January 2009

January 2009


"Here we are in a month named after the Roman god Janus, an appropriate personification of the start of the new year. This particular Roman god had two faces so that he could look ahead toward the future and back at the past at the same time. As we get rid of an old year and look forward to a new one, we all try to be a little like Janus. We know through experience what we did wrong and what we did right, and hope to do better this year. Some people make ambitious new year's resolutions; others just take a deep breath and hope for the best.…"
(Courtesy - World Wide Web)

At the India Gate,New Delhi, Jan 2, 2009,bhupesh balakrishnan

Jan is my friendly month…is infact my month. I have many reasons to feel great…for Jan makes me feel always special! With the first day being the New year, then exactly after seven days,arrives my birthday, which I share along with Elvis Presley. I had the privilege to have my dinner along with two Members of the Indian Parliament- one in the Lok Sabha, a Veteran Leader and the other person, a Member of the Rajya Sabha, on the First of January 2009.For me the dinner was special, since, after almost a two week long stay in Delhi, having my dinner all alone, i was happy to have my dinner that day along with some known friendly faces.So, for me the joy of having the dinner along with known faces made me happy, than the feeling,that, am having it along with two M.P.s of the Indian Parliament.

January also marked the entry of me as a "Lecturer", delivering my first guest lecture in a leading Management Institution in Chennai City. Delivering my guest lecture to a class of Second years, i dwelt upon the topic called, Customer Relationship Marketing and what it really and simply means to, and should mean to Organizations.End of the lecture, i had lot of their thoughts to carry back along with me, to--find out ways and means on how to execute those simplest of Customer Strategies to my brand.

Year 2008 was in many ways a life learning experience for everyone in this World. With the arrival of the global tsunami, the modern fight against terror –the Mumbai mayhem, the rising inequality between the haves and the have-nots, 2008 shook the world in many ways. It questioned the very basic path taken by our capitalistic friends across the World and the future of after-impacts arising due to post-globalization scenario.

Has globalization failed? Too early to comment and criticize. Interestingly, when I was in my last campus visit for my executive education programme in Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta a year back, we were requesting our Prof. Ashok Banerjee to recommend a good book to read. And, he suggested “The Olive and the Lexus Tree” by Thomas Friedman.

And, I started reading the book last year February 2008, and it was a co-incidence, when the first shake started happening in the financial markets across America. By the time I understood how Thomas was explaining about the benefits and necessary for Countries to get into their “Golden Straightjacket”, here, I was seeing Countries zipped out of their “so-called-golden straightjackets”. Incidentally, Thomas started writing this book after the last major financial crisis in 1997.
The book released in the year 1999, is now a witness to the next crisis, in a matter of just ten years.

I now started questioning the wisdom of Thomas Friedman. Obviously Thomas Friedman is a well-traveled New York Times foreign-affairs columnist, has seen more and heard more and experienced more than me. I do strongly agree with Thomas that the future shall belong to Countries who can make no mistake in establishing their Lexus as well as protecting their Olive tree. But, the way the so-called supermarkets and supercenters have become power centers, dictating and ruling the markets globally is what I question. And, 2008 exactly cleared me those doubts –that, they aren’t the ones to dictate the World markets. The tumbling of global financial powerhouses like a pack of cards falling down, has only justified my thoughts. What has happened has forced powerful economies like America and Britain to take a more Communistic approach. Bailout and take hold of their financial houses – nationalize their business houses and close their economy. India has been a country much criticized for its so-called protective economic approach- whereas what has protected India in both the 1997 crisis and the 2008 crisis is balanced approach…in the free market economy.

2008 Crisis has not insulated India since India has become part of the wired global financial and technological system. We are feeling the heat too.
What may save India to some extent, is its Agrarian economy and its nationalized banking system-which is regulated. Still, India will also have to pay its share of prices to having been part of the global market system. Being Greed is bad is the new lesson from the global markets. And, there cannot be a one-sided growth in the world. It has to be balanced. It has to be inclusive.
And, so let’s watch the way the so-called developed economies and emerging economies are going to battle this war.

January 2009 also marked the much-hyped and over-reacted event in the Political history of the West. The winning of Barack Obama as the first Afro-Amercian President in its history.



Let us welcome the new President of the United States of America.

Congratulations to you Mr. President of United States of America!

With the 24-hour news channels constantly getting fed with information’s round the World and beaming the same to one’s bedroom, it is humanly not possible to move away our eyes without focusing and paying attention to such big events. I am talking about the American Presidential Oath taking ceremony. I have always been a fan of History and so-was hooked to the event on that night as usual. But, what also wondered me was, are we Indians, up there watching the same ceremony of the Indian Prime Minister and President in our Country? I doubt that. People may say, that they aren’t not so inspiring. But, are we as Citizens of the Republic of India living as its true Citizen. How many of us do watch the Flag hoisting on Republic day and Independence Day in our Country. Let’s stop taking the same approach what many here took for showing their reactions to the movie, the SlumDog Millionaire. Let’s introspect and be candid. In Japan, when their leader come to speak to his people, people wear their military attire to sit attentively to listen to what their leader has to say. It could well be a thing of past even there…

I should consider myself lucky to develop this habit due to my family surroundings and my early serving in the N.C.C-being a National Cadet Corps for five years…during my school days and college days.



I am proud to be part of the Indian Army….as having served in its Junior Army Division. But, then, people are not asked to join Army…but, do their basic duty as the Citizens of this great Republic. Somehow, we come short there. Our TV anchors were going ga-ga on the who is India’s Barack Obama. It really irked me…the wrong question….India’s has given so-called revolutionary leaders aplenty in the past….and they will keep coming.Why should we need barrack Obama? Maybe, they need more Gandhi and Other Indian leaders.

Let we people not forget that Barack and Rosa Parks are recent achievements in American history. India has many more such people, well before what America and other nations could throw outside to the World.

Mahatma Gandhi is not still much understood and appreciated by we Indians unfortunately. Whereas, he has been an inspirational figure to Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and today’s Barack Obama.




The Asian Countries, including India has had in the past and present Women as Head of the State and First Citizen of this Country. It has happened in this Republic India. India has many women as great freedom fighters…as early as in the eighteenth Century.





Bhima Bai Holkar, Rani Channama, Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Sarojini Naidu, Kasturba Gandhi, Aruna asaf ali, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Sucheta Kripalani, Sister Nivedita are are all few but among many other notable Women leaders the Country has given to the World.





Dr.Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution, was born in the –those days, so-called untouchable family. He has risen from abject situations of denial to be India’s first Law Minister. He is a Produce of this great Republic of India. Unfortunately, we Indian’s take a break, lazing on their Birthdays, given to recall them, has become Public Holidays to watch the new movie release of the month. Commercialization of everything has made us know no bounds on what we do in today’s World.

Two things are widely debated and spoken in the Year 2008 in India. One is the global Recession.

Let me reproduce the words written by Lee Wei Ling, the Director of the National Neuroscience Institute and Lee Kuan Yew's daughter( Lee Kuan Yew is the Former Prime Minister of Singapore) ….Lee writes…. . I still find it hard to believe that there are people carrying handbags that cost more than thrice the monthly income of a bus driver, and many more times that of the foreign worker labouring in the hot sun, risking his life to construct luxury condominiums he will never have a chance to live in.

She continues further…. But if one is blinded by materialism, there would be no end to wanting and hankering. After the Ferrari, what next? An Aston Martin? After the Hermes Birkin handbag, what can one upgrade to?

Neither an Aston Martin nor a Hermes Birkin can make us truly happy or contented. They are like dust, a fog obscuring the true meaning of life, and can be blown away in the twinkling of an eye….

In this new year, burdened as it is with the problems of the year that has just ended, let us again try to choose wisely. To a considerable degree, our happiness is within our own control, and we should not follow the herd blindly….

The second thing is Freedom to do what one wants in India.

The Republic of India has given so much of Freedom-so much that we abuse the same using the same freedom given to us by our own constitution. The biggest freedom we have is our Rights to Vote and elect our Government. Those who have been to or read about Countries where Democracy does not exists-can appreciate what it means to enjoy to Vote and elect one’s own Government. We are acting as mere critics and not as agents of Change.

We should start acting as good and sensible citizen of this Country. Democracy also bring along with -its own challenges which we need to tackle. Let’s not forget, that well-established monarchies with great governing patterns have governed states of India in the past-centuries before the rest of the World came to coin the World, called, Democracy. Indian History will explain us what great a nation we have been in the past..

Rather than criticizing, lets salute our own achievement. We Indians have plenty to feel proud about like any other nations. Not less, if at all, only more to feel proud about. A peace loving nation, India with all its cultural diversity is a lesson for any other nation to become Democratic.

At the India Gate,New Delhi, Jan 2, 2009,bhupesh balakrishnan

Amidst all our failures, we continue to script our own success. This land has plenty to offer to the rest of the World, including the great Western nations.

Concluding, am happy to note that there is one President in U.S, who speaks and makes sense about what he speaks about. He promises a lot. I strongly believe that at the end of the day, the President of U.S will act as its President and not so different. Interest of America is the key to him.

But, no more can an American President be successful by trying to bring to global table his agenda of Uni -polarizing the World-for no more can that bring laurels to America and save it. It will destroy the great nation. So, Obama has started well. He has also admitted to having screwed up in his staff appointments. This shows his accountability. So, he can be trusted. He has to be trusted. For there is no other choice. But, what we all have to realize is What is Good for America can no more be good for the rest of the World. But, is bad for America can well be bad to rest of the World. And, here am, specifically talking about the mindless capitalistic approach of the Americans.

Let’s welcome the next phase of globalization with a human face!




(Other Photos Courtesy : Google)

Courage & Character

Come what come may;
Time and the hour runs through the darkest day. –William Shakespeare

I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God. – Hellen Keller

The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of the circumstances. - Aristotle

Millions of our fellows passed away recently in China as a result of Mother Nature’s anger. Every day millions of people across the World undergo countless sufferings – live the day with faith and patience, that, this too shall pass away.

At home, workplace, fields, and so many places, we too face the need to survive against all odds to achieve what we desire for, in our life-which may happen or may not. A working mother fights for her time to take care of her family. A hard working cobbler on the foot path on a rainy day prays he makes atleast 20 bugs to feed his three member family that day…not knowing what the next day is going to look like. A sales executive looks forward to achieve the days target, by all efforts, hoping that this will reach him to his monthly target. A CEO trust all his men in blues across all level, who is not even in his reach of sight, hoping that as a team, they will meet the expectations of all their stakeholders, against all difficult economic conditions and market constraints. In all, they show…tremendous Courage and Character to face their every day life.

King Ashoka showed his magnanimous Character with Courage to embrace peace, forgoing war, inspite of all his Victories. When Billions of people were enslaved, Gandhiji showed that Courage need not be shown by taking arms, but, can be achieved by Ahimsa-a sign of the greatest Statesman’s Character. When millions of people died, a nation lost everything to nuclear arsenals, people turned ashes in seconds, the generations that survived showed the greatest character with all courage – a sign of Phoenix, that, we will rise from ashes- went on to build the World’s most powerful economy in the World in the same century, Japan was symbolized as a fighting nation. For they believed, that it is not what they have lost, but, what they are left with that counted to them. For they were not crippled, merely handicapped by their enemies.

When he felt, this now is the time, to go to the nation, the man rose to his greatest Character to handover the Company he founded with passion, TATA Airlines, which today is Indian Airlines, Courage was reflected in JRDjis gesture.

When one race declared that we are your rulers, the other “Raced” people said, treat us as Human Beings. Nelson Mandela showed to the World that fight can be through peace against all odds to achieve what we want, irrespective of time. Character and Courage was their forte. Today the West is witnessing the greatest happening of this Century. The so-called first Afro-American in their Presidential election in their nation. They have shown tremendous Courage and Character across their two centuries of Civilization.

We cannot keep walking on mountain tops…for time will make us walk through deep valleys and dangerous rivers. The greatest Victory in life is not about how safe we lived- rather, how much we have survived and succeeded against all odds. For after death, life is not measured by how safe we lived, but how much courageously we have lived with great Character at all times. How much we have risen superiorly to the trials of life, without giving to hopelessness or despair, still clinging to our principles and ideals.

Lets take with us, in all our struggle, the watch word of the good old Roman – Aequanimitas!
For, this, too, shall pass away.

(This was first posted during June 2008)

Faith & Patience

Life is Beautiful. The World is a beautiful place to live one’s life. No one is born with every thing. What we have today with us is either someone’s in the past or going to belong to someone tomorrow. For it shall be illusionary thought to claim what we have today is what we brought when we were born.

My tears dropped, which is quite natural, on seeing it, when my friend was busy parking his car in the parking lot. This happened in front of the temple in Apollo Specialty Clinic adjacent to my Office campus in Anna Salai. We were there to have our snacks in the food court in the campus in the evening after our market visit. And, it’s quite a comfortable place for me since, am an usual visitor to the place and happen to observe a lot of people with patience and faith in front of the small temple, praying for quick recovery, beauty is, irrespective of their religion. But, this was a moving sight – the patient (looks like being in a critical stage) was brought in a wheel chair along with her family members.

They looked like people from a small place, here for the unaffordable treatment. I could notice the small teardrops trickling from the patient’s eye, with a sense of gratification towards the deity. Her family members showed content in their face meaning it looked like this should be a matter of life and death to their beloved family member.

When they crossed me, the sense of satisfaction on the faces of her two family members showed the immense faith they had on God, the unknown. The sense of gratification amidst tear drops in her face showed me the patience with which she is undergoing her treatments and the thanks she is conveying to her people around for their wonderful support.

I smiled as we entered the food court with these thoughts. Who is God? Where is she/he? Where comes so much of faith & patience amidst so much of difficulties? Why some people have to suffer in this beautiful World, when someone is enjoying? What is the cause of this phenomenon? Why this happens? Is it never-ending? Or is there a solution?

The sight of seeing a seven year young kid going to the school in the morning in his father’s sedan and the sight of another kid who is around the same young age, picking up rags in a gunny bag and crossing the signal occurs at the same time in this beautiful World. And, Life is beautiful and so the World we live in. My thought is, is this World beautiful to both the people at the same time-for someone living with peace in Bangalore and for someone fighting for life in Kashmir. For someone spending $10 in New York for a cup of coffee and for someone yearning for a piece of bread loaf in Somalia. What can we say when we find someone in a remote village in India walking 10 kms to fetch two pots of muddied water for drinking for her family, whereas someone in a Metro city in this same India is concerned that her/his favorite Cola is not available in a Pizza Hut store. What’s this World teaching us all? I am quite sure; the answer is not so easy. The fact remains the same. Everyone in this World is living everyday with tremendous Faith & Patience on the known and the unknown, for one day, for them too - this World and their Life will be beautiful.

(This was first posted during June 2008)

"Dreams - Are they worth a compromise?"

"Dreams - Are they worth a compromise?"


“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.” – Helen Keller

(American Author and Educator who was blind and deaf.1880-1968)

Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?" - George Bernard Shaw

There is a psychological technique which makes it possible to interpret dreams, and ... if that procedure is employed, every dream reveals itself as a psychical structure which has a meaning and which can be inserted at an assignable point in the mental activities of waking life.

- SIGMUND FREUD, The Interpretation of Dreams


Ever watched a baby closely in its sleep. All of a sudden, a smile dances across its pink lips. Wonder, why it smiled – reasons unknown to us. Ask me and will tell you – the baby had a beautiful angel dancing in its dreams. You may disagree but then, I too agree to disagree. We all dream. Dream during office hours, when we are driving, when we are having food, when we are speaking with someone, when we are sleeping, when we are traveling, when we are watching a movie, when we are in a meeting. The indisputable fact is that everyone dreams in his or her lifetime.

When does one start dreaming – Ever since one is born on this earth! And, when does one stop dreaming – when one die! The entire lifetime progress with some kind of dreams. Do every dream comes into reality? Does everyone achieve what he or she has dreamt? Why does a dream face a pre-mature death? Are dreams worth a compromise in this World?

Rather than trying to understand the metaphysics of Dreams, let us look at are dreams worth a compromise in life. If dreams are worth a compromise, why one has to dream? Or why do dreams have to occur? Lets reject the fantasy dreams and look at lofty thoughts being shaped and occurring as dream in one’s life. The most famous of the dream is that of Martin Luther Kings “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." Martin King never lived to see his dream unfold.But, never was he deterred from the thought of dreaming.

The Independence of many colonial nations from the British Empire was attained by the collective dreams of many individuals –who dreamt that their nation will become free from position of slavery. Will rise to become independent sovereign states. Dream came true. Many never lived to see it.


Dreams make human life powerful. Dreams shape up the World we live in. Fruits of the dreams of many are what we enjoy today. Right from the Internet, to the pencil we write to the penicillin that cure is what has been someone’s dream some time ago. Dreams changed the destiny of our lives in many forms. Until some ages ago, only birds flew in the skies. Today, Human goes for space walk. What many thinks impossible and just a dream becomes a reality through someone’s determined hard work.

Jamsetji Tata, the Pioneer of Indian Industries dreamt and worked towards bringing to reality three of his key ideas: A steel plant, a World class learning Institution and a hydro electric plant. He lived unable to see any of his three dreams coming to life during his life time. And, today, they are our Tata Steel, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Tata Power. Dreams of one man may become reality through some one-but, seeds have to be sown.

As said by Former President of India, Shri A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, “ “Dream, Dream, Dream! Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts into actions”. And, as Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” So, the need of the hour is the will power-the faith and patience to see our dream coming true. Show Courage and Character to see your mighty dreams coming true.

Human Beings are born to dream. Born with dreams. It’s nature’s play that we all dream. And, what we dream is never unnatural. Without dreams, life of a person is all but not so worth a life to be called. The fear of working on the dream is the insecurity and the fear of failure. Ships are safe in the harbour, but that is not what ships are built for. They have to sail against the storms.

Great Organizations today that exist find their roots in some garages in the Silicon Valley. Fired by their dreams and passion, their founders overcame the feeling of insecurity and fear of failure to rewrite history and record their names –‘tis shall not have happened, if they had not dreamt. Or had they compromised.

Noble dreams had to come true. Dreams are what show progression of mankind-a symbol of Progression of Civilization. Dreams aren’t worth to be compromised, rather, they are worth to be lived and died for. Small or big –a dream is a dream. Dream – Never compromise. Convert the dream into thoughts and pursue them through actions. For they are the purpose of our basic existence!

3i – Innovate, Impress, India

Growth is the mantra. A lot many Indian Companies have been growing above the market growth rate. And, we are optimistic about the growth in the coming year 2009. Then, the big question arises - what is that which is happening around us in the name of slowdown in the economy –we call them market corrections in sectors where the foundations are not so deep rooted and strong to withstand the sudden growth that they have witnessed.

The Consumer Durable industry(to which I currently belong to) in India is on its growth curve. The great Indian middle class is living its dream of a comfortable life that was once the privilege of only a few nations. From being a nation in the clutches of the state, to a nation whose move is dictated by the consumers and the market forces, India has come a long way and still has a very long way to travel. Which only reassure us that the Indian growth story is fully intact, fundamentals in place and very strong. Is India's growth engine suddenly running out of fuel? NO is the answer if we go by the growth of companies around us. Evidences are aplenty.

Recently I was on a market visit to Mangalore in South Karnataka, where both my Multi-brand retailer (eight stores in eight cities) and my exclusive dealer, was upbeat on their new year plans, and the strategies they were lining up to grab the big share of the market. I was quite a bit probing to understand how much the global slowdown has had an impact on their marketplace. To be honest, there were no such indicators pointing out to make a claim, that 'we are too badly affected because of the global economy slowdown'. They were very optimistic about the next year growth rate in their market. Business shows much confidence, enough strong reasons for the marketer to smile and spend. What we see is a 'low on sentiment' phenomena– 'something is happening around and so let me stop buying'. But, it is not across markets. Neither spreading deep. It's just the intangible consumer sentiment. This cannot remain for too long with the Indian consumers who have seen, and felt the impact of the comforts the consumer durable products have brought into their life.


We, Marketers have a whole lot of reasons to question the rationality behind this sentiment. For when we were not a free liberal economy, when the comforts were the privileged of a few, the developed economies did not show any signs of such impacts. They did spend their money. It was their growth time. Though today, it's a flat world, with every economy inter-linked, everyone into their golden straightjacket's, globalization cannot weaken the spirits of an agrarian economy. Our domestic demands will stimulate growth. And, so, it's our time now. So, there is no reason as to believe that the Indian Consumer will sit and save his money from spending, just because his counterpart in the developed nations is into recession. It's the business cycle.



Lets go the other way to understand what is that going to be my customer's expectations during such times. The customer is going to look more for less – more value for her investments. She is going to look at me how good am communicating her the benefits and advantages during these times. And, finally, is it indianised –for she has been hearing weird stories of failures and falls in the global markets. She wants to ensure she is at home.

3i is the answer that can address support us to meet these requirements. "3i - Innovate, Impress and Speak India", will be the mantra to achieve the growth mantra. Innovate – Companies should innovate – be it products, services, Organizational response to this business cycle, to provide more simplified solutions to the customers, in all possible ways, thereby, providing value for money. Impress – Create interesting marketing communications, highlighting the value proposition to the customers, impressing her with clear value for money benefits. Speak India – Sitting in her home, can look and hear what's happening across the world, she is going to feel so safe in her own country. Hence, Speaking India should be the priority –which will trigger her emotional sentiments, making her come close to the brand. Companies that are going to adopt this 3i strategy are going to tide away the slowdown and win loyal customers.

As a marketer, let me reiterate, that the Indian economy is on a fundamentally strong growth path. The Indian consumer is the king. He has packed his bags and is on a happy journey towards a 'comfortable and healthy lifestyle' as his mantra, along with his family. He is in no mood to stop his journey. Neither can anyone stop him. As a Marketer, we are facing the most challenging times that are going to be more interesting – how to grab our share from his wallet. For business growth is our mantra too.

(The views expressed in the blog are personal and do not reflect the views of the Company or the group, which I represent.)