Day 8: The meeting at PwC was very informative. They gave multiple presentations on topics that related very much to our case studies. In regards to our case we obtained a lot of information about the private and public education sectors in India. Private education has been emerging on the scene over the past few years. In my opinion it’s a really savvy business move as the public universities could in no way house all of the college aged students in India, making them entirely competitive and leaving a lot of Indian students without options for higher education. Only 1/150 applicants get into IIMs leaving a huge market of students in India and based on the $13 billion Indian students spend on education abroad it’s a profitable market too. Private education institutions, although growing in numbers, are facing a tough time gaining a reputation of a quality place for education. I think the biggest problem they face is just being young, which is a reason that prevents companies like PwC from recruiting from them. This means that these private institutions have to work extra hard and pump that much money into advertising to get their name out there and build their brand equity. After PwC we drove to Old Delhi to visit the Red Fort where the sound and light show was taking place. The buildings were beautiful and enormous and I just kept thinking I wish we got to explore it during the day. The story during the show was about the history of Delhi but to be honest I was so exhausted I just absentmindedly stared at the lights. After a quick dinner at McDonalds we returned back to the hotel. Day 9 Today was consumed by visiting the HCL offices in two locations. We learned about their employment practices and from the looks of things they take very good care of their employees. They have numerous programs that create not only a fun workplace but a facilitating one. They offer childcare services as well as something that would be comparable to concierge service. After, we attended a reception at the Gupta’s and another great time was had. There was a wide assortment of both Indian and American cuisine and tons of music. We had a brief presentation on the diamond business and then the rest of the night was spent socializing, eating, and dancing. Again, I felt so welcomed and right at home. Everyone was so friendly and fun it may have been one of my favorite nights in India. Day 10 Our last day in India began at one of the biggest tourist attractions in Delhi, the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple. The buildings were beautiful and enormous it made it hard to believe the whole facility was built in just five years. The story of Swaminarayan was depicted through high-tech moving puppets, a water ride, and an IMAX movie. This sect of Hinduism believed in complete vegetarianism, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, and family values. They considered the elephant sacred and the whole temple displayed that. Around the whole main building looked as if it was supported by a herd of stone elephants. The saddest thing about the whole temple was that the weather was taking its toll on the buildings. While we visited, the main building was closed so they could fix the damages. After the temple we went for a camel and elephant ride. After riding the elephant, Joe and I ran across the street for some coffee. There appeared to be a party going on and the people were so friendly they invited Joe and me to try some of their food. They asked us how we like India and were really interested in what we had to say. These were complete strangers and they were so kind to us. It really meant a lot to me to be treated so nicely even though I was an uninvited guest at their party. Day 11 Our last day in India was mostly spent shopping and then a dinner at the hotel with everyone before leaving. Thinking back on the trip, I have to say the best part was the people. I watched the movie, Darjeeling Limited, on my way to Agra and Owen Wilson’s character says something so true of the country. He says, “…these people, they’re beautiful,” referring to the Indian people. I’ve never left the US before so this could’ve been a pretty trying experience for me but to be honest, I had one of the best times of my life. No matter if it was the people at each of the companies we visited, the Dhillon’s, the Gupta’s, or even locals walking on the street everyone was so friendly, hospitable and generally interested in our trip there. They were proud of their country and wanted us to feel at home there too. India is definitely a place I will go back to and this is mainly attributed to all of the wonderful people I encountered on this trip. It really was a great experience.

Day 6

                Woke up early and had a quick breakfast before traveling to Chandigarh to visit Infosys.  Their campus was enormous, beautiful, and extremely modern.  The campus takes extremely good care of their employees with gyms, food facilities and even a music room!  If the amenities were any indication of how successful Infosys was, then the Infosys is extremely prosperous.  They came from very modern beginnings to being the first Indian company to be on NASDAQ.  Today they are bringing in $4.1 billion in revenue and have created two other company branches, Infosys Consulting Inc. and Infosys Tech LTP. 

                Infosys has a more acceptance percentage more competitive then Harvard University. They strive to only attract the best employees with majors ranging from engineering to business.  Once hired, their employees go through years of training and Infosys actually plans to recruit more business students and teach them technology skills.  This is a promising prospect for business students as Infosys is one of the more successful IT companies in the world.  It raises the question though, since many companies are following the path toward outsourcing, will American students be more open to the prospect of working abroad?  I’m unsure of my answer, but just by speaking to a few of the people in this class I can tell it’s a viable option.

                After Infosys, Dean Dhillon hosted our group at a local golf.  We had dinner and enjoyed the company of the Dean’s family.  It was nice to have some down time after the long day we had at Infosys.  The Dean’s family was so warm and welcoming.  Everyone was so friendly I felt like I was visiting with people I had known for years.  After a few hours we boarded the bus for the long trip back to Delhi and literally, upon arrival, fell asleep.

Day 7:

                Today we visited DSCL, an agri-rural business with a chain of retail stores call Hariyali.  What’s interesting about Hariyali is the stores were only present in rural areas.  The sell seeds and other agricultural products to local people as well as provide farming classes on how to better utilize the land and products.  I found the general contradiction of the marketplace the most interesting part of this presentation.  The rural markets were far more segmented then urban markets.  This is probably attributed to the vast amount of people and land that these people inhabit.  Despite the many segments, a heterogeneity in tastes and preferences.  This must make mass marketing of their products incredibly easy.

                Their business model also seems smart in appealing to people living in rural communities.  The retailers provide goods on credit and assistance for output buy-back.  It’s essentially outsourcing, just to a different group of people, not company.  I found this presentation very interesting because agriculture can be a tough industry to wrangle.  With so many different people working independently I would think it would be hard for one company to hold the majority of the market share, however, DSCL (through the Hariyali Bazaar) seems to be enjoying success.

                The night ended with dinner at Professor Gupta’s house in honor of Lohri.  Again we were welcomed with open arms and the whole night surged of hospitality.  We danced around the fire and enjoyed traditional India food as well and Pizza Hut!  Needless to say, I was so full at the end of the night.  I had a great time at the Gupta’s house and honestly felt so at home even though I was worlds away.  The party was beautifully decorated and it really was an honor to be welcomed the way we were.

Days 4-5

Day 4 (cont.): After an 8 hour bus ride we finally arrived at LPU in Punjab a little groggy to say the least.  Despite our fatigue we quickly regained consciousness as we were greeted by the LPU students with open arms.  After dinner (which was made less spicy to accommodate us) we hung around by the fire with our new friends.  Unfortunately my e-buddy never showed up but everyone else was so friendly and easy to talk to I didn’t feel left out at.  Around the fire we danced and sang and overall had a great time.  It was nice to hang out with students exactly like us who just happened to live on the other side of the world.  After a long night the girls headed to the hostels.  We found out that most of the girls had to abide by a curfew while on campus.  Security was very high with locks on both sides of the door.  It was colder in Jalandhar then in Delhi and the dorm rooms reflected this lower temperature.  It made showering virtually impossible as they use a bucket and cup instead of the showers we are used to in the US.  Overall, I thought the night was a great introduction with the other students.  They were so friendly and accommodating which are uncommon traits with people our age back home.

Day 5: Got an early start to the day.  Had breakfast at the place we had dinner last night followed by a quick tour of the LPU campus.  I was amazed at how quickly their campus was expanding.  They had all different professional schools including medical, education, and engineering.  Their school was equipped with all the necessary facilities needed in any university.  I was most excited about the construction of a new mall on campus!  Although I would love a mall on BU’s campus it struck me as odd here because the administration was all about keeping the focus of the students.  By imposing rules banning drinking and smoking and by enforcing a curfew the administration is attempting to keep the focus and motivation of the students really strong.  On the flip side they are building the mall and boast that of all these amenities that don’t require the students to leave campus.  I think is a little contradictory of the previous statement because I know for me a mall would be the biggest distraction I could have. 

                After the tour we had a lecture by LPU’s administration.  They touched on the growth of the university and its plans for the future.  These include increased recruitment in countries other than India and greater enrollment as their campus is capable of holding many more students.  Being only three years it was remarkable how quickly the school had grown already.  Besides their growth the school has a vast number of reputable recruiters including Dell, IBM, and Bosch and has achieved a slew of accolades acknowledging their recruitment.  The school was founded by the Lovely Group who began as a sweet shop and expanded into education and autos. 

                We also got a lecture on the demographics of India that reiterated what we have come to know as it being an emerging market.  The population growth is falling and literacy is rising which is attributing to a “demographic transformation.”  India has the largest middle class in the world and with education expanding and developing, this is poised to expand.  After hearing about all of these figures, I realized we are visiting India at a very unique time.  As one of the administrators put it, “we are fast learners.”  India is constantly changing, whether visible or not, and within the next ten years will not be the same country that we visited. 

                After the session we broke for lunch and then moved to Jalandhar City with our E-Buddies.  We spent a few hours at the Devi Talab Temple.  The temple was huge with so many different places to go and worship.  Each place gave us an offering of different nuts and sweet food.  Despite the cold, it was a great experience for our E-Buddies to explain different parts of the temple to us.  My favorite part was the tiger which had been carved out of a tree and stone and made into a cave of some sort.  Inside I had a brief conversation with Professor Gupta about different religions.  Inside the Hindu religion there are so many different beliefs and views of the Gods.  This drew a lot of parallels between Hinduism and Christianity for me and has sparked an interest in learning more about these religions and similar they really are.

                After the temple we visited Lovely Autos and Sweets.  At the sweet shop they asked us if there were any ways they could bring their product over to the US.  In my opinion, they would have to market it as a high end exotic candy in exclusive candy boutiques.  By providing free samples customers would get a taste of something they have never tried before.  Another angle is to first sell the product in an area where a lot of Indian consumers would be able to find the product.  A word of mouth advertising strategy would be best for this product as Indians in the US are most likely working/attending school/associating with non Indian consumers.

                Later we went to a restaurant (which was complete with all different sorts of entertainment) that served cuisine typical of Punjab.  The food was good, however, I opted out of the rice pudding like dessert (which is taken a shot) while I watched Joe down three.  My favorite part of the entertainment was the Bollywood style dancers.  The costumes were beautiful and the story was charming and fun to follow.  Overall, the restaurant was a fun experience and another good opportunity to hang out with our E-Buddies.

                We were exhausted after our long day; however, it was not over.  We joined the students in celebrating Lohri.  Similar to the night before, we danced around the fire and hung out.  The Chancellor arrived with two armed security guards and spoke to us briefly.  We asked him questions about LPU and student life and afterwards we presented them with clocks.  After this we were extremely tired and knowing tomorrow would be yet another early morning, we passed out immediately once we got back to our room.

India: Day 3

So today this morning is my third morning in India and I’m only able to start my blog now because we’ve been SO BUSY! I’m glad we’re are keeping busy though as India has so much to see and 11 days isn’t nearly enough to experience it all.  This is an especially special trip for me because it is a first of many in my life.  I flew for the first time, left the east coast for the first time and (obviously) left the country for the first time! That being said, I had absolutely no idea what to expect on this trip and everyday has been a new adventure.

Day 1: arrived in India around 9:30pm.  The airport was very crowded and the mass of people did not alleviate even outside.  Delhi was very foggy when we arrived so I was unable to see what was going on outside leaving me more anxious as to what was to come in the following days.

Day 2: Began the day early with a walking tour around Delhi.  As it was so early, the city seemed desolate to me.  The only people we seemed to encounter were those who had spent the night on the street.  All of the stores were closed and it made me nervous our hotel was in the middle of no where (I was very very wrong though!).  The fog did not let up this morning even as we made our way to the American Center.  Two employees spoke to us about working at the American Center in India.  One was from the public affairs sector and spoke of the programs the put together for the Indian people including concerts and movies.  The second woman was from the political sector.  She had very interesting things to say about India-American relations.  Later, I would realize how right she was as some of these people are some of the friendliest I’ve met in my life.  After the center we had lunch at what seemed to be a popular restaurant.  While walking there the city had definitely awoken as people and cars filled the streets.  I was surprised by that many of the same brands and stores I’m familiar with were present in India.  Our lunch was good, nothing like I’ve ever had before which made me hesitant to try some things (I’m telling myself now I have to be more adventurous for the remainder of this trip!).  Our last stop was a Sikh temple and although I don’t know much about the religion I thought this was an amazing experience.  The temple was beautiful and the people (although we were intruding on their prayers) seemed happy that we were there trying to learn about their faith.  They gave us a handful of food while we were leaving (I can’t remember the name right not).  I tried a bit but was a little uneasy about eating it but the symbolic gesture was really lovely.  We ended our day with a reception at the hotel which really reiterated how friendly and welcoming some Indian people were.  Although I’m very far from home, even just after these two days I’m feeling very comfortable in India.

After dinner, a small group of us, accompanied by Professor Gupta, took the train to where we were earlier in the day.  It was busy and the nightlife seemed pretty apparent.  I had a good time traveling in this smaller group and am really glad I decided to participate (even though my jet lag started to hit!)

Day 2: Another early day.  Our first stop was the India gate.  We watched soldiers preparing for a parade on the 26th.  The gate was beautiful, however, my favorite part was interacting with the Indian children.  They were all so friendly to us.  A few introduced themselves and some even danced!  It really made me happy to speak with them and I wish we could’ve stayed longer.  Our event for the day was the Indian expo show which is a pretty big deal as it is only held once every two years.  I enjoyed looking at the different cars but some of the crowds were INSANE.  I couldn’t believe how many people were shoving and running up to see the cars, you would think they were giving them away!  The expo show was a bit overwhelming with a number of huge building housing the vehicles and hundreds of smaller stalls with the individual parts.  I enjoyed myself though in the less crowded areas and would have to say what most entertained me were the men and women dancing around the cars.  Being at the expo made me realize how many different cultural groupings of Indians there are.  Some were dressed in traditional Indian clothes while others were wearing things I would buy in my local mall.  I’m not sure if its a generation gap (as still there were some young Indians dressed traditionally) or that some Indians have embraced Western culture a lot more.

After the expo we visited the Lotus temple.  It was a beautiful place that was obviously a huge tourist attraction.  The temple was gorgeous and serene but I think what I will remember the most were Indians taking pictures of me!  Here I’m visiting their country, taking pictures of the people and culture and they were curious of me!  I laughed and went along with it when a man asked to take a picture with me in front of the temple.

Later we walked around the bazaar (this area is definitely not desolate!) cars were zooming by and there were hundreds and hundreds of people walking in every direction.  However, this and dinner were somewhat of blur to me as this exhaustion has finally caught up to me.  An early bed time was exactly what I needed!

Day 3: Woke up early (I guess I’m getting used to waking up before 1pm?) to pack and get ready for our trip to LPU.  Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up on some reading on this bus ride.  Will blog later on our journey! Namaste!