Rajiv Bhatia, 47, CCI Chambers, Dinshaw Vachha Road, Mumbai 400020

http://bit.ly/fcLOMc

Date : December 24th, 2010

To:

Commodore N.K. Jha (Retd.)

The Secretary

The Cricket Club of India Ltd.

Dinshaw Vachha Road

Mumbai 400020

Dear Sir,

Ref: Your letter No. SEC/6884/2010 dated 17th December 2010

Sub: H.R. & Recruitment Committee 2010-11

Thank you for your above letter which I have received yesterday. In response I wish to state as follows, with utmost humility.

1. I had been requested to be a part of the proposed Committee by various Executive Committee members but had regretted due to various concerns which I had kept to myself.
2. However, since the EC desires that I be a part of the proposed Committee, I expect that there is a need which they see me being able to fulfill.
3. Hence, before I accept, I would like to make to make some points, disclosures  and seek clarifications

1. Scope of work

1. What is the specific role, the authorities and the responsibilities of this Committee?
2. Does this include  Hiring Processes, Retention Processes, Training etc.?  
3. HR restructuring requires  firing those who fail to deliver. Is this a part of the committees role?
4. What is the time commitment required on a weekly / fortnightly basis?
5. Do union issues have to be handled by this committee? Please explain.
6. Which club staff will be providing executive assistance to this committee and what will their designated roles be?
7. Please specify the details.
8. Please specify the EC's support assured and responsibility division between this committee and the EC on the queries herein.
9. Please quote any bye-laws relevant to these processes.

2. SOPs - Restructuring the personnel strategy, in the absence of  professionally made and implemented standards of operating practices is meaningless. Will the EC encourage the creation of SOPs, before further HR processes are carried out?
3. Professional conflict of interest - I am a management consultant and have practised through firms/ companies set up by me since 1989. Any HR related work, if at all, has formed a small part of our activities so far. At times when on assignments requiring HR, we have outsourced this function. Will these facts cause any conflict of interest with my proposed position on this committee? It is not my intention to seek any financial gain from the club and I realise that my efforts will be voluntary and pro-bono similar to what is expected of all EC & other Committee and Sub-Committee members.
4. External Professional’s fees - In the course of my/ such proposed committees work I may introduce or cause to be introduced HR / other professionals to aid with the processes envisaged. They may charge their own costs and fees. I do not intend any financial gain for myself or my firms/ companies. Will the EC find this acceptable?
5. EC support - In my view, my professional track record has been blemish less. The club is prone to baseless and ill informed `loose talk'. I will be completely intolerant of any such nonsense targeted at me. What is the EC support I may expect on this count?
6. Management style - My management style is democratic by choice. My ways are disciplined and orderly. I believe in participative management and not a back bench role by co-workers. Besides Mr. Sushil Vaswani I don't know any of the others on the proposed committee. I have no idea if they will be comfortable with my working style.

Your response will help me decide. If my concerns / asks seem out of place I would be pleased to stand aside so as to allow others from the large and talented membership of the club to play the role.

Thank you for having indicated confidence in me. In my view, any need based opportunity  to serve the club becomes a member's duty.

Yours faithfully,

Rajiv Bhatia

1708998

CC:  Mr. Sevanti Parekh, Mr. Sushil Vaswani, Mr. Harjinder Singh, Mr. Sanju Kothari

Need for SOPs explained and next steps suggested http://bit.ly/ew5V0c