Situations Vacant

The Times of India, Bangalore
Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Situations Vacant

A Multinational Trading Co.

Having its office in Prestige Meridian, M.G. Road is looking for a female receptionist. Smart, good looking, with good communication skills & computer savvy...post your resume and photograph at___.

The breakfast buffet included countless stations with choices ranging from standard Western fare to Japanese cuisine to freshly prepared Indian cuisine. I was astonished at the array of choices and not a small bit overcome. I said to Vijay, my server, "I am not in the West and so do not wish to eat omlettes or lox and bagels. Will you tell me what these many Indian breakfast choices are and teach me what I should eat?"

Vijay willingly obliged and brought me what approximated a massive crepe filled with spiced potatoes. A side dish of sauce or soup accompanied it. He departed and I was left to contemplate just how to eat it. Looking around for an analogue and finding none among fellow diners, I picked up knife and fork, and European style, dug in. Vijay returned, and in somewhat uncharacteristic Indian fashion, momentarily looked askance.

I paused and queried, "How do I eat this, Vijay?"

I knew Indians did eat with their right hands--never the left--but did not quite understand how one negotiated the entire enterprise. He explained that I was to tear off a piece of the crepe, put some of the potato in it, and then dip it in the sauce. Clumsily, with one hand, I followed directions. Fragrant, flavorful, and delicious, I declared, and managed to eat the entire plate, which I chased with an acidophilus-rich bowl of yoghurt.

Whilst eating, I read The Times of India.

PM Bats for Quota in Private Sector

I learnt that Prime Minister of India, Mammohan Singh, has placed job quotas on the national agenda by asking industry to voluntarily extend affirmative action so as to value diversity and broaden their workforce. He is attempting to ensure that no group feels excluded from the rapid economic growth that India is experiencing. While he would prefer to leave quotas for the private sector to work out, the Prime Minister is willing to look at laws if they continue to balk. Nandan Nilekani, the chief scion of Infosys, said that he shared the concern of the Prime Minister and that it was time for all to sit down and discuss the matter more fully.

Whilst this article presented a mere fifteen second visual byte of information, it does raise many questions. What is driving the quota issue? Is is truly about social justice and an attempt to level the entry to the playing field? What are the policy issues? The political matters to consider? It appears that the quota issue is also one the universities are facing. How does that new matter relate to the quotas the Prime Minister is calling for in industry?

Tomorrow, I meet with one of the executives of the Infosys Leadership Institute, Rajani Kanth Katragadda, and in several days' time, with the Senior Vice President of Wipro's Corporate Human Resource Development, Ranjan Acharya, and shall seek to explore these issues of quotas and social justice in greater depth.