What's in a name? Five
million dollars. That's perhaps what Dhiren Rana, 40, the founder of the
Illinois (US)-based Internet service provider, SyNet, would say. The Junagadh (India)-born
US citizen recently won a $5-million law suit against Bill Gates' $11.36-billion Microsoft
Corp. after a 3-month struggle in the courts over the name Internet Explorer. Rana claimed
Microsoft had plagiarised the name since it was SyNet which had been distributing its
Internet browser with the name Internet Explorer since late 1994-months before Microsoft
came out with the eponymous browser in April, 1995. Says an exuberant Rana: ''They thought
us to be little guys who would soon run out of steam-a strategy that they have employed in
the past with others.'' Ironically, what came to Rana's defence was the fact that
Microsoft's law firm, Sidley & Austin, had itself got its e-mail system, security,
firewalls, and Website designed by SyNet. Caught in its own Net, did someone quip?...
Move over Boss. The spotlight is now on
the secretary. And she is Regina Vasudevan, 41, the Executive Secretary
to J.L. Pasricha, 60, Joint Managing Director of the Bangalore-based Rs 1,373.22-crore
MICO. Regina is the 1998 Secretary of the Year-the unanimous choice in the National
Institute of Professional Secretaries-organised contest in Mumbai, which began with 140
contestants from 7 cities in the country. A mother of 2 young daughters, Regina is elated.
Says she: ''It's an acknowledgement of the fact that secretaries are not a bunch of dumb
people.'' Pasricha agrees: ''Regina is an asset in my team.'' To win the title, Regina,
like the other contestants, had to go through an extensive written test, an interview, and
group discussions, and even make an extempore speech. But her dreams travel beyond the
crown she wears. A post-graduate in Sociology from Mumbai University, Regina's goal is to
become a general manager, human resource development. All the best, Best Secretary...
She has proved her mettle-in
metal. Sumangala Agarwala, 31, the daughter-in-law of Askaran Agarwala,
63, the President of the Rs 1,615-crore Hindalco Industries, is using aluminium-sections,
extrusions, molten metal, and wires-to recreate mythological figures like those of Hindu
deities. A self-taught artist who has been exhibited in Mumbai, Calcutta, Lucknow, and
Delhi, Sumangala has explored various media-oil, ceramics, wood, clay, and even fibre
glass-to give shape to her ideas. Says she: ''I don't want to restrict my art to any one
medium.'' But aluminium? Well, she lives and works at Renukoot-home to Hindalco...
He's hopping continents to find the
elixir. Having given up as the CEO of Excelsia Foods-the Rs 12-crore 60:40 joint venture
between the Rs 825-crore Dabur India and the $1-billion Israeli food major, Osem-Kartik
Raina, 46, is now taking off to Nigeria. He will be Global Director (Sales &
Marketing) at the $14.13-million Nigerian German Chemicals, the sole representative of
Hoechst Marion Roussel and Parke Davis in the African nation. Says Kartik: ''It's a truly
global job where I will look after 4 businesses. Besides, I will save enough to send both
my children abroad for studies.'' But does all this have anything to do with Dabur
deciding to prune its holdings in Excelsia in favour of Nestle SA, the largest shareholder
in Osem? Can't tell...
Wine and...? No, it's not the obvious. For
Ranjit Chougule, 25, the younger son of the Indian wine emperor Shyam
Chougule-the same whose Rs 100-crore Indage Group makes Marquise de Pompadour that even
France drinks-is happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Reena Chabria, daughter of
Dhiraj Chabria of Mumbai's Golden Gate restaurants fame. The answer is Internet. But how
is Ranjit, the Director of Champagne Indage, mixing the two? Well, he's launched an
Internet cybercafe, Interscapes, in Mumbai. It started off as an idea to promote wine but,
then, commercial surfing looked tempting. The rates? Ranjit will seek a mere Rs 50 an
hour-perhaps the lowest in the world. Says he: ''Internet was never meant to be expensive.
I'll like to keep it accessible to all.'' So, where will the moolah come from? From
company ads on the specially-designed browser. A heady mix?...
What's in a name? Five
million dollars. That's perhaps what Dhiren Rana, 40, the founder of the
Illinois (US)-based Internet service provider, SyNet, would say. The Junagadh (India)-born
US citizen recently won a $5-million law suit against Bill Gates' $11.36-billion Microsoft
Corp. after a 3-month struggle in the courts over the name Internet Explorer. Rana claimed
Microsoft had plagiarised the name since it was SyNet which had been distributing its
Internet browser with the name Internet Explorer since late 1994-months before Microsoft
came out with the eponymous browser in April, 1995. Says an exuberant Rana: ''They thought
us to be little guys who would soon run out of steam-a strategy that they have employed in
the past with others.'' Ironically, what came to Rana's defence was the fact that
Microsoft's law firm, Sidley & Austin, had itself got its e-mail system, security,
firewalls, and Website designed by SyNet. Caught in its own Net, did someone quip?... 
Move over Boss. The spotlight is now on
the secretary. And she is Regina Vasudevan, 41, the Executive Secretary
to J.L. Pasricha, 60, Joint Managing Director of the Bangalore-based Rs 1,373.22-crore
MICO. Regina is the 1998 Secretary of the Year-the unanimous choice in the National
Institute of Professional Secretaries-organised contest in Mumbai, which began with 140
contestants from 7 cities in the country. A mother of 2 young daughters, Regina is elated.
Says she: ''It's an acknowledgement of the fact that secretaries are not a bunch of dumb
people.'' Pasricha agrees: ''Regina is an asset in my team.'' To win the title, Regina,
like the other contestants, had to go through an extensive written test, an interview, and
group discussions, and even make an extempore speech. But her dreams travel beyond the
crown she wears. A post-graduate in Sociology from Mumbai University, Regina's goal is to
become a general manager, human resource development. All the best, Best Secretary... 
She has proved her mettle-in
metal. Sumangala Agarwala, 31, the daughter-in-law of Askaran Agarwala,
63, the President of the Rs 1,615-crore Hindalco Industries, is using aluminium-sections,
extrusions, molten metal, and wires-to recreate mythological figures like those of Hindu
deities. A self-taught artist who has been exhibited in Mumbai, Calcutta, Lucknow, and
Delhi, Sumangala has explored various media-oil, ceramics, wood, clay, and even fibre
glass-to give shape to her ideas. Says she: ''I don't want to restrict my art to any one
medium.'' But aluminium? Well, she lives and works at Renukoot-home to Hindalco... 
He's hopping continents to find the
elixir. Having given up as the CEO of Excelsia Foods-the Rs 12-crore 60:40 joint venture
between the Rs 825-crore Dabur India and the $1-billion Israeli food major, Osem-Kartik
Raina, 46, is now taking off to Nigeria. He will be Global Director (Sales &
Marketing) at the $14.13-million Nigerian German Chemicals, the sole representative of
Hoechst Marion Roussel and Parke Davis in the African nation. Says Kartik: ''It's a truly
global job where I will look after 4 businesses. Besides, I will save enough to send both
my children abroad for studies.'' But does all this have anything to do with Dabur
deciding to prune its holdings in Excelsia in favour of Nestle SA, the largest shareholder
in Osem? Can't tell... 
Wine and...? No, it's not the obvious. For
Ranjit Chougule, 25, the younger son of the Indian wine emperor Shyam
Chougule-the same whose Rs 100-crore Indage Group makes Marquise de Pompadour that even
France drinks-is happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Reena Chabria, daughter of
Dhiraj Chabria of Mumbai's Golden Gate restaurants fame. The answer is Internet. But how
is Ranjit, the Director of Champagne Indage, mixing the two? Well, he's launched an
Internet cybercafe, Interscapes, in Mumbai. It started off as an idea to promote wine but,
then, commercial surfing looked tempting. The rates? Ranjit will seek a mere Rs 50 an
hour-perhaps the lowest in the world. Says he: ''Internet was never meant to be expensive.
I'll like to keep it accessible to all.'' So, where will the moolah come from? From
company ads on the specially-designed browser. A heady mix?...