GREATEST BRANDS & LEADERS SEP-OCT 2022

WORTH FLYING FOR

SHOP AT DUBAI DUTY FREE

Over 35,000 sq. metres of spectacular shopping. Thousands of limited editions and travel exclusives. Hundreds of the world’s most desirable brands. But only one glorious destination: Dubai Duty Free.

Explorethe world with Asia Shipping

From domestic air to cabotage. From export by ocean to import by air. You seek the best your business can be. We find the best way there.

Asia Shipping seeks to be always connected to what is happening in the Market. It is technology allied to the experience, with 11 o ces spread around the World to o er the best solutions with safety.

We see beyound the obvious to guide through wise ways.

Achievements: S. M. Plaza, 4th Floor, 1016/2, Bypass Road, Mahipalpur, New Delhi – 110037, India | Tel: +91 11 4528 4000 I F: +91 11 4528 4010 - Toll Free: 1800 103 0330 corporate@in-asgroup.com I www.asiashipping.co New Delhi I Ludhiana I Mumbai I Pune I Mundra I Chennai I Kolkata I Jamshedpur

We guide through wise ways. Let’s go together?

COLLABORATION: THE REALM OF UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

Ican do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” These words of wisdom by Mother Teresa beautifully sum up the significance of collaboration in today’s world. With numerous challenges thrown upon us in a rapidly-changing world, the best thing we can do is come together and chart trajectories for mutual growth and prosperity. Collaboration at the very basic level, workplace, for instance, leads to effective and productive teams as it harnesses the best out of two or more individuals together. Collaboration at the level of nations, under various spheres, eventually helps in making this world a better place. One can experience the power of collaboration at its best at AsiaOne’s business summits throughout the globe be it Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bangkok, Mumbai or London. With the vision of creating endless possibilities for growth, AsiaOne Media Group has been continually offering international platforms of excellence to business, social and political leaders to collaborate for mutual benefits. Collaboration was the theme of our recently concluded 17th Asia Europe Business and Social Forum 2021-22 and Greatest Brands & Leaders – Asia, Middle East and Africa, which was held at the grand London Marriott Hotel at the historic Grosvenor Square on 12th April’21 in London, UK. It being our very first summit in Europe, it was an occasion of immense pride for Team AsiaOne magazine to receive a congratulatory message from the office of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, The Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson, 10 Downing Street expressing delight over “how the Summit will unite business and social leaders from various parts of the world.” The Summit was highlighted by the presence of some of the greatest business, social and political leaders such as some of the distinguished Members of Parliament namely Mr. Mike Wood, Ms. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Mr. Mark Logan, Mr. Steve Baker, Lord Karan Bilimoria, and Indian Actress and Singer Ms. Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop, besides Heads of the Missions of various countries

namely South Africa, Moldova, Serbia, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, Tunisia, Gambia, Kyrgyz Republic and Nigeria.

Some great leaders who ‘lead by example,’ ensure that they inspire umpteen others to attain excellence. Such leaders like Mr. Sajjan Jindal have been featured under a section titled ‘Person of the Year’ awardees.

Our Global Asian of the Year section portrays leaders for their rich contribution to the Asian and the world economy. Ajayya Kumar, Chintan Panara, Dr. P. Shyama Raju, Nehchal Khanna, Pankaj Jain, Rajiv Mittal, Sanjay Das and Shrinivas Chebbi have graced our Cover Page as Global Asian of the Year awardees.

Today, India is charting unique trajectories of success, growth and prosperity. Those leaders who have played a significant role in shaping the nation’s society and economy have been featured under a section titled Global Indian of the Year. Some of the coveted Global Indian of the Year awardees are Ashwin Yardi, CB Ganesh, Harish Kohli, Jitendra Mohan, Jagmohan Singh, Jaya Vaidhyanathan and Vikash Kumar.

Travel is all about new experiences, lasting memories, and self-discovery. Talking about the rich landscape and scenic beauty of their countries, Ambassadors of Moldova, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Nicaragua, Tunisia, and Haiti are sharing some of the awe-inspiring travel destinations of their countries with us.

As India celebrates its remarkable journey at 75 on 15th August 2022, our feature on ‘75 Years of Indian Excellence: The Journey is the Reward’ highlights various initiatives undertaken by the Indian government under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis as it is affecting societies and economies at their core. As the world gears up to take immediate development responses to combat this crisis, our feature attempts to provide an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global economy

The ripple effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are being felt in numerous

sectors. Our feature titled ‘Economic Ripples of Russia-Ukraine War Gripping the Globe’ showcases the impact of the war on global economy.

A Readers’ Page is being introduced in our subsequent issues. We want to keep it an open arena, where our readers may contribute on any topic of regional, national, international or personal importance (social, economic, political or emotional). You may send your articles to me for the Reader’s Page and then some constructive feedback on our endeavours and the stories. I’m available at richa@ asiaone.co.in for all that you feel is valuable and intend to share.

richa@asiaone.co.in

@richa_sang

MEENAKSHI KAKRAN

GLOBAL HEAD & PRINCIPAL PARTNER

RAJAT SHUKAL rajat@asiaone.co.in

CEO & PUBLISHER

SANDEEP KUMAR sandeep@asiaone.co.in

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

SENIOR LEAD, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

RICHA SANG richa@asiaone.co.in

CELL BONN SHELLY cellbonn@asiaone.co.in

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

COO

GENERAL MANAGER

MEENAKSHI KAKRAN

ROMISA HASSAN

SENIOR ASSOCIATE, EDITORIAL & RESEARCH - EUROPE

VICE PRESIDENT PAOLA MARTANI

DEEPIKA SHARMA RESEARCH & PROJECTS

GENERAL MANAGER

ALISH PEKHA

INDERJEET JAIN

SUBSCRIPTION

dubai@asiaone.co.in

GENERAL MANAGER

GENERAL MANAGER

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER MANAGER

MANAGER MANAGER

ROHAN GULATI

ANKITA PANDEY

RAJASHRI SARKAR

RHYTHM TANEJA

KOMAL TANWAR

CORPORATE MARKETING ART DESK

ASST. ART DIRECTOR

SR. DESIGNER

SR. MANAGER CONTENT PRODUCTION

ADITI KHANDELWAL

INDERJEET JAIN

GAURAV SHARMA

RITESH KUMAR

ADVERTISEMENT global@asiaone.co.in

Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of URS Media Consulting Pvt. Ltd. We, at URS AsiaOne do our best to verify the information published. Hence, we do not take responsibility for complete accuracy of the information. URS Media Consulting Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for any investment or any other decision taken by a reader on the basis of information provided here upon.

AsiaOne Ltd. is headquartered at Office #213, Bldg. 6EA, East Wing, Dubai, Airport Freezone, UAE. URS AsiaOne Pte.Ltd. 151 Chin Swee Road #07-12, Manhattan House, Singapore ( 169876 ) Phone : +65 94872470 It’s India Research and Publishing House is Located at Office No. 606, 6th Floor, DLF South Court, Saket District Centre, New Delhi – 110017, India. www.asiaone.me, www.asiaone.co.in Ph: +971-506695168; +91-011-43281161/62/63/64/65/66 +91-8287940740

URS AsiaOne does not accept responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All unsolicited material should be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage.

Published and printed by Sandeep Kumar for and on behalf of the owner. URS Media Consulting Pvt. Ltd. at Office No. 606, 6th Floor, DLF South Court, Saket District Centre, New Delhi – 110017, India and printed at G. H. Prints, A – 256, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase – I, New Delhi, India. Editor: Richa Sang.

© Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved. RNI No. DELENG / 2016 / 68514

C ONTENTS

PERSON OF THE YEAR 2022

82 SAJJAN JINDAL Empowering the Nation

ASHWIN YARDI Always Raising the Bar

CB GANESH Writing a Story With a New Vision

DIPAK CHOUDHARY Carving His Own Path to Success

MOHSIN HANI AL BAHRANI Continuing a Great Legacy

PRATEEK GATTANI Rebuilding from Grounds Up

PROF. (DR.) R.P. BANERJEE Dedicated To Higher Purpose & Spiritual Fulfilment

GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE YEAR 2022

AMAR DEEP S. HARI Unfazed by Challenges

DR. ARVIND KAPUR Working Towards a Larger Goal

DR. VINODKUMAR PATIL On Top of His Game

HARISH KOHLI No Shortcuts to Success

HARMEEK SINGH Raising the Bar

SINGH Facilitating a Cash-Rich Life

JAYA VAIDHYANATHAN Scripting Success Strategies

JITENDRA MOHAN In for the Long Haul

LALIT VERMA Acing the Game on Going Ahead

SETH Steering Towards Success

BLACKSWAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

C ONTENTS

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER-2022

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

ANANT GOENKA 212

ABHISHEK JAJOO 213

AIZAZ TAHSILDAR 214

ARVIND SARANGDHAR 216

CHANDER AGARWAL 217

MARIWALA 240

SANTHOSHI REDDY 241

SHASHANK VASHISHTHA 242 SHREEJEET PATNAIK 243 SHUBHANG ARORA 244 SHWETA GUPTA 245 NIKHILESH TIWARI 246 VAIBHAV

GREATEST BRANDS 2021 ASIA MIDDLE-EAST AFRICA

Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT)

Deemed to be University (Established U/S 3 of UGC Act, 1956), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

KIIT is among India's most sought-after universities, attracting students from all over India and more than 64 countries to pursue professional and technical education. It has built its reputation as the most student-friendly university, anchored on the principles of Compassion and Humanity, and is on its way to ecome an international hub for quality professional and technical education.

23 world class campuses spread over 25 sq. km. of area

22 schools offering 200+ academic programmes

2500 faculty & researchers and 30,000 students

Academic partnership with over 195 International Universities across the globe

KIIT is a member of prestigious national and international organizations such as International Association of Universities (IAU), Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), University Mobility of Asia and the Pacific (UMAP), Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and Eurasian Silk

SCHOOLS

School of Civil Engineering

School of Computer Engineering

School of Electrical Engineering

School of Electronics Engineering

School of Mechanical Engineering

School of Computer Application

School of Architecture

School of Law

School of Applied Sciences

School of Management

School of Biotechnology

School of Public Health

School of Chemical Technology

Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences

Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences

Kalinga Institute of Nursing Sciences

School of Fashion Technology

School of Film & Media Sciences

School of Commerce & Economics

School of Languages

2030 EMISSIONS TARGET TO UN

Australia’s new centreleft government submitted more ambitious emissions targets to the United Nations seeking to end a decade of footdragging on climate change. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised the country’s 2030 emissions reduction target to 43 per cent, up from a more modest previous target of 26-28 per cent.

The vast continent-country is replete with fossil fuel deposits and is one of the world’s top exporters of coal and gas. Coal still plays a key role in domestic electricity production. In 2022, MIT ranked Australia 52nd of 76 nations on its Green Future Index, which rates how much countries are shifting towards an environmentally sustainable economy.

The issue of emissions reduction and fossil fuel exports

was a key point of tension between Australia’s previous government and Pacific leaders, who have labelled climate change the greatest threat to the region.

Albanese tried to sidestep criticism that higher targets could harm Australian jobs saying that he wanted to “seize the opportunity that is there from acting on climate change”. Even before the announcement though, Australia’s fossil fuel industry was in flux with many major companies seeking to decarbonise their operations.

Fossil fuel giant BP announced that it would take out a 40.5 per cent stake in a renewables project in Australia, billed as the largest power station on earth.

The Business Council of Australia welcomed the raised targets, saying they “should be a line in the sand.”

ARIARNE TITMUS SETS WOMEN’S 400-METER FREESTYLE WORLD RECORD

Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus broke the women’s 400-meter freestyle world record at the Australian swimming championships. Titmus finished in 3 minutes, 56.40 seconds in the final at the South Australian Aquatic Centre to beat Katie Ledecky’s mark of 3:56.46 that the American set at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Titmus beat Ledecky

for Olympic gold in the 400m and 200 freestyle and finished behind the American great in the 800m freestyle final at last year’s Tokyo Games.

“I am definitely not putting the pressure on myself that I used to, but it’s still a healthy amount,” the 21-year-old Titmus said. “That has been the trick to me swimming well. Just going out there completely fearless, swimming what I used to feel like when I was 16 and first cracked on to the national team and just going there and surprising myself.” “It’s kind of nice now that I am not going to be asked when I am going to break the world record,” Titmus said.

PRESENTS

GREATEST BRANDS & LEADERS

ASIA-AMERICAS-AFRICA

2022-23

AsiaOne Media Holdings LLC brings to you the “Greatest Brands and Leaders” Television Series featuring success stories of Brands and Leaders from across the globe. These top Brands & Leaders would be showcased to the Business community of India, Asia, Americas and Africa through a special television series on leading English business & news channels of the region namely ET NOW, CNBC Africa, ZEE TV Middle East, North Africa & APAC and ZEE TV USA & Canada. FOR ENQUIRIES AND REGISTRATION - india@asiaone.co.in +91 8800840423 , 9873437762 / 011 - 43281161-66

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT BAN ON PETROL AND DIESEL CARS BY 2035

Members of the European Parliament have voted to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. The move aims to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. The voting was held on an amendment that would have allowed some auto emissions from new vehicles after 2035, which was rejected by Members of Parliament. The measure passed by 339 votes to 249 with 24 abstentions at a session in Strasbourg – in practice limiting future sales to emissions-free all-electric models. Cars currently account for 12 percent of all CO2 emissions in the 27-member EU bloc. The EU assembly

INDIA’S PERFORMANCE IN COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022

The games started on 28th July and will continue till 8th August 2022 in Birmingham, England. With 332 members representing Indian contingent, it is the country’s 18th time participation. This year Commonwealth Games has introduced women’s cricket which is a new start and new opportunity for India to gain the lead. So far in Birmingham 2022, India has won sixtyone medals including 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze medals. Mirabai Chanu brings the first gold medal for India in Weightlifting women’s 49kg, in Commonwealth Games 2022. Women’s Weightlifting got one gold and one silver in 55kg by Bindyarani Devi. Men’s Weightlifting got 4 medals for India. Gold by Jeremy Lalrinnunga in 67 kg, Silver

by Sanket Sargar in 55kg, and another Gold by Achinta Sheuli in 73 Kg.

Till now, India’s gold is contributed most by weightlifting followed by table tennis and lawn bowls. On a similar note, the most silver and bronze medals are contributed by weightlifting. From the other sports, Judo contributed the for 2 silver medals and a bronze. Badminton, squash, highjump and athletics contributed one medal each in silver and bronze categories.

Australia continues to lead the CWG medals table with a total of 178 medals which include 67 gold, 57 silver and 54 bronze. Host England continues to be in second place with 176 medals including 57 Gold, 66 silver and 53 bronze medals.

voted in Strasbourg, France to require automakers to cut CO2 emissions by 100 percent by the middle of the next decade. The mandate would prohibit on the sale in the 27-nation bloc of new cars powered by gasoline or diesel.

German Green EU legislator Michael Bloss also hailed the vote as a move that would simultaneously protect the climate and jobs in the sector. EU lawmakers rejected a proposal to upgrade the bloc’s carbon market, an unexpected move that exposed divisions over the bloc’s core climate policy and could delay negotiations to finish the measure. The lawmakers must now try to forge a new compromise after chaotic scenes and a blame game erupted in Parliament.

INDIA HOSTED SPECIAL ASEAN-INDIA FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEETING

India today hosted ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Secretary General for a Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (SAIFMM) to commemorate 30 years of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations. The Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was cochaired by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan. The Meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and representatives of Foreign Ministers from Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand along with Secretary General of ASEAN. The Ministers

reviewed the status of ASEAN-India Partnership and set out the path for the coming decade. The discussions included key focus areas of Covid-19 & Health, Trade & Commerce, Connectivity – physical and digital, Education & Capacity Building, as well as implementation of ASEANIndia Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). The Ministers also exchanged views on important regional and international developments and post pandemic economic recovery. During this visit, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers, Secretary General and others will also address the Ministerial Session.

GEETANJALI SHREE WON 2022

INTERNATIONAL MAN BOOKER PRIZE

Author Geetanjali Shree’s Hindi novel ‘Tomb of Sand’ has become the first book in any Indian language to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. At a ceremony in London on Thursday, the New Delhi-based writer said she was “completely overwhelmed” with the “bolt from the blue” as she accepted her prize, worth GBP 50,000 and shared with the book’s English translator, Daisy Rockwell.

“I never dreamt of the Booker,

I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I’m amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled,” said Shree, in her acceptance speech. There is a melancholy satisfaction in the award going to it. ‘Ret Samadhi/ Tomb of Sand’ is an elegy for the world we inhabit, a lasting energy that retains hope in the face of impending doom. The Booker will surely take it to many more people than it would have reached otherwise, that should do the book no harm,” she said.

DRAUPADI MURMU - INDIA’S 15TH AND THE YOUNGEST PRESIDENT

Draupadi Murmu scripted history by becoming India’s youngest and second woman President She is the first tribal woman to be elected as President of India by defeating her rival, opposition candidate, by a margin of 947 votes, bagging 64.03% of the electoral college votes against Sinha’s share of 35.97%. She becomes the first woman from a scheduled tribe to serve as President of India and the second person from a scheduled tribe in the same office.

Murmu, 64, is only the second former member of BJP after President Ram Nath Kovind to be elected President. She bagged votes from a total of 2,824 electors, including 540 MPs, while Sinha won the support of 1,877 electors, including 208 MPs. Murmu’s win was ensured after the third round itself when the Returning officer announced that she had already received over 53 per

cent of the total valid votes. Among the states where votes were counted include Andhra Pradesh, where Murmu received almost all the votes, besides Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Murmu’s tribal background not only helped catapult her to the top post, but the BJP by fielding her is also eyeing crucial votes of the ST community in upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which have a significant tribal population, besides the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She is an excellent orator in Santhali and Odia languages and has worked extensively to improve infrastructure such as roads and ports in Odisha.The low-profile Murmu, believed to be deeply spiritual, is a keen practitioner of the meditation techniques of the Brahma Kumaris.

EMIRATES LOGISTICS

INDIA PVT LTD ABOUT US

Emirates Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. is a part of the renowned Sharaf Group of Companies - largest conglomerate group of companies in UAE, having diverse business interests and operate 100+ companies in 60+ countries covering Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Emirates Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. is a world-class service provider offering Freight-Forwarding, Customs Clearance, Supply Chain Solutions and Warehousing & Distribution services.

Emirates Logistics India Pvt Ltd

Corporate Centre, 5th Floor, A Wing, Part C, Andheri Kurla Road, Above Axis Bank, Andheri (East), Mumbai – 400059, Maharashtra, India

Tel: +91-22 6230 3030

Email: india@emirateslogistics.com

Web: www.emirateslogistics.com

Our India Presence: Ahmedabad | Aurangabad | Bengaluru | Belapur | Coimbatore | Kochi| Chennai | Gandhidham | Hyderabad | Jaipur | Surat | Kolkata | Mumbai | New Delhi | Tuticorin | Vishakhapatnam | Pune

TORCH RELAY FOR 44TH CHESS OLYMPIAD LAUNCHED BY PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. This year, for the very first time, International Chess Federation, FIDE, has instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch, a part of the Olympic tradition. India is the first country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich handed over the torch to Prime Minister, who in turn handed it over to Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand. This torch will be taken to 75 cities in a span of 40 days before the final culmination at Mahabalipuram near

Chennai. At every location, chess grandmasters of the state will receive the torch. The 44th Chess Olympiad will be held in Chennai from 28th July to 10th August, 2022.

Referring to India’s recent successes in Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics, Thomas Cup and boxing the Prime Minister said there is no dearth of talent in the country. Mr. Modi said, under the Khelo India’ campaign, the country is searching and shaping these talents. Sports talent is emerging from far flung areas of the country under Khelo India. He also pointed out that sports have been treated as other academic subjects under New Education Policy.

NEERAJ CHOPRA WINS GOLD AT THE KUORTANE GAMES, FINLAND

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra clinched his first top podium finish of the season by winning the javelin throw event at the Kuortane Games in Finland, beating reigning world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada of Grenada.

The 24-year-old Chopra’s opening throw of 86.69m turned out to be the winning distance. Trinidad and Tobago’s 2012 Olympics champion Keshorn Walcott was second with a first round throw of 86.64m. Peters was third with a best throw of 84.75m, which also came in the opening round.

His throw was not as big

MONGOLIA’S

LAKE ADDED TO WORLD NETWORK OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES

Khuvsgul Lake National Park of Mongolia has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO. The Lake is located in the Northern Mongolian Province of Khuvsgul near the Russian border. It has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO, announced the Ministry of Environment and Tourism recently. The decision was made during

the 34th session of the International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Programme taking place in Paris, France. The primary aim of the Man and Biosphere Programme is to establish a scientific relationship between the people and their environments. Khuvsgul Lake in Mongolia holds nearly 70 per cent of the country’s freshwater or 0.4 percent of the world’s total.

as the 89.30m effort while finishing second in the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, in a star-studded field but the win will surely boost his confidence ahead of the Stockholm Diamond League.

Finland’s Oliver Helander, who won javelin throw competition in Turku with an effort of 89.83m, did not turn up though his name was entered. Chopra’s first competitive event after just over 10 months was nothing short of extraordinary as he nearly touched the coveted 90m mark, considered the gold standard in the world of javelin throw. Chopra’s earlier

national record was 88.07m which he had set in Patiala in March last year. He had won the Tokyo Olympics gold with a throw of 87.58m on August 7, 2021. In slippery conditions following some rain ahead of the event, Neeraj Chopra’s first throw measuring 86.69m was enough for him to clinch the top podium. Neeraj Chopra is scheduled to travel to Sweden

next for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League before next month’s engagements at the World Athletics Championships in the USA and the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. Reigning Asian and world para javelin champion Sandeep Chaudhary, who was also training at the Kuortane Olympic Training Centre along with Chopra.

EXPANDING HORIZONS FOR SELF-DISCOVERY THROUGH TRAVEL

Travel gives us new experiences, lasting memories, and facilitates self-discovery. It paves way for enjoying scenic beauty and appreciating different cultures. In fact, it is rightly said that travel broadens the mind. One cannot deny the fact that the significance of travel has increased manifold in the postpandemic world. Excellencies from Moldova, Jamaica, Serbia, Nicaragua, Tunisia, and Haiti are sharing some of the aweinspiring travel destinations of their countries with us

Cynosure

5 REASONS TO VISIT MOLDOVA AND TO BE SURPRISED BY IT

After an exhausting period of global pandemic, all of us deserve enjoying the moments of relaxation, and the Republic of Moldova is ready to offer a perfect recipe which includes a diversity of authentic tourist attractions and easy adventure. In Moldova, fruits and vegetables have a particular taste, wines contain a bouquet of flavors of more than 50 sorts of grape, and won 956 medals at 32 international profile competitions in 2020

By Her Excellency Mrs. Angela Ponomariov, Ambassador of Moldova to the United Kingdom

Cynosure

Hiking through the secular forests, exploring Moldova with kayak, navigating on Dniesterand Prut, photo sessions on lavender fields, sleeping in barrels, running through the longest underground wine galleries, climbing caves, witnessing the gathering of thousands of pelicans on Beleulake, visiting cave monasteries – all these will bring charm to your tourist itinerary no matter which one you choose.

Still being considered as enigma for the majority of tourists, the Republic of Moldova, with the assistance of the Agency of Investment, decided to tell the world about its unexplored potential and launched a campaign which promotes the country and is accompanied by a message: “Moldova: A place to find yourself.” We offer you five reasons to include the Republic of Moldova into the list of the destinations worth being discovered!

EXPLORE ADVENTURE TOURS

If you prefer active mode of life, you will also find suitable activities in Moldova. Those visitors who are in love with adventures, can choose a trip with kayak, hiking in the woods or cycling trails. If you are looking for a unique experience, you can take part in marathon in the underground cellars of Cricova or Milestii Mici, which are as long as 120 and 200 kilometers correspondingly.

CHERISH RICH HERITAGE

You can discover Soviet architecture and history. In 2021, Moldova celebrated 30 years of independence. With all these, a greater part of the complicated Soviet past is still present in urban architecture, especially in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.

ENJOY SUMPTUOUS CUISINE

Here you will find intense wines and discover unique gastronomic

experience. When in the Republic of Moldova, you can’t help but visit the famous wineries included in the “Wine Route.” This offers a remarcable oenogastronomic experience, from hautecuisine delights and noble wines, appreciated worldwide, to traditional dishes accompanied by artisanal wines, unique in flavors and character they show.

EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF SLOW LIFE

You can enjoy picturesque sceneries and experience in full the concept of “slow life” The Republic of Moldova inspires visitors by its rich history and intact nature. Old Duruitoarea Cave, formed a couple of million years ago in a reef of Sarmatic sea and its breath-

MOLDOVA’S TOURISM IS GROWING THAT HIGHLIGHTS ITS AUTHENTIC CULTURE, TRADITIONS, CUISINE AND WINERIES”

taking sceneries will make you feel as being on filming sets of “Lord of the Rings,” as well as medieval cave monasteries, dug in cliffs of Old Orhei, Tipova and Saharna. Moldova is one of the few European countries where people still live according to “slow life” concept, preferring simple and calm life, which involves sustainable farming practices which help to escape from our hyperactive world by offering you moments of full relaxation.

ENLARGE YOUR HORIZONS BY DISCOVERING MODERN HISTORY

What would you say about a tour around writers’ houses? Discover modern history of Moldova by visiting writers’ and artists’ houses, transformed into museums. The house of the first contemporary poet from Moldova, Grigore Vieru, situated at Pererita village, is an example of the traditional architecture. On the other hand, the house of Russian classical poet, Alexandr Puskin, who was exiled to Chisinau and lived here for three

years, is a sample of urban history of the beginning of the XIX century. Moldova is a destination which can enlarge your horizons. By living this tactile and sensory experience, you will be able to see things in a different perspective, transforming your stay into a travel in time, to authentic values and genuine places.

MOLDOVA: A COMPLETE TOURIST DESTINATION

In summary, what is our main pitch to convince you to come? That you will enjoy chill and cozy afternoons in our capital Chisinau. You will discover and taste our delicious food by the side of our hosts at rural guesthouses. You will go on 150 km of wine routes from the north to the south of our country tasting excellent wines and learning about traditional Moldovan varietals. And, if this is not enough you can surely find a kayak to paddle down a river, a hill to climb, explore a cave monastery, or even travel back in time here in Moldova.

And finally, what will you feel when you arrive in Moldova? Genuine hospitality. It has always been Moldovans’ middle name throughout our history. In the past few years, we’ve been working hard to spread the word on this. And as a result, our tourism is growing in a way that highlights our authentic culture, traditions, cuisine and vibrant wineries.

So, try staying at a rural guesthouse for a few days of rest, fabulous homecooked food and incomparable Moldovan hospitality. You’ll return to the world you came from with your batteries recharged. This is why Moldova is a place to find yourself.

Not only can we promise you an unforgettable experience when you visit, but one you can share with friends and family in real time –because we have first-rate Internet and some of the fastest mobile data speeds in Europe.

LET YOURSELF BE SURPRISED BY MOLDOVA!

THE MOST MUSICAL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

This August Jamaica celebrates 179 years of Emancipation from slavery, a most significant milestone which coincides with the arrival of the first Indians to our island. We also commemorate 60 years of Independence as well as 60 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations with India. There is much to reflect on in our shared history and indeed much to be grateful for. It is a tremendous honour as Jamaica’s first resident High Commissioner to India to greet you on this occasion. Please allow me to share with you a small snippet of my country as we move to further strengthen the relationship and foster meaningful exchanges between our great nations

By His Excellency Mr. Jason K. M. Hall, High Commissioner of Jamaica to India

Cynosure

“Think you know Jamaica?”

Not many countries in the world deliver such a confounding array of superlative, if not audacious global achievements from such a relatively small place with so few people. Roughly the size of the Northern Indian state of Tripura, with a population of 2.7 million, Jamaica has emerged as a global superpower of culture, through music and sport.

Designated the most musical country in the world in terms of per capita output, Jamaica has the distinction of originating over 14 genres of music. Not including Reggae, our most renown, which is more of a social movement, not in reference to the dancing, though that is also a phenomenon, but due to its message of love, peace and justice, giving voice to the upliftment of people everywhere. Our musicality grabs you by the “beat of your pants”, moves your feet, stirs your heart and satisfies your soul. Both TIME Magazine’s Album of the Millennium and the BBC’s Song of the Century (Exodus and One Love) were penned by Bob Marley, a lyrical genius, one of Jamaica’s greatest sons and biggest ambassador of Reggae.

In sport; Jamaica has produced the fastest woman and man on the planet (Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Usain Bolt) and has amassed over a third of the total Olympic and World Championship sprint medals to be won in history, repeatedly “sweeping the podium”. Just recently we produced the only person ever, to win World Championship gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m and 4x400m – Shericka Jackson. This legacy of sporting excellence extends to other disciplines; boxing, swimming, rugby, football, netball and of course cricket. A sport where we have made a significant contribution as part of the West Indies with legends such as George Headley, Lawrence Rowe, Jeffrey Dujon, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh and Chris

Gayle to list but a few. We were also the first tropical island to field a team in the winter Olympics, competing in the Bob Sled (what no snow? no problem!). Our success is attributable to our indomitable spirit, our drive to succeed and fearless unflappable yet playful nature that keeps us calm in the tense moments of competition.

The name Jamaica means “Land of wood and water” in Taino, the language of our original people. Quite fitting when you behold the breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of UNESCO World Heritage Blue and John Crow Mountains, with stunning waterfalls, crystalline healing rivers and warm azure seas. These attributes all combine to make Jamaica a “must visit” location, a fixture on many a bucket list and not surprisingly, the leading honeymoon destination in the world. They also make for excellent film locations; the first and last James Bond franchises were shot in Jamaica (“Dr. No”, “Live and Let Die”, and “No Time to Die”). In fact, James Bond was “born” in Jamaica, it was where Ian Fleming was inspired to write the series. Interestingly and somewhat controversially, there was recent speculation that the character would be played by a woman, Lashana Lynch, who is of Jamaican descent, naturally.

Perhaps there is some Darwinian principle at play or maybe it has to do with the way the rich fertile volcanic soil integrates with limestone filtered fresh rainwater that help create the ideal “terroir” from which comes the some of the world’s finest rum and coffee, as well as countless other medicinal plants and herbs endemic to the island.

Our national motto; “Out of Many, One People”, underscores our diversity and partly explains the unique delectability of our cuisine, a mélange of our African, Indian, Chinese and European heritage. From our worldfamous Jerk Cuisine, to fresh fruits

“THE NAME JAMAICA MEANS “LAND OF WOOD AND WATER” IN TAINO, THE LANGUAGE OF OUR ORIGINAL PEOPLE”

of sea and land there is something uniquely remarkable about the tastes you will encounter. Of special note is Ital food, an all-natural, no salt, vegan fare from the Rastafarian faith, an Abrahamic religion born in Jamaica which promotes peace, love and respect of self and others, teaching us how to live in harmony with the environment.

Today Jamaica is connected to the world with over 400 international flights weekly, and there is no visa requirement for holders of most passports including Indian. Yet tourism is not the only attraction, with low inflation, strong economic growth, an investor friendly transparent regime, and the highest rank in ease of doing business in the region (6th globally, 2020 – IMF), the island is also unfolding as a destination for investment. In 2015 and 2018, Jamaica had the highest performing Stock Exchange in the world with a 233% rally. The stable credit rating, enabling government fiscal policy, developed infrastructure (6 cargo ports, 5 cruise ports, 3 international airports, extensive fiber optic/ broadband capacity) and strategic geographic positioning amalgamate to create a strong value proposition across a number of sectors, including; ICT (digital services), maritime services & logistics, agriculture, renewable energy, mining and tourism.

Whatever your inclination, whatever your passion, whether you are seeking thrilling adventure, or rest/relaxation/ rejuvenation, a romantic getaway, cultural enlightenment or spiritual alignment, investment and growth, Jamaica awaits you.

In the words of Bob Marley; “One Love, One Heart,………. Come to Jamaica and feel alright!”

AN EXCITING TOURIST DESTINATION

Serbia as an exciting tourist destination generously offers countless reasons for you to visit and return for more exploration, over and over again. We are especially proud of Serbia’s interesting nature and its picturesque terrain

By Her Excellency Ms. Aleksandra Joksimovic, Ambassador of Serbia to the

United Kingdom

Serbia has mountain peaks, both steep and mild, that entice you to conquer them. Reaching the top will reward you with the magnificent views to enjoy from numerous lookouts. River flows, meanders that they create, framed by rocks that have been carved by nature for millions of years are landscapes that you can find in West Serbia, but also in the south of the country.

Those who enjoy the scenes of the meadows, fertile arable land and soothing energy choose Vojvodina, our granary. Five national parks are

ideal places for getting to know the natural beauty, but also the indigenous plant and animal species inhibiting those areas.

A BREATHTAKING DESTINATION THAT RELAXES AND INSPIRES: THE UVAC CANYON AND THE FLIGHT OF THE GRIFFON VULTURE

For those who are looking for positive vibes and getting acquainted with tradition, history, and culture, cities full of life are perfect destination. There are plenty of options to choose, the metropolitan spirit of Belgrade,

“SERBIA HAS A GRAND MILLENNIA-OLD CIVILIZATIONS, MODERN ARCHITECTURE, AND THE NEW SPIRIT OF NATION”

the energy of the European capital of culture Novi Sad or the southern temperament, spirit and tastes of Nis and Vranje.

IF YOU END UP IN BELGRADE, BE SURE TO VISIT THE LARGEST ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE BALKANS. THE SAINT SAVA TEMPLE WILL GIVE YOU A HISTORICAL LESSON ON THE PERSEVERANCE, CHALLENGES, VICTORIES AND SUCCESSES OF SERBIAN PEOPLE

European countries can be proud of the magnificent, energetic andpowerful Danube river. Serbia is also proud of its strength, the traces it left throughout history and the places it makes beautiful along its flow.

EXPERIENCE THE PLACE WHERE THE DANUBE IS THE NARROWEST AND THE DEEPEST

Speaking of our country, we are proud to present a magnificent cultural mosaic made of millenniaold civilizations: monasteries and churches safeguarding the people, history and faith in the most difficult times; fortresses with secrets to convey, contemporary architectural achievements, scientific discoveries, as well as the modern spirit of Serbia we are excited to share with you.

VICTORIES, FEARS AND SECRETS WOVEN INTO THE FORTRESS WALLS

In addition to the described scenes and colours, an unavoidable part of every destination tour, short or long stay, is the tasting of some new, but also old, somewhat forgotten flavours. Tastes that are specific to a certain region and that generations do not give up.

SNACKS AND FLAVOURS THAT WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO COME HERE AGAIN

Vivid and beautiful, photographs are not enough. Even the storytelling cannot describe the destination. This is why we are inviting you to experience Serbia. It is the slogan of the national tourist organisation and the best invitation to come to our country. Experience Serbia!

THE HIDDEN GEM OF CENTRAL AMERICA

A destination that has it all, and diversity being its greatest attraction, Nicaragua is enjoyable, with natural beauty, rich and lively culture, incomparable traditions, and history, located in the heart of America, ideal for those looking for something different

By Her Excellency Ms. Guisell Morales-Echaverry, Ambassador of

Nicaragua to the United Kingdom

Nicaragua offers you sun and beach, adventure, nature, culture, cuisine, and, colonial cities, everything that a tourist looks for on their trips. When arriving you will be greeted by its tropical weather that gives you energy and encouragement to go out and discover the country, walk through its streets, visit cities that date back to the Spanish era where you can breathe the living culture in each place, get to know the traditions, history, the exquisite gastronomy or tour its picturesque villages by bicycle, sharing with its people who, due to their unique hospitality, will capture you from the very first moment.

VIBRANT CULTURE

The culture of Nicaragua is a product of the mixture of indigenous identity with Spanish and African heritage, traditions, dances with different

musical rhythms, and especially culinary customs are still preserved— one of the aspects that most attracts tourists since it captures the essence of the places where it is prepared–shows autochthonous features of each area and contributes to the rescue of the different cultural expressions of the country, becoming something attractive during your visit.

The colonial cities include urban, cultural, and historical tourism with incredible architectural sights. Granada and León are the oldest cities, founded in colonial times in 1524.

An important icon of León is the Insigne y Real BasílicaCatedral de la Asunción de la Bienaventurada Virgen María, known as the Cathedral of León, the largest in Central America and one of the most beautiful in America, for its artistic and historical value, it was declared a National

Historic Monument on December 14, 1999, and elevated by UNESCO to the category of World Heritage Site on June 28, 2011.

RICH ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

Its churches, colonial buildings, architectural, natural and cultural heritage make this department an attractive destination on a national and international level. Likewise, the traditional purísimas, museums, legends, intense folklore, and daily laborious life make this city an unforgettable destination to spend the night and enjoy.

POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The unique, Granada, a destination that you definitely have to visit, converted into the tourism capital of Nicaragua, located just 40 minutes from Managua, its main attraction is

Cynosure

the colonial, neoclassical, and baroque architecture visible in houses, streets, squares, monuments, and churches; La Calzada street is preferred by tourists, taking a ride through its roads by horse-drawn carriages is something typical of the city, and you cannot leave without savoring a delicious vigorón in Central Park or the local market, accompanied by delicious cocoa or grass ―known locally as grama- drink.

One of the incredible attractions of Granada is the Islets of Granada, an archipelago that has 365 small islands that decorate the great Lake of Nicaragua, formed by the powerful eruption of the Mombacho volcano, a tropical paradise full of abundant vegetation and native fauna, in which you can see a number of species of birds, monkeys and a wide variety of fish.

The main tourist activity in the islets is boat rides or tours, which are an unforgettable experience for visitors since in these islets you can find different attractions such as the Spanish Fort San Pablo, located there to defend the city from the attack of pirates in the colonial era, also a visit to the Isla de los Monos, visit one of the restaurants located on the islets, either to eat or rest and learn about the culture of the local inhabitants.

The national diversity of the country is one of its main attractions, numerous nature reserves are the cover letter of the different destinations that you can visit and activities to do, hiking up amazing mountains of extensive forests, walks between ancient natural canyons, kayaking by the rivers, lakes, and lagoons that complement these natural wonders are just a part of everything you have to do.

THE RING OF FIRE

Something unique that draws the attention of tourists is the large number of volcanoes, the ring of fire that runs through the country’s geography, constitutes part of its

majestic landscapes, with 26 powerful volcanoes, 7 of them active, that offer a range of attractions and activities for doing, visiting them, exploring and appreciating their spectacular views, is simply a privilege.

If what you are looking for is adrenaline, you can climb these colossi and see the resplendent magma inside

“NICARAGUA CULTURE IS A MIX OF NATIVE IDENTITY WITH SPANISH & AFRICAN HERITAGE, TRADITIONS, AND DANCES”

its crater, camp in its surroundings, or even sandboard descending through a table down the Cerro Negro volcano, cool off in the lagoons that are inside or canopy through the treetops, are some of the activities that will leave you dazzled.

THE SUN, SAND & SERENITY

There are so many virtues of the country that thanks to its location you can enjoy the beaches of the two oceans, where you will have relaxing afternoons on the Caribbean coast with its white sands and crystal-clear waters, savoring a delicious coconut

by the seashore or appreciate the dances and the afro descendant culture that predominates in the Nicaraguan Caribbean, before going to the beach and snorkeling along the reefs that decorate the entire coastline.

If you want a little more action, you can visit the Pacific beaches where you can surf on one of the 5 best beaches in the world for this sport, located on the coast of the Tola beach in Rivas, or go to its virgin shores that offer you horse rides or watch the arrival of thousands of turtles that come to lay their eggs in the sand, magical moments that are only experienced in Nicaragua.

TRANQUIL DESTINATIONS

A surprising and unique destination in the country is the Ometepe Island, a natural paradise, known as the “Oasis of peace” an icon of tourism in Nicaragua, the Ometepe Island Biosphere Reserve is a tourist standard in the country due to its natural and cultural attractions, which can boast of being the largest island in the world within a freshwater lake with 2 volcanoes, one of them active, is located within Lake Nicaragua or Lake Cocibolca, which only takes an hour by ferry to reach its spectacular coasts, whereupon arrival the colossi Concepción and Maderas volcanoes

dazzle, imposing wonders that impress all visitors.

This and more is Nicaragua… A multiethnic, multilingual, and multicultural country that stands out for its natural treasures where we are sure that time will simply not be enough, and when it’s time for you to leave you will not want to go, all the beauty of Nicaragua and the affection of its people will make you feel like part of them, a unique country where there will always be something more to do and many experiences to live, unique experiences… original, that will turn your trip into an unimaginable journey.

Cynosure

A LAND OF RICH CULTURE AND HISTORY

We all know about Tunisia’s wonderful beaches, but do you know about its fascinating culture and wealth of history? In fact, Tunisia is like an open-air museum, with ancient treasures to explore wherever you look. It’s a great choice for combining a beach holiday with sightseeing

By His Excellency Mr. Nabil Ben Khedher, Ambassador of Tunisia to the United Kingdom

No matter whether you prefer a pure beach holiday or wandering around monuments from the Roman times, Tunisia the northernmost African country has it all. It is an oasis of historical sites, beautiful landscapes, picturesque beaches and rich in culture. The country has remained alive in history for thousands of years with many UNESCO World Heritage Sites just waiting to be explored. It’s time to plan your holiday in Tunisia!

6 REASONS WHY TUNISIAN CULTURE APPEALS TO VISITORS: 1. SeveralUNESCO World Heritage Sites

Tunisia has no less than eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are all well worth visiting. These are: the Amphitheatre of El Jem (1979), Kerkouane, (1985),

Dougga (1997), Kairouan (1988), Medina of Sousse (1988), Medina of Tunis (1979), the Site of Carthage (1979) and Ichkeul National Park (1980).

2. Legacy of diverse cultures through the ages Due to its strategic position,Tunisia has been home to many great civilisations, throughout its 3000year history. These include: the Berbers (the original inhabitants of Tunisia), Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans and Europeans.

3. Discover the great Empire of Carthage Tunisia was the cradle of the Empire of Carthage, founded in 814 BC and the homeland of Hannibal, the famous hero who challenged Rome. It was also the birthplace of Magon, the first agronomist and

“TUNISIA HAS A RICH CUISINE INSPIRED BY CULTURES FROM THE BERBERS TO THE ROMANS, THE OTTOMANS TO THE FRENCH”

winegrower, whose legacy is still in use today in Tunisia’s wine industry.

4. Kairouan: The first capital of the Maghreb

Away from the coast, in a landscape of steppes, Kairouan is a fascinating city still anchored in a distant past. One of Islam’s holy cities, it was the first capital of the Maghreb. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it conceals several marvels: the medina, the venerable Great Mosque, the Aghlabid Basins, the stunning mausoleum of SidiSahbi decorated with ceramic tiles… And of course it is impossible to forget the numerous workshops where the most famous knotted pile

carpets in Tunisia are made.

5. Explore Roman sites and see beautiful mosaics

Tunisia thrived under the Romans! They stayed in the country for 6 centuries. Their majestic remains are well preserved, such as the coliseum of El Jem, the third largest in the Roman Empire, the opulent city of Douggaand the brightly coloured mosaics, which are on display in the Bardo Museum

6. Experience the Berber culture and way of life

The indigenousTunisian people, the Berbers, always lived on the edge of the space of those who invaded the country, but lived peacefully

alongside them. Still today, they live in the rocky desert in the south east, following the lifestyle and traditions of their ancestors. They are famous for their troglodyte houses, hilltop villages and collective, fortified granaries known as Ksour, which stock their scarce food supply.

SILKY WHITE SANDY BEACHES BLENDED WITH CLEAR

TURQUOISE WATERS!

Tunisia has pretty much something for all its guests, especially families. Tunisia is one of the perfect family holiday destination. All the leading operators to Tunisia include family options.

EXPERIENCE RELAXATION WITH THALASSO & SPA CENTRES

Spa facilities are now something of a holiday essential. A wide range of treatments are available and there is plenty of quiet relaxation and luxury

pampering

GOLDEN AGE PAMPERED BY WARM TUNISIAN WINTER SUNSHINE!

Dynamic seniors represent an important niche for Tunisia especially during low & shoulder seasons. They are looking for:

• An affordable winter in the sun while escaping the British cold winters. Winter in Tunisia is mild. 17C is average temperature. Excursions to different places of interest become popular. For some, Tunisia becomes a second home during their long stays.

• Outdoor activities: all hotels in Tunisia are beach front and very close to activity spots such as Golf courses If you’re staying in Hammamet there are 2 fabulous golf courses ( Yasmine & Citrus) about 5 miles away , Green fees are very reasonably priced dotted with comfortable clubhouses. They can play golf all year round.

• Many of them love Nature! There are 17 natural parks and 27 natural reserves which continue to stir the curiosity of visitors among them Ichkeul National Park which has been added to the World Heritage List since 1980. Tunisia is a haven for a large number of migratory birds from Europe and Africa. This makes it as a well-known Birdwatching destination. Also, among the uniqueness of Tunisia is that a very visible landscape contrast from the green mountains of the North to the Sahara Desert compressed in a tiny piece of land called Tunisia!

THE TUNISIAN

OASIS & SAHARA

The uniqueness about Tunisia's desert is that visitors rarely have to travel too far to get there. They can take a two day trip excursion, spend an overnight in a desert inn or opt for a longer stay under a bivouac tent or in a camp

The Saharan scenery will certainly live up to everyone’s image of a desert landscape! It could be rocky where the incredible Berber villages, which have been carved out of the rocky crags they hang to and strange fortified

Ksours granaries built by nomadic tribes to keep their food supply in. Or it could be sandy characterised by the golden and soft sand dunes. There is also bizarre salt lakes as Chotts which are seasonal lakes – dry for most of the year – The most famous one is Chott El Jerid. There are also, three types of Oases, Maritime in the North East of the desert, the Sandy oases planted with palm trees and mountain oases in the North West of the Desert.

A GASTRONOMIC JOURNEY AROUND TUNISIA

Tunisia has a rich cuisine, inspired by the many diverse cultures that have lived over its long history – from the Berbers and Carthaginians to the Romans, the Ottomans to the French. This journey is not only a journey around Tunisia, but also a voyage of discovery, basking into its rich past.

The capital of Tunis is a great place to start our gastronomic journey. The ancient medina, with its labyrinth of narrow streets and entrancing souks, is the ideal place to sample one of the bespoken Tunisia’s street food speciality – brik a l’oeuf, egg encased

in flaky filo pastry, its runny yolk providing a perfect contrast to the crisp pastry.

Wine making in Tunisia dates back some 2000 years to the famous Carthaginian agronomist, Magon, after whom one of the country’s most famous wines is named. There has been a recent resurgence in wine making and you can try delicious local tipples including light rosés, sparkling whites and rich reds - the perfect way to reflect on a busy day’s sightseeing or a lazy day at the beach!

Nabeul, close to the popular resort of Hammamet, is famous for its peppers and, therefore, one of Tunisia’s most important culinary delights – harissa – introduced by the Berbers. This Tunisian chilli paste is used to flavour everything from couscous to spicy seafood pasta, and is often served on its own as a condiment or as an appetiser with freshly baked bread with a dash of olive oil.

Wherever you choose to visit during your holiday in Tunisia, the local cuisine is sure to be a highlight – as well as an introduction to the rich history of the country.

Formerly nicknamed Quisqueya, the island of Haiti was inhabited by Indians before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 in America. Decimated because of forced labour due to slavery, the Indians were later replaced by black Africans torn from the African continent via the transatlantic slave trade of European colonizers who competed for control of the island.

THE HISTORY

Haiti became a colony of France for more than three centuries. It provided the raw materials that enriched the economy of the major cities of France including Paris, Bordeaux, and Nantes. In 1791, African slaves began the revolution that followed the abolition of slavery in 1794, as reported by several historians, such as Thomas Madiou.

When Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte

decided to re-establish slavery in Saint Domingue (Haiti’s former name) in 1802, the slaves got united to free themselves. They defeated the largest European army of that time and gave birth to the world's first free black nation-state in January 1804.

Frightened by the subversive idea that a republic should be ruled by blacks, the Western states of the time diplomatically and economically isolated Haiti. For

Republic of Haiti

THE LAND WITH A SOUL

The Republic of Haiti, given its historical and cultural legacy, continues to be perceived and cherished for the perspective of human rights and dignity it stands for. Among other physical points of interest, the Haitian roots, culture, rare and unique history constitute the archil hills that should trigger tourists’ curiosity

By His Excellency Mr. M. Euvrard Saint Amand Ambassador of

the Republic of Haiti to the United Kingdom

instance: the Vatican waited until 1860 to establish ties with Haiti, which is a country officially declared Catholic. In addition, the United States of America, despite secretly trading with Haiti, recognized Haiti in 1862, during the Civil War that caused the abolition of slavery in the United States. After its independence, which has been penalized by the international community, especially French, Haiti

played an exemplary role in the quest for freedom in the region and in the world. The, then, international context and the repeated threats from France to re-establish slavery into the former colony triggered the fathers’ founders of that new nation to build multiple fortresses within most of the country’s mountains to defend the territory in case of any assault. Today, those fortresses are considered, alongside

with the beautiful beaches, the most visited touristic sites in Haiti. From those fortresses, the great, mysterious, majestic, and marvellous CITADELLE LAFERRIERE is among the world’s most beautiful buildings and had been recognised as world’s heritage by the UNESCO.

Moreover, Haiti provided considerable assistance in ammunition and strategies to the revolutionaries

Cynosure

of Latin America, in particular Gran Colombia – composed of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama –from Francisco de Miranda in late 1805 and then to Simon Bolivar.

The Republic of Haiti contributed to the independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire in 1822. Although they started to fight on 25th March 1821, which is their independence date, as a sign of recognition to Haiti’s support, the Greeks declared their independence on 1st January, like Haiti, and adopted the same national motto of Haiti's war of independence "freedom or death."

Similarly, at the United Nations conference in February 1945 in Yalta, which France did not attend, Haiti allowed the French language to become, like the English language, a working language at the United Nations on

April 27, 1945.RégisDebray in Haiti and France. Report to Dominique de Villepin, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Round Table, Paris 2004) reports the words of Georges Bidault, president of the French delegation, to Haitian diplomats: "France owes you an eternal gratitude".

Historians recall that Haiti was an emblematic figure in the debates on decolonization. Haiti has actively participated in the process of Africa's independence in terms of human’s resource and knowledgetransfers.

This historical presentation highlights the attachment of the Republic of Haiti to the humanist values of liberty, equality, justice, solidarity, and selfdetermination. These values are the foundation carried by the Haitian Revolution of January 1, 1804, as a starting point in the quest for freedom

“HAITI HAS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AFRICA’S freedom IN TERMS OF HUMAN RESOURCE AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFERS”

throughout the world.

HERITAGE, CULTURE & TRADITIONS

Haitian culture is refined and abundant. Indeed, Creole is the most popular language in Haiti alongside the French language which is used as an academic and administrative language. Vodou, far from being only a religion, is the crucible of the model of social organization, identity, and resilience of the Haitian people in the face of formidable circumstances.

Creole and Vodou both played a decisive role in the birth of Haiti. They are, to repeat LaënnecHurbon, "processes of self-reconstruction through the re-creation of new symbolic networks taken from Africa and subject to reinterpretation..." (Vodou and the Haitian Revolution, LaënnecHurbon).

Geographically, Haiti forms the western three-eighths of the island of Hispaniola, west of the Dominican Republic and located east of the neighbouring island of Cuba, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. The plate where

Haiti is located is constantly jostled and crushed by tectonic movements caused by the rush between the North American plate, the Cocos plate, the South American plate, and the Nazca plate.

Despite its fragile location, Haiti has an important relief that makes it an excellent touristic and culinary destination. The Haitian gastronomy is one of the best tastes in the world with every single dish being organic and fresh. Alongside with the national dishes which consist of RICE AND BEANS-LALEAU or GRIOTBANANE PESEE-PIKLIZ (fried Pork-fried plantain- chilly sauce), the remarkable and delicious SOUP JOUMOU (pumpkin soup) which is mostly consumed throughout the country every 1st January to celebrate the independence, had been recognized as world’s cultural heritage by the UNESCO in 2022.

Finally, with its sublime landscapes, composed of waterfalls, caves, forests, mountains and magnificent beaches, voodoo practices, colorful naïve art and culture, Haiti has always fascinated

all its visitors and remain a rare and unique experience for tourists from everywhere on the planet.

HISTORICAL AND TOURIST SITES IN HAITI

Haiti has numerous historical and tourist attractions. Some of the prominent centres of attraction as listed below.

1. The MUPANAH Museum in the city of Port-au-Prince Built partially underground, this museum displays artefacts illustrating Haiti’s history with an emphasis on its revolutionary years and its political and cultural forefathers. Get up close to artefacts from a Colombus ship, slave shackles, murder weapons and the bell that rang in independence.

2. Île-à-Vache

Thissmall island in the Caribbean Sea is a commune in Haiti that extends over nearly 46 km2. Île-àVache, which was a den of pirates in the seventeenth century, including Captain Morgan, is a real little corner

of paradise where nature imposes itself and cars have no place.

3. The Coast of the Arcadins

Located on the western shores ofHaiti, Les Côte des Arcadins in Montrouis, Haiti is a popular destination to travelers worldwide. The area is home to five gorgeous resorts: Kaliko Beach, Wahoo Bay, Ouanga Bay, Moulin Sur Mer and Royal Decameron All Inclusive Resort and Spa. Each resort offers guests something different, but all of them are perfect spots for the perfect getaway in the Caribbean.

4. Haiti’s National Historical Park

Theremains of Haiti's National Historical Park, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, are found in the north of the country. The National Historical Park of Haiti includes three impressive sites:

– The Citadel La Ferrière, a huge fortress erected in the early nineteenth century that rises to 900 meters above sea level, making it the largest fortress in the Caribbean. At the top, the panoramic view of

Cynosure

northern Haiti and the Caribbean Sea is breath-taking!

– The ruins of the Palais Sans Souci, the former residence of King Henri Christophe ravaged by earthquakes that occurred in 1842 and 1843.

– The fortified site of Les Ramiers, a plateau containing the ruins of a fort, covered with vegetation until 1972.

5. THE Citadel La Ferrière

The Citadelle La Ferrière is a military structure built in the early nineteenth century in Milot in Haiti in the Department of Nord, by Henri Christophe. It is the largest fortress on the American continent: at 900 meters above sea level, it is located 15 km south of Cap-Haïtien, within the National Historical Park - Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.

6. Le Bassin Bleu

The Bassin Bleu, or Basenblé in Haitian Creole, is a beautiful natural site located near the city of Jacmel, in the mountains. It is composed of three pools with turquoise water (the Yes Basin of 4.6 meters deep, the Palmist Basin of 17.4 meters deep and the Clear Basin of 22.8 meters deep), into which sometimes spectacular waterfalls flow. Surrounded by lush vegetation, caves and fruit trees, these coolwater pools are perfect places to enjoy a swim, in an enchanting setting!

7. The Saut-Mathurine water fall

Locatedat Camp-Perrin, in the south of Haiti, the Saut-Mathurine, is one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country. 27 meters high and about 30 meters wide, this incredible waterfall extends over the river Cavaillon and flows into a natural pool where it is possible to swim. Ideal after a hot day visiting the surroundings! For the anecdote, its waters are used to produce electricity and thus supply the cities of Camp-Perrin and Maniche

8. The Marie-Jeanne Cave (La Grotte Marie-Jeanne)

TheGrotte Marie-Jeanne is the longest natural excavation in the Caribbean. It is a real underground labyrinth of several kilometers that would have about 56 rooms,

and whose formation would date back nearly 60 million years. The interior of the cave is covered with speleothems, limestone formations typical of tropical caves. This natural treasure, located on a hill at 120 meters above sea level in the city of Port-à-Piment, in the south of the country, makes part of the things to do in Haiti!

9. The Saut d'Eau water fall (La cascade Saut d’Eau)

WhyShould you go see the Sautd'Eau Waterfall if you plan to visit Haiti? Because the supposed magical virtues of this beautiful and vertiginous waterfall make it an emblematic sacred place of voodoo practices on the island! Its waters come from the Terrible Mountain, also considered a sacred place for Catholic and voodoo believers. The Saut d'Eau waterfall is in the district of Mirebalais, in the heart of the country.

10.Macaya National Park

This park with an area of 20 km2 is part of the Massif de la Hotte and encompasses two Haitian peaks which are the peak of Formon (2219 m) and the peak of Macaya (2347 m). It is one of the last primary forests in the country and is home to endemic species in its tropical rainforest, which explains the importance of protecting this endangered treasure.

11.The Bay of Labadie Labadie, or Labadee, is not only the name of a famous private seaside resort, luxurious and very frequented by tourists, it is more

generally a bay formed by a paradise peninsula. Located a few kilometers northwest of Cap-Haitian, the bay of Labadie and its turquoise waters are overlooked by beautiful mountains. If you plan to explore this corner of the country, take the opportunity to stroll through Cap Haitian, or the natural site of Île-à-Rat, also called Amiga Island! The latter is an islet composed of a small virgin forest and white sand surrounded by crystal clear water from which visitors are invited to go diving, kayaking or simply relax on the beach.

12.Turtle Island (Ile de la Tortue)

Tortuga Island is a Caribbean island that forms part of Haiti, off the northwest coast of Hispaniola. It constitutes the commune of Île de la Tortue in the Port-de-Paix arrondissement of the Nord-Ouest department of Haiti. The island owes its name to Christopher Columbus, because of its sea turtle shape.

Tortuga is 180 square kilometres (69 square miles)[3] in size and had a population of 25,936 at the 2003 Census. In the 17th century, Tortuga was a major center and haven of Caribbean piracy. Its tourist industry and references in many works have made it one of the most recognized regions of Haiti. Recently, the cinema (Captain Blood by Michael Curtis, the pirates of the Caribbean film series...) has made it a mythical island by using it as a set and staging it!

Discover this wild and mysterious island, and judge for yourself!

Vaibhav spent a majority of his lockdown days discovering a new passion with the first online course he took from Harvard Business School’s online programme catalogue. This course was on Sustainable Business Strategy which was a self-paced course. This he says,”was an ideal way of learning, sitting at the comfort of my home and studying at my own time”. The course motivated him to take upon more such, in fields of Global Trends in Business& Society from Wharton’s online course catalogue. Again, a wonderful experience, he states.

He took two courses on Global Diplomacy, one on the functioning of the United Nations and another one on Diplomacy in the modern world, which is a subset of international relations. However, his second favourite endeavour was the course from Cornell Law School on Business Law, and it was a coursewhere he learnt more about his favourite topic, other than business, which has been law, owing to the maternal side of his familywhich has three generations of lawyers.

Self-improvement is a key aspect of life and what better than to learn new skills. Online courses and learning have defined the new era way of learning, especially in a Covid struck world. He found time, made the most of it, and even now, wants to continue learning as and when time permits from his commitments to work.

Vaibhav has studied business all his life and has been motivated to delve deeper in topics related to his career. However, with time, and through a process of self-discovery, has been able to proudly say that he does have aptitude for other fields and topics. Aside from being a businessman, when asked, Vaibhav said,”he would love to be in a leadership position for his country to make a difference in the lives of many. It is an honour to serve the nation for anyone, and people don’t get this opportunity easily. Politics and governance are two different things. Governance is hard work and a serious commitment.”

Vaibhav has served in his family business, Enso, for over a decade and a half, and today finds it fitting to lead to lead as the managing director. He has been on the boards of a few companies like Asian Oilfields, served in Tour de India organising body, ID Sports for a year, and has a rich and varied experience in many fields as he leads a diversified group.

Vaibhav has an astute sense of what goes on in the world and stays with times through online news and social media, even when travels. He also reads a lot of books and listens to audio books. Technology, he states,”has defined the modern way of living and learning. Those that stay with times will prosper in the future and laggards will have to catch up.”

When asked about his ways of increasing productivity, he stated,”I wake up early, exercise and give myself time out whenever required to refresh my mind.” Work requires commitment and you won’t find Vaibhav out partying on a Saturday night. Staying in, watching movies and listening to music are his hobbies. He, once in a while, would catch up with friends out somewhere or head out to the nearest Starbucks to get a coffee, a love he holds dear to.

Vaibhav is a typical Mumbaikar, and loves dining out once in a while or order According to him, everything requires conditioning and commitment and there rarely any who will fail if time and effort invested by them in their careers and in a that has an important quotient of integrity Rest, don’t take unnecessary risks, leave gambles. Education makes you risk averse an insurance to life, to this end, Vaibhav conversation by saying,”education builds and aptitude and hones your skills. undermine it.”

VAIBHAV MALOO

COO Enso Healthcare, discovers a new love during Covid-19 lockdowns

GLOBAL LEADER OF THE DECADE 2021-22

Mr. Ajay Harinath Singh started Darwin Group of Companies as an ambitious project. With his undying efforts and determination, he has weaved a story of triumph and optimism. Under his tutelage, the company has become a conglomerate which has presence in almost all industries and is a leading brand in all. Leading his business with grounded set of beliefs, Mr. Singh’s achievements go way beyond establishing a business powerhouse. Time and again, he has redefined the way people look at entrepreneurs through his actions and farsightedness

BY SONAM GULATI

Businessman, philanthropist, investor and much more – Mr. Singh dons many hats and each with equal panache. Born in 1980 in a family that had very successful business of mining, shipping, agriculture, and finance; Mr. Singh wanted to start something of his own. In those days, his family was one of most renowned business families of India. Born and brought up in Mumbai, Mr. Singh completed his graduation from the same city and then went to London for his Masters. After completing his education, he worked for various companies like Kraftos London, Cobra plc, Aviva Life Insurance, Metife Insurance, and Bharti Axa Life Insurance.

In 2010, Mr. Singh started Darwin Platform Group. He kept on adding new verticals to his venture including Arms and Darwin Platform Avitronics Inc., which retails Sukhoi 30 and MIG aircrafts from Russia. He also started a national banking company. Soon, his business venture became Darwin Group of Companies. Today, the firm has different ventures from mining, airline, shipping, farming, finance, winery, and mass media industries.

Under his leadership, The Darwin Platform Holdings Limited became a public company in 2010. Today, they have branches in London, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia, Germany, Hong Kong, US, China, and Dubai. It was Mr. Singh’s vision that took the company across all sectors including pharmaceuticals, finance, banking, mining, realty, information technology, and education.

ONE MAN, MANY ROLES

Mr. Singh is not just a businessman, he is a ‘multipreneur’. With his many ventures and branches across sectors, his ultimate aim is to boost the Indian economy. He is a strong advocate of young leaders taking over the baton of the country and leading with a fresh perspective.

Under the Darwin Platform Group of Companies, Ajay Harinath Singh has also been associated with selling the Sukhoi 30 and MIG aircraft from Russia to other countries. He also owns an oilrig and refinery in East Europe and is all set to expanding his oil business in Russia. He is also in the infrastructure and banking business in the Sultanate of Oman. Darwin Platform Group of Companies is a conglomerate dealing in banking, realty, hospitality, mining, pharmaceuticals, film production, etc. Singh & Sons is the parent company of Darwin Platform Group of Companies having a presence in 11 countries globally with a net worth of Rs. 41000 cr. and is completely

debt-free.

Ajay Harinath Singh’s Darwin Platform Group of Companies is a conglomerate dealing in banking, realty, hospitality, mining, pharmaceuticals, film production, etc,

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & PHILANTHROPY

A fourth-generation businessman, Mr. Singh has a deep sense of giving back to the society. He is known for his philanthropic work. There are various social upliftment initiatives led by him, one of the most prominent is Ajay Harinath Singh Foundation (AHSF) food charity, which provides food to the homeless and needy. He has also built low-cost medical facilities in Latur (Maharashtra) and Bhuj (Gujarat) for lowincome families. He is always working to bridge the gap in the society by making available resources to the underprivileged.

He also donates to various forums and initiatives on a regular basis. He comes from a family that has been philanthropic since many generations. At the beginning of his

the Covid pandemic when a lot of people lose their livelihoods. In May this year, under his guidance, Darwin Group started an employment scheme for the youth. The company announced expansion plans in their 27 different ventures and for that they have initiated a program under which direct employment will be given to at least 1.5 lakh people in each Indian state, which mean approximately 40 lakh people will get direct employment in due course of time. It is these efforts that make him a leader, a visionary and a nurturer par excellence.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

His tireless work for the upliftment and wellbeing of the less privileged strata of society has been appreciated time and again. He has been awarded and honored various times in India and abroad.

Some of the notable awards that he has been conferred with include - the Mid-day Iconic Showbiz Role Model Entrepreneur Award, The Times Power Men Award, Asia

“ THE UNIQUE PROPERTY OF THIS GROUP, THANKS TO MR. AJAY HARINATH SINGH IS THAT EVERY STAKEHOLDER, INVESTOR, AND EMPLOYEE STANDS EQUAL, TO GIVE THEIR BEST TO THE SOCIETY AND SHARE THE COMMON GOAL OF NATION BUILDING”

journey, he had pledged a part of this wealth to charity and he has struck by the pledge ever since. Access to quality education has also been a primary focus of his charitable contributions. His philanthropic efforts are also helping almost all cases from education, health, hunger, and more. Mr. Singh has also donated $1 million to establish a women’s polytechnic institution in Mumbai. It was a one-of-a-kind institution and much appreciated by the society.

Mr. Singh has also been a he contributor to education systems abroad. He donated $2 million to establish a curriculum for small business management at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Additionally, he donated $500,000 to set up a scholarship fund for minority students who want to enter its science or engineering schools.

It is clear from his efforts and initiatives that Mr. Singh is deeply concerned about the inequalities in the society. He believes that a true leader is one who uses his wealth and reach to bridge these gaps and work towards bringing opportunities closer to those who can’t avail them.

To achieve this, he also started an initiative where people were given employment during

One Global Indian of the Year Award, Global Excellence Award for Topmost Brand, Bharat Gaurav Award, and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Prerna Samman Award, among others.

In 2019, he was awarded the “Champions of Change” Award by Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (IFIE), a non-profit agency recognized by the Indian government for his exemplary social welfare initiatives and philanthropic work. The award was presented to him by former President, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, in a special ceremony conducted at his residence in New Delhi.

PEOPLES

PERSON

Mr. Singh is one of the leaders who put his team on the forefront. He truly vales the essence of a good team. He believes that the biggest asset for any organization is its employees, who make or break the fortunes of a business. That is why he makes sure that along with business, his team members are also growing. He ensures there are enough opportunities for them to learn, grow and work on their personal career goals. He is also a great communicator and motivates his team on a regular basis. He infuses the team positivity and enthusiasm which is

important for any team to function without losing track of the end goal.

CHARTING NEW TERRITORIES

As a businessman, Mr. Singh is farsighted. He works to solve simple problems and meeting the needs of consumers. He truly believes that the main job of entrepreneurs is to make things happens. It is indeed what differentiates a leader – everyone can have ideas but leaders carry the ideas out. A true leader would also know which idea can shape to be a full fledged service.

Mr. Singh started Darwin Platform after gaining enough experience at his family businesses. He also has been successful

in taking 96% of the ownership of Darwin Platform Group of Companies from his family. He runs the company completely debt-free and is striving to make it a global brand. It is tireless, relentless and unmatched dedication of Mr. Singh that in just 10 years the company has reached such pinnacles of growth.

He started the business with only avionics and soon added many verticals to his empire. What is most commendable is that all his companies became leaders in their own industry in no time. Its various subsidiaries include the following ventures: Darwin Platform Infrastructure Ltd., Darwin Platform Capital Ltd., Darwin Platform

Holding Ltd., Darwin Platform Airline Ltd., Darwin Platform Mass Media Ltd., Darwin Platform Logistics Ltd., Darwin Platform Realty Ltd., Darwin Platform IT Ltd. , Darwin Platform Industries Ltd., Darwin Platform Hospitality Ltd., Darwin Platform Refineries Ltd., Darwin Platform Shipping Ltd., Darwin Platform Power Ltd., Darwin Platform Automobiles Ltd., Darwin Platform Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Darwin Platform Beverages Ltd.

It is now Mr. Singh’s vision to transform the way business is conducted in the modern world. He runs the show at Darwin Platform by guiding his teams to do business in a way that it becomes best practices. Operational excellence, customer service, inclusive work culture and innovation are some of the pillars on which Mr. Singh’s conglomerate rests.

He recently forayed into the e-mobility space with the launch of 3 varieties of e-scooters. Prior to that, the company has committed to invest Rs 1,000 crore to expand its retail business. Under his guidance, the company had ventured into retail sometime back and is now looking to have a panIndia presence in the form of retails stores across categories. The company is surely an unstoppable force under the aegis of Mr. Singh.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Darwin Platform is guided by a relentless focus of Mr. Singh. Even after attaining so much, Mr. Singh has his eyes set on the next milestones. The company has mega business expansion plans laid ahead. He has allocated a huge sum of INR 7,000 crore to expand its footprint in retail, agri-business, healthcare, and energy sectors. The unique property of this group, thanks to Mr. Singh is that every stakeholder, investor, and employee stands equal, to give their best to the society and share the common goal of nation building. Mr. Singh believes that all his efforts are concentrated towards making the country better for the underserved. All of his ventures work together like cogwheels to generate employment & wealth cumulatively for the nation.

He promotes simple, effective and lasting solutions to everyday problems. He also propagates the ideology that the success of some entrepreneurs can be an incentive for more young and intelligent people to come forward with their ideas to solve the problems of the underserved. “In reality, it’s not about making great inventions but about applying the inventions to our daily life,” he says.

Asia’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2022

GREATEST BRANDS & LEADERS 2021-22 ASIA-AMERICAS-AFRICA, AWARDS, 12TH APRIL’ LONDON

ASIA-EUROPE BUSINESS & SOCIAL FORUM ASIA-AFRICA BUSINESS & SOCIAL FROM

GREATEST BRANDS & LEADERS 2020-21 ASIA-MIDDLE EAST-AFRICA, AWARDS, 26TH OCTOBER’ DUBAI

ASIA GREATEST BRANDS & LEADERS 2019-20 AWARDS, 7TH FEBRUARY’2020’ BANGKOK

BY RICHA SANG

At 75, India today is at the cusp of making gigantic forward strides. It has proved its mettle in emerging technologies, innovation and R&D all across the globe. Its impressive growth trajectory over the last few years has enabled it to emerge as the world’s fifthlargest economy. In the next few years, it will earn the feat of a US$5 trillion economy. With sound economic fundamentals, and a series of transformative reforms for inclusive growth, India is confidently marching on the growth trajectory.

This ‘New India’ is not just an economic superpower. It is also a social superpower entailing good governance, people’s participation and empowerment – particularly through the use of technology, and an inclusive and sustainable development model that brings benefits for all, not just a few, and ultimately achieving harmony between growth and the environment.

A self-reliant India or Aatma Nirbhar Bharat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a self-sustaining and resilient India. This self reliance is not attained by isolating itself from the world, but by enhancing capacities at home so that India can more effectively contribute to the world. With its size, capacity and ambitions, India is poised to be a major factor in the post-pandemic global revival.

India is fully aware of its growing role on the global stage and understands that the choices it makes to meet its developmental aspirations have great significance for the Asian region and the world. Its willingness to shoulder important responsibilities for the global good and its quest for shared peace, development and prosperity are embodied in its philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ that is, ‘the whole world is one family’ and the doctrine of SAGAR – Security And Growth for All in the Region. Today the world looks up to India for solutions related to global peace, prosperity and other global challenges. The ‘New India’ has arrived!

“IN ITS NATION-BUILDING ENDEAVOURS, INDIA WAS GUIDED BY THE IDEALS OF SELFRELIANCE AND THE SPIRIT OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP, AS THE NATION CREATED CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SET UP INDUSTRIES AND STROVE TO ATTAIN FOOD SECURITY”

Shri NArendra Modi Hon’ble Prime Minister of the Republic of India

“Like the history of the freedom movement, the journey of 75 years after independence is a reflection of the hard work, innovation, enterprise of ordinary Indians. Whether in the country or abroad, we Indians have proved ourselves with our hard work. We are proud of our Constitution. We are proud of our democratic traditions. The mother of democracy, India is still moving forward by strengthening democracy. India, rich in knowledge and science, is leaving its mark from Mars to the moon.

The Azadi Amrit Mahotsav means elixir of energy of independence; elixir of inspirations of the warriors of freedom struggle; elixir of new ideas and pledges; and elixir of Aatmanirbharta. Therefore, this Mahotsav is a festival of awakening of the nation; festival of fulfilling the dream of good governance; and the festival of global peace and development.”

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, spanning a period of more than 4000 years, and witnessing the fusion of several customs and traditions, which are reflective of the nation’s rich culture and heritage.The history of the nation gives a glimpse into the magnanimity of its evolution - from a country reeling under colonialism, to one of the leading economies in the global scenario. More than anything, the nationalistic fervour of the people is the contributing force behind the culmination of such a development. This transformation of the nation instils a sense of national pride in the heart of every Indian within the country and abroad.

The day India became independent, 15th August 1947, has been embossed in the golden history of the nation. It is the day when India got its freedom from the 200 years of British rule. It was a hard and a long high stakes struggle in which many freedom fighters and great men sacrificed their lives for our beloved motherland. Every year, India commends its Independence Day on 15th August as a public celebration with flag hoisting, marches, and social works. Schools, universities, workplaces, society buildings, government, and private associations celebrate this day with great vigour. On this day, the Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag at the Red Fort and addresses the country by a speech.

On this day in 1947, when India was freed from colonial rule, the Indian economy had been reduced to less than 3 per cent of global GDP after having contributed nearly a quarter of it just two centuries earlier. It was from this abyss of underdevelopment and impoverishment that India began its journey to become a modern, prosperous nation, governed by the world’s most elaborate Constitution and supported by institutions that have stood the test of time. India’s independence also inspired yearnings for freedom elsewhere as anti-colonial movements swept across swathes of Asia and Africa.

In its nation-building endeavours, India was guided by the ideals of selfreliance and the spirit of international

partnership, as the nation created centres of excellence in science and technology, set up industries and strove to attain food security in the early years. These efforts bore fruits and before the end of the twentieth century, India joined the ranks of leading countries in information technology, pharmacy, space science and civil nuclear energy, to name

HISTORY OF INDIA’S FREEDOM STRUGGLE

The Independence Day of India, which is celebrated religiously throughout the Country on the 15th of August every year, holds tremendous ground in the list of national days, since it reminds every Indian about the dawn of a new beginning, the beginning of an era of deliverance from the clutches of British colonialism of more than 200 years. It was on 15th August 1947 that India was declared independent from British colonialism, and the reins of control were handed over to the leaders of the Country. India’s gaining of independence was a tryst with destiny, as the struggle for freedom was a long and tiresome one, witnessing the sacrifices of many freedom fighters, who laid down their lives on the line.

In 1947, on this day, India became independent by winning freedom from British rule after a tough struggle. On this day at the stroke of midnight, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, unfurled the National Flag at the Red Fort for the first time. It marked the end of the 200 years old British reign in India. Every year on 15th August, the Independence day, the people of India remember the selfless sacrifices and unparalleled contributions of great men and women to achieve the independence of India. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Sardar Patel, and Gopalbandhu Das are paid reverent homage by one and all in the country.

THE GREAT INDIAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS

India couldn’t have acquired independence without the efforts of numerous extraordinary freedom

Smt. Savitri Jindal Chairperson Emeritus, OP Jindal Group

“Many Congratulations to Shri Rajat Shukal ji and the Team AsiaOne for organizing the 18th Edition of the Asia-Africa Business & Social Forum on the occasion of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava’ by celebrating the 75th year of Independence of India on 25th August 2022 in Delhi. We appreciate your dedication to the people of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in coordination with URS Media. Your meticulous research campaign in alignment with United Research Services is valuable as you are continuously uniting the people across the globe, who adds value to our life. Our best wishes to your readers also on the occasion as they bridge the hearts across the continents.

My best wishes again to you and your team for your great services to humanity.”

Shri Sadhguru, Founder, Isha Foundation

“A New Paradigm of Success: Bharat, a nation beyond all definitions, an antiquity beyond legends, has witnessed peaks of possibilities and poignant pains, through these many millennia of its existence. This Independence Day is a special one for India, as it is the 75th one. This precious gift of a free country comes to us as a result of utmost commitment and sacrifice from generations of people. In these 75 years of independence, the first few decades went in the pains of partition and the struggle for survival as a nation. However, in the last 25 years, the nation has been in a developmental mode. Now, India stands on a threshold where it can transition to a more conscious, inclusive growth. The very basis of what we refer to as Bharat is this inclusiveness. It is time that we reap the benefits of this profound tradition in its full glory. Let us make it happen.”

fighters. Bhagat Singh, Rani of Jhansi, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Ram Prasad Bismil, and Ashfaqulla Khan are some of the notable names. Several women leaders have played a significant part in the Indian freedom movement. Savitribai Phule, Mahadevi Verma, Capt Laxmi Sehgal, Rani Laxmibai, and Basanti Devi are some of the prominent leaders of India’s struggle for independence. These women along with many others played a prominent role in leading India towards its independence.

A DAY MARKED WITH CELEBRATIONS GALORE

Independence Day is celebrated with great joy across the country. People hold meetings, fly the tricolour flag, and sing the National Anthem. There is great enthusiasm among all. In the national capital, Delhi, this day is celebrated with great pomp and show. All leaders and common people gather in large numbers into the parade ground in front of the Red Fort and eagerly wait for the arrival of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister comes and hoists the National Flag and he makes a speech that focuses on the achievements of the government during the past year, mentions the issues that still need to be addressed, and calls upon for further developmental efforts. Foreign dignitaries are also invited to this occasion. Tributes are paid to the freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives during the struggle. The Indian National Anthem – “Jana Gana Mana” is sung. The parade by the Indian Army and the Paramilitary forces is followed by the speech. All state capitals hold events on similar lines with the Chief Minister of the respective states unfurling the National Flag.

Independence Day is observed with great honour at all the government and private institutions, schools, and colleges. Students take part in parades, sing the National Anthem before hoisting the National Flag. Some historical buildings are specially decorated with lights depicting the independence theme. Special programs like planting trees are taken up on this

day. The young mind is infused with a sense of patriotism and nationalistic feelings. To celebrate this occasion, sports, and cultural competitions are conducted and prizes are awarded to the winners. Sweets are distributed among everyone. Patriotic songs can be heard at every street corner.

Another interesting feature of the celebration is the kite-flying event that is held all over the country with great zeal. The sky on this day is filled with kites of various colours, shapes, and sizes. Even television channels and radio programs are charged up with patriotism on this day. The channels telecast movies and documentaries based on patriotic themes in order to let the people and children know about various incidents of our freedom struggle and to inspire a love for our motherland. All the national newspapers also print special editions and cite inspirational stories and excerpts of the life of great men from the great books written on them.

Independence Day is an important day in the life of every Indian citizen. Year after year, it reminds us of our great freedom fighters who sacrificed and struggled their lives in order to free our Motherland from British rule. It reminds us of the great paragons, which were the foundation of the dream of a free India, envisioned and realized by the founding fathers. It also reminds us that our forefathers have done their share of duty and now it lies in our hands how we can shape and form the future of our country. They have played their part and have played it really well. The country now looks up to us as to how we perform our part. The spirit patriotism gets renewed in every Indian on this day.

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE:

AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. This Mahotsav is dedicated to the people of India who have not only been instrumental in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey but also hold

within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of activating India 2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The official journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of independence and will end post a year on 15th August 2023. Following are the five themes of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

COMMEMORATING MILESTONES IN HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE UNSUNG HEROES

This theme anchors our commemoration initiatives under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. It helps bring alive stories of unsung heroes whose sacrifices have made freedom a reality for us and also revisits the milestones, freedom movements etc. in the historical journey to 15 August, 1947. Programmes under this theme include Birsa Munda Jayanti (Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas), Declaration of Provisional Government of Free India by Netaji, Shaheed Diwas and others.

CELEBRATING IDEAS AND IDEALS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR NATION

This theme focuses on programmes and events inspired by ideas and ideals that have shaped us and will guide us as we navigate through this period of Amrit Kaal (25 years between India@75 and India@100). The world as we knew it is changing and a new world is unfolding. The strength of our convictions will determine the longevity of our ideas. Events and programmes under this theme include popular, participatory initiatives that help bring alive India’s unique contribution to the world. These include events and initiatives such

as Kashi Utsav dedicated to Hindi literary luminaries from the land of Kashi, Post Cards to Prime Minister wherein more than 75 lakh children are writing their vision of India in 2047 and their impressions of unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle.

REINFORCING COMMITMENTS TO SPECIFIC GOALS AND TARGETS

This theme focuses on our collective resolve and determination to shape the destiny of our motherland. The journey to 2047 requires each one of us to rise up and play our part as individuals, groups, civil society, institutions of governance etc.

Only through our collective resolve, well laid out action plans and determined efforts will ideas translate into actions. Events and programmes under this theme include initiatives such as Constitution Day, Good Governance Week and so on so as to help bring alive our commitment towards the ‘Planet and People’ while being driven by a deep sense of Purpose.

Highlighting steps being taken to implement policies and actualise commitments. This theme focuses on all the efforts that are being undertaken to help India take its rightful position in the new world order emerging in a post COVID world by highlighting the steps being taken to implement policies and actualise commitments.

It is driven by Prime Minister Modi’s clarion call of Sabka Saath. Sabka Vikas. Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas. It encompasses Government policies, schemes, action plans along with commitments from businesses, NGOs, civil society that helps actualise our ideas and help us collectively create a better tomorrow. Programmes under this theme include initiatives such as

“AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV FOCUSES ON ALL THE EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN TO HELP INDIA TAKE ITS RIGHTFUL POSITION IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER EMERGING IN A POST COVID WORLD BY IMPLEMENTING POLICIES AND ACTUALISING COMMITMENTS”

Shri Parshottam Rupala, Hon’ble Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, The Government of India

“I am very happy to know that AsiaOne Media Group and Shri Rajat Shukal are celebrating the auspicious occasion of 75 years of India’s independence on 25th August at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi in a grand manner on an international platform where the political, social & business leaders from across the world would be honoured for their significant contribution in various fields. I believe that this festival is also dedicated to the people of India who have contributed significantly to the development of the nation and who are helping transform it towards a self-reliant India under the dynamic leadership of our Hon’ble PM. I congratulate AsiaOne Media Group, Shri Rajat Shukal, all stakeholders as well as the awardees on this occasion and wish the celebrations of 75 years of India’s independence a grand success.”

Shri Ramdas Athawale,

Hon’ble Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, The Government of India

“AsiaOne Magazine has completed 8 years. It started on 23rd May 2014, and on 23rd May 2022 it has successfully completed 8 years. And I am happy to say that we are also completing our eight years of governance under the Modi regime. I would like to congratulate Mr. Rajat Shukal Ji who has organized World’s Greatest Brands and Leaders Awards & felicitated leaders not only from India but also from all over the world. This year is also a year of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.’ Our nation is completing 75 years of Independence. There are many people who fought for freedom, and many people who died for it. Today, we have also become selfsufficient in various aspects. I am happy that the nation is moving ahead under our PM’s call of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas.”

GATISHAKTI – NATIONAL MASTER PLAN FOR MULTI-MODAL CONNECTIVITY

On 15th August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a momentous speech at the New Exhibition Complex, Pragati Maidan, spoke about his visionary idea that would transform the infrastructural face of India “PM GatiShakti” – India’s National Master Plan for MultiModal Connectivity. The campaign for the master plan was launched on 13th October 2021 at the New Exhibition Complex, Pragati Maidan. On the auspicious day of Ashtami, the Prime Minister focused on ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and how this plan of multi-modal connectivity would act as a stimulus for infrastructural development in 21st century India.

PM GatiShakti plans to bring forth a monumental reform in connectivity and transportation’s infrastructural sector. To achieve this, the Master Plan shall bring together sixteen Ministries, including Railways and Roads, to create a unified and streamlined network of connectivity. The vision is to eliminate departmentalization and encourage seamless communication and institutionalize all-inclusive project planning.

VISION OF PM GATI SHAKTI

PM Gati Shakti will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc. Economic Zones like textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri zones will be covered to improve connectivity & make Indian businesses more competitive. It will also leverage technology extensively including spatial planning tools with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) imagery developed by BiSAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics).

WHY GATISHAKTI?

Traditionally, there was lack of coordination between different Departments, for example, once a road was constructed, other agencies dug up the constructed road again for activities like laying of underground cables, gas pipelines etc. This not only caused great inconvenience but was also a wasteful expenditure. To address this, efforts were made to increase coordination so that all cables, pipelines etc. could be laid simultaneously. Steps have also been taken to address other issues like time-taking approval process, multiplicity of regulatory clearances etc. In the last few years, the Government has ensured unprecedented focus on infrastructure through a holistic outlook. This helps to address the past issues through institutionalizing holistic planning for stakeholders for major infrastructure projects. Instead of planning & designing separately in silos, the projects will be designed and executed with a common vision.

SIX PILLARS OF GATISHAKTI FRAMEWORK

1. Comprehensiveness: one centralized portal that captures all existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments. This

shall increase inter-Departmental visibility and flow of information, making the planning of initiatives more streamlined.

2. Prioritization: inter-and intra-departmental communications would promote the prioritization of projects that are to be undertaken by respective Ministries.

3. Optimization: the plan would ensure efficient planning of projects while addressing critical gaps and opting for the most cost and time-efficient routes.

4. Synchronization: the main aim of the plan is to ensure coherence and coordination amongst cross-sectoral Ministries and Departments.

5. Analytical: ease of access to data is another salient pillar of the campaign. The data with GIS-enabled spatial analytical tools will be assimilated in one place ensuring better visibility to the executing agency.

6. Dynamic: all the departments working under the umbrella of GatiShakti will be able to review and analyze infrastructural progress through satellite imaging and GIS tools.

MARCHING TOWARDS AN ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT

PM GatiShakti’s campaign resonates with the endeavors of PM Modi towards creating state-of-the-art, next-generation infrastructure to optimize connectivity of transportation for people, goods, and services and improve the transition from one mode of transport to another. The Prime Minister believes that it is this ‘last mile connectivity of infrastructure that would result in the making of Atmanirbhar Bharat. This campaign would be a milestone towards creating an India of the 21st century. The plan would not only benefit the Ministries and Departments to efficiently collaborate on projects but also provide information and updates to the public, and people from business communities regarding ongoing or upcoming projects and enable investors to plan coherently. The campaign towards creating multimodal connectivity would generate employment opportunities for the youth and cater to the country’s economy.

Efficient reduction in costing logistics and enhancing the supply chain would significantly place Indian local products in the competitive market. With a mantra for progress, PM Modi in his address speech (at the launch of the master plan for GatiShakti) constantly emphasized the need for building such infrastructure that would enable India to forge on the path of development where people are self-reliant, capable, and aware.

The launch of PM GatiShakti Master Plan in the year 2021 is marked as a special milestone in the ongoing Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), celebrating 75 years of independence of India. Reverberating AKAM’s initiative of bringing together the achievements of all the States, Ministries, Departments, and the people of India, PM’s GatiShakti is set to eliminate cross-departmental miscommunications and work together under a unified aegis. India has come a long way since Independence. We have marveled in the fields of science and technology, medicine, healthcare, and agriculture. Infrastructural development is the last link joining all these sectors together and advancing India towards greater collective development.

Shri Ajay Bhatt, Hon’ble Minister of State for Defence & Tourism, The Government of India

“The idea of celebrating ‘Amrit Mahotsav,’ is a unique idea of Modi ji. Nobody has ever done that before. There are many things that will be featured in this. We also didn’t have the knowledge while visiting different places when Modi Ji told us to visit and read about the places and their cultures. We showcased what are our achievements are in these 8 years and what is our planning for the upcoming years. People around the world are watching us and thinking of doing the same thing for their countries.After this ‘Azadi Mahotsav’, for the remaining 25 yrs, after which we celebrate 100 years of Independence in the year 2047, we have started preparing the policies for the nation, how we will develop it, what would be our foreign policies, what would be our agriculture policies, defense policies, how we would move forward and how we would get ahead in the world?”

Smt. Anupriya Patel

Hon’ble Minister of State for Commerce And Industry, The Government of India

“India at 75 is a Declaration for a new India with new dreams, new energy, new commitment with a beacon of hope for the world, driven by ancient wisdom and energized by its youth. Guided by Hon’ble PM’s mantra of “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikaas” our Government has, over the years, worked for development without discrimination and empowerment without appeasement for the marginalized, underprivileged and weaker sections of the society. I congratulate Mr. Rajat Shukal and his team on this grand celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and urge everyone to take part in this festival of awakening of the nation; festival of fulfilling the dream of good governance; and the festival of global peace and development. I once again extend my best wishes to organizers for success of this event.”

Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity.

SHOWCASING EVOLUTION AND PROGRESS ACROSS DIFFERENT SECTORS

This theme focuses on marking the passage of time and all our milestones along the way. It is intended to grow into a public account of our collective achievements as a 75-year-old independent country with a legacy of 5000+ years of ancient history. Events and programmes under this theme include initiatives such as Swarnim Vijay Varsh dedicated to the victory of 1971, launch of Shreshtha Yojana during Mahaparinirvan Diwas etc.

MISSION AMRIT SAROVAR: DEVELOPING & REJUVENATING WATER BODIES

The mission involves Construction of 75 Amrit Sarovars in each district to boost income generation and employment. Amrit Sarovar Mission was launched on 24th April 2022 with a view to conserve water for the future. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. In total, it would lead to the creation of 50,000 water bodies of a size of about an acre or more. The Mission encourages mobilisation of citizen and non-govt resources for supplementing these efforts. This Mission has been launched with a whole Government Approach with 6 Ministries/Department namely: Department of Rural Development, Department of land resources, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Department of Water resources, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Changes.

REFOCUSING WITH VARIOUS

SCHEMES: The Mission works through the States and Districts, through refocusing of various schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, XV Finance Commission Grants, PMKSY sub schemes such as Watershed Development Component, Har Khet Ko Pani besides States’ own

schemes. Mission Amrit Sarovar is to be completed by 15th August 2023 and around 50,000 Amrit Sarovars are to be constructed in the country. Each of these Amrit Sarovar will have approx. area of 1 acre with a water holding capacity of 10,000 cubic meters. People’s participation in the Mission is the focal point. Local freedom fighters, their family members, Martyr’s family members, Padma Awardee and citizens of the local area wherein an Amrit Sarovar is to be constructed, will be engaged at all stages. On every 15th August, National Flag hoisting will be organized on every Amrit Sarovar site. Achievements: So far, 12,241 sites have been finalized for construction of Amrit Sarovars by States/Districts, out of which works has started on 4,856 Amrit Sarovars.

HAR GHAR TIRANGA CAMPAIGN: REIGNITING THE PATRIOTIC SPIRIT

‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence. Our relationship with the flag has always been more formal and institutional than personal. Bringing the flag home collectively as a nation in the 75th year of independence thus becomes symbolic of not only an act of personal connection to the Tiranga but also an embodiment of our commitment to nation-building. The idea behind the initiative is to invoke the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of the people and to promote awareness about the Indian National Flag. To mark this momentous occasion, the Indian citizens are encouraged to hoist the flag in their homes from 13th to 15th August 2022. Apart from this, they can also ‘Pin a Flag’ virtually at https://harghartiranga.com, along with posting a ‘Selfie with Flag’ on the site.

INDIA @100: MARCHING TOWARDS THE REALM OF GLORY

In its nation-building endeavours, India was guided by the ideals of selfreliance and the spirit of international partnership, as the nation created centres of excellence in science and technology, set up industries and

strove to attain food security in the early years. These efforts bore fruits and before the end of the twentieth century, India joined the ranks of leading countries in information technology, pharmacy, space science and civil nuclear energy, to name but a few. Referring to the next 25 years upto 2047 as ‘Amrit Kaal’, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi had in 2021 said, “In the next 25 years, during ‘Amrit Kaal, the nation will move forward towards attaining resolutions made for Aatmanirbhar Bharat”. Therefore, Government of India has embarked the journey to set the course for India @ 100. The crucial journey of next 25 years has been termed as the Amrit Kaal, with an objective to enhance the lives of citizens, reducing the urban-rural divide and embracing technology towards infrastructural development. It is interesting to note the Budget 2022-23 seeks to lay the footprint and give a blueprint to drive Indian economy for Amrit Kaal. A paradigm change is envisioned for our cities with introduction of PM Gatishakti National Master Plan, AtmaNirbhar Bharat, National Infrastructure Pipeline and National Monetization Pipeline to boost infrastructural and economic development.

As India completes 75 years of Independence in 2022, it is positioning itself for global leadership with a longterm vision for India@100 in 2047. The vision for India@2047 is guided by greater aspirations like attaining new heights of prosperity; making best facilities available both in villages and cities; eliminating unnecessary interference by the Government in the lives of citizens; and building world’s most modern infrastructure. According to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India moving from the 75th year of independence to its centenary in 2047 cannot be a routine affair and it should be a watershed moment for the country. “Our Amrit Kaal is not just to laud the last seven decades. We may have gone from 7075 (years of independence) in routine. We may gone from 60-70 (years of independence) in routine. But from 75 to 2047, India at 100, cannot be routine. Our Amrit Mahotsav should

be a watershed. The period of (the next) 25 years should be seen as single time unit and not as (different) pieces,” he asserts.

Last year, while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India’s 75th Independence Day, PM Modi unveiled a national blueprint with limited State interference in the everyday life of citizens; a focus on small farmers and rural economy; energy independence with the announcement of a National Hydrogen Mission; a boost to manufacturing, technology, infrastructure and start-ups; employment generation for the young with a INR100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti master plan; equity for women and vulnerable sections of society; and balanced regional development with a focus on Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and the Northeast.Lauding the efforts of young entrepreneurs, he said India has seen 14 unicorns in the first quarter of 2022. During the last eight years, he said, many big changes have been implemented in the country which have “behavioural change” at their core. India @ 2047 is the journey of development of Urban India in the next 25 years. The nation’s efforts of sustainable urbanization and economic developments are to be concerted across pillars of Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental Development:

Social: enriching ‘Soul’ of our cities by adopting principles of sustainable development, ensuring high standards for quality of life for citizens by meeting aspirations of livability of our cities; and fulfilling our social commitments towards balanced and equitable development

Economy: maintaining economic vitals of our cities; identifying innovative financing streams for infrastructure development; and sustaining infrastructure development through excellence in program management

Environment: development of focused approach for climate resilience; and exploring alternate mobility solutions

Technology: adopting new age technologies towards delivering citizen services and development of infrastructure.

Shri Manohar Lal Khattar, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana

“India of today is marching ahead like a Vishwa Guru. This is a new India of hope & possibilities. Today, the world looks up to us. Under the leadership of Modi ji, we are excelling in every field –whether it’s earning the moniker of ‘pharmacy of the world’ or excelling in sports or any other field, we Indians are making our indelible mark. We have attained our freedom after a very long struggle and it’s our responsibility to march hand-in-hand towards the path shown by Modi ji of inclusive development through his clarion call of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Viswas, aur Sabka Prayas. It fills me with great pride to state that Haryana has been bringing laurels to the nation and adding to its glory whether its excelling international games or shining in the sphere of business and economy, we are leaving no stone unturned in the nation’s prosperity.”

Dr. Habil Khorakiwala Founder Chairman & Group CEO, Wockhardt Limited

“Indian independence triggered the launch of independence of countries in Asia, Africa and in Europe from the dominant European group. The foundation of founding fathers and governments have established us in global relevance through our policies of building Industrial, Scientific, Technological & Social institutions and following an independent policy and not getting aligned to any global policy. Our 75 years of history is a building block of India’s foundation. I believe the next 75 years will create a beautiful architecture of India’s eminence and relevance as a geopolitical leader and influencer in social engineering, science, technology and innovation. India will innovate in all spheres of life especially in education and healthcare. We dream of India without poverty, reduction in social inequalities, gender equality and harmonise social order which encompasses & emphasizes India’s rich heritage, culture and diversity.”

Facts about the

1. The Flag Code of India: The display and hoisting of the National Flag is guided by any overarching set of instructions known as the ‘Flag Code of India 2002’ and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The Flag Code of India brings together all laws, conventions, practices, and instructions for the display of the National Flag. It governs the display of the National Flag by Private, Public, and Government Institutions. The Flag Code of India took effect on 26th January 2002.

2. Material for production of the National Flag: The Flag Code of India, 2002 was amended vide Order dated 30th December, 2021 and National Flag made of polyester or machine made Flag have been allowed. Now, the National Flag shall be made of handspun and handwoven or machine-made, cotton/polyester/wool/silk/khadi bunting.

3. The appropriate size and ratio of the National Flag: As per paragraph 1.3 & 1.4 of the Flag Code of India, the National Flag shall be rectangular in shape. The Flag can be of any size but the ratio of the length to the height (width) of the National Flag shall be 3:2.

4. Displaying the National Flag: As per paragraph 2.2 of the Flag Code of India, a member of the public, a private organization, or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days or occasions in accordance with the dignity and honour of the National Flag.

5. Guidelines for flying the National Flag in the open/at the home: The Flag Code of India, 2002 was amended vide Order dated 20th July, 2022 and clause (xi) of paragraph 2.2 of Part-II of the Flag Code of India was replaced by the following clause: “where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the house of a member of public, it may be flown day and night.” Whenever the National Flag is on display, it should occupy the position of honor and should be distinctly placed. A damaged or disheveled National Flag should not be displayed. The National Flag shall not be displayed in an inverted manner; i.e.; the saffron band should not be the bottom band. A damaged or disheveled National Flag shall not be displayed. The National Flag shall not be dipped in salute to any person or thing. No other flag or bunting shall be placed higher than or above or side by side with the National Flag; nor shall any object including flowers or garlands, or emblem be placed on or above the flagmast from which the National Flag is flown. The National Flag shall not be used as a festoon, rosette, bunting, or in any other manner for decoration. The National Flag shall not be allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in the water. The National Flag shall not be displayed or fastened in any manner as may damage it. The National Flag should not be flown from a single masthead (top part of a flagpole) simultaneously with any other flag or flags. The National Flag shall not be used to cover a speaker’s desk, nor shall it be draped over a speaker’s platform. The National Flag shall not be used as a portion of costume or uniform or accessory of any description which is worn below the waist of any person nor shall it be embroidered or printed on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins,

Indian National Flag

undergarments or any dress material.

6. Rules for prevention of insult to the Indian National Flag: In accordance with explanation 4 to section 2 of “the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’, the following should be observed:

• The National Flag shall not be used as a form of drapery in any form whatsoever, including private funerals

• The National Flag shall not be used as a portion of costume or uniform or accessory of any description which is worn below the waist of any person nor shall it be embroidered or printed on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, undergarments or any dress material

• There shall be no lettering upon the National Flag

• The National Flag shall not be used to wrap, receive, or deliver things

• The National Flag shall not be used to cover the sides, back, and top of any vehicle.

7. Correct way to display the National Flag in the open/on public buildings: When the National Flag is displayed flat and horizontal on a wall, the saffron band shall be upper most and when displayed vertically, the saffron band shall be to the right in reference to the National Flag i.e., it should be to the left of a person facing it. When the National Flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from a sill, balcony, or front of a building, the saffron band shall be at the farther end of the staff. The National Flag shall not be flown at half-mast except on occasions instructed by the Government of India. When flown at half-mast, the National Flag shall be hoisted first to the peak/top of the staff, then lowered to the half-mast position. Before lowering the National Flag for the day, it should be raised again to its peak.

8. Regarding Display of the National Flag on vehicles: The privilege of hosting the National Flag on motor cars is only limited to the following persons as per paragraph 3.44 of the Flag Code of India, 2002:

• President

• Vice-President

• Governors and Lieutenant Governors

• Heads of Indian Missions/Posts

• Prime Minister

• Cabinet Ministers, Minister of State, and Deputy Ministers of the Union

• Chief Minister and Cabinet Minister of a State or Union Territory

• Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Deputy Chairman of R ajya Sabha, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Chairman of Legislative Councils in States, Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies in States and Union Territories, Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council in States, Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies in States and Union Territories

• Chief Justice of India

• Judges of Supreme Court

• Chief Justice of High Courts

• Judges of High Courts

Dr. Kirit Solanki, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, The Government of India

“We are at the milestone of 75 years of Independence and it is known as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. See so many people have sacrificed for getting the freedom. They have sacrificed their lives and we have not sacrificed our lives but at this milestone of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ our honorable Prime Minister routinely says we have to focus on next 25 years, i.e. up to 2047, how we can build our nation what is the plan, we have build our India form a developing country to developed country and this is the period of next 25 years we have to unite together to build our India at the century, i.e. in the year of 2047 this 25 years at the eve of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, is very much important for each and every citizen of India to build the future nation, a strong nation, a Vishwaguru nation and it will be a developed India.”

SAJJAN JINDAL

PERSON OF THE YEAR 2022

DIPAK

2021-22

PERSON OF THE YEAR

Being a great leader is definitely not a cakewalk. Great leaders possess effective leadership qualities that help them achieve higher goals and objectives. With their positive attitude, they perceive every obstacle as an opportunity for growth. Value is generated when they swiftly grab opportunities, connect them with the right talent, and steer them towards achieving goals. Such remarkable leaders possess grand vision, strong will, resolute spirit, and the right direction to make the most out of every opportunity which comes their way. They share a common goal and invest in accelerating organizational growth. It’s their purpose-driven leadership that creates synergies for long-term sustainable development at organizations the world over. These trailblazers, with their progressive outlook, have revolutionized industries and paved the way for future generations. AsiaOne Magazine showcases a few of such exceptionally proficient luminaries who are the epitome of greatness and rightly deserve the coveted title of AsiaOne Person of the Year 2022

SAJJAN JINDAL

EMPOWERING THE NATION

A man of steel, full of energy and playful, who holds a soft heart – this is how Sajjan Jindal may be observed. Chairman & Managing Director of JSW Group of companies that offers diversified products and services in the spheres of steel, mining, energy, sports, infrastructure and software business, he is credited with several high-level global strategic tie-ups to meet his ambitious plans to not only grow the JSW Group to zenith, but also contribute to nation building

BY RICHA SANG

All dreams are made of a magical concoction whose ingredients comprise passion, grit and an insurmountable determination to work hard and win against all odds. Sajjan Jindal inherited this magical concoction and chiseling his dreams, developed one of India’s leading business houses, with a workforce of over 40,000. Diversifying his Group gradually to master other verticals, he forayed into cement, infrastructure, energy and so on, with a dream to help build a new nation. Leading India’s largest private steel producer, Sajjan Jindal has displayed mettle of steel as he has guided JSW Steel through the strategic tie-up with the world’s sixth-largest and Japan’s second-largest steel producer JFE Steel. Son of the Indian businessman and parliamentarian, Om Prakash Jindal and India’s richest woman, Savitri Jindal, Sajjan Jindal belongs to the highly revered Jindal family and the JSW Group, whose net worth is USD 13 billion.

He and his brothers, Prithviraj, Ratan and Naveen, each run their own businesses that were primarily inherited from their father. Married to Sangita Jindal, who is the Chairperson of JSW Foundation, they have two daughters, Tarini and Tanvi, and a son, Parth. He holds B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore being affiliated from Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum, Karnataka. Joining the family business right after his graduation, he moved to Mumbai to look after the western region operations of O.P. Jindal Group in 1983. He

promoted Jindal Iron and Steel Company Ltd. (JISCO), for manufacturing of Cold Rolled and Galvanized Sheet Products in 1989, promoted Jindal Vijaynagar Steel Ltd. (JVSL), JSW Energy Ltd. (JSWEL) Jindal Praxiar Oxygen Ltd. (JPOCL) and Vijaynagar Minerals Private Ltd. (VMPL) to ensure complete integration of the manufacturing progress in 1995. In 2005, he merged JISCO and JVSL to form JSW Steel; their holdings group has the same name, JSW.

HELPING INDIA GROW

Commanding one of India’s fastest growing conglomerates, JSW Group which is a USD 13 billion company and an integral part of the O. P. Jindal Group, Sajjan Jindal has developed some of the major projects in India and has played a key role in nation building. He asserts, “We pursue growth zealously. In the face of all challenges, the most effective way to overcome them was to grow. Faster than the market, bigger than the competition.”

Guiding JSW to become one of India’s top business houses, his innovative and sustainable ideas have helped all verticals of the Group: Steel, Energy, Cement and

Infrastructure. Believing in creating values of the highest order, he has invariably focused on creating superior strength of products & services, a differentiated product mix, stateof-the-art technology, and then excellence in execution and focus on sustainability for assured success and growth. Like all great leaders, he too initiated with small steps and a humble beginning in the steel sector of India; however, with consistent efforts guided his Group to expand its presence across India, South America, South Africa and Europe. He reminisces, “Big rewards never came without the big risks. But not reckless ones! We had the remarkable ability to take measured but worthwhile risks, to go down uncharted territory knowing very well what could go wrong – and being prepared for it!” Under his charismatic leadership, JSW has always been the strategic first mover to venture away from status quo, have the conviction to make fundamental changes and drive operational excellence on its quest to become better every day. He shares, “Bettering ourselves helps us make ‘better’ happen for everyone else. We help ‘better’ happen for all the lives we touch – that means our employees, our

“ WE HAD THE REMARKABLE ABILITY TO TAKE MEASURED, NOT RECKLESS, BUT WORTHWHILE RISKS, TO GO DOWN UNCHARTED TERRITORY KNOWING VERY WELL WHAT COULD GO WRONG – AND BEING PREPARED FOR IT! WE PURSUE GROWTH ZEALOUSLY, DESPITE CHALLENGES”

business associates, our customers and the communities around the plants and facilities and the industry fraternity at large.”

Learning immensely from his parents, as he is a second-generation entrepreneur, and having already proved himself as an accomplished business leader, Sajjan Jindal has been instrumental in building national infrastructure in sync with national philosophy of growth. Firmly believing in the Make in India philosophy, he has taken care that JSW should not be recognized as a mere billion-dollar conglomerate, but should, develop as a mark of trust and quality.

DESERVING RECOGNITIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

He has received the Willy Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award for his contribution to the steel industry, the Outstanding Business Leader of the year 2018 award, CEO of the Year award, JRD Tata Award for Excellence in Corporate Leadership in Metallurgical industry, National Metallurgist Award in Industry category instituted by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, Best CEO award, and several other prestigious national and international awards.

An ex-President of the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), he is a renowned and respected practitioner of sustainable business practices, and holds several other prestigious positions such as Member of the Executive Committee of the World Steel Association (WSA), President of Indian Steel Association (ISA), Council Member of the Indian Institute of Metals, as well as the former President of the Institute of Steel Development & Growth (INSDAG).

OFFERING BACK TO THE SOCIETY

Taking an active interest in CSR projects, Sajjan Jindal has ensured to participate in and initiate activities that assist in improving those areas of India that lack resources. Together with his better half, Sangita Jindal, he has committedly. given back to the society in his bid to improve as many lives as possible through the JSW Foundation, focusing on providing the means to empower individuals to bridge the socio-economic divide and contribute to the creation of a more equitable and sustainable community. The Foundation is proud to have touched the lives of over 1 million people by providing them with opportunities for a bright and sustainable future.

ASHWIN YARDI

ALWAYS RAISING THE BAR

Ashwin Yardi has been efficiently spearheading Capgemini India as CEO since December 2018. Under his stewardship, the French multinational IT services and consulting giant is expanding its India team to meet the next wave of demand for 5G and edge computing skills. A qualified Chartered Financial Analyst, he has pursued his Master’s Degree in Management Studies from Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, and Bachelor’s Degree of Engineering from Mumbai University, India

BY SONAM GULATI

With over 25 years of experience in consulting, technology, and outsourcing, Ashwin brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. He joined the IT services and consulting major Capgemini in 2001. Since then, he has held multiple leadership positions at Capgemini, where he was responsible for the growth and profitability of various business divisions across the organisation. Prior to his current role, he served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Capgemini in India from January 2016 to December 2018. His responsibilities as COO included managing operations, delivery, capability development, and innovation in India.

Ashwin also served as the Chief Industrialization and Automation Officer for Capgemini until January 2021, where he was responsible for driving its competitiveness and industrialization. Over the years, he has driven its strategy of deploying a knowledgedriven delivery model and smart automation to provide clients with the best value.

Ashwin also has vast experience working in international and multicultural environments spanning North and South America, the Netherlands, Australia, and Asian countries. Additionally, the seasoned leader has assisted several Fortune 500 companies in achieving their business transformation objectives. In addition, he has worked with SAP, Oracle, and Siebel, among other corporate and CRM applications.

A TECH-SAVVY LEADER

Ashwin is a tech-savvy individual who

has a keen interest in various automation tools and new-age digital and big data platforms. Since India has always been the backbone of Capgemini’s services delivery for its global clients, the self-driven leader is doing everything in his power to meet Capgemini’s high standards. He is focused on making certain that the India unit aligns with the global strategy of positioning Capgemini India as a centre of excellence for engineering, operational technology, as well as information technology.

In his role as the CEO, Ashwin is putting effort into making sure his team is at the forefront of technology, equipped with the skills and abilities to deliver on newer technologies. With the assistance of his highly proficient and future-ready team, he aspires to accelerate large-scale innovation by leveraging advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, amongst others. At the same time, he intends to boost his team’s competitiveness to make Capgemini India the talent hub for the group across roles.

The leader has pushed the company forward by utilising Artificial Intelligence to

assist consultants in searching, harvesting, and harnessing whatever resources are available within the firm for rapid prototyping, as well as understanding proximity to customers. Furthermore, under his leadership, Capgemini India announced in 2021 that they would collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to maximise the benefits of 5G private networks to support their clients’ digital transformation towards intelligent industries. He asserts, “Technology such as edge computing and 5G will lead to data-driven transformations towards an intelligent industrial revolution transforming how enterprises, governments, and consumers interact and conduct business, resulting in game-changing innovations and services.” In addition, he suggests that businesses that adopt an intelligent industry approach will benefit from new, differentiated products at lower costs.

To accelerate the deployment of 5G solutions, Ashwin led Capgemini to establish its third 5G lab in Mumbai in June 2021. The 1,300-square-foot lab provides a unified environment that leverages

“OUR GOAL DEFINITELY IS TO EXTEND HELP TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO CRITICAL CARE AS WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR COLLEAGUES THROUGH OUR MEDICAL, FINANCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES”

network, cloud, edge computing, hardware, and software solutions. Launched in partnership with telecom equipment maker Ericsson to accelerate the deployment of 5G solutions, the state-of-the-art facility assists Capgemini’s global clients in implementing a 5G end-to-end transformation. This is a major milestone that demonstrates his dedication to technological advancement.

PROMOTING INCLUSION

Ashwin is a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion. He spearheads several employee welfare programs in India, including Capgemini’s exclusive Women Leadership program - Power Ahead, devised for advancing gender balance. In addition, he strives to deliver technical training and employment to educated women with mobility challenges through Capgemini India’s noble initiative, Sakhi Drishtikon. It aims to bring literate rural women from economically weak backgrounds into the mainstream workforce by enabling them to work remotely.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

A major aspect of Ashwin’s leadership strategy is his commitment to CSR. The benevolent leader plays a crucial role in implementing Capgemini India’s CSR program, as well as its employee-driven CSR initiative called WeKare. In May 2021, Capgemini committed INR 50 crores to bolster India’s medical infrastructure in its fight against COVID-19. The funds were allocated to provide relief operations and help the state and federal governments strengthen their efforts. Speaking about this noble initiative, the leader says, “Our goal is to extend help to our local communities by providing access to critical care as we continue to support our colleagues through our medical, financial, and emotional support in these unprecedented times.”

Ashwin is also contributing to youth empowerment by exposing them to opportunities, knowledge, and life skills that will enable them to pursue successful careers. This dream is being realised through Capgemini India’s Digital Academy initiative launched in 2019 to provide digital inclusion services to economically disadvantaged youth who are at the risk of unemployment. Additionally, he actively contributes to helping Capgemini meet its sustainability goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2025 and a net-zero organisation by 2030.

CB GANESH

WRITING A STORY WITH A NEW VISION

With a career spanning over 3 decades, Mr. CB Ganesh has carved a name for himself that resonates excellence. With his Midas touch he has been able to turn around and revamp 2 leading banks. He has been applauded time & again for his entrepreneurial mindset that has played a major role in furthering organizational transformations. His unparalleled tenacity in building brands has enabled him to script a unique success saga, by being one of the select few Indian Expats to be appointed as CEO of 2 leading banks in 2 different countries in the Arab Region

BY SONAM GULATI

Mr. Ganesh started his career with State Bank Group and learned all the basics and built a solid foundation in banking and finance. He worked diligently from the ground up and rose through the ranks. An alumnus of MITSloan School of Management, Boston, US and the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C), Mr. Ganesh holds a string of post-graduate, graduate and diploma qualifications, which are a testimony to his solid academic background. He has also taken up professional trainings in Executive Management from Ross School of Business, University of Michigan (USA) and successfully completed the Leadership Development Programme at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (USA). His penchant for knowledge and continuous self-improvement is strong that he recently completed his Advanced Diploma in NonExecutive Directorship from Financial Times (FT), London. It is his collective academic knowledge that he combined with real life scenarios at his various roles that made him a name to reckon within the industry. No wonder when the Oman Arab Bank, one of the oldest banks in the Sultanate, wanted to rewrite their story, they hand-picked him to script it.

Mr. Ganesh credits his long stint in ICICI Bank for his Management and Leadership style. Working in various capacities including as Corporate Dealer, Regional Head of Corporate Banking and Head of Trade Finance across major Indian cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore and

later as the Alternate CEO at ICICI Bank, Hong Kong, Mr. Ganesh is very proud of his ICICI lineage. ICICI Bank has always been the training ground for many CEOs in the financial sector both in India and abroad.

SCRIPTING SUCCESS

Mr. Ganesh joined Ahlibank SAOG, a public listed entity in Muscat Stock Exchange, in the first quarter of 2008 and it was his first experience in the GCC. At that time, Ahlibank had just got the license to convert from a single product mortgage lending firm to a full-fledged commercial bank. “Except for the banking license, it was almost equivalent to setting up a new bank and came with its own set of challenges and excitement,” he says. Within a few months of him joining Ahlibank, Lehman Brothers collapsed in the wake of the subprime crisis and then came the ‘Arab Spring’. For a banker there hadn’t been a more difficult time. It was the true test for Mr. Ganesh to set up the ‘new’ Ahlibank under the given circumstances. Under his astute leadership, Ahlibank navigated the rough times successfully. His well-thought policies and realistic vision helped Ahlibank

to cement its position as one of the leading commercial banks in Oman and was ranked first in the OER Magazine’s ‘Best Banks in Oman’ Survey, for four consecutive years from 2012-2015.

After his stint at Ahlibank, he moved to Dubai when he joined Ahli United Bank Ltd (AUBL), UAE as the CEO and Executive Director. He was once again handpicked by AUB BSC Board for the job and challenged to lead the operations of the bank from scratch in a new market, strategize branding, develop customer base and drive significant revenue.It was a big challenge to set up the bank through organic growth by applying for fresh license, obtain regulatory approvals, design and develop new systems and procedures, operationalize systems and much more. Mr. Ganesh rose upto the occasion again and under his leadership the bank achieved break-even point in the first year. In a completely new geography, he proved his mettle and created a new brand identity for AUBL, as its CEO for almost 6 years.

His most recent stint has been at the Oman Arab Bank (OAB) where he joined as

“MR. GANESH HAS PROVEN THAT HE IS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE LEADER CAPABLE OF DRIVING BUSINESS THROUGH EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT. HIS ONE MOTTO AND LESSON FOR HIS TEAMMATES IS – ‘BE SIMPLE IN YOUR COMMUNICATION AND HUMBLE IN YOUR BEHAVIOUR”

the CEO in 2021. OAB is an Oman Listed Bank, with 45 years of history and employee strength of around1400. It is one of leading commercial banks in the Sultanate. The bank has been going through a lot of challenges due to the pandemic, regional issues and some legacy-related problems. The areas of work include building a high performance work culture, cost optimization, stressed assets management, digital transformation and more importantly, developing the next generation of leaders.

A LEADER FOR THE PEOPLE

Mr. Ganesh has proven that he is a highperformance leader capable of driving business through critical growth phase delivering consistent growth through excellent employee engagement and customer management. His one motto and lesson for his teammates is – ‘be simple in your communication and humble in your behaviour.’

Banking is a people-facing industry and one has to develop key people skills to navigate various kinds of problems the customers bring to you. Mr. Ganesh has been dealing with people since the very beginning of his career and credits his people skills to his early days at the ICICI Bank. He truly believes that the one trait that holds more value than anything else is integrity. As a banker, you’re always dealing with other people’s money and for that you have to always hold on to your integrity and humility. His leadership style is simple – listen to everyone and understand all perspectives. He firmly believes that what a leader requires is the ability to manage a team efficiently and effectively. Lead the team by a role-model approach – show them how it’s done, don’t tell them. It is this entrepreneurial mindset and teamwork capabilities that have made him one of the most respected professionals in the sector.

Hailing from humble origins, Mr. Ganesh had seen some very trying times while growing up. It is now his dream to inspire kids from similar background to dream big and work hard to achieve those dreams. Calling books as his first love, Mr. Ganesh believes that each book one read is equivalent to experiencing one full life cycle.Asked about the cultural challenges faced while working in 5 different geographies -India, Hong Kong, Oman, UAE and Bahrain, Mr. Ganesh sums up, ‘Every culture respect and recognizes honesty, humility and competence.’

DIPAK CHOUDHARY

CARVING HIS OWN PATH TO SUCCESS

Mr. Dipak Choudhary became the first person to successfully run an electrophoresis plant in India. He started this journey back in 2012 when he brought UK-based PMD Chemicals to India and spearheaded their first overseas branch. Since then, Mr. Choudhary has been working hard to establish PMD Chemicals as the chosen partner across industries. He has been instrumental in coming up with the ideation of innovative products for the different markets. He has excelled in knowing what the customer exactly wants

BY SONAM GULATI

Mr. Choudhary is an inspiration to many. With his dedication and hard work, he has built a strong niche for himself where he is known for his product and has an unmatched market presence. After working in many different chemical companies for almost two decades, Mr. Choudhary took the plunge of bringing one of the biggest chemical firms in the United Kingdom to India. This would be PMD Chemicals’ first overseas operation and he was chosen after due deliberation to lead it.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT

He completed his graduation in Aeronautical Engineering from MIT, Chennai in 1992. At the time, India did not have commercial airlines and the job prospects for qualified aeronautical engineers were limited to either Air India, Indian Airlines, or the Defense forces. As luck would have it, he did not find a suitable job matching his qualifications. In 1993 he started his professional journey at a chemical company. From 1993 to 2011 he traversed through many roles and responsibilities at various chemical firms including GTZ (India Pvt. Ltd.) and Suntec India Pvt. Ltd. After learning the ropes at these various firms and getting his foundation right, Mr. Choudhary decided it was time to start on his own. He then had an idea to approach PMD Chemicals to start their India subsidiary. PMD Chemicals is UK’s leading independent supplier of electroplating processes and products to the printed circuit board (PCB), electronic component, and general metal finishing (GMF) industries. But,

to get them to agree for an overseas branch that too in India was neither easy nor quick. There were many rounds of planning and discussions and finally in 2012 Mr. Choudhary laid the foundation of PMD Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. in Pune.

SOARING HIGH

After starting PMD Chemicals in India, Mr. Choudhary didn’t leave any stone unturned to make it a renowned brand in its own right. From roping in distributors in strategic markets to overcoming all operational challenges with his own experience and presence of mind –he proved his mettle time and again. In the past 10 years, he has worked diligently to make everyone aware of PMD Chemicals. His vision and leadership have taken the company to the top. His unique abilities include knowing what the customer wants. His customer-centric approach has been appreciated by the whole industry. Owing to his years of experience in the industry, Mr. Choudhary has a knack for problem-solving and rightly identifying customer needs. “We always keep customer needs at the top. After discussing with the customer and getting to

know exactly what they require, we customize the products for them.” He has a proven ability in providing exceptional service to new and existing customers. Understanding new customer’s requirements and resolving any concerns of existing customers – this customer-centric approach is one of the main reasons for the success of PMD Chemicals. Apart from customers, Mr. Choudhary is extremely mindful of taking care of all his business associates and partners. This was excellently displayed during a phase when the business was going through a bad spell due to the exceeding cost of raw materials. The raw materials which were being imported from the UK were getting expensive due to the increasing rate of Pound. It was Mr. Choudhary’s prerogative that even though the business is going through a bad phase, neither the customers nor the partners should get affected. He initiated a dialogue with the PMD Chemicals’ parent company and requested them to purchase products in bulk which could obtain some discounts. He even managed to get a credit period of 90 days and managed the cash flow issue. It is skills like these that set him apart as a leader.

“IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, HE HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF PMD CHEMICALS. HIS VISION HAS TAKEN THE FIRM TO THE TOP. HIS UNIQUE ABILITIES INCLUDE KNOWING WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS. HIS CUSTOMER-CENTRIC APPROACH HAS BEEN APPRECIATED BY THE WHOLE INDUSTRY ”

THE ROAD AHEAD

While he has a vision and many plans for the company, he also realizes that having a business means each day is different and brings new challenges. Having short-term goals is what is working for him as a business owner right now. He knows that there is demand for the product and if the product is of good quality the sellers will come sooner or later.

The industry that he is in is a dynamic one and constantly evolving. This is also one reason that having short-term goals for the foreseeable future works better for him. Ever-changing prices of raw materials, currency fluctuations, and so on make the industry a tough place to be. Despite the ups and downs, the pragmatic leader tries to always think on his feet and find innovative solutions so that employees, partners, and customers – no one get affected. Such is the aura of Mr. Choudhary.

His unrelenting passion and hard work have taken PMD Chemicals to a place where they have some notable clients across industries. When he started this journey, no one knew what PMD Chemicals is in India. He also had the added pressure to take forward the legacy of the parent company in the UK which is close to 60 years old and is a well-known brand there. But, he did more than justify the leap of faith everyone took with him.

KNOW YOUR VALUE

The biggest learning that Mr. Choudhary leaves us with is that one should always know the true value of their own product. He passionately believes in his product and knows that it is good. Knowing your worth and then selling your product is a total gamechanger. He knows that be it electro-plating or the chemical products that they manufacture – everything is top-quality. Sooner or later the customers will also realize that the products they are getting at PMD Chemicals are unmatched anywhere else. This is also his mantra for doing business. “Your future needs our liquid because whatever is your business be it needle or an airplane, you will need our chemicals,” he confidently says.

It is this optimism that is also the secret of his success. He believes that if you keep on doing what you love with sincerity and utmost dedication, good things are bound to come your way eventually. One of the reasons why he is a leader par excellence is that he sees hope and stays positive even in dire circumstances.

MOHSIN HANI AL BAHRANI

CONTINUING A GREAT LEGACY

Mr. Mohsin Hani Al Bahrani, the CEO of MHD (Mohsin Haider Darwish) Group’s ACERE, one of the largest and prominent privately owned business conglomerates in the Sultanate of Oman and the Gulf region, is known for his aggressive approach and eagerness to take his family business to greater heights. His adventurous spirit and can-do attitude constantly drives the insightful and forward-thinking entrepreneur to explore new growth opportunities, especially in the automotive sector

BY MONALISA BISWAS

After completing his Bachelor of Business and Management at Brunel University London, Mohsin went on to complete his Master’s degree in Arts in Middle Eastern Studies at King’s College, London. Soon after joining the family business, he established himself as a prominent business figure in Oman. As the CEO of MHD ACERE, the young and intellectual leader keeps a long-term perspective in mind for determining the direction of the organisation. Under his stellar leadership, the company has been witnessing substantial growth. A year after joining MHD ACERE as the Director of Automotive, he was promoted to the position of CEO, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that posed a threat to the country’s economy. Despite the challenges posed by the global health crisis, the wellversed entrepreneur was able to bring in specialised brands like McLaren Automotive, ABB EV Chargers, Varta Batteries, XCMG, and Weir Trio by leveraging his business acumen and perseverance. Moreover, his steadfast efforts have contributed to the country’s socio-economic progress besides creating much-needed job opportunities. The hard work, vision, and dynamism that characterized his grandfather have shaped Mohsin into an exemplary entrepreneur. He works with various stakeholders to gain an understanding of automotive nuances and drive operational efficiencies. The visionary leader has been deeply involved in elevating the prosperous Mohsin Haider Darwish Group to even greater heights since becoming the youngest CEO of the automobile,

construction equipment, and renewable energy (ACERE) cluster – featured in the Top 100 Forbes family-owned enterprises in 2021. Under his tutelage, the MHD group will continue to forge ahead confidently into new areas while seizing potential growth opportunities.

ON A MISSION TO DIVERSIFY

Since taking over as CEO of ACERE, Mohsin’s strategic approach has been to diversify business operations into new verticals. He founded MHD Leasing L.L.C, which caters to the country’s tourism industry. He is also in charge of the newly formed HospiCare division, and has collaborated with some of the world’s top healthcare brands, including Spark Meditech, Comen, Schrack Seconet AG, FUJIFILM, and Sonosite, to bring some of the top-notch medical practises and equipment to the Sultanate. The HospiCare Division of MHD ACERE supplies the leading hospitals and medical organisations in the country with intra-aortic balloon catheters, hernia repair meshes, and other essential medical equipment.

He also led his company to enter the car

rental market due to the increasing volume of international air travelers and domestic tourists. Additionally, the ambitious entrepreneur has set up 8 new sales centres and 12 after-sales facilities for businesses across Oman. As reported by the Middle East Automotive Council, he has played a pivotal role in helping MG Motors in the Sultanate climb from 25th to 3rd place in terms of local sales volume.

DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

Being a future-focused entrepreneur, Mohsin realized that the future of MG Motors lies in technology and digital transformation. Therefore, he rolled out e-commerce operations for the company, allowing customers to purchase cars in just 3 clicks. He added another feather to his cap by setting up Oman’s first electric vehicle and solar panel subdivision. To that end, he had joined hands with a leading charging station company to pave the way for electric vehicles to enter the market. Additionally, he has also launched the McLaren Automotive brand at a modern showroom in the capital. Additionally, XCMG, Weir Trio, Varta battery,

“MOHSIN HAS SET UP 8 NEW SALES CENTRES AND 12 AFTERSALES FACILITIES FOR BUSINESSES ACROSS OMAN. HE HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN HELPING MG MOTORS IN THE SULTANATE CLIMB FROM 25TH TO 3RD PLACE IN TERMS OF LOCAL SALES VOLUME”

Hongqi Cars, Scorpion Automotive and Ironman4x4 are a few of the prominent brands that he brought to the table.

TURNING ADVERSITIES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Mohsin’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was to refine, reassess, and restructure his company’s customer service model to deal with the challenging times. He had deployed several innovative ideas which helped MHD ACERE overcome the myriad challenges posed by the pandemic. The compassionate leader also stepped up to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following his efforts to help MHD ACERE to regain leadership status in the commercial vehicles market, he converted Ashok Leyland buses into mobile coronavirus testing units to check the spread of the deadly virus.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Through a blend of philanthropy, advocacy, and a thriving business, Mohsin is proving his worth as a true entrepreneur devoted to the welfare of society. For instance, he has implemented sustainable business practices at MHD ACERE in response to the threat of global warming and climate change. Additionally, he has also struck a deal with ABB, a prominent technology leader specialized in digital sectors, to deliver high-power electric vehicle chargers to be deployed across the country. Since e-mobility is becoming more popular around the world, his goal is to be one of the first in Oman to provide the best smart and sustainable solutions. Last but not least, he has created a division that will drive technological innovation powered by renewable energy.

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS

Some of the numerous accolades he has received are the 100 Most Influential CEOs in Oman by the Oman Economic Review in November 2020; Emerging Business Leader of the Year at the Alam Al-Iktisaad Awards (AIWA) 2020; Leaders of Tomorrow by CHRO Asia & the World HRD Congress; Award for Outstanding Achievement in the CEO Middle East Awards 2021 by the CEO Today Magazine; Diamond level winner of the Professional Award 2021 by Harvard Business Council, New York; and GCC Young Achievers 2021 by Arabian Business. Additionally, he was honoured with a certificate of appreciation by SAIC Motor Middle East for outstanding sales of MG vehicles.

PRATEEK GATTANI

REBUILDING FROM GROUNDS UP

“To win without risk is to triumph without glory,” and that is what Mr. Prateek Gattani did. He risked it all and took a leap of faith. But it wasn’t faith alone – he envisioned a future that no one else could see at the time. He took over IDC Technologies when it was as good as gone and turned it around. His endeavors and dedication transformed the organizational challenges and took the company to the heights of glory. It is a story of persistence, triumph, and determination and a story worth sharing

BY SONAM GULATI

Time and again we have witnessed many leaders and entrepreneurs who defeated all odds and emerged victoriously. Almost all entrepreneurial journeys are rife with trials and turbulences. But, the journey that Mr. Gattani took upon himself is something that comes by far and few in between.

RISING FROM THE ASHES

IDC Technologies started in the year 2003 in Milpitas, CA. Soon the company started getting buried in debts. When Mr. Gattani took over IDC in 2007, the company was reeling under heavy debts and an uncertain future and was mostly written off. The company was about to be absorbed by a $50 Million premier technology aggregator. Unwilling to give up, he took over the reins and turned the business around. Young and enterprising, he had a fresh vision to his approach. He spent the first two years paying off the vendors and other debtors and after that started the journey of rebuilding IDC. Under his leadership, the company sore like never before. Today, IDC Technologies revenue tornover from global operations is approx. $750 million. He established the company as a prominent player in the segments of IT Consulting, BPO Services, Remote Services and has also recently started operations in software services.

Mr. Gattani is a prime example of rising from the ashes in the world of business. His story is one of great gusto and determination. Mr. Gattani rebuilt the company slowly and steadily. From Staff

Augmentation (Contract, Full Time, MSP, RPO), IT Project Managed Services to BPO Services, Payroll & HR Solutions, IDC is now a one-stop destination for everything. Under Mr. Gattani’s leadership, the company has grown to be a 10000-employee business with a widespread presence across the USA, Canada, UK & Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, India, Brazil, and Costa Rica. Mr. Gattani ensured that the business had a firm foundation. He built each vertical to be strong and selfsufficient. The company now possesses extensive expertise and experience in a variety of technical fields, with which it can design customized business solutions. Its solutions include Infrastructure Support, Application Development & Support, Product Engineering, Emerging Technologies, etc. Mr. Gattani has always put a firm emphasis on delivering quality. He has built the business on the strong and unrelenting foundation of integrity, quality, and teamwork.

He has shared several times how this journey was tiresome, to say the least. There were many points where he wanted to quit. But he decided to go on and his risk finally

paid off.

SHINING BRIGHT

With the help of Mr. Gattani, IDC Technologies has risen to become an industry leader. He managed to rebuild the business through capacity building and focusing on the 3 Ps that are people, processes, and product (innovation). Mr. Gattani always had the vision to see the bigger picture and not focus too much on the short-term goals. He knew that there is light at the end of the tunnel. He began to provide services at lower costs and at the same time started increasing the human resource of the company. This resulted in the decreased dependency on looking outside the company for any functions and IDC Technologies became independent gradually.

When IDC Inc. was born in India the economy was suffering through a recession. It was Mr. Gattani’s continuous efforts that made the company wither those difficult years. It emerged through the recession to become a global leader in the IT consultation industry. Under his leadership, IDC developed at the rate of 75% every year

“MR. GATTANI HAS BEEN CLEAR SINCE THE BEGINNING THAT HE IS READY TO GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO GAIN A CUSTOMER’S CONFIDENCE, EVEN IF IT MEANS INCURRING A LOSS. IT IS THIS CUSTOMER-CENTRIC POLICY THAT SEPARATES IDC TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE REST OF THE PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY”

and reaped the success that no one had thought of. Mr. Gattani and his team have made sure to build the right team and hire all the right people who have experience and knowledge about the business environment and who can provide exceptional quality services in a very short period, this is what makes them stand apart from their peers. Mr. Gattani is also very particular about keeping the employees motivated. Outdoor activities, incentives, volunteer activities, and more are organized to help employees stay motivated and enjoy their work. Mr. Gattani promotes open communication. For him, discipline and the satisfaction rate of the employees are equally important. All ideas are given an open platform and anyone can come up to share their inputs with the management. The same is with problems, anyone can come up and raise concerns with the leadership and it is ensured that all issues are resolved together as a team.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

His persistence has brought immense accolades and laurels to IDC Technologies. Over the years, many forums have recognized the promising future of IDC Technologies. In 2016, IDC was named among America’s Most Honoured Businesses. It has also been featured in ‘Top 100 Tech Companies Founded & Managed by Indians in The U.S.’ Some other notable awards include - 52 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in The Silicon Valley, Top Companies in California on The Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Top South Asian-Run Companies on The Inc. 5000, Top IT Services Companies on The Inc. 5000, America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Top Companies in The San Jose Metro Area on The Inc. 5000, 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America, among many others. He is now working to build upon these laurels. His sole focus is now on expansion and developing better solutions for the coming times. In the past five years, IDC has seen immense growth and now Mr. Gattani is all set to go beyond. As of now, IDC has a presence in several countries and now he is looking to expand in regions like APAC, MEA and Europe by strategically involving itself in key acquisitions and mergers.

Mr. Gattani is a true example of how hurdles can be used as stepping stones to move ahead. In his endeavor of picking up IDC Technologies from ashes and rebuilding it, he has written history.

PROF. (DR.) R.P. BANERJEE

DEDICATED TO HIGHER PURPOSE & SPIRITUAL FULFILMENT

Prof (Dr.) Rama Prosad Banerjee, Chairman and Director of the EIILM-Kolkata is a visionary with a forward-thinking outlook. The leader is an eminent figure in the global business arena who takes a special interest in the upliftment of the less fortunate. Anyone who comes into contact with him is motivated by his charisma

BY SONAM GULATI

Dr. Banerjee has dedicated his life to establishing pathways for students to help them realize the meaning of life so that they can unleash their inherent potential and become their best selves. Especially upsetting to him is the fact that a substantial section of society is deprived of quality education due to a lack of resources and the exorbitant cost of higher education. Therefore, through merit and need-based scholarships, he is dedicated to ensuring that no deserving student is denied a promising future.

Over the years, Dr. Banerjee has earned a respected and prestigious position in the Indian education and publishing industries as a genius academician, an accomplished writer, and a renowned teacher. He holds a Ph.D. in finance from the University of Calcutta and has done his Post-Doctoral Research at Stockholm University, Sweden.

He has served the industry for more than a decade through serving and teaching at premier B-Schools in India, including IIM Kolkata, University of Calcutta, IISWBM, IFIM, Bangalore, and many others. His passion has always been to create learning environments with real-world implications for the students. By creating trails of innovation, he has laid further pathways for students and entrepreneurs to contribute to the advancement of humanity.

As the Chairman and Director of EIILM (Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management) - Kolkata, an institution that offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral management programs, he has helped the institution chart its own course of success. Under his exemplary stewardship, EIILM - Kolkata has grown exponentially to become the second-best B-school in Kolkata,

after IIM, Joka. His consistent guidance has helped the institution to make huge strides.

BRIMMING

WITH WISDOM

More than a dozen university campuses have had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Banerjee’s words of wisdom in the USA, Europe, and Asia, including Pennsylvania State University, Arlington State University, Stockholm University, Texas University, University of Hamburg (Germany), Tarleton State University, Texas Woman’s University, University of Kansas (USA), Western University (Switzerland), IIM Kolkata, University of Calcutta, and many others. Because of his deep understanding of multiple disciplines, he is regularly invited to speak at various conferences, including the World Education Congress held in Hotel Pan Pacific Singapore. He was also the opening speaker on Education for Global Consulting held in North Western University, Zurich, in Switzerland. In 2012, he was also the keynote speaker at the Global Conference held at Pennsylvania University (USA)

The keynote address delivered by him at the 2010 GCEC Conference titled ‘Entrepreneurship - Impact through Networks’ held at The Pennsylvania State University, the USA, has lasted throughout time and left an indelible mark on entrepreneurship in

general and on the importance of networking in particular.

Furthermore, the well-versed leader has conducted national and international Management Development Programs, both as a course director and as a faculty member, as well as in-house training for organizations in India and the West.

A GIFTED WRITER

The leader has authored 9 books. Among his popular editions are ‘Mother Leadership’ ‘Working Capital Management,’ ‘Ethics in Business and Management,’ ‘Stress Management through Mind Engineering,’ ‘Ved Vijnaner Gabhire: Tatwe, Prokashe,’ ‘Kautilyer Arthashastra: Hindu Arthanitir Prastabana,’ ‘Living Divine Life,’ ‘Art and Science of SelfManagement and Self Leadership’ and ‘Art and Science of Management in the Digital Era’.

In addition, he has published more than 200 articles/papers in journals both nationally and internationally. Furthermore, he is a guest editor of the International Journal of HRD and Management special issues. His writings delve deeply into the field of thoughts and practices.

LEADING A SPIRITUAL LIFE

In addition to being an accomplished writer

“AS A LIFELONG LEARNER, DR. BANERJEE KEEPS UP WITH THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD AND EDUCATION. HE HAS ENTHUSED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WITH HIS EXCEPTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXCELLENCE WHICH HAVE EARNED HIM SEVERAL PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS”

and a distinguished visionary & philosopher, Dr. Banerjee is a spiritual person. As a deeply spiritual person, he is fiercely driven to succeed in his challenges and is determined to make a meaningful impact on the world. He believes that divine and limitless potentials reside within humans, which can be tapped through a spiritual transformation of collective human consciousness.

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

As a lifelong learner, Dr. Banerjee keeps up with the latest advancements in the business world and education. He has enthused the entire community with his exceptional knowledge and excellence, which have earned him several prestigious awards, including the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award under National Education Awards 2018 from ABP News.

He is also the recipient of the “Most Dedicated Teachers of India” award presented by 6th Edition of World Education Congress in November 2017; Thought Leader Award presented by CIMA in July 2015; and Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Award” received for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching at 20th Business School Affaire & Dewang Mehta Business School Awards presented by Hindustan Unilever Limited in 2012.

Under his guidance, EIILM, Kolkata was honored with a commendation for the Best Placement among B-Schools in the East by ZEE 24 Ghanta, Kolkata, in August 2020.

AN EPITOME OF COMPASSION

A philanthropist at heart, Dr. Banerjee has an incredibly generous spirit. He is dedicated to the cause of helping the underprivileged and has championed multiple charitable projects. Serving the greatest good for the greatest number of people in need has always been his mantra. Thus, he began his mission to help the poorest of the poor through Towards Life Foundation (TLF). As its Chairman, he had been caring for 1,000 street children in Kolkata at its different centers, providing them with health, education, and other services and empowering them and their families through micro-finance.

He has also set up the Ramakrishna Educational & Organizational Society Trust, through which he provides charitable medical services to the needy in and around South 24 Parganas. He has teamed up with the South Asian Federation of Environment on a huge mission of planting nearly 1 lakh tree saplings in and around Kolkata.

PROF. SUNAINA SINGH

THE DOYENNE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Prof. Sunaina Singh, the Vice-Chancellor of the internationally acclaimed historical Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar, India, truly embodies the empowered woman of the 21st century. The multifaceted personality who has been successfully spearheading the growth of the avant-garde institution is a doyenne of higher education in Asia and beyond. She strikes a healthy balance between her visionary and pragmatic dimensions: the hallmark of an effective leader

BY SONAM GULATI

Education has always played a significant role in Prof. Singh’s life. After completing her PhD in comparative literature, she conducted postdoctoral research in a wide range of areas, including women’s writing, postmodernism, Diaspora literature, and South Asian literature.

Until taking over the role of the ViceChancellor of Nalanda University in 2017, Prof. Singh served as the Vice-Chancellor of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad. In her role as former Vice-Chancellor of the EFLU, she played a vital role in spearheading several initiatives, such as the creation of innovative research clusters, revitalising the academic culture, and streamlining the administration by bringing the highest standards of integrity to the university. Her interventions have helped the institution to distinguish itself as one of the most important centers of higher education in the Asia Pacific region. It was because of her outstanding leadership that the Central University of English and Foreign Languages was rated ‘A’ by NAAC after a span of 17 years. Additionally, her tireless and unflappable stewardship have played a key role in the University’s rise to prominence. Also during her tenure, she hosted convocation for the first time in its 50-year history. She was commended by former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee for her dynamism and commitment.

Prof. Singh also holds the distinction of serving as the Vice President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New

Delhi. Prior to that, she was a professor of English for over 32 years, as well as visiting professor at many universities abroad.

The visionary’s current role involves the responsibility of resurrecting the glory and grandeur of Nalanda University, known throughout history as a classic ancient seat of learning. Her transformative vision, combined with persuasive leadership skills, integrity, and out-of-the-box thinking has earned her the privilege to revive this prestigious international university of national significance. As a Professor of Literature and Culture, only a few intellectuals can match her intellectual brilliance, commitment to teaching, and research & administration skills. Ever since she took over as the Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University’s pedagogical and governance systems have been successfully revamped and redesigned under her sterling leadership.

AN EDUCATIONIST PAR EXCELLENCE

Prof. Singh is the only woman academician in India who has contributed to the modernization of higher education and

successfully served two terms as the Vice Chancellor at the national level and as the President of a Research Institute at the international level. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Council of the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP). In her role as a visiting professor at various renowned Universities overseas, she has played a pivotal role in making Indian culture and literature, theoretical concerns, pedagogical systems, and educational policies more accessible to the West. Furthermore, in 2011, the India-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), Calgary, honoured her for her efforts in enhancing bilateral relationships and collaboration in higher education.

AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST

Known for her uncompromising integrity and strong personality, Prof. Singh is an unshakeable optimist by nature, full of hope and enthusiasm. Her optimism propels her to defy all odds and stay focused on her goals. She took over as Vice-Chancellor of the EFLU at a time when the University was in upheaval, with frequent strikes. The bold

“KNOWN FOR HER UNCOMPROMISING INTEGRITY AND STRONG PERSONALITY, PROF. SINGH IS AN UNSHAKEABLE OPTIMIST BY NATURE, FULL OF HOPE AND ENTHUSIASM. HER OPTIMISM PROPELS HER TO DEFY ALL ODDS AND STAY FOCUSED ON HER GOALS”

leader overcame a myriad of issues that came her way with sheer determination and enthusiasm. The vivacity of her demeanour captivates and inspires everyone around her. She is motivated in her pursuit of success in life by the high moral and ethical standards her father and guru Prof. Satyanarain Singh has instilled in her. Her impeccable upbringing inspires her to set new benchmarks in her life.

ACHIEVEMENTS GALORE

It is natural for someone of her calibre and intellectual stature to have several achievements and honours under their belt. Owing to her dedication and commitment in the sphere of education, Prof. Singh has garnered numerous distinguished awards and accolades. Her meritorious services earned her the most prestigious Bharat Ratan Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Excellence Award in 2018. In the same year, she was honoured with Bharat Shiksha Ratan Award. She was honoured with the International Education Award-2018 (NWSI) at the British Parliament, House of Lords, London.

The visionary’s remarkable contribution in promoting Indian higher education and culture has also earned her Honorary Professorship by the Academic Union of the Oxford Union in 2020. The citation celebrates her endeavours to revive Nalanda University. Furthermore, her leadership has been recognised by the Honorary Consul of Tanzania, who has created a scholarship in her honour at Nalanda University. The citation states, “Your dedication, commitment, and desire to build and develop Nalanda University is unparalleled and remarkable. It is so impressive and it is going to be a landmark institution of India built under your great leadership.”

She has been honoured with the Innovative Vice-Chancellor of the Year award by Asia Today in 2020; VishwaKavi Rabindranath Tagore Award by Oriental Heritage 2020; The Most Admired Woman in Education Sector, by Knowledge Review in 2019. She has also been awarded the Education Leadership Award by the World Education Congress for 3 consecutive years from 2016-18. She presided over the Hon’ble President of India’s address on “Building a Happy Society” to 126 Central Institutes through the e-platform National Knowledge Network in 2017. Despite having plenty of laurels to her name, she chooses to always keep looking forward.

RAZAT GAURAV

FUTURE-PROOFING THE WORKFORCE

Razat is the CEO & Member of the Board of Directors at Planview, a global leader in Portfolio Management & Work Management, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA. The former Llamasoft CEO is a seasoned leader with a strong track record spanning over 2 decades in the enterprise software space. His laser-like focus on harnessing the power of IT to reinvent the future of connected work puts him ahead of the curve. He is a trusted advisor to leading executives, boards, and investors on topics related to digital transformation, and has displayed exemplary leadership in accelerating growth of businesses across the globe

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Born and raised in northern India, Razat is a global citizen that has lived in London, Toronto, and Chicago, before most recently settling in Austin, Texas in 2021.He first came to the United States to further his education, pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. He began his career as a management consultant after college and since then has served in executive leadership positions at several organisations, including Blue Yonder, i2 Technologies, and Ernst & Young’s management consulting practice. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of Sparta Systems and Llamasoft. During his tenure as the CEO of Llamasoft, Razat was instrumental in developing AIbased supply chain design and decisionmaking products, a strategy that resulted in doubling the company’s revenue in 3 years and a successful $1.5 billion acquisition by Coupa in 2020.

In his current capacity as the CEO of Planview, Razat is helping companies transform and adapt in an increasingly complex business environment that requires a renewed focus on how to prioritize and operationalize critical initiatives across the business.

A PURPOSE-DRIVEN LEADER

Among Razat’s fundamental life quotes, is from Dr. Martin Luther King: “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” These

are powerful words that have motivated him to consistently learn and adapt regardless of the circumstances, while also encouraging him to be passionate, proactive, and tenacious both in his professional and personal life. Throughout the course of his career in enterprise software, Razat has worked with and led diverse teams focused on solving customer pain points and creating more value for customers by leveraging leading technologies. These experiences have provided him with a holistic understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by executives undergoing digital transformation, along with the need to connect strategy with delivery - especially in times of great change. Major macro shifts – from digital transformation, to changing ways of working, to faster innovation cycles creating fierce competitive pressure – have highlighted the need for businesses to operate more dynamically and with greater agility than ever before. At the same time, businesses must ensure that their teams are working on the most important work for the business, aligned with company strategy. It calls for a carefully constructed strategy and

a thoughtful approach to connecting work across the business.

According to Razat, “The strength of an enterprise depends on the connections between its component parts – between teams and ideas, ideas and impact, and opportunities and value.” He continues, “Removing functional, hierarchical, physical and even communication silos that block or hinder an organisation’s ability to connect its strategy to the work being delivered will be the key to navigating an increasingly changing market. Organisations that fail to do so will face significant business challenges in the near future.”

EMPOWERING TEAMS IN UNIQUE WAYS

According to Razat, organisations must create a business environment in which all employees are empowered to deliver their best work and can see how their daytoday-jobs are influencing the strategic direction of the company and customer outcomes. In his opinion, this emerging future has the potential to give everyone a license to innovate and democratize datadriven decision-making in the enterprise.

“AMONG RAZAT’S FAVOURITE LIFE-LESSON QUOTES, ONE IS FROM DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING: “IF YOU CAN’T FLY, THEN RUN, IF YOU CAN’T RUN, THEN WALK, IF YOU CAN’T WALK, THEN CRAWL, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.” THESE ARE THE POWERFUL WORDS THAT HAVE MOTIVATED HIM”

Simultaneously, he stresses the importance of transparency in leaders, which allows knowledge to cascade and empowers teams to make local decisions more rapidly. The highly proficient leader believes that the most influential factor in the job labor market in the recent years has been the speed at which changes have occurred. Owing to the severe shortage of talent, especially in the technology field, companies need to keep attracting, developing, and retaining their workforce. In addition, generational changes have had a profound influence on the workforce according to him.

EMPHASIZES FUTURE-DRIVEN WORK CULTURE

Razat sees the future of connected work as one centered around empowering employees to deliver their best work, no matter how they work, aligned with company strategy and in service of the organization’s most important priorities and initiatives. He also believes that creating transparency in an organization and visibility into work being done will go a long way in shaping the future of connected work, as companies can become more nimble and improve the ability to shift resources when and where they are needed to boost output. To be competitive in today’s environment, companies must create faster planning cycles. Companies must plan and replan more frequently, with more focus on bi-directional feedback between the teams doing the work and those setting company strategy. To make better strategic decisions for the company, executives need information from teams closest to the work those teams are ultimately closest to customer needs. He asserts that at the same time, leaders must be transparent in their mission and vision for the organization, cascading information to empower teams to make local decisions more rapidly. He suggests that this realtime data will enable faster planning cycles so companies can adapt to changes quickly.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2020, Razat was recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs. The goal-driven leader is regularly quoted in esteemed publications, such as The New York Times, Forbes and The Hill, among other top media. Razat is also involved in philanthropic and policy projects linked to medical research, STEM education for minorities, and carbon reduction measures.

SAFWAN SOBHAN

A CATALYST FOR CHANGE

Safwan Sobhan, the Vice Chairman of the Dhaka-based Bashundhara Group is a successful leader who has been making significant strides in a plethora of business endeavours. The youngest son of Mr. Ahmed Akbar Sobhan (the Founder & Chairman of Bashundhara Group), is not only an outstanding business leader but also an optimistic, cheerful, grounded, and socially-connected individual. An innate visionary, Safwan consistently leverages the best business practices to drive his ventures to success

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Born in Bangladesh, Safwan was raised and educated in the United Kingdom. He did his schooling at the Shiplake College Oxfordshire, the UK, post which he graduated with a Business Studies (Management) degree from American InterContinental University. With his gamechanging strategies, the entrepreneur has been helping the Bashundhara Group reach new heights of successes. The Bashundhara Group is a Bangladeshi conglomerate of over 30 industrial and business enterprises with a major presence in the domains of real estate and housing development, mild and heavy steel product manufacturing, construction inputs, shipbuilding & heavy engineering, paper production & pulping, green energy, mass media, maritime transportation, IT, airways, large-scale excavation & dredging, food & beverages, restaurant chains, vocational & health education, public utility supplementation and international trading.

A TRAILBLAZING LEADER

Through diversification, Safwan has made the Group a leader in all its spheres. Under his stellar leadership, it has effectively created a well-designed corporate management framework with clear and well - defined tasks and allocation of tasks for project completion and delivery while maintaining accountability. It currently employs over 50 thousand skilled workers and indirectly supports millions of people. Additionally, each year, it contributes a substantial amount to the national exchequer. Furthermore, the Group has long been recognised by the Government of Bangladesh

as one of the highest tax payers. When asked about his career highpoint, Safwan said he has always focused on leveraging the strength of the youth of Bangladesh so that they can lead a better and purposeful life. Currently, he is engaged in bringing the “Digital Liberation” movement to life by transforming people & organisations for advancement through game-changing innovation, thereby creating long-term career opportunities and transforming the country into Digital Bangladesh. The attainment of this goal would be a significant career milestone for him. Speaking about his long-term plans, he said the Group has already emerged as one of Bangladesh’s largest conglomerates & a dominant force in numerous areas of business and industries. However, he intends to take it far ahead from where it is now. He wants it to be the largest contributor to the country’s economic and social development. The Group is all set to establish the Bashundhara Industrial Economic Zone Ltd (BIEZL) on 500 acres of land in Mirsarai, about 60 kilometers from Chittagong – the commercial capital of Bangladesh, while already established Bashundhara SEZ (56 acres) and East West

Special Economic Zone (53.87 acres) in Keraniganj, about 15 kilometres from Dhaka.

A PEOPLE PERSON

Safwan is an empathetic leader who understands his people and believes in their abilities. He adheres to a transparent and communicative approach and has complete faith in his team’s integrity and ingenuity. He also favours continuous R&D and is always thinking of innovative ways to let his country stand on its own and diversify through industrial innovations of import substitutes. Safwan draws inspiration from his father, Mr. Ahmed Akbar Sobhan. He has inherited a lot of positive traits from his father who is not just charismatic and visionary but also a person with extraordinary intelligence, agility, and an approachable demeanour. His father’s strong and efficient ways of dealing with challenges gives Safwan the confidence to deal with tough situations. The humble leader attributes his success to his father who had always stood by his side.

A BENEVOLENT SOUL

Safwan’s sole objective is to make a positive

“SAFWAN’S SOLE OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE IN BANGLADESH BY IMPROVING THE COUNTRY’S INFRASTRUCTURE. THROUGH THE GROUP’S CSR WING, HE SEEKS TO UPLIFT THE CONDITION OF THE MASSES, ESPECIALLY, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ”

difference in the lives of ordinary people in Bangladesh by improving the country’s infrastructure. Through the Bashundhara Group’s CSR wing Bashundhara Foundation and Bashundhara Special Children Foundation, he seeks to uplift the condition of the masses, especially, the local community. Though commercial objectives have been driving the Group, it has never shied away from its call to humanity. Each time the Group sells paper or tissue products, a certain percentage of the proceeds are donated to the Autistic Children School, run by the Foundation to help the underprivileged autistic children. Furthermore, the Group has set up a number of companies under his leadership, including Bashundhara Ad-Din Medical College and Hospital, Bashundhara Eye-Hospital & Research Institute, Bashundhara Technical Institute (BTI), Bashundhara Foundation, and Bashundhara Special Children Foundation, all of which demonstrate his invaluable contribution to CSR. Safwan is also a sports enthusiast who believes sport is the best way to help young people excel toward a healthy and prosperous future. He has always been passionate in advancing & patronising sports activities in Bangladesh. He has successfully engaged youngsters and budding players in sports such as cricket, soccer, hockey, and so forth under local teams such as the Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Ltd., Bashundhara Kings, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra, franchise Rangpur Riders etc. His established firstever Sports-based TV-channel “T-sports” has enabled crores of sport-lovers to embark realtime sports as well as satiate connections to the very root of the Sporting community.

ACCUMULATING ACCOLADES

His quest for excellence has earned him a slew of awards and accolades. He was recognised as Bangladesh’s CIP (Commercially Important Person) for the year of 2017-18. His business acumen has earned the Bashundhara Group multiple prestigious awards, including “Best Brand Award” for Bashundhara Tissue for consecutive 4 times, multiple times “Superbrands Award” to several brands incl. to Bashundhara Paper, Bashundhara Tissue, and many more. Despite his many accomplishments, successes, and awards, he never rests on his laurels and continually strives for improvement. He is eager to learn from everyone in his team, with the clear goal of involving everyone in the Group’s common goal: rebuilding a sustainable future ‘for the People and the Country.’

SHASHANK SHEKHAR

CONSISTENTLY RAISING THE BAR

Mr. Shashank Shekhar, the CEO of InstaMortgage - a digital mortgage lending company in San Jose, Calif, has left an indelible mark on the mortgage lending industry by virtue of his outstanding achievements. He has been listed as the No. 4 broker in the USA and is a top-15 loan officer across the country. The young leader has been continuously raising standards for the industry. No wonder he has been named one of the “most influential” and “most connected” mortgage professionals in America

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Shashank is an MBA from the Institute of Management Technology in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh (India) and specializes in marketing. He has been in the lending business since 2000. He served as Location Manager of Consumer Loans for GE Money from 2000 to 2004 and served as Director of Mortgage Origination Business for Parsec Interact, Inc. from 2004 until 2007. As a former writer for TheBalance.com and Homes.com, America’s leading websites on personal finance topics, Shashank covered homebuying topics.

His company Arcus Lending Inc. was rebranded as InstaMortgage in 2021 because the meaning of the term “Insta” has expanded to refer to an immediate delivery standard, which has become popular among today’s tech-savvy consumers. Despite founding InstaMortgage during the 2008 mortgage crisis, he took his tech-driven mortgage company to new heights of success with his hard work and relentless passion. InstaMortgage, licensed in 26 States across the USA, currently employs more than 110 people.

The dramatic growth of the company has been driven by his unrelenting focus on education and legendary customer service. Every decision he makes as an entrepreneur revolves around his customers. Moreover, his customer-centric growth mindset drives him to embrace various cutting-edge technologies with open arms in order to make lending experiences better for borrowers. InstaMortgage supports diversity, inclusion, and minority homeownership. A majority

of their mortgages close within 20-70% faster than the industry average, he claims. Shashank believes in empowering consumers through financial literacy. “We are in the customer service and education business, and mortgages just happen to be part of the mix,” he says.

His mission is to make InstaMortgage synonymous with the quickest and most reliable mortgage service available today. InstaMortgage is loved both by its employees and customers.

The 4.9 rating on Google reflects the company’s stellar service. The top three mortgage media publications – National Mortgage News, Mortgage Professionals America, and National Mortgage Professionals Magazine; all named the company one of the best employers to work with.

ACHIEVING BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS

Shashank is known for his bold spirit and disruptive ideas. After starting his business in 2008 during the Great Recession, which was one of the worst years for the American economy, his grit and optimism led the

company to become one of the fastestgrowing mortgage companies in America by helping thousands of families secure better mortgages for their homes. Shashank is primarily concerned with the security of his customers.

In February 2022, he led the company to adopt Finicity Technology, which enables lenders to verify a borrower’s assets, earnings, & employment credentials in real-time during the loan application process seamlessly. Finicity, which is a MasterCard Company, was chosen for its transparency and capacity to assist consumers in improving their financial health and purchasing power. From searching for the best provider, negotiating and signing a deal, and settling the contract, InstaMortgage’s adoption of Finicity’s cloudbased technology took InstaMortgage about six months to integrate. InstaMortgage’s already fast mortgage lending process has been made even faster by Finicity’s MVS technology.

A TECH-SAVVY ENTREPRENEUR

Shashank’s technological innovations have

“EVERY DECISION SHASHANK MAKES AS AN ENTREPRENEUR REVOLVES AROUND HIS CUSTOMERS. HE BELIEVES IN EMPOWERING THEM THROUGH FINANCIAL LITERACY. “WE ARE IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EDUCATION BUSINESS, AND MORTGAGES JUST HAPPEN TO BE PART OF THE MIX,”HE SAYS”

enabled InstaMortgage to reach breathtaking growth levels. A highlight of his career is the creation of MLO Master Class, a leading platform for loan officers.

Apart from automating the mortgage process and streamlining things such as income verification and providing accurate estimates to consumers, he developed Rachel, a conversational artificially intelligent digital human, which is capable of listening to and answering borrowers’ questions.

Rachel is an upgrade on the experience the conversation AI platforms like Siri and Alexa, since Rachel looks and behaves like a human thus providing a more engaging experience for the users. It is also created specifically for the mortgage industry and can answer dozens of frequently asked mortgage questions. Rachel also helps the borrowers get rates quotes or preapprovals. The Rachel 2.0 version promises to pre-qualify the borrowers instantly in less than 3 minutes.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

In recognition of his excellence and brilliance and his innovative leadership, he was featured on the cover of National Mortgage Professionals Magazine that also named him “Top 40 Under 40 most influential mortgage professionals in the country” for three years in a row. He was also listed among the “Top 25 most connected mortgage professionals in the country.” by the magazine.

Additionally, he was named one of the “Hot 100” by Mortgage Professional America Magazine. Moreover, under his sterling leadership, InstaMortgage has made it onto the Deloitte Fast Tech 500 rankings for 2021, ranking #110 (above Zoom, Pinterest, and Square) and is the only mortgage company on the list.

The company has also been named as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America (also known as “Most Exclusive Club in Business”) in 2017 and 2021 by Inc. Magazine.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Shashank is a benevolent leader who is always willing to go above and beyond to promote societal welfare. Currently, he is on the Board of Directors of GiveIndia. org, the largest and most trusted giving platform in India that allows individuals and organizations to raise and donate funds conveniently to the causes they care about.

TARIQUE MUSTAFA

LEADING THE IT REVOLUTION

Mr. Tarique Mustafa took it upon himself to keep bettering his knowledge and build something that benefits the whole industry. After successfully exiting not one but two entrepreneurial ventures, this industry-renowned expert started GhangorCloud to provide unparalleled services in the Cybersecurity sector. His indepth knowledge and deep understanding of the technology sector have enabled him to carve his unique route to success

BY SONAM GULATI

Mr. Mustafa started his professional journey after graduating from the University of Southern California where he was a Rotary International Scholar in Engineering and Computer Science. As soon as he graduated, he landed his first job at Symantec Corporation. He was working at the global headquarters located in California and was in a lead position fronting the product lines. It is here that the very foundation of his entire career in Cyber Security was laid. This was just the beginning for a zealous guy who wanted to make it big in the techie world.

In the next two decades or so, Mr. Mustafa would go on to work in various leadership positions, spearheading many teams to build Cyber Security systems and products from the ground up. Several of those products will also go on to win industry recognition as the leading Cyber Security products. But, none of the accomplishments would dim the burning passion to keep on doing more for Mr. Mustafa. He didn’t stop at just building immensely robust and trustworthy products, he also went on to invent several key patents and algorithms which are recognized as significant breakthrough technologies in Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security.

His latest venture, GhangorCloud’s Fourth Generation Data Leak and Exfiltration Prevention (DLEP) Cyber Security Paradigm is based on his vision of the future. He believes that the cyber warfare will forever keep evolving into a complicated and increasingly sophisticated challenge. The industry now recognizes the challenge and with the help of leaders such as Mr. Mustafa, there has

been a whole paradigm shift in the industry and how Data Security products have been traditionally built. Mr. Mustafa started GhangorCloud in 2014. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, GhangorCloud is a leading provider of next-generation Information Security & Compliance solutions. The company is backed by a team, board, and advisors that include leading authorities from companies like Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro, VeriSign, Cisco, Juniper, Alteon & Array Networks. Under Mr. Mustafa’s leadership, GhangorCloud has become one of the most powerful and best-inclass providers of Information Security and Compliance solutions. Before starting his entrepreneurial journey, he has worked with companies like nexTier Networks, Artiman Ventures, Nevis Networks, Andes Networks, Network Utilities, DHL IT Services, Symantec, and others.

A PROFESSIONAL PAR EXCELLENCE

Mr. Mustafa who is currently the CEO and founder at GhangorCloud, Inc., is an industry-renowned Cybersecurity expert with demonstrated extraordinary innovative

abilities in the areas of information security. Mr. Mustafa is a serial entrepreneur with 2 more companies under his belt that he started, scaled, and successfully exited. He likes to keep up to date with all technological trends and possesses deep knowledge and understanding of a broad range of areas, especially security and database design. It is his passion to keep up with the ever-changing technology and provide the best possible, dynamic solutions. His technical expertise has been deemed incredible by his peers as he has often become the go-to person for technical know-how. In his entire career, he has worked in leadership roles where he has built Cyber Security systems and products from the ground up. Several of those products have won industry recognition as the leading Cyber Security products. He also has multiple patents (approved and pending) with USPTO and has published many research publications in the areas of Information & Data Security, Computer & Network Security, Software Architecture, Database Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence. Apart from being awarded the prestigious Rotary International Scholarship for his Doctoral Studies University

“CYBER INSECURITY POSES EXISTENTIAL CRISIS AND MUST BE ADDRESSED HOLISTICALLY FROM THE GROUND UP – THAT WILL REQUIRE A PARADIGM SHIFT. OUR PLATFORM HAS REDEFINED THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND CHANGED THE ASYMMETRIC NATURE OF CYBER WARFARE INTO SYMMETRIC“

of Southern California (USC), Mr. Mustafa also holds a Master’s Degree in Engineering and Computer Science from University of Southern California (USC), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from NED University of Engineering & Technology.

Mr. Mustafa is someone who enjoys his work well beyond the realm of office or just the professional space. “To me, my work is my life and I enjoy every moment of it. The thrill and excitement of creating truly “cutting, bleeding-edge technology” are exciting like nothing else.” He also has a very unique hobby - amateur competitive ballroom dancing. While he likes to indulge in different hobbies to unwind and recoup, ballroom dancing is his favourite hobby. As per him, it gives him the opportunity to keep physically active and emotionally creative. “It is a great “art form” and a highly competitive sport,” he shares.

THE “SECURE” ROAD AHEAD

Mr. Mustafa is deeply passionate about building Cyber Security solutions that address Data Leak and Exfiltration Cyber Attacks in a holistic and conclusive fashion. His sole objective is to address the Cyber Security challenge effectively and create new technologies that in fact address this lingering perpetual problem. As Cyber Attacks are getting progressively more sophisticated, it is becoming imperative to tackle the cyber attackers with advanced technologies such as Artifcial Intelligence and Military Style Stealth. Mr. Mustafa with his highly capable team at GhangorCloud wants to address these cyber threats with a complete overhaul of the Cyber Defence Strategy.

“Cyber Insecurity poses existential crisis and must be addressed holistically from the ground up – that will require a paradigm shift based on Classical AI and System Theoretic Design,” he shared. Under his mentorship, GhangorCloud’s product has been recognized as the “Best of the Breed” solution in the data leak and exfiltration prevention (DLEP) category. The company has earned a welldeserved customer base in multiple verticals. It has been delivering solutions to IT organizations, pharmaceuticals, government agencies, national security agencies, and hi-tech companies for intellectual property protection. In the future, he just wants to constantly keep creating newer and better technologies that will not only increase his company’s footprint but benefit the whole industry.

2021-22

GLOBAL ASIAN

GLOBAL ASIAN OF THE YEAR 2022

Besides the fact that Asia is the world’s largest and most culturally-diverse continent, it is also an abode of some of the world’s greatest economies. The masterminds behind the continent’s skyrocketing growth are the Great Asian leaders who have also been contributing to the welfare of society and humanity at large. AsiaOne Magazine presents a prestigious list of AsiaOne Global Asian of the Year after a thorough evaluation of each leader on several parameters including growth, vision and compassion towards the society in general, and downtrodden communities and the less fortunate in particular. The final list showcases those great leaders which are an amalgamation of sharp entrepreneurial vision and humility and are worthy of the coveted ‘AsiaOne Global Asian of the Year 2022’ title.

AJAYYA KUMAR

RISING HIGH WITH A TOWERING SPIRIT

Mr. Ajayya Kumar, the COO of the UAE-based IT systems integrator Emircom, is known for his relentless passion for excellence. As a renowned management thinker, mentor, author, business advisor, art enthusiast, and strategist, he is in a league of his own. Born in Cherpu, Thrissur, in Kerala, he holds a Bachelor’s Degreein Mathematics and qualified CMA from ICWAI and ICMA,USA. Ajjaya also holds a doctorate in organizational behaviour. His credentials are a harmonious amalgamation of academic achievements & professional experiences

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Astorehouse of talent, Ajayya is known to many as a virtuoso because of his extraordinary abilities. The professional journey of this versatile leader began with technology giant ABB as a Management Accountant in 1994. Since then, he has worked with some of the leading names in the GCC region, such as Federal Foods. He made his way up the ladder of success by sheer willpower and hard work. In 2004, Ajayya joined Emircom as its Chief Financial Officer and led the company to become a market leader in ICT services in the Middle East. Over the past two decades, he has assisted Emircom in laying a sound, solid financial foundation. The visionary leader has played a crucial role in every step of Emircom’s growth and has given insightful advice to every strategic decision to take the company to new heights of success.

EMPHASIZES TEAM SPIRIT

Ajayya is an exceptional team player, an astute tactician and someone who is flexible and willing to dive right into the job at hand. To defend Emircom’s interests, he has worked tirelessly to create assets, reduce bad debts, and establish a bulwark of solid financial practices. Consequently, he has become a key figure in Emircom’s corporate affairs. However, he had to overcome unique challenges in steering his company to success. It was only by adopting a forward-looking, objective approach, making the right investments, and taking calculated risks that he was able to get the

company through tough times.

MENTORING FUTURE LEADERS

Ajayya has been involved with mentoring two prominent and rapidly growing start-up companies in education and IoT segment.

As a mentor, he teaches his protégés to have a positive entrepreneurial attitude and be dedicated to their cause, and not give up regardless of obstacles. Additionally, several startup leaders have been trained by him to develop both practical and financial wisdom. These concepts are the core of his recent book, Formula G - How to Scale your Startup or Company into a Growth Machine, which he has co-authored with peers in the industry. The modest leader is committed to the advancement of innovation in management and education, for grooming the next generation of students and entrepreneurs.

A CULTURE ENTHUSIAST

Despite relocating to the Middle East’s Abu Dhabi, Ajayya is more connected to his traditional roots. After moving to Abu Dhabi, Ajayya made a promise to himself

that he would do everything possible to stay connected to his culture. Born and raised in Kerala, he spent his childhood watching performances and spent time backstage with Kathakali artists, and that’s what keeps him close to his culture. He has been instrumental in coordinating many major events in Kathakali as well as other art forms across India and abroad.

As a cultural activist, Ajayya is associated with a number of organizations that promote Indian art and culture. Since he holds a special affinity for Indian culture and arts, he also serves as the Founder and Chief Curator of Sarvamangala Arts Initiatives. Sarvamangala Trust is a non-profit cultural foundation contributing to the fields of culture, art, and cinema through curated events, fundraisers, film production, and services to the creative community. The organisation registered in Thrissur, India is affiliated with the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy and has a presence in the UAE as well. To date, Sarvamangala Arts Initiatives has organized a dozen events at prominent temples and art centres in across India as CSR activities through Sarvamangala

“IT WAS ONLY BY ADOPTING AN OBJECTIVE APPROACH, AND TAKING CALCULATED RISKS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE COMPANY THROUGH TOUGH TIMES. ‘AS LONG AS YOU DEVELOP THE RIGHT MINDSET AND HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS, NO CHALLENGE IS TOO GREAT TO HAMPER YOUR PROGRESS,’ HE SAYS”

Trust. Its project, Temple Series - Stories of temples and their arts, was dedicated to classical arts that emerged around temples. Additionally, his venture, Sarvamangala Productions, makes conscious interventions in the field of OTT and films, which reflects his artisanal streak in a significant way. The company has produced more than 10 short films, among which Burning and Dammy have been featured and recognized at many international film festivals, such as Indian Panorama, Madrid International Film Festival 2019, South Asian Film Festival of America 2019, and San Diego International Film Festival. The short film ‘Burning’ has so far been screened at 40 film festivals across the globe. Eventually, the Production House plans to start producing full-length features.

A WELL-ROUNDED LEADER

Ajayya has drawn inspiration from several books written by Jim Collins, including Built to Last, Good to Great, and Great by Choice; The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma, as well as concepts such as Grid Theory. Gabriel Marquez is his favourite legendary writer, who he admires the most. His favourite reads are Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

Taking inspiration from such legends, Ajayya himself has co-authored four books -- out of which two are about management, one is about parenting aspects, and the other is a work of fiction. His other interests include travelling and he has visited most of the countries in the world.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Ajayya strives to make a positive contribution to society through CSR activities. Under his leadership, he partnered with a multinational computer technology company to provide laptops and computers to students in the UAE and India at much-subsidized rates during the pandemic.

Families with multiple children taking online classes at the same time were relieved by the efforts. In addition, he has provided direct financial assistance to more than 1,000 artists through his Sarvamangala Arts Initiative. His dream project is to mentor 1000 startups within the art domain in the next five years, which will include dance, playwriting, and other forms of entertainment.

CHINTAN PANARA

WORKING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Mr. Panara is one of those rare leaders who lead by example. His idea of a successful business is one that creates equal opportunities, better infrastructure, and an empowered lifestyle for all. He doesn’t work to become successful; he works to build a better tomorrow for all. It is these traits that set him apart from his peers. After working as a professional for more than a decade, he took the plunge into entrepreneurship and never looked back. His aim was to make everyone’s life better and thus was born the Nest Group

BY SONAM GULATI

After completing his engineering from Nirma Institute of Technology, Gujarat; Mr. Panara started his professional journey at Tech Mahindra. He decided that it was time to walk on a different path after contributing to its growth for almost over a decade.

TURNING A NEW LEAF

The day he left the job to start his own company was one of the most crucial points of his professional life. A techie at heart, Mr. Panara wanted to make use of technology to make the world better, greener, and more prosperous. He wanted to focus on technology and use it to solve some realworld challenges. It is this focus on people, communities, and the places they work and live that lies at the heart of everything Nest Group does.

Mr. Panara founded Nest Group in 2014 along with ex-Indian Army officer –Arun Kar and Pradip Butani, a chartered accountant. Nest Group is made up of five subsidiary companies, each with its own focus. Xpertnest offers technology implementation and development in fields ranging from insurance and medicine to agriculture and transport; GameNest creates 2D, 3D, augmented reality, and virtual reality games and applications; EarthNest is using disruptive innovation to rid the world of single-use plastic; CineNest produces original videos for distribution on Over-The-Top platforms and HomeNest uses technology to build affordable, green housing for social communities.

What is one big commendable feat of Mr. Panara and his team is that all of these companies have been created without any external investments or VC funding. It is Mr. Panara’s innovation that led him to bring to life such novel concepts and ideas. He led his team to successfully expand and cultivate each of these group companies. Not only that, he has managed to create a platform for other budding entrepreneurs so that they can also try their ideas and give their dreams a shot. He is truly one of the leaders who believe in creating more leaders and not followers.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Under his leadership, his companies have won many awards and accolades from the industry. Mr. Panara is an official member of the Forbes Business Council – which is an invitation-only business community. Being a part of such a community is an honour and mark of respect as well as a testimony to the work that he has been doing.

Xpertnest has won several awards for its pathbreaking solutions. In 2021, it won the title of ‘Most impacting Company Year 2021

– Dot.com by the United States Magazine. It was also chosen the ‘Company of the Year – Smart Solutions’ in the year 2019 by CIO Review India. In 2020, they were also finalists at the UK’s National SME awards – Business Innovation Category. This is not it, Xpertnest has received a lot of applause from the world over for its innovative use of technology. During the pandemic, in the UK, Xpertnest made an app that helps in notifying people if the beach they’re headed to is overcrowded and thus helped in maintaining social distancing. This was hailed as a new level of innovation in technology and the international media praised the app makers for this.

A LEADER WITH PANACHE

At the core of his leadership lies a vision for a better tomorrow. It is this people-centric approach that drives Mr. Panara and his businesses. He has built such a culture at all his companies where people come first – his employees as well his customers, everyone gains. All his ventures have been developed by keeping the customer in mind and merging technology with utility. “We relentlessly

“ WE NEED TO FOCUS NOT ON TECHNOLOGY FOR TECHNOLOGY’S SAKE BUT ON HOW TO SOLVE THE NEEDS OF REAL PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. IT IS THAT FOCUS ON PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, AND THE PLACES THEY WORK AND LIVE THAT LIES AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING XPERTNEST DOES”

focus on creating standout customer experiences,” he shares. Mr. Panara and his team have built these businesses with a strong foundation of integrity, trust, responsibility, and excellence. He ensures that everyone involved in Nest Group plays fair and is ethical in their conduct. Consistency and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles are of prime importance to him. Secondly, he believes in building trust and collaborative relationships based on mutual respect. It is his passion that drives him to build the best and achieve the highest possible standards of quality for their customers.

VOICE OF CHANGE

It is Mr. Panara’s strong belief that technology should be leveraged to make the world better, greener, and more prosperous. “We need to focus not on technology for technology’s sake but on how to solve the needs of real people and their communities. It is that focus on people, communities, and the places they work and live that lies at the heart of everything Xpertnest does,” he shares. To further this belief, he built Earthnest which is an organization that helps consumers achieve a more sustainable future. The company produces sustainable bags and sheeting made from starch and other natural products. These products are 100 percent plastic-free, containing no polyolefin plastic at all. But at the same time, these bags are waterproof and oil-resistant. Importantly, they also provide an oxygen barrier. They have built the product in such an innovative manner that the bio bags have all the advantages of plastic without causing any damage to the planet. They cost no more than plastic bags to manufacture, which makes them nothing less than revolutionary for the packaging and retail industries.

It is his vision and foresight that have enabled Earthnest to bring this disruptive technology to consumers.

LOOKING AT A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD

Mr. Panara has a focused vision where he sees Nest Group bringing innovative and revolutionary solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. So far, he has envisioned some great initiatives from combining data analysis with satellite imagery to help farmers improve their outputs to imagining how cities could function more efficiently with smart technology and artificial intelligence.

DR. P. SHYAMA RAJU

A GAME-CHANGER IN EDUCATION

Dr. Raju is a renowned entrepreneur and educationist in India who possesses a unique mix of entrepreneurial acumen and academic expertise. He is the Chancellor of REVA University, Bengaluru and also holds the position of the Chairman of Rukmini Educational Charitable Trust. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board & the Managing Director of DivyaSree Developers Pvt. Ltd. Due to his extremely versatile personality and strategic acumen, he is regarded as one of the most successful leaders of his generation

BY SONAM GULATI

Dr. Raju is a self-made man who has carved out a successful path for himself. His exuberance, determination, and attitude of never accepting less have enabled him to build an empire of his dreams and write his own destiny. Although he faced numerous challenges throughout his life, he was able to overcome them all and reach where he is today. Born and brought up in a humble family in Andhra Pradesh, he always aspired to be an architect. Years ago, this aspiring young architect relocated to Bengaluru to conquer and establish his architectural genius throughout the city. Consequently, he ventured into construction activities and public works-related projects across South India and soon became an immensely successful entrepreneur. He has played a valuable role in transforming the skylines of Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad with iconic constructions and infrastructural marvels.

From being an employee of Bengaluru City Corporation to becoming the founder of DivyaSree Developers, one of the world’s most revolutionary construction companies, he has worked tirelessly to achieve such exemplary success. In all his projects, he has demonstrated the perfect balance between art, technique, and dexterity. According to Dr. Raju, there is no shortcut to hard work. In his view, one should never stop what they are doing and should strive to do their job with joy, commitment, and enthusiasm.

Dr. Raju’s rise to prominence in the construction sector was indeed spectacular, but his contribution to education has been

nothing short of phenomenal. REVA University, founded by him in 2012, has moved steadily up the rankings in excellence as a result of his efforts. Due to the best practices introduced by the visionary leader, the Bengalurubased University has consistently been rated amongst the most trusted & emerging brands in education. Moreover, under his leadership, REVA has become the youngest educational institute in India to receive university status. The institution, which has over 10,000 students and a significant number of international students, provides a variety of disciplines ranging from the arts to engineering to business management. In addition, all engineering programs accredited by NBA and science programs accredited by NAAC attest to the high quality of education offered.

A TECH-SAVVY LEADER

Dr. Raju keeps himself abreast of the latest educational technologies. He has established several technology-enabled education platforms that incorporate digital resources through online services and e-learning. Additionally, the university’s engagement

with various enterprises and NSDC has facilitated skill development programmes aligned with the Indian government’s “Skill India” policy. Furthermore, collaboration with numerous foreign universities has also facilitated teacher and student exchange programmes as well as joint research.

MOULDING FUTURE-READY STUDENTS

The Honorable Chancellor serves as a guide and mentor, assuring the overall growth of each student. He considers the youth as the wealth of the nation and endeavours to prepare them with good education, strong ethics, and moral values so that they can become the leaders of tomorrow and enable India to become the most advanced and developed nation in the world. He is committed to establishing a top-notch infrastructure to deliver high-quality education with a focus on research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to prepare his students to face the real world with confidence. One of the steps in this direction is the establishment of the REVA Academy for Corporate Excellence (RACE), which is further recognition of REVA University’s achievements. It is his vision that

“LATELY, WE HAVE STARTED THE INITIATIVE OF PAPERLESS EXAMS. WE ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO DRAW GRAPHS AND DO ROUGH CALCULATIONS DIGITALLY. TEACHERS CAN ALSO EVALUATE PAPERS DIGITALLY AND THE RESULTS CAN BE ACCESSED WITHIN AN HOUR”

enables him to build careers, and channelize efforts in the right direction.

The proactive leader aspires to make REVA one of the top 10 universities in the country, in addition to ensuring that the faculty attains a doctorate or is in the process of doing so. Using a holistic approach to education, he has developed various means for facilitating the holistic development of his students.

The students have access to a plethora of books in the University’s state-of-theart library, which allows them to broaden their intellectual horizons. Additionally, an integrated program facilitates students’ participation in sports and cultural activities, including yoga and meditation.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Dr. Raju has been doing a commendable job in the CSR domain. He established the Rukmini Educational Charitable Trust in honour of his beloved wife, the Late Smt. Rukmini Shyama Raju. The extensive humanitarian efforts that Dr. Raju undertakes reflect the overpowering philanthropic nature of his personality. As part of his efforts to improve the quality of life for rural students, he has assigned several seats for those who are unable to pay the normal tuition fees due to poverty.

WINNING TOP LAURELS

The BERG in Singapore has recognized Dr. Raju, a prominent and innovative educationist. He was also honoured with the coveted Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2017. Furthermore, he was awarded the Honoris Causa (honorary doctorate of science) degree by Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi. What’s more, for arranging regular events on “Personal Excellence Through Bhagavad Gita” for students, parents, youth, and the general public, the Prasanna Trust in Bengaluru honoured him with the “Prasanna Seva Ratna.” Additionally, Little Sisters of the Poor, Bangalore, awarded him with ‘Little Sister of the Poor Geriatric Care Recognition’ for his contributions to the welfare of the elderly and destitute. He was also awarded ASMA Academia’s “Social Media Innovation Award” for his excellent contribution to the use of social media platforms in academic undertakings. Dr. Raju was also felicitated by the State Election Commission for leading Jagruti Campaign to create voting awareness among people. The multidimensional leader does not rest on his laurels and strives to do more for the welfare of society with his unwavering efforts.

NEHCHAL KHANNA

MOVING ONWARDS & UPWARDS

Mr. Nehchal Khanna is the CEO and MD of QSR Brands, the renowned food chain that operates Pizza Hut and KFC ASEAN. Mr. Khanna is an extraordinary individual known for his penchant for leadership. His enthusiasm, courage, and optimism enabled him to transform QSR Brands during the pandemic and deliver growth. The success story of this charismatic leader offers subtle insights to encourage aspiring leaders in unimaginable ways

BY MONALISA BISWAS

QSR Brands appointed Nehchal to its Board of Directors in March 2020. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in April 2020. The Board chose him for his leadership brilliance, strategic competencies for organizational transformation, and consistent performance in previous roles. His appointment has been a pivotal step for the company, as he has extensive experience building highperforming teams, leading company growth, and improving product value.

The visionary leader stood up to the expectations of the Board by delivering outstanding financial performance. He continues to take QSR Brands and its subsidiary businesses to new heights with his experience, determination, and zeal. He has shown extraordinary courage during the global health crisis posed by COVID-19. Since his appointment, the company has embarked on a transformation journey while growing shareholder value. Keeping in mind QSR Brands’ values and vision, he continues to build upon them to ensure that the company remains competitive in the market.

AN IMPRESSIVE CAREER GRAPH

Nehchal is a qualified lawyer. He pursued Bachelor of Law (LLB) from King’s College in London. Throughout his career, the well versed leader has held leadership roles at leading investment banks. Prior to joining QSR Brands, he worked as a Corporate Advisor to Johor Corporation,

a state-owned investment company established by the government of Johor State (Malaysia). Between 2010-2016, he served as MD of Morgan Stanley’s Singapore office. Before joining it, he worked for Deutsche Bank as the MD, overseeing investment banking operations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

ASIAN DEAL MAKER

An industry veteran with significant experience in Investment Banking, Nehchal has orchestrated some of the largest IPOs in Asia, including Petronas Chemicals’ USD 4.8 billion IPO and Felda Global Ventures’ USD 3.3 billion IPO (each as Global Coordinator)., Nehchal originated several capital market mandates, including Khazanah Nasional, Axiata, Sime Darby, and other notable companies within Southeast Asia. He has also advised numerous multi-billion dollar corporate clients across the Southeast Asian region regarding transactions of mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets. These remarkable achievements make him uniquely qualified to drive any business forward.

A TRUE VISIONARY

Nehchal is a proactive leader brimming with relentless energy. His passion about his vision is a testament to how much he loves his work and the people in the organization. Under his stellar leadership, QSR Brands have been witnessing remarkable growth year on year. With his relentless efforts and strategic planning, he is helping the brand further strengthen its position in the market as the leading food chain brand loved and trusted by everyone in the region.

Nehchal’s new vision for the company is to provide future-proof dining experiences using technology and data and become ASEAN’s leading food technology company. In the coming years, he aims to mold QSR Brand’s Mission to proactively prioritize product innovation and providing highquality food to new segments of consumers.

His strategic approach during the COVID-19 pandemic has already helped the brand transform into a technology-based omnichannel food service company. When thousands of thriving businesses struggled to stay afloat due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nehchal, instead of giving up, rolled up his

“MR. KHANNA IS A COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL WHO BELIEVES IN LEADING FROM THE HEART. HE STRIVES TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ADDRESSES SOCIAL ISSUES AND ENSURES THE COMMUNITY’S WELFARE. PEOPLE AND THEIR WELL-BEING HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY FOR HIM”

sleeves and implemented an overnight transformation to upgrade the business model. Firstly, he placed a high priority on keeping people safe and providing food that is hygienic and safe for consumption.

Secondly, he initiated the transformation of the brands business models into e-commerce and digital to enable “channel switching” - to continue sales through online delivery when Dine-in was closed. He ensured customers would seamlessly place orders and receive them smoothly via brand’s own website, apps and 3rd party aggregators like FoodPanda, Grab food and others despite the ongoing pandemic and the restricted movement control and lockdowns. All these initiatives were done following the government set guidelines and the abiding by the company’s stringent SOPs. As a result, business growth and profitability increased significantly during such a highly challenging period. It was an instant transformational change to shift from a traditional business strategy to a digitally-driven dynamic and agile business model, which helped QSR Brands and its subsidiaries to thrive during the pandemic period. As a result, digital sales for KFC and PH increased 600% and 300%, respectively. Through radical changes, Nehchal took every possible measure to transform QSR Brands and its subsidiaries into a data-driven, digital-driven group. He also ensured that all QSR Brands employees received training on the new COVID-19 prevention practices

LEADING BY HEART

At QSR Brands, pregnant women who are at their 28th week of pregnancy can work from home. This scheme launched in 2020 is applicable to women working at KFC and Pizza Hut Stores as well. Nehchal is a compassionate individual who believes in leading from the heart. People and their wellbeing have always been a top priority for him. Consequently, the benevolent leader has implemented numerous welfare initiatives for their benefit. For instance, QSR Brands launched a private vaccination assistance campaign under his direction in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, PIKAS (Program Imunisasi Industri COVID19 Kerjasama Awam-Swasta), and KPJ Hospitals. He has steered QSR Brands towards making meaningful CSR programs an integral part of the firm’s commitment to giving back to the society. It has launched several CSR initiatives under his guidance.

PANKAJ JAIN

LEADING THE WAY

Mr. Pankaj Jain, the Founder and CEO of Hyderabad-based Aaseya IT Services, a renowned global service and solutions organisation, is a trailblazing tech entrepreneur who has firmly established his position as a visionary and a strategist in the Indian IT services industry. His initiatives have significantly contributed to the success of Aaseya, and have helped create its niche as a trusted global low-code specialist with a proven agile delivery model

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Pankaj is a technologist by education and an entrepreneur by passion. He holds a BE degree from Nagpur University and a Diploma in Advanced Computing from CDAC-Pune. In addition, he is a Pega systems Certified Lead System Architect (CLSA), Certified Methodology Black Belt (CMBB), and Certified CPM (Customer Process Management) Architect. With this stellar educational background and over20 years of experience working with global companies and helping them maximize value from their IT investments, Pankaj started Aaseya in 2017 with a vision to implement rapid digital transformation for customers.

AN EXEMPLARY LEADER

As a forward-thinking leader, Pankaj believes in leading by example. He co-founded Aaseya with the ambition of becoming the industry’s leading value-centric Low CodeNo Code services provider. And, within a very short time, was able to guide the company to become an undisputed leader in the low-code space. His unwavering efforts have ensured that Aaseya is today counted among the fastest-growing Pega partners worldwide. Within five years of its inception, he has led Aaseya to become a 500+ people organisation, providing cutting-edge solutions to its customers on the Pega and OutSystems platforms. Over the next four years, he aspires to grow the company to a 2000+ person enterprise. At Aaseya, Pankaj has formed a team of likeminded people who work together to provide unparalleled customer service. Pankaj leads

the company’s executive leadership team, ensuring that Aaseya can meet complex demands in different geographies. Not one to watch from the side, Pankaj has personally led large implementation teams at Aaseya, putting his experience in the BFSI, Telecom, Retail, and Manufacturing domains to guide the teams. Under his leadership, the team has supported over 80 production go-lives and continues delivering transformational results for their customers. He believes continuous innovation is essential for growing and sustaining an organisation. As a techsavvy leader passionate about leveraging technology, Pankaj has always aspired to help Aaseya customers stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge. He believes that while LCNC and Automation are still in their infancy, their potential for exploration and advancement is massive. As a result, he is constantly exploring and utilising the power of Pega and OutSystems technologies to analyze and innovate on how Aaseya can better serve its customers.

DRIVEN BY TEAM SPIRIT

According to Pankaj, team spiritis an essential

element that creates an organization’s DNA. As a values-driven leader, he is guided by honesty, consistency, and humility. Many of his colleagues praise how he supports and encourages his team to accomplish their tasks with dedication and enthusiasm. And while his role as the company’s figurehead entails enormous responsibilities toward customers, Pankaj prioritizes the happiness and welfare of Aaseya employees. No surprise then that you will often find him ideating and spending time identifying improvement opportunities for both Aaseya customers and employees. Pankaj believes in and aims to foster an open culture at Aaseya that respects and values individual contributions and empowers employees to ideate, innovate, and execute. Design thinking workshops, creativity sessions, and other creative endeavours are actively encouraged by him to inspire employees to be innovative. According to him, the Aaseya leadership team and its parent organisation, YASH Technologies, have provided him with excellent guidance in his leadership role. He explains, “Aaseya and Yash’s business strategy have inspired me to invest in

“ WE ARE RAMPING UP EFFORTS ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST, UNITED KINGDOM, AND EUROPE, AS WELL AS EXPANDING INTO NEW AREAS. WE HAVE SET UP OFFICES IN CHICAGO AND SYDNEY AND ARE NOW WORKING TO GROW OUR FOOTPRINT IN THE USA AND AUSTRALIA”

qualitative and quantitative research solutions to build internal processes, deliverables, and client services. Consequently, we have developed several assets, solutions, and accelerators to continuously improve our services and products and drive innovation for our customers, thus helping them gain a competitive edge.” Under his direction, the company has also invested in creating centres of excellence in Digital Process Automation, Business Process Management, and CRM.

GEARED TOWARDS GROWTH

Pankaj thrives on growth and is driven by his desire to succeed. His leadership and organisation skills make him stand out from the crowd. His relentless efforts led to the company expanding into more than ten countries in a short time. He was once referred to as ”Superman” by a client at a significant event in the US for effortlessly reversing an adverse situation affecting many Aaseya clients and customers in multiple countries and delivering large, complex, and government-regulated systems on time.

HALL OF FAME

Pankaj was awarded the CEO of the Year Award by Indian Achievers for his inspiring leadership in 2020. Under his leadership, Aaseya received Pega’s Client Innovation Award for Social Responsibility for his steadfast efforts.

It was also named a significant contender in Pega Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2021 by Everest Group. Last but not least, it was featured in the Top 10 Pega Service Providers Report by HFS Research. Not one to take the credit, Pankaj attributes his accomplishments to his team members, who bring laurels to the company.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Pankaj believes in fostering a culture of social responsibility and creating a business that benefits society. To that effect, Aaseya’s CSR policies focus on four key areas: education, environment, inclusive economic development, and health & nutrition. Furthermore, Pankaj encourages his team to proactively participate in social activities and impact the world positively. His team and the YASH Social Welfare Foundation (the CSR wing of YASH Technologies) regularly collaborate on initiatives such as introducing interactive learning tools in schools, planting trees, offering weekend schools, donation drives, and much more.

RAJIV MITTAL

THE MISSIONDRIVEN LEADER

Rajiv is the Chairman cum Managing Director of VA Tech WABAG Ltd., a pure-play water technology MNC having a global presence across 4 Continents. He possesses a rich experience of over 3 decades in the water industry, with focus on sustainability. Rajiv received his Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai. With his clear focus and total dedication, he has emerged as global leader in water industry

BY MONALISA BISWAS

The water technology leader started his career with Dorr Oliver. He then worked for John Brown Engineering, Glasgow, before joining WABAG in the UK. In 1996, the firm deputed him to India to create a Strategic Business Unit. His stellar leadership has transformed WABAG from a subsidiary into a true Indian multinational with operations in over 25 countries across 4 continents, as well as R&D centres in India, Switzerland, and Austria, and more than 100 IP Rights. In 2005, he led the first management buyout in the history of the water industry. He then orchestrated WABAG Group’s historic reverse takeover from Siemens in 2007.

DRIVEN BY GOALS

Rajiv is a goal-oriented individual focused on reaching a planned outcome. With the motto “Sustainable solutions for a better life”, he reiterates his commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and environmental, social and corporate governance. In his current role, he is working towards increased overseas orders and diversify the company’s global footprint and revenue streams. His priority is to acquire more industrial orders. He is also focusing on service businesses (operations & maintenance) to eventually contribute over 20% to the company’s top line. His main emphasis is on high-technology projects that can benefit from WABAG’s process integration and optimization capabilities. Rajiv’s future strategy is to adopt groundbreaking enterprise technology for seamless water management. In the long run, he desires to

make WABAG one of the world’s top 3 water technology companies, ensuring clean water and sanitation for people all over the world. He also believes in generating wealth and sharing it with all his stakeholders. His goaldriven leadership enables him to strategize in advance, which in turn helps him face even the toughest situations smoothly. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he had surefire strategies in place to keep his site employees safe with measures such as mass vaccination, safety accessories and protocols to enable them to serve millions across the globe.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Rajiv believes that a company’s strongest asset is its workforce. As a result, he continually concentrates on mentoring and directing them toward a sustainable organisational vision. Also, he is accessible to all of his coworkers and offers advice on a variety of management topics. Moreover, he believes that the best governance should be implemented with the least amount of intervention. A proponent of workplace diversity, the leader believes it is more

important to emphasize principles rather than rules to create a positive work culture.

CAREER MILESTONES

When asked about his career milestones, Rajiv says his journey with WABAG has been adventurous and astonishing simultaneously. Under his leadership, the company has achieved several historic milestones over the past two and a half decades. Several of them were rare events in the world of global corporations, and he is proud to have led his crew during those times. The management buyout of WABAG India, the reverse acquisition of erstwhile parent WABAG Group, and the dream listing in stock exchanges are just a few of the many things he will always cherish. He was a young man and hardly had any entrepreneurial skills when he got involved in these opportunities, but he dared to seize those opportunities with his total belief and the support of his colleagues.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Rajiv considers CSR an integral part of his business. He is consistently focused on producing clean and safe drinking water,

“RAJIV BELIEVES THAT A COMPANY’S STRONGEST ASSET IS ITS WORKFORCE. HE STEADILY CONCENTRATES ON MENTORING AND DIRECTING THEM TOWARD A TENABLE ORGANISATIONAL VISION. MOREOVER, HE BELIEVES THAT THE BEST GOVERNANCE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF INTERVENTION”

preventing pollution, and preserving the environment around us. As an advocate of sustainability, he encourages people to harness alternative sources of water, such as seawater, and used water as a sustainable alternative to purified water. In addition, he strongly supports efficient wastewater treatment, as well as water recovery and reutilization. Furthermore, he has been proactively advocating advanced technologies for water treatment solutions at an affordable price for municipal and industrial applications. Under his guidance, WABAG implements CSR programmes for water augmentation, water conservation, water use efficiency, water reuse, restoration of water bodies, watershed development and provision of potable water through building water treatment plants. In addition to reviving 88 open wells, Rajiv led WABAG restored more than 285 acres of rain-fed lands owned by 131 small and marginal farmers in 14 villages. Under his direction, WABAG had also created and dedicated an STP to help Adyar Cancer Institute reach its pollution control standards. Additionally, the company has developed a decentralized STP with a recycling facility at Warangal, Telangana, to benefit around 5000 urban poor. WABAG and BRLF are currently collaborating to develop watersheds in six West Bengal districts, which will benefit about 5 lakh households. WABAG also regularly participates in children’s welfare programs. For instance, in 2008, WABAG headed the Children Health Project in Cherthala, Kerala, by setting up mobile clinics for 40000 children suffering from chikungunya in 60 villages. What’s more, under his guidance, WABAG recently aided Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) in restoring normalcy to the city, which had been ravaged by floods caused by heavy rain. WABAG is also actively involved in the GCCannounced Chennai Sanitation Plan.

ACCOLADES

Rajiv’s unique leadership skills and unwavering commitment have earned him myriad plaudits and accolades. He was recognized amongst World’s Top 20 Most Transformative Leaders in Water Sector by the Global Water Intelligence in 2021. He was ranked among the top three most influential global water leaders by WWI, UK for two consecutive years in 2017 and 2018. He was also ranked among the top 100 CEOs of India, and 4th in the Infra and Engineering Sector by BT-PWC, in 2018.

SANJAY DAS

MAKING WAY FOR SMART HOSPITALS

Mr. Sanjay Das is a prime example of how destiny can sometimes take the longest route possible to make you reach where you belong. While he always wanted to join the healthcare sector, fate had other plans and he ended up in the IT industry. Then, after spending 20 years in the IT sector, he eventually reached the healthcare sector and grandly too. Mr. Das is the man behind SD Global which designs smart technology solutions for hospitals and enables better patient care and management

BY SONAM GULATI

Mr. Sanjay Das grew up in Odisha, India. His childhood was spent in Bhubaneshwar and he completed his studies at a government college in Rourkela and then pursued MBA from Sambalpur University. He always had an inclination to get into the medical sector. However, destiny had other plans and he ended up joining the IT sector. It was with this passion that he eventually ended up using technology to make life easier for everyone in the healthcare sector.

A MISSION BEGINS

There is a very endearing story behind how Mr. Das started SD Global. During his interactions with many doctors at annual checkups and otherwise, he observed that the doctors were frustrated with the IT systems they were using. He saw that the existing systems were time-consuming and not patient-friendly. This did not sit well with Mr. Das. To him, technology was an enabler, something that should declutter and uncomplicate and not add to the problem. It definitely should not be frustrating. That’s when he thought of creating a healthcare information system that will be extremely easy to use, simple, and something which doctors will love to use – and that is how SD Global was born.

Mr. Das wanted to show the immense value a robust technology solution can bring. He could envision smart and innovative technology transforming traditional healthcare operations. It is his vision and firm belief that technology plays a very

intricate part in building next-generation hospitals. His passion to provide high-end solutions that stem from cloud computing, mobility, IoT, AI, and analytics has made what SD Global is today.

Before starting SD Global in 2014, Mr. Das worked with various IT giants. He started his career as a systems analyst and with his drive to do better and learn he went on to essay many vital roles across some big names like iGate Global Solutions, Mahindra Satyam, Cognizant Technology Solutions –among others.

In 2014, he finally took the plunge and started SD Global (SDG). SDG specializes in Healthcare Information Technology. It offers solutions that help healthcare providers implement efficient care methodologies. There are many services and systems that aid in different aspects of medical care. For example, there is Clinical Monitoring and Decision Support System that helps in monitoring the condition of a patient. Another key offering in the company’s portfolio is the Clinical Assessment tool that is used to evaluate the patient’s condition and predict the risks and prognosis. It achieves

this by organizing a questionnaire, scale, or checklist. Additionally, SDG also provides Enterprise Support Services to hospitals. In addition to this, Mr. Das has also constructed a Smart Hospital Experience Centre at the SD Global office which is equipped with the latest tools and technologies like sensors and Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/ AR). This center allows visitors to get a glimpse of an end-to-end smart hospital.

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, SDG started with a small team of 5 persons. Under Mr. Das’s leadership and vision, it has grown to be a well-known brand with a large team that operates from an 11,000 sq feet office.

With SDG, Mr. Das has just one collective objective – to make things simple and as easy as possible. He strongly believes that technology should make life simpler and that is what he tries to do with every offering at SDG. His near-term future goals include bringing in new and advanced technologies in the field of connected healthcare and home health. He and his team are also planning to come up with cloud-based offerings for small hospitals and daycare centres.

““I HAD A PLAN WORKED OUT TO EXTEND THE SYSTEM TO MY COUNTRY, BUT THEN THE PANDEMIC CAME INTO THE PICTURE. BUT THE PLAN HAS NOT BEEN SCRAPPED. I WILL BE EXPANDING HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY TO INDIA AS WELL BUT NOW IS THE TIME FOR PROPER PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION”

Apart from Malaysia, SDG has operations in Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand. The company has plans to expand in the other regions as well.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Mr. Das’s passion has not gone unnoticed in the fraternity. He has been recognized time and again by the sector. In 2017 and 2018, APAC CIO Outlook Magazine (Healthcare Tech Special Edition) featured him and SD Global in the cover story. In September 2018, Mr. Das was invited to speak at the World Congress and Expo on Healthcare IT in Paris. The same year, Malaysian Indian Entrepreneurs Cooperative honored him with the Perdana Young Entrepreneur Award. In 2019, he was the recipient of the prestigious Bhoomi Ratna International Award 2019. It is noteworthy that this award has so far been given to only 11 recipients. More recently, he was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs in Malaysia under the 100MIYE program, an initiative by Entrepreneur Insight. He is also the recipient of the Emerging Youth Entrepreneur Excellence award which was given at the 3rd ASEAN India Business Summit.

Being away from his country for over 2 decades, it has always been on his mind to bring SDG’s technology solutions to India. Since India is also a popular medical tourism destination and has stark anomalies when it comes to patient care; SDG’s solutions seem to be perfect for the Indian market. “I had a plan worked out to extend the system to my country, but then the pandemic came into the picture and it has been put on hold now. But the plan has not been scrapped. I will be expanding healthcare technology to India as well, but now is the time for proper planning and implementation,” he shared.

HELPING HAND

Mr. Das is associated with many charities. He has also been going the extra mile for fellow Indians stuck in Malaysia. He is in fact known to help Indians, especially Odias with all kinds of relocation issues. From associating himself with the Indian embassy to getting their visas cleared, he arranges shelter for the distressed Indians until they are safely repatriated. He has taken it upon himself to help people in need.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, Mr. Das’s family keeps him grounded and his sense of humor keeps him going.

SHRINIVAS CHEBBI

WORKING ON A BIGGER PICTURE

Mr. Shrinivas Chebbi heads a rich-legacy business holding a promise for different sectors across upcoming and mature economies—birthed out of the necessity of affordable highquality electrical products and sustained with manufacturing innovation. He has led collaborative organic growth in a domain where disruption needs ground-up work, continually through bold and progressive decisions. From handling customer support in his first job to now leading Himel, a global frontrunner in electrical products — his story is worth listening to

BY SONAM GULATI

With a professional graph spanning more than 25 years, Shrinivas has been central to robust businesses across industries and countries. Reimagining possibilities and recalibrating new horizons, he has led diverse teams in different functions. Be it process automation in the late 90s of India or advanced process controls in the Gulf in 2000s, he has headed projects that would set international megatrends later. He points out, “there have been some really tough decisions to navigate and moments of truth. It is not always a success. Many a time, the urge to implement learnings of your failure keeps you going.”

An electrical engineering graduate from Karnataka University in India, Shrinivas began his professional journey at Bell Electronics as a customer support executive. “Customer service role is where you learn industry context. A leader’s overall vision or any strategic move has to translate into a happy customer”, Shrinivas remarks. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was his forte for years. “I got to lead projects that are now iconic and infrastructure-wise inspirational. There is nothing more satisfying than to see a new value being created.” Shrinivas beams. He later moved to South Asia operations leading key acquisitions, integrations, and new business models. “My focus has been aligning opportunities with collective strength. Paths kept changing but my guiding principle has been a constant,” he says. An honorary member of several strategic bodies and a guest speaker at the top business management institute of India, his hands are

full.

Shrinivas started his global career looking forward to experiences and exposure — to cultures, to practices, to people. Progressing into a role that coalesces social purpose and business value, he signed up for Himel. “In my role with Himel, I get to serve the world markets for a business with a vision to make safe electricity accessible to 4 billion people — playing a part that makes a reallife difference. Coming from Asia, I have been part of the evolution and appreciate how every consumer in emerging economies deserves a great quality product within the budget! Indeed, there is fortune on the other half of the pyramid,” Shrinivas makes a point. Himel is a multinational manufacturer and provider of electrical products. Founded by a Spanish entrepreneur in 1958, the company pioneered in exporting quality electrical enclosures, establishing its brand globally. The brand stands for the best combination of affordable and reliable offers for Low Voltage Power Distribution, Final Distribution, Power Management, Motor Control and Protection, Industrial Components, and Home Electric to customers in over 50 countries.

FOSTERING GROUND-UP SUCCESS THROUGH TEAM EXCELLENCE

Under Shrinivas’ leadership, Himel has grown to be a purpose-led business in its segment. Leveraging on-ground distributor network, streamlined supply chain and agile regional teams — he has steered Himel ahead, including two tough years of the pandemic. “The journey hasn’t been simple”, Shrinivas explains, “Emerging economies are fast evolving and have very deserving markets that are sensitive about the value of their investments. These markets are quick to welcome global brands but also want reliable quality, best-in-class service, and local accessibility — all fitting into their budgets.” Shrinivas has relentlessly focused on crafting Himel’s brand niche for emerging markets with continuous customer education, market communication, and engaging extensively with the channel ecosystem — a feat that has made Himel a synonym of quality, value, and reliability. “The brand has been built, sustained, and grown by teams that deny the premise of compromise due to lower cost. We are not just another economic brand, our goal is to extend the benefits of Value Engineering

“ IN MY ROLE WITH HIMEL, I GET TO SERVE THE WORLD MARKETS FOR A BUSINESS WITH A VISION TO MAKE SAFE ELECTRICITY ACCESSIBLE TO FOUR BILLION PEOPLE — PLAYING A PART THAT MAKES A REAL-LIFE DIFFERENCE ”

for All,” Shrinivas underscores that Himel is looking beyond the profit axis.

BUILDING A PEOPLE’S BRAND

For any forward-looking economy, ease of access to safer electricity is the foremost enabler. “Himel is a people’s brand. It has a legacy of 60+ years that has held its place in people’s homes and businesses. I always see Himel as a bridge to high quality and affordability. We make sure that these two virtues are not exclusive, rather integrated into every aspect of our every product,” Shrinivas remarks. Under his leadership, Himel has become a front-runner in eCommerce, products being sold through Amazon UAE, Shopee, Jumia, and Lazada. With 6500+ resellers and 100+ distributors — Himel has been instrumental in several key projects across residential, industrial, commercial and utilities sectors.

ENABLING LOCAL SUCCESS THROUGH GLOBAL PRODUCTS

“Social housing, manufacturing, smallmedium businesses, and agriculture are close to my heart. They are the engines for economic growth and better livelihoods. COVID pandemic has been a major setback and we want Himel products to become a catalyst in spurring growth and jobs. With value-engineered products, we are amplifying the access,” Shrinivas makes a point. He explains, “My job is to ensure a healthy distribution ecosystem so that we can tap markets where we are required. If a business or a school has profitable and safer operations due to Himel products, my task here is done right”.

TRANSLATING VISION INTO REALITY

Shrinivas’ goal is to make Himel the brand of choice of the masses to build safer homes, safer industrial facilities, & safer community infrastructure thus reducing the impact on assets and life due to the poor quality. “We will continue building upon Himel’s vision of affordability, accessibility, & value engineering. We want to create a robust ecosystem where for each person — be it a customer or retailer, Himel should bring success in their lives and businesses,” he says. “Expanding our channel network, building strategic partnerships with local players serving value markets, further building the brand, and creating a world-class dream team that realizes our vision on the ground — my to-do list is long”, he smiles.

GLOBAL INDIAN OF THE YEAR 2022

India was an acclaimed centre of learning in the ancient times and was known as “Vishwa- Guru” (teacher to the entire world) attracting knowledge-seekers in various disciplines from different corners of the globe. People from all over the world came to India to sharpen their intellect, acquire new knowledge and hone their skills. Owing to some of the Great Indian leaders, today, the nation is fast moving towards becoming Vishwa-Guru, a leading light and a mentor of the world and is bound to shine as the harbinger of global enlightenment in the times to come. Such great leaders are rooted in values and work for the collective welfare for all with their ground-breaking ideas, brilliant operations, and gamechanging products and services. AsiaOne Magazine brings to the fore a few of such distinguished and remarkable Global Indians who have not only contributed to India’s economy but its society as well and in the process have inspired umpteen others across the globe to follow their lead

AMAR DEEP S. HARI

UNFAZED BY CHALLENGES

Mr. Amar Deep S. Hari, the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Intercom Programming and Manufacturing Company Limited (IPMC), one of the most renowned IT conglomerates in Ghana (West Africa) is a seasoned entrepreneur with over three decades of experience. His expertise in building and growing small and large companies and contagious passion for his work has put him into the global limelight. Mr. Hari’s stellar career as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, educator, and consultant has inspired countless youth across the globe

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Born and raised in a middle-class family in Chandigarh, India, he lived most of his life in Africa. During the late 1980s, the 18-year-old Mr. Hari made an unimaginable journey away from his hometown, leaving behind the comforts of his home in India for the rugged terrains of a far-away place. His belief in himself and the mentorship of his elder brother, who worked in Liberia (a country in West Africa), enabled him to withstand the storms his joint family went through in the years that followed. Thus, he set off for Liberia, driven by the desire to succeed. Since it was too early for him to settle on a career path, doing whatever came his way seemed the best option. Therefore, with the support of his elder brother and sister-in-law, he first got into the entertainment industry. He started with a video library and later expanded to include a movie theatre, a discotheque, a casino, and a fast-food outlet. Unfortunately, Lady Luck did not favour him; consequently, he and his family were forced to leave everything behind during the Liberian civil war of the early 1990s and return to India.

AN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT

An epitome of perseverance, passion, determination, and fearlessness, Mr. Hari is known for his indefatigable spirit. The traumatic experience of becoming financially unstable after several years of hard work did not shatter him. Instead, he faced the situation fearlessly. After returning to India, he spent the next two years learning new skills, from mending electronic devices to

mastering software programming at a time when the IT industry was still in its infancy. While undergoing long periods of unemployment and uncertainty, one thing that remained constant was his faith in the Almighty that his mother had nurtured in him from early childhood. This faith led to a vision of the West African map with Ghana standing out to him early one morning. In 1992, Mr. Hari moved to Ghana with his elder brother and set up an IT company called IPMC. Despite being one of the first countries in the world to abolish customs duties on computers and to declare tax holidays for IT businesses, the acceptance of automation by enterprises in Ghana was still a long way off. In the early days, Mr. Hari tried convincing customers door-to-door to buy the PCs he assembled personally. During this time, he also developed the first accounting software called ‘Account Manager’ exclusively for Ghanaian businesses, which remained the best seller for several years.

PROMOTING IT SKILLS

In addition to making IT gadgets and software freely available in Ghana, IPMC’s initiative

to promote IT skills among Ghanaians and people from neighbouring countries led the company to become a household name in the West African region. Mr. Hari is one of those entrepreneurs who recognised the potential of this region and its people long before others.

Due to his unwavering efforts, IPMC has evolved into one of Africa’s largest IT companies specialising in data centre consulting, business analytics, IT service management, and more. The company is a major distributor of IT products for multinational corporations such as HP, IBM, DELL, EMC, MICROSOFT, and CISCO. Presently, it has over 25 offices in five West African countries, viz., Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and employs over 750 IT specialists. Mr. Hari asserts, “Both private and public education institutions must seek out ways to expand the IT sector, and the skills required to do so. The country lacks IT training centres, but even more so than quantity, we need quality IT education institutions today.” To that end, he has established IPMC’s College of Technology and IT Learning centres to

“ WHETHER IT’S ORGANISING CULTURAL EVENTS, STARTING PROGRAMMES FOR WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT, CREATING RESPONSE STRATEGIES FOR EBOLA OR COVID-19, OR RAISING MONEY FOR CANCER GENOMICS RESEARCH, HE IS CONSTANTLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES”

offer computer science engineering and IT skills development programmes through the STEM initiative. With its franchise program, plus more than 27 IT learning centres and the college of technology, IPMC offers IT training to over 20,000 students a year. Over the past three decades, IPMC’s College of Technology has trained over 2 million people creating a technologically skilled and digitally empowered labour force across West Africa, especially in Ghana.

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

Mr. Hari staunchly follows the Sikh faith with solid principles of service to humanity. Born into a family devoted to service before self, the Ghana-based Punjabi entrepreneur pursues a humble but vital role in the larger scheme of things for building a better world for all. Whether it’s organising cultural events, adopting an orphanage, starting programmes for women’s empowerment in far-flung locales, creating response strategies for outbreaks like Ebola or COVID-19, or raising money for cancer genomics research in Canada, Mr. Hari and his entire family are constantly at the forefront of community outreach initiatives.

Despite having a flourishing business overseas, he is deeply connected to his roots. Recently, he addressed the gathering of all office bearers of Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Ludhiana, calling on them to promote Punjabi, their mother tongue. According to him, it is a moral duty that needs to be carried out by Punjabis themselves, including those living abroad.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

IPMC has been honoured with numerous prestigious accolades globally, including various national awards from the President of Ghana. His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene, the King of the Ashanti people of Ghana, recently bestowed the renowned Millennium Excellence award upon him, illustrating the gravity of his contributions.

He is an accomplished writer and singer and loves to play different musical instruments. He is also a dedicated art event host and has hosted various live performances.

In 2021, following the drastic second surge of Covid-19 cases in India and shortage of oxygen, he rallied Ghanaians for a brotherly gesture to India and organized shipping of 150 medical grade oxygen concentrators which was shared among 30 health facilities in rural areas across 14 states.

DR. ARVIND KAPUR

WORKING TOWARDS A LARGER GOAL

Pragmatic, farsighted, and brilliant – these 3 adjectives aptly sum up Dr. Arvind Kapur as the true leader. With a career spanning 42 years in the agriculture sector, Dr. Kapur has immense contributions to his name. He has worked tirelessly to produce betterand performing seeds that have in turn helped farmers to yield far better quality produce and hence an increased income. He has had a ripple effect on the economy with his scientific innovations in the field of food production. Dr. Kapur is a leader par excellence and his journey is worth sharing

BY SONAM GULATI

Dr. Kapur has an unrelenting passion and dedication toward improving agricultural produce with better quality seeds that don’t harm the soil. He has spent a large amount of his career engaging in R&D to develop these high-yielding hybrid seeds in vegetable, cereal, and oil seed crops. His simple vision was to transform the seed sector and he dedicated his life to achieve transformation in agriculture for better outcome.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

A veteran in the food production industry, Dr. Arvind Kapur started his career in 1980 after completing his Ph.D. from Panjab Agriculture University in plant physiology and understanding molecular genetics functionality. Prior to that, he had completed B.Sc (Hons) and M. Sc (Hons) from the same university. After completing his education in 1980, he joined the PAU as an assistant professor in the plant breeding department. Soon, he was promoted to associate professor and in 1988 he left the university to join Pioneer Seed Company which became Proagro seed company in 1990. His journey to transform and lead some significant developments in the food production industry thus began. With a strong background in breeding and molecular genetics, Dr. Kapur worked diligently at Proagro. He was leading multiple functions at Proagro including R&D. Shortly after joining, in 1994, he was made the director of Proagro-PGS, a joint venture between Proagro and Plant Genetic Systems of Belgium, a leading company for biotech

research. At Proagro-PGS, he started the first-ever experimental research on genetic modification in mustard seed in India. Soon he became the MD of this JV and led the development of the first transgenic mustard hybrid with “Seedlink” technology. His vision had always been to transform the seed sector and modernize the food production industry. With his dedication and hard work, he has been able to realize his vision and take this industry way beyond anyone would have thought. In 1998, Proagro merged with Agrevo-Hoechst and Aventis and finally in Bayer, and Dr. Kapur became the MD of Nunhems India after merger. He started the operations of vegetable seeds of the Global company Nunhems of Netherland in India. In a short span of 10 years, Nunhems became the leader in the vegetable seed sector and Dr. Kapur expanded its growth into China, Indonesia, and Thailand. By then he was also leading the R&D APAC region and thus led this company into geographical expansion. A few years down the line in 2009, Dr. Kapur decided to take plunge and started a vegetable seeds subsidiary under Rasi Seeds company with a different brand name HyVeg

and that’s how began his entrepreneurial journey as CEO of Rasi HyVeg.

LEADING A REVOLUTION

In 2015, HyVeg was demerged from Rasi Seeds and named Acsen HyVeg. Dr. Kapur became the MD of this new entity and led this company to touch greater heights. Under his leadership and vision, Acsen HyVeg has been continuously providing the best quality vegetable seeds to small and medium landholding farmers. Dr. Kapur’s aim is not limited to developing the best quality hybrids but he is also working diligently to improve local open-pollinated varieties of vegetable crops. It is this foresight and futuristic vision that has led the company to be the 5th ranked company in Asia and number 1 in India ranked by ‘Access to Seed Index’ a global organisation supported by Bill Gate Foundation and FAO, a UN body. Dr. Kapur has made it as his mission to cover more acres with performing seeds and protect the soil as well as the environment through resistance breeding to reduce the chemical usage. Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Kapur has been committed to transforming

“DR. KAPUR IS A PEOPLE’S MANAGER AND BELIEVES IN TAKING HIS ENTIRE TEAM WITH HIM. HE LISTENS, GUIDES, SUPPORTS, AND DELEGATES WORK ACCORDING TO THE TEAM MEMBER’S ABILITY. ONLY A TRUE LEADER CAN BIND A TEAM TOGETHER AND ENSURE THAT THE COLLECTIVE DREAM GETS FULFILLED”

agriculture through improved genetics and new technologies and he has translated this passion into his work at Acsen HyVeg. Dr. Kapur’s passion is contagious and rubs off on all his team members. The targets might be difficult to achieve but it is his strong support and work ethic that makes his entire team dedicated to the same cause. He is a people’s manager and believes in taking his entire team with him. He listens, guides, supports, and delegates work according to the team member’s ability. Only a true leader can bind a team together and ensure that while the collective dream gets fulfilled, each team member also gets enough space to grow and realize their own personal career goals.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr. Kapur has over 40 years of legacy behind him and his expertise in the food production area is truly unmatched. For his stellar contribution to the agriculture sector, he received the Bhartiya Udyog Ratan Award in 2006 and again in 2015. This award was presented by the Indian Economic Development and Research Association (IEDRA). He also received recognition from one of the leading publications Marquis Who’s Who which publishes short biographies of exceptional performers from all over the world. Dr. Kapur was listed in this prestigious magazine for three consecutive years from 2013-15. In 2020, he was named amongst ‘10 Best Leaders in Agriculture Industry’ by CEO Insights Magazine. He has also won the “Best Leader in Agriculture” Award by Food 2.0 Dubai. He has also shared the depth of his knowledge and experience in many papers and articles. With over 25 scientific articles and 25 professional articles to his name, he is one of the most noted authors in the sector. He also has published book chapters in Michigan State University publication on Vegetable breeding in climate change. Dr. Kapur is also a very sought-after name for lectures in India and all over the world. He has delivered more than 250 lectures on Biotechnology, Agriculture policies, IPR, and other related subjects. Most recently, he published an article in the magazine Business Sight’s 10 Most Trusted Brands of the Year 2021. He is also a prominent member of CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHDCCI, Chairs the APSA Committee, and also member of the IP committee of ISF and was a board member of the Indo- Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology (ISCB). Presently he is vice chair of FSII.

DR.

VINODKUMAR PATIL

ON TOP OF HIS GAME

Dr. Vinodkumar Patil has carved a niche for himself in the biopharma equipment manufacturing industry as the Managing Director of Dyna Biotech. His leadership has kept the company at the forefront of developing, validating, installing, and servicing a wide range of Biotechnology and Biopharma equipment. With over 50% of its biotech equipment exported, Dyna Biotech is considered as one of the best brands in India. The multi-talented leader has achieved uncharted heights of success in biotechnology sector

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Dr. Vinodkumar is a certified microbiologist with a doctorate in biotechnology. He earned a B.Sc. in Microbiology from Maharashtra Udayagiri Mahavidyalaya, Udgir, and M. Sc. Microbiology from Govt. College, Aurangabad. His career began as an R&D executive at Lupin Ltd; Tarapur in 1993. Following that, he served as the Deputy General Manager of Sartorius Pvt Ltd Bangalore for international projects. His previous experience includes working at Shantha Biotech (Sanofi), Hyderabad, and the Serum Institute of India, Pune, as Deputy Director of Vaccine Manufacturing.

Over the years, he has executed several projects in India and abroad that involved antibiotics, cell culture products, therapeutic proteins, Agri biotech, alcohol, and food processing.

Dr. Patil’s unwavering efforts have helped Dyna Biotech to grow exponentially over the years. He aims to establish the brand as a world-class technology and premium equipment provider at an affordable price.

As a multinational corporation, the company has offices in Bangkok, Thailand, and London, UK. Furthermore, the company is currently registering for a manufacturing facility in Boston, the USA. In 2013, under his leadership, the company invested about 25 lakh Indian rupees in building the largest biotech manufacturing facility in the country.

Dyna Biotech has approximately 150 employees, including over 75 mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, automation, and validation engineers and more than 15 microbiologists and biotechnologists in

process engineering and validation. The best thing about Dyna Biotech is that despite having no sales or marketing staff, the company thrives in the 21st century.

Additionally, Dr. Patil founded SV Biotech in 2016, intending to develop innovative biochemical and immunotherapy treatments. The company has a diagnostics division that manufactures rapid tests to detect various diseases in humans. Furthermore, he also led the company to install India’s largest FMD plants in Hyderabad and Bangalore, a significant accomplishment for India’s dream mission of eliminating FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease) from the country.

The SV Biotech company has recently developed ethanol technology that is based on modern biotech fundamentals and technology, which can produce double the amount of ethanol than the world standard today, with 30% less energy, labour, and 60% less waste water pollution than the global standard today.

AN OPTIMISTIC INDIVIDUAL

An optimistic leader, Dr. Patil paints a bright vision of the future that inspires his team

members to do whatever it takes to get there.

His optimism and resilience fuel his willingness to take risks and make difficult decisions. These attributes also inspire him to bounce back quickly from setbacks in life and accept the reality of failure.

Dr. Patil is also a visionary leader. He exhibits the values, ideas, and goals that define his leadership in his workplace actions, beliefs, and values. His ability to define and communicate his vision fosters enthusiasm and commitment throughout the organisation.

Furthermore, the proactive leader demonstrates what it takes to make the vision a reality by acting in ways consistent with it. In addition, the resilient leader is known for his growth mindset. He is the solid foundation that keeps the company moving forward.

Dr. Patil considers integrity as the most crucial trait of a successful leader. Stressing on the value of integrity, he says, “When you demonstrate integrity, you attract others because the virtue of integrity makes you reliable, trustworthy, and principled.”

“DR. PATIL CONSIDERS INTEGRITY AS THE MOST CRUCIAL TRAIT OF A SUCCESSFUL LEADER. STRESSING ON THE VALUE OF INTEGRITY, HE SAYS, “WHEN YOU DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY, YOU ATTRACT OTHERS BECAUSE THE VIRTUE OF INTEGRITY MAKES YOU RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY, AND PRINCIPLED”

AN INNOVATIVE LEADER

Having established the best product range in the form of Biopharma equipment like fermenters and biological reactors, Dr. Patil is pioneering a new era in the healthcare and veterinary sector. Dyna Biotech produces technologically advanced equipment in standardized and customized forms to make it more flexible and user-friendly.

The superiority of the products has resulted in an increase in overseas inquiries. In addition, the company has expanded globally across a range of product categories, sectors, and geographical locations. Additionally, business generation in a number of countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Germany, and Bangladesh is expanding the spectrum of fermenters and bioreactors.

He aims to understand client needs and wants and build a strong relationship with his customers. He also aspires to automate the workflow and brainstorm new ideas to stand out from the crowd. He also wishes to double revenue in the current fiscal year.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

Many prestigious awards have been bestowed upon Dr. Patil over the years, including the Business Excellence award, ISO certification, recognition by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, certification for quality policy, and TUV-Nord certification. Dyna Biotech was named ‘best biotech company in Asia’ at a Bangkok award ceremony in 2019.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Dr. Patil believes in leading with heart and prioritizing corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR activities play an integral role in Dyna Biotech’s culture. The company regularly participates in healthcare initiatives under his direction. A key component of the company’s CSR activities involves providing jobs to the unemployed and those in need. Additionally, it trains and grooms willing individuals to prepare them for jobs. In terms of social responsibility, the organisation achieved a great deal by training the next generation of educators in both vertical and horizontal departments, resulting in general growth and a positive impact on the organisation’s success.

Last but not least, Dr. Patil promotes gender equality. His goal is to celebrate inclusion and diversity in the workplace and society as a whole.

HARISH KOHLI

NO SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS

Mr. Harish Kohli, the President and Managing Director of Acer India, has been associated with the company since the day of its inception. Having spent over 39 years in the Indian PC industry, he brings cutting-edge industry experience to the organisation. His success story speaks volumes about his integrity, resilience, and tenacity. In his role as a leader, he enjoys the challenges of being flexible to react to various tricky situations in an everevolving IT industry

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Harish has been with Acer India since 1999. He has successfully built the company’s portfolio in all market segments over the years. In December 2011, he was appointed Managing Director of Acer India. He was later promoted to President and Managing Director in May 2016. The Acer India veteran is a highly experienced and well-versed expert in emerging markets, enterprise business models, incubating new operating models and talent acquisition.

SPEARHEADING GROWTH

Throughout the last 23 years, the determined leader has spearheaded Acer India’s business growth with his solid background in the commercial and consumer sectors. Over the years, he has watched the company grow into one of India’s largest and most renowned technology brands. His consistent efforts have transformed Acer India into a dynamic brand undergoing a paradigm shift.

A leading provider of digital infrastructure for some of the largest government, defence, and education projects, Acer India is currently the market leader in multiple segments. Harish’s leadership has also led Acer India to dominate the BFSI and education segments.

Likewise, since joining the PC gaming industry five years ago, the company has maintained the No.1 position in gaming laptops during the past 15 quarters. The visionary leader is currently working on transforming the company from a PC

manufacturer to a lifestyle brand. Harish has also expanded the company’s operations into Bhutan and Bangladesh. He also heads the Pan Asia Pacific Regional (PAP) Commercial Task Team, which plans and implements Acer’s commercial strategies in the PAP region. The visionary’s future-focused and customer-centric approach has driven the company to new heights. Presently, Acer India is wellpositioned to make rapid growth strides and venture into new frontiers in the years ahead.

A LIFELONG LEARNER

Harish is passionate about learning and growth, and considers himself a lifelong learner.growth. His desire to continually learn new, in-demand skills empowers him to face the challenges of the future of work with confidence.

Describing his passion for the PC industry, the exemplary thoughtleader says he enjoys working in the PC sector since the nature of technology keeps him abreast of latest technological breakthroughs. In addition, he finds the PC industry to

be a fascinating domain as it offers him boundless opportunities for improving and challenging himself.

Additionally, it also provides him the opportunity to break barriers between people and technology.

Commitment and stability, in his opinion, are the most significant values. Harish cherishes loyalty, Acer India continues to work with some of the same channel partners, distribution, and service partners, with whom they began when Acer India was established in 1999.

As a leader, Harish has a strong moral compass and a clear commitment to doing the right thing at the right time and for the right reasons. He also maintains one should never take shortcuts to success as shortcuts will only get you temporary success. “Eternal success”, he says, “can only be attained through dedication and hard work”.

The focused leader believes in leading by example. He holds that if leaders set a high standard for themselves, their teams would follow suit in order to secure their leader’s support. Moreover, they will also work hard

“ THROUGH HIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE, TEAM SPIRIT, & FOCUS ON HIS WORKFORCE, HARISH HAS BEEN LEADING SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE YEARS. THE OPTIMISTIC LEADER BELIEVES THAT BIGGER CHALLENGES LEAD TO BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. THUS, HE IS NEVER AFRAID TO TAKE ON ANY CHALLENGE”

to fulfil their leader’s expectations with honesty and respect if they are treated with respect in return.

LEADING FROM THE FRONT

Through his positive attitude, team spirit, and focus on his workforce, Harish has been leading successfully over the years. The optimistic leader believes that bigger challenges lead to better opportunities. Thus, he is never afraid to take on any challenge, no matter how tough it is.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19-induced pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Acer India was able to operate effectively because of his positivity and resilience. The pandemic caused significant changes in consumer demand and purchase behavior, but his plans were already in place to keep the business afloat.

That alone demonstrates his unflinching passion and courage. The well-versed leader is an avid reader and enjoys reading autobiographies. He also enjoys travelling and prefers to spend his weekends away from work with his family and friends. He would like to travel to New Zealand once the COVID-19 is under control.

CARING LEADER

As part of its CSR initiatives, Acer India, in 2019, joined hands with one of the country’s most prestigious eye care hospitals to make the treatment of Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) more affordable with its Acer Visionova solution. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company donated 1% of every electronic sale it conducted via its platform to the PM CARES Fund. Acer also donated Oxygen Concentrators to Hospitals and NGOs during the peak of COVID pandemic to help provide critical treatments.

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

Harish’s stellar leadership has helped Acer India win several prestigious accolades, including India’s Most Trusted Computer Brand, Brand Excellence Award and the Best Customer Service Initiative award, No.1 PC Gaming brand in India, Golden Peacock award for Innovation, Best Customer Service award, and Retail Excellence Award, and many more. His tireless efforts have contributed to Acer India’s ranking as the leading PC brand in multiple market segments and position Acer as one of the top PC brands in the country.

HARMEEK SINGH

RAISING THE BAR

Mr. Harmeek Singh, the Founder & Chairman of Plan b Group, a one-stop marketing and events solutions company, is an entrepreneur par excellence. He has worked arduously to conquer the corporate sector and build a name for himself. His proactive and growth-oriented approach has elevated him to the level of a true leader. A dynamic leader, Harmeek is renowned for his multitasking prowess and strategic thinking skills. His remarkable success story is a motivation for people seeking to forge their own identity in the world

BY MONALISA BISWAS

The closure of his family business in India brought Harmeek to Dubai in 2003 to seek a job to support his family. 18 years ago, when he first moved to Dubai, he probably had no idea that he would eventually become the CEO and Founder of a homegrown company famed for revolutionising the UAE’s events sector. He managed to land a position in Dubai’s thriving advertising sector in 2003, earning only AED 2,000 per month. In 2004, he started his firm, Plan b Advertising, after working his way up to a monthly salary of AED200,000 in just two years.

Harmeek started as Plan b’s one-man army. The business owner admits that in the initial days, he had to juggle all aspects of the business all alone for almost a year before he could hire some help. However, those trying times have paid off as Plan b is now one of the most renowned advertising and events companies in the UAE. They provide various services, including marketing campaigns, experience-based event management, brand building services, promotional campaigns and launches, visual merchandising, and other projects. Harmeek’s active involvement, tenacity, and keen understanding of market fundamentals have earned Plan b distinction as a solution-driven partner for government and private sector events in the UAE.

The Plan b Group currently consists of 8 companies, including Plan b Advertising, Plan b Events, SiO2 Events (a boutique events agency), bSocial (PR, social media, and strategy arm), Next Door (a sports management company), bDecor (an interior

design company), bMovies (digital media, application and technology), and bCreative (a boutique creative agency).

The Group is also actively growing due to the company’s multi-disciplinary teams that have over 100 years of combined experience. The company employs more than 500 people and has offices across three continents. In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, the company also has offices in Abu Dhabi, Delhi, and London, enabling it to operate throughout the Middle East, the UK and countries in the SAARC region.

The charismatic leader steers Plan b with a vision and passion that have helped the company become a market leader in delivering innovative, top-notch marketing and events services. Based on Plan b’s rapid expansion, Harmeek has received significant interest from foreign entities in a franchise system currently under consideration.

A NATURAL LEADER

Harmeek is a natural leader who leads with curiosity and wonder. His inquisitive nature inspires him to learn something new every day. His interest also contributes to his

expertise in problem-solving. His strong suit is his creative approach to finding solutions to challenging situations. Despite going through difficulties during his initial days in Dubai, the astute leader persisted in his endeavour with tenacity and dedication, overlooking the financial challenges. His razor-sharp focus and self-assurance propelled him to success. Harmeek is a self-driven individual who is always at the forefront of delivering quality experiences at landmark events such as the Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon. His involvement in events such as Dubai’s Crown Prince annual heritage championship, Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament 2016, FIFA, Bentley and Hyundai has garnered accolades and appreciation.

A PEOPLE PERSON

Harmeek’s efforts are directed toward serving his people, and he credits much of Plan b’s success to his team. Additionally, he values his team members and considers them the company’s cornerstones. The admired industry leader treats his team as his family and takes good care of them. Despite challenging market conditions posed

“HARMEEK IS A SELF-DRIVEN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DELIVERING QUALITY EXPERIENCES AT LANDMARK EVENTS SUCH AS THE DUBAI STANDARD CHARTERED MARATHON. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPLEMENTING 3D OUTOF-HOME ADVERTISING IN DUBAI FOR HIS CLIENTS”

by the COVID-19 pandemic, Harmeek kept his Plan b family united and constantly motivated them to complete projects on time. He prioritises employee engagement and goes to great lengths to recruit, develop, and retain happy and successful employees. According to him, happy work culture is vital to an organisation’s success. He underscores the need for healthy work culture, saying, “Keeping your employees content involves so much more than a pay cheque; you need to build a solid culture to drive your workforce.” Harmeek also prioritises his customers’ needs to keep them ahead of the curve. He keeps a finger on the pulse of his clients and devises expansion tactics accordingly. He spends considerable time trying to know or understand his clients’ requirements to build a long-standing relationship and gain their loyalty by setting new standards.

STELLAR ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2015, Harmeek was honoured with the ‘Business Innovator of the Year Award’ by Masala. He also appeared in the weekly celebrity magazine Ahlan! Hot 100 in March 2013, 2014, and 2015. In December 2013, the leader received the ‘Man at His Best Award’ by Esquire Middle East. In October 2014, Arabian Business ranked him among ‘The GCC’s 100 Most Powerful Indians. Harmeek unwavering commitment has also earned several prestigious awards to the Plan b Group, such as the ‘Best Real Estate Agency of the Year’ by Property Times (2015): ‘The Hamdan Heritage Center Recognition Award (2009-2015), and a royal accolade for the sixth consecutive year of work delivered for the Fazza Annual Championship.

DEDICATED TO SOCIAL WELFARE

Harmeek remains heavily involved in community projects. In 2016, Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan applauded Harmeek’s commitment to the “Wanna Read?” initiative and appointed him as an official spokesperson for the charity. In the same year, the Goodwill Ambassador of the UN, His Excellency Dr Akram Sabry, honoured him with a certificate of appreciation for supporting the traditional souq and Ramadan activation in Abu Dhabi Mall. The company is also proud of the Box of Hope initiative, which has assisted and helped blue-collar workers since 2019. In August this year, Plan b Group will inaugurate the First Sikh temple, ‘Sri Gurunanak Darbar’ in St Petersburg, Russia.

JAGMOHAN SINGH

FACILITATING A CASH-RICH LIFE

Mr. Jagmohan Singh, Director of JSA Online, is a renowned cash flow coach and a name to be reckoned with in the finance industry. Through his company, he has launched a helpline to educate and enlighten individuals on how to achieve financial freedom and financial control. The leader aims to offer a hassle-free and cash-rich life to business and brand owners who desire to utilise money in the best possible way

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Hailing from Punjab, Jagmohan holds a degree in Commerce from Delhi University. With the aim of challenging himself with Chartered Accountancy, he studied the Art and Science of numbers, combined with Law and Finance. He learned the ropes of management audits at E&Y, a Big4 accounting and law firm, which later became his domain of expertise. He developed his expertise by continually interacting with Directors, Vice Presidents, General Managers, Managers, Executives, and other workers at all levels.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Jagmohan founded JSA Online in the year 2000. Since establishing its first office in District Center, Janakpuri, with 2 representatives handling all operations, JSA Online, under his stewardship, has gradually grown to over 100 employees serving over 1000 clients across India and overseas. In addition to founding the pioneering company, Jagmohan seeks to establish a global University of Finance and Numbers so that every person in need can gain access to it and implement the strategies procured with handhold support in their businesses and their lives.

ON A NOBLE MISSION

Business failures are often attributed to a lack of financial discipline. There are many business owners who struggle with cash flow management in their companies and in their daily lives. Despite their best efforts, their businesses run on cash, which often

drains their motivation to run them. There are also business owners who have decent profits in their businesses but get stressedout handling finances. Furthermore, constant financial pressure wreaks havoc on their mental health, causing them to wind up their business. Observing the uncertain state of affairs, Jagmohan made it a mission to help such people run profitable and cashproducing companies. In his quest to help business owners become unstoppable in their pursuit of entrepreneurial success, he developed JSA Online, a revolutionary system that enables them to learn extremely easy yet incredibly powerful skills, strategies and techniques that strengthen cash flow in their business. Users just need to log on to the portal and submit their queries. They get instant assistance from their 100+ experts as many times they want. His goal is to educate and enlighten millions of struggling entrepreneurs about cash flow in order to empower them to achieve financial freedom with financial control in business and in life. JSA Online, a revolutionary solution launched by the innovative leader delivers five essential tools to help businesses

get their profits moving fast. These five essential tools are financial summary, MIS from accounts & finance, working capital, cash flow model, and net worth of business. The leader’s winning strategies are already benefiting many business owners. Hundreds are already learning the secrets to fill their life with cash from JSA Online. Speaking about his career highpoint, the seasoned leader says, “After earning a Chartered Accountant degree at the age of 21, I worked extensively with business owners to offer cash flow management solutions in India and the United States for 21 years. Now, at the age of 42, he considers himself lucky to be considered as one of India’s Leading Cash Flow Expert, assisting people in running profitable and cash-rich businesses.”

BUILDING INNOVATIVE ONLINE MODELS

According to Jagmohan, compared to physical markets, the world of online commerce is drastically growing. Therefore, to succeed in this highly competitive market, people must be future-ready and incorporate technology into all their processes. “Physical health and online business are the new way

“A STRONG BELIEVER IN KARMA, JAGMOHAN SAYS THAT HELPING OTHERS HAS ALWAYS ENABLED HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN EVERY SPHERE OF HIS LIFE. THE HUMBLE LEADER ALSO REVEALS THAT HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO ARE WORKING IN SELFLESS WAYS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS”

of life, and once people realize this, it would benefit their businesses,” he says.

As a future-oriented leader, Jagmohan believes that business is a numbers game, and therefore, he is creating a “University of Numbers” through which people will learn and understand what numbers mean and how they can be used. He holds that every person in business must understand Business Models in-depth and design them after considering the details. To help people achieve success in their business ventures, the leader is working on various online models, including JSA Online Portal to help as many people as he can.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

Jagmohan has earned the Landmark Education Introduction Leader Certification for his unwavering commitment. In addition, he has been recognised by numerous business associations in India and the USA for his valuable contributions to the area of cash flow management. What’s more, he is also a public speaker recognized by various study groups of the Finance and Business Association.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Besides guiding entrepreneurs with their finances, Jagmohan also cares for society’s welfare and actively participates in CSR activities to lend a helping hand to those in need. According to him, each human is born with a unique talent that must be identified if humanity is to flourish. To that end, the benevolent leader works to help young professionals struggling to find employment by training them in skills needed for the finance industry and assisting them in finding the right job. The majority of them have become financial controllers now, adding value to businesses. Additionally, he made specific arrangements for distributing oxygen cylinders and food to needy people when the country was reeling under the horrifying impact of the second wave of COVID-19.

A strong believer in Karma, Jagmohan says that helping others has always enabled him to be successful in every sphere of his life. The humble leader also reveals that he has always been inspired by those who are working in selfless ways to improve the lives of others. Being around such selfless people always motivates him to remember the real purpose of life and to be of service to the world.

JAYA VAIDHYANATHAN

SCRIPTING SUCCESS STRATEGIES

Ms. Jaya Vaidhyanathan, the CEO of BCT Digital, a global FinTech and CleanTech company, brings a wealth of knowledge that demonstrates her exceptional ability in Finance and Technology. With her expertise in financial markets and her understanding of disruptive new-age technology, she helped India’s leading enterprises and financial institutions grow and innovate. Besides being an Engineer with an MBA in Finance and Strategy from Cornell University, USA, Jaya is a CFA Charter holder as well

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Jaya began her career as a management trainee at Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) and AT&T, New Jersey prior to joining the CIBC World Markets, New York as its investment banking head. As a Mergers & Acquisitions specialist at CIBC World Markets, she worked with several top Wall Street firms in the technology, telecom, and utility sectors. She has over two decades of experience handling multi-billion dollar portfolios for Fortune 100 companies and driving product strategy, risk management, M&A functions, technology delivery, and execution.

Over the years, she has held key positions in the fields of innovation, marketing, management consulting, outsourcing advisory, and future technologies. She also served as Executive Vice President of Standard Chartered Bank, responsible for managing the bank’s technology and strategic transformation. Her team comprised 10000 members across corporate banking, wholesale banking, and consumer banking. Additionally, as the Managing Partner of Accenture’s Financial Services practice, she spearheaded global offshore engagements involving geographically dispersed teams and was responsible for the organization’s seeding team of Accenture Consulting Services called GTIN.

After a brilliant career at AT&T and Merrill Lynch, she joined HCL Technologies as Director and Global Business Unit HeadBusiness Consulting, for overseeing the entire spectrum of operations within the consulting practice. She also led the core transition team for the banking, financial services, and

insurance domains, as well as F&A activities for other verticals.

In 2002, she conceptualized the Business Consulting Practice Division of HCL Technologies. Currently serving as the CEO of BCT Digital, she is responsible for developing its product strategy in the BFSI sector, focusing on delivering enhanced value through technology innovation. Under her guidance, it has expanded its footprint globally in the US and the Gulf and is currently foraying into Western Europe & Australia.

REBUILDING FROM SCRATCH

Jaya has contributed outstandingly to building businesses and bringing them to multibilliondollar powerhouses. Her contribution at BCT exemplifies this. Her entry into BCT Digital came at a time when India was struggling with a huge threat of NPAs, or non-performing assets. In 2016, gross non-performing assets reached 7.79%, with over 1 trillion rupees locked up in bad assets. Jaya stepped in and spearheaded India’s first survey on ‘Credit Monitoring Practices’ that examined credit practices prevalent in FIs and revealed the glaring need to mobilize technology to solve

systemic problems. In guiding BCT Digital’s growth trajectory, she has expanded and diversified its offering to include a wide array of risks, such as Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Model Risk, and Liquidity Risk.

A TOWERING PERSONALITY

Jaya believes in leading by example. She encourages bankers, technologists, and risk specialists to collaborate on innovations to improve core banking and credit risk practices, with technology relegated to the role of enabler.

She also serves as an independent director on the boards of UTI Asset Management Company and IndiGrid. Additionally, she served as an Independent Director on the boards of Altran Group, Mahindra Sanyo Steel, and Spice Mobility. She is also a member of the New York Security Analysts Society, and an advisor to high-impact social welfare firms like the Mastermind Foundation.

Jaya’s success can be attributed to original and disruptive thinking, which led her to the path less travelled. She says, “Empowerment comes from within, as well as from our

“A SOUGHT-AFTER SPEAKER ACROSS EUROPE, THE US, CHINA, & AUSTRALIA, JAYA HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS OVER THE YEARS. HAVING WON 3 STEVIE AWARDS, INCLUDING ONE FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT, SHE HAD BEEN VOTED INDIA’S MOST TRUSTED CEO BY THE WORLD CONSULTING & RESEARCH CORPORATION IN 2020”

surrounding environments. Your destiny is driven by who you are at your core and who you aspire to become.”

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

A sought-after speaker in forums across Europe, the United States, China, and Australia, Jaya has won numerous awards over the years. Having won three Stevie Awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement, Jaya had been voted India’s most trusted CEO by the World Consulting and Research Corporation in 2020. Also, she has received several notable awards for her achievements in business and social entrepreneurship, including the Asia Business Leadership Forum – ‘Business Leader of the Year’, Lifetime Achievement Award at the Business Leader of The Year 2022 event hosted by CMO Asia and IWLF – ‘Innovator of the Decade’. Databird’s Female Executive of the Year award went to her in 2020. Other prestigious awards bestowed on her are ‘Outstanding Manager of the Year’ by All India Management Association,’ Leading Women in Business Award’ from International Women Leadership Forum and ‘IT Person of the Year’ by Dataquest Weekly. She was also presented the Women Icon India Global Award 2019 for her contribution to the IT sector.

What’s more, Chartis, a respected analyst firm, has ranked BCT Digital among the top 100 risk management companies in the world, based on the latter’s rt360 product suite- a product of her tireless efforts.

Internationally, Jaya has been a keynote speaker, panellist, and moderator for a number of events. The topics of her talks are frequently influenced by her experience with risk management, corporate governance, product innovation, and digital banking. The dynamic leader is also a trained Carnatic vocalist and a passionate marathon runner who lives by her maxim - “A life lived well is a life lived fully.”

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Jaya is a well-known social entrepreneur and a strong advocate of women’s empowerment. As a strong believer in diversity, she believes that diversity should extend beyond the gender and demographic spectrum. She is actively involved with several NGOs, encouraging and inspiring women to face challenges boldly and become self-dependent. Additionally, she constantly encourages women professionals to follow her example, discovers their potential, and rise above challenges.

JITENDRA MOHAN

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

Mr. Jitendra Mohan is one of those leaders who work diligently and tirelessly to take their business to the next level. When he was brought on board at Willowood Chemicals, he was supposed to transform the company into an innovative firm that gives new solutions to the existing problems. He not only delivered on the mandate but also went on to make the company one of the most coveted names in the sector. His story is worth sharing

BY SONAM GULATI

Mr. Jitendra Mohan joined Willowood Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. as the Vice President in 2007 when the company was started and is currently working as the Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his current role, Mr. Mohan looks after many functions like manufacturing, R&D, quality assurance, procurement, import, export, institutional business, regulatory affairs, intellectual property, projects and retail sales. Owing to his determination and vision, the company has scaled many milestones under his leadership. He has been the driving force behind Willowood Chemicals and is greatly responsible for where the company stands today in the market.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Mr. Mohan completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Master of Science in Agrochemicals & Pest Management from the University of Delhi. He further enhanced his academic knowledge by acquiring another Masters in Chemical from Gwalior University, an MBA from Bharti Vidyapeeth and a course in Residue Chemistry from Jerusalem University, Israel. Armed with all these degrees, he began his career in crop protection chemical industry as a Management Trainee with American Cyanamid in 1994. In the year 1996, he joined Herbicide India Ltd as an Executive and went on to become the General MangerOperations & Head of the company. In 2007, when he joined Willowood Chemicals, his mandate was to transform the organization into an innovative company with focus to

develop new and green chemistries every year. He possesses a deep understanding of Indian agriculture and an unparallel insight into the emerging trends of new chemistries and novel formulations. With these he focused on creating a strong Research & Development (R&D) center for the company. This facility is a state-of-theart facility accredited to OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practices, National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL), Government of India (ISO 17025), AAALAC International and recognized by Department of Science & Industrial Research, Government of India. This facility is the center of all action where research is done and new formulations are discovered – new manufacturing processes, new isomers, impurity synthesis etc. right from bench scale to pilot plant level.

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

When Mr. Mohan joined Willowood Chemicals, it had a turnover of $2 million. His tireless work and unmatched efforts took the company to a turnover of $135 million in a matter of just 10 years with current

turnover of USD 207 million. Under his guidance, the company also got listed as one of the fastest growing companies and among the top 20 agrochemical companies of India. Willowood also won the ‘Best Company from Emerging Region’ by Agrow Awards, London in 2018. All these milestones were possible thanks to Mr. Mohan’s unparalleled passion for the industry and his vision to bring new chemistries and crop protection chemicals in India by way of research and innovation. He has worked hard from conceptualizing these goals to making them a reality. He has been zealously working since the last 28 years to continuously bring new generation crop protection solutions for the Indian and global growers.

AN OVERALL LEADER

Mr. Mohan is a leader who believes that a position does not make a leader but it is a culmination of so many qualities and attributes. “For me leadership is defined by passion and how differently one works,” he asserts. He has always put extra emphasis on some core values that have helped him lead his team in a way that has yielded

“DESPITE HIS MANY ACHIEVEMENTS, IT SEEMS MR. MOHAN IS ONLY GETTING STARTED. HIS BIG PLANS COMPRISE LAUNCHING MANY EXCITING PATENTED PRODUCTS OF COMBINATIONS OF THREE NEW GENERATION ACTIVE INGREDIENTS, NOVEL BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS WITH TURNOVER OF USD 0.50 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS”

unprecedented results. Along with a strong focus on research and innovation, Mr. Mohan places extreme importance on adhering to deadlines. He is also of the belief that one should always exceed the expectations of all stakeholders so that they become lifetime partnerships. He is one of those leaders who take the team along with them and treat them as equals. He promotes a free work culture where everyone is given equal responsibilities and ownership. Everyone from the top to bottom is expected to take the onus of their part of the project.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Under Mr. Mohan’s research-oriented leadership approach, Willowood Chemicals has evolved into a research and innovation company which is supported by the number of patents granted to it by India Patent Office. He identified the gaps in the market and developed new solutions to deal with those problems. With his insight and industry knowledge, he gathered that the industry is leaning towards combination products instead of solo ones. Rather than creating chemicals to deal with individual problems, such as particular type of weed, insects or diseases, combination products are broad spectrum and can treat different types of pests, diseases and several weeds at the same time; Mr. Mohan decided to work on these problem areas. This led to Willowood receiving 25 patents from Indian Patent Office with more than 40 applications under examination all of these with Mr. Mohan as the lead inventor. Under his leadership, Willowood is also filing applications for global patents for these products through Patent Cooperation Treaty route. Mr. Mohan has featured in The CEO Magazine, India & South Asia, November 2021 edition under the category of Innovate. He has also written an article on Evolution of Indian Agrochemical Industry – Challenges, Opportunities and Way Forward, which has been published in AgroPages. Last year, he was named the ‘Leader with Strategic Vision (Business Transformation)’ by Agri Business Summit & Agri Awards held at Hyderabad. His work is widely recognized in the whole industry at national and international levels. He is also working as Chairman, Technical Committee of Agro Chem Federation of India and is a part of the Industry Group to discuss, deliberate and decide on various policy issues with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the Government of India.

LALIT VERMA

ACING THE GAME ON GOING AHEAD

Mr. Verma began his career in India at a very young age. After 15 years, he founded his own automotive tier 1 manufacturing plant in US and China and took it to revenue of 700 million dollars. Other than GM in global purchasing and supply chain, has worked for several multinational companies as Olympus, Honda, Bombardier and Mando. Having founded L Capital and Investments, Mr. Verma’s current holding portfolio has been successful in acquiring more than 15 companies at a stage of early development, or in bankruptcy

BY MONALISA BISWAS

The visionary leader has been able to turn them into successful multimillion dollars revenues within a short period of time. The companies involved, cover a wide range of industries, including Automotive, Consumer Goods, Logistics and Supply Chain, Healthcare, Female Hygiene, FinTech, Beauty Care, Medical Cannabis, Geonomics, and Pharmaceuticals. As the Founder of L Capital, Mr. Verma works closely with his team to take his business to new heights of success. The multi-disciplinary engineering teams led by him have been acknowledged with numerous awards for their innovative designs for the automotive industry. These teams have primarily worked on aluminum castings of high safety and complexity. Under his stewardship, L Capital has been helping aspiring entrepreneurs who are trying to explore unique business ideas but lack the funds to begin their ventures. It’s about teaming with companies to help them move forward, as our motto says. Over the course of his career, Mr. Verma has built several successful businesses including Sakthi Automotive Group, which went from $100 MUSD to $600 MUSD, with global footprint in the US, China, Europe, and India. In addition, he served as the CEO of Sakthi Global Holdings Ltd. Additionally, he has also served as CEO and Board of Director Alterola Biotech a publicly traded company in US, and as aseed investor in several brands i.e. PeeSafe, Redcliffe LifeScience, Torratos and Cashe. He is also the co-founder of H3 Beauty and Health Ltd., a new brand developed by entrepreneurs that focuses on wellness

products made from CBD. Furthermore, he served as a Board Member of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Currently, the multitalented leader is focused on supporting startups in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and digital currency. Moreover, BioNano, his other business venture, is creating an international scientific team that is conducting top research for Covid vaccines, Cancer vaccines, and Aids vaccines. Last but not least, his company Cherry Industries has developed medical cannabis solutions in Michigan State, and the company is preparing to open a new operation in Morocco and Mexico soon.

EMPHASIZES GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Mr. Verma believes that good corporate governance forms the foundation of a company. In his opinion, good corporate governance provides a stable foundation for responsible business practices that include workplace productivity, environmental sustainability, ethical conduct in the marketplaces, strong financial growth, and community involvement. As part of it, he makes sure that investments are

independently evaluated by an independent Board of Directors. He asserts, “Corporate governance is critically important, as is the development of consistent policies that comply with corporate governance standards and are applied consistently.”

IDOLIZES HIS FATHER

From humble beginnings, Mr. Verma rose to great heights through his own efforts. He says that he owes his success to his father, who was a hardworking man of strong values. He remembers his father as a loving family man who dedicated his life to raising his children to the best of his abilities to ensure they stood a good chance of succeeding in life. His father’s ideologies have played a vital role in shaping his life. The life lessons and values instilled in him by his father motivate him to stay grounded and work hard.

GUIDED BY VALUES

Mr. Verma is a visionary leader inspired by leadership values. His vision enables him to see beyond the present and appreciate the full potential of any venture. The valuesdriven leader believes that values are the only

“HE SAYS, ‘I BELIEVE THAT IF WE TRUST EACH OTHER, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND GROW ANY BUSINESS. WHEN EMPLOYEES FEEL THEIR VALUES ARE ALIGNED WITH THAT OF THE ORGANIZATION, THEIR ENERGY LEVELS AND PRODUCTIVITY MULTIPLY SUBSTANTIALLY’ ”

non-negotiable asset of any deal, and trust is the foundation of every business relationship. To him, a leader should shape the values of an organization in order to unite the group toward achieving a common goal.

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

In August 2019, the seasoned leader was recognized for Excellence in Financial Leadership at Finext Conference, an event that brings together the brightest minds from the world of finance to build meaningful alliances. In August 2016, he was honored with the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award by the Ministry of External Affairs. The award is presented to 20 non-resident Indians or people of Indian descent for exceptional achievements in various fields. The recipients are chosen from over 30 million non-resident Indians or people of Indian descent.

COMMITTED TO GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND CANCER AWARNESS

Mr. Verma is known for his benevolent outlook. The benefit of society is always his top priority. He is always eager to participate in as many initiatives as possible to make the world a better place. Currently Mr. Verma serves on the board of Fight Cancer Global. He is strongly committed to making the world aware that success of any cancer treatment is strongly related to on time diagnosis. This initiative brings together over 5,000 world leaders to participate in cancer awareness initiatives. Furthermore, as soon as the pandemic broke out, L Capital started working on patented technology, Clear Face Mask (Leaf Mask) developed to help visually impaired people who only understand lip reading. It started out as a startup idea that grew very fast due to the user response to adapting to the COVID lifestyle. Recently, he accepted the invitation as Chairman of Board to lead Mariposas NGO initiative. This institution has been serving programs in Latin America for gender equality and women empowerment besides mental and emotional health. Their work goes 15 years back, with unbelievable stories of women that have been rescued by Mariposas from violent circles, women trafficking webs among other difficult situations women face; transforming them to beautiful, empowered women in leading social roles. He is strongly committed to any cause that heals families from inside that will reflect in making our society a better place to work and live.

PALLAK SETH

STEERING TOWARDS SUCCESS

Pallak Seth, Founder & Vice-Chairman of PDS Group, is an entrepreneur with over 2 decades of experience in startups, retail, and investment. Through his determination and perseverance, the forward-thinking leader has built a fantastic success story. His business acumen has helped PDS Limited establish a solid global footprint over the years. It currently has more than 50 offices in 22 countries, with around 3,000 associates & 5,000+ employees across Europe, North America, Middle-East, & Asia

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Under Pallak’s exemplary leadership, PDS Limited’s sales have been growing on a year-over-year basis and the Company have set a goal of US$2 billion in next 3-5 years, which will make the organisation one of the largest apparel sourcing and manufacturing groups in the world. Pallak has successfully guided the Company in its growth in line with its mission of supplying goods to customers at the quickest possible speed at the lowest possible cost.

An alumni of Harvard Business School, Pallak holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and International Business with a Magna Cum Laude distinction from Northwestern University, USA. In 1999, he embarked on his entrepreneurial journey at the tender age of 21 by incorporating Norwest Industries, an apparel sourcing business in Hong Kong with a US$250,000 investment from his father.

The Company grossed $1 million in profits in its first year and is currently a US$837 million corporation and the flagship Company of PDS Limited, where Pallak is the Vice-Chairman. In addition to his role at PDS Limited, the dynamic entrepreneur also serves as the Executive Director of Lerros GmBH, Germany as well as an external advisor for Bain Advisor Network, Bain.

Being a goal-driven entrepreneur, Pallak is primarily concerned with delivering a top-notch sourcing experience without sacrificing quality, while keeping an eye on price, and time to market. His mantras

for success are the right attitude, zero tolerance to unethical policies, passion, loads of energy, and transparency in the way he deals with the stakeholders. He believes that to be successful in business one must have a sense of ambition and yet be cautious. It is equally important to take the right steps and utilise the right opportunities simultaneously, he says.

REINFORCING GLOBAL OUTREACH

Under Pallak’s able leadership, PDS Limited has established two gigantic state-of-theart manufacturing units in Bangladesh as the country has a supportive government and its labour productivity is exceptionally high. The Company also has another manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka.

Additionally, PDS Limited has over 150 designers and product developers work across 10 global metropolis, serving over 210 leading retailers and brands. Moreover, the Company produces 10,000 new styles a month and delivers over a million fashion apparels everyday to customers worldwide.

The ambitious leader is now eyeing Vietnam, and Egypt to build a global

presence enabling right product to be procured from the right country and from the right factory.

PUTTING CLIENTS FIRST

Pallak believes that having a healthy relationship with clients and suppliers is critical for success in the supply chain industry. He highly appreciates such relationships and his Company’s willingness to invest in such relationships reflects its commitment to synergistic growth while also giving it a competitive advantage.

An accomplished entrepreneur, Pallak thinks long-term, keeping the big picture in mind. The visionary’s design-led business is based on compliance and ethics. He takes pride in the fact that his Company adheres to some of the most rigorous compliance standards in the apparel sourcing and manufacturing industry.

Moreover, he ensures PDS Limited board members oversee and supervise the compliance team’s work. Because of this, PDS Limited clients include some of the biggest brands and retailers in the value to mid-market segment.

“HE ENSURES THAT THE FIRM DELIVERS OVER 1 MILLION FASHION APPARELS EVERYDAY TO CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE. HE IS NOW EYEING VIETNAM, AND EGYPT TO BUILD A GLOBAL PRESENCE ENABLING THE RIGHT PRODUCT TO BE SOLD IN THE RIGHT COUNTRY & FROM THE RIGHT FACTORY ”

EXPANDING PDS PLATFORM ECOSYSTEM

Under Pallak’s leadership, PDS Limited is providing ambitious entrepreneurs to enter the industry. In his role as an angel investor and trusted partner, Pallak enables ambitious entrepreneurs to solve market frictions via his Company’s integrated global tech-enabled platform through which retailers, brands and entrepreneurs can leverage and derive scale and agility to grow their business. The leader has co-invested with a number of investors, including Sequoia Capital, Storm Ventures, and Sierra Ventures, Bain Capital, Khosla Ventures, Accel Partners, to assist entrepreneurs by introducing them to clients, co-investors, and partners.

BOLD MOVES DURING TOUGH TIMES

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Pallak to initiate a bold initiative to multiply positive impact. Despite the pandemic, when his organisation was going through an unprecedented crisis, the bold entrepreneur ensured that his business stood strong. Even the global health crisis did not keep him from repositioning the Company for greater success. Pallak elaborates on his Company’s long-term goals by saying that PDS Limited will keep expanding into new markets by developing more efficient and innovative solutions, and creating a host of new products using technology, innovation, and sustainability. The gritty leader also exemplifies good team spirit. He credits his Company’s success to the people he works with, who have stood by him through thick and thin.

A SUSTAINABILITY ADVOCATE

In Pallak’s view, corporate sustainability begins with a value system and a principlebased business model. Under his direction. PDS Limited acquires stake in various early stage startup companies which are focussed on Sustainability, Circularity, Brands and Technology. Sustainability and circularity are priorities at PDS Limited, asserts Pallak, and investments allow it to enhance its capabilities and positively impact the ecosystem in which it operates.

A people person, Pallak loves meeting interesting new people. Additionally, travelling is his passion, as well as collecting Indian art pieces by renowned contemporary Indian artists, such as Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodia, Bharti Kher and others.

PRAMOD SAJJA

CREATING A LASTING IMPACT

Pramod Sajja, President & CEO of Paramount Software Solutions, an IT solutions provider and consulting firm based out of Atlanta, Georgia, has accelerated value-creation for the IT industry as a whole. An award-winning business owner & philanthropist like Pramod is a shining example of grit and determination that can be an inspiration to future entrepreneurs. He possesses all the qualities of an impactful leader and believes in setting high standards. His ability to encourage and motivate others to achieve their goals is quite impressive

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Pramod holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing & Finance. He founded Paramount Software Solutions when he was merely 26 years old. This is an impressive achievement and a career highpoint for him. Through effective risk management strategies, the proactive entrepreneur has been able to keep this high point going! In 20+ years, he has managed to grow it into an organisation with over 300 employees.

As a stable, well-established contracting firm, Paramount boasts a cadre of highly skilled and seasoned consultants. Over the years, the ISO 9001:2015 certified company has worked with several global government agencies and also contributed to judicial reform. The company’s business model is very different from that of many other contracting firms. Consultants at Paramount have full-time job security and a comprehensive benefits package, giving clients a greater level of security for their projects.

SETTING HIGH STANDARDS

Pramod has established a full-fledged product business under the umbrella of Paramount. His first offering, a blockchainbased SaaS product called Farm to Plate, allows food companies to track and trace their products immutably through blockchain technology. He is starting to deliver trials for this solution, which will open up a significant new revenue stream. The solution has already received a lot of interest from multiple geographies. Additionally, to build

interest and establish thought leadership, he has launched a podcast that speaks with industry leaders to get their insight on key topics and current trends in the food sector.

Furthermore, Paramount’s p roduct division has developed a blockchain-based solution called Carbon Credits for a client in the power and energy sector to track the carbon emissions they generate and encourage individuals to invest in renewable energy by allowing them to sell surplus power back to the grid.

The Paramount team, under Pramod’s direction, has also built capabilities across several other technology sectors, such as cybersecurity and robotic process automation that are critical to a postpandemic economy.

Pramod is highly skilled at executing market-driven strategies. He believes that, in a disruptive world, the customer is the king. Therefore, his innovation seeks to bring real benefits to real people. “We put people first and align our strategy with our innovations,” he asserts.

As a leader, he always motivates his team to align with changing demands in fulfilling

clients’ requirements. Furthermore, using consistent quality and resources, he drives the organisation towards creating a competitive environment.

AN EMPLOYEE-CENTRIC LEADER

Pramod believes that employee morale and company culture are crucial elements for any staffing company. In order to ensure low attrition, high employee satisfaction, and long-term client stability, he promotes a culture that is familial and employeecentered. Consequently, top-quality talent prefers to stay longer with his organisation, resulting in high client satisfaction. A notable fact about Paramount is that it was certified as a Great Place to Work in 2021 based on a survey conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute, where 99% of its employees rated the company as a great place to work. Pramod e ncourages professionals to take charge of their own careers. He has introduced a leadership culture of Holacracy at Paramount, which is a system of management where roles are not assigned and employees are allowed to work across departments and teams without

“PRAMOD IS HIGHLY SKILLED IN EXECUTING MARKET-DRIVEN STRATEGIES. HE BELIEVES THAT, IN A DISRUPTIVE WORLD, THE CUSTOMER IS THE KING. THEREFORE, HIS INNOVATION SEEKS TO BRING REAL BENEFITS TO REAL PEOPLE. ‘WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST & ALIGN OUR STRATEGY WITH OUR INNOVATIONS,’ HE ASSERTS”

restrictions. Additionally, with a clear set of rules and processes, responsibilities are divided equitably among employees, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing productivity.

LEADING WITH A GOLDEN HEART

Pramod has always been committed to giving back to the community in whatever way he can. The visionary leader believes all corporations have a social responsibility to contribute to society. As part of this noble process, he has developed “Paramount Gives,” a dedicated CSR initiative within Paramount. Through partnerships with renowned social welfare organisations such as Vibha, Pure Hearts of Georgia, Access Life America, Sewa International and Brown Toy Box, Paramount Gives has raised donations worth thousands of dollars. Furthermore, several initiatives have been implemented under the leader’s direction, including webinars and offline welfare activities.

Throughout his career, Pramod has supported social causes in his capacity and on behalf of his organisation. His organisation funded the construction of an entire computer lab for the International Community School, Georgia, for the benefit of the school’s multicultural community. The ICS charter school was founded in Georgia’s DeKalb County in 2002 to help integrate refugees and immigrant children with local children in a nurturing and supportive setting.

The benevolent leader also promoted employee donations in 2021 for COVID-19 second wave relief efforts in India. This drive raised $40,000 in 45 minutes, with Paramount matching all employee donations.

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2021, the Global Mental Health Association bestowed the 2021 Humanitarian Award on Pramod to spotlight his contributions to mental health in the community. In 2016, the leader was honoured with the TiE Top Entrepreneur Awards. He was also awarded the Outstanding Business Leader Award at the US-India Business Summit.

Furthermore, his company, Paramount Software Solutions is a regular winner of Atlanta’s Best and the Brightest Companies to Work For®. This award was given to the company for the seventh consecutive year in 2021. Additionally, the company was recently awarded the Inc. Best in Business 2021 Gold Medal for General Excellence.

RAKESH KHANNA

DRIVEN BY PASSION, INSPIRED BY VALUES

Rakesh Khanna, the CEO of New-Delhi-based Orient Electric, is a visionary organisational leader and an accomplished business strategist. Having strong financial acumen and hands-on approach and eye for detail, he enjoys a consistent track record of achieving business turnaround and building sustainable high profitable business models. With experience spanning over 36 years he has worked in India and abroad with companies of national and international repute. Under his leadership, Orient Electric has grown and scaled new heights to be ranked among the ‘Fortune India 500’ companies

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Rakesh holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the Thapar Institute of Engineering Technology. He graduated from Bombay University with an MBA in Marketing in 1986. He earned an LLB degree from Mumbai University’s National Law College in 1988.

After starting his career as an industrial engineer, he gained valuable experience in direct sales and distribution of consumer durables in India and the Middle East. Before joining Orient Electric in December 2014 as CEO, he worked with Jumbo Electronic Co. Ltd. LLC.

As soon as he joined Orient Electric, he discovered the tremendous potential of the organisation backed by the visionary leader, Mr. C.K. Birla. There was a long history of trust between consumers and the Orient brand. However, consumers were becoming more involved and demanding, while the business landscape was changing rapidly due to agile and aggressive competition. Therefore, the company had to think differently to stay ahead of the pack.

As the company’s figurehead, Rakesh has defined Orient Electric’s vision, mission and values to unite all the stakeholders with a shared sense of purpose. Over the years, he has built a winning team and a brand that has pride of ownership. It has been a rewarding journey with exciting prospects for him at the company.

A VERSATILE LEADER

Rakesh is a versatile leader who excels in electronics retailing, FMCG and home

appliances distribution, institutional and project sales, brand building, direct houseto-house sales, after-sales service, and electronics distribution business.

In Rakesh’s opinion, customer-centricity is one of the company’s biggest strengths and is engrained in its culture and way of doing business. Asserting the importance of consumer-centricity, he says, “At Orient Electric Limited, we believe in putting our consumers first and at the core of our business to provide a positive experience and build a long-term relationship with them. Our innovation strategy across verticals is based on consumer needs and expectations. Therefore we create products, processes, policies, and a culture that is designed to support consumers with great experience from the initial discovery of the brand to point of purchase and beyond.”

He adds, “I feel proud to say that despite several headwinds in recent years, we have progressed on our growth journey, powered by sustained customer-centric innovation, accelerated digitisation drive, and investments in R&D and design capabilities. All our efforts are directed towards

understanding and meeting the stated and latent consumer needs.”

Over the years, Rakesh has demonstrated how a digitally empowering and consumercentric business model can help deliver exceptional results while enhancing stakeholders’ wealth through consistent cash flow. Additionally, the proactive leader’s emphasis on ‘consumer-centricity’ and ‘digital enablement’ has assisted the company in developing innovative products as well as transforming many of its processes to operate more intelligently and efficiently.

Rakesh also prioritises investments in strengthening customer insight and R&D capabilities to win customer loyalty.

AN ASTUTE STRATEGIST

Rakesh’s ability to make tough decisions defines his strong leadership. He believes in keeping his finger on the pulse of everchanging customers’ needs. Investing in research and development (R&D) is a top priority for him, which is evident from the opening of an R&D facility in Faridabad in April 2021.

He also led Orient Electric’s research

“CITING THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMER-CENTRICITY, HE SAID, ‘I FEEL PROUD TO SAY THAT DESPITE SEVERAL HEADWINDS LATELY, WE HAVE PROGRESSED ON OUR GROWTH JOURNEY, POWERED BY SUSTAINED CUSTOMER-CENTRIC INNOVATION, ACCELERATED DIGITISATION DRIVE, INVESTMENTS IN R&D AND DESIGN ABILITIES’”

and analysis initiatives during FY2022 to formulate innovative marketing strategies, improve consumer service, and strengthen its market positions. Additionally, a service network consolidation is underway across specific geographic regions in the year under review. Last but not least, as a techsavvy leader, he embraces cutting-edge technologies, giving the brand a competitive edge in the market.

A FUTURE-FOCUSED LEADER

Rakesh’s vision is to run a sustainable business that is resilient and future-ready to handle the current scenario and capitalise on opportunities as they arise. Under his stewardship, the company has grown significantly on all key business parameters. He has strategically steered the company towards sustainable growth and profitability. The forward-thinking leader intends to keep innovation and customer-centricity at the forefront of the company’s growth strategy.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Rakesh believes in creating a profound impact by investing in people and communities. Under his direction, Orient Electric has fortified its CSR efforts over the years. Among the most important initiatives is the adoption of Government Girls High School in Kurali, Faridabad, for end-to-end infrastructural development, tree plantation drives, COVID-19 vaccination camps, and medical assistance and meal kits for the underprivileged sections of society, among others.

During the pandemic, his top priority was protecting the safety and well-being of his employees. Furthermore, talent development and digital transformation gained special significance in the firm, during this global health crisis.

He ensured that all efforts were geared towards assuring business expansion and customer delight, whether it was the implementation of work-from-home, digitally engaging with trade partners, maintaining uninterrupted customer support by the service team, or resumption of production processes. As for governance, the company adhere to best practices to stay on top of regulatory requirements and to maintain utmost control, transparency, and integrity while ensuring business continuity. Under Rakesh’s direction, the company will continue to elevate its ESG goals and priorities going forward.

SANJJEEV K SINGH

ELEVATING CUSTOMER SERVICE

Sanjjeev K Singh, the Founder and Managing Partner of ASAR Digital based in Illinois (USA), is one of the most prominent figures in the customer experience space. The astute and visionary entrepreneur is living proof that diligence combined with resilience and a growth mindset always helps you achieve your dreams. A computer engineer and MBA, Sanjjeev possesses over 25 years of experience in digital marketing, CRM, & e-commerce. He has also authored 3 SAP Press books: SAP Hybris, SAP Sales Cloud, and SAP C/4HANA

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Sanjjeev is extremely passionate about helping customers maximise the value of their SAP investments. Having seen many customers lose millions of dollars with other systems integrators, he founded ASAR in 2010 with the sole objective of helping SAP customers implement SAP solutions in the most optimal and cost-effective manner leveraging the best SAP practices. The word ASAR comes from a Hindi word which means “making a positive impact.”

Also, ASAR resells SAP CX solutions to customers in the midmarket across America as a value-added reseller. One of the primary advantages of the company is that it has developed SAP Qualified Partner Packaged Solutions called Cheetah Rapid Deployment Package for a range of SAP CX solutions. These Rapid Deployment Packages are fee-based, fixed-scope solutions that enable customers to install and implement SAP CX within a few weeks. Due to their superior offerings, ASAR has become the leading SAP partner for businesses across a variety of industries. Their stellar clientele, which includes Monster Energy, Johnson & Johnson, Swagelok, General Datatech, AllWays Elevators, Rizing, and others, shows that the company has lived up to their meaning from day one!

ENABLING SMOOTH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Every business now relies on the digital touch to stay competitive, and this requires the expertise of a customer experience specialist. With Sanjjeev, a customer experience author,

businesses have successfully redefined their customer experience and devised thoughtful ways to value their customers with a digital approach. Additionally, the leader has hired highly proficient consultants who work with medium and large-sized companies. The dedicated consultants help these companies successfully reinvent their customer experiences and create innovative ways of serving them effectively.

Under Sanjjeev’s stewardship, ASAR has become a certified SAP Gold Partner and America’s only SAP Partner specialising in SAP Customer Experience Solutions. Over the years, the company has supported numerous companies through their digital transformations, facilitating better customer interactions and strategizing better ERP. Their track record of delivering prompt, cost-effective and world-class SAP implementation services has earned it a solid reputation in the market.

EMPHASIZES SEAMLESS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Sanjjeev’s mission is to encourage businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals

to prioritise the customer experience. He believes that how a business interacts with its customers plays a huge role in its growth. Thus, as an SAP Hybris product expert, he is enthusiastic about assisting customers in developing and implementing customer engagement solutions.

ASAR specialises in sales automation, price quote configuration, e-commerce, customer service field service, and digital marketing. Also, the company’s customer experience approach helps their clients reduce their acquisition costs.

Having enjoyed rapid growth over the years, the goal-driven entrepreneur says he expects the firm’s revenue to double once he adds more brands to their portfolio. Ultimately, the goal is to become one of the most renowned and respected players in the field of customer experience in five years.

AN EPITOME OF COMMITMENT

Sanjjeev believes there is no shortcut to success. If you want to achieve real success, you cannot take shortcuts, says the leader. According to him, one must deliver genuinely valuable service to customers to build a

“HE ASSERTS THAT IN THE BUSINESS WORLD & LIFE, THE ONLY CONSTANT THING IS CHANGE, AND EVERY BUSINESS MUST EMBRACE CHANGE WITH OPEN ARMS TO GROW AND SUCCEED. THROUGH ASAR, HE HELPS BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES ADAPT TO AND IMPLEMENT THOSE CHANGES’”

loyal customer base. To that end, Sanjjeev has kept customer satisfaction consistently high to make ASAR a leading SAP service provider. As a whole, ASAR’s success can be attributed to Sanjjeev’s belief in hard work, trustworthy actions, accountability, and service that is second-to-none.

Sanjjeev learned the value of hard work and honesty from his parents. He recalls his parents constantly encouraging him that if he worked hard and stayed strong, he could achieve anything he desired in life. Also, they never interfered with his ambitions.

During his school days, Sanjjeev’s parents would wake him up at 4 a.m. every single weekday so that he could study. They also taught him that in order to achieve anything in life, one must put forth all of one’s effort. And that’s exactly what he did with ASAR at their inception when the odds of success seemed bleak.

His company had to struggle to get off the ground in 2010 because of the initial lack of credibility in the market. Since it did not have any customer references for successful SAP implementations under their name, customers hesitated to engage with the company. It was the determined leader’s perseverance and conviction that enabled the company to succeed despite the many challenges it faced.

TURNING ADVERSITY INTO OPPORTUNITY

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanjjeev is leveraging the unprecedented change, looming over the world, to his advantage. According to him, since businesses are seeking out innovative ways to operate and interact with their customers while ensuring excellent service delivery, they should not be stuck interacting with them through outdated processes. He asserts that in the business world and other areas of life, the only constant thing is change, and every business must embrace change with open arms to grow and succeed. Through ASAR, the leader offers his expertise to help businesses and companies adapt to and implement those changes. He and his team offer surefire digital marketing strategies, e-commerce, and customer service processes that help individuals and businesses grow.

As an individual who is forever brimming with positivity, Sanjjeev strives to make a positive difference in the lives of everyone he interacts with.

SUKH SANDHU

MAKING GREAT STRIDES

Mr. Sandhu, the CEO of Career Calling International, Edu Learning, is a Melbourne-based serial entrepreneur with a solid business acumen and intellectual prowess. Having spent over 25 years in the VET & Higher Education Industry, he has carved a niche for himself. His vision and extraordinary brilliance make him a leadership figure that many look up to and seek business advice from. He is also spearheading RTO Training & Consulting Group, Quality & Assurance Group, The Immigration Worldwide, RTO Training Resources, & CAQA

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Mr. Sandhu is a highly experienced leader, who has held posts with RTOs and Higher Education Providers (HEPs), including Chief Executive Officer roles for International Colleges and Compliance and Quality Assurance Manager roles within several RTOs, TAFEs, and Universities. Additionally, he has been a Business Systems Project Official with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) since 2008. Mr. Sandhu is an Australian citizen and Canadian permanent resident.

AN INSPIRING CAREER JOURNEY

Mr. Sandhu jumped at the chance to start his career when he was just 14 years old. His professional career began as a web designer and developer in Solan, a picturesque Himalayan town.

Despite starting his career at such an early age, he has been a constant learner. The lifelong learner balanced his career with a variety of academic courses and qualifications, which aided in his rapid advancement up the corporate ladder. In addition to two MBAs and three master’s degrees in IT and systems, Mr. Sandhu holds a Graduate Diploma in Management Learning, a Diploma in Training Design and Development, a Diploma in Vocational Education Training, a Diploma in Work, Health and Safety, a Diploma of Quality Auditing, an Advanced Diploma in Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology, and a variety of other courses and qualifications.

Through his business venture Career

Calling International, the visionary leader aids in the development of skill pool of personnel to cater to the needs of global industry. Over the years, Career Calling International has grown to become a wellknown provider of professional development and workshops around the world through its subsidiaries -- Edu learning and CAQA skills. Additionally, CAQA Recruitment and Career Calling Jobs are two of its subsidiaries that provide employment services.

BUILDING A POOL OF SKILLED LABOUR

Mr. Sandhu’s motivation for starting Career Calling in Australia was the fact that, when he first began looking into the market, he could not find any compliant learning or assessment resources. Even though he had resources at his disposal, none of them met his expectations. Thus, by means of Career Calling, he decided to facilitate audits, compliance support, advocacy for industry best practices, and much more.

Additionally, the tech-savvy leader invests a great deal in research, advanced technology, and the recruitment of exceptional talent. Since he believes that the very foundation

of any organisation is its people, his primary goal has always been to identify individuals who are self-motivated. Furthermore, his team is composed of individuals with backgrounds in education or training.

In addition, he has some brilliant business analysts who assist the organisation to grow. Stakeholder feedback, along with benchmarking principles established in accordance with industry best practices, are used to assess the quality and efficacy of training offered by his company. Simultaneously, Mr. Sandhu consistently adopts efficient methods to better run the businesses and processes, while treating his employees like his extended family.

A leader with big plans, he is currently seeking suitable expansion opportunities across a broad range of market segments, including training and assessment, digital and on-line media, networking, and technology solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly made it more difficult for him to interact with the relevant individuals and businesses all over the world, but he gratefully accepts all of their offers and looks forward to interacting with

“HE INVESTS A GREAT DEAL IN RESEARCH, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, & THE RECRUITMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL TALENT. SINCE HE BELIEVES THAT THE VERY FOUNDATION OF ANY ORGANISATION IS ITS PEOPLE, HIS PRIMARY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SELF-MOTIVATED”

them via video conferencing tools. With this in mind, his CAQA Publications has begun developing resources for Google Books and Amazon Kindle, with plans to make them available on 28 other platforms by the end of 2022.

Recently, he formed an agreement with Sydney-based EduLabs to deliver real-lab environments to clients.

A MULTI-TALENTED INDIVIDUAL

As a training consultant, Mr. Sandhu has broad project management experience in risk management, compliance, and administration. Over the years, he has been involved in nearly one hundred audits across Australia and is extremely knowledgeable about government compliance standards. Moreover, he provides consulting advice regarding ASQA/VRQA, TEQSA, ACPET, DET-HESG, VQF/Higher Education, ANMAC, AHPRA, CRICOS, ESOS, and ISO.

He also founded Australia’s first online radio station, Sukh Radio, in 2009 and served as a radio jockey with Australia’s premiere Punjabi radio station, interviewing some of his favourite celebrities in the world, among many other accomplishments. In addition, as a certified social media expert, he contributes a number of articles to Social Media Today.

MOMENTOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2013, Mr. Sandhu was voted by Internet Choice Awards as the best blogger. His tweets have trended worldwide more than 45 times. Additionally, LinkedIn included his profile in the top 1% of most-viewed profiles for both 2012 and 2013.

Additionally, Canadian author, entrepreneur, and social media expert Evan Carmichael listed Mr. Sandhu among the top 100 social media specialists worldwide for the period from 2012 to 2016. He also won the first prize in a mini story competition organised by Haryana Punjabi (Sahit) Kala Manch in 2005. Moreover, between 1988 and 2000, he always won first prizes as a participant in stage acts and dramas.

In his spare time, Mr. Sandhu enjoys composing poems, writing stories, and learning new languages. He also has a YouTube channel with over 5.69k subscribers. Additionally, the compassionate leader is also a philanthropist. Over 500 non-profit organisations have benefited from his volunteer work.

VIKASH KUMAR VIKASH

POWERING PROGRESS

Vikash Kumar Vikash, Managing Director of Mysore Sales International (MSIL), has a unique success story to share. Having served as an IPS (Indian Police Service) Officer and currently leading MSIL, a government-backed marketing organization, this leader has grand plans for the development of Karnataka. His remarkable track record of resilience and inspiring leadership makes him a force to be reckoned with. With his powerpacked leadership and visionary insights, he is propelling MSIL to greater heights

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Vikash is a member of the 2004 batch of the Indian Police Service, Karnataka Cadre. After starting his career in the Indian Police Service as Assistant Superintendent of Police at Bhatkal, he served as Superintendent of Police in Bangalore Rural and the districts of Haveri and Chikmagalur in Karnataka. In addition, he served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in Bangalore City Police and Superintendent of Police in State Intelligence & Internal Security. Following his promotion as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Vikash served as Commander for Anti Naxal Operations, Director of the Centre for Counter-Terrorism, Executive Director in the Police Housing Corporation, and Commissioner of Police for Mangalore City. Furthermore, he has served in government departments outside the Police Department as Director of Youth Empowerment and Sports Department and the Commissioner of Social Welfare.

Presently, he holds the post of Managing Director for Mysore Sales International Ltd. (MSIL), on deputation to the Commerce and Industry Department of the Government of Karnataka. MSIL was founded in 1966 to address Karnataka’s marketing needs. It offers a diverse range of products and services through ground-breaking marketing tactics. The organization operates numerous divisions throughout the state of Karnataka, ranging from beverages, pharmaceuticals, and paper to chit funds and solar energy. Since taking on the role of MSIL’s Managing Director, Vikash, with his business acumen, has maintained the company’s authenticity

and brand value with utmost perfection. Despite COVID-19’s significant impact on business expansion, MSIL managed a 35% increase in profit growth margins with respect to the previous financial year. Additionally, the company has also built its portfolio under his stellar leadership.

Vikash’s first act at MSIL was to take stock of the situation. During the first month of his assignment, he collected adequate data to learn more about the company, its history, and how it can be structured for the future. His efforts led him to focus on a few specific areas where he could really contribute to MSIL’s growth, and he succeeded in doing so. His solid analysis skills have helped him introduce fundamental changes to help the company thrive in all domains.

A DISCIPLINED INDIVIDUAL

A former Mangalore Police Commissioner, Vikash is well-qualified to lead large-scale initiatives. He has been able to introduce new services and usher in revolutionary transformations only because of discipline. He says, “To run an organization well and maintain tangible growth and increased

influence, you must be a disciplined leader.” He adds, “It is equally important to create a system that percolates automatically instead of being forced on people, whether it is an organizational discipline or selfdiscipline within the organization.”

Additionally, Vikash can bring out the best in others. He works relentlessly to encourage his teammates to do their best. He finds and assesses his team members’ strengths and provides adequate opportunities for them to capitalize on those strengths. Likewise, his mantra for success is to maximize the strengths of the organization he runs. Chit funds and liquor have become the most significant revenue models for MSIL, and Vikash has doubled its potential to reach the far end of Karnataka. Chit funds at MSIL are run exclusively in-house due to the nature of microfinance. Additionally, as mandated by the state government, KSBCL provides the company with liquor. Also, the company maintains very close ties with other divisions’ key suppliers like solar and paper.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

The values-driven leader also believes in

“ VIKASH HAS DEVISED SOME SURE-FIRE EXPANSION STRATEGIES FOR MSIL IN THE CURRENT YEAR, WHICH ARE PROJECTED TO YIELD EVEN BETTER AND SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES IN THE COMING YEARS. UNDER HIS SUPERVISION, MSIL’S CHIT FUNDS DIVISION GREW BY ABOUT 15% IN THE LAST YEAR”

leading by example. As a practical individual, he ensures the company complies with all regulations. He takes every possible measure to mitigate risks and prevent misconduct by having a robust, coordinated compliance strategy in place.

The entire organization is committed to the compliance strategy. He emphasizes the importance of regulatory compliance in business, saying, “We have an obligation as a government entity to adhere to 100% regulation because we are an example to others.”

A GOAL-DRIVEN LEADER

Vikash is a goal-focused individual who strives to ensure the achievement of deadlines. He believes in sustaining high performance levels, and his primary focus is on the productivity and performance of the department and team he leads. He has devised some sure-fire expansion strategies for MSIL in the current fiscal year, which are projected to yield even better and sustainable outcomes in the coming years.

Under his leadership, MSIL has thrived under harmonious partnerships. The leader seeks to collaborate with private suppliers in order to use each other’s capabilities and rapidly scale businesses.

According to him, private suppliers are outstanding in terms of quality and compliance. He says, “If they are falling short of reaching the level needed to take them forward, they have the option to join us. We strive to find a win-win solution.”

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

Under his supervision, MSIL’s Chit Funds Division grew by about 15% in the last fiscal year and has been doing quite well as a social tool as well as a financial instrument to assist small businesses and the unorganized sector of society. Moreover, because of his winning strategies, MSIL Chit Fund received the SKOCH-2022 award for its financial & social commitment and contributions.

As soon as Vikash took over as MD of MSIL, the company achieved a profit of close to 32 crores [A$5.8 million] in 2020. The company had a profit of a whopping 54 crores [A$9.8 million] in 2021. In 2022, the astute leader implemented some stringent revisions and took a conservative approach to a few issues. As a result, he achieved a profit of around 91.1 crores [A$16.85 million], which could rise to 200 crores [A$36.3 million] this fiscal year.

DR. VISHWAJEET RANA

IMPACTING LIVES VIA EDUCATION

Dr. Rana, the Founder of Global Education Holding Group (GEDU), is a resourceful and innovative entrepreneur and changemaker, who is often lauded for his futuristic and inclusive approach to education. The fundamental objective of his endeavour is to contribute to the welfare of the human civilization, driven by an inner passion to serve and contribute to the field of education. His fascination with education has been a product of both research and his own observation of its transformative powers

BY MONALISA BISWAS

Dr. Rana hails from the village of Seohara in Uttar Pradesh, India. He went to the US to acquire an MBA at Ohio University before completing his MS and a PhD at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, USA. The well-versed leader is a seasoned investment banker. He began his investment banking career in investment portfolio management at UBS Investment Banking in New York. Furthermore, while working at HSBC’s New York office, he completed a series of complicated crossborder equity/debt structured investments and financing transactions in Canada, the UK, Australia, South Africa, and Hong Kong. Following a career in finance, as an Assistant Vice President at HSBC in New York, he moved to London in April 2009 to launch his career as a social entrepreneur.

Right from his childhood, Dr. Rana had an innate passion for the transformative power of education. This fascination led him to seek ways to have a tangible impact on the marginalised communities. In 2008, he decided to get actively involved in the educational field to materialize his noble ambition of making education accessible to all. To that end, he formed the Lokmani Education Trust, an active nonprofit organisation that operates two higher education institutes in India, with a focus on teaching females from the poorest and most traditionally conservative districts.

AN ANALYTICAL BENT OF MIND

Dr. Rana’s passion lies in analysing various global education models and implementing

them to help students realise their full potential via higher education. Following the early visible signs of success, he saw an opportunity to provide higher education access, along the same lines, in the United Kingdom, which led him to establish and lead the Global Education Group, which is situated in the United Kingdom. Despite the differences in context, he saw clear parallels to the work he had rolled out in India. There were deprived and marginalized communities largely supported by educational institutions and consequently held back by the system.

GEDU is founded by Dr. Rana and has revenue of GBP 100 million. A portfolio of its offerings include the Global Banking School, the largest non-degree awarding higher education institution listed with the Office for Students (OFS) registered in the United Kingdom, Campuses in India (Lokmani. com), Dubai (gbs.ac.ae), and Malta (gbsplus. com). Englishpath.com is another venture by GEDU in the area of apprenticeship and language schools. Since the global environment is disrupting all aspects of our lives and businesses, Dr. Rana believes social and environmental sustainability must

be weighed in planning the future of today’s ambitious youth.

PROVIDING ACCESS TO GLOBAL EDUCATION

Recognising the huge social benefit derived from educating people from deprived communities, Dr. Rana began to identify areas of deprivation to create educational opportunities for individuals to pursue courses in healthcare and business-- the two areas in which he excels. Consequently, he launched the Global Banking School (GBS), which has carved a niche for itself as one of the fastest growing education providers in the UK. As the Group CEO and Chair of the Executive Board, the leader has been successfully leading the institution to achieve new heights of success. With GBS, he aims to create the next generation of pioneers and trailblazers in the industry.

GBS currently has 8 campuses across the UK – from Leeds to London, with the best faculty members to educate its students. Among all the attributes of GBS, its studentcentered approach deserves special mention. With over 5000 new undergraduates

“HE PLAYS A PROACTIVE ROLE IN SUPPORTING LITERACY, NUMERACY, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES. THROUGH HIS WORK, HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION TO OVER 20,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND NOW GLOBALLY ”

enrolling in 2021 alone, the school is set to witness an exponential growth. Furthermore, many of those students were attracted by recommendations and reputation, with the National Student Survey awarding GBS an astounding 93% for overall satisfaction in 2021 – an outstanding achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, considering UAE’s potential as an international educational hub in the making, Dr. Rana launched a fully-equipped GBS campus in Dubai’s Knowledge Park in 2021. It offers myriad industry-relevant courses, such as Higher Diplomas in Business Management, Digital Technology, Construction Management, and much more, to make the learners job-ready besides helping them achieve their career goals. In addition to its initial focus on finance and business, the school has diversified to offer healthcare training, which has been recognised as an asset that positively impacts local communities in a significant way. Dr. Rana’s goal is to contribute to the school’s growth and development by offering worldclass educational opportunities to more students from communities typically underrepresented in higher education. There are over 90% of students from BAME communities at this institution, a demographic which is almost unique in this sector and which is targeted not by quotas but by focusing on those who have not yet had the opportunity or background to pursue higher studies in the past. Furthermore, GBS has established a network of innovative partnerships with several UK-based universities to provide students with even greater opportunities to thrive and diversify their skills.

COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT

Keenly interested in charitable activities, he plays a proactive role in supporting literacy, numeracy, and project management in Commonwealth countries. Through his work, he has been able to provide access to higher education to over 20,000 students across the country and now globally. The benevolent leader has particularly been struck by the fact that the benefits of educational aid extend way beyond the students, through their immediate families as well as communities and ultimately to the country as a whole. Anyone who has benefited from GBS’ services can offer their skills and knowledge in a diverse range of ways, such as improving the collective capacities and expectations of the marginalised communities.

DR. G.S. MATHAROO

LEADING THE WAY IN THE REALM OF EDUCATION

DR. G.S. MATHAROO, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRUDENCE GROUP OF SCHOOLS, A CHAIN OF PRESTIGIOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, IS KNOWN FOR HIS VISION, DYNAMISM AND PERSEVERANCE. A FORMER INDIAN BUREAUCRAT, DR. MATHAROO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN TRANSFORMING SCHOOL EDUCATION THROUGH HIS EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP

FOLLOWING HIS HEART

Dr. G.S. Matharoo’s commitment to the cause of education is unparalleled with a dream for an educated and self–sufficient nation. For him, true education is that which teaches one to learn, unlearn and relearn. His endeavour is through this process every child who comes to the portals of Prudence Schools ultimately becomes a fine human being and contributes positively to society.

As a leader of the organisation, ever since he decided to steer the Prudence Group of Schools to a newer horizon, he has been working tirelessly for its growth and development, bringing innovation, revitalization and a sea change in the standards of school education. This well envisaged, well recognized, co-educational chain of schools affiliated to the Central Board of School Education, has established itself as one of the most prestigious upcoming schools in Delhi and NCR. Dr. G.S. Matharoo, a dynamic visionary, Chairman of the Prudence Group a former Civil Servant, joined the Education Sector about 15 years ago, carrying a passion for creating a new paradigm in the school education system. He always had a great passion for providing the right education system, especially for the school going students.

Even as an officer in the Central Civil Service, there was a deep sense of disquiet within him about several aspects of our educational system, particularly the school system, which he sincerely wished to set right. His ardent desire drove him to voluntarily retire from his successful career when it was at its peak and took upon himself the responsibility to set up schools on the lines of his principles and beliefs.

Dr. Matharoo’s core desire has always been to have a school system where children emerge as confident, contributing, prudent, productive citizens who could also contribute as key participants in the nation-building process, take part in the future national discourse and pave way for the growth and development of the country.

Dr. Matharoo believes, it is vital to promote integrity and set sound standards amongst team members. His insight and conviction propelled him to take bold steps and today he has three senior schools and five junior ones in and around Delhi NCR. Prudence Group intends to extend their reach to students and parents in PAN India who crave a better education system.

Dr. Matharoo has a humble, upright and respectable background. With roots so strong, it was but natural for him to work his way up with grit and determination to create his unique legacy, revered, and celebrated by many today.

A MERITORIOUS STUDENT

From a very early in life, Dr. Matharoo had a great interest in studying and learning about new things. He was one of

the brightest students in his batch at a government school and following that he walked the corridors of Delhi University with an inquisitive mind. A meritorious student, he always inspired his juniors to work hard and study to learn and not merely get good scores. Further, the genius personality attained his PhD degree in education management from a foreign university, covering an awe-inspiring journey.

UPHILL TASKS

A self–made man with a determination to progress and leave a mark by way of constructive contribution to society, he started his career as a civil servant at the Union Ministry of Home Affairs where he held a variety of charges. His tenure in the North-East Division of the Ministry was a defining one where he proactively contributed a lot towards the development of the region and in bringing control and also removal of insurgency in the area to a great extent.

A PROMISING YOUNG MAN

His seniors were mighty impressed by his outstanding performance and the display of his executive abilities and deputed him to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). He was given the responsibility to introduce a reformed system of functioning for the corporation, which was dealing with several messy situations and chronic ailments at that time.

THE CHALLENGES

Dr. Matharoo as Deputy Commissioner, of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, implemented the Unit Area Method for the Computation of House Tax, Privatization of Toll Tax, E-tenders and streamlining of Building Plans etc. During his tenure at

MCD, he faced many challenges. But he remained fearless and bold and continued serving his duties with full dedication and honesty. Dr. Matharoo in his entrepreneurial journey, though have been facing all possible challenges, however, he finds ways to mitigate them.

PRUDENCE SCHOOL - A NURTURING PLACE TO METAMORPHOSE INTO BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEINGS

After attaining a PhD Degree in Education Management from a foreign university, being well equipped, he entered the education sector in the year 2010, and very soon in 2018 he started with his brand of school - PRUDENCE GROUP OF SCHOOLS.

Schools under the Prudence banner have become centres where everyone in the team feels equally responsible to grow together and attain greater heights. In all his schools, each of the team members feels supported, cared for and respected. Learners in Prudence are motivated to think, practice, evolve and develop futuristic skills and metamorphose into holistically beautiful human beings. Dr. Matharoo shares his deep sense of conviction when he says, “Teachers are all very creative persons, needing the freedom and opportunity to discover their hidden strengths, which emerges best, given a congenial climate. A strong culture of learning, constantly striving to introduce better practices, building good camaraderie amongst the team members, open communication and collaboration keep our team energized to do more for the students, for themselves, for the organization and the greater community ultimately.” His ways are very refreshing as he relates from real-life situations sharing instances from his own life and leading by example. He dwells on the overall development of the students and emphasizes personalized attention being given to each student.

ENCOURAGES NOT JUST LEARNING BUT THE LOVE OF LEARNING

The education system in Prudence is highly relevant to the presentday needs. Moreover, Dr. Matharoo also challenges students, parents, and teachers to work and think outside the traditional mindset. With a profound understanding and deep respect for the progressive philosophies of education, the knowledgeable and dedicated team is pioneering a new paradigm of excellence in school education, providing to their children developmentally appropriate programmes, encouraging not just learning but also the love of learning.

AN EPITOME OF COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY

Dr. Matharoo is very passionate about extending equal opportunities to all and is working hard to make the education system a more equitable and inclusive entity and realizes that leaders like him will have to contribute towards that. His future is to reach out to a greater number of children and parents so that they have access to facilities and resources that are required for holistic growth and development, and that children have a wholesome curriculum and quality teachers. He wishes the issues of affordability and geographical locations do not stand in their way to quality education. He has a vision for free education for economically lesser but deserving children. In the near future, he intends to open a world-class school for the underprivileged children where free education will be imparted and bright students from financially-constrained families would be groomed as the future engine for the growth of the country.

PROF. SASMITA SAMANTA

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

A PERCEPTIVE ACADEMICIAN WITH AN INCISIVE APPROACH, VICECHANCELLOR PROF. SASMITA SAMANTA HAS ENRICHED THE KALINGA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (KIIT) WITH HER PEDAGOGICAL EXCELLENCE, INNOVATIVE PRAGMATISM, AND RELENTLESS PASSION FOR RESEARCH

POSSESSING A FAR-REACHING VISION

Prof. Sasmita has undertaken several initiatives and business innovations in congruence with her belief that ‘Leadership is the responsibility to contribute for the success of others.’ She launched the ‘Education for All’ programme that supported one million students to participate in higher education. Recognising the psychological impact of socio-economic disadvantages, she organised the ‘Lead For Life’ confidence-building exercise for underprivileged children. She strives to maintain a studentcentric ambiance in the campus. Her vision is to create an ecosystem that supports researches for finding effective solutions to social issues. She is working dedicatedly towards making

KIIT rank amongst the top 100 universities in the world. She is gearing up to introduce online certification courses to expand the horizon of KIIT.

UPHOLDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

She has been vehemently advocating social welfare through education. A voracious public speaker, Prof. Sasmita has participated in various conferences, and even organised an international webinar on National Education Policy 2020. It was presided by Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank,’ the former Minister of Education, and had more than 25000 participants globally. Under her counsel, KIIT has been taking active part in outreach activities. They conduct programmes for holistic development, provide free medical services, hold awareness camps and occupational safety and health workshops for agricultural and construction workers at Kandhamal and other rural areas. Moreover, they facilitate Rural Capacity Building by conducting skill set training programmes on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of India.

EFFICIENTLY BATTLING THE PANDEMIC

Under her guidance, KIIT managed its academic calendar without any disruption by conducting virtual lessons and COVID-19 awareness programs on TV and other mass media channels to reach remote parts of the state. They aided the healthcare infrastructure by distributing 50,000 PPE kits amongst healthcare workers and, setting up 4 specialized COVID-19 hospitals in Bhubaneswar, and in the districts of Balangir, Mayurbhanj and Kandhamal. Along with 1250 hospital beds in total, they have also built quarantine centres, isolation and postCOVID care facilities. Under her leadership, KIIT distributed dry and essential food items, groceries, sanitizers, masks and sanitary napkins to 3 lakh + people, and set up a tele-counseling cell to provide support for stress management and emotional wellness during the pandemic. Their tele-medicine facility also made online healthcare consultancy available to the public. KIIT has also started the initiative to provide free education to children who lost their guardians to COVID-19 in Odisha. For all their contribution, KIIT was awarded the Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award-2020 by the AICTE, Ministry of Human Resource Development, for post COVID-19 redevelopment and rehabilitation plan and ‘Leadership and Management Team of the Year’ by THE Awards Asia 2021.

A DYNAMIC CAREER

She is the ambassador of UGC Paramarsh Scheme, KIIT-DU, which helps many institutes to get NAAC accreditation and good ranking nationally. She is the Assessor and Committee Member, NAAC. She is the Founder-President of World Leadership Academy, which serves as a platform for global leaders to address issues from diverse domains. She has immensely contributed to professional bodies such as the Indian Science Congress, Indian Academy of Social Sciences, Indian Commerce Association, Odisha Commerce Association, and others.

The Economic Impact of

The Covid-19 Pandemic: The

World Gears Up For The Aftermath

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread loss of lives globally. One cannot contradict the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis as it is affecting societies and economies at their core. It has also given birth to economic crisis as social distancing, self-isolation and travel restrictions have lead to a reduced workforce across all economic sectors and caused many jobs to be lost. Though the impact of the pandemic will vary from country to country, it is likely to lead to increase in poverty and inequalities at a global scale. There is no denying the fact that without urgent socio-economic responses, global suffering will escalate, jeopardizing lives and livelihoods for years to come. As the world gears up to take immediate development responses to combat this crisis, read on to get an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global economy

BY RICHA SANG

bracing up for the COVID-19 pandemic

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has often been likened to the economic scene of World War II. The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a detrimental effect on global healthcare systems with a ripple effect on every aspect of human life. The COVID-19 outbreak affects all segments of the population and is particularly detrimental to members of those social groups in the most vulnerable situations, continues to affect populations, including people living in poverty situations, older persons, persons with disabilities, youth, and indigenous peoples. Early evidence indicates that that the health and economic impacts of the virus are being borne disproportionately by poor people. For example, homeless people, because they may be unable to safely shelter in place, are highly exposed to the danger of the virus. People without access to running water, refugees, migrants, or displaced persons also stand to suffer disproportionately both from the pandemic and its aftermath – whether due to limited movement, fewer employment opportunities, increased xenophobia etc.

If not properly addressed through policy the social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic may also increase inequality, exclusion, discrimination and global unemployment in the medium and long term. Comprehensive, universal social protection systems, when in place, play a much durable role in protecting workers and in reducing the prevalence of poverty, since they act as automatic stabilizers. That is, they provide basic income security at all times, thereby enhancing people’s

capacity to manage and overcome shocks. This feature attempts to analyse the effects of COVID-19 on the world economy, primarily inflation and the food and energy crisis.

UNIVERSAL ENERGY CRISIS

It is a widely acknowledged fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant factor in slowing progress toward universal energy access. Today, 733 million people across the globe still have no access to electricity, and 2.4 billion people still cook using fuels detrimental to their health and the environment. One of the most pressing concerns is that at the current rate of progress, 670 million people will remain without electricity by 2030, which is 10 million more than projected last year. The impacts of the pandemic, including lockdowns, disruptions to global supply chains, and diversion of fiscal resources to keep food and fuel prices affordable, have affected the pace of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG

“COMPREHENSIVE, UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS, WHEN IN PLACE, PLAY A MUCH DURABLE ROLE IN PROTECTING WORKERS AND IN REDUCING THE PREVALENCE OF POVERTY, SINCE THEY ACT AS AUTOMATIC STABILIZERS”

“India creates history again! Congrats to all Indians on crossing the special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses. Proud of those who contributed to making India’s vaccination drive unparalleled in scale and speed. This has strengthened the global fight against COVID-19. Our fight against COVID is still on, and holistic healthcare has made an impact across the globe in this fight. AYUSH is now gaining prominence worldwide, leading to an increase in AYUSH exports. During COVID-19, there has been an increase in the research being done on Ayurvedic plants. In July, the Indian Virtual Herbarium has been launched which has over 1 lakh specimens and scientific information about them.”

7) of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. Advances have been impeded particularly in the most vulnerable countries and those already lagging in energy access. Nearly 90 million people in Asia and Africa who had previously gained access to electricity, can no longer afford to pay for their basic energy needs. The impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on energy have been compounded in the last few months by the emergency in Ukraine, which has led to uncertainty in global oil and gas markets and has sent energy prices soaring.

Africa remains the least electrified in the world with 568 million people without electricity access. SubSaharan Africa’s share of the global population without electricity jumped to 77% in 2020 from 71% in 2018 whereas most other regions saw declines in their share of the access deficits. While 70 million people globally gained access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, this progress was not enough to keep pace with population growth, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Despite continued disruptions in economic activity and supply chains, renewable energy was the only energy source to grow through the pandemic. However, these positive global and regional trends in renewable energy have left behind many countries most in need of electricity. This was aggravated by a decrease in international financial flows for the second year in a row, falling to US$

MR. JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

10.9 billion in 2019.

With regard to energy efficiency, from 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements in energy intensity averaged around 1.9%. This is well below the levels needed to meet SDG 7’s targets and to make up for lost ground, the average rate of improvement would have to jump to 3.2%.

In September 2021, the United Nations High-Level Dialogue on Energy brought together governments and stakeholders to accelerate action to achieve a sustainable energy future that leaves no one behind. In this context, the SDG 7 custodian agencies, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO), as they launch this report, are urging the international community and policymakers to safeguard gains toward SDG 7; to remain committed to continued action towards affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all; and to maintain a strategic focus on countries needing the most support.

ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY

The share of the world’s population with access to electricity rose from 83% in 2010 to 91% in 2020, increasing the number of people with access by 1.3 billion globally. The number without access declined

“Today, we’re again uniting countries around the world with leaders from the private sector, civil society, and the philanthropic community to carry forward the vital work on fighting COVID-19 everywhere — not just at home, everywhere. You know, for our part, the United States has provided more than $19 billion to help countries fight COVID-19 all around the world. We’ve provided lifesaving medicines, oxygen, tests, equipment, supplies, and partnered with countries to improve their capacity to manufacture vaccines as well. We’ve delivered more than 500 million vaccines to 115 different countries. You know, all — you know, all this is completely free. No — no strings attached. But, you know, there’s still so much left to do. This pandemic isn’t over.”

from 1.2 billion people in 2010 to 733 million in 2020. However, the pace of progress in electrification has slowed in recent years which may be explained by the increasing complexity of reaching more remote and poorer unserved populations and the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting the 2030 target requires increasing the number of new connections to 100 million a year. At current rates of progress, the world will reach only 92% electrification by 2030.

Between 2010 and 2020, every region of the world showed consistent progress in electrification, but with wide disparities. Electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa rose from 46% in 2018 to 48% in 2020, but the region’s share of the global access

“Canada was swift to act at the beginning of this pandemic. While Canadians followed public health measures to flatten the curve and protect our front line health care workers and systems, we quickly took action to help save lives and support individuals, families, and businesses through the crisis. We also joined forces with our international partners to strengthen global health systems, coordinate response efforts, support vulnerable countries, and help researchers develop tests and vaccines. Canada will continue to work with our partners through the G7, the G20, and other international organizations to contribute to a coordinated and science-based response and recovery, and to support vulnerable countries – because we can’t beat COVID-19, unless we beat it everywhere.”

deficit rose from 71% in 2018 to 77% in 2020, whereas most other regions, including central and southern Asia, saw declines in their share of the access deficits. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for more than threequarters of the people (568 million people) who remained without access in 2020.

ACCESS TO CLEAN COOKING FUELS

The share of the global population with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies rose to 69% in 2020, an increase of 3% over last year. However, population growth outpaced much of the gains in access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the total number of people lacking access to clean cooking has remained relatively stagnant for decades. Between 2000 and 2010, this number was close to 3 billion people, or one-third of the global population. It dropped to around 2.4 billion in 2020. The increase was primarily driven by advancements in access in large, populous countries in Asia. In contrast, the access deficit in sub-Saharan Africa has nearly doubled since 1990, reaching a total of around 923 million people in 2020. A multisectoral, coordinated effort is needed to achieve the SDG 7 target of universal access to clean cooking by 2030. It is critical that the global community learns from the successes and challenges faced by countries that have attempted to design and

MINISTER OF CANADA

bracing up for the COVID-19 pandemic

implement clean household energy policies.

GLOBAL ACCESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

Ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy implies accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity, heat, and transport. Although there is no quantitative target for SDG 7.2, custodian agencies agree that the share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption (TFEC) needs to rise significantly, even though renewable energy consumption did continue to grow through the pandemic, overcoming disruptions to economic activity and supply chains.

While the share of renewable capacity expansion rose by a record amount in 2021, the positive global and regional trajectories mask the fact that countries where new capacity

additions lagged were those most in need of increased access.

Moreover, rising commodity, energy and shipping prices, as well as restrictive trade measures, have increased the cost of producing and transporting solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, wind turbines, and biofuels, adding uncertainty for future renewable energy projects. Renewable shares need to reach well over 30% of TFEC by 2030, up from 18% in 2019, to be on track for reaching net-zero energy emissions by 2050. Achieving this objective would require strengthening policy support in all sectors and implementing effective tools to further mobilize private capital, especially in least-developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing countries.

GLOBAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY

SDG 7.3 aims to double the global

“The highest priority issue for the administration is responding to COVID-19. It is precisely because we are facing the hardship of COVID-19 that, rather than stand transfixed, we should build a post-COVID-19 new Japan, with everyone taking up this challenge in cooperation. I advance our responses based on the most up-to-date knowledge in a levelheaded manner, as I listen to the views of experts. Reinforcing our domestic framework of prevention, testing, and early treatment will also be critical. We will further accelerate the schedule for administering the third vaccine dose. Keeping the post-COVID-19 world firmly in view, we will promote a shift to greater added value in the tourism industry.”

rate of annual improvement in primary energy intensity – the amount of energy used per unit of wealth created – to 2.6% in 2010–30 versus 1990–2010. From 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements in energy intensity averaged around 1.9%, well below the target, and the average annual rate of improvement now has to reach 3.2% to make up for lost ground. This rate would need to be even higher – consistently over 4% for the rest of this decade – if the world is to reach net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2050, as envisioned in the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. Early estimates for 2020 point to a substantial decrease in intensity improvement because of the COVID-19 crisis, as a result of a higher share of energy-intensive activities in the economy and lower energy prices. The outlook for 2021 suggests a return to a 1.9% rate of improvement, the average rate during the previous decade, thanks to a sharper focus on energy efficiency policies, particularly in COVID-19 recovery packages. However, energy efficiency policies and investment need to be scaled up significantly to bring the SDG 7.3 target within reach.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL FLOWS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy decreased for the second year in a row, falling to US$ 10.9 billion in 2019, despite the immense needs for sustainable development in most countries and growing urgency of climate change. The amount was down by nearly 24% from the previous year and may be worsened by the pandemic in 2020. Overall, the level of financing remains below what is needed to reach SDG 7, particularly in the most vulnerable and least developed countries. The decrease was seen in most regions, with the only exception in Oceania, where international public flows rose by 72%. The bulk of decreases were concentrated in eastern and south-east Asia, where they fell 66.2%; Latin America and

the Caribbean, where they dropped by 29.8%; and central and southern Asia, where they declined by 24.5%.

Although the private sector finances most renewable energy investments, public finance remains key to attract private capital, including for creating an enabling environment for private investments, developing the needed infrastructure, and addressing perceived and real risks and barriers for investments in the energy transition. International public flows to countries that lack the financial resources to support their energy transitions constitute a large part of the international collaboration that will be needed for a global energy transition that would bring the world closer to achieving all SDGs.

TRACKING GLOBAL PROGRESS

Tracking global progress for SDG 7 (of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030) targets requires high-quality, reliable and comparable data for informed and effective policymaking at the global, regional, and country levels. The quality of data has been improving through national and international cooperation and solid statistical capacity. National data systems improve as countries establish legal frameworks and institutional arrangements for comprehensive data collection for energy supply and demand balances; implement end-user surveys (e.g., households, businesses, etc.); and develop quality-

MR. OLAF SCHOLZ, FEDERAL CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY

“I announce to you that things are good; the health condition in the UAE is good. I would like to affirm to you all that our lives must get back to normal. Maybe our habits might change a little. We will adjust and make some changes in our habits, such as our work, our children’s education or our private lives, such as going out, seeing people and being seen by people. 200+ nationalities are active participants in the development of our country, and diversification of our economy is a vital part of our development plans. We will continue to establish the country as a reliable energy provider & a supporter of global energy security. We will continue building bridges, promoting dialogue and establishing balanced relations that are based on transparency and mutual respect with other countries.”

assurance frameworks. However, after the pandemic hit and disrupted the rate of progress toward Goal 7, more investment in quality statistics is needed to know where we stand and how to get back on track. This is especially important for developing countries, particularly least developed countries (LDCs), to inform their national energy policies and strategies to ensure no one is left behind.

INFLATION

As the global economy started to emerge from the covid-19 pandemic, strong economic growth was back - and so was inflation. The rate of inflation had stayed slow for several years but according to ECB1 the growth of inflation coming to 2022

“There is a danger that the pandemic and Russia’s war will reverse the progress in development made during the last few decades. This is especially dramatic in the fight against hunger and poverty. If we do not take quick and decisive action to counter it, we run the risk of experiencing the world’s worst famine for decades. As the holders of the G7 Presidency, we have therefore established an Alliance for Global Food Security along with the World Bank. Germany made available just under half a billion euro for this at the very outset. In addition, we are investing more than a billion euro each year in rural development and infrastructure as well as in food security.”

MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

has been the fastest in 13 years. The sharp increase in inflation blindsided many economists, almost no one saw it coming. Just as we were starting to leave the pandemic behind in Europe, the convergence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and new COVID-19 lockdowns in China are adding to business and consumer concerns that inflation rate will remain high well into 2022.

But is this inflation just a temporary blip or could it spiral out of control? This blog post gives you a look at the underlying mechanisms behind this recent surge in inflation, implications for both consumers and producers and actions that can improve performance under inflationary uncertainty.

Inflation during the covid-19 pandemic can be distinguished into two types: Demand-Pull Inflation and Cost-Push Inflation. The Covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented combination of supply and demand side shocks. These shocks spread through supply chains causing different sectors to become demand-constrained or supply-constrained. Both fiscal and monetary authorities responded to the pandemic with massive measures. Large stimulus packages combined with accommodative monetary policies prevented mass layoffs and bankruptcies as well as prevented liquidity shortages. At the same time the arrival of vaccines allowed economies to gradually lift lockdown

bracing up for the COVID-19 pandemic

MR. MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA

“Building a vibrant and prosperous private sector is one of the national priorities for the Kingdom, and that is why we are today inaugurating a new and more powerful era in terms of cooperation and partnership between the government and private sector. The new program will help the private sector create hundreds of new jobs and will boost the contribution of the private sector to GDP by up to 65 percent by the end of the decade as part of the goals of Vision 2030”

measures supporting the renewal of economic activity and unlocking consumer savings in an unprecedent pace.

After lifting the first covid restrictions, economic activity around the globe increased. During the pandemic, consumers increased their savings rate opting out of consuming but now consumers are once again increasing their rate of consumption. The economies and consumer demand are growing, and companies can increase their prices without fear of losing customers. The growth has however been uneven.

Many companies struggle to meet the growing demand due to dwindling stocks. The global supply chain faces problems with a shortage of containers, increasing the cost of transport. This leads to companies having to incorporate these increasing cost factors into their pricing.

The increase in consumer demand,

MR. ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, SECRETARY GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS

“The world is facing an unprecedented test. And this is the moment of truth…The recovery from the COVID-19 crisis must lead to a different economy…. Everything we do during and after this crisis must be with a strong focus on building more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient in the face of pandemics, climate change, and the many other global challenges we face.”

especially in electronics, has caught the suppliers by surprise. The pandemic has shown that many companies are not fully aware of the vulnerability of their supply chain relationships to global shocks. Offshore produced components such as semiconductors are in short supply. When there is a shortage of components and increasing demand for products using these components this will eventually lead to an increase in prices.

Consumer goods aren’t the only factor in growth of inflation. According to ECB1 nearly half of recent growth of inflation can be accounted for by the rising cost of energy. The price of oil, gas and electricity has risen all around the world due to decrease in production combined with increase in demand. Since the increase in the price of energy has a multiplier effect on other costs, the increase in the price of energy has a major impact on

the rate of inflation. Adding to this, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that followed have meant spiraling energy costs across the EU. In Europe, already elevated inflation rates may now be driven even higher, given the conflict-induced oil and gas price shock.

After the start of the pandemic, the manufacturers started to cut back on production because they expected the incomes and spending would fall in a way that they typically do in a recession. Instead, the opposite happened. Income surged due to the generous fiscal support and spending on goods picked up because households had money to spend but the normal consumer services that they would spend on were largely unavailable such as tourism or other leisure services.

Good news about this surge was that it enabled quick recovery for the manufacturing business. The bad news was that many businesses weren’t expecting this, they necessarily hadn’t ordered enough input and parts to meet the rising demand and getting imports proved to be difficult during a global pandemic.

The combination of high demand and limited supply for international shipping led to a shortage of containers and port congestion problems. This in turn leads to lengthy shipping delays.

Inflation caused by supply chain disruptions is fundamentally different than the demand induced inflation typically managed with macroeconomic fiscal or monetary policy. With supply chain disruptions, the capability of the economic system to provide goods and services is impaired. Repairing the supply chain is expensive, time-consuming and may involve many years of elevated prices. Building more shipping containers, expanding the capacity of ports - it all takes considerable investments and time.

What can we expect going forward?

This year, the inflation will either peak or is close to peaking. On the point of temporary or long-term inflation Kalish sees that this is more likely to be a temporary phenom, reason being that the major factor contributing to the higher inflation

“THE CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESS LEADERS WILL BE TO MANAGE UNCERTAINTY IN THEIR BUSINESSES TO THRIVE. SEVERAL STRATEGIES WILL BE USEFUL SUCH AS CREATING WAYS TO LOWER COSTS AND REDUCE DISRUPTIONS TO OPERATIONS”

was the supply-chain disruption in the market for goods. That’s reflected in the fact that it’s the prices of goods rather than services that have increased so much. Kalish’s expectation is that, over the next year or year and a half, we’ll see this supply-chain disruption recede, because consumer demand for goods will recede. It’s already starting to happen.

Manufacturers and transport companies will improve the efficiency of their supply chains. There are of course factors of uncertainty that could affect this estimate. One thing is that if the virus situation is prolonged especially in China, it will prolong the supply-chain disruptions. Another possibility is that as inflation persists, people’s expectations of inflation change in ways that change their behavior.

So, if workers expect very high inflation, they will seek higher wages, and businesses will provide those higher wages. And that, in turn, itself will be inflationary. Finally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will continue to affect especially energy prices in Europe, casting a shadow of uncertainty for the price levels in Europe.

THE ACTION PLAN FOR BUSINESSES

Attentive business leaders should be thinking about what the business impacts of heightened inflation might look like. To help in their considerations, Deloitte developed four critical uncertainties3 that are likely to impact the future of inflation: How long will supply chain disruptions last? How do inflation expectations affect wage negotiations? How do consumer spending habits evolve?

What is the nature of monetary policy?

The challenge for business leaders will be to manage this uncertainty in a way that allows their businesses to thrive. Several strategies will be useful regardless of how inflation evolves. Creating ways to lower costs and reduce disruptions to operations are almost always good ideas. Deloitte global economists have identified the following actions that can improve performance under any of the four scenarios.

• Shore up capital structure. Rebalance portfolios and lock in today’s cost of capital in anticipation of interest rate variability.

• Proactively address supply chain disruption. Focus on building a diversified supply chain with enough slack to ride out uncertainty.

• Build for continuity. Invest in systems that enable smooth

H.E. MR. JASON HALL HIGH COMMISSIONER OF JAMAICA TO INDIA

operations in periods of high labor turnover (e.g., training capabilities, automation).

• Consider smart hedges. Make strategic decisions about where to hedge (e.g., pre-buying raw materials) and consider areas most susceptible to destabilization.

• Build a strategic market-sensing function. Develop internal capabilities to monitor how the future could unfold to trigger deployment of contingent strategies and hedges.

GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

As Food Inflation engulfs the globe, there is no denying the fact that a new pandemic has struck the world. Food prices are increasing at an unprecedented rate worldwide, triggered by 2 years of COVID-19 pandemic-induced disruption. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was pushed off global front pages last fortnight by food inflation. Food prices have leaped 75 per cent since mid-2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) assessed.

In India, rural consumer food price has doubled in the year through March 2022, according to the All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) by the National Statistical Office (released April 12). At 13 per cent, the country’s annual wholesale inflation was at the highest in a decade. Food

“As an eternal optimist, I am often accused of being too Jamaican, this is the way we see things, always on the positive side, always striving to overcome adversity. Amidst the catastrophic disruption and dislocation of the pandemic the outlook is positive (not referring to cases). Recognizing the inevitability of pandemics, covid-19 could not have happened at a better time. If it were 25 years ago, no Zoom, no internet, the disruption would have been far more devastating. While the disease separated us physically by way of the counter measures, it brought us closer together digitally. This has had a profound impact on education, how we learn and ultimately how we do business and engage. This is a new reality, a paradigm shift filled with new possibilities, the dawn of the knowledge economy and greater collaboration.”

bracing up for the COVID-19 pandemic

and fuel prices played a major role.

Such is the impact of inflation that the World Food Program (WFP), currently running one of its most expansive food relief operations in recent history, made a desperate appeal for further funding. Because, food inflation has significantly increased the cost of its day-to-day relief: It’s paying $71 million (Rs 544 crore) more per month now for the same operation level.

In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, energy security came into focus. The world has been debating how the fossil fuel disruption will derail the planet’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to stop global warming and resultant climate change.

Fuel price is already rising and adding to overall costs of everything, including food production and transportation.

But, the war has also disrupted food grain supply and circulation further adding to the demand-supply equation. Extreme weather events continue to affect large swathes of areas growing food and thus bringing down overall production. To sum up, the most fundamental survival need is at stake.

This crisis exposes the globalised world’s another fault line. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, an interconnected globalised world suddenly woke up to a situation where every country retreated and scrambled for self-protection; expectedly the rich world jealously colonised all resources needed to fight the pandemic leaving the rest helpless.

DR. TIZITA

MULUGETA, AMBASSADOR

OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA TO THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA

The food sector is also interconnected and interdependent, though perilously. WFP calls its aftermath a “seismic hunger crisis” gripping the world. In Africa and west Asia, the hunger crisis has already set in.

The World Bank has warned that each percentage point increase in food prices would push an additional 10 million people into extreme poverty. The impact of food inflation is impacting the world’s poor and developing countries the most, because most of these countries are also food importers. For instance, some 50 countries, mostly poor countries, depend on Ukraine and Russia for wheat, a staple grain.

FIVE GLOBAL PRIORITIES RECOMMENDED BY THE UN FOR COMBATING THE PANDEMIC

“Over the last 3 years, Ethiopia has undergone through dramatic changes that began with a bold political effort to introduce democratic reforms and liberalize the economy, but also faced an unprecedented global pandemic which put the economy into a challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has tested countries’ economies, global food security, health and social protection systems as well as the global ecosystem at an unprecedented scale. The continued economic fallout of the pandemic and supply chain disruptions are reversing years of development gains and pushing record high food prices which results in food insecurity. Although the government is firmly working to control price escalations, the inflation still remains, which requires more effort ahead. Despite many measures introduced by the Ethiopian government, it still requires an enormous effort to cushion the impacts on different levels.”

1. The new Financial Intermediary Fund be sustainably funded, with WHO playing a central role.

2. The new legally-binding accord on pandemic preparedness to be fully supported.

3. Local production for medicines, tests and vaccines for COVID, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, NCDs, and other diseases to be boosted. Local production is critical for equitable access to life-saving tools.

4. The Paris goals for climate and clean energy need to be met. This could help to cut seven million preventable deaths from pollution every year.

5. The Global Appeal for Health Emergency Response operations to be fully funded, which include Ukraine and other crises, and to end the pandemic.

Country after food grain-surplus country are now hoarding through curbs on export. This makes the availability of food grains difficult for deficit geographies. In an unprecedented joint appeal, the heads of the World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, WFP, and the World Trade Organization gave an urgent call: “We call on the international community to urgently support vulnerable countries through coordinated actions ranging from provision of emergency food supplies, financial support, increased agricultural production, and open trade... We also urge all countries to keep trade open and avoid restrictive measures such as export bans on food or fertilizer that further exacerbate the suffering of the most vulnerable people.” This appeal sounds similar to many such global solidarity calls made in the beginning of the pandemic. Probably, this is for the first time there is a universal call of crisis on food. Like in cases of recent such other crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, the globalised world is testing its efficacy both in letter and spirit. As reiterated earlier, if not addressed aptly, the social crisis created by the pandemic may increase inequality, exclusion, discrimination and global unemployment in the medium and long term.

WomenBlackSwan 2022 Entrepreneurs

Gender equality is a precondition for the prosperity of societies, industries and economies. By receiving equal opportunities; women, today, are taking lead in every sphere of life. No wonder, their equitable and beneficial participation and meaningful and significant contributions have transformed communities, societies, economies, and countries around the globe. Every successful woman inspires the entire womankind to break barriers and move and think freely to achieve what was unattainable or unthinkable hitherto. AsiaOne Magazine celebrates the commitment, passion, courage, and confidence of some of the exceptional women who charted their unique route to success and acknowledges the invincible potential of these exemplary changemakers

ANANYA BIRLA

A TALE OF MIND, MELODY & MIGHT

The multifaceted personality, Ananya Birla is not only a successful entrepreneur, singer & songwriter but also a quite popular youth icon as well. Besides successfully launching her first start-up Svatantra Microfin, she has been making great strides in the international music industry

Apart from being a karmayogi, who is living the dream, she is driven by the vision to bring about a positive change in society. Her venture Svatantra Microfin supports women entrepreneurs in the rural areas to grow and become financially more secure.

PLAYING PLEASANT NOTES

Ananya always chose to do things differently. A quiet, observant and introspective child, she had an interest in music since an early age. She learnt to play santoor when she was just 11 years old. As she grew, so did her interest in music. She taught herself to play the guitar with the help of video tutorials on the web. This was the beginning of a passion that continues to grow even today. She is an acclaimed singer who writes her own songs. ‘I Don’t Want to Love’ is her much acclaimed song which first brought her to the music scene. She was signed as an artiste by the Universal Music Group (India). Her debut single ‘Livin the Life’was launched worldwide in November 2016. ‘Meant to Be’ is the second international single to be released in July 2017 & has been certified ‘PLATINUM’ as per the standards followed by the Indian music industry, which makes her the first Indian artist to go Platinum.

EMBRACING LEARNING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS

Ananya studied at the Oxford University, UK, where she pursued degrees in Economics & Management. As a student, she developed keen interest in music & started singing & playing the guitar; while still managing her microfinance venture Svatantra over Skype calls with a capable team back home in India. During her stay in London, Ananya also worked as a counsellor for a student welfare charity. She met & interacted with many young people of her age who were suffering from anxiety & depression. This experience shook her from within & after returning to India, she set up a mental health initiative called MPower along with her mother

“SHE EXEMPLIFIES THE COURAGE TO LET GO OF THE COMFORT ZONE & PURSUE ONE’S DREAMS BY WORKING HARD”

Neerja Birla. MPower works to stamp out the stigma towards people with mental illness in India. It also sensitizes people towards mental illnesses like anxiety & depression that are so common in our society today & can be controlled with family’s cooperation. She felt a greater need to start Mpower because in India, it is difficult to change perceptions related to mental health, so she decided to take up the challenge of repairing the innate conditioning of the people which perceive mental illness as an evilHer venture MPower is a timely step in this direction as it is high time to fight for rights of people with mental illness & help them to be understood & treated supportively like any other person who is unwell. Under her able leadership, The MPower centre provides holistic mental health care solutions to children, young people, and adolescents, & their families. The foundation helps people with psychological difficulties lead meaningful lives without social exclusion. It also helps create awareness by organising workshops for the youth. Ananya’s entrepreneurial instincts led her to start an e-commerce platform - Curo Carte - which is a global ecommerce platform that provides handmade & high-end luxury products, curated from nine countries. The online portal is an amalgamation of design, beauty and lifestyle & offers around 1500 products across 70 categories. An inspiration to today’s youth, Ananya Birla exemplifies the courage to let go of the comfort zone and pursue one’s dreams by working hard to be the best at each & every endeavour, and light up the way for others simultaneously.

Dr. Amiti completed her MBBS from the University of Mauritius in 2011. In 2014, she earned her MS in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from JJMMC Davangere Karnataka. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynaecology training at the renowned JJM Medical College, which is one of India’s largest and oldest premier medical institutes. In 2016, she obtained her Fellowship in Gynaec Endoscopy at Women’s Hospital in Mumbai, under the supervision of the legendary Dr. Rakesh Sinha. She also completed a fellowship in Reproductive Medicine at Craft Hospital Kerala the same year. She also attended Homerton University in London for advanced IVF training. In the early days of her career, Dr. Amiti also worked as Center Head for India’s largest IVF chain BLOOM IVF for 3 years. Sunshine Fertility & IVF Center Mumbai has achieved unprecedented success under her leadership. It is presently counted among the top IVF centres in north Mumbai, offering affordable yet effective infertility treatment. She is consultant at to reputed hospital like Fortis hospital, SRCC Mother & Children Hospital, Haji Ali and Shushrusha Hospital, Mumbai. Dr. Amiti aspires to make Sunshine Fertility and IVF Center the world’s leading IVF Center. The Sunshine Fertility & IVF Centre is an ICMR-recognized centre that is fully equipped for conducting IVF procedures and fertility enhancement surgeries. Aside from IVF, the facility also does Laparoscopic surgery, and assists pregnant women through delivery. The centre has a fully equipped operating theatre for performing laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. It also has facilities to conduct delivery. Dr. Amiti specialises in IVF, IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), and other artificial reproductive methods, including removing fibroids, polyps, and ovarian cysts. She invented the painless Sonosalpingology method for infertile women.

HER INSPIRATION

Rao, both revered names in the Indian fertility sector.

A BENEVOLENT INDIVIDUAL

Dr. Amiti is a compassionate human being. She is a ray of hope for many couples struggling with infertility. She doesn’t want any woman who wants to become a mother to battle infertility. To that end, Sunshine Fertility & IVF Centre, under her guidance, offers three complementary cycles to women from underprivileged communities. Even during the COVID-19 epidemic, she and her team offered her patients fertility and emergency obstetric treatment.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

Dr. Amiti has received numerous awards for her commitment, enthusiasm, and extensive experience. Some prominent accolades bestowed upon her are The IVF Youth Icon, Midday Healthcare Awards 2020 by Shri Devendra Fadnavis, The Governors Award for Excellence in Reproductive Medicine in 2021, and The Global Excellence Award for being The Most Trusted IVF Clinic in Mumbai, by Shree Anupam Kher In 2022. She also received a Certificate of Appreciation for Excellence in Reproductive Medicine and Infertility by the Office Of Sheikh Rashid Majid Al Mualla, Dubai, UAE.

“SHE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS ACCOLADES FOR HER COMMITMENT, ENTHUSIASM, AND EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE”

Dr. Amiti attributes her success to her parents, who worked day and night to make her a successful doctor. The values she has inherited from her parents, guide her in both her professional and personal life. She also looks up to Dr. Sadhana Desai, and Padmashree Dr. Kamini

Dr. Amiti’s heroes are the people who work with her – they are nameless and faceless to the outside world and to many of her patients - however they are her inspiration – for standing by her, working with her relentlessly to see happiness on the face of a mother, who just a few months back had no hope of being a mother. If they were not with her, as a team and as a family – these small miracles would not be possible.

DR. AMITI AGRAWAL

A BEACON OF HOPE

Dr. Amiti Agrawal, the Founder of Sunshine Fertility & IVF Center in Mumbai, is a qualified Gynaecologist , IVF Specialist and Endoscopic Surgeon with over 10 years of medical expertise. As the Medical Director, her mission is to provide world-class fertility treatments & complete women’s healthcare from conception till delivery

Making World-Class Healthcare Accessible to All

One of the best and most known Gynaecologists in India, Dr. Hema Divakar has an innate sense of healing and a strong passion for medicine. After pursuing her education at some of the best institutions in the world, she has been serving at the Divakar Specialty Hospital. Her brainchild Asian Research and Training Institute for Skill Transfer (ARTIST) has been a gamechanger in the healthcare sector. It has led many revolutionary healthcare movements and programs that have made a difference even at policy level – such is the vision of Dr. Divakar

Dr. Divakar is a name synonymous with an unending passion to heal. In the medical fraternity not only in India but the world over, she is a force to reckon with. She has dedicated her life to healing and making healthcare accessible to the underserved. She is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with over 3 decades of experience and expertise in women’s healthcare in India. All through her medical career, she has worked hard to improve healthcare and the welfare of women. She has over the last two-and-a-half decades, been a game-changer in healthcare, establishing new benchmarks, and standards and touching women’s lives in the process.

Dr. Divakar completed her MD at Wadia Hospital in Mumbai in 1989 and soon after that, she started Divakar Speciality Hospital in Bangalore with her husband Dr. GV. Divakar – a well-renowned ophthalmologist. The hospital is a dedicated center of excellence for women’s healthcare. It was established with the aim to be a single-window solution for women’s healthcare. It offers a range of services for new-borns, girls, and women of all ages. Under her leadership, the hospital has become synonymous with the best quality care. But she didn’t stop there. With the kind of impact that she wanted to make, Dr. Divakar wanted to establish something bigger and reach out to more people. She is deeply passionate about the inadequacies in the Indian healthcare system especially when it comes to young girls.

ARTIST AT WORK

A growing child or a young girl faces a lot of physical changes and it renders a lot of confusion. They want answers and they need trusted sources for that. However, there aren’t enough healthcare providers who are available to give the right guidance. Add to that the stigma attached to even asking questions about one’s physical body and you’ve got a confused girl probably going to the wrong resources for information. Dr. Divakar wanted to change this. In order to foster adequate

adolescent care, she launched Asian Research and Training Institute for Skill TransferARTIST. Through ARTIST, Dr. Divakar has been training all the frontline healthcare providers to provide well-researched and medically correct information. Under this program, O&G specialists are trained and upskilled through short and smart modules. Also, the postgraduates, medical officers, staff nurses, health counsellors, health educators, and general womenfolk of all ages and given trainings and knowledgebased seminars to make them more aware. It imparts skill transfer trainings throughout the country in various phases. Dr. Divakar has brought together a solid team of expert healthcare professionals, leaders of professional organisations, key opinion makers, researchers, and academicians, leading clinicians in practice – a mix of the best resources under one umbrella to design and impart these trainings. It is a one-of-akind program that is helping adolescent girls all across the country.

There is also an institute namely ARTIST Skill Gurukul in Bangalore that aims to improve the capabilities and competencies of Obstetrics & Gynaecologists and healthcare providers in India. Under Dr. Divakar’s guidance the specialists at ARTIST have extensively surveyed the Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices (KAPs) amongst the ObGyns across India, and have been able to gather startling facts and identify the gaps in KAPs. They use this well-versed knowledge to design trainings, programs and modules that imparts education wherever there is a gap. Trainers at ARTIST ensure that the training is not just about the certificates but it is about the competency. One can be ensured that a certified professional from ARTIST is competent in that particular skill before the end of the course because the training and retraining and the role-plays and the mock drills and rehearsals and everything that involves in order to make sure that the skill is adequately and completely transferred

without compromising the quality of the training. The spectrum of training encompasses basic ObGyn skills to recent advances inclusive of endoscopy, ultrasound, and infertility with a foundation of evidencebased protocols.

ARTIST also gives out emergency care and medical aid to women during childbirth. In association with Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), ARTIST has been working to implement ‘Manyata,’ an initiative that brings together local health practitioners to improve their ability to deliver better, respectful, and quality care services to pregnant mothers during and after childbirth. From the first stage of enrolling manpower to conducting skill transfer (onsite and digital) to getting caregivers up to speed to apply for certifications provided by FOGSI, ARTIST handles everything. It is an ambitious project that has already certified over 800 centers for following clinical protocol and having skilled staff and others.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Visionary and professional par excellence, Dr. Divakar has been awarded time and again for her unparallel work. In 2015, she was awarded FIGO Women Achievers Award 2015 in recognition of her international and domestic contribution to promoting the development of science and scientific research in the fields of gynaecology and obstetrics. She has also been awarded the very prestigious ‘Life Time Achievement’ Award from the Governing Council of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India (DIPSI).

She is also the recipient of Global Award for Music Therapy by Medscape India award for her outstanding service to women’s health. She was conferred the social entrepreneurship award by USAIDS and MSD for Mothers. However, her work is way beyond her awards and recognition. She has held a number of senior and esteemed positions at multiple institutions and medical centers and has been the guiding light to teach the best practices in healthcare.

She has played a lead role in conducting outreach services including anaemia detection and treatment, deworming, menstrual hygiene, health awareness camps for 50,000 girls every year for the last 10 years. Apart from this, she has also been instrumental in extending community services to Primary Health Care Centers in collaboration with State Government and Karuna Trust to provide healthcare facilities in rural India.

“SHE HAS COLLABORATED WITH MANY LEADING UNIVERSITIES LIKE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, IIM, INDIAN COLLEGE OF O&G TO PIONEER NEW SYSTEMS & METHODOLOGIES FOR MULTIPLE CAUSES”

After working as a Microbiologist for 4 years, Dr. Roopa Viswanathan Iyer started her own diagnostics lab as a means to provide quality laboratory services to small and medium healthcare centres. Apart from providing best-in class services to the underserved, she also worked tirelessly to educate healthcare workers about the importance of good quality diagnostics. For the past decade she has been leading a movement to raise awareness and make better quality services available to all

Since she was a child, Dr. Iyer wanted to become a doctor. To fulfil this dream of hers, she worked really hard. She completed her MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai and pursued MD from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College in Mumbai. After that she worked as a lecturer for 3 years. Later, she joined Bombay Hospital, where she headed the Microbiology section for 4 years. Even though Microbiology was not in her plan, she ended up there by accident which went on to become her destiny. It was during this phase that she also acquired DNB and Diploma in Health administration. She then moved to Brunei Darussalam where she worked as a Clinical Microbiologist and Infection Control Officer for the Ministry of Health. She spent a few years there and, during that time, she also received her FRCPath from the UK. Dr. Iyer wanted to serve her own country and it is this patriotic fervour that brought her back to India.

STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP

Dr. Iyer was looking for a fresh start once she came back to India. Amidst all the chaos she came to the realization that

DR. ROOPA VISWANATHAN IYER

CHANGING THEFACEOF HEALTHCARE SECTOR

entrepreneurship is the best way forward. Her father, Mr. V Gopinathan advised her to create jobs instead of looking for one – and that is exactly what she did. That is how Qualilife Diagnostics came to being in the year 2010. She started Qualilife with a vision to provide top quality diagnostic services for infectious diseases focussing on areas where it was not adequately available like smaller cities and rural places. Diagnostics in India is world-class but accessible only to urban population. There is also a major lack of awareness amongst the healthcare workers in smaller institutions regarding the importance of microbiological services. Through Qualilife, Dr. Iyer intended to fill this gap and provide good quality microbiological diagnostic services for small nursing homes and laboratories. She is also proactively changing mindsets by raising awareness about diagnostics and its importance for a robust healthcare system.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Dr. Iyer’s entrepreneurial journey has been full of many achievements but for her the biggest milestone is the job opportunities that Qualilife was able to create. For Dr.

Iyer her team is the most important asset she has built. She ensures that all the team members are kept motivated with the help of periodic in-house trainings and skill enhancing programs. Their health and safety are given prime importance and one simple motto is followed – ‘happy and healthy staff leads to happy customers.’ The work is also kept interesting and challenging by introducing new technologies.

As an entrepreneur, Dr. Iyer’s vision was to develop services that were of top-notch quality. It was pertinent to think about sustainability, saleability and scalability –the long-term goals. The market may have been over crowded with diagnostic labs but there was a tremendous scope as well due to lack of quality services. Keeping all of this in her mind, Dr. Iyer began her journey with simple goals. She focused on building a great team, improving quality of services and serving the underserved – and she managed to create a brand name that reflects her hard work and efforts.

She gives credit to all her achievements to her committed team. “Success was a contribution of team effort and each team member had a significant part in the glory achieved.”

When the pandemic struck, it was like a litmus test for Dr. Iyer and Qualilife. Suddenly, diagnostic labs became a necessity for common man as well. Dr. Iyer’s world-class services helped thousands of patients during the peak of pandemic. With the help of timely interventions Dr. Iyer was able to save lives through her venture. Also, they managed to create jobs even during the pandemic by giving work to people when they needed it the most and when the economy was suffering.

WINNING HEARTS WITH TRUST & COMPASSION

The healthcare sector many times lacks the faith that is needed to run it. A common person wouldn’t be very keen to go to a medical practitioner and many times lab tests are considered an added expense. In such a scenario, Dr. Iyer is winning hearts with the help of her transparent policies at Qualilife. “We have our customers coming back to us after one experience and they refer their relatives and friends too.” People, who have experienced the services at Qualilife, value the opinions given to them and have faith that they won’t be cheated or wronged. This is the kind of venture Dr. Iyer leads. It is all about trust and compassion for her and her whole team.

Under Dr. Iyer’s guidance Qualilife focused on timely reports combined with top quality

“IT IS DR. IYER’S CONSISTENT EFFORTS THAT HAVE EARNED HER AND QUALILIFE THE TRUST OF HER CUSTOMERS. OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE ‘MOST ADMIRED’ AND ‘MOST RELIABLE’ DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE – QUALILIFE IS FAST BECOMING THE PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR ALL KINDS OF DIAGNOSTICS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. IYER”

services that were in line with the latest guidelines. Dr. Iyer ensured that the lab was always updated with the latest technologies as per need. She also supported locallymade technologies and equipment and exploited the resources to the maximum. “Our main aim was to provide a point of contact where the communication to the health provider was prompt for effective patient management.”

It is not surprising then that the lab that started with a meagre 2 samples a day now has hundreds of samples processing every single day. With its unmatched service, attention to detail and excellence the lab has gained immense word-of-mouth publicity.

A VISIONARY

Dr. Iyer is a well-known name in the fraternity. Apart from building Qualilife to be one of the best laboratories in the country, she also teaches dental and medical students, handles the infection control activities in many institutions and guides the hospital management for effective implementation of protocols. She is a leader in various validation studies. A keen academician, she is also a founder member of Society of Clinical Microbiologists. She conducts a lot of academic sessions for peers and juniors. Dr. Iyer also has many publications to her credit in peer reviewed National and International Journals. She is a keen academic and always finds time to attend and deliver talks at meetings.

It is Dr. Iyer’s consistent efforts that have earned her and Qualilife the trust of her customers. Often referred to as the ‘most admired’ and ‘most reliable’ diagnostic centre – Qualilife is fast becoming the preferred destination for all kinds of diagnostics under the able leadership of Dr. Iyer.

DR. UJWALA JAGDALE

SERVING A HIGHER PURPOSE

Dr. Ujwala Jagdale, the Founder and Chairman of Marigold International School in Kumbalgodu, South Bangalore (India), is known for her academic brilliance, passion, commitment, and resilience. In addition to her innate leadership skills, she possesses a solid humanitarian fervour that sets her apart from others

Awell-versed leader, Dr. Ujwala has an MD and Post-Graduate Diploma in Hospital Administration. She earned her medical degree from the Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College in Kolar (Karnataka). Following her MD degree in Physiology at the University of Bangalore, she pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Hospital Administration. She began her entrepreneurial journey at a young age. Initially, she worked in her family-run pharmaceutical company and introduced several pharmaceutical and Ayurvedic products that led to the company’s steady growth. She spent almost 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry before joining RDPL (Raj Disle Private Limited), a company with diversified divisions under its wing.

A MULTI-FACETED PERSONALITY

Besides being a doctor, industrialist, sportswoman, and pioneering philanthropist, Dr. Ujwala has also made a mark in the education sector. A visionary and a dreamer, she established Marigold International School (the education division of RDPL) in 2020 to offer students quality and holistic education. In just two years, the determined leader expanded the school from 56 students to over 900 students, which is indeed a commendable achievement.

Dr. Ujwala is also the Managing Director of Marigold Hospital, the healthcare division of RDPL, established in 2017. The hospital began with a few employees and a skeletal infrastructure. Under her stewardship and unwavering commitment, it has now grown to be a 50-bed NABH accredited hospital handling a broad range of specialities. Within five years, the hospital has carved its name as a leading provider of comprehensive diabetes, metabolic, neurologic, cardiovascular, dental and metabolic diseases associated with diabetes and other endocrine disorders.

With her visionary and astute leadership skills, Dr. Ujwala Jagdale has pioneered a variety of enterprises, including Marigold Clinics & Diagnostics, Nagi Farms, Chikmagalur Coffee Estates, and Sri Sabarimala Temple Trust, among others.

A COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL

Dr. Ujwala is widely respected and admired by her staff and community for her generous nature, clear insight and humility. Over the

years, she has made commendable contributions to the community and served as an inspiration to others. She actively participates in CSR activities under the RNR Foundation, a charitable institution started in the name of her late father, Sri Nagaraja Rao. The charity runs various community development programmes to assist marginalised sections of society. Her work ranges from organising rural healthcare camps for the poor to providing scholarships to aid underprivileged children in advancing their education and careers. Additionally, Marigold Hospital was turned into a Covid-19 centre under her leadership so that coronavirus patients could obtain prompt treatment. In addition, 400 construction workers and their families received food and shelter during the pandemic. Furthermore, about 150 plantation workers infected with the lethal coronavirus were offered medical assistance.

BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENTS

In recognition of her entrepreneurial brilliance and selfless service to society, Dr. Ujwala has been honoured with several prestigious awards, including the International ICONS 2022 award, K12 Leadership award, and Women Achiever award from Kotak Mahindra, to name a few. The versatile leader has also won state and national awards for rifle shooting.

“HER WORK INCLUDES ORGANISING HEALTHCARE CAMPS AND PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO POOR CHILDREN”

A multitalented leader, she enjoys reading and writing poetry. She has written several poetry books. She is also a trained pianist and a talented cook.

Jyotsna is a passionate and ingenious entrepreneur who has brought together the finest beauty brands with a quest for innovative products and breakthrough solutions. The young entrepreneur has enabled the beauty and personal care industry to become more inclusive. She has already made a mark in this challenging industry due to her systematic approach. As a professional, she believes in putting all of her passion into one project and coming up with creative solutions to problems. Using a pragmatic approach, Jyotsna leads the creative wing of Avercurate Group, a dynamic group of brands that curates novel products that meet trends and needs in the spheres of beauty, lifestyle, and wellness. Furthermore, it offers a range of supply chain capabilities to enable brands under its umbrella to access a global distribution network.

PIONEERING BEAUTY SCIENCE

As a leading expert in Cosmeceutical science, Jyotsna has extensive experience in conducting research on personal care products at several reputed organizations. A true visionary, Jyotsna has been the pioneer in incubating and transforming brands into new portfolios based on innovative technology and community needs. Additionally, the determined entrepreneur has partnered with top research institutions and creative agencies to stay on top of the latest developments that can make her products stand out. She believes that the synthesis of science and technology can only unleash a revolution in the beauty industry.

As an artist, she has designed products that utilise intricate mechanisms to create an engaging experience for consumers. Additionally, her exclusive accelerator program leverages expertise, partnerships, and professional guidance to entrepreneurs in the personal care space.

REDEFINING PRODUCT DYNAMICS

the forefront of exploring and experimenting with innovative ideas. She serves Gen Z and millennial markets through her portfolio of multi-category brands that encompass colour cosmetics, skincare, body care, hair care, and health & wellness products. She carefully selects, acquires, or designs each brand portfolio with the help of artists and founders.

RELENTLESS PASSION AND CHARISMA

Jyotsna is optimistic and resilient enough to overcome setbacks. In her role as an inspiring leader, she seeks to inspire and empower multi-cultural teams at work to pursue innovative solutions through out-of-the-box thinking and perseverance. Dedicated to growth, communication, adaptability, and teamwork, her philosophy is to always try new things, and to never give up. Known as the beauty mogul of India, she has been featured on several fashion runways.

EMPRESS OF EMPATHY

She has made a remarkable impact on the world through her dedicated efforts. She strives to bring about change and transformation in society. As a feminist, she takes great pride in leading initiatives that benefit women and children, who she believes are the changemakers of tomorrow. In her view, voice and identity play a vital role in shaping equality.

“A TRUE VISIONARY, SHE HAS BEEN THE PIONEER IN INCUBATING AND TRANSFORMING BRANDS INTO NEW PORTFOLIOS”

To address the physical challenges posed by the pandemic, she also enabled students’ learning spaces to be digitised across the country. In recognition of her outstanding contribution and service to society, she became the youngest recipient of the Champions of Change award.

Jyotsna has successfully redefined product dynamics for inclusivity and empowerment. Her curiosity and perseverance bring her to

JYOTSNA REDDY

REIGNING THE REALM OF BEAUTY

The ED & CEO of Avercurate Group, Jyotsna Reddy is revolutionising the entire Beauty & Personal Care industry with her innovative products. Over the years, she has earned a stellar reputation and has positioned Indian beauty brands as global competitors in terms of performance & efficiency in the global retail landscape

JENNIFER SUTTON

CAPITALISING ON HER STRENGTHS

Jennifer (Jenny) Sutton, the Managing Director and Founder of Greenlight Ventures NZ, is a dynamic leader with outstanding leadership qualities and clearly defined goals. She founded Greenlight Ventures NZ, a self-funded entity in 2015 after a highly successful career in international law, where she held various leadership roles that were unprecedented for women.

Over the years, Jenny has carved out a niche for herself as a venture investor and venture philanthropist. A graduate of the University of Canterbury with a LLB Honors in Law, Jennifer has experience working on matters of high-level complexity in a broad range of industries. She started her professional journey in 1988 becoming a Senior Litigation Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts

With over 3 decades of experience, Jenny brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. With Greenlight Ventures NZ, the founder backs and seeds game-changing ventures globally. Her enormous breadth of experience is reflected in the range of ventures she has backed.

To date, she has seeded or backed more than 50 early stage companies in a variety of industries, including clean technology, deep technology, finance, medtech, sustainability, and space. Greenlight Ventures NZ founded by her has backed ventures with headquarters in countries spanning New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Africa, Europe, and the US.

A unique aspect of Greenlight is its deliberate combination of venture philanthropy, commercial technology investments, and thought leadership. A part of her work involves ensuring the growth of impact entrepreneurs and supporting ventures that dismantle inequalities in sectors that have long been deprived of access to funds and resources. At the same time, she encourages bold new initiatives in sectors not typically targeted by seed investments.

The decision to start Greenlight Ventures NZ was a pivotal moment in her career, and she sees it as one of her career highlights. The decision was not made overnight, according to her, and the ethos behind Greenlight is based on her experiences in a variety of different fields. She says, “I was fortunate to have had an extraordinarily rewarding and expansive career in law, and it certainly had many firsts and high points. But from a retrospective point of view, establishing Greenlight Ventures NZ is a decision I view as a high point as it has allowed me to pursue the many diverse areas I support and enables me to support innovation and change in areas where there is a need.” All of the ventures she backs have global reach.

A LEADER PAR EXCELLENCE

Jenny is a dynamic thinker who actively encourages others. Her ability to think creatively makes her stand out of the crowd. She has a profound understanding of several industries, which allows her to lead effectively. Throughout her career she has developed several unique leadership qualities which have come to the fore as a venture investor and as a philanthropist. Among her many strengths is her incisive and intuitive nature - she is able to identify issues and solutions which may not be apparent to others. Jenny is a fearless leader who is prepared to take new uncharted routes, using her experience and judgment to take steps others may find daunting. “Integrity and ethics are the cornerstones

of my leadership and I strongly believe in the importance of global conversations,” says Jenny. Jenny is also tech-savvy with a deep understanding of what technology can accomplish. According to her, “Technology and the growth of globalisation have helped solve many pivotal and significant issues.” She adds, “Technological advancements offer a fantastic platform for enabling change in many different situations.” In addition to being tech-savvy, she is a strong supporter of the arts and a patron of several arts organisations. She has long held the view that there are striking similarities between entrepreneurs and artists: both are open to new ideas and are curious about their surroundings and the future. The visionary also believes businesses can be creative vehicles benefiting society. Jenny’s vision for Greenlight Ventures NZ is for it to continue her work as a global venture investor, venture philanthropist, and thought leader - enabling evolution, innovation, and transformation in areas where change had been difficult in the past or where solutions were hard to find. She will continue to focus on areas such as sustainability, medtech, climate, and democratising access in areas such as justice. Over the coming years, she intends to be more involved in some of the global

EMPHASISES SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

When Jenny founded Greenlight Ventures NZ, she conducted research both in New Zealand and overseas. A priority was to ensure social enterprises were part of the focus. For her, it was important to emphasise social entrepreneurship and to encourage young entrepreneurs. Through Greenlight Ventures NZ, she makes venture philanthropy one of the cornerstones of venture investment. Additionally, self-funding ensures the independence and agility of Greenlight’s work, which takes a social and ethical stance and sees venture philanthropy as a vital part of its mission.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Jenny is a socially responsible leader who never hesitates to give back to the community. She believes those who have been fortunate, have a responsibility to give back to the community and contribute as they can. Therefore, venture philanthropy plays an important role in her work. The benevolent leader asserts, “Everyone should strive to be a good citizen, regardless of their position. It has been encouraging to witness corporate social responsibility and impact investing become mainstream.” As she sees it, social

“EVERYONE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POSITION. IT HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING TO WITNESS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND IMPACT INVESTING BECOME MAINSTREAM”

conversations, initiatives, and summits she has been a part of, such as tackling global issues of access to justice and encouraging green and sustainable finance.

MANY FIRSTS FOR A WOMAN TO HER CREDIT

Jenny has a lot of firsts for a woman to her credit, such as being Chair of the NZ branch of the Maritime Law Association and as the NZ representative of the North Americabased International Insolvency Institute. As a senior partner of a top law firm and then as a leading barrister in New Zealand, she rose rapidly through the ranks at a time when women were rare in positions of leadership in commercial litigation. A proactive leader, Jenny is extremely curious by nature. Her drive to succeed propels her to try new things, follow her instincts, and be open to new opportunities. She believes that these traits have helped her achieve success throughout her career.

responsibility encompasses several aspects: support for humanity, the environment, the economy, and philanthropic endeavours. She says these aspects are instilled in Greenlight’s vision. Impact endeavours have been at the heart of Greenlight’s work from the beginning as she has been supporting impact entrepreneurship initiatives since 2015. For several years, Jenny was an active backer of impact awards. She has encouraged a greater understanding of wider social and economic issues, including funding and advising on a study by two economists to assess what ambition means to New Zealanders, and facilitating platforms to enhance policy debates.

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

Throughout her career, Jenny has earned immense recognition for her unwavering efforts. In 2021, she was named as Woman Entrepreneur of the year 2021 (Venture Capital and Private Equity) by APAC Entrepreneur.

KAVERI AMAL

PROVIDING A FILLIP TO MEDICAL TOURISM

The CEO and Founder of Ortil Healthcare, Ms. Kaveri Amal has carved a niche for the organization in the medical tourism sector. Under her leadership, the firm has emerged as an affordable, reliable, and impeccable service provider, which has been helping people far and wide to get access to the best medical care

An Electronics and Telecommunication engineer equipped with an MBA from the University of Northampton, Ms. Amal is on a mission to deliver excellent and economical medical healthcare via medical tourism. She founded Ortil Healthcare with the vision to establish a holistic medical service ecosystem encompassing a range of categories be it surgeries, Ayurveda, transplants, or cosmetology. Ortil Healthcare ensures effortless and seamless experiences to its clients across all the business verticals beginning with transportation, hospitalization, medical procedures, aftercare, and outpatient procedures along with local sightseeing to the journey back home with minimal expenses, all the while maintaining service quality. As a committed entrepreneur, Ms. Amal, also holding the position of Executive Director in one of the renowned companies in UAE - Al Zaabi Group, has consistently overcome all sorts of challenging bottlenecks, be it the government rules and regulations in the medical sector or COVID-induced lockdowns.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

A recipient of the Women Entrepreneur Award 2021, Ms. Amal has a unique leadership style. She is a firm believer in leading by example, as that inspires one’s team members the most. She is an open-minded leader who always encourages and nurtures her team to come up with out-of-the-box ideas. Her greatest attribute as a leader lies in her ability to harness the power of motivation. Ms. Amal attributes the success of Ortil Healthcare to the motivation and nudge that her husband Mr. Amal Vijayakumar provided her. She feels that even a little motivation can be a strong driving force. Transparent communication, a holistic corporate policy, well-defined and reasonable ground rules for workplace ethics and human resource management, as well as ensuring accountability at all organizational levels are the hallmarks of her governance policy.

STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE

Her family have been a consistent source of inspiration for her. Their unflinching support has helped her reach such great heights today. In fact, she herself has been beautifully juggling her roles both as a successful entrepreneur and a loving mother. She believes in maintaining work-

life balance and is of the view that it is not the quantity of time but the quality of time that one spends with their family is what matters the most. The key to her success, in fulfilling both professional as well as family obligations, lies in controlling and managing her time well.

A VISIONARY ENTREPRENEUR

Ms. Amal’s clear vision for the future has helped the company evolve and deal with the hurdles posed by the pandemic. Not one to shrug off her responsibilities, Ms. Amal launched a telemedicine facility to deal with the unexpected pressures that the pandemic and lockdowns brought with them. Telemedicine allowed the patients to receive timely expert medical attention and counseling without any hassle. She strategically reallocated her limited resources, conveyed critical insights to all her stakeholders, and set up a roadmap to revamp her business infrastructure to cater to the new reality of the pandemic. She has a crystal-clear approach for the future and plans to digitize and automate operations to streamline the entire process for all stakeholders.

“HER CLEAR VISION FOR THE FUTURE HAS HELPED THE FIRM DEAL WITH THE HURDLES POSED BY THE PANDEMIC”

Empathy, understanding client requirements, and developing professional relationships with a humanist approach have been her mantra as a leader in the medical tourism sector. She aims to leverage innovative and advanced technologies to put in place a diverse set of social welfare activities and environment-friendly operations, to make quality healthcare and medical treatments easily accessible for all.

In less than a decade of working at the trusted global supply chain solutions provider, Consus Global, Madhuri Govilkar, managing partner – APAC has turned around the company’s fortune. Under her leadership, Consus Global has been recognised as a Top 10 procurement services provider by CIO Asia. Madhuri has been an integral part of Consus Global’s growth in Asia. With Madhuri at the helm, Consus Global has shown yearon-year growth in South East Asian market, including India. The procurement and supply chain consulting firm today has customers in over 20 countries.

DIVERSIFICATION LEADING TO MAGICAL RESULTS

Holding a Bachelors of Engineering in Electronics and Communications from the Pune University, Madhuri has put together a very gender and race diversified team in APAC. She ensures that 90 per cent of the work force at Consus Global consists of the locals, and 50 per cent of them are women employees. To Madhuri’s credit, this propelled productivity at Consus Global, increased employee retention, and created a diversified and unique culture within the organisation. All of this has ultimately translated into a much higher customer success rate and longterm customer partnerships in Asia.

ALWAYS READY TO MENTOR

Madhuri believes in mentorship and creating more leaders in the market. She never fails to take time out of her schedule to guide aspiring supply chain and procurement students in Malaysia-based universities. She has trained students and professionals in latest procurement methods, sustainable supply chain management, and the techniques of procurement cost reduction. With only positive results to show on her report card, can the awards and recognition be far behind? Madhuri was feted with the Executive of the Year award at the prestigious Malaysia Management Excellence Awards 2021 by SBR Malaysia.

TEAMWORK IS DREAMWORK

Madhuri believes you are only as good as the team that works with you. She prides herself on being blessed with a go-getter team, which constantly pushes the envelope.

Being able to make a mark for Consus Global in the Asia region, she cherishes contributing to the growth of what she loves. She further believes in creating opportunities for her team and letting them lead.

Madhuri is savvy to realise that you cannot always do it all by yourself. Rightly so, she never shies to reach out to customers or external partners to drive the best results for their customers.

Her role demands travelling across Asia. Over the years, she has built a team which leads customer Support, business growth and successful project execution with efficiency and enthusiasm. Watching her team work together in different roles is the ultimate satisfaction for the boss lady.

AMBITIOUS PLANS

She feels that she is fortunate to be at Consus Global and is excited about helping hundreds of other organisations globally by using her domain expertise. She has been able to maximise adoption and deliver measurable ROI in the supply chain domain.

“HER MANTRA IS ‘IF YOU EMPOWER YOUR TEAM, SUCCESS FOLLOWS’ AS HIGHLY MOTIVATED TEAMS STAY LONGER”

In the next 2-3 years, she envisions Consus Global to be in the top 3 players in the platform driven procurement services space. Under her leadership, Consus Global is looking at 50 per cent CAGR year-on-year, delivering value to their customers. One thing is certain that she will always put customer interest first, delivering what is promised!

MADHURI GOVILKAR

HELPING BUSINESSES SCALE GREATER HEIGHTS

An accomplished businesswoman, Madhuri Govilkar is the Managing Partner of Consus Global, APAC. She leads some of the largest multi-country accounts in her region and has delivered over $200M procurement savings for the company. Her strategic direction led the company to expand in the South-East Asian and Indian markets

MANJU SHARMA

ACHIEVING SUCCESS THROUGH SHEER DILIGENCE

Ms. Manju Sharma is the Co-chairperson and Managing Director of Eternal Hospital in Jaipur. It is Rajasthan’s only hospital with USA’s Joint Commission International accreditation. Under her leadership, Eternal Hospital has scaled great heights and is ranked among the leading healthcare and medical research facilities in Rajasthan

Ms. Sharma was born in Myanmar and later moved to Delhi at a very young age. After completing her education in Jaipur, she moved to the United States with her husband, Dr. Samin Sharma, a renowned cardiologist. An encounter with the then Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhara Raje led to the inception of Eternal Hospital in 2007.

While the ground was allotted for the hospital’s building soon after, in 2009, Dr. Samin Sharma could not leave his medical practice in the US to move to India and oversee the construction. Ms. Sharma volunteered to shoulder this responsibility and ensured that the hospital was being constructed successfully.

She faced opposition from her family and friends, who were skeptical of her move – especially because she had been living in the US for the past 35 years and had not spent much time in India, nor did she have any experience supervising construction projects. This, however, did not deter Ms. Sharma. Her unwavering commitment combined with her mother’s support helped set up Eternal Hospital and achieve resounding success.

AN EPITOME OF PERSEVERANCE

Ms. Sharma is a strong advocate of believing in oneself and having confidence in one’s own abilities, ideas and principles, which eventually leads to success. Thus, despite the loss of her biggest supporter, her mother, Ms. Sharma persevered to make Eternal Hospital the success it is today simply because she believed that she could do it. The hospital has a knowledge sharing agreement with the renowned Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and provides world-class medical facilities to the citizens of Jaipur. Today, it is ranked among the leading healthcare and research institutions not only in Jaipur but entire Rajasthan.

Under her leadership, Eternal Hospital has grown by leaps and bounds. It has established a new tertiary care center, which comprises state-of-the-art infrastructure, advanced technology, and a well-structured and comprehensive information system. The Hospital also focuses keenly on research on developing new therapies and improving the existing treatment modalities.

ACCOLADES AND APPRECIATION

Ms. Sharma has been widely recognized for her contribution to the healthcare sector and was awarded the Leadership, Compassion, and Creativity Award by the Rajasthan Association of North America, New York, recognizing her work towards ensuring quality healthcare in Rajasthan. She was also bestowed with the Shaksiyat Awards in 2014 for her exemplary performance in the medical field. Furthermore, she received the Business Rankers Women Achievers Award in 2017 for being an extraordinary businesswoman in the health and wellness sector. In addition, she was also nominated in the ‘Icons of Health’ category and has been awarded the Business Leader of Rajasthan 2019 Award by the Economic Times for her achievements in business and entrepreneurship.

Additionally, in January 2019, Eternal Hospital was granted the prestigious accreditation for international standard healthcare for patients and organizational management by the Joint Commission International. Today, Eternal Hospital is ‘India’s foremost Centre for Excellence according to the American College of Cardiology.

“SHE FOCUSES ON PROVIDING EASILY ACCESSIBLE & EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED”

THE ROAD AHEAD

Today, Ms. Sharma focuses on providing easily accessible and equitable healthcare to the less privileged. She believes that Eternal Hospital’s best legacy would be to identify and deliver quality healthcare to those that the medical sector has so far underserved – such as those living in rural areas, still lacking access to good healthcare.

With more than 2 decades of experience, she has been working to promote a better understanding of Bhartiya (Indian) history, culture, and traditions, especially the Vedic and Epic eras. She proudly talks of her deep connections to Kampilya, the birthplace of the iconic Maharani Draupadi, and radiates the aura of a strong and empowered woman who has a deep connection with the Indian history. In line with the Vedic Aryan Bhartiya Sanskriti and Itihasa, her life’s mission is to bring to light the high status of women and gender parity. She has taken on many challenges in uncovering the truth about the roots of Bhartiya Sabhyata (Civilization), Sanskriti (Culture) and Itihasa (History).

THE BEGINNING OF A GLORIOUS CAREER

With a BA English (Hons) degree from Calcutta University she acquired post graduate qualifications like MA English, PGD Business Administration, and several special courses namely B.Ed., Project Cycle Management, Marketing, Communications and Planning. A well-versed knowledge explorer, getting selected by SIDBI in 1995, for an EDP at FICCI with Trainer from DST laid the foundation for her Business Entrepreneur journey of success. Soon she launched her own firm, ‘Make a Difference Marketing Associates,’ which took on design, strategy, and marketing work with leading corporations. Her company managed numerous noteworthy projects, including the launch of General Motors’ Opel Astra car, the Gillette-sponsored International Football Championships France 98, the celebrations of the 1999 Cricket World Cup event at New Delhi, and many more.

TAKING ADVERSITY IN HER STRIDE

from continuing as a social entrepreneur focused on promoting the truth on cultural heritage and history of societies. Her work has empowered countless women, youth, and farmers with vocational skills for better livelihood opportunities.

THE BIRTH OF DRAUPADI DREAM TRUST

Having recovered from a life-changing experience, a severely damaged retina prompted her to take a thanksgiving trip to her ancestral town Kampilya in the Farrukhabad district of UP. She was aghast to see the pitiful state of the Rameshwar Temple founded by Shatrughana (Lord Ram’s brother), Draupadi Yajnakund, and Chaumukhi Shiva temple founded by Draupadi after her Swayamvaar. This inspired her to revisit history and actively advocate for the revival, restoration, and recognition of our deep-rooted culture and heritage. Draupadi Dream Trust was thus conceived at the place of birth and Swayamvar of Devi Draupadi. The UP State logo is derived from Swamvaar feat of Arjuna.

A RESERVOIR OF TALENT

“SHE BELIEVES THAT SUCCESS RESULTS WITH SELFLESS KARMA WITH DHARMA, AS PREACHED BY SHRI KRISHNA”

She began her journey as a social entrepreneur in 2001, focusing on the history and cultural heritage. Unfortunately, during a FICCI-sponsored research trip in Jaipur in November 2000, she suffered a massive car accident. Her parents’ care and the support of her clients helped her recover within a few months. Despite the visual challenge caused by the near-fatal road accident, she has been marching ahead towards her mission with unwavering confidence. Her disability did not deter her

A great writer, she has 8 books, 15+ articles and many talks to her credit. Her notable works are ‘Revisiting Draupadi,’ ‘Indraprastha Revisited,’ ‘Mahabharata Manthan,’ ‘Mahabharata: Its Antiquity & Social Impact’ and ‘Ganga: The River of Sanatan Civilization.’ She has also served as Governing Body Member (1997-2005) & Honorary Business Consultant to FICCI Ladies wing, Expert Member MSME Committee on Policy for Women Empowerment, Consultant to MWCD’s World Bank ‘Swashakti’ project, UNIDO’s Chanderi project, and Advisor NCW Research on Women in Industry.

NEERA MISRA

CARVING HER OWN SUCCESS ROUTE WITH PASSION, GRIT & DETERMINATION

Ms. Misra calls herself a Student Emeritus of Ancient Bharatiya Civilization Culture and Itihas. An Independent Research Scholar, she is the Founder-Chairperson of Draupadi Dream Trust, registered in 2003 to decode the much-misunderstood Bhartiya Itihasa for the uninformed in order to restore the revered status of Draupadi

POLY PATNAIK

REDEFINING EDUCATION

The Founder and Principal of Mother’s Public School, Bhubaneshwar, Ms. Patnaik has been the torchbearer for transforming education in Odisha. She has played a major role in making the school as one of the best educational institutions in the state. It provides holistic education by focusing on academics as well as co-curricular activities

Born at Cuttack in Odisha, Ms. Patnaik completed her schooling from Sonabera HAL VSV School in Koraput (Odisha) in 1979 and moved to Bhubaneswar to study Humanities at the BJB College. She also completed Post Graduation in Teacher’s Training from the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Bhubaneswar from 1981 to 1985. She chose this course by SCERT to realise her childhood dream of establishing a school some day. Within a few months, Ms. Patnaik got married to a wellknown Bhubaneshwar-based interior designer and joined Kamala Nehru College in 1987, where she taught Psychology for a few years. She then returned to Koraput and started working as a primary class teacher in the same school where she had studied.

TURNING HER CHILDHOOD DREAM INTO A REALITY

With a marked sense of purpose and determination, Ms. Patnaik turned her childhood dream into reality. In 1991, she laid the foundation of the preschool called ‘Prakrit,’ with an initial investment of INR 30000, strength of 14 students in the age group of 2-9 years, and 5 teachers only. Ms. Patnaik initially worked as a lecturer in a college and then put all her earnings into the running of the school. Over the years, Prakrit provided preschoolers with an intellectually and creatively stimulating social and educational environment, and was eventually restructured into Mother’s Public School (Senior Secondary School). The school now boasts of a total strength of 2000 students who have been proving their mettle in academics year after year. With a good return on investment from the school, Ms. Patnaik opened Mother’s Public School’s first branch in Puri in 2015. Over the years, she also managed to set up 3 more branches in Rourkela, Pahal (Bhubaneswar) and Khandagiri (Bhubaneswar).

FOCUSING ON HOLISTIC EDUCATION

Ms. Patnaik believes that Mother’s Public School is a sanctum where curious and creative minds are allowed to blossom in a system governed by educational equity. With a blend of theoretical learning, unique pedagogical methods including tutorials, and extra-curricular activities, Ms. Patnaik and her team of hardworking and dedicated faculties have managed to create

a loving community of purposeful and constructive learning that focuses on the development of every child’s mind, body and spirit. As the school Principal, Ms. Patnaik is approachable to the students, parents, and the staff alike. She is a great listener and resolves their issues in a calm and composed way.

INCLINATION TOWARDS SOCIAL CAUSES

Ms. Patnaik is keenly inclined towards certain social causes. She ensures that the students actively participate in social activities regularly to get sensitized to the needs of the society in good and bad times. Besides, the school employs uneducated and poor single women and widows and helps them live a dignified life. It also includes their children in the mainstream education to help improve their future.

PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

“SHE EMPLOYS UNEDUCATED AND POOR SINGLE WOMEN AND WIDOWS & HELPS THEM LIVE A DIGNIFIED LIFE”

Ms. Patnaik has been bestowed with numerous awards and accolades for her pathbreaking contribution and constant endeavors in the field of school education. Some of them are ‘Global Principal Award 2021’ by Star Global Awards, ‘Times Power Odisha Award 2021,’ ‘CBSE Teacher’s Award 2009’ by Kapil Sibal (Former HRD Minister), ‘National Award for Teachers 2012’ by Shri Pranab Mukherjee (Former President of India), and the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta Samman’ in New Delhi on the 70th birth anniversary celebration of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

The founder of Citadel Law Chambers, Ms. Ramya Hariharan is an exceptional lawyer working conscientiously to take her firm to great heights. Her erudite and meticulous disposition has helped her achieve success in such a challenging profession, making her a role model for many. She works with a client-oriented approach to find pragmatic legal solutions to complex situations. A well acclaimed lawyer, she strongly believes that is the duty of a lawyer to protect the interest of its client in the best possible manner, while maintaining high ethical standards at all times. It is with this vision that she founded the firm, Citadel Law Chambers. As the firm completes two years, it has gained significant traction amongst the clients and peers.

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

It was by providence that Ms. Hariharan stepped into the field of law. She started her career as a litigation lawyer. After spending a few years in litigation practice and thereafterpracticing intellectual property laws, she joined Amarchand Mangaldas A Shroff & Co. (as it then was) where she was a part of the corporate practice of the firm and was involved in and successfully led several big ticket acquisitions, financing and restructuring assignments. She has also been a partner with Argus Partners and HSA Advocates. She re-embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in August 2020 after she moved out of HSA Advocates with her team to restart Citadel Law Chambers. Ramya had set up her independent practice in the name of Citadel Law Chambers after leaving Argus Partners and before joining HSA Advocates. She had later merged the practice with HSA Advocates before once again restarting Citadel.

MAKING HER MARK

has the lowest number of women working in the legal profession. However, women like Ramya are bringing a change by inspiring innumerable women with potential to follow their dreams and achieve their goals in the male-dominated society. She understands that only empowered women can empower women; she has made a place for herself in such a demanding profession, motivating other aspiring women to join the legal landscape.

DOMAIN OF WORK

Ramya is a corporate lawyer who has experience in general corporate advisory, mergers and acquisitions, business transfers and restructuring. Ramya also has experience in banking and finance transactions including in insolvency and restructuring. Her knowledge of debt and equity along with litigation experience helps her provide comprehensive legal solutions to her clients.

LAURELS AND RECOGNITIONS

Ms. Ramya has bagged many laurels in the field of law. She has been listed among the Top 100 lawyers in the Forbes Legal Power-list 2021. She has also been recognized as one of the 10 women legal consultants by CEO Insights.. She is also a on the board of several companies, including Tata group companies and is also a part of the corporate governance committee of CII.

“MS. RAMYA UNDERSTANDS THAT ONLY EMPOWERED WOMEN CAN EMPOWER OTHER WOMEN”

It is believed that a country truly flourishes only when it welcomes and accepts the opinions of its women. The records show that India

THE REINFORCEMENT

Ramya credits her success to her long standing client relationships and to the unflinching support extended by her team at every step. She believes that success is a journey to be enjoyed and not a destination to be reached.

RAMYA HARIHARAN

A BEACON OF INSPIRATION

Ms. Ramya Hariharan is a seasoned lawyer having more than two decades of experience in general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance and insolvency and restructuring. Apart from being a lawyer she is also a qualified company secretary. Ramya had also cleared the judicial services examination with flying colours and was ranked among the top 5, but the bar allured her more than the bench, and therefore she decided to pursue a career as a lawyer

SRI PREETHAJI

AIMING TO SPIRITUALLY AWAKEN MANKIND

Sri Preethaji’s spiritual journey began at the age of 9. When she was 17, she made a significant evolutionary breakthrough when she began to experience spontaneous states of the timeless and boundless levels of consciousness. In those divine experiences, she experienced reality without mental commentaries, where there was no judgement or chatter of the mind. As a result, she experienced a deep state of inner stillness. Additionally, there were days when the individual self completely disappeared, leaving only the experience, but not the experiencer. Her state was that of causeless bliss, where the defined boundaries of the past, present, and future disappeared. She felt as if her consciousness was in sync with the universal flow.

A SELFLESS LEADER

When asked about her career highpoint, the selfless leader says, “I don’t pursue a career, I live a mission.” She explains, “Every person I guide into a state of enlightenment beyond division and suffering is my greatest accomplishment.” The enlightened sage believes that leadership is a fundamental human trait; therefore, everyone has the potential to be a leader if he or she can

awaken to the state of connectedness and oneness with the ecosystem in which they live. She says, “I have built 4000 selfless leaders around the world working towards our vision of transforming humanity.” She adds, “Every member who is a part of our organisation is a volunteer inspired by the change they see in themselves and the potential this work has for transforming their world.”

TRAINING MINDS TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE

The spiritual leader is troubled by the fact that human minds can only see immediate consequences, thus always seeking shortterm gains. She holds that the ordinary mind lacks the training and ability to see the big picture, let alone to see the consequences in the long-term. The spiritual philosopher also believes that in essence, life on earth is interconnected, and what happens in one part of the world automatically affects and impacts other parts of it. Her life and her functioning are based on the realisation that, though each one of us operates as individuals in this world, we all are part of a unified consciousness. In order to enlighten people with her spiritual intelligence, the modernday sage travels more than 200 days around

Sri Preethaji, the Founder and Co-Creator of Ekam (a world centre for enlightenment) is a spiritual philosopher, enlightened mystic, and a transformational leader with millions of followers worldwide. In 2008, she, along with her husband Sri Krishna, founded Ekam, headquartered in Chennai, so that dedicated people seeking self-awakening could become a part of a blissful transcendental experience. Her spiritual journey has helped countless people climb the spiritual ladder and progress towards a state of love and peace which is ever evolving

the globe in a year. The wisdom, meditations, and unique processes she offers to enlighten the world are the result of her state of compassion and oneness.

A GOAL-ORIENTED LEADER

Sri Preethaji adds that her long-term goal is to transform 0.001% of humanity into enlightened beings who are actively engaged with the world, which now totals 78000 individuals. To that end, she provides online and live programmes in major cities around the world. In India, for example, she leads a three-day spiritual retreat called Bodhi, which draws thousands of people who want to have a direct personal experience of spiritual awakening, conscious wealth creation, relationship healing, and moving beyond childhood trauma. Such programs, according to her, serve as a starting point for thousands of people to begin their spiritual awakening journeys.

A CELEBRATED AUTHOR

Sri Preethaji is also a renowned author who has developed courses, processes, and retreats that have helped millions of people along their transformational journeys. Together, the couple has authored their book, ‘The Four Sacred Secrets,’ which is a bestseller in many countries to be an inner journey for any

seeker. Furthermore, she is also noted for her oratory skills. Over the past two decades, Sri Preethaji has delivered keynote speeches at major gatherings of conscious world leaders, including WME IMG, FIESP, Fudan University, CEISB, Flagship Summit in Los Angeles, Sun Valley Wellness Festival in Idaho, TEDx Kansas City, and TEDx Shanghai. In addition, she has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Authority, and The Huffington Post, and has been interviewed by major web platforms such as Goop, Marie Forleo, and Commune.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Corporate Social responsibility is deeply ingrained in her spirit. She says, “Corporate social responsibility is not just a concept or idea at our organisation, but a shared vision. As individuals, we are mindful of the impact of our actions on our fellow humans on physical, mental, spiritual levels, as well as our collective impact on the planet. Every level of our organisation recognises, addresses, and contributes to the well-being of each other and the millions of people it serves.”

As a part of her efforts to transform Indian villages into self-sustaining ecosystems where humanity and the natural world are able to live in harmony, Sri Preethaji and her husband developed the Lokaa Foundation. The foundation has adopted 1000 villages

“CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT JUST A CONCEPT OR IDEA AT OUR FIRM, BUT A SHARED VISION. AS INDIVIDUALS, WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT OF OUR ACTIONS ON OUR FELLOW HUMANS ON PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SPIRITUAL LEVELS, AS WELL AS OUR IMPACT ON THE PLANET”

in southern India. Moreover, through Lokaa Foundation’s drinking water project, safe water is provided to 22650 families daily through a network of 70 RO water purification plants. Additionally, her ‘Creating Forests’ project has planted 150 species of trees over 20 acres and boasts a multi-species ecosystem. The Foundation also organises medical camps in 1000 villages with a total of 33,000 beneficiaries. Such philanthropic projects have inspired a lot of young Indians to participate and contribute to the improvement of the underprivileged section of society.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Sri Preethaji and her daughter and husband launched ‘BLESS INDIA,’ a social initiative to save a hundred thousand COVID-29-affected lives in India. More than 50000 people who tested positive for a COVID-19 infection received a free kit consisting of four kinds of essential vitamins, an antiviral mask,

steam vaporizer, and a face shield. With each safety kit costing 10 USD, the compassionate leader inspired the national and international community to aid in distributing 50000 kits to COVID-19-infected villagers as well as frontline volunteers. What’s more, she was able to mobilise thousands of people online to meditate for two weeks to heal India and bring blessings to those who were suffering from the most tragic impacts of the deadly coronavirus.

Additionally, with Oneness Change Makers, another non-profit initiative by the transformational leader, she offers a lifechanging education program that transforms young people into transformative leaders to help them make a positive impact on schools, colleges, and neighbourhoods. Such selfless initiatives, as well as her vision of enlightenment, bear witness to Sri Preethaji’s efforts to make the world a better place.

The Epitome of Strong Leadership and Empowerment

Renowned for her excellent leadership qualities and philanthropic activities, the Managing Director of the Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL) Sudha Reddy is the perfect example of a strong and empowered woman. She is passionately driven towards social welfare, and channels the profits of the organization towards social work through the CSR initiatives of MEIL and her very own Sudha Reddy Foundation

Born in Hyderabad, Telangana, Mrs. Reddy grew up with an interest in fashion. She nurtured this interest over the years and eventually went on to attain a degree in fashion designing. She is also a graduate in Microbiology. Mrs. Reddy became an active participant in the social and philanthropic spheres after her marriage to prominent industrialist Mr. Megha Krishna Reddy. Over time, she became a connoisseur of art and fashion and was the first Hyderabad-based nonfilm luminary to attend the prestigious MET Gala event.

EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP

As the Director of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd., Ms. Reddy has taken several steps for the inclusive growth of her company. Being a big fan of Lady Diana, she tries to follow in her footsteps of philanthropy and community service and wants to set an example for women. She consistently encourages her team to work towards economic development and personal growth. She also motivates the women in her team to realize their potential and strive towards success and economic independence.

As the Head of the CSR division of MEIL, she has led many social development projects across India. She plays a salient role in the MEIL CSR initiatives, especially their campaigns for the empowerment of young girls. Through their CSR initiatives, MEIL actively participates in providing equitable academic opportunities and

healthcare to these young girls and also contributes to charities organised around the welfare of women and children. Some of its other social welfare drives are the delivery initiative to the New Life Society, an organization supporting children suffering from HIV since 2013, a clean drinking water initiative in a small village of Andhra Pradesh in 2019 and the construction of the oncology wing at Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad in 2021. During the coronavirus pandemic, Mrs. Reddy initiated the construction of thousands of oxygen beds and oxygen tanks to aid in the government’s efforts in fighting the disease.

Mrs. Reddy’s penchant for social work led her to start her foundation to look after the social welfare of the deprived section of society. Her endeavour contributes to society in many ways. She also collaborated with many famous global personalities for social welfare campaigns and initiatives.

An influential and lively personality, Ms. Reddy has taken a keen interest in interior designing and has modeled her home in the classical European style.

COMMITTED TOWARDS GROWTH & WELFARE

Having led MEIL in the role of Director for several years, Mrs. Reddy has always kept collective welfare in mind. As a leader, she has set an example by being humble and democratic, allowing the inputs and suggestions of her employees, and encouraging their active participation in

the organization. Mrs. Reddy’s inclusive brand of leadership has inspired hundreds towards excellence at MEIL, and continues to drive productivity and growth on a holistic level.

Ms. Reddy firmly believes that happy employees lead to happy customers. As a philanthropist, humanitarian, and social worker, Ms. Reddy understands the importance of empowering her employees and making them pro-active and capable of taking important decisions for the company. She believes that this will lead to the cumulative growth of the organization.

As Mrs. Reddy once quoted, “a company that cares for employee welfare, boosts its image and grows as a brand.” She also believes in motivating employees to generate innovative and sustainable solutions for the company.

She is currently implementing digital mediums to improve transparency and encourage and reform core principles of ethical and sustainable corporate governance of corporate governance procedures. Additionally, she is focusing on being accountable to the shareholders, reviewing the policies made for the employees in the company, and incorporating good working ethics in the organization. Instituting a professional board to overlook shareholder relationships, review internal policies, and improve MEIL’s work culture.

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER

PLACE

Her social approach showcases her

benevolent character and has played a significant role in enhancing her organization’s reputation worldwide. She feels proud that a major chunk of her company’s profit goes for social welfare via the Sudha Reddy Foundation and CSR division of MEIL, as she measures the success of a business by its social initiatives towards the betterment of society.

Under her exemplary leadership, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. mainly concerns itself the indigenization and innovation of groundbreaking technologies to build environment-friendly technological solutions. Currently, they are venturing out into the green energy space which promises to further India’s national mission of cutting on its carbon emissions. Apart from rendering a great amount of community service through MEIL’s CSR initiatives, she often collaborates with several known entities and companies for social welfare. She has collaborated with the famous English actress Elizabeth Hurley in a campaign for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Paris. She also came together with popular American actress Eva Longoria to raise founds for underprivileged children suffering from major chronic diseases in the Global Gift Gala Event that took place in 2019.

She has joined hands with several charitable organizations including Action Against Hunger, Fight Hunger Foundation, and The Mother Teresa Foundation. In 2017, the dedicated philanthropist also contributed a huge amount to the ‘Action Contre La Faim.’.

GARNERING AWARDS & RECOGNITION FROM ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE

Ms. Reddy has received several prestigious awards for her notable contributions in the field of business, technology, and social development. She recently received the Young Indian Women Achievers under 45 Award at Young FICCI Ladies Foundation 2021. She was nominated for the Global Gift Empowerment of Women Award. Apart from these awards, she has several other achievements. Being a young, intelligent, and passionate billionaire, she has become the face of many magazines including several editions of ‘You and was the showstopper of 10th anniversary celebration of the show organised by the ‘You and I’ magazine. At the prestigious MET Gala in 2021, she amazed everyone with her Falguni Shane Peacock haute couture outfit inspired by the American Revolution. Conducted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Met Gala is known to be one of the most successful charity events dedicated to art and fashion.

The diligence, dedication, focus, experiences, achievements, and humanitarianism of Ms. Reddy make her an exemplary leader. She is a great example for young women across the globe, who hope to one day balance their professional aspirations with their passions and dreams.

“BEING A PHILANTHROPIST, HUMANITARIAN, AND SOCIAL WORKER, MS. REDDY KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPOWERING HER EMPLOYEES AND MAKING THEM PRO-ACTIVE AND CAPABLE OF TAKING SOME IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THE COMPANY ”

17th Edition

Asia-Europe Business & Social Forum: Awards & Business Summit & World’s Greatest Brands and Leaders

2021-22 – Asia Americas Africa

The 17th Edition of Asia-Europe Business and Social Forum: Awards and Business Summit was organized on 12th April 2022 at London Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel, London, UK by URS-AsiaOne Magazine & URS Media Consulting P.L. The magnificent event witnessed the gracious presence of Mr. Mike Wood, Member of Parliament for Dudley South, Ms. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Member of Parliament for Streatham, Mr. Mark Logan, Member of Parliament for Bolton North East, Mr. Steve Baker, Member of Parliament for Wycombe, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Member of Parliament, and Founder, Cobra Group, and Ms. Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop, Mindfulness Expert, Singer & Actress, The Indian Film Industry.

he 17th Edition of Asia-Europe Business and Social Forum was a high-level Business Summit where the growth engines of the entire world were felicitated, and relevant discussions on the world economy were held.

Global Leader of the Year 2021-22/ Person of the Year 2021-22/ Global Asian of the Year 2021-22/ Global Indian of the Year 2021-22

Only par excellence leaders & brands from across India, the UAE, Africa, and US are worthy of being selected as AsiaOne Global Leader of the Year 2021-22, Person of the Year 202122, Global Asian of the Year 2021-22, and Global Indian of the Year 2021-22 and only 18 exclusive leaders were felicitated at the Summit for their special work in the industry and society: Ms. Jaya Vaidhyanathan, Mr. Ajayya Kumar, Dr. P Shyama Raju, Mr. Sanjjeev K. Singh, Mr. Pramod Sajja, Mr. Jitendra Mohan, Mr. Jagmohan Singh, Prof. Sunaina Singh, Dr. Mr. R.P. Banerjee, Mr. Swapnil Agarwal, Mr. Johan Bergwerff, Mr. Tarique Mustafa, Mr. Lalit Verma, Mr. Safwan Sobhan, Mr. Prateek Gattani, Mr. Dipak Choudhary, Mr. Shashank Shekhar, and Mr. Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

COVID-19 Commitment Awards 2021-22

We recognize such leaders who have perceived the current challenging times as an opportunity to rise above the rest and have thereby contributed to the revival of the economy and collective welfare of the society, nation and the world at large. Following the recipients of the prestigious award: Mr. Mike Wood, Ms. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Mr. Mark Logan, Mr. Steve Baker, and Ms. Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop.

Main Brand Awardees include: Paramount Software Solutions Inc, Emirates Logistics, Ghangor Cloud Inc., Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM), ASAR Digital Inc., InstaMortgage, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Divakar’s Speciality Hospital, Tea Time Group, ARTIST (Asian Research &

Training Institute for Skill Transfer), Mother’s Public School, Petuk Restaurant, Asian Specialized Hospital & Diagnostic Center, A R Trading, Bonjour, Murli Krishna Pharma Pvt. Ltd., Rahi One Travel, Navair International, GreytHR, Asia Shipping India, Incuspaze, Shriram Life Insurance, ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, International School of Hospitality Management (ISHM), Delta Corp Limited, SGGS Group of Companies, Care Hospital, Bidzapp, The Dhaka Mercantile Co-operative Bank ( DMCB), Xebia, Vertex Global Services, Paramount Software Solutions, Emirates Logistics, FMC Group, and Bashundhara Group.

Main Leader Awardees include: Mr. Ajay Harinath Singh, Mr. Sreejeet Pattnaik, Mr. Kunal Mehra, Mr. Arvind Sarangdhar, Mr. Vaibhav Sharma, Mr. Manodh Mohan, Dr. Ghanshyam Das Dhanuka, Mr. Pramod Sajja, Mr. Johan Bergwerff, Mr. Tarique Mustafa, Dr. , f. R.P. Banerjee, Mr. Sanjjeev K. Singh, Mr. Shashank Shekhar, Dr. Vishwajeet Rana, Mr. Naresh Gurnani, Mr. Dheeraj Thakur, Prof. Sasmitarani Samanta, Dr. G.V Divakar, Mr. Uday Srinivas Tangella, Dr. Hema Divakar, Ms. Santhoshi Reddy, Mr. Biplab Basu, Shri. Nitin Shriram More, Ms. Itisha Choudhary and Aishwarya Rohidas Rathod, Mr. D. Naresh Chowdhary, Mr. Harshit Singh , Mr. Shashank Vashishtha, Dhruv Verma , Roshni Mukherjee, Jamsheer Capsian , Dr. Durga Prakash Devarakonda, Mr. Sreejeet Pattnaik & Mrs. Poly Pattnaik, Vaibhav Sharma, Arvind Sarangdhar, Mr. Manodh Mohan, Mr. Kunal Mehra, Mr. Amardeep Sharma, Mr. Tejjas Parmar, Mr. Nikhil Jayaraj, Dr. Anuja Desai, Ln. Salauddin Ali, Mr. Raghupati Sen, Mr. Md Akkas Uddin, Dr. Satya Vadamani, Mr. Shafiqul Islam Rahi, Mr. Asheet Taneja, Mr. Sayeed Anjum / Mr. Girish Rowjee, Mr. Amit Tandon, Mr. Sanjay Choudhary, Mr. Manoj Jain, Prof. J. Mahender Reddy, Mr. Nirvik Saha, Mr. Jaydev Mody, Mr. Prakash Jaindani , Mr. Jasdeep Singh, Mr. Rajesh Dembla, Mr. Dipak Harke, Mr. Abu Zafar Chowdhury, Mr. Vijit Ghatge , Mr. Gagan Arora, Dr. R.P. Banerjee, Mr. Johan Bergwerff, Mr. Tarique Mustafa, Mr. Md. Yasin Chowdhury, and Mr. Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

Most Influential Young Leaders are Chosen Annually through a Passionate Research, Scouting across 16 Industries of Business and Leadership. Only the Most Worthy are Chosen. If You Also Feel That You Have It in You, Then Apply for Open Nominations on global@asiaoane.co.in with 500 Words on Your Achievements

SANIA MIRZA

RISHABH MARIWALA

Co-founder, Soap Opera N More Director, Sharrp Ventures

Youth is an Age of Achievements, Maturity & Triumphs - both Personal & Professional. Most Influential Young Leaders is a Compilation of Young Leaders from all over the world

MANASI KIRLOSKAR Executive Director & CEO, Kirloskar Systems Limited

CELESTIA FAITH CHONG Mrs Chinatown International All Nation & Beautiful Skin 2018-19, Director/Beauty Inspirer, Beauty De Concierge PL

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is a major blow to the global economy that has hurt growth and raised prices and is having major ramifications for the global economy, which is just recovering from the stress of the coronavirus pandemic. Global growth is expected to slump from 5.7 percent in 2021 to 2.9 percent in 2022— significantly lower than 4.1 percent that was anticipated in January 2022. It is expected to hover around that pace over 2023-24, as the war in Ukraine disrupts activity, investment, and trade in the near term, pent-up demand fades, and fiscal and monetary policy accommodation is withdrawn. As a result of the damage from the pandemic and the war, the level of per capita income in developing economies this year will be nearly 5 percent below its pre-pandemic trend.

The current global economic conditions are similar to the stagflation of the 1970s. The current juncture resembles the 1970s in three key aspects: persistent supplyside disturbances fueling inflation, preceded by a protracted period of highly accommodative monetary policy in major advanced economies, prospects for weakening growth, and vulnerabilities that emerging market and developing economies face with respect to the monetary policy tightening that will be needed to rein in inflation. However, the ongoing episode also differs from the 1970s in multiple dimensions: the dollar is strong, a sharp contrast with its severe weakness in the 1970s; the percentage increases in commodity prices are smaller;

Despite the fact that the Russian troops amassed on the Ukrainian border for months, there was still a collective disbelief at Russia’s audacious invasion of its sovereign neighbour on 24 February’22, as Russian tanks entered Ukraine, and the latter’s citizens turned into refugees, trying to escape the war zone. The European Union responded by implementing sanctions against Russia, sending weapons to Ukraine and accommodating the displaced. As the war lingers on with no seemingly feasible solution in sight, the ripple effects of the conflict are being felt in numerous sectors: energy, food and agriculture, and services and travel. This feature attempts to examine the impact of the war on global economy

BY RICHA SANG

KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)

“The war in Ukraine is devastating the lives of millions of people and severely affecting the Ukrainian economy. The war and the unprecedented sanctions imposed

on Russia are having far-reaching consequences. They come at a delicate time for Africa. Just as the global economy and the continent are beginning to recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, this new crisis threatens to undo some of that progress. Africa is particularly vulnerable to impacts from the Ukraine war through four main channels— increased food prices, higher fuel prices, lower tourism revenues, and potentially more difficulty accessing international capital markets. This is a critical moment for the international community and policymakers to come together and sustainably address the ongoing crises.”

ECONOMIC RIPPLES OF RUSSIAUKRAINE WAR

GRIPPING THE GLOBE

the interconnected global economy

GLOBAL ECONOMIC PROSPECTS

SOUTH ASIA: Growth is projected to slow down to 6.8% in 2022 and 5.8% in 2023.

East Asia and Pacific: Growth is projected to decelerate to 4.4% in 2022 before increasing to 5.2% in 2023.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA: Growth is forecast to accelerate to 5.3% in 2022 before slowing down to 3.6% in 2023.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: Growth will be to moderate to 3.7% in 2022 and will rise to 3.8% in 2023.

EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA: The regional economy is expected to shrink by 2.9% in the year 2022 before growing by 1.5% in the year 2023.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: Growth is projected to slow down to 2.5% in 2022 and 1.9% in 2023.

and the balance sheets of major financial institutions are generally strong. More importantly, unlike the 1970s, central banks in advanced economies and many developing economies now have clear mandates for price stability, and, over the past three decades, they have established a credible track record of achieving their inflation targets.

Even though global inflation is expected to moderate next year but it will likely remain above inflation targets in many economies. If inflation remains elevated, a repeat of the resolution of the earlier stagflation episode could translate into a sharp global downturn along with financial crises in some emerging market and developing economies.

The war’s effects on energy markets are clouding the global growth outlook. The

war in Ukraine has led to a surge in prices across a wide range of energy-related commodities. Higher energy prices will lower real incomes, raise production costs, tighten financial conditions, and constrain macroeconomic policy especially in energy-importing countries. Both Russia and Ukraine are major commodity producers, and disruptions have resulted in soaring global prices, especially that of oil and natural gas. In fact, both these countries account for up to 30% of the global exports for wheat, and as a result, food prices, too, have jumped. The conflict has made the entire global economy feel the effects with slower growth and faster inflation. In fact, the conflict delivered a second major shock to the global economy in two years and caused a humanitarian catastrophe. The following areas of concern arising out the Russia-Ukraine war need immediate attention of the world.

DECLINING GROWTH

Currently, growth in advanced economies is projected to sharply decelerate from 5.1 percent in 2021 to 2.6 percent in 2022 — 1.2 percentage point below projections in January 2022. Growth is expected to further moderate to 2.2 percent in 2023, largely reflecting the further unwinding of the fiscal and monetary policy support provided during the pandemic. Among emerging market and developing economies, growth is also projected to fall from 6.6 percent in 2021

DAVID MALPASS PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK

“The war in Ukraine, lockdowns in China, supply-chain disruptions, and the risk of stagflation are hammering growth. For many countries, recession will be hard to avoid. Markets look forward, so it is urgent to encourage production and avoid trade restrictions. Changes in fiscal, monetary, climate and debt policy are needed to counter capital misallocation and inequality.”

to 3.4 percent in 2022 — well below the annual average of 4.8 percent over 20112019. The negative spillovers from the war will more than offset any near-term boost to some commodity exporters from higher energy prices. Forecasts for 2022 growth have been revised down in nearly 70 percent of EMDEs (Emerging Market and Developing Economy), including most commodity importing countries as well as four-fifths of low-income countries.

Thus, there arises the need for decisive global and national policy action to avert the worst consequences of the war in Ukraine for the global economy. This will involve global efforts to limit the harm to those affected by the war, to cushion the blow from surging oil and food prices, to speed up debt relief, and to expand vaccinations in low-income countries. It will also involve vigorous supply responses at the national level while keeping global commodity markets functioning well. In fact, policymakers should refrain from distortionary policies such as price controls, subsidies, and export bans, which could worsen the recent increase in commodity prices. Against the challenging backdrop of higher inflation, weaker growth, tighter financial conditions, and

DR. ARIF HUSAIN CHIEF ECONOMIST AND DIRECTOR, RESEARCH, ASSESSMENTS AND MONITORING DIVISION, UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

limited fiscal policy space, governments will need to reprioritize spending toward targeted relief for vulnerable populations.

POVERTY AND HUNGER

As per World Bank’s baseline projection, Ukraine’s poverty, based on the $5.50 per day threshold rate, will increase

“Frankly I’m extremely worried. People in Ukraine are in a disastrous situation and they’re fighting for their lives. But this disaster is beyond borders. It is also going to hurt people thousands of miles away. While a military conflict in Ukraine was always going to have some impact on the world’s food supply, the timing of this unnecessary, unwanted, unjustified war couldn’t have been worse.”

from 1.8% in 2021 to 19.8% in 2022. In addition, a more severe and protracted war could lead to poverty affecting nearly 30% of the population. The latest surge in food prices could push an additional 40 million people under the $1.90-perday poverty line. The repercussions of the war are being felt all over the globe.

5 KEY AREAS FOR POLICYMAKERS TO AVOID THE WORST OUTCOMES OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISES:

CIRCUMSCRIBE THE HARM TO PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE WAR IN UKRAINE: By coordinating the crisis response, including delivery of emergency food, medical, and financial aid to war-torn areas, the effects of war need to be mitigated. Measures to be devised to share the burden of housing, supporting, and possibly relocating refugees and internally displaced people.

COUNTER THE RISE IN OIL AND FOOD PRICES: It’s essential to boost the supply of key food and energy commodities. Markets look forward, so even mere announcements of future supply would help reduce prices and inflation expectations. In the poorest nations at greatest risk of a food crisis, social safety nets should be buttressed. It’s also crucial to avoid export and import restrictions that lead to the rise in prices.

INITIATE DEBT-RELIEF EFFORTS: For low-income countries, debt vulnerabilities were acute even before the pandemic. As debt distress spreads to middle-income

countries, the risk for the global economy is constantly growing. Debt relief needs to be rapid, comprehensive, and sizable so as to minimize debt overhang and risks to future growth.

BOOST HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND EFFORTS TO CONTAIN COVID-19: Ensuring vaccination coverage in lowincome countries, including that for COVID-19 vaccinations, must be a global priority.

FACILITATE SWIFT TRANSITION TO LOW-CARBON

ENERGY SOURCES:

Enhancing investments in electricity grids, cleaner energy sources, and greater energy efficiency are necessary for reducing dependency on fossil fuels. Climatesmart regulatory frameworks should be created, incentive structures should be adjusted, and land use regulations should be strengthened. Long-term prosperity, after multiple crises, will depend on returning to faster growth and a more stable, rules-based policy environment.

the interconnected global economy

Steeper price increases for food and fuel may lead to a greater risk of unrest in some regions, from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America to the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is estimated that food insecurity is likely to further increase in parts of Africa and the Middle East. The conflict has also disrupted Ukraine’s planting and harvest season, destroyed critical fields, stores, infrastructure and production, especially in eastern Ukraine. Moreover, the conflict has resulted in shipping being halted from the Black Sea, from where about 90% of Ukraine’s grains are exported.

With respect to the Middle East and North Africa, rising prices may lead to social tensions, especially in countries with weaker social safety nets, fewer job opportunities, limited fiscal space and unpopular governments. This extends to Egypt which imports about 80% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine. According to IMF, food pressures in Asia should be eased by local production and greater reliance on rice than wheat. It is of the view that costly food and energy imports will boost consumer prices, though subsidies and price caps for fuel, food and fertilizer may ease the immediate impact — but with fiscal costs.

ENERGY TRADE

Energy is the main spillover channel for Europe, with Russia being a prominent provider of natural gas. The price rise for European natural gas have been particularly sharp because of their limited spare capacity, including that of import

and export terminals, and the constraint that natural gas must be transported as liquified natural gas. Economies reliant on oil imports are likely to experience wider fiscal and trade deficits along with more inflation pressure. However, exporters in Middle East and Africa may benefit from higher prices. In the long term, the war may fundamentally alter the global economic and geopolitical order in case there’s a reconfiguration of supply chains, fragmentation of payment networks, shift in energy trade and countries rethink reserve currency holdings.

During the ongoing tensions, reluctance to buy Russian gas caused the price of Urals to trade at a discount of more than $20/bbl. in comparison to brent. By late March, the price of Brent crude oil eased somewhat, to above $100/bbl., with the price falling after the United States announced plans to release from its reserves about 1 million barrels of oil per day over a period of six months. According to the International Energy Agency, oil prices were already rising prior to the war alongside a rebound in demand that accompanied the global economic recovery and after supply concerns remerged when OPEC+ production fell short of expectations amid limited spare capacity.

COMMODITY TRADE

Wider supply-chain disruptions may arise due to rising fuel prices. Disruptions, sanctions and higher commodity prices also bear the potential of troubling global value chains. This may exacerbate the

KHARKIV PACT : A RAY OF BLEAK HOPE

On July 22nd in Istanbul, the UN Secretary-General Mr António Guterres and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, brokered a deal, touted as an “unprecedented agreement” on the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea amid the ongoing war and “a beacon of hope” in a world that desperately needs it, by Mr. Guterres. The deal aimed at clearing the way for exporting millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain — as well as Russian grain and fertilizer — ending a wartime standoff that had threatened food security around the globe. However, the deal has eventually emerged as a ray of bleak hope. This is because even though the agreement included Russian assurances that it would not attack port facilities, Russia attacked the Black Sea port city of Odesa less than 24 hours after the two countries agreed to a deal to resume shipments of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain and mitigate a global food crisis

ongoing strains and add to prolonged delivery times and high production costs for manufacturers across the globe. Despite the fact that Russia and Ukraine combined account for less than 3% of global exports and less than 2% of global imports, the conflict and subsequent sanctions have negatively impacted trade connectivity by disrupting transit routes, particularly for maritime container shipping and air freight traffic. Further, higher fuel prices and insurance premiums have pushed up shipping costs. Supply chains for high-value goods and critical components, specifically automotive and electronics; particularly bore the brunt of interruptions in the trade corridor between Europe and Asia. The war has indeed cut off European carmakers from supplying key parts such as wiring systems manufactured in

Ukraine. This has halted some assembly lines. Bottlenecks have also affected industries including food, construction, petrochemical and transport.

Services and Travel

The ongoing war has resulted in a negative global impact on services trade as outbound travel was disrupted with airspace closures, travel restrictions, sanctions and increased fuel prices. Russia and Ukraine are among the top 10 countries for total global departures and a key source of revenue for tourismreliant countries in the Europe, East Asia and the Pacific, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Unfortunately, the war is likely to stall the post-pandemic recovery in international tourism, which was already suffering from ongoing COVID-19 disruptions. A further intensification of geopolitical tensions

AYHAN KOSE CHIEF ECONOMIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE PROSPECTS GROUP, EQUITABLE GROWTH, FINANCE, AND INSTITUTIONS (EFI), WORLD BANK

“Developing economies will have to balance the need to ensure fiscal sustainability with the need to mitigate the effects of today’s overlapping crises on their poorest citizens. Communicating monetary policy decisions clearly, leveraging credible monetary policy frameworks, and protecting central bank independence can effectively anchor inflation expectations and reduce the amount of policy tightening required to achieve the desired effects on inflation and activity.”

could trigger a renewed decline in international tourism.

DEBT RESERVICING AND FINANCE

There is an existence of high debt among emerging markets and developing economies, which account for about 40% of the global GDP. The challenge before policymakers is to trade between containing inflation and preserving economic recovery post pandemic.

The ongoing crisis has added the geopolitical tensions for developing countries that are major commodity importers or dependent on tourism or remittances. External borrowing costs are rising with bond spreads up by an average of 20 basis points in Africa. Further, countries with high debt, limited reserves and payments due in the nearterm, for instance Sri Lanka, which was considering an IMF funding to service its debt burden, have been placed in a vulnerable situation.

Advanced economies with exposure to Russian financial assets, including some Italian, French and Austrian banks, are most likely to experience financial spillovers. Their exposure to the sanctioned country’s economy is through business ties and local presence. As a result, European bank stocks lost more than a fifth of their value since the onset of the war, but high capital adequacy and liquidity ratios have cushioned the impact.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS 2022

Youth is the most imperative and dynamic fragment of the population in any nation. They are the backbone of any nation’s economy and are the building blocks of a country. Their undying entrepreneurial spirit, ingenious and brilliant ideas, active participation, aesthetic and skillful execution coupled with their cooperative and inclusive networking lead organizations to unprecedented success. Their indomitable spirit to sail through the unchartered territories, and achieve the unimaginable, is an inspiration for millions. The following pages give you a glimpse of a few of such young leaders who are tomorrow’s trendsetters and very well deserve the title of Most Influential Young Leaders 2022

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Anant has been fascinated with journalism since he was a child. During his college years, he was a noted blogger on The Huffington Post. The passionate leader graduated from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He earned his Master’s Degree from the Annenberg School for Journalism, USC, with Dean’s scholarship. He has been efficiently carrying forward the legacy of excellence established by his father, Mr. Viveck Goenka and his grandfather, the Late Shri Ramnath Goenka, the Founder of The Indian Express Group.

A SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY

Anant worked at Spenta Multimedia and with Bloomberg’s commercial division in the UK before joining The Indian Express Group in January 2012 as the Head of New Media. He was appointed as Executive Director in July

ANANT GOENKA

CHARTING HIS OWN ROUTE TO SUCCESS

Mr. Anant Goenka, Executive Director of The Indian Express Group, is an entrepreneur par excellence and a key figure in the field of journalism. The influential leader has a high degree of intellectual integrity and stands by his convictions

2016. Since then, the tenacious leader has focused relentlessly on retaining the legacy of The Indian Express Group’s uncompromising, independent journalism and growing its reach across print and digital media.

KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE

Anant has been guiding The Indian Express Group’s digital growth following its enduring values of fairness, accuracy, and courage in a news environment dominated by political activism and yellow journalism. These values instilled by his grandfather continue to shape the group’s investigative journalism even today. Under his leadership, The Indian Express Group has become one of the largest digital news groups in the world, with 190 million unique readers per month. It is now publishing in 6 languages including Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali. Mumbai’s Loksatta has emerged as the most popular Marathi website in the country, surpassing the dominant regional media organizations. In the first week of its launch, Loksatta’s Android app was downloaded 10000 times, which is quite an incredible feat. Additionally, Jansatta. com, India’s largest Hindi news site, is also operated by The Indian Express Group. In 2017, Anant spearheaded the launch of ieMalayalam. com, a website dedicated to bringing quality journalism to Kerala. It was quickly followed by ieTamil. The Indian Express Group is a rapidly growing digital-first news entity with ambitious plans to grow in new markets both in India and globally along with a slate of exciting new products launching in emerging content formats. Anant’s goal is to use technology as a catalyst to help perpetuate Ramnath Goenka’s legacy of fearless and ethical journalism around the world. He’s enthusiastic about expanding The Indian Express Group’s reach into new markets and formats as he envisions the emergence of three distinct types of news media in India over the next decade.

A BORN LEADER

Like his grandfather, Anant is also one of the most vocal advocates of investigative journalism. A series of investigations conducted by The Indian Express Group under his direction, including the Panama Papers, Videocon-ICICI transactions, WhatsApp lynchings across India, and vacant engineering colleges, have shaped public discourse and sparked policy reforms.

STRIKING THE PERFECT WORK-LIFE BALANCE

“ANANT IS ONE OF THE MOST VOCAL ADVOCATES OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM”

Having been a teaching assistant in college to the course “History of News Media in America,” Anant has a rare hobby of collecting old newspapers and magazines from around the world. He is also an aviation buff, flies propeller aircrafts recreationally. He makes time to play the drums and other percussion instruments and cherishes the time he spends with his 20-month old son Aarav Raam.

GLOBAL YOUTH ICON OF THE YEAR

ABHISHEK JAJOO

SHAPING A BRIGHT FUTURE THROUGH FINTECH

The world of finance is full of skilled professionals. But it takes more than skills to make a name for oneself. Abhishek brings credibility, rich experience, and business values to the table, making him stand tall as one of the formidable leaders in the fintech space

Founding Partner & CEO at AJMS Global Consulting, Abhishek is a well-known name among many fintech enthusiasts. He is the founder of AJMS Global, a boutique consulting firm incepted in 2018. Under his leadership, a mere 4-year-old firm AJMS Global Consulting has become a Superbrand in the Middle East. Within a short span, he has expanded the operations of the firm in many countries across the Central and South Asia and the Middle East. Along with this flagship firm, he has founded and managed many sizeable firms such as AInsurtech (IT Services and IT Consulting company)and RemitEx Technologies or “DIGI” (a Regtech solutions company). Abhishek’s unique contributions to the financial world separate him from many others in this industry. On one hand, he is making real-life changes by establishing and working with many fintech and banking companies and on the other, he is spearheading innovation in finance with his thought leadership.

A VERSATILE PROFESSIONAL

He has honed several skills. His journey of building expertise started with his degrees in finance. He has a doctorate in FinTech Innovation from Ecole Superieure Robert De Sorbon, an MBA from the Xavier Institute of Management, MS (Finance), and also earned the ACAMS certification. Certifications in Blockchain, Python, and other emerging financial technology help him keep up with the latest trends in the FinTech world. Thanks to the strong knowledge base and his passion for continuous learning, Abhishek has gained expertise in comprehensive frameworks of risk management related to market, operations, regulation, internal control, auditing, and much more.

He has also worked with a large number of banks and other financial institutions in various capacities. The clients that have benefited from Abhishek’s work include major MNC banks, insurance companies, finance houses, exchange companies and many more.

RECOGNIZED BY MARKETS & INSTITUTIONS

His work is recognized by both markets and institutions, which appreciate his work by collaborating with his firms. The client retention rate at AJMS and DIGI is around 95% – a rarity in the industry. Institutions recognize Abhishek’s work by awarding him and the firms founded and managed by him with jobs of critical importance. Leading media organizations of various countries have reported RemitEx as one of the fastest growing FinTech unicorns in the Middle East, and AJMS as the fastest growing and dominant GRC powerhouse. For its unique services, AJMS has been felicitated by Dubai Economy. AJMS’ novel product Actuarial Disclosures & Profitability Tool (ADPT) grabbed the award for the best actuarial and IFRS 17 solution for 2022 at the InsureTech Conference held in Dubai.

LONG ROAD AHEAD

“ABHISHEK STRONGLY BELIEVES THAT FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP SOLVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES FACED BY SOCIETY”

Abhishek feels that he has to work even harder to boost FinTech innovation. This is exactly why he is promoting many companies that are running at the forefront of the payments technology sector. Many fintech companies are now providing financial services to customers who were earlier unbanked and, many startups are focusing on millennials to help them learn financial management for a more secure life. Abhishek strongly believes that financial technology can help in solving a lot of challenges faced by society and intends to work in this direction.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Mr. Aizaz is based in India and holds an MSc and an MBA. With an analytical mindset and a strong aptitude for strategy, he possesses excellent people management and communication skills. He brings a lot of vigor, commitment, and honesty to the work. One reason for his first continuous growth is his relentless pursuit of excellence and not resting on his laurels. He continuously strives to keep his customers happy and participate in making of digital India.

A FIRM TEAM LEADER

His perspicacity helped him manage a professional team of consultants from various countries, culture and successfully deliver critical, time-bound projects in digital banking technology and operational process optimization of the Issuance and Acquiring platform. He is a team player, a coach, and a mentor for his squad,

AIZAZ TAHSILDAR

A CONSCIENTIOUS LUMINARY

With 20+ years of multinational experience, Mr. Aizaz adeptly shoulders a diverse portfolio of projects ranging from digital banking tech, portfolio analytics, franchise development, brand management, compliance & risk management, and retail & enterprise banking to digital payments and Fintech

and he periodically adopts the roles of coach, visionary, authoritarian, and pacesetter.

ENSURING EXCELLENCE

Mr. Aizaz’s decade-long experience in fintech industry has been extremely beneficial for the organization. Mr. Aizaz introduced excellent governance-related reforms as a crucial necessity for success. He and his team possess the necessary critical skills to ensure that governance is taken more seriously and new digital payment channels are quickly launched into the market in full compliance with necessary regulations. His firm Indipaisa collaborated with Indian Payments Bank, licensed lenders and insurers to provide topnotch fintech services at competitive pricing and assist small Indian companies keep up with the country’s digital move toward a cashless society. The company is dedicated to innovation, in-depth subject matter knowledge, and technical fintech competence that the Indian SME market requires.

EXPLORING NEW VENTURES

Mr. Aizaz has established himself as a leader who recognizes the importance of MSMEs in the Indian market. For a decade, his organization has been supplying digital banking technology to various regions in MENA, Asia, and Europe and now the focus is towards India with a brand name “Indipaisa”. His business is already live with merchants in Delhi/NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka and has recently collaborated with banks and fintech companies in India to deliver end-to-end digital commercial banking solutions, driven by social networks, to millions of underserved Indian micro-SMEs. He has experienced and comprehended the issues encountered by MSMEs on several occasions. In order to address this, he developed disruptive product development with his team, which has been guided over the past ten years by AI and Machine learning analysis of MSME needs.

AWARDS GALORE

“HIS FIRM INDIPAISA PARTNERED WITH LOCAL BANK & PAYMENT FIRMS TO PROVIDE BEST FINTECH SERVICES AT COMPETITIVE PRICING”

Mr. Aizaz’s expertise in his field has turned him into a trendsetter for which he has been awarded several honors globally. His firm was recognized as the “Best Technology Company in the Middle East” during the “Qatar Business Awards 2019.” Receiving the title of “No. 1 Fintech Company in Qatar” for his organization is yet another feather in his hat, along with awards such as the “Best Mobile Money App in the Middle East” and the “Best Payment Processing Company in the Middle East”.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

AMARDEEP SHARMA

GROWING TOGETHER WITH CUSTOMERS

The Senior Executive Officer & Board Member of Dubaibased Greenback Capital Limited, has a vibrant experience and knowledge in several fields of finance. His rich experience spans multiple geographical locations including India, Oman, Indonesia, Colombia, and the UAE

Amardeep embarked on his entrepreneurial journey in 2001 after completing his MBA from Saïd Business School, The University of Oxford. The well-versed leader is a Bachelor in Mathematics and holds two MBA degrees from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies and the University of Oxford. Having years of experience in asset management, capital raising, M&A transactions, Investment banking, Amardeep has efficiently dealt in products, such as distressed assets, alternate investments, private equity, joint ventures for the projects, renewable energy, trade finance, fixed income, global equities, and debentures.

He currently serves as the SEO and board member of Greenback Capital Limited, a DIFC-based category 3C licensing firm controlled by the DFSA. He and his founding members conceptualized the company in response to a serious lack of transparency in the financial advisory sector. The proactive leader plays a key role in the company’s growth across all verticals – EAM, ECM, DCM, Structured product, Financial Advisory, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Capital Raising, and Investments through Fund. Moreover, the experts at Greenback Capital have combined experience of more than 25-30 years in the investment and fund management industry. As opposed to other financial advisory companies that are either External Asset Managers or purely Investment Banks, Greenback Capital provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. Amardeep has helped his company become very prominent in the market by bringing in numerous prestigious clients, and investments avenues. Under his stewardship, the company has handled innumerable funds in the Indian market during its fouryear journey, and it currently manages $500,000 worth of funds internationally. Owing to his dedicated eforts, Greenback Capital aims to further establish its presence in the global arena by setting up offices in London and Singapore.

CUSTOMER IS THE KING

Amardeep ensures that his firm offers his clients the best investment options. His clients

are guaranteed unparalleled freedom when it comes to selecting the right investments. Clients also get to invest in long-term equity funds, media & entertainment funds, private equity funds, fixedincome funds, real estate funds, and speciation situation funds to receive maximum returns. Moreover, Greenback experts have a wide range of experience beyond External Asset Management. Further, the company takes care of its client’s needs by taking a multi-fund approach to fund management. Additionally, it offers a variety of alternative investments solutions, through which clients can invest in different asset classes across the globe. The unmatched flexibility offered to the clients has been possible because of the excellent network of relationships the Greenback experts have developed over decades.

COMMITTED TO INCLUSIVENESS

“UNDER HIS DIRECTION, THE FIRM HAS HANDLED INNUMERABLE FUNDS, & IT CURRENTLY MANAGES $500,000 FUNDS GLOBALLY”

Amardeep ensures a balanced portfolio of investments for his firm, as well as a gender-balanced roster of employees when it comes to gender representation in the workforce. Women form a major part of the workforce at Greenback. Regarding inclusiveness, the leader explains that his company is not made up of employers and employees, but rather a group of entrepreneurs who work together for achieving the same goal.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Arvind, the CEO and the Managing Director of Four Corner Innovation and Construction Limited, has accomplished what very few young entrepreneurs manage to do in a foreign land within a significantly short span. His less-than-a-decade-old firm is now the go-to one-stop point for construction management, contract management and project management services in Nigeria.

The 30-something leader, based in Nigeria is armed with a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from KITS Nagpur University, and has completed the PGPPM from the National Institute of Construction Management and Research. His thirst for learning and knowledge led him to further pursue a certificate programme in Restaurant Design and Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

ARVIND SARANGDHAR

THE NEOTERIC LEADER IN THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

In a remarkably short time, Arvind Sarangdhar has established Four Corner Innovation and Construction Private Limited as one of the reputable and preferred construction and finishing business companies in Nigeria. Its perpetual growth testifies his pursuit of excellence

QUALITY ASSURED AT COMPETITIVE PRICES

Today, Four Corner Innovation and Construction Limited is the leading construction and finishing company in Nigeria. Arvind and his company are committed to delivering as well as constructing various top-quality infrastructural projects and contribute to raising the standard of living in the Nigerian cities. The young turk, known for timely completion of his projects, does all of this at remarkably competitive prices.

He has successfully catapulted his firm to become one of the wellrecognised companies in Nigeria. Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s maxim ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,’ Arvind has done wonders for the design & quality of construction. In the last few years, he has planned, designed, and supervised the construction of various civil, commercial and hospitality properties in Nigeria.

A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO

Arvind takes great pride in his company’s credibility and calibre in all the aspects of civil construction and finishing work. Through his firm, Arvind shoulders a diverse portfolio of projects, ranging from furnishing and designing projects to renovation and mini private development projects. In a largely capital intensive sector, Arvind has built factories for prominent Nigerian organisations such as the AFL Group, the Vista Group, the Dangote Group, the Darvesh Group. He has helmed housing projects for the Federal Mortgage Bank, built showrooms for the Simba Group and even constructed luxury residences for HNIs in Nigeria.

Arvind has also designed more than 16 restaurants in Nigeria, namely The Vue, Abuja, Cilantro, Abuja, Hard Rock Café Lagos, Cilantro VI, 343 Degree North, Carribbean Knights, Pondicherry, and Jalsa among others. Arvind has also worked on projects as diverse as the Novare shopping mall, Abuja, Cilantro Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja and Jalsa Army Barrack Ikeja, Lagos.

AWARDS GALORE

“ARVIND’S DEDICATION TO HIS VOCATION HAS TURNED HIM INTO A POPULAR FIGURE IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS ”

Arvind’s steadfast dedication to his vocation has turned him into a sought-after figure in the construction and finishing business in Nigeria. He has been awarded with several honours for his exemplary contribution to the field of construction and design. He has been recognised as the Business Leader of The Year and the Best Real Estate/Project Developer in Luxury Restaurant Business by the World Leadership Congress. The firm’s continuous growth is a testimony to his being relentless in his pursuit of excellence, and not resting on his past laurels. When it comes to keeping his customers happy, he leads by example.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

CHANDER AGARWAL

HITTING THE BULLS-EYE

Mr. Chander Agarwal, the Managing Director of Gurugrambased TCI Express Limited, India’s prominent time-definite express distribution company, is known for his flair for leadership. A goal-driven leader, he believes in aiming high and reaching newer and brighter horizons in life

Mr. Agarwal earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2001 from Bryant University, Rhode Island, USA. He specialized in Management, Economics, and Political Science as part of this program. The leader has also pursued an Advanced Management Program certification from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and obtained a Finance Management certificate from INSEAD, Singapore. Additionally, he graduated from Harvard Business School and is an alumnus with a 2-year degree in OPM. He began his career working with Transfreight USA, a thirdparty logistics provider. Mr. Agarwal gained a deep understanding and knowledge of the logistics business while working with this company in 2001 and 2002. The company specialized in lean logistics and mainly served Toyota Motor Vehicles. Additionally, while working at Mitsui Logistics, he gained insight into the concept of Lean Logistics in 2002. He used his expertise and leadership abilities gained in these companies to make TCI Express a company worth nearly INR 3,000 crore by the end of FY2018. Mr. Agarwal has a strong vision for the future. The visionary prides himself on his achievement of expanding TCI’s global footprint into countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Africa. In the coming years, he plans to raise the number of TCI Express branches in India from 900 to more than 1000. Moreover, under his stellar leadership, the company is on track to expand its pick-up and delivery options in India from 50,000 to 60,000. He was also in charge of taking TCI Express public in 2017. The company has been growing exponentially since then. It is publicly listed on both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange and is India’s leading and fastest-growing express delivery services company. TCI Express currently has 900 branches, 60 zonal offices, & 10 regional offices. He believes that smooth communication is essential to successfully running such a vast organization. Thus, he takes every measure to ensure free and open communication within the organization. In addition, the leader stresses on employee training and skills development to keep them updated on the ever-changing business policies and procedures.

PRESTIGIOUS MEMBERSHIPS

Mr. Agarwal serves on the Management Committee of the Express Industry Council of India (EICI), which works with the government to bring about necessary reforms in India’s logistics industry. He has also been a member of the Entrepreneur Organisation and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) since 2006. Mr. Agarwal has also shown compassion as a leader and works to make a difference towards a happier society. A prominent member of National and international organizations, he has always been at the forefront of assisting differently-abled children around the globe.

RACKING UP ACCOLADES

“THROUGH HIS VISIONARY IDEAS, HE HAS PLANNED & EXECUTED STABLE, SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF THE COMPANY”

Mr. Agarwal has received numerous accolades for his noteworthy contributions including the Economic Times’ Most Prominent Business Leader of Asia for 2016-2017 and 2018-2019. He was also honoured with India’s Inspirational Leader of the Year by Daily Media India in 2019 and India’s Inspirational Business Leaders by WCRC Insights in 2019. The company was also felicitated with Business Superbrands – 2017 & 2019-20, certified as ‘Great Place to Work’ and recognized by HURUN as 500 most valuable nonstate-controlled companies. It has also received CII’s SCALE Award in 2021 as best express/ courier company, Superbrands in 2020-21 and GPW consecutive for 3 years also for 2023.

Mr. Biplab Basu, the brilliant brain behind Kolkata’s fine dining restaurant Petuk, has made it one of the highlights of the city with his delicious culinary creations. The devotion which this emerging entrepreneur in the F&B industry shows to run his business is remarkable. His spectacular rise to prominence deserves enormous praise and admiration. A passionate entrepreneur, Biplab holds an MBA in Marketing and Human Resources from Amity University, Noida (UP), India. His business development skills are outstanding, and he has a solid history of working in the marketing and advertising industries

Biplab, a Bachelor In Hospitality Management from Pailan College Of Management & Technology, started his career in August 2011 as a Marketing Executive at The Stadel Hotel in Kolkata. In 2013, he joined Bengal Shrachi Venture’s Red Cherry Hospitality as Senior Sales Executive. In April 2014, he launched Petuk, a restaurant that specialises in Chinese and Tandoor items. He had his fair share of challenges while running the business, yet his meticulous planning and thoughtful execution have helped him succeed and become one of the most successful foodpreneurs in Kolkata. He says, “Our journey has been tough since we started it. We have experienced failures in every step and we have learnt from it and grown.”

In his opinion, everyone fails at some point in their lives, but only those who are brave enough to learn from their failures succeed in life. “Though we failed countless times, we were resilient enough to learn from them, and

we make sure that we learn something new every day”, adds the humble entrepreneur.

A FUTURE-ORIENTED ENTREPRENEUR

Biplab is a future-focused entrepreneur who believes in setting the right kind of goals to reach new heights of success. Aside from setting goals, he also discusses the steps to achieve them and accomplish them. He says that future-oriented business planning helps him to be ready to capitalise on chances when they may arise.

While his short-term goal is to perform well consistently, his long-term plan is to establish himself as a pioneer in the hotel industry. He is also hoping to expand his restaurant chain to international markets with the help of investors.

“Currently, the hotel industry is stagnant and facing a lot of hurdles because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I am nevertheless optimistic that shortly, the level of competition in the market will grow by five times as compared to the pre-pandemic levels.” Biplab is currently chalking out a solid strategy to make his business futureready so that he can adapt and evolve easily and stay ahead of the curve in the face of the new normal.

Biplab is a people-centric leader who takes the initiative to build lasting relationships with his staff in the hope of creating overall success. He works in collaboration with his staff members, cracks jokes with them, and when necessary also gets strict with them.

EMBRACING THE EBBS & FLOWS IN BUSINESS

Biplab’s entrepreneurial journey has been really tough. Having seen a lot of failures, he has gained a lot of experience from them. Not long after he opened his restaurant, a fire engulfed the eatery. Despite his efforts to restore the restaurant, he was short of funds to take care of the operations. Despite this tragedy, he did not give up hope and remained optimistic.

After slowly coping with the downturn, he decided to start afresh without looking back. However, demonetisation in India in 2016 was another major blow to his business. Even though sales were low for four to five months during that period, he didn’t give up and again came out as a winner.

Another bolt from the blue was the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which had an unpredictable impact on entrepreneurs. After the first lockdown was

“HE ASSERTS, “ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY IS ALWAYS UNCERTAIN AS THERE IS NEVER ANY WAY TO PREDICT WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING; THUS, IT IS BETTER TO BE PREPARED FOR IT RATHER THAN GIVING UP. THEREFORE, WHEN YOU FAIL, KEEP A STRONG HEAD AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU DID YOUR BEST, BUT THINGS DIDN’T WORK OUT””

imposed by the government in 2020, all his staff members left and his restaurant was shut down for months. To let the public know that he is still in business, Biplab decided to run the business on his own. He had another restaurant that was closed for almost six months. He eventually reopened the restaurant with the help of his mother and wife. They ran it for six months before things began to settle down, and his staff started rejoining him.

A catering wing was also started by him in 2018, which was running successfully until March 2020; however, due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, he started losing confirmed events. Still, he stood his ground and survived the wrath of COVID-19. The secret to his success, he says, is hard work paired with smart work.

His message to young entrepreneurs is to follow their hearts instead of giving up due to risk or failure. Although they may fail in the beginning, they shouldn’t be demoralized or let other people demoralize them. He asserts, “Entrepreneurial journey is always uncertain as there is never any way to predict what the future will bring; thus, it is better to be prepared for it rather than giving up. Therefore, when you fail, keep a strong head and always remember that you did your best, but things didn’t work out.” He continues, “one should learn from one’s failures, figure out what went wrong, close the gap, and then try again as hard as one can to achieve success.”

HIS INSPIRATION

Biplab credits much of his success to his mother who is a renowned gynaecologist. He takes inspiration from his 75-yearold mother Dr. Archana Basu, who works enthusiastically throughout the day without getting exhausted. He says, “She diligently performs all her household chores when she

gets home from work. Despite suffering twice from COVID-19, she still works hard and sets an example for others. I believe that if she can work hard at this age, I can work even harder and achieve even greater heights”.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Biplab is a socially conscious leader who aims to make a positive impact on society. With the broad goal of contributing to the well-being of the community in particular and society in general, he ensures his business practices reflect some form of CSR and environmental responsibility. He believes that CSR plays a much more crucial role during the pandemic when people are struggling to survive. To do his bit for the community, he initiated the No-Spitting campaign to discourage people from spitting in public places. The campaign is his attempt to create awareness among citizens of the dangers of spitting, which can also lead to the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. He asserts, “I believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to keep the city clean. Spitting in public places not only degrades the aesthetics of a city but also spreads several infectious diseases. We should all stop this practice in order to build a Swachh Bharat.”

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

Biplab received 45 Under 45 (Indian Edition) 2022 Award from WBR CORP UK Ltd. The Bengal Pride Awards organised by Eventbox in association with Brajvandana Foundation, UNICEF and International Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Best Emerging Entrepreneur 2021 Award in the hotel industry for building a successful business amidst the challenges posed by the COVID19-induced pandemic. He considers these achievements as his career highpoint and hopes to achieve many more milestones in the years to come.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Darshana co-founded Aardae (in 2020), an online platform headquartered in Singapore that promotes cruelty-free, sustainable, non-toxic beauty products. Prior to launching Aardae, she established and led the marketing division of a luxury mall. She later rose through the ranks to become the Indian head of a major international technology brand.

AN INTERESTING ENTREPRENEURIAL START

International beauty brands have always been an obsession for the vibrant and young entrepreneur. The COVID-19-induced pandemic that disrupted lives around the world provided the impetus for the formation of her startup. During the initial phase of the pandemic, Darshana and her business partner struggled to get hold of some of their favourite

DARSHANA BALAGOPAL

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING

The entrepreneurial journey of Ms. Darshana Balagopal, the Co-Founder of Aardae (meaning Earth, in Dutch) has been both inspiring and motivating. She believes that well thought-out risks are worth taking if they are taken with grit and determination

international beauty brands, which prompted them to source Indian products. She was highly impressed by the effectiveness of a few Indian beauty brands discovered by her. This discovery compelled her to design a platform for such unique homegrown products to gain international recognition. Aardae, under her direction, brings the best of homegrown/indie conscious beauty to the world, actively helping India in becoming a more important player in a thriving industry.

According to her, Indian conscious beauty brands possess all the attributes needed to succeed globally in terms of formulation, processes and effectiveness. However, the only thing they lacked was a robust international distribution platform. With Aardae, she aims to bridge that gap by bringing Indian beauty brands to foreign shores. Additionally, she chose Singapore to launch her brand due to the country’s strict quality control policies.

QUALITY COMES FIRST

As a values-driven leader, Darshana prioritizes quality. She ensures the quality of all products in her catalogue through in-house quality testing. Furthermore, all the products have international certifications that indicate various criteria such as cruelty-free, transparency about ingredients used, and so on. Additionally, the carbon footprint of the product is also taken into consideration. By emphasizing quality, she has helped her brand stand out from other beauty platforms.

As a believer in the philosophy of clean beauty, she had launched Aardae to help educate others about the same. Aardae presently offers a specially curated catalogue of over 40 highly efficient and indigenous beauty brands specialising in clean, organic, sustainably sourced, and cruelty-free products. These include popular favourites such as Dot & Key, Juicy Chemistry, OCEGLOW, Earth Rhythm, SoulTree and Omorfee. The proactive entrepreneur intends to add another 15 top brands to her catalogue soon. Additionally, Darshana is a constant learner. She says that it is a privilege each day to learn new nuances of the trade which helps her grow as an entrepreneur.

MARCHING TOWARDS A GLISTENING FUTURE

“BY EMPHASIZING QUALITY, DARSHANA HAS HELPED HER BRAND STAND OUT FROM OTHER BEAUTY PLATFORMS”

With regard to her future plans, she hopes to expand her company’s presence in South East Asia by making the platform available in additional countries. She further asserts that she is open to securing investor funding soon after she starts thinking about expanding her business. Additionally, she dreams of launching an IPO to become a listed company. The ambitious entrepreneur hopes to reach this milestone within the next five years.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

DHRUV VERMA

MAKING REMARKABLE STROKES

Mr. Dhruv Verma, The Founder & CEO of Thriwe is known for his innovative and unconventional business ideas. With his creative mindset and broad range of experience in customer acquisition, strategic partnerships, associations, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the table

Dhruv founded Thriwe (formerly known as GolfLan) in 2011 with the goal of making golf more accessible and affordable to golfers while at the same time helping golf clubs/courses to boost their revenue. Currently, Thriwe connects with more than 2 lakh golfers across India, Middle-East, South-West Asia, US, and South Africa. It has evolved substantially under his leadership to become India’s top B2B consumer benefits marketplace, with a 100000+ stakeholder network serving markets nationwide and in 130 countries. Today, it operates across 5 key sectors - travel, wellness, lifestyle, sports, and dining solutions.

RISING ABOVE ADVERSITIES

Dhruv was born into a typical upper middle-class family and attended the finest schools in Delhi. He lost his father, who was a businessman, at the age of 10. This unfortunate incident changed his life immediately and substantially. Even in the face of adversities, his mother, who was a teacher, made sure her children lived a quality life. It was during this difficult time he became entrepreneurial and learned how to make the most of his little pocket money. By sheer force of will power and hard work, the young entrepreneur bought his first home at the age of 22, an age when most people are still pursuing their education.

AN INTERESTING CAREER GRAPH

After pursuing B. Com from Delhi University, Dhruv joined Standard Chartered Bank as a Training Manager. While he enjoyed a successful career in the banking industry, he continued to experiment with various ventures, which helped him learn and grow as a better businessman. His experience as a start-up expert began when he was hired to establish and expand the CPP, UK India operations at the age of 28. When Dhruv started Thriwe, he had only 4 multitasking employees. Moreover, he had to struggle to find the right talent to assist him with scaling the business. The other challenge was to scale the company without burning cash, given that it was self-funded. Despite careful expenditures, his company ran out of money

in just 7 months of operation. At this point he decided to sell his house and move his family to a rented apartment. Following the cash infusion, his company was able to survive for a few months. Simultaneously, he constantly tweaked his business model to get a foothold in the market. Moreover, to enhance margins and cash flows, he also ventured into the corporate business, which worked wonders for Thriwe and enabled him to launch innovative technology solutions besides entering new international markets and acquiring 2 companies. His success has been attributed to a few HNI investments, which enabled him to expand across the nation and launch operations in Dubai and Southeast Asia. Consequently, orders and queries poured in from all over the world, including the USA, the UK, South Africa, Europe, Singapore, Australia, and others.

ON A GROWTH SPREE

“HIS SUCCESS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO HNI INVESTMENTS, WHICH ENABLED HIM TO EXPAND IN DUBAI & SOUTH EAST ASIA”

In 2017, Dhruv entered the US market, the largest golf market in the world, by establishing an office in the Valley and signing the first contract. Thriwe currently serves over 15 million customers across 60 organizations. In this 15 millionstrong list are customers from wealth management services, consumer electronics brands, automobile brands, etc. Aside from India, Thriwe has also gained a strong foothold in the Middle East, and South East Asia, and is currently preparing to enter the African market, where it will cover Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Dr. Durga Prakash has a Doctorate and Master’s degree in Information Technology. He attended Harvard Business School’s executive education program on ‘Managing and Transforming Professional Services Firms in India’. He has over 25 years of experience in global delivery operations related to software development. He has carved a niche for himself in the study, research, and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He is currently the Staff Vice President and Head of Technology - Digital and AI - at Legato Health Technologies. The firm is a Global In-house Center for Anthem Inc. (a Fortune 23 company), committed to transforming healthcare.

He has always supported functional business units globally, in the areas of digital and advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Throughout his career, Dr.

DR. DURGA PRAKASH DEVARAKONDA

A GLOBAL PIONEER IN THE REALM OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Dr. Durga Prakash began his journey from a small village in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh. He studied in government colleges and completed his graduation from Manipal Academy of Higher Education and pursued executive education program from the Harvard Business School

Durga Prakash has headed large India-based offshore delivery teams that work on software and data. Some of his previous assignments were with Temenos, Tech Mahindra, Oracle, and iGate Global. He has been contributing to India’s IT & ITES industry for the last 25 years and has created more than 20,000 jobs in India by working closely with several MNCs, NASSCOM/HYSEA, and other international associations.

TAKING ON DYNAMIC ROLES

Dr. Durga Prakash has contributed to several leadership development programs internally in the past with large employers like Gemini, Oracle, and Accenture. He has been instrumental in building patent pending frameworks in ‘Autonomous Health Systems and Personal Health Assistants’. An active speaker and contributor to global Artificial Intelligence events like AI World and Open AI, Dr. Durga Prakash has been thriving in this industry. He has participated in reviewing the UK Government’s AI Policy, and UNO’s AI Policy for Telecom Standard – ITU-T SG-20.

He has taken part in the Digital and AI Forum hosted by NASSCOM. He plays an active role as an advisory board member at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad and Mohali. He is also the founding member of the AIML Society of India. Actively supporting and fostering entrepreneurship in data analytics and technology, he has been an active member of the New York and Hyderabad chapters of TiE - a global community that provides mentoring, funding, and networking of entrepreneurs.

ACCOLADES ABOUND

“HE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE SPEAKER AND CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EVENTS LIKE AI WORLD AND OPEN AI”

Dr. Durga Prakash received the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi International Leadership Award in 2018 at the Commonwealth Nations HQ London. He received this award from the British MP and Minister at British Parliament, House of Commons and Lords, Preet Kaur Gill (MP), Baroness Verma, and Viren, for his contributions to global healthcare and his area of expertise- Artificial Intelligence. In 2018, he also entered the Guinness Book of the World Records for organizing the world’s largest digital event wherein 100,000 people came together on a video conference. He has been a pioneering global expert on AI, covering areas like Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Semantics, and Ontology. He has won accolades from Bill Gates for achieving the status of ‘youngest Indian who completed all possible Microsoft certifications in the year 1998’. In 2004, the Hyderabad Software Exports Association recognised him for establishing the best ODC (data cloud) for Oracle in India.

DR. GHANSHYAM DAS DHANUKA

TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE THROUGH INNOVATION

Dr. Dhanuka, the Chairman of GRD Pharmaceuticals, has been relentlessly working towards making the firm a champion of healthcare in India. He is a trailblazer in the industry with the will to serve the nation. He has received an honorary doctorate in Business Administration and Management

Dr. Dhanuka is the Managing Director of GR Dhanuka Group, over a century old, well-renowned and socially acclaimed business house located in Guwahati, Assam. After completing his education from various countries, inspired by his ancestral legacy and armed with sheer determination, he diversified the family business which was already into oils, food grains, and hospitality. Dr. Dhanuka forayed into the Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care, Real Estate, Green Energy business verticals as well as Infrastructural Development. He always believed in “Think Global Act Local” formula and hence focused on empowerment of local people for economic development of the region. His sharp business acumen enabled him to focus his energies on essentials like Pharma and Personal care, contributing to health and wellbeing of fellow beings. With his dedicated efforts, by 2012, GRD Pharma emerged as the prime manufacturer of sanitisation products and became the first company in North-Eastern India to provide Alcohol-Based Handrubs. Today, it holds the largest market share in North East India.

His vision is to take North East India to Global platform, by making Assam a gateway, to all the South East Asian economies, and to become India’s expressway to ASEAN.

THE PHILANTHROPIST

Keeping the family tradition alive, Dr. Dhanuka invests his time, emotions, and money in various philanthropic initiatives for medical and educational support. It includes providing free Ayurvedic treatment and medicines under RG Dhanuka Dharmada Trust and free education for underprivileged girls in PS Dhanuka Balika Vidyalaya. During the pandemic, he ensured the execution of several welfare initiatives such as a mega vaccination drive in Guwahati (where more than 50,000 people were vaccinated), distribution of free food and oxygen cylinders, and a contribution of Rs. 12 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), etc. He also helped to conduct crash courses for the COVID warriors at hospitals in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and

Entrepreneurship.

THE DECORATED LEADER

He has been recognised several times in his illustrious career for his massive contribution to society and the industry. The International Business School, Washington, USA, and College de Paris, France, jointly conferred upon him an honorary doctorate as ‘Doctor of Business Administration.’ He is committed to the business verticals of his group, but at the same time, leadership beyond business, is something that always inspired him. He actively participates, in various organisations, to name a few, as the chairman in YPO Northeast India, as co-chairman in ASSOCHAM North East Council, as secretary of Laghu Udyog Bharati, as General Secretary of Marwari Hospital, Guwahati and many other social trusts. He is also the founder member of Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (EO), Assam. His leadership skills got him the ‘Visionary Leader in Assam and North-East’ 2020 Award by the TIMES Group and in 2021-22, he was presented with the prestigious “Indian Achievers’ Award.” He was awarded the Certificate of Appreciation for the Business Excellence Award 2018 by Dr. Reddy’s. He also won the Best Performance Certificate by HLL Lifecare Limited for the year 2018-2019 for an uninterrupted supply of affordable medicines to several medical stores in the North Eastern States.

“HIS SHARP BUSINESS ACUMEN ENABLED HIM TO FOCUS ON NEW VENTURES TO PRODUCE & MARKET INNOVATIVE GOODS”

He has a spiritual side too. He firmly believes in the teachings of Bhagwad Geeta. His ideology is to give his best and leave the rest to God.

Hailing from the small town of Adoor, Kerala, Dr. Mohan has built his software empire with hard work, tenacity, and the vision to simplify processes for sales teams across India to increase their profitability. It started with self-funding, financial help from his friends and acquaintances, and a 3- member team. Today, after just 7 years, they are a team of ninety and cater to top brands such as SBI DFHI, CSB Bank, DCB Bank, Saraswat Bank, Manikchand Oxyrich and Godrej among others. After completing an MBA in 2013, Dr. Mohan realised the potential of the Internet Business and initiated a software development company in Elamakkara, Kochi. It helped enhance consumer relations for various organisations. After years of insightful work, he realised unique business challenges and set out to resolve them in his signature innovative style. And thus, in 2019, was born Skyislimit

DR. MANODH MOHAN

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR SKYROCKETING SALES

Dr. Mohan, the President & CEO at Skyislimit Technologies Private Limited is known for his laser-focus vision on ‘simplifying sales’ through his incredible software services. He has also been featured in Forbes for his achievements that prove sky is not the limit in the realm of innovation

Technologies, a Kochi and Mumbai-based startup. The flagship product of this organisation is a full-suite sales management tool for businesses to manage their sales teams and activities seamlessly.

THE SALES START-UPPER

After gaining expertise in the field of SaaS for over 15 years, Dr. Mohan’s acumen led his company to devise a state-of-the-art sales performance management tool called Salesfokuz. This product assists global sales teams to manage mundane, unproductive tasks efficiently, which ultimately leads to better customer management and sales. It promptly automates communication, activity-tracking, performance updates and other critical tasks, resolving time-management problems for the data-driven sales teams. Their extensive product range comprises customised sales management app for different industries such as Leadfokuz, Bankfokuz, Realfokuz, Fastfokuz, Factfokuz, Servicefokuz, Textilefokuz, Vanfokuz, Pharmafokuz, Labfokuz and Dealersapp. He always ensures that Skyislimit stays ahead of the SaaS game. Salesfokuz alone saw a YoY growth of 45 percent and has garnered over 10,000+ tested users within 3 years.

LEADERSHIP-DRIVEN SUCCESS

The growth trajectory of the company is the result of Dr. Mohan’s leadership style that has fostered a culture of learning, innovation and passionate perseverance. The teams have forged strong bonds that help them surmount challenges and provide breakthrough solutions. But initially, building the perfect team was a herculean task owing to various constraints. Eventually, he managed to put together talented employees with apt skills. He believes that the secret to a successful organisation is a happy and productive workforce. When faced with tough situations like systems integration, postimplementation tracking, manpower issues etc., he resolves them like a true professional with a win-win solution along with this wellknit team.

I FOR INNOVATION

His company innovated several software products, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. They created and launched their videoconferencing platform called Fokuz that helps teams connect virtually and safely, generates automated meeting reports, etc.

“DR. MOHAN BELIEVES THAT THE SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATION IS A HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE”

In September 2020, the platform received an angel investment of $2 million from USbased visionaries Mr. Suneel Menon and Ms. Shari Menon. He is a lodestar of the IT industry, providing direction for ingenious development of need-based solutions.

GLOBAL YOUTH ICON OF THE YEAR

EVAN LUTHRA

THE TECH-SAVVY ENTREPRENEUR

Evan’s knowledge and innovative mindset have made him a global icon. He has built a strong position in the blockchain market with his impressive investment portfolio that contains over 300+ companies like Hashgraph, Nakamoto Games, Oneto11, Admix, Eaze, GAINS and more

Entrepreneur, technophile, and investor, Evan has achieved what not many people of his age are able to dream. At 17, he earned millions, supported hundreds of tech firms, and shared his knowledge with the world. Now, turning 30, he is all set to become a billionaire.

STARTING YOUNG

The journey of this enigmatic entrepreneur is quite fascinating. He was just 13 years old when he was bitten by the “digital bug.” In 2008, Evan was in 8th standard. That year, his father Mr. Satvinder Singh Luthra, purchased 200 computers. The venture failed. But hidden in this failure was the success no one could imagine. Young Evan began playing around with the computers. He explored the machines to discover various coding languages. As his interest grew, he turned to YouTube for guidance and learned coding. Soon, the prodigy started creating apps and websites. By the time he turned 16, Evan had already millions of users from the apps he built. But what really transformed Evan’s life was when one of his apps got acquired at 17 and then Evan got invited to speak at various events worldwide from TEDx, Google, United Nations and many more. Then, there was no looking back!

ENDLESS DIGITAL ENDEAVOURS

“The Best way to predict the future is to build it.” With this thought in mind, Evan keeps on doing new things as he is marching ahead on his success journey. In fact, this is the reason why the growth graph of Evan skyrocketed as he kept on learning and working more on new ventures. His niche in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space has won him global fame and popularity. He later launched StartupStudio to accelerate innovative startups. Today, this young millionaire has built and invested in over 400 companies across several verticals, including fintech, travel, nightlife, lifestyle, artificial intelligence, food and beverage, entertainment, fashion, mixed reality, and more. The combined market cap of

these companies is in excess of $100B+ USD with tens of millions of users across dozens of countries. Evan is also an NFT collector and holds 6 Bored Apes (BAYC), Xcopy, CloneX, Doodles, CryptoPunks and many more blue chips. Recently, he was infamous for purchasing NFTs worth over $3 million.

A THOUGHT LEADER

Evan believes in sharing the knowledge nuggets he has gained over years. This is why he has also published and written plenty of articles on famous platforms such as CoinTelegraph, Forbes, and Entrepreneur. He has also been invited as a speaker at several universities to share his insights about mobileapps, entrepreneurship, and trending tech subjects. So far, he has been an eminent speaker at the World Economic Forum, Nielsen, G20, Washington State University, and over 200+ blockchain events. Due to his charisma and expertise, he was also chosen to be a part of many documentaries for leading television networks around the world.

LIVING A KING’S LIFE

“HE HAS BUILT AND INVESTED IN 300+ COMPANIES ACROSS VERTICALS, LIKE FINTECH, TRAVEL, NIGHTLIFE, FASHION, ETC.”

There is one more documentary where Evan and his family got featured. But this time, the reason was different. He is well-known for his luxurious lifestyle. The technophile does not spend all his time working in the tech world. He knows how to manage his work and personal life. He likes to spend quality time at exotic locations.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Gavi has more than 18 years of experience in developing strategic relationships with key business and technology barons to bring success in the assignments he spearheads. Popular as a business relations expert, Gavi is a staunch believer in continual learning. A former Navy personnel, he switched to the corporate world by virtue of his open-mindedness for lifelong learning and adaptability.

That said, his belief in “never say never” backed by unending support from family members and friends motivated him to make a life-altering switch and attract success. As the Sales Director at Infosys, USA, Gavi’s contribution has always been tremendous. A sales cognoscente, he has been associated with reputed firms like IBM and Ericsson, after being a Deputy Director for seven years in the Indian Navy.

GAVI KUMAR

DARING TO BE DIFFERENT

Gavi Kumar is a multifaceted personality who finds bliss in winning relationships, working with passionate individuals, and nurturing new partnerships. He is currently managing Client Solutions at Kyndryl and also serves as a Board of Director at International Organization for Educational Development

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY

An IIM alumnus, Gavi holds a certification in Disruptive Strategy from the Harvard Business School and Managing Companies of Future from the University of London. He has a double bachelor’s in mechanical and marine engineering. Besides, he is a certified Agile Scrum Master, Agile Product Owner, and ITIL. All in all, Gavi is an all-rounder with high-in-demand skills in multiple domains, namely Strategizing, IT, Sales, Program Management, Business Development, and Agile Methodology.

Gavi knew right from the beginning that one day he will take on the responsibility of inaugurating something he would be able to call his own. Currently, that something is at a nascent stage, and soon, he will announce the launch of his first business venture. Like every successful man, Gavi also had to encounter challenges that almost prevented him from being the person he is. But his passion, persistence, commitment, and dedication kept him going.

The uniqueness of Gavi’s leadership style is learning to trust oneself. He believes in staying true to oneself and showing compassion towards others. Gavi is proud of his team supporting him through thick and thin. Despite being unable to get through a couple of defence services selections, he was determined to prove his persistence, positivity, and merit. No failure could make him look back, and eventually he earned a seat in prestigious programs, including the First Indian Indigenous Aircraft Carrier.

INSPIRING OTHERS TO SUCCEED WITH COMPASSION

Gavi’s team was a witness to his compassionate nature during the Tsunami Operations in 2004. Led by Gavi, his team catered to thousands of people with relief materials. The Sri Lankan government recognized him and the team’s efforts for serving the people. Gavi is into a lot of other things that keep him on the go. He is a board member of the International Organisation of Educational Development, a body that works to make Indian states more environment-friendly, skilled, empowered, and crime-free.

He is also a board member for Support Our Heroes, an organization dedicated to the well-being of India’s veterans and their families. He is a volunteer at Hire Heroes, a firm that works for empowering US Military Officials, and families who are trying to transition into the corporate world.

“HE ACTIVELY WORKS WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO EMPOWER VETERANS AND PROMOTE EDUCATION FOR YOUTH”

Gavi is also a member of the University of Houston’s advisory board. His passion to help the community has continued even when he has shifted to the corporate world. He actively works with nonprofit organizations to empower veterans and promote education for youth in India and the United States of America.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

HARSHIT SINGH

PRIORITISING QUALITY EDUCATION

For Mr. Harshit Singh, education is a holistic system that facilitates development of children’s innate abilities and helps them learn new skills for a brighter future. Besides, the focus on moral and intellectual growth helps students become responsible citizens and sensible human beings

Harshit is the Director of Lucknow Public Schools & Colleges (LPS). This chain of educational Institutions was established in 1983 by his father Dr. S.P. Singh (Founder and General Manager - LPS), a well-known philanthropist and educationist and a former Member of the Legislative Council (U.P.). Harshit completed schooling from an ICSE-affiliated school in 2010 and an ISCaffiliated school in 2012. Thereafter, he pursued BBA followed by an LLB from the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University (Pune) in 2018.

One of Harshit’s aims is to turn students into independent critical thinkers. Therefore, he established the Lucknow Public Schools and Colleges to provide global-level education to children.

He believes that quality education benefits humanity as a whole and uplifts the society in several ways. He wants to implement the 21st century educational agenda and emphasize skill development in areas like Administration, Academics, Innovations, Management, and Sports. Alongside, Harshit’s mission is to foster an open environment where social, educational, ethical, cultural and emotional needs of students are addressed through world-class holistic programmes offered partnering with students, staff and the community at large. Under his strong leadership, Lucknow Public Schools & Colleges now has 12 branches spread across New Delhi, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Madhoganj (Hardoi) among other places.

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE THROUGH WELL-THOUGHT-OUT STRATEGIES

Harshit is a skillful strategist and planner in the education domain. His primary goal is to establish himself as a world-class educational thought leader who is consistently making an impact on students (aka future leaders) by inducting spiritual, emotional and financial strength in them. Harshit conducts motivational sessions and training programmes for teachers as well as students at Lucknow Public Schools and Colleges so that they can learn globally-accepted trends and unleash their

potentialities.

He believes that education is not just about cramming content but also an interaction with the world around us and so the theoretical learning also needs to be assisted by practical demonstrations and real-life experiences. Rapid strides in communications and technology have made it possible to enliven education and Harshit has made sure that the school has incorporated all the available aids to make studies more stimulating and exciting.

Harshit advocates the view that building a foundation is a continuous process and in effect, he organises exclusive seminars, international conferences, career talk series (webinars) to disseminate positive thoughts. For example, he has spoken on the ‘Importance of Making the Right Career Choices After Completing School Education’ (as part of Career Talk Series) with Ms. Heather Wallick, Ms. Anshika and Mr. Vaibhav Chandra in January 2021.

BESTOWED WITH NUMEROUS AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

“HE BELIEVES THAT EDUCATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT CRAMMING BOOKS BUT ALSO AN INTERACTION WITH THE WORLD AROUND US”

Harshit has been felicitated by highly esteemed leaders and renowned media houses for his immense contribution to education. The awards he has received include the ‘Shiksha Ratna Samman’ by the International United Educationists’ Fraternity and ‘UP Ke Anmol Ratan’ by Shri Narayan Rane (Hon’ble Union Minister for MSMEs, Govt. of India) organised by ABP Ganga News Channel in September 2021.

Acommerce graduate, Jamsheer launched a refreshingly young and unique organization, ZaraFX, in 2020. The gritty strategist led the organization to a record high by creating a valuation of INR 4.3 million in the first year. He inspired his enterprising product team to reorientate the brand’s product offering to meet the expectations of their global clients.

INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Jamsheer has defined a clear set of priorities for his team to work on to surge ahead of the competitors, and has implemented a few ground rules but without compromising the autonomy to local managers. In a dynamic and demanding scenario, overtly centralized decision-making restricts an organization’s ability to respond quickly and effectively. Therefore, he has

JAMSHEER CAPSIAN

USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF EFFICIENCY FOR FOREX TRADING

Jamsheer is the Founder of ZaraFX, a leading global technology-integrated Forex broker. With his right decisionmaking ability, persuasion and strong interpersonal relationship skills, the dynamic leader has established ZaraFX as one of the top brands in the forex industry in a short span

employed a diversified board of directors with a wide range of expertise, defined their roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities, and consistently evaluates their efforts for the welfare of the organization, employees, and esteemed client base. He ensures that the board practices and holds good business ethics and integrity and consistently improves operations and customer services. Jamsheer has empowered his managers to make the best decisions, bearing in mind a clear set of enterprise priorities including employee safety and business ethics in the interest of clients, employees, and the organization. He draws the best out of his employees to work toward a common vision by consistently encouraging and motivating them, bestowing responsibility and rewarding the target achievers.

Jamsheer knows that leadership comes with great responsibility, but the far-sighted leader enjoys it with exuberance, high competency, hard work, fearless decision-making, and persuasive power to convince clients of his reliability and calibre. Under his supervision, the brand offers exceptional brokerage services to traders all across the globe. The platform integrates the most popular trading solutions into a one-stop solution for hassle-free trading. It offers a wide range of professional services with minimum cost and state-of-the- art technology to both retail and institutional customers, and facilitates them with excellent investment and trading options available with currencies, commodities, and Contract for Differences (CFDs), among others.

INTEGRATING SERVICE WITH AVANT-GARDE TECHNOLOGY

Jamsheer has revolutionized the trading industry with outstanding services, personalized and quality customer care support in different languages, faster execution, and lower spreads. With an objective to provide his clients the best possible trading environment according to their requirements and investment objectives, he provides his customers the latest version of the much-liked MetaTrader4 or MT4 online trading platform and MetaTrader5 or MT5 to suit their busy lifestyle and enables them to manage their accounts and trade more efficiently with new and unique set of features. He leads the brand with a vision to provide financial freedom to its more than 10000 customers. Under his able leadership, ZaraFX won the award for the Fastest Pay-out at the Forex EXPO Dubai 2021.

“HE HAS REFORMED THE TRADING INDUSTRY WITH SUPERIOR SERVICES, PERSONALIZED AND QUALITY CUSTOMER CARE”

THE JOURNEY AHEAD

He is focused on driving ZaraFX to a new path of strategic growth by meeting all targets and deals in 2022, while scaling the business to over 1 million USD trading volume per month. He is working to expand ZaraFX globally by setting up 4 more offices in various international cities.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

KUNAL MEHRA

TRANSFORMING LIVES WITH THE POWER OF EDUCATION

Education is the greatest gift and Kunal Mehra is certainly that Samaritan who has been giving wings to the dreams of Indian students for years. Through his consistent efforts, he has helped hundreds of young students to gain admission into the Ivy League, Oxbridge, and other top universities of the world

When Kunal Mehra joined Crimson Education a little less than 2 years ago, he was driven by a vision to support the most talented students from India to get to the best colleges in the world. In this short span of time, this young visionary has already brought significant growth to the company’s vision. Today, their India office under the strategic and innovative leadership of Kunal, has grown the team, revenue and has already helped many Indian students secure admissions at Top Colleges in the US and UK.

SOARING HIGH

Kunal started his career in the Edtech sector, even before the term Edtech existed - thereafter moving to one of the earliest pioneers in Edtech - Coursera. Next in this growth chart was The College Board — an international organization responsible for standardized tests such as SAT and Advance Placement. While there, Kunal built an alliance with 40 of India’s leading universities under the India Global Alliance, and helped scale up the impact of the organisation’s work in the region. He also built scholarships to reach thousands of lowincome but high-potential Indian students. These programs resulted in over 10,000 beneficiaries receiving fee waivers, free tests, full scholarships to top universities in India, and over US$2 million in aid and scholarships.

Kunal brought the same strategic vision to Crimson Education, as their Country Head in India. His leadership is evident from the fact that even during the pandemic, he advocated the outreach for ‘Crimson Access Opportunity program’ where Crimson works with over 100 high achieving students from modest income families, who receive free support from Crimson. In 2021, 100% of these students were accepted by top US universities while receiving full scholarships. The organization’s revenues also grew by over 800%, making it one of the fastest-growing admission consultants in India

A MENTOR FOR LIFE

Mentorship and leading by example are the

two hallmarks of Kunal’s leadership style. He believes that a leader is also a mentor who consistently builds and motivates the team from within. He truly invests and cares for the personal and professional growth of his team members, believing that responsibility and autonomy are two sides of the same coin.

Having witnessed the power of education quite closely, Kunal is one of the biggest advocates of the transformative powers of education and the benefits of lifelong learning. He’s if firm belief that quality education can break stereotypes and free generations stuck in the vicious maze of information asymmetry - whether it’s about admission to Top schools across the world or finding innovative solutions for those who can’t afford elite educational institutions. And it is this belief that keeps him going.

A STRATEGIC VISON

This pandemic has driven the education sector towards several changes and forced it to pivot to technology. The lack of resources and infrastructure that hampered the education of millions of students became evident.

“HE BELIEVES THAT A LEADER IS A MENTOR WHO NOT ONLY GUIDES PEOPLE BUT ALSO MAKES THE JOURNEY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE”

Thus, Kunal vehemently advocates for new reforms in teaching-learning methods and curriculum development. Looking at how the education sector has embraced technology, Kunal strongly feels that the next wave of innovation in education is around the corner and he hopes to be a part of it.

ASIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

MAHESH PATIL

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

With over 14 years of extensive work behind him, Mr. Mahesh Patil has led several path-breaking initiatives under every title he held. In 2017 when he joined the Horizon Group of Companies, he seamlessly took over the transformation journey of the firm. Under his aegis, the company became a brand name to reckon with. He led the company’s growth to become a 1000+ strong workforce brand

With over 14 years of stellar professional experience in the Oil & Gas, Construction industry behind him, Mr. Mahesh Patil joined the Horizon International Group of Industries in 2017 as the Managing Director. The role was challenging and different from what he had done before but he took the challenge head-on. He worked tirelessly to put his expertise to good use and transform the conglomerate’s journey. With his hard work and dedication, he won new stakeholders for the business while maintaining a strong association with all existing ones. He utilized every opportunity that came his way fully and enabled a transformation in the way business was conducted at the Horizon Group. He maximized efficiency and pushed innovation to achieve the desired results. He delivered on his mandate and brought the Horizon Group to an all-new level.

A DEMOCRATIC LEADER

Courageous and unfazed by challenges, Mr. Patil has a proven track record of forming lasting strategic alliances and changing the course of growth wherever he has worked. He maintains the pace of his unrelenting work by getting his own hands dirty. He works like a team member and not a boss. Another too that has helped him maintain a robust work culture is clear and open communication. He firmly believes that communication is one of his greatest strengths. He leads his team by facilitating open communication and tries to bring out the best in every team member. A true leader, Mr. Patil becomes one with

his team to get results. In his team, every opinion is heard and respected, and that is one of his key mantras to keep the teams moving towards the larger goals.

TRANSLATING VISION INTO RESULTS

Mr. Patil had the expertise and the vision but to translate those ideas into tangible results was no easy feat. Through effectively crafted business plans and a result-oriented approach, Mr. Patil not only achieved his targets but exceeded them. He ensured that the company is operating as cost-effectively as possible so that it can withstand the economic pressures. It was his mission to make the Horizon Group a frontrunner in the industry with exemplary service to all the clients, and he achieved it with his determination and carefully crafted business strategies. It was his relentless work that has helped the Horizon Group grow 25-30 % year on year and from manpower strength of 150 in 2016 to a current number of 1150 and growing. Mr. Patil also led the diversification of the business into multiple other sectors like oil and gas, international recruitment, eco-friendly products, trading, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing, Information Technologies and Immigration Services. However, the most innovative initiative led by Mr. Patil has been HiresGulf. An online job portal, HiresGulf is one of his most praiseworthy innovations. With the use of artificial intelligence-based technologies that offer a one-stop solution for both employers as well as job seekers, HiresGulf has become a game-changer for the industry. HiresGulf is

one of the most user-friendly web Application and Mobile Applications is available to download in English & Arabic from iOS, Android & App Gallery. It has databases from Asia, the Middle East, European, and the African region. It was started with a vision to be the leading online job portal that covers all of these geographies. Another

impactful initiative, led by Mr. Patil is the new arm where Horizon started manufacturing masks, bags, etc. during the pandemic. Mr. Patil realized the huge gap between the demand and supply of masks during the Covid pandemic and decided to step in. He led the formation of a new unit at Horizon that started manufacturing Eco-Friendly products such as Masks, shopping Bags, etc that were made from recycling waste products.

NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC

The pandemic brought with it a set of unique challenges for each and every one. For an enterprise like Horizon Group, it was a very difficult time. To sustain in an unprecedented time when most of the projects were stalled and the workforce was idle, it was crucial to survive and come out of it without sinking. Once again, Mr. Patil and his team stepped in and salvaged the situation with a strategic approach. Through this well-thought plan, Mr. Patil was able to recover 85% of the company’s sales revenue.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Mr. Patil has been recognized time and again for his vision and his entrepreneurial streak. He brings to his work a go-getter attitude and attention to detail which has made him the recipient of appreciation from all quarters. In 2020, he was named the Best Entrepreneur for the successful launching of HiresGulf, an Online Job Portal. This award was given to him awarded by Horizon International Group. The previous year he was also awarded for Outstanding Performance and Leadership by Horizon International Group. In his previous assignments as well, he has been a recipient of various awards. In the year 2016, he was awarded in appreciation of Global Visionary Guidance & Exceptional Leadership by Delta Recruitment. At Smou Group, he was the Excellent Performer in 2014 and Employee of the Year in 2013.

MARCHING TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE

Mr. Patil is now looking to lead Horizon’s growth into many other geographies including the UK, Canada, and the Philippines. He

“IT WAS MR. PATIL’S RELENTLESS WORK THAT HAS HELPED THE HORIZON GROUP GROW 25-30 % YEAR ON YEAR AND FROM A MANPOWER STRENGTH OF 150 IN 2016 TO A CURRENT NUMBER OF 1150 AND GROWING. HE ALSO LED THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE BUSINESS INTO MULTIPLE OTHER SECTORS”

is looking to add new lines that will serve wider areas of industrial prospects and will give Horizon the leverage to cover additional markets. Under his leadership and guidance, Horizon International Group is also looking to launch its Chartered Accountancy Firm in the UAE. This new arm will provide professional financial services like auditing, taxation, accounting, financial analysis, risk management, and consultancy services on financial structures to varied businesses.

CREATING THE RIGHT BALAWNCE

He is also a strong advocate of robust CSR policies. He feels CSR is incredibly important to create a stronger brand image and recognition in the industry. He also implemented best practices and policies for sound corporate governance by executing good ethical practices, innovative strategies, and fair and transparent work culture. He is inspired by his grandfather who wanted him to stay strong in difficult situations. Lately, he has been featured in Khaleej Times and The Energy Year

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Coming from an entrepreneurial household, Mayank always wanted to start his own business after obtaining industry expertise. After completing his MBA, he started working in an investment bank. Several novel business ideas crossed his mind during this time. He was also interested in knowing the industry with the best long-term prospects and the scope of a new business enterprise.

Meanwhile, his uncle - Dr. Deepak Sadwani, one of the country’s most recognized pathologists, and his aunt Dr. Smita Sadwani, briefed him about the opportunities in the healthcare industry. Together, they established Prognosis Laboratories in 2013. The mastery of two industry experts, combined with Mayank’s business acumen, made Prognosis Laboratories a well-established and revered Centre for

MAYANK MADAN

COMMITTED TO YOUR HEALTH & WELLBEING

Mayank Madan, Partner and Executive Director of Prognosis Laboratories, established the diagnostic facility in 2013. It is a well-established and reputable centre for advanced medical diagnostics, which is playing a significant role in enhancing the quality and accessibility of healthcare in the nation

Excellence in Medical Diagnostics.

KEY ELEMENTS

Mayank swears by the need for exercising utmost care towards all stakeholders of the organization- Patients, Employees, Vendors and Consultants. For this, the company undertakes several quality inspections, competitive analyses, and market research projects. His leadership bestows Prognosis with industry leaders, best-inclass IT infrastructure, and gold-standard healthcare technology. Prognosis Laboratories pays close attention to the details that go into delivering patient’s reports. They have a team of highly qualified doctors who review every patient report before it is issued. In addition, they strive to provide the fastest turn-around-times possible in the industry.

Mayank is of the view that investing in manpower will ultimately take one’s enterprise to greater levels. Furthermore, he feels that one should offer a broader spectrum of all-inclusive services rather than depending on a singular particular specialization.

STRATEGIES LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

From a business perspective, Mayank considers that exercising utmost care for the patients and employees is the foremost vital strategy for any given business operation. They continually strived to create a culture where there is no compromise on any of the patients or the workforce.

Mayank thinks that talent should be utilized, and that crosstraining is an excellent way to meet the challenges of an evolving healthcare eco-system. Prognosis strives to steer away from the culture of perpetually hiring and terminating employees. Rather, cross-training allows them to fulfil their growth requirements better. It was one of the most crucial tactics he used throughout the epidemic, and it eventually assisted in improving and maintaining his personnel.

Mayank gives immense importance to strict adherence to commitments, and believes in the proverb “don’t bite off more than you can chew.”Moreover, he has also used automation at several levels to provide reliable, repeatable, error-free, scalable, and customizable products. He believes that following a well-thought method and automating it while allowing for manual overrides paves the way for a very compelling offering.

“HIS LEADERSHIP BESTOWS PROGNOSIS WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS, IT INFRASTRUCTURE, & BEST HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY”

Under Mayank’s leadership, Prognosis Laboratories progressively strives to be very flexible when it comes to offering services, and very rigid when it comes to the standard of product offerings.

GLOBAL YOUTH ICON OF THE YEAR

MINHAJ AHMED

A RISING ICON IN BANGLADESH’S FMCG SECTOR

The Managing Director of Ahmed Food Products Private Limited, Minhaj Ahmed delivers best quality foods and beverages. A leader par excellence, he has a strong vision that drives the growth of his company. Under his leadership, the firm has been carrying forward the legacy of excellence

Minhaj, through business expansion and diversification, is making a strong impact by promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, leading to significant employment opportunities in the Food & Beverages sector. As Minhaj states, his father’s persistence and hard work led the company to the pinnacle of success. He learnt the business fundamentals from his father, whom he considers to be his mentor and inspiration. He attributes his success to his father’s upbringing.

LEADING THE FMCG INDUSTRY

As the head of one of the oldest ventures in Bangladesh’s FMCG industry, Minhaj ensures meeting the rigorous quality standards and strict adherence to international manufacturing practices such as the Good Agriculture Practice (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Handling Practice (GHP), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). In addition, Ahmed Foods also implements the ISO and BSTI standards.

LEADERSHIP ROLES

Minhaj is associated with many governing bodies for implementing food standards. He is the Chairman of ‘Food Safety & Factory Development Sub Committee’ of Bangladesh Agro-Processing Association and ‘Fruits and Vegetables Products Sectional Committee’ and ‘Starch, Derivatives and their By-products Sectional Committee’ of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). A few other prestigious positions he holds include that of the Convenor of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), member of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), member of the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB), and Vice President of the Junior Chamber International (JCI),Dhaka East.

RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE

For his expertise and innovation in business,

Minhaj has received the ‘Young Entrepreneurs Award 2021’ by JCI Bangladesh; ‘Manager of The Year Award 2020’ by the Europe Business Assembly, (EBA) Oxford, UK; and the ‘Young Asian Entrepreneur Award’ in 2020-2021. Receiving awards like ‘The Visionary Leader’ in 2019 and ‘Global Leader in Commerce Management’ 2020 -The BIZZ Award from the World Confederation of Business, Houston, USA have made Ahmed a renowned name in the global food and beverages industry.

GOALS FOR MILES AHEAD

Introducing top-quality foods and beverages has always been Minhaj’s priority. Alongside, he is focused on maintaining the position in the market and creating meaningful employment for the youth. Minhaj also plans to expand the company globally through his business ideas and innovations.

“MINHAJ PLANS TO EXPAND THE COMPANY GLOBALLY THROUGH HIS BUSINESS IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS”

Tough times can never stop efficient and capable leaders like Minhaj. During the pandemic, Minhaj introduced Ahmed Xpress Delivery and Ahmed Xpress Chain Shop to help the customers buy the daily essentials without comprising on their health and safety. When most companies were facing depreciation because of the pandemic, Minhaj kept the company going through sustained efforts, teamwork, and by acclimatising to the changes brought on by the pandemic. He strives to move ahead while strengthening the principles, values and reliability of Ahmed Food Products.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Acompetent and inspiring leader, Narayanan Kannan has been in the industry for over two decades. A Bachelor of Engineering graduate, Kannan has been instrumental in spearheading the system and technology/security for integrating issuance, acquiring, insurance and Payroll solutions within Indipaisa partner banks and technology partners. With a strong technical vision and the right strategy, Kannan has designed and delivered multiple financial solutions for the MENA (Middle East and North African) region, with the most recent being the implementation of end-toend digital commerce banking solutions for Indipaisa as part of ‘Nexxo Ventures’ from the ground up, in less than a year.

FUTURE ASPIRATIONS

Kannan is an assiduous leader, with some

NARAYANAN KANNAN

DEFINING EXCELLENCE IN THE FINTECH SPACE

Narayanan Kannan, a true influential leader, is the CIO of Indipaisa Payment Services. At a young age, he has achieved some remarkable milestones for his company. Kannan works ethically and believes that teamwork and solidarity are key ingredients to achieve success

colossal plans for Indipaisa’s growth. It is his dream to design bestin-class technology and highly scalable financial solutions platform in accordance with their parent company, Nexxo Ventures. Coming up with a technology that can work for multiple markets and is easy-to-use in compliance with the law of land is another aim. Being a people’s man, Kannan also wishes to solve the pain points of his target audience with innovative technological solutions.

GROWING TOGETHER

His motto is, ‘Take care of people and in turn, they will take care of your business’. In tandem with various researches that show the power of collaborative problem solving, Kannan is a strong believer of good team engagement. Emphasising that a business can earn laurels only when decisions are taken collectively, Kannan does not believe in a cabin set-up but in being approachable so that his team can share their ideas openly and debate, until they get a solution to any problem.

Other principles that Kannan abides by include encouraging the team to learn new technologies, create HR programmes to increase their expertise level and help them grow in their career.

HIS ROLE MODEL

Kannan accredits his father for his growth and accomplishments as a leader by making him understand the power of team spirit. The young business leader learnt to keep his calm during tough times and come up with the most effective solutions during difficult situations from his father as well. One of the best lifelessons his father taught him was to add a human touch to everything he does. Kannan attributes all his life achievements to his father, his ‘hero’.

HONOURS AND AWARDS

“MR. NARAYANAN’S WIDE VISION AND OPTIMISTIC APPROACH HAVE HELPED HIM MAKE SOME OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS”

An optimistic approach and ability to garner future demands in his area of expertise, have enabled Kannan to make some outstanding achievements in the field of technology. Believed to be the finest technology and payment processing company in the Middle East, Kannan’s organization is leading by leaps and bounds in the category of financial technology in Qatar. Under the able leader’s guidance, the company has received the Qatar Business Award in 2019, Best Technology Company in the Middle-East. Moreover, Indipaisa is a recognised prepayment processing platform in India. Such recognitions have helped Kannan think bigger and work towards the attainment of some sizeable and substantial plans for his company in the future.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

NIKHIL JAYARAJ

LEADING THE WAY TO HARNESS SOLAR POWER

The MD of Regen Power, Nikhil Jayaraj, strives to harness solar energy for meeting various development-related needs. Established in 2003, his Australia-based firm caters to the power requirements of residential, commercial, off-grid mining, & remote communities in and international markets

Jayaraj’s commitment to providing an alternate energy source that is clean, green and sustainable has resulted in Regen experiencing 300% growth in just 3 years. Under his expert guidance, Regen Power was ranked 55th fastest growing company in Australia by the Financial Review in 2020. The company has also succeeded in making it to the Financial Times’ list of top 500 highgrowth companies in Asia-Pacific 3 times in a row in 2020, 2021 & 2022.

His strong leadership and motivation have led the company carve a spot for itself as a household name in Western Australia, and an upcoming brand in the eastern states, owing to the business expansion to New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland. His rich experience in the renewable energy sector, customer-first approach and excellent customer service procedures have led Regen Power to win Product Review awards in 2020 and 2021.

AN OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL

Jayaraj has a double master’s degree in engineering management and information and communication technology with a major in e-business from the University of Wollongong. He is an accomplished professional with demonstrable skills in sales management, negotiation, operations management, engineering, business strategy and contracts negotiation. He has played an instrumental role in commercialising solar power systems in the Australian and overseas renewable energy sector. Despite lockdown restrictions, he ensured a record number of installations in 2021. Jayaraj is currently pursuing Doctorate in Business Administration at Curtin University. His thesis titled “Solar PV adoption in Australia and policy effectiveness” is an empirical study on adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage systems in the residential sector and the effectiveness of government policy as an enabler. His research will help the stakeholders in renewable energy

understand end user needs and amend current policies accordingly. His research will further aid developing markets effectively plan implementation of solar powered systems.

COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENT

“HIS MOTIVATION & HARD WORK HAVE EARNED THE FIRM 35,000+ CLIENTS, UNIQUE PROJECTS, & EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENTS”

With Jayaraj at the helm of affairs, the company has completed some remarkable projects like the designing and commissioning of a 500KW floating power plant in India and administering a unique USD$50M 50-megawatt ground mounted solar farm project in central Vietnam. His motivation and hard work have earned Regent Power more than 35,000 clients, unique projects, and exclusive agreements with Tesla and Huawei. His innate sense of responsibility and belief in giving back to the community is evident through his noble gesture of nominally priced or free of cost solar power installations for local organisations such as churches, temples, medical centres, clinics, and community centres. The core concepts of energy conservation and sustainable environment have been the guiding force for him and led to Regen Power installing 35,000 solar systems summing up to 100,000KW or 100MW solar capacity. They produce 480,000 units per day and 175 million units in a year. These contributions helped reduce power plant emissions and achieve significant environmental benefits for Australia and the global community. Additionally, the company has contributed the energy equivalent of planting 30,000 trees, saved 500 million litres of fossil fuels, and helped avoid 600 million kg of coal usage.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Nimisha is a renowned independent management consultant with over 15 years of experience and a cross-border career in consulting for numerous world-class energy, healthcare, and finance companies. Through her rich career graph, Nimisha has developed a deep understanding of how organizations can work together to promote enterprise growth and meaningful impact-building within societies worldwide. Her multiple entrepreneurial initiatives have designed innovative and disruptive business operating models to help her clients future-proof their businesses. She has also helped her clients create 10X stakeholder value through secure funding and effective change management strategies.

FOUNDER OF TOP-NOTCH BUSINESS FIRMS

She and her team at Quantum Global Consultants (QGC) work with business owners and C-Suite

NIMISHA BRAHMBHATT

ACHIEVING BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY

Nimisha is an award-winning female serial sustainapreneur, angel investor, strategic advisor, and philanthropist. She is the Founder of Quantum Global Consultants (QGC), which undertakes large-scale and high-impact digital and business transformation for FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 energy firms

leaders to explore avenues of change, growth and innovation. The company combines digital experience and leading IoT/technology to help businesses predict and adapt to a constantly shifting business landscape. Nimisha also helps the clients address key challenges in their industry, such as customer expectations, adapting to market and regulatory changes, and delivering sustainable business models, to maintain shareholder value and market relevance. QGC provides a suite of services, which include, but are not limited to customer value proposition development, advanced tech strategy, project, program & portfolio management and finally deployment of technology across client ecosystems. Besides Quantum Global Consultants, she has founded 2 more renowned companies. The first of which is a sister company to QGC, ‘Quantum Venture Partners’ (QVP). This company provides strategic advisory and capital raising support to pioneering start-ups and founders working at the helm of technology and social change. QVP provides disruptive start-ups consultancy and partnering through incubation, venture development, capital raising, commercialization, preparing for effective market entry and finally scale. QVP is currently working towards building a impact fund, that will support high value, high growth enterprises that are leveraging technology to solve environmental and social challenges.

The third is ‘Leaving A Legacy’, a social enterprise, with a mission to restore one-billion hectares of degraded terrestrial and under water land, around the world. The team does this through initiating and supporting grass-root environmental projects to address the world’s ever-growing environmental challenges head-on by delivering top-down and bottom-up changes within local communities. However her most recent investment as an Angel investor, see’s her as Cofounder of ‘Innozyne Ltd.,’ a deep tech firm, that is leveraging AI, namely the neural-net principle to create solutions to the ongoing mental health crisis globally. Currently Innozyne is working on the launch of an AI service, which is aimed at reducing the wait time for patients suffering mental health conditions, between diagnosis and treatment. Nimisha deploys her own personal capital to companies enabling environmental conservation, healthcare accessibility, energy efficiency and management, and transition to permaculture.

A CHAMPION OF YOUNG PEOPLE

“SHE HELPS CLIENTS ADDRESS KEY CHALLENGES LIKE CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS, MARKET AND REGULATORY CHANGES”

She is a Board Member of the Prince’s Trust RISE Initiative growing the network, and developing fundraising initiatives. Furthermore she is a Trustee of the Becoming X Foundation, ensuring the foundation delivers to its mandate and achieves its ‘case for change’ to educate one-million children across Africa with softer skills not necessarily taught in schools.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

NITIN SHRIRAM MORE

MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

The Head of the Publications Department of Akhil Bharatiya Shree Swami Samarth Gurupeeth, Hon. Nitin More has pledged to shape the future through social reforms. With his sincere vision, Nitin has initiated multiple initiatives for the betterment of society

Nitin is a civil engineer, who strives to make the society a better place. Under the esteemed guidance of his father, His Holiness Gurumauli, and Sadguru Moredada, Nitin went on to expanding the social reforms for betterment of society.

RESHAPING THE FUTURE

Nitin relentlessly imparts the value-based education to youth and children through Balsanskar. As the Head of the Publications Department of Gurupeeth, Nitin takes a step forward, implementing modern technology in the printing set-up for better efficiency. The trust presently brings out over 70 books in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Sanskrit, English and other languages as well as in Braille. Engaged in grassroot reforms for the past six decades, Gurupeeth encountered further advancement when Nitin established an IT cell and ‘Desh Videsh Vibhag.’

REVOLUTION FOR A BETTER SOCIETY

Under the supervision of Nitin, many of activities have been outspread in Maharashtra, and across the other states. Meeting the global demands, Balsanskar and counselling campaigns have been conducted in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Singapore, Nepal, UAE, and Australia. These activities, interestingly, are executed by the dedicated and selfless voluntary activists, who themselves benefitted from such initiatives, and are now giving back to the society, across caste, creed or ethnicity. Even during the pandemic, young Sevakari volunteers organised blood donation camps, food shelters for the needy and quarantined people, and organised counselling sessions to provide the psychological support to those who lost their jobs during the pandemic. The sessions continue even today at the thousands of centres in and outside India. Nitin’s value-based education and training have helped people overcome alcoholism and live productively. Women have been guided to live independently

and moral values have been imparted among children. The impact of his initiatives has been far-reaching.

WORLD RECORDS AND GLOBAL RECOGNITION

The eight world records set by the Value Education Cell of Gurupeeth under his guidance certainly deserve applause. From one lakh twenty thousand students together chanting of Stotra-Mantras and the group recitation of Shree Ganapati Atharvashirsha Stotra 1 Crore 20 Lakhs 56 Thousand times by students during the Ganesh Festival in September 2020 to more than fifty-one thousand students making eco-friendly Diwali lanterns, the records indeed illustrate changing lives of many. In addition to this, 7500+ students made prototypes of 758+ different forts showcasing India’s rich legacy.

AN INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE

“FOR THE BENEFIT OF MANKIND, HIS RESEARCH TEAM IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN BRINGING SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY TOGETHER”

Nitin is truly an inspirational leader for numerous young volunteers, who have been serving selflessly. He works with all his will to create awareness against social evils like superstitions. The research team, under his valuable guidance, is actively engaged in bringing science and spirituality together for the benefit of mankind. Leadership is a duty, not a position – Nitin proves it time and again with his constant efforts to create a better future. It is solely because of the successful and esteemed execution of the programmes by Nitin and Shree Gurupeeth that millions of lives have been enriched.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Rohit belongs to a humble background and hails from the beautiful Kashmir valley. His determination and hard work secured him a seat in the prestigious IIT-Bombay. Thereafter, he pursued a degree in Finance and Leadership from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad. Rohit started his professional journey with Arthur Anderson as a consultant, and later switched to KPMG to work as a business advisor. After some time, he joined the renowned Kelloggs School of Management to hone his skills further.

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY

In 1988, Rohit left Kashmir for Mumbai. Little did he know he would work with the top corporate organizations like Arthur Anderson, KPMG, HSBC, and more. After working with Arthur Anderson & KPMG as a consultant and a business advisor, he got a first-hand experience

ROHIT ARORA

CREATING A PATH TO SUCCESS FOR SME ENTREPRENEURS

Rohit Arora, the Founder & CEO of TransGanization, is helping Indian entrepreneurs build self-sustaining firms by offering them the needed resources, guidance, and confidence. He possesses strong business acumen and has transformed the lives of over 470 SME entrepreneurs to date

in business transformation. He even took SAB TV to newer heights and played a pivotal role in launching Mi Marathi. He spent years working with Jawed Habib and helped scale the organization from 80 salons to 650 salons in just 5 years.

IT’S ALL ABOUT MAKING AN IMPACT

When working with Jawed Habib, Rohit realized the enormous potential of the SME sector. He felt that SMEs could do a lot better if they get easy access to advanced knowledge and business expertise, which are generally at the disposal of large organizations. It is what led to the growth of TransGanization, a business consulting company. His company works and lives by the principle “LOVE ALL, SERVE ALL, GIVE ALL.” The scientifically formulated management practices offered by TransGanization help SMEs identify their purpose and create an everlasting impact by leveraging the company’s resources, knowledge, and guidance.

TOUCHING COUNTLESS LIVES

In a bid to reach a bigger section of the SMEs, Rohit launched Darpan, a free-of-cost online management education program to provide the best-in-class education to SME business owners & their employees. These sessions were held every morning in 2020 when the nation was put under a pandemic-led lockdown. He shared a new concept every morning, garnered a strong following, and imparted unique education to countless people. At present, Darpan offers a rich library of over 500 hours of top-of-the-line business education videos and articles curated exclusively to serve the SME sector.

A VERSATILE LEADER & ACHIEVER

“IN A BID TO REACH MORE SMES, HE LAUNCHED DARPAN, A FREEOF-COST ONLINE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM”

When not working, Rohit loves to write books and spread knowledge on Advaita Vedanta. He has also authored two best-selling books – TransGanization and the Journey of Ajaa. He conducts spiritual programs on Bhakti Sagar, a National Television Channel, as well. Rohit has collaborated with artists like Shaan, Pratibha Singh Bagel, and Abhishek Ray to create two music albums – Kanha Ki Preet – Divine Love and Birha – Prem Se Bhakti Ki Yatra. He was also recognized for helping 15,000+ businesses and hence received the “Best Client Result of the Year Award” at the India Mentors & Business Coaching Summit, 2021. Rohit has been covered by top publications like Outlook Business Outstanding Performers, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Fortune India Exchange. Currently, he is writing two more books – Discover Ekam and Bhagwat Geeta –Reunderstood, to spread spiritual knowledge further.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

ROSHNI MUKHERJEE

THE COUTURE QUEEN

Roshni Mukherjee is the Founder of a successful UK-based Indian clothing brand Myosutra. An up and coming fashion entrepreneur, she is redefining the Indian ethnic fashion in the West and showcasing the brilliance of Indian arts and culture with improvisations that suit modern taste

After a nearly two-decade long stellar career in banking, Roshni founded Myosutra in 2017 out of her unconditional love for the Indian craftsmanship. Born and brought up in a culturally inclined typical Bengali household in Kolkata, she developed a deep admiration for traditional Indian textiles and fabrics at an early age. Her exquisite handloom saris and bespoke jewellery are popular among foreigners and the Indian diaspora. With exports spanning to almost 25 countries across 5 continents, Roshni’s label is on its way to become the most prominent ‘desi’ brand in Europe. A saree connoisseur herself, she keeps exploring creative ways to redefine sarees and fashion accessories that best represent modern women. One of her unique designs, the ‘Bengal weaves’ saree is a masterpiece combining the best of traditional weaves like Baluchari from Bishnupur, Dhakai from Dhaka, Kantha from Bolpur, Batik, Tant, and Gamcha — all in one saree. Her Spring Summer Ethnic Jackets collection represents 6 different weaves from different corners of India and has been a successful attempt at adding some colours to the British high street fashion dominated by black and grey. She has something for every generation, be it contemporary designs like the London Skyline and Harry Potterthemed sarees or the ‘ShohojPaath’ saree collection, an attempt to familiarise young Bengalis with ‘bornomala’ and the Bengali culture. Her passion for fashion and the steady support and encouragement from her father, Mr. Shyamal Paul Chowdhury, have helped her fulfil her dreams of promoting the wondrous weaves and traditional textiles of India globally. She considers her creations as an ode to the Indian weavers. Thanks to her, NRIs can now easily buy their favourite local weaves from Calcutta, Banaras, or any other part of India in the UK and rest of the world. She attributes the economic success of Myosutra to her experience as a banker. It equipped her with the necessary skills to become a successful entrepreneur. Superior quality products and impeccable customer services have earned the brand

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Roshni has launched “Swap that Saree” campaign to bring the Indian culture to the centre stage and promote sustainable fashion. She encourages customers to choose smartly and transform their old sarees into entirely new outfits like gowns, jackets, and dresses. According to Roshni, clothes are an investment and one should reuse them creatively instead of wasting their resources on new outfits for every occasion.

“AS AN ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICE, ROSHNI EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS INDO-WESTERN OUTFITS MADE OUT OF RECYCLED SAREES”

One of the eco-friendly fashion practices Roshni follows is experimenting with various Indo-western outfits made out of recycled sarees. An alumnus of the British Academy of Fashion Design, she feels that as a responsible fashion leader it is her duty to innovate and create a fashion opinion that genuinely evokes a positive change. Through her association with Psyconnect as the Chief Designer, she advocates the importance of mental health and promotes how dressing well can induce a sense of positivity in life. Her lifestyle and fashion television show‘AshwinerSharodoShaaje’ has established her as a television fashion guru in the UK. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors of Miss India, UK. For Roshni, learning and continuously updating oneself through work and life experiences is the key to sustenance and progress.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

As he comes from a family of traders, Rishabh has a strong understanding of the business world. A consummate learner, Rishabh has completed various executive courses at various universities. Following his graduation from G Zarb School of Business, Hofstra University, New York, he joined Kaya Skin Clinic where he worked in Projects, Service Quality Management, & Online Marketing.

A SELF-RELIANT LEADER

Almost a decade ago, Rishabh joined Marico, a global leader in beauty and wellness products and a Fortune 500 company founded by his father, Harsh Mariwala, in 1990. With the company listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1996 and operating in 25 countries, his father has successfully transformed the family

RISHABH MARIWALA

TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

Mr. Rishabh Mariwala, the Director at Marico Limited, and the Co-Founder and Director of Sharrp Ventures, is a young, dynamic, and enthusiastic leader who is always brimming with unceasing passion to excel and make it big in the world of business

business in spices and edible oils into a household name. After three years of enriched exposure at Marico Group, the second-generation family business entrepreneur stepped out of his comfort zone and charted his own course in 2011 by establishing Soap Opera N More (brand PureSense), a marketer of niche bath and body personal care products. He then took on the investor’s role by setting up Sharrp Ventures in 2014, a family office for managing and growing the Mariwala family business. Thus, as of recently, Rishabh has been managing two roles. On one hand, he has launched the premium brand PureSense under Soap Opera. On the other hand, he has expanded Sharrp Ventures into a global family office that backs Indian startups. With multiple responsibilities under his belt, the young leader has gained hands-on experience across all aspects of the business.

DEDICATED TO GENERATING MULTIGENERATIONAL WEALTH

“RISHABH WANTS TO TRANSFORM SHARRP VENTURES INTO A PLATFORM THAT ATTRACTS AND DEVELOPS HIGH CALIBER TALENT”

Rishabh is currently in the process of selling PureSense to Marico that has been eyeing the luxury personal care sector, so that he can focus entirely on Sharrp Ventures. The ambitious leader wants to transform Sharrp Ventures into a “platform that attracts and develops high caliber talent, has proper processes and systems, and preserves and grows a multigenerational pool of family wealth. Following Marico’s dividend payout ratio going up significantly in 2014, Rishabh suggested to his father that he diversify and invest either in equities or venture capital and private equity. His father recommended investing in the public market through equities, so that is where a significant portion of the investment is. Sharrp Ventures was formed as a result of Rishabh’s investments in startups, venture capital, and private equity. It was the dividend that he received from Marico that enabled Sharrp to invest in the public and private markets at the same time. Approximately 20% of the Mariwala family office’s funds are allocated to startups, venture capitalists, and private equity firms, with checks ranging from USD 500k to USD 3.5m. Under his leadership, Sharrp Ventures has invested in 10 venture capital funds and startups to date. Under his leadership, Sharrp Ventures has been able to write large checks over the years and have participated in multiple rounds besides making direct investments with funds. The company has also invested in numerous startup companies, such as Nykaa, a unicorn in beauty and skincare, and Mamaearth, a beauty and baby care portal. They have also partnered with early-stage venture capital investors Blume Ventures and A91 Partners. Rishabh’s only partial exit so far has been through Nykaa. He intends to put his money into edtech and fintech startups as well in the future.

SANTHOSHI REDDY

DIGITIZING BEAUTY COMMERCE FOR A NEW ERA

The Co-Founder & CEO of BeautyKart (a renowned beauty tech company), Santhoshi exudes unwavering optimism and a desire to succeed in all her endeavours. Known for her brilliant background in beauty chemistry, she has led major innovations for brands like Twenty Beauty, Skin Law, & others

Santhoshi has carved out a niche in the personal care industry with her dedication and enthusiasm. She strives to create brands that blend beauty and technology in the best way. Her passion for beauty led her to create BeautyKart as an evolving e-commerce destination for personal care, beauty, and lifestyle products. She has some revolutionary plans in store for the future of BeautyKart.

A TECH-SAVVY ENTREPRENEUR

Through BeautyKart, Santhoshi had brought customization and technology to commerce modules and established a global retail atmosphere for beauty products. With the addition of technology to supply chains, she has revolutionised the beauty industry to be more responsible and sustainable. With an integrated physical and digital commerce experience, the company offers online consultations, speed in delivering new products to market, and even voice-based purchases. She also uses Artificial Intelligence to enhance ease of use, allowing people to enjoy customisation based on their skin dynamics. With BeautyKart, the beauty connoisseurturned entrepreneur pioneered a first-of-its-kind digital community hotspot to unite educators, enthusiasts, and learners to strengthen the perception of beauty so as to harmonise inclusivity, authenticity, and empowerment. Additionally, she revolutionised the art of retail by introducing Omni channel commerce chains to meet the growing demands from all corners of the nation.

A keen fashion enthusiast, Santhoshi has been a part of several fashion weeks all over the world. With her strong ethic, charismatic nature and graceful demeanour, she has established herself as one of beauty and fashion’s most sought-after and influential faces. It has been her goal to promote inclusivity and skin positivity throughout the cosmetics industry. She is also a gifted public speaker with a flair for delivering powerful ideas and inspiring thoughts with

PRIORITIZING QUALITY

The company’s mission is to alert consumers about counterfeit beauty products in the personal grooming industry – a mission that Santhoshi has played a key role in fulfilling. A seasoned industry expert, she has curated and acquired brands under the Beauty accelerator programme, as well as catalysed other brands under the programme.

Her vibrant vision of creating a global retail atmosphere in India has created a market for innovative and diverse offerings in the personal care industry for many professionals.

PURPOSE-DRIVEN BEAUTY

“SANTHOSHI STRIVES TO CREATE A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND BECOME INSPIRED BY EACH OTHER”

Beyond the beauty industry, the benevolent entrepreneur regularly participates in many social welfare programs. In addition, she had initiated a mental health awareness campaign called ‘Virtual Virtue,’ which stands for virtuous behaviour in a virtual world. She is also involved with sustainable initiatives with the United Nations. Furthermore, through her massive social media presence, she strives to create a community where everyone can share knowledge and become inspired by each other. What’s more, the forward-thinking business leader is also a published author. What is more than businesswoman who is an established author and beauty enthusiast.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Mr. Vashishtha’s journey to real estate was a matter of chance. An engineering graduate, Mr. Vashishtha never found real estate befitting his career trajectory. However, an internship opportunity during the third year of college introduced him to the world of real estate, and made him realise that his core strengths lay not in engineering but in real estate.

After completing the degree in engineering, he took up a job at an information technology firm, but quit after a month due to his passion for real estate. He took up a job at the same real estate company he worked at as an intern, and decided to pursue a Master’s degree simultaneously.

He completed the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Real Estate Development and Finance, with majors in investment and sales, to polish and hone his

SHASHANK VASHISHTHA

MAKING A MARK IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

Mr. Vashishtha is the Executive Director and Managing Broker at eXp Realty India, and possesses a rich experience in real estate, property portfolio management, investment advisory, and handling transactions for corporates, HNI’s and some of the internally-renowned developers

skills.

In his journey of over 10 years that led him to eXp Realty, he has worked with global real estate companies such as Cushman and Wakefield, as well as Sotheby’s International Realty. His experience has led him to develop unparalleled expertise in real estate portfolio management, investment advisory as well as in handling large ticket property transaction for corporates, HNI’s and developers.

A TRUE LEADER

Mr. Vashishtha today leads the pioneering team that has set up the India brand of eXp Realty. Since the company’s inception in 2020, Mr. Vashishtha has added 1400+ agents to the organization, and has expanded eXp’s operations to more than 16 states and 100+ cities, covering several tier 1 and tier 2 cities and building up a large customer base.

Mr. Vashishtha rightly believes that education is the foundation for consistent growth, and only a deep and comprehensive knowledge of real estate development and the real estate market will help brokers and agents understand the market functions in a particular geography and customers’ needs. In this regard, he has been organising over 50 hours of live training sessions for his agents and teams every week, which happens both domestically and through eXp globally. For the training sessions, he invites real estate experts from all around the world to come and share their insights and learnings, in order to deepen the knowledge of eXp employees and improve service delivery. ‘A happy employee is a productive employee’—emphasizes Mr. Vashishtha, and walks the talk by offering employees to set their own terms and conditions and allows them flexibility in work, and the freedom to voice their ideas, and grow their network. During the covid crisis, he tirelessly arranged free vaccines for his entire workforce.

A VISIONARY BY NATURE

“HE INVITES GLOBAL REAL ESTATE EXPERTS TO COME & SHARE THEIR LEARNINGS, TO DEEPEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF EXP TEAM”

Mr. Vashishtha has realized the importance of tapping into the market for non-resident Indians in the USA, UK, Australia, South Africa, and other countries. eXp India is partnering with developers around the world and in India to cater to the needs of the Indians settled overseas. Thus, he has initiated a developer onboarding programme to match, reputable developers with clients. This collaboration is expected to be a win-win venture as developers can crack into mature markets such as the USA, UK, Dubai and South Africa and others, while the clients can find reputable developers.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

SREEJEET PATNAIK

STRENGTHENING INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

The Managing Director of the Mother’s Public School, Mr. Sreejeet Patnaik brings his rich management expertise to the table. He has a background in engineering and holds an MBA degree in HR. Currently, he is setting up the school’s new branches at Khandagiri, Puri, Pahala and Rourkela

Mother’s Public School was established thirty one years ago, in Bhubaneswar. A need of the society, the school was the perfect solution to the needs and challenges of working mothers. The institute’s first ever batch had just 14 students aged between 2 and 9 years. Initially, the aim was to provide a day-boarding with meal provisions so that working parents could be assured regarding the care and safety of their children. Since then, Mother’s Public School has grown and branched out to accommodate more academic and co curricular facilities for a wider range of age groups. With the recent opening of institute’s new branches in other geographic locations, Mother’s Public School is now reaching new and different parts of Odisha. No wonder, Sreejeet has been integral to this growth and success.

CHAMPIONING PROGRESS

The unique nature of the institution has also been a propelling factor in its increased demand across the state, and it has over 6000 students now. The Institution has grown in strength and stature since its humble beginnings. Adhering to the CBSE norms, Mother’s Public School priortises quality education and academic excellence through a structured curriculum.

Sreejeet feels that young people can be empowered to develop the skills and abilities that make them leaders of tomorrow. This sentiment is reflected in the school’s motto, ‘Service before Self.’ He also encourages the students to actively participate in socio-cultural activities that sensitize the students to respond to the needs of the society.

As a leader, Sreejeet ensures that the students gain knowledge and skills to become publicspirited. It would teach them to help others during difficult times such as a natural disaster, support and speak up for the less privileged, and contribute to humanitarian causes like funding and spending time at old age homes and

orphanages.

FOSTERING GREAT MINDS

Sreejeet constantly works to broaden the students’ horizons on the stage, in the field, and in the classroom. He encourages creativity, expression and innovation through the integration of performing arts in the curriculum. Mother’s Public School prides itself in fostering joy in education, independent thought, and supporting the passions and talents of its students. The after-school opportunities enable students to receive a rich and extended learning experience. Sreejeet and his exemplary staff’s collective efforts promote a positive school culture where everyone feels valued and respected. He has created a community of passionate learners and truth seekers at the school, with each possessing a robust mind and creative heart. While following a curriculum aimed at the highest standards of academic excellence, the school ensures a congenial environment for the child’s overall development, under his exemplary guidance. In fact, he intends to create an atmosphere of growth that distinguishes students into becoming citizens of sound character, competence, creative leadership, academic excellence, and a genuine concern for people.

“SREEJEET ENSURES THAT THE STUDENTS GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO BECOME PUBLICSPIRITED”

The flag of Mother’s Public School continues to soar under the outstanding leadership of Sreejeet. The school has set itself apart with a consistent record of top-quality education, cocurricular activities and social service.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

Shubhang believes that a true leader can take tough decisions without giving up on compassion. According to him, equality of actions and integrity of intent for the good of others are the hallmarks of impactful leadership. Running a hospital adhering to sound principles and international guidelines often puts him in a situation where he ought to be sensitive and empathetic while making tough choices. He opines that one’s ability to forge strong relationships is directly proportionate to their ability to lead. He is also inspired by his parents who have always worked as a team with an action-oriented mindset and guided the team of doctors and staff at the hospitals.

Shubang has a comprehensive plan for the hospital’s future. In the short term, he plans to expand the service portfolio by adding specialities namely, cardio-vascular surgery, robotic surgery, and neuro rehabilitation. At

SHUBHANG ARORA

CREATING BENCHMARKS IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

Mr. Shubhang Arora is the Executive Director at the Yashoda Group of Hospitals. He strongly believes in a leadership style that prioritizes integrity and honesty to develop strong relationships with the team that works together for 360-degree success

present, the hospital is also the first centre for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) treatment in Ghaziabad. In the long term i.e. by May 2023, the hospital will be upgraded to a Health City hospital with 1000-plus beds. The Health City is planned to be a state of the art hospital with all specialities and major super specialities catering to the population of Western UP and Delhi-NCR.

LAURELS ABOUND

Shubhang is one of the unsung heroes who worked day and night during the COVID-19 pandemic. To recognize his unfailing efforts, he has been awarded the Icon of the Healthcare Industry (2020) by The Week magazine. In addition, he received the Healthcare Champion of the Year Award (2020), at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland.

His dedication and leadership has also led the hospital to receive loads of recognition. A few prominent accolades bestowed on the Yashoda Group of Hospitals include the Asian Achievers Awards 2020 (Healthcare Edition) for the Best “Multispeciality Hospital of the Year” by Asia Today Research & Media, supported by the Government of India – Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the AHPI Healthcare Excellence Award 2020 in the category of Green Hospitals. In April 2022, the hospital won the AHPI Healthcare Excellence Award in the category of “Best Hospital to Work For.”

TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY AND WELFARE

“HE SUPPORTS ENVIRONMENTFRIENDLY PRACTICES THAT ARE COST-EFFECTIVE, TIME-REDUCING, AND ENERGY EFFICIENT”

Under his leadership, the Yashoda Group of Hospitals has achieved the Green and Clean Platinum Certification by implementing ecofriendly policies like using renewable energy, water and electricity conservation using advanced equipment, implementation of energy efficiency measures like sensor based lights, and regular training of staff to keep with Green & Clean policies. The organization strongly supports environment-friendly practices that are cost-effective, timereducing, and energy efficient. Yashoda Hospital is associated with AKANSHA (Ghaziabad), an NGO empowering women and girls since 1987. Through this NGO, the CSR team funds the residential facilities, education, and health needs of 100 girls living in the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya’s hostel in Ghaziabad. It regularly organizes health camps in its premise in collaboration with Nepal Tarun Dal Uttar Bharat and CA Nepal Students Union India. It is also working with the Vivekananda Health Mission Society to open hospitals and arranging a variety of health camps throughout the year in Narayan Koti, Kedarnath, and Dehradun, Uttarakhand. It also helps St. Jude Child Care Centers by providing free health checkup and treatment to orphaned and abandoned children.

MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG LEADERS

SHWETA GUPTA

BRINGING CLEAN BEAUTY WITHIN YOUR REACH

Shweta is the Co-Founder of the clean beauty platform, Aardae. A pioneer in the beauty industry, Aardae aims to make home-grown Indian clean beauty brands more accessible to international consumers through a carefully curated online marketplace & flagship stores in Singapore, Dubai, & London

Shweta has a successful career spanning over 15 years. She initially joined her family-run garment export business, one of the oldest export houses in the country. It provided her the opportunity to work with globally leading garment brands and understand the export market in-depth. In her tenure of 14 years, where she worked with a multitude of export houses, she has gained incomparable knowledge of research and design, operations, and other key export processes. Thereafter, Shweta moved to hospitality, where she worked with Novotel Chamiers, a business hotel in Chennai. Under her leadership, the hotel expanded to become an award-winning franchise, widely acclaimed for its F&B services. The pandemic and a 5-day Korean skincare expo organized in Chennai led Shweta to set up Aardae, with her long-time friend, Darshana Balagopal. It took place during the pandemic and made her realize that lockdown regulations would make it difficult for global brands to transport their supplies to India. Shweta also undertook extensive market research in order to analyse a shift in behaviour towards more conscious living, leading to a spike in demand for ‘clean beauty.’ That’s when she planned to bring home-grown sustainable brands came to the forefront. Added to this, was her experience of the five-day Korean beauty expo in a Chennai mall. The products that were meant to last for 5 days sold out in a matter of 2 hours. This strengthened her confidence in her business idea and led to the birth of Aardae.

PIONEERING STEPS

Aardae promotes brands that sell sustainable, non-toxic, and crueltyfree beauty products. It is set to launch flagship stores in Singapore, Dubai, and London – beginning with Singapore. In addition, they will launch their online marketplace, which will showcase over 1000 products from over 25 Indian and 35 foreign clean beauty brands, with an initial inventory stock of 10,000 products. These brands include Aminu Wellness, Juicy Chemistry, Ruby’s Organics, Soul Tree, Dot & Key and Brillare.

According to Shweta, Singapore being a cosmopolitan city where citizens focus on sustainability in every sphere, became her obvious first choice. The consumers here prefer clean and green beauty products. However, there was a lack of platforms such as Aardae, which offer smaller brands that fulfill this consumer demand. The path was not easy, and Shweta recalls the difficulties faced during their launch, especially with the stringent Covid-19 rules in Singapore. She had to manage everything remotely from India, without ever being physically present in Singapore.

GROUNDED BY ETHICS

Shweta has set stringent norms and procedures for onboarding brands. Each brand must fulfill a checklist of six factors – safety and certifications, sourcing, sustainability, transparency, efficiency, and brand position. In addition, Aardae makes sure that the products are both skin-friendly as well as eco-friendly. To provide the consumers with products that are ‘clean’ in their truest sense, the company performs stringent in-house quality tests on each product before including it in their catalog.

“SHWETA’S AIM IS TO POSITION AARDAE AS A ONE-STOP SOLUTION FOR THEIR CONSUMERS’ HAIR AND SKIN NEEDS”

AMBITIOUSLY YOURS

With the aim to position Aardae as a one-stop solution for their consumers’ hair and skin needs, Shweta aims to expand the business by 2023 in ASEAN countries, like Malaysia and Indonesia, and other GCC nations. She also plans to launch an IPO in the next 5 years.

Born and brought up in Kanpur, Nikhilesh set foot in Delhi to start his professional journey. He started as a Sales Manager in Suvidha Infoserve – a fintech organisation. From then on he started his journey to gain all the experience in Fintech. He also worked with Vodafone for some time. Although entrepreneurship was always on his mind, he decided to wait till the market is ready for what he was proposing. After working for around 15 years, he decided to take the plunge and started Spay India.

DREAM TURNED INTO REALITY

The journey of Spay India had to wait for the market to be digitized and online payments to become mainstream. As soon as Nikhilesh sensed that the time is right, he started building Spay India piece by piece. He and

NIKHILESH TIWARI

EMPOWERING RURAL POPULATION TO LIVE IN A CASHLESS ECONOMY

Mr. Nikhilesh tiwari started spay india in 2018. It is not just another mobile payment app but caters to the underserved – the rural market. It is meant to bring about a certain equilibrium in the mobile payments sector and help the rural population enjoy the perks of going cashless

his Co-founder Mr. Sandeep Dhawan started building Spay India with only one goal – to be the best service provider in the fintech industry. Nikhilesh and his team decided to focus on empowering the migrant population and other underserved sections of the Indian economy. Spay India is a growing B2B portal that offers a range of services like online money transfer, Aadhar enabled payment system, utility bill payment, travel, bus ticket booking recharge, insurance, and other services. Nikhilesh has one rule – to offer services where the customers need them, when they need them and in whatever manner they need them. Thanks to his years of working in the field, he knows that getting the pulse of the customer is the first step, rest follows automatically. At Spay India, Nikhilesh has trained his team to speak the consumers’ language. He has built a network of agents and merchants to be present at as many locations as possible and provide a hassle-free platform for all financial services to his customers. The biggest strength of Nikhilesh is that he knows his market and his goals are set. He wants to use fintech to bring about equality. He wants everyone to enjoy digital payments and feel empowered. This is also reflected in the kind of targeted products he has in his suite – micro-ATMs, domestic money transfers, POS, and many more.

SHARP, STEADY & CONSISTENT

“HE ENVISIONS SPAY INDIA TO REACH EVERY NOOK AND CORNER OF INDIA ’S TIER-4 & 5 CITIES, TOWNS, AND RURAL AREAS”

Nikhilesh’s immense focus and sharp vision played a major role in building this organisation from the ground up. Under his leadership, the company has been growing at a rapid pace and now has an annual revenue of INR 100 crores. He managed to build a core team and roped in some very experienced people from the industry to help him make Spay Technology a reality. Despite no background in business, no IVY league, or IIM degrees, Nikhilesh has managed to build something that many can only dream of. He was dismissed as an underdog when he started his journey, but he took it upon himself to work tirelessly to achieve his goal. Today, Spay India is slowly and steadily carving its own distinct niche in this huge Fintech industry. Nikhilesh’s message to all aspiring entrepreneurs is to be patient but stern and face competition with grounded aggression, without losing focus. As for Spay India, the journey has just begun. Nikhilesh and his team are looking at a bright and action-packed future. Nikhilesh envisions Spay India to reach every nook and corner of India’s tier-4 & 5 cities, towns, and rural areas. He wants to build a network of millions of exclusive stores – each of them operating as a mini bank for his customers. While it’s all a vision, for now, that’s how every journey begins – with a dream.

VAIBHAV SHARMA

DRIVING METAVERSE & VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY

The Founder and CEO of CarzSo, Mr. Vaibhav Sharma built his company in 2019. CarzSo is India’s first auto tech startup utilizing the futuristic “virtual reality” technology in this sector. It aims to recreate the experience of buying an automobile in a showroom in the meta virtual world

Mr. Vaibhav Sharma is an innate leader and a visionary who has carved his own route to success in the realm of entrepreneurship. He is organized and likes planning and strategizing to minimize the scope of hits and misses. His entrepreneurial journey began when he was merely 19. He became a Chartered Accountant at the age of 22. At a very young age, he started working towards enhancing his knowledge about the US IPO, Listing processes, and M&A deals. At the nascent age of 25, he built his first tech start-up in the field of healthcare, which later helped him build CarzSo. With his unswerving perseverance and constant support from his family and friends, he established a successful meta virtual store for the automobile industry. His passion, dedication, and self-belief have played a key role in CarzSo’s grand success.

A CREATIVE LEADER

Mr. Vaibhav Sharma has a very methodical and persuasive approach towards life. He competes with none but himself, and strives to be a better version of himself every day. From being a Group CFO at 27 to becoming the Founder and CEO of India’s First Meta Virtual Showroom, he has shown extraordinary leadership skills. His ability to mobilize the team on the ground and motivate them to always bring out the best in them has helped CarzSo to reach where it is today. He believes that a fun work environment and defined lines of hierarchy help enhance productivity in an organization. With the help of Mr. Vaibhav Sharma’s ideologies and optimism, CarzSo plans to go pan India as they scale up.

RIDE CARS VIRTUALLY

CarzSo is digitizing the auto retail industry by launching meta virtual auto showroom. With the help of VR technology, now anyone can take a test drive of multiple cars. It is possible because of the company’s futuristic approach

that allows customers to walk around and test drive cars irrespective of their location and proximity to the vehicle of interest. Although CarzSo was founded before the COVID-19 pandemic, their entire business model revolved around minimalistic human touch. Mr. Vaibhav Sharma believes if each and every organization contributes to changing its system, the world would be a lot better. Therefore, they are continuously working towards avoiding unnecessary travel by providing cars virtually. It helps to save customers’ time, fuel, ensures their safety during the ongoing pandemic, and decreases pollution. The main focus of CarzSo is to be the best at customer service.

PAN INDIA PLANS

“AT 25, HE BUILT HIS FIRST TECH START-UP IN THE FIELD OF HEALTHCARE, WHICH LATER HELPED HIM BUILD CARZSO”

Mr. Vaibhav Sharma is working towards expanding his company’s presence and diversifying into new cars and electric two-wheelers. To begin with, he intends to create satellite showrooms in many North Indian cities, with an emphasis on rural areas and tier 2 and 3 cities. During the next fiscal year, CarzSo wants to open three superstores and twenty satellite stores to promote the virtual buying and selling in the automotive industry. With this bold new move of offering an entirely new experience of buying and selling cars across India, CarzSo is also creating job opportunities for young graduates. The objective is to help them find employment where they live and save on the cost of migrating and settling in a new city.

Products or services are chosen as brands by organizations, all over the globe, to highlight their unique features so as to appeal to their target consumers, and in the process, they create brands. In fact, a brand is lot more than a label or trademark for the purpose of granting identity as it is a distinct composition of a tangible, sustainable, and commercially viable idea, successfully executed, which meets the needs and aspirations of customers. From the list of the top international brands, only a few iconic brands exceed the expectations of consumers by continually innovating and evolving. Such outstanding brands are a vital component of national and international interests. These brands not only symbolize firms, but also represent industries, and nations at a global dais. Such remarkable and noteworthy brands are extraordinary because of their continual evolution, as per the latest innovations, which provide them with an added advantage and sheen to attract their target customers. Read on to get a glimpse of such handpicked and carefully researched brands that are trailblazers in their respective industries and truly deserve the moniker of Greatest Brands – Asia, Middle East and Africa

GREATEST BRANDS

AUTOMOTIVE

HERO MOTOCORP

REVOLUTIONIZING THE INDIAN TWO-WHEELER MARKET

Having ventured into the two-wheeler segment with its fuel-efficient motorcycles in the 1980s, Hero MotoCorp has come a long way to establish itself the largest and best bike manufacturer in India & the world no. 1 two-wheeler company in terms of unit volume sales

With its four internationally benchmarked facilities in Gurugram, Dharuhera, Haridwar and Neemrana, Hero MotoCorp always believes in ‘manufacturing happiness’ through its units maintaining harmony between man, machine and nature to reduce the effect on environment and promote a healthy biome. By stringently adhering to the basic principles of integrity, modesty, swiftness, respect and excellence through teamwork, the company works on the philosophy of ‘Excellence in Quality’ in its products, services and operations. Working on the vision of a mobile and empowered India, the company successfully accomplished its objective by providing worldclass mobility solutions to the Indian motor market, setting new standards in technology, styling in quality and extending its footprints in the global arena. The company is persistently making endeavours in upgrading its operational efficiency, assertively

extending its reach to new client base, consistently investing in brand-building activities and safeguarding customers’ and shareholders’ interest.

CREATING EFFICIENT AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTIONS

After its dissociation from Honda of Japan in July 2011, the company has utilized every opportunity in leveraging its strong presence across sports, entertainment and ground-level activation. The company gained 49.2% stake in Erik Buell Racing, a sports motorcycle manufacturer, from its

base in Wisconsin, United States.

The company also selected Accenture to scale up and enhance its futureready supply chain. The company is also targeting the leadership position in the electric two-wheeler segment globally.

It has also launched a new two-wheeler resale platform called Wheels of Trust. The new platform is launched in phygital avatar which means is that the platform will work on digital as well as on-ground so it will be an omni-channel. Hero MotoCorp aims to strengthen its onestop solution to exchange existing twowheelers of any brand. The manufacturer wants to provide the best resale value. The company came out with various customer-friendly initiatives to establish a trustful relationship with its customers, such as the Hero Honda Passport Program, presently known as the Hero GoodLife Program. The sale of the company in the two-wheeler segment is more than the combined sale of the companies placed at second, third and fourth ranks, with a sale of over 10 lakh units only of Hero Honda Splendor, the most popular bike among Indian masses.

CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIAL CAUSE

The company realises very well that being the leading motorcycle manufacturer with a 34.5% market share in India also brings with it the added responsibility of contributing to the society and the environment. The Happy Earth, Ride Safe India, Hamari Pari and Educate to Empower, along with the ‘We Care’ CSR programme are such programmes which enable the company to strengthen its position as the leading two-wheeler company in the country.

Its leader also announced a US$100 Million Global Sustainability Fund for establishing global partnerships for developing more than 10,000 entrepreneurs on ESG solutions that positively impact the planet. The company is ranked seventh among the most-trusted brands in India in the brand trust report published by Trust Research Advisory and was its Xpulse 200 4V bagged the Two-Wheeler of the Year 2022 Award at the Carandbike Awards 2022. The company is one of the largest corporate promoters of multiple sporting disciplines around the globe, including Golf, Cricket, Field Hockey, Motorsports, and Football. Additionally, Iconic golfer Tiger Woods is also partnered with Hero MotoCorp as the Global Corporate Partner.

INDIA’S GREATEST BRAND 2021-22

The Emirates story begin in 1985 with two leased aircraft from a rudimentary airport. Its phenomenal growth is reflected in the 170-plus aircraft in its rapidly expanding fleet – a mix of the latest wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft - as well as Dubai’s state-of-the-art Emirates Terminal 3, which is used solely for the airline’s flights.

Emirates is wholly-owned by the Government of Dubai, but the airline is run on a commercial basis and receives no financial support or protection. Competing against established giants of aviation allowed to operate in Dubai under the government’s unconditional open skies policy, Emirates has thrived and been profitable in all but its second year of trading.

The airline was the third-largest airline in the world in terms of international passengers carried, and the largest in the world in terms of scheduled international passenger-kilometers flown. It is also the second largest in terms of scheduled freight tonne-kilometers flown (first in scheduled international freight tonne-kilometers flown). It success is attributed to rapid growth in demand for air travel in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia

HIGH FLYER

Emirates is renowned for leading market trends – personal entertainment systems in all seats, as well as private first-class suites, are among its many notable firsts. It was also the first airline to offer passengers a facility to use their mobile phones, bolstering its in-flight services which were already heralded for the popular ice entertainment and communications system.

“Emirates is a global company serving a global audience, and as we grow our business we have to also grow our brand. Our brand strategy does not only involve marketing and sponsorships, but everything we do including product innovation and service delivery. For us, our customers are the ultimate judges and jury. Being named the most valuable airline brand in the world is great recognition for each and every one of our staff, as they are the ones who live, breathe and deliver the Emirates brand every day in the work they do. The strength of the Emirates brand also underscores the positive impact that we

are making on our industry, and we will continue to work hard and invest in our brand. Our aim is to become one of the world’s leading lifestyle brands, and to make the Emirates name synonymous with aspirational travel and experiences,” said Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline. Brand Finance CEO David Haigh comments, “Emirates remains the flag carrier brand for the Middle East. Its $6.6 billion brand value makes it both the region’s most valuable brand and the world’s most valuable airline. Its extensive sports sponsorship and global

route network make it recognised the world over. However it is Emirates’ exceptional service and reliability that truly underpin the brand.”

UTMOST ADMIRATION

The rise of Emirates has rivals stateside plenty worried about their global hegemony. Until recently, Emirates flights from New York, Boston and other U.S. cities have stopped at Dubai International Airport, which made it easier for North American and European airlines with direct flights to compete.

But this month, it introduced the New York to Milan route, signaling a battle royale with legacy carriers like United, Delta and American (not to mention Alitalia), which reap 40 percent of their profits from premium travelers.

And Emirates, which is wholly owned by the oil-rich government of Dubai, is just one of a handful of well-financed Persian Gulf airlines, including Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, with an eye on the U.S.

EMIRATES AIRLINES

FLYING OPULENCE

Emirates flies to more than 120 destinations in over 70 countries and has been fundamental in establishing Dubai as the Middle East’s commercial centre and aviation hub. It operates more than 1,200 flights per week across six continents from its base at Dubai international airport

EDUCATION

REVA UNIVERSITY

GROOMING INDIA’S FUTURE

Placed among the top 50 private universities in the country, REVA University is located in the ‘Silicon Valley of India’- Bengaluru, Karnataka. Founded in 2004, it is recognised as one of the best higher education institutions and attracts both national and international students

REVA University is a coeducational university governed by Rukmini Educational Charitable Trust under the prominent REVA Group of Institutions. The lush green campus is spread across nearly 45 acres and is in the vicinity of the Bangalore International Airport, offering the students the best of both worlds: city and suburb. With its innovative pedagogy, exemplary infrastructure and an industrycompliant curriculum designed for the future job market, the university has grown manifold from a small community of 150 students in 2004 to a vast institution empowering nearly 15000 students from diverse backgrounds. Offering 43+ UG Programmes, 30+PG Programmes, 18+ Ph.D. Programmes, 9+ Diploma Programmes and 8+ Certificate Programmes across multiple disciplines like Engineering, Architecture, Science & Technology, Commerce, Management Studies, Law, Arts & Humanities, and Performing Arts, the university

has something for everyone keen on advancing their career prospects. All the courses and curriculum are accredited and approved by UGC, AICTE, BCI & COA. The university follows the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and Continuous Assessment and Grading Pattern (CAGP) pattern in all programmes to enable students to choose subjects of their choice in addition to the core subjects. A team of exceptionally competent faculty, state-of-the-art laboratories, and technologically-equipped classrooms translate into a learning experience

that helps each student realise their true potential. The university also offers scholarships and fee waivers to deserving and meritorious students. Aesthetically built housing blocks separately for both boys and girls, annual cultural events, students’ clubs, full-time resident doctors supported by paramedical staff, a gymnasium equipped with modern amenities, an open-air theatre, and a food court provide students a home away from home at REVA University.

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

A long list of awards, honours, and high rankings of REVA University is a testimony to the university’s commitment to excellence in creating, preserving, and disseminating knowledge.

The NAAC has accredited it with ‘A’ Grade and it ranked 83rd in the ‘Overall’ category (2021) by India Today. The university has been ranked Gold in QS IGAUGE ratings, and is among the first 12 HEIs in the country to receive the E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitisation Certificate from QS I-Gauge. The School of Legal Studies and the School of Architecture have secured the 23rd and 25th positions countrywide, respectively, as per IIRF 2020. It continues to be in the Super Excellence Category in the GHRDC Architecture Rankings. REVA University’s School of Arts & Humanities secured 7th position among the top 10 Promising Media & Mass Communication Institutions in the country in Silicon India’s 2019 rankings. Global India Education awarded it for being the Most Promising University in 2018.

IMPECCABLE PLACEMENTS RECORD

REVA University has maintained an enviable placement record since its inception. With a strong focus on industry-institute partnerships and meticulous updating of syllabi catering to the changing times, it provides excellent placement and internship opportunities to its students. The placement wing offers students employment opportunities through campus recruitments, pooled campus, and off-campus recruitments. It stays well-connected to over 300 active recruiting partners ensuring good deals for the students. Some of the prestigious companies that frequent the campus every year include Deloitte, TCS, Phillips, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Infosys, and IBM. No wonder it has a strong alumni network of 35000+ well-placed professionals.

Driven by its vision statement to the core, Emirates Logistics LLC strives to be known across the world for its extreme freight and logistics competence, commitment, and accurate operational flexibility.

MOMENTOUS MILESTONES

In 2005, the parent company Emirates Logistics LLC was set up in the UAE. Since the beginning, the company has set its eyes on increasing market coverage and building a strong customer base in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. With consistent efforts and unrelenting hard work, they were able to open a branch in Sharjah the following year in 2006. The new set-up was aimed at creating and sustaining a Worldwide Agent Network. In 2007, the unwavering dedication of the company led to the opening of the company’s headquarters in Egypt, and a new off shoot in Abu Dhabi. Looking beyond the horizon, the company expanded its business to Pakistan in 2008 and India in 2011. It has worked with clients from across different countries and has been able to improve efficiency and deliver quality in terms of performance goals. The company excels in planning, execution, investment, implementation, warehouse management system, and most importantly, human resource utilization.

SOLUTIONS THAT EXCEED EXPECTATIONS

Emirates Logistics LLC is renowned to provide outstanding service and costeffective solutions to their customers. The company aims to provide quality service through commercial collaboration and mutual profit for suppliers and partners. It relies on knowledge to help its employees continuously educate themselves and create career progression opportunities for them through expansion and diversity. The company firmly believes in investing in Information Technology to accelerate its scope of service and development. It strives to deliver a valuable return on investment (ROI) to its investors. The foundation for their exemplary service has been recognizing the value of the agent network. Since its inception, it has made investments in the growth and organization of supply chain agents all over the world. As of now, they have a global network of 262 agents spread across 123 countries. As part of the prestigious Sharaf Group of companies, the firm has the advantage of a pre-existing Group network,

especially in the Middle East and Africa. It has offices in the UAE, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Malaysia, Egypt, and Morocco. The company is an esteemed member of prominent industry network organizations, namely, WCA Inter Global, United Ocean Lines, the International Association of Movers, and the Global Projects Logistics Network(GPLN). Emirates Logistics has a skilled and dedicated team backed by appropriate in-house infrastructure to provide logistics solutions as per the client’s needs. It’s unrelenting capabilities have made it a renowned brand that prides itself

on its financial reliability and the ISO9001 Quality Certification (P & I Cover with TT Club, London). Several clients from various business verticals such as Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Freight Transport, Power Yacht & Boat Handling, and Bulk and Break Bulk Cargo Handling have chosen the company as their trusted logistics partner. It has an unparalleled range of solutions, including Feasibility Study, Route Survey, Budget & Quotation, Heavy Lift Transport, Barge and Vessel Booking & Handling, Sea Freight, Air Freight, Over Land Transport, Brokerage, and Structure Positioning and Installation services. They also do project management tasks such as onsite project management and temporary import / storage. The company’s ultimate mission is to deliver exquisite value to its customers through tailored logistics solutions that fulfill their specific business requirements and exceed their expectations in terms of quality and service. Upholding their values and morals at the core, Emirates Logistics is the name that resonates with quality in every word and deed.

EMIRATES LOGISTICS LLC

EXCELLENCE THAT TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES

With 17 years of expertise in providing maximum value to their customers, Emirates Logistics has made significant investments in infrastructure expansion, international agent network, technology, and expertise. No wonder it has risen to prominence as a reputed brand in the logistics industry of the Middle East

EDUCATION

THE ICFAI GROUP OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

PIONEERING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR OVER 35 YEARS

ICFAI Group is a renowned education conglomerate headquartered at Hyderabad. It was established in 1984 with a broad objective of empowering citizens through world class quality education to its students in business management, law, science & technology, humanities, arts, commerce

Founded by Late Sri N.J. Yasaswy, The ICFAI Group has been pioneering professional education and empowering citizens for more than three decades with World Class Quality Education. The Institute announced its arrival into the Indian education fora by launching a high end, innovative professional program in financial analysis in 1985. It was a first-of-its-kind program in India that aimed at equipping students and working professionals with cuttingedge knowledge of contemporary finance practices.

The ICFAI Group made a significant mark in the Indian education domain with its pan-India network and presence. It has two strategic institutional units - ICFAI Universities and ICFAI Business Schools. The Group has established ICFAI Business Schools (IBS) in 1995 across 9 different locations in India to offer high-quality postgraduate management programs to its students. Apart from the B Schools, the Group has also established 11 ICFAI

Universities in 11 states.

DRIVEN BY A POWERFUL VISION

The ICFAI Group also works consistently towards achieving excellence in research and higher education. Furthermore, it aims to improve access and promote equity in higher education, and practice the value of academic integrity at all levels. As a result, all of its admissions are purely meritbased. The mission is to create a cadre of professional women and men skilled at problem-solving, critical thinking, management, and socio-economic

understanding to become competent leaders.

INSTITUTIONAL PHILOSOPHY

- Innovation: Innovation in program design as per the market needs is in the DNA of ICFAI. This portrays institutional agenda of creating value through innovation. ICFAI has been innovating ever since it was founded.

- Technology: Adoption of cutting edge technology in delivery methods and thereby creating amazing student experience on campus. Flexible and tech enabled learning also plays an important role in ICFAI’s teaching methodology. The delivery takes place with the use of a hi-tech learning management system at campus programs and content delivery for distance learning program.

INNOVATIVE TEACHING PEDAGOGIES AND FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Innovation has been the mainstay of the ICFAI Group. It facilitates interactive learning pedagogies to equip students with the requisite professional and life skills, ethics, and sensitivity to understand social issues. It focuses on learning rather than instruction by introducing Case Study methodology. Cases are developed at the Center of Excellence, namely, ICFAI Case Research Centre. The institutes has published path-breaking research on agricultural economics and environmental sustainability, and won several accolades worldwide for it. The content in classrooms is delivered through a hi-tech learning management system, and the content delivery for distance/flexible learning takes place online. The curriculum is designed to make students ‘DOERS’ with an attitude of ownership of their work risktaking abilities, and decision-making skills

STATE-OF-THE-ART INFRASTRUCTURE AND HIGHLYEXPERIENCED FACULTY

Wi-Fi enabled ICFAI campus is equipped with indoor and outdoor sports facilities and activity rooms/cultural clubs to extend the classroom learning experience and ensure multidimensional growth and personality development of students. It also houses an extensive physical and digital library, theatre-style A/V equipped classrooms, ATMs, health centers, and hostels. The faculty at the ICFAI Group brings their professional experience, extensive knowledge, and advanced education to their teaching tasks. INDIA’S

INDIA’S GREATEST BRAND 2021-22

SERVICES

Founded by the Architect of the Industrial and Modern India, Mr. Jamsetji Tata at the end of 19th Century in 1899 to transform and uplift the Indian Economy and show its mettle in the field of tourism and hospitality to the western nations, IHCL founded the Iconic Taj Mahal Palace, Hence being noticed and praised by the world over. With the vision of Tata to show India, how modernization was relevant for growth and with strong business ethics and practices, IHCL has since been serving its guests by letting them experience newer realms and a perfect blend of sheer luxury and heritage.

TAJ: THE CROWN JEWEL OF ICHL

From starting a century ago with a single property to being South Asia’s largest hospitality group with over 200+ properties of diverse significance and calibers. IHCL brought the essence and warmth of Indian culture together with world-class services and facilities. Although IHCL offers perfectly curated options for every stratum of the economy including, SeleQtions, aesthetically pleasing properties with a distinct character for experiential travelers, the Vivanta brand, a competitively priced yet sophisticated upscale hotels, and Ginger brand to serve the clients in the affordable luxury segment.

Yet, Taj and its brand has always been the epitome of Indian luxury and has set every possible benchmark of the hospitality industry ever since its inception. With 200+ luxurious hotels in 100+ locations and 28000+ lavish rooms and suites, Every Taj Hotel is an icon in Indian Pop culture, the sheer brand name, and iconic logo distinguishes it from the contemporaries and gives a reflection of the status it has earned over the past century.

The company also entered into management contracts for several properties in India which will commence operation over the next few years. The company ventured into new geographies by entering into management contracts in Mexico and British Virgin Islands for development of high end Luxury Resorts with 100 and 206 keys respectively.

The company also signed a management contract for establishing a Taj Luxury Hotel in Marrakech Morocco. It has also signed 10 new hotels to date in the current financial year, with three hotels

each under the Taj and Ginger brands, and two hotels each under the SeleQtions and Vivanta brands. Offering exquisite fine-dining experiences, impeccable service and hospitality and larger than life heritage and vintage properties taken over from the Royals and Nizams of the country to let the guest relive the history and experience the royal culture of the EL do Rado.

BEING A PART OF AN INDUSTRY, NOT A BUSINESS

Following on the footsteps of Mr. Tata

to look after every part and aspect of the company regardless of stature and monetary relevance to the company, hence being an Industry and not being a business house, IHCL has actively taken part in corporate social responsibility and welfare of the employees and associated agencies.

IHCL, through its CSR activities, enables its stakeholders and the neighborhoods through following sustainable business practices and optimizing the use of resources including energy, water, plastics, and other biodegradables.

To enable its guests to experience the best of nature and luxury, the company focuses on reducing carbon footprint through methods such as afforestation, and coral reef restoration by employing eco-friendly indigenous materials.

The company is also among the leaders in corporate social responsibility initiatives including skill development, education, and training of staff and spreading awareness on social and economic issues.

THE INDIAN HOTELS COMPANY LTD

THE LEADERS OF MODERN HOSPITALITY

With placing India on the map of the world through constructing revolutionary and iconic hotels and thus, over 120 years of undisputed reign over the Indian hospitality industry, The Indian Hotels Company Ltd is undeniably the trendsetters and flag bearers of the much-coveted sector of Indian economy

EDUCATION

NALANDA UNIVERSITY

RISING TO GLORY

Nalanda is a postgraduate international University located in the town of Rajgir in Bihar, India. The avant-garde University has undergone major transformations in the last four years under the visionary leadership of Prof. Sunaina Singh, the ViceChancellor he research-driven University founded in November 2010 under a special Act of the Indian Parliament is supported by the participating countries of the East Asia Summit, and Intergovernmental Memorandums of Understanding to that effect have been signed by 17 countries. The educational institution has been designated as an “institution of national importance” by the Indian Parliament.

TINSPIRED BY ACADEMIC BRILLIANCE

Nalanda was a renowned centre of education in Asia for about 800 years. The thriving residential institution had over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers from Asia as well as Greece. As per records, Xuanzang, a Chinese scholar, studied at the University for approximately 15 years. Taking its cue from the academic excellence and global vision of its historic predecessor, Nalanda University is committed to setting global standards of academic excellence and research and

enabling capacity building across all areas of higher education.

RECOVERING THE LOST GLORY

Nalanda University is envisioned as a symbol of this new Asian Renaissance. It is evolving as a creative hub to serve as a crossroad for future generations. The university was demolished towards the end of the 12th century. It is claimed to have been destroyed around the same time as the major universities of Western Europe emerged, signalling a shift in knowledge from the East to the West.

Nalanda University strives to re-establish the long-forgotten links and collaborations that prevailed in the Asian region before the commencement of historical circumstances that led to their implosion.

STRONG BACKING

The Member States of the East Asia Summit have pledged their support for Nalanda University. It was Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s speech at the Bihar State Legislative Assembly in March 2006 that marked the first step toward restoring the ancient citadel of learning. At the same time, the Singapore government presented the Indian Government with the ‘Nalanda Proposal’ suggesting the re-establishment of Nalanda as an Asian centre of learning. The proposal gathered steam as more member states pledged their support to the University at the fourth EA Summit in October 2009, thereby initiating Nalanda’s revival process.

The Nalanda University Act 2010 was finally passed in both the Houses of the Indian Parliament. In order to house its campus, the University acquired 450 acres of land at the base of the Rajgir Hills, 12 kilometres from the University’s ancient site. The reincarnation of Nalanda University has been marked by high-level cooperation between Bihar and the Central Government.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Its first academic session began on September 1, 2014. The University enrolled 710 regular students from 2014 to 2020. Intensive infrastructure work at Nalanda University started in the year 2017 and has taken shape in the last four years. According to reports, the University’s new campus has been reconstructed in the same pattern as that of the ancient Nalanda University of the 12th century. Many international students from the US, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are currently enrolled at the university.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

As Nalanda University’s campus is emerging as one of the largest Net Zero campuses in the world, in 2021, the University was honoured with the prestigious Quality Achievement Award-2021 by the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), applauding its commitment to the principle of sustainability. Additionally, the competition Success Review Magazine awarded Nalanda University for “Excellence in Education.”

Registered at Indraprastha (current NCT Delhi), on 15th December 2003 the Draupadi Dream Trust enters its 20th year on 15th December 2022. It gets its name and inspiration from the icon of empowerment, Maharani Draupadi, the Princess of Panchala Mahajanapad. The Trust initiated its work from Kampilya, famous for Devi Kampilyavasini, for birth and Swayamvaar of Draupadi. The state of UP gets its symbol from Swayamvar ceremony episode of Dwapar Itihasa. The Trust is fortunate to have very talented, learned and nationalist individuals supporting its efforts towards Sashakt Bharat.

The Trust was conceptualised following Ms. Misra’s near-fatal vehicle accident in November 2000. Soon after her recovery, she decided to visit her ancestral home, the old vedic rajya of Kampilya, for a thanksgiving pooja. The visit triggered childhood memories of Draupadi’s tales. At the same time, it also exposed her to the deplorable condition of the town.

Maharani Draupadi’s birthplace, Kampilya, was in ruins despite being a national heritage site controlled by the Archaeological Survey of India under the Ministry of Culture (Government of India). The historical town was in dire need of revitalisation. Her inner turmoil at seeing the sad plight of her native place led her to take concrete steps to revitalise Kampilya, and eventually, she established the Draupadi Dream Trust.

The Draupadi Dream Trust is dedicated to preserving and protecting archaeological sites across India. Currently, it is campaigning to recreate the splendour of historic urban net-zero capital Indraprastha, as well as the development of Kampilya. It also advocates highlighting the old archaeological site of Purana Qila, which dates back to the Mahabharata period.

EMPOWERING PEOPLE

The Draupadi Dream Trust is dedicated to empowering women at every level and promoting a better understanding and appreciation for the Indian culture, history, and heritage. Since its foundation, the Trust has been serving rural and urban regions of the Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh, India, focusing on underprivileged communities.

The Trust routinely trains thousands of women and youths in different IT and

vocational skills. It also joined forces with Media Lab Asia (GOI) to create specialised design software for the artisan community’s Khaka production. In addition, it has successfully convinced many farmers to grow medicinal plants instead of tobacco. Other steps taken by the Trust have helped many farmers become self-sufficient. In addition to empowering women/youth to manage their own lives, the Trust contributes to nation-building through participation in Socio-cultural, Socio-Economic, and Political issues.

Since its establishment, the Trust has focused on four major segments of growth. These include developing cultural tourism for local socio-economic advancement, providing IT & vocational training, boosting local crafts and culinary traditions, and supporting agro goods with food and medical value.

A RESEARCH-DRIVEN ORGANISATION

The Trust’s programs and projects are finalised after research has been carried out to assess gaps and needs in a particular area, which would assist in optimising local growth and opportunities. Its methodology is to create public awareness by publishing its research work and educating the target area in Information Technology. It also provides income-oriented skills training and sources grants, sponsorships, and donors to support the marginalised communities. In addition to organising several national conferences and 9 international conferences, the Draupadi Dream Trust has mounted many exhibitions.

A Masterpiece titled Pārvatī excavated at Pañcāla Desha (Ahichchhatra Region) during the 1940 excavation. Its unique Features are 1) Half moon indicating ‘Chandravanshi’ Lineage from King Drupada, 2) Third eye of Śhiva, 3) Exquisite hairstyle showing her love for her hair.

DRAUPADI

DREAM TRUST

REVIVING INDIA’S HERITAGE & CULTURE

Draupadi Dream Trust, founded by Ms. Neera Misra in 2003, is an NGO working for almost 2 decades to create a deeper understanding of India’s ancient culture and history by reviving tangible and intangible heritage from the ancient times. It also facilitates the advancement of knowledge & skills among women and youth

EDUCATION

KALINGA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (KIIT)

GIVING WINGS TO YOUR DREAMS

With a proven track record of launching and furthering careers, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology has created a niche as an advanced centre for professional learning meeting international standards. Located in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar, KIIT has a beautiful and well-equipped campus

Founded in 1992 as an industrial training institute, today Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology is one of the fastest growing private deemed universities in the country. The brainchild of Achyuta Samanta, C R Mishra and P K Mishra, the institute is a part of the KIIT society. From its humble beginnings as a vocational training centre, with only two staff members and 12 students, it has developed into a leading university with a strong interdisciplinary culture. Boasting of 23 world-class campuses and 30,000+ students, the institute offers 34 undergraduate, 32 postgraduate, 10 integrated, 11 Ph.D. and 7 postdoctoral research programmes in the fields of science and engineering, medical science, management, law, film and media, humanities and yoga and sports.

HOLISTIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The institute offers a vibrant life for students, ensuring their holistic

development. The students can choose among numerous cultural, literary, and sports societies according to their interest. Students can also join the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) and enhance their personality. The institute also offers adequate platforms for the progressive brains of our nation to interact, compete and display their creativity and talent through different cultural and academic fests organised regularly. The institute offers residential facilities on its aesthetically designed campus for boys and girls. The campus

is student-friendly and well-planned with state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, workshops, libraries, conferencing facilities.

High quality canteen services and 24hour reading rooms for each hostel in addition to recreational facilities for indoor and outdoor games, and wireless internet and intranet connectivity cater to creating a high-quality, research-intensive learning environment for the students. A dedicated international hostel accommodates foreign students from nearly 65 countries, proving KIIT’s reputation as the one of the first institutions in Odisha to attract foreign students owing to its quality of professional education.

ACHIEVEMENTS GALORE

The institute has contributed immensely in making the nation proud by producing notable alumni like sprinters Dutee Chand, Amiya Kumar Mallick, and the senior scientist at CSIR - Dr. Soumen Mandal. Within just 7 years of its inception, it was declared as a deemed university in 2004 by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India and was conferred with Category A status in 2014. Despite being a fairly young institution, it has performed incredibly well in the rankings conducted by various national and international associations. In 2019, it was recognised as an Institute of Eminence by the Ministry of HRD. It has also been granted Tier-1 accreditation by the National Board of Accreditation. It was ranked as the 23rd best Indian university in the overall category by the Times Higher Education in its Asia University Rankings for 2022. Moreover, it is also India’s first QS 5-star rated university (2021).

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

To make education more accessible especially for the underprivileged, the institute grants scholarships to meritorious and needy students every year. Pradyumna Bal Memorial Scholarship is awarded to 2 economically challenged but meritorious students and they are provided completely free education along with ancillary expenses. In its bid to promote entrepreneurship, KIIT Technology Business Incubator (TBI) programme offers incubation facilities for new ideas through various stages of entrepreneurial development. Through its pursuit of excellence, KIIT is contributing immensely to India’s journey of advancement and learning.

Founded in 1996 and recognized by Dun & Bradstreet, AS Group -Brazil are the only Latin American company listed among the Top 30 Largest Freight Forwarders on the Transport Topics ranking. The parent group has 26 years of experience, over 1000 employees, 40 own offices across 12 countries and a network of representatives in 6 continents. Its Indian branch, Asia Shipping International Transport Private Limited, began in New Delhi in 2012 and is a proud representative of the parent conglomerate, viz., AS Group - a Brazilian multinational logistics service provider.

In the beginning, Asia Shipping, India focused on developing freight forwarding services primarily from India to Latin America. After 10 years of achieving excellence and prioritizing safe service delivery, it has been extending complete range of logistics’ services from the Indian sub-continent to the rest of the world. Their team in India, led from the front by Mr. Amit Tandon, Managing Director, comprises more than 100 employees, 9 own branches, and 350 strategic partnerships worldwide.

Asia Shipping, India is one of the most widely sought after integrated logistics solutions provider. They are a proud member of the WCA World Network, which covers by far the most generous and extensive co-operation program in the industry, coupled with complete security and quality assurance. It has allowed the company to successfully conduct business with other WCA members. It is AEO-accredited, i.e., it has internationally recognized certification issued by the Customs Administration in India, which signifies that Asia Shipping meets the mandatory international safety and security standards with regard to logistics.

The company also holds accreditation by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 290 airlines. Asia Shipping is associated with all the major airlines for transportation of cargo worldwide for both export from and import into India, and is further augmenting its air cargo capacities. The Company also holds Good Distribution Practices (GDP) Certificate for pharmaceutical products.

DIVERSE CLIENTELE

Asia Shipping Group has been recognized all over the world for their proficiency in both air and ocean freight business. Asia

Shipping specializes in delivering tailored services. They acquire valuable knowledge of each client’s specific requirements and offer each business the ideal solution based on their specific needs. The clients are from different industries, including automobiles and auto parts, machinery, marble stone and ceramic tiles, wholesale fashion, retail, and oil and gas. The Company has also successfully and safely transported fragile and valuable components like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, fresh fruit and vegetables, equipments for renewable energy, electronics, etc.

SERVICES THAT SUIT EVERY NEED

Asia Shipping International Transport aims for smooth, cost-effective and safe transportation of goods. They offer immediate services through their network of first available flight and shipping connections from origin to arrival at destination.

The Group is a freight forwarding expert that offers fast solutions and reliability and works with the largest international carriers, both airlines and shipping lines, who recognize its expertise. The end-toend shipment process is supervised and monitored, ensuring 100% traceability of the shipments.

The cargo conglomerate has not just set sail through air and water, but has paved a variety of paths to provide trustworthy multimodal transport solutions. They ship through sea all items of import and export, e.g., temperature controlled, project cargo and cargo requiring special handling, etc. A full-service provider, Asia Shipping ensures customs clearance, physical Inspection and cargo insurance.

ASIA SHIPPING

SAILING SMOOTHLY TOWARDS SUCCESS

At Asia Shipping Group, the path is just as important as the destination. Striving for the smartest route to business, the logistics company has been leveraging technology to provide punctual delivery and improve the cargo shipping business performance

HORIZON INTERNATIONAL GROUP

ON THE UP AND UP

The Horizon International Group of Companies, founded in 1995 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, pulls together long-term expertise from several industries to gain a competitive edge. Under the stewardship of its Chairman & CEO Mr. Hamed Ahmed Omar Salem Alkarbi and Managing Director Mr. Mahesh Patil (who has over 14 years of broad experience in the GCC), the Group has grown by leaps and bounds. With his extensive experience in management and operations, he has led the Group to the next level of success

The Horizon International Group, since its inception, has been setting new standards in the recruitment sector.

There are several active subsidiaries in the Group, each offering specialised services of outstanding quality to customers. Also, the Group prioritises implementing solid business strategies to support its operations in the UAE.

A GOAL-DRIVEN ORGANISATION

The Horizon Group is motivated by a clear mission, vision and goal. As a goaldriven conglomerate, the organisation is committed to delivering innovative workforce solutions and services to help its clients stay ahead of the pack. Further, the company strives to provide its clients with the highest level of recruitment services while achieving solid

returns on investments. Furthermore, the Group operates on the pillars of integrity, reliability, perseverance, passion, professionalism, teamwork, and commitment. It puts these core values into practice to build a healthy work environment. Also, the management team reinforces these values continuously and incorporates them into daily activities.

A TRUSTED RECRUITMENT PARTNER

The Horizon Group has established a strong presence in the technology and telecommunications sectors as a premier recruitment firm. Having devoted its attention to these areas has allowed the company to become a leader in the field. Additionally, the Group provides highquality training and consulting services to individuals and organisations of all sizes. It also specialises in placing Middle

Management to Senior Level professionals in Oil and gas, construction, banking, real estate, chemicals industry, education, tourism, financial sector, healthcare, IT & Telecom, software & hardware, manufacturing, aviation and logistics companies. Furthermore, it contributes to the career advancement of UAE nationals by supporting and encouraging their professional development. The Horizon Group adheres to a customerfocused culture and thinks from its customers’ perspective to surpass client expectations. The Group believes that its customer-driven culture has helped it win the confidence of its clients.

A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES

The Horizon Group also has a realty division called Horizon International Real Estate & Property Management. The

company provides outstanding customer service by supporting homebuyers and sellers throughout every step of their real estate journey. Furthermore, its inhouse analysts regularly evaluate the property market’s volume, rates, supply, and demand. Through quantitative and qualitative market research, they can better understand the supply-demand situation, competitive landscape, and potential pricing for their finished housing projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Additionally, the company delivers precise consulting analysis. It monitors the availability of prime properties in order to align its clients’ goals with those of the company, whether for individual

throughout the entire project lifecycle.

HIREGULF-REDEFINING JOB-SEARCH

or corporate leasing or investment. Likewise, Horizon International Trading, the Group’s trading subsidiary, is also leading the way in general trade, import/ export, and commodity distribution. It assists manufacturers and producers in expanding their international markets. Its customer base extends to the GCC, Europe, Africa, Asia & CIS countries. An additional business unit, Horizon International Oil & Gas Field Services, provides equipment for upstream, midstream, and downstream activities in the oil industry. The company specialises in sourcing the right products to suit client requirements. This includes a range of exploration, drilling, completion, production, and processing products. It also offers safety products such as gas masks, PPE, Industrial safety equipment, industrial fire protection equipment, gas alerts, breathing apparatus, etc. Additionally, Horizon is aware of the unique demands and challenges of hiring in the oil and gas sector. Its powerful brand enables it to draw in the most qualified applicants. Also, its reliable processes help it pick the best prospects for its clients. Thus, as a leading oil & gas recruitment consultancy, the Group provides recruitment solutions

In 2020, the Horizon Group of Companies launched HiresGulf, a cutting-edge web application, to resonate with millennial job seekers and facilitate a next-level jobseeking experience. This high-performing online job portal incorporates avantgarde technology to offer the best user experience. Furthermore, this responsive app works well on the web, smart phones, and other mobile devices. Users can download this mobile application on iOS, Android and App Gallery. HiresGulf features a candidate portal and an employer portal. It has over 5000 active job openings and over 500 registered employers. Also, its user-friendly dashboard for employers and candidates makes it the most preferred online job portal in the UAE. Additionally, the app allows for free job posting and registration. Packed with a host of useful features, the app aims to be a leading online job portal that attracts professionals from all continents into the GCC region. The region’s largest employers and recruitment agencies rely on HiresGulf to find local talent and expatriate workers.

SPREADING FOOTPRINTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

A strong vision drives the success of the Horizon Group of Companies. The group is expanding its presence in several geographies, such as the UK, Canada, and the Philippines, to fortify its global footprint. It is also planning to add new offerings that will serve a diverse market. Also, Horizon International Group is planning to open add new Immigration Services and Chartered Accountancy Firm in the UAE to provide professional financial services such as auditing, taxation, and accounting. More info on www.horizon.ae

EDUCATION

PRUDENCE GROUP OF SCHOOLS

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE NATION

Prudence Group of Schools has been successfully empowering young minds and shaping them for the future. What differentiates Prudence Schools from other institutions is its pursuit of excellence. The entire focus of the schools is on the holistic development of the students

Dr. G.S. Matharoo, a former civil servant started the Prudence Group of Schools as he had a strong passion and a long-cherished dream of getting into the world of education. As Chairman of the group, his commitment to the cause of education is to contribute his best for an educated and self–sufficient nation. His endeavour is to ensure that every child who comes to the portals of Prudence Schools ultimately becomes a fine human being and moves ahead in life with good, strong values and essential skills of life well learnt. He wishes that every child contributes positively to the society and nation at large.

TARGETING HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT

Dr G.S. Matharoo, joined the Education Sector about 15 years ago, carrying a passion for creating a new paradigm in the school education system. He always had a great passion for providing the right education system, especially for the school going students. With a humble,

upright, respectable background and roots so strong, it was but natural for him to work his way up with grit and determination to create his unique legacy, revered, and celebrated by many today. Prudence Schools are English medium, co-educational schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Under Dr Matharoo’s guidance, the schools have established themselves as one of the most sought-after schools in Delhi and NCR. The entire establishment works with the sole objective of providing wholesome education to every child by incorporating the best possible physical,

intellectual, moral, spiritual and cultural learning. It provides an environment that is safe, clean, healthy and child-oriented. With the help of dynamic curriculum, opportunities are created and abilities developed so that the children who come to the fold are truly educated, enriched and empowered to innovate and create. Prudence Schools aim to pioneer a new paradigm of excellence in school education. Dr Matharoo’s team works hard to ensure that the school children receive a motivational, aspirational, and conducive environment to learn and grow.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Prudence Schools’ quest for excellence have received wide–spread praise in the education sector and even beyond. This year Prudence School, Ashok Vihar was presented the School Excellence Award by Brainfeed. Previously, the CED Foundation awarded Prudence Group of Schools as Star Rated School of India in the benchmark Innovative Practices of Academic Excellence. The schools have also been ranked in the top 5 schools in India and Delhi NCR for STEAM Education Excellence by Education World in the India School Rankings for 2021-22. Dr Matharoo has time and again been recognized for the vision he has and the change he strives to bring about in the education sector. Recently, he was chosen as the ‘Icon of Excellence’ by the Times Group. He was also felicitated with the prestigious Iconic Award 2021 for pioneering a new paradigm of excellence in School Education by Dainik Jagran Inext. This award was presented to him by the Former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel. Dr Matharoo and his team are working diligently to contribute towards a better future for our children. His endeavour is to reach out to a greater number of children and parents so that they have access to better facilities and resources. He wishes the issues of affordability and geographical locations do not stand in their way to quality education. Prudence Group of Schools now have 10,500+ students across 8 campuses and is now spreading its wings across the country. He believes, it is vital to promote integrity and set sound standards amongst team members. His insight and conviction propelled him to take bold steps and today he has three senior schools and five junior ones in and around Delhi NCR. Prudence Group intends to extend their reach to students and parents PAN India who crave a better education system.

Kesari Tours was started by Mr. Kesari Patil in 1984. He was 50 years old at that time and closer to retirement. He chose to start all over again and began his entrepreneurial journey with a travel company that was started in a room of his house and had no staff but only family members to help. Owing to his dedicated efforts, it has emerged as a reputed firm in the services sector.

LEADING THE CHANGE

Mr. Patil pioneered a mindset change and introduced a new way of traveling. Under his leadership, Kesari Travels has become one of the most trusted brands for travel. Kesari Tours Pvt Ltd. Has a proven track record of providing reliable, personalized & professional travel services. The backbone of Kesari Tours’ success is their totally dedicated, hard-working team of 900 travel professionals, including 400 tour managers who strive for complete guest satisfaction. The business runs on virtues such as honesty, transparency, and simplicity which have been appreciated by all guests for years. As tourism developed and changed its face with the advent of technology, so did the offerings of Kesari Tours. One of the first Indian travel companies to introduce corporate traveling services to the Indian companies and that completely changed the face of the Indian tourism industry. Similarly, it also became one of the first full-fledged travel agencies offering Inbound, outbound, FIT (Foreign Independent Tour), MICE (Meeting, Incentives, exhibitions, and conferences), and Destination Wedding packages. In close to 40 years of its existence, Kesari Tours has been recognized time and again for its forward approach and innovative travel plans. The diversity they offer in tour management plans is the company’s biggest differentiator. Over the years, Kesari Tours has launched many unique specialty tours like Honeymoon Special, ‘My Fair Lady’ for women travelers, ‘Second Innings’ for Senior Citizens, Students Special, Marigold for spiritual tours, and Chota Break for quick getaways along with ‘Carry Zero Money’ on tour policy and different divisions such as Strawberi for customized travel, MICE for corporate travel and many more.

GLOBAL RECOGNITION

Mr. Patil was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award from The Galileo Bird Travel World Awards. At Kotakinabalu in

Malaysia, Abacus International awarded Kesari Tours for excellence in customer services using technology in India. There are many other prestigious awards that the brand has won including ‘The Best Family Group Tour Operator in Gujarat’ by Gujarat Tourism in 2017; “India’s Most Valuable Travel Destination Company 2017” at 8th Annual India Leadership Conclave & Indian Affairs Business Leadership Awards; Most Popular Brand 2017 by Artha Sanket Maharashtra, Preferred Partner Award by Sentosa the State of Fun (Singapore) in 2016; Best Domestic Tour

Operator by Today’s Traveller Awards; India’s Top 100 Travel Producers award by OTM; National Tourism Award-Best Domestic Tour Operator – Kashmir for the year 2014-2015; Best Domestic Tour Operator by ‘Today’s Traveller’ Award 2015; National Tourism Award – 201314 for Domestic tour operator- Rest of India among many others. Under the able guidance of Mr. Patil, the brand has emerged to be one of the greatest travel companies. The business that started as a domestic tour operator with a group of 13 tourists on its first trip has transformed into one of the most sought-after travel companies. Kesari Tours, when it comes to service, is no.1 brand and it is consistent for past 38 years. Kesari Bhau had made sure that values like ‘what you promise you deliver, and ‘spread smiles and happiness on tour’ are being ensured. Today, under guidance of Mr. Kesari Patil MD, Mr. Shailesh Patil, Mrs. Zelam Chaubal, Mr. Himanshu Patil, Ms. Sangita Patil and Mr. Arjun Chaubal (grand son) are actively involved in the business.

KESARI TOURS

MAKING TRAVEL MORE INCLUSIVE

Kesari Tours is a renowned brand in the travel industry in India. It is popular for its innovative travel packages that break barriers and make travel accessible to more and more people. From women-only tours to exclusive senior-citizen tours, the brand has transformed the way travel has been perceived in the Indian households

EDUCATION

GEDU

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION

GEDU is a global group of educational and training providers, offering higher education, apprenticeships, specialist training, language courses and more. It focuses on education, professional empowerment, community progress, and longterm sustainability of the local communities

GEDU is a group of educational institutions with over 20,000 students from different parts of the world. With 10 campuses in the UK, the UAE, and Malta, it is an organistaion dedicated to providing access to high quality education and training. Its educational programs focus on professional development, community growth and sustainability.

The GEDU community of learners is diverse and inclusive, and is supported by a team of over 500 staff, all experts in their field. GEDU cultivates authentic and meaningful relationships with their education partners, widening access to their portfolio of courses.

To add to it, in 2021, 93 percent of students said that they are satisfied with their education. GEDU is at the vanguard of innovation in education, developing groundbreaking educational models that define the future of education and help their students become tomorrow’s leaders.

INNOVATING EXCELLENCE

GEDU wholeheartedly works to promote educational innovation that overcomes the obstacles of traditional education models. It brings together interested, talented, and open-minded teachers and learners from all over the world and gives them a chance to learn, grow and develop. Students graduating from GEDU institutions meet the real-world challenges with their specialized skills, expert knowledge, and new language skills, thus embarking on their journey to become inspirational leaders.

GEDU TEAM

The GEDU leadership team is made up of highly experienced and qualified professionals, including Dr. Vishwajeet Rana, the Chairman of the Executive Board. He has executed many complex cross-border equity-/debt-structured investments and financial transactions all around the world working at HSBC’s New York office. Along with the senior management team of Prof. Ray Lloyd, Prof. Leo Falcone, Dr. Melissa Willby, Dr Rana enjoys evaluating different global education models and applying them to unlock the potential of students through higher education. They value entrepreneurial spirit while appreciating and rewarding high performance.

FINEST INSTITUTIONS

GEDU has many institutions under its umbrella. The renowned education establishments include the English Path, GBS, GBS Dubai, GBS Malta, MetaGedu Apprenticeships, Lokmani Law School, and Lokmani Postgraduate School. GBS provide access to high quality higher education courses, opening up career opportunities for students around the world. English Path deliver world-class language and communication courses at campuses in the UK, Dubai and Malta. The Lokmani Law School is India’s one of the most well-known law schools. It offers a 3-year programme that covers a wide range of legal topics and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

VALUE-DRIVEN AND FOCUSED

GEDU’s sole purpose is to make highquality education accessible to more people and transform their lives through education. It promotes talent development through practical and thought-provoking programmes based on a cutting-edge educational approach, technology and knowledge.

GEDU is a worldwide hub of educational experts, supporting and encouraging quality, innovation and advanced technology in education. The organisation highly cherishes diversity and operates ethically and professionally. It cares about each and every individual, and always strives to learn and improve.

It prioritises equal opportunities in recruitment, promotions, and professional growth of its staff, as well as student admissions and evaluations. Throughout the GEDU group, every day lives are being changed through the power of education.

Deltin is India’s largest luxury gaming and entertainment brand. From luxurious suites to spectacular gaming areas, VIP lounges to world-class entertainment and delectable cuisine to ultra-relaxing spa services, Deltin has created a niche premium experience at each of their exquisite properties in Goa, Daman, Sikkim and Nepal. Deltin operates three offshore casinos - 1 land based casino and one 5-star casino hotel in Goa, a magnificent 5-star resort in Daman with a proposed casino that is subject to regulatory approval, as well as two other land-based casinos in Sikkim and Nepal.

ALWAYS ON TOP

Delta Corp has gained a leadership position in the industry through its early mover advantage. It owns three of the six offshore gaming licenses issued in Goa.

Delta Corp also operates two 5-star hotels, four land based casinos and two online gaming websites.

EXPLORING ONLINE GAMING SPACE

Delta Corp has diversified into the fastgrowing online gaming market with its acquisition of Gauss Networks Private Limited, operator of Adda52.com. The organization has also made significant investments in other online gaming portals.

THE LATEST ADDITION

Deltin recently took over the operational control of the in-house casino at The Zuri White Sand Resorts in South Goa, the new casino, named ‘Deltin Zuri’, and began its operations on June 1, 2022.

Deltin Zuri’s casino boasts the same world-class services and experiences that Deltin is popular for. With the opening of this casino, South Goa will have its only world class gaming and entertainment destination.

WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE

Deltin delivers a unique blend of offerings which is a mix of thrill, energy, entertainment, food & beverages and great service.

Their patrons belong to various segments: some seek the thrill of live gaming, some visit for the experience, some for the gourmet cuisine and some just want to have fun. Deltin caters to

everyone’s desire with its finest offerings and service.

The demographics vary as per the segment of the consumer but their guests represent men, women and family of varied age groups from different parts of India. The Deltin experience, that is the class and their strong connect with the patrons, is something that the guests love.

PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS

Deltin has received several prestigious titles, some of them include, ‘The

Economic Times Best Brands’ 2021, ‘India’s Most Iconic Luxury Gaming & Entertainment Destination’ by Times Hospitality (Times of India Group), and ‘Iconic Leader in Luxury Gaming & Entertainment’ by Mid-Day Icons 2021.

The company was also felicitated with the ‘Most Iconic Gaming Experience’ by Times Hospitality (Times of India Group), Most Iconic All Suites 5-star Casino Hotel’ by Times Hospitality (Times of India Group) ‘Iconic Luxury Wedding and Events Destination’ by Mid-Day Icons 2021, and ‘Best Leisure Hotel 2021’ by Yatra Consumer Choice Awards.

These awards and recognitions attest to the unshakeable trust that its customers have continuously placed in it.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Deltin believes strongly in giving back to the society. It takes active participation in various social causes and contributes greatly to the local community through its CSR wings.

DELTIN

A PERSONIFICATION OF LUXURY

Deltin, owned by Delta Corp Ltd., India’s only publicly listed gaming and hospitality company, is reinvigorating India’s luxury gaming and entertainment industry by providing a comprehensive and unrivalled experience. Deltin is renowned for its cutting-edge floating casinos, land-based casinos, and 5-star hotels

EDUCATION

EIILM

A POWERHOUSE FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

The Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM) Kolkata’s aim is to improve human potential in business, industry, entrepreneurship, intellectual, & socio-economic cultural development. These possibilities could be accomplished through cutting-edge education, and instilling the ancient ethos

At EIILM, honourable Chairman and Director Prof. (Dr.) Rama Prosad Banerjee magically blends academic excellence with industry competence using his more than 35 years of experience. A Professor of Finance and Ethics, he has taught practically all management subjects in global firms and domestic organizations.

He has also taken up the initiative to share Indian spiritual values and the message of Vedic Civilisation as an international educator.

CHRONICLES OF EIILM

The Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM) in Kolkata was formed in 1995 with the purpose to strengthen and enhance human abilities in this constantly changing world. That is why its professors always use participant-centered teaching strategies. Resultantly, students are able to develop qualities that are best suited to the corporate world.

Kolkata’s only premier B-school, the institution has competent faculty members who regularly take classes, grooming sessions, and workshops to familiarise students with sound business theories, and its practical applications.

The institute has been successful in nurturing pupils and preparing them for corporate careers. To support research in the area of management and related disciplines of learning and practices, a unique research centre has been established at EIILM-Kolkata under the aegis of Vidyasagar University,

Government of West Bengal.

AWARDS AND PLACEMENTS

The main reason for EIILM winning accolades is the Pre Placement Offer (PPO). A distinguishing feature, it offers students summer and winter internships before the final placement.

Every cohort of EIILM-Kolkata students has been placed in reputable corporations and students are able to secure lucrative positions in some of the world’s most prestigious organisations, including a few Fortune 500 businesses.

Consequently, EIILM-Kolkata has received numerous awards for excellence. To mention some, it was honored with CSR GHRDC B-School Survey of India, along with, 2020: 1st in Top Eminent B-Schools of Super Excellence in India. ZEE 24 Ghanta also presented it the Education Excellence Award for “Best Placement Among B-Schools” in 2020.

Last but not the least, “Dun & Bradstreet” recognised the institute as the “Leading Business Schools of India in 2019.

COLLOBORATIONS AND SEMINARS

EIILM-Kolkata has signed Memorandums of Understanding with a number of universities throughout the world for Student and Faculty Exchange Programmes to build ‘Industry Relations.’ Even Overseas Immersion Programs, and international internships and employment prospects are offered in Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore and the European countries. This partnershipbased learning exchange has given students much-needed worldwide experience, boosting their confidence, knowledge, and skill sets. The Prof (Dr) R. P. Banerjee also constituted the idea of Swadhyah Sankalpa which is a Rigvedic thought of “self-development via selflearning.” This thought was schooled to give a unique platform for students to interact with industry Subject Matter Experts.

Students demonstrate their knowledge, critical thinking, and newest operations through presentations on the current business scenarios and developing trends in multi-disciplinary fields of study. Apart from it EIILM also holds a range of seminars on varied topics like “Business in Borderless Asia - the Hurdles, Possibilities and Prospects,” “Asian Integration - Towards Creating a Homogeneous Asian Mind.”

r. Bu Abdullah (Founder Chairman of Bu Abdullah Group of Companies) is a significant figure not only in the Gulf region but internationally as well. His closeness with the royal family of the 7 Emirates and the UAE government has also gone a long way in strengthening the ties between the UAE and other Gulf countries. Under his leadership, Bu Abdullah Group of Companies manages clients in over 270 companies in the Middle East, Asia, and other parts of the world. The vision of Bu Abdullah Group of Companies is to create local opportunity, impact, and growth in every community and country around the world through its diverse and finest range of professional services.

BU ABDULLAH PRO & BUSINESS

CONSULTANCY

Based in Ajman (UAE) and incorporated in 2001, Bu Abdullah PRO & Business Consultancy is one of the leading business consultancy firms in the UAE. It provides a wide range of business solutions for corporates and individuals who are looking to establish themselves in the UAE. Their service portfolio encompasses free zone company formation, business setup in Dubai/LLC company formation, product registration, pro services (paperwork and processing of governmental documents such as visa applications, company trade licensing documentation/approvals and labor cards), offshore company formation and language translation services. The company also has a dedicated in-house Tasheel Centre in Ajman.

Bu Abdullah PRO & Business Consultancy is extremely customerfocused and serves them economically and efficiently. It also ensures the highest level of confidentiality with all the documents that their clients submit.

BU ABDULLAH REAL ESTATE

Owning a home is a keystone of wealth, emotional security, and safety for buyers. Putting this thought into action, Bu Abdullah Real Estate was established in 2010. One of the best real estate consultancy companies in UAE, it started with the creation of urban colonies in Ajman (Dubai). It then further expanded into the then-unknown regions, thereby creating exceptional working and living spaces for the new Emirati global professionals. Through its various constituent companies and partnerships,

Bu Abdullah Real Estate manages real estate development, investment, sales and marketing, brokerage and property management. The mission of Bu Abdullah Real Estate is and will always be to help companies and individuals in the UAE find their perfect commercial space or home space. Today, it oversees the operation, control, maintenance, and sale of over 1000 commercial, retail and residential properties. It offers flexible, professional and premium real estate services, including market research, property valuation, property buying, property

selling and leasing, property renting, roots conveyancing, property consultancy and management.

CORE VALUES DRIVING THE GROUP

The foundation of Bu Abdullah Group of Companies lies in the core values of Philanthropy, Trustworthy Computing, Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity. In addition to this, Dr. Bu Abdullah’s detail-oriented acumen and astute zeal to learn have helped the group reach greater heights over the years. Bu Abdullah Group of Companies has been diligently planning and working towards expansion into new areas such as entertainment, lifestyle, fashion, and more. So, it will definitely be worth the wait. Bu Abdullah Group of Companies received the award for the ‘Most Socially Responsible Company of the Year 2020 for Labour Practices, Diversity, Philanthropy and Volunteerism’ at the Fashion& Excellence Awards Night by H E Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi and H E Dr. Hind Bint Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi.

BU ABDULLAH GROUP OF COMPANIES

OFFERING MYRIAD SERVICES UNDER A SINGLE ROOF

Bu Abdullah Group of Companies was founded in 2005 by Dr. Bu Abdullah, an Emirati businessman par excellence. Having a rich expertise in law and business, he has collaborated with top business professionals and eminent lawyers to provide consultancy services to Gulf nationals, NRIs, and expatriates

EMERGING

EDUCATION

ARTIST

TRANSFORMING WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE

ARTIST is a movement that is transforming women’s healthcare with its multifold strategy across the country. By using tools such as advocacy, awareness campaigns, and training, the institute is reforming the entire healthcare sector and shifting paradigms

ARTIST which stands for Asian Research and Training Institute for Skill Transfer is the brainchild of Dr. Hema Divakar. One of the most renowned Gynaecologists in the country, Dr. Divakar has made ARTIST a pioneer in setting new standards for women’s healthcare.

Dr. Divakar has a passion for healing and is a prominent name in the medical fraternity. Her entire career has been dedicated to giving top-notch healthcare services and she started ARTIST to change the way young girls or adolescents approach health issues as they grow. There aren’t enough healthcare providers to provide the right guidance to growing children when they approach puberty and experience a multitude of changes in their bodies. There is a certain taboo when it comes to women’s bodies. It is not acceptable to ask questions or display curiosity to know more about what is going on with their bodies. Dr. Hema wanted to change this and thus she started ARTIST.

WHAT IS ARTIST?

ARTIST is essentially a group of expert healthcare professionals, leaders of professional organisations (national and international) key opinion makers, researchers and academicians, and leading clinicians in practice – this is the mix of the best resources under one umbrella. These leaders conduct trainings and skill transfers to eliminate the gaps in healthcare. ARTIST conducts these skill transfer trainings throughout the country in various phases.

The specialists at ARTIST have

extensively surveyed the Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices (KAPs) amongst the ObGyns across India, and have been able to gather startling facts and identify the gaps in KAPs. They use this well-versed knowledge to design trainings, programs, and modules that impart education wherever there is a gap.

Trainers at ARTIST ensure that the training is not just about the certificates but it is about the competency. One can be ensured that a certified professional from ARTIST is competent in that particular skill before the end of the course because the training and retraining and the role plays and the mock drills and rehearsals and everything that involves in order to make sure that the skill is adequately and completely transferred without compromising the quality of the training.

The spectrum of training encompasses basic ObGyn skills to recent advances inclusive of endoscopy, ultrasound, and infertility with a foundation of evidencebased protocols.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

The competency of the trainers and ARTIST as an institute has been recognized many times by the medical fraternity and beyond. In May this year, IHW Council honoured ARTIST with HER as their Health Awareness Champion for 2022. At the New Normal Healthcare Leadership Summit & Awards 2022, Dr G.V. Divakar, Managing Director, ARTIST, the training wing of Divakar Speciality Hospital was recognized with the prestigious ArdorComm Healthcare Award in the “Excellence in Capacity Building” category.

Last year, the eminent leader Dr. Hema Divakar was also honoured with the prestigious Doctors’ Day Award by Indian Medical Association for her contribution and services to the public. The Deccan Herald’s ‘Healing Hands’ initiative also identified and felicitated Dr. Divakar, CEO, ARTIST under the ‘Leading Light for Women’s Healthcare’ category for her work in the capacity building during COVID-19 pandemic.

These are just a few of the recognitions that Dr. Divakar, her team, and ARTIST keep on receiving. But, their real reward is the change that they are bringing about and the lives that are being transformed in the process. It is true that every once in a while a beacon of light comes that illuminates each path on its way – ARTIST is that beacon of light and hope.

EMERGING

usinesses need to be on top of all legalities; and this requires the support of a competent legal team. Well aware of the legal requirements of a business, the experienced lawyers at Citadel Law Chambers stand by their clients through thick and thin. Based in Kolkata, the firm has clients all over India. The firm’s reputation has helped break the geographical barriers, making it a preferred legal advisor for both corporate and commercial litigation. Not just that, Citadel Law Chambers’ impeccable work has also been attracting international clients looking for legal support with respect to their investments / acquisitions in India. The firm boasts ofa range of domestic and international clienteles in a short span of two years.

BTHE FACE BEHIND THE FIRM

Behind the success of Citadel Law Chambers is a name that is well-known in the legal industry. The founder of the firm is Ms. Ramya Hariharan, a seasoned lawyer with more than 20years of experience. She has experience in general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance and insolvency and restructuring.

Ms. Ramya Hariharan has in her career spanning over20 years had experience in dealing with various branches of law which has stood her in a good stead in providing well rounded and sound legal advice to her clients. Ramya has worked in some of the leading law firms in the country, including Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, as a partner with Argus Partners and with HSA Advocates. She has led large teams and successfully closed several multi million dollar deals for her clients.In August 2020, when the world was still reeling under Covid, she moved out with her team from HSA Advocates to re start Citadel Law Chambers.

EXPERIENCE TALKS

What makes Citadel Law Chambers so efficient at understanding the businesses of their clients and then solving their legal issues is the collective experience of the firm. The lawyers of the Firm have several years of experience in handling transactions both domestic and cross border as well as dispute resolution matters. The Firm comprises dynamic and ambitious lawyers who strive to

achieve professional excellence and are solution oriented, proactive and responsive to the needs of their clients. Due to their extensive knowledge and deep understanding, the team at Citadel is adept at finding legal solutions for complex situations. The lawyers of the firm are trained to be solution oriented and to understand the business of the client which enables them provide practical legal solutions.The team at Citadel strives to exceed the expectations of its client by constantly improving upon the internal benchmarks for quality and

turnaround time so as to become the best and be one step ahead. The firm adopts absolute transparency and highest standards of professional integrity and ethics in its approach towards work and in its interactions with its clients.High level of commitment and high level of client satisfaction, ethics and integrity are the integral values which drive the firm.

DEPTH OF PRACTICE

One of the most significant benefits of working with Citadel Law Chambers is that it is a full-service law firm and caters to businesses of all sizes. The law firm’s practice areas include general corporate, mergers and acquisition, banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, real estate transactions, projects and dispute resolution.

Citadel Law Chambers is best-known for understanding the core of its clients’ businesses and then providing them with sound legal advice that is profitable in the short-term and long-term.

CITADEL LAW CHAMBERS

LEGAL SERVICES THAT SAFEGUARD YOUR BUSINESS

A full-service law firm, Citadel Law Chambers is a trusted name and provides legal advisory services to many leading corporates. The firm’s dedicated team of lawyers follows the highest ethical and professional standards and offer sound legal advice to their clients

EDUCATION

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

WHERE ASPIRATIONS TURN INTO REALITY

With an aim to train young aspirants in the hospitality sector, the International School of Hospitality Management (ISHM) is setting new standards of teaching and training. For years, the institute has been grooming its students with modern practices and training before they join the industry

The hospitality sector may have been a late bloomer but thanks to globalization, it has witnessed an exponential growth. Therefore, the demand for highly-trained professionals has also surged, opening new career avenues for young aspirants. However, the aspirants need practical training to grab lucrative opportunities in the hospitality world. That’s where ISHM comes into the picture. The institution has a state-of-the-art campus that allows students to get hand-on training in culinary arts.

Located in West Bengal, it has become one such institution where students can start their journey towards working in hospitality and aviation industries.

MATCHLESS CURRICULUM

Renowned as one of India’s finest hospitality management institutes, the International School of Hospitality Management offers UG and diploma programs in Aviation, Hotel & Hospitality

Management, and International Business.

At the UG level, the institute offers a three-year BBA, Dual Programme in Hospitality, Hotel & Tourism Management, and BSc courses. Students also have the option of pursuing a BBA in three specialisations.

At the PG level, the institute offers two-year MHA and PGPM courses. Alternatively, the three-year PGPM offers dual specialisations. In addition, the institute also offers one-year diploma courses in two specialisations and threeyear advanced diploma courses to the

students. All in all, the students have the opportunity to select from a diverse range of courses based on their career needs. Each of these courses is designed by industry experts after evaluating the needs of the sector.

STATE-OF-THE-ART CAMPUS

What makes the International School of Hospitality Management a pioneer is not just the courses and curriculum but also their practical learning. The institute is equipped with modern facilities to offer world-class training.

From huge air-conditioned lecture rooms and kitchen labs to conference rooms and aircraft cabins, the institute ensures excellent amenities. For hospitality students, there is also a fullyequipped food & beverages service lab, a food production lab, and a mock room simulating a 5-star hotel to give first-hand knowledge to students of the general housekeeping standards.

FACILITATING INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE

Since hospitality and aviation are global career options, the International School of Hospitality Management has also included international exposure as a part of the student training. Under this initiative, the institute allows students to continue a 6-12 months internship in countries such as Malaysia, Turkey, Russia, and Thailand. During these internships, the students can also earn while getting practical training.

For aviation students, it provides crosstraining exposure in the Indian Flying clubs and airhostess-ship training in live aircrafts in Malaysia. This way, the students get a first-hand experience of how things work in a real-time job.

BEYOND CAMPUS SUPPORT

Its vision is not restricted to merely offering learning opportunities. It understands how crucial the first steps of such young professionals are. This is why they have a dedicated placement cell which offers the best work opportunities to the students. The interviews are arranged before the semester is finished so that students have appointment letters even before they complete the course.

So far, students from the International School of Hospitality Management have bagged incredible work opportunities with top recruiters around the world. Some of these recruiters are Expedia, SpiceJet, Renaissance Hotel, Amazon, Hyatt, Taj, and Aditya Birla Group.

Headquartered in Mumbai, Stalwart World is the brainchild of an effervescent first-time entrepreneur Ms. Divyashikha Gupta. It is a group of 4 business entities that focus on distinct businesses. All of the units have one thing in common that they all partner with entrepreneurs to create selfsustaining and scalable business models driven by technology and innovation.

Stalwart Group was started by Ms. Gupta in 2009 after she quit a very promising corporate career to start her own venture – which was also her lifelong dream. She is a first generation entrepreneur which basically means that she has no family history of running a business. It was all new turf for her when she started the Stalwart Group. With a passion to fulfil her dream, she began her journey and never looked back. Gradually, she has built a successful self-sustaining business. The various units of Stalwart make it a syndicate of technology and innovation.

ALL ABOUT STALWART

Her first brand Stalwart Business Consortium LLP is India’s first and only 360 degree Integrated Sales Implementation organization that partners with FMCG brands to increase sales. Its basic principle is to partner with F&B and FMCG brands to help them increase sales. Its business model includes offering the clients tangible retail sales and distribution solutions to build their presence in general trade, modern trade, HORECA channels, and marketplaces. Under her vision, it is working to build India’s largest and widest sales and distribution network.

The second brand under the umbrella of Stalwart World is Stalwart Management Consulting (SMC). It is primarily an HR solutions company that matches organizations’ human resources requirements to the talent. It has proven expertise in building sustainable and competitive teams for its clients.

SMC provides a range of services like talent acquisition, advisory, and consulting solutions to HR Analytics and outsourcing. It has earned a reputed name for itself and has been a trusted partner for some of the top Fortune 100 companies globally.

The third business that Stalwart Group runs is called Stalwart Wellness. As the name suggests, it is a wellness program aimed at its clients’ employees. This

program ensures the all-around wellness of the employees throughout their employment cycle with their partners. It provides a holistic service to the clients’ workforce which results in an increased human capital-output and a generally content workforce. What differentiates Stalwart Wellness from other programs is that it understands the pressures of employees and thus it gives a lot of importance to mental and emotional wellbeing. Stalwart-YOU 7.0 – another Stalwart World’s offering is Learning Organization that designs experiential

learning modules and links business objectives to the outcomes. These programs are again for the employees of Stalwart’s partners and are a step in building the workforce for the future. It uses creative methods such as performing arts like films, music, and drama to design distinctive learning calendars for many multinational companies across the world.

RUNNING HIGH ON VALUES

Ms. Gupta runs a tight ship at Stalwart when it comes to values and ethics. The brand stands tall on the foundation of its core values of responsibility, independence, transparency, professionalism, and accountability. These are the basic tenets of corporate governance that Ms. Gupta strongly stands by and has methodically imbibed in every business she runs.

The brand is known to keep the customers at the center and always listen to what they have to say. It is also renowned for forging long-term positive associations that create value and impact.

STALWART WORLD

CREATING VALUE BY CHANGING PARADIGMS

The Stalwart Group is a revered brand that is known for its strong peoplecentric values. Started by Ms. Divyashikha Gupta in 2009, Stalwart has grown to be a group of businesses all working together to change the way brands function

EDUCATION

SARASWATI DENTAL COLLEGE

GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Saraswati Dental College (SDC) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (India), was founded by the Saraswati Group of Educational Institutes (SGEI) in 1998. Under the leadership of Dr. Rajat Mathur, President of SGEI, the institution has grown tremendously during the last 22 years

Saraswati Dental College has been built on a beautiful 7-acre green campus with 24-hour CCTV surveillance and security. It was recognised by the DCI and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2004. The college fosters an intellectually stimulating environment and has a hasslefree admission process.

IMPARTS WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION

SGEI’s mission is to transcend boundaries and transform Saraswati Dentistry College and Saraswati Hospital and Research Centre into global centres of excellence in dental education, health care, and research. To that end, the institution has been making unrelenting efforts to evaluate its BDS and MDS programmes. It also intends to become a global brand in quality education in the field of dentistry.

Saraswati Dental College was established under the name of the Goddess of Learning, “Maa Saraswati. The institution aims at preparing its students

to enter the workforce as responsible, employable, and dedicated professionals. The college started offering a Postgraduate program (MDS) in the year 2005, which has created a benchmark in dental education and research. Furthermore, students at Saraswati Dental College are trained by eminent faculty members and introduced to a diversified clinical environment where they learn a wide range of competencies.

In order to provide its students with topnotch educational programs, the college focuses on global trends and adheres to high ethical standards. Practical

experiences are incorporated into the curriculum with simulations, field trips, and projects to make students proficient enough to match up to the latest industry standards. The institution also emphasises a knowledge-sharing culture to keep its students aware and motivated.

To help students keep pace with changing times, it also provides an extensive range of off-campus educational and training opportunities. Moreover, the college campus equips the students and faculties with technical skills required in the technologically-driven world.

A RESEARCH-DRIVEN INSTITUTION

Saraswati Dental College is a researchdriven institution. Researchers and students are exposed to current research methodologies and are provided worldclass facilities by the college. The institution also works with business, government, and non-profit organisations to deliver inter-disciplinary academic programs and bridge the institution and industry gap. Over the years, it has produced several socially and morally responsible professionals by imparting integrated dentistry education in a diversified learning environment. Its alumni have been absorbed into the Indian Army, Central Government, State Governments, and prestigious foreign organisations.

EMBRACING DIVERSITY

Saraswati Dental College aims to build a culturally diverse campus that fosters religious tolerance. All qualified applicants seeking dental education are given an equal chance at the college irrespective of their caste, creed, gender, and religion. It promotes peace and brotherhood among students by sensitising them to different religions and cultures. Additionally, the college fosters a culture of equality that values integrity, academic freedom, and intellectual curiosity.

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

In 2021, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Saraswati Dental College 27th amongst India’s dental colleges in the Dental Discipline Specific Category. It was also recognised as an Outstanding Dental Institute in Academics & Clinical Research at the International Education Summit and Award Event 2020 in Bangkok. The college was also acknowledged as the best private dental college in India at Leadership Summit 2019.

Rahi One has a rich history of providing efficient and quick service. The company is at the top of its game in terms of providing professional and personalised services to its customers. ‘Responsibility is prayer’ is the motto of the company. With this motto in mind, the travel agency strives to deliver quality services to its global clients at an affordable price.

Under Mr. Shafiqul’s stewardship, the company has reached new levels of success. His passion for the travel business led him to establish the company. The firm is the outcome of his hard work and frugality. He considered starting his own business during his secondary school years. He realised his entrepreneurial dream of starting a travel agency by purchasing land in shares using deposited funds. He gradually improved his financial situation by selling the land with good profits.

The self-motivated entrepreneur materialised his dream in the year 2015 by establishing Rahi One Travels LLC in Ajman, the UAE. Considering Bangladesh’s growing demand and success trends, Mr. Shafiqul established the company there as well in the year 2021.

A VALUES-DRIVEN ORGANISATION

Currently, the company employs dedicated and passionate individuals and trains them to excel in their tasks. Some of its outstanding employees have received international training as well. A critical aspect of the company is the development of an organisational culture that emphasises employee well-being. Common goals drive all the employees in the organisation. With its ethics and value-based approach, the firm has successfully created a niche for itself in a short timeframe.

A clear set of ground rules shapes Rahi One’s positive culture. At the heart of the company lies its core values of honesty, hard work, and accountability. These core values, combined with the company’s operating principles, keep it moving in the right direction despite adversities. A values-driven culture at the company enables employees to align their values with the organisation’s values, creating a motivated and united workforce.

UNRELENTING CUSTOMER FOCUS

Rahi One prioritises customer satisfaction and takes every possible measure to take

customer experience to the next level. Since its inception, the organisation has been helping travellers with their travelrelated requirements such as helping them in making bookings easily. In addition to hotel bookings, the company offers group tours, luxury tours, and corporate tour package deals at affordable rates.

Creating memorable customer experiences is one of the greatest strengths of the company. It helps clients quickly book train, hotel, and vehicle rental reservations. Rahi One has experienced and enthusiastic team members who

enable clients to easily adjust their travel plans to the destination of their choice. Additionally, the travel agents take utmost care to ensure each travel plan is the best. The company’s core values drive its success and enable it to provide customer service effectively.

The company also has a valet parking facility, central air-conditioning system, fire protection system and free hi-speed Wi-Fi facility that adds to the convenience of its customers. Additionally, CCTV cameras are installed in the office area and parking lot to ensure customer safety.

BEST SERVICE POLICY

Rahi One maintains an ideal service policy to drive profits and provide world-class services simultaneously. The organization has surpassed all travel agencies in Chattogram, Bangladesh, and the UAE due to its seamless customer experience and exceptional services.

Its value-oriented pricing distinguishes the company from others in this highly competitive industry.

RAHI ONE

DRIVING BRAND LOYALTY

Rahi One, a multinational travel agency located in the Chowkbazar Junction in Chattogram, Bangladesh, offers a wide array of travel services. Founded in the year 2015 by Mr. Shafiqul Islam Rahi, the travel agency is making waves locally as well as internationally by prioritising customer demands

SGGS GENERAL TRADING FZE

SECOND TO NONE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

The SGGS Group of Companies operates with complete trust in innovation management, which enables it to explore opportunities beyond clearly defined commercial limits. It believes that its unwavering dedication will provide clients with excellent services while adhering to the highest ethical standards

SGGS General Trading FZE is a rapidly-emerging group of companies in the Middle-East and Asia. They specialize in exporting highquality biscuits and confections, timber, textiles, industrial and automotive lubricants, insulating oils, brake fluids, and specialty lubricants. They also trade petroleum derivatives like base oils and highly refined base oils in Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV, and Group V. SGGS General Trading FZE is a leading player in the trading sectors of various countries namely China, India, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, the United Arab Emirates, Benin, and others. It is the brainchild of, Mr. Prakash Jaindani, one of the best minds in the business world.

GREAT MISSION AND VISION

The SGGS Group has a great mission and vision that has got the best of both worlds. Its mission is to become an internationally renowned food

production firm that will revolutionize the agriculture industry and offer a cohesive and inspiring environment to attract, nurture, and retain the best talent, thus becoming a reputable worldwide trade organisation and providing stakeholders with real significant value.

The SGGS Group’s vision is to assure consistent earnings and offer comprehensive trade solutions to customers to be the top merchant exporter of engineering products and projects. In addition to this, the company’s main objective is to trade

internationally in various commodities such as agricultural products, industrial raw materials, chemicals and bullion. The organisation is being socially responsible, efficient, and accountable tool for public policy.

BELIEVE AND YOU CAN TURN THE WORLD AROUND

The SGGS group of companies has an excellent moral compass and a profound set of values that are the company’s foundation. The organisation’s staff comprises seasoned experts in trade, logistics, and flawless services that have earned the trust of their clients. It is a reliable name in international trade and inspires confidence in its business partners.

The SGGS group is devoted to the growth and success of its clients. They collaborate with top-tier manufacturers and packers to deliver the best services and products that their customers can trust. As the food industry’s environment changes constantly, the company seeks fresh challenges and rises to the occasion to overcome them. The Prakash Jaindani-led group has an ambitious objective to export high-quality biscuits and confections, particularly those manufactured by the small and mediumsized businesses.

In addition, the group also aims to recognize fresh market prospects domestically and abroad to maintain business growth rate, and trade in commodities including gold, industrial raw materials, raw agricultural goods, and chemicals on a global scale.

PRODUCTS OFFERED

The SGGS Group of Companies offers many products that customers widely use around the globe. The products have impeccable quality and are curated based on customers’ needs.

Their Research and Development team puts in significant efforts to understand the needs and preferences of their customers. Their products range through B2B to B2C sectors.

Some of the most sought-after SGGS products are lubricant oils, agro products that also ensure farmers’ well-being, high-quality biscuits and confectioneries, timber for a range of applications, incense sticks made using natural essential oils, high-quality textile, and top-grade basmati rice (staple diet in many regions in the world).

Aleading name in Malaysia’s retail food industry, QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd has served people with the best products in the industry. The company follows one vision – to be ASEAN’s leading food technology company and with the way it is growing, the vision will soon turn into a reality.

THRIVING IN THE RESTAURANT SECTOR

One of the key USPs of QSR Brands (M) is its exclusivity in the retail food sector. It is the only company in Malaysia that has received the right from Yum! Brand to operate KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and Cambodia. Today, it runs over 850 KFC restaurants and more than 500 Pizza Huts outlets in the region. This means the credit for people in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia enjoying lipsmacking and cheesy pizzas and burgers, goes to QSR Brands (M).

Along with KFC and Pizza Hut, QSR Brands (M) also operates local favorites like Ayamas and Life too. In simple words, the brand is quite dedicated to bringing sumptuous food products into the lives of Malaysian people.

NOT JUST ONE BUSINESS

There is much more to QSR Brands (M) than managing Pizza Hut and KFC outlets. The brand also operates several other complementary businesses to grow its success graph. Following its model of “Farm to Fork,” it also ensures that the restaurants get a steady supply of Halalcompliant and high-quality ingredients through their special Halal-integrated poultry and manufacturing.

The brand has a state-of-the-art feed mill, four breeder farms, a registered hatchery, broiler farms, and poultry processing units. Each of the units follows strict procedures to maintain high-quality ingredients.

Apart from the poultry integration business, QSR Brands (M) also has an integrated ancillary support system to maintain profits. There are three segments under this business: Region Food Industries, Malaysia’s leading sauce manufacturer, QSR Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd. (Private Limited Company) that produces buns, pizza dough, and other confectionery products, and QSR Trading Sdn. Bhd. that markets and distributes frozen chicken-based products under the

brand “Ayamas.”

Each of these ventures is growing rapidly. The interconnectedness of these verticals has ensured that QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd remains at the top of the industry.

DEDICATION TO SOCIETY

A successful brand is not the one that makes huge profits. It is the one that also gives back to society. QSR Brands (M) understands this and therefore launched several initiatives under its CSR efforts.

Contributing to the community,

the brand has worked on community programs such as the “Add Hope” Programme and the “KFC Feeding Programme.” These programs support underprivileged people by fighting hunger.

It is also a part of Pizza Hut’s Sayangimu Programme in partnership with the National Cancer Society, Malaysia to raise awareness about cancer in rural areas.

The list of its humanitarian initiatives does not end here. QSR Brands (M) has also been giving employment opportunities to people with special needs. In fact, one of the KFCs in Malaysia opened in 1986 is fully operated by speech and hearing-impaired employees. There are many more KFC restaurants that hire the differently abled.

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd is also shining bright on the environmental front. The brand has installed wastewater treatment and disposal in its food manufacturing plants and other facilities to conserve energy.

QSR BRANDS (M) HOLDINGS BHD

A BRAND SYNONYMOUS WITH MOUTH-WATERING TASTE

Proud of its position, QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd is Malaysia’s only vertically integrated food operator. Since its beginnings in 1973, the company has successfully operated over 1000 restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia

EDUCATION

MAHESH PURANDARE CLASSES

DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE OF EDUCATION

Eminent educationist Mahesh Purandare believes that obtaining marks and grades is not the sole purpose of education. Therefore, through his venture Mahesh Purandare Classes, he helps students understand the core concepts to not only write exams but apply them in real-life situations

With over 34 years of success, the institution has aided thousands of students in identifying their potential and achieving their objectives. The ceaseless efforts of Prof. Purandare has earned him a place in the World Book of Records for teaching 16 subjects over 30 years and dedicating 1,10,000 hours (recorded till August 2021) to the noble profession.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

An achiever since the beginning, Prof. Mahesh Purandare secured the first rank in Advanced Costing while completing B.com at the Pune University. He also stood first in Advanced Statistics course in M.Com., and third in Diploma in Taxation Laws. Despite a stellar academic record, Prof. Mahesh Purandare preferred teaching to any other profession. In 1986, he started Mahesh Purandare Classes with just two students. Prof. Pundare’s depth of experience and extensive knowledge led him to truly

recognise the hurdles faced by students in pursuing further education and the difficulties they face while seeking employment opportunities. Therefore, he combined pedagogy with empathy to nurture students academically, and has been helping them reach great heights since then. Inspiring, motivating, setting a vision, and valuing everyone around him have been the key drivers of Prof. Purandare’s phenomenal growth so far.

UNBRIDLED PASSION FOR TEACHING

Prof. Mahesh Purandare has been

teaching for more than 30 years, almost non-stop. He teaches 14 hours a day and seven days a week, a testimony to his passion for teaching. His areas of expertise include Accounts, Costing, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Company Law, Income Tax, and Management, to name a few. His wife CMA Prof. Archana Purandare has an equal share in making the institute reach the pinnacle of success.

His pupils hold senior positions in prestigious companies in India and overseas. They remember his unique teaching style, which included explaining numerical concepts through current affairs and a sense of humour that made learning fun for them. The institute also takes underprivileged students under its wing and gives them the access to quality education free of cost.

To meet the pandemic-led challenges in education delivery, Prof. Purandare launched an app-based online teaching platform, Mahesh Purandare Lessons to share knowledge.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Mahesh Purandare Classes have been bestowed with several national honors and accolades. They have truly revolutionised the teaching standards in Maharashtra, especially Pune. The institute received a certificate of achievement under the National Educational Excellence Awards. Asia’s Education Excellence Awards recognised the institute as Pune’s Most Trusted Coaching Institute.

The Pride of Indian Educational Awards accorded it the title of the Best Coaching Institute in Pune. The Global Business Awards bestowed the title of Maharashtra’s Best CA and CS Institute upon Mahesh Purandare Classes. On several occasions, it has been honoured as Maharashtra’s Best Commerce Coaching Institute. Reaching global recognition, it also got the International Talent Award for Best Higher Education Classes in India (Maharashtra).

Mahesh Purandare has also been recognised as the Best Professor in Mathematics in Maharashtra. Recently he has also been honoured by Sakal and received ‘Excellence in Education Award’ from Padma Shri Prataprao Pawar.

The institute has also been featured in several newspapers and esteemed magazines such as the Forbes India edition, Fortune, India Exchange, and The CEO story.

EMERGING

one of its kind neo-auction platform in the internet publishing space, Bidzapp has made product auctioning and bidding smarter, exciting, and faster. All you need to do is download it, watch the ‘How It Works’ video, and participate in the process. The app offers rewarding experiences to the users.

Even if you don’t win an auction, you can still get the product at the ‘Best Online Price’ or earn discount coupons from premium brands.

The auctions go live daily, weekly, or at the time of megadeal seasons. Their duration lasts between 5-15 minutes, and all the products offered come with a full warranty. Bidzapp picks up and delivers products only from the authorized sellers, thus ensuring hassle-free end-to-end fulfillment services.

MULTIPLE PARTNERS OFFERING DIVERSE PRODUCT CATEGORIES

Bidzapp offers multiple auction categories — you name it and they have it. The list covers electronics, entertainment, automobiles, petroleum and gas, fashion, mobiles, groceries, gaming, food delivery, dining, digital payment and appliances. Bidzapp has also partnered with wellestablished brands like Samsung, Big Bazaar, IFB, Oppo, Big Basket, PayTM, Myntra, Hyundai, Honda, Sony, Nykaa, Asus, MI, Swiggy, Domino’s and Realme and others for listing their respective products and services.

There are two types of skill-based auctions that you can participate in on Bidzapp Classic Auction and Regular Auction. In classic auctions, the users need only strategy to win the auction while in regular auctions, the users need both strategy and speed. In a classic auction, the users get the same number of bids as the number of bid windows ( 18 bid windows = 18 bids and they can place the bid at any time during the bid window of 15 secs. However, they need strategy to decide if they want to bid in every window. In a regular auction, all the users are given the same amount of limited bids (10) per auction. The users decide in which Bid Round to use their bid. The fastest bid placed in a bid window is the one that is accepted.

TIPS TO BECOME A BIDZAPPER

To participate in this skill-based and fun-filled auction from the comfort of

personal/professional space, the person needs to be over 18 years and should necessarily be an Indian resident. The first step is to choose an auction category; second, pay the auction entry fee.

Then, play unlimited practice auctions to get the hang of playing auctions online. The fourth step is to smartly play (~bid) the live auction you actually paid for. Next, give your best shot to win the auction ( fingers crossed), and the last step is to claim your reward.

You can participate in as many auctions as you like but remember that the

products/vouchers/coupons that you win through Bidzapp cannot be exchanged for actual money. The platform provides you with virtual money (Bidzy points) that you can use for payment. However, they must be used before their expiry date, so remember that time is money here.

BACKED BY STAR INVESTORS

Seeing the rising popularity and the promising future of the platform, Mr. Hardik Pandya (India’s leading allrounder) has signed up as an investor for the company. When asked the reason for choosing Bidzapp, Hardik says that he personally relates to Bidzapp because the online application is truly an allrounder too — fast, fun, skill-based, and of great value to the listed brands and the participants.

The best part is that even the participants who don’t win the auction can earn rewards; so there are no sad faces going back. All in all, Bidzapp provides a new and thrilling experience for millions of India’s online shoppers.

BIDZAPP

INDIA’S ONE-STOP SHOP FOR FAST, FUN AND REWARDING AUCTIONS

Bidzapp is India’s first auction-led e-commerce platform to buy the latest products and services of renowned brands at 50%-80% of the original retail price. The company was founded by Mr. Rajesh Dembla and launched by 100G Tech Ventures Private Limited in July 2021

EDUCATION

MOTHER’S PUBLIC SCHOOL

PREPARING FUTURE-READY GENERATION

Mother’s Public School in Bhubaneshwar was founded in 1992 by Mrs. Poly Patnaik, as a day-care centre-cum-pre-school named Prakrit. She had started the day-care facility to help working parents. Prakrit was rebranded as Mother’s Public School and has expanded to multiple campuses under her able leadership

Mother’s Public School was established in 1992. It had humble beginnings with one classroom added each year and an investment of INR 30,000. The co-ed school affiliated with CBSE has carved a niche in Odisha’s education sector over the years. Currently, it employs over 200 teachers and has 3500+ students. Mother’s Public School currently operates 6 schools in Odisha –4 in Bhubaneswar and 1 each in Puri and Rourkela.

Basically, it plans to open schools in smaller towns so that excellent education can be provided even at remote corners of the nation. Currently, it provides integrated coaching facilities for engineering and medical students and plans to include law and CPT coaching in near future.

A CITADEL OF LEARNING

Mother’s Public School is known for its unique approach to nurturing young minds. Its mission is to foster a careeroriented education enriched with life

skills and moral values. Students at the school are naturally encouraged by the mentor’s compassion and understanding and their lessons of discipline. The school firmly holds that inculcating the sense of responsibility among students is more effective than adopting punitive measures for bringing about behavioural changes. The school takes every possible measure to make the students wellgroomed and future-ready. Consequently, parents’ interest in the school has grown across the state for its ability to prepare children for life’s challenges.

RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

Mother’s Public School realises that every child comes with their own unique characteristics. Therefore, students at the school are given the opportunity to develop well-rounded skills based on their unique personalities. The school provides each student with adequate support and guidance so that they can develop their potential to the fullest.

EMPHASISING CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Since its inception, Mother’s Public School has been shining the spotlight on children’s expanding range of abilities just as it does on academic proficiency. It introduces sports training to its students in the early years, continuing until the senior secondary levels. Likewise, it emphasises upon yoga, cycling, running, and NCC to keep students physically fit. Mother’s Public School also encourages its students to engage in marathons to raise awareness for humanitarian causes, as such selfless activities help mould youngsters into responsible and compassionate human beings. Students are also exposed to group discussions, debates, speeches, and news reading activities as part of the curriculum to help them learn how to speak their minds. Additionally, fun activities, such as poster making and art-related competitions, form an integral part of the curriculum to foster creativity in the classroom. To integrate game mechanics into the learning process, spell-a-thons and quizzing are also organised regularly. Also, the students enthusiastically represent their school in various quiz contests and win major trophies every year.

TAKING CHALLENGES IN ITS STRIDE

The school embraced online education only a few days after the COVID-19 pandemic struck India. During the outbreak of the pandemic, the management realised that online classes would be the only way to proceed and both teachers and students exhibited tremendous patience during the process. The school made the best possible effort to ensure a seamless online learning experience with a wellplanned schedule of assignments, tests, and parent-teacher exchanges.

Keeping its mission and vision in mind, Mother’s Public School is doing the noble task of merging all sects of society into one literate world.

n a newly independent Bangladesh of the 70s, a young graduate, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan began his entrepreneurial journey by starting a trading business in a small office in Dhaka. Having tried his hand at several kinds of businesses, Sobhan tasted massive success during the late 80s when he started Bangladesh’s first-ever large-scale private sector land development initiative and formed the East West Property Development Private Limited. Thus, began the journey of one of the largest industrial groups of Bangladesh in 1987. What started as a real estate company has today mushroomed into a multinational with footprints across several countries, and is growing every day, thanks to the visionary leadership of its Chairman, Sobhan.

Bashundhara Group has achieved enormous success in short span. It has forayed into diverse business ventures over the years and established its presence as a market leader. In the backdrop of the mega success of its first real estate venture, the company quickly ventured into manufacturing and launched several projects in quick succession during the 90s. Real estate, cement, paper, tissue, energy, food and beverage, airways, chains of restaurants, shopping malls, shipping and dredging, logistics, technology, entertainment, amusement park, media, sports, importexport, agricultural, chemicals, steel, telecommunications, Bashundhara Group is a market leader in every sector today.

Over the years, Bashundhara’s name has become synonymous with reliability and quality in every sector.

NOTABLE MILESTONES

It set up the country’s biggest bitumen plant with an annual production capacity of a whopping 9 lakh tonnes in 2020. The Group has been actively working in partnership with the government for promoting sustainable development, environment preservation, employment generation, and poverty reduction. The company’s mega shopping mall, Bashundhara City is famous as one of the largest shopping malls in South Asia.

Its first publicly-traded company, the Meghna Cement Mills Limited, is currently listed on the two Stock Exchanges of Bangladesh. The group also owns the popular Bangla dailies – “KalerKantho,” “Bangladesh Pratidin” and the English

publication “Daily Sun.” For its popularity among customers, it was conferred with the ‘Economic Times Best Brand 2021’ status by the Economic Times.

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

The core theme of the business group - ‘For the People, For the Country’ - is a glowing testimony to its commitment to creating a better future of the nation. Mindful of its social responsibilities, the business group runs multiple charitable initiatives through its ‘not-for-profit’ and social development platform Bashundhara

Foundation.

The Foundation distributes relief materials during natural disasters, provides medication, and organises free health check-up and eye check-up camps occasionally. It also runs Afroza Begum Hospital, Ata Miah Free Friday Clinic, and Bashundhara-Ad-Din Medical College Hospital. The foundation also finances the Hajj pilgrimage for more than one hundred pilgrims each year.

The Bashundhara Technical Institute (BTI) charges a nominal fee for offering vocational education and training to the underprivileged youth. The group’s Bashundhara Special Children Foundation is a special education school and hostel that works towards helping differently-abled children integrate into the mainstream society.

It also actively promotes sports and is the patron and sponsor of major sports teams like Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited, Bashundhara Kings in football, Rangpur Riders in cricket.

BASHUNDHARA GROUP

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

Bashundhara Group is a leading industrial conglomerate based in Bangladesh. Started as a real estate venture, today it has over 20 sister companies in different areas. Through major investment undertakings in key sectors, Bashundhara has meaningfully contributed to the country’s economic stability in financial markets

WORLD’S

FINANCE

DHAKA MERCANTILE COOPERATIVE BANK

AIMING FOR A POVERTY-FREE BANGLADESH

Established in 1973, the Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank generates an average per capita gross income of €10,000 annually. It intends to offer its customers with an amiable atmosphere to facilitate a convenient and hassle-free banking with the best financial products and services that are affordable as well as effective

Established under the Cooperative Society Act and Rules of Bangladesh, Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank is a Shariah-compliant bank headquartered in the national capital of Dhaka. The bank is a Specialised Development Cooperative Financial Institution that offers commercial and retail banking services. It offers credit-free collateral to entrepreneurs with a proven history of good business sense and an appropriate social reputation within the industry.

With over 133 branches and 3 subbranches that together employ over 3025 people, the Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank has established itself as one of Bangladesh’s top banks.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank has been engaged in various CSR activities over the past decades. The bank supports the cause of education in Bangladesh by financially bolstering

the development and infrastructure of the Harualchari High School in Vuzpur, Chattagram. In addition, the bank has also fully funded the development and infrastructure of the Muktijoddha Memorial School, Saidpur, and Proyash School, Bogra.

The bank has also financially supported a Science Festival at Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Dhaka, and the Architecture Department of the MIST. It has supported Bangladeshi individuals struggling to clear medical bills for necessary surgeries. In other

acts of social good, the bank purchased a water purifier for the Bangladeshi army and donated it to the Welfare Association for Retired Armed Forces Officers (RAOWA Club).

SPONSORING BANGLADESH’S NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM

In an exciting new development for the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF), the Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank Limited stepped forward to provide sponsorship to the Bangladesh national hockey team for the AHF Cup. The AHF Cup is the qualifying tournament for the prestigious Asia Cup 2022 event.

The sponsorship included the training camp for 28 players under temporary coach Iman Gobinathan Krishnamurthy. The Bangladesh Hockey Federation released a statement hoping for the Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank Limited’s long-term support to eventually hire a foreign coach and propel the Bangladesh hockey team from number 6 in Asia to number 1. The large sponsorship amount of Rs. 50,00,000 is expected to go a long way in fulfilling the dreams of Bangladesh’s national hockey team.

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

The Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank Limited has received several important awards. The BIZZ Award 2019, among the most prestigious business excellence awards worldwide, was presented to the bank by the World Confederation of Business (WORLDCOB) for creating through business. Group Captain Abu Zafar Chowdhury accepted the award on behalf of the Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank. The bank was felicitated for offering good quality service, management systems, business leadership, and fulfilment of corporate social responsibility.

Dhaka Mercantile Cooperative Bank was also awarded the European Business Award (EBA) 2021 for being an Inspirational company. The highprofile award ceremony facilitating cross-industry cross-border business competition took place in London, UK. Another notable award won by the Bank is the One Asia Creative Award 201920. It has been committed to its goal of a poverty-free Bangladesh since its resurrection in 2001 by Group Captain Abu Zafar Chowdhury and continues to move steadily to this goal every year.

Emami Realty, the leading real estate arm of the diversified business conglomerate, Emami Group. incorporated in 2006 and later amalgamated in July 2016 with Emami Infrastructure Limited, a company listed on the NSE and BSE. It was established to deliver world-class commercial, residential, and retail real estate projects. The firm has a pan India presence with more than 36 million sq. ft. spread across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, and Sri Lanka. The projects are under different development stages, namely planning, construction, and delivery.

MISSION

Emami Realty believes in constructing homes with the highest quality standards for a sustainable tomorrow. It is moving heaven and earth to maximize customer satisfaction by designing homes that combine excellence in architecture, and ethical business practices. Emami Realty’s goal is to become an ideal realestate organization related to housing, commercial, information technology, and retail real estate. Therefore, the company is focusing on excellence, preserving credibility, and eco-friendly construction practices.

THE 3ES FORMULA

Emami’s work culture is standing on the 3Es formula — Ethics, Environment, and Economics. The initiative strives to balance these critical aspects while focusing on credibility and sustainability to set new standards in the real estate sector.

MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

With a decade-long experience, Emami Realty is one of the top real estate companies in Kolkata. Designed with excellence, careful planning, and the latest amenities, Emami Realty offers homes that are perfect for the contemporary Indian lifestyle. The company strives to meet the needs of its modern customers and improve the quality of their life. Emami Realty has been winning the trust of its customers by completing projects on or before time.

Overcoming the debilitating effect of the pandemic on the real estate industry, Emami Reality gained a second wind with the support of their old associates, including renowned architects, contractors, and consultants who proved

their mettle in the field. Currently, its major projects include Emami City, South City, Urbana in Kolkata, Emami Tejomaya in Chennai, Emami Nature in Jhansi, and Emami Aerocity in Coimbatore, Montana, and Avante in Mumbai, Swanvilla, and Swanlake in Hyderabad, and Altair in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

All the ongoing projects have start-of-theart designs and are located strategically, to ensure proximity to stores, malls, hospitals, education institutes, railways and airports, and other essential requisites of day-to-day life. They are also filled with

modern amenities such as gymnasium, banquet hall, swimming pools, and much more to give their customers a wholesome experience.

REWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS

The dedicated and focused efforts put in by the company have not gone unnoticed. The organisation received the “Mid Segment Project of the Year”— Realty+ Excellence Award (2017), East, “Special Commendation for creating high-quality living space” at RR Cabel and CNBC Awaz Real Estate Awards 2017-18 (East Zone),” “Iconic Project of the Year,” “Best Employer Brand (WB) Awards (2019),” “Integrated Township of the Year (East) -(2020),” “Emerging Company of the Year 2020,” and “Developer of the Year 2020.” It has also received “Fastest Growing Real Estate Brand of the Year 2021 Award,” “Indian Top Builder (Regional East) Award,” “Themed Project of the Year (Emami Aastha) Award,” and the “Developer of the Year-2021 Award” at the Global Real Estate Awards 2021.

EMAMI REALTY

CREATING POSH ADDRESSES FOR HOMES AND BUSINESSES

Emami Realty is one of the top-notch realty firms based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Renowned for timely completion and delivery of multiple projects, the organisation has brought a revolution in real estate industry through its craftsmanship and architectural masterpieces across the nation

SHRIRAM LIFE INSURANCE

A STEP TOWARDS A SAFER TOMORROW

Shriram Life Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between the Shriram Group, in association with the Sanlam of South Africa. Through its 4050 branches, it offers a diverse basket of financial products and solutions targeted mainly at the underbanked and unbanked segments of India’s population

Incorporated in 2005, Shriram Life Insurance commenced operations in 2006. Synonymous for its efficient use of capital and low operational costs, SLIC has been true to the Group‘s philosophy of financial inclusion. SLIC’s aim is to offer life insurance plans and solutions that cater to a wider demography. It has a network of over 423 offices across India. Operational efficiency, integrity and a strong focus on catering to the needs of the average Indian, by offering him high quality and cost-effective products and services, are the core values that drive the organisation. These values have been strongly adhered to over the decades and are now an integral part of the organisation’s DNA. The company prides itself on its deep understanding of the customer. Each product or service is tailormade to specifically suit the needs of the customer. It is this guiding philosophy of putting people first that has brought the group company closer to the grassroots

and has made it the preferred choice for all truck financing requirements amongst the customers. The company prides itself on its deep understanding of the customer. Each product or service is tailor-made to specifically suit the needs of the customer. It is this guiding philosophy of putting people first that has brought the group company closer to the grassroots and has made it the preferred choice for all truck financing requirements amongst the customers. Today, the company focuses on innovative products and applications of the latest IT developments. The company

continues to its focus on the large common man market segment and rural market to provide inclusive growth. Their efforts and business policies for the inclusion of the socially weaker sections in rural areas have been applauded by members of parliament. SLIC is the only private life insurer to achieve profitability since its establishment. It has been able to perform so well because of its low operational costs and efficient use of capital.

FULFILLING THE DREAMS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

The company was established with the business ideology of providing solutions for underserved segments of the economy. Life Insurance policies were designed to cater to the needs of the less privileged, and those who are financially impacted by the loss of a breadwinner. It aims to deliver top-notch services to ensure financial stability by providing a wide range of plans that best suit the customers’ requirements and the best-in-class claim settlement process. Recently, the firm has settled death claims over INR 500 crores to over 50000 families and significant part of the beneficiaries are from the rural parts.

PEOPLE-FIRST: THE WINNING STRATEGY

By putting people first, the company has built a strong bond with the grassroots and become a popular choice for common people. Moreover, it takes pride in understanding the customers and offering them tailor-made services by ensuring that all employees of the firm understand the slogan ‘Be Insured, Rest Assured’ and achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

Under the guidance of Mr. Manoj Jain, Managing Director, Shriram Life Insurance has emerged as one of the most distinguished companies in its class and has won multiple awards in India and abroad. Some notable distinctions include “The Best Digital Initiative Life Insurance Award,” CII Award for Customer Obsession-2019” for Active Customer Engagement, Best Life Insurance company for Non Urban Market, 2021 and Award for Best Strategies for Insurance spreading by Indian Chamber of Commerce, 2022. The company’s “Life’s Golden Premier Saver Plan” was ranked among the “India’s TOP 5 BEST Endowment Policies” by Insurance Alertts Magazine.

ince its inception in 2008,

The Nest Builders has been continuously raising the bar of construction through exclusive designs and construction expertise. It has outshined the competitors and rose as a pioneer in South India’s construction industry. The organization recently celebrated 13 years of excellence, with more than 100 completed projects under its belt, and satisfying 1500 families living happily in their dream homes. It has multiple readyto-move and under construction projects in pipeline in Chennai.

The brand has developed ultra-modern infrastructure, furnished and semi furnished flats, and ready-to-move flats with Vastu-recommended construction. The brand caters to the needs of different buyers by offering an array of choices, including 1BHK, 2BHK, and 3BHK, with innovative yet affordable housing solutions. Ensuring affordability, the brand delivers reasonably priced houses with no hidden cost and loaded with multiple ground-breaking offers.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - THE HALLMARK OF SUCCESS

The Nest Builders boasts of a highly competitive team of experts consisting of professional architects and technical construction experts who are the backbone of the brand’s success. The result-oriented team ensures a best living experience by building houses that are strong, well-designed, and grandly furnished.

All the units have plenty of natural ventilation with abundant sunlight, smoothly functioning drainage system, and ultra-modern living facilities with beautiful natural surroundings. The factors that influence the brand’s decisions include customer satisfaction, premium locations, in-time handover, affordable pricing, and top-notch facilities. That is why the brand is highly rated by its existing customers.

ULTRA-MODERN AMENITIES FOR EVERYDAY COMFORT

In recent times, the demand for homes is peaking and expected to grow more. The rise in concept of nuclear families, rapid urbanization, and rising household income are stimulating the demand for high quality constructions. To cater to the demand, Nest Builders is passionately working and delivering world-class housing solutions.

Nest Cultures is one such construction

project with a well-designed three-side road facing community housing with more than 30 road-facing balconies and merely 150 metres away from main Tambaram junction road. The amenities like hospitals, IT Parks, schools, and colleges are quite accessible from these houses. The houses are loaded with features such as 24/7 power backup, spacious rooms with abundant ventilation, automatic elevator, and other facilities, such as Intercom, CCTV, rain water harvesting, and sewage. Location is the prime factor for any buyer, and Nest Builders takes care of it. It

ensures that the project locations are in the vicinity of transportation facilities, parks, schools, and other public utilities. The Nest Cultures is close to prominent educational institutes such as Olive Public Schools, Vivekananda Vidhyalaya, Apollo Group of Colleges, and Madras Institute of Technology.

WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Nest Builders follows eco-friendly and sustainable construction techniques and devices in construction. The builder equips each home with essential as well as ultra-modern features such as sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting, and autoclaved aerated concrete blocks for sustainable construction.

It is also certified as a green real estate company by the Indian Green Building Council. It ensures that each construction has spacious rooms that provide abundant air flow and ensures well-being of the occupants. Its suites are masterpieces that stand out in the market.

THE NEST BUILDERS

TRANSFORMING URBAN LIVING WITH NEW-AGE HOUSING SOLUTIONS

A premium real-estate brand, The Nest Builders is renowned for its immaculate and cutting-edge eco-friendly construction in the southern India. It offers fully equipped houses, ranging from luxurious and trendy flats to residential homes and duplex villas, located in prime areas

INSTAMORTGAGE

SIMPLIFYING MORTGAGE LENDING

InstaMortgage (formerly Arcus Lending) is a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender and mortgage broker headquartered in San Jose, California. Established in 2008, the company offers mortgage refinance and home purchase loans to existing homeowners

InstaMortgage was founded by Mr. Shashank Shekhar, a seasoned mortgage-industry expert and Amazon’s BestSelling Author. Under his leadership, InstaMortgage is on a rapid growth trajectory and is establishing itself as a dominant industry player by interpreting how a lender can use technology to modernise the mortgage process. Since its inception, the company has been empowering consumers through financial literacy/planning. It has funded billions in home loans since 2008. It is noteworthy that over half of InstaMortgage’s loans go to minority communities, making it unique among mortgage companies. The company also guarantees its clients low-interest rates and quick mortgages. Currently, it has a license to operate in 26 states –Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,

Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The company is chalking out plans to increase its footprint over time.

PROMPT SERVICES

To reinforce its commitment to providing reliable, immediate, tech-driven mortgage services, InstaMortgage was rebranded (from Arcus Lending to InstaMortgage) in mid-2021. The rebranding strategy was implemented to keep up with the times and respond to millennial customers’ needs who demand excellent flexibility,

lending information at a glance, and confirming that their personal data and privacy are protected.

InstaMortgage incorporates the terms ‘insta’ and ‘mortgage’ because it relates to an accepted standard of expedited delivery in today’s tech-savvy setting. Because of recent unprecedented events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the deployment of a seamless mortgage process has increased consistently. Lenders are nowadays using advanced technology to provide maximum benefits to consumers and reshaping their mortgage experience.

Its rebranding marked the culmination of transformational leadership within the organisation. In keeping with its name ‘InstaMortgage,’ it aims to offer the industry’s quickest and most predictable mortgage experience. Almost 80% of its mortgages close 20-70% faster as compared to the industry average. In addition, the company developed an AIpowered chatbot that can answer all mortgage-related inquiries.

EXPEDITING MORTGAGE LENDING

It is easy to apply loan using InstaMortgage. The only thing you need to do is visit their website or give them a call. Upon visiting their website, you can compare rates of interest, get preapproved, or just schedule a one-on-one consultation. If you are seeking a preapproval letter, you can quickly generate one by downloading their smartphone app and completing an electronic loan application. Additionally, you may also check out daily mortgage rates on your own, and if you are satisfied with the pricing you see, you may consider proceeding from there. SimpleNexus’ digital loan application form can be completed on their website or through their mobile application.

EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS

When it was launched in 2008, it coincided with the Great Recession, a year even the company’s founder, Shekhar admits the worst for the economy. Nevertheless, despite challenges, the company remained afloat. Recently, InstaMortgage has been named one of America’s FastestGrowing Private Companies by Inc. 500 for the second time. It ranked No. 394 nationwide, up from No. 445 in 2017, and also No. 5 among some of the mortgage companies on the list, with a spectacular yield of 1,233% over 3 years (2017-2020).

EMERGING

’Clat Superior entered the market with high-quality and clinically-proven skincare products. Today, with its outstanding range of products, the brand has become a favourite among skincare lovers.

A minimalist yet effective skincare routine involves the following steps: cleanse, treat, and then moisturize.

E’Clat Superior offers products that work at all these three steps. A few of its most loved products are Vitamin C serum, Retinol serum, Acne cleansing face wash, and Acne detox mask.

MAKING PRODUCTS WITH PASSION

The most effective products are those which are made by the people who get the chance to do what they love. So, it comes as a no surprise when the brand’s founder, Mr. Sandeep Gupta, said that the team behind E’Clat Superior lives, breathes, and loves making skincare products. So, every E’Clat Superior product has energy and passion infused in it. Empirical knowledge of skin science is used to create E’Clat Superior products. Not only do the products nourish the skin but also give outstanding benefits like even-toned skin, reduction in fine lines, faded pigmentation, and protection from environmental damage in the long term.

A MAGNIFICENT SAGA OF EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

Today, E’Clat Superior products are used by more than a million people globally. This astronomic growth is led by the trust that dermatologists and aestheticians have shown in the products. What backs this trust is the clinically-proven formulations for long-term benefits and better efficacy.

Another group of people that use and promote E’Clat Superior products are makeup artists and skinfluencers. They share glowing results of the brand’s products on different social media platforms. Video tutorials, experiences, and stories by real people have added credibility factor to the brand.

When dermatologists, aestheticians, markup artists, skinfluencers – all suggest the same brand, what follows is tremendous growth. The brand is witnessing a sharp acceleration in its online sales. On a year-over-year basis, the online sales of E’Clat Superior products are increasing by 200+ percent.

PERSONAL CARE

HOPPING ON THE BANDWAGON OF POPULARITY

Since the past few months, some or other product of the brand is making headlines every now and then. However, among these, the E’Clat Superior Serum has broken records in terms of social media popularity and sales. The unique formula of serum has proven to be highly effective in treating fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. On top of that, it also provides ultra-hydration to the skin.

What makes the serum so different from other serums in the market is its

unique formulation. Unlike most serums available in the market, it works on all skin colours and on the skin of people of all ages. It breaks all the stigmas and stereotypes around skincare.

WINNING NOT JUST HEARTS

No doubt that E’Clat products are loved by both skincare-conscious customers and beauty advisors. However, there is more to its popularity. While the love of people is shown in the sales numbers, the love of beauty experts is shown by the number of awards E’Clat Superior products have received in the recent times.

The long list of awards won by E’Clat includes Femina Power Brands, The Economics Times Prestigious Brands 2020-21, and many others. Along with that, major publications like Dailyhunt, The India Saga, Yahoo News, and The Indian Express have also published the brand’s phenomenal journey and the reviews of the quality products made by the brand.

E’CLAT SUPERIOR

SUSTAINABLE SKINCARE FOR A BEAUTIFUL YOU

E’Clat Superior justifies its name by making superior skincare products. Its range of products like cleansers, serums, creams, and masks are based on latest scientific literature on skincare. A brand preferred by dermatologists, it is used by more than a million skincare enthusiasts worldwide

FINANCE

WISDOM CAPITAL

A ONE-STOP PLATFORM FOR ALL YOUR ONLINE SHARE

TRADING NEEDS

Wisdom Capital is a top discount brokerage firm that fosters financial literacy, and efficient transactions and provides the most innovative trading tools by nurturing a market-aware environment. Besides, it has also fervently adhered to its values of transparency, integrity, customer relations, and efficiency since its inception

Adecade ago, Deb Mukherjee pioneered the groundbreaking idea of a no-brokerage fee share trading platform and launched Wisdom Capital at a time when all stockbrokers were demanding high brokerage fees. Later, he paired the zero brokerage strategy with the idea of financial market leverage and bagged many clients. Wisdom Capital abandoned the traditional trading approach, ventured into unchartered waters, and rose to prominence in the stock broking sector. With technology integration, he revolutionized online share trading in the country. Wisdom Capital had the first mover advantage by introducing the “Free Trade & Investment Zone” and surfed through the capital markets in a way no one had anticipated. Many wellknown businesses, particularly premium brokerage and securities firms, followed the same course as that of the Wisdom Capital and benefited from the trend set by the company.

EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Recently, SEBI introduced a new set of regulations (Peak Margin Circular 2020) that forbids the use of leverage in India’s Futures and Options market. It has made it difficult to determine the regulator’s preference. Moreover, more and more people are choosing to invest their money in fixed-income securities rather than the stock market. Wisdom Capital predicts that these changes will restrict bulk traders from participating in market trading. Consequently, it

will lead to a decrease in volumes, and hence liquidity. It also implicated that one of the most significant effects of the SEBI’s recent activities has been a decrease in retail involvement. It will also make it impossible for most market participants to compete on an even playing field. Therefore, Wisdom Capital thought of another cutting-edge way to draw customers to the financial markets. A fixed deposit (FD) interest rate set by banks will serve as the benchmark for the interest rate Wisdom Capital would pay on the money and assets kept by its customers in trust. In this way, the trading community will get an upper hand and the financial safety net provided by an FD while trading in the stock market.

INNOVATIVE MARKETING TOOLS

Big financial institutions and huge broking companies would monopolize in the future as a direct result of the regulations set by SEBI. Again to cope with the stressful times, Wisdom Capital is leaving no stone unturned to stimulate retail involvement to weaken the monopolistic system supported by the regulator and has developed yet another unconventional solution, Wisdom Tree Private Limited. Despite the enormity of the endeavor Wisdom Tree will concentrate mostly on algorithmic trading-base product baskets. The company currently provides free APIs and other ALGO-based tools that give traders flexibility when creating trading strategies.

Not only this, Wisdom Tree will promote Best ALGO, an ALGO-based website, and Quant Power, a tool that will enable traders to build, back test, fine-tune, and execute trading strategies tailored to the specific requirements of a trader. A handful of the ALGO-related items will be provided to customers without charge, within the regulatory and compliance parameters established by SEBI.

Wisdom Capital, one of the finest discount brokers in India, is assisting the new generation of traders by offering the most ingenious trading tools and technological prowess supported by a progressive technological platform. It is also pulling out all the stops by using the legal process to contest SEBI’s Peak Margin Circular. Undoubtedly, the entrepreneurial and industrious efforts of Wisdom Capital will enable it to chart new territories of success in the sector.

eeing how some brands dominate an industry for consecutive years is fascinating. New entrants come and go, but some brands stay hinged on the ground. In this context, PTC Network is a perfect example as it is the dominant player in the Punjabi television industry. The network has been touching every Punjabi’s life across the globe for more than a decade now. The PTC Network includes top Punjabi television channels like PTC News, PTC Punjabi, PTC Simran, PTC Punjabi Gold, PTC Chak De, PTC Music, PTC Dhol TV and various other channels. In addition, a whopping 80% of all original Punjabi television content is proudly owned and produced by the network.

A LONG, FRUITFULFUL & ADMIRABLE JOURNEY

Today, a viewer might see PTC Network as a larger-than-life group of channels. But the network was not like this in its early days. PTC Network was started in the year 2008 by a group of highly motivated media professionals. During its inception, the group had only one thing in mind – let us redefine the Punjabi entertainment and news industry.

More than 400 people joined PTC Network during its more than a decade- long journey. These talented media people work dedicatedly across countries to produce more than 27 hours of fresh and high- quality content daily. After 14 years since its humble beginnings, the group is still redefining the industry with each new show.

PUNJABIYAT WITHOUT ANY BORDERS

PTC Network is committed to serving quality content to Punjabis, whether in Punjab or anywhere else. Its TV Channels are aired in India, Canada, USA, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, UK and several European countries. In short, PTC Network is reaching wherever Punjabis live.

Various private and government bodies have recognized the effort of the PTC Network to spread Punjabiyat across the globe. The governor of the state of Maryland, the mayor of the city of Madera, the council member of the city of Clovis, the council member of Fresno, and many other reputed personalities, have awarded certificates of recognition to PTC Networks for its outstanding work.

MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

CREATING THE TRENDIEST SHOWS OF PUNJAB

PTC Punjabi churns out the best Punjabi shows with seven operational offices across different continents and nine state of the art studios. The shows are loved by the audience and acclaimed by critics. Its long list of trending shows includes Voice of Punjab, Miss PTC Punjabi, PTC Box Office, NRI World, Chausar, VicharTakrar, Gurmat Gyan, and PTC Punjabi film awards, Mr. Punjab, Hunar Punjab Da, and many more.

PTC Network touches every Punjabi’s

life by providing entertainment and news content relevant to them wherever they are. It brings out live telecast of Gurbani Kirtan daily from the globally revered Golden Temple in Amritsar in 360 VR - a world’s first.

FROM AIRWAYS TO DIGITAL

PTC Network started its journey from airwaves. But now, it has also ventured into the digital space. Its strong digital presence includes an OTT app, four websites, more than seven Instagram and Twitter handles, and more than 90 Facebook pages.

With more and more people coming online, the brand plans to expand its digital presence even further. Within a few years of its launch, the PTC Play App has become a favorite medium for lakhs of people to watch their favorite Punjabi shows, songs, movies, live award shows, web series, live news updates, and kids’ content online. Quite right, wherever in the world you live, your heart stays Punjabi, as per PTC Network.

PTC NETWORK

CONNECTING PUNJABIS WITH PUNJABIYAT

PTC Network’s channels have been ruling the Punjabi television industry for over a decade. Whether a Punjabi is in Punjab or abroad, they are connected with Punjabiyat 24*7 through the PTC Network’s relentless pursuit of fresh content. The brand’s catchline, “DIL APNA PUNJABI” appeals to Punjabis the world over

AJMS GLOBAL CONSULTING

RIDING HIGH

AJMS Global Consulting is a Dubai-based multinational boutique consulting firm specializing in the areas of Accounting, such as Tax, Risk, & Compliance, Insolvency, IFRS Digital Transformation, etc. Its aim is to make Accounting simpler for its clients

AJMS Global offers a variety of consulting services, most prominent of which is Anti-Money Laundering consulting. In partnership with Dun & Bradstreet, the company is developing an ESG solution to be rolled out to businesses in the region. AJMS Global is the AML partner to Dubai Economy and creates awareness at a massive scale whenever called upon by the regulator. With the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime)’s goAML System at its disposal, the firm offers Anti-Money Laundering advisory services to banks, financial institutions, exchange companies, insurance companies, and the Designated Non Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs). Financial institutions (i.e., banks, exchange houses, finance firms, insurance companies, etc) as well as the DNFBPs use the goAML System to flag fraudulent transactions and activity through Suspicious Transaction Reports and Suspicious Activity Reports (STR/SAR) to the Financial Intelligence Unit. With

emerging technologies, the accounting domain is constantly transforming. AJMS Global leverages the most sophisticated accounting technologies to gain the competitive edge across many different markets. It uses digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and other interventions to acquire valuable market insights, mitigate risks and enhance ROI. The company also emphasizes upon Research and Development to assess and optimize clients’ financial status to establish the groundwork for their financial planning.

EXPANDING GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

AJMS Global has successfully expanded its international presence over the years. As a result of acquisitions, partnerships, and affiliations, the company has gradually expanded its operations into 11 countries through 16 offices, including UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, the UK, and Hong Kong. A bold vision drives the firm’s strong presence and disruptive offerings. The company seeks to become a leading provider of digital banking services in the near future while expanding into energy, resources, and environmental projects in the MENA region. As the company grows, it aims to become a powerhouse of professional services and the intelligentsia of choice to nextgen businesses worldwide. It further aims to improve its market presence through purposeful interventions and innovations, envisaging development of a diverse range of digital solutions, expanding into new regions, and creating markets for futuristic business concepts that will change how businesses operate. This involves constant coordination amongst several stakeholders, including industry facilitators, regulators, and government agencies.

PRIORITISES EMPLOYEE WELFARE

AJMS Global is known for its resultdriven culture. The company values the welfare of the employees and strikes a balance between rational decision making and humanistic empathy. Additionally, it believes that job security encourages loyalty, excellence, and long-term economic viability and nurtures employees accordingly. Furthermore, to motivate employees, several motivational initiatives are implemented through out the firm, such as “Employee of the Month,” “The Buddy System,” and so on.

AWARDS GALORE

The media and industry have widely honoured AJMS Global. It has been named a “Super Brand” for 3 consecutive years. A recent InsureTek conference in Dubai recognized its InsureTech platform called Actuarial Disclosures and Profitability Tool (ADPT) as the “Best Actuarial and IFR17 Solution”. AJMS Global is also well known for its commitment to ESG. As a result of holding CSR events with national and international regulators, it has been successful at expanding its reach. Therefore the firm’s reputation with regional regulators precedes itself.

MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

Plan B Group, headquartered in Dubai, is a self-funded enterprise. With over 17 years of experience delivering award-winning experiential events and marketing solutions, Plan b has proven to be a leader in the field. The Plan b Group encompasses eight businesses –Plan b Advertising (creative and printing), Plan b Events (marketing, public events, exhibitions, and in-house production), SiO2 Events (a boutique events agency), bSocial (the Group’s PR and social media wing), bMovies (digital media, application, and technology), bCreative (a boutique creative agency), Next Door (sports management), and bDecor (interior design). It has offices in Abu Dhabi, India, KSA, Russia, Qatar and London.

HIGH-PERFORMING TEAMS

The multidisciplinary team at Plan b consists of over 350 highly experienced professionals. Its highly talented teams combine their years of experience to offer a more responsive service and exceed the highest standards of creativity to gain a competitive edge in the highly talentdriven industry. With Plan b’s in-house capabilities, the company successfully handles even the most complex 360-degree campaigns and provides its clients with a faster turnaround time. It fosters a stimulating work environment by supporting diversity & retaining top talent.

STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

Plan b is a pioneer in conducting safe events and exhibitions and proudly introducing the latest technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, projection and immersive technologies, artificial intelligence, and holograms.

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ORGANISATION

To develop long-term relationships with its customers, both locally and internationally, Plan b invests a lot of time in understanding them and their requirements. It goes the extra mile to understand its clients and charts its growth strategies accordingly. As a result, they are skilled at illustrating the type of value they can provide to their customers and meet the needs that their competitors cannot. Over time, it has earned the trust of its vast customer base by exceeding expectations. As a result of its rapid growth, foreign companies have attracted interest in a franchise model, which is currently under consideration. Plan b’s long-term strategy is to strengthen

individual verticals, bring consistency and development to its products and services, and expand its footprint.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

Plan b is extensively involved in community initiatives. A few years ago, the company rolled out a local campaign called ‘b with the heart,’ which gathered around 500 labourers from various work camps across Dubai to watch the premiere of the Bollywood flick ‘Singh is Bliing’ for free at the cinemas, alongside the film’s leading character Amy Jackson. The

company is also proud of the Box of Hope initiative, which has assisted and helped blue-collar workers since 2019. In August this year, Plan b will inaugurate the First Sikh temple, ‘Sri Gurunanak Darbar’ in St Petersburg, Russia.

GLORIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS

Plan b won ‘The Hamdan Heritage Center Recognition Award’ and a royal honour for the sixth consecutive year of work performed for the Fazza Annual Championship, reinforcing the Group’s position as one of the most acclaimed agencies in the country. Additionally, the company was honoured with the ‘Best Real Estate Agency of the Year’ by Property Times. Dr Harmeek Singh has signed up as Honorary Doctor of North-West Institute of Management (NWIM) at The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA). He also appears as one of the Leading Global Punjabi Personalities in ‘Jewels of Punjab’ and one of the most powerful Sikhs in ‘The Sikhs 100.

PLAN B ADVERTISING LLC

MAKING AN INDELIBLE MARK

Plan B Group launched in 2004 by Dr Harmeek Singh, has positioned itself as one of the UAE’s most prominent marketing and events companies. As the company’s Founder-Chairman, Dr Singh has propelled the company to greater heights of success over the years

DESILICIOUS

HEATING UP DUBAI’S DINING SCENE

Desilicious (formerly known as Shree Gangour Sweets), Dubai’s homegrown brand founded by Mr. Naresh Gurnani, is winning hearts with its lip smacking Indian cuisines, sweets, and snacks. Under his stewardship, the 100% vegetarian restaurant has emerged as an ultra modern joint with an authentic touch

Dubai’s Desilicious has come a long way since its inception in 1993. The restaurant blends delectable cuisine with outstanding service and magnificent decor to offer a really memorable dining experience. Through persistent brand building efforts, the restaurant has focused entirely on enriching the dining experience of food enthusiasts over the years.

Desilicious sells a wide range of Indian snacks, sweets, and savoury dishes. Furthermore, the restaurant is constantly improving its product line in order to entice snack lovers’ taste buds. The brand’s products are manufactured in Dubai, from where it sells its entire product range across the globe.

EMPHASISES QUALITY

Desilicious is dedicated to providing its consumers with a real taste of India. It assures that there are no compromises in terms of quality and flavour.

All of its food products are prepared

under the stringent supervision of qualified chefs using only the freshest and finest ingredients. Owing to its emphasis on quality and taste, the brand has gained consumer acceptance throughout Dubai.

CAREFULLY CRAFTED MENU

Desilicious values and fully appreciates the emotions associated with Indian food. As a result, the restaurant offers an eclectic mix of flavors from all over the country. Desilicious’ soul-soothing delicacies are prepared under the strict supervision of experienced chefs who

skillfully blend aromatic and pungent spices from all corners of India to create delightfully divine flavours.

Their carefully crafted menu brings a touch of tradition to the Indian cuisine, combining native ingredients with fresh and fine ingredients sourced carefully from abroad. The restaurant serves up fresh, vibrant, and creative dishes that breathe new life into the Indian cuisine.

Its fantastic menu, particularly the tantalising chaat and street food section, not only satisfies one’s Desi food cravings but also captivates the diners. Desilicious is the one-stop solution for satisfying your sweet tooth, with finger-licking rabri, piping hot jalebis, and the addictive mishti doi (sweet curd), sondesh, rasgulla, and ghewar.

It also offers a wide range of savoury items, including Indian chaat, Dahi Bhalla, Mumbai vada pav, misal pav, Kolkata jhaal muri, masala tea, masala Thums Up, Shikanji, and much more.

WELCOMING AMBIANCE

The restaurant’s ambiance is quite appealing. It has a relaxed atmosphere with modern, elegant interiors. Additionally, the confectioneries are elegantly displayed in a display case.

Desilicious is also well-known for its exceptional customer service. The staff is extremely pleasant and attentive. In addition, they let you sample some of their delicacies that will simply melt in your mouth.

Desilicious is a great option for anyone who enjoys Indian cuisine and sweets. In addition, diners receive freshly prepared meals at an affordable rate. The brand intends to expand its presence in the UAE by setting up more outlets where customers can easily reach it.

SOLID MARKETING STRATEGY

Desilicious chalks out brilliant marketing strategies to stay ahead of the curve. Under the direction of Mr. Gurbani (Founder), the restaurant, recently collaborated with Saporito (another restaurant of Shree Gangour Group) to host Bollywood’s “Sufi ki Sultana” - Ms. Harshdeep Kaur to mark a “meet & greet event” at their Oud Metha outlets.

Mr. Gurnani invited Ms. Harshdeep to grace their outlets during the event and meet the residents of Dubai. With her down-to-earth nature and charming simplicity, she won the hearts of all who attended. MOST

PL APOLLO leads and trends through innovation and technology, and swears by the transition of commodity products into value-added products. Started as Bihar Tubes in 1986, APL APOLLO established its first manufacturing factory at Sikandrabad, Ghaziabad. In 1994-95, the company set up a new galvanizing factory and multiple warehouses in India. Thereafter, the company established well-equipped mills, followed by rebranding, and was renamed APL APOLLO Tubes Limited.

In 2000-02, it commissioned a new tubing mill and a modern gallium. The very next year, the firm developed an extensive range of hollow sections, and also became the first organization to introduce pre-galvanized pipes in India. In 2007-08 APL APOLLO acquired Apollo Metalex Private Limited, and got honoured with the Star Export House Status.

Subsequently, APL APOLLO expanded its horizon and commissioned a plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, and a Greenfield venture. In 2013-14, it procured CRFH coils, and expanded its product range by launching door and windows sections and railing tubes. Later, it acquired Apollo Tricoat and entered into home improvement solutions by launching consumer products like doorframes, designer tubes, electrical conduits, and ceiling products.

MILESTONES ACHIEVED

APL APOLLO has its footprint with over 600 channel partners all across India, and over 10,000+ consumer touch points, with manufacturing sites in Dadri and Sikandrabad, Ahmedabad, Tumkur, and Raipur.

This leading manufacturing company’s large production capacity enables APL APOLLO to meet individual customers’ smallest, most personal needs besides the retail and distribution area. The company designs all its products keeping the Indian lifestyle needs and home construction aesthetics in mind; resultantly, APL APOLLO’s goods are ideal for both the urban and rural settings.

It manufactures all types of plumbing solutions, including CPVC pipes & fittings, uPVC plumbing systems, uPVC SWR piping systems, uPVC pressure pipes and fittings, elastomeric, wellcasing pipes, HDPE sprinkler systems

MANUFACTURING

and cable ducts, and adhesives.

The firm’s manufacturing processes adhere to international quality standards. With over 1200 SKUs (Stock keeping Units), APL APOLLO now boasts of the widest collection of items in the Indian market.

HAPPY CLIENTS

APL APOLLO, India’s leading PVC pipe manufacturer has a long list of satisfied and happy clients. The large number of satisfied clients is a testimony to the company’s efficient distribution and

supply networks. APL APOLLO’s clientele includes public and private real estate developers, water supply and sewerage bodies, construction companies, and energy production plants.

An ISO-certified corporation, the company currently has a production capacity of *1, 25000 MTPA and a 5-year revenue CAGR of 19%. Despite its rapid expansion, the company is in no disposition to rest on its laurels. It constantly strives to improve their manufacturing and business processes.

AWARDS AND PARTNERSHIPS

APL APOLLO has been facilitated with Emerging Brand Awards 2019 by ABP BE Awards. In the year 2017, the firm received “India’s Best Company of the Year Award.”

APL APOLLO has partnered with IIT Roorkee to create a symbiotic connection that will drive innovation in the sector. It believes in being tech-forward, and provides research and training platform to students and its employees.

APL APOLLO

THE MASTERS OF STEEL CRAFT

In the last 35 years, APL APOLLO has established its reputation as an excellence -driven and top-quality corporation. It abides by its pledge to provide superior quality steel products to its clients at economical cost. Its products include structural steel tubes, pipes, bathroom fittings, and water storage solutions

FOOD & BEVERAGES

PETUK RESTAURANT

WHERE FOOD IS RELIGION

One of the most popular restaurants in Kolkata, PETUK has been a key player in offering excellent and quality catering services. It has consistently made its presence felt globally since its inception in 2014. The restaurant offers unmatchable hospitality and exquisitely delicious cuisines

PETUK Restaurant is rapidly becoming synonymous with flawless services and aesthetically appealing ambiance. Taking the market by storm with a consistent success, the business prowess and technological knowledge, it has succeeded in bringing revolutionary high-quality food services that stand apart from its competitors.

Understanding the contemporary food preferences and trends among the Indian foodies, PETUK is open to gastronomical experiments and serves innovative dishes to offer an extraordinary culinary experience to the diners.

FOCUSED ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

As part of its mission to provide quality service at a reasonable cost, Petuk believes in presenting different kind of foods in a way that is quite unique, unexplored, and unhindered. One can sail through possibilities that are immense and unending exploring the Chinese,

tandoor, and many others in different ways and styles.

With specialization in Chinese and Tandoor items, its vision is to deliver the vast knowledge base about various kinds of foods to people at large, and to be the strand that binds all Indians together, wherever they be.

OVERCOMING HURDLES ALONG THE WAY

PETUK’s founder, Mr. Biplab Basu, is the man behind high standards and innovative food practices followed at the restaurant.

He is a dynamic leader who is skilled at identifying challenges and is prepared to confront them with solutions.

During the pandemic, he felt the crushing and all-pervasive impact of lockdowns on the food industry. Apart from these, government tariffs and regulations were also a matter of concern. He tackled these challenges steadfastly to ensure a smooth-functioning system that helped the restaurant to rise again. Under his quintessential leadership, the restaurant has attained customer loyalty by adopting methods for generating quality food products and simultaneously ensuring that superior hygiene standards are maintained in the process.

GARNERING GLORY

Its unceasing dedication and commitment to provide quality products has enabled the brand to receive the ‘Best Emerging Restaurant in Kolkata’ Award. Recognized for its distinguished taste and quality, the ‘Best Emerging Entrepreneur Award in Hotel Industry’ is a feather in the cap for its owner Mr. Biplab Basu. Felicitated for his exceptional entrepreneurial skills, Mr. Basu has been genuinely making the way to customers’ hearts through their stomachs.

INSPIRED BY STRONG VALUES

Adhering to honesty, integrity, quality, improvement and nurturing relationships, the restaurant has stood by stringent business ethics at all times. They deem the trust of their customers as the driving factor for business growth.

Quality and authenticity of each of its services has helped the company to reach the pinnacle of prominence and popularity, and have enthused it to continue offering tasty and delicious dishes to its clients.

A FUTURE-FOCUSED ENTERPRISE

The short-term goal of the futureoriented enterprise is to perform well consistently. However, its long–term goal is to establish itself as a pioneer in the hotel industry. It is also trying to expand its operations to other locations and cities and states with the help of investors. Its owner Mr. Biplab Basu is also planning a dynamic strategy to make the business future-ready so that the business can stay ahead of the curve. He believes that it is a people-centric business which focuses on building lasting relationships to create overall success.

HEALTHCARE

Constant technological advancement is the pillar that makes the biotech and biopharma industry stand. If the advancement stagnates, these industries will lose their essence for the betterment of humanity. Dyna Biotech is constantly innovating new, cost-effective biotech solutions to keep the essence alive. This constant innovation for over nine years has made the biotech company an industry leader. Dyna Biotech manufactures, validates, installs, and services a broad spectrum of biopharma and biotech equipments. The company started its paradigmshifting work in India but many foreign companies soon realized the potential of its equipments and partnered with it. Today, Dyna Biotech is reshaping both biopharma and biotech industries in India and abroad.

THE VISIONARY FOUNDER

The company was founded by Dr. Vinodkumar Patil on 1st April 2013 with a vision to make Dyna Biotech a leading Biotech equipment manufacturing company. Thanks to his vast experience in the field of equipment design, manufacturing, and validation, and passion for engineering, Dr. Patil has made his company a world-class manufacturer and supplier of equipment such as fermentors and bioreactors.

Dr. Patil completed his master’s degree in Microbiology in 1993. Though he studied Microbiology as his major subject, he had interests in engineering too. This made him capable of innovating, validating, and launching new products, a linchpin in every company where he worked. In his diversified experience of more than 27 years, Dr. Patil worked with biotech pioneers such as Shantha Biotech (Sanofi Group company), Braun Biotech (Germany), and the Serum Institute of India. While working with these firms, he held senior positions with increasing responsibilities and was responsible for steroid transformation, antibiotics production, optimization, product launch, and other similar work.

Dr. Patil was instrumental in validating and launching many products successfully. But with his body of knowledge and experience, he envisioned doing something even bigger in the realm of Biotech and Biopharma. He created Dyna Biotech in 2013 and is leading the company as the Founder and Managing Director since then.

WORLDWIDE PRESENCE

The expertise of Dyna Biotech is recognized all over the globe. Today, the company serves clients from the United States, Germany, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Bangladesh. Since the company believes in providing quality services as much as doing innovations in manufacturing, it has established sales and marketing, and services offices in Thailand and Bangkok too.

Dyna Biotech is dominating the domestic and international markets equally. Dr. Patil strongly believes in the talent of Indian

youth and sees this talent as an excellent opportunity to push the ‘Make in India’ movement forward.

MANUFACTURING BIOTECH & BIOPHARMA EQUIPMENT

Dyna Biotech has a factory in Pune spread over 12,000 Sq. meters. This factory is capable of manufacturing world-class and industry-first pieces of equipment that are affordable to local and foreign companies. The company’s list of clients includes well-known names like EuBiologics Co, Bharat Biotech, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, Sanofi India Limited and Virchow Biotech Private Limited. Thanks to the constant innovation of the product line, this list of clients is increasing by the day. The sheer number of industries and products that are influenced by its product range is impressive. As of now, its products are influencing the healthcare sector, veterinary sector, pharmaceuticals products, beverages, foods, vaccines, APIs, and the whole dairy landscape.

DYNA BIOTECH

FUELING BIOTECH GROWTH WITH CONSTANT INNOVATION

It is one thing to talk about industry-wide change and another to make real growth on the ground. Dyna Biotech is counted as an industry leader in the Biotechnology and Biopharma industry for the same reason – it is operating at the forefront of innovating, manufacturing, and installing Biotech and Biopharma products

LA MENSA

ENTICING YOUR TASTE BUDS

La Mensa, a multi-cuisine restaurant located in the BTV Centre at Khulsa junction in Chattogram, Bangladesh, is making waves in the culinary world. Under the able leadership of its Founder & Managing Director Md. Akkas Uddin, the restaurant has kept afloat despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic

Founded by Md. Akkas Uddin, La Mensa restaurant has garnered culinary accolades and appreciation from food enthusiasts all across the length and breadth of Bangladesh. Food has always been a passion for Mr. Akkas. He began his career as a hotelier in the catering department of a five-star hotel in Dhaka. He had wanted to open a restaurant in Chattogram since the beginning of his career.

Md. Akkas Uddin’s dream came true when he set up the restaurant in the year 2019. With this vibrant multicuisine restaurant, he has successfully replicated the glamour of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to the port city of Chattogram.

La Mensa employs about 100 staff members, including 10 chefs, who have been trained internationally. Its mouthwatering menu comprising succulent duck roast, grilled chicken, or La Mensa beef roast entices countless guests to visit the restaurant.

RISING AND THRIVING DESPITE ADVERSITY

Since the multi-cuisine restaurant was established just before the COVID-19 pandemic, it had to deal with some severe challenges in the initial days. However, as the pandemic subsided, the restaurant began to see an influx of food enthusiasts eager to experience its exotic delicacies.

The restaurant operates keeping the COVID-19 norms in mind. At the restaurant’s entrance, a lady greets each guest with a hand sanitiser and checks

their temperature to assure their safety.

OFFERING A VARIETY OF DELICIOUS CUISINES

La Mensa’s goal is to create a senseawakening experience that nourishes the body and the soul of the diner. The restaurant offers guests a world-class family dining experience helmed by its renowned chefs. Its distinct ambience, personalised service, and scrumptious food deserve special mention.

Indian, Chinese, Arabic, Continental and Bangladeshi traditional food, are among the dishes served at La Mensa. Since its inception, the restaurant has gained a reputation for providing services of 5-star quality. Specialty food at the restaurant includes a buffet with more than 50 items, as well as a special succulent dessert.

Mr. Akkas remarked that since the price is a major consideration, he tried to keep the price within a comfortable margin. He claims that this was what sparked interest among guests. Besides Chittagong, he plans to launch the La Mensa restaurant chain in other cities of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka.

MAINTAINING HIGH STANDARDS IN SERVICE

The multi-cuisine restaurant sets high standards for its food quality. With La Mensa, guests can expect top-notch hospitality and the same quality with every meal. Additionally, guests can listen to live music while dining at the restaurant on weekends.

La Mensa utilises the finest ingredients to create timeless yet innovative signature dishes using expert techniques. The trained chefs at La Mensa prepare food in the most hygienic environment, using fresh ingredients in its state-of-the-art kitchen, equipped with advanced technology and modern cooking appliances.

EXTREMELY INVITING & SOOTHING AMBIANCE

Owing to its relaxed and welcoming ambience, the restaurant has become one of the most popular places for social gatherings. The restaurant also has a valet parking facility, central air-conditioning system, fire protection system and a free high-speed Wi-Fi zone. Additionally, the parking area is equipped with CCTVs to ensure the safety of visitors. Last but not the least, La Mensa also offers home delivery and outdoor catering services to its clients. ASIA’S

avair International has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that makes a range of fire protection equipment like fire-rated and smoke check doors, fire retardant paints, intumescent paints, and flame proof canvas. They also provide customized solutions to their customers based on their assessment of their varied needs. Spread over a 9,000 sq. metres sprawling unit in Sonipat, Haryana, Navair International is known to make products that are of the highest safety standards.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Navair was started by Mr. Suraj Taneja in 1982 after he retired from the defense forces. After his demise in the year 2000, his son Mr. Asheet Taneja took over the reins. When he joined the business, he had no one to guide him on professional matters. Mr. Asheet Taneja held his own and navigated through the tough phase with patience and determination. He truly believes that time and experience teach you that no matter what happens, life goes on. Under his leadership, Navair International grew to be India’s leading provider of multi-specialty fire-proof solutions.

CLASS-APART SOLUTIONS

What sets Navair International apart is its highly trained technical professionals who provide end-to-end service for fireproofing any type of premises. In the last 40 years of its existence, Navair has earned a name for itself. It has successfully executed an impressive number of turnkey projects across the country and overseas. Navair’s products are used and recommended by every architectural consultant. Commercial establishments, residential projects, airports, hotels, multiplexes, malls, railways, and defence – the company has served almost every industry with its customized solutions. The brand has even served nuclear power plants, super thermal power stations, steel plants, petrochemical units, and refineries. It has clearly become the chosen brand for any kind of specialty fire-proof solutions. Adept with stateof-the-art manufacturing facilities and fully automated Italian machines, Navair International has an in-built capacity to produce 300 doors in just a single day. The fire doors are all made with an intricate finish and quality that is certified by the highest global standards of safety.

The teams at Navair strive to achieve the most superior quality by laying the right foundation.

GOING STRONG

Navair International now has 17 offices and 4 factories that export products to over 14 countries. With the help of a dedicated team of engineers and highly trained manpower, Navair has managed to amass a strong distribution network and customer base in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka. Among its notable clients are global giants

across industries like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Larsen and Toubro, Uber, Unitech, Make My Trip, and many more.

Navair has been around 40 years and a journey as long as this is never without any turbulences. The company had its share of instabilities and rough patches, especially during 2002-03. But, the company bounced back and how. Navair International has kept execution excellence as a core value of its existence and that has been one of the main reasons for its success. Some of its deep-seated beliefs include the passion to pursue innovation and improvement; promoting diversity in the workplace; and supporting sustainability.

What Navair International has achieved is by no means an easy feat. Its success is the result of being consistent and driven. The company has many goals already charted out to be achieved by 2025 which include expanding the global footprint to 75 countries. The glorious journey has in fact just begun.

NAVAIR INTERNATIONAL

FOUR DECADES OF PURSUING EXCELLENCE

Navair International is the market leader in passive fire protection and is synonymous with top-class products. Its products are being used by all industries ranging from commercial establishments, residential projects, airports, hotels, and multiplexes to even steel plants, refineries, and nuclear power plants

HEALTHCARE

MURLI KRISHNA PHARMA

WORKING TOWARDS IMPROVING HEALTH & WELL-BEING FOR ALL

With the vision and aim to provide the best-quality drugs within time and at competitive prices, Murli Krishna Private Limited focuses on research and development, integration, and technological advancements in the pharmaceutical export industry

Since its inception, Murli Krishna Pharma has grown as one of the prominent brands in Asia. It provides solutions to optimize the delivery of pharmaceutical products.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Ms. Satya Vadlamani, an Electrical and Electronics Engineer by education, established Murli Krishna Pharmaceutical in 2004. She has more than 22 years of experience in marketing pharmaceutical products globally. She began her career in marketing at Armour Chemicals Limited in 1992, and later joined Biochem Synergy Limited.

In 1997, she established a pharma export company in 1997, purely as an indenting operation. The company was established under the name of Murli Krishna Exports. She switched over her operations from indenting to trading in 2003, due to business growth. Murli Krishna Pharma began exporting bulk semi-finished formulations and APIs in

the form of pellets. Finally, in 2004, she decided to start her own venture under the name of Murli Krishna Pharma Private Limited to manufacture semi-finished formulations. Since then, she hasn’t looked back.

THE WINNING STRATEGY

In a matter of a few years, Murli Krishna Pharma has carved a niche for itself. It has more than 200 clients with more than 64 international leading companies and a turnover exceeding US$ 6 Million. There is a cumulative growth of over

60% from the last 3 years, proving their capabilities to win. Their manufacturing plant is approved by the European Union and the WHO for GMP Compliance. The company’s Innovation Research Facility has received the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)’s approval. Murli Krishna Pharma Private Limited makes best quality products following WHO-GMP guidelines. This dedication towards quality enables the firm to deliver world-class products.

A TEAM THAT LEADS

Murli Krishna Pharma believes that the strength of any successful organization depends on its people, and the people are the backbone of the organization. It strives to maximize the operational freedom of each employee. The organization provides a modern environment that facilitates participation, learning, and out-of-thebox thinking. The corporate culture of the company is strongly influenced by teamspirit, which keeps the employees united while they work towards a common goal. Murli Krishna Pharma is managed by a proficient Board of Directors, who are assisted by a team of qualified professionals in every department.

CURRENT SCENARIOS

The firm has expanded in terms of rendering services as a Contract Research and Manufacturing Services (CRAMS) provider. Its encapsulation covers micro pellets and this expertise is being extended to the development of nanoparticles. The organization has a world-class manufacturing facility for pellets, micro-pellets and granules approved by the regulatory authorities of developed countries. Manufacturing prefinished formulations i.e., pellets using aqueous based technology and avoiding use of solvents completely are also undertaken by the firm. The company has 3 potential IPRs. It develops platform technology and implements the same. InvAscent, a healthcare private equity firm invested INR 70 crore in Murli Krishna Pharma in June 2020.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Murli Krishna Pharma was featured in the ‘100 Most Admired Brands 2020’ as a leading brand at the 8th White Page Leadership Conclave. The company has been awarded the ‘Up-and-Coming Brand in Drug Delivery System’ at the GLOBE Platinum Awards 2016.

r. Philip Samuel, the Chairman and Managing Director of Indfrag Biosciences, is a serial entrepreneur, venture idea generator, inventor and innovator. His career journey in companies manufacturing accurate engineering equipment helped him acquire a solid substructure in manufacturing processes.

After working in several corporate companies and developing relevant skills, he started Indfrag Biosciences to manufacture flower extracts for fine perfumery in collaboration with Unilever’s small French unit.

Under his guidance, Indfrag Biosciences continued diversifying and growing into sub-verticals such as plant extraction for pharmaceutical, cosmetics, nutrition and food industry.

It is under the guidance and mentorship of Mr. Philip Samuel that Indfrag Biosciences has carved a niche as one of the greatest brands of India.

DEPLOYING AN INFALLIBLE WINNING STRATEGY

Indfrag Biosciences currently focuses on manufacturing botanical extracts for the beauty industry and food industry. They successfully operate 5 manufacturing units (4 in India and 1 in Vietnam) of varying capacities at 3 sites that allow them the flexibility to supply a few milligrams to tons of kilos of extracts to their customers.

Furthermore, they have a vast global network of raw botanical extract suppliers in the Eastern Europe, and countries such as Ghana, Madagascar, and Indonesia. Indfrag Biosciences currently supply their active ingredients for cosmetics to the leading brands and companies in the EU, North/South America and Asia.

Indfrag Biosciences is committed to the best quality and abides to best practices. They believe in making innovative products with standardized manufacturing procedures that help them deliver the best to the customers. The company has been certified by various independent bodies, and they have FAIR TRADE, RAINFOREST ALLIANCE, KOSHER, HALAL and ISO certification for their factories and ingredients. Indfrag Biosciences is also a member of UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade).

MANUFACTURING

ACTING TODAY FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

Sustainability is at the core of all business decisions made at Indfrag Biosciences. They aim to create a resilient planet and happier communities by leveraging sustainability-driven innovation. Since they commenced their sustainability journey in 2014, they have implemented initiatives that reflect the company’s commitment to sustainability for long-term growth and stability. The organization values its employees, suppliers and customers as its most important assets, and

deems customers pivotal in guiding and strengthening their sustainability actions. Together, they strive for collective impact by aligning their sustainability goals. It is their firm belief that the economic growth of an organization and its sustainability trajectory are closely intertwined. These aspects of development enable us to direct resources towards initiatives that create sustained value for all their stakeholders, including the ecological systems and communities which surround our operations.

MOVING FORWARD

Indfrag Biosciences aims to strengthen and expand their sourcing program. They are working to develop an allencompassing environmental and social sustainability strategy.

This strategy will increase the use of renewable energy in their manufacturing processes. It will articulate how they plan to transition to a circular economy, in the next five years, and will outline plans for conservation of natural ecosystems.

INDFRAG BIOSCIENCES

PAVING THE ROAD TO STRATEGIC SUCCESS

Established in 1989 in collaboration with Quest International’s facility in the South of France, Indfrag Biosciences Private Limited (a portmanteau of Indian Fragrances) is headquartered in Bangalore, India. The company has manufacturing capabilities in India and Vietnam

DIVAKAR SPECIALITY HOSPITAL

TRANSFORMING WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE

Divakar Speciality Hospital is a leading women’s healthcare provider in India. Run by eminent doctors with a deep passion for providing quality healthcare at affordable cost, it takes pride in impacting women’s healthcare. Since its inception in 1990, it has been providing healthcare services to women of all age groups

Dr. G. V. Divakar, a well-known ophthalmologist founded the Divakar Speciality Hospital to provide preventive healthcare services to women. He noticed that women are typically the primary nurturers in most Indian households, but quite often they forget to take care of themselves. Therefore, Dr. Divakar decided to inform, direct, aid, and empower women so that they take responsibility of their health and well-being.

Owing to his dedicated efforts, the hospital became the first private hospital in Karnataka to obtain an ISO certification way back in the year 1994. The doctors at the hospital are the finest in their respective fields including the renowned and popular Gynecologist in India Dr. Hema Divakar.

ROOTING FOR A NOVEL METHOD

Under the initiative ARTIST - Asian Research and Training Institute for Skill Transfer, Divakar Speciality Hospital is

conducting digital healthcare training in 13 states. Under this programme, the healthcare workers receive training virtually, and become certified healthcare professionals. The hospital is moving with the times and has started video consultation, awareness programs, and training for healthcare providers for a better, brighter, and healthier tomorrow.

The hospital has also earned accreditation from prestigious organisations, namely Quality and Accreditation Institute (QAI) and the National Accreditation Board for

Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH). The hospital is the first to receive the Manyata certification from the nationally accredited Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) for providing top-notch maternity healthcare.

PROVIDING WORLD-CLASS SERVICES

Divakar Speciality Hospital uses stateof-the-art technology for diagnostics and treatments. With modern and ergonomic workstations for 21st-century women, Divakar’s Specialty Hospital has created an ideal environment for its female workforce to thrive and succeed. It offers general medical consultation and a wide range of procedures and services.

The hospital is supported by compassionate dedicated medical professionals with a holistic approach towards healthcare, rich knowledge, and experience in their respective domains. The staff-members at the hospital are well-trained, polite, and provide prompt assistance to the patients’ needs. Amenities like a waiting lounge for patients’ pleasant experiences are its major attraction.

It is a one-stop healthcare destination for women of all ages. It is also a trusted facility for neonatal and geriatric care. The range of specialised services include care for women with gestational diabetes, fibroids or frequent miscarriages, menopause-related issues, fertility problems, and hormonal challenges. The research lab and ultrasound services, and a drugstore are available.

EMPOWERING WOMEN

The hospital recognizes that women’s healthcare needs change substantially throughout their lives. The primary mission of the hospital is to provide quality healthcare with dignity, respect, and safety, as well as creating awareness and empowering one million women healthcare workers across India. It is also recognised as one of the best organisations for women employees in the healthcare sector. It employs and trains women to understand the various complications and nuances faced by female patients.

Emerging as India’s largest women’s healthcare provider, Divakar Speciality Hospital has been recognised at various national and international platforms for its outstanding contribution to the healthcare sector.

EMERGING

MC Group began its expedition in the business world over 20 years ago. What was initially conceived as a marine cluster was soon transformed into one of the greatest brands. Today, the business house has 14 different companies and presence in 10 countries. Each of their projects is based on sustainability and technological progress.

PILLAR OF SUCCESS

FMC Group bases its activities on the growth of different business areas, all combined into a single corporate vision through high quality, distinction and excellence. Under the guidance of their esteemed Chairman Mr. Mohammad Yasin Chowdhury, FMC Group continues to grow and increase their international presence while adhering to their dedication to environmental and social responsibility. As per the esteemed chairman of FMC Group Mr. Mohammad Yasin Chowdhury, their key values are continuous development, safety, and environmental protection. Ever since its establishment, FMC Group has opted for growth and diversification of business sectors in which it operates. They continue to expand and increase their international footprint while adhering to their dedication to environmental and social responsibility. They dream of a better world where everyone assumes responsibility for helping their community improve and grow. Their shipyards are based in India, Oman, Turkey and Bangladesh but the expansion goes well beyond these countries. They can also be found in UAE, Singapore, Spain, China and Canada to offer worldwide marine solutions. Their main goal is to create future committed to sustainability in a society fuelled by a renewed entrepreneurial spirit and knowledge-based development.

HISTORY WITH A FUTURISTIC VIEW

FMC Group’s history is a journey full of serendipities, possibilities and correct decisions that transformed the course of events into an unimaginable dream come true. With two decades of experience, FMC Group’s founders initially started a ship bunkering and repairing business. This valuable experience supported the company’s rapid growth and expansion. Later, FMCC Group made a leap to manufacturing ships when the founders

MANUFACTURING

combined their experience in the ship repair and human resources with acquired knowledge of the field. This trail of success continued with the construction of the first shipyard that later led to the establishment of the future FMC Marine Companies. FMC Group continued to grow rapidly as their shipyard increased its manufacturing independence and volume. Today, FMC Group is a group of several companies and a united foundation, including the charity Neo Academy, which seeks to use sports to give back to society by helping today’s children have a brighter

tomorrow.

VALUING VALUES

They are committed to a code of ethics that guides the performance and quality of the entire team. They are aware of the importance of business to society and the need to develop strong corporate social responsibility. FMC Sports Foundation, a foundation which facilitates access to sports for children and young people without financial resources, is one of the ways they give back and help the community. By the means of its very own communications group that helps provide news to the entire country, FMC Group shows its commitment to spreading awareness. They are an innovative group in all business areas, thanks to the latest technology that allows the teams to focus on helping the communities and the environment. FMC Group is deeply committed to corporate values like enthusiasm, responsibility, honesty, leadership, teamwork, efficiency and respect for the environment.

FMC GROUP

ROOTING FOR TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS AND SUSTAINABILITY

FMC Group is a conglomerate focusing on shipbuilding, painting offshore construction sites, engineering, and charity (in collaboration with the sports foundation for children, Neo Academy). FMC Group has grown by leaps and bounds in multiple sectors

HEALTHCARE

MULK E-HEALTH TELEHEALTHCARE

BRINGING HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO YOUR FINGERTIPS

A pioneer in telehealth, Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare offers an innovative and easily accessible digital healthcare solution to patients worldwide. It has emerged as a world-class Telehealthcare ecosystem amidst the pandemic, enabling people to get quality healthcare at a finger’s touch

Mulk Holdings launched its first digital healthcare system, Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare, headed by chairman Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk and co-founder Dr. Nawab Shafi Ul Mulk. They unveiled the digital project together to let every patient access more than 2,000 doctors across the world. It offers a complete spectrum of healthcare services through an app that allows patients to consult doctors in reputable hospitals across the globe, get diagnosis, know their vital signs, and get timely treatment and medication.

Within ten years, Mulk healthcare (managed by one of the region’s largest conglomerates Mulk Holding Group of Companies), has helped over 2 million patients. Headquartered in Hamriya Freezone Sharjah, UAE, the Group operates across Europe, the USA, Africa, Turkey, India, and the GCC countries. It brings together international experts from every field who strive to provide outstanding healthcare services.

REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTHCARE

Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare has transformed healthcare by creating a single platform for doctors, live consultations, vital signs check, E-prescriptions and diagnostics, and medicine delivery. The system has introduced a complete package of excellent healthcare amenities that people can avail themselves from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, the system ensures complete privacy of the digital data and medical reports of its patients.

With technological innovations gaining momentum, the Mulk-e-Health ensures location-neutral healthcare services to its patients. The app gives an easy access to healthcare solutions with minimal faceto-face interactions. From consultations to follow-ups and prescriptions, the organization truly works to bolster general wellbeing significantly. The patients can choose a suitable doctor and schedule time and date according to their convenience.

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES

Dr. Mulk works closely with collaborators and R&D teams to pioneer telemedicine solutions in these vital but untapped fields. It is a hospital that renounces borders and works to get people from across the globe to obtain remarkable medical facilities.

Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare has come up with an exemplary wholesome, small, lightweight solution—Mulk Health Kit. The kit is medically-approved multifunctional health monitor tests blood pleasure, blood sugar, oximetry, body temperature, and is CE-certified. It is designed with high precision sensors and advanced algorithms to give accurate and fast results that are compatible with IOS and Android. Its services are available via 24/7 call centres that facilitate audio consultancy. Across the GCC, Mulk Health Care operates diagnostic centres as well as partner diagnostic centres. This way, the patients can get relief from some of their most common health concerns.

VISION & MISSION

Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare aims to grow exponentially and become a significant E-health provider. It believes that seamless quality healthcare is not a human need but a human right and therefore it wishes to take its services beyond the limits of a particular country. It envisions bringing about the transformation of the healthcare scenario by providing standard, safe, and affordable services.

ADDING MORE FEATHERS TO THE CAP

With its focus to become one of the most competent healthcare service providers, Mulk E-Health Telehealthcare has been extremely persistent in its efforts. Its remarkable work has been recognized and listed at Number 8 by Arabian Business in the list of “Most Admired Companies” in the GCC.

IT & TELECOM

Starting as the primary innovators of the idea to use LAN for connecting computers spread across the world using a multiprotocol router system, Cisco now stands as the largest networking company.

LEADING BY INNOVATION

The unending trail of modernization continues not only with the development of top-of-the-line products in the basic fields of routing and switching, but also in technological advancement of Home and Storage Networking, IP Telephony, Optical and Network Security and Wireless LAN.

Since its establishment in India a couple of decades ago, Cisco has progressively improved upon its presence in India and has grown steadily, setting up 7 offices with the current workforce aggregating in excess of 10,000 engaged in sales, R&D and support staff. Cisco has focused not only on training and improvement of individuals but has also created an environment in which the employees blend together to form robust and resultoriented teams of incomparable quality.

A GLOBAL PROBLEM SOLVER

Since the very beginning and development of computer networking systems, malware in encrypted traffic has remained the biggest challenge for the network security. Cisco, being the pioneers in the field of digital networking, took it upon themselves and successfully resolved the riddle without affecting the privacy of individual data.

With a commitment towards their motto of “connecting everything, innovating everywhere and benefitting everyone”, Cisco has envisioned to impact one billion people by the year 2025. Through its superiority in the field of digital technology, Cisco has been helping a wide range of businesses to grow and achieve outstanding results.

A few of its prestigious clients include NASDAQ, Huntington Bank and Baptist Health. Cisco has also been involved in simplifying and managing IT assets, improving the performance and efficacy of the products and helping IT work unswervingly, proficiently and securely through their world-class technical support and advanced services.

Apart from profit making and other business endeavours, Cisco India is also

involved in producing a large number of benchmark-capable professionals keeping in mind the future needs and requirements of the industry, and therefore is currently training in excess of 25,000 students in its 176 networking academies in India to raise them as future professionals and the backbone of the industry.

A RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE PARTNER

Cisco has been using a certified Environmental Management System

through continuous improvement in their products and conservation of natural resources, thereby working to preserve biological cycles of the earth. Cisco has also been participating in multiple economic development programs for the underprivileged across the globe. The company has been felicitated with Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

The unflinching focus and tireless efforts have resulted in multiple awards and accolades for Cisco. Cisco ASR 901 router architectured by the engineering team in India was awarded the NASSCOM Innovation Award.

In the year 2020, Cisco India won Silver Stevie Award for Excellence in Innovation in Technology Industries for their Customer Master Data Management and Governance. In addition to this, it has been ranked no.1 Best Place to Work in India for the year 2022 by Great Places to Work (GPTW) Institute.

CISCO INDIA

CONNECTING THE WORLD DIGITALLY

Launched in India in 1995, Cisco is riding on the success wave of its innovative and technologically advanced products in the fields ranging from Home Networking to IP Telephony to Network Security, and has emerged as the global leader in the field of networking

HEALTHCARE

DOLO 650

A GAME CHANGER IN THE ANTIPYRETIC & ANALGESIC THERAPY

A brand of a reputed Healthcare major, Micro Labs Limited., DOLO-650 is a composition of 650 mg of paracetamol. It has emerged as a leader in the antipyretic (fever-reducing) and analgesic (pain-reducing) segment. It was considered as a first line drug during COVID-19 pandemic for reducing symptoms of fever

Dolo650 was introduced in the early 90s with the differentiation of 650 mg strength, when all the available brands had only 500 mg strength. With newer epidemics sweeping across the country such as Chikungunya, Dengue and different forms of viral fever, Doctors found 650 mg in Dolo 650 was more effective in reducing fever and pain which was the need of the patients and Physicians alike. It had also been developed thoughtfully by its well-qualified formulation research team that ensured its unique shape for easy swallowability. Due to this advantage coupled with easy availability and being the first choice of Doctors for the prescription against fever, the acceptance for DOLO-650 significantly increased during the previous epidemics as well as during COVID-19 pandemic. Though the product was promoted only through Doctors’ prescription, DOLO650 the most prescribed drug during the pandemic also became a household name. Tremendous marketing effort , in terms

of disseminating scientific knowledge and patient education activities have gone behind making Dolo 650 a brand of this stature. Notable ones are: 1. Conducting of an exclusive annual conference on Fever named FeFCon (Fever Foundation conference) for 4 years, involving eminent Physicians and Paediatricians from across the country who shared their knowledge to the practicing Doctors. This conference is regarded as unique as, it was for the first time that various aspects of the common ailment fever was discussed by various specialists including Endocrinologists,

Rheumatologists, Oncologists and epidemiologists. This was also followed by many CMEs (Continuous Medical Education) for thousands of Doctors in small towns and semi urban area. The proceedings of the conference have been converted as books as well and have been distributed to thousands of practioners across India.

2. A massive patient education effort during Covid, through posters on Importance of vaccination and Frequently asked Questions & Answers which were put up in clinics and vaccination centers.

With such high end scientific activities and with passionate promotion of 600 + field force, DOLO-650 now is now one of the fastest growing brands in India. Particularly during COVID-19 pandemic, demand for the product reached a new peak due to its efficacy & safety and wide availability across the country through a wide-spread network, thus attaining a leading position in the antipyretic segment. The availability was ensuring because of our Manufacturing strength with Multi Locational facilities and the excellent coordination between all the functional departments led by the CMD, Mr. Dilip Surana. This is despite the fact the brand had very low profit margin, as being in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) it came under the Government Controlled Price category. The input cost which skyrocketed during the pandemic had a further adverse impact on its margin. However, huge demand for the drug during the 2nd wave of pandemic resulted in very high revenue growth that was almost twice of the revenue generated in FY 2020 – 2021. According to AIOCD – AWACS, a Market Research firm, the total revenue generated by all paracetamol during the 2nd wave was 138.40%, while DOLO-650 has generated brand increased by 289.60% during the same period.

WORLD-WIDE ACCREDATION

The manufacturing units of Micro Labs Ltd are approved by regulatory authorities such as US FDA, Healthcare Products & Regulatory Agency, Health Canada, WHO & Ministry of Health by many countries. In 2015, White Page International ranked DOLO-650 among India’s most admired top 50 brands. The drug was recognised as a binary brand and was bestowed with Indian Brand & Leader Award in 2022. It has received Most Trusted Brand of India, The Most Popular Brand of India by various media houses.

True to its Japanese heritage, NEC has carved a niche for itself owing to its impeccable standards and technology. The commitment to deliver excellence and innovation in all areas of operation is the secret behind the company’s advances in the Information, Communication and Digital Technology.

With projected revenues of $30 billion, NEC is among the world’s pioneers in biometrics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analytics, and face and iris recognition. NEC has been ranked as a Visionary for its contribution to upscaling the 5G network infrastructure. The firm’s ranking in this category is also recognition of its unrivalled expertise in technological innovation that empowers people and businesses.

BOLSTERING DIGITALIZATION IN INDIA

The Fortune 500 company, NEC Corporation began operations in India in the 1950s. It started with offices in the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, New Delhi and Bangalore. Since then, it has played a crucial role in India’s digital transformation and has been at the helm of delivering turnkey projects for both central and the state governments. NEC’s motto — “Better Products, Better Services”— has helped cement India-Japan relations over the last 70 years.

The company has made incredible contributions to India’s networking connectivity by building a robust digital infrastructure to achieve significant improvements in productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.

Be it enabling the entire multimodal biometric authentication for UIDAI or creating a Face Recognition System for the Surat City Police, the company has been actively engaged in realizing the vision of Digital India. From completing the mammoth 2314-km long ChennaiAndaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI) undersea optical fiber cable project (with 100Gb/s optical waves) in August 2020 to collaborating with various state governments on the ‘Preventive Digital Healthcare’ model for Indian citizens, the organization has played a pivotal role in building the digital infrastructure in India.

The firm also collaborated with telecom service providers and government

IT & TELECOM

bodies to create high capacity backhaul capabilities for 5G. Setting up the first open Radio Access Network (RAN) laboratory in December 2020 in Chennai is also to its credit. The company has achieved many such notable business milestones as a part of its initiative: “In India, For India and From India For Global.’’

NEC has also demonstrated its prowess in leading smart city transformation projects. It has successfully implemented large and complex ICT projects as the master system integrator

in cities across India. The firm has also won the bid of the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands undersea optical fibre cable link project, which will further enable the implementation of e-Governance initiatives and boost tourism.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

With eyes set on growth, NEC India has spent more than 84,000 hours upskilling and training its people. A result of this was the launch of LEAP, a new leadership academy designed to groom senior employees to become the leaders of tomorrow. The company is also mindful of its responsibility towards environment, and is actively investing in building sustainable technology ecosystems.

The company has set the target of reducing CO2 emissions by the year 2050. Recognizing NEC’s significant contribution to corporate sustainability, the international non-profit organization CDP has listed it on its prestigious “A-List” for three years in a row.

NEC CORPORATION INDIA

EMPOWERING INDIA THROUGH DIGITIZATION

A 122-year-old Japanese tech giant, NEC Corporation India Private Limited has been working relentlessly for the past seven decades towards making India tech-progressive and well-connected. It has transformed the lives of billions of Indians through cutting-edge innovations across multiple sectors

HEALTHCARE

CARE HOSPITALS

REFORMING HEALTHCARE WITH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

A Hyderabad-based chain of multispecialty hospitals, Care Hospitals is setting new milestones with each rising dawn. Renowned for its excellent high-tech infrastructure, it has been delivering comprehensive healthcare in multiple specialties from internal medicine to critical care with easy affordability

Having started its healthcare journey with 100 beds in 1997, Care Hospitals has evolved into a leading multispecialty healthcare provider with 14 healthcare facilities in 6 cities across 5 states in India. Keeping accountability, accessibility, and affordability at the helm, it delivers allinclusive care in internal medicine, critical care, general surgery, gastrointestinal (GI), gynecology, pulmonology, radiology, and other critical diseases. Over the years, the hospital has gained recognition for its highly equipped healthcare departments of nephrology, cardiology, cardiac surgery, and emergency and trauma. Care Hospitals operate with a proficient team of more than 1100 doctors and facilitate its patients with new-age technology and ultra-modern devices to deliver worldclass treatment. The team of medical experts at Care Hospitals is involved in consistent research and development and strives hard to deliver cost-effective medical care and assures the patient of

the best healthcare services among the contemporary.

INTERNATIONAL PATIENT SERVICES

Care Hospitals has also added an international patient services department for the convenience of its international customers. This department works persistently and offers 24/7 hour customized services and personal attention to them. It offers patients medical opinions and appointments before travel and admission. The hospital also facilitates patients and family/attendants

with flight arrangements, airport transfer services, translation services, visa applications and extensions, and accommodation booking. It also offers them advice on cost estimates, medical financial counseling, emergency, and non-emergency care.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES

Top-notch cardiac care facilities have made Care Hospitals a household name in southern and central India. The hospital has the latest technology, and its globally acknowledged cardiac specialists manage all emergencies and critical care, and perform first-class diagnostic and surgical procedures to deliver the best cardiac care. The organization offers a wide range of surgical procedures, including cardiac bypass surgery, bilateral internal mammary arteries, heart valve replacement surgery, coronary angioplasty, and heart transplantation, among many other minimally invasive surgical procedures. It delivers comprehensive end-to-end care, cardiac emergencies, and preventative and rehabilitation cardiac care to patients.

SALIENT FEATURES

The hospital updates itself with nextgeneration amenities and offers the best healthcare facilities in the country. In addition, it provides nuclear medicine specialty, where radioactive material help diagnose disease and therapy. Also used as a critical care medicine, it treats patients with acute, life-threatening illnesses or injuries. The nuclear medicine specialty has several tech-led equipment, diagnostic units, and care units.

The hospital staff stand by the patients at all times. The 24X7 emergency and trauma unit, fully equipped life support systems, and other diagnostic devices ensure all the support and treatment required to save precious human lives. With some of India’s best nephrologists, the hospital is a preferred destination for the treatment of renal diseases. The hospital has a significant position in live and cadaveric donor programs for kidney transplantation.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Care Hospitals was awarded as Times Best Healthcare Brand in 2021. The Economic Times also recognized it with the Times Promising Brands in 2021. The hospital was also bestowed with Best Hospital Chain Award (National) 2021.

Hitachi Systems India is propelling the digital transformation of organizations through integrated IT solutions and services. Hitachi Systems India serves giant corporations, mid-sized companies, and small businesses across various industries, thanks to its multi-technology capabilities and experience.

In addition, it is working towards realizing its shared corporate mission of social innovation; it helps magnify this distinctiveness by providing businessaligned IT services and solutions via flexible engagement and operating models.

MAINTAINING THE DIGITAL STRUCTURE

Today’s business world operates in a multifaceted and dynamic IT environment where you need knowledge, skill, progressive technology, and tools to understand data and support organizational efficiency. Hitachi Systems India assists enterprises in juggling this variety of priorities with Hitachi Managed Services.

Inventiveness and cost-effective operations are essential in the digital disruption transformational era. The key to the intelligent environment is being unlocked by integrating data from diverse sources across the IT environment.

Hitachi offers a digital ecosystem that is automated, extremely secure, proactive, smart enough to provide root cause investigation and has an immediate service response.

THE WIDEST SECURITY PORTFOLIO

Traditional data centers were not designed to keep up with the development of edge, cloud, and high-speed computing or to handle the risk environment. To fill this gap, Hitachi Systems India ensures that all the crucial IT assets are affordable and future-proof with their end-to-end data center capabilities, including design and build through optimization and modernization.

Data breaches are a matter of concern, and networks are frequently compromised without anyone even being aware. To mitigate and contain this, Hitachi Systems India has managed services offerings around it which includes assessment, consultation, remediation, and sustenance. Hitachi Systems India shares its knowledge and experience in building, integrating, and implementing

some of the most secure networks in this industry, which has given them credibility in this field.

SMARTER AND EFFICIENT SERVICES

Cloud computing has accelerated digital transformation. This technology has permeated all business dimensions, industries, and geographic regions. Hitachi Systems India is supporting and backing up today’s multinational corporations in achieving intuitively digital by utilizing the cloud as part of their strategy. This device as a service offering improves

end-user productivity, IT efficiency, and organizational effectiveness by addressing every stage of the device life cycle from conception to disposal.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Hitachi Group’s identity shapes the character of Hitachi Systems India. Its mission is to contribute to society by developing outstanding original technology and products, keeping the core values of Harmony, Sincerity, and Pioneering Spirit intact. It also envisages delivering innovations that address society’s concerns.

Hitachi has a solid commitment to bringing about technologies that tackle major social issues on a worldwide scale. Their CSR includes enhancing the standard of living in the areas that have been surrounding the units of their activities. They are continuing with the mission to contribute to the success of their clients and the global community by offering reliable technology and advanced solutions.

HITACHI SYSTEMS INDIA

BRINGING ABOUT SECURE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Hitachi Systems India’s objective is to assist firms in being more responsive to the fast-evolving technological environment brought on by the digital revolution. Meanwhile, it delivers its full potential to manage the digital ecosystem from cable to cloud, combining its strong experience with the collective strength of Hitachi

HEALTHCARE

LABAID CANCER HOSPITAL & SUPER SPECIALITY CENTRE

REDEFINING HEALTHCARE IN BANGLADESH

The LABAID Cancer Hospital and Super Speciality Centre is the only multidisciplinary super-speciality tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh providing cost-effective and advanced medical and diagnostic care. Under the exemplary leadership of Mr. Sakif Shamim, it has been making a positive impact

The LABAID Cancer Hospital and Super Speciality Centre is Bangladesh’s first comprehensive cancer hospital. The 14-storied healthcare facility is located in Dhanmondi, one of the prime locations in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A patient-centric and ethical care philosophy has guided the establishment of the hospital. Dr A. M. Shamim, a visionary leader, founded The LABAID Cancer Hospital and Super Speciality Centre to establish a new trend in cancer treatment due to the dearth of high-quality care and considering the suffering of cancer patients in Bangladesh. The hospital has the best medical professionals and a team of skilled nurses who offer the best healthcare services using state-of-the-art technology. Its surgical and diagnostic facilities deserve a special mention. The idea behind LABAID Diagnostic is that a perfect diagnosis combined with the best treatment leads to successful treatment and cure. Today, it is a renowned group of companies that

includes enterprises in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, financial, educational, and agro sectors. The LABAID Group, however, focuses primarily on healthcare.

OFFERS EXCLUSIVE CANCER TREATMENT

LABAID’s fully-equipped cancer hospital prioritises patient satisfaction. The hospital provides all modern cancer treatment facilities, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, target therapy, hormone therapy, gene therapy, 3DCRT, IMRT, IGRT, Rapid Arch, SRS,

SBRT, Brachy therapy, and Electron Beam therapy, under the same roof preventing patients from wandering errantly in and out of the country. The hospital aims to contribute majorly to cancer treatment in the subcontinent.

It has an experienced team of medical, radiation, surgical, and gynaecological oncologists. It also has Medical Physicists, Radiologists, Paediatric Oncologists, Haemato-Oncologists, a fully equipped pathology lab, intensive care unit, high dependency unit, eight modular advanced operation theatres, dialysis centre, palliative care and psychotherapy area, 24/7 emergency pharmacy service, and all super speciality units.

Additionally, the hospital is gearing up to introduce robotic surgery soon. By 2027, the hospital hopes to have a Medical College, 30 diagnostic centres, 5 tertiary hospitals with 500 beds, a biotech lab, and 20 cancer satellite centres to facilitate cancer treatment across the country.

OTHER SPECIALISATIONS

Cardiac Hospital provides excellent cardiac care. The hospital’s Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department also offers individualised care for patients with gastrointestinal disorders and acute or chronic liver diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, liver cancer, or cirrhosis. The hospital also specialises in gynaecology, obstetrics, and laparoscopic surgery.

An on-site gynaecological medical team is available to provide routine medical examinations, address menstrual issues, and alleviate menopause symptoms in women. Additionally, its fertility centre offers fertility preservation and infertility management services.

The hospital’s paediatric and neonatology department places the highest importance on preserving children’s health. There is also a psychiatry department, along with the hospital’s haematology, urology, andrology, dermatology, plastic surgery, and endocrinology department.

EMPHASISES GREEN INITIATIVES

A responsible management team has been in place at LABAID Cancer Hospital and Super Speciality Centre, and they adhere to the highest environmental and safety regulations. Healthcare professionals and management at the hospital work together to make real and lasting changes for the country and the people.

POWERFUL

I IT & TELECOM

PMC takes great delight in being the preferred IT partner of numerous top organizations in the government and private sector. Industry leaders in banking and finance, oil and petroleum products, telecommunications, trading, and manufacturing have seen transformative success thanks to its business solutions.

Amar Deep S Hari is the co-founder and CEO of IPMC and an accomplished and competent businessman, educator, and philanthropist with 30 years of experience creating and growing prosperous businesses. He has spent over four decades in Africa and is committed to seeing Ghana emerge as the continent’s IT hub.

HIGH-SPEED DATA CENTRE SERVICES

The Data Center Solutions from IPMC are the solution to one company’s expansion, meeting the challenges of its business’ application requirements and overcoming the demands of its application needs. Because it’s virtualized, runs on numerous hypervisors, and is more distributed than ever, today’s applications require rapid and continuous delivery. IPMC offers quick-to-deploy solutions that are application-centric and agile for setting up virtual machine workloads. In addition, it provides support for corporate data centers, telecoms, collocation, and managed services facilities.

END-USER COMPUTING & ERP SOLUTIONS

With the help of IPMC’s EUC Solutions, companies can create the ideal collaborative working environment that spans time zones, locations, and even organizations. Its dependable and flexible EUC solutions ensure that one may scale up or down as its workforce’s demands change while ensuring that its end users are seamlessly connected and have access to the resources they require. It takes care of the hassles associated with setting up and maintaining hardware infrastructure. On the other hand, the core of one’s organization will be powered by intelligence from IPMC’s ERP solutions, enhancing visibility and productivity throughout every process, including manufacturing, supply chain, human resources, finance, and more. IPMC provides fully customizable ERP application solutions that give you safe platforms, lower operational expenses,

and boost your company’s profitability

GLOBAL DIGITAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS

A combination of market analysis, strategic planning, and robust digital interventions, IPMC’s Digital Marketing Solutions helps companies establish a distinctive brand. Its full-service marketing division serves businesses worldwide by developing effective marketing solutions that enable the customer to react swiftly to the always-changing markets. All facets of digital strategy, including SEO and SEM,

web and app development, creative work, and paid media, are successfully executed by its skill pool. IPMC applies its expertise to develop lead generation strategies and boost the effectiveness of the customer company’s sales channels through digital interventions.

COMPETENT TRAINING CENTRE

The IT training solutions provided by IPMC create a highly qualified, native IT workforce through 24 advanced centers across Ghana. Its curriculum and training are designed to train students at various knowledge and skill levels, from novices to experts, from academic students to working professionals.

ETHOS AND MANAGEMENT

The foundation of IPMC is a solid set of fundamentals and principles that have molded its growth and continue to direct its interactions with clients, partners, and staff members. It makes sure that its team conducts honorably and upholds corporate ethics.

IPMC

AN EPICENTER OF GLOBAL IT SERVICES

IPMC is a leading IT Company creating a digital economy through its knowledge of systems integration, software development, and IT skill-development initiatives. It is committed to delivering high-quality instruction to meet modern demands and facilitate exposure to the business

HEALTHCARE

ALNICHE LIFE SCIENCES

SETTING NEW MILESTONES IN THE PHARMA INDUSTRY

Established in 2007, Alniche Lifesciences has achieved significant milestones in the pharma industry. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio to manage treatment and after-care for diseases related to Nephrology, Critical Care, Gastroenterology, Skinceuticals, Neuropsychiatry, and Cardiac Diabetes

The Delhi-headquartered Alniche Lifesciences has syncopated the perfect balance of technological research and the strategically focused treatment to provide therapeutic measures. Alniche is escalating through the growth ladder with the pure zeal of experienced professionals to create specialized, highquality, effective, affordable, and valuefor-money medicines and wellness products from around the world.

Started as a pioneer in nephrology, the company was founded by Mr. Girish Arora. He laid the foundation using the knowledge he gained while pursuing a post-graduate degree in management and his experience of more than 30 years in the Indian and global pharmaceutical industry. Girish’s observations have propelled the company into specialty therapy areas, allowing it to distinguish itself from other pharmaceutical companies.

Alniche Lifesciences operates on the

principle of “attached to the ground and aiming for the sky.” The growth-for-all approach has brought cohesiveness to the company’s diverse teams working towards a noble goal.

Alniche Lifesciences has collaborated with the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), to promote the ‘Make in India’ initiative and encourage Indian researchers to come up with unique technologies and products.

This partnership between industry players and academicians has the

potential to accelerate the development of new pharmaceutical products to fulfill the medical requirements in India and around the world.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Alniche Lifesciences is set to be a memorable name as it is scaling new heights and achieving high growth. Alniche Lifesciences has been named one of India’s fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies.

Not only have their prestigious clients recognized their excellent marketing efforts, but renowned business journals in the United States (Silicon Review), the United Kingdom (B2B Tycoon), United Arab Emirates (Asia One),and India (Forbes India, Herald Global - BARC ASIA, Times Group, ET Health, Pharma Review, MSME - Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) have also acknowledged their achievements.

Alniche Lifesciences has received several awards and accolades, namely “Best Organization in Nephrology Drugs and Novel Formulations Award” by Business Sphere, New Delhi, India; “Healthcare Elite Award” by Business APAC, India; “Super 30 Companies Award” by the Silicon Review, New Jersey, U.S.A.; and “Noteworthy Biotech and Pharma Company” by Business APAC, India.

MARCHING TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE

With India as its primary market, Alniche Lifesciences aspires to expand its geographical presence to key global markets. The company is the preferred partner of global healthcare organizations to launch their brands in India.

Alniche Lifesciences intends to boost profit margins and push top-line growth with this strategy by increasing sales operations for exports in semi-regulated markets.

To fuel its growth in the next decade, the organization focuses on five main areas: in-licensing global brands and unique domestic items to build a strong portfolio, increasing the effectiveness of specialty-focused marketing initiatives, building internal capabilities to handle organization’s expansion effectively, improving operational efficiencies for a higher return on investment, and using standard operating procedures (SOPs) to adopt and practice compliance.

IT & TELECOM

Over the years, Xebia has evolved from a Java company into a fullservice digital consulting organization with a global reach. Founded over 20 years ago, its global team of technical experts and trailblazing craftsmen provide state-ofthe-art technology and game-changing consulting to companies on the cusp of transformation. It has assisted the world’s top 250 firms and leaders in resolving digital challenges, embracing innovations, implementing unique business models, and adopting advanced technologies. The Xebia Group comprises 6 distinct companies: Xebia Services, Xebia Academy, XebiaLabs, StackState, GoDataDriven, Instruqt, and Xpirit. Apart from high-quality consultancy services, Xebia also offers offshoring and nearshoring services.

CONSTANTLY REINVENTING ITSELF

Xebia’s extensive knowledge is founded on an authentic and value-driven way of operating that inspires everything it does. A core principle of the company is continual reinvention to stay relevant and drive growth. It understands the need to reinvent itself on a regular basis to keep up with the standards, competitive pressures, and technological advancements. The company prides itself on bringing in extraordinary talent and creating thought leadership for sharing its knowledge.

As a world leader in technology innovation, Xebia strives to turn current technology trends into opportunities for its customers. It develops innovative solutions and continuously explores new technological frontiers to formulate strategies, leverage, and strengthen solutions that deliver long-term value to its clients.

GLOBAL REACH

Xebia aspires to be the authoritative figure in each of its service domains. Its dedicated teams have extensive experience in Agile, DevOps, Data Science, Cloud, Software Technology, Low Coding, and Microsoft. The forward-thinking software engineering and IT firm operate on a global scale. It is a multinational corporation with headquarters in Atlanta, San Francisco, the UK, Vietnam, Canada, Amsterdam and Hilversum (Netherlands), Belgium, Germany, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Bern, Zurich,

Poland, Melbourne, Mexico, and Dubai.

CUSTOMERS COME FIRST

Xebia believes in establishing long-term relationships with its clients and treating them fairly. It focuses on shared goals and trust by demonstrating genuine respect for its customers and continually adding value. Quality without compromise is its motto. Whether it is the work for its customers, the tools they use, the employees they hire, their training programmes, or the design of its offices, it always raises the bar to 100%.

EMPHASIZES PEOPLE-CENTRICITY

People-centricity and a human approach are always at the forefront of Xebia’s business and decision-making. Its business strategy stresses anticipating what people want, need, and expect. By doing so, the company has gained qualitative insights and developed an environment of knowledge sharing to retain customers.

EMPOWERING WOMEN

Xebia is an advocate of women empowerment. It encourages its women employees and aims to increase the number of women professionals in technical positions. Keeping in mind the need to increase its female workforce, the company runs a program called #SheTalksTech, where they arrange for mentorship programs that allow all women professionals to speak with an experienced Xebian about their professional goals, interests, challenges and get the support needed to advance.

XEBIA

THE DIGITAL PIONEER

Xebia is an innovative IT consultancy firm, which was established in 2001. It is the first company to embrace Agile methodology under the guidance of Dr. Jeff Sutherland. Its primary goal is to provide cutting-edge technologies to its clients to facilitate innovation and excellence in new-age technologies

HEALTHCARE

ASIAN SPECIALISED HOSPITAL & DIAGNOSTIC CENTER

BRACING YOU UP FOR BATTLING THE PANDEMIC

The Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center, Chattogram, Bangladesh, established in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to provide diagnostic & testing services to patients suffering from the corona virus. It is on a mission to provide high quality international standard healthcare services to the people of Bangladesh

The Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center was founded by Lion Salauddin Ali in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and is now managed by a board of directors comprising Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser (Chairperson of the Board of Governors), Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham (Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors), Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari (Member of the Board of Governors), and Mr. Mohammed Khalid Al Mana (Managing Director and Member of the Board of Governors).

With 100 in patients-Bed multidisciplinary super-speciality care hospital project from Chattogram, it provides comprehensive healthcare with the latest medical, surgical and diagnostic facilities. These services are provided by expert medical professionals, skilled nurses and technologists using state-of-the-art technology.

This Board governs and supervises the day-to-day workings of the hospital,

develops growth strategies, and manages Sidra Medicine (a Qatar-based state-ofthe-art facility for women and children’s healthcare). The hospital is located at AH Paragon Tower, Muradpur in the secondlargest city of Bangladesh, Chattogram.

COVID-19 TESTING FACILITIES AND OPTIONS

Originally started as a private institute, the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) has been offering high-quality and low-cost healthcare and corona virus rehabilitation for the past two

years. Other than patients with corona virus infection symptoms, travellers too have been greatly inconvenienced by the COVID-19 testing norms across Bangladesh and the world. According to Founder and CEO Lion Salauddin Ali, the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) took the initiative to mitigate the harassment and suffering expatriates were facing because of disarrayed testing norms and facilities.

The Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) provides corona virus RT-PCR reports within 1216 hours (General Report), or 6-7 hours (Standard Report). In addition, if one opts for the VIP Report, they can receive their RT-PCR report within only 3 hours. This is a great help to the passengers travelling abroad, expatriates, and the general public. While RT-PCR tests and fighting the corona virus pandemic are the primary causes taken up by the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab), it is also engaged in bettering the lives of the less fortunate. It regularly distributes food among the underprivileged children of Chattogram.

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Ln. Salauddin Ali, Founder & CEO of the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) has been felicitated many times for his work in the field of COVID-19 relief. Moreover, his work as a frontline fighter of the corona virus pandemic while being the Managing Director of the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) has been widely appreciated.

The BIZZ Hybrid Awards AMEA 2021 held in Doha, Qatar, also awarded him and the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center (RT-PCR Lab) for exceptional work during the pandemic. Ln. Salauddin Ali has received the World Bizz Award for his success as the Managing Director of the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center at The World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB) ceremony.

Furthermore, he was also felicitated by the Hathazari Players Association for the same. Under the leadership of Ln. Salauddin Ali, the Asian Specialised Hospital & Diagnostic Center is working to fight the global impact of the corona virus pandemic and make travel and dayto-day activities smoother for the people of Bangladesh as well as those who travel from Chattogram.

aseya IT Services Private Limited, a subsidiary of YASH Technologies, is a leading technology services company with a proven niche in providing low code and digital solutions to its global customers. The company has rich expertise in world-class low-code platforms— Pega and OutSystems—and has helped global customers accelerate their transformative journey, execute realworld impact, and drive growth.

Established in 2017, Aaseya IT Services has grown to an employee strength of 500+, delivering truly cutting-edge solutions to its customers worldwide. Under the able leadership of techpreneur Pankaj Jain, the organisation has fast emerged as a reliable and trusted partner with deep expertise in implementing and accelerating digital transformation projects on the back of robust low-code platforms. As a Pega Specialized partner, Aaseya IT Services has proactively embraced its journeycentric delivery approach and the Pega Express methodology to maximize the platform’s potential and accelerate outcomes. Its’s specialized Pega consultants have delivered exceptional business outcomes through innovative enterprise solutions to top global organizations in the areas of Customer Experience, Business Operations, Legacy Modernization, Case Management, and Customer Relationship Management. Additionally, as a trusted OutSystems Sales and Delivery partner, Aaseya IT Services has delivered cuttingedge solutions for customers across industries. Its OutSystems experts have helped global businesses achieve rapid results by leveraging Agile delivery methodologies and industry best practices while harnessing Aaseya’s rich technical and industry expertise.

DRIVING IMAPCT THROUGH VALUES

Aaseya IT Services takes pride in being a people-focused and peopledriven organization and has invested significantly in fostering a learning culture internally and ensuring customer success. The company’s ethos and culture are deeply driven by its values framework.

The organisation focuses on being specialists, mastering digital process automation platforms, and continually investing in the learning and development

of our teams. The company prides itself on being customer-centric and maximizing returns for its customers; on being agile and ensuring a rapid response to evolving market dynamics; on being people-focused and empowering teams to bring their best to work each day.

Aaseya IT Services also values Integrity, taking responsibility for their actions, and fostering an environment of respect and trust both within the company and with its external stakeholders.

Today, Aaseya IT Services has

expanded its global footprint to more than 10 countries worldwide and supported 80+ production go-lives for its customers. Their global presence and certified resources help address the increased demand for high-quality offshore development centers from customers across the Banking, Finance, Insurance, Life sciences, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Government sectors.

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

Aaseya IT Services has received multiple recognitions for the impact it has driven for its customers and partners, including the Pegasystems Client Innovation Award for Social Responsibility and a feature in the Top 10 Pega Service Providers report by HFS Research.

Aaseya IT Services was felicitated with 3rd Indian ISV Awards for Government/ Utilities Solution. The Pega award was bestowed on the company to recognize them for delivery excellence and innovation of a Covid-19 rapid response solution for StepChange Debt Charity.

AASEYA IT SERVICES

BUILDING A NICHE IN LOW-CODE LED DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Aaseya IT Services Pvt. Ltd. is a leading provider of low-code enabled Digital Transformation services. Specializing in agile delivery of Pega and OutSystems platforms, & focused onhelping their customers maximize the value of their platform investment, the company has emerged as a formidable player

CONVERGE BIOTECH

LEADING WITH EMPATHY AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Converge Biotech was started in the year 2015 by Mr. Arun Kumar Bijjala. From a product portfolio of 10 brands and 25 employees, the company has reached the milestone of over 8,000 doctors, and 7500 retailers and has become a force to be reckoned with in the healthcare industry

Converge Biotech was started by Mr. Arun Kumar Bijjala in the year 2015. He had with him over 2 decades of experience working in the biotechnology sector, having worked with organizations such as Panacea Biotech, Novartis, and Biocon. With Converge Biotech he wanted to challenge the norm and create a tool for bridging the gap between life-saving drugs and people who need them.

THE JOURNEY THUS FAR

It had humble beginnings with merely 10 brands, 25 employees, and operations in just 2 states. Currently, Hyderabad-based Converge Biotech has established itself as a popular healthcare brand renowned for its quality products all over the country.

The brand has presence in all major pharmacies, corporate hospitals, semi-corporate hospitals, and other government and private institutions. In just seven years of being operational, the brand’s network has expanded far and

wide on a pan-India scale.

Today, Converge Biotech has a wide network of expert Doctors and dedicated retailers across India. The company has built a strong foothold in the critical-care and cardio-diabetic segment.

A BRAND WITH THE RIGHT VALUES

Mr. Bijjala has cultivated a strong employee-centric culture at Converge Biotech. With the help of strategic innovation, strong planning, and meticulous execution, the company has been able to reach where it is today in

such a short span of time.

The teams at Converge Biotech work with utmost transparency and trust and that is what forms the core of the organization. At the heart of the company lies the mission to develop a healthy community by delivering reasonable medicines wherever needed.

Under Mr. Bijjala’s leadership, Converge Biotech has always been a pioneer of best practices. He ensured that all products offered by the company were manufactured in WHO GMP-certified facilities and were additionally audited by the Quality Control team. The teams at Converge worked hard to optimize operational efficiencies so that the price could be extremely economical for more people to afford the medicines. With strategic planning Converge Biotech accomplished the rare feat of breaking even in the first year.

In the year 2017, Converge Biotech became ISO 9001:2008 certified firm and that was a major breakthrough. It was the youngest organization to have reached this milestone. In the last 7 years, the company has been aggressively growing. This has been possible with the help of a strong team that has worked relentlessly to fulfil the company’s vision. Mr. Bijjala brought in Mr. Partha Roy Chowdhary as the COO in 2017 to scale up the operations. Mr. Chowdhary is an industry expert who possesses over 3 decades of experience in Sales and Marketing in leadership positions in organizations such as Serdia, Panacea Biotech, Zydus Cadilla, and Biocon. Adding him to the leadership team gave Converge Biotech the boost it needed.

The significant contribution Converge Biotech has made to the healthcare industry has not gone unnoticed. In 2017, the company was awarded the Fastest Growing Indian Company Excellence Award by the International Achievers Conference. In 2019 it won the Pharma Anti-Counterfeiting and Compliance Award for the Emerging Startup of the Year and the same year it was also awarded “India Excellence Award: Innovative Excellence in Pharmaceutical Sector.”

In just 7 years, it has already brought about a noticeable difference in society and has successfully worked towards changing lives for the better. Converge Biotech is one of the rare brands that merge business and empathy successfully and bring about long-lasting impacts.

n 2016, Belgium-based wheelchair maker, Vermeiren, entered the Indian market. The aim was to manufacture around 40,000 wheelchair units in India by 2020. Years have passed and the company has surpassed its goals with huge margins. Today, Vermeiren India Rehab is one of the top names that rule the Rehab Care Equipment industry with high-quality products. It is due to the company’s years of vision and efforts that patients in India can now access first-class products designed with European technology. The company now caters to both domestic and overseas requirements in Europe, Middle East, Australia and India. In terms of production capacity, Vermeiren India Rehab is proud to manufacture 2,00,000 wheelchairs annually with the accessories. The success graph has not stopped here. In fact, it is just the beginning.

A CATALOGUE FULL OF HOPE

While the major focus of Vermeiren India Rehab is on the wheelchairs, its catalogue is not restricted to this product only. The company has a wide range of rehab products divided into several categories. For instance, in the wheelchair category, there are numerous different types of wheelchairs — each of them with different facilities and styles according to patients’ needs. Similarly, there are other categories such as adjustable walkers, mobility scooters, patient lifters, walking sticks, commode chairs, hospital chairs, lift chairs, electric hospital beds, ramps, and many more. All these medical equipment ensure that patients in hospitals or rehab care can maintain their mobility and start their life with new hope. In fact, since all of the Vermeiren products are at par with international standards, it gives Indian patients an opportunity to experience state-of-the-art equipment to lead a better life. Thanks to the wide network and distribution channels of the company, these medical equipment can reach lakhs of people across the globe.

THE TOUCHSTONE OF QUALITY

The company adheres to the highest quality standards. It makes sure that each product is developed through highprecision tools under strict supervision. To ensure this, the company has its production facility at Sricity SEZ, Andhra Pradesh with the state-of-the-art facilities. More than 500 highly-skilled workers operate in

HEALTHCARE

this facility.

India factory is equipped with World class machines & Technologies for Laser Cutting, CNC bending, Press, Robo welding, Powder coating, Stitching with high frequency welding machines, PU Tyre and rims Manufacturing, Wheel assembly, PU integral and Soft foam machine, Plastic injection moulding and Assembly units. Not just this, every single product is tried and tested before shipping. So, all products of Vermeiren India Rehab are CE certified and few Crash test approved.

As for the designing part, the company

abides by its basic principle “The wheelchair must be adopted to you, not vice versa,” while creating designs of the medical equipment. This is the reason why most of their wheelchairs have a modular design. Customers can adjust the products to their personal needs and lifestyle.

A NAME TO RECKON WITH

Vermeiren India Rehab is not just known for its exclusive catalogue. The company abides by ethical ways of doing business. Therefore, it has created a working ecosystem where they offer a transparent approach to their clients. The customer service department of Vermeiren India provides reliable after-sales service with the best possible solutions for their queries.

The company has an excellent track record of customer satisfaction, thanks to its high-quality and reliable products. It is these happy customers that have kept the momentum of the company’s vision to produce more and more high-quality equipment in the coming years.

VERMEIREN INDIA REHAB

MOBILIZING PATIENTS WITH CARE

Even since its beginnings in 2016, Vermeiren India Rehab Private Limited has given a second life to thousands of people. From high-tech wheelchairs, commode series, geriatric chairs, electrical beds, walkers, patient lift, mobility scooters and walking sticks, the company has produced a wide range of products in India and abroad

SPAY INDIA

SERVING THE UNDERSERVED

Spay India was started in 2018 as a mobile payment app with a difference. It is not just another payment app but a tool that is aimed to bring about a balance in the fintech sector with which even the rural population can experience the freedom of being cashless

Spay India is a fintech company, which focuses on empowering the migrant population and other underserved sections of the Indian economy with its technology. It offers a number of services like domestic money transfer, Aadhaar-enabled payment system, bill payments, recharge, travel bookings, insurance, and various others. All of its services are focused on the rural, underserved, and migrant population.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Spay India was started by Nikhilesh Tiwari and Sandeep Dhawan in 2018. Prior to that Mr. Tiwari gained enough knowledge and expertise in the fintech sector by working in various companies like Suvidha Infoserve, Vodafone, and more. Mr. Tiwari waited for the market to be ready for the vision he had before he decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship.

While digital payments had started to make inroads, he wanted to wait till

they became mainstream. Once he was convinced that the market is ready, he started building Spay slowly and steadily.

BUILDING SOMETHING UNIQUE

While there are hordes of mobile payment apps in the market today, it is also true that there is space for everyone. In fact, success in this sector is all about establishing your niche and that’s what Spay has done.

Spay India only focuses on empowering the migrant population and other underserved sections of the Indian

economy. It offers a range of services for this particular segment and the most liked thing about Spay as a company is that it offers services where the customers need them when they need them and in whatever manner they need them.

Spay is known to understand its customer base extremely well thanks to the founders’ years of experience in the field. The company’s focus has been to build something that’s larger than the market. The vision goes beyond just numbers and figures.

If one sees the suite of services Spay offers, one would notice that it is building a community and not just a business. All of its services enable money transfers for even non-bank account holders and hence serve a much larger purpose to enable financial inclusion countrywide.

SCALING NEW PEAKS

Spay India is one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in India currently. The company has a strong presence in rural banking with over 25,000 branches across the country. This PAN Indian network has helped Spay to reach a milestone of over 1,000 crores in transactions on a monthly basis.

In a matter of just 3 years, the company has served over 16 million customers and already crossed annual revenue of INR 100 crores and that is no easy feat, especially in a crowded market like digital payments. The main factor behind its growth is its focus on delivering a good customer experience.

Spay has also managed to carve its niche by thinking out of the box with solutions that are customized to its market segment. For instance, they recently unveiled a new model wherein they have established multiple physical touchpoints for the rural customers wherein they can go and avail of various digital banking services. These touchpoints give access to the people with no access.

Spay has also been instrumental in creating employment opportunities by offering commissions to their network partners who are in customer-facing roles. The company has already managed to create 150 direct employment opportunities and 3000 indirect employment opportunities.

Spay is truly a brand that works for the people and listens intently to its users. Brands such as Spay reinstate that a good business is not just about numbers, it is about the people.

edec Dragon Private Limited was founded in the year 2010 by the Promoter and Managing Director, Dr. Deepak Shenoy. Its operations are primarily in the export of pharmaceutical intermediates and bulk drugs to the emerging markets.

The company adheres to high standards of product development through constant modernization and compliance with international standards. The firm delivers products with 0% defects, and honors its clients’ trust in their pharmaceutical and healthcare products.

In addition to its synergistic collaboration with WHO-GMP certified manufacturing facilities, the company has teams of experts that work hard to deliver quality.

OFFERING UNMATCHED QUALITY

With a primary mission of providing quality healthcare products, the company understands its social responsibility and is committed to the well-being of society. Medec Dragon Private Limited’s main goal is to provide high-quality products and services that are constantly improved to meet the needs of its customers. The company is genuinely passionate about developing new formulations and leveraging latest technology, and goes out of its way to achieve tremendous success in its endeavors.

PIONEERING INNOVATION

Innovation is the main agenda of the company, which is achieved by creating a balanced organizational culture. Consequently, innovations facilitate efficient production. The company hires manufacturers to produce intermediates for many Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients including fine chemicals, medicinal categories, and specialty chemicals. A variety of diverse pharmaceutical intermediates are also available from the company.

To support its stringent quality policy, the company has advanced infrastructure and procedures in place, including a stateof-the-art laboratory. It can maintain consistent quality of its products through regular validation of processes, test methods, water quality, and environment control, and periodic calibration of all instruments, thanks to its manufacturing site, the latest analytical instruments, and heavily controlled quality assurance and quality control systems.

The firm consists of a highly skilled regulatory team responsible for worldwide registrations of pharmaceutical exports. Its team plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations from a project’s inception to completion with the help of regulatory affairs experts.

The organization’s R&D facilities are equipped with modern equipment, following Good Laboratory Practices, to perform the stringent quality tests prescribed by the different national and international pharmacopeias.

WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS

Based in Mumbai, the organization provides anti-malarial drugs, anti-cancer drugs, expectorants, central nervous system (CNS) stimulants , emetics (medicines to induce vomiting), anti-retro-viral drugs, medication for erectile dysfunction, ace inhibitors, animal healthcare products, APIs for diabetics, and pain management products. Furthermore, it offers formulations like anti-TB drug therapy products, mucolytics, multivitamin syrups, analgesics, and medications for hormonal replacement therapy. Currently, the organization exports to more than 35 countries globally, and is well established in South East Asia and Africa including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Russia, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Turkey, etc.

WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION

The European Business Assembly awarded Medec Dragon Private Limited the “Best Pharmaceutical Company of the Year 2021” for excellence in the pharma industry.

MEDEC DRAGON

A BRAND SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCELLENCE

Medec Dragon Private Limited is one of India’s leading manufacturers and exporters of anti-cancer and anti-malaria drugs. Its 70+ formulations are marketed across the globe with dossiers in CTD format and bioequivalence data. It has achieved the Export House status for excelling in international trade

ORIENT ELECTRIC

EXCEEDING GLOBAL BENCHMARKS

Orient Electric Limited is a New Delhibased Indian electrical equipment manufacturer. A distinguished name in the electrical consumer electricals space for more than 68 years, Orient Electric is a one-stop-shop provider of fans, lighting solutions, home appliances, switchgears, and other electrical solutions. It has been on a transformational growth journey under the stewardship of its MD & CEO, Mr Rakesh Khanna. A member of the CK Birla Group of companies, Orient Electric, is the largest manufacturer and exporter of fans in India, with a marketing presence across 26 countries

rient Electric, which traces its roots back to the former Calcutta Electrical Company, joined the 150-year-old CK Birla Group in 1954. The company was renamed Orient Electric in 2014. Over the years, the company has built an enviable positioning in the market for manufacturing innovative and consumer-centric products. Its products populate the top spots on the list of most innovative products launched in recent years and are valued for a superior price-value proposition and endurance, translating into market leadership. The company draws a sizable advantage from proprietary production facilities enabling it to manufacture high-quality, first-tomarket products. Orient Electric operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the Indian cities of Kolkata, Faridabad, and Noida. It has a well-organised distribution network in the domestic market driven by over 1,25,000 retail outlets and a service network covering more than 450 cities.

PEOPLE-CENTRIC CULTURE

Sustaining a high-performance culture is one of themost important strategic priorities at Orient Electric. It has been certified as a “Great Place to Work” for the third time in a row which serves as a testimony to the ever-increasing trust and confidence of the large employee pool in the company’s strong and committed management practices and its transparency in being a people-centric organisation. Orient’s people strategy focuses on developing leadership excellence, sharing knowledge, creating a consistently positive employee

experience, and developing and deploying its talent strategically.

A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO

Initially founded as a fan-only company, Orient Electric has evolved into one of the country’s leading consumer electrical companies, offering a diverse portfolio of fans, lighting, home appliances and switchgears. Leveraging its strong brand equity for fans developed over a long span of time, Orient Electric forayed into lighting business in 2008 and as of today, it offers a diverse LED centric portfolio covering the home, office, retail, façade, architectural and industrial segments. Orient ventured into home appliances segment in 2011 with a wide range of products including air coolers, water heaters and other small kitchen and home appliances. In 2015, the company also stepped into the field of switchgears with a smart range of safe and energy-efficient Switchgear, switches, and electrical accessories. In 2018, the company entered into a strategic partnership with De’Longhi Group of Italy to market and sell De’Longhi, Braun and Kenwood products in India.

Orient Electric’s credo of ‘Switch to Smart’ reflects its overarching adherence to delivering first-to-market products and great consumer experiences. Whether it be the EyeLuv series of health-centric lighting, 50% energy-saving BLDC fans, silent Aeroseries fans, MCBs with SDB technology, energy-efficient Inverter air coolers, or Stella range of modular switches, the company has stayed at the forefront of innovation which is an upshot of its consistent investments in R&D and

consumer insights.

CUSTOMER IS THE KING

Innovation and consumer centricity form the core of Orient Electric’s strategic compact, which has helped it stay ahead of the competition and close to the customers. The company’s commitment to innovation is not only reflected in its new generation of products, but also in differentiated processes, practices, and mindsets. The company is focused on bringing in innovative products which are healthier, safer, energy-efficient, and add convenience to life. It aims to create market niches through differentiated products and adapting those products for disproportionately larger market spaces thereafter.

GARNERING ACCOLADES

Over the years, Orient Electric Limited has received many prestigious awards and accolades for its commitment to manufacturing quality lifestyle electrical solutions that benchmark against the best in the industry. It has also been recognised globally for its state-of-theart manufacturing capabilities, innovative marketing practices, excellent customer service initiatives and for having a highly conducive working environment. Orient Electric has been named among the ‘Most Trusted Brands of India 2022’ by Team Marksmen, ‘Prestigious Brands of Asia 2021-22’ by Herald Global and BARC Asia, and ‘Best Brands 2021’ by The Economic Times, among others. Orient Electric is a consumer validated Superbrand for Fans, Lighting and Air Coolers endorsing its commitment to quality and innovation. It

has also made its way to the list of ‘Fortune India 500’ and ‘Dun & Bradstreet India’s Top 500’ companies, which validates the company’s strategic direction and choices made over the years. The company’s sustained investments in indigenous design and manufacturing have enabled it to emerge as a frontrunner in the space of energy-efficient products. Orient Electric received the ‘National Energy and Conservation Award 2021’ under the category “Most Energy Efficient Appliance of the Year - LED Bulb” for its 9W Self Ballasted LED Bulb. As a responsible corporate entity, Orient Electric aims to contribute to social and economic development on a regular basis. Through its sustainable measures, it endeavours to actively contribute to the social, economic, and environmental development of the community ensuring participation from the community and thereby creating value for the nation. The company’s CSR activities are directed towards inclusive development of the communities largely in the areas of Women Empowerment, Promoting Education, Enabling access to Health Care facilities, Eradicating Hunger, and Environmental Sustainability.

INDIA’S

INFRASTRUCTURE

RD INFRA EQUIPMENTS

FACILITATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

RD Infra Equipments Private Limited is one of the most experienced and cuttingedge solution providers in the crushing and screening industry. It provides an array of highest-caliber crushers for almost any rock type, whether aggregates, iron ore, limestone, manganese, gabbros, or sandstone

RD Group of companies was found in Nashik by Mr. Rahul Deshmukh, a passionate and visionary infrastructure development professional. Since the company’s inception in 1998, it has evolved from conventional, traditional crushing solution provider to a modern, sophisticated, and optimized firm for crushing services. Resultantly, it is familiar with both traditional and new crushing processes. In line with the demand trend, the company provides systems with a capacity that ranges from 25 to 500 TPH (tones per hour). The company has extended and enhanced its manufacturing facility in 2010 and again in 2019. Be it productivity, design, or quality, RD Mining Equipments works constantly to push the boundaries of performance. In line with the growth in industry and company performance, It has planned large expenditures in the budget for 2022–2023, which will increase manufacturing and production facilities. The company anticipates that markets will slowly

regain strength after the COVID-led slump, leading to an influx of massive funding and investments in infrastructure and development.

PRODUCTION & MANUFACTURING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

To achieve optimum production with outstanding quality, RD Infra Equipments has its own Heat Treatment facilities for stress relieving and annealing process. Additionally the company has its own painting booth VIL (Vertical Turning Machine). Three enterprises of the RD

Group – RD Infra Equipments Private Limited, RD Mining Equipments Private Limited and RD Crushing and Screening Private Limited lead the crushing and screening industries. With more than 500 employees and offices across India, it is a professionally managed company that excels in all areas of business, including production, service, project erection and commissioning, sales and marketing. Its primary area of competence is the design of crushing facilities. Additionally, it provides tailored solutions to satisfy each client’s requirements and objectives at the most economic rates. RD Group takes pride in producing nearly 3-5 crushing plants each month at its modern, well-equipped factories in Nashik. All of its factories have cutting-edge CNC machines, including plasma and flame CNC profile cutting equipment, to provide the highest level of production precision and quality.

AUTOMATION FACILITIES

At RD Group, Research & Development is a constant process and the organisation regularly upgrades its equipment to achieve increased capacity and performance efficiency. Since it carries out all of its manufacturing in-house, all essential components and spare parts are always available and can be made available to clients right away. Its staff also aids clients maintain their spare parts stock and provides them with the option of using automated crusher plants. RD Infra Equipments has recently introduced automation facilities that enable a single person to manage all operations of the plant and optimises feeding and crushing by each equipment, boosting the plant’s total productivity and competence. A machine or plant is ultimately only as good as the person operating it.

RD Mining Equipments instructs, trains and teaches operators about the nuances of machine operations and clients’ requirements. Although screening and crushing machines are sturdy and somewhat simple to use, operators still need to be instructed on how to utilize them and use their capabilities effectively and efficiently. Operator gatherings are also a fantastic chance to get feedback from those who use the crushers daily. Such input enables the company to enhance its offerings and incorporate machine features that are newer and more sophisticated. The RD Group strives to be a single point contact for the crushing needs of all clients

The need to be up-to-date with the current technology trends is inevitable. Every business has to invest in IT solutions that help it make headway in the industry. But not every business is equipped to handle digital solutions. The puzzle of technology can only be solved by experts. One such reliable digital services provider is ASAR Digital.

The company leverages best practices and expertise to help various industries in delivering the best customer experience. Established in 2010, the company offers top-notch SAP Customer Experience (CX) solutions. In the past decade, it has proven its mettle by delivering the best results for some of the top companies.

ASAR Digital has a goal “to simplify and enhance your customers’ experience” and contributes positively to its clients’ growth.

WIDESPREAD REACH

ASAR Digital has a strong foothold not just in India but abroad as well, highlighting its expertise and authority in the digital field. The company is a certified SAP Gold Partner, which means it has the specialization and strategy to optimize SAP operations for a firm.

The company deals with clients from various industries such as Food & Beverages, Retail, and Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Retail, Wholesale Commerce, Industrial Machinery and Components, and the Services industry.

The experience it has gained over the years has helped the firm understand the pain points of each industry. This further helps ASAR Digital create highly improved and futuristic CX (customer experience).

Another crucial factor that has strengthened ASAR Digital’s reach is the leadership of its Managing Partner Mr. Sanjjeev K. Singh. He has authored 3 SAP Press books and is an authority on SAP CX. Under his leadership, the firm is growing by leaps and bounds while solidifying its authority in the industry.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR ALL

ASAR Digital offers plenty of digital solutions to its amazing clients. The SAP solutions vary from SAP Commerce Cloud to SAP Customer Data Platform. Clients also get Service Cloud and CPQ solutions to run their businesses effectively. All these solutions minimize

the chances of manual errors and save the clients’ time and money effectively. It also has a B2B Customer/Partner Portal, powered by SAP Commerce Cloud that can transform business operations with faster, more efficient front-office processes. In simple words, ASAR Digital promises to bring efficiency and ease into every digital process. The years of experience and authority helps ASAR Digital understand the needs of each industry and map out profitable strategies for them.

Now, since these CX solutions are

required by diverse industries, ASAR Digital caters to a plethora of them. Its years of rich experience help ASAR Digital to understand the needs of each industry seamlessly and map out profitable strategies for them. It also helps the customers in CX strategies, CRM migrations, SAP CX implementation, and much more.

A NOTABLE CLIENTELE

Over the past few years, ASAR Digital has completed more than 300 projects for over 100 clients. The list consists of many big national and international brands such as Sealed Air, Rizing, Whirlpool, Yaskawa, Moen, Mitsubishi Electric, EXO, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, and Shane Co. among others.

The digital solutions by ASAR Digital have played a significant role in improving customer experience in these firms. With its exceptional services and confident approach, there is no doubt that ASAR digital will keep on adding more renowned brands to its clientele.

ASAR DIGITAL

A BRAND SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCELLENCE

Efficiency, expertise, and excellence – these three words clearly encapsulate ASAR Digital’s vision to deliver only the best to their clients. With their diverse services, the company is the first-choice for top brands like Whirlpool, KPMG, Mitsubishi Electric, and many more

EMERGING

BLACKBOX

TAKING THE IT WORLD BY STORM

Synersoft Technologies Pvt Ltd. (maker of BLACKbox), incorporated in 2008, is making waves in the IT & Cybersecurity market with its innovative and revolutionary solutions for SMEs. The Ahmedabad-based company is an incubated and invested portfolio company of CIIE - IIM Ahmedabad

Data Protection and Information Security are among the tech industry’s most challenging issues today. Data accumulated by companies helps them explore new possibilities besides improving their operational efficiency. However, data loss can cause substantial damage to businesses. It can lead to the exposure of sensitive business information and also tarnish customer loyalty. Considering the surging instances of cybercrimes, the demand for simplified and affordable data protection and information security solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises are currently in high demand. However, the tech industry provides sophisticated and costly solutions that SMEs cannot afford.

BLACKbox has spotted this concern, and to cater to the needs of SMEs, it offers affordable yet high-performance data protection and information security products to countless SMEs. What’s more, its revolutionary solutions save MSMEs

65% of their expenditure and eliminate the need for hiring IT employees to manage the product.

A WIDE ARRAY OF SOLUTIONS

BLACKbox provides robust, low-cost, and functional AI-enabled solutions. Its dedicated team creates disruption through its creative ideas and adds tremendous value to its customers. Its products are designed to assist businesses with data loss, leakage and theft prevention. Many SMEs rely on its Theft Prevention Solutions to safeguard their intellectual

property, corporate secrets, cost sheets, documents, designs, and drawings in digital format. Some prominent solutions the brand offers are BLACKbox Prime T, BLACKbox Turbo T, BLACKbox Duo, BLACKbox One Cloud, BLACKboxTwin Turbo T, and BLACKbox AAA. BLACKbox employs cutting-edge solutions to secure data and prevent data leakage, and theft in the backend. Its solutions are simple and minimalist, noted for their ease of use. Furthermore, it offers numerous exclusive capabilities such as Autocratic Centralization, Vault-Workspace, Happy Hours, Screen-Captures, On-the-FlyVPN, Email Shadowing, BCC-Intercept, and USB Usage Reporting. BLACKbox customers don’t have to worry about fine print or hidden fees. As cybercrime was on the rise, the expanding work-fromhome trend that emerged shortly after the COVID-19 prompted the need for effective security solutions. Every firm was concerned about continuity of business operations and potential competitive exploitation. BLACKbox was one of the most appropriate tools accessible to them. It made them instantaneously prepared to facilitate work from home via VPN while protecting their data from being lost or stolen.

DESIGN THINKING APPROACH

Its product and research teams employ a revolutionary design thinking approach to stay ahead of the curve. Following the identification of the problem, they study traditional approaches to solving it, then challenge those approaches and try something new. This disruptive approach enables the organization to create innovative solutions. Furthermore, BLACKbox incorporates design thinking from the perspective of the Data Owner, unlike other brands that emphasise the perspective of the Data Manager. Its groundbreaking data security solutions perform many tasks on a single hardware platform, unlike other brands, which require multiple pieces of hardware to perform various functions efficiently.

PICKING UP STEAM

BLACKbox was recently reviewed by Capterra, a Gartner Company, and received a 4.5 overall rating. It was also a participant of the TechXchange cohort to the UK, which the Indian High Commission, UK recommended. It was recently listed among the top 100 MSMEs in India by the India SME Forum.

EMERGING

or the past nine years, Docplexus has been facilitating a round-theclock exchange of dialogues between medical experts and plans to continue doing so in the upcoming years. Undoubtedly, today, it is regarded as one of the best India-based community platforms for clinicians.

FThe brand offers every type of educational resource to doctors that can help them to make well-informed decisions. This includes major industry updates, treatment guidelines, latest medical news, high-quality educational resources, and knowledge centers.

The content produced by the brand consists of daily news, quizzes, case reports, e-courses, videos, treatment algorithms, guidelines, case reports, articles, websites, clinical updates, and much more. Along with the engagement within the community itself, the brand adds more than 10 unbiased and meticulously created scientific posts per day.

BUILDING A ROBUST COMMUNITY

The educational resources produced by the brand are only half part of the picture. The other half is the community. More than 30 medical associations have already joined Docplexus to make a robust community of medical experts. The community proves to be highly beneficial whenever a doctor has to ask a question or discuss a case.

Docplexus provides 24x7 tech support to make sure that the exchange of ideas happens effortlessly on the platform. The 80+ scientific team members of the brand include data managers, tech support, multi-media designers, and expert medical writers.

This community empowers individual doctors by making credible and clinically sound medical information available to them. No wonder 97 percent of the community members voted Docplexus as the point of reference for their peers.

BRINGS REAL LIFE CHANGES

Lakhs of registered doctors have joined the brand till date, and more than a hundred episodes of Health Minute have been aired. But the community and knowledge are not there just for the sake of it. Docplexus is creating changes that are impacting real lives.

According to surveys conducted by the brand, around 81% of Docplexus members have learned different treatment

IT & TELECOM

approaches after engaging with their peers on the platform. Moreover, around 86% of members of Docplexus have reported change in their perception after reading peer reviews on various medical solutions, devices, and drugs.

A UNIQUE STORY OF UNMATCHED SUCCESS

Within three years of its inception, Docplexus managed to make a community of more than 1,35,000 verified registered allopathic doctors. This number nearly doubled to more than 2,50,000 registered

doctors in 2017. Since then, the brand is adding lakhs of new clinicians to its platform every year.

The real power of Docplexus lies not just in the number of members but the value it has delivered to its members. Its first webinar was conducted in 2017. Within 4 years, the brand conducted more than 800 webinars to educate doctors from all over the world.

GARNERING RECOGNITION

Thanks to its pioneering work in bringing medical experts together and facilitating their knowledge exchange, the brand has been awarded by the top institutions. In 2020, Docplexus was awarded the muchrespected Digital Diabetes Excellence Awards. The same year, its CEO, Dr. Mukesh Parma, was recognized as one of the Top 25 Healthcare Technology CEOs in Asia.

Its award-winning streak continued in the year 2021 as well. The brand was awarded by the Economics Times as one of the best healthcare brands of the year.

DOCPLEXUS

EMPOWERING DOCTORS WITH CREDIBLE KNOWLEDGE

Docplexus has been founded on the belief that “only a well-informed doctor can make a good clinical decision.” The company has been working since 2013 to materialize this notion. Consequently, they have created a knowledge exchange community for medical experts

GENWORKS HEALTH

THE GAME-CHANGER

GenWorks was founded by GE to expand access and provide affordable care towards its mission of working for a Healthier India. GenWorks started Solutions company that could reach GE products to 500 districts to solve for the problem for which they were buying the product

Their efforts to showcase the value of solutions that are targeted at improving outcomes have helped them add 15000 + Customers in the last 7 years. GENWORKS started with 163 people at 30 locations, now they have over 500 people in 150 locations for sales. Further to support the customers they have a strong service team of 200+ people in 170 locations across the country serving 40000+ customers. While GENWORKS started with GE healthcare portfolio of products, they now have 30 + partnerships that are complementing the GE portfolio to complete the care area needs and to serve the customer care cycle.

PROMOTING EARLY SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

GenWorks has cracked the code to reduce cost of care, which is with the care cycle approach that promotes early screening, diagnosis and treatment with solutions that connect care and brings the much-needed collaboration to impact lives and improve

outcomes. The last two years have exposed the gaps in the healthcare delivery ecosystem and has brought about a paradigm shift in the minds of people in early health, which is a big change in the customer mindset. There is now a willingness to adopt new and more efficient delivery models. GenWorks is Defining Tomorrow; today with their thoughtful approach to participate in the transformational healthcare delivery, hastened by the learnings of last 2 years. Healthcare delivery is moving to the ‘point of care’, i.e., closer to where the patient is, or to the

neighbourhood,the movement of patients will only be for acute care. Healthcare delivery ecosystem is bracing itself for this change,chronic care management must move closer to where the patient is or to a neighbourhood healthcare facility. Primary care and critical care should be omnipresent and must be staged to meet demands by remote management that is equipped with the right technology and trained manpower. An opportunity to truly democratise healthcare is on the anvil.

PROVIDING BEST-IN-CLASS SOLUTIONS

GenWorks has curated solutions across care areas such as Newborn care, Invitro diagnostics, Cardiology,Radiology, Critical Care, Women’s Health solutions, Respiratory Diagnostics, ENT Nephrology. Furthermore, it has made partnerships with leading brands to ensure the customer is presented with the best-inclass solutions for Hospital Sterilisation, which is a major factor for impacting cost of care and safety. In addition to fasttrack scale, they are rapidly enhancing their digital infrastructure that will build efficiency for customers and to support Connected Care & Supply Chain. In May 2022, GenWorks secured INR 135 crore in the second round of funding from WiproGE, Morgan Stanley, Evolvence and Somerset. The funding will be used to provide working capital, invest in manufacturing partnerships, and expand into the in-vitro diagnostic field.

REACHING THE LAST MILE

GenWorks aims to enhance specialist access to the last mile through their digital connected care platform and is planning to expand international to SEA,Bangladesh, Middle East and Africa. GenWorks has over 500 proficient team members and a leadership team with more than 3 decades of experience in healthcare. Diversity and inclusion go hand in hand at the organisation. GenWorks believes that diversity in an organisation can nurture creativity, collaboration, and success. In all that it does, the company promotes an inclusive and diverse culture.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY

GenWorks aims to make a meaningful impact on society. Social responsibility is firmly ingrained in its culture. The company strives to support early health by collaborating with NGOs such as ‘Rotary Club.’

GhangorCloud has achieved significant milestones and gained much attention since its launch in 2014.

The company has recently strengthened its global presence through partnerships with renowned Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs) in Europe, APAC, South Asia, and Middle East. It has completed several major customer deployments in the US market as well as overseas. Additionally, it has several notable customer deployments underway around the world.

RELIABLE SECURITY SOLUTIONS

GhangorCloud is the only firm that offers fourth-generation data security via its Information Security Enforcer (ISE)™ platform. This platform uniquely combines 4 core capabilities: data classification, data access control, data loss prevention, and a cloud access security broker (CASB). Additionally, the fully automated platform has an intuitive user interface. It not only streamlines data protection procedures but also eliminates human errors. Furthermore, the application offers superior visibility through a realtime incident monitoring system.

GhangorCloud’s suites of solutions are built around the parameters of ease of deployment, maintenance, and use. It considers information security and data leak prevention as not just an IT concern but as a business challenge that must be addressed by incorporating easy usability for the organisation’s workforce. GhangorCloud’s security solutions address this concern by securing information with minimal human intervention while providing highly sophisticated auto-detection and antiexfiltration technology.

REINFORCING CYBERSECURITY

The GhangorCloud platform provides automatic compliance measures that help enterprises optimise their cyber resilience. Its seamless, quick integration method necessitates almost no training.

Furthermore, because the platform is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), it takes only 1-2 weeks to configure it. Its patented AI algorithms provide numerous benefits such as automatic identification and classification of sensitive data without human involvement, including correlation of that data to unique identities and rolebased access control criteria.

The data security business is highly

competitive, and countless suppliers offer multiple innovative security solutions every other day. GhangorCloud has managed to stay one step ahead of the curve by developing a deeper grasp of the complex data security concerns – their causes, the trajectory of the cybersecurity paradigm, and the nature and complexity of the new cyberattack vectors. Simultaneously, it interprets the future route of data security concerns from these observations. Using its unique approach, it identifies the significant weaknesses of existing technologies and

techniques in order to build an effective and highly differentiating data security solution.

A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC COMPANY

GhangorCloud places the highest value on customer satisfaction. The company works closely with potential customers to ensure that they understand the benefits the ISE platform can provide. This includes presentations, demonstrations, and proof-of-concept presentations. Its business strategy, unrivalled technology, and client-centric design have resulted in a near-perfect customer retention rate. Additionally, GhangorCloud’s spirit of innovation and exceptional customer service have solidified the company’s position as a real innovator.”

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

GhangorCloud has been honoured with the Global Technology Innovation Award for 2020 from Frost & Sullivan, based on its global data leak-prevention market analysis.

GHANGORCLOUD

STAYING AHEAD OF THE PACK

GhangorCloud, a leading provider of Cybersecurity solutions, is making waves in the data security industry under the stewardship of its Founder & CEO Mr. Tarique Mustafa, who is a Silicon Valley security veteran. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the firm is a pioneer in the 4th-generation data leak prevention solutions

IT & TELECOM

GREYTIP SOFTWARE

TRANSFORMING HR PRACTICES

With its innovative and effective tools, Greytip Software Private Limited has been reshaping HR practices since 2009. From offering cost-effective software to enabling automated people operations, the firm has been instilling excellence in HR departments everywhere

The human resources function has undergone drastic changes over the years. Its roles have become complex and so have the solutions required to handle them. Now, HR departments need state-of-theart software and technical solutions to accelerate administrative tasks. Greytip Software comes into the picture at this point and simplifies HR functions with its outstanding cloud HR & Payroll software solutions.

For the past 25+ years, Greytip Software has been offering an exclusive range of solutions to automate HR processes and empower employee management. The company is headquartered in Bangalore, with branches in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Dubai. Today, this leading HR and Payroll SaaS company has become a top choice for 15,000+ brands around the world.

DELIVERING EXCELLENCE

What makes Greytip Software a leader in

its vertical is the company’s dedication to delivering excellent tools and software. It is particularly known for creating greytHR — India’s first-ever, fully integrated cloudbased HR & Payroll software. With more than 40 tools, the software simplifies the whole HRM process by creating a seamless experience.

Suitable for small and medium businesses, the software comes with an integrated system for attendance management, leave management, payroll management, training, appraisals, and compensation. Moreover, the company

keeps on adding new features based on its customers’ requirements. In fact, it has now launched a brand new mobile app to ensure that employees can access their payslips, reimbursements, and tax information as per their convenience. The mobile app also lets them apply for leave and get online approvals.

Greytip Software also believes in providing high-quality customer support to bridge the gap between the customers and the company. In simple words, Greytip Software is working dedicatedly to make people management simpler and easier than ever.

A CLIENTELE LIKE NO OTHER

With its cutting-edge offerings and commendable customer support, Greytip Software has been endowed with a renowned clientele. Over the years, it has partnered with more than 15,000+ small and medium enterprises in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Some of their prestigious clients are Wipro Enterprises, WeWork, Brigade, Lotte, India Post Payments Bank, Dunzo, HealthifyMe, Rapido, Instamojo, Acme Fitness, Greenpeace and Sheenlac Paints. As far as the user base is concerned, the company stands tall with 15 lakh+ user records. This marks the strong positioning of Greytip as a market leader in the cloud Payroll & HR space.

STRIVING AHEAD

The success journey of Greytip Software has gained momentum that is going to continue in the near future. The company is increasing its customer base with every passing day. On the technology front, it is coming up with path-breaking ideas and solutions.

It was the company’s strong position that also attracted lucrative funding in the past few years. For instance, Info Edge has invested twice in Greytip Software — once in 2019 and then again in 2021. It has also bagged significant funding from New Enterprise Associates and Blume Ventures.

For its wonderful software and dedicated customer support, Greytip Software was recognized as India’s No. 1 HR tech brand at the fourth edition of The Economic Times (ET) Best Brands 2021. Notably, greytHR is the first HR technology brand to get this honor. In the year 2022, Greytip Software was again listed at G2’s annual Best Software List.

leading enterprises network technology company, Lavelle Networks offers enterprise solutions to India’s largest conglomerates with an exclusive cloudbased interface technology. The brand operates to manage, optimize, and secure enterprises networks with its indigenous platform ScaleAOn, which enables clients to run their business smoothly and efficiently on cloud.

Many enterprises in retail, e-commerce, insurance, finance, government networks, law and order, manufacturing, and healthcare sector use ScaleAOn platform to upgrade their conventional infrastructure to the nextgeneration wide area network (WAN) and hybrid WAN solutions.

With its ultramodern network infrastructure and ground-breaking technology architecture in cloud operations, Lavelle Networks has left its mark as one of the most trusted network technology providers in the country.

HIGH-SPEED SIMPLIFIED NETWORKS

The Lavelle Networks’ SD-WAN platform has been in great demand because of its efficient cloud-based centralized management, simplicity to deploy, cost-effectiveness, enhanced app performance, and secure scalable network. In today’s tech-led world, networking software service is in demand like never before.

The Lavelle Networks has excelled during the pandemic when working from home has become a new normal for almost all the business organizations. Lavelle Networks keeps data safe form increased exposure to internet risks.

With its extraordinary and experienced team of experts, the brand is touching new heights every day. Led by Mr. Shyamal Kumar, the CEO, an expert in SDN and cloud technologies, the company is opening new door of simplicity to complicated procedures of networking.

INNOVATION AND EXPERTISE

Lavelle Networks has earned great reputation as the most preferred highspeed network enterprise solution provider because of its unwavering focus on scale and operational excellence. With its Scale-on SD-WAN platform, the leading WAN services provider effectively combines Internet and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) to reduce total

bandwidth cost, resulting in significant decrease in ownership cost.

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC PRODUCTS

Lavelle Networks is highly customercentric and always ensures top-notch tech solutions to benefit its clients. Its multi-utility platform ScaleAOn is designed to deliver world-class services to users.

The platform offers plug and play services and a cloud-based secure scalable network that can be used anytime anywhere. With its exclusive

next-generation networking product portfolio, which comprises CloudStation Controller, CloudStation Insight, CloudPortEdge, and CloudPort Gateway, the innovative brand empowers its clients with faster network flow, industry automated performance with absolute zero-touch provisioning algorithm, enhanced network visibility and complete flexibility of network link type, and expanded data storage. The Lavelle Networks has earned a place among other technical giants in a very short span.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

In 2018, Lavelle Networks became one of the Top 50 global technology partners. It was also bestowed with the CIO Choice Award for three consecutive years (2019 to 2021). It was also Recognized in Top 50 Emerging, Innovative Companies at NASSCOM Emerge 50 Awards. The organization also earned Gartner recognition as a leading Asia Pacific technology provider in 2020.

LAVELLE NETWORKS

DELIVERING UNMATCHED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Lavelle Networks is a future-focused brand that has been operating in the software-defined networking (SD-WAN) industry since 2015. It is an ultra-modern service provider instrumental in transforming the businesses of many prominent brands with its high-speed, secured, & simplified networking solutions

PARAMOUNT SOFTWARE

INNOVATING, CREATING, AND LEADING

Paramount Software was started by Pramod Sajja in the year 1998. He was just 26 years old when he took the leap into entrepreneurship. In an impressively impactful display of vision and leadership, he led the company to grow into the renowned name that it is today

Paramount Software Solutions is a top-notch provider of blockchain technology offering the most dependable, and state-ofthe-art solutions, serving various business use cases. A member of the Hyperledger project - an open-source collaborative effort from Linux Foundation - Paramount Software Solutions has curated specific use cases and translated concepts into PoCs and production deployments.

Mr. Sajja, who holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing & Finance, founded Paramount Software Solutions when he was merely 26 years old. He went to the US on a work visa and after some time he bootstrapped a tech company along with his brother. This company would hire skilled engineers, IT techs, and progammers to execute projects for other companies. The company that he started as a small setup weathered many economic crises in the US like the dot-com-bust, the real estate crisis, and finally the market crash

of 2008. Paramount sustained it all with the help of Mr. Sajja’s smart analysis and planning. Although all these episodes lent him some very valuable lessons in entrepreneurship. With a vision in mind and zeal to build something, Mr. Sajja kept on working consistently. In more than two decades, he has managed to grow Paramount into an organization with over 300 employees and a name that’s known all over the world.

WORKING FOR THE FUTURE

While primarily Paramount Software is

an IT firm based in Alpharetta, Georgia, that builds custom software and manages technical projects of its clients, one of the intrinsic beliefs is to keep on innovating. As a company, Paramount Software is always looking into emerging technologies. Under the aegis of Mr. Sajja, the company has a core culture of reinventing every few years.

Some of its recent futuristic solutions are a testimony to the fact that the company is always looking at the horizon for the next big thing. It has recently created a blockchain-based SaaS product called Farm to Plate which is a grocery-tracking tool that allows food companies to track and trace their products immutably through blockchain technology. It is a revolutionary product that could tackle the food wastage issue and has gotten a very good response from multiple geographies.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

The company has won many awards and recognition for its innovative use of technology and being one of the best workplaces. Most recently it received for the second year running, the prestigious ‘Great Place To Work’ certification. Paramount Software was also featured on the Inc. Best Workplaces 2022 list compiled by Inc. Magazine.

Earlier it also received the 2022 Best of Alpharetta Award for Computer Related Services. It also was chosen as one of Atlanta’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2022, for the 8th consecutive time.

In 2021, Paramount was recognized as the Gold Award winner in the General Excellence category – in the Inc. Best in Business Awards. This award was open to all companies affecting extraordinary change, often across multiple sectors. The same year, it also was listed as one of the 100 best places to work in IT by ComputerWorld and IDG.

With so many awards and recognition across the board, Paramount is a clear winner when it comes to providing a worklife balance for its employees, excellent work opportunities, and a place to grow immensely.

Mr. Sajja and his team have worked hard to build a brand that stands strongly for innovation and creating something that goes well beyond profits and margins. No wonder Paramount Software is a business that is building a community of sorts and changing mindsets.

ertex Global Services is a tech-led innovative brand that offers several services, such as managed services, events and conferences, performance marketing, staff augmentation, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms, digital education, revenue, human resource outsourcing, and retail mapping services, under a single umbrella. By leveraging digital technology, such as chatbots, smart interactive voice response (IVR) systems, AI, machine learning, and human resource solutions, Vertex Global Services has extended its reach to five countries in merely five years. The company deployed innovative and cost-effective AI solutions, such as smart IVR for one of the major telecom providers, which resulted in saving of $1 million per year and a digital makeover for its stakeholder. With a dedicated team of more than 1000 professionals, Vertex Global Services serves 3000 clients through its delivery networks and operations.

PROVIDING SUPERIOR SERVICES

The brand has expanded its wings globally with key branches in India, the US, the UK, Canada, Nepal, Philippines, and the Middle East through its exclusive service verticals namely Vertex Next, Vertex Academy, and VCosmos. With consistent efforts towards updates and upgrades, Vertex NEXT brings buyers and sellers to one platform and continually provides exciting platforms, products, and tools to fuel the business growth of its clients. Here the organization connects industries, decision-makers, and influencers, including authorities, buyers, manufacturers, and sellers, through exhibitions and conferences, content sharing, interactive webinars, e-publications, and digital engagements to enhance their reach in key markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Its innovative and specialized platform empowers the customers with a stateof-the-art learning experience, providing them easy access to the latest solutions in the industry. Another initiative, VCosmos, enhances customer experience with newage digital outsourcing solutions and an exceptional service delivery model by creating an ecosystem to facilitate its clients through continuous engagement, innovation, transformation, and brand value creation.

Another futuristic venture, Vertex Digital Academy, empowers the learners

through superior learning concepts. It imparts them top-notch training through intuitive e-learning, coaching, and mixed evaluations, progressive personal commitment, and collective business performance, thus enabling them to achieve new heights in their career.

CUSTOMER-ORIENTED BUSINESS MODEL

A highly customer-centric brand, Vertex Global Services delivers the best IT infrastructure services with cloud and cyber security solutions to create brand

value for its customers and stakeholders. It utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) and managed services with immaculate enterprise networking to fuel the growth of communities associated with it. Its reputed clientele comprises Airtel, Wave Infrastructure, Jubilant Food works, Max Bupa Health Insurance, and IndiGo.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Vertex Global Services provides an ideal work culture that is conducive to employee satisfaction and growth. It earned the award for being the best place to work in India for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021). The brand also received the “Best Innovative Business Solutions Service Providers 2020” award from Brand Opus India. It is also the winner of “India 5000 Best MSME Award 2021” by India 5000 and has been ranked among the top 10 fastest growing BPO companies in India (2021) by Business Connect. It is ranked among the 30 most trusted brands and recognized as the India’s most innovative tech company.

VERTEX GLOBAL SERVICES

A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL BUSINESS OPTIMIZATION SOLUTION PROVIDER

Vertex Group is a one-stop business solution provider that harnesses the power of media and digital technology to optimize the brand value of its stakeholders. With its unparalleled dominance in the tech space, it has outshined other competitors in the market. It is ranked 19th among the 50 most innovative global companies

FASTEST GROWING BRANDS 2022

The ever changing market scenarios and business environments have resulted in developing and continually evolving the business world. Only those entities take lead which addresses and acknowledges the expected and imminent changes and grab new opportunities. With change being the only constant, the fastest-growing companies are the ones that respond, act, execute, and capitalize on such fast-emerging opportunities by encashing fast-mover advantage. We, at AsiaOne Magazine, rigorously evaluate and assess some of the newly emerging brands who have been registering quick and enviable growth and present a few of such outstanding Fastest Growing Brands 2022

INDIPAISA

SERVING THE UNDERSERVED

Backed by Nexxo, Dubai based digital banking venture firm, is changing the status-quo and offering low-cost & high-quality financial services to address the needs of Indian MSME. Indipaisa performed extensive research and developed a Social Network powered Fintech platform offering integrated digital banking services to underserviced and under-banked Indian micro SMEs

Serving Indian micro SMEs is very hard, as they are very budget conscious, yet they require highly specialized solutions that are not costeffective for the service providers. In fact, the main reason why most banks & fintech are unable to break even servicing this sector is because they are too expensive to market to, train & retain. One unique financial services provider that shows a lot of success servicing the micro-SME space is Indipaisa, an Indian Fintech that offers customized digital end to end banking solutions to the under-serviced & under-banked Indian micro-SME vertical. Indipaisa is already live & operational in Delhi/NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra & Karnataka & now plans to further expand into Pan India states by next year. Indipaisa takes great pride in making of “Digital India”.

PRIOR TO LAUNCH, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED

Indipaisa team performed 30,000+ question surveys before releasing its services & spoke to hundreds of small & micro-SME owners to learn about their biggest pain points in managing finances.

UNDERSERVICED BY BANKS

Traditional banks give loans to big corporates more readily than MSMEs because the former usually offer more collateral assets. In fact, MSMEs also require easy loans & financing facilities to pick up new ventures. Therefore, Indipaisa is committed to helping small businesses acquire suitable loan facility packages & ensuring that they are compliant with government tax systems & avoid penalties with a seamless digital experience.

LEVERAGING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) & ML TECHNOLOGY

Indipaisa uses an AI & ML powered

lending platform that makes finding the most suitable loan facility faster for companies. The team behind Indipaisa represents a combination of more than 200 years of experience in various sectors in fintech, digital banking, IT security& compliance.

Indipaisa empowers small businesses with its financing tools like the all-inone smart POS, E-commerce, Payroll, insurance, lending& tax filing which are key to MSME. Indipaisa solutions are built keeping the needs of local businesses in mind. Instant and working capital payout solutions to MSME save time, money, and effort resulting in higher profits over time. The technology stack of Indipaisa takes care of every type of transaction for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. For example, if merchants want to sell offline, they can use Smart POS devices or the Just-tap platform and benefit from store credit. Additionally, it uses AI to predict the cashflows, thus giving it a tremendous competitive advantage to tap into the highly fragmented Indian micro-lending market estimated to exceed $380bn; while delivering growth and profitability

at low NPL ratios.

A LONG LIST OF TRUSTED PARTNERS

Last year, it partnered with the local payments bank, technology partners, insurance & loan providers & introduced various digital banking financial services & products that targeted local SME operators to deploy a FinTech platform for Indian MSME businesses. It is also a part of the Indian Government and RBI’s digitized payments drive.

QUINTES GLOBAL

A NEW AGE VENTURE - LETTING INNOVATION TAKE THE LEAD

Businesses thrive when they focus on their core products and services and leave the rest to third-party agencies. But outsourcing of business processes often proves detrimental to customer experience and ultimately to the business. Quintes Global is changing this scenario by offering a unique model called the Dedicated Captive

All customers-centric businesses want to focus on customer experience or CX. But, at the same time, they also cannot afford to lose focus on their core services. Quintes Global is solving this problem by helping businesses create their extensions onshore and offshore. These extensions meet the goals and objectives of their parent / client companies without compromising on customer experience. Quintes Global allows businesses to have even a small center with a unique purpose like customer experience or cost saves with zero or least investment. Dedicated CaptiveTM or D-CapTM model is clearly becoming an alternative to the traditional Business Process Outsourcing model (commonly known as BPO) with a new tech-driven, customer-centric solution.

A VENTURE OF PIONEERING LEADERS

The disruptive model of Dedicated CaptiveTM at Quintes Global was envisioned by a team of pioneers. The founding team of the company has decades of collective experience in leading Business Process Management in global and India-based multinational companies, since the mid1990s. The main goal of the founding team while establishing the company was ‘co-creating value’ instead of the benefit to only one side. So far, Quintes Global is successfully achieving this goal every year by helping several businesses across the globe.

THE PERFECT BRIDGE

Quintes Global does not try to become the center of attention while helping clients but acts as only the bridge between the line functions and the support functions of other organizations. A few examples of support functions that Quintes Global helps in transitioning from the main business to Dedicated Captive are Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, and

so on. These functions might not be the core of any business but they are still indispensable and help in achieving the main objective of any company. It focuses on the low scale opportunities of 50 or 100 headcounts to up to 500. For these businesses with low scale opportunities, it becomes unsustainable to adopt the outsourcing model or even the Pure Play Captive model. In this context, Quintes Global brings into picture its unique service TCAAS or Transformation Capability as a Service. At its core, TCAAS is the aggregated capabilities of Enterprise Service function/ process strategy, transition and offshoring management, process redesign, existing and the new-age business technology, to drive end-to-end service transformation and optimization to deliver results.

A SUCCESS STORY IN NUMBERS

Numbers tell the story of how Quintes Global changed the very core model of businesses. To this day, the company’s Founders have helped create more than 15 captive center set-ups that have resulted in 20 to 40% savings in the bottom line of businesses. And, it has managed

130 clients worldwide. The collective experience of the core leadership running Quintes Global goes well over 250 years. This experience includes servicing both India and overseas client, so far, the team has helped transition 5000+ positions to Captive Operations. The work done by the company has saved its clients more than 400 million US dollars in Transformation and Operations. These numbers depict the scale at which Quintes Global transforms the business process management model of its clients.

TEA TIME

OFFERING QUALITY AS THE MAIN INGREDIENT

It happens rarely that a beverages franchise chain grows as fast as Tea time did in the past few years. In 2017, there were 10 stores of Tea Time in the country. But thanks to its unique tea blends and consistent quality, now that number has grown to more than 3000. The brand is further planning to expand its operations across every city or town in India

Conventional wisdom says that it’s hard to disrupt a market that is already saturated. Tea and other similar beverage manufacturing was and is still considered a saturated market. But Tea Time proved conventional wisdom wrong as it entered the market just a few years ago and made its mark like no one else.

The brand was founded in 2016 as a single store in Rajahmundry, a city in the southeast Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The high quality, affordable price, and unique blends of its beverages have now made Tea Time one of the largest tea chains in India.

A MENU WORTH CRAVING FOR

Starting from tasty tea, Tea Time now sells different kinds of beverages like coolers, flavored milk, milkshakes, premium milkshakes, and some Tea Time specials. Interestingly, all of these beverages have unique tastes and hence are loved by people all over India.

The brand allocates more than enough resources to research and development, creating unique blends of tea under their brand. One of their specialties is Dum-tea – a beverage loved by North and South Indians alike.

THE CHAIN KEEPS GETTING LONGER

The story of Tea Time winning people’s taste buds and hearts can also be told in numbers. Within the first year of its run, Tea Time opened 10 new outlets. By 2019, this number grew to 500 outlets. But even this huge milestone did not slow down their pace. In 2022, Tea Time has more than 3000 outlets in 20+ states of the country.

People loved the quality and taste of Tea Time beverages, and their love helped the brand open franchises one after the other. It has been five years since the inception of Tea Time, and more and more stores

are being added to its chain with each passing day.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT

Tea Time’s USP is their tea leaves selection and tea-making process. It sources its tea leaves from tier-1 gardens in the North India and does not add any artificial flavors to its beverages. To sum up, high quality is their secret ingredient. In addition to fresh leaves from tier-1 gardens, Tea Time adds RO purified water, 100% Sulphur-free sugar, hand-pounded ginger, and fresh milk to their tea. The ingredients are mixed and brewed to perfection. In the end, what consumers get is the taste of homemade tea.

A COMMUNITY OF ENTREPRENEURS

Since its starting days, the mission of the company was not only to provide people with high-quality and affordable beverages but also to empower the community. This includes farmers, franchisees, employees, and investors. The brand has made it very easy for anyone to partner with them and open an outlet. Anyone who feels connected with

the brand can invest as less as INR 5 Lakh (inclusive of all taxes) and be a part of the country’s one of the biggest desi tea franchise chains. The profit ranges somewhere between 40 to 80 percent.

More than 3,000 entrepreneurs have already grabbed this opportunity and have partnered with the brand to open outlets. Tea Time now has 3,500+ employees and more than 60 warehouses. Tea time is also working in association with Telangana Tourism to promote the state’s tourism, and quality food, and beverages.

Research Methodology

9th Edition – World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22, 7th Edition – Asia’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22 and 8th Edition – India’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22

The 120 World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22, Asia’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22 and India’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2021-22 are a researchbased listing of Brands using both primary and secondary data researched across sixteen industries and sixty-two sub-categories evaluating Brands from all over Asia. World’s Greatest Brands, Asia’s Greatest Brands & India’s Greatest Brands are a mission where brands are scanned, researched, understood and, after much deliberation by a competent team of experts, put on deserving pedestals for the admiration and veneration of the world. We delve into the history of the brands, let their beams of achievement play with us, feel the fire within these brands, and move along with their driving force. Finally, after revelling in the process, we feature our humble yet expert insights into the making and rising of these brands that are truly the Greatest! For anyone who is interested in the success story of these Greatest brands, or the fire within that made them succeed, or the driving force that put them on the path to great success, or finally the certitudes that make them great and the beacon of tomorrow that provides a hint and an insight into their future, we render in a transparent manner all the desirable information about these brands and more.

World’s Greatest Leaders 2021-22, Asia’s Greatest Leaders 2021-22 and India’s Greatest Leaders 2021-22

A few Leaders of the final 120 list of World’s Greatest Brands, Asia’s Greatest Brands & India’s Greatest Brands may be recognized for their contribution in building the brand. A number of these brands have corporates, entrepreneurs, first-generation or inheritance entrepreneurs, cooperatives, CMDs, Board of Directors involved behind the brands. Hence, a qualitative assessment would be done in the form of a research Leader Form which will have aspects of Vision for the company, Growth aspirations, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Finally, the Leader Forms with primary research data filled by the leaders will be sent to the jury for scoring along with the Brand scoring forms.

PhaseA Phase PhaseB C

The first phase of the research will be initiated by generating a list of categories (to be covered under the purview of the survey mentioned at the end of this document).

The entire research platform will be divided into:

A list of about 1200 brands across 16 industries and 62 sub-categories will be drawn up through secondary research driven by the URS Media research team and AsiaOne editorial team using online surveys via:

• Google Analytics

• Market studies

• Industry white papers

• Category-specific brand reports

• Brand-specific scrutiny

*Companies with net revenue exceeding US$12 billion will not be considered. Group turnovers will not be considered but may be only that of individual companies.

The preliminary list of 1200 Brands generated of World’s Greatest Brands & India’s Greatest Brands will be scrutinized and graded on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest) by the research and editorial teams to generate a list of the top 300 brands based on the following parameters:

1. Brand Popularity

2. Brand Innovation

3. Brand Growth

4. Brand Promise

5. Brand Impact

JURY AND BRANDS & LEADERS SCRUTINY QUESTIONNAIRE:

The list of the top 300 brands will then further be scrutinized by an independent jury. The brands will be rated on the parameters of Brand Popularity, Brand Innovation, Brand Growth, Brand Promise and Brand Impact on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is the highest and 1 is the lowest).

FINAL PHASE & LISTING OF THE TOP 120 BRANDS

The final phase of the research will entail the analysis of the jury and editorial questionnaire ratings based on the above-mentioned parameters and weightage assigned below by the research and editorial teams: Analysis: The 120 World’s Greatest Brands and Leaders, Asia’s Greatest Brands and Leaders and India’s Greatest Brands and Leaders list will be based on the cumulative scores of the shortlisted Brands received from the Jury Council and the research and editorial teams.

URS Media’s editorial team will shortlist from 1200 to 300 and then based on the weightage given to the independent Jury scoring a final list of 120 Brands will be created.

Disclaimer

*In addition to the above methodology, a few Brands with relatively competitive scoring may be part of the list due to their recent year-onyear growth and emergence as a brand, but, these companies would be featured, if any, under Editor’s Choice feature and awards.

The list of the 16 industries and their sub-categories covered under the purview of the study is as follows: Automotive, Education, Energy & Power, Finance, Food & Beverages, Healthcare, Household Products, Infrastructure, IT & Telecom, Lifestyle, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Personal Care, Real Estate, Retail and Services.

Jury Council

Currently helming the position of a Director at Brencis Centre for Research Training and Consultancy (BCRTC) in Ghaziabad, India, Dr. Amita Srivastava is a well-known expert in the fields of Management Philosophy, Strategic Management, Human Resource Development, Quality Systems, and Human Values. A gold medalist in her area of expertise, Dr. Srivastava has experience spanning more than 25 years in areas of Research, Training, Consultancy, Teaching, and Administration in Management. She has conducted many FDPs and MDPs. She has done assignments for some leading Institutions of National and International repute like IIM-(Lko), Nuvia (UK), UNIDO, Central Defence Academy, Syndicate Bank, IBA, SemiConductor Complex Ltd., ABCL, Kirloskar Brothers, WPIL Ltd., Jaipur Stock Exchange, KRIBHKO, etc. She has also been the Chief Editor for a management journal called Attitude and has been functional in organizing many national and international conferences. She has widely experimented with new approaches to learning and creativity. She helped many SMEs to organize the structure and processes of the organization, institutionalize innovative methods of work and inculcate healthy organizational Culture. She was instrumental in turnaround of many SMEs. She had successfully experimented in using Indian thoughts in management policies.

Dr. Amita Srivastava

DIRECTOR, BRENCIS CENTRE FOR RESEARCH TRAINING & CONSULTANCY (BCRTC) EDUCATION

DDr. Himanshu Rai

DIRECTOR, IIM INDORE

r. Himanshu Rai is the Director of IIM Indore. Under his leadership IIM Indore got the triple crown accreditation of AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS making it one of the 90 odd institutions in the world to have the honor. He is spearheading multiple initiatives at IIM Indore to create significant social impact and address challenges faced by the country. Prior to this he has been the Dean of SDA Bocconi India campus, Professor at SDA Bocconi, Milan, and has taught at IIM Lucknow and XLRI. He is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and KREC Surathkal. He specializes in Negotiation and his core teaching area include Negotiation, Leadership, and Justice. His book titled “Negotiation” published by McGraw Hill Education is a bestseller on Amazon. His TEDx talk on “Ethical Leadership: Lessons from the Vedas won him several accolades the world over. As the Convener of CAT 2010, he successfully led the largest format change in world’s testing history exceeding all global standards of testing. Through his initiatives gender and educational background parity was achieved by IIMs. He has published extensively, and his current areas of research include Negotiation, Ethical Leadership, Cross Cultural Issues, Management and Religion, Spirituality, Gender, and Influence Tactics. A connoisseur of Sanskrit literature, he has also written about and given discourses on Indian and Western philosophy, which he avidly studies. Dr. Himanshu has trained over 20,000 professionals, both in the private as well as the government sector.

Nitin D Parekh

GROUP CFO, CADILLA HEALTHCARE

Mr. Nitin D Parekh, a holder of six qualifications, has a brilliant academic track record with ranks and gold medals in several exams including CA, CFA and MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad. Mr. Nitin Parekh is serving as a Group Chief Financial Officer in Cadila Healthcare Limited, Ahmedabad, which has consolidated annual turnover of more than Rs. 15000 crores. He possesses 36 years of post-qualification experience in finance, legal and IT functions. An ace deal maker, a strategic thinker, an excellent coach and a person of razor sharp commercial acumen, he has handled more than 15 M&A deals, including Rs. 4600 crores acquisition of Heinz India Private Limited in Jan-2019 and divestment of India centric animal health business for Rs. 2900 crores in July-2021.

Mr. Nitin Parekh is selected for award of “Excellence in Mergers and Acquisitions” by CII in December, 2021. He is adjudged as India’s Best CFO-Large Enterprises by Businessworld in August, 2021. He is recipient of “Top 50 Finance Leaders of India 2021 award from White Page International, in July 2021 and “Glory of India” award from Indian Achievers Forum in June, 2021. He received “Outstanding Manager of the year award” from Ahmedabad Management Association in March 2021 and “League of Excellence 2020” award from CFO, India. He was declared as the Best CFO in Healthcare sector for 2012 and also for 2017 by Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is chosen amongst the top 100 CFOs of India for eight times in succession by CFO, India. He has also received Businessworld-Best CFO of India Award 2017 for Healthy Balance Sheet Management-Large Corporates.

Sunil David

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ( IOT ) AT&T INDIA

Sunil David has over 25 years of experience in the IT and Telecom industry. Sunil is currently the Regional Director ( IOT ) for AT&T India based in Chennai. Sunil is responsible for building and executing the IOT strategy for India and the ASEAN regions, working on building a partner ecosystem for AT&T in the area of IOT devices, platforms and applications and on working on a number of marketing initiatives to help build the AT&T brand in the IOT space. Apart from his responsibilities with AT&T, Sunil is part of the FICCI TN Tech Panel and CII TN. Manufacturing Panel working on initiatives to drive digital technology adoption within the Industry and Governments in Tamil Nadu. Sunil has been recently inducted into the IET IOT India panel, Telecom Working Group whose charter is multifold. Sunil is also part of the NASSCOM Diversity and Inclusion Council, Chennai Chapter working on various initiatives to bring a greater awareness among Corporate India to build a Diverse & Inclusive workforce.

Dr. Padmakali Banerjee

Dr. Padmakali Banerjee is a thought leader, public speaker and Life Coach, with over two decades of experience in research, teaching, training and academic administration. She has a doctorate degree from the University of Delhi and is a Fellow of the prestigious Somatic Inkblot Series (FSIS–US). In her current leadership position, she is the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Academics of Amity University Haryana and Director of Amity Business School. She also heads the Centre for BRICS Studies—a centre of excellence. She is involved in strategic planning and leads the development and implementation of the university’s academic processes. She spearheaded many innovative initiatives including the introduction of a flexible credit system, industry academic integration and internationalization. She fosters strategic changes in teaching and learning, and student affairs. She pioneered the skill development programme at the university and got Amity a prominent place on the skills map of the country. She is also Governing Body member of the prestigious Medanta Institute of Education and Research, Gurugram, India. In her academic career, she has been an institution builder, serving as Dean and Director of institutions of higher learning across Delhi NCR. Her early academic experience includes serving at the Centre for Science Education and Communication, University of Delhi; Maulana Azad Centre for Elementary and Social Education, University of Delhi; and Jesus and Mary College. As an executive coach and mentor, she has been a resource person for management development programmes at various national and international forums. She has been a consultant and trainer on HRD issues for various private and public sector organizations. As a life coach, she has closely worked with corporate functionaries, holding leadership development workshops and training programmes for corporate leaders. Her experience extends across an array of industries including telecom, oil and gas, FMCG, and tourism and hospitality. She has been instrumental in national and international academic collaborations.

CULTURE Column

IN LOVE, A MARRIAGE WITH THE INFINITE

FROM THE ANATOLIAN PLATEAU TO THE DEEPEST STEPPES OF THE SOUL

A melody created by the ‘Ney’, a reed flute, begins to spread in the air. A few notes and then, to accompany this instrument, chordophones such as the ‘saz’, the ‘santoor’, the ‘rabab’, and percussion, the ‘küdüm’, are added. This music continues without vocal accompaniment until it is powerful enough to relax the muscles of the body and to cause the listener to get lost in this repetition of sounds, while their eyes slowly close so as to immerse themself more and more in these lines of melody

BY PAOLA MARTANI

It may be the cold of Konya during December contrasting with the heat emanating from the felt armchair from the Mevlana1 museum ; it may be the shapes and the colors - that turquoise-colored sky of the minaret - which I absorb during the day that bring me into a state of nearsleep. However, I don’t fall asleep - I feel like I’m not sleeping because my heart throbs, speaks a language that I

“WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT MOMENT WHEN THE RATIONAL MIND FALLS ASLEEP, GIVING WAY TO THE VOICE COMİNG FROM THE HEART & SOUL; THE UNION, BEFORE BODILY DEATH, IN WHICH THE SOUL, FOR A FEW MINUTES, REMAINING ANCHORED TO THE IMPRISONMENT OF THE BODY, MANAGES TO FREE ITSELF & REUNITE WITH ITS HOME, BELOVED: GOD”

still don’t understand, dances. Here, to top it all, the language resonates, as if it were a lover’s prayer made to the beloved, a voice that sings melancholy at times, sometimes enthusiastic, at times vibrant, at times hopeful.

IT IS THE BEGINNING OF A WEDDING HERE IN ANATOLIA; THE MARRIAGE PAR EXCELLENCE. Opening my eyes I see, not only the ‘Mutrip’, the musicians, but the dervishes2 covering their pure white clothes with black cardigans. They enter the circular stage, greet what appears to be a simple red carpet, almost forgotten on the ground at the edge of the ring, and take their place, also remaining on the edges, spaced out to the right of that piece of cloth. Finally, the sheikh3 makes his way and approaches that cloth - which now takes on a much greater function

than being a simple tapestry: it is the common thread that leads back from the outside to the inside; it is the symbol of union with God.

Still, seated on his knees, the master of this ceremony represents Rumi4. The arms of the dervishes are closed crosswise over their breasts, anchored by their hands on their shoulders. Music alone creates dynamism. Everything else, the audience and the stage, for a few seconds seems to be a static photograph in which each component is stationary, immobile. Then, with slow cadences, something comes to life, and the sheikh and the dervishes begin to move, performing what is called Devr-i Veled: three laps of the stage from right to left.

EVERLASTING MYSTICISM

The main feature of this trip is calmness and relaxation: everything returns to the initial position slowly but dynamically. The introductory pose does not undergo interruptions now, but is immediately restarted when, one by one, the dervishes head towards this man who is now standing alone and stable. Each of them kisses him on the cheek or kisses his hand, thus receiving his permission to start taking the first steps of what appears to be a dance.

Always from right to left, with one foot anchored to the ground and the other in motion, this infinite wheel that these ‘dancers’ perform on themselves begins. At each turn the arms open more and more, bringing the right hand with the open palm towards the sky while the left approaches the earth, directing the palm downwards.

We are participating in that moment when the rational mind falls asleep, giving way to the voice coming from the heart and soul; the union, before bodily death, in which the soul, for a few minutes, remaining anchored to the imprisonment of the body, manages to free itself and reunite with its true home, with its beloved: God. This liturgy, which takes the name of sema, is clearly imbued with meaning in every gesture, in every step and in all the colors used.

As the wind created by these whirling dervishes begins to make my vital

breath dance too, I recognize that the stage, semahane, where this hypnotic function comes to life, is nothing more than the universe itself that moves through love. This thought makes me smile, remembering the university desks of the Statale di Milano in which the same reflection was debated as we explored Aristotle and his theory that the universe revolved thanks to the love that men have for the motionless motor, God. A soft smile in front of the invisible lines that connect the different stories and places of the world; a smile for seeing continuity between the center of Islamic Anatolia with the time of the Ancient Greeks.

Now, I am aware that to read the whole thing, the key that must be used is love: these men not only turn and turn again, but they do it by loving life and knowing that every rotation they make is the journey of life itself - because at every completion of a new orbit, as the mind begins to get confused, they come ever closer to that union which will then be definitive with bodily death: that union which is interdependence of the

whole and is dissolution in the wholethat beginning in which the man is lost in God.

…. ‘MY DEATH IS MY MARRIAGE’RUMI

The Ney is nothing but the breath of Allah who, motor of the whole, intoxicated the room with love. The drums correspond to His command ‘Be’- given to the universe - that prayer sung in a lover’s voice was the poem ‘Nat-i-Şerif’5 , addressed to the prophet Muhammad, which began this 7-part ceremony. The black overcoat of the dervish - the tomb - no longer contrasts with the white purity of the underlying clothes and the camelcolored hair, the sikke, within the context of union with God.

A representation of a death that is not mourned nor sad, but an experience of union and marriage6, in which there is an ascension and a rebirth in the abandonment of the logical mind and by the encounter with the language of the heart and spirit. An instrument with a cathartic function, in which

the spectator, of whatever religion he is, approaches God, dissolving the physical realm into the spiritual realm, polishing the heart. Their crossed hands are the letter ‘Alif’ in the Arabic alphabet, while their open arms recreate the phrase ‘La ilaha Illallah7’‘ In his letter ‘la’.

The right hand welcomes what is given by God, and the left hand redistributes it on Earth. Everything is done counterclockwise, as if the heart were to embrace the whole universe. The right foot, ‘direk’, the pole, and the left foot, ‘çark’, propoller, slam on the ground - thus trampling the ego while performing a çarkatma– a complete turn -, and simultaneously the lips pronounce ‘al’, in the first step, and the spirit silently pronounces ‘lah’ - closing the wheel.

ALL THIS IS REPEATED 4 TIMES.

4, that magical number that brings together all cultures for the symbolic meaning attributed to it. From the Tibetan hills where the mandala takes the form of a square, to Jung and his studies of the unconscious. Also in Islam this number is not lacking: 4 are the levels of the journey in which the Koran itself is read and through which man must escalate to reach the perfection: Sharia (Islamic law) which expresses the birth of man and his understanding of the creator in his condition of subjection; Tariqat (the spiritual way) which expresses the admiration felt before the greatness of God; Ma’rifah (knowledge), in which the mind makes room for the heart and grants it patronage in the cognitive process; ḤaqḤqah (truth), the end of the journey in which everything is diluted in love, where the lover is lost

in the beloved.

DEVOTION ABOUND

Music changes8 at each level, and guides the dervishes through these levels to help them experience an everdeeper love. In the last greeting, the sheikh, not taking off his cardigan and keeping his arms crossed, also enters the sema: he prays for the prophet, for the believers, invokes peace, and then he resides - pronouncing ‘Hu’, one of the names of God. He closes the ceremony. A two-and-a-half hour liturgy spent in the unawareness of time as we know it; in the inability to recognize the terrestrial space as it is usually perceived. Two hours spent quickly and slowly; 150 minutes which on one hand seem to have been a few seconds, while on the other seem to have covered months and years, owing to the contact that they managed to create with an inner dimension, too few times perceived, too far away to be walked lucidly in the noisy and full life of everyday.

The sheikh, then the dervishes, followed by the musicians, greet that blood-red platform which, forever the silent protagonist, has never moved. They leave the room. There is no external applause; it was not a show but a religious cult. However, I hear a quiet applause that comes from within, and that I recognize exists also in the innermost depths of the other spectators: the widespread peace among the crowd makes it perceptible.

With the absence of words, I move my steps, one after the other, towards the exit as I return to the reality of the Earth. The wind feels like cold blades on my skin, helping this descent to the Earth. I walk, and before I fully

“MUSIC CHANGES AT EACH LEVEL, & GUİDES THE DERVİSHES THROUGH THESE LEVELS TO HELP THEM EXPERİENCE AN EVERDEEPER LOVE. IN THE LAST GREETING, THE SHEİKH, NOT TAKİNG OFF HIS CARDIGAN & KEEPING HİS ARMS CROSSED, ALSO ENTERS THE SEMA:HE PRAYS FOR THE PROPHET”

belong to myself again, I surf for a few seconds to a completely opposite bodily sensation compared to the one of the present: a damp heat experienced years ago in India. It was Thursday evening, it was twilight, and I was in Nizamuddin8. The feeling of that day resonates with that of today; Qawwali9 music had made me try it , the Indian counterpart of the ceremony in these Anatolian hills.

Moreover, for a millennium now, Sufi ideology has crossed different continents and cultures: from the deserts of Africa to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. Originating from the mountains of Pakistan and Iran, the diversity of Sufi music is enriched by all the cultures it crosses: in Egypt, in Palestine, in Syria, in Turkey, in Persia, in Uzbekistan and in India. At first, expressed through Arabic, then Persian, Turkish and subsequently a dozen other languages in different regions and cultures, Sufi thoughts found expression through a myriad of diverse poetic forms and different musical genres.

With certainty, I can say that

assonances are not only confined to the concrete elements present in these disciplines, such as mystical poetry and the powerful rhythm that suggest an incessant repetition of the name of God. All these expressions perform the function of arousing a mystical love and a divine ecstasy - a fundamental experience of Sufism - which seems to be, at least for me, the most nutritious and immediate ‘food for the soul’ I have ever experienced.

The night on December 7th here in Anatolia leaves room for the stars to guide me to the hotel. It was a magical wedding, because today I caressed, after a long time, a part of me that I sometimes cannot grasp, of which I forget too many times; that part that one day I will definitely marry and that now has no taste of bitterness, but only of infinite sweetness.

References:

1. The Mevlâna Museum, located in Konya, Turkey, is the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a Persian mystic Sufi also known as Mevlâna or Rumi. It was also the lodge

of the dervishes (tekke) of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes.

2. To become dervish you need to undergo a very difficult training process- not just to learn the ceremony, but to embrace, at different levels, the Koran.

3. A sheikh or shaykh (Arabic: شيخ shaykh ;; pl. شيوخ shuyūkh), of Sufism is a Sufi authorized to teach, initiate and guide would-be dervishes in the Islamic faith.

4. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (Persian: جلالالدینمحمدرومی), also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī (جلالالدینمحمدبلخى), Mevlânā / Mawlā ا “, (more than 30) - December 17, 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic from Great Khorasan. Also called the ‘Sultan of hearts’, this practise is associated with him, although this ritual already existed when Rumi was alive (with the only difference being that it was not yet a discipline but was being practiced without rules).

5. Buhûrizade Mustafa Itri Efendi’s

poem

6. The same funeral of Rumi, which took place in 1273 in Konya, was in fact, as desired by the poet, a wedding party in which Muslims and nonMuslims, Turkish and non-Turkish, celebrated with prayers of different religions, dances of different cultures and songs in different languages.

7. - There is no other God except Allah -. It is the initial sentence of Shahada (Arabic: اَلشَّهَادَةُ aš-šahādah, “the testimony”), also spelled Shahadah, that is an Islamic creed, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, declaring belief in the oneness (tawid) of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God’s messenger.

8. Music is an instrument for the believer to draw near to God, dissolving the physical realm into the spiritual realm, improving the spiritual aspect of the human being on the physical being. Sufi music reaches the soul of the Muslim mystic and awakens soul consciousness. From this space, one sometimes reaches transcending the physical world and connecting to God as a soul.

9. Nizamuddin is a neighborhood in South Delhi, India. Most famous for the Sufi shrine, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. It is a beautiful confluence of faith, legacy in contemporary Delhi. The busy roads leading to Dargah offer a rich cultural taste, especially on Thursday nights when the area comes alive with Sufi and soul qawwalis music in the sanctuary.

10. In India and Pakistan, it is Qawwali, made globally popular by Shankar-Shambhu and Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan, the musical form belonging to Sufism. Famous for its ability to bring the audience into a state of emotional ecstasy, it branches into different musical genres: Qawwali, Qaul, Qalbana, Ghazal, depending on where they come to life (Rajasthan, Sindh & Punjab, Sufiyana kalam of Kashmir etc. ..).

11. Every December on the anniversary of Rumi’s death known as Seb-i Aruz, thousands of pilgrims flood Konya to witness the ritualized whirling at his Mausoleum. The Whirling Dervishes Festival is held between the 7th to the 17th December, in Konya, Turkey.