subject: Fifa Might Not Be India's Cup Of Tea, But It Took Our It Places [print this page] Rebirth is a word which has always sounded miraculous. Some people believe in rebirths and others dont, dismissing it as nothing but something seen in dreams, impossible whatsoever. Well rebirth in the case of living beings is definitely something mythical in its entirety, unless you believe in words like karma and salvation. However, its interesting to note, that when it comes to persons we have somebody else who is considered to be a part of this group. The Companies Act 1956 and other acts related to companies in various countries, give a corporate body the status of a person. Yes, a company is called an artificial legal person who is capable of performing most of the functions of a natural human being. And if we talk about getting a life again, a company is capable of being reborn; though quite metaphorically.
Almost two years ago, the Indians faced a mind boggling reality when the newspapers flashed Ramalinga Raju to have committed one of the biggest scams in the history of the corporate world. He epitomised an intelligent human brain but with a tinge of grey; a person who definitely uses his brain, but for all the wrong purposes. And sadly, like most of the cases in the contemporary world, this scandal or scam if you would like to term it, also had money and greed as its base.
Let us not digress, Satyam, which window dressed its balance sheet to show a more gem studded picture than the real one, faced a fall down with its face hitting the ground first. The shareholders pulled out, investors turned their backs and problems seemed to pour in from all sides like a waterfall filling the trough. Sinking brand, stained governance, legal issues, customers, everything held swords against it. But now, after almost two years after Tech Mahindra took it over, it has started to climb up the success ladder again even leaving behind the likes of Accenture, Infosys and Siemens in some competitive situations.
When Raju made the confession, the head of Sports Satyam tried convincing FIFA in Zurich to not cancel the contract it had awarded Satyam to handle the IT services for the next World Cup. With unnerving efforts of directors appointed by the government and later the Mahindra management, Satyam surprisingly was the only Indian presence on the football grounds of South Africa. Mahindra Satyam was displayed prominently among Budweiser, Castrol, Continental, McDonalds, MTN and Yingli Solar as other sponsors
Mahindra Satyam played a major role in making possible the conduct of 64 matches played across 10 stadia in South Africa. 130 officers from the company along with the sports head helped control the access of thousands of spectators, deployment of vehicles for ground transportation and managing of staff, delegates and volunteers. It is believed that these people were supported by around 50 of their colleagues back here in India, at Hyderabad handling multi-lingual calls for ticket sales. The calls made to FIFA numbers seeking details of ticket availability were being answered in India. Mahindra Satyam gave the systems for accreditation, space and material management, infrastructure, intranet and extranet at venues. A Herculean effort like this did wonders to bring this Company up, back with the same reputation.
Tech Mahindra was heroic to acquire Satyam under stormy circumstances, losing customers continuously in the initial months including British Petroleum. The Mahindra management changed the business model to make things work better. From keeping a relationship with customers and keeping delivery at the back end, the company has now started combining the sales and delivery functions. By taking advantage of a strong market in Europe, the company saw the light of increasing number of orders in the first Quarter which even helped create new vacancies in the company, sending it on a hiring spree. All this and Mahindra Satyam managed a deal with BASF winning on the basis of the quality of work.
The Company is one great example of how an organisation which was about to be swallowed by the quicksand of the business ethics breathed some fresh air when another Company realising its potential gave it life and adopted it as a baby. Satyam was a company which had to be rebranded and restructured amidst the economy crunch faced by the world. The World might face a bigger power when the management of both Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Satyam decide to do a merger attaining a bigger balance sheet and prospects of bigger deals.
The company has already garnered a deal for the Singapore Youth Olympics, scheduled to be held from August 14 this year. What more, it is going to tie-up with the mens professional basketball league in North America, the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is also hoping to get the accreditation for the Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held in Indian Sub Continent in 2011. Collaboration with the FIFA World Cup 2010 has surely opened up many other doors for this company.
As its said that The only way to overcome is to hang in, persistent and constant efforts on the part of Mahindra Satyam (earlier Satyam Computer Services Ltd.), have helped it to surge up the level of waters which had submerged it after the Ramalinga Raju scam. It seems that the company is all set to come back with a bang and get right back to the position it fell from. Truly said, it has got a new life.
