Indian B-schools

The dress, the look of corporate offices and the language — everything is a copy of the western model in Indian business schools (“What they don't teach you at Indian B-schools,” March 7). But that shouldn't surprise us. Our elite education system prepares people to work for the West. A system in which academic achievement means reproducing what one learns, and marks are valued over creative thinking, empathy and love are bound to show some cracks somewhere. The huge disconnect between Bharat and India is just the tip of this cracking iceberg.

Naveen I. Thomas,

Bangalore

In the era of WTO, the B-schools of India should act as innovative think tanks and be seen regularly in the business pages of the media. Sadly, the only time one gets to read about them in newspapers is when a few students are hired at astronomical salaries by MNCs.

Talking of railways, here is a hilarious anomaly about passenger fares. A platform ticket costs Rs. 3. But a suburban train ticket to high-tech city from Osmania University in Hyderabad, covering a distance of 16 km, also costs Rs. 3. Is there any rationale in this? Surely, travel and non-travel can't cost the same? This should be a subject for our B-schools to study. Many similar issues can be debated, if only the B-schools care to be Indian.

S. Ganesan,

Secunderabad

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Burn anger before anger burns you

Anger is more destructive than fire or earthquakes. When you get angry, certain glands in your body get activated. This leads to an outpouring of adrenaline and other stress hormones, with noticeable physical consequences.

Your face reddens, blood pressure increases, voice rises to a higher pitch, and breathing becomes faster and deeper, your heart beats harder and your arm and leg muscles tighten. Your body becomes tense. The cumulative effect is that anger increases risk of coronary and other life-threatening diseases, like strokes, ulcers and high blood pressure. Better, then, to overcome anger. Burn anger, before anger burns you!

When you are calm, peaceful, happy, digestive processes in your body work normally. When angry, they go for a toss. Doctors recommend remaining cheerful when you eat, for instance. Avoid eating when angry or resentful. Anger affects the entire body; it is poison.

There are three ways to handle anger. Firstly, your expression. Psychiatrists say it is good to express anger for it brings relief, as you have spoken your mind. The relief, however, is temporary. Resentments build up again, and you are ready for another spill out. Gradually, anger becomes a habit and you could become its slave. Anger controls you; it is a terrible master. Secondly, the way of suppression but that's not the right way. as it drives anger into the subconscious and continues to create havoc.

However, neither expression nor suppression is recommended for these do not help you overcome anger. So the third way, that of forgiveness, patience and forbearance, works better. Forgive, and be free! Every night, before you retire, replay the day's happenings. Were you cheated by someone? Did someone offended you, hurt you or treated you badly? Call out that person's name and say, ''X, i forgive you!'' You will sleep peacefully. I recall an incident in the life of the great Prussian king, Frederick the Second. One day, he found one of his servants taking a little snuff from his silver snuffbox. ''Do you like this snuff-box?'' asked the king in utter simplicity. The boy, caught in the act of stealing, felt embarrassed; he did not answer. Once again, the king repeated the question: ''Do you like the snuff-box?'' The boy looked up and said: ''Yes sire, it is indeed a beautiful snuff-box!'' ''Then'', said the king, ''take it. For it is too small for the two of us!''

There was a monk who was badtempered. He lived in an ashram but found it difficult to get along with the ashramites. He decided to leave and live a secluded life in the forest. He thought he could thus overcome anger. In the beginning, he found peace and tranquillity within. He was happy. 


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A classical hero for modern India

His arrival in mid-1996 on the horizon of India's cricketscape could not have come at a better time. Just as a liberalised India was opening up and making giant strides in the world - and just when middle-class Indians, uninhibited and confident, were leaving home shores to stake a claim to the world's treasures - arrived Rahul Dravid to control and steer Indian cricket forward.

Dravid was symptomatic of the mid-1990s India; strongly nationalist and resurgent, deter-mined and passionate, committed and hard-working. Of a middle-class ethos and with a global outlook, Dravid was a product of his time. The away pitches of Australia, South Africa and England did not scare him for he represented a different India, hardly ever insecure. Not as talented perhaps as the other legendary number three, Ricky Ponting, Dravid epitomised virtues which a turn of the century India would need; reliability, reliability and further reliability.

Even when things did not necessarily go his way like in Australia in December-January 2012, his commitment never wavered. He was the first and only Indian at the MCG at 9 am on Christmas day to practise against hundreds of throwdowns ahead of the Boxing Day Test. He would even shadow bat over dinner when things weren't going his way as mana-ger G S Walia later recounted.

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Management aspirants get wider choices

If you try to analyse the major difference between management education just over a decade ago, when the new millennium had just begun, and the present scenario, the one word that sums up the transformation is 'options.'

Today, B Schools are increasing elective subjects and specialisation options while also emphasising on soft skills.

Therefore, a management aspirant has a wider range of choices available, ranging from the plain vanilla courses to super specialisations. They can look at B Schools who emphasise on developing soft skills or technology-based abilities.

The bottom line is that today the world of business is dynamic and challenging, where only the fittest can and will survive. As compared to the previous scenario when employees had singular responsibilities and hardly any performance appraisal on being a 'team player,' today they have to multi-task and work in tandem with their colleagues.

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Over 80% students in Indian schools are humiliated: Study

Over 80% of students in schools across the country are humiliated by teachers who tell them that they are not capable of learning, a study conducted by national child rights body has said.

Even the "cruel practice" of giving electric shocks finds a mention in the yet-to-be released study on the practice of corporal punishment brought out by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

According to the survey conducted in 2009-10 academic year, only nine out of 6,632 students in seven states who were surveyed denied that they received any kind of punishment in schools.

NCPCR defines corporal punishment as physical punishment, mental harassment and discrimination of children causing both physical and mental harassment.

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CMAT score not a must for 2012-13

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)-approved business schools are not obliged to accept the CMAT score for admissions for the academic year 2012-13.

According to the Supreme Court order on Friday, Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) cannot be the sole exam for admission to management courses.

B-schools will continue to accept score of other five tests (CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA and JMET which are now replaced by CAT) mentioned in the interim order.

This has given a sigh of relief to many private B-schools which were not enthusiastic about CMAT becoming the single entrance test for management courses in the country. However, the debate for CMAT becoming the sole entrance test is unclear.

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SPARK OF THE CORPORATE- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Chairman and Managing director,

Biocon limited

As we are celebrating women’s day on 8th March 2012, we dedicate this month’s spark of the corporate section to the entire woman around the world.

Woman, who is not only a successful home maker, is also an entrepreneur and businesses women who is capable of running an enterprise.

We shall be talking about some of the successful women who have not only contributed their efforts in the corporate field, but also inspired many to step into the field.

As we are talking about women power, we shall start with the most successful business women, a born entrepreneur by thought-The best suited and apt lady to kick off this section is none other than, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman and Managing director of Biocon limited (A Biotechnology Company, Bangalore). If the Indian biotechnology industry has a cover girl, it is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, a voluble 48-year-old who owns Biocon, the country's biggest biotechnology company.

Early Days Kiran Mazumdar Shaw was born on March 23, 1953 in Bangalore, India. Kiran has completed her schooling from the city’s Bishop Cotton Girl’s High School (1968). She wanted to join medical school instead took up biology and completed her BSc Zoology Honours course from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore University (1973). She later did her post-graduation in Malting and Brewing from Ballarat College, Melbourne University (1975). She worked as a trainee brewer in Carlton and United Breweries, Melbourne and as a trainee maltster at Barrett Brothers and Burston, Australia. She also worked for some time as a technical consultant at Jupiter Breweries Limited, Calcutta and as a technical manager at Standard Maltings Corporation, Baroda between 1975 and 1977. This biotech entrepreneur learnt the importance of self-reliance and personal re-invention at an early age. Kiran recalls the entry into the brewery field; she recalls how her father inspired her to get into the field. “Every time I had the feeling that I was at the bottom, I have risen to fulfil a larger design. I remember the first time I felt that way. I was a little girl in school. I knew that my father was a ‘brewer.’ I knew somewhere deep down that my father worked for the liquor industry. It brought me deep embarrassment. I felt he belonged to a tainted profession. One day, I spoke to him about my sense of shame. He looked me in the eyes and told me that brewing was a science; it was not about getting drunk. He did not stop there. He said: ‘Do not make judgment on things, people, and issues with half information’.  He said there is truth in everything you see around. So, look for everything in its entirety. That was a game-changing moment for me. I started growing out of the low I felt. It may have been a juvenile moment but it became basic to my life’s philosophy." In the year 1978, she joined Biocon Biochemicals Limited, of Cork, Ireland as a Trainee Manager. In the same year she started Biocon in the garage of her rented house in Bangalore with a seed capital of Rs. 10,000. That’s how India’s first Bio technology company has started. Initially, she faced credibility challenges because of her youth, gender and her untested business model. Not only was funding a problem as no bank wanted to lend to her, but she also found it difficult to recruit people for her start-up. With single-minded determination she overcame these challenges only to be confronted with the technological challenges associated with trying to build a biotech business in a country facing infrastructural woes. Uninterrupted power, superior quality water, sterile labs, imported research equipment, and advanced scientific skills were not easily available in India during the time. She is responsible for steering Biocon on a trajectory of growth and innovation over the years. Within a year of its inception, Biocon became the first Indian company to manufacture and export enzymes to USA and Europe. In 1989, Biocon became the first Indian biotech company to receive US funding for proprietary technologies. In 1990, she upgraded Biocon’s in-house research program, based on a proprietary solid substrate fermentation technology. In the same year, she incorporated Biocon Biopharmaceuticals Private Limited to manufacture and market a select range of biotherapeutics in a joint venture with the Cuban Centre of Molecular Immunology. In 2004, she decided to access the capital markets to develop Biocon’s pipeline of research programs. Biocon’s IPO was oversubscribed 32 times and it’s first day at the bourses closed with a market value of $1.11 billion, making Biocon only the second Indian company to cross the $1-billion mark on the first day of listing She entered into more than 2,200 high-value R&D licensing and other deals within the pharmaceuticals and bio-pharmaceutical space between 2005 and 2010 and helped Biocon expand its global footprint to emerging and developed markets through acquisitions, partnerships and in-licensing. Her belief that healthcare needs can only be met with affordable innovation has been the driving philosophy that has helped Biocon manufacture and market drugs cost-effectively. In 2007-08, a leading US trade publication, Med Ad News, ranked Biocon as the 20th leading biotechnology companies in the world and the 7th largest biotech employer in the world. Biocon also received the 2009 BioSingapore Asia Pacific Biotechnology Award for Best Listed Company. Today, thanks to her leadership, Biocon is building cutting-edge capabilities, global credibility and global scale in its manufacturing and marketing activities. It has Asia’s largest insulin and statin facilities as also the largest perfusion-based antibody production facilities.

More about Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Country of Citizenship : India Residence : Bangalore Alma : BSc Zoology (Honours), Bangalore University. PG in Malting and Brewing from Ballarat College, Melbourne University Occupation : Chairman and Managing director of Biocon limited Marital status : Married

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has received several awards on behalf of Biocon and in her personal capacity as one of India's leading business entrepreneurs. Biocon:

2012: Biocon wins Best Exhibitor Award in the category of Biocontent and Information at Bangalore India Bio Biocon wins Golden Peacock National Quality Award 2011: Biocon wins Biospectrum BioPharma Company of the year award 2010: Biocon wins Bio-Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Healthcare Sector at Bangalore India Bio 2009: Biocon among Top 20 Indian companies in Forbes 'Best Under A Billion' list Biocon wins Bio-Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Healthcare Sector at Bangalore Bio Syngene wins Bio-Excellence Award for outstanding achievement in the Biotech Service Sector at Bangalore Bio Biocon bags IDMA "Best Patent of the year" award BIOMAb EGFR® was voted 'Bio-Spectrum Asia-Pacific Product of the year', 2008 Biocon wins prestigious BioSingapore Asia Pacific Biotechnology Award for Best Listed Company 2008: Biocon is ranked among the top 20 global biotechnology companies (Source: Med Ad News, June 2008) Biocon is the 7th largest biotech employer in the world (Source: Med Ad News, June 2008) 2007: Syngene receives "BioServices Company of the Year", BioSpectrum Awards Biocon's BIOMAb EGFR® wins "Product of the Year", BioSpectrum Awards 2006: Best IT User Award in the Pharmaceutical Sector, NASSCOM 2004: India's first and No. 1 biotech company with a global ranking of 16* (Source: Biospectrum July 2004) Biocon in India's top 5 Life Sciences companies (at close of trade as on July 30, 2004) Best Reinvention of HR Function Award, Indira Group, Mumbai Best Employer Of India Award, Hewitt 2003: Bio-Business Award for bio-entrepreneurship, Rabo India Express Pharma Pulse Award for excellence in the pharmaceutical industry 2001: Biotech Product, Process Development and Commercialisation Award, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India 2000: Technology Pioneer Recognition, World Economic Forum 1985: Export Performance Award, Karnataka State Financial Corporation (KSFC) National Award for Best Small Industry, Government of India Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: 2012: Fierce Biotech, Biotech industry's daily monitor placed Kiran Mazumdar Shaw among 25 most influential people in Biopharma Business 2011: Featured on the Financial Times 'Top 50 Women in Business' list 2010: Featured on the Forbes list of 'The World's 100 Most Powerful Women' Featured on the Financial Times 'Top 50 Women in Business' list Named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world 2009: Honoured with 'Nikkei Asia Prize' for Regional Growth Honoured with 'Express Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit Award' for Dynamic Entrepreneur 2008: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Glasgow 2007: Honoured with the, 'Veuve Clicquot Initiative For Economic Development For Asia' award Honorary Doctor of Technology, University of Abertay, Dundee ( UK ) 2005:  Padmabhushan Award , one of India's highest civilian honours, from the President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee The Indian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award Honorary Doctorate from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), in recognition of outstanding achievements in biotechnology and industrial enzymes Rotary Award for Corporate Citizenship Business Leader of the Year Award - Biotechnology, Chemtech-Pharma Bio Awards 2004: Honorary Doctorate of Science from Ballarat University, in recognition of pre-eminent contribution to the field of biotechnology Business Woman Of The Year Award, The Economic Times 2003: Alumni High Achiever Award, Australian Alumni Association 2002: Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for pioneering biotechnology in India, the Government of Karnataka Best Entrepreneur: Healthcare & Life Sciences Award, Ernst & Young Sir M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Award for contribution to biotechnology, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) 1999: Woman of the Year Award, International Women's Association, Chennai 1998: Golden Jubilee Felicitation, Mount Carmel College, Bangalore 1989: Padmashri for pioneering biotechnology in India, Government of India 1987: Outstanding Young Person Award, Jaycees India 1983: Best Small Scale Industry in Karnataka Award, Rotary Club, Karnataka Best Model Employer Award, Rotary Club, Karnataka Outstanding Contribution Award, AWAKE 1982: Best Woman Entrepreneur Award, National Institute of Marketing Management, India

Quotes by Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: "Today anything can be done - we have the techniques" 'Every time I had the feeling that I was at the bottom, I have risen to fulfil a larger design" "This is a huge sense of responsibility. It is a very privileged position. But it also goes hand in hand with responsibility. I do realise that I am a role model and I do stand for many values and value system that such a position holds." "When I started Biocon, no one had heard of biotechnology. Banks and financial institutions were wary of funding an inexperienced woman. But my unswerving faith in myself and perseverance made all the difference." "If I can do it, anyone can." MORE........