Hemant Mandaliya, Co-Founder of Indian Food Trail enthusiastically upholds the No Sir No Madam cause. Hemant pursued marketing at Wigan & Leigh College, UK. He worked as a content specialist with Publicis, Network 18, Bloomberg UTV, Social Wavelength, Hungama Digital Services, and Kaleido Communications.
Indian Food Trail is a social dining platform which allows you to experience regional Indian cuisines in the homes of Indian home-chefs located across the globe. IIM-Calcutta Innovation Park and Department of Science and Technology has selected Indian Food Trail as one of the Smart Fifty start-ups transforming India.
Hemant perceives that No Sir No Madam is a wonderful initiative, and we direly need such movements to shape the India of our dreams. Indians must get out of the slave mentality to succeed in all domains.
Hemant adds that he has been extremely lucky to have worked in an industry (advertising) where people insisted that they be addressed by their first names. In his company, he follows the same, where they do not have this constraint of addressing people as Sir or Madam.
Few months ago, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park team invited a delegation of Smart Fifty start-ups at Niti Aayog office. Hemant had an opportunity to attend the event and represent Indian Food Trail. He mentions, “At the event, all of us addressed Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog as Mr. Kant rather so-called Sir. This is a slow transformation from typical ‘Saheb’ or Sir to Mr.
A couple of times, Hemant has seen raised eyebrows when he addressed someone at a Government Officer by their first name. People still have some apprehension while dealing with government officials. Hemant opines that it is a social evil, and it creates entitlement mentality.
Hemant observes that the culture has to be implemented within the educational institutions. He advocates, “The habits that shape young minds stay with them for the rest of the life. I liked how we used to address all our professors by their first name in the UK. This eliminates the distance and disconnects created by titles.”
Everyone at Hemant’s workplace communicates without salutation. He asserts that respect is earned. One does not need Sir/Madam terminology to massage their ego. Hemant opines, “Your colleagues can simply show respect by working diligently for the company. If you want them to grow and provide a thriving environment, they will love and respect you.”
By adding an unnecessary layer of Sir, Madam, we are building up walls around us—Hemant asserts. He believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s quote, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” We are witnessing an aspirational India, an India which is waking up from colonial slumber. To achieve this development change must begin at a personal level.
Hemant wishes the best to the No Sir No Madam team and hopes that the government would take active part to propagate a salutation-free culture.
In conclusion, Hemant enumerates, “Unless we change our mentality, we will never realize our full potential. Hence, it is imperative that we break this bad habit.”
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