Apparel Online India Magazine November 1st Issue 2018 | Page 8

MIND TREE
Q-and-A
Many of the associations have gone in for the same team for the next term – like 8 EC members of the AEPC
have been reappointed; CITI has opted for the same team for second term; SIMA office-bearers have been
re-elected for the second term; Rahul Mehta has been re-elected as CMAI President for 7th term; but only
GEAR, Jaipur has a few fresh members in its new working committee. How do you see this trend...? Don’t
we have any fresh talent to carry forward the tasks of these prominent bodies, or is it good that the same
experienced people carry on to lead these various associations?
Rahul Mehta, President,
CMAI, Mumbai
Every association or council has
its own set of norms which are
quite justified and their office-
bearers keep changing as per
these specified norms. All such
bodies have open election
system too and anyone can
participate in these elections. As
business is continuously becoming
tough and competitive, it is very
much required to have such a
team in these associations which
can devote time and energy
full-fledgedly towards them
which is not an easy thing. I have
been able to devote time as
President of CMAI as my son and
my family members are running
the business well. I had in fact
earlier requested the CMAI team
to have a new President as I was
more than happy to step down
but they insisted and so I am
serving till now. But this is my last
term as President. We have had
some changes done in our core
team also.
Ravi Poddar, Immediate
Past President, GEAR, Jaipur
We need a combination of new
and old members to get fruitful
results in any organisation. We
need the experience of old
members and the ideas of new
members. We at GEAR did the
same during our recent change
and shift of members.
Prabhu Damodaran,
Convenor, Indian
Texpreneurs Federation
(ITF), Coimbatore
Members of such associations
should take an active part in the
association’s activities. Overall, I
have observed that the majority
of the entrepreneurs are not
giving much importance to
association meetings and events
and are just sending their senior
working professionals ahead. This
should be the first change that
can be brought about. If more
members involve themselves,
automatically new talents
and faces will emerge to lead.
Seniors in any association are
definitely ready to guide the new
faces, so change should come
from the other side, particularly
the younger generation.
They should understand one
important factor and that is
the world is moving towards
‘competitive cooperation’.
Raja Shanmugham,
President, Tirupur Exporters’
Association, Tirupur
A decade-old Olympic
champion can’t win the race
today, but he can definitely
guide the aspiring players
well with his experience and
knowledge; almost similar is the
case with our associations and
trade bodies. Stalwarts/veterans
or persons having a position
from a long period in any such
organisation should themselves
give a chance to fresh talent
with proper support, guidance
and exposure. But unfortunately,
this is not happening especially
in the required quantum.
Our trade bodies for sure require
young as well as fresh members’
participation at senior level so
that new ideas, different kinds
of approach and working style
can be implemented. Otherwise,
complaisance will destroy our
industry. In the current business
scenario, there is a need to
save the industry and for that,
we have to adopt all methods.
Bringing in fresh talent is one of
them.
Apart from this, I must say that
various associations, councils
should work together and think
and plan for long term. For
example, everybody is saying
that China is reducing its thrust
on apparel manufacturing
but China has done it in a
planned way. The country is
keeping core manufacturing
like fabric production with itself
and is investing in apparel
manufacturing in other countries.
Hence, China is still making
money. On similar lines, Indian
trade organisation should have
a long-term plan which should
be a win-win situation for all. This
should have been done long
ago but is still not happening.
We are not encashing our
bilateral trade agreement. Most
of the Indian organisations and
their office-bearers are very
8 Apparel Online India |NOVEMBER 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com
much involved in their day-to-
day mundane affairs rather than
implementing any long-term
vision and suggesting the same
to the ministries. I always strongly
advocate to bring in fresh
talent from everywhere and
implement newer strategies.
Rikhil Nagpal, Vice
Chairman, Textile
Association (India), Delhi
unit; Head of Department,
College of Fashion &
Interior Design, SDPS
Women's College, Indore
I have had the opportunity to
work with the Textile Association
(India), Delhi unit and I want to
say that we have a fair system
as even our President can also
be retained maximum upto
two terms which means for four
years. Not only our President,
the governing council members,
and trustee members also do
change from time to time. Even
in our recent committee, we
have had few fresh faces with
nominal or very less experience.
Yes, there is enough talent in
our industry and the young
generation must have the
requisite experience, knowledge
and passion required to
represent any such prestigious
organisation which is not an
easy thing. I must say that young
professionals should come
forward and be a part of such