Analysis of TOI's Teach-India Project

'Times Of India' has struck the chord once again with its 'Teach India' initiative. Their previous project was 'Lead India' campaign, a campaign that encouraged entrepreneurship among Indians.

Purpose (Idea)

With a population of over 287 million illiterate Indians, we need motivated teachers in every corner of the country to go back to school. The aim is to bring together children in need of education and people who can contribute a little time towards teaching them. To begin with, the project is introduced in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Execution

This mission would not have been possible without the partnership of over 60 NGOs, schools and companies such as Hindustan Lever, Aditya Birla Group, Nokia, Wipro, Reliance Communications, Barclays and Amex. The companies have come on board with the promise that at least 50 employees will commit two hours a week on company time to teaching.

TOI has made good use of its existing popularity in winning the support of NGOs, and tie-up with coporate companies. The partnership with right organizations is what I believe to be the first step in carrying out a social experiment. The NGOs know where to find people in need of education, the poor, and the illiterates. The corporate companies are the ones to fund the experiment and offer mass volunteers. So, TOI has done its groundwork perfectly with tie-ups.

We have seen the best of viral videos in TOI's Lead-India campaign. The videos spread all across the web and some on television too. I'm sure Teach-India project will also capitalize on social websites to go viral. Being a media company, no external PR or Marketing agency is required.

Teach-India project is an offline venture that gets the help of internet to speedup the process of volunteer registrations, etc. This is exactly how a successful experiment should be carried out. Especially in India where not everyone has access to internet, offline mode is very essential for the success of the project. So, it brings both offline and online worlds together. One without the other will have less impact and reachability to the masses.

Response

The highest response has come from the capital city, Delhi, followed closely by Mumbai, and then by Chennai and Kolkata. There was more than 10,000 people signing up to pledge at least two hours a week to teach a child in their neighbourhood, mostly for weekend sessions. This army of volunteers is a multi-lingual, multi-talented one drawn from diverse streams - doctors, lawyers, company executives, etc...

Business Plan

Lead-India and Teach-India projects are social initiatives by TOI with a business model wrapped around it. Truly, they are noble efforts with a worthy cause. But, they are not without a profit in mind. I love such undertakings that wrap a for-profit business plan around a noble cause. Its a win-win for all. For the same reason, I love the open-source companies like Redhat, Sun, Automattic, Google, etc...

So, How does TOI profit from these social projects?
First of all, these projects create a BUZZ in the media world. They have successfully created a topic of conversation for the bloggers and media to jump-on. Thus, getting the "Times of India" name to appear everywhere.

Secondly, they create a loyal readership and fan-following from most of the country-lovers and educated citizens who wish to see India grow. That includes a substantial percentage of the youth and NRIs.

Thirdly, TOI has partnered with several NGOs for these initiatives. Hence, the NGOs tend to spread the word and advertise 'Times Of India' for free. On the whole, TOI has acquired the title of being a dynamic non-evil media company in India. This means increase in reputation, readership and revenue.

Conclusion

Well Done TOI! Keep it up and continue to lead as an example to all other media companies in India.

Click here for answers to the following questions...
How do I apply?
How does Teach India work?
What kind of education will I be providing?
How long will I have to teach?

Take Lead... with Unity!

The Lead India campaign by Times of India is receiving an elevated support from fellow Indians. The support from the commoners, celebrities, and bloggers for this campaign is appreciable. They not only make us proud Indians, but also inspire us to make a difference. Here are a few viral videos that promote this campaign. Truly touching...

Emphasizing the importance of unity in diversity yet again... Be it independence struggle or a daily living, Unity works! Check out this video.

The second video is the talk by Amitabji. I especially loved the words... A pulsating dynamic new India is emerging quietly while the world is not watching. An India whose faith in success is far greater than its fear in failure.

I am reminded of the 'India Shining' campaign by the BJP, though launched for complete different reasons.

The day for Victory

Today is Vijayadasami, the tenth day of the Dasara festival in India. 'Vijaya' means victory and Dasami is the tenth day. So, VIJAYADASAMI is a day to begin new ventures, be it business or education, as it is an auspicious day and assures success.

According to Hindu mythology, goddess Durga slays the demon Mahishasuran on this day. It signifies the victory of good over evil. My salutes to the goddess, and let good prevail in this world. Symbolically, when one makes an effort to remove a negative personality in oneself during the Dasara festival, he will achieve his goal on the Vijayadasami day.

On this auspicious day, I'd like to get FundooWeb (one-click search mashup) out of its Beta phase. Lately, it has been displaying a satisfactory performance in terms of speed and relevancy of search results. FundooWeb was launched on Sep 27 2006, and it graduates today after a year long study.

Netaji - A leader and a philosopher

Y'day, I read an article about our Netaji (Subhash Chandra Bose) whom I always admire for his vision, and his action that supports his vision. A true leader and a patriot who is equally spiritual and character oriented. He is a great follower of Swami Vivekananda and his teachings. He truly believed in the wise words...

"Iron nerves and a well intelligent brain and the whole world is at your feet."
- Swami Vivekananda

Netaji is a revolutionary thinker, and a university ranker who finishing his B.A. (honours) in Philosophy. I love the courage and the energy of Netaji, and now I understand the source of his ever lasting energy level - the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

Read the entire article

Love with Life

Today is Sri Krishna Jayanti! Lets think of him, and learn a few lessons from his teachings on his birthday. Here is a quote by Osho...

Krishna is the only person in the whole history of human consciousness who is tremendously in love with life, with the poetry of life, with the music of life, with the dance of life. He is not at all life-negative, he is very affirmative. And he accepts life as it is; he does not put god and the world as opposites.

Krishna is far closer to life. The flute is the symbol of life. Dressed beautifully, standing in a dancing posture, the flute in his hands on his lips, it looks like he is going to sing a song at any moment. He looks so alive, and he is wearing a beautiful crown of flowers with peacock feathers. This is far truer to life. That's how life is. It is tremendous joy.

Links: The essence of Lord Krishna's teachings.

How to make brand India glitter?

Here are of my thoughts on some key factors to see brand India glittering... In short, they touch upon 6 key topics that include consumer-sectors, culture, education, social-security, politics-independent growth, and uplift masses.



Powered by StuffaBlog

Great entrepreneurs & visionaries like Ratan Tata are the key for a self-sufficient India. Truly, his vision to see India as a self-reliant developed country requires privatization of various sectors. Thus, capable dynamic entrepreneurs can lead the development in every consumer sector. Tata's dive into consumer industries from autos and steel to software and telecom is highly appreciable. Thankfully, Ambani brothers are heading in the direction of Tata to share the face of INDIA. More such entrepreneurs should invest in the products of a layman's life.

The core of our Indian culture should be preserved at all times. The culture is the backbone to India's greatness, and will be the key to her progress in today's world too. The social concepts, family life, and traditional values of Indian culture has been proved to be among the best, and should be given utmost importance. For instance, we should never let go Religion-tolerance, unity in diversity, service to god & the poor, respect for women & elders, meditation, yoga, etc...

The educational system should be inline with our ancient gurukula system. The present education system has overemphasized the cultivation of the intellect at the cost of the general well-being of humanity. We often see a lack of morality & character among the educated privileged ones. As Swami Vivekananda recommends, we should have an all-round development of human beings. All elements of philosophy, mysticism, emotion, intellect (creativity), and knowledge should be equally present in full. That is the ideal of a perfect man. This way, we can increase the ratio of good people in the society, and thus reducing corruption, depression, etc in a natural way.

When I came to US to do my Masters, one of the first things I noticed and appreciated is the increased security force (police) to keep its people safe at all times. The police force in India is far from being decent. Corruption is like a synonym to Indian police force, from traffic constables to senior law-enforcement officers. Further, the police-population ratio in India is very poor - 1 to 728 as against western countries, for instance Russia having the ratio of 1 to 82. Hence, an increased honest police force that can really ensure people safety, and maintain law is what India needs at the moment. People should be able to go up to them, seek help, and report corruption and abuse that they witness or experience. Without this security assurance, no social reforms can be truly implemented to its full extent.

Growth independent of Politics... Hmm~ why not? Here is an article that convinced me that we should not let ideology or politics come in the way of growth. An independent body of highly talented economic experts can design the growth of India, and make 10-year / 15-year plans to transform India into a developed nation. I really don't see why politics should get involved. The distribution of funds, administration, governance and there is a whole lot of other stuff the political leaders can do (play with).

Finally, I'd like to share with you the vision of Swami Vivekananda, and quote from some of his works. Unless there is uniform circulation of national blood all over the body, the nation could not rise. A nation is advanced only to the extent that education and culture reaches the masses. The alienation of any kind from the masses of society (who are mainly poor), whether it be alienation through learning, through wealth or through force of arms shall weaken the leadership of a country (India). The uplift of women and the masses should receive the highest priority in social development.

Shivarathri

Today is Shivarathri, a special day (night) for the worshipers of Lord Shiva, and basically all hindus. Shivarathri is a sanskrit phrase which can be literally translated as "The Night of Shiva". People are expected to fast on this day, be awake the whole night, and worship the lord in the form of Shiva-lingam. Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia.

This day is determined according to Vedic calendar system. People are expected to fast throughout the day and worship Shiva. During Night the worshippers practice abstinence from all bad habits and are supposed to regularly worship Shiva if possible throughout the night until dawn. It is strongly believed that Lord Shiva blesses his worshippers on this day and grants moksha to his sincere devotees.

For those who want to know all about Shivarathri and lord Shiva, check this site (MahaShivaratri.org). I find that comprehensive enough. Also check out the below links to learn more about Shivarathri from my fellow blogger...

• Thoughts on the Origin of Shiva Worship
• What to do on Shivaratri day?
• Shivaratri Myths
• Importance of Shivratri
• Worship of Linga
• Why is Shivratri celebrated during night?

Guru - The movie for inspiration

Y'day, I watched one of the best films in the recent years... "GURU". Its an excellent hindi film that inspired me, and sure million others to become a legend. The movie makes a deeper sense as its a true story (most of it) based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani. I indeed have great respect for Dhirubhai Ambani, and awe at his one-man accomplishment of building the Reliance empire.

The direction, the music, and the performances are speechless... absolutely superb! Check out this insightful review of the film by a fellow-blogger Balaji Viswanathan. This review maps the movie characters to the real people in Dhirubhai's life, and briefly analyzes the state of Indian economics. Its a good read.

Contribute to see India Shining

Powered by StuffaBlog

I came across a very interesting audio-slideshow that talks about the current scenario, and the on-going efforts to bring growth in India. The presentation is very well done, and the content is good too. Check it out if time permits!

Here are some valid statements that caught my attention in this audio-slide... The globalization has caused rich to get richer, and the poor get poorer in India. Inspite of all the bells & whistles we've been hearing about India's growth in the recent past, there has been a very less impact on the Indian villages. I also learnt about Akshaya Patra (Unlimited food for life), and American India Foundation.

Its very true that the rich & the educated should take more initiatives to serve India. Its our country... should'nt we care enough to see smiling faces among the children of our country. Its a call to the whole nation... every individual in India, and every layman should serve the needy. I'd like to lay more stress for all the educated class, the rich, NRIs, entrepreneurs, social workers, and more importantly the youth.

The reason why India has not yet attained 'A Developed Nation' status is only because of the lack of benevolent nature among all us. Just blaming at the politicians is not a solution. There are good & bad politicians in every country and India is no exception. There should be an inherent nature among the people to lend a helping hand to the needy.

We've seen many people who sacrifice their lives to serve the society. But one such person in a million cannot make much of a difference. Realistically, none of us need to sacrifice our lives to serve others. We just need to make it a part of our lifestyle to help others.

Here is a plan-of-action to get you started. Do a quick search for charity institutions, orphanages, etc... in your neighborhood and learn about the ways you can contribute to it. It can be giving money, food, clothes, doing volunteer work, etc... Check out my post on Charity.

Lets all join hands, and bring fortune to India.

Reservation - A political game in India

Reservation has become this decade's best foxy political game played in India, and the timing could not get any worse. The Reservation bill is passed at a time when India has to prove its quality and workmanship in the international market, as it is about to touch unreachable heights in the service industry. Getting to such higher grounds is an accomplishment... However, retaining the position by maintaining quality of service complements the previously made accomplishment. It is possible only by creating an undivided merit-rewarding society.

But the current politicians who support reservation are leading India towards a shallow slope. As this blogger (Krishna Chaitanya) has said, all the protests by the educated class are now in vain. An ideal alternative to help the SC/ST classes is at the base level by training them to be competent.

Hmmm... what a true social injustice. Its a shame that India has taken the path to create a class-based society. I still wonder how India can claim to be a true democracy when most of its learned class is against the govt policies.

Check out my earlier blog post on Reservation in India.

India should make ends meet

India has abundance of resources; be it money, population, or knowledge... but they are unevenly distributed. You can find illiterates & masterminds, super-rich & beggers, industrialists & unemployed ones... all living in the same society. The demand of the hour is a middle-man who can connect the extremes, and create a balanced society. Lets discuss how internet can serve as a middle man.

There are many generous people (including NRIs) willing to donate money for a good cause to India. But they are finding it hard to discover the right channel for directing their funds. There are 2 subjects of concern for the charity:

1. Discovering a genuine organization that does the good works as they claim.
2. A way to channelize funds (money) to that organization.

To overcome the above concerns, we can create a wiki-style directory of all organizations in the country, and classify them based on location, purpose, and size. It should include all charity organizations, history research centers, old-age homes, orphanages, etc... This is a group effort, and not a one-person job.

This wiki-style site should also empower the readers to channelize funds to a particular organization electronically. We can in-turn create a community of donors and recipients. The launch of 'Sanskrit Voice' is my first attempt to serve the Indian heritage via internet. You can expect more such experiments to come...

Promoting Sanskrit in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is taking efforts to elevate Sanskrit to new levels. Its a very thoughtful action by the state officials in the right direction. Several thousand Sanskrit manuscripts yet to be translated are found in India. Its also the need of the hour to digitize these ancient manuscripts, and protect the valuables. Way to go Himachal Pradesh...

Himachal Pradesh will promote Sanskrit and explore possibilities to computerise the language to modernise the learning process, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said here Sunday.

Source:Telugu Portal

Reliance - Farmer's friend

I was delighted when I read the news about Reliance's venture into the Retail industry (Grocery outlets) of India.
For those looking for the numbers, here is some text pulled out from BBC News.

Branded "Reliance Fresh", they are part of a $5bn project planned for more than 780 cities and 6,000 rural towns in India over the next five years. The company aims to open stores in the top 70 cities within the next two years and have sales of $25bn by 2011.

Farmers make the backbone of India, and hence are very crucial for its economic progress. But so far, its a sad story for the farmers with so many suicides every year due to drought/flood conditions. The government has done very little to solve the problem at its roots. The farmers should be given (or) helped with supply-chain management of the crops, regulated water supply, and increased technology to improve productivity.

Its a very good move by the Reliance Inc. to be a farmer's friend, and become 'The Walmart of India'. As Mukesh Ambani has said, its a win-win patnership for Reliance and the farmers. Reliance has now shown the path, which will be soon followed by other Industry leaders too. Here is an excerpt from India-Enews.

Under the project, the company will set up world-class infrastructure for supply chain under a farm-to-fork strategy. 'This idea is to make farmers our partners and ensure fresh fruits and vegetables at affordable prices,' Pillai said.

'It is a small step in our initiative, which will create a virtuous circle of prosperity by bringing the farmers and consumers in a win-win partnership,' said Mukesh Ambani, who was here Thursday night, but not at the official opening.

This has come at a time when India's economic progress is escalating at a rapid pace. It would be good if the Indian government also plans on taking measures to protect farmers against drought and flood. Merging of rivers is a very good solution, but requires extensive planning, funding, and negotiations. Anyways, lets hope for the best in future.

Mystic India

Y'day, I watched the movie 'Mystic India' in the nearby IMAX theatre. For the first time, I watched an Indian movie on an IMAX screen, and I just loved it. The IMAX quality is indeed the best, making me feel my presence in Ancient India.

The movie depicts the splendid journey of a 11 yr old kid (Neelkanth) who walked bare-foot across the length & breadth of India in search of TRUTH. It emphasizes the culture, unity, and beauty of India, and its people.

Here is an exerpt from Wikipedia:

Mystic India is a 2004 large format film (commonly known as IMAX format) about India's unique culture, diverse people, and moving traditions. Using the story of the 12,000 km barefoot journey throughout 18th century India undertaken by Hindu priest Swaminarayan (then known as Neelkanth) from the ages 11 to 18, Mystic India is a film dedicated to the universally inspiring message of unity in diversity. As Peter O'Toole states in the film "we walk the same earth, breath the same air...we are a single human family."

The movie is simply superb! and I cannot stop thinking about the determination Neelkanth had at a very young age. One of the enlightening scenes of the movie that caught my attention is when Neelkanth decides to climb the Himalayas, and says "It is FAITH that will show me the way".

Jai Hind...

Thinking of my country on its independence day.

Story behind the emblem

Below is the emblem of Sri Ramakrishna Math. I recently came across the meaning behind this emblem, and wanted to share among u all...


Designed and explained by Swami Vivekananda

The wavy waters in the picture are symbolic of work, and lotus, of devotion, and the rising sun, of knowledge. The encircling serpent is indicative of yoga and the awakened power dormant in us, while the swan in the picture stands for God. Therefore, the idea of the picture is that by the union of work, knowledge, devotion, and yoga, the vision of God is obtained.

AR Rahman's "WorldSpace - Signature Tune"

WORLDSPACE® Satellite Radio unveils Signature-Tune by brand ambassador AR.Rahman. The signature tune will be used in an integrated communications campaign.

The WORLDSPACE signature tune draws inspiration from the sounds of nature and the rhythms of our everyday lives. AR Rahman has woven the lyrical sounds of the soothing sea, a bird's chirpy call, the earthy chant of fishermen – among a medley of other evocative sounds around us, crafting a tune that refreshes and energizes, showcasing the true inspiration of music.

Click here to listen to the tune. Its simply superb!

One-laptop-per-child... Not required!

I consider India's decision to opt out from the OLPC program as a wise one. OLPC is a programme which aims to deliver laptops priced at $100 (about Rs.4500) to school students, according to reports. Here is what is said by Sudeep Banerjee of Indian Human Resource Development...

1. OLPC is a “pedagogically suspect”. He elaborated on it by mentioning that laptop may actually be detrimental to the growth of creative and analytical abilities of the child.
2. The ministry cannot visualize a situation for decades when we can go beyond the pilot stage. We need classrooms and teachers more urgently than fancy tools.
3. If the Planning Commission has the kind of money that would be required for this scheme, it would be appropriate to utilize it for ‘Universalisation of Secondary Education’ for which, a concept paper has been lying with the Planning Commission for approval since November 2005.
4. We do not think that the idea of Prof Negroponte is mature enough to be taken seriously at this stage and no major country is presently following this. Even inside America, there is no much enthusiasm about this.

If one thinks of it in practical terms, most of the above (except the first point) make sense. Here are my thoughts on it...

I contradict the HRD's reference to laptops as "pedagogically suspect". Laptops actually entertain the expression of creativity in students. It gives them more ways to express, communicate, and sell their ideas. However, I agree with the HRD on all other points. India has taken the mission to fight illiteracy, which is dominantly seen in rural areas. What it desperately need are more schools, teachers, and a basic infrastructure. Laptops need not get into the picture now.... not so soon.

Standalone laptops without an internet connection will prove to be a less powerful tool. But, an internet connection will spice up the cost of maintenance for people in rural areas. Here is yet another strong reason for my argument... The Indian education system did not yet incorporate computers into its normal teaching process. There is no online submission policy or e-notes. So, the use of laptops at schools is pushed further down.

First of all we should make sure that the program works, before investing huge sum of money on it. Its like reading customer-reviews before purchasing a product. Check this article that questions if OLPC is fundamentally flawed. Bottomline is that it is too soon for India to take up OLPC program, and its a wise decision by the HRD to snub it for the time being.

Also check out this blog-post in which the author has stated some of his views on India's decision to against OLPC. Its a good read.

Happiest people live in Denmark

I read a couple of articles that ranked the world's happiest countries. Nigeria was given the top spot in 2003. The most recent ranked list is the one put together by 'University of Leicester' on July 2006. Click here for the complete list of ranking, and an interactive world map that paints each nation based on its level of happiness.

The 10 happiest nations in the World are:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada

Other notable results include:
23. USA
35. Germany
41. UK
62. France
82. China
90. Japan
125. India
167. Russia

The three least happy countries were:
176. Democratic Republic of the Congo
177. Zimbabwe
178. Burundi

Interestingly, Nigeria is not among the top 10... I was wondering what pushed India to be unhappier than most of its neighbours. In theory, it should be the other way round.

• India's average household income has been increasing at a rapid pace ever since the birth of off-shoring.
  
• Moreover, Indians have the innate quality to show contentment for whatever they have, irrespective of their financial/social status.
  
• The ability to work hard & smart have been given to Indians even before they could ask for.
  
• Its society and culture encourage the teens to live with their parents, and enjoy the luxuries of love & affection at home everyday.

Then, why else are we Indians not as happy as expected? Here are my thoughts on it...

• Influence by the West... The desire to live a western lifestyle in India
• Joint-family problems (within large families)
• Increased competation in every aspect of life due to large population
• Mediocre household-income to most families
• Stress among students to study harder and harder, irrespective of their interests
• Government infrastructure is not among the best
  
• Poverty
• Jealousy (not specific to India)

A new study reveals that unhappiness has risen in the past decade. In my opinion, the main reason for unhappiness can be boiled down to "Unfilled aspirations". We wish for something to happen... but something else happens. Thats LIFE! Infact, thats how life is designed to be. Why do we have to feel like a loser?

Is there a way out? Check out this article that explains how to overcome unhappiness through study. If you are lazy to read it, here is a shortcut... As wise men say: "whatever happens, happens for good". Lets all believe in this adage, and be happy for life.

India-US Nuke deal

The India-US Nuclear deal will be a landmark to India's bi-lateral relationship with US. This will let India to better utilize the technology, potential, and resources. Whatz the clause...? It has to place two-thirds of its existing and planned civil nuclear reactors under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in exchange for civil nuclear commerce with the United States.

Here are few of the factors that aided India to bag the deal...

• The reputation of India as a peace-loving nation put her in good pages of US. There is a firm belief that India would continue to remain the same irrespective of her power and technology.
• In the recent years, India has played a crucial role in world politics, and improved its American bi-lateral relationship. The experts state "India is just too important for America", and expects the deal to be implemented on a fast track.
• The Indian American community did whatever they could... "We are the largest contributer (among) ethnic groups in the US. So our voice in Capitol Hill is very huge," said Supriya Christopher, executive director of USINPAC.
  

Putting all the pieces together convinced United States to give a nod at the deal.

Now, the Indian government is working hard to convince the Left for this Nuke deal. Check out this article for more details. Doubtlessly, there are a few trade-offs to be made... In my opinion, the end result serves more purpose and is vital for a long term growth. This reminds me of the liberalization of social reforms by India in 1991. Opening the Indian gates to welcome foreign products was a big step for India in the light of globalization. Those bold moves in the past despite criticism paid off in creating a rapidly developing India as it is today... Similarly, this nuke deal will break the barriers faced by Indian scientists to make advancements in civil energy production. We will realize how much good came from this deal in the coming years.