Contents

CCover Story
The Alluring Young Entrepreneurship
* Key Deficiencies and Constraints
* Improving Business Support and Assistance
for Young People

Young entrepreneurs are the new breed of citizens India is looking for. The facilities
created for them to bring in innovation and creativity will not only change the face 22
of India, but modify the genetics of the future generations to come.

SStrategy PPsycho-logic
* Be a master of
* Help your child face
paradox failure with smile
Even after many years of his Failures are sure to come. But,
death, Abraham Lincoln is seen how prepared is your child to
as one of the best strategist face them when they come on their way? Helping
of the world. His strategies have guided all the your child to face failure could be the worst of all
presidents of America and the leaders of the challenges and the best of all rewards you can
world 14 17
have, if you succeed.

R Regular Columns
Media Scan 09
Personality 06
Pedagogy 10
Campus Abroad 12
Management skills 18
E-Learning 20
In-depth 28
Career 30
ed matrix june 2008
Seasonal 32
Yours Space 33
Technology 36
Review - DVD 38
Bingo! 39
Travel 40
News you can Use 41

E d i t o r ’ s De s k

Associate Editor
Raj

Executive Editor
Keerthana Raj

From Youthful Dynamism

Sub-Editor
Talitha Christy

Design & Layout

Ruslius Leeman

to Entrepreneurship
Marketing Manager
Stalin Joseph

Advertising Manager

Y
Moni

outh carry the entrepreneurial
torch naturally. They like
to be the masters of their
own destiny. They like to try,
innovate and even like the idea
of running their own business-the feeling
of hope, independence, and of being in
charge. And they see entrepreneurship
as a way to follow a dream. The physical
factor of energy and youthfulness also
sheds light on the nature of men and
women to excel and lead. Some people
are born with a biological propensity for
being more energetic than others. Yet
unless that energy is properly channelled,
it will not help a person become an
effective entrepreneur.
Today, the educational institutions are
nurturing this curiosity and interest among
young people by developing and supporting
programmes that give them early exposure
to the risks, rewards, and critical thinking
achieving this dream. It entails a lot more Administrative Manager
Saravanan
planning and many sleepless nights in the
early period of the enterprising venture. Principal Correspondents
Manolakshmi Pandiarajan
The early adventures of a young business Anandha Prabhu
entrepreneur can mean a lot to the society Photographers
and to the business they are in. After Ruslius Leeman
Shanmugasundaram
some years of struggle and risks he/she
can bring his/her experience, innovation, Videographers
John
creativity, skills in problem solving &
above all a culture that is enterprising. Video Editor
Dhayalan
It is with this spirit of enterprise that
the innovators and entrepreneurs can Special Correspondents
influence the society and the youth at Esther Canrinus (Holland)
Praveen Vaidyanadhan (Australia)
large. They can become agents of change
and development in the fields of science, Circulation Manager
Shariff
technology, communication and all other
fields of human interest. For Subscription Details Visit
www.edmatrix.net
The youthful dynamism will be the hallmark
of human civilisation. Great things have
been achieved by great men in the world Owned & Published by
& by many young enterprising men in the E. KALPANA

skills they need to succeed.
From the second-grader selling lemonade
to the teen who mows your grass, we are
finding new ways to connect with the next
generation of entrepreneurs. By speaking
to them in their language, we hope to
show youth that it’s possible to not just
dream big dreams but to achieve big
things. We hope to teach skills that boys
and girls can use the rest of their lives
field of politics, religion, economics and 36/201, V.O.C 2nd Street,
Ponniamman Medu,
culture. Think of Budha, Jesus, Michael Chennai - 600 110.
Collins, Napolean, Alexander the Great. Phone: 044-25569288
You have many examples for young social
entrepreneurs. This youthful dynamism will and
lead many more towards entrepreneurship
Printed by
both business and social.
V.N.A. BASHEER AHMED
With the goal to inspire young people at Patel Graphics
No. 573, Anna Salai,
to embrace innovation, imagination and (Inside Congress Ground),
creativity, ED MATRIX will encourage Chennai - 600 006.

and help them realize that the dream of youth to think big, to turn their ideas into
reality, and to make their mark through Editor
owning a business is possible. RAJVEE. S
their entrepreneurial endeavours.
Entrepreneurship is not just a call to ex-
cellence, it is a once in a life time chal- Rajvee
lenge because it entails many a hurdle in Editor - in - Chief
 ed matrix june 2008
ed matrix june 2008 
Personality

H
e rewrote Indian cor-
porate history and
built a truly global
corporate group. He
built India’s largest
private sector company and created
an equity cult in the Indian capital
market. His was the first Indian com-
pany to feature in Forbes 500 list.
His success story is a source of in-
spiration for the numerous bud-
ding entrepreneurs.
Dhirubhai H Ambani, the
founder of the Reliance Group
of Companies, was indeed the
most enterprising Indian en-
trepreneur. Dhirubhai Ambani
was an exceptional human be-
ing and an outstanding leader.
A man far ahead of his times,
he epitomised the dauntless en-
trepreneurial spirit. He dared
to dream on a scale unimagi-
nable before in Indian indus-
try. From a humble beginning,
he went on to create an enviable
business empire within a span of
just 25 years. The Rs.60,000 crore
Reliance Group is a living testimony
to his indomitable will, single-mind-
ed dedication and an unrelenting
commitment to his goals. Ambani’s story of rags to
riches made him a cult
Under Dhirubhai Ambani’s vision-
ary leadership, the Reliance Group figure in the minds of
emerged as the largest business con- Indian people. His success
glomerate in India, and carved out a story fired the imagination
distinct place for itself in the global of the younger generation
pantheon of corporate giants. The
of Indian entrepreneurs,
Group’s track record of con-
sistent growth is unpar- business leaders and
alleled in Indian progressive companies. He
industry and is undeniably, a role model
to be emulated…

Dhirubhai Ambani
A man who dared to dream big
 ed matrix june 2008

perhaps internationally too. Today,
the Group’s turnover represents near-
ly 3 percent of India’s GDP.
Ambani had established himself as
a legendary leader among indus-
trial capitalists in India. Despite his
almost Midas Touch, Ambani has
known to have flexible values and
an unethical streak running through
him. There are stories of ruthlessness,
when it came to bending the rules
and winning the game that made him
the success that he was. Fables such
as these, built often on a modicum
of truth and sometimes from thin
air, were testimony to the success of
Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani.
Dhirubhai Ambani alias Dhirajlal
Hirachand Ambani was born on De-
cember 28, 1932, at Chorwad, Gu-
jarat. His father was a school teacher.
Dhirubhai Ambani started his entre-
preneurial career by selling “bhajias”
to pilgrims in Mount Girnar over the
weekends.
At the age of 16, Dhirubhai moved
to Aden, Yemen. He worked with A.
Besse & Co. as a gas-station attend-
ant for a salary of Rs.300. Two years
later, A. Besse & Co. became the
distributors for Shell products, and
Dhirubhai was promoted to manage
the company’s filling station at the
port of Aden.
In 1962, Dhirubhai returned to India
and started the Reliance Commercial
Corporation with a capital of Rs.15,
000 in partnership with his cousin
Champaklal.
The primary business of Reliance
Commercial Corporation was to im-
port polyester yarn and export spices.
In 1965, Damani and Ambani ended
their partnership and Ambani started
on his own. It is believed that both
had different temperaments and a dif-
ferent take on how to conduct busi-
ness. While Mr. Damani was a cau-
tious trader and did not believe in
building yarn inventories, Dhirubhai
was a known risk taker and he consid-
ered that building inventories, antici-
pating a price rise, and making profits
through that was good for growth.
By canny trading around the textile
bazaars of Bombay, he cornered
the market in imported polyester,
started his own factory, outwit scle-
rotic bureaucrats in New Delhi who
were trying to run the economy by
regulation, and ultimately ignited the
moribund Indian stock market with
his vision of turning Reliance into a
petrochemical and oil refining em-
pire—a dream he realized not long
before he died.
Ambani’s public wore his textiles as
durable suits and glittery saris. Indi-
ed matrix june 2008
Personality
ans invested by millions in his Bom-
bay-listed Reliance Industries. Reli-
ance focussed on the domestic market
where revenue opportunities were
not lacking, and margins were much
higher, permitting the generation of
huge investible surpluses. In adopt-
ing this strategy, Ambani’s Reliance
group acquired through outright pur-
chase the best-practice technologies
in the field. With world-scale plants,
Reliance proved doubly competitive.
Not only was it able to displace both
domestic producers and international
suppliers from the market at prevail-
ing customs duty rates, but in fact it
could remain competitive even when
duty rates were reduced. The strategy
of ‘going it alone’, while investing in
world-scale plants based on outright
purchase of technology, obviously
raised domestic financing require-
ments substantially.
Reliance under Ambani decided to
enhance its equity strength to un-
dertake new investments by tapping
stock markets. It was here that Am-
bani exploited the other opportunity
that the changing times offered. This
was the possibility of mobilizing
money from households through the
stock market.
India’s stock markets were until the
1970s dominated by the financial
institutions and a few large players,
with trading activity being minimal
and limited to a few shares. The first
instance of equity serving as an op-
tion for investment of household sav-
ings arose when foreign companies,
pressured by the Foreign Exchange
Regulation Act (FERA), decided to
dilute their equity through sale in
small lots. Reliance made its first
public issue in 1977, when it offered
a chunk of Rs.10 shares to investors.
The shares opened at Rs.23 reflect-
ing the premium that Reliance was in
a position to command. In the years
to come, Reliance was to exploit the
market through many routes to fi-
nance its breakneck expansion, gar-
nering in the process huge premiums

Personality
on the shares of existing companies.
By the end of 1992, out of a total
capitalisation of Rs.34,255 crores,
share premium reserves and sur-
pluses alone accounted for Rs.7,640
crores. Besides this, Reliance was
to use the convertible debenture
route and the American Depository
Receipt (ADR) and Global Deposi-
tory Receipt (GDR) issues to much
benefit.
And the investors never let him down.
Dhirubhai Ambani succeeded in cre-
ating an investor base of historic pro-
portions for the Reliance Group. An
unbreakable bond of implicit trust
existed between him and the share-
holders. They placed their savings
in his care and he worked with un-
flinching sincerity to get them the
best returns. He brought happiness
and prosperity into the homes of mil-
lions of investors.
Over time his business has diversi-
fied into a core specialisation in pet-
rochemicals, with additional interests
in telecommunications, information
technology, energy, power, retail,
 ed matrix june 2008
textiles, infrastructure services, capi-
tal markets, and logistics.
Assited by his two sons Anil Ambani
and Mukesh Ambani, he steered the
Reliance Group to its current status
as India’s leading textiles-petrole-
um-petrochemicals-power-telecom
player.
By inclination and instinct, Dhirub-
hai was a fighter. Dhirubhai’s great-
est acumen was in understanding
finance. He earned the devotion of
millions not because he was a great
industrialist, but because he treated
his shareholders very well. He was
the first Indian entrepreneur to under-
stand the importance of the ordinary
investors. Dhirubhai realised that he
would have no financing headaches
if he could earn the trust of inves-
tors, and he took care to ensure that
the investor earned a decent return.
Not only by way of dividends, but by
continuous appreciation of the Reli-
ance scrip.
Needless to say, as is true of all win-
ners, in Dhirubhai’s case too, indi-
vidual qualities - an acute mind, a
sense of the other, a degree of cun-
ning, an element of ruthlessness and
a large dose of gumption that is re-
quired to make the dash to victory
- would have contributed to the end
result in no small measure.
He was a man who always dreamed
big. At a time when capacities were
fragmented and small, Dhirubhai
dared to dream big. Instead of setting
up capacities that would cater to cur-
rent demand, he set up the capacity
and then set about creating the de-
mand. He knew where latent demand
existed and decided to supply it. He
made no compromises on quality,
insisting that his machinery must be
state-of-the-art.
Prestigious awards and titles were
conferred on him by national and
international organisations. He was
acclaimed as the top businessman of
the twentieth century and lauded for
his dynamic, pioneering and innova-
tive genius. He was the man of the
new millennium. This was clearly re-
flected in his passion for mega-sized
projects, the most advanced technol-
ogy and the highest level of produc-
tivity. The corporate philosophy he
followed was short, simple and suc-
cinct - “Think big. Think differently.
Think fast. Think ahead. Aim for the
best”. He inspired the Reliance team
to do better than the best - not only in
India but in the world.
As a quality of business leader he was
also a motivator. He gave few public
speeches but the words he spoke are
still remembered for their value.
His success story fired the imagina-
tion of the younger generation of In-
dian entrepreneurs, business leaders
and progressive companies. He was
an icon for them, a role model to be
emulated. His story of rags to riches
made him a cult figure in the minds
of Indian people. Ambani’s life and
achievements prove that backed by
confidence, courage and conviction,
man can achieve the impossible.
Keerthana Raj

I
s there such a thing as feminist thea-
tre? Does it mean plays directed by
women? Or does it mean plays that
have feminist themes? These were
some of the questions posed by
playwright and director A. Mangai, in her
lecture at the National Folklore Support
Centre, Chennai.
Defining
She started by giving the audience an
overview of the history of Indian theatre,
and then went on to say that it was only
Feminism
in the 1980s that a noticeable trend
emerged in Indian theatre. The woman
was no longer treated as an object of
observation, but as the subject in plays.
The reason is that around this time a
The woman is expected number of legislations were passed, like
to excel & be a super the Anti-Dowry Act, for example.
Also of importance was the amendment
woman, says director to the rape law, where the onus of proving
Mangai. innocence was now on the man.
Mangai mentioned Anuradha Kapur’s
play, ‘Om Swaha,’ in the context of dowry.
Anuradha would perform her play before
a house where there had been a dowry
death, thereby making it difficult for the
police to turn a blind eye to the crime. The
play was performed 300 times.
A perceptible shift in the focus of plays
on gender issues took place a little later.
The woman was no longer seen from the
perspective of victimisation, but now the
The woman was focus was on how she coped with it.
no longer treated Powerful characters
as an object of Mangai herself is cautious when it comes
observation, but as to portraying powerful women characters.
For instance, in her play, ‘Chuvadugal,’
the subject in plays. she carefully desists from portraying
Maniamma as a heroic figure. That would
only have led to a statue being erected
for her on the Marina, Mangai says.
Chuvadugal, written by Rajam Krishnan,
is a true story. Maniamma, a Brahmin,
was widowed at the age of nine. In an
age when widows were considered
inauspicious, Maniamma cropped her hair
in the style of a man, and rode a bicycle.
She questioned everything that came
her way.
Mangai calls her play a docu-drama. When
she staged the play in Nagapattinam, an
ed matrix june 2008
Media Scan
old woman in the audience said, “I’ve
been on the bicycle with Maniamma!”
Mangai says, “Saying that one or another
male bastion has been breached by a
woman is to obscure feminist issues.”
She has no use for such tokenisms.
It’s like saying, ‘Take any field, there are
women who excel in it.’ The presence
of women in a field is hardly proof that
questions of gender have been addressed.
Too simplistic, argues Mangai.
Besides, this puts a big burden on the
woman. She has to excel in some field, be
artistically inclined, be an excellent wife,
and a good mother. In other words, she is
expected to be a superwoman, she says.
This writer later caught up with Mangai
for answers to some questions. Mangai
says women look at women’s issues
from a different perspective vis-a-vis
male directors. Take rape for example.
You can look at a rape from two angles.
You can show the gloating male, or the
traumatised woman. Invariably it is the
gloating male who is shown by men
directors. Since 1986, she has done
plays on female infanticide and female
foeticide.
Mangai points out that iconic figures are
often interpreted in ‘status quo’ terms.
Mangai has revisited mythological and
historical characters. She says the filmi
version of ‘Avvaiyaar’ makes Avvai didactic
from the word ‘go’.
In the play written by Inquilab and directed
by Mangai, Avvai is a young, sensuous
woman who lives life on her own terms.
In ‘Manimekalai,’ also directed by Mangai,
Manimekalai’s dilemmas are shown.
In Mangai’s play ‘Kaala Kanavu,’ you
have many voices from the past talking
about the choices women made in the
public domain and in their personal lives,
their ideas on marriage, caste, sexual
love, contraception, male chauvinism, the
devadasi system.
It is a loosely structured history of feminism
in Tamil Nadu from the mid 19th to the mid
20th century.
Suganthy Krishnamachari
Courtesy: The Hindu.

PedAgogy

A
ustralia has become a
cherished destination for all
who like to combine education
with ease and relaxation.
Education in Australia is
primarily the responsibility of states and
territories.
Generally, education in Australia follows
the three-tier model which includes
primary education (primary schools),
followed by secondary education
(secondary schools/high schools) and
tertiary education universities and/or
TAFE (Technical and Further Education
Colleges). The Australian education
system is one of the best in the world,
ranking 8th on a worldwide scale.

Educational System
The Education System in Australia
consists of a total of 12 years. Primary
schools and high schools are based on
the age of the student, so that every

room has the same age group, with a
student hardly having to repeat a year.
The students with problems in their
studies may be put into special classes to
help with academic deficits. The majority
of the children start in the primary school
with the age of 5 years (year 1) and the
child studies in the primary school until
they are around 12 years old ( year 7).
Primary, Secondary and High
Schools of Australia - There are many
types of education for children up to 5
years, but the main ones are the “Child
Care” regulated centres or families in
registered residences who take care of
the kids in a system called “Family Day
Care”. The student goes for secondary
school with 12/13 years (year 8), and is
he/she is only compulsorily required to
stay to year 10, receiving a junior high
school certificate but not a high school
certificate. The year 11 (15/16 YO) and 12
(16/17 YO), are optional but are required
to be successfully completed to attain a
high school diploma. Some of the options
for those students leaving the school in
year 10 include training – apprenticeship,
to enter the work force or to study in any
vocational course.
Year 11 and 12 - The results of the
last two years of high school are the
10
in Australia
Quality and Affordability are the hallmark of
Australian education.
most important ones, as they are the
ones to be evaluated for entry levels
in Universities. The results which you
achieve for each subject (compared to
the rest of the students) will then give you
a rank. The board of secondary studies
than calculates an “OP” score (overall
position) using a formula of your high
school results and a test called “QCS”
(in Queensland) which is taken by every
year 12 in the state, which is used to
compare students (schools) of the same
year level between schools. The last 2
years is where students begin to guide
their education towards their chosen
professions. The student will choose
what to study depending on the career in
which they intend to follow. For example,
a student who wants to do Engineering in
University should choose subjects such
as physics, and high level mathematics
instead of subjects such as history, or
biology. For international students there
are options with easier level subjects
ed matrix june 2008
inside the curriculum. There is the easy
level English, the easy mathematics etc;
and they are the options for the students
not going to apply for a academic career
in an university course. In general the
subjects are divided in letters such as
Maths type A, B, C or names such as
Board English (harder one) and English
Communication (easier one).
School Year Calendar - Australia is
in the South Hemisphere; therefore the
academic year coincides with calendar
year, starting in the end of January and
finishing in December. The summer
vacations are the biggest school holidays
(period of 6/7 weeks), and during the
school year there are also small breaks
usually of about 10-14 days between
“terms” (2 terms per semester). Not all
states go all holidays at the same time,
for example the vacations of Queensland
generally begins 1 week before NSW
which begins 1 week before the State
of Victoria. This difference is most likely

in place so to maximize holiday and
tourist places, which would then extend
for further. The timetable for school
vacations are in general in April, July
and September. The beginning of the
Holidays in public schools also differ by
around I week from private schools.
The difference between private and
public schools in Australia - There
are Private and Public schools. Private
Schools in general are related to a religion
and usually they offer more options in
music and sports. In both all students
have to use of uniforms but in the private
schools the rules are more restricted
about the use of a complete uniform.
The educational courses and standards
of all high schools are very similar and all
prepare students for the same national,
recognized qualifications in the country.
Some schools also offer in the years 11
and 12 professional qualifications level
for Certificate 2 and 3.
Technical Courses in Australia - The
Certificates and Diplomas of Vocational
Courses allow the students to enter and
leave different levels of academic studies.
The unify system of education allows
the student to register for Certificate
course which then after completion
may give credits to Diploma courses or
Degrees, in case the student continues
in a University. Professional experience
may also be recognised. The technical
courses are often considered a “bridge”
to enter in an Australian University.
Universities in Australia - Australia has
both government and private Universities
that offer two programmes called “Under
Graduate”, and after graduation courses
called “Graduate Programmes or
Post Graduate”. In general the time of
duration of the Graduate Certificates 6
months, Master 1 year, Master Honour
1.5 year, Doctorate 2 years. However
these degrees are not measured by time
but by subjects/ courses taken, therefore
depending on how may subjects/courses
you are doing per semester, it may
impact the time it takes to complete
them. Most of these post graduate
courses, however, do have a time limit
The Australian
education system
is one of the
best in the world,
ranking 8th on a
worldwide scale.
to complete. For all Australian citizens,
the government provides a interest free
loan called “HECS”, which only needs
to be paid once that person is earning
above a certain level ($28,000 p.a).
Australia provides the world’s most
rigorous protection for international
students through the Education Services
for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act
2000. Tuition and financial assurance for
international students is also provided
under the Act, so that if an institution is not
able to meet its commitments, the student
will receive an alternative placement or a
refund. It ensures a nationally consistent
approach to provide registration and
enables the Australian Government to
monitor education providers. Breaches
of the Act are treated very seriously and
the penalties can be significant, including
losing the right to enrol students.
English Tests for Universities and
Foundation - The test IELTS is the
ed matrix june 2008
PedAgogy
preferred one for Australian institutions
to measure the level of English of
international students in Australia, but
the TOEFL (more popular in U.S.A.) is
also accepted.
Requirement study in a University in
Australia - The criteria for enrolment
in a University vary depending on the
institution. But generally besides the
official translated documents, you will
need to show:
• Evidence of English knowledge/level
(all institutions will require).
• Evidence of study, for example, If High
School was not done in Australia need
to show similar qualification, recognized
by NOOSR, (Australian department for
recognition of foreign aptitudes).
• Have already done at least 1 year in
a university. If a person has not done
a previous year in a University than an
Australian course called Foundation
during 6 months up to 1 year will
guarantee entry in the University.
Another way to be admitted in an
Australian University is through an
evaluation of the Curriculum and letters
of recommendation. The evaluation is
based on the educational qualifications,
life experience and work experience. This
option is known as “RPL” (“Recognition
of prior learning”, or recognition of the
completed studies). This evaluation is
made in the Australian NOOSR (report
of National Department the Recognition
of Foreign Aptitudes) and the Embassy
can supply the contacts.
Duration of the Degree in Australia -
A Bachelor degree generally takes three
years, and can also be done in only two
years in some universities (such as Bond)
with fewer days holiday. The majority of
the structures offer the opportunity to
combine two qualifications. In that you
will be able to finish a University with a
two qualifications or a “Double Degree”
by studying one more year.
Rajesh Kumar
11
C a mp u s A b r o a d
I
f you had been to the UK already,
then you will roughly know the cultural
settings of UK. If it is your first time
in the country - and perhaps your
first time abroad - you may find that
settling in is not an automatic process. At
some stage you will use the term culture
shock to explain your reactions. But what
exactly is culture shock? What does it
feel like? Can you prevent it? Probably
not; but you can minimise its effect.
Research into culture shock
Culture shock has been a bona fide field
of research for European and American
anthropologists and psychologists. The
anthropologist Dr. Kalvero Oberg was
the first to use this term. Others have
experimented with ‘culture fatigue’ and
‘role shock’ but these have not made it
into everyday usage.
Studying abroad and
culture shock
Are you planning to study in the UK? Are you looking forward to an exciting time, with high
expectations of life in Britain?
There are positive and negative aspects
of living in a new culture. At first you
are excited by the new environment
and a few frustrations do not spoil your
enthusiasm. Then follows a period in
which cultural differences in behaviour
and values become more obvious. What
was exciting, new and challenging is now
merely frustrating. In the next stage you
may reject what is around you, perhaps
becoming opinionated and negative. You
may feel that everyone is against you
and that nobody understands you.
Based on your successes in negotiating
a variety of social situations and, maybe,
increased language skills, your self-
esteem grows. Knowing that you cannot
change your surroundings you now enjoy
certain aspects of British culture and feel
relieved and strengthened from having
overcome the difficulties. You may even
feel a sense of belonging.
12
The symptoms
They can range from the physical -
headaches, lethargy, sleep problems,
loss of appetite and digestive irregularities
- to the psychological, irritability and
anger over minor frustrations, confusion
about morals and values. Suffering from
culture shock often leaves people feeling
moody, isolated and insecure.
Research has shown that the more well-
travelled and practised at absorbing,
accepting and adapting you are, the more
easily you overcome culture shock. If you
are confident from speaking the language
and possess a thorough knowledge of
your new home, you can feel settled after
a relatively short period.
Preparing for culture shock
What strategies can you use to minimise,
and cope with, culture shock?
Remember that other
students probably
go through the same
experiences as you do.
Even British students
have to adjust to living
away from home.
ead the very useful booklet ‘How to live
R
in Britain’ from the British Council.
Perhaps you know someone who has
lived in the UK, or - better still - studied
at the university or college you are going
to. Talk to them but beware, they may
indulge in some nostalgia when looking
back on their student days. Ask them
what problems and disappointments
they have experienced.
ed matrix june 2008
Read all the pre-departure literature sent
to you by your university or college. Before
leaving home, try and find out some
social survival skills like how to address
people in different social groups, how
gender roles affect social relationships,
what constitutes acceptable behaviour
in a range of everyday situations, how
gestures and body language differ from
your country’s
Do not rely on TV or cinema films to
provide you cultural pointers. British
soap operas and films only give you a
stereotypical and often idolised view.
How to overcome culture shock
After arriving at your new university
or college, the following suggestions
may assist you in reducing the strain of
culture shock:
e aware of the signs, including the
B
physical symptoms.
xplore your immediate environment.
E
Take advice on personal safety and walk
around to know your neighbourhood.
Create a mental map of your surroundings.
Be courageous and introduce yourself to
your neighbours. If you live in university
accommodation, there may be other
students who feel just the way you do.
Locate useful places such as the post
office, the doctor’s surgery and the
university welfare office so that you know
where they are when you need them.
ead a local newspaper and find out
R
what the topical issues are. If you are well
informed, you can hold conversations
with British people without always feeling
the outsider.
I f you are unsure of your English,
boost your confidence by remembering

that most British people do not speak
a foreign language. Make an effort
to improve your language skills by
watching TV and listening to the radio.
You institution may run free courses for
international students.
Take a break from studying and take part
in social activities. Enquire about things
like etiquette and dress code if you are
not sure.
Ask questions about social customs from
people with whom you feel comfortable.
You will always find someone who will
assist you in finding out about life in
Britain. This can be a two-way exchange,
with you telling people about life in your
home country.
eep in touch with your own culture.
K Avoid comparing them and us, good and
Visit the nearest temples and mosques
and find out from where you can buy the
cookery ingredients that you are used to
from home.
Avoid mixing only with compatriots or
other international students. Contact with
British people allows you to adapt more
quickly and to make friends.
A good way of meeting British people
is to take part in a hosting scheme
where British families invite international
students into their homes for a meal, or a
weekend stay.
Ask yourself which situations irritate or
confuse you the most. Are you sure that
you have always understood people’s
reactions to you, or could it be that you
misinterpreting their behaviour?
bad. Establishing why people behave the
way they do and placing their behaviour
ed matrix june 2008
C a mp u s A b r o a d
in a social or economic context is more
helpful.
Help to reduce stress on your body by
keeping fit physically. If you are feeling
very low, talk to someone about it. Write
down things you like and do not like. Can
you change them? If not, you can try
living with them.
And finally, remember that other
students probably go through the same
experiences as you do. Even British
students have to adjust to living away
from home.
Adapting to a different climate, different
social conventions and different cultural
values can be a complex and sometimes
painful process, but coming out at the
other end is rewarding, enriching and
definitely worth the effort!
Christine Eickelmann,
University of Northumbria, U.K
13
S t r at e g y

Be
a
Master
of
Paradox
14 ed matrix june 2008

A
braham Lincoln used to be a
celebrated name as it is now.
It is difficult, and sometimes
paradoxical, to think of
Abraham Lincoln as a man
who possessed charisma in much the
same way as, say, John F. Kennedy did.
After all, this is the same stoic-faced
individual we see in old photographs;
the never-smiling man of the statues
and busts; the man who dressed in
black, dull, ill-fitting clothes and rarely
combed his hair. But “paradox” is a
most appropriate description for not
only Lincoln the man but Lincoln the
leader. There were, in fact, numerous
paradoxes in Lincoln’s leadership style.
For instance, he tended to be strikingly
flexible while at the same time a model
of consistency.
Although Abraham Lincoln has not
generally been regarded as a leader with
charisma, there are many observations
that support the theory that he did,
indeed, possess a certain amount of
that magical quality.
His troops greeted him with wild,
sometimes frenzied cheering. And
there are numerous accounts of people
instinctively crowding around him
and reacting with excitement when
he approached. The tremendous
outpouring of grief after his death
is further testament to his immense
popularity. Moreover, part of the “Lincoln
Myth” bestowed on him a certain
amount of saintly virtue. He was a
father figure to many people of his day.
Indeed, his name, Abraham, literally
means father, and, like his height,
may have had a psychological effect
on followers.
During the four years of his presidency,
Lincoln was remarkably consistent.
Consistency became one of Lincoln’s
subtle trademarks and one of the
main cogs in the machinery of his
administration. Such dependability from
a leader inspires trust and naturally
makes people feel more comfortable
on a day-to-day basis. Lincoln was
consistent in how he treated people,
He’d committed himself
to doing whatever it took
to preserve, protect, and
defend the Constitution of
the United States, which
to him meant keeping the
country together
and how he made assignments and
promotions; consistent in his interaction
with his cabinet members and generals;
and consistent in how he administered
and managed the government and
its war machine. He ordered military
appointments and commissions only
“if it can consistently be done.” Lincoln
even used the “consistency” rationale to
justify his running for a second term.
Yet, while being a model of consistency,
Lincoln was also uncommonly flexible.
He was a leader who would not and did
not limit himself. “My policy is to have no
policy,” he’d say. “I shall not surrender
this game leaving any available card
unplayed.” Lincoln would always leave
“an opportunity for a change of mind.”
He’d committed himself to doing
whatever it took to preserve, protect,
and defend the Constitution of the United
States, which to him meant keeping the
country together. In a letter to Horace
ed matrix june 2008
S t r at e g y
Greeley, written in 1862, the president
described his view of this “official duty,”
which included an unbending devotion
to flexibility:
I shall do less whenever I shall believe
what I am doing hurts the cause, and I
shall do more whenever I shall believe
doing more will help the cause. I shall try
to correct errors when shown to be errors;
and I shall adopt new views so fast as
they shall appear to be true views.
Lincoln’s adept handling of paradox has
been confirmed by recent leadership
studies as an essential skill for all leaders.
Tom Peters, in his book Thriving On
Chaos, recommended promoting those
individuals who deal best with paradox.
“Managers at all levels,” he wrote, “must
come to grips with paradoxes that have
set conventional management wisdom
on its ear.” He offered “tips for that
paradox-loving manager who must be
the leader of the future: be out and about;
only by being at the front line will you be
able to feel the pace, the progress, and
the problems here it counts; listen and
provide listening forums; learn to love
and laud failures; and preach speedy
horizontal communication.”
Lincoln showed his mastery of paradox
by skillfully providing a rock-solid, stable
government as a foundation for the
nation’s security, while at the same time
personally instituting massive amounts
of change. He coupled this chief paradox
with many other seemingly contradictory
approaches that all leaders, in every walk
of life, must master to be successful.
Here are just some of the paradoxes
that are easily identifiable in Lincoln’s
leadership style:
• He was charismatic yet unassuming.
• He was consistent yet flexible.
• He was the victim of vast amounts
of slander and malice, yet he was also
immensely popular with the troops.
• He was trusting and compassionate,
yet could also be demanding and
tough.
• He was a risk-taker and innovative,
yet patient and calculating.
15
S t r at e g y
• He seemed to have a “revolving
door” of generals whom he often
removed and replaced; yet, in reality, he
gave them ample time and support to
produce results.
• He claimed not to have controlled
events, that his policy was to have no
policy when, in actuality, he did control
events to a very large degree by being
aggressive, taking charge, and being
extraordinarily decisive.
One naturally wonders how Lincoln
could possibly have managed all of
16
these amazing inconsistencies during
so trying a time in American history.
Yet not only did he manage them, he
mastered these paradoxes in such a
formidable manner that, by being more
often proactive that reactive, he actually
controlled the outcome of events. While
Lincoln was able to capitaliSe on his
own strengths, he was also to recognise
his shortcomings, compensate for them,
and play down his darker side.
All human beings have their weaknesses,
but not all of us realise them, come to
ed matrix june 2008
grips with them, or offset their negative
impact.
How did Lincoln control the more negative
aspects of his character, such as anger
and frustration? Though once in a while
he would blow up and lose his temper, he
usually did it in private. To avoid such a
display, Lincoln would sit down and write
lengthy letters that he generally did not
send. They served as ways to release
his pent-up emotional feelings.
Lincoln usually exhibited his darker
sides only in private; problem, in a less
emotional frame of mind. But Lincoln’s
primary goal was to not lose his temper
at all, or at least to minimize the times he
would do so. His strategy was simply to
not put himself in that position, to avoid
conflict wherever possible. “Let minor
differences, and personal preferences,
if there be such; go to the winds,” he
once said.
If Lincoln was able to master himself,
so can contemporary leaders, who can
learn from his skill. He managed his
darker side by displaying his outrage
only in private, writing long letters to
vent his anger and emotion, avoiding
conflict wherever possible, and never
quarrelling over insignificant matters.
And Lincoln is charismatic even
in death. Mention of his name still
generates great emotion. Today he has
a tremendous following that spans all
walks of life, all professions, all around
the globe.
Corporate leaders of the future will
have to provide employee security
while also encouraging an environment
for risk taking. At times it will seem like
walking a delicate tightrope. But, in
reality, it is nothing more than the simple
understanding that each person, and
each situation, is different and should
be handled uniquely, in some cases
with completely opposite styles. In many
ways, mastering paradox is nothing more
than having good common sense.
Abridged from Donald T. Phillips’
‘Lincoln on Leadership’
 Psycho -logic

W
hen Roopa said “Fever
is a zoonotic disease
caused by Coxiella
burnetii, a species of
bacteria,” everybody in
the class looked puzzled. Not because
they doubted the accuracy of her answer,
but because it was her answer to the
professor’s question: “Who gave the
theory E=MC2?”
Roopa remained detached and did not
show any interest in interacting with
fellow classmates. She was living in a
world of her own, ever since she joined
engineering college.
Roopa was the only daughter in a middle
class family. She was an intelligent girl
and did perform well academically. But
she was living a life of shattered dreams.
She even lost the medical seat by few
marks. That seemed like the end of life
help her get over the problem. But it did
not seem to help her. She only ended up
giving irrelevant answers in class and
most of the time; she was not aware how
she behaved.
At this stage Roopa was brought to me
for counselling. Mental depression for
many days leads to psychiatric problem.
And the sudden shock of failure added to
her problem. She was found to require
psychiatric treatment rather than
counselling, as she was not in a condition
to control her mind. Counselling was only
a temporary solution. Apart from
treatment all that she needed was a
positive attitude. I suggested her parents
that she ought to be brought up in a
positive atmosphere, projecting the
positive aspects of the day-to-day events
and issues. The problem could have
been avoided if her parents and teachers
had guided her properly.

Help your child to face

• Try to create interest in education

failure with smile rather pressurising a particular goal on

for her. Her parents cursed her for she
could not get enough marks for a
free seat.
Roopa’s aspiration since childhood was
to become a surgeon. She was
passionate about the white coat and
dreamt of treating patients in her clinic.
She worked very hard and scored well in
all her school exams. There was
expectation building around her. Roopa’s
parents were very encouraging and they
kept insisting that all her focus should be
in doing medicine course.
But when she lost the free medical seat,
she became depressed. The fact that her
friends got admission through payment
seat, while she could not, aggravated her
anxiety. She spent sleepless nights and
detached morning hours. As her parents
could not afford a management seat in
medicine, they enrolled her in an
engineering college, thinking it could
• A degree is not the ultimate goal of life.
Education is not the purpose of life; it is a
means to achieve a desired position in
life. There are people who had achieved
greater heights without a degree or a
traditional education. Students should be
made aware of this and parents and
teachers should not pressurise a student
to score marks.
• Her teachers and parents did motivate
her to reach her dreams but they failed to
help her get the mental ability to face
a failure.
• Parents should have spoken with her
about the alternative choices available,
anticipating a failure. (contingency plan)
General Tips:
• Parents and students should
understand that life is not about scoring
marks and holding a degree, it is much
beyond that.
students.
• Check the ability of the students and
guide them accordingly.
• Have a contingency plan.
• Make your child aware of the various
options available and help him/her
choose one among them based on their
interest. Do not thrust your dreams on
them.
• Motivate your child to participate in
extracurricular activities to have a taste
of success and failure.
• A child might have known all the
answers asked in exam, but only a strong
mental courage helps him/her to perform
at the exam hall.
Glory Bai
The author is a General Psychologist, running Sha-
pex Counselling Centre at Chennai. She is a Ph.D.,
scholar in educational psychology.
This column will feature a case study involving educa-
tional psychology, followed by analysis and solution for
the same. Write to us at edmatrix@gmail.com for issues
relating to psychological problems concerning students,
teachers and parents.

ed matrix june 2008 17

M a n a g eme n t
I am Busy and
have no time
I
t is Sunday evening nine on clock and Bhupesh is burn-
ing the mid-night oil for the Tuesday’s presentation.
Having missed to book ticket, he is taking the bus to
Bangalore the next morning, for the presentation. He is
very busy these days and it’s been long since he did a
shopping for the house. For the past two months, he read no
books or newspaper.
Bhupesh is very supportive and always ready to offer his help
to his colleagues to the extent that he leaves his own works
aside. Visitors are always welcome in his office and he never
says no to any invitations. Of late, he is stressed out that he
could not spend time for himself. Still, he makes it a point that
he sleeps 8 hours every day.
“I am busy and have no time”, are the most used words by
Bhupesh. Not just him, many among us do experience a simi-
lar life, wondering, where time flies!
As Robert Orben said, time indeed flies and it’s up to us to
be the navigator. In reality, we do not lack time; we lack the
18 ed matrix june 2008
Time indeed
flies and it’s
up to us to be
the navigator.
will to make time work for us. To manage time, you have got
to know what is most important and then give it all you have
got. When you manage your time, you are in control of your
time and your life, of your stress and energy levels. You make
progress at work. You are able to maintain balance between
your work, personal, and family lives. You have enough flex-
ibility to respond to surprises or new opportunities. In fact,
time stays long enough for those who use it.
If you have been complaining of ‘no time’ and thinking how to
manage it, this is the time to start right away.
Get started - Don’t waste time getting started on a project.
Get down to work quickly and efficiently.
Get into a routine- While it may suppress your creativity, if
used appropriately, a routine may release time and energy.
Plan a time every day to accomplish certain tasks (emails, pa-
per work, etc.,) and stick to it. Use a day planner to help keep
your schedule.
Do not say yes to too many things - Saying yes to too many
 M a n a g eme n t

things over-extends energies, forces us to live to others’ prior- not much to be gained from putting in the extra effort. Learn
ities rather than focus on our own. With only so many hours in to recognize each situation and put the attention to detail only
a day, each time you say yes will mean something else doesn’t in those situations that really need it.
get done.
Deal with it for once and for all - Deal with a task only once.
Do not commit yourself to unimportant activities, no matter Schedule the appropriate amount of time for it and get it
how far ahead they are - No matter how far ahead a commit- done. Don’t continually start and stop a task.
ment is, it is still a commitment, and it will still take up the
Set start and stop times - By setting start and stoptimes you
same amount of our time.
improve the scheduling. As you continually get better at set-
Divide large tasks - By having small, manageable goals and tasks, ting start and stop times, see if you can save time ahead of
you can eventually complete the larger project. Also, smaller your deadlines and strive to work for more efficiency.
projects will more easily fit into an already tight schedule.
Plan your activities - Set a regular time to schedule your activi-
Do not put unneeded effort into a project - There is a place ties. This will help you focus on your time management and
for perfectionism, but there also comes a point when there is devote the necessary time for it.
Select the answer which most accurately represents your honest response to the statement
1. I rely on mythical time, putting off major work 11. I find it difficult to complete daily TO DO lists.
until ‘later’
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
12. I find it hard to allow myself quiet time during
2. I overestimate the amount of time I control which I can work undisturbed each day.
each day
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
13. I prefer to solve problems after they happen rather
3. I readily accept new tasks and am reluctant to say than focus on preventing problems.
no to a request.
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
14. I find it difficult to meet deadlines with time
4. My days are spent hopping from one task to another to spare.
because concentrating is difficult where I work.
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
15. I tend to be a late arriver to work, meetings, lec
5. Visitors are always welcome to drop in to see me. tures, events etc.
(a) Yes (b) No (a) Yes (b) No
6. I will usually put aside my work if a colleague re- 16. I find it difficult to return to work once interrupt-
quests assistance. ed, without losing momentum.
(a) Yes (b) No (a) Yes (b) No
7. I take a long time before getting down to work on 17. I do not set myself clear and realistic goals.
a task.
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
18. I do not relax during my free time because of
8. My best work is done under deadline pressure and I work pressure.
usually finish just in time.
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
19. I complete my most important work outside of my
9. I am insensitive to others’ need for privacy to ac peak energy hours.
complish their work.
(a) Yes (b) No
(a) Yes (b) No
20. Generally, I do not make the best use of my time.
10. I feel pressured because of my tendencies to
(a) Yes (b) No
procrastinate.
(a) Yes (b) No
Keerthana Raj
ed matrix june 2008 19
E - Le a r n i n g
E-learning for the
corporate world
V
ery few emerging
marketsorindustriescan
accurately be classified
as “juggernaut” in
size, scope or effect.
Today, the emerging juggernaut is e-
learning. If analysts and current trends
prove correct, e-learning will establish
itself as the “juggernaut” of corporate
training and development.
E-learning, as a whole, represents a
wide range of organisational activities
and technologies, including distance
education, computer-based training,
web-based training, internet-based
training, courseware delivery and
online learning and testing. E-learning
represents the total integration of
multimedia, instructor-led, and
real-time training - in a human,
collaborative environment.
Knowing how to get started in
purchasing or creating an organization-
wide e-learning programme for
employees requires an understanding
20
E-learning begins
to revolutionise
global workforce
training and
development.
of new learning models,
methodologies and technologies. As
with most educational institutions,
business organizations are muddled
with learning models, methodologies,
and processes created in times of
information scarcity.
E-learning and Return on Investment
(ROI)
What began simply as information
technology training has made
its way into management, sales,
marketing, product management,
customer service, and professional
development. This multimedia
approach to training is quickly
migrating to the Web. The e-learning
market, in a Merrill Lynch research
report, is estimated to grow annually
at 54 percent. When looking at the
overall, $2 trillion annual worldwide
educational and training budget,
the e-learning value figure will
undoubtedly be much, much larger.
E-learning is essentially the
ed matrix june 2008
‘e-commerce’ of knowledge. Today
the global emergence of knowledge
e-commerce is on the horizon. In
the final analysis, e-Learning offers
ten significant ROI features to the
business world and its workforce.
Real-time learning
E-learning offers real-time learning
and application of critical knowledge.
Knowledge will no longer need
to be taken from the shelf of the
training department, brushed off, and
reviewed. E-learning is immediate
and provides up-to-date information.
Just as the Internet has revolutionised
information accessibility, so e-
learning begins to revolutionise global
workforce training and development.
Learner-centric training
E-learning changes the focus of
training from traditional instructor-
centric to learner-centric training.
This is how training and learning
should be done. E-learning is
tailored to the learners’ professional

responsibilities and capabilities,
creating relevant application to
their immediate and future needs. A
learner and his needs should be the
sole focus and goal of any training or
educational programme.
Attract, train and retain
The most important asset in an
organisation is its knowledge
workers. The shortage of skilled
workers is global. Research shows
that the number one reason for loss
of key employees is that they feel
their organisation has not invested
sufficient resources for their
professional development. E-learning
not only addresses the workers’ need
to develop new knowledge and
skills, but also provides learning-on-
demand.
Personalised individual training
An effective e-learning system
learns about its users and tailors its
offerings to their learning style, job
requirements, career goals, current
knowledge, and personal preferences.
The system is adaptive and personal.
This is all accomplished through
“small chunks” or “bites” of learning
granules and objects labeled so that
systems can automatically create
and deliver individualised learning
experiences. Accomplished with a
one-on-one, instructor-trainer ratio.
Ownership and Empowerment
E-learners are responsible for their
own learning. E-learning empowers
them to manage and implement their
own learning and development plans.
Ownership of learning is crucial for
individual growth and retention of
employees. Empowerment creates
learner ownership and direction
– leading to powerful learning and
growth potential. E-learning gives
the e-learner the ability to measure
their progress and assess their ‘gap’
in desired skills.
Simulation
E-learning introduces a truly
innovative way of simulating each
learning experience or event with
content and ideas provided by some
of the leading professionals in the
world. Simulation also introduces the
required, ‘interactive’ part of learning
– interaction and participation with a
local or global audience.
Collaboration
This is accomplished through either
joint problem-solving or discussion
among study groups through
forums, discussion groups and chat
rooms. Collaboration is one critical
component to effective learning –
opening the path to broader thought
and innovative processes through
the sharing of ideas and experience.
Bottom line, collaboration unleashes
the learner’s creative and innovative
thought process – leading to new
ideas, products, and services.
Anytime and anywhere
One difficult and costly process of
traditional training is coordinating
travel, resources, materials,
Speed, connectivity,
and intangible value
(knowledge) have made
e-learning the primary
choice for creating and
maintaining a competitive
advantage in an ever-
changing, competitive,
knowledge world. of each employee represents
classroom settings, or seminar
training for a global workforce. No
longer is it necessary to dedicate
critical resources to plan, coordinate
and manage travel, reservations,
rentals, and equipment for each
learner and event. The reality of
training in a virtual information
classroom, across continents, is now
possible – anytime, anywhere.
Cost effective
Costs can be applied to each learner,
and results can be measured against
the incurred costs. More importantly,
e-learning is less intrusive to the
daily work duties and schedule of the
ed matrix june 2008
E - Le a r n i n g
organisation and learner, saving time
and money through less interruption
of the learner’s regularly scheduled
duties. This cost effective training
is tangible ROI – immediately
recognised by the organisation.
Quantifiable ROI
E-learning can be effectively
measured in terms of knowledge
gain and retention. This is proving to
be the true “sell-point” of e-learning.
Organisations, through the use of a
learning management system, are
now able to establish systems that
can track progress, report results,
and specify additional subject matter
for continued success – all within
seconds of the user’s query. This is
the point where both organizational
management and employees will see
measurable ROI.
E-learning offers organisations the
ability to address and manage the
monumental task of hiring, training,
and retention of the new knowledge
worker. It also shows which
organisations are serious about
attracting, training, and retaining
their global workforce.
Soon, training for nearly every
job in the world will be available
over the Internet. The real change
in organisational practice will be
the recognition, acceptance and
acknowledgement that the knowledge
organisational (intellectual) capital.
Each employee has competitive
knowledge – representing one strand of
the organisation’s competitive DNA.
In fact, I believe it is the competitive
advantage organisations neglect
most often. Speed, connectivity, and
intangible value (knowledge) have
made e-learning the primary choice for
creating and maintaining a competitive
advantage in an ever-changing,
competitive, knowledge world.
Adapted from www.winstonbrill.com.
In this column, we present you the different dimen-
sions of e-learning, its advantages, disadvantages,
sources and different features of e-learning.
21
Cover Story

A strong motive
seems to be the thrill
of being your own
boss. “Working for
yourself means being
in charge of your
own destiny.
Whether your ideas
get converted into
success will remain
largely on the
research, planning
and hard work. If you
do succeed then the
sky’s the limit for
your company and
ambitions,”

The Alluring
Young
Entrepreneurship
Photo: Kalpana

22 ed matrix june 2008


Many youngsters take up efforts
to start entrepreneurial
adventures as India opens up
many avenues to them.
T
he best place to experience
exponential growth, personally
and professionally, is at your
own firm, feels the youth of
today. They are prepared to
take risk, willing to roll the dice in support
of an idea or enterprise, ready to assume
responsibility for the success or failure of
a venture. Entrepreneurship is now seen
as a serious career choice by
the Gen Y.
A recent competition by Businessweek.
com listed a considerable number of
Indians as the Best Young Entrepreneur
in the Asia Pacific region. The runner-up
in the contest turned out to be an Indian
girl, Saloni Malhotra, founder and CEO
of DesiCrew Solutions, a BPO focused
on tapping the workforce in India’s small
towns and rural areas, including
Vaniyambadi and Mayiladuthurai.
Like Saloni, many young people are
embarking into entrepreneurship.
Reasons are aplenty.
No working for somebody else, no
orders, no prospect of being sacked or
made redundant and time off whenever
you feel like, are also in the list.
But a strong motive seems to be the thrill
of being your own boss. Working for
yourself means being in charge of your
own destiny. Whether your ideas get
converted into success will remain
largely on the research, planning and
hard work. If you do succeed then the
sky’s the limit for your company and
ambitions, says Senthil, who has recently
started his own business.
Senthil Kumar (24) is the CEO of cinema
based portal - www.chennaicinemaclub.
com. A post graduate of Mass
Communication from PSG College,
Coimbatore, started his venture into
Share Market as early as, when he was
doing his under graduation. “By being an
employee, you can only dream and
remain dreaming. You can fulfill them only
when you are your own boss,” he says.
Chennaicinemaclub.com shortly called
CCC is an online directory with details of
cinema personnel from big actors to
lightmen. “It is the age of internet. A
filmmaker cannot carry a directory to the
nook and corners of his shooting spot. In
such cases, our website will be a boon to
them” adds Senthil.
He has a strong will to become an
entrepreneur as he started his planning
two years back. He did not leave any
stone unturned. He even had other
options of brick business and a restaurant
business. If the website idea had not
clicked, he would have pursued on one
of these, or any other from the whole lot.
He says, “Even a teashop business is
fine with me. But I wanted to have my
own business”
The toughest hurdle, agree most young
entrepreneurs, is the beginning. “It’s a
confusing phase. You get contradicting
signals and points of view from everyone
around you. The key is the passion and
conviction you have in yourself and your
idea,” says Senthil.
Agrees Karthick Ram (23), who runs
www.needindya.com, “There are people
around you who awe at the very idea of a
young man starting a business and they
constantly transfer their doubts and fears
on you”, says Karthick, adding “Don’t get
discouraged. If you believe you can and
that it will win, and then go ahead.”
NeedIndya is an online yellow pages
service, operating from Chennai. He took
one and half years for planning and
research. He has tied-up with Google
and alibaba.com of China, by which, a
person in China searching for info in
India will land up at needindya.com.
Karthick started his career in his tenth
standard. He learnt hardware servicing
and was doing PC installation for many
institutions in his village near Vizhupuram,
Tamilnadu. After his graduation, he
worked for three months and later quit
the job to start his own business. “I never
thought about being an employee, except
ed matrix june 2008
Cover Story
to learn about this field.” He has plans to
start a call centre in six months.
However, these youth kept their business
secrets to themselves, when asked about
their business strategy and profits.
Senthil, who started his business early
this year, said that he was not thinking of
profit at the earlier stage but was only
concerned about how well he could reach
people through quality service.
Karthick draws inspiration from his father
who is also a businessman in his village.
For Senthil, it is a lone battle. He has
started from scratch, supported by friends
in Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem. “My
parents will not understand my business,
even if I try to explain them, as they are
illiterates. All they know is that I am into a
computer related business.”
Nevertheless, for him, all this business
venture are only short term goals, his
eyes are however set on the arena of
politics.
Both of them list self-confidence,
decision-making skills, and readiness to
face challenges and everlasting
enthusiasm as the required traits for a
youth to succeed as an entrepreneur.
The origins of just about every major
international business can be traced
back to an entrepreneur who wanted to
tread his or her own path and started
putting ideas down onto paper.
However, self-employment comes with a
large number of potential disadvantages.
The life of the sole trader is certainly not
easy. For every successful entrepreneur,
there are countless others who have
fallen by the wayside. There are many
who go back to their day jobs within a
year, while there are also those who take
a long time to see even the smallest
percentage of profit.
“But that’s the game and that’s where life
lies”. Being an entrepreneur “feels like a
big responsibility combined with a lot of
fun,” Karthick says. “Every day is a new
challenge with new problems to be
solved. I am living the life,” adds Karthick,
as Senthil agrees.
Keerthana Raj
23
Cover Story

Key deficiencies and constraints

Areas of concern affecting young Entrepreneurs in business
assistance and support

W
hat are the most
important gaps in
business assistance and
support for young
people? Where do young
people face particular difficulties and
severe challenges? The following could
be the major lacunae and constraints for
young entrepreneurs.
1) Lack of business connections: Business
contacts, suppliers, suitable partners and
networks
Entrepreneurial isolation, not knowing
anyone in the business and the absence
(or high entry barriers to) of business
networks is a common obstacle to start-
ups by young people. Business contacts
are particularly crucial for young and
inexperienced entrepreneurs. According
to the Flash Eurobarometer Survey
(2004), the younger the entrepreneur,
the more he or she sees the business
idea, financial support and business
contacts as being the most important
criteria. The youngest age cohort (15-24
years) tends to be particularly sensitive
to this factor.
About 83 per cent of the youngest
respondents attach the most importance
to contacts with suitable business
partners. Young people with no business
experience cannot fall back on a former
customer base or on an already
established supplier network.
Furthermore, they do not know where to 2) Lack of knowledge of available business private) business support services or
look for it and what will be expected from support services simply confused over the service
them by professional purchasers. In this Particularly in high income countries, provision. A biannual survey of small
field, young entrepreneurs also face young entrepreneurs do not make much business in the UK undertaken by the
particular difficulties because they are use of government-funded advisory Federation of Small Businesses found
often not taken seriously by colleagues services. In many cases, they are either that the major cause of non-usage of
or other business people. not aware of the variety of public (and government funded business services
24 ed matrix june 2008

lies in the lack of awareness, a factor
cited by 27 per cent of the sample. In
many other cases, these services are not
used as they are not tailored to the
particular needs of young people. In a
few other cases, young entrepreneurs do
not appreciate its value or they are simply
not seeking advice as it goes against the
entrepreneurial character. Generally the
young entrepreneur is counter cultural.
That is a quality that is both a positive and
a negative one because it makes people
brave, tenacious, stubborn and pushy but
it also means that they won’t seek help
where help is offered because at that very
basic level, that is not what entrepreneurs
do. It is worth finding a mechanism to
encourage young entrepreneurs to seek
help, advice, mentoring and support
because it is going to be good for them
provided it doesn’t tarnish that
entrepreneurial gene.
3) Lack of tailor-made business training
and advice for young start-ups
Young entrepreneurs require tailor-made
training and counselling pertinent to their
particular start-up situation, their business
and the sector it operates in. In many
cases, there is a lack of on-the-job
training focusing on technical aspects of
starting up a business (business plan
preparation, project formulation, start-up
administration, procedural details, forms,
duration, what to do and in what order,
accountancy, taxation, etc.) Furthermore,
the study undertaken by Darby (2004) in
the UK found out that young entrepreneurs
tend to be attracted to more unusual
sectors and therefore need support
services to be tailored to their needs.
4) Lack of trained counsellors, develop-
ment workers and adequate support
agencies
As to their age, limited life and work
experience, young people demand
different treatment in terms of training
and counselling. As White and Kenyon
put it: “Counselling young women and
men requires skills and sensitivity quite
different from those required when
dealing with adults…. Other important
factors when counselling or advising
young men and women about business
Young entrepreneurs
also face particular
difficulties because
they are often not
taken seriously by
colleagues or other
business people.
include the need to help the young man
or woman understand difficulties for
themselves. Rather than tell a person
what is wrong with their business or their
idea, give them the tools (for example,
techniques or market research, cash flow
forecasting, and stock control) to find this
out for themselves…” Enterprise and
support agencies are often not responsive
to these circumstances. Moreover, as
they have to be self-sustaining, they
often design their services to serve the
more mature SME companies rather
than cash-poor youth business start-ups.
In general, there are very few enterprise
agencies or centres which provide
business advice, training, guidance and
specialist access to finance exclusively
to young people.
5) Lack of mentoring capacities
Though arguably being one of the most
beneficial support services that can be
offered to young entrepreneurs, the
provision of mentoring programmes that
match experienced entrepreneurs,
business leaders and business
professionals with young entrepreneurs
remains insufficient in India.
During the start-up phase of my business,
The young entrepreneur needs advisors
(procedural, legal, administrative,
accounting and tax) – not someone who
would do that for them, but someone to
whom they could turn to advice, answers
to their questions, and mentoring when
needed. As with counsellors and
ed matrix june 2008
Cover Story
development workers, mentors are often
not carefully selected. Valuable
experience is often not enough if the
mentor is not willing or simply not capable
of guiding, coaching and supporting a
young person.
6) Lack of workspace and ICT
infrastructure
Without access to affordable, well-located
workspace and ICT equipment, young
entrepreneurs have severe difficulties to
set up and run their business.
7) Lack of exchange networks, forums and
meeting places
Besides mentoring, the communication
and exchange of experiences and ideas
between entrepreneurs in general and
young entrepreneurs in particular are
important. The Internet is going to make
a fundamental difference for young
entrepreneurs. Put the two things
together. If there was a forum set up so
that they could communicate or if there
were ways like google Talk and MSN
Messenger that helps an entrepreneur’s
network and to bring entrepreneurs
together, they could exchange ideas.
People try to set up networks where you
meet at dinner but those physical things
are quite limited as to how often you can
do them. However, if there was a virtual
meeting place for entrepreneurs to
exchange business ideas then that is
something that could flourish.
8) Lack of business development support
In many countries there is an overall lack
of particular business support for young
entrepreneurs seeking to expand and
further develop their enterprise. In this
context, personnel issues and complex
employment legislation tend to be a
particularly difficult challenge. It would be
a nightmare everyday to await business
development support without assurance.
While these key constraints are quite
common for all young entrepreneurs, in
India it is coupled with values of family
and the country. The youth are yet to see
a family member in full support of their
venture and a government that is a pro
young entrepreneur.
Vivek Segal
25
Cover Story
T
he following areas
outline major strategies,
initiatives and tools used
in different countries
to improve Business
Assistance and Support (BAS) for
young people.
Research on business assistance
and support
Appropriate research on access to
finance, administrative burdens,
enterprise education, real needs
for BAS in a country and on its
accessibility for young entrepreneurs
is highly valuable. Surveys on the
perceptions of young people and
young entrepreneurs are probably the
best way to capture the deficiencies
and constraints in this area.
Improving business support and
assistance for young people
26
Provision of business skills
training, guidance and counsel-
ling services
In recent years, we observe the
development of various new
products, tools and services in this
area. The use of modern information
technology and the internet in
particular offers new ways of training
and counselling as well as more
customer-focussed and cost-saving
services in new formats 24 hours a
day. As younger people – particularly
in industrialized countries – are often
more familiar with these technologies,
they can particularly benefit from
these services.
Sufficient on-the-job training
and workshops
ed matrix june 2008
Enterprise support agencies and
NGOs should provide sufficient and
accessible on the job training on start-
up issues (business plan prepara-
tion, start-up administration, project
formulation, planning, financing
options, accountancy, taxation, mar-
keting and employment law, etc.) as
well as business expansion support.
One-Stop shops and youth
enterprise centres
The one-stop shops refer to physical
or electronic online portals that are
used to enable young entrepreneurs
to complete and to comply with all
formalities at one location for a fixed
fee. In some countries, these shops
have been integrated in business
service centres. In several countries,

it has been found innovative and
valuable to establish specific youth
enterprise centres or agencies
providing youth with integrated
packages of one-stop shop solutions,
skills training, business counselling
and even access to funds.
YE online portals and websites
In many cases, governments or NGOs
have set up a wide range of Internet
websites and portals providing online
information, advice and even online
training for young entrepreneurs of
different ages.
Mentor support and business
coaching
Formal or informal mentoring is
probably the most beneficial service
and support that can be offered to a
young entrepreneur. While informal
mentoring relationships develop on
their own between partners, formal
mentoring, on the other hand, refers
to assigned relationships, often
The biggest support young
entrepreneurs need is
business support. If taken
seriously many Indians
will gain from the already
growing entrepreneurial
efforts.
associated with organizational
mentoring programmes designed
to provide young entrepreneurs
with informal advice and guidance
from experienced professionals.
Governments, NGOs and trade
associations have launched various
formal mentoring programmes.
However, These depend particularly
on the mentor’s experience and his
or her capacity to coach and support
the mentee or “protégé” in order to
get his or her knowledge and advice
effectively across.
Provision of working infra-
structure
a. Business Incubators
This is a powerful tool for supporting
the entrepreneurial process and to
increase survival rates for young
innovative start-up companies.
Besides the provision of physical
working space, they often provide a
huge range of resources and services
for a limited time period. Business
incubators can be found in very
different forms and can be private,
public or based on a Public-Private-
Partnership (PPP) initiative involving
many partners at national, regional
and local levels.
However, the success of an
incubator depends upon providing
the right package of services for the
entrepreneur.
b. Shared workspace, start-up
factories and garage.incs
Due to the huge integrated service
packages business incubators
offer, they still remain a resource-
intensive tool, often restricted to
stimulating start-ups and fostering
the development of new products
and services in high-tech industries.
They just provide workspace,
ICT infrastructure, little financial
subsidies, media promotion and
mentoring or consulting for a limited
time period.
c. Equipment provision/sharing
Providing or sharing any kind of
basic service equipment can already
be a valuable support for young
entrepreneurs. There are possibilities
of special discounts or tax reductions
for the purchase of equipment.
Another idea is that larger companies
or public service institutions could
provide young entrepreneurs with
service equipment they do not need
anymore or that they are exchanging
and modernising.
Promotion of enterprise inte-
gration and business linkages
a. Youth Chambers of Commerce,
trade associations, entrepreneur
clubs and networks
In many countries, Youth Chambers
ed matrix june 2008
Cover Story
of Commerce, trade associations
and young entrepreneur clubs are
dedicated to connect students or
young entrepreneurs with other
local entrepreneurs and support
organisations. They try to help them
to find the right business partners
and to enter supply chains. In order
to bring business people together,
they organise meetings, business
roundtables, business lunch/dinner
discussions, mentor matching
programmes and on-site field trips
to entrepreneurial companies.
Moreover, they represent their
interests by lobbying governments
and commercial banks.
b. Internet: Online business
networks and virtual meeting
places
Modern communication technology
and the “Web” present huge
opportunities to create and develop
business relations. Through online
business networks and virtual
meeting places, young entrepreneurs
can create information and
relationship platforms or interfaces
that are easy and cheap to access,
always available and up to date.
c. Trade fairs and exhibition
Facilitating the access to trade fairs
and exhibitions enables young
people to present their product and
services and to find clients, business
partners and networks.
d. Media support
Regional and local media support
in the form of commercials,
announcements and business
mediation can be highly valuable
for young entrepreneurs to develop
a client base and to find the right
partners in the start-up phase of
their business.
Perhaps the biggest support young
entrepreneurs need is business
support. If taken seriously many
Indians will gain from the already
growing entrepreneurial efforts.
Shalini Mohan
27
IN - D E P TH
A dignifying crusader of
the unclaimed bodies
N
eila, a social activist claims the unclaimed dead
bodies and offers them dignity in spite of the
discouraging words of friends and neighbours.
Dignity is assured at last for those who hardly
enjoyed that during their life time.
For many, a visit to a burial ground is rare and is normally
associated either with a funeral or to pay tributes to the
deceased. Apart from this one normally visits to pray for the
deceased every year on their death anniversary.
Otherwise, people shun burial grounds and
dead bodies.
For 43-year-old Neila, however, it
is about fighting against disparity
between a rich and poor and against
religious taboos to ensure a decent
burial for unclaimed bodies in the
Moolakothalam area in Chennai,
Tamilnadu.
As an active social worker and a district
organiser for women in Human
Rights Organisation, an
NGO, Neila has been
28 ed matrix june 2008
burying unclaimed bodies from the
Government General Hospitals for the
last four years. People keep informing
her about dead bodies which no one
comes forward to claim.
Although, a woman is barred from
accompanying the corpse of her
husband according to Hindu tradition,
Neila is different as she has managed
to break this cultural barrier in order
to serve those who die anonymously.
For many touching a dead body is
something scary. Not so for Neila.
She seems to have shed not only the
cultural barriers, but, the inhibitions
and fears.
Her inspiration for social service is
rooted in personal experience. “In
December 2004, a sick old woman,
abandoned by her sons, used to sleep
in front of my house. I used to help
her. After two days, she went missing.
A fortnight later, she was found
dead. Since there was nobody

to initiate her final rites, I buried
the body. This incident forced me
to break that cultural barrier,” she
recounted.
Since then, Neila has cremated 74
unclaimed bodies and more than 12
bodies, whose burials relatives of the
deceased were not able to afford.
In a country where getting
permissions from government
authorities is quite a task, Neila’s
efforts appear to be unswerving. She
spends Rs.800 for every burial. After
getting the necessary permission
from the police, the hospital and
Corporation officials, she would
take the body to the cemetery and
perform final rites according to
Hindu tradition, she added.
Her zeal for selfless service has led
to the formation of the Utra Helping
Organisation, an association which
provides psychological counselling
for family problems, helps deserted
senior citizens, and getting them
admitted to old age homes and
organising awareness campaigns
against committing suicide.
It was not that easy for Neila. Though
it is a voluntary service, Neila had
ed matrix june 2008
IN - D E P TH
to rub shoulders with many. There
were many who laughed at her;
many discouraged her cautioning
here against the legal problems
involved in doing such strange social
dealings.
But, for Neila it was a different
experience. Helping someone
particularly those who are aging
and those who died but await the last
respects brings a lot of meaning. It is
as if helping someone to have a pass
to enter the bliss of heavenly life. She
becomes a person who removes all
stumbling blocks for a dead person
to have their path cleared in entering
heaven. So it is meaningful and very
rewarding.
In appreciation of her service, Neila
received several awards from various
organisations in the State including
human rights commission.
She can be contacted at 9444027146
or 25921003 regarding last rites
for unclaimed bodies, admission
of senior citizens to old age homes
and legal counsel for women
undergoing harassment by employers
or spouses.
Kalpana.E
Readers can send in information about
individuals involved in such developmental
activities. Write to edmatrix.edu@gmail.
com. They will be brought to lime light
through EDMATRIX.
29
C a r ee r

T
he notion of mechanical
entities capable of
intelligent thought and
action is not new by
any means. Originally
presented in Karel Capek’s
“Rossum’s Universal Robots” in
the 1920’s, robots have since been
a popular subject in literature and
movies. Many films address the idea
that robots can develop human-like
qualities and “feel” emotions, so to
speak. This idea of machines that
feel has made for great fantasy, and
continues to do so even today.
Reality, however, is not nearly as
exciting. Apart from the various
technology demos by Sony and
Honda featuring robots that mimic
the movements of human beings, and
the animals (Sony AIBO dog), most
robots today are service-oriented
machines which repeat mundane
tasks over and over to save human
labour in the realm of manufacturing.
Industrial robots build many things
requiring precision and strength not
easily attained by human beings.
and conducting research. Robots
are used in industries for speeding
up the manufacturing process. They
are also used in the field of nuclear
science, sea-exploration, servicing
of transmission electric signals,
designing of bio-medical equipments
etc. Robotics requires the application
of computer integrated manufacturing,
mechanical engineering, electrical
engineering, biological mechanics,
software engineering and the like.
Qualifications: In robotics, there
are different areas of specialisation.
Specialising in design and control
in robotics is close to mechanical
engineering. If you want to specialise
Robotics being an inter-disciplinary
course, invites students who have com-
pleted their graduation in mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering, in-
strumentation engineering or computer
engineering with an interest in robotics
and artificial intelligence.
Benefits: A course in Robotics trains
and educates an individual in the
following fields:
Artificial Intelligence, Computer
Aided Manufacturing, Computer
Integrated Manufacturing System,
Computational Geometry,
Robot Motion Planning, Digital
Electronics and Micro-processors
Robot Manipulators.

Robotics The Science of Robots

Tasks are pre-defined, automated,
repetitive, and not remotely related
to the fantastic robots found in
literature, film, and other forms
of entertainment.
Robotics is all about designing these
robots to perform the required task
for human and it is slowly attaining
popularity in India.
Robotics is a field of engineering
dealing with design and application
of robots, using computer for their
manipulation and processing. It is all
about developing new applications
30
in control and hardware design of
robots, a B.Tech degree in Electrical
or Electronics or Electronics and
Communication Engineering is
the best-suited qualification. B.Tech
Computer Engineers can look at
hardware design in robotics. The control
part of the robot deals with certain
aspects of electrical engineering.
ed matrix june 2008
Scope in India:
In India, the interest in robots and
robotics began during 1980s. Works
on robotics began in advanced
educational institutions and research
centres such as the Indian Institutes
of Technology, Indian Institute
of Science, Bangalore, Bhabha
Atomic Research Centre, etc. Robots

Most robots today
are service-oriented
machines which
repeat mundane
tasks over and over
to save human
labour in the realm of
manufacturing.
have been developed for welding,
spray painting and radioactive fuel
handling operations. There are also
some very small nanometric-sized
robots called nano-machines and some
large ones like robonauts. All these are
first generation robots and the second
generation of robots, expected to arrive
by 2015, would be truly versatile and
intelligent as chimpanzees.
Aspecialisation in robotics engineering
will lead to potential job opportunities
in manufacturing, research mining,
nuclear power plant maintenance
and variety of other areas. A trained
robotics engineer can apply his/her
mastery in diverse fields like modern
warfare, surgery, nanotechnology,
space-exploration, etc.
A candidate having an M.E. degree
in Robotics can get job opportunities
in space research organisations
like ISRO and also in industries
Institutes in India offering courses in
Robotics :
The Premier Institute in Robotics is the
Centre for Robotics and Mechatronics at
IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Kanpur
which offers a Master’s Degree Course in
Robotics.
The Mechanical Engineering, Electrical
Engineering & Computer Science
Departments of the IIT’s offer courses in
Computer Science with specialization in
Artificial Intelligence, which is an integral
part of Robotics.
Robotics engineering can also be studied at
IITs Mumbai, Madras, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharag-
pur and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Jadavpur University, Kolkata - 700 032
(West Bengal) (www.jadavpur.edu),
offers ME Robotics.
The University of Hyderabad offers M.Tech,
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
The University College of Engineering, un-
der the Osmania University, Hyderabad, of-
fers ME/M.Tech Automaton and Robotics.
MS University, Baroda, conducts a
Master’s programme with specialisation
in automatic control and robotics.
The Institute of Technology, under the
Banaras Hindu University, conducts
M.Tech. Production Engineering /
Industrial Management Engineering with
Robotics and Automation as electives.
The Thapar Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Patiala - 147 004, (www.tiet.
which manufacture microchips. Job
opportunities also exist in Indian
Institute of Technology for doing
extensive research work in artificial
intelligence. The Indian Institute
of Chemical Biology also offers
openings research fellowships in
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
Scope Abroad: A Robotics Engineer
can get employment opportunities
abroad to program, troubleshoot
and maintain robots in companies
like Plastech in USA. Research
fellowships as an intern with ATR,
ed matrix june 2008
C a r ee r
ac.in) conducts ME in CAD / CAM and
Robotics.
The Birla Institute of Technology and
Science (BITS), Pilani - 333 031, offers
ME in Computer Science with robotics
as a subject.
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher
Learning, Prasanthinilayam, offers
M.Tech. Computer Science with
specialisation in artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence is defined as the
ability of an artificial mechanism to
exhibit intelligent behaviour. It is closely
associated with robotics.
The PSG College of Technology, Coim-
batore, conducts M.Tech. Mechanical
with robotics as an elective subject.
The SRM Institute of Science and
Technology (Deemed University), SRM
Nagar, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram
District - 603 203, Tamil Nadu (www.
srmuniv.ac.in), offers M.Tech - Robotics.
The Department of Electronics under
the Cochin University of Science and
Technology offers M.Sc. Electronic
Science with specialisation in artificial
intelligence, robotics, microwave
electronics and computer technology.
First class B.Sc. degree holders with
not less than 60 per cent aggregate
marks in Electronics, Computer Science
or Physics (with electronics) are eligible
for admission. Selection is based on
CUSAT - CAT.
the premier research institute
emphasising on humanoid robotics
and computational neuroscience
are also available. Companies like
‘Intel’ recruit robotics and artificial
intelligence specialists for microchip
manufacturing. The Robotics
Industrial Association in North
America provides job opportunities
in robot manufacturing and
maintenance systems integration.
NASA is the ultimate job destination
for those interested in applying
robotics to space science.
Remington
31
seasonal

T
he first day of school

rises with the deafen-
ing alarm. The clock
had not cried for nearly
two months and you
prayed it never rang, when you slept
last night. The morning rises with a
mixed feelings – of excitement and
gloom. Excitement because of the
fact that you can meet friends and
show off all your new stuff to them
on the first day and gloom because
the summer holiday is over and you
are back to assignments and tests.
Same with the parents. In one way
they are happy because school hour
means peaceful home sans the glass
breaking cricket balls and com-
plaining neighbour kids. On the
other hand they are sad on the re-
turn of routine and the hustle bustle
morning hours.
Many enter the school with a number
of resolutions. It could range from:
‘study well’, ‘do home works regu-
larly’, ‘get good name from teacher’,
‘make many friends to not to sleep in
class’, ‘not to get caught while copy-
ing’, ‘not to do graffiti in the toilets’,
‘not to bunk classes’ and ‘not to leap
from the compound wall in a hurry
to go home’.
A good number of the students must
be going through the blues of transi-
tion. Transition from home to school,
elementary to middle school, middle
to high school, and high school to
college or work. Blues of additional
subjects, board exams, hostels, ca-
reer world, growing competition and
the subsequent pressure welcomes
the new academic year.
On the other side, back to school
means fun: new friends, new teachers,
new books and new attire. Here is yet
another chance to outperform your
last year performances. Exciting
assignments and subsequent
appreciation of good work. A chance
to participate in more competitions. If
you are moving to higher secondary,
you are luckier. It feels good to be a
32
BACK TO SCHOOL
senior. You could grab one of those
office bearer posts and spin around
accomplishing challenges.
If you are one who is moving
to college life, heave a sigh of
relief, that there is going to be less
control, and no more uniform.
Staying in hostel means thrill of
independent life.
Transition has a considerable
psychological impact on the human
mind. To the fearful it is threatening
because it means that things may
get worse. To the hopeful it is
encouraging because things may get
better. To the confident it is inspiring
because the challenge exists to make
things better.
In the coming academic year
• Study and develop new technical
and human skills.
• Seek out people; link up with
learners. Ask questions about how
people learned new ways.
• Push yourself beyond your com-
fort zone. Free yourself from the pull
of the old ways. Tell yourself that
there must be a better way.
ed matrix june 2008
• You can never be sure of every-
thing when you are going through
change. Cautious people want to
wait until they have all the informa-
tion. But you must take action now.
• Allow yourself to act on the
best information you have. Follow
your hunches. Go to a conference
or read something you do not usu-
ally explore.
The degree of adjustment depends on
the mindset. Manage the increased
pace of life by planning ahead, being
realistic, and maintaining a positive
attitude.
Change is constant. Change is a way
of life. Keeping yourself afloat in
the face of change demands new
skills, beyond what you learned in
school. You need to assess the ability
to respond quickly and flexibly
to new demands. As life becomes
more complex, adapting and
embracing new ideas, behaviours,
and thought patterns will become
increasingly important.
Keerthana Raj
 Y o u r Sp a c e

“N
ow India’s destiny is
being shaped in her
class rooms”, stated
the Kothari Education
Commission. In this
perspective, what is the parameter that
we expect our schools to have?
A good school responds to the socio,
cultural, economic needs and contributes
more to the National growth. A good
school is a school that shapes the
younger generation and brings about
social changes. The parameters I am
talking about are,
• Spacious, airy, weather proof and
healthy school buildings
• Good purposeful infra structural fa-
cilities (building, classrooms, library,

Shaping India’s destiny

labs and furniture)
• Qualified, value based, national wel-
fare oriented human resources
– (Head master or headmistress,

teachers, office staff and students)
• Healthy school atmosphere (moral,
spiritual, social and intellectual)
• Community oriented system
• Producing best students (academi presents data and information for
cally best, value wise best, culturally analysis and understanding. Educators
best with best healthy socialisation)
• Producing citizens and not mere
students
• Producing children with self-confi- beliefs impregnate their own daily
dence to face the existing challenges
with courage and explore new
avenues with zeal and intellectuality.
Schooling has to move towards rapid,
tightly targeted, efficient learning
process, towards developing the whole
child and towards specific, goal oriented,
instrumental learning. It should become
less parochial, moving away from control
by local, state or national systems and
towards an international exchange of
good learning practices and packaged
programs. In short, the focus should
be to move away from parochialism in
curriculum and assessment and towards
an educational globalism.
Education must concern itself with belief
formation. Among other things, it develops
in classrooms!
the critical faculties, to make judgments,it
are responsible for developing in their
students, wisdom of such kind and for
showing their students how they come
to believe what they believe and these
living. Developing beliefs, family values
and fostering constructive attitudes
permeates the entire fabric of educating
and learning.
Great schools prepare their students to
play a constructive and contributing role
in the society and for the society. Much
of schooling and a significant part of any
curriculum is about intangibles, dealing
with the depths from which we generate
our life purposes and aspirations. An
important part of schooling concerns the
formation of constructive and systematic
beliefs, the acceptance of social
responsibility and recognition of who we
are. With these skills, every student can
face with ease the emerging world, the
world about-to-be.
ed matrix june 2008
We have to engage the ramifications
of the new learning technologies and
it is sufficient to allude to some of the
possibilities and their implications for
schooling. Every child, irrespective of the
place she lives, should acquire the skills
to access digital information. ‘Literacy’
in the sense of reading and writing now
means both digital and print. Schooling
is becoming increasingly paperless
as intra-school communications are
computerised. Schooling is borderless
where technology makes for easy
contacts which subsume geography
school boundaries and national borders.
Schooling therefore deals with personal
formation, belief construction, developing
a world-view, with culture transmission
and imparting useful knowledge and
enabling skills. A plan for schooling of
the future must start with a recognition
of the importance of a child’s world views
and belief systems and of schooling’s
responsibility for their systematic
development.
Annie Philomen
(pondy)
33
34 ed matrix june 2008
ed matrix june 2008 35
Te c h n o l o g y

A Problem of plenty laptop has, the

L
more the software
aptops come in a variety of sizes
can effectively
and capabilities. So learn how to
use the computer.
pick the right one. Ultimately, the
For storage, lean
questions are your budget (laptop prices
towards double,
have come down dramatically in the last
or more if you
few years; a top notch model now costs
can afford it, the
around Rs. 75000 and budget laptops
recommended
are available at under Rs. 50,000), how
values (at a
big you want it, will it be used for travel
minimum, an 80
the most (Ideal weight for this would
GB hard drive.
be around 3.5 to 4.5 pounds) and what
all you will use in it. The four basic For convenience,
categories: Ultralight: Extreme portability opt for an optical
but with minimal power and high cost. drive for burning
CDs or watching
TabletPros: Generally with a
DVDs, a media
swiveling touch screen and
card reader
compact. But this too has limited
to access
power, a small screen, and is
camera
generally expensive. Mostly, the
storage
biggest (17 inches) and smallest
cards, and
(11-14 inches) screens are
a good video card for games. And battery life being critical for
generally the costliest.
ease of use, buy larger, secondary batteries for extra power,
Budget/Mainstream Pros: These have the best prices, are and learn how to tweak your system to extend battery life.
well powered with lots of features but are not that portable. Not to forget wi-fi connectively. Remember, the more you
want from your laptop, the bigger and heavier it will be. The
Desktop Replacement Pros: Big screens, max power. But
widest range of laptops come, of course, with the windows
awful battery life, heavy and expensive. Some rules of thumb:
operating system. Macintosh, too, has a range of top notch
Whichever you go for, it is advisable to get a multicore CPU
laptops like the Macbook Pro with their own operating systems
(among the best is the Intel Core 2 Duo, avoid all those
and software. But all Mac systems, while giving models are
Celeron and AMD chips). The very latest and fastest would
definitely cheaper. The general advise here is to choose the
cost a packet, but a fast microprocessor can help extend the
XP operating system over Vista.
life of your laptop. Also, install as much RAM (minimum 500
MB, advisable 1 GB) as you can afford. The more RAM your

LENOVO X300

SLIM POWER

L
enovo is no stranger to slim laptops, having
ganined an enviable reputation for their segment-
leading tablets. Loking to extend their expertise in
the are, this Lenovo model is a direct competitor to the
Macbook Air. Though at first glance the X300 does
not appear to be anywhere as slim as the Macbook
Air, a closer look at its dimensions of 12.5 x 9.1 x
0.73 inches compared to the Macbook Air’s 12.8
x8.94 x 0.7 inches reveals a different story. The
difference is in the Macbook Air’s Frisbee like profile while
X300 resembles a normal notebook, albeit with a slimmer
profile. In its design the X300 retain the familiar Lenovo
trademark black boxy body with the magnesium construction.
However, where the X300 leaves the Macbook Air behind is
36 ed matrix june 2008
peripheral connectivity. As opposed to the Air’s
approach of external-everything units, the X300
packs in 3 USB ports, a gigabit-ready Ethernet
slot, audio/mic jacks and, importantly, an
integrated ODD. Battery life is another
area the X300 shines in. The
power saving L 7100 CPU enables
it to average 4 hours on a six cell
batter. Factor in the quick loading
times thanks to a 64 GB SSD drive for
storage and 2 GB of RAM and you have a very
serious business machine. At Rs. 1.45 lakhs, it offers a
far more attractive option to the Macbook Air.
 Te c h n o l o g y

ACER FERRARI 1100

PLAIN JANE

T
his is part of the
updated signature
Ferrari range
offering two significant
advantages over its
predecessor. One is
an integrated DVE-RW
and second, a much
improved battery life.
However, it falls behind
in its rather plain finish
and styling. The Ferrari
series continue to
utilize AMD dual-core
processors, which are
not as powerful as intel’s
and hence performance
suffers in comparison
in both system and
graphical benchmarks.
To overcome this Acer
has offered better than
averages storage and
system
memory of
250 GB and
4 GB RAM,
respectively.
But despite its decent battery life and good build quality, in comparison with products life Dell’s XPS M1330, it suffers badly in
terms of display quality, performance levels, and finish. Unlike Asus’ Lamborghini range, which delivers great looks along with
performance, the 1100 has failed to capitalize on the Ferrari brand name. Rs 79,000.

TOSHIBA SATELLITE M200

GREAT VALUE FOR work without fatigue.

The screen offers good
MONEY levels of brightness and

T
oshiba, in recent, times contrast. The battery
seems to be keeping a life averages three
low profile in the laptop hours. Unfortunately,
market. That has not stopped our test model was a bit
them from offering quality under powered. This,
products like this one, which, however, is easily
though classified a budget resolved by a series of
model, puts other manufactures cheap upgrades which
to shame. It offers a tough and will bring performance
well-designed exterior, has a levels offered by the
great finish with a keyboard competition.
that allows for long hours of Rs. 39,000 upwards.

ed matrix june 2008 37

R E VI E W - d VD
T The British Empire
he British Empire In Colour was
originally broadcast as a three-part
BBC television series covering
roughly the past 200 years in British
world history. It is essentially a vivid
recapitulation of these years, showing the
glories as well as the ignominies of British
rule. It shows the nation’s successes and
failures with equal candour.
It stresses both the good and bad things
that British sovereignty brought to
its colonies. The positives such as
technology, education, and the rule
of law are shown in balance with the
treatment of people of colour throughout
the Empire’s history, through racism,
bigotry, and prejudice.
The buildup of the empire is given the
least amount of time, mainly recapping
events and accomplishments, victories
both military and political, and successes
in general, a sort of short forethought
before getting into the meat of the
three parts, titled “Decline”, “Fall”,
and “Legacy of the British Empire”. Its
coverage ranges from Canada to India,
from Australia to Nigeria, from the
Caribbean to South Africa, which was
the length and breadth of the Empire
at its grandest moment, when it held
sovereignty over more than a third of the
Earth’s human inhabitants.
A majority of the story and the footage
concentrates on the deterioration of the
Empire. Most of the footage was drawn
from recently discovered film, all in
original colour, quite rare in the early
days of filmmaking.
As books and movies have noted,
India was the “Jewel in the Crown” of
the British Empire, emphasising how
100,000 British ruled over 300 million
Indians. It showed the lifestyle of the
aristocracy, including the tiger hunts,
the parties, and how the officers and
civilians in the occupying forces, as
well as visiting dignitaries, were catered
to in their every whim, including being
carried in howdahs on the shoulders of
human bearers.
A large portion of the series centred on
World War-II, which was when the Great
Empire began to display its initial signs of
crumbling. Indian activism had stepped
up considerably since the turn of the 20th
century, particularly after Mohandas
Gandhi’s return to India in 1915.
38
in Colour
A Must-See Video for all Indians particularly all Educational Institutions
and Developmental Organisations.
The movement alternated between
foundering and festering, based on
Gandhi’s arrests and imprisonment, as
well as political considerations, until
England’s unilateral inclusion
of India into World War–II.
Matters progressed rapidly
following the end of the
war, and India was
granted independence
in 1947.
Partition of
India is covered,
emphasising the
displacement of 10
million people and
creation of Pakistan
and that more than
one million people lost
their lives because of it.
Following India’s suit,
with a nine-year insurgency
in Malaya, where the British
pioneered the use of helicopters
during the course of it, beginning in
1953. Malaya was granted independence
in 1957. Today, Malaya is one of the most
modern areas in Southeast Asia, yet the
Demonstrations began springing up,
footage shows the women topless, and
and in the ten years after the war, more
the men in loincloths, some with bones
than a half-million Britons emigrated
in their noses.
to Australia and New Zealand. Another
The Mau Mau were making life difficult 400,000 went to Canada.
and treacherous for the British colonials
With Hong Kong’s reversion to China in
in Kenya. They grew rapidly in strength,
1997, the cycle was complete. England
causing a quick end for the British.
had lost all of her colonies, all in the 20th
These were simply the first of a series
century, with the majority of them gone
of celebrations across Africa, and within
in just 20 years. While the grandeur,
a year, the former Gold Coast of Africa
and pomp and circumstance of British
was declared independent, resulting in
colonialism were beautiful to those in
the creation of Ghana. Between 1957,
power, it left a wake of death, starvation,
which marked the end of the Malayan
and destruction, one from which the
insurgency, and 1968, 12 more African
world has yet to recover.
colonies were declared independent.
There is an additional 26-minute
Back in England, the country was still
segment that describes the making of the
reeling from the effects of World War-II
documentary, including its research and
and unemployment high. These led to
developmental stages.
unrest, with the brunt of their frustration
beginning to have an effect on immigrants. SupalaLou
Pandiarajan
Novacheck
ed matrix june 2008
 BINGO !

Problem Solving Story -2

The Crescent and the

Full Moon
A
kbar the Great once sent
Birbal to Persia as a special
ambassador to discuss some
official matters of importance. Birbal
left with a team of other ministers
and a few others needed for the
diplomatic talks. Everything went on
well till the eve of their departure. On
the eve of their departure the king of
Persia wanted to felicitate the envoy.
As the celebration became very
informal the king of Persia posed a
question to Birbal.
“How would you compare Akbar’s send some spies personally without a thing about Akbar the great. They
popularity with mine.” He asked. the notice of Birbal, to study the pleaded that he apologise before
political situation of Persia. The news the king.
Fully immersed in the celebration
of Birbal putting down his own king
and taken up by the royal treat, Birbal Birbal was perturbed a little; but
reached Akbar immediately through
said, “My king is like a crescent; but, knew how to handle the situation.
the spies.
you oh! King, you are like the full
Write to us about the possible
moon.” The celebrations were over and it was
ways in which Birbal would have
time for Birbal to get back along with
“Well said Birbal,”said the king of resolved this problem. The best
the others. As soon as he reached
Persia. solution will find a place in the next
the courtyard of king Akbar, some
issue of ED MATRIX.
The Persian king was very happy friends of Birbal came running to him
and felt elated. But, just as any other explaining how furious Akbar is and
king used to do, Akbar happened to reproached him for having said such

Answer for the last month’s problem solving story:

THE PEBBLE STORY:-
You would have thought of some possible solutions to the puzzling
problem of the girl in ‘The Pebble Story.’ This story is narrated by
Edward De Bono in his book ‘Lateral Thinking’. As we know it is not
possible to solve the problem with traditional logical thinking. Having
in mind all the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers
mentioned in the last issue of the magazine. What were your plans to
help the girl in trouble? Well, what she did was this:
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without
looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path
where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. “Oh,
how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag
for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had
picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his
dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into
an extremely advantageous one.
The chance of emerging out of the problem stands 50-50 with all other
logical answers. But, with lateral thinking pattern it is possible to set
ourselves free of the problems we face inour daily lives.

ed matrix june 2008 39

TRAV E L
Mahabalipuram Rocks!!
T
iger Caves – Don’t be startled
by the name this is one of the
travel spots just 5 kms before
Mahabalipuram, 60 km south
from the city of Chennai. There
ain’t any tigers in these caves; it gets its
name from one of the cave carved with
images of many tiger faces. Situated at
Saluvankuppam, this place is well fenced
by the Archaeological Survey of India.
There are small hillocks and huge rocks
inside this campus that one can test their
climbing skills. Surrounded by lots of
shady trees with good grasslands people
can have a relaxed afternoon with their
loved ones. A small rock cut cave temple
with inscriptions attracts a good number
of visitors to Mahabalipuram.
Two of my friends from Germany,
Eleonore and Eduard wanted to see
this place listed in the UNESCO world
heritage site and architectural marvel
of the Pallavas. Mahabalipuram was a
7th century port city of the South Indian
dynasty of the Pallavas. It is believed to
have been named after the Pallava king
Mamalla. They were pretty excited to see
the mammoth carvings and were so much
in awe. Eleonore was totally impressed
by the creative skills of the sculptors who
managed to carve so many tiger faces
40
(around 15) from just a single piece of
rock. She was fascinated by some lone
huge rocks and managed to climb atleast
a quarter of it. Eduard was doubly happy
because he was impressed with the rock
carvings and as the entry was free. He
kept asking why there is always charges
for everything that we try to do, entrance
fees, parking, photography, even for
using toilets (I don’t seem to have any
answer for it).
Then we entered the town to catch
some of the other exciting artworks.
We came to the Five Rathas and here,
Eduard and I got into an argument. The
entrance fee was Rs.10 for Indians and
Rs.250 for foreigners which included
entry for shore temples and Five Rathas.
Then I had to convince him by coming
up with a rather stupid view atleast to
defend that we are right, “Indians pay 10
rupees but foreigners pay only 5 dollars
infact Indians pay more”. Nevermind the
argument stopped once we entered the
7th century dated Five Rathas.
These are examples of monolithic structure
(carved out of a single stone) during the
reign of King Mahendravarman-I. The
Five Rathas take their name after the
Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra,
ed matrix june 2008
Nakula and Sahadeva). There are also
elephant and lion structures which stand
close to the Five Rathas. Rathas literally
mean chariots.
We headed to the most famous
monument of Mahabalipuram. Just close
to the shore of Bay of Bengal is the lone
survivor of the so called seven temples.
The shore temple is a structural temple
built out of granites dating back to 8th
century. The entire place is neatly fenced
and huge boulders have been put around
this place to avoid further erosion. It has
three shrines two for Shiva lingas and
one for a reclining Vishnu (the shrine for
Vishnu has been closed for administrative
reasons). When lit by moonlight it brings
out the poet in you, with so much of
charm and charisma.
Then we went to Arjuna Penance, a 100
feet long monolithic structure with various
figures of humans and animals is the site
of the annual mamalla dance festival.
Legend has it that this represents the
penance of Arjuna standing on one leg
to receive a boon for fighting against
Kauravas in the Mahabharatha war. It is
also filled with detailed carvings, including
a family of elephants and monkeys.
There are also many chambers close
to it filled with sculptures of human and
animal figures and in some case mix of
human and animals as well like body of a
lion and head of a human.
Close to this site is the much talked about
Krishna’s Butterball, a giant natural rock
perched on a hillside. There is also a
sculpture museum and a 1000 year old
lighthouse. The view from the lighthouse
is fabulous and the Dec 2004 tsunami has
exposed some previously submerged
temples and sculptures.
The whole town of Mahabalipuram
seems like an open air museum of art
and architecture. There are whole lots
of resorts, shops, sculpting centres
that dot the entire town. Of course you
will be constantly nagged by hawkers,
gypsies and touts to buy their beads
and products. But trust me they are all
harmless nuisance. Together they spice
up this marvelous Mahaballipuram.
Rajvee

Digg and share the information
that apeals to you!
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D
ig and share the
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Here is a website for people
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Everything on Digg - from
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ide Job Track is a free
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How Digg works?
Submit your favorites.
Find an article, video, or
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ed matrix june 2008
N E W S y o u CAN US E
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That’s how we get the spam
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Build a network. Invite your
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41
ImPrint
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Printed by V.N.A. BASHEER AHMED at Patel Graphics No. 573, Anna Salai, (Inside Congress Ground), Chennai - 600 006. Editor: RAJVEE. S

42 ed matrix june 2008