Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Last day to boost the Sales-figure of the year!


For all Public Sector Units and most Private Companies in India; today, 31st March is the last working day of the current Financial Year. Every effort is made by the manufacturing units to execute the pending orders and reach or even cross their Sales target by this date. This would not only reflect well on the Company’s performance but also win promotions, incentives and bonus to its deserving employees, perhaps by end April!  

To explain the extraordinary importance of 31st March I have a case study to narrate. This is about a Machine Tool Company with an annual turnover of around Rupees 300 million. At the beginning of the financial year that is in April the Company’s Assembly-Shop floors would be vacant. With not many orders on hand and all the orders of the previous year executed the Assembly Shop floors which were full of Machines under assembly in March and busy-workmen, would appear in contrast like deserts in April. Same would be the case with the Component manufacturing Shops where the raw material flow would trickle based on any new or predicted Orders.

The large number of Machine Tools dispatched in February and March of the previous financial year would be under erection and commissioning (E & C) from April onwards. This would keep the entire Service department of the Company, its Application Engineers and most of its production people running around the country in the E & C works and proving out the Machines supplied. Then there would also be teething problems of the Machines to be attended. By the time all this activity is completed it would be end June. Few fresh Orders would be coming in by now and as per that, component manufacturing would commence. As per component manufacturing and procurement of bought out items Machine Tool Assembly would commence in a small way from say July.

The efforts of the nation wide Marketing department of the Company in this highly competitive field are not always successful. By the end of half year that is by end September the Company’s Sales figures are not very encouraging. Then the Company would launch very aggressive marketing with lowered prices and offers of several optional features as standard to procure Orders at any cost. Ultimately it would be November by the time the Assembly Shops begin to look busy. From now on the production would pick up gradually. But with various manufacturing, procurement and working capital issues the Machine dispatches would pick up only in the last quarter that is from January onwards. All Shops would be working 24X7. With workmen entitled to overtime wages, their efficiency is much higher now. And in March the production activity is at its best to overcome the backlogs and current month production. This pace would continue until the last day – 31st March midnight.  

On 31st March there would be more than the normal number of Lorries queued up at the Gate of the factory to pick up the Machines. Inside the factory there would be all out effort to complete the Machine assemblies. Machines which should be tested for at least a day would be tested for an hour and painted as it is being packed for dispatch. This activity would continue until midnight so that maximum possible dispatches are made (some Machines incomplete!) and the best possible Sales figure is achieved!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tension in Hyderabad.

Since 27th March, for the fourth day today Hyderabad is tense with rioting. It is reported that the problem started as the religious flags put up by one community for a festival in an old city area were being replaced by another community for a forthcoming festival. This led to heated arguments and stone pelting which soon spread to various parts of the old city. As the situation became serious, curfew was imposed in several areas of old city and it is still in force. Today evening, trouble between these communities has started in few other areas of the city but this also has been brought under control by the police. The police are deployed in very large numbers all over the city.
There is a strong opinion from various leaders of political parties that the riots may be orchestrated to destabilize the Government.
It is reported that about sixty rioters and a few policemen are injured in these clashes and one person has succumbed to stab injury. And about twenty vehicles have been damaged.
I wish and pray that the tempers will soon cool down and the city will become peaceful.
Oh God, lead us from the
unreal to the Real.
Oh God, lead us from darkness to light.
Oh God, lead us from death to immortality.
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all.
Oh Lord God almighty, may there be peace in
celestial regions.
May there be peace on earth.
May the waters be appeasing.
May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and
plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent
beings bring peace to us.
May thy Vedic Law propagate peace all
through the world.
May all things be a source of peace to us.
And may thy peace itself, bestow peace on all,
and may that peace come to me also.

In the name of Allah,
the beneficent, the merciful.
Praise be to the Lord of the
Universe who has created us and
made us into tribes and nations,
That we may know each other, not that
we may despise each other.
If the enemy incline towards peace, do
thou also incline towards peace, and
trust God, for the Lord is the one that
heareth and knoweth all things.
And the servants of God,
Most Gracious are those who walk on
the Earth in humility, and when we
address them, we say "PEACE."

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Earth Hour - 2010, at Hyderabad.


It is my feeling that the “Earth Hour 2010 – event” at Hyderabad yesterday evening was a low-key affair. Had the concerned authorities, the print and electronic media given ample coverage and explained the significance of the event from days before it would have made a great impact on the people. However today’s local newspapers have covered the “Earth Hour” news in brief and I hope this will bring about awareness among people to the growing concerns of global climate change.

It was just at few places in the Twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad that the non-essential lights have been switched off between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM. And all around Hussain Sagar the street lights were switched off by the civic authorities for two minutes at 8:45 PM as a symbolic gesture of environmental protection. But for this token observation the city was in utter chaos yesterday night unmindful of “Earth Hour” with heavy traffic and traffic jams everywhere and the dust and pollution at its worst.

This international event meant as a show of support for tougher action to confront climate change should be taken very seriously before it is too late. Every government, civic body and individual has to be made to be ever mindful of the future of the world, never at any cost should they further neglect or endanger the environment.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Indian Premier League Cricket / IPL 2010 / IPL Season 3.

Fifteen days have passed since the scintillating IPL 2010 (Season 3) –“Twenty20” cricket matches have started. 21 matches have been played until yesterday and another 39 are to be played to decide the winner of IPL 2010. All the matches so far have been very thrilling. I have seen on TV all the matches that our local team Deccan Chargers has played and the other matches partly and enjoyed all of them.
Our local team, the DECCAN CHARGERS was the winner of the 2009 tournament. I am expecting them to win the championship this year too. They have fared well so far, they have won 3 out of the 4 matches they have played. Tonight they are going to play with Rajasthan Royals at Ahmadabad, hope they will win this match too. The enormous local support to DECCAN CHARGERS is very obvious from the traffic scenario in the Twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad – all roads are almost deserted as people get glued to TVs indoors.
I am posting the Match Schedule and the Points Table at the end of 21 matches for those of you who are not up to date on this major entertainment going on in India.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Happy Sri Rama Navami to all!

On this auspicious day of Chaitra Shukla Navami, the day on which Lord Rama was born and  also  the day on which he married Sita Devi, I extend my warm greetings and felicitations to all of you. May the blessings of Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy be upon us all.
And on this happy occasion let us chant the name of Sri Rama and for that matter on any day, it is equivalent to chanting Vishnu Sahasranamam – thousand names of Sri Maha Vishnu:
Sri Raama Raama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame
Sahasranaama Tattulyam Raama Naama Varaanane
(This is what Lord Shiva revealed to Parvati Devi, it means: If you just chant the name of “Rama” it is equivalent to chanting the 1000 / 1008 names of Sri Maha Vishnu).

Monday, March 22, 2010

Sri Rama Navami.

Sri Rama Navami festival is two days from today, on Wednesday, 24th March. It is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Navami that is on the ninth day from the commencement of Chaitra Maasam. It is a festival to celebrate the birthday and also the marriage anniversary of Sri Rama. Sri Rama is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. And Sri Rama is a perfect and most righteous man, an obedient son, an affectionate brother, a warrior, a loving husband, a great king and a favorite God of everyone, for centuries.  The festival is celebrated by all Hindus at home and in all the Vaishnava Temples of the country in a grand manner by performing the marriage of Sri Rama and Sita Devi. The marriage is performed using the idols called Utsava Vigrahalu of Sri Rama and Sita Devi. In the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad alone “Sri Sita Rama Kalyanotsavam” is celebrated in hundreds of Temples. At home prayers and Naivedyam of Panakam, Vada Pappu and Mamidikaya Pulihora are offered to Sri Rama, Sita Devi and Anjaneyaswamy. And the delicious Naivedyam is received as Prasadam.
It is celebrated on a very grand scale at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Vaari Devasthanam Bhadrachalam. Sri Rama Navami Brahmotsavam - nine days of celebrations have started at Bhadrachalam on 16th March, on Ugadi festival day. Tomorrow, on 23rd March evening there would be Edurkolu Utsavam. On 24th March from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM Sri Sita Rama Kalyanotsavam - the Celestial Wedding is performed meticulously and with great devotion. The Kalyanotsavam is performed at the beautifully sculpted Kalyana Mandapam located at the Mithila stadium which is adjacent to the Main Temple. Lakhs of devotees attend this ceremony from different parts of the State and Country. From the days of Baktha Ramadasu who developed the Temple at Bhadrachalam over 350 years ago the Kings and now the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh along with his wife would carry silk clothes and pearls in a traditional manner for Sri Rama and Sita Devi. The pearls are used in Thalambralu. And on 25th March Sri Rama’s Pattabhishekam – that is Coronation ceremony is performed. Elaborate arrangements are made for the convenience of pilgrims visiting Bhadrachalam during Sri Rama Navami. The entire Kalyanotsavam and other ceremonies are telecast live by a number of TV Channels and people all over the State love to watch the Kalyanotsavam and hear to the very informative and exciting running commentary of the proceedings.
To know more about the Temple Town – Bhadrachalam and my long relation with this place you may read my article “Anxious to visit Bhadrachalam” of 22nd April 2009 in this Blog, by following the link:  http://srisrilara.blogspot.com/2009/04/anxious-to-vist-bhadrachalam.html
The above photographs are of us, at and around Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam.
P.S. You may click on the following link to reach several of my photo-articles / blog posts on Kothagudem, Singareni Collieries, Bhadrachalam, Godavari River, Parnashala, Kinnerasani and Papikondalu:

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