Dr. Shashi Tharoor on “Soft Power”

FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) organised a talk show with the award winning author and a renowned politician of India, Dr. Shashi Tharoor on “Soft Power of India”.

Soft Power in Dr. Tharoor’s words is a ability of a country to attract others because of its culture, it’s political values, and its foreign policies. It is something that really emerges partly because of governments but partly despite governments.

Tharoor defined soft power as the ability to attract or persuade other people without using any type of coercive or military measures. “The way soft power gives access to multiple channels of communication, is testimony to the fact countries can no longer solely bank on military prowess,” said Tharoor.

Dr. Tharoor said, “In the international community it is widely believed that if India engages with a conventional war with Pakistan, then it will emerge victorious but in case of unconventional warfare, devastating consequences may follow, since both the countries possess nuclear power.”

However, the politician firmly said that there is no other alternative but ‘hard power’ to counter terrorism. Tharoor, who had earlier cited Bollywood as an effective means of soft power said, “If a terrorist watches a Bollywood film in the night before he is about to bomb a cinema hall, it won’t change his plans.” Soft power is ineffective in front of violence. Dr. Tharoor said, “If we see the population of our country, then we are surely the emerging world leaders!”

FLO National President Ms. Archana Garodia was the Guest of Honour. She addressed the members and shared her vision for the year. Ms. Garodia, who’s also a writer and an extremely learned lady with a wide vision has been declared champion of champions by BBC Mastermind in 2001. She was also one of the “Trigunis” in the very popular t.v. show ” Kaun Banega Crorepati”.

In her address to the members she emphasized on the 3 big national initiatives she has taken up for this year.They being:

1. Women corporate directors
   Under this we
   1. Invite applications from members who would like training as corporate Directors
   2. Organize training programmes
   3. Create a list which we will put up on website and other formats.
   4. Connect up with corporate etc to place them
2. SWAYAM –
   A support cell for women entrepreneurs at a National level.

   FLO plans to provide support to budding and existing women entrepreneurs in , establishing a new Business, Marketing and branding Strategies for their business, Govt Finance & Promotional Schemes through MSMEs, Bank Finance ( Term loan or working capital), Equity Funding ( Venture capital), Tie up with HR agencies etc. We realize that Funding, Marketing, Branding, HR are some of the huge challenges faced by Women in business. Thus FLO plans to form a panel inclusive of Banks, CA firms, Marketing agencies, legal firms, Government Agencies etc linked to SWAYAM.

3. WE – Women’s Empowerment

   Flo would want to identify skill partners for training and providing gainful employment to the trained women in various sectors, especially the non-traditional jobs like security guards, bus drivers , cab drivers etc.

Also Ms. Gupta shared that Jaipur being a Tourist Hub, should have woman tourist guide as well so that woman tourists will feel safe. For this FICCI FLO will train ladies for being Tourist Guide in Jaipur.

FLO Jaipur Chapter Chairperson, Ms. Alka Batra, mentioned an agenda for FLO, of their initiative of WE (Women Empowerment) under which they will be training more than 500+ candidates for un-traditional jobs Like Cab-drivers & Security Guards.SWAYAM: A panel to which all the best expertise on almost all the channels to ease the working of the members for any kind-of Entrepreneurial suggestions & WCD:Women Corporate Director, under which they are orienting a training campaign for FLO working ladies to understand, learn & lead to be Directors. Apart from these, about their up-coming event of understanding management from Zero to Hero, A talk session with Global Women entrepreneurs & lots more exciting sessions in the hoard of FLO.

The event organized in Hotel Marriott was houseful with a great attendance of members, their spouses and some of the very eminent faces of Jaipur.