World’s number one social media company is trialing a new social network for the workplace, which would pit it against enterprise-savvy competitors such as Microsoft and LinkedIn. But Will “Facebook at Work” work, or is it too late to the office?

Psst. Yes, you. You use Facebook at work, don’t you? Whether it is for that quick birthday wish or to trawl your friends’ timelines unendingly on a Tuesday afternoon, Facebook is as much a part of the workplace as Word and PowerPoint. Yet, most folks wouldn’t want to be caught at work with Facebook open on their computers.

But this may change soon. Facebook is trialing a new social network for the workplace, called “Facebook at Work”, which would pit it against enterprise-savvy competitors such as Microsoft and LinkedIn, in a bid to monopolise more of your work time online. And, possibly, legitimise what you already do anyway: spend all your time at work on Facebook! Will “Facebook at Work” work, or is it too late to the office?

BUT, I ALREADY FB AT WORK…

Yes, you do, so maybe a quick primer on “Facebook at Work” is in order. The new portal, launched recently to a clutch of trial partners ahead of its full-blown launch later this year, works pretty much like the regular Facebook you’re used to, except you use it to connect with colleagues (who may or may not be friends). According to Facebook’s description of the service: “Facebook at Work lets you create a work account that is separate from your personal Facebook account. With a Facebook at Work account, you can use Facebook tools to interact with co-workers. Things you share using your work account will only be visible to other people at your company.”

What does this mean for you, as business owners and employees? First, you login with your usual FB username and password, easing the business past the first barrier for adoption — a new credential. The interface will be already familiar to the staff, but without the normal distractions associated with the network. It’ll run a different colour scheme, so it’s clear to over-shoulder-peeping-bosses that while you’re on Facebook, you’re still working! Second, almost all controls lie in the hands of the business owner — name, job titles and contact information are provided by the employer, and associated to individual user accounts.

Users can personalise their profile with pictures and other information. From there on, the “Work” component of your FB profile works within an exclusive network, visible only to your co-workers. Next, access will be via desktop sites or Android/iOS apps, but only if your business/employer has requested for access to the “Facebook at Work” programme. The endgame, of course, is to foster collaboration between the office, and so sharing (photos, videos and other files), messaging, events and engaging in discussions will be central to the experience. Plus, there will be additional tools for managers to review progress, view collaborative activities and so on.

SO, WILL IT WORK?

It just might, if Facebook leverages some of the strengths inherent to the brand. Without a doubt, Facebook is where the world already is, including many (if not all) employees of businesses, considering the programme. The user experience, of using activity streams and news feedbacks and engaging in groups, is already familiar, which saves employers time and money in training and onboarding costs. Mobile use of Facebook via smartphones and tablets is already prevalent, so Facebook at Work would lend itself well to organisations that need employees to have anywhere/anytime to their collaboration capabilities. The Groups feature, in particular, could replace endless back and forth of email with more immediate messaging capabilities.

If you really start to think about it, the potential for the program is immense. It could start with smaller use cases, such as polls/surveys, internal communications and virtual meetings, and extend to activities that involve alumni, partners and contractors. With the massive ecosystem of developers who already know Facebook’s API (Application Program Interface, a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications), extending your business’ Facebook at Work experience to bring in add-on tools for your other enterprise applications, be it from SAP/Salesforce/Oracle, isn’t an altogether distant possibility either.

And best of all, the service is going to be subscription-based for businesses, so there’ll be no ads to support the service. Yep, no borderline-embarrassing ads for lingerie when you’re in the middle of work (I’m looking at you, Facebook!)

SOUNDS INTERESTING, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

The road to enterprise dominance is different from the consumer landscape. As their peers at firms such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft can attest, being a giant player with a history of past wins is no guarantee of dominance in a new playing field. Enterprise software is not consumer software, and the requirements of businesses are vastly different from that of individuals, even if the same folks end up using FB’s consumer and enterprise offerings. Enterprise software needs a strong focus on compliance, auditing and security, and Facebook will have to show it’s up to the task before businesses trust it for work.

I mean, it’s one thing sharing cat photos or those from your last weekend escapades, but when Facebook goes down, your life doesn’t come to a grinding halt, does it? Okay, maybe it does a little bit, but there’s no business impact, right? With Facebook at Work, it will, so availability and accessibility will be critical before Facebook makes the pitches to CIOs-at-large.

Remember, this doesn’t even begin to address the elephant in the room — Facebook and its dubious track record on privacy. Whether you side with the social giant on this or not, most people have their concerns about what Facebook does with their information, and the company has a less-than-stellar reputation for making the privacy of its users a high priority. Now, while your corporate and individual accounts are kept cleanly separate when you’re using Facebook at Work, Facebook has an uphill task of convincing organisations that their sensitive and confidential company data will be safe on Facebook’s servers. Imagine the horror if employees accidentally posted something externally that they thought was being posted on the “internal Facebook” (and vice versa, from the employee’s perspective).

There are other issues, such as Facebook’s one-size-fits-all approach to all industries, which doesn’t cater to specific needs of the industries such as healthcare or financial services, and may probably cause enough friction for FB to be left out of the consideration set when enterprises in these sectors make IT collaboration decisions. And it’s not like there are no options — plenty, in fact — which could make companies already using other tools such as Slack, Evernote, Yammer or Trello reluctant to add or switch to Facebook’s offering.

The idea seems to begin the cooperation in co-development and co-production somewhere, and to ramp put the efforts towards bettering these technologies, for use by both their respective armed forces and for export market

THEATRICS RULED when Barack Obama visited New Delhi this January to become the first American President Chief Guest at India's Republic Day parade. The bonhomie and the camaraderie between Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the talk of the town.

However, away from all the shutterbugs and the limelight, little business seems to have been done between the two leaders. The world today watches these two leaders expectantly to provide leadership and evolve solutions to global challenges.

If the two nations have to perform their destined roles in tackling global challenges as a team, it becomes imperative for them to move forward on all aspects of their bilateral relations first.

In the days since that visit, described by many as historic for the simple reason that Obama accepted the invitation within a short period of time, the details of the two leaders’ discussions are emerging.

If there is one aspect of the bilateral ties that is seen to have made some progress and forward movement, prospectively, so to speak, it is in the defence sector.

The nuclear ties between the two nations seem not to have taken off, although there were some positive noises that emerged soon after the meeting Modi had with Obama. Modi himself had said that the 2008 agreement was moving towards commercial cooperation.

But, just a fortnight later, came word that India’s liability laws that stifled the bilateral nuclear ties — the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act or the Rules — will not be amended, thereby holding that the American firms would still be liable to be sued for claims in case of a nuclear accident at plants to which they have delivered equipment.

That, in a way, has limited the possibility of the nuclear agreement moving ahead into the commercial cooperation phase that Modi forecast.

That has left the defence sector to carry the weight of the Indo-US ties to the next level.

The two nations had taken baby steps, just ahead of the Obama visit, in agreeing to work together on four pathfinder military technologies under the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), though the assessment is that these are lowend technologies.

However, the idea seems to begin the cooperation in codevelopment and co-production somewhere, even if it is not that high-end, and to ramp up the efforts towards bettering these technologies, for use by both their respective armed forces and for the export market.

The four pathfinder technologies chosen are:

People like Arunima Sinha, who rise over adversity to shine even brighter, emerge even stronger, are an inspiration for us all and embody the never-say-die human spirit, says SD Thapliyal

Life is never easy. Ask Arunima Sinha, former national level volleyball player, who was pushed out of a running train by thieves in 2011 while resisting them. She sustained serious leg and pelvic injuries, and to save her life, doctors had to amputate her left leg.

Cut to May 21, 2013, when Sinha summited Mount Everest, becoming the first female amputee to climb the world’s highest mountain. A perfect example of turning scars into stars.

Yes, the 27-year-old lost her leg.But she didn’t lose her heart. Sinha decided that she would live her life with dignity and self-respect so that people don’t look at her with pity. Her lost leg could not restrict her to the wheelchair and she took a giant leap to climb Mount Everest. Legs can help someone climb mountains but it really works when you have the courage to attempt it – and what a brave heart she is.

Sinha turned her artificial leg into her strength and stubbornly chose the most difficult sport for herself.

That speeding train

Sinha was born in Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh in a lower-middle class family. She had qualified for the post of head constable in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She had boarded the train from Lucknow to Delhi, where she was to attend a sports workshop. Then some hoodlums attempted to snatch her bag and chain. Recounting the incident, she says, “I resisted them and they pushed me out of the train. I could not even move. I remember seeing a train coming towards me. I tried getting up. By then, the train had run over my leg. I don’t remember anything after that.”

The train on a parallel track crushed her leg below the knee. She was rushed to the hospital with serious leg and pelvic injuries, and lost her leg after doctors amputated it to save her life.

Her nightmare was not over, however. The period after that meant a series of humiliating instances; she was offered a compensation of Rs 25,000 by the Indian Sports Ministry, which had instigated national outrage.The then Sports Minister Ajay Maken announced an additional compensation of Rs 2,00,000 lakh as medical relief, together with a recommendation for a job in the CISF. Indian Railways offered her a job as well. Later she was brought to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for further treatment where she spent four months recovering. She was also provided a prosthetic leg free of cost by a private Delhi-based Indian company.

“I was in trauma and later I got to know that an inquiry by the police into the incident considered my version of the accident with doubt. According to the police, I was either attempting suicide or met with an accident while crossing the railway tracks,” she recounts. However, contrary to the police claims, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court ordered Indian Railways to pay a compensation of Rs 5,00,000 to Sinha. “I went to the court not for money, but for my respect. I was hurt physically, mentally and the behaviour and insensitivity of the police made it even worse. The Sports Authority of India was not even ready to acknowledge that I was a national level player,” says Sinha, her voice cracking a little.

She was asked to produce the certificate that could prove that she was a national player. “Has the SAI not maintained any records?” she questions, adding, “They were asking a bed-ridden athlete to produce her certificate to prove that she was a national player. Is this the way to treat athletes?”

Life ahead

She shares how it was shattering to hear such remarks about herself, but at the same time she decided that she would do something remarkable. “While I lay in the hospital bed, it struck me that I would climb Mount Everest. I was inspired by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who has successfully battled cancer. I had lost everything – which meant I had to find it all again,” she says. Soon after Sinha got discharged from the hospital,she joined a mountaineering course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, and was encouraged by her elder brother Omprakash to try and summit the formidable mountain with a prosthetic leg. He contacted Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest, in 2011 and signed up for training under her at the Uttarkashi camp of the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) in 2012.

Under her guidance, she started her expedition. After a hard toil of 17 hours, Sinha reached the summit on 21 May 2013, as part of the Tata Group-sponsored Eco Everest Expedition, becoming the first female amputee to scale the mountain. It had taken her 52 days to complete the expedition.

From the top of the world

“Standing on the top of the world, I had finally turned my weakness into a winning force. Bachendri Pal had trained me for over a year and proved to be a great support in achieving my goal. I have also conquered Mt Elburs of Russia and Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania.

Sinha’s mission now is to conquer the rest of the four summits to become the first female amputee and the first Indian amputee to conquer all the seven summit of the world.

“I want to dedicate my achievements to those who lose hope, so that they never lose heart and achieve their dreams. By conquering all the seven summits I will prove that physical disability can never be a hindrance in achieving your life's goal if you have mental strength, strong will power and firm determination,” she feels.

Giving back

Sinha is also planning to open a sports academy for the poor and physically challenged children. For this purpose, she has already bought a piece of land in Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh. She says, “I want to offer training to them in sports and make them realise they too have potential to become achievers in life and become self-independent. Our academy will identify and train physically-challenged people and encourage their participation in national and international events.” The academy “Chandra Shekhar Azad Viklaang Khel Academy” will help them in their physical and social development.

No sympathy, please

“I was shattered after the train incident. Just a day before that, I was an independent young woman and now I was dependent on others for support. Visitors who came to see me at the hospital showed sympathy. It was then that I decided to do something to inspire others,” said Sinha. She adds how her family’s support gave her immense confidence.

Any regrets about the train incident? Would she resist the thieves again? “I will fight for my right and what I believe to be mine. Middle-class people have a right to live their lives with dignity. I have nothing to fear. Having said that however, I do regret one thing; if people who were in the train would have helped me, I could have averted that incident. I guess it was my destiny.”

For some, the reasons for AAP’s win are as assuring as the party’s win in the Delhi Assembly elections. For others, the 70-point action plan by the AAP seems dubious at best, and virtually impossible to achieve. Who is right?

NAVIN PANGTI // Bharat Ratna Lok Nayak Jayprakash Narayan called for Total Revolution in Bihar in the 1970s. JP, a disciple of Gandhi, was a social worker and freedom fighter. He was well-educated, having studied at universities like Berkeley and Iowa, and was influenced by socialist thoughts. He was also a Magsaysay awardee. The “revolution” that he led was driven by students — it was anti-Congress and saw the first non-Congress government at the Centre. But the revolution never took off. What remains of it are leaders such as Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sushil Kumar Modi and Ram Vilas Paswan.

Almost four decades later, the same Ramlila Maidan where JP once roared in front of a hundred thousand people, saw India against Corruption take birth. Like the Bihar movement, this was also India against Congress. Apart from students, this movement saw huge participation from working professionals and people from all walks of life. The subsequent turn of events suggest that it was a strategically designed movement, skilfully raising questions that only a certain political party could answer. The matrix was well laid but then some people decided to break the code. What emerged was a new political voice — an undesired outcome that was rubbished by many.

But the voice was here to stay. It made some initial breakthroughs, stumbled, fell and then rose again to tease the older political class. Instead of merely raising questions, this new political voice also uttered answers, which were not just political statements but action items, although some of them did sound utopian. But even if it is utopia, Delhi at least has a dream. It hopes to be free of petty corruption. It hopes to be peaceful. And the whole country is curiously watching it “change”.

Will the Aam Admi Party be able to deliver the promises it has made, or will it also end up creating mainstream politicians of tomorrow? I guess some loudmouths with the gift of gab may metamorphose into billboards of mainstream parties, but most of them may hang around to help realise the dreams. After all, Delhi is just a testing arena. The whole country, sick of corruption and petty politics, is eagerly waiting for positive changes that go beyond the rhetoric. Who does not want a peaceful neighbourhood, an honest playing field, equity and social harmony, efficient public services and so on? Even if the AAP is able to free Delhi from petty corruption, it will be a huge statement in itself. It will be welcomed with open arms across the nation.

But then, corruption runs deep. What we experience, as common folks, is just the tip of a giant iceberg. How will AAP uninstall the giant you-scratch-my-backand- I-will-scratch-yours nexus of politics, crime and industry? If this nexus of convenience is not broken, the AAP will be nothing more than a tough headmistress of a school filled with rowdy students who are well behaved only when she is there.

Decoding this part of matrix is going to be tough. And dangerous too!

A decentralised India, the swaraj that the AAP talks about is possible only when the mohalla sabhas of Delhi and gram sabhas across India find their relevance in the democratic landscape. Moreover, in the absence of big money to fight elections, the AAP needs these interventions. Empowering these institutions means empowering people. It also means redefining the set notions of development and growth.

Development, as we understand today, has a cost — environmental and human. The current system shuts its eyes towards those who have to pay the price for the socalled development. The voices coming from the AAP suggest that it wants to ensure that no one has to bear the brunt of development. Various voices of dissent that have been fighting for social equity are now part of the AAP. Some others are sitting on the fence, while many are watching curiously from a distance. AAP cannot afford to be Delhi-centric on this delicate issue. It needs to have a holistic voice with pan-India relevance.

What this means is that the AAP will have to act in a way that proves that Delhi is not the “purpose” of India but a speck in the landscape that defines India. What this also means is that Delhi will have to learn how to sacrifice. It can get free water but cannot waste it. It can get cheap power but cannot blow it. The AAP will have to also play a role in changing the mindset of its own constituency to remain viable in Delhi as well as India. They have raised the bar so they have no option but to take the leap. An honest Delhi in corrupt India does not make sense. An honest and equitable India is the only viable proposition for which AAP can work and exist. All the other seats are already taken!

VIKAS CHHABRA // The Aam Aadmi Party’s win is Delhi is not the outcome of some utopian dream come true. AAP mostly won on the basis of freebies and the promise of ending corruption. Unfortunately for the people, they didn’t understand what Arvind Kejriwal was actually promising. For instance, the party put big hoardings all over Delhi promising free Wi-Fi. No one questioned what it means.

Immediately after they won 67 out of 70 seats, the party says, it is not “free Wi-Fi”, it is “freely available Wi-Fi”. In a way this is a betrayal of promise to the people of Delhi. The party’s main points were that it will supply free water and subsidised power. Let’s talk about water, which is considered to be a moot point in the party’s manifesto. The two points to consider here are – does everyone get water, and what is the cost of this? There are so many places in Delhi that don’t get pipe water. In such places, a tanker comes and supplies water. The household that does not have a meter does not get pipe water and the question of supplying that household 20,000 litres just can’t be done since you can’t measure it.

Two, they have also said, it will be free upto 20,000 litres and after that the person will have to pay. The percentage of houses that have a meter and use less than 20,000 litres of water make for not more than 5 per cent, who will benefit from this. And who are the people who stand to lose? It’s those who live in places where there is no pipe water. Other households get some kind of subsidy on water, which will stop if they use more than 20,000 litres. But will this extra Rs 200 on the bill really matter for Delhi, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world?

But the way AAP went about town saying we will do this and that had people influenced. But the truth will come out in the next three to four months. People had so many expectations from Narendra Modi. They went to the extent of saying that he will win all elections from now on – even those in 2019. And now they have shown him in Delhi that they weren’t too happy and chose Kejriwal. With the latter, the bar of people’s hopes has risen and there are huge expectations from him. And if things don’t get better… Summer is approaching, and you will see the water crunch in Delhi and it is be Kejriwal’s test then.

The BJP has no strategy for Delhi either. They just have to wait and watch and, in the meantime, try to serve the people in their constituency and also try to influence others. So it is all up to Kejriwal. If he doesn’t deliver, people will take to the streets.

I believe the kind of expectations he has raised in people are virtually impossible to meet. Corruption can’t be eradicated. It might be curtailed to an extent but you will have to change the entire system to put an end to it; it can’t happen overnight. And that is what Kejriwal is promising.

It has happened to him earlier as well, when he resigned. He had promised free water. The places where water goes by tanker questioned how they will get 20,000 litres. The public also gave the local MLAs a piece of its mind. The party soon realised that the demand for water is only going to increase in the coming months of April and May. To save face, the party decided to resign and ask for votes on the basis of whatever work they had done until now. The strategy didn’t work.

Now, after going back on its word about free Wi-Fi, the party now wants a coal mine to meet Delhi’s power needs. It’s also ironic how the party is against land acquisition — how can you open new schools if you are against land acquisition. And can you imagine the amount of land you need to set up a power plant? Not to forget the pollution in Delhi — a coal plant will make it worse and a gas power plant is going to be extremely costly. So the cost of the electricity generated will be more and people will have to pay more, too. These are questions that people are asking and no one is answering them.

They have promised lakhs of jobs. But if they are going to give all the money they have in subsidies, how will they generate employment opportunities? I am at a loss to understand how people bought these promises.

Have you also noticed how the AAP has disappeared from media – there are no AAP members giving any interviews or bytes, no party spokesperson talking to the media? Why? Because people will have questions to ask. Do they have answers?

Senior officers in the armed forces believe they are testing waters for a gradual permeation of womanhood in the all-male bailiwick and echelons of policy-making positions. But it is not their business to decide this issue

IN THE EVENTS leading to the Republic Day Parade, it was not only the Guard of Honour presented to the President of USA that had made wholesome news. That a young woman Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force had smartly and flawlessly commanded this inter-services guard was a matter of national pride.

Yes, Wing Commander Pooja Thakur of the administration branch of the Indian Air Force had achieved this feat, of her own admission, with merely three days of preparation. She had led a body of men of the Indian Armed Forces through a regimen of military drill with perfect syncopation. That is the role officers are expected to perform either at the drill square or in military operations.

Only a few days later, however, the whole symbolism of leadership roles, not only for women, but for the whole Officer Corps of the Indian Armed Forces came crashing down when 144 young women officers each of the Army, Navy and the Air Force were herded in separate all women officer contingents, to march down the Rajpath during the Republic Day Parade 2015.

Like good officers they had worked hard and obeyed orders. One was at a loss nevertheless, to understand what the regime at the Centre was attempting to prove, having decided at the highest level to make officers of the Indian Armed Forces, albeit women officers, march en-masse.

The rumour mills in the South Block want the whole charade to be viewed as one of “empowering women”, without even an iota of the distinction that in the armed forces officers, both men and women, lead a body of other ranks, also men and women, in war and in peace. This role-playing is deeply unmeshed in the evolution of the forces and is the edifice of the fighting machine. Therefore, the very process of purported empowerment went on to dilute the stature the women officers enjoyed. Privately, many women officers had claimed that they were being “shown off” on the whims of the political masters. This was stark commoditisation.

Astonishingly, no Republic Day Parade in the past had ever seen so many officers on parade in one go. With as many as 450 officers away for a month-and-a-half from their jobs, for which they were commissioned and inducted into their service, Commanding Officers must surely be pulling their hair. Those in the Indian Navy, which is composed of the smallest officer cadres amongst the three services, would have felt a severe pinch. But if the shortages on the other hand could be endured with a smile, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) would be compelled to advise doing away with these 450 Officer posts.

On the face of it, the induction of women in security forces has pursued a mixed practice. Women medical officers and officers of the military nursing service, by far the oldest established institutions in the armed forces medial services, have set a fine tradition. The Army Medical Corps consciously pursued a non-partisan approach towards its women officers. It was to ensure a fair playing field for both genders.

Women and men in the medical field shared a balanced relationship, free from gender biases. The gender intermeshing was a well-tempered amalgam. They never dithered from tenure on a warship or to serve in UN missions. Women officers have never been discriminated against for promotions. There are several instances of their rise. In 1986, Maj Gen (Mrs) Nirmal Ahuja became the first lady officer to rise to a two star status. Lt Gen and later Surg V Adm (Mrs) Punita Arora and Air Marshal (Mrs) Padmavati Bandopadyay, wore the three star ranks in 2004. They headed the Navy and Air Force medical services, respectively.

Lady medical personnel served in field hospitals at Kargil and Dras with felicity and competence, accompanied Corps and Divisions on exercises as a part of its routine complement, and experienced desert warfare.

There are legends of achievement in Lt Col Shobana Das, who had scaled Mt Everest, and late Wing Commander Geeta Ghosh (nee Chanda), country’s first woman medical military paratrooper in the late 1950s.

In the current scheme of things, women in the army, navy and the air force join only in the officer ranks. But the nature of their employment seemingly foists a second-grade citizen status. The most appalling admission would be that in order to sustain their continuity in the services, they had to willy-nilly seek relief from the courts of law. The impression one gathers is that there is great reluctance to allow them to enter the portals of active service functions. Even though there are productive areas for their useful employment beyond these realms, too.

One can see many. In the air force, for instance, they operate transport and helicopter aircraft as full-fledged aircrew but the Indian Navy finds them suitable to operate only as observers (navigators) on their Dornier Aircraft. The Army Aviation Corps does not have women aircrews for reasons best known to them. In the aviation wings of both the air force and the navy, there are roles for navigators and system operators on board Maritime and AWACS aircraft, which do not go to women aircrew at all, although they would otherwise be quite competent in similar activities on other flying platforms.

Air Defence and Air Traffic Control are activities assigned to them but their grouse is that this freedom to perform is available only up to a point and not beyond, because appointments to senior and managerial positions do not come their way.

Seniors officers in the armed forces believe they are testing the waters for a gradual permeation of womanhood in the all-male bailiwick and certainly upward echelons of policy-making positions. Truly, it is not their business to decide this issue, especially when this is a denial of a level playing field to women officers; who, perhaps, will come out performing better than their male counterparts.

L’Oréal’s CSR programmes in India focus on young women becoming self-reliant and economically independent, while also giving them a chance to make a mark for themselves in the field of science

Not only do this famous line — Because I am worth it — make sense for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan or Sonam Kapoor when they say it onscreen, it also holds significance for numerous women who have benefitted from L’Oréal’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

A worldwide leader in beauty, L’Oréal is known for its cosmetics (with global brands such as Garnier, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Kerastase, Kiehl’s, Lancôme, L’Oréal Paris, Matrix, Maybelline New York and Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, to name a few), and for innovation and scientific excellence. Through this leadership, however, comes the responsibility to give back to society.

Since women have always been the centre for L’Oréal’s business both globally and in India, giving back to this section of society is what holds priority in the company’s CSR initiatives. In case of India, L’Oreal has combined its core foundation of education and research with its social initiative towards upliftment of underprivileged women and girls by educating them and providing livelihood training.

At present, under its India’s CSR initiative, L’Oréal runs two programmes — “Beautiful Beginnings”, and “For Young Women in Science scholarship”, which are unique to the Indian market. According to Dinesh Dayal, COO, L’Oréal India, since a majority of L’Oréal’s customers are women and the company employs a high percentage of women, the two main CSR programmes are directly reflective of this vision. These initiatives are spread across metros, tier-I and tier-II cities.

While Beautiful Beginnings provides beauty training to underprivileged women; the Young Women in Science gives full scholarships to underprivileged girls for a curriculum in science in junior colleges.

“These initiatives not only help these women with social inclusion and cross economic barriers, but also help women become self-reliant, confident people in the future,” he says.

Beautiful Beginnings

This was started in 2009 to commemorate the centenary celebrations of L’Oréal. The beauty industry is a high growth sector and there is always a demand for trained professionals. The programme’s objective has been to create livelihood opportunities by providing beautician training to young women from disadvantaged sections of society. While some have been employed by L’Oréal itself, others have found stability by being employed in existing beauty salons or setting up their own.

The six-month course provides training in simple techniques such as hair cutting, styling and colouring, and other beauty and skin care skills, along with a one-month internship in a local neighborhood parlor. There is special emphasis on bridal make-up and hair and saree draping, besides imparting knowledge about salon hygiene. The courses are taught in dedicated centres, with qualified trainers who have been trained by the L’Oréal Academy.

L’Oréal India had also tied up with NGO Aide et Action, and later with Labour Net through its centres, and industrial training institutes in different states. The training partner also helps them keep a track of the students’ progress for the next two years, after the course is completed. Tracking of students also helps project executives in planning and upgrading of skills session for the alumni.

Sharing an interesting observation, Dayal says, “During the initial study, we also found that compared to other occupations (such as nurses or tailors), the women were more attracted towards the beauty industry, since it is not only associated with glamour but also acts as a stepping stone and brought much more social inclusion in the section of society, which they had never been exposed to.”

In the past five years, L’Oréal India has already trained close to 2,500 girls and has plans of training 10,000 girls by 2020. Beautiful Beginnings currently runs in six states — Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, through 12 centres.

To give a boost to their careers, L’Oréal is planning to give girls six-month training on hair dressing before they pass out of the programme.

With a placement of 90 per cent, which reflects on the success of the programme, the whole journey according to Dayal been an enriching and learning one. Take the case of Preeti, for instance, who was abandoned by her husband after eight years of marriage. After the course at the Pune centre, she started working as freelancer and specialised in bridal makeup. She also provided make-up services for the cast of a music album. Later, she moved to Jaipur as a beauty trainer with Aide et Action and is now back at the Pune centre, training young women like herself. Earning a monthly income Rs 15,000, not only is she able to rent her own home but also live independently.

While the company cumulatively trains 1.5 lakh hairdressers (and a number of beauty advisors in the sales counters) every year through L’Oréal’s training academy and CSR programmes, it plans to substantially increase their skill training initiative under the CSR programmes.

For Young Women in Science (FYWIS) Scholarship

The second interesting programme under L’Oréal’s CSR initiative is derived from its international CSR charter.

Being a research-based company, science has always been an inherent part of this cosmetic giant since its inception in 1909. With a strong belief that beauty needs science and science is the source of progress (with contribution of women vital for its future), L’Oréal instituted the FYWIS programme in 2003.

The programme encourages and supports bright but economically disadvantaged young women to pursue careers in science by granting them a scholarship of Rs 2.5 lakh spread over a period of four years for graduate studies in a scientific field from a recognised college or university in India.

Although in its 12th year running, according to Dayal, it has been a pathbreaking initiative and every year has been an emotional one for the people associated with the programme. While internationally, the company provides awards and fellowships to top and bright scientists (with a tie-up with UNESCO), for India, the need of financial assistance was felt at an earlier stage of education. “The feedback from different panelists and scientists was that if we want to develop women in science, we need to look at these bright and intelligent underprivileged students who were not able to finish their studies for lack of funds,” says Dayal. While there are a lot of government scholarships at the doctorate level, there were no scholarships available for these girls.

Considering it’s a need-based scholarship, the girls are shortlisted on the basis of their class XII results, with a minimum of 85 per cent in either their PCM/ PCB criteria. The company spreads the information through its NGO partners, news releases and schools.

Not only have these scholarships enabled many to fulfill their dreams, but have also company increased the number of scholarships to 50 and the programme was expanded to the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, apart from NCR, Karnataka and Maharashtra, where the programme is already in place. This year the programme will be open to all states across India. “The before and after experience itself is quite humbling,” he says enthusiastically. With the success achieved, L’Oréal is planning to replicate this programme in other developing countries, too.

Beauty for all

L’Oréal India is also working towards its global vision of “Sharing beauty with All” (till 2020), wherein the company spreads beauty in every aspect of their value chain. Be it the beauty of protecting the environment and biodiversity, supporting communities, or delivering desirable and sustainable products for women and men who trust in the company.

Late Air Commodore Ramesh S Benegal MVC AVSM’s book is a treasure trove of his accounts from Azad Hind Fauj as well as the Indian Air Force

This ia an unimaginable narrative of ordeals and tribulations endured by Late Air Commodore Ramesh S Benegal MVC AVSM. A patriot to the core, he kept it all close to his heart and penned it down in hand, only after he had laid down his office. Some of us who were privy to snatches of this account are immensely grateful to Meera Benegal, his devoted wife of several decades, for endeavouring to publish Burma to Japan with Azad Hind: A War Memoir (1941-45) as a war memoir; six years after the military hero passed away. Benegal was born in 1926 in Rangoon in Burma (now Yangon of Myanmar) to migrant Indian parents and his recall commences when he was 15 years of age and witnessed the spurring of the exodus after the Japanese Air Force pulverised the Royal Air Force and eventually went on to capture Rangoon in March, 1942. Benegal’s family, however, stayed on despite the warnings.

The fascinating story unravels unprecedented adventure during which he survived a 23-day Death Railway journey through the jungles of Burma and Thailand; escaped unscathed from a torpedoed ship in the South China Sea; withstood the blaze of dayand- night bombings in the American attacks over Japan.

He endured a 28-day incarceration on a starvation diet in the British-manned infamous Stanley Prison in Hong Kong, with seven days in solitary confinement and his personal belongings being stolen by the British prison guards; an arduous voyage as prisoners on the HMS Glenhearn to Manila, Singapore and Madras, to be imprisoned again — now in his own country.

The process of resurrection of his youthful dream commenced only after India gained independence in 1947, foundations of which were laid after his induction in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose-led Azad Hind Army (INA) and his flying training as a Tokyo Cadet under the Imperial Japanese Air Force. The picture on the cover of the book, designed by journalist Shiv Aroor, adroitly portrays that persona of a determined Benegal.

His nationalism and aspirations of an independent India will make a lasting impression on the readers when he verbatim recalls Netaji’s words addressed to him and his small motley group: “You have been chosen to go to Japan for military training as that country has better facilities then we can afford at this time. I would like you to remember that you are going there as foreign cadets, as members of a free nation — Azad Hind. At no time do you act servile or feel inferior to any one there.” Ramesh remembered these words and revered Netaji.

This sentiment has percolated into the psyche of his nephew, the eminent Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who went on to make a film Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero. The director idolises his uncle. But Benegal’s association with the Indian National Army caused him to lose three priceless years of his adulthood. That is because his application to join the Indian Air Force of independent India in 1947 was summarily rejected by the British officers. It was only in 1950, when more free-thinking officialdom of the service recognised his value, and made sure he joined the service.

It is now time to bring home the Legend of Bene, as he was affectionately called, in the afterword to the book by retired Air Marshal GCS Rajwar. Like Rajwar, I was also one of the Navigators in No 106 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron of the IAF during 1968-72, commanded by Wing Commander Benegal. Rajwar’s lifelike account limits itself to the period of only the 14-day war, where he narrates the historical missions to Khunjareb Pass and Gwadar Bay and touches on the coverage of Tezgaon and Kurmitola airfields. But the larger truth is that under Bene’s tutelage, the Canberra PR7s of the squadron used to rule the skies of the area surrounding the subcontinent, with verve, craft and impunity, on photo missions and reach where its range took it to. It was a quiet and discreet work.

I recall compiling a diary of our activities which in no time was declared a top secret document and taken away. This is, perhaps, one of the reasons why his phenomenal contribution was initially acknowledged with only a meritorious service AVSM in January 1971, although, normally awarded to the ranks of Air Commodore and above. The real recognition for gallantry, during supra high-risk assignments came with his MVC in December, 1971.

Bene’s professionalism cannot be gauged by a standard yardstick because he had to decide beyond the normal. His professional stature was such that when this Wing Commander spoke, the chief and the commanders listened. Because they knew that only a person of his calibre can take an unarmed plane across the borders and bring the results back with certainty.

Wisdom and knowledge had made him fearless. His forceful advice in favour of the tactical photo coverage of the approaches to Dhaka, as against a time-consuming survey of the region sought by the military leaders, was acceded to. Bene, with his humility and in the interest of team play had done away with the “aloof existence” practiced by his predecessors. The regret is that he could not grow in the IAF as the “age to rank” policy came in his way. He was older; already 24 years old when he received his commission.

The Andamans call everyone — from patriots, honeymooners, budding writers seeking peace and quiet, to those who want to get away from the daily grind of traffic jams, deadlines and pollution

On a chilly October morning, one that announced the arrival of winter in Delhi, I shouldered my backpack and left for the tropical setting of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I wanted to escape the din; the Andamans in the Bay of Bengal promised flawless beaches, spectacular diving and a dash of history to soothe my frayed nerves.

The plains of central India soon gave way to an all-encompassing blue sheet of water. John Robert, a young politician, welcomed me to Port Blair, the capital and the entry point to the Andaman Islands.

Unlike Goa, the Andamans haven’t yet entered the collective consciousness of the Indian tourism industry. Thus, they have managed to preserve their rustic beauty and dynamic wildlife. It is only in the previous decade that the knowledge of this tropical paradise has left its white sandy shores, resulting in the construction of a few luxury resorts and diving schools.

The Indian government, too, keeps a tight control over access to the strategically important frontier. Only 36 of the 572 islands are inhabited and 95 per cent of the land is protected as a national reserve. One such island, called the North Sentinel, is home to the Sentinelese tribe, one of the most isolated groups of hunter-gatherers, with no contact or interest in the outside world.

Another time when the Andamans made headlines was in 2004, when a tsunami raked havoc in the Indian Ocean. Recalls John, “I was working as a computer engineer in those days, but my setup was destroyed by the storm. There was nothing left behind and no going back. I started work in the social sector, which paved the way to a political career.”

A sacred prison

The old colonial capital, Port Blair, preserves not only the fragments of India's Independence struggle but also four indigenous tribes — The Great Andamanese, Onge, the Jarawa, and the Sentinelese — that preceded the modernising forces.

The Cellular Jail, built by the British in 1986, is a sobering reminder of India’s colonial past and a pilgrimage site for patriots. Our foremost freedom fighters such as Veer Savarkar and Batukeshwar Dutta were lodged here in isolated prisons.

The Jail’s notoriety led the Andamans to be known as Kala Pani (Black Water). Today, however, an Indian flag flutters on the prison's roof and an eternal fire burns in homage to the martyrs. The jail has been transformed into a national monument, which showcases the valour and patriotism of the freedom fighters through pictures, book excerpts and tours. The light-and-sound show, held inside the premises, is beautiful in its conception and gutwrenching in its description.

The island of dreams and romance

A three-hour ferry ride on which Honey Singh was played at full blast, much to the delight of the dancing Punjabi audience, took me to the Havelock Island. I warmed at the sight of lush greenery and azure water at the arrival jetty.

Havelock is brimming with tourists, adventure seekers, and couples making the most of their honeymoon. This popularity is in complete contrast with the low profile of the rest of the island. Locals ascribe it to do the Time publication, naming Radhanagar Beach as the best in Asia in 2004. All of a sudden, travellers started looking for the coordinates of the Andaman Islands.

Havelock is best explored on a moped, available for a measly sum of Rs 300 a day. My first destination was, of course, Radhanagar beach. I crossed banana groves and paddy fields en route to the site. From a mile away, I could hear the roar of the sea, which was both an invitation and a challenge.

At the very first sight, I was bowled over by the sheer beauty of Radhanagar. The soft powder like sand was perfect for a barefoot walk, and the water was even more alluring. I left my belongings in the care of a German family and approached the sea with vigour. I had the entire ocean to myself.

Soon enough, I had left the shoreline far behind. For the very first time I experienced the might of the sea. Just as I was getting over-confident of my swimming prowess, I saw a wicked wave headed in my direction. “No sweat, I can handle it,” I thought. However, it grew in size and by the time it reached me, it had taken monstrous proportions. When it finally hit me I was pushed back as if in an explosion. I went under water and the whirlpool stunning patterns; the sun was orange and the sea adventurous — it came straight from the imagination of a painter. Or, perhaps, the imagination of painters comes from such panoramas.

Dive into the deep end

Scuba is arguably the pick of the activities on offer at Havelock Island. First timers are taken six to 10 metres inside water, depending on their comfort level. An oxygen cylinder was placed on my back and stones weighing eight kg were tied to my waist, with the intent that I sink (not a comforting thought).

As I started to venture deep into the water, there was a searing pain in my earlobes. The change in the air pressure was uncomfortable, and made it impossible to continue. The thought of giving up crept in my head.

There came a moment when I signalled to the instructor that I won’t be able to continue and we should head back to the surface. He stopped and signalled me to take deep breaths. I remember all my discomforts vanishing, almost miraculously, with one such deep breath.

It is difficult to describe the charm of scuba diving; it is such other-worldly experience. You have no control or hold over anything, even gravity goes for a toss.

Colourful corals — orange, yellow, green, red — and different fishes — effortlessly moving across water were a sight to behold. One charming fish stood still until I came within touching distance and vanished in front of my sight as I placed my hand on it. I smiled in absolute wonderment.

Queen of the night

Havelock is full of shacks-cum-cafes that have some shade of orange lighting, bamboo chairs, and soft instrumental music playing in the background. My pick amongst the lot is the Fat Martin cafe.

It is run by a stout man called Martin, who took great pleasure in telling me the how he weighed more than 100 kg and thus the name of the restaurant. His evil design was to add a few kilos to every waistline through cheese and tomato dosas (a Fat Martin specialty).

During the course of the meal, I interacted with a number of customers, including an Israeli couple celebrating its honeymoon. They shared their love for the Andamans as they gorged on “Queen of the Night”, the dessert on offer. The mountain of vanilla ice-cream perched on the base of bread crumbs and topped with banana pieces looked sinful. On Martin’s urging, I ordered one and then a second helping. This dessert is an absolute must-have on a visit to Havelock.

The Soul of the Andaman

I can keep talking about snorkelling, swimming, water scooting, and a zillion other enterprises. However, there is something else that is beguiling about the Andamans. That makes it unique and visit worthy.

The Andamans take you far away from the world. The locals are as simple-minded as they come: polite, non-intrusive and trustworthy. There is no jostling for the extra buck or tip. People are content in the space and resources allotted to them. Perhaps, that is why the Andamans is one of the few places in India without any land conflict. It is always expecting visitors and with their arrival, the carnival takes off.

I came here with no expectations or pre-conceived notions. My whim was my driver, Sherpa and squire. In two weeks at the Andamans, I lost and found myself.

For Dr Data Ram Purohit, Uttarakhand is not only a place of scenic beauty and peace. It is also a treasuretrove of art and culture, which he has every intention to not only resurrect, restore but also help propagate

Synonymous with Garhwali folklore and tradition, is a humble, hard-working and focused person known to me as Dr Data Ram Purohit. Born on August 8, 1953, in the quaint hill village of Queeli in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, Purohit sir, as I fondly call him, has come a long way since.

One amongst six siblings, Purohit was drawn to the bounty of nature bestowed upon his surroundings — the Himalayas made for spectacular background, and the constant roar of the mighty Alaknanda River was a sound he grew up with. With none of the present-day gadgets to amuse or distract young minds, Purohit, like most of his peer group people, found entertainment outdoors. But how did he stumble upon the world of theatre? I ask. “I must have been 13 that year. En route to my elder sister’s home one evening, I found the director of the nearby Ram Lila frantically looking for someone to enact the role of Lakshman,” he recalls. The Ram Lila theatre at the Chopra village, about three km from Queeli, was a must-see annual event that everyone looked forward to.

Purohit adds how he jumped at the opportunity, for he was quite well-known for his singing and dialogue-delivery skills. Left with little choice, the director decided to risk it,” he says, with a smile, “That was my debut role — the role of Lakshman at Chopra village Ram Lila theatre. My performance that evening became the talk of the town and also served as a steppingstone into the world of Garhwali folklore and theatre.”

As if under a spell, Purohit set about putting together a drama club in Queeli, where not only did he act, but also directed and produced over half-a-dozen dramas, especially during Diwali. He reminisces how, after a hard day’s work in the fields and grazing the cattle, the autumn evenings were something he looked forward to. “The drudgery of the day’s work was forgotten when I stepped on to the stage to play my part.”

While Purohit went about finishing his formal education, his love and interest for local art and culture stayed with him. His first job was that of a postal clerk in the post and telecom department at Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, even as he pursued his post-graduate degree in English. In 1979, he was appointed assistant professor in the English faculty of the Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University, Shrinagar. He also went on to get his MPhil and doctorate in the subject.

I wonder aloud if he can choose his greatest achievement amongst the many. Quick comes the reply, “The Centre for Folk Performing Arts and Culture in H.N.B. Garhwal University, which was set up in 2006, would be one of my greatest accomplishments. The fact that this is a one-of-its-kind centre that boasts of documenting, packaging and digitalising the artistic and cultural traditions, as well as their repositories belonging to the Central Himalaya region, makes me proud.”

Purohit also takes time off to pursue his first love, art and theatre. The founding member of Shailnat and Vidyadhar SRICALA theatre groups in Shrinagar, he has also carried out a number of research projects on the Mahabharata traditions of Garhwal. Recorded history at the Centre shows that the Mahabharata from the hills has about 16 ritual variants, including the Mahabharata of Kedar Valley. Other than this, he has painstakingly carried out elaborate research work on the vanishing Pandava dances held in over 500 villages spread across the Garhwal region.

One with a tireless quest for exploring art and culture over the years, Purohit has also been involved in propagating and reviving various dance forms and theatre groups from the brink of total extinction. Mask dance dramas, Beda theatre, Holi theatre, Bagdwali theatre, Hiljaatra theatre, Ramlila theatre, Holi singing, Nanda Devi Raj Jat, Mahasu, circular dances, dhol music, Nain theatre and narrative theatre, to name a few, are some of the rare art forms that he has done tremendous work on.

When I got a chance to pin him down for an interview for Democratic World, this busy man had just returned home from a one-day recce to Guptkashi, assisting world-acclaimed Serbian film director Goran Paskaljevi. Purohit and Paskaljević had been immersed in a two-day brainstorming session, discussing Garhwali locale, art, literature, theatre, music and folklore for a movie based entirely on Garhwal and its rich heritage. And who better to assist this great movie maker, I wonder, than the best that these hills will ever have to offer — a thesaurus of Garhwal’s rich art, theatre and culture.

YES, WE KNOW it’s the month of love. And if you haven’t had an overdose of all the hearts and reds around you, wait till you near the 14th of February.

Love sure is in the air. So you’ll have every possible shop taking the red theme quite literally. Mannequins will wear red, heart shapes will rule and flower sellers will make enough profits on red roses on that one day. Too mushy for you? Well no matter what your idea of love, it’s worth thinking about a new idea of love.

A reason why we have Mary Kom, the fivetime World Amateur Boxing champion on the cover. For its important to be in love with someone but it’s equally important to be in love with yourself, a dream, a belief that you will chase no matter what it takes. So when this mother of two fought not just racial discrimination but also the fact that people doubted her ability to continue putting up the fight after she became a mother, she fought back and how. One hopes she can win gold at the Rio Olympics next year.

Also worth a read is our Good Karma section. Oxfam’s India Trailwalker sees enthusiastic walkers raise money with every step they take. I found the idea simply brilliant. Not only are you walking for your own health but also to raise money that can help change many a lives. Love, like I said can be of all kinds right?

And for those of you who are getting all set to post all the lovey dovey holiday pictures and pics of the valentine’s cake, the social agenda is a must read this time. For our expert technology writer Tushar Kanwar is back and gets talking on social media detox and how to go about it.

So go on, redefine love and your relationship with yourself, more than anyone else.