Not many people refer to it as part of South Asia because India to many is a mystery. Many women directors, CEOs, and entrepreneurs have put India in the back burner because they do not have the contacts, have never been to the sub-continent, or are simply scared to even tread to unusual destinations. But for me, India has always been a joy to visit and a mystery box to keep unraveling.
My first trip was back in 2005 when I was invited by the International Trade Center (www.intracen.org) to talk about coffee. I met the Program Director of Women of ITC named Meg Jones and was also able to see Zain Verjee (then a CNN anchor) in person. I traveled with the Philippine Star’s now business editor, Iris Gonzales, and we were thrilled to have been billeted at the Taj Hotel.
The next few trips, many years later, were with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s George Barcelon and Filipino-Indian Business Council’s Johnny Chotrani, again to Delhi for the Delhi Dialogue. And another round in Delhi again with my Philippine Women’s Economic Network (PhilWEN) colleagues to meet FICCI-FLO or the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Inc. — Ladies Organization. So, India was slowly opening up like a gift, with us being bolder and visiting nearby cities (three-, five-, eight-hour drives) like Agra, Jaipur and back to Delhi. FICCI-FLO recommended the hotels and rental cars for our adventure trips outside Delhi. And this is why connections are important. No matter if you are in Guatemala or India, a good local connection is the key to a pleasant and productive trip, be it for pleasure, business, or both.
Last September, we were hosted again by FICCI-FLO in Hyderabad and Delhi along with entrepreneurs, women directors, and a mixed group of shoppers, connectors, and businesspeople looking to connect to Indian businesspeople. We signed a Memorandum of Agreement with FICCI-FLO and promised to keep these delegations coming year in and year out.
As promised, we are going again with PhilWEN (www.philwen.org) this month to Mumbai and Bangalore, even getting an audience with the Art of Living founder Sri Sri Guruji Ravi Shankar. Only the right connections can arrange such visits I think, because the Art of Living ashram is a very sacred place, and they do screen who wants to go and see the serene and peaceful area reserved for the spiritual movement’s members.
I cannot wait to see bustling Mumbai as I hear it is the “New York” of India, maybe because it is the center of business and the basis for the name Bombay and the roots of what we call “Bumbay” in the vernacular. Maybe we will even get a chance to see Bollywood, and other features of Mumbai, like the tiffin carriers (dabbawalas) which have been recognized by the Six Sigma systems for handling 200,000 lunches with near-impossible error rate. They have a Six Sigma efficiency rating of 99.999999%.
The PhilWEN delegation will be joined by our colleagues from ASEAN, making our group a mixed bag of women leaders, entrepreneurs, and women directors. Why only women? Because FICCI-FLO is our counterpart ladies’ organization and we would like to focus on our counterparts in India who will show us not only serious business connections but all the women-friendly activities on the side, like shopping and savoring Indian cuisine.
It is time we looked beyond ASEAN and check out what South Asia has to offer, starting with the biggest country which is India. I am proud to say I have been invited to the far east of India, in Guwahati where even regular citizens of Delhi have not been. Northeast India has a totally different feel, but we can save that for later. In the meantime, it is best to get to know the centers of business — Hyderabad for pharmaceuticals, Delhi and Mumbai for everything else, and Bangalore for IT and coffee. Karnataka state is where most of the coffee farms are and we hope to visit with coffee people there, too.
Take a look at the map of India as you read this article and see where you would like to start your Indian journey of discovery. Like they say, “you need a lifetime to see all of India” but we definitely can start now. As the PhilWEN ladies have planned, we will go to Mumbai and add a few extra days for leisure for “women-centric” activities and then explore the business opportunities open to all of us.
After this February visit, we may host the ladies of FICCI-FLO in Manila, this year or next, in turn to meet their potential Philippine business connections. We did this during the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2017 in Manila when the ladies from FICCI-FLO joined our regional events. Because they, too, need a counterpart in the Philippines to be able to explore a new country in their list of partner countries.
FICCI-FLO has 20 chapters across India and is headquartered in New Delhi. It was established in 1983 as a division of FICCI which is the apex body of industry and commerce in India (this as taken from FICCI FLO website.) PhilWEN, its Philippine counterpart, has over 200 members across five organizations ranging from women directors to women professionals as well as entrepreneurs.
It is all systems go for this India experience, and we cannot wait to tell you how much fun it was while we navigate new cities in the sub-continent known as “Incredible India.”
Let us go beyond our ASEAN borders and explore further towards the Indian Ocean and learn why India’s citizens excel all over the world; not just in pharmaceuticals and information technology, but art, cuisine, and even the film industry.
Chit U. Juan is the co-vice chair of the MAP Environment Committee.She is also the president of the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. and Slow Food Manila (www.slowfood.com).
