Mukesh finds similarities between Bridge and Management

Mukesh Shivdasanithe CEO of Max health care also be called as Mr. Consistent.

Q. What makes Max Healthcare different from other known Hospitals?

Our USP is our focus on Total Patient Care - which involves empathetic listening, offering choices and responding to the patients’ medical and other needs in a holistic way. Total Patient Care aims at managing the patients’ disease as well as caring about their physical, mental and emotional self.

Max Hospitals is also one of the first to cover the NCR region with our hospitals in Gurgaon and Noida.

We continuously demonstrate Best-in-class practicing that satisfies the needs of the patient and those that support the patient. For us, the patient as well as other stakeholders, which include the family, and referring doctors or Corporates or TPA’s are a key customer in the delivery of care.

Q. Please explain International Patient Services? How it helps the people of our country? Have Max ever received cases under this?

Max Healthcare aims at building on the strong base in India to become a truly global healthcare provider. Through our International Patient Services program we compete in global markets to deliver highest quality healthcare to patients worldwide regardless of their economic circumstance. Under the program, medical queries along with scans are received from patients or facilitators through email. Queries are then forwarded to the respective doctors at Max Healthcare after which the diagnosis and proposed treatment is sent back to the patient. A conference call is arranged between the patient and the doctor - if the patient is satisfied, he/ she confirm the date for the procedure.

At present, under this program we have patients from the SAARC nations, Middle East and from the West. Our aim is to grow the program to service patients from multiple cultures and diversities.

The International Patient Service program also helps service providers such as Max Healthcare to network with professionals across the globe, which enables us to share best practices in medical care. The final beneficiary of this is the patient.

Q The popular public perception is that, for a middle class family, Max Hospital is a very expensive hospital to afford, and is therefore only for people who can afford such a luxury? How far is this perception true? Does Max have different policies for different categories of people?

I am not sure whether such perception exists within the public. The fact is that the Max Healthcare network covers eight locations, as of date, spread over NCR.

The total number of patients that have availed our services is in excess of 500,000 and they represent the entire chain of the economic spectrum. Over the past two years, we have seen significant addition from middle class families in all our hospitals.

Max Healthcare does not have different policies for different categories of people. Every patient receives the same level of Medical Care. Some differentiation in non-medical services may exist for those in private rooms.

Q What made you join the field (healthcare industry) where you are at present?

My joining the Healthcare industry was in some ways, shaped by recent events at that time. I was relocating from Hong Kong where I worked with Bank of America to be with the family in Delhi when I was offered an interesting assignment with Max India. Shortly thereafter I got an opportunity to lead Healthcare operations and it was exciting to achieve the mission of building world-class service standards, having witnessed it first hand during my tenure abroad.

I truly believed that Hospitals in India needed to improve on its delivery of care and Max Healthcare was the right vehicle to do so. Thankfully time has proved that I made the right choice.

Better management of the healthcare sector is an approach to increase health standards and Max is a pioneer in introducing new state-of-the-art technology for patient benefit and comfort.

Q. Tell me something about your qualification? Do you think your qualification is the right fit for the healthcare industry, which is known more for its medical degrees?

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and am an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. Over the many years I have been involved in both Manufacturing and Service Industry, I have realized that the fundamental value of education lies partly in the knowledge acquired but mainly in one’s ability to learn.

The world class Institutions where I have had the good fortune to receive my education have made it easy for me to do so. The Healthcare industry clearly needed, and now even more so, professionals from other domains. If ultimately the objective of the industry is to deliver continuously higher value than experts from various fields must join hands with Medical professionals.

Q. How often do you take a break from your busy schedule?

I take breaks as needed.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time?

I am voracious reader and also play competitive bridge. Besides, my 2 pets at home are excellent play mates.

Q. Tell us something about your family –your wife and children?

guess you can call me Mr. Consistent – one wife, one child. My wife is a homemaker who has taken complete responsibility for managing the household. She also teaches in her spare time. My daughter is an HR professional who, I think, has made more of a mark than I did when I was her age.

Q. I have heard you have a love for the game of ‘Bridge’ and you are an expert? Tell us about this passion? Do you feel there are any similarities between bridge and management?

I can’t say I am an expert but I have been playing bridge since my IIT days and am passionate about it. Actually Bridge is much more than a game … it is a clear mirror of one’s owns self.

There are many similarities between Bridge and Management and it is my fond belief that good Bridge player make good Managers. Bridge requires one to make rapid decisions under pressure, calls for sharp focus, the ability to stay aligned with your partner and team mates, and above all a “winning” philosophy… These qualities go a very long way in the real world.

Q. What is your personal stress-buster?

Stress… what is that?

Connecting with Sunil Bharti Mittal

Sunil Bharti Mittal is a man always on the move. After taking the telecom industry by storm, he is now venturing into retail and agriculture. His successful journey is definitely an inspiration to a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs.

PHONES HAVEN'T stopped ringing for 40-year-old Sunil Bharti Mittal ever since 1992, when he decided to step into the cellular business. The wily Scorpio, known for his business acumen and for keeping wife Naina and his three children away from the public eye, had humble beginnings.

The son of a politician, the Harvard Business School graduate started out as a manufacturer of bicycle parts and selling telephone instruments. Today, his company Bharti Enterprises, controls 20 per cent of the telecom market in India. With the satisfaction of a man who has lived his dream, Sunil Bharti Mittal answers some questions on the past, present and issues that will touch tomorrow…

When did it all begin? How has the journey, from being a bicycle parts manufacturer and running a business of selling telephone instruments, to heading a telecom giant been?

I started my career at 18 after graduating from Punjab University. In 1976, I founded Bharti Enterprises, a company that had its beginnings in an altogether different industry. The first inkling of what was to come happened only in 1986 when I set up Bharti Telecom, signing collaboration with Siemens to manufacture the country’s first push button telephones. Private participation in telecom those days was really a peripheral activity to the monolithic government monopoly public convenience services.

Came 1992 and the new telecom policy and suddenly it was a different world all together. While the world’s biggest telecom players threw their hat into the ring along with India’s largest corporates, the relatively unheralded Bharti stepped into the ring as well. Bharti was recognised more as a manufacturer of phone instruments. There was, therefore, a little surprise that the high profile Delhi GSM mobile circle had gone to Bharti Cellular Ltd.

For me, it was not merely a matter of a extension of what Bharti Telecom was doing. We early enough appreciated that to success in the Telecom business, we needed the vision. I set myself one goal: to forge world class alliances across the telecom value chain from basic to cellular to internet to V-SAT to provide world class services to a people who hungered for choice and excellence.

In which city or state do you have the strongest presence? Where do you see the maximum potential in the coming year?

In sheer numbers, our strongest presence would be where our journey into telecom services started – Delhi, which today boasts of over 8,00,000 customers However, that is as much a factor of history and longevity of presence as it is a tribute to the dynamic nature of the market. We are today a pan-India telecom player and hence it is difficult to pin down the strength of presence for Bharti by just that one dimension. Given our pioneering presence in most service areas of telecom, we are possibly equally positioned to realise the potential as much in mobile service as in fixed line, domestic long distance, broadband and international long distance services.

You have been quoted as saying that in India, only a quarter million new subscribers are added every year, and you plan to increase that to “a million per month.” How soon do you think you will accomplish this target?

The rate at which the market is exploding certainly augurs well for those targets to be reached for telecom services as a whole. In the first quarter of the year, the cellular subscriber base went up by about 7,00,000. By the fourth quarter, we expect penetration to deepen. I wouldn’t be surprised if, by the end of the year, the cellular industry doubles those numbers for a quarter. Quite clearly after China, India is where all the action really is.

What are your plans for your company in the near future?

Well, at present I am working on my venture deal with Wal-Mart, the US retail giant. This project is most important to us. Where the telecom business is concerned, it is established and successful and now, new areas fascinate me. I am fervent about both retail and agriculture. It’s the next big opportunity for me.

How have you managed to survive in the competitive telecom industry? Who do you see as the competition today?

We believed in constant innovation, adding value to the customer and sought to keep expanding the market by dramatically reducing prices to the customer, at the same time adding value. Quality choice exercised financial prudence as an organisation and we continuously invested with speed in our projects in order to ensure that we were never behind. We also sought to benchmark our services and customer care against international standards and seek a constant technology edge. Finally, we have a unique relationship with our customers and take pride in going beyond marketing strategies to understand and respond to the pulse of the people. We seek and build relationship of trust and honour with our partners…our biggest competition today is ourselves. We need to keep bettering what we have achieved.

How was your experience with providing cell phones to rural women in Andhra Pradesh? Do you see a potential in the rural market?

Our experience in Andhra Pradesh has been very gratifying. The rural areas are showing some fascinating characteristics and we actually have four large non-metro cellular circles, which today are gearing up to meet the challenges of a very different market. We do see a strong potential in the rural market since on one hand the disposable income available is high and on the other, long distance communication needs are also high, therefore, offering a huge opportunity for us.

Bharti Telecom has taken on several projects. Which is closest to your heart?

All have been equally close to my heart. From the jewel in the crown, Delhi, where we started to my homecoming by acquiring the Punjab circle, each project has been equally precious and demanding.

Did you expect SMS to be this popular?

Yes, absolutely. We believe that SMS will emerge as a very strong option to simple voice calls. We believe that over a period of time the revenues from data services will strongly supplement those from voice in WAP and GPRS and in IN platforms to exploit growth in data services.

What do you think is the secret of your success?

There were no milestones on the road we chose to travel and we recognised that we would have to find our own road, take risks and put milestones along the way for others to follow. We had ambition that was backed by commitment and determination, a huge degree of confidence and a belief in people. But fundamentally and most importantly, we were committed to making a difference to our customers, to society, to our shareholders, to India…not simply to making a buck.

I have a personal relationship with God!! JJ Valaya

JJ Valaya is the guru of Indian fashion industry is a self-made man. As a big believer of God and India?s premier fashion designer, he has earned a name for his extraordinary designs that have charmed the world for over a decade.

THE GREAT Indian cum International designer JJ Valaya was born and raised in the great city of Jodhpur in Rajasthan. His actual name is Jagsharan Jeet Singh Ahluwalia. He has gained popularity and respect all over the world as one of the most original and inspired designers of India. Here, he is in a candid conversation with Merinews…

How far have you travelled as a designer in the last 10 years?

The House of Valaya began as a dream in a small room with three people and is now a 350-strong company and a recognised brand. As a designer my style has changed according to the needs of my clients. As a person, I have learnt that hard work, dedication and a great relationship with God, goes a long way to achieving success.

Are you content with what you have achieved?

I am very happy with our achievement in the last decade. However one synonym of contentment is complacency. Instead of resting on my laurels, I believe in striving for growth and improvement.

Has the Indian fashion industry shown positive growth in the last 10 years?

Yes. Indian designers are beginning to be recognised internationally and the industry has expanded significantly. Earlier the fashion scene concentrated just on women. Men’s fashion today reaches beyond high society to the masses. Glamour and sensuality is the call of the day.

You are known for opulence. Why is everything larger than life for you?

The objective is not to create a mere garment but an heirloom, which can be passed down from generation to generation. The opulence and grandeur of royalty is interwoven into each timeless piece. Also I’m sure I was a royalty in my last birth…a reclusive royalty!

Do you design differently for the western market?

The western market appreciates the handcraft quality in our garments. The fact that a simple garment could take upto six months to make fascinates the automated western mind. Except for the silhouettes, the nature of our designs, embroideries and embellishments remain the same for our clients overseas.

Who buys JJ Valaya outfits in India and abroad?

Just about everyone with a passion for timeless elegance.

How is Studio Valaya different from your couture line?

Studio Valaya is our diffusion label, a simpler line with a more wearable and accessible look. Whereas the JJ Valaya couture collection continues to define the trends for the season, the diffusion line evolves the same trends into a watered-down, cleaner and more affordable look.

Name some women and men who have worn you clothes?

Amongst others, Valaya has been worn by…the AL-Sabah Family of Kuwait, the Royal families of UAE, Shekhar Kapoor, Joseph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Mahima Chaudhry, Neelam Kothari, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and the Countess Marchesa of Genoa.

Tell us a bit about your other passions?

I like shooting people and generally beautiful people with some imperfections. Too beautiful is actually too boring. I only shoot my own collections and people that interest me. My second passion is painting. I also love good food, good movies and interiors.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Happy and more successful…(smiles), in that order. Besides launching a third label, there are some major plans in the offing, only time will tell.

What does JJ stand for?

It’s a long story… All this started after I completed my studies from NIFT and wanted to start my own label. Then I realised the name Jagsharan Jeet Singh Ahluwalia, which is my real name was not ‘fashionable’. I worked around the letters of my name and came up with JJ Valaya. That did the job; I designed the monogram and it is now the trademark of a JJ Valaya garment. So now you know the secret (smiles).

If you have to describe yourself, how would you do so?

I am a very private person. If I had my way, I would be a loner. I live in my own world, where I like to spend a lot of time with myself. I have a beautiful relationship with God but it is very personal. God is the only one allowed into my cocoon. He is the only one I really get along with.

Where does JJ Valaya go from here?

I haven’t a clue. The parody lies in whether I should understand myself or understand the world. What is important is that I am happy.

I wanted to be a university teacher: Berger Paints MD

In an interview with Merinews, Subir Bose, managing director of Berger Paints, talks about his life, the Indian paint industry and the company that he leads. We also questioned him regarding the use of lead in Indian paints.


SUBIR BOSE, managing director of Berger paints tells us about how he wanted to be a university teacher but landed up being the leader of Berger paints. He talks about his experiences of life as a husband, as a proud father and the managing director of Berger paints.

How often do you take break from your busy schedule?

My busy life doesn’t allow me much of a break. It’s very rare…like once a year.

How do you spend your leisure time?

Since I am not staying with my sons, I and my wife relish going to the United States and spending quality time with them. We hang out, visit places, go for shopping, etc.

Tell us something about your family – what is your wife doing? Tell us about your children.

My lovely wife Chandrika is a housewife, who enjoys her time reading, she loves to listen to classical music and she sings as well. And I’m a proud father of two sons. The elder, Abhishek, is a doctor. He is also doing his masters in internal medicines from United States and the younger son, Abhinav has joined Microsoft recently after completing masters in computer engineering, from United States. Both stay in the USA.

Since you have two sons staying abroad, do you, at any point of time, feel a void and wish them to be staying with you?

Yes, I do miss them. But like everybody, they also have the right to making their career in whatever field they are interested in. They always wanted to settle down abroad and I supported them. I know they are happy with their lives there and we do meet every year, at least once.

Was being in the field you are at present your only dream?

Ah… Well, no! I wanted to be a teacher in some university and thus, be a part of the academics. I did B Tech in chemical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) and masters in business administration from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A).

But the initial stages of my life created such circumstances that I landed up here. But I am happy for what I am today!

With Indian economy growing in leaps and bounds, how do you see the growth in the paint industry?

The paint industry has been growing by more than 12-13 per cent each year on account of the growth of the Indian economy. Normally the growth of the paint market is about 1.5 times the percent GDP growth. It is expected that the paint market would continue to grow well in the years ahead based on the strong growth of the Indian economy.

What does Berger offer to the Indian customers?

Berger offers to its customers value for money products at the lower end of the market and innovative products like designer finishes illusions and Berger weather all guard and rangoli easy clean for discerning customers.

There are studies, which shows that lead is found in paints in India? Is that true?

Indian paint association is working with concerned government departments to set up required guidelines regarding use of lead based compounds in paint formulations.

What is your company doing to provide safe paints to customers?

That’s what I said, Indian paint association is working with concerned government departments to set up required guidelines regarding use of lead based compounds in paint formulations.

Lead is banned in rest of the world. Do you think that the same has been stopped from being used in India?

My answer is the same as above…

Are you a morning person or an evening one?

I am strictly a morning person. I get up at 5:15 am everyday without any stop. And my schedule includes going for a walk, followed by some exercises at home.

What’s your favorite stress-buster?
Listening to music, watching television and indulging in some silent reading.

‘Good Pictures Emote’ – An Interview with Sucheta Das

In an exclusive interview with Sucheta Das, a Calcutta- based photojournalist, merinews asks her to share her experiences in this field, in the present set-up. Despite problems, she loves her profession and hopes for a change.

A PHOTOJOURNALIST by profession, Sucheta Das, seems somewhat discontented with the current state of photojournalism. She has complains about the treatment dished out to those in this field. Yet, she loves what she does. And hopes the situation would change soon!

Her photographs have appeared in national and international vernacular dailies and magazines. She has extensive experience with transmitting photos from remote locations. She has also been awarded National Media Fellowship award and even received World Press photo award from Magdalena Herrera in Amsterdam. Her work speaks through pictures! Who says we need write-ups to understand an incident (or an accident), right Sucheta?

Q. Where do you see the field of photojournalism headed?
The field of photojournalism is not good at present, especially in India. There are very few recognised photojournalists in India. The major problem we are facing is financial, as we don’t have companies to finance us for the latest tools and equipments.

Q. How did you decide to become a photojournalist? Were you always primarily interested in photojournalism?
When I was in class two, I had no idea what was photojournalism. But I was very much attracted to newspapers and magazines’ pictures. The colour and action had made me so much attracted to these that by the time I was 15, I had made up my mind to be a photojournalist.

Q. What do you look for in a photograph that might be posted in a newspaper or magazine article?
At present if you see most of the newspapers or magazines publish entertainment pictures. The trend has become like that! My view says that in newspapers or magazines, there should be all kinds of pictures – from politics to environment or sports to people. These should mostly highlight the common people’s news, which is not seen that much these days.

Q. What role do you think photographs play in a story?
It’s a very important role because in short, a photograph speaks thousands of words. You may need to read ten paragraphs to understand the story but a single photograph can make you understand what the story is all about. It doesn’t need words! So in a cover story, it’s very important to have a very understanding picture to make the words small.

Q. Are there different types of photographs that you use for different articles? For example, a close up of the object being photographed, a medium shot?
It depends…like sometimes a magazine has more space to use wider shot but sometimes these get only one column and for that there is a need to use bold shots. So we have to give different shots or else, they get cropped. So it’s always good to take different types of picture from various angles of one incident.

Q. For a situation like Katrina, it seems like the photographs have more of an impact than what is written. Do you agree to it?
Of course! Yes, the pictures say more then a write-up. If the picture has been shot right, you need not read the paragraph to understand the topic. If the picture has been taken well, I think, it doesn’t even need a caption!

Q. What's the experience like when you capture an amazing image of a horrific subject?
When I went to capture the pictures of tsunami, Calcutta bomb blast or other such mishaps, it’s very painful. I do not think like…yes, I am here to capture pictures…but when I go to cover, I feel their pain, while I am clicking. I guess that is the pain, which comes in the form of my pictures.

Q. Are you excited about how photographic technology is evolving?
Yes, it is evolving very drastically; today’s technology has made things very easy to work with. Like before, when I had to work with reel it used to be rather difficult like first clicking, then developing the reel, then cleaning it with hard chemicals, etc, etc…. But today, we just have to plug it with out system and it’s done! Ready for publishing. In short, it saves a lot of time.

Q. Do you feel good about the state of photojournalism right now?
I don’t think so… I told you this before that the field of photojournalism is not good at present, especially in India. There are very few recognized photojournalists in India. At present, even the journalists have started capturing the story images into their cameras. There is not much difference left between them and us, and may be, that is the reason that photojournalists are recognised for their work.

Q. What advice will you give to the students of photojournalism?
(Smiles) … Well, at present I don’t think that I am in a position of giving an advice to the students but all I want the students to know is when you are in this field, always highlight the original story. It is very important to have the actual picture with the original story.