Walk the World, 7 April 2017

Walk Destination: Gyarah Murti, Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi

The Gyarah Murti is a famous sculpture depicting a very famous movement in Indian history known as the Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi. It is to pay tribute to a group Indian freedom fighters and social reformers. The sculpture, by Devi Prasad Roy Choudhary, depicts the famous Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 against oppressive salt taxes imposed by the British regime.

The complete walk crossed 5 major Delhi Landmarks – Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, the Gol Dak Khana, Talkatora stadium, South & North block of the parliament leading up to Gyarah Murti Sculpture.

8th April 2017 was also the World Health Day, and 16 colleagues ran together till Gyarah Murti to symbolize the importance of healthy lifestyle. This was followed by a healthy, nutritious, low calorie breakfast.

Highlights of Walk the World 2017:

• 103 colleagues from T&F India contributed 10-km each to the WTW Challenge; including 13 outstation colleagues. We walked a grand total of 1030 Kms.
• We clocked a total of 120 minutes each and a grand total of 12360 minutes.
• For the first time, the WTW team created a documentary podcast on the heritage buildings that we crossed during the walk. Connaught Place, where we have our office is a heritage area. The documentary narrative was recorded by Dr Shashank Sinha, Publishing Director, Routledge India Originals, and a historian.  The podcast was sent to all the colleagues a day before the event. A record 100 people downloaded the podcast, and listened to it.
• We raised INR 61,000/GBP 750 for the charity – READ INDIA.
• We walked for READ INDIA!

The Day:
We wanted to create an inclusive environment where each colleague felt a part of the walk. Therefore, we choose a route that would keep our colleagues enthralled with the heritage of Delhi, crossing 5 landmarks, ending the walk at a very popular heritage point – Gyarah Murti. We further created a documentary podcast that all the employees plugged in and listened to while crossing various buildings. It was a great success!

Since it was also the World Health Day, a group of runners ran ahead of the walk, with placards on health, lifestyle modification being used.

Warm up before the walk

Happy Colleagues

The walk was concluded with a Townhall in our cafeteria, which was an event in itself:

• The WTW India champions (Nitesh Singh, Khalid Ansari, Dimple Francis, Navin Khosla & Sonali Bhardwaj) presented video testimonials and interviews of the colleagues talking about the Walk
• They also presented difference between WTW 2016 and 2017 vis a vis charity amount raised, participation increase, a special quiz on WTW and the podcast the employees has listened to while doing the walk etc.
• One of our colleagues Tenzing Toper Bhutia prepared a rap on WTW along with a video recorded poem, which was met with whistles and much enthusiasm.
• Puja Kumari was our official photographer. 
• A grand prize of INR 1100 Amazon Voucher towards the lucky draw winner was announced. 
• A healthy breakfast was served to end the Walk, courtesy Informa. 

Md. Khalid Ansari lightens the session

Walk the World 2017 - India Team

Colleagues taking the pledge to walk & stay healthy by signing WTW t-shirt

Tenzing performing live - a rap on WTW

Colleagues winning prizes

Testimonials from colleagues:

• Walking along history with podcast by Dr Sinha was the best part of the walk. Surabhi Srivastava - Europa Directory.
• Very interesting & great walk . looking forward to next year walk. KirtRaj Phagna, Journals Sales.
• A delightful walk through the historical paths of Delhi. An excellent initiative pleasuring all senses yet enriching through its great planning & execution. Bhawna Chauhan, Books Marketing.
• The walk, the curator and the breakfast everything was perfect. Deepak Chhabra, Graphic Designer.
• Informa Walk the world 2017 was a great experience for me. What made it special that we did it on World Health Day with a historic tour of New Delhi (the idea of the podcast was really good)  and did it for a cause ( Read India)!!!  Antara Ray Chaudhury, Development Editor, Routledge.
• An excellent event that some great enthusiasm, active participation and wonderful team bonding. It was a delight to be a part of walk-the-world 2017. Anjali Maggon, Manager – Human Resources.

Here is the link to the pictures and videos:  https://flic.kr/s/aHskSLptL9

INAUGURAL Routledge Sports lecture

The future of high performance sports in India 

29 April 2017

FANNATIC SPORTS MUSEUM - The Boria Majumdar Collection

29 April 2017

Highlights

• The entire event ran smoothly thanks to the efforts of Team Boria Majumdar at the museum, Team Journals Marketing on the day and in the build-up
• 125 guests attended (including 6 T&F employees), and approximately 35 journalists resulting in coverage in a variety of media publications (see below for updated list). 
• Editorial was represented by Jon Manly, Colin Bulpitt & Anant Mishra. Surajit Sarkar attended from sales and programme was hosted from T&F by the journals marketing team comprising Shafina & Sonali.  
• The event started with the museum tour for a select set of VIPs given by Boria Majumdar. Abhinav was facilitated 
• Abhinav Bindra, the first Olympic gold medallist form India, gave a very impactful speech on the future of high performance sports in India lasting about 25 minutes, which was followed by a small presentation by Dr Stephanno, unveiling the first high performance sports training centre for athletes in Chandigarh. 
• This was followed by a discussion session with Boria majumdar, and Abhinav Bindra, which was later opened for questions from the audience. There was much excitement among those present about the Olympic task force policies set up by the govt, that Mr Bindra heads. 
• The whole event was recorded and made available live on twitter & Facebook. The session ended with a standing ovation for Mr Bindra from the audience. 

Link to Online photo album & Videos: https://goo.gl/photos/Ae4PR68fGJ8Qmm9i9 

** We are also doing a ‘the story behind the picture’ on TFO to highlight the first sports science lecture in India, and link it to an interview with Boria on the Editor Resources blogs; here is an example: http://www.tandfonline.com/story-behind-march-2017.

Press/ Online Coverage: Pre-event

• Times of India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/abhinav-bindra-to-talk-on-high-performance-sports-on-april-29/articleshow/57992125.cms?from=mdr 
• DNA: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-bindra-to-talk-on-high-performance-sports-here-on-apr-29-2379798 
• Sportstarlive: http://www.sportstarlive.com/other-sports/abhinav-bindra-to-lecture-on-tokyo-2020-olympics-in-kolkata/article17772794.ece 
• The afternoon: http://www.afternoondc.in/sports/bindra-to-talk-on-high-performance-in-sports-on-apr-29/article_191795 
• Wn.com: https://article.wn.com/view/2017/04/03/Abhinav_Bindra_to_talk_on_high_performance_sports_on_April_2/ 
• Tribune India: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/sports/bindra-to-deliver-lecture-on-india-s-road-to-tokyo-olympics-in-kolkata/386945.html 
• Business Standard: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/bindra-to-talk-on-high-performance-sports-here-on-apr-29-117040300722_1.html

Post-event

• Telegraph: https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170430/jsp/sports/story_149084.jsp#.WQb8jlWGOUk 
• Indian Express: http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/everything-needs-to-evolve-around-sports-science-says-abhinav-bindra-4633500/ 
• XtraTime: http://xtratime.in/abhinav-bindra-backs-his-decision-of-retirement-before-tokyo-olympics/ 
• Hindustan Times: http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/abhinav-bindra-says-implementation-key-for-india-s-tokyo-olympics-hopes/story-Aj7bP9uwBjn7JlWiDDvLKL.html 
• India Today: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/everything-needs-to-evolve-around-sports-science-bindra/1/941763.html 
• http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-everything-needs-to-evolve-around-sports-science-bindra-2422531
• PTI News: http://www.ptinews.com/news/8657779_Everything-needs-to-evolve-around-sports-science--Bindra.html
• Hindustan Tmes: http://m.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/abhinav-bindra-says-implementation-key-for-india-s-tokyo-olympics-hopes/story-Aj7bP9uwBjn7JlWiDDvLKL.html

Abhinav Bindra: 
“Everything should essentially revolve around sports science”
“India needs to invest in training its athletes & make it a priority”
“We need to start preparing now for larger changes to happen in Olympic performances in 2020”

Please follow @LibraryLantern for live videos and tweets of the day. 

Selected Photos

 

 

 

The Informa Awards 2017

 

The India team representing the India office at the Informa awards is back, and not empty handed! We bring back awards, glory and lots of brand building for our organization and we are so proud. Thank you for all the hard work and support you gave the CSR team to make this possible! Also a big thank you to the Journals Sales Team for the National Deal of the South Asia Archive. Yet again, a great example of collaboration & team values that we stand for.

Check out our award winning video here.

On Thursday 23 February, India team accepted the two awards standing winners from a shortlist of 133 Colleagues and Teams in a ceremony held at the spectacular Kensington Roof Gardens in London.

Winners: https://portal.informa.com/news/42504/informa-awards-2016-winners-revealed

• CSR team, India, for building Taylor & Francis library in Village Shahabad Mohammadpur; Category: Louder than Words - Awarded to a colleague or team that has lived our approach to sustainability.

• Neeti Verma, Ashleigh Lee & David Green for South Asia Archive sale; Category: Show me the Money - Given to a colleague or team that has created significant financial benefits for the Group through either sales or efficiency activities that go beyond the expectations for their day-today role.

International Women's Day 2017

Message from our Managing Director, Nitasha Devasar:

This Women’s Day I wanted to share with you 5 things that have stood me in great stead in my professional life:

• Perseverance and Preparedness: A wise mentor once said to me in a time of great professional stress, “Don’t give up and don’t give in.”
• Building emotional stamina through physical activity: I have realized that being healthy and physically strong is part of my job and should be developed the same way as any other work skill.
• A diverse support network: The support of my family and friends, for example, who yank me up when I am floundering and keep me grounded when I fly high, is a strong safety net.
• A sense of the ridiculous: If you can find humor in the very human foibles and quirks of your co-workers and managers, everyday irritants of the workplace vanish.
• Male colleagues: Women’s Day seems an appropriate time to acknowledge these fellow travelers and co-conspirators who have challenged, supported and irritated in line with the need of the hour, over the last 25 years.

I would love to hear from you what your top 5 picks!

Best wishes,

Nitasha

Our colleagues point of view:

1. Anjali Maggon

• Each day is different
• Every lesson is important
• Be your own companion
• Music helps
• Talk it out

2. Puja Kumari

• Take the charge: Never blame anyone for your bad times and make the situation favorable. 
• Inner strength: No matter how much you are broken from outside, your inner strength will help you sail through successfully. 
• Support system: Your near and dear ones will always pull you up when you are all shattered. So, never let them go away from you.
• Parents: Everyone else may turn selfish at some point of time but, only parents think of your happiness selflessly. Never let them down.
• Nothing is permanent: This statement in itself is negative and positive as well, and it helps a lot in adverse conditions. 

There is a saying: “If you are going through HELL, keep going,
cause that is how you will come out of it”.

3. Purnima Agarwal

• Dedication and Hard work: There is no shortcut for dedication and hard work. Maybe you don’t get appreciation for these two things, but it will never go unnoticed. And I truly believe in this. So, just give 100% to all you do.
• Building network: Whether it is personal life or professional life try to build a network whom you can rely upon. This gives you confidence in your low time and you can share your joy in high time.
• Push People Upwards: As per your capacity, support and encourage people to move upwards. Show the confidence in others. Providing them the required support within my capacity, gives me the inner joy.
• Spirituality: Believing in super power, giving some time of your day in remembering the GOD and thanking for everything you have. 
• Taking out time for yourself: Whether you are male or female, it doesn’t matter. You should take out some time for yourself. Invest in you. If you love, respect and appreciate yourself, then people will do too.

HERITAGE BYTES: VIEWING THE TAJ: Some Uncommon Frames (Part 3)

WAS THERE A PLAN TO CREATE A BLACK TAJ MAHAL? AND, SOME OTHER POPULAR MYTHS?

Some myths and legends, mostly floated by guides, have become ingrained in popular history and folklore. The idea of a second, rivalling Taj, the Black Taj, was floated by Jean Baptiste Tavernier, who, during his visit to Agra in 1665, wrote that Shah Jahan wanted to build his own tomb in black marble on the other side of the Yamuna in Mahtab Bagh but his sons opposed the plan and Aurangzeb finally abandoned it. There is no historical evidence to support this claim and even archaeological excavations carried out in the 1990s did not reveal any evidence of such a tomb.

Another very popular tale is that Shah Jahan killed the architects and workers who built the Taj (other versions say he chopped off their hands or had their eyes gouged out or had them thrown into the dungeons of Agra fort) so that they could not build a second monument like that. This again has no historical basis. Art historian Ebba Koch points out that such tales are a part of folklore surrounding monuments in many cultures, including England, Ireland, Russia and parts of Asia.

Finally, the tale of the British administration’s plans to demolish the Taj. It is said that Lord William Bentinck, Governor General of India in the 1830s, planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction the marble. His biographer, John Rosselli, clarified that the basis of this rumour was Bentinck’s fundraising sale of discarded marble from Agra fort.

- Dr. Shashank Shekhar Sinha

Not Allowed 

इस शहर में रुकना allowed नहीं है
थक कर कहीं रुक गए तो
धक्के खा कर चीखना allowed नहीं है

पल में भूल जाने वाले इस शहर में
याद रखना allowed नहीं है.
समय से race लगाते इस शहर में
वक़्त का होना allowed नहीं है.

भीड़ भरी सडकें
भीड़ में खोना allowed नहीं है.
ठोकरों से भरे इस शहर में
चोट पे रोना allowed नहीं है.

ज़िन्दगी के पीछे भागते
इस शहर में जिंदा होना allowed नहीं है.
सपनो की यह नगरी
इस शहर में सोना allowed नहीं है.

- Vivek Singh

Manager – Online & Content Marketing, Books Marketing

Goodbye 2016: year end celebrations in YMCA lawns

We celebrated the year end on a positive note with the annual christmas lunch and celebrations on December 23, 2016 at the YMCA lawns. Taylor & Francis India never misses a chance to celebrate festivals zeal & fervor, which is also an opportunity to for colleagues from different departments to come together. 

This year, the Christmas lunch & year end festivities ended with a surprise that caught many of the colleagues unawares: The 'unexpected, yet much appreciated' EMPLOYEE AWARDS.  

The celebrations started with the managing director addressing the employees, highlighting the achievements of the year gone by. She emphasized the ‘good stuff’ that included India becoming a profit-making and self-sustaining branch in 2016; the launch of the T&F Indian website which crossed 10k users last month & the local contacts list development which crossed 100k; some phenomenal sales performances including HSS books and the SAA national deal; the content acceleration plan; the CSR award nomination at Informa; among others. The MD focused on the four C’s of 2016: Content, Collaboration, Communication and Change, all of which, she promised, will continue in 2017 as well.

This was followed by a surprise announcement of the Employee Awards 2016. The awards were constituted to appreciate a select set of employees who created a niche for themselves with their work, creating a rock solid background for the organisation to function, without being in the limelight. Here are the awards and their description:

Taking Charge

  Someone who gets the job done.
JEETPAL SINGH

Consider it Done
 The behind the scene wonder who quietly takes
charge to make everything run smoothly.

SONALI BHARDWAJ

Stretch Yourself 

Who stepped out of her comfort zone to support
 company initiatives and goals.
DENIZE RODRICKS

Got Your Back 

For always being the one we can all count on. 

KAMRAN ALAM

Setting New standards 
A new joinee who made an impact with his/her work. 

AAFREEN AYUB & VIVEK SINGH

All the winners received a certificate of appreciation and a gift voucher of INR 2100.

THE HAPPY, SURPRISED WINNERS!CONGRATULATIONS 

The sweet christmas carols, sung by the T&F band added the real flavour of christmas to the festivities. 

T&F Band:
Payal Singhal, Shivangi Pramanik, Manjari Srivastava, Subha Banerjee,
Puja Kumari, Shruti Gopinath, Varun Gopal, Meer Mehtab Hussain,
Tenzing Topzer Bhutia, Raja Boboy Chiru, Robinson Raju and Oliver David

Meet our SANTA here who added more colour to the afternoon! 

Our Santa: Nitesh Kumar Singh

Some more picture for you to enjoy:

Happy New Year to all T&Fers, 

Wishing all a great year ahead,

Shafina