kallayil’s blog

Move against credit card harrassment and Agony
Loan repayment harrassment

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, November 29, 2007 /India PRwire/ — The recent suicide of a loanee in Delhi again threw light on the harassment meted out by recovery agents on defaulters.

Though in Chennai such cases are less, the issue of recovery agents nagging the defaulters persists.

In a bid to prevent the harassment of loan recovery agents, an organisation, Move Against Credit Collection Agony and Nuisance (MACCAN) has been formed in Chennai.

The organisation consisting of advocates, doctors, social workers and others, offers financial counselling to the defaulters and also guides them to repay the loan with the proper interest in the legal manner.

It would also helps loanees in filing cases against harassment by agents and also fights on their behalf. They also help in getting the settlement certificate from the bank after the loan is re paid.

"We will take up only the genuine cases. If the individuals file the case, the banks state that recovery agents were not on their rolls and not responsible for their action.

There are nearly 250 loan recovery agencies in Chennai alone,'' said A J Prabhakaran, chief negotiator of Maccan.

What are the banks not allowed to do?
Well, debt recovery agents (DRA's) are not allowed to enter a person's home without permission. And they have to carry an identification card with them at all times. Also, RBI rules lay down that the state DRA's can contact customers only between 7.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. and has to maintain civil discourse. The customer is not to be humiliated publicly or in front of his family members.

What should borrowers do?
has some good advice for those who find it difficult to pay back the money they have borrowed. They say:

1. Avoid giving post-dated cheques to banks because if a cheque bounces, it is a criminal offense and the punishment can be a two year jail term. This gives the lender an even greater leverage over the borrower.
2. As soon as you realise that you have a problem, discuss the issue with the bank, even before you default on a loan payment. Its not just the DRA's you have to fear, but mounting interest rates. This can be particularly bad if it's a credit card payment which is not paid on time.
3. If necessary sell off assets. If selling off the asset means you have to go into a smaller house, so be it. But remember that if you default and you have mortgaged your property, you lose even items inside your home.
4. If things go so far that the bank sends you a legal notice (after reminders have failed to elicit any response from you) then you need to talk to the bank immediately. Try and reach a settlement. If you can convince the bank that it is a temporary problem, that you are still credit-worthy and if you have a good re-payment record, your bank could agree to a compromise. They could either agree to to re-structure the installments, or settle the matter by accepting a smaller amount in a lumpsum payment.
5. If you have absolutely nothing left, and are at the end of your tether, you need to seek police protection. But keep a copy of all notices and reminders because these notices specify a period after which the bank can take action against you.

http://maccaan.com/gives some tips on how to handle threats from banks.

1. Call up the bank and complain bitterly about any harassment from DRA's.
2. Threaten litigation if need be.
3. Go to the nearest police station and file a complaint.
4. Keep a tape recorder handy. In the tape, try to get the agent to clearly state what he wants from you, what bank he is from, his name, and his agency's name. It is important to keep proof of all threat calls. Even better, install a camera in your home if loan recovery agents dare intrude there!
5. You can sue the bank individually, if you have the resources.
6. If you do not want to get involved personally, approach a consumer action group.

Banks have a responsibility
Banks need to be different from moneylenders of yore. Giving loans knowing full well that the party is not credit worthy is unprofessional, whether deliberate or not. Sure, banks can make a mistake, a genuine mistake. But the way many banks are running their personal loans business makes me suspect that everything isn't above board.

In some cases, they may have given the loan to a credit-worthy person, but an unforeseen situation like a sudden health expenditure, job loss or death, or a collapse of a business could have made it difficult to pay back the loan. But in such situations, things can get sorted out, although with a lot of heartburn. In such cases, the banks and the borrowers need to hammer out a solution and this is in their own interest. Not caring whether the defaulter lives or dies is unforgivable.

What are the banks not allowed to do?
Well, debt recovery agents (DRA's) are not allowed to enter a person's home without permission. And they have to carry an identification card with them at all times. Also, RBI rules lay down that the state DRA's can contact customers only between 7.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. and has to maintain civil discourse. The customer is not to be humiliated publicly or in front of his family members.

What should borrowers do?
has some good advice for those who find it difficult to pay back the money they have borrowed. They say:

1. Avoid giving post-dated cheques to banks because if a cheque bounces, it is a criminal offense and the punishment can be a two year jail term. This gives the lender an even greater leverage over the borrower.
2. As soon as you realise that you have a problem, discuss the issue with the bank, even before you default on a loan payment. Its not just the DRA's you have to fear, but mounting interest rates. This can be particularly bad if it's a credit card payment which is not paid on time.
3. If necessary sell off assets. If selling off the asset means you have to go into a smaller house, so be it. But remember that if you default and you have mortgaged your property, you lose even items inside your home.
4. If things go so far that the bank sends you a legal notice (after reminders have failed to elicit any response from you) then you need to talk to the bank immediately. Try and reach a settlement. If you can convince the bank that it is a temporary problem, that you are still credit-worthy and if you have a good re-payment record, your bank could agree to a compromise. They could either agree to to re-structure the installments, or settle the matter by accepting a smaller amount in a lumpsum payment.
5. If you have absolutely nothing left, and are at the end of your tether, you need to seek police protection. But keep a copy of all notices and reminders because these notices specify a period after which the bank can take action against you.

http://maccaan.com/gives some tips on how to handle threats from banks.

1. Call up the bank and complain bitterly about any harassment from DRA's.
2. Threaten litigation if need be.
3. Go to the nearest police station and file a complaint.
4. Keep a tape recorder handy. In the tape, try to get the agent to clearly state what he wants from you, what bank he is from, his name, and his agency's name. It is important to keep proof of all threat calls. Even better, install a camera in your home if loan recovery agents dare intrude there!
5. You can sue the bank individually, if you have the resources.
6. If you do not want to get involved personally, approach a consumer action group.

Banks have a responsibility
Banks need to be different from moneylenders of yore. Giving loans knowing full well that the party is not credit worthy is unprofessional, whether deliberate or not. Sure, banks can make a mistake, a genuine mistake. But the way many banks are running their personal loans business makes me suspect that everything isn't above board.

In some cases, they may have given the loan to a credit-worthy person, but an unforeseen situation like a sudden health expenditure, job loss or death, or a collapse of a business could have made it difficult to pay back the loan. But in such situations, things can get sorted out, although with a lot of heartburn. In such cases, the banks and the borrowers need to hammer out a solution and this is in their own interest. Not caring whether the defaulter lives or dies is unforgivable.

He said that even the recovery agents could not be blamed as they were under pressure from banks and sometimes resort harsh methods of money retrieval.

However, Maccan does not take up cases of persons who avail multiple loans and credit cards with an intention of defaulting.

The organisation was started three months ago and now consists of seven active members. People seeking advise can call at Ph: 64607777.

Notes to Editor

MACCAAN is an independent organization catering to the financial needs of the people. Hence Maccaan not only offers just counseling but legal solutions to credit problems.

MACCAAN the name stands for strength and liberation. The strength to carry your burdens on our shoulders and free you from the clutches of loan related afflictions. We offer valuable and practical solutions to your problems and help maintain your self dignity, mental and physical well being. We strive to assist the vulnerable clients from their financial crises by providing appropriate legal measures to combat it.

OUR PANEL

Our experts consist of professionals from different walks of like who believe and endeavor to liberate the harassed public from the drudgery of credits. The core team consists of financial experts with more more than fifteen years of experience in the banking sector.

MACCAAN the name stands for strength and liberation. The strength to carry your burdens on our shoulders and free you from the clutches of loan related afflictions. We offer valuable and practical solutions to your problems and help maintain your self dignity, mental and physical well being. We strive to assist the vulnerable clients from their financial crises by providing appropriate legal measures to combat it.

OUR PANEL

Our experts consist of professionals from different walks of like who believe and endeavor to liberate the harassed public from the drudgery of credits. The core team consists of financial experts with more more than fifteen years of experience in the banking sector.

Atul Khekade, who began his entrepreneurial journey with Innovation Trip and with just $2,000 in his pocket, is the chief executive officer of Airnetz Charter Inc., a private aviation service scheduler that currently clocks a turnover of Rs 5 crore annually. Of course like all start-ups with stars in their eyes Atul too had his share of failures and challenges.
Here, drawing from his own personal experience, he emphasises that start-ups that began operations recently and employees who have been laid off still have hope if they want to become an entrepreneur.

The global recession has meant that large corporates worldwide are downsizing their staff, production and expenses. Even some of India’s [ Images ] biggest companies have laid off several employees and might continue doing so in the coming months.

Agreed the economy is in bad shape. But remember great opportunities exist even if an economy is in bad shape. It is those who capitalise on these opportunities and sustain themselves even through tough times who will rule the economy in the coming years.

Folks looking to start a new business, Indian startups, small and medium enterprises, SMEs, need to look at the market in a positive way and find their way towards a great future.

Young entrepreneurs, start-ups as well as employees who have got laid off, should consider recession as nature’s plan to bring fresh perspective and new motivation to the world. Future leaders are current individuals who believe in change, globalisation, new strategies and innovations.

The trick to survive is…

The problem we all face is that, when the economy is making very fast progress, the basics are forgotten. When it is the recession, it is about getting back to the basics.

1. Serving the basic needs

Imagine every individual has some basic needs like food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, travel, electricity and water. When market is cutting down their spending, basic spending is always going to stay the same; it just needs more cost effective solutions.

Hence the opportunities coming out of the recession shall be: cheaper food, cost effective housing, cheaper clothes, cheaper travel and so on…

2. Using technology to scale

Technology is the way to scale. It is the technology that enables us to keep in touch with our friends. It is technology that lets us connect to millions of individuals, know and share information that would otherwise take years to reach — with the cost that every common person can afford. Businesses not just need to consume technology, but also use it to reach broader audience.

3. Staying global, thinking local

Recession puts business models at test. Recession is going to demand reaching maximum audience for the same investment in production happening in the local market. Anywhere in the world, basic needs of people remain the same. The trick is serving global audience with the product designed for local audience.

4. Cost control with bootstrapping

Venture capital is going to be hard to find, one needs to bootstrap the business with very less resources and still be able to provide the best service quality.

5. Less liability, more utilisation

Trick will be to lessen the fixed costs of the business, so even if the sales get affected for some time, it does not put burden on the company’s accounts.

India’s core strengths

India has witnessed impressive economic growth in the last decade allowing India’s youth to be equipped to take the recession head on. We have availability of all possible resources that shall help us to stay basic and simple and at the same time produce service and products of global quality at the lowest cost like:

1. Internet’s reach to remotest areas

India’s Internet infrastructure is a revolution. India has over 50 million internet users and increasing every year. Aggressive Wi-max expansion from companies like BSNL can quadruple the users in the next 10 years. This means that even the individuals from India’s remotest regions can now showcase and offer their businesses to customers based anywhere globally.

2. Mobile telephony services

India has over 246 million cell phone subscribers. This number is only second to China. It is said that all you need to run your business is an Internet and a cell phone. India has both of that in abundance. Some cell phone carriers allow calling US and Canada [ Images ] at just Rs 1.99 per minute! Even if you stayed in US and bought a prepaid cell phone, it will cost you Rs 5 per minute for an incoming and outgoing phone call.

3. World class infrastructure IS THAT SO? I THINK NOT?

India has experienced the world’s finest infrastructures. Malls, multiplexes, corporate parks, residential areas built in India are some of the best by global standards. Indians have already seen global infrastructure locally.

4. Global exposure of youth

Indian youth is travelling worldwide and serving customers already aware of the best global service standards.

Business opportunities in recession

In India: Food, power, water, education, local transportation

The Indian economy is not supposed to enter recession for the next 20 years at least. If one travels just a few kilometers away from our metro cities, you will find that people still don’t have basic facilities like electricity for 24 hours, water and education. Businesses that produce green energy, water storage and supply basic education shall have a healthy future.

Globally: Cost effective travel, food, legal services, healthcare

India is still one of the low-cost places worldwide, which puts us in great advantage to be direct solution providers for countries with stronger currency and less qualified manpower. Companies that just used to work as contractors for outsourced work can now become direct service providers, giving the solutions at an even cheaper rate. Legal services and healthcare is a great opportunity.

A self example

Some examples below to show how the above strategies are given best shot (take from my company internally).

We take private aircraft owned by corporate or individuals on a contract basis, instead of ordering new ones, reducing our liability. This way we have added thousands of aircraft to our network
The automated aircraft arrangement system supports over 25,000 airfields worldwide. And while the business is headquartered in India, we serve customers from any remote global area
To make use of over 400 private and civilian airfields in India for private travel, we are adding cost effective planes (single and twin engines) to our network with the help of third party operators aiming to provide private flying solutions at the same cost of commercial flying with an added flexibility of flying ‘anywhere, anytime’
Cost effective setup with total automation, less liability, global service

The bottom line is that India’s youth does not need to get affected by the whole media hype about global recession.

The best opportunities are out there in the market right now and all one needs to do is find them.

If you want to fulfil your dream of landing on a foreign land for greener pastures, come to this small village called Talhan in Punjab [ Images ], offer toy plane to the local gurdwara and your dreams might turn into reality.
It sounds amazing, but after witnessing a large number of devotees, seeking greener pastures abroad, heading towards a gurdwara devoted to Sant Baba Nihal Singh Shaheedan in Talhan of Punjab’s Doaba region, one cannot find any reason not to believe this.

Thousands of individuals in the Doaba region hold this holy shrine in high esteem. And, these devotees include many of those who have long been nurturing a dream to get a visa to go abroad but couldn’t get it.

The popular feeling about this gurdwara is that anyone offering a toy plane here can have his or her wish to go abroad fulfilled. Hence a lot of people visit this holy shrine and make a wish to go abroad.

For this, the devotees make an offering of toy planes; inscribed with names of different carriers. Devotees buy these toy planes from the shops outside this gurdwara and they offer it to Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

It all started a few months back, when the word spread that wishes of settling abroad would be fulfilled if one offered a toy plane at the shrine.

On Sundays, about 40-50 planes are offered. In most cases, devotees who wish to fly to a particular country offer a toy plane of the airline of that country. In Doaba region, where going abroad is dream of most people, a large number of people have an unshakable faith in the gurudwara.

“I was trying to go to abroad for a long time. I heard a lot about this gurudwara, that if Akhand Path or prayer is organised here, all your wishes are fulfilled. I have come here to offer my devotion. I am thankful to this place, as my wish of going abroad has been fulfilled,” said another devotee. “I went to Germany [ Images ] two years back. I decided to offer a toy plane at the gurudwara when I come back from there, as my wish of going abroad was fulfilled,” said one devotee.

It has become a difficult task for the gurudwara authorities to store so many toy planes. Punjabi youth, who dream of greener pastures abroad, come in large numbers after they hear stories of wishes of their friends to settle abroad being fulfilled after they offered planes at the Talhan Gurudwara.

“Whenever somebody’s wish of going abroad is fulfilled, they come here at the gurudwara to offer a plane. Punjabis from all parts of the world - England [ Images ], America , Canada [ Images ] and many other countries come here,” said one young devotee.

“Our family has organised Akhand Path at the gurudwara. I had a wish of going abroad. I came to know that people come here to offer a plane if their wish of going abroad is fulfilled. So, I have also come here with a wish and if it gets fulfilled, I will also come here to offer a plane,” said another youngster.

For the Punjabi youth, spending 3 to 10 dollars in buying a toy airplane hardly matters, if it increases the possibility of ultimately realising a million-dollar dream.

The Miss Earth 2009 pageant was held on November 22 at the Boracay beach resort in Aklan province, central Philippines. Here’s a first look at the beauties who made the cut!
Nineteen-year-old Brazilian beauty Larissa Ramos defeated contestants from as many as eighty countries to take home the crown. A biology student, she will now and become the spokesperson for the Miss Earth Foundation, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and other environmental groups. She is seen here at a swimwear photoshoot post winning the crown.

If your partner is a computer nerd, your sex life will certainly be rocking, for a survey has revealed that IT professionals make the best lovers.
The anonymous study of 2,000 British men and women also found computer geeks to be the most selfless in the sack, the most adventurous and more likely to use love gadgets.

A total of 78 percent of techies questioned also claimed that sex toys were part of their love life, and eight out of ten tech workers said that sex toys played an important part in their sexual relationships.

In addition, 82 percent IT workers claimed that they put their partners” sexual needs above theirs, which turned out to be the highest among all of those asked.

However, the survey revealed that a perfect body doesn”t necessarily translates into a perfect romp — participants who worked in the fitness industry were found to be least likely to use sex toys, with just three in ten using them regularly.

And fitness freaks were found to be the most selfish lovers too, reports the Sun.

When asked whether they considered their partners’ needs above theirs, only 41 percent answered positively, scoring the lowest among all those questioned.

However, when it comes to stamina, they certainly have an edge over others — IT workers, though passionate, failed to answer in affirmation when asked if they have sex more than three times a week.

Computer geeks had to finish third to office workers and fitness experts.

The survey’s key findings are as follows:

Least selfish ( percentage of people who said their partner’’s pleasure was most important):
1.IT workers — 82 percent
2.Office workers — 74 percent
3. Healthcare — 70 percent
4. Unemployed — 69 percent
5. Hospitality — 65 percent
6. Manual workers — 53 percent
7.Catering — 52 percent
8. Education — 50 percent
9. Business owners — 49 percent
10. Sports and fitness workers — 41 percent

Most often (percentage of people who had sex thrice a week or more):
1. Office workers — 53 percent
2. Sports and fitness workers — 47 percent
3. IT workers — 38 percent
4. Manual workers — 36 percent
5. Catering — 35 percent
6. Unemployed — 31 percent
7. Hospitality — 30 percent
8. Education — 28 percent
9. Healthcare — 24 percent
10. Business owners — 21 percent

Most open to sex toys:
1. IT workers — 78 percent
2. Manual workers — 72 percent
3. Office workers — 70 percent
4. Education — 64 percent
5. Catering — 58 percent
6. Hospitality — 56 percent
7. Unemployed — 56 percent
8. Healthcare — 45 percent
9. Business owners — 34 percent
10. Sports and fitness workers — 32 percent

A new book offers to help men through the minefield of being a male. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh
The tome, entitled 150 Things Every Man Should Know by Gareth May, hands out pointers about certain skills, which apparently all lads would find indispensable, such as the correct etiquette in a urinal, hiding a lovebite, or spotting artificial breasts.

British tabloid The Sun handpicked some favourites:

Going commando

1. Your package becomes more visible through only one layer of protection, so prepare for some smiles or smirks.
2. Take extra care when shaking at the urinal. The damp spot has led to many a man’s misery.
3. Avoid trousers with zips.
4. When wearing shorts don’t lift your legs up.
5. Check your fly at regular intervals.

Hiding a love bite

1. Some swear by white toothpaste. Smear over the bite and leave.
2. Apply arnica cream or take arnica pills. Arnica speeds up healing and reduces bruises.
3. Wear a polo neck, scarf or cravat, or all three. Tell friends you’re thinking of joining a bowling club if they’re suspicious.
4. If desperate, reach for some concealer.

Urinal etiquette

1. Control the power of your pee. Backsplash is embarrassing enough on your own shirt, let alone your boss’s.
2. Don’t stand far back and experiment with your aim.
3. Remember: Sinks are for washing your hands and absolutely nothing else.
4. It is totally unacceptable to operate a Blackberry or mobile at a urinal, especially during conference calls.

How to tell if she’s had a boob job

Size: If she looks like she’s smuggling watermelons, they are probably fake…or she’s smuggling watermelons.
Shape: Boob jobs look hard and muscular. Real breasts look soft and curve out like a ski-slope.
Texture: Unless you were around in the blitz you might not know what a sandbag feels like. So think bag of sugar.

How to talk your way out of a fight

1. Sometimes offering to buy them a drink can defuse the situation, but don’t give them your credit card and tell them to set up a tab.
2. Don’t be intimidated or show any sign or weakness.
3. Stand your ground with confidence if they square up to you. Don’t shuffle, slouch or put your hands in your pockets.
4. Don’t give into temptation, grab a pool cue and yell: ‘Let’s be having you!’
5. Speak calmly and don’t crack jokes.
6. If you’ve used all reasoning and he still wants a fight, chances are it’s fisticuffs even if Gandhi and Nelson Mandela [ Images ] were doing the talking.

How to get over a girl

Do: Hit the pub with some mates.
Don’t: Drink yourself into a stupor.
Do: Pack her belongings into a box and return them to her as soon as possible.
Don’t: Have sex with the ex. Okay, just once if you have to.

How to turn a girl off if you don’t like her

Be elusive: Tell her you’re busy all the time and never return calls, texts or emails.
Drop hints: Tell her you’re in a relationship with someone else who struggles with your platonic female friends.
Disgust her: Wear really old, dirty clothes and don’t clean your teeth for a week.

How did you go about investing that Rs 1,00,000?
All of us had a specific skill set — software testing. It was an emerging field during the time so we knew we had an edge. We invested the one lakh in setting up a lab — we rented out some ten machines and used a partner-friend’s garage to start up a training institute for software testing in Noida.

Alongside, we also took up a few offers for software testing ourselves and continued to network. It was difficult initially. But when our students started getting placed they acted as our ambassadors and opened up the doors of their employers. That’s when we moved beyond retail training and started training various corporate houses. Eventually we began making inroads into these companies and started testing their software.

Who else is part of CresTech?

Navneesh Garg (28) and Lalit Jain (29) had chipped in the initial funds along with me. Both are computer engineers and have worked with HCL and Wipro respectively. Avinash Tiwari (28) and I had worked together in HCL, Oracle and Adobe. So I knew it was only a matter of time before he joined us. And sure enough, he did.

Unlike Hyderabad or Bangalore, Noida isn’t exactly a place, which breeds software experts. How did you go about marketing the idea of software training?

Around the time we started the institute, there were some 60-odd colleges that had suddenly mushroomed in Delhi NCR. So the market was staring us right in the face. Also, since software testing was the thing to do at the time, many young people were interested in learning it. Call it good timing or plain luck, but from the very first month of our establishment, we started making profits. Never once, since then, have we posted a loss. Within 15 months we were out of the garage and on our own!

When did you get your first client?

Within a year, actually. Sapient Corp was our first client. One of our students had referred us. We stepped in and helped them complete a project that was stuck because of a technical hitch. Navneesh went to Bangalore and worked on it for about three months. Ever since, Sapient has stuck with us and they are one of our biggest clients today.

How and when did you start expanding your base to the US and Australia?

The US office was set up in 2007 — when tremors of the sub prime crisis were just being felt. We realised that the country was going into recession and yet expanding business was the only way ahead for us. Europe, being a conservative market, was not really an option. That’s when we started looking at Australia. Thankfully, we were able to visualise certain market trends there and that helped. Today we are a 20-member operation there.

Image: (From L-R) Avinash, Pankaj, Navneesh and Lalit started off from a garage, a la Apple Inc

bhishek Mande
It was the year 2005 and barely 24 months had passed since Pankaj Goel lost his father. The then 25-year-old was the only earning member of his family and was supporting his widowed mother and a yet-to-be-married sister.

Goel, a software testing professional, was drawing a decent salary from his employer Adobe India. So when he announced to his folks that he wanted to move on and start an enterprise, eyebrows were raised.

It wasn’t an easy decision, Goel admits. Opposition from the family made things even more difficult. Yet it was a dream he did not want to let go of.

So Goel quit his job and along with two of his friends, Navneesh Garg and Lalit Jain, he invested a lakh of rupees and started training young students in software testing.

Soon enough, another of Goel’s colleagues and good friend Avinash Tiwari joined them and there hasn’t been any looking back ever since.

Today the company they started — CresTech Software Systems Ltd — earns them a revenue of $1 million and is placed by Nasscom amongst the top 50 emerging companies in India.

In an interview with rediff.com, Goel, now 29, tells us about the time he took the plunge and how a software company was born out of a garage in Noida:

Four software professionals and a lakh of rupees — is that all it takes to start an enterprise?

Well, yes and no. The four of us always had the entrepreneur bug within us. That was what prompted us to leave our respective jobs and start off this enterprise.

When we quit we did not have any business plan whatsoever. We only knew that we didn’t want to work in a company anymore and instead wanted to start one ourselves. So that’s what we did.

Image: Pankaj Goel’s four-year-old company now earns almost $1 million each year

Entrepreneur Shilpi Kapoor has a no-nonsense air about her. Dressed in a crisp sari, she speaks in short, to-the-point sentences and reminds you towards the end of the interview that your time with her is almost up.
Yet in some ways there is something endearing about Kapoor — her employees seem comfortable around her and speak their mind. They even chuckle at her when she gets uncomfortable posing for the camera (”They know I hate this part,” she says). Indeed there is a sense of easy camaraderie in the small office that Kapoor runs from a suburban industrial estate in Mumbai.

Kapoor heads Barrier Break Technologies, an enterprise that tests websites and software to see how ‘accessible’ or disabled friendly they are. She also believes that it is time disability solutions are not looked at as charity but rather as business propositions. Kapoor (35) should know. She has been making a living at it for herself and supporting her 55-odd employees — almost 75 per cent of them being disabled — for quite a few years now.

As a matter of fact, it was her accessibility solutions business that kept her company afloat during the downturn last year.

Here she tells us about her journey on ‘the road less travelled’:

Much is being made about accessibility these days. You were the first to even introduce the concept in India. What gave you the idea?

I started off as part of an NGO teaching computers to visually impaired people (around 1997). Slowly but surely I realised two things — one that NGOs almost always have to go around with begging bowls and two they invariably end up spending less on the cause itself.

Meanwhile, I had learnt about the business model on accessibility in the West. By then I had also started Net Systems Informatics (N-Syst) that focussed on knowledge management. We decided to include accessibility solutions primarily because we hoped that Indian companies that signed contracts with their Western counterparts would require their software and sites to be tested for accessibility. Much to my surprise no one was interested.

Around the time (2004) Vision Australia contacted us and asked us if we could test a site and compare notes. It was a great opportunity for us to assess where exactly we stood because in India there was no one we could compare ourselves with.

Turned out that Vision Australia was impressed with our work and that gave us a shot in the arm.

N-Syst was set up to address the needs of Indian companies. But most of our work first came from the West. So we first had to look towards the US to make money.

Image: Shilpi at the Barrier Break Technologies office in suburban Mumbai.

The Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank will issue directions to the banks to step up credit for micro, small and medium enterprises.
A task force formed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ] on Thursday discussed steps to enhance credit to MSMEs, which contribute 45 per cent to the country’s industrial production.

“The Finance Ministry and the RBI will soon issue instructions to banks to ease the credit to the industry,” the Secretary in the MSME ministry, Dinesh Rai, said.

The meeting of the group, headed by Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary T K A Nair, also considered ways to infuse venture and equity capital into these units.

The MSMEs, which bore the brunt of the economic slowdown have been seeking concessional credit as also equity infusion.

The sector, which employs 4.2 crore people and accounts 40 per cent of India’s [ Images ] exports, has been suffering sickness due to reasons such as shortage of working capital and technology obsolescence.

The task force, constituted in August, also comprises Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla and Labour Secretary P C Chaturvedi, had formed several expert sub-groups to look into the specific problems faced by the sector.

The group also discussed reports on credit and revival of sick units.
© Copyright 2009 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.