Capt. Shaji Kumar

I have come across this phrase many times, “Never Give Up”, and if I were to reflect and ponder over it, I have always maintained this as one of the guiding facets which has driven me throughout my life. I can’t recall the early formative years, but I do remember going through this every now and then during my training at the Military Academy in Chennai, and more so when I started off into my own venture.Not that I am a great businessman or anything even close to that, still I do tend to follow this basic philosophy in my very small business. Have done so over the last 18 years.

Why I say that I am not a good businessman is because I have always been careless with money. Something that no “good” businessman would ever do. I think from the heart rather than follow the head. Yes today, I do feel that as a pinch and at times do regret but there is nothing that can be gained by looking back other than gaining the insight into how things should be done. Today it’s not about solving the problems, it is more about finding the problems. I have managed to identify that “problems” and in actuality it means that I will have to rip apart everything and begin afresh. I have to solve this problem and in a way that it actually does good in some way. I have my objective which is quite clear, and now I have to focus on the “right” and “efficient” team. I will have to align the team passionately with my own vision. An entrepreneur is always positive. If that were not true then there would never be any “entrepreneurship”.

Failure is a part of any business, but there is always something to be learned from this failures. One always has to be optimistic. There are a lot of cynics and negative people around, but entrepreneurs spread positive energy.

So I can say that I have learned from my mistakes – yes I have committed a lot of mistakes and it is a fairly long list. But, I tend not to dwell on them and instead look to squeeze the gist of the facts which led to this situation. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that this phase would be overcome and within the shortest span I would be able to steer it back on course. Yes, like I said in the beginning, “Never Give Up”.

India started its campaign to defend the Cup slugging it out with their proverbial arch rivals who were going to make a serious effort to “win” it at least in this sixth edition. Anyway, Pakistan bit the dust yet again and India registered a thumping win over its biggest sporting rival in Cricket.

By now, a lot of pundits have started writing India off especially predicting a easy mauling by South Africa in their next outing. By the time I am writing this India has the match sealed to make a mince meat of South Africa handing them a over 130 run loss. There were so many predictions, with Hussey almost certain that maybe the first win that India registered would be its sole.

So much for the match fixation theory which predicted that India would lose to South Africa. I for one feel that India has really come together as a Team and Doni has quietly and confidently rallied his Team Mates to believe in themselves. It is quite evident in the manner in which the Team is exhibiting its performance in all aspects. The body language is very positive.

This is a Team which is going to be very difficult to beat. Whether we win the Cup is something which I do not want to predict simply because I feel we should play sport in its true spirit. Somehow I do not understand all the hype that the Channels and its experts try to build up by playing astrologers. Why can we not go from game to game enjoying and watching the best team of the day win.

06/10/2014 may hold special significance to the founders of eCommerce business Flipkart.com, but yesterday did look like the day when the entire e-Com network in India declared War. It way mayhem in general, not the type we are used to see on Dalal Street, but an advent of the way Indians will be shopping in the near future at least.

The ever changing dynamics of business models make it difficult to forecast on a longer term, but for now it is quite clear that the conventional Retail store/chains would be spending many a sleepless nights. The timing of the campaign assault was perfect. If yesterday’s figures is only just the beginning, e-Commerce has definitely made its grand entry, catching the shoppers imagination. Adding fuel to fire is of course the crowded malls most of which are woefully under-staffed, and the general difficulty in reaching there amid chaotic traffic and then worst of all finding a parking slot.

It definitely is a catch-22 for the conventional retail. Should they ramp up their establishments so as to improve efficiency. But for the moment they most definitely are at loggerheads. Some are making an effort to join in. But there is no level playing field.

How long this honeymoon is going to last is something even the most adept of the trade pundits can also not be able to emphatically predict.

Today we celebrate 68 Years of having been freed of the British Rule. We have had 67 Years since that historic day to create our own place under the sun. After we won freedom, Jawaharlal Nehru and his planners attempted an Industrial revolution through the agency of the state. Nehru was in two minds – to follow the principles of socialism under the guise of Democracy. They did not trust the private entrepreneurs, so they made the state the entrepreneur. Not to mention that Nehru’s experiment failed miserably and if he had lived to this day he would have seen how he wasted the 40 odd years between him and his dictatorial daughter’s autocratic legacy have done more harm to an young India which could have been a developed Country today, a leading economy today rather than by some 20-30 years hence. We surely missed out a lot, paying a huge price for their follies.

The transformation in the mindset is evident when the paradigm shift from “Made In India” to “MAKE in India”. It is a very important factor in carrying forth the legacy that was unleashed by the Late PM P.V.Narasimha Rao along with his protege and very capable Finance Minister who understood the nuances of Economy Shri. Manmohan Singh to bring in the era of Competition. Competition a rather unheard of word in the context of the Indian Industry hitherto-fore. Something which eluded the eco-system of say a Rahul Bajaj who would continue to make Scooters which he was damn sure that ‘consumers’ would be ‘forced’ to buy and wait for long periods of waiting to acquire one. Or having the jackpot of finally getting the status symbol of being the only House to boast of a Telephone Connection. Something which was so cherished that you had to continuously make sure that you did noting to annoy the Telephone Line-Man. The way we dealt with him all honey and sugar, on the hindsight would seem almost amusing.

There were a lot of things which were wrong with our growth mantras. We had adopted an inward looking, import-banned/substitute path when it should have been the opposite. So when Modi asserts again and again MAKE in India he is chanting the right mantra – looking at an outward looking, export-oriented/promoting path, thus trying to have a share in the World Trade & prosperity. Over the last 67 Years we have built a massive, inefficient and monopolistic public sector which was state controlled thereby making it totally unproductive and have an poor capital-output ratio. Add to that the ‘lethargy’ to work and anything related to Government / Public Sector became the butt of inefficiency. How one got into the secured halo of a ‘Government Job’ which was path to financial & Job security. The Job was for keeps whether you worked or not. We had an era where work came last always and every-time.

So many Prime Ministers came and went, 67 Speeches were rhetorically mouthed from the ramparts of the Red Fort, but none have been as direct and relevant as the extempore speech given by the PM Narender Modi of an resurgent India. He has really taken an outsider’s view and a very good one at that. Unfortunately we wish that this had happened some 68 years back. We would have saved ourselves trillions of crores which we have paid to all the reluctant “workers” employed in the Government Jobs and working in the Public Sector. The Crores of rupees which the Members of all Assemblies have ‘spent’ with little or no visibility. But let this not be a time to rue what we have lost. It can never be changed. But we can surely write of the losses of the last 67 years and take a firm step in the right direction. Whether it is a Modi or anyone else it is actually the power of the people. The awareness which has managed to put in a firm and stable government in place is the first baby step which we have taken in 67 years. At least we have started walking. So like Mr. Modi says we can take year by year – setting agendas small agendas, basic agendas, Sanitation, Model Villages etc etc which would eventually see the replication rub off into creating the Super India. I don’t see any point in aiming to become a Super Power – what are we bullies, but I definitely would want to realise the cliche that we grew up reading in our civics books, that India used to be a Land of Plenty Riches…the sone ki chidiya…Jai Hind.

The Aam Aadmi in India has woken up. If considered against the recent developments across the globe, the timing is just about right. We have been seeing these winds of change happening across the World, wherever there has been “despotic” rulers involved. We however like to refer India as the World’s largest democracy. Are we really that ? We once may have been, but the equations changed and transformation happened slowly and steadily. Given the history of our Country, prior to Independence we have always been ruled by rulers. It is in our blood so we can unknowingly learn to accept and become comfortable in that environment. We would rather be lead than be part of that leadership.

If we look deep, the present day “political” set up has gradually meandered into the Pre-Independance era. Sardar united the Pre-Independence India, and the prsent Political set up has converted the almost equal number into their own personal fiefdoms. So much so that the second generation has now started claiming it as their legacy. The power is being handed over from father to off-spring etcetra etcetra.

Against this backdrop, the winds of change ushered in with the advent of Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi has really caught on the imagination of the people of this Country. Scorned and ridiculed with disdain by the “rulers”, the AAP is nevertheless giving the actual politicians some very serious sleepless nights. It is almost comical when they are trying to emulate the AAP and begin to include the “Aam Aadmi” and their problems squeezed into their agenda. Kejriwal the ant has certainly rattled the elephant. but the road ahead for Arvind Kejriwal and AAP is not exactly going to be a cakewalk. The pie is too large for the system to let go without a fight. The counter action is bound to come.

History was initiated yesterday when the representative of the Aam Aadmi took charge of the Capital of India as its CM. The first common man in Office. He did use the Metro and continues to use his Maruti, icing on the cake would be if he carries his own packed Tiffin to “work”. Whether AAP manages to march ahead without much ado remains to be seen. But like the revolutions in the past, Arvind Kejriwal will most definitely will go down in the annals of history as the man who despite all odds initiated and spearheaded this movement and came out victorious. Only time will tell, but there is absolutely no doubt that this movement is going to die an untimely death.

With everyone from the Wallah Community (Paan-Wallah, Rickshaw-Wallah etc etc) to Dalal Street Boys talking of Sensex & economy, this is probably for the first time that the RBI Guv has become an Hero. I have never heard of any occupant of RBI corner office being described with adjectives like, “sexy” or “handsome” “debonair”, and probably for the first time have a female fan following. I am sure he must be the envy of his erstwhile predessors…

guess we need a makeover for our politicians as well. Well they have amassed so much wealth, it would definitely help their cause to keep themselves fit so as to be able to enjoy the fruits of their hard earned labour. But not all can be categorized in that category. I know a couple of them who are most definitely honest…but when the herd gets together they stick like “brothers in arms”, joining forces to fight the common cause – The Supreme Court. Securing the future shall we say.

The elections next year should definitely have the youngsters walking into the polling booths. Mr. Modi has definitely planned everything to perfection. While the seemingly reluctant aspirant of the rival party, appears to be quite clueless, the seasoned rival has orchestrated a very craftily written script. I would definitely put my money on this horse. Even though there is nothing to choose really, but then on second thoughts we can’t we just import a “foreign” politician, like we appoint “foreign” coaches in Sports or even in Industry. Why can we not experiment. The last time round they did a pretty good job, till like Dr. Faustus they “over-reached”…Outsource Government…

Now that a lot of “God-Men” have been “caught in the act”, fresh recruitment should definitely be something we should look forward to, a lot of people must have been rendered “guru”less. Another new employment opportunity perhaps…there are so many options now….I too had a “guru” once for a very brief period. He feigned loss of hearing, as he had donated his power of hearing in obeisance to the diety he worshipped. He used to go around with a “chela” who used to translate for him. Then one fine day, he started hearing once again. It was bowing to the wishes of his governing deity, as he had to fulfill his purpose in life, and put it on a fast track growth rate…even though this “miracle” was enough for me to understand the “God-Men” business plan, but I am sure that the legacy of the Swamis would continue to grow unabated. On the positive side It does generate a lot of employment though….considering the scale of their operations and the opulence…