Reflections on my turning points- Personal, professional, social and philanthropic

“Luck is all about being prepared to grab opportunities”- Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan

It was February 9^th 2011; the stage was set for Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan to deliver one of the best lectures MILS has ever hosted. Mr. Gopalakrishnan, an alumnus of IIT Madras, is one of the seven founders of Infosys Ltd. He took over as the CEO and Managing Director of Infosys Ltd. from Nandan Nilekani in 2007 and is now serving as the co-chairman.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan began the talk with the citation of Global Delivery Model (GDM) that was pioneered by Infosys. GDM ensures the effective/ efficient distribution of application and business process lifecycle activities and resources, while ensuring their integration; key drivers of GDM being: processes, quality, tools, knowledge management, program management and risk mitigation. After discussing the key points of GDM, he stated that IT industry has a full range of offerings and it has a long way to go.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan shared some anecdotes from his entrepreneurial journey; how he was able to contribute to the inception of Infosys with the other six founders. After passing out from IIT Madras, he joined Patni Computers. Thereafter, the idea of starting off a venture struck them (all 7 founders), and eventually he took a loan from his family for setting up Infosys in 1981. The founders were denied of loans by banks, which motivated them to become a zero “debt” company. Mr. Gopalakrishnan gave a useful tip for fund-raising when he quoted “The best time to raise funds is when you are doing well”.

He gave some interesting insights into what aspects a firm should concentrate on to be successful. He stressed on the importance of teams; how valuable it is for the team members to have similar values and aspirations. Referring again to Global delivery model, he said “cheaper is temporary, but faster is permanent” to emphasize on the fact that “competitive advantage based on just cost is temporary”. Another interesting thought that he shared was about leadership and its significance. Referring to Infosys, he said final decisions are made by the CEO and success of company is kept above individual success as far as any decision is concerned.

Taking Infosys as an example, he said that it’s imperative for an organization to pace itself and “adapt the model to suit constraints”.  Infosys laid its foundation in the years 1991-1999. It became the first Indian company to get listed on US exchange. 1999-2004 was the “scaling-up” period; during this period they reached the mark of one billion dollars in terms of revenue. 2004-till date is the period of diversification and globalization for Infosys. Infosys is still growing at the rate of 16% which is tremendous as far as current global scenario is concerned.

It was an honor to be a part of the audience to which Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan was addressing. The lecture was intellectually stimulating and “constructive” if I can put it that way, for an MBA student.

Compiled By:

Aditya Ghai

MILS | Batch of 2013

Photo Courtesy:

Mauryanath Das

DoMS Interface

Batch of 2013

Globalizing the Aravind Way and Aurolab

The MBA Invitation Lecture Series (MILS) was honoured to host Mr. Thulasiraj Ravilla, Director-Operations and Board member, Aravind eye care system for a lecture on “ Globalizing the Aravind way and Aurolab” on 2^nd  February 2012. Mr. Ravilla is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta. He also serves as the head of LAICO-Aravind Eye Hospital Care System and the initiative “VISION 2020- The right to Sight-India”.

Aravind’s community activities

Aravind Eye Hospital was established in 1976 by Dr. G. Venkataswamy as an 11- bed clinic, dedicated to provide compassionate services for sight. To realize its mission, it was important for Aravind to understand the bottom of the pyramid. Mr. Ravilla stated that “the poor are a lot more sensitive” than what we presume them to be. The under-privileged have to manage fluctuating incomes and survive under difficult conditions.

As part of its mission, Aravind eye hospital organizes community activities in villages which occur as often as 2000 times a year. Villagers are tested in the camps and then taken to hospitals. These camps were able to reach around 6-7 lakh people per year. This seems to be a humungous figure as far as numbers are concerned, but as Mr. Ravilla said, percentage-wise the reach was just 7%. So, Aravind hospitals changed their approach and started thinking about a cost-effective solution to expand their reach.

The new approach

Mr. Ravilla with Prof. L.Prakash Sai

Aravind eye care along with its community outreach programmes, established permanent facilities in villages, staffed by technicians (as it is tough to get doctors to work in villages). These facilities allowed patients in rural areas to be remotely diagnosed by ophthalmologists at the base hospital. At the hospital, they incorporated plenty of cost-effective measures, one of which was low-cost imaging (reducing the cost from $25000 to $250). The entire consultation fee was just Rs.20. This programme was highly successful and achieved 80% penetration.  

Emphasizing on the hospital’s efficiency, Mr.Ravilla quoted that the key lies in “utilizing the bottleneck resources fully”. In Aravind, around 6-8 surgeries are performed per hour as compared to a normal operating time of 1 hour for any other hospital.

Aravind’s global footprints

From an 11 bed hospital in 1976, Aravind Eye care has grown into a 4000 bed hospital, housing a staff of more than 3000. A day at Aravind involves 1000 surgeries and more than 6000 outpatients which makes it the largest provider of eye care in the world. The hospital has received numerous international awards (including Gates Award) and there are case studies done by B-schools of the stature of Harvard Business School, IIM-A and many more. Mr. Ravilla elicited that their “philosophy is not to strive for dominance, but to create a market”.

Aurolab- manufacturing arm of Aravind Eye hospital

Before citing the achievements of Aurolab, Mr. Ravilla explained how a modern cataract surgery is done. It gives normal vision without glasses by replacing the natural lens with an artificial lens called intraocular lens (IOL). When it was initially introduced, the price was $100 which the poor just could not afford. Aurolab, with its effective procedures, brought down the price to $10(now $2). Aurolab manufactures IOL, sutures, surgical blades and other equipments. Since its inception in 1975 as a non-profit organization, it has been instrumental in manufacturing innovative products like Latanoprost (Refrigeration- free medicine) and Vozole(anti-fungal eye drops). The impact of Aurolabs has been two-fold: increased availability and affordability; reduction in prevalence of cataract and other eye ailments. The high quality and low cost products of Aurolab have also forced the competition to do the same.

In a nutshell, Aravind eye care system is a coherent organization led by a bold leadership. As one of the best case studies, it gives us the lesson of going the extra mile and growing beyond individual self.

Compiled By:

Aditya Ghai

MILS,

Batch of 2013

Photo courtesy :

Rajan Vishwadeep

Class of 2013

Samanvay day one Lecture: Mr.Prasad Narasimhan

‘There is no adequate defence, except stupidity, against the impact of a new idea.’

-the quote from the Nobel laureate physicist Percy W. Bridgman resounded with the session’s essence. It was so simple but so powerful! Everybody seemed ruminating on the message it conveyed. The session had just got over. It was 9^th of September, the first day of Samanvay. The honourable guest, Mr. Prasad Narasimhan had just finished his lecture.

1 hour earlier…

The media centre hall was chock-a-bloc with people looking forward to listen to Mr.Prasad Narasimhan speak.
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, He began his career with ITC India Pvt. Ltd. Post his stint at ITC, he was Unilever's leading global resource on War Gaming and had in addition worked & directed global brand projects in over 20 countries. Afterwards, he was the Vice-President, Marketing for TVS India Pvt. Ltd. where he was responsible for new product development and strategy, apart from leading Marketing. There he successfully conceived the design and launched TVS Star, Apache and Flame. He was also responsible for introducing a path-breaking concept of 99 colours for scooty bike for the first time in India. Next he joined virgin mobile India as the CMO. He was named one of India's top 10 CMOs and the best Telecom CMO. His work has won top awards across creative platforms including Cannes, EFFIEs, Spikes Asia, Goa Fest and Yahoo Big Chair.
He joined the Brandgym as Managing Partner, Asia in August 2010 and lives in Bangalore.

The lecture started.

Mr Narasimhan stressed on the point that in a creative economy, ideas had to be the currency. He told that personal branding was needed to make one’s mark and to do something different. And how to do something different was the most enriching and engrossing discussion afterwards. It just flowed effortlessly with the guidelines for getting ideas that he mentioned;
He spoke about enjoying work while objecting to conformity and the mindset to find one right answer for each problem. He encouraged seeing like a child and asking questions, to break rules, to be free. Because as the saying goes-‘Genius is the mind of a child recovered at will’ .A mind set on goals, with a hunger for new ideas would have to be gluttonous on inputs. The most creative people, he stressed, are the ones who read, listen, observe, interact a lot and in turn, try to get that one spark from all the inputs combined. Being brave and lateral thinking were some more of the important aspects that he touched upon. Because, it is very easy to kill an idea, one has to be brave to move it forward.

1 hour was over...so fast!

The lecture opened new avenues of thinking. It spoke of being unique in the most unique way-being simple, being inquisitive, having fun. It spoke that a mix of work and play sets the playground for new ideas. Really, Mr.Narasimhan upheld the point that it was indeed stupid not to welcome new ideas.

And it kept us thinking.

Compiled By:
Mauryanath Das
DoMS Interface
Class of 2013

Samanvay day one Lecture: Mr.Pawan Agarwal

If someone had mistaken this man and his colleague to be social activists actively campaigning in support for Anna Hazare, then that person could be forgiven. That’s because you don’t normally find CEO’s sporting a simple white dress, wearing a Gandhi cap. But, Mr.Pawan Agarwal, CEO Mumbai Dabbawala is not an ordinary man nor is the organization to which he belongs.

Highly qualified, Mr.Pawan Agarwal is a mix of intellect and practical sense. He is both a teacher and a leader brimming with energy and enthusiasm which affects all who meet him. Little did we know that the lecture he would give would go beyond the Dabbawalas connecting with the very fabric of our management theories.

He started his lecture by asking the same questions that were running in our minds. How do the dabbawalas do what they do so efficiently? Why no one else is able to replicate it? And then he started giving some very interesting answers.
Value systems play a role in customer confidence:
The Dabbawalas are not just any random group, but a specific sect of people called the Valkaris. They worship lord Vitalla in Pandaripur. In this sect those who take oath not to drink or Non-veg are called Malakri. Malakri or not the dabbawalas are not allowed to consume alcohol or Non-Veg before coming to work as customers might feel uncomfortable when the dabbawalas arrive to collect the tiffin boxes to be delivered. This fact would remind those who are related to management about the importance of Value systems in an organization.
Moreover, absenteeism from work which is not reported beforehand attracts a heavy fine which ensures that the dabbawalas show up for work as expected. However, if a Dabbawala reports that he wouldn’t show up for work beforehand then he is not subjected to the punishment of paying heavy fines.
Effectiveness need not be dependent on technology:
Later, he went on to explain what policies ensure the effectiveness of the dabbawalas.

The dabbawalas have access only to primitive technologies which they put to efficient use to accomplish their daily work. Collecting tiffin boxes from various households they transport them to their respective destinations using cycles, hand carts, wooden storage boxes and of course the suburban metro train service which forms the backbone of their service. It is amazing to see how in today’s world where technology has permeated to a great extent in many businesses, a business of this kind could exist. No IT. No latest technology. No Research & Development. Yet they have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry circles including a certificate of Six Sigma compliance.

The point is they don’t need any to perform their activities to the best of their abilities. This should be an eye opener to those who believe that technology is a necessity in all businesses. Anything is necessary only if it serves a useful purpose to make the business activity better.

Communication – Visual representation can talk volumes

The entire job of delivering thousands of tiffin boxes over time have been made simple by a visual representation of the vital details of the delivery specifics.

Such a representation on top of each tiffin box is the lifeline of the dabbawala business. Hence, the dabbawalas always carry colour pencils with them and redraw the representation on top of tiffin boxes in case they seem to be fading beyond comprehension.
What’s the right pricing strategy?
Mr. Pawan Agarwal, spoke about the relationship they have with their customers. The organization values customer more than everything else. They demand a very nominal fee for their services which is the same for all customers irrespective of their income group. This equal treatment sends out a strong message that customer service is valued more than money.
Customer Relationship management is not an exclusive knowledge. It’s a very old science. Every businessman should know the nitty gritties of his customer relationship to run his business successfully.
Work is worship
Most of the dabbawalas are either illiterates or have only a basic level of education. But, they know their destination because of experience and that never fails them. The value of work experience shows in their efficiency which has earned them the Six Sigma recognition.

The grass root level workers are of two types. The members who deliver tiffin boxes and mukadams who are the group leaders. The group leaders are selected on the basis of a sole criterion. Age!

The dabbawalas respect elders and allow themselves to be guided by them. Hence, age is the sole criteria for becoming a group leader. How would that look on a Resume?!!

Org Structure – Simple and straightforward.

The Organization Structure of the dabbawalas is a simple hierarchy:

• President
• Vice President
• General Secretry
• Treasurer
• Directors(9)
• Mukadams (800)
• Members(5000)·    

On the 15^th of every month a meeting is held between the dabbawalas and the senior management to resolve any issues they might have at their workplace. That’s human resource management.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Finally, the Dabbawala senior management have taken initiatives like Sunday school education for the dabbawalas so that they can also learn English and computer science. This will help them apply this knowledge in their work. Moreover, the dabbawalas fund the lodging and dining for pilgrims to ashrams in fourholy places as a contribution to the society. Corporate social Responsibility at its best!

The impact

Education is just a tool to do the work you do more effectively and efficiently. It is not the sole criteria for success, especially in the field of management. Wisdom and culture can be nurtured by those who value it and perceive its power. The Mumbai dabbawalas have proved it and they continue to do so even as you read this very article.


Compiled By:
Bharath Raman
DoMS Interface
Class of 2013

SAMANVAY 2011:Day One

 The annual B-school fest of Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras - Samanvay, took place from 9-11 September 2011. Samanvay 2011, the 4^th edition of its kind, comprised of various online and on-the-spot events, which saw the participation of about 6000 participants from over 40 business schools of the country, with 150 participants coming to DoMS. The offline events went on for over a month, from which the finalists were called to IITM for the final countdown.

Inauguration by Mr.Mukesh Malik

Samanvay 2011, started off with the welcoming of Chief Guest, Mr. Mukesh Malik, MD and Head, O&T, South Asia, Citibank. Along with  Mr. Pawan Aggarwal, CEO, The Mumbai Dabbawalas,  Prof V.G. Idichandy, Director, IIT Madras and Prof. G. Srinivasan, HoD, DoMS, IIT Madras were also present. The lighting of the lamp by our Chief Guest marked the auspicious inaugural of Samanvay. Our guests for the occasion, Prof G. Srinivasan and Prof. V.G Idichandy shared valuable words with the audience and infused further enthusiasm in all of them, including the participants for various events.Our Chief Guest, Mr. Mukesh Malik, then took over the podium, and shared with us the various financial perspectives pertaining to banking systems in India.The presentation that Mr. Malik gave was extremely informative and useful.

After our Chief Guest, Mr. Pawan Aggarwal took over to start with the guest lecture series and delivered an extremely interesting and enlightening speech on the operations of the Mumbai Dabbawalas. He provided insights on the ‘perfect’ supply chain management, and brought us down to the point of ‘having a passion to work and considering the customer as God’.

Prof.C.Rajendran presenting a memento to Mr.Pawan Aggarwal

Mr. Aggarwal has   won the ‘Best Teacher’ award for his contribution in education field and has delivered lectures in Netherlands, US, UK, Paris etc.

Mr. Narsimhan in an interactive session

This lecture was followed by the 2^nd lecture in the Guest Lecture Series, by Mr. Prasad Narsimhan, Managing Partner, Brandgym, Asia. He provided various valuable insights on ‘Personal Branding’ and stressed the impotance of developing a ‘Creative economy’ in the present times. He emphasised the importance of Ideas, Mental Conditioning, Speculation etc. in personal branding, which has become inevitable in today’s competitive world. His speech opened our minds to think in a different and innovative manner.

The final guest lecture of the day was given by Mr. Balakrishnan, who is a consultant and Ex-EVP at Edelweiss. He specializes in Credit, Capital, Markets and Investment Advisory. His valuable insights on these topics provided the audience with the necessary practical aspects to the issues relating to it.

Mr.Balakrishnan in the final guest lecture session

This marked the end of the first day of Samanvay 2011. It was, in all, an intellectually stimulating series of lectures, which was a perfect blend of theoretical knowledge and the usage of the knowledge into practical applications.

  

Compiled By:
Shivangi Verma
DoMS Interface

Class of 2013