Book Review: Rokda: How Baniyas do Business

I always feel that writing about business in India is a gold mine. There is a tale to be told in every corner of every city. What is interesting about Indian business structure is the interlinking with caste, community or even religious groups. In this light, journalist Nikhil Inamdar’s second book Rokda: How Baniyas do Business is something of a read. 

Hee, the focus, we are told, is on how this enterprising community – the Baniyas – has managed to not be restricted to the usual business areas it is connected to. It has gone beyond what people expect them to be prolific into. You get a small pitch of the community in the book’s introduction where Inamdar speaks of the community’s origins and how he approached the topic and the entrepreneurs regarding an interesting topic without sounding too focused on the caste aspect. The book comes out as how that particular individual has come into the said business and has managed to reach the position he is in and the struggles.

Inamdar has picked up five brands and the names behind it which have changed the game in many ways. While reading each of them, one finds them to be quite distinct in the way they approach their work, entry into the field of business, their method of looking at each & every detail of work, tackling success & failures and so on.

You are introduced to Neeraj Gupta, the name behind Meru Cabs which changed the scenario of private taxis in India. His story comes across more as a tale of someone who did business more with accidents opportunities and was a mix of luck, looking for the extra kick and smart choices. You are allowed to visualise Gupta’s start as a member of a family which strived to set up their small-time eateries in Mumbai. What made Gupta reach his present state is a certain attitude of taking life as it comes but jumping on opportunities which stared at his face. One of them is his response to a tender by Maharashtra Govt to set up private radio cabs in Mumbai as an answer to bludgeoning public transport. His method comes out as a trial and error one where one see Gupta accepting mistakes and also help. Inamdar has a certain method of allowing you to decide to see if Gupta’s methods of business are correct or just acts of over-confidence.

You go over to the two powerhouses behind the renowned cosmetic brand Emami, the two Radheshyams - Radheshyam Agarwal & Radheshyam Goenka. They are an earlier generation Baniyas with ideologies and business skills of a different generation. Though they met during school, Agarwal is the brilliant brain with a ‘photogenic memory’. But Goenka was no less. What Agarwal thought, Goenka was able to put into action with greater success. While travelling with them in their various ventures, takeovers and moves, it is their friendship which probably is the star in the whole journey. Here you come across the brains and risk-taking factor which has made this community such a business success.

The story of Snapdeal is the one which might attract the young generation as almost every her young one has done a ‘deal’ via it. Here again, a different kind of business mind comes through which is young, well-educated and willing to take calculated risk. IIT pass-out with a well-paying job, Rohit Bansal comes across the quintessential young well-educated  Indian who prefers being one’s own master over a well-paying job. Bansal, along with pal Kunal Bahl, established Snapdeal in 2010, but the build-up for it began from Bansal’s life in a small town, Mahlout. His family’s small fair price shop depended on weather meant that he was witness to ups and downs. A certain force to do well made him take to Delhi on a scholarship where he met his best friend and future partner, Kunal. Inamdar keeps the narration more upbeat, keeping in mind the subject of this tale and the fact that the duo are the representative of today’s India. Even while doing the nesaccary to set up Snapdeal, you see them struggling with making internet selling concept work for the Indian market.

I personally felt that the fourth case study was the typical one representing the Baniya community, just like Emami’s Radheshyams. RK Somany of HSIL which owns the sanitation business leading company Hindware, comes from a family which had slowly made its way up in diverse businesses in Calcutta, including arms & ammunitions. As part of his elder brother idea of giving each sibling a business to run independently, RK got into sanitation ware business. A small spark to get the best in this business made way for RK to not just travel abroad and learn the best of technology but also hone his own business acumen. Inamdar has been successful in getting RK’s tough nut acumen with his efforts to understand the market.

The last one is one which I would call both an oddity and also intriguing. It is an oddity because the said case study is not the run-of-the-mill business tycoon. V. K. Bansal of Bansal Classes probably changed the game in India coaching capital, Kota, Rajasthan. VK’s journey started small from Jhansi in a poor family, but sheer grit made him reach engineering and pass with flying colours. A happy marriedlife in Kota changed when he was diagonised with Biocitis or muscular dystrophy. But where there is a will, there is a way. From one student, his success as a teacher grew into an empire which exploded the coaching classes scene in Kota like no other. His sheer bull spirit to achieve the best without compromise on his teaching or his students overshadowed his personal life. His story comes out more as a personal battle than business acumen.

Throughout the book, the success of the community as a whole comes in parts. It comes via their own personal grit towards going into business. Inamdar’s choice of entreprenuers is intruiging. Only Neeraj Gupta comes from India’s financial capital, Mumbai. The ‘Emamiwalas’ and RK Somany come from Kolkata, a city which owes it financial success to the Marwadi families residing their for ages. The northerners here are the two Bansals – Rohit Bansal and VK Bansal. The case studies are also interesting from the point that none of the names come from establised Baniya families but have created their own presence. Even second generation enterpreneur RK started from a scratch at the sanitation business.

Inamdar’s method of narration is presenting facts without taking sides or trying to blow things out of proportion. He starts with an interesting annecdote or story of the said people. It allows you slowly get introducing to the protagonist. The only thing which stuck me as a little bother is his rather neglect (in my views) to speak of the Baniya connection in a separate chapter with each case study.

With Rokda: How Baniyas do Business, Nikhil Inamdar tries to bring out the spirit of the business community who probably define Indian economy and business in their own unique way. One should pick for a light business reading, if one must.         

Book Title: Rokda: How Baniyas do Business
Author: Nikhil Inamdar
Publisher: Random House India
Price: Rs 175 (Paperback)

Photo Credit: www.businesstoday.in 

Moroccan Food Festival at The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

Morocco stays in Pune till November 8^th at The Westin Pune Koregaon Park, as an interesting Moroccan Food Festival is underway at the hotel known also for its exquisite food at its different restaurants. Held at Seasonal Tastes and planned by Chef de Cuisine, Prasad Metrani, it was definitely a peep into the food which smells of authenticity. Chef Metrani has had experience of getting to know the cuisine when he had visited the country quite a few years back. He personally saw how it is prepared and has brought ingredients straight from the North African country to give it a touch of reality. It had everything from tagines, salads, and soups to wraps, grills, hot spreads, typical breads and the works. A taste of authenticity marks the eating experience here, as I was witness to it.

Amidst the Moroccan cold salads like Zaalouk- Aubergine Dip, Ispinaki Limone Salade (Spinach And Pickled Lemon Salad), Serouda (Chickpea & Tomato Sauce Salad), Taktouka (Tomato & Green Pepper Salad), Beetroot With Yoghurt & Oranges and Fegguos Salade (Chopped Cucumber & Tomato Salad), I loved trying Hummus with Green Harrisa, Berber Salade (Country Style Salad From Marrakech) and Onion Mezgueldi (Caramelised Onions With Butter). The spiciness in the hummus might appeal to the Indian palate. While one shifted to the one veg and one non-veg soup, the Lamb Harira might tempt you with its lightly spicy and tangy soup with hints of lamb.

Sure, there were starters like Kasbah or Spicy Chicken Bites, Sesame Halloumi Bites, Puffed Moroccan Pizza, wraps and grills, the Grilled Merguez Sausages or Lamb Sausages were simple ones. It was main course which called for the attention with Samak Chermoula (Pan Fried Moroccan Fish), Vegetable Tagine, Maakouda Batata (Moroccan Potato Cakes), Cous Cous and Mograbieh (Semolina Dumplings With Cumin). I personally loved tasting the subtle flavours of Dijaj N’Quallu (Pot-roasted Whole Chicken) and the well-cooked & spicy Arin M’Qualli (Braised Lamb Leg with Cayenne Pepper).

One had to try out the desserts which consisted of B’stilla Au Lait (Layered Pastry With Almond Cream), Fresh Fruit Briouates (Fresh Fruit Triangles), Almond Gharibiya (Biscuits from Casablanca), Fakkas (Morrocan Rusks), Almond & Cloves Cookies, etc. One could give the Fez Style Rice Pudding a miss for being too typical. Try the Chakbkia (Fried Pastries drizzled with Honey & Sesame), Chocolate M’nancha (Chocolate Rolls) and the very delicately flavoured Orange Flower Blossom & Pistachio Ice Cream. My favourite in the whole lot was the B’stilla Dijaj (Chicken cooked with Eggs wrapped in Pastry & Baked in Pots, served with Relish or Salads). It felt like a lighter version of scrambled eggs with chicken in it inside a bun. One could it gobble a few in one go, if you are too hungry.

The special Moroccan spread is quite wide to let everyone’s taste buds feel happy. I felt the veg and non-veg options were quite vast to satisfy everyone. Yes, Moroccan cuisine might sound like something for the meat lovers but veggies do have space here. Try it if you want.

Date: till November 8^th 2014

Time: 7.00pm

Venue: Seasonal Tastes, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

Flash Mob with a Difference

On 19^th October 2014, a unique flash mob organised by Music Matters, ragpickers with Swach and Deep Griha NGO at Seasons Mall spread the message of cleanliness via music. Here are the details...

It is always fun to mix something good and entertaining with a cause. And in a city like Pune, it has been happening quite often. On 19^th October 2014, a unique experiment took place at Seasons Mall between 6.30pm to 6.45pm wherein an interesting flash mob helped spread the message of cleanliness. This initiative by Music Matters had waste pickers from Swach and members of Deep Griha NGO join hands to make people aware of cleanliness. All that was done by drumming and the the power of music. It was a proud moment to know that this was a first of its kind event in India where flash mob idea was used to spread an important message.

One saw 40 social workers get the nessacary training from 40 musicians for a week and it was seen in the 7 minutes performance. 1000s saw the wonderful performance when they visited the mall for their Sunday shopping. They head slogans like Swach Indian Clean India from the percussionists along with household items like buckets combined with percussion instruments like Djembes, Lajems, Drum Sticks, Tambourines, Shakers and so on. It is good to know that the 80 members had been trained by Arthur Fernandes who is a psychologist, musician and arts-based therapist. It was a evening filled with fun and getting to know about the importance of cleanliness. What more can you ask for?

Here’s a link to the flash mob video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4u5YNbeScDg