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News | Initiative

i3 – TAFE’s unified internal idea management platform

On Tuesday, October 3rd 2017, all desks at the TAFE offices had an interesting object on their desks… a crumpled sheet of bright yellow paper! Most employees wore a puzzled look on their faces and were scratching their heads wondering whether to keep it or trash it. And, of course, almost by default each one of them opened it to find a very interesting message –

“Don’t trash your ideas – Let them land in the right place.”

Excellent organisations recognize that innovation can apply to products, processes, marketing, organizational structures and business models. Over the years, TAFE has strived towards achieving organizational excellence by establishing a culture of continuous improvement and learning. In the last few years, we have been focusing on harnessing creativity and inculcating a culture of innovation across the organisation through a systematic approach to manage innovation driving:

  • Product innovation through Small Innovation Group
  • Cost saving initiatives through Prospero and Vridhi
  • Process excellence through e-CIMP and DiscoverI

Furthering our efforts to harness creativity and innovation, TAFE’s unified platform for idea management – i3 – was launched on September 30, 2017, on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dasami, in the presence of TAFE’s Chairman & CEO, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan. The event was attended by several senior management executives and project team members. The event was broadcast through a webinar for outstation participants to attend.

The launch event started with traditional lighting of the lamp followed by a prayer song and the TAFE Anthem. Ms. Shobhana Ravi, Chief Information Technology, Innovation and Learning Officer (CITILO), gave a brief overview of the new platform and its features. Mr. S Jaishankar, Sr. GM (Cost Control) posted the first challenge in the new platform and Mr. Jones Sunder Singh, Sr. AVP (Treasury) posted the first idea in response to the challenge. The launch event was successful and closed with a special keynote by TAFE Chairman & CEO, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, who addressed the gathering on the importance of innovation, cost saving and how this platform can be leveraged.

i3 – An overview
TAFE’s unified idea management platform will provide an opportunity to get inspired, ideate and implement your ideas and get rewarded through a gamified experience. Key highlights of the unified platform are:

  • Ideas and challenges can be posted under the broad categories – Cost Saving, Technology Leadership, Customer Solutions and Process Excellence, each of which will further have sub-categories
  • Idea evaluation is done by a 3 member workflow team
  • Every idea is evaluated based on a set of defined parameters on impact, uniqueness and feasibility
  • Based on evaluation scores, ideas will be classified as Just Do It / Kaizen / Innovative Idea / Breakthrough Idea

The team invites all TAFE employees to login and contribute their ideas, as it could be the next big idea! The real gamechanger.

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 Read | Spotlight

Mallika Srinivasan awarded Honorary Doctorate by TNAU

TAFE Chairman & CEO, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan was awarded the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) today at Coimbatore. This was conferred in recognition of her contribution to global agriculture, machinery business and academia. She is the first lady from the Indian Tractor Industry to be conferred this honour at the 38th convocation ceremony of TNAU.

Ms. Mallika Srinivasan was awarded the Honoris Causa by the Chancellor of TNAU and Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Vidyasagar Rao. The ceremony was graced by the presence of Mr. K. Ramasamy – Vice Chancellor of the University, Mr. R. Doraikkannu – Pro Chancellor of TNAU and the Agriculture Minister of Tamil Nadu, and the chief guest of the ceremony, Dr. C. D. Mayee – President, South Asia Biotechnology Centre along with the Professors and the new graduates of TNAU.

In her acceptance speech, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, said, “I am immensely privileged to have been chosen to receive the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from this prestigious world renowned institute that has been serving the farming community for over a century. I extend my gratitude and thanks to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) for bestowing this unique honour on me. This honour will, no doubt, be a great inspiration to me and my team at TAFE, as we continue to serve the farming community both in India and in other developing markets of the world.”

Personifying TAFE’s philosophy of ‘Cultivating the World’, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan has played a key role in the development of agriculture across the nation through initiatives that positively impact the lives of farmers. Taking forward the founder’s vision of empowering the Indian farmer, she has led the development of JFarm, TAFE’s adaptive agricultural research and training centre, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, established in 1964 by her father and TAFE’s first Chairman, Mr. A. Sivasailam. Under her leadership, JFarm has focused on developing an integrated farming model for small and marginal farmers, farm initiatives for soil, water and nutrient management to increase productivity through mechanisation. JFarm also advocates organic farming and its activities in developing a low cost modified hydroponics system have been widely appreciated.

Reacting to the news of her doctorate, Mr. Ravichandran a progressive farmer said, “I’m very pleased with this news. From the farmers point of view we don’t merely consider TAFE as yet another agricultural company. We consider it as the true friend of farmers. TAFE’s JFarm, has motivated many people to take up farming as their career including me. I’m sure under the able stewardship of Ms. Mallika Srinivasan and the dynamic management team and dedicated staff, we the farmers would continue to benefit from the century old group and farming gets transformed to an enviable profession. I truly believe ”TAFE is the pride of Indian Farmers” My very best wishes to the TAFE – CEO. She richly deserves such honor.”

Ms. Mallika Srinivasan has transformed agriculture in the Northern parts of India through the setting up of JFarm Rajasthan at Bhawanimandi, Dt. Jhalawer, which replicates the pioneering efforts of JFarm, TamilNadu, helping farmers of Rajasthan and subsequently those from nearby states.

Leading the way in global agriculture Mallika Srinivasan has also encouraged the extension of JFarm’s activities to other developing economies and TAFE is in the process of setting up such facilities aimed at improving farm productivity and sustainable farming, leveraging relevant mechanisation in association with several countries in Africa. It has established partnerships for skill training and development and piloting small farm sustainability programs in Malawi, Tanzania and Rwanda, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast and is involved in developing multipurpose farmer centers across the African continent.

Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, justifies the epithet ‘Tractor Queen of India’ transforming TAFE to become the world’s third largest tractor manufacturer and India’s largest exporter of farm equipment. A thought leader and a strategist, widely recognised for her business acumen, she has developed relevant technology to suit evolving needs of the farmers, optimised costs, and tapped global markets to establish TAFE as a quality mass manufacturer of tractors and a lean, resilient organisation that can weather the cyclicality of the business.

An excerpt from the citation read, “TAFE’s JFarm, located at Chennai and Rajasthan, established as a CSR initiative, engages in adaptive research and provides farm extension services, covering a variety of crops, as an advisory service to farmers to enhance yields and promotes among farmers, knowledge of cultivation practices and the latest technological advancements. It is this effort of many decades that has won her acclaim.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University takes great pride in placing on record the exceptional achievements of Padma Shri Mallika Srinivasan and takes privilege in honouring her, in recognition of her contribution to global agriculture, machinery business and academia.”

She is one among the Board of Directors of AGCO Corporation, a global farm equipment major in the United States of America, Tata Steel Limited and Tata Global Beverages Limited. She is the first lady to have assumed the role of President of the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A member of the Executive Board of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, Ms. Srinivasan has held prestigious board positions at IIT Madras and the Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Trichy.

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