Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Mobile telephony bigwig Sunil Mittal8217;s motto has been to chase a big idea and not big money. At least this was what he advised the audience at a recent Indian Chamber of Commerce function in Kolkata, to honour him as the Outstanding Young Achiever. He had the audience spellbound when he told them his personal story of how he started with only Rs 20,000 in his pocket and supplying bicycle parts and rolling sheets and then moved on to importing portable generators from Kolkata. So from these humble beginnings exactly two decades later Mittal is the telecom tycoon of the country. Mittal modestly asserted that most of the world8217;s big IT companies all started with small capital investments. But Mittal is not complacent and insists he is constantly aiming to move ahead. Nor is he worried with competition, as he is confident that Bharti is here to stay and also feels that with the potential for growth in the industry there is room for at least another three to four players. Considering that 4.80 lakh mobile connections were taken last month of which 2.8 lakh were from Airtel, Mittal still has lots to be optimistic about.
Miles to go into deep woods
Waterworld
Why is Bisleri8217;s big boss, Ramesh Chauhan, looking even more dejected with the survey results? Chauhan is claiming that ORG-MARG8217;s figures are inaccurate and one-sided. ORG-Marg has refused to comment, while Coca-Cola of course claims that the figures are accurate. According to Chauhan though, Bisleri outsells Kinley by a one to four margin. It8217;s not difficult to understand why Chauhan is refusing to eat humble pie and accept his defeat. Ramesh Chauhan, if one recalls, was the sole ruler of the cola empire in India till Coca-Cola made an entrance. Seeing the opportunity of a lifetime, Chauhan sold out his Parle brand of aerated drinks to Coca-Cola for a reported amount of 40million, in the hopes of building up his Bisleri business. And one must admit that Chauhan did a very good job of establishing Bisleri in India. Thanks to his marketing of the brand, Bisleri has become synonymous with mineral water in India. And that is what makes Chauhan8217;s so-called defeat in the ratings game even worse. Little did Chauhan know, when he sold out Thums up, that Coca-Cola had Kinley up its sleeve. Even less did he expect that one day the very company he had helped to win the Indian markets would turn around and claim they have beaten him at his new game. Instead of claiming foul play, maybe this time Chauhan will roll out plans for establishing Bisleri8217;s undisputed eminence in the Indian market.
Dilip Cherian, runs a public affairs firm Perfect Relations. He is an economy watcher and tycoon tracker. None of the people he writes about are his clients. Your insider tales are welcome at dilipcheriannow-india.net.in
