufacturers in the world who can roll longrails of up to 80 metres in length. Such longrails, when welded together, form the trackson which high speed trains can glidesmoothly.In the post-Independence period, rail tracklength and route distances in India havegrown by 33 per cent and 17 per centrespectively, but passenger traffic hassnowballed by 550 per cent and freight by600 per cent. To cope with this surge intraffic, the Railways have taken up severalprojects to enhance transit speed, axle loadand safety. One of these is the upgradationof rail tracks.The BSP commenced manufacture of railsin 1960 and has since then supplied over 11million tonnes of rails to the Indian Railways.It has been fulfilling the ever-changing needsof the Railways by producing first 45 kg,then 52 kg and now 60 kg class of rails withstrength from 72 UTS to the present 90 UTS.Today the 90 UTS 60 kg rails supplied bySMARTHA BHARATA 107Bhilai to theRailways are thesame rails as usedby the advancedcountries for the most demanding trafficconditions.This has been made possible by thecontinuous enhancement in the quality ofsteel and rolling practices. One of the mostcommon reasons of rail failure in service isfatigue cracking caused by hydrogenembrittlement. Thanks to the installation ofthe latest secondary refining facilities ofmolten steel, before it goes for rail making,the BSP is able to produce the world’scleanest rail steel with less than 2 ppm (partsper million) of hydrogen. So far, Bhilai’s Railand Structural Mill was able to deliver railsin maximum lengths of 26 metres only. Workon the Long Rail Project, costing aboutRs.400 crores, started in 2002 and the first80 metre rail was commercially rolled andfinished in April 2004. In the next fewmonths, with the installation of specialwelding facilities, the BSP will be able todeliver rolled rails up to 80 metres in R52and 65 metres in R60 category and weldedpanels of 240 metres in R52 and 260 metresin R60 category.The BSP will be the world’s second railmaking facility after VAI, Austria, to have aunique yard mapping system for automaticstorage and loading of long rails.(The Hindu)Indian BPO companies are expected to corner business to the tune of $800 million fromthe US healthcare market by 2005.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3STEEL AUTHORITY OF INDIABusiness SummaryIncorporated in 1973, the Steel Authorityof India (SAIL) is a giant among the steelmajors in India. It is the largest steelconglomerate in the country and the world’sninth-largest steelmaker. It manages andoperates five integrated steel plants at Bhilai,Madhya Pradesh; Bokaro, Bihar; Durgapur,West Bengal;Rourkela,Orissa; andBurnpur, WestBengal. It alsohas four units forspecial and alloysteels and ferroalloys atDurgapur, WestBengal; Salem,Tamilnadu;Chandrapur,Maharashtra; and Bhadravati,Karnataka.SAIL operates nine iron ore, fivelimestone, three dolomite and three coalmines besides generating 700 MW of captivepower. The Central Marketing Organisation,with its headquaters at Calcutta, monitorsits domestic market through an expandingnetwork of stockyards, dockyards, branchsales offices and consignment agents whilethe International Trade Division looks afterits export of world-class steel to as many as70 countries across the globe, by establishingclose liaison with buyers abroad.Thecompany is the only producer of extra-wide(up to 3200 mm) and heavy plates, cateringto the needs of the construction, automobile,shipbuilding, engineering and other sectors.SAIL’s plants and units have received ISO9002/1 certifications and are well-equippedwith the state-of-the-art technology to meetadvanced needs and applications. ISO 9002-certified stainless steel is exported to severaldeveloped countries.The Govt of India hasapproved theFinancial andBusinessRestructuringof SAILinvolvingwaiving ofloans advancedto it from SteelDvpt Fund to avalue ofRs.5073 cr andRs.381 cr fromGovt of India; Provision of Govt guaranteeswith 50% interest subsidy for loan andinterest thereon on Rs.1500 cr to be raisedby SAIL from the market to financereduction in manpower through voluntaryretirement scheme; Provision of Govtguarantee for loan and interest thereon ofRs.1500 cr (incl.Rs.500 cr already agreed)to be raised by SAIL from the marketprimarily for meeting repayment obligationon past loans during 1999-2000. To initiatethe process of divestment of the followingnon-core assets into a joint venture withprotecting jobs of the existing employeesTwo prominent non-resident Indians—Arun Sarin and Lakshmi Mittal—figure amongthe 25 most powerful people in Business in Europe, according to the Forbes magazine.SMARTHA BHARATA 108

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3venture agreement with Tata Iron & Steeland Kalyani Steel for the creation of acompany to manage their steel e-marketplace, metaljunction.com.Thecompany tied-up with the National BuildingConstruction Corporation (NBCC) forformation ofa consortium to helpreconstruction activity in quake-hit Gujarat.The combine will initially concentrate onbuilding low-cost, quake-hit and cycloneresistantdwelling units suitable for ruralGujarat.The company has completed theModernisation Programme at Bhilai SteelPlant and also the Upgradation of DurgapurSteel Plant has also been completed during2001-02. At Bokaro Steel Plant theequipment work is in progress and theFurnace was commissioned in 2002-03. Thecompany incurred a capital expenditure ofRs.241 crores. The Company has enteredinto an agreement with Corus Consulting LtdUK for Long Rail facility and the UKcompany will provide a technical back upsupport for SAIL.(From the Web Site)INFOSYS IN $1 b CLUB, RECOMMENDS 3:1 BONUSIT bell-wether, Infosys Technologies, theBangalore headquartered IT servicescompany, announced on Tuesday (13/04/04) that it had earnedrevenues of over a billiondollars for the year endedMarch 31, 2004. This year,a firmer rupee was still acause for concern, butprices would hold and thecompany would growrevenues by 24 per cent,senior Infosys executivestold reporters at Bangalore.Infosys Plans include higher investments insubsidiaries in China, Australia, the BPO armProjeon and in a new consulting firm,Infosys Consulting, in the U.S. Moreinvestments were also planned in improvingInfosys’ banking product, Finacle. However,large outsourcing deals in the BPO sectorcould be ‘on hold,’ K.Gopalakrishnan,Infosys’ chief operating officer said.On the billion-dollarrevenues, an ebullientChairman and ChiefMentor, N.R.NarayanaMurthy, termed it “ahistorical milestone”.Nandan M.Nilekani,CEO, President andManaging Director,said, “We have grownfrom $121 million in1999 to a consolidated revenue of $1.06billion in 2004. Today, we have the requiredsize, brand, compelling value proposition andambition to build the next generationsoftware services and consulting company.”The technology of the Leh Berry drink comes from the Defence Research and DevelopmentOrganisation’s field Research Laboratory in Leh, thereby making it the world’s highest life sciencelaboratory. Leh Berry is an innovative fruit nector extracted from a Himalayan Shrub Seabuckthorn.SMARTHA BHARATA 109

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3AT INFOSYS, THEY DON’T REINVENT THE WHEELB.M.ThanujaMost knowledge management (KM)literature shows that a companyshould constantly invest inmanaging, as well as renewing its intellectualcapital on an institutionalised basis. This isespecially true of companies in softwaresector, which has a high knowledgecomponent and evolves in a fast-pacedglobalised economy.Bangalore-based IT major Infosys has beenone of the pioneers when it comes toknowledge management. During late 1999,when the company was on a particularlyaggressive growth path, the seeds of aformal, organisation wide, integrated KMinitiative were sown. The intiative is nowdriven by a steering committee consisting ofthe key heads plus members of the board ofdirectors, with a formal budget process.One of the key initiatives under KM was theestablishment of the Infosys Knowledgeportal, “At Infosys, the focus has been onthe culture and incentivisation of knowledgesharing, attention to the currency ofinformation and ensuring its utility. The basicidea is that if something has been donealready, that knowledge should be sharedwith the other employees. The processshould not be repeated,” M.P.Ravindra, vicepresident and head-education and researchsays.“We started this initiative in 1999 and sincethen there has been fantastic progress. Wetake in almost 7,000 freshers every year. Sothe information stored helps a lot as thesenewcomers don’t have to go through a trialmethod. They can just log on to the internalKM portal and get the information theywant,” he adds.Most companies put technology first,believing that if technology is in place, theneverything will be fine. “The environmentshould be conducive and non-threatening forpeople to share knowledge. Infact, around45 percent of our Infosys community are partof the KM initiative now and we expect it togrow fast. This is completely voluntary,”Ravindra says.The knowledge management portal providesthe technology infrastructure for the KMinitiative. Built on a platform of Microsoftsuite of servers, the homegrown knowledgeportal has an impressive array of features thatfacilitate the user in knowledge sharing andreuse. There ware nearly 2400 knowledgeareas in the Infosys-proprietary knowledgetaxonomy, arranged in a simple andintuitive4-level hierarchical structure whichincludes case studies, project snapshots,FAQs, experiential write-ups, tutorials,publications/white papers, etc.“The knowledge thus generated is evendelivered to clientfacing Infoscions and thoseoutside the corporate intranet throughappropriate delivery channels,” Ravindrasays.The company’s KM initiative has madeit the first Indian company to win the GlobalMAKE (Most Admired KnowledgeEnterprises) award for 2003. (TNIE)SMARTHA BHARATA 110

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT BESTKNOWN TCSRomme RodriguesTheir recall value will tell you that TataConsultancy Services (TCS) is one ofthe largest software development andservices companies in the world. However,there is another facet to their commercial lineof business, perhaps not known to many.The company is also the pioneers in developinga n dimplementingcomputer-basedprogrammes,which help ineducatingilliterate adults.The companyprovides thissoftware and insome cases thehardware absolutely free to literacy endeavourstaken up by NGOs and government agencies.Atul Takle, vice president (communication) ofTCS said, “The software we have created is aobject-oriented visual recognition software,called computer based functional literacyprogramme (CBFL), which uses the objectsand sounds as implements to teach a language.This helps the illiterate person to actuallyunderstand and learn the language. Throughthis aid we have seen that a completely illiterateperson can start reading a newspaper in about45 days”. The CBFL model is presently offeredin six Indian languages including Tamil, Telugu,Bengali, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati.According to Takle, TCS has been workingon the CBFL programme with several NGOsspread across 1000 literacy centres in India,and so far has helped over 20,000 illteratesbetween the ages of 18-50 years who havemissed formalschooling butspeak somedialect of thelanguage.“In India weconductedextensivetrials intandem withthe State literacy mission in Andhra Pradesh,and have been working with various otherNGOs involved in this areas”, he said.TCS is now planning to aggressively implementthis programme in South Africa. The companyhas been working with local linguists andNGOs for a few months now assisting them inmapping the sounds and developing a scriptfor one South African language, viz. NorthernSotho, spoken by one of the Zulu tribes. SouthAfrica has 11 official languages includingAfrikaans English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa,The Tata Power Trading Company Ltd (TPTCL) has been awarded the first-ever powertrading licence in India, by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).SMARTHA BHARATA 111

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3isiZulu, Spepedi, Sosotho, Setswana, Siswati,Tshivenda and Xitsonga, besides severaldialects. Many of these dialects do not havetheir own script and therefore use the RomanScript.Takle said, “We have been working withvarious agencies in South Africa in adultliteracy programme for some time now, andhave completely adapted the software to thelocal language. The programme will now beimplemented and we expect that it will spreadthroughout the region in the next few years”.Aspart of its social commitment, the company alsoprovides the hardware in terms of computersand other peripherals required to run and usethe software, where it spends a substantialamount. Takle, however, did not want to revealany figures.NO.1 WEALTH CREATOR IN THE MAKINGT.BhanuTCS is Asia’s largest exporter of ITservices and India’s first IT servicescompany to post revenues in excessof US $1 billion, and is rated as the numberone IT Services Company inIndia in terms of revenue andprofits. Now, with the inclusionof TCS, the Tata Group marketcapitalization would jump froma level of Rs.57,664 crore tosome Rs.98,375 crore and beforelong achieve the nice, round,magic figure of Rs.100,000crore.As it is, even among individualprivate sector companies, TCSwould be just behind RelianceIndustries’ market capitalizationof Rs.75,132 crore with its marketcapitalization figure of Rs.40,611 crore,ahead of Bharti Tele-Ventures (Rs.28,662crore), Tata Motors (Rs.11,866 crore) andReliance Engg. (Rs.13,431 crore).Analysts believe that by 2005-06, “TCScould well get past RelianceIndustries to take the No.1wealth creator position amongall individual companies.” Toback their optimism, analystspoint out that with thecompany’s vision to becomea ‘global ten by 2010’, bothturnover and profits wouldrise sharply as was witnessedin 2004 and secondly TataGroup which holds nearly 85percent of the stock is notknown to offload its scrips inthe market. “Like Wipro, TCStoo in the medium term attracts a priceearning multiple of 40 plus,” analysts feel.Expect a lot of action when the share getslisted on the bourses.[T.N.I.E.]70,000 units of notebook computers were sold in our country last year.SMARTHA BHARATA 112

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3IOC, SBI TOP INDIANPACK IN FORBESTwenty-seven Indian companies havemade it to Forbes magazine’s list of2000 top firms worldwide with theirranking based on composite sales, profits,assets and market value.The Indian pack is led by Indian OilCorporation followed by State Bank of Indiaand is dominated by banking, oil and gasindustries. Among the Indian companiesmaking it to the list are ten bankingorganizations, five oil and gas industries. twotelecommunications firms and two softwaregiants, Infosys and Wipro.Indian Oil is ranked 243 and Oriental Bank ofCommerce just about makes it, getting the lastposition—2000. The number of Indian firmsmaking to the list is up from last year’s 20.Besides State Bankof India, which isranked 251, theIndian bankinggroup making it tothe list include ICICIBank (820), CanaraBank (1271), PunjabNational Bank(1286), Bank ofIndia (1344), Bankof Baroda (1358),IndustrialDevelopment Bank of India (1555), UnionBank of India (1642) and Indian OverseasBank (1984). The companies dealing with oiland gas are led by Indian Oil Corporation,followed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation(273), Reliance industries (303), BharatPetroleum Corporation (804) and HindustanPetroleum Corporation (856). Amongtelecommunication companies, MahanagarTelephone Nigam is placed at 1922 nd positionfollowed by Bharti Tele Ventures at 1983.Software company Infosys Technologies, isranked 1320 just above Wipro whose positionis 1343.GAIL (India) is ranked 1238 and ITC gets arank of 1311.The Steel Authority of India is placed at 1393position much above Tata Iron and SteelCompany, which is ranked at 1530. Amongothers, HDFC gets 1380 th ranking, RanbaxyLab 1621, Neyveli Lignite Corporation 1975and Hindalco Industries 1998. Of the fourparameters set by Forbes, IOC leads in sales($25.26 billion), SBI in assets ($104.80 billion)and ONGC in profits ($2.20 billion) and marketvalue ($23.26 billion)Reliance Industries had made two new gas discoveries of its D-6 block, the site of theworld’s largest gas find of 2002, in the Bay of Bengal.SMARTHA BHARATA 113

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3WIPRO FOLLOWSRIVAL INFY INTOBILLION- DOLLARCLUBThree days after rival IT firm Infosyscrossed the $1 billion-in-revenuelandmark, Wipro Ltd too hasfollowed suit, bringing a lot of cheer to theindustry (on 16/04/2004).The company has registered a total revenueof Rs.5,881 crore for fiscal 2004, an increaseof 36 percent year-on-year. Its global ITservices and projects revenue was Rs.4,358crore, an increase of 43 percent over lastyear, thus taking the company’s IT globalservices business revenues past the $1 billionmark.The IT giant surpassed market expectationswith a total profit after tax of Rs.1,032 crore,a jump of 26 percent over last fiscal, whileprofit before interest and tax (PBIT) inglobal IT services and products was Rs.954crore, an increase of 14 percent year-on-year.RELIANCE STRIKES GAS OFF ORISSA COASTRamnath SubbuIn a significant development in oil and gasexploration, Reliance Industries hasstruck gas off the Orissa Coast in the Bayof Bengal in the exploration blockNECOSN-97/2.which indicate an in-place volume of about4-5 trillion cubic feet. We will, however,declare the value only after we have acertificate”. The Reliance authoritiesclaimed.“We have made an initial estimate of thepotential from seismic and other studies,Sundaram-Clayton won the Demining award for quality, a coveted honour. Lastyear four Indian companies, Rane Brakes, Brakes India, Mahindra and Mahindraand Sona Koya landed this award.The number of Indian companies operating in the United Arab emirates hascrossed the 10,000 mark.SMARTHA BHARATA 114

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3AMUL - THE PRICELESSThe mighty Ganges at it’s origin is buta tiny stream in the Gangotri rangesof the Himalayas. Similar is the storyof Amul which inspired ‘Operation Flood’and heralded the ‘White Revolution’ in India.It began with two village cooperatives and250 liters of milk per day, nothing but atrickle compared to the flood it has becometoday. Today Amul collects, processes anddistributes over a million liters of milk andmilk products per day, during the peak, onbehalf of more than a thousand villagecooperatives owned by half a million farmermembers. Further, as Ganga-ma carries theaspirations of generations for moksha, Amultoo has become a symbol of the aspirationsof millions of farmers.Creating a pattern ofliberation and self-reliance for every farmerto follow.The revolution started as an awareness amongthe farmers that grew and matured into a protestmovement and the determination to liberatethemselves. Over four decades ago, the lifeof a farmer in Kaira District was very muchlike that of his counterpart anywhere else inIndia. His income was derived almost entirelyfrom seasonal crops. The income from milchbuffaloes was undependable. The marketingand distribution system for the milk was controlledby private traders and middlemen. Asmilk is perishable, farmers were compelled tosell it for whatever they were offered. Often,they had to sell cream and ghee at throwawayprices. In this situation, the one who gainedwas the private trader. Gradually, therealisation dawned on the farmers that the exploitationby the trader could be checked onlyif marketed their milk themselves. In order todo that they needed to form some sort of anSMARTHA BHARATA 115organisation.This realisationis what led to theestablishementof the Kaira DistrictCooperativeMilk Producers’UnionLimited (popularly known as Amul) which wasformally registered on December 14, 1946.The Kaira Union began pasteurising milk offor Bombay Milk Scheme in June 1948. Anassured market proved a great incentive to themilk producers of the districts. By the end of1948, more than 400 farmers joined in morevillage societies, and the quantity of milkhandled by one Union increased from 250 to5,000 liters per day.Obstacles: Springboards for success.Each failure, each obstacle, each stumblingblock can be turned into a success story. In theearly years, Amul had to face a number ofproblems. With every problem cameopportunity. A chance to turn a negative into apositive. Milk by-products and supplementaryyield which suffered from the same lack ofmarketing and distribution facilities becameencumbrances. Instead of being bogged downby their fate, they were used as stepping-stonesfor expansion. Backward integration of theprocess led the cooperatives to advances inanimal husbandry and veterinary practice.Milk by-products: An excuse to expand.The response to these provided stimulus forfurther growth. For example, as the movementspread in the district, it was found that theBombay Milk Scheme could not absorb theextra milk collected by the Kaira

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Union in winter, when the production on an not as prominent as his attachment to dairyingaverage was 2.5 times more than in summer. as a tradition handed down from oneThus, even by 1953, the farmer-members had generation to the next. The milk yield fromno assured market for the extra milk produced animals, which were maintained mainly on thein winter. They were again forced to sell a largesurplus at low rates to the middlemen. Theremedy was to set up a plant to process milkinto products like butter and milk powder. ARs 5 million plant to manufacture milk powderand butter was completed in 1955. In 1958,the factory was expanded to manufacturesweetened condensed milk. Two years later, anew wing was added for the manufacture of2500 tonnes of roller-dried baby food and 600 by products of the farm, was decidedly low.tonnes of cheese per year, the former based on That together with the lack of facilities toa formula developed with the assistance of market even the little produced rendered theCentral Food Technological Research Institute scientific practice of animal husbandry(CFTRI), Mysore. It was the first time irrational as well as unaffordable. The returnanywhere in the world that cheese or baby food on the investment as well as the prospects ofwas made from buffalo milk on a large, being able to market the product looked verycommercial scale. Another milestone was the bleak. It was a vicious cycle reinforced bycompletion of a project to manufacture generations of beliefs.balanced cattle feed. The plant was donated The Kaira Union broke the cycle by not onlyby OXFAM under the Freedom From Hunger taking upon themselves the responsibility ofCampaign of the FAO.To meet the requirement collecting the marketable surplus of milk butof milk powder for the Defense, the Kaira also provided the members with every provisionneeded to enhance production. Thus theUnion was asked by the Government of Indiain 1963 to setup additional milk drying Kaira Union has full-fledged machinery gearedcapacity. A new dairy capable of producing 40 to provide animal health care and breeding facilities.As early as late fifties, the Union startedtonnes of milk powder and 20 tonnes of buttera day was speedily completed. It was declared making high quality buffalo semen. Throughopen in 1965. The Mogar Complex where high village society workers artificial inseminationprotein weaning food, chocolate and malted service was made available to the rural animalfood are being made was another initiative by population. The Union started its mobile veterinaryservices to render animal health careAmul to ensure that while it fulfilled the socialresponsibility to meet the demand for liquid at the farmers’ doorstep. Probably for the firstmilk, its members were not deprived of the time in the country, veterinary first aid services,benefits to be had from the sale of high valueaddedproducts.the villages.The Union’s 16 mobile veterinaryby trained personnel, were made available inCattle: From stumbling blocks to building dispensaries are manned by fully qualified staff.blocks.Traditionally dairying was a subsidairy All the villages are visited bi-monthly, on aoccupation of the farmers of Kaira. However, predetermined day, to provide animal healththe contribution to the farmer’s income was care. A 24-hour Emergency ServiceSMARTHA BHARATA 116

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3is also available at a fee (Rs. 35 for membersand Rs. 100 for non-members). All themobile veterinary vans are equipped withRadio Telephones.The Union runs a semen production centerwhere it maintains high pedigreed Surtibuffalo bulls, Holstein Friesian bulls, Jerseybulls and 50 per cent crossbred bulls. Thesemen obtained from these bulls is used forartificial breeding of buffaloes and cowsbelonging to the farmer members of thedistrict. The artificial insemination servicehas become very popular because it regulatesthe frequency of calving in cows andbuffaloes thus reducing their dry period. Notonly that, a balanced feed concentrate ismanufactured in the Union’s Cattle FeedPlant and sold to the members through thesocieties at cost price.Impressive though its growth, the uniquefeature of the Amul sagas did not lie in theextensive use of modern technology, nor therange of its products, not even the rapidinroads it made into the market for dairyproducts. The essence of the Amul story liesin the breakthrough it achieved inmodernizing the subsistence economy of asector by organizing the rural producers inthe areas.The Kaira experiment: A new beginningin more ways than one.A system which involves participation ofpeople on such a large magnitude does notconfine itself to an isolated sector. Theripples of its turbulence affect other areasof the society as well. The cooperatives inthe villages of Kaira are contributing tovarious desirable social changes such as:· The yearly elections of the managementcommittee and its chairman, by the members,are making the participants aware of theirrights and educating them about thedemocratic process.· Perpetuating the voluntary mix of thevarious ethnic and social groups twice-a-dayfor common causes and mutual bettermenthas resulted in eroding many socialinequilibria. The rich and the poor, the eliteand the ordinary come together to cooperatefor a common cause.· Live exposure to various moderntechnologies and their application in day-todaylife has not only made them aware ofthese developments but also made it easierfor them to adopt these very processes fortheir own betterment. One might wonderwhether the farmer who knows almosteverything about impregnating a cow orbuffalo, is also equally aware of the processin the humans and works towards planningit.· More than 900 village cooperatives havecreated jobs for nearly 5000 people in theirown villages — without disturbing the socioagro-system— and thereby the exodus fromthe rural areas has been arrested to a greatextent.· The income from milk has contributed totheir household economy. Besides, women,who are the major participants, now have asay in the home economy.Independent studies by various individuals andinstitutions have shown that as high as 48 percent of the income of the rural household in KairaDistrict is being derived from dairying. Sincedairying is a subsidairy occupation for themajority of the rural population, this income ishelping these people not only to liberatethemselves from the stronghold of poverty butalso to elevate their social status.(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 117

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3AMUL, ALL OF 40YEARSRamesh NarayanIread somewhere that Amul completed40 years as a brand. The mind is filledwith images. To me Amul has alwaysbeen even more than a brand. It hassymbolized a movement. Another way tolook at it is that Amul the brand symbolizesa movement. A co-operative movementwhere thousands of villages have gottentogether to pool their resources and createwealth for themselves, and for the nation.Milk was a scarce commodity 40 years back.I distinctly recall the trouble one had to taketo get a milk card. This card entitled you toa specified quantity of milk at a particulartime from a government run milk booth.Today, half of India’s urban population willnot even believe this. They have been bornand bred in a scenario where several brandsof milk jostle with each other for preciousshelf space in retail stores.To a large extent this happy situation is onaccount of a brand called Amul. And themovement it represents. On the advertisingfront, Amul has meant severalthings to me. Firstly there havebeen some of the finestexamples of topical outdooradvertising from Da Cunha’sfor Amul butter. Sometimesprovocative, sometimes funny,always interesting, never withmalice. That’s the message Itook away from the Amul butter outdoorcampaign. Though I do not have first handinformation, I also see the hidden hand of amature client behind the clever copy of adedicated, thinking advertising agency.Interference by a lesser client would haveruined the entire effort. It is something thatmost clients can learn from.Amul chocolates were launched at a timewhen Cadbury’s was a generic name. “A giftfor someone you love” was the tagline thatpositioned the chocolate as a special gift.Interesting packaging added the uniquepositioning and Amul chocolates clawed itsway into an almost monopolistic marketscenario.Amul milk has always had advertising witha fun theme. I believe a great consumerinsight has driven this effort. Children seemto go through a phase where they detest milkonly because it is very high onthe list of compulsion that istrotted out to them by theirmom’s. “It’s good for you”transforms into “it’s boring” inthe mind of the child. The“Doodh dooh..” film has thelively lilt in its music and theenergetic bounce in its actionIndia’s fixed line telecom network is estimated to touch 47 million by March 2005.SMARTHA BHARATA 118

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3that converts milk into a frothy, splashy, fundrink. That it is healthy is just a bonus.The entire range of milk products from Amulincluding cheese have been a modern casestudy. Their abortive foray into pizzas,though intellectually sound could bedismissed as an aberration.Amul has helped produce a movie“Manthan’, The wonderful film that starredthe late Smita Patil was a tribute to themovement and to the communication processas well. Apart from the products, thecorporate film that is still showing holds avery special place for me. The music, thewords, the ‘super’ at the end of the film allcontribute to make it worthy of themovement itself. All in all, it’s been awonderful four decades of brand building fora wonderful brand. Their agencies can takea collective bow.TELCO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT COMPANYProfileThe company manufacturesconstruction equipment that is usedin major infrastructure projects inIndia. It has remained a market leader forthe past five years, despite stiff competition.It has revolutionised the Indian constructionequipment industry, with the introduction ofthe V series of hydraulic excavators. Thecompany has an extensive customer base thatincludes government and institutionalbuyers, and contractors. The company wasthe country’s first construction equipmentmanufacturer to receive ISO 9001certification.Areas of businessThe company has used state-of-the-arttechnology to manufacture excavators andbackhoe loaders. It enjoys a 90 per cent shareof the crawler crane market in India. It isthe only Indian manufacturer that producesKnitwear exports from Tirupur are expected to touch Rs.10,000 crore by 2007.SMARTHA BHARATA 119100 tonne cranes.These are thelargest machinesmade locally. Thecompany was thefirst to introducemini-excavators inIndia, and its brandEX60, is the most successful machine to bemade in India so far, with more than 1,300machines being sold in the last three years.It is the largest manufacturer of hydraulicexcavators in India, with over 6,000machines in the market. It offers the widestavailable range of hydraulic excavators, eightmodels ranging from 2 tonnes to 60 tonnesin size. The company can indigenously designand develop products.The company’srevenue in 1998 was Rs. 3.81 billion. It hasan average annual growth rate of 21 percent.(From the Web Site)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3AMUL ADS-MAKEYOUR DAYSAMUL means “priceless” in Sanskrit.The brand name “Amul,” from theSanskrit “Amoolya,” was suggestedby a quality control expert in Anand. Amulproducts have been in use in millions ofhomes since 1946. Amul Butter, Amul MilkPowder, Amul Ghee, Amulspray, AmulCheese, Amul Chocolates, Amul Shrikhand,Amul Ice cream, Nutramul, Amul Milk andAmulya have made Amul a leading foodbrand in India. Today Amul is a symbol ofmany things.... Of high-quality products soldat reasonable prices.... Of the genesis of avast co-operative network.... Of the triumphof indigenous technology.... Of the marketingsavvy of a farmers’ organisation.... And of aproven model for dairy development.50 years after it was first launched, Amul’ssale figures have jumped from 1000 tonnesa year in 1966 to over 25,000 tonnes a yearin 1997. No other brand comes even closeto it. It was all because a thumb-sized girlclimbed on to the hoardings and put a spellon the masses.Bombay: Summer of 1967. A Charni Roadflat. Mrs. Sheela Mane, a 28-year-oldhousewife is out in the balcony dryingclothes. From her second floor flat she cansee her neighbours on the road. There areother people too. The crowd seems to begrowing larger by the minute. Unable to curbher curiosity Sheela Mane hurries down tosee what all the commotion is about. Sheexpects the worst but can see no signs of anaccident. It is her four-year-old who drawsher attention to the hoarding that has comeSMARTHA BHARATA 120up overnight. “It was the first Amul hoardingthat was put up in Mumbai,” recalls SheelaMane. “ People loved it. I remember it wasour favourite topic of discussion for the nextone week! Everywhere we went somehowor the other the campaign always seemed tocrop up in our conversation.”Call her the Friday to Friday star. Roundeyed, chubby cheeked, winking at you, fromstrategically placed hoardings at many trafficlights. She is the Amul moppet everyoneloves to love. How often have we stopped,looked, chuckled at the Amul hoarding thatcasts her sometime as the coy, shy cine star,a bold sensuous actress or simply as herself,dressed in her little polka dotted dress and ared and white bow, holding out her favouritepacket of butter.That October, lamp kiosks and the bus sitesof the city were splashed with the moppeton a horse. The baseline simply said,Thoroughbread, Utterly Butterly Delicious

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Amul,. It was a matter of just a few hoursbefore the daCunha office was ringing withcalls. Not just adults, even children werecalling up to say how much they had likedthe ads. “The response was phenomenal,”recalls Sylvester daCunha. “Weknew our campaign was going tobe successful.”grandchildren,” she laughs. “ They arealmost part of our culture, aren’t they? Mygrandchildren are already beginning torealise that these ads are not just a source ofFor 30 odd years the UtterlyButterly girl has managed to keepher fan following intact. So muchso that the ads are now ready toenter the Guinness Book of WorldRecords for being the longestrunning campaign ever. Theultimate compliment to the buttercame when a British companylaunched a butter and called itUtterly Butterly, last year. Indialooked forward to Amul’sevocative humour. If the Naxalitemovement was the happeningthing in Calcutta, Amul would beup there on the hoardings saying, “Breadwithout Amul Butter, cholbe na cholbe na(won’t do, won’t do). If there was an IndianAirlines strike Amul would be there againsaying, Indian Airlines Won’t Fly WithoutAmul.There are stories about the butter that peoplelike to relate over cups of tea. “For over 10years I have been collecting Amul ads. Iespecially like the ads on the backs of thebutter packets, “says Mrs. Sumona Varma.What does she do with these ads? “ I havemade an album of them to amuse myamusement. They make them aware of whatis happening around them.”From the Sixties to the Nineties, the Amul,and their ads have come a long way. Whilemost people agree that the Amul ads wereat their peak in the Eighties they still maintainthat they continue to tease a laughter out ofthem. Where does Amul’s magic actually lie?Many believe that the charm lies in the catchylines. That we laugh because the humour iswhat anybody would enjoy. They don’tpander to your nationality or certainsentiments. It is pure and simple, everydayfun.2003 Saw Maruti 800 Model production grow by 12% to reach 1,70,000 cars. Maruti Zen,the higher priced vehicle achieved a 3% growth to sell Rs.2864 crores worth cars.SMARTHA BHARATA 121

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3TATA STEEL’S COMMITMENT TO STAYAHEAD IN INDIAN INDUSTRYEstablished in 1907 by its founderJ.N.Tata, Tata Steel is Asia’s first andIndia’s largest integrated privatesector steel company. Over the years, TataSteel has emerged as a thriving steelenterprise due its to ability to transform itselfrapidly to meet the challenges of the highlycompetitive global economy andcommitment to become a supplier of choiceby delighting its customers with service andproducts. Constant modernization andthe introduction of the state-of-the arttechnology at Tata Steel has enabled itto stay ahead in the industry andsuccessfully meet the expectations of allsections of the stakeholders. Tata Steel’sfour phase modernization programme inthe steel works has enabled it to acquirethe most modern steel making facilitiesin the world. Recently the companycommissioned its 1.2 million tonnecapacity Cold Rolling Mill complex atJamshedpur at global speed and cost. Itsfifth phase of modernizationprogrammed leveraged the intellectualcapabilities of its employees to generatesustainable value for the stakeholders.Tata Steel is taking knowledge managementinitiatives to shift focus from creating newphysical assets to utilizing them withingenuity and a study business sense. Thecompany has been recognized as Asia’s MostAdmired Knowledge Enterprise at the WorldKnowledge Forum in Seoul, South Korea.SMARTHA BHARATA 122Most recently it has embarked on aprogramme for the expansion of its existingsteel making capacity by one million tonneto reach a rated capacity of five million tonneper annum.Tata Steel’s turnover in the 02-03 fiscal wasnearly Rs.9800 crore. The company’s profitin the same financial period was Rs.1012crore which is the highest that it has everachieved. The company also produced arecord 3.98 million tonne of saleable steel.And if indications are to be believed, the 03-04 fiscal will produce much better results.With the steel industry passing through aboom, officials of the company believe thatthe profit margin may increase by more than25 percent. In the 02-03 financial year, thecompany also announced a record dividendof 80 percent.Some Senior business executives stress that outsourcing is nothing but a “naturalflow money to a more efficient system”.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3It should also be mentioned here that Tata ISO 14000 Environment ManagementSteel’s community based initiatives far System Certificate, the first in the country.exceed its business mandate. Its numeroussocially responsible activities are aimed at The quest for excellence at Tata Steel is notthose living in and round its areas of just a process but a way of life. It wasoperations, including its mines and collieries. adjudged the Best Integrated Steel Plant byThe Community Development and Social the Ministry of Steel in 2000-01 and wasWelfare, Rural and Tribal Services, Centre conferred the Prime Minister’s Trophy forfor Family Initiatives and Sports departments the third time in a row and fourth overall.run and manage programmes which aredesigned to improve living conditions of thesocially and economically under-privileged.These are self-sustaining programmes andinvolve the maximum participation by thetarget groups. Income generation scheme forthe women, farmers, and youth, providingsafe drinking water in the rural areas, healthclinics, drugs, alcohol and HIV/AIDSawareness programmes, youth involvementin sports and culturalpursuits are some of thesignificant activitiesundertaken by thecompany.Tata Steel has also beenconferred with the GlobalBusiness Coalition Awardfor 2003 for BusinessExcellence in thecommunity for its outstanding contributionin the field of HIV/AIDS awarenesscampaign. Its civic branch services, themunicipal and all other civic services andamenities that are required for the townshipof Jamshedpur and has been awarded theTata Steel also received the JRD QualityValue Award and Sustained ExcellenceAward: the Export Engineering PromotionCouncil Award in 2000-01. The Tata Steelwebsite was declared the best in 2002 by theInternational Iron and Steel Institute inBelgium. All its divisions including its steelworks, mines and collieries have been ISO14001 certifies for environmentmanagement. This certificationis a reaffirmation of TataSteel’s belief that betterenvironmental managementleads to superior businessperformance.The company has also beenrecognized by World SteelDynamics as a world class steelmaker. The steel companycaters to a wide gamut of customers in Indiaand abroad. They include automobilemanufacturers, producers of white goods,the construction industry and consumers oftubes, bearings etc.(The NewIndian Express)Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd, celebrated its 14 th Foundation Day and the 6 thsuccessful year of its operation phase on October 15,2003. On this momentousoccasion it announced the launch of its revolutionary ‘Sky Bus Technology’ whichis designed to eliminate 2000 tonnes of carbon emission daily.SMARTHA BHARATA 123

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3TATA STEEL TO PUSH FOR SOCIALRESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESSThe Tata Iron and Steel Company(Tisco) will announce in the courseof this year and policy frameworkwhereby it “will do business” only withentities which show a commitment tocorporate social responsibility. “We want toencourage our suppliers and customers toadopt social responsibility because businesshas an obligation to givesomething back to society”,said B.Muthuraman,Managing Director of Tisco,which is known for itscommitted budgets down thedecades for communitywelfare beyond the confinesof its own employees.Mr.Muthuraman disagreed with theproposition that the “business of business isbusiness and adding to shareholder value”and that social welfare was beyond itspurview. For business to be “sustainable inthe long term”, they had to committhemselves to social good, he said.The Tisco MD said his company was alreadythe lowest cost producer of steel in theworld, thanks to huge investments it madein modernization in the post-1991 years andtotal involvement of the workforce up to thelowest level in evolving and implementingthe company’s vision. Further cost cutswould be possible only if externalities likeinfrastructure and rail freight improved.The steel industry the world over hadperformed poorly till the last three years orso, because of slumpin demand withdeveloped countrieswith limitedpopulations havingcrossed the stage ofcreation ofinfrastructure. Therevival in the fortunesof steel at present wasdue to the demand shifting to countries likeIndia and China, which had both largeprogrammes for building infrastructure likeroads and ports and huge populations thatcould sustain a rising domestic demand, heobserved. Mr.Muthuraman said his companyhas started drilling work for its Titaniumdioxide project in Tamil Nadu and hadcommissioned studies on availability ofwater, power and other requirements.The domestic IT industry is expected to clock a revenue of Rs.33,700 crore in 2003-04.SMARTHA BHARATA 124

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3TATA STEEL BUYS NATSTEEL DIVISIONRamnath SubbuIn line with its stated objective of growthand globalization, the Tata Iron and SteelCompany has signed definitiveagreements with Nat-Steel Ltd., Singapore,$486.4 million (about Rs.1,313 crores).Nat Steel will spin off its entire steel businessinto a wholly owned subsidiary. Nat SteelAsia Pte.ltd., subsequent to which Tata Steelwill acquire 100 per cent of the equityinterest in Nat Steel Asia.. The steel businessof Nat Steel reported a turnover of S$1.4billion (Rs.3,820 crores) and a profit beforetax of S$47 million (Rs.127 crores).Nat Steel is the dominant steel producer ofSingapore and owns steel mills in China,Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysiaand Australia. The business is focused onlong products and has a capacity to produceabout two million tones annually of rebars,wire rods, pre-stressed concrete wires andstrands. The acquisition also includes a 26per cent equity interest owned by Nat Steelin Southern Steel Berhad, a 1.3 million tonnesteelmaker in Malaysia. The board of the newcompany will be reconstituted only after thetransaction is completed.Globalisation initiativeB.Muthuraman, Managing Director, TataSteel, said the acquisition was a significantstep in Tata Steel’s globalization initiativeand will act as a beach-head investment forTata Steel inthe highg r o w t hgeographiesof China andSoutheastAsia. Through this transaction, Tata Steelwill increase its manufacturing footprint toseven new countries in Asia. “All of thesecountries are strong in steel consumption.The opportunity to go beyond the sevencountries is even greater now than earlier.We will look for more acquisitions andacquisitive growth and this is a goodplatform for further acquisitions in SoutheastAsia,” said Mr.Muthuraman. Mr.Muthuramanadded that plans were being workedout for Nat Steel to source semi-finishedsteel form India. “Steel billets could besourced from Tata Steel and hop for bettervalue addition. Infact, the value additionwould start as soon as the billets are suppliedby Tata Steel,” in 2003-04, Tata Steelproduced and sold our million tonnes of flatand long products.Expansion plansThe company is at present implementing aone million tonne expansion project at itsJamshedpur works, which will raise capacityto five million tones annually by September2005. Further expansion to 7.4 milliontonnes is in an advanced stage of planningand will be commissioned in 2008-09.3,84,935 units of automobiles were exported by India between April 2003 and January 2004.SMARTHA BHARATA 125

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Till about two years ago, India was nodifferent from other less developedcountries in one crucial aspect: it hadnot designed and produced a carindigenously. India’s case was evencuriouser: the country had sent missiles intospace but had not been able to produce anindigenous car.IDEAS THAT HAVE WORKED:THE INDIAN CAR – 1 [ TATAINDICA]Ajay KumarOne: the company’s record of havingdeveloped its own products. In the early’80s, Tata Engineering had developed arange of commercial vehicles — the popular407 and 709 series— followed by the TataEstate and Sierra, both built on a pick-upplatform, and later by the Sumo and theSafari.That situation changed with the launch ofthe Tata Indica in December 1998. How didTata Engineering achieve this feat? R N Tata,Executive Chairman of Tata Engineering,shared his experience of creating the Indicawith a select audience in New Delhi recently.Mr Tata was speaking for an ongoing lectureseries on “The Ideas That Have Worked”.The story began, said Mr Tata, in 1993,when, speaking at the annual convention ofthe Automotive Component Manufacturers’Association (ACMA), he put forth the ideaof an Asian car to be produced as acollaborative effort by the Indian automobileindustry. The response of the industry, MrTata recalled, was a mix of skepticism andcynicism.Tata Engineering then decided it wouldattempt to produce the car on its own. Intaking this decision, it was emboldened bytwo factors:Two: Mr Tata’s faith in the capabilities ofthe company’s engineers, particularly its300-odd young engineers, whose talent andskills, he said, are symptomatic of India’sspirit of wanting to dare.The basic concepts of the car were set outin 1995. The car should, it was decided, bedesigned around the specific needs of theIndian car owner.With these as the specs, the company’sdesigners at its Engineering Research Centre(ERC) created some renderings of the carwhich were refined and finalised inassociation with the famous Milan-baseddesign house, I.D.E.A.Computer aided designs of the Indica• Total number of engineers whoworked on the Indica project: 700.• Time taken from conception tocompletion: 31 months.Sardar Patel University in Gujarat has become India’s first varsity to have aradio station of its own.SMARTHA BHARATA 126

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3• Number of components specially 77 per cent of the vehicle’s cost. In doing alldeveloped for the Indica: 3,885this, Mr Tata says, the vendors have created• Number of dies specially some 12,000 jobs.manufactured for the Indica: 740• Number of production fixtures The Indica has now been on the Indian roadscreated for the Indica: 4,010for the last 20 months. How has it done?• Cost of the project: Rs 1,700 crore, According to the latest figures available, Tatasub-divided into: development Rs 206 crore,tooling Rs 74 crore, andplant Rs 1,420 crore.Engineering has sold nearly 82,000 Indicasand has captureda market share of14.4 per cent inCompared to the $400million that TataEngineering spent oncreating the Indica, MrTata said, the creationof a new car in the Westtypically entails aninvestment of well over $1.5- $2 billion increating the production facilities, withdevelopment and tooling costing in theregion of $800 million more.its segment. Forits passengercars, TataEngineeringdecided to createa separateStrategicBusiness Unit (SBU) with its own sales andmarketing set-up. Currently, the Indica issold and serviced at over 70 dealers and 164authorised service centres.The work is done in the five shops that createthe Indica: the engine shop, the transmissionshop, the press and welding shop, the paintshop and the assembly shop.The other initiative that Tata Engineeringtook was to involve its vendors in thedevelopment of the car in a major way —right from the concept stage. Eventually,over 300 vendors supplied some 1,360 partsof the Indica to Tata Engineering, comprisingAs far as the Indica is concerned, Mr Tatasaid, Tata Engineering’s next challenges are:one, to begin exports — with a batch of 200on its way to Italy as a “seeding” operation;two, to tackle quality-related issues, and,three, to speedily come out with variants.Together, R.N.Tata concludes, “We canmake things happen; we just need to do it.”Like Tata Engineering did, with the Indica.(From the Web Site)Scientists of the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic plants (CIMAP),Lucknow, have got a US patent for developing a disease-resistant and high strawand seed yielding variety of poppy plant. The new, plant, known as “Rakshit” tookabout seven years to develop by a long process of hybridisation, both in thelaboratory as well as in the fields.SMARTHA BHARATA 127

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3TISCO NOTES ON VISION 20071. To seize the opportunities of tomorrow and create a future that will make usan EVA positive company:2. To continue to improve the quality of life of our employees and the communitieswe serve.3. Revitalize the core business for a sustainable future:4. Venture into new businesses that will own a share of our future:5. Uphold the spirit and values of TATAs towards nationbuilding:Strategic Goals:6. Move from commodities to Brands:7. EVA Positive Core Business:8. Continue to be lowest cost producer of steel:9. Value creating partnerships with customers and suppliers:10. Enthused & Happy employees:11. Sustainable Growth:Strategy12. Manage Knowledge:13. Outsource Strategically:14. Encourage Innovation and Allow the Freedom to Fail:15. Excel at TBEM: (The TATA Business Excellence Model)16. Unleash people’s potential and create leaders who will build the future:17. Invest in attractive new Businesses:18. Ensure Safety & Environmental Sustainability:19. Divest, Merge, Acquire:(From the Web Site)Four Indian companies have made it to 2004 edition of fortune 500 thelist of the world’s largest corporations (by sales) brought out by theFortune magazine—up from three in 2003. Till 2003, Indian Oil wasthe only company to feature on the list. It has now been joined byReliance Industries, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum.SMARTHA BHARATA 128

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3150 YEARS OF THE INDIAN POST OFFICEThe Indian Post Office was recognised as a separate organisation of national importanceand was placed, for the first time, under the unitary control of a Director General onOctober 1, 1854 Today, India has the largest postal network in the world with 1,55,618post offices (as on March 2003), of these, 1,39,081 post offices are in rural areas. At the timeof Independence, there were 23,344 post offices in India.A look at how the Indian postal network compares with some other countriesCountries Population Area No.of People Service Area(Million) (lakh Post Office per Post per PostSq.Km.) Office Office (Sq.KM)USA 284.8 93.72 38,123 7,471 245.85UK 59.5 2.44 17,633 3,377 13.84Germany 82.4 3.57 13,000 6,335 27.46Brazil 172.4 85.12 12,520 13,769 679.87South Africa 44.3 12.21 2,650 16,728 460.77Nigeria 116.9 9.24 4,624 25,288 199.78China 1284.9 95.96 57,135 22,490 167.97Australia 19.4 77.13 3,872 5,008 1,992.09Japan 127.3 3.78 24,760 5,143 15.26Egypt 67.9 10.01 5,399 12,575 185.49India 1027.0 32.88 1,55,618 6,602 21.13Some landmarks*1854: Post Office Act XVII introduced * 1863: Railway Sorting * 1873: Embossed envelopeson sale * 1876: India joins Universal Postal Union * 1877: VPP and parcel services started *1879: Postcard introduced * 1880: Money Order launched * 1935: Indian Postal Order *1972: PIN introduced * 1985: Post and Telecom departments separated * 1986: Speed Postlaunched * 2004: e Post introduced(The Hindu)$120 billion is the size of the apparel and textile industry in our country.SMARTHA BHARATA 129

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC ANDINDUSTRIAL RESEARCHThe council of Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR) has remarkablytransformed itself into a performancedrivenand user-focussed organization.1. CSIR transformation is listed as beingamongst the top ten achievements of IndianScience and Technology in the 20 th Centuryby J.V.Narlikar.2. CSIR is listed along with WIPRO, Infosysand Reliance as organizations that managedradical change, the best in the postliberalizedIndia-in the book “World Classin India”-by Sumantra Ghoshal.3. Business India says that the CSIR labs havebeen transformed by the power ofenterprise and proactive management.4. Making India globally competitive inScience and Technology is CSIR’s job. Itachieved the first-ever breakthrough offlowering of Bamboo within weeks asagainst 20 to 120 years in Nature.5. CSIR was the first to analyse geneticdiversity of the most enigmatic tribes ofAndaman and established their origin outof Africa 60,000 years ago.6. CSIR developed the first transgenicDrosophile model for drug screenings forhuman cancer.7. CSIR introduced DNA finger-printing inIndia which is very critical in crimedetection, paternity determination and wildlife preservation.8. CSIR catapulted India to be the firstPioneer Investor under the U.N. Law ofSea Treaty.9. CSIR has invented the first-ever once aweek non-steroidal family planning pill inthe world-Saheli.10. CSIR has designed India’s first-everparallel processing computerFLOSOLVER11. CSIR spearheaded the discovery of a newanti-tubercular molecule after a gap of 40years through a unique public-privatepartnership.12. CSIR has developed an oral geneticallyengineered vaccination to treat cholera.13. CSIR has developed a potentialtherapeutic agent from herbal sources forchronic myelogenous Leukaemia.14. CSIR has saved thousands of lives worldoverby developing the anti-cerebralMalaria drug E-MAL.15. CSIR has developed Asman the novelherbal therapeutic, which is giving reliefto thousands of Asthma patients.16. CSIR has set up the biggest net-workedprogramme on bioactives for drugdiscovery based on traditional medicines.17. CSIR has partnered more than 50,000companies with turnover ranging fromRs.5 lakhs to Rs.five lakh crores.18. CSIR has spearheaded India’s largestpublic-private partnership programme ofNew Millennium Indian TechnologyLeadership Initiative with over 220 privatesector and institutional partners.19. CSIR has heralded the dawn of CivilAviation in the country by the inauguralflight of a 14 seater multi-role aircraftSARAS.3,63,655 units of motorcycles were sold in India during February 2004.SMARTHA BHARATA 130

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 320. CSIR has rejuvenated India’s one hundredyearold refinery at Digboi using the mostmodern molecular distillation Technology.21. CSIR has, provided the critical technologyfor NMP Lube Extraction plant of thecapacity 2,50,000 tonnes per annum.22. CSIR is the first to break the cartels in hightechnology areas of catalysts and doreverse transfer of technology to theEurope and the US.23. CSIR has provided the leverage to thebiotech and pharma industry byspearheading the development of aversatile portable P.C. based Software‘Bio-suite’ for Bioinformatics.24. CSIR has successfully challenged the grantof a patent in the US for use of Haldi(turmeric) for wound-healing, nowpopularly known as the “Second Battle ofHaldighati”25. CSIR fought at the global fora to giveIndian Traditional Knowledge its pride ofplace, so that it could be treated at par withindustrial property system.26. CSIR has established-the first-ever-in theworld-“Traditional Knowledge DigitalLibrary” accessible in eight internationallanguages.27. CSIR has remained among the top threein the list of PCT patent applicationsamongst all the developing countriesduring the last three years.28. CSIR has topped the list of U.S. patentholders for the last 5 years in India(From the CSIR Bulletins)LIC has emerged the biggest term lending institution in the country, up from its numberthree position a year ago. LIC loan disbursements grew 154%, to Rs.15,781 crore in2003-04, which is 12% higher than the combined disbursements of IDBI, IFCI, IDFC,SIDBI and IIBI.India exports 4 lakh tonne of stainless steel every year valued at Rs.4,000 crore.SMARTHA BHARATA 131

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURALRESEARCH (ICAR)Kalpana Rajaram and Dr.P.K.SuriThe ICAR is a registered society, anautonomous body under theDepartment of Agricultural Researchand Education. It promotes, conducts andcoordinates research, education and primaryextension and educates in agriculture, animalsciences, fisheries, and allied sectors.Each distinct agro-climatic zone of India hasa multi-disciplinary regional research stationunder the National and Research Project.28 Agricultural universities, The IndianAgricultural Research Institute, New Delhi,Indian Veterinary Research Institute, IVRIIzat Nagar, National Dairy ResearchInstitute, NDRI Karnal and Central Instituteof Fishery Education CIFE (Bombay) are theconstituent bodies of ICAR.ICAR has established three NationalResearch Centres in Bio-technology inagriculture, animal health and animalproduction.ICAR’s priority and thrust areas for futureresearch are a) conservation and plannedexploitation of germ plasm resources b)enhancing productivity through evolution ofhigh yielding high birds and varieties withtolerance to Biotic and aboitic stresses c)development of integrated pest managementpractices for optimum plant protection d)breeder seed protection e) research onexport-oriented commodities f)diversification with emphasis on agroforestry,livestock and fisheries g)development and refinement of dry-farmingtechnology h) improving nutrientmanagement system i) inventory of naturalresources j) energy managements k) postharvesttechnology, l) fostering excellencein research and education m) transfer oftechnology and improving communicationssystem and n) human resource development.Latest technological advances made byscientists are demonstrated to farmers andextension workers.Working through National DemonstrationProjects, Operational Research Projects,Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and lab to landprogrammes, the ICAR takes the fruits ofresearch to the farmer directly.Appropriate technology, low costtechnology, reliance on locally availablematerials, utilisation of optimum levels ofinputs, etc. form ICAR’s strategies.Three Indian corporate heads, Wirpro’s Azim Premji, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance groupand Nandan Nilekani of Infosys have been chosen as “the most powerful people inbusiness” in Asia’s power 25 list. According to the latest issue of the Fortune magazine,Premji has been ranked 10 th , while Ambani is 13 th and Nilekani 23 rd.SMARTHA BHARATA 132

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Some recent Achievements of ICARon major histocompatibilitycomplexes, cross-breedingwith improved exotic breeds,evolution of new genotypes,new strains of sheep, for carpetwool and high yielding poultrylayers are ICAR’sachievements.• Identification of nontraditionalfeed-resources withhigh nutritional content, forcattle and poultry anddevelopment of vaccines forsheep and poultry, are ICAR’sachievements.• The Fisheries’ sector hasbecome self-sufficient in fishseed.Composite carp-culture,air-breathing fish-culture,integrated aqua-culture withcrop and animal culture for thebenefit of the rural people etc.are the ICAR contributions.• The first variety of super ricein the world named ‘Lunishree’was developed at Central RiceResearch Institute. It has beencommercially cultivated incoastal Orissa.• Renu, Bipasa, Amrut, etc. arerainfed-rice varieities• Hybrid rice seed production isbeing made• An integrated rice-fish-prawn,vegetable, horticultural farmsystem has been developed.• 160 varieties of wheat havebeen released for differentagro-climatic regions.• Genetically engineeredmustard variety has beenreleased.• Cross maize hybrid ‘Paras’ hascome in for commercialproduction.• Man-made cereal Triticale,non-toxic-strains of Kesari dal,high-yielding varieties of tubercrops and cotton hybrids, havebeen developed.• Methods to improve the shelflifeof fruits have beenstandardised.• In the field of animal sciences,DNA finger-printing, studiesIt is to the credit of ICAR, that it has notonly managed to feed India’s 1000 millionpopulation with food to spare, it has alsomade India, the world’s number one milkproducer.All this ICAR has done with constant effortsat sustainability, cost-effectiveness and ecofriendliness.(Adapted from “Science and Technology inIndia” Spectrum Books (P) Ltd; NewDelhi 58 – 2004)The Canadian economic writers react differently from Americans on the issue ofB.P. outsourcing. Top executives of major corporations take the view that if overthe years, the West has forced the emerging markets (read developing countrieslike India) to make adjustments, “we have to make them as well”. But unlike USthis subject is not likely to become a paranoid political issue in Canada.SMARTHA BHARATA 133

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3INDIAN RAILWAYSThe first railway on Indian subcontinentran over a stretch of 21miles from Bombay to Thane.The formal inauguration ceremony wasperformed on 16th April 1853, when 14railway carriages carrying about 400 guestsleft Bori Bunder at 3.30 pm “amidst the loudapplause of a vast multitude and to the saluteof 21 guns.” The first passenger trainsteamed out of Howrah station destined forHooghly, a distance of 24 miles, on 15thAugust, 1854.In south the first line was opened on Ist July,1856 by the Madras Railway Company. Itran between Veyasarpady and Walajah Road(Arcot), a distance of 63 miles. In the Northa length of 119 miles of line was laid fromAllahabad to Kanpur on 3rd March 1959.The first section from Hathras Road toMathura Cantonment was opened to trafficon 19th October,1875.These were the small beginnings which is duecourse developed into a network of railwaylines all over the country. By 1880 the IndianRailway system had a route mileage of about9000 miles.INDIAN RAILWAYS, the premiertransport organisation of the country is thelargest rail network in Asia and the world’ssecond largest under one management.Indian Railways is a multi-gauge, multi-traction system covering the following:Track Kilometres Broad Gauge Metre Gauge Narrow Gauge Total(1676 mm) (1000 mm) (762/610 mm)86,526 18,529 3,651 108,706Route Kilometres Electrified Total16,001 63,028Other Interesting facts of Indian RailwaysIndian Railways runs around 11,000 trains everyday, of which 7,000 are passengertrains.7566 - 37,840 - 222,147 - 6853 -locomotives Coaching vehicles Freight wagons Stations300 - Yards 2300 - 700 - 1.54 million -Goodsheds Repair shops Work forceSMARTHA BHARATA 134

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3The Salient and new features of Indian (iii) New Steps towards Safety andRailways are:Security:(i) Territorial Readjustment of Zonesand In-House Reforms(ii) National Rail Vikas Yojana.• Strengthening of the GoldenQuadrilateral to run more long-distancemail/express and freight trains at ahigher speed of 100 kmph.• Strengthening of rail connectivity toports and development of multi-modalcorridors to hinterland.(iv) Improving Financial Health :(v) New Trends in Passenger Amenities:To take care of the unreserved segment ofthe passengers, a new pilot project oncomputer based unreserved ticketing hasbeen launched this year. Of the 13 millionpassengers served by the network everyday,nearly 12 million are unreserved passengers.To cater to this huge segment, computerbased ticketing systems has been launchedfor all stations in Delhi area and in due coursethroughout the country. With this,• Construction of four mega bridges –two over River Ganga, one over RiverBrahmaputra, and one over River Kosi.• Αccelerated completion of thoseprojects nearing completion and otherimportant projects.unreserved tickets can be issued even fromlocations other than the boarding station andwill reduce crowds at booking offices andstations.(vi) Indian Railway Catering andTourism Corporation:Has launched On-line ticketing facilityComputerized reservation facilities wereThe total installed capacity of the Indian cement industry is 142 million tonne.SMARTHA BHARATA 135

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3added at 245 new locations. At present these performance, profit and dividend to thefacilities are available at 758 locations in the shareholders during the last three years. Itscountry covering about 96 per cent of the turn over increased from Rs.172 crore intotal workload of passenger reservation. A 1999 to Rs.283 crore in 2002. RITES forpilot project for issuing monthly and its sterling performance secured thequarterly season tickets through prestigious ISO-9001 Certification this year.Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) has The company has also entered into export/been launched in Mumbai this year and has leasing of locomotives in different countriesbeen found very successful. Another pilot in Asia and Africa. RITES is operating allproject for purchasing tickets including over the world including Columbia, UK,monthly and quarterly season tickets through Iran, Malayasia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, SriSmart Card has also been launched. Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia,(vii) ‘National Train Enquiry System’ has Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.been started in order to provide upgradedpassenger information and enquiries.(viii) Freight Operations InformationSystem (FOIS)(ix) Railways have established their ownintra-net ‘Railnet’.(x) Sterling Performance by PSUs Thepublic sector undertakings of the Railways,especially IRCON and RITES, scoredcommendable achievements during the lastthree years. IRCON International hasachieved a record turnover of Rs.900 croreduring 2001-02 and the foreign exchangeearnings of this prestigious organisation hasincreased six fold over the years. At theinternational level, IRCON is at presentexecuting different projects in Malaysia,Bangladesh and Indonesia. The PSU hasregistered a strong presence in theinternational scenario by its sterling trackrecord.(xi) RITES, another prestigious PSU underthe Ministry has scaled new heights inSMARTHA BHARATA 136(xii) Indian Railways FinanceCorporation Limited secured excellentrating for fourth year in succession.(xiii) Indian Railway Catering & TourismCorporation ( IRCTC ) Internet basedticket booking has been launched by IRCTCin Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai andCalcutta this year.(xiv) Innovative Technologies by KonkanRailway : Konkan Railway Corporation(KRC), the technological marvel of IndianRailways, has invented quite a few newtechnologies. Anti Collision Device (ACD),state-of-art indigenous technology of KRCis currently under-going intensive field trialsand is capable of avoiding collision betweentrains. Sky bus metro is another innovative,economic and eco-friendly mass rapidtransportation solution devised by KonkanRailway. Self Stablising Track (SST) devisedby KRC, which is undergoing trials atpresent, will help Railways run the fastesttrain in the near future and will make tracksmuch more safe and sustainable.The IT-assisted education market is estimated at $2 billion out of thetotal global IT learning industry of $26 billion.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3(xv) Private Sector Participation:(xvi) Telecommunication – New Trends :To give improved telecommunicationsystems on Railways, Optical Fibre basedcommunication systems has been adoptedand laying OFC has increased to 7,700 routekilometer this year.(xvii) New Technologies : India became thefirst developing country and the 5th countryin the world to roll out the first indigenouslybuilt “state-of-the-art” high horse powerthree phase electric locomotive when thefirst such loco was flagged off fromChittranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). CLWhas been achieving progressiveindigenisation and the cost of locomotiveshas come down to the level of Rs.13.65crore. Diesel Locomotives Works, Varanasihas produced state-of-the-art 4000 HP AC/AC diesel locomotive in April this year.These locos are capable of hauling 4,800tonne freight trains at a speed of 100 KMPHand can run continuously up to 90 days inone stretch without any major maintenance.(xviii) Honours and Awards: IndianRailways achieved a number of recognitionsand awards in sports, tourism sector and forexcellence in operational matters.(xix) Darjeeling Himalayan Railwaysattained the World Heritage Status fromUNESCO. Fairy Queen, the oldestfunctioning steam engine in the world, whichfinds a place in the Guinness Book of WorldRecords, got Heritage Award at theInternational Tourist Bureau, Berlin inMarch, 2000. On operational front, DelhiMain station entered the Guinness Book forhaving the world’s largest route relayinterlocking system.(xx) Social obligations and care forweaker sections: Senior citizens, students,disabled persons etc. enjoy concessionalbenefits from Railways. New initiatives inthis area during the last three years includereduction of age limits for special concessionto senior women citizen from 65 to 60 years,blind and mentally challenged persons cannow travel in AC classes on concessionalrates. Free second class Monthly SeasonTickets (MSTs) for school going childrenupto tenth standard for travel between homeand school was also introduced.(xxi) Tie-Up with Foreign Railways:Indian Railways is in constant touch withRailways across the world to bring in stateof-artfacilities in its system. Towards this, aMemorandum of Understanding was signedduring the Eighth Session of the Indo-Austria Joint Economic Commission held inVienna. This seeks to promote and deepenlong-term infrastructure-specificcooperation between Indian and AustrianRailways to their mutual benefit. A threedayInternational Conference of Union ofRailways was organised by Indian Railwaysin New Delhi in which hundreds of delegatesfrom various industries and Railways aroundthe world participated.(From the Web Site)99.7 million pieces of garments valued at $380.1 million were exported by our countryduring April this year to the quota countries.SMARTHA BHARATA 137

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3KONKAN RAILWAY- POSITIVE,CONSTRUCTIVE DARINGThe ChallengeThe task was formidable. As KarlisGoppers pointed out in his SwedishInternational DevelopmentCooperation Agency (SIDA) report in July1997: With a total number of 2,000 bridgesand 92 tunnels to be built through thismountainous terrain containing many rivers,the project is the biggest and perhaps mostdifficult railway undertaking during thiscentury, at least in this part of the world.The various problems, had been carried outefficiently and in a very short time.The largest railway project in this part of theworld in the last five decades threw up awhole range of difficulties technical,financial, emotional and psychological. Therocky Sahyadris had to be bored through,1,500 rivers had to be forded, a railway linehad to be built out of nowhere. And once ina while, a poisonous snake, or a tiger,decided to take a close look at goings-on!In the face of collapsing embankments andunrelenting mountains, the engineers had tobe tough. But they also had to be deeplysensitive to the feelings of those who hadgiven up their land. Family life tooka backseat during those arduous years; whenthe engineers went to work, their wives didnot know if their husbands would returnhome that night, and one engineer evendelayed his marriage until the work wascomplete. Many engineers stayed away fromtheir families during this period, not evenreturning home for festivals like Diwali.At the very least, working conditions wereuncomfortable; in June 1994, Mahad hadfloods 10 to 12 feet above the road level,and when they receded, Konkan Railwayjeeps had six-inch layers of silt on the seats.Four workers in the Byndoor tunnel inKarnataka faced their own battle with waterthey were thrown back 60 feet by a suddengush. Water was not the only element thatposed danger. Mr. A.F. Shevare, ChiefEngineer of Ratnagiri (North and South) andKudal, who succeeded Mr. B.R. Kulkarni,recalls how, during the monsoons in July1997, an entire mountainside collapsed atUkshi. Machines were buried under thedebris, but 200 labourers had a miraculousescape. People like 30-year-old RaviKapoor, an Executive Engineer, had amazingluck as well. On October 10, 1997, threemonths before the Pernem Tunnel wascompleted, a major collapse took place, justabove where he was standing. Mr. Kapoorfound himself in chest-deep soil, his helmetcrushed and a boulder on his foot. Acolleague, Mr. V. Jayasankaran, stayed backto rescue him, and Mr. Kapoor escaped, butonly just. Mr. Jayashankaran later receivedan award for bravery. Thanks to Mr.Jayasankaran’s alertness, several otherworkers’ lives had also been saved; earlier,on August 26, 1997, it was his timelywarning that resulted in workers beingevacuated when a serious collapse occurredat Pernem Tunnel.For those who kept going despite thetoughest of challenges, the sense ofachievement made it all worthwhile. Lookingback, Mr. D.R.Shyama Sundar, nowRegional Railway Manager in charge of the363.88 km. Section between Roha andSMARTHA BHARATA 138

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Sawantwadi says, beaming with pride: Thetask was so difficult that when I travel alongthe route, I find it hard to believe that webuilt it! It was the very challenging natureof the work, he adds, that led to the teamspirit that was so crucial in the successfulin Kudal on January 25, 1998, the day beforethe through commissioning of the Railway:If people had considered this merely as a job,it would have taken 25 years to complete.The Chief Engineer of Panaji, Mr. S.Balakrishna, put it simply: After seven yearscompletion of the project. As one of hard struggle, he said, we have provedengineer pointed out at celebratory function that the impossible is possible.(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 139

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3STATE BANK OF INDIAThe origin of the State Bank of Indiagoes back to the first decade of thenineteenth century with theestablishment of the Bank of Calcutta inCalcutta on 2 June 1806. Three years laterthe bank received its charter and was redesignedas the Bank of Bengal (2 January1809). The right of note issue was veryvaluable not only for the Bank of Bengal butalso its two siblings, the Banks of Bombayand Madras. Initially loans were restrictedto Rs.one lakh and the period ofaccommodation confined to three monthsonly. The security forsuch loans was publicsecurities, commonlycalled Company’s Paper,bullion, treasure, plate,jewels, or goods ‘not ofa perishable nature’ andno interest could becharged beyond a rate oftwelve per cent. Loansagainst goods like opium,indigo, salt woollens,cotton, cotton piecegoods, mule twist and silk goods were alsogranted but such finance by way of cashcredits gained momentum only from the thirddecade of the nineteenth century. Thepresidency Banks of Bengal, Bombay andMadras with their 70 branches were mergedin 1921 to form the Imperial Bank of India.The triad had been transformed into amonolith and a giant among Indiancommercial banks had emerged. The newbank took on the triple role of a commercialbank, a banker’s bank and a banker to thegovernment.But this creation was precededby years of deliberations on the need for a‘State Bank of India’. What eventuallyemerged was a ‘half-way house’ combiningthe functions of a commercial bank and aquasi-central bank.When India attainedfreedom, the Imperial Bank had a capitalbase (including reserves) of Rs.11.85 crores,deposits and advances of Rs.275.14 croresand Rs.72.94 crores respectively and anetwork of 172 branches and more than 200sub offices extending all over the country.All India Rural CreditSurvey Committeerecommended thecreation of a statepartneredand statesponsoredbank bytaking over the ImperialBank of India, andintegrating with it, theformer state-owned orstate-associate banks.An act was accordinglypassed in Parliament in May 1955 and theState Bank of India was constituted on 1 July1955. More than a quarter of the resourcesof the Indian banking system thus passedunder the direct control of the State. Later,the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks)Act was passed in 1959, enabling the StateBank of India to take over eight formerState-associated banks as its subsidiaries(later named Associates).India’s exports of iron and steel between April 2003 and January 2004 were valued at$1,847,80 million.SMARTHA BHARATA 140

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3The State Bank of India is the largestcommercial bank in India in terms of profits,assets, deposits, branches and employees.The total number of branches of SBI and itsassociates till March 2003 were 13579.StateBank of India (SBI) was constituted throughan Act of Parliament in May’55 to carry onthe business of banking and other business,and for the purpose of taking over theundertaking of the Imperial Bank with effectfrom 1 Jul.’55.SBI plays a vital role inproviding working capitaland term finance to theIndian industry. Due to itslarge network ofbranches, SBI has beenable to garner a largechunk of deposits fromthe rural sector. It is alsoa leader in theinternational bankingbusiness. About 46% ofthe Bank’s branches are located in ruralareas, 27 % in semi-urban areas and 16%and 11% are located in urban andmetropolitan areas respectively. SBI haseight business units namely,corporatebanking, international banking and domesticbanking forconcentrating on core areas,associate banks division for looking aftertheworking of these banks, credit divisionto monitor the overall credit, and three otherbusiness units-finance, corporatedevelopment and inspection for in-housework, to help keep the mammothorganisation in order.In October 1996 theBank successfully floated the first GDR issueby any commercial bank in the country andraised US$ 369 million, including thegreenshoe option. The “World Equity”2.60 lakh units of commercial vehicles were sold in the country during 2003-04.SMARTHA BHARATA 141journal adjudged the SBI GDR issue as the“Asian Equity Issue of the Year” for its beinga ‘well-planned, well-priced and wellexecuted issue that continued to performwell for the investors’.Around 21,000 employees, includingofficers, were permitted to retire. The bankspent Rs 2271.24 crore as VRScompensation.The Bank has crossed anothermilestone by making a successful foray intoinsurance. SBI is the onlyBank to have beenpermitted a 74% stake inthe insurance business. TheBank’s insurancesubsidiary, SBI LifeInsurance Company, a jointventure with the Bankholding 74% and CardifS.A., the Joint venturepartner, the balance 26%,was incorporated toundertake life insurance and pensionbusiness. Cardif S.A. is a wholly-ownedsubsidiary of BNP-Paribas, which is thelargest bank in France and one of the topten banks in the world. Cardif S.A. is thelargest bancassurance company in France.The bank’s efforts to establish a world -classcredit information bureau in India culminatedin the successful setting up of the CreditInformation Bureau (India) Ltd., a jointventure of the Bank with HDFC Ltd., Dunand Bradstreet Information Services IndiaPvt. Ltd. and Trans Union International Inc.The bureau will handle both positive andnegative credit information in commercialand consumer market segments and weexpect that the joint venture will benefit from

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3the synergy of alliance of market leaders in the business of banking and other business,their respective fields. In order to reduce risk and for the purpose of taking over theand develop a transparent and active debt undertaking of the Imperial Bank with effectmarket in general and Government securities from 1 Jul.’55.market in particular, the ClearingCorporation of India Ltd. has been set up inMumbai with the Bank as the chiefpromoter.The Bank has an equity holding of26% along with all India financialinstitutions, other scheduled commercialbanks and primary dealers. The Corporationwill act as a clearing house for sale andpurchase of Government securities andforeign exchange.The bank has formalizedall arrangements for its new technologyplatform for branch operations, treasurybusiness and riskmanagement. Work is wellunderway in all relatedprojects includingconnectivity between 49cities, which will be achievedduring the current year. Thecore banking software isunder customization.The bank will soon launch itsdebit card viz. SBI CashPlus. Customers can use it todraw cash and do othertransactions at the ATMs andalso use it at merchant establishments forpaying their shopping bills. This facility willbe available to all SBI customers.The State Bank of India is the largestcommercial bank in India in terms of profits,assets, deposits, branches and employees.The total number of branches of SBI and itsassociates till March 2003 were 13579.StateBank of India (SBI) was constituted throughan Act of Parliament in May’55 to carry onAs many as 1.6 million mobile handsets were sold in India during March 2004.SMARTHA BHARATA 142SBI plays a vital role in providing workingcapital and term finance to the Indianindustry. Due to its large network ofbranches, SBI has been able to garner a largechunk of deposits from the rural sector. It isalso a leader in the international bankingbusiness. About 46% of the Bank’s branchesare located in rural areas, 27 % in semi-urbanareas and 16% and 11% are located in urbanand metropolitan areas respectively. SBI haseight business units namely,corporatebanking, international banking and domesticbanking forconcentrating oncore areas, associate banksdivision for looking aftertheworking of these banks,credit division to monitor theoverall credit, and threeother business units-finance,corporate development andinspection for in-housework, to help keep themammoth organisation inorder.In October 1996 theBank successfully floated thefirst GDR issue by anycommercial bank in the country and raisedUS$ 369 million, including the greenshoeoption. The “World Equity” journal adjudgedthe SBI GDR issue as the “Asian EquityIssue of the Year” for its being a ‘wellplanned,well-priced and well executed issuethat continued to perform well for theinvestors’.Having nurtured the subsidiaries, especiallyinvestment banking and asset management

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3in their formative years, the Bank would now management and IT areas. SBI Life launchedlike them to spread their wings and soar high. its first product ‘Sanjeevan’ on the 15 JuneWith freedom (a) to scout for strategic 2001. SBI Life has introduced several Groupforeign partners to enhance their capabilities Insurance Schemes including coverage forin cross-border deals, product innovation housing loan borrowers and deposits accountand delivery, (b) to induct professional holders. With the required approvals fallingmanagement and (c) to formulate new in place enabling SBI branches to handlestrategies for business development, they insurance business, SBI Life’sshould better consolidate their position and Bancassurance products are expected to getemerge as leaders in the changing a big boost and also bring substantial noninterestcompetitive environment.In the HRD area,income to the bank’s branchesThea major event during 2000-01 was the bank’s efforts to establish a world -classimplementation of a voluntary retirement credit information bureau in India culminatedscheme, with the objective of improving the in the successful setting up of the Creditage and skill profile of the staff in keeping Information Bureau (India) Ltd., a jointwith the Bank’s business strategies. Around venture of the Bank with HDFC Ltd., Dun21,000 employees, including officers, werepermitted to retire. The bank spent Rs2271.24 crore as VRS compensation.TheBank has crossed another milestone bymaking a successful foray into insurance.SBI is the only Bank to have been permitteda 74% stake in the insurance business. TheBank’s insurance subsidiary, SBI LifeInsurance Company, a joint venture with theBank holding 74% and Cardif S.A., the Jointventure partner, the balance 26%, wasincorporated to undertake life insurance andpension business. Cardif S.A. is a whollyownedsubsidiary of BNP-Paribas, which isthe largest bank in France and one of the and Bradstreet Information Services Indiatop ten banks in the world. Cardif S.A. is Pvt. Ltd. and Trans Union International Inc.the largest bancassurance company inFrance.While the Bank will market the productsthrough its branches and also through tiedagents subsequently, Cardif S.A. will provideactive support in product development, risk9.2 million units of colour televisions are expected to be sold in India during this fiscal.SMARTHA BHARATA 143The legislation for enabling legal frameworkto share information is expected shortly. Thebureau will handle both positive and negativecredit information in commercial andconsumer market segments and we expectthat the joint venture will benefit from the2.8 million Personal computers were sold in the country during 2003-04.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3synergy of alliance of market leaders in theirrespective fields.In order to reduce risk anddevelop a transparent and active debt marketin general and Government securities marketin particular, the Clearing Corporation ofIndia Ltd. has been set up in Mumbai withthe Bank as the chief promoter.The Bank hasan equity holding of 26% along with all Indiafinancial institutions, other scheduledcommercial banks and primary dealers. TheCorporation will act as a clearing house forsale and purchase of Government securitiesand foreign exchange. It is expected tocommence operations shortly. As a part ofrestructuring the Banks representative officeat Moscow is to be upgraded to a subsidiaryand it is also going to a JV with Canara Bankand its Sydney Representative Office will beupgraded to a full-fledged Branch. As a partof resturcturing the bank has closed itsJakarta and Sao Paulo offices in 2002-03.The bank has formalized all arrangementsfor its new technology platform for branchoperations, treasury business and riskmanagement. Work is well underway in allrelated projects including connectivitybetween 49 cities, which will be achievedduring the current year. The core bankingsoftware is under customization.The bank will soon launch its debit card viz.SBI Cash Plus. Customers can use it to drawcash and do other transactions at the ATMsand also use it at merchant establishmentsfor paying their shopping bills. This facilitywill be available to all SBI customers.(From the Web Site)3.44 million pieces of garments valued at $16.6 million were exported by India tothe US during April this year.Indian companies are able to compete with foreign companies in their our countries,because of their quality and competitive rates. In 1998 Sundaram Fasteners was awardedthe Japanese Prize for, Total Quality Maintenance. That company also bagged the‘Supplier of the year Award’ from the giant General motors.SMARTHA BHARATA 144

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3CANARA BANK1. Canara bank was founed by A.Subbarao Pai in Mangalore Karnataka on 1.7.1906.2. Backed by a team of professionals, committed staff and extended clientele base, thebank has over the last 98 years, achieved many a milestone in the fields of commercialand social banking.3. The bank began operations as the Canara Hindu Permanent Fund in 1910.4. The bank took over a number of banks starting with the Bank of Kerala Ltd. In 1961,and ending with Pangal Nayak Bank Ltd. In 1968.5. In 1969 the Canara Bank was nationalised.6. In 1985 it took over Laxmi Commercial Bank Ltd.7. In its nearly a century of operations, thebank has grown into2409 branches with a totalsize of over Rs.97,000 crores andcurrently employsover 47500 people.8. Steadily the bank has grown. In the period1995-2000, the deposits have grown at acompoundedgrowth rate of 13.9%. Itsadvances in the same period grew by 18.5%9. Its operational efficiency has improved.Business size perbranch shows a growthrate of 14.4% for thelast 7 years.10. The bank has international operationswith, a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary.11. Canara bank’s foreign business is ani m p o r t a n t component. In FY 2002it contributed 59,333 crores to theBank’s turnover.12. Information technology initiatives, computerisation of branches, tele-banking, Anywherebanking, Remote. Access Terminal Facilities etc. are Canara Bank’s specialfeatures.13. Canara Bank is a world class, world-size bank, with Profitability, Efficiency andProductivity as its corporate Mission.14. The key areas of the bank are retail-advances, housing loans, loans to retail traders andself-employed businessmen, SSI lending, and agricultural advances.(From the Web Site)53.6 lakh units of two-wheelers were sold in the country during 2003-04.SMARTHA BHARATA 145

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3THE INSTITUTE OFMATHEMATICAL SCIENCESAbout IMSCThe Institute of Mathematical Sciences(IMSC), founded by AlladiRamakrishnan in 1962, is a nationalinstitution for fundamental research in frontierdisciplines of the mathematical sciences. It isan autonomous institute funded by theDepartment of Atomic Energy of theGovernment of India and by the Governmentof Tamil Nadu.At present, IMSC has about 45 facultymembers working in the areas of Mathematics,Theoretical Computer Science and TheoreticalPhysics. The Institute trains graduate studentsthrough active research programmes whichculminate in the award of the PhD degree.IMSC supports post-doctoral research throughfellowships and has a vibrant VisitingScientists Scheme. The Institute has anexcellent library, a state-of-the-art computingfacility with high speed internet connectivityand facilities of an international standard forhosting scientific meetings.The Institute is presently in a phase of rapidgrowth and large scale expansion in all researchareas, including emerging ones, is envisioned.The Areas of Research at IMSC are:Mathematics, Theoretical Computer Science andTheoretical Physics.Academic ProgrammesDoctoral ProgrammeGraduate Visitor’s ProgrammePost-doctoral ProgrammeVisiting Scientists ProgrammeFront-ranking scientists from all over the worldvisit the Institute frequently to interact with itsmembers and to lecture on their work. Over theyears, the Institute hashosted several NobelLaureates and FieldsMedalists, often overextended periods of time.AssociateshipProgrammeFor an announcement of the AssociateshipProgramme for the period click here.Collaborative ProjectsInstitute members participate in severalcollaborative projects with other institutions.Academic MeetingsBesides regular Seminar/Colloquium activitiesby Institute members and Visiting Scientists,Workshops, Symposia and Conferences invarious fields are organized frequently by IMSC.Conference participants come from all over Indiaand abroad, and are usually housed in the InstituteGuest-House Complex. Such meetings areusually held in the Ramanujam Auditorium ofIMSC.Recent Conferences.The Institute participates in the TheoreticalPhysics Seminar Circuit (TPSC) programme,through which physicists can visit leadingresearch centers in India and lecture on theirwork. IMSc organises and participates activelyin Advanced Schools such as those conductedby the Science and Engineering Research Council(SERC) of the Department of Science andTechnology (DST) and the National Board ofHigher Mathematics (NBHM). The Instituteencourages its members to interact andcollaborate with scientists elsewhere.(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 146

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OFMEDICAL SCIENCES1. The All India Institute of MedicalSciences was established in 1956 by an Actof Parliament.2. The aims and objects of the Institute,as specified in the Act, were to developpatterns of teaching in undergraduate andpostgraduate medical education in all itsbranches so as to demonstrate a highstandard of medical education to all medicalcolleges and other allied institutions in India;to bring together at one plakhe educationalfacilities of the highest order for the trainingof personnel in all important branches ofhealth activity; and to attain self-sufficiencyin postgraduate medical education.3. For pursuing academic programmes,the Institute has been kept outside thepurview of the Medical Council of India. TheInstitute continues to be a leader in the fieldof medical education, research and patientcarein keeping with the mandate of theParliament.4. The Institute is fully funded by theGovernment of India. However, for researchactivities, grants are also received fromvarious sources including national andinternational agencies. While the major partof the services are highly subsidised for thepatients coming to the AIIMS hospitals,certain categories of patients are charged fortreatment/services rendered to them.5. Postgraduate Medical Education:During 1998-99 session 94 students (i.e. forthe coursescommencing inJanuary, 1998and July, 1998)were admitted to various postgraduate, postdoctoraland superspeciality courses i.e.M.D.,M.S., M.D.S., M.H.A., Ph.D., M.Ch.,D.M., and M.Sc. in various specialities. Ninecandidates belonging to the ScheduledCastes and five belonging to the ScheduledTribes got admission to the postgraduatecourses. The Institute provides full timepostgraduate and post-doctoral courses in40 disciplines. In the year under review(2004), 50 postgraduate students qualifiedfor various degrees. The guiding principlein postgraduate training is to train them asteachers, reserchers and above all ascompetent doctors to manage and treat thepatients independently.(i) 58 candidates from various organisationsand State Governments received short-termtraining at the various departments of theInstitute during the year.6. Undergraduate Medical Education:This year the Institute admitted 50 studentsto its MBBS course, 14 students to B. Sc.Nursing (post-certificate) course, 50students to B.Sc. (Hons.) in Nursing Course,19 students to B. Sc. (Hons.) HumanBiology Course, IO students to B.Sc.(Hons.) in Ophthalmic techniques, 6 studentsto B.Sc. (Hons.) in Medical Technology inRadiography and 4 students to B.Sc. (Hons.)in Speech and Hearing.SMARTHA BHARATA 147

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3(i) The MBBS course is spread over five anda half years, dividing the period to one yearfor preclinical, one and a half years for paraclinicaland two years for clinical subjects,followed by one year rotating internship.Paramedical courses like B. Sc. (Hons.) inNursing, Ophthalmic Techniques, MedicalTechnology in Radiography and Speech andHearing continued to be popular andattracted students from other countries also.The curricula of these courses are underconstant scrutiny by the faculty of theInstitute for purposes of improvement.7. Continuing Medical education. TheInstitute organised a number of workshops,symposia and conferences in collaborationwith various national and internationalagencies during the year. Professionals fromvarious institutions all over the countryparticipated in these seminars and workshopsand benefited with update knowledge.8. Training for Scheduled Castes (SC) andthe Scheduled Tribes (ST) Candidates. - TheSC and ST candidates are given dueconsideration and weight age in accordancewith the Government of India guidelines inall selections.9. International Role: The Institutecontinued to provide consultancy services toseveral neighbouring countries underbilateral agreements or under the aegis ofinternational agencies. The Institute isactively involved in development of B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Nepal.During 1998-99 the Institute trained 17candidates (including 7 WHO trainees and10 foreign nationals as elective trainees) tofulfil its international obligations.10. Research: The All India Institute ofMedical Sciences is a leader in the field ofmedical research. Major research works areon in the areas of hepatitis, acute liver failure,sub-acute liver failure, diarrheal diseases inchildren, micro- nutrient deficiency,reproductive biology, oncogene, signaltransduction, immunity of malaria parasite,mycobacteria study in TB and leprosy,developmental genetics, development ofimmunodiagnostics, bone marrow andgenetic factors in epilepsy. 340 researchProjects are continuing during this period.(i) Research grants totalling to Rs.3,69,17,448/- was received from variousinternational and national funding agenciesduring 1998-99.11. Patient Care Services: During 1997-98,the AlIMS hospital and speciality centresattended to over 16,97,853 patients invarious out-patient departments (OPD’s).The number of indoor patients during thisperiod was 87,472. A total number of1,08,828 surgical procedures wereconducted including the procedures likebrain tumour surgery, open heart surgery,heart transplant, kidney transplant andcancer surgery. During the period from Aprilto September, 1998, the main hospital of theInstitute attended to little over 5,57,000patients in the OPDs and admitted 19,168patients. Over 28,384 surgical procedureswere conducted.(i) During the first six months of the currentyear, the Cardio-Thoracic Centre conducted48.8 lakh units of two-wheelers were sold in the country between April 2003 and February 2004.SMARTHA BHARATA 148

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3over 1,178 heart operations while the NeurosciencesCentre performed 1, 329 operationsand 60 Gamma Knife procedures were alsoperformed. The Cardio-Thoracic Centreattended to 44,333 patients while theNeurosciences Centre had 30,219 patientsin their OPDs.(ii) The Institute-Rotary Cancer Hospitalattended to 22,129 patients in the OPD andadmitted 3,858 patients in the first half ofthe year. During this period, 1,262 cancerre-lated surgery were undertaken atI.R.C.H.(iii) Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre forOphthalmic Sciences attended to 1,42,457patients in the OPD during the first sixmonths of the current year (1.4.98 to30.9.98). The number of admitted patientswas 6,099 and surgical procedures wereconducted on 6,315 patients during thisperiod.13. Breakthrough & Innovtions: TheCardio-thoracic Centre has been providingstate-of-the-art cardiac care to the patientssuffering from coronary heart disease,congenital heart disease and valvular defects.After its spectacular success in hearttransplantation surgery during the previousyears, the centre has started work on OrganRetrieval and Banking Organisation with thesupport of the Government of India. Ourcardiologists are routinely performing up-todateprocedures in the field of interventionalcardiology like coronary stenting,atherectomy, balloon dialation for valves,radio-frequency ablation for arythmia etc.(i) The Neurosciences Centre has beenmanaging all types of neurological problemsincluding a large number of brain surgery.The Gamma-Knife procedure has been fullyestablished in the centre. Till now 178procedures have been performed with veryencouraging results.12. Community Services: Communitybased programmes have been integral partof the Institute’s clinical and researchactivities. The Rural Health Centre atBallabhgarh, being run under the supervisionof the Centre for Community Medicine, is aunique experiment. Besides, departments ofObstetrics and Gynaecology, Rehabilitationand Physical Medicine, Paediatrics, andDr.Rajendra Prasad Centre for OphthalmicSciences have been actively involved incommunity-based services. Dr. RajendraPrasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciencesorganises regular camps in the ruralcommunity.(ii) Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre forOphthalmic Sciences has started suturelesscataract surgery and laser surgery in a bigway. The phacoemulcification procedure isbeing provided free of charge to all thepatients. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre hasacquired and installed an excimer laser andwould be providing service at subsidisedcharges.(iii) The Surgical Oncology Deparmanent inthe Institute-Rotary Cancer Hospital hasdeveloped a breast cancer surgery based onultrasonic application, which is virtuallybloodless.36.15 million tonne of finished steel was produced by our country during the last fiscal.SMARTHA BHARATA 149

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3(iv) The Department of Urology hassuccessfully reconstructed bladders, usingintestinal sack, in patients suffering frombladder cancer. This would help hundreds ofpatients to have normal bladder functioneven after removal of the cancer bladder.(v) The Department ofOtorhinolaryngology has successfullyperformed four Cochlear implantations, thelast one being the 24-channel model.(vi) The Department of Orthopedics hasestablished itself as a leading centre in alltypes of joint replakhement surgery andspinal surgery.14. Budget: For 1998-99 the CentralGovernment has provided a budget of Rs.168.09 Crore (Rs.69.96 crore in Plan andRs. 98.13 crore in Non-plan). This includesRs. 1 crore earmarked for developing theTrauma Centre.(From the Web Site)Domestic sales of biotech products are expected to touch $10 billion by 2005.SMARTHA BHARATA 150

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3INDIAN INSTITUTE OFSCIENCE, BANGALOREJamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (1839-1904)was one of the extraordinary men whoeven towards the end of the nineteenthcentury was convinced that the futureprogress of the country depended cruciallyon research in Science and Engineering. Heenvisaged this Institute as destined topromote original investigations in allbranches of learning and to utilise them forthe benefit of India.After consulting several authorities in thecountry, he constituted a ProvisionalCommittee to prepare the required schemefor the setting up of the Institute. On 31stDecember 1898, a draft prepared by theCommittee was presented to Lord Curzon,the Viceroy-designate. Subsequently, uponthe request of the Secretary of State forIndia, the Royal Society of London askedfor the help of Sir William Ramsay, NobelLaureate. Ramsay made a quick tour of thecountry and reported Bangalore to be thesuitable place for such an Institution.With the establishment of the UniversityGrants Commission in 1956, the Institutecame under its purview as a deemeduniversity.The Institute has been able to make manyOn the Initiative of the Dewan, Sir K significant contributions primarily because ofSheshadri Iyer, the Government of Shri a certain uniqueness in its character. It is neitherKrishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of a National Laboratory which concentratesMysore came forward with an offer of 372 solely on research and applied work, nor aacres of land, free of cost and promised other conventional University which concerns itselfnecessary facilities. Thus the original scheme mainly with teaching. But the Institute isof Jamsetji Tata became a tripartite venture concerned with research in frontier areas andwith the association of the Government of education in current technologically importantIndia and the Government of Maharaja of areas. This is also the first Institute in thecountry to introduceThe prestigious Wired magazine has named Infosys among 40 companies worldwide that arereshaping the global economy. The others who are part of this exalted list are such big namesas IBM, Sony, BP, Honda Motor, Wal-Mart, Microsoft Intel and Galxo Smith Kline.SMARTHA BHARATA 151M y s o r e .(Subsequently,t h eGovernment ofKarnataka hadgifted lands during the Golden Jubilee andPlatinum Jubilee of the Institute making thecurrent land holding of the Institute up to443 acres.)The constitution of the Institute wasapproved by the Viceroy Lord Minto, andthe necessary Vesting Order was signed on27th May 1909. Early in 1911, the Maharajaof Mysore laid the foundation stone of theInstitute and on 24th July the first batch ofstudents were admitted in the Departmentsof General and Applied Chemistry andElectrotechnology.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3innovative Integrated Ph D Programmes inBiological, Chemical and Physical Sciencesfor science graduates.During the past eight decades many are thealumni and faculty who have gone out fromthis Institute to direct science and technologyin the country, to create and nurture otherlaboratories and scientific institutions and toestablish key industries. C V Raman, H JBhabha, Vikram S Sarabhai, J C Ghosh, MS Thacker, S Bhagavantam, S Dhawan, C NR Rao and scores of others who have playeda key role in the scientific and technologicalprogress of our country have been closelyassociated with the Institute. The Councilof the Institute confers Honorary Fellowshipon eminent scholars and scientists and onthose who have made noteworthy and lastingcontributions to the cause of science andindustry in India. Among the 24 recipientsof this distinction are Pandit JawaharlalNehru, M Vishveswaraya, C V Raman, J RD Tata, Vikram S Sarabhai and C N R Rao.Besides formal education and research, theInstitute has been playing an active part inoffering short-term courses to scientists andtechnologists in service. The ContinuingEducation Programme covers a wide rangeof topics and over 1500 working scientistsand engineers go through such courses everyyear.In keeping with its aims and objects, theInstitute has organised a Centre for Scientificand Industrial Consultancy through whichthe knowhow generated in the Institutepercolates to industries via industrysponsoredprojects.The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for AdvancedScientific Research with organic links withthe Institute has been functioning on Campusand also on Jakkur.In all these endeavours, the Institute strivesto contribute to the scientific, academic andtechnological goals of our country, with akeen awareness of its noble tradition and theneed for maintaining a high quality in all itsactivities. (Source I.I.S.C. Web Site)Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has emerged as the largest software exporter in India, clockingrevenues of Rs.4,545 crore, followed by Infosys Technologies at Rs.3,545 crore and WiproTechnologies with Rs.2,787 crore, for the year 2002-03. The combined revenue of the top 20 softwareand service exporters in the area of IT services, products and technology was Rs.20,746 crore ($4.3billion) in 2002-03 a growth of 18%SMARTHA BHARATA 152

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3SOLELY FOR SCIENCENeha PrasadOn March 29, 1904, Sir J.C.Boseaccomplished the enviable—a U.S.patent on the first semi-conductor theworld saw. In his application of September 30,1901, Bose explained “…With a glass lens, theinstrument will detect and record lights not onlysome way beyond the violet, but also in theregions of infra-red in the invisible regions ofelectric radiation. We may thus style thisapparatus a ‘tejometer’….or universalradiometer.”SymposiumTo celebrate the centenary of SirJ.C.Bose’s patent on the “Detector forElectrical Disturbance”—the discoveryof lead sulphide (Galena) as the mostefficient wideband semiconductorbiode, the Bose institute conducted asymposium of eminent scientists.The Bose Institute was the first of its kind tobe started by an Indian (Sir J.C.Bose) in 1917to further scientific knowledge. With itscompetent and seasoned workforce and diversedepartments like Microbiology, Bio-chemistryand Biophysics, the institute has carved out aniche of its own in the scientific community. Italso encompasses research sections dealingexclusively with Plant Molecular and CellularGenetics, Animal physiology,Immunotechnology and Environment Science.In 1988, the Bioinformatics Centre was formedto research genetic engineering and molecularremodelling.The library provides state-of-the-artinfrastructure to aid everyday research anddevelopment. Sophisticated analyticalSMARTHA BHARATA 153instrumentation facilities make available arange of unique apparatus to researchers.Additional service units such as the CentralInstrumentation Facility, DistributedInformation Centres and scientific workshopshelp knit together the Institute’s comprehensiveweb of facilities.The Institute plans to establish Centres ofExcellence in Bioinformatics, Plant Molecularand Structural Biology, MyobacteriumResearch and Astro-particle Physics and SpaceSciences along with a National Facility inGenomics and Proteomics hoping to extendthe limits of scientificknowledge in keeping withthe traditions of SirJ.C.Bose.Twin idealsHe envisaged the Institutionto be “not merely alaboratory but a temple.”Eighty-seven years ago, heset twin ideals for theinstitution to follow—advancement ofknowledge and comprehensive diffusion of thefruits of its labour. “We are proud inheritorsof his immeasurable scientific vision andforesight,” says Prof.M.Siddiqi, Director, BoseInstitute.Bose is famous for revolutionising the worldof wireless communication. Within six years,he had done away with the cumbersome,inaccurate laboratory equipment of the 1890sand ushered in the 20 th Century with a rangeof delicate, reliable and easy working devicesin miniature. Although his instruments werefinancial and technological marvels, Boseseems unable to exploit their commercialpotential. A man of science, Bose was solelyoccupied with posing a unique catechism toNature. (The Hindu)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3KALAM LAUDS WOCKHARDT’SBIOTECH RESEARCHRamnath SubbuThe President, A.P.J.Abdul Kalam hasinaugurated the Wockhardt BiotechPark in Aurangabad. This is thelargest biopharmaceutical complex with sixdedicated manufacturing plants.The Rs.200 crore complexis spread over three lakh sq.ft. and has capacities tocater to 10-15 per cent ofthe global demand for majorbiopharmaceuticals. Atpresent, the complex makesWosulin (recombinantinsulin), Erythropoietin andHepatitis B Vaccine.The biotech park has astrength of over 400scientists; 80 of whom areworking on breakthroughtechnologies in the area ofbiopharmaceuticals. ThePresident was appreciativeof the company’s researchthat has made key medicines more affordableto Indians. He also toured the complex anddiscussed with scientists the new researchareas.Chairman, Wockhardt, announced that thecompany had made a technologybreakthrough by developing Glargine, a newgeneration advance on insulin.“We will initiate Phase III clinical trials withGlargine and expect to introduce it in Indiain the next 18 months,” he said.Wide range of productsWith the introduction of Glargine andconvenient delivery devicessuch as pens, Wock-hardtwill have a comprehensiverange of products fordiabetes management.Wosulin (recombinantinsulin), launched last year,has captured a 20 per centshare of the newprescription market.Wockhardt’s entry into themarket led to a 40 per centdrop in price, which has ledto a 20 per cent increase inusage of insulin bydiabetics.While the company’s keyfocus areas remain pharmaceuticals,biotechnology and drug discovery, thecompany has also been focusing on otherareas. “In the case of diseases such as cancer,the body’s immune system finds it extremelydifficult to handle the cancer cells.Biotechnology products such as Interferon,help improve the immune defence system.”Tata Steel has purchased a steel mill in Ukraine.SMARTHA BHARATA 154

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3The company is also working on animportant compound—granulocyte colonystimulating factor (GCSF)—for cancer andhopes to launch it in the Indian market inlate 2005 or early 2006.instead of our earlier estimated date of2006.” The exports will come fromWockhardt’s three key biotechnologydrugs—Wepox (Erythropoietin), Wosulinand Biovac B (Hepatitis B vaccine).It is also working on an anti-infectant drug,WCK-771, for which clinical trials will becompleted in 6-8 months and would belaunched in 2008.Compound for cancerThe company is also working on the pen reusableinsulin delivery system which will beintroduced in the first quarter of next year.Its pen-disposable-insulin delivery systemwill be launched a year thereafter.Biotech exportsThe firm is targeting a 100-fold increase inbiotech exports to Rs.100 crores by 2005The company has already received approvalsfrom regulatory agencies of ten countries inSoutheast Asia, Central Asia, South Americaand Africa and expects more in the next 12-18 months.“These markets are huge opportunities. Themarket for insulin alone is over $800 million.Several high value biotech medicines are dueto come off patent in the next few years,offering opportunities to launch costeffectiveversions with the potential ofreaching more needy patients across theworld,” said the Wockhardt Chairman.(The Hindu)FORD INDIA SHIPSCOMPONENTS TO CHINAFord India has started exporting to China, the company was at presentexporting 170 different components for 25,000 units of cars made in China.The company sources over 90 per cent of its product contents locally. It has alsoa strategic tie-up with Hindustan Motors to locally manufacture engines. On theexport front, it shipped about 25,000 cars a year mainly to Latin Americancountries, South Africa and China.[The Hindu]3.96 lakh MT of copper was produced by our country in 2003-04.SMARTHA BHARATA 155

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Profile:MARUTI UDYOG LTDWhen Maruti entered the Indian carmarket, it sought to fill what itperceived as two very glaringneeds. One to provide fuel efficient, low-costvehicles, which were reliable and of highquality. Two, to offer customers a friendlysales and after sales service. Totalautomobile value and customer satisfaction:these objectives shaped our policies and ourapproach to quality. Additionally, theabsence of an efficient public transportationsystem was leading to a growing demand forpassenger cars. A burgeoning work force andgrowing middle class population meant thatpersonal transport had become a necessity.The first cars rolled out for sale on 14thDecember 1983, (the Company went intoproduction in a record 13 months), markingthe beginning of a revolution in the Indianautomobile industry. Through the yearsMaruti has provided world-classcontemporary Japanese technology, suitablyadapted to Indian conditions and Indian carusers. We have also provided users with arange of cars to suit different needs. Maruti’smarket share figures show the response ofcustomers: In 1997-98, our market share ofvehicles was over 70%. In addition to leadingin the economy car segment, Maruti is alsothe leader in the luxury car segment with amarket share of 38%. The success of the jointventure led Suzuki to increase its equity from26% to 40% in 1987, and further to 50% in1992. As a result, Maruti changed from beinga government company to a non-governmentcompany. Several measures of performancehave made amply clear that Maruti hasestablished a truly healthy work culture. Wehave met all project and performance targetssince inception. Our productivity levels areconstantly improving. The Company has hadgood labour relations with employees fromthe very beginning, and have been successfulin the export market. Yet, the Maruti cultureis one that does not believe in resting on itslaurels. We adhere to the spirit of Kaizenwhich states that constant improvement isalways possible. The most basic tenet ofproductivity that we hold dear is that “ Todayshould be better than Yesterday andTomorrow should be better than Today”.(From the Web Site)Garment exports by India to quota countries during 2003-04 amounted to1,178.6 million pieces valued at $4,744.2 millionSMARTHA BHARATA 156

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3WOCKHARDT, DRL GOBBLE UPFOREIGN DRUG FIRMSIndian pharmaceutical companies seem tobe on a roll. Not satisfied with theirprowess at home, drug firms are nowincreasingly looking at acquisitions abroadto enhance their product portfolio as well asshore up bottom lines.In May 2004, in identical deals of $11 million(Rs.49 crore) apiece, pharma majorsDr.Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) andWockhardt announced their intention toacquire drug firms in the US and Germanyrespectively. While Wockhardt has set itssights on Germany-based Esparma GmbH,a generic drug company, Dr.Reddy’s plan totake over dermatology firm TrigenesisTherapeutics Inc.Both the companies view the acquisitions asimportant in their scheme of things. “Withthe acquisition of Esparma, we will be ableto make an entry into the largest generic drugmarket in European union viz. Germany,”says Wockhardt chairman HabillKhorakiwala. The German generics marketwas estimated to be around $6.1 billion in2003, with a generics penetration rate ofover 54%.“Esparma’s strong presence in urology,neurology and diabetology, is in line withWockhardt’s therapeutic strength. This willboost Wockhardt’s further growth in theEuropean Union and also take our globalstrategy to a newer level of products andcustomers.” Khorakiwala added.Esparma recorded sales of $20 million(Rs.90 crore) in 2003, and has a sizeableportfolio of 135 marketing authorizations,of which 67 are in Germany. The companyalso has nine international patents and 94trademarks.This is Wockhardt’s third internationalacquisition, after the earlier UK acquisitionsof Wallis laboratory in 1998 and CPPharmaceuticals in 2003.DRL on its part says the acquisition ofTrigenesis gave it access to certain productsand proprietary drug to treat skin problems.Besides the total investment outlay of $11million, DRL said it will make additionalcontractual payments during the course ofdevelopment of the products and technologyplatforms and royalties on sales to SkyePharma Plc and Silvafoam Llc pursuant toexisting Trigenesis agreements.“The deal provides us an excitingopportunity to apply various proprietarydrug delivery technologies in creating apipeline of differentiated drugs that willbroaden the range of available treatmentoptions and establish DRL, in theprescription dermatology segment,” saidDr.Reddy’s CEO G.V.Prasad. [TNIE]SMARTHA BHARATA 157

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3HERO HONDA - FILL IT. SHUT IT. FORGET ITThe Legend of Hero HondaWhat started out as a Joint Venture betweenHero Group, the world’s largest bicyclemanufacturers and the Honda Motor Companyof Japan, has today become the World’s singlelargest two wheeler Company. Coming into2001-02 14,25,195 units2002-03 16,77,537 unitsCustomer satisfaction, a high quality product,the strength of Honda technology and the Herogroup’s dynamism have helped HHML scalenew frontiers and exceed limits. In the wordsof Mr. Brijmohan Lall Munjal, the Chairmanand Managing Director, “We will continue tomake every effort required for the developmentof the motorcycle industry, through newproduct development, technologicalinnovation, investment in equipment andfacilities and through and through efficientmanagement.”existence on January 19, 1984, Hero HondaMotors Limited gave India nothing less than arevolution on two-wheels, made even morefamous by the ‘Fill it - Shut it - Forget it ‘campaign. Driven by the trust of over 5 millioncustomers, the Hero Honda product rangetoday commands a market share of 48%making it a veritable giant in the industry. Addto that technological excellence, an expansivedealer network, and reliable after sales service,and you have one of the most customerfriendlycompanies.This is proved by the company’s sales over theyears :1985-86 43,000 units1989-90 96,200 units1998-99 5,30,600 units1999-00 7,61,210 units2000-01 10,29,555 unitsYEAR EVENT2003 Winner of the Review 200 - Asia’sLeading Companies Award (3rd Rankamongst the top 10 Indian Companies)Most Respected Company inAutomobile Sector by Business WorldBike Maker of the Year by OverdriveMagazine2002 Bike Maker of the Year by OverdriveMagazineWinner of the Review 200 - Asia’sLeading Companies Award (4th Rankamongst top 10 Indian Companies).2001 Bike Maker of the Year by OverdriveMagazineAchieved OM - One million productionin one single yearJoy Model launchedEntrepreneur of the Year Awardconferred upon the Chairman, MrBrijmohan Lall by Ernst & Young50,00,000th Bike producedSMARTHA BHARATA 158

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3‘Three Leaves Award for Environment’to Hero Honda by Centre for Social &Environment Green Rating Project.2000 Sponsored ‘Hero Honda NKP SalveChallenger Trophy’Sponsored ‘Stardust Hero HondaMillennium Honours Award’Sponsored ‘Hero Honda Masters GolfChampionship’Appointed Sourav Ganguly & HrithikRoshan as Brand AmbassadorsEnvironment Performance Award toHero Honda Dharuhera Plant byHaryana State Pollution Control BoardEnvironment Management System ofGurgaon Plant certified ISO-14001 byDNV Holland4,000,000th motorcycle producedSplendor declared World No. 1 -largest selling single two-wheeler model1999 Best Productivity Award for thebest performance inAutomobile & Tractor Sector byNational ProductivityCouncil presented byVice President of India1998 20,00,000th motorcycle produced1997 15,00,000th motorcycle produced1985 First motorcycle (Model CD 100)produced 200 motorcycles per dayproduction1984 Company incorporated Technicalcollaboration signed Foundation stonelaid1983 Joint Collaboration Agreement withHonda Motor Co. Ltd. Japan,signedShareholders Agreements signed(From the Web Site)1. Tata steels manufacture high-quality steel at the most economic prices.Nalco’s Aluminum, Hidalco’s Aluminum etc. are most economically priced,with high quality of production. They head the Price Leadership lists theeconomy of their scale helps them operate thus.2. Of the 67 lakhs of automobiles manufactured in India is 2003-04, carsalone accounted for 6.98 lakhs with Maruti’s share at 4.72 lakhs.3. Hero Honda’s Splendour is the largest selling motor-cycle model in the world.4. The Jam Nagar (Gujarat) Refinery of the Reliance is the third largest in theworld. Bharat Forge the second largest in its field.Trilogy E business software is a leading provider of industry-specificenterprise software for Global 100 companies. It is among the world’s largestprivately held software companies. The World’s largest companies includingFord, Fujitsu, Land’s End, Nation Wide and SGI use Trilogy’s services.Trilogy solutions are well established in the automotive, communications,computer, and insurance industries enabling leading companies to developmarket and sell products more quickly and profitably.SMARTHA BHARATA 159

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3KHADI AND VILLAGEINDUSTRIES COMMISSIONKVIC works under the administrativecontrol of the Ministry of Industry,Government Of India under thedepartment of Small-Scale Industries andAgro and Rural Industreies. KVIC has a 10member commission at the policy makinglevel. The Commission consists of six zonalmembers (one of whom is Chairman), twoexpert members and two official members(the Chief Executive officer and the FinancialAdvisor to the Commisssion). The Chairman,CEO and FA are full time members.The head qarters of KVIC is in Bombay andit has its State and Regional Offices in allthe States. It has training, production andSales centres through out the country. KVICis having 30 State khadi and village industriesboard, over 3500 institutions and over 29000co-operative societies. There are around14200 sales outlets in the country in KVISector. It is having 46% women participationin its activities. 30% beneficiaries belongsto SC/ST. KVI Boards assist over 5 lakhartisans. It has reached 2.35 lakhs villages.Popularising KhadiThe Khadi and Village IndustriesCommission (KVIC) is a statutoryorganisation established by an Act ofParliament namely, the Khadi and VillageIndustries Commission Act, 1956 (No. 61of 1956). It is mainly a service organisationengaged in the promotion and developmentof Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) inrural areas.Employment GenerationThe development programmes of theKVIC are implemented through 30 State/UTKVI Boards which are statutoryorganisations established under State Laws,5,149 institutions registered under SocietiesRegistration Act, 1860 and 30,130cooperative societies. The KVIC also assists7.98 lakh individual artisans/entrepreneursdirectly as well as through State KVIBs. TheKVI programmes have now reached over2.61 lakh villages in the country providinggainful employment opportunities to therural poor, remote and hilly areas, border andtribal areas, Scheduled Castes and ScheduleTribes (SCs/STs) and women.The Government is paying utmost attentionto the employment generation programmesbeing implemented through the KVIC toSafflower production in India during the current season(2004) is estimated at 1.2 lakh tonnesSMARTHA BHARATA 160

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3provide respectable employment to peopleand enable them to lead a life of dignity.Moreover, this is the only sector whichcreates employment in a cost- efficientmanner. The KVIC is also making an all outeffort to provide gainful employment to therural masses and is also providing financialand other assistance for this purpose.Financial AssistanceThe financial assistancetoKVIC’simplementing agenciesis in the form of grants,rebates and subsidies.The major portion ofthe grants given to theCommission is fordisbursement of rebateson retail sales of Khadias well as subsidy onvillage industries.During the last threeyears, special effortswere made to releaseadditional grants toclear all pending rebateclaims. Banks were also motivated to giverequisite credit to the Khadi and VillageIndustries. In the financial year 1999-2000,a sum of Rs. 320 crore has been provided .Moreover, in collaboration with the UNDP,a project for $2.5 million dollars (about Rs.11 crore) has been launched for beekeeping,pottery, handmade paper and capacitybuilding of the KVIC.The KVIC undertakes its programmes in therural areas through the artisans working incottage industries. Its activities are providingemployment to large number of SCs/STs andSMARTHA BHARATA 161women. At present, 32 per cent and 46 percent of total KVI employment is from theSCs/STs and women artisans respectively.In order to preserve the spirit of Swadeshiand the model of self-reliant growth of theKVI Sector, the Government is providinghuge subsidies and grants to the KhadiSector. During the years 1998-99 and 1999-2000, Rs. 149.09 crore and Rs. 140.69 crorerespectively havebeen paid asKhadi rebatewhich was an alltime record.During thecurrent financialyear also,adequate funds tothe tune of Rs.129 crores forKhadi rebate havebeen provided forpayment of Khadirebate claims.Moreover, theGovernment hasa l r e a d yannounced the rebate policy for the currentyear on June 01, 2000 itself, where as inearlier years the rebate policies weredeclared much later. Sometimes, there iswrong propaganda that the funds underKhadi grant are being reduced progressively.The fact is that with special efforts not onlyhave all past arrears been liquidated, morethan adequate funds have been provided forin the current year’s budget also.In addition of the financial assistance in theform of budgetary resources, theGovernment has also extended a guaranteeto the RBI for extending a line of creditIndia sold Rs.10,000 crores worth iron and steel to China in 2003.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3Consortium of Bank Credit (CBC) of Rs.1,000 crore to the KVIC for releasing termloans to Khadi and Village IndustriesSectors.New ChallengesThe Government is giving huge financialassistance to the KVIC. But it was felt thatthe funds so released have not resulted inthe desired benefits. In view of this as wellas in view of the challenges of the neweconomic era, it was found necessary tostrengthen the KVICstructurally to enable it toface the challenges ofglobalisation. Under thesecircumstances, it wasthought fit to conduct astudy to restructure theentire KVIC. Therestructuring will definitelyprepare it to face thechallenges in future andmake it vibrant and selfsustainingwithoutcompromising its cherished objectives.Fresh InitiativesThe recent lack of growth of the Khadiindustry, however, is a matter of seriousconcern especially in the light of decliningproduction, sales, rural employmentopportunities and share of Khadi in the totalbusiness of the KVIC. This assumes specialsignificance as population and per capitaconsumption of clothes in our country hasincreased over these years. In view of this,the Government has recently taken many anew initiative for promotion of this sectorand be able to exploit the full potential ofKhadi as a product category in all its forms.These initiatives include registration of“Khadi” as a brand name as well as domainname. The KVIC has been advised to register“khadi” as a geographical indication. Newproducts, new designs are being developedwith the help of National Institute of Designand National Institute of Fashion Technology. Packaging of Khadiproducts is being improved.A mechanism to ensurequality of Khadi products isbeing evolved. Offers havebeen invited to renovate theKhadi Bhawan in New Delhito bring it at par with anymodern international store.An advertising campaign, inIndia and abroad is also beingplanned to make peopleaware about the Khadi .Khadi shops are beingplanned at all international airports in India.And also possibilities of marketing of KVIproducts through E-commerce is beingexplored.Hence, for increasing sales of Khadi andproviding greater and better ruralemployment opportunities in this sector, itis necessary to provide and offer productsin accordance with consumer preferences asthe KVI sector plays a very important rolein the Indian Economy.(From the Web Site)Infosys has bagged the globe’s most Admired Knowledge Enterprises award for 2003,for developing knowledge workers through management leadership.SMARTHA BHARATA 162

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3ONGCSecuring Sustained GrowthAmodest entity in the sereneHimalayan settings - Oil and NaturalGas Corporation Limited (ONGC)was set up as a Commission on August 14,1956. The company became a corporate onJune 23, 1993, which has now grown into afull-fledged horizontally integrated petroleumcompany. Today, ONGC is a flagship publicsector enterprise and India’s highest profitmaking corporate, achieving the record ofbeing the first Indian corporate to register afive digit profit figure of Rs. 10,529 Crore inthe year 2002-03.ONGC has produced more than 600 millionmetric tonnes of crude oil and supplied morethan 200 billion cubic metres of gas since itsinception, thus fuelling the increasing energyrequirements of the Indian economy. Today,ONGC is the most valuable company in India,contributing 77 percent of India’s crude oilproduction and 81 per cent of India’s naturalgas production.To sustain this growth, ONGC has drawn upambitious strategic objectives, which includedoubling the oil and gas reserves. Havingaccreted six billion tonnes oil and oil equivalentreserves in its first 45 years of operation,ONGC now aims to double these reserves by2020. The second strategic objective is toaugment the global recovery factor from theexisting 28 per cent to the global norm of 40per cent in next 20 years.Out of the six billion tonnes of oil and gasreserve accretion, four billion tonnes isexpected to come from Offshore and DeepWaters. To improve the recovery factor fromthe existing fields, ONGC is investing Rs. 2,000crore in 15 re-development schemes.Corporate Ranking.* Ranked 326 th in FinancialTimes Global 500 List bymarket cap; first amongIndian Corporates.New DiscoveriesONGC made six newdiscoveries, at Vasai West(oil and gas) in WesternOffshore, GS-49 (gas) and GS-KW (oil andgas) in Krishna-Godavari Offshore,Chinnewala Tibba (gas) in Rajasthan, andLaipling-gaon (oil and gas) and Banamali (oil),both in Assam.ONGC Videsh LimitedONGC’s wholly owned subsidiary, ONGCVidesh Ltd, has made significant investmentsin many parts of the world.The gas propertyin Vietnam (OVL’s participating interest 45%)went into commercial production in December2002, leading to OVL’s first revenue fromhydrocarbons. In March 2003, OVL concludedthe acquisition of 25% equity in the GreaterNile project in Sudan with an investment ofRs. 3,430 crore. This investment entitles OVLto 3.00 MMT of crude oil per year, which isvalued at Rs. 2,500 crore at current prices.OVL opened its first overseas subsidiary,Sakhalin India Inc., in US for managing itsoperations in Sakhalin Oil field in Russia.Further, ONGC Nile-Ganga BV, a whollyowned subsidiary, was incorporated in TheNetherlands to manage the Sudan property.OVL is also pursuing exploration of oil andgas in Russia, Iran, Iraq, Libya Myanmar andother countries.(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 163

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3H.M.T.Company ProfileEstablished in 1974, HMT(International) has grown both in sizeand stature. With a networkextending over 38 countries, includingrepresentations in over 70 countries, HMT(I)has emerged as the international conduit fora wide array of Indian products. HMT(I) hasalways scored very high on dependability andquality in products and services as reflectedby growing clientele all over world. HMT(I)offers easy and consistent access to reliabletechnology. Vast experience, assimilatedover the years enables comprehensiveproject engineering packages to be offered.Key areas where HMT(I)’s services havebeen proven - Machine Tools and AlliedIndustries, Engineering Industries in capitalgoods and consumer durables coveringMetal Working Sector , Tool Rooms,Foundry, Agriculture, Food Processing,Technical Training Centers, VocationDevelopment, Industrial Estates,Development of Small and Medium scaleEnterprises (SMEs), Entrepreneur &Technical Development Centre etc. HMT(I)has successfully completed projects inAlgeria, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia,Maldives, Maldives, Mauritius, Tanzania,Nigeria, Senegal, UAE and other developingcountries. HMT(I) is recognized by manyleading international organizations such asUNIDO, UNDP, ADB, AFDP & WorldBank, for its outstanding performance ininternational trading and export of productsand services in thefollowing diverse areas: Machine ToolsIndustrial machinery, Watches and watchcomponents, Tractors and Automotive parts,Projects and services, EngineeringComponents and Products, Commodities,Software and IT Products & Services.HMT(I)’s extensive technological base andformidable resources have enabled HMT(International) to carve a name as a singlesourceprovider for project expertise in arange of engineering sectors. Thisknowledge is now deployed to trainhundreds of youth involved in engineeringactivities. HMT (I) has set up TrainingCenters to generate competent manpoweraround the world.Specialization: Belief in the spirit to pioneer& aspire to be a leading player in vastchanging business scenario.Product Brand Names: HMTProduct Range: Machine Tools IndustrialMachinery, Watches, Tractors, EngineeringComponents & Products.Technology Detail: The technological base& formidable resources have enabled us tocarve a name as single-source provider.Competitive Edge: ISO 9000 certificationfor all products.Export Markets: Africa, Asia, Australia,East Europe, Middle East, North America.Import Markets: Asia , West Europe, NorthAmerica.(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 164

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3BHARAT HEAVYELECTRICALS LIMITEDBHEL is the largest engineering andmanufacturing enterprise in India inthe energy-related/infrastructuresector, today. BHEL was established morethan 40 years ago, ushering in the indigenousHeavy Electrical Equipment industry in India- a dream that has been more than realizedwith a well-recognized track record ofperformance. The company has been earningprofits continuously since 1971-72 andpaying dividends since 1976-77. BHELmanufactures over 180 products under 30major product groups and caters to coresectors of the Indian Economy viz., PowerGeneration & Transmission, Industry,Transportation, Telecommunication,Renewable Energy, etc. The wide networkof BHEL’s 14 manufacturing divisions, fourPower Sector regional centres, over 100project sites, eight service centres and 18regional offices, enables the Company topromptly serve its customers and providethem with suitable products, systems andservices — efficiently and at competitiveprices. The high level of quality & reliabilityof its products is due to the emphasis ondesign, engineering and manufacturing tointernational standards by acquiring andadapting some of the best technologies fromleading companies in the world, togetherwith technologies developed in its own R&Dcentres.BHEL has acquired certifications to QualityManagement Systems (ISO 9001),SMARTHA BHARATA 165Environmental Management Systems (ISO14001) and Occupational Health & SafetyManagement Systems (OHSAS 18001) andis also well on its journey towards TotalQuality Management.BHEL has* Installed equipment for over 90,000 MWof power generation — for Utilities, Captiveand Industrial users.* Supplied over 2,25,000 MVA transformercapacity and other equipment operating inTransmission & Distribution network up to400 kV (AC & DC).* Supplied over 25,000 Motors with DriveControl System to Power projects,Petrochemicals, Refineries, Steel, Aluminum,Fertilizer, Cement plants, etc.* Supplied Traction electrics and AC/DClocos to power over 12,000 kms Railwaynetwork.* Supplied over one million Valves to PowerPlants and other Industries.BHEL’s operations are organised aroundthree business sectors, namely Power,Industry - including Transmission,Transportation, Telecommunication &Renewable Energy - and Overseas Business.This enables BHEL to have a strongcustomer orientation, to be sensitive to hisneeds and respond quickly to the changes inthe market.Bharti has launched India’s first dual band network in Delhi Airtel Delhi has thus becomethe largest network in terms of subscriber base (1.1 million) and spectrum (10 Mzh)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3BHEL’s vision is to become a world-classengineering enterprise, committed toenhancing stakeholder value. The companyis striving to give shape to its aspirations andfulfill the expectations of the country toabsorbed and adopted to suit local conditionsand customers specific needs. Theseproducts can now be designed to variousinternational Codes and Standards. Thecapabilities have been accorded recognitionbecome a global player.by reputedThe greatest strength of BHEL is its highly international agencies.skilled and committed 44,000 employees.World Class FacilitiesEvery employee is given an equalBHEL Tiruchirapalliopportunity to develop himself and grow inhas equipped all itshis career. Continuous training andunits with sophisticated world classretraining, career planning, a positive workmachinery, which form the heart of theculture and participative style ofmanufacturing system.management – all these have engendereddevelopment of a committed and motivatedworkforce setting new benchmarks in termsof productivity, quality and responsiveness.BHEL, Tiruchi has added to its HighPressure Boiler Plant (HPBP), a SeamlessSteel Tube Plant (SSTP) at Tiruchirappalli(adjacent to the HPBP), a Boiler AuxiliariesPlant (BAP) at Ranipet (in the state of TamilNadu), a Piping Centre(PC) at Chennai in TamilNadu and an IndustrialValve Plant (IVP) atGoindwal (in the Northernstate of Punjab).Technology AssimilationAnd DevelopmentWith judicious mix of inhouseR&D and selectivetechnology tie ups, BHEL Tiruchi hasdeveloped excellent Engineering and R&Dcapabilities.For various products, technologies frominternational leaders in the field have beenSMARTHA BHARATA 166Quality CommitmentAll the plants are equipped with state-of-theartanalytical, mechanical and nondestructivetesting facilities. The CalibrationCentre which is a National AccreditedLaboratory, possesses the latest techniquesand facilities in the field of calibration. TheSeamless Steel Tube Plant has on-lineultrasonic, stray flux and eddy current testfacilities to ensure highest qualityproduction. The Boiler Auxiliaries Plant hasa modern fan test station, flow model testfacilities, test air heater, etc.Quality RecognitionAdherence to quality has helped BHELTiruchi win quality recognition fromNational and International accreditationagencies.Customer ServicesAt BHEL Tiruchi, every system is tunedtowards serving the customer.CertificationBHEL is the first state-owned company toacquire ISO 9000 certification during 1993The Survey of India has probably become the first organisation in the Asia-Pacificregion to use the “airborne laser terrain mapping” technology or part of a large-scalemodernisation programme.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3for all its operations. This is beingsuccessfully maintained through surveillanceand recertification audits.Global LinksThe achievements have earned aninternational reputation for BHEL, Tiruchi.The plant has so far supplied boilers foraround 1350 MW of power generationcapacity to Malaysia, Libya, Iran, Egypt etc.BHEL’s valves have been exported to Malta,Cyprus, Malaysia and Indonesia whilepressure part equipment and spares havebeen exported to the USA. Boilercomponents have been supplied to China andSeamless Steel Tubes have been exported toMalaysia.People Our Greatest AssetBehind each one of these activities lies thecommitment and dedication of theemployees, technical experts, processengineers and skilled workers, whosecontribution has attributed to penning thissuccess story.Surging Ahead........BHEL Tiruchirapalli stands for all that ischerished by every member of BHEL, whereQuality is company-wide commitment.Dedication to technical excellence,development of state-of-the-art technologysuitableto customers specific needs andstrict adherence to quality standards formthe guiding principles while it surges aheadconfidently into the future.BHEL Bhopal ProfileEstablished in the late 50’s, Bharat HeavyElectricals Limited ( BHEL ) is, today, a nameto reckon with in the industrial world.It is thelargest engineering and manufacturingenterprise of its kind in India, and one of theleading international companies in the powerfield. BHEL offers over 180 products andprovides systems and services to meet theneeds of core sectorslike:Power,Transmission, Industry,Transportation,Non-ConventionalEnergy Sources,Oil & Gas Exploration &Telecommunication . With 14 ManufacturingDivisions,a wide spread Regional ServicesNetwork , and Project Sites all overIndia & abroad and with an export presencein more than 50 countries, BHELis truly India’s Industrial ambassador to theworld.All major Manufacturing,Erection andService units of BHEL have been awardedISO 9000 certification.BHEL’s Bhopal plant is the company’s oldestunit with updated & state-of-the-artmanufacturing facilities. The product rangeat Bhopal includes Hydro, Steam, Marine &Nuclear Turbines, Hydro & TurboGenerators, Transformers, Switchgears,Controlgears, TransportationEquipments,Capacitors,Bushings, ElectricalMotors, Rectifiers,Oil Drilling RigEquipments, Battery Powered Vehicles andDiesel Generating sets. This unit have beenrecommended for ISO-14001 certificate forits Environment Management System.BHEL Bhopal’s strength is it’semployees.Company invests in HumanResources continuously and is alive to theirneeds. The plant’s well established Townshipis spread over an area of around 20 sq kmsand provides good Health facilities, Sports& Recreational Parks(From the Web Site)SMARTHA BHARATA 167

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3INNOVATIVE HR PRACTICES HELPBIOCON RETAIN STAFFThanuja B.MRecent times have seen the word‘attrition’ take so much ofprominence in company profiles.Especially so in the IT industry with theaverage being over 20percent. So it does comeas a surprise that thegeneral attrition rate atBiocon, the biotechcompany billed as theInfosys of BT sector is lessthan 3 percent. And theattrition rate amongwomen is lower than men,even if it is very marginal. Interesting, right?Nirupa Bareja, group head (HR), Bioconsays, “rate of attrition among women ismarginally (o.1 percent) lower than men inthe company. This is because of the stabilityfactor, especially with married women whorarely leave us. Also our HR practices helpus in retaining most of the employees.” Well,that is to be expected when you look at someof their innovative HR policies.For instance, new recruits across all levelswear a badge that says—Hi I M New—helping other employees recognise them andmake them feel at home. Biocon also has anin-house healthcare centre, where the annualhealth check-up is done by doctors ofClinigene, a Biocon subsidiary, helping thecompany bring down spending to 1/10 th ofthe cost. From welcoming a new recruit witha red rose and card to setting up a crèchefor Biocon employee’s children, the companydoes it all and may be that’s why it has justwon the Pune-based Indira Group ofInstitutes’ award for HR excellence.“A good people assets is a huge investmentand it pays. We don’t usually try and replacethem for whatever reasons,” says Bareja.Most of the people have been with thecompany for years, she says, adding, “theattrition is mainly seen in the less than 2 yearscategory. This comprises a lot of entry levelscientists.” When asked if monetary matterswas the reason they quit, Bareja opines,“majority of our people who quit do so forhigher studies but quite a few leave formonetary reasons. However, 90 percent ofthe people who leave want to come back.We welcome back the ones who go forstudies but have a policy never to take backpeople overseas applying to Biocon,especially from the UK. “Last year, we hadclose to 30,000 voluntary applications, about10 percent of them were from overseas,” shesays, adding, in the last 4 months, Bioconhas recruited more than 20 people fromoverseas.“We do find their curriculam more broadbasedbut I do think they are no par with thepeople we campus recruit from the IITs andother institutes in India.” The Rs.550-crorecompany has grown from 60 employees adecade ago to 1,400 employees now.(TNIE)Maruti 800 sold Rs.4464 crores worth cars & Tata India another Rs.3,111 crores.SMARTHA BHARATA 168

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3BIRLAS TRIGGERED INDUSTRIALREVOLUTION IN INDIAK.M.DevarajanThe name of Birla had enjoyed areputation in India for severaldecades. The four Birla brothers, viz,Jugal Kishore Birla, Rameshwar Das Birla,Ghanshyam Das Birla and Brij Mohan Birlahad promoted innumerable industrial, tradingand financial enterprises throughout thelength and breadth of India decades beforethe country became independent in 1947.They also owned/ran charitable trusts;temples; hospitals, educational institutions;museums, observatories, newspapers andjournals and several Birla Houses which veryfew in the world could have created and alsoseen their successes during their own lifetimes.Of the four brothers Ghanshyam Das (GDBirla) became more famous. Born in a smallvillage, Pilani, in Rajasthan in 1894 on aRama Navami Day, G.D.Birla had selected acareer in business as a trader and broker ingunny and Hessian in Calcutta at the age of13, and had reached the pinnacle of successwhen he died in London in 1983.When Gwalior Rayons set up a factory nearKozhikode in Kerala in the late fifties,G.D.Birla visited the site once, and an airstripwas constructed specially for his plane toland at Karipur. Decades later this airstripwas expanded to become the Calicutinternational airport. There were hundredsof Birla factories around the world that wereseldom seen by a Birla and yet each one ofthem had shown profit. This was becauseG.D.Birla had perfected a system ofmanagement and account control which wasmuch superior to what was prevalent inIndia, and was beyond the comprehensionof Harvard and Wharton.The Birlas had incurred expenditure onnumerous activities during the freedommovement, but without any returns, asdirected by Mahatma Gandhi, JawaharlalNehru, Vallabh bhai Patel and a host offreedom fighters in the forefront.Industrialisation received a big boost in Indiaduring the second five year plan (1956-61)and G.D.Birla had the vision to extend hisbusiness operations to other countries of theworld, in spite of innumerable restrictionsat home. In 1960 he set up the first Indianbusiness abroad in Ethiopia near AddisAbaba called the Indo-Ethiopian TextileMills. Since charity went along with hisbusiness, he had also established the biggestWomen and Children hospital in AddisAbaba. The twentieth century history ofEthiopia was dominated by its Emperor.Haile Selassie, and GD Birla was accordedthe honour due to a head of State during hisfew visits to Ethiopia until the military coupin that country in 1974.Indian companies take-over overseas establishments in increasing numbers. Tata motorshave taken over Korea’s Daewoo commercial vehicles organization at a price of Rs.465crores.SMARTHA BHARATA 169

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3G.D.Birla had founded the Federation of all become the presidents of Ficci inIndian Chambers of Comerce and Industry subsequent years.(Ficci) in 1927 and had left behind strict During the beginning decades the share ofnorms for electing its President. In addition G.D.Birla in the Tatas was more than theto him, his younger brother B.M.Birla, his Tatas themselves, but he had always adheredeldest son L.N.Birla, his second son to his business ethics that “In the Tatas, theK.K.Birla and his grandson S.K.Birla had Tatas are supreme”(The New Indian Express)GODREJ - PATRIOTS TO THE COREAyoung man gave up law and tookup lockmaking. Events in the GodrejStory are only the small visible piecesof a larger continuously emerging picture - apicture alive and palpable in the mind of oneman : the young lawyer-turned-lockmaker -Ardeshir Godrej. He was the first Indianmanufacturer to displace well entrenchedforiegn brands from the market. The wordGodrej, etched into the metal of his locks,became a symbol of self reliance for thegenerations that followed. With each newproduct Ardeshir changed perceptions aboutindustry in India. He produced the finestsecurity equipment, and then stunned the worldby creating a soap from vegetable oils. Whatstarted as a dream had become amovement.But it was left to another man tocarry it forward, Ardeshir’s brother, PirojshaGodrej. Pirojsha Godrej laid the foundationsfor a throbbing enterprise at a sprawlingindustrial garden township outside Mumbai.It was here that the Godrej vision took concreteshape. In later years, its extent and scopewas expanded greatly by his sons - BurjorjiThe capital share market value of Tata group is Rs.1,03,125 crores. ONGC agovernment undertaking has shares worth Rs.99,395 crores. The top fifty in valueinclude, TCS, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata power, ICPL, Hindalco and Grasim.SMARTHA BHARATA 170and Naoroji,Sohrabji. Tothis day, products thatcompete with the best inthe world continue to comefrom the gates ofPirojshanagar. Godrejtouches the lives of millions of Indians everyday.To them, it is a symbol of enduring idealsin a changing world. Every product, every newconcept gives shape to their visions of tomorrow.A vast swampy land, hilly and green.... whatothers discarded, late Pirojsha Godrej boughtand created into a garden township. LatePirojsha Godrej the entrepreneur, thevisionary, who established the GodrejCompany wanted education for his worker’schildren. It was in the year 1955, that he wasasked, “A school? Whatever for? We neverwent to school.” But Pirojsha Godrej did notlike the children whiling away their time onthe streets. He visualized education as beingthe stepping stone to enlightenment and so hewanted them all to be educated, and goodeducation it had to be, education for Life! Thiswas the unpretentious birth of schools.(From the Web Site)

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3INDIAN BRAINS BEHIND DRUGDEVELOPMENT INFO-TOOLAnand ParthasarathyOver 100 clinical trials of new drugsbeing conducted worldwide at anygiven time, by the world’s largestpharmaceutical company, Pfizer, use apurpose-built information and trials tooldeveloped in India.The software suite—”Clinicopia”—is theflagship product of Info Pro Solutions, aWestlake Village, California-based companyfounded by medical systems analyst, VikramMarla, in 1995. Core development of theproduct was done by Info Pro’s team ofengineers at the company’s Bangalore-basedcentre.It is claimed to be the world’s first suitedeveloped with multiple tools for the end-toendsupply chain required to conduct clinicaltrials that follow drug discoveries. Such trialsinvolving over 1,000 patients could last from3 to 7 years and cost between $600 millions to$1 billion, says Mr.Marla, Info Pro Solutions’president and CEO, now on a brief visit toIndia.Talking to the press, he said the Clinicopia suiteat present encompasses tools for supply chainmanagement—the manufacturing, packing,distribution and reconciliation of drug doses—as well as the forecasting system and a complexlabeling utility.It helps pharma companies to ensure that allthe stringent regulatory requirements of the USGovernment’s Food and Drug Administration(FDA) are met and the thousands of recordsof the trial are maintained.Over the next 12 to 15 months [from Aug.’04],the Bangalore team will develop additionalmodules for the suite which will addressprocess execution-monitoring the actual‘recipe’ of the evolving drug—as well asproviding some accountability muscle: that is,helping the distant trial sites to keep recordsof every drug dose administered.Info Pro’s India-based Country Manager, ShivaKumar, added that the product would proveparticularly useful for Indian pharmacompanies aiming for a global presence withtheir newly-discovered drugs and need FDAapproval before they could address the hugeAmerican market.The company has recently set in motion aRs.3.5 crore investment at Bangalore to setup a permanent facility at Whitefield, on theoutskirts of the city and effectively double itsengineer strength by the year-end.[The Hindu].Telecom revenues of our country are expected to touch $23-25 billion by 2007.SMARTHA BHARATA 171

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3WORLD’S THIRD LARGEST ECONOMYToyota Kirloskar Auto Parts PrivateLimited have started a new gearboxmanufacturing company at Bidadi-Karnataka. The plant will supply 1.6 lakhunits to Toyota motor’s assembly plants inSE Asia, South America and South Africa.It will now make the complete manualtransmission for Toyota’s new multi-utilityvehicle.The finance minister of India, participatingin the inaugural function said “I anticipatecontinued growth of the Indian Economy,which is among the few that could absorblarge amounts of capital. Broad segments ofthe manufacturing sector are doing well withsome out-performing the rest of the economyin 2003.”The Bidadi plant would supply parts toworld-wide assembly lines.This reflects the high-level of productivityIndian auto-companies have achievedThis isthe first time an Indian auto-componentmanufactureris goingto be a global sourcefor a Tier I (directsupplies) componentmaker.The strong local machining industry and theavailability of a large number of skilledengineers helped cut costs at the plant. Inthe coming years, process costs could comedown further.INDIAN COMPANIES GO MULTINATIONAL1. Ranbaxy, Infoysis, Sundaram Fasteners and Bharat Forge have turned MNCS.2. Manufacturing companies in the fields of software and pharmaceuticals have gone abroadsetting up production facilities in foreign countries.3. Sundaram Fasteners, Ajanta Clock and Videocon companies have manufacturing bases inChina.4. India has shifted from Agro-products such as tea to industrial products in export business.5. Tata Motors have exported 1000’s of Indica Cars to Britain.6. Maruti has exported 57,175 crores in 2003-04.7. The Reliance group exported Rs.11,510 crores worth of material / industrial products.8. The export of common drugs to US from India has increased from 0.5% in 1998 to 3.5% in2003. This is the achievement of Dr.Reddy’s lab, and Ranbaxy.9. More than 80% of the income from TCS and Ranboxy are in foreign exchange.10. Mahendra and Mahendra tractors are sold in the US and its car Scorpio in Western Europe.11. ITC’s foreign sales have touched 1000 crores per annum. L & T has Rs.1500 crores worthforeign job orders.12. BHEL exported high duty electrical goods to the tune of Rs.2087 crores in 2003-04.(The New Indian Express)SMARTHA BHARATA 172

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3THE INDIAN INSTITUTES OF TECHNOLOYThe world famous Engineering, Technology,and Science Institutes better known as I.I.T.S.function at Kharagpur, Mumbai, Delhi,Chennai and Kanpur . Recently one moreinstitute at Guwahati has been added to thisprestigious list. The University of Roorkee, the150 year old university of excellence, has beendeclared as an I.I.T.The objectives of I.I.T.s include :1. Offering instruction in engineering andapplied sciences at a level comparableto the very best in the world.2. Providing best facilities for postgraduatestudies and research.3. Providing leadership in curriculumplanning and laboratory developmentboth for its own staff and for teachersof other engineering institutions.4. Developing programmes for facultydevelopment both for its own staff andfor teachers of other engineeringinstitutions.5. Developing close collaboration withindustry through exchange ofpersonnel and undertaking consultancyprojects.6. Developing strong collaboration linkswith other academic and researchinstitutions in the country and abroad.7. Anticipating the technological needs ofIndia and to plan and prepare to caterto them.All the seven I.I.T.s awards Bachelors’,Masters’ and Doctoral degrees. The I.I.T.shave been making special efforts to recruittalented faculty on a world-wide basis and toadmit bright students from all over the countryby a careful selection process (Joint EntranceExaminations).The Kanpur I.I.T. received technical assistancefrom a consortium of nine leading institutionsof USA.The Chennai I.I.T. benefited from an Indo-German collaboration for technical education.The Mumbai I.I.T. went for technical help fromthe then U.S.S.R. and the Delhi I.I.T. fromU.K. The I.I.T.S. have all been brought intoexistence by acts of parliament and they havebeen declared institutions of NationalImportance.The quality of students, the quality of productsthat come out of the portals of I.I.T.s and theway the alumni have achieved eminence in theirwork places, have given the I.I.T.s a rareprestige all over the world. The role of I.I.T.sin National Development:-1. Providing manpower and know-how tothe country and in pursuit of research.2. Contributing to all sectors oftechnological development.3. Setting trends in education, researchand teaching of engineering,technology and science.4. Equipping hundreds of laboratories.5. Large and beautiful campuses: highteacher-student ratio.Bharat Forge has purchased Germany’s CDP Gmbh recently.SMARTHA BHARATA 173

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 36. Associating very eminent persons with Science and Technology, Miningthe I.I.T.s as governors, directors, staff Engineering, Ocean Engineering andand as ex-students.Naval Architecture, Meteorology,7. Innovative programmes such as Dual Reliability Engineering, Rubberdegree programmes in Engineering, Technology, Rural Development, withM.B.A. Master of Science by Research great emphasis on social science.(M.S.) Port-management,Telecommunication, Aerospace(With inputs from Websites)Engineering, Bio-technology,Cryogenic engineering, I.T. MedicalINDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENTAHMADABADIn just four decades IIMA has evolvedfrom being India’s premier managementinstitute to a notable international schoolof management. It all started with Dr VikramSarabhai and a few other public spiritedindustrialists realizing that agriculture,education, health, transportation, populationcontrol, energy, and public administrationwere all vital elements in a growing societyand that it was necessary to link thesemeaningfully with industry. The result wasthe creation of the Indian Institute ofManagement, Ahmedabad in 1961 as anautonomous body with the activecollaboration of the Government of India,Government of Gujarat, and industry.It was evident that to have a vision was notenough. Effective governance and qualityeducation were seen as critical aspects. Fromthe very start the founders introduced theconcept of faculty governance: all membersof the faculty play an important role inadministering the diverse academic and nonacademicactivities of the Institute. Theempowerment of the faculty has been thepropelling force behind the high quality oflearning experience at IIMA. The Institutehad initial collaboration with HarvardBusiness School. This collaboration greatlyinfluenced the Institute’s approach toeducation. Gradually it emerged as aconfluence of the best of Eastern andWestern values.Mission & ObjectivesMissionIIMA’s mission is to help India and otherdeveloping countries improve theirmanagerial practices both in the private andin the public sectors, and adopt superiorpublic policies. It seeks to do this throughproducing risk-taking leader-managers whowill pioneer new managerial practices andColour television market in India is expected to grow from 7.5 million units inFY03 to about 8.5 million units in FY04.SMARTHA BHARATA 174

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 3set new standards; through producing 2. Integration of key activities like teaching,teachers and researchers who will generate research, and consultancynew ideas of International significance; and3. Introduction of the 3-Tier Managementthrough purposeful consulting aimed atDevelopment Programmehelping client organizations scale newheights.1970s- The Decade of GrowthObjectivesTo provide learning facilities to men andwomen of exceptional calibre for pursuingcareers in management or becoming teachersand researchers in different managementfields.To promote knowledge through research,both applied and conceptual.To participate in and contribute to theformulation of public policy.To enhance the decision-making skills andthe administrativecompetence of practisingmanagers and assist organizations to solvetheir managerial problems.To collaborate with other institutions in Indiaand abroad with aview to furtherprofessionalising management education andassisting in institution building, in ameaningful manner.Evolution1. Focus on the social purpose whilepursuing excellence in managementIntroduction of new ManagementDevelopment Programmes1980s - The Decade of DiversificationRecognised as the premier managementschool throughout the country, the Instituteexpands it range and reach.Formation of three new groups: TheIndustrial Policy Management Group, TheInternational Management Group, and TheEntrepreneurship Group1990s - The Decade of ConsolidationRecognition as one of the top five businessschools in Asia Pacific region2000 - The Decade of InternationalisationInternationalisation and growth are the keywords of the Institute during this decade.Exchange of faculty with internationalbusiness schools.Expansion of the campus to accommodatethe Institute’s international executivedevelopment programmes.(From the Web Site)TIFRThe Tata Institute of fundamental Research (TIFR) created in 1946 set the toneScience Research in India. The TIFR initially sent scientists for training in theWest, but with the aim that subsequently the institute would become self-sufficient inthis respect. This was fulfilled, and eventually the TIFR provided the intellectual materialfor several areas including mathematics, theoretical physics and the country’s atomic energyprogramme. The CSIR also worked for self-reliance by creating advanced laboratories indifferent fields all over the country. Today we have a large network of advanced researchinstitutes, created by the various scientific departments of the government of India, theDAE, DRDI, DST, DOS, DSIR Department of Electronics (DOE), Department of Bio-Technology (DBT), etc.SMARTHA BHARATA 175

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4SECTION - 4India’s AchievementsWhen the life-blood is strongand pure, no disease germ canlive in that body. Our lifebloodis spirituality. If it flowsclear, if it flows strong andpure and vigorous, everythingis right; political, social, anyother material defects, eventhe poverty of the land, will allbe cured if that blood is pure.In India, social reform has tobe preached by showing howmuch more spiritual a life thenew system will bring; andpolitics has to be preached byshowing how much it willimprove the one thing that thenation wants –its spirituality.-Swami VivekanandaSAMARTHA BHARATA 176

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Thus spake Swami VivekanandaTeach yourselves, teach everyone his/her real nature, callupon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power willcome, glory will come, goodness will come, purity willcome, and everything that is excellent will come, when thissleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.SAMARTHA BHARATA 177

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIA AIDIndian pharma companies can once moreraise their heads in glory. As far as AIDSis concerned, they seem to be worldbeaters.A three-year study of AIDS drugs,involving 1,147 patients, has concluded thatthe three-in-onepill made byI n d i a ncompaniesRanbaxy andCipla is betterfor new patientsthan any ofthose sold orplanned byWestern drugcompanies.The studyresults havebeen publishedin the currentissue of theprestigious“New England Journal of Medicine” andwas reported by the New York Times.Thesuccessful cocktail, known in pharma circlesas “two nukes plus a non-nuke” is the sameone that WHO has been recommending inpoor countries since 2002. The drug containsa combination of two nucleoside reversetranscriptase inhibitors (two nukes), AZTand lamivudine, plus efavirenz, a nonnucleosidereverse transcriptase inhibitor(non-nuke).In India, however, Nevirapine is used insteadof Efavirenz.Though a wellestablisheddrug,Nevirapinecauses a seriousrash in somepatients, sogenerics makersare movingtowards makingcompounds withefavirenz as well.The cocktailworks byblocking reversetranscriptase, anenzyme thatallows the RNAin an AIDS virus to replicate itself inside theDNA of a healthy T cell, a trigger cell forthe body’s immune system. Another tripledrugcocktail examined in the study, the onlyone made by any Western drug company,failed so badly that patients were taken offit. Now you know why Cipla and Ranbaxystocks rule so high.(The Sunday Express)India closed fiscal 2003-04 with over 33.2 million mobile phone subscribers, more than150% growth, thanks mainly to increased competition and steep fall in tariffs.SAMARTHA BHARATA 178

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIAN-MADE SUCCESSWhile Global pharmaceuticalcompanies claim genericmedicines are of unproven qualitywhen they lobby against the use of thesedrugs in national public health programmes,research studies are increasinglyundermining this argument. The latestexample of scientificresearch validatingthe approachfollowed by themanufacturers ofgenerics—mainly inIndia and Brazil—isa three-year-studyconducted in theUnited States. Itshows theeffectiveness ofusing fixed-dosecombination drugsin the treatment ofpatients with thehuman immunovirus(HIV). Thestudy, reported inthe well-known NewEngland Journal of Medicine, concludesthat triple combination therapy (another termfor the medication) is best suited to patientswho are put on a drug regimen for the firsttime. The results of this research come at atime when the U.S. Government has beencalling for fresh clinical trials to establish thesafety of combination therapy, which has hadthe effect of slowing down theimplementation of the World HealthSAMARTHA BHARATA 179Organisation’s ambitious global programmeof treating three million HIV patients by2005. The new research should, however,encourage the Government of India to pushahead and gradually expand the recentlylaunched programme to provide freemedication to HIV patients in selectedStates.Anti-retroviraltherapy does notcure peopleafflicted with theAcquiredI m m u n e -DeficiencySyndrome(AIDS), but bykeeping the virusunder check itoffers them thepossibility ofleading a normallife. Conventionaltreatmentinvolves a daily intake of threekinds of drugs twice a day. To ease therigours of this drug regimen, Indian genericcompanies pioneered in 2001 thedevelopment of three-in-one drugs. Theadvantages of this fixed dose combinationare, first, only two, not six, pills need to beconsumed everyday, and, secondly, there isa tremendous saving in cost. The WorldHealth Organisation estimates thatcombination therapy will cost less than half

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4the conventional medication. WHO, for majors first tried to block the implementationthese very reasons, recommended in 2002 of a WTO declaration intended to make itthe use of the fixed-dose cocktail in public easier to access the generic variants. Afterhealth programes in developing countries. the possibilities in that avenue exhaustedAlthough the recommendation came after the themselves, the companies turned tointernational organization tested these questioning the quality of the combinationcombination drugs, this has not been enough drugs. In both instances, the U.S.for Washington. The argument is that Government has spoken the language of theadequate clinical trials have not been multinationals. The unfortunate aspect of theconducted to establish their safety. If the criticism of fixed-dose combination drugs isdrugs fail thethat thetests, so themarkets inargumentthe advancedgoes, there is aeconomiess t r o n gare not inlikelihood ofdanger ofdrug-resistants t r a i n semerging withthe use of themedicinesdeveloped byI n d i a ncompanies.The heated argument relates to the use ininternational treatment programmes ofpatented drugs manufactured by the globalpharmacy multinationals and Indian-madegenerics. Under the WTO laws, since thepresent generation of anti-retrovirals can beproduced as generics, there is no legalargument that can be made against their usein the developing countries. Instead, theb e i n gswamped bythe generics.It is theW H O ’ sglobal AIDStreatmentprogramme—targeted at the 30 millionpatients in Africa and the Caribbean—thatis in danger of failing. WHO is short ofresources and the U.S., which has committeditself to providing $15 billion for treatmentprogrammes, will not release funds until thequality issue is settled. In short, theopposition to the use of cheaper drugs thatare more easily taken is preventing thecoverage of a larger population carryingHIV. (From An Editorial-The Hindu)INDIAN SCIENTISTS EVOLVE DRAUGHT RESISTANT GREEN-GRAMPusa 1053, a draught resistant green gram has been evolved by thescientists of the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi. It requires muchless water and can resist disease with less quantities of pesticides than the conventionalvarieties. It also controls diabetic tendencies and is good for fatty persons.SAMARTHA BHARATA 180

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4CHEAP INDIAN AIDS PILL ASGOOD AS PRICEY BRANDSAcheap three-in-one generic AIDSpill from India is just as good asmore expensive branded medicinesand should be widely used in developingcountries, researchers said today (2/7/2004).Lack of scientific evidence about the clinicaleffectiveness of such generic fixed-dosecombinations has until now caused someinternational AIDS donors to refuse to fundtheir use.But a team from the French National Agencyfor AIDS Research and Swiss CharityMedicines sans Frontieres said Cipla’striomune performed as well as brand drugsin the first open clinical study in a developingcountry.They found that 80 percent of HIV-infectedpatients given the tablet twice a day hadundetectable levels of virus in their bloodafter six months treatment.Results of the study involving 60 patients inCameroon, 92 percent of whom had fullblownAIDS, were published in the lancetmedical journal.“This generic fixed-dose combination (FDC)gives results comparable to those seen in thedeveloped world using triple-drug therapycomprising brand name drugs,” said studycoordinator Eric Delaporte. “It is now nolonger possible to raise scientific uncertaintyas an objection to the widespread utilizationof FDCs in the developing countries.” Inaddition to being cheaper, drugs liketriomune-which contains Glaxo-Smithkline’slamivudine, Bristol-Myers Squibb’sstavudine and Boehringer Ingelheim’snevirapine-are simpler to use since patientsneed to take only two pills a day.As such, they have a major role to play inmeeting the World Health Organistion’s(WHO) goal of getting antiretrovirals tothree million people in the developing worldby the end of 2005, N.Kumarasamy of the YRG centre for AIDSresearch and education in Chennai wrote ina commentary accompanying the research.The WHO has judged triomune and anotherIndian combination called triviro, fromRanbaxy laboratories, to be safe andeffective under a scheme that “prequalifies”them for use. But both products-which usecompounds still covered by patents-remaincontroversial. Washington has barred groupsreceiving US governments funds frombuying them, insisting only drugs approvedby the food and drug administration be used(Reuters).84.5 million tonne of milk is produced by our country every year making itthe largest producer in the world.SAMARTHA BHARATA 181

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4CIPLA PATENTS AIDS DRUG TRIOMUNERamnath SubbuThe Mumbai-based generic AIDS drugsmanufacturer, Cipla, has successfullypatented its three-in-one combinationanti-retroviral (ARV) tablet, Triomune, inSouth Africa. This is a significantdevelopment given the demand for cheapgeneric AIDS drugs raised at the 15 thInternational AIDS conference being held inBangkok.The company is also seeking patents in 17other countries in Africa, which is theepicenter of the AIDS pandemic.Amar Lulla, Joint Managing Director, Cipla,said, “The process of getting Triomunepatented in these countries is underway.Cipla’s Triomune contains a fixed dose ofthree generic AIDS drugs, Nevirapine,Stavudine and Lamivudine.Till a few weeks ago, there wereapprehensions about the clinicaleffectiveness of the generic fixed-dosecombinations. “The lancet’ medical journalof the U.K. says that a study found Triomunewas equally effective in a study carried outover the six-month period on 60 AIDSpatients.[The Hindu]‘FINEST’ CARPET FRAGMENT TO BE SOLDThe sad, frayed scrap of silk and woolis not big enough to make a mousemat, never mind a carpet slipper. Itis, however, a fabulous rarity, described byone expert as “a portion of the finest handknottedcarpet in the history of the world.”The claim is made by Steven Cohen, anauthority on Indian carpets, who hasexamined the fabric, which was shut up in adrawer for nearly a century and kept as afamily curiosity.It will be auctioned at Bonhams in London(April 2004), estimated to fetch £6,000-8,000. “It has been almost impossible tovalue,” said Mark Dance, oriental carpetexpert at Bonhams.“Nothing like it has been sold in the memoryof our experts. On the one hand we have onlysuch a tiny piece of it, on the other it is a worldclassobject of museum quality. The family ishappy with the estimate, and we shall see—itmay be that specialist collectors will pay a lotmore for it.”The fragment survived as a souvenir of theowners’ great-grandfather, a London carpetdealer. It is a tiny part of a Mughal carpet madearound 1630 in India, similar to a prayer matbut probably used for decoration, possibly hungbehind an emperor’s throne.Other fragments of the same small carpetsurvive in museums, the largest in theMetropolitan Museum, New York and otherscraps in Boston and Kuwait. (The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA 182

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4TURNING TO NATURENowadays, farmers consider biodegradablewaste as marvelousmanure. They also find developmentof herbal farms as a lucrative venture.A group of youths have ventured into thepreparation of bio-manure by blending biodegradablewaste with herbal ingredients.The bio-manure manufactured by them usingsolid waste from the Sirkazhi Municipallimits in Nagapattinam district and herbalextracts was the centre of attraction at thetwo-day national seminar-cum-exhibition on‘Cultivation of medicinal plants andmanufacture of herbal products’, sponsoredby Sri Sankara College of Ayurveda, Tiruchi.A research scholar A.Sathyanarayanan, whohas taken up the venture,said excessive use ofpesticides during the lastthree decades had spoiledthe texture and fertility ofthesoil.Mr.Sathyanarayanan, whorepresented M/s.Kazhi Bio-Tech fromNagapattinam, said they manufactured cropspecificboosters such as ‘paddy booster’,‘fruit trees booster’, ‘nursery booster’ and‘plant booster’. A snake-like bark broughtby K.Chakkaraiah, founder of the ‘GandhiRural Action Movement’ at Narthamalai inPudukottai district was the cynosure of alleyes among the exhibits.From M.Balaganessan in Tiruchi(The Hindu)The Cori Board will invest Rs.3,000crore over the next five years withfocus on the medium-scale sector,said C.Chandran, chairman, Coir Board,addressing the press.The vision document also plans to diversifyand expand application areas of coir forbuilding materials, geotextiles in addition totraditional applications.COIR BOARD TO INVESTThe integrated development strategy will layemphasis on expanding and strengtheningfibre extraction units, pith processingincluding pith blocks and composting units,yarn spinning, coir mattress, coir compositeand flood blanket units. The document alsoprovides for doubling the employmentgrowth in the sector from the present fivelakh to 10 lakh in the next five years (2005-09).Research and development is to focus ontechnological innovations in products andprocesses and husk collection banks headedby self-help groups like Stree-sakthi andKutumba-shree will be set up for collectionand supply of husk to the extraction units.The value of products in all coir producingstates will be enhanced to over Rs.25,000crore. The coir sector development is to beelevated as a ‘Coir Mission Developmentprogramme’ by the Planning Commission.(The New Indian Express)India exports 992,000 tonne of shell eggs and 1,775 tonne of dried eggs every year.SAMARTHA BHARATA 183

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4MYSORE SILK GETS PATENTThe government has announced thatMysore silk has beenpatented and a silk saree weaved inany part of the world other thanKarnataka cannot be called Mysoresilk.“Mysore silk has been patented andits intellectual property has beenprotected with the accordance ofthe geographical indication (GI)tag,” Union Patents, Designs andTrade-marks Controller-General SN Maity told reporters inBangalore.“The GI mark will serve as anidentifier of the area or origin ofthe product-in this case Mysoreandlet customer know that itsunique quality is attributable to aparticular region,” he said.BesidesMysore silk, Maity said, “TheCentre is working on according theGI tag to Kolhapuri chappals andKancheepuram silks in the next fewweeks.”“Though India is rich in its geographicalresources, ironically, the country hasreceived the tag for only eight products,while Europe has more than500 products with GIprotection. Compared to restof the world, we areextremely backward when itcomes to registration ofGIs,” Maity said.Darjeeling tea, Pochampallisarees, Salem fabric, Goafenny, Solapur fabric, PavitraModaram (ring) fromPayyanur in Kerala,Chanderi silks and AranmulaiKannadi (mirror) in Keralaare the eight products whichhas earned the GI tag. Hesaid applications received forpatent in the country were13,000. (PTI)India exported 81,500 tonnes of chillies (Rs.355.11 crores) 16,700 tonnes ofpepper (valued at Rs.143.50 crores) 5000 tonnes of ginger (Rs.23.40 crores)690 tonnes of cardamom (Rs.33.01 crores) spice oil and oleoresins (4,750tonnes valued at Rs.372.06 crores) and turmeric (34,500 tonnes valued atRs.127.52 crores). India is a traditional world leader in spices and its totalspice export is 2,46,566 tonnes priced at Rs.1,905.08 crores (per year).SAMARTHA BHARATA 184

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4BANKURA LANTERNS TO DISPEL DARKNESS IN AFRICASakyasen MitraBankura, is all set to get international industrial recognition.The district will soon be lighting upnations in Africa through indigenoushomemade lanterns. The lanternmanufacturers of Bankura have received ordersfrom countries like Nigeria, Mozambique,Senegal, Sudan, Ghana, etc. The entire lanternmanufacturing industry in the district hasreceived a lifeline because of these orderswhich run into quite a few crores of rupees.The lanterns of Bankura have a specialcharacteristic. They consume less fuel whileproducing brighter light. As most of the Africannations are quite poor, the governments therehave decided to supply these lanterns to thevillagers. The lanterns are being sent to thesecountries through an organization calledExodus.Says Tapan Kumar Hore, the director ofExodus: “Basically, we supply various kindsof products to government agencies in Africa.When the enquiry for lanterns came in, we sentthem a few samples from Bankura. They likedthe product and placed huge orders. Already19,000 pieces have been sent to Mozambiqueand Senegal. Sudan his placed orders for10,000 pieces while Ghana and Nigeria haveasked whether we will be able to supply 50,000pieces to both the nations”.It was sheer luck that launched the lanterns ofBankura in the international market. A groupof French dignitaries had gone on a sightseeingtour to the district. Amongst them was anofficial of the French Consulate inMozambique. He saw roadside vendors sellingthe lanterns and took a fancy to them. On hisreturn to Mozambique, he urged thegovernment to buy the lanterns. Once the firstlot reached Mozambique, word about theutility of the product started spreading withthe speed of light. And the other Africancountries started showing their interest toacquire these homemade lanterns. Familiesdepending on the sale of the lanterns for theirdaily earning are also happy at the profit thatthey are making. Hore stated, “The lanternsfetch a maximum profit of Rs.2.5 in the localmarket. However, the manufactures have madea profit of Rs.10-15 on each unit that they havesold to the foreign buyers through us. Theresult has been that the entire industry is onthe upswing.INDIA TO BECOME MAJOR DRIVER OF GROWTH: FMAsserting that the government will continue reforms with a human facewith thrust on health, education and employment, the Finance Minister hassaid India is poised to become a major driver of global growth in the mediumterm along with China and emerging Asia.SAMARTHA BHARATA 185

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4The Madras university andBharathidasan University, Tiruchientered into an MoU with theChennai based ABL BiotechnologiesLimited, a pharmaceutical company, tomarket a potential drug preparationdeveloped jointly by the varsities.Thyagarajan and G.Subramanian, formerDirector, National Facility for MarineCyanobacteria attached to the Bharathidasanvarsity had demonstrated the anti-viralproperties of the marine blue green algaNEW DRUGcalled Phormidium Species against HIV,Herpes Simplex Virus and Hepatitis B Virus.Bharathidasan varsity Vice-ChancellorC.Thangamuthu described the MoU as“historic” in the era of globalisation of services.ABL Biotechnologies managing director Isaachanded over a cheque for Rs five lakh to thevarsities as a first instalment for transfer oftechnology.The firm will conduct animal andin vivo toxicology studies before marketing thedrug.The commercialisation process could takethree years.‘INDIA SHOULD TAPDAIRY MARKETS INPAKISTAN, SRI LANKA’India should capitalise on its strategiclocation to capture the dairy markets ofneighbouring countries such as Pakistanand Sri Lanka, according to the Chairmanof the Gujarat Cooperative Milk marketingFederation, Verghese Kurien.Moreover, India is occupying the topposition in milk production at theinternational level with a good network ofrural milk societies. This should help thecountry make a foray into the neighbouringcountries.Already, the National Dairy DevelopmentBoard had planned a Rs.10 crore plant inSri Lanka, which was now importing 53,000tonnes of milk powder annually.“It is our desire to build, operate and giftthe plant to Sri Lanka,” said Dr.Kurien. Tillthe plant became operational, India wouldsupply milkto Sri Lanka,hopefullythrough theTamil NaduCooperativeMilk Producers’ Federation, which is closeto the island.Dr.Kurien regretted that it was unfortunatethat the cooperative movement was notgetting due respect in the country.The secret of Anand Milk Union Limited(AMUL) was its marketing strategy.Amul with an annual turnover of Rs.2,500crores was spending Rs.25 crores annuallyfor advertising its products. One shouldname its products and sell it under a brandname.That was one reason for the successof Amul, he said.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA 186

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4HLL TO TAKE AYUSH ACROSS THE SEASHindustan Lever Ltd is planning totake its Ayush therapy centres globalsometime next year (2005). VipulChawla, business head, consumer healthcare,HLL said “we are looking at centres inStockholm, Singapore,Dubai and Kuala Lumpurto begin with. Thesecentres will spread themessage of authenticayurveda across theglobe,” he added.On being asked about thetime-frame for thesecentres to come up,Chawla said it wouldhappen in 2005. “This yearour focus would be to build the Ayush brandwithin the country. As part of this we willexpand the basket of products under Ayush,set up more therapy centres and also use itsover 2,50,000 strong HLL Network directmarketing setup to promote healthcareproducts under Ayush.We plan to roll outchild and adultnutritionalsupplements underAyush,” he added.For the present thecompany is looking atspreading its wings tomore Tier II cities.“We would like tohave at least 100 Ayush therapy centres overthe next two years.(TNIE)INDIAN RESEARCHERS LEAD WORLD’S FIRSTSEARCH TOOL FOR 3-D SHAPESLooking for the proverbial needle in adigital haystack just became easier: Aproject at Purdue University, Indiana(US) led by Indian mechanical and computerengineers, has created the world’s first shapebased 3 dimensional parts search engine. Apaper detailing the “3-D Engineering ShapeSearch System” (3D-ESSS) was presentedin April 2004, at the 20 th InternationalConference on Data Engineering at Boston,Massachusetts, jointly by project headKarthik Ramani, Professor in MechanicalEngineering and Director of the PurdueResearch and Education Centre forInformation Systems in Engineering(PRECISE), his doctoral student, KuiyangLou, and Sunil Prabhakar, who is AssistantProfessor of Computer Science at the sameuniversity.Many Indian Business houses are listed in the prestigious NYSE, NASHTAQand are traded by top investors of the world.SAMARTHA BHARATA 187

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Much like aprecociouschild prodigy,the Indian jewelleryexport industry hascovered all themilestones from crawlingto running in just over a decade. But now,its steady sprinting, changing to giant leapshas become the cynosure of all eyes in theworld market. From being a mere supplierof negligible value and importance in early1990’s to being a contender for World titlein 2004, India has come a long way.World title and India, well take a look at thestatistics. Last year (2003), India’s gems andjewellery exports grew by 31 percentreaching the $12 billion mark from $8.6billion the previousyear. And diamondsaccounted for $8.62billion (72 percent) ofthis figure, goldjewellery contribution21 percent andcoloured gemstonesand others contributing2 and 5 percentrespectively. Theindustry is the secondhighest foreignexchange earner accounting for 17 percentof total exports. The Gem & JewelleryExport Promotion Council (GJEPC) has seta target of reaching $16 billion by 2007 andDAZZLING INDIAB.M.Thanujadevelop India as “theonly one-stop-shop’ forgems and jewellery.While the world hasbeen writing about thephenomenal exports,there is yet another saga unfolding inside thejewellery industry. This is the exponentiallyexpanding manufacturing base.There are around 1,000 factories all overIndia currently making all kinds of jewellery,says Sanjay Kothari, Chairman, GJEPC. Andaround 300 are in Mumbai. The SpecialEconomic Zone (SEEPZ) area in Mumbaihas 150 factories with more than 300 morein the pipeline over next two years. The sheervolume of jewellery which the new facilitieswill add are bound tothrust India to emergeas a mature player witha redefined position inthe world packingorder. Much of theearlier growth has beenin the SEEPZ area, but60 new factories arecoming up in the newlyexpanded portion ofthe zone this year(2004). And the growth on the periphery ofthe zone has also been expanding. It’s notjust the sheer number of factories comingup but the improved quality, methods andmanufacturing processes that they are usingthat is bringing about the changes.(TNIE)Indian Car sales market is expected to touch the1 million mark per year 2007SAMARTHA BHARATA 188

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIA’S LARGEST WINDTURBINE COMMISSIONEDNeg Micon India hascommissioned the country’slargest, tallest and most powerfulwind turbine at Kongalnagaram nearPollachi.The NM 82/1650 wind turbine is suitablefor low and medium wind regimes and willwork all through the year, according tocompany managing director RameshKymal.Speaking to media persons, he added thatthe rotor diameter of the turbine was 82m and hub height 78 m, making it thelargest turbine installed in the countryboth in terms of capacity and height.The large rotor and a more powerfulgenerator would enable the turbine toreach a generation level that wouldoutperform the existing turbines, headded.While the existing 750 kw wind turbineproduced about 18 lakh units of power peryear, the new turbine could produce 55to 60 lakh units annually, he said. He saidthey had signed a contract with the TNEBfor the purchase of all the power producedfrom the wind mill at a cost of Rs.2.70per unit.Kongalnagaram had outstanding potentialfor development of wind power projectsand the company had commissioned theearlier version of wind turbines to produce60 mw power in a record span of sixmonths, he added.NEED FOR BASIC SCIENCESResponding to Priyank Desai of Ahmedabad, Prof. Kalam chided parents forforcing even students with an aptitude for pure science into professionalcourses. “Parents have no business stopping their children from studying whatthey love…they should encourage their children and they will shine,” he said. “Aphysicist can do any job but not an engineer,” he added.The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team, which is staking out the origins ofthe mythical Saraswati river in the foothills of the Shivaliks, has struck gold withthe unearthing of an exciting find at Adi Badri site, 40 kms north of the Yamunanagardistrict in Haryana. Extensive excavation has yielded a 300 A.D. Kushan site—andspeculation that this may be the spot where the river that disappeared began flowingaeons ago. The finds include a monastery, a Buddha statue, pottery, pieces of carvedslabs, a meditation hall, verandah and several artefacts.SAMARTHA BHARATA 189

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4TALLEST WIND TURBINE GENERATORINSTALLED NEAR KOODANKULAMThe biggest and tallest ever windturbine generator (WTG) in Asia,capable of producing 2,000 KW (2MW) power, has been installed atChettikulam near Koodankulam inTirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu and it willbe commissioned in the near future.While the common WTGs installed atMuppandal and its surroundings here are 25-75 meters in height to produce powerranging from 225 to 1,250 KW, this one in80 metres high and the longrotors have a diameter of88 metres. When the rotorswere taken to the site byroad recently, some curveson the route were alteredto ensure hassle-free andsafe movement.The Rs.10-11 crore WTGhas been designed anddeveloped by the Pune-based Suzlon EnergyLimited, which has manufacturing units inPondicherry, Diu and Daman. This companyhas exported 24 wind turbine generators tothe United States for being installed inCalifornia.“We’ll start the trial run in the near future.If all our targets are achieved during the testperiod of one year, we’ll go for theinstallation of more 2 MW WTGs in someof the new places in (near by) Radhapuramtaluk. Since wind velocity in this area isoptimum—12 to 14 metres per second – forpower generation, we are hopeful that wecan erect more mega WTGs here to take thewind power generation of Tamil Nadu togreater heights,” S.Jayakumaran, assistantgeneral manager (Projects), SuzlonDevelopers Limited, told the press.At Muppandal and surroundings, about2,430 WTGs are functioning to generate897.95 MW, while 1,479 WGs inCoimbatore contribute 467.77 MW to theState grid. Though thenew places aroundMuppandal,Radhapuram andValliyoor are beingidentified, the windfarm companies areafraid that aslowdown inaugmenting thenumber of sub-stations in this area toevacuate wind power to other places mayhamper the installation of new WTGs afterMarch 2005.A top TNEB official said the officialmachinery could not match the rapidinstallation of WTGs here. A proposal to add200 sub-stations in this region was sent tothe Government and the official nod wasexpected anytime.[The Hindu]Indian companies have bagged around 200 clean development mechanism projectsworth $235 million under the Kyoto Protocol.SAMARTHA BHARATA 190

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Awell-paid job in Kongalnagaram, hisnative village, was not something21-year-old Jeyachandran thoughtwould ever happen. The scepticism of thediploma holder in engineering was notwithout reasons.Vast stretches of barren land, where farmersnever tire looking upto the sky for rains, hiswas a village that displayed little signs ofdevelopment a year ago. A long-distancephone call was a luxury, while buses tooktheir sweet time to manoeuvre the dustytracks before reaching Kongalnagaram,about 100 kms from the textile city ofCoimbatore in Tamil Nadu.Today, it’s a driver of India’s image as ‘windsuperpower’ and in the process hasgenerated decent jobs for hundreds. TakeJeyachandran for instance, the son of aroadside hotel owner, is now a maintenanceengineer in his hometown. There is muchmore to wind energy than the turbines thatserve as a popular backdrop for romanticfilm songs.Says Dr.S.Renganarayanan, Director, Centrefor New and Renewable Sources of Energy,Anna University, “Wind energy is ecofriendly,economical and renewable. It haspotential to become a mainstay of theeconomic development of any country.”Wind power is particularly significant toIndia with its never-ending demand forWINDS OF CHANGEMadhavi RavikumarSAMARTHA BHARATA 191electricity. The country, as per estimates, willrequire 2,40,000 mega watt (MW) of powereveryday by 2012, warranting installation ofnew power projects with a capacity of10,000 MW each year.“Although power generation is a thrust area,the installed capacity of 1,07,972 MW (ason March, 2003), it still is not sufficient tocope with the demand. Wind power projectswith relatively low gestation periods,reduced transmission and distribution costcould fill this gap,” says Renganarayanan.“We are faced with potentially the mostcatastrophic ecological disaster,” saysRamesh Kymal, Managing Director of NEGMicon India, a leader in wind energyequipment. The company, which began itsoperation in India with installation of 225—250 KW turbines, now has capacity tomanufacture turbines from 750 KW to 1,650KW in India. Its parent company based inDenmark has turbines upto 4,2000 KW.“If we don’t take urgent action to curb therising greenhouse gas emissions,considerable economic, ecological, socialand agriculture instability will result,”according to Kymal.“With declining cost and increase in the scaleof wind-turbine manufacturing, wind energypromises to become a major power sourceglobally in the first few decades of thismillennium,” adds Kymal.TIT BITSFilm producer/director Rakesh Roshan, whose box office hit Kaho Na Pyar Hai lectched him92 awards, has approached the Guinness Book of Workd Records for honours.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Harnessing Prosperity“I never thought my students could enjoyThe advantages of wind power are many. The this facility ever.”most prominent is the employment and incomegeneration potential of the projects. The Green ZoneCommunities near wind farms are finding out Subhash Tiwari, an environmental scientist,that wind can be a good neighbour. Wind farms, says, “There is growing awareness of themost of which are situated in remote rural hazards of local, regional and globallocations, have been able to bring about a sea carbondi-oxide (CO2) emissions from fossilchange in the socio-economic conditions of fuels based power generations.”those areas.Tapping wind power means construction andmaintenance job, it means leasing rights andextra money for farmers struggling to makeit on agriculture alone. “In most cases, thefarmers can grow crops right up to the baseof a windmill. The land foot-print has a smallimpact on total farm acreage,” says Kymal.A survey by the GRD College of Science inCoimbatore reveals that the 812 MWinstalled wind power capacity in Tamil Naduprovided direct employment to around 4000to 5000 persons as ‘wind electric generatoroperators’ and 3000 to 4000 persons assecurity guards. Many in the neighbourhoodalso get temporary employment duringinstallation of the wind-turbine.The benefits come in different forms. “Wemade school furniture using, packagingwood that come with the importedequipment and supplied them to schools inKongalnagaram,” says Kymal. For this,G.Kannan, the school headmaster is grateful.Wind-turbines are extremely effective atreducing are extremely effective at reducingCO2 emissions. A single 750 kilowatt- windturbineproduces roughly two million hours(KWh) of electricity annually.Driving the popularity of wind power areemerging concepts such as CleanDevelopment Mechanism and CarbonCredits. The two refer to projects andprocesses that help reduce emissions and arehence rewarded for the same. When energyis generated from non-polluting sources itbecomes eligible for Carbon EmissionRatings. Such credits referred to as CarbonCredits are tradable in the internationalmarket.The need of the hour, according to experts,should be on high capacity machines and lowwind regime turbines. By improving theinfrastructure and establishing a long-termpolicy the government can accelerate thegrowth of this Industry. The Centre shouldcome out with a price support mechnism andcreate a stable regulatory environment.(TNIE)• India ranks fifth amongst the wind-energy-producing countries ofthe world after Germany, Spain, USA and Denmark.• Estimated potential is around 45,000 MW.• Wind farms have been installed in more than 9 states.• A National Renewable Energy Policy, now under consideration,envisages 10 percent of total installed capacity through Renewables.• By 2012, projected wind power installation is likely to be around 5000 MW.SAMARTHA BHARATA 192

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4SOFTWARE EXPORTS GROW 30 PERCENT IN FY-04Kiran KarnikSoftware and service exports from Indiagrew 30.5 percent year-on-year in2003-04 to $12.5 billion and areexpected to retain the same growth rates inthis fiscal, according to industry bodyNasscom.The growth in software and service exportsin 2003-04 was higherthan Nasscom estimates,which had predicted 26-28 percent growth forthe last fiscal.Of the totalsoftware and serviceexports, it servicesproducts and technologyservices grew by 25percent at $8.9 billionagainst the earlierNasscom projections of17 percent growth.However, the growth in the ITES-BPOsegment in 2003-04 by 46 percent at $3.6billion just managed to meet the target.“This (2003-04) has been the best year afterthe it slowdown…Spending in the US is backon its feet. Every segment, including thesmall and medium companies and start-upswitnessed strong growth. Apart fromtraditional markets of US and UK, strongtraction was witnessed in Japan, Germanyand France,” Nasscom president KiranKarnik said.The overall software and services market inIndia grew by 28.2 percent at $15.9 billionagainst $12.4 billion in 2002-03.According to Nasscom, the overall softwareand services market in India will breach the$20 billion mark in 2004-05 with exportsgrowing 30-32 percent to $16.3 billion. TheIT services and productsexports are expected totouch $11.2 billion whileexports in ITES-BPOsegment will be $5.1billion.15 percent.America continued to beprimary market forIndian software exports,accounting for 70percent of the revenues,followed by the UK withNasscom said Indian software and servicecompanies are exporting to 112 countriesaround the world and are exploring newmarkets. “The year 2004-05 is expected towitness an increase in the number of milliondollar customers and mid-to-large rangedeals flowing into the country. At the sametime, the industry players are also buildingglobal delivery capabilities, recruitment ininternational markets and engaging in mergerand acquisition activities,” Karnik said.(The Hindu)Medical tourism market in India is expected to touch Rs.10,000 crore bySAMARTHA BHARATA 193

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4FASTEST ACADEMIC COMPUTER TOVIE FOR TOP SPOTAnand ParthasarathyIndia’s fastest academic computer—a‘teraflop’ Linux cluster—has beencommissioned at the Institute ofMathematical Sciences (IMSc), inChennai—and come June, will vie for aranking in the global “Top 500” list of theworld’s fastest supercomputers.The configuration was put together by ateam of students and teachers of the instituteled by N.D.Hari Dass,as well as engineersfrom two Indianc o m p u t e rcompanies—NetwebTechnologies fromDelhi and theMumbai-basedS u m m a t i o nEnterprises and thetwo hardwaresuppliers, Supermicro and Dolphinics.Stringing together 144 separate computers,based on dual Intel-Xeon processor chipsand running the Open Source Red hat 8.0version of Linux, the researchers managedto clock up a peak computing speed of 1,382teraflops (that is 1,382 billion calculationsper second). The sustained performance,which is the basis of ranking, was 951.7gigaflops or 951 billion floating pointoperations, using the internationallyaccepted benchmarking programme calledLinpack.SAMARTHA BHARATA 194The cluster supercomputer—so calledbecause it is really a cluster of hundreds ofidentical computers, rather than a singlebehemoth—was commissioned last week,with just two days to spare for the deadlineto be considered for the Top 500 rating thatwill be announced at the InternationalSupercomputer Conference, in Heidelberg,Germany, on June 22.Its creators have namedtheir supercomputer,Kabru, after one of thetall peaks as yetunclimbed, in theHimalayas, but not thetallest. Speaking to thepress, Prof.Hari Dassexplained that themachine would be usedfor the project: “IndianLattice Gauge TheoryInitiative” of the instituteto simulate the properties of protons,neutrons and other fundamental particles.He added: “One of the great challenges inTheoretical Physics today is to understandwhat constitutes particles. It is believed thatprotons and neutrons are made up of whatare called “Quarks”. This is an exceptionallyhard theory to do calculations in and LatticeGauge Theory is a way of simulating thisproblem on computers. Most problems needmonths to years, even on teraflop-levelsupercomputers.”4,80,000 tonne of cauliflower was produced by our country in 2002-03 as againstworld production of 12,725,000 tonne.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4The institute, an autonomous one doingfundamental research in frontier areas ofmathematical sciences, is largely funded bythe Department of Atomic energy (DAE). Itcooperates with the Tata Institute ofFundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbaiand the Kolkata based Saha Institute ofNuclear Physics (SINP) on the LatticeGauge work. The DAE had made a grant ofRs.3.5 crores to the institute out of whichthe Linux cluster was realized at a cost ofabout Rs.2.5 crores—a fraction of whatsupercomputers of this pedigree would costif one were to import it.If it makes the climb to the Top 500, it willbe the third India-based supercomputer inthe list (www.top500.org/list/2003/11): TheCentre for Development of AdvancedComputing (C-DAC)-developed ‘Parampadma’ entered the list a year ago at number258 with a sustained 594.2 gigaflops (1132.8giga flops peak) while the chipmaker, Intel’sBangalore-based development centrereached the 105 th rank with an IBM clusterbased on its own Xeon processors clockinga sustained 1105.96 gigaflops (peak:2755.2g.flops).The world’s fastest supercomputer since2002 has been the Japanese NEC EarthSimulator at 35860 gigaflops (40960 g.flopspeak).INDIA-INSPIRED LOW-COSTPC MAY BE A GLOBAL FIRSTAnand ParthasarathyAjoint initiative of the InternationalInstitute of Information Technology(IIIT) based at Hyderabad and theCarnegie Mellon University (CMU), in theU.S., with the support of the Andhra PradeshGovernment, may see the emergence of aradically new type of Personal Computer,optimized to serve millions of rural peopleon the wrong side of the so-called “digitaldivide.”Conceived by Raj Reddy, Professor ofComputer Science and founder-director oft h einternationally-known Robotics Institute atCMU, the low-cost PC is driven by atelevision-type remote, doubles as atelevision set, and can be used to viewmovies on a DVD player, make cheaptelephones calls riding the Internet—andeven serve as a video conferencing tool.All this in addition to normal PC functionsmany of which can be accessed by voicecommands in a local language.(The Hindu)Tata Steel has won the honour of “Giant organization with Social commitment” recently.It is the first organizations to be given the “Social Accountability Standard SA 8000”SAMARTHA BHARATA 195

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIAN STUDENTS TO VIE FOR GLOBALSOFTWARE PRIZEAnand ParthasarathyOther modules developed in Microsoft’s NetAquartet of engineering students fromMumbai has emerged nationalchampions in a software designcompetition sponsored by Microsoft, whichclears the way for a bash at the global-levelaward worth $25,000.Their product called“Gurukul: The VirtualUniversity” came out topsin the national zonal finalsheld in Chennai, beatingentries from Bangaloreand Greater Noida nearDelhi. Before a cheeringcrowd of 2,000 localstudents of InformationTechnology, in the packed indoor stadium,the students from the VivekanandaEducation Society’s Institute of Education(VESIT)—Tejas Shah, Abhijit Akhawe,Jyotsana Rathore and Sailesh Ganesh—demonstrated their package which allowscollegians to “attend” lectures withouthaving to be physically present in theclassroom, an idea that obviously appealedto the like-minded audience. Theydemonstrated how this could be done usingvideo streaming from the class—andadditional feeds from other colleges, whichallowed students to listen to the best teachersin town, not just in their institution.SAMARTHA BHARATA 196(“Dot Net”) environment—a requisite of thecontest—featured advanced informationsearch programmes that provided resultsbased on an idea rather than a string of indexwords. The system used the burgeoningtechnology of peer-topeer“grid computing” –linking hundreds ofordinary PCs to create apowerfulresource.commonIn an interestingreflection of whatconcerns today’s young“techies” bring to theclassroom, the tworunner-up entries fromBangalore’s Viswesvaraya Institute ofTechnology and Noida’s IEC College ofEngineering, also featured educational gridsystems.Dilip Mistry, Microsoft’s Director (Net andDeveloper Evangelism), told the Hindu thatthe winning team would go to Sao Paulo,Brazil, to compete for the “Imagine Cup” inJuly this year [2004].In last year’s maiden competition atBarcelona, another Mumbai-based teamtook the second place with a healthcareapplication, while the third spot fromSingapore featured an e-shopping tool, alsofrom a team of Indian-origin students.[The Hindu]Sunflower production of our country during the current season is likely to be10.6 lakh tonne.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4THEY’RE TURNING ONTHOSE TAGS!Anand ParthasarathyQuietly, with hardly a technical hiccupor two, the world moved today intoa new era of electronic tagging.Major international supermarket chains areexpected to lead the trend, whereby largepacking cases—and ultimately individualconsumer goods—will be affixed with tinychips with built-in radio antennas that canbe tracked in their thousands from afar. Forstarters, it will render shoplifting virtuallyimpossible: Slip an item into your pocket;leave a shop without paying for it—and itwill begin beeping an alarm somewhere.The technology is called Radio Frequencyidentification (RFID)—and the global kickstartinto a new tagged age has come fromWal-Mart, the big U.S. supermarket chainwhich has implemented selective radiotagging today and has asked its top 100suppliers to tag their consignments—if theywant to do business with it. Joining Wal-Martin the radio tagging race are a number offast moving consumer goods (FMCGs)players who all have major India-based salesoperations: Johnson & Johnson, Gillette,Nestle, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.While most of these companies will initiallytag cases and pallets—not individual items—a few have decided to go the next step andaffix radio tags on every retail unit: Gillettehas already experimented by putting tags onits higher-priced shaving products, like theMach 3r a z o rpack—though it claims its focus is onpreventing theft within its own warehouses.The New York Times says, that printer giantHewlett Packard has decided to tagindividual printers and scanners and hasalready made a start with a few models.Metro, the German hyper market chain,which opened its India operation inBangalore in recent months is another earlyRFID player and is already testing thetechnology at home. So are the U.K. basedstores, Sainsburys, Woolworths, Marks &Spencers and Tesco. Major knitted garmentmakers in Tirupur near Coimbatore areknown to be gearing up to radio-tag theirshipments in case this is mandated by theircustomers.India’s Information Technology playershaving not been sitting around idly, whileradio tagging morphs from tentativetechnology to industry standard: Enquiriesin recent weeks here in India’s Silicon Cityreveal that a number of players are at thecutting edge of RFID technology and arewell poised to ride the wave once its usesnowballs:Infosys announced in January that it had puttogether a special group to develop RFIDapplications for its clients.The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is spending Rs.90 crore onmodernising its over 7,050 outlets in the country.SAMARTHA BHARATA 197

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4country are actively putting together RFIDtools and applications.In March, Tata Consultancy Servicesannounced a joint initiative with Oracle, toprovide RFID-based offerings.Net Kraft, another Bangalore basedtechnology company, has created an RFIDbasedapplication for one of the world’sbiggest luxury travel goods retailers to helpthem to improve their loyalty programme.The chip, embedded in the loyalty card ofmajor customers, will alert the shop assistantas soon as they enter the store and enablepersonalized service.SAP India is creating RFID-based supplychain management tools for a number of itscorporate customers here.It may be some time before Indian customerscome face to face with RFID technology inthe shops. This is because the cost ofindividual tags, even in millions is still 10US cents or Rs.4.50. The value of the itemsold, must justify the additional cost of thetag.The Hyderabad-based Bartronics, wellknown as a supplier of bar-code technology,has tied up with a U.S. partner, RFID Inc.,to bring radio tagging solutions to customershere. The police in the Twin Cities are knownto be using this technology in a pilot schemeto keep tabs on the patrols of beat constables.The U.S. based Sapient and the GermanInfineon are two companies whose Indianengineers at their R & D centres in thisBig sellers may move cautiously when itcomes to tagging individual products,because privacy advocates are already raisingalarm about potential abuse. What if the tagis not removed when you leave the store (dowe remove barcoded labels?), they ask. Whatif the tag continues to beep its informationfrom your home? Today’s RFID tags canstore and transmit about 300 words ofinformation and ranges are currently inhundreds of metres. (The Hindu)INDIAN RESEARCHER UNVEILS WORLD’SFASTEST SRAMRajiv Joshi, a product of IIT, Mumbai, unveiled a chip at the VLSICircuits symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii, which is considered thefastest Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) chip currently in the world.The speed and efficiency of the SRAM is due to the chip design that uses IBM’s CMOStechnology with copper interconnects. The new design speeds access to machineinstructions in the level one (L1) cache to more than 2 GHz.Currently reported cache SRAMs function below 1.2 GHz with an access time of600 picoseconds (billionth of a second) and more. The embedded cache SRAMholds data that is frequently accessed by the CPU so that it is immediately availableto the processor.SAMARTHA BHARATA 198

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4GOLDMAN SACHS ON A SECRET ITMISSION IN INDIAMan Ranjith UEnthused by the long-term prospects ofthe Indian tech sector, globalinvestment funds and fund managersare slowly making a beeline to India. Andnot to be left behind are the Big Daddies ofWall Street.Goldman Sachs, the leading globalinvestment banking, securities andinvestment management firm is the latest tohave been captivated by the great Indian ITstory. So much so that a 12-memberdelegation of international fund managers ledby Goldman Sachs managing directorGregory Gould are currently on a secretIndia tour to identify and possibly firm upinvestment opportunities in the IT sector.The team was brought to the country by thebroking division of Goldman Sachs alongwith Kotak Broking.The delegation which was in Chennai for aday is believed to have met the head honchosof companies such as Polaris Software,Cognizant Technology Solutions, EDS andHexaware in the city.Apart from these firms, Goldman Sachs isset to meet Infosys, Wipro,. Satyam,Convergys, Mphasis, BFL, ACS India, iGate,iflex, Cap Gemini, Atos Origin, Exult ClientServices & TCS.According to analysts the investment firm’splan to look around for opportunities in midsizedIT firms also augurs well for the sector.“So far the interest has always been in topendfirms like Infosys, TCS, Wipro andSatyam, etc. The fact that Cognizant,Hexaware and Polaris figure in the interestedlist speaks volumes on the long-term growthpotential of the industry,” said an analystwith a leading fund house.It may be recalled that Goldman Sachs hadin its April 2004 outlook maintained thatIndia has the potential to raise growth ratesover the next five years from an average of6.1 to 8.1 percent and the ability to matchChina in quality of infrastructure andeducation. The firm described India as apotentially “bigger growth story than Chinaover the long run”.(TNIE)PSU banks posted needy 50 per cent higher profits, of Rs.12,294 crore, in 2002-03. There hasalso been a sharp fall in non-performing assets to 4.48 per cent. The gross profit of 27 banksrose by 37 per cent to Rs.29,715 crore, by March 31, 2003 from Rs.21,671 crore in 2001-02.SAMARTHA BHARATA 199

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4BSF DEVELOPS LOW-COST IED JAMMERSIn a significant innovation, BSF hasdeveloped an effective low-cost jammeragainst remote-controlled improvisedexplosive devices (IEDs) to blunt terroristattacks and reduce casualties.The light-weight equipment can provideeffective jamming upto 100 metres,preventing detonation of all electronicgadgets in this range, BSF sources said heretoday.The jammer, developed by the Research andDevelopment Wing of BSF, is suitable forboth static and mobile vehicular role, haslower power consumption and is easy toinstall and operate, they said. The force hasalso prepared remote-controlled IED preinitiatorequipment capable of predetonatingremote-operated explosivedevices with an effective blasting range ofup to three kilometers, the sources said.Initially, these gadgets would be mounted on200 vehicles deployed in counter-terrorismoperations and VVIP security duties inJammu and Kashmir and Tripura, they said.These devices, besides saving money spenton purchase of expensive imported gadgets,will help save lives of the security personnelmany of whom get injured or killed almostevery day in IED explosions in J and K andNorth Eastern states.“The equipment helps a trainer to visualizethe error on the target by locating whether abullet has hit the place it was aimed at,” theysaid.The BSF, also engaged in counter terrorismcampaign, is also working towardssophistication in terms of communication aspart of a five-year modernization plan at acost of Rs.435 crore since 2001-02. In thisdirection, police network (Polnet) project isexpected to be commissioned this year, thesources said. All frontier headquarters,sector headquarters and a large number ofunits located in far-flung areas will getconnectivity under this project for clearanceof voice as well as data traffic not only withinthe force but also other Central para-militaryorganizations and state police forces. PTIIndia was the world’s largest producer of bananas in 2002-03 withproduction of around 10,200,000 tonnes.Demand for eggs in the countryis expected to touch 47.2 billion by 2005 and 61 billion in 2010.SAMARTHA BHARATA 200

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4OXYGEN MASK PROTOTYPEFOR LCA PILOTS DEVELOPEDA.A.HarichandanScientists at the Defence Bioengineeringand Electromedical Laboratory(DEBEL), a defence researchlaboratory, have developed a prototype of apressurized oxygen mask, which will be partof the life support system for pilots flyingthe Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).The DEBEL director, G.P.Agrawal, told thepress, that these masks were aircraftspecific.“We had developed similar masksfor other fighter aircraft, and this one is beingtested for use in the LCA. The technical trialsshould be over in two to three months,” hesaid.The mask provides pilots pressurizedoxygen at the right concentration. “Beyond30,000 ft, the mask will provide 100 percentoxygen,” Mr.Krishnapur said.Fighter aircraftsuch as MiGs andSukhois could flyat altitudes of 50,000 ft and the Mirage couldgo up to 60,000 ft. The maximum altitudepossible for the LCA is 50,000 ft. he said.The mask is part of an integrated system withan automatic ‘oxygen diluter demandregulator’ that ensures that the correctconcentration of oxygen is supplied basedon the pressure in the aircraft and thealtitude.“The mask is built in such a way that whenit is fitted to the pilot’s helmet an air seal isachieved,” Mr.Krishnapur said.• Triggered by growth of computer hardware, India’s electronic hardwareexports jumped up by 45% in 2003-04, to $1.67 bn, against $1.16 bn in theprevious year. In rupee terms, the growth was 37.5% at Rs.7,700 crore,against Rs.5,600 crore in 2002-03.• Amid stiff competition from private and foreign players, 27 public sectorbanks logged 35% growth in profit at Rs.16,546 crore, while their bad assetsfell below 3% during 2003-04. State Bank of India led the chart with Rs.3,681crore net profits, followed by Canara bank (Rs.1,338 crore).• Indian remittance income from the US increased to $4.5 billion in 2003,according to a CII study. This figure roughly corresponds to 21% of India’stotal goods exports earning in 2003.• India has emerged as Intel’s largest design centre outside the US. Indiacentre is now working on designing a microprocessors completely in India.The high-end microprocessor, its first to be designed in India, is expected tohit the global markets in three to four years.• Bangalore has pipped Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi to get the country’sfirst special NRI city status.SAMARTHA BHARATA 201

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4A SATELLITE TO SERVE STUDENTSN.Gopal RajNearly three decades after it carriedout the world’s first effort to reachinstructional programmes to farflungvillages using direct TVbroadcasting over satellite, theIndian Space ResearchOrganisation (ISRO) has sentaloft EDUSAT. The satellite isexpected to relay high-qualityprogrammes that will augment theteaching at all levels of education,from primary school toprofessional courses.“EDUSAT is one of its kind wherethe satellite is totally dedicated forproviding educational services,”observed the ISRO chairmen,G.Madhavan Nair.The founding father of India’sspace programme, VikramSarabhai, recognised from theoutset that, in such a vast country,satellites provided a cost-effectiveway of reaching information tovillages. During 1975 and 1976,ISRO carried out the SatelliteInstructional TelevisionExperiment (SITE) transmitting TVprogrammes on health, hygiene and familyplanning to some 2,400 villages, each ofwhich was equipped with a direct-receptioncommunity TV set. The programmes werebroadcast using a satellite loaned by theSAMARTHA BHARATA 202National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA) of the United States.Subsequently, after ISRO had itsown INSAT satellites in place, avariety of educational programmeswere telecast. ISRO also initiatedprojects for distance education andtraining. Several StateGovernments are using theTraining and DevelopmentCommunication Channel (TDCC),which was started in February1995, to train their district andvillage staff. The channel is alsobeing used by variousorganisations for professionaltraining. The Andhra PradeshGovernment has established itsown channel for training staff andto maintain easy communicationwith them. The Madhya PradeshGovernment is continuing theJhabua DevelopmentCommunications Project, startedin November 1996 to provideinteractive training programmes tovillages in Jhabua and otherbackward districts of that State.The INSAT satellites are also being used totransmit educational TV programmes forschool and college students. These trainingand educational channels are to betransferred to EDUSAT after it becomesoperational.The Department of Posts has now come out with Bill Post Mail Service. The Service officershandling of financial statements, bills, monthly accounts or other such items of similar nature,posted by a service provider or a corporate agency to a customer at least once in 90 days.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4EDUSAT, designed to serve for at least Once EDUSAT is launched andseven years, will transmit five spot beams commissioned, the project will enter thecovering the northern, north-eastern, semi-operational phase. According to ISRO,eastern, southern and western regions of the the aim is to connect atleast 100 to 200country.classrooms with each of the satellite’s fivespot beams, providing educationalprogrammes to an estimated 50,000students. Several States andAccording to an ISRO press brief,“EDUSAT is primarily meantfor providing connectivity toschool, college, and higherlevels of education, and alsoto support non-formaleducation includingd e v e l o p m e n t a lcommunication.” Aspreparation for the EDUSAT,for the past year ISRO hasbeen using the INSAT-3B forrunning pilot projects with theUniversities. Each universityhas been provided a studiofrom where the “class” will betaken. The lecturer can usePower Point Presentations inaddition to the blackboard for their talk. Thetalk is filmed live and uplinked to thesatellite, which then broadcasts it to theground terminals.“EDUSAT will be very beneficial consideringthe shortage of teachers especially in frontierareas of technologies.With reception terminals in 100 colleges, asingle lecturer is able to reach 10,000students across the State at the same time.educational bodies,including universities, haveshown interest in usingEDUSAT to provideeducational programmes,according to BhaskarNarayan, director forSatellite Communications atISRO Headquarters. ISROhas held regional workshopsto publicise how educationalinstitutions could useEDUSAT’s capabilities. Aconference of all universityvice-chancellors was held inJuly this year (2004).EDUSAT will benefit school education too.Close to 900 primary schools inChamarajnagar district of Karnataka werebeing equipped with reception terminals.The benefits of EDUSAT could even reachbeyond India’s borders. As EDUSAT coversother South Asian countries partially or fully,it should be possible to extend support tothose countries too, according toMr.Madhavan Nair. (The Hindu)The launch of EDUSAT could lead to a revolution in the education sector.Students in rural areas stand to benefit the most.SAMARTHA BHARATA 203

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4SPACE RESEARCHIndia’s first Met satellite launchedIndia’s first full-fledged meteorologicalsatellite, METSAT, was successfullylaunched on September 12, 2002, fromthe Satish Dhawan Space CentreSriharikota.The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C4,carrying the 1,060 kg satellite, soared into acloudless sky at 3.57 p.m. and injected theMETSAT into a Geosynchronous TransferOrbit, 21 minutes after lift-off.It was another milestone for the PSLV,India’s workhorse space launcher.For the first time, the space vehicle carrieda 1,000 kg plus payload into ageosynchronous orbit, unlike in the pastwhen all its satellites had been placed onlyin the polar orbit.The new satellite, which will position itselfbetween 250 km and 36,000 km above theearth, would keep a continuous watch on theweather systems through its Very HighResolution Radiometer. This will be relayedto ISRO’s ground stations and also directlyto select Met station.In the past, India’s weather monitoringpayloads had been combined with the INSATcommunication satellites. This is the firsttime India will have its own dedicatedweather satellite.1. Britain has started planning medical consultation work in India. Tostart with, blood and urine sample will be analysed in India and theresults e-mailed to UK. The National Health Services of UK is finalizingthe plans to save one-third of the expenditure. S.R.S.Ranbaxy is theIndian Organisation to do this work. Ranbaxy is at present carrying outmore than 600 types of diagnostic analysis in India.2. The Chairman of the Unilever company has remarked “Now that Indiastarted believing in herself, no one can stop progress.”3. Indian’s ONGC is planning to enter the electronics and petrochemicalfields, investing Rs.30,000 crores.4. The Indian Oil Corporation has prospected for Rs.600 crores of tonnesof crude petroleum in the last 50 years.5. In the year 2003-04 alone India’s computer sales have gone up by 32%.SAMARTHA BHARATA 204

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4SARASThe SARAS programme, to design,develop and certify a light multi-roletransport aircraft has now beensanctioned by the Government of India.India’s Council of Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR) has been asked to assumethe leadership of the SARAS programme.Two flying prototypes are to be built now;the decision to produce the aircraft will betaken later by the Government of India.SARAS will be used mainly for commuterand executive roles and in societal roles likeair ambulance.The funding for SARAS comes from theTechnology Development Board of theDepartment of Science and Technology, theMinistry of Civil Aviation and CSIR itself.CSIR and many public and private sectorindustries are participating in theprogramme.The Centre for Civil Aircraft Design andDevelopment (C-CADD), Bangalore, hasbeen specially created by CSIR as the nodalagency to monitor and manage this nationalprogramme.C-CADD, CSIR, has its own separateadministrative and managementinfrastructure for SARAS. It is also theoverall design and integration agency for theaircraft. This national R&D programme ispurely civilian in character and is expectedto become a catalyst in establishing a viablecivil aircraft industry in India.• High cruise speed• Ruggedness and reliability• Ease of maintenance• High specific range• Low operating costThese goals are achieved by usingappropriate levels of technology in variousareas:• Superior aerodynamics• Efficient,reliable power plant• Efficient,high lift system• Selective use of composite materialfor low structural weight• Integrated digital avionics to reducepilot workload• Use of well proven systems for highreliabilityDesign and TechnologySARAS is a twin turbo-prop multi-role lighttransport aircraft suitable for short hops inthe commuter role as well as long range, highspeed cruise in the executive transportversion. The aircraft has the followingfeatures:• All weather, day/night flyingcapability• Operability from semi-preparedrunways• Operability from high altitudeairfields on hot daysSAMARTHA BHARATA 205

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4with little or no compromise on take-offweight• Pressurised cabin• Cabin comfort level matching that ofregional aircraft• Fully duplicated flight deck.• SARAS has the following specificdesign goals:• Multi-role capability• Short take off and landingcharacteristicsPerformance• Take-off distance (ISA,SL): 570 m• Landing distance (ISA,SL): 605 m• Max rate of climb (ISA,SL): 12m/s• Max speed: 620 km/h• Max range (14 pax): 400 km• Max range (8 pax): 1400 km• Ferry range: 1924 km• Max specific range: 2.5 km/kgOperational CapabilitySaras has been designed right from thebeginning as a multi-role aircraft. The largecabin column (16m(3)) lends itself easily toconfiguring the aircraft in a variety of roles.NANO TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THE FUTUREAt the launch of the ISRO-supportedportal for the National NaturalResources Management System(NNRMS), Prof.Kalam spoke about thedominant technology of the near future. “Wehave had information technology,biotechnology and latelybioinformatics…nano-technology will be thefuture with nano science developing nanomaterials and devices. This will lead tofurther convergence of technology with wiseapplications. Nanotechnology now providesmaterial worth $300 billion and this couldbe come $750 billion in 2007,” he said.Plane technologyProf. Kalam saw five important “technologyrevolutions” taking place. Merger oftechnologies would result in unmannedsupersonic fighter aircraft, which couldavoid radars. There would be “hyper-planes”with a high take-off payload, made possibleby mass addition technology; the firstsupersonic cruise missiles would be made.Lastly, convergence of technology wouldlead to revolutionary changes in aerospacetechnology.The NNRMS portal using remote sensingwould be used to store and share data relatedto its national mapping mission. The datawould include inventory of forests,wasteland, land use, water bodies, wetlands,coastal-land use and groundwater resources.Large-area data-bases covering many Stateswere being prepared and the President wasshown the data related to Chhattisgarh andBijapur district of Karnataka, on the portal.(The Hindu)Once the quota system is removed India’s present export of ready-made garments(Rs.27000 crores per year) is expected to go up by 15%SAMARTHA BHARATA 206

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4BPO PLAYERS NOW EYE THE ‘INTELLIGENCEOUTSOURCING’ PIEPragya SinghSemi-skilled graduates made a killingoff their call centre jobs. It’s now timefor the highly educated and welltrained to bite a slice off the off shoring pie.‘Intelligent Outsourcing’ is the latestbusiness opportunity that BPO players arebetting on, based on a target market sizeexpected to reach US $4.5 bn by 2007. thesegment is also expected to employ severalthousands skilled, educated personnel as themarket grows.In India, ‘intelligent outsourcing’ isestimated to be a Rs.1,000 crore revenueindustry, though only a few players cater toglobal publishing clients using armies ofprofessional writers and educational ortechnical specialists apart from ‘plain’graduates.“Although highly skilled employees are arelatively small percentage of our totalemployees, their background makes thembest suited to provide development andeditorial support to publishing clients,” saysRanjit Singh, CEO, Tech Books, a dedicatedpublishing outsourcing setup.While industry association NASSCOM isassessing the potential of publishing offshoring, several local firms are making amark internationally. E-book publishingmajor Kolam, for instance, with prestigiousclients like Oxford University press andMacmillan in its account was bought overby SPI Technologies, one of Asia’s largestBPO outfits.Apart from utilizing content developmentand editorial qualifications of the highlyeducated, book BPOs hope to talk theeducated elite into tech-sector service jobs,an area that has remained largely unexcitingfor the well-qualified English speakers.“The opportunity to be involved in theproduction of scholarly works is attractiveto the people we have hired. In addition theability to use their educational backgroundin this career setting is also appealing,” saysSingh. In this segment, too, India is poisedto be cost effective and quality destinationfor firms abroad. “Outsourcing editorial jobsto India offers a clear advantage overproducing these projects in the US or UKwhere this level of support would be difficultto find in publishing service firms,” he adds.According to industry, India alreadyoutpaces the Philippines, China, Mexico andCIS in vendor sophistication, number andquantity of vendors in the publishingoutsourcing sector.“India’s resource of highly educated, highlyskilled English speaking professionalsprovide the US and UK based publishingcommunity with the best value for producingtheir products globally,” said NASSCOMpresident Kiran Karnik.There are over 10,79,091 self-help groups in India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 207

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4School and college educational products, scientific technical, medical professional andreference materials, professional societies, government agencies and major corporationsare likely to be big users of publishing outsourcing.[TNIE]FDI OR FOREIGN DEPENDENT MINDSET?(Part-I)S.GurumurthyEvery Finance Minister of India hasspoken in one voice about ForeignDirect Investment (FDI). Originally,for some Politicians, not that foreign directinvestment was needed, but without it wewould perish. This turned FDI into a nationaleconomic status symbol, even a benchmarkto assess India. Repeatedly, economiccommentators used to compare the FDIreceived by China and the FDI received byIndia to denigrate India as an inferioreconomy, that is, an inferior country.Psychologically, this eroded the nation’sconfidence.A top bureaucrat, who occupies a highposition again, even used to advise Indianbusinessmen to sell their manufacturingcompanies to foreigners, implying onlyforeigners—not we—were competent forthat. Foreign consultants advised Tatas todivest Tisco and Tata Motors, that is, sellthem to foreigners, and concentrate on TataConsultancy Services. Thus, as if by design,national confidence was eroded and in effectthis created a foreign dependent mindset.This was how the quest for FDI, far frombeing an economic tool, became aninstrument to destroy national confidence.This national defeatism was reversed by oneevent, a non-economic, even anti-economicevent—the Pokharan atomic explosion. Eventhe author of Pokharan, The Prime Ministermight not have foreseen its effect. The soundof the bomb revived the Indian civilisation,which was in an intensive care unit forcenturies. This stunned the West and the USin particular. The West respects not the good,but the strong. That is why they respect ablood-stained China. In India, the Pokharanbomb exploded physically in North Block,on the Finance Ministry, whose officialspanicked.But soon the nation began finding its feet.India Development Bonds issued to bolsterthe forex position were oversubscribed byNRIs. Pokharan made them shed their shamein associating with India, which was to thema failed civilisation till then. Not aneconomist but an advertising specialist couldexperience the impact of Pokharan and saythat after the Pokharan blast, NRIs, whoused to abuse India, began admiring India.From then on gradually national selfconfidencegrew, Jaswant Singh got therespect he deserved from US DeputySecretary of State.Our country produces 300 tonne of pure ghee every day.SAMARTHA BHARATA 208

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4The rise in national spirit reflected in scienceand business too. Much against globaladvice, Tatas made the first Indian cars—Indica first, the Indigo next. The Mahindrasmade the first Indian SUVs, Bolero first,Scorpio next. TVS made the first Indianmotorcycle, Victor, and threw out their JVpartner. Tisco emerged as the lowest coststeel producer in the world! A hundredsimilar things began happening. India’sCommerce Minister could compel the WTOto listen to India. Within the nation, smalllocal brands began challenging MNC globalbrands and emerged successful. A differentIndia, emerged. Surprisingly without muchof FDI, even less of it!This completely confounded the FinanceMinisters and economists, in India andoutside. In fact western economists beganfinding virtue in India attracting less of FDIas compared to China. They said India doesnot need, but China needs, FDI! Why? Indiahas entrepreneurs, they said. China, havingfinished them off earlier, does not have them.So it has to import them by importing FDI.So, far from more of FDI, less of it toobecame a virtue. The foreign dependentmindset assiduously cultivated by apologistsfor India became a matter of the past.However, the irrational quest for FDI, whichbegan when we had three weeks supply offorex reserves, still persists even after wehave an ever-increasing stock of forexreserves now at $120 billion, sometimeswondering what to do with it. Even today,in this budget too (2004), there is apologeticemphasis on FDI. The Finance Minister saysFDI is needed for infrastructure. So in threesectors FDI limits have been sought to beincreased—in telecom to 74 percent, andinsurance and civil aviation to 49 percent.In all these sectors the government is themajor player: BSNL and MTNL in telecom,LIC and GIC group in insurance, and AirIndia and Indian Airlines in civil aviation. Nota single share in these PSUs will be sold toforeigners, given the position that therewould be no divestment of PSUs by thisgovernment. So it is only private players whowill sell their shares. So it is a policy madefor private players. Many of them have beenworking for it furiously. The whole of Delhiknows them. But they convinced the mediathat they were not the lobbyists, but thosewho are trying to prevent them were the oneslobbying! And the media swallowed it. Nowthe Finance Minister has given in to theselobbies, but under the cover of elegantlanguage and a higher philosophy that thenation needs FDI in the infrastructure sector.We should know FDI will deprive localcapital of investment opportunities and keepthe forex reserves idle. Also, how such apolicy supplies money at cheap rates to theUS government than to Indian business.(The New Indian Express)Jammu & Kashmir exported cricket bats worth Rs.24 crore in 2003.SAMARTHA BHARATA 209

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INVEST OUR OWN MONEY, THEN SEEK FDI(Part II)S.GurumurthyThe case for FDI assumes that thecountry does not have funds forinvestment. Not many perhaps knowit is the other way round. Far from not havingfunds, the country idles its own funds, notknowing what to do with it, where to investit. Idling money is an overhead on thenational economy. Look at commercialbanks. The CMIE Monthly Review for June2004 shows that banks are struggling withsurplus funds. So for lack of investmentopportunities, they sink their money inGovernment securities.The CMIE review says that commercialbanks had sunk Rs.42,055 crores inGovernment securities in just six weeks fromApril 14 to May 2004. In the 12 monthsending March 2004, banks invested an alltimehigh figure of Rs.1,27,776 crores ingovernment securities. According to theRBI, government securities account for 41.5per cent of the net funds of banks. As againstthe statutory limit of 25 per cent, theadditional amount banks have kept investedin government securities for want of otheravenues, is a whopping Rs.2,69,777 croresor $ 60 billion! This is idle money for whichbanks are starved of investmentopportunities.of just Rs.11,340 crores. Since we do notknow how to invest this amount in India,we keep it in the US and subsidise the USeconomy at 2 per cent interest! Not knowingwhat to do with idle bank funds of over $ 60billion and surplus forex of at least $ 60 (outof $ 120) billion helplessly lent at throwawayrates abroad that we are seeking FDI. Yes,we lacked funds till the mid-1990s. Can anyonesay now that for lack of funds we needFDI?The numbers are clear. We have huge surplusfunds, local as well as foreign. We have tomake them investment-friendly. Thechallenge is how to make surplus bank fundsand surplus forex funds—aggregating to $120 billion—investment-friendly. The policymakers, blinded by market fundamentalism,have failed to see the Indian reality. Freemarket ideologues told Indian business thatit was for them to get long-term funds fromthe market, local or foreign, and it was notfor the government to create long-termcapital. The assumption was that the marketwould produce long-term equity. But theIndian capital market did not. And will not.Why?A family based economy in which familiesprovide social security will not go for risky,Look at forex reserves. It is $ 120 billion,stock market investment. It will seek safeand increasing at over $ 2 billion a month.investment. So even at atrociously lowAccording to the latest RBI report, theinterest, Indian families go to only banks.return on forex reserves invested abroad hasResult, banks accumulate funds as shorttermfunds, not available for long-termcome down from 4.1 per cent last year to2.1 per cent in 2003-2004. So on a nationalinvestment. With market fundamentalism asasset of Rs.5,40,000 crores we get a returnthe rule, IDBI and IFCI models became anSAMARTHA BHARATA 210

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4anachronism, a liability. Lucky ICICIescaped to become a bank and began lendingmoney for houses, cars, motorcycles andrefrigerators. IDBI and IFCI, which lentmore on political advice, turned sick.What then is the remedy? With such hugestock of short-term surplus lying idle, it isridiculous to seek FDI saying we are shortof funds. The truth is we do not know howto invest our own money. The answer lies inappropriate government intervention. It willhave to give guarantees to banks and makethem invest their short-term funds in IDBIand IFCI equity and long-term bonds. Thiswill convert short-term funds of banks intolong-term investment friendly funds. Thatmeans in a country like India where there isno publicly provided social security, equitymarket cannot do the trick. The governmentwill have to intervene to facilitate creationof long-term capital. This is the clue tosolving the investment shortage, that is,convert short-term bank funds into longtermfunds through proper governmentintervention. In some form or the other thedeveloping world does this, but we do not.Why? We look to the free market US onlyfor solutions to our problems. Not realisingover half the house-holds in the US punt instock markets, while just about two per centof Indian family savings find their way intostocks. If the Government converts shorttermbank funds into long-term funds, wecan generate investment up to $ 60 billion.Forex funds too can be turned intoinvestment friendly funds in India,particularly for exporters. Even smallTirupur garment exporters, who pay doubledigitinterest, can operate an escrow accountand on the basis of their export potential,they can be given forex loan at say 4 percent or 5 per cent for modernisation. Thiswill mean nil risk as borrowers earn forex.So the reserves are safe. The governmentwill get more than 2 percent return andexporters will get loans at 4 to 5 percent andbe more competitive—a win-win situationfor both. So the issue is not where from toinvest, so FDI, but where to invest. Lesson:first invest our own idle money and then gofor FDI. We will need FDI when we arecapital starved. We are not now.(The New Indian Express)India’s Telecom network will become the world’s second largest afterChina rising from $9 billion in 2002 to $25 billion by 2007.SAMARTHA BHARATA 211

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4GLOBAL HEADHUNTERS SCOUT OUTHOT INDIAN JOB MARKETGlobal head-hunters are seekingpartners and acquisitions in India,where a sizzling job market iscreating tens of thousands of jobs a year.The boom in outsourcing of back-office andcustomer service work to India, along withgrowth in the retail and consumer goodssectors, has generated a need for hugenumbers of trained workers, often at shortnotice.Spending on job ads by companies isestimated at $120 million per year, whilespending on recruitment firms is twice thatand growing 20 to 28 percent annually, saidArun Tadanki, president of the Indian unitof online recruitment company MonsterWorldwide Inc.“For every percentage point pick-up in theeconomy, there is 10 percent (growth) in therecruitment market,” he said.In 2004, Switzerland’s Adecco, the world’sbiggest staffing firm, entered India byacquiring a local recruiter. It paid anundisclosed sum for 67 percent of PeopleOne Consulting, which boasts a 20 percentmarket share.This followed Monstercom’s $9.6 millionbuy of Jobsahead.com in May and a purchaseof 76 percent of Chennai-based Ma FoiManagement Consultants by Dutch firmVedior in April. US staffing firm KellyServices Inc, which finds Indian scientistsfor jobs abroad, wants to build on a tinybuyout it made four years ago. “We haveplans to expand. If a good acquisition comes,we’ll look at it,” said Dhirendra Shantilal,Kelly’s Singapore-based managing directorfor Asia.By moving into India, internationalrecruitment firms are following their globalclients outsourcing to the country. Thedebate over whether outsourcing is at theexpense of jobs in other countries has onlyraised awareness about India as a globaltalent pool—and a job seeker’s dream.India’s telecom sector is adding 1.6 millionsubscribers a month, requiring more salesand support staff, while the retail sector iswitnessing an explosion in rural demand forconsumer goods.At the same time, there is increasing demandfor Indians among employers overseas.Indian workers are becoming known for theirmanagement and scientific research skills, inaddition to their strengths in software. Withthat in mind, India’s Cyber Media groupannounced two weeks ago a recruitmentjoint venture with US technology jobs portalfirm Dice Inc.“It is a good time (for temp agencies)because the segment is seeing exponentialgrowth,: he said.Indian Tyres were exported to 64 countries in the financial year 2003-04. Itreached Rs.1300 crores in that year. China is India’s main competitor.SAMARTHA BHARATA 212

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Industry officials say the market fortemporary workers will grow 10-fold in threeyears from the current 40,000-50,000. “Theentire temp staffing industry is only two tothree years old, but is catching on,” Tadankisaid.Team Lease Services, a 9,500-strongcompany, this week launched on onlineservice to match employers with temps. MaFoi, the company bought by Vedior, has8,000 temporary staff deployed in 440locations for clients such as Unilever andBharti Televentures. “The entire thought ofgeographic reach has become critical (forconsumer goods makers),” Chief executiveK.Pandia Rajan said. Ma Foi expects 2004revenues to rise by half to Rs.1.26 billion.(Reuters)‘INDIA IS AMONG TOP FOUR FDIDESTINATIONS’INDIA IS AMONG THE TOP FOURAsian destinations for foreign directinvements, but is well below the topranked China, according to an UNCTAD(United National Conference on Trade andDevelopment) report.At the same time, the World InvestmentReport 2004 released at New Delhi, on22/9/2003 by UNCTAD says India is likelyto attract more foreign investment flows asthe global economy rebounds this year. Ithas recorded a 24 per cent rise over theprevious year’s FDI inflow of $3.4 billionwhich is attributed to its strong growth andcontinued liberalisation.Research and Information system(RIS)Director General, Nagesh Kumar, said thesefigures are underestimated as India was notfollowing the international definition of FDI.As per these norms, he said the FDI inflowcould be as much as $7 billion.On global FDI flows, the report says thesefell in the U.S. Central and Western Europewhile developing countries as a wholeshowed an increasing trend. Among thedeveloping nations group, Africa, Asia andPacific showed an increase in FDI flowswhile Latin America and Caribbeanexperienced a declining trend.(The Hindu)BPO industry is expected to grow at 54 percent annually with India meeting over30 percent of global demand.SAMARTHA BHARATA 213

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4REVERSE COLONIALISM?FRANCE WOOING CORPORATE INDIAFrance, which dished out incentives toattract foreign investors in the recentpast, is now aggressively wooing Indiato make investments even as until now theU.S. remains the main source of foreigninvestments. In fact it is talking to the Indiancorporates including the bigwigs such asTatas, Reliance, Godrej, and Mahindra andMahindra.“I am here to enhance the internationalvisibility of France and will hold talks withthese companies on a one-to-one basis,” thevisiting Special Representative of France forInternational Investment and President ofInvest in France Agency (IFA). ClaraGaymard, said addressing media persons andmembers of the business community at theFrench Embassy in Delhi on September 22-2004.“India is emerging fast and it needs threefeet—one in India, one in the U.S. and thethird in Europe. We are here to offer Francefor its Europe base,” she said promising allhelp to the future investors and listingadvantages her country offered to them.France has exempted tax on personal incomeand is considering reforms in business taxsystem and research and developmentfunding. Since the reforms are beingconsidered, the government has decided toexempt the business tax till 2006, she said.Mrs.Gaymard said the country had also madereduction in tax and social securities leviesfor young innovative companies. On thepotential investors in India, she said sinceIndia and China were witnessing a largenumber of foreign investors in theircountries, they were seriously working onthe global presence of their firms too. Therewere only 25 Indian companies in Franceright now but we were sure more companieswould soon join us, she said.France had also made concessions for theexecutives and their families living there tomake the environment more investmentfriendly, she said.(The Hindu)Export of Handicrafts items which was valued at Rs.8343 crors in 2002-03 roseby 25% in one year and touched Rs.10,365 crores in 2003-04. By 2009-10, itwill touch an all time peak of Rs.32,700 crores.SAMARTHA BHARATA 214

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4TALENT HUNT: RIN INTERVENTION BRINGSINNOVATIONRajesh JoseNecessity is the mother of invention,goes the adage. And it is also thelink between the banana steminjector, a mechanical device developed byManoharan of Batlagundu in Dindiguldistrict of Tamil Nadu, and the Varsha RainGun, a mega sprinkler patented by AnnaSaheb, a betel leaf farmer of Belgaum,Karnataka. The two innovations havechanged the lives of agriculturists for thebetter in both the States.Manoharan, co-owner of Raj EngineeringWorks in Batlagundu, developed the bananastem injector after a local farmer sought hishelp to combat the pest menace affecting hisbanana plantation. The farmer wanted asmall, compact and cost-effective injectorunlike the ones already in the market andManoharan proved himself worthy of thetask in 1997. But there were hardly anytakers for his invention at that time. Besides,not many were aware of his injector.Anna Saheb had developed a low-cost dripirrigation system to tackle the drought in hisdistrict. The sprinkler, ‘Chandraprabhu RainGun’ that was later renamed ‘Varsha Raingun’, won him a Grassroot InnovationAward, instituted by the National InnovationFoundation, in 2000. But the invention failedto get a foothold in the market.SAMARTHA BHARATA 215It was then that Rural Innovations Network(RIN), a Chennai-based NGO, stepped intothe picture. RIN helped Saheb to market theproduct through an entrepreneur in Chennai.Saheb’s sprinkler has reportedly become amuch sought-after commodity by farmersacross the country. RIN has also beeninstrumental in getting recognition forManoharan’s ‘Siphon’ banana stem injector.After its design was modified with experthelp from IIT engineers, the innovation hasbeen doing good business.RIN’s Manager-Communications, says“These are just two of the 11 innovationsthat we have brought to light.” The othersinclude, J.S.Milker a mechanical equipmentinvented by Joy John of Kerala for milkingcows and the Varun Tiller, a machinedeveloped by Chandrasekhar of Comibatorethat can till and weed closely-spaced crops.The Varun tiller, a coconut husker and palmleaf shredder were among the inventions thatwere on display at an expo.RIN is all about identifying incubating,improving and exposing ideas to the world.As of now, the non-profit organisation ispromoting such innovations that can dowonders for the rural population.67.89 lakh tonne of wheat was exported by our country between April2003 and February 2004.Germany imported $265 million of Indian leather products in 2003, emerging asthe largest buyer, accounting for almost 15% of India’s leather exports.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4“We adopt the innovation and nurture it. Weensure protection of intellectual propertyrights”.RIN is also into prototyping, market researchand development, business planning, fundraising, technology transfer andnetworking,” according to a brochurebrought out by RIN.For a nominal charge, innovators get accessto all these activities that ensure thecommercial success of their creations. RINis currently being supported by two fundingagencies, including one in Netherlands. RINis now scouting for talent innovators whocan bring about radical changes in theagrarian sector with low cost ideas.(The New Indian Express)INDIA TO LEND ITS POLL EXPERTISEHailed by the Election Commission asa move to uphold the cause ofdemocracy, India will help youngdemocracies around the world by providingpersonnel and other expertise for conductof elections.A memorandum of understanding (MoU) inthis regard was inked by the ElectionCommission and the United Nations officerat New Delhi which Chief ElectionCommissioner (CEC) described as “historicand unique moment.”He said under the MoU the commissionwould provide personnel and otherassistance to various member countries asthe world body has recognized the conductof elections in India. “I see it as a beginningof a very important relationship. In the yearsto come it will be necessary to conductelections in a number of countries as manyof them are young democracies,” E.C. said.The MoU was signed by Deputy ElectionCommissioner and the director, electoralassistance division in the UN Carina Perelli.(P.T.I.)The Oil & Natural Gas Corp Ltd.(ONGC) has added 50 Million MetricTons (MMT) of oil and equivalent gasto its reserves in 2003-04.SAMARTHA BHARATA 216Engineering exports crossed $10billion in 2003-04, with growth rateof 28.33% against the country’sover-all export growth of 16.37%.A number of foreign companies including Cummins,Meson etc. have started their research wings in India.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4THE SOUTHERN STARSA CII studySouth India has played a major roletowards making our country a globalplayer. According to Confederation ofIndian Industry (CII) study on ‘Key FactorsMaking India A Major Global Player: ‘TheSouthern Stake’, cities like Bangalore,Hyderabad and Chennai have emerged asgrowth poles, creating centres of excellencein IT, Biotech and Pharmaceuticals. Thestudy says that South India forms thebackbone of India’s comparative advantagein the services sector.The study points out that southern stateshave also leveraged their traditionalstrengths in textiles, marine products, gemsand jewellery and engineering. The stateshave led the way in producing ‘knowledgewokers’ by creating centres of academicexcellence, according to the CII study.“Majority of India’s HIB visas are issued toSouth Indians and Chennai has the longestwaiting list for F1 visas”, said Jayanta Roy,senior advisor, international trade, CII, whoprepared the study. He further said that thesouthern states are performing well abovethe national average in terms of GDP growth.The study points out that to be a majoreconomic power and substantially reducepoverty by 2010, the roadmap ahead shouldbe to rein in fiscal deficit, though macroindicators are mostly under control. Stepsto reduce the huge transaction costs incurredfor doing business in India need to beinitiated soon. “Nurture IT, Biotech,Pharmaceuticals as growth drivers for theeconomy and expand niche in the servicessector and knowledge economy,” states theCII study. The study also says that it wasimportant to leverage sunrise sectors inmanufacturing like auto parts andcomponents and other supply chainengineering products, to propel India as aglobal economic force.The CII study also advocates ‘work oncreating growth clusters and investment inbrand equity to recreate the success ofBangalore in other cities”. The study urgesheavy investment on infrastructure andremoval of red tape, such measures being inline with the focus on reducing transactioncosts on a national level. The study pointsout that the urban agglomeration ofBangalore alone contributes to around 40percent of India’s services exports ($8 billionper annum) and around 12 percent of goodsexports ($6 billion per annum). Dynamicclusters with sector specialisation likeTirupur exported $800 million worth ofgoods. The study mentions that exportoriented growth strategy in China alsocentred around growth clusters.The CII study vouches for establishment offree ports with world-class logistics. “Makeadministrative procedures hassle free,”asserts the study. The study also calls formore investment in agriculture to createIn the World Competitiveness Year book (WCY) for 2004, India has jumped amassive 16 ranks. It now stands of 34 th , up from the 50 th position it held in 2003.SAMARTHA BHARATA 217

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4effective supply chains and expand valueaddedfood processing industries. As a wayforward, the study also points out that Indiawill have to effectively strategise betweenmultilateralism and bilateralism. Tradeliberalisation is inevitable and Indian industrywill have to be prepared to grab theopportunities and minimize risks fromglobalization, adds the study.The CII study sets a target of increasingIndia’s export to 2 percent of global exports(i.e.$178 billion) by 2010 in order for Indiato claim its rightful spot as a global player.A GDP growth at minimum of 10 percentfor the next decade is imperative if India isto emerge as an economic superpower andeffectively address the issues ofunemployment and poverty. It suggests tariffrationalization as per East Asian standardsand liberalisation of consumer goodsimports. The study also calls forestablishment of dedicated trade policydivision in all states to coordinate policy withUnion Ministry of Commerce; such a movewill be in keeping with the diversity of needsand priorities in a continental polity likeIndia. (The New Indian Express)TO BRAND OR NOT TO BRANDSangeetha ChengappaYou cannot create a great brandwithout advertising.’ This topicwas debated by Gurcharan Das,former CEO, “Procter & Gamble India Ltdand Nandan Nilekani, CEO, president andmanaging director, Infosys Technologies Ltd,at the fourth edition of ‘Business TodayCrossfire’ in the city.While Gurcharan Das very articulatelypointed out that it was next to impossible tocreate a great brand without advertising,Nandan Nilekani shot it down with apowerful presentation on four brands whichenjoy a global presence today without anyfocused advertising spend. According to him,one of the brands is Bangalore, which haswell and truly arrived.The Gallup Organisation, the world’s top name in polling, has launched its first electionrelatedsurvey in India, in association with Indiatimes. The Gallup-Indiatimes initiative,called Young India Votes, addresses the Indian youth between 18 to 35 years across12 cities about their political preferences and disposition.SAMARTHA BHARATA 218He said that any visiting foreign dignitaryto India makes if a point to stop over atBangalore first. He also referred to jokeson the Internet, e.g. a tired school kid tellinghis Mom to outsource his homework toBangalore. Most interestingly, Bangalore isnow being used as a verb-being‘Bangalored’ means being out of a job,because of outsourcing. “It is only a matterof time before the Oxford English Dictionaryincorporates the verb ‘Bangalored’ in itsnext edition” said Nilekani. The other threebrands which enjoy the same status areIndia. IIT and Infosys, he added. Theirglobal brand presence was establishedwithout advertising them, he concluded.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4WE HAVE A HEADSTART, LET US NOT PUT UPOUR FEET- (Part-I)Arun ShourieJust 6,00,000 persons working in ourinformation technology sector to-day(2004) create $ 16 billion worth ofwealth every year. IT exports are liable totouch $ 13 billion this year-that is, in spiteof recessionary conditions in their principalmarkets, our IT professionals and firms willearn about Rs.60,000 crore for the countryin foreign exchange. Those earnings willaccount for over one-fifth of our totalexports.Such figures represent phenomenal,spectacular growth: 15 years ago the activitywas hardly known; just five/six years ago thefigure was not $16 billion, it was $ 5 billion.Similarly, but for the successes of this smallnumber of firms and personnel, our exportperformance would have looked verydifferent from what it does today. And withthat the level of foreign exchange reservestoo would have been substantially lower.More significant for the future,• India and Indians have contributedsignificantly to the growth of this field- onethirdof the start-ups in Silicon Valley wereby Indians.• We are today one of the principalknowledge-generators in this field-over 100of the Fortune 500 companies have set upR&D centres in India. Among these are someof the world’s cutting-edge IT firms—Intel,IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, HewlettPackard, SAP, Sony, Samsung, TexasInstruments. Each of them relies on andseeks to avail of India’s strengths in IT.SAMARTHA BHARATA 219• We export IT and IT-enabled servicesto over 133 countries. Our firms are trainingpeople in IT in 55 countries. A single Indianfirm-NIIT-today runs 100 training centres in,all places China. The government itself issetting up training centres for people in othercountries.The other day, the Prime Ministerinaugurated the Kofi Annan Centre forExcellence in Accra, Ghana, for the peopleof West Africa; in March 2004 he will beinaugurating a Cyber City in Mauritius forthe people of east Africa-a project thataccounts for about half of a $ 100 millioncredit line to the country, the rest to be usedto provide other IT-related services, likeeducation.• Out IT firms have become standardsof excellence: today three-fourths of theworld’s CMM Quality level 5 companies arein India.• They are providing software services,of course; they are also contributing to thecreation of software products. When I askmy colleagues in the Ministry of InformationTechnology for some recent examples, theylist scores in no time. The Pramati studio/server has been rated among the top 10 inmiddleware; an I-Flex Banking product hasbeen among the top three for three years ina row – from 2000 to 2002—and is todaythe world’s number one. We often regret thatwhile we have made impressive strides insoftware, we have lost out to China, Taiwanetc. in hardware. There is much weight inthe lament – and addressing it has to be a

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4priority for the government. But we should What are the trends that our IT industry hasnot lose sight of the other side-that a number to face? What steps should we be taking inof high technology hardware products are the face of those trends?being designed in India for the global market.• The Phillips DVD video codec; the Telling the trendsApple iPod audio codec; the TexasInstruments’ OMAP: Microsoft’s Jsharp: the The first, of course, is the fact that our rivalsAdobe reader for Palm and iPaq; Intel’s are also adding strength to their operations“start up” utility; Cisco’s IOS core just as we are. Ireland, Israel etc, werecomponents; Hewlett Packard’s ux; the Open traditional centres for the kinds of servicesView kernel; components of Oracle’s Pro-c; we are providing today. Countries such asMBIL is the third global optical disk China and Vietnam are acquiring themanufacturer; VXL Instruments is the third competence rapidly. Moreover, there are aglobal terminal manufacturer; HiCal supplies slew of countries that will be joining themagnetics for the world’s foremost mobile European Union from may 2004-fromhandset manufacturer, Implusesoft; the Cyprus to several in eastern Europe.manmar imaging software for ultrasoundscanners; Purple Vision’s signal processortheseFirms operating in these countries willand many more hi-tech products have naturally acquire preferred liaisons withall been substantially designed in India. European firms that seek reliable, cheap IT• Another factor that augurs well for services – the firms will be part of the samethe future is that we are rapidly expanding economic bloc; there is in a sense thethe infrastructure required for the future advantage of cultural affinity; there is thatgrowth of this sector-we have already laid much lesser prospect of a back-lash aboutout 500,000km of fibre optic network; the loss of jobs in the countries that willother day I had the privilege of inaugurating outsource to them.Param Padma – the fourth generation ofIndian supercomputers, entirely conceivedand put together in India; we have taken thefirst giant step in grid-computing: the linkbetween Bangalore and Pune is alreadyoperational-soon, the grid will link majorresearch institutions in nine cities.But we cannot afford to rest for a momentespeciallybecause this is a sector in whichtechnologies change like lightning, andbecause the very success that our firms andprofessionals have secured has made themthe target of many a protectionistmanoeuvre.SAMARTHA BHARATA 220And we should not forget that several ofthese countries have special strengths-notmany of us know, for instance, of the greatcompetence countries like Hungary and tinyBulgaria have in mathematics; few of usknow countries such as these had beenassigned specific areas during the Sovietperiod in which they then specialised, andthat these specialisations-encryption andsurveillance technologies, to take just twoinstances-today constitute excellentspringboards for providing many IT-relatedservices.Second, as the past two/three years havereminded us, we have to be ever alert to the

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4vicissitudes of our markets. And that forseveral reasons. Eighty to 85 per cent ofChina’s software industry is directed atmeeting the demand for IT services withinChina. In our case, almost the samemagnitude is directed at meeting demandoutside India.Also, our IT exports are heavilyconcentrated on a few countries-the USaccounts for almost 60 per cent. Recessions,turbulence, backlash in these few countriescan thus have disproportionate effects on ourfirms here.And how a particular development willeventually affect us is not always evident.The recent recession in western economies,for instance, created contrary pressures; onthe one hand, it intensified the pressures ontheir firms to cut spending on IT solutionsand to confine these to activities in whichthe applications of IT resulted indemonstrable gains in competitiveness; onthe other, the recessionary conditions alsointensified the pressure on such firms toimprove their competitiveness by availing ofthe unique combination that India offers-thatof high talent, low costs and ever-improvinginfrastructure.For the same reasons, what effects will therecent revival of economic activity have?Will it entail higher outlays on IT by westernfirms, and thereby make them source morefrom India? Or will it loosen the pressure onthem to avail of that unique combination?Third, of course, is the problem that hasarisen precisely because of success: backlash.It is real: protectionist legislation has alreadybeen introduced in eight states of the US;there is also a move to introduce a “BuySAMARTHA BHARATA 221American Act” at the federal level. Unionsin the UK, in Australia have begun agitationsagainst outsourcing functions to India.Moves of this kind are liable to be stokedeven more in the coming months. In ourprincipal market – the US – 2004 is anelection year: the president and vicepresidentare up for re-election, so are onethirdof the senators and the entire House ofRepresentatives.Of course, there has already been a majorshift of jobs to China in manufacturing, butthat does not make this new shift of servicesany easier. On the contrary, the sentiment isthe opposite – “We lost millions of jobs toChina, are we now going to lose moremillions to India?” The media both reflectsand feeds this sentiment: when a firm in theUS expands its operations and decides tolocate an R & D centre in India, the headlinereads, “Oracle moving 2,000 jobs to India”.Moreover, the ones who are getting affectedby outsourcing are the more vocal lot – thewhite collar workers. Many of them arecollege or high school dropouts; they havelittle prospect of finding jobs outsideoperations like call centres. And the locationof functions in India this time has occurredduring recessionary conditions – quite theopposite set of conditions during whichAmerican manufacturing firms set up theirestablishments in China.For the past year there have been signs of arecovery – but till the past month the datathat was coming out was being used bycritics of outsourcing to point out that whatwas taking place was a “jobless recovery”.The result is portrayed in a Forrester study:of every 100 IT workers who have beendisplaced only 65 have been able to get

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4reemployed; that 50 per cent of those whogot re-employed had to accept jobs at lowerearnings. So there is a ready, disgruntledconstituency for the politician to exploit, andthis is an election year.Economic trends apart, there is a structuralfeature of the IT industry that makes forpossible difficulties. While IT registered themost conspicuous growth in the US, UK,etc. trade unions were not able to establishthemselves in the industry. Theseorganisations feel that outsourcing is theissue on which they can get IT/ITESprofessionals to sign up.And the advantagesThere are just as many trends on which wecan build. First, as we noticed, India’stelecom infrastructure has improveddramatically over the past five years. It isset for even greater improvements in thecoming years. With the laying of fibre opticnetworks all over the country, a firm in SanJose, California would find it as easy toaccess services from a firm in any one of 300cities in India as from its neighbour acrossthe street.This expansion is being and will be assistedeven more by the recent feature of oureconomic landscape-namely, intensecompetition among progressive states, eacheager to prove itself to be the betterinvestment destination. Bangalore andHyderabad are not the only cities that arecompeting today. Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkata,Pune, Mumbai, Kochi are each trying to wooIT firms. Mangalore, Mysore, and half adozen others have begun taking the firststeps too, and have already begun registeringsuccesses.SAMARTHA BHARATA 222Second, firms abroad have becomeaccustomed to outsourcing – doing so hasbecome part of the business model of moreand more companies. Mckinsey interviewed50 Fortune CIOs a few months ago. Noneof them reported outsourcing more than 15per cent of the firm’s IT budget to India. Butwhen asked what their plans were for thecoming years, 70 per cent reported theywould be outsourcing more than 15 per centto India.The figures at the other end of the scale werethe direct opposite: 73 per cent reported theywere outsourcing less than five per cent toIndia; that figure was down to two per centwhen the CIOs were asked about what theyplanned to be doing in the near future.Because of my current position, every weekrepresentatives of some IT giant or the othercome to call on me. One of them afteranother reports how his firm is doubling andquadrupling staff in its Indian offices: Intel,Microsoft, SAP, Oracle….Indeed, we hearless than what is in fact happening – thesedays firms that are expanding operations inIndia forgo the customary launch festivitieslest these become occasions for unions backhome to ignite scares.Third, apart from the advantage that flowsfrom India IT professionals having proventhe capabilities already, the unique advantagethat they have had vis a vis their competitorsin China and east Europe is certain to weighin their favour for quite some time. Firms inChina, Vietnam, east Europe can writesoftware, no doubt. The professionals willsoon learn to do so in English, no doubt.But Indian firms are able to provide not justsoftware for transforming an operation. They

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4are able to provide complete businesssolutions – something firms in countries suchas China, unfamiliar as they are with reigningfinancial systems and business practices, willtake some years to master.Fourth, a series of new disciplines is aboutto break out in India for which IT will bewhat arithmetic is to calculation.Biotechnology, nanotechnology,telemedicine, telesurgery, distance learning,products with embedded software,automated production processes, productdesign-and many more. Each of these willsee a leap in the coming years in India, andin each of them IT will be a basic ingredient.Finally, we are at the threshold of breakingout of a handicap that has hobbled us thusfar: scale. Why is it that a firm like Nokiaproduces handsets in China but not in India?There are several reasons, of course, butamong these is the question of scale: thedemand for new handsets has been so muchgreater in China-at that scale, the firm reapsmany economies.Now that two million new telecomsubscribers are being added every month,India too becomes a place that is attractiveenough for a potential manufacturer to locatehis facilities here. The same will soon be truefor products that are used for IT and ITenabledservices.What should we be doing to build on theseadvantages?(TNIE)India has emerged as the R & D hub for the world and this isreflected by the 1,000 plus patents filed by MNCs based here.SAMARTHA BHARATA 223

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIAN INFOTECH NEEDS TO PARTNER EASTEUROPE, TARGET CHINA- PART IIArun ShourieFirst and foremost we have to rememberthat in today’s world no one can affordto rest even for a moment. Especiallynot in a sector in which technological andother forms of change are as swift as theyare in information technology. Recall whathappened in Silicon Valley – in a moment somany stars shot off the sky. Recall that theother day Ireland was one of our maincompetitors in software; it still is today, butit is also a country firms like Wipro now viewas a potential market.Next, the one way to counter the backlashthat is welling up is to provide services ofsuch quality, at such cost that the firms inUS, Europe etc. that use them becomelobbyists for us. They should be telling theircontacts in those governments andlegislatures that they will be rendereduncompetitive if they are prevented fromaccessing India.That is what happened in manufacturing visa vis China: American firms that wereimporting from and exporting to China arethe ones that worked overtime to ensuresanctions were not imposed on that countryin the wake of Tiananmen, with the severitymany were urging.Third, we must go on diversifying ourmarkets. The figure we encounteredearlier—that the US accounts for 60 per centof our IT exports—is not something thatshould by itself discourage us; perhaps theUS accounts for some similar proportion ofthe use of IT as a whole. But it shouldcaution us. Germany and Japan are theobvious markets we should target:Germany’s IT market is worth $ 66 to 70billion; our IT exports to Germany are only$ 250 million—that is, if you accept ourfigures; they are just $50-55 million if yougo by German figures.And as countries like Cyprus, Bulgaria andothers join the European Union, formingstrategic alliances with their companies, evensetting up subsidiaries there can help us vaultover such tariff or non-tariff barriers that maybe set up in the coming years. They havestrengths—for instance, in mathematics. Wehave strengths from which they can gain—for instance, entrepreneurial skills as well asgood knowledge of the markets that have tobe targeted.“And frankly,” says an Indian IT executivewho has long worked in Europe and knowsit well, “there is racialism. Mounting acampaign, ‘Our jobs are being taken awayby Indians’ is easy. Mounting a campaign,‘East Europeans are stealing our jobs’ willbe difficult. Others within Europe will mufflethose voices.” So, alliances with those whowill be joining the EU. And there is no timeto lose—some of them join from the comingMay.One other potential market is the host ofwestern firms that have set up operations inSAMARTHA BHARATA 224

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4China. Many of our major software supercomputers together on their own; wegenerators supply various kinds of software are among the few that have developedservices and products to their principals nuclear weapons; our scientists have doneoutside China: given the fact that they excellent work in imaging from space.already know the acumen of our firms andprofessionals, their subsidiaries in China willfeel quite comfortable in assigning work toour firms.Fourth, we can be certain other countries willlearn to provide several of the types ofservices that we have been supplying. Andeach of them will have advantages of its own.For instance, that we know English has beenone of our advantages. Little Mauritius, asits professionals pick up IT, will have anadvantage in accessing the French market:Mauritians speak French as their mothertongue.The Chinese will soon over-come English:and they will do so with the focused pursuitthat has become their hallmark—a reportsaid the other day that they had imported20,000 teachers of English, and that manyof them had been deployed in the IT industry:another report said they had decreed thatevery taxi driver—that should actually read“even every taxi driver” – in Beijing wouldhave to be fluent in English by the time thecity hosts the Olympics four years from now.The lesson is obvious: formidable as ourachievements are, as others will start doingwhat we have been doing, we mustcontinually aim to provide ever morecomplex IT services and products.And we can do so. After all, we are amongthe half a dozen countries that put satellitesinto space: we are among the few that havemanufactured guided missiles; we are amongthe three or four that have putSAMARTHA BHARATA 225Each of these tasks has required software ofhigh complexity. Far from sharing therequisite technologies, software etc. othercountries have done everything they couldto deny them to us. All of the requiredsoftware and hardware have devised by ourown professionals. So, our scientists and ITcompanies can.Indeed, apart from moving to more complexIT products, we should move to integratingthe software services we provide withproving complete business solutions. Recallwhat Indian professionals were able to doto turn the Shinsei Bank around in Japan.There is much that our IT firms can learnfrom the sort of mutation a firm like IBM isgoing through. We think of IBM as acompany manufacturing computers. The factis its computers are not “manufactured” atany one site now. What it does by way ofhardware is better described as “assembly”– of components produced in manycountries.Even more significant, providing hardwareis itself becoming an activity that describesthe past of IBM. The Economist reports,“Big Blue (IBM) expects profits to migrateto software and services, and is managingits product portfolio accordingly. Forexample, it has sold its hardware drivebusiness and acquired the consulting arm ofPricewaterhouse Coopers, an accountancyfirm. Slowly but surely, IBM is morphingfrom a technology vendor with a strong ITservicesarm into a business consulting firm

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4that also sells software and hardware.” (TheEconomist, May 10,2003 page 18).We have much to gain by vastly extendingthe range of non-IT services that areprovided via IT. Lawyers and charteredaccountants are ever so expensive in the USand Europe. You just have to get our younggraduates of the National Law School tobone upon American or German law, or ouraccounts to learn the particulars ofaccounting practices in those countries, andthey will provide the high-flying legal andaccounting firms there the kind of researchand back-up assistance they can’t dream of.And thanks to the advances in IT andtelecom infrastructure, that assistance canbe provided in real-time, on line. The samegoes for medical diagnosis and counselling.And for a host of other specialisations. Butthere is a prerequisite. A country cannot goon doing increasingly complex things in thinair. Unless institutions of higher learningmaintain standards of excellence, and unlessthey produce persons of requisite quality inlarge numbers; the country will not be ableto maintain such lead as it has acquired.F C Kohli, one of the pioneers of the ITindustry in India, began a presentation theother day with a telling figure. “A fewinstitutes like IIT’s together produce about2500-3000 top class first degree engineers.About 2,000 migrate abroad, another 500opt for business management.” You can inferhow many will be left at the end of the streamfor scholarly work in their disciplines.The numbers signing up for basic sciences –mathematics, physics, chemistry – has beenfalling at an alarming rate. Such trends haveSAMARTHA BHARATA 226to be reversed. Many proposals for doing sohave been advanced. Among them is theelementary one – of multiplying the sheernumber of persons in such disciplines thatwe turn out: Kohli and his associatesconducted a most imaginative analysis of thegap that exists between one of the bestinstitutions in Mumbai and the regionalengineering colleges in Maharashtra. And hehas devised a concrete—and inexpensive –plan to upgrade the latter so that the numberof engineering graduates can be multipiliedten-fold.Similarly, the smallest changes ingovernment regulations will cause a floodof private investment to come into institutesof higher learning. Why should we have justfive IITs? Why should we have only half adozen IIMs? Why not 50 of each—and eachof the standard of the present ones? Reformsin this sphere will repay the government’sefforts a hundred-fold in no time. And unlessthey are brought about swiftly, India will notattain the leadership we talk about in fieldslike biotechnology, indeed it will lose the leadit has established in IT also.Several kinds of steps are being taken tocounter the backlash:• NASSCOM as well as our embassiesare working with companies that arelocating operations in India, and withtheir associations. Together they aredocumenting – to senators, togovernors, to their staff – theadvantages that have accrued to theUS economy for instance, as a resultof the services that Indian ITcompanies have provided.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4A recent study by the Mckinsey GlobalInstitute estimates that every dollar’s worthof labour cost outsourced by US firmscreates $1.45 to $ 1.47 worth of wealthworldwide. A full $ 1.12 to $ 1.14 – that is,75 to 80 per cent – of this comes back to theUS: not just in reduced costs – Mckinseyestimates that costs get reduced by 45-55per cent of initial costs of the operation, by65-70 per cent once the business processestoo are reengineered; not only in increasedrevenue – because of the huge reduction incosts, American firms can now go afterunpaid amounts that were earlier too smallto pursue; on top of all this, the off-shoringprovides orders for US firms – a call centreis set up in India, telecom equipment for itcomes from…• WE have to redouble coordinationwith countries that have as a muchinterest in accessing western marketsas us – including many that arecompeting with us for this space:China, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa.As happened at Cancun, together wehave to convince the developedcountries that we will not open ourmarkets for goods if protectionistwalls are put up to block services.There are other things to which we must payspecial attention lest we give a handle tothose who are campaigning againstoutsourcing. An American expert well versedin IT trends in the US, and one sympatheticto India, illustrated this by what he told methe other day. “You are just one privacyincident away from disaster,” he said,pointing to the urgent need for our firms toensure that the data they receive, theprocessed data they send back is completelysecure.He pointed to a chilling instance: a firm usedto get medical data transcripted by qualifiedpersons in prisons: one of the personshandling the data threatened to use it in anunauthorised way, and that was the end ofthe arrangement.What should governments be doing to helpthe IT Industry grow even faster?(TNIE)SCIENTISTS DISCOVER MEMORY SWITCHAteam of scientists has claimed to have identified a “memory switch” thatactivates the memory storage process in the brain. The findings may providenew clues in comprehending the memory storage process which is not wellunderstoodso far.Though the “memory-switch” does not immediately offer promise of a memory-boostingpill, it will suggest ways in which memory could be more reliably stored.The theoretical study was conducted by Bhalla and Iyengar of the National Centre forBiological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore.SAMARTHA BHARATA 227

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4IT’S WRITTEN, NOW JUST DOT THE ‘I’ S,CROSS THE ‘T’ S (Part III)Arun ShourieThe phenomenal success in IT is theresult primarily of the enterprise andinnovativeness of our entrepreneursand young professionals, and of private firmsthat have spread computer literacy tomillions. Government initiatives andincentives have also played a major role. Bycount there are almost three dozen fiscalincentives the government has given to thesoftware industry-the very ones the industryitself has urged would help it the most.Similarly, the government has set up 39software parks. In these, IT firms get all theinfrastructure and services they require atone go. About 3,500 firms operating fromthese parks export Rs.37,000 crore worthof IT products and services –that is, about80 percent of IT exports.In a word, the sector is a model ofgovernment-private partnership. Some of thethings the government has to do in thecoming months are implicit in the foregoing– for instance, our embassies and chanceriesin the US and Europe must continue to worktogether with NASSCOM and otherorganisations to staunch the backlash.The government has to continue to, and iscontinuing to, improve the infrastructure theindustry requires. Work along othercoordinates is also proceeding apace.Attitudes too have changed: governmentpersonnel do realise their task is to enableentrepreneurs and technicians to do evenbetter. But every other week I come acrosssome facet that reminds me this is one areaSAMARTHA BHARATA 228in which the governmental structure can bemore forthcoming.• It professionals do not make muchdistinction between night and day: in partbecause they are young, in part because theyget seized by the problem on which they areworking, in part because when at night theyare home it is day for their client in, say, theUS.Each time I go to Bangalore, they tell methat to attend to a conference call from theirclient at night they have to go back to theiroffice. The telecom people say they do notconnect company-leased lines to the telecomnetwork, as this becomes the channel forillegal, grey traffic. But can we not work outsome arrangement for these world-classfirms? I ask. Negotiations are still on!• Clients from Europe are loath tospend extra hours, sometimes a day changingflights in Mumbai, to get to Bangalore; theyrequire daily direct flights to Bangalore.• Firms that operate from multiplelocations have complained of problems withlocal customs officials about soft-bonding ofcomponents.• For persons in this industry, as formany others, a laptop is as much of anaccessory as a pen, as a mobile phone. Butour regulations require that, each time wego abroad, we have particulars of our laptopstamped on our travel documents.A while ago, one of the icons of the industrywas held up as he did not have the requisite

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4forms. Passengers in the queue behind himhad to intervene.Such examples can be multiplied. Many ofthem are minor. Governments must attendto them nevertheless – in part because theyare irritants; even more so, to convince thosewho are doing so much for the country thatthe governmental structure is sensitive totheir needs—I would hope, to an extent evento their whims.Self-denial as government policyThat we are assisting someone to do his joboften leads to the presumption we are alsobest equipped to tell him what he should bedoing and how! Governments are prone tothat temptation even more than we are inour personal lives.One of the reasons the IT and cable industryhave grown so rapidly in India is thatgovernments were, in a sense, not looking –or that the growth and mutation were sorapid that governmental structures were notable to decide what to regulate and restrict.But now that these sectors are soconspicuous, many see features in them thatshould be regulated! Many miasmas occurto us – “What if…? Should we not tightenpass law ‘X’ to prevent possible misuse? Arethe employers all they are made out to be?Are you sure some of them are not exploitingthe youngsters employed in thissector?…You just don’t see-so many of themhave become so arrogant. They just have tobe brought down a peg or two…”I have been accosted with each of thesequestions. An example in the public domainwill illustrate the apprehension.SAMARTHA BHARATA 229The other day newspapers reported aproposal to extend provisions of theContract Labour Act to the IT industry. Theconsequences will be apparent from ananalogous case.In the film industry producers do not keepstars and technicians on their payrolls aspermanent staff. A film is conceived. A writerwrites up the script. Some songster has somesongs he has already composed, or conjuresup some new ones. Actors, actresses, filmcrew, sound personnel, film editors cometogether – each on a contract.The moment the task is finished, theydisperse-only to re-form in some otherconstellation for some other film.Much of the IT industry is of the samenature-as and when tasks are secured,professionals are brought together, and theydisperse when the job is done.The industry is also very prone to cycles.This is all the more so in the case of smallfirms. Even a modest-sized job for themrequires a major enlargement of theirpersonnel. Asking the firms to keep this staffon after the job has been done will be thesurest way to kill them.And such laws never work. Look at the resultof the Working Journalists Act and thesuccessive ‘Wage Boards” that have been setup in the newspaper industry. It is wellknown that the overwhelming majority ofnewspapers just do not implement theAwards of the Boards.Not just that. As governments, not wantingto fall afoul of journalists, started makingnoises about prosecuting papers that were

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4not implementing the awards, the papers unsustainable units come to be established;induced, some would say compelled, the they get to be established at unviablejournalists to opt for signing fixed termcontracts-locations; in the end governments are neithera practice that put the journalists able to sustain the “incentives”-tax breaks,beyond the purview of those Wage Boards price and purchase preferences, reservationon the one hand, and made them even more of products-nor to terminate them.nervous of the employer on the other.Should we subject the IT industry and theprofessionals in it to sequences such as this?Does the basic rationale of laws such as theContract Labour Act hold at all for industrieslike IT? The rationale has always been thatworkers engaged on contracts-likeconstruction workers-are lowly paid, andtherefore there is a need to protect themthrough legislation. But professionals in theIT industry are among the highest paid inthe country.So, the first rule for governmentalintervention should be self-denial. But therealso are things governments should be doing.Sustaining innovationMy young friend Vedanta Jhaver, who runsan up-and-coming IT firm, Prod-apt, out ofChennai and San Francisco, reminds me oftwo areas in which governments need to domore. He points out that the largest 20companies-they constitute 0.6 percent of thenumber of companies in the industry-accountfor almost 60 percent of the industry’srevenues. The percent contribution of smalland medium-sized companies has beenfalling in the past five six years.I am not one for reserving things for somesegment of industry, nor for propping it upwith artificial planks. Cases such as that ofsmall-scale units, of locating units inbackward districts, remind us that suchassistance almost always backfires:SAMARTHA BHARATA 230Nor am I much awed by that 60-percentfigure. In several other industries the figurewill be similar. As has been well said, youdon’t want to penalise the village cobbler forbeing the only cobbler in a radius of fivemiles: the larger firms are big by ourstandards, but they are small when comparedto the ones they have to compete againsttheturnover of our entire IT industry is $16billion; that of a single firm like Microsoftwithjust 55,000 employees-is $32 billionthat of IBM is $81 billion.So I am not for artificial props. But Vedantadraws attention to the sheer size of the targetat which we have to aim. We are told our ITexports have to reach around $50 billion by2008. If the large Indian firms keep growingeven by 20 percent a year, he says, suchtargets will not be realised unless the smalland medium firms in this sector grow by 40-50 percent a year. At present they aregrowing at just 10-15 percent.My apprehension centres on another point.Innovation often comes from inconspicuous,small units, often from isolated, eccentricindividuals. Our structures-for instance, ourbanks and financial institutions-are notattuned to nurturing and supporting suchfirms and individuals.The collapse of so many tiny IT units three/four years ago has made bankers all the morewary of extending help to such firms andindividuals. But the consequence is even the

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4more robust units are now fighting for the leaders flag, as wave merges into andsurvival.takes over from wave.Vedanta Jhaver points out that, “Very fewSME software services companies receivebank limits, and if they are lucky to have one,the interest rates are almost always about16 percent. The (IT) services sector isviewed by the banking industry as ‘high risk’and the latter requires collaterals of 100 percent for even small bank limits.”The government is encouraging financialinstitutions to support such a high-riskindustry as films-and for good reason: in partto cut the hold of the under-world. The smalland medium IT units deserve similarattention-for at least two reasons.First, as mentioned above, this is the lot thatis liable to contribute many innovations. Theother reason is one all who remember theirIbn Khaldun would recognise! In theMuqadimah, that perceptive seer taughtdynasties lose their vigour by the thirdgeneration. Firms-even very powerful onesgoup and down at a much faster pace.A host of small things can be done to helpthem along. For instance, certifications byrecognised authorities are vital: potentialcustomers require assurance of excellence,and most often do not not have the time toevaluate on their own the worth of a groupof professionals.Governmental help takes the form ofassisting SMEs to ramp up their facilities andstandards to, say, CMM Quality level V. Thegovernment could set up a body for thesefirms to parallel R.A.Mashelkar’s NationalInnovation Foundation. It could set up anincubation-cum-innovation fund.It could prod banks and financial institutionsto be more forthcoming in assisting SMEsin this sector. It could initiate some poolingof risks by them as insurance firms do inregard to extraordinary events. Could it spura special effort by the major purchasers –IOC, ONGC, BSNL, MTNL, to reachbeyond the half a dozen established vendors?As this is a young industry, the great pioneerswho have set up the principal firms in Indiaare still directing them. A few years from nowthey will be handing over to others. Will thefirms sustain their dynamism and resiliencewhen that happens?In any event, it is always dangerous to relyon only a few-all sorts of meteors can strikeeven the best. That is all the more so inspheres where change is at lightning speed.Sheer prudence, therefore, dictates that thecountry nurture hosts of innovative firmssothat they can take over should some ofSAMARTHA BHARATA 231Are the latter really better at designing billingsystems, say, or are they better at persuadingthese major clients that they are better? Atleast in telecom and Posts, I have seensoftware and hardware supplied by the bestknown vendors even for standard tasks—BSNL’s billing in north India, MTNL’sDolphin and Garuda services, elementaryoperations of the Postal Department-to gowoefully wrong so often that I am convincedthe mere fact the task has been handed overto some big name is little guarantee it willget done.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Thus: severe penalties in contracts on theone hand and looking beyond the establishednames on the other.The Inter-operability imperativeThere is another area that deserves attentionof our governments. Indeed, it concernswhat governments are themselves doing inthis sector. Several departments of Centraland state governments are installing softwarefor a variety of operations.And there have been notable improvementsas a result: 80 percent of the forms of theDirectorate General of Foreign Trade,accounting for 90 percent of total value, forinstance, are now filed online; as a result,the processing time of these, which used tobe 45 days, has come down to six hours.those of their front organisations had to betracked down one of the problems was thesystems of different agencies of thegovernment-FBI, Internal Revenue,Immigration and Naturalisation Servicecouldnot ‘talk’ to each other. The systemsbeing installed in our department are alsostand alone systems. To take a simpleinstance, system housing data relating topassports, visas, immigration andapplications for them cannot at presentcommunicate with each other.In the United States, in the United Kingdom,in Germany governments are having to spendbillions to make their systems interoperable.In a sense, we have the advantage-suchsystems are just being installed.Now software is obtained by departmentsand governments from varied sources-oftenthe choice is determined by no more thanthe fact that some provider is the lowestbidder in a tender! But the systems must beinter-operable.In the US when, in the wake of 9/11,terrorists and their financial transactions andEnsuring inter-operability at this stage willbe much less expensive than vaulting overthe silos will be five to 10 years from now.Therefore, ensuring inter-operability-at leastof the critical systems-should be one of thepriorities in the coming year.(T.N.I.E)“Made in India” is increasingly finding global respect with moreglobal retail chains sourcing from India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 232

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4IT NEEDS DEMAND, INDIA DEMANDS IT(Part IV)Arun ShourieWe have done exceedingly well insoftware. Incentives given by thegovernment have helped. The 39Software Technology Parks that it created,and in which information technology firmscould get world-class facilities under oneroof, have been decisive: 80 per cent of ITexports originate from units operating outof these 39 parks. The task is to nowreplicate this kind of success in the hardwaresector.For that we have to go many miles fartherthan we would have had to a decade agowhensome of the companies came to set uptheir production facilities here, and weturned our noses up. For by now they havealready established their factories in China,Malaysia etc. Why should they not expandthose operations, why should they not setup their next factory in those countries ratherthan pick up their bags and come to India?They will do so only if what we have to offerthem is decidedly better than what theyactually have in their present locations.That is a lesson we still have not learnt. Theother day the lead story running across thefront page of Business Line was “tradeunions setting their sights on IT sector”. Thefamiliar litany: “anarchy”, “the conditions areworse than the exploitation seen in villages”;labour laws are being violated; “feelings ofinsecurity, humiliation”….Should the unionists succeed, all that willhappen is that firms in Europe and the USthat are outsourcing to India, firms that aresetting up R & D centres here, will concludethat locations in India cannot be relied uponfor uninterrupted work.Take the simplest example. Women are notto work at night, many activists insist. But acall centre for the US must function whenthat country is awake-that is during theIndian night. A union demanding that suchoperations be outlawed will only be, to usethe phrase much-favoured by Lenin,“objectively” serving the interests of thosein the US, UK etc. who are out to blockoutsourcing to India.Nor it is just a question of enforcing onedemand. Even more important is the generalatmosphere of the sector, penumbra aroundan investment destination. And a reputationonce acquired lasts long after the reality haschanged. West Bengal today is a fairlypeaceful place in which to operate a factory.But the reputation that is acquired becauseof militant trade unionism in the 1960s and1970s keeps investors away till this day.Ironically, the way out has been shown bynone other than the government of WestBengal. While CPM representatives in Delhihave been shouting about the right to stikebeing a fundamental right, of it being thebulwark of democracy itself, the CPMGovernment in West Bengal has notifiedIndia is to export 40 lakh tonnes of Soya Beans in the financial year 2004-05.SAMARTHA BHARATA 233

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4information technology to be a “publicutility” –thus putting it beyond the mischiefof strikes and bandhs.The general reputation is thus all-important.But it is not enough. The individuals, whoare going to make the crucial decisions, haveto be convinced- “one by one, little by little,again and again”. So we have to orchestrateboard-room presentations to this handful.And this is best done by entrepreneurs andnot by ministers and civil servants. The lattercannot carry the conviction that theentrepreneur, who is actually operating asuccessful manufacturing facility in India,can. This is exactly the sort of team we areorganising in the Ministry of InformationTechnology.Creating Domestic Demand For It:Eighty-five per cent of India’s IT industry,as we saw, is for exports. Observers oftencontrast this with China: there the positionis the exact opposite-85 per cent of itsturnover is for the domestic market. This isdoubly undesirable, they say – on the onehand, we are not availing of advantages thatwould accrue were we to introduce IT in ourlives and operations in a big way; and, onthe other, our IT industry remains at themercy of fluctuations in economies abroad.I am with them up to this point, but not withthe inference they draw from these figures,namely that, “The main demand has to comefrom government. Government should takethe lead and redouble its plans to introducee-governance.”There already is an instruction to ministriesthat they must earmark three per cent of theirbudget for modernising their operations bySAMARTHA BHARATA 234inducting information technology. I am notmuch for such earmarking-comparablefigures can be cited for other sectors. “Indeveloped countries x per cent is spent of R& D, in India it is only x minus y per cent….In developed countries x per cent is spenton health…on education, in India it is onlyx minus y percent…”But one should avoid putting a sector onartificial respirators. One should especiallyavoid habituating a sector that has shownsuch inventiveness and resilience as our ITindustry to respirators. The way to developa large domestic IT market is for the industryto come up with solutions and products thatmeet real needs.Many of the problems that some of ourmanufacturing firms have faced have arisenbecause they proceeded the easy way: aproduct has made good in some developedcountry: get the firm abroad to sign acollaboration agreement to produce that itemwith the technology that the firm has usedabroad.The danger is particularly acute in spheressuch as IT in which technologies change ina blink, in which what technology will makepossible tomorrow is far beyond what wecan imagine today.In such spheres there is often the temptationof plenty. Everything seems worth doing.Someone in government or in a firm hearsof something that has been donesomewhere—sometimes he even thinks upsome bright application! As he is in highoffice or has resources, work on that ideacommences. Substantial sums are spentdeveloping and then installing thatapplication.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4But when after a few years it is seen thatsuch pursuits did not yield any concretebenefit to people, the applications discreditthe new technologies, they compoundcynicism.Therefore, “Fewer but better’—anotherphrase much favoured by Lenin! That is thestrategy the government has adopted for thecoming year after a presentation to the PrimeMinister.For the same reason, outside governmentalso, we should address specific, and urgentneeds of our people.• One can think up many fancyapplications for e-governance, for instance.A few hundred applications have beendeveloped and adopted in different parts ofthe country. Some of them are scarcely usedafter being developed and installed. Othershave already made a perceptible difference.• The Bhoomi project in Karnataka,under which all land records have beendigitised is an example-the farmer can securethe title documents etc. he needs for sellingor buying property, for raising a loan withouthaving to wait upon the patwari.• We cannot hope to provide in theforeseeable future continuous Internetconnectivity to persons in remotesettlements. Our ministry has, therefore,provided a grant to IIT Delhi to developtechnology for an innovative solution: akiosk in that remote village can be set up toprovide a series of services-birth and deathcertificates, title documents etc; e-mailmessages too can be keyed in from the kiosk;an antenna is affixed to a bus and aprocessing unit is installed in it; when theSAMARTHA BHARATA 235bus passes near that area, it electronicallydelivers the documents that have beensought, the e-mails that have arrived and itcollects the e-mails and requests that havebeen fed in at the kiosk.• Similarly, by installing tele-medicineinfrastructure and software, the ApolloHospital chain has enabled patients in distant,isolated communities-in Nagaland-to receivethe best medical diagnosis and advice fromany of its 27 hospitals. At those hospitals,the best specialists take turns to be availablefor providing advice.• Eighteen languages are recognised asofficial languages under the Constitution. Toenable people to access these newtechnologies, software has been developedby C-DAC that transforms text-and will soonconvert speech-automatically from onelanguage to another. This software is nowbeing developed for mobile phones-so thatyou can send your e-mail in English; yourfriend, who would rather receive it in Hindi,will receive it in that language.• The script of Indian languages isphonetic. That of English is not. Therefore,software-Shakti-has been developed by anIIT Chennai-based group by which, while Itype on a standard English keyboard, thecomputer transcribes and prints the text inthe script of the Indian language.• Incidentally, Shakti illustrates thepotential in other ways too. Its office suitedoes all the things that the office suite of thedominant company does. It does more-by amere click you can have the toolbars etc. turnfrom English to Indian languages. The suiteof that foreign major costs Rs.25,000 apiece.Shakti provides the equivalent for Rs.1,800!• Many of us cannot read print-eitherbecause we are visually impaired or becauseIndia’s Food Processing Industry is valued at 1.50 lakh crores of rupees.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4we are illiterate. WEBEL in Kolkata hasdeveloped software that scans a page,transorms it into electronic text, and printsit out in Braille.C-DAC in Pune has gone one step further.It has developed software that transformstext into speech. This has already been donefor anything available in electronic form-forinstance, a person, who is blind, can by justa click or two get to his favourite newspaperson the Internet, or someone can reach thatfor him, and the computer reads out thepaper to him.• Similarly, one of the doyens of theIT industry in India, F.C.Kohli, hasdeveloped methods for making peopleliterate using IT. The methods are bound tospell a revolution. Even the illiterate adultknows language; he has picked it up as hehas grown. What many of them do not knowis how to recognise in print the word theyknow.The conventional method of instruction hasbeen to teach such a person to read by firstgetting him to learn the alphabet. But themethod that has been used extensively forhandicapped children is different; it exposesher or him to the word as a whole, almost asan icon; simultaneously, the person hears thesound and sees a depiction of what the wordconnotes.Instead of learning “umbrella” by learning“u”, then “m” etc. the person is shown theentire word. Simultaneously, the computerpronounces the word. And shows him apicture of what an umbrella does.Through this “total immersion”, andcapitalising on the fact that a vocabulary ofjust 500 to 700 words is sufficient for readingSAMARTHA BHARATA 236the average, daily newspaper, almost 40,000persons, who were illiterate, have, in Kohli’sexperiment, been brought to a level that theycan now read newspapers on their own. Thishas been done through instruction of just anhour to an hour and a half a day for just 10weeks.The advantages of the approach are obvious.The shortage of teachers has been overcome.The person is able to choose the time atwhich she can come to the place for learning.“Literacy” in this experiment means not ourconventional definition-someone who cansign his name; but one who can read anewspaper unaided.Kohli estimates that 300 to 400 people canbe made literate with one computer in a year.If only we are allowed to import a millionsecond-hand computers, he says, we canwipe out illiteracy from the country in littletime. And he is the sort of person who canactually get the IBMs and others to donatethose million computers free!Such examples can be multiplied. The pointis that even as, and specially because, thenew technologies make so many things seemattractive, we should sharpen our focus, andconcentrate efforts on those projects that willspell immediate benefits to vast numbers, andwhich will lift them into a more enabledworld. Demand for IT will follow as a matterof course.And there are avenues upon avenues inwhich applications of IT will pay richdividends for the country:• Embedded software, specially indefence;

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4• Major outlays on weapons are Final Point: One final point. In many of ourinevitable;research organisations research is going on• These weapons will be increasingly – and on. We should take up a few projectssophisticated-guidance systems, sensors, in what the president calls “mission mode”timers, robots, imaging from space: the list and bring them to a swift conclusion. Theis endless, and each item in it requires IT four that occur to me are:inputs;• Use ICT to abolish illiteracy;• No one is going to give us the • Develop the Universal Networkingrelevant technologies-hence this huge market Language-so that a person can put his datais a virtual preserve for Indian researchers or message on to the Net in any of our 18and industry.languages, the machine should translate it• National security: several countries, into the Universal Networking Language,in particular China, are working on ways by and his friend in another state should be ablewhich progressively integrated economies to receive it in his own language;and systems can be disabled using IT. To • Bring text-to-voice and voice-to-textforestall such attacks we have to develop software to perfection so that worlds fromfirewalls, sophisticated encryption methods, which they are today shut out are opened tothe ability to track down attacks.the print disabled;• Product design-for example, twothirds• Today one of the severestof the components used by Daimler impediments to enabling people to avail theChrysler are being designed in India. This is benefits of the new technologies is thea field in which the combination of expertise, expense of laying the infrastructure to thecost and infrastructure that India can deploy door-step; we should complete research thatgives it a unique advantage.would enable wireless signals to go to a• IT in combination with other multiple of the 50/60 kms they traverse atdisciplines-biotechnology, drug discovery, present. Each of these will spell untoldrobotics, optics.benefit to millions. Together, they are worthy• IT used to deliver other services-in of India, they will make India beacon for theaddition to software and call centres, we world-in this field, of course, but also inshould use it to deliver research and advice compassion for the handicapped and thein law, accountancy, medical diagnosis and distant.prescription, architecture, risk analysis forbanks, analysing claims for insurance(The New Indian Express)companies.Garment exports from India during the first four months of 2004 stood at 498.8million pieces valued at $1,970.1 million.Indians in America have a median income of US d 60,000 a year way above theNational average of US d 39,000 and at the very top among all communities.SAMARTHA BHARATA 237

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4NATIVE EFFICIENCYKarma YogiIt is an acknowledged fact that in mattersof efficiency the USA and India are polesapart. It is an unseen truth that the nativeIndian efficiency is far superior to any other.It is a truism of life that, if such a fact istrue, somewhere, in some measure, a littleof it can be seen. If Indians look for suchexpressions, they will certainly findsomething somewhere. Of course, there aremany silver linings. The actual truth is welook up to American for everything. Aneminent speaker at a convocation said, “Weall want to go to the USA. Very soon a daywill come when Americans will wish to cometo India. Not that we have no talents, butwe are unaware of them.”Some months ago, a bank held a three-dayExpo to grant housing loans. Next to thatbuilding a newspaper under the immediateguidance of an American expert held anotherExpo for another purpose. It was a success.A few days later, two people, one from thebank and the other from the newspaper metand discussed their respective successes. Inthose three days that bank had granted loansto the tune of 144 crores on the spot. Whenthe American expert heard of it, he said, “Itwould take a few months in my country toaccomplish this feat. I never realized Indianshad this efficiency.” He does not know whathappened. Nor do we.I guess in times of emergency, organizationslike banks give a long rope to theiremployees. This means they are not boundby the very strict procedures of theorganization during that period. Once thatis granted defacto or dejure, the employeescome to the surface. Basically they act withinthe rules of their organisation but on the spotthey exercise their discretion. It means tome there arises an unconscious occasion forthe Indian to be in his elements, unfetteredby the dead rigidity of the alien bureaucraticorganization.I see this as one of the silver linings of ourFuture. These are occasional sparks. Whatwill happen when India is determined 1) notto imitate other nations thoughtlessly. 2) todiscover her original spiritual strength and3) to fashion a national ORGANISTION thatexpresses our genius through moderntechnology? (The New Indian Express)33,23,025 tonnes of oil meal was exported by our country between April 2003and March 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA 238

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4ARRE YAAR, NOW IT IS IN THE OXFORD![The world learns Hindi so that it can communicate with India]‘The Hindi words likely to find a place in the English dictionary are;accha, aloo, arre, chuddi, desi , filmi, very filmi, gora, jungle and yaarEnglish is being spiced up with-sprinklingof some more words from Hindi.In the latest edition of the Oxford Englishdictionary, there is already a host of Hindiwords, including’ ‘Angrez’ (English person)and ‘Badmash’ (naughty) while many more arebeing entered into the Collins Bank of English,which screens words for entry.The Hindi words likely to find a place in theEnglish dictionary are: achha (ok, or is thatso?), aloo (Indian potato), arre (used toexpress surprise), chuddi (underwear), desi(local indigenous), filmi (related to Bollywood),very filmi (drama queen or king),gora (white person), jungli (uncultured) andyaar (friendly from of address).According to a report in ‘The Observer’,Arfaan Khan, a linguist based at ReadingUniversity, told a major conference at theUniversity of Newcastle this month to expecta “whole new dialect” to emerge.“This willbe an increasing trend,” said JeremyButterfield, Editor-in-Chief of the CollinsDictionaries.“If new words are used enough, they willend up in the dictionary, and once they arethere they become English words, too. Withour increasingly multi-cultural society, in 50years English will have adopted a mass ofwords from all the different cultures livingon this island.”And those who complain about the loss ofthe purity of the language are simplymisguided, according to experts.“English is a mongrel language, and alwayshas been,” said Butterfield.Many Asianwords have already been naturalized intoEnglish, bungalow, cheetahs, ganja have allbeen shipped over from the sub-continent.It is within ‘culinary speak’ that the largestchanges are expected. “The British foodhabit has been transformed by the arrival ofAsian people in the community,” saidMahendra Verma, director of Hindiprogramme at York University. “The wordsare entering local vocabularies. Masala isreplacing spice, mooli means white radish,and the word balti is actually Hindi for thetype of pan that the dish is cooked.”Accepting the words into the dictionary willalso help British viewers to understand whatis being said when actors in Anglo-Indiancomedies use Hindi and Urdu phrases, thereport said. Spoof television programmessuch as the “Kumars at No.42 andGoodness”. “Gracious Me” have had amassive influence on English, with dictionarycompilers keeping an eye on the lingo.A study in Birmingham, looking at mixedgroups of Punjabi Sikhs and whites in youthclubs, found that white teenagers quicklyabsorbed derogatory Punjabi words to useas insults.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA 239

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4PRESENT HIGHLIGHTSJayant V.NarlikarLet us briefly look at the present stateof science in India. On the positiveside we may cite the following:Progress in agriculture, including thegreen revolution: This slowly but surelytransformed the nation from having to moveround with a begging bowl to worrying abouthow to store the reserve food grains. This isno mean achievement considering the risingpopulation, which has nearly tripled sinceIndependence.Ayurveda: Thanks to the awareness ofintellectual property rights, we are nowwaking up to our as yet sporadicallyexplored native medicine. For instance, in1995 the US patent Office granted a patentto two non-resident Indians at the Universityof Mississippi Medical Center in the US forthe use of turmeric for healing purposes. Thiswas challenged by the CSIR, New Delhi, onthe grounds that turmeric had been used inthat capacity in India for thousands of yearsand as such the patent lacked novelty. Thiscase was accepted, and the patent wasrevoked in 1997. The example of theturmeric patent brought home to us the needto protect the ownership of our ancientknowledge, as also doing more work toextract any hidden gems beneath a whole lotof ritualistic methods.Venture funding: The CSIR has introducedthis concept to encourge now inventors withbright ideas. It is bound to yield positiveresults in at least a few cases. The CSIR hasalso encouraged closer contact betweenlaboratories and industrial plants by requiringits laboratories to raise a considerablefraction of their funds through interactionswith industry.Biotechnology: India has responded quicklyto this growing field. It set up a separategovernment department of biotechnology inthe late 1980s and has also createdlaboratories and a project mechanism topromote research in this field.Space programme: India’s achievements inspace with recent successes in satellitelaunching technology have created selfconfidencethat will prove valuable to greaterchallenges that lie ahead. Even lunar missionsare now being talked about, with theinevitable discussion as to whether a poorcountry like India can afford such ‘luxuries’of research. Not only can we afford theseleaps of basic science, but we also stand togain from them. Indian Space ResearchOrganization’s record in this respect has beenexcellent, its work in remote sensing andcommunications technology standing as justtwo such examples.(Extracted from “The Scientific Edge”Penguin, New Delhi 2003)Computer software and services exports from North India last year (2003) were tothe tune of Rs.4,500 crore while hardware exports were worth Rs.301 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA 240

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4TOP TEN ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CENTURYJayant V.NarlikarIn a roughly chronological order, here arewhat I see as highlights of Indian sciencein the twentieth century:1. Srinivasa Ramanujan, discovered by theCambridge mathematician G.H. Hardy,whose great mathematical findings werebeginning to be appreciated from 1915 to1919. His achievements were to be fullyunderstood much later, well after hisuntimely death in 1920. For example, hiswork on highly composite numbers (numberswith a large number of factors) started awhole new line of investigations in the theoryof such numbers.2. Meghnad Saha’s ionisation equation(c.1920), which opened the door to stellarastrophysics.3. S.N.Bose’s work on particle statistics(c.1922), which clarified the behaviour ofphotons (the particles of light in anenclosure) and opened the door to new ideason statistics of Microsystems that obey therules of quantum theory.4. C.V.Raman’s discovery that moleculesscatter light (c.1928), which became knownas the Raman Effect. It is used to study theinternal structure of molecules.5. G.N.Ramachandran’s work in biology(cmid-1950s), for which he is considered oneof the founders of the rapidly developingfield of molecular biophysics.6. The Atomic Energy Commission’sdevelopment of atomic energy power andnuclear capability through a dedicatedprogramme (founded in the 1950s).7. The green revolution in agriculture (the1960s and 1980s).8. Development of space programme andsatellite fabrication/launching capability(from the late 1970s).9. Work in the various labs on hightemperaturesuperconductivity (since the late1980s).10. Progress towards transforming theCouncil for Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR) labs’ orientation fromworkbench research to industry and themarketplace (since the late 1990s).From this list we can see a shift sinceIndependence from the individual scientistto organized science. Leaving aside the hypeof ‘third largest scientific manpower’, Indianscientists have individually done well-evenexcelled-in their chosen fields at theinternational level. However, the individualachievements represented by the first fourin my above list, which could be consideredin the Nobel Prize class (although only onecould get it), have been rare and hard tomatch’.It is generally argued that Indians have donebetter when abroad in a developed country,and the cases of SubrahmanyamChandrasekhar and Hargobind Khurana arecited by way of examples. However, leavingaside Nobel laureates as somewhatexceptional cases, if we look at the nextrange of scientists, we find that nativeIndians are not far behind their non-residentcounterparts. One way to judge this is tolook at memberships of foreign academiesand honorary memberships of professionalsocieties. We find that native Indians haveSAMARTHA BHARATA 241

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4been so honoured and awarded in fairnumber. Another criterion of recognition isthrough the official positions at the apexbodies of the International Council ofScientific Unions with its respective memberunion organizations. These membershipsincluding leadership positions are tokens ofthe scientific reputation of the personsconcerned, and here too natives have doneas well as (perhaps even better then) the nonresidents.In this day and age of recognition, citationsof work in scientific publications are givenimportance, and here Indians have not faredwell. The citation rate overall is low and alsofalling year by year. However, one shouldremember that even Europeans complainabout being ignored by the Americans inciting their work. Given the economicdisadvantage one starts with in the presentera of high-budget science, one should viewthe performance figures of Indian scientistsmore sympathetically than is usually done.(Extracted from “The Scientific Edge”Penguin, New Delhi 2003)SECOND BIG RAJASTHAN OIL FINDBritish oil and gas firm Cairn Energyhas revealed a second big onshorefind this year in India.Mangala, discovered through a well calledN-B-1, is 60 kilometre north-north-westfrom Saraswati in Rajasthan. It has estimatedoil in place of 450 million to 1,100 millionbarrels and carries a preliminary reservesestimate of 50 to 200 million barrels.The find on the N-A-1 well, eight kilometeraway from N-B-1, looks smaller, but stillsignificant for Cairn, with estimated oil inplace of 130-470 million barrels andpreliminary recoverable reserves of 20-80million barrels. This discovery will addfurther material value to their portfolio,”Mangala field alone could produce 50,000barrels a day. Other potential fields in thenew northern basin it is now drilling couldprovide up to 100,000 barrels, significant forbooming and energy-hungry India whichbuys in 60 to 70 percent of its needs.The union petroleum minister said, “I amreally very happy because this comes as theseventh discovery in the same block. Andnow taken together with Mangala discovery(N-B-I find), this is the biggest discovery”.(Reuters)8,000 tonnes of paper has been saved by using electronic voting machinesfor the general elections in India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 242

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4TELECOM REVOLUTION IN INDIADuring the ongoing era of economicreforms, Telecom sector reformshave been a success story, under ascenario of competitive growth shared by thepublic and private sectors, on the one hand,and the regulated environment, on the other.The planners had realised early that withouta globally competent and efficienttelecommunication system, the process ofglobalisation of the economy would beincomplete. Hence, this was perhaps the firstsector that got adequate attention duringresults. From an outdated and inefficientsystem, the telecom sector has emerged asthe state-of-the-art system of internationalstandard within a decade. But the revolutionhas just begun.Need for ReformsBut in terms of growth of direct telephonelines, during the years 1979 to 1989, thegrowth rate was 8.4 per cent, which wasmuch higher than the growth rate of 3.5 percent in the USA, 5.7 per cent in Europe and5 per cent in the entire world. The reasonwas obvious. In real terms, before midseventies,tele-density in India was virtuallynegligible and it was at around that time thatthe country began to experience real growthin this sector. It is because of hugepopulation, poverty and large geographicalsize of the country that the growth oftelecommunications has remained low in thepast. But traffic density in the telecom sectorin India today is among the highest in theworld. This has made telecommunication anattractive proposition for the private sectoras well as the foreign investors in India.TELECOMMUNICATION is among the Till the beginning of the Eighth Plan in 1992,prime support services needed for rapid the investment in the telecommunicationgrowth and the modernisation of various sector in India was quite low, at around twosectors of the economy, apart from per cent of the GDP. Hence, when theimproving the quality of life. It was during government decided to reform this vitalthe Eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-97) that the sector in India, it allowed liberal inflows ofexercise to modernise this crucial sector the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in thisbegan. Till then the achievements in this sector. New technologies employed duringsector were just modest. Prior to that, till the Eighth Plan including digital switchingthe year 1988, India was among the large systems, co-axial and optical fibre systemsnumber of Asian and African countries that in long distance transmission and digitalhad a tele-density (number of telephones for microwave. There were a few reforms in theevery 100 persons) of less than one, at 0.52. services, availability of exchanges andThis density in the developed countries of availability of lines also. Availability ofNorth America and Western Europe was telephone on demand appeared to be aabout 50. At that time countries like distant possibility at that stage.Pakistan, China, Malaysia and Brazil hadtele-density of 0.7, 0.78, 7.37 and 5.5 Eighth Plan objectives included provision ofrespectively.telephones in all the Panchayat areas ofSAMARTHA BHARATA 243

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4India-one telephone in all the villages by the decline. This is despite the fact that adequateyear 1997, one PCO for every 100 user charges are levied.households in India, laying of 2,000 km oflines, introduction of mobile cellular The present communication system in India,services, providing e-mail services, radio particularly in the urban areas, can comparepaging, video conferencing, etc. With a view to the best in the world. As compared toto achieve these targets, which appeared to about one lakh telephones in the country inbe quite ambitious at that stage, a new the year 1947, the number has now grownTelecom Policy was announced during the to well above 400 lakhs, with the tele-densityeighth Five-Year Plan in May 1994, which growing to about 4 per one-hundred ofenvisaged addition of 100 lakh direct population. Growth rate in this sector,exchange lines so that by the year 1997, particularly the cellular segment, has beentelephone on demand could be provided to outstanding. As per the economic survey forthe prospective subscribers. Private sector the year 2002-03, during April-Decemberwas also assigned an important role in 2002, 19 lakh new landline phones wereachieving the Eighth Plan targets of the added. This figure was 26 lakh during theTelecom sector. During the mid-term review same period in the year 2001-02. But thisof the Eighth Plan, encouraged by the decline of 7 lakh over the previous year’sachievements, the government jacked up has been more than compensated by theseveral targets. The target for creation of cellular segment in which 33 lakh newnew trunk capacity was enhanced from 2.72 cellular phones were added during the samelakh lines to 7 lakh lines and the same for period, when compared 19 lakh addition inoptical fibre system was increased from this segment during the same period in the2,000 route km to 4,000 route km. Even previous year. This represents a whoppingthese targets were exceeded substantially at 73.7 per cent growth in this segment. If thethe end of the Plan.addition of 7 lakh new WLL (Wireless LocalLoop) connections are also added, totalPresent Statusgrowth in the mobile segment comes toaround 110 per cent!Achievements in the Telecom sector duringthe Eighth and the Ninth Plan have beensubstantial and qualify to be termed as arevolution. The growth has been rapid interms of quantity, as well as quality, withpublic and the private sectors growingsimultaneously. Significant progress has beenmade through the TelecommunicationRegulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ineasing out the procedures and cleaning upthe regulatory hurdles. With the introductionof healthy competition between variouscategories of operators, the prices of longdistance calls and mobile services are on theSAMARTHA BHARATA 244With about 25,000 exchanges functioning inthe country, in most of the urban areas thetelephone is available on demand. Waitingtime in rest of the areas has gone downconsiderably, mainly due to the mobilerevolution, under which the number ofcellular users is growing in leaps and bounds.Over 90 per cent users in the country, addedafter 1994, have access to STD facilities andthere are more than 8 lakh PCOs in thecountry, out of which about 6 lakh are in theurban areas. Private companies like Bharti,Tata, Reliance and Connect have been

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4granted the licences as basic serviceproviders, offering healthy competition toBSNL and MTNL.All this has been possible due to severalreform measures undertaken since 1991. Theprocess of fundamental institutional andstructural reforms began in 1991 when theTelecom equipment manufacturing wascompletely deregulated. Value addedservices, including the cellular services, werethrown open to the private sector in 1992,followed by opening up on basic services tothe private sector in 1994. TRAI was set upby the government in 1997. As a majorreform, the Department ofTelecommunication (DoT) was bifurcatedabout three years ago and the policyformulation function was retained by theDepartment, while the operational networkof the DoT was corporatised into BharatSanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).A new policy for Internet Service providers(ISPs) was introduced in the year 1998,under which the private service providerswere allowed to enter this field, breaking themonopoly of the VSNL. Any privatecompany that wants a licence as an ISP cango in for foreign equity upto 49 per cent.The licence fee is virtually nil and a companycan obtain any number of licences. ISPs werefree to fix their own tariff, subject to reviewand fixation by TRAI at any time. Earlier,Internet telephony was not permitted, butrecently the government has decided to openit as a cheaper option for internationalcommunication.It may be observed that during the past aboutfive years, Telecom sector has beenrevolutionised. Telecommunication of globalstandards, be it cellular or basic, are availableSAMARTHA BHARATA 245to the users in the country. The number ofusers is growing at a very brisk rate and inthe next one decade, the tele-density in Indiamay be as high as 15 to 20 per hundred ofpopulation. With the advent of WLLservices, which are the cheaper mobileoption, the number of mobile users in thecountry is expected to increase even morerapidly.Telecom Sector has been benefited largelyfrom the FDI inflows. As per EconomicSurvey for 2002-03, during the periodAugust 1991 to June 2002, 831 proposalsof FDI worth Rs.56,226 crore wereapproved and the actual inflow of FDI wasRs.9,528 crore. In terms of approvals of FDI,the Telecom sector is the largest after theenergy sector.Future challengesTelecom continues to be a high priority areafor the policy makers. Among the fastestgrowing sectors of the economy, this sectoris potentially profitable. With the traffichigher than the global standards on IndianTelecom channels, the private companies arevying with each other to gain a larger sharein Indian market. Healthy competitionamong the multiple telecom players, strongerrole of TRAI and competitive policies shouldbe the goals of this sector in near future.Investment in the Telecom sector by theprivate parties was quite high during theNinth Plan and it is expected to play adominant role in overall investment in theeconomy even during the Tenth Plan. Sincethe rate of return in this sector is quite high,the quantum of investment by the privatesector is also expected to be high.

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4A few bottlenecks in the policy, however, The connectivity issues and the operationalare required to be smothered. Rural problems being faced by the cellularconnectivity in the country continues to be operators and the basic service providersan area of serious concern. While the private must also be attended to on priority andoperators are more than willing to venture suitable corrective measures should be taken.into the basic, cellular and WLL services in Attention must be paid to ensure that Indiathe urban areas, they are not interested to emerges as a major manufacturing base andexpand to the rural and backward areas, major exporter of Telecom equipment.where the telecome traffic is low and the Encouraging multinationals and jointtraffic is low and the tariff rates are also ventures in this field, would go a long waylower. The private operators in basic services in ensuring this.should be required to provide somepercentage of their lines in the adjoining ruralareas. The numbr of village public telephonesshould also be enhanced and the facility ofsatellite telephones should be provided bythe government in very remote and lesspopulated areas.Indian Telegraph Act is utterly outdated andneeds wholesale revision, in tune with thepresent policies. Advances in technology andpresent and future requirements of industrymust also be taken into consideration whileenacting a new legislation. Though somesteps have been taken for rationalisation ofprocedures by the TRAI, yet tariff structureis still unbalanced, with cross subsidisationof local calls with the long distance calls.India is perceived to have comparativeadvantage in the field of InformationTechnology (IT) and IT-enabled servicesdepend largely on high qualitytelecommunication infrastructure. A realchallenge in this field is rapid technologicalchanges, which lead to major changes in thestructure of telecom industry all over theworld. The Tenth Plan Document aims atconvergence of voice and image transmissionfacilities. Use of wider bandwidth and highspeed Internet connectivity would add newdimensions to infotech and entertainment.Such covergence with telecommunication ispossible only after an integratedConvergence Bill is passed by thegovernment. (The Competition Master)As estimated 100,000 Indian nationals working in Singapore remit aboutS$27 million every month back home.SAMARTHA BHARATA 246

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4PHENOMENAL RISE OF THE SERVICESSECTOR IN INDIAThe outset of the process of reformswitnessed an era of rapid economicgrowth in India. Even during theeighties, the growth rate of the GDP hadbeen around 6 per cent, which was quite highas compared to the first three decades ofplanned economic development. However,this two-decade phase of high growth ratedoes not only bank upon the high growthrate of the industrial sector, but the growthhas been outstanding in the services sectortoo. In fact, in the year 1995-96, for the firsttime after independence, the share of thetertiary sector in the GDP surpassed the totalcontribution to the GDP made by the primaryand the secondary sectors taken together.Even at present, the same trend continues.The implications of this unique trend aremultifarious.Unmistakable TrendThe trend was clear even at the beginning ofthe decade of eighties. The relative share ofthe primary sector (i.e., agriculture and alliedservices) in the GDP rapidly declined duringthe last two decades, and as per the 1998-99 report of the Reserve Bank of India(RBI), on currency and finance, released inDecember 1999, its share of 38. 1 per centin the GDP in the year 1980-81 declinedrapidly to 30.93 per cent of the GDP in 1990-91 and further to 26.83 of the GDEP in 1998-99. In case of the secondary sector (includingindustries, manufacturing, mining andquarrying, electricity, gas and water supply),the trend has been mixed. Pre-reform erawitnessed considerable increase in the shareSAMARTHA BHARATA 247of the secondary sector in the GDP, whichincreased from 20.91 per cent, in 1990-91.Thereafter, however, the share of this sectordeclined gradually but steadily and ishovering around 22 per cent for the last threeyears. Services sector, however, continuedto contribute increasingly to the GDP, whichwas about 41 per cent in 1980-81, crossedthe figure of 50 per cent for the first time in1995-96, and has been slightly above 51 percent during the past two years.As per the classification adopted by thegovernment of India, services sector includesthe construction activities, trade, hotels,restaurants, transportation, storage,communications, financing, insurance, realestate business, community services andsocial services. It is admitted that in adeveloping economy, industrial growth is ofvital importance. But equally important isthe services sector, which includes allimportant infrastructure services likerailways, communication, transportation,storage, banking and insurance activities. Ithas also been recognised that trade andindustry cannot come to the internationalstandards if the supporting infrastructuralback up is not available in the economy.If the trends of the growth rates of the threemajor sectors is also taken intoconsideration, the past two decades havewitnessed high growth rate of industrial andservices sector, while the growth rate of theagricultural and allied sectors has hoveredaround three per cent per annum. As per theRBI report, the trend of the growth rate of

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4the GDP during 1980-81 to 1990-91 was 5.5per cent, which increased to 6.9 per centduring the post-reform era, i.e., in the period1993-94 to 1998-99. During the sameperiod, industrial growth rate increased from7.6 percent to 8.3 per cent. Services sectorwas not far behind and its annual averagegrowth rate rose from 6.5 per cent to 7.9per cent during the respective periods.Certain sub-sectors within the services sectorare growing even faster. The RBI reportreveals that while the contribution of theconstruction sector to the GDP has remainedstagnant at around 4.5 per cent during thepast two decades, there has been significantincrease in the contribution of Trade, Hotelsand Restaurant sub-sector, which increasedfrom 12.02 per cent of the GDP in 198-81to 15.66 per cent in 1997-98. The share ofTransport, Storage and Communicationsalso increased smartly from 4.68 per cent to7.61 per cent of the GDP. While communityand social services have remained static, ataround 11 per cent all these years, the shareof the sub-sectors of Financing, Insuranceand Real Estate rose significantly, from 8.81per cent to 11.44 per cent between 1980-81to 1998-99.introducing greater competition andefficiency.Vital SectorCurrently, infrastructure development is themain thrust area in the economy. Further,with a view to provide a human face to theprocess of reforms, the social and communityservices have assumed enormousimportance. Since both these sub-sectorsgenerally form part of the service sector(except electricity, gas and water supplywhich fall under the industrial sector), thissector has emerged as one of the key areasfor rapid development during the NinthFive-Year Plan.Most of the projects of infrastructuredevelopment are marked by relatively longgestation periods. Completion of ongoingprojects in the service sector, which arelinked with infrastructure, has to be ensuredto avoid cost and time overruns. Adequateinvolvement of the private sector is thusessential to create the pipeline investmentnecessary for maintaining the acceleratedgrowth rate of the economy, even in the post-Plan period. Railways form the backbone ofIndian economy and it is essential that it isstrengthened to increase its reach andcapacity. Road transport is even moreimportant. With a view to develop it as analternate means of transportation, as well asto improve the accessibility to hinterland andthe rural areas, road transport is required tobe brought nearer to the internationalstandards. Similarly, the ports are alsorequired to be upgraded to meet the globalrequirements so that their capacity to handlethe cargo not only increases, but alsoimproves qualitatively to cater to theMost of the developed countries in the Westhave experienced rapid economicdevelopment due to their outstandingachievements in the industrial sector. So farthe experience of economic development inIndia has been quite different. While theindustrial sector has continued to developat a steady pace, the service sector has alsodeveloped with a matching pace. This trendhas wider implications for employment andtrade prospects and there is an urgent needfor taking policy initiatives towardsgrowing needs of the economy.SAMARTHA BHARATA 248

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4The urgent need to further develop theservices sector cannot be over-emphasised.Improvement of service in the urban areasis equally important. To develop an equallyefficient alternative to the Railways, theUnion government has decided to set up aNational Highways Development Project(NHDP). As announced by the FinanceMinister in his speech while presenting theUnion Budget 2000-01, the cost of NHDPis estimated to be around Rs.54,000 crores.Shipping development is yet another areaidentified for rapid development during theNinth Plan period. The role of shippingsector has been recognised to be of immenseimportance in the context of overall growthstrategy. On the one hand, this sector has avital role to play in export earnings, and, onthe other a modernised version of shippingsector needs to be developed which iscompatible with the rapidly globalisingeconomy of the country. There is an urgentneed to modernise the existing fleet byacquiring modern and fuel-efficient vessels.A conducive climate is also required to becreated for easy financing of new ships.Facilities at the cargo-handling ports are alsorequired to be modernised.It is expected that in the years to come, withthe software industry expecting a big boom,the services sector would develop and growwith even more pace.Strengthening of the tertiary sector over theyears has made the Indian economy moreresilient. As industry and agriculture formless than 50 per cent of the GDP, a suddencrop failure or even the industrial depressioncannot affect the overall performance of theeconomy, resulting in a sustaining growthover longer period of time. This was one ofthe reasons that East Asian economic crisisand global industrial slow-down during thelate nineties did not adversely affect theperformance of the economy. In fact, during1998-99, the growth rate of the GDP in realterms recovered despite a sluggish industrialsector, primarily because of a reasonablygood growth in the services sector. Earlier,during the year 1995-96, the industrial sectorwitnessed a negligible 0.2 per cent growthrate, but despite that the economy achieveda record 8.6 per cent growth in the GDP.In tune with the requirements of the shippingsector, the Finance Minister reactedfavourably while presenting the UnionBudget for the year 2000-01. With a viewto enable the Indian shipping industry togenerate resources for strengthening andmodernising its fleet, the Finance Ministerenhanced the allowable deduction of their Need for Cautionprofits from 50 per cent to 100 per cent, ifthese profits are kept in reserve to be used Outstanding strides made by the servicesfor purchase of new ships. This deduction sector is a welcome trend and may providewould be available for a five-year period buoyancy and sustainability to the economybeginning from the year 2000-01. for many years to come. But it may be wrongto get carried away by the feeling that theSAMARTHA BHARATA 249

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4economy has moved rapidly, from the stageof lower order of value addition in theprimary sector, to the higher level of valueaddition in the services sector, and that thereis nothing wrong with this trend.In 1980-81, when the industrial growth ratehad started to pick momentum, the share ofindustries in the GDP was 20.91 per cent,while the same of the services sector wasalready 40.99. The contribution of theservices to the GDP never looked backthereafter. Within the services sector itself,the respective GDP share of trade, hotels andrestaurant on the one hand, and that of thetransport storage and communication, on theother has increased from 12.52 and 5.26 percent to 16.68 and 7.61 per cent, respectivelyduring the period 1990-99. This increase isparticularly disturbing when compared withthe contribution of the industrial sector tothe national income during the same period,which came down from 25.30 per cent in1990-91 to 22.01 per cent in the year 1998-99.Many economists are concerned at thisdistorted development. It is not really seriousthat the industrial sector has lagged behind,but the matter of concern is the fact that theservices sector has been growing at a muchhigher rate. The million-dollar question iswhether the higher growth rate of theservices sector can be sustained withoutproportionate growth in the industrial sector.Moreover, the urban-based tertiary sectormay not materially improve the lot of thepoverty-stricken millions living in the ruralareas, for which more reliance has to beplaced on the primary sector as well as onthe small and cottage industries. In the overenthusiasmfor rapid growth, the concern forthe large majority of rural poor should notbe overlooked. (The Competition Master)ABDUL KALAM TALKS TO YOUNG PEOPLENational institutesThe University Grants Commission is nowsetting up four national institutes of scienceto attract students after Plus Two who want tostudy pure sciences.Sonali, from Nasik, askedthe President to describe “the university of yourdreams.”Prof. Kalam said:“It will have teachers who are real role modelsand all graduates given a six-month vocationalcourse of their choice. They can then becomeentrepreneurs providing employment to othersand not be job seekers.”Genetic engineeringWhen Bangalore’s turn came, a schoolgirl askedhim about his views on cloning. Prof. Kalamsaid, “I am not in favour of human cloning…letGod be the only genetic scientist when it comesto creating human beings. But geneticengineering does have its place in curingdiseases.”Mamta from the Visvesvaraya TechnologicalUniversity headquarters in Belgaum wanted toknow, “if the 21 st Century is India’s as you say,in which fields will we excel?” Prof. Kalam’sreply was, “Bioinformatics now and if we usethe opportunity, nanotechnology in the nearfuture and this can even overtake today’s microelectronics.”(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA 250

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4BT:THE NEXT BILLION DOLLAR SECTOR IN INDIABiocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shah released the 2 nd ABLE-Bio SpectrumBiotechnology Industry Survey in Bangalore.India is well on its way to becoming a“billion dollar nation in biotech sector”by 2005, according to Biocon chief andpresident of Association of Biotechnology-Led Enterprises (ABLE) Kiran MazumdarShaw.Speaking to reporters at Bangalore at therelease of the 2 nd annual ABLE-BioSpecturm Biotechnology Industry Survey,Shaw said, “the biotech industry, which grewat 39 percent during 2003-04 and had arevenue of Rs.3,265 crore ($705 million),was poised for an exponential growth totouch the billion dollar mark in 2005. Andif this momentum is continued, it wouldtouch $5 billion in 2010,” N.Suresh, editorof ‘Bio-Spectrum’ said that the surveyconducted with 235 companies revealed thatthe biopharma sector worth Rs.2,480 crore,was the largest sector in the biotech industryaccounting for 76 percent of the market. BioServices was the next biggest sector withtotal sales of Rs.275 crore.Exports accounted for 55.65 percent shareof the total biotech sector, while domesticbusiness accounted for 44.35 percent marketshare. Manpower in the sector grew by over42 percent to 9,100 from 6,400 last fiscal.The biotech companies at the end of thisfiscal would have a manpower strength ofabout 11,000.“The Bio suppliers market was estimatedseparately. This area grew from Rs.561.40crore in fiscal 2002-03 to Rs.820 crore infiscal 2003-04,” said Suresh.Stating that aninvestment of Rs.1,000 crore was expectedto be ploughed into the sector this year(2004), Shaw said that the investments hadclimbed by 25.99 percent at Rs.635 crorelast year.Industry wise, Biocon Limited led revenuesin the sector contribution Rs.502 crore,followed by Serum Institute of India withRs.491 crore, Panacea Biotec with Rs.149crore, Nicholas Piramal at Rs.130 crore andNovo Nordisk with Rs.110 crore are theothers in the top 5 companies and togetherwith Biocon and Serum account for Rs.1,382crore or 42 percent of total market share.Queried on the expected biotech policy,Shaw said that the industry was satisfied withthe recommendations of M.S.SwaminathanTask Force and Mashelkar Task Force, whichwould be part of the biotech policy the centreis bringing out early next year. “TheDepartment of Biotechnology is working onmany proposals for funding youngentrepreneurs and startups, which includeseed capital and soft loans and it would besubmitted to the government for itsconsideration soon,” she added.The Biocon chief said that she hoped thatother biotech firms like Serum, ShanthaBiotech, Bharat who are poised at the takeoffstage, come out with IPOs. (T.N.I.E)SAMARTHA BHARATA 251

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4OUTSOURCING: BOON FORMANUFACTURING SECTORK.N.ArunThe Indian manufacturing industryshould be ready to take advantage ofthe imminent boom in outsourcing ofmanufacturing activities by westernindustrial giants, Chairman of NationalManufacturing Competitiveness Council(NMCC) V.Krishnamurthy said. “The boomis already evident. We don’t want ourmanufacturing sector to lose out on thiswhen it really arrives. We have to make surethat India becomes the most favoureddestination for manufacturing,’ he said in aninterview.Krishnamurthy, who is credited with theturning round of Steel Authority of IndiaLimited (SAIL) and making Maruti Udyoga success story, points out thatmanufacturing sector as a whole had beenstagnating and consequently its contributionto the GDP had even seen a fall. And thecouncil, headed by him, has been entrustedwith the job of suggesting ways to turnaround the sector and make it globallycompetitive.“It is absolutely essential that thecontribution of the manufacturing sector tothe Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has togo up considerably. After all, our foundingfathers had laid so much emphasis on thissector, which had been followed up bysuccessive governments in the first 40 yearsof independence”.“We were able to designand build our own power stations, cementindustries and communication facility. Weneed to get back to that level,” he said.How this could be done, is something thatthe council, when it gets under steam, willhave to look into sector-wise. However,Krishnamurthy does have a few broad ideaswhich, he believes, can be the driving forcebehind an upswing in the manufacturingsector.Krishnamurthy falls back on his experiencein Maruti Udyog, and turns to small andmedium enterprises for a solution.“Large industries cannot have sustainedsuccess without support from SMEs. Thatis something which we did successfully inMaruti, where almost all our major supplierswere from the SSI sector,” he said.And hedebunks the theory that SMEs are notqualitatively competitive.“We, at Maruti, have never had any suchproblem. For that matter, if the TVS groupcompanies have become major suppliers forWestern auto majors, that is because theyhave ensured that their own major suppliersconform to the standards required,” he said.“The linkages between the large industriesand the SMEs’ technological, financial, andmarketing linkages need to be strengthened.It will be the effort of my council to see howthis integration can be achieved.” SaidKrishnamurthy.(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA 252

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4DISCOVERY OF MAJOR HARAPPAN REMAINSAthree-year-long excavation by theArchaeological survey of India atRakhigarhi in Haryana has unearthedthe remains of what could have been the“provincial capital” of the Harappancivilisation in Hissar district of the State.Two distinct cultures have been identifiedin the course of excavations—namely earlyHarappan and mature Harappan.The site of excavation, located in the plainsof ancient Drishadvati river, a tributary ofthe mythological Saraswati river, happens tobe the “largest Harappan site” measuring 230hectares, next to Mohenjodaro (now inPakistan).The discovery of circular structures at theentrance of the valley, a unique feature ofearly Harappan days, has also been reported.The structures are outlined by two or threecourses of mud brick with port-holes atintervals. There has also been “conclusiveevidence” of domesticated cattle and animalfarming.Meanwhile, an ordinary patch of land inMuzaffarnagar’s Mandi village hastransformed overnight into an important linkto the 4000-year-old civilisation. The reason:a chance discovery of over 10 kg of goldjewellery, pottery and burnt bricks datingback to the Harappan period.The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)has termed the discovery as one of thebiggest archaeological findings in severaldecades. Part of the discoveries made at thissmall field are beads made of gold and semipreciousstones. They also unearthed ochrecolouredpottery with black painted motifs.This pottery is similar to the Harappanpottery, which was discovered earlier at thesites of Hulas and Alamgirpur.SAMARTHA BHARATA 253

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4FIGURES SPEAK : INDIAN ACHIEVEMENTSINDIAN AGRICULTURE1. Index of Indian Agriculture Production1950 - 46.21981 - 1002001 - 177.32. Production Mn tonnes1950 - 50.9 mnt1996 - 199.4 mnt2001 - 212,0 mnt3. Index of Industrial Production1950 - 18.31993 - 1002001 - 167INDIAN INDUSTRIES1950 1996 2001Finished Steel Mn Tonnes 1.0 22.7 31.1Cotton Cloth Bn sq mts. 4.5 34.3 41.4Buses/Trucks/ L.C.V.S. (1000’s) 8.6 327.3 129.1Passenger Cars (1000’s) 7.9 483.0 619.1Cement Mn tonnes 2.7 76.2 107.0Fertilizers (N + P)’000 tonnes 18 11,567 13,549Electricity generated Bn Kwh 5.1 395.9 573.2Crude oil (Mn tonne) 0.3 32.9 32.0Refinery throughput (mn tonnes) 0.3 62.9 107.3Small scale units number 1000’s 140 2857 3442Output Rs.crores 2603 412,636 690,316Employment (Mn) 1.7 16.0 19.2Railways Route Kms (‘000km) 53.6 62.8 63.0Electrification (‘000kms) 0.4 12.7 14.9Revenue earning Freight (Mn tonnes) 73 4.09 492Passenger Traffice (Mn) 1284 4153 5093Shipping Tonnage capacity ‘000GRT 391.0 6,915 6224Cargo handled Mn tonnes 19.2 227.1 274.8Telephone connection (Mn lines) 0.1 15.4 45.0Indian Railways carried 4,673.01 million passengers between April 2003 and February 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA 254

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4BANKING AND CAPITAL MARKET1950 1996 2001Aggregate Deposits Rs.Crores 881 505,599 1,103,360Aggregate Credit Croses of Rs. 547 278,401 589,723Scheduled commercial banks members 93 295 295Branches 2335 65,485 66,259Stock Markets 7 22 23Market capitalisation (Rs.Crores) 635 485,785 612,224Labour Total workers (millions) 140 387 403Organized Sector Employment (Mn) 12.1 28.3 27.8SOCIAL SECTORPrimary/Middle Schools 000’s 223.3 775.2 825.3Enrolments (Mn) 22.3 157.2 152.5Secondary / High Schools 000’s 7.4 102.2 125.5Enrolments (Mn) 1.5 24.9 28.4Colleges 578 8529 10,701Universities 27 228 261Literacy rate 18.3% 52.2% 65.4%National income (Rs.Crores) Rs.9,142 10,93,961 18,64,292Percapita income Rs. 255 11,564 17,968GDP (Current Prices) Rs.Crores 9547 1,243,546 2,094,013SECTORWISE NET DOMESTIC PRODUCTPrimary Sector Rs.Crores 531,196 (28.3%)Of which Agriculture 493,887 (26.4%)Mining 36,309 (1.9%)SECONDARY SECTORIndustrial Manufacturing 396,642 (21.1%)TERTIARYa) Transport Communication Trade 419,291 (22.3%)b) Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 240,865 (12.8%)c) Community, Social Personal service 288,961 (15.4%)Total Rs.Crores 1,876,955 (100%)India is the fastest growing commercial vehicles market in Asia, with a growth rate of 28%SAMARTHA BHARATA 255

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDIA’S DOMESTIC SAVINGS RS.CRORES2001 2000 1999Household Sector 515,565 453,641 402,360Of which Financial Saving 256,647 217,841 203,702Saving in Physical Assets 258,918 235,800 198,658Private Corporate Sector 92.060 86,142 84,329Public Sector minus 57,662 minus 48,022 minus 20,049Govt.Admn.DepartmentalCommercial Enterprises minus 131,515 minus 118,739 minus107,250Total Gross Domestic Saving 549.963 491,761 466,640Consumption of Fixed Capital 217,058 197,856 182,359Total Net Domestic Saving 332,905 293,905 284,281AREA UNDER AGRICULTURAL CROPS2001 2000 1980(Mn hectares)Food Grains 121.9 121 126Cereals 100.2 100.7 104.2Pulses 21.7 20.3 22.5Oil Seeds 22.9 22.8 17.6Cotton 9.1 8.5 7.8AREA IRRIGATED (Mn hectares)1998 1990 1980Govt.Canals 17.2 (30.2%) 17.0 (35.2%) 14.5 (37.5%)Private Canals 0.5 0.5 0.8Tanks 2.9 (5.1%) 2.9 (6.0%) 3.2 (8.3%)Wells / tubewells 33.1 (58.1%) 24.7 (51.5%) 17.7 (45.7%)Others 3.3. 2.9 2.6Total irrigated Area 57.1 (100%) 48 (100%) 38.7 (100%)ELECTRONIC PRODUCTION PROFILERs. Crores2001 2000 1990Electronic Hardware 37,050 30,700 28,100Computer Software 59,900 37,750 24,350Grand Total 96,950 68,450 52,450SAMARTHA BHARATA 256

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTIONFOOD 2001 1990 1980Sugar Mn tonnes 18.5 12 5.1Tea Mn kg 847 705 568Coffee ‘000 tonnes 306 170 139Vanaspati ‘000 tonnes 1804 850 753TEXTILESSpun Cotton yarn Mn kg 2825 (1999) 1717 1211Cloth Bn Sq Mtr 41.4 22.9 11.0Mill Sector 1.7 (2000) 2.6 4.2Decentralised Sector 38 (2000) 20.3 6.8METALLURGICALSteel ingots Mntonnes 27 (2000) - 10.3Finished Steel Mntonnes 31.1 (2001) 13.5 6.8Steel Casting ‘000 tonnes 370 262 71Aluminum ‘000 tonnes 504 451 199MECHANICAL ENGG.Machine tools Rs.Cr. 1451 773 169Machinery Commercial Vehicles ‘000S 129.1 145.5 71.7Cars, Jeeps, land rovers ‘000S 619.1 220.8 49.4Motorcycles Scooters ‘000S 3,932 1,843 447Bicycles Mn 10.8 7.1 4.2Agri.Tractors ‘000S 204.9 142.2 71.0Diesel Engines ‘000S 202 158 174Power Driven Pumps ‘000S 431 519 431ELECTRICAL ENGG.Power Transformers Mn KVA 62.6 36.6 19.5Electric Motors Mn Hp 5.00 4.2 4.2Electric Fans Mn 5.00 4.2 4.2Electric lamps Mn 393 274 198Aluminum conductors ‘000tonnes 30 68 867,367 Indian nurses were recruited by Britain last year.SAMARTHA BHARATA 257

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4CHEMICALS & ALLIED2001 1990 1980Nitrogenous Fertilizers (N) ‘000tonnes 10,017 6993 2164Phosphate F (P) ‘000 tonnes 3532 2052 842Soda ash ‘000tonnes 1424 1385 563Caustic Soda ‘000tonnes 1587 992 578Paper & Board ‘000tonnes 290.6 2088 1149Automobile tyres Mn 43.5 20 8Bicycle Tyres Mn 20 25 27Cement Mntonnes 107 49 19Penicillin MMU 1075 525 337Streptomycin Base T - 162 227Vitamin A MMU 43 221 60SAMARTHA BHARATA 258

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES2001 1999 1995Number of Units ‘000S 3442 3212 2658Employment Mn 19.2 17.9 15.3Gross out put Rs.Crores 690,316 572,887 362,656Exports Rs.Crores. 71,244 54,200 36,470Share in total exports 34% 34% 34%SSI Credit as % of net Bank Credit 12.6% 17.3% 16%KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES (2001-02)Net Disbursements Rs.1274 Crores (Khadi 634 Cr. – VI.640 cr)Production Rs.Cr.7557 (Khadi Rs.417 Cr) (VI Rs.7141 Cr.)Sales Rs.Cr. 8,911 (Khadi 528-VI 8383)Employment ‘000S 6,264 (Khadi 848, VI 5416)Wages / Earnings Rs.Cr.2860 (Khadi-216 – VI 2654)MINERAL PRODUCTION (000’S TONNES)2002 1980Bauxite 9439 1932Chromite 2247 324Copper Concentrates 153 n.a.Gypsum 3117 948Lead Concentrates 58 19Manganese Ore 1544 1632Mica 1.4 8.4Zinc Concentrates 499 50MINERAL PRODUCTION Mn TONNES2002 1980Coal 340 114Iron ore 86.4 42.2Limestone 147 30.2Petroleum Crude 33 10.5Gold Kg 2873 2412The certified area under organic spice cultivation in Kerala is now over 2,500 acre.SAMARTHA BHARATA 259

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4NATURAL GAS RESERVES / PRODUCTIONBn.Cumetres2000 1980ReservesOn Shore 301 82Off Shore 462 329Total 763 411Net production 27.9 1.5ELECTRICITY GENERATION Bn Kwh2001 1980Generation 573.2 129.2Public Utilities 515.2 120.8Hydel 73.9 56.5Thermal (Oil+Ng.+) 422.0 61.3Nuclear 19.3 3.0Self generating establishments 58.0 8.4INDIA’S INSURANCE SECTORSize of the insurance market Rs.Cr. 47,400/-Growth rate over 2000 - % 43.0 in 2001-02 – Life InsuranceGrowth rate over 2000 - % 13.7 in 2001-02 – General InsuranceTotal Regd. companies – 27.Life Insurance Total 13 Public sector 1 Private Sector 12General Insurance Total 13 Public Sector 4 Private Sector 9Reinsurance Public Sector 1.Distribution Channels agents No.510647Institutional 483 – individual 510,164Surveyors 24,206 Institutional 1137 individual 23069 Agents training institutes 833ESTIMATED STOCK OF MANPOWER BY MAJOR CATEGORIES (In Thousands)2001 1991 1981GraduatesMedicine (‘000S) 391.9 296.4 219.5Dentistry (‘000S) 24.0 13.9 8.00Agricultural Science (‘000S) 238.6 168.4 105.8Veterinary Science (‘000S) 46.7 34.4 24.4India is home to about 3.5 crore manuscripts.SAMARTHA BHARATA 260

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4Post GraduatesArts ‘000S 3917.3 2185.3 1113.6Science 805.0 482.1 294.2Commerce 4853.1 2486.0 1054.2EngineersDegree holders (‘000S) 1024.4 519.6 304.9Diploma holders (‘000S) 1531.7 859.3 425.8Nursing PersonnelGeneral Nurses(‘000S’) 295.8 184.8 117.8Auxiliary Nurses mid (2000) 227.0 182.4 90Wives ‘000SHealth Visitors ‘000S 23.4 21.0 11.6INFRASTRUCTURE OF INDIAN MEDICINE SYSTEM AS ON 1.4.2001Facilities Ayur Veda Unani Siddha Homeopathy TotalHospital 2955 312 237 307 3841Beds 43,973 5128 1986 13,694 65753Dispensaries 14721 958 352 7411 23,597Regd. Practitioners 430,890 43,108 17,097 197,252 688,802U.G.Colleges 194 35 5 172 412Admission Capacity 7680 1325 240 10895 20310P.G.Colleges 56 6 2 24 88Admission capacity 801 72 90 543 1506LIVESTOCK SECTORLargest livestock populations in the world57% of world’s buffalo population15% of world’s cattle population20.5 crore cattle (1992 census)8.4 Crore buffaloes (1992 census)Milk Production 84.6 million tonnes at the end of 2001-2002 (17 m tonnes in 1951)Egg production 34 Billion in 2002 (11 Billion in 1982)Wool production 50.7 million kg (2002) 38 M kg (1985)The Association of Financial Planners has set a target to create a team ofover 10,000 financial advisors in India by 2007.SAMARTHA BHARATA 261

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4India possesses 27 breeds of Cattle andSeven Breeds of BuffaloesPoultry DevelopmentIndia ranks among the top 5 Nations in theworld.Sheep Development50.80 million sheep and 115 million goatsare there in India. There are 128 lakh pigs inthe countryFish DevelopmentIndia’s Fish Production went up from 24.42lakh tonnes in 1980-81 to 59.56 lakh tonnesin 2001-02.Hospital And DispensariesAs on 1.1.2001, there were 17,952 allopathichospitals31.3.2001 – 3043 Community HealthCentres 22,842 PHCS, 1,37,311 sub centres(Source : Statistical Figures 2004 TATAHand Book)NRI APPOINTED DEAN OF BABCOCK SCHOOLAjay Patel, a non-resident Indian, has been appointed Dean of the prestigiousBabcock Graduate School of Management by Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.Mr.Patel was named Dean following a comprehensive and nationwide recruiting searchled by a committee that included faculty, staff, students and alumni. “Importantly, heis widely respected within the Babcock School as an excellent teacher and scholar,”.Assam’s area under tea is more than 2.7 lakh hectare, which in turn is morethan half of the entire area under tea in the country.Film IndustryIndia makes 900 movies per year. The Cinema Industry has 188 plus millionviewers a year and its estimated size in 2007 is Rs.41,900 crores.Indian banks spent Rs.1,500 crore on software and hardwarefor core and internet banking services in 2003-04.SAMARTHA BHARATA 262

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4UN ATTACK ON EASTERN CIVILISATIONSBharat JhunjhunwalaProfessor Samuel P. Huntington hadpublished a widely discussed essay“The Clash of Civilizations?” in“Foreign Affairs”. Huntington’s thesis wasthat the Western Protestant civilisation wasusing its economic and political might toimpose its values on other, mostly Eastern,civilisations: “Global political and securityissues are effectively settled by a directorateof the United States, Britain and France,world economic issues by a directorate ofthe United States, Germany and Japan, allof which maintain extraordinarily closerelations with each other to the exclusion oflesser and largely non-western countries.Decisions made at the UN Security Councilor in the International Monetary Fund thatreflect the interests of the West are presentedto the world community.”Unable to resist the Western prowess, thesecivilisations are increasingly making alliancesbased on their common cultural heritage.Huntington gives the example of Chinamaking available nuclear technologies toIslamic countries as that of an emergingalliance between the Chinese Confucian andArab Islamic civilisations.Huntington says that the present Westernpolicy of bulldozing its interests may be okayin the short run but the West would have tobecome more accommodative of thedifferent cultural values of Easterncivilisations in the long run: “Non-Westerncivilisations will continue to attempt toacquire the wealth, technology, skills,machines and weapons that are part of beingmodern. They will also attempt to reconcilethis modernity with their traditional cultureand values. Their economic and militarystrength relative to the West will increase.Hence the West will increasingly have toaccommodate these non-Western moderncivilisations whose power approaches thatof the West but whose values and interestsdiffer significantly from those of the West.”A clash of civilisations is likely to take placeif the western civilisation refuses torecognise the different cultural values ofthese civilisations.This straightforward suggestion is beingopposed by another section of the Westernlobby which refuses to provide space forseparate and different values of the non-Western civilisations. The lobby insists thatthe Western values are indeed universalvalues and the West has a legitimate right,nay responsibility, to use its economic andpolitical power to force other civilisationsinto accepting these values. The UnitedNations Development Programme hasespoused this anti-Eastern civilisationsposition in its Human Development Report2004.The UNDP has said: The deciding issue,ultimately, has to be one of democracy. Wecannot both want democracy and yet ruleout certain choices, on traditionalist grounds,because of their ‘foreignness’ (irrespectiveof what people would choose, in an informedand reflective way). The value of democracyThe West Bengal State Toy making Industry is expected totouch the production value of 300 crores in the year 2006.SAMARTHA BHARATA 263

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4has to resist the banishing of citizen’s universal value. It is desirable only underfreedom of choice” (Page 20-21). The certain conditions.UNDP here demands that the people havean innate right to know of various The problem of democracy is similar. Thealternatives. This means that the Western sources of information are held by the rulingmedia has the freedom to forcibly enter into elite. The governments of all countries—the Eastern cultures and spread its particular including the West—regularly provide falsebasket of information such as that of gay and information to the people. The initial publiclesbian relations. Armed intervention such opinion in the Western countries in favouras that made in Iraq with the consent of the of armed intervention in Iraq is a clearSecurity Council is justified in this manner. example of how democracies can me madeThe IMF also gets the right to impose to stand on its head by providing falseconditions of democratic governance of information. The provision of correctEastern Countries.information then becomes the conditionHuntington says that the western civilisations which must be fulfilled before democracy canshould not forcibly impose their values on take over.Eastern civilisations and must be It follows that the true universal values, ifaccommodative towards them. But the there are any, are those of freedom to pursueUNDP says that the Western civilisations introspective and reflective enlightened selfinterest;must forcibly intervene in the Easternand that of provision of truecivilisations to spread these allegedly information to the people. Neither personaluniversal values. This is new western freedom nor democracy can qualify asimperialism in its most vulgar form. universal value. These freedoms can beAre personal freedom and democracy truly manipulated to get people to hit at their ownuniversal values as UNDP contends? self-interest and unwittingly become pawnsPersonal freedom used to invigorate the of the ruling elite.senses and to indulge in sensual pleasurestake a person away from his inner self and One lobby of the Western civilisation, thecondemns him into deep unhappiness though UNDP being part of it, seeks to propoundwith a sheen of outer falsehood of a smiling values of personal freedom and democracyface. On the other hand freedom to engage as universal values so that its economicin work as dictated by one’s inner self is truly interests can be secured to the deprivationbeneficial. Personal freedom is then of the Eastern countries. The lobby wantsbeneficial only if it comes with training and to convert the humanity into a consumptionan environment conducive to connection machine that is ever attached to new sensualwith one’s inner self. It is positively pleasures and manipulated by providingdestructive in absence of this environment doctored information. Huntington hasas we can see in the increasing violence, warned against the long term consequencesdivorces, alcoholism, etc., in the western of this policy. But shortsighted wise men ofcivilisation. Thus personal freedom is not a the United Nations think otherwise.(The New Indian Express)India is among top 15 exporters of niche crops like lettuce, fresh peppers, raisins, tomatoes,squash, grapes, pistachios, oranges, grape fruit, lemons and fresh cherries.SAMARTHA BHARATA 264

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4MEASURING INDIA’S PROGRESSWhile measuring India’s progress(and that of other ‘developing’Nations,) the human developmentindex (HDI) is used and India is rated lowby the World level organizations.But while measuring progress, the worldinstitutions like UNDP take intoconsideration only 1. Life expectancy at birth2. adult literacy rate 3. gross enrolment ratiofor primary, secondary, and tertiary schools,4. and per-capita income in purchasingpower parity (PPP).Only now the world is waking up to thereality that ‘India has managed its diverseculture with pluralist policies and 15 officiallanguages and made remarkable growth inhealth and education!’For a country which has been ravaged byhundreds of years of invasions by foreignpowers and foreign cultures, colonisationand plundering, neglect and discouragementof its indigeneous wisdom, what India hasdone is a great achievement. To bring threefourths of its people out of the clutches ofpoverty within a matter of a few decadesafter dragging its feet initially, is no meanperformance.To do so, keeping its spiritual, familial, andsocial values almost intact is a great creditto India. One should remember that Americaand Europe have failed in defending theirsocial systems against the juggernaut ofscience and technological ‘value’ systems.Whereas India has sublimated science andtechnology to serve its human, religious andnational interests.As Europe tries to build its New Union,combining diverse cultures, values, andNationalities, it realises what a great andphenomenal achievement India has made, inretaining, what has become axiomatic inIndia-ITS UNITY IN DIVERSITY.SAMARTHA BHARATA 265

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKA SECTION - 4country of comparable orhalf-its size would dare totake. India had to contendwith media which wouldposit impossible goals infront of the state, telling thegovernment that it shouldrebuild in half a century,what history has taken twomillennia to destroy.With its 5000 year old, urban culture, Indiahas not permitted urbanisation to destroy itsfamily. Whereas in every other civilisation,urbanisation has always spelt doom to thefamily and the community.Often India is adversely compared to China.It should be remembered that Chinarestricted the choices available to its peoplein almost all spheres, suppressed dissidencewith an iron hand, gave no training to itspeople in democratic or entrepreneurialskills, and intensely centralised its economy.The Media there were under complete check,dishing out only what the state wanted itspeople to know. Religious and spiritualtraditions were suppressed and a very limitedand narrow concept of human identity wasimposed on its citizens, cutting modernChina away from its roots.But India had to start its modern journeywith universal adult franchise, a risk noIndia had to manage irresponsible politicaldissidence, impractical idealogues andimported economic systems which would nottake roots in its soil.India had to manage a diversity, whichwestern scholars would describe asnightmarish and as a functioning anarchy.Yet India has grown, maintaining its spiritualidentity, retaining its social values. It has keptits creative springs alive, it has successfullydefended its borders in the post-independentperiod.Mother India should never compareherself with this country or that.Remembering that her history, her problems,and her challenges are unique, remindingherself that her goal is to lead the humankindto its spiritual destiny, India should compareher only to herself while travelling down thepath of history and measure her progress byher own standards and values.India’s first home grown hand-held computer—Simputer—was commercially launched inBangalore by President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. It has been branded as “Amida”, meaning“infinite or the Buddha”.SAMARTHA BHARATA 266

SECTION - 5SECTION - 5THE BACKGROUNDThe whole of the Western worldis on a volcano which may bursttomorrow, go to piecestomorrow. They have searchedevery corner of the world andhave found no respite. Theyhave drunk deep of the cup ofpleasure and found it vanity.Now is the time to work so thatIndia’s spiritual ideas maypenetrate deep into the West.Therefore young men ofMadras, I specially ask you toremember this. We must go out,we must conquer the worldthrough our spirituality andphilosophy. There is no otheralternative, we must do it or die.The only condition of nationallife, of awakened and vigorousnational life, is the conquest ofthe world by Indian thought.- Swami VivekanandaSAMARTHA BHARATA181

SECTION - 5Thus spake Swami VivekanandaUp, India, and conquer the world with your spirituality! Ay, as hasbeen declared on this soil first, love must conquer hatred, hatredcannot conquer itself. Materialism and all its miseries can never beconquered by materialism. Armies when they attempt to conquerarmies only multiply and make brutes of humanity. Spirituality mustconquer the West. Slowly they are finding out that what they want isspirituality to preserve them as nations. They are waiting for it, theyare eager for it. Where is the supply to come from? Where are themen ready to go out to every country in the world with the messagesof the great sages of India? Where are the men ready to go out toevery country in the world with the messages of the great sages ofIndia? Where are the men who are ready to sacrifice everything, sothat this message shall reach every corner of the world? Such heroicsouls are wanted to help the spread of truth. Such heroic workers arewanted to go abroad and help to disseminate the great truths ofVedanta. The world wants it; without it the world will be destroyed.SAMARTHA BHARATA182

INDIA REGAINING SELF-BELIEF,SAYS GOVERNORSECTION - 5India is emerging as a world leader andfast regaining its lost self-belief, said theGovernor of T.N. P.S.Ramamohan Rao.He was speaking at the inauguration of theTIFAC’s (Technology InformationForecasting and Assessment Council) Centreof Relevance and Excellence (CORE) inDiabetic Retinopathy at the Aravind EyeHospital, on Friday (16-04-2004).India is slowly coming out of the hangoverfrom being ruled by outsiders for nearly amillennium’. Foreign rulers destroyed theself-worth of the Indians which they are fastregaining of late, the Governor said.The Governor said that lack of objectivesand bureaucratic policies had hampered thedevelopment of India. Lack of a properpolicy environment has prevented convergenceof industry institution participation. But thesemisgivings are being corrected of late, he said.The Atomic Energy Corporation and IndianSpace Research Organisation (ISRO) hadcreated an ambience to prove that India iscapable of scaling great heights, he said.Dr.R.Chidambaram, Principal ScientificAdvisor, Government of India and Chairman,TIFAC CORE, in his keynote address, saidthat India has a strong scientific andtechnology platform. It is strong in researchbut weak in incorporating the developmentsinto the industrial sector.Now industries have come forward tocoverage with educational institutions, henoted.The Government on its part is aiding theconvergence by developing a user friendlydata base for industry institution interaction,which had resulted in India producing worldclass automobiles.Dr.P.Namperumalsamy, director, AravindEye Hospitals, said that his was the firstmedical institution to create a TIFAC COREcentre.The centre will produce scientifically andtechnically qualified manpower of the veryhighest quality, tailor-made for the requirementof industries. These centres are the result ofsynergistic convergence of the three powerfulpillars of economic growth, industry, educationinstitutions and the Government.At present there are 17 centres in India andthe aim is to increase the number to 100.India has the largest number of patients withdiabetic retinopathy, a major cause forblindness. Aravind aims at tackling theproblem through this centre, he added.India has documented over 44,000 species of flora and 75,000 new species of faunaand possesses within its borders two of the world’s ten bio-geographic zones.SAMARTHA BHARATA183

CAN THERE BE INDIAN GLOBAL BRANDS?Ramesh NarayanSECTION - 5As we settle down to live in a globalvillage where the Madrasi Mamicomfortably walks around PanagalPark resplendent in Reebok sneakers and theold lady on a snowbound New York Streetcalls a young girl sitting in a call centre inBangalore to seek instructions on where thenearest steak house is, we wonder what isthe meaning of a truly global brand.In a recent presentation forecasts that in2003 the leaders of the world economywould be No.1 China, No.2 USA and atNo.3, India would be fighting it out for thecoveted third spot with Japan.How will this seemingly Utopian scenarioemerge? Indians having increasing access toforeign investment funds, the government’spolicy of encouraging Indians to grow theirenterprises on their own steam, a large lowcostdomestic work force, the explodingdepth of young well educated people, theenviable pool of creative talent and theexciting entrepreneurial spirit that is steadilyembracing India.These are in the words of Ian Batey,(Management Consultant Singapore). Closerhome Batey forecasts some of the Indianbrands who should enthusiastically take upthe global challenge. Kaun Banega Globalbrand? In the IT sector Batey says Infosys,Wipro, Sankhya and TCS have the potential.In FMCG, he feels ITC should roll up itssleeves and aim for the big ticket after“beating the pants off Hindustan Lever in thehome market.”In the pharma sector, Batey picks Ranbaxy.He feels that Tata trucks should enjoy strongmarket share across Asia, and Tata’s Tetleyshould signal a more distinctive link withIndia.In the biotech sector the favorites areReliance and the Aditya Birla group who hefeels should be eyeing the possible $900billion market. Wishful thinking, one mightsay, but Batey says Air India should try andelevate itself to its former glory. Well, if youask me, the first step would be to let AirIndia buy a few new aircraft.Anyway, Batey also has some interestingrandom selections of branding opportunitieslying quietly in India’s treasure chest, waitingfor entrepreneurs to shape them into globalbrand champions.The surprises include Old Monk Rum,Nutrine, the mango fruit, Bukhara (theIndian restaurant) and Kitchens of India.Finally, he says that wholly-owned Indianadvertising agencies will emerge as forces,to handle the big growth of Indian brands.I’ll cheer to that prospect.(The New Indian Express)The general insurance industry in the country clocked business worth Rs.14,452crores between April 2003 and February 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA184

INDIAN ANIMATORS RIDEOUTSOURCING WAVESECTION - 5Cute cartoon characters and slickspecial effects may not seem obviouscandidates for outsourcing, butIndian studios are popping up alongsidesoftware firms and call centres that do workfor firms in the West.In films, television shows and electronicgames, latecomer India has started to gainfavour over more established animationcentres such as Taiwan, Singapore, SouthKorea and the Philippines.India is winning animation contracts for thesame reasons it has become such a hotoutsourcing destination for other industries:lower costs, a large English-speakingworkforce and a track record in meetingWestern companies’ technology needs. Arecent $14-million deal between Italy’sMondo TV, Europe’s No2 cartoon producerand distributor, and Padmalaya Telefilms, isthe latest boost to India’s creative reputation.So far, analysts estimate Indian companieshave won some $50-$100 million in business,a small slice of the $10 billion globalanimation industry. But that could change,as major US studios, such as Disney, WarnerBros Studios and Metro-Gold-Wyn-Mayer,who previously have done much of theiranimation in-house, try to cut costs.Indian companies, such as soon-to-be-listedUTV Software Communications, ToonzAnimation, Pentamedia Graphics, CrestCommunications and Jadooworks, areleading the way.Local units of Los Angeles-based Rhythmand Hues and France’s Millimages, whichmakes content for American and EuropeanTV shows, also have increased their output.But analysts warn the sector could becomenothing more than low-cost sweatshopsunless Indian companies seek to offeradvanced formats and compete to becomeco-producers and owners of their creations.“Animation outsourcing is the mediaequivalent of business process outsourcing.”Said Jyotirmoy Saha, director of UTV’sanimation division. In the initial rush to meetdemand from North America and Europethebiggest animation markets besides Japan– Indian firms took on low-end productionwork.But that’s not the lucrative end of the market,and most have not yet moved on to invest,co-produce or retain intellectual rights-theareas where bigger profits can be made.“For many players, this is still a costs gamerather than a creative exercise, but (even)this advantage will be short lived,” saidFarrokh Balsara, a director at consulting firmErnst & Young.Domestic production of auto components during 2003-04 was worth Rs.30,640crore while exports amounted to Rs.4,500 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA185

WALT DISNEYEXPLORES INDIA ASPRODUCTION BASEGlobal entertainment major, The WaltDisney Co., is exploring India as aproduction base for its animation andfeature films, and is planning to tap thecommercial ability in the country, including thatin radio, animation and TV broadcasting andcontent.“India is a significant base for outsourcing ofentertainment content and co-production, andwe are on a fact-finding exercise in thecountry”, Walt Disney Chief Operating Officer(COO), Andy Bird, said here today (15/03/04at Mumbai).Mr.Bird, who had met the Information andBroadcasting Minister, said investing in radio,music and film industry would be thecompany’s priority. He said Walt Disneyintended to have a powerful presence in India.SECTION - 5CALL UP INDIA FORFASTER SERVICEIn a pleasant twist to the outsourcingcontroversy, an American lending companyhas given customers the choice to call upeither India or at home, with a warning that ifthey call in the U.S. it will take up to two daysto process their loan request, while a call centrein India run by Wipro will do it the same day.On-line lender E-Loan Inc gives its customersa choice: Press 1 for an outsourcing centre inIndia or 2 for centre in the U.S. It warns thecustomer that if he presses the button for India,they can have their loan request processed thesame day.If they want the application processed in theU.S. they may have to wait, may be, two dayslonger. “With the movement of U.S. jobsoverseas becoming a hot political issue,companies are trying to find new ways to avoidthe backlash.” Said The Wall Street Journal.“E-Loan’s move is the latest wrinkle: disclosingthat they have workers overseas, and lettingcustomers themselves decide whether to optfor he advantages they offer,” it added.SAMARTHA BHARATA186Since the company started offering the optionfour weeks ago, said Chris Larsen, E-Loan’schairman and chief executive, 86 per cent ofits customers for home equity loans had chosenthe India route.To offer the faster service, E-loan contractswith a unit of Wipro, which, according to thedaily, is expanding its workforce by 3,000 eachquarter. E-Loan officials, said the Journal,expect more companies will follow suit.—PTI.Tea output of our country during this year (2004) is expected to cross 850 million kg.

ABDUL KALAM OUTLINESTECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTSSECTION - 5Outlining nine technological eventsincluding the successfuldevelopment of indigenouscryogenic engine, President A.P.J.AbdulKalam today (11/05/2004) said these havethe potential to penetrate the country’seconomy and help transfer the society.Greeting the people on the occasion ofTechnology Day in an address over All IndiaRadio, he spoke at length on the milestonesand the progress India has achievedtechnologically in 2003-2004.These areas included seed cottonproductivity, electricity generation frommunicipal waste, a brand in automobiletechnology, a fast breeder reactor, the “birth”of an Indian cryogenic engine, the lightcombat aircraft (LCA) crossing the sonicbarrier, mapping the neighbourhood bychildren, a synergy mission for environmentalup gradation and a digital library in everypanchayat.The President said doubling of seed cottonproductivity would bring prosperity to thefarmers while electricity generation throughmini-plants from municipal waste wouldenrich the environment and provide energysecurity to the nation.When the ‘Indica” car plied on the roads ofworld capital it would ignite the youth toincrease productivity in every field oftechnology to make the nation globallycompetitive, he observed.Kalam said commissioning of a large numberof fast breeder reactors would provideenergy security and also potable waterthrough the seawater desalination process.When an Indian communication satellitelaunched by a cryogenic upper stage, orbitsin space, and the nation will be competitivein the export market, he noted.Touching on the light combat aircraft, thePresident said the Armed Forces will beproud of flying indigenous fighters in airspace and make India a leading exporter ofmilitary equipment.Widespread use of mapping theneighbourhood by school children willenhance the creativity of the youth and makethem contribute to societal transformation,he said stressing synergy missions forenvironmental upgradation would makeIndia “clean and green”.The president contended that digital librariesin every panchayat would enhance theknowledge of the youth and become part ofa beautiful rural life.“Let these technological successes multiplyand bring smiles on the faces of a billionpeople,” the President said adding thetechnological progress towards enrichingsociety signified the national spirit of “wecan do it.” (The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATAMarriage industry in India is a Rs.10,000 crore business.187

INDIAN BUSES ONTHE ROADS OF USAKarma YogiAn elderly American reading what ayoung American had written wassurprised. He asked where he hadlearnt to write so well. The answer surprisedhim even more. “I learnt it in India.” Onemay wonder how someone whose mothertongue is English can learn writing Englishfrom another person whose mother tongueis not English. The Right Honourable Sastrimade the Englishman feel shy by his precisepronunciation.JRD Tata in 1975 felt the same type ofsurprise when a young American proposedto him that his buses could be sold to theUSA. After a prolonged discussion, Tata wasconvinced. Life took a different turn. Tatareceived continuous export orders from theGulf countries and there ended our proposal.We know man does not know hisweaknesses. I would say, “Man does notknow his strength.”My perennial theme is India has a treasurein knowledge, subtlety, insight, intuition,philosophy, and SPIRITUALITY. They arethe treasures found nowhere else in theworld, but they are not here in a usable form.They are found here as ingots of gold. Unlessthey are made into jewels, one cannot usethem. Indians are unaware of their strength,greatness of value. If the buried Indiantalents are brought to the surface, Indianmanufactured goods will have an edge overthe products of any other country. Americanparents who visit India marvel at theSECTION - 5affectionate atmosphere in our families. OneAmerican husband after a few hours in anIndian house found that the lady of the housenever came out to participate in thediscussion. On knowing more about thefeminine fairness of India, he declared, “Thisis great. I am unable to conceive of such anatmosphere.”Every good thing has its other side. Thevoluntarily submissive affectionate lady caneither be enjoyed as an emotional treasureor taken advantage of for the purposes ofmasculine domination. Asia is an emotionalcontinent. It is said that some Americanyouth visit Thailand so that they may marrya handsome, affectionate Thai girl to whomdivorce or insubordination is inconceivable.The day India realizes her inner strength willbe a great day for us.DABUR TO SET UPPLANT IN DUBAIDubai: Dabur International, the whollyownedsubsidiary of the Indian PMCG andhealthcare major Dabur India, will set upa manufacturing facility at DubaiInvestment Park, in line with its plan toexpand operational presence in West Asiaand promote exports across the globe.This will be the third facility of DaburInternational in the UAE. The Indiansubsidiary already has a plant in Sharjah,manufacturing food products and hair oils,while the Jabel Ali facility manufacturesDabur’s range of personal care andhealthcare products.—UNISAMARTHA BHARATA188

SECTION - 5FOREIGN TRADE-RISING PROSPECTSExports are expected to reach $73.4billion this year (2004) with theGovernment having raised the growthtarget to 16 per cent from 12 percent in thelast two years. This is also likely to helpexports reach $150 billion by 2009-10.Suggesting a major export thrust for servicessuch as healthcare and education during themeeting, the FIEO (Federation of IndianExport Organizations) said the size of thehealthcare industry was $17 trillion globallywith opportunities cutting across all the fourmodes of trade under categories laid downby the World Trade Organization. Theseinclude diagnosis and clinical consultationsand telemedicine which come under Modeone, health tourism and education andtraining under Mode two, establishment ofhospitals under Mode three and movementof doctors and health management personnelunder Mode four.EXPORTS EXCEED TARGETDespite the appreciating rupee, India’s exports clocked a whopping 41.88 percent growth in March, 2004 pushing up the overall growth to 17.26 per cent in2003-04, surpassing the annual target of 12 per cent. For the first time, exportscrossed the $60 billion mark to end 2003-04 at $61.8 billion, even as the tradedeficit widened during the fiscal, virtually doubling to $13.36 billion from $7.44billion the previous year, according to official trade data released here.—PTI.WORLD’S OLDEST GEOMAGNETIC OBSERVATORYThe centenary celebration of theworld’s oldest geomagneticobservatory, which is also mostmodern with digital and real-timeobservation in the country, will begin onApril 19, 2004.V.S.Ramamurthy, secretary, Department ofScience and Technology will be the ChiefGuest and G.Madhavan Nair, chairman ofIndian Space Research Organization willmake a keynote address on ‘Geomagneticand Space science’.THE OBSERVATORY, NAMED AS AlibagObservatory, was shifted from Colaba inSouth Mumbai in 1904 when the governmentdecided to introduce electric trams inMumbai for public transportation. Electricityaffects the magnetic observations, accordingto G.S.Lakhina, director, Indian Institute ofGeomagnetism (IIG). Alibag observatory,that is part of the international real-timegeomagnetic observatory network, is part ofthe ‘Intermagnet’, Lakhina said-PTI.Global HR outsourcing is valued at $27 billion and of this India accounts for $2 billion.SAMARTHA BHARATA189

NOW, ALOO AND ARRE GET INTOTHE ENGLISH DICTIONARYSECTION - 5English is being spiced up with asprinkling of some more words fromHindi.In the latest edition of the Oxford EnglishDictionary, there is already a host of Hindiwords, including angrez (English person)and badmash (naughty) while many more arebeing entered into the Collins Bank ofEnglish, which screens words for entry.The Hindi words likely to find a place in thelatest dictionary are: achha (OK, or is thatso?), aloo (potato), arre (used to expresssurprise), Chuddi (underwear), desi (local,indigenous) filmi (related to Bollywood)very filmi (Drama queen or king), gora(white person), jungle (uncultured) and yaar(friendly form of address).According to a report in The Observer today,Arfaan Khan, a linguist based at ReadingUniversity, told reporters at the Universityof Newcastle to expect a “whole newdialect” to emerge.Many Asian words have already beennaturalized into English. ‘Bungalow’,‘cheetahs’ and ‘ganja’ have all been shippedover from the sub-continent.It is within ‘culinary speak’ that the largestchanges are expected. “The British foodhabit has been transformed by the arrival ofAsian people in the community.” SaidMahendra Verma, director of Hindiprogramme at York University.“The words are entering local vocabularies.Masala is replacing spice, mooli means whiteradish, and the word balti is actually Hindifor the type of pan that the dish is cookedin.”Accepting the words into the dictionary willalso help British viewers to understand whatis being said when actors in Anglo Indiancomedies use Hindi phrases, the report said.Small savings in India during fiscal 2003-04 stood at Rs.3,74,666 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA190

SECTION - 5WHEN SAYING HELLO BECOMES A BUSINESSAparna ChandraThey are literally teaching you to sayhello all over again. And sure it isserious business. Times have traveledfar from that favourite summer timeoccupation of enrolling in a public speakingcourse to now when voice training is fastbecoming a specialized genre.Here’s the spread-a voice or speech trainingmodule could be to train for a call centre, toneutralize regional accents, to acquaintyourself with a foreign accent, to give voiceovers,to be a radio jockey or, simply thetraditional “personality development”.“Voice training is certainly a booming sectorbut one that is still in its nascence here,” saysSangita Rohera, director The RedwoodContact (TRC), training course. “What haslargely changed about a voice training courseis that today apart from being a means ofself-enhancement, it’s become somethingthat can better your career prospects as well.In fact, the demand for voice trainers greatlysupercedes its supply,” she adds.Soon, Rohera observes, more than a Yankeeor a Brit accent demand will grow for globalaccent trainers as “today BPOs serviceclients in countries as diverse as Spain andAustralia where the focus is on clear andcorrect speech.” At least 400 students havedone the TRC course since it was launchedeight months ago.It’s not always those headed towards a callcentre who knock at a voice trainer’s door.At Tasmac Management Training Resources(TMTR), several techies have actually finetunedtheir presentation skills. “With helpdesks going international, it’s crucial to sellyour service with just your voice over thephone. You obviously need to sound right,”says director Pradeep Arora.Things have changed for even those whohave been running the conventional speechclasses. “Ten years ago I started with myworkshops on confidence building throughmind control, meditation, spiritual breathing.Part of this has been confidence in one’sspeech. While the enquiries and enrollmentshave never dropped (approximate 350 ayear), what has changed about speechmodules is that we focus more on casual andspontaneous conversation rather than astructured one, as a reflection of currentsocial trends,” says Dr.Sudhir Arora.Mumbaiite Khodus Wadia, the voice inseveral television ads, was in Pune recentlywith his brand of training, “My sessions instudios are more of a psychological processto help kill that anxiety that inhibits somefrom expressing themselves. Today, mystudents take up anything from giving voiceoversto RJ’ing. Though old professionalpreferences do exist, the calling for thosewilling to give their voice a sound hearing iscertainly growing louder.”(The New Indian Expres)India exported nearly Rs.6,000 crore worth of food grains during 2003-04.SAMARTHA BHARATA191

AN INDIAN CENTURYSECTION - 5Infosys Technologies, the trendsetter inthe Indian IT world, had become a billiondollar company. It has created manymillionaires over the years and has rewardedits shareholders and employees very well.Kiran Mazumdar Shaw’s biotech company,Biocon, had a great opening in the stockmarket recently and its value also exceededone billion dollars. Again the company hascreated a lot of wealth for those who puttheir faith in it. In 2003-2004, Reliance groupbecame the largest creator of wealth in thecountry. The two-wheeler manufacturerHero Honda has predictably maintained itsrecord as the largest manufacturer of twowheelers in the world and has declared a1,000 percent dividend. Tata companiesTELCO, TISCO and TCS have alreadycrossed the $ one billion turnover.The first two companies represent the newentrepreneurial spirit in the country. Bothcompanies were promoted by first generationentrepreneurs who became role models fortheir industries. Interestingly, both set uptheir companies during the pre-liberalisationdays. They had to undergo struggles to buildworld class companies. And since then theyhave zoomed forward. Hero Honda mayhave Japanese collaboration, but their Indianpromoters, the Munjals, rose up from theashes of the partition days. Their’s is a trulyrags to riches story. The Tata group had toface tough competition both in theautomobile and steel sector when theeconomy was no longer protected. But thegroup reoriented itself to changing times andemerged triumphant.These are true Indian success stories. Infosyspromoter Narayana Murthy did not comefrom a privileged background. His father wasa school teacher while Mazumdar Shaw’sfather was a professional working for acompany. They were only armed with goodIndian education and confidence. They didnot go running to the government to bailthem out at any point of time. These are thepeople who really make you feel that Indiais shining. Not leaders, not politicians.(An editorial in The Sunday Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA‘CONNECTIVITY REVOLUTION ON’A connectivity revolution is taking place throughout the country in 1998; there wereonly 12 lakh cellular phone connections. But now, there were four crore connections.Around 20 lakh connections were being given every month.The Government had drafted a policy which made the common man afford a cellularphone. The Government had allotted Rs.24,000 crores for laying good quality roadsfrom north to south, and east to west.A sum of Rs.64,000 crores had also been allotted under the village Road Project to lay.A total of 2.29 lakh buses were sold in our country during April-February 2003-04.192

DOCTOR’S ORDERSECTION - 5Sick they may well be, but their walletsare far from emaciated. And that’swhat matters for the doctors, nursesand other healthcare providers who thrivefrom the flow of patients into Indianhospitals.A recent report from the confederation ofIndian Industry (CII) and consulting firmMcKinsey says there is a Rs.10,000 croreopportunity in “medical tourism” for upmarket hospitals in exotic locations aroundthe country—and that’s just 3 to 5 percentof the existing healthcare delivery market.Many hospitals are well placed to positionthemselves as ideal health spots for thosewho fail to manage expensive healthcareaccounts in the developed world, accordingto the report. India has 1.5 beds per 1000people, while China, Brazil and Thailandhave an average of 4.3 beds, the study says,adding that healthcare spending could morethan double over 2004-2014.Dr.Naresh Trehan, chairman of CII’sNational Healthcare Committee, says,“Compared with most developed countriessuch as the UK or the US, treatments likethose for dental problems or majorprocedures like bypass surgery orangioplasty in India come at a fraction ofthe costs elsewhere. Cardiac Surgery inIndia, for instance, costs one-tenth of thebills many foot for a similar procedure inNorth America.”Right now, most of the patients who cometo Indian hospitals are from West Asia andSouth Asia. They are now likely to be joinedby fatter wallets from the North.(The New Indian Express)Rs.46,472 crore worth of gem and jewellery were exported by our country betweenApril 2003 and February 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA193

THE POLITICAL ECONOMYOF OUTSOURCINGK.SubramanianSECTION - 5U.S. companies under financial stressbegan their cost cutting pilgrimagesand took to digitization as the roadto MeccaIt is a horror staring at U.S. professionalsthese days—the horror of receiving pink slipsand their jobs going to lowly recruits abroad.They blame it all on outsourcing. Indeed,there are reasons for their despondency.Leading journals have been writing on“global white-collar migration,” “the new jobshift,” and allied topics and giving details ofjob losses in several areas, which areincreasing in number. The companiesaffected include many in the Fortune 500 list.A heated debate is going on in the U.S.among academics and politicians. Billsseeking to restrict outsourcing have beenintroduced in several States as also in theSenate. Against these developments, it isdifficult to deal with the issuedispassionately. Unwittingly, GregoryMankiw, Chairman of the President’sCouncil of Economic Advisers, was caughtin the crossfire over his remarks thatoutsourcing is “probably a plus for theeconomy in the long run.” His remarkssounded so impolitic in an election year thatPresident Bush distanced himself from him.However, Dr.Mankiw did not resile from hisacademic stand. In his reply to the Speakerof the House of Representatives, he admittedthat “any economic change, whether arisingfrom trade or technology, can cause painfuldislocations for some workers and theirfamilies” but added that there should bepolicies to help workers to prepare for thechange. Alan Greenspan, Chairman of theFederal Reserve, joining the debate a fewdays later, said that protectionist cures mightmake the situation worse. He hopes that theU.S. would manage to replace lost jobs fromlower wage foreign competition with jobsin advanced industries as it had done in thepast. The poser is, “Can it do it?” For ananswer, there is needed to go into thepolitical economy of outsourcing.Factors behind outsourcingGlobal sourcing or outsourcing is as old asEast Indian Company. Management theoristsand economists have analysed the factorsthat promote outsourcing. The rise of themultinational corporation (MNC) would nothave been possible without outsourcing. Nocompany can hope to produce all itsrequirements in-house and has to procureraw materials and components from otherparties. There are risks attached to contracts,especially if proprietary assets like knowhow,patents and brand names have to besafeguarded.Ronald Coase, a Nobel Laureate Economics,explained that there are “transaction costs”attached to contracts and contractsinvariably fail. It becomes necessary to‘internalise’ the assets to appropriate theMeghalaya has 9.22 million tonne of uranium deposits.SAMARTHA BHARATA194

ents in full. Branches and subsidiaries arefloated abroad under common ownershipsubject to control and co-ordination. In sucha situation, commodity flows acrosscountries turn into intra-company flows. Inone of its studies, UNCTAD assessed thatnearly 70 per cent of international trade isin the nature of intra-company trade and suchtrends have been on the increase.Post war developmentsThe post war years saw relocation ofmanufacturing from developed to developingcountries, in areas like light engineering,shoes and apparel. Manufacturing wassegmented globally and labour intensiveparts were located in low wage destinations.Companies like Nike and Adidas wereknown for this style of operation. They hadmanagers who provided designs forcomponent manufacture in hundreds oflocations and co-coordinated componentassemblyin convenient countries. They werefootloose in that they arbitraged on tax andlabour regimes. These manufacturingpatterns led to frictional unemployment inhome countries. Those displaced couldhowever be re-trained in other skills. In theprocess, within a reasonable time, they wentup the food chain. The burgeoning servicesector absorbed many of them.The model described above held good evenaround the time the electronics revolutiontook over in the post war era. Electronicshad its own special features and lent itselfideally to segmentation. Pioneers like Inteland Texas Instruments followed the FDIstrategy of assembling chips in wholly ownedsubsidiaries in China, Malaysia and HongKong. Even as low wage locationsSECTION - 5concentrated on low skill segments, thelabour back home worked on high valuehardware. Successive reductions in the priceof hardware generated continuing demandand sustained higher levels of growth andproduction. Wages rose in the Silicon Valleymore than proportionately. High levels ofconsumption sustained the economic boom.The conclude the story; outsourcing was thedriving force behind the global computerdevelopment. There was common causebetween workers in East Asia and those inthe Silicon Valley. It is doubtful whethersimilar symbiosis could be replicated, asthere is no new technology in sight, whichmight bring about a paradigm shift as in theelectronic years. Computer technology hasplateaued except for incremental additionsin the manufacture of new chips with highercapacity and in bandwidths. Moreover, theconvergence of information andcommunication technologies (ICT) distortsthe structure and patterns of productionwhen combined with the current economicrecession.For economists like Mankiw and Greenspanthe hope is that the American capitalistmodel that fosters flexibility andentrepreneurism, innovation can meet thechallenge this time also. This is more a matterof faith. The trends in ICT seem to workagainst any hope of economic revival in thenear future.The driving force behind outsourcing in theICT sector is for global labour arbitrage. AsStephen Roach put it, it is “—a by-productof IT-enabled globalization that is nowacting as a powerful structural depressanton traditional sources of job creation in high-Handicraft exports from our country are slated to touch Rs.32,700 crore by 2009-10SAMARTHA BHARATA195

wage developed countries such as the U.S.”It is overlaid on the earlier jobless recoverycontributed, again, by ICT.U.S. companies under financial stress begantheir cost cutting pilgrimages and took todigitization as the road to Mecca. If in earlieryears, they segmented production chains andshifted labour intensive parts to low wagelocations, now they would digitize them andaccess services from abroad through wires.They would get the service at 20 per cent ofU.S. wages. The revolution is that digitizationconverts labour or service, which wasconsidered non-tradable from the days ofAdam Smith, into tradable units. For manyservices, physical presence is no longernecessary and the service personnel may belocated anywhere in the world.For those in developing countries, it started ina big way in the late 1990s when the Y2K fevergripped the world. Thousands of professionalsentered the U.S. By 2000, the fever was over.It also coincided with the dotcom collapse.There began a backlash against foreignprofessionals. The U.S. responded by denyingvisas to professionals. Unfortunately, itcoincided with the bursting of the stock bubbleand the financial bankruptcy of manyestablished firms. Those on survivor kits hadto undertake fierce cost cutting programmesand digitization provided a way out. Theydecided to jump the visa walls and export thejobs to cost effective locations like India.Initially, the services were restricted to backoffice functions like call centres, help desks andcustomer support coming under the categoryof BPO. From BPO to other IT enabledservices such as engineering design,architecture and radiography it was a short hop.The most exciting developments are in researchSECTION - 5programmes where companies like GM andSiemens locate global centres.The demand dimensions are mind-boggling.Earnings for companies like Infosys and Wiprohave been increasing at unprecedented ratesand volumes. The UNCTAD’s Report (E-Commerce and Development Report 2003)provided very optimistic estimates of earningsdrawn on the assessment of U.S. consultingfirms. It predicted a market of $300 billion by2004.The National Association of Software andServices Companies, the industry association inIndia, predicts in its ‘Strategic Review 2004’ anearnings of Rs.33,010 crores, up by 24.4 per centfrom 2003. In the same way the estimates of joblosses create panic in the U.S. the employmentand earning estimates cause euphoria in India.These lamps light a good part of ‘India shining!’However, there is need for caution.It is also a hot issue for the Indian public andpoliticians. For them, the stakes are high. Theearnings, even if they get reduced over time,are valuable additions to the Indian economy.The country reaps the benefits of its pastinvestment in higher education. It mitigates theproblem of educated unemployment. However,prudence would suggest that it is not a remedyfor all its ills. It is only peripherally linked withthe mainstream economy. There is fear that itcreates ‘islands of affluence’ amid a sea ofpoverty in the country.There is a moral to this account. Erstwhile ‘freetraders’ in the US may turn to protectionism.Vintage statists like Indians should not turnto crypto-free trade, as they have to safeguardtheir interests in more critical areas than ITesin the larger context on WTO negotiations.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA196

ADB TO INCREASEINDIA LENDING,ISSUE MORE BONDSThe Asian Development Bank (ADB)plans to come up with its secondrupee bonds issue and hike loanassistance for India to $2 billion annuallyduring 2004-07.“We are planning to give a higher $2 billionassistance to India annually in the next threeyears,” ADB has sanctioned close to $1.5billion in the last fiscal, (2003-2004) whichwould be stepped up from this fiscal.Some of the companies which are stated toget ADB loans are NTPC, NHPC and Powergrid. ADB is also planning to extendassistance to relatively poorer states likeMadhya Pradesh, Assam and other NorthEast States for overcoming fiscal problemsand carrying out reforms.Admitting that India has never been an ‘aiddependent’country, ADB Country Director,Jonghe, said “our assistance can help statesto leverage reforms, implement bestpractices, fiscal consolidation and capacitybuilding, which would in turn remove theregional disparity.” (The New IndianExpress)SECTION - 5BRITISH MEDIACOVERAGE OF INDIAMORE POSITIVE NOW:ROMEN SENHassan SuroorRomen Sen, outgoing Indian HighCommissioner to the United Kingdom,has called for the British mediacoverage of India to reflect the “totality” ofthe country’s reality.Alluding to a recent channel 4 programme onthe human rights situation in Jammu andKashmir, Mr.Sen said he was not againstcriticism. In fact, some of the most robustcriticism had come from Indians themselves.“We are not a police state,” he said. He didnot believe in “knee-jerk” reactions. What wasnot on was “negative stereotyping.”However, Mr.Sen pointed out that in the pasttwo years that he had been here, he had notedan appreciable change in Btitish perceptionsof India. The media coverage of India had notonly increased, but was now becoming morepositive. “The process is gatheringmomentum.”Mr.Sen, who retired today (30/06/04), said thatIndo-British relations were at their best todayand the Indian potential in a whole range ofareas was being increasingly recognized. In thepast two years, there had been a quantumjumpboth in British investment in India and theIndian investment in Britain. “Indianinvestment in Britain now equals the BritishInvestment in India,” he said, pointing out thatBritish exports to India had gone up by 30 percent.SAMARTHA BHARATA197

‘SMART-SHORING’ ISTHE NEW BUZZWORDWith a nice round number like $3.6billion ringing in every one’s ears,the annual strategy summit of theInformation Technology-Enabled Servicesand Business Process Outsourcing (ITES-BPO) sector, organized by the NationalAssociation of Software and ServiceCompanies (Nasscom), got off to an upbeatstart here today (9-6-04). That’s the totalsize of India’s ITES-BPO exports in 2003-04 – up 46 per cent over the previous fiscal,and almost a third of all IT software andservices earnings abroad.But industry panelists warned that theperformance was still peanuts—whenstacked against the total global volume ofthe outsourcing business. $250 billion. Andhow long can India encash its edge: low costof human resources and the ability to speakEnglish? Dan Sandhu, Chief Executive of theIndia operation of U.K. outsourcing leader,Vertex, aired the Summit’s first newbuzzword: ‘smart shoring’ – a canny mix ofinshoring and offshoring was the smart wayto go, he suggested, for the developednations.And India was well poised to ‘pluck the lowhanging fruit’ to use the neat phrase of JamesHale, Managing Partner of the U.S.-basedventure capital company, FTV Management.Even that would be a good chunk of the250,000 jobs that are up for offshoring inthe West, he suggested. (The Hindu)SECTION - 5‘PROMOTION OFMEDICAL TOURISMWILL BOOST FOREIGNEXCHANGE EARNINGS’The Federation of HospitalAdministrators will approach theCentre for formation of a consortiumof health care providers to devise ways forpromoting ‘medical tourism’ and earnforeign exchange. In this context, FHArepresentatives have proposed to meet theUnion Ministers of Finance, Health andTourism in New Delhi to impress upon themthe need for such a consortium in makingIndia the ‘Paradise of health care’. The FHAis a body of administrators of varioushospitals in the country.Government must first form a committee tolook into the vast potential for gettingpatients from abroad.“The waiting time for surgeries in countriessuch as the U.S. and the U.K, and the costeffectivenature of Indian hospitals, alongwith the tourist potential, should be to ouradvantage.” The income from ‘medicaltourism’ could be more than the total healthbudget if the situation was capitalized to fullpotential. The Centre was called upon torecognize health sector as an infrastructureindustry to enable it get more concessions.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA198

SECTION - 5GOLDMAN SACHS SAYS INDIA ISBIGGER GROWTH STORY THAN CHINAThe global merchant banking firmGoldman Sachs today said India hasthe potential to raise growth ratesover the next five years from an average of6.1 percent to 8.1 percent; it can matchChina in the quality of its Infrastructure andeducation. Describing India as a potentiallya “bigger growth story than China over thelong run,” it says fundamental changes in theeconomy and its governance support thecountry’s ability to meet these projections.Releasing its latest report on India, GoldmanSachs says India’s service led growthstrategy is benefiting from domestic andglobal demand. Besides, globally competitivefirms are emerging fromthe country’s “historicallyprotected private sector”while broad based reformis fostering infrastructuredevelopment and greateropenness.The report considersinfrastructure andeducation to be twocrucial structuralconditions to keep Indiaon a steady growth path,giving the country’s tilltowards services sectoractivities. Making acomparison of the fourfast growing economies ofBrazil, Russia, India andSAMARTHA BHARATA199China (BRICs), it says of these four, Chinaand India are likely to become the world’sfirst and third largest economics respectivelyroughly 2040. “One highlight of our findingswas the remarkable and largelyunderappreciated growth potential forIndia,” it observes while remarking thatinvestors and corporations have focusedintensively on China.Noting that economic growth in China isslated to taper off from 8per cent annuallyduring 2000-05 to 2.9 per cent in 2050,Goldman Sachs projects that India willsustain an over 5.2 per cent growth over thesame period. At the same time, it warns thatIndia lags behind the otherBRIC economies in levelsof openness, basiceducation andinfrastructure. “If thecountry can strengthenthese conditions, Indiamay well realize itspotential as the sleepersuccess story of theBRICs,” it predicts.The report says India’sgross domestic productwas slated to grow by 6.1per cent during 2005-10,and then come down to5.9 per cent in 2010-15.(The Hindu)India produced 12,000,000 tonne of mangoes as against the total world production of23,455,000 tonne last year.

IT’S GOLD SHINING IN INDIASECTION - 5The saying goes that “all that glitters isnot gold.” But here in India, it sure isgold glittering. According to theWorld Gold Council, consumer demand forthe yellow metal has improved dramaticallyover the last year in India.Total consumer demand in the country forgold (jewellery and net retail investment)was up by 25 percent in tonnage terms andby 37 percent in rupee terms in the firstquarter of 2004, compared to the somewhatdepressed levels of a year earlier.Sanjeev Agarwal, managing director, WorldGold Council, Indian Subcontinent adds, “InIndia too, we have witnessed a surge inconsumer and investor confidence in goldwhich is reflected in the 21 percent growthin demand for gold jewellery and a whopping47 percent increase in investment in gold inthe form of bars and coins. In spite of theincrease in gold prices, the Indian consumerscontinue to be attracted towards goldjewellery, from an investment point of view,demand for gold bars and coins haveincreased because of its values of providingstability and security to the overallinvestments and has ensured that the shineis back in the Indian gold market.”“Though the trends are positively inclinedfor the future, other political and economicfactors will be crucial for the industry. Weexpect the new government to take somepositive steps to channelise part of theRs.5,000 crore of annual savings beinginvested in physical bars and coins to berouted through the banking sector in theform of a more efficient savings vehicle,”Sanjeev further stated.(The Hindu)INDIAN IMMIGRANTS LIVE LONG IN CALIFORNIAIndian immigrants have the highest life expectancy among California residents,exceeding the state average by almost six years, according to a recently-releasedstudy. The study, titled “The Demographics of Mortality in California’ andconducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), revealed thatimmigrants in general outlive the US born residents. Life expectancy forimmigrants in California was 81.5 years, compared to 77.4 years for US natives.Almost all of the Asian subgroups, except Laotians and Cambodians, have lifeexpectancies exceeding the state average according to the report, which wasbased on data from the 2000 US census and the California Department of HealthServices.The study concluded that among the 19 ethnic groups studied, which includedWhite, Black, Mexicans, Cubans, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamesegroups, Asian Indians had the highest life expectancy of 84.3 years. (P.T.I)The actual direct tax collections of the Centre during 2003-04 stood at Rs.1,04,678 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA200

NASSCOM PROJECTS SOFTWARESERVICES REVENUE AT $20 BSECTION - 5The Indian software and servicesindustry is projected to cross the $20billion mark in 2004-05, with exportsfrom this sector growing at 30-32 per centto reach revenues of over $16.3 billion,according to the National Association ofSoftware and Services Companies(Nasscom), a chamber of commerce of ITsoftware and services industry in India.Speaking to newspersons, the NasscomChairman, Jerry Rao, said, “Despite thechallenges of slow growth of IT spendingglobally, jobless recovery in major markets,and appreciation of the rupee, the Indiansoftware and services industry has been ableto maintain its growth momentum andconsolidate its partnership with overseascustomers, adding to their competitiveness”.An encouraging trend during the previousfiscal was the healthy growth of the ITservices sector, which has gone up from $7.1billion in 2002-03 to $8.9 billion in 2003-04, registering a growth of 25 percent. Theyear also witnessed increased maturity of theIndian ITES-BPO sector, which grew by 46percent, adding about 70,000 jobs.“The need of the hour for the industry is toalleviate service excellence which includesknowledge capital, information security andservice delivery to further strengthen India’sposition as leading software and servicesdestination,” added Mr.Rao. It helps that theindustry has expanded its radar to newservice lines such as package softwareimplementation, systems integration, andR&D engineering and network managementas new horizon for robust growth.The Nassocm President, Kiran Karnik,pointed out that the Indian IT industry isamong the top ten industries in India.The industry is witnessing a transition phaseand evolving in terms of delivery models,service offerings, industry composition andmarket reach.U.K. DEPARTMENTS WANT OUTSOURCING IN INDIA:REPORTApart from multi-national financial institutions, British government departmentsnow plan to outsource in India as part of their cost-cutting and efficiency drive.“Departments should seek to match the savings achieved by private-sector firmsthrough so-called off-shoring,” Sir Peter Gershon, former chief executive of theOffice of Government Commerce, recommended in his final confidential reportfor the Treasury last month. The Sunday Times reported today (16/05/04) —PTI.India is the second largest producer after China in fruits and vegetables with aproduction of about 146 million tonne.SAMARTHA BHARATA201

SECTION - 5MANUFACTURING SECTOR UPBEAT:SURVEYThe latest ASCON survey reports thatthe Indian manufacturing sector iscontinuing with its bullish trendthanks to strong fundamentals of thecountry’s economy and a pick-up in overalldemand in many sectors, which were earlierregistering moderate and negative growth.According to the survey, carried out by theAssociations Council of the Confederationof Indian Industry (CII), the manufacturingsector is upbeat and the trend, which startedlast year (2003), is expected to gain ground,leading to an increase in overall production,sales and exports. Out of the total of 129sectors reporting production, 26 sectorsrecorded an excellent growth rate of morethan 20 percent. Thirty-five sectors recordeda high growth rate of 10-20 percent, 49sectors registered moderate growth rate of0-10 per cent while 19 sectors reportednegative growth. The performance this year(2004) was far better compared to thecorresponding period last year.Similarly, out of the 62 sectors reportingsales as compared to 76 last year, 13 sectorsregistered excellent growth, 19 high growth,and 22 sectors reported moderate growthwhile 8 sectors recorded low or negativegrowth.During the corresponding period last year,7 sectors reported excellent sales growth,20 recorded high growth rate, and 43recorded moderate growth rate while 6sectors had registered negative growth. Castiron spun pipe, could rolled steel, and sugarmachinery recorded negative sales growth.Indian manufacturing is not only charting asuccess story in the domestic front, but isalso doing well globally, conquering manymarkets. The latest survey covers 47 sectorscompared to 57 last year, of which 21 sectorshave shown excellent growth compared to22 last year, witnessing more than 20 percent increase in exports.The figures for 11 sectors are in the highgrowth category, defined as an increase inexports between 10-20 per cent and 9 sectorsrecorded moderate growth, defined as 0-10per cent growth. In the low growth category,which is defined as an increase in exports ofless than 10 per cent, only 6 sectorsregistered a fall in exports. (The Hindu)There are 5 national parks, 12 wildlife and three bird sanctuaries in Assam.SAMARTHA BHARATA202

SECTION - 5SARAS: A SWADESHI SLAP ONTHE ALIENATED INDIANS.GurumurthySaras. Many would not have heard ofit. This is a civilian aircraft made byNational Aeronautics Limited, NALfor short. SARAS is a 14-seater aircrafts.An Indian make. The story of SARAS is veryinstructive. The Indian newspapers wouldnot tell the SARAS story. So hear what ShriSrinivas Bhogle, a scientist who was in theNAL team to build the SARAS, has to sayabout SARAS.SARAS is very economical in design, afraction of the cost the West incurs fordeveloping a new design. The SARAS workstarted over 15 years ago. But until 1998 nogovernment would look at it. Dr.MuraliManohar Joshi as the Minister of Science andTechnology fought and got for the projectRs.135 crore.The NAL team began its work really only inSeptember 1999. But, by then, NAL wasalready under US technology sanctions as itwas supporting the government’s missileprogramme. Shri Srinivas says all itspurchases were blocked, it couldn’t evensmuggle stuff in by subterfuge. But NALworked and struggled resolutely.The SARAS programme became thatwonderful binding force betweenaerodynamics, structures, materials, flightmechanics, propulsion, composites andcontrols. He says “a third of NAL’semployees worked voluntarily everySaturday with a compensation package ofonly rava idlis and bisi bele bath. This wenton for five years.” The chief designer’s tabletintake crossed 20 a day, says Shri Srinivas.Yes, 20 tablets a day. The speed trialscommenced in March 2004. SARAS reacheda speed of 90 knots, that is 198 km per hour.It would need 105 knots for its nose to liftand take off. At this stage, suddenly, the AirChief of Staff announced that SARAS wouldfly on May 28. Everyone was shocked. Thefirst flight is generally a hush-hush one.Every one was nervous. With monsoonadvancing, the weather was bad. The stagewas finally set for a take-off on May-29,instead of May 28.On May 28, Shri Srinivas walked into thePilot’s final briefing. Sqn Ldr Venugopal laidout the plan, discussed every contingency,including the failure of the missiontechnically known ‘a/c becomes u/s’,(meaning aircraft becomes unserviceable)and Shri Venugopal dying! On May 29, atthe airport there was palpable tension.Venugopal and his copilot Shri R.S.Makkar,a Sardar, got into the aircraft. The weatherwas windy, so risky.Two ‘chase’ aircrafts took off first. ThenSARAS began taxiing. At 8.10 am its enginesbegan roaring as it started to gather speed.Its nose lifted, everyone clapped. Said aproud Srinivas. “As SARAS climbed higherand higher our clapping attained a newcrescendo; this was the sound of a new,proud and shining India. We built our planeand, look, we’re bloody flying it.”SAMARTHA BHARATA203

At 8.45 am SARAS touched down, aTricolour appeared from nowhere.Venugopal came out and saluted his bosswho hugged him. He said they had ‘a greatflying machine’. Everyone was euphoric,shouting, cheering, and hugging, saysSrinivas. Shri Venugopal’s wife brought theirtwo-year-old child to Venu. Srinivas said,“SARAS is not going to separate the childfrom Venu any more.” Indeed, a movingtribute.But how did the Indian elite respond toSARAS. Says Srinivas, many people rundown such Indian efforts by saying rathercruel things like; “It is assembled” or theRussians built such a plane 25 years ago, theBrazilians did it 10 years ago. He calls themdumb statements. He says they do not knowhow technology evolves. It is assimilatedincrementally.He says “start with US LRUs (linereplacement units) today. Convert to IndiaLRUs tomorrow.” Future wars, Srinivassays, will not be for fair maidens, or a pieceof land, but for technology, technologicalstrength.SECTION - 5SARRAS made the NAL people to worktogether. Srinivas says the team also‘endured snide remarks’ from the media. TheSARAS success was small news for mostnewspapers. Not a word about how the NALstruggled. Not a word about how itovercame the US tech sanctions. Not a wordabout how Brazil is selling these planes anexecutive jets at $21 million a piece.Only snide remarks. The Indica and Indigocars of Tatas put us among the auto-makersof the world. The cryogenic engine devisedby ISRO puts us among the space powersof the world. Likewise, the SARAS put usamong the aircraft makers of the world. It issignificant for India. But not a word in themedia as to what is means for India.Imagine the scenario if the SARAS test-flighthad failed and Venugopal had died! Themedia would have gone to town as to whywe should be reinventing the wheel: whenaircraft are available on the shelf why makethem. Yes they will be on the lookout onlyfor the failures of India. SARAS is indeed asound slap, Swadeshi slap, on the elite, thealienated Indians.(The New Indian Express)REVERSE COLONIALISMK.G.KumarGuess which erstwhile Commonwealth country has the distinction of being the eighthlargest investor in the UK? Why, apna Bharat, of course, the last post of British Raj.According to latest figures published by the UK Trade and Investment agency, the UKattracted 811 investment and expansion projects by overseas companies, creating morethan 25,000 jobs. India has 28 projects in the UK creating 646 jobs, ahead of China,which has 23 projects, creating 324 jobs.And among the sectors topping the list of investments are the good old ones—software(with 76 projects), Internet and e-commerce (73) and electronics (68), followed bypharmaceuticals and biotechnology (58). (The New Indian Express)An estimated 4.5 lakh used cars were sold in our country last year as against 8,44,000 new ones.SAMARTHA BHARATA204

BIOTECHNOLOGY:INDIA EMERGING ASA PARTNER OFCHOICEK.T.JagannathanIndia is among the five emerging biotechleaders in the Asia-Pacific region,according to the regional edition of theGlobal Biotech Report titled “On TheThreshold” released by Ernst and Young, awell-known professional services company.The report has selected India asone of the five emerging biotechleaders in Asia Pacific. The othersand Singapore, Taiwan, Japan,Korea and Mainland China. Indiais currently ranked third in theregion based on the number ofbiotech companies (96), trailingbehind Australia (228) and China,including Hong Kong, (136).The report said that the events of the pastyear “clearly indicate that Indian biotechcompanies are getting their fundamentalsfirmly in place. Business models are maturingand product commercialization capabilitiesare improving.” While noting several policychanges and fresh sources of capital, thereport pointed out that “India’s position asa biotech player in Asia-Pacific is assuminggreater eminence as it continues to buildcritical mass in terms of skills andcapabilities”.SECTION - 5technology as the engine of economicdevelopment in the 21 st century.” In thiscontext, it pointed to the success of BioconIndia’s public offering.With its abundant high quality, low costtechnical manpower, India was emerging asa partner of choice. Though intellectualproperty protection in the country continuedto be a bugbear, several Indian companieshad managed to cross IPR hurdles to workwith international partners throughconfidentiality and non-disclosureagreements, the report said.Partnering, it said, was equally an imperativefor Indian companies as theywere increasingly pursuing aresource-intensive, productdrivenmodel for sustainablegrowth in the wake of the newIPR regime. Indian biotechcompanies had initially emulatedthe information technologysector’s service based model toearn early revenues, “India’smajor biopharmaceutical companies are nowaccelerating efforts to get bio-equivalentversions of patented, well-characterizedrecombinant proteins onto the market beforethe window closes in 2005. The small biotechcompanies are focusing on innovativeresearch, and are picking niches where thereis little competition,” the report said.(The Hindu)The report said “the biotechnology has nowthe potential to replace informationIt is estimated that there are about 180 million households in India, of which a littleover 10 million have invested in mutual funds.SAMARTHA BHARATA205

SECTION - 5PRIVATE REMITTANCES TO THE FOREPrivate remittances fromnon-resident Indianshave touched recordlevels recently. In 2003 inflowsunder private transfers(forming part of the largercategory of “Invisibles” in thecurrent account) aggregated to$18 billion, 30 per cent higherthan the previous year’s figure.To understand its truesignificance, a comparison withthe software sector, India’smost promising exchangeearner among the services, will help. Thelatest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) figuresshow that during the last financial yearearnings from software were $8.63 billion.Private remittances during the same periodwere over $14.8 billion. In percentage termssoftware earnings were 20.37 per cent of thetotal inflow under “Invisibles” while privateremittances accounted for 34.14 per cent.Of course India’s emergence as a softwaremajor has already caused a surge inremittances into the country. It holdsimmense potential as more and morecomputer professionals move abroad topursue their vacation. Even during the 1990sas the RBI study shows, Indian softwareexports demonstrated a significantcomparative advantage over the moretraditional service exports such astransportation and travel services. That inturn is a reflection of the higher skills ofIndian workers going abroad with its obviousimplications for enhanced remittances flowinto the country.SAMARTHA BHARATA206In fact, there has been agrowing recognition of theimportance of workers’remittances not only in Indiabut also in many otherdeveloping countries.Remittances have financedthe entire merchandise tradedeficit for India last year andkept current account deficitsin check in many previousyears. An RBI study pointsout that Bangladesh,Pakistan and Sri Lanka have benefitedsimilarly from workers’ remittances. Thereis a strong case for a more comprehensivepolicy framework to aid the current accountflows besides enhancing their effectiveness.A dynamic policy should take account of theshift in the sources of remittances cominginto India. With the oil boom in West Asiasubsiding the contribution of the region toproviding opportunities for unskilled andsemi-skilled labour has come downsignificantly between 1997-98 and 2002-03.However, higher inflows to India from theUnited States and Europe have offset theloss. Also, the motivation for expatriatessending money to India ought to be betteranalysed. While even in the recent past, nonresidentIndians looked to the higher returnsthe country was offering (through bankdeposits and special schemes such as theResurgent India Bonds), the motivationsseem more complex today. Faced with a hugeaccumulation of external reserves, theGovernment has been scaling down the levelIndia consumed 6,798 million tonne oil products in April 2003.

of incentives to non-resident Indians. Lastweek the interest rates on non-resident bankdeposits in India were aligned with yieldsoffered elsewhere. Yet if past cuts are anindication, there will be no significantreduction in the fund flows. Unlike privatecapital flows, private remittances do notseem to be unduly influenced by interest ratedifferentials.Stability of remittances in relation to capitalflows and other current receipts is a greatvirtue, especially in a context where a surgein remittance during the last three decadesof the twentieth century made India thehighest remittance receiving country in theworld. Accounting for almost three per centof the country’s GDP, expatriate workers’remittances have provided splendid supportto the balance of payments. India’sdemonstrated ability to attract and retainremittances has, on the face of it, more thanmade up for its relative lack of success inwooing other forms of inflows, especiallythrough foreign direct investment. Yet itwould be prudent to emphasize that eachtype of inflow has its distinctivecharacteristics and role in the big picture.(An Editorial in the Hindu)SECTION - 5‘DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUESMAKE OUTSOURCINGINEVITABLE’N.VenugopalSurprising as it may seem, but two expertswho have been into hi-tech contractresearch and development outsourcingfor considerable time feel that outsourcing willbe driven more by demographic reasons thanon cost advantage. Mukesh Gandhi and DaveZischke, former professors at Michigan StateUniversity, who left the academic field tolaunch Quantech Global Services, a 14-yearold automotive design, analysis andengineering services company, point out thatcost might be an important factor right nowbut ten years down the line, it would be puredemographic reasons for the US to depend onoffshoring.In an informal chat with the pressmen,concerning several professional and businessissues, Gandhi said, “for some time now it hasbeen cost that drove outsourcing. But in thelong run it won’t be cost. There are other issueslike quality and talent pool. A related, but mostimportant issue is a broad demographic one.The US society doesn’t have enough young,employable people. It’s becoming a society ofold people. In ten years they are going to havea shortage of 1.5 million professionals.Japanese society is also like that. In thatscenario, outsourcing will be inevitable.”(The New Indian Express)Rs.4,901.84 crore was the value of marine products exports from India between April2003 and January 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA207

CONGNIZANT TO RECRUIT IN THE USAND TRAIN IN INDIASECTION - 5IT major Cognizant Technology Solutionshas embarked on a new initiative ofrecruiting management graduates fromIvy League B-Schools in the US such asStanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon andColumbia and bringing them to India for sixmonths to a year for training and orientation.According to Cognizant president &CEOLakshmi Narayanan, “15 managementgraduates would be hired from the topschools in the United States. Theseprofessionals would be then deployed incustomer-centric and consulting roles suchas relationship managers and accountmanagers.” He further added that by takingthis kind of approach, the company wouldbe able to offer greater value to itscustomers.The training in India would cover thedifferent aspects of the onsite-offshore modelincluding Cognizant’s pioneering 4 thGeneration offshore model, he said. Processand quality management, programmemanagement, strategy and consulting,domain-specific solutions, financial modelingetc. would be some of the focus areas forthis training.Speaking at a conference call afterannouncing the company’s earnings.Lakshmi Narayanan said, “Cognizant hasbeen the most active among the leading ITservices players in India in recruiting frompremier B-Schools in India. Cognizantrecruits only from the top seven B-Schoolsin India”.TAX COLLECTIONS CROSS TARGET AFTER NINE YEARSBuoyant revenue collections for the last fiscal, 2003-04, will provide a goodcushion for the next Government when it finally presents the budget for thisyear. Tax inflows have risen by 18 percent, according to provisional data, ensuringthat the budget target has been crossed for the first time after nine years. Thishas also pushed up to the tax-GDP ratio to over 9 per cent after five years.Disclosing this here today, (April 20, 2004) the Finance Secretary, said directtax collections rose by a steep 27 per cent while indirect taxes increased by 12.3per cent.The total revenue collections are estimated at Rs.252,162 crores as against thebudget estimates of Rs.249,315 crores. Direct tax revenues crossed the one lakhcrore marks for the first time touch Rs.104,678 crores while indirect taxes areestimated at Rs.147,484 crores in 2003-04.(The Hindu)85.34 lakh tonne of groundnut would be produced by India during the currentseason (2003-2004).SAMARTHA BHARATA208

INDIAN LEATHER - COVERINGNEW FRONTIERSSECTION - 5Indian leather industry is marching aheadby being in tune with customerpreferences and exploring new exportmarkets. If the industry is able to keep pacewith the requirements of the global marketand caters to an expanding domestic market,it is largely due to the efforts of 2.5 millionpeople directly employed by it.Employment generation and foreignexchange earning capability are aspects thatmake the Indian leather industry a significantcontributor to the economy.Riding piggyback on the abundance oflivestock, the industry has almostconsistently been improving its performance.India’s export of leather and leather productsin 2000-01 touched an all time high of$1963.55 million, which was nearly 23percent more over the previous years’$1604.35 million.Tamil Nadu has a dominant presence inleather and leather-based industries,accounting for around 70 percent of the totalinstalled tanning capacity of about 225million pieces of hide and skins a year. Thestate accounts for over 45 percent of thecountry’s export of leather and leatherrelatedproducts such as shoe uppers, shoes,garments, and so on. The good news for theindustry is the signs of loosening of theChinese grip on the market.Indian leather footwear makers are upbeatabout the future because Europeans arelooking to source from smaller Indiancompanies after the Chinese industry hadproved too inflexible in handling smallorders. Added to this, the improvement inthe quality of Indian footwear has helped thecountry emerge as an alternative to China.Footwear is the most promising segment.Leather footwear exports are expected togrow to $2.5 billion by 2010, a four-foldincrease over the current level.“India”, “will emerge as a leader in themanufacture of finished leather goods.Already, the country ranks high amongstnations that convert hides and skins intofinished leather goods. The significance ofthe industry has not missed the attention ofthe Centre and modernization of the leathersector is high on our priorities. There aremany exciting packages under considerationfor the leather sector.”OUR STRENGTHS• Employs 2.5 million persons.• A large part (nearly 60-65 percent) of theproduction is in the small/cottage sector.• Annual export value poised to touchabout US$2 billion.• Among top 8 export earners for India.• Endowed with 10 percent of the worldraw material, export constitutes about 2percent of the world trade.• Has enormous potential for futuregrowth.• Very high value addition with the country.US is India’s second largest shrimp buyer after Japan accounting for purchases of $1 billion.SAMARTHA BHARATA209

ENGINE OF GROWTHSECTION - 5The auto industry is one of the keysectors of the Indian economy. Theindustry comprises of automobile andthe auto component sectors andencompasses commercial vehicles, multiutilityvehicles, passenger cars, twowheelers,three-wheelers, tractors andrelated auto components. The industry hasbeen growing since the opening up of thesector to foreign direct investment (FDI) in1993. It has deep forward and backwardlinkages with the rest of the economy, andhence, has a strong multiplier effect.This results in the auto industry being thedriver of economic growth and India is keento use it as a lever of accelerated growth inthe country.The component industry is undergoingvertical integration resulting in theemergence of systems and assembly suppliersrather than individual components suppliers.Thus, while most component suppliers areintegrating into tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers,larger manufacturers and multinationalcorporations (MNCs) are being transformedinto tier 1 companies.The auto component industry in the countryhas made rapid strides.The number of key players is estimated at416 as on 2002-2003, employing around250,000 people. Turnover has almostdoubled in the last five-year period from $1.9billion in 1995-96 to $5.1 billion in 2002-03. The auto component industry in India isnow equipped with significant advancementin its technological capabilities, due to itsalignment with major vehicle manufacturersin the country and abroad. Therefore it hashigh export potential. Since the late 1990s,exports of auto-components have grown bya CAGR of about 20 percent. Currently, theshare of exports out of the total productionof auto-components is 10 percent. Duringthe last 5 years, the exports of autocomponents increased from $215 million in1996-97 to $800 million in 2002-03, whichis more than 15 percent of the total output.(The New Indian Express)EXPORTS: NEED FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONThat Indian products and services are able to meet the most demandinginternational standards of quality and price has been rising notwithstandingcompetition. In fact, the 12 percent growth target set by the Government inthe last two years has proved too modest. In fiscal 2002-03, exports grewby 20 per cent while last year the growth was 17 per cent, despite a continuousappreciation of the rupee against the U.S.dollar.Handicraft exports of our country between April 2003 and February 2004was Rs.8,832.11 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA210

SURVEY FORESEES HIGHERGROWTH IN CORE SECTORSSECTION - 5Asurvey of core sector industriesundertaken by the Federation ofIndian Chambers of Commerce andIndustry (FICCI) foresees a higher growthfor these vital sectors in the first two quartersof 2004-05.It also pinpoints the basic issues andproblems being faced by individual sectors.These have been compiled on the basis ofthe feedback received during interaction witha number of companies and industryassociations.If confirms that the core sectors can attainprojected growth rates and can even reachhigher growth figures beyond projectionprovided some of the basic problemspertaining to each sector are resolved.Though the task of calculating the impactof the current issues pertaining to theindividual sectors on their total individualproduction and the respective gain in termsof addition to capacity is difficult in view somany criteria involved, the survey underlinesthe need for redress of some basic commonissues and some sectoral issues affecting thecurrent pace of growth.Some of the issues relate to inverted dutystructure, anomalous import tariff, risingprices of basic raw materials with inadequateavailability. The survey focuses on slow paceof implementation or non-implementation ofsectoral packages for a number of items andthe need for improving the financial healthof the State Electricity Boards besidesmeasures aimed at increased investment,higher allocation and improvinginfrastructural facilities.The survey highlights the need for pro-activegovernment action to help industry achievelower cost, improved quality and betterperformance in the competitive environment.It also lists the specific issues of concern tothe individual sectors.‘INDIA BECOMING GLOBAL PLAYER IN HEALTHCARE’India’s success in healthcare has just begun and the day is not far off when itwill go to the rescue of the West, the chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group,Pratap C.Reddy, said.He was delivering an address through a ‘tele-medicine’ facility from Chennai,at an annual symposium on ‘accident and emergency’, organized by the ApolloSpeciality Hospitals. Other nations had started realizing the potential of Indiaas a healthcare expert. However, a little augmentation was required in thecountry to build more facilities before acquiring the full-scale global status.SAMARTHA BHARATA211

WHY AGARBATHIINDUSTRY GETSINCENSEDMaheswara ReddyAgarbathis. This is one industry ofwhich the erstwhile Maharaja ofMysore was a great patron. Littlewonder, Karnataka’s name and fame fannedacross the seven seas through the fragranceof the incense sticks.Agarbathi industry provides employment tolakhs of people across the country. It is agreat help for small farmers to generateadditional income during the lean period.Women rolling agarbathi sticks to eke outtheir livelihood is a common feature in mostof metropolitan slums.Simple efforts and minimum investmentrequirements to start an agarbathi unit haveSECTION - 5attracted lakhs of people to venture into thisindustry. Though 600 manufacturers ofagarbathis have registered with All IndiaAgarbathi Manufactures Association,thousands of agarbathi manufactures areform the unorganized sector. A few yearsago even some of big companies likeHindustan Lever Ltd, Reckit & Colman,Nirma, etc. marketed agarbathis on differentbrands in attractive packs and utilized theirdistribution network but in vain.With Gaya and its surrounding districtswhere 20,000 tonne of unperfumedagarbathis were made per year, Karnatakahas lost its share in agarbathi manufacturingvolume-wise but has remained as the sourceof premium agarbathis.Agarbathi industry has Rs.1,000 crorepotential in the country with Rs.200 croreworth of agarbathis being exported”,INDIAN FIRMS’REVENUE UP 29 P.C.While India-based IT servicevendors represented a smallsegment of the worldwidemarket, with 1.4 per cent of total revenues,collectively their revenues increased 29 percent in 2003 compared with only 4 per centgrowth among U.S. based vendors,according to preliminary results released byGartner Inc. Further, the report says thatIndia-based vendors depended almostentirely on exports with 92 per cent of theirrevenues coming from customers outsideIndia and only 8 per cent within India.The average IT spending by a large enterprise in India during 2003-04 stood at Rs.12 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA212

NICHOLAS UNCORKSTHE POWER OF‘SINGLE HERBS’SECTION - 5Thanuja BMThe Rs.3,000 crore Indian herbal drugmarket has recently seen the entry ofanother big pharma players NicholasPiramal India Ltd (NPIL). But unlike theusual “recipe polyherbals” sold in the market,the company says it would be focusing on“single herbs.”“We plan to sell herbal drugs which have anayurvedic origin-these will usually be singleherbs, biostandardised and fingerprintedrather than the recipepolyherbals sold in themarket. We would also look at exportingthese drugs,” says Swati Piramal, director(strategic alliance and communication),NPIL.The company is currently working onvarious ayurvedic formulations like bulkproducing laxative with peristalsis stimulantaction, custom designed cough syrups, antirheumatics(oral and topical dosage forms),hepato-tropics, herbo-mineral antacidsuspension and capsules, hypoglycemic oralformula, anti-obesity, stretch care formulafor women and anti wrinkle formula for skin.NPIL is also developing a botanical activebased Nutra and cosmoceutical range formanagement of hypercholesterolemia,menopausal osteoporosis, PMS, diabetesand BPH.MEDICALTRANSCRIPTIONINDUSTRY STAGINGA COMEBACKP.Vikram ReddyJust when everyone thought medicaltranscription was down and out, it isstaging a recovery and is all set to growexponentially in India. C bay Systems,incorporated in the U.S as early as 1998, inthe thick of the last round of IT euphoria,has emerged as the fourth largest medicaltranscription company in the U.S and hasstarted implementing its gigantic expansionplans based on its model of 95 percentoutsourcing from India. And it seems quiteunfazed by the ongoing BPO controversy inthe U.S.With 33 franchisers and five of its owncentres in India, C bay now employees about1,200 people (which it has trained) andrecorded revenues of $33 million and a 70per cent growth rate. Its expansion plans area mind-boggling 10,000 people working togenerate revenues of about $100 million by2005. (The Hindu)India exported engineering goods worth $10 billion in 2002-03.SAMARTHA BHARATA213

VOTING SPECIALConsider these facts: 670 millionregistered voters. Around 7,25,000electronic voters machines (EVMs).Over 4,000 candidates and 700 partiescompeting for 543 parliament seats andplaces in four state assemblies. And threeweeks of voting.Mind-boggling? “The world’s largestdemocracy doesn’t do anything small.” Thegeneral election makes India, already theworld’s largest democracy, also the world’slargest user of computerized votingmachines. Other countries, including Brazilthe United States and the Netherlands, alsouse electronic voting machines, but in smallernumbers.EVMs manufactured in 1989-90 were firstexperimented with in 16 AssemblySECTION - 5Constituencies in the States of MadhyaPradesh, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi at theGeneral Elections to the respectiveLegislative Assemblies in November 1998.And the EVMs seem to have come of age,unlike in some other more developednations. Last month, Associated Pressreported how frozen screens andmalfunctioning computers plagued someSuper Tuesday voters who tried to castelectronic ballots. In California’s San DiegoCountry, touch screens failed to respond,causing delays of up to two hours and forcingsome voters to other polling stations—wherethey cast their ballots the old-fashionedway—on paper.Now that’s something India will save. Oneestimate says over 8,000 tonnes of paper,made from approximately 16 million treeswere used to print ballots for past generalelections. (The New Indian Express)GOING BANANASAnd while you wait in the queue tocast your vote, snack away at abanana or a mango. You’ll be inworld-class company. India has become theworld’s largest producer of mangoes andbananas, having produced 12 million tonesof mangoes in 2002-03, as against theworld’s total production of 23.5 milliontones. This is according to S.Dave, directorof Agricultural and Processed Food ProductsExport Development Authority.Making a presentation to leading Britishimporters at the India House, Dave said thecountry also topped in the production ofbananas with 10.2 million tones, comparedto the world production of 58.6 milliontones. India ranks 13 th in production ofgrapes and the country is implementingmeasures to ensure that pesticide residuallimits in grapes meet prescribed standards,following an alert issued by the EuropeanCommunity last year.Only Brazil produces more fruits than India.And in vegetables, India grows morecauliflower than any other country. SomeIndian fruit with your aloo-gobi, sir?(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA214

WHY INDIAN SCIENCE SCORESShashi TharoorSECTION - 5Working, as I have been for the lastcouple of years, on a shortbiography of Jawaharlal Nehru, Ibecame conscious of the extent to which wehave taken for granted one vital legacy ofhis: the creation of an infrastructure forexcellence in science and technology, whichhas become a source of great self-confidenceand competitive advantage for the countrytoday. Nehru was always fascinated byscience and scientists. He made it a point toattend the annual Indian Science Congressevery year, and he gave free rein (andtaxpayers’ money) to scientists in whom hehad confidence to build high-qualityinstitutions. Men like Homi Bhabha andVikram Sarabhai constructed the platformfor Indian accomplishments in the fields andatomic energy and space research; they andtheir successors have given the country ascientific establishment without peer in thedeveloping world. Jawaharlal’sestablishment of the Indian Institutes ofTechnology (and the spur they provided toother lesser institutions) have producedmany of the finest minds in America’s SiliconValley. Today, an IIT degree is held in thesame reverence in the U.S as one from MITor Caltech, and India’s extraordinaryleadership in the software industry is thedirect result of Jawaharlal Nehru’s faith inscientific education. Nehru left India with theworld’s second-largest pool of trainedscientists and engineers, integrated into theglobal intellectual system, to a degreewithout parallel outside the developed West.And yet the roots of Indian science andtechnology go far deeper than Nehru. I wasreminded of this yet again by a remarkablenew book, Lost Discoveries, by theAmerican writer Dick Teresi. Teresi’s bookstudies the ancient non-Western foundationsof modern science, and while he ranges fromthe Babylonians and Mayans to Egyptiansand other Africans, it is his references toIndia that caught my eye. And howastonishing those are! The Rig Veda assertedthat gravitation held the universe together24 centuries before the apple fell onNewton’s head. The Vedic civilizationsubscribed to the idea of a spherical earth ata time when everyone else, even the Greeks,assumed the earth was flat. By the FifthCentury A.D. Indians had calculated that theage of the earth was 4.3 billion years; as the19 th Century, English scientists believed theearth was a hundred million years old, and itis only in the late 20 th Century that Westernscientists have come to estimate the earthto be about 4.6 billion years old.If I were to focus on just one field in thiscolumn, it would be that of mathematics.India invented modern numerals (known tothe world as “Arabic” numerals because theWest got them from the Arabs, who learnedthem from us!). It was an Indian who firstconceived of the Zero, Shunya; the conceptof nothingness, Shunyata, integral to Hinduand Buddhist thinking, simply did not existin the West. (“In the history of culture,”wrote Tobias Dantzig in 1930, “the inventionof zero will always stand out as one of thegreatest single achievements of the humanSAMARTHA BHARATA215

ace.”) The concept of infinite sets of rationalnumbers, was understood by Jain thinkersin the Sixth Century B.C. Our forefatherscan take credit for geometry, trigonometry,and calculus; the “Bakshali manuscript”, 70leaves of bark dating back to the earlycenturies of the Christian era, revealsfractions, simultaneous equations, quadraticequations, geometric progressions and evencalculations of profit and loss, with interest.Indian mathematicians invented negativenumbers: the British mathematician LancelotHogben, grudgingly acknowledging this,suggested ungraciously that “perhapsbecause the Hindus were indebt more oftenthan not, it occurred to them that it wouldalso be useful to have a number whichrepresent the amount of money one owes”.(That theory would no doubt also explainwhy Indians were the first to understand howto add, multiply and subtract from zero—because zero was all, in Western eyes, weever had.)The Sulba Sustras, composed between 800and 500 B.C., demonstrate that India andPythagoras’ theorem before the great Greekwas born, and a way of getting the squareroot of 2 correct to five decimal places.(Vedic Indians solved square roots in orderto build sacrificial altars of the proper size.)The Kerala mathematician Nilakantha wrotesophisticated explanations of the irrationalityof “pi” before the West had heard of theconcept. The Vedanga Jyotisha, writtenaround 500 B.C., declares: “Like the crestof a peacock, like the gem on the head of asnake, so is mathematics at the head of allknowledge.” Our mathematicians were poetstoo! But one could go back even earlier, tothe Harappan civilization, for evidence of aSECTION - 5highly sophisticated system of weights andmeasures in use around 3000 B.C.Archaeologists also found a “ruler” madewith lines drawn precisely 6.7 millimetersapart with an astonishing level of accuracy.The “Indus inch” was a measure in consistentuse throughout the area. The Harappans alsoinvented kiln-fired bricks, less permeable torain and floodwater than the mud bricks usedby other civilizations of the time. The brickscontained no straw or other binding materialand so turned out to be usable 5,000 yearslater when a British contractor dug them upto construct a railway line between Multanand Lahore. And while they were made in15 different sizes, the Harappan bricks wereamazingly consistent: their length, width andthickness were invariably in the ratio of4:2:1.“Indian mathematical innovations,” writesTeresi, “had a profound effect onneighbouring cultures.” The greatest impactwas on Islamic culture, which borrowedheavily from Indian numerals, trigonometryand analemma. Indian numbers probablyarrived in the Arab world in 773 A.D. withthe diplomatic mission sent by the Hinduruler of Sind to the court of the Caliph al-Mansur. This gave rise to the famousarithmetical text of al-Khwarizmi, writtenaround 820 A.D, which contains a detailedexposition of Indian mathematics, inparticular the usefulness of the zero. WithIslamic civilisation’s rise and spread,knowledge of Indian mathematics reachedas far an field as Central Asia, North Africaand Spain. “In serving as a conduit forincoming ideas and a catalyst for influencingothers,” Teresi adds, “India played a pivotalrole.” Research is a rich lode.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA216

‘A MAGNET OFSERVICES’India, one of the fastest growingeconomics in the world, has become ‘amagnet of services,’ according to the2004 World Competitiveness Yearbookreleased by the Swiss business school, IMD,today (4.5.04).India is placed at 34 in the annual rankingsof national business and economic efficiencywith the 2004 report putting it among thefastest rising areas along with China’sZhejiang region, ranked 19 th . Indiahas become a ‘magnet of services’ bynot only by attracting outsourcedadministrative services, but also bydeveloping the competitiveness of itssoftware, entertainment and financialservices, IMD said.It estimated that two million jobs infinancial services would be relocatedto India from industrialized countries withinthe next four years.India has shot up the rankings by 19 placesby tapping into offshore investment fromtraditional western economic pillars seekinglower costs.That competitiveness is partly fuelled bywestern money, with Asia attracting 60percent of U.S. private sector investment indeveloping countries, the report indicated.“For every dollar invested in the U.S., $4are invested by American enterprisesabroad.” Said the report’s editor, IMDeconomist, Stephanie Garelli. –AFP.SECTION - 5G-8 CONSIDERINGINVITING INDIA,CHINALeaders from the Group of Eightindustrialized nations are consideringinviting China and India into theirelite club, Italian Prime Minister, SilvioBerlusconi, said on 10-6-04.“It doesn’t make much sense for us to talkabout the economy of the future without twocountries that are protagonists on the worldstage,” Mr. Berlusconitold reporters after a firstmorning of talks at theannual G-8 summit ofworld powers.The G-8 comprises theUnited States, Japan,Germany, France,Britain, Italy, Canadaand Russia.Mr. Berlusconi said the leaders discussed thestrength of the Chinese economy and the factthat it was not constrained by the sort oflabour laws that exist in the West.“But we said that we shouldn’t be afraid ofChina because it is a huge consumer marketand the ideas was put forward to call Chinaand India to join the G-8, making it the G-9or G-10,” Mr. Berlusconi said.He did not say if any decision had beentaken.—Reuters.India is set to attract about $1 billion fresh foreign investment this year.SAMARTHA BHARATA217

SECTION - 5‘INDIA THE FIRST COUNTRY TO CONSIDERWHEN SENDING WORK ABROAD’Pragya SinghDebates on the backlash againstoutsourcing are hotter than ever,but a new book what’s this IndiaBusiness argues that India is an asset to theglobal economy, an ideal offshore destinationand a completely livable businessenvironment. Its author, Paul Davies, exmanagingdirector of Unisys, explains hisperspective on outsourcing and India in aninterview.Q. What’s this India Business gives theimpression you are absolutely sold on theidea of off shoring, and India. Do many inthe west agree with you?A. I am convinced the value proposition ofoff shoring is so significant that everyWestern company has to make a decisionabout it. It may be perfectly right for someenterprises not to go offshore-but it has tobe a decision taken in the light of all theinformation. India, for almost all areas ofITES and BPO, is the right place – andcertainly the first country to consider.Q. Did you have a particular target audiencein mind when writing?A. My initial target audience was westernbusiness people who had either never beento India, or who hadn’t come to grips withthe ways of doing business here. It was aimedat the Chief Executive, Chief Financial, ChiefOperating the Chief Information Officers-theso-called CXO market-but it was broadenedso that project directors and managers,strategic development managers, and evenHuman Resources or Procurement, couldfind real advantage from it.My second audience was Indian businesspeople. By exploring how Indian companiespresent themselves and showing westernresponses, I was addressing an importantarea for the success of India Inc.Q. A section is dedicated to Indian cultureand people. How important are these aspectsfor business today?A. In most business discussions with westerncompanies and CXOs, these aspects of Indiaare rarely mentioned. Yet when I broach thesubject of the charm and allure of India,there’s always a real enthusiasm for goingto India to understand more. Americans aremore circumspect as a group. But even there,‘there is an understanding of the intellectualheritage of India and an appreciation thatIndia has more to offer because it is not aclone of western business.Q. You argue that off shoring could freeproductive workforce to do what couldn’tbe done before. Are firms following thismodel today?A. A subsidiary of Unisys is looking at thisbutmuch of this is commercially sensitive.This is a complex subject-and hasopportunities both in India and the west. TheWorld Bank has already suggested areaswhere this applies.SAMARTHA BHARATA218

SECTION - 5‘PROMOTE INDIA AS I.T. RESEARCH HUB’Industry should work toestablish the country asa global hub of research anddevelopment in informationtechnology, S.Ramakrishnan,executive director, Centre forDevelopment of AdvancedComputing, Ministry ofCommunications andInformation Technology, saidon Monday (17-05-04) atCoimbatore.Skilled workers, engineers and otherprofessionals had been goingabroad for over three decades, buta ‘reverse migration’ began now.Indian business, industry,academia and the Governmenthave joined hands to usetelecommunications and theInternet to break into the globalmarket. The Department ofElectronics had establishedsoftware technology parks as“one-stop shops” to offer efficient serviceand globally competitivetelecommunicationinfrastructure, he said.Indian companies had expandedtheir services andmultinationals had invested indevelopment centres.“Much ahead of, and even morethan our cricket team, Indian ITbecame a brand ambassador for the nation,wherever one traveled.”To find the best way of succeeding inresearch and development, a globalresearch agency compared India withIsrael, Taiwan, China and Ireland. Itfound that there was ‘tremendouspromise” for India in informationtechnology, telecommunications andelectronics.Some of the specific areas the studyidentified were computer graphics,multimedia, encryption, networksecurity, software engineering, mobilecommunication services, wireless sensors,semiconductors and photonics technology.By 2010, the opportunities for the outsourcingmarkets in research and technology were $9.1billion for information technology, $4.1 billionfor telecom and $2.7 billion for electronics.This would create a large number of jobs.India produced 1,200,000 tonne of grapes during 2002-03 while global production was57,397,000 tonne.SAMARTHA BHARATA219

MALDA MANGOESFOR LONDONSECTION - 5Marcus DamFor the first time ever, a West BengalGovernment agency—the FoodProcessing and HorticultureDevelopment Corporation—is exportingmangoes to London. The first consignmentof the delectable “Himsagar” variety of thefruit grown in Malda district left Kolkata thismorning (11.06.04).‘Gerberas,’ which resemble daisies withmultiple hues, and tuberoses are also beingexported to new York where there is hugedemand for the flowers, entrepreneurs fromLondon were impressed with the Himsagarmangoes they tasted and recently finalized adeal for weekly export of the fruit to theUnited Kingdom.In the United States, there is a growingdemand for the ‘gerbera’, which is issued forinterior decoration. The flowers which growin the hills of Kalimpong in north Bengal arealso now being cultivated in poly-houses ata temperature of about 26 o Celsius in theNorth 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts.Mr.Hazra said. To boost mango exports, amulti-purpose pack-house cooling chamberunit has been set up in Malda district at acost of Rs.1.74 cores.INDIAN PHARMACOMPANIES ON ATAKE OVER SPREERamnath SubbaIndian pharmaceutical companies havebeen moving aggressively to acquirecompanies over seas in the recent past.That should not come as a surprise becauseover the last few years, they have not onlygained critical mass in terms of balance sheetsize and streamlined operations, but alsohave access to cheaper funds.All available indicators show that globalgenerics market is growing. It is verycompetitive there and provides funds forR&D. drugs prices outside India are far moreremunerative than here and that generatesinvestible surplus,” said D.G.Shah, secretarygeneral, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance(IPA). “This is no doubt an entry strategyand move to accelerate growth,” he added.4,40,177 tonne of raw cashew nuts was imported by our country between April 2003and February 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA220

SECTION - 5INDIA ROARSThey say it is boom time inIndia now. And rightly so,for the country is poised on thebrink of becoming a roaring tiger,much like the South East Asiannations of the 70 and 80s. So strongis the bullishness of India that not aday passes without a mention of Indiain the foreign press. And lately, thecountry’s IT prowess has also comeunder watch with ‘outsourcing’campaigns becoming the order of theday.That has not stopped economicpundits from the country as well asthose from abroad make grandioseprojections about the economy, GDP etc.Securities and brokerage firm GeojitSecurities has said in its latest EconomicOutlook that Indian economy is expected togrow at a blazing 8.2 percent this fiscal.“India is Asia’s fastest growing economywith GDP etc. Securities and brokerage firmGeojit Securities has said in its latestEconomic Outlook that Indian economy isexpected to grow at a blazing 8.2 percentthis fiscal. “India is Asia’s fastest growingeconomy with GDP registering a 10.4percent year-on-year growth in Q3 of FY04compared to 22 percent in Q3FY03. This ismore than China’s 9.9 percent andArgentina’s9.8 percent for Q3,” the reportsays.It goes on to add that since the economicreforms in 1991, the country has maintainedan average GDP growth rate of over 6percent. The current account deficit hasturned into a surplus over the last four years,achieved through non-debt creating flows.Among emerging markets, India’s ratio offoreign exchange reserves to GDP stands at14.5 percent as against a high of 94.3 percentfor Singapore and low of 7.9 percent forMexico. “This is in the backdrop of thecountry’s forex reserves having crossed $110billion.” It said.The report also says that although the tax-GDP ratio continues at low levels, the highfiscal deficit has not been binding on theprivate sector due to the growing savinginvestmentsurplus. In FY02 and FY03private sector surplus has spilled over to theexternal sector and has financed public sectordeficit. The robust secondary market andstrong macro economic fundamentals haveRs.2,200 crore is the size of the bread industry in our country.SAMARTHA BHARATA221

SECTION - 5added to the strong business confidence and capital flows are expected to continue.India is a production base and an export hub for goods ranging from agricultural productsto automobile components to high-end services. Not only that Indian firms are new part ofglobal production chains and the country is increasingly getting integrated with the worldeconomy.The robust performance of the manufacturing sector has kept industrial growth buoyant.The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth rate for April ’03-Jan ’04 is up at 6.5percent. The cumulative growth for the industry as a whole during this period was 6.5percent. The manufacturing sector grew by 7.1 percent, mining by 4.5 percent and electricityby 3.7 percent. Capital goods production (which are indicators of investment levels) forthis period grew to 10.3 percent over the corresponding period last year.The growth has largely been fuelled by agriculture which has expanded by 16.9 percentduring the same quarter of the preceding fiscal. The good news is that economic growth isreasonably broad-based and not just confined to the farm sector.TOP 10 TRADED COMMODITIES(Financial Year ’04)Rank Commodity Turnover Qty (MT) Gross Value ($mn)1 Soy Oil 10.30,038 10712 Sunflower Seed 6,34,672 2993 Cotton Oil 6,08,954 6334 Safflower Seed 5,89,534 2665 Cotton Seed 5,85,260 1546 Sunflower Oil 5,78,592 8137 Sunflower Oil 5,58,228 8398 Lead 5,34,282 1289 Crude Palm Oil 4,94,962 40110 Sunflower Cake 4,58,950 55Back office processing segment industry in India is expected to be worth $6,102million by 2006.SAMARTHA BHARATA222

THE GLOBAL INDIAN TAKEOVERSwaminathan S.Ankelsaria AiyarSECTION - 5Ladies and gentlemen, please take yourseats. You are about to witness oneof the greatest shows on earth: thegradual Indian takeover of global companies.As the process unfolds, every worthwhileIndian company will become a multinationalcorporation (MNC) that not only startsbusiness abroad but also swallows upexisting foreign multinationals.When Indian began globalizing in 1991, theIndian left howled that this would mean thewholesale takeover of Indian companies byforeign multinational companies (MNCs).When liberalizers like me suggested thatglobalization would equally mean the takeover of foreign companies by Indianmultinationals, we were viewed withamusement as some sort of creatures fromouter space. So entrenched was the notionof Indian inferiority and foreign superioritythat the very thought of Indian companiestaking over global ones was regarded asscience fiction.Today, it has become a reality. The trendbegan haltingly a few years ago. In 2000,Tata Tea took over a global company, twiceits size, Tetley Tea, the second biggest teacompany in the world. This was a leveragedbuyout. That is the financiers provided thefunds to enable an Indian minnow to takeover a global whale. Far from being a forceof neocolonialism, global finance is nowhelping smaller Indian companies to acquiremuch larger global ones.Next, Essel Packaging, owned by SubhashChandra, took over Propack of Switzerlandto form Essel Propack. The merger createdthe biggest producer in the world oflaminated tubes, and an Indian MNC becamea global number one.But these takeovers remained exceptionalevents till 2003. Only in that year did thepace of Indian takeovers accelerate so muchas to constitute a new trend, one that theworld must sit up and take notice of.According to one source, more than 40foreign companies were taken over byIndians last year (2003). Just consider mainexamples:• Tata Motors is all set to acquire thetruck factories of Daewoo in SouthKorea for a reported for 118 milliondollars.• The Ambanis have a bid for, and lookvery likely to takeover FlagInternational, a major internationaltelecom network, for perhaps 211million dollars.• Ranbaxy, our biggest pharmaceuticalcompany, has just acquired RGPAventis, the French generic wing ofthe multinational Aventis. Here again,an Indian minnow has acquired a partof a global whale.• Wockhardt, owned by theKhokariwalas, acquired CPPharmaceuticals of UK. TheKhokariwalas had already mademinor acquisition, of WallisLaboratories, in 1998.SAMARTHA BHARATA223

• Hindalco, the flagship company ofKumar Birla group, acquired twoCopper mines in Australia – MountGordon and Nifty.• Sterlite, the successful bidder for theprivatization of Bharat Aluminiumand Hindusthan Zinc, has become atrue multinational by acquiringcopper mines in Australia. It has alsobeen short-listed as the preferredbidder for buying a 51 percent stakein Konkola Copper Mines, thebiggest government owned mine inZambia.• Readers might think that only thebiggest Indian companies get intoglobal takeover game. This is simplynot so. Many middle sizedcompanies, which readers may noteven have heard of, are becomingmultinationals through foreignacquisitions.• Sundaram Fasteners, whoseproduction line includes humbleitems like radiator caps, nuts andbolts, has acquired Dana SpicerEurope, the British arm of a globalmultinational. Separately, SundaramFasteners is setting up a plant inChina to take on the mighty Chinese.• Amtek Auto, another auto ancillarythat came up in the 1990s, has justacquired the GWK group in the UK,which is twice its size. Indian autoSECTION - 5ancillary companies are sweepingworld export markets and in theprocess acquiring MNC rivals thatcannot complete.• After 30 years of supplyingcomponents to UK-based SPPPumps, Kirloskar Brothers have nowacquired a majority stake in theBritish Company. Truly, this is a caseof the Empire striking back.I do not wish to bore the readers by makingthis column into a long, seemingly, endlesslist. Yet, the lengthy and seemingly endlessnature of our global takeovers cry out forour attention.In this column, I have listed only Indiantakeovers of foreign companies, not yet themany few factories the Indians are puttingup overseas. Again, I have left out of my lista large number of softwares and BPOcompanies that are being acquired by topIndian companies. I have concentrated onmanufacturing, where Indians are supposedto be least competitive.The left is correct in saying that globalizationimplies in takeover of Indian companies byMNCs, but wrong in implying that takeoversare a one-way street. The global system isno longer rigged by and for white men. Itcan be used by Indians no less by Americansto leverage their talent to create globalcorporate empires. The process has begun.(The Times of India)Indian banks have shed 1,25,000 workers or 12.5 percent of their workforce throughvoluntary retirement schemes during the last few years.SAMARTHA BHARATA224

IT’S A HERBAL WORLDSECTION - 5A‘Green Revolution’ is taking placein the fast moving consumer goodssector. A ‘herbal’ tag attached to aproduct is enough to make it sell, saysMadhavi Ravikumar.Grandma didn’t go to beauty parlours, skinspecialists, or cosmetologists. Yet grandma’sskin glowed, her hair was lush and dark.What was grandma’s magic? Simple, replyon natural home remedies for a variety ofcosmetic and medical needs. Yes, Brahmi,amla, reetha, henna, haldi, chandan, neem,gulab, cucumber, mint, tulsi, coconut,lime…the same herbs that are making acomeback today in sachets, tubes andbottles. The convenience of a shampoo bottleor a skin cream tube compared to the timeconsuming and cumbersome procedure forusing these products in the good old daysare making them popular once again.When growth rates for cosmetic productsshowed down, marketers had to think ofsomething new. Herbal products were alwaysavailable in India, but they became amarketing man’s dream products onlyrecently. Today, there is a growing awarenessof the benefits of using natural products.Whether they are cosmetics, medicines orhealth drinks, the mantra today is to keepaway from chemicals.“The future for the herbal industry will be incatering to the personal and healthcare needsof consumers across the world. And it looksbright and promising,” says Ravi Prasad,managing director of the Bangalore-basedHimalaya Drug Company.Taking a cue from the changing customerpreferences, companies have started diggingdeep into the herbal pot of gold and floodingthe market with over-the-counter products.The global markets for herbal products,including medicines, health supplementsherbal beauty and toiletry products, isestimated at a mind blowing US $ 62 billion.The market for herbal medicine alone isestimated at US $5 billion and is expectedto grow to U S $ 16 billion next year. InEurope, the market for licensed herbalmedicines is approximately US $ 475 million.In India, over the past couple of years, therehas been a clear herbal wave, particularly inthe personal care segment. The Rs.300-croremarket is perceived to be the hottest and thefastest growing.The Indian cosmetics industry, includingtoiletries, is estimated at Rs.3,000-crore.With growing competition even traditionalayurvedic companies like Dabur, HimalayaDrugs, Charak, Zandu, SriDhootapapeshwar and Baidyanath aresprucing their products up to face theonslaught. From expanding their range,upgrading manufacturing facilities, investingin R&D activity, strengthening distributionand marketing the players are all exploringways to reach out to the consumer.According to industry sources, “A herbal tagis one of the easiest ways to increaseproducts acceptance and popularity.”Increasing acceptance of Indian-made herbalproducts in the international market, greaterSAMARTHA BHARATA225

health awareness, changing trends of selfgroomingand lifestyles and even themythological serials on television are citedas some of the factors for the boom in theherbal-products industry.Toilet soap is one segment witnessing anintense competition between establishedbrands like Medimix, Margo, Vrinda,Santoor, Chandrika and the repositionedHamam and Rexona on the natural/herbalplatform. Godrej Nikhar is also eyeing a sliceof the market.In toothpaste, Colgate Herbal recently joinedVicco Vajradanti, Babool, Promise, Meswak,and Neem. The growth in the entire marketis going to come from this segment, industrysources say.SECTION - 5Foaming the herbal lather further areshampoos like Nyle, Ayur, Dabur Vatika,Herby, Meera. Godrej has also launched itslatest shampoo with herbal extracts targetedonly at a niche market.In the cosmetics market, the herbal cosmeticssegment is witnessing a growth rate of 60percent and more as against the 20-25percent growth of the total industry.The World Health Organization has listedover 21,000 plant species used around theworld for medicinal purposes. It has beenestimated that India has 47,000 species ofplants.(The New Indian Express)‘NEW-FOUND CONFIDENCE AMONG INDIAN COMPANIES’The new-found confidence of Indian companies in meeting the challenges ofglobalization and the rising demand for consumer credit augur well for the bankingsector, according to K.V.Kamath, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officerof ICICI Bank Limited.He said that along with the steady growth in consumer credit disbursement, whichincluded housing loans, there was a big revival in credit off take by corporates.“What we see now is a completely different story compared to a couple of yearsago,” he said, pointing out that Indian companies were investing on building newcapacities and improving productivity and quality. Apart from deploying “organiccapital” (internal accruals) more and more companies were restructuring theirdebt portfolio by retiring high cost loans.A new-found confidence was visible among the corporates in the last quarter of2003-2004..R.Seshasayee, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland Limited, said that despite thegrowth achieved after liberalization, the economy had a long way ahead,particularly through the development of agriculture and improved industrialproductivity.(The Hindu)75,000 tonne of natural rubber was exported by our country 2003-04.SAMARTHA BHARATA226

THE BPO PANICN.SakthivelanSECTION - 5The feverish election rhetoric in the USrages about BPO, (Business ProcessOutsourcing). A better term would beITES (IT-enabled services). The panic isabout job-drain tumbling out of the US toIndia in the ITES and to China, Taiwan,Thailand, Malaysia in manufacturing, makinggoods for American markets.by the advocates of globalization in the ‘80sin the bid to exploit developing nations. Andglobalization backlash has landed US inprotectionism. Presidential contender JKerry a fierce critic of outsourcing, with hisnew-found protectionism, would christenoutsourcing firms as ‘Benedict Arnolds’ fortheir disloyalty.Earlier, the buzz was about China becominga global manufacturing base for the globalfirms. Now it is about India becoming ‘theservice capital of the world’. It is evenbeginning to replace China as the ‘mostfavoured economy’ of the global businesscommunity with software being the flavourof the times. Our core strength is in theservice sector-70% of the GDP in US!Of the ten million computer-related jobs, twomillion have gone abroad. Twelve per centof IT firms and three per cent of non-IT firmshave outsourced their work (WashingtonPost). Hence the panic about an army of160,000 cybercoolies, cyber-clerks, and evencyber-bullies, ranging from back-office workto bumpkins at the high end IT design,robbing the Americans of their jobs andtugging at global value-chains. And ITESbusiness will grow four-fold in a couple ofyears (Gartner estimate). Already Bangalore,Hyderabad, Chennai and Gurgaon areshining on the IT map. This unpleasantdimension of globalization was not foreseenWhat is wrong if, for instance, a softwareengineering job of $80,000/- year in US canbe done in Bangalore for $20,000? The fierceprofit logic of the US must choose Bangalorenaturally. Their patriotism and nationalismcan wait!With the Indian BPO/ITES opportunitysoaring ($24-35 billion in 2008) there arealready visions of a ministry of BPO!Rs.1,40,000 crore is the asset size of the mutual fund industry in our country ason December 2003.SAMARTHA BHARATA227

FOREIGN ACQUISITIONSSECTION - 5Growth of Indian MNCs is good newsThe acquisition of Nat Steel, aSingapore-based steel company byTISCO is part of a new trend inIndia’s globalization. This acquisition willgive TISCO greater access to the South EastAsian—including Chinese—steel markets.This is the third overseas acquisition by theTata group. When the group bought Tetley,the world’s second largest tea company, in2000 it was for the first time an Indian brandname was seen prominently in householdsabroad. That deal for $431 millionrepresented the largest takeover of aninternational brand by an Indiancompany. The Tata group’s next bigtakeover was the truck unit ofDaewoo. Tata’s competence in thedomestic market lay in small trucks.The Daewoo unit’s competence inthe high-end of the commercialvehicle market, allowed Tata toenter a whole new area in truckproduction, as well as access tonew markets.In ’01 and ’02, foreign acquisitionsby Indian companies were dominated bysoftware firms. Most of these were smallcompanies at prices around $10 million.Pharma companies like Ranbaxy, Dr.Reddy’sand Wockhardt followed in ’03 and ’04,making acquisitions of French, German andBritish pharmaceuticals. Others, such as theAditya Birla group, Reliance Infocomm,ONGC Videsh and Jindal Stainless, have allgone global. Globalization has thus acquireda new meaning in the Indian context and overthe last four years there have been over 160acquisitions of foreign companies by Indianfirms. It is a kind of globalization that theIndian critics of the process may find quiteacceptable!The multinationalisation of Indian companieshas become possible entirely as a result ofthe liberalization of the economy. Thepressure on them to face up to globalcompetition has been crucial in making themlean and competitive. They have been forcedto cut costs and improve their technologyand management skills. Theopening up of trade and industryhas transformed them intoplayers in the global market.Capital account convertibilityhas allowed them to purchaseforeign firms. After all,acquisitions of foreigncompanies were not possible aslong as Indian companies werenot allowed to take moneyabroad. They could not,consequently, take advantage ofthe scale and technology that suchacquisitions offer. It is important that Indiancompanies are not shackled by the remainingcontrols on the capital account in the future.The ministry of finance and RBI shouldensure that outdated rules do not hobble theincreasing global competitiveness of Indianfirms.[An editorial in The New Indian Express]Floriculture exports from our country currently stands at Rs.132 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA228

SECTION - 5BPO MOVEMENT OUT, KNOWLEDGE PROCESSOFFSHORING IS COMINGN.VenugopalEven as Indian BPO industry is upbeaton the expected growth opportunities,inherent difficulties like accentproblems, low-tech employment and lowcostproposition, might turn the apple cartand the new hope seems to be KnowledgeProcess Offshoring (KPO), which is beingrebranded from its current status as asegment under BPO. The US-based businessresearch organization Evalueserveprojects the CAGR of KPO to be 46 percent, as against 26 per cent for BPO by2010.Indeed, there seems to be a lot of moneyin KPO-it is expected to grow to $17billion by 2010 from $1.29 billion in 2003.“Knowledge has no boundaries and Indiacan become a knowledge delivery hubwithin the next 5 to 10 years. Globalcorporates are exploring every month whatprocesses can be offshored. The areas thatcome under KPO are those that need hitechand domain expertise, as BPO is seen as callcentre services only and highlycommoditised. In fact, we are onlyscratching the surface of BPO and there areso many competitiors,” said Arjun Rao, CEOof Value Labs, one of the pioneering KPOproviders in the country.KPO services consist of several critical,knowledge-driven segments including techsupport, market research, clinical datamanagement, and contract research. Thepotential candidates would be MBAs,engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants andother highly skilled professionals withadvanced analytical and technical skills.There is no denying that the fundamentaldriver is cost and the cost differential wouldbe in the range of 40-60 per cent, says Arjun.“However, there are other countries whichmay beat us on cost front. India has an edgein terms of competitive quality, mostdestinations, scalable models, besidesreasonable price,” he adds.Referring to the business opportunity, Arjunsays, “contrary to popular belief, there aresignificant margins here. In the US a qualifiedhigh-skilled professional costs anywherebetween $200 cand $500 an hour. You cancompare that with the cost of a professionalhere.”Value Labs is currently engaged in high-endtech support for software engineeringprocesses, market research for FMCGIndia’s trade with the world in 2003 stood at $114.13 bilion.SAMARTHA BHARATA229

companies, customer support interms ofcategorizing and trend analysis and clinicaldata management.Quoting Evalueserve’s study, Arjus says,“writing patent applications in the US isexpensive and typical application costsbetween $10,000 and $15,000 for draftingand filing with US Patent and TrademarkOffice. In KPO model, an IP specialist hereSECTION - 5can produce a preliminary draft of a patentapplication, which is then reviewed andmodified by a registered US patent attorney,who ultimately files it with the USPTO. Thiscan result in huge cost savings.”Similarly, the cost differential between aPh.D in sciences or engineering in the USand India is in the range of $60,000-80,000.[T N I E]VELLANKOIL FAST TURNING INTO AMURUKKU HUBIf Kancheepuram, Kumbakonam andSalem are renowned for silk sarees, betalleaves and mangoes respectively,Vellankoil village in Erode is fast turningitself into hub of murukku business.“The spicy snack, made from rice and dhalflour, now helps over 100 families in thevillage, located 35 km from Erode, earngood money. The murukku business here isworth Rs.3 lakh every week. Further, thegood marketing strategy in place ensures theproduct reach markets in neighbouringCoimbatore and Salem districts too.Vellankoil has today earned a reputation forits murukku and the product is today seenon par with the famous Manapparaimurukku.Some families today produce related eatablessuch as mixture and boondi and they arebeing sold in upcountry markets in SaudiArabia and Sri Lanka also. However, so far,no major orders have been received,”G.R.Ganesh, a murukku producer, said.The activity has helped many women in theneighbouring villages also get a minimum ofRs.50 per day as wages. “The wages rangebetween Rs.3.50 and Rs.10 for makingvarious types of murukkus out of 1 kg offlour,” Shanthi, a worker, said.The price of murukku ranges between 25paise and Re.1 Attractive packages andbrand names have created permanent marketfor the products in many areas. “We aretrying to popularize the product through awebsite,” said another producerMaheshwari.Usually, the entire village turns busy in thewinter season, when the demand is high. “Aninvestment of about Rs.5000 is enough toensure a constant income to run a family.The profit could be in the 10 to 20 percentrange,” Munusamy, a trader, reveals.Equally famous, if not more, are theRasagollas of Bengal, Shaeve of Bikaner,Pethas of Agra, Pedas of Mathura and Halwaof Mumbai.SAMARTHA BHARATA230

SECTION - 5GREEN BUILDINGS MAKE CONSTRUCTION BIZCOMPETITIVE:JAMSHYD. N GODREJGreen buildings should be an integralpart of the competitive strategy ofthe Indian construction industry,according to Jamshyd. N Godrej, Chairman,CII-Godrej GBC.In his presidential address at Green BuildingCongress 2004 in Hyderabad, he said GreenBusiness Centre is a proof of what Indianindustry can achieve to be competitive andenergy-efficient.CII-GBC will work in association with theGovernment of Andhra Pradesh in water andenergy sectors and in developing buildingcodes, he added.The Chief minister Andhra Pradesh said theGovernment will promote the concept ofgreen construction.“Ecology has been tampered too much tillnow and it is time to concentrate on itsprotection. The current paucity of rains is aconsequence of insensitivity to ecology,” hesaid.Stating that renewable energy is veryimportant, the chief minister said theGovernment is taking all steps to promotebiofuel generation.Indian green Building Council Chairman RParasu Raman, in his theme address, said oflate there has been a transformation of thecorporate perspective of construction. Greenbuilding activity can also ensure goodbusiness opportunity, he stressed.On the occasion, Confederation of IndianIndustry has signed a memorandum ofunderstanding with the US Green BuildingCouncil for exchange of information andintroduction of LEED India rating systemfor green buildings.[TNIE]Agriculture is the largest industry in the world employing 1.3 billion people and producinggoods worth $1.3 trillion.SAMARTHA BHARATA231

SECTION - 5INDIA ENJOYS ADVANTAGE OF YOUTHPOWER: KASTURIRANGANIn the comity of nations, India enjoys theadvantage of a vast youth power. Morethan half of its population is under 25.In contrast, by 2030, about half of the adultpopulation in Germany will be above 65years and a similar situation is predicted inJapan, the United States of America, Europeand China, K.Kasturirangan, formerChairman of the Indian Space ResearchOrganisation, has said.Mr.Kasturirangan said that if the Indianyouth were equipped with quality education,they could play a major role in allknowledge-based activities.The global trend was towards knowledgesocieties—where the flow of knowledge,compared to money, across borders wouldbe relatively easy. India had seen tremendousdevelopments in different spheres of activity,and for its accomplishments in the field ofspace, the world community had recognizedit as a significant space-faring nation.However, in facilitating quality of life toevery citizen, it had still a significantunfinished agenda. Achieving socioeconomicprogress to the level of thedeveloped nations should therefore, be thepriority of the country.It was heartening that when the biggereconomies had slowed down, India wasslated to sustain its economic growth at anaverage rate of 5 per cent for the next fivedecades. This implied that India wouldovertake the Japan’s GDP (gross domesticproduct) by 2032, said Mr.Kasturirangan.The space scientist said other countries werelooking at India as a potential marketplaceand outsourcing destination.[The Hindu]Private healthcare will be the largest component spending by Indians in 2012 rising toRs.1,56,000 crore from Rs.69,000 crore presently.SAMARTHA BHARATA232

BRAND INDIAN.R.RajagopalSECTION - 5The inauguration sometime back of thebiotech department at IIT, Kanpurand the announcement there that fivemore IITs were in the offing—both by thePrime Minister—should be greeted with theusual hurrah of development analysts of thecountry. Coupled with the impressive arrayof statistics provided by the CommunicationsMinister, on what and how have the IndianIndustries done us proud in the highlycompetitive and technology-driven globalmarkets, the PM’s statements may indeedlead one to savour the feel-good factor. Yetfrom here to a dormant state of complacencyis but a short step, and one that needs to beavoided for a variety of reasons.OutsourcingThe hue and cry in the U.S. on outsourcingof IT jobs to India (and China in that order)is at a feverish pitch. Knives are out in theSenate and before long something mayhappen to upset the concerned in both thecountries. IT firms are resorting to costcuttingmeasures by outsourcing jobs andpushing on for technological alternatives thatmight further bring down dependence onhuman (Indian or Chinese) endeavour.Already there are attempts to tag consumersby labeling goods sold them and monitoringtheir movement by RF signals. New groundis about to be broken in the communicationssector when cell phone business transactionswill be on the rise. Till recently thought as apassing fad, WI-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)technology is up and about.Wi-Fi. refers to an over-the-air connectionwith a wireless client and a base station orbetween wireless clients. It can provide highspeed internet access for a limited distance,as of now. Distance will not matter in thenext 4-5 years because there is a concertedeffort to get over it by Intel, Cisco,Microsoft, AT&T and IBM. Experts believeWi-Fi nodes will soon become as widespreadas cellular telephone coverage.“My visits to India convinced me that theirresearch labs were filled with scientists equalto or better than those in the United States—and in a lot more disciplines than software,”says Jack Welch, the then CEO of GeneralElectric, in his book Straight from the Gut.No wonder we now have in Bangalore theWelch technology Centre. Outside the U.S.this is GE’s largest R&D set-up with over1600 researchers. Automobile giants Suzukiand Hyundai, firmly established in India now,are creating or working with major researchcentres. India’s Communication’s Minister,reports that over 70 MNCs, includingDelphi, Eli Lily, GE and Hewlett Packardhave set up R&D facilities in India in thepast five years. So far so good, but all ofthem will be generating technologies whichwill be commercialized up there (and thenhere partly or fully depending on the climatehere) and we will obtain goods and serviceswith brands definitely not Indian. So howSAMARTHA BHARATA233

about going over the entire technologyspectrum here, doing things ourselves bypreparing for the future particularly inWelch’s more disciplines than software.’Consider for instance the biotech set-up inthe University of California, which ranksfourth in government research funding.Describing the phenomenal growth of thedepartment, Cliff Edwards points out(Business Week, Sept. 8) 2003 how theexpansion will ‘combine physical science andbiology with intense computational researchto study some of the most complex biologicalprocesses. The focus will be on new drugdevelopment and newer methods ofprevention and management of diseases. Theprocess began when gene pioneer Bill Ruttertook over the bio-chemistry department in1969 and created an atmosphere ofmeaningful collaborative research. Asopposed to the traditional practice of placingthem in departments based on specialization,researchers sharing common interests weregrouped.Thuschemists wereenabled to work withmathematicians andbiologists. This led toa surge of activitiesand new discoveriesending up with twoNobel awards andformation of biotechcompanies in the Bayarea.SECTION - 5notwithstanding the problem of intrusion ofprivacy. Molecules, not silicon, may be theworkhorse tomorrow’s ultra fast, ultrapowerful computers, HP, IBM, MIT,Harvard, Rice and a few more universitygroups are working on DNA computingmolecular electronic devices, nanocells,nanotube electronic components, quantumcomputing, as alternatives to silicon. Yetthere is even now the human angle whenadvanced technology comes into play in thearea of air safety. The post 9/11 scenario insecurity screening in U.S. airports is underconstant scrutiny Passengers are subjectedto electronic and personal screening beforebeing cleared. Footwear is also screenedseparately. The U.S. Transportation SecurityAdministration wants to increase the use oftechnology to improve airline security. It willnot really help, says Issack Yeffet, formerhead of global security of Israel’s El Alairline, asserting “Technology cannot replacethe human being: it can help.’ Here we come.With an established system of airport security(much before the U.S. andother developed countrieswere forced to adopt) anddepending more on humanintervention thantechnology (traditionalintuitive skills), can wehelp them by training staffto rely more on mind thanmachine? IT or no IT, westill can do more with littleand show them how to do.On the other side,dealing with emerging technologies,Technology Review (MIT, Sept.3) describesdevelopments taking place in the fields oflocation-based information, future directionsin the field of location-aware computing,SAMARTHA BHARATA234Equal termsThere is an opportunity for us to move onnow to a higher level of technology growth.We were at the receiving end when superiortechnology stared us in the face. We are now

able to talk to advanced nations on more orless equal terms, in terms of expertise, in afew areas, partnering and collaborating withthem, but essentially doing their jobs here.From there to rise to the next level ofdominance, though a steep climb, isnecessary. Our R&D should now move onlines where they are focused. We shouldprepare to be there when they arrive. Thenand only then can we bid for technology ofthe Indian brand—at least in those areaswhere we have perceived capability. Thereseems to be no impediment as far as policiesare concerned. It is a matter of restructuringa few of the advanced centres and creatinggroups with clear-cut and well-definedobjectives, with enough funding. We mayalso require systems staffed with suitablepeople to do aggressive marketing oftechnologies both for domestic and globalSECTION - 5markets. Such systems cannot be expectedto function efficiently if clubbed with existingbureaucratic units. In fact, it will be advisableto equip them with enough power to operateindependently and on commercial lines.There must be mechanisms with such statesupport as may be necessary to translate ourtechnologies into realizable, recognizableand widely available goods and services, fordomestic consumption as well as export.This means we have to think of high volume,competitive and tomorrow’s technologiesand formulate R&D programmes with suchfocus. We need change here and now. As aminister while discussing disinvestmentissues and public sector undertakings, putit, ‘the way we look at things, our discourse,the drag of interests that are vested in theway things are—these are what we need tochange.’ Will this apply to India BrandScience too?[The Hindu]B.P.O. FIRMS; MAJOR HEADCOUNT ADDITIONSANNOUNCED BETWEEN JANUARY-JUNE 2004Name of BPOHeadcount additionsannouncedDaksh 1,500HIMT 1,500Accenture 5,700Dell 2,000VCustomer 2,500Xansa 2,000Wipro Spectra mind 1,300Perot 2,00024/7 3,000Slash Support 1,200Hughes 1,000Zenta 2,500WINS 1,000Keane 3,400[T.N.I.E.]SAMARTHA BHARATA235

BAMBOO GETS TALLERP.K.Krishna KumarSECTION - 5The wonder grass bamboo will get anelevated status in Kerala through theefforts of the ongoing State BambooMission.Till now, the government had focused on theindustry front through Kerala State BambooCorporation but now it is planning all-rounddevelopment with thrust on cultivation anddiversification.To start with, the State is importing 40,000bamboo seeds from Tripura for distributionin 25 select panchayats. These varietiesfacilitate better harvesting, “We are alsogoing to adopt Wayanad as bamboo districtgiven the growth potential of the grassthere,” says C.P.John, vice-chairman of theBamboo Mission.The defunct Gwalior Rayons unit inKozhikode used to be the main consumer ofbamboo from Wayanad. Around 400 tonnesused to reach the factory daily. But with theclosure of the unit, a major chunk of thebamboo crop has been going waste.The Bamboo Mission has hit upon a plan tomake boards from bamboo available fromWayanad as it is found to be thicker. TheNGO Uravu in Wayanad, which has lot ofexperience in making bamboo handicrafts,is being given training for making the boards.By focusing on Wayanad, the State can caterto the Mysore and Bangalore markets, Johnfeels.The Mission is also helping the bambooworkers, numbering around one lakh onrough estimate, to increase their productivityby replicating new machines, particularly forbreaking bamboo. The idea is to producemore handicrafts from bamboo. The NationalInstitute of Design will assist in developingnew designs.Several articles made from bamboo likehanger, furniture, toothpick, pen-holderswith murals drawn on them sold like hotcakes in Delhi in exhibitions. The Missionhas been taking several NGOs engaged inmaking bamboo articles to such exhibitionsto market their products.A bamboofest is being planned in Kochi inNovember to tap potential markets.[TNIE]INDIA REMAINS AN ISLAND OF FINANCIAL STABILITY: REDDYThanks to the economic reforms, India remained an island of financial stability amidstthe ocean of turbulence during the last fifteen years, said Y.V.Reddy, governor, ReserveBank of India.Reddy referred to the current macro-economic situation and said “positive side is gettingmore positive on the domestic front while the international situation remains uncertain.Policy response is measured and careful.” [The Hindu].SAMARTHA BHARATA236

SECTION - 5OUTSOURCING HELPS GAIN CONTROL,OBSERVES SURVEYAs organizations outsourced morebusiness processes, executives gainmore control over capabilities thataffected their entire organization, accordingto a report by Accenture, a multinationalconsulting firm.In a report, ‘Control: Getting it and keepingIT in business process’ outsourcing,’Accenture says it found 92 per cent ofexecutives interviewed reported that theiroverall level of control increased as a resultof BPO. “The kind of control theseexecutives got was more powerful than whatthey initially feared losing,” the firm says.Over two-thirds of those intervieweddescribed control as “very important” or“important” obstacle during the evaluationphase of a BPO deal. These include fear oflosing control of operational performance,personal influence, knowledge and customerrelationships, the report says.Those who gained better control as a resultof BPO found that processes and informationwithin their organisation became moretransparent.Over a third of the executives agreed thatoutsourcing allowed them to not only changebusiness direction at a faster and morecontrolled rate but also supported theacceleration of business growth.Asia Pacific executives placed highsignificance on the issue of trust, which isclosely related to control.Over 84 per cent of them specifically citedtrust and the Asian way of doing business,built around personal relationships, as a keyconsideration in any outsourcingrelationship. What was evident overall wasthe desire to find a trustworthy outsourcingpartner and the challenge of having to dothis without first working together, thereport says.EXPORTS: NEED FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONThat Indian products and services are able to meet the mostdemanding international standards of quality and price has beenrising notwithstanding competition. In fact, the 12 percent growthtarget set by the Government in the last two years has proved too modest.In fiscal 2002-03, exports grew by 20 per cent while last year the growthwas 17 per cent, despite a continuous appreciation of the rupee againstthe U.S.dollar.Exports through SEZs in India during first ten months of 2003 were valued atRs.12,000 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA237

SECTION - 5OPHTHALMIC SURGERY TRADITIONS - T.N.CAN BOAST OFPushpa NarayanMedical case sheets of ophthalmicdisorders, dysfunctions along withthe treatment and results datingback to nearly two centuries have been dugout from the Saraswathi Mahal library inThanjavur by a team of doctors from SankaraNethralaya, Chennai.Following an invitation from the prince,S.Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, a team ofophthalmologists from the hospital,including chairman Dr.S.S.Badrinath andhead of the department of PathologyDr.J.Biswas, camped in the district for morethan three days this March 2004 to trace theroots of Ophthalmic medicine.The team discovered that doctors in thestate’s cultural citadel, under the rule ofRajah Sarfoji II between 1798 and 1832,took special care to treat eye ailments.“Our experience was truly humbling. Wewere surprised to note that they hadmeticulously recorded minute details oftreatment along with the results. More thananything else, it was an inspiration,”Dr.Biswas said.He presented the team’s findings at anophthalmic conference held in the Chennaicity.The case sheets and the findings of the team,he promised, would be published in reputedmedical journals soon.Prince Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, who hadinvited the doctors, was all smiles. “I foundthese documents in our library. As I am anengineer, I could not figure out what theymeant. Fearing that something preciouscould be lost in the recesses here, I invitedthe doctors for research. The discoveries areindeed heartening,” he said.The doctors, along with archaeologists andlibrarians, traced forty-four case sheets with18 drawings of the eyes. While at least halfa dozen were written in Modi script, theremaining was in English.The ophthalmic terminology including lid,con-juctiva, cornea, lens, capsule of lens,posterior chamber were found in the casesheets.Presenting samples of case sheets, Dr.Biswassaid the doctors had diagnosed cases ofophthalmic purulent is, ventricular cataract,capsulolenticular cataract and leucoma. Thepatients were treated in Dhanvantri Mahal,a multi-specialty hospital established byRajah Sarfoji.It also served as a researchinstitute that produced herbal medicine forhumans and animals.The name of Dr.Mc Bean, an Englishophthalmologist along withDr.Amrithalingam Pillai, figured in most casesheets. “We went round the town but couldnot find the hospital anywhere. But somepeople guess that it would have beendemolished subsequently,” said Dr.Biswas.[TNIE]SAMARTHA BHARATA238

INDUSTRY IN NEW GROWTH PHASEP.A.SeshanSECTION - 5Major industries fare wellUndoubtedly, there will have to be astep up in India’s outlays in power,oil and transport sectors. While adefinite view in this regard can be takenafter a new government is formed at theCentre, it is gratifying to note that theperformance of major industries since 1998-99 has been highly encouraging, signalingthe emergence of several new forces.An analysis of production trends of someimportant industries indicates, an increasingdemand for all types of manufacturedproducts, in the domestic and export marketsand more effective use of capacities createdin a big way in earlier years. In fact, it hasbecome necessary for some key enterprisesto plan expansion involving heavy capitalexpenditure.It can be asserted that industrial growth isnow on new lines and that the industrial andservices sectors will be the future enginesof growth, as asserted by Dr.Kelkar andothers. Thus, the output of finished steel hasrisen by 53 per cent to 34.41 million tonnesin five years, aluminium by 50.92 per centto 8.21 lakh tonnes and exports of cottonyarn, fabrics, manmade, readymade garmentsand others by 44.84 per cent to Rs.50,594crores.The automobile industry, for its part, hasrisen immensely in stature, following theheightened activities of U.S., South Korean,Japanese, Italian, German, British, and otherinterests. The advent of Maruti Udyog, inthe mid Eighties, of course marked thebeginning of a new era for the automobileindustry.Outlays on new and expansion schemes ofIndian and foreign car makers in the past fiveyears have been on an unprecedented scaleand the output of cars has risen by 94 percent to 7.59 lakh units, while that ofcommercial vehicles has nearly doubted to2.68 per cent to 55.97 lakh units in the sameperiod.Since the multinationals have recognized thatproduction costs in India are 30 per centlower than in developed countries, and thesub-continent will be a good export base forcars and other four wheelers, the industryCashew kernel worth Rs.1,624.50 crore was exported by our country between April2003 and February 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA239

can hope to achieve much greater heights ina short period.The petroleum sector too is witnessingsignificant developments. Apart from aspectacular rise in refining capacity to 131million tonnes in 2003-04 from 61.55 milliontonnes in 1997-98, the output of crude andnatural gas from indigenous sources is likelyto show a more pronounced rise, followingthe establishment of new proved reserves ofthese two fossil fuels in onshore and offshoreareas. As huge quantities of natural gas willalso be imported, pipeline networks are beingcreated in a big way to cover all regions inthe country, along with huge terminals atvarious ports.It is needless to point out that there has beena metamorphic change in thetelecommunication sector with both Indianand foreign interests creating the requisitefacilities involving huge expenditure. Theconsumer electronics sector too hasdeveloped beyond recognition with Koreanand Japanese interests entering the fray witha bang.SECTION - 5It will, thus, be agreed that the developmentsin the industrial sector have taken place inan unprecedented manner and the industrialbase has got considerably broadened andstrengthened. The power and transportsectors will be witnessing similardevelopments in the near future.Buoyant services sectorThe exemplary performance of the servicessector will be aiding faster growth to GDP,as software exports alone have risen to $10.3billion in 2003-04 from only $2.6 billion in4-5 years. As invisible receipts from foreigntourist traffic, remittances from expatriatesand other sources have also been risingimpressively, surpluses on current accounthave emerged since 2001-02. Even in 2003-04, the surplus may be more than $4 billion,in spite of a more than doubling of the tradedeficit to around $16 billion on the basis ofthe data provided by the DirectorateGeneral of Commercial Intelligence andStatistics.Abundant forex and rupee resourcesWith forex reserves crossing the $110 billionmark and foreign exchange assets the $106billion mark and the compulsion on the partof the Government to offer marketstabilization bonds for absorbing excessliquidity in the money market, there can beno dearth of forex or rupee resources, withthe secondary and primary markets alreadywitnessing buoyant conditions and newboom conditions being witnessed after theelections if a stable government can beformed at the Centre. [The Hindu]Pickle exports from our country during 2002-03 were 56,384 tonne valued atRs.154.16 crore.SAMARTHA BHARATA240

SECTION - 5OVER ONE LAKH BPO JOBS HEADING TO INDIA!Business process outsourcingand call centre jobs areincreasingly being sent to low-wagenations by American firms, but the nationto register highest growth in BPO jobs willbe India, says Datamonitor, a Londonbasedresearch firm.The firm says that of the 110,000 jobsoutsourced from one country to another,at the end of last year, 63,000 of those jobscame to India.The research firm says that the total numberof call centre jobs to be outsourced by 2007is likely to increase to 241,000. Of theseabout 1,21,000 jobs will come to India.Although American call centres are not indanger of being wiped out, Datamonitor saysthat the expansion of the industry would havehit a dead end. Once flourishing, call centresnow are dwindling, a trend that is alreadythreatening thousands of jobs.Currently, there are bout 50,600 Americancall centres employing about 2.9 millionpeople. Datamonitor expects the number ofUS call centres to fall to 47,500 by 2008,with 2.7 million employees.Because of lower wages overseas,technological advances and toughregulations, call centre jobs are exiting theUnited States.Most of the jobs are moving to countries likeIndia, the Philippines, Mexico, Russia andCanada, where the wages are lower. AnAmerican call centre worker is paid about$10 an hour, while for the same job a workerin India is paid $1.20 an hour. This results inhuge savings for companies engaged inoutsourcing. Jobs in IT, financial services,insurance, legal support, human resourcesand medical transcription work have alsobeen moved to India.Aviva made headlinesbeing one of the first groups to set up callcentres in India in 2002. Prudential followed,launching a call centre in Mumbai and movedone third of its 3,000 UK-based customerservice jobs.Soon thereafter, HSBC sent 4,000 Britishjobs to India. Barclays, National RailEnquires and many US-based Fortune 500companies too have joined the bandwagon.Giants like Microsoft, Oracle, AOL, Amexalready route customer service calls to IndiaAgencies.[TNIE]Per capita consumption of milk in our country is 225 gram per day.SAMARTHA BHARATA241

OUTSOURCING:A HARDSELL IN THEU.S.Globalisation is having a bad year.Unions do not like it. Politicians onthe campaign trail rail against it. Aseach monthly employment report confirmsthe anemic pace of job creation—05/03/04report was especially grim—more membersof the Congress talk about obstructing it.Now, even some practitioners are speakingout against business globalization, too.“I really hate it,” said Al Lubrano, Presidentof Technical Materials Inc., a Lincoin, R.I.,manufacturer of specialty metal parts forcomputers, telecommunications equipmentand other applications. “I think we’re reallyselling out our manufacturing communitydown the river.” But like many otherAmerican business executives, Lubrano hashad to join the trend: Next year, to betterserve its customers, Technical Materialsplans to open its first operation in China.The gap between the stated ideal and thebusiness reality is also evident with AngeloR.Mozilo, Chairman of CountrywideFinancial, one of the largest mortgagelenders, who was quoted in October in thetrade publication National Mortgage Newsas saying, “I feel it is Countrywide’sresponsibility to create jobs in the U.S., notoutside the U.S”.By this year, however, Mr.Mozilo wasdescribing how countrywide had leased40,000 sq.ft. of office space in Bombay andplanned to create 250 customer service andsupport jobs there over the next two years.SECTION - 5The business community’s dissonantattitudes toward global outsourcing—hiringout work overseas—are evident in the resultsof a survey released on 05/03/04 by thebusiness consultant McKinsey & Co.But when the executives were asked aboutthe effects of outsourcing on their ownbusinesses, the executive consensus brokedown. In Europe, 70 percent of executivessaid outsourcing was good for their business.So did 86 percent of Chinese executives and97 percent of those in India.Yet in the U.S. headquarters to many of themost aggressive and successful globalizingcompanies in the world, the fraction ofexecutives that said outsourcing was eithervery positive or somewhat positive for theircompany dropped to 58 per cent.SAMARTHA BHARATA242

Some of this ambivalence may reflect thegrowing political hostility in America againstoutsourcing, which has come to a boil in theface of lackluster job creation despite robusteconomic growth.On the presidential campaign stump, Sen.John Kerry, D-Mass, regularly condemns the‘Benedict Arnold’ companies that send jobsoverseas. Senate Democrats are backing abill that would require executives to provideat least 90 days’ notice if they plan to lay offmore than 14 workers to move theirSECTION - 5functions overseas. On Thursday 04/03/04,the Senate passed by a large margin ameasure that would put new restrictions ongovernment contractors’ shifting jobsoverseas.Foreign direct investment by Americancorporations has averaged about $125 billionannually over the last ten years. Thoughmuch of this was devoted to serve foreignmarkets, a growing portion has sought toreap the benefits of cheap labour andresources to make products and services forsale back home. –New York Times.DELHI FIRST CHOICE OF INVESTORSAccording to a comparative study ofStates, carried out by theConfederation of Indian Industry (CII),Delhi has emerged a clear number one,both in overall terms and investmentrankings.“Among the key factors contributing toDelhi’s high standing were: its level ofaffluence, the purchasing power of theconsumer, the performance of its socialsector and its financial sector”, said aCII statement.To rank States according to theattractiveness of investments, theeconomists analysed per capita Stateincome in 1998, the annual averagegrowth of State domestic product in the1990s, changes in commercial bankcredit between 1991 and 1997,population in the 15-39 working agegroup, and the inverse incidence ofstrikes”.Delhi is followed by Gujarat,Maharashtra and Goa. Andhra Pradesh,which has aggressively courted foreigninvestors, had a surprisingly low rankof eighth, just one notch abovecommunist-ruled West Bengal.The 14 parameters used to assess were:general achievement of the State,investment climate, infrastructurepenetration, efficiency of infrastructure,finance, consumer purchases of goodsand durables, personal finance,expenditure on employment, educationand health, labour, social sectorindicators, environmental indicators, laworder and justice, indicators of affluenceand mass media penetration. Withinthese 14 categories, 83 variables werealso used for the analysis.Linseed output in Indian during the current season is estimated at 1.8 lakh tonne.SAMARTHA BHARATA243

SECTION - 5THE RISE OF INDIAN MULTINATIONALSThe Indian software industry is thenumber one exporter today,overtaking the gems and jewelleryand textile industries, according to KiranKarnik, President, National Association ofSoftware and Service Companies(Nasscom), Mr.Karnik was speaking at theStanford Asia Technology Initiative (ATI)global entrepreneurship conference on ‘Therise of the Indian multinational: Globalbusiness trends’.Mr.Karnik said of the total merchandiseexports of $60 billion, software exportsaccounted for $13 billion. The industry grewat 30 per cent last year despite slowdown inU.S. economy and the projected growth thisyear has been pegged at 32 per cent. Heattributed the performance to India’sexcellent brand value and the PQRS factor—productivity, quality, rate and skills wherethe last factor referred not just to numbersbut to scalability of skill sets as well.Nevertheless, there were certain issues thatneeded to be addressed for India to emergeas an IT superpower. In order to ensureadequate security and privacy of large data,the Nasscom was working on a frame-workon which legislation and enforcement gohand in hand. On the issue of human resourcedevelopment, the Nasscom was workingwith State government schools to introducethe English language and computereducation, at the primary level itself, besidesensuring regular updation of knowledgedissemination practices from the secondarylevel upwards. Mr.Karnik was also optimisticabout the improvement of infrastructureparticularly in the telecom sector.SAMARTHA BHARATA244Earlier, in his keynote address on knowledgebased business practices, Ajay PiramalChairman, Nichola Piramal group, saidIndia’s share was only $6.5 billion of the$470 billion global pharmaceutical industry.However, in terms of volume, the countrywas the fourth largest consumer andmanufacturer. India was also among the topfive manufacturers of bulk drugs andgrowing at 30 per cent. Another interesting

feature was that of the top ten companies inIndia in terms of market capitalization, onlyone was a multinational and others wereIndian.Mr.Piramal added that India had severalopportunities in the pharma sector. Theseincluded development of drugs for tropicaldiseases which had great potential with morethan 12 percent of the demand coming fromthis segment, but only 15 drugs had beendeveloped over the past 25 years.Second, the country enjoyed a great costadvantage in terms of developing a newSECTION - 5product—$30-35 million against $1.2 billionthat it would cost in the U.S.A. third factorin India’s favour was the availability ofskilled R&D personnel that wascompounded by the fact that there had beena reverse brain drain of sorts with researchfellows coming back to the country afterreceiving high quality training abroad.N.K. Singh, former member of the PlanningCommission and Secretary to the PrimeMinister’s main Economic Advisor stressedthe need for a sustained 7-8 per cent growthin GDP over the next five years in order toacquire a competitive edge in internationalmarkets.[The Hindu]TREES MAY REWARD INDIA FOR AGES OF WORSHIPIndia could well emerge as one of thelargest beneficiaries of carbon credittrading, an emerging global commoditymarket that analysts estimate could beworth upto $150 billion by 2012.The country’s dominance in carboncredit trading is expected to be driven,no so much by domestic industry, but byits huge tracts of plantation land.The 1997 Kyoto Protocol has set firmtargets for national level emissions andhas also identified key elements in howcountries could achieve those targets.This includes on agreement on tradingin emission credits and the use of plantedforests as a means to meet prescribedlevels.Trading carbon credits is an emergingmarket designed to allow firms that failto meet emission standards to buy creditsfrom other firms that undercut theirtargets. The Kyoto protocol envisagescarbon credit trade between countrieswith ‘carbon sinks’ (planted forests) andothers that produce higher levels ofpollution than they are allowed to.At 15 million hectares, India has thelargest plantation area in the tropics,much larger than even Australia, whichaims to be a major player in emissionstrading by adding two million hectaresof plantation by the year 2020.Countries like the US, Germany, Japanand China are likely to be the biggestbuyers of carbon credits. However, itneeds to be remembered that the US hasnot yet accepted the terms of the Kyotoprotocol. The US puts out about aquarter of all greenhouse gas emissionsthat course global worning.SAMARTHA BHARATA245

BOOMING BPOThanuja B.MSECTION - 5Big BPO marriages• Wipro buyout of Spectamind (Rs.470-crore or $113 million)• Transworks acquisition by Aditya BirlaGroup• BM takeover of third party BPO Daksh($129 million)Business process outsourcing (BPO)as everyone knows has become the‘in’ sector in India. Though theITES-BPO industry in India is a relativelyyoung and nascent sector, barely over fiveyears old, it has shown an amazing growthand future potential. According toNASSCOM, participants in the ITES-BPOsegment number in the hundreds and thefigures keep growing every year.Check this out—during 2003-04, the ITES-BPO exports accounted for US$3.6 billionin revenues, up from US$2.5 billion in 2002-03. By the year 2008, it is expected toemploy over 1.2 million people and reachrevenues of $24-25 billion.As Akshaya Bhargava of Infosys’ Progeonsays, “what we see right now is just thebeginning of a very large global trend. Aswe go forward, BPO industry will move frombeing a mere call centre to doing full endto-endwork for broader markets, resultingin high value deal sizes.” Pankaj Vaish, IndiaBPO Lead, Accenture adds that India has aright mix of people, skills and capabilities toprovide cost-effective, high quality solutionsand services and continues to be one of thepreferred destinations for BPO related workbecause, ultimately, it is superior qualitywork that counts. All this positives apart,the Indian BPO sector does have someimportant issues to deal with. From theservice providers side, it is very ironic thatthere are ‘no 20 Wipro, Spectra minds” inIndia quips, Raman Roy, CEO of WiproSpectramind “There are around 500companies registered with Nassocm forBPO. Less than 100 of them have 1,000people employed with them, less than 5companies have more than 5,000 people andonly one company has more than 10,000employees which is Spectra mind. We needto have more consolidation. There are anumber of companies looking at assets andentry strategy but we need 2-3 companiesmerging to form big companies,” he adds.The outsourcing backlashAmidst the mounting furore againstoutsourcing, there have been fears that itcould affect the Indian BPO industry. Butindustry people say that the sector hasactually got more publicity out of this issue,which has resulted in more customers. SaysRaman, “there seems to be a positive to allthe negative publicity India has been gettingin that even companies which didn’t knowabout India’s prowess in outsourcing arenow coming to us”.Manpower challengesWhile India, with its vast base of Englishspeakingpeople, is geared up in terms ofSAMARTHA BHARATA246

manpower for the ITES-BPO industry, muchmore needs to be done. According to Raman,“our educational system does not cater tothe requirements, aspirations and needs tothis industry. For example, Nasscom-McKinsey numbers say that $45 billion is thesize of accounting services. But there is nota single college or institution in the countrywhich teaches US GAAP. We needfundamental changes in our system to enablethe industry to have ready professionals.” Oras Nasscom puts it, resources produced mayhave a strong conceptual/theoreticalbackground but often lack communicationand vocation-specific skills and the creativedrive or specific regulatory certificationsrequired by clients in foreign countries.Data PrivacyThis is another big issue facing the industrytoday so much so that Nasscom is preparinga security audit for its 860-membercompanies in a bid to allay rising fears in theUS and UK about customer privacy and dataprotection in India.Currently, India does not have a DataProtection Act (DPA). However, Indiancompanies primarily comply with BS 7799—a global standard that covers all domains ofsecurity. While the industry body and manyIT people have been saying that the DPAshould be put into effect soon, the WiproSpectramind chief begs to differ. “We arecomplying with DPAs of the home countriesof customers, so a specific act in India is notabsolutely necessary, provided you complywith global standards. In fact, DPAs in otherSECTION - 5nations cover aspects like tax records, bankaccounts, preferential information etc. Idon’t think India is mature enough to haveall these areas covered” he explains.AttritionReports claim that attrition rates vary by 20-40 percent in some firms, while the top onesaverage 15 percent. Trained employees areleaving one company for another after beinglured by higher salaries. “While service ratesfor voice-based call centre work are comingdown, the numbers of seats are growing andHR costs have reached an all times high of50-60 percent. The high costs are a result ofthe high demand for quality manpower. Thisin turn results in wafer thin margins,” saysJ.A.S.Diaz, Executive Director of MainstaryTeleservices pvt.Ltd.CompetitionIndia lacks of long-term strategy and couldlose 45 percent of its market share soon toSouth-East Asia and Central Europe,according to Gartner, BPO earned IndiaUS$2.3 billion last year, representing morethan 80 percent share of the global market.“But India would stand to lose 45 percentof that 80 percent share by 2007,” itsresearch director Sujoy Chohan recentlysaid. This was because the government andthe industry suffered from “the erroneousbelief” that the sector could match thebooming growth of the IT industry withoutdevising a long-term road map to do so.(With inputs from Sangeetha ChengappaT.N.I.E.)SAMARTHA BHARATA247

B.P.O. FUTURE OUTLOOKTanuja B.M.SECTION - 5The ITES-BPO market is segmentedalong the lines of customer care,finance, HR, payment services,administration and content development withcompanies offering customers a range ofoutsourced services including customer care,Web sales/marketing, billing services,database marketing, accounting, transactiondocument management, transcription,telesales/telemarketing, tax processing. HRhiring and biotech research.Now, in a bid to do more high-end work,most BPO are moving from voice basedservices to high value services liketeleradiology, data mining, patentprocessing, risk analysis etc.Growth areas in BPOThe industry verticals that are expected toexperience the highest amount of ITES-BPOactivity in the next few years:• Financial Services: A large number ofIndian ITES-BPO companies are focused onproviding services like accounting, billingand payment services, transactionprocessing, and equity research support forthis sector, which continues to create thelargest opportunities. Over the last coupleof years, they have also started to offerhigher value services to customers in theareas of insurance claims processing andequity research support.• Telecom: Another segment which isattracting ITES-BPO companies is thetelecom industry which is using offshoreoutsourcing for functions such as customersupport, technical support, offshoredevelopment of products.• Retailing: Last couple of years, large globalretail chains have been offshoring processessuch as transaction processing billing,telemarketing and inventory management toIndia.• Automotive: The automotive segment hasbeen outsourcing its engineering, finance andaccounting activities. While engineeringactivities include computer-aided productand tool design, simulation and product andprocess documentation the finance andaccounting processes include claimsprocessing and general legal activities.INDIANS ARE SECOND TO NONE IN THE WORLDThe Indian Prime MinisterDr.Manmohan Singh has said, “Given fairopportunities Indians are second to none in theworld. Among the migrants to U.S., no nationhas done so much as Indians have done inAmerica within a time-span of a singlegeneration. Scientists, doctors, engineers,industrialists and traders and educationists, infact every professional has done well.He sought the NRIS’s help for rebuilding India.President Bush has remarked that India’s sharein business with America is continuouslygrowing. Until 1980, the home-sick Indians(settled in America) spent a big share of theirincome on telephoning to India. This promptedSabhir Bhatia, an Indian settled in America, todiscover hot mail, e-mail technologies – thePrime Minister said.(Translated from Dinamalar)SAMARTHA BHARATA248

ITES-BPO GROWTH BY SERVICE LINESSECTION - 5Service lines 2002-03 2003-04EEmployment Revenue Employment RevenueCustomer Care 65,000 810 95,000 1,200Finance 24,000 510 40,000 820HR 2,100 45 3,500 70Payment services 11,000 210 21,000 430Administration 25,000 310 40,000 540Content development 44,000 465 4600 520Total 171,100 2,350 245,500 3,580Note: All figures are tentative estimates, most players offer multiple processes in differentshifts and so do not provide processing revenues or employees. [T.N.I.E.]EUROPE’S CAPITAL FLIGHTAGeneva based report says that half of Europe’s’ Industrial giants have shiftedtheir production-base to other (read-mostly developing) countries. They weredriven to this decision by mounting production costs in Europe. The change-overmay result in the saving of as much as one third of the production costs.The European council for Trade and Development and the Industrial consultantsRolland Berger have collaborated in a survey which revealed these facts.One hundred European Industrial giants have taken away 39% of their productionwork to other localities. 44 other Industrial concerns have decided to follow suit.61% of British establishments and 15% of German Industries, have decided to leavetheir original bases. 37% of them want to relocate their factories in Asia.European Industrialists prefer Indian sites for relocating their factories, because ofthe availability of good communication skills, English language-educated personnel,good managers, technocrats etc.80% of the relocated industries have saved about 30% in costs. German, French,Austrian and Swiss factories have reported full satisfaction in the post-shift-scenario.The survey is silent on loss of jobs to Europeans because of their capital flight.(Dinamani)SAMARTHA BHARATA249

WINDS OF OPPORTUNITY BLOWINGIN THE JOB MARKETG.Naga SridharSECTION - 5Following the proverbial lull before thestorm, winds of change are set to sweepthe job market, thanks to the spurt anddiversification in business process outsourcing.Interestingly, it is not only the core ITESprofessionals who are at the gaining end butalso graduates with non-IT background.According to Kavitha Reddy, assistant vicepresident,Team Lease, there could be amultiplication in the job opportunities in thedays to come.“There is considerable interest being expressedby the European countries, Germany forexample, in hiring or outsourcing Indianprofessionals. This is in addition to theopportunities in the US and MNCs in India,”Kavitha Reddy says.Another trend is the growing number of nonvoicejobs. According to one estimate, voicejobsin call centres had about 90 percent shareearlier.Now, non-voice jobs are occupying more than35 percent.“This can be a niche area for non-IT graduates.For they can handle maintenance and scriptingwork effortlessly,” adds Kavitha. The chanceof a lucrative package is high if a person hasthe knowledge of major European languages.According to sources, current opportunities aremore in German and French.While the banking and insurance expansion islikely to benefit graduates in economics andinsurance professionals with experiences inPSUs, analysts are predicting a windfall infavour of pharmacy graduates.Similarly, openings for commerce graduatesare also going up.“In the US, banking insurance and pharmacyjob market is growing and shortly the samething can be seen in India too,” says JavedMirza, President, Taj Software System, whichalso takes up placements.But the core IT sector is now open to only thosewho are from pure IT background. “Earlier,even a humanities graduate who had donecourses in mainframe or oracle could find aplacement in the US. But now, it is not thecase,” explains Javeed.Another trend is ‘hire & fire’ employmentnicknamed in the business as ‘temping’. ManyMNCs are preferring to take the aid ofconsultants for this, “because this saves themadministrative costs and the liability of firingthem,” says Kavitha, whose Team Lease has aheadcount of 8,500, all of its associates puttogether.[T.N.I.E.]26,83,675 tonne of soybean meal were exported from India between April 2003and March 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA250

BHARAT VARSAS. Wajed AliOnce twenty-five years ago I visitedCalcutta. I must have been ten oreleven years old. Near our housestood a grocery run by an old man. The wayto our house ran his shop. Seatedon a mattress and chanting like asnake-charmer, he used to readfrom a thick volume. At the baseof his head was a fringe ofbrilliant white hair, otherwise hewas completely bald; perched onhis nose was a pair of big silverframedspectacles; his cleanshavenface was grave. He wasthe very image of a wise man.Every now and then a middleagedman came out and sat by himto listen to what he read, getting up to attendto customers as they arrived. A boy of myage, bare-bodied, continued to sit with theold man. Next to him sat two young girls.All of them listened attentively to the oldman’s reading. They seemed to enjoy thesubject greatly.I became very curious to knowwhat the old man was reading.Leaving my residence I stoppedat the grocery to listen. It wasthe story of how with the helpof an army of monkeysRamachandra built a bridgeacross the sea and reached theisland of Lanka. Hearing of that strangeadventure the children’s eager faces glowedwith delight and excitement. I used to getso engrossed listening to that story that Iwould have to be summoned back home. ISAMARTHA BHARATA251SECTION - 5only learnt that the bridge was being built. Idid not have the chance to know whathappened next—whether Ramchandra evercrossed the sea by that bridge and if so, whathe did thereafter.After a few days I went back to my village.Since then I have been to so many placesthat I have lost count of them. Many changesswept over my life like the flow of an everchangingriver. The picture of the peacefuland innocent life of that old man and hisbrood was lost in some hidden chamber ofmy mind. I forgot their very existence. Weforget so many such things every day.Only the other day, be sheeraccident in the course of mywanderings, I found myself onceagain passing by that same road.All the buildings and houses hadchanged. Large mansions havenow come up where earlier smallhouses stood. Previously only afew rickshaws or horse-drawncarriages plied along that road;now big motorcars raced about all day.Where gas lamps used to flicker, now electriclights made night as bright as day. As I stoodthinking about the inexorable changes oftime I glimpsed that old grocery. It had not

changed at all. Things were arranged exactlyas before. From the roof hung a kerosenelamp, perhaps the self-same lamp that I hadseen twenty-five years ago.But what astounded me was the scene I sawwithin. An old man, very much like the oneI had seen twenty-five years ago, was seatedon a mattress and was reading from a thickvolume, intoning like a snake-charmer. Amiddle-aged man, like the one twenty-fiveyears ago, was now and again coming up tohim to listen to the recitation and going backto attend to his customers. A boy similar tothe one of those days gone by, bare-bodied,sat gazing at the old man’s face. Seatedbeside him were two girls, similar to thoseI’d seen all those yearsago.What magic had broughtback those days long goneby? Spell-bound, I beganto listen. The old man wasreading the same story ofRamachandra’s buildingof the bridge—which Ihad heard twenty-fiveyeas ago. I couldn’t waitany more. Straightway I went to the old manand asked, “Sir, please excuse me. Twentyfiveyears ago I saw you reading this bookto these children. During these long yearshaven’t they changed? Has there not beenany change in you either? Is Ramachandrastill building that bridge?”SECTION - 5The old man raised his eyes and looked atme. Taking off his spectacles he cleaned themwith the corner of his dhoti and replacedthem on his nose. Slowly and gravely hisglance scanned me head to toe; then he askedme in amazement, “Did you pass by this placetwenty-five years ago?” I replied, “Yes sir.”The old man said, “In that case you saw mylate father reading this Ramayan. Mychildren used to sit with him, listening. Yousee that boy has now grown up. He must beyour age. My daughters are married. By thegrace of God they are now managing theirown houses with their husbands and children.This boy is my grandson and these two girlsare my granddaughters—they are thechildren of my son you see there.” Pointingto the book in the old man’shand I asked, “How old isthis book?”A sweet gentle smile lit uphis face, “This is theRamanyan of Krittibas. Mygrandfather had bought itfrom the bat-tala bazaar. Itwas long time ago, before Iwas born.” Saluting the oldman I left the grocery. Itseemed to me that I had been gifted with asupernatural insight. An immaculate pictureof the real Bharatvarsa revealed itself beforemy eyes—the same tradition continuesuninterrupted; nowhere has it changed.(Orignal story in Bengali by S.Wajed Ali(1890-1951); translated by Kumud Biswas;edited by Mini Krishnan –The Hindu)20.17 lakh metric tonne of major fertilizers were produced in the countryduring FebruarySAMARTHA BHARATA252

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER…AND SO IS JEWELLERYGem and jewellery sector isunquestionably one of India’sleading foreign exchange earners.From US$28 million in exports achieved in1966-67, the sector has registered aspectacular growth over the years to $9.1billion last year. But the lion’s share of this,or $7.11 billion, is accounted for by exportsof cut and polished diamonds as Indiacontinues to lead from the front in thissegment globally. Diamonds account for 80percent of the total export basket of theindustry, with gold jewellery contributing 16percent and coloured gemstones and othercontributing 2 percent each.Did we say gold jewellery? Yes, it is goldjewellery that is slated to drive the growthfrom now on even as the industry’s positionfrom the stand point of diamonds shallremain unchallenged for years to come.Cutting and polishing of diamonds calls forspecial skills and these are available here ingood measure. Notwithstanding assumedthreats from China and some neighbouringcountries, the skills and scope available inIndia make it almost untouchable for othersto come anywhere near and snatch the title.But there are limitations. We are largelyknown for cutting and polishing small, andwhat are called, cheap goods. Working onstones of bigger size and higher value is notexactly our forte, though attempts continueto be done on that behalf. In short, the ‘cheapgoods’ make up for the industry’s bread andbutter.T.BhanuSECTION - 5Indian diamond merchants are well aware ofthe inherent dangers of putting all their eggsin one basket. Which is why they areconstantly on the lookout for diversification.The search has taken them to the jewellerysector—both plain and studded—and overthe last ten years the jewellery sub-sectorhas made rapid strides. India has nowemerged as the fastest growing jewelleryexporter in the world, averaging a growthof nearly 40 percent each year between 1991-92 and now. Thus exports of gold jewelleryin 2002-03 touched US$1.5 billion from just$304 million in 1991-92.According to the Gem & Jewellery ExportPromotion Council India’s export jewelleryindustry has made rapid strides in terms ofmachinery and design development. Itsquality, designs and management are on parwith world standards. Indeed theannouncement sometime ago of grant ofduty-free imports into the US under the GSPto certain categories of jewellery hasincreased India’s competitiveness vis-à-visother countries and boosted jewelleryexports. But the significant point to note isthat jewellery export per se on a big scale isa relatively new experience, compared to cutand polished diamonds whose Indianconnection dates back to the fifties. Andsince the focus was mainly on diamonds, thejewellery sector perhaps did not get theattention it deserved. That must partlyexplain why there is such a big divideGold use for jewellery in India during 2003 was 2,547 metric tonne.SAMARTHA BHARATA253

etween the diamond and jewellery exports.And, in the case of diamonds there is yetanother factor which weighed heavily in itsfavour.In the initial stages, bureaucrats more or lesstreated diamonds like the present-dayinformation technology (IT) industry. Theyhardly had any clue about the diamonds andabout their cuts and caratage or even aboutthe ‘sights’ to source the roughs. By the timethey came to terms with diamonds, theindustry had already grown to a formidablesize. Yet bureaucratic hurdles, that borderon foolishness, were imposed from time totime, but these were overcome thanks tosome of the stalwarts in the industry whocould put across their case cogently and getthe government see reason. By its peculiarnature, gem and jewellery industry is notsomething where one can get into andflourish at will. If money were the onlycriterion, then the Tatas and Birlas wouldhave been the leaders in the industry which,alas, is not the case. You need to have ahawk’s eye and a sixth sense to remain intactin this industry which is a body of closelyknit units. It is against this background theIndian diamond merchants are doing theirbusiness.SAMARTHA BHARATA254SECTION - 5removed all restrictions on import of goldand that should stand the jewellery sector ingood stead.If, in an era of all kinds of restrictions andcontrols, the jewellery sector could flourishand register a year-on-year growth of 40percent, one can well imagine where thesector is headed. According to a leadingdiamond and jewellery exporter, this is onesector which is worth watching in the yearsto come. Today, eleven out of 12 diamondsset in jewellery worldwide come from India.Tomorrow, India will boast of that kind ofpresence in the global jewllery market withperhaps 70 or 80 percent share!Claims the Gem & Jewellery ExportPromotion Council: “India is the only centrewhich offers a truly mind-boggling varietyWe talked about diamonds, sourcing of of gems and plain, diamond studded andwhich was and is relatively simple. But that coloured stone studded jewellery suited forwas not the case for jewellery. For making every market in the world.” The stage seemsjewellery, you need gold and with our archaic to have already been set. There is bound toGold Control Act and other physical be forward integration into manufacturingrestrictions, gold was hard to come by. of plain and studded precious metal jewelleryThankfully, over a decade ago, the Act was and the industry will spawn many jointrepealed but several controls were still in ventures, partnerships and mergers. The gemplace making it virtually difficult to import and jewellery industry has grown by leapsfree gold. The government has recently and bounds. According to Vision 2007, aThe processed food sector in the country creates 1.8 jobs for every lakh of rupeeinvested.

document drawn up by the Council, plansare to achieve diamond exports of $16 billionthree years from now and raise the share ofworld jewellery market estimated at $93billion, of which India’s share at present is aminuscule $1.5 billion. Making India a onestop shop for jewellery offering all designsand varieties and transforming the countryfrom the largest diamond manufacturingcentre to the largest trading centre of theworld are the other two mission statementsof Vision 2007. For an industry whichemploys over a million people with amarketing network of some 2,500 officesacross the globe, this does not appear to bea tall order.SECTION - 5However, as Sanjay Kothari, chairman of theCouncil points out… “We need support frombanks to counter basic troubles faced by theIndian gem and jewellery sector like easyavailability of dollar credit, project financeinterest rates to be at par with the externalcredit rates, encouragement of diamond andjewellery dollar account, finance of deemedexports that need to be put across togovernment agencies and the bankingfraternity. Furthermore, we would requireproposals to be cleared in a defined time andencouragement of small and mediumenterprises.”[The New Indian Express]OBJECT FRONTIER TARGETS TOP 20 IT FIRMSObject Frontier Software Pvt. Ltd, a Chennai-based provider of persistence frameworksfor J2EE, JDO and J2SE platforms with relational databases, is entering services andaiming at top 20 IT firms in the country.The company’s flagship product Frontier Suite, on O-R mapping tool, has erned theSun Tone certification from Sun Microsystem Inc, said A James Walter, CEO, ObjectFrontier.“This is the first Indian product of its kind, and only third in the world, to earn thisprestigious certification. The certification confirms that the product meets stringentscalability, availability, reliability and performance standards necessary for qualitydeployment of web-based services,” he said.INDIA TO ASSIST BHUTAN IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRYIndia will send two expert delegations to Bhutan for the preparation of draftproposals to extend technical and other assistance in animal husbandry and dairyingand agriculture marketing. The delegations from the Department of animalHusbandry and Dairying and the National Institute of Agricultural marketing willvisit Bhutan in September.Rural postal life insurance business in the country grew to Rs.6,000 crore in 2003 fromRs.550 crore in 1999.SAMARTHA BHARATA255

THE LONG ROUTESECTION - 5Traditionally, India has always excelledin the field of diamond and gemcutting, polishing and in the craft ofgold smithy. India’s diamond tradition goesback thousands of years and is the oldest inthe world. In fact, diamonds were discoveredin India around 8,000 BC.For 1,000 years, starting 4 th Centruy BC,India was the only source of diamonds in theworld. In about 600 AD, diamonds werefound in Kalamantian, Borneo and are stillmined there. Except for a minor supply ofdiamonds from Borneo, India was theworld’s only source until the 1730s.Important sources of diamonds discoveredin Brazil in 1725, and in South Africa in 1867marked a dramatic increase in the worlddiamond supply.India’s maximum production, around100,000 carats annually in the 16 th century,is small by modernstandards (120 millioncarats during 2002). Indiancraftsmen were the first tounlock the secrets ofdiamond cutting, althoughthe cutting did not includefaceting and polishing as iscommon today. MostIndian diamonds were flatcuts.They were also almostall very large stonesbecause the mines atGolconda, Andhra Pradeshwere hand-dug. The Golconda mines wereexhausted in the 19 th century, just about thetime alluvial diamonds were found in Brazil.SAMARTHA BHARATA256By the end of the 19 th century, the greatIndian diamond era had passed into history.However, the beginning from the 1960s,another industry took roots, viz. the Indiandiamond-processing industry. This waslargely created when the world demand andprices of industrial diamonds had declinedduring the 1960s, because of the advancesof synthetic industrial materials. It was thendiscovered that someindustrial diamonds couldbe processed using cheaplabour, and the resultantpolished diamonds beapplied to jewellery. Thusthe term ‘near-gem’ or‘Indian goods’ wasinvented.As compared with thetraditional diamond cuttingand polishing centres ofBelgium, India, with its lowlabour cost, opened up newpossibilities for the world diamond industry.This was because, inexpensive stones, inwhich the cost of processing would be a

significant component of the selling price,could now be processed. As a result,diamonds could be made affordable for new,less affluent buyers. India captured anincreased proportion of this market, and atpresent, is the world’s leading diamondcutting and polishing centre. In recent times,India has increasingly held a dominantposition in the world in the cutting andpolishing of diamonds. At present, India isthe world’s leading diamond cutting andpolishing centre, accounting for 53 percentshare of the global polished diamond marketin terms of value, 80 percent share in termsof caratage, and 95 percent share in termsof pieces in the global production of cut andpolished diamonds.SECTION - 5With negligible domestic production of gold,diamonds, and other gemstones, the IndianGJ depends entirely on imported rawmaterials. During FY2003, imports of pearls,precious and semi-precious stonesaggregated Rs.292.99 billion (US$6.05billion), accounting for 16.3 percent ofIndia’s non-bulk imports, and 9.9 percent oftotal imports. Nearly 82 percent of India’sG.J. imports during FY 2003 were of roughdiamonds (which are then cut & polished forre-export), followed by polished diamonds(8.5 percent), and gold bars (8.2 percent).(Excerpts from an ICRA report on the gem& jewellery industry)U.K. DEPARTMENTS WANT OUTSOURCING IN INDIA:REPORTApart from multi-national financial institutions, British government departmentsnow plan to outsource in India as part of their cost-cutting and efficiencydrive.“Departments should seek to match the savings achieved by private-sectorfirms through so-called off-shoring,” Sir Peter Gershon, former chief executive ofthe Office of Government Commerce, recommended in his final confidential reportfor the Treasury last month. The Sunday Times reported today (16/05/04) —PTI.Ad spends on television in our country are currently estimated at Rs.4,220 crorecompared to Rs.250 crore in 1992-93.SAMARTHA BHARATA257

BIOTECHNOLOGY:THE REVOLUTION BEGINSKiran Mazumdar-Shaw-CMD-BIOCONSECTION - 5The Indian biotechnology industry isgaining momentum. With revenues ofover $700 million (Rs.3,265 crores)in 2003-04, the fledgling industry, despiteall hurdles, is well on its way to cross thepsychological barrier of $1 billion in thecurrent year (2004). It is poised to leverageits scientific skills and technical expertise tomake a global impact from a stronginnovation led platform.There are 40 National Research laboratoriesin the country employing 15,000 scientists.There are more than 300 college leveleducational and training institutes offeringdegrees and diplomas in biotechnology, bioinformaticsand the biological sciences,producing nearly five lakh students annually.There are over 100 medical collegeschurning out 17,000 medical practitioners ayear. Given this skilled resource pool, Indiais in a good position to create a sustainablebiotechnology business. The sector isgradually building critical mass both in termsof infrastructure and markets.There have been many significantdevelopments in this sector over the last fewyears. The year 2004 is proving to be awatershed year for Indian biotechnology; itwitnessed the sector’s first IPO beingoversubscribed over 30 times indicatingover-whelming investor interest in this newsegment. The year will see three megabiotech events; Bio Asia, Bangalore Bio andSAMARTHA BHARATA258CII’s India Biotech, apart from summitsaddressing global partnering drug discovery,biogenerics, genomics and other biotechareas. ABLE, the Association of BiotechnologyLed Enterprises, and Biospectrumhave been raising the profile of theIndian Biotech sector through variouscollaborative programmes with national andinternational bodies including WIPO (worldInternational Patents Organization) andPhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research &Manufacturers of America).Other important statistics include: thevaccine producers from India (SerumInstitute, Bharat Biotech, Shantha Biotechnics,Panacea Biotech, Wockhardt,Bharat Immunologicals and a few others)command a global leadership position whichwas been well recognised by internationalorganisations such as the World HealthOrganisation, The Gates Foundation andothers. Biogenerics is another area whereIndian companies are rapidly gaining a globalvantage position. Biocon and Wockhardt,between them, can address Asia’s insulinrequirements. In agri-biotech, India has thepotential to be a leading supplier ofgenetically modified (GM) seeds to theworld. India’s chemical engineering skillsoffer a real potential to be world leaders inbiotech equipment. The potential is endlessbut the opportunities are real.Given this impressive back-drop, biotechnologyis certainly the next big frontier

for the Indian economy. The current marketsize is estimated at Rs.6,500 crores ($1.5billion) encompassing agri, pharma andindustrial biotechnology.Competitive advantagesLeadership position possible India’s effortsto attain a leadership position inbiotechnology look achievable given thehuman biodiversity that exists here. Thisoffers unique human gene pools as powerfulas those of Iceland, for exclusive genomicand pharmaco-genomic studies, Indiancompanies have a golden opportunity tounravel high value IPR by way of diseaselinkedgenes and the diagnostic andtherapeutic products emanating thereof.For example, thalessmia is a genetic diseaseprevalent in many inbred Indian societies.Given the proper approach, India canconvert the disadvantage of a diseasedpopulation into a strong research advantage,which can translate into therapies and curesSTATUS OF AYURVEDA IN INDIASECTION - 5for thousands in India and other across theglobe.India’s plant and microbial biodiversities alsoprovide a treasure-trove for drug discovery.Many of the international pharma majorshave collaborative HTS (high-throughputscreening) programmes with universitiesworldwide and are now entering into similarprospecting partnerships with several Indiancompanies. Added to this is india’s inherentknowledge base of ayurvedic and unanimedicine, which offer a unique miningopportunity for new drug molecules.India’s vast and diverse disease and patientpopulation also provides an enormousclinical development opportunity. The costof drug development is largely attributed tothe cost of conducting clinical trials. IndianCROs (Clinical Research Organistions) havean opportunity to access the $10 billionglobal market for clinical trials. The presenceof a large talent pool of medical andparamedical professionals is conducive toThe Indian government and non-government organizations have been collecting statistics onthe Ayurvedic system in India and these data about the manpower and institutional aspects ofAyurveda have emerged:• Registered medical practitioners: 366, 812 • Dispensaries: 22,100• Hospitals: 2,189 • Hospital Beds: 33, 145• Teaching Institutions (undergraduate): 187 • Upgraded P.G. Depts: 51• Specialities in Postgraduate Medical Training:16• Pharmacies Manufacturing Ayurvedic Medicines: 8,400In India, 60 percent of registered physicians are involved in non-allopathic systems of medicine.In addition to the nearly 400,000 Ayurvedic practitioners, there are over 170,000 homeopathicphysicians; India has about 500,000 medical doctos (similar to the number in the US, butserving nearly 4 times as many people). Reliance on Ayurvedic medicine is heavy in certainregions of India, such as Kerala in the Southwest. Many Ayurvedic practitioners in small villagesare not registered. (The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA259

uilding a strong clinical developmentinfrastructure. International CROs havealready recognised this opportunity and haveset up operations in anticipation of policychanges that will enable clinical trials to becarried out in India on equivalent lines ofthose conducted elsewhere. The ‘IndiaAdvantage’ in clinical development is clearlythe speed of patient enrolment and therebyshorter time lines for clinical trials. Apartfrom Phase 1-4 clinical trials, Indiancompanies have a large commercialopportunity in pre-clinical trials, Indiancompanies have a large commercialopportunity in pre-clinical and ‘proof ofconcept’ studies.There thus exists an exciting opportunity forbiotech companies in the U.S. and Europeto forward-integrate their drug developmentprogrammes at lower cost and shorter timelines in India which would provide them witha lower cost validation option over trialsconducted in the more expensive researchenvirons of the west. Alternatively, themonetary risk could be shared with an Indianpartner who is keenly seeking to backwardSECTION - 5integrate into research and discovery. Suchbio-partnering opportunities need to beencouraged strongly by the venturecapitalists as a de-risking strategy.The biotechnology sector is alreadyshowcasing India’s potential to attainingleadership in vaccine production, geneticallymodified crops and clinical development.Global success for Indian biotechnology willlargely depend on creating the lowest costbase for innovation.It is therefore imperative to evolve fiscal andregulatory policies that support capitalintensiveresearch and manufacturing, longgestation time for product commercialisationand investments in patenting and technologylicensing.A strong patenting regime, regulatoryreforms that permit Phase I clinical trials andpragmatic fiscal support to research anddevelopment will enable India to realise itsglobal aspirations for biotechnology.(The Hindu)INDIAN NURSES; NEED IN THE WESTBefore 2008, some 4.5 Indian nurses will be needed in America alone.Britain, Canada, and Australia also need nurses.A number of nursing schools have come up in India recently. Bighospitals have started their own training institutes in India.The shortage of nurses has been a problem in the US for the past 15years. The new found enthusiasm among American youth for accountingand management jobs has pushed the demands for nurses up.70 lakh tonne of groundnut was produced by Gujarat in 2003.SAMARTHA BHARATA260

NILGIRIS MOUNTAIN RAILWAYSECTION - 5A fit case for heritage status: UNESCO consultant D.RadhakrishnanThe Nilgris Mountain Railway (NMR),which is in a remarkably original state,is a fit case for worldheritage status, according tothe Australian academician andUnited Nations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganisation (UNESCO)consultant, Robert Lee.the operational cost was to increase thefares.A parallel could be drawnbetween the NMR and ‘rackrailway lines’ in Austria andSwitzerland. But unlike theNMR they were modified.‘Safety standards high’Asked about the special features of theNMR, he said its environment was uniqueand it was much longer than similar lines.However, the engines “are not quiteoriginal”. He said though the operations onthe lines were arduous, the NMR’s safetystandards were high and the signallingsystem was much better than in Europe.For grant of heritage status, changes whichwere done over the years were not taken intoconsideration.The NMR was a marvel of engineering skill.Rack railways were mostly low inproductivity and the only way of coveringHe could not think of anything which couldbe construed as negative about the NMR.Its potential for attracting foreign touristswas tremendous, there were noshortcomings.With the world heritage status, the NMR’sstock as a global tourist attraction wouldgo up manifold. Though the UNESCOwould not directly extend any financialassistance to the NMR if it was declared aheritage site, it could fund communitydevelopment and educational schemesassociated with the line. (The Hindu)Toy industry in West Bengal is expected to earn revenues of Rs.300 crore by 2006SAMARTHA BHARATA261

HERBS AND LIMBSB.M.ThanujaSECTION - 5Some 80 percent of the world’spopulation relies on traditionalmedicine, says the World HealthOrganisation (WHO). With increasedconcerns about rising healthcare costs, somegovernments are encouraging the use ofindigenous forms of medicine rather thanexpensive imported drugs. This has been astrong driver for the resuscitation of herbaldrugs.Natural medicine seems to be the newcatchword across the world and this hasrevitalized the herbal industry. Althoughherbs have been used since time immemorial,it is only now that it has become legitimizedas an industry. In other words, herbalmedicine and natural pharmaceuticals(neutraceuticals) are moving from the fringesof society to the mainstream, with manymore people seeking herbal remedies now.But why?“The global consumer and medical fraternityare fast realizing the limitations of thepresent mainstream healthcare system.Medical practitioners and consumers whoearlier looked at the herbal system as an‘alternative’, are now beginning to integrateit into mainstream healthcare system ascomplementary,” says Ravi Prasad, CEO ofHimalaya Drug Company, adding, “Yes, thefuture for the herbal industry in serving thepersonal and healthcare needs of consumersacross the world indeed looks bright andpromising.”medicine, but this sector was not verypopular as it is generally perceived asfraudulent. But now, with increasingacceptance not just in these countries butalso others, herbal industry has become bigbusiness. China uses around 5,000 plantspecies while India uses over 7,000 speciesin its traditional ‘ayurvedic’ medicine. Salesof traditional medicines in China are said tohave more than doubled in the last five years,while Indian exports in this sector havetripled in the past decade, according toreports.India’s most popular form of traditionalmedicine is ayurveda. The synergy betweenayurveda and modern medicine is nowevolving-in India. Until recently, the methodsof traditional medical systems were obscure,esoteric and shrouded in mysticism. But notany more. Modern science is rapidlyunlocking the way these methods achieveresults. This in turn has led to the arrival ofa new type of medicine using ancienttechniques under scientific management. Thenew system is broadly categorized under thenomenclature ‘Active Ayurved’.The commercial potential of Ayurveda canalso be gauged from the fact that the globalmarket for herbal health care is estimated at$62 billion. In India, the estimated size ofherbal health and personal care market is inthe range of Rs.2,500 crore to Rs.3,000crore and it is growing at a rate of 15 to 20percent per annum, according to Prasad.China and India have traditionally been thetwo most widely known nations for herbalSAMARTHA BHARATA262Ayurvedic medicines are produced by scoresof companies in the country, but most of

them are very small, including someneighbourhood pharmacies which make theirown concoction. The industry is dominatedby less than a dozen big companies likeDabur, Himalaya Drug Company,Baidyanath, Zandu which together haveabout 85 percent of India’s domestic market.The products of these companies areincluded within the broad category of FMCGwhich mainly involves foods, beverages,toiletries etc, as most of them provideproducts other than ayurvedic internalmedicines, particularly in the areas of foodsand toiletries (soap, toothpaste, shampoo,etc).The market for ayurvedic internal medicinesis dominated by Chyawanprash, a herbalhoney. The leader in this field is Dabur, whichhad a 69 percent market share at the end of2002; followed by Baidyanath with nearly11 percent, Zandu and Himani (EmamiGroup) with about 7.5 percent each. Lastyear, Himalaya introduced its version ofhoney, which market sources say is doingvery well. A variety of individual herbs,traditional formulations, and proprietarymedicines for various ailments make up therest of the health products section involvinginternal remedies, while the reminder of themarket is taken up by toothpastes andpowders, skin creams, massage oils,shampoos, and other topical preparations.Exports of ayurvedic medicines havereached a value of more than $100 million ayear (about 10 percent the value of the entireayurvedic industryin India). About 60percent of this is crude herbs (to bemanufactured into products outside India),about 30 percent is finished product shippedabroad for direct sales to consumers and theremaining 10 percent is partially preparedSAMARTHA BHARATA263SECTION - 5products to be finished in the foreigncountries.All this has now led the major pharma playersin India to foray into this sector. Aspokesperson of Nicholas Piramal Ltd saidthat the Mumbai-based pharmaceuticalcompany is eyeing a foray into herbalprescription drugs. Piramal is not alone.Hordes of Indian pharmaceutical companiesare either leaping into herbal drugs orplanning on doing so, Cipla, Elder Pharmaand RPG Life Sciences are quietly lookingat entering this segment, RanbaxyLaboratories, Lupin Labs and Alem Labsrecently announced they would be enteringthe herbal prescription drug business. Whatis more, even companies that already have aminor presence in herbal drugs are planningto expand.“Though Ayurveda is the oldest and purestsystem of medicine known to humanity, theherbal healthcare segment consists of anassortment of unorganized players. Theproducts manufactured by the unorganizedplayers lack quality and purity, resulting inthe end consumer receiving sub-standardayurvedic products. The entry of Ranbaxy,Lupin and Dr.Reddy’s into the ayurvedicsegment will only help in growing the herbalhealthcare market. Organized playersthrough their communication can help ingenerating awareness amongst the endconsumer, resulting in an overall growth ofthe herbal healthcare segment/ayurvedicproduct marketing and communication willhelp in generating awareness amongst theend consumer, resulting in an overall growthof the herbal healthcare segment,” is Prasad’scomment.Pharmaceutical industry analysts believe thatthe emerging trend of self-medication and

the preference for natural products withminimal side-effects will drive the growth ofthe herbal drug market. The Indian herbaldrug market, which is split between ethical—drugs the require a doctor’s prescription—and over the counter (OTC) drugs, isgrowing by over 15 percent a year againstthe compounded annual growth rate ofaround 8.0 percent reported by theRs.20,000 crore (Rs.200 billion) allopathicdrugs market.Adding to this is the herbal and ayurvedicclinics or resorts all over the country whichare becoming quite a fad. Some of theseclinics have been present for some decadesbut majority are cropping up now. Theseclinics are offering remedies for variousailments, with Indian and foreigners flockingto them.An example are the Arya VaidyaSala. Founded in 1902, by VaidyaratnamP.S.Varier, the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya SalaSECTION - 5is today the largest and most trustedinstitution of its kind in India. It offersauthentic ayurvedic medicines are treatmentsto patients from all over India and abroad.The Arya Vaidya Sala also manages anayurvedic hospital at Kottakkal in Kerala andanother at Delhi.Another is the Ayurvedic Natural HealthCentre, Goa, which provides ayurvedichealth care services for tourists from aroundthe world. All though its herbal products canbe shipped anywhere, the services ofayurveda—epitomised by the week-longPanchakarma regimen—are obtained bystaying at a special clinic.The US-basedAyush Herbs Pvt.Ltd which has a clinic inKangra, Himalchal Pradesh, also plans toopen more clinics offering ‘panchakarma’or the traditional ayurvedic system oftreatment across India.(The New Indian Express)ESTIMATED GLOBAL MARKET IN AYURVEDA-$62 BILLIONEstimated size of herbal health and personal care market in India-Rs.2,500 crore to Rs.3,000crore and it is growing at a growth rate of 15-20 percent per annum.• India’s share—1 to 2 percent ($551 million)•Chaina’s share—48 percent ($45 billion)The global demand for herbal products is growing at a rapid pace. A World Health Organisation(WHO) study has projected the demand to reach $5 trillion by 2050 from the present $62billion. Of the estimated 400 families of flowering medicinal plants in the world, India is hometo at least 315 species, according to WHO.Exports of Ayurvedic medicines—$100 million a year (about 10 percent the value of the entireAyurvedic industry in India). About 60 percent of this is crude herbs (to be manufactured intoproducts outside India), about 30 percent is finished products shipped abroad for direct salesto consumers, and the remaining 10 percent is partially prepared products to be finished in theforeign countries.(The New Indian Express)SAMARTHA BHARATA264

SECTION - 5WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WORLD POWERYashwant SinhaProsperity and economic clout rather thanwar and aggression will be the keydeterminants of status in the worldcommunityThe term ‘Great Power’ or ‘MajorPower’ should be seen in modern 21 stcentury setting and not in its historicalcontext. India does not subscribe to theconventional idea of power. Indiaapproaches the notion of power with analternative vision.India’s power capabilities are a guarantee ofthe freedom and security of its people whoconstitute one sixth of humanity. For us,power is a means of advancing the welfareof our people and a tool for preserving andconsolidating the autonomy of our foreignand domestic policy. Moreover, as befitsIndia’s history and the traditions of its postindependenceforeign policy, our pursuit ofpower is firmly anchored in an internationalmission aimed at eliminating the scourge ofwar, protecting international law,strengthening the U.N. and striving for a newdeal for developing countries whose peopleconstitute the large majority of the world.India’s recent achievements in terms of hardpower are many. They include thedevelopment of a nuclear deterrent; militarymodernisation; rapid economic growth witha rate expected to reach over 8 per cent thisyear (2004) transition from a food deficit,aid receiving nation with limited foreignexchange reserves to a food exporter andaid giving nation with the sixth largestforeign exchange reserves in the world;major advances in areas of high technologyand global recognition of India’s hugereservoir of young and world class humanresources.Traditionally, military might has beenconsidered the most important of the variousingredients of power. However, the use offorce in naked pursuit of national interestsis no longer a viable objective for moral aswell as pragmatic reasons. Power in the 21 stcentury will flow from a well run economy.Prosperity and economic clout rather thanwar and aggression will be the keydeterminants of status in the worldcommunity.It has been argued by some that India’sdecision to develop nuclear weapons waspurely a political act aimed at enhancing itsstatus in the world by breaking into theexclusive nuclear club. This is a fallacy. In aworld where weapons of mass destructionare still to be eliminated, nuclear weaponssadly remain the ultimate guarantor of anation’s security. It was the imposition ofan imperfect non-proliferation order,evidence of which is all around us, thatcompelled us to make the transition fromnuclear abstinence to that of a reluctantnuclear power. India is a mature nuclearpower, which takes the responsibility ofpossessing this awesome capability veryseriously.SAMARTHA BHARATA265

To turn to soft power, India’s influence hasspread far and wide since ancient times ofthe strength of our culture, religion andphilosophy. As the land of Gandhi and as anation that won its independence through astruggle unique in the annals of history, Indiahas an international image that few otherscan claim. Similarly, our leadership of theNon-Aligned Movement, our contribution tovirtually every major activity of the UnitedNations, including over 36 peace-keepingoperations involving around 67,000 troops,and our consistent espousal of the cause ofdeveloping countries is well recognized bythe international community.India’s track record as a democracy; thesuccess we have achieved in weldingtogether an extraordinarily large and diversesociety into a nation, our fiercelyindependent judiciary and vibrant press alsostand out in any international comparison.Moreover, yoga and Indian food, music,cinema, fashion, dance, writing, etc. are allriding the high tide of globalization andwinning new friends for India in far cornersof the world. The success of our IIT’s andIT industry has spawned a novel stereotypeof an Indian as a workaholic computer whizkid. Ambitious forays into foreign lands byour trade and industry are also resulting inthe slow but steady emergence of ‘BrandIndia.’SECTION - 5Three important aspects deserve furtherelaboration. Firstly, India is a unique modelof democracy plus economic growth in thedeveloping world. The success of Indiandemocracy is important not only for itsintrinsic worth but also because economicprogress built on the foundation of popularparticipation and rule of law is likely to bemuch more sustainable. Moreover, as India’sdevelopmental efforts take deeper root andwe succeed in taking education, health andinfrastructure to our rural areas, we will addsignificant new numbers to our scientific andtechnical workforce and that in turn willimpart further momentum to economicgrowth. More than any other factor, it isIndia’s silent revolution in the field of ruraldevelopment and women’s empowerment,which will catapult India to world status.Secondly, India’s self-perception has shiftedfrom that of a weak developing country tothat of a great power in the making. Thisconstitutes a huge mental leap for India.Thirdly, India’s foreign policy has never beenas complete and comprehensive as it is today.Throughout the Cold War, we wereestranged from the West in general and theU.S. in particular. Today, we enjoy a verygood relationship with not only the UnitedStates but also all major Western powers.And, this has not been at the cost of ourtraditional friendship and strategicpartnership with Russia or any other country,GENERAL MOTORS CANNOT AFFORD AMERICAN COSTS;DECIDES TO SHIFT TO INDIAWhile the controversy on BPO in America is on, General Motors, the AmericanAutomobile giant has decided to shift billions of dollars worth jobs to India.Wanting to cut costs by 25% before 2005, the General Motors has already shifted 216crores-worth job to India and Canada.(Dinamani)SAMARTHA BHARATA266

including our developing country partnersof Africa, Latin America and Asia. Further,we are now even thinking the unthinkable.Differences with China and Pakistan, whichhave festered for decades, are beingaddressed in a straightforward and pragmaticmanner as never before. There is a newdynamic in South Asia with the signing ofthe SAFTA. SAARC is exploring howprogress can be made towards an economicunion, including a common currency. And,work has already commenced on transportand energy corridors that will criss-crossAsia with India as its hub.In any discussion on a country like Indiaemerging as a major power, it is butlegitimate that we ask the question—canIndia afford this? It is my firm view that theHoly Grail cannot be India’s unless and untilwe address our domestic economic andsocial issues. These problems are a drag onour ambitions and must be conqueredthrough determined national efforts.However, pursuit of power in theinternational community and the need toaddress pressing tasks at home are notexclusive of each other. Our efforts in theinternational and domestic fieldscomplement and supplement each other,especially so in a globalised world. The speedwith which we address our domesticchallenges will add to our influence in theinternational community and vice versa, themore we emerge as a power in the world,the more we will be able to contribute to thestrengthening of our economy.Further, unity and social harmony within thecountry is a sinequa non for India’s progressin the international arena. India’s biggeststrength is its secular and multi-culturalSAMARTHA BHARATA267SECTION - 5ethos. The fact that India’s Muslimpopulation is the second largest in the worldand that its Christian minorities outnumberthe entire population of many Europeancountries is a badge of honour for us. Todamage our heritage of tolerance andpluralism or to waver in upholding theseprinciples is the biggest setback that canoccur to our great power ambitions.While India has sought to change existingpower equations in the global order, it hasessentially been a status quo power that doesnot seek to upset the existing order throughviolent means. India does not resort toexport of terrorism or proliferation of thetreaty. We do not seek to snatch territoryTHE WORLD NOW RESPECTS INDIAS.GurumurthyA Headline in the Economic Times (14-5-2004)reads: Royal Dutch-Shell company India giveswork worth Rs.4500 crores as informationTechnology outsourcing.The Central Office Services of the RoyalDutch-Shell are to be taken to India by a groupcalled Group IT infrastructure G.I.T.I, whichis nick-named “Give it to India”. In Dutch-Shell, outsourcing means outsourcing in India.Difference in salary rates between the U.S. andIndia, is a major factor in such outsourcing. Ajob that is done at Rs.10,000 p.m. in India,will cost Rs.50,000 to 60,000 in the US. TheRoyal Dutch-Shell alone will be savingRs.3825 crores a year by outsourcing to India.The profit doubles. So far India’s I.T. giantsTCS, WIPRO and Infosys were landingindividual jobs earning upto Rs.500 croes.Now Wipro IBM’s single order is worth tentimes its earlier catches. The worst fears ofthe Western countries have become true,outsourcing has come about in a big way.

from others or re-write the history of oursub-continent. We criticize the developedworld for its unfair economic policies. Atthe same time, we seek to engage the Northin dialogue and to appeal to their reasonsand wisdom. India has repeatedly drawnattention to the undemocratic character ofthe permanent membership of the U.N. Butthat has not prevented us from working withthe Security Council and its members inadvancing the goals of the U.N.There is no doubt that the road ahead is longand arduous. Like all matters of internationalpolitics, the rise of India will depend not juston India’s actions but also on how the restof the world responds to this developmentand the objective circumstances of thecoming decades. Nevertheless, India hasstarted a confident march in the rightdirections and we are determined to succeedin reaching our goal.SECTION - 5As a major power, the values that India willseek to spread in the world and the goalsthat we will strive to achieve will be the samevalues and goals that infuse our national andcivilisational experience. India will alwaysstand for democracy within and amongstcountries. It will act as a pro-active agent ofpeace. India will continue to strive forinternational equity and justice. It will be achampion of the free movement of goods,services and persons across nationalfrontiers. Finally, by combining democracywith economic growth and by successfullymanaging its pluralist society through anopen, transparent and participative process,India is already setting an example for therest of the world.(Adapted from an address delivered in NewDelhi on March 12, 2004)(The Hindu)SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT FORM THE BASIS OFDEVELOPMENTProfessor Kaushik Basu, Professor of Economics, Carnell Universityhas said: “The basis for the development is laid by savings by the peopleand investment”.India’s internal production has appreciably increased in the recent years.India has to strive for greater development. Eradication of poverty and,economic development are helped by the saving habit of the people andthe proper investment of the savings. We cannot afford to neglect them.Patents are very important for the developmental process. More Indiansshould come forward to apply for patents.The number of persons living below poverty kind has comedown by30%. It is an achievement. (Dinamani)SAMARTHA BHARATA268

THE YOUNG INDIAN’S MOVEMENTR.GopalakrishnanSECTION - 5YI movement aims at evolving anaction plan based on interaction withyoung policy makers,parliamentarians, media persons andprofessionals to enable the youth to play theirdue role in meeting the challenges facing thecountry.In a recently conducted a summit devotedto the theme “unleashing the Indiaopportunity”, International consultants MCKinsey made a presentation on “Indiaopportunitiesunlimited.”The YI movement is initiated by the C.I.I.YI is far from elitist. It is inclusive in reachand encompasses achievers between 18-40years from various professions, arts andacademia.The YI believes that one of the fundamentaltasks before the nation is the creation ofemployment, considering that as much as74% of the population is below 45 years ofage. The contemporary world presents botha challenge and our opportunity for India’syouth.The chairman of the first summit said, “weaim at inspiring dynamic and successfulyoung Indians to give back something toIndia. The summit was a dialogue betweenyouth and leaders in government, industry,arts sports etc”.The programmes included 1. Presentation bysuccessful young Indians, 2. A discussion ashow the nation’s youth should respond togeopolitical trends 3. A talk on “my visionfor India” by stars from different walks ofIndian society and 4. A panel discussion bythe Young Parliamentarians Forum.The YI movement had initiated YI bridgeprogrammes for interaction with students ofcolleges.WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVES, SAYS COAL INDIASakyasen MitraLatest estimates have it that the country has reserves of 90 billion tonne ofcoal, which is sufficient for domestic consumption in the next 60 to70years. Coal India Ltd, the largest organization in the country with employeestrength of 4.82 lakh is ensuring that India’s coal bandwagon moves on.We have positive indications regarding the presence of fresh stocks of coal intwo-thirds of the total area that we have probed.” However, coal prices mayincrease in the very near future.SAMARTHA BHARATA269

SECTION - 5INDIA IS EMERGING AS A STRONG FORCESingapore Trade Conference hasapplauded Bharat. The growingstrature of India as a strong economicforce in the world was the topic fordiscussion in the Singapore trade meet in July2004.“India welcomes-2004 Asian-Pacific TradeConference” was organized by theAssociation of Indian Businessmen inSingapore.Shri Chand Hinduja head of the Hindujagroup said “There is good scope forinvestment in India’s, constructions work,also in the field of creating job opportunitiesabroad. Skilled man-power, cost efficientlabour of world standards and a large marketare India’s attractions”.“Health, communication, media, agroindustries,automobile manufacture,pharmaceutical production, etc. have scopefor large investment. The central governmentalso helps” he added.The Singapore minister for trade Raymondcommented on Indian industrialists emergingas great competitiors in the world market.“Bill-care” a pharmaceutical company fromIndia is to start production in Singaporesoon.Indu Jain Chairman of the Times of Indiagroup said that America is trying as captureand control the world with its military might,Japan with appropriate technology andcommerce, whereas India has already sentits young men (and women) to the farcorners of the globe and has captured it.(Dinamalar Translated)TRILOGY SPEAKSQ. The nineties had seen an outflow of Indian IT professionals to the Silicon Valley andelsewhere in the west; do you see a change in this trend, what have been the factors behindthis?A. There is a change in the trend of Indian IT professionals moving to the west and it is due tothe culmination of several factors. There is an enormous growth in India’s IT industry andthere are a number of MNCs either investing or setting up their offshore units in India. In fact,several of Trilogy’s [an I T company] new hires belong to this category of Indian professionalsreturning back to India after spending several years in the US.Job opportunities are increasing and job profiles are similar to those available in the US.Companies that are R&D centric are already moving the core development and R&D activitiesto India, which in turn provides exciting job opportunities to professionals here. The degree ofproject complexities are viewed as a challenge and with technology that eases communication,techies in India can work in tandem with their customers situated anywhere across the world.[T N I E]SAMARTHA BHARATA270

SECTION - 5S&P UPGRADES INDIA’S CURRENCY RATINGStandard & Poor’s (S&P) hasupgraded its outlook for India’s longterm foreign currency rating to‘positive’ from ‘stable’ on the back ofimproving external liquidity and chances ofIndia’s debt burden stabilising.“The outlook revision reflect India’simproving external liquidity and betterprospects for the Government’s debt burdento stabilise,” said Ping Chew, Director,Sovereign and International Public FinanceRating Group of S&P.“In addition, India’s robust foreign exchangereserves, which exceed 2000 per cent ofshort-term debt, mitigate the risk ofvolatility in external confidence.”S&P also revised its outlook on the Export-Import Bank of India’s long-term foreigncurrency rating to positive from stable. Atthe same time, S&P revised the outlook onthe long-term local currency rating to‘stable’ from ‘negative’.The sovereign rating on India are supportedby the country’s good economic prospects,with GDP growth likely to trend over 6 percent over the medium term. The servicesector is dynamic, while the industrial sectoris benefiting from gradual deregulation, tradeliberalisation and modest improvements ininfrastructure. “Good economic growthcould contain the pressure on India’s alreadyweak public finances, provided tax reformcontinues,” said Mr.Chew.India’s external debt and debt service burdenis expected to fall due to strong exportgrowth and non-debt foreign capital inflows,which should help offset the impact of risingimports given the surge in oil prices. India’stotal external debt is likely to fall below 100per cent of current account receipt for thecurrent fiscal year ending march 31, 2005compared with over 200 per cent in fiscal1993.(The Hindu)SAMARTHA BHARATA271

BIOINFORMATICS ON A STEADYPATH OF GROWTHG.Naga SridharSECTION - 5With the biotech sector poised forrapid growth in the country, amajor spin-off sector isbioinformatics, an area which is seeing avertical growth because of the growingsynergy between the information technology(IT) and biotechnology (BT).Indian companies can garner a 5 percentglobal market share by 2005, whichtranslates into a $3 billion opportunity.A few companies in Hyderabad, Bangalore,Chennai and Delhi among others, are strivinghard to make a niche for themselves in thisregard. According to Vijay Chandru ofStrand Genomics, Bangalore, bioinformaticsholds the key for drug-discovery and largeinvestments in the sector can bring downgestation period in drug-making. “The hugedata mining option will facilitate diagnosticsbaseddrug-discovery, which is cheaper byabout 40 percent than the normalprocedure,” he feels. There can be anaggressive growth in IT spending by biotechcompanies beyond 2005, as many of theorganisations are already making specialefforts to develop enterprise applicationsincluding management, and storage aspriorities.IDC expects IT spending in biosciences inIndia will cross $138 million n by 2005,mainly in the areas of system clusters,storage, application software, and services.(TNIE)RETAIL SECTOR GAINING MOMENTUMRamnath SubbuThe Indian retail sector is on the threshold of something big. With the total retailtrade estimated at $200 billion and the organised segment accounting for a mere2 per cent of this, almost all the organised players have in place aggressive expansionplans.The annual retail consumption in the country is around Rs.900,000 crores but withvalue addition could be scaled up to Rs.1,200,000 crores. In fact, the association isconfident that modern retail would have a beneficial trickle-down effect on sectorssuch as steel, cement and glass, bring larger revenues for the State governments andboost sectors such as tourism and hotels. The development of modern retail in Indiacould enable enhanced productivity, employment and economic growth.Gold reserves of our country stand at $4,198 million as on April 2004.SAMARTHA BHARATA272

INDIA INC ON A ROLLHiring perks up like it never didSECTION - 5Rajesh MenonThis is the new face of Generation Nextin India. Over 50,000 professionalswork in Bangalore’s call-centres andBPO firms alone. And this is just the tip ofthe iceberg.But it is not just the call-centres and businessprocess outsourcing firms that have boostedthe job market in the country. After a lull,the country’s economy would seem to be onan upward trajectory. There has been anoverall improvement in the sentiments, andafter a slack 2002, hiring is getting back onIndia Inc’s agenda.There have been many favourable factorscontributing towards this. A better thanbefore financial results of many companies,rupee getting stronger against the dollar,India emerging as the number one outsourcingdestination, good monsoon andagriculture sector picking up have allcontributed to the new emerging India.The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)Business Outlook Survey covering 215member companies across a spectrum ofindustry groups-both in public and privatesectors-for the October 2003-March 2004period exhibited a result of 64.9 points, inimprovement of 3.3 points over the previousperiod (April-September 2003).Let us look at the flavour of the seasoninformationtechnology. It has now beenaccepted that off shoring has becomemainstream and the IT sector is revivingitself. What more proof do you need thanthe recent hiring spree by the IT firms, somuch so that they have already startedrecruiting for the next year. In addition toit, the multinational firms have all set upshops or are scouting the Indian shores forpicking the best brains and starting their ownoutfits.By 2015, analysts predict that more than 3million white-collar jobs in the US will befarmed out to other countries, up from about3,00,000 today. “Simple, base-level backofficepayroll and data entry will go to rockbottom-wagecountries like Vietnam andUruguay over time, and countries like Indiawill move up the food chain and take onmore complex software and productdevelopment services,” says analyst JohnMcCarthy of Forrester Research.Recruitment trend analysis clearly shows apositive trend in the overall industry scenarioin India and this likely to continue till thisyear-end,” it says. Insurance, IT software,IT-enabled services, auto, manufacturing,heavy industry and chemical and alliedindustries are some of the sectors that haveshown tremendous potential in hiringprofessionals. Incidentally, banking andfinancial services along with insurance arenow the hot areas where hiring is happeningin the lower and middle-management levels.Interestingly, among the managementgraduates, consulting is the in-thing,followed by banking and financial services,SAMARTHA BHARATA273

fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), ITand investment banking. A study byBangalore-based brand consulting,advertising and public relations firm brandcommshows that Indian Institute ofmanagement (IIM) students aspire tobecome consultants. “The much-hypedsectors like telecom, biotech, pharma andhealthcare, insurance, BPO, fashion andretail do not seem to be attractive enoughfor these young managers in the making,”the study says.But for the graduates, it is the ITES segmentthat seems to be holding a special charm.For all the talk of China, the Philippines andMalaysia giving a stiff competition to Indiain ITES, the figures put out by globalconsultancy firm McKinsey paint acompletely different picture. The reason:India is low on cost but high on quality withabundant supply of skilled workforce.A rough look at the empirical data gives aclear picture. If it costs $2.50 per hour toemploy a person in a call centre in Shanghai,it costs just $1.50 in Mumbai. If the numberSECTION - 5of qualified workers available in Shanghaifor customer call centre is between 6,000and 7,000 per year, in Mumbai it is between35,000 and 45,000. Not to forget that wehaven’t even got into Bangalore, Chennai,Hyderabad, Kochi, Delhi, Noida andgurgaon.It is not just the call centre jobs where Indiahas an edge. Be it in back office functions offinance and accounting or electronicdocument conversion, India is way aheadthan its competitors. From availability ofqualified workforce to costs, India leads theway with China a distant fourth.If back office work for finance andaccounting costs $1.35 per hour in Mumbai,it is $2.03 per hour in Shanghai. And as forthe qualified workers available per year:14,000-17,000 in Mumbai compared with12,000-15,000 in Shanghai.“When you can get the same job done for afraction of cost, it makes sense to exportjobs,” says a top official of a multinationalfirm in Bangalore.THE IT EDGELabour Pool: India has many prestigious technical universities, but theIndian Institute of Technology stands apart as one of the world’s best.India produces 75,000 IT graduates and 2 million English-speakinggraduates annually.Expertise: Application development, maintenance, call centres, financial processing.Experts see India becoming a hotbed for more critical analytical jobs.SAMARTHA BHARATA274

CONVENIENCE FOODSN.VenugopalSECTION - 5India’s food processing sector hasa. entered a promising market. Itcovers fruit and vegetables, meat andpoultry, milk and milk products,alcoholic beverages, fisheries,plantation, grain processing and otherconsumer product groups likeconfectionery, chocolates and cocoaproducts, soya-based products, mineralwater, high protein foods etc.b. The biggest bottleneck in expanding thefood processing sector, in terms of bothinvestment and exports, is lack ofadequate infrastructure. Without astrong and dependable cold chain, foodprocessing industry, based mostly onperishable products cannot survive andgrow. Even at current level ofproduction, farm produce valued atRs.7,000 crore is being wasted everyyear only because there is no adequatestorage, transportation, cold chainfacilities and other infrastructuresupports. Cold chain facilities aremiserably inadequate to meet theincreasing production of variousperishable products like milk, fruits,vegetables poultry, fisheries, etc.c. The Government of India, realising thepotential of the sector, has set up aseparate Ministry of Food ProcessingIndustries in July 1988. The ministry, thecentral agency responsible fordeveloping a strong and vibrant foodprocessing sector with a view to creatingincreased job opportunities in ruralareas, enables the farmers to reap benefitfrom modern technology, create surplusfor exports and stimulating demand forprocessed food.Thanks to the efforts of the governmentand other regulatory bodies, the foodprocessing industry has really taken thegrowth path. “The food processingsector of India is on a new mode ofgrowth. There is a hitherto unfounddynamism emerging from the sector withthe government announcing foodprocessing as one of the thrust sectorsin its modernisation process,” says AmitMitra, secretary general, Confederationof Indian Food Trade & Industry.(T.N.I.E)AMERICAN CONTROVERSY CONTRIBUTES TO INDIA’S KITTYThe Recent controversy across the US over outsourcing Business Processes toIndia has resulted in excellent media publicity for India.The economic aspects and the functional efficiency of exporting BPO jobs toIndia have been studied well and published.A Wall Street Journalist has said that the controversy and the resulting mediaexposure have benefited India to the tune of millions of dollars in free publicity.The Japanese, Chinese and Swiss companies encourage their young people tolearn to speak English in a bid to compete with India for jobs. (Dinamani)SAMARTHA BHARATA275

SECTION - 5GROWTH OF FOOD PROCESSING IN INDIAThe food processing industry in thecountry is one of the largest in terms ofproduction, consumption, export andgrowth prospects. The government has beenproviding a number of fiscal reliefs andincentives, to encourage commercialisation andvalue addition to agricultural produce, forminimising pre/post harvest wastage,generating employment and export growth.Fruit and vegetable processing, fishprocessing,milk processing, meat and poultryprocessing, packaged/convenience foods,alcoholic beverages and soft drinks and grainprocessing are the sub-sectors that come underfood processing sector. Between August 1991and March 2003, the food processing industryhas witnessed fast growth and the turnover ofthe total food market is estimated atRs.2,50,000 crore ($69.4 billion) out of whichvalue-added food products compriseRs.80,000 crore ($22.2 billion).Between August 1991 and February 2000,India received proposals for projects of overRs.53,800 crore ($13.4 billion) in varioussegments of the food and agro-processingindustry. Government also approved proposalsfor joint ventures, foreign collaboration,industrial licenses and 100 percent exportoriented units envisaging an investment ofRs.19,100 crore ($4.80 billion) during the sameperiod. Out of this, foreign investment is overRs.9,100 crore ($18.2 billion).Processed food exports were at over Rs.13,500crore ($3.2 billion) in 1998-99. Out of theseexports, rice accounted for 46 percent, whereasmarine products accounted for over 34 percent.Primary food processing is a major industrywith lakhs of rice-mills. There are severalthousands of bakeries, traditional food unitsand fruit/vegetable/spice processing units in theunorganised sector.In the organised sector, there are over 820 flourmills, 418 fish processing units, 5,198 fruit/vegetable processing units, and 171 meatprocessing units. India is the world’s secondlargest producer of fruits and vegetables, buthardly 2 percent of the produce is processed.India is the land of spices producing all varietiesworth over Rs.3,500 crore ($900 million)amounting to 25-30 percent of worldproduction, which is processed for valueadditionand export. India grows 22 milliontonne of oilseeds covering most of the varieties.Other important plantation products includetea, coffee, cocoa and cashew. India has largemarine product and processing potential withvaried fish resources along the 8,041-km longcoastline, 28,000 km of rivers and millions ofhectares of reservoirs and brackish water.India’s livestock population is largest in theworld with 50 percent of world’s buffaloes and20 percent of cattle, but only about 1 percentof total meat production is converted to valueaddedproducts.India is the largest milk producer in the worldand about 15 percent of the total milkproduction is processed through the organisedsector.Size of the semi-processed and readyto eat packaged food industry is over Rs.4,000crore ($1 billion) and is growing at over 20percent.(Source: Ministry of Food ProcessingIndustry Annual Report 2003)SAMARTHA BHARATA276

SECTION -6SECTION - 6DEFENDING INDIAThis is the ancient land wherewisdom made its home before it wentinto any other country, the sameIndia whose influx of spirituality isrepresented, as it were, on thematerial plane, by rolling rivers likeoceans, where the eternalHimalayas, rising tier above tierwith their snowcaps, looks as it wereinto the very mysteries of heaven.Here is the same India whose soilhas been trodden by the feet of thegreatest sages that ever lived. Herefirst sprang up inquiries into thenature of man and into the internalworld. Here first arose the doctrinesof the immortality of the soul, theexistence of a supervising God, animmanent God in nature and in man,and here the highest ideals ofreligion and philosophy haveattained their culminating points.-Swami VivekanandaSAMARTHA BHARATA 277

SECTION -6Thus spake Swami VivekanandaThis is the land from whence, like tidal waves, spiritualityand philosophy have again and again rushed out and delugedthe world, and this is the land from whence once more suchtides must proceed in order to bring life and vigour into thedecaying races of mankind. It is the same India which haswithstood the shocks of centuries, of hundreds of foreigninvasions, of hundreds of upheavals of manners and customs.It is the same land which stands firmer than any rock in theworld, with its undying vigour, indestructible life. Its life is ofthe same nature as the soul, without beginning and withoutend, immortal; and we are the children of such a country.SAMARTHA BHARATA 278

ISRO DEVELOPING ADVANCEDVERSION OF GSLVK.KasturiranganSECTION -6The Indian Space ResearchOrganisation (ISRO) is currentlydeveloping an advanced version ofthe geo-synchronous satellite launch vehicleGSLV-MK III.“The GSLV-MK III is currently in its initialstage-it is expected to be developed by 2007.This will have the capability to launch fourtonnesatellites into geo-synchronoustransfer orbit (GTO).“When ready, it will be the most costeffectiveand reliable launch vehicle,” theGSLV-MK III was only the first in a seriesof ambitious projects which formed thecountry’s space vision.“From the year 2,000 ISRO has entered theexpansion phase-this phase will witnessconsolidation, innovative missions and a hostof newer services being offered throughsatellites.“The space vision includes carrying outmanned lunar mission, planetary missionsand building reusable launch vehicles.”‘Chandrayan-1 mission’ (Indian lunarmission) was step in this direction, more so,since it also marked the nation’s first forayinto space study beyond the Moon.The space programme would be relevantonly if it could contribute towards enhancingthe quality of life and act as a catalyst todrive economic growth.“Our space mission must be a tool for socialupliftment and it is important that socialrelevance continues to drive the mission. Theimmediate future will see ISRO launch aseries of Edusats, besides launching anAstrosat and a Healthsat.”“The Edusat, the ‘teacher in the sky,’ whichis under development, will seek to bringabout school, university, knowledgeconnectivity. We are working with AnnaUniversity and IITs to address challengeswith the ground systems.“The Healthsat can bring health kiosks,mobile kiosks and medical advice centres andexperts under one roof thus ushering in ahealth revolution,”The societal vision must lead to thedevelopment of several intelligent and smartthematic satellites, which can be integratedto the terrestrial network. “These can be atool to address issues such a health,education, natural resources management,disaster mitigation, pollution control, civilservices, home security and aerialsurveying.”SAMARTHA BHARATA 279

THE ‘LAHAT’ MISSILESECTION -6Indian defence scientists claim to haveachieved a breakthrough by developinga beyond-visual-range missile “Lahat’ forthe country’s indigenous Main Battle TankArjun.The laser anti-homing Lahat missile iscapable of being fired from the 120 mm riflegun of the tank, which now gets a capabilitymatching the just-acquired T-90 tanks, whichsport a BVR missile of over 5 to 8 kmsengagement capability.Lahat is a semi-active laser homing missile,which could be fired form the main gun ofthe tank similar to conventional rounds.“This would significantly enhance thefighting capability of the MBT Arjun sinceits maximum effective range is 6 kms ascompared to the 2.5 kms of conventionalammunition,” The missile could be firedeither in a lofted trajectory against armoredfighting vehicles and in flat trajectory againsthelicopters.“The fire control system of the tank wouldinclude laser designator to project a codedlaserbeam on the target. Target designationcan also be done by another tank or groundlaser designator.Some of the newly-developed Lahat missileshad recently been test-fired from the maingun of the MBT Arjun in field trials toconfirm the missile launch parameters suchas sabot separation.The penetration capability of the missilewarhead was tested and ‘the results conformto the requirements”.The missile has been developed by CombatVehicles Research and DevelopmentEstablishment (CVRDE) Avadi incollaboration with a private firm.(The New Indian Express)AGNI-2 TEST-FIREDOn January 18, 2001, India took adecisive step towards its goal ofdeploying a credible nucleardeterrent. India successfully conducted thesecond flying test of its 2500 km range Agni-II Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile(IRBM) from a mobile launcher at theInterim Test Range in Chandipur-on-sea inOrissa. Although it was the second Agni-IItest, it was for the first time that this missilewas test-fired “in its final operationalconfiguration.”Most observers say that the Agni is beingdesigned as a deterrent against China. If thatis the case, India has some way to go, sincewith its current range, the Agni-II can at bestcover Chinese territory till the western citiesof Chengdu and Kunming, if based in thecentral plateau of Bihar. Even if based inAssam, a some-what improbable scenario,the missile would not be able to reach eitherShanghai or Beijing.For this purpose, Indiais developing the Agni-III, a longer rangemissile capable of reaching targets upto 3500km.SAMARTHA BHARATA 280

SECTION -6ISRO’S SPECTACULAR LEAP IN 25 YEARST.S.SubramanianOn August 10, 1979, India’s firstSatellite Launch Vehicle – SLV-3 –roared skyward from Sriharikotta inAndhra Pradesh, carrying a small payloadcalled Rohini Technology Payload (RTP).The mission failed. The rocket and RTP fellinto the Bay of Bengal. The rocket weighed17 tonnes and the payload about 35 kg.Satish Dhawan, who was Chairman, IndianSpace Research Organisation (ISRO), cameout of the SHAR station and told a fewwaiting newsmen that the mission was “apartial success.” “We stumbled a little butdid not fall flat on our face,” he said andwalked back. The project director then wasA.P.J.Abdul Kalam, now the President. Ajammed valve in the control system of thesecond stage of the launch vehicle led to thefailure.Eleven months later, on July 18, 1980,another SLV-3 rose into the sky fromSriharikota and orbited a satellite calledRohini. The SLV-3 weighed 17 tonnes andit was 22 metres tall. The Rohini weighed40 kg. That success propelled India into theexclusive space club of the United States,the then U.S.S.R., the United Kingdom,France, Japan and China. The projectdirector of the successful flight wasMr.Kalam.Reason for failureSome days prior to the successful mission,Vasant Gowariker, then Director, VikramSarabhai Space Centre (VSSC),Thiruvananthapuram, explained why the firstSLV-3 flight failed.“The nitric acid in the solenoid valve leaked.A rocket trying to go up without the nitricacid is like your trying to drive a car withoutpetrol,” he said.The ISRO has not thought it fit tocommemorate the silver jubilee of the launchof the first SLV-3. at a function at the VSSCon November 21,2003, Prof.P.D.Bhavsar,one of the pioneers of ISRO, commentedwith anguish in a different context, “ISROhas no sense of history.”At last, a bust of Vikram Sarabhai, thearchitect of the country’s space programme,was unveiled on the campus of the ISRO’sheadquarters in Bangalore this August 12,his 85 th birthday-several of those associatedwith that August 10,1979 launch are nolonger alive. Satish Dhawan, then ISROChairman, S.Srinivasan, who was VSSCDirector, and M.R.Kurup, former SHARDirector, are no more. In 25 years, ISROhas made a spectacular leap. From a SLV-3that weighed 17 tonnes and an RTP of 35 kgweight, it is all set to launch an aerialleviathan called the Geo-SynchronousLaunch Vehicle (GSLV) in September, whichwould orbit EDUSAT. The GSLV weighs414 tonnes and it is 49 metres tall. TheEDUSAT weighs about 1,900 kg. Today,India can build its own launch vehicles andits own satellites. It can put any type ofsatellite into any orbit.SAMARTHA BHARATA 281

The genesisIndia’s space programme had its gensis whena Nike-Apache rocket imported from theU.S. took off from the fishing village ofThumba, near Thiruvananthapuram, onNovember 21, 1963. It weighed 715 kg andreached an altitude of 208 km. It was aninternational effort under the auspices of theUnited Nations.Its sodium-vapour payload was from France;the range clearance was given by M1-4helicopter from the Soviet Union; and therocket and payload engineers were Indians.The two-stage rocket was assembled in thenearby St.Mary Magdalene church, whichnow houses a space museum. The adjacentBishop’s House served as the ControlCentre. But there were contretemps. TheFrench payload would not marry up with theAmerican rocket. Welding could cause firebecause sodium was volatile. So Sarabhaiasked Bhavsar, “How can we fit thepayload?” Mr.Kalam and another colleaguescraped the payload with a small hand tooluntil it mated with the rocket. The launchwas a success. The orange trail from theSECTION -6sodium vapour that lit up the twilight skycaused excitement in Kerala. The StateAssembly, which was in session then,adjourned for a few minutes for its membersto enjoy the spectacle.Big plansIndia’s truly indigenous programme beganin 1969 when a “pencil rocket” that weighed10 kg sped a few km into the atmospherefrom Thumba. The rocket was assembled inthe St.Mary Magdalene church.ISRO has big plans. It has already startedworking on sending a probe, calledChandrayaan, to the moon in 2008; onbuilding reusable launchers; and onrecovering satellites after they fall into thesea. Work is under way on GSLV-MK III. Itwill weigh 630 tonnes and measure 43 metresin height. It will put a satellite weighing fourtones at a height of 36,000 km. A secondlaunch pad has been built at Sriharikotta ata cost of Rs.350 crores. It will be bloodedwhen a PSLV takes off from it before thisyear is out.[The Hindu]MARS EXTENDS GLOBAL REACH OFINDIAN AIR FORCEDefying logistic barriers, the Indian Air Force has madeoperational in record time its just-acquired forcemultipliers, the IL-78 mid-air refuellers, (MARS) makingIndia the only power in Asia after China to deploy such acapability.SAMARTHA BHARATA 282

INDIAN ARMYSECTION -6Introduction : Looking back from the 1990s,when the Indian Armyprojects power and sinew, it becomes difficult to remember the kindof fledgeling it was in 1947.Grit and experience affect the growthof an institution. Fighting four majorwars, insurgency and other lowintensity wars has indeed made it aneminently and efficient battle trained, warmachine.Changing times bring changing needs. Battletraining must tell also on the structuring ofthe army, for it is this function that extractsthe most from the assets available, both menand material. A look at the command andstructuring of the Indian Army shows howfinely these have been tuned to meet India’sthreat perceptions, based on the experienceof the major wars that it has fought and thepresent-day geo-political context.Command and ControlThe 1947-48 Kashmir War was fought withan evolving Indian higher command set-up.The ad hoc Delhi and East Punjab command,created to control the widespread communaldisturbances and tackle the refugeemigration problem, soon gave way to aresurrected Headquarters WesternCommand.The short 1962 Border War with Chinadictated that no matter what the state ofelectronic communications, higher directivecontrol should be exercised fromgeographical proximity.The static Areas, Sub Areas, or IndependentSub Areas span the length and breadth ofthe country. These look after infrastructural(and lines of communications) assets,relieving field formations from the tediumof administering a multiplicity.of supportinstallations located in an area. Area’boundaries conform to state (or a group ofstates) administrative boundaries. AllHeadquarters are tasked also to maintain fullcivil-military liaison. Static Areas (or evenfield formations in some cases) set up StationHeadquarters whose area of responsibilityusually coincides with a district or a groupof districts. Field formations located in Areasare always contingently tasked to assist thecivil administration through these staticHeadquarters. Strangely enough, this systemworks.The Basic MaterialsThe largest standing volunteer Army in theworld has never had to scour the populacefor draft or conscription. There are alwaysmore men eager to don olive green than thedemand at any one time. But this does notreflect a situation where a large unemployedworkforce would get into uniform to keepbody and soul together. More to the point isthe basic attitude of our people to the callof arms, discovered also by the British, somethree centuries before. There are very manywho join up for long service tenures underthe colours, by inclination and choice - alsoSAMARTHA BHARATA 283

familial habit and honour. If a young man,sound of body and mind, and of Indian origin,is inclined to spend most of his usefulworking years in the kind of desolation thatthe country’s Field areas’ adjoining theborders provide, can he be refused?For the purpose of recruitment, the countryis divided into recruiting zones.The LeadersThe officer corps strengthversus commanded strengthaverages 7 to 8 per cent.After independence therewas only one period (1963-65) when a needarose to offer short-term emergencycommissions. That was when a pre-1962planned expansion was compressed in termsof time leading to this call. The main bruntof the fighting in 1965 and 1971 at juniorcommand levels was taken up by this group.Just as in the Second World War, they, alongwith their regular counterparts, respondedwith traditional elan. Over the years, anumber of Commission streams had mergedtogether. The last of the Royal MilitaryAcademy, Sandhurst, graduates retired in1969. The Indian Military Academy (IMA),Dehra Dun, graduates, as well as the ShortService/Emergency Commissioned Officersof the Second World War formed theoverwhelming bulk filling the fightingcommand slots in 1947-49; the King’sCommission Indian Officers taking over thehigher command appointments.In 1949 a unique experiment was launched -that of cadet-level training for all the threeServices together for three years andthereafter moving on to Service academiesfor pre-Commission training. This was theJoint Services Wing (Dehra Dun), which inSAMARTHA BHARATA 284SECTION -6later years became the National DefenceAcademy (NDA) Khadakvasla.At present, the Army officer intake is fromfour distinct streams, namely the NDA; thegraduate direct entry stream (IMA); cadetschosen from the ranks and initially trainedat the Army Cadet College - an adjunct ofthe IMA; and a five-year Short ServiceCommission streamfrom the OfficersTraining Academy,Madras. A few selectedJunior CommissionedOfficers (a gradeexisting only in theIndian and Pakistan Armies) are offeredRegimental Commissions. The Short Servicestream is offered Regular Commissions bychoice and reassessment. Officers of theNDA have now reached three-star rank inall three Services. A common indicator ofthe type of leadership extant in the Army arecasualty ratios. In all our wars, officercasualties have been high. This is an internalassessment criterion. Management expertspoint out that high casualties bespeak of poorcommand. The point, however, is thatOfficers of the combat arms lead from thefront and do not manage from the rear.The sacrificial content of the leadership ethosbuilt up over decades has served the countrywell. But far more important, the ranks knowfor certain that there will be no directivecommands by electronics or remote control.The training of the Indian army officer ismeant to subsume his persona under a verydemanding but explicit code.The EthosThe greatest binding force in the Indian Armyremains unit cohesion and tradition. Truly

heady is this mixture of Unit identificationand traditions of sacrificial velour, handeddown through centuries. At one point,victory or defeat becomes irrelevant. Whatmatters is - Has the unit measured up?Among the warriors, this allembracingethos works like acomforting blanket. When allseems (or is) lost, the laststring that refuses to snap is,‘I must not let my unit’s namebe sullied’. An example here,is the living tradition of an oldbattalion of the Sikh Regiment.Almost a century ago, a handful held off ahorde of tribesmen at a bleak spot in theNWFP - to the last man. The place was calledSaragarhi. Much later, in 1962, the samebattalion, taking fearful losses was told bytheir Commanding Officer - ‘We have noteven started touching the levels establishedby our ancestors’(mentioning thatstand); The battaliondied where it stood atWalong. Phoenix-likeit rose again, to smashBurki in 1965.The elite para-commandos and parachutebattalions -India’s ‘Red Devils’ as they areaffectionately called have an unsurpassedethos and elan of their own. 2 Para Battalionexecuted a superb airborne assault operationat Tangail in East Pakistan on 11 December1971, the first of its kind on the subcontinent.The Armoured Corps retains the CavalrySlouch, and an infuriatingly languid air ofnot being seen as perturbed in public.SECTION -6The Gunners are a breed apart. A phlegmaticbunch of men, they are not given to why,where as, or where fores.The ‘literati’ in the sword arms are thegentlemen of the Engineers and Signals. TheEngineers share a motto withthe Gunners - Sarvatra(Ubique in Latin, or‘Everywhere’ in commonparlance).The most ungentlemanly lotare the Signal Corps. Themoment a world-renownedstatesman wrinkled his nose toutter those famous words, ‘Gentlemen donot read others’ mail’, they got about doingexactly that without a twinge of conscience.Their ability to pick out gibberish from anoverused electromagnetic spectrum and getto understand it, is legendary. They listen toother people’s tete-a-tetes withoutpermission and have beendoing so ever since modernconveniences came intobeing. The fifth dimensionof war (space being thesixth), is given overentirely to them for theiruse -Electronic Warfare.They have long passed the stage when theywould worry about providing efficientcommunications only. That is commonplacefor them even if the equipment looked as ifit had been exhumed from JC Bose’s firstlaboratory. Today of course-it is a differentmatter.We can keep increasing this list and neverfinish. The Indian Army, as often the foreignmedia sometimes churlishly say, is‘mammoth. But we are barely managing ouraffairs.SAMARTHA BHARATA 285

Dr.RAJA RAMANNA’ ADOYEN AMONG SCIENTISTSSECTION -61. He was a most approachable to traineescientists-youngsters who wouldbecome nuclear scientists.2. He was erudite and delightful to listen.He could cut the pretentious to size,compliment the deserving and pointout areas for further study.3. He hated the slide-rule engineeringand craved for originality andcreativity.4. He took steps to set up the AtomicEnergy Regulation Board, and gavepriority to enforce radiation protectionprovisions among medical andindustrial uses of radiation. He stroveto make medical x-ray installationssafe.5. He was intensely patriotic. He spurnedgreener pastures and responded to thecall of Dr.Bhabha and made laudablecontributions to the growth of S & Tin the country.6. He was the mentor of India’s firstnuclear blast at Pokhran in 19747. Dr.Ramanna was a pioneer in thegrowth of physics in India. He put thecountry on the world nuclear mapwithin a short time after his greattheory of Nuclear Fission wasestablished between 1965 and 1968.He was head of the Bhabha AtomicResearch Centre, the member andchairman of the Atomic EngeryCommission, Secretary of the Dept. ofAtomic energy, Scientific advisor tothe Defence minister and M.O.S. forDefence (1990). He was the founderof National Institute of Advancedstudies in Bangalore.8. Dr.Raja Ramanna is being describedas a great humanist devoted to thewelfare of mankind throughapplication of science. He has inspired1000’s of our young men and womanto take up science as their vocation.He is one of the makers of modernIndia. He was an outstanding scientistand a man of thought and of wideliterary and philosophical interests andsocial sympathies.9. He synthesised Western thought andTechnology with Indian Philosophy,society and developmental needs. Hewas keen on indigenous developmentof science and technology and theresultant applications. He had theability to look at problems rationally,scientific, technical and managerial.10. In the 50s, the challenge of doing highquality science and developingadvanced nuclear technologies wasdaunting, given the poverty of theSAMARTHA BHARATA 286

country and lack of expertise. ButDr.Ramanna was never intimidated bythis challenge. He believed in choosingthe right people, encouraging andsupporting them to perform, andcutting down bureaucratic delays andunnecessary rules and regulations inadministering science. His sciencepolicies were directed towardsencouraging creativity in order tomake advances in technology at themost sophisticated level. To developthe skilled manpower required for thistask, he, with Homi Bhabha, startedthe BARC Training School, in whichevery year 200 scientists and engineerswere recruited, tutored for a year, andthen absorbed into the laboratories andin projects. This was started in 1957,and is still continuing, and much of thestrength of the Department derivesfrom this seed that Dr.Ramannaplanted.11. Proud legacyOut of the uncertain beginnings in the1950s, if we have today achieved thestatus of a “developed country” innuclear science and technology, it isin large measure a consequence ofDr.Ramanna’s ideals, policies andefforts. He certainly leaves behind theproud legacy of a magnificent edificeof scientific and technologicalachievements and attainmentsparticularly towards the country’senergy and national security. Butperhaps the even more importantlegacy is his uncompromising belief inintellectual clarity and rationalthinking to every facet of life.12. He was a great soul who alwaysthought of the country, how to revivethis ancient civilization, make itSAMARTHA BHARATA 287SECTION -6economically viable and scientificallyand technologically self-generating.13. Dr.Ramanna made the Reactor Groupwork on the 500 MW high-fluxresearch indigenous effort in threeyears.14. Dr.Ramanna was convinced thatIndia’s geo-strategic interest could besecured only by India becoming anuclear weapon power. Thethreatened economic sanctions by theWest and the collusion of Pakistanwith China in producing atomicweapons were complicating the issue.15. By the end of the 1980’s becameevident that Pakistan had a fewnuclear weapons in its basement.India’s response was to continue thepolicy of ambivalence but with a highdegree of preparedness. WhenDr.Ramanna retired from the AEC inearly 1987, he had made sure that hisprincipal associates had moved aheadsubstantially on the weaponisationprogramme.16. India had to respond beyond routinelytelling the country that its securitywould be ensured under allcircumstances. By the middle 1990’sthe then P.M. reportedly gaveclearance to carry out a weapon testand preparations began. However theU.S. pressure on the then PM resultedin his countermanding the earlierapproval.The PM who came later took the firmdecision to go ahead with Pokhran IItest in May 1998. The Indian economyhad in the mean time grown robustenough to withhand the economicsanction that the US and its alliesimposed on India.

SECTION -6Contrary to the fears in some sectionsof Indian opinion, relations with theUS actually improved after Indiabecame overtly nuclear. India with anuclear arsenal is better able tosupport universal nucleardisarmament, which continues to beIndia’s goal.17. The legacy of Dr.Raja Ramanna is thatover half-a centry of his associationwith the Atomic energy programme,he helped build up a large pool ofscientists and technologists who couldtake on new and challenging problemsin nuclear science and technology toaddress the country’s needs of energyand National security.18. Dr.Raja Ramanna was a mentor, guideand teacher to persons ofDr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam’s calibre. Hewas a towering and multi-facetedpersonality. He was always keen tocontribute to the NationalDevelopment with a sense of mission.To the S&T community Dr.RajaRamanna was always a source ofinspiration and a guide.(Culled from tributes by Dr.H.N.Sethna,Dr.P.K.Iyengar and Dr.M.R.Srinivasan allformer Chairmen of A.E.C., Dr.A.P.J.AbdulKalam and Dr.G.Parthasarathy, SeniorAtomic Scientist).INDIA TO LAUNCH SEVEN SATELLITESWITH the Department Of Space(DoS) planning to launch sevensatellites under the new INSAT-4series by 2007, Indian communicationsatellite system is expected to get a majorboost in the coming years.The DoS report for 2001-02 says thesatellites in the new configuration will helpin increasing the INSAT transponders invarious bands to 251. the Indian NationalSatellite System (INSAT) is one of thelargest domestic communication satellitesystems in the Asia-Pacific region, with fivesatellites—INSAT-2C, INSAT-2DT, INSAT-2E, INSAT-3B and INSAT-3C—inoperation.As for other space projects, GSAT-2, whichwould be launched by the seconddevelopmental test flight of the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, hasundergone completion of assembly of theflight structure.GSAT-3 and GSAT-4 are also underplanning. One of these satellites is proposedto carry Ka-band regenerative transpondersand a large unfurlable antenna, besides othernew technologies.Divya Astra exercise was held of Mahajan Ranges near Surtgarh in Rajasthan todemonstrate the Indian Army’s fire power.SAMARTHA BHARATA 288

SECTION -6INDIGENOUS CRYOGENIC ENGINE TO POWERNEXT FLIGHT OF GSLVAn indigenously crafted cryogenicengine will power the next flight ofthe Geo-synchronous SatelliteLaunch Vehicle (GSLV), scheduled forFebruary or March next year (2005), theChairman of the Indian Space ResearchOrganisation (ISRO), G.Madhavn Nair, said.The cryogenic engine, to be used for the thirdstage of the GSLV, has been tested for 6000seconds of operation and is fully qualified.The launch would take place possibly fromthe new launch-pad being built atSriharikota, the chairman told a ‘Meet thepress programme’.Rocket partsMr.Nair said the relaxation of importrestrictions on rocket parts and other spacetechnology items by the United States wouldhelp India get quality parts at cheaper rates.The country is importing about $200 millionsworth of items from the US and about $100million worth of items from Europe. Now,the imports from the US could go up by $100millions.He said that the ISRO’s immediate projectsincluded the launching of INSAT 4A andINSAT 4B satellites. The 3.7 tonne INSAT4A would be launched shortly from Kourouin French Guiana. Other plans includedlaunching of CARTOSAT in the IndianRemote Sensing Satellite series fromSriharikota. This satellite would be able totake stereoscopic pictures needed formapping of the terrain. As the telemedicineprojects has been successful, launching ofthematic satellite dedicated to medicalpurposes would also have to be considered.Virtual classroomsHe said that the EDUSAT would becomeoperational in four weeks. About 1000terminal stations would be set up throughoutIndia shortly to receive signals from thesatellite in interactive mode. This wouldfacilitate virtual classrooms that enablestudents to interact with the teachers. Thenumber of terminals would be increased to10,000 later. Mr.Nair said that the Rs.350crore Chandrayan project was not a costlyone. The amount came to only 0.5 per centof the ISRO’s budge.The technologically challenging projectwould enable the ISRO to do mapping ofthe lunar surface and undertake severalscientific quests.(The Hindu)India has emerged as the third largest producer of arms among developing nations,according to a recent report presented to the US Congress. China and the UnitedArab Emirates were the top two producers of arms over the last four years.SAMARTHA BHARATA 289

SKY IS THE LIMITSECTION -6India will be launching a GSLV withindigenously designed cryogenic engine,next year (2005), according toN.Vedachalam, director of the LiquidPropulsion Planning Centre of ISRO.India had, by launching Edu-sat September2004, proved its major role in thedevelopment of science and technology.India had so far launched 11 satellites and10 of them had succeeded totally. The recentEdusat satellite had been placed in anelliptical orbit, 36,000 km above earch, withmeticulous precision.He said that the directions of winds, 20 kmabove the earth, vary and this may lead tosome hazards while launching satellites. TheISRO launching centre at Sriharikota hadbeen working on this problem for the past40 years and it had recorded data about thevelocity of winds, their direction and otherfactors. It was because of this data that theEdusat was launched successfully.The satellites launched earlier were capableof transmitting images only during the day.Now it has been planned to send a satellitefitted with radars which could send perfectphotographs even at night. Research wasnow on to produce the radar, camera, filmsand other equipment needed for this purposeat the Ahmedabad and Bangalore spaceresearch centres and at Vikram SarabaiCentre in Thiruvananthapuram, he said.Satellites fitted with these equipment wouldbe launched within the next two years. Asregards the indigenous cryogenic engine, hesaid the planning process is on at the spaceresearch centres in Thiruvananthapuram andMahendragiri.Vedachalam said that UTMS liquid is usedas propellant for rocket engines. This ishighly combustible and therefore, it has beendecided to develop a fuel comprisingkerosene and liquid oxygen. (TNIE)“Avatar”India unveils space plane—Avatar: Indian scientists have designed a reusable spaceplane—Avatar—which can launch satellites of a minimal cost and take tourists on aride to space.It was unveiled on July 11, 2001 in the US by former chairman of Bharat DynamicsLimited, retired Air Commodore Raghavan Gopalaswami, the brain behind the lowkeyproject funded by the Defence Research Development Organisation.Avatar’s design-which can be launched 100 times and produces its own fuel in flight—has been patented in India.A space trip on board Avatar would cost a fraction of the 20 million dollar that a USbusinessman Denis Tito paid for a visit to the international space station in May 2001.SAMARTHA BHARATA 290

SECTION -6DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTORGANISATION- ACHIEVEMENTSThe Place – An emerging ‘developednation’ – IndiaThe Vision – To make India self reliant inDefence TechnologiesThe Path – The Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO)The Genesis – Set up in 1948, originally asthe Defence Science Organisation, with afew basic science laboratories, DRDO cameinto its present form on 01, Jan. 1958.The Expertise…. – DRDO is activelyengaged in design and development work instate-of-the-art technologies in the frontierareas of Aeronautics and Avionics,Armament, Combat Vehicles andEngineering, Electronics Communicationand Computer Systems, Missiles, NavalSystems and Materials and Life Sciences.The Achievements : A few of the feathersin the capSuccessfully developed state-of-the-artsystems: Light Combat Aircraft-Tejas;Missiles-Agni, Prithvi, Nag, Brah Mos; Mainbattle Tank – Arjun; Multi barrel Rocketlauncher – Pinaka; Multi – Hop BridgingSytem – Sarvatra; Radars – Indira, Rajendraand BFSR; Pilotless Target Aircraft-Lakshya; Sonars – Humsa and Mihir;Torpedoes and Naval Mines; Wargames –Shatranj, Manthan.Success stores also in: Robotics andArtificial Intelligence; materials; Metallurgy;Food Preservation; High AltitudeAgriculture; Avalanche Prediction andControl; Camouflage; Physiology andPsychology.I COMBAT VEHICLESMBT Arjun : A state-of-the-art battle tankwith a high performance engine developing1500 hp and flexible hydro-pneumaticsuspension. It’s fast and accurate targetacquisition ensures excellent first-hitprobability. Indigenously developed‘KANCHAN’ composite armour providesenhanced protection.SAMARTHA BHARATA 291

II COMBAT ENGINEERING1. Sarvatra - A world class multi-hopbridging system to overcome obstaclesof varied nature upto a width of 100m.This state-of-the-art trestle-cum-spanbridge of class MLC-70 can be launchedand recovered from either side of theobstacle.2. Armament - Multi-Barrel Rocket SystemPinaka - Area weapon system to augmentthe existing artillery beyond 30 km range.A battery of 6 launchers can neutralise atarget area of 700 x 500 m.5.56 mm Indian Small Arms System(INSAS)The INSAS family consists of 5.56 mm Rifleand LMG in fixed and foldable butt versions,both firing the same ammunition. Salientfeatures are its light weight, how recoilenergy and commonality of components andsuch assemblies.III LIFE SCIENCESRations for Services - Developed to meetnutritional needs of troops operating in farflung in-hospitable terrain under hostileweather conditions.Compo Pack RationEasy to prepare high energy packed mealsfor soldiers deployed in operationalsituations, Designed to meet shortsustenance needs.SECTION -6items for detection, protection anddecontamination. A few items on display are;• Radiac Personal Locket Dosimeter : Wristdosimeter for measuring gamma and neutroncumulative dose.• Permeable Suit with NBC Mask : -Providesprotection against toxic vapours, aerosol anddroplets – 3 layered suit.• Respirator :Provides protection againsttoxic gases and vapour, smoke, radioactivedust and bacteria.• Extreme Cold Weather / Glacier Clothing: DRDO has developed ;special clothing fortroops operating in extreme cold, highaltitudes and glacial areas. These are madeof multi layers of carefully chosen materialand are modular in design• Following items have been developed foruse in extreme cold weather conditions:• Under Vest and Under pant• Jacket and Trouser ECW• Socks Lycra, Gloves ECW, Cap Glacier• Sleeping Bag ECW, Ruck-Sack• Indigenous Dental Implants : Costeffective indigenous titanium dental implantsand surgical kits have been successfullydeveloped. They can be fabricated to suitindividual needs. This technology has beentransferred to the industry for volumeproduction.IV Aero• Tejas : TEJAS is the world’s smallest,lightweight, multi-role combat aircraftdesigned to meet the stringent demands ofIndian Air Force, as its frontline multimissionsingle seater tactical aircraft. TEJASintegrates modern concepts and the stateof-the-arttechnologies like Fly-by-WireFlight Control System, Multi-Mode Radar,Advanced Composite Material for structuresMeals-ready-to-eat(MRE) and ConvenientFood MixesPre-cooked wholesome processed foods forquick preparation.NBC Clothing and EquipmentTo provide protection in Nuclear (fallout),chemical or biological contamination createdby the adversary. Consists of a number of and a Flat Rated Engine.SAMARTHA BHARATA 292

• Nishant : Nishant is a pusher propellerdriven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV),launched from a hydro-pneumatic raillauncher. It has been developed forbattlefield surveillance and reconnaissance.Carrying electro-optic payload, it has anendurance of over 4 hrs.V Missiles• Agni : Agni II-Surface-to-Surface,Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile(IRBM), is a 2-stage solid propellant missilewith a range in excess of 2000 kms. Armedwith state-of-the-art technologies in controland guidance, re-entry, multi-staging andcommunication interface, Agni II confers onoperational capability to deliver a variety ofpayloads on targets which are, at present,beyond the range of combat aircraft.• Nag : Nag is a third generation antitankmissile system with “fire and forget”and “top attack” capabilities. The State-ofthe-artIIR (Imaging Infra Red) homingguidance system has lock-on-before-launch(LOBL) capability for a day and nightoperation.• Prithvi : A tactical Surfact-to-SurfaceMissile System, Prithvi is a battlefieldsupport weapon for the Army with a rangeof 150 km, and a 1 tonne warhead. In itsversions for the navy and airforce, it has arange of 250 km with 500-kg warheads.Brah Mos• A world-class supersonic anti-ship cruisemissile with a maximum range of 300 kms.• Can be launched from multiple platformsLand, Sea, Sub-Sea and Air based.• Capable of engaging shore based radiocontrasttargets.SECTION -6VI NavalAdvanced Light Weight Torpedo• Lightweight State-of-the-art Torpedo usedin anti submarine warfare.• Can be launched from ships as well ashelicopters.• Homes-on to the target based on the sonarsignals received. It is equipped withintelligent electronics to differentiatebetween actual and false targets. In-builtlogic and guidance and control schemesenable it to accurately attack the target.Mihir• Used with helicopters for detection ofunderwater targets.• Comprises of a dunking sonar andfour-channel sonobuoy processor.• Information about the target is relayed tothe mothership or submarine for firing of atorpedo on the target.VI ELECTRONICSBattle Field Surveillance Radar (ShortRange)• Battery powered man-portable surveillancerader for use in the battlefield.• Benchmarked against some of the best inthe world, its range of detection is:• Crawling man - 500 mtrs• Single/Group of Walking Men - 2-4 kms• Moving light/combat vehicle - 5-10 km• Low flying helicopters - 6 kmSAMARTHA BHARATA 293

3-D Medium Range Surveillance Radar• A 3-dimensional, medium range radar,capable of detecting and tracking multipleaerial targets (aircrafts.)• Can track 150 targets simultaneously inTrack While Scan (TWS) mode.• Detection range more than 120 kms at 15rpm and 150 kms at 7.5 rpm.• 360° azimuth and 20° elevation coverageVII TechnologiesMMICA facility for design, fabrication, assembly,testing and quality assurance of GalliumArsenide based Monolithic MicrowaveIntegrated Circuits (MMIC) to MilitaryStandards has been established.VLSICore competence to designing and realisingApplication Specific Integrated circuits(ASIC) has been achieved. A facility forSECTION -6indigenously manufacturing MIL-qualifieddevices has been established recently.EW SystemsUnder the programme for development ofIntegrated Electronic Warfare capabilities,ESM and ECM System are being developedfor the Indian Army as well as the IndianNavy. This capability would enable effectiveuse of the e.m. spectrum by own forces whiledenying its use to the adversary.Digital Radio Frequency memory (DRFM)DRFM is used in present day radar ECMsystems to electronically counter enemyradar signals. It enables digital storage ofdown converted enemy radar signals,introduce delay and retransmit after upconversion, to jam enemy radar. It is capableof introducing range advancement, rangedelay and false target generation. Very fewcountries have this capability.(D.R.D.O. Handout)MAGNA CARTA ON NATIONAL SECURITY RELEASEDThe group of Ministers on securityhave released the report on nationalsecurity system. The report said that theCentre would set up a strategic commandto manage its nuclear forces, tighten bordermanagement and establish a defenceintelligence agency.Central to the revamp is the integration ofthe Defence Service Headquarters with theMinistry of Defence. India is the onlycountry where the army, navy and air forceheadquarters are treated as attached officesof the Ministry of Defence, and not anintegral part of it.SAMARTHA BHARATA 294While nuclear forces will be“unambiguously’ under civil control, a newChief of defence Staff will exerciseadministrative control and be the singlepointmilitary advisor to the government.The Chief of defence Staff (CDS) will bea four-star officer, drawn from one of thethree armed forces. Currently, the army,air force and navy are each headed byseparate chiefs who report to a civilDefence Minister.A new border intelligence agency, and anew defence procurement agency tostreamline arms-buying procedures are theother recommendations of the report.

INDIA’S SPACE PROGRAMME; POISEDFOR A QUANTUM JUMPIn the latest Annual Report of the IndianSpace Department the space researchachievements of the country have beenhailed as under:SECTION -6INSAT system-capability in the country. Thissystem is also instrumental in providingrequired metrological cover to the entirecountry.“Even as India entered the new Millennium,the space programme in the country hasmatured to a status where the space hasbecome an important element of nationalinfrastructure, especially in the areas ofcommunication, broadcasting, meteorology,disaster management and resourcesmonitoring. India is recognised in the worldover for its unique application-driven spaceprogramme. The plans to further enhanceand improve the space services by launchingfollow-on satellites in the INSAT and IRSseries in the coming years, and to enhancelaunch capability to place INSAT class ofsatellites in orbit through GSLV, the Indianspace programme is poised to play asignificant role in the country’s marchtowards the progress in the newMillennium.”India is a pioneering country in thedeveloping world to have outstandingachievements in space research. Theapplication-driven space programme of thecountry has earned the applause of the entireworld. INSAT series of satellites havebrought significant changes in the fields ofcommunications, broadcasting, radionetworkand disaster management. Atpresent more than 400 earth stations, locatedin various parts of the country are linked tothe INSAT series of satellites. INSAT-3launch has significantly augmented theIndian space research programme is nowpoised to achieve new heights. Successfullaunch of booster Geosynchronous SattelliteLaunch Vehicle (GSLV) in the coming timewould be a great achievement by India inthe space research. GSLV class spacebooster technology is available only with theUSA, Russia, China, Japan and the EuropeanSpace Agency. This capability would enablethe country to do away with the need to hirecommercial rocket launchers.Indian space research in the field ofdevelopment of cryogenic engines is also atthe threshold of achieving a unique success.The fully cryogenic stage engine wasexpected to be developed by the Indianscientists by the year 2003. Development ofthis capability by India would bring it at parwith the USA, Russia, China and a fewEuropean countries.Yet another achievement awaiting the Indianscientists is the impending launch ofMicrogravity Recoverable Satellite (MARS).Only a few countries in the world, like theUSA, Russia, China and Japan, have beenable to develop this capability so far. Thiswould enable India to develop a reusable andrecoverable satellite. Successful experimentsat the Bangalore-based ISRO SatelliteCentre have paved the way for achieving thisunique success.SAMARTHA BHARATA 295

The latest conflict with Pakistan in the Kargilarea during the year 1999 had exposedIndia’s weakness in the field of intelligencecollection, necessitating the need for a highperformance earth imaging satellite. Thespace scientists of the country have thusstarted working to develop a CARTOSATsatellite, providing the facilities of stereoimagingfor generation of digital terrainmodel. Expected to be launched in a year’stime, CARTOSAT satellite would greatlyassist the Indian defence forces to plan theirSECTION -6warfare strategy. It would also help inpreventing Kargil type of situation in future.This would essentially be a remote sensingsatellite in the IRS series and wouldappreciably enhance India’s militarycapabilities. Information gathered from suchsatellites would also help the country incollecting agricultural data, flood mapping,drought monitoring and water resourcemanagement, in addition to several otheradvantages.(The Competition Master)AGNI – 1The successful test-launch of thesurface-to-surface missile Agni-1, onJanuary 25, 2002, was significant interms of bridging the felt gap between thePrithvi-II missile, which has a range of 250km, and the Agni-II, which can strike targets2,500 km away-Agni has a range of 700 kmand can carry nuclear warheads, thus givingteeth to India’s deterrence posture. TheJanuary 25 launch from a road mobilelauncher at the Interim Test Range onWheelers’ Island, Chandipur-on-Sea, Orissa,carried a one-tonne dummy payload.Defenceexperts do not feel shy of admitting thatAgni-is Pakistan-specific.The Agni variant is part of India’s IntegratedGuided Missile Development Programme(IGMDP). With a sea-based deterrent not onthe horizon yet, the present launchdemonstrates that India wants to stabilise itsnuclear deterrent on the basis of land-basedcapability.Defence analysts opine that the test reflectsIndia’s move from a ‘minimum credibledeterrent’ as the leitmotif of its no-first-usepolicy to ‘credible minimum deterrent’ in itsquest for nuclear credibility.Ayni, located near the capital of Tajikistan, is India’s first-ever military base in aforeign country—past Sri lanka.SAMARTHA BHARATA 296

SECTION -6NATIONAL SECURITYThe question: who lives if India dies isneither hypothetical norhallucinatory. Economically, theworld may have become a ‘global village’but politically, the world is still dotted withnation-States demarcated by distinct as wellas vague boundaries, giving rise tooccasional skirmishes and subtle but sinistermoves to alter the balance of power. If theparadigms of national security aredetermined by well-defined or naturaldividers like rivers, mountains or seas, eventhen the need to be ever vigilant all the timeshould remain both paramount and predominantin the national interest-cumsecurity.A snake in the grass can prove asfatal as the enemy sitting across the borderwith his lethal gun aimed at the target. Inboth situations, complacency can lead tovery unsavoury consequences.No doubt, the proverb: Those who sweat morein times of peace, lose less blood in times ofwar is tellingly in touch and tune with the stateof preparedness, which is the sine qua non ofnational security. After the 1962 debacle, thethen President of the Republic,Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, had warned the nationagainst being caught napping again. His candidcounsel and words of wisdom good by us ingood stead and we were able to face the 1965aggression with dogged determination,resulting in a decisive defeat of the enemy.Now, after the betrayal writ large in the bloodof our valiant soldiers and officers on the mostinhospitable and tortuous heights of Kargil,President K.R.Narayanan minced no words inasking the people to be united in the face of‘more Kargils’ and mooted a hike in the defenceSAMARTHA BHARATA 297budget to equip the armed forces with the latestweapons and force multipliers. Havingneighbours not very friendly disposed wecannot afford to ‘lower our guard’.With narco-terrorism, coupled with religiousfundamentalism, having spread its tantalizingtentacles across the country, the contoursand contents of national security haveundergone a complete metamorphosis overthe years. The continuing proxy warunleashed in different parts of the countryposed threats to our national security. It canbrook no laxity on anyone’s part.With the strengthening and modernising ofintelligence set-up, the timely detection anddefusing of time-bombs, RDX, etc have gonea long way in saving many a life and avert thebreakout of communal tensions and tempers.These measures, in a plural polity like India,have helped to preserve our social fabric. Theway we have withstood these challenges,coming from outside and also raising their uglyheads at home, testifies the inherent strengthof our perceptions, that are national incharacter and international in vision and vigour.Pakistan’s misadventure in Kargil hasobviously made it mandatory for us to lookafresh at the defence allocation because lessthan fifteen per cent of India’s armaments

are contemporary in nature, as against aworld average of thirty per cent. In fact, theIndian Army today spends 85 per cent of itsannual budget just to maintain its existingforce levels, which leaves almost next tonothing for modernisation. Any hike indefence spending will come not a minute toosoon to arrest the declining teeth-to-tail ratioof India’s 1.14 million strong military. Thedraft nuclear doctrine, which spells out theminimum nuclear deterrent, robust commandand control systems and the broad thrust onnuclear forces, even while reiterating itsstrict adherence to the objective of ‘no-firstuse’and non-use against non-nuclearweapon States, is the most cogent and cleardocument of our intentions and, if need be,the possible line of action in the nationalinterest and its security. The draft furtherdelineates the concept that shall encompass“sufficient survivable and operationallySECTION -6prepared nuclear forces; effectiveintelligence and early warning capabilities;comprehensive planning and training foroperations in line with the strategy and thewill to employ nuclear forces and weapons”.The concept and concretisation of NationalSecurity depend upon the stamina andstrength of the armed forces and the Nation’seconomic resilience and political stability. Ifany one of the pillars becomes weak orvulnerable, the hawks and vultures aroundus can pounce and pound us with all theirruthlessness. Our history, unfortunately, isreplete with instances when our own distrustdifference and disunity played havoc with ournational pride. The invaders in all forms andformulations found the land fertile to executetheir nefarious designs and dastardly deeds.If there is any one lesson that Indian historyhas to teach us it is ‘United we stand anddivided we fall’.[The Competition Master]INDIAN ARMYThe Indian Army is today (1999) composed of three armoured divisions, nine independentarmoured brigades and 29 infantry divisions. (Both plains infantry divisions and mountaindivisions counted).INDIAN NAVYIndian Navy has (1999) 26 corvettes (Smaller sized ships) 19 frigates 13 submarines, 38OPV minesweeper-countermines ship/survey vessels, five destroyers and two air craft carrier.AIR FORCEThe Indian Air force has focussed like its sister services, to a significant extent on acquiringa larger and technologically more advanced arsenal. There are (1999) four MIG-29squadrons, three squadrons of Mirage, five squadrons of Jaguar and four Su-30 Mks.The air force also owns 22 squadrons of MIG21, six squadrons of MIG 27 and two squadronsof MIG 23 BN, six squadrons of AN32, and 45 numbers Ilyushin 76s.More MIG 29 Mirage2000s, and Su 30 MKS are being indirected. (From the Army Bulletins)SAMARTHA BHARATA 298

SECTION -6GSLV LAUNCHES INDIA INTO ELITE CLUBOn April 18, 2001, India’s firstdevelopmental flight ofGeosynchronous Scientifc launchVehicle (GSLV-D1) blasted off successfullyfrom the coastal town of Sriharikota inAndhra Pradesh.Launching a massive 300 tonne plus, 40metre high rocket tens of thousands of kmsinto space, and injecting a satellite with suchprecision that it will go around the earth atthe same rate as the earth, and hence stayoverhead, are no mean tasks. India becomesone of the five countries that now have thecapacity to do this. This means access to alaunch vehicle market that is estimated at $3billion per annum. Currently it also meansthe ability to put up Indian satellites of theINSAT class of a much cheaper cost.Currently, such satellites that providetransponders for communications and TVchannels, are launched by Aerospace, theEuropean consortium, or the Russians.While civilian uses are the ones that are mosttalked about, India needs on autonomousspace launch capability most for militaryreasons, not for offensive purposes which arebanned, but for military uses. Beyondsurveillance and communications, the GSIV-1 and its predecessor PSLV also signalIndia’s ability to build long-rangeintercontinental missiles.The first experimental payload abroad theGSLV-D1 was the GSAT-1 which was putin a geosynchronous orbit. It has three C-bond transponders, and two S-bandtransponders to help in digital audiobroadcasting and other communications.The Geosynchronous Satellite LaunchVehicle (GSLV) project was initiated in 1990with the objective of acquiring launchcapability for Geosynchronous satellites. Thefirst flight test, GSLV-D1, is intended tovalidate the various systems of the vehiclein an actual flight. Though each of thesubsystems has been tested on ground, it isonly through a few developmental flight teststhat the launch vehicle, as a whole, and allthe associated ground systems can bevalidated, Several performances parametersof propulsion stages, avionics, control andguidance system, the stage and spacecraftseparation system, are monitored in flight.The design margins are more realisticallyestimated from the in-flight test of thevehicle.GSLV is the most technologicallychallenging mission undertaken so far underthe Indian space programme, it is theculmination of efforts of a large number ofscientist, engineers and technicians, over thelast ten years.SAMARTHA BHARATA 299

SECTION -6H A L - HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITEDThe history of the Indian AircraftIndustry can be traced to thefounding of Hindustan AircraftLimited at Bangalore in December 1940 inassociation with the erstwhile princely Stateof Mysore and late Shri Seth WalchandHirachand, an Industrialist of extra -ordinaryvision. Govt. of India became one of itsshareholders in March 1941 and took overthe management in 1942. Hindustan AircraftLimited was merged with Aeronautics IndiaLimited and Aircraft Manufacturing Depot,Kanpur to form Hindustan AeronauticsLimited (HAL) on 01 st October 1964.Today HAL has got 16 production units and9 research and design centres spread out inseven different locations in India. Its producttrack record consists of 12 types of aircraftfrom in house R &D and 13 types by licenseproduction. HAL has so far produced over3300 aircraft, 3400 Aeroengines andoverhauled over 7700 aircraft and 26000engines.HAL has engaged & succeeded in numberof R & D programs for both the military andcivil aviation sectors. Substantial progresshas been made in the current projects likeDhruv -Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH),Tejas-Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) and variousmilitary and civilupgrades. Thedeliveries ofDhruv wereeffected to IndianArmy, Navy, AirForce and CoastGuard in March 2002, in its first year ofproduction which is a unique achievement.HAL has played a significant role for India’sspace programs in the manufacturing ofsatellite launch vehicles like PSLV (PolarSatellite Launch Vehicle), GSLV (GeoStationary Launch Vehicle), IRS (IndianRemote Satellite) & INSAT (Indian NationalSatellite).HAL has also two joint venture companies,BAeHAL Software Limited and Indo-Russian Aviation Limited (IRAL). Apartfrom the two, other major diversificationprojects are Industrial Marine Gas turbineand Airport Services. Several co-productionand joint Ventures with internationalparticipation are under consideration.SAMARTHA BHARATA 300

HAL’s supplies / services are mainly toIndian Defence Services, Coast Guard andBorder Security Force. Transport aircraftand Helicopters have also been supplied toAirlines as well as State Governments ofIndia. The Company has also achieved afoothold in export in more than 30 countries,having demonstrated its quality and pricecompetitiveness.HAL, has won several International &National Awards for achievements in R&D,Technology, managerial performance,exports, energy conservation, quality andfulfillment of social responsibilities. M/SGlobal Rating, United Kingdom inconjunction with The InternationalInformation and Marketing Center (IIMC)has awarded the “INTERNATIONALSECTION -6GOLD MEDAL AWARD” AT THEINTERNATIONAL SUMMIT (GLOBALRATING LEADERS 2003) LONDON, UKto M/s. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited forCorporate Achievement in Quality andEfficiency. HAL was also presented theINTERNATIONAL “ ARCH OF EUROPE”AWARD IN GOLD CATEGORY inrecognition for its commitment to Quality,Leadership, technology & Innovation. AtNational level, HAL won the top awardinstituted- by SCOPE (Standing Conferenceof Public Enterprises) -The “GOLDTROPHY” for excellence in Public SectorManagement.The Company scaled new heights in thefinancial year 2002-2003 with a turn overof Rs. 3120 Crores and export of Rs. 103.89Crores.(HAL-WEB SITE)INDIA BUYS EIGHT RADARS WORTH $ 146M FROM USIndia has concluded a landmark defencedeal with the United States for thepurchase of eight gun locating radars,valued at $ 146 million, in what both sidessay presages a growing military relationshipbetween the two countries.Under the terms of the deal, the US willsupply eight counter-battery AN/TPQ-37Firefinder radar systems, plus advancedcommunications and support equipment,training and logistics services.The radar sets are designed to pinpoint longrangemortars, artillery and rocket launchersafter tracking a shell for only a few seconds.The system then relays precise informationfor counter-fire, tracking correcting andimproving the counter-barrage as it is underway.Pakistan already has the same equipment andthe Indian bid to buy the radar was approvedrelatively quickly because it was consideredforce-equaliser.In the biggest-ever fighter manoeuvres, India and the Unites States held a ten-day joint airexercises over the Gwalior skies in February 2004, pitting the IAF against one of the mosthi-tech forces in the world. The combat exercises were condenamed ‘Cope India 04’.SAMARTHA BHARATA 301

ARJUNSECTION -61. Arjun, India’s indigenously built Main-Battle-Tank (MBT) took more than 30years to conceive, design, build andtest.2. It was built at the Heavy VehiclesFactory (HVF) at Avadi near Chennai.3. The 43 regiment will be the first to haveIndian MBTs.4. Weapons systems of this kind take ageneration to build.5. With this, India joins a select group ofNations, capable of designing anddeveloping such a complex weaponssystem. Building Arjun is described asa significant step forward in the questof building a self-reliant and selfsufficientIndia, in defencepreparedness.6. The 58.5 tonne tank was designed anddeveloped by the Combat VehiclesResearch and DevelopmentEstablishment, Avadi in associationwith DRDO resources around thecountry.7. At present 50% of Arjun’s componentsare imported. The Army and DRDOhope to cut this down to 20%.8. The ‘Arjun’ was a case of the countryshow-casing its capabilities in scienceand technology and management.9. The Army establishment dreams ofmanufacturing 50 Arjun tanks per yearin its Avadi and Medak (AP) facilities.10. “The M.B.T. Arjun is a state of-the-artArmored Fighting Vehicle withsuperior fire power, high-mobility andexcellent protections. This is one of themajor technological success of DRDO”says Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, ourPresident.SAMARTHA BHARATA 30211. “If the efforts involved in designing,developing, testing and proving acomplex weapon systems are massive,the efforts of transferring thetechnology for producing it, are evenmore daunting. DRDO has stood firmin its commitment to the Arjunprogramme and has excelled in systemengineering, making Arjun a home ofmulti-disciplinary, integrated system.OFB has accomplished the productionof Arjun absorbing the latesttechnology says the Minister of Statefor Defence.12. Arjun is a pride on tracks with excellentroad and cross country mobility, highdegree of manoevrability, andmaximum crew comfort.13. Arjun is a technological force: with dayand night fighting capability, excellentfirst round hit capability, fire on the

SECTION -6move capability and highly mobile andagile weapon platform.14. “An armoured fighting vehicle is anextremely complicated weaponplatform requiring perspicaciousintegration of many hi-tech systems andsub-systems. The landmark realizationof the Arjun mission is therefore aneloquent testimony of the vision, skillsand persistence of our defencescientists and engineers” says the Chiefof our Army Staff.15. “The task of designing and integratinga complex and technologically stateof-the-artweapon system is colossaland challenging. The determination andresolve exhibited by these laboratoriesthroughout the programme deservesour appreciation” says Dr.V.K.Aatre,Scientific Adviser, To Defence MinisterSecretary and DG R&D (DRDO),Government of India.16. “It is a state-of-the art battle tankcomparable to the best available in theworld. It’s fire power, mobility andprotection are one of the best in theworld” says The DG OF & Chairman,Ordnance Factory Board, Ministry ofDefence, Government of India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 303

SECTION -6A Remarkable Book DEFENDING INDIAShri Jaswant Singh who has heldportfolios such as defence, finance,external affairs in the government ofIndia, and has been the Deputy Chairman ofIndia’s planning Commission, has penned aremarkable book on Defending India.In the first chapter, “Strategic Culture”, hesummarises the causes as to why Indiacontinuously faced aggression for the lasttwo millennia. What are the factors that havegone into the building of India’s StrategicCulture. – the assumptions, symbols, myths,and beliefs held by National leaders thataffect their perception of available acceptablestrategic options. Strategic Culture is a“nebulous ideational milieu, which limitsbehavioural choices.” The strategic cultureof a Nation acts to establish long-lastingstrategic preferences by formulatingconcepts of the role and efficacy of militaryforce in inter-state political affairs. The roleof domestic politics in shaping the attitudesof a society toward its military and thepolitical views of the military with regard toits host society are significant. At the sametime strategic culture acknowledges theimportance of the internal culture that wasnot determined by the distribution ofdomestic political power. The problemhowever with strategic culture tends to liein its application. In a proper understandingof power, in the ability of a people andsociety to generate power, thereafter to havethe necessary social will and ability for a fulland effective employment of that power.Shri Jaswant Singh examines how Indiaapplies these broad criteria. He adds that “tostart with, the essence of Indian civilisationalthought engages itself more with the otherworldlythan this.”Shri Jaswant Singes then goes on to quotein extenso Shri Aurobindo the great Indianphilosopher and sage:-“India’s central conception is that of theEternal, the spirit, involved and imminent init and evolving on the material plane byrebirth of the individual…. till in mental manit enters the world of ideas and realm ofconscious morality – Dharma. India’s socialsystem is built upon this conception; herphilosophy formulates it; her religion is anaspiration to the spiritual consciousness andits fruits; her art and literature have the sameupward look; her whole Dharma of law ofbeing is founded upon it. It is her foundingof life upon this exalted conception and herurge towards the spiritual and the eternal thatconstitute the distinct value of hercivilization.”Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and manyothers before and after him, remarked thatIndia through centuries venerated the sageagainst the statesmen, a learned man insteadof a warrior. That is why India has failed togive political expression to her ideals. Theimportance of wealth and power thoughtheoretically recognized, was not practicallyrealised. India has suffered for thisnegligence.‘Spiritual unity’ says Dr. Radhakrishnan ‘isa large and flexible thing and does not insistlike the political and external on thecentralization and uniformity; rather it livesSAMARTHA BHARATA 304

diffused in the system and permits readily agreat diversity and freedom of life.’Jaswant Singh adds “Here we touch on thesecret of the difficulty.”Myson Weiner bluntly puts it ‘The absenceof analytical continuity among ancient(Indian) political theorists, the relativelysmall role of political theory in the densefabric of Hindu philosophical and religiouswritings, the historical break in this literaturecaused by the Muslim invasions, theintroduction of European political ideas andinstitutions in the 19 th century …. all suggestthe irrelevance of classical Hindu thought”(in defending India).Shri Jaswant Singh defines his field thus “Wethus have a set of criteria against which toexamine the entire range of questions.1) Does India at all possess the neededSECTION -6attributes?2) How did they evolve historically throughthe ages?3) How has the Indian civilizational endcultural ethos influenced them?4) How do we rate the existence andeffectiveness of Indian state?5) What are India’s own and acquiredmilitary concepts? - in brief India’s militaryculture.6) In the background of Defending India, liethe questions about history, its recording,about geography and territoriality.7) The events of the British period and IndianMilitary revolution.8) The events of the period of Independencetransforming social, politcal and civilmilitaryrelations and what these did to thedevelopment of a suitable strategic culture.9) Internally and externally, what were thestrategic challenges to an independent Indiaand did the political - administrative-militaryleadership of this period 1947-97 anticipate,MANSABDARS AND SILLEDARSThe Moghul Army (Basically anIndian Army) was large. How tocommand and control such aforce? The heart of it was the‘mansabdar’ system. This was both arecognition of social standing and anobligation when called to provide acertain specified number of troopsparticularly for the cavalry and a rightto draw from the imperial treasury. Thenumber of men commanded rangedfrom twenty upwards.Mansab really means a rank and whatthe Mughals did was to recognize theexisting Rajput system of class andtribal levies, transform and adopt themand also give it a monetary ingredientplus lend a certain imperial socialcachet.A commander of cavalry would oftenbring with him his own retainers,mounted at his expense, thoughsometimes the trooper provided armsand equipment for himself. A manbringing such a troop on his own horseswas a silledar.(“Defending India” by Jaswant Singh-Mac Millan India Ltd. Bangalore1999)SAMARTHA BHARATA 305

understand and address itself effectively tothem? This is our canvas for an enquiry intoIndia’s strategic culture.The Book discusses in detail how India’sdefences have been neglected for the lasttwenty centuries and how destiny haspresented now our motherland with a fineopportunity to correct the situation.SECTION -6the process providing a kind of continuityto independent India’s strategic culture, evenif that continuity be of, negative attributeslike veneration of the received wisdom, anabsence of iconoclastic questioning; a stillcontinuing lack of institutional frame-workfor policy formulation; lack of a sense ofhistory and geography; an absence ofsufficient commitment to territorialAccording to Shri Jaswant Singh,the formidable and daunting tasksconfronting the independentNation at the time of the trauma ofpartition and at a time withproblem of integration of 600states were: 1) Formulation andenunciation of India’s foreignpolicy 2) Organizing the higher defence andmilitary organizations 3) Approach to thedawning of the age of atomic weaponry 4)Assessment of the dawning of the cold warand India’s response 5) Evaluation of thegeopolitical realities of the post-colonialAsia, 6) Evolution of India’s post-Independent armed forces 7) India and itsnewly - independent neighbours in SouthAsia, particularly Pakistan 8) India andChina.The chapter on strategic culturediscusses the legacy of Nehruvian strategicculture in great detail. The chapter ends in aserious note.impregnability, and a tendency to remainstatic in yesterday’s doctrines, even form.”The second chapter of the book titled“Armed Forces” lists the processes ofevolution of the Indian Army, and the placeof Sikhs in Indian Army, the British period,(the Birth of the British Indian Army) andthe Twentieth century are discussed.Discussing Indianization of the Army, theauthor says “It is rather a misnomer, this‘Indianization’. The Indian Army, whetheras a force of the East India Company or inthe subsequently evolved forms was alwaysalmost wholly Indian: in manpower, inrecruitment, in habits and in conduct. Thenumber of British was always a smallfraction, and that too only officers. Thereare many reason why the British resistedopening this up until the last, not really tillthe Second World War. But these reasonsneed not detain us; they were after all theinevitable consequence of colonialism.“If Seemingly disproportionate space hasbeen devotee to the legacy of Nehruvianstrategic culture, it is not on account of anybias; it is in the very progression ofIndependent India as a viable state and anexamination of the foundations. There alonein the Nehru period that is during the entirestretch of half a century was demonstratedany original thought. Nehru’s legacy whetherstill relevant or not, remains denominant, in Race, language, religion, amongst otherSAMARTHA BHARATA 306

aspects, separated the British officers fromthe Indian men. How then did they function?It was through a unique innovation, whollyIndian, born partly of pragmatism but moreas a direct descendant of an earlier system;and this was the office known as a Viceroy’sCommissioned Officer (VCO). Thisfunctionary, now called JuniorCommissioned Officer (JCO) (to bedistinguished from the much later IndianCommissioned Officer, ICO) was theconduit, the connecting link that bridged thedivided. The VCO was directly in charge ofa body of troops; he was answerable for theirdiscipline, welfare, leave, complaints,problems at home, even promotion andrecognition. Seldom could an ordinaryIndian soldier hope to rise having fallen foulof his VCO. And this VCO, conceptually andeffectively, was the direct descendant(altered no doubt, but only in progression)of the basic idea of mansabdari and silledari.The British, as they replaced the Mughals,improved upon the inherited mansabdari/silledari systems, adapted them andinnovatively discovered the VCO. It issignificant that this practice was unique tothe Indian Army alone. Neither the Navy northe Air Force felt the need, ever, having inany case evolved in a staggered time frame.It is both curious and telling that till datethis rank continues, not just in India but inthe armies of Pakistan and Bangladesh too.In that sense the Indian Army was anIndianized army always, from its inception.”SECTION -6The army was divided between India andPakistan in a rough division of 2:1.Integration of State Forces: Theconsequences of partition were manyfold.For the armed forces, they posed mainlythree immediate challenges a) of a physicalseparation of units on the basis of religionand this went down to company/squadronlevels; b) a proper division of the militaryassets of an undivided India, between thepartitioned countries of India and Pakistanand c) thirdly of integrating divided units asalso the forces transferring to the union ofIndia from princely states.The next section Army in IndependentIndia; ethos and organization; talks notabout the quantitative growth of India’sdefenders, but about the fundamentals thatgoverned this growth. The origin and growthof Indian Navy and Indian Air Force arestudied.The chapter winds up with a brief discussionof R & D and the R/D institutions.The third chapter Independent India’sMilitary operations lists and discussesIndia’s major military operations (1947-97)and Major peace - keeping operations (1947- 97)A sad account is about the military forcesbeing called to intervene in Nagaland,Mizoram, Tripura, Punjab, J & K and Assam.This job is basically a police job and themilitary forces being invited for the civil jobis always a painful turn of events.In the next section the book discusses thetraumatic events of partition of the country,accompanied by the partition of the armed Every operation has taught the Armed Forcesforces. The Indian Army (in the modern some lessons which were incorporated in thesense) which had taken two and a half body structure of the forces, later on.centuries to construct was to be dismantled The Fourth chapter on Defence Spendingwithin three weeks!and Force structure is a very practicalSAMARTHA BHARATA 307

analysis coming as it does from an ex-Armyofficer and later Minister for Defence,Finance and Foreign affairs. If such studieshelp the GOI to frame a permanent policymakingbody and create a permanent nonlapsiblefund, the purpose of this painstakingstudy will be achieved.Comparison of Indian forces with those ofChina and Pakistan with reference to thepopulation and G.D.P. of each country showsthat allowing for the size and number, Chinahas been spending seven to nine times morethan India on its military. Only after 1985,the Indian expenditure could rise to half asthat of China but fell to one third in 1990and to one fourth in mid 90s.Pakistan also spends a higher percent of itsGDP than India on its Armed forces.The chapter ends with a discussion on theadverse impact of using the Army for internalsecurity.The Fifth chapter The Future, attempts topeep through the uncertainties of the futurewith the only signposts that are discerniblebeing examples of the past. That is why theway India handled the challenges of the pasthalf-century perhaps gives us a fair idea ofassessing how it will respond in the futuretoo. Whereas the earlier incursions into Indiahave been by the land route, colonization ofIndia by the Western countries was carriedout of the sea route, emphasizing theimportance of the Navy.The lack or inadequacy of political, militarystrategic sense by the post-Independentleadership in India comes out in the nextphase of discussion.SECTION -6Shri Jaswant Singh talks of the covert war,the clandestine war India has to face, in thecontext of such wars India had to contendwith in the last 50 years and in the contextof Chinese domination throughout.1) The need and form of a National securitycouncil 2) The principle dynamics ofeconomics, in have a strong defensive armedforce, 3) The foreign policy of India as partof its security concerns, 4) The role of energyin the security affairs of the Nation, 5) Thesignificance of the Environment, food andwater and their impact on the nation’sinternal and external security 6) Theconsequences of demography anddemographic changes in the securitysituation of India, 7) The role of intelligencein securing the Nation, 8) The nuclear field,9) The limited autonomy to be given to theforce-heads within their fields etc. areelaborately discussed.The book as well as K. Subrahmaniam’s (theDefence Analyst) introduction plead forinstitutionalization of India’s security policyformulation through the establishment of aNational Security Council. Consistency andcontinuity in Defence Policies will bepossible only when the Nation shifts frominspired personal policy to systematized,consistent, institutionalized approach, theysay.A powerful, concerned, systematic, coolheadedyet passionate appeal for the properDefence-system for India, shines throughevery page of the book. A must for everypatriotic person. (Defending India -Jaswant Singh Mac Millan Press Ltd -Bangalore 1999)SAMARTHA BHARATA 308

INDIAN BRAVERYJaswant SinghSECTION -6Why did the Indians fight for andalong with the British? Therelationship was not of equals, itwas that of the conquering and theconquered. Yet, for well on two and a halfcenturies, the Indians not only fought withthe British, they fought as volunteers-theresimply was no conscription, or forcedenrolment at any stage. On the contrary,service in the Army,the British IndianArmy, that is, wasturned into andremained all throughthe British period, amatter of high honour,conferring greatprestige on thevolunteer. Why? Andwhy is that not so nowin independent India?What did the Britishdo which India isfailing to do for itself?Does a possible, evena half answer life in what Philip Masonsuggests?What made Indian soldiers give their livesfor a flag they could hardly call their own?National pride did not play much part till latein their long history. It was only in theSecond World War that it appeared and thenonly occasionally. When it did, it was a twoedgedsword: pride in the regiment, in thedivision, yes, that was something on whicheveryone could agree, but pride in a nationthat was not yet a nation produced verymixed feelings. Officers and men could notshare it in the same spirit….it explainsnothing to say simply that they were“mercenary”. Men may came to the coloursfor pay but it is not for pay that they earnthe Victoria Cross.And here Mason citesjust one amongst manysuch instances from theglorious annuals of theIndian Army.Take, for example, theaffair at Koregaum onNew Year’s Day, 1818.Captain Staunton, of theBombay army at shortnotice marched with lessthan 900 men (allIndians) and routed anarmy of 20000 horsesand 8000 infantry in a 24-hour battle. Theirgeneral, wrote after Koregaum of the sepoys’“most noble devotion and most romanticbravery under pressure of thirst and hungeralmost beyond human endurance”. Masongoes on to praise the spirit that animated theunusual army.(Extracted from ‘Defending India’ byJaswant Singh-Mac Millan’s India Ltd.,Bangalore 1999)SAMARTHA BHARATA 309

SECTION -6DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTJaswant SinghThe Defence Research andDevelopment Organization (DRDO)was established in 1958 byamalgamating the Defence ScienceOrganization and some of the technicaldevelopment establishments. A separateDepartment of Defence Research andDevelopment was formed in 1980 whichoperates now through a network of some 50laboratories/establishments. ThisDepartment is engaged in pursuit of selfreliancein critical technologies of relevanceto national security. It formulates andexecutes programmes of scientific research,design and development leading to inductionof state-of-the-art weapons, platforms andother equipmentsrequired by the armedforces. It functionsunder the control ofthe Scientific Adviserto the Raksha Mantriwho is also secretary,Defence Research andDevelopment.The research anddevelopment activitiesof the departmentcover importantdemarcated disciplineslike aeronautics,missiles, electronics and instrumentation,combat vehicles, engineering system sciencesincluding advanced computing, life sciencesincluding high-altitude agriculture,physiology, food technology and nuclearSAMARTHA BHARATA 310medicine and allied sciences. In addition, theDepartment also assists the Services byrendering technical advice regardingformulation of requirements, evaluation ofsystems to be acquired, fire and explosivesafety and mathematical/statistical analysisof operational problems. The DRDO hasregistered significant achievements in itsvarious activities. The notable developmentalsuccesses of the Department include thesurface-to-surface missile, Prithvi, the stateof-the-artmain battle tank, Arjun, flightsimulators for aircraft, pilotless targetaircraft (PTA), balloon barrage system,parallel supercomputers pace-plus, etc. Theweapons and ammunition developed by theDEFENCEACQUISITION COUNCILISET UPn late August, 2001, the government setin place a high-level Defence AcquisitionCouncil (DAC). The Council, to be headedby the Defence Minister, would approve thelong-term capital acquisition of the threearmed forces, as well as identify and clearweapons purchases and weapons production.The DAC would have under its umbrella, aDefence procurement Board as well asDefence Production board and DevelopmentBoard.organization andproductionized byproductionagencies includethe Indian fieldgun, INSAS rifle5.56 mm, chargeline mine clearingfor safe passage ofvehicles in a battlefield, illuminatingammunition forhigh-speedaircraft, navalmines and 105 mmPSAPDS. Multibarrelrocket system Pinaka is getting readyfor trials by the Army. In the area ofelectronics and instrumentation, amongst thesignificant developments are low-leveltracking rader Indra I, Indra II, for Army

and instrumentation, amongst the significantdevelopments are low-level tracking reader,secondary surveillance radar, automaticelectronic switch, avalanche victim detector,tidex, EW systems, night vision devices andsecured telephone (Sectel). Some of thedevelopment successes in the area ofengineering systems are bridge-layer tankKartik, military bridging systems, varioustypes of shelter, crash fire tenders and rapidintervention vehicles. In the area of navalsystems and materials, the Organization hasdeveloped an advanced ship sonar system,marine acoustic research ship, Sagardhwani,underwater anti-fouling paints, torpedoes,naval simulators and jackal steels. Submarinesonar and weapons control system,Panchendriya, is getting ready for harbour /sea trials. The indigenous Light CombatAircraft (LCA) is in the first flight trialpreparation stage. The remotely pilotedvehicle, Falcon, has successfully undergonedevelopmental flight trials.India’s Integrated Guided MissileDevelopment Programme (IGMDP)comprises four missile systems. Prithvi,surface-to-surface tactical battlefield missle;Akash, medium-range surface-to-air missile;Trishul, short-range surface-to-air missile;and Nag, third-generation anti-tank missile.Akash and Nag are in advanced stages ofSECTION -6development. This programme includes adevelopment of the intermiediate-rangeballistic missile, Agni.The Department has developed andpreserved convenience foods for the armedforces. It is vigorously pursuing the goal oftechnological self-reliance in defencesystems through a 10-year national selfreliancemission. State-of-the-arttechnologies developed for missileprogramme, LCA and other high technologysystems are being channelized to makeavailable bio-medical equipment at a muchless cost.(From “Defending India” Mac Millens IndiaLtd., Bangalore 1999)INDIAN AIRFORCE BASE AT TADJIKISTANFor the first time India has set up a military base – An Indian Air Forcebase outside its borders, in Tushanbey in Tadjikistan, at a place Barhor 10 kmaway from Tushanbey. The base is self contained with run ways, control towers andmedical facilities. The constructions are about to be completed and the base willbecome functional by the year end (2004).During the visit of the Indian PM to thatcountry in 2002, that country agreed to extend military cooperation to India.SAMARTHA BHARATA 311

SECTION -6DEVELOPMENT OF INDIA’S NUCLEAR ENERGYAND WEAPON PROGRAMMEJaswant Singh4India’s approach to the entire issue ofNuclearisation as one of the challengesof the future needing clarity andresolution has been discussed at every forumof defence studies.The earlier approach was a reconciliationbetween India’s security needs and validinternational concerns about weapons ofmass destruction; between a moralistic andthe realistic approach to nuclear weapons;between a covert or an overt nuclear policy.11 th May 1998 changed all that. On that dayIndia had successfully carried out threeunderground nuclear tests at the Pokhranrange. This was followed on 13 th May by twomore underground sub-kilo ton tests. TheGovernment of India, thereafter announcedthe completion of the series and also anumber of other steps. These five testsranging from the sub-kiloton variety tofission to thermo-nuclear amplydemonstrated India’s scientific, technical andorganizational abilities.When Pakistan also exploded nuclear testdevices, the question of non-proliferationand the future of the disarmament debate gotplaced at the forefront of InternationalAgendas.Growth of India’s Nuclear EnergyprogrammeIn 1944 Dr.Homi Bhabha, with the help ofJ.R.D.Tata, Chairman of Sri Dorabji TataTrust, set up an institute devoted to BasicScientific and Technological research-theTata Institute of Fundamental Research(TIFR).The experimental groups started by Bhabhadeserve special mention because theybecome the forerunners of all indigenoustechnological activity in the country andheralded the beginning of an extensiveatomic energy programme in India.The TIFR went on even to design andassemble India’s first computer in 1957. Theearliest of the laboratory scale nuclearexperiments was also conducted during thatperiod.In August 48, the Atomic EnergyCommission AEC was constituted. Thefoundation of subsequent self-sufficiency indiverse scientific fields including NuclearEnergy, was thus laid.On 4/8/1956 “Apsara’ the reactor, wentcritical, the first in Asia. Bhabha felt that thecountry was not sufficiently endowed withresources of conventional fuel and thedevelopment of nuclear energy sources forpower production was vital.In 1969, The Tarapore nuclear powergenerating reactor came up.Canada assisted India in the construction ofCandu-type reactors in Rajasthan, aware ofIndia’s established technical expertise inplutonium production. On October 1972, theSAMARTHA BHARATA 312

then Prime Minister gave the scientists thego-ahead for a peaceful explosion.Dr.Raja Ramanna led the group of scientistsand technologists. Dr.Nag Chandhary headof the defence laboratories associatedhimself with the next step of the project with(a) the production of the plutonium alloy b)the tigger device and c) the associatedelectronic device.By 1973, all material problems had beentackled the site to conduct the experimentnear Pokhran was chosen. Sparse humanpopulation, and the remote likelihood ofwater sources under-ground made thescientist to decide upon a site near Pokhranin the Thar Desert. Very few were allowedto know of the impending Atomic explosion.Overcoming the objections of the economicadministaration, the then Prime Ministerdecreed that the experiment should becarried out according to schedule.When all preparations were complete,Dr.Raja Ramanna asked Dr.P.K.Iyengar(later Director BARC) whether they hadtaken everything into consideration, heSECTION -6remarked sharply in his usual style. “This hasto work or the laws of physics are wrong.”The DRDO under Dr.Nag Chaudhary madesignificant contributions to the AtomicExplotion project with the development ofthe lenses, and the fabrication of the highexplosives.On 18/5/1974, with last minute hiccoughscorrected, Shri Dastidar, the personresponsible for the fabrication of the trigger,pulled it, to detonate the Atomic device.The whole earth in front of the scientists roseup as though Lord Hanuman had lifted it.The scientists knew that the experiment hadsucceeded. The shock waves followed. Theseismic team under George Varghese placedthe yield between 12 and 15 kilotons. Thehealth physicist reported no radiation activityanywhere above ground level after theexplosion.The scientists had realised the impact of anypossible prior leakage of the information.They kept diligent silence until theexperiment was over.Otherwise there would have beeninsurmountable pressures both from insideSAMARTHA BHARATA 313

the world. It had not expected such anachievement from a developing Nation.During the Bangladesh Liberation War, theU.S. tried to persuade the Chinese tointerfere in India, but afraid of Russia, Chinabacked out. The U.S. sent in its Task Force74 headed by its Nuclear Aircraft Carrier.Russia had to send in its own Deterrent forceto thwart U.S. intentions. This act of Nuclearintimidation by the West also forced Indiato go ahead with its Nuclear Experiment.SECTION -6and an intermediate range missile, Agni. Towell-informed observers, it was obvious thatIndia was aiming at developing its nuclearoption further. Agni missile would not makesense unless it had a nuclear warhead. Prithvicould be used in a dual role, though it wouldbe more cost effective with a nuclearwarhead. This was the period when thedebate on intermediate range missile was atits heights in Europe. It is to be noted thatPakistan reacted with a Nuclearweaponisation programme of its own, as anoutcome of its treaty with China.After 1980 election, the Prime Minister sentDr.Raja Ramanna to the post of Director ofBARC. Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam waspersuaded to move from the Department ofspace to become the Director D.R.D.O. TheD.R.D.O. Hyderabad was then engaged inmissile research.Another Nuclear Experiment to be held inPokhran in 1983 was thwarted by America’sprior knowledge of the same.The U.S. and the world came to know ofChina-Pakistan Nuclear cooperation andreacted strongly to the Pak experiment.In 1983, an integrated guided missileprogramme was formulated by DRDO’sDr.V.S.Arunachalam with Dr.A.P.J.AbdulKalam as its mainstay.this programme was sanctioned at about thesame time (that) the Prime Minister, hadasked for a nuclear test.The decades of the 80’s had meanwhile also,once again, witnessed a gradual deteriorationof India’s security environment. In SouthAsia, nuclear weapons increased and moresophisticated delivery systems wereinducted. In the region there also then cameinto existence a pattern about clandestineacquisition of nuclear materials, missiles andrelated technologies. India, during thisperiod, became the victim of externally aidedand abetted terrorism, militancy andclandestine war through hired mercenaries.This programme included the entirespectrum of missiles, from an antitank, Nag, America became very tolerant of Pak’sto two surface-to-air, Akash and Trishul, one nuclear programme and its Presslermedium range surface-to surface, Prithvi, Amendment only aided Pak buy more timefor its weapons’ programme.SAMARTHA BHARATA 314

India’s next Prime Minister (1988) called fora non-nuclear, non-violent world. The callwas ignored by the five nuclear hegemonicpowers.Faced with harsh realities, The PrimeMinister cleared DRDO and BARC forIndian Nuclear Weapons’ Programme.It can be assumed that the Indian NuclearDeterrent came into existence in early 1990.Pakistan thought that India already had thenuclear deterrent capability. It appears thatPakistan attempted a nuclear black mail inMay 1990, when the Pak-backed insurgencyin Kashmir was at its peak.Dr. Raja Ramanna, a minister in 1990,announced in the Parliament “While Indiawould never use its nuclear capability againstany neighbour, if any neighbour were to doso, the country would rise to the occasion”.The Prime Minister (1995) ordered nucleartests, backed off when US pressurised theIndian Government. At last on May 11 &13-1998 the tests could be completed, underthe next Prime Minister.The factors that influenced India’s decisionwere:1. The end of the cold war did notchange anything in India’s Securityproblems.2. Pakistan was colluding with China inproducing Nuclear Weapons and wasSAMARTHA BHARATA 315SECTION -6enhancing its delivery systems withAmerica winking at Pak’s growth.3. The Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty(N.P.T.) was in 1995 extendedindefinitely and unconditionally,perpetuating the existence of nuclearweapons, in the hands of fivecountries, who were also engaged inprogrammes for modernisation oftheir nuclear arsenals.4. Atlast when the CTBT,Comprehensive Test Barb Treaty wasopened for signature in 1996, it wasneither comprehensive nor was itrelated to disarmament. It came upafter 2000 tests, after the fivecountries had armed themselves totheir teeth.Today, India is a nuclear weapon state. Thisadds to its sense of responsibility as a nationthat is committed to the principles of the UNCharter and to promoting regional peace andstability.India’s nuclear policy remains firmlycommitted to a basic tenet: that the country’snational security, in a world of nuclearproliferation lies either in global disarmamentor in exercise of the principle of equal andlegitimate security for all.No other country in the world hasdemonstrated the kind of restraint that Indiahas for near about a quarter of a century afterthe first Pokhran test of 1974. In the yearspreceding that Peaceful Nuclera Explosion(PNE) and in subsequent decades,consistently, India continued to advocate thebasic tenet of its nuclear strategy.Now, inthe nineties, and as the century turns, thecountry was faced by critical choices.

India had been witness to decades ofinternational unconcern andincomprehension, even as the overallsecurity environment of the country,both globally and in Asia deteriorated.Reports of the transfer of nuclearweapon powers technology fromdeclared nuclear weapon powers topreferred states. Neither the world northe nuclear weapons powers succeededin halting this process. NPT not-withstanding,proliferation in the regionspread.Since nuclear weapon powers that assistproliferation, or even condone it are notsubject to any penalty, the entire nonproliferationregime became flawed. Nucleartechnologies became, at their worst,commodities of international commerce, atbest lubricants of diplomatic fidelity. Indiais the only country in the world to be situatedbetween two nuclear weapon powers.On India’s western flank lies the Gulf region,one of the most critical sources of theworld’s energy requirements; to its north theCommonwealth of Independent States, a yetto be fully developed reservoir. With boththese regions India has ancient linkages. Italso has extensive energy importrequirements. The Gulf providesemployment to Indian labour and talent.However, this region too, and its adjoiningcountries have been targets of missile andnuclear proliferation. Long range missiles of2500 km range were proliferated to this areain the mid 80’s. Unfortunately, from 1987onwards nuclear proliferation, with extraregionalassistance, has continuedunchecked.SECTION -6Faced as India was, with a legitimisation ofnuclear weapons by the haves, by a globalnuclear security paradigm from which it wasexcluded, trends towards disequilibrium inthe balance of power in Asia, and aneighbourhood of two nuclear weaponcountries acting in concert, India had toprotect its future by exercising its nuclearoption. By doing this, India has brought intothe open the nuclear reality which hadremained clandestine for atleast the lasteleven years. India could not accept a flawednon-proliferation regime, as the internationalnorm, when all objective realities assertedconclusively to the contrary. India’s policiestowards its neighbours and other countrieshave not changed. The country remains fullycommitted to the promotion of peace,stability, and resolution of all outstandingissues through bilateral dialogue andnegotiations. The tests of May 11 and 13,1998 were not directed against any country;these were intended to reassure the peopleof India about their own security. Confidencebuilding is a continuous process; with Indiaremaining committed to it.(From “Defending India”)SAMARTHA BHARATA 316

WHY DID INDIA GO NUCLEAR?Jaswant SinghSECTION -6The range of options for India had, by1996, narrowed critically. India hadto take necessary steps to ensure thatthe country’s nuclear option, developed andsafeguarded over decades, was not permittedto erode by a self-imposed restraint. Indeed,such an erosion would have resulted in anirremediably adverse impact on nationalsecurity. The Government of India, was thusfaced with a difficult decision. The onlytouchstone that could determine its decisionremained national security. The testsconducted on 11 and 13 May, had by thennot only become inevitable they were, inactuality a continuation of the policies setinto motion, from almost the earliest yearsof independence.An examination of the first fifty years ofIndian independence reveals that thecountry’s moralistic nuclear policy andrestraint did not really pay any measurabledividends. Consequently, this resulted inresentment within the country; a feeling grewthat India was being discriminated against.In the political market place of India, nuclearweaponisation gained currency, and theplank of disarmament began to appear asboth unproductive and unrealistic. It beganto be argued that if the Permanent Five’spossession of nuclear weapons is good,confers security to their respective countries,then how is the possession of nuclearweapons by India not good, or how does theequation reverse simply in this instance?There is also the factor of the currency ofpower. If the P-5 continue to employ thiscurrency in the form of nuclear weapons,as an international communicator of force,then how is India, to voluntarily devalue itsown national security? It is this reasoningthat lies behind the evolution of Indiannuclear thought in the past fifty years. Indiahas also learnt from the experience of theWest, their approach to, attitudes about andapplication of nuclear policy. Deterrenceworks in the West, or elsewhere, as it soobviously appears to, otherwise why shouldthese nations continue to possess nuclearweapons at all. Then by what reasoning is itto be asserted that it will not work or cannotwork in India? To admonitorily argue,thereafter, that India has to now ‘fall in line’because there is now a new internationalagenda of discriminatory non-proliferation,pursued more on account of the demands ofthe political market place to some of thesecountries, as an extension also of their owninternal agendas or political debates, is toassert the un-implementable. The rationalebehind nuclear weapons powers continuingto have, and preaching to those that do nothave, to have even less, leaves a grossimbalance between the rights of andobligation of nation states of the worldcommunity. Either, India counters bysuggesting, global, non-discriminatorydisarmament by all; or, equal and legitimatesecurity for the entire world.That alone is why, and it bears repetition,that India since independence, has been aconsistent advocate of global nucleardisarmament, participating actively in allsuch efforts, convinced that a world withoutnuclear weapons will enhance both nationaland global security.(Extract from ‘Defending India’)SAMARTHA BHARATA 317

SECTION -6INDIAN AIR FORCESU-30 ~ Twin seater twin engine multirolefighter of Russian origin which carries 130mm GSH gun alongwith 8000 kg externalarmament. It is capable of carrying a varietyof medium-range guided air to air missileswith active or semi-active radar or Infra redhoming close range missiles. It has a maxspeed of 2500 km/hr (Mach 2.35).MiG-29 ~ Twin engine, single seater airsuperiority fighter aircraft of Russian origincapable of attaining max. speed of 2445 kmper hour (Mach-2.3). It has a combatceiling of 17 km. It carries a 30 mm cannonalongwith four R-60 close combat and twoR-27 R medium range radar guided missiles.MiG-27 ~ Single engine, single seatertactical strike fighter aircraft of Russianorigin having a max. speed of 1700 km/hr(Mach 1.6). It carries one 23 mm six-barrelrotary integral cannon and can carry upto4000 kg of other armament externally.MiG-25 ~ Twin engine, single seaterstrategic reconnaissance aircraft of Russianorigin having a max. speed of Mach 3.2 andmax height close to 24 km unmatched by anyother fighter aircraft in the world.MiG-23 MF ~ Single engine, single seaterswing wing air superiority fighter of Russianorigin carrying one 23 mm twin barrel gunand two R-23R/T medium range and two R-60 close combat missiles. It has a max speedof 2446 km/hr (Mach 2.3).MiG-21 BIS ~ Single engine, single seatermultirole fighter/ground attack aircraft ofRussian origin which forms the back-boneof the IAF. It has a max speed of 2230 km/hr (Mach 2.1) and carries one 23mm twinbarrel cannon with four R-60 close combatmissiles.Mirage-2000 ~ A single seater air defenceand multi-role fighter of French originpowered by a single engine can attain maxspeed of 2495 km/hr(Mach 2.3). It carriestwo 30 mm integral cannons and two matrasuper 530D medium-range and two R-550magic II close combat missiles on externalstations.Jaguar ~ A twin-engine, single seater deeppenetration strike aircraft of Anglo-Frenchorigin which has a max. speed of 1350 km /hr (Mach 1.3). It has two 30mm guns andcan carry two R-350 Magic CCMs(overwing) alongwith 4750 kg of externalstores (bombs/fuel).Canberra ~ Twin engine, twin seatersubsonic tactical bomber and interdictor ofBritish origin having max speed of 933 km/hr having four integral cannons (20 mm) andcapable of carrying three bombs (1000 lbseach) internally alongwith two bombs (1000lbs) underwing or 8000 lbs bomb loadinternally and underwing.IL-76 ~ A four engine heavy duty/long haulmilitary transport aircraft of Russian originwith a max speed of 850 km/hr. It has a twin23 mm cannon in tail turret and capacity toSAMARTHA BHARATA 318

carry 225 paratroopers or 40 tonnes freight,wheeled or tracked armoured vehicles.AN-32 ~ Twin engine turboprop, mediumtactical transport aircraft of Russian originwith a crew of five and capacity to carry 39paratroopers or max load of 6.7 tonnes. Ithas a max cruise speed of 530 km/hr.AVRO ~ Twin engine turboprop, militarytransport and freighter of British originhaving a capacity of 48 paratroopers or 6tonnes freight and max cruise speed of 452km/hr.Dornier ~ Twin engine turboprop, logisticair support staff transport aircraft of Germanorigin capable of carrying 19 passengers or2057 kg freight. It has a max speed of 428km/hr.Boeing 737-200 ~ Twin engine turbofan,VIP passenger aircraft of American originwith total seating capacity of upto 60passengers. It has a max cruise speed of 943km/hr.MI-26 ~ Twin engine turboshaft, militaryheavy lift helicopter of Russian origin withcarrying capacity of 70 combat equippedSECTION -6troops or 20,000 kg payload. It has a maxspeed of 295 km/hr.MI-25 ~ Twin engine turboshaft, assault andanti armour helicopter capable of carrying 8men assault squad with four barrel 12.7 mmrotary gun in nose barbette and upto 1500Kg of external ordnance including Scorpionanti-tank missiles. It has a max cruise speedof 310 km/hr.MI-17 ~ Twin engine turboshaft, mediumtransport helicopter of Russian origin witha capacity of 24 troops or 3.3 tonnes offreight. It carries 6 UV-17, 57 mm rocketpods and has max cruise speed of 240 km/hr.Chetak ~ Single engine turboshaft, lightutility French helicopter with capacity of 6passengers or 500 kg load. The anti-tankversion carries 4 AS-11 wire guidedmissiles. It has a max speed of 220 km/hr.Cheetah ~ Single engine turboshaft, FAC/casevac helicopter of French origin havingcapacity to carry 3 passengers or 100 kgexternal sling loads. It has max cruise speedof 121 km/hr and can climb to 1 km in 4minutes.SAMARTHA BHARATA 319

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