IIPM ARTICLE AND EDITORIAL: January 2009

Thursday, January 29, 2009

“It’s definitely an advertising platform”

In a free-wheeling conversation, ibibo’s spearhead talks about the growing dominance of social networks in the ad world…

How has social networking evolved over the past few years?
In context to India, we see that social networking is being

embraced aggressively by the young population from tier-II and small cities. These young people have a very big need to reach out – to express themselves. They want to build new social graphs and new connections. The other trend is the emergence of niche social marketing

But still, we don’t see youth-oriented ads on social networks?
It’s an evolving phenomenon. We are seeing growth coming from younger audience in non-metro areas. But brands need to be educated on Internet media and social media. Social media platform cannot be used in the way you advertise on a portal or search engine. Social media marketing can only be done by engaging the audience. This is only possible by developing products and applications that can track the audience. Since it’s a new trend therefore marketers needs to be educated in an effective way. We see this as a positive trend, as companies are realising the potential and have started embracing social media. ibibo has just launched a very impressive social media campaign along with Kwality Walls.

ibibo is doing two campaigns with MTV. Who, at the end of the day will be benefited more out of it?
When we associated with MTV, our objective was to build a reach for our product. The core philosophy of our product is to enable the talent and expression of young users.

Where do you plan to focus more?
Our long term growth will come from the 15-24 year age group from smaller and tier-II cities. That will be the main thrust of our business. We already have seven million registered users.

How do you plan to capitalise on growing advertisers’ interest?
We are providing advertisers a platform where they can develop applications and get engaged with the youth.

Do you focus more on the number of users of ibibo, or on the time spent by existing users on ibibo?
Our focus is on active users and time spent on the platform. We don’t want users who register, but are not active.

A lot of companies like MTV are using the social networking sites to increase their popularity. Will this trend continue in future as well?
Brands and companies have started seeing the value that this medium brings to their marketing solution. But a lot still needs to be done to make brands realise the humungous value of social networking as a marketing tool.

The popularity of professional networking sites is also on the rise. What’s your take on that?
Professional networking is an important niche, though it is not as broad as social networking. ibibo as a company is not going to get into professional networking. We will continue to be based on talent and entertainment social networking.

Is there a scope for more niches in the social networking arena?
Oh yes, there is a lot of scope for development of niches. But ibibo will continue focusing on entertainment and talent based social marketing. Our strong focus right now is to develop a family based social networking site called Onefamily.com.

What are the main sources of your revenue?
Presently advertising is the main source of our revenue. But in the long run we aim to generate revenue through other value added services.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

WHEN CAPITALISTS LOVE SOCIALISTS - "IIPM-News"

First things fi

rst! Those who believe that the Indian marketer may not be as excited as his global counterpart over the potential that social networking brings to his table, needs to take a cold shower. Internet penetration may be absymal, but popularity of social networking portals among the youth is prompting companies to log in and gain not just crucial consumer insights, but also understand what their employees are either cribbing or going ga-ga about and even to track competition. The numbers are also promising. India Online Report tags the Internet population in the nation at over 49 million, with nearly 77% of them in the 15-34 age group. From aviation czar Jet Airways to desi food giant Nirula’s to youth channel MTV to even FMCG giants like HUL, marketers across the board are climbing the online bus, buzzing with the social marketing fever...

Even before maverick entrepreneur Richard Branson decided to fling himself down from the roof of a 5-Star Hotel in Mumbai earlier this year to announce the launch of Virgin Mobile in India, his Chief Marketing Officer, Prasad Narasimhan had plunged into the social networking galaxy. His raison de`tere? To get a grip on the tastes and preferences of young Indian consumers! Virgin’s Think Hatke tagline was an obvious result. Not so obvious however is the manner in which Narasimhan and his team have been engaging their target audiences on portals like Twitter, Orkut and Facebook ever since. Conversations, contests and communities on these portals are just a few among the many ways that the iconic brand is building the resonance around its brand. “We’ve created over 10 different communities on Orkut with over 5,000 registered members. Twitter even has a Think Hatke ID,” he avers enthusiastically. With thousands of youngsters already in their bag within just seven months of their launch, small wonder that Prasad is now busy signing on the dotted line with a social networking site (he’s not disclosing the name yet) for a pilot ad campaign aimed not only at consumer engagement but also to jump start sales (e-commerce) via their website.

Virgin’s social networking mantra may have been a pre-thought strategy, but Ashish Patel, GM, MTV, was prompted by viewers for putting their popular show MTV Roadies on Orkut. MTV already had a large online community on Orkut, where the editorial team often checked in to see what kids were thinking and saying, for feedback. “We found that some members were running their own online version of Roadies, nominating, voting, doing tasks, eliminating each other. We found it flattering. So we decided to scale up the action and do it as a full fledged promotion online in the form of Roadies Battleground,” he explains. Patel claims to have received “mind blowing” responses for the initiative, with over 100,000 youngsters (their target audience) participating in this online version of Roadies. “We had the kind of entries, tasks conducted that will blow your mind,” he claims, adding that for the final task, the site had the finalists putting cow dung on their faces and getting people to kiss them. “The winner managed to get 862 kisses in 8 hours,” he gushes, saying that some of the stuff was so good that it actually went up on air on MTV.

The excitement among marketers in India is not unwarranted. Online social networks are offering brands ways to enter the psyche of swathes of consumers like never before; and that too at a fraction of the cost required by traditional media. And the audience is more urban, more influential and more amenable to new brand messaging. Asserts Kalyan Manyam, Head-Operations, Indyarocks.com (a nascent online social network), “Many gaming and movie companies have already started to leverage the trend and are building mini communities for them within our platform.”

As for those who believe that audience on social networks don’t really tune into brand messages and are there simply to connect with friends, lovers and acquaintances; well, the same holds true for the TV audience, who pick up the remote for sheer infotainment and little else. Only thing that unlike traditional media, in social networks, marketers don’t just rely just on banner advertising and moonlighting on profile pages. They can think of and implement innovative ways to engage with consumers. Adds Amit Chhabra, Manager - Strategic Partnerships, Tyroo Media: “Even Tata Indica’s recent campaign on Facebook and MySpace became very popular, with the winner being awarded his very own Tata Indica.”

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Veritell or Allzon?

Short term challenges apart, the Verizon-Alltel merger, seems worth the wait; By Savreen Gadhoke
Honchos at Verizon Communications and Alltel Wireless

could now spare some time contemplating as to what name is best suited for the entity formed by their merger. The duo earned a breather when the proposed merger, worth a sterling $28.1 billion, which was until now held back by Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), finally got a total clearance on November 4. The deal was struggling to get past the regulatory nod since June 2008 (when Verizon made its first attempt to acquire Alltel). But was the wait worth it?

DoJ and FCC had raised objections regarding the existing roaming contracts in rural areas. Explains Declan Lonergan, VP, Consumer Research, Yankee Group, “The merger may bring down competition and raise prices in future as it will reduce the number of roaming partners, which the local carriers can tie-up with.” And therefore, FCC has granted approval to the merger only on the basis of a commitment from Verizon that it will not play around with the roaming rates in the next four years. In addition, FCC has also demanded that Verizon divests its services in as many as 100 markets that overlap with the services of Alltel, to which again Verizon has happily agreed. And why not, as post-merger, Verizon will win over the 15 million plus subscriber base of Alltel, in addition to some 70 million of its own; hence leaving behind AT&T, with a subscriber base of approximately 75 million. Adds Lonergan, “Since both carriers are CDMA-based, combining the technical infrastructure should be hassle-free.”

Certainly the wait was worth the effort as Verizon has been catapulted to the first position in the US wireless carrier space, leaving behind arch-rival and seemingly irreplaceable AT&T Wireless at the first runners up position. Not only has Verizon tremendously increased its customer base, the merger will also make it one of the top US ad spenders. Now that the deal has finally got the green signal, what takes priority with Verizon is aggressive advertising and promotion to announce to the world that Alltel is now officially a part of Verizon. Camilla Armstrong of Brand Finance says, “Verizon will have to make an extra effort to reach out to the rural areas and explain to local roaming carriers why the merger is a good business opportunity for them.”

Objections raised by FCC may have left the local carriers unhappy with the deal. Industry experts peg the entire rebranding campaign to be worth $100 million, which could last for over six months; which makes it more challenging when coupled with the 4-year clause. So in essence, the ‘breather’ isn’t going to stay for long!

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Friday, January 23, 2009

Glittering like never before! - "IIPM-News"

Gold has always enjoyed the status of a safe haven. But will the glittering truth allow investors to heave a sigh this time too? 4Ps B&M’s Sunanda Roy explores...

D iamond or gold! Which one do you think is a girl’s best

friend? Confused?! Certainly the fight has always been on (and will continue forever) when it comes to choose between the two. However, there are some that seems to have come upon a decision – of course that’s not girls – and have finally placed their bet on one! Well, those weary souls happen to be none other than stock market investors, to be precise the retail investors.

Certainly with a volatile stock market and FIIs pull outs amid equally dull macro indicators the worry of the hour is where should a layman place his savings? In a line – what is the best place to invest? And the sole resort at the moment seems to be gold. Raison d’être, prices of gold have almost doubled in the last few years and experts anticipate them to further keep on as they feel demand will continue to beat supplies for several years.

But then gold too, is now fraught with risks as the global economic outlook remains uncertain. Like everything else, their prices too move up and down. “If the global economy and thus the markets do bad, gold will climb in value. Else it might remain range bound or may even decline. For Indian investors there is an added worry of exchange rate risk since the rupee price of gold will be impacted by both dollar price and rupee-dollar exchange rate,” agrees Swapnil Pawar, Director, Park Financial Advisors. So, on account of this dual uncertainty, is investing in gold recommendable? “Yes of course! Gold or diamonds is anytime a better investment compared at least to real estate and stock market,” answers Sanjay Kothari, Ex-Chairman, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council.

No doubt, gold enjoys the status of a safe haven, but it too has been underperforming in recent times due to continued sell off by fund houses and investor community. Although in the short run gold might be weighed down by the appreciating US dollar but in the long term its bullish sentiment is quite intact and its appeal as a safe investment tool in times of uncertainty may attract some fresh buying in days to come. Agrees, Pritam Kumar Patnaik, Associate VP, Head Retail Business, Kotak Commodities, “Gold has always been an investment for retail public. The risk reward ratio in gold is highly favourable for the long term investors as the returns are expected to be skewed positively”.

Moreover, as markets across globe are going through turbulent times where financial safety is of paramount importance and “since price of gold is negatively correlated to the movement in stock market, investing in yellow metal can certainly provide safety to the investors,” feels Amar Singh, Research Head (Commodities), Angel Broking. In addition, gold prices have remained almost the same as at the beginning of the year (in rupee terms) while all other markets have plummeted drastically. This too works in favour of gold. Adds Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, NCDEX, “Gold is a very good portfolio diversifier, hence can be used as an investment irrespective of what happens in other markets. The coefficient of correlation is low vis-à-vis stock markets and GSecs”. Further, as a high degree of uncertainty continues to be attached to paper assets, gold is likely to emerge victorious.

But then how long will this winning streak continue and to what levels? “We expect gold prices to touch a level of $640 per troy ounce in short term. Domestically by incorporating the average USD/INR rate at Rs.50 the expected gold levels will be Rs.10,360 per 10 grams. However, we expect bargain buying to emerge around $640-650 levels which may take the prices back to $780 levels in 3-4 months,” Ashok Mittal, VP & Country Head, Karvy Comtrade tells 4Ps B&M. But then Pritam Patnaik from Kotak Commodities offers a different view. “Gold is largely a currency play and lot depends on the developments post the G-20 meeting. We expect things to get worse in the next six months and gold is likely to trade around $1,130 an ounce during the 1QCY2009,” says Patnaik.

Certainly, the economic perspective to the price levels depends a lot on the dollar-euro relationship. If the dollar depreciates, then the price of gold will move up. So, one needs to take a call on how the dollar will behave which depends on the actions of the Fed and ECB in response to the monetary situation. Today both the central banks are focused on lowering rates, which in turn will speed up the economy, leading to higher spending and probably the deficits too.

So with the entire positive and the negative perspectives on the platter, their still remains a valid question – what portion of an investor’s portfolio should be in gold? “Normally it should be 5-10%,” feels Swapnil. No doubt, for the long haul, gold works as a good diversifier. But the portfolio should be created in a manner that it diversifies the risk of the investor. Hence, an even distribution based upon the risk appetite of the investor is the best way to go for. Even John Mulligan, Investment Marketing Manager, World Gold Council, says, “Our analysis, using state-of-the-art portfolio optimisation techniques, has shown that even with very conservative return expectations for gold, portfolios with a typical mix of equities and bonds will benefit from an allocation to gold, from as little as 4% in a low or medium risk portfolio to 10% in a high risk one”. So, by now you too would have definitely decided on who is your best friend!

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Women’s liberation?

As a teenager Tabassum Aamer settled for nothing less than 6-inch heels and the latest fashions. so she left everyone, including her family, stumped at her decision to begin wearing hijab...

I was no exception to the society who used to look down upon

the whole concept of hijab, without knowing its true meaning. I was born in a modern Muslim family, which fasted in the month of Ramadan and prayed three times a day instead of five. Being brought up in this environment and going to a Catholic school and college, my understanding of Islam and its beliefs was very poor. I was practicing more of a Catholic way of life rather than Islamic.

In 2002, some of my relatives went to Hajj and upon returning, they decided to learn more about Islam and live in a modest Islamic way. To be honest, I was quite impressed by their decision, and each time I looked at their determination I wished to become more like them. I started visiting them often and asked questions about Islam and the hijab in particular. Never once did they force me to wear hijab. This is what Islam is all about – submission by your own self, not by force.

In 2003, my uncle started an Islamic school in Chennai. All my younger cousins joined the school and were very humble in their behaviour. Looking at them, I started to learn more about Islam and found out how practical it was. So, one day during Ramadan, I just decided to wear hijab. There was no force involved and it was completely my decision. I still remember my mom was a bit taken aback as she didn’t wear hijab. My dad and brother detested it and tried telling me that it’s not necessary for me to wear it. Hearing all this never made me think twice about my decision, it just made me stronger. My relatives supported me and my uncle even gifted me an abaya (burkha).

Time passed by and my parents accepted my decision. My sister-in-law and mother both started wearing hijab. It took a while for my friends to adjust, but later, they accepted it. I started reading the Quran with meaning. The more I read, the more happy I felt about my decision. Hijab earns you respect and also makes others know who you are. It protects you from unwanted attention and makes you feel pure from inside out.

As I was finishing my college, my parents started looking for alliances. When my would-be husband came to meet me, I was adamant and told him I would not accept the alliance if he made me remove my hijab after marriage. He was settled in Australia, and told me that I was free to make my decision. I am really happy about my decision, but at the same time I feel I lost a few years by not wearing it earlier. It has taught me to live modestly and practice good. I encourage all Muslim women to understand what hijab is and how it protects you physically and spiritually. Hijab shouldn’t be forced upon anyone but rather done through free will.

In the present world, hijab has come to symbolise either forced silence or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it’s neither. It is simply a woman’s assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role in any social interaction. No one knows whether my hair looks as if I just stepped out of a salon, whether or not I can pinch an inch. And because no one knows, no one cares.

BRASS TACKS

Wearing of the hijab was made compulsory by the Taliban regime, and it is enforced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Turkey and Tunisia are the only Muslim nations whose law doesn’t allow women to wear hijab inside government buildings, schools, and universities.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Ahmad's return?

Pushed to the wall by the fast changing socio-economic conditions, Madrasas have been unable to move with the pace of time, says Mohammad Saleem Hayat
Ahmad sits cross-legged at his wooden desk in a corner of the Madrasa. He is busy memorising Arabic grammar and the first chapter of Hidayah, the famous book of Islamic jurisprudence. He burns the midnight lamp oil through the week and says “ilm ki khatir khud ko ghulaunga” (I will burn my energy for the sake of knowledge). Ahmad does not much care about understanding the text as he has no intention other than passing the exam and getting a certificate of Aalim.

When he goes to attend the period of Islamic jurisprudence,

he gets completely absorbed into the classroom discussion that revolves around the subject of Wazu (ablution) that is performed before Namaz. The topic of discussion: in case a dog fell into a well and died, how many buckets of water are to be drawn to make it pure and worthy of ablution. Then there is the debate about the dispute among the great imams of various schools of thought on the number of the buckets of water to be drawn from the well to make it pure and the debate on the subject goes on for weeks. This scene is by no means exclusive to Ahmad’s Madrasa. In fact, this is the norm. Correctly defined, Madrasas are centres of higher Islamic learning for a large number of Muslims in India. Along with these Madrasas, there are a large number of Maktabs or primary schools attached to the mosques or run separately. In the 11th century, famous Persian Islamic philosopher Ibn Sina (known as Avicenna in the west) laid down the guidelines on what Maktabs should do in a chapter titled "Role of the teacher in training and upbringing of children”. Since then, this has acted as guide and philosopher to teachers working at Maktabs.

The books of Islamic jurisprudence, namely Hidaya and Bidaya, are the part of Dars-e-Nizami syllabus developed by Mullah Nizamuddin Suhali during the 18th century. Almost all the books included in the syllabus were written between the ninth and the 14th centuries. Their authors were from central Asia, Iran and parts of the Arab world. Their understanding of fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) was shaped by the particular environment in which they lived. Bereft of the many issues of contemporary concern, the Indian madrasas still include these books in their syllabi. Professor SA Rahman, Chairperson, Centre of Arabic and African Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, told TSI: “Many religious books of Madrasas need to be revised and updated. Old books are complex. Even their footnotes are more difficult than the original.” This view is steadily being reinforced. “Madrasa teachers are not aware of contemporary economic and socio-political problems. The need of the hour is to understand the nitty-gritty of international trade and commerce and explain Islamic jurisprudence in the light of modern social and political conditions,” Amin Usmani, secretary general of Islamic Fiqh Academy, explains.

Dars-e-Nizami has traditionally provided well-rounded education that includes modern subjects as well as traditional education. Dars-e-Nizami, as Mullah Nizamuddin developed it, was not a fixed and unchanging syllabus. In place of the bookish learning that is the characteristic of many Madrasas today, Mullah Nizamuddin did not teach entire books to his students. He evolved a unique style. He taught them only some select chapters and encouraged them to study the rest of the book on their own, so that they could enhance their critical faculties. No wonder then, apart from producing Aalim and Mufti, Dars-e-Nizami produced government officials as well. US based Tarique Rasheed Firangi Mahli, a ninth generation descendent of Mullah Nizamuddin, says: “That is not the case with a majority of madrasas today. How can you produce Aalims or Islamic scholars if they are taught books which are 600 to 800 years old?”

When British acquired administrative control of India, they killed many scholars who opposed them and confiscated the endowed properties through which madrasas used to finance themselves. English replaced Persian as the official language and Persian scholars were rendered jobless. The arrival of British on Indian soil led to introspection among the Muslim community of India. On one hand, a large number of Madrasas were opened across the country – most prominent among them was Darul Uloom Deoband – to counter British hegemony and save Islam from the proselytising concerns of Christian missionaries. Another important response was the idea of reforming Muslim community. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan emphasised modern education and became the greatest torchbearer of Muslim reform. Apart from Deoband and Aligarh, another important institution Nadwah was established which gave the clarion call of “bridging the gap between the old good and the useful new". However, Nadwah itself, over the years, emphasised too heavily on old learning and did not keep pace with the times.

Some other prominent Madrasas taught their students not only Persian but also divided the education into two parts, one dealt with Uloom-e-diniah (religious knowledge) and the other with Uloom-e-dunyawia (worldly knowledge). Sadly, the overemphasis on religious knowledge meant that worldly knowledge was almost neglected or sidelined.

During the glories of Mughal rule, Madrasas as centres of learning attracted students from noble Muslim families, who made huge donations. But the end of Mughal Empire deprived the madrasas of this source of income. Though the lack of a steady source of income did not stop madrasas from spreading in many remote parts of the country and attracting students from the lowest rungs of Muslim society, the lack of financial resources became the greatest hindrance for the recruitment of good teachers. “Madrasa teachers are hardly trained,” says Usmani. He also suggests the setting up of peace studies in prominent Madrasas because some of them over the years have been accused of promoting radical and extremist ideas. Suggests SA Rahman: “Old religious books should be compared with the new books written by modern scholars so that we could get some good books for teaching students.” Despite recent controversies, Madrasas have been held in high esteem because they were capable of producing great men such as Maulana Hali, Maulanna Shibli, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Syed Sulaiman Nadvi Maulana, Hussein Ahmad Madni and Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi. These scholars did not confine themselves to religious knowledge alone, but emphasised modern learning.

The truth is that Madrasas have hardly reformed their syllabi to keep pace with modern times. They have clinged on to centuries-old courses and ancient methods of teaching. The first winds of change appear to be arriving though. Many Madrasas today have affiliated themselves with universities like Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Isllamia. More and more young products from the Madrasas are opting for professional courses and competitive exams with a considerable degree of success. But the central question still remains unanswered. How long will students like Ahmad keep burning the midnight lamp? Will they be able to join the league of the great scholars? Is his efforts going to secure him a worthy future?

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Friday, January 16, 2009

Muslim mortar, Hindu bricks

Sikhism is the finest blend of Islam and Hinduism, emerging with Guru Nanak and finding its best expression in Ranjit Singh, says Nirupama Dutt

While the Punjab was being ruled by Mughal Emperor Babur, the souls of the people were under the spell of Guru Nanak, whose constant companion was a Muslim musician called Mardana. Guru Nanak (469-1539 A.D), the first Guru of the Sikhs, witnessed the rise of the Mughal regime under the leadership of Babur. The tenth and last of the Sikh Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh (1675-1708), struggled against the rigid Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and opposed him for discrimination against Hindu and Sikh subjects. The history of the Sikhs thus runs parallel to the rise of the Mughals after the defeat of the Lodhis.

“The Sikhs were the most outstanding example of Hindu renaissance produced by Islam – an edifice built as it were with Hindu bricks and Muslim mortar,” says Khuswant Singh, the celebrated writer, who penned "The History of the Sikhs". He adds, “From A.D 780 onwards, almost year after year came the waves of Islamic conquest, vying with each other in the massacre of Hindus and destruction of their temples, and forcible conversions. The reaction was the emergence of an Indian consciousness which embraced all non-Muslims. It expressed itself in militarism and philosophically in the Hindu schools of thought, which borrowed the best of Islamic beliefs to combat it.”

However, it is pertinent to note that while opposing the injustice of the Muslim rulers, Sikhism was secular in nature and Nanak could not do without Mardana. There are many more examples that point to the secular nature of Sikhism. So much so, that the foundation stone for the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid by Mian Mir, a Sufi saint of Lahore and a close friend of Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. "Guru Granth Sahib", the holy book of Sikhs, includes verses by five Sufi saints: Bhagat Beni, Bhagat Bhikhan, Baba Farid, Bhagat Sadhana and Bhagat Kabir. In Punjab, till date exists a mosque called Guru di Masjid, which was made by Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, for his Muslim disciples. The great Mughal Emperor Akbar, who had a broad secular and liberal outlook, established cordial relationships with the Sikh Gurus, but the goodwill did not last long, and Guru Arjun Dev was executed during Emperor Jehangir’s reign. Another painful chapter in the history of relationship of the Muslims and Sikhs was the execution of Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons, who were bricked alive by the Nawab of Sindh after the Guru lost his last battle in 1705. The one protest to this ghastly act came from the Nawab of Malerkotla. He wrote a strong letter to Aurangzeb against this, hearing which, Guru said: "His roots will always remain green." During the partition bloodbath in 1947, when Sikhs butchered Muslims mercilessly, not a Mulsim in Malerkotla was touched. The town still comprises of 70 per cent Muslims and all religions live there in peace. Going back into history, the retribution and consolidation of the Sikhs began with Banda Bahadur, a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded, carrying out raids against Muslim nawabs in Punjab. The kingdom of the Sikhs (1799 to 1839) came into being with Ranjit Singh taking the title of Maharaja on April 12, 1801, the day of Baisakhi. The coin minted on the occasion had an inscription in Persian: 'My largesse, my victories, my unalloyed fame / I owe to Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh." Well-known Sikh historian JS Grewal says: “The political struggle of the Sikhs can be appreciated not merely in the terms of growing weakness of the Mughal empire but also as an extrapolation of the pontificate of Guru Gobind Singh”.

The empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh extended from Tibet to the deserts of Sindh and from the Khyber Pass to the Sutlej. It was after many centuries that the reigns of power went into the hands of a non-Muslim. In contrast to the Muslim rulers, Ranjit Singh showed a spirit of secularism and openness and thus carried his Muslim and Hindu subjects along with him, showing benevolence at every step. When he first captured Lahore, he went to pay obeisance at Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque and also built a small mosque in the same complex. Such was his confidence that for the first time in Sikh history, he let non-Sikhs take part in military activity. Sikhs constituted 15 percent of his empire, Hindus 25 percent and the remaining 60 percent were Muslims!

Chandigarh-based historian GS Dhillon says: “The secularism of Ranjit Singh emerged with the basic tenets of Sikhism, which were against the forcible conversion or discrimination of any kind on the basis of religion. He thus participated in the rituals of all three religions and remained a devout Sikh.” Once he told his foreign minister Fakir Azizuddin, “God intended my looking upon all religions with one eye, that is why I was deprived of the other eye.”

He was the first Punjabi ruler of Punjab and the Muslims were equally loyal to him. Governor General Lord Auckland asked Azizuddin, which of the Maharaja's eyes was missing. He replied: “The Maharaja is like the sun, and the sun has only one eye. The splendor and luminosity of his single eye is so much that I have never dared to look at his other eye.” As the story goes, a poor Muslim had written out the Quran and was going to Delhi to sell it in the court. Ranjit Singh asked him how much he wanted and was paid twice the amount.

Ranjit Singh’s rule was a chapter of glory in the history of Punjab that will remain unsurpassed, and it was for the Sufi poet Shah Mohammad of Wadala Veeram village in Amritsar district to say that the Maharaja converted the land of the five rivers from 'an abode of sorrow to a garden of paradise.'

The poet lived on much after the Maharaja to see the empire annexed by the British and recorded the bravery of the Sikhs in the Anglo-Sikh wars and cursed the British for being unjust to Punjab.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative