Her heart is in Goa, but her mind is in Bern (the capital of Switzerland). Akshaya Shivkumar who has braced 26 winters so far, did her schooling and college from Goa. She is now a Strategy Expert under the Director General of Startegy and Communications at United Nation’s Universal Postal Union (UPU) and posted at Bern. She keeps warm with Swiss chocolates.
Even though she has moved from the beaches of Goa to the beautiful snow-capped Monte Rosa of Switzerland, she says “It is my privilege and a matter of great pride that I studied in Goa. I have so many friends and Goa is still my home. I make it a point to be here as often as I can.”
Her father Prof V Shivkumar a renouned educationist, was the founder director of UGC Center for Latin American and International Studies, University of Goa.
Akshaya now helps drafting the global postal strategy in which, 192 member countries participate and get involved in a consultative process. This process is repeated every four years with the four-yearly global congress of UPU.
UPU is the third oldest international organisation in the world (established in 1874) and it deals with the global postal sector on how various countries communicate with each other in terms of snail mails, emails, e-commerce etc. It also regulates all the international mails across the planet.
“The ways of communication is changing rapidly and now with the advent of e-commerce it is the next big opportunity for UPU. Even if you order a product through your mobile, it needs to be delivered to your address and here comes the key role of the post. The presence of the post in rural areas is a huge advantage which cannot be matched by the private players,” said Akshaya.
In a recent global postal CEOs meet organised by the UPU in Paris it deliberated on the fact that although there are competitors in private e-commerce giant players like Amazon and Alibaba etc who are into vertical integration like one hour delivery etc, they are unable to expand their network in rural areas. This has easily been done by the posts from the very beginning and it is one of their greatest strength, the large network.
When asked how United Nations looks upon India’s digitisation progress, Akshaya says, “India has done immense amount of progress lately. The tie-up with technology is always very close and for countries like India it is easier to take up such challenges because it is a developing and progressive country. India Posts has undertaken a number of initiatives lately like delivery of Ganga water to your door steps etc. The recent demonetisation and move towards cashless economy will help the India Post to play a key role in it. In fact, many other country representatives come to India to learn.” Also, due to India’s large population, India Post has the advantage of getting more business as far as government to citizen services is concerned.
Akshaya has also done her internship for start-ups at San Francisco. “Being in Goa is an advantage and it should not be viewed as a limitation. In places like Bangaluru, Gurugram and Hyderabad which are hot-beds for start-ups in India the competition is so brutal that even if you have a brilliant idea it can be quashed there before one scales up. Goa has far more potential to have more than 220 start-ups and build their own eco-system. Goans are known for their unique ideas and innovations. Henry Ford was asked to provide faster horses but he produced a car. It just takes a bit more courage and conviction in what you believe,” she concluded.
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As a kindergarten student, Akshaya Shivkumar, 26, went to Ezekiel Methodist School at Bambolim and then moved to the Our Lady of the Rosary Higher Secondary School at Dona Paula where the bulk of her schooling happened between 1999 and 2007. Later, she did her Bachelors of Business Administration from Sridora Caculo College of Commerce and Management, Mapusa. She was recognised as the Best Student by the Goa Management Association and the India Management Association since she was among top three in Goa. VIKANT SAHAY spoke to her during her short visit to Goa. She now works in Bern, Switzerland as a Strategy Expert under the Director General of Startegy and Communications at United Nation’s Universal Postal Union (UPU).
