Gupta’s elevation to CHRO was approved by the Board of Tata Communications recently.

An economics graduate from Delhi University, Gupta also completed an MBA from IIFM.

He was associated with Deloitte Consulting for two years from 2004 to 2006, before he moved on to PricewaterhouseCoopers as senior consultant-HR advisory.

The next three years he spent with KPMG Advisory as manager-HR advisory.

His next stop was EXL service, where he served as assistant vice president-talent management and OD from 2011 to 2013.

It was in September 2013 that he joined Tata Communications, as director-human resources. Less than five years later, he was elevated to the position of senior director-global head of talent acquisition, talent management, OD, D&I and BHR. Less than four and a half years later, he got promoted to vice president-global head, compensation and benefits and business HR.

Goyal will be passing on the baton to Gupta after a 14-year long tenure with the firm. He was part of the Management board too and even headed sustainability, CSR, health and safety, SCM.

This alumnus of BITS Pilani has also been associated with SAP as CHRO global advisory board member since 2019.

Know for his strong work ethics, Gupta’s eye for detail will stand him in good stead in his new role.

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There is no clear-cut choice between attracting new talent (X option) and developing new skills or adopting new technology (Y option). Analysing the manufacturing sector in India, a combination of both X and Y strategies is essential. The proportion may vary based on factors such as the business cycle, location, product life cycle, business size and short-term versus long-term profit and loss considerations. However, there is a major shift towards the faster adoption of new technology, a trend that will continue to grow in 2024.

The ‘build and operate’ model will continue to hold significance in India, given the advantage of a young and large working population. Engaging new talent is akin to planting a seed and cultivating it in a customised environment, serving creative and objective purposes. Another advantage is the potential for continuity as a competitive edge, moulding intrinsic values to business growth with differentiation.

It is essential to explore the right strategy for an organisation, whether to compete in an existing space or adopt a ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’. While new technology has advantages as an aggregator of performance with accuracy and speed, creative and unique minds are crucial to innovate and elevate technology to the next level. I am confident that 2024 will provide a significant opportunity for the right mix of both options, complementing each other.

In our society, cultural foundations and heritage strongly influence our people’s persona

Trust tinderbox: Can organisations reignite the employee spark in 2024?

Employee trust will reverse its trend positively, benefiting both employees and employers. Trust is crucial to connect people, and organisations thrive when individuals work together with a shared vision and mission. Most companies have now adopted hybrid work systems, expecting this change to enhance trust levels and benefit all stakeholders. In our society, the social fabric differs from the Western world, with bonding influenced more by emotional connections than material needs and logical foundations. Cultural foundations and heritage strongly influence our people’s persona. Organisations play a critical role in creating an ecosystem to earn employees’ trust.

Degrees or doers? Will skills reign supreme in 2024’s hiring arena?

The significance of formal education is rapidly diminishing, and I see this as a positive albeit belated development. Why invest the prime years of life without adding value through formal education after reaching the age of 15-16? Consider a four-year engineering course—an investment for a certificate, and in many cases, not knowledge.

Few engineers apply conventional engineering skills in the workplace; instead, they support replacement, which often doesn’t require a four-year baggage. What’s essential is a modular understanding of applications related to their work and specialisation. I question if the knowledge life cycle will hold ground in a rapidly changing world of disruption. I apologise if my thoughts offend the community.

Today, knowledge is not as crucial as an employee’s performance in meeting deliverables based on their role, unless they work in functions such as research and design, innovation, legal, and so on.

This article is sponsored by Thomas Assessments

43 leaders predict the upcoming trends for 2024. To download the e-copy click here

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In today’s hyperconnected world, a concerning trend has emerged: doomscrolling. This term describes the habit of endlessly consuming negative news and distressing content on social media and other digital platforms. Characterized by a relentless scroll through news feeds for updates on crises, disasters, and conflicts, doomscrolling has become prevalent among employees, particularly during periods of global uncertainty. Whether it’s industry turmoil, political unrest, or natural disasters, individuals find themselves trapped in a cycle of negativity, unable to escape the constant barrage of alarming headlines and distressing imagery.

Understanding the allure of doomscrolling

While some may be surprised that individuals actively seek out negative content, the reasons behind this behaviour are complex. Some people believe that consuming such information prepares them for potential disasters or allows them to warn loved ones. They might feel a sense of control or preparedness by staying informed. However, this engagement often backfires, as exemplified by the common experience on social media platforms. Clicking on a news article about an economic recession, for instance, can quickly lead to an algorithm-curated feed flooded with content about impending layoffs, salary reductions, and business closures. This relentless stream of negativity reinforces anxieties and fuels the doomscrolling cycle.

“Doomscrolling creates a cycle of anxiety and pessimism, ultimately eroding morale. It also leads to decreased focus and efficiency during work hours, as attention is diverted towards consuming and reacting to distressing content rather than completing tasks.”

Ravi Mishra, head HR, BITS Pilani

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These students should have scored at least 60 per cent and studied mathematics or business mathematics in Class 12.

They will be enrolled in the Indian IT services multinational’s TechBee, an early career programme. Interviews for the same are already underway across Karnataka, in the cities of Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Hubballi and Mysuru.

The Company has entered into an agreement with the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) to help students become employable in the IT sector.

About 8,000 students from across India are already benefitting from the programme.

Once the selected students complete the year-long intensive training, they are given an opportunity to intern with HCL. During the internship, they earn a stipend of Rs 10,000 and get to work on HCL projects. Those absorbed by HCL stand a chance to undergo an undergraduate programme with a renowned institution, such as BITS Pilani, or Amity University, or SASTRA University.

The TechBee initiative was launched about five years ago, in a bid to tap talent from amongst class 12 students, especially from the tier 2 and 3 towns. The objective was to help them become financially independent.

The course, which began with a batch of 80 students back in 2017, has now become so sought after, that last year about 4,000 students were enrolled, and this year, about 8,000.

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Undertaking the course, which starts in the academic year of 2022, the employees will work simultaneously along with upping their skills through the course. The parties have informed that the number of employees partaking in the course may increase over the years, depending on the business requirements of the Company.

The knowledge imparted through this programme will primarily pertain to foundational software engineering and allied subjects, which would directly translate into the Mphasis employees’ day-to-day work. The application of the education imparted via the course to the Company’s employees will make for a seamless development of world-class software for global clients, claims the Institute.

Prof. G. Sundar, director, off-campus programmes & industry engagement, BITS Pilani, says that the collaboration aims to transform working professionals in a way that amalgamates their career growth with learning aspiration and organisational goals.

The WILP wing was established by the Institute over 40 years ago and has been offering professional redeveloping courses to people ever since. As per the Institute, over 97,000 working professionals from various technical fields such as IT, manufacturing, pharma and chemicals, have benefited from the programmes offered.

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To be eligible for the programme, candidates need to possess a three-year BSc. or BCA degree with core mathematics as a subject and a score of at least 60 per cent aggregate or equivalent CGPA.

BITS Pilani’s work-integrated MTech programme covers the full stack of technologies and competencies which are in demand in the software industry today. These graduates will be enrolled in the eight-semester, UGC-approved MTech programme on completing a three-month training under Mindtree’s ‘Orchard Learning’ programme, where experienced Mindtree practitioners help new campus hires learn technical concepts in the context of real-world projects.

The first batch of Mindtree EDGE freshers will commence their journey towards an exciting IT career this month.

Dayapatra Nevatia, executive director and chief operating officer, Mindtree, said, “Developing future-ready technology talent is critical for India to sustain its competitive advantage in the digital era and reinforce its reputation as the global hub for technology talent.”

This programme is targeted at graduates who are desirous of advancing their skills and building high-growth careers in the thriving technology industry. This is Mindtree’s way of contributing to “India’s skills development vision and an important step in the direction of enabling young Indian talent to seize the exciting opportunities presented by the growing digital economy,” added Nevatia.

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An alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Kozhikode, Sukumaran will now handle the Company’s organisational development programmes and HR strategy development. He will also lead talent management and work to build an inclusive culture. His primary focus will be to attract and nurture diverse scientific talent and promote innovation and excellence.

Before joining Syngene, Sukumaran was a successful management consultant and was the CEO of ForceFulcrum Solutions. He has also served as vice president strategy- global sales and business development, at Spire Technologies & Solutions, Bangalore. His longest stint of almost eight years, was with Thomson Reuters, where the last position he held was that of head of talent. In the initial years of his career, Sukumaran has worked with HSBC too.

This marine engineer’s diverse experience will enable him to “implement the right systems, processes and initiatives to create an environment that attracts, retains and develops the best talent,” feels the MD and CEO of Syngene. Sukumaran himself is looking forward to driving the people initiatives at the Company. He had already been leading key strategic initiatives across the organisations as chief of staff since October, 2017.

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Aggarwal took over as the member (HR) at AAI in December 2014, and also shouldered additional responsibilities as chairman between August 2019 and November 2019.

He has served in various roles at the AAI in operations management, airport engineering and development of specific airports. Aggarwal joined AAI in 1989, but prior to that he was with NBC, a public sector enterprise, for three years.

An engineering graduate from BITS Pilani, Aggarwal had successfully completed various courses in management, leadership and corporate directorship. In its tweets, AAI fondly remembers him as a great leader who led many pioneering efforts during his long stint.

Many of the other senior leaders at AAI, DGCA, Aviation Ministry and other agencies are also fighting the coronavirus infection right now.

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Samsung India has joined hands with the engineering institute, BITS Pilani, to facilitate advanced learning for its employees at the Samsung R&D Institute India-Noida (SRI-Noida). The programme will be fully sponsored by Samsung and is intended to offer employees an opportunity to synergise theory with practice on a sustained basis, and to enhance their academic qualification.

As part of the initiative, SRI-Noida employees can pursue M.Tech in software systems, to further upgrade their skills. The course, consisting of three semesters of theory work and one semester of dissertation, is designed to offer skills that are in alignment with SRI-Noida’s focus on niche areas, such as machine learning, cloud computing, data mining, data structure and algorithms design and artificial intelligence.

The course will help strengthen the technical knowledge of employees, while giving them a career development opportunity.

“As technology evolves, skill sets must evolve too, especially for a company, such as Samsung that is focused on the next level of innovations. This MoU is in line with our vision to develop futuristic skill-sets aligned to the requirements of the fast evolving mobile and consumer electronics sectors. Through these strategic partnerships, we aim to deliver the best training and skill development to our employees, and thereby accelerate our ‘Make for India’ initiative,” said Dr. Seounghoon Oh, managing director, Samsung R&D Institute India-Noida.

Every year, a batch of 35 employees from SRI-Noida will be sponsored for this two-year M.Tech. programme. All classes will be conducted on the SRI-Noida campus.

“BITS Pilani’s Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP) are designed to integrate academic content with the requirements of the workplace, and are conducted with the same level of rigor as the programme offered on campus,” said Prof. G Sundar, director, off-campus programmes & industry engagement, BITS Pilani.

SRI-Noida has an existing MOU with Delhi Technological University (DTU) for M.Tech. and PhD since 2011.

SRI-Noida was established in 2007 with the primary focus of mobile software development and testing. It is actively involved in developing localised and advanced solutions to suit market needs for South West Asia, and also develop models for Middle East Asia, North America (USA and Canada), Europe & CIS regions. The centre possesses extensive and in-depth experience in major domains of R&D, such as multimedia, applications, framework, system & communication protocol.

The R&D centre has developed several India-specific innovations, such as popular S-bike mode, ultra data saving mode, social camera, S-secure and S-power planning. Many of these innovations have done well in global markets as well.

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Accenture has awarded 11 research grants to leading universities across the globe, out of which four are Indian institutions —the Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT), Mumbai and Chennai, the Indian Institute of Science (IIS ), Bengaluru and the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani .

The grant helps to support the ground-breaking efforts of leading university research teams, who will be invited to work in collaboration with researchers from the Accenture Technology Labs on R&D projects. These projects will be of strategic importance to the technology industry and Accenture’s enterprise clients.

“Universities are a critical source of technical and scientific research that can deliver long-term business benefits for organisations around the world,” says Prith Banerjee, managing director of Global Technology R&D, Accenture.

This initiative will enable the researchers of Accenture Technology Labs to translate a university’s conceptual research —spanning topics from cyber security to 3D printing and cognitive computing — into ideas that can ultimately help solve real business challenges for our enterprise clients.

IIT Mumbai will focus on developing a text-to-universal language converter and creating more robust and accurate natural language processing capabilities. IIT Chennai, on the other hand, will develop decision-making algorithms to conceptualise and develop cognitive learning systems. It will leverage a principled combination of bottom-up, data-driven techniques, such as machine learning, and top-down knowledge-based approaches classically used in planning and reasoning.

The BITS Pilani project will ensure dependability of software systems, making them reliable and available, based on a recovery-oriented approach. The proposed approach has its foundation in near-real time assessment, remediation of dependability bottlenecks of operational systems and design strategies to build dependable software.

The project at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, aims to harvest knowledge from large text datasets, using them to improve accuracy and coverage of cognitive computing systems.

In addition to the monetary grant, the university researchers will benefit from the perspectives that Accenture Technology Labs researchers have to offer, given their direct exposure to the enterprise business contexts in which the research would ultimately be applied.

The programme provides the opportunity for Accenture and university researchers to combine their expertise, learn from each other and achieve more than either could alone.

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