A BRIEF NOTE ON LOGISTICS INDUSTRY IN INDIA : Dated 12/10/2010

Logistics is usually misinterpreted as only transportation of goods, which is far from truth as transportation is just a subject of logistics. Logistics is a knowledge-based industry that requires procurement, transport, inventory control and distribution of goods. The cost of logistics of a company is estimated to be around 2 % of its total sales. With effective and efficient logistics 20 % of this cost can be saved. Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) have always been an integral part of any business for timely and cost-effective decision making. Logistics can safely be said to be the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources from the point of origin to the point of final consumption by the customer. Just imagine there is a supplier situated at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, which manufactures shampoos for The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai. The raw materials need to be picked up from nearby supplier by tempo or if some raw material need to be imported from a manufacturer situated outside the country, say China, then it would involve another set of logistics- Collection from the overseas factory to nearby port, customs clearing, Import, again customs clearing in India and Transportation to factory at Baddi. The raw materials after the manufacturing process needs to be packaged and stored, then it will be transported either by road or train or air or a combination of these to reach Mumbai and then before reaching the hotel, needs to be cleared by Octroi authorities at entry point of Mumbai. Now the goods are ready to be delivered to the hotel which would ultimately reach the customers of the hotel who are staying there. Thus, Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, clearing, and occasionally security. Logistics is a channel of the supply chain which adds the value to the goods by making them available at the right place and at the right time to the right consumer.

Under relentless pressure to reduce costs and increase sales around the world, firms are outsourcing operations to subcontractors who can do them better and more cheaply, and moving more of their production and services to lower-cost countries. Globalization requires greatly increased co-ordination of transport by road, rail, sea, air and now also by an entirely new route to market: the internet. This makes logistics vastly more complex. The job of ensuring that all these things work together is known as Supply-Chain management (SCM). SCM is an evolution of logistics. Logistics tends to be tactical; supply-chain management is strategic. SCM can include anything from buying raw materials to managing suppliers, warehousing, operating transport fleets, taking orders, collecting payments, repairing products and even answering the telephone at call-canters.

Logistics is increasingly becoming a strategic source of competitive advantage with the increase in global production sharing, shortening of product life cycles and intensification of global competition. In this highly competitive business environment, the quality of logistics has assumed greater significance influencing firms’ decisions such as which country to locate in, which suppliers to buy from or which consumer markets to enter. Essentially, high logistics costs coupled with low levels of service are a barriers to trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) and thus to economic growth. World today has realized the need to make Logistics more efficient as resources are getting more and more scarcer and dearer day by day. Logistics and SCM are now getting the attention they deserved and momentum is on to make this sector environment friendly. Massive investments are being made worldwide with some of the best known investment gurus putting their bet on this industry which is directly linked to the growth of any economy. India is no exception and it is estimated that being a developing economy we may be spending as high as up to 13% of our GDP in Logistics itself! Indian economy is now worth more than US$ 1.25 Trillions and as a consequent Logistics industry in India is worth more than US$100 billion. There is a scope for huge savings in terms of cutting down this cost by bringing in more efficiency in this sector by adopting some of the best practices. Also very few organized players are in this industry to which acts as an impediment in this direction. The logistics sector is considered the weak link of the Indian economic story. At present, there are few professionally founded logistics players. Most companies are run like family businesses, unlike in other service sectors where professionals have taken the venture funding route to fund businesses. There is a big demand for high quality, time definite supply chain solutions and there are customers — manufacturing companies and organized retailers — willing to pay a premium for services, such as cold chain, warehousing and trucking. Robust growth of Indian economy and the rise in domestic consumption and trade have driven the cargo/freight volumes in the country. The government’s increasingly laying importance on the infrastructure development has also helped in getting the goods and services and communication to all parts of the country.

Companies are also outsourcing supply-chain services, commonly called 3PL. Yet SCM is not just about wringing costs out of a business. It can also be used to increase revenue and boost profits without necessarily lowering costs. Indeed, some companies have re-engineered their supply chains to gain a huge competitive advantage. The market leaders have supply chains that are more responsive to customer demand. Things like transport, purchasing and warehousing used to be considered merely part of the cost of doing business, and were often managed as separate entities. Now they are coming together as a strategic item on the chief executive's agenda. Most firms have been organizing their logistics to make themselves leaner. Many now carry little or no inventory to save money. In the present era of tough competition market wars are shifting from media to the retailer's shelf and even directly to the customers. Coke, Pepsi, Hyundai, Maruti, HLL, Godrej, TATA, Bajaj, etc, derive immense strength from their well-established distribution networks. In fact India is becoming the auto hub of the world and big logistic companies and even Govt. of India and Indian railways are especially targeting the auto industry (along with the manufacturing industry and commodities and food grains) to get more involved in the effective use of resources by entering into Public-Private partnerships so that there is overall savings to all the parties involved. Logistics is the only department of a company that is in direct contact with the customers. So, the customer perceives the delivery channels as the representatives of the company and it becomes the prime responsibility of the channel members to deliver the services that keep the customers satisfied.

HOW TO THINK LIKE A TRANSPORTER : Dated 15/09/2010

HOW TO THINK LIKE A TRANSPORTER

AS A MANAGEMENT STUDENT WHAT IS THE IMAGE THE UBIQUITOUS TRANSPORTER INSPIRES WHEN THE TERM TRANSPORTER POPS UP BEFORE YOU? TRANSPORTER IS, AFTER ALL, NOT A DEROGATORY TERM. DON’T EVEN TRY TO GIVE A REGIONAL TINGE TO THEM, ALLUDING THEM TO TYPICAL PUNJABI COMMUNITY, EVEN IF THE FACT IS THAT THE PUNJAB BODY TRUCKS AND SARDARS ARE PREVALENT TRANSPORTERS ALL OVER INDIA. LET US GET INTO THEIR SHOES OR RATHER GET INTO THE DRIVING SEAT OF THE TRANSPORTER AND TRY TO VIEW INTERESTING ASPECTS OF DAY TO DAY COMMON-SENSE BUSINESS APPROACH OF A TRANSPORTER AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A TRANSPORTER.

1. IT MEANS YOU ARE CONSTANTLY IN LOOK-OUT FOR NEW BUSINESSES EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO ASSET (NO TRUCK, OFFICE OR EVEN STAFF), IT MEANS SAYING THAT YOU OWN IT EVEN IF IT IS NOT YOURS!

2. IT MEANS HOW WITH MINIMUM INITIAL RESISTANCE YOU CAN START THE BUSINESS- JUST ON ONE TABLE AND CHAIR AND A BOARD AND YOUR BUISINESS STARTS!

3. IT MEANS HOW THROUGH A NETWORK OF AGENTS ALL OVER INDIA YOU BECOME AN ALL-INDIA TRANSPORTER EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE HAVING YOUR PRESENCE AND SET-UPS IN ONLY ONE OR TWO PLACES. THIS IS TRUE FOR INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDERS ALSO.

4. IT MEANS START SMALL AND GRADUALLY BUILD-UP SCALE AND EXTEND YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF WAREHOUSES, VEHICLES AND MODERN SYSTEMS. ALL TOP LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDERS IN INDIA STARTED SMALL AND WITH ROUGH AND TOUCH IMAGE AND LATER ON ACQUIRED CORPORATE IMAGE OR SOPHISTICATION OR COMPUTERISATION. JIT OR RFID OR ONLINE TRACKING OR SAP OR ORGANISED INDUSTRY PLAYER IMAGE.CAME MUCH LATER. ITS ONLY RECENTLY THAT YOU FIND THE VENTURE CAPITALISTS TRUYING TO FIND INTERESTING STORIES IN THE LOGISTICS SPACE AND MANY FUNDINGS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THIS SPACE. IT ALSO MEANS HOW TO BUILD TRUST/REPUTATION OVER YEARS.

5. IT MEANS CONNECTING, NETWORKING, NO OFFICE (MOBILE WILL DO), IT MEANS HOW YOU LINK UP WITH AS MANY PERSONS AS POSSIBLE, YOUR MOBILS ARE SWITCHED ON 24X7.

6. IT MEANS HOW YOU KEEP YOUR SERVICE PROVIDERS HAPPY BY PAYING INSTANTLY, FREIGHT ON TO-PAY BASIS BY CASH AND GETTING BEST RATES FROM THEM THROUGH YOUR PROMPT PAYMENT REPUTATION SO THAT NEXT TIME YOU DON’T HAVE TO BARGAIN HARDER.

7. IT MEANS YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN OF THE COUNTRY WHO IS SOMETIMES ENTRUSTED WITH ENVIOUS TASK OF SUPPLYING RELIEF AND MEDICAL AND FOOD SUPPLIES TO THE MOST DIFFICULT OF TERRAINS AND TROOPS IN MOST CATASTROPHIC CONDITIONS AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND EVEN OVERSEAS, SAFELY AND ON TIME.

8. IT MEANS WHEN THE CUSTOMER HAS BOUGHT OR IMPORTED AN EXPENSIVE GOODS OR MACHINERY OR A PAINTING IN INDIA, SAY MUMBAI, HE WILL NOT MIND TO SHELL EXTRA MORE TO MAKE THE GOODS REACH SAFELY AT THE DESIRED DESTINATION, SAY DELHI EVEN IF IT MEANS PAYING A BIG AMOUNT.

9. IT MEANS GETTING ANYTHING AT WHATEVER PRICE TO THE DESIRED DESTINATION. SOMETIMES IT MAY MEAN EVEN SUPPLYING THE LONELY PACK OF CUBAN CIGAR, ONLY AVAILABLE FROM A PARTICULAR SHOP IN SOUTH MUMBAI, WITHIN 8 HOURS AT ANY COST, TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOTEL GROUP WHO HAPPENS TO COME ALL THE WAY FROM ABROAD JUST TO ATTEND THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 5 STAR HOTEL AT JAIPUR, BUT THE ORGANISERS HAD, SOMEHOW, IN THE MIDST OF OTHER PREPARATIONS MISSED THAT THE CHAIRMAN WAS VERY FOND OF THE PARTICULAR CIGAR AND HE WOULD BE ANGRY IF HE IS NOT PROVIDED WITH THE PARTICULAR CIGAR! (OF COURSE, LATER ON THE TRANSPORTER CHARGES THE HOTEL A FORTUNE FOR THIS BILL AND HE IS EARNESTLY PAID!)

10. IT MEANS HOW TO MAKE FAT BILLS – CHARGING FOR A NUMBER OF SERVICES RENDERED UNDER DIFFERENT HEADS RATHER THAN A LUMPSUM - EHOUGH TO CONFUSE THE CUSTOMER AND COMPEL HIM TO PAY A LARGER SUM.

11. IT MEANS, YOU KNOW HOW TO ADJUST MANY GOODS IN ONE CONSIGNMENT AND IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTION OF GOODS AT YOUR GODOWN, IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME, SO MEANWHILE YOU HAVE TO TELL SMALL LIES AND USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO GAIN TIME. SOMETIMES. IT MEANS TAKING USE OF CURRENT NEWS TO OUR ADVANTAGE AND SAYING TO PARTIES THAT YOUR GOODS WILL GET DELAYED, YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH NEWS AS THERE ARE FLOODS, THERE IS ARSON IN CENTRAL INDIA, THERE IS BACKLASH ON NORTH INDIANS IN MUMBAI, YOU CAN SAY THE ROADS ARE BLOCKED DUE TO COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN DELHI, YOU CAN EVEN SAY TRAIN HAS NOT LEFT THE STATION. THE LEASE WAS NOT OPENED TODAY,ETC ETC. YOU CAN SAY THERE IS HEAVY RAINS IN MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, PUNJAB,. YOU CAN SAY THE ONLY BRIDGE LINKING THE NORTH EAST IS HEAVILY JAMPACKED AND THERE IS NO WAY TO REACH THERE FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK. YOU CAN SAY THERE IS HEAVY SNOWFALL IN JAMMU-SRINAGAR NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC IS STANDSTILL FOR ONE WEEK, SO ON AND SO FORTH

12. IT MEANS HOW TO LIVE A TOUGH AND MOBILE LIFE WHOLE ROUND THE YEAR AND STILL BE HAPPY-ROUGH AND TOUGH, EVER READY EVEN IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT ON YOUR TOES TO SEE , MAY BE , ANY OF YOUR TRUCK HAS MET WITH AN ACCIDENT OR IS STOPPED AT A CHECK POST OR NOT! IT MEANS YOUR TEAM SHOULD BE ROUGH AND TOUGH AND EVERREADY

13. IT MAKES YOU AGGRESSIVE, SOMETIMES ABUSIVE ALSO AND SHOW TEMPER WHEN NEEDED TO GET YOUR WORK DONE, (THERE IS A DOWNSIDE TO THIS BUSINESS THAT A SET OF PEOPLE IN THIS UNORGANISED INDUSTRY DON’T APPRECIATE POLITE LANGUAGE)

14. IT MEANS THE PERSON WHO IS PRESENT AT THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT PLACE IS THE RIGHT PERSON IN TERMS OF THE NEED AND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT,

15. IT MEANS DOING WORK AT ANY COST, IT MEANS “BUYING” ANYONE AND APPRECIATING UNIVERSAL TRUTH THAT ALMOST ANYTHING CAN BE PURCHASED WITH MONEY, IT MEANS WHEN IN NEED GADHE KO BHI BAAP BANA DO- TU MERA SHER HAI, MERA RAJA BETA HAI

16. IT MEANS HOW YOU REACH THE DESTINATION IN SHORTEST TIME AND COMPLETE YOUR CONTRACT WITH LOWEST POSSIBLE COST,

17. IT MEANS YOU CARRY HEAVY LOADS BELOW AND LIGHTER LOADS ON THE TOP-BOTTOM HEAVY APPROACH FOR STABILITY

18. IT MEANS ADJUSTING HEAVY LOADS, SOMETIMES ODD SIZES TOO, SO THAT IT CAN PASS THROUGH ANY SERPENTINE ROADS IN INDIA

19. IT MEANS HOW YOU UTLISE THE SPACE IN A MUCH PROFITABLE WAY,

20. IT MEANS HOW WITH ONE OR TWO CUSTOMERS YOU COVER YOUR MAXIMUM COST OF FRIGHT OF THE TRUCK AND USE THE REST OF THE SPACE WITH WHATEVER GOODS YOU WANT- ALL THE PROFIT IS ALL YOURS! SIMPLY PUT, WITH MAIN CUSTOMERS YOU ENSURE YOUR SURVIVAL AND FOR PROFITS AND OTHER EXPENSES OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS THERE!

21. IT MEANS HOW IN ONE PHONE/MAIL, BEFORE ANYONE GOES TO THE SPOT, YOU VISIT THE CUSTOMER ON THE SPOT, INSPECT THE MATERIALS (THE CUSTOMER THINKS YOU ARE SERIOUS AND IS MORE LIKELY TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU EVEN IF IT MEANS PAYING YOU MORE) AND QUOTE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE,

22. IT MEANS TAKING RISKS-THOUGH WITH EXPERIENCE THERE IS LESSER RISK.THOUGH THE RISK STILL REMAINS THERE AS THE GOODS MAY GET DAMAGED OR THERE MAY BE SHORTAGES DURING TRANSIT OR TRANS-SHIPMENT. TRANSPORTERS HAVE NOW FOUND OUT THE MODEL OF TAKING RISK CHARGES IN ADVANCE TO ENSURE SUCH LOSSES ARE COVERED- JUST LIKE AN INSURANCE COMPANY, MINUS THE HASSLES.

23. IT MEANS NEGOTIATING YOUR WAY TO REACH THE GOAL IN TIME AND EVEN TAKE SHORT-CUTS FOR IT!

24. IT MEANS GIVING CHANCE TO SMALL PLAYERS ALSO-TRYING OUT OR GIVING CHANCE TO NEW PLAYERS

25. IT MEANS JUGAAD (INCIDENTLY JUGAAD WORD HAS ENTERED THE FOREIGN MANAGEMENT DICTIONARY TOO). IT MEANS HOW IN MINIMUM OR BARE NECESSITIES YOU COMPLETE WORK. IT MEANS HOW IN DOING PATCH WORK AND CUTTING CORNERS YOU CAN MANAGE YOURWORK,

26. IT MEANS HOW YOU KEEP YOURSELF LEAN, MEAN AND FIT

27. IT MEANS YOU DO BUSINESS ONLY ON A PROFIT, IT MEANS WHENEVER YOU DO BUSINESS AT A LOSS YOU DO IT TO OBLIGE AND TAKE MILEAGE WITH HIGHER BILLS LATER ON,

28. IT MEANS WHATEVER THE CONTRACT AND WHOSOEVER PARTY IS THE APPROVED TRANSPORTER, YOU CAN STILL GET THROUGH THE ORDER AND GET THE FREIGHT RATES AS MUCH AS YOU WISH THROUGH MANY SOURCES AND WAYS, BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION AND THERE IS NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE RECOURSE TO PETTY TRANSPORTER.

29. IT MEANS TIE-UPS. SO WHAT IF YOU ARE SMALL? YOU HAVE TIE-UP WITH A BIG NAME AND THROUGH TIE-UP CAN REACH TO THOSE CUSTOMERS OR PLACES WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY PRESENCE,

30. IT MEANS YOU WORK 24X7 , 365 DAYS IN A YEAR,

31. IT MEANS PROMISES,

32. IT MEANS EMOTIONALLY LINKING THE CUSTOMER TO THE SAFETY AND TIMELY DELIVERY OF GOODS THROUGH YOUR SERVICES

33. IT MEANS HOW YOU CHASE FOR PAYMENTS EFFICENTLY ONCE THE WORK IS COMPLETE. WHO CAN BETTER KNOW IT THAN A TRANSPORTER-AFTER ALL HE HAS ALREADY PAID THE ENTIRE TRIP TO THE DESTINATION IN CASH WHETHER IT IS FOR DIESEL OR OTHER ROAD EXPENSES OR REPAIRS. OR EMIs FOR THE TRUCKS

34. IT MEANS HOW YOU MANAGE YOUR WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND OFFICERS AND BUREAUCRACY.

35. IT MEANS HOW YOU GET WORD OF MOUTH PUBLICITY AND GET BUSINESS FROM OTHER GROUPS ALSO THROUGH REFERENCES

36. IT MEANS HOW THE CUSTOMER FORGIVES YOU FOR YOUR INITIAL FAULTS AND GIVES YOU MORE WORK,

37. IT MEANS HOW YOU DO MULTI TASKING, IT MEANS HOW YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOWLY PERSON ON THE STREETS TO THE CHAIRMAN OF A COMPANY,

38. IT MEANS SENDING HAPPINESS TO THE DESTINATION, CUSTOMER, & ULTIMATELY KEEP CUTOMER HAPPY-CUSTOMER IS THE KING! ETC.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE FACTS WHICH HAVE COME OUT IM MY MIND. THERE MAY BE MANY MORE WHICH MAY APPEAR LATER ON. BUT FOR THE MOMENT EVEN THESE FACTS ARE NO MEAN!

CALLING AN INDIAN TECHIE SETTLED ABROAD TO INDIA : Dated 20/03/2010

Dear friend, India is changing more than many ways now. Corruption, bad roads, illiteracy, drinking water, electricity, poverty, red tape, etc problems are always there and will continue to haunt us even in near future. But still, you scratch the surface and you find the changes happening. The youth and women in the villages are now thinking the same way as the youth and women of cities. You watch any reality program on any Indian channel, even a vernacular Bhojpuri Channel Mahua, where you will find the participants in the program as modern as you can imagine. In some years India will have population of 60 crore youths in the country which will be greater than combined population of US and Europe! Its not without nothing that Obama is fearful about India and China and exhorting their youths to study maths and science. You must have heard that India has taken a giant step forward towards empowerment of women by passing the Womens’ Reservation Bill which ensure reservation of 33% of Parliamentary seats to women, in Rajya Sabha. You will be gald to know that in the Panchayat level this reservation is already applicable in India and more than 10 lakh Panch women are there & proving to be very successful. You will again be glad to know that Bihar which was used to be called as Kidnap capital of India and was one of the discredited BIMARU (Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Orissa & UP) state has , within four years of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's rule has shown the growth rate of 11.03% , only second to Gujarat which showed 11.05% growth (remember that these growth rates are better than China's). Other states are all trying to attract investment and work harder, though on the other hand it is also the fact that around 1 lakh crore of money still remains unspent every year.

You must have heard about the NAREGA scheme which gives guarantee of employment of 100 days to a family in rural areas, is very successful and this year too this scheme has been allotted for Rs 40,100 crore in this year's budget. You will not believe that the inflation of around 18% which rarely ever happened in India before, one of the main reason for this is also attributed to the fact that the money has now reached the actual beneficiaries which has created unusual demand situation and has resulted in short supplies and hence high inflation (though mismanagement of food supplies is also main reason),. Apart from this amount, this year's budget allots further 60,000 cores in rural development. To further bolster this direct beneficiary approach the government has constituted high powered ministry under Planning Commission, The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) headed by none other than Mr Nandan Nilekani, the former Infosys boss, with special invitation by the Prime Minister. This department has been allotted Rs 1900 core. This department will start allotting the number this year itself and in the first stage it will target those people who are below the poverty line and people enrolled in NAREGA and villagers. This will further strengthen them in terms of directed supply and give them more power. This process will also penetrate IT to still lower level and people will find more use of IT in day to day experiences (and not only in railways, its wing IRCTC, which is the single biggest earner of revenues in IT), even the poorest of poor in villages. The IT penetration is still low in India. Further there is great need of digitization of vast data which is at present closed in huge lumps of files in different government departments. To give you an example, around 3 crore cases are pending in various courts of India and going by the present speed of completing each case @15 years per case it will take 450 years just to clear the backlog in our Judiciary system. Also revenue department all over the country in various states are digitising land records, making revenue collection mechanism, toll collection mechanism, all directly with end consumer interface, etc, etc. Not to forget e FIRs, e summons, e replies to queries by different wings of govts, insisting by heads of different states to ask questions only through email, etc. They all will be using IT. All top companies are in the fray and many small players are also entering in the niche segments. Why don’t you come back and and take part in the great IT revolution in India which is due for explosive growth by next year. The slary levels here are also attractive and drawing top talents to India. People and companies are now more inclined to have global outlook. Vast number of people are getting IT educated and are sharing their views through various networks and blogs. The passage of IT bill 2008 will further strengthen the IT legalities here. IT has very rosy future in India and right talent is needed here whether in software designing, BPOs and KPOs, Applications for mobiles and programs especially for developing country like India linking villages and town to global market place - canvas is huge!

NAXAL VIOLENCE : Dated 16/02/2010

NAXALISM
The killing of 24 security personnel by the CPI-Maoist on a camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) in West Midnapore district of West Bengal is another outrageous and daring attack by Maoists which has once again brought to the fore the grim problem of our internal security posed by the Maoists who aim to seize power through violence to overpower the established legal authority. The attack comes barely a week after Chidambaram held a meeting in Kolkata with officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to launch an inter-state operation against the left-wing extremists. Many parts of our country is now facing severe Naxal problem recently and its now after the appointment of P Chidambaram as Home Minister the problem has really been taken up at war level and solution is trying to be reached. In this step the Home minister took up the problem of Naxalism with the Chief ministers’ summit in New Delhi recently and also held two meeting with Chief Ministers of Naxal affected states separately. Bihar Chief minister Mr Nitish Kumar and Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren did not attend the latest meeting. They are of the belief, and this belief is shared by most top leaders in Bihar and Jharkhand, that Naxalism cannot be solved with an iron hand. These Naxalites or MCC people are mostly indigenous tribals who have taken arms because primarily fruits of development have not reached them, they feel. In fact Mr Chidambram just days before had offered talks with Naxal leaders if they temporarily stop violence. Perhaps he realises rightly that the problem and people are also very delicate and any miscalculation will lead to full fledged war with our own people and result in many deaths and it will also take us back by many years and it will take enormous time and money to again integrate them back in the mainstream of Indian Democracy. Also several NGOs and activist stand by the side of the Naxals and from time to time Mamta Bannerjee’s Trinamool Congress has been accused of being hand in glove with the Naxals. Mr Chidambram has words of wisdom also for so called intellectuals and supporters of Naxal movement "I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI-Maoist. It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous theses of the CPI-Maoist and condemns the so-called 'armed liberation struggle' that we can put an end to the menace of Naxalism (Maoism) and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict zones." We have also to understand that the Maoists come form same tribal ranks who have taken up arms.They were hither-to peaceful all these years suddenly became so powerful that they run parallel governments and have power to challenge the state and no one dares to enter their den! Recently they have stepped up their attacks on railway properties as they are soft targets being spread across the jungles in a wide area. One remembers that in 1857 war of independence too Tribals took part in the struggle against British rule. Are they carrying on their struggle with the elected governments year after year? The naxalites have established their control in many parts of the India- Chattisgarh is worst affected by Naxal violence and together with Jharkhand accounted for 60% of total death due to Naxal violence. Of late they are also targeting economic targets more alarmingly. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Naxalite problem as ‘the single largest threat to India’.

The ‘Red Corridor’ runs through the dense forest and tribal belt, from Nepal through Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and all the way to Andhra Pradesh and to the upper reaches of Maharashtra, and some parts of Karnataka. It is alleged that they now have established partnership with terrorist groups based in Pakistan and they are also aided by the Maoists based in Nepal after Nepalese have been successful in installing Maoist government in Nepal, from Bangladesh and most of all from China, which is supplying them money, sophisticated arms and modern gadgetries. Occasionally top Maoist leaders are reported to have been sneaked to these neighboring countries too. Inside their corridor, the Naxalites run a parallel government and vow to continue their fight against the state—a full-fledged war they call ‘people’s struggle’. All the Left-wing militant organisations, including the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and the People’s War Group (PWG), after their merger are now operating under the flagship rebel party—CPI (Maoist).The Central intelligence reports have also issued a warning that the Maoists are now in the process of identifying ‘new operational areas’ across the country. They are keenly looking at industrial belts, where big corporate houses are planning to set up the Special Economic Zones (SEZs), an easy target to launch violent agitation. CPI (Maoist) Politburo and Central Committee talk about the need to run a secret service and unleash psychological wars through effective networking of various friendly groups in the urban areas. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Naxalite movement was immensely popular. There were reports of brilliant students, including from IITs, dropping out of college to join the struggle for the rights of the tribals and landless labourers. Over the years, as the principles diluted, Naxalite movement saw much of its membership waning away. Nevertheless, it has an endless supply of men and women, victims of State apathy to their condition joining its ranks, which shows that many still believe in the cause.There are many so called intellectual sympathizers too to their dastardly acts of violence. But one thing has to be remembered that once this sympathy for violent naxalism starts, it has no end and now it has come to the situation when the Naxals have started killing the same intellectuals. The so called intellectuals must remember that instigating or abetting violence under any circumstances is a double edged sword. Post 26/11 world has realised this menace and violence of any form, killing of women and children and innocent people is totally condemned world over, even if it is for just means. According to a confidential report of the military intelligence, India’s 231 districts in 13 States, including three in the NCR, are now being targeted by the Maoists to achieve their ultimate aim—seize power in Delhi by 2050. So far, it is believed that about 170 districts falling under the dreaded ‘Red Corridor’, also known as the Dandekaran Belt, are reeling under the Maoist terror. In Chhattisgarh, Bastar’s dense jungles are considered to be the Maoists’ centre of gravity. In southern Bastar, the Maoists have declared the Chintainer area as their Dandekaran State’s capital.

Mr Chidambaram in interview recently with CNN-IBN Chief Rajdeep Sardesai mentioned an important fact that the Naxal problem aggravated during last 10 years. I remember when I completed my MBA from Patna, Bihar by 1994 end, there was no problem as such in Bihar-Jharkhand. But suddenly when I used to go to Jharkhand after 4 years or so, by 1998, I frequently found bandhs there. Earlier Jharkhand (then South Bihar) used to be very peaceful place where there were booming activity both in terms of industrial as well as market; and Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Dhanbad were crowning glory or combined Bihar state and later on separate Jharkhand state. But somewhere down the line something worse had happened along those years and after gaining literacy and awareness that had taken place in these areas, thanks to the good work done by missionaries in these areas, the tribals began to realize that they have been taken for a ride for all along these 40-50 years or so and the fruits of economic activities which were carried in these areas which was primarily for their upliftment was being siphoned off to other places, their land and forests were slowly gobbled up by the outsiders, minerals being excavated both by PSUs and private miners in collusion with corrupt leaders, leaving them with just with pollution-air, water and food- poverty, illiteracy, bad infrastructure, etc. Naxalism, MCC, had taken firm root and was starting to play havoc and by the 1990s, they had formed a parallel government even issuing diktats to the tribals of the region At later stages and even in the present situation, Naxals now manage to take hostage entire village; railway stations are also bombed; even the election machinery is not working. I remember my father who is now a retired professor was given election duty during the general and elections used to shiver on hearing that he would be sent on election duly to Jamshedpur or Chaibasa or those intense jungle areas where the rule of the Naxals run riot and no rule of law was there. Policemen cannot enter those areas, traffic is standstill once the evening sets in, no doctors or social workers or government officials can manage to enter these areas. One must also remember that the passengers traveling by trains all over India are in greatest danger today because of this. Trains run across densest of forests in India and most of them arre Naxal affected. If we dont take strong steps today, someday I fear a whole train may be kidnapped and the state will not be able to do anything. Only some happless GRP cant do much. The problem is most acute during the night. These worst fears came true when recently Bhubaneshwar-Rajdhani train was stopped by Naxals in Midnapore, WB. Fortunately no damage was done it everything is passed off peacefully without loss of life.

So what is the solution then? Recently I watched a very thoughtful discussion on Naxal problem and solutions in DD News Channel. Very thought provoking and objective and it gave a gist of what can be done to contain and solve the menace. (Other channels should learn how to conduct meaningful debate and discussion in a quite way as it is done in DD News channel.). Many facts came to be known and also some history behind it and attempts made earlier by the governments in solving the problem.

The first rebellion against the Naxalites was the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan', started by veteran congress leader Mahendra Karma in 1991; this later collapsed, leading to large scale killings of tribals by Naxalites. Mahendra Karma, the tribal leader was a minister in Ajit Jogi’s Congress Government in Chattisgarh. In 2005, he organised the Salwa Judum movement against Naxalites (initially Salwa Judum movement was anti-Naxalite people’s movement against the atrocities of the Maoists inflicted on the tribals and later on Mahendra Karma jumped into the fray). The initiative was praised by the BJP Chief Minister Raman Singh and the government supported it and provided them protection. A few years later the state government adopted the Salwa Judum model in order to fight the Naxals and over the years trained a number of SPOs or 'Special Police Officers', from amongst the tribals, who are part of Salwa Judum in the state and witnessed a marked rise in success against Naxalite action. However the Salwa Judum movement was later discredited by Human rights activists citing examples of burning houses, extortion, excesses against women, employing minors and large scale displacement of the civilian population caught in the conflict between the Naxalites and Salwa Judum activists with at least 100,000 people moving to various camps in southern Chhattisgarh or fleeing to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as of early 2008. However by mid-2008, movement's frontliner, Mahender Karma announced that it will soon cease to exist and end 2008, saw Salwa Judum having lost its earlier momentum was only restricted to its 23 camps in the Dantewada and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh The government has defended the Salwa Judum movement and refrained from discrediting it, despite pressure from it Left allies, as setting up Village Defence Committees (VDCs), has been a tested model of police-civilian co-operation in conflict area such as Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast, and dacoit-infested areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and UP.

Bandopadhyay Committee: In May 2006, the Planning Commission appointed an expert committee headed by D. Bandopadhyay, a retired IAS officer instrumental in dealing with the Naxalites in West Bengal in the 1970s. The expert committee has underscored the social, political, economic and cultural discrimination faced by the SCs/STs across the country as a key factor in drawing large number of discontented people towards the Naxalites. The committee established the lack of empowerment of local communities as the main reason for the spread of the Naxal movement. The report holds the faulty system of land acquisition and a non-existent Relief and Rehabilitation policy largely responsible for the support enjoyed by the Naxalites. On the other hand, the committee makes a forceful plea for a policy and legal framework to enable small and marginal farmers to lease-in land with secure rights while landless poor occupying government land should not be treated as encroachers. For the first time in the history of the Naxal movement, a government appointed committee has put the blame on the State for the growth of the movement. Providing statistics of 125 districts from the Naxal-affected States, the committee finds out that the state bureaucracy has pitiably failed in delivering good governance in these areas. The report recommends rigorous training for the police force, not only on humane tactics of controlling rural violence but also on the constitutional obligation of the State for the protection of fundamental rights. Making a departure from the usual government position, the expert committee concludes that development paradigm pursued since independence has aggravated the prevailing discontent among the marginalized sections of society. Citing democratic principles, the report also argues for the right to protest and discovers that unrest is often the only thing that actually puts pressure on the government to make things work and for the government to live up to its own promises. Dealing with Naxalism needs a holistic approach with development initiatives as an integral part of the security approach. Security here must be understood in its broader perspective, which includes human development in its scope, because human security is an inseparable component of any human development formula, and vice versa.

Perhaps, not many have heard of Bandhopadhyaya committe report which was submitted its report years back. The problem is that as usual governments organise the high powered committees to study the problem and recommend solutions, but when it comes to implementation never bothers to see the report. One thing which comes out clearly in the discussion on Naxal problem is that there should be three pronged strategy now to solve the problem First, it should be the strict use of force in intensely crime affected areas to finish out the Naxals. Secondly intensely carry out development work in the areas affected by Naxalism. And Thirdly bring the Naxals to negotiating table and genuinely find the solution and implement them. The main thrust should be to implement all the three pronged attacks honestly and swiftly without wasting time, otherwise it will be too late .There has to be rule of law, people have to be come in contact with government officials, their problems should be listened and honestly resolved There future also needs to be taken care of in terms of employment, because all these areas are under dense forests and rich in minerals Some day or the other government will definitely reach out to these areas for mineral excavation then some bigger resentment will take place. This is the thought for all of us. We must remember that if Punjab militants and Kashmiri militants can be made to sit across the table then why not Naxals? We have to be optimistic Remember, many dreaded dacoits from dense forests of MP laid down their arms and they are all leading normal life - Phoolan Devi was MP!

IN SUPPORT OF SHAH RUKH KHAN AND AMAN KI AASHA : Dated 04/02/2010

I am anyway a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan and not only that my 6 years old daughter Muskan also does not miss a single picture of SRK. Curiously she asked me today morning who are the people rasing slogans against SRK on TV and will we be able to watch MY NAME IS KHAN or not. I told her that the picture will be released on 12th, so no problem we have enough time by which everything will be OK. I told her that since SRK has advocated for Pakistani players playing in India, Shiv Sena & MNS are shouting slogans against SRK and boycotting his cinemas and burning posters and damaging cinema halls in Mumbai. This was the explanation to the small child. Now, on a more mature note, lets us see this matter. Already this news being aired on TV is that SRK has mellowed down now because he cannot see the dmages the channel partners of his films will have to suffer because of the controversy. Its possible that SRK may apologise too but its no denying the fact that it was SRK who first raised the voice to this level that now RSS, Rahul Gandhi, Nitin Gadkari, Aamir Khan , Shabana Azmi and other actors and activists have started raisiing voice against this tyranny of the MNS and Shiv Sena type goondaism. It will be a slap in our face that common people are not saying anything on this matter, may due to the fact that they are not affected in any way and believe that let the big wigs fight among themselves or they have no time to raise their voice against injustice. But enough is enough, awake before it is too late and starts pinching common man. Is it (and I am told that Raj Thakre has raised the bogey of separatism emulating the DMK in Tamil Nadu) fair. We recently celebrated the successful completion of 60 yrs of Republic of India which has been successful to accommodate so diverse people across vast geographical mass as one unit, that is India. I know the problem of the link language because I travel all over India and see that in Chennai there is most problem in doing your common work as people dont know any language apart from Tamil. Do you expect everyone will lean English and speak fluently. No, they will not. (Is it not a bad logic that we want English as link language and not Hindi? Can you be so mean and blindfolded that you wil not accept the language which has emerged out of our own land and depend solely on a language that’s come from foreign land and still some people see this as our acceptance of our Gulami?) After the mother tongue which is the common language which is spoken and understood by maximum people in India, of course it is Hindi and that is why Hindi films are so successful all over the country and even in the foreign countries, especially Pakistan where Hindi films and music is relished too. In fact Hindi films are the common thread which is binding all India and not only that even Pakistan? Don’t you see the Aman ki Aasha ads all over and the efforts from artists and intellectuals from both countries to come reach to some sort of meeting point- after all boundary is just on the paper or at best land, but not in our hearts? And don’t you see that even in diplomatic circles, countries are putting pressure on India to resume talks with Pakistan because they cannot expect the hostility to continue for a long period of time between two nuclear nations. So ultimately both the countries have to talk and solve their matters on mutual understanding and both have to sit regularly. And can you deny the fact that Cultural exchanges and sports like cricket and Hockey is being played between both the sides since last 63 years and even at the height of militancy and war ( today saw the picture of Jawed Miandad at Matoshree with Bal Thakre! ). This love and hate relationship between India is as eternal a truth than love- hate relationship between a husband and wife or saas and bahu! Why do you want to put an end to this drama? Come on, be brave and large hearted and try to accommodate various view points. Don’t fall prey into the hands of politicians, because they only created Pakistan and India and they only create friendship and they only raise war hysteria. People of both India nd Pakistan should know this and try to influence other people to come across these accommodative views otherwise we will play into the hands of one superpower or the other. In the end, well done Shan Rukh, we are proud of you. Carry on. Ekla chalo re. Start the journey, it will soon become a caravan.

THE FALLOUT OF SEPARATE TELANGANA : Dated 31/01/2010

THE FALLOUT OF SEPARATE TELANGANA -Actually identity politics is playing havoc in the country of late.Regional, linguistic, community identity has started taking centre stage in any public protests aimed at creation or carving out something or driving out someone away.There should have been a basis on which states reorganization committee was formed and several separate states were carved out.After that period only in 1990 when Chattisgarh, Jharkhand & Uttarakhand were formed. One cannot be sure whether this experiment was successful or not but in one case of Jharkhand, one is 100% sure that the experiment has failed. Apart from getting a capital at Ranchi and a High Court at Ranchi and the road leading to Ranchi which is good, all the other aspects of development is zero because of excessive corruption. Now perhaps time has again come to rethink on this matter and organising a states reorganisation committe which should be high powered committee which should have eminent poeple, have support of all political parties and given a free hand to discuss all the matter, pros and cons. This particular incident has definitely opened up pandora box for demand of many new states (like Mayawati wants three states out of UP!) -after all, leave alone that Telangana was old issue pending since 1952, so what, Gorkhaland is still older issue pending since 1902!We are a Gandhi country and after all K Chandrashekhar Rao is not the only living Gandhian in the country! If people from every region resort to Gandhian means and start the movement collectively, runnign the country to ramson, then what about India! States must have been carved out of administrative necessity so that fruits of governance reach to the lowest strata. Who would have thought that this issue would one day lead to anarchy!Give Deformed meaning to demad for smaller states. The politicians right from Gram Panchayat to corporator to MLA to MP have not honestly done their work that is why many regions feel left out-Naxalism, perhaps may be also linked to such apathy of the rulers reaching out to the really deserving lot. The politicians are aware that if there are bigger states they will only have to be satisfies with a minister or so, but cannot be Chief minister. SO regional demand comes to their mind. Also there is the question of their ward's career, nepotism-for example for KCR's son, this is just example & applicable every where- greed is the base So if greed, vested interest, money is the basis for such agitations how can you term them people's movement! In fact people are taken for a ride! This is a perfect example of functioning mobocracy- you raise an issue, bring some supporters, arrange destruction and say people's movement. Unless there is honesty, sense of Indian-ness, implementation of law and order you will find these issues cropping up-there are many Indias, after all! You give Bihar a Jharkhand. Then give Jharkhand a Lalkhand(Mica) & Kalakhand(Coal) in places of availability of minerals.SO on and so forth.In fact greed,vested interest,money, nepotism, career is the real basis for statehood, all other basis are farce. KCR should be said that if you are a Gandhian then we follow religious texts! For saving the lives of people if a lie is essential, then be it.Govt did the right thing that day.Take this lollipop at least now.Now in return at least KCR knows his strength and the people's undercurrent demand. Now the sacrifice has to be done from his part and persuade his people not to press too far for the interest of country.Will he? We should ask him, If taking cue of his way many states are carved out then history will not forget him if something goes wrong. Did he fathom it?

Come to think of it. This is known as parochial thinking.We are casteist first, regional second, religious third, linguistic fourth, state's identity fifth and at last comes Indian identity, sixth, leave alond global identity or the human identity.

Time has come to not to leave the governance of the country in the hands of corrupt political system. Checks & balance are required. At least people should now know that politicians are ruining the country on the pretext of "Popular demand"!, in fact "Mobocratic demand"!
And why are we missing logistics costs? Name plates, paintings, photos, check-posts, stationeries, building capital, other govt building, to the tune of 2000 crores or so at least, corruption there, more permits. This fund could have been very happily deplyed for the benefit of the same left-behind people. How many divisions are you going to make.Where will it stop?What is the guarrantee that after this division all the problems will be solved and further division not come up?

STRATEGIES TARGETED AT POTENTIAL BLACKMAILERS : Dated 11/01/2010

CORPORATE STRATEGIES TARGETED AT POTENTIAL BLACKMAILERS

Who is a potential blackmailer in modern corporate India? Let us understand what is meant by a potential blackmailer or the blackmailer in the corporate world and many of them especially new ones have to face this proplem. In times of crisis or when the organization grows it hires some specialist as a consultant or even elevates one of the brightest or experienced of the available manager within the company. It has to be kept in mind that normally the promoters here are either in crisis or are in need of growth to expand or use their capital in some profitable and scalable venture. Now since this consultant or the experienced employee has so much knowledge or you seek advise from him so often that that he thinks that he himself is the boss and company will run as per his whims and fancies. The promoter starts to divulge his vital negative points to him. Now the potential blackmailer carefully stores these sensitive information about the promoter in his hard disc. The promoter, on his part further complicates the problem by seeking advise from him in each and every decision and seeking advise even from those subject for which he is not a specialist as he has established the trust in the mind of the promoters and the promoters are too impressed with his logic. Now often he starts showing tantrums or unreasonable demands, sometimes may classify as blackmail. Not only that, some are so smart that using the sensitive informations they themselves complain his employer to the government departments about secret dealings or lapses made on the part of the company leading to evasion of taxes and duties. On the basis of these informations often government departments in India conducts raids. This problem is faced by many corporates and sometimes the problem is very acute. It is well known fact that there are insiders in all companies and govt departments have to depend on these insiders to get more report about particular companies before organizing raids. Now what is the remedy or a solution? Actually there is no one solution but a combination of many strategies which should be applied on the potential blackmailers so that he is ultimately stifled and apprehended. Some are very astute and may need combination of may strategies and some are weak and can succumb easily. OK. Lets start.

Today is the age of technology. Every move and every step of an enemy/competitor is analysed and monitored and discussed. Never underestimate a competitor or any enemy. And especially when a person as lethal as potential blackmailer whose minds work in four tracks. But war is a war and sometime, its inevitable, for the larger interest of the society/company/mankind/ and you have to fight it. Remember the Mahabharata war which was fought between the brothers or the partition of India which was one of the worst human tragedies in the centuries. Do remember that some dangers and pitfalls will be there and you cannot help it, but still you have to pursue it and try to attain your goals with minimum losses. The point is how you do it with minimum casualties and how fast or slow and at what cost? In short, strengthen your defenses as strong as possible and corner your enemy so that he becomes irrelevant and falls by the sidelines.

Strategy came out of military so it’s a war game. But still two very different games are also played which are not wars but are played in the spirit of a war. One is a slow game- CHESS, and the other one is played fast and in all of One and half hours everything is over- FOOTBALL. Both are equally competitive but the one is slow, played by two people, watched by a fewer people and not played by everyone, so it is not popular. The other one is fast, played for short time, cheaper game, played in open ground and by common people also and also many can watch it and enjoy it, so it is most popular game in the world. But there is no denying the fact that all these are mind games and are played when problem such as this one is confronted. Here not one strategy will apply, but a combination of many strategies simultaneously has to be applied for best and fast results. There has to a combination of both – ATTACKING as well as DEFENSIVE strategy. The goals are clear, the results are known, I present some of the strategies which I think are possible and it is upto the promoters to decide how it proceeds it, because it is ultimately the management which has to implement it and decide how and when to do it. This is such an art which cannot be taught in any schools. Tools can be taught and presented in schools but application-how to do it- cannot be taught. Howsoever best of strategies you have, if you cannot implement it, its of no use. Let us analyse some of them:

1. Encircling: Do not approach him directly, move slowly and slowly around the target so that it is not noticed and ultimately encircle him. Once inside the circle, even Abhimanyu could not do anything and had to be killed.

2. Enemy’s enemy is your friend: Try to find out who is the enemy of the target and make friend with him and plan the efforts with him jointly.

3. No one is permanent friend or enemy: In politics and in war no one is a permanent friend or enemy. Enemy or friend becomes or leaves as per the convenience, importance , interest of the person.

4. Power snatching: Try to snatch as much power, subject from the target. Discuss less and less matter with him. Sometimes IAS offices are put in shunting posts just to make him immobile and is kept in advisory role with no direct executive role.

5. Restrict the subjects: Restrict him to limited subjects- LEGAL/ FINANCE/ACCOUNTS/COMMERCIAL, those subjects you think he has his mastery. Do not discuss any other subjects with him. This is the strategy to continue to use his advise, experience, drafting, knowledge, try to exploit all his relations, try to get maximum mileage and credit out of his relations and references.

6. Love him more and more: In short, excess of sugar leads to diabetes. Shower so much love and affection and regards to him that he is overwhelmed and everytime his eyes are moist. He drowns himself and dies in a sea of love and affection. Give him as much as possible comfort. Whenever a subject is given to him make sure that there is a subordinate who is more than eager to request him to be able to help him complete the job assigned. This way the target gets immobile and starts accumulating fat around him.

7. Put pressure from his acquaintances: There are some people in anyone’s life in front of whom anyone bend on their knees out of respect, awe, age, love, inspiration, faith, fear, knowledge, childhood admiration, etc. There are also some people in front of whom you lay low to respect your dignity. Try to find out those people and put pressure on him of any form. If possible, go to his native place. Sometimes the respected people have to listen to the Sarpanch of his native village so that his hookka-paani is not banned.

8. Find a substitute: Try to find a good substitute, if not one substitute, make four in four subjects who can argue with him in four separate subjects.

9. Deputation: For a man as shrewd as him, it is not possible to keep him out from the place of action, that is, say, Mumbai. You can keep him out for sometime, say for a week in Goa, XYZ, Delhi, etc, etc, but you cannot keep him there permanently. So it is better to send him for deputation, rather, tell him that you please train the company team at XYZ place for one week. Start and continue with this exercise at newer and newer places and newer and newer subjects.

10. Separate cabin: Keep him in a separate small cabin Sometimes when a person who is used to get surrounded by your loved ones, business associates, subordinates, darbaris, and who feels like he is a king in a big hall, when left alone, their mind do not work fast, seek dependents, is fearful of aloofness, is fearful of closed spaces and starts getting disturbed and try to find ways to get out or initiate troubles.

11. Pestering: Start asking him what will be the benefit of a particular move taken by him, or the result of the last decision taken on his advise or the benefit the particular move will yield to the company or question the importance of such move or say that you will not follow this move, or question the very legality or importance of such move, or dispute the result of such moves or invite comment from other people on the particular step or encourage questioning or pinpointing by other people on the particular step. This will keep him busy and frustrated and replying and irritating and he will start not taking any decision. This pestering will make your job of power snatching much easier.

12. Guerilla warfare: Bombay is the land of Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji was a master in guerilla warfare and inflicted huge casualties in Aurangzeb’s army and at one time became his enemy number one. Guerilla war is not general fight in the open. Here the person is in hiding waits with his weapons and army and when he sees the opportune moment when the enemy is near or lazy or sleepy or not fully prepared he attacks with full force in a surprise and inflicts heavy casualties. The only most important requirement for this is that the person would be capable to act at a lightening speed, complete the job and run away with debris scattered all over.

13. Baits and traps: History is replete with examples how army officers succumbed to beautiful women, wine and money, food and divulge secret informations to the opponent. Baits are laid around the opponent, is lead and sweetly trapped inside the traps laid down. Induce him to do mistake unknowingly and let him fall in his own created net or you create net for him.

14. Espionage: More and more companies are using security agencies to keep an eye on moves and activities of their employees and competing companies/people. They are also using new modern bugging and spying and sting operations to get into the enemy’s area. Some are using MMS or mobile cameras to great effect in monitoring the moves of competitors.

15. Register cases: If you have solid evidences and proofs then go ahead and register a case against the potential blackmailer and if possible more than one case and scattered in different courts all over India by different people, so that he is busy in just attending courts. For that you have to induce and make friends his past enemies or victims or workers or unionists who have been bitten by him in the past. Pat on their back and they will reveal everything and help you in everyway. Help him in registering cases and hiring lawyers.

16. Find more about his cases: Try to find out if there are any cases going on against him and get as much information about the matters, meet the lawyers, keep them in good spirit, arrange meeting with them, expedite the hearing on such matters, get copy of their cases from court and learn the judgements.

17. Regularly keep one of his key associates in good spirits: Try to get as far as possible information about his past, his future plans, his future game plans and try to get into his mind to find out what is going on in the mind of the opponent. Continue keeping this key associate in good spirits. If you have to fight an enemy, who will be the best person than the one who has been in the past and continues with him in the future.

18. Fear Psychosis: With sudden action/notices/slappings create fear in his mind. Bombardment with many slaps will unsettle the person immediately and will be stunned for sometime.During that time you strengthen your defense even further and try to weaken him further and further and let him run for cover. This itself will deter him to try and harm you or even think about harming you. It is often said that “Darr se bade bade bhoot bhagte hain”. Police uses it in full effect to silence the criminals, rapists, troublesome people, people who take law in their hands, corrupt people, frauds, etc, etc,

19. Mediation: If you can’t win them, join them. This is the strategy in short. This normally helps when you are a small businessman but you have a bigger competitor against you then logic says that you make friend with him, reach into some sort of agreement try to find out what are the extra aspirations of the potential blackmailer, so that both prosper simultaneously.

20. Weeknesses: Some people have weaknesses which are expensive, like wines, gambling, stock markets, rummy, horse racing, casinos, etc, and loves talking about them for hours. Induce him more to these mistakes and keep him busy to pursue these hobbies. Not updating himself will anyway make him less lethal.

21. Instigate quarrel with his own ones: Use his son, daughter, wife, son, father, villagers, uncles cousins, brothers and instigate quarrel with him. This will keep him emotionally and mentally preoccupied.

22. You can choose your friend your enemy but cannot choose your neighbour: A man howsoever destructive he may me, is always nice and good in appearance and behaviour in his society, with his neighbours, secretary/ chairman/managing committee, etc, etc. Instigate them to create trouble to him and keep him occupied in fighting with small people or small groups and you strengthen your defences.

23. For the sake of dignity: Sometimes for the sake of dignity, pagdi, a person tolerate noises, comments, tries to pacify him, etc, etc, Instigate such peoples, the goal is to keep him preoccupied in small matters.

24. Prepare competitors: Encourage his competitors in all departments so that there is always one to question or dispute or debate or discuss his particular decision. Engage these persons to always argue with him on all his subjects or find fault in all his points. This constant questioning and pinpointing will be enough to unsettle him and show him the right place as well as it makes sure that he does not play his cards as well as he would have thought.

25. Control ration: Remember the Birbal and dog story, to straighten the dog’s tail Birbal used the same strategy to keep the dog hungry for one month and when it asked for food gave him big stick blows. The result, it became very obedient and did whatever was asked to do, even his tail was straight! Simply because he did not have enough strength left in him to walk, leave alone lift his tail. The lesson: such destructive people should be left to their own and penniless and chances are there that they will do whatever you want and their destructive brains will be controlled.

26. Some football techniques:

· Italian technique: Italians are rock solid in defense and do not allow the opponent to score. Any move the opponent makes they strangle it either by blocking, slowing down the game, man to man marking, fouls, putting two or three defense people to mark their best player, playing ball between themselves, etc, etc. In short frustrate all the attacks. To an outsider it may seem that they are killing the game and wasting time. But it is a clever move to frustrate and test the patience of your opponent. They play inside their half lines and their forwards are also backwards. Once they find that the opponent defense has moved far into its territory in its attacking moves and defence is seeming weak they launch fierce counter-attack. The counterattack is very fast. The forwards ram into the opponent territory with lightening speed using the flanks and score goals, keeping the goalkeepers helpless and the other players clueless.

· South American technique: South Americans believe more in the individual skills and their players are very flamboyant and they attach with great speed and dribble and by the dint of individual brilliance in the attack strategy, score goals. The problem with this technique is that the defense is not strong. Here attack is the best form of defense.

· Messmerise your opponent: In yet another strategy players play in between themselves with maximum ball possession and dribbling and again playing and controlling the ball between themselves. This messmerises the opponent and they are frustrated in not getting the ball and their shoulders start falling. This is the time the opponent sense chance and they take advantage of loss in self confidence and attack and score goals.

· Heavy marking: European teams usually apply this technique on star players or main players of rival team by keeping strict marking on them and make sure that the supply lines are choked so that the ball do not reach him and even if it reaches him he cannot supply it to the desired player and so their strategy goes haywire. As the main player is heavily marked the opponent starts losing confidence, committing mistakes and concedes goals.

· Foul playing: This is one more strategy the European countries applies on star players. They regularly commit foul on the star player. Its not that only one player does it, but at least four or five defenders regularly commit small or big fouls on the star player in regular intervals. This breaks the rhythm of the star player, always falls down so he is injured, gets frustrated and angry, shouts on players and even refree, starts making mistakes and wrong moves and the opponent gets chance to sideline him and use other players to score goal against the star team.

27. Let him come under your hand: If by any chance the opponent comes under your clutches either by way of his goods, credits, his friend’s or referred people goods or credits, money, guarantees, property, mortgages, secret papers, weak points, then you can dictate terms with him.

28. Deterrence: India regularly says that it has developed nuclear weapons not to attack any country but to stop or “deter” any country to attack India. This is called “nuclear deterrence theory”, and it has become a fashion to say that their country’s nuclear programme is for deterrence. A rouge state like Pakistan also says so. It means, you have developed something or you have something or you are so strong which the opponent knows that if it tries to attack the reaction will be equally detrimental for it.

29. Self Confidence: On top of it if you have the self confidence that you can fight and win then half the battle is already won. The war games are war games and one who wins minds wins the war. The self confidence helps you in keeping your team in good spirit, motivated and the opponent thinks twice to make a move and the oozing confidence in the opponent says to him that it is not the time for him to attack but to lay low. Once the opponent lay low, you further increase your defences and plan your moves and further weaken the opponent.

Conclusion: There can be other strategies also which may be applied. At present these are more than a handful and some more can be added later on. The main stress should be not only on the strategy formulation but the implementation, how you do it, which one to apply for how much time, which one to discontinue, which one not to be applied. This is necessary because there are different situations for different company and same strategy which is applicable for one company cannot be applicable for another one. So the application should be customized company wise. Ultimately it’s the person at the helm of affairs who will be responsible and how much risk he will take to ensure the success or failure of any strategy.