Category Archives: Business & Economy

Hyderabad lad wins hackathon

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

 Hyderabad :

Rayaprolu Krishnachaitanya of Hyderabad emerged winner in the all-India EMC Defenders League that tested 4,000 contestants nationwide for their cyber security skills.

Krishnachaitanya, an ethical hacker, walked away with a prize of Rs 5 lakh, beating about 30 short-listed participants.

“After three weeks of intense online challenges, the event culminated in a faceoff. The 30 finalists were a mix of experienced developers and students from the industry. All the finalists received an iPad Mini tablet each,” an EMC statement said. Krishnachaitanya has worked as a vulnerability research analyst.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Info-Tech / by The Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad – December 06th, 2013

Vakalapudi gearing up for ‘beach festival’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature
First round of the festival was a grand success, says District collector Neetu Prasad / The Hindu
First round of the festival was a grand success, says District collector Neetu Prasad / The Hindu

Collector holds review meet on the three-day celebrations

East Godavari district administration is making arrangements for the celebration of three-day ‘beach festival’ at Vakalapudi beach for the second consecutive year from January 10.

Addressing a review meeting with the officials of various departments here on Wednesday, Collector Neetu Prasad said that the State government allocated Rs.12 lakh for the last festival, while the sponsors had come out with another Rs. 40 lakh. She said that efforts were on to get more funds from the government for this year event as the first round of beach festival was a grand success.

Recalling the traffic congestion on the Beach Road during the last festival, the Collector asked the police to identify alternative routes to avoid traffic jams.

Different committees were appointed to ensure peaceful conduct of the festival and the convener of each committee was directly answerable to the Collector. Similarly, a sponsors’ meet would be conducted in which the hoteliers and tour operators would be invited. Ms. Neetu asked the officials to arrange a photo exhibition that would depict the places of importance in the district.

She also suggested arrangement of stalls in the exhibition by the government departments.

Cultural performances would be arranged on all the three days for providing entertainment to the audience, she said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu /Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Kakinada – December 12th, 2013

GRAB YOUR GRUB : Breaking bread

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
A view of the open space outside the Griffin. / Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
A view of the open space outside the Griffin. / Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu

From artisan breads to scones, pastries, sandwiches and pastas, Griffin has something in store for everyone

Fancy some sourdough bread or maybe some ciabatta? You could try Griffin- The Artisan Bread Store in Madhapur, which promises to dish out fresh breads of various kinds. Fairly new, this store was the brain child of Mohd. Mujahid, who wanted to give the city a taste of different breads. The store, which is already a hit with the expat crowd in the area, also offers a variety of short eats for gastronomes.

The little bread store-cum-café has an interesting array of baked goodies that are perfect for those long conversations over a cup of coffee. You could take your pick from their cookies, scones, donuts, croissants, muffins, cheesecakes or tarts. Priced at around Rs. 50 each, they hardly burn a hole in your pocket.

Griffin can also be a pit-stop for a quick lunch or casual dinner with its selection of pizzas, sandwiches and pastas. You could choose from their delicious pastas in an array of sauces like arrabiata, pesto, alfredo or a juicy sandwich with some smoked or grilled meat or roasted veggies of your choice. You can’t really get bored with their selection of sandwiches, which are served in different breads each day. “I started this store mainly so I could introduce people to different varieties of breads. The idea behind serving sandwiches in different kinds of breads is to give our clients an idea of the kinds of breads we offer and how they can use them in different ways,” says Mujahid.

The café section of this bread store is also a good place to spend an afternoon just reading or browsing the internet with a free wi-fi connection available to patrons. For the coffee lovers there are a variety of coffees to choose from while those watching their weight can pick a salad of their choice.

Griffin also has a bread shelf with different breads like sourdough, ciabatta, bagels and baguettes among others that you can choose from. The breads that are baked in two batches a day are brought in from the Griffin factory in Shamshabad. “We want to keep the products as fresh as possible,” explains Mujahid. The breads like the items on the menu are priced affordably with a whole wheat bread costing as less as Rs.50, while a sourdough could go up to Rs.100 The ciabatta and panini cost around Rs. 30, while a Scottish Bap comes for around Rs. 20.

 

Griffin – The Artisan Bread Store

Where: Kavuri Hills, Phase-1, Madhapur

When: 7.30 a.m. to 11p.m.

Contact: 040-30512844 ext:454

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Food / by Ranjani Rajendra / Hyderabad – December 12th, 2013

UoH Graduate Develops Coin-operated Laundry

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology
The affordable laundry system, made of three washing machines and coin acceptors from China on display at the University of Hyderabad campus on Monday. (Inset) Surendra Kesana | EXPRESS PHOTO
The affordable laundry system, made of three washing machines and coin acceptors from China on display at the University of Hyderabad campus on Monday. (Inset) Surendra Kesana | EXPRESS PHOTO

Tired of washing your own clothes? One would probably think of buying a washing machine. For 25-year-old Surendra Kesana, an MBA graduate from University of Hyderabad, this was a business opportunity. He developed a coin-operated laundry system, which provides laundry services at affordable rates and is reliable too.

A native of Vijayawada, Surendra developed the unique laundry system as part of his major project in MBA. Making use of his technical expertise of electronics and instrumentation engineering from his B. Tech days and management skills acquired during the MBA course at UoH, Surendra set out to achieve his aim of becoming an entrepreneur. In September, he opened his first coin-operated laundry outlet in the university and proudly claims a customer base of over 1,000 users till date.  “What I have done is basically to indigenise similar systems available abroad. But, what makes my system different is the cost involved and the fact that I was able to convert a domestic washing machine for commercial purposes,” says Surendra who graduated from university in 2013. While a laundry system used commercially would cost anywhere between `3 -4 lakh, Surendra’s systems come for a mere `20,000.

He bought three 4 kg washing machines on EMIs and used his savings to set up laundrette – his outlet in the university. “We  got the coin acceptors from China as they are not available in India and assembled the systems. We use a custom made copper coin for each cycle of 4 kg of clothes,” he said. He charges `50 per cycle.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / December 17th, 2013

Indian Navy to set up more facilities at Kakinada port

Business & Economy

Visakhapatnam : 

The Indian Navy is planning to set up more facilities at Kakinada port to safeguard the country’s maritime interests, according to Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command.

He told reporters here on board stealth frigate INS Sahyadri on Tuesday that a base would be set up at Kakinada, deploying some high speed boats to protect the offshore assets and strengthen the defence capabilities in the region.

He said the Navy would be establishing a jetty at Kakinada port along with the Coast Guard for their operations. It is also establishing its amphibious warfare training school at Kakinada.

Naval air enclaves

As part of strengthening the operations on the east coast, the Navy would establish naval air enclaves at Tuticorin, Bhubaneswar and Behala in Kolkata. It is already operating an air station in Meenambakkam.

The Navy is in the process of acquiring land and developing it at a number of places in the State. The Eastern Naval Command is looking at developing an airstrip near Bobilli in Vizianagaram district that was used during the Second World War as an alternative landing station to INS Dega.

The indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant has successfully completed its harbour acceptance trials and would be soon be embarking on sea acceptance trials.

Once commissioned, INS Arihant along with INS Chakra would be a force multiplier and help the Indian Navy become a true blue sea navy, he said.

He said: “It is a matter of great pride that all the new ships that are being commissioned are indigenously built.’’ Three more Shivalik class stealth frigates would be joining service soon.

He said the proposal to purchase four landing platform docks from Hindustan Shipyard Ltd here awaits the Government approval, and it may come soon.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Logistics / by Ch. R.S. Sarma    sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in  / Visakhapatnam – December 03rd, 2013

Women shine in green business

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

 

Picture for representational purpose only.
Picture for representational purpose only.

Hyderabad:

Planning to become a woman entrepreneur? Young women from the state are setting up new businesses and are doing pretty well for themselves.

Several women entrepreneurs came together at the three-day international conference on ‘Green Enterprises and Green Industrial Parks’ organised by ALEAP. The international conference brought women entrepreneurs, sponsors and government officials on a common platform.

Present at the conference was Anusha Barrela, 23. She is the founder and president of three different firms — Bio Conservation Foundation, Saatyaki Foundation and Siaa Enterprises. “The Bio Conservation Foundation aims at rehabilitating endangered flora and fauna. We are currently working on saving the Olive Ridley sea turtle.

In our hatcheries along the east coast of the Bay of Bengal, we store turtle eggs and nourish the hatchlings, which are then released into the sea with the help of the forest department,” she explained. Elephants and sparrows are on the list too.

She is also the founder of Apple Tree (Saatyaki Foundation), a pre-primary school that brings an international curriculum for pre-primary education to South India. Siaa Enterprises deals with publishing children’s books.

Aishwarya, 26, who had a stall at the show, started Tint and Tones, her textile business, about six months ago. The firm deals in organic, hand-woven textiles. A graduate of the Parsons’ School of Design, New York, Aishwarya says, “We work with weavers to develop different kinds of fabrics.”

Speaking about business parks for women entrepreneurs, Rajat Kumar, the commissioner of industries, said, “APIIC is identifying land for these parks. Currently, three such parks at Visakhapatnam, Kadapa and Nellore are being developed by ALEAP. Others will begin soon.”

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Current Affairs / DC / Kruthi Gonwar / July 19th, 2013

TinkerTank Technologies wins ISB’s iDiya Challenge

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology

The student-driven competition aims to stimulate, enable and develop high-impact, self-sustaining social businesses in India.

Tinker Tank Technologies, a ready-to-go-operational start-up venture, has emerged winner of the fifth edition of  iDiyaChallenge, a one-week-long social venture competition that concluded at Indian School of Business (ISB)’s Hyderabad campus on Saturday.
The student-driven competition aims to stimulate, enable and develop high-impact, self-sustaining social businesses in India. Sponsored by ISB, this year’s programme has received 40 applications from participants across the state.
TinkerTank , which has developed Doopica, a low-cost semi-automated incense-stick machine that eliminates hard labour while producing more with less effort, helping women produce four times more incense sticks and increasing their monthly income by Rs 5,000, received an investment support of Rs 2 lakh from ISB.
While Bodhi Health Education, another ready-to-go-operational start-up that aims to provide affordable medical education to health workers in rural and semi-urban areas of India, was the first runner-up, standing in the third place was Rematerials, which makes housing roofs out of waste material for people in villages and slums.
“It is not important to have great technology in order to innovate. It is important to make incremental changes and scale them up,” Jayaprakash Narayan, member of the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh and founder of Loksatta party, said in a release.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business> Companies> News / by K Rajani Kanth / Hyderabad – December 01st, 2013

Granules India looks at further expansion

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Granules expects to post a turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore this financial year as against Rs 764 crore in 2012-13

GranulesHF14dec2013

 

 Hyderabad-based drug maker Granules India Limited, which recently acquired Auctus Pharma for Rs 120 crore, is looking towards further expansion of its business through both organic and inorganic routes.“We strongly believe in growing our businesses and we are looking at organic growth. But if something comes up by the way that fits into our model, we may be looking at it (acquiring that company),” Granules managing director, C Krishna Prasad, told Business Standard.Granules is looking at further expansions even though its executive director, Harsha Chigurupati, feels that the company will be able to “easily” achieve a turnover of Rs 2,000-3,000 crore with its existing products.Granules expects to post a turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore this financial year as against  Rs 764 crore in 2012-13. In the first half of the current fiscal, its turnover stood at Rs 490 crore.According to Chigurupati, the company is not going to acquire to add more molecules. It will acquire to add more capacities. However, as the Granules business model is volume driven, there are very few companies in the market that can cater to its capacities. Hence, Granules is forced to go for greenfield investments.

“We are laying very strong foundations for the future and the results will be seen four years from today,” Prasad said. Meanwhile, the company would continue to maintain its annual growth rate of  20-25 per cent, he added.

He said the real benefit of Auctus acquisition would be realised 3-4 years down the line. During the same period, Granules Omnichem Pvt Ltd would be fully operational.

GOPL is a joint venture between Granules and Belgium-based fine chemicals maker Ajinomoto Omnichem. The new facility, being set up at a cost of Rs 185 crore in Visakhapatnam, will be operational next year. However, it had to secure USFDA approvals to realise its full potential. This is expected to take 3-4 years.

Granules will be entering the contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) space through the JV.  It intends to manufacture high value active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in therapeutic areas such as cardiovascular, CNS and oncology.  Additionally, the JV will work on second generation manufacturing processes to increase manufacturing efficiencies.

“The advantage with Ajinomoto Omnichem is that it is all about quality and there is no price pressure. The second advantage is that this gives us access to the type of management and companies that we do not have traditionally. That access opens up a lot of doors for us,” Chigurupati said.

With regard to Auctus, he said the main advantage was that it had FDA approved products. With these products, backed by Granules marketing strength, “the customers we get are significantly different. So, margins and revenues will improve.”

Prasad is not worried about global pharmaceutical majors setting shop in India and their likelihood of competing with domestic companies in future in exporting products to the regulatory markets.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by Prashanth Chintala / Hyderabad – November 28th, 2013

Reliance cash & carry store in Hyderabad

Business & Economy

Company states store is equipped with modern storage facilities to ensure freshness of all food products.

RelianceRetailHF14dec2013

Reliance Retail , the retail arm of Reliance Industries Limited, has launched its  cash & carry store, ‘Reliance Market’ in Hyderabad, its first wholesale store in the city. With over 41,000 sft space, the company stated, the store is equipped with  modern storage facilities. There is a range of over 7,000 products, both food and non-food, with a large proportion of them sourced locally.

It ranges from fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, groceries, stationery, footwear as well as electronics and IT products. As the store caters to traders and other businesses, one needs to have a business licence issued either by the government, municipality or panchayat to become a member. Membership is being initially offered free of cost, a release stated.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by Prashanth Chintala / Hyderabad – November 28th, 2013

Khazana Group opens luxury furniture showroom in Hyderabad

Business & Economy

Khazana Group, a leading furniture brand, Friday opened a new showroom here, bringing top global brands under one roof.

Elevate, the luxury furniture and stylish kitchen showroom which has come up in the upmarket Jubliee Hills offers renowned global brands like Leathereditions by Natuzzi, Alno from Germany, Italian sofas from Erba, home solutions from EGO Design and Milmueble from Spain.

Bhawant Anand, chairman, Khazana Group, told reporters that they invested Rs.20 crore in 32,000 square feet showroom. The prices of the products range from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1 crore.

It is the third showroom of Khazana in the city and it plans to expand its operations to other cities.

Natuzzi, the world’s largest manufacturer of leather furniture, has 22 franchise stores in India with annual sales of Rs.100 crore, Nitin Behl, country manager, Natuzzi, said they plan to open another 15 stores in next one year.

Natuzzi, which has retail presence in 123 countries, is a billion dollar company listed on New York Stock Exchange. Behal said the Italian company has its own forests in Romania to source the raw material.

Alno is the second largest kitchen manufacturer in the world. The 85-year-old German firm, which had a turnover of 446 million Euros last year, has presence in 64 countries.

Nadine Gindele, marketing coordinator, Alno, said they had nine showrooms in India and plan to open three next year.

Alno, which has undertaken some projects at star hotels in India including ITC Green Tower Kolkatta, is offering a wide range of kitchens at Khazna showroom. The high-end kitchen is priced at Rs.1 crore.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / by IANS / Hyderabad – November 29th, 2013