Category Archives: Business & Economy

After Hyderabad success, Amplifon India launches state-of-the-art Hearing Care Clinic at Visakhapatnam

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Vishakakpatnam :

Amplifon India Pvt Limited, one of the world’s largest hearing care solutions service providers today announced the inauguration of its Clinic at Visakhapatnam. This is one of the largest hearing care clinic in this region designed as per the International standards. Amplifon is renowned for its international quality standards in hearing care solutions. In addition to this new facility in Visakhapatnam, there are more than 90 Amplifon Clinics spread over India including Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Delhi. Visakapatnam Clinic represents Amplifon India’s entry into Seemandhra in Andhra Pradesh and will serve people of the entire region.

Spread over an area of approximately 700sq. feet, Amplifon Clinic is the largest private clinic to be established in Visakapatnam and surrounding areas. The clinic offers comprehensive pure tone audiometry test, Impedance audiometry, Oto acoustic emission test, Hearing Aid Trial, Speech Therapy and Free hearing Screening & other special Hearing & Audiology Tests. A study of the demographics and hearing problems prevalent in Visakhapatnam, has led Amplifon to establish a state-of-the-art Clinic in Visakhapatnam. The prevalence of deafness in India is fairly significant. It is the second most common cause of disability. Approximately 63 million people (6.3%) in India suffer from significant auditory loss. While there have been no studies to indicate that more and more people are developing hearing problems, doctors say in recent times many youngsters have started complaining of noise pollution-related disorders. There is a need for International standards of hearing care solutions to be able to fight with the problem of hearing.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Samit Verma, CEO & Market Director, Amplifon India said “Hearing loss is more common than anyone can think. One out of twelve (1/12) persons in India suffer from hearing loss. In fact, over 60% of people in their 60’s suffer from hearing loss and many would benefit from using a hearing care solution. To bridge the gap between people suffering from hear loss and to provide them with best hearing care solutions, we have launched Amplifon Clinic in Vishakapatnam. We are confident that Amplifon Clinic will contribute significantly in fulfilling the audiology & Hearing Care needs for the residents of Vishakapatnam. Our goal is to provide the global standards of quality for hearing care services through our class audiologists trained as per our International Protocols and state-of-the-art hearing care diagnostic solutions. Getting a hearing loss solution is not an easy decision and therefore as an Amplifon’s valued client, customers receives complete hearing care solutions services that perfectly match their lifestyle and budget.”

A gradual hearing loss can often make people feel isolated as they find it difficult to carry on conversations with family or friends. It can make us isolated and withdraw from social interactions. Importantly, it can also increase risk both at home and at the workplace, for example, not hearing a warning alarm. The real benefits of receiving the right hearing care solutions are many – they include enhanced communication, higher self-esteem, improved personal safety and enjoying some of the little things in life such as hearing the waves on a beach or the birds sing in the morning or giggle of grandchild.

Committed to improve the hearing capabilities through excellence in client care, treating hearing loss and, where appropriate, hearing care solutions provider in worldwide. The brand is entrusted with providing the best customized hearing care solutions to every patient. Where appropriate, patients are also provided with ‘test drive’ of different technology and if the patient decides to go ahead, trials of hearing care solutions services are offered with full satisfaction guarantees.

The Clinic is equipped with advanced diagnostics infrastructure, a furnished setup for all types of audiology tests, sound proof hearing test, patient counselling, hearing aid trial & fitting services and a 10 people seating capacity interactive reception area, screening room, sound proof room, details counselling and trial room, ready to serve hot water and cold water, CCTV monitoring, rest room, computerized reporting, pure tone audiometry test, impedance audiometry, special tests, Oto acoustic emission test, hearing aid trial, speech therapy and free hearing screening. The testing lab is laden with the latest equipment capable of performing multiple tests for speech and Hearing. The testing Lab also accommodates a bed for testing “Audiometry Brain-stem Responses” in infants and instruments for Middle Ear Analyzing for all age groups.

Address of the clinic
Amplifon India Pvt Ltd. , 28-1-9,  Opposite Sudha Nursing home, Prakash Rao Peta, Vishakakpatnam,   Pin Code: 530020 / Phone: 0891-6648999

source: http://www.afaqs.com / afaqs! / Home> News> Other Brief / Category: Corporates / Visakhapatnam – February 11th, 2014

E-treatment catching up in Visakhapatnam

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Visakhapatnam :

No more waiting for long hours in serpentine queues to consult doctors at their clinics or hospitals as they are just a mouse-click or smartphone button away. E-treatment is the latest medical trend catching up in city with today’s tech savvy, educated, hard-pressed for time urban patients getting their reports checked or seeking medical advice and e-prescriptions from equally tech-savvy doctors online via smartphone apps like WhatsApp, social networking sites like Facebook, email, MMSs and SMSs.

Cardiologist Dr D K Baruah, director (Cathlab) at Apollo Hospital, said, “The e-treatment fad is picking up among the educated, urban patients of the city and could emerge as a popular trend in the next three years. We keep getting emails with medical reports like echo-cardiogram attached asking for diagnosis. The requests are mainly from working couples, especially those in the fields of IT and software, who also seek appointments and send reports of their children online. As many as six-eight such online cardiac cases come every month.” “The biggest advantage of e-treatment is that it saves precious time and travel expenses for patients and enables them to plan the cost and mode of treatment in advance. It also gives the doctor and patient enough time to mentally prepare and reduce stress as well.”

Some doctors have also formed WhatsApp groups to discuss cases and the best mode of treatment, as Dr B Leela Prasad, who specialises in orthopaedics and sports medicine, pointed out. “Orthopaedic doctors from the region have started a WhatsApp group recently to discuss patients’ reports and cases among the medical fraternity, friends and colleagues. We are also increasingly getting X-ray reports from tech-savvy patients through Facebook or WhatsApp messages or emails seeking a second opinion about surgeries or when a medical emergency like fracture takes place when they are out of station.”

Though time saving e-treatment has its advantages and uses, doctors caution against indulging in self e-treatment by relying on online information as misleading results can cause needless panic and stress. “While e-treatment is good for seeking a second opinion and can be used during emergencies when the patient is out of town, they should not solely depend on it as clinical examination by the doctor is always better for accurate results,” said Dr Prasad, who is also the secretary of North Andhra Orthopaedics Association.

Even Dr M Radhika, consultant gynaecologist at Manipal Hospital, is sceptical about treating pregnant women and gynaecological problems the e-way. “I do get enquiries through text messages about minor problems from my old patients who are based in the US and Dubai. But these are patients who I have clinically examined and who had been under my treatment earlier and I’m well acquainted with their medical history. Only for such patients do I suggest remedies or prescriptions through phone or messages but I wouldn’t advice e-treatment for new, pregnant patients.”

Elaborating on the two sides to e-treatment, general physician Dr Kutikuppala Surya Rao averred, “e-treatment is of two types. When the patient himself or herself searches online on his ailment and accordingly tries out treatments, it often leads to disaster. Every week we get a case or two like that. Recently, a panic-stricken woman came to me saying that she had a lump in her breast, which according to information available on the internet, was breast cancer. However, it turned out to be a fat lobule or adenoma, which can be treated non-surgically or through fine needle aspiration biopsy.”

On the other hand, e-treatment can be extremely beneficial for people living in remote areas as it can save commuting time and, thus, lives during an emergency and is also helpful in second opinions. “Some time ago, a friend of mine sent me a photograph of his ulcer-affected tongue from London. The doctors had diagnosed it as cancer and advised immediate surgery. But on examination of the case, I found it to be a stress ulcer that can be treated with vitamins, amino acids and other medicines. Accordingly, I sent him an e-prescription and he is completely cured,” said Dr Rao.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam> Medical Advice / by Sulogna Mehta, TNN / January 29th, 2014

Berger Paints opens Hindupur plant in Andhra Pradesh

Business & Economy

Berger Paints India Ltd today inaugurated its largest water-based paint manufacturing unit with an initial capacity of 80,000 tons at Hindupur in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh .

Kuldeep Singh Dhingra, Chairman, Berger Paints, said in the final phase the factory will have a capacity of 3,20,000 tons per annum. Additionally, there will be a plant for the manufacture of 1,00,000 KL of emulsion, a key raw material, for which a provision already exists.

“The emulsion facility will be commissioned soon upon receipt of all clearances. Side by side, Berger India Group is opening a plastic packaging factory.

“Another Berger factory is coming up in the Gollapuram Industrial Area, just 3 to 4 km from Hindupur site, for manufacture of 40,000 tonnes of paint. Total investment in the Hindupur area by the Berger India Group will be close to Rs 550 crore,” Dhingra said.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy formally inaugurated the plant.

Talking to reporters, Abhijit Roy, Managing Director and CEO, Berger Paints, said the company would be hiking prices by 2.2 per cent on decorative range of products from February 1.

This is a third hike during the financial year, taking the overall hike to about 4.8 to 5 per cent, Roy said.

The Kolkata-headquartered paint-maker has facilities in four countries — Nepal, Bangladesh, Poland and Russia. Roy said currently revenues from overseas constitute 10 per cent of the overall income.

He also said the company expects double digit growth in terms of revenues in the current fiscal. The paint-maker reported nearly Rs 1,650 crore revenues with over Rs 110 crore net profit for the first half of the current year.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> Nes / by Press Trust of India / Hyderabad – January 31st, 2014

Climate resilient germplasm for chickpea breeding identified

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

As many as 40 germplasm lines of chickpea with resistance to extreme weather conditions like drought, high temperature and salinity have been identified by a city-based crop research institute.

The climate resilient germplasm lines are expected to further strengthen efforts to develop adaptation measures and support mitigation measures to help small holder farmers in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa  cope up with changing climates, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said in a statement here.

A diverse chickpea mini core germplasm collection consisting of 211 lines was systematically evaluated to identify beneficial traits, such as high yield and drought tolerance in the 40 lines.

The evaluation of this collection also helped ICRISAT Genebank team identify 31 lines with resistance to pests and diseases. Six germplasm lines of chickpea were found to have resistance to extreme weather, pests and diseases, it said.

“Climate change is here and is happening. We have been experiencing extreme weather events, like the severe floods in India last year that devastated the northern states and recently Typhoon Haiyan that ravaged the Philippines,” ICRISAT Director General Dr William Dar said.

“You will see more of these extreme events which will also adversely affect agriculture. Under these circumstances, the findings by ICRISAT Genebank team will help small holder farmers close crop yield gaps significantly,” he said.

The rich and diverse germplasm resources available at the ICRISAT genebank have been helping plant breeders in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa as sources of beneficial traits to develop new high-yielding and resilient varieties with better quality to boost production of food crops like chickpea, even under a climate change regime, the statement said.

The samples of seeds collected from farmers’ fields, having genes with desirable traits, act as valuable material for plant breeders in making new crosses and incorporating new unique characteristics into existing varieties, it said.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / by Press Trust of India / Hyderabad – January 25th, 2014

Global network for women chapter in Hyderabad

Business & Economy, Leaders

A global network that could open up opportunities for business and professional women from the State is all set to start operations in Hyderabad.

The International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International), with affiliates in 95 countries is set to launch its Hyderabad Chapter tomorrow.

It will help women to develop professional and leadership potential through education, awareness and mentoring within a supportive network, said Nafeesa Ismail, Vice-President, BPW India.

BPW with consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and participatory status with the Council of Europe has influential women leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, professionals and young career women as its members, a press release stated.

Fay Jahan Ara, noted for her contributions to business, philanthropy and women’s rights is expected to launch the Chapter in city. The Princess is also BPW International Goodwill Ambassador.

In the recently released 2013 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum, India ranked 124th among 136 countries in terms of economic participation and opportunity.

The report assesses how well resources and opportunities are divided among male and female populations.

It also gives an indication of how far down the economic ladder India’s women are.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> National/ by The Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad – January 26th, 2014

US Consul General impressed by Vizag’s infrastructural facilities

Business & Economy, World Opinion
US Consul General Michael Mullins having a word with VCTPL COO Sushil Mulchandani during a visit to the facility in Visakhapatnam on Monday./ Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
US Consul General Michael Mullins having a word with VCTPL COO Sushil Mulchandani during a visit to the facility in Visakhapatnam on Monday./ Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Visits VCPTL, SEZ and Gangavaram port along with team

The landscape of Visakhapatnam and its beauty and industrial infrastructure impressed Michael Mullins, Consul General of the US Consulate General, Hyderabad, during his maiden visit to the city after he took charge in September, 2013.

“It’s a wonderful city. We are very impressed with the facilities,” he said, after a visit to the Visakha Container Terminal Private Ltd (VCTPL), Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone and Gangavaram Port on Monday. VCTPL operates the container terminal at Visakhapatnam Port under PPP mode.

Accompanied by political and economic officer Travis Coberly, political and economic associate John Mataya and political and economic specialist Srimali Kari, the team from US Consulate General office went around the facilities for first-hand knowledge on the infrastructure and facilities available in the city.

After a traditional welcome by VCTPL personnel Mr. Mullins and his team was escorted by the COO Sushil Mulchandani for a presentation about the terminal and growth prospects to make Visakhapatnam a transhipment hub as per Maritime Agenda of the Ministry of Shipping.

Target

The team was explained how they had achieved a Compounded Aggregate Growth Rate of 23 per cent for past five years. VCTPL has set a target to achieve a growth of 15 per cent annually with a huge hinterland of 750 km spread over seven States.

Mr. Mullins wanted to know about the activities of American companies from the region.

Projects explained

The team noted the movement of frozen shrimp and the possibility of importing Washington apples via the Visakhapatnam Port. Mr. Mulchandani explained to him on the projects in the pipeline like PCPIR and the investments made in Brandix India Apparel City, Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City, AP Special Economic Zone and Visakhapatnam SEZ.

VCTPL General Manager (HR) B.P.Chinoy, and Manager (Operations) Sudheep Banarjee were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – January 28th, 2014

Triumph opens dealership in Hyderabad; to have nine outlets by March

Business & Economy, Sports, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

Iconic British motorcycle brand Triumph has opened a dealership facility in Hyderabad named Rebel Motorcycles, offering over 10 of the 28 models from its stable.

The motorcycle manufacturer plans to set up nine dealerships in India by March 2014. The first one was set up in Bangalore.

Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director of Triumph Motorcycles India, said, “We are in India to give brand lovers not just the product but an overall experience that they deserve from a globally renowned brand such as Triumph. The opening of the dealership advances our commitment to establish Triumph marquee in the local market and extend a comprehensive suite of after-sales services and support.

The bikes, with an engine capacity of 675 cc and going up to 2300 cc, are priced in the range of Rs.5.9 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh ex-showroom.

Triumph lovers have the option to also buy its branded accessories ranging from about Rs.20,000 and going up to Rs. 2 lakh. These include jackets and gloves.

The country’s super bike market, where Triumph offers its range, is estimated to be about 3,000 units each year. The company, which has an accounting practice of June to July, expects sales of 500 bikes in the first year, 1,000 in the next and 1,500 in the year thereafter.

“There is a latent demand for such bikes and we are geared up to serve such bike lovers. Typically, these bike enthusiasts also form clubs and enjoy sharing their experiences and long rides,” he said.

The company is currently assembling a crop of bikes at its Manesar plant and is planning to set up a manufacturing unit in Karnataka.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by V. Rishi Kumar   rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in /  Hyderabad – January 23rd, 2014

Celebs at Trendz expo at Taj Krishna in Hyderabad

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

CelebritiesHF04feb2014

Where there’s a designer exhibition, there are our P3Ps. And mana socialites didn’t disappoint, when they turned up in large numbers at a designer exhibition held at a hotel recently.

Dressed in their stylish and elegant attires, these ladies turned heads as they posed for shutterbugs. All wore a look of happiness and contentment after indulging in retail therapy.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.inditimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Events> Hyderabad> Celebs / TNN / January 23rd, 2014

IVRCL bags orders worth Rs 550 crore

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Power division wins orders worth Rs 395 crore, building segment Rs 84 cr

Hyderabad-based IVRCL Limited on Monday said the company’s power, building and transport divisions have collectively bagged orders worth Rs 550.56 crore.

Segment wise, the  company’s power division secured contractual works worth Rs 394.36 from the Madyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, for the supply of equipment and materials for rural electrification and associated 33 KV works in the unelectrified habitations in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh. The completion period is 24 months.
The building division bagged Rs 83.85 crore worth of works from the Airports Authority of India, Calicut international airport, for the construction of a new international arrival block, internal modification of existing interanational passenger terminal building and associated works at the airport. The work is expected to be completed in 20 months.
The company also secured a Rs 72.35 crore contract for the construction of major bridge between Indiranagar and Surbarai in connection with doubling of Viramgam Samakhlai BG section of Western Railway, and the completion period is 18 months, IVRCL informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by N. Madhav / Hyderabad – January 20th, 2014

Hyderabad-based Meraevents.com eyeing Rs 50Cr in revenues in FY14, looking at global expansion

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

MeraeventsHF03feb2014

Launched as an event listing, promotion and ticketing platform, Hyderabad-based Meraevents.com is now connecting organisers, delegates, and service providers in its endeavour to become a one-point solution for the events and trade fair industry. Besides introduction of new features and services, the company saw multifold growth in terms of people buying tickets and the number of listings on the website in 2013.

“While in 2012 we saw about 1,000 people buying tickets from our website, this number doubled in the last year. In fact, we had sold Rs 1.4 crore worth of tickets for the ‘new year’ itself with 200 listed events,” said Naidu Darapaneni, founder and CEO of Versant Online Solutions Pvt Ltd, the company behind Meraevents.com .

How is it faring?

It has sold over 10,000 tickets in the last two years, which translated to about Rs 3.6 crore in revenues. Last year, the company launched MoozUpLite, which replaced the event paper agenda with a detailed mobile application. It also launched MoozUp, a web app that enables every attendee to interact, share and access event information before, during and after the event. The application also offers features like meeting scheduler, messaging, calendar, photo, video and document sharing.

The company has also developed Venues.meraevents.com  help people in finding the right venue in their preferred city and location. While the section is live with data of 3,000 venues as of now, the company is planning a proper launch in April 2013 with 10,000 venues. In addition, it is launching ‘DigiBroc’, a digital brochure for the exhibition and trade fair industry, which will enable visitors at exhibition stalls to scan QR codes and access an electronic copy of the brochure, rather than picking up a physical copy.

Fundraising and global expansion

A mostly bootstrapped company—except a seed capital of $200,000 it had raised from friends and family in the US in 2009—Meraevents.com is raising venture capital between $2 and $5 million to take its event promotion and ticket-selling platform to global markets. “We are looking to expand in the Middle East and eventually the entire Asia,” says Naidu.

With a team size of 80 employees, Meraevent.com is now looking to do Rs 50 crore in revenues in FY2014. “The event industry is worth Rs 5,000 crore. Presently, we are looking at a business of 1 per cent of the entire events market in the country in this year,” said Naidu. He wants Meraevents.com  to be largely-recognised all over the country, and for a company that is less than point one per cent of the market as of now, that is definitely a bold claim – but not an impossible one.

Explara.com , another event ticketing and discovery site run by Pune-based Signature Technologies Pvt Ltd, is also close to raising its first round of VC funding in the range of $2-3 million, VC Circle had earlier reported . Started in 2009, Explara has in place a cloud-hosted event solutions platform and focuses on four service areas—event ticketing/registration, payment processing (online, retail and cash on delivery), event marketing and logistics. The company has operations in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi and has served event organisers from India, the US, the UK, South Africa, Singapore and Philippines.

(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)

source: http://www.techcircle.vccircle.com / TechCircle.in / Home> Feature / by Nikita Peer / January 21st, 2014