In this world of stereotypes, Sahil Malhotra broke through those barriers and rose as an exceptional makeup artist. A fore-time, he has been enthralling everyone with his art and style. His approach to style is simple yet unique: as he believes in going beyond the conventional way of makeup.

Through these years, Sahil as a young artist has been able to establish his grounds in the makeup industry. He studied the artistry of Make-Up Designory in Los Angeles, USA and Baku, Azerbaijan and thereafter Hairstyling from Blossom Kochhar. With a fusion of experience and excellence in his work, he’s considered to be profoundly demanded in the market. Thailand, Canada, LA, Udaipur, Mussoorie, Chandigarh, Bihar, Gorakhpur, Rohtak, Karnal, Panipat, Ludhiana, Jhansi and an endless list of places around the globe, Sahil has immersed many hearts and minds with his work.

With sincere practice and diligent hard work, he further instigated his forever cherished dream of House Of Beauty as a celebrity makeup artist. Along with a flourishing list of eminent personalities, like Hina Khan, Urvashi Rautela, Shamita Shetty, VJ Gaelyn, Anisha Butt, Tanaaz Bakhtiyar, Kubra Seth and many more. Sahil has become one of the dynamic creative forces of the industry, his work was featured in various magazines like La Fiesta Magazine and even has collaborated along with numerous fashion designers like Pernia Qureshi, Manish Malhotra, Gaurav Gupta, Samant Chauhan, Kanika Goyal Label, many more. To add on to the ceaseless list of collaborations, he has worked as a makeup partner at events like Crowning Glory 2016, Mrs Face of the Year 2017, India Style Fest and many more.

Sahil has the ability to tailor a truly spellbinding ensemble for his clients which made dignified for numerous awards like ‘Best Makeup Designer North India’ at International Excellence Awards 2019, ‘The Most Promising Makeup Artist 2016’ at Ravishing Beauty & Wellness Awards, ‘The Most Promising Makeup Artist 2016’ at Star Fashion Week and Meri Pehchan Award Season

The Global Tiger Day came with loads of good news for India on tiger conservation front!

The All India Tiger Estimation-2018, released by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today showed a 33% increase in the tiger population, putting the number of tigers at 2,967. India has achieved the target of doubling tiger population four years before the deadline of 2022 agreed upon at St Petersberg in 2010 the countries agreed to a Global Tiger Recovery Program.

This `historic achievement’ prompted the Prime Minister to say: “It is not enough that tiger zinda hai….’’ Tiger Zinda Hai is a popular Bollywood movie. He further went to on say that the song “Baagon mein bahaar hai….(It is springtime….) should now be replaced by “Bhaagon mein bahaar hai…. (It is springtime for tigers)

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister described this as a historic achievement for India, and reaffirmed India’s commitment towards protecting the tiger. Appreciating the speed and dedication with which various stakeholders worked to achieve this feat, he described it as one of the finest examples of Sankalp Se Siddhi. Once the people of India decide to do something, there is no force that can prevent them from getting the desired results, he said.

The Prime Minister said that with almost 3000 tigers, India is today among the biggest and most secure habitats.

According to the census, Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers at 526, closely followed by Karnataka at 524 and Uttarakhand at number 3 with 442 tigers. In five years, the number of protected areas increased from 43 to 100.  

While the 2014 census put the Big Cats number at 2,226, the number was 1,706 in 2010 and even lesser at 1,411 in 2006. 

Mr Modi asserted that the way ahead is “collectiveness” instead of “selectiveness.” He said that a broad-based and holistic look is essential for environmental conservation. He said, it is possible to strike a healthy balance between development and environment. “In our policies, in our economics, we have to change the conversation about conservation,” he added.

India will build more homes for our citizens and that the same time create quality habitats for animals. India will have a vibrant marine economy and a healthier marine ecology. This balance is what will contribute to a strong and inclusive India, the Prime Minister asserted.

He expressed confidence that India will prosper both economically and environmentally; India will build more roads and India will have cleaner rivers; India will have better train connectivity and also greater tree coverage.

He said that in the last five years, while work has proceeded at a fast pace for next-generation infrastructure, the forest cover in the country has also grown. There has also been an increase in the “protected areas.” In 2014, there were 692 protected areas, which increased to more than 860 in 2019. The “Community Reserves” have also grown from 43, in 2014, to more than 100 now.

He said that India is making a sustained effort to make its economy “clean-fuel based” and “renewable energy based.” He said “waste” and “bio-mass” are being made a big part of India’s energy security. He mentioned the progress made in schemes such as “Ujjwala” and “Ujala” for LPG connections and LED bulbs, respectively.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Mr Prakash Javdekar; the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Mr Babul Supriyo; and the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Mr C.K. Mishra, were present on the occasion.

Indian American Businessman Amar Patel shares his top tips for Instagram networking success.

Amar Patel, 27, oversees the strategic direction, Manufacturing of goods, fulfillment and Social media growth for companies with sales that exceed 20-million per year, many listed on the INC 500 and Forbes list.

So what’s the secret to work with such large companies at such a young age? He’s a young Indian American businessman who’s realized the value of building quality relationships and quality products. Patel has managed to build a powerhouse network of contacts worth over $15 billion via Instagram marketing.

Patel’s story is both motivational and replicable, and I had the privilege of meeting with him recently to learn some of his tricks of the trade. Here are some key takeaways from my chat with him.

1. The power of a direct message

The direct messaging function, or “DM,” as it’s often called, is one of the simplest ways to reach out on Instagram. The biggest reason most choose not to utilize this feature is fear of rejection. We often far too quickly assume that if we send a DM, it won’t be read or will be denied, and it won’t provide any value.

If we choose to let go of our fears and chase our goals in life, then we will come to realize that rejection simply doesn’t matter. Patel actually reached out to me via direct messaging, and it wasn’t automated, as you might expect from large companies or people with big followings.

It was real, it was personal, and therefore, it resonated with me.

The best thing you can do when using the direct messaging feature is to keep it authentic and simple. Even something as brief as, “I love your photos and what you’re doing with your page. Excited to follow along!”

2. Outreach through value

Above I talked about keeping it authentic; this next point brings that rule home even more. If you’re consistently reaching out to people you can’t bring any value to, you’ll come off as inauthentic.

Furthermore, this will bring little or no value to your business. One way to bring value to those you’re contacting is to offer a compliment. Letting people know you appreciate what they’re doing and the positive impact it has on the world is always a good idea.

Encouragement feels good. And when you bring value to others, it will come back to you in some form. Just ask yourself as you’re reaching out to others on Instagram: What value does this bring them?

3. The money is in the research

Patel’s rule of thumb is this: TRY FAIL TRY FAIL and do it a few more times, take away experiences from your failures to make sure that your clients and potential clients are educated from real experiences you yourself needed to go through so that they do not need to.

What does this mean? Research, research, research. This is the key to Instagram outreach.

This only builds on our last two points. When you know the individual you’re reaching out to, you’ll seem authentic (have I drilled the word “authentic” into your brain yet?), and you will know how to positively impact and bring value them.

If you reach out to someone without having first cared enough to learn about him or her, this will only result in failure. You’ll have already lost them within the first few words of your attempt, as Patel says.

The more you know, the better you’re able to adequately address people’s challenges and convey the solution you can provide.

4. Rejection is a part of life.

Remember that little fear of rejection we talked about earlier? Get rid of it — yes, even if you’re getting ready to message someone on Instagram with a huge following and a verified profile.

Everyone started somewhere, and most of these “celebrity” Instagrammers remember this fact and know that it took hard work to get where they are. Usually, they’re more than happy to connect with you, especially when you prove that you have something worth looking into.

If you don’t contact these people simply because of fear, you could be missing out on many opportunities that would have offered you great potential. Don’t be afraid of rejection, and don’t be afraid to hear the word no.

If you present the correct message, coupled with interesting content on your page, they will want to know more about you.

Patel told me that some of the most successful people he knows who are worth hundreds of millions of dollars have fewer than 30,000 followers on social media. Don’t be afraid to reach out, no matter the size of their following.

5. One powerful direct message

All it takes is one powerful direct message. Well, I lied — it takes more like 100 direct messages. But if you get one answer back from one of them, then you win. Your goal here should be engagement and connection.

If you can engage and connect with the right people — even if they don’t directly contribute to your business — chances are that in the long run, they’ll know someone who can contribute.  Never bypass a relationship simply because your business doesn’t necessarily benefit from it today, but can be massively rewarding in the near future. Business is an art and all greats take time and persistence..

As Patel put it, all you need is one answer, one conversation, to work your way into a network that could lead you to many people with similar interests, and in turn, further networking connections and continuous qualified referrals.

Twenty-seven Patel is a total inspiration both to me and other millennials in our world today. I hold a great deal of respect for him and his work.

I look forward to seeing all of his future ventures. And as Patel so graciously taught me, let go of your fear, don’t be afraid to hear the word “no,” be authentic, be yourself, and start reaching out!

The Central Government has given its nod for an Rs.8,000 crore mission to explore the deepest regions of the oceans surrounding the country as part of an exercise to promote sustainable use of the vast living and non-living ocean resources that remain untapped.

Disclosing this, Secretary, Ministry of Earth sciences, Dr. Madhavan Rajeevan, said the Government has given in-principle approval for the mission and now his Ministry will draw up the expenditure plan and circulate it to relevant organizations for implementation. It is an integrated program in which several scientific departments such as Department of Science and Technology, Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Biotechnology, Defence Research and Development Organisation, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research would work together. 

Noting that the Government was focussing on leveraging the blue economy for the country’s overall economic growth, he said the Mission was one of the transformative ideas of the Government’s 100-day programmes. “I am confident that we would be able to launch the Deep Ocean Mission by October end”.

A  major thrust of the Mission will be to look for metals and minerals. The United Nation’sInternational seabed Authority has allotted to India a site of 75,000 sq. km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for exploitation of Polymetallic Nodules which are scattered on the seabed. The rock like material contained several valuable metals and minerals such as Manganese, Nickel and Cobalt. 

Dr. Rajeevan was speaking at a function to mark the Foundation Day of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

On the occasion, Union Minister for Earth Sciences, Science and Technology and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched a mobile application developed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences that will provide agro-meteorology-related advisory services to farmers at the touch of a button. He also unveiled new websites for India Meteorology Department and the National Centre for Seismology. 

Further, he presented the life Time Excellence Award in the sphere of Earth System Sciences to Prof.J.Srinnivasan for his wide range of contributions to the climate science over the past 46 years and the national awards in the fields of Ocean Science and Technology, Atmospheric  Science and Technology and Geoscience and Technology to Prof D.Shankar, Prof.S.K.Sateesh, and Prof.G.V.R.Prasad respectively and the National award for Women Scientist to Prof C.Manikyamba.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan urged scientists and officials associated with the Ministry of Earth Sciences to strive to build advanced knowledge-based multi-hazard early warning and decision support systems for various natural disasters and asked them to explore ways to create greater awareness about the Ministry’s activities among children.‘The Ministry of Earth Sciences is doing a lot of good work. The common man needs to be made aware of this. We can do it through children”.

(India Science Wire)

An era in which we are living is completely a tech-driven one. In today’s time, every small thing is depended on a click of a button. With the world going digital, how can HR industry lay behind? Having witnessing today’s trend, technology will have a great impact on recruitment. Due to the rise in new technologies, we are going to witness more developments in data analytics, AI and machine learning as well which will surely transform human resource recruitment and management sector. 

To know more about this trend and what changes will it bring, I interacted with Gaurav Bahl, CEO, and Co-Founder of KOOLCHAS. During the conversation, he shared mentioned below factors that will influence HR and recruitment trends.

Factors influencing HR and recruitment trends

More usages of digital platforms: As per Bhal, digital platforms will be more in use to reach candidates, SEO, email marketing and whatsapp. They will be playing a smarter role in engaging and retaining talents. AI will also help to gain immense popularity in improving the candidate experience by reducing time as it makes job search simpler and applying for a job quicker and easier.

Increase usage of AI and machine learning: AI and machine learning will be more widely used in employee verification which will make the entire process smarter and faster ensuring accurate results. “Past in days, we used to depend on external agencies for employee background verification that automatically involves more cost and time. And now it has become more effective in every respect,” said Bhal. 

Dependence upon Application Tracking System: Â“HR professionals will henceforth depend more on Application Tracking System and look for suitable candidate’s profile from their databank stored on the cloud,” opined CEO and Co-Founder of KOOLCHAS. This will make the recruitment process simpler, easier and less expensive. Candidates will also be saved from the trouble of carrying their resumes to the interview they attend anywhere and everywhere.

Engagement and culture will be top priorities; leading from the aspect of focusing on relationships over programs, HR is going to find that promoting employee engagement and strong, positive company culture as some of their top priorities in the coming year. The last thing you want is people leaving the company in droves due to them hating their job. 

Improvement employee experience: The employee experience is going to become even more important in the coming year. “With millennials entering the workforce in droves, HR professionals are going to need to change tactics to appeal to this new generation of workers who have very different expectations than previous generations,” said Bhal.

Creativity is rare in today’s time; We rarely see original things which can impress larger audiences who love B-town Films. Our Film Industry has been lucky to have writers like Javed Akhtar, producers like Yash Chopra who gave us so many good things in B-town. The main reason they succeed was their belief, and they read the situation pretty well in what will work.

We have seen writers, producers, and directors, but we rarely see all the qualities in one person, only  Raj Kapoor tried all three elements in his life. He was never afraid of making movies. He was known for his creativity and beyond the time imagination, which made him the evergreen star of B-town. The same quality is seen in one talented girl called Archana Mayenkar

Archana Mayekar a young inspiring and creative writer and director. She is known for her creative writing and direction. She has that X-factor in her and guts to portray things according to her plan. She is a rare talent who believes in her work and does things precisely according to her plan.

Archana has the experience of writing scripts for many top shows, and her work has been appreciated by all the production houses for whom she has given her writing. Add on to her writing she is a fabulous director too. She recently directed a music video “Champagne Train” under ZEE  Music. 

She has also directed a few more songs which are going to release soon this year. This girls talent is not limited to direction and writing she is a producer too. Wow, a combo of three things She is the founder of the production house called “Cast Telefilms” which is shortly going to release Digital Content with ZEE5.

People like Archana can change the fortunes of many young talents by creating functional roles where you can promote young skills in the small and big screen. 

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) recently announced its plan to invest $ 500 million in India over the next five years. This strategic investment underscores HPE’s long-term commitment to India. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is a global technology leader focused on developing intelligent solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly from edge to cloud. 

Speaking on the development, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communication and Electronics & Information Technology, commented, “It is a matter of great assurance that a global giant like Hewlett Packard Enterprise is making big investments in India both in manufacturing as well as research and development. This shows the rising confidence of global investors in India’s rapidly growing electronics manufacturing sector and the success of Digital India.”

This investment will enable the company to grow its operations, manufacturing and employee base in the country.  Apart from this, investment will increase a company’s R&D and services exports. Further, it’s investment in technology initiatives will help to drive positive change for local Indian communities. 

“The Modi 2.0 administration’s vision of a $5 trillion economy is impressive and fitting for a country with this level of energy and opportunity,” said Antonio Neri, President, and CEO of HPE and a member of the US-India CEO Forum.  

Adding further, he said, “India is one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world, and our investments will further develop the country as a critical market for HPE’s global business, as well as benefit our customers, partners, employees and the citizens of India.” 

HPE to increase its workforce in India by 20%

To support India’s continued growth as a strategic market for HPE’s global business, HPE plans to increase its workforce in India by 20% over the next three to five years.  In particular, HPE will hire new engineering talent with expertise in areas of critical importance to customers such as AI and networking.  

 Â“To deliver on that commitment, we are creating a culture for growth and innovation at HPE. Our new campus will help us to retain and attract quality talent to deliver for our customers and for the citizens of India,” said Som Satsangi, MD, HPE India.

HPE will also begin construction of a high-tech extension to its Mahadevapura Campus in Bengaluru that will be able to house more than 10,000 employees, as well as state-of-the-art R&D facilities. When complete, the 1.3-million-square-foot campus will feature a state-of-the-art workplace, powered by HPE technologies, designed to enhance the employee, customer, and partner experience and foster a culture of innovation. The campus will support a broad range of functions including R&D, engineering services, finance, and sales. 

Manufacturing Aruba’s Portfolio of Mobility and IoT Solutions in 

India

HPE also plans to commence manufacturing in India.  The company is scheduled to start manufacturing Aruba’s portfolio of mobility and IoT solutions in India before the end of 2019. Data and connectivity are catalysts for growth in India, and Aruba’s strong intellectual property and mobile-first philosophy make it ideally poised to facilitate this growth. The manufacturing capability in India will allow Aruba to rapidly innovate networking solutions that will deliver benefits in support of the Digital India agenda and to customers across the country. 

Drive Positive Societal Change through Investments in Innovation 

The HPE investment also includes innovations in support of the Indian government’s initiatives to apply technology to drive positive societal change in critical areas.  

• eEducation: HPE has collaborated with NASSCOM Foundation to establish fully equipped digital classrooms under National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM). These digital classrooms are an innovative, practical and cost-effective solution to deliver skills training to citizens seeking digital literacy education. 

• Center of Excellence: Additionally, HPE along with Agastya International Foundation will set-up a Center of Excellence in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, focused on skilling students in IoT-based agriculture. The facility features advanced IT solutions that are at the leading edge of the agricultural sector’s innovation toward higher food production from finite land resources.
  

• eHealth:  Addressing the need for affordable healthcare in emerging cities, the HPE eHealth Center (eHC) initiative helps improve access and effectiveness of primary healthcare in underserved areas. Across India, more than 130 eHCs and 150 mobile eHCs are operational, and 15 new centers will be established across six states. The eHCs have already facilitated over 800,000 patient visits. In support of the government’s target of making India TB-free by 2025, HPE announced it has signed the USAID TB pledge to provide free diagnostic services to more than 50,000 people through its eHC network.
  

Drive Digital Transformation

Finally, the HPE investment will help enterprises in India redefine experiences, drive intelligent operations and extract value from their data.

Now time will only tell, how much this investment will help India to grow? 

Many governments are making progress in the fight against tobacco, with 5 billion people today living in countries that have introduced smoking bans, graphic warnings on packaging and other effective tobacco control measures – four times more people than a decade ago. But a new WHO report shows many countries are still not adequately implementing policies, including helping people quit tobacco, that can save lives from tobacco.

The seventh WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic analyses national efforts to implement the most effective measures from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) that are proven to reduce demand for tobacco.

These measures, like the “MPOWER” interventions, have been shown to save lives and reduce costs from averted healthcare expenditure. The MPOWER report was launched in 2007 to promote government action on six tobacco control strategies in-line with the WHO FCTC to:

• Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies.
• Protect people from tobacco smoke.
• Offer help to quit tobacco use.
• Warn people about the dangers of tobacco.
• Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
• Raise taxes on tobacco.

Tobacco cessation services must be stepped up

The focus of the latest report is on the progress countries have made to help tobacco users quit. It is being launched today in Brazil, a country that has become the second, after Turkey, to fully implement all the MPOWER measures at the highest level of achievement.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said governments should implement cessation services as part of efforts to ensure universal health coverage for their citizens.

“Quitting tobacco is one of the best things any person can do for their own health,” said Dr Tedros. “The MPOWER package gives governments the practical tools to help people kick the habit, adding years to their life and life to their years.”

Progress is being made, with 2.4 billion people living in countries now providing comprehensive cessation services (2 billion more than in 2007). But only 23 countries are providing cessation services at the best-practice level, making it the most under-implemented MPOWER measure in terms of number of countries offering full coverage.

Tobacco cessation services include national toll-free quitlines, “mCessation” services to reach larger populations via mobile phones, counselling by primary health care providers and cost-covered nicotine replacement therapy.

Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, said the report shows government-led efforts to help people quit tobacco work when properly implemented.

“More countries are making tobacco control a priority and saving lives, but there’s still much more work to be done,” said Mr Bloomberg. “The WHO’s new report shines a spotlight on global efforts to help people quit using tobacco and it details some of our most important gains.”

The report, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, showed that while only 23 countries have implemented cessation support policies at the highest level, 116 more provide fully or partially cost-covered services in some or most health facilities, and another 32 offer services but do not cost-cover them, demonstrating a high level of public demand for support to quit.

Tobacco use has also declined proportionately in most countries, but population growth means the total number of people using tobacco has remained stubbornly high. Currently, there are an estimated 1.1 billion smokers, around 80% of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Since the last report, issued in 2017, the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2019, also finds that:

• 36 countries have introduced one or more MPOWER measures at the highest level of achievement.
• Over half of the world’s population – 3.9 billion people living in 91 countries – benefit from large graphic pack warnings featuring all recommended characteristics, making it the MPOWER measure with both the highest population coverage and the most countries covered.
• 14 countries have implemented large graphic warning laws at best practice level, making it the MPOWER policy with the greatest growth in terms of country uptake during the last two years.
• The greatest growth in population coverage was seen in tobacco taxation. The population coverage from this MPOWER policy has almost doubled from 8% in 2016 to 14% in 2018. But while being the most effective way to reduce tobacco use, taxation is still the MPOWER policy with the lowest population coverage.
• Of the 5 billion people protected by at least one MPOWER policy, 3.9 billion live in LMICs (or 61% of all people in LMICs).
• 59 countries have yet to adopt a single MPOWER measure at the highest level of achievement – 49 are LMICs.
• In the world’s 34 low-income countries, 17 today have at least one MPOWER policy in place at best-practice level compared to three in 2007, showing that income level is not a barrier to best-practice tobacco control

For each MPOWER measure, there have been new countries that have implemented some of the measures at the best practice level since the last report:

• 7 (Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Gambia, Guyana, Niue and Tajikistan) have adopted complete smoke-free laws covering all indoor public places and workplaces.
• 4 (Czechia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia and Sweden) advanced to best-practice level with cessation services. But during the same period, six other countries dropped from the highest group, resulting in a net loss of two countries.
• 14 (Barbados, Cameroon, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Guyana, Honduras, Luxembourg, Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain and Timor-Leste) adopted large graphic pack warnings.
• 10 (Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Benin, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guyana, Niue, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia) introduced comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
• 10 (Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Mauritius, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, and Thailand) raised taxes to comprise at least 75% of retail prices.

Logistics has by far been one of the most crucial and yet one of the least significant functions across business setups; mostly considered to be an ‘operational’ function instead of a strategic one. As a result, it remained a low skill job that was an additional/ on-the-side function handled by someone in administration or finance and rarely a purchase or supply chain professionals. Learning from their predecessor, they would obtain quotes, book a shipment and track/ update the said stakeholders on the successful completion of the process. 

Recently, with the advancement of technology and automation processes as well as progressive government policies, Companies are operating from a mindset that mandates a reduction in Logistics cost on a Year on Year basis. Albeit, looking at the historic modus operandi this is required; this shift is usually driven by the top management as a part of their budgets and board meetings which is then overseen by CFOs or Purchase Managers. However, the person who is championing the ideas, the financial controller and the actual driver of the solution rarely sit in the same room, resulting in a colossal disconnect and inability to generate the expected results. 

Reverse Auctions and RFQs are extremely common today; after participating in several and dealing with customers on their requirements, it is easy to identify how well versed with Supply Chain the customer is. The concept of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) isn’t prevalent, and even relaying what the AS-IS and TO-BE situation is not highlighted at the time of the RFQ. In turn service providers quote with aggressive pricing based on the information that is provided and at the time of execution, there is a disparity resulting in lower service levels in order to save costs but also lower customer satisfaction. With this disconnect it reminds me of a cliched yet apt quote by Terry Pratchett, “They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it’s not the one half so bad as a lot of ignorance”

They always say you can’t change the world unless you change yourself from within, this is also true to when one is looking at changing their service provider. The questions that one should ask themselves first, this is not in any specific order:

1. Why am I challenging the status quo?
   
2. Is this driving my new strategy?
   
3. What are the pain points that I have NOT addressed with my partner (service provider)?
   
4. Is my LSP capable of addressing the change in my requirements?
   
5. Can we change the way we have been working all these years?
   
6. What am I going to gain out of this exercise? Cost Saving? Better Visibility? Lower TCO? Higher Service Levels?
   
7. Am I personally going to be driving the change or am I deputing someone who has the knowledge to carry it out?
   
8. Have I hired the right person for the job internally and externally?
   
9. If I make this change, am I willing to pay for it? What will the impact be on my Manufacturing? Delivery? Raw Materials purchase? 
   
10. How will this change impact my customer? 
    
11. Am I willing to share information or have open data exchange to increase efficiencies with my LSP?
    

There are a lot of questions that need to be answered and it has to be done with open communication and even if you don’t have the answers it makes to sense to work with someone who can help you to come to that conclusion. There are some extremely brilliant Purchase & Supply Chain managers working and driving fantastic changes and supply chains, but then again, the majority aren’t. In my experience, I have learned a lot from customers in this decision-making role and sometimes even more so from those aren’t driving the changes on the ground. 

Something more to think about when looking at the existing set up in the organization can be further expanded below with a couple of poignant points as to why one should look at making changes and where does the value proposition drive efficiencies and cost-saving and driving the company strategy.

• How vital is an efficient SCM for the business?
  

For businesses in International trade, FMCG, E-Commerce and domestic consumer consumption the active function of a Supply and/or Demand Chain department are at the core of the business. In such a case, outsourcing the function to a 3PL/4PL expert who can ensure efficiency and cost-effective operations can be beneficial to the bottom line but more importantly customer satisfaction. When creating a customized solution for your business it is critical to evaluate the long-term impact and not just put a band-aid on a current need because it is a “buzz word”.

• Are the core competencies of business optimized?  
  

Often times, most businesses look at building the Supply Chain function internally; while this offers them the flexibility, control, and customization benefits, the process of creating, setting up and running an ancillary set up, can actually eat away into crucial resources and compromising on the focus and output of their core competencies. Often, larger conglomerates and MNCs who hold a diversified portfolio of business and can employ skilled resources to manage each function, prefer to build an in-house SCM operation that complements their core competencies. 

However, in case of many businesses not limited to start-up’s or SME’s and first-generation entrepreneurs; incurring an additional cost and diving resources to run an in-house operation for SCM may be counter-productive and harmful to the business. Thus, in addition to evaluating the significance of logistics and SCM for the business, one must also introspect on the availability of resources and whether the core competencies of the business would be impacted by an in-house set-up.  

• Does the SCM function directly impact customer satisfaction? 
  

Emulating an E-Commerce type of customer engagement and satisfaction with same day or next day deliveries even though possible for a B2B user comes with a heavy cost. Forecasting the demand of the customer and appropriate heavier inventory holding costs can ensure this but is it something that businesses outside of Automotive and Aviation doing today? 

Understanding what the customer requires will determine how to structure the supply chain because if there is no transparency in communication and forecasting it will lead to a bullwhip effect which is counterintuitive to the supply chain prospect altogether. There are many concepts of Just in Time and Lean will be featured upon later but simply understanding what the customer wants/needs based on actuality and not on replication of a B2C / last mile model will help improve and engage a customer for a longer period hence impacting customer satisfaction.

(The author is CEO, Robinsons Global Logistics Solutions)

India has witnessed tremendous progress over the years. The youth of the nation can be credited as one of the main factors. One such 20 years young boy named Dhrumil Soni, Social Media Manager from Panchmahal district of Gujarat state has marked his presence in the nation. Most of the area of his district is tribal but his achievements have proved his worth more than those in metro cities. He did not limit his education to academic learning. He explored around him and was always curious about how things worked. 

At the tender age of 17, he stepped into the world of entrepreneurship. He discontinued his college studies and launched his first start-up Pixatronix in 2016. The first project itself was India’s biggest dance workshop UIDC [United Indian Dance Camp]. Dhrumil Soni also managed social media platforms for the government’s mega-events like ‘Panchmahotsav’ through his firm.  

He has been Digital Marketing Manager of many political personalities. He has also been Marketing Representative of many celebrities including international artist Thomson Andrews, popular actress Khushi Shah, many MTV artists, Biggboss artists, and Bollywood celebrities & singers. His tender shoulders have lifted really heavy responsibilities.  

His dedicated hard work and never-ending thrive to succeed led him to be one of the few influencers who have accomplished so much in a short period of time. From borrowing ?1,200/- from his parents for building an online platform of his first start-up to earning projects worth lacs, he has glowed up really well. With all his determination and consistent inputs he managed to be ‘one of the youngest social media managers of the country’.  

His efforts are very well recognized and rewarded. He is highly in demand for his services. Dhrumil’s journey is an inspiration for many and his life is a fantasy for the ones of his age. He has proved that every little input towards development leads to greater achievement.