Autodesk acquires Pramati’s Qontext platform

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion
US designer buys software to expand social capabilities of its cloud-based service
Autodesk says it intends to use Qontext technology to add new social capabilities to Autodesk 360, its cloud-based platform.

Hyderabad:

US-based three-dimensional, or 3D, design software maker Autodesk Inc. has acquired enterprise social collaboration software platform Qontext from Hyderabad-based Pramati Technologies Pvt. Ltd to expand the social capabilities of its Autodesk 360 cloud-based service.
Qontext comes as a ready-to-use hosted service that helps create contextual conversations with co-workers and customers using bookmarks, discussions, photos, videos, polls, documents and the like. It comes for a monthly subscription “as low as the price of a good coffee”, the company’s website said.
Autodesk said it intends to use Qontext technology to add new social capabilities to Autodesk 360, its cloud-based platform that offers users the ability to store, search and view critical design data and improve the way they design, visualize, simulate and share work with others at anytime, from anywhere.
“Mobile, cloud and social computing are dramatically changing the way engineers, designers and architects work. The addition of the Qontext technology to the Autodesk portfolio will lead to new technology innovations that help our customers embrace these disruptive technologies and leverage them for competitive
advantage,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice-president of information modeling and platform products at Autodesk, in a statement.
Collaborative platforms that link up the cloud, social media and mobile are much sought after in the enterprise market. This is at least the fifth such purchase in the product space in recent months.
Microsoft Corp.  acquired Yammer Inc. for $1.2 billion in July,  Citrix Systems Inc. bought Podio ApS  for an undisclosed sum in April,  SAP AG  purchased Success Factors Inc.  for $3.4 billion in December and VMWare Inc. acquired SocialCast in May last year for an undisclosed amount.
Research firm Forrester Research Inc. said corporate social software will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61% to become a $6.4 billion market by 2016 from $600 million in 2010.
Autodesk said the development team of Qontext, founded in 2009 and headquartered in California, will join its rolls with this acquisition. “This transaction is a significant milestone in our ongoing bid to incubate and build firms that address the rapidly changing needs of business through highly innovative technologies,” said  Vijay Pullur , president, Pramati Technologies.
Pramati Technologies was founded as a web technology firm in April 1998 by brothers Jay Raghavendra Pullur and Vijay Prasanna Pullur, who worked with information technology services provider  Wipro Ltd.   before that. The privately held firm had previously sold Pramati Studio, a platform to build developer tools, to US-based  Progress Software Corp.  in 2005.
It has incorporated two other firms for each of its products, SocialTwist, a social and referral marketing tool, and Imaginea, a software product and services firm that counts Visa Inc. and Intel Corp.  among its clients. Pramati employs 500 people across three locations globally, according to its website.
The deal size and transaction terms weren’t immediately disclosed. Jay Pullur said at a press conference in Hyderabad that the company invests sizeable amounts in its subsidiaries and expects “VC (venture capital) type returns”.
Pramati incorporates each of its business ideas as separate companies and builds them into mature products before selling them off. It typically invests $3-7 million in mature companies such as Qontext. Venture capital firms usually expect 5-10 times return on their investment. Autodesk executives said the deal was in the million-dollar range but did not elaborate, citing non-disclosure agreements.
With this acquisition, Autodesk will open a development centre in Hyderabad, its second in India after Pune.
The 25-member development team of Qontext, founded in 2009 and headquartered in California, will join its rolls after the acquisition, said  Soren Abildgaard, senior director, cloud platforms, Autodesk.
Rajiv Shivane, who led the Qontext team, will continue to lead it at Autodesk.
Abildgaard also said Qontext will be absorbed into Autodesk and not be branded separately.
Autodesk is not acquiring the existing customer base of Qontext in this transaction and will not support them,  Shanna Tellerman, the company’s product line manager, Web services, said. Pramati will continue to support them for some time, Jay Pullur said.
Pramati is also talking to prospective buyers to sell SocialTwist, Jay Pullur said but did not disclose more details citing confidentiality pacts. At the same time, it is actively considering acquiring a company by the year-end, he said. “It is a reasonably sized deal,” Jay Pullur said.
source: http://www.livemint.com / Home> Companies / by Yogendra Kalavalapalli / Friday, October 05th, 2012

Hyderabad US Consulate joins hands with breast cancer foundation

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Hyderabad, Oct 4 (IANS)

The United States consulate general in Hyderabad has joined hands with the Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation for greater breast cancer awareness.

The Pink Ribbon Campaign will be organised Oct 7 to mark the beginning of the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Actor John Abraham and cricketer V.V.S. Laxman will be the star campaigners at the Pink Ribbon Walk to be held at the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park here Oct 7, in honour of women who have fought the illness with determination. The aim of the walkers is to raise awareness about the need for early detection of the disease.

Some prominent buildings in the city, like Charminar, the Buddha statue, the US consulate and Hyderabad Public School will be illuminated to demonstrate the strength of pink, a colour that represents breast cancer awareness.

“Our participation salutes women cancer survivors and encourages those fighting the disease not to give up. We walk together to show our solidarity and commitment to spread the word about early detection,” Consul General Katherine Dhanani told reporters here Wednesday.

Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation (UBF) has trained 1,200 healthcare workers to perform clinical breast examinations (CBE), used to detect breast cancer in its early stages.

Director of UBF Raghu Ram said trained healthcare workers would perform CBE on 50,000 poor women in Hyderabad.

“Women with signs of breast cancer will be referred to the nearest primary health centre. Women with no abnormalities will be examined again in two years. Data will be maintained by UBF with the help of TCS,” said Ram.

In India 1,00,000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year, a number that has overtaken cervical cancer. This figure is expected to increase to 1,30,000 by 2020.

Around 50,000 women die from breast cancer every year in India and it has become the leading cause for death among women in metropolitan cities.

More than one million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.

source: http://www.newstrackindia.com / Home> Others / IANS / Andhra Pradesh> Health/Medicine , Thursday, October 04th, 2012

Course introduced for fashion entrepreneurs in Vijaywada

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education

Fashion Designer Shravan Kumar gives tips at a seminar organised by Samana Institute of Fashion Technology in Vijayawada on Wednesday. /  Photo: V.Raju / The Hindu

The homemakers in the City can now have an option of doing something creative with the introduction of a new “Entrepreneurship Development Programme” (EDP) course in fashion designing.

At the inception of the programme at Samana Institute of Fashion Technology (SIFT), it was introduced in a special seminar by celebrity designer Shravan Kumar from Hyderabad.

The specially targeted course for women will train them in production and marketing of fashionable garments.

“My main intention behind starting this course is to increase the economic standards of women in Vijayawada”, said SIFT CEO Samana Moosavi.

Many women already do some sort of clothes designing from their homes, but they lack proper knowledge about the whole process, she observed.

The course, in 116 sessions over a period of three months, will train them in all the aspects of production house, she added.

The course planned in collaboration with the management of National Institute of Fashion Technology will have classes from renowned designers like Shravan Kumar, P.L. Panda, Krishna Mehta and Zubin Vakil.

Students will be required to spend a minimum of six hours daily for the course but the timings are flexible if a group of people come together, said the CEO.

Admissions

Admissions have already begun for the course and the Institute also provides the facility of getting interested students banking support on their guarantee.

Designer Shravan Kumar gave a special presentation to the students on the changing fashion trends over the world like the Japanese asymmetry. Later, he checked out designs of the students for their upcoming show and gave personal inputs.

“Give a surprise element which your city people are unaware of”, was the advice he gave to the students.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada, October 04th, 2012

Badminton Nationals: Maiden title for Kashyap, Sayali stuns Sindhu

Sports

Srinagar:

India’s top male shuttler Parupalli Kashyap won his maiden national title, while 2008 winner Sayali Gokhale stunned defending champion PV Sindhu to clinch the crown for the second time in the women’s singles at the 77th Senior National Badminton Championship here yesterday.

London Olympics quarterfinalist Kashyap, who had reached the finals in the 2011 Nationals in Rohtak, prevailed over Ajay Jayaram 21-18, 21-17 in a 45-minute battle.

However, for 17-year-old Sindhu the competition ended on a disappointing note as Sayali played a better game to walk away with a 21-15, 15-21, 21-15 win and regain her title, which she had won in 2008.

Doubles specialist Aparna Balan notched up two titles, winning the mixed doubles and women’s doubles title, along with Arun Vishnu and Siki Reddy, respectively.

Aparna combined with Arun to see off Ashwini Ponnappa and Tarun Kona 21-13, 18-21 before pairing up with Siki Reddy to brush off second seeds Varsha Belawadi and GM Nischitha 21-11, 21-13 to win the women’s doubles title.

“It is a huge burden off my back now. It took a long time and I am extremely happy to win the nationals. It has been a dream to win the nationals,” Kashyap said. PTI

In the men’s doubles competition, young shuttlers Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy notched up their maiden national title, beating third seeds Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Jerry Chopra 10-21, 21-14, 21-12 in a 40-minute match.

World number 20, Kashyap led the first game 11-9 at the break and even though Ajay clawed back a couple of times, the Hyderabadi pocketed the game.

In the second game, Ajay was up 10-8 at one stage but Kashyap reeled off three points to move into the breather at 11-10. Slowly and steadily he once again widened the gap to set up match points at 20-16. Ajay saved one match point, before Kashyap shut the door on him with a smash.

“It is a huge burden off my back now. It took a long time and I am extremely happy to win the nationals. It has been a dream to win the nationals,” Kashyap said.

“It was a tough match. Ajay and I have been competing against each other since our junior tournaments. He is always a tough competitor.

“Probably, my ability to do well under pressure was the key today. It was during the Commonwealth Games, then the 2012 Olympics and today here. I have learnt to handle pressure situations,” he added.

While it was celebration for Kashyap, for Sindhu it was a heartbreak after the shuttler failed to stave off the challenge from Sayali.

Sindhu, who was once again playing with a knee brace, led 5-1 initially but Sayali turned the tables, leading 11-9 at the break after registering nine straight points.

She continued the good work to earn game points at 20-14. Sindhu saved one point before losing the first game.

The Gopi trainee made amends in the second game and successfully kept Sayali at bay to push the match into the decider. However, she couldn’t keep the pressure on and gave away the advantage after leading 9-5. Sayali made it 11-11. At 12-12, Sayali pocketed five points to create a huge gap, which Sindhu could never bridge.

“It’s a very good feeling to win the nationals once again. After winning it in 2008, I faltered every time coming close to it. My strategy today was to play an attacking game and keep up the pace. Though I made a couple of mistakes, but it worked eventually,” Sayali said.

“I knew Sindhu had a knee problem. It was apparent with the way she played yesterday against Arundhati. I just played without any pressure,” she added.

Results: Finals: Men’s singles: P Kashyap bt Ajay Jayaram 21-18, 21-17; Women’s singles: Sayali Gokhale (2) bt PV Sindhu (3) 21-15, 15-21, 21-15; Mixed doubles: Aparna Balan (1) and Arun Vishnu bt Ashwini Ponnappa and K Tarun 21-13, 18-21, 21-15;Women’s doubles: Aparna Balan (1) and N Siki Reddy bt Varsha Belawadi (2) and GM Nischitha 21-11, 21-13; Men’s
doubles: Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy bt Akshay Dewalkar (3) and Pranaav Jerry Chopra 10-21, 21-14, 21-12.

PTI

source: http://www.FirstPost.com / Home/ Firstpost> Sports / PTI / October 04th, 2012

Wind energy firm Mytrah announces profits in first operational period

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Aims to double the capacity to 600 mw in next couple of years

Hyderabad-based Wind energy company Mytrah Energy Limited today said it expects to make a profit before tax (PBT) of $ 10-12 million on a projected revenue of $ 28-30 million  in the first half of the current financial year , its first operational period, in contrast to a perception that clean energy forays take longer gestation to break even.

Founded in October, 2010, the London Stock Exchange listed company has a 316 mw operational capacity. located in seven sites, which it takes to 600 mw by investing Rs 2,000 crore in the next couple of years. The company expects to achieve a 16% return on equity over a period of 25 years of plant life where the wind farm output is typically based on a 25-26% plant load factor(PLF).

Explaining the reason behind early break even achieved in wind energy business Ravi Kailas, chairman and CEO of Mytrah Energy said the support of long term funds, lower capital costs besides internal execution capabilities had become a differentiator from other players in the sector. The company has so far invested about Rs 2,400 crore. However, the future expansion would become much easier and quicker if states like Andhra Pradesh move the tariff from the present Rs 3.50 to Rs 4.50 per unit, according to him.

The revenue accruals for the first half of the year also helped by higher energy output at 39% PLF due to good wind season but for the full year it could be around 26%, Ravi said.

About 270 MW of capacity is currently under development for which the company has been pumping in around Rs 2000 crore investment. Of this about   Rs 700 crore of equity finance has already been raised by the company and currently in talks with various banks to raise the debt, according to Vikram Kailas, managing director of Mytrah Energy said.

“We expect to  make a PBT of Rs 700 crore once we achieve 600 mw capacity. This cash flow would help in further expansion that we have proposed to undertake,” Vikram said. The company proposes to establish 5000 mw of installed capacity in wind energy with a total capex of Rs 30,000 crore by 2017-18

source:  http://www.Business-Standard.com / Home> Companies & Industry / by Dasarath Reddy / Hyderabad, October 03rd, 2012

Hyderabad Metro to distribute saplings

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Uncategorized
Hyderabad, OCT. 2:

Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd has made arrangements for distribution of saplings as a part of its Vana Prasadam scheme.

To supplement the efforts of other Governmental organisations and to increase the green cover in the city, the HMR has decided to distribute saplings free-of-cost to individuals, organisations, resident welfare associations, authorities of educational institutions and other organisations under ‘Vana Prasadam’ scheme, N.V.S.Reddy, Managing Director of HMR, said. Saplings mostly of native species will be distributed at Elders’ Mela being held at Zoroastrian Club near Yatri Nivas, Secunderabad, for three days during October 2 to 4. They will also be given at the HMR in Metro Rail Bhavan.

For plantation of over 100 saplings in any identified locality or campus, HMR officials will arrange plantation. HMR is now on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hmrlgov).

rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com /  Home> Industry & Economics > Logistics/ by Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad, October 02nd, 2012

‘I enjoy a sense of achievement’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders

Christine Lazarus, who is serving as a nominated MLA for the third consecutive term, says she enjoys a sense of achievement for tirelessly working for the welfare of the Anglo Indian Community (AIC) in particular and the Christian community in general.

Addressing a press conference in Vishakhapatnam on Sunday, Ms. Lazarus said she could facilitate construction of community centres in several districts, arrange scholarship for Anglo Indian students up to secondary education, establish training centres, and achieve reservations in education.

She said 185 seats in professional courses were reserved for the community, including medical, engineering, dental, architecture, and pharmacy. Ms. Lazarus said she was instrumental in issuing of AIC identity certificates for claiming government benefits.

Plea to Collector

She said the district Collector was requested to utilise the services of the community members in teaching spoken English to teachers in government schools. The Collector was also requested to allot land for building a community centre in the city.

JNNURM houses

She also urged MLA Dronamraju Srinivas to sanction 130 JNNURM houses to the community members.

Ms. Lazarus appealed to the Divisional Railway Manager to hand over the Railway Institute to the Anglo Indian Association so that they could organise several cultural programmes and properly utilise and maintain the same for public purposes.

She said the community members had been using the institute since the days of the British and they had a sense of attachment with it.

She congratulated the ‘Anglo Indian Jaguar’ team for winning the national hockey trophy conducted at Bangalore and Chennai.

Anglo Indian Women’s Association president Yolander was present.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / october 01st, 2012

Hugging his way to Guinness World Record!

Records, All

Endearing:Squadron leader Jayasimha giving hugs to faculty members and students to set a new Guinness World Record in Aditya Institute of Technology and Management at Tekkali on Saturday. He gave 2,436 hugs in one hour breaking the previous record of an American who had given 1,749 hugs in one hour.Photo: Bhasheer

Endearing: Squadron leader Jayasimha giving hugs to faculty members and students to set a new Guinness World Record in Aditya Institute of Technology and Management at Tekkali on Saturday. He gave 2,436 hugs in one hour breaking the previous record of an American who had given 1,749 hugs in one hour. / Photo: Bhasheer / The Hindu

Memory techniques trainer Squadron Leader Jayasimha on Saturday created a ‘Guinness World Record’ with the highest number of hugs in one hour in Aditya Institute of Technology and Management-Tekkali. He gave 2,436 hugs to students, faculty members and staff of the college, breaking the previous record which was in the name of an American Nick with 1,749 hugs in one hour in the year 2010.

Mr.Jayasimha holds 23 previous Guinness World records. The video footage, names and signatures of the students who hugged him will be sent to the office of Guinness World Records which would send the certificate in a couple of weeks if it is satisfied with details.

The AITAM college students formed into groups and queued up in a systematic manner to complete the hugging process quickly. Within 45 minutes, Mr.Jayasimha broke the previous record of 1,749 hugs and completed 2,436 hugs in the stipulated one hour.

As soon as he broke the record, the students expressed happiness with fireworks and distribution of sweets.

AITAM Director VV Nageswara Rao and others congratulated Mr.Jayasimha and thanked him. Talking to the media after breaking the record, Mr.Jayasimha said that embracing one another was part of Indian culture and it would enhance love and affection among people.

“All Indians used to greet one another with hugging in olden days. Foreigners adopted in their culture but we forgot its importance. That is why I took the event to spread the message of love and affection in the country and to remind all of the Indian tradition,”

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Srikakulam, September 30th, 2012

AP to set up incubation centre for product-based IT start-ups, SMEs

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

The incubation centre, spread across 27,000-sft area, will come up near Hi-tech city in Hyderabad

To encourage product development among start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under information technology (IT) domain, the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to set up an incubation centre in Hyderabad.

“The state is now more focused on promoting product development in the IT sector. With objective to facilitate product development in the state, this initiative will empower the start-ups and other independent developers to come and use the plug-and-play facility,” P Venugopal, director of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Hyderabad, told Business Standard.

The incubation centre, spread across 27,000-sft area, will come up near Hi-tech city in Hyderabad. “We expect the centre to become operational in the next six months,” he said.

The state has appointed a consulting agency, which is working on the feasibility of the centre. “The drawing has been approved by the government, now the agency is preparing the estimated cost for the centre,” he said.

Replying to a query on the number of product development companies that are going to be benefited through this incubation centre, Venugopal said, “Once the centre will become operational, we can put a number.”

source: http://www.Business-Standard.com / Home> Economy & Policy / by Itishree Samal / Hyderabad, October 02nd, 2012

Harvest food

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Mooncakes at Golden Dragon

Indulge in a variety of delights at Golden Dragon

Get practising on chopsticks; it’s that time of year when you can treat yourself to spicy, sweet and tangy tastes of China. The on-going August Moon Festival at Golden Dragon in Taj Krishna has got a host of items on offer. A harvest festival of China, it is considered an epicure’s delight. For starters, dig into the Macadamian nuts with stir fried onions and their mushrooms and water chestnut in barbeque glaze. You wouldn’t go wrong in opting for the soft shell crab in butter chilly garlic or the wok tossed rock lobster chilli coriander. Move over to the soups and you have the appetising spicy mushroom, corn and zucchini broth and the sea-food coriander soup.

The August Moon Festival menu is exciting, with extensive sea-food options like stir fried squids served along with Chinese greens, or their east-coast prawns with sweet peppers and shitake in spicy hoisin sauce. If you’re looking for something simple, opt for the sliced fish in tangy yellow bean sauce. Coming to poultry and meats, try the diced duck in star anise flavoured orange sauce. Chef Ajai Rawat and Chef Hung Fong Ng vouch for the home style tenderloin. Its World Vegetarian Day today, so we askabout what’s in store for vegetarians. Ajai quickly says, “You have to try the crunchy water chestnuts and Tofu in wild pepper sauce.” Those who don’t like Tofu can opt for the wok tossed zucchini and broccoli in tangy plum glaze. Pick the broccoli and egg white fried rice or the spicy chilli bean flat noodles.

The August Moon Festival is nothing without the moon cakes. Chef Ajai reveals that the cakes are baked with fillings. One of the varieties has a red bean (sweetened) pastry roll, which is baked. This cake is best served hot. The white coloured moon cakes are served cold and made with glutinous rice with a sweet stuffing. Besides, one can end the meal on a sweeter note with a pineapple and coconut pancake, which fills your mouth with an exotic taste of sour and sweet.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Life & Style> Food / by Vishnupriya Bhandaram / Hyderabad, September 30th, 2012