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| Sunday, 16 June 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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TALK OF THE TOWN Stepping into her father's shoes... by CHITRA WEERASINGHE Those in certain social and business circles are talking about young Niki Hundlani who has stepped into her father's shoes as easily as a duck takes to water. The 23-year-old who returned to Lanka recently with a degree in finance and economics laughs at the fuss made of her. "All I did was join the family business and shadow my father. I sat in his office room; watched the way he spoke to and dealt with people; and I did the day to day basics of running his office. What is amazing, perhaps, is that I work well with my dad and mum. You know how difficult it is for young people to work with their parents!," she said with a mischievous smile. Niki who is constantly on the move - visiting countries, mostly Singapore, says her trips are business-oriented for it is imperative she attends the various seminars and workshops which deal with her company's products. At those seminar/workshops the marketing plans for the ensuing year are revealed and ideas exchanged so that once a participant returns, he/she could use that information for the benefit of the company concerned. "In that way I know what product or products I could offer on special occasions like Valentine's Day, Mothers Day or Fathers Day and also how to position that product on the shop counter. For example, if it is a fragrance like Hugo Deep Red or Dark Blue, it should be placed in a certain position on the shelf relative to the other fragrances of that brand for maximum visual impact. Niki says she may not have returned to Lanka so soon had it not been that she missed her family - especially her grandparents. She had a lucrative job with the private bank J.P. Morgan where she was financial analyst." It was a 12-hour day; at times 13 to 14 hours; short week-ends; hard work; because I was working for a company that moved markets. The company would not let me leave and suggested I go on a sabatical. Though I appreciated that, once I returned and got caught up with what was happening here, I did not want to go back. That's how I became Marketing Director of 'The Parfumerie.' " Since being here, she's done a presentation for Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gautier in April and in May it was 'Rykiel Rose.' "At a launch of a new fragrance you have to make sure you convey the message the fragrance is supposed to create; that you reach the right target market and through that market reach the right audience and all that has to be done through different mechanisms, said this young woman with her heart in her family and her head in 'The Parfumerie." The latest jewel to the Apollo crown Those who attended the opening ceremony and the dedication of the Apollo Hospitals Colombo, to the people of Sri Lanka, are talking about the touching speech made by the Indian High Commissioner G.K. Gandhi. He was as Vice Chairman, Apollo Group, R. Navaratnam said "present to bless this hospital." They are also talking about the short, heartening and effective speeches of appreciation and thanks by both President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who hailed the state-of-the-art facilities of this hospital complete with helipad as a boon to Lanka. The opening ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries, diplomats, the clergy, cabinet ministers and the highest in both the public and private sectors of the country. And what was nice was that it was simple, solemn, dignified and well organised - with no last minute hassles, omissions or changes in procedure. Also instead of the customary presenting of a bouquet to the Chief Guest, the inaugural honour was left to the first patient who had successfully undergone open heart surgery at this hospital a few days earlier. There was, also, Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group referred to as the "much loved father figure of Apollo, to recall how he conceived the idea of having so many hospitals in so many parts of the world. "The story of Apollo began in 1980 when a man died because he could not make it to Texas for an open-heart surgery for want of the required dollars. That was the turning point in the Indian Healthcare industry and today people in the Indian subcontinent have the opportunity to receive the best that healthcare has to offer worldwide. "That is our contribution to society." Don't forget "most essential institutions in society have developed in response to overwhelming needs." Dr Reddy talked of the tremendous support they had received from President Kumaratunga from the very inception of the project. "Yes! You go ahead and we will support you," she had said. Dr Reddy said: "We solemnly promise to offer the highest form of medical services. We have created 21 hospitals. This is the 22nd and our thrust has been to bring preventive medicine facilities because no one can avoid illness - from infancy to adulthood and old age. Doctors are very important and we have a combination of the best of doctors from India, Sri Lanka, UK, US and Australia. And he did not forget to say that with the establishment of the Apollo hospital here it would be" the true reversible of brain drain. |
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