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In December 2010, a group of 19 Indian students landed in Beijing
after an exhilarating voyage across the islands of Indonesia and
Malaysia. None of us expected any surprises. A temperature controlled bus
would ferry us to our cozy hotel rooms and we would prepare ourselves
for the gruelling study trip the next day – that was the standard plan.
But fate had different plans. The luggage conveyor belt stopped turning and I realized that my luggage was missing. Lost in transit at Malaysia – we were told by the airport staff at Beijing airport.
The temperature outside was -4 degrees Celsius and all I had with me was a hand luggage with just a night's change and a fleece jacket. While it might sound like a lot to most men, it is definitely not enough for a woman. Trust me about that. The lady at the airport understood that too. With 400 Yuan as compensation for the hardship and a promise of luggage recovery the next day, we had no other choice but to leave for the hotel as scheduled. On the way though, I made it a mandate to stop and shop for some essentials to tide me over for the next couple of days atleast.
It was midnight by the time we booked into our rooms and we had an early start scheduled for the next day. The only thing I was capable of thinking about was sleep and that’s what I did.
On waking up the next day, I realized how cold it was in the room despite the heater. So I made myself a cup of coffee. The standard red Nescafe sachet beckoned and the coffee was made. With my very first whiff and sip, I realized that this coffee smelled and tasted better than the one at home. Perhaps, the Chinese grew better coffee than Indians hence, Nestle created better products here I thought.
But I didn’t have much time to ponder, so I rushed to get ready. Now, I truly believe that if you want baby soft skin, use only baby products. So a Johnson’s baby oil is a standard feature of my toiletry kit. Since, my luggage had gone missing, I had to purchase one last night. Again a known and much loved product but this too felt different. It felt creamy and smoother in comparison to its Indian counterpart. I will be fair - The smell was the same though. Never mind I said to myself, they make it better because Chinese babies are more important perhaps for Johnson & Johnson.
My luggage was delivered to my hotel my noon that day and the hotel called me to confirm the same. I was elated. What service!
After a long day of study visits across Beijing, we were all tired and hungry. The hotel plan did not cover dinner. But more than the prices, we shuddered at the menu that was on offer. So we decided to take a walk and catch some grub at the nearest KFC or Mc D. The Mac came first and we ordered a Mc Chicken with fries on the side. As students, we opted for the cheapest combo. At 50 Yuan (~ 300 rupees) we were thrilled and shocked to see the portion size of the meal. So why were Indian Mcs so tiny? They looked like a joke in comparison. Believe me, Indians can eat just as much as any Chinese if not more. Our hunger is no less inferior to our Chinese friends.
This was just a one day account of my experiences with different brands in a NON-INDIAN environment. There are more.
Back in the 90’s when dad came back from London, Singapore, Oman and other foreign visits, we eagerly awaited the perfumes, cosmetics and soaps he brought for us. The sweet scent of the perfumes lingered even after the clothes had been through a wash. The Camay soaps were milky and the scent lingered for hours after a bath. The makeup made us glow and made heads turn not because we wore too much of it but because, the product was doing its job right.
The QUALITY was top notch. There was no compromise on the quality of a product made in a NON-INDIAN country.
If we want to really “MAKE IN INDIA” we INDIANS have to be QUALITY CONSCIOUS. It is not okay for Olay so deteriorate to a runny consistency just ten months after its initial launch. It is not okay for Nestle or Coke or Pepsi to sell us substandard products that will be rejected in the international market. To those in the decision making echelons of this country and corporates, please note – RESPECT INDIA before you MAKE IN INDIA.
But fate had different plans. The luggage conveyor belt stopped turning and I realized that my luggage was missing. Lost in transit at Malaysia – we were told by the airport staff at Beijing airport.
The temperature outside was -4 degrees Celsius and all I had with me was a hand luggage with just a night's change and a fleece jacket. While it might sound like a lot to most men, it is definitely not enough for a woman. Trust me about that. The lady at the airport understood that too. With 400 Yuan as compensation for the hardship and a promise of luggage recovery the next day, we had no other choice but to leave for the hotel as scheduled. On the way though, I made it a mandate to stop and shop for some essentials to tide me over for the next couple of days atleast.
It was midnight by the time we booked into our rooms and we had an early start scheduled for the next day. The only thing I was capable of thinking about was sleep and that’s what I did.
On waking up the next day, I realized how cold it was in the room despite the heater. So I made myself a cup of coffee. The standard red Nescafe sachet beckoned and the coffee was made. With my very first whiff and sip, I realized that this coffee smelled and tasted better than the one at home. Perhaps, the Chinese grew better coffee than Indians hence, Nestle created better products here I thought.
But I didn’t have much time to ponder, so I rushed to get ready. Now, I truly believe that if you want baby soft skin, use only baby products. So a Johnson’s baby oil is a standard feature of my toiletry kit. Since, my luggage had gone missing, I had to purchase one last night. Again a known and much loved product but this too felt different. It felt creamy and smoother in comparison to its Indian counterpart. I will be fair - The smell was the same though. Never mind I said to myself, they make it better because Chinese babies are more important perhaps for Johnson & Johnson.
My luggage was delivered to my hotel my noon that day and the hotel called me to confirm the same. I was elated. What service!
After a long day of study visits across Beijing, we were all tired and hungry. The hotel plan did not cover dinner. But more than the prices, we shuddered at the menu that was on offer. So we decided to take a walk and catch some grub at the nearest KFC or Mc D. The Mac came first and we ordered a Mc Chicken with fries on the side. As students, we opted for the cheapest combo. At 50 Yuan (~ 300 rupees) we were thrilled and shocked to see the portion size of the meal. So why were Indian Mcs so tiny? They looked like a joke in comparison. Believe me, Indians can eat just as much as any Chinese if not more. Our hunger is no less inferior to our Chinese friends.
This was just a one day account of my experiences with different brands in a NON-INDIAN environment. There are more.
Back in the 90’s when dad came back from London, Singapore, Oman and other foreign visits, we eagerly awaited the perfumes, cosmetics and soaps he brought for us. The sweet scent of the perfumes lingered even after the clothes had been through a wash. The Camay soaps were milky and the scent lingered for hours after a bath. The makeup made us glow and made heads turn not because we wore too much of it but because, the product was doing its job right.
The QUALITY was top notch. There was no compromise on the quality of a product made in a NON-INDIAN country.
If we want to really “MAKE IN INDIA” we INDIANS have to be QUALITY CONSCIOUS. It is not okay for Olay so deteriorate to a runny consistency just ten months after its initial launch. It is not okay for Nestle or Coke or Pepsi to sell us substandard products that will be rejected in the international market. To those in the decision making echelons of this country and corporates, please note – RESPECT INDIA before you MAKE IN INDIA.
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