How about a Bollywood flick on every Saturday night prime time? One would say "what’s the big deal". What if I tell you that the movie is being aired in New Zealand in Hindi with English sub-titles? Suddenly, not so trivial anymore huh!! Well this is just a glimpse of how big – both in its reach and its effect - Brand India has become over the past decade or so.
The snake charmers and the elephants-on-the-road have given way to Aishwarya Rai and Ratan Tata, as Indian brand ambassadors world over. It’s no longer the Premier Padminis that rule the roost on Indian roads; SUVs and luxury vehicles have long replaced them. No longer is the Made-in-India tag looked down upon; Made-in-China has certainly taken that mindshare [pun intended]. It was the Toyota’s President who said “Indian made Toyotas are at par in quality with Japanese Toyotas, and are definitely better than their Chinese counterparts”. Certainly a proud feeling!
Hang on! It’s not just quality, India also boasts of something that has got the west queuing up - The Price Advantage. India’s oriental neighbor also boasts of the same price advantage, may be even to a higher degree. However, the pundits feel, price advantage sans quality can only lead to a short term success story [try and read between the lines]. They feel the Indian saga is here to stay. Even in times of this economic slowdown, small & medium Indian brands are busy creating a niche for themselves; thanks to the price advantage and quality they have to offer.
Malcom Gladwell in his book "The Tipping Point", defined the tipping point as a sociological term: "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable". Hong Kong experienced this in the late 80's, and today India finds itself at that very tipping point, beyond which awaits the exponential growth. Jaguar & Land Rover, Corus, Tetley Tea, Arcelor Steel are just a few examples of the ever ambitious India. Tata Nano has the world looking upto this technological breakthrough; Reliance's Jamnagar refinery boasts of being the world's largest refinery; Indian Telecom industry is adding more subscribers every year than is happening any where else in the world. Never in Indian history has the nation witnessed anything like this before.
Also, technocracy [corporate interests before public interest] which has got US to where it finds itself today, has always been out-stripped by humanism [public interest before corporate interest] in India. The corporate in India has a human face - even in times of such financial crisis, lay-offs are almost unheard of in Indian companies. In India, a private firm cannot run away with a publicly funded research and build a fortune for itself. The public-private partnership has seen Brand India shining more than ever before.
Jack Yan of Jack Yan & Associates aptly puts branding as “The way in which an organization communicates, differentiates, and symbolizes itself to all its audiences”. It seems the Incredible India campaign always had this definition in mind. 
It had BBC put up 3 ads of 60 seconds each highlighting India’s 2000 year old science of Ayurveda (Ad: Ayurveda), India as destination for Medical Tourism (Ad: HEAL), and contemporary yet traditional destination for Meeting, Incentives, Conferences & Events (Ad: MICE). It differentiated itself from the rest of the tourist destinations as home to spirituality, peace and fulfillment. The campaign had the President of India back the cause; which in itself speaks volumes about the commitment. Today India is synonymous to cultural heritage, traditional values, tolerance, and probity. The campaign has proved instrumental in changing perceptions world-over. India is slowly and gradually starting to make a mark for itself on world tourism map.
Before I end this post, some food for thought:
“Our grandfathers were born in a slave nation; our parents were born in a country that just got freedom and was labeled as an un-developed nation; our counterparts in the US of A are living in an un-developing nation; but, we are the chosen ones who live in a DEVELOPING nation - what is your contribution to Brand India?"
Yes…it is that time of the year when you and I are actively involved in planning for the gala Christmas and New Years celebrations. Some of us have already done our reservations, some still waiting for that elusive pass for the 31st night party, and some would celebrate it quietly in their bedrooms watching the SRKs and whos who of the Bollywood perform on screen.
However, some of us at Impetus, under the banner of iCare [the CSR initiative] planned to celebrate Christmas a little early, and in a slightly different way than usual. Instead of the Christmas carols, the cake cutting and the wining & dining, we thought of celebrating the day with a few who actually never did that before. We planned to share our evening with the kids at the Rajkiya Bal Sanrakshan Ashram – a government run orphanage at Indore that has kids from the age of 3 months up to 14 years. The plan was simple – do what the kids would like the most; and it turned out that the entire iCare team agreed on one thing – A MOVIE [animation of course] followed by a snacks party. N oops…did I forget to mention that there would also be a Santa Clause [in fact two of 'em], doing what he does the best – doling out goodies to the kids!!
After seeing through a very successful fund raising event on Friday [thanks to all impros], the enthusiastic iCare volunteers reached the orphanage at about 2:30pm on Saturday giving themselves enough time to pack all the Santa goodies which included drawing books, colors, and chocolates for everyone. Pictures courtesy ace photographer Arjun [a kid at the orphanage]
Even before we could wrap all the goodies, we saw the kids entering the hall, obviously quite excited by the event. The big screen, the jumbo speakers, the projector, the laptop... kids seemed so curious about everything at that moment. More so about the movie... FINDING NEMO!! [though later i learned that most of these guys had seen the movie before; but nonetheless animation never fail to amuse the kids]
While the kids, and some iCare volunteers :o), were busy watching the flick, 
some of us started preparing for the snack treat these kids were to get during the 'intermission'. Fruits, sweets, biscuits, flavored milk...it was all there, waiting to be gobbled up :o). Quite a sight to see the kids enjoy the treat. Everything was gone in a flash, and soon the search for Nemo resumed. All throughout the movie, I could hear the ooo's and the aah's as Nemo struggled to get back to his dad, and the dad with his new found friend Dolly, fraught with the dangers of open sea, to get to his son. [Felt like I was in a theater watching SRK in a Yash Raj production]
As soon as the search ended, it was time for the Santas to make an entry. "Merry Christmas" and "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells" were what our cute Santas were saying as they started distributing the gifts. The excitement was reaching its peak, and the kids were having a blast. The volunteers were happy, the care-takers were happy and the kids...well they were ecstatic. The pics here says it all...
We all left the place by 6:00pm, sharing the same feeling, the same sense of accomplishment. We all knew we did make those 35 kids a lot happier than they were until four hours before. We all knew we would return to share more, play more, learn more, teach more....we all knew it's just the beginning.And I cannot end this post without mentioning the efforts put in by the admin guys from our company - Santosh, Kishore & Kamalesh. They made sure at all times, that we had all the props we needed for the show to go on flawlessly.
A big thanks to one and all who contributed towards this cause and lend a helping hand. I hope with the continuous support, there will be many more such evenings and many more days when we can do something for these kids.
If you have an idea/suggestion about what we can do for these kids, please leave your comments here or mail it to me.
Least likely of the places to meet an army officer, the sangeet ceremony of one of my college buddies, I bumped into Captain JD of the Indian Army. Calm, quiet, composed, confident, and of course, strongly built - that's how I would describe this young officer. Barely into his mid-twenties, this guy heard the calling, left a plum job at TCS, and went on to join the services. Presently posted at Baramulla, Pakistani posts in PoK are barely 100mtrs from his post. He is in the line of fire more often than not; he tames the Pakistani generals' aggression more often than not; he restrains from replying to sporadic gun fires and shelling from Pak side more often than not [not because Indian army is not capable of doing do, but because we still honor the ceasefire].
I found an instant connect with him, and the conversation soon got intense. I was very curious why and how he joined the army, what trainings he received, what are his job duties, what about his family, and a whole lot of things. [Well yea I was there for the ceremony, but as far as I was concerned, it had already taken the back seat by now].
He told me that 2 years into the job at TCS, he wasn't very happy with the idea of a sedentary job. He wanted an active lifestyle, like that of his cousin, who was in already the army. So he applied; gave a grueling 5 day examination - Day 1: psychology test, Day 2: medical test, Day 3-5: tests on various personality traits. The result - a software engineer got selected for Indian Army, and was sent to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for a yearlong training [that included physical training, training on military tactics, arms and ammunition, table etiquette and very unlikely but yes...cooking]. The training was anything but a cake walk. Cross country [14 km] jog when you are in fever, non-stop 100mtr crawls when you fail to throw the hand grenade at the precise instant, a long run when you feel a niggle in your knee, and many more mind-over-body techniques to transform these callow young men into fine Indian Army Officers.
However, like any other field, training can only prepare you that much. Even the finest of the officers feel the butterflies on their first reconnaissance mission. The pitch black sky, the terrorists in ambush, the fear of bullets piercing the bullet proof jackets, and worst of all, the fear of your automatic weapon malfunctioning, it all makes that first patrol last much longer than your watch suggests. But soon it becomes the routine you learn to live with, and even sooner these successful missions become stories you would share with your mates at the base. Kudos to the spirit!!
These recon missions are only a part of the duties these brave soldiers perform. Back when J&K was burning with the Amarnath Shirne Board issue, these soldiers brought the situation under control yet again. They guarded the innocent and brought the perpetrators to justice. On questioning one such perpetrator "why are you doing this?” the reply got was saddening. The reply was "sahab mujhe iske liye Rs 50/-mile hain, aur yeh karne se mujhe jannat naseeb hogi". [I’ve been given Rs 50/- for it, and I will get a place in heaven for doing this]. Another terrorist they caught at some other place said "Mujhe biryani bahut pasand hai, and khuda ke ghar mujhe bahut acchi biryani milegi isliye mein yeh sab kar raha hu". [I like Biryani, and if I do this, I will be served with delectable Biryani in heaven].
It’s not only such motivated [read brainwashed] terrorists that these brave men have to fight, at altitudes over 8000feet there is something more they have to put up against; there is: HACE [High-altitude cerebral edema], a high altitude sickness that affects the brain - men suffer memory losses, they give up food, they believe they suffer from diseases [which medical examinations later prove don’t exist]. Certainly not the coziest of the places to be.
As we were conversing, we realized it was late and was about time to leave. [The engagement and sangeet function got over in the meantime]. But even as this conversation ended, I was glad because I will meet the captain again on the wedding the following day. However, that couldn’t happen as he had to visit MHOW [Military Headquarters of War]. Still a conversation I can never forget, a person I can never forget. Lot to learn, think, and act upon.
I could possibly have only brushed the surface, and known him and his life superficially, but one thing that will keep reverberating in my mind for long – IS HUMAN LIFE WORTH ONLY A BIRYANI?
The citizens of Mumbai, and many other cities, thronged the streets at several places across India on Dec 3, 2008, to show their displeasure with the entire system, and above all the Politicians. They gathered to protest against the way they are being ruled, protected [if at you feel so], and however paradoxical it may sound - protest against being killed. Here are a few things they had to say- Mr. Deshmukh
Don't play a Joker,
Remember you are our Naukar
- "DESH-MUKH" - a film by RGV!!
Starring You know who!!
-
Dear Chief Minister
Instead of taking RGV to Taj,
You should have shown RGV's Aag to them,
They would have surrendered peacefully
- a-chute-a-nandan (Kerala CM) - a Dog himself
- We would prefer a dog visit our house than a politician
- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Donkey, donkey, old and gray
Open your mouth and gently bray,
Lift your ears and blow your horn,
To wake the world this sleepy morn
- Missing - Raj Thakery
- Hi Raj,
So how much does your Audi cost?
STOP fooling my maharashtrian brothers and sisters,
and mind you own 'business'
- I am an Indian, and there is only one 'sena' that i believe in;
and that is - THE INDIAN ARMY
- US politicians from Yale, ours from Jail
- Dogs and politicians not allowed in this rally
- Raj Thakery's bandhs,
R.R.Patil's chotie baatein,
Naqvi's Lipstick and powder,
Deshmukh's terror tourism,
A Chauthanandan's Dogs
NAHI CHALTA HAI
- India needs Leaders, not Dealers
- Bangles - A token to leaders of India from the Citizens of Mumbai
- A = Attack Pak/ISI
T = Talk less
S = Sleep in peace
- 3 enemies
* Politicians
* Terrorists
* Dawood
- Call back the bar-girls, may be they can help!!
- Gandhigiri gave us 1947, now it's time to grab AK-47
But what resulted was a Ban on all such rallies!!
Fascism??
Once again, after the long forgotten Kargil war, I feel like my degree in engineering, my proficiency with software development....are of no use; no use because I can do nothing but crib about what is happening in Mumbai; no use because I can do nothing but sit in front of the TV and watch the terrorists carry out their meticulously planned heinous acts; no use because I can nothing to save even a single innocent life from being slaughtered so mercilessly; no use because I am not there when my country needs me.
Also, I could go on to hate myself for being selfish and greedy to an extent that I didn’t listen to the voice from within...the voice which pepped me to join the services right after I completed preliminary education. But the lust for the green and dreams of Uncle Sam's land made me ignore the call....I wonder if I’ll ever forgive myself for that.
BUT, I find solace in the fact that there are these brave men who did hear the voice billowing in their heart, those who fought for the pride of their nation, those who showed the world that 9/11 is not something India will ever witness, those who painted a sorry figure of all those politicians who claimed to be working for the 'navnirman' of the country. KUDOS to you guys....you my heroes, you my idols, you the ones I want everyone in this country to be like, you the ones I would want my kids to be like. KUDOS to you guys....it’s because of you I am able to write this today, it’s because of you I feel safe in my house, it’s because of you I can still quote my nationality as INDIAN.
"TO THE UNSUNG HEROES OF EVERY SUCCESSFULLY FAILED TERROR ATTACK"
It had BBC put up 3 ads of 60 seconds each highlighting India’s 2000 year old science of Ayurveda (Ad: Ayurveda), India as destination for Medical Tourism (Ad: HEAL), and contemporary yet traditional destination for Meeting, Incentives, Conferences & Events (Ad: MICE). It differentiated itself from the rest of the tourist destinations as home to spirituality, peace and fulfillment. The campaign had the President of India back the cause; which in itself speaks volumes about the commitment. Today India is synonymous to cultural heritage, traditional values, tolerance, and probity. The campaign has proved instrumental in changing perceptions world-over. India is slowly and gradually starting to make a mark for itself on world tourism map.
