MENTOR: In crossfire of separatism.

from BUSINESS LINE, October 27, 2008 Episode: 184 I was on a short business trip to Mumbai. Though I had to be on the other side of town, I was staying at the company-provided accommodation. As I checked into the hotel, the crew of an airline also did. I smiled at one of them and said hello. After a while, I went to have breakfast, and the crew was there as well. Due to lack of space, I had to share a table with a couple of them. They didn't mind, and, away from home, I didn't mind the company either. The y were from the same airline that had retrenched them a few days previously and then reversed the decision.

Unwritten rule One of them, Geetanjali, told me she was relieved to be flying again. I smiled, and told her that in government and public sector undertakings there was an unwritten rule that, once hired you could not be sacked.

In the private sector, the rule was if you don't perform you can be sacked. "In today's world, was there …