Allah ka banda apna Ciggy Chacha !!!

Managing a business is just like managing the economy of the country. There is income, expenditure; sales other things that if not managed properly might heavy losses. Ciggy chacha tells us about how he manages his business.

Ciggy chacha stays behind the Matunga petrol pump near Ruia College. He tells the story that his current house he brought at just Rs.300/- but 36 years ago!

He has a family living in Veloor, Tamilnadu. His two sons are doing well in their life. One is employed in the Indian Railway and the other one has completed his graduation and wants to pursue further. 

This interesting name is given to him by the students of Ruia and Podar colleges. He has a 3-wheeler-bicycle in which he sells all types of cigarettes, bidis, Paan Supari, bakery biscuits, Agarbattis, candles, weighing machine, car washing clothes and so on and so forth.

This 62 year old Ciggy Chacha stays alone in a city. His family wants him to come back. But he says, “it’s not the end I m still young...Wont retire that early.” Now he has a mobile, so his loyal customers in Dadar-Matunga area call him and place their orders of packs of cigarettes and other products. This customers are from IES King George, Hindu colony, Dadar swaminarayan, Ruia Naka, Podar katta, Wellingkers and Matunga stn road.

Some people call him ‘cycle-chacha’, some call ‘ciggy-chacha’. He is very famous amongst students in this entire area mainly because of his weird cycle which has everything. Literally, other than the products it’s got tube lights, radio, fan and television also! 

When asked about the past, he went in to flash back. Ciggy Chaha came to Mumbai in the year 1976 at the age of 14. He started working in a hotel at Mohammad Ali Road. He worked in Chor Bazar for 7 years. He was working at retail market at Masjid Bunder. One day he met with an accident and his left leg got hurt badly. Doctor advised him not to take strain on the left leg. His colleague told him about one guy in Pune who used to sell through such cycle. Chacha loved the concept and brought it for 600 Rupees. Since from last 12 years Chacha and his Cycle is serving their customers in Dadar-Matunga area without a single holiday!

He gets all the goods from a wholesale shop in Parel. On each Cigarette which is of 5Rs he gets 1 Rupee on Bidi packets (each 10Rs) he gets 3Rs. He sells Agarbattis near Swami Narayan Temple and at Ayyappa temple in the morning. Pan-Supari Products make more money. Many Taxi drivers buy biscuits from him. He sells car washing clothes at Rs. 120 per dozen. He tells one incident from 20 years back when Mr Amitabh Bacchan stopped his car at Dadar TT when saw chacha and purchased clothes from him for Rs 300! At the end of the day he gets approx 120-150 Rs. He himself cooks food or sometimes just eat some snacks like vada pav.

 

There are some customers who borrow items on credit from him and return it with delay. Police take cigarettes pan masala and just don’t pay him.  But Chacha is okay with it. 

He says,

 

"Kahaan yeh sab leke ja na hai... Aadami nanga aata hai aur nanga hi jata hai...Kayamat k din Allah ko kaise muh dikhana hai yeh hamesha soch k jee leta hu !!!"

India's growth didn't reduce malnutrition: Harvard study

India's impressive economic growth has not led to reduction in undernutrition among its children, according to a Harvard study that said the government should use its growing revenues for direct investments in aid like food stamps to address the problem.

The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study analysed malnutrition by region in India. It said undernutrition was worst in the poor and populous states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It was less common in the northeastern states like Mizoram and Manipur, and also in Kerala.

"Growth in India's economy since the early 1990s has not ended undernutrition among children in that country and may require the Indian government to directly invest in appropriate health interventions such as food aid," the study by HSPH associate professor of society, human development and health S V Subramanian, said.
The study analysed economic and children's growth patterns from data based on the National Family Health Surveys on 77,326 Indian children in 1992-93, 1998-99 and 2005-06.

The study said India is not on track for achieving the target for Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing child mortality. Given that undernutrition between 6 and 59 months of age contributes to about 25-50 per cent of the mortality in that age group, reducing undernutrition is imperative to achieving the goals.
"The null association between state economic growth and undernutrition among children observed suggests that the role of economic growth and, more broadly, growth-mediated strategy in achieving the MDGs needs to be reappraised. The findings suggest that economic growth has no automatic connection to reducing childhood undernutrition," it said.

While the researchers found the prevalence of undernutrition decreased slightly during the study period, the decline did not correspond with the increase in economic growth.

So, here you have it – How, what, who and why of Indian Corruption.

After a thorough research, we have some numbers for you that can quantitatively measure the extent of corruption and can tell in India and who are the people who take maximum bribes !!!

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• What is the amount of bribes requested by people in India?

The above numbers clearly suggest that Bribery in India is at a grass root level with close 86% demands were done for $5000 or less (2,50,000 rupees or less, out which more than half were for $26 (Rs. 1300) or less.
Because, corruption takes place at such a grass root level, it is extremely difficult to contain it.
Having said that, 14 people out of 100 taking bribes are for amount more than $5000 (Rs. 2,50,000). Actually, if you look at the top officials are even more corrupt. I will tell you why I say that –
The number of big bosses is merely 1%-2% of all officials, yet according to the report 14% of bribes are of huge amounts, showing that big bosses are involved even more compared to low level officials who are taking bribes.
On a sidenote, China’s number is much higher with 24% of reported demands were for amounts between $5,001 and $50,000, 6% of reported demands were for amounts between $50,001 and $500,000, and 6% were
for amounts greater than $500,000. interesting…

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• What is the nature of Bribe Demands in India?

 
No guesses here – if you want to get your work done, bribe em’ ! thats what is quite clear and in line with the notion we have.

More than half of all the bribes were paid to get the work in time !

77% of all reported bribe demands in India are related to the avoidance of
harm, including securing the timely delivery of a service – which is actually a right of a person (such as clearing customs or having a telephone line installed) and receiving payment for services already rendered
Only 12% of the bribe demands were for gaining a personal or business advantage (including exercising influence with or over another government official, receiving inappropriate favorable treatment or winning new business).
One thing for sure, we are now used to this corrupt system and take it in our stride as part & parcel. We do not want to go extra lengths and take the easy way out. But this easy way out is actually the roots of corruption in India.

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• Who demand bribe in India?

No guesses here !

Whooping 91% of reported bribe demands originate from government officials in India.

The greatest sources of bribe demands, were from national level Government officials (33%), the police (30%), state/provincial officials and employees (16%), and city officials (10%) respectively .
Do you know which of the two Indian ministries ask for bribe more than other? – They are Customs office (13%) and Taxation and Water (9%).
China fares slightly well when it comes to Government officials taking bribe (85%) – Another major difference is that India Police (30%) are far more corrupt than their Chinese counterparts (only 11%).

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• What is the frequency of Bribe Demands in India?

Nearly 90% indicated being solicited for a bribe between two and 20 times.
Overall 60% people reported bribe demands of 5 times or lower from the same individual. However, 9% asked for bribes more than 100 times.
Compared to China, it differs significantly with 73% people indicating that they had received multiple bribe requests. Almost 20% of those individuals reported receiving more than 100 bribe demands in China.

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• in what form was the bribe requested?

Do you want any tips on how to give bribes? here is what our corrupt officials prefer..
If in doubt, give cash, as 92% of all bribes are preferred to be “cash or cash equivalent,” The next best thing is a “gift,” (5%) including requests for company products, jewelry and similar items. Less common still, at approx. 1% each, were requests for hospitality or entertainment items; travel for other than business purposes; and other assistance, such as
help with a visa, medical care, or scholarships.
Surprisingly, there were no reports in India of demands for “additional business” or “sexual favors.” In China, those demands accounted for a combined total of 7% of reported bribe solicitations.

This is just tip of the iceberg. Once Rajiv Gandhi had said of the Rupee spent only 15 paisa reaches the beneficiary. Today it is probably just 5 paisa or less....We need to think about this!

Sometimes you just dont need a college degree !!!

It is really surprising to know that some of the most powerful entrepreneurs and top business tycoons did not attend college or if they did, they never graduated.
Below is list of some very rich and successful people who did not go to college or need a degree in order to make it big:


Dhirubhai Ambani

Dhirubhai Ambani never went to college. He was only 16 when he left for Aden to work as a gas station attendant. He returned to India to start his own business at only 26 years of age. Dhirubhai Ambani set up Reliance, the largest private sector company of India. Ambani family became one of the richest families in the world, with the fortune running into billions of dollars. The business empire got split between his sons Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani in 2005.



Subhash Chandra

Subhash Chandra, the Indian Media Tycoon, dropped out of school in class 12. He is the man behind Zee TV, one of the most popular Satellite TV networks in India.  At just 19 years of age, he started a vegetable oil unit and after some time he began exporting food grains. He ventured into packaging business in 1981, set up Essel World Amusement Park in 1988. He started Zee in 1992. Forbes’ 2009 estimated his net worth to be $ 1.1 billion.



Gautam Adani

Indian Entrepreneur and Self Made Billionaire Gautam Adani, is the man behind Adani Group, one of the leading diversified conglomerates of India. Gautam Adani a college dropout, was only in his teens when he came to Mumbai where he got the job of a diamond sorter. After some time, he started a diamond brokerage business. He entered the Plastics Business in the 80s. In the late 90s Adani diversified into infrastructure. Had net worth of $ 1.6 Billion according to Forbes’ 2009.



Bill Gates

The richest man in the world and the the Chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates, is a Harvard University dropout. He dropped out of college to concentrate on software development business. He co-founded Microsoft along with Paul Allen. According to Forbes 2009, he had a net worth of $ 40 Billion.



Paul Allen

Paul Allen started Microsoft along with Bill Gates after dropping out from Washington State University. They became friends when they were at the Lakeside School, Seattle. Both of them had keen interest in computers. After schooling Gates went to Harvard University and Allen to Washington State University. Paul Allen dropped out after 2 years to work as a programmer. He convinced Gates to drop out so that they could focus on software development. His wealth according to forbes 2009 was $ 10.5 billion.



Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison is the CEO and co-founder of Oracle, the multi billion dollar enterprise software giant. He dropped out of University of Illinois and later from University of Chicago. He worked as a computer programmer for a number companies. Started Oracle in 1977 with an investment of $ 2000. Forbes’ 2009 estimated net worth to be $ 22.5 billion.



Michael Dell 

Micheal Dell is the founder of Dell Computers. Micheal Dell dropped out from the University of Texas at 19 years of age to venture into the computer business. He started with just $1000 dollars which he turned into a multi billion dollar corporate empire. Forbes’ 2009 estimated his net worth to be $ 12.3 billion.



Steve Jobs 

Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple, dropped out of Reed College, Portland, Oregon after completing just one semester. He started Apple 1976 along with his friend Stephen Wozniak. He introduced the Macintosh computer in the year 1984. He was also the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios. Forbes’ 2009 estimated his net worth to be $ 3.4 billion.



Richard Branson

British business tycoon Richard Branson started his first venture at only 16 years of age. Branson established the famous ‘Virgin Brand’ which includes companies such as Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Mobile and Virgin Records. Forbes’ 2009 estimated his net worth to be $ 2.5 billion.



Does this mean that one should dropout in order to become rich and successful? Well, I don’t think so. Dropping out is not a good idea. Starting a business without any qualification may turn out to be risky, the individual may end up losing everything.
Why these people succeeded is because they knew what they were doing. They had the necessary skill and talent. Also they had complete knowledge about the business they were entering into. And after all, everybody is not Bill Gates or Dhirubhai Ambani.