Soft Skills Training – An investment with ROI or a Robbery ?

27 Jun

I recently read an article by Rajeev Peshwaria in Forbes titled  ” The Great Training Robbery: Why the $60 Billion Investment In Leadership Development Is Not Working” .

The timing was right – we had just completed a bunch of training for our team and while everyone enjoyed the sessions the verdict on what its efficacy would be over the long run was debatable.

Clearly Corporate HR managers see dwindling value from Training investment. When I joined my first job in the early 90’s Induction Training was a 30 day residential affair. Today most companies say learn on the job after a 1/2 day induction. You can’t blame the HR folks – there is a linkage to this with attrition – and the CFO questions the ROI on the investment. In the 90’s of a batch of 30 inductees every year you probably lost 1 at the end of the year, today you may lose the whole batch in 6 months . So why be a Training academy is the question.  If you look at it from this aspect yes investment in Training does feel like a Training Robbery.

ROI

Lets look at the millions spent on Training mid and Sr management. People entrenched in the company in the mid 30’s or early 40’s. Most come with strong mindsets and getting them out of their mould itself is a big job. Many more come thinking this is my 6 monthly off day to get a break that HR has officially planned. There are hundreds of companies  evangelising content around Communication, Creative Thinking, Presentation Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Outbound Workshops on Team Building …….. and many many more. Most of these companies do a  good job. The content is brilliant, the Trainers do a great job and if you see the feedback form at the end of the session it almost always a WOW – but the Q is how long does this effect retain, is it practised, is there a change in habit – you need all this to show that the impact and ROI has happened.

Learning Pyramid

The standard learning pyramid says that training stickiness improves when the participant not just listens , but practises what he learns in real life. But the Q is how do you make that happen ?

In the last 6 months we have conducted two different set of programs by the same company and faculty (BlueChakra Talent – http://www.bluechakratalent.com, Faculty – Papiya Sarkar). The first program was for our team of Trainers – a motley group of  highly stressed out trainers who needed direction , advanced skills and tools to energise themselves.  The second program was for the sales team  on Communication tools to be effective in Negotiation & Objection handling. The content was customised and prepared after months of close discussions with Business and after talking to all the stakeholders. The delivery in both cases were by the same faculty and their facilitation skills were excellent – however one program was a HIT and is now on a journey that has changed the lives of the Trainers. On the second program for the sales team the verdict is still not out – but my feeling is that the halo effect will slowly diminish in a few months and all will be forgotten.

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There are 3 Things that made the 1st program for the Trainers successful

1. There was a NEED. The content was customised to that NEED. The team size was small and the approach was consultative and warm. It felt homely and comfortable to ask Q, clarify, reach out both during the program and after.

2. There was CONTINUITY. The first session had mixed feedback. Participant feedback ranged from this may not work  –  to I know it all. There was a sense of concern – on why this program, are we not good enough. But once we started doing this on a  quarterly basis the rhythm set in and people started seeing the value.

3. The COACH helped a lot and the lead Trainer was always there. The amazing content and tools would have gone down the drain if the coach from the company (Mentor Trainer) had not worked with each individual in the  3 months post the session to inculcate all the learnings. His patience and commitment made all the difference in making the learnings practicable and relevant. Once the participants practised and saw the improvements – it stuck, gave them the confidence to to do it more often till it became a HABIT.

The second program lacked a COACH. the sales managers were busy with their job and just worried about the targets. They could not spend time with the 25 + reportees they had on a  regular basis. HR was not involved – and even if involved could not have made an impact as this is a job of the line mangers to inculcate the learnings.

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In summary – I don’t agree with the article in FORBES which says that Training is a Robbery. But if the organisation and the manager do not invest in making the Training Investment a Habit – then yes it will definitely be a investment down the drain. So to deliver value lets Train our managers to be good Coaches – because there are so many skills to be learnt and improved if we want our teams to succeed and grow and be relevant in the fast changing economy.

 

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Orange County – Coorg

27 May

Orange County Coorg , Located at Siddapura about 235 Km from Bangalore ( 6 Hrs Drive) is a lovely resort embedded in the midst of nature. Along the river Cauvery in the midst of dense greenery Orange County is a 300 acre Coffee / Spice Plantation – the resort in the middle of this is spread over 35 acres.

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Coorg is often called the Scotland of India because of the uncanny similiarirty – both were cold , misty mountainous regions. On my last visit 5 years back I was happy to see that Coorg was still not exploited. Club Mahindra and Orange County were the only 2 large resorts. But this time I found many many more – Windflower, Amana, Tamara, Taj and a second Club Mahindra. Some of these are at the beginning opt Coorg while others are deep down. Windflower and Amana come first and Tamara is the farthest away. It took us 6 Hrs to Reach Orange County on a long weekend that included a 30 min breakfast stop and we were in time for the 2 PM lunch Buffet. The good thing is there is no hill drive and Pin bends – so works fine for people with funny stomach. The Bangalore Mysore Road is jammed on long weekends and the road from Mysore to Coorg Via Hunsur is also getting busy. Roads are in great condition

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The Resort is a Villa only property ( 60 of them) and come in different shapes and sizes. We had the Lily Pool which is a Villa with its own small private pool. Large hall , dining space , very large bedroom and bath and a portico facing the pool. Its a 20 year old property but very well maintained and the quality of service is impeccable. The property is well spread across 35 Acres has multiple water bodies , pools and 3 restaurants. Its nestled in the midst of greenery and in the morning it took me 20 minutes to make a relaxed walk in the misty green ambience. It had rained the previous day and you can smell the mud, hear the dew drops falling on the leave , the birds chirping and smell the fresh mountain air packed with spices and medicated leaves.

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The place is meditative and you can sit down below a tree or next to the lake or even climb the tree house. You just need to close your eyes and peace and tranquility creeps in immediately. The 1 hr of peace and solitude in the morning makes up for the expensive luxury ( 25K / night for all inclusive family package – Room , + all meals + activities)

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The resort has many activities that start at 7 in the morning and continue thru the day. You need to make advance reservations. Of the different ones we loved the Plantation Trail – which is a ride in a Tractor all through the plantation and the Mountain bike ride in the morning.

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The place has 3 lovely Restaurants – Granary ( Multi-cuisine) , Pepper Corn ( Continental) and Plantation Leaf ( Veg S indian) – food quality is great and the variety in the buffet for breakfast and lunch is impressive. Pepper Corn is a candle light dinner place. Dinner reservations are needed at both Pepper Corn and Plantation Leaf. There is a kids activity centre and a well stocked reading lounge – a well maintained Ayuverda Spa that offers great rejuvenating massage, and every evening they put up some show with local artistes.

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River Cauvery runs along the Resort – 5 min walk and the Dubare elephant campus close by ( 15 min drive) . Other things to see in Coorg are the Abbey falls , Talacauvery ( Source of Cauvery – good 2 hr drive) and the Tibetan Monastery. A small park called Nisarga Dham is close to the Monastery and has a deer park. The public spaces are not well maintained , crowded in peak season – I would rather you stay away from them.

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The resort is relaxing and peaceful for a 3 night stay and if your objective is to de-stress and relax just stay in the resort and don’t venture out. Long walks , good food, fresh air , sleep in the afternoon , family time – its as good as it can get.

The service is excellent and we had nothing to complaint about at the end of the trip. Mobile phones work , TV connection is good , Bathrooms are well equipped , room service a tad slow but works. They provide accommodation and food for drivers.

fresh air in park

Having visited Orange County we are looking forward to the next trip to Orange County Kabini – and the best time to visit that place is after the rains maybe in Oct.

Directions

Bangalore (235 Kms) – Mysore Highway – Ramnagaram – Maddur – Mandya – Srirangapatna (4 Kms from town turn Right towards Elivala) – Elivala – Hunsur – Piriyapatna (1/2 km after town turn left towards Siddapura) – 3 Kms before Siddapura town, turn right for Orange County, Coorg

 

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Turncoat Quotes on May 16th

23 Apr

Look out for these quotes from the famous turncoat politicians of India by May 16th lunch time.

 

Lalu-Prasad-Yadav

 

We are a democratic country. We have to go by what the people of the country  decide. The thumping majority for BJP and Modi Ji makes it clear that the people of the country do not hold him accountable for the  Gujarat Incident. With both the Supreme Court and the people of India giving Modi Ji a clean chit – who am I to question him ? The country has voted for Growth and an end to Corruption – the RJD will support him in his cause. My biggest issue was with JDU, now that they have been wiped out I am open to working with BJP towards making Bihar a prosperous and progressive state like Gujarat.

 

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I have always had high regard for Modi Ji. As the food minister I have seen how Gujarat has always been in the forefront of productivity. The NCP has the same agenda as Modi Ji of progress. To create jobs and ensure that the poor farmers of the country are included in the growth story. Gujarat and Maharasthra are twin states – we were actually one state at independence , I am very happy that finally someone from West India has become the Prime Minister. I did not contest this time. Its for Supriya and Ajit to decide. My daughter and the younger generation are looking forward for change and the country progressing rapidly. My best wishes to Modi Ji and he is always assured of our support for development.

 

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I am happy that finally an OBC has become the prime minister of this country. The grave injustice that has been done over the years will finally get resolved. The SP was always with the Congress , we were always against the policies of the UPA that was against the Dalits. I am confident that a OBC leader will be more considerate towards the needs of the poor and the downtrodden. I am confident that very soon we will throw out the inefficient gonda raj in UP and the BJP & BSP can form a strong government together.

Unknown

 

Our campaign is based on “Ma , Mati , Manush”. From Pranab Da to Chidambaram the UPA govt has not helped Bengal. The Left has messed up the state. Who has ruled the state since independence – its the Congress and the Left. They are responsible for this mess. My only priority is the progress of W Bengal. I have fought hard to become the CM and I want to deliver on my promise to my people. I need the support of the centre for this. If Modi Ji can help us to create jobs , and reduce our deficit – if he can give us a special package I am ready to support him.

 

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TN and Gujarat are two of the most progressive states in the country. Both me and Modi Ji have brought about progress in-spite of the difficulties created by the UPA in the centre. We have shown how good capable administrators can run a state well. I have always been an admirer of the vision and development work of Mr Modi. The AIADMK is happy to support him – we need a friend at the centre to help us grow rapidly and meet the aspirations of the people.

 

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Telengana is a new state. We need to work closely with the Central Government to create a prosperous state and meet the dreams of our people. It has been a long march to creation of Telengana. The Congress party has promised many times and failed – it is finally with the support of the BJP that this state has happened. We owe our thanks to the support of BJP to make Telengana a reality. We now look forward to their support to make Telengana a model state like Gujarat.

And lastly Manish Tiwari and Kapil Sibal were out of country and not available for comment.

Krabi & Bangkok – a Family Holiday

7 Apr

Mid April we were in a  limbo as the holidays planned in Nov last year came undone ( thanks to some friends backing off in the last min) . A one week vacation in Apr 1st week is a ritual – the day the schools end we head off for a family vacation. The brief given to me by my family was like this –  we want a vacation that is “not Ordinary run of the mill ,  direct flight , not a long flight , economical but luxurious ,  lots of activities for kids, food should not be a problem , preferably 2 places if we are going for a week”  – add to this I did not have the time for Visa Processing so had to find a country that had Visa on Arrival.

The shortlist was Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bali & Thailand – finally with all the above considerations Krabi & Bangkok came out as the winner. Our last visit to Bangkok/ Pattaya was in 2006 and it was an eye opener when we visited this time. 10 Years of UPA paralysis and the Baht was 2X the Rupee ( In 2006 it was almost at par) . Thailand has moved from Crowded – Chaotic to Less Crowded – Organised and the infrastructure / facilities is comparable to Singapore / Malaysia. Its also got a lot to see at economical rates and the XXX tag associated with Bangkok is slowly going away. lets dig into some details of the trip.

Stage – 1 : Bangalore to Krabi 

Thai airways leaves Bangalore for Bangkok at 1 AM. Bad timing. Good clean plane , great services , good Indian food, thru check in  – but the leg space is disastrous. It is so cramped that even a 5 footer will struggle. Add to this they have some steel boxes below each seat so you can’t even stretch your legs. But this is the only direct flight option. The plane lands at Bangkok Swarnabhumi airport  at 6 AM. ( which is 4.30 AM India given that there is a 90 Min time lag) We had our connection to Krabi at 8 AM. Right from arrival where you see a massive “Samudra Manthan” depiction you will see Hindu religion effects all over Thailand – but more of that later.

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We rushed to the section from where the Krabi flight takes off ( a good 1 Km walk) and after filling the forms when we reached the Q we were asked to go and collect our Visa on arrival. I thought that Krabi being port of arrival – we would get our Visa there but no it has to be Bangkok. We rushed back 1 Km . Stood in a Q for currency change , Passport photos and finally made it to the Visa Q … a long one. It was 645 AM – and I was panicking. Fortunately there was second shorter line where there was a Tatkal equivalent 1200 Baht for Visa Vs the 1000 Baht in the longer line. We rushed there managed to get the Visa in 10 min and headed back the 1 Km walk again towards the Krabi flight – the immigration folks were helpful and seeing us as a hassled family pushed us ahead in the Q – we finally reached the flight boarding zone at 7.45 AM.

Moral of the story – 1 ) Get your Thai Visa in India 2) If you want Visa on Arrival – first get that and then proceed to your connection to Krabi / Phuket / Koh Samui etc  3) Keep more than 2 hrs for your connection if u need Visa on Arrival 4) Keep USD with you so you can exchange for Thai Baht 

The Bangkok Krabi section on Thai is wonderful. Big plane , very spacious , good snacks , friendly service and the leg space a lot more comfortable than the Indian sector. Its a 1 hr 20 min flight and we landed on the dot at 9.20 AM. No Immigration here and you can collect your luggage and head to the waiting Limo in 10 minutes. We were in the car at 9.30 and at the Sheraton Krabi at 10.20 AM.

Stage – 2:  Sheraton & Krabi  

Krabi is a small tourist town. Was supposedly a offbeat exotic location 10 years back but is now a hot spot. Its just 100 Km from Phuket. We stayed at the Sheraton Krabi – the best property in town. And with the elder one 13 we had to take two rooms – we were lucky to get rooms that were interconnected.  I had booked online using a combination of SPG points and paid and being a Gold member managed to get a room at 10.30 AM. Normal check in time is 2 PM in the afternoon. A few other families who had come from India were not so lucky as their booking were done thru tour operators and the tired families were stuck in the lobby for 3 + hrs.

Imp Point – Remember to check the chef in time and plan your arrival time accordingly. After a late night flight and sleepy tired children you don’t want to start your holiday  waiting in the lobby.

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The Sheraton Krabi reminded us a little of the Park Hyatt at Goa. Its huge – over 300 rooms , spread over a vast expanse, lovely landscaping , beautiful private beach,  great big pools , and some amazing restaurants. (Continental , India, Thai , Italian ) . Lots of activities for Kids – you can actually spend a few days relaxing in the Resort without going anywhere. Service is decent but not comparable to what you get in Business hotels. Room service takes 45 minutes and the waiters in the restaurants struggle to understand english. Check in check out takes about 20 minutes each. The Wi Fi in the room is weak and keeps going on and off intermittently. The food is great and the Thai green curry truly lip smacking.  Food rates are decent – a family of 4 can dine well for 2500 Baht ( ~ Rs 5000). If you want to check out food outside – there is a Indian Nepali restaurant right outside. ( we did not go – not wanting to take a risk with the kids stomach early in the holiday). Right outside is also 3 Massage Spas – again a lot cheaper than the exotic Spa in the Hotel.

Tip – 3 : When in Thailand ensure to have a massage every day . My wife accompanied me every day and the little one also enjoyed her 1st foot massage. A delicious Foot Massage costs 250 Baht / Hr and a Thai Massage about 500 Baht. Thats a fraction of what you pay in India and the Q in Thailand is far far better. 

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The travel desk in the hotel helps plan all your trips and there is a lot you can do in Krabi. Great beaches, rain forests , hot springs , snorkelling, rock climbing, trekking, kayaking – we saw over 15 different half day and full day packages. Prices ranging from 800 Baht/ person to 3000 Baht / person. Tours start at 8 AM and finish by lunch or around 4 PM. We took two day trips – one to the beaches , snorkelling , seeing the old Viking caves and the second one to a rainforest and hot spring.

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We spent 3 nights at Krabi and loved the place. We could have stayed one night more. Our flight to Bangkok was at 1.30 in the afternoon and we left by 10.45 and reached well in time at 11.30 for the flight.

Stage – 3: Bangkok

We reached Bangkok at 3.10 PM and the Hyatt had sent a Merc  to pick us up. Small luxuries which the kids enjoy (My rule is that family holidays should be at par with business trips). The check in was a breeze, being a platinum member we were taken straight to the upgraded rooms ( again two rooms interconnected ) and were informed that breakfast was in the lounge and on the house ! The Hyatt really has the best frequent Stay program.

We were famished and had a lovely lunch – combination of Green Curry , Veg Fried Rice , Noodles  and Curd. ( Try it out Thai Green curry , Veg Fried Rice and Plain Yogurt is a nice combination).

The Grand Hyatt at Erawan is located right in the heart of Bangkok. Opposite some of the largest Malls, Ocean World, Science Centre, Madam Tussauds and the main shopping district. (Paragon Mall , Siam Centre, One Alpha Centre etc). These are the luxury premium Malls – but Platinum Mall and MBK the low cost ones are also a stones throw away.

I am visiting Bangkok after 2006 and the city has really developed. The main road now has a sky walk that is directly below the Metro- thats  smart , uses the same infrastructure and has protection from the sun. It connects all the malls , hotels that are on this road. Service and punctuality in Bangkok was always good. It has the best of Indian & Chinese Traditions. Across Thailand wherever you go you can’t miss the Hindu / Indian connection. You will find temples of Ganesha , Vishnu , Shiva in all major road junctions. At Krabi we even saw a statue of Shiridi Sai Baba in a  Buddha temple with  Lakshmi & Ganesha. They even celebrate their new year Songkran like we do Holi. And its date coincides with the Tamil New Year date / Vishu. Clearly these guys originated from India.

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The food used has a lot of fresh coconut, Tropical fruits like Guava, Durian (Jackfruit), Litchi is available in plenty. They always greet you with a warm Namaskar.

The few hrs we had on Day 1 we spent walking around and visiting some nearby Malls and checking out what to do the next day.

After breakfast we started the next day with a trip to Siam Ocean World (Located at Paragon Mall – 10 min walk from Hyatt Erawan). I have seen underwater theme parks at Vancouver , Singapore , Sydney and Houston and this one compares with the best. Takes about 90 min to do a relaxed trip around the whole zone. They have feeding + other activities and you can time your trip to cover most of them.

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You can also buy a Combo ticket that includes Madam Tussauds. This is located a few malls ways ( 10 min walk) and is again a good place to spend a few hrs. We did Siam Ocean World , Lunch , Madam Tussauds and then some shopping and were back in the room at 4 PM.

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In the evening we visited a friend who moved to Bangkok some months back and got to see the well organised manner in which they have settled down so fast. Quality of life is far better in Bangkok than in Bangalore. And once again I came back with the feeling that India is overpriced, shoddy quality, too much of a hassle to get anything done. After 5 days we devoured the simple tasty meal of Dal, rice , roti , subji and curd and spent a wonderful evening with them.

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Day 3 at Bangkok was safari world. A Zoo / Safari that is located about 1 hr drive from Central Bangkok. We took a car with a guide. The Zoo has a good variety of animals – 100’s of Giraffes, many Tigers , Lions , Bisons – but the highlight were the shows – Orangutan , Elephant , Sea Lion and Dolphin shows were big hits with the kids .

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However the highlight of this trip was the wonderful lunch at the Safari. The lunch hall is a large hall that can accommodate over 1000 people and they have a section dedicated for Indian food. What joy after a long day to sit down to a meal of Kadi, Chawal  Bhindi, Aloo Gobi, Rice & Curd. ( They also had a good variety of Indian Non Veg)

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On the way back from the Safari we stopped by an emporium that sells jewellery , jades , rubies , emeralds ( good stuff but overpriced) and traditional Thai stuff. Picked up a few knick knacks and then headed back to the hotel room.

On the last day our flight was at 9 PM , the hotel had given us a late checkout at 4 PM – so we had the full day to ourselves. The Travel Desk at the Hyatt has a variety of packages to choose from – we settled on the Day trip to the 3 famous Temples ( Golden Buddha , Sleeping Buddha , Emerald Buddha) and the Grand Palace. A drive thru Little India & China Town and a walk through the flower market.  This market again brings back memories of India as you see fresh flowers and garlands piled up in heaps.

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The temple & palace visits are well organised. Not crowded. But its a hot 38 Degrees in April, so you need your caps , hats and lots of water. The temples are grand and i sometimes wonder how Buddha would have felt had he seen his Golden & Emerald temples. You can cover the temples in 30 min but the Grand Palace will take about 2 hrs. It also houses a few museums.

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We were back in the Hotel for lunch and managed a 1 hr snooze. Checked out at 4 PM and took a  last walk down to the mall for some ice cream. And once again could not restrain myself from appreciating the finish , class and  eye for customer service that these small countries have. They have evolved design and service to a totally new level.

Could we have done more – yes we could have. They have night markets , floating markets , Cabarets , Old City , Visit to the famous Bridge on river Kwai and many more things. But we picked things that this kids would like best.

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Fri evening Traffic at Bangkok was bad . We left at 6 PM  & reached the Swarnabhumi airport by 7.30 PM and were all set for our flight that left at 9 PM and reached Bangalore at 11.30 PM.

A good trip of 6 nights. Departure Fri night arrival Fri night. Good entertainment for all in the family. How expensive was it ? Not very – given that we stayed in the best of hotels and dined at the fanciest restaurants.  Air fares are decent – cosy us 92 K ,  Hotels cogs us about 75 K in each place inclusive of our dining ( but then we had many rooms on points and paid for less than 50% of room nights) , add shopping and local sight seeing the daily massages – we probably would have spent $ 5000. If I compare this with the last two holidays we took in India – Kashmir & palace on wheels it is comparable in cost.

That completes this years family holiday project – need to start thinking of the next one as were running out of ideas if we need to meet the family criteria of “not Ordinary run of the mill , direct flight , not a long flight , economical but luxurious , lots of activities for kids, food should not be a problem , preferably 2 places if we are going for a week”

We love Thailand and people say that Koh Samui is an equally wonderful place – so for all you  know we may be back there after a few years

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Nandan as MP – Right person at wrong place OR Wrong person at the wrong place ?

17 Mar

I recently saw a video on the legendary Karna. He was noble , a great warrior and known for his generosity. But greatness was not in his destiny since he made all the wrong Choices. When I look at the Bangalore South MP election to be fought between Nandan and Ananth Kumar I am reminded a little of the Karna effect.

Is Nandan the right choice ?  A successful CEO of a great company like Infosys – can he make things work for Bangalore ? Whats his track record in UID and Public Affairs ? How has he served Bangalore and the locality he lives in for so many years ? Lets look at  6 Facts and then decide if he can make an impact as an MP from Bangalore South.

1. Aadhar is not a one point KYC 

aadhaar

When UID was started there was a lot of hope. Here was the equivalent of India SSN. A one point contact  that would resolve all your KYC ( Know your customer) issues. Five Years later and 4000 Crores spent – sadly that dream is far from realised. Most people don’t know where to use the aadhar card. Banks / Credit card Companies / Land Registration etc  still insist on a PAN card and a Permanent address proof like your mobile bill or Drivers License or Passport. When you go to vote you need a Voter card and not the Aadhar. The vision that was promised by Nandan is far from reality.

2. Commitment – Is 5 Years good enough to set up an institution 

Is the UID chairman walking away from a  failed project ? If Metro Sreedharan and NDDB Kurien could spend a lifetime in setting up institutions why is Nandan walking away in 5 years from a project that could transfer this country but is yet to show any significant outcome. (He joined with a lot of fanfare in July 2009).  If you are passionate to the cause should you not have spent 10 more years making this a grand success and ensuring that the initial vision is delivered.

3. Supreme Court & PIL on AAdhar 

I took a 1/2 day off from office to link my Aadhar card with my HP Gas connection and Bank account. That was mandated – a few days later I was told that the program is being reversed. A lot of promise to make subsidy payments to the poor using Aadhar thereby saving on leakage has been announced but sadly not delivered. Ina  corporate you under commit and over deliver – but UID has overcommitted and under delivered. Early signs of a politician in making. There are many PIL’s filed against Aadhar on security of personal information, privacy , misuse – and many have questioned the constitutional validity. I recollect a Supreme Court judgement that it was not mandatory to have an Aadhar card for many transactions. Couldn’t this have been thought through in more detail before spending 4000 + crores.

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If you struggle to run a Government institution with so much Govt support –  what can we expect from you as a MP ?

4.  Bangalore – Koramangla & Nandan 

The Facebook site Ideas for Bengaluru was started on Feb 19th with a nice post of visiting  beautiful lake / park in Sarjapur . Nandan has been living in Koramngala for many years. I am also a resident o Koramangla and don’t recollect any initiatives that he has taken  for the betterment of Koramngala in specific & Bangalore as a whole in so many years. There is an empty barren land a stones throw from his house near the Koramngala BDA complex. This could have been converted into a beautiful park many years back. I don’t recollect Nandan taking any initiative to get this done. For any action on Save Koramngala or Save Bangalore we actually see the other high profile Koramangla residents Rajeev Chandrashekrana and Kiran Mazumdar  being more active.

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5. How can a MP from a scam tainted , beleaguered losing party help us ? 

After 10 years of paralysis and bringing the fast growing economy on its knees chances are that the scam ridden indecisive UPA is on its way out. Do you really want to vote for an MP from UPA ? How can he help ? Karnataka has always suffered because of different governments in Centre & State – at least lets have an MP who belongs to the ruling party. Common sense says that chances of development are better when the MP is aligned with the ruling Government.

6. Views & Ideologies 

I am not sure what Nadans views and ideologies are – on education, infrastructure, J&K , Women’s empowerment …. but when I see that he has suddenly started talking about reservations in Pvt Jobs that gets me worried. He had 20 years to do that in Infosys – wonder why he never tried it ? Does he believe in reservations or Merit ?  http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-now/daily/reservation-required-in-pvt-jobs-nandan-nilekani/videoshow/32026284.cms

Nandan may be a great individual. Successful , intelligent , great communicator , strategist all the positives we would like to see in a  leader. But like the legendary Karna he seems to have made the wrong choice and destiny can be cruel to him for making this error.

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IIM (Intrusive, Irritating, Marketing)

28 Feb

Even in the Internet era when you pick up the morning newspaper the 1st thing you want to see is the Headline.  Unfortunately you don’t get to see it.  As you lift the newspaper from the floor you see a bunch of flyers falling down , the 1st page is normally a full page ad for a premium Villa or a Smart Phone. Or its some flyer that is pasted on the cover page. It just irritates me. This is not Brand Building – this is Intrusive, Irritating , Marketing (IIM)

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Its the same story online. Try reading TOI or ET online. When you reach the site you first encounter a Interstitial that hangs in there for 10 seconds and when you reach the home page its like walking across mines. Suddenly the ads pop up and you have to carefully navigate between the blocks , and even the lines to ensure that the hundreds of Ads hidden in a  page don’t explode in your face.  Almost 50% of the real-estate  on the home page of TOI /ET is used up by Ads. The Hindu & Business Standard were better – but as they are getting popular the share of Ads in the home page is continuing to increase.

The situation in TV is no better. Between 9 & 10 PM – you can actually watch TV for 10 Min , if you are on Times Now. 25 Min is dedicated to Ads and another  25 for Arnab – that leaves only 10 Min for the program speakers and news.

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When you watch an IPL match or a 1 day – count the ads you see . There was a time that an ad used to come after every over , but in the last IPL it came after every ball. And it was the same ad in most cases being repeated again and again all through the program. Assuming the innovative Product has 100 features – why would someone harp on the same message again and again , why not showcase all the great things of the product in each messaging.

Marketing is strategic it works at building the message for long term , it creates aspiration , it builds value & Premium .Well at least its supposed to . Thats what Dr Philip Kotler talked about in  5 P’s of Marketing. 

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But what do you see today ? there is only 1 P that is visible – PRICE. Look at what gets advertised – EMI , Buy Back , Tables showing how much you pay now and how much in your instalments . When was the last time you saw an Ad that talked about Features, Advantages & Benefits. Maybe 15 years back.

I wonder what they teach at MBA schools in their Marketing Course. Or is is that the sales guys have taken over and everything is tactical. A sales guy thinks of this week , this month this quarter. And how much did I overachieve ! If we see the type of advertising that is happening its clear that the war for communication and branding is now being run by Sales and all that Marketing can do is negotiate the rates and choose the media mix. SAD – Marketing was such a great function.

This at a time when our products are bursting with exciting new features and users sadly don’t use 90% of these features, Shouldn’t we be educating them on these rather than selling price as the one and only value proposition ?

Well I guess the world is changing and the mad rush for numbers has killed one more function. Would it be fair to say that Marketing is dead ?  I Think so. Marketing is strategic it works at building the message for long term , it creates aspiration , it builds value & Premium . Its sad to see it being buried.

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To all the companies that come out with IIM ( Intrusive , Irritating , Marketing) techniques and the big 1 page Ads that scream price I have just one thing to say – look back in history. Remember PCL , Shiva Computers and recently Sahara – these were companies that came out with big 1 page Ads in their heyday. Look where they are today.

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Flameback Lodges- A lovely getaway in Mudigere (Chickamagalur)

10 Feb

Bangalore has great getaways. Most people head to Mysore and onwards to Coorg, Bandipur, Waynad, Nagerhole, Kabini & Ooty. There are numerous nature spots all along the Cauvery. And Chickamagalur  is another lovely destination 250 Km ( 4hrs from Bangalore).

I always thought it was called Chickmangalore (Small version of Managlore)  – but realised after reaching there otherwise. Chickmagalur means – Chicka ( small ) Magal (Daughter) Ur ( Town) – It is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakrepatna. I have heard of Chickamagalur for 3 reasons – this is where Indira Gandhi fought and won elections after Emergency , The Chick Chicky Chicks of Chickamagalur was a common JAM topic in College and Cafe Coffee Day owner and beans for CCD Coffee comes from the vast coffee plantations of Chickamagalur. Nestled in the midst of nature and not too crowded the place has been inviting for many years.  This X Mas  we took off to Chickamagalur for a 3 night 4 day trip.

Getting There 

Its a nice drive. NH48 Bangalore – Mangalore is an excellent road and you can Zip at 120 Kmph. We left at 7.30 AM and by 9.30 were at our first stop Shravanabelagola. ( Blr to Shravanabelagola 158 Km) This is supposedly the worlds largest monolithic statue 57 Feet tall perched on the top of a hill. A holy site for Jains – the statue of Gomatheshwara Bahubali is revered by Jains from across the world. You need to walk up ~ 650 rock cut steps ( and you need to walk barefoot) – so avoid this in summer as the place can get really very hot. Its an easy climb and going up , visiting the shrine and coming down can be easily done in 1 hr. Was it impressive ? Maybe for some – we found it OK.

Shravanabelagola

From Shravanabelagola we drove down to Hassan for lunch ( 51 Km ~ 60 Min). The best place for lunch is Hotel Ashok Hassan. Good spread – Indian, Italian at reasonable prices. Place was empty, neat and clean.

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From Hassan we headed to Flameback Lodges at Mudigere. You can reach this place without touching the town of Chickamagalur. Going Via Belur. Its about 45 Km and takes an hr. IMP – Avoid Google Maps – it takes you to no mans land. It does locate Flameback Lodges but fails miserably in guiding you. We reached by 2.30 in the afternoon ( after a 30 min last mile problem).

Flameback Lodges

Flameback is located inside Kathikeya Coffee Estate spread across 200+ acres. The lodge is over 10 acres. It is set in the midst of nature , includes a serene lake , overlooks the hills and is adjacent to paddy fields that stretch to the jungles. Its an oasis of peace and tranquility. There is an eye for detail in everything and why not – its owned by royalty. The owners are descendants of the King of Sandur (Bellary Mines) who in turn are descendants of Shivaji.

They have 8 rooms – 3 Cottages , 3 Villas and 2 Suites. We stayed in a Villa that was facing the lake. It was well done up had a hall with a fireplace, a large bedroom , a pantry , a powder room , and a very large bath. It was like a 1 BHK house with  a huge patio that faces the lake. Rooms come with TV & Satellite connection . The Villas are perfect for a family of 2 Adults + 2 Kids. The suites are also big – but located in the main building they have no nature view. The cottages are perfect for couples. The place has 24 by 7 generator, RO Purified Water, a small but lovely pool and a 24 by 7 restaurant that serves Veg * Non Veg food.

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Its best to come to the place in a group and maybe book all the 8 rooms. Food is customised and liquor , tea , coffee everything is on the house. One rate that is all inclusive. Breakfast , lunch , dinner , canoeing in the lake , trekking. The buffet spreads are decent and the food is tasteful. Service is excellent. They have a small Spa and the quality of treatment is A++ , good fusion of Ayurvedic and Swedish Massage – and its very affordable at just Rs 1000/-. We paid 17 K / night – and had booked nearly 4 months in advance. They have no meeting / conference halls – so planning a company offsite here is a challenge.

What else can you do 

Flameback has limited entertainment. There is a lovely lake and you can go kayaking. They also take you for long treks – in and outside the plantation. Treks can vary from 1 hr to a few hrs. There are some ancient temples , waterfalls close by which are worth a visit. But by and large its nature and solitude.

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Few other places you can head to

1. Belur , Halebid – the lovely rock cut temples built by the Hoysala Dynasty around 1117 AD. Belur is home to a Vishnu Temple and is still operational. The road from Mudigere to Belur is in good shape and you can cover the 38 Km distance in 45 Min. However the road from Belur to Halebidu ( 16 Km) is in very bad shape and will take another 45 min. The architecture of both temples are very similiar – so if you have seen one you have seen both. They have remarkably intricate rock cut sculptures. Unfortunately they are not UNESCO heritage sites and I could see the steep deterioration in maintenance now and from my previous visit about 17 years back.

lovely rock cut temples

Sringeri – Land of Shankaracharya and orthodox Hinduism is 120 Km – 3 hrs away. Drive is scenic thru steep ghats. Roads are not in great condition. Further down from Sringeri ( 30km) is Agumbe – The forests here have the highest concentration of King Cobras in the world. It takes a lot of courage to trek in these jungles and many do.

Bhadra (Muthodi) Tiger reserve is 55 Km away – about 2 hrs drive. We did not go there – but were told that the access is only to the fringes of the sanctuary so the chances of seeing Tigers are remote

If you are in Bangalore and have done Mysore , Bandipur , Ooty & Kodai – then Chickamagalur is a good 3 night – 4 day break. A good mix of nature , old temple architecture and quiet laid back relaxation with some simmering hot coffee and tasty food.

http://www.flameback.in

Contact : Bharath +91 9242714197

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Old at 30 ? Not fair – Sd Personal Computer

30 Jan

Since when can you call a 30 year old – OLD ? In the prime of my youth I am being written off.  And people say I am dying , dead – and I am  all of 30.

I was actually born thanks to the brain power of the two Steve’s in 1976.

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Apple 1 & Apple II were runaway success stories and big blue saw this. Aug 12, 1981 – IBM launched the IBM PC and since then the Personal Computer has been history. Jan 3, 1983 issue Time magazine named me ” Person of the year 1982″ – this was the 1st time an inanimate object was given this award. And the 1st Mac was launched in 1984 – that redefined ease of use. The Mac just turned 30 and continues to be the most user friendly PC in the world.

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IBM was smart – they got my brain made from Intel and the Operating System for MS and made the entire architecture open. This helped a lot of companies – Compaq, HP , DELL , Packard Bell , Gateway , Lenovo , Toshiba ….. and many more to make PC’s. They were all the same using the same Processors and MS Operating system.

In the 80’s there were large R&D teams working on me , the FDD was replaced with the CD ROM  & Zip drive, my hard disk capacity became bigger , I became sleeker from plug in boards to Single Board architecture , Green design reduced my power consumption. But the biggest last Innovation that happened on me was when Toshiba launched the Laptop in 1985. That changed the PC Industry – I was now mobile , people could carry me. This helped my sales grow rapidly. Last I checked – 70 % of PC’s sold in the world are laptops.

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But sadly that was the last major innovation that happened. yes Intel and Moore’s law made the CPU faster and MS came with new versions of Windows and Office every 2 – 3 years . But that was it – beyond that there was no Innovation. The R&D team at Compaq, DELL , HP, Acer  were slowly disbanded. I was no longer Hi tech – I became a commodity. A commodity that still sells in Millions.  In OND 2013 I sold over 80 M units WW. Till date there are well over 1 B people who cannot live without me for even a day. Yes th. e PC sales are slowing down – but most people don’t realise that the Mac is continuing to grow in MS – tarts because Apple still continues to innovate and redesign the mac every year. If you don’t nurture me – how will I grow ?

Look at my contribution to the world. Would the world GDP be where it is today without me ? Would commerce , banking , trade , education, entertainment  have flourished without me ?  The WWW could not have existed without me. And think of a world without the WWW. Most people call me a commodity – some even compare me to a phone – they call me dumb . Ouch – That hurts.

Tablets are the new kid in town. Yes they continue to grow. Last quarter at 76.9M units they are on the verge of bypassing me in quarterly sales. But you think a Tablet can replace a PC. I challenge you – throw your PC out and try to live with a Tablet – no way you can a manage.  Remember the presentation Steve Jobs when he launched the iPad ? he said that the the Tablet is a new category that fits in beautifully between a  Mac (PC)  & an iPhone( Smartphone).

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A tablet is great for browsing , email , social networking, sharing photos , reading books, playing games. yes its easier to watch a movie inflight on a  tablet than on a laptop – a Tablet is mainly for consumption of information. I am great at both creating and consuming information. I have a longer life , more power , greater utility. I am the serious guy – the Tablet is just the fun guy. Great to flirt and date with the Tablet – but when you ant to marry and settle down you have to choose me. I can do all the Tablet does and more. And as Smart Phone size gets bigger the growth of the Tablet is bound to come down. If I can get sleeker and smaller and the Smartphone can get bigger – we can squeeze out this new kid in town.

I don’t know why people stopped innovating on me. I could have grown to be the integrated TV , Phone , VC system in the house.  Think of me as the central unit in the house that powers all your communication needs. All other devices are tertiary that cloud plug on to me like an add on. I would be the HUB.  And look at it I am the HUB – iTunes  can run only on a  Mac or a PC and if the iPad, iPhone , iPod , Apple TV need to work they need to connect to me as the HUB. I am indispensable. I am glad that at least Apple is working and innovating on me constantly. But with the others I feel orphaned – Intel , MS and all the big guys of the past have abandoned me in my middle ages. Now I see the advantage of one company owning hardware and software and the power of integrated technology. I hope you do too.

So don’t write me off . I am just 30. They say life begins at 40 – I am not going anywhere. I just wish a few more  Steve’s came and gave me a new look and packed me with some new powerful features with which I could serve humanity better.

Your Humbly

The PC

Multi Brand Retail – Yeh AAPne Kya Kiya

17 Jan

Arvind Kejriwal is probably the only leader who since Independence has made such a powerful impact in such a short time. He has always come out as one with strong conviction , courage, logic and tenacity. He has overnight become an ideal for many and the last hope to change the political mess in the country. I contributed generously to his party and when he won I felt I had won. But sadly this confidence has been shaken in the last 1 week.

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Its not shaken because he has not solved all the problems of Delhi in 15 days. He has made a great start and opened up multiple fronts. He and his core team probably work 20 hrs a day . What parties have not solved in 60 + years – lets give him a few months to solve. Yes the inexperience shows , the hunger for speed , the frustration at bureaucracy – but then here is a party where almost all the MLA’s are 1st time MLA’s.

Its not shaken because Captain Gopinath and Binny send a few slurs. As far as Captain is concerned he probably wanted to get some visibility and mileage. Who is Gopinath to comment on AAP – Someone who started a 3rd rate airline which probably had the record for the worst service and a cargo company that never really took off . If he feels that he needs to be heard and be given centre stage in AAP decision making – thats his ego talking. And its not very difficult to fathom the reason  why Binny went ballistic. If AAP has won an election in 1 year – they have brains and they will figure out the best solution without advice from Gopinath and his kind.

While you , me and the common man want AAP to succeed – a lot of people are worried as their future generations may not enjoy the comfortable lives they led. If corruption is tackled , power centres are abolished , Jugad culture is eliminated then there is fear for the 1% that controls the country. So when we read a lot of blogs and articles that talks against AAP – I guess we should take it with a pinch of salt.

But what worries me a lot is the decision on Multi Brand Retail. Lets analyse this a little deeper.

The argument against Multi Brand Retail is that it will eliminate mom and pop stores. Unemployment will increase. Millions will be jobless , homeless. Lets look at some examples in India.

Remember Nirula’s & Pizza Corner. The 1st set of fast food restaurants in India.  They started well but could never scale. Quality dropped , rates increased. We now have McDonald, Pizza Hut , KFC , Domino’s….. and many more fast food brands. Has it eliminated jobs or created jobs. Have the Dhaba’s  and Darshini’s shut down because of the MNC food brands – they haven’t. Saravana Bhawan and McDonald both survive well next to each other at Janpath. The standing joints and Udupi restaurants continue to flourish. the market has grown – there is space for everyone. Yes Nirula’s and Pizza Corner are almost bust – but they were not able to compete.

Nirula's Just after Pthankot, No breakfast before 8 AM

In the 80’s India had only 2 car Brands – Ambassador and Premier Padmini. We should have never allowed Suzuki, Ford , Honda , Toyota to come to the country. Our Premier Padmini broke down almost once every month – in the last 10 years I am yet to see anyone pushing a car in the roads of Bangalore or Mumbai or Delhi. We now have variety , better quality . It also resulted in more factories , more jobs , a vibrant components industry , foreign exchange from exports – all positives. Are we better off by opening our automobile industry or worse ? We all know the answer to that. The only people who would have opposed this would be the Bombay Club. If you have no competition you can sell substandard products at high price ( remember the Chetak scooters being sold in Black market)

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What if we had not allowed FDI in telecom. BSNL & MTNL had a 10 year waiting period. You needed to know an MLA to get a Tatkal connection. The C Dot exchanges almost always crashed. All that changed when Telecom was liberalised. If not for the Ericsson , Nokia , Alcatel equipment and investments from Singtel , Hutch , Vodafone … the Indian telecom industry would have never taken off. Has this created more jobs and  given a boost to our economy or were we better off with BSNL & MTNL ?

I could go on and on. Mult Brand Retail will do the same thing. It will improve quality and create jobs. Its not going to replace the Mom & Pop Shop. The neighbourhood store 100 feet from your house will always be there for your bread , butter , eggs and last minute emergencies. But yes it will threaten the Nilgiris. Spencer’s , Foodworlds , Reliance Retail, Big Bazar – the so called Indian chains. Walk into any of the stores and see how the experience has collapsed in the last few years. The AC doesnt work , the strolley is broken , the teller  is a overworked , underpaid person. Lifestyle , Shoppers Stop and a few more brands may survive – but the vast majority will not.

Not only do they create jobs – but they will ease traffic congestion & pollution. These shops will come in the city outskirts. There is no space in the middle of our cities for these massive stores. They will have ample car parking, the rates will be lower ( we already see that in the Metros & other B2B stores) , the AC will work – the overall experience will be superior. We complained when the Bangalore airport moved 50 km away – today we are fine with it. Our Habits will change – we will drive out once every fortnight to these stores and stock up. Only those with large refrigerators can stock up. The city will expand , there will be more development in the fringes of the city.

Bangalore - Commercial Street

 

The metro rains will get you there. the CBD rates will fall , there will be lesser traffic , and no cars parked bumper to bumper on a  narrow 100 feet road that doubles up as a high street. Look at I Nagar 100 feet road – in the 80’s it was a beautiful tree lined street where you could take a peaceful walk. At 8.30 Pm you were scared to walk alone. Today it a mess – a lovely locality has become  one of the busiest commercial zones in the city. Do we want that or would it have been better to have a TESCO and Home Depot at C.V Raman Nagar ?

So coming back to the point – Arvind and his team are smart and intelligent. A large majority of their supporters are people like me . Urban, educated upper middle class. This class is puzzled with the AAP decision to go back on the Multi Brand Decision. Why did they do this ? Are they losing their logical thinking and falling into a populist trap ? Are they making decision that sound Pro Poor and Anti Rich ? In the process are they actually putting us back or taking us forward ? Are they really the idealogical simpletons with passion to change the country or are they a shrewder lot ? Is there some truth in the Blogs that talk about funding from Ford Foundation and how the US is using AAP to block Modi ? Great start – but the worry I have is ” Yeh Topiwala Topi to nahi pehnayega” – because if they do that a lot of people will be very very disappointed.

Time will tell – but for the moment , I am a trite disappointed.

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Bangalore more expensive than US !

13 Jan

Its True. I just came back from a 1 week US trip and realised that life in US is a lot cheaper than in Bangalore.

Houses are Cheaper – Roseville is a lovely town – 2 hrs drive from SFO. Intel & HP have large establishments here and its a short 20 min drive from Sacramento the capital of CA. A predominantly white neighbourhood – its picture perfect with its broad roads , lovely pavements ( yes if you come from India you ogle at the pavements & kerbs) , greenery , trees , peace & tranquility. Nice parks, lovely walks and drives. All amenities and stores close by. Safe & Secure. A 4 bedroom house here in excellent condition on a 5000 sft of land would have cost you  400 K ( 2.5 Crores). If you had a location like this in India ( which we don’t) a similar house would have sold for no less than Rs 5 Crores. A close comparison would be an upmarket Villa complex in Bangalore like Adarsh Palm Meadows or Prestige Ozone where a similar sized Villa would have been upwards of 4 Crores. And I am not talking of Texas where for 250 K plus you could get a similar deal or better. Apartments with no land in Indian Metros sell for 2 – 5 Crores depending on the location. These are bubbles of glitz surrounded by chaos & cacophony.

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Electricity ,Water & Cooling / Heating for such a large house costs less than $ 250/ month. Thats about 9000 Rs. In Gurgaon if you have to run a similar house with centralised AC your monthly costs for electricity alone would be upwards of  Rs 25,000. And AAP will not subsidise this. Yes the property tax you pay in US every 6 months may be higher than what you pay in India – but most apartment / Villa complexes charge you a monthly maintenance that can vary from 5 – 10 K / month . If you add this to the property Tax you pay then we pay a lot more in India than in US.

The monthly cost of running a house – Grocery / Maid(s)/ Driver / Cable / Milk / Newspaper/ Gas for Car / School for kids ….. is a lot higher. In India this can be upwards of  Rs 1 Lac (~ $2000) / month. In the US you can manage very comfortable within $1000 – $1500. Thats a 50% saving. Food is cheap and nobody has maids or drivers. Most people have started getting a Neato or Roomba a Robotic maid that takes care of cleaning the house. 

Buying a Car is a lot cheaper. A fully loaded Corolla in US costs $ 22K ( 13 Lacs) – In India its upwards of 15 Lacs . If not for the recent currency depreciation the gap in price would have been a lot more and the cars in US were almost 40 – 50% cheaper. And fuel prices in US are a lot cheaper than India. And its got more features and is a lot more plush. As you start moving up to SUV’s and Luxury brands like BMW & Merc the price gap widens and is almost 2X in India .

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Cost of Eating out is comparable and you have a wide variety of upmarket restaurants. Yes the parking in US is a lot more easier and the ambience is better ( thats my verdict). A 3 course meal with some decent wine  for 2 can cost you 75 – 80 $ . Good high speed Wi Fi comes free of cost. A drink – Just 1 Margarita in a nice restaurant in India can put you back by Rs 899/-. The taxes and surcharge in India are a lot higher. Most restaurants add a service charge and on top of that the waiter expects a 10% Tip. Add all this up and the cost of a meal in a fine dining place in India is comparable or higher to the US. And I am not even talking of ITC / Hyatt / Taj – where the rates are exorbitantly higher. But yes if you eat in Saravana Bhavan in the US the meal is 4X the cost of one in Chennai.

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After food you come to clothing. Here again the US beats us hollow. The deals you get and the markdowns in an outlet Mall are genuine. If you have the time to hunt online you can get real fabulous deals. A simple track pant from Nike or Adidas can cost you Rs 2000/-  – you can get that for $14.99 very easily in any Mall or large retail store. Levis in India start at Rs 1500 – you can get better quality stuff for $19.99. Van Heusen , Park Avenue shirts are so overpriced in India – they retail for 1500 – 2000 Rs , excellent formal shirts are available for  $ 19.99 . I visited an outlet mall at Folsom and picked up Gym Tops for my wife – super quality Izod T shirts priced at $ 5.95 (Marked down from $30) –  For $5.95 or Rs 360 you don’t even get a decent handkerchief in India. Across items clothes, shoes, bags, accessories  you see a 30 – 50% cheaper pricing. And in most cases these are items made in India , Bangladesh , Jordan , Egypt –  the stores are cleaner , AC works , the buying experience is better – and yet they are cheaper. I wonder how !

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Hotel rooms come in wide variety from $ 59.99 to $199 for high end branded ones. Sure –  the top brands in India at 200 – 300$ / night offer better service than the best in class in NY or DC  that may charge you upwards of $500 / night – but if you can get a La Quinta Inn for $59.99 why do you need a Maurya Sheraton. Clean beds , toilets , Wi Fi , a Denny’s outside – thats all you need for your family when you go on a holiday. India has 1 star and 5 star – nothing in between – US has a wide variety  to cater the the budget for all – and they all come well above the threshold.

Yes an University degree is more expensive. But you need to realise that you got 12 years of excellent schooling free of cost. And if you take into consideration the quality of education and facilities  one can understand why millions from across the globe rush to US universities on a one way ticket. But for the many who pay donations and join Manipal or its equivalent – think twice should you pay 1 Cr and join Manipal or use that 150K for a good college education in the US.

And finally the only showstopper is probably INSURANCE. Medical , Car Insurance can really be a whammy and cost you 500 – 600$ / month. In comparison in India you can insure you car for 10K / year and your family for 25K / year. The only silver lining in this case is Obama Care – especially for the elderly.

So if you are planning to move from Bangalore to US don’t think twice you can manage in the same salary , but if you are moving from US to Bangalore remember to ask for a hike !

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