<ul><li>In our series, BTS with Insiders, we take a walk down memory lane, and give you an insider's view of some of the most iconic Indian ads.</li><li>This week <keyword id="1112320" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="KV-Sridhar">KV Sridhar</keyword>, Global Chief Creative Officer of Nihilent Hypercollective takes us back in time and tells us some brilliant stories from the sets of Taj Mahal Tea's Waah Taj, Saint Gobain's Invisible Glass while he also talks about the <keyword id="9297051" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fevicol-bus-ad">Fevicol Bus ad</keyword> that he considers to be one of his most favorite campaigns. </li></ul> KV Sridhar aka Pops has been a part of the Indian ad industry for about 42 years now. Unsurprisingly, he is a chronicler of all things advertising in India. With his book 30 Second Thrillers that he launched a few years back, Pops took us behind-the-scenes of some of the most iconic ads our country has seen. We tried to do something similar on our show BTS with Insiders. Currently the Global Chief Creative Officer of Nihilent Hypercollective, Sridhar is a treasure-trove of anecdotes from the fascinating world of advertising and he regaled us with some stories during our conversation too. <div type="javascript" title="Facebook" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> Taj Mahal Tea’s Waah Taj In the latter half of the 80’s, Brooke Bond’s Taj Mahal Tea was facing a slowdown in terms of growth. The brand’s advertising, like most other brands during those days, was completely westernized. The task at hand for the brand at that time was to make the brand more Indian, and therefore more relevant and appealing to a far wider set of audience. KS Chakravarthy who the ad world lovingly calls Chax, has been Pops’ long-term partner. So the two of them along with account planner Dhiren Chadda used to work on the brand. Chadda had, time and again, told Pops that there was a need to attune the brand to middle-class Indian sentiments. And he used to say, “It should be fine and refined like a Chiffon saree.” However, Pops shares that his idea of Indianness was very different. “I wanted it to be like a cotton or a jute saree, which is the fabric of India,” he explained. The agency wanted to Indianize the brand as well as make a statement that its quality is impeccable. And that is where <keyword id="8925" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zakir-Hussain">Zakir Hussain</keyword> came into the picture. Pops added that Hussain and his tabla were an analogy for the perfectionism that goes behind making the perfect tea, and the critical role of a tea-taster. And while not many people knew what Zakir Hussain looked like (since TV was just making an entry into Indian homes and most people had heard the maestro on the radio till then), Pops said that he was completely Indian in the way he looked, smiled or when it came to his music. Pops also shared some treasured moments from the time they filmed the ad, when Hussain played ‘Happy Birthday to you’ on the tabla for Chax whose birthday fell during the shoot days. “Those days, it took us a lot more time to finish work on films. But at the end of the day, if we enjoy doing it, people will enjoy watching it. Even today, Zakir Hussain says people use <keyword id="9297050" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="waah-ustad">Waah Ustad</keyword> when he performs and he secretly cherishes being called that,” shared Pops. Saint Gobain’s Invisible Glass This was an ad that Saint Gobain did in around 2000. At that time, Pops was a part of Lintas. On a trip to their Chennai office, he discovered that the creative team there had spent all the money that the client had given them on the announcement of a factory inauguration on double spread newspaper ads. And the remaining money was then used on newspaper campaigns announcing a visit by the French ambassador. “That’s when I realized they had used up their 2 years’ budget in 2 days. I felt very bad and asked the team to take me to the client. Lintas is the most audacious agency I’ve ever worked with. I went to the client. B Santhanam was the Managing Director of the brand. And I apologized to him. I told him we had wasted the money and this is not the way we use available funds. I told him we needed to build the brand and make sure the right people know about your brand. There was a need to tell people about the products they were making, it was our job to turn those products into brands. So I told him, tell me what money you have and we will try and make up for the silliness we have done,” shared Pops. That’s how one of the brand’s most well-known campaigns in India came about. “We did this commercial at a time when the average cost of each commercial used to be between Rs 30-60 lakh. However, I produced this commercial for 6 lakh with one of the best directors we have, <keyword id="271660" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Madhvani">Ram Madhvani</keyword>. We shot the ad in Renaissance Hotel in Powai. The woman in the ad was actually a carpet exporter with a permit to work. She did the film almost for free. The two men in the ad are actually cooks in roadside carts. We virtually spent nothing on the ad, we had actors, we created an original music track. Suzanne Caplan Merwanji, who is one of the most well-known production stylists in Bollywood styled the film for us. Everybody did it because I said there was no money, and they wanted to do it for me. Ram used to call it a Pops Relief Fund,” added he with a laugh. The strategy was to own a generic benefit and talk about what they are good at. The strategy worked, and did wonders for the brand. “We shot the ad in less than 8 hours but it went on to make them one of the most successful brands in the company. We wanted to make it look international because it was the first time a brand came to India and said it wanted to look international. Otherwise most brands would say they wanted to sound and look Indian. But we had to desperately do this because a lot of dealers used to think that its an Indian company and they used to think the name of the company was Sant Gobin and that it was a Ludhiana-based company. So we added that international touch and the ads that followed also had a bit of an international look and feel,” added Pops. On <keyword id="6375200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PIYUSH-PANDEY">Piyush Pandey</keyword>’s Fevicol Bus ad While every episode creators talk about three ads they have worked on, Pops said he also wanted to talk about one of his most favorite ads of all times. And that’s how we got talking about Fevicol’s Bus ad, that has to be one of the most iconic ads created by Piyush and <keyword id="1397913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prasoon-Pandey">Prasoon Pandey</keyword> for brand Fevicol. “I love advertising and I consider myself belonging to the family of Indian advertising. This is one ad I have loved because of the craft of it. All Fevicol ads are brilliant but this craftsmanship is flawless. That year when this campaign was released, I was a part of a lot of international juries and I had spoken about the culture of India and why this was so relevant and I defended the ad at a lot of juries,” he reminisced. About what he found unmatched about this ad, Pops said, “Apart from the colourful world that the ad creates, there are a few more things I like about the ad. The ad was shot in Pushkar which is a favorite place of both Piyush and Prasoon because its half the coloufulness of Rajasthan and half desert. But there were a lot of stories. There were close to 120 people sitting on that bus, with animals as well. But it wasn’t just about getting people, it was also about placing people where they were placed. The bus needed to sway to make the entire thing more beautiful. They could only shoot for 3-4 hours in the day to get the perfect light. So to get the sway, they dug the road, but it did not exactly sway. They then put speed breakers but even that did not make the bus sway the way Prasoon wanted it. Then they went and created ditches on alternate sides, leaving some gap. And that’s what made the bus sway the way it did in the film.” The effort which went into making the campaign made it what it is, and even today Fevicol’s Bus ad is one of the most iconic gems to come out of Indian advertising.

#BTSwithInsiders: When KV Sridhar spoke to us about the ads closest to his heart

Best water purifier for home in India

The growing purchasing power and the rising influence of the social media have helped the Indian consumers to splurge on good things. A study done by both industry body <keyword id="6355988" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assocham">ASSOCHAM</keyword> and Yes Bank stated that the consumer spending in India is expected to quadruple to $4.2 trillion by 2017. 
	 
	The social media has helped companies to create greater brand awareness amongst Indian consumers especially in the tier 1 and 2 cities. This has been further fueled by the growing Internet penetration across these cities coupled with higher disposable income. 
	 This is especially true in the case of <keyword id="797225" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="luxury-market">luxury market</keyword>, which is expected to grow to $18 billion from $14 bilion in the next two years. The categories that have witnessed rapid growth in the Indian luxury market include fashion, automobiles and fine dining. 
	 “Indian luxury market is poised to expand three-fold in next three years and the number of millionaires expected to multiply three times in another five years”, said <keyword id="547365" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="DS-Rawat">DS Rawat</keyword>, general secretary of ASSOCHAM. 
	 
	The study has revealed that the luxury market in the country is estimated to grow as both brands and the consumers have various options to explore in product and service categories such as apparel and accessories, pens, home décor, watches, wines &amp; spirits &amp; jewelry, spas, concierge service, travel &amp; tourism, fine dining and hotels. 
	 
	“With the luxury market expected to grow at over 20% year on year, the private equity investments in the luxury segment are expected to increase and support the enhanced size of the Indian luxury market,” added Rawat. 
	 Commenting on the issue, an industry player told BI India that the increasing penetration of <keyword id="436047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ecommerce">eCommerce</keyword> companies in tier 1 and 2 cities has also impacted the dynamics of the luxury market. “We see a lot of the luxury brands being available on these websites across product categories. eCommerce have made luxury brands more accessible and is catering to the aspirational value of the consumers in these markets”, he noted. Experts have suggested that online transactions shall lead to approx. 80 million transactions on the Internet by 2020. 
	 
	According to the study, India will also witness rapid growth in the number of Ultra High Net (UHN), who will have a minimum net worth of Rs 25 crore in the country. The number of UHN is expected to triple to 5 lakhs in next five years while their net worth is expected to increase by five-folds to Rs 260 trillion. Similarly, HNIs are expected to grow twice their current number (over 2 lakh) by 2015 to over 4 lakhs with a collective worth of $2,645 billion. 
	 
	“These projections along with the increasing price parity in the luxury products with other international destinations like Singapore or Hong Kong, and customized products offerings would indicate that the luxury market in India would evolve quickly,” stated the report. 
	 
	Image: Facebook page of Shopoholic

Consumer Spending In India To Grow To $4.2
Trillion By 2017

Money can buy anything, anywhere. This proved to be true when <keyword id="126105" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Cognizant-Technology-Solutions">Cognizant Technology Solutions</keyword> spent about Rs 17 crore ($2.7 million) last year trying to influence lawmakers in the US, where lobbying is institutionalized, to agree to its points over the country's new immigration rules. The amount of money was considerably higher than its top three Indian IT rivals – <keyword id="10862" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Wipro">Wipro</keyword>, TCS and <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> - put together. 
 According to filings with the US Lobbying Act Disclosure Database, Wipro spent about $460,000 on lobbying in the US, and <keyword id="6357585" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tata-Consultancy-Services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> (TCS), India's largest software exporter, about $80,000, while Infosys did not even feature among the top lobbyists. 
 But what was the need for lobbying? Indian IT firms were under tremendous pressure last year against certain immigration proposals that threatened to significantly increase their cost of doing business in the US. Eventually, these provisions were struck or watered down in the final version of the landmark immigration reform that US President <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword> unveiled in November. 
 
According to an Economic Times report, the need for lobbying also increased because of outcry in the US against outsourcing of jobs to cheaper, third-world destinations such as India. 
 Further, Teaneck, New Jersey-based <keyword id="28721" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Cognizant">Cognizant</keyword>, which has most of its 2.17 lakh employees in India, has typically spent more than its Indian peers on exerting influence among US lawmakers. 
 
In 2013, Cognizant spent $2.07 million on trying to influence US lawmakers, while Infosys spent less than $5,000. But later, Infosys was slapped with a $35-million fine by the US government in a case related to visa misuse. 
 
So far this year, Cognizant has spent about $180,000 on lobbying in the US, compared to about $20,000 each by TCS and Wipro, according to data available on Lobbying Disclosure website. 
 
Lobbying is institutionalised in the US where large offshore companies such as TCS and Infosys constantly strive for the support of lawmakers, but they are required to disclose how much they spend on such efforts. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Just to persuade US lawmakers, Cognizant spent $2.7mn last year

<ul><li>In our latest interview series, we speak to a few CMOs to understand how they are helping out their organisations find the right ways to connect with consumers.</li><li>Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand, OYO tells us how the brand has been using its marketing tools to help out people.</li></ul>India crossed the three-lakh mark of fatalities on May 24 as it reported 4,454 new deaths in a single day due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-becomes-third-country-to-surpass-three-lakh-mark-of-covid-19-deaths-with-4454-new-fatalities-in-a-single-day/articleshow/82900228.cms">Covid-19</a>. India is the third country to cross three-lakh deaths after US and Brazil. This second wave of COVID-19 has impacted our livelihoods and businesses like never before. All employees are struggling to focus at work. At such dire times, many companies are trying to launch wellness programmes at work to ensure a positive work environment or doing their bit by amplifying the SoS requests and/or donating to NGOs. And this battle is far from over. Understanding the gravity of the situation, India’s hotel unicorn OYO has extended its support to help out its employees and customers. OYO’s employees who have lost their lives due to COVID-19, will be given 8 months payment and the company will support the education of their children for five years. It has also moved to a 4-day working week for the month of May. “2021 is grim. What's going on is just a whole other challenge to deal with. Almost every single person of our team is impacted either personally or with someone amongst their family or friends getting infected,” said Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand, OYO. “There's organisation-wide tracking and a Covid war room setup to help people with whatever they need; Oxygen cylinders, OCs, hospitalisation, meals, medicines etc. What we've done in addition to that is set up a team level tracker to check on folks every day. It's just a more personal way to do this we find. And if anyone or their family is impacted then it's just normal for us to check on them daily and see if they need anything. Both as someone who works with a team and as just a human being, you have to make time to check on people today. It's not a formality, it is a necessity.” In the interim, OYO has also shifted its marketing strategy and has recast its business model. It has turned a few of its properties to function as quarantine and isolation facilities for COVID-19 positive patients. On how the second wave has impacted OYO’s larger business goals, Hola said, “Ritesh gave us a very simple goal for the next little bit. We will help whoever we can and prevent as many lives from being lost as possible for us to do. I think it's a great goal to focus the organisation towards. And we've got hundreds of people coming together to do exactly that.” The company had conducted a guest survey to identify upcoming industry trends. As per the survey, 87% of the OYO customers said that they will prefer hotels with immunised staff when they plan to travel again. “Vaccination visibility when self-reported timely and accurately will become a confidence builder for travel recovery,” tweeted Founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal. So, during the second wave, OYO’s two major focus areas have become: OYO care and VaccinAid; the latter is a feature on its app that shows self-reported vaccination status of hotel staff across the country. Telling us more about OYO’s focus areas for this quarter, Hola said, “It really helps when you've got a direction as clear as we have to help people in general and OYOpreneurs and their families in particular. Today, the brand we all are focusing on is OYO Care. Our quarantine and isolation stays project is a big focus area for us. Both on the retail and corporate (b2b) side. And the VaccinAid feature that transparently declares properties which have vaccinated staff and encourages our guests to vaccinate themselves is another focus area for the mid to long term. It is not business as usual, but it is perhaps more rewarding than usual to be able to help even one person today.” During the nation-wide lockdown 1.0, the grinding halt on travel and tourism also impacted home-grown hospitality brand OYO by bringing its revenue down to zero levels. However, with cities unlocking and global restrictions easing gradually in the second half of the year, OYO reached ~45% of pre-COVID occupancy levels in December. As many other CMOs, 2020’s uncertain time taught Hola how to draw boundaries between work life and personal life. He told us that 2021 has been a little easier in terms of adjusting to the sudden waves of changes as felt more prepared for the uncertain challenges that come in his way. “The first wave was like learning to surf. We fell off the surfboard a lot. It was a lot of getting used to. But now working from home is something you've learnt to deal with and you just get on with it. Schedule wise, I find that it's more sorted. Work days are intense as usual but everyone has fallen into a pattern and there's a lot more respect for post work hours and weekends. More than anything, 2020 taught us what to expect and as such we're a lot more prepared (work wise) to deal with the second wave,” said Hola. On social media front, OYO has been focusing on connecting with COVID survivors and reminding people to get vaccinated. Business-oriented communication has taken a backseat for now. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Its print ad won hearts on the internet for using the advertising space wisely. It published a ‘handy Spo2 chart’ on the first page of Hindustan Times for people who are tracking their loved ones oxygen levels on a daily basis. The copy read, “We can keep saying that we care but unless it helps you, it’s a waste. So we decided to give you our ad space to take care of yourself and your loved ones.” <div type="twitter" handle="RohanKochhar" handlename="Rohan Kochhar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1357300572601286656/FuosOMJ1_normal.jpg" favoritecount="142" retweetcount="23" status="This advertisement by OYO Care today is marketing at it’s brilliant best!Well done @oyorooms https://t.co/EGWoowmJbB" createdat="1621589586000" id="1395674000873836547"></div> This print ad is a great example of how brands can use advertising, which is the biggest and strongest weapon they hold, to provide value to its audience and bring about change. “Right now, our only focus is to help and we're using whatever tools and channels we have to do so,” said Hola. Many marketers have chosen silence to help their audience deal with the horrifying situation that our country is facing or they have chosen to continue selling products as usual. There are a few handful brands that have taken a kind, empathetic approach in their advertising campaigns. On what should brands do in today’s scenario, Hola said, “If you can help, please help. Even if you're selling goods or services that are helpful, that's fine. But whatever you do, don't moment market this crisis. There's a special place in communication and marketing hell reserved for that.” <keyword id="4964826" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-hotels">OYO Hotels</keyword> and Homes currently has over 1,00,000 small hotels and homeowners across 800 cities in 80 countries on its platform <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="82099226" title="OYO’s ‘Hockey’ print campaign is winning the internet; there’s a lot more in store, says its head of global brand Mayur Hola" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Don't moment-market this crisis; there's a special place in communication and marketing hell reserved for that: Mayur Hola of OYO

It’s the payback time. The common man who bet all he had on a single horse last year, accepted a rather hurried budget that was presented by the ‘fresh’ government last time. This time around, the expectations have risen and clearly so. The ‘aam junta’ of India is now seeking return favours, and the big question is: how ready is the government to meet the aspirations of common man without inviting any retribution? 
 Last year’s budget had reasons to cheer, though the expectations were that the government would deliver a somewhat flowery budget for the general public. Women’s safety was being talked about, senior citizens were being referred to; and most importantly, on personal tax front, individual tax payers had a lot to raise a toast for themselves. Reference to <keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword> in defence was met with partial criticism, but that settled down a little later. 
 
To increase the level of savings, the investment limit under Sec 80C was hiked, encouraging citizens to pool in their resources that would in turn help the government meet its fiscal needs to arrive at the infrastructure investment. 
 
The euphoria that gripped the entire nation during 2014 Lok Sabha elections is very much alive, even to the dismay of those who had expected a cryptic reaction to last year’s hurried budget. 
 
Having rested their hopes on the Modi regime that’s a few months old by now, people are expecting this time the government will address their needs and aspirations. There is also high expectation on policy level changes that have been counterproductive to investments, savings and increased red tapism, which is hindering the growth of industries. A significant change is expected from the government’s side to make the common man’s life better than before. 
 
In the last few months, the government has adopted several measures to correct the policy logjam to speed up reforms on both FDI and structural front. This has resulted in increased participation from private parties, with progressive rejuvenation of investors’ confidence on Indian equities. 
 But, mind you, the common man wouldn’t care about the details, though the devil lies in it. The man on the street isn’t bothered about the fine print. All he wants to know is whether he will be paying more taxes than before, and if they would be reduced this year, and what kind of investments can he make to protect his family from losing money. Of course, the property rates are a concern too, and so is the price of essential commodities with <keyword id="22195" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inflation">inflation</keyword> refusing to settle down. Things like <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword> and black money can wait while the ‘aam janta’ understands if rice and dal would cost the same or less, and if the vegetables will turn predictable with their prices. 
 
Last year, and this year too it has been a lucky ride for the government which has reduced petrol and diesel prices. Thank stars that the international oil prices have come down and this is a universal phenomenon. 
 
What’s pinching the middle class is the stagnant price of products. Their price is not reduced because manufacturing costs have remained stable at a high, and have not come down since last year. 
 
Now, when domestic savings rate has been on a regressive fall, it will really hurt the middle class unless the government finds a way of addressing it through the budget. Because, unless the country’s savings rate goes up, it could boost the GDP growth at the best. The government should aim at restoring domestic savings, after having encouraged the common man to pool in his money under various savings headers, through tax incentives. 
 The common expectation of salaried class now is the hike in <keyword id="6354751" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Income-Tax">income tax</keyword> exemption to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 2.5 lakh. This will inturn favour the government by attracting more savings. 
 With every passing year, working women’s participation in country’s <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> is increasing. As an incentive, raising the IT exemption to Rs 4 lakh would again be a productive measure adopted by the government, attracting huge savings from this class. 
 
Addressing senior citizens’ pension funds and extension of health insurance plans to ensure better returns will put the government on good stead. 
 
Image: PIB

Will Modi’s Budget Address Common Man’s Dreams?

Till two weeks ago, the name Hardik Patel hardly rang any bell. Post the Patidar convention in Gujarat, in just few days, he met political leaders, both from state and national parties. Hardik Patel had arrived on the national scene, big time. 
 The gun-toting 22-year-old youth from Patidar community is now the face of the unrest that has been brewing in Gujarat for quite a while now. The <keyword id="937702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Patel-community">Patel community</keyword> wants reservation in Other Backward Caste (OBC) category, claiming that their caste has been deprived of the benefits of development in Modi’s Gujarat. 
 In other words, Patidars, who are considered affluent and hold on some major businesses and diamond trade, say they have not tasted the slice of ‘<keyword id="6406658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vibrant-Gujarat">vibrant Gujarat</keyword>’. 
 
The huge convention, which took Gujarat by storm, has indicated the most significant tectonic shift in the national politics as well. Analysts and Modi’s detractors are in a hurry to call this a phase where fissures in Modi’s Gujarat have begun to show. 
 But, what most people have refused to see is the fact that this is a politically motivated congregation that has more to do with dissidence than a rightful demand of being included in <keyword id="149006" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OBC-category">OBC category</keyword>. Because, as per the Constitution and the existing provisions, Patidars will never make it to the list. 
 
And this is not for the reason that Gujarat has exhausted its reservation quota allocated to the state, which should not cross 50%; but for the reason that it is a challenge to prove with facts and figures that Patidars are indeed a deprived community. 
 
 Patidars are politically strong, well-connected and are highly influential in Gujarat’s businesses. Till the late 1970s, they supported the Congress party. And during 80s-90s, they shifted their loyalties to the Bharatiya Janata Party and decided to bring about a change. They formed a strong support base for the lotus party and transformed the anger against Congress into strength of the BJP. The success saga then rolled out, and there was no stopping it. At least, not until recently. 
 
The huge popularity of Modi sent the political charts soaring. Gujarat, which has always had a huge influence on Indian politics right from the freedom struggle, created a PM out of Modi and sent him to Delhi projecting Gujarat as the best model that the rest of the country needs to follow. 
 
Now with Maha Kranti Rally, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Gujarat+">Gujarat</a> seems to have stood at cross-roads again. Were those tall claims of development not true? What is the matter with Patidars who are now demanding their ‘slice’ of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=development">development</a> cake, when they stood mum while the world watched Gujarat turn into a fine example? 
 
Clearly, Hardik is a part of bigger political vendetta against Modi. This is much like a sibling rivalry with one child crying for attention, no sooner does the parent shifts the attention to another baby. It’s a normal phenomenon, and there isn’t anything unnatural about it. 
 
But, understanding the issue in such a simple manner won’t help the situation. Because the Maha Kranti Rally wasn’t anything like that. More than five lakh people came together to demand their OBC status through the rally. Does it mean anything to the state or the Centre? 
 
Yes, it does. Firstly, the claims of depravation undo Modi’s projection of Gujarat. They show him in such poor light that the rest of India will soon begin to get restless and start similar agitations too. How and who funded the rally of five lakh people? It, surely, wasn’t a voluntary act. Hardik, a commerce graduate, who cannot manage much of national branding for himself, extensively travelled the state in the last few years to consolidate people. 
 
JD(U) and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=AAP">AAP</a> have already supported Hardik unconditionally. This wasn’t tip-toeing into a space of dissidence. This gesture was a clear indication to PM Modi that if he did not pay heed to their demands and take them into confidence, such Hardiks can breed all over the country much to his disdain. 
 
India has managed an electoral feat with single party getting the largest majority only last year. Till then, the country was torn in different directions owing to coalition governments and scams. Time was ripe for the gold to be sown and reaped. Just when this was about to happen, Hardik happened and the road ahead looks a bit too hazy to be clear. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

The OBC battle set-off by Upward Caste is upsetting apple cart of development

At the end of the month, let us say, you get your salary in cash. Would you go to your bank and deposit that money in your account? Or would you give that cash to another person whom you believe to be an expert in doing that kind of work? Both options may look fine to you. If you have back-to-back meetings with your clients and don’t have the time to go to the bank, what would you do? Ask your expert to take care of it? This is what would typically happen in a mutual fund investment. Your investment in a mutual fund scheme will be handled by experts – <keyword id="109711" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Fund-manager">fund manager</keyword>s who would create a portfolio and make <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> on your behalf. But in case of a mutual fund, a fund manager makes investments for various people who have invested in a particular scheme and the investment is done collectively. 
 <keyword id="6357979" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="mutual-funds">Mutual funds</keyword> provide good returns. However, it is entirely dependent on the portfolio selected by the fund manager. <keyword id="1967872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Investment-In-Mutual-Funds">Investment in mutual funds</keyword> depends on the <keyword id="387444" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Net-asset-value">net asset value</keyword> of the fund that will be calculated after taking into consideration the expenses and the cost incurred by the scheme. Exit from equity funds within 1 year of investment attracts exit load of up to 2%. Post 1 year, returns on mutual funds are tax free and there will be no exit load. 
 Mutual fund <keyword id="47916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="invest">invest</keyword>ments are liquid in nature as you would receive money within a week on redemption. Although mutual funds can be held in Dematerialised form, there are many administrative hassles in redeeming a fund, transferring a fund, holding multiple folios, etc. Mutual fund investment is ideal for those who are ready to hold it for at least 1 year – so that it does not incur extra costs. There are two options that investor can choose in mutual funds – the dividend option where dividends will be credited directly to the investor and the growth option where dividends are re-invested. There is a tax benefit of up to Rs 1 lakh under 80C when you invest in an equity-linked <keyword id="25450" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="savings">savings</keyword> scheme, which has a lock-in period of 3 years. 
 When you are investing directly into <keyword id="6354298" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="stocks">stocks</keyword>, you are at leisure to select them and create your own portfolio. Shuffling of portfolio gets easier by investing directly into stocks. If a particular stock is not doing well, one can exit easily and immediately opt for a better performing stock. 
 Also, when a particular stock has reached your target, you are at liberty to book profits and reinvest it immediately. As a shareholder, you will be entitled to attend annual meetings and be a part of the company’s decisions. The cost of entry and exit is the brokerage that needs to be paid to the <keyword id="45252" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="stock-broker">stock broker</keyword>. Research, time and guidance are the key factors when you are investing directly into stocks. Technical and fundamental analyses provide clarity to an investor before making investments. One should have enough time for analysis and should track his/her investments on a day-to-day basis to make some decent money in stocks. Another option while investing directly is to go with expert’s opinion and invest in stocks accordingly. 
 
Stocks can be held in Demat form and are highly liquid. Technical analysis will help traders with entry and exit in stocks on a day-to-day basis which is not possible in mutual fund investment. As for redemption, a shareholder will receive money within 2 working days on sale of stocks. Shareholders will receive dividends, along with profits, on shares. Direct stock investment can be held for short, medium or long-term targets. Speculative trading is possible through derivatives, which is a high-return, high-risk product. Tax benefit under 80CCG can be claimed for shares with a fixed lock-in period of up to 1 year. 
 
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="390">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Differences</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				 </td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				 </td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Features</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Direct stock 
				investment</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Mutual fund</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Investor's control on stock selection</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Complete control</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				No control</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Buying/selling</td>
			<td>
				Buying/ selling possible at any point of time on trading day</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Buying/selling possible 
				only at the end of trading day post 
				NAV computation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Entry/exit from single stock</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Possible</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Not possible</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Demat account</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Mandatory</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Not mandatory</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Speculative trading</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Possible</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Not possible</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Exit load</td>
			<td>
				No Exit load</td>
			<td>
				Exit load up to 2%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Individual selection of stocks</td>
			<td>
				Possible</td>
			<td>
				Not possible</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
 
Similarities between direct stock investment and mutual fund 
For direct stock investment or investment in mutual fund, one can choose his/her portfolio based on requirements. Based on your own analysis or expert’s advice, you can create a portfolio of pharma stocks, technology stocks or a diversified portfolio of banking, technology and pharma. You may choose a stock based on its market cap (large, mid or small cap), based on index, etc. Similarly, mutual funds also have sector funds where portfolio will be based on a specific sector. They are also based on large, mid or small cap, or diversified funds. Monthly or lump sum investment is possible in both cases. 
 
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="379">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Similarities</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				 </td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				 </td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Features</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Direct stock 
				investment</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Mutual fund</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Sector based</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				SIP investment</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Returns tax free after 1 year</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Tax Benefit</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes, under 
				80CCG</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes, under 80CCG, 
				ELSS – 80C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				High Liquidity</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Investment in international indices</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
			<td nowrap="nowrap">
				Yes</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
 
Our recommendation: It is good to invest in both stocks (directly) and mutual funds and not get your investment skewed towards any one product. Investments can be made in mutual funds for a period of 3 years and for a short-term target up to 2 years, stocks should be chosen. It is recommended to book profits for both at regular intervals and re-invest the money to enjoy compounding returns on investments. 
 
About the author: Rashmi Roddam is the director of WealthRays Group.

Which One Is Better – Investment
In Mutual Funds Or Direct Investment Into Stocks?

India is a rich admixture of some of the world’s most brilliant, creative and technical minds, who have all the capabilities and potential to create the next Google or the next biggest innovation driven global company. 
 
India is a battery of venture capital firms, which are making a beeline to capitalize on the growth story but will creating a Google in India be a reality? May be, or maybe not. 
 
An eternal optimist would always search for the light at the end of the tunnel. An inveterate pessimist would see that as the light of an on-coming engine, while an unassuming realist would search for his torch light to make his way through the darkness. 
 
Sunny Side up 
 
Keen observers of the startup space in India fall under these three categories. As someone who heads a startup in the fin-tech space and serves as a mentor to upcoming startups, I am bound to don the hat of someone who sees developments in this space ‘Sunny side up’. The numbers justify optimism. With more than 4,200 new-age companies, India has overtaken Israel to grab the third position among global startup ecosystems, behind US and the UK. A report by NASSCOM, startups have created more than 80,000 jobs so far and can create 2,50,000 jobs if their number balloons to 11,500 by 2020. 
 
There has been no dearth of funding with VCCEdge data revealing the tripling of angel and seed investments from $30 million in Q3 CY2014 to $94 million in Q3 CY2015. Add to it, the ‘Startup India, Standup India’ slogan coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led to States like Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka competing to develop startup policies and offer infrastructural support like that of incubators and co-working spaces. 
 
But the reality is… 
A study conducted by Kauffman Foundation in 2012-13 observed that 33.2% of co-founders of tech firms founded by immigrants in the US were Indians. While we take pride in the fact that the CEOs of global behemoths such as Google, Microsoft and MasterCard, among many others, are Indians who migrated to the US, we should really be asking ourselves if they would have reached the pinnacle of their career had they stayed in India and started something of their own. 
 
India is being ranked 130 out of 189 countries in the ease of doing business index which validates the quote by Chairman Google Eric Schmidt “Problem is not with Indians, but with India.” What are the ground hurdles that are resulting in a prospective Indian Google being nipped in the bud and a possible Brain Drain 2.0? 
 
The need for an Innovation Ecosystem 
It all starts with the education system, which has given birth to technical geniuses albeit via rote learning. It is a system that does not encourage failure which then seeps into societal norms of measuring success on the parameters of the education degrees one holds and the monthly salary that gets credited. Innovation needs minds that are receptive to knowledge and are unhindered by socio-economic constraints. 
 
Till the time this change in mindset comes about, college drop outs or those who sit out of B-school placements who venture into entrepreneurship to set up the Indian Google will continue to be seen as failures and this places a very high emotional burden if there is no family backing. 
 
Difficulties in setting up shop 
If an Indian Google were to open shop in India, the bureaucratic procedures from getting the company name registered, to the tax regulations, every procedure will take weeks when compared to a few hours in developed markets. All this administrative hassle is bound to consume at least 20% of founders’ time and efforts. 
 
Regulatory hurdles while raising money and doing business 
To raise various rounds of funding, co-founders of India’s Google would first need to get a Chartered Accountant or a Merchant Banker to issue a valuation certificate. The equity premium will be considered as income in the company and hence be made liable to pay income tax. And there is a clause that makes the promoter(s) liable to pay a fine of a minimum of Rs 2 crore or the investment amount; whichever is higher in the event of any inadvertent mistake is something that merits urgent attention. 
 
If venture capital is raised from investors abroad, the promoters have to contend with a host of RBI compliances, FEMA regulations besides the ROC regulations. They will not be allowed to communicate to the RBI directly, but go through authorized dealer bank. The RBI, however, can send them direct notices. 
 
For international sales, the company may opt for a set up in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) or Software Technology Park (STPI). If it chooses operations in an SEZ, every single foreign invoice will need to be reported to the SEZ along with full detailed paper work. For their domestic sales, the company runs the risk of being asked to invoice domestic clients in dollars, thereby throwing a spanner in the works and forcing it to either consider moving out of the SEZ or opening another unit for domestic sales. 
 
Difficulties in scaling up 
Like most early stage businesses, India’s Google will have to start with smaller clients who will ask for free trials, customizations and white labeling/exclusivity. It will be made to negotiate contracts at the lowest price until its differentiation is truly innovative and not replicated by fellow competitors. Failing which, it would take years for it to break even and step up to larger clients with a higher ticket size. 
 
No company can scale up without a pool of talented human resources. While it is easy to get cost efficient talent in India, it is a colossal task to hire and retain the best talent. While 12 million people join the workforce every year in India, a FICCI-E&amp;Y Survey (2011) revealed that it is only 25% who are considered “employable”, and possibly less than 1% may have what it takes to be at Google. 
 
With high rates of attrition in the technology space, India’s Google will need to ensure no employee takes away the company’s IP to a competitor. Given that such breaches are not very well defined in the legal system and that securing patents is a challenge (About 2.46 lakh patent applications and 5.32 lakh trademark registrations are pending with the government due to shortage of manpower), this is another loophole needs to be plugged. 
 
During the scale up of operations and businesses, the directors of growth stage firms are highly likely to be summoned by various authorities (Income Tax, etc.) for explanations of their profits, losses, which are likely to be all clean banking transactions. Such harassment is common and disheartening for most Indian entrepreneurs. 
 
Startup Act 
In an attempt to improve the ease of doing business for startups, there is talk of a 2-page Startup Act that will distill and simplify 22 different laws together. 
 
While I sincerely hope it works, I wonder why we have distinct 22 laws in the first place. Why don’t we simplify and rationalize the business environment for all? Is it even possible to distill 22 laws into 2 pages? 
 
In a nutshell 
All the above highlighted issues are a few examples of a complicated working environment in India. While our government campaigns worldwide for companies to come and “Make in India”, we are seeing many startups goaded by VCs to move their setup outside India to a country with a more predictable regulatory regime in order to parry the problems discussed above (example Flipkart, Grofers etc.). This coupled with public listings of Indian companies in foreign exchanges had led to a loss to India’s exchequer (example MakeMyTrip). 
 
The pessimist in me believes that even after 20 years, the search for India’s Google will not be successful. The optimist in me does sees the potential and promise in the regulatory reforms which are afoot, while the realist in me makes me see every day as an opportunity to ideate and create something new – with a bit of Jugaad, a step to create something cutting edge. 
 
As the saying goes, “it’s never as good as you want it to be, but never as bad as it seems”. 
 
(Kunal Nandwani is the Founder and CEO of uTrade Solutions)

Why a Google may never be founded in India

Come Valentine’s Day and people (read men) are in a tearing hurry to buy the most offbeat and perfect gifts for their loved ones at the very last moment. But most of us fail to think out of the box and the outcome is a pile of all-too-predictable <keyword id="464407" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gift-items">gift items</keyword> that tend to infest our homes on each and every occasion – be it Valentine’s Day or Christmas, Holi or Diwali. If you want to find the most suitable gifts without the least hassle, try <keyword id="2059416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wishpicker">Wishpicker</keyword>, a 9-month-old, Noida-based start-up that curates and aggregates gift items &amp; gift ideas from reputed merchants and helps you find the most relevant gifts as per your choice/preference – so that you won’t have to hunt for another shop – online or offline. But unlike other gift sites, this one does not sell gifts. Once you find something suitable and decide to buy it, you will be redirected to the merchant site for making the purchase. 
 Wishpicker uses an <keyword id="2059433" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Automated-machine-learning-system">automated machine learning system</keyword> for its <keyword id="2059417" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gift-recommendation-engine">gift recommendation engine</keyword> – so that it can identify usage patterns and come up with most <keyword id="2059425" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Relevant-gift-ideas">relevant gift ideas</keyword> based on age, relationship, occasion and other parameters. As a result, the start-up is able to maintain a conversion rate that is much higher than plain vanilla e-commerce stores. And the gift suggestions can be really exotic at times – right from buying a piece of land on the moon to getting your sweetheart’s face printed on a flower petal. Want to know more about Wishpicker and its offerings? Here is a snapshot that captures the start-up’s vision and viability. 
 
Who runs Wishpicker (www.wishpicker.com): A team of nine young enthusiasts led by co-founders Prateek Rathore and Apurv Bansal. While Prateek is a <keyword id="163598" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="computer-engineer">computer engineer</keyword> from IIT Delhi, Apurv is a <keyword id="6405797" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="civil-engineer">civil engineer</keyword> from the same institution and was Prateek’s batchmate. Prateek also holds a post-graduate degree in Management from the <keyword id="2059415" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="IE-Business-School-in-Spain">IE Business School in Spain</keyword>. The duo later roped in Tejendra Singh, a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Patna, as a core technology member. 
 Earlier, Apurv had worked as a consultant but finally left his high-paying corporate job at <keyword id="122749" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Bain-Company">Bain &amp; Company</keyword> in Mumbai to start Wishpicker when Prateek returned to India after finishing his management studies. The duo started working on the concept in early 2013 and Wishpicker.com went live in June last year. “Initially, we were operating from the terrace of Prateek’s parents’ flat in Delhi. But we shifted to Noida when the team grew,” recalls Apurv. 
 
What inspired the venture: Personal misadventures. Both Apurv and Prateek faced great difficulties when it came to finding the right kind of gifts for friends and families. “We were at a loss about what to buy and searching for gifts online simply stumped us. We were overwhelmed by the number of options available across the sites. Also, each site claimed it was selling the ‘best gift’ but that personal touch was somewhat missing,” reflects Apurv. “That’s when we realised that a lot of people face the same problem and we should do something about it. Wishpicker is here so that buying gifts turns out to be a happy experience instead of a harrowing one,” he adds. 
 
What’s the pitch: The name reveals the business pitch, according to the co-founders. As the site is helping people ‘pick’ the right gifts for their loved ones (that’s what you wish, don’t you?), Wishpicker is just the right name for it. And the ‘intelligent’ gift recommendation engine offers a never-before curated experience of gift-buying, helping you become a better gift giver who is both thoughtful and creative. “At Wishpicker, you will find a <keyword id="2059442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Readymade-gifting-inventory">readymade gifting inventory</keyword> from across the Internet and you can customise your search for best-ever recommendations. That’s our USP for driving business,” explains Apurv. 
 
How it works: What we like about this site is the all-too-simple user interface in spite of a complex backend. For one, you need not register or log in and can start gift hunting right away, from a wide range of gift items, <keyword id="858869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gift-vouchers">gift vouchers</keyword>, <keyword id="2059445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Experiential-gifts">experiential gifts</keyword>, etc., provided by some of the best companies and brands. Gifts can be broadly searched based on age, occasion and recipient’s relationship with the giver. You can further fine-tune the search by setting up various other parameters such as personality, budget, type of gift, product category and so on. Gift recommendations are also made based on the likes and interests of the recipient on Facebook. This is a real-life reflection of his/her personality and helps you select gifts that the recipient will actually ‘like’ and cherish. Wishpicker has already tied up with 20 or so merchants/e-commerce partners, including <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, <keyword id="2059448" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="HappilyUnmarried">HappilyUnmarried</keyword> and <keyword id="640104" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ferns-n-Petals">Ferns N Petals</keyword>, among others. It is now planning to increase the number of tie-ups. 
 
As gifts are curated from some of the best brands, users can access the very best that is available across the Web. What’s more, you get all at one place, essentially making Wishpicker a one-stop shop for the best gift ideas. The recommendation engine, based on automated machine learning, has been internally developed by the Wishpicker team and is constantly worked upon to ensure a never-before user experience. 
 
Claim to fame: Stickiness, traction and conversion. Wishpicker wishes to be a Google for gifts and seems to be making decent progress in these three key areas, as per the numbers divulged by the company. 
 
Show me the money: <keyword id="6399165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="revenue-generation">Revenue generation</keyword> happens through commission per sale. According to the co-founders, the site sees more than 150,000 unique visitors per month and it is growing at 80% month on month. The annual <keyword id="2059458" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GMV-run-rate">GMV run rate</keyword> is now Rs 1.5 crore and this is expected to double in the next 2-3 months, given the current growth rate. 
 Wishpicker is self-funded till date but will be raising its first round of <keyword id="6364511" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="angel-funding">angel funding</keyword> by the second quarter of CY2014. “We put together a <keyword id="572926" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="seed-capital">seed capital</keyword> of Rs 15 lakh and we are now looking to raise under a million dollar for the next round of development,” says Apurv. The money raised will be mostly used for enhancing the technology platform and venturing further into the global market. 
 “The problem we are trying to solve – deciding what to gift and how to find it easily – is globally relevant. Moreover, we have an extremely scalable model as our platform is totally Cloud-based. So we are planning to go global in a big way soon after cracking the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword>,” details Apurv. Even now, Wishpicker has a significant presence in the US, the UK and the Middle East as people from these countries send gifts to India. But in the next phase of global expansion in the third quarter of this calendar year, the UK market will be the primary focus of the start-up. 
 
Biggest challenge: There are loads of gifting sites in India but most of them work like normal e-commerce sites, instead of aggregating and curating gift information, powered by an intelligent recommendation engine. “For gifting sites, the <keyword id="5189" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="competition">competition</keyword> evolves around stickiness – it is essential to ensure that one finds the right gift for the right occasion and comes back often. But a site with a limited inventory cannot assure that and that’s where we are ahead,” affirms Apurv. 
 
He, however, thinks the biggest challenge is to build the right team. “Without a great team, your business is bound to fail. When running a start-up, you will never be short of work, and will constantly feel the need for more people. But the key is not to hire in a hurry and make sure that the candidate is not only talented and hardworking, but also gels well with the culture of the company. Because a wrong hire will push you two steps behind,” he reflects. 
 
Tips for budding entrepreneurs: There is no perfect time to start your own business. If you believe that you are solving a problem that’s affecting a large number of people and have the confidence that you can execute it with perfection, you should just go for it. Age, capital and experience are more of psychological constraints. Once you begin, everything else will fall in place.

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