Dimension Trade And Commerce Ltd. Commences Activities by Vianney D'Gama (Edit 3 Sep-Oct 2007)

Dimensions is a movement which is aimed at harnessing the resources of the community and channelling it for the benefit of the community again aimed at creating wealth and using the same for community development. The members of Dimensions consist of businessmen and professionals from various walks of life like legal, medicine, investment, education etc to name a few. Apart from social objectives, the members of Dimension were of the view that floating a commercial venture by pooling the resources of the members would appear as an excellent vehicle for generation of wealth. The idea was mooted by driving force behind the movement – Freddy Mendonca- After a brain storming session the idea resulted in the birth of Dimension Trade and Commerce Ltd. a corporate where the objective is to maximise wealth for its stake holders Dimension Trade and Commerce boasts of an excellent Board, consisting of personalities, who have excelled in their respective fields and are burning with a passion to make this venture a roaring success. Dimension Trade and Commerce commenced operations recently and to finance its business activities it issued shares to its members at the rate of Rs. 10/- per share and the response was overwhelming. In the first phase, the company decided to focus on two growth areas for deployment of funds- the stock market and the real estate markets and what is gratifying is that the funds deployed in these two segments have generated excellent returns. Going forward the company is planning to increase the outlay in these two growth segments. The management is now in the process of expanding its activities in these two high growth areas. To increase its fund base to undertake the expansion plans the company is planning to issue shares to its members who could not be accommodated in the initial phase. The Directors are now seized with the thought of further diversifying the income streams of the company so as to not only enhance the income streams, but to have a stable and diversified income portfolio. With the Indian economy poised for accelerated growth in the years ahead, Dimension Trade and Commerce is all set to bask in the glory of a growing economy.

Vianney D'Gama is a Freelance Writer

The Time Has Come Part 2 By Veronica Paul (Edit 3 Oct 2007)

In the last part (part 1), Ms. Paul referred to the three Power factors, i.e. Economic Power, Intellectual Power and the Power of Conviction, In that issue she focused on Economic Power. In this issue, she elaborates on Intellectual Power Intellectual Power: Intellectual Power is important because it influences thought and action. If you observe a group of people in conversation, you will often find that the person who appears the most knowledgeable, and can quote facts and statistics to substantiate his statements, automatically leads the conversation, holds everyone's attention and exerts a certain power over others. This power comes from Knowledge, and Knowledge comes from education and experience. For our youth, both male and female, education is the cornerstone of intellectual power, leading to economic wellbeing. Unfortunately, very few of us reach the level where we can make a real difference in the political, corporate and business world. A vast majority of our Christians have little education, hold low-end jobs and seem to be satisfied with the crumbs that fall off the table of India's economy. This is a pitiable state of affairs especially considering that we have had access to superior education in Christian schools and colleges. We have failed to capitalize on this asset and to grow intellectually. We call ourselves an educated community but this merely means that we have a basic education, which has limited use in today's scenario. Someone recently spoke of a classmate who was a consistent topper in school and college, yet did not pursue further studies and today holds a mediocre job in a BPO. What a waste of brainpower. Many of our youth today have taken the line of least resistance and have fallen prey to dead-end jobs in BPO's and Call Centers because of short-term returns. Even parents, dazzled by the handsome salaries, are encouraging this trend. This is sad because we are slowing down our own progress. As a community, we have several vertical skills such as knowledge of written and spoken English, interpersonal skills, culture, team playing abilities, integrity, basic values, etc. Instead of capitalizing on these advantages for our own long-term benefit, we happily allow these assets to be exploited by others, but to our own detriment. BPO's and Call Centers, being a 24/7 industry (i.e. 24 hours a day, seven days a week), involve shift timings and monotonous work. The burnout rate, thus, is very high, and many young men and women quickly learn that there is no future in these jobs. By then, however, they not only find it difficult to get mainstream jobs due to lack of qualifications, but also find it impossible to continue their college education. Thus, they find themselves between a rock and a hard place, and frustration sets in. What is more alarming is the fact that even undergraduates are being targeted because of the ever-increasing demand. Christian Career Counselors should be aware of this trend and advise our youth accordingly. In some cases, BPO'S may be a good starting point for a person who has completed his/her full education and needs an initial break. But not for a student who would have otherwise gone in for higher studies and branched out into a more meaningful profession. We need to raise the bar in terms of academic achievement. How many of our youth aspire to the IAS, IPS, Chartered Accountancy, or to B-schools like the IIM's, XLRI, TISS, etc., or to the top engineering schools such as the IITs? How many have entered top medical schools? Today, we have a wide choice of professions like Media, Entertainment, IT, Fashion Designing, etc. to choose from. However, even these are very competitive and we need to set our goals much higher to qualify for admission into the best professional institutions in the respective fields. A good education necessitates the investment of time, energy and finance. While students should endeavor to excel in their chosen streams and not take for granted the facilities offered by Christian schools, colleges, and professional colleges, these Christian institutions too can help by focusing on our youth and encouraging them to excel. Giving them a head start by way of preferential admission would also help. In this context, it may be useful to remember that charity begins at home, and we need to ensure that our Christian youth get access to these facilities first. Since superior education is expensive, Christian corporate houses could sponsor the coaching of high-potential students for further studies at the best institutes both in India and abroad. Coaching that is strategic and goal-oriented has to start early. This is not to imply that only a spectacular academic background guarantees success. Many have achieved significant success without fancy qualifications. Indeed, some have reached dizzy heights with very little formal education. However, few of us have the genius or business acumen of a Bill Gates or a Dhirubhai Ambani. For the rest, a top-notch education is the gateway to success and aspiration. Intellectual power also means using our native intelligence to the optimum. We need to be on the cutting edge of developments and knowledge in our areas of interest. We need to be aware of our rights, privileges, opportunities and threats, and think laterally. The antithesis of intellectual power is ignorance. In property matters particularly, many of our Catholics, through fear and ignorance, are intimidated by unscrupulous builders and other elements. Here, dedicated Legal Cells can be of great help. Christian lawyers and builders should access areas like Gaothans which have a large Christian population and offer services and guidance to those who need them. Christian housing societies should also spread awareness among their members in this regard. Having the requisite intellectual skills will empower us immeasurably. No longer then, will we be considered an ignorant, easy-going and naive community that is virtually begging to be exploited. Veronica Paul is a Placement Consultant and Proprietor of C. S. Paul & Associates.

DIMENSIONS. Success is a journey not a destination…………………………………….. Freddy Mendonca (Edit 1 May 2007)

Welcome to the world of Dimensions. We live in a competitive world so full of challenges at every step. It is very essential that as a community we Christians who are so accomplished in fields like Education and Healthcare, do justice to ourselves and the society we live in by sharpening our skills in areas like Business and Public life where we are found to be wanting. Ironically, it turns out that the teachings of our Lord and saviour make for excellent Business men and in public life we find that in very own India, the Mahatma won us freedom using Biblical principles!! We realize that as a community, we lack support systems or any other means that will help our young professionals with a spirit of enterprise venture out on their own and build and nurture them so that we have a few more Glenmarks to show, in our ranks. When we look around and see the Kutchis or the Gurjars or several successful mercantile communities on the Indian business scene, we realize that the unity and support systems that each of these success stories represent and nurture differentiates them from the “others” . As Christians the need was felt to move us out from the “others” category and build a vibrant self sustaining self financing edifice that will help incubate entrepreneur talent. This vision was given shape and form thanks to a simple and unassuming person in the form of Mr Freddy Mendonca whose simplicity combined with vision makes for a formidable combination, thus DIMENSIONS was born. Dimensions as we all call it is a group of Christian Entrepreneurs who meet once a month and share their experience on their path to success. At the same time a common goal evolved as such that the comfort level among these community members grew leaps and bounds.The idea is to grow business within the community, in order to achieve that fellow Christian Business men will first have to meet and network with their peers, automatically a rapport and relationship is established and business relations among fellow Diamonds (as Dimension members are called) sprouts in the well watered fields that Dimensions offers. The vision was very concrete to see that every person in the community grows in terms of work and wealth. This in turn would make the entire community a strong community economically as well as socially. Businessmen, Bankers, Investors, Consultants, Professionals, Newspaper editors were all invited to this forum. The first meeting commenced on 24th June 2006 at Hotel Suncity Residency, at Andheri Mumbai, in less than a year, members have started business relations within the hitherto “unknown” probably unheard of fellow “Christian Brothers” in business. The idea is so simple and so workable that one wonders why it had not been implemented earlier!! There is no membership, no running costs, in fact the overheads are yes you guessed right: zilch. There is no compulsion to attend, but the group discussions, the networking that the system affords draws numbers to these monthly meetings. Would it not be great to have Dimensions as a large “umbrella” under which scores of our businesses are hosted on the internet: networking with Christian business groups (pan India) / world wide a virtually free marketing platform in an era where the world particularly in the services space is just a mouse click away!! And the best part of it all … the foundation has already been laid our website is up and running and evolving by the day. The road ahead is already being paved, “Dimensions Trade and Commerce LTD”(DTCL) has already been registered and the Commencement certificate obtained. Two investment areas viz stock market as well as real estate have been earmarked and investment has already been committed from the share capital contributed by interested members. Any person from the community is welcome to these forum meetings of DIMENSIONS which holds no membership fees and is absolutely self contributory for every meeting. S/He is most welcome for these meetings and is not bound by any rule of membership. He or she can come and introduce/share during these meetings of Dimensions and is always welcome for further meetings at their convenience. It is not at all obligatory for any person attending these dimensions meetings to be a part of DTCL. No person present at this forum will be forced or requested to invest in DTCL. It is entirely upto the individuals comfort level to decide whether to invest in DTCL or not. He or she can still be proud to be a part of Dimensions. This has been confirmed and endorsed by all diamonds who attend these meetings. It's the beginning of a long journey…………… Requesting all Christian Businessmen, Entrepreneurs, Professionals to attend our meetings and be part of the Dimension Movement for your growth and the growth of our community. COME JOIN US AND LET US ALL TOGETHER MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. — The Dimensions fraternity. Visit: www.dimensionsdirect.com Mr. Freddy Mendonca is the Executiv Director of Protocol Marine Services P Ltd And one of the Founding Fathers of Dimensions

PASSING THE BATON by Marshal Sequeira (Edit 1 May 2007)

Organizations, whatever may the character and purpose, are essentially formed as a means to primarily serve others never for self. It is not necessary that the beneficiaries have to be the whole wide world but a group of people, community, business entities or whatever. The aim is always noble and more often than not, the purpose is well served in line with the aims and objects. Some people take the lead and give the requisite dimension to the organization or association. They have a philanthropic bent of mind and this single attribute ensures that the members or the community stands to benefit. Such people believe that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others. They are busy individuals and not idle but their inner call makes them devote their time so that others can benefit. Undoubtedly, this is a thankless job because people who devote their time, energy and even money to advance the objectives, find themselves at the receiving end when it comes to criticism. Adverse comments and unwanted criticism are more pronounced during the teething period which is generally lengthy. Founder members / Conveners who are generally committed take such remarks in their stride and continue with their mission because they want to ensure that what they have conceived and started is placed on a sound footing for the benefit of the future generations. A man who plants a peepal sapling does not live to enjoy its shade but does it all the same for posterity. We have inherited a good many organizations / associations which were established by men of vision and dedication. They are not longer on the scene but their contribution is always felt. We are enjoying the fruits today. Similarly those organizations, formed now, will impact the future generations. Contributions by the well meaning founders will be appreciated by those who benefit from them in the long run even if they are no longer at the helm of affairs. Therefore keeping long term perspective in mind and in the larger interests of the beneficiaries and the organizations, they prefer to step aside and withdraw from the forefront, making way for the younger members to hold the reins. They sincerely believe that others can do a better job of it with modern and innovative ideas. Narayan Murthy, the man behind the success of Infosys, voluntarily stepped aside to give others a chance to show their caliber and take it on a higher plane. He stepped aside when people asked “why” instead of waiting for “when”. That is the stuff great men are made of. Every leader must be able to build a new set of leaders to take over in the long run as he honestly believes that his place is transitory. This attitude shows his magnanimity and selflessness because he has the larger interest of the organization dear to his heart. This process ensures continuity and there is no scope for sudden vacuum at the helm. We have many associations and groups and it may be nice thing to have a look at the state of affairs. No doubt most of them are operating on very sound and healthy lines but all the same a little self appraisal is not a bad thing after all. Some people may unwittingly, not realize how important it is to look at the succession plan in the interest of the organization, industry or Government. British PM is being literally forced out and the same thing would have happened in the USA if their constitution did not insulate the President. Leaders of substance must read the writing on the wall. “Only I can do it” is a very dangerous attitude. Transparency is the key word for any organization. Once this is ensured, democratic functioning follows. Members and others hold such association in high esteem. They like to be associated with it but if they have any reservations people prefer to stay aloof and indifferent. The organization then does not grow and remains stagnant. This is not a healthy situation and the people at the helm must sit up and take notice unless of course they feel it does not really matter so long as they continue to rule the roost.

Marshall Sequeira is a “ Free lance writer”

The Time Has Come.. By Veronica Paul (Edit2 July Aug 2007)

The time has come for each one of us, Christians in India, to take stock of where we stand today vis-a-vis the rest of the nation. India is on the threshold of a great future and yet as a community, we exist on the fringes of mainstream society especially in business and public service. To add to our woes, we are also looked upon as a minority with a soft underbelly, our votes don't count, our voices are not heard and we are discriminated against. We need to understand that while this impacts the whole community, it also affects each one of us individually. It is not about someone in a faroff distant corner of India who is being victimized. It is about you and me. Here and now. When one of our community members is discriminated against, our individual strength is eroded. How can we change this? Through Power: 1. Economic Power, 2. Intellectual Power, and the 3. Power of Conviction. Firstly and fundamentally, we need to raise the bar in terms of prosperity and education. Next, we need to make a paradigm shift in our own way of thinking. Finally, we need to influence how others perceive us. In other words, we need to become an economic, intellectual and dynamic powerhouse. In this section of a 3-part analysis, I would like to focus on: Economic Power. Economic strength is power, whichever way you look at it. Money oils the wheels of society and affects every social relationship. It is not an end by itself but is certainly a means to almost everything. I do believe that we Christians have been living in denial regarding its importance and relevance to our wellbeing. We treat it as a necessary evil. It is high time we gave it the respect that it deserves. But to do this, we must first accept the fact that economic prosperity and the creation of wealth do not run counter to Christian teachings. We are in fact exhorted by God to earn our bread and to use our money judiciously. In the parable of the ten talents, the servant who multiplied his wealth was rewarded, the one who did not was penalised. God endowed Solomon with singular wisdom and vast riches in order to empower him to further God's plan on earth. Money should not be our master, but rather, a useful servant. I do believe, therefore, that that we owe to ourselves to be financially sound and prudent. Economic strength constitutes inherited wealth, property and the ability to create wealth. Previous generations by virtue of hard work, prudent spending and holding good positions in industry accumulated enough wealth to invest in equities, buy property and build a comfortable nest egg. Unfortunately, instead of multiplying these assets, many of us frittered them away through lavish lifestyles & short-term planning. As a result, the Christian community is, by and large, an impoverished lot. However, it is still not too late to stem this trend. We could start this process at our familial grassroots. Too many families today are splintered over property and inherited assets. As a result, a third party usually ends up taking advantage of the situation to the detriment of all involved. It is tragic to see that even properties that come under Catholic societies are being sold to the highest bidder in violation of society rules. Scores of families are being driven out of developed suburbs, out of the environment they grew up in, into the far flung suburbs where life is much tougher, especially for the younger generation. Let our property that has been bequeathed to us by our forefathers remain within the family or at least within the community. Today, with the rising economy, our youth does not have to migrate to foreign lands to carve a destiny for themselves. The opportunities are right here in our own backyards. In fact, a number of young people who have settled abroad are longing to return to a glorious India. Let's help them by preserving and expanding what our forefathers in their wisdom bequeathed us. We need to give our children a better future. Christians are known to be a “service community”, meaning that a large percentage work in organizations in various rungs of the hierarchy. Mostly, at the lower rungs. Why should it be that way? We have skills that are as good as anyone else, maybe better. So what holds us back. Education? Definitely, one of the reasons, but also our apathy and lack of ambition. We, our menfolk especially, are too laid back and “susegad”. Traditionally, it was the man's job to earn and support the family so that the wife could look after the children. Today, the women often end up doing “double duty” while the menfolk take it easy. I hasten to say that this is not the case in every home but increasingly, women work harder today, away from home, than in days gone by. The fallout is that our children do not get the direction, supervision and support that is so critical to their growth. We need to look at this seriously. While we have the skills to participate in the service sector, we need to also explore and challenge our capabilities in the areas of business and enterprise. Those of us who are already entrepreneurs or own small businesses need to develop critical skills to keep abreast of the latest developments in our respective fields. While business ethics come easily to us, and this is a great asset, we also need to improve on other market-driven skills and to constantly innovate. We need to stay competitive. The support of the family, especially the youth, in expanding the scope of business is invaluable. The creation of wealth also necessitates a hard look at our savings, investment and spending patterns. Many of us are risk averse, in which case, our preference should be towards prudent spending and wise investments rather than conspicuous and needless consumption. Retirement and early retirement do not necessarily mean the end of our capacity to generate income, if we so desire. Many of us have probably found that our sizeable retirement funds and early retirement packages get depleted all too rapidly given the eroding value of the rupee, high inflation and dipping interest rates. Today, there are plenty of opportunities for those who look for them. For example, there is an ongoing demand in BPO's and call centers for people with good language skills. What if some of us, who are willing and able, were to give these jobs a shot, at least on a parttime or contractual basis. This would have a 3-fold benefit, the retirees could generate extra income, the BPO's would get their manpower and most importantly, our youth could continue with their education. Sounds preposterous? Look at it this way. At this stage in life, retired folks don't have to worry about career progression, or saving up for a house, marriage, etc, and besides, they can “call it a day” at anytime without much angst. Think about it. We also need to change our attitude towards work. In western countries, there is dignity of labour, and people do not hesitate to take on any kind of honest work provided the payoff is good. When we work towards a goal, be it personal, further education, a promotion or career progression, work becomes a vehicle towards that end. Also, while working hard has its benefits, one should also aim to work smart. An idea that produces the same result with less effort is twice as valuable. That's where lateral thinking and innovation come in. To summarise, the enhancement of our economic power will definitely give us the necessary edge and confidence to make a difference to our country, to our community and, not the least, to the quality of our own lives as individuals.

BUSINESS : AN ANETHEMA FOR CHRISTIANS by Marshall Sequeira - A freelance writer (Edit 2 July Aug 2007)

Most Christians have an aversion for business and it is not hard to trace the origin of this 'phobia'. As good Christians, we are guided by the biblical teachings that we have come into this world to 'serve' and not to be served. No wonder, by chance or choice, most of us land up with 9 to 5 jobs serving those businessmen and industrialists who, with their sheer vision and foresight, established enough enterprises for all of us to serve. The BPOs have contributed their mite. On a more serious note, we Christians, unfortunately lack the business acumen to be successful in running it and making it profitable. Very few Christian businessmen have been successful and those very successful ones have shown that given the will and determination it is not entirely difficult. Others have given up midway. Some of the constraints that come to mind why we Christians are apprehensive when it comes to business are:

• Inability to take risks we tend to forget the age old maxim higher the risks, greater the reward. Unfortunately we like to play safe and look for gains even before investing. As a fun-loving community obsessed with the 3 Ds [Dress, Drink and Dance] we prefer the cushy life with fixed salary, fixed timings and evenings free for dating and partying, something which is a mirage for true businessmen. They reserve the weekend for this.
• Inability to generate requisite funds for business. Safety of the family [in terms of roti, kapda and makan] always remains a priority with 'a bird in hand is worth two in a bush' mentality. Unlike other communities, other family members do not come forward with any financial help. We do not encourage the joint family system and this perhaps is one of the key factors
• responsible for our failure on the business front. Jealously is very much prevalent when someone succeeds. Before a business can be successful, it faces enormous teething troubles and we lack the patience and the mental strength to face such situations. Similarly, after successful establishment of the business, there is, what is called the 'gestation period' a period of consolidation after which one can hope to see the fruits of labour, i.e. the profits. Failure to
• face this spell, however long it may take, makes most aspirants nervous and more often than not, they give up.
• Facing bureaucratic hurdles is one of the essential qualities required to start a business in this country. Multiplicity of authorities, harassment from petty officials, and demand for bribes unnerve us. Every businessman has to face the municipal authorities, the sales tax authorities, the income tax officials and the excise staff. These are the realities of business and not accepting that truth will resemble the ostrich approach. We have that 'holier than thou' attitude and this
• does not help matters. If you do the business without breaking the rules, it should not be difficult to overcome these road blocks. We lack negotiating skills to convince others and to get the work done.
• When it comes to dealing with workers, staff and even the vendors, one must have that entrepreneurial skill to be tough when required and be accommodative if the situation
• warrants. Perhaps the 'be generous' approach and 'offer your other cheek' concept do not help to develop the right attitude required for business.

Communities like the Bania and the Marwaris have shown that with hard work and willingness to put in long hours, one can be successful. They say business is in their blood. True! It comes naturally to them. Though most small businessmen are hardly educated, they know the numbers well so also the rules and regulations [including loop holes which they exploit to their advantage]. Had it not been for the likes of Ambanis, Modi's, Singhanias, Tatas, Birlas, etc, we would have been stuck with farming. We curse these people for prospering through evasion of taxes, excise duties, custom duties, etc. Yet we work for them and earn our daily bread. Let us remember that “A man is not honest just because he has had no chance to cheat”. It is easy to cast aspersions with sweeping statements. We take pride in saying that we salaried people pay our taxes but do we really have an option? Communities like the Banias, have come up with sheer hard work. You can see a Bania shop open at 7.00 in the morning and remain open [without a break] till 9.00 at night. They help one another, guide others who want to start a business and even extend financial assistance. The surplus funds rotate within the community. This is unparalleled. Can we learn something from this? We, as a Community, are generally educated and some of the people have proved to be good successful businessmen. It may be a good idea if such businessmen in each Parish offer their expertise to help those aspiring young men who have dreams but lack direction and guidance. WE NEED TO WALK THE TALK.