Indian Software Industry to See Strong Revenue Growth: PwC

New Delhi : The Indian software industry is poised for a strong revenue growth driven by social media, mobility, analytics and cloud, said a report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Indian companies in the top 100 emerging markets list bring combined revenue of $797 million. India ranks fifth among the emerging markets based on revenues, according to the PwC Global 100 Software Leaders report, a revenue-based study on the world's top 100 software vendors.

The recent report also contains indices of the top 100 software vendors in North America, Europe Middle East and Africa, and the emerging markets.

"The Indian IT industry has been primarily identified with software services and this focus has relegated the software products segment to the background. However, off late, we are seeing a change in the fortunes of this segment due to significant growth.

"Emerging technologies such as social media, mobility, analytics and cloud (SMAC) are driving the growth in this segment and helping it move to the next level," said Sanjay Dhawan, leader, technology, PwC India.

A number of software product firms have grown over the last decade from a little over 100 in the year 2000 to nearly 2,400 in 2013. According to the industry body NASSCOM, the revenue from the software product segment currently stands at $2.2 billion and is expected to reach $10 billion by 2020.
 

Read More

Coffee can cut diabetes risk

Coffee can cut diabetes risk

Moderate coffee consumption - which equals to three to four cups of coffee per day- may help to prevent risk of type 2 diabetes, according to researchers.

The finding was highlighted in a session report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a not-for-profit organisation devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health.

Recent scientific evidence has consistently linked regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An update of this research and key findings presented during a session at the 2012 World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and Its Complications (WCPD) is summarised in the report.

The report outlines the epidemiological evidence linking coffee consumption to diabetes prevention, highlighting research that shows three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to consuming none or less than two cups per day1. Another study also found an inverse dose dependent response effect with each additional cup of coffee reducing the relative risk by 7-8 per cent.

Whilst these epidemiological studies suggest an association between moderate coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing diabetes, they are unable to infer a causal effect. As such, clinical intervention trails are required to study the effect in a controlled setting. One prospective randomized controlled trial, tested glucose and insulin after an oral glucose tolerance test with 12g decaffeinated coffee, 1g chlorogenic acid, 500 mg trigonelline, or placebo. This study demonstrated that chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline reduced early glucose and insulin responses, and contribute to the putative beneficial effect of coffee.

The report noted that the association between coffee consumption a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes could be seen as counter intuitive, as drinking coffee is often linked to unhealthier habits, such as smoking and low levels of physical activity.

Furthermore, studies have illustrated that moderate coffee consumption is not associated with an increased risk of hypertension, stroke or coronary heart disease. Research with patients with CVD has also shown that moderate coffee consumption is inversely associated with risk of heart failure, with a J-shaped relationship.

Finally, the report puts forward some of the key mechanistic theories that underlie the possible relationship between coffee consumption and the reduced risk of diabetes.

These included the ''Energy Expenditure Hypothesis'', which suggests that the caffeine in coffee stimulates metabolism and increases energy expenditure and the ''Carbohydrate Metabolic Hypothesis'', whereby it is thought that coffee components play a key role by influencing the glucose balance within the body. There is also a subset of theories that suggest coffee contains components that may improve insulin sensitivity though mechanisms such as modulating inflammatory pathways, mediating the oxidative stress of cells, hormonal effects or by reducing iron stores.

Dr. Pilar Riobo Servan, Associate Chief of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Jimenez Diaz-Capio Hospital of Madrid and a speaker at the WCPD session concluded the report, commenting: "A dose-dependent inverse association between coffee drinking and total mortality has been demonstrated in general population and it persists among diabetics. Although more research on the effect of coffee in health is yet needed, current information suggests that coffee is not as bad as previously considered!"

Read More

Today`s Quotes

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Read More

Lessons from My First Job: Partha Basu, Akzo

Partha Basu, CFO and Whole Time Director, Akzo Nobel India and the author of the book ‘Make It or Break It’ shares his journey of learning from unlearning
My First Job: I was a management trainee in IFB Industries Ltd.
My Experience: I was amongst the first few employees at IFB’s new venture to create washing machines. I was posted at a plant in Corlim, which is away from the main city of Panjim, Goa. My seniors did not restrict my job to the job description. I was given freedom given to go beyond the function and work with larger teams. I worked closely with manufacturing, stores, IT, planning, logistics, projects, which allowed me to learn operations at an early age. I was fortunate to have seniors who guided me at every step. I still remember the pride and joy I felt when we invoiced the first machine from the factory.
Things I learnt: Being away from home for the first time taught me a lot. My biggest learning was when I realised life is beyond the safe hands of parents. I learnt to manage myself as an individual, live on my own.
Skills I Acquired: Managing adversity, team work, importance of unlearning and relearning, managing transition, ability to accept mistakes, power of positive thinking.
My Manager’s teaching:  Late Mr. B Mukherjee was my manager and mentor. I was fresh from the college with no idea about the corporate world.  Being away from home and friends I was home sick. He treated me like his younger brother, who I could share my problems. His message to me was ‘if you work you will make mistakes. If you don’t, you will never. Hence never be ashamed to make mistakes.’
Turning Point in my Career: The turning point in my life came when I decided to leave my job at the Tata group and decided to leave my home town Kolkata to join a start-up joint venture between IFB and Autoliv. I was 27 years old and had a chance to manage an independent finance department reporting to the head of business. I was advised against this move by many as it was ‘risky’.  However, I am happy that I took that decision that day.
My most crucial step/assignment: It is difficult to single out one assignment. However the one that I can cite is of when I took over as General Manager-Commercial in Coke, I had very limited exposure to logistics & planning function. But, my zeal to learn and excel paid back since that assignment taught me how tough operational roles can be. Similarly, when I was driving the margin management for Asia in Whirlpool, after many months I realised that I was the only finance guy leading a large geography, the rest of the team comprised of marketing/sales folks. That assignment allowed me to learn about global business. Similarly when I was raising fund at SpiceJet, it was an immensely important assignment for me since at that point of time, the economic scenario was difficult and raising fund were not so easy. It too gave me a great exposure.
My Advice: There is life beyond the so called ‘success’; and the four walls of your office. One must explore it to understand and enjoy every day of his/her corporate journey.
Where I see myself 5 years from here: My dream is to mentor young India, especially the youth from tier 2 or 3 cities. This would also help me walk closer to my dream.

Read More

Good companies show career progression to prospective employees

Chinmayi VS, Head- Human Resources, Maxim Integrated shares tips on selecting the ‘right’ organisation for a successful career

To ensure success in one’s career, it is very critical to select an employer who reflects and supports your values and career objectives. So, what’s the mantra to identify a good organisation?
“A good organisation showcases a clear company vision, technology/business roadmap, career progression through real-time data points and their culture to prospective employees. Culture is normally the differentiator. It is easy to copy technology, but not an organisation’s culture and employee testimonials would add value,” explained Chinmayi VS, Head- Human Resources, Maxim Integrated during a ‘High-Tea’ session, a dedicated chat platform on TimesJobs.com for candidates to ask career related queries to experts.
Advising fresh graduates on selecting the ‘right’ employer, Chinmayi said that it is important to join a company that nourishes fresh talent through specialised training programs and provides freshers a good transition into the corporate world. As for a fresher their first employer plays a big role in moulding them into a thorough professional. “Look for an employer who gives you a visibility into your career progression options starting with your year as a freshman.”
What should be the focus money or career growth? According to Chinmayi, both are important. Salary is a hygiene factor, if you feel there is a big gap in your salary that should be addressed first, without compromising on your career path. If you pursue excellence and competence, salary growth would most certainly follow.
Another question which was asked during the High-Tea session was is it better to work with big organisations or small organisation. Chinmayi says that big organisations normally offer very good exposure on systems, processes and learning resources. Whereas, small organisations offer roles with more ownership and normally includes a wider scope within the role. Irrespective of size, a job seeker needs to look at the company’s vision and financial stability while seeking employment.
In her view, if one is offered a full-time job in the organisation where the candidate is interning, they need to specifically clarify the role being offered and if it meets their requirement on salary and career growth.
All in all, you should work for an organisation that offers you a good role with learning and career progression opportunities, along with a good working culture.

Read More

Vegetable juices better than whole veggies?

Vegetable juices better than whole veggies?

One is always confused about eating vegtables raw or in the form of a juice. And rightly so, juicing vegetables is a much harder task than juicing vegetables.
For one, we need to add a lot more flavour to vegetable juices to make them drinkable. But even if you are inclined toward drinking a tasteless vegetable juice for health reasons, how effective will it be? Well, we all have doubts, so let's figure out which one is better: Vegetable juice or whole vegetables.

Most health guidelines recommend that one must consume two to three cups of vegetables every day. This requirement may go up or down, based on your activity level and physical characteristics. Vegetable juices are seen as an easy way out of the monotonous vegetable cooking and chewing process through the day. A juice entails juicing a vegetable, therefore removing pulp and roughage.

Both eating your vegetables and juicing your vegetables will give you essential nutrients needed by the body to help fight disease. But juicing will give you more of those nutrients than just eating your vegetables. Intrigued? Here's why...

Digestion
Now solid food takes several hours to break down, decompose and provide nutrition, in case of juices, it's much easier and quick.

No fibre
Now juicing primarily gets rid of the fibre in the vegetable that is drained out and what you drink gets easily absorbed in the body. They get assimilated very easily with minimal effort, and the nourishment is available almost instantly to the whole array of cells in the body. The exertion on the part of the digestive system is also very fast.

But should you quit whole vegetables completely?
No! You can still munch on carrots and other vegetable side dishes during meals. Your body does need dietary fibre, which might not carry nutritional value but acts as a cleaner for the digestive tract and intestines.

A cup of unprocessed carrots contains roughly 7 grams of fiber. On the other hand, a cup of carrot juice is almost totally devoid of fiber.

Therefore, get that fiber from your meals, but make up for any vegetable shortfalls and extra requirements in the day with vegetable juices.

Nutritional vs bodily enzymes
Our body possesses countles cells and tissues that have their own enzymes requirements and production to perform a whole range of tasks. The ones that are made avaible from eating raw vegetables or juices work in conjunction with the already present ones. So one need not cut off raw vegetables completely. Striking the right balance is essential.

Read More

Samsung Breaks own Record, Ships 10 Million Galaxy S4's In 1 Month

Bangalore: Samsung's flagship series Galaxy S4, has reportedly broken all the company sales record for the fastest selling series. It achieved this feat by shipping a whopping 10 million units of the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the first month.
The sales rate has easily striked of its previous records set by its earlier versions. Samsung Galaxy SIII shipped 10 million units too; however, it took twice the time of Galaxy S4. As for earlier series, Galaxy SII took close to 5 months to reach the milestone and the very first Samsung Galaxy S took much longer at 7 months.

Samsung's marketing technique by launching the phone simultaneously in multiple markets proved to be very successful. One more reason for rapid sales could be its advertising which made people aware of the product beforehand.

Even though Samsung Galaxy S4, faced a stiff competition from HTC One and Sony Xperia Z, it sold several times faster than its predecessor. However, Samsung’s rival Apple is all set to launch its next iPhone in few weeks from now, let’s see how well the Smarphone giant gears up.

Read More

Twitter Introduces 'Two-Factor Authentication' To Control Hacking

Bangalore: After a spate of recent attacks on various prominent Twitter accounts including the ones of Associated Press and Financial Times, the social networking site has finally decided to give its users the option of enabling added security to the Twitter accounts. The company announced that it has finally introduced the two-factor authentication to protect the accounts from hackers, reports The Financial Post.

The feature asks users to confirm identity after a typical log-in, by entering a six-digit code sent to Smartphones. Each time a user attempts to log in to the Twitter account, the user should enter the code sent via text message to the number tied to the account, which makes it really hard for a  hacker to compromise an account without access to the user’s phone.

Repeated hacking incidents have led to questions about Twitter’s credibility and reliability and thus to regain its role in the changing media landscape, the microblogging service has introduced the 2FA-enabled security system.

The company hopes the move will reduce the chance of hacking profiles. In April, hackers gained access to the Twitter accounts of BBC, Financial Times, CBS, NPR and E! Online employees. Most notably, hackers broke into the Associated Press twitter account tweeting falsely that Presidnet Obama had been injured and that there had been two explosions at the White House which led to a lot of perplexity.

Read More

TRAI recommendation on free roaming in 10-15 days

Telecom regulator TRAI has completed the consultation process on nation-wide free roaming and it will give its recommendations in the next 10-15 days."On national roaming, the consultation has been completed, the authority is in the process of formulating its final rules before it takes a decision in 10-15 days," TRAI Chairman Rahul Khullar told PTI.
Industry sources said national roaming is proposed to be done through special tariff vouchers which is not exactly free, but it could bring roaming prices down as a first step.
National Telecom Policy, 2012 aims to abolish roaming charges and allow mobile phone subscribers to use the same number across the country without having to pay extra charges for services once they are outside their telecom circle.
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal had said that the government would try to start national free roaming for customers before October this year.
As per an Ernst and Young estimate, removing of roaming charges would cause annualised loss in the range of Rs.12,500 crore to Rs.15,000 crore to the telecom players.
In December last year, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had floated a pre-consultation paper seeking inputs from stakeholders on tariff for national roaming services.
At present, telecom operators have to pay various charges like termination charge, interconnect charges, for completing call of their customers on to other networks which get added to the final cost of the call for the customer when they are out of their circles.

Read More

Bharti Infotel asked to pay Rs. 50,000 for making threatening calls to customer

Bharti Infotel has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs. 50,000 as compensation to a customer for making threatening calls to pay Internet bills which were raised despite his request for disconnection of the service.The South West District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed that the act of the telecom major amounted to not only deficiency in service but also unfair trade practice and for that the customer needs to be reasonably compensated.
"In the instant case, issue pertains to deficiency in service on the part of opposite party (Bharti Infotel) as it did not entertain the request of complainant for disconnection of the DSL (Internet) services, continuously raised the bills for the same and also made threatening calls pressurising him to pay the bill.
"The action of opposite party amounts to deficiency in service and unfair trade practices... Complainant suffered inconvenience and harassment for which he is entitled to be reasonably compensated," a bench presided by Narendra Kumar said and directed Bharti Infotel to pay Rs. 50,000 to Delhi resident Ranjan Mohapatra.
The order was passed on a complaint made by Mohapatra, who had alleged that the telecom major did not entertain his request for disconnection of the DSL services that he had availed and even though he had stopped using it and settled the prior dues, they kept on raising fresh bills.
Bharti Infotel then started making threatening calls to him to pay the bills, he alleged, adding that he even filed a police complaint against the telecom company for the same. In its defence, Bharti Infotel contended that Mohapatra had not surrendered the DSL services, was using it and the same had been billed accordingly.
It also denied the allegation that threatening calls were made by its officials to Mohapatra, pressurising him to pay the bills.
The forum, however, rejected the contentions saying the defence taken by Bharti Infotel "cannot be believed".

Read More

6 things Marissa Mayer has done to make Yahoo cool again

Yahoo Inc. lured Marissa Mayer from Google in July to become its fifth CEO in as many years. Her task: Help the Internet pioneer regain its stature after years in a financial funk. In her 10 months leading the company, she has overseen a redesign of Yahoo services and orchestrated several acquisitions, including a deal to buy online blogging forum Tumblr for $1.1 billion.

Here are some of the milestones on her watch:

1) Alibaba: In September, Yahoo completed a long-awaited, $7.6 billion deal for Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba to buy back half of Yahoo's 40 percent stake. Most of the proceeds will go to its shareholders, but Yahoo has an extra $1.3 billion to finance acquisitions or hire new talent. Some of that money is going to the Tumblr deal.

2) Mobile: Mayer has made mobile services one of her top priorities, as more people connect to the Internet on smartphones and tablet computers. During her tenure, Yahoo has created a new weather app for Apple's iPhone. It also has redesigned an email app for smartphones, as well as the app for its Flickr photo service on the iPhone and iPad. But in February, Mayer also said Yahoo will be better served with just 12 to 15 mobile applications, down from a "scattered" portfolio of as many as 75 different programs in recent years.

3) Web makeover: Yahoo unveiled a long-awaited redesign of its home page in February - the first in four years. The new approach is meant to get people to visit more frequently and linger for longer periods of time. Yahoo said it has developed more sophisticated formulas to determine which topics are most likely to appeal to different people so the news feed can be fine-tuned to cater to different tastes.

4) Personnel: Ross Levinsohn, who was in charge of Yahoo's media and advertising services and served as interim CEO before Mayer's hiring, left the company. Software industry veteran Ken Goldman was named chief financial officer to replace cost-cutting specialist Tim Morse, who was hired in 2009. Alfred Amoroso stepped down as board chairman in April and plans to leave next month, which will make him the eighth director to leave since early 2012.

5) Stock performance: Mayer's efforts at Yahoo have been well-received on Wall Street, although most of the 70 percent surge in Yahoo's stock price under Mayer's leadership has been driven by the rising value of Yahoo's remaining 24 percent in Alibaba. Unlike Yahoo, Alibaba's growth has been accelerating. That success has been steadily increasing Alibaba's estimated market value during the past year. Analysts believe Yahoo may be able to make another $10 billion to $20 billion, before taxes, when it sells the rest of its Alibaba holdings.

6) Acquisitions: Yahoo has bought several startups primarily to obtain more engineering talent to build help build better mobile applications. It also bought London startup Summly, which makes a mobile application created by a teenage entrepreneur who sought an easier way to read news stories and other content on the smaller screens of smartphones.

Now, it is buying Tumblr in the most expensive acquisition since the Sunnyvale, Calif., company bought online search engine Overture a decade ago for $1.3 billion in cash and stock. Yahoo is paying mostly cash and expects to complete the deal by the end of the year. Mayer is betting Tumblr will provide Yahoo with a captivating hook to reel in more traffic and advertisers on smartphones and tablet computers. More than half of Tumblr's users connect through the mobile app and engage in an average of seven visits per day.

Read More

Google Translate says 'Hola!' to Chrome

The latest Chrome beta for Android integrates Google Translate support directly into the browser, just like it does with its desktop counterpart.

Google Translate lands in Chrome 28 beta for Android.

Not only is Google Translate not dead, its powers of mildly accurate, often-amusing, and on-the-fly translations are in the process of being gifted to Chrome 28 Beta for Android.
If you load a foreign language Web site in the beta, which landed in the Google Play Store on Thursday, a bar will appear at the bottom of the screen with a button to translate the site. Tap the button, and voila! It will appear in a different language.
The accuracy of the translation is another issue. However, Google spokeswoman Roya Soleimani said, "Google Translate works through statistical machine translation. We have 71 languages now, and while there will always be varying levels of accuracy, if you have a good translation, it's better than no translation."
She added, "The team is working on improvements all the time."
And adventurous beta testers can now check a new graph under "Settings, Bandwidth Management" of their data compression bandwidth savings, if they've enabled that feature.
Other changes in the Android Chrome beta include WebGL support as a flagged option and full-screen support for Android tablets, which recently debuted for phones. The full Chrome 28 beta changelog is here.

Read More

Yahoo said to press play on Hulu bid

The media company is reportedly keeping things cool with another big bid -- this time for online video.

 

Yahoo has reportedly made a bid to buy online video service Hulu.

The veteran media company, just days after announcing a $1.1 billion takeover of Tumblr, submitted an offer Friday morning to snatch up the popular Web and mobile streaming app for TV and movie content, according to AllThingsD. Yahoo joins others such as Directv, Time Warner Cable, and The Chernin Group in making a play for Hulu, which is jointly owned by Walt Disney, News Corp., and Comcast. Guggenheim Digital, headed by former interim Yahoo CEO Ross Levinsohn, is also in the mix.
The Internet titan's interest in Hulu closely follows its failed attempt to acquire a majority stake in video site Dailymotion.

Read More

Google may build wireless networks in emerging markets, WSJ says

Google is reportedly going into the cellular business in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia in an effort to connect more people to the Internet.

It may not just be fiber anymore. Google could expand into wireless Internet too.

Google's bid to connect everyone to the Internet may have it entering the wireless service business.
The company is looking at building cellular networks and offering service to emerging markets such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing anonymous sources, WSJ reported that the networks would be available outside of big cities, where service is spotty or not available. Google is reportedly working with local companies on a possible deployment and thinking up business models to support the networks.

Google is also looking at building low-cost phones using its Android operating system, considering a satellite-based wireless system, and testing the use of different kind of wireless frequencies, according to the WSJ. The company is looking at different technologies and possible deployments, and may use a combination to deliver wireless service.
Google declined to comment on the report.
Google wants everyone around the world connected to a high-speed wireless service in the hopes that they will all use its services. The wireless network initiative is just another extension of the fiber-optic deployments it has made in select cities in the U.S.
In emerging markets, it isn't practical to build physical fiber networks to deliver Internet service. Most overseas countries that don't have an established landline infrastructure opt to skip it entirely and focus on the mobile networks, which are easier and less costly to deploy. For many people in these regions, the cellphone is their primary means of communications and Web access.
Such a plan marks the continued evolution of Google from a simple online search engine to a company that builds phones through its Motorola unit, offers software such as Android and Chrome, makes hardware such as the Chromebook, develops next-gen tech like Google Glass, and provides the Internet service Google Fiber.

Read More

Today`s Quotes

“Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it.”

Read More

20% of commerce graduates hired in the BFSI sector

According to experts, other sectors that are hiring commerce graduates are Media/Entertainment, Pharma, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Retail among others

Data sourced from TimesJobs.com indicates that the top five industries hiring B Com graduates are BFSI, IT/Telecom, ITeS, advertising/PR/Event management and manufacturing. 20% of commerce graduates are hired by the BFSI sector, 18% in IT/Telecom, 17% in ITeS and a meager 6% and 5% in advertising and manufacturing industries respectively.
According to experts, other sectors which are hiring commerce graduates are Media/Entertainment, Pharma, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Retail among others. These freshers are hired for different roles based on the company’s focus or specialisation. Corporates also lay emphasis on the candidate’s behavioral traits and their participation in various extracurricular activities in college. Richard Rekhy, CEO, KPMG, opines, “We do hire B.Com and BA graduates. However, it’s not so much the stream they come from, but the experience they gained in those three-four years that matters. Being part of some activities in colleges that highlights their leadership skills as well as other extracurricular activities they were involved in is really important to us.” According to Rekhy the company needs more evolved individuals in the form of fresh graduates.
Organisatons are also looking at hiring graduates who have good communication skills, both written and verbal. There are some areas and gaps which the companies want these graduates to work upon before starting to work. According to Rupesh Basu, HR Manager, Siemens Ltd, “Most students study only from an examination point of view so they don’t focus on the basics. Though they have certain aspects covered in theory they lack the practical aspects.” Therefore, it is critical for universities and colleges to focus on practical training besides having theoretical classes.
As A G Rao, Group MD, Manpower Group India, states, “It is imperative to impart domain knowledge and relevant skills through teaching methods, pedagogical tools, industry and alumni interface. The domain knowledge and curriculum should be in sync with the business requirements.” He also adds, “Exams at the end of the year should be substituted with periodic exams, quantitative aptitude, project work, team assignments and creative skills.”
Naveen Kr. Jain, Associate Professor in Commerce and Member, Placement Cell, Hans Raj College, Delhi University, explains, “We hold seminars and programs on career options, resume- writing, group discussions, personality development, skill development etc. to make our students industry ready.”
Besides colleges taking initiative to make these students industry ready, it is also up to the individual to add value to his/ her profile over a period of time. Rao elaborates on this by saying that graduates need to enhance and work upon themselves to acquire education and employable skills that will get them decent jobs. It is therefore important to imbibe soft skills communications, team work, problem solving techniques, planning and organising tasks at hand.
Not only is it important to understand the skills required to get hired, it is essential to understand the kind of roles the companies are offering to these graduates. Depending on the kind of employer, job role for these freshers often varies. TimesJobs.com data reveals that 23% of commerce college graduates are being offered sales/business development roles, 22% are offered customer service/tele calling roles, 15% information technology profiles and 6% are offered accounting and finance jobs. Commenting on this hiring trend, Basu adds, “We hire commerce graduates as commercial trainees for a one year programme with us. They are offered business administration role also.”
Adds Jain, “Companies typically hire commerce graduates for the following roles – audit assistants, investment Analysts, Ad Word representatives, analysts, actuarial associates, sales managers, graduate associates, teaching associates.”
Organisations plan their compensation structure based on the kind of role that is offered. According to Deepak Kaistha, managing director, Planman Consulting, “The salary range varies from sectors, skill sets and the college from where the student has graduated. In general the salary begins from 15,000 – 20,000 per month varying further according to the skills and talents of the graduate.”
As much as an employee’s salary depends on a given job role, it also depends on the kind of skill sets they have. Therefore, it is crucial for colleges and other educational institutes to train these graduates well and make them industry ready. It is no longer only the course curriculum that the employers are interested in; they are equally keen to assess what the students have done to enhance their employable skills outside the classroom.

Read More

“Employees would like companies to invest in their development process”

Lavleen Raheja, CEO & Managing Director, FranklinCovey India & South Asia discusses how organisations should handle appraisals 

What do employees generally expect from appraisals? How do you see the expectations changing in times ahead?
Employees usually expect increase in salary/position and responsibility. In the days to come I see certain employees expecting part of the profit share , some would look at value add to their roles , some would want companies investing in their future development holistically  like nomination for executive learning programs , PG courses etc a best institutes and universities. I also see variable very high performance based pay structure being agreed and expected too.
Are appraisals only about salary? What other benefits/perks help win over employee confidence?
No, appraisals are not only about salaries. Share in profits , share in ownership , long term loyalty bonuses , value additions on health , education of self and family, spiritual alignment are the other important factors which can help the organisations win over employee confidence.
Employees generally move out after pay hikes, what retention strategies do you put into place to control it?
We offer loyalty bonuses for 5 year stay to our employees. We also let them interview us when being hired so that their decision is well thought out, rather than just another decision. The spouses are also involved in joining decision, sometimes. We also roll out rewards, payouts throughout the year and surprise them with small but relevant perks.
What actually goes into building a sustainable and effective compensation strategy during appraisals?
An effective compensation strategy should align to the growth strategy of the company. Performance should be the key driver of compensation and luxuries of life should come through rewards for all. Salaries should be nice to keep the engine running easily but should not make the employees so comfortable that they become lazy and loose ambitions and growth paradigms. A range of 5 to 15% is a good range today but with performance regards for all. Salaries should build a performance culture rather than a complacency culture.
Which mechanism works best in dealing with post appraisal dissatisfaction?
The Candidate should not do the following things when his appraisal doesn’t meet his expectations:

• A candidate should not become reactive
• A candidate should not become aggressive
• A candidate should not feel depressed or elated
• A candidate should not blame the person or the system who appraised him
• A candidate should not form any biases or opinions either about the system or the person who appraised him / her

The candidate should do following things in a case where his appraisal don’t meet his expectations:

• A candidate should remain composed and be proactive in behavior
• A candidate should read the appraisal with a calm mind and try and understand the actions suggested carefully and evaluate and analyse them
• A candidate must seek time with his/ her appraiser and put forward the points on which clarifications are required
• The candidate must politely but assertively disagree on any such points / issues and present data and facts on these points of disagreement.
• If the candidate agrees to the points clarified, corrective actions and measures to be taken as suggested

In case the points are not agreed upon by candidate and the appraiser, then the candidate can seek independent opinions from senior colleagues with prior permission from the appraiser.
If the independent senior colleagues also think that the things mentioned in the appraisal are actually the areas of improvement for candidate, the candidate can work on the said issues for next quarter with the help of the appraising senior and seek all his / her support for development.
What is the average (percentage) appraisal you have offered this year?
We have offered 10% hike in salary and we have added something new called a fixed variable which is part of the performance incentives for all departments in our company.

Read More

5 Foods that keep you young

Stay young, the natural way

Here are a few natural food items that can help you remain young and healthy

Looking young is the foremost priority of most people these days. Not just women, even men are wary of ageing. Instead of using the number of anti-ageing creams that have flooded the markets, one can go the natural way and opt for fruits and vegetables to help fight all age-related problems. Here are a few superfoods that can help control ageing and make you look younger -

1. Avocado - Apart from being high in Vitamin E, avocados are rich in antioxidants which help protect the skin. Avocados help in regenerating skin cells which makes your skin look fresh, giving a more youthful complexion.

2. Kidney beans - These pulses are full of fibre and potassium which help reduce the cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of any heart disease. But their major health benefit is that they are packed with proteins.

3. Dark chocolate - Any chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa is full of proteins and Vitamin B. Regular small bites into this chocolate will help burn fat and improve your skin and hair.

4. Broccoli - Broccolis are a great source of fibre and Vitamin C which not only help control weight, but also help to fight heart diseases.

5. Blueberries - Blueberries are rich in Vitamin C, which help in easy circulation of blood. Blueberries also contain certain minerals which help control the anti-ageing process. High in potassium, these berries help fight puffiness.

Read More

Those at the top in BCCI should resign: Lalit Modi

Lalit Modi has been very critical of the way the league has been run by the BCCI.

LONDON: Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has been very critical of the way the league has been run by the BCCI and even called board president N Srinivasan a "monster" in one of his recent tweets. In this exclusive interview with TOI, he talks about the current spot-fixing controversy, the Sahara pullout and much more.

Excerpts:

What does the Sahara development say about the BCCI and the manner in which it is being run?

If you look at the Sahara statement, it is easy to see why they've pulled the plug. The statement reflects a catalogue of miscommunication, evasion and BCCI's contempt for a company that has been involved in Indian cricket for over a decade. It does not reflect well on those running the game at the moment. I think Sahara have been incredibly benevolent in delaying the withdrawal of their support for the national team until January. This is another reason why those at the top in the BCCI should resign — the list of reasons is growing longer and longer.

Do you think BCCI will become isolated if it does not pull up its socks?

The problem is BCCI has become too strong for the good of the game. They seem to be adopting bully-boy tactics at every turn and they certainly seem to think they're indestructible at the moment. The pressure is mounting but no one wants to make a concerted effort to challenge them. Having said that, the mismanagement is there for all to see and the pendulum might swing. The problem for them now is that the issues are very public and people are beginning to piece together the jigsaw.

Isn't Srinivasan's conflict of interest (he is the BCCI president and owns Chennai Super Kings) hurting the IPL?

Of course! I've been saying that for years — and for years no one has listened. Now the penny is beginning to drop. I was wrongly accused of having an interest in franchises and wrongly castigated as a consequence. The board president's ownership of Chennai is indisputable but for him, it doesn't seem to matter. Of course it is hurting the IPL. It strikes at the very credibility of the tournament and the results are there for all to see. Strangely, everyone has just shrugged shoulders and let him get on with it.

Has Srinivasan succeeded in diluting the powers of the IPL commissioner?

It seems no one else has any direct power these days and it is as if no one can speak unless given permission. When this latest spot-fixing scandal was reported, the IPL commissioner did not say anything. The paying public, the people who fill the stadiums, deserve answers but the man who runs the specific tournament in question was nowhere to be seen. Now that might not be entirely down to him, I don't know, but the lack of communication was terrifying. The problem was massive to start with but so much extra damage is done if the people directly responsible for the tournament don't react.

Has BCCI been fair in the Sahara case, and earlier the Kochi case?

It doesn't look like it. The Sahara statement on their withdrawal was very damming and according to what you can read there it doesn't seem like the BCCI has been very fair or professional enough. I think it is a terrible way to treat a mainline sponsor. As for Kochi, well that was an accident waiting to happen. The BCCI caused the issue in the first place by reducing the guarantees required to purchase the franchise. It weakened the quality of the bidding and it was an inevitable outcome.

Isn't the concept of IPL flawed as it encourages all kinds of elements (including fixers, bookies) to get in and make quick money?

It doesn't make it any more palatable but what people appear to be missing is that the IPL is not the only sporting event where match fixing or spot fixing has gained a hold. The problem is, the people in charge are allowing it to seem that way. In January the FIFA general secretary Jerome Valke said match fixing was "a disease" that could kill football.

In February, the head of Australia's Crime Commission, John Lawler said match fixing was the single biggest problem facing Australian sports. You can't isolate the IPL as being the exclusive province of the fixers, but people are because the IPL has been allowed to become the subject of everybody's criticism. The IPL was built to be sporting entertainment. It was never meant to be a replacement for Test Cricket or ODI but a T20 carnival that was exciting and fun. People should ask whether it's the IPL that's flawed or the people running it.

Read More

Spot-fixing probe reaches doorstep of BCCI chief's family

The whereabouts of the Meiyappan continued to be shrouded in mystery.

CHENNAI/MUMBAI: The IPL fixing scandal has reached the doorstep of Indian cricket's powerful boss and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) owner N Srinivasan's family -- quite literally.

A day after The Times of India broke the story about the police investigating Srinivasan's son-in-law and CSK CEO Gurunath Meiyappan's phone conversations with Dara Singh's son Vindu for possible links with a betting syndicate, a five-member crime branch team from Mumbai arrived in Chennai on Thursday morning to serve summons on Meiyappan.

They first went to the headquarters of Srinivasan-controlled India Cements, and on finding no one there, stuck a copy of the summons on the door before going to Meiyappan's home around 2pm to instruct him to present himself before the CB between 11am and 5pm within 24 hours.

But with no member of the family available to meet the team, they were initially not let in by the guard; after several phone calls, they were allowed into the compound. Rama Subbu, the chief security officer of India Cements, arrived soon thereafter and was seen signing a paper which the officers handed him. Strangely though, on his way out, he denied having received any summons on behalf of Meiyappan.

Later in the evening, the crime branch is reported to have received a one-page fax from Meiyappan saying he was out of town and seeking time till Monday, with the assurance that he would appear in person. A top police officer told TOI on Thursday night that no decision had been taken on whether to allow him the extra time. If the police were to reject such a request, which seems unlikely, Meiyappan could be arrested. To avoid such a situation, he could move the courts on Friday seeking anticipatory bail. "This may give him a few days, but eventually he will have to appear," an officer said.

The whereabouts of the 35-year-old continued to be shrouded in mystery with speculation placing him variously in Kodaikanal (where he has a holiday home), Kolkata (where CSK plays the IPL finals on Sunday against the winners of the Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals match) and Delhi (to prepare his legal defence with top-flight lawyers).

Nor is there any word as to where the BCCI chief might be although New Delhi was abuzz with rumours that he would leverage his considerable clout to counter what his supporters consider a "politically-motivated conspiracy to discredit him".

On May 16, the day Sreesanth and his two Rajasthan Royals were arrested, Srinivasan had said, "One or two bad eggs cannot sully the game," before stating, on further questioning, "I hope nobody else is involved, but if information comes to BCCI, we will act immediately."

Read More

“Negative feedback can be good for your productivity”

Research points out that novices seek positive feedback for motivational purposes, whereas experts seek and respond to negative feedback in order to understand what they are doing wrong. Hema Parikh, Director HR, Ajuba Solutions gives some tips on providing negative, but constructive criticism to employees

How do you think negative feedback plays a role in enhancing efficiency?
Negative feedback is never easy, yet it is something that is required to bring out the best in employees, while ensuring that they stay focused in their goals and targets. It is a necessary evil and is critical to a brand’s performance because when the message is clearly communicated, it helps them to pull their act together and stay ahead of the race.
Negative feedback needs to be dealt with carefully. What are the things employers should keep in mind to keep the criticism on the constructive side?
Yes, negative feedbacks must be provided with utmost caution, and the need for providing one arises when

• Employees fail to prioritise their work depending on the criticality
• There is a failure in their working model to deliver the assigned target on time

While dealing with negative feedback, we must take care that we do not lose out on the actual message to be conveyed. A lost message is a lost cause.

• Make it occasional: In an industry where delivering critical task with the highest quality is not an option but a necessity, it becomes evident that criticism must be offered only on occasions when absolutely necessary and not be rampant in an organisation. We must avoid demotivating the employees by constant negative feedback. A feedback discussion on a one-on-one basis is welcomed where we discuss the points of improvement while appreciating their plus points. The process must entail positive reinforcement and clear communication.
• Keep it strictly objective: It is essential that we do not bring in any personal vendetta against the employees. By offering an unbiased and a strictly professional and job-specific feedback, we ensure that the professional relationship with the employee is not hampered. This kind of professional maturity is linked to the employee’s as well as the organisation’s goals.
• Diminish insecurities: The standard response to any negative feedback is defense. An employee tends to get defensive and the psychological impact is not same as a positive feedback. At such instances, we must remove any inhibitions or insecurities from the employee’s mind. As a direct result, the employee becomes open to criticisms and feedbacks with an open mind.
• Say it the proper way: One of the most important attributes of delivering constructive criticism is communicating the message correctly, and that includes
  • Sharing the reason for the negative feedback
  • Maintaining the criticism specific to the job without a digression of any sort
  • Suggesting corrective measures to recover from their faults.

By doing the above, we ensure that the feedback is implemented and at the same time, the morale of the employee is not affected negatively.
What could be the possible demerits of negative feedback?
Negative feedback can go wrong if

• It is not communicated right
• If the employee is not open to criticism, even if it is constructive

One of the biggest demerits of negative feedback is the strain in employer-employee relationship. If it is not taken in the right sense or if it not implemented correctly, it becomes a futile effort to bring out the best in an employee. At Ajuba, the higher management and the leaders have been successful in discussing drawbacks with the employees to deliver an efficient working model, keeping in mind the volatility of the situation and the sensitivity of the employee.

Read More

10 tricks to become a loving, positive person

10 tricks to become a loving, positive person

It's one thing to wax eloquent on positivity, but quite another to be a positive person at heart.

Despite believing to have a positive outlook, we invariably weigh the cons first, consider several times before sparing a compliment, and broadcast only the odds when someone counts on us for advice. What's more, we prefer needless sarcasm for humour, manage a wry smile when something is genuinely funny, and believe deep down that the glass is actually half empty.

We live in denial of our inherent negativity for the most part, and often wonder why the world around is so mean and reckless. At work, we never fail telling our juniors how meeting deadlines can be a tough proposition, and not to think too 'out of the box' to impress the boss. In short, we never tire telling all concerned how tough things can be! Unlike dogs we may not be born eternal optimists, but positivity is something that can be imbibed even if a tad forcibly; such as by trying to tweak our sense of humour, the way we react to a given situation, by being more pleasant and believing others too have a mind, and by smiling each time somebody says 'thank you'.

While positivity is a state of mind, the answer lies in our perspective. Clinical psychologist and lifestyle advisor Dr S.K Sharma shares his ideas on how to be a positive person everyday.

Have the desire: First thing first, to become a positive person one must have a strong desire to be positive. And the desire will come only if you are convinced that becoming a positive person will enhance the quality of life. Positivity is like an aura, and you know you are a positive person when people start trusting you, random people become polite with you, colleagues at work start patronising you, and you start building rapport easily.

Be realistic: Do not try to become a saint. Becoming a positive person does not mean you can never have any negative emotion or encounter any negative situation. It is the overall attitude that matters. Don't get bogged down by failure, and disappointed when your expectations are not met. Mentally, you should always be calculating a way out of difficult situations come what may.

Experiment: Be a keen observer. Use everyday life incidents to see how you can manage them in a more positive manner. These will serve as perfect instances to turn your outlook more positive. For starters, contemplate how you could have better handled a situation by being less hostile and more indulgent. Come up with five ways that could have saved the day, and learn to take things at face value sometimes. Remember, your ability to trust the other person also reflects your genuineness.

Speech and body language: Try and make positive words a part of your daily lingo, and work on your body language in way that you come across as friendly and approachable. Look amused when something is amusing, laugh when something is funny, congratulate when someone's bought something new, and give others a chance to narrate their side of the story. Never think you are the only interesting, knowing one around.

Company: One way to becoming positive is to seek positive company as both positivity and negativity are infectious. If the people you spend most of your time with are grumpy or have a pessimistic standpoint, you'll find yourself mirroring the same emotions before a different set of people inadvertently. In order to inculcate positivity it is imperative that your friend circle is a positive, energetic, and a happy bunch. You'll find yourself carrying the same positivity everywhere you go.

Activities: Do not remain idle and brood. Take up positive activities with others or in isolation. Share a joke, narrate a pleasant incident, take part in sporting activities, go for a run in the evening after work, have healthy sex, and you'll find yourself bubbling with positive energy.

Take it easy: Everyday life is bound to give you shocks. Be prepared to minimise impact and shrug it off. For instance, you may get too hassled everyday while driving to work or trying to park your car. When you accept the fact that certain things cannot be changed, you'll be more at ease with yourself and those around too.

Learn yoga: Says yoga teacher and nutritionist, Abhilasha Kale, "Do pranayam everyday as it lets you focus and meditate. Not only does it secrete happy hormones but also creates a sense of awareness within you." With the help of yogic asanas you control your breathing, and by way of it, control your mind from wandering. Every time you do yoga, you feel a surge of positive energy through your body that calms your nerves, soothes your mind, elevates your mood, and not to mention enhances your level of tolerance.

Maintain a diary: Instead of recounting all events of the day, filter out only the positive ones and make a note of them. It could be anything trivial from your bus arriving on time, your mom cooking a delicious breakfast, to remembering to pay the bills on time. When we look for positivity in the little things that make our lives worthwhile, we leave no room for negativity. "Try consciously practising this for 10 days, and at the end of day ten when you read your diary back you'll only have memories of all the good things that happened to you," she asserts.

Say 'thank you': Thank god, thank your parents, friends, and thank yourself for all the hard work you did, for everything you achieved. Says Abhilasha, "Saying thank you frequently makes you humble, and a humble person is seldom cynical."

Try these methods, and you'll be surprised when others notice the change in you.

Read More

5 Lies women always tell men

5 Lies that women tell men

Here's a little help for men to figure out when their gal isn't being completely honest with them. Our tips help to decode female behaviour...

Though a recent study claims that a woman's face is like an open book that reveals her state of mind, but men need to beware!

Better not take it as the last verdict, for irrespective of how much you trust and adore your little angel, women do lie to their significant others at times.

Sometimes to carry off a situation without hurting his feelings or to save herself from trouble, while on occasions to contain her emotions and pose as Ms. Goody...popping casual, white lies is no big deal for women when it comes to playing it safe in the relationship.

White lies are no big blunders or massive betrayals, but small lies or 'truth manipulated' to handle a situation. At times she might fib to make her man feel better, to avoid a fight, or an embarrassing situation.

Here's a little help so that men can figure out when their adorable darling is not speaking her heart out and help them handle the situation with care...

Lie #1: "Oh! It's fine. I'm OK"
Guards on guys! You must know that she's not fine at all and nothing is OK. And sooner or later you will have to bear the burnt of her pent up emotions that she has somehow managed to hold back until now. You'll find her taking this emotional defense on occasions when you may have forgotten her birthday, taken her for granted or have done anything that hurts her.

"Whenever my girlfriend lets go off my not so fatal error with a cool 'it's fine', I know it's nothing but the calm before a cyclone that I am fated to face in the time to come," shares Sandeep Sharma, a Delhi-based management student.

To portray that she doesn't care, the emotional lady prefers taking a refuge in this lie. Charu Marwah, a software engineer admits, "I prefer staying that 'It's OK' because if I react I'll be blamed of being a constant cribber, who is in complaining mode always. Though, I actually want him to go down on his knees and plead forgiveness."

Lie detector: Well, an experienced lover would know of the crime that he has committed, but the amateurs should look out for her reactions. She might not get vocal, but will do everything to make you feel guilty about the fact that you have hurt her. From being tight-lipped to giving the briefest responses that don't go beyond 'hmms, huhs or yes and no', to mean tones and loads of sarcasm - are a few hints that you can look out for. "Women have a tendency of expecting their man to understand the said, as well as the unsaid, and that leaves men in a dicey situation. And even here, by keeping quite or going away with a small 'I'm fine', she expects him to know that she's hurt," explains psychologist, Dr. Aruna Broota.

Lie # 2: "I love you for what you are"
...and I don't want you to change. Well, may God be your saviour if you believe her for this. No wonders, if sheer pampering or impressing you might strictly be on her mind when she's saying this. "I just loved my wife whenever she averred this phrase. But gradually the knick-picking started and reality dawned upon me. At times it was my eating choice that bugged her, while at others it was my dressing style that she wanted to improve. Yet she continued to tell the blatant lie that she loved me for what I was," complained Madhukar Suhas, a Mumbai-based advertising professional.

Agreed, that you don't like this lie. But just imagine how it would feel if on your face she told you much she hated your paunch or how bad you looked in those lose-fitted denims. Thank her appreciating you taking care of your confidence levels.

"What do I do? I have to blow his trumpet when he does the right thing. After all, it was his qualities only that I married him for. And also, it becomes important to boost his confidence at times and those words just have the right impact," says Madhu Chandra, a Delhi-based-teacher.

Lie detector: If you start observing the occasions when she backs this mushy phrase, you might just realise she's not lying at all. On most of the occasions it comes when you have made her happy with anything like a gift, a movie, a romantic dinner or for that matter by doing anything and everything that she loves. You were good to her and that's your innate quality, which made her fall for you.

Lie # 3: You stare, I don't care!
Either you are too lucky to have the coolest woman by your side, or you are getting an inflated ego without any reason if you believe her on this. No matter how hard she tries to look cool and composed, but the fact remains that no woman loves it when her man ogles at another woman. "After all, who wants to feel like second best? And the 'I don't care attitude' is usually to hide the vulnerability and a pretence. Most women hate their man staring at another woman," confesses Radhika Khattar, a Delhi-based housewife.

Lie detector: She doesn't want to show you how she's feeling and is no less desperate to tell you that you are torturing her to the core. Well, easy indications to know she's lying can be the trail of questions she'll end up asking you. Casually and candidly she'll ask you things like 'Isn't she hot?' 'What makes her so hot? 'Did you like her?' She might appear to be your best buddy, but actually she wants to ask you, 'Do I score less that the chic you are ogling at?' And your answer will decide your fate not immediately, but definitely in the future, so better beware of what you say!

Lie # 4: Your friends are cool!
This might not be a lie always, but many a times your friends are nothing but a 'passion spoiler' for your girl, especially when they pop up during private moments. "When we started dating, on many occasions we went out with my friends. And every time I used to ask her, 'I hope you are enjoying?' she answered, 'They're cool!' The real shock came when one day I was planning another group date and she gave me a good piece of her mind. It's then that I realised that she didn't love them as much I thought she did. But she could have initially told me," says Rajat Sarin, a 20-year-old college student.

"Most of the times women end up praising your friends for you. They don't want to hurt you by revealing the truth and hope that you'll understand without saying, which usually doesn't happen," explains psychologist, Dr Sameer Parekh.

Lie detector: A sure shot hint to the lie is written on her face. Despite being in the group she'll remain an outsider. The smile that's usually worth a million dollars might just look purely artificial and forced. Her replies to all your enquiries will end in a cover up lie, 'I'm fine sweet heart' or 'I'm enjoying myself' and that takes you to Lie #1. So, when you get something like this from your girl, understand that you are getting into too much buddy-bonding!

Lie # 5: Tell me, trust me I won't get angry
This one is tricky, leaving you with a ditch on one side and a bigger ditch on the other. This lie is usually thrown at you when she wants an honest opinion and knows what it can be, but still wants to hear it. Beware guys! Irrespective of what you say, she is going to get furious for sure. This usually happens in questions related to her looks, the food that she cooks, that tangy orange shirt she brought for you etc.

"Sometimes it is tough to handle. Once, my wife asked my honest opinion on a super tight dress that she had worn. And, I told her honestly that she was looking like a stuffed pillow and she was mad at me. Taking cues from my past experience; on another occasion I did my best to flatter her. To my sheer surprise, even that made her angry and she blamed me for not being a fair critic," complains Suraj Malhotra, a Delhi-based architect.

Lie detector: Well, there's no detector for this one, for undoubtedly she's lying. Then what's the solution? Answers Parekh, "It's not that women cannot take true criticism from their man or expect praises all the time. But what they actually expect is that criticism should come in a softer and suggestive manner, rather than a striking taunt on her looks. So, without being too critical or over flattering, just tell her that she needs to work out on her minuses."

PHEW! This was from us. Now it's your turn to share the sweet and salty white lies that you tell your man or your wife pours on you to leave you playing a guessing game of truth and false.

Read More

Chennai Super Kings draw from 2012 heartbreak, eye third IPL crown

Hussey and Raina have been in superb form for Chennai this year.

CHENNAI: Sometimes it takes a painful loss to spur a team on to greater heights. It is no different with Chennai Super Kings.



A heart-breaking loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in last season's final at home appears to have instilled a burning desire to set things right. And what better way to do it than to lift the title at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, home to Knight Riders.

There seems to have been a single-minded drive in the CSK camp and it was quite obvious even before the start of the tournament.

"We'd love to go and win the title in Kolkata. They (Knight Riders) came and beat us to win the title on our home ground last year, so to go and win it there at the Eden Gardens would make it a sweet victory," Michael Hussey had told the TOI.

And Hussey has undoubtedly been one of the leading lights this season, defying age and skeptics to the leading run-scorers spot. Coach Stephen Fleming was more than generous in his praise for the Aussie after an unbeaten 86 against Mumbai booked CSK's final berth.

"It's been unbelievable. He (Hussey) is also in a little bit of shock as to how good he has been. I used to pull his leg, calling him 'too old and traditional' to play some innovative shots. But now that he is concentrating solely on T20s, he is exploring ways to get better. He has been an absolute delight this season," Fleming said.

CSK have at times been compared to Manchester United and their rampaging journey to the 2013 final is similar to United's romp to the 2012-13 EPL title after losing the title to Manchester City in dramatic fashion last year.

Defending champs KKR were promptly swept aside in the two league games and now the men-in-yellow are one win away from finishing the job.

West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo bowled the last over of the 2012 final and hopes this year things will be different.

"Last year we lost the final, but we will try to win it this year," he said on Tuesday after helping CSK win the qualifier with figures of 3 for 9.

Read More

Hodge shines as Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad for Qualifier 2 berth

Rajasthan Royals' Brad Hodge celebrates with teammates their team's victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 6 Eliminator match in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI: The last one week has been a nightmare for the Rajasthan Royals. With all the chatter around the three disgraced players charged of spot-fixing, no one would have blamed Rahul Dravid and his boys if they decided to throw in the towel, especially with the Sunrisers Hyderabad turning on the screws in the Eliminator at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Wednesday.


But that was not to be the case, as Royals skipper Dravid marshalled his troops superbly to restrict Sunrisers to 132/7 after losing the toss and bowling first.

Then, in a tense chase, it was Australian Brad Hodge (54; 29b, 2x4, 5x6) who provided much-needed balm over the Royals' wounds and ensured a four-wicket win to set up a date with Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.

If the Royals thought the chase would be an easy one, they were in for a rude shock. Sunrisers have made it a habit of defending small targets in this tournament and they didn't make the task any easier on Wednesday night. Punches were traded with equal intensity by both the sides but it was Royals who stood up to have the final say.

Hodge, one of the finest T20 players in the world with over 5,000 runs in this format, displayed why he is a prized commodity even at 38 years of age. With the Royals gasping for breath at 57/5 in the 10th over, it was Hodge's blistering fifty that tilted the scales in Rajasthan's favour.

The equation boiled down to 10 off the final over but Hodge landed the crushing blows with two massive sixes off Darren Sammy - one over mid-wicket and other over wide long-on.

The turning point of the contest was the 14th over of the Royals innings, bowled by leggie Karan Sharma, which produced 18 runs as Hodge hammered two sixes and four to turn the tide.

The contest had seemed to be heading the Sunrisers' way till then, with a pumped up Darren Sammy (2/27) leaving a dent in the Royals innings with a couple of wickets and a brilliant catch of Shane Watson on the mid-wicket boundary.

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh seamer Vikramjeet Malik (2/14) justified his skipper's decision to play without a specialist spinner with two early strikes - Parthiv Patel (1) and Hanuma Vihari (1) - as Sunrisers slipped to 3 for 2 by the third over.

Malik, playing in only his second match of the tournament, induced a leading edge from Parthiv in the opening over while Vihari only managed to mistime an intended pull shot to Kevon Cooper at mid-wicket.

A charged-up Sammy (29; 21b, 3x6) tried to provide some impetus to the innings. The 16th over of the innings was the best one for the Sunrisers as a six each by Sammy and Thissara Perera produced 16 runs from the over.

Dravid speak

"It's been a pretty difficult week for us but to play a game like this and win was good. We didn't bat too well in that period between the 7th-10th over, but it's a young side and they will learn. Hodge put his hand up and got us through. Mumbai is a very good side, in some ways the pressure is on them. In many ways we have a moneyball team and will look to get going at Eden Gardens."

On the ball, right away: Rajasthan Royals pacer Vikramjeet Malik gave away just two runs in the first over, besides dismissing Parthiv Patel. It was the best first over he has bowled in the league, in 10 outings.

Faulkner fails to fire: Royals paceman James Faulkner had picked up two five-wicket hauls against Sunrisers this season. This time, however, he gave away 28 runs and picked up just one scalp.

Dhawan in slow-mo: Shikhar Dhawan is one of the most attacking batsmen you will see in the league. On Wednesday, at the Kotla, though, his strike rate was just 84.61 - the slowest he has scored in an innings where he has faced more than 30 balls.

No respite for White: Sunrisers skipper Cameron White hasn't had a great time against the Rajasthan Royals. In four innings against them, White has scored 42 runs.

Read More