Category Archives: Science & Technology

Gene which prevents fungal disease in rice discovered

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

In a major breakthrough, city-based Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), an arm of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has discovered a gene that is resistant to rice blast. The researches said the new variety will be released as seed in the next Kharif season.

Rice blast is a plant-pathogenic fungus that affects rice in more than 90 countries across the globe and destroys rice crop which is enough to feed about 60 million people worldwide, experts informed. Over the years, the fungus has developed resistance to both chemical and genetic  treatment in some varieties of rice. After working on the project since 2005, the new gene is now being inserted into a variety of rice which will be blast-resistant, Maganti Seshu Madhav, a DRC scientist said.

“The worldwide ‘great blast-resistant gene hunt’ began around 10 years back. We surveyed most of the landraces (naturally formed plant varieties) collected from India as well as the varieties from different countries. We even searched wild species which are distantly related to rice. Finally our hunt ended with the discovery of the resistant gene in Vietnamese variety called ‘Tetep’,” Seshu Madhav told TOI. Madhav, who discovered the gene, cloned and transferred it (Pi-54) to popular varieties to save them from the deadly fungus.

Scientists say the rice blast fungus, also called ‘magnaporthe grisea’ causes a huge yield loss in the country. In Andhra Pradesh , all the zones, including north coastal zone, Godavari zone, Krishna zone and the Telangana zones are prone to blast disease causing an average loss of 40%. Once the varieties are released into the market before Kharif 2014, it would eliminate use of fungicides to control the disease.

Stating that some fungicides do control the disease partially, Seshu Madhav said when the fungicides are used intensively and regularly, the fungus rapidly develops resistance and finally destroys the crop.

After winning many national awards and the Ohio state university’s best international research scholar award for his research on the blast resistance genes, Madhav said the Pi-54 gene will address the concern of millions of farmers.

“Another strategy would be to develop a broad spectrum race-non specific resistance using latest molecular biology approaches,” he added. India’s first blast resistance gene (Pi-54) along with two more genes, Pi1 and Pi2, are being studied extensively. Improved varieties, are now undergoing tests throughout India and after the successful tests in Andhra Pradesh, the new varieties with blast-resistance gene will be released to farmers mostly in Kharif next year,” he added.

Another important breakthrough for DRC has been the discovery of multiple genes, responsible for the aroma in various landraces. After determining major genes that control the aroma, Seshu Madhav, in association with Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, is working to understand metabolic profile of the chemical compound that causes aroma in rice.

This would help in transferring the gene to local varieties, making Sona Masuri, Samba Masuri, Jaya, Nelloore Sannalu, Warangal culture, Kurnool Sona among others retain an aroma like Basmati rice. “This is bound to boost the market worldwide,” he added.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad> Gene / by Jinka Nagaraju, TNN / September 23rd, 2013

Power production from garbage

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

PowerHF30oct2013

Visakhapatnam: 

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation is planning to have a tie-up with a Bengaluru-based company for setting up a power generation unit, on pilot basis, utilising locally available solid waste material. It came forward to set up a unit that initially utilises 25 MT of waste. It offered highly sophisticated technology from Germany that would lessen emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

“The company had put a proposal before the Corporation regarding the unit. Since it has to be approved by the government we suggested they submit in writing,” said chief engineer B. Jayarami Reddy. The modus operandi of the proposed project will be like this— GVMC has to collect waste from the city and supply to the unit for power generation. The entire activity will be on win-win basis where no one pays any costs.

Further, many international agencies are also showing interest on power-generation from solid waste collected in the city. Reputed companies from Japan and the USA have also come forward to take up the project, said commissioner M.V. Satyanrayana.

The proposed project would lessen financial burden on the GVMC to shift the entire material to the dumping yard located at Kapuluppada. He said when considering the relative environmental benefits of landfill and energy from waste, the most important factor is their potential contribution to climate change. Environmentalists suggest though there are a number of technologies to produce energy from waste, but the process should be done by direct combustion that reduces emission of gases.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / October 21st, 2013

Hyd metro contract is largest for Otis

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

The company will supply 670 elevators, escalators to metro rail project

The Rs 400-crore contract signed by Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited with L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited this year is the largest-ever to be bagged by any elevator company in the country, according Goldie Srivastava, communication director of United Technologies Corporation India Limited  (UTC). Otis is a UTC company.

The contract is for supply of 670 elevators and escalators, which will be installed in over 66 stations, workshops and other buildings to be built by L&T Metro Rail. Otis will also maintain the units for 10 years after the two-year warranty period.

As far as Otis is concerned, this is one  of largest contracts it has bagged world-wide so far for supply of elevators.  The next biggest contract it had won was from Hangzhou metro line 2 in China in 2012 for installation of 349 elevators. It was the second time that the Hangzhou Metro Group had chosen Otis, after the installation of 264 elevators for metro line 1.

Otis has the distinction of supplying elevators to mass rapid transit lines in different countries, including Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore.  In India, it had also won a contract to supply 222 escalators to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation  Phase-III project.

Stage I of Rs 14,132-crore Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMR),  comprising a stretch of 8 kilometre, is expected to be opened for public on Ugadi, the Telugu new year day, in 2015. The construction of the 72-km project, comprising three corridors, is being taken up in six stages.  Stage I is from Nagole to Mettuguda and Stage  II is from Miyapur to Sanjeevareddy Nagar, a stretch of 11 km.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Economy & Policy> by BS Reporter / Hyderabad – October 23rd, 2013

Solar power brings light in lives of Adilabad Adivasis

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology
Picture for representational purposes only.
Picture for representational purposes only.

Adilabad:

 The Adivasis of Gosigutta and Poshigutta habitations, located in the deep forests in Ichoda mandal and Purushothampur, in Neredigonda and Rampur, in Kadam mandals, have for the first time seen lit lamps in their huts and a sachet for recharging their mobiles if any.

At last nature came to the rescue of the Adivasis, living in interior areas, in the form of solar light. The Transco staff has fixed two 10 volts CFL bulbs to each family and a sachet kit for other purposes, including charging their mobiles. Adivasis of these habitations are slowly getting used to the solar energy lighting their lives.

NPDCL is setting up solar plants at identified 19 Adivasi habitations, in interior areas, in the district, while 20 habitations in Khammam district, will be under Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vidyudeekarana Yojana. The Gosigutta habitation consists of six households, located in the dense forests, nearly 25 km from the Ichoda mandal headquarters.

Atram Somu, of Gosigutta, said they were for the first time seeing lit lamps in their houses. He said the lighting in their houses and in the habitation will be helpful in protecting themselves from the forest animals.

The NPDCL has set up solar plants having each 4 KW capacity with SPV panels (Solar photo voltaic panels) at these four habitations and the batteries get charged with solar energy and have five days back up and supply power to the households.

In Adilabad region, Transco officials have completed work related to setting up solar power plants at four habitations, out of total 19 identified habitations, in the district and will be inaugurated officially soon.

NPDCL chairman and MD Kartikeya Misra conducted a test change of solar power plant and power connections to the houses.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / Pillalamarri Srinivas / October 24th, 2013

LV Prasad Eye Institute to spread awareness on glaucoma

Science & Technology

Hyderabad :   

Almost 50 per cent of the newly diagnosed glaucoma patients today have been to an eye specialist in the last six months when they should have been examined at least five years ago.

This was revealed by the L V Prasad Eye Institute, which has taken up a campaign to spread awareness on glaucoma and the need for early detection.

More than 11.2 million Indians are estimated to be suffering from the disease, known to be the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. “We are trying to emphasise on the need for people for people to undergo a comprehensive eye examination including gonioscopy. What is alarming is that 90 per cent of glaucoma in the community is undetected, mostly because of lack of awareness,” the institute said.

Primarily, the institute has identified that people could be suffering from glaucoma, as the disease causes very late onset of symptoms

“Early diagnosis can reduce progression of the disease and prevent blindness. All it takes to prevent such a situation is regular comprehensive eye check-up,” it added.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Economy / by The Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad – March 08th, 2013

Hyderabad’s YNew wants to take refurbished gadgets business national

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

YnewsHF18oct2013

With the increasing costs of acquiring new smartphones and other devices, many entrepreneurs are seeing an opportunity in the refurbished gadgets business. But while most of these new ventures have been online, Hyderabad-based Dasaradh Ram Nutakki has his hopes set on an offline model. With the first YNew store in Hyderabad, Nutakki thinks he is at the start of what will be a very successful franchise model.

While the first store set up under the Sloyd banner is six months old, Nutakki says there will be nine such stores by the end of this year – four in Hyderabad and five in Bangalore. “The idea is to have 50 stores across India by 2016,” says Nutakki, who likes to call his a made-for-franchise model. “I want to blend the concept of start-ups and franchising to do something different. Every YNew franchisee will be a start-up and we will create the ecosystem to make them profitable,” he added in a telephone interaction from Hyderabad.Nutakki likes to call YNew a “re-commerce business model”.

Dasaradh Ram Nutakki
Dasaradh Ram Nutakki

“If someone has a phone or a laptop to sell, he or she can hand over the product to us. We put the device through a 360-degree test after which we assign a price. The product is then put up on the display shelf. The seller is paid only if the product is bought by someone,” he says. Since the second-hand phone market is full of stolen devices, Nutakki has thought of a unique way to stop unscrupulous elements from using his shop. “We pay the seller only through a bank transaction and that puts off most criminals. Plus, EMIE numbers of the phones are checked on the stolen mobile registry and kept on for 48 hours before sale,” he adds.

Since April, the only YNew shop has seen 600 footfalls a month and sold goods worth Rs 15 lakh. “About half of these are smartphones, 40 per cent are computers and the rest televisions,” he says.  YNew charges a nominal transaction and service charge for all sales, ranging from five per cent for anything above Rs 20,000 to 12 per cent for devices priced between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000. The company does not deal in phones cheaper than Rs 5,000 and also has reservations about certain brands. Plus, customers within a 4km range have the option of availing repair services. Nutakki’s Sloyd group wants to create a franchise conglomerate by slowly venturing into other sectors where such models will work. “In the US there are at least 300 sectors that have franchise models. We have just a fraction of that number here,” he says, adding that he has started taking franchisee applications. “I do not want to stereotype the kind of people who can apply. Frankly, anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit can adopt this,” he adds. The big opportunity, according to Nutakki, is the fact that smartphones have the highest replace and upgrade frequency. “The automobile sector has already institutionalised this model. But in gadgets it has to be a local model as the logistical costs can be too much,” he says.

source: http://www.businesstoday.intoday.in / Business Today / Home> Biz Wrap> Corporate> Story / by Nandagopal Rajan / October 15th, 2013

Virtusa partners Pega to offer upgrade innovation centre

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Programme to provide dedicated upgrade resources, services to customers around the world

Virtusa Corporation, a US -based IT consulting, technology implementation and application outsourcing services provider which has its global delivery centres at Hyderabad and Chennai in India, has partnered Pegasystems Inc to introduce its mega-partner upgrade innovation innovation centres.

The programme provides dedicated upgrade resources and services to customers around the world and helps organisations stay current on major Pega platform releases, providing expertise and best practices through teams devoted to operationalising the upgrade process.
As part of the initiative, Virtusa will be enabled to upgrade clients to the recently-introduced Pega 7 platform. Pegasystems is a Cambridge-based provider of business process management (BPM) and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. The company recently expanded its Hyderabad facility to accommodate close to 250 people, taking its total employee count in India to 501.
“Pega 7 enables our clients to improve their customer experience and optimise business processes in ways previously not thought possible,” Frank Palermo, senior vice-president (technical solutions group), Virtusa, said in a press release on Monday. //
source:  http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by K. Rajani Kanth / Hyderabad – October 07th, 2013

Second company to set up shop at Hyderabad airport Free Trade Zone

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

HyderabadAirportHF16oct2013

Hyderabad airport FTZ had earlier signed Turbo Jet Engines as its maiden client

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has signed a second client for the airport-based Free Trade Zone (FTZ) at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here.

SAS Applied Research & Lab Materials Private Limited, a supplier of rare and high end research chemicals along with equipment and consumables to  Indian and multinational companies, will set up operations at the FTZ. SAS clients include Dr Reddy’s Lab, Biological E Ltd, E.I DuPont, United States Pharmacopeia, ITW Performers & Polymers, Syngenta Bio Sciences and Lupin Pharmaceuticals.
“The sign off with our second client at FTZ, reiterates the airport’s commitment and credibility in expanding business avenues and also the growth potential at RGIA.” GHIAL chief executive officer, SGK Kishore, stated in a press release.
The FTZ, which had earlier signed its maiden client, Turbo Jet Engines , has facilities ranging from servicing, distribution, trading  and warehousing, and several other value additions, he said.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by Prashanth Reddy Chintala / Hyderabad – October 08th, 2013

TiE entrepreneurial summit to be held in Hyderabad

Business & Economy, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) has announced that TES 2013 (TiE Entrepreneurial Summit), Asia’s largest and premier annual conference of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, would be held here Dec 18-20.

TES is a platform that brings together the entire ecosystem of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, policy makers, thought leaders and other stake holders and acts as a catalyst to fast track ideas into action.

The theme for TES 2013, ‘Yes, You Can! Dream-Think-Achieve’, was launched by Srini Raju, Chair of the conference and Managing Director of investment firm Peepul Capital.

“This year’s theme is symbolic of what every enterprise is all about – never give up and pursue the dream. We are excited to bring TES for the first time to Hyderabad ,” said Murali Bukkapatnam, president TiE Hyderabad.

Bukkapatnam is also the managing director and CEO of getdomestichelp.com.

“Such global event will provide an opportunity to entrepreneurs to explore more growth possibilities for their business through networking.

“It will also help budding entrepreneurs to overcome the challenges in funding and incubation,” said Ananth Rao, convener TES and managing director- Focus Ventures.

This summit might lead to attracting investors to consider Andhra Pradesh and India as the prime geographies for their business expansion plan, he added

TiE was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals, with an aim to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking and education.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / IANS / Hyderabad – October 09th, 2013

L&T Hyderabad Metro gets first rail coach from Hyundai-Rotem

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

 

The Hyderabad Metro Rail coach./ Photo: P.V. Sivakumar /
The Hyderabad Metro Rail coach./ Photo: P.V. Sivakumar /

Trains to run from a central monitoring system

Hyderabad :

L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd today put on display the first rail coach it received from the Hyundai-Rotem consortium.

It announced that the elevated rail system would be fully managed remotely. These trains will be driverless and run from a central control system. And the ‘driver’ in the metro train coach will only help facilitate entry and exit of passengers and ensure their safety.

This coach is part of the large order the metro project placed on the consortium for supply of rail coaches for the 72-km elevated metro rail project being developed by L&T.

The coach was formally unveiled here today by the State Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, in the presence of officials of L&T and metro rail officials.

Reddy described the Rs 14,300-crore project as the largest public-private partnership project in the country which has potential to transform Hyderabad into a megapolis.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, with L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Chief Executive and Managing Director, V.B. Gadgil, and Managing Director, N.V.S. Reddy, in the newly unveiled Hyderabad Metro Rail coach./ Photo: P.V. Sivakumar
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, with L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Chief Executive and Managing Director, V.B. Gadgil, and Managing Director, N.V.S. Reddy, in the newly unveiled Hyderabad Metro Rail coach./ Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

Once completed, this will be a jewel in the crown of Hyderabad along with Outer Ring Road and other infrastructure being developed in the fourth largest and fifth populous city.

Each air-conditioned coach will have capacity to seat about 330 people and a train of six coaches is expected to carry about 2,000 passengers. While these trains have capability to manage a top speed of 80 km per hour, the average speed is likely to be 38-40 km per hour. Initially, 171 coaches for 57 trains will be supplied by Hyundai-Rotem and the rest in a phased manner, N.V.S.Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, said.

Initially, it is proposed to run each train with three coaches and later this will be ramped up to six coaches for one train. The gap between each train will be 90 seconds. All the trains will have CCTV cameras inside and outside the cars. There will be mobile and laptop charging sockets inside the cars. The supply of coaches will be in a phased manner as the project is ready for commissioning.

First phase will be operational by March –April 2015.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Logistics / by The Hindu Bureau  rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in / Hyderabad – October 02nd, 2013