No end to learning
Top fund managers who attended a recent Mohan Bhagwat (chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) event faced an unusual challenge. The topic of discussion was the Indian economy and its long-term prospects and all the speakers at the event decided to speak in Hindi. Many attendees with limited grasp of the language struggled to understand the speeches. Some of them were also seen fervently searching for the terms on their iPads and handphones as the speakers held forth in Hindi. “We didn't just get a new perspective about the economy from the event but also got to learn some new Hindi terms,” said a fund manager.
Bots on the rolls
At a time when Indian corporations are fiercely competing with each other to prove their “digital” capabilities are better than the rest, IT services and consulting firm Mindtree has taken a step forward to include bots in the company headcount. During an earnings call with the media, CEO and MD Rostow Ravanan said that in addition to the 17,000 employees (the company calls its employees Mindtree Minds), the company also had 355 bots or virtual employees. While many Indian firms have started deploying bots or robotic process automation software to automate a lot of repetitive works, it would be interesting to see how soon other IT companies follow in its footsteps and start including bots on their rolls.
Bollywood rules
Speakers at the inaugural meeting of the National Forum founded by former finance minister Yashwant Sinha borrowed from folk tales and Bollywood to get their message across. Actor-turned-politician and rebel Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Shatrughan Sinha took on the National Democratic Alliance government over the current cash crunch saying, “Alibaba aur chalis choron ki yeh sarkar hai”. Sinha, a known critic of the government at the Centre, said, “I am afraid that owing to the cash crunch, the government in haste will now make one nation and 40 taxes.” Adding that he will not quit the BJP and it was up to the party to throw him out, he said, “Jeena yahan marna yahan, iske siva jana kahan.” Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, referring to the spate of rapes in the country, said these days police ask “kitne aadmi thhe” when such a case is reported.