let our values emerge - uae exchange india

Volume 15 | Issue 11 | March 2016LET OUR VALUES EMERGE

“IT IS SOCIETY WHICH

NURTURES YOU. IT IS

YOUR DUTY TO GIVE

BACK TO SOCIETY.

ONLY WHEN YOU SHARE

YOUR SUCCESS, DOES

IT MULTIPLY. I HAVE

STRONGLY BELIEVED

IN THIS AND IT HAS

WORKED FOR ME.”

Dr. B R SHETTY

Xpressions - March 2016 5

March 2016 Volume 15

Issue 11

INSIDE

10 Xpress Money 11 News Excerpts

14 HR FACCIA

16 Awards

24 V G Nair

17

IN EVERY ISSUE

06 Editorial

07 MD’s Message

08 Chief’s Message

09 Global Glimpses

INTERVIEW

25 HEALTH CORNER

26 Insight

28 Feature

30 Social Resposibility

31 Photo Shoot

32 Artwork

33 Cook’s Arena

34 Special Days in March

35 Matrimonio Bells Fun Side

Cover Photo - Parameshwari Suryavanshi, Goa region, Location – Pavana dam, Pune

‘All work AND No plAy....make Jack a dull boy’

AN ENthuSIAStIc pIoNEEr...Prudent Visionary

Silver and Gold are just two metals which cannot compete in appearance as gold always scores over silver in its brightness and colour. This is a common quote often used but how far have we considered the meaning profoundly?

An old man was in the habit of spreading rumours concerning others. He spread a rumour that his neighbour is a thief. As a result, the man got imprisoned. After some days, he proved to be innocent so he was released. On his return he sued the old man for gossiping against him. In the court, the old man disagreed and answered lightly that those were only comments and did not harm anyone. The judge directed the old man to write all the rumours, he had so far spread, regarding the neighbour on a piece of paper, tear them up and throw them on the way back home but return the next day after collecting all those thrown pieces .

The old man replied it was quite impossible as the wind would have carried the pieces far and wide. The judge replied that the same thing happened with his comments for the neighbour as he had spread them all over and now the respect of the person cannot be regained. If we cannot speak well of others it is always fine to keep silent.

Sometimes, silence is more profitable rather than the abundance of speech. We have heard of many people who speak well and coz of this achieved a lot in their lives and also become a part of the history.

Doubtless, silence and being ‘a man of few words’ have their rightful places. This, however, does not mean that one should choose to be an introvert, stoic or being tongue-tied and listless. Great is the gift of communication, good laughter and conversing well.

Speaking well, with the right sense and effectively also include the capacity to stay silent if a situation demands. Needless problems can be prevented if we guard our speech because words once spoken can never be taken back and the speaker becomes the slave of words already uttered. Effective speech often earns respect and acceptance the result of the speech should be anticipated.

The Bible notes in Proverbs “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding”

However like gold, silence, in its right place and time, lends charm and grandeur to life and living. An appropriate blend of good speech which is silver and this golden silence would indeed go to create an ornament, unparalleled in its enduring beauty!

“We all are masters of our mouth, no need to be slaves of our words”

Editor’s DeskEbby AbrahamEditor-in-Chief

CorrespondentsBenny Joseph TXHari Shankar

March 2016 Volume 15

Issue 11

6 Xpressions - March 2016

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SPEECH IS SILVER, SILENCE IS GOLDEN

7Xpressions - March 2016

MD’s MessageV George AntonyManaging Director

march 8th 2016 was yet another significant day for UAE Exchange India. Silently but in

full confidence our XPay Cash Wallet was launched to our customers across India. It is the initial step to the fulfilment of a dream in providing digital cash facility to crores and millions in the days to come. Journey of our new product will be hard and challenging as it ought to bring a cultural change in the citizens to get into the practise of using the Cash Wallet. We need to wait patiently without expecting immediate results and reach the pinnacle, from where it will drift on its own with the pace of a wind.

We are confidently seeking authorization to load money into the wallet such that we can help our society change their traditions absolutely with the help of our below mentioned services.

1. Foreign Remittance loading2. Domestic Remittance loading3. Subsidy payment loading4. Part of salary loading5. Daily wages loading6. Cash loading by merchant outlets.

Target selection of already branded

merchants who are popular among many consumers and are immensely trusted by the public, for payment or bookings from home, should be our aim. A facility provided through such merchants will be easily accepted and by itself will gain popularity. In turn customers will start realising the big difference and convenience enjoyed through XPay Cash Wallet system. For example some of the merchants rendering the following services are potential targets who could be personally contacted and educated about the great advantages of our product.

a. Toll boothsb. School fees, college feesc. Newspaper, milk and gas agentsd. Online sites, malls, theatres, taxi

operators, autose. Temples & Churchesf. Government payments.g. Insurance premium paymenth. Vehicle tax payment

We are ready to give API integration to any merchant who operates through website or has multiple cashiers and they can operate through their computer

screens at ease. On the teller screen, XPay Cash Wallet icon will get displayed. The merchant while extending the service has to obtain the mobile number of the beneficiary, enter the amount and save it. Within seconds customer will get an alert and he/she has to accept the entry. The payment is also done in seconds just as swiping the credit card. The beauty of the product is, it is free for both the customer and merchant and they can earn cash back offers.

What is our role at this juncture?• Promoteitamongourclosefriends,

relatives and well-known shops and vendors

• Educatethemtoreplacecashwith wallet and help the country go digital.

Future is bright with immense opportunities. In no time all major and minor business including our own products will adopt the mobile app payment mode. The right action at the right time will grant the best fruit. So let us be ‘The Leader’ and not ‘The disciple’.

Let the vibrations of change initiated through ‘XPay Cash Wallet’ be a vital part in the fulfilment of our Prime Minister’s dream – Digital India.

XPay Cash Wallet…


Evolution of Financial services sector in catering Bottom of Pyramid customers. Reducing Paper work by going digital, faster Processing and easy obtainability are the most important factors while catering to bottom of the pyramid, as this section is hesitant and confused while approaching Financial Services.

Financial Literacy is the only way to help first time borrowers overcome this situation.

Our aim should be to partner with them and guiding them before they sign on for a loan to the end of their loan with us. Our intention should be to build their credit scores and become financially literate and eventually providing them to further access to funds and Progress.

New trends in TechnologyTechnology innovation is the only bridge that will help affordable finance reach the unbanked masses. The government’s initiatives in providing basic minimum services in rural areas, mobile technology, EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) indicate a strong focus on using IT to access affordable finance.

Digital Technology to Improvise Customer ServiceWe should focus on technology based innovations to enhance our customer experience. With the strong IT infrastructure created, we should be able to convey our Yes/No to the customer within minutes. Loan application process should be primarily paperless making our services easily accessible across geographies. Today customers

Chief’s Message

CA Krishnan RDirector and Chief Financial Officer, India

Technological Innovation- Bridging the Financial Divide

connect with us real time through social media, through our call centre as well as through our website. We should constantly enhance our digital capabilities to be more customer centric and responsive.

Mobile & Frictionless TransactionsSmartphone penetration rates have dramatically increased and will create new opportunities and challenges, especially in markets where mobile payments have been set up to operate largely on feature phones. This trend will provide new opportunities and challenges for mobile banking and mobile payments that can have a profound impact on the types and variety of digital financial services.

Consumers are increasingly making purchases straight from their phones. According to a recent study by two-thirds of shoppers have at least three shopping apps on their phones, and seven percent of shoppers have more than 25 shopping apps downloaded. With the holiday season around the corner, almost half of consumers involved in the study admitted that they would use their phones to shop.

Mobile Money in particular has become the foundation for a range of other innovative financial products like life and health insurance coverage paid, Topping up prepaid airtime, interest-bearing savings accounts for non-banked customers, instant personal and small-business micro-loans, and even investment bonds bought through a mobile phone.

India has close to 980 million estimated mobile connections, according to the telecommunications regulator, and an ecosystem of technology firms ride along on the mobile phone infrastructure is now

starting to service the under banked population.

Innovate to Manage RiskThe fundamental reason why Bottom of Pyramid customer remains inaccessible is that reliable secondary data is largely missing. This places an onus on primary data collection and plagues the system with fraud risks.

Risk Assessment technologies have to be the very core of the business. We should be able to assess the patterns of living, savings, spending and other details of prospective customers making it easier to provide financial services to the deserving and weed out the wilful defaulters.

Initiatives such as UIDAI/Aadhar support the cause of e-governance and with more such platforms once introduced will provide legal, verified and accessible data that will help us to manage our risk even better.

Success can be achieved only through Risk Management and not through Risk Avoidance.

Innovate to SucceedInnovate or die is a favoured phrase among forward thinkers and the notion is exactly in line with the needs of retail today.Jack Welch famously put it: “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.”

Organizations create their USP’s and competitive advantage for their survival and growth only through continuous innovation. Thus continuous innovation is the mantra for survival and as an organization we are committed to fostering innovation and balancing it with financial performance.


GLOBAL GlIMpSESwhy IS thE DollAr getting stronger?

Mr. Promoth Manghat, UAE Exchange CEO, said analysts have agreed that the dollar is poised to

get stronger.“All the macroeconomic factors coming out

of the US, point to a strong dollar bringing pressure on all other currencies,” he said. Mr. Manghat, however, said it would be “difficult” to come up with a “range-bound forecast” from the available data.

The US dollar is getting its strength from the world market, experts said.

Sources pointed out: “As records will show, oil prices have gone down. It is expected to even go down further as … the US has found other sources of oil.

“Since the US does not need to release a bulk of its dollar reserves to buy oil, there is now a ‘scarcity’ of their money in the market. This makes their money more valuable,” the expert said.

rupee free-fAll to coNtINuE A weaker rupee will boost

remittances in rupee terms from the UAE and other Gulf

countries and at the same it will also help Indian exporters to remain competitive in international market where the greenback is strong against all currencies, UAE Exchange president Y Sudhir Kumar Shetty told Khaleej Times.

The global economic scenario is not good as large economies in Europe are not doing well in addition to China problem, Mr Shetty said, adding that there is no point for a stronger Indian currency when other currencies are weak. He pointed out that it is ideal if the rupee will remain weak, so Indian exporters will become competitive with other exporters in the international market.

Talking about the reason of the weaker rupee, he explained that dollar strength is one of the causes of the rupee being very weak. Another reason is stock markets in India are going lower and lower so foreign investors have taken their money out of India resulting in strong demand for dollar, he added.

There is no other indicator slowing positive image of rupee, he said, adding: “None of the factors are helping the rupee to strengthen. It’s a fact that historically, the rupee gets weaker on average five per cent per annum. The trend will continue but it could be four per cent or three per cent.” “The rupee will remain under pressure from six months to one year,” he opined. If the economy is doing well then stock markets will bring greenbacks back to the country, he hoped.

lowEr rEMIttANcES, exports affect india

The current account deficit (CAD) has contracted by 1.3 per cent at $7.1 billion in Q3 of fiscal 2016 compared to 1.5 per cent at $7.7 billion in the year ago period due to lower exports and

remittances, especially from Middle East.According to RBI’s BoP figures, private transfer receipts, mainly

representing remittances by Indians employed overseas, primarily from the Middle East, declined by 7.5 per cent to $15.8 billion in October-December quarter compared to $16.99 billion in the preceding July-September quarter in fiscal 2015-16.

“Non-resident Indian deposits moderated significantly in Q3 of 2015-16 over their level in Q3 last year as well as the preceding quarter,” RBI said in a statement.

Middle Eastern countries, which employ nearly 40 lakh Indians, have been facing severe financial strain due to low crude oil prices. Analysts voiced concern about the impact of low oil price on NRIs working in the Middle Eastern countries and their remittances, which constitute a major chunk of India’s foreign exchange inflows.

Net services receipts moderated on a year-on-year basis largely due to fall in export receipts in transport and financial services, though there has been marginal improvement over the preceding quarter. The trade deficit was at $34 billion compared to $38.6 billion in the same quarter in the previous year and $37.4 billion in the preceding quarter.

However, the pickup in FDI at $10.8 billion in Q3 boosted forex reserves by $4.1 billion in Q3 of 2015-16. Mr Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Care Ratings, said they see CAD in the range of 1.5 per cent for this year. “If exports continue to be an issue and in case commodity prices harden, there can be challenges in balance of trade in FY17.”

Zimbabwe turns to india for ADvIcE AS rEMIttANcE flow INcrEASES

Zimbabwe is turning to India for advice on how to track and regulate the flow of remittances from millions of its citizens who’ve emigrated due to the collapse of its

economy.The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last month sent a

delegation to India, the world’s biggest recipient of remittances, to study how that country deals with the payments, which, for the Asian country, totaled $71 billion in 2014, it said in an e-mailed response to questions. The Zimbabwean central bank wanted to study how India regulates money transfer agents, how to gather data on remittances and laws related to money transfers, it said.

“India, is therefore, one of the best destinations for any country like Zimbabwe that want to study and learn how to attract, account and leverage on Diaspora remittances,” it said.

Zimbabwe has seen a steady exodus of its citizens to neighboring countries such as South Africa as well as further afield after a failed land reform program that began in 2000 slashed exports and triggered a recession that has halved the size of the economy since then.

Last year remittances from citizens living outside the country rose 12 percent to $935 million and that figure is likely to rise to $1 billion this year, according to the central bank.


atm to go the way of thE phoNE box

The cashpoint, the core convenience innovation in traditional banking in the late 20th century, is being superseded by the rising popularity of money transfer from local outlets and new apps that enable device to device cash transfers

worldwide.Analysis by Xpress Money suggests that cashpoint usage will decline in the way

that phone box usage has declined, as money transfer services via corner stores and smartphone apps enable consumers to access cash wherever they are, removing the need for a visit to a cashpoint.

The shift in behaviour will be as dramatic as the shift when consumers traded queuing at phone boxes for mobile phones, according to Xpress Money.

Phone boxes and ATMs offer a location-based transaction. Today, though, only 3% of the population use phone boxes - and our assumption, over time, is that the same decline in use will apply to ATMs as consumers become more accustomed to the use of money transfer services via their corner store or via an app.”

A growing proportion of consumers now rarely use cash for the majority of their purchases and this is particularly true among younger consumers, with those over the age of 65 by far the most reliant on cash. Experts predict that within the next ten years, the proportion of consumer purchases made with cash will decline to around one third of all transactions, compared to the current figure of just over half.

Social integration of money transfer will enable family and friends to transfer money to anyone from anywhere and at any time of the day, creating a global money transfer service that eclipses the versatility of banks.

Indian expatriates will get an additional Rs500 on every Dh1,000 they earn in salary because of the rupee’s free-fall versus the US currency. It’s a bonus for the salaried class of Indian expatriates in the UAE in 2016.

So if someone is earning Dh10,000 salary a month he or she will get an additional Rs5,000 and a Dh20,000 salary-earner will be rewarded with an additional Rs10,000 every month. According to longforecast.com, the Indian rupee versus US dollar may see a high of Rs73.10 by the end of 2016.

“The rupee opened this year at 66.17 against the US dollar and hit a high of 68.24 on January 28. If the trend continues the rupee can hit 68.35 and if strengthened it can go to a low of 67.62.”

Xpress Money chief operating officer Mr Sudhesh Giriyan said: “This rate [Rs18.50] is pretty close to the lowest the Indian rupee had fallen - 18.84 - in August 2013. The rupee could slip further unless there is a regulatory intervention.” The depreciation of the Indian rupee is not a reflection of the Indian economy, but due to the US dollar gaining over the last few months, Mr Giriyan said, adding: “Experts have predicted that the rupee could fall further and reach its all-time low.”

There are a lot of external factors, which could be the reasons for the current depreciation of the Indian rupee. With over $3.22 billion going out of India in the first two to three weeks of January this year leading to the recent crash in the stock markets, the revision of the interest rates by the Fed by 25bps in December 2015 and the devaluation of the Yuan in the last quarter of 2015 are a few factors that have hit the rupee adversely.

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to keep key interest rates unchanged at 6.75 per cent strengthened the Indian rupee against other currency peers.

XPRESS MoNEy

The last few weeks have seen many happy Indians across the world because of the weakening

rupee. The Indian currency has significantly depreciated this year, resulting in large volumes of remittances being sent by Indians to their families or own bank accounts back home in India. As a global money transfer brand, we have seen a 15 – 20 percent rise in remittances to India through our channels, since January this year.

Though Indian expats are rejoicing because of the additional money they are gaining, there is also a sense of uncertainty in their minds. Is the Indian Economy on the brink of a crisis?

Well, to put all the speculation to rest, the Indian economy is in a healthy condition and is only set to grow from strength to strength. The depreciation of the Indian rupee is not a reflection of the Indian economy, but a result of the US dollar gaining over the last few months.

However, the rupee is not the only currency that has seen the downward trend. The Rouble, Euro, South African Rand, Malaysian Ringgit, Peso etc. have also seen all time lows over the last few weeks. The Russian rouble depreciated by almost 9% in January itself. If we see this depreciation, in terms of percentages, value erosion of these currencies is much higher than the Indian rupee. In fact, the Peso has hit its lowest in 6 years.

Therefore, this is a good time not only for Indian expats but other nationalities as well, to use this weakening currency to their advantage and get more value out of the money that they remit.

happy times for indian expats AS rupEE forEx rAtE juMpS

is now the best time for INDIANS to rEMIt MoNEy?

NEWS ExcErptS

UAE Exchange India MD Mr V George Antony won Business Excellence Award 2016

UAE Exchange India MD Mr. V George Antony won Business Deepika Business Excellence

Award 2016 on March 14, 2016 for his excellent contribution in the field of business from the Honourable Minster for Industry & Information Technology Shri P K Kunjhalikutty in a function at Hotel Crown Plaza, Kochi. He was awarded under the category of Non-Banking Financial Company from Kerala.

UAE Exchange – India dedicates XPay Cash Wallet to the nation

UAE Exchange India, one of the biggest financial institutions in the AD II category is dedicating its

new version of Mobile App, the XPay Cash Wallet to the people of India. XPay Cash Wallet is absolutely free for all people as well as merchants to use it in lieu of physical cash, to create a cashless economy.

XPay Cash Wallet has introduced a disruptive systematic innovative route for the country and its people, thereby joining Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream mission to create a Digital India.

Company has a network of 400 direct branches and 15000 agents who will spread the app to all its customers and merchants in respective cities.

Being part of the financial inclusion agenda of the RBI and the government, the company has already enrolled approx. 90 lakh customers to use the app and plans to scale it to 10 crores app users in a few months’ time.

Mr Y Sudhir Kumar Shetty won NRI Business Excellence Award

10th India Digital Summit

Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) hosted its annual flagship event– 10th India Digital Summit on

9th and 10th of Feb, 2016 at The Lalit Hotel, New Delhi. Being one of the largest annual gatherings of the Digital Ecosystem in the country, the 10th India Digital Summit played host to Senior & Mid-level executives from a plethora of sectors. Mr George Antony MD, UAE Exchange India was one of the panel members in the discussion of the Topic - Advancing Financial Inclusion in India.

Entering its 10th year the theme for this year’s summit is “STAND-UP, START-UP”, which is aimed to focus on key-issues faced by the startup ecosystem in India. It would also provide a platform to Digital Start Ups in India helping to connect peers, mentors, angels, specialists and other stakeholders of the ecosyste.


Let all citizens join hands to make Kochi the cleanest city of the Country. It is the responsibility of every individual to clean up and keep it uncontaminated without blaming the role and responsibility of Corporation or Government when we deliberately pollute the environment.

To commemorate Clean Kochi Campaign of Kochi Corporation, all the 400 staff of UAE Exchange in Kochi had voluntarily decided to participate in cleaning one stretch of road from Gandhi Square to Guest house with the support of Kochi Corporation. The cleaning of the road activity was formally inaugurated by Cine Actor Mr Fahad Fazil and Deputy Mayor Mr T J Vinod, in the presence of Health standing committee chairperson Adv Minimol V K, Tax Appeal committee Mr K V P Krishna Kumar, Additional Secretary Mrs Anuja A S, Health Inspector Mr Sasikumar, Councillor Mrs Grace Babu Jacob and all others assembled at the venue.

UAE Exchange President Mr Y Sudhir kumar Shetty won Kerala Sahridaya Vedi NRI business Excellence award for his excellent

contribution in the global operations. He received the award from the former Minister Mr M Vijaya Kumar in a function held at Trivandrum.

Cleanest city of India


NEWS ExcErptS

MD Mr V George Antony at Amritha School of Arts and Science

Amritha School of Arts and Science, Edappally celebrated their Management day on 29th

February 2016. UAE Exchange India MD Mr V George Antony was the Chief Guest of the day. Mr George Antony spoke about time management, communication, digital developments, loyalty, integrity and sincerity towards the work and company in his inaugural address.

MD Mr V George Antony in CII Post Budget Analysis

UAE Exchange India MD Mr V George Antony was one of the panel members in Post Budget

Analysis session organised by CII and PWC on 1st March 2016 at Hotel Raddison Blu, Kochi. One of the positive aspects he mentioned about the budget is the policy of implementing aadhar as the main ID for financial transactions. He also spoke about the importance of technologically driven environment for striving in any business.

Budget talk 2016 by MD UAE Exchange India

Marthoma College of Management & Technology, Perumbavoor conducted

their Annual Event in the name of Budget Talk 2016. Mr V George Antony MD UAE Exchange India was the guest speaker for the program who enlightened the students about the subject in the most commendable manner with his simple words and cheerful disposition. He discussed thoroughly on budget analysis in the light of digital India initiative, which is gradually taking the course in the lives of the people at large.

KERALA LITERATURE FESTIVAL 2016

The Kerala Literature Festival, a 4 days cultural fest conducted from February 4th to February 7th 2016 was inaugurated by Honorable Minister Mr K C Joseph in the presence of UAE Exchange CEO Mr Pramod Manghat, MT Vasudevan Nair,

Prathibha Ray, Geetha Hariharan, Sachithanandan, Anand and a lot of prominent personalities from all over India. More than 200 eminent personalities in literature, Cinema, Social and political field participated in this event. The presence of the international writer Ms Thasleema Nasreen was the main attraction of the Festival. UAE Exchange India conducted a selfie contest for the general public. Company also opened a stall in the Kerala Literature Festival to create financial awareness among the general public.

UAE EXCHANGE PALAKKAD BRANCH IN FAMILY MEET

Cosmopolitan Club Palakkad organised a family meet ‘Saturday Night Fever’ on 6th February 2016, in which UAE Exchange was an active participant. Honourable Ex Governor of Maharashtra Shri K Sankaranarayanan inaugurated the function at 7pm

in the evening. UAE Exchange Palakkad branch had put up a registration counter hosted by our Lady staff. Almost 350-400 members participated in the event. UAE Exchange Palakkad branch also showed an interesting video of Expert financial solutions from UAE Exchange India, followed by dinner and DJ session.

NEW BRANCHES BLOSSOM

SPONSORSHIPS

UAE Exchange inaugurates new branch in Duttapulia

UAE Exchange India extended its network by inaugurating its new branch in Duttapulia on 28th February 2016. Panchayat Pradhan of Duttapulia along with few other prominent personalities was invited to the event. As a part of the

inauguration the branch staffs initiated a clean city campaign. Around 50 employees from the neighbouring offices participated in the program.


UAE Exchange inaugurates new branch in Barasat

UAE Exchange India extended its network by inaugurating its new branch in Barasat on 29th February 2016. Municipal chairman of Barasat and actress Ms Ritu Acharya were the chief guests of the function. As a part of the

inauguration the branch distributed educational aids to school children.

Charminar branch sponsors Josephiesta

Hyderabad Charminar branch has sponsored the event ‘Josephiesta’, St Joseph’s PG

and degree college fest on February 13th. Around 2000 students, professors and deans participated in the occasion.

The details of the company services were explained to the participants. UAE Exchange was highlighted as a financial super market where all the services were available under one roof. The branch was able to collect around 500 numbers of data and mail addresses from students. All the staff of the branch and staff from regional office took part in this fest and made it a grand success.

Orathanadu branch of UAE Exchange India sponsored the eye camp conducted by Lions club of Orathanadu and Aravind hospital of Madurai on 22nd February 2016 at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Orathanadu. More than 1500 people

from surrounding villages came for eye examination. Regional Head Mr Rajesh N, Branch Head Chandrasekar M, and staff Radhika, Manikandan and Sudhakar attended the camp.

Darbhanga branch participates in Rotary Mela

UAE Exchange India Darbhanga branch participated and sponsored the Rotary Club Mela

on 14th February 2016. The branch also breifed about the products and services to the public gathered in the Mela. The Mela was inaugurated by Mr Praveen Kumar commissioner of Police Darbhanga. Regional Head Mr Jyoti Prakash Patel and Branch Head along with the staff of Darbhanga branch also participated in the Mela.

Three branches jointly sponsor Lions Club meet

Tanjore, Orathanadu and Pattukottai branches collectively conducted the Lions Club Conference at

Orathanadu on 28th Feb 2016 (Sunday). 42 Lions club members along with

800 representatives from in and around the areas of Tanjore, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam took part in the event. As one among the sponsors of the event, UAE Exchange was given 10 minutes to talk about the products and services.

This meeting was an eye opener as all 800 people are HNIs and the time spent by the staff will surely provide best result in the coming days.

Orathanadu branch sponsors eye camp


HR fAccIA

It is a common knowledge that helping employees set and reach goals is a critical

part of every manager’s job. Employees are always keen to see how their work gets contributed to larger corporate objectives, and setting the right targets makes this connection explicit for them and their manager. Goal-setting is particularly important as a mechanism for providing ongoing and year-end feedback.

Here are some principles to follow as you navigate, how to best support yourself in reaching your objectives.

1. Create a plan for successOnce a goal is set, workout a blueprint on how you plan to meet it. Break the goals down into tasks and set interim objectives, especially if it’s a large or long-term project. Ask yourself questions such as: what are the appropriate milestones? What are possible risks and how do you plan to manage them? If you have answers ready for such questions you have officially succeeded in planning.

Johnee Praveen RChief People Officer

How to Ensure every Employee Succeeds

2.Make sure goals are attainable but challenging since employees are ultimately responsible for reaching the goals, they need to have a strong voice in setting them. Draft goals that directly contribute to the organization’s mission. Once the initial goals are suggested, discuss whether the targets are both realistic and challenging enough. Beware, poorly set goals can be destructive to your morale and productivity, and to the organization’s performance overall.

3. Monitor progressstaying on top of employee progress will help head off any troubles early on. Don’t wait for review time or the end of a project to check in. Review both long-term and short-term goals on a weekly basis. Even high-performing employees may need ongoing feedback and coaching. Find out what type of monitoring and feedback would be most helpful to you, especially if the task is particularly challenging or something you are doing for the first time.

4. When things go wrongVery few of us reach our goals without some road bumps along the way. Build relationships with your peers so that you feel comfortable approaching if and when problems arise. If you encounter an unforeseen obstacle, the goal may need reworking. First, however, think a potential solution so that you can be given a proper coaching and advice.

5. When goals aren’t metThere will be times when employees fail to meet their targets. You need to figure out what went wrong and why. Discuss with your senior as to what happened and what each of you think went wrong. If the problem was within our control, apply the possible solutions you’ve discussed, take another stab at reaching the goal. If it was something that was outside of our power or the goal was too ambitious, acknowledge the disappointment but don’t dwell on it. Do the diagnoses, get the learning, and move on.

• Once every few weeks, leave your watch at home. In this society we often become bound to the clock and soon it governs our every action like a rigid taskmaster. Go through the day doing precisely what you wish to do and for however long you wish to do it. Spend time with that special person without having to run off to your next appointment. Savour the moments and focus on what is truly important rather than those mundane things that somehow take on a greater importance than they really deserve. Lose the clock and gain some quality time. • Laugh at work and be known as a positive achiever. • An idea gives rise to a mental image. A mental image will then generate a mental habit out of which a mental trait ultimately blossoms. Master your thoughts and you master your mind; master your mind and you master your life; master your life and you master your destiny.

• Recognize the tremendous power of opposition thinking. This simple technique simply involves the substitution of a positive thought each and every time a negative or limiting thought enters your mind and begins to detract from your focus. For example, on a Sunday evening, you may think “I wish I did not have to return to work tomorrow after such a pleasant and relaxing weekend.” Immediately replace this defeating thought pattern before it begins to take hold by thinking the opposite. For example you might think “I cannot wait to return to the office given the exciting projects on the go and the wonderful sense of accomplishment I receive after a productive, challenging week.” Then think how fortunate you are to have a job and one that you can advance in through your own efforts and productivity. Make a list of all of the positive attributes of your position and repeat them over and over. Soon

the negative pattern will be broken and you will look toward the exciting week ahead with that most fabulous of qualities: enthusiasm. • Get deep into the habit of personal introspection. Ben Franklin called this one of the most important strategies for personal effectiveness. Spend ten minutes every night before you go to bed in self-examination. Think about the good things you did during the day and the bad actions you may have taken which you must change in order to excel and grow. Successful people are simply more thoughtful than others. Daily reflection will soon allow for the eradication of your negative qualities (ranging from procrastination to gossiping to insulting others) and will sharpen the mind. After steady practice, a time will eventually arrive when the mistakes you make are few indeed and your personal power will move to the highest level.

Hr Puzzle 36

The Top 200 Secrets of Success and the Pillars of Self-MasteryBy Robin S. Sharma (Author of “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”)

(cont.)

Pls send in your answers to [email protected] with HRPZL 36 as subject line mentioning your employee code. From the first 50 answers one lucky employee will get a surprise gift from HR.

1) WHO INVENTED THE BALLPOINT PENa. Biro Brothersb. Waterman Brothersc. Bicc Brothersd. Write Brothers

2) GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL, PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK IS THE WORLD’Sa. Largest Railway Stationb. Highest Railway Stationc. Longest Railway Stationd. None of the above

Latest Corporate Mantras Kaizen: Kaizen is a Japanese word for continuous improvement. It has nothing to do with lofty ideals but demands small but regular suggestions to improve productivity, safety, effectiveness while reducing waste.

Rank & Yank: This system was popularized by Jack Welch in 1980’s and 1990’s. It is meant for high performing cultures that stoked internal competitive rivalry by punishing the laggards and generously rewarding the top performers.

3) ENTOMOLOGY IS THE SCIENCE THAT STUDIESa. Behaviour of Human Beingsb. Insectsc. The origin and history of Technical and Scientific termsd. The formation of rocks

4) GARAMPANI SANCTUARY IS LOCATED ATa. Junagarh, Gujaratb. Diphu, Assamc. Kohima, Nagalandd. Gangtok, Sikkim

HURRY UP!Continued on page 29, HR Faccia


AWARDS

UAE Exchange India won the prestigious NIB Awards 2016 in the category of Best Cover page for ‘In-House Journal’ on 19th February 2016 in a function held at Hotel Radisson Blu, Kochi. On

behalf of UAE Exchange India Chief Marketing Officer Mr R Sudhakar, and Business Communication Head Ms Sheeba Johnson had received the award from V K Ibrahim Kunju Kerala PWD Minister. Prof. K V Thomas MP, Mr Bobby Chemmannur Chairman Chemmannur group and Hibi Eden MLA were the other invited dignitaries of the function. The cover page was the contribution of Mr C Arun, Head- HPC Segment.

uae excHange india grabs 2 Prci collateral awards

UAE Exchange India grabbed PRCI corporate collateral awards for Annual report and In- House Magazine on 23rd January, 2016

in a function held at BNR club, Kolkata. Ms Sheeba Johnson Head – Business Communication received the award from the dignitaries on behalf of UAE Exchange India.

a Passion tribute won nib award


eorge Antony, Managing Director UAE Exchange India, has put in 33 years of service with the UAE Exchange group in India. He has a great deal to express about his chief Dr Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, popularly known as B R Shetty. A boss, pregnant with qualities of confidence, risk taking and encouragement with blind trust on his associates and employees involuntarily developing in each one of us a thirst to perform better each day. His excitement in risky decision making is an exceptional quality found rarely and the beauty lies in his growing confidence at every step of resolution/improvisation encouraging all to follow suit. At the age of 23, Shetty became the councillor of Udupi Municipality in Karnataka and served as its vice-president for two consecutive

INtErvIEw

AN ENthuSIAStIc pIoNEEr...Prudent Visionary


terms. Certainly, one could not imagine a better start to a glittering political career. But, his life was destined to take a different course, perhaps, his first brush with risky decision making in his career. To overcome the family’s financial crisis, Shetty, a trained pharmacist, landed in Abu Dhabi with $8 in his hand in 1972. Now, 44 years later, Shetty commands a multi-billion dollar business empire involving healthcare, financial services and distribution network for pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, FMCG, veterinary products and educational resources.

Started as a pharmacy-cum-diagnostic clinic in 1975, Dr Shetty’s New Medical Centre (NMC) Healthcare is UAE’s largest private healthcare provider today. With a single branch in Abu Dhabi in 1980, UAE Exchange now has a network of over 750 offices in 32 countries. The food canteen, set up for patients and the American army during the Gulf War, has now become a six-outlet restaurant chain, Foodlands. In the mean time, Shetty also ventured into Kerala’s healthcare industry by taking over SUT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

In an exclusive chat with Destination Kerala, the 73-year-old business tycoon who Forbes estimates to have

a net worth upwards of $1.7 billion recaps his professional journey and elucidates the road ahead.

In a deal valued at over a billion pounds, you recently acquired Travelex Holdings Limited. What will be the future role of UAE Exchange?The acquisition of Travelex, a leading name in currency exchange, is a big achievement for the group. UAE Exchange remains a market leader in global money transfers. With this ambitious acquisition, we now have two category leaders in the group, consolidating our dominant position on the global financial services

platform, with a very extensive global footprint.

Meanwhile, Travelex and UAE Exchange will continue to operate as two brands, focusing on their specific markets and product offerings. We will continue to invest in the growth of both companies by increasing distribution channels and product range,

entering new markets and building on their scale advantages. United Global, the holding company of UAE Exchange and Travelex brands, is planning to go for an IPO by the end of 2016. It is likely to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Developing digital products will be a key strategic focus for us. We will pursue an Omni-channel strategy, with a strong presence both online and offline. We have mobile app and website to facilitate online transactions, interactive electronic kiosks at multiple public places, physical stores and home service channels. A key part of our digital strategy is also to support and educate our offline customers, who may not be very tech savvy, and aware of the benefits of going digital.

UAE Exchange has a full-fledged shared services and a state-of-the-art call centre in Kochi. We intend to improve the capabilities of these facilities to enhance their value. As a brand, we have an ambitious aim of complete digitization and hence, we will be in alignment with the Government of Kerala’s vision of ‘Digital Kerala’ and contributing towards realising the same.

How are you planning to take your distribution business –

INtErvIEw

“we plan to gradually expand our healthcare footprint

across the entire Indian sub-continent

through a combination of acquisitions, joint ventures and private-public partnerships”


NMC Trading – forward?NMC Trading started along with our healthcare operations back in 1975. Today, NMC Trading is a leading distribution company in the UAE across pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, consumables and diagnostics, personal care, food and beverages, education, stationery and office supplies and veterinary products. We are the exclusive partners for brands such as Nivea, Unilever, Nestle Infant Nutrition, Pfizer, Kiwi, Sanofi, 3M, Samsung, Siemens, Pepsodent, Knorr and hundreds of others. We see exciting times ahead for this business in terms of expanding our portfolio of brands; categories we operate in, geographies we serve and also service we can offer our principals and customers. We are making investments in our sales and marketing teams and also in our logistics and fulfilment infrastructure.

How do you view Kerala as an investment destination? What are the avenues yet to be tapped?Kerala is a very rich State in terms of bounties of nature and resources such as spices,

coconut and rubber. But the best asset Kerala has is its hardworking, warm and co-operative people. The one area where we need to make more investments in Kerala is in setting up a stronger manufacturing base that will complement tourism and information technology.You recently acquired the 220-bed SUT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Was it the beginning of your investment in India’s healthcare sector?Yes, the acquisition of SUT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram was the stepping stone of my investments in India’s healthcare sector. SUT houses best-in-the-industry medical and other healthcare professionals who ensure delivery of quality healthcare services. Associated with SUT, a 500-bed facility as per international standards would be set up. We eventually undertook the operations and management of three other satellite hospitals around Thiruvananthapuram on a Hub-and-Spoke model. We also ventured into healthcare education by setting up India’s first Centre of Excellence

for Nursing called NICE in Thiruvananthapuram in partnership with the Government of Kerala in July last year. We are planning to open three super speciality hospitals in Kozhikode, Palakkad and Kochi.

We plan to gradually expand our healthcare footprint across the entire Indian sub-continent through a combination of acquisitions, joint ventures and private-public partnerships. We now have hospitals in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Kathmandu (Nepal) too and are expanding into many other Indian cities as well.

Healthcare education, up-skilling of health professionals and Continuing Medical Education focused on rare surgeries such as the recent Endoscopic Base of Skull Surgery held in Thiruvananthapuram will also be given thrust. The Group is also establishing best-of-breed cancer centres in India in collaboration with world renowned institutions.

Neopharma Neopharma is currently focused on executing a significant expansion plan in the Middle East. At an


appropriate time, we will evaluate India as an area of expansion.

Medical Value Travel (MVT)We have several plans to tap the potential of Medical Tourism and cater to this burgeoning industry. We already have a good inflow of international patients to SUT coming for specialized medical treatments, chronic diseases and rare surgeries. We even have plans to offer alternative medicine options like Ayurvedic treatments, holistic development and wellness centres to provide more choice to international and domestic tourists. We are also looking forward to partner with Marriott Courtyard to set up a health resort in

Thiruvananthapuram. However, there are several bottlenecks that need to be cleared to accelerate the speed of growth in this sector.

You seem to have developed an emotional attachment to Thiruvananthapuram. How is that feeling?I am very emotionally attached to Thiruvananthapuram and am always delighted to visit the place. I have attended festivals and visited temples in Thiruvananthapuram many times and feel like I have a connection with this old city. The Capital City marked the beginning of my healthcare

journey in India. For our money remittance business, UAE Exchange, most of our customers are from Kerala and we have the most number of branches in Kerala. We set up the Centre of Excellence in Nursing – NICE in Thiruvananthapuram to help train nurses and make them job-equipped. SUT is also involved in several community enrichment programmes and other healthcare events that keep bringing me back to Thiruvananthapuram frequently.

From being the country’s first outdoor salesman to the proud owner of 26 healthcare facilities catering to 2.5 million patients annually. Looking back, how do you evaluate your growth story?

One constant driving force throughout my career has been a passion to serve the

community that I am a part of. We started New Medical Centre (NMC) in 1975 as a pioneer in the private healthcare space in Abu Dhabi at a time when healthcare was provided free for all owing to the benevolence of the royal family. I was inspired by the vision of the Late His Highness Sheikh Zayed (Peace Be Upon Him) who wanted quality healthcare for all at affordable prices. From a small start with a clinic having one doctor and a pharmacy in Abu Dhabi, NMC Healthcare today treats over 2.5 million patients with over 1,000 doctors across 26 facilities spanning three countries.

There have been a number of milestones – when we expanded beyond Abu Dhabi to Dubai, when we became the first GCC healthcare company to be listed on the London Stock Exchange, when we expanded beyond the UAE to

INtErvIEw

“one constant driving force throughout my career has been a passion to serve the community that I am a part of”


Europe and so on. I can look back with pride at the journey so far. Whatever we did, we never did with the objective of making money. Our philosophy is to look at the pulse of the patient and not the purse. We accept patients of all socio-economic classes, from the biggest business owners to blue collar workers; everyone is equally welcome at NMC. The other important part of our philosophy is to provide highest level of quality and care. We now have nearly a dozen centres of excellence focused on different service lines to provide our patients the best clinical care as well as customer experience.

Can you share details of employment generated through your investments?All over the world we employ more than 30,000 people across all our different businesses. I am proud to say that nearly 70 per cent of our employees in India and the Middle East hail from Kerala. When 46 Indian nurses from Kerala were stranded in Tikrit in Iraq due to the outbreak of

fighting there, we offered all of them jobs in our hospitals. More than 23 of them have since joined us. We have set up the B R Academy to enhance skill development in Kerala in partnership with the State and Central Governments. My professional journey has always been supported by an astounding team of people who have stood by me. They have worked hard to make NMC & UAE Exchange what they are today.

Nationalisation laws in the Middle EastKerala economy and social fabric will be ruined if there is mass forced exodus. Kerala has a long tradition of working with the people of the Middle East – even 500 years ago, we had trade with the old Arab kingdoms. It is important for us to realize that creation of jobs and roles for nationals in the GCC countries will only strengthen their local economy and provide more opportunities for people from Kerala and India. This should not be a concern at all for us – in fact, the rapid pace of

development in these countries driven by technology is creating thousands of new jobs every year. In the coming decade’s people from Kerala will have immense job opportunities both within Kerala and also in the Middle East.

What is your approach to driving entrepreneurship among youngsters?As a budding entrepreneur, always capitalise on any opportunity that comes your way and have utmost faith in yourself. Your business model should be sustainable and scalable. While the growth journey never ends, remember not to lose sight of your principles and never forget the importance of hard work and team work. And finally, the most important quality of a successful entrepreneur is perseverance – the quality of never giving up in the face of difficulties, challenges and ridicule.

What is your inspiration to say these words – “It is society which nurtures you. It is your duty to give back to society. Only when you share your success, does it multiply. I have strongly believed in this and it has worked for me.”This is a mantra that I deeply believe in. It was ingrained in me by my mother at a very young age. That is why I have always done everything in my


life with a motivation to serve the community. In school, I was an NCC cadet and was actively involved in a lot of community activities. At 25, I became the youngest Vice Chairman of the Udipi Municipal Council, and we improved sewerage, sanitation and roads in our district. In the UAE, I started a clinic and pharmacy to help the rapidly growing population at that time. When expatriates were finding it difficult to send money to their home countries, we started UAE Exchange. Neopharma was started to make the UAE self-sufficient in terms of local pharmaceutical manufacturing and to curb rising drug prices. In addition to employment, we provide our

employees accommodation, employment for their spouses in our companies, education for their children in our schools, and we even have cafeterias, laundries and salons that we run for their benefit.

How do you view succession planning?Family members are part of our businesses. My wife was one of the first employees of New Medical Centre in 1975, and was part of the founding team. But we also have many businesses without family members involved in any management capacity. Our businesses are governed by boards with independent directors who make decisions

INtErvIEwon behalf of shareholders in the best interests of the business. While the family members always aspire to add value to our businesses, the companies are large and robust with a strong team of management professionals to achieve success even without the family’s involvement. We follow the precepts of corporate governance in succession planning.

How does a day in your busy life look like?I am typically an early riser. I catch up on news from around the world in the morning and spend some time with my grandchildren. When I am in the UAE, my days tend to be very busy and I end up meeting hundreds of people each day, at the office and at events. I also travel a lot on business. When I am not travelling, I enjoy spending my weekends with my family at home. I derive satisfaction from being able to successfully solve a problem. So unless I have a problem to be solved every day I feel something is missing from my day.

What is the scale of humanitarian work that your Group does and what is the kind of spent annually?For me, providing help and opportunities to people is a privilege. I am glad I am in a position to do so. In terms of philanthropy, we have


supported people affected by many major natural disasters and calamities around the world.

Earlier last year, we sent Rs. 5 crore worth of medicines, medical equipment and rehabilitation materials to Nepal to help earthquake survivors.

I believe in the concept of Zakat. We provide free healthcare screening to thousands of people across all our hospitals for diabetes, heart ailments, breast cancer and cholesterol. We undertake community education on health and financial issues (especially among the economically weaker sections of society). We support the Special Care Centre for Children with Special Needs in Abu Dhabi and the Rashid Centre for Disabled in Dubai to enhance infrastructure; the Soorya Foundation in India, the Cancer Foundation run by Imran Khan in Pakistan and the Mudra Foundation, a non-profit performing arts organisation dedicated to supporting deserving causes. I consider the cause of ‘Education for all’ very close to my heart and contribute to this noble cause through scholarships, building funds for schools and colleges as well as promotion of various sporting activities.

Any future political aspirations?When I was in my twenties, I was elected as the Vice

Chairman of the Municipal Council of Udupi, a town in my home state of Karnataka. I learned a lot from my experiences there. But all this was in the 1960s, before I went to the UAE. I have no intention to enter politics again and am happy to serve the community both in the UAE and India in my capacity as a businessman and community member.

‘A Mentor, Motivator’“For me, B R sir is the mentor and motivator. I have been with him the past 33 years. Though I joined the firm back in 1982, I first saw B R sir in 1984 during a meeting of senior officials in Abu Dhabi. He then gifted each of us an Omega watch. (Antony still keeps the priceless gift in his office along with a few dozen gifts that followed). But, the first one-to-one meeting happened later in 1984 during a public function, which was organised by us. He came to me and appreciated my effort. These days, I meet him for an hour only once in a quarter. But, that one hour will give me enough energy to work for another quarter. He blindly believes me more than himself. And that trust puts me under so much pressure to perform better.”

George AntonyMD, UAE Exchange-India

Timeline1973 – With a Clinical Degree in Pharmacy, Mr BR Shetty arrives in Abu Dhabi in search of better career prospects

1975 – Establishes New Medical Centre (NMC). Now UAE’s largest private healthcare provider

1980 – Sets up UAE Exchange facilitating fund transfer for expatriates. Now present in 32 countries

1981 – Starts NMC Trading – distribution network for pharmaceutical, medical equipments, FMCG products

2003 – Sets up Neo Pharma aimed at making the UAE self-sufficient in terms of local pharmaceutical manufacturing

2007 – Receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for his contributions towards the welfare of the NRI community

2014 – In a deal valued at over a billion pounds, UAE Exchange acquires Travelex Holdings, the world’s leading independent retail foreign exchange business

(Courtesy –Destination Kerala)

For me, B R sir is the mentor and motivator. I have been with him the past 33 years”


Life is worth living but is our life style worth our existence.

If life is a gift from God lifestyle is our choice which decides the worth of our gift.

Are material benefits the only attraction to the selection of a life style?

It is always simply typical for humans to cry over ‘the spilt milk’

At your thirties you start regretting about your wasted energy and time in your twenties and thus it continues till death. But what had been your contribution to live the way you wanted it to be?

Being parents and elders let us start helping our children to think the positive way instead of forcing our lost dreams come true through them. Living a life time is one’s own right and freedom so let us become facilitators to the upcoming generation and not dictators. Help them choose their lifestyle to be their own masters and not regret over the failure at the fag end of their life. No more professions are hereditary but of choice depending on each individual’s taste acquired by birth.

One bedroom flat

the children who had been part of a different world were unhappy and he also did not have sufficient funds to purchase a decent home (a two bed room flat). He had returned to USA with a perception of making more money for which he had to leave his wife back in India. His children on the other hand were very happy and his daughter had decided to marry an American, whereas his son was always happy living in the US. Years passed by and he came back to fulfil his dream. He had purchased a two bed room flat in a well developed locality but very soon he lost his wife also. He had crossed 60 years, today he is left alone in his ‘Two Bed Room Flat’ in India,his children and grandchildren in USA.

The engineer regrets in his 60’s about the beautiful little happiness he could have given to his parents and his family if his decision was different. His father, even after staying in India, had a house to his name and he too had the same but nothing more than a little extra space.

He lost his parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM. If his father being a government employee could be happy with the one bed room apartment, was it worth the years he spent abroad just for a two bed room flat?

Time and tide waits for none. Help you and your children to make the right decision. Life is to live its worth and not waste on the past.

Also remember-Start living the way YOU want-Never force your thoughts on others as the contentment of living varies from person to person.

VG NAIR’S fActS

A piece of writing by an Indian Engineer ‘One Bed Room Flat’ who spends his life time in USA to fulfil his self nurtured dream and also of his parents is ideal mentioning here which had later turned out to be a bitter experience to the engineer himself.

His father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat. The son wanted to do something better.

It was a dream come true to be employed in an MNC in USA as an Engineer. After the initial excitement he was homesick and bored. Thinking best, his parents found him a spouse and very soon his family was extended with two kids. He was busy with work and family responsibilities and every year even his trips to India got delayed. Children born and brought up in USA were not quite impressed about and happy to live in India. Finally his parents left the world without an opportunity to even meet and enjoy the presence of their grandchildren. He decided to settle back in India but


HEALTH corNEr

Eight hours in a chair in front of a computer, forgetting the posture and the eye strain

with five to six days of work a week can take a toll on your body. Tension neck syndrome to overweight and associated ailments is your future asset.

Tempting offers of sweets with love from co-workers, regular lunch and snacks from restaurants in place of a packed lunch from home are all platforms to an unhealthy life style. .

It is just a culture to blame the nature of job responsible for your ill health. It’s rightly said ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. Just next to impossible for an unhealthy individual to be an asset to any organization. Health is equally important for an individual’s contribution, be it his workplace, family or himself.

Few Tips to Stay Healthy

1. Stop holding others responsible

for your routine and what you are.2. Your health and life are solely your responsibility.3. ‘Aware’ of a box of candy on your co-workers desk, walk around the desk and warn you ‘Beware’.4. Say ‘No’ to the candy with a charming ‘Thank you’.5. Initiate a pattern of placing a basket of fruits instead of a box of candy.6. Start with a short exercise in the morning which will give full of energy for the day.7. Never skip your breakfast but make sure to eat a healthy one.8. Use a bicycle or walk a part of the distance to your work place.9. Use the stairs and avoid the Lift whenever possible.10. Get up from your seat after every 45 minutes and move a bit for a minute or two.11. Go out for a walk during lunch breaks and breathe in some fresh air.12. Carry your own lunch packed

from home and eat healthy.13. Go chat with people instead of sending emails14. Do not stay hungry for long hours,15. Limit the amount of coffee/tea. Ideally one a day if you can’t resist it.16. Drink plenty of fresh water.17. Those who are using the computer all day check your posture and keep changing positions.18. Obtain a desk where the height could be adjusted and this can help you to work in a standing position too.19. Be ready to wind up your day with a determination to hold it till the next day for which a genuine and sincere share of work should be ready for submission.20. Work is part of your life and a necessity but it’s never your life.

‘All work AND No plAy....make Jack a dull boy’


Fatehpur Sikri is one of the best preserved collections of Indian Mughal architecture in India. It is located in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. Previously the city’s name was Vijaypur Sikari, of the Sikarwar Rajput clan; the later city was founded in 1569 by the Emperor Akbar, and served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1585. The walled city was planned by Akbar and it took the next fifteen years in planning, and construction of a series of royal palaces, harem, courts, a mosque, private quarters and other utility buildings. He named the city Fatehabad. Fateh, a word of Arabic origin in Persian, meaning “victorious.” It was later called Fatehpur Sikri and it is at Fatehpur Sikri the legends of Akbar and his famed courtiers, the nine jewels or Navaratnas, were born.

According to contemporary historians,

Akbar took a great interest in the building of Fatehpur Sikri and probably also dictated its architectural style. In its entirety, the monuments at Fatehpur Sikri reflect the genius of Akbar in assimilating diverse regional architectural influences within a holistic style that was uniquely his own. All the buildings were built of red sandstone due to the easy availability of red granite in these areas.

The Imperial complex was abandoned in 1585, shortly after its completion, due to the exhaustion of the small, spring-fed lake that supplied the city with water, and its proximity with the Rajputana areas in the North-West, which were increasingly in turmoil. The palaces were occupied by the Marathas after their conquest of Delhi, then transferred to the British army, which used the fortified complex as a headquarters and barracks. Restoration began under Lord

FateHPur

sikri

INSIGHT


“According to contemporary historians, Akbar took a great interest in the building of Fatehpur Sikri and probably also dictated its architectural style”

Curzon. Because the palace area has been in nearly continuous use over the centuries, much of the imperial complex which spread over nearly two mile long and one mile wide area is largely intact. It is still surrounded by a five mile long wall built during its original construction on three sides. However apart from the imperial buildings complex and the magnificent mosque, which continues in use, little of the city survives. It is still surrounded by a five mile long wall built during its original construction on three sides. However apart from the imperial buildings complex and the magnificent mosque, which continues in use, little of the city survives. The village of Sikri still exists nearby.

Some of the important buildings in this city, both religious and secular are:

• Buland Darwaza: Set into the south wall of congregational mosque, the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri is 55 metres (180 ft) high, from the outside, gradually making a transition to a human scale in the inside. The central portico comprises three arched entrances, with the largest one, in the centre, is known locally as the Horseshoe Gate, after the custom of nailing horseshoes to its large wooden doors for luck. Outside the giant steps of the Buland Darwaza to left is the deep well.

• Jama Masjid: meaning the congregational mosque and was perhaps one of the first buildings to be constructed in the complex with a massive entrance to the courtyard, the Buland-Darwaza was added some five years later. It was built in the manner of Indian mosques, with iwans around a central courtyard. A distinguishing feature is the row of chhatri over the sanctuary. There are three mihrabs in each of the seven bays, while the large central mihrab is covered by a dome, it is decorated with white marble inlay, in geometric patterns.

• Tomb of Salim Chishti: A white marble encased tomb of the Sufi saint, Salim Chisti(1478–1572), within the Jama Masjid’s sahn, courtyard. The

single-storey structure is built around a central square chamber, within which is the grave of the saint, under an ornate wooden canopy encrusted with mother-of-pearl mosaic.. Other striking features of the tomb are white marble serpentine brackets, which support sloping eaves around the parapet.

On the left of the tomb, to the east, stands a red sandstone tomb of Islam Khan I, son of Shaikh Badruddin Chisti and grandson of Shaikh Salim Chishti, who became a general in the Mughal army during the reign of Jahangir. The tomb is topped by a dome and thirty-six small domed chattris and contains a number of graves, some unnamed, all male descendants of Shaikh Salim Chisti.

• Diwan-i-Aam : Diwan-i-Aam or Hall of Public Audience, is a building typology found in many cities where the ruler meets the general public. In this case, it is a pavilion-like multi-bayed rectangular structure fronting a large open space.

• Diwan-i-Khas: the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience is a plain square building with four chhatris on the roof. However it is famous for its central pillar, which has a square base and an octagonal shaft, both carved with bands of geometric and floral designs, further its thirty-six serpentine brackets support a circular platform for Akbar, which is connected to each corner of the building on the first floor, by four stone walkways. It is here that Akbar had representatives of different religions discuss their faiths and gave private audience.

• Ibadat Khana: (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, where the foundations of a new Syncretistic faith, Din-e-Ilahi were laid by Akbar.

• Anup Talao: Anup Talao was buld by Raja Anup Singh Sikarwar An ornamental pool with a central platform and four bridges leading up to it.

• Mariam-uz-Zamani’s Palace: The building of Akbar’s Rajput wives, including Mariam-uz-Zamani, shows

Gujarati influence and is built around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy.

• Naubat Khana: Also known as Naqqar Khana meaning a drum house, where musician used drums to announce the arrival of the Emperor.

• Pachisi Court: A square marked out as a large board game, the precursor to modern day Ludo game where people served as the playing pieces.

• Panch Mahal: A five-storied palatial structure, with the tiers gradually diminishing in size, till the final one, which is a single large-domed chhatri.

• Birbal’s House: The house of Akbar’s favourite minister, who was a Hindu. Notable features of the building are the horizontal sloping sunshades or chajjas and the brackets which support them.

Fatehpur Sikri is about 39 kilometres (24 mi) from Agra. The nearest Airport is Agra Airport (also known as Kheria Airport), 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Fatehpur Sikri. The nearest railway station is Fatehpur Sikri Railway Station, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the city centre. It is connected to Agra and neighbouring centres by road, where regular bus services operated by UPSRTC ply, in addition to tourist buses and taxis.

(Photos Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)


An employment is a dream for many and a reality to some. But does each one continue

his career journey with unchanged spirits?

The thrill of getting employed is very soon lost and people become dissatisfied in their jobs because of the inescapability of it, or due to the tireless routine. We may come across a few reasons for this unsatisfied condition. Some of the remedies are instigating breaks, fun and music, open-minded approach and flexible working hours with some quiet time to you.

A junior employee relatively face

numerous problems On the one hand you want to be involved in rewarding, enjoyable and fulfilling work, get recognition and promotion for your efforts, and be appreciated for the key role you play in the company.

On the other hand you want a balanced life with time for the things you really want to do with a full and interesting social life. Of course you want to have clarity about your career, job duties and you want to continue to be healthy, fit and stress free.

So what’s the best way forward to achieve happiness at work?

One solution to resolving these seemingly conflicting challenges is

OFFICE – a better place

FEATURE


to get clear about just how much you love the work you do. How motivated are you with your work? And how do you cope with the day to day routine office work?

No matter how good things are in other parts of your life such as family, social life and relationships, work is a major part of your life, and not to be neglected.

Since for now you have chosen to be in the job you are in, it is up to you for the time being to make the most of what you do. Of course in the long term, you can either change your job or even embark on a new career. But for now, you can get to love more of what you do right now.

Ask yourself – is it the job or is it you?

What could you do to make your current work more enjoyable?

STOP acting the sufferer. YOU are responsible for your life and it is up to you to make the most of it.

Here are some simple tips for getting to enjoy your current job.

1. Motivate yourself to face the day.

HR fAccIAContinued from page 15, HR Faccia

Answer to the previous HR Puzzle 35

Q: It’s pouring cats and dogs outside and there’s a man walking down the street. Neither does he have an umbrella nor does he have a hat to cover his head. Then why isn’t his hair getting wet?A: He is bald

Q: The Mississippi River is the dividing line between Tennessee and Arkansas. If an airplane crashed exactly in the middle of the Mississippi River there, where would the survivors be buried?A:Nowhere, you don’t bury survivors

Q: What is bigger, when new and grows smaller with use?A: Soap/candle/crayon/pencil

Q: I stand when I am sitting and jump when I am walking. Who am I?A: Kangaroo

Winner of the last edition HR Puzzle 35 is: MARY ANEETTA P A, AO - CUSTOMER CARE

Adopt a positive attitude to make the day more productive.

2. Look beyond yourself and your work and consider the bigger picture. Be ready to do some voluntary work.

3. Remember you are more than your work. Stop setting a work file but instead think of your individuality.

4. Set priorities with the help of a planner and make sure sufficient time is scheduled for important tasks.

5. Stop getting distracted and concentrate on the task at hand.

6. Be ready to make clarifications on unsure topics/areas before you proceed.

7. Assign wherever appropriate and never handle a piece of paper twice.

8. Take regular breaks for fresh air and refresh your mind. Eat a healthy lunch and if you must snack, make sure it is healthy too – an apple rather than a bag of chips. Look for ways of energizing yourself other than from adrenaline and caffeine.

9. However challenging the work is relaxation is a necessity. At the end

of the day you are much more than a job.

10. Contribute to create a pleasant working atmosphere. Do not gossip and let you not be the cause of spreading negativity. Minimize your time with unconstructive people and help to spread the spirit of positivism through laughter. Chill out with fun oriented approach which will make you more productive.

11. Review your day and feel satisfied with the day’s work assuring to improve the next day.

12. Switch off once you leave work. You have already spent a good part of your time so mentally say goodbye as soon as you are out of office. See your work as a game. Life is meant to be fun and if you are going to spend a third of it at work, you might as well enjoy the game


SOCIAL rESpoNSIbIlItyCSR activity at Manacadu branch inauguration

Manacadu branch was shifted to new premises and inaugurated on

15th February by Sri Soorya Krishnamurthy in the presence of Mr.George Antony MD UAE Exchange India, Sri Kavalam Sree Kumar and Sri Viji Thampy.CSR Activity was conducted as part of branch inauguration. Educational kits were distributed to students of Sree Chitra charity Home by Sri Soorya Krishnamurthy, Sri Kavalam Sree Kumar and Sri Viji Thampy.

Perambra – Customer meet and Medical camp

UAE Exchange India, Perambra branch conducted Customer Meet on 15th February 2016.

More than 100 customers participated in the program. Regional Head Mr. Sunil Babu inaugurated the program and introduced all the products & services to the customers. Mr Yousaf Karumpoyil Panchayath member, Dr Shabreen Al-Salama hospital Calicut and Swift customer Mr Bijoy were the Special Guests of the meeting. Mr Sunil Babu awarded the prizes to the winners of the lucky draw contest. As a part of the Customer Meet, Perambra branch conducted a Medical camp with the support of Al-Salama hospital Calicut. More than 200 persons were registered for this medical camp.

MD awards Scholarship to St Joseph GLP and UP School

UAE Exchange India MD Mr V George Antony attended

the Annual function of St Joseph GLP and UP School, Manachery. As a part of Corporate Social Responsibility Mr George Antony distributed educational scholarship to 21 most excellent students and honoured 3 best teachers as part of the Centenary Celebration.

Uniforms for Kudumbasree workers

In connection with Women’s day celebration UAE Exchange India, along

with Corporation of Kochi participated in the event of distributing uniforms for Kudumbasree cleaning workers.

Eye test camp by Wadakkanchery branch

On 12/03/2016 the Wadakkanchery branch conducted an Eye test camp

with the help of Vassan Eye Hospital Trichur. Two doctors along with three assistants conducted the check up. Our staff distributed HNI books and explained to the customers about our company products and services. All the staff actively participated in this event to make it a grand success.


PHOTO Shoot

Click by Click by Sundar S, Vedaranyam

Click by Ajil K T, Kalpetta

Click by Umesh P U, Audit S.Kerala

Click by B K Prasad, Rajajinagar, Bangalore

Click by Arvind Bhatt, Mumbai Vasai

Click by Shakeel Khan, Mumbai Bandra


ART workS

Ms Sumana Sushmita, creator of this art, is the wife of Mr Sujoy Ghosh, BH of Bagula branch. The medium used is oil paint on canvas. Her talents flourished from the age of 13 years.Other than painting Sumana is skilled in stitching woolen sweaters, cardigan with artwork, cooking and singing. Her future ambition is to be known as a famous artist and she also would like to conduct art exhibitions.

Mr Ajay Ghosh, husband of Ms Riya Mini Varma, AO Digital Marketing, started his interest in photography when he was about 20

years old and his initial picture was captured using Nokia mobile cam. He is a designer, and writes articles, poetry etc. He loves bike riding

and wish to ride bikes all over India, even to the Himalayas. Ajay is one of the founder members of DnA rods club Trivandrum.

His ambition is to start an organic farm in Kerala thereby supply organic products to the public.

The pursuit of truth... does not permit violence on one’s opponent’ - Mahatma GandhiRemembering those Black Days, which turned Brothers into Vampires.When…Peace got killed by Violence…Love got killed by Hatred…Unity got killed by Diversity….Trust got killed by Suspicion... &Brothers got killed by Brothers

‘The black butterfly,She may look ugly but,Give her some light ’n see,What a beauty she truly really is


Ingredients Serves: 4 • 1 Coconut • 4 – 5 Fenugreek seeds • 15-20 Red chillies ( As per the taste ) • 2 level tsp. Coriander seeds • 1 level tsp. Jeera • 1 level tsp. Sesame seeds • 6 seeds peppercorns • 15 – 20 Curry leaves • 2 tsp Ghee for frying • 1kg Chicken, cleaned and cut • 3 Big onion Sliced and roasted • 3 Garlic Crushed and roasted • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder • Salt to taste • Juice of 1 lemon or 1tsp tamarind pulp

THE COOK’S ArENA

Jayashree KunderHR & RO Coordinator, Mumbai Region

MAnGALORE- KORI GHAsI

chicken Curry

Directions• Roast Coriander seeds, Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds and red chillies till the aroma rises. Now keep it aside• Roast Onion sliced along with curry leaves and crushed garlic till golden brown and keep it aside,• Roast Pepper corns slightly.• Then grind all the above ingredients along with 1 cup of coconut into a smooth paste. Pour half a cup of water into a pan, put the cleaned chicken along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and boil the

contents. Once the chicken is soft add salt to taste along with 1 tsp tamarind pulp and pour the grinded paste to the chicken, add 2 cups of water and boil till the gravy is ready and thick. Serve the dish hot.


SPECIAL DAyS IN MArch

World Sleep Day (Friday of the second full week of March) is an annual event, intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep. It is organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) since 2008 and

This is an event celebrated annually on March 22. The day focuses attention on the importance of freshwater and advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The UN and its member nations dedicate this day for implementing UN suggestions and promoting solid activities within their countries regarding the world’s water resources. Moreover, a number of nongovernmental organizations promoting clean water and sustainable aquatic surroundings have made use of World Water Day as a time to focus attention on the critical issues of our era. Events such as theatrical and musical celebrations, educational events, and campaigns to raise money for access to clean and affordable water are held worldwide on World Water Day, or on convenient dates close to March 22. The occasion of World Water Day is also used to highlight required improvements for access to wash (water, sanitation, hygiene) facilities

in developing countries.World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. In the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development recommendation was made for observing World Water Day. The General Assembly of the United Nations responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then. Each year, UN-Water — the entity that coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation — sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. UN-Water coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation for a better world. Through UN-

Water, UN entities and international partners work together to place water and sanitation as top issues and 21 Century essential knowledge. World Water Day is one of UN-Water’s campaigns that aims to inform, engage and inspire action.Today, almost half of the world’s workers - 1.5 billion people - work in water related sectors and nearly all jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery. Yet the millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or protected by basic labour rights. The theme in 2016 — water and jobs — is focusing on how enough quantity and quality of water can change workers’ lives and livelihoods - and even transform societies and economies.

World Water Day - March 22nd

World Sleep Day - March 18

sleep) and circadian dysrhythmias (Disruption to the body’s biological clock caused by a sudden shift in daily rhythm). Through the World Sleep Day the WASM tries to raise awareness of sleep disorders and their better understanding and preventability, and to reduce the burden of sleep problems on society that constitute a global epidemic and threaten health and quality of life for as much as 45% of the world’s population.Events involving discussions, presentations of educational materials and exhibitions take place around the world and online.

is aimed to celebrate the benefits of good and healthy sleep and to draw society attention to the burden of sleep problems and their medicine, education and social aspects; to promote sleep disorders prevention and management. The slogan –Good sleep is a Reachable Dream - is purposefully broad in meaning to allow the celebration of a large diversity of activities surrounding the message that sleep problems can be made better, but recognition has to come first. The slogan allows both adult and pediatric themes, as well as topics of insomnia (habitual sleeplessness) and hypersomnia (excessive sleep periods), parasomnias (unusual behavior of nervous system during


THE FUN SIDE

MATRIMONIO BELLS

Sahil Rametra and Sarabjeet, Batala branch

Arun P Ram and Aswathy, Muvattupuzha branch

Sreenath TS and Priya, Edappal branch

M Palanivel and Soundarya Devi, Rajapalayam branch

Boss: From tomorrow onwards all of you are expected to lay 2 eggs by end of day. If the target is not achieved there will be escalations from client and I will not assume responsibility.

End of day: We have completed today’s task

Why have you laid just one egg today?

Sir, I have done at least that much for the fear

of appraisal. Otherwise actually I am a cock.

Real performance pressure!!

let our values emerge - uae exchange india

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