MAN OF MANAGEMENT: BAKUL DHOLAKIA

Known for his 33-year contribution to IIMA, Bakul Dholakia has 42 years of professional experience. Currently serving as an Advisor to Adani Group, he is a man of finances and economics. Dr. Dholakia is a Gold Medalist from Baroda University and he has a Doctorate in Economics.

THE 42 YEARS

Presently Bakul Dholakia is the financial advisor of Mr Gautam Adani, of the Adani group of industries and The Director of Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhuj and Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, Ahmedabad.
Bakul Dholakia was the ninth director of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad from October 2002 to October 2007. Today, he continues to teach Economics at the institute.
During the tenure, Dr. Dholakia occupied the Reserve Bank of India Chair from 1992 to 1999.
He was Dean, IIM A from April 1998 to June 2001.
He had earlier served as the Chairman of the MBA Program and also as the Chairman of Economics Area.
Prior to joining IIMA, Dr. Dholakia was a faculty at Maharaja Sayajirao University.

JAWDROPPING ACHIEVEMENTS

• Under the able leadership of Dr. Dholakia, IIM-A went from having 12 partner institutions for student exchange programs to 50 by 2006-07.
• He initiated the one-year program for management executives and the students in this batch got the highest salaries offered that year, right from the first batch.
• In November 2003, the Common Admission Test (CAT) papers got leaked for the first time in the 43-year history of the IIMs. IIM-A, which was the coordinator for the exams, came under severe criticism but Dr. Dholakia insisted that there was no way the papers could have leaked from the IIMA, and that is how the investigation got focused on the role of the printing press in Mumbai.
• Dr. Dholakia made Brand IIMA self-sufficient. The then HRD Minister Mr Murli Manohar Joshi had decided to ask the IIMs to cut their fees by 80 per cent. Dr.  Dholakia opposed this and as a mark of protest, he rejected the Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) grant IIM-A got from the ministry.
• Dr. Dholakia has highly researched areas like energy sector, fishery sector in India, economic planning, public enterprise management and privatization program.
• He has guided 19 PhD students specializing in Economics, Finance, Business Policy and Public Systems at IIMA.
• Dr. Dholakia is the author of 12 books, 28 monographs and more than 50 research papers published in professional journals in India and abroad.

 

POSITIONS HELD

• Since 2005, Dr. Dholakia has been rated as one of the most powerful personalities of Gujarat by various media groups
• Board Member of Reserve Bank of India Western Area Board from 1993 to 2001
• He is a Consultant to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank
• Government of India appointed Dr. Dholakia as the Chairman of the National Board of Accreditation for Technical Education in India (2005-2008)
• The Global Foundation for Management Education (GFME), jointly formed by the Associations of American and European Business Schools, has nominated Dr. Dholakia as a Member of the Board of GFME representing Asia
• Dr. Dholakia has served as the External Director on the Board of public and private sector companies
• He has worked on Rangarajan Committee on Pricing and Taxation of Petroleum Products (2006) and the Expert Group on Pension Fund constituted by the Government of India (2009)
• He has also been a member of the Jury for various Corporate Excellence Awards and Selection Committees for CEOs

Apart from all these, Bakul Dholakia is associated with various companies like ONGC, Arvind, Ashima, Torrent Power and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd. 

ACCOLADES

An icon like Dr. Dholakia cannot go unnoticed. He deserves many more awards and recognitions. Some of the bestowed accolades include:

• Padma Shri for Literature and Education in the year 2007
• Best Professor Award for his teaching in the Post-Graduate Program at IIMA
• Bharat Asmita National Award by the Honorable Chief Justice of India in 2008
• Honored by the Association of Indian Americans in North America (AIANA) at the World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey for his Visionary Leadership and Achievements in business education, in 2006
• Honored by Global Associations of Business Schools for contribution in the field of management education

Bakul Dholakia is a motivator through his work and values. He is the guiding force behind numerous initiatives and a man of management. His vision and strategic leadership have contributed a lot to the field of education in India.

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GOING THE GANDHI WAY

Hey Ram! You have yet not taken the peace tour on the Gandhi Circuit? Pack your bags and pay a tribute, this 142nd Gandhi Jayanti

The greatest tribute to the Father of the Nation can be given by walking on the path that he followed!! Gujarat is the land of Gandhi. He was born and brought up here, that is why it is full of places associated with Gandhiji. There is his birthplace, the places where he pursued his primary education and places related to the massive freedom struggle.

PORBANDAR

The journey should begin from where Mahatma Gandhi began his own! On a bright day of 2nd October, 1869, Mohandas Gandhi was born in a 3-storey blue haveli, his ancestral home in the city of Porbandar. Karamchand Gandhi: his father, his uncle and grandfather had all been prime ministers to the Jethwa Rajput rulers of this princely state.
The birthplace is now known as Kirti Mandir. Apart from historical importance, the place is an architectural marvel as well. Behind the birthpace, Kasturba Dham is situated. This is a unique place where the monuments of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba are adjacent to each other.The height of the temple is of 79 feet which symbolizes the 79 years of lifespan of Gandhiji.

Kirti Mandir houses a small museum about Gandhi, with an exhibit of old photographs, some of his very few possessions and a nice library of books either by him or relating to the Gandhian philosophy and practice.

RAJKOT/BHAVNAGAR

Mahatma Gandhi pursued his primary education from Alfred High School at Rajkot and Samaldas College at Bhavnagar. After his education too, Gandhiji had returned to Rajkot in 1939 to set up Rashtriyashala, the first of many institutions expressly incubating the values of Swaraj and instigating a sense of pride leading to freedom from the colonial rule. Today, the school imparts training and has initiated projects in weaving khadi, cotton and manual oil pressing. One should also pay a visit to Kaba no Delo in Rajkot, where Gandhi spent the early days of his life. Bhavnagar, on the other hand has the Gandhi Smriti, an institution built in memory of Mahatma Gandhi. It contains a library, a museum and  galleries of photograph depicting Gandhiji’s life.

AHMEDABAD

Once you enter the Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad, you are bound to feel the energy of the non-violent struggle for independence. The Ashram was established by Gandhiji on the banks of river Sabarmati in 1917, after the previous Kochrab Ashram had to be abandoned because of a breakout of plague. On the grounds of the place, there lies the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, a small museum that includes excellent pictorial and written documentation, a library of Gandhian literature and paintings, and an immense archive of letters written by Gandhiji, every single one on the back of used paper. The place includes the Hridaykunj, Gandhiji’s sparse living quarters, Vinoba-Mira Kutir, where Vinoba and Mira each stayed on separate visits, a prarthana bhumi, a guest house and a building used as a training center for cottage industries, all preserved as part of the museum. The Ashram buzzes with Gandhians who either work in the non-profit organizations on the grounds or volunteer in some or the other way to preserve the memorial.

DANDI

Dandi is almost a synonym of Gandhi, they rhyme well too! The historic landmark is in Surat, where the Namak Satyagraha, also known as the Dandi March ended and India’s independence began when Mahatma Gandhi picked up a pinch of salt in protest of the British rule. Bardoli is another town in Surat that is associated to Gandhian Heritage. It was a precursor to the Salt March.

HERITAGE TRAIL

Plan a mini break and get back to the history. These places will introduce you to the making of the legend Mahatma and also that of a free India. Let us know our Gandhi better on this Gandhi Jayanti!

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TAKE A CUE FROM HIM

A detailed profile of Geet Sethi: the dominant player of English Billiards and notable Snookers player of India

PERSONAL DETAILS:
Name: Geet Siriram Sethi
Birth: 17th April 1961 at Delhi
Family Status: Married to wife Kiran, has two children: daughter Jazz and son Raag
Education: Studied at St. Xavier’s School, Ahmedabad

• BA from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
• MBA from BK School of Management

Works for: Tata Oil Mills as the Manager

INTO THE CUE WORLD:

Start: At the members’ table – Managing Committee of the Gujarat Sports Club, Ahmedabad
Inspiration: Satish Menon, a very successful Billiards player of the time

NATIONAL CIRCUIT:

1979: Won both the Junior National Billiards Championship and Junior National Snooker Championship
1982: Created a double in the National Billiards, when he won the Junior National Doubles Billiards Championship and defeated Michael Ferreira to win the Senior National Billiards title
1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988: Won both the Indian National Billiards Championship and Indian National Snooker Championship
1997 and 2007: Won the Indian National Billiards Championship again
2008: Runner Up in the Indian National Billiards Championship and entered the Top-16 Round in the Indian National Snooker Championship

 

INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT:

1984: Won the International Snooker Professional-cum-Amateur Championship in England & the International Billiards Amateur Championship in Windsor
1985, 1987 and 2001: Won the IBSF World Billiards Championship 
1986: Won the Asian Billiards Championship
1989: World Amateur Snooker semi-finalist‚ Asian Snooker Championship number 3
1992, 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2006: Grabbed the World Professional Billiards Championship
1996, 2003, 2005 and 2008: Runner Up in the World Professional Billiards Championship
1998: Double Gold Medal at the Bangkok Asian Games collaborated with Ashok Shandilya
2002: Busan Asian Games – won a Silver Medal in the Doubles event and a Bronze Medal in the Singles event
2006: Bronze Medal in the Doubles event at the Doha Asian Games in partnership with Ashok Shandilya. Also, won the USA Senior Team Snooker Championship in partnership with Devendra Joshi and BVS Moorthy
2007: Won the Irish Open Billiards Championship and a Silver Medal at Indoor Asian Games English Billiards tournament
2008: Won the English Billiards Open Series held at Prestatyn, Wales and finished as a Runner Up in the World Pro Billiards Championship held at Leeds

ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Winner of eight World titles including five World Professional and three IBSF World Billiards Championships
• Featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first amateur in the world to compile the maximum 147 break in Snooker in 1989 at National Snooker Championships held at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
• Made a break of 1276 in the 1992 World Professional Billiards Championship, a World Record. This is the highest world championship break of the last 50 years
• Padma Shri (1986)
• Arjuna Award (1986)
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (1992-93)
• KK Birla Sports Foundation Award 1993

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

• Co-founder of Olympic Gold Quest, a program of Foundation for Promotion of Sports and Games
• Authored a book ‘Success v/s Joy

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SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE: GAUTAM ADANI

From being a University dropout, to having his own University, Gautam Adani is the first billionaire from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. We have heard of success stories of people with the highest degrees, hierarchy of business, monetary power or a healthy circle of friends and family. But if we observe keenly, the supreme success stories are tagged ‘rags to riches’. Similar is the story of Gautam Adani, the 6th richest person in India, with a personal wealth of US $10 billion.

THE WHIZ KID

Gautam Adani was born to a Gujarati Jain family of Shantaben and Shantilal Adani on 24 June 1962, in Ahmedabad. The family had migrated to the city from the smaller place called Tharad in northern Gujarat, in search of means to earn a decent living for their eight children. Needless to say, the monetary situation was very tight. Gautam had a few hundred rupees on hand at the age of 18, when he set out to the land of dreams, Mumbai in search of a living.

Gautam was a student of Seth CN Vidyalaya and later dropped out of the Gujarat University, where he was pursuing second year for his Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. He started his career as a diamond sorter at Mahindra Brothers in Mumbai. After working for two years, Gautam set up his own diamond brokerage unit at Zaveri Bazaar, the biggest jeweler market of the city. It was here that he earned his first lakh.

THE BIZ KID

In 1981, one year later, his elder brother Mansukhbhai, bought a plastics unit in Ahmedabad and asked Gautam to run it. This marked his advent in the field of global trading as he started importing polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a key raw material for manufacturing plastics.

After the economic liberalization in India, the import duty on various goods was slit. This had a positive impact on the profits of Adani Exports, then the flagship company of Gautam Adani. Today, the Adani Group has transformed into a multibillion-dollar business empire. Under the leadership of Gautam Adani, the Group has emerged as a diversified Energy and Logistics conglomerate with interests in Power Generation & Transmission, Coal Trading & Mining, Gas Distribution, Oil & Gas Exploration, along with Ports, Special Economic Zones et al. The Group also runs the Adani Foundation, started in 1996 as a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The foundation is involved in various activities such as rural development, education and health.

Today, the flagship of his Rs 27,000-crore empire, Adani Enterprises Ltd., has been rated among the 50 top performing Asian companies by Forbes magazine. His three listed companies – Adani Enterprises, Adani Power and Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone have a combined market capitalization that places the group among India’s top 10 business houses.
Listed by the Forbes in March 2011, Gautam Adani is also the proud owner of two private jets – a Beech craft jet purchased in 2005 and a Hawker purchased in 2007.

PERSONAL PROXIMITY

Gautam is happily married to Mrs. Priti Adani, a dentist by profession. She heads the Adani Foundation as the managing trustee. The couple has two sons, the elder one, Karan Adani, is 20 years of age and the younger one, Jeet Adani, is 10 years of age. The elder son is presently pursuing his Business Studies in Management at the Purdue University, USA.
Adani Group has been a generous contributor to Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). Also, Gautam has proximity to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. It was speculated that Adani bid for the Ahmedabad franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament at Modi’s urging, though the bid failed.

LESSONS OF SURVIVAL AND SUCCESS

Gautam Adani is an icon of unwavering focus and continuous learning. He has set up milestones in his journey towards a strong and energy-sufficient India. Gautam has proved that the best learning comes from the most unconventional real-life situations, where everyone has to learn to first survive before achieving success.

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BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: DANSEUSE MALLIKA SARABHAI

The dazzling Mallika Sarabhai is a combination of many qualities and all of them vie for excellence. She is the pride of Ahmedabad, Gujarat and the daughter of the dancing legend Mrinalini Sarabhai and the renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai. One of the leading exponents of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi, Mallika is also a noted filmmaker, internationally known choreographer, an actor, a TV anchor, an editor, a publisher and a social activist. She is a representative of India for CIOFF (an internationally acclaimed organization for folk dances).

THE BABY STEPS

Born on 9th May 1954, Mallika began her film career when she was only 15. She started dancing, as they say, before she even learnt to walk. She completed her MBA from IIM Ahmedabad in 1974 and Doctorate in Organizational Behavior from the Gujarat University in 1976.

THE WORLD OF PERFORMANCE

Mallika started with a few Gujarati and Hindi films. She first came to international notice when she played the role of ‘Draupadi’ in Peter Brook’s ‘The Mahabharata’ for 5 years, first in French and then English. After completing her graduation, Mallika entered the world of performing arts. She stared at thousands of Indians from the small screen, daring them with “maley soor jo tara maro…” and has wowed audiences from all six continents with her performance as Draupadi. She followed the footsteps of her mother and dancing became her first love. “Bharat Natyam is like a Banyan tree with great roots. You can bend it, turn it, do whatever you want, but its roots remain strong. And how many more love varnams can I do? I want to take dance further, to use it as a language, as an agent of change,” says Mallika in an interview.

WORK FOR CHANGE

Always an activist for societal education and women’s empowerment, Mallika began using her work for change. In 1989, she created the first of her hard-hitting solo theatrical works, Shakti – the Power of Women. Since then, Mallika has created numerous stage productions which have raised awareness, highlighted crucial issues and advocated change. Her other experiments include compositions like Draupadi, Sita’s Daughters, Itan Kahani, Aspiration, Ganga, Surya etc.
In 2009, Mallika Sarabhai acted in Bertolt Brecht’s Indian adaptation of ‘The Good Person of Szechwan’ (Ahmedabad ki Aurat Bhali-Ramkali) directed by Arvind Gaur in the 34th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival.

DARPANA ACADEMY

Mallika, along with her mother, administers the functioning of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, which is located at Ahmedabad. It is a unique centre for arts which has performed all over India and abroad. Today the academy has many faces. There is Darpana for Development, which makes performing arts modules for development issues; Janavak, an authentic Indian folk dance group that aims at folk revival; Chitrakathi, a film unit that prepares educational films and TV material; Mapin Publications that publishes books on Indian heritage; Kritikranti, a trust for interdisciplinary work in the arts and crafts; Jagruti, a project for environment empowerment; the Value Project that familiarizes children with moral dilemmas; Parivartan which seeks to bring about changes in the life of Bhil women; and Centre for Non-violence through the Arts.

OF COURAGE AND AUDACITY

Mallika’s college days saw her wearing mini-skirts, dating men, even going in for a live-in relationship. She recalls her mother’s horror when she first started living with somebody, “I explained to her why it was important for me to find out if I wanted a permanent commitment or not.” But the best part is that she has always done things without hiding them.
Mallika met Bipin Shah during her college days and eventually married him. They were divorced 7 years later. They have 2 children, a son, Revanta and a daughter, Anahita.

INTO POLITICS

Mallika entered into the field of politics and announced her candidature against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate LK Advani for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, as an independent candidate. She described her candidature as a Satyagraha against the politics of hatred. She eventually lost by a huge margin and forfeited her election deposit in the process.

MUCH DESERVED RECOGNITIONS

The first award she received was in 1977. However, the award closest to Mallika’s heart is the one she received in Paris, a few years ago, for Best Soloist Artist, after being chosen from among 400 dancers from 25 countries. She was the proud recipient of the French Palme D’Or, the Highest Civilian Award conferred by the French Government, among many other awards.
Playing roles as diverse as a mother and a choreographer, and pursuing her interests like writing and social service, Mallika is known to always put her best foot forward. She is a strong character with her own ideas and she feels that dance is a living language which you can interpret the way you think best.

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IT’S 99% PERSPIRATION

SAYS ESTHER DAVID IN A TÊTE-À-TÊTE ON THE WOMEN’S DAY. HER QUESTION TO ALL OF US: IS THE MODERN, GLOBAL WOMAN LOSING OUT ON THE TRADITIONS AND VALUES? ADITI RINDANI

• You are into so many activities. How do you manage to justify all?
I am a creative person. For me, creativity is more important than anything else is. I am also much disciplined, when it comes to work hours and projects. So, basically, it is about creative time management and depends on how you make your own timetable. I give a deadline and as far as possible, I stick to that deadline.I am not a morning person, I start work after 3 in the afternoon and that could be up to anytime in the night!

• What is the central idea of your books? 
Writing is my method of understanding myself better. As I belong to the Jewish community, I create a lot of fiction based on that. I grew up as a part of a minority community, in a country like India, where there are so many other communities. The main concern is how to keep your identity alive, as well be an Indian; because ‘Indian’ is a general and large term. I am not religious, but we all belong to a particular area or fields – say for e.g. the writer’s field. In midst of all these, you need to create your own self. So, I write about the Jewish life, especially Jewish women, because this is a group that is unknown to the world.

• Any inspirations?
Writers generally give a definite thing for their inspirations. But for me, there is no such muse. The only inspiration is my life, by heart I am an artist, because I was trained as an artist. While by profession, I am a writer. So I would not say that I saw a flower open or a child smile and I got inspired!

It is 99% perspiration. You have to keep yourself inspired all the time to write. Actually, this applies not only to writing, but also to whatever you do.

• How has the journey been from being an art student to a successful writer & journalist?
I used to write since I was an art student. It used to be about art and art history though, as a part of the studies. I was told by my professors that I was good at it and should continue with writing. It was then, in 1978 that I decided to switch my career to writing and did not wish to be an artist anymore.

I did not hold a professional degree in Journalism and was a student of Fine Arts. However, I got an opportunity to work for a newspaper as an art writer. In those days, we used to get almost half a page for our write-ups. So I could experiment and learn as well while writing. In the meantime, I discovered that I could do something better that would be more satisfying. Art had a limited scope. I have always believed that creativity is like a room with many doors. You should be able to open any door, and I felt that through my writing I could open many more doors. I could express myself better through the power of my pen and when people sit back and relax, I totally changed my career interests, at the age of 46. I turned to serious writing and got my novel published. It did well and my literary voice became stronger and stronger day-by-day.

Now, writing is my life, if I don’t write, it makes me feel miserable!

• What is your take on today’s women?
It’s very interesting but unfortunate that even when we are celebrating International Women’s Day and women are into different fields, we have absolutely no idea as to how this liberation came. There is no knowledge as to why do we celebrate this Day and where did this freedom come from. What is feminism, what is women’s liberation – are some questions that I usually ask people I meet, especially if they wish ‘Happy Women’s Day’. Today we move about freely in western clothes. But do we even know how difficult it was for women in the 40s and 50s? We cannot forget our past. Today’s woman who is multi-tasking and is efficient, lives in an era of ‘womanhood’. But sometimes I see that women forget that you are an individual, you also have a creative life your own that needs to be explored. Besides this, in this fast moving global world, materialistic pleasures are becoming more important. And in this race, we forget our basic values of being a woman, a family-maker, a mother. Today’s women are working hard and meanwhile, the family structure has a lesser priority. Children are left to themselves and the concepts have changed.

This may sound old-fashioned. But I really wonder, are we forgetting our values and the warmth of our traditions? Of course, there is no harm in being a global woman, but there is much more to be an Indian woman. This question needs to be explored. Are today’s Indian women ready to sacrifice in order to retain the values and the culture?

• Is there any particular issue about the modern women that affects you the most?
I think retaining culture, traditions and rituals – these are the three things that I find lacking a lot. Of course, you see them enjoying Navratri and other festivals with all fervor, but that is at a commercial level. So I feel it is the duty of the women to be more conscious to spread the culture, not only in the household but also beyond that. It just does not end by becoming modern or saying that ‘I am free’. Free of what? Nobody on this earth can be free of certain values and traditions.

• Can you share an incident that is the most memorable for you?
One of the very important moments was when I received the courier of the first five copies of my first novel ‘The Walled City’.

Second was when I received the Sahitya Academy Award. My son called me up at 10.30 in the night as the news came to the press and he works for one.

And the third was when my first grandchild was born, to my daughter in Paris, France. I think being a grandmother changed everything: my relationships, my talks, my meetings. So being called ‘Nani’ is the high point of my life!

• Your message to the society on Women’s Day?
I think traditions and heritage, is what we all women need to hold on to, in order to survive. I wish them all the very best and may they get the courage to fulfill all their responsibilities.

(Esther David is a Jewish-Indian writer, an artist and a sculptor based in Ahmedabad. A columnist for leading English Dailies and an author of a few novels, she says ‘I am just a seed of a buried tree!‘)

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FUN, FROLIC, FOOD, FESTIVITY: FLY HIGH THIS UTTRAYAN

It is that time of the year again when the skies will be flooded with colors and the never-much-used terraces will be full of people! All eyes set at the competition with the people of the opposite terrace, all ears at the local radio stations playing hip-hop songs and all hands on the KITE STRINGS! Yes, it’s Uttrayan time. It is the time when winter begins to turn to summer. All the routine activities are shut and people take to rooftops and roadways to fly kites. The fest (14-15 January) goes on from early morning until late night and leaves on beautiful scenes that linger on one’s mind forever.

Gujarat is the only state where this festival called Makarsankranti or Uttrayan is celebrated with so much zeal and enthusiasm across all the major cities. Kites of all shapes and sizes are flown, and the main competition is to battle nearby kite-flyers to cut their strings and bring down their kites. The atmosphere is totally festive with everyone from children to adults enjoying on the rooftops. Special food like ladoos, undhiyu and jalebis add to the pleasure. It is also the best time for socializing as group kite-flying is utmost fun and cousins, friends and relatives often gather at the optimum terrace!

Without any distinctions of caste, religion or age, if you are in Gujarat in the month of January, you will find yourself enjoying this beautiful festival with others. Visitors come from around India for the celebration, many Gujaratis who live outside the state choose this time to make their trip home, and international visitors come from countless countries, including Japan, Italy, UK, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, USA, Malaysia, Singapore, France, China, and many more.

INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL

Since 1989, Ahmedabad has been home to the International Kite Festival as a part of the official celebration of Uttrayan. The fest calls for master kite makers and flyers from all over the world to demonstrate their unique creations and wow the crowds with highly unusual kites. All known varieties of kites are found at this festival, from hand-painted artistic kites to high-speed sports kites.
What is more exciting is that the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) has promised a bigger bash for the International Kite Festival 2011! Visitors can look forward to splurge on food, shop from craft bazaars and enjoy watching kites of different size and shape flying along the banks of Sabarmati during this fest.

The celebration is scheduled from January 9 to 12 on the 1.5 km stretch of Sabarmati riverfront project between Gandhi Bridge and Nehru Bridge.

Here are the glimpses of previous years’ festivals, they speak louder than words! But, experience will shout the loudest; do not miss it this year!

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THE YEAR-END CELEBRATION AT KANKARIA CARNIVAL GOT BIGGER

Shri Narendra Modi said, “Earlier, Kankaria used to be in the news mostly for the wrong reasons, as lots of people used to commit suicide there. At the Kankaria Carnival this year, a majority of the participants are from the slum areas of Ahmedabad. I request Amdavadis to encourage the city’s slum kids to achieve great heights in life.” These were the CM’s views while he inaugurated the Kankaria Carnival 2010. He said that a total of 90 lakh people have visited Kankaria lake in the last two years which is double compared to the entire population of Ahmedabad.

The week-long carnival kick-started with great enthusiasm on 25th December, which has been successfully organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for the past 3 years. The inauguration was followed by a gala parade in which various cultural groups, city and state police, bands and horses took part. The crowd puller on the inaugural event was a skit on Gujarat and its culture by cast and crew of popular television serial ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma.’

This year the gala carnival got bigger. It saw performances from at least 40 schools and specialized institutions of Ahmedabad. The carnival also witnessed various regional associations from Punjab, Orissa, Assam, Bihar, Kerala and Maharashtra who performed their regional dances. A series highlighting the diversity of communities that work and live in Ahmedabad was also planned. It was named ‘Bharat Jodo’ and it showcased a series of cultural programs.

One main attraction was floating on Kankaria in a water-bubble. The huge polyurethane balloons are filled with oxygen and then the rider is sealed inside it. The water bubble then floats on the lake with people inside. If this becomes a success, it will be a permanent feature at Kankaria, which already has Ahmedabad Eye and Atal Express as the attractions for visitors. Apart from these, programs were planned for people of all age groups and strata, right from the slum children to senior citizens. The AMC had also organized sports like parasailing, bubble ride etc for visitors’ recreation at Kankaria, apart from boating in the lake. The participants at the carnival had prepared 630 types of different rangolis around the lake which was a treat to the eyes!

A spectacular show of fireworks, various stage events, lighting, and other activities like laser shows were some of the attractions. Shri Narendra Modi, in his inaugural speech also requested the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to name Jamalpur over bridge after Shri Ashok Bhatt who “served this city for six decades” and his request was immediately accepted. The Minister also opened Santaram water plant through remote control during the ceremony and announced the grand opening of ‘Kids City’ during the carnival.
The carnival was a celebration and an extravaganza that lasted till 31st December.

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MEGA ON FAST TRACKS: METROLINK EXPRESS GANDHINAGAR AND AHMEDABAD

The project that was put on back foot due to the priority given to Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) has now gained momentum. The go-getting Ahemdabad Metro Project will be on the fast track as the first phase is believed to start from the next year. However, it will take 2-3 years for the line to get operational.

It all started when Ahmedabad had proposed to build five metro corridors spread over 219 km. The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) had prepared a DPR (Detailed Project Report) to identify the solutions for the Urban Transport problems in the city. The project report was initiated by GIDB through Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) & DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.) in 2003. It was submitted in June, 2005 with cost estimates worked out to be Rs 4,925 crore (Rs 49.25 billion). But, it was decided not to go ahead with Metro Rail project to give priority to the BRTS and Regional Rail System Projects.

Ahemdabad was developing at a fast pace, but it lacked a credible public transport system in the beginning of 2001, when local city bus service was in awful straits. Following this, the BRTS project was implemented that got thumbs up from the public. Further, considering the developments in and around the city, it was decided to go ahead with the Metro Rail Project in 2008.

The state government plans to set up a Rs. 200 crore company for the execution of the project. The company is likely to be named the MetroLink Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA). “A company has been set up for undertaking the metro project, MetroLink Express Ahmedabad Gandhinagar and a newly appointed Managing Director would join later this month. Work on the first phase of the project would start in the middle of 2011,” said GIDB Chief Executive Officer, A K Sharma.

The 1100 crore first phase of the metro rail project will cover a distance of 32.65 km in the north-south direction between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad and 10.90 km east-west corridor between Kalupur and Thaltej. Also, in Phase I, the state government has planned to connect the airport and the Gift city with the metro rail network. The details of the second phase are not worked out yet, but it is believed to connect Ahmedabad with Dholera, the site of a Special Investment Region. This will add another 125 km to the north-south line. Ahmedabad has already got the BRTS, and with the Metro Rail on the anvil, the mass transport system will surely get a further boost.

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Better Infrastructure can lead us to sustainability of Growth

How do you define the term ‘Infrastructure Development’?
Infrastructure is actually the key element of development. It has a large connotation that includes urban planning as one of its element. Roads, water supply, solid waste management are some of the major issues of infrastructure development. However, ports, airports, highways, industries etc. are other mega issues related to the term. We can say that infrastructure is directly proportional to development, better the infrastructure, more the development in any said state. India is growing at a fast rate due to its manpower, but to sustain this growth, we will need better infrastructure.

What are the main elements that support the overall infrastructure development?
For any city, roads, water supply, electricity and solid waste management are the most important elements. However, landscaping is the decorative element of infrastructure development. The other essentials like the trees, footpaths and cleanliness are the areas where we highly lag behind. Probably this is the only difference between the developing and the developed countries. We need to learn the management skills of the public land and other properties and change the mindsets of the people on a larger scale.

How does CEPT play its part?
CEPT is basically an educational institute. So, due to the need of the hour, we offer various educational programs in the fields related to infrastructure. This includes transportation, industrial development, urban planning etc. In addition to this, CEPT has been declared the ‘Anchor Institute’ in the field of infrastructure. It’s a three tier process, funded by the Government of Gujarat. We identify nodal institutes and the availability of manpower. The teachers of various colleges are trained. Also, uneducated people who wish to work in the field of construction are trained for their livelihood. Because, after all, without them infrastructure cannot be possible. It is believed that in future 70% of the manpower will be absorbed in the field of infrastructure. There are tie-ups with NGOs and also foreign universities for the sharing of knowhow.

What are your views on the heritage of Ahmedabad and Gujarat as a whole?
Ahmedabad itself is a huge heritage. Talking about Gujarat, its heritage and climate are very much similar to that of Rajasthan. But the economy of Gujarat is related to trade and commerce. While that of Rajasthan and places like Kerala are tourism oriented. I strongly believe that heritage and tourism go hand-in-hand. If we have a grand legacy and heritage, but there is no one to appreciate and admire, it does not make sense. Gujarat emphasizes on trade more and so tourism is sidelined. People too, are not much bothered; they travel to almost entire India and even abroad but do not care to see their own Gujarat.

Do you think that restoration damages the originality of the heritage?
Restoration has a set guideline and standard procedures. Unless and until, those are not followed, one cannot even touch the monuments. Also, it is a matter of pride that India is an expert on the world level in this field. Countries like China and Bhutan depend on the Indian experts for the restoration of their heritage. However, the problem here too, is the limited availability of resources and the available resources are being pulled in every possible direction. The economy is growing and gradually importance is being given to culture and heritage.

What are the trends coming up in the field of infrastructure?
Public-Private partnership is the recent trend. Initially, the Governmental budget was not enough to cater to all the necessary developments. The need was much more than the supply. Also, people believed that since they have gained independence, they need to pay taxes and tolls for the public services that they use. On the other hand, private parties have huge funds. So the Government shifted from ‘Control’ to ‘Encouragement’ and joined hands with the private players.

How do you foresee Gujarat in 2020?
Gujarat will be termed as an Urban State by 2020. It has already achieved the status of 35-40% of its people living in the urban areas. This is the ‘Urban Age’ wherein most of the parts of the world have more than 50% of its population living in the urban areas.
Gujarat is a progressive state. It will have enough of land and power, but water supply can be an issue to be tackled in 2020. Also, instead of focusing on the industrial development, Gujarat will move to the next phase that will involve IT and other trade related services.

(Prof. Utpal Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Planning & Public Policy, CEPT University)

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