Volume 48 No. 2 April - June 2018
About the Cover Art and mathematics. One is the realm of aesthetics and freedom of expression, while the other embodies precision. Firdosh, a 12 year old student from Akanksha Foundation, who along with her classmates wanted to bring together these two concepts on a canvas, by understanding ratio and proportion through the works of an artist Chuck Close. “This lotus was a surprise because we all did one little piece of it,” says Firdosh.
Comment For every complex problem, there is an BACK COVER answer that is clear, simple and wrong Technology Day Celebrations – H. L. Mencken
Editor Swastika Mukherjee Correspondents : Assistant Editor Heena Nanda Heating Manasi Purandare IR Chitra Kartik Sheetal Bachkaniwala Cooling S. Chandak Administration Akansha Choudhary K.S. Vaidyanathan Cooling Aditi Vakil BTG Editorial Consultant Mukesh Ghodke Services Connie Fernandes Finance A.M. Roshan Noorjahan Khan B&H Saheblal Shaikh Corporate Safety Bhushan Chitaley Power Kirti Pitale Mumbai Design Hardik U. Patel Enviro Reshma Mehrotra Delhi Shashi Karmarkar Abinash Patro WWS Swati Aditya Kolkatta Production & Circulation Veena Coutinho Chemical Satyamanikkam M.B. Chennai Chitra Kartik Suresh Nikam TECC Janki Thaker Savli Printed at Kavita Naidu HR Sujata Deshpande Thermax Foundation Vyoma Graphics, Pune
Copyright © Thermax Limited 2018 Fireside is the quarterly house magazine of Thermax Limited, Pune. For private circulation only. Company related news/features may be reproduced only with the permission of the Editor. Address : Thermax Limited,Thermax House, 14 Mumbai Pune Road, Wakdewadi, Pune 411 003, India. Tel : (020) 25542263 Fax : (020) 25541226 Fireside is also hosted on the website : www.thermaxglobal.com Email : [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Contents
Commissions second integrated energy plant for Greenply • Installs effluent recycling plant for WHAT’S NEW? Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd. • Global 2 footprint in the 86th country with commissioning in Argentina • Rs. 279 crore order for a cogeneration plant Meher Pudumjee writes about the company’s performance in the previous fiscal, the 10th EXPRESSIONS technology day celebration and her farewell 6 message to Anu and Dr. Mashelkar As Anu Aga and Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar retire from Thermax Board this August, they UP CLOSE share their personal and professional journey, 8 association with Thermax and their message to the employees in a conversation with Swastika Mukherjee B&H supplied the highest capacity boilers to Korach, Thailand • CFBC boilers recognised at ROUND UP an international seminar • Trikona Trail Walk • 13 Learning Fest • Environment Day celebrations • In Touch series in southern region • Thermax Lab receives NABL accreditation • Commissions multi-energy driven chillers at Yemen
ICCI 2018, Istanbul • Rice & Pulses Tech Expo, 18 EXHIBITIONS Assam • Boilex Asia, Bangkok Pramod gains post graduate diploma • Siddhesh completes online courses from LIMELIGHT NPTEL • Krishna, a certified PMP professional 19 • Bakhtawar Battiwalla elected Hon.Treasurer of IASAP An interesting read by Snigdha Poonam on how dearth of jobs in the country is leading the SIGNPOSTS youth to opt for a lucrative career in call centres, 20 despite knowing that they are partaking in a scam Roshan speaks about handing over the mantle of 26 VOICES corporate communication Entries for comic fiction award fail to amuse judges • A case of having the cake and 28 SLICE-OF-LIFE eating it too
1 What’s New? Nearly 50% of the plant’s fuel requirements are met by utilising process wastes.
Energy plant offering multiple heating media commissioned; efficiency of 94% Thermax commissions second integrated energy plant for Greenply hermax successfully For the manufacturing process, the This is a repeat order from commissioned a 97 MW plant provides multiple heat streams Greenply. In 2009, Thermax had energy plant for Greenply in the form of steam, thermal oil commissioned a 49 MW energy TIndustries Ltd. at Shrikalahasti, and hot gas, achieving a thermal plant at its Rudrapur unit in Andhra Pradesh. efficiency of 94% from the process. Uttarakhand. For both projects, Nearly 50% of the plant’s fuel Dieffenbacher GmbH, the German The plant will help Greenply requirements are met by utilising OEM, is the technology supplier. manufacture MDF boards, which is process wastes such as board made by breaking down wood into trims, screen rejects and sander fibres which are again combined dust. with adhesives and the end product is formed into panels by applying heat and pressure.
2 The effluent recycle plant recovers 91% of water
Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis plant at Kota, Rajasthan
hambal Fertilisers and of ammonia per day (MTPD) and Chemicals Limited (CFCL), 4,000 MTPD of urea. The system Managing one of the largest private consists of a pretreatment and Csector fertiliser producers in India, demineralisation plant, condensate partnered with Thermax for ‘Total polishing unit and an effluent recycle effluents Water Management System’ at plant. Kota, Rajasthan. The effluent recycle plant, based on for a In the recent past, the fertiliser ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis sector has seen tremendous growth, (RO) membrane system, recovers mainly due to the Government 91% of water. The RO system treats fertiliser impetus on making India self- hardness and silica content in the sufficient. With growth, the industry water resulting in high-quality water major also faces the challenge of tackling having Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) effluent treatment and optimising the less than 400 ppm. On the other use of water, getting scarce by the hand, an advanced membrane- day. based UF system is used for the removal of all types of fine colloidal CFCL’s water management initiative impurities along with organics. was part of its expansion project for manufacturing 2,000 metric tonnes
3 Natural gas-cum-tail gas (CO) fired combustor installed; expanding global footprint - first project in Argentina
Thermax footprint in Latin America hermax has now expanded local vendor), to produce 45 TPH With emission norms becoming its global presence to of saturated steam at 22 barg stringent, tail gas combustion units Argentina, by recently pressure. are becoming increasingly popular Tcommissioning a tail gas combustor and customers are looking for for Cabot S.A.I.C (a subsidiary of Thermax bagged the order due sustainable solutions – reducing Cabot Corporation). to its technical expertise and pollution at their facilities while experience in designing and generating steam/power in the The installation comprises a fabricating the complete system of bargain. Thermax has so far, natural gas-cum-tail gas (CO) fired tail gas combustion (combustor + supplied more than 20 such units combustor, generating 38 MW waste heat boiler). Cabot had prior to diverse industries. of hot flue gases by incinerating experience of working with Thermax carbon black tail gas. These flue at one of its subsidiaries, Pt. Cabot gases are cooled in a waste heat in Indonesia in 2006. recovery boiler (supplied by a
Thermax offers green kitchen solutions with brand ‘Oorja’ Offering commercial kitchens hrough its subsidiary, First Thermax acquired 76% stake in a combination of stove and pellet fuel Energy Private Limited FEPL, an entity instituted in 2009. (FEPL), Thermax now offers free operations and reducing carbon Tcommercial kitchens a combination Oorja provides a clean energy emissions. of uniquely designed micro alternative to LPG (a fossil fuel) – a gasification stove and biomass- steam solution that uses pellet fired FEPL is present across India with based pellet fuel. boilers and vessels. pellet manufacturing locations Oorja also supports process in three places and distributors In 2017, Thermax had completed supplying pellets across 25 plus the acquisition of First Energy, an industries by supplying boilers, biomass fuel, heaters and other locations. It also has a service alternate energy solutions company network at these locations. known for its popular brand ‘Oorja’. equipment, helping them in hassle
4 Thermax Thermax supplies CCCT footprint to Tata Steel in Latin he Process Cooling Implementation of division of Thermax CCCT will eliminate the America bagged a major order by requirement of various Tsupplying three Closed Circuit other pumps and cooling Cooling Towers (CCCT) to Tata towers, and lower the power Steel’s Kalinganagar plant in consumption considerably, Odisha. The towers installed while maintaining the water for the ladle furnace and steel intake. The customer conducted a melting shops will help Tata steel feasibility study based on the achieve 10% of power saving. Thermax’s scope of technical analysis provided by work includes designing, Thermax, for the soft water Closed circuit cooling towers manufacturing, supplying and circuits in steel melting shop offer unmatched flexibility, supervising the plant and and found it to be more energy provide evaporative cooling and equipment for CCCT, for the ladle efficient than the conventional optimised solutions for various furnace and steel melting shop system in terms of its operating process requirements and (SMS). cost. climatic conditions, utilising multi- flow configuration.
s a part of the customer’s Commenting on the win, Unny Thermax wins drive to reduce energy says, “The need for reliability of consumption as well power supply coupled with energy- Rs. 279 crore Aas dependence on grid power, efficient technologies makes Thermax concluded a repeat order cogeneration a preferred choice for order for a of INR 279 crore from a leading customers, where we have secured public-sector fertiliser company to multiple orders recently.” The scope cogeneration set up their captive cogeneration of supply includes designing, plant at Trombay. The project is for engineering, manufacturing, plant a GTG (Gas Turbine Generator) - construction and commissioning of cum-HRSG (Heat Recovery Steam the cogeneration plant within a time Generator) based cogen plant of span of 24 months. 50 MW capacity on an EPC basis.
5 Expressions
s this issue of Fireside view the situation with cautious normally coincides with our optimism – amidst rising cost AAnnual Report and AGM, I’d of crude oil in the recent past, like to share a snapshot of our increase in interest rates and company’s performance. the run-up to the 2019 general elections in India. Moreover, In 2017-18, we posted a group rising protectionism across the revenue of 4,602 crore world poses a threat for trade, (Rs. 4,704 crore last year) and that could limit the potential a profit after tax of Rs. 231 emanating from a global crore (Rs. 216 crore). Barring economic recovery. a few sectors, private sector spending and investments It has been a year where we have in capacity building on the progressed well on our strategy of domestic front continued to be focusing on select international sluggish during the year. The markets, insulating the company economy was further impacted by from the cyclicality of the temporary disruptions post-GST Indian capital goods sector. We implementation and the distress bagged the highest-ever export of the Indian banking system order from a major industrial grappling with non-performing conglomerate in Africa and made assets (NPAs). inroads in the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) region with our However, though we began with first EPC based captive power a lower order booking, business plant project for a cement picked up in industries such as company. cement, metals, chemicals and refineries. Positive momentum With the acquisition in Poland in consumption-led sectors, and investment in our new capex investments in refineries manufacturing facility in “It has been a year to comply with the new Bharat Indonesia, we have strategically VI norms and the thrust on expanded our product where we have captive cogeneration for energy manufacturing footprint and are efficiency yielded opportunities poised to benefit from growth in progressed well on our for Thermax. the east European and ASEAN markets respectively over time. strategy of focusing All of these culminated in Our businesses have diversified on select international Thermax’s consolidated order their sales network into new booking increase by 45.2% to countries, the latest addition markets, insulating Rs. 6,380 crore (Rs. 4,394 crore). being a sales office in Istanbul. Revenue from international We look forward to understanding the company from the business was higher by 13.2% at these markets in depth and the Rs. 1,794 crore compared to kind of products and services cyclicality of the Indian Rs. 1,585 crore in the previous customers are looking for. With year. capital goods sector. regard to our subsidiaries, the Though it looks like a promising Danstoker group did not do well, year ahead, signalling a predominantly on account of turnaround after almost a cost overruns as well as a lower decade-long slump, we should top line growth. China on the other hand, has been languishing
6 for a while and hence since last when Anu invited him on the process improvements that have year, it has been decided that Thermax Board years ago, he significantly made our offerings the facility will be used purely readily agreed. A big thank you to more competitive. as a manufacturing base for our you doc! I believe that innovation is not chillers. necessarily creating path-breaking As for Anu, what can I say, except technologies, but providing On the domestic front, Thermax heaps of gratitude! After the solutions that address the stated will be buying out B&W’s 49% sudden demise of my father, as well as the unstated needs of share in the JV, TBWES and she took over as Chairperson of our stakeholders and society at the company will be merged Thermax in 1996 and navigated large. into Thermax. We will receive the company through its B&W’s technology especially toughest times with support from Applying the same principle to our CSR activities, we felt that it’s for NOx reduction and have the our employees, leading to its time to revisit two of our projects - option of utilising the Shirwal turnaround. Although she retired as Chairperson in 2004, she has Leadership Institute for Teachers manufacturing facility for our (LIFT) and the Aakar Pune boilers. been our guiding light with regard to governance, values, culture and Aanganwadi project. We realised Our capacity-building efforts also social responsibility at Thermax. that these initiatives were not gathered momentum with the While she formally retires from creating the desired social impact and hence decided to discontinue commencement of production the Board, Anu will always be them. We will invest our time and at our chemical facility in Dahej available to all of us. While all of resources through NGOs, both in us will sorely miss their wisdom as also a state-of-the-art facility our current projects in Pune and at Sri City in Andhra, which will and timely guidance, I thank also around our manufacturing shortly begin production of vapour them on behalf of Thermax and facilities in Gujarat. absorption chillers. wish them good health and every happiness in their life ahead. Before signing off from this issue, I’d like to thank and congratulate on behalf of the organisation, Unny and his team for steering They have agreed to be featured in I’d like to take this opportunity the company through tough times. the Up Close section of Fireside. to bid the editor of Fireside, Our thanks to all our employees at Roshan farewell, as he retires from Thermax as also our customers, … Thermax after 20 years. Roshan vendor partners and business seamlessly took over Corporate associates for their support. Let This year’s Technology day Communications from Ahmed me also place on record our celebration at Thermax crossed and has been the custodian gratitude to our Board members, the 10-year milesone. Hearty of Fireside. We thank him for who are a continuous source of congratulations to Dr. Sonde his commitment and effective guidance to us all. and his team who did a great continuation of this wonderful job in organising the week-long legacy. We wish Roshan, his wife celebration – a series of games Lakshmi and their family the very … and activities that stimulated our best. people to think out-of-the-box. It Effective 8th August, Dr. was interesting to walk through We would also like to welcome Mashelkar and Anu will be the technology booths put up Swastika and her team to take retiring as directors from the by various divisions showcasing on the mantle of Corporate Board. Dr. Mashelkar spear- their solutions, that help in Communications and take headed the Innovation Council creating value for our customers. Fireside to newer heights. at Thermax and played a pivotal I’d also like to congratulate the role in setting up our new Dahej winners of this year’s ‘Dr. N.D. With warm regards, chemical plant. I remember that Joshi Innovation Award’ and Dr. Mashelkar wasn’t agreeing to team that lifted the rolling trophy Meher being on many boards, however, for highlighting product and
7 Up Close
“I wish that every employee upholds Thermax’s values not just on paper, but in true spirit.” As Dr. Raghunath or over three decades Anu read are very important in making Aga has been integral to your script. Though I was better Mashelkar and Anu Aga Thermax. Heading Thermax’s than my two brothers in studies, I retire from Thermax FHuman Resources, taking on the was constantly reminded that my Board this August, they mantle of the chairperson following main aim in life was to get married Rohinton Aga’s untimely death, and raise a family. Following the share their personal leading the company’s turnaround script, I happily inherited the and professional and setting the stage for its phase household responsibilities from journey, association of growth; stepping aside to make my mother-in-law and settled as way for a smooth succession and a homemaker. From time to time, with Thermax and creating a socially responsible I was engaged in some form their message to organisation – Anu’s humane of social work and also learnt the employees in a leadership and interventions have transactional analysis,” recalls Anu. contributed immensely to the glow conversation with of the Thermax brand. Then came the first major turning Swastika Mukherjee. point in her life when Mr. Aga It’s with mixed emotions that suffered a massive cardiac arrest Fireside bids adieu to Anu Aga that damaged a large part of his as she once again steps down heart and brain to such an extent voluntarily, this time as director that he couldn’t read, write or even from the Thermax Board. In this recognise Anu. “Since my kids were interaction, we have captured too young and ours was a private some highlights of her experience, limited company, well-wishers which will continue to guide us in suggested that I take interest in sustaining the values of Thermax the business. That’s when I joined and take it to newer heights. HR under Prasad Kumar who was extremely nurturing and helped me Though well known, for the benefit to transition from a housewife to a of hundreds of our new employees, working woman’s life. He suggested we ask Anu how she began her that I attend a programme which journey. She admits that she helped me gain self-awareness and wasn’t passionate about business, learn the skills of group work.” Over but destiny and circumstances time, she began enjoying her role brought her into the corporate as an HR professional. world. “Messages instilled in you during childhood mainly by parents, We ask her about some of her life’s teachers or even the books you unforgettable experiences.
8 “Due to Rohinton’s stroke, he had most of the ideas given by BCG, to learn to read and write all over but there were a few suggestions again. He was keen on tying his which we did not accept. Thanks to shoe laces and the physiotherapist the commitment of our employees advised him to tie a ribbon around and destiny being on our side, the his thigh for a month to eventually company turned around.” be able to tie his shoe lace and regain his right-hand grip. That When asked about the key night he was up practicing and by strategies that helped the morning, he was able to tie his shoe company turnaround she says, lace. Doctors had predicted that “We had diversified into too many due to the damage to his heart and businesses that added to our brain he would never be himself revenues but eroded our bottom again. However, Rohinton with his line and took a lot of management anger and determination mobilised time. For example, we were into himself and within two years he was software before Infosys and back to his normal self, taking CII Wipro, however managed it like an delegations abroad and authoring a engineering company in terms of book ‘Changing the Mindset’, which culture and pay scale; we went into “Strong ethical comprised his talks and articles wind energy, which was too early in Fireside. Being a perfectionist for its time. Eventually we exited practices have and never willing to compromise from most of these and decided to on high quality standards, he had stick to our core areas of energy seeped into our to work relentlessly.” This incident and environment. Streamlining culture, but we taught Anu a very important lesson: businesses meant the tough never give up and continue to have decision of asking people to leave. cannot say the same faith in yourself no matter what the We had to do it as the company’s experts say. survival was at stake.” for diversity.”
Soon after she had taken over, The entire Board had to be re- the country was going through a constituted. The old Board had prolonged industrial downturn. nine executive Board members and Thermax, which had by then gone four independent directors. In the public, went through its worst past, Mr. Aga would invite senior turmoil. The company posted an executives to be Board members operational loss and from Rs. 420, for their contribution; however, Thermax’ share price plunged to an when Thermax’s performance all-time low of Rs. 35. Convinced started deteriorating, it was difficult that the company needed external for the executive Board members help, Anu requested the Board to objectively evaluate their own to hire Boston Consulting Group performance. “These executives (BCG) to chalk out strategies for had given their lives for the the turnaround. “We accepted company and when asked to step down, they graciously accepted
9 the decision and continued with improved, we have a long way to something for the communities from the organisation.” The family had go. There is a misguided fear that if where our employees come.” She to decide whether to be on the we get system-driven, we will give would measure success of CSR not Board or continue as executives. up our human touch.” only by the amount we spend, but It was a tough decision for Meher also the voluntary involvement of and Pheroz, who were used to an “Strong ethical practices have our employees in large numbers. executive role as well as being seeped into our culture; but we directors on the Board; but they cannot say the same for diversity.” She also believes that business decided to be non-executive She points out that we don’t have houses often focus only on directors. enough women in Thermax and that turnover and profits while assuming we can change the situation if we that whatever happens in the Anu also highlighted that the are determined to make it happen. environment is not their business, company had to revive its appetite “We don’t hire adequate numbers of but that of NGOs, activists and for innovation. Some early setbacks different communities or differently the government. “If we corporates created a mindset of discouraging abled people. We are very come together and raise our anything that may not work. “We engineering-biased and therefore collective voices, we can make a realised that innovation comes cognitive diversity is missing - there significant difference”, says Anu along with mistakes. We also are areas where we might do better when citing the success of the learnt that innovation requires a with non-engineers. Thermax can ‘Save Pune’ movement, which lot of discipline and should not grow to its full potential if we work compelled the authorities to revoke be misconstrued as jugaad. We as a united team and not be limited some decisions and stall a few need to prove our worth, using our by our divisional and departmental others. imagination, creativity and skills to silos; if we are truly innovative and develop technologically superior customer centric.” What about the next phase of products and services that are her life? “I will continue spending constantly value adding for our Anu is very fond and proud of time with my family and friends; customers. I must compliment her company and is grateful to be involved with the social sector, Unny and his team for growing the the Board and every employee – especially Akanksha and Teach company, while not compromising all of whom have given their full for India. I love to travel and enjoy on our ethical standards.” support, commitment and affection. Mahableshwar and my London Her wish is that every employee apartment. My husband and When asked about what concerns upholds the Thermax values not I always had a soft corner for she has for Thermax, she pointed just on paper, but in true spirit. She both these places. I also have out that the company should never publicly would like to acknowledge to create time for completing shy away from demanding the that without the continuous and my autobiography, which I have best from our employees. “Every steadfast support as well as promised my daughter… for now, human being would like to do well affection from Meher and Pheroz, this should keep me busy and out and by being lenient and not giving she doubts if she could have of mischief!” the right rating which may mean managed her life. ‘did not meet expectations’, we are being unfair to the employee Anu would like to see an expansion of Thermax’s CSR initiatives.“Today … and not investing in them. She also felt Thermax is still very we have our factories at many people-dependent and although locations and we cannot be only our systems and processes have Pune-centric. So, we want to do
10 “Thermax is a unique company, which does both CSR 1.0 and CSR 2.0.”
hirty nine honorary Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi doctorates and numerous as a part of the move to reverse our international awards & country’s brain drain. He joined the Thonours are only glimpses of his National Chemical Laboratory and extraordinary contribution to the the rest is history. His significant field of science and engineering. contributions to globally competitive As he retires from the Board of technologies, particularly his Thermax this August, Fireside had breakthrough research on the privilege of a tête-à-tête with polymers won him accolades of Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar on a the highest order. Some of his Sunday morning, as he returned latest achievements include his from an eventful week and was becoming the first person from heading for another one. India to be elected to the US National Academy of Inventors and The story behind the making of an invitation as a jury for the Queen Dr. Mashelkar is an inspiration to Elizabeth prize, a Nobel prize many. Having lost his father at a “Curiosity is equivalent in engineering. very young age, his poor widowed fundamental as it mother could not afford notebooks When we asked him about the or shoes, and he spent many nights secret for excellence in R&D, he leads to creativity studying under street lights, while says, “Curiosity is fundamental as and creativity he walked barefoot to a municipal it leads to creativity and creativity school. Despite ranking 11th in the triggers innovation. The quality of triggers innovation. Maharashtra State Board (SSC) life we have today is an outcome Exam, he was planning to give up of centuries of research and The quality of life studies to support his mother, when innovation.” He explained further we have today is an the Tata scholarship helped him by giving the example of his pursue further education. “I never pathbreaking work in developing outcome of centuries imagined that someday Ratan Tata stimuli-responsive polymers, which and I will sign in the same book paved the way for specialised of research and one after the other, as Foreign applications, for example intelligent innovation.” Fellows of the prestigious American drug delivery systems. This Academy of Arts & Science”, he research won him the Fellowship says. He left attractive academic of the Royal Society, where he positions and returned to India on received the honour of signing a a special invitation from the then book bearing signatures of the
11 world’s greatest scientists, including deprived sections of society. In fact, bed. I do not consider myself as a Sir Isaac Newton. to me, the ‘T’ in Thermax stands for cricket fan but a fanatic and love Trust.” reading biographies”. His family So, what stimulated the scientist comprises his wife Vaishali, who is in Dr. Mashelkar? “Once while At Thermax, Dr. Mashelkar brought an artist and three children Shruti, demonstrating the experiment of together some of the great minds Shubhra and Amey. focussing sunlight through a convex in India and chaired the ‘Innovation lens on a piece of paper till it burns, Council’ to make innovation the On a concluding note, he conveys my science teacher Principal Bhave Thermax way of life. He helped the his message to Thermax saying, turned to me and said that if you Chemical division in developing “As Thermax is on the path of a focus, you can achieve anything speciality polymers with reduced turnaround, innovation will be the in life. This experiment opened my costs and superior performance, key to take it to the next level of mind to the power of science and deriving more from less. He exponential growth and recreate the power of focused efforts.” explains, “I term the traditional the magic of 2011, when they hit model of doing well and doing the billion dollar mark with a 50% Speaking of his association with good as CSR 1.0, where a part of plus growth. Thermax has led the Thermax, he fondly remarks, “It the surplus wealth from corporates energy behaviour of the nation in was love at first sight; my life would goes back to people. However, the the past, from oil & coal to biomass not have been complete without need of the hour is the next step and can do so for the future with Thermax. I first met Rohinton and i.e. CSR 2.0 which is doing well technologies like fuel cells, where Anu Aga in the mid-eighties and by doing good, where companies Dr. Sonde and his team have made instantly struck a chord with them. engage in the business that great inroads. All that is needed is I admire the way Anu steered the benefits society at large. Thermax trust and investment in innovation, turnaround journey of Thermax. is a unique company, which does bold decisions and the belief that When she and Meher offered both CSR 1.0 and CSR 2.0.” ‘yes, we can’. Speaking of his bond me the role of a director, I had with Thermax he says, “You can no second thoughts and came He is a strong proponent of take Mashelkar out of Thermax, but onboard in 2008.” Being associated ‘Affordable Excellence’. Inspired not Thermax out of Mashelkar. We as an independent director with by his mother’s compassion he are inseparable.” over a dozen reputed companies, constituted the ‘Anjani Mashelkar he considers Thermax as one of Inclusive Innovation Award,’ after the most exceptional Boards, where her demise which recognises … meetings are like family gatherings! inventions that are of high quality and at the same time affordable “I knew Thermax for its three like an ECG scan for five rupees or Es – Engineering, Energy and breast cancer screening for a dollar. Environment. However, after joining the company, I discovered the “Unlike instant coffee, there is additional Es, which created the no instant success”, says Dr. foundation for them – Excellence in Mashelkar. “Even today I work 24 behaviour and governance; Ethics x 7 which barely leaves me with that has always triumphed over the time for leisure, except for listening lure of profits andEmpathy for the to classical music before going to
12 Largest boiler installation Round up in Thailand
Biomass fired boiler supplied by B&H to Thailand
hermax’s B&H business has that Thermax has supplied in are installed at Korach’s 65 MW consolidated its presence Thailand. The scope of contract cogeneration plant located at in the South East Asian comprised design, engineering, Nakornsawan Province,Thailand, Tmarket with 140 units supplied to manufacturing, commissioning generating steam for the sugar region’s sugar industry. Recently, and supervision of construction mills and captive power for the it commissioned 2 x 200 TPH done by a Thai contractor. entire complex. Excess electricity high-pressure boilers at the Thai produced will be sold to the The single drum top-supported sugar major, Korach Industry national grid (EGAT) under a travelling grate boilers use Company Limited. The boilers power purchase agreement. bagasse and wood chips as are the highest capacity units fuel. Along with auxiliaries, they International seminar highlights Thermax’s CFBC boilers Ravinder Advani (centre) with guest speakers from various academies/industries. ey customers of adaptability for co-combustion of manufactured and commissioned Thermax appreciated the coal and biomass are emerging as nine CFBC high-pressure boilers of superior performance the preferred option for sustainable 500 TPH each for RIL. Kof the company’s boilers at power generation. Holiram Chinni, VP, O&M at the third international seminar Kirit Brahmbhatt, Head – Centre Meenakshi Energy Limited on Circulating Fluidised Bed of Excellence Technology (Power presented a case study of coal- Combustion (CFBC) Technology in & Utilities) from Reliance (RIL) fired CFBC boiler in utility power February 2018. presented a paper outlining their generation. The case study Organised by Indian Power experience of setting up and focused on 2 x 495 TPH re-heat Management Academy (IMPA), operating thermal power plants CFBC boilers supplied by Thermax the seminar brought together at Hazira and Dahej in Gujarat. generating 300 MW of reliable technology experts and He highlighted Thermax’s CFBC power for an independent power industry leaders. With norms for boilers and congratulated the producer (IPP) in Nellore. greenhouse gas emissions getting team for its execution capabilities. stringent, CFBC boilers with their Thermax has designed,
13 Developing business skills through interactive and experiential sessions
Festvati reporting
he week-long Learning Fest provided a vibrant platform to develop business skills Tusing fun and impactful learning experiences. The theme for the second year of the fest was ‘Incremental Innovation’. product & process improvements. The event concluded with an This year’s fest also had booth insightful session by the renowned Through interactive and games like chess, darts, mini-golf, economist, Dr. Ajit Ranade on experiential sessions such as snakes & ladders, among others. the topic ‘Geopolitical trends story-telling, illustrations, movie- The event’s own mascot, ‘Festvati’ and its impact on the Indian making and gaming, employees promoted a four-day online quiz manufacturing sector.’ gained insights into customer conversations, macro-economic that saw participation from over trends, project management and 450 employees. #breakupwithplastic
Reiterating the importance of sustainability
his year’s World development, employees took posted selfies on social media Environment Day part in several stimulating highlighting the use of suitable celebrations on 5th of activities – planting saplings, alternatives to plastic. With the TJune 2018 saw a phenomenal slogan and quiz contests. hashtag #breakupwithplastic, participation from the regional they focused on the sustainability In another initiative, taking forward work centres of Thermax. concept of ‘refuse and reuse.’ this year’s global theme of ‘Beat Centered on the theme of Plastic Pollution’, employees environment and sustainable
14 PHOTONEWS
Thermax receives the CNBC Awaaz CEO Award
Thermax was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Engineering Solution Provider’ award for its inspiring journey, credentials in innovation and path-breaking contribution to the engineering sector at the CNBC Awaaz CEO Awards. A glimpse of Unny receiving the award from the Chief Minister of Chattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh at the ceremony held in Raipur.
Trikona Trail Walk
Fitness-cum-fun walk
he Enviro and WWS teams fitness-cum-fun hike to Trikona the team members bond naturally. jointly decided to break Fort, near Pawna Dam. “Everyone loved it, and we are away from the daily routine planning to go on more such The cool breeze and the walk Tof office. So, on a weekday of walks,” says Harshada Gaikwad. through a picturesque hiking trail 1st June, 2018, a total of 114 was a refreshing change from the employees turned up for the office environment and helped
15 Weaving the ‘Honeycomb’
Core team of Project Honeycomb
n initiative codenamed technical competency within the significantly contributed to the Project Honeycomb has organisation. project. comprehensively mapped As a result of the exercise, 243 roles At the end, the core team created Athe technical skills of Thermax have been identified and mapped a Technical Competency dictionary employees across functions – to 92 competencies and 222 and a Learning Architecture proposals, detailed engineering, technical skills. This has set a base book. These form the foundation supply chain management, for planned career progression. for moving on to a ‘skill based manufacturing, construction, project organisation culture.’ A digital management, commissioning, The project comprised a learning platform and several operation & maintenance, service, 117-member team, including HR HR processes are integral to this quality and commercial. The associates and cluster owners, who initiative. objective of this five-month long were made accountable for each initiative that commenced on function. Subject Matter Experts October 1, 2017 was to develop (SMEs) from all business verticals
Regional team at the customer outreach programme
In Touch with South hermax organised an and Coimbatore to learn about the areas to address their specific insightful evening for its company’s products, services, and requirements. customers from the southern technological innovations. The session organised by the Tregion as part of In Touch, the As most customers represented regional team has become a customer outreach programme the textile and rice industries, useful platform for customers to that started in 2010. Held in Tirupur Thermax customised its share their expectations, future in March, the session saw 135 offerings from heating, cooling, requirements and feedback on customers joining in from Tirupur chemicals, water & wastewater Thermax’s services.
16 Sandeep Kokare with his team Thermax Material Testing Lab gets NABL Accreditation he Material Testing NABL accredited labs to carry accreditation project says that the Laboratory of Heating out mechanical and metallurgical certification “would mainly benefit business, C&H division tests. The latest Indian Boiler divisions like B&H, C&H, power Twas successfully certified by the Regulations (IBR) mandate also and their service businesses National Accreditation Board stipulates that projects such and also help in saving time for Testing and Calibration as condition assessment (CA) and money, given the reduction Laboratories (NABL). and residual life assessment in need for testing materials at (RLA), should comply with the outside labs which are NABL The accreditation is important requirement of an in-house NABL accredited.” as Government sector tenders accredited testing laboratory. specify NABL accreditation as The project was completed under a prime requirement and many Sandeep Kokare, who the guidance of Rangnath Joshi. of Thermax’s customers’ prefer currently heads the lab and the
Chillers at Yemen
Aden Mall, Yemen; inset: chiller at NAD Foods
he Cooling division Cold water from the chiller is used by Thermax in Yemen, the first a of Thermax recently for air conditioning the mall, one 300 TR chiller for NAD Foods, a commissioned a multi- of the most popular destinations in supplier of milk, food products Tenergy driven chiller of 700 TR the city of Aden. The mall situated and fruit juice. Here, chilled water capacity at Aden Mall, Yemen. 10 kms from Aden airport was from the single effect hot water The chiller runs on jacket hot partially destroyed during the war driven chiller is used for process water and steam generated from and is undergoing re-construction. cooling during the production the exhaust of a 2.5 MW diesel cycle. This is the second order bagged engine, with backup diesel firing.
17 News from Trade Fairs
ICCI 2018, Istanbul Cooling, B&H, Power and Solar businesses of Thermax presented their expertise and solutions at the Energy and Environment Fair and Conference (ICCI) 2018 organised at Istanbul by Power-Gen in May. The three-day event saw participation from 130 companies across the world and visitors from all parts of Turkey, Iran and Libya. Thermax’s brochures in Turkish enabled better customer- connect.
ICCI
Boilex Asia, Bangkok At Boilex Asia 2018 hosted in June at Bangkok, Thermax exhibited its cooling & heating systems along with water & wastewater products to visitors from across South East Asia. The team also presented a technical paper on its latest combustion technologies in process heating boilers.
BOILEX
Rice & Pulses Tech Expo, Assam In April 2018, Thermax participated in this event focused on the rice and food grains markets of Assam. At Guwahati’s Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, Heating, Water and the service divisions of Thermax showcased their products and offerings such as Combipac, Huskpac, Com-bloc, Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and accessories.
18 Limelight Pramod gains post graduate Diploma Pramod Sarvagod, completed his two-year post graduate diploma in Operations Management with distinction. The course from Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute, Mumbai, was a hybrid learning course, which was a mix of online and distance learning. Pramod works with WWS and has been with Thermax for over 11 years. Pramod likes to play cricket in his spare time and used to represent athletics at district level by running relay races of 100, 200 and 400 Pramod metres. Siddhesh completes online courses from NPTEL Siddhesh Inamdar, recently completed two online courses from NPTEL (National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning). NPTEL is an initiative by the seven Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science for creating online courses. Siddhesh, an employee with WWS scored 90% in course one, for which he received an elite class distinction; a gold medal and 82% with an elite class distinction in course two. Siddhesh’s personal favourites are sketching, playing the guitar and writing Siddhesh travel blogs. Bakhtawar Battiwalla elected Hon. Treasurer of IASAP Bakhtawar Battiwalla was recently elected as the Hon. Treasurer of the Indian Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals (IASAP). IASAP is a non-profit organisation that promotes professional excellence of the secretarial and administrative cadre. It operates across six Indian cities including Mumbai and Pune. Bakhtawar, who has been with Thermax administration for the past 20 years, was judged by IASAP as the Best Bakhtawar Administrative Professional from the Pune Region in 2010. Krishna, a certified PMP professional Krishna Manda, recently completed his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam in February 2018, from Project Management Institute (PMI), USA. Krishna is also a certified Energy Auditor. Krishna has been with Power SPP division since 2011. Krishna enjoys playing chess and solving Rubik’s cube.
Krishna
19 Signposts
The scammers gaming India’s overcrowded market
In aspirational India where young people with no prospects try to close the gap between illusion and reality, the lines between money and morality get blurred and many end up as victims of scams or as operators of rackets. An extract from Snigdha Poonam’s breakthrough book of reportage, Dreamers.
n mid-2017, a few months Faced with this lack of opportunity, Then, while scanning job websites after I had moved to Delhi to many turn to rioting. Within months one day, I saw the ads: a mix of work for a national newspaper, of returning to full-time reporting, keywords that seemed designed II began to browse job websites. I had covered two large urban for the ambitious young jobseeker: Every other day, an Indian news youth revolts, in which entire cities “International BPO. Zero years’ report underlines the gap between had been shut down as people experience. 40% english required. jobs and jobseekers. In 2016, in demanded quotas in education One-day training. Fast career one municipality, 19,000 people and jobs – today, young people growth – a life is what you make.” applied for 114 jobs; among from agricultural castes want to In 2017, a call-centre job at a BPO those competing to be a street work in offices and not farms. I (a business process outsourcing sweeper were thousands of college wondered what other options were company) doesn’t have the appeal graduates, some with engineering open to them. it did a decade or so ago. The and MBA degrees. industry has lost value over the
20 years because of poor oversight, said our lives depended on it. She south-east Delhi for the “training”. and competing markets including said we weren’t ideal candidates When we arrived, we queued up the Philippines and US prisons. – she was not satisfied with either and paid 1,000 rupees to enter But it’s still a job. our English or our confidence – the classroom. We sat down and but she was going to offer us jobs were asked to introduce ourselves At the bottom of such job adverts anyway. by our trainer, a young man in is the name and number of an a snug T-shirt, loose jeans and “HR”, a middleman between Using the back of one of our spiked hair. He then pointed out a jobseeker and a placement fake resumés, she wrote down numerous flaws in our speech and agency. One day, a colleague a jumble of words that followed confidence. He gave us a formula and I called one of them. The up on the promise of the ad: for the perfect introduction (“your middleman wasn’t interested in “International exposure, night shift, name, where you are from, where knowing anything about us – he 20,000 rupees [£ 232] salary, 30% you live, your education, your simply told us to expect a text increment every three months.” experience, and your hobbies”) message after the call, and to She even gave us a slip of paper and the best way to end it: “Thank follow the instructions. The text confirming our employment: you. That’s all about me.” invited us to an interview at a “We are pleased to inform you recruitment office in west Delhi, that you are hereby selected for Spoken English is key to a call- where we were supposed to hand CCE (Customer Care Executive) centre job, he reminded us. He over the code at the bottom of the in the BPO department of our said there was no word in English message. organisation.” The slip did not state he couldn’t pronounce: “Zoo, the name of the organisation. Alpha, Nancy, pleasure, treasure, The next morning, we went to the vision.” When he had finished address, which was in a business When can we join the company, showing off, he told us all about centre in an unfashionable part we asked. Next week, she said. his personal journey, from a of the city. Our interviewer – a But before that, we would have to village in Bihar to a call-centre in woman wearing a sequinned go to another part of town for our Gurugram, a technology hub just green kurta, dark brown lipstick one-day training – details to follow outside Delhi. “It doesn’t matter and brightly painted nails – told in another text – and before we left where you are from if you have us to introduce ourselves, and we the room, we had to give her 500 a plan,” he said. Someone in the obliged in our best “40% English”. rupees each for coming this far class asked him what his plan I was a high-school graduate from along. was. “I work for money,” he said. Uttar Pradesh for the day, and … “Career should follow money.” my colleague was posing as an equally qualified cousin. The text message came in as Later, I would remember one of promised, and directed us to an the first things he had said after The interviewer asked us how even more obscure address in entering the class. “How many much success mattered to us. We
21 “The way to scam Indians is to promise them jobs – the fulfilment of their most cherished dream.”
of you know the meaning of mention the name or address of Saluja didn’t like the company’s ‘manipulate’? Have you ever taken the company. Everyone is told to work culture: the hours were long someone for a ride?” By the time expect another text message with and the targets unrealistic. He quit he was done, most people in the further details. One young man we the company after three weeks class looked baffled by how little met that day, Pradeep Saluja, left and went back home. they had learned about their jobs the building thinking that he was So you were working for a call- in spite of paying handsomely for about to start working in customer centre scam, I suggested to him. the training. All they wanted was service for Amazon, as the job ad “You could say that,” he said. He to start the jobs they had been had promised. told me it wasn’t a terrible gig for promised. But we were then led to When I called him a month later, someone truly in need of a job. another floor, divided into groups Saluja told me that the job had He asked me if I had got one yet. and sent for a fresh round of in fact turned out to be in a small I said I hadn’t. Within five minutes interviews. office with a strange name, in of ending the call, I got a message This time we faced actual Gurugram. He was given a script from him with the number of the representatives of companies to memorise and asked to get on company’s HR. interested in hiring us. When it the phone, along with 50 other was my turn, I told my interviewer “executives” of a similar age. … that I had already been hired by The job was easy, he said. All he her company. She said she would Six months before I met Saluja, had to do was call people in the still like to be sure of something. the police raided a seven-storey US from a list, introduce himself “Sell me this phone,” she said, call centre in Mumbai and arrested as Charles, and tell them they pointing at the mobile phone in my hundreds of youngsters for posing were under federal investigation hand. I did my best to expound on as officers of the US tax office and for tax evasion. One out of 10 its battery life and camera. After cheating people out of hundreds of people would freak out, he said. At challenging my colleague to the millions of dollars. the first hint of panic in their voice, same task, she said we should Saluja told them he was going Two months before the raid, two wait for a call from the company. to transfer the call to a different employees of the call centre Many jobseekers leave their department, where one of his had contacted the Federal Trade training with appointment letters seniors would help them pay their Commission in Washington to asking them to report to work the taxes through an online money tip them off. I spoke to one of the next week. These letters never transfer. whistleblowers, 19-year-old Pawan
22 Poojary, on the phone. He hadn’t Poojary told me. “The moment he “Many people started crying on always hated his job, he told said this, I knew something was the phone,” Poojary told me. When me. He had joined the company wrong. I asked him: ‘Is it a scam?’ that happened, he would ask knowing he would be a scammer. He said it was, and told us that if them to drive out to their nearest He was a college dropout looking anyone had a problem, they could department store and buy an for a way to make “lots of money”. leave. Only two people left.” The Apple gift card worth hundreds of One day he got a call from an HR remaining eight were given a six- dollars. He would then transfer the who had seen his resume on a page script. call to a senior who collected the jobs website and thought he was code on the back of the card. It went like this: “My name is perfect for a job. Paul Edward and I am with Poojary loved it. “I was having After Poojary came in for an the department of legal affairs, so much fun,” he told me. And interview, the company appointed with United States Treasury he was good at it: in just two him as a “closer”, the person department. My badge ID is months, he “earned” $ 24,000 to whom an “opener” such as IRD7613. We called to inform you for the company. He was thrilled Saluja passes on a call after about a legal case filed under your at his ability to scam Americans, the introduction. The salary was name by Internal Revenue Service who, according to his friends 15,000 rupees (£175) a month, under which you are listed as a and colleagues, considered plus incentives. “Whatever I made Primary Suspect.” themselves superior to the rest of in dollars in one call, I would be the world. Poojary read it out to me in his paid twice the amount in rupees,” best American accent, which he But by the end of the same week, Poojary told me. In other words, had perfected by the end of his he decided he couldn’t do it any he kept less than 1/30 of the take. first week. He insisted that I play more. “I was on the phone with He says he was asked to come for along as the unwitting American. an American lady from California training the next day. No matter what I said, Poojary or Texas. I told her the script. She The trainer started by asking had a readymade response from started crying. She said she had the 10 new recruits if they had a list of “rebuttals” in the script, no money, that she was about to heard of the IRS. He spelled it out including the line that settled the go to a food bank to get her son for them. Everyone shook their matter once and for all: “The police something to eat. I felt miserable. head. “Then he explained that department, along with our IRS I was like: ‘How would I feel if we were going to call Americans investigation officer, will be at your someone did this to my mother?’” [pretending to be] the IRS,” doorstep within 30 minutes.” Poojary put her on hold and told
23 “For thousands who end up at scam call centres in cities across India, impersonating tax officers, loan agents, or Apple executives, the job provides the thrill of cracking the code of American emotions.’’
his supervisor he couldn’t go particular about their privacy, their five years conjuring up viruses on through with that call. “It didn’t security, their individuality.” healthy computers. There’s one matter to him. He took the call over particularly popular justification This sociological wisdom powers from me and carried on.” scammers give themselves when a large chunk of the economy in torn between money and morality: satellite cities such as Noida and … as young men with no prospects, Gurugram, where entire districts they are the biggest victims – and For thousands who end up at are dedicated to call-centre scams. the whole world is a big scam. scam call centres in cities across “The best part about these India, impersonating tax officers, places,” said Vikas Tanwar, an … loan agents, Apple executives or ex-scammer, “is that you can cut-rate Viagra manufacturers, the easily get a job.” In what other Four months after we walked job provides the thrill of cracking place, he asked, would someone into the placement agency, my the code of American emotions. like him – just another jobseeker colleague and I had still not It is often these young Indians’ with a bachelor’s degree from a heard from the company we first experience of dealing with small-town college – receive a had interviewed for. One day we foreigners – scam call centres call from a company telling him searched for its name online. It did prefer to hire outsiders who are that he perfectly matches their have a websit. There was also a new to the big city – and their requirements? Some young list of the company’s clients, but success depends on how well they Indians shuttle between con none of those names returned any understand the weakness of the jobs for years, telling themselves useful search results. people on the other side. they will quit after just one more We decided to turn up at the These are just some of the broad month’s salary. address and claim our right to range of insights I have heard from It’s often just a matter of time a job, for which we had already current and former scammers: before the new recruits forget paid 1,500 rupees each. At the “In the US they don’t like to fix their life goals and start to thrill in reception, a small space with anything by themselves. If they their ability to pull off a scam. And lockers, a saggy black sofa and have any issue, they will call before they even know it, their anti-drugs posters on the walls, we customer care. This dependence ideas of right and wrong become informed a security manager that is their main problem.” blurry. “Whether it’s fraud or not we needed to see someone in the depends on perspective,” said HR department. We were handed “In America, they are very one young man who has spent application forms and asked to
24 “In what other place would another jobseeker with a bachelor’s degree from a small-town college receive a call from a company telling him that he perfectly matches their requirements?” wait to be called for interview. offered her a job. It seemed like a she participated in the scam while regular call-centre job until, at the fully aware of what she was doing. I was called in first. A woman end of her training on the first day “You think because the people behind a table was looking of work, she was handed a script. who run these call centres are at my CV and circling entries For two months, Kapoor called making so much money every day, with a pen. I told her that I had nearly 50 people from a list every you might as well make some of it an appointment letter from a day – Indians and Indian migrants while you are here,” said Kapoor. placement agency confirming this to the Gulf countries – always job. She said it meant nothing. The way to scam Indians at such opening with the same line: “Do “Can you sell me this phone?” she a scale, apparently, is to promise you want a job or a job change?” said, tossing her own on the table. them jobs – the fulfilment of their I repeated my past performance, If they said yes, she directed most cherished dream. At least word for word. After my colleague them to a jobs website and told some of those responding to ads was put through the same drill, we them to register their profiles, at promising mass openings and were told to leave the building and a cost of 4,000 rupees. Then she unlimited incentives will end up wait to hear from the company. transferred the call to a closer, landing a job – even if that job is who would offer a suite of career- just to scam other jobseekers. By this time, I had been boosting services – designer interviewed for this job four times, resume, social media profile and was intrigued to discover what Adapted from the Guardian builder, live interview preparation extract of the book, Dreamers: I would be selling, if I ever got in. etc – crafted to close any How Young Indians Are One day I found the online profile Changing the World remaining gap between them and of someone who mentioned the by Snigdha Poonam their dream job. company’s name as a previous … employer. I sent her a message “No one ever got any job. Nothing on Facebook, and she replied to was what it seemed to be. say that she was glad someone Everything was a lie,” said Kapoor, saw the mention. “I wanted people who learned the truth about her to know what the company is all job within a week. “If clients called about,” she said. back threatening to file a police complaint, the company refunded Sona Kapoor, 23, came to Delhi the fee, but we got only four such from Uttar Pradesh in 2016 and calls every day.” I asked her why joined the first company that
25 Voices
At Home and the World
hen it is time Thermax is a far better workplace to Here’s one I learned from Ahmed, to say goodbye after merit such a cynical approach. my predecessor. He used to say 33 years of that communication should be Wcommunication work for companies Or, should I adopt some TED contemplative action and, by way (20 for Thermax), there’s the talker’s line about feeling humbled of illustrating the idea, he brought formal job of handing over files and to leave behind for the amazingly in the example of the archers of our documents. Beyond that, there is talented new generation, those North East. A trained archer would the expected and essential transfer (equally incredible) insights? That walk around the target, pause and of knowledge: the understanding won’t do. Too phoney for my taste. take aim, change his stance, walk that resides not in files and folders, a few steps to another spot, view but in the minds and hearts of There’s no standard way of the target from another angle. practitioners of a discipline. Happily, extracting some sense from This would go on, sometimes for a the remarkable editorial freedom that amorphous ragbag called boringly long time. Then, with a new that communication professionals experience. So, let me potter around purpose, the archer will stride to enjoy within Thermax enables such my unkempt garden and gather one spot, take aim, point the arrow a transfer. a sheaf of remembrances. Or, and release the bow. Hits the bull’s lessons, if that suits the occasion. eye. So,what do I tell the new team of Swastika and Chitra and Akansha?
Should I borrow the words of Bernard Shaw to say that this job was a sort of splendid torch that I wanted to burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations? I am no Shaw and here that would sound pompous.
Should it be the Soviet era joke about succession – the one about those two envelopes that Stalin left behind for his successor Khruschev, asking him to open the first when the first real threat to his chair emerges, and the second one only in a truly hopeless situation? Years later, on opening the first envelope, Krushchev read, ‘Blame everything on Stalin.’ Much later, when he felt his time was up, he opened Stalin’s second life-saver. Again, just one line: ‘Prepare two envelopes.’ No,
26 Yes, jumping into activity is all internal news platforms and not there is a surfeit of visuals in today’s too easy, and especially so with from the mass media. Secondly, the world and smart phones have communication which often can thought that a wider public will be reduced conversations to emojis give the illusion of action. Like reading the housemag, influences and memes, language will prevail. Chaplin running up the escalator… the choice and presentation of Even if the whole world is burning Instead, it would work better if we editorial material.Though we may down or if astronomers discover bring in a little thoughtfulness, ask not have succeeded every time, nine more earths, and even if the for more – more of information, there is always a sense of care, a cameras are live streaming these photographs, perspectives, a better touch of finesse that this publication epochal events, we will still need brief, more of everything – and wait has aspired to. words to tell ourselves what’s for ideas to mature. Now that the happening and why they happened. Alfonso season is over, many of us Today, digital platforms and the will again remember the difference social media have extended the At Thermax, we are fortunate to between the disappointing taste communicators’ horizons. Their have the legacy of Rohinton Aga, of mangos hastily brought to the versatility in integrating text and one of those rare business leaders market for quick bucks, and the video, quick access and their who could use plain English glorious ripeness that comes from phenomenal reach make them eloquently to explain, to express sunlight and the quiet days of exciting tools. But as with traditional and to communicate. Read his waiting. forms of communication from an articles and you will see that he earlier time, they too demand the used language not to fog or to Let me bring in another visual: of same attention to detail and fact confuse, but to clarify and to make a child sitting at a window or on checks. More so, especially when things meaningful. This legacy a wall, looking at the world, one speed, so integral to the digital of clear communication should leg inside and the other dangling world, can also derail the best of continue across media, across outside. That image of being, at the intentions. The old sentinels of platforms to position Thermax as a same time, at home and the world journalism – what, when, where, warm and living entity. outside – if only organisational who, how – are still essential communication can achieve that when we put together a story or harmony while engaging with a communique, be it on Thermax employees and the outside world. website or Twitter, Fireside or Now, websites can be accessed Facebook. by anyone, employees or external public. Still, the challenge of We must be clear-eyed about what crafting communication for different new technologies can accomplish. audiences remain. Much before Let me share this anecdote digital communication dissolved attributed to Jean Cocteau, the boundaries between inside and poet and filmmaker, as he made outside, Fireside had attempted the crucial distinction between the such a composite conversation by medium and the message. When reaching out to both employees Cocteau in the 1950s was told that and the external public, in one go. there is no future for films unless Not many house magazines do they are made for the wide screen that. This approach was not limited technology of cinemascope, he only to Fireside and it has had two remarked that next time when he consequences inside Thermax: writes a poem, he will ask for a one, barring some rare instance, bigger sheet of paper. Thermax employees get to hear – A.M. Roshan about their company first from Finally, there is language. Though ([email protected])
27 Slice of Life A case of having the cake and eating it too This advertisement landed the anti-piracy group, The Business Software Alliance (BSA), in an embarrassing situation. The image of the pot of gold used in the anti-piracy ad was allegedly stolen. That image was actually a picture of a delicious St. Patrick’s Day cake baked by one of the users at Cakecentral, an online community site for cake professionals. When this was pointed out to the BSA, they declined to comment, but immediately pulled down the photo. It remains to be seen if the person who posted the picture of the cake asks for both licensing fee and for unauthorised use.
Source: www.petapixel.com Entries And this image of ballerinas at Bolshoi Theatre, just before a performance, for comic watching the Russia-Spain match fiction award fail to amuse judges The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction, which has been running since 2000, goes to the novel deemed to best capture the comic spirit of the late PG Wodehouse. The prize’s winner is usually presented with a case of champagne and a rare breed pig named after their winning novel at the annual Hay literary festival. None of the 62 novels submitted for the 2018 award generated ‘unanimous laughter’ among the jury. Instead they managed to provoke only “wry smiles.” So, the judges decided to withhold the prize this year “to maintain the extremely high standards that the prize represents.”
Source : BBC News
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