Editorial...

Spectrum is into 12th

edition and doing its best to sustain the interest of its vast readership. The

efforts are bearing fruits as is evident from the encouraging feedback received for its last edi-

tion. Finding editors mail box inundated with feedback is something which every editor dreams

and cherishes!. Last quarter was one of those very successful issues, which we always thrived

for ! Your umpteen feedback, appreciation and critics did not satiate our appetite rather it just made it larger. Its time

again to thank each one of you for being such ardent admirer of Spectrum. Not only your emails, but your personal

feedback too makes every editor feel extremely special. Everyone wants to be appreciated. So, if you appreciate

someone, don't keep it a secret. Just express it! How true it is!

Wind of change is blowing fast in the country and also changing the contours of our relationships even faster! Spec-

trum, an array of colors, not only denotes exuberant, lively and energetic moods & its swings but also equally repre-

sents every other shade of the life. Man on the hot seat this time is KG Rai. We got so much engrossed in hearty

chat with this wonderful man that the need for coffee was totally forgotten. We at Spectrum thank our leaders for giv-

ing us an opportunity to know each individual so closely. Especially those successful leaders who are the role models

for next generation managers and also our colleagues whom we know superficially. Fun, humour, information and

not to forget the latest happenings in LIIL - find out what Spectrum has got this time for you! Editors this time are,

Yogendra Bahgdev, Amit Pradhan, Pradeep Nag and Akshata Mahale... Time to find out how did they fare!

We celebrated Navratri in all its colors - our distributors, dealers and their staff overwhelmingly enthused people in

their respective network areas. Many of them sponsored dandiya events (especially in Gujarat) with much aplomb.

LIIL encouraged them in many ways - be it banners or any other material help that would enable them to raise the

decibel pitch and make our brand “Reliance Gas” more visible and caring.

Constructive criticism helps us in improving upon our deliverables while appreciation boosts our morale and enthusi-

asm. We, at editorial desk, urge you to feed us with your comments on how to enrich your magazine further.

Before we meet next time, we would have already celebrated New Year. So, wish you a very happy new year in

advance!

Happy Reading!

Editorial Desk

Letters to Editors...

I read Goyalji’s interview. The interview was really good . I came to

know of who Ajay Goyal is totally different than what I had been

knowing him for last 12 -13 years. Above all it has covered his en-

tire life very nicely.

C.S.BORAR

Thank you for remembering the Secondees in Tanzania who

are across the Indian Ocean. As a matter of fact we were all

confused over here on the basis of compensation etc which

has been worked out by HR and which Sh PR has explained.

Whilst there is still a fair amount of cloud cover as to which

band one is fitted in, the concept at least is clearer. Unfortu-

nately we have had no communication on this front in the

past; hence the confusion. The write up on Mr Ajay Goyal is

refreshing and to know that he is retiring in Oct 11, is sad.

Nick what a fighter he is & to know that Champ’s daughter is

doing so well is a great feeling. Makes us here feel at home.

Godfrey Fernandes ,Gapco Tanzania Ltd

SPLENDID EXPERIENCE, like meeting Ajay Goyal in person after

ages !Thank you very much for sharing this.

Sachin Bhatt

It was a very candid interview and enjoyed reading it. Speaks

Volumes of Mr.Goyal who is a simple and unassuming man.

S.Maya

Petroleum Business

Each time when I open spectrum and finish it in one go, always

my reaction is- "Best issue till date"....

Spectrum is more like addiction than admiration. Full of invalu-

able life lessons, inspiration, motivation and well balanced hu-

mour.

Vivek Yadav

Great ! You had been very forth right and candid. Kudos for

your Interview taking art and skill. We are proud to have

worked with you.

JSP Bansal, Reliance, Jamnagar

I happened to chance upon the latest copy of the SPECTRUM and I

must say it was impressive.

From what I had seen earlier, you have come a long way and now it

looks a more professional ,

well rounded magazine

befitting corporate e-zine

status!

Congrats and keep me in

the loop please.

Jayant Mathur

Strategy and Business

Development Group

Ajay ji’s article with pic-

tures was nicely com-

posed. Limiting his person-

ality in words is a difficult

task but you did a good

job.

Sunil Sethi

Extra ordinary interview in terms of the candidness. Am reminded

of the book ‘My Experiments with Truth’ of Sh.MKG.

R.Vaidyanathan

Stock Control

I like Ajay Goyal’s interview and also generally the style of

the magazine, it is very refreshing / lively & written with a lot

of enthusiasm.

Ajay Marathe

What a story and very well told!

A young boy (picture with your mother), lost his father young,

brought up by his elder brother (didn’t see a picture of his), educat-

ed himself;

Completed higher studies, with the help of his uncle, and then set

out on his professional journey. Found his life partner, raised an

illustrious son, who is also married and have a baby who keeps him

“young and peppy”. Firmly rooted in his spiritual roots and guiding

many more people on their way. Very human though, indulges in

Sheela ki Jawani, Samosa/Golgoppa…

I should say if you were to do an audit, it was a life that was self-

made, well-lived and shared with all around you.

Stay blessed Ajay and spread the happiness as only you can…

Christopher Mathias

It was indeed a pleasure to go through this issue of Spectrum11 Ar-

rays of Colour in Life !

I had always liked the tongue in cheek humour , which makes this In-

house Magazine an enjoyable reading. Vision sharing article from Sh.

PR gave an insight of top management thinking and threw up some

intricacies on the, not so much talked subject of promotions &

growth in the organization. Must appreciate the zeal with which the

interviews are conducted, as all people have really opened up on

their personalities.

Best wishes on future issues of Spectrum.......

Ravi Chaudhary Thank you for sharing this with me. Although

I haven’t read the magazine completely, I

thoroughly enjoyed reading my father’s inter-

view.

Sorry no critical feedback on this article, as

it’s too personal to me J

Take care and all the best,

Chetan Goyal (Ajay Goyal’s son)

I happened to get a forward of the July Issue

of “Spectrum” .

I was very impressed with content and the

vibrant form of presentation of the Maga-

zine. Particularly inspiring and motivating was the “Rendezvous

with Mr Ajay Goyal”.

I thank TEAM SPECTRUM for coming out with some wonderful in-

sights into our leaders and Reliancian family achievers such as Ms

Jahnavee Sinh, the daughter of Regional Manager Mr. Bhupen-

drasinh Champavat. The “Hard Talk” was indeed Hard.

Sudesh Salian

Trans-Connect Fleet Services

Read Sh PR's interview, Excellent Q's posed by you, timing could not have been more perfect, Great Job done! Ranjit J. Kamath Terminal Co-ordinator, Manglore Thank you so much for giving us the In-

eriew of Sh Ajay Goyal , Commercial Head , Petroleum Retail. I

found the Interview very interesting. A differ-

ent insight into the life of Sh Ajay Goyal. I had the opportuni-

ty to have worked under his leadership & interact with him in

Petroleum Retail in Ahmedabad , Gujarat State. I have found him

to be extremely humble & kind , but at the same time quite deci-

sive & firm .

Thanks once again !!

Rajesh Ojha (Accounts & Commercial )

From The Of Desk Of G.R.R.

Dear Friends,

Our performance is H1 of this year has been very encouraging with new customer enrollment topping 25,000! This is a record in the recent past and au-gurs well for our future.

We are waiting and hoping that Phase – 1 of the 4-stage process of direct transfer of subsidy to below poverty families would start-off as soon as possible. The initial date of 1 st October ’11 set for the implementation of Phase – 1 of this project in 7 states of the country (including Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) has passed off without anything happen-ing. But hope springs eternal and we continue to be positive on the dismantling of the subsidy regime in LPG in its present form in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, we are preparing ourselves to gear up for opportunities and challenges that will surely come our way once the dismantling of the subsidy regime starts. The first im-pact would be felt in Non-Domestic market with the restriction in the availability of subsidized cylinders for that market. This would mean that the completion would be-come more even and the volumes would jump considerably.

We are coming up with a series of initiatives to take advantage of such a situation. Our first resolve is to ensure that the quality of the product available for Non -Domestic mar-ket is consistently superior and propane -rich. If our attempts to source product from Jamnagar succeeds then we are well on our way in this regard. We are also working on a host of other initiatives for both domestic and non -domestic sector and you will hear about them as we get management’s approval for the same. The idea is to bring in our policies closer to market realities as they are evolving so that we are better prepared to take on the competition.

Needless to say the success of our efforts de-pends to a large extent on your dedication and hard-work and as in the past I continue to look forward to your continued commitment to take on challenges in the market.

Finally let me sign off by wishing all of you and your families’ season’s greetings and best wish-es in this month of festivities.

Introducing the successful personalities in our business is always the mainstay of

your magazine. Continuing with the tradition, we are introducing a person who

is known for his sense of humour and excellent human values. Mr KGR

(Krishnaprasad G Rai), as he is popularly known, is our newly appointed Na-

tional Marketing Manager for Petroleum Retail. When the things get tougher,

the toughest get going!!! Probably, petroleum marketing business is passing

through testing times and KGR is taking over one of the toughest assignments.

Preparing for a day which nobody knows ‘when’ can be most strenuous. ‘KGR’

is a firm believer of ‘fun at work’ and ‘enjoying your assignment’. His career

graph can be a source of jealousy for many of his peers – especially the variety

of tasks he has handled. Life has taken a full circle for him in Reliance itself –

started from CNPT and today again CNPT is with him.

A proud ‘Mumbaikar’, he is a thorough gentleman in his approach and dealings with

people. As a boss, he is loved by his juniors & they say so even after leaving Reliance.

His colleagues adore him for his funny bone and his ability to lighten up any tense situa-

tion. Spectrum met him in his cabin after many days of persuasion owing to his busy schedule and ‘conference calls’.

What followed in the next two hours is a free-wheeling chat with a man next door and Spectrum team thoroughly en-

joyed each moment. Our readers are not so fortunate to read all that we spoke considering the space constraints and

official confidentiality considerations. Only the major excerpts are given in the following pages.

Spectrum: Welcome to Spectrum. Our readers are eager to know more about your background, education and family.

Could you please elaborate on that?

KGR: I am a pakka Mumbaikar. Born and brought up in Mumbai though my family hails from Mangalore in coastal Kar-

nataka.. Most of my education is done in Mumbai, from a convent school. I did my col-

lege education from St Xaviers and Mithibai Colleges and graduated in Science. Though

I joined a prestigious institution to pursue Masters in Science, I realized within a few

months that Organic Chemistry is not my cup of tea (or was it coffee?) and decided to

take up a job instead. I joined an Industrial company

in Mumbai at the age of 20 as a Marketing Trainee

on a princely stipend of Rs 600 per month. While

working there for about a year, I learnt a lot of things

and got to work with some MBAs. One of my seniors

was an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj and he made me

take an interest in pursuing management studies. I

decided to do an MBA, wrote CAT exam and made

it to IIM, Bangalore. (today – Bengaluru)

Once in IIM, I realized that there are only two categories of students recognised –

either you are an Engineer or you are not an engineer!! Once you are not an engi-

neer, it doesn’t make any difference what your background is!. I was in that minori-

ty. Another thing that hits you in IIM is that there are far too many people smarter

and knowledgeable than you! That hits you a little bit & slowly you come to terms

with it. Till then I had never pursued any extra-curricular activities seriously but I

decided to do many things which I always wanted to. I threw my hat to become a

placement representative and also pursued my old hobby of playing tabla. I had

learnt playing tabla as a young child and restarted here. Strangely, I have two certificates from that era - one for

western music and another for Indian classic music – for playing tabla during an inter-IIM meet In western music, we

had formed a fusion group –consisting of members playing the saxophone, guitar, veena, flute, mridangam and me on

In conversation with KGR…………

R

E

N

D

E

Z

V

O

U

s

Jab main chota baccha tha!

We gel together!

the tabla– and were successful in impressing the judges to secure first place. I came a distant second in Indian

Classical as we had to compete with a classical singer from Ahmedabad IIM who was already an Indian Radio artist.

This way I managed to beat the ‘non-engineer’

tag and make it to the stronger echelons of IIM-B.

When the placement season started, we did a lot

of creative work to attract best of the companies

to our campus and managed to place all but one

student. as placement representative in a team of

4 students overseeing that function. The campus

interview scenario then was not like today where

IIM students are spoilt for choice. We had to pre-

pare beautiful brochures and impress upon the

companies to visit us. I am satisfied that we did a

very good job!

After securing my PGDBM in Marketing, I joined Bharat Petroleum Corporation and my first posting was as LPG

Sales Officer. (wow…. A fantastic link with LIIL… LPG roots after all …. ) In the interview, I was asked the full form

of LPG & I had answered it as “Liquefied Petroleum Gas’ and only after working as LPG Manager I got to know that

it was “Liquefied Petroleum Gases” and not ‘Gas’. That was the value addition in that period! I worked with BPCL for

almost 17 years. Good part with BPCL was that it gave me exposure to various functions and that’s how I also

gained. I started with LPG and then moved into

Corporate Planning after almost 3 years. Later I

moved to Cochin in Sales and further to Nagpur

as Divisional Manager. In oil companies, DM is an

important and most enjoyable position where you

are responsible for whole lot of things. I worked

here for almost 3 years. That is when the first

signs of deregulation were visible in and the then

Chairman could read beyond the clutter. Though

he was from a finance background, he was very

dynamic and could gauge the mood and formed a

taskforce consisting of people drawn from different

backgrounds to re-structure the company. BPCL

was Burmah Shell before it became a public sec-

tor company. The project was called CUSECS – on one hand it depicts flow of new ideas as cusecs is the measure-

ment of water flow and on the other side it stood for ‘Customer Service Customer Satisfaction’. (Incidentally, Mr R B

Sahi was the head of Cusecs) As a result of this project, from a functionally structured company BPCL had an SBU

based structure and a a lot of churning took place. I was part of the ‘Retail Strategy’ team that worked with McKinsey

and got lot of exposure to various retail initiatives. One of them was ‘Pure for Sure’. We had to choose first 100 out-

lets for a pilot from among more than few thousand outlets and had to ensure that the initiative met with success.

That was a wonderful experience.

At this stage, I thought that deregulation is IN and wanted to be part of the main-stream private sector. That’s how I

joined Reliance in 2001 and have completed more than 10 years. What I had told about BPCL is true about my Reli-

ance journey too. This is my 4th assignment and I thoroughly indulge in each new assignment. Initially I worked on

Network Planning and Strategy. Along the way, city outlets came up with some MS orientation compared to diesel

orientation we had in highway outlets, Later came IBD (International Business Development) where we worked on

Family time!

many global opportunities. One live case we got was to work on the Gapco acquisition and I got a chance to be part

of it. I was into evaluation, due-diligence, takeover etc. and it was an excellent opportunity for learning new things.

Later, I went to Tanzania as COO for Gapco. When I came back after 19

months, I moved into Industrial Marketing selling sulphur which was a

new learning altogether for me. Now, as National Marketing Manager in

Petroleum Retail, I am back into my favorite area of Strategy !

Spectrum : Something more about your family, siblings etc

KGR : We are only two siblings –my elder sister and me. She is married

and settled in Bengaluru after a long stay in Dubai. My father retired as

Director of a Pharmaceutical MNC and mother is a successful home

maker. My father came to Mumbai somewhere in the 1940s from Man-

galore and he was one of the first persons to reach Mumbai from our

family. So, our home was a transit point for many of our relatives and

acquaintances who wanted to try their luck in Mumbai those days.

Though we were a small family with a small flat, our meal times used to

be with at least 10-15 people. My

father was known for his helping

nature. Though it was not easy,

today I realize that we learnt a lot

from this experience. If life gives

an opportunity, I too would like to

help people the way my father

used to. Being in an MNC, there used to be lot of parties and in the absence of

hotels those days, they used to arrange parties in somebody’s house., The

party culture was real fun and helped me in breaking my shyness to some ex-

tent. I can say that my father really lived life king size. I married Sridevi in 1989

and we are blessed with two kids. Sridevi is a Masters in Commerce with spe-

cialization in Personnel Management. She was teaching in a College in Kasar-

agod, prior to our marriage though we decided on her remaining a full time par-

ent later. My son, Avanish is pursuing final year Chemical Engineering from DJ Sanghvi in Mumbai. He wishes to

pursue higher studies in the US. My daughter, Ashwati has taken up Bachelor of Commerce studies alongwith pur-

suing her CA course.

Spectrum : Many of us believe that KGR must have found it very tough to choose from the battalion of girls following

the very witty and charming handsome person he is. How did you manage the decision?

KGR : Oh,,.. that is not true… unfortunately, none of the girls were interested!!! Mine was an arranged marriage de-

cided by the family and I being an obedient son, consented.

Spectrum : How are you finding your change of role from a team leader engaged in hard-core selling to your current

role of mapping processes for retail petroleum business?

KGR : It doesn’t make much difference to me. As you see, early stages of my career itself I worked in corporate

roles. My career graph is a mix of both field as well as HO functions. Initial years in Reliance, my assignment was

with CNPT where we did a tremendous job and I don’t think any company has done the kind of survey work we did.

Getting Survey through an MR firm of more than 19,000 outlets pan-India, mapping of GIS data, setting the rules for

outlet selection, … all that was fun. Since we had already done so much then, re-mapping of processes or imple-

mentation of systems should not be difficult.

Spectrum : Some interesting stories of your Tanzania stint in GAPCO especially how do we differ from locals over

Saat Phere!

With parents and sister

there in work culture etc ?

KGR : When I went over to Gapco, the company was not faring well. The

history of Gapco is that the company had been a market leader in Tanza-

nia. So, the challenge was to regain the position and it was important to

build the clout for the company. Gapco was a member of the Tanzania As-

sociation of Oil Marketing companies (TAOMAC). When I reached Tanza-

nia I found that the position of Vice-Chairman in TAOMAC was vacant and

I threw my hat in the ring and offered my candidature. My competitor was

an astute Somalian businessman who was born & brought up in Tz.In the

elections I lost. One learns from experience and soon the position of Chair-

man fell vacant in May’08 due to the transfer of Total’s MD. This time I was

contesting against the MD of a Swiss MNC and in the elections I won by a

narrow margin. This gave me lot of exposure and access to the govern-

ment and other decision making authorities in Tanzania. The position also

gave Gapco an opportunity to gauge the operations of other stake-holders

and pre-empt many business situations. Each country has its own culture

and reaching out is very important. Especially in a company which has

gone from good to bad, the employees were very apprehensive and it was

a challenge to win over their confidence. Immediately on taking over, we had to sign the Collective Bargaining

Agreement with the trade unions and it was an opportunity to closely study Tanzanian people and culture. We even-

tually signed a three year agreement. The Tanzanian oil industry is fully de-regulated and I learnt the need to closely

follow market developments and change retail prices every few days. That was again a great learning experience.

Spectrum : As NMM what is the change you are proposing?

KGR : NMM here gets to develop the overall value proposition of our retail offering. One of the most important value

proposition is the Fleet management initiative and we need to tweak it to be more relevant with the times. When we

started in 2003, communication was a challenge on the highways and initiatives of printed messages and reports we

offered were innovative. But now the game is altogether different and the communication dimension has changed.

Another major offering from us then was ‘Q&Q’. Even in this issue, competitors have done lot of things and we need

to do many things. Also we need to check on how much our competitors have progressed and whether they have

become complacent which I would believe they have. We will be commissioning a survey to gauge the mood of the

customer on specific areas of the value proposition. We have also created a new position of ‘Product Manager’ with

Mr Phanikumar as the first incumbent. He will be responsible for value props which are of three types -. Customer,

Economic and Competitor value proposition. I shall be supplementing his efforts in this. There is also the Marketing

Services track that renders services not only to Retail but to all the petroleum divisions. We will keep exploring op-

tions and keep ourselves prepared for a deregulated scenario.

Spectrum : Bunt community is matrilineal society, where lady calls the shots, what about your family?

KGR : Yes, it’s the Lady who calls the shots, no doubt! When we say ‘matrilineal, it is not only fashionable to say so,

it is deep rooted in the community. I am recognized by my mother’s family in the community. Ideally my name should

have been IK Rai where ‘I’ would have represented my mother’s family name. But since I was born & brought up in

Mumbai where I have my name followed by father’s name, I became ‘KG Rai’

Spectrum : Widely perceived that ‘Aishwarya’ is closely related to KGR. Can you throw some light on it

KGR : Tell me who perceives it so. Many a times I have also faced this question and I am tired of denying it. Our

community is so small and one can be linked to every other member. Incidentally, Aishwarya grew up in Khar and

our families knew each other. The closest to fame was when Aish got married, we got a box of sweets delivered at

home and my mom was very happy to flaunt the gift she received from Amitabh Bacchan. Beyond that, we do not

have any relation with Aish. Whenever R Sridhar meets me, he always enquires how Aish is doing as if I keep a

track of her every move. Its fun responding to him.

Spectrum : You can very well ask Sridhar about ‘Jayalalitha’ on whom he reportedly has ‘huge crush’

KGR : Oh is it.. anyway, one needs to have ‘huge’ crush on Jayalalitha else you will not be able to cover her fully….

(Hope KGR will not be prosecuted by Jayaji… )

Spectrum : We have heard you are a widely travelled person. Love

for nature or professional compulsions!? Tell us some interesting

tales to share with our readers

KGR : Almost all my travels are by compulsion. My wife always

complains about it. Most of the tickets I have purchased in the re-

cent times are all to my native place in Mangalore. Since my father

was the eldest among boys, I am supposed to continue representing

the family on any event or occasion in the family. It also helps in

building relations and reinforcing traditional values. Since I am an

urbane person, most of the traditions are new to me and I enjoy the

opportunities to know more. I always wear traditional attire (called

Mundu – kind of white dhoti) to functions when in my home town.

While on the subject, I should tell you that the bunt marriages are

not solemnised by fire but by the earth. Our marriages take anything less than 10 minutes. Very few rituals and you

will miss the occasion if you step out for a

smoke. We don’t need a priest to solemnise

the marriage but the family elders do the job.

I keep observing all the nuances and enjoy

each of my visits to my native place.

Spectrum : Shetty’s are great hoteliers, how

that has not tempted you…

KGR : Not that all Shetty’s are hoteliers.

They make some of the best Doctors, law-

yers etc too. Bunt community is basically

farming community and the members had to

look for other options when land reforms act

reduced their land holding and livelihood.

That’s when they started hotels and made it

big. I always wanted to become a Doctor but somehow the flip-flop in admission rules in my time deprived me that

opportunity.

Spectrum : KGR is known for wittiness and great sense of humour…any incident you would like to depict?

KGR : When we were working on re-organisation in my earlier company, we used to observe “productive conversa-

tions” as a tenet in any discussion & meeting. Here the ground rules of engagement for the discussion are co-

created. My contribution used to be always was to “HAVE FUN” as a necessary pre-requisite. Else, you cannot sus-

tain a 3-4 hours long meeting.

Spectrum : Has this nature put you in trouble any time?

KGR : Yes, it can work other ways also. You may say something and it can backfire. Something like “Foot in Mouth”

Traditional avtar

Hum hai raahi pyaar ke!!

situation. But, it has helped me work very well with the most difficult of bosses. When you know that a person is diffi-

cult, you will put that much more effort to keep the mood lively. Most of the people with whom I started off on wrong

note have later become my best friends. Some of the nasty incidents have helped in cementing the strongest of the

relations.

Rapid Fire Round :

Raju Srivastava or Lalu Prasad Yadav – Raju Shrivastava

Arnav Goswami or Rajat Sharma - Arnab Goswami

Hema Malini or Aishwarya Rai – Hema Malini

Mumbai or Mangalore - Mumbai

Growth or inflation - Growth

Nursing or nurturing - Nurturing

Your date with you first girlfriend – I am sorry… I have

only one girlfriend and she is my wife

Your dream car – anything that is comfortable to drive

The first gift you received from your wife – I think, you would need to give gifts.. you don’t receive …

Your favourite dish for Breakfast - Dosa

KGR ko gussa kab aata hai? – Inefficiency dekhne se / Inept logon se / deadline miss karnewalon se

Spectrum : Would you like to give some message to your team ?

KGR : My team? I can straight away call them and say it personally.

I am reminded now about what the mother of a young girl, who is an achiever, had to say in a TV interview recently.

She said that you normally get questions like where would you want to see yourself 5 or10 years down the line and

your answers will be something like GM in 5 years or Chairman in 10 years kind of things. This straightjackets you

and has the potential to break you if it doesn’t happen. Instead, if you set things for what you wish to “do” rather than

what you want to “be”, one can achieve far better things in life. It is exactly what our karmic teachings in Indian phi-

losophy tell us.

Spectrum : What do you love to read?

KGR : Morning newspaper! (If you again ask the question ‘KGR ko gussa kab aata hai’, answer is when I don’t get

my newspaper). I am an ardent lover of Agatha Christie books and do read them. Currently I am reading ‘Imagining

India’ by Nandan Nilekani and ‘Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell. I love music.Kishore Kumar’s ‘pal pal dil ke paas’

is my favourite

Spectrum : But then you did not mention who is that song meant for?

KGR : It is my wife Shridevi, officially. I have to be politically correct and on the right side of the spectrum. Do you

want to put me in trouble?

Spectrum : Your views on Spectrum

KGR : The best part is it offers light reading. Once in a while I see very serious interviews but mostly these are kept

light. There should be more participation from the readers. You have to find ways & means to do that. If I start in-

dulging in my writing pursuits, then I may also contribute. Since I want to write a book, I should try this as a launch-

ing pad. *****

Magic seeds...FLAX SEEDS (alashi..)

Don't let the tiny, unimposing size of the flax seed fool you. Packed

inside every teeny seed is a mountain of nutritional benefit. For in-

stance, flax seeds are excellent sources of calcium and fiber. These

seeds are available in in local kirana shop next to your house. You

don't have to search and

order it from somewhere

else, its like any other spic-

es used in your kitchen.

The flax plant has been

cultivated as a food source since ancient times. It grows to a height of about 3

feet and can be found in cold, northern climates. The seed that is produced

from the flower contains lignans, protein and dietary fiber. Many have added

flaxseed or flaxseed oil to their diets because of the great health benefits.

Significant Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Flaxseed has a high content of alpha lino-

lenic acids, which is the equivalent of the omega 3 fatty acids found in some

fish. Omega 3 fatty acids are necessary for proper brain function and general development of the body. These acids

also help prevent health problems due to obesity, a great problem amongst most of us.

Benefits the Colon: Colon cancer leads the cancers in the

attack on men and women alike . Acts as a Natural

Antioxidant!

Lowers Cholesterol : Flax provides soluble fiber as well as

insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber works to lower blood cholester-

ol, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, the great-

est cause of death for men in the United States.

Helps Fight Diabetes: By moderating the release of glucose

into the bloodstream, the fiber in flax helps fight against

diabetes.

Shields Against Prostrate Cancer: Lignans, found in the flax

plant, aid in balancing hormone levels and prevent the for-

mation of cancerous tumors. Lignans slow cancer cell

growth in men already diagnosed with prostrate cancer, the

most common cancer in men.

HOW TO EAT FLAX SEEDS: It is very important to know

how these seeds to be eaten. Mix ground flax seeds in yogurt, or sprinkle into the batter or dough for various

baked goods, such as muffins, bread and more.· Eating flax seeds whole offers no nutritional benefit. Whole flax

seeds are very difficult to digest and will pass through your system whole. Flax seeds in whole form can aggravate

digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome .So just a spoon of it and see the sea change in your health!

Dadi maa rightly said “Your kitchen has the key to your health’, you just need to unlock the door.

H

E

A

L

T

H

Confabulation with our Channel partners Channel partners, whom we call our eyes and hands,

are the people who are considered extremely important in

any business set-up.And why not? These are the people

who train our dealers to face the end customers and pre-

pare them to for every challenge. Continuing with the tradi-

tion of Spectrum, this quarter we met one of our esteemed

distributor, Mr.Sujeet Deshmukh alias M/s Sidhhi trad-

ers!

Young, energetic and feels very proud be a descender of great Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!

He has come from Murbad village, a place which is very near to kalyan. His hard work and foresightedness helped

this young man to become a successful entrepreneur . Mr Deshmukh has spread his business wings in various seg-

ments i.e. construction, automobile, trading, transport, etc. Blessed with

two children and has a dream to see his son (Master Sutej) to be IPS

Officer and daughter (Miss Sinhika) as IAS Officer. Mr. Deshmukh is a

fun lover and has fetish for cars and travelling to foreign countries. The

biggest strength of his success is network and his personal contacts. He

has appointed 49 DO and average refill sales are 40 MT/month. Interview

was just an excuse to know this man better and his future plans with Reli-

ance Gas & also to give him a gentle message that he is important to us!

Mr Sujeet Deshmukh of Siddhi Traders in Kalyan is one of the

oldest Reliance Gas distributors in Maharashtra. After completing his

Civil Engg from Pune in 1994 , this man got the opportunity to work with Reliance Gas in the year 1999. He clearly

remembered his first encounter with Reliance Gas in his initial days. The refill cost for domestic cylinder was just Rs

180 to Rs 200 and difference in the cost with PSU was marginal. The initial three years of his association was spent

in creating a dealer network throughout Thane district. Aggressively promoting the domestic sales in his area, he

worked really hard to reach up to the expectations of stakeholders Non-domestic segment of the business during this

period was not that focused the way it is today. As our prices started shooting up incessantly, domestic sales got

severely affected and most of his dealer network did not continue - a very tough time indeed. However Mr Sujeet

continued to promote the business as before. He had strong conviction and belief that Reliance is a strong brand

and will surely reap him the long term benefits.

While talking to him about his interaction with LIIL and its officers, he says,” Reliance has always been very support-

ive to all my efforts and SMs that I have been working with have been very much helpful. However I feel that, like the

the Govt Oil Cos , Reliance should also give authority to their SM to offer the spot discounts as per the market con-

ditions. This will be very much helpful in increasing sales.( Hope GRR, will soon mull over this proposal)

Being the land owners at Murbad, his father was the Director of Education Board and mother a house wife. He

proudly mentions that his two children are a sheer delight to him . Their academic performance gives him strength to

focus on his work and excel without worrying about them. Rajeev asked him about his plans & his preparedness in

de-regulation scenario .to which he very positively replied ‘Yes… very much. I think there is a huge opportunity for

Reliance in Packed LPG and if the pricing is right we can aggressively market the product both in domestic and non

domestic sectors. Today we are facing problem to promote our Domestic sales due to huge price difference with

PSU. It will be the time when all dreams come true! Hope it takes place soon” (we are hoping too)

He remembered Ms. Sonal Kotnis who used be his favorite SM. However he finds Rajeev Chati extremely coopera-

tive and is completely updated on the current market scenario. He says one can totally rely on him for taking the right

advice.

(Interview ended with lot of casual chat and on a happy note. Once again an individual worth knowing! )

By : Amit Pradhan

The Pleasure of reading books William Lyon Phelps (1865-1943) was an Ameri-

can educator, literary critic and author. He served

as a professor of English at Yale University from

1901 to 1933. His works include Advance of the

English Novel and Essays on Modern Dramatists.

On April 6, 1933, he delivered this speech during a

radio broadcast.

Though the speech was delivered nearly 8 decades its relevance is as strong as

ever. With the passing of time, the love for books seems to be disappearing. How

many of us really spend at least some part of our spare time reading books? Which

youngster would ever mention reading books as a hobby now? This beautiful speech, almost always counted

among the 10 best of all time, brings out the pure joy and pleasure of reading. Even if you don’t read books

or don’t have time for it, this speech should rekindle in you the pleasure of browsing through books relaxing

on a sofa with your feet up and getting transported to another world!

——————————

The habit of reading is one of the greatest resources of mankind; and we enjoy

reading books that belong to us much more than if they are borrowed. A borrowed book is like a guest in the

house; it must be treated with punctiliousness, with a certain considerate formality. You must see that it sus-

tains no damage; it must not suffer while under your roof. You cannot leave it carelessly, you cannot mark it,

you cannot turn down the pages, you cannot use it familiarly. And then, someday, although this is seldom

done, you really ought to return it.

But your own books belong to you; you treat them with that affectionate intimacy that anni-

hilates formality. Books are for use, not for show; you should own no book that you are afraid to mark up, or afraid to

place on the table, wide open and face down. A good reason for marking favorite passages in books is that this prac-

tice enables you to remember more easily the significant sayings, to refer to them quickly, and then in later years, it

is like visiting a forest where you once blazed a trail. You have the pleasure of going over the old ground, and re-

calling both the intellectual scenery and your own earlier self.

Everyone should begin collecting a private library in youth; the instinct of private property,

which is fundamental in human beings, can here be cultivated with every advantage and no evils. One should have

one's own bookshelves, which should not have doors, glass windows, or keys; they should be free and accessible to

the hand as well as to the eye. The best of mural decorations is books; they are more varied in color and appear-

ance than any wallpaper, they are more attractive in design, and they have the prime advantage of being separate

personalities, so that if you sit alone in the room in the firelight, you are surrounded with intimate friends. The

knowledge that they are there in plain view is both stimulating and refreshing. You do not have to read them all. Most

of my indoor life is spent in a room containing six thousand books; and I have a stock answer to the invariable ques-

tion that comes from strangers. "Have you read all of these books?"

"Some of them twice." This reply is both true and unexpected. There are of course no friends like living, breathing,

corporeal men and women; my devotion to reading has never made me a recluse. How could it? Books are of the

people, by the people, for the people. Literature is the immortal part of history; it is the best and most enduring part

of personality. But book-friends have this advantage over living friends; you can enjoy the most truly aristocratic soci-

ety in the world whenever you want it. The great dead are beyond our physical reach, and the great living are usually

almost as inaccessible; as for our personal friends and acquaintances, we cannot always see them. Perchance they

are asleep, or away on a journey. But in a private library, you can at any moment converse with Socrates or Shake-

speare or Carlyle or Dumas or Dickens or Shaw or Barrie or Galsworthy. And there is no doubt that in these books

you see these men at their best. They wrote for you. They "laid themselves out," they did their ultimate best to enter-

tain you, to make a favorable impression. You are necessary to them as an audience is to an actor; only instead of

seeing them masked, you look into their innermost heart of heart.

I

N

S

P

I

R

A

T

I

O

N

A

L

Differences Between You And Your Boss

When you take a long time, you’re slow.

When your boss takes a long time, he’s thorough.

When you don’t do it, you’re lazy.

When your boss doesn’t do it, he’s too busy.

When you make a mistake, you’re an idiot.

When your boss makes a mistake, he’s only human.

When you take a stand, you’re being bull-headed.

When your boss does it, he’s being firm.

When you’re out of the office, you’re wandering around.

When your boss is out of the office, he’s on business.

When you have one too many drinks at a social, you’re a

drunken bum.

When your boss does the same, he appreciated women.

When you’re on a day off sick, you’re always sick.

When your boss is a day off sick, he must be very ill.

When you apply for leave, you must be going for an inter-

view.

When your boss applies for leave, it ‘s because he’s over-

worked.

Impress People-Technical Vocabulary

Do you want to impress or confuse clients or Vice versa? Use

Techno vocabulary. It can be called the “Buzzword” writing

method. It is simple.

There are three columns of words involved, as follows:

Just select any three-digit number; then use the correspond-

ing Buzzwords from the above grid, e.g., 257: “integrated

modular capability“.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense to you; it won’t mean anything to anyone else either, but they’ll think you’re just smarter

than they are so they won’t say anything!!!

You can propose “systemized reciprocal options” (929) to achieve “optimal transitional flexibility” (568), so that we can think

of an “integrated monitored projection”, and then your boss will probably promote you or your customer will be blown away

with your technological superiority…!!ITS TIME TO IMPRESS GUYS!!

H

U

M

O

U

R

Be Transparent.. Can you anytime believe that the domestic LPG cylinder coming to your

neighborhood hotel is possibly booked and billed against your name? Un-

believable!! Right?

I was equally surprised when GRR sent me a mail attaching the cutting

from a newspaper article which was all about this. While I was leisurely

enjoying the comfort of cooking at my home, someone else is also enjoy-

ing the facility in my name. It never travelled in my thoughts any time.

This is something so weird! I read that article completely or may be twice

to get into the depth of it.

Article was named ‘Transparency portal for LPG account’. Its about union government and PSU oil company initiatives

about keeping the transperancy, visibility and auditability of the distribution of LPG cylinders across the country. There

will be an online transparency portal, wherein customers can keep an eye on the number of cylinders sold in their ac-

count during a financial year. All of the three oil companies have come out with their respective “Transparency” portals

(wherein they have linked all their existing domestic LPG customers and their off take of LPG cylinders during the cur-

rent financial year). Henceforth all domestic refill sale transactions can be monitored online not only by the oil company

officials or government administrators but also by the end customer himself. The portal will give access to all individual

customers’ details of domestic LPG cylinders issued in their respective account under two heads – at subsidised rates

and at market rates. Any customer shall be barred by the system from getting more than the fixed number of domestic

LPG cylinders in a year and shall have to either opt out or order for market rate cylinder. To start with, this may be the

sole application available on “transparency portal” but soon its usage will be widened for registration of complaints, feed-

back and whole lot of other marketing activities. If one finds any discrepancy in the data shown, he shall be able to register his

complaint on the same portal then. The portals have been set up in tune with the recommendations of subsidies headed by UIDIA

Chairman, Mr. Nanadan Nilekani.

For Indane customers, the portal address will be http://indane.co.in/transparency/index.php

For HP Gas, http://dcms.hpcl.co.in/ConsumerPortal/Transparency/Transparency.aspx

For Bharat Gas, http://www.ebharatgas.com/pages/footer/Transparency_portal.html

Customers like me & you can at least be rest assured of not being fooled by our dealers whom we adore like angels during the

period of domestic LPG crisis. In this process, we may also become more cautious and aware that something like this may hap-

pen behind our curtains. Economic wisdom is that the subsidised product shall be given in limited quantities. But that is not the

case with LPG here in India. Imagine you & me paying for the fuel which our neighbor is using for going to his shop. The misuse

of subsidised domestic LPG cylinder auto fuel requirements makes the above story possible since the subsidy burden is partly

borne by the government using the taxes paid by me & you. That calls for total abolishment of subsidy on LPG. But, concern for

poor has perhaps pushed the policy makers to tread middle path; partial rollback of subsidy on domestic LPG cylinders.

Many of our readers, especially the ladies like me, must be worried about the various articles appearing in newspapers and me-

dia hype about limiting the availability of subsidized LPG cylinders per household and the probability of buying LPG cylinders at

exorbitant prices post these reforms etc. Normally, a sub-

sidized product ought to be given in limited amounts. How-

ever, domestic LPG is both heavily subsidized and availa-

ble in unlimited quantities which is increasing the subsidy

burden on the exchequer and finally causing a big hole in

our pockets in the form of increased taxes and less ex-

penditure on developmental works.

One of the recent studies by a committee constituted by

the Union Government which I found it on net was that the

average rural households use from 5.17 to 7.91 cylinders

per year where the poorest use less cylinders and the rich

use more. In case of urban consumers, the range is be-

tween 8.17 and 10.17 & the difference in rural & urban

consumption pattern is due to the availability of alternate

fuels in rural sector. (Refer the table )

I

N

F

o

R

M

A

T

I

V

E

From the table, it is evident that

the percentage spend on LPG

by richer sections is only a

small fraction of their total

monthly household consump-

tion expenditure and withdraw-

al of subsidy to these sectors

will not have much impact. This

is the very basic concept that is

driving LPG sector reforms.

Even after so many years since

independence, around 10% of

the rural households use LPG

in India. The Government aims at increasing this figure to 75% by 2015. If the poor are to be subsidized, we need an effective

mechanism to provide the subsidy and one of the options is transfer on entitlement based on UID platform. This entails a house-

hold a fixed quantity of LPG at subsidized price beyond which the market price will be charged. Another option is direct cash

transfer of subsidy while everyone will be charged the market price.

For us in LIIL, a

huge business op-

portunity lies even

in partial withdrawal

of subsidies on

domestic LPG, alt-

hough personally

speaking, complete

withdrawal would

have made it hu-

mungous. Never-

theless, it is a step

forward and we

need to gear our-

selves to meet the challenges ahead and enhance our market share in domestic LPG segment. This also offers us a platform to

expand our LPG business beyond western states, probably across the country.

I found, its a great initiative. I hope if we could replicate the same in LIIL as well. May the next sales meet of LIIL brainstorm over

this portal thing too and a healthy idea may creep in. EK IDEA JO DUNIYA BADAL DE! Keeping the track of your customers and

also let them know that we equally care about

them is a beautiful idea. Isn’’t it? Though we have

read this mostly on banners and hoardings of

renowned companies, it takes lots and lots of

effort on our part to make this a reality and an

honest effort is the only key to realise such

dreams.

Ideas do not necessarily emanate from board

rooms; I agree to this completely. Do you too?

They also have the potential to fly from nowhere

and everywhere! Being ourselves LPG customers

of PSU Oil Companies for years now, we invite

marketing ideas from all our readers on how to

enrich our Customer Value Proposition more and more to effect potential switch over to Reliance Gas when it comes to choosing

between suppliers of LPG cylinders at market rates!!

Please do write back about your ideas to us. What is that one thing, other than price discount, which you are feeling is missing in

the current offerings from your service provider. That can be the key!!

Akshata Mahale

H

U

M

O

U

R

Angreji is just so complicated..

The bandage was wound around the wound.

The farm was used to produce produce.

The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse

We must polish the Polish furniture.

He could lead if he would get the lead out.

The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time

to present the present.

A bass was painted on

the head of the bass

drum.

When shot at, the dove

dove into the bushes.

I did not object to the

object.

The insurance was inva-

lid for the invalid.

There was a row among

the oarsmen about how

to row.

They were too close to

the door to close it.

The buck does funny things when the does are present.

A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

After a number of injections my jaw got number.

Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Corporate reality

CEO — Chief Embezzlement Officer

CFO — Corporate Fraud Officer

BULL MARKET — A random market movement caus-

ing an investor to mistake himself for a financial geni-

us.

BEAR MARKET — A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get

no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets

no sex.

VALUE INVESTING — The art of buying low and selling lower.

P/E RATIO — The percentage

of investors wetting their pants

as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER — What my broker

has made me.

STANDARD & POOR — Your

life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST — Idiot who

just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT — When your ex

-wife and her lawyer split your

assets equally between them-

selves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER — A guy whose phone has been dis-

connected.

MARKET CORRECTION — The day after you buy stocks.

CASH FLOW — The movement your money makes as it disap-

pears down the toilet.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR — Past year investor who�s now

locked up in a nuthouse.

PROFIT — An archaic word no longer in use.

* * * * *

H

U

M

O

U

R

TETE A TETE WITH DEVENDRA MANDLOITETE A TETE WITH DEVENDRA MANDLOITETE A TETE WITH DEVENDRA MANDLOI

‘She is happy and I am married’ – Devendra Mandloi

We found a sea change when Mr Suresh Uniyal was replaced by

Mr Devendra Mandloi as Business Development Manager in Guja-

rat State office. (For your update, Suresh has moved to Nagpur as

State Business Development Manager in Petroleum Retail Busi-

ness). Those who know Suresh will appreciate the challenge

ahead of Deven since the former is known both for his profession-

al and extra-curricular abilities. Spectrum is very curious to know

the person who has dared to fit into such heavy shoes. The ex-

cerpts from a free-wheeling chat with Deven over a fresh lime so-

da and finger chips (what else you can expect in Gujarat? … ) is

given below and the scissors used so freely to cut some of the

best expressions was only due to space restrictions

imposed by our Chief Editor.

Spectrum : Dear Deven, hearty welcome to LPG

family. Being the youngest LPGian, our readers are

very curious to know more about the new animal in

their shed. (off late..'animal' is favorite phrase used by

GRR) Pl tell us more about yourself, your family and

background.

DM : GRR’s favourite word is ‘Paradigm shift’ as far

as I have seen. Anyway, you guys know him better

since its only two months since I have entered the

‘shed’. My family belongs to Indore and that’s

where I was born. ‘Mandloi’ is the title given by the

British Government since my Jamindar Grandfather

was the President of the Mandal. My grandfather was a member of the Madhya Pradesh assembly. My father was a

civil servant in MP State who retired as Dy Director of Health Department. Both my parents had studied from Delhi

College in Indore. Since my father was on transferable job, I studied in ten diff schools before I could complete my

schooling though I did both Post Graduate courses from Indore. (Deven is a Post Graduate in Chemistry and also

MBA in Marketing). I can take pride in the fact that I have seen the maximum number of districts in MP than any nor-

mal person can.

I was the only son of my parents while my

elder sister is married and settled in Delhi. My

wife, Ranu, is a Graduate in Science, Post

Graduate in Arts and also holds a graduate

degree in Education (B.Sc, MA, B.Ed). Cur-

rently she is pursuing Doctoral studies in Hin-

di Literature. We are blessed with a lovely

son, Akshat, who is studying in .Senior KG

Spectrum : Your career graph

DM : I started my career with tyre industry

where I worked for about 7 years. I joined

Reliance Petroleum Retail as ‘Truck Stop

Manager’ in 2003 and worked in that capacity before the assign-

ment of ‘Area Manager’ in 2007. I took up the new assignment of

SBDM – Gujarat LPG Business on 25th

July 2011 and looking for-

ward to an exciting career here.

Spectrum : How are you finding the new assignment?

DM : I have heard a lot about the ‘family atmosphere’ and ‘close

knit’ relations in the LPG family. My little experience of these cou-

ple of months has reinforced that perception. Since I had seen the

LPG business function during my assignment in MP, the basics of

the business are known to me. With 15 years sales experience to back, I am very hopeful of making the most of this

new assignment has got to offer. Having an experienced and dedicated team of LPG Area Sales Managers to sup-

port, I do not envisage any difficulty in this new assignment. I have already met most of the channel partners also

and finding them very excited and eager to lay their hands on the new opportunities, especially since the business is

expected to grow in the wake of much talked about deregulation.

Spectrum : A little genie whispered in our ears just now – ‘Deven ne bahut paapad bele hein Ranu ko haasil karne

mein’ …. Whats that?(non-veg tak chod diya deven ji ne Ranu ji ke kehne pe)

DM : Hey Bhagwaan….ye kaise pata chala. Ranu was my neighbour when we were in Khandwa. Though I had a

crush on her, I never let her know about it since I was only in 8th standard then. Later when she joined my college, I

remembered the old pehchaan and befriended her again. When I

proposed to her subsequently, she was shell shocked and took

good two years to accept the offer while I kept on following up on

my proposal every now & then. (The true sales manager – pro-

specting, proposal, follow-up and deal closing…. ) So the little

genie is right… bahut papad belna pada tha…. Now we are hap-

pily married – ‘She is happy and I am married’…. (Disclaimer :

All the views expressed in this article are Deven’s own and

Spectrum does not assume any responsibility for them nor it will

re-imburse his medical bills in case if he suffers bone fracture or

head injuries due to ‘belan’ attack)

Spectrum : Do you find that Suresh had left with lot of mess on

his table for you to clear?

DM : Not at all. Infact, Suresh has helped a lot in my initial days

here and in-fact, the house I am moving into now is also negotiated by him. I find him to be a thorough gentleman

with a big heart and I am very happy with what I got from him. (Suresh, tu bach gaya!)

Spectrum : ‘Gem of a person’ and ‘the life of the party’ are some of the adjectives used to describe Suresh Uniyal.

Replacing him would have put lot of pressure on you due to the sheer ‘load of expectations’. What is your take?

DM : Every person is a different animal (GRR may forgive for using his patented word). Instead of saying in many

words, I would prefer my actions to speak in due course. I am confident of ensuring that the absence is not felt.

‘Party karke to dekho – jaan kya hoti hai dekhoge…. (Jee haan saab – lekin ek baat to pakki hai…. Aap uske jaise

‘samundar mein’ nahaa nahin sakte hein….)

Spectrum : Your other hobbies and interests?

DM : I must tell you that I was a cricket player during my school days. I was a student of Sanjay Jagdale (national

cricket selector) cricket academy and have played with Narendra Hirwani, Amay Khurasia etc. I was a fast bowler

and opening batsman which is a rare combination. But, in typical middle class style, my mother did not allow me to

continue cricketing and that remains one of my unfulfilled desire. The other unfulfilled dream is to become a Police

Officer though I gave MPSC exam albeit unsuccessfully. Nowadays since my wife is pursuing her Doctoral in Hindi

literature, I am also reading lot of Hindi fiction, especially authored by Shivani.

Today, physical fitness and physical exercise remains on the top of my priorities.

Spectrum : What you liked the most in your earlier bosses?

DM : Previous to joining LPG, I was reporting to Sh MV Shrinivas (State Head – Madhya Pradesh Petroleum Retail)

who has in-depth knowledge of every product and also speaks with authority on most of the topics. I learnt three ma-

jor virtues from him – Clarity of communication / preparation for the meetings / ownership for your acts. It was a won-

derful learning experience with him

Spectrum : Now, what about your current boss, Mr Champavat (chalo, ab Geeta par haath rakhkar sach bolo…. )

DM : pehle Geeta ko bulao to sahee… phir haath rakhne ki baat…. Jokes apart, Mr Champavat is a person who

speaks his heart out. Jo mann mein aata hai wo bol dete hein… He is very co-operative, down to earth and abso-

lutely team player. He is very friendly, open and non-egoistic. Even I find GRR also very simple and straight-forward

person and absolutely ‘boss unlike’. (isiliye Geeta nahi aayee!)

Spectrum: What is your dream for yourself & Family?

DM: Sirji, Sale wale sapna bechtein hai, dekhtein nahi!!(wah kya dialogue hai,100/100)

Spectrum : GRR has a reputation of being ‘perfectionist’ and not accepting any proposal on the first instance. What

is your experience?

DM : My interactions so far do not support your claim. I have heard that the now quiet a famous ‘team LIIL’ is largely

due to GRR and it is the team built by him. I am eager to be a part of that team. (ab yaar next HIPO ki taaiyari mat

kar, ghumta rahega.)

(Devendra wants to contribute something for Spectrum, he loved the magazine. We wish all the very best and wel-

come him once again to the world of LIIL wholeheartedly!) *****

Divine nine nights….Navratri!!Divine nine nights….Navratri!!Divine nine nights….Navratri!!

Navratri represents how the negativity can be conquered by the inherent positive qualities

in an individual so that one emerges as a Divine being." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The Hindu festival of Navratri, which extends for nine days, is celebrated with gusto in dif-

ferent regions of the country. In the eastern state of West Bengal, the festival takes the

shape of Durga Puja, when the devotees of the deity celebrate the triumph of good over

evil. There, Ma Durga is worshipped as Goddess Shakti. In north India, Maharashtra and

Gujarat, people observe a seven day fast during Navratri and break their fast on Ashtami

(the eighth day of the festival) by worshiping young girls. However, some people observe fast until the Ashtami and break their

fast only on Navami (the ninth day). 'Nav' means 'nine' and 'ratri' means 'night'. Thus, 'Navratri' means 'nine nights'. There are

many legends attached to the conception of Navratri like all Indian festivals. All of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu

Mother Goddess) and her various forms. Dandiya and Garba Rass are the highlights of the festival in Gujarat, while farmer sow

seeds and thank the Goddess for her blessings and pray for better yield. In older times, Navratri was associated with the fertility

of Mother Earth who feed us as her children.

The Navratri festival (Navratras) kicked off on Monday, April 4, 2011 with great excitement across India and was celebrated with

fun and ardor. Ahmedabad is one of the greatest places to enjoy Navratri. All kinds of Rasa-Garbas, Dandia ras etc. are prac-

ticed in this period, feasting and fasting are important cultural aspects of this day, and various rituals are performed at temples of

the 9 Goddesses of Hinduism. The atmosphere is electric and revelry is in the air.

RCP too celebrated Navratri this time with much of aplomb. Each block was laced with petals of colorful flowers and colleagues

too were dressed in the festive attire. All in all, it was a treat to the eyes. One could wit-

ness the zeal and fervor of the people with which they indulged in the festive activities of

the season!

Navratri stands as a highly admired and prominent occasion, commemorated by people

across different parts of India, a land of colorful and vibrant clutter of festivals. Even though

the festival is marked differently, the essence and core remains the same - victory of good

over evil.

The longstanding demand for electricity connection to our Jaipur bottling plant materialized on 06th September 2011

GR Reddy inaugurated the RSEB connection. It was made possible by the sustained follow-up and efforts by our Plant

Manager Sh Mahendra Patidar who was ably supported by our Rajasthan State Head Sh VikramSingh Rao. Special

thanks to Sh Jaimin Shah and Sh Aviti Chatterjee who helped in procurement of materials and services while Harisha

Kumar (Operations Head LIIL) was also present during the occasion. Every moment needs to be celebrated so how

such important one can be left ?

Key Accounts Manager for ATF Sales

(Foreign & key domestic airlines) TO

Packed LPG as a State Head Maharash-

tra !

Area Manager—Indore (Petroleum

Retail) TO SBDM Gujarat Packed LPG

Business.