Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 49 “Education & Spirituality”

My dear friends,                 

Once I was captivating introduction of the new batch of MBA at NPTI. The dialouge went as follows:

A Student:          Sir, I am Shrivastava, BE(Elect)

Me:                       I am not interested in your surname and your degree

-These are on our records

Student:             Sir, I am Mahesh Kumar (Imaginatively substituted name)

Me:                      That is your name given by your parents-drop it

Student:             I am a student of NPTI

Me:                      That’s your present occupation-I know it

Student:             Sir, I am a boy

Me:                      I am not interested in your gender

Student:              I am becoming conscious now, who am I?

Another Student: I am feeling intrigued, I am thinking now,

His next:               I am sensitized on my existence today,

Next to next:        My conscience says I am God’s creation,

Yet another:         I am motivated to think, I am divine.

Me:       When you drop all your labels, you come out as “the pure you” :

• Your consciousness (awareness)
• Your conscience (sense of right and wrong)
• Thinking & feeling part of you
• Your sensor/ sensitivity
• Your motivation/ inspiration
• Your divinity

-is your Spirit . Keep it awakened!

We need it all the time for the spiritual paradigms of our MBA education at NPTI, I indicated. I further clarified to them that subjects like “Power Reforms” , “Customer relationship & Entrepreneurship”, “Energy Environment Interface & Sustainable Development” etc. derive their essence from holistic spiritual paradigms of our survival. Besides technicalities, they involve ethics and ethos, human values, customer care, environmental sensitivity, resource renewability, society’s anxieties over clean energy, electricity for all and its availability 24×7 and so on.

Spirituality

Spirituality is a rather mysterious term for the scientific community who keeps experimenting with external and physical world only. There are several inner dimensions of human existence which can not be denied; for example Mind, Intellect (consciousness transforms intellect into wisdom), Innner voice/ Intuition (sixth sense) etc. An encounter with one’s own “inner dimension” is spirituality.

Spirituality is manifested by original qualities of “the spirit or the soul” such as love, compassion, wisdom, bliss, peace, purity, humility, power, forgiveness, sacrifice, contentment, self-responsibility, values, self-esteem, harmony and connectedness to others.

Spiritual literacy is a basic literacy for all that enables the understanding and use of the deeper meaning and connection in all aspects of life. Spirituality teaches us how our lives fit into the greater scheme of things.

Education & Spirituality

 Swami Vivekanand said : “Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain, undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated just five (5) ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library.

A semi-literate man “Anna Hazare” also talked of 5-ideas

1. Pure Thoughts
2. Pure Conduct
3. Unblemished Life
4. Sacrifice and
5. Capacity to withstand humiliation;

which he assimilated, practiced and demonstrated, becoming the most literate man of today, saluted by the Indian Parliament.

Education is not merely Academics

Somehow we have misunderstood academics to be education

– We teach our children to read and memorise history but we don’t teach them to create history

– We teach them geography, but not geographical cultures and respect for them

– We teach them science, but not the science of life

-We teach them external management, but not internal management of Mind

Education is to lead a person to knowledge (know-how & know-why) graduating further to wisdom (discovery of truth by himself) to see life in its totality and to face it in its completeness. It is to set a higher goal of life, inner transformation, vision of oneness and genuine care for others.

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

BE(Hons), M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI-Scholar, D.Engg. (Calif.), FNAE, Hon.D.WRE (USA)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI) Govt. of India

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 45 “Solar Rooftops in India”

My dear friends,

India has been a land of revolutions witnessing the life changing upheavals like the Green Revolution and the White Revolution. Now she is on the verge of next revolution i.e. “Solar Revolution”. The newly set target of 100 GW Solar Energy by 2022 will change the position of India on the map of solar powered nations across the world. With 38 GW, Germany has led the world in Solar PV with a global aggregate of 177 GW. Can India follow suit?

Out of the Indian target, 40 GW is earmarked for Solar Rooftops. Our country has around 337 million houses as per the census 2011. A 1-kW system per house could add up to 337 GW of installed capacity; commercial and industrial rooftop space being additional avenue for generation which signifies that the 40 GW target is a small fraction of the potential. The commencements of “Make in India”, “Start-up India”, “Stand-up India”, “Housing for all by 2022” and “Digital India” missions are other elements which can complement and accelerate the transition.

Today, India’s 1/3^rd population has no access to electricity and lives in darkness. This can only be answered by decentralised sources of energy like solar. Solar Rooftop PV (SRPV) is a decentralised technology, which is being encouraged due to its low land footprint and ability to reduce transmission and distribution (T&D) losses. Weak local distribution infrastructure, lack of economies of scale and poor social outlook has prevented SRPV systems from penetrating the Indian market. Currently India has only 300 MW of rooftop solar projects.

Consumer awareness

A survey was conducted by one of our PGPM (Energy) students to gauge the awareness of consumers towards solar technology and the apprehensions/partial knowledge related to it. It was an on-line survey and more than 50% respondents belonged to the age group of 25-30 yrs. Most of the respondents (98.3%) were aware of solar technology and the cost of the system which signifies that people now know about the solar rooftop PV technology.

Encouraging feedback was that about 84% of the respondents showed their willingness towards installing SRPV system in future. Most of the respondents are not fully aware of the incentives and subsidies provided by the Government. Almost 41% of the respondents knew about the area required for the installation of SRPV. However, only 6% of the total respondents have installed SRPV systems.

Almost 38% of the respondents were not aware of the new target of 100 GW of Solar deployments by 2022. About 59% of the respondents didn’t know about the Net-metering scheme. There were some ‘true-false’ questions which were asked to test the apprehensions in the minds of consumers. The results show that the respondents are still not aware of the basic features of the SRPV system and have certain false assumptions like solar PVs may cause electric shocks; it will not generate electricity during clouds, etc.

The results show that still a lot is to be done at the awareness front to give a boost to the SRPVs in India. An awareness and a promotional program is proposed to remove the apprehensions and for the better penetration of the technology with promotional ads like that of “Clean Water”, “Sanitation”, “Child Education” etc. The Government can also mandate each energy generator whether conventional or non-conventional to put an information board emphasizing the benefits of Solar Rooftop PV.

Possible Elements of Awareness Campaign

1. With about 300 clear sunny days, the solar energy available in a year (5000 trillion kWh) exceeds the possible energy output of all fossil fuel energy reserves in India.
2. India is ranked number one in terms of solar electricity production per watt installed.
3. The electricity generated by Solar PV becomes free in 6-7 years (payback period) and you enjoy free power thereafter.
4. Government provides 15% subsidy on the capital cost of installation of solar rooftop PV.
5. Solar PV works more efficiently in cold climates (see graphs below).
6. On a cloudy day, typical solar panels can produce 10-25% of their rated capacity. The exact amount will vary depending on the density of the clouds, and may also vary by the type of solar panel.
7. The Solar PV doesn’t give electric shocks if touched rather they are required to be cleaned daily to keep them dust-free to increase efficiency.
8. 1-kWp of solar panels typically require 8-12 m² of shade free area to generate 4 kWh per day.
9. Cost of Solar Rooftop PV varies between ₹80,000 to ₹100,000 per kW system.
10. The electricity generated from solar PV costs ₹6/kWh.
11. The solar energy generated can be supplied to the grid if in surplus.

Recently, a team of researchers from Stanford University have devised an ingenious means of boosting the efficiency of solar panels by exploiting a fundamental physics phenomenon. Solar panels lose efficiency as they heat up. Just as the top of our head radiates excess body heat as infrared light, the researchers have developed a translucent overlay comprised of patterned silica that does the same for solar panels. The overlay separates the visible spectrum of light (which generates electricity) from its thermal radiation, effectively “cooling” the incoming light, radiating the heat away from the panel while allowing more photons to be converted into electricity. Thermal overlay cools the panel’s surface by as much as 22^o F and boosts energy production by 1 % (a sizable efficiency jump in the world of solar energy production @ 11-15% panel efficiency).

The fact that the “Solar panels lose efficiency as they heat up” and “that they can suit more the colder and sunny climate” seems to have been ignored in the state-wise target allocation of SRPV out of 40 GW by MNRE in June’2015.

Climate Change and Solar Rooftops

The National Action Plan on Climate Change obligates use of Renewable sources of energy to reduce the carbon footprint. The recent move of the Government in continuation of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (2010) to install 100 GW of Solar by 2022 is a step forward to Climate change mitigation and connecting the unconnected through distributed source of energy. As the country moves towards the clean energy deployment, it also happens to be a good time for all stakeholders to spread their wings in the new market.

Solar energy revolution seems to be the next big thing after the achievement of Mars mission for India. It is high time for Government to prioritize its further movement towards the building of healthy and sustainable policy & regulatory regime to nourish the sector. A lot of improvement will also be required in the infrastructure to avail the net-metering and feed-in-tariff schemes.

Graph 1 & 2 : Temperature coefficient for crystalline cells

The Government can obligate the banks for financing an allotted target capacity of solar rooftop projects in a way similar to the RPOs for Industries/Utilities. Housing financing scheme should attach Home loan with a loan for Solar Rooftops. T
he “Make in India” program is an attraction to many foreign investors and soon the companies will base their units in the country; the Government can mandate Solar Generation Obligation (SGO) to utilize their rooftop space. An agreement and support from Discom’s would smoothen the trajectory of growth.

 

India’s Latest Initiatives at Global Level

It was our Prime Minister’s dream to associate 100+ Solar rich nations like consortium of Oil rich nations to harness solar energy faster by pooling their resources. This indeed happened in Paris during 2015-United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21, during 30th Nov-12th Dec’2015. [ It was the 21st yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 11th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.]

The Paris declaration aiming at containing the earth’s temperature rise to 2o C above pre-industrial level by limiting to 1000 billion tonnes of carbon, encompassed  “International Solar Alliance” of the countries to share the collective ambition to undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation, financial instruments to mobilise more than 1000 Billion US $ of investments needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy and to pave the way for future solar generation, storage and utilization for countries’ individual needs. Soon thereafter International Solar Alliance – the First International and Inter-Governmental Organisation of 121 Countries with United Nations as Strategic Partner was inaugurated by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and the President of France Mr François Hollande. They jointly laid the foundation stone of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Headquarters and inaugurated the interim Secretariat of the ISA in National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), MNRE, Gurgaon on 25-Jan-2016.

These are positive steps which may also boost Solar rooftops segment in future.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

BE(Hons), M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI-Scholar, D.Engg. (Calif.), FNAE, Hon.D.WRE (USA)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL), Ex. Director (REC) / Executive Director (IREDA)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

 

Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 44 – “Energy Storage for Intermittent Renewables”

My dear friends,

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been announcing to the entire world that India has scaled up its plans from Mega Watts to Giga Watts in the arena of Renewable Energy in view of its environmental sustainability. The quantum jump being mentioned is 5,000 MW to 100,000 MW (100 GW) in respect of Solar Energy and 25,000 MW to 60,000 MW (60 GW) in respect of Wind Energy by 2022.

Such an ambition is not realizable without complementary energy storage of intermittent renewables. Both the above stated renewable energies are available only for 6-8 hours/day, not matching with peak load requirements and are further subject to seasonal variations. One of the basics of Power System is that the electricity must be generated at the precise moment it is demanded. It is the ultimate “just in time” system, where long-term inventory of electricity is denied. (Electricity can only notionally be stored in Capacitors and Inductors for a short time.) It cannot be stored in significant quantities but its converted forms like chemical energy in batteries, gravitational hydro potential energy etc, are possible to be stored.

Recent Cabinet Approval on Amendments in Tariff Policy

Recently the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Power for amendments in the Tariff Policy. For the first time a holistic view of the power sector has been taken and comprehensive amendments have been made in the Tariff policy 2006. The amendments are also aimed at achieving the objectives of Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) with the focus on following 4 E’s:

1. Electricity for all
2. Efficiency to ensure affordable tariffs
3. Environment for a sustainable future
4. Ease of doing business to attract investments and ensure financial viability

Unfortunately the 5^th E i.e. Energy Storage for Intermittent Renewables has been missed out. Cost of energy storage should have been built in to the Peaking tariff. This was not expected in the present scenario when we have a common Union Minister for Power and MNRE.

Recent R&D Council Meeting of the National Wind Energy Institute under MNRE

I attended the latest (Twenty-third) meeting of R&D council of the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) held at Chennai on 30.12.2015 wherein their 10-Year Vision Plan was presented.

I pointed out that the renewables like wind and solar can become 24X7 power suppliers only when the appropriate Energy Storage systems are in place and hence a thrust be given for projects in developing Energy Storage systems, for renewables.

Pumped storage is one of the most promising options for energy storage in the form of hydro potential whose assessment in India is more than 96,000 MW of which not even 6,000 MW has been harnessed so far. Almost all (>99%) of power-grid-scale energy storage in the world today is pumped-hydroelectric.

However, Pumped storage is also undergoing a conceptual transformation. Rivers and dams are no more required. Sea water can be used as pumped storage media in novel approaches and “swinging door algorithm” pumped storage becomes a big battery analog for wind farm energy storage. Even an exhausted mine can be used as lower reservoir, if you can find a small water pond at a higher elevation nearby. There are many such novel systems that would revolutionize the energy storage spectrum and need immediate focus and practical green field pilots.

It was agreed in the Committee that a new group for “Energy Storage” would be created in NIWE, reflecting it as an essential ground-breaking component in the 10-Year R&D Vision Plan.

There is no future for Wind Energy Sector (and so also the SPV) without “Energy Storage”. Its importance is more than the “Solar-PV Hybrid” which can only expand the electricity supply period in a day to an extent, not necessarily matching with the Grid demand. It may however facilitate more land space for PV.

With “Energy Storage” component, the load demand can be met much better, right from cyclic stability to daily demand pattern to even seasonal demands. Without Energy Storage component Wind Energy & SPV can never be accepted as viable options for energy supply due to their intermittent nature. The cost of energy storage system has to reflect in the peaking tariff of energy supply. Higher absorption of renewable energy round the clock on the other hand may reduce its cost of supply.

There are four basic options in Energy Storage:

1. Mechanical→Pumped Storage (Seasonal balance), Compressed Air (Daily stability), Flywheel (cyclic stability)
2. Chemical→Batteries, Hydrogen (Electrolysers), Fuel cells
3. Electrical→Double Layer Capacitor, Superconducting Magnetic Coil
4. Thermal→Heat Storage (Molten Salt), for stability in heating systems or re-conversion in to electricity

The above options may suit different sets of wind farms & SPV stations and their connecting sub-stations to supply 24×7 and more specifically as per grid demand and the environment around.

I hope, all concerned wake up to the urgent need of Energy Storage in our country!

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

BE(Hons), M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI-Scholar, D.Engg. (Calif.), FNAE, Hon.D.WRE (USA)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL), Ex. Director (REC) / Executive Director (IREDA)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 43 – “Goal Setting”

My dear friends,

Having explored the purpose of your life, you will have to set your time bound goals. It is desirable to recheck once the purpose of your life. Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes” said Kenneth Hildebrand. Goal setting starts with dreaming, envisioning and fixing your mission. “Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundation under them” said Henry David Thorean. “He is in possession of his life, who is in possession of his story” said Carl Jung.

Purpose→Dreams→→SWOT→→ Vision & Values →→Mission & Objectives→→Goals/ Targets/ Milestones

“Dream, dream and dream. Dream transforms into thoughts. Thoughts result in actions. Small aim is a crime” said Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. “Think BIG, Think AHEAD and Think FAST” said Dhirubhai Ambani. Goal is a dream with Deadline & Direction.

Bi-focal Vision is necessary. You should see your life with a bifocal spectacle which facilitates you to have a clear long-range vision of the purpose and goal of life and to visualize with equal clarity the short-term action plans and milestones compatible to the roadmap of your life.

Do you write down 4 or 5 personal goals for the year on 1st January each year, or on your birth day? According to a Study at Harvard, only 3% of people have set goals and they achieve what 97% achieve put together. Discovering your Personal Mission Statement from ‘your fire within’ gives your life a defined purpose and direction and empowers you to lead your life instead of spending your life reacting! Family mission statement can in fact be displayed in your Drawing Room. It’s the fire within, the deep-burning “yes” that empowers us to say “no” confidently to the less important things in our lives. Priorities of mission objectives having been set, your goals have to be SMART, the abbreviation standing for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound.

Goals are cascaded throughout the organization you work for. Personal and organizational goals can be synchronized for resonance and unbelievable amplitudes of performance. For instance, if you wish to become world’s most renowned expert in IT and your Company is into IT products, there can be a perfect synchronization of the two enhancing each other’s brand value. The Magic of Organizational Physics is in the understanding of the intrinsic natural frequency of individuals and synergizing the same with the induced frequency of the organizational enthusiasm.

“Vision without action is merely a dream; action without vision just passes the time; vision with action attached with passion can change the world.” Passionate people have benchmarks of yesteryears. Nothing is impossible as “impossible” itself sounds “I-m-possible”. Strong will, determination and passion make impossible possible.

The entire process from dreaming to goal setting can be understood through an example. I wish to quote an organizational example of National Power Training Institute (NPTI) with my first-hand experience as CEO for 5-years.

 

Dreams

At NPTI we had spent first 3-months on the “Value-Vision” exercise. “NPTI in the new millennium” containing a 30- point dream tagged on phrases starting from each of the 30-letters of the institution’s name i.e. National Power Training Institute; was displayed at the entrance of each Unit including the Corporate Center. Every letter of the institute’s name was expanded in a phrase to capture the common dreams, values, vision, hopes, aspirations, ethos and commitments. They not only became the “dream in shape” for NPTI family but turned into “Mantras” with vibrations and resonance.

No	Starting Letter of the Mantra	Mantra
1	N	Nurturing Human Resources Development in Power Sector
2	A	Absolute Quality consciousness
3	T	Train and facilitate the growth of every power professional
4	I	Integrating Information Technology with Hi-Tech Training
5	O	Organizational Excellence
6	N	Nonpareil
7	A	Attitudinal Reorientation to Cultivate Values & Ethics
8	L	Leadership in interfacing technology with management
9	P	Proactive Client – Orientation
10	O	Orchestrate values with Business
11	W	Work to evolve as transnational organization of distinction
12	E	Energize people who energize the nation
13	R	Reverberating with Enthusiasm to tap human endowments
14	T	To emerge as Global Leaders in HRD of Power Sector
15	R	Rendering Cutting Edge Technologies
16	A	Attain Self-sustenance
17	I	Institutionalizing Best Practices
18	N	Nourishing boldness and benevolence
19	I	Inputs designed to improve outputs
20	N	Network to pool expertise
21	G	Galvanize Power Professionals

22	I	Innovation at its best
23	N	No end to learning
24	S	Sharing our knowledge – caring for your needs
25	T	Touch of perfection every where
26	I	Internalizing environmental concerns in power technologies
27	T	Together in pursuit of brilliance
28	U	Upgrading skills & knowledge continually
29	T	Temple of wisdom & motivation is our workplace
30	E	Enhance value additions

SWOT Analysis (Environmental Scanning)

SWOT Analysis (identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) of individuals as well as organizations is extremely helpful in goal setting. While analyzing the above, constraints start appearing very clearly and action plan to overcome weakness and to defuse the threats emerges as described by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in his popular book “The Goal”. He outlines the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to save your plant/ industry/ organization. NPTI was on the verge of merger with some larger organization of Power Sector due to its insolvency.

A pocket size booklet on SWOT culminating into a 40-point strategic charter was published and slipped into the pockets of all NPTI staff. It was drawn under the following heads:

1. Multi-dimensional enlargement of Scope
2. Backward Integration of Power Training Experience with Academics
3. Turn-around on Self-sustenance
4. Esteem Building for the institution
5. In-house Capacity Building and Performance orientation

Vision with Values & Convictions

NPTI cherishes a vision of value addition to national and transnational power and energy sectors through Training & HRD, facilitating the growth of every professional, sharing our knowledge and caring for their needs. It endeavors to energize people who energize the nations. Vision is to emerge as global leaders in enhancing human and organizational excellence in Power and Energy Sectors by blending frontier Technologies with Management to facilitate HRD interventions that are instrumental in providing reliable, safe, economic and clean power.

We value our drive and commitment to provide top quality service to our clients. We constantly strive to motivate power professionals to tap their unique human endowments, consciousness, imagination and willpower. Together we make a difference. We believe that no job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big ! Every job is an important link of the organizational chain of activities. We value ‘understanding’ amongst colleagues and respect each other as team members of a human chain of our larger family i.e. the students, trainees, expert faculty, client organizations etc. We have an unyielding commitment to our targets. We mentally achieve them even before realizing them physically.

Training is a Religion for us. It is the Highest Multiplier of Productivity of individuals as-well-as Organizations. Training is an Investment, not Expenditure. Cost of Training is always less than the cost of non-training. “Power for All’ cannot be ensured without ‘Training for All’.

Mission & Objectives

Vision, values and beliefs should drive us on a mission mode. An empowering vision on the format of a 5-Year destination statement of “Do–or-Die” nature was injected in the DNA of the management team with 3-clear missions:

1. To achieve 100% self-sustenance
2. To become largest training organization in Asia Pacific- reaching a turnover level of 75,000 Trainee-Weeks (ultimate goal to become world’s largest reaching 100,000 Trainee-Weeks)
3. To occupy a unique position on the world map on sectorial specialization

An empowering vision is like setting a high voltage for pushing electricity ensuring flow of electrons in the desired direction. On a mission mode we stop not till the goals are achieved.

Goals/ Targets/ Milestones

1. To achieve performance parameters during 2000-01 highest ever achieved in any of the past 34 years of existence.
2. To beat the achieved benchmark of yesteryear, every year thereafter.
3. A performance jump of 25% in major parameters from the previous year, achieving “Excellent” rating in MoU each year.
4. Start Post Diploma in Thermal Power Plant Engg. In 2000-01 at New Delhi, Nagpur, Neyveli & Durgapur.
5. ISO 9001: 2000 Certification in 2001 by DNV, Norway (accredited by the RvA, The Netherlands).
6. Start B.Tech.(Power Engg.) in 2001-02 at New Delhi.
7. Start B.E.(Power Engg.) in 2001-02 at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
8. Launch “National Training Policy for the Power Sector” approved by Govt.of India by 2002.
9. Start B.E.(Power Engg.) in 2002-03 at Durgapur, West Bengal.
10. Start MBA (Power Management) in 2002-03, at Faridabad, Haryana.
11. ISO 14001:1996 in 2003 by DNV Certification B.V., accredited by the RvA, The Netherlands.
12. Start Post-Graduate Diploma in O&M of Transmission & Distribution in 2004-05 at Nagpur & Bangalore.
13. Deemed University Status by 2005 from UGC.

The above realistic goal setting exercise based on concrete concepts proved to be an historic driver of a paradigm shift in NPTI’s existence and made it a self-sustaining Power Training Institution-largest in the world expanding 4- units into 10 across the country (adding 2 at Guwahati & Nangal, taking over from CEA, PSTI & HLTC at Bangalore, activating CAMPS & Corporate Centre at Faridabad besides 4 existing Regional Units) in a term of just 5-years, achieving all the above mentioned goals. UGC approved in-principle, the Deemed University Status to CAMPS in April’ 2005. Though I have cited an example of an organization, same philosophy is true for personal goal setting.

I hope, the above clues will help you set your goals in life and achieve them.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

BE(Hons), M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI-Scholar, D.Engg. (Calif.), FNAE, Hon.D.WRE (USA)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL), Ex. Director (REC) / Executive Director (IREDA)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 8 – ‘Shaming all Indians’

4 February, 2013

My dear young friends,

On 30-Jan-13, I was thinking that 65 years ago most brutal murder of the most pious soul was executed by a fellow Indian in broad day light in the national capital of India and in the same city 45 days ago on 16-Dec-12 a ghastly act of murdering an innocent soul with inhuman humiliation besides piercing a rusted iron rod and ripping out her intestines with bare hands to shame the humanity by 6-Indians on the flash lighted streets of Delhi in a running Bus, has left such scars on the Indian conscience that we are simply shaken. N. R. Narayana Murthy said that day “I am ashamed to be an Indian today”. A young Delhi girl said “It is not safe to travel on NCR streets even with your brother or husband now. Six criminals can come with an iron rod and can kill either of you”. The “scare” and “hang over” is lit large on the minds of Delhiites and all Indians.

Could this utterly shameful event have been avoided on the fateful evening? The answer is Yes, if:

1.     DTC Bus running on route no. 764 would have come on time.

2.     Any Autorikha would have agreed to carry them to their destination (In Delhi Autorikha’s have birthright to refuse to go to any particular locality).

3.      Traffic policemen would not have allowed the Bus No. DL1PC-0149, on the unauthorized route.

4.     The Delhi Government’s transport department had been alert to its responsibility, the bus would not have been on the road that fateful day. At the time of offence bus had no legal permit to run on city roads, had no fitness certificate for the vehicle as well.

5.     Some duty bound policeman would have objected to the charter bus picking up public passengers (not permitted to do so) or even to operate in Delhi because of its tinted windows.

6.     Black films would have been got removed from the window glasses of the Bus, as per the Court orders.

7.     An RTO official would have cared to check that a person with criminal record had been employed on this Bus as a driver.

8.     The owner of this Bus Dinesh Yadav could not have changed his office without intimating/ seeking permission of the Govt. agency, giving a signal to his staff that he is law onto himself and his office and Bus has no jurisdiction as such even for Joyrides.

9.     Ramadhar-a carpenter who was robbed of Rs. 8,000 and ejected in South Delhi earlier on the same Bus on the same route could have informed the Police.

10.  Informing Police was not such a risky affair in our country, in fact a regretful trauma sometimes.

11.  Delhi Police reporting to Delhi Government would have concentrated on safety and security of Delhi public rather than the VIPs of Central Govt. (A central reserve force could have been deployed for that purpose).

12.  Police Commissioner of Delhi was not Neeraj Kumar who was reprimanded by Delhi High Court and later tendered his unconditional apology though on 24-Dec-12, he suspended two Assistant Commissioners of Police for failing to prevent the incident.

All the above indicate that it was a system failure nay the system collapse… a system rotting to become a nursery of crimes!!!

Lack of sincerity, commitment, time-keeping, law abiding, and more of corruption, arrogance, selfishness, insensitivity and carelessness. Can we imagine where have we landed as a society?

The larger issue of Mindset

The crime committed is not beastly as even a beast does not commit a crime of this nature. He kills but does not humiliate the weaker creature like this. He does not gang up against an innocent one. But, can such crime be eliminated by stricter laws and law enforcing agencies? They may be contained to an extent but not eliminated without changing the mindset of people. Some of our political and religious leaders surprised us lately by their thought leadership! The latest shock is the threat by some fanatics to 3 girls who have initiated “Pragash-from darkness to light” the one and only Rock Band of J&K who started their live performance from the musical festival in Srinagar last December that “if they don’t stop they will meet the same fate as Delhi Bus victim!” What a limitless shame?

What can we do at the Institute Level?

You can think of the following steps at the Institute level.

1.     Declare 16-December as “Nari Samman Divas”, to remember our precious, sweet sister who has awakened an entire country to a different level of consciousness for women’s honour and safety.

2.     Organize some debates & discussions on increasing safety and respect for women.

3.     Make a Committee for safety of women at Institute level.

4.     On “Mindset Issues” discuss, prepare an “idea bank” and formulate some social interventions.

5.     Innovate and introduce some gestures and courtesies for women at Institute level which may become examples for other institutions.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 7 – ‘Vital Paradigms of Professional Competence’

2 January, 2013

My dear young friends,

I have been invited to deliver a speech in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 18-Jan-2013 on “Novel paradigms of Professional competence”. Giving it a thought; competence, I feel, is not just the knowledge and skills required for a profession but it comprises a host of other virtues such as talent, analytical ability, envisioning, conceptualization, creativity & innovation, team work, passion, fighting spirit, values, acumen, sensitivity, ethics / ethos, consciousness, mindset and spiritual wisdom.

Let us take example of medical profession. While knowledge is required in all its branches, in a few specializations like Orthodontics and Plastic Surgery, skill requirement is equally high. But, that is not all !  I recall a case where a plastic surgeon specializing in cleft palate& lip operations, continued his operation for hours together even after the child died on the operation table for reasons beyond his control, just to make a lasting impression on the parents’ mind that their child was so beautiful! I knew a pediatric surgeon in Bhopal who used to carry the patient to the prayer room with the lone purpose of praying for him before bringing him to the OT in his own arms. Such sensitivity, consciousness, mindset and spiritual wisdom is a part of every profession if one perceives it circumspectly.

Work can be worship for all though it can have different manifestations. In case of building industry, for instance, green buildings with minimum carbon footprints, zero net energy buildings, solar architecture etc. deserve a different level of sensitivity, vision, consciousness and conceptualization.

It is always a challenge to encompass all the above qualities into a learning system, though most of it can be encapsulated through 4-quadrants of 360-degree education/ training and 3-orbits of learning.

The 360-degree training starts with the 1^st quadrant addressing attitude since that decides the altitude and is fundamental to self growth. In the 2^nd quadrant, behavioral facets are polished like diamonds which determine the spread of your glow. In the 3^rd quadrant, the functional discipline of an individual is attended to upgrade him with the latest in his field enriching his core competence as an exclusive strength. In the 4^th quadrant, commercial orientation and acumen are developed which make all the difference in this commercial world.

Today we may be making all out efforts to impart 360-degree exposure in “techno-commercial-innovation-creative” aspects but all of it seems to be in the 1^st orbit of intellectual inputs (IQ); neither supporting it with emotional intelligence (EQ) in the 2^nd orbit nor reinforcing it further by social/spiritual consciousness (SQ) in the 3^rd orbit, in a systematic and designed manner. Holistic vision can come out of a combination of IQ/EQ/SQ. If IQ generates flower, its grandeur comes from EI and fragrance from SQ.

With a holistic approach only, one can add new facets to his professional endeavor. Wherever he is engaged, he will start approaching his jobs and assignments with a multifaceted wisdom. With the same effort, his results will be multifold with these new dimensions added to his thinking; leading him to become a ‘professional par excellence’.

Towards this aim, one will also have to activate his right brain, visualize roadmap of his life with a bifocal vision (having a long range view of ultimate objective of life and visualizing with equal clarity short range bits & details with total compatibility ), think “beyond the dots”, “out-of-the-box”  and re-inventing the box, wherever necessary. He will have to enhance his real ‘net’ competency and rediscover his “identity” which is hidden in the lowest part of the iceberg and apply emotional intelligence, which influences >66% of professional success.

In a nutshell, one will have to cross the conventional orbit of ‘knowledge and skills’ to capture the entire cosmos of professionalism.

Wish you a very happy and enlightening New Year 2013 and excellence in your professional arena.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 6 – ‘Shaping a better India-What can I do?’

1 December, 2013

My dear young friends,

Management education is all about holistic thinking (360-degree and multi-orbit) directed towards goal setting and preparing roadmap for the targeted goal. Rest is walking the thought.

During your MBA course, you have been engaging in such exercises through home assignments, projects, business plans, award winning presentations etc. all in organizational or sectoral context. Nation is above organizations and sectors.

All of us have national pride. However, events around us keep making us proud at one moment and ashamed at another the same day. I have listed a few facts and figures in respect of both the signals under the following two heads in two separate attachments as below:

1. I am proud to be an Indian

2. I am ashamed to be an Indian

These are only some thought provoking triggers. You will have your own database in your minds. Thinking of this large size country of continental dimensions, several major issues like the ones listed below will come to your mind as you think of reshaping it for better.

•       Crime rate increasing/ Justice delayed

•       Honour killings

•       Urban/ Rural Divide

•       Increasing gap between rich and poor

•       30% Indians below poverty line

•       Begging Problem-real and psychic

•       Corruption becoming a part of life

•       Political System needing revamping with power to recall etc.

•       River Networking for balancing the draughts with the floods

•       and so on…..

You may feel helpless as an individual, a drop in the ocean, to tackle such big issues unless you work in the mainstream of any of the above areas of concern.

We had a brainstorming session on 7-April-12 with the outgoing batch of Great Lakes IEMR thinking as to how to shape India for better, concluding with 5-things that one would like to do for his country as a responsible citizen in his individual capacity. I am giving below a few clues that were used to resolve.

1. Making Life meaningful & purposeful

2. Reinforcing a Value based Society

3. Promoting Professionalism

4. Leveraging the power of Education/ Technology/ Energy

5. Bridging Shining India with Deprived India

May be on this format, it was thought, we can be in touch for many years to share what we have been able to contribute as individuals with a common vision and what could be the net impact of this group growing year by year.

A package of 5-resolutions to create a better India, a better world had emerged as follows:

1.     Self goal setting (annually) synchronizing with Organizational goals and National Aspirations.

2.     Respect elders for the simple reason they have contributed to your comforts- Metro, Roads, Electricity, and all other facilities where Govt. has invested is out of the taxes they paid.

3.     Think beyond the dots and out of the box/ one single act per week beyond your job and family.

4.     Take small steps within your capacity to leverage education/ energy for the benefit of Society.

5.     Contribute 1% of your monthly expenditure to Charity.

{ There are several genuine Charity Organizations, where we can send our modest contributions. For example, I am sending this year’s amount to Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Udaipur, Rajasthan where it would be used to operate and rehabilitate next Polio affected child and they would inform me the name and other particulars of the child rehabilitated.}

You may evolve some alternative resolutions also on the same 5-point format (please inform me if you do so), befitting your propensity and position. But your agenda, your roadmap and your destination should be absolutely clear to you and every year, every month, every week and even every day you should be walking the thought on your own roadmap.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 5 – ‘Are we spiritual beings undergoing human experience?’

1 November, 2013

My dear young friends,

As I mentioned in my last letter, I attended “7^th All India Students’ Conference on Science & Spiritual Quest” at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore on 1-2 Sept’12. Magnificent JN Tata Auditorium of IISc was filled to capacity with 750 participants. I felt honored to chair a Session on “Life, Science and Spirituality”, which was addressed by Prof. B.M. Hegde (Padma Bhushan) former Vice Chancellor, Manipal University, Prof. A.K. Mukhopadhyay, Professor  & Head, Department of Laboratory Medicine, AIIMS and Prof. Ramgopal Uppaluri, Deptt. Of Chemical Engineering, IIT, Guwahati.

Prof. Hegde talked about energy treatment based on eastern medical wisdom to be an essential part of future integrated system that works with quantum physics as the base. Prof. Mukhopadhyay opined that the journey from Higgs-Boson to consciousness would have several milestones still in the dark. Prof. Ramgopal Uppaluri attempted to compare the scientific and vedantic models of evolution.

With the recent discovery of sub-atomic “God particle” at the CERN’s 10 billion $ Atom smasher, which is believed to confer mass to other particles that make up matter; man has got a clue to generating mass. Einstein had already established the relationship between mass and energy; We seem to have a better understanding of mass and energy now, but all of it limited to only one side of the coin.

Other side of creation is consciousness or “Chetna” that is behind life manifesting metabolism, power of converting food into energy, capacity for growth, power of healing and reproduction. Given all the necessary cellular chemicals, no one can create a living cell in the test tube. A molecule, no matter how orderly and precisely arranged, is life-less. A surgeon with best of his skills, supported by modern medical electronics can’t heal a body. After his job, he depends on some power for self-healing and recovery. That healer, the life giver is yet to be discovered. Consciousness is in the realm of spirituality.

Today majority of youth tends to discard “Spirituality” and “Consciousness” saying these are not needed, not useful, out of course or opining that it is a waste of time to understand these aspects.

Spirituality is derived from “Spirit” which is “pure self” beyond the body. It is one’s consciousness, conscience, thinking & feeling part of existence, sensitivity, motivation and divinity.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has suggested that the younger generation should be trained in both scientific temper and spiritual pursuit. The nation’s overall growth is truly reflected in terms of a perfect blend of creative technical skill-sets with moral & ethical leadership, in other words integrating capabilities with values. Education with values is essential for national development. Science and spirituality are the two sides of the coin, if it has to circulate for the cause of sustainable progress of mankind across generations.

Albert Einstein said that science is blind without spirituality and the spiritual world is lame without science. What he meant was that we should blend science and spirituality to be able to use science for constructive purposes. Atomic research can lead us to Atom Bomb as well as Nuclear Energy. Chemical research can lead us to Chemical weapons as well as Chemotherapy. Modern science has airplanes, satellites, mobile and internet, DNA test and MRI on one hand and Green House effect, electronic and nuclear waste, weapons, tampering devices etc. on the other.

Was Mahatma Gandhi not spiritual? His discovery of truth, total commitment to non-violence, practicing before preaching, thinking of down trodden were all spiritual values at the highest level of consciousness!

It is disheartening to see a corrupt and valueless society-segment emerging today in India, which has been the hub of spirituality and righteousness. It is here human consciousness has been evolved to its fullest extent. In India, science and spirituality have been regarded as serving a common cause of understanding the purpose and meaning of existence and to serve the man and nature with renewed inspiration and with fullest of dedication and commitment.

By ignoring spirituality (Atmagyan) and consciousness (Chetna), we can learn quality management but not become quality conscious, we can learn energy but not become energy conscious, we may memorize history but not create history. Education without spirituality is like a flower without fragrance.

Sometimes I think “Are we human beings trying to avoid spiritual experience” or “Are we spiritual beings compulsorily undergoing human experience”. Please think over it !!

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 4 – ‘Determination to succeed is the better part of success’

1 October, 2013

My dear young friends,

Last month I visited IISc, Bangalore to chair a session on “Life, Science and spiritualy” in the All India Conference on “Science and Spiritual Quest-Integrating Capabilities with values” on 1-2 Sept 2O12 besides visiting C-WET, Chennai for their R&D Council Meeting on 22-Sept-12.

Both the visits left some deep impressions on my mind. I wish to share my experience of Chennai visit in this letter and propose to cover my Bangalore visit in the next letter.

While I was checking in for Jet Airways Flight No. 9W 0338 starting from Mumbai at 09.00 am on 21-Sept-12; my Laptop was exchanged at the Airport security. I could arrange repeated announcements but all in vain. During the flight also, announcements had no result and I was quite worried for losing precious data and equally puzzled about my committed presentation in the afternoon for the HoDs of ReGen Powertech-A leading wind Turbines manufacturing Company. I had finalized a presentation of 6O-slides which went away with the lost Laptop.

On my arrival at Chennai, I had an option to call the HR Head and regret for the planned presentation. But then I thought it would be a diffident option causing embrassment to him as he would have already notified all his HoDs on the basis of my early morning mail confirming the session.

Landing at Chennai Airport at 11 am and reaching Hotel “Ambica Empire” past 12 noon, I mustered courage to reconstruct my presentation on the “Hotel desktop in the Business Lounge” from some old information resting in my pen drive. I presumed that the Business Lounge computer in a Hotel such as “Ambica Empire” would have an UPS. But to my surprise it was not there and after all my corrections, the power went off and my work of nearly one hour was lost. When the power came back, I had to redo all of it, all over again, pressing “Ctrl S” frequently.

I still managed to reach my destination at 2.30 pm against 2.15 pm confirmed and had the privilege of their hearty welcome & hospitality. We could still start the session at 2.45 pm and finish it by 4.45 pm without any break and to their full satisfaction.

My Laptop has been traced with some one in Delhi, who has apologized for his mistake. However, it is yet to be retrieved.

As you can see the opportunity to address the senior officials of ReGen Powertech tested my ‘fighting spirit’ and “self-confidence” at this age, to meet my commitment. On my return journey from their office to my hotel, I received a message on my mobile from one of my classmates and Ex- Vice Chancellor Shri Awadhesh Khare stating that “The determination to succeed is the better part of success”

If you stretch your nerves you can turn volumes just like a rubber band when stretched can hold together a large volume.

Tomorrow is Gandhi Jayanti- Birth day of Bapu, more important than any of our birthdays; Let us celebrate remembering father of our nation whom “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood”

Satyamev Jayate !

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 3 – ‘Ethics & Ethos of Power System’

My dear young friends,

Last month, I promised to share my perception on Collapse of Indian Power Grid on 31 July, 2012.

Perhaps the largest electrical blackout in human history happened on 31 July, 2012, paralyzing life of 10% of world population (50% of Indian population-nearly 640 million people), bringing to a grinding halt the essential services comprising hospitals, water supplies, local transport, railways etc. 20-Indian States plunged into darkness. How and why it happened?

I remember an event several years ago. My neighbor came down to join me for the evening walk. I told him that he had perhaps forgotten to switch off his light in the balcony. He retorted “So what I am paying for it”. It was a hard time for me to explain him that “paying for it” was not enough to make him morally free. In a power deficit situation, if he puts off this light someone else will be able to light a bulb in an energy starved area.

The same psychology seems to be working at the state/ organizational level “What if we overdraw 3,000 MW, we pay for it besides penalty”. Greed with arrogance! Who bothers if that results in frequency dip, overloading and tripping of lines cascading right up to the source of power.

Unfortunately our power pool has a very poor content of Hydro-the best known frequency controlling stations, which can be loaded from zero to full capacity and vice versa in a fraction of a minute to bring the frequency under control.

The situation after 65 years of independence should not have been so bleak. Pandit Nehru considered hydro dams to be “temples of modern India”. During late 1960’s, hydropower provided nearly half the country’s electricity. If more of Nehru’s “temples” were constructed, India would not have been in such a dire situation. We have reached a mind-boggling Hydro content of merely 20% losing sense of proportion down the line. With a judicious Hydro : Thermal mix, there would have been no peaking shortage under the same MWs installed, under the same investment. The average cost of energy would have been 60% of what it is today.

Lack of vision, populist tone of much of country’s politics, social and environmental activism, rampant corruption, decision-making at a dismal pace, and weak law enforcement has ensured hydropower contributing to only about 20 percent of the country’s present electricity generation. On top of it Power Ministry announced a reduction of 2/3^rd of the planned hydropower generating capacity for the next five years lowering it from 30 GW to 10 GW because of regulatory delays, problems with land acquisition and poor planning practices. That is the future of hydropower !! We can create 30,000 MW thermal capacity lying idle for want of fuel, but can’t promote hydro with assured indigenous supply from nature’s hydrological cycle!! How will energy security of our nation be achieved? Incidentally, Bhutan’s Hydro bailed out India to a considerable extent in need of the hour. Hydro holds the key to energy security 24×7.

On the front of grid discipline, as we have empowered no one to disconnect a farmer’s agricultural pump, even if it is a non-ISI marked working at unbelievably low efficiency, not capacitor mounted, not accountable for payment despite over-flooding his fields spoiling his own crops; no RLDC is empowered to disconnect any DISCOM even if it is overdrawing, breaking all the rules.

Even DISCOMs don’t have smart grids to “island” themselves as did CESC during the collapse. Delhi region should have self-sustained itself islanding with Dadri, Badarpur and Baira Siul. All the IT interface and automation with systems like SCADA envisaged under R-APDRP seems to be lacking implementation.

Power sector’s problems such as above have roots in “Ethics & Ethos” rather than apparent “Technical & Financial” issues.

The lessons for us from the above:

1.     “Greed with arrogance” becomes the cause of total disaster. Mahatma Gandhi said “There is enough in nature for man’s need but not enough for man’s greed”.

2.     Never lose “sense of proportion” to lose the balance heading towards disaster.

3.     Nation is above the organizations which serve local cause.

4.     We should learn to “empower the right entities” and “be smart” for self-protection and self-sustenance.

5.     No sector, no system can become exemplary without “executive will”.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 2 – ‘Format to make your presentation a unique 360-degree experience’

1 August, 2012

My dear young friends,

A month ago, I started my monthly letter to first batch students of PGPM/ MBA as my “Re-connect” exercise. I am expanding it to the second and third batches of Great Lakes Gurgaon and NPTI besides the current batch of Executive PGPM of Great Lakes IEMR and its faculty members. I feel connecting our minds once a month is a nice idea.

During July’12, three vital things happened.

1.     Celebrating 75^th Birthday of Prof. Bala Balachandran, the founder of Great Lakes, Chennai on 5-July-12.

2.     Conclusion of Amir Khan’s popular show “Satyamev Jayate” on Sunday 29-July-12.

3.     Collapse of Indian Power Grid on 30 & 31-July-12 { I will share my perceptions on this in the next letter }

Let me start with Prof. Bala’s event. When I reached Chennai to participate in the celebrations, I was surprisingly received by Sandip Dalvi (one of the Al Gore awardees) and Chitranjan Das (Recipient of Gold Medal for the Best all-rounder, PGPM Energy’12) at the Airport. We went for lunch (photograph attached) and both of them shared their exciting experience at Cognizant.

At Great Lakes, Chennai it was all excitement, jubilation and celebration. 75-years of long journey can be as rewarding as Bala made it !! At the campus, I went for a morning walk from the GH and could see Prof. Bala’s signature in the ambience. I could feel his love for space, love for nature and love for butterflies. It was Prof Bala’s Campus without even naming it, in all facets right from eco-friendly platinum rated infrastructure to academics to philosophy connecting “Global Mindset to Indian roots”; all his efforts propelled by intellect and steered by values, as he himself puts it. However, it was formally named as Dr. V. Balachandar Campus by His Excellency, Shri K. Rosaiah, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu.

I noticed naming of admissions office as Lake Ontario which perhaps signifies that students are entering an ocean of knowledge. “Ontario Hydro” signifies oceanic potential of water and energy. Water symbolizes pure knowledge. I got a feel of it when Prof Bala had taken me and my wife to the Great Lake in the North Western University campus in Chicago on 31-May-12. Truly oceanic lake, you can’t see the other end. There I realized, what inspires Bala. Someone saw in Bala, a perennial source of renewable energy and someone compared him with God particle which can create mass (self worth) and energy in youth.

Let me turn to the other genius Amir Khan whose historic serial “Satyamev Jayate” came to an end on Sunday 29-July-12. An exceptional success to this program can be attributed to the socially sensitive issues that were raised touching the chord of every Indian and of course the format of the 1-1/2 hr. session.

His format made it a unique 360-degree experience.

1.     He brought to the show people whose moving personal testimonies focused attention on the issue more powerfully than anything else could have.

2.     He provided startling facts and figures, often sourced from Government surveys.

3.     He used videos on selected topics where visual impression could be impactful.

4.     He called in experts to give the issue some perspective and analysis.

5.     “Case studies” provided very strong anchors to his themes.

6.     Amir Khan and his team did a lot of research before coming on show.

7.     He always held out a ray of hope by highlighting either a success story or a way out of the problem.

8.     Throughout he kept the tone of the show quiet and dignified.

9.     His sessions proved to be a one-stop window to understanding complex problems.

10.  The program definitely created mass awareness on an impressive scale.

Don’t you think we professionals including faculty members have some things to learn from the above?

During our usual 1-1/2 hr presentations also, we can perhaps ensure that-

1.     We narrate our personal experiences focusing attention on the issue being raised and encourage the audience also to share their experiences.

2.     We can provide interesting facts and figures, from authentic sources.

3.     We should use videos/ slides on topics where visual impression can be impactful. Man is visual minded. We always prefer TV over Radio. Visual impressions stay longer since nerves connecting eyes to the brain are 25 times longer than those which connect ears to the brain.

4.     We should always provide some perspective and analysis.

5.     “Case studies” are real life stories carrying very strong supporting messages and we normally use them for effective learning/ training.

6.     We also need to do a lot of research before coming to the session.

7.     Success/Failure stories always give clues for tackling the problem/ issue. In fact, any kind of stories will help hang your concepts. You have not forgotten the stories told by your grandmother.

8.     Session has to be participative and dignified, encouraging everyone to think.

9.     Most complex problems can be made to be understood by structured and simplified approach.

10.  Your session can definitely create awareness on an impressive scale, so much so that audience will remember it for years.

Wish you all success with the 10-commandments for your Industry presentations/ class room sessions.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 1 – ‘No job is Small or Big…’

1 July, 2012

My dear young friends,

One of you from the foundation batch of PGPM (Energy) of Great Lakes, Gurgaon “Sandip Dalvi” inspired me last evening to reconnect with you all periodically. I thought it fit to include my earlier students from NPTI also.

Early this month, I and my wife returned from our memorable trip to US. My wife joined me to share the proud moments of my receiving the highest honour of the American Academy of Water Resources Engg. (AAWRE) during the Felicitation Ceremony held at “World Water & Environmental Resources Congress” in Albuquerque, New Mexico on 21st May’12 in the august assembly of America’s who’s who of Water Resources Engg. Profession, bringing me to the clan of 30-most eminent scientists in the world selected since the creation of the AAWRE.

Albuquerque is the home town of the great genius Bill Gates, where he had started his historic journey of unprecedented entrepreneurship. How I felt to be one of the 30 best, was a feeling similar to that engulfed me when my photograph was being fixed in the line of ex-DGs of CPRI back in 2002 in the queue starting with the great power engineer of our times “S. Swayambhu”. It was he who had encouraged me to pursue my career in Hydro sector. I started looking at water as an Energy synonym. Having addressed the issues of hundreds of Hydro plants, I feel Hydro holds the key to energy security of entire humanity.

This was second time in my life when America invited me to bestow upon me the honour which made me humble. Earlier in 1990, one of the universities in California invited me to confer their Doctor of Engineering based on my international publications, and I had received it along with Dr. Nelson Mandela, which made it memorable.

All my work I did in India and for India and America recognized it and I think that makes that country and its people truly great who have created a non-pariel, merit-based and meritorious society above geo-politics. The warmth with which they bestowed upon me the honour was evident from the fact that Mr.Michael A. Ports, one of the founders of AAWRE embracing me said “ I love you, not because I knew you personally, but because I know your work in Hydroelectric Engineering and let me tell you we refer to and use your research work in United States”. While introducing my profile to the audience, Prof.(Dr) Robert G.Traver, President-Elect said “It is impossible to find, what he has not done in his 43 years of service”.

I am happy to attach AAWRE’s report, though it is also posted on IEMR website. I do not know how much I have done, but whatever I have done is due to a single conviction that “No way in which you do, makes it small or big”. You don’t have to be in the field of Nuclear science, Climate Change or Politics to outshine, you can excel in any field of your choice, if you go by the above conviction.

Yesterday being Saturday, early morning I went to the temple of Hanuman-the God of infinite potential encased in humility, the God of speed and unprecedented feat and I felt rejuvenated. May lord Hanuman bestow upon all of you the great qualities he symbolizes for humanity.

Best of everything till my next communication. Some replies from you dear ones, even though brief, would inspire me to be in touch with you all. I am sure; you all must be excelling in your life. Please do share your achievements and sentiments as and when you feel like penning down.

God bless you!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)