Day 18: An energetic day at Kolkata, the Gateway of Eastern India.

Every individual is a center for the manifestation of a certain force. This force has been stored up as the resultant of our previous works, and each one of us is born with this force at our back. 

Swami Vivekananda

Arriving in Kolkata, Mentor On Road started an energetic day by sharing multiple views with the members of Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) in Kolkata. I shared actual success and failure stories of Skill India, Clean India (Swachh Bharat), Digital India, Smart India (Cities) and the innovative inter linkage across all the five initiatives. With over 300 members from all walks of industry, trade and commerce representing various parts of East India, the BCCI has become the first port of call on matters of Central and State Government policies and legislation.

During the dynamic interactions that Mentor On Road had with the members of the BCCI, several vital issues, including financial and taxation aspects, affecting the regional MSME’s (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) were discussed.

Mentor On Road next moved on to the Federation of Small and Medium Industries (FOSMI) where an animated interaction with the members was held. I shared numerous insights on innovative approaches to global markets. FOSMI members raised a variety of issues connected to production, technology, finance, marketing, exports, excise problems, GST, labor laws, land acquisition difficulties, lack of skilled and efficient manpower, IPR and innovation.

Last of all, Mentor On Road had a sector specific interaction with ELMA - the Electronics Manufacturers Association in Kolkata which works towards the common cause of development of the electronics industry and better service to end users.

ELMA which comprises of only manufacturers as its members was urged by Mentor On Road to go for digital marketing and avail the range of benefits under Make In India and SMILE (SIDBI Make In India Loan For Enterprises) funding scheme which provides soft loans in the nature of quasi-equity and term loans on relatively soft terms to MSMEs. This loan scheme's focus is on 25 sectors under the government's Make in India program with emphasis on financing smaller enterprises within the MSME sector. I also shared with them a number of technology partnership opportunities with foreign companies.

Mentor On Road is currently on way to the handloom cluster of Shantipur in Nadia, in the interior of West Bengal where I had arranged funding for 2,000 handloom weavers 5 years ago and will be reporting back today on the developments there.

These handloom weavers make cotton and silk handloom saris such as Shantipur, Jamdani, Tangail, besides making stoles, scarves and dress materials. There are about 20,000 working looms and 60,000 persons involved directly / indirectly in weaving and preparatory activities. The women basically undertake the preparatory works like separation of hanks, sizing, pirn winding. There are around 111 different weaving communities namely the "Pramanik" , "Kastha" , "Dalal" , "Khan" etc. etc. Majority of the weavers belong to Tantuvay community. All the weavers have good weaving skills for weaving saris on Jacquard looms. The average earning of the weaver family is in the range of Rs. 1500 - Rs. 2000 per month.

Great work requires great and persistent effort for a long time. Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles. 

Swami Vivekananda

Day 17: Travelling from Jamshedpur, the Steel City of India to Kolkata, the Cultural Capital of India

Blows are what awaken us and help to break the dream. They show us the insufficiency of this world and make us long to escape, to have freedom. 

Swami Vivekananda

We left Jamshedpur with lively memories towards Kolkata, the Gateway of Eastern India.

On the way, we passed by 3 major cities of cultural and industrial significance with the first one being Ghatshila, formerly the headquarters of the royal family kingdom of Dhalbhum which originated from the border of Rajasthan. They established themselves by conquest in the western part of Bengal, the area commonly known as Jungle Mahals.  

Ghatshila, located on the bank of the Subarnarekha River, is situated in a forested area and owing to its natural beauty has gradually become a favorite tourist spot, especially for Bengalis from Kolkata and other nearby places.

Ghatshila has the presence of Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) which is the chief employer and indirect source of income for most of the people of Ghatshila and the nearby villages. HCL is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Mines (India), Government of India and is the only vertically integrated copper producer in India engaged in a wide spectrum of activities ranging from mining, beneficiation, smelting, refining and continuous cast rod manufacturing.

Ghatshila is best known for the HCL mines because they are among Asia's first copper mines and among India’s deepest mines.

Mentor On Road has entered West Bengal, the Cultural Capital of India and the 10^th state of leg 2 in this mentoring road trip.

The second major city which we passed by was Kharagpur, a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city where the first IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) was set-up in 1950. Kharagpur has one of the largest railway workshops in India, and the third longest railway platform in the world (1072.5 metres).

Kharagpur has one of the largest industrial setups in West Bengal due to its proximity to Kolkata, good rail and road connectivity via NH-6, availability of labor, and raw materials. Major companies such as Tata Metaliks, Tata Bearings, Siemens, Kharagpur Metal, ISD Cement, Godrej, Telcon, Century Extrusions, Humboldt, Rashmi Metaliks, BRG Group have set up their plants in and around Kharagpur. There are also many small iron rolling mills and rice mills dotted around the town. The real estate market is also booming due to presence of players such as Diamond Group, Shakti Infrabuild etc. A few new IT companies such as Apprise Technologies have also set-up in and around Kharagpur.

The last major city that we passed by was Howrah, the twin city of Kolkata. Howrah was historically occupied by the ancient Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut over 500 years ago which was also described by Venetian explorer Cesare Federici in 1565–79, as the location into which large ships could travel (Hoogli River) and possibly a commercial port.

Burn Standard Company a major company in heavy engineering industry, now part of Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam Limited has its oldest manufacturing unit located in Howrah. The Howrah plant of Shalimar Paints (established in 1902) was the first large-scale paint manufacturing plant to be set up not only in India but in entire South East Asia. Often termed as Sheffield of the East, Howrah is known today as an engineering hub, mainly in the area of light engineering industry. There are small engineering firms all over Howrah, particularly around Belilios Road area near Howrah station.

Major industrial clusters of Howrah include metal casting foundry, shuttle cock manufacturing, metal spare parts, rerolling mills and embroidery.

After a refreshing journey, we finally reached our destination, Kolkata, the City of Joy.

Each work has to pass through these stages, ridicule, opposition, and then acceptance. Those who think ahead of their time are sure to be misunderstood. 

Swami Vivekananda

Day 16: A dynamic day at Jamshedpur, the Pittsburgh of India (For being rich in minerals)

Be perfectly resigned, perfectly unconcerned; then alone can you do any true work. No eyes can see the real forces; we can only see the results. Put out self, forget it; just let God work, it is His business. 
Swami Vivekananda

Mentor On Road’s day began with a visit to an old age home and a child care center of Mother Teresa in Jamshedpur, to understand the wide-ranging pain points, including funding, being faced them. They are doing a remarkable job.

We then visited the 89 years old Bharat Sevashram Sangha which has a transcontinental presence across 46 centers, based out of Kolkata and works towards sustainable development strategies to alleviate suffering. The Jamshedpur center specifically works with tribal’s for improving on their education, healthcare and livelihood. This center has executed excellent facilities and infrastructure for tribals.

Mentor On Road moved on to the Adityapur Auto Cluster hall to meet the members of the Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) which is one of the vibrant industrial associations in the state of Jharkhand and has one of the largest representation of industrial members. I specifically shared with them the joint venture opportunities available globally for them to become competitive in export markets. Several issues were raised by the members, which will be presented to the government.

Mentor On Road also met one of the promoters of Kalamandir - Amitava Ghosh who is working with the tribal’s in Jharkhand and doing incredible work to improve their lives through various market approaches. Kalamandir is an organization that believes in preserving and restoring tribal art and culture by engaging in nurturing a sense of aesthetics about tribal art among individuals, communities, organizations and social groups.

The target groups of Kalamandir are tribal artisans, women and youth. All these groups are deprived and have no voice of any kind on any social or political platforms. The multi-cultural, multi-lingual vibrancy of tribal communities residing in the state of Jharkhand is being eroded due to mining, deforestation, lack of political will, corruption and administrative apathy.

Mentor On Road next moved on to meet the joint gathering of the Rotary Club members of Jamshedpur and shared with them the Triple Helix model, 8 Forms Of Capital, The model of Competitiveness and Innovative Approaches to Global Markets.

Excellent and amazing support was received from Mrs. Smitaben Parikh of Utkal Automobiles Ltd. in organizing all the business and social meetings in Jamshedpur. Each event was very rewarding and met with a very responsive participation. I am very impressed with her commitment to bring change in the society. She gives 100% to whatever she takes up. Thanks Smitaben!

To end this energetic day, Mentor On Road visited the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility of Utkal Automobiles Ltd. which manufactures truck tippers and is one of the leading suppliers to TATA Motors besides owning and managing dealerships of Mahindra, Yamaha, Hyundai and MAN. Utkal Automobiles, owned and managed by Mr. Raj and Mrs. Smitaben Parekh is a very professionally run and well managed company with clean shop floors, happy workers and one of employees who joined in the 1970's currently working as a Director in the company. Overall, high-quality work was being done with efficiency. I was happy to see such a company.

 All truth is eternal. Truth is nobody's property; no race, no individual can lay any exclusive claim to it. Truth is the nature of all souls.

Swami Vivekananda.

Day 15: Travelling from Patna to Jamshedpur, the Steel City of India

Experience is the only teacher we have. We may talk and reason all our lives, but we shall not understand a word of truth until we experience it ourselves. 

Swami Vivekananda

Mentor On Road had an early morning 6 a.m. start from Patna to Jamshedpur as it is a 10 hour drive and on reaching Jamshedpur there is an interactive session at 6 p.m. with the members of the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mentor On Road has entered the 9^th state of leg 2, will reach Ranchi soon and then onwards to Jamshedpur.

Some beautiful scenes from the early morning sunrise.                                                                                                                                    

On the way, we passed through quite a few major sites and cities of cultural and industrial significance with the first site being Bodh Gaya, the religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Gaya district, famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. Bodh Gaya is the most holy place for the followers of the Buddhist faith all over the world. Situated by the bank of river Neranjana (Lilajan or Falgu River) the place was then known as Uruwela. King Ashoka was the first to build a temple here.

We then passed by another major city Hazaribagh which is famous as a health resort and for the Hazaribagh National Park. Hazaribagh has the second highest coal reserve in Jharkhand (Dhanbad region has the first) and is still largely intact. Recently there has been a spurt in the coal mining activities in the region by Central Coalfields Ltd., a subsidiary of Coal India Limited. Work is currently going on for the development of NTPC's 3000 MW and Reliance Power's 3600 MW Super Thermal Power Projects. A major NTPC township is also coming 10 kms from the city. Many downstream steel plants and other industries are also envisioned due to its proximity to coal, water and power. Damodar Valley Corporation has a number of offices in Hazaribagh.

The second major city that we passed by was Ramgarh, a mining, industrial and cultural hub with the famous Maa Chhinnamasta Temple. The name Ramgarh means "The Fort of God Ram". 

Ramgarh is an important industrial district of East India. Several mineral based industries like steel, sponge iron, cement, refractory and thermal power plant etc. are established due to availability of coal and other minerals. Some of the prominent industrial units include:

Public sector industries

• Patratu Thermal Power Station, Patratu
• Steel authority of India (SAIL) Refractories:
• IFCO, Marar
• Bharat Refractories Ltd. Ranchi Road

• C.C.L., Central Repair Work Shop, Barkakana

Private sector industries

• Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL): Balkudra, Patratu
• Indo-Ashahee Glass Company, Bhadaninagar
• Brahmaputra Metallics Ltd, Kamta, Gola
• Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited, Hesla
• Aloke Steels Industries Private Limited, Budhakhap, Karma
• Maa Chhinnamastika Cement and Ispat Private Limited, Budhakhap, Karma
• Sri Durga Cement Company Limited
• DLF Power Limited, Rajrappa
• DLF Power Limited, Argada
• Anindita Trades & Investments Ltd. (Sponge Iron Unit),Senegarha
• Chintpurani Steel Pvt. Ltd., Indra
• Shri Venkatesh Iron & Alloys Ltd, Lapanga
• Dayal Steels Ltd, Chaha
• Sri Ram Power & Steel Pvt. Ltd, Sarubera
• Redeemer Engisoft Pvt Ltd (Software Company), Ramgarh
• Shree Nanak Ferro Alloys Pvt Ltd (Silico Manganese), Rauta, Ranchi Road, Ramgarh

The third major city that we passed by was Ranchi, which has a high conglomeration of educational instutions such as Ranchi University (RU) and its affiliated National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra, Indian Institute of Management Ranchi, IIM-R, Institute of Management Studies, Ranchi, National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi (NUSRL), National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi (CUJ, Ranchi), Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Birsa Agricultural University, Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG), Namkum, and the Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Gharkhatanga.

The major exportable items of Ranchi include heavy machineries and equipment, minerals and ceramics.

After an exhilarating journey, we finally reached Jamshedpur in 10 hours. Mentor On Road had a very intense interaction with the 100+ members of Jamshedpur’s Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which was established to represent trade, commerce, industry and professionals especially in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand. About 1500 members of this organization directly and indirectly represent more than 1,75,000 people from the leading industrial houses of Jamshedpur such as Tata Steel and Tata Motors. 

Several sharp questions on a range of issues were raised.

Understood their diverse challenges and suggested them workable solutions. One of their main challenges is that they are dependent on business with the large OEM’s owing to which payments get delayed. I also suggested them to move onto digital marketing and use credit card advance payments to facilitate faster cash turnaround and better marketing to reach a wider section of their customers.

Fill the brain with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work. 

Swami Vivekananda