ET Newsmakers 2021, East,is an initiative for organisations, brands, and individuals engaged in business activities and have been able to create value.
ET Newsmakers 2021, East,is an initiative for organisations, brands, and individuals engaged in business activities and have been able to create value not only for themselves but also for its investors, shareholders, stakeholders, employees, etc. Their achievements have been reported as examples to encourage and motivate others to replicate the same for the greater interest of society.
The Bhawanipur Education Society College (BESC), Kolkata
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Under the guidance of Miraj D Shah, The Bhawanipur Education Society College (BESC) has not only moved into the digital realm but have also ensured the psychosomatic well-being of the students by offering them comprehensive academic support. Full fee waivers have been announced for students who have lost their bread earning parents due to COVID, apart from making other humane provisions that ensure student’s maximum opportunity to enjoy college-life from within the sanitised boundaries imposed by social distancing norms, without compromising in any way along with the access to top-line pedagogy. Innumerable seminars and conferences have also been arranged digitally which have been addressed by domain leaders to provide the students with a better grasp of the respective subjects, exposing them to real-life situations as far as possible. All students, faculty and staff members have been provided subsidised vaccination by the college. BESC, as a responsible institution, has also opened its facilities to the community by organising multiple vaccination camps in association with the Kolkata Police, the SSKM Hospital and the Municipal Corporation of Kolkata, where various charitable institutions also participated.
Patni Financial Services Pvt Ltd, Kolkata
Mr Akhilesh Jain
Patni Financial Services Pvt.Ltd, founded by Mr Akhilesh Jain and Sarvesh Jain in 1996, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The company aimed to tap into the opportunities lying in the Inter-corporate deposit (ICD) market. When Patni Financial services forayed into the market in the late 90s, ICD was nascent in Kolkata. A limited number of corporations were ready to provide unsecured loans. With his right intentions and approach, Mr Akhilesh Jain and his team brought the financial broker fraternity from the different markets under one roof and apprised the lenders about the business and creditworthiness of the borrower.
Mr Sarvesh Jain
By doing this, they have been able to bring overall growth in the market and become one of the largest brokerage houses in Eastern India. Their intention has always been to keep their investor’s money safe. To achieve this, they take extraordinary measures to ensure that all risk management strategies and credit check systems are agile and stringent. This is the first ISO 9001 certified company in the brokerage industry and the first company to take a CIBIL membership. Their vision is to keep the default ratio in their business book at the lowest, and thus, they are catering to the major corporate houses in Eastern India.
One of the most trusted jewellers in the country, the Khimji Group boasts of a legacy that dates back to 1936, when its founder Dayabhai Khimji came to Odisha and set up his first workshop at Baripada in the erstwhile royal town of Mayurbhanj. No doubt, he earned royal patronage and built a formidable trust among the locals. Over the years, the business has passed down to later generations and expanded beyond the northern town of Odisha. Mitesh Khimji, a third-generation jeweller, has been taking the family legacy forward by incorporating innovation and modernity to the traditional and family-controlled business since taking charge in 1998.
From setting up shop in Bhubaneswar, upgrading it to a showroom with modern infrastructure and facilities, expanding to other cities, modernising the system in terms of automation and hybridising the process with professionals, he has taken all steps necessary to grow the brand into a pan-Odisha one and taking it beyond the state. To tap the latest trends in jewellery, he set up an establishment in Mumbai so that his customers in Odisha don't miss out on the latest trends. Not only jewellery, but Mitesh is also into the automobile business with showrooms in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Ahmedabad. He owns several showrooms of two high-end motorbike brands in Odisha and Gujarat.
Dr Sreejoy Patnaik, Chief Surgeon & CMD, Shanti Memorial Hospital, Cuttack
Dr Sreejoy Patnaik
Dr Sreejoy Patnaik isn’t someone with rags to riches story, rather a fanatical who had it easy yet chose to walk on the road less travelled. With a passion for fulfilling his mother’s wish, he worked with all his might to become a doctor and serve society. To fulfil his passion project, he got help and unhindered support from his wife, Dr Rekha Das. His initial move in this herculean journey was renting a small building with asbestos sheds to start a 10-bedded hospital set up by the name of Shanti Memorial Hospital. Today,it has emerged as a multispecialty hospital that has been at the forefront of providing superior healthcare services for almost three decades. Even in the recent pandemic times, Shanti Memorial Hospital has played a critical role in the management of COVID 19in the state, under the able leadership of Dr Patnaik.
Winner of several awards & accolades, he is also actively involved with many medical seminars and conferences. Additionally, Dr Patnaik has been imparting training to surgeons all across the country. After years of struggle, today, the fruits of his labour are evident from the smiling faces of discharged patients, with nothing but blessings to offer.
Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar, Poet, Filmmaker and Philosopher, Kolkata.
Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar
He is one of the Iconic Indian film maestros who has conquered the world with path-breaking cinema. Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar, aka SRS, is popularly known as a thinker, poet, self-taught painter and cult filmmaker. He is a creator in the footsteps of masters like Satyajit Ray, Hrishikesh Mukherjee. His movies are a melting pot of Indian, European, American actors sharing equal screen space with a mélange of dialogues in Hindi, English, German, Italian in one cinema. He has shot three feature films with an iPhone and has broken the record of Academy awarded Steven Soderberg.
SRS and his works are so widely recognised in Europe. In the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, he was feted in the American pavilion for his smartphone cinema by Prof Karl Bardosh of the New York Film Academy. One of the oldest festivals of Italy, Europe, Premio Internazionale Apoxiomeno, is hosting a special showcase of his last two feature movies 'Glorious Dead' and 'Death of Spring ' in a special category in Italy this year, where he has been invited as the Guest of Honor along with a host of international celebrities. He is called “Maestro SRS” in the European film world and is seen as a combination of iconic names Robert Rodriguez and Lars Von Trier. He might turn out to be India’s best bet for Oscars and Berlin, Venice and Cannes. SRS is also a renowned impressionist, poet and philosopher.
Born and based in Kolkata, Rupashree Chakraborty aims to make the nation hearty and lively. With the focus to change the mindset of “Not eating to lose weight” to “Guilt-Free conscious eating to get the optimal health”, she has transformed the lives of thousands of people globally and is now focusing on the nation’s relief causes. Her brand, Diet Forever, is now a family of 20,000 members aiming for a positive lifestyle.
Her clientele includes many eminent actors and singers from the television industry and clients from 15 countries worldwide. This young lady, who has been fighting tough in this pandemic still keeps a smiling face throughout.
Putting all the odds aside, she says, “At the end of the day, I feel relieved to see faces of agony and fear turning into bright smiling faces”. Besides her profession, she voluntarily served COVID patients by delivering self-cooked food. “It will take time to transform the nation, but I have 100% belief that I definitely can. I cannot thank enough my Diet Forever family members, who have always been like a pillar by my side and constantly motivates me through all my thick and thins”, she signs off.
Electrosteel Castings Limited (ECL), Kolkata
Ashutosh Agarwal
Electrosteel Castings Limited (ECL)is an industry pioneer in India. ECL has never faltered to retain an achiever’s edge over competitors in the water infrastructure sphere after setting up the first Ductile Iron Pipe (DI Pipe) manufacturing facility at Khardah, near Kolkata. Mr Ashutosh Agarwal, Executive Director, Group Finance for Electrosteel Group, is a Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and CS (Inter). He has over 33 years of vast knowledge and experience in accounts, Direct & Indirect Taxation, Fundraising for large scale projects and small projects by way of Long Term Loan, Working Capital Loan, Initial Public Offer, Follow on Public Offer, Right Issue, Qualified Institutional Placements, etc. and day to day treasury and liquidity management.
ECL was allotted a coking coal mine by the Government of India in Jharkhand. ECL had spent little over INR 1300 crore for developing the coking coal mine. Over the past few years, ECL has gone through a challenging phase, particularly after the deallocation of the coking coal mine. Mr Agarwal, through proficient liquidity management, ensured that the loan borrowed for the development of the coking coal mine is always paid on or before the due date. In Financial Year 2021, ECL has fully repaid the loan availed to develop said coking coal mine. Overall debt of ECL has come down by about 50% from 2014 to May 2021.
Under his mentorship, the merger of Srikalahasthi Pipes Limited (SPL) with ECL is underway and expected to be completed over the next few months. Pursuant to the merger, ECL would become the largest DI Pipe manufacturer in India. He has been awarded Best CFO Excellence in “Remarkable Leverage Management, National Awards for Excellence in CFO” 2020, among other numerous awards.
As they say, one may need an MBA for running a business, but it’s a Chartered Accountant who teaches them how to run it. CA Rajib Sekhar Sahoo has been in the profession for around three and half decades. It is among the top 50 CA firms with branches in major cities in India. He has also held several prestigious positions in various government, private and public firms.
“The profession has given me the opportunity to serve a wide range of clientele from government, private and public sectors, staying true to this challenging yet noble profession and helping in the growth of many firms gives me immense satisfaction,” said Sahoo.
Sahoo started his early schooling in Keonjhar and finished his education at Ravenshaw College later. His journey as a CA began in the late 1980s when he decided to set up his firm. “I had my share of initial struggles. Back then, I used to work for more than 15-16 hours a day. Besides, I was a visiting faculty to various management institutes, including the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar,” Sahoo added. He feels women entrepreneurs have immense talent and potential to be successful in their respective business ventures. “Lot of development and innovations are happening in the country where women are contributing handsomely. These start-ups need to be properly navigated to achieve new heights,” he said.
Morning Bells Academy, Kolkata
Morning Bells Academy (High School), the esteemed institution in Shyamnagar, steps to the fore in acknowledging and applauding the spirit and valour of the police personnel who are among the frontline workers dealing with the pandemic. The school took special care in organising this programme in the midst of the pandemic situation by observing the protocols and restricting the gathering as directed by the Barrackpore Commissionerate. In the august presence of the Commissioner of Police, Shri Manoj Kumar Verma, a squad of police officials attended the programme and were felicitated by handing over helmets, masks and sanitisers under the supervision of the management of the school. The programme, organised on July 16, 2021, started with the arrival of the Commissioner Shri Manoj Kumar Verma, who was greeted with showering rose petals and chanting of Gayatri Mantra. While delivering the speech, Shri Verma briefed his journey in the police department. A spectacular PowerPoint Presentation focussing on the role and deeds of Shri Manoj Kr Verma was displayed.
The Assembly Hall of the school displayed the ambience of integrity. In his speech to the media, Shri Manoj Kr Verma praised the initiative taken by the school authority in ensuring the safety of the police officials. In his speech to the press, the Chairman of the school Shri Joydeep Sah praised the exemplary services being done by the police department for the safety of the nation. He also emphasised that the event should propagate a message to society and the students accountable to society. The programme also aimed to observe the birth anniversary of the founder of the school, Shri B.N. Sah who lived his life as a dedicated academician.
Shaleni S Biswas, the Managing Director of Easy Note Stationery Private Limited, has set a benchmark for women who aspire to be game-changers in business. Incorporated on November 19, 2009, the brand has witnessed a remarkable journey of success under the leadership of Shaleni. The company has expanded its business phenomenally by providing customised stationery to 350 schools across various districts of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and other states in the Northeast.
Shaleni believes that there's no shortcut to success. In this time of exigency, she has come forward, adapted and opened a unique packaging section providing personalised food-grade packaging to top tier food and beverage industry, hospitality, hotels, institutions, aviation industry and corporates. “My strength lies in the fact that I never give up, and my mantra is never to lose the courage to continue,” says Shaleni. She is truly ‘The Boss lady’ in her quest for excellence.
Poly Patnaik, Principal, Mother’s Public School, Bhubaneswar
Poly Patnaik
What started as a day-care centre-cum-pre-school, Prakrit, back in 1991 as a young woman Poly Patnaik’s dream project, has since metamorphosed into Mother’s Public School, changing the landscape of school education in Odisha. Under principal Poly’s able leadership, the school now boasts around 2000 students in 3 branches, 2 in Bhubaneswar and 1 in Puri. The USP of the school is its dedicated staff, the adaptability to new changes, both academic and non-academic and above all, the approachable nature of Principal Poly, who has a ready solution for everything. The school tries to provide a holistic education in the true sense by preparing students for various competitive exams, encouraging them to participate in various curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Students from this school have shone brightly in the competitions held at the Inter-School, State, National and even International levels.
The brilliant performance by their students, both in 10th & 12th in the 2021 CBSE Boards, have yet again proved their academic prowess. The determined vision of Principal Poly has helped her achieve such a stature that she is an icon in the field of education and a true inspiration for many.
Cradle Fertility Centre, Kolkata
Dr S. M. Rahman
Motherhood is the greatest bliss for a woman. Cradle Fertility Centre started its journey in 2014. Cradle Fertility Centre has been spreading happiness and helping the childless couple since its inception. There is a team of expert clinicians and embryologists, which include Dr S M Rahman ( Director and Founder), Dr Disharee Das, Dr Honey Qureshi, Dr Nishat Hashmi, Dr Siparna Mukherjee and Dr Parag Nandi ( Lab Director and Chief Embryologist), who always believe in quality care. Cradle Fertility Centre provides all fertility services like Folliculometry, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection ( IMSI), Surrogacy, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) and reproductive surgeries. Cradle is equipped with high-end USG machines (voluson swift and voluson S 10 fetal expert), one of the best benchtop incubators with a K system and automated laser technology. Cradle has its own pathology lab. Cradle always believes in providing quality care and is dedicated to doing so for the past 7 years.
Sanjay Bansal, Chairman, Jaiprakash Hospital & Research Centre Pvt Ltd, Rourkela
Sanjay Bansal
Jaiprakash Hospital & Research Centre at Rourkela, the dream project of its chairman Mr Sanjay Bansal,is a forerunner among low-cost multi-speciality tertiary care hospitals in the eastern region, providing quality healthcare at affordable prices to one and all. This hospital has become a preferred choice for the corporate and industrial sectors of Western Odisha and neighbouring states within a short span of just 2 years. In fact, the first Open Heart and Bypass Surgery in the entire Western Odisha was done at JP Hospitals. During the recent Covid 19 onslaught, this was the only hospital in the region to run a 200 bedded ICU unit with an ample supply of ventilators. However, setting up a hospital of this stature in Rourkela was a mammoth task that took a lot of sweat and toil.
In the coming years, Mr Bansal aims at working aggressively towards his vision of providing quality healthcare at affordable prices and partnering with government initiatives in the health sector. He is also hopeful about venturing into medical tourism and attending to patients from neighbouring countries. A man with a mission, there is no stopping this medical entrepreneur in his goal of putting Rourkela on the global healthcare map.
In the era of satellite and OTT channels and increasing cutthroat competition among general entertainment channels, Sidharth TV and its sister concerns may be new entrants, but they have a strong foundation in the audio-visual entertainment market in Odisha. Though these three channels Siddharth TV, Sidharth Gold and Sidharth Bhakti were launched this year, the promoter of these purely Odia entertainment platforms, Sitaram Agrawal, has been a household name in the state for the last three decades. His wife, Namita Agrawal, is known to every Odia in the state or outside for her unique singing style, melodious voice, and repertoire of Odia bhajans.
They have brought in some innovative shows like Mu Bi Namita Agrawal Hebi, which aims at popularising the bhajans among youngsters, bringing back the old habits of listening to Odia bhajans & many more. The show portrays the journey of Namita from being no one to becoming an icon and ideal for many. While Sidharth TV is all about general entertainment, Sidharth Bhakti is a devotional channel and Sidharth Gold brings old Odia and new blockbuster movies, Odia music and popular Odia Jatra. With innovative and creative content and a strong foundation in the entertainment segment in Odisha, the promoters are hopeful that they would very soon outgrow others and rule the roost.
Sabarna Roy, Kolkata
Sabarna Roy
Multidimensional author Sabarna Roy is a trained Civil Engineer who is presently working as Senior Vice President and is in the 26th year of employment with Electrosteel Group. Among the general audience, outside the technical parlance, it is not very well-known that he is a very passionate engineer and has a technical book, titled- Articles on Ductile Iron Pipelines and Framework Agreement Contracting Methodology, published by Scholars’ Press in the European Union with two of his Co-authors, which has been translated into 8 major European languages. His second technical book, Technological Trends in Water Sector for a Sustainable Solution, was published in July 2021. This book describes the emerging technology in the field of water, wastewater, and irrigation. It comprises Smart Leak Detection Technology, seawater desalination, key developments in the Indian irrigation sector. It also includes topics on product development such as Polyurethane Coating and Lining on Ductile Iron Pipes and the use of ductile iron pipes in trenchless applications. The book also highlights environmental concerns and provides solutions to them, like Rainwater Harvesting.
Sabarna Roy is also an author of critically acclaimed bestselling literary fiction of seven published books. They are Pentacles, Frosted Glass, Abyss, Winter Poems, Random Subterranean Mosaic: 2012 – 2018, Etchings of the First Quarter of 2020, and Fractured Mosaic. He is one of the winners of the Champions of Change 2020 Award given out by Interactive Forum on Indian Economy supported by the Government of India.
Ruchipurna Jena receiving the ‘Forbes 45 under 45’ award from ace Tennis Maestro Mahesh Bhupathi
In the words of one of the legendary architects, Philip Johnson, ‘The job of the architect today is to create beautiful buildings with safe and socially responsible ambience. That’s all’. And who better than the young genius Ruchipurna Jena knows about this stated fact. Ar. Jena is the founder of Prakriti Architects, an architectural firm having its presence in India and the subcontinent. He has already got featured in Forbes India and bagged the ‘Forbes 45 under 45’ award for Indian Business Legends along with many achievers and legends of his age from various sectors. He started working for the Govt of Odisha in the year 2002. In the last 19 years, he has completed many successful projects for various departments, from health to food and civil supplies, from home to construction department, from education to industries department.
Some of the visible projects by them are Head office of Special Intelligence Wing at Bhubaneswar, 26 Nos of sub jails, police training college at Solara, upgradation of PHC to CHC, upgradation of Shree Jagannath Sanskrit Vidyalaya, Puri, Corporate offices for Indian Oil Corp (refinery division), and upcoming projects like redevelopment of Kalinga studio, Shree Jagannath Enclave, Puri (a statehouse project), development of Mahendragiri hills under Ramayan Circuit as a spiritual cum leisure destination, Memorial of Veer Surendra Sai, and development of 30 tourism destinations in Odisha.
Some of their other projects include the Head office of Bihar State Building Construction Corporation, 101 Nos of Food safe godown ranging from 10000 Mt to 500 Mt, Upgradation of PHC to CHC, 07 district industries centres. 14 nos. of 720 capacity residential schools, and upcoming projects like Anjuman Islamia Hall on Ashok Rajpath, Patna in Bihar. Mr Jena says, “Architecture is all about lifestyle and management of resources.”
Mr Sidharth Sekhar Mohapatra started Odisha Udyog Infraprojects from the ground up and did almost all the work independently. From a novice to a thorough professional, it took around 3 years in making.He launched 9 Grand Avenue (Multi storied apartment complex in 2018, which is now on the verge of completion. This project was an instant success because of its unique value proposition. His next was a JV project, 9 Arcadia (Multi storied Apartment complex), which too was an instant hit. Having back-to-back success in a matter of a few years gave Mr Sidharth the necessary impetus to follow his vision even more aggressively. His flair for landmark buildings at sought after locations marked the dawn of 9 Boulevard in 2021. This project in Patia, a mixed-use multi-storied complex with iconic British era architecture, has garnered much appreciation even before its official launch.
Foraying into the hospitality and warehouses segment and diversifying into steel manufacturing is also part of their future plans. For this 35-year old entrepreneur, the journey has just started. The story of a large conglomerate is in the making, and the dream to create a sustainable impact on society is becoming a reality faster than expected.
D Murali Krishna, Founder & Chairman, Vikash Group of Institutions, Bargarh
D Murali Krishna
When it comes to quality school education in the state, the Vikash Group of Institutions has made a name for itself in the last two decades. And behind its success is D Murali Krishna, the founder-chairman of the group, who aims to serve the people of Odisha by providing them quality education and health care services. The group runs a 150-bed multi-speciality hospital in Bargarh since 2016 that offers a plethora of quality health services.
Krishna believes that they have developed a culture that has stemmed from social needs. He adds, “Despite being affected by the pandemic, I have tried to stand by each member of my team by introducing micro-mechanisms to mitigate the challenges. One such micro-management was to mobilise human resources from the education to the health sector, as the hospital segment needed more manpower during that time.”
The group developed two portals — Vidya and V-learning for online academic programmes for more than 15,000 students from KG to PG level. Krishna took up the challenge to set up a 100-bed COVID hospital in April 2020 within 15 days and managed it with a low mortality rate. Seeing their commitment to serve, his group was given the responsibility to manage COVID hospitals at Sambalpur and Deogarh by the state government. The optimistic and ever-ambitious social entrepreneur never stops and aims for bigger things like opening a university and a medical college in the future.
Maurya Motors, Patna
Mr Mohan Himatsingka, Group Chairman, Maurya Motors, Patna
A philanthropic entrepreneur Mr Mohan Himatsingka, Group Chairman of Maurya Motors group of companies Patna, is a dynamic entrepreneur turning the business into an incredible success through his dynamism, extraordinary vision and great business sense. He is a well-known figure in the field of automobile business in Bihar and Jharkhand. After completing his studies at BITS Pilani, he ventured into his family business of automobile dealership. In 1991 the company took authorised dealership of a commercial vehicle of Tata Motors Ltd. It has its registered office at C-1, Industrial Area, Patna.
Endowed with a philanthropic heart, Mr Himatsingka actively took part in charity during the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the migrant workers.He even introduced interest-free loans and subsidies. He has also installed water dispensing units in public places. Mr Mohan says, “As a dealer, my client’s satisfaction gives me immense pleasure. Gearing up according to the new logistics in the industry is important as the conventional methods would not be sustainable enough.” The Maurya Motors group successfully operates with 12 branches across Bihar, producing an annual revenue of over Rs 600 crore approximately. He believes that the automobile dealership industry is a thriving business, ensuring good profitability.
He is a well-known name in the Advertising, Public Relations, Event Management, Brand Building and Creative Marketing sector in Bhubaneswar. An Environmental Engineering graduate from Goa University, Sanjib Mohanty, founded Xpose Advertising in 2001. And despite initial hardships, he soon tasted success through hard work and passion. “I bagged work for two international motor vehicle brands and several mobile phone brands in the last decade. These helped me push forward. Now, I’m associated with several top brands, ” Sanjib said. Along with offering 360-degree advertising solutions from Bhubaneswar, he has expanded to Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Despite feeling the impact of the pandemic, he has stood by the 35 employees in his firm. Sanjib has also adapted to digital and social media over the past decade and follows market trends keenly. “More and more brands are targeting rural markets now, preferring to communicate in regional languages. Bhubaneswar has a huge potential to grow in this regard,” he said.
Ruban Memorial Hospital, Patna
Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh, Director Ruban Memorial Hospital, Patna
Winning accolades for its patient-friendly services and homely atmosphere, Ruban Memorial Hospital Patna is well-known in the healthcare sector in Bihar and eastern India. With Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh as its pioneer, the foundation's first project Ratan Stone Clinic was inaugurated in November 1996.
The visionary doctor, Dr Satyajit, completed his studies at Patna Medical College and Hospital in 1978. He has served as a registrar, consultant and lecturer in countries like the UK, Ireland and Saudi Arabia. Having state-of-art infrastructure, this 450 bedded multi-speciality hospital is now located near Patliputra Golumbar. A special hospital exclusively for women and children has also been started. With the upcoming building slated for the inauguration, the hospital is all set to provide oncology services.
Sharing his vision, Dr Satyajit says, "Since its inception, Ruban has tried to do value addition to the healthcare system by bringing in newer technologies with greater efficacy. Ruban Group is building two more healthcare centres at Rajgir and village Amhara near IIT Patna. Dr Satyajit believes that to combat the ongoing pandemic, many people need to be vaccinated. Till then, all safety protocols to break the chain of infection must be followed.
Adya Chakraborty, Kolkata
Adya Chakraborty
Adya is a strategist empowering businesses through Design Thinking. She is a Business and Executive Coach, and applying the Design Thinking approach makes her unique in Business Coaching.Adya said, “A business coach will assist and guide the business owner in running a business by helping them clarify the vision of their business and how it fits in with their personal goals. Business coaching is a process used to take a business from now to where the business owner wants it to be. Design Thinking revolves around a deep interest in developing an understanding of the people we’re designing the products or services. It helps us observe and develop empathy with the target user. Design Thinking helps us in the process of questioning: questioning the problem, questioning the assumptions, and questioning the implications. Design Thinking is extremely useful in tackling ill-defined or unknown issues by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing. Design Thinking also involves ongoing experimentation like sketching, prototyping, testing, and trying out concepts and ideas.”
She has a diploma in Psychological Counselling.The advantage of being a psychological counsellor as a Business and Executive Coach is it helps in understanding the core issue very soon and helps the client not only professionally but also mentally. She believes that with a mental balance, people can do anything and can grow anywhere in life. In addition to her professional experience, she is also a Certified Management Consultant (IIMC), Certified Mindfulness Coach and has also done Certification in Design Thinking.
Abhilash Sahoo, Co-founder, Mo Bhai, Bhubaneswar
(From L to R) Abhilash Sahoo, Jyotiranjan Sahoo, Avinash Sahoo
Necessity is the mother of invention. Ask Abhilash Sahoo, co-owner of the home-grown e-commerce platform, MoBhai, and he’d tell how the pandemic forced him to start the venture Mo Bhai in April 2020. They have been delivering vegetables, non-veg items, fruits, and groceries on people’s doorsteps amid the pandemic. It has since expanded to franchises in Cuttack and Balasore. “Our focus was to tap the unorganised raw non-veg items delivery sector. We delivered mutton and chicken at market rates, and people appreciated the quality stuff at affordable prices with Odianess intact, ” said Abhilash, who is a Software Developer, Digital Marketer and owns a software firm in the city.
The idea for the website took wings when the grocery business of his co-partner was severely affected in the first lockdown. Then they decided to start this venture. They immediately recruited some people who had lost their jobs, and now, they have around 36 employees. Their current client base includes many elderly people staying alone, along with those who have tasted their authentic Odia non-veg items. They aim to expand across the state and to Bangalore and other metro cities where Odia people stay in large numbers. Besides, they want to procure raw materials directly from farmers and add locally produced items like baddi, achar, papad, etc., to their basket and Odia handloom and handicraft products.
Suspense thy name is August
A baffling mystery unfolds over a series of phone calls. A demonic apparition haunts a locality with a four-line riddle holding the key to this strange development. A retired cop tries to fathom a devious tactic that triggered an explosion to claim a life. Taranath Tantrik then arrives with his ever-exciting accounts, and don’t forget, a vampire is all set to create mayhem. This August Sunday Suspense will unlock a treasure-trove of stories that’ll inspire joy and thrill in equal measure. This shall also be the month of several “firsts” on Sunday Suspense with Syed Mustafa Siraj’s celebrated detective character, Colonel making his debut on this iconic show and Md. Toimur’s Kantajeu-er Pishach marking the start of collaborations with authors from Bangladesh. Rakesh CK, VP and Business Director, WB, UP-Bihar and North-east feel very excited about this line-up and says, “For the lovers of Sunday Suspense, August will be a great month. We have handpicked some fantastic stories, and I am sure that they will embellish the rich heritage of Sunday Suspense even further.”
Research Methodology This research aimed to arrive at the ET Newsmakers Award 2021 in their respective categories in the eastern part of India. The survey had three major modules to arrive at the analysis and final ranking, i.e. Desk Research and Factual survey (Participatory Survey).
In Module 1, a comprehensive list of Newsmakers – Products and services were generated through the web, magazines and other publications. In Module 2, more than 250 eminent personalities were sent the factual data questionnaire and then rigorously followed up telephonically. The study was conducted in the eastern part of India for 4 weeks, starting from the 4th week of June 2021 to the 3rd week of July 2021. The final score was weighted to an average of Factual Score and Perceptual Score. Based on the final score, rankings were drawn in respective categories.
Caveat:
Best efforts were made to reach out to maximum Newsmakers in the respective categories in the eastern part of India.
Only those names were considered who have submitted their participatory factual sheets.
Note: The study has been carried out by an Independent Market Research Agency named Avance Field & Brand Solutions LLP using the stated methodology for arriving at given rankings. Avance India (Avance Field & Brand solutions LLP) is a full-service marketing research agency providing Research and Support Services to companies ranging from boutique research agencies to large consulting firms. Avance India is passionate about its work and is known for its expertise, innovations, maintaining professionalism and zero quality tolerance. For more information about the company please visit the website.
