Click on Mumbai for recent news from the Mumbai Chapter

• Event : Varsha Stuti (Monsoon Dhamaka)
  Time : 4:30 pm on Saturday, August 25
  Venue : Lecture Theatre, IIT Powai
  Theme : Technology and Spirituality: Conflict or Confluence ?
  
  The annual Varsha Stuti, christened recently, promises to take you to heights metaphysical. Amidst the lush green, the pristine nature now fecund. The strident calls of the koels during the day reflected by the frogs at nights amidst gurgling water. Alumni from all IITs are welcome to revel and soak in the joys of monsoon.
  • Swami Chidanand, Chinmaya Mission (M.Tech, IITM)
  • The stuti : by Smt Ashwini Bhide, renowned vocalist, Hindustani music (IITB alum spice)
  • The chai-biskoot is on the house for all who attend, your contribution @ Rs 75 per head.
  • Dinner at SOM (behind L.T.) is option if you reach, by 11th August#, your share @ Rs125 per head.(ok,ok we know the season's wet :-))
  • Nestle in the Guest house overnight, mailto:pro@admin.iitb.ac.in
  • RSVP : Janak Daftari at mumbai@iitbombay.org

   

  • Theme : PIL and the citizen
    Time : Saturday, 28 July at 4.30 pm.
    Venue : The Institute of Engrs, Haji Ali
    
    Public money misappropriated? Environment compromised? Corrupt practices by the powers that be? Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is one course of action proving effective for the citizenry to enforce the rule of law (and common sense). For more, catch the Mumbai Monthly Meet habit, now for all IIT alumni. Debi Goenka of Bombay Environment Action Group will share with us the mechanics of PILs and insights from his long-standing experiences. He has taken up many, many issues in the interest of the public, using this weapon against mala fide Govt moves, especially on the Andheri flyover and the 'vanishing mangroves' at Versova. Pradyumna Kaul, convener of IIM-C Alumni, will then update us on ENRON, its PILs and problems.
    
    Be there, merry men.

    PS: The monsoon dhamaka is on Saturday,August 25th. Alumni wanting to listen to the frogs croak overnight by the lakeside can confirm their room at Guest house, pro@cc.iitb.ac.in by 7th August.

     

  • Its a bird.....no,its superman........ no, its SKYBUS!

    Mr B Rajaram, MD Konkan Rly (also IITM alumnus), presents his funda solution for Bombay's commuters - suspended high over the city in airconditioned comfort,100 km/hr,wheels on top! *Walk thru* the model, listen to him on the viability of utilising the only free space left in the city for mass travel

    Especially recommended as alternative for those Bombaiyyas tired of the clutch-brake-kathakali / free-massage-on-local.

    Next, get a deeper perspective from domain experts Prof Dr S L Dhingra (Transportation Systems Engg, IITB Civil Dept) and Mr Rahul Asthana,( GM, BEST Undertaking)((batch of '75,IITK)).
    
    Theme : Commuting in Bombay
    Time : 4.30 pm,Saturday, June 30
    Venue : Inst.of Engrs,P.Khadye Marg(adj Race Course)
    Menu : Air-rated stuff

    Bring your own sky-goggles and pass the word around to batchmates and friends.
    Cheers and happy landing!

     

  • Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar (B'Tech '87) will speak on POLITICS FOR CHANGE IN SOCIETY. On offer is a heady session flavored from the land of feni. Not to mention susseigaad, the original Zero Entropy life style. Notwithstanding, our bandaa manages to get work done, we hear. Hopefully he will show us The Way so's we can stop cribbing and start doing.

    The Theme : Excellence in Politics ?
    The Time : 4.30 pm, Saturday 26th May
    The Venue : Institute of Engrs,Haji Ali
    The Menu : *non-alcoholic* :-)

    Alumni from all IITs(incl Roorkee) welcome. Those with militant political proclivities could please come after the meet.

     

  • Launching the Bio-School on March 26
    The Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences and Bioengineering will be launched on Mon March 26 at 2:15 pm in the Lecture Theatre. Dr Manju Sharma will be the Chief Guest, Mr Rahul Mehta will be the Guest of Honour, and Pror M G K Menon will preside. This function will be followed by a technical seminar.
  • Institute Colloquium on March 27
    Arun Netravali, President, Bell Laboratories, USA, and an alumnus, will speak on INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE BEYOND 2001 on Tue March 27, at 4 PM in the Lecture Theatre
  • MMM on March 31
    Discussion on the Indian Budget with participation by

    Deepak Satawlekar, MD of HDFC Insurance (alumnus), Jairam Ramesh, Secretary, INC (Econ Wing), (alumnus), and Ritu Dewan (Prof of Econ, Bombay Univ). At Haji Ali at 4:30 pm.

    MMM events will be listed on the www.alumni.iitb.ac.in site but emails will go only to those interested, from the Mumbai representative (at present Janak Daftari). If you want to continue receiving mails about MMM, please send a short mail to mumbai@iitbombay.org requesting your inclusion in the mailing list.

     

  • Hostel Alumni Day on April 7
    The students have invited all alumni for an evening on campus, followed by dinner in your hostel. For details of the programme, look up http://www.alumni.iitb.ac.in/Events.htm

   

  • IITB-MMM on Saturday, February 24, 2001 :
    The earth-shaking events in Kutch have pushed Enron into the background.

    The Theme : Tremblors
    The Speakers : Prof. V. Subramanyan, IIT Bombay and Prof. Ravi Sinha, IIT Bombay
    The Place : Institute of Engineers, Haji Ali (near Willingdon Club)
    The Time : 4.30 p.m.

    Look up http://www-alumni.iitb.ernet.in/Events.htm
    
    

  • Foundation Day Function on March 12. (<= Note Change of Date)

  The Foundation Day of IIT Bombay will be celebrated on Monday, March 12, 2001. Those in and around Mumbai on that day should mark out time from 3 pm to late evening and plan to be on campus !

  • IITB-MMM on Saturday, January 27, 2001 :
    Subject    : The journey to worldclass manufacturing in India.
    Speakers : Mr. Yogesh Vaghani - Director Milton Plastics
                     Mr. Heman Mondkar - MD Hytech, IITB Alumnus - 1970

  The time : 4.30pm, 27 Jan.
  The place : The Institute of Engrs,Haji Ali
  The subject :  The journey to Worldclass Manufacturing in India?
  The Speakers :

  1. Mr. Yogesh Vaghani - Director Milton Plastics
  2. Mr. Hemant Mondkar - MD Hytech, IIT Bombay Alumnus - 1970.

  Both of them have started practising tools used by Japanese manufacturing Industries in the last three years with amazing results. These tools like Kaizen, Five S, TPM and others have been implemented by them and have resulted in nearly doubling their manufacturing output with a drop in the operating costs.

  Mr. Vaghani who has transformed the Milton Plant at Pune, where they employ about 300 people, is the Chairman of the Nagar Road Industries Association and is trying to spread worldclass management tools to other Industries. Companies such as Titan Jewels, Siemag, Yuken and scores of other industries keep visiting his plant to learn and see first hand about the revolution in manufacturing paradigms that he has brought about.

  Hemant Mondkar is an IIT Bombay Alumnus (BTech Mech '70 H5). His Company in Chinchwad makes hydraulic fittings for Telco and some other companies. He has also begun this journey about three years back and has seen unbelievable results in quality improvement, inventory reduction (by 70%), and changeover times. Hemant also shares his learning and experiences with other industries.

  Apart from these changes, I have personally gone and seen that there is a very healthy development of the workers and the staff in their companies. A visit to their factory makes one feel that if other manufacturing industries could follow these techniques, we could truly become competitive with the world.
  

  Visit http://www-alumni.iitb.ernet.in/mmmjan.htm for more information.
  

  • MMM on December 2:

    The Program : Prof Madhav Kulkarni* enlightens on Global Positioning Systems. Ms Bachi Karkaria* will give us a piece of her mind, devoid of Euler's equations,Nyquist plots and other such mundane machinations which alumni still have fond memories of!! The Venue : Institute of Engineers,Haji Ali(across Willingdon Club). The Time : 4.30 pm.,2 December,'00 The Menu : Surprise,surprise.

    (*Brief bio-sketches follow) Till we meet, Ciao

    Col.MADHAV N. KULKARNI (retd)- faculty of Geodesy & Remote Sensing Division of Civil Engg. Dept.since June 1999. An Alumnus of I.I.T. Kharagpur, Dr.Kulkarni served in Survey of India, a Department under DST, for 20 years, on deputation from the Army. He carried out and supervised extensive Geodetic survey operations from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, for diverse applications. He did his Masters and Ph.D. in Space Geodesy at The Ohio State University, USA, in a NASA-funded project, on study leave, and received two international awards. His areas of specialization include Space Geodesy, Satellite-based Surveying & Mapping techniques, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Dr. Kulkarni is also an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Mumbai, and during the short period that he has been at, he has conducted a DST-funded short course on GPS, and received funding and instruments worth over Rs. 65 Lakh, for GPS-related research projects.

    Ms BACHI KARKARIA - Group Editorial Director, Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd. A pioneering position in Indian journalism, it entails directing and synergising content across all the group's media - print, online and radio. Before this, as Senior Editor of the Times of India, she edited the Sunday Times of India and helped start new editions and turn around old ones. Earlier she conceptualised and edited Bombay Times, The Metropolis on Saturday and E-Times, all innovative and successful journals from the huge and influential Times Group. As an editor, Ms Karkaria is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the new local orientation in Indian print media. Pesi the Padshah and his wife The Panchgani Panzer from Dadar Parsi colony are her much loved creations. As a writer, she has set a benchmark in deeply researched stories written in a highly readable style. Her specialisations are urban development and public health, notably AIDS. AWARDS: The international Mary Morgan-Hewitt Award for Lifetime Achievement 1994, and the Media India Award 1992 for human interest stories. COLUMNS: A widely read columnist, Ms. Karkaria writes 'Erratica', a light, social satire, every week in the Sunday Mid-Day, The Hindustan Times, the Deccan Chronicle and the mass circulating Hindi-language Dainik Bhaskar. BOOKS: 'Dare to Dream' (Viking-Penguin), a best-selling biography of M.S.Oberoi; 'To A Grand Design', on the life and times of Calcutta's most celebrated hotel; 'Your Flip Is Showing', a collection of articles (UBSPD); and 'Mother Teresa', a co-authored volume for children. She has contributed to several major anthologies. She has also written a musical revue, and scripted a documentary on AIDS by Shyam Benegal. QUALIFICATIONS: Ms. Karkaria graduated with Honours in English Literature from Loreto College, Calcutta, and then received a diploma in journalism from Calcutta University, ranking first and winning a gold medal. In 1975, the Times Group sent her for a course in advanced journalism at the Thomson Foundation, Cardiff, Wales. In 1994, she was chosen as a Jefferson Fellow of the East-West Centre, Honolulu, participating in its programme on Journalism and Communications. She is a member of the Washington - based International Women's Media Foundation and is on the Professional Women's Advisory Board of the American Biographical Institute. She has been a featured speaker at several international seminars. GENES: Ms Karkaria is a third-generation journalist. Her grandfather founded Eastern India's only Gujarati journal, the Navroz, in 1917, which was later edited by her parents.

    Bombay Alumni Chapter, IITBAA

   

• MMM on October 14

  Sudheendra Kulkarni (BTech '80), Communications Director to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpeyee will be at the October 14th MMM ... Prof. Ashok Misra to confirm attendance.

  VENUE: Institution of Engineers, Haji Ali
  Time: 4:30 to 7:30

  Topic: Broadly on "Globalisation and India"

• "To dam or to not dam" - The Action Group for Water Management is arranging a day's visit to Khurd (an hour plus from Pune) on Sunday, October 1 to check out the "No-dam option" implemented here for rainwater conservation ... click here for details.

• MMM on Monsoon Dhamaka on August 27, 2000 ... click here for update.

• A debate was held in IIT Bombay on April 30 on "Foundations of the Future Economy : Click or Brick" with participants including Sudheendra Kulkarni, Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office. It was headlined in the Indian Express as "IT must touch India's core concerns".

"Foundation of the Future Economy - Click or Brick"

Participants included: 

• Hostel Alumni Day is on Saturday, April 8, 2000 ... contact your hostel Alumni Secretary at hostel#mitra.cse.iitb.ernet.in for additional information.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, an alumnus IITB ('84), is the Communications Director to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpeyee. He has confirmed his presence and a talk at the IITB-MMM on 14 Oct 2000 when he is in Mumbai during PM's fortnight's stay here. This is a very recent development hence apologies for such a late intimation. IITB Director Prof Misra is currently touring the USA with senior faculty. He is to return mid week. We are hopeful to receive confirmation of his participation soon.

VENUE: Institution of Engineers, Haji Ali
Time: 4:30 to 7:30 (The actual talks to begin at 5:00 PM)
Fraternizing till 5:00 PM

Speakers:

• Prof Ashok Misra, Director, IITB (Awaiting Confirmation)
• Sudheendra Kulkarni, Director Communications at Prime Minister's Office. (CONFIRMED)

Broadly on "Globalisation and India"

There will be plenty to hear from both and we have the 'zero hour' too. You are welcome even if you do not intimate but we would like to get a reasonably accurate figure of attendance hence your cooperation.

============================================================================

FORTHCOMING INSTITUTE EVENTS

1. Mechanical Engineering Association IIT Bombay cordially invites you to witness FINALS of YANTRIKI - 2000 on Sunday, 15-10-2000 at 15.00 Hrs Venue: Convocation Hall, IITB Campus
On YANTRIKI: http://www.me.iitb.ernet.in/yantriki/

2. Director and Deans visiting the US and UK staring 22 September 2000 are returning between 11 Oct to 20 Oct 2000.
Details http://www.iitbombay.org/facvis1.htm

3. Annual Alumni Day Reunion 24 December 2000. Registration 10AM, Lunch, Distinguished Service Award presentation, Class of 75 Dinner. More details later

4. Class of 75 Silver Jubilee Reunion - 23 December to 30 December 2000, mainly on 24 December. For details visit http://www.iitb.ernet.in/alumni/batch75.htm or http://www.iitbombay.org

NEWS

1. Alumni Action Group on Water: The visit to Bhoyare-Khurd and Ralegan Siddhi (Anna Hazare's village) near Ahmadnagr on 1 October 2000 was enlightening experience. Interesting economic rejuvination statistics. See pictures of the visit and some postings: http://iitb_mmm.tripod.com/visit2village.htm.

2. Professor Pradeep Mathur of IIT Bombay has been selected for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for his outstanding contributions in synthetic organometallic chemistry and developing new types of clusters with applications in non-linear optics, catalysis and activation of organic compounds. A recipient of the Best Teacher Award of IIT Bombay, Prof. Mathur did his undergraduate studies in London and received his Ph.D. degree from Keele University. http://www.iitb.ernet.in/pmathur.html

3. Campus Diary September 2000 - and October 2000: http://www.iitb.ernet.in/campus/diary/sept2000.html
http://www.iitb.ernet.in/campus/diary/oct2000.html

MMM  : Saturday, October 1, 2000

Subject: alumni runneth over
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 17:05:03 +0550
From: "Janak Daftari" <indepth@vsnl.com>Dear alumnus,

This is the final reminder for the alumni Action Group visit on 1October to study Water mngmnt:

0545 :catch Indrayani Exp at Dadar
0930 :Pune alumni join up at the station
0940 :Leave for Bhoyare-Khurd by Jeeps
Bonus is a short visit to Ralegaon-Siddhi and hopefully a tete-a-tete with Hon Anna Hazare before returning to Pune station.
1820 :catch Indy Exp to return to sincity

Alumni joining from Dadar are requested to send mail to *pro@cc.iitb.ernet.in* with subject=ex-bombay and name/gender/age of the day-trippers. Alumni joining from Pune are to send the mail with subject=ex-pune and ditto. The cost of the expedition is Rs 350 per head from Dadar/Rs 300 from Pune. Pune alums are to look out for R.Shanker(H5,Elect) who will stand from 0900 outside the Pune station main entrance,slightly to the right so you'll know he's the capitalist to collect your money. All Alumni are requested to send the final confirmation with proper details by Tuesday 26th.Latecomers will be accomodated at 5-Gardens instead.

Many thanx

PS: NRI alumni who do not wish to get mail re:local programs,send mail with subject=unsubscribe. 

Bombay Alumni Chapter, IITBAA

Subject: To dam or not to dam
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 20:12:57 +0550
From: Janak Daftari < indepth@vsnl.com>
Organization: IITB Alumni Assn.


Dear alumnus ,

The Action Group for Water Management is arranging a day's visit to Khurd (an hour plus from Pune) on Sunday, October1. We're checking out the No-dam option implemented here for rainwater conservation, complete with a rustic lunch after gambolling around the countryside. The expedition will catch the Indrayani Exp (0600 hrs) to Pune and return by it (2200 hrs). The bus ride from Pune is fixed by our own Raja Deshpande(H5) who has been involved in this village for the NABARD program;and will show us around. 

The estimated cost per head for the picnic is Rs 250/300 while the sound of gurgling brooks and the enervating air,freshly laundered, is free. Since it was decided at an earlier monthly meet to expose the *wapped* nextgen to nature's fundae - alumutter with spice(should you have more than one) and children (even neighbours') upto 90 yrs are welcome.

Join the action,block the day and RSVP NOW to pro@cc.iitb.ernet.in so we can fix your place/s.

Cheers

Bombay Alumni Chapter, IITBAA

MMM  : Sunday, 27 August, 2000

IIT Bombay Alumni Monsoon Dhamaka

Lecture theatre (IIT), Sunday 27 th August,'00

4.30 pm : Fraternising, HighTea
5.30pm : Prof Uday Gaitonde (Prof-in-Charge,Alumni affairs) speaks of future plans
6.00pm : Securities Trading & Payment Gateways on Internet" - 
Nirmal Jajodia(BTech Mech,'80), A.V.P.,L&T Infotech
7.00pm : Alumni Business @ speed of thought" - *Gates ????
7.30pm Dinner by the lakeside

1. Dinner is included in the contribution of Rs 60 per head - please confirm to Ms Rama/PRO on 572 2545 or 576 7025 - email :rama@admin.iitb.ernet.in

2. Access to Internet for Alumni children from 5 - 7 pm.
   

P.S. Please update errors in first or last name,gender(!) since the database is to be updated :-)


Bombay Alumni Chapter, IITBAA

MMM  : Saturday, 15 July 2000

WHERE: At IITB campus  (The exact venue within the campus will be known later and displayed on Bulletin Boards of websites www.iitiim.com or click here and www.iitbombay.org)

WHEN: 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM – Fraternising and meet the New Director Prof Misra and the new Dy Director Prof Lakkad, also currently the President of IITB AA 
5:30 PM – Formal meet “Safeguarding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in Indian Scenario” 
Dr. Sengupta and Dr Mehta of Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi will throw light on to the subject. Mr Garg or Dr Tiwari of the office of the Controller of Patents & Designs, Patent Office Branch, Mumbai are likely to join us at the meet.
7:30 PM – Dinner at H-8 ( inclined? ) 

A WORKSHOP AT IIT BOMBAY 

Safeguarding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in Indian Scenario

Continuing with the agenda set forth on 10 June Faculty-Alumni meet, IIT Bombay is organizing the Workshop on IPR matters on Saturday 15 June 2000. Dr. Sengupta and Dr Mehta of Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi will be conducting the same. Although the workshop is being organised essentially for the IITB faculty and researchers, it will be open to those alumni who can share their experiences in this matter. It is thought that the alumni too should get some insight into these matters so that they too could be actively involved in Technology Development Activities at IIT. With this in mind it is proposed that the July Mumbai Monthly Meet also be held on the same evening at the campus. We will have the benefit of the experts from FITT and either Mr Garg or Dr Tiwari from the office of the Controller of Patents & Designs from Patent Office Branch, Mumbai. 

This will be the first occasion when we the alumni would be able to meet Prof Ashok Misra, the newly appointed Director of IIT Bombay and Prof Lakkad, also the newly appointed Dy Director and currently the President of IIT Bombay Alumni Association.  Though the faculty too will be receiving this mail, they are to await Prof. Suryanarayan, Dean R & D's circular on the Workshop Details. 

As usual, they are also expected to be participating in the MMM.  However it is felt that we must address the keenness of the faculty, researchers as well as the alumni to get acquainted with the subject and perhaps use the knowledge gained, to further the cause of Technology Development at IIT. NRI alumni who might be visiting Mumbai at that time are welcome to share their experiences on the subject with International Scenario on IPRs / Patents.

If you are inclined to attend the MMM on 15 July, if you are inclined to have dinner (at H-8) after the MMM,  If you are an alumnus conversant with IPR/Patents matters, or if you can share your experiences in this matter may please write to iitbalumni2000@yahoo.com.

NRI alumni who might be visiting Mumbai at that time are welcome to share their experiences on the subject with International Scenario on IPRs /Patents, please write to iitbalumni2000@yahoo.com. 

On Friday 14 July 2000, Dr Sengupta will be delivering a talk on "Technology Incubation" at the IIT Auditorium, (IRCC-SOM Building) Ground Floor at 3.00 pm. Alumni desirous of attending this talk are also most welcome. If you are going to attend the 14 July talk, please write to iitbalumni2000@yahoo.com.

Shailesh Gandhi, Janak Daftari, Sudhir Badami, Parag Rele, Shailesh Mehta, N V Bhat, Pramod Phadke 

MMM : Saturday, 27 May 2000

Rajendra Deshpande of NABARD will take stock of DROUGHT

"Tackling Drought - Short Term and Long Term Perspectives" 


CONTENTS 

• Raja Deshpande will take stock of DROUGHT 

• IIT Capsule: "Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science" from Prof. K.M. Gupt / Prof. S.N. Malhotra 

• Alumni Capsule: "Bhagwat Geeta in English Verses" by Kiran Vasekar B.Tech.ME-'74 

WHEN : Sat 27 May 2000. 
WHERE : The Institution of Engineer's Hall, Haji Ali, Mumbai 
WHAT : We all know by now that Bon-homie takes precedence over every thing else. Timings are only for guidance. Yet we realise that it is worth while to adhere to schedule so do take your seats by 5:00. 

upto - 5:00 : Chai aur kuch nashta while Fraternizing (early birds will have to volunteer!! 4:30 pm) 
upto - 5:20 : IIT Capsule -"Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science" - Prof. K.M. Gupt / Prof. S.N. Malhotra 
upto - 5:40 : Alumnus Capsule -"Bhagwat Geeta Verses in English" Kiran Vasekar 
from -5:40 : Main Feature "Tackling Drought - Short Term and Long Term Perspectives" Raja Deshpande of NABARD will take stock of DROUGHT 
6:30 - 7:00 : Free for all and Close-up 

VENUE: Institution of Engineer's Hall at Haji Ali 

Forthcoming Alumni Events

Pune Meet 25 May, 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 June/ Bangalore Meet 6 May / Thanekaris & Hyderabadis are on summer vacation! / Ahmedabadis are to Meet on 27 May / Delhi to Meet Soon / Annual Alumni Day 24 Dec, 2000 /Silver Jubilee Reunion Class of '75 - 24 Dec. 2000 

Forthcoming Institute Events Degree Design Show - got over on 19, 20 & 21 May 2000 / Yantriki in Aug-Sep 2000

HOW TO REACH THE VENUE: 

Walk from Haji Ali Road Junction: 7 mnts. 

By Car/Taxi 

From Haji Ali Road Junction, go towards the Race Course - Mahalaxmi Station; the first left turn taking you to the Govt. quarters / Lala Lajpatrai college - first building on the left. It is also the turn before the Race Course. 

By BEST buses: BEST 124 at Inst. Of Engrs. 

All the busses going to Haji Ali: there are quite a few from Western Suburbs, Eastern Suburbs, central city and the South-Mumbai i.e. downtown Mumbai. Then walk down as mentioned. At Haji Ali Bus Stop. 1Exp, 2Exp, 28, 31Ltd., 32, 33, 37, 39, 48, 63, 80Ltd., 81Ltd., 81Ltd.Ext, 83, 84Ltd., 84Ltd.Ext., 85, 86, 87Ltd., 88, 89, 91Ltd., 92Ltd., 93Ltd., 124, 125, 132, 133, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155Ring, 166, 305Ltd., 351, 357, 385, 521Ltd., 700Ltd. and 

AC Busses A1 - Oshiwara to World Trade Centre and A4 - Ghatkopar to Hutatma Chowk. 

By Suburban Trains 

Nearest: Mahalaxmi (WR) ~15 mts walk. BEST 124*, 152, 153, 154, 351* Grant Road (WR) BEST 155Ring very very frequent Mumbai Central (WR) BEST 48, 63, 91Ltd, 124*, 125, 153, 154, 351*, 357, 385 Byculla (CR) BEST 152, 153, 154 

(* Directly to Instn. Of Engrs; all others to Haji Ali)

Foundation of future economy - Click or brick?

by Net.Com Strategix - Janak Daftari (indepth@vsnl.com)

Persona Vitae:
Moderator - Dr S.R.Ganesh - Consulting Advisor,TCS
Panelists(all IITB alumni)
Rajesh Jain - MD,Indiaworld (recently acquired by Satyam Info), creator of khoj.com, khel.com...
Parag Rele - Director,Atco Ltd(soon-to-be ISP)
Shailesh Gandhi - MD,Alphacon Containers P.Ltd
Sudheendra Kulkarni - Advisor to PM, Tech.&Comm
Dr Deepak Phatak - Dean, School of IT, IITB
Host - Janak Daftari

The host set the tone by pointing out the proliferation of Internet - the first download in the hostel days used to be a double omelette while now it is email! Already it was looking as if many,many Dotcoms were turning out to be Dotcons. Dr Ganesh laid down the ground rules / format and set off the cerebral skirmishes.

Rajesh Jain
There was a revolution on and the change in economy was not a bubble, only the flawed faltered. Citing Amul as an example,he brought out the synergy in the combination of clicks with bricks - they were able to sell their products thru the Internet first in the country and then across the world. The brick-and-mortar businesses already have clients,existing relationships and systems while pure Internet players were floundering.ICICI successfully implemented click-and-mortar strategy whereas E-Toys was down. As exception Amazon, in reverse, built warehouses all over. Leverage the existing relationships for success - was his message since the customer is now able to directly contact the company as against layers in the marketing chain.
His vision for Internet in India:
1.Low cost access devices needed
2.Community centres for better fulfillment with ecommerce
3.Payment systems
4.Add Utility services to the Internet

Question (Dr Phatak): Rajesh, what do you think of the bandwidth availibilty in India?
RJ : Although the telephone exchange is visible from my office,have been unable to obtain a leased line since the last 3 months. In spite of willingnes to pay,am unable to obtain adequate bandwidth. And the irony is that there is lot bandwidth available,if expensive. This limitation is going to constrain growth in India.


Considered India a long,long way from the "clicks" economy - low PC penetration,poor bandwidth,high connectivity cost. Fortunately, PC installed base was increasing due to a helpful Import policy. But the bandwidth was controlled, regulated and hugely expensive. Exodus Communication, a single US company, enjoyed 60 times the entire country's bandwidth and in this context, he quoted Kanwal Rekhi : D.O.T. hatao,desh bachao! With the high cost of access, proliferation would take time and would not be extensive.
To bring out the impact of appropriate usage of Web technology to achieve reduced cost,greater efficiency and higher customer satisfaction, he talked of the economy of scale achieved by Henry Ford. Mass production kept the costs low but there was no customisation possible and the customer had no choice.Against this he posited the operations of Dell Computers - the customer selected his choice of configuration etc on the Internet and virtually directed the production process for his customisation. Computers and Internet, with better and tighter inventory control and financial management, are allowing the customer to come out ahead.
Boeing, for another example, also did big business of supplying spare parts. In the 18 years they had set up EDI exchanges with the customers, they signed up 70 customers. Once web enabled, in first 12 months year signed up 350 companies for business on the web.
Besides B-to-C, there was huge potential for B-to-B. Customers or suppliers get tied up with manufacturing companies, they have access to information, they can then, sitting in their premises, play what is called, "what if" games and come to their decisions - what to order, when to order, how much to order, what to supply, when to supply, whatever.

Shailesh Gandhi
Set up the cat amongst the pigeons by declaring IT as Irrelevant Technology since it affected only 10% of the population. He pointed out that only Roti,Kapda and Makaan was of relevance to 70% of the people, current additions being clean air and water. Technology as imported from the west, he said categorically, has failed us if it has not been able to deliver us basic needs.
Using the cliche "geography has become history thanks to Internet" he exhorted us to ask the meaning of geography from those Rajasthani women who trudged 5 kms every day for a bucket of water! Will cyber H2O do?
Electricity brought in great changes but wasn't hyped up as much as Internet.India has ambitious plans to use Infotech to make millions of dollars so that we can buy our basic needs with this money. Why not instead produce these goods to begin with instead of this great convoluted methodology of what is called the new economy? All major countries,especially United States, have core technologies in place - manufacturing,R & D,Science. Against this, IT would provide only 25 lakhs jobs in a country of 100 crores!
- page 3 -

The drought has caught our attention over the last 10 days - where was IT? Was this water problem not predictable? Was corrective action not possible beforehand?
One last thing, posterity said Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burnt. Let it not be said we clicked away while India was undone by Indians.

Countered by Sudheendra Kulkarni : The problem or villain is not IT but the system of which the Government is a part. IT is a part of everything and its the Government which has to make relevant use of this Info Tech.
Like the cricket captain,SG admitted he had not been totally honest and had exaggerated slightly. But the point is,he said, limited resources could not be allocated to all priorities in all sectors.

Sudheendra Kulkarni
Asserted India needs more clicks and bricks. Infotech was needed to enrich traditional economies by bringing higher efficiences and better productivity. IT was not for export alone but for integrating into the existing economy.The concept of old and new economy was distorting the perspective of decision makers,stock markets, the younger generation.Actually, a balance of the two was required to sustain India.For Shailesh to prioritise resources,Infotech is the most efficient tool - to create new wealth dispersed in all sectors amongst the largest number of people.

The benefit of IT was shown in the way NDDB kept a database of all cows in all villages around Anand. With a satellite based online tracking system they can provide instantaneous relief in case of reduced production. Similarly, deploying Infotech, 30 million jobs in the textile sector can be affected. Or in agriculture.

Another case of the benefit of IT for the rural people was the pilot project at Varnanagar in Maharashtra where 70 villages of this sugar co-operative were networked. They were able to achieve significant savings because of the online information available.

Now if we focus on textiles, if we focus on sugar, focus on edible oils, agri products - we import 40 % of our requirements in a country which is agriculture dominated. The Government of course has a major role to play and it has failed for many reasons. But to ask a funda question question -- all this for what? To fuel growth and produce a real change and improve the lives of all citizens,bring economic welfare to the weaker section of societyengaged in traditional occupations. Therefore friends I think that we should look at this debate in terms of how we can work together, in whichever sector of economy we are in, to achieve these fundamental national objectives.

SRG: I have heard of a website for automobiles being introduced. But this is the first time I have heard of a website for every cow. I think that's a jolly good idea.
If you look at old economy internationally we still had a whole lot of Indians in very key technology and other organizations like Bell Labs, IBM, so on and so forth but rarely the impact.Leveraging Information Technology, India was not a brand.
I went to Salman Khurshid (former external affairs minister, Union Govrtnment). I told him "Sir, I would like you to talk about marketing of India and it is an invitation to you, not to the chair. We would like you to come and talk about it. He was still in the chair.

Dr Deepak Phatak
At the outset, pointed out that the panel was to discuss clicks and bricks vis-a-vis economy and NOT social justice or governance. He noted that Indians accept many inequities and injustices of Life as their destiny and carry on with the business of living.He drew attention to the great downward slide of our GDP due to various factors - incompetence, inefficiency, ignorance, indiscipline, indecisiveness and lack of motivation.

With a deft professorial touch,he defined Information Technology - capture, validation, storage, analysis, retrieval, dissemination and archival of information. IT, he said, is at the core of every human endeavour from time immemorial - and rubbished the claim of IT being irrelevant! From mugging in Vedic times to paper,we now have computers for greater efficiency and more organised work-style.Due to the worldwide demand for IT, this would be one way to boost GDP, one more mechanism to generate money faster. He held that only stupid people remain poor; Indians were not individually stupid and therefore must be guilty collectively of stupid thinking. Only proper use of IT and no other mechanism would eradicate this collective stupid behaviour.

To counter Shailesh's critique of exporting IT to import goods we need, he cited the example of steel. How,he asked, is steel produced locally more expensive than that from Japan which imports the ore from India? The answer lies in the ceonomy of scale, notwithstanding higher labour cost in Japan.
Another path was products - somebody needs to develop them. He felt IIT should boost this activity by stepping up the Postgraduate programs too.As an example he pointed out that the 4000 companies funded by MIT alumni and faculty were all technology-centric activities. This cannot happen on its own, but jointly with industry and that is only the long term saving. In the short term, yes, IT as it stands through the IT services alone will continue to generate money because there is a demand. And this means more IT jobs.

In this very hall, in another debate Technocrats vs Software Brats, there was a very good question - "because I am a good chemical engineer I should not go to information technology, but continue at a lower salary so that a worse chemical engineer from a smaller place can go join IT and earn more money. Is that fair?" He thought good and capable people will continue to go to places and areas where they feel there are best prospects for their ability. And nothing in the whole world stops them. If we can learn a foreign language,our mother tongue, at the age of 3 without coaching classes, a student from a lesser-known institute can also do the same thing in IT.

That there will be different sets of people who would be continuing to contribute differently and I firmly believe that IT not in the fine sense but in the true sense of deploying it to make our industries efficient to do true R&D to develop new technologies and new products can be long term saving.

SK
Most respectfully I would like to submit that you cannot debate or discuss IT on new economy, old economy in isolation away from the social context of India - one has to be concerned about the linkage between economy and social justice. Take the issue of DOT. Kanwal Rekhi, a good friend, we have interacted very closely, says DOT hatao Desh Bachao,- there is some merit in it but no government can take it up as a slogan and help or seek to help IT. We have to understand why DOT had become a bottleneck? Friends, for this we have to see what the mindset of the employees in the public sector who all feel very threatened by the so-called new economy. Now we have to convince them that you don't have to really worry - the new economy and the revival of the old economy will together create so many new employment opportunities that even without any reservation in the private sector you will be better off. So friends, all of us, we have to understand these social realities and convince the people of India that let us together look forward in the direction of the new economy using IT, using knowledge based industries this is the only way to go forward.

Question(Janak Daftari): Dr Ramani once mentioned that in the fibre- optic telecom link from Bombay to Delhi, against a maximum possible of 22,000 concurrent calls DOT had hit 1200 till date. Can we afford the time to change mindsets of Govt employees before existing resources are fully utilised?
-Unanswered-

Question (Dr D.M.Dhamdere)
Internet will necessitate re-engineering by the corporates,but what about the society? For example, if Internet is going to disintermediate what is going to happen to all these middlemen?What will be the nature of new jobs? What are the kinds of jobs people should aspire to? Who is going to re-engineer the society? How one should go about it?

Now I would like to know what the panelists think about this, particularly and directly specifying to Shailesh saying under-privileged part of society, how to energize them and to think properly about the job prospects and I am also directing it to Sudheendra about what is the Government likely to do about this?

SRG:
Very well this a interesting question and for this I will request each of the panelists to take a shot at answering the question before we close. In a BBC documentary, they showed a community like this where they said that we can prepare the children for future in variety of streams that are coming in today, but we don't have job to offer to the parents. We have gone through this and what did we do to this, you know. That's it, the whole generation then is suddenly vanishing and becomes a part of the problem.

RJ
What I am going to comment upon is not exactly relevant to the question. What I would add on is that you know what you are really seeing made a big difference since last nine months and the emergence of a younger generation which is keen on, and able to take a risk to implement the ideas they have to businesses. Sir this could not happen before in India, we didn't have the capital, we didn't have money, and access to resources to promote ideas and turn them to realities. I think that's the testing time for society, that the people who have failed also have to be looked up to, in addition to the people who have succeeded because in these failures are the seeds of future successes.

SG
The example Deepak gave us of why Japan produces steel that is cheaper than ours only reinforces what I have been saying that we need to focus more on core technology which will provide more jobs, which will give more resources , provide more quality for the human beings in this country.

SK
The biggest thing that IT revolution has done is not so much in terms of how many billionaires it has created, but the aspiration that it has created to the society. Young people are aspiring and are beginning to realize that their aspirations are realistic, are achievable. Now this aspiration revolution has to be harnessed, now has to be channelised, we have to create a supportive environment for it and that's where the government has a big role and responsibility. We see in India today the resurgent India, I am sure that in ten fifteen years India will be absolutely on the top of the world.

DP
Examine the cities of Pune and Banglore, where a whole number of IT professionals with a limited number of jobs, but with an entirely disproportionate generation of wealth - people are building houses, people are building blocks , people are buying furniture, people are buying furnaces and all these are big products. Just to tell you some estimates - today we have four thousand air lines seats. Only because of IT usage India is going to require forty thousand seats per day. Now you can just imagine forty thousand seats per day , what kind of implication does it have on other businesses - this is the actual impact.

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HOSTEL ALUMNI DAY ON SATURDAY 8 APRIL 2000 
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY INVITED 
5:30 PM at S.A.C. and Dinner at 8:00 PM at your Hostel 
Send mail to Hostel Alumni Secretary at hostel*@mitra.cse.iitb.ernet.in place your hostel number for * e.g.
hostel5@mitra.cse.iitb.ernet.in for Hostel 5, confirming your participation. 

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Contacts

IITB-MMM -> iitbalumni2000@yahoo.com

Sudhir P Badami (71) -> iitb-mmm@usa.net +91+22+367 6536
Janak H Daftari (73) -> indepth@vsnl.com +91+22+628 4653
Mahavir Jain (79) -> jainlase@bom3.vsnl.net.in +91+22+375 9717
Parag Rele (69) -> rele@vsnl.com +91+22+414 2912
Rangan Banerjee (88) -> rangan@me.iitb.ernet.in +91+22+576 7883
Girish Sant (86) -> prayas@vsnl.com +91+20+37 3596

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Past MMMs

• IIT-Bombay Alumni Mumbai Monthly Meet on Saturday, 25 March 2000 :
  Saumil Trivedi will take stock of IT STOCKS - "Buoyant Bubbly Balloon - things to come in the New Economy", IIT Capsule: "Department of Computer Science and Engineering" 
  from Dr. D.M. Dhamdhere, Alumni Capsule: "Cartoons and Caricatures "
  by Ashok Dongre B.Tech.EE-'73/M.Des. '75 and Arun Inamdar PhD. Appld Geology '76

• COMMON ALUMNI EVENING AT YOUR HOSTEL ON 2 APRIL 2000 / Pune Meet 23 & 30 Mar, 6, 13, 20, & 27 Apr, / Bangalore Meet 6 May / Thane Meet 25 Mar. /Hyderabad Meet ?. / Ahmedabad Meet ? / Delhi Meet ?. 
  
  During the October MMM on the spot voice vote was taken 'whether a place like VJTI at Matunga-Wadala would be more convenient for holding the MMM and almost unanimously every one said AYE and a lone exception had to keep quiet. When asked if a place like St Xavier's college could be thought of as it was close to both Western Railway & Central Railway, again the near unanimity pravailed and the choice was 'NAY'. It is but proper to ask the rest of the community what they feel. Several people have suggested for a central location in the vicinity of Dadar rather than Haji Ali. 
  
  Those in favour of change of venue to VJTI at Matunga, click AYE 
  Those not in favour of change of venue from Haji Ali, click NAY 
  And don't forget to mail it. 
  -------------- 
  Propose to have a "The Big Fight" kind of debate - three panelists and one moderator and two specialists(!). Each round has a 3-minute opening statement by one of the panelist, followed with a minute rebuttal each by other two and a minute reaction to each rebuttal by the first panelist. One full round will take 30 minutes. Open to audience - one minute rebuttal from an audience and a minute response by the particular panelist - fifteen questions would take thirty minutes. 
  
  Want to participate? Give your suggestions for topics, your role as panelist, moderator or the experts. Any modification to the above format? We could hold it in April or May and if your response is good, we could have this format often. 
  
  Respond to The Big Fight Proposal 
  
  ------------------------------- 
  
  The trickle to Sukhatme Endowment from Alumni is continuing - at the end of February the contributions, including from pledges, totalled to about 29.5 lacs from 20 alumni. The current figure was not ascertained at the time of sending this mail. With 8 nos < Rs 5,000; 4 nos < Rs 10,000; 4 nos < Rs 25,000; and 4 nos > Rs 1,00,000 we are sure we can collectively cross the targeted amount of Rs 100 lacs. BUT LET US DO IT
  QUICKLY. As you can see, No amount is too large and no amount is too small. 
  

• Mumbai Monthly Meet on Saturday 29 January 2000 featured "Renewables and Energy Efficiencies by Rangan Banerjee, Energy Systems Engineering Group". IIT Bombay Alumni Mumbai Monthly Meet on  Sat 4 December 1999 featured Prof. S.P. Sukhatme. The Mumbai Monthly Meet on Saturday, July 31 featured Dr. Phatak, Director of theSchool of IT, and Satish Madhiwala ... the June 26th meeting featured Prof. Asolekar and Colin Gonsalves on Human Rights ... the May 29th  meeting featured Pramod Bongirwar on the 55 new flyovers in Mumbai  ... for more information write to Sudhir Badami or Janak Daftari (Daffy) or visit MMM's home page.

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