L&T Infotech:

FirstRand Bank, a large financial services group based in South Africa, in its first CSR

(Corporate Social responsibility) initiative with India, teamed up with L&T Infotech,to launch

the 'KhulaSangam' programme here last night.

This is an International Internship Programme that aims to expose the unemployed, South

African youth graduates to Indian business,community development and society through a

six-month internship.

'Khula' is an Nguni word meaning 'to grow,' whilst 'Sangam' is a Hindi word which refers to

the confluence of things. Under this programme, ten young unemployed South African

graduates are selected for a six-month paid internship and training programme with L&T

Infotech in India.

Ms Elizabeth Maepa, Group HR Head, FirstRand and Trustee, FirstRand Foundation,

speaking on the occasion, said 'There are many common areas between India and South

Africa, and apart from the BRICKS aggrement, For L&T to partner with us is an example of

the 'Spirit of giving'. This humble initiative will train our young people to sustain the

business, she said.

The 'KhulaSangam' programme began in January and through the last round of selection, in

'The Finishing touch week', we selected 10 participants with the aim to attain the shortage

of critical skills', she said, Mr V.K Magapu, Managing Director, L&T Infotech, said 'Training

runs in the company's DNA structure. We deploy trained people and merge them with the

work force. We are happy to partner with First Rand group for the Indo-African skills

development program. We recognize the need of sharing our global experience and what

we do in India for the skills development of young people.' Mr Mahendren Moodley, on

whose vision the Kula Sangam programme was initated and also the C.E.O and country

manager, FirstRand Bank India, said 'Only India can assist South Africa in such areas of

Skills development as India offers values of Stratigic Value ethics .'

Speaking to UNI, he said "L&T offers this programme free to us but as we bear the cost, it

comes up to 20,000 US Dollars per student, 7 males and 3 females, and the main stress is

on Information technology and Skill development such as Human values and interpersonal

skills. After South Africa attained democracy in 1994, we have a wider vision of Freedom.

We want our students to give back to society at the same time. We want them to be

wholistic,developing and caring citizens.' UNI RM OBB SM1247

Point1

The company is also actively looking at acquisitions, he said.

L&T Infotech is betting big on business from the BFSI segment in markets such as South Africa and the Middle-East.

"In South Africa, we have tied-up with some financial service providers we will be expanding and adding up more financial services customers," he said.

Asked about pricing, Banerjee said that it (pricing) has stabilised to some extent.

FirstRand partners with L&T Infotech for Indo-Africa skills development initiative

The challenge of unemployment is one of the key issues facing South Africa. With this in mind, FirstRand and L&T

Infotech have teamed up with the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) to launch the

KhulaSangam program.

‘Khula’ is an Nguni word meaning ‘to grow,’ whilst ‘Sangam’ is a Hindi word which refers to the confluence of

things.  Under this program, ten young, unemployed South African graduates were selected for a six-month paid

internship and training program with L&T Infotech in India.

In addition to this internship, participants will also be exposed to like-minded peers, community development

activities and Indian models of excellence. This will ensure that the program moves beyond a simple internship and

instead serves as a leadership development initiative, unlocking a sense of community and social responsibility in

the candidates.

The program also entails exposing participants to Indian entrepreneurs on the ground and getting first-hand

experience of their drive and passion. These interactions will be facilitated by FirstRand India’s management team.

Further to this, the FirstRand India Corporate Social Responsibility team will be scheduling various site visits for

participants and exposing them to the community projects that Indian youth are involved in terms of nation building

in India. The aim of this is to highlight to the South African youth the importance of “giving back to their

community” and inculcating the culture of serving the society.

“We are happy to partner with First Rand group for the Indo-African skills development program. We recognize the

need of sharing our global experience and what we do in India for the skills development of young people. We have

recently invested in a skills development academy in Johannesburg. At L&T Infotech, we believe that giving back to

society is extremely important while doing business and we are committed to South Africa for the long term,” said

Mr. V. K. Magapu, Managing Director, L&T Infotech.

Commenting on FirstRand’s involvement in the program,  Mr Mahendren Moodley, CEO -FirstRand India, said, “ This

project, although small in scale, represents an important first step in making progress to strengthen the skills base

amongst the youth of South Africa and creating well rounded citizens of South Africa. FirstRand, through the

FirstRand Foundation, is highly committed to addressing some of the challenges faced in South Africa and hopes

that this project will eventually grow to a scale which will make a meaningful impact on the socio-economic front in

South Africa. FirstRand would also like to express its immense gratitude to its partner and valued client L&T

Infotech for coming on-board this program and investing significant expertise and money to make this program a

success.”

Commenting on GIBS’ involvement in the program, Mr Abdullah Verachia, Head of the GIBS India-Africa Business

Network, said, “The KhulaSangam program is a unique initiative aimed at addressing the challenge of

unemployment in South Africa by leveraging the special and growing relationship between India and South Africa.”

About FirstRand

FirstRand Bank in India is a part of FirstRand Limited a large financial services group based in South Africa and the

first African banking franchise to enter India.  FirstRand is South Africa’s 2nd largest financial services group with

over USD 115 billion of assets under management.

Through ownership of brands such as First National Bank (FNB), Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and Wesbank, the

Group operates in almost every segment of the financial services market.

About L&T Infotech

L&T Infotech is wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), a USD 13.5 billion technology, engineering,

construction, manufacturing and financial services conglomerate, with global operations. L&T Infotech provides

end-to-end solutions and services in the following verticals: Banking & Financial Services; Insurance; Travel &

Logistics, Media & Entertainment, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Energy & Process, Utilities, E&C , Hi-tech & Consumer

Electronics, Consumer Packaged Goods, Retail & ;Pharmaceuticals, Auto & Aerospace, Industrial Products, and

Product Engineering Services (PES).

L&T Infotech also delivers business solutions to its clients in: Testing, Mobility, Infrastructure Management System;

Business Intelligence/Data Warehousing, SAP, Oracle and Microsoft, Enterprise Integration and Manufacturing

Execution Systems, in addition to an innovative CIO-thought partnership program that provides a value-driven edge

to clients.

L&T Infotech is ranked by NASSCOM as the 9th largest software & services exporter from India and among the top

20 IT BPO employers.  It is differentiated by its unique Business-to-IT Connect which emerges out of its rich

corporate heritage. (www.Lntinfotech.com)

L&T is one of the largest and most respected companies in India’s private sector. It is ranked the world’s 9th Most

Innovative Company by Forbes International and 4th in the global list of Green Companies in the industrial sector by

the reputed international magazine Newsweek. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for

top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business over seven

decades.

About GIBS

Founded in 2000, GIBS is an internationally accredited business school based in Johannesburg, South Africa’s

economic hub. As the “business school for business”, GIBS’ purpose is to significantly improve the competitive

performance of individuals and organisations through business education in dynamic markets. Consistently rated as

one of the top business schools in South Africa, in May 2012 GIBS was again ranked as one of the top business

schools globally by the Financial Times, the only African business school to be placed in the top 50 business schools

worldwide for executive education programs. This is the ninth year running that GIBS has been ranked among the

top business schools worldwide. In October 2012 the GIBS MBA was ranked among the top 100 business schools

globally in the prestigious Financial Times Executive MBA Rankings 2012. GIBS is the only business school in Africa

to appear in these rankings.

GIBS is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is a member of

the South African Business Schools Association (SABSA), the Association of African Business Schools (AABS) and the

European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS).

KhulaSangam International Internship to India

One of the key challenges facing South Africa is the challenge of unemployment. FirstRand – having recognised this

challenge – has designed and conceptualised the KhulaSangam programme to help alleviate this challenge. The

programme will see a group of 10 young South Africans be selected to go on an all expenses paid 6 month

internship and training programme with two leading companies in India.

Candidate Selection

The programme is open to nominated individuals who fit the following criteria:

Be under the age of 30 years on 31 December 2012

Previously disadvantaged

South African citizen

Graduate of a South African tertiary education institution

Unemployed/underemployed for a maximum of three years

Qualified in ICT, engineering, science, commerce and maths sectors

Potential candidates will conduct online assessments, gauging personality traits and views on their own future and

the future of the country. From these assessments, 30 candidates will be selected for a shortlist.

These 30 candidates will be invited to attend a week-long programme The Finishing Touch, in Johannesburg in

January 2013.

The Finishing Touch

The Finishing Touch is a youth empowerment and life skills programme designed by The Collective Genius. The key

objectives of The Finishing Touch are:

To build professional life skills for young men and women in South Africa;

To provide a platform for young South Africans to express themselves in public forums;

To build leadership skills amongst young South Africans;

To equip youth with the skills required in the world of work;

To allow for cross-cultural exchange between young South African adults in a dynamic, stimulating and constructive

environment; and

To engage young South Africans on global issues.

The Finishing Touch Week will be hosted at the Gordon Institute for Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg. The

programme curriculum, which will be customised to fit the objectives of the Initiative, include modules on personal

introspection, business etiquette, financial management, international issues, goal-setting, responsible citizenship,

and styling and grooming.

The week will also coincide with India Week, hosted by the IABN (India-Africa Business Network). The programme

will accommodate events from India Week; with candidates will be attending forum events with captains of

industry, and other events within the India Week programme. An exciting Amazing Race around the Johannesburg

CBD will also form part of the programme.

During this week, candidates will also be evaluated by psychometric experts from GIBS and will be interviewed by a

panel of representatives from the various project stakeholders. At the end of the week, 10 candidates will be

selected for the ten internship places in India.

Before India

In addition to participating in The Finishing Touch, the 10 selected pilot participants will complete a week-long

orientation just before departure for India. This orientation will include the following focus areas:

Indian culture and society

Do’s and don’ts of international travel (and travel in India specifically)

Programme rules and guidelines

Emergencies

Details of programme activities, responsibilities, etc.

Six-month internship to India

All participants will fly to India together, accompanied by The Collective Genius. Participants will spend six months

in India enrolled in a formal internship with a leading Indian company. In addition to this internship, participants will

also be exposed to community development activities, like-minded peers and Indian models of excellence. This will

ensure that the programme moves beyond a simple internship, and instead serves as a leadership development

initiative, unlocking a sense of community and social responsibility in the candidates.

All the host companies that have expressed an interest to be involved in this initiative have the following key

credentials in common:

1. They are large listed Indian Groups in India.

2. They have an impeccable track record in many industries across India and are highly regarded by both the private

and public sector in India.

3. They have brands that are globally known.

4. These corporates have large scale training centres and are highly committed to developing the next generation of

talent for Indian industry

5. These groups in question have a big focus on growing their strategic footprint in South African and the rest of

Africa.

6. Due to their focus on growing their presence in the African continent, they are committed to the developmental

goals for the African continent and are keen to contribute to skills development on the African continent.

One company in particular is L&T InfoTech, a global IT services and solutions provider. Clients nclude industry

leaders like Chevron, Freescale, Hitachi, Sanyo and Lafarge, among others, whom they service by leveraging

Business-to-IT Connect experience. Their parent company is Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T), a technology, engineering,

manufacturing and construction conglomerate, with global operations.

The framework for the 6-month IT internship with Larsen includes experience in:

Computer Architecture

Networking Concepts

Database specialisation

OOP with C++

Programming Using “C’’

.Net and Java experience

Software Ecosystem Management

The programme also entails exposing participants to Indian entrepreneurs on the ground and getting first-hand

experience on the drive and passion of Indian entrepreneurs. These interactions will be facilitated by FirstRand

India’s client coverage team. Further to this, the FirstRand India Corporate social responsibility team will be

scheduling various site visits for participants and expose them to the community projects that Indian youth are

involved in terms of nation building in India. The aim of this is to highlight to the South African youth the

importance of “giving back to their community” and inculcating the culture of serving society and not only serving

themselves.  The FirstRand team believes that this exposure will be enriching and potentially life changing for many

participants and will contribute to a more holistic and balanced internship programme. One weekend per month will

be reserved for organised group activities to experience the tourist highlights of India.

After India

One of the initiative’s key objectives is to help build South African leaders. Therefore, participants’ activities and

responsibilities upon their return to South Africa are crucial. The ‘after India’ component of the programme will

consist of the following components.

Upon their return to South Africa, participants will be debriefed and pre-and post-qualitative assessments of the 10

interns will be conducted. They will also be monitored for a period of 2 years, following their internship. Each

participant will be assigned a mentor from FirstRand to guide the participants in shaping a chosen career path and

as a life coach. Participants will be afforded the opportunity to participate in public discussions and presentations

about their experiences in India.

Should you know of suitable, interested candidates to participate in the internship, please could you forward their

details (Names, Contact Details, Email Address) to info@thecollectivegenius.co.za .

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Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Africa 2009August 3-5, 2009 - Cape Town International Convention Center, South AfricaSave as iCalender This year's GARTNER SYMPOSIUM/ITXPO will have four inter-related themes:

Improving business processes Reducing IT cost Delivering projects that enable business growth Managing talent and improving workforce effectiveness

L&T Infotech is participating as a Bronze sponsor and is also sponsoring a Cocktail reception on Day 1 Monday, August 3rd, 2009 after 17:00 hrs at the IT Expo area. The Cocktail Reception will orchestrate Networking with the delegates alongside adding some excitement of surprise element.

L&T Infotech is also participating in the Service Provider Session (SPS) on Day 2,August 4, 2009, between 8:00 am to 9:00 am in Auditorium 2.The details about the session are as below:

SPS Title : Off-shoring (Offshore outsourcing) as a strategic initiative to augment and develop IT skills in South Africa

Name of the Speaker : Thabo Ndlela

Designation: CIO, Absa Africa

SPS Presentation Summary : As the South African market has consistently grown over the last decade, the demand for Information Technology skills has grown faster than the availability to support the business growth. While the advance of new technology has focused most training and development of information technology skills on new technologies; large companies, such as financial institutions, still run mainframe sunset technology. The globalization of Information Technology and emergence of Off-shore outsourcing, however, has become a strategic initiative and a feasible solution to the South African skills shortage for software application development and maintenance. The complexity to manage outsourced IT projects across time, distance and cultures is however a real challenge, but Larsen & Toubro Infotech has successfully engaged the South African market to augment and develop information technology skills. This session will share how not only to augment but develop IT skills in South Africa through Off-shoring.