AhmedabadbasedastrologystartupGaneshaspeaks.

com,foundedbyHemang
Pandit,seekstoturnastrologyintoavocationbybringinginsomestandardisationin
thewaythisancientknowledgeispassedontofreshersandhowitrecruitsits
astrologers.AnotforprofitfoundationcalledGlobalAstrologicalResearchand
DevelopmentFoundation,createdbyPandit,hasdesignedaspecialisedcourseon
astrology,whichisnowbeingofferedtostudentsasaonemonthfulltimecertificate
courseonJyotishVigyan(vedicastrology)inAhmedabad.
AccordingtoPandit,thetargetistoofferawellstructured,vocationalcourseto
propagatetheancientwisdomandproducecompetent,industryreadyastrologers.
Notably,thecourseoffers100percentplacementguarantee.Apartfromthebasic
course,advancedcoursesarealsoonoffer.
Anyoneabove16yearsofagecanoptforit.Withinamonthofitslaunch,thecourse
hasseenyoungpeopleaswellasretiredpersonnelandhousewivesoptingforit.One
forthenominalcoursefee(Rs5,000)andanotherfortheplacementguarantee.
PanditsaysanastrologercanmakeanythingbetweenRs15,000andRs70,000a
month,ifworkingwithafirmlikeGaneshaspeaks,andtheopportunitytofreelance
isalsothere.
Astrologyisanancientwisdomgenerallypassedonfromoldergenerationsto
youngerones.Theprocess,however,isnotstandardisedalways.Whilethereare
institutesthatoffercoursesonthesubject,astrologyeducationinthecountryhas
remainedlargelyunorganised,saidPandit.AfterstartingGaneshaspeaks.com,Pandit
andhisteamhavebeenfacingthisissuewhilerecruitingastrologersintheteam.It
hasbeenachallengetomaketraditionallytrainedastrologersunlearnwhatthey
knew,andthenlearnafresh,saysPanditwhoplanstocomeupwithanonline
versionofthecourse.
Itisaperfectfitforyoungpsychologygraduates.Withmoreeducatedpeoplecoming
intothisfield,itscredibilitywouldincrease.Astrologyisindeedascience,the
interpretationoftheplanetarycombinationsisanart,thatneedstobemastered,he
adds.

Accordingtomarketestimates,thehoroscopesmarketinIndiaaloneis$10billion,
withaboutfivemillionpeoplepractisingastrologyinthetop600towns.Whileno
officialdataisavailableonthesame,overthenextdecade,thedemandforcertified
astrologersisexpectedtoincreasewithmoreportalsandorganisedplayerscoming
intothesector.
Pandit,whogaveuphiscushyjobwithatelecomcompany,founded
Ganeshaspeaks.comin2003withaseedcapitalofRs10lakh.Hesayshebrokeeven
withinamonthofoperations,andplanstoinvestRs710croreinthecomingyears
tofurtherdevelopitsmobileapplication,website,expanditsservicesandlaunchnew
products.Thingssuchastyingupwithanagriculturedatamanagementfirmfor
weatherforecastareonthecards.Ganeshaspeaksemploysaround700people,of
whomnearly500wouldbeastrologers.ItrunstwocallcentresoneinAhmedabad
andtheotherinBengaluruandoffersservicesinalmostallmajorIndianlanguages.
Theportal,whichPanditclaimstobeIndiasnumberoneandtheworldsnumber
threeastrologyportal,getsabout10millionvisitsamonth,ofwhichnearly25per
centareuniquevisitors.Combiningitswebandtelecomoperations,itgetsaround
fivemillionuniquevisitorsamonth.Nearly50percentofitstrafficcomesfrom
outsideIndia,saysPandit.
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