Consider this IDEA sarjee :)

Loved the latest IDEA ad. 4 youngsters get job offers in various parts of India..totally alien culture. They wonder how to align themselves to their new location when AB's baby's idea comes to their rescue. Its a cute ad and interestingly picturised. And very apt in current IT scenario.

Few years back..onsite opportunities..working from client locations meant by default either US or some place in Europe (at the worst). People used to get thrilled to hear these terms and would prepare themselves mentally to struggle for decent food and other basic amenities which they wud've taken for granted while growing up in their gullies.

Cut to the present, with more and more Indian companies flexing up their financial muscles and domestic market looking rosy for opportunities, what was once considered as TCS domain, is now under heavy competition from all and sundry. Move over the metros, which have already become as costly as any other world city, has become the mantra. Grab the second tier cities before someone else does, is the watchword nowadays. Places which would've only figured as a blip on your way during some vacation travel are fast becoming daily destinations. And people are forced to migrate within the country left right and center.

A Bihari in Saidapet, Bong in Madipaakam, Mallu in Tambram and a Sardar in chengelpet. I just explained a portion of my team here :) There was a training conducted in our office to learn scottish culture. For interacting with a client, which obviously is the most important thing, with whom we might end up talking for say..half hour a day or probably even lesser for many people, the org is willing to spend lakhs. No issues on that investment as client is the king. Similar sort of orientation program is given to people who travel abroad for long terms. I was wondering why not something similar for people who are relocating to various places within India?? It would definitely be cheaper than any other training i guess and people would be more than interested to learn about their own country too,i suppose, considering the difficulties they undergo in interacting with the localities. I guess it would be a smart investment if the resources are trained to understand and gel with the local culture.

Many people grumble a lot when they've to relocate within India..the main fear being..ADAPTABILITY. I have a team mate who is from Manipur and he claims it would take him 3 days one way to reach his native from chennai!!!! India IS really BIG!!! There are some really good resources from places as far as Himachal and Delhi..who want to relocate back because they find it tough to settle in chennai. The reason they opted to come here in first place was the lucrative job offer. But more than that the challenges in settling to a new place..new culture..drives most of them back. I am not saying that by giving them training about local culture these issues can be plugged. But it might be a good start towards that i guess.

Firstly it might create job opportunities for people who specialise in their local languages and culture.
If found acceptance, BA and MA might become hot shot courses, as lucrative as their Science counterparts.
An additional domain of opportunity which might benefit in shoring up our unique culture.
Employee retention - the very basic reason why i am suggesting it.

There are so many trainings conducted to learn German, spanish, French etc. May be Indian languages are left to be learnt by themselves through trial and error. But if there can be certified courses for learning any Indian languages too on par with the foreign ones..well..hmmm.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant for the Raj thackeray's and Doctor aiya's :)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Superbly written post Gils.
Whatever you have written is true.We will wait for what you ask,can happen someday.
RS said…
RIGHTU,Baaasey!!Valid point there. Wish you get an oppurtunity to bring all these into practise. Electionla nillunga baas(entha election-a irundhaalum),will gladly campaign for you ;)
UmaS said…
Good thinking...may be the companies need to look into this idea of yours with greater interest, Sirjee. :)
visweswara said…
well there are a few reasons y ppl are apphrensive about taking such courses
1. It is a small investment for a potential client .
2.India is big and diverse.We cannot accomodate all people's languages.Instead of coding,we would end up in coaching classes!!
3.India is big which means even when aguy is frustrated ,he struggles and tries to comprimise due to compettiton.
Annam said…
enna irunthaalum unnoda thinkingku yaarukum varathu thaakali....as india is big ur thinking also big
Annam said…
innum neraya ethir paarkirom thakali
Annam said…
consider this idea////////////////

melidathuku anupiruvom thakali :) implement panna..
ambi said…
paaren, intha chinna payanukulla ivloo irunthu irukku. ithanai naala engapaa vechu iruntha ithyellaam..? :)))
Anonymous said…
@aa:

:) danku..wish it happpens soon
gils said…
@athivasi:

hehehe...naana..electionlaya..enaku inum vote podavay vasaagalaiye :D :D hehehee
gils said…
@uma:

heyy..welgum here :) danks for d comments
gils said…
@visvesh:

:) very true..my suggestions were more towards giving back to the society and doin something for safeguarding our culture at the same time..getting something useful outta it for the corporates
gils said…
piks:

:) yo pikaali...love to c u back in action..seekrama blog start pannu
gils said…
@vambi:

hehehee....kidneyla thaan :d
Deepa said…
Well... if there is an opening for a post of that trainer, I'll get that job hands down! Born in J&K, sibling born in Punjab, Maternal relatives from Madhya Pradesh, Schooling in Bengal, Assam, Arunachal, Rajasthan, Himachal, Maharashtra, grew up with Telugu friends, worked in Karnataka (and have relatives from there too), and of all the states where I didn't stay I either have relatives or family friends! :D
Anonymous said…
wwooowwww.....there is no place in india where ur kadam hasnt been it seems :D :D deeper kadam u've got :D :D
Deepa said…
:D :D yep! Its all in the name!
chennaigirl said…
Ithukkaagave yosipeengalo, i think the commuting distance is added adv in your case and it is visible in the number of posts as well the contents :)
Anyways good idea.
Anonymous said…
@cg:

heheh...distance adds enchantment to the thoughts too? :D
Anonymous said…
Briliiant idea Gils.. Wish someone would implement it.. it would be really good..
Anonymous said…
danks ak :) maybe u can suggest in ur opice :))
Sandhya Sriram said…
hey gils, i really loved the AB advertisement. it is probably the only ad which i watch with the same awe every time it comes on TV,

we focus so much on learning foriegn languages but no one teaches local ones.

My baby' school had a national integration team for independence day where each child was supposed to wear a dress from a particular state and sing "my name is XXX, i am from X state, i speak X language, and i am just like you"

my baby's was karnataka, he aked me what do you mean by kannada, i felt so guilty, being in karnataka for 5 years now, i have still not attempted to learn the language

nice post GILS
Anonymous said…
:) we have one mother nation and multiple tongues. kutti paiyan thaana..kathu kundunga :) infact office levela yosikarathuku..school levellaye implement panna try panalam. multiple languages terinja antha kidsku spl marks...or grades antha mathiri oru carrota kaati can make the parents go the extra mile :) sounds crooked? :) karate kathukuduka interest kaatra parents..languages mela kaatrathillaye..enna panrathu..ipdi ethachum uttaalkadi vela panna than undu :)
Aarti said…
Sema post... infact this was something i used to try advocating while at the bpo i kuppa kottified in as HR... esp being in recruitment i used to try getting something like this happen, alas, one soul was lost in the ocean...
Anonymous said…
:D:D adutha kambenila..include panidunga :)
Ramesh said…
Excellent post gilsu. National integration will happen this way.

But I can't resist taking some potshots - no spice in life without needling gils thalaivar. I am imagining Gilsu in Scotland thanks to your Scottish culture training. With a bonnie lassie in tow, Gils wearing a kilt, tippling a Scotch and singing You take the high road, I'll take the low road Wah - what a sight that shall be. Plizz to film video and post :)
gils said…
ROTFL :D :D enna antha costumela nenachu paatha enakay siripu thaangala :D :D epdinga ithelaam!! :D :D

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