Category Archives: Business & Economy

Ambattur Estate Celebrates Golden Jubilee Year

Business & Economy, Records, All
Vinod Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland, (3rd from right), releasing a book ‘Dawn of a Golden Era’ during the aiema golden jubilee valedictory function, in chennai on saturday. (EPS)
Vinod Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland, (3rd from right), releasing a book ‘Dawn of a Golden Era’ during the aiema golden jubilee valedictory function, in chennai on saturday. (EPS)

Chennai :

From 400 small scale units to around 2000 small and medium scale firms, Ambattur Industrial Estate has come a long way.

To celebrate the estate’s Golden Jubilee year, members and officials of the Ambattur Industrial Estate Management Association (AIEMA) from all over the State gathered at ITC Grand Chola on Saturday and awarded its past office bearers for their contribution.

“This industrial estate which was opened in 1963 has grown and is counted among the largest in the country today. This has only been possible because of the support we have got from several Government departments and of course our members. It’s an honour to be a part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations,” said R Shridharan, chairman, AIEMA.

Shridharan went on to read out a few events the Association conducted in the past. “AIEMA has also been a part of the Tamil Nadu State ranking carrom tournament, kabaddi tournament, dental and diabetic camps. AIEMA has also been one of the first industry associations to make voluntary blood donation.”

Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland presided. He spoke about the association of Ashok Leyland with the units in the estate.

“Today Ashok Leyland is worth `14,000 crore. This would not have been possible without the support of our employees and especially our suppliers, a large number of whom have their workshops at Ambattur Industrial Estate,” he said.

“We have never had a single defect from their side, and we have been able to achieve fine quality because of these suppliers. I hope our relationship with AIEMA grows and strengthens over the years to come,” Dasari added.

Sivagnanam, additional advisor to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said, “AIEMA has employed over two lakh people which is a herculean task even for ones running a 20,000 crore industry. I thank you for demonstrating your leadership and making AIEMA  a living example of hard work and dedication in this country.”

Also present on the occasion were V Muthuswamy, president, TANSTIA and Gautham Venkatramani, executive director, India Pistons.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by ENS / March 28th, 2015

Madurai youngster lays first brick for ‘Make in India’ campaign

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

Madurai :

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to wean international manufacturers from China with his ‘Make in India’ campaign, in Madurai an entrepreneur has made the first inroads, albeit with a humble battery-operated cart.

Tejus Motors, a firm based in Thirumangalam here, will supply indigenous battery carts to FreshWorld, a start-up venture in Bangalore that supplies vegetables to households directly from farms. FreshWorld has been importing battery-run cars from China but has now ordered 20 such vehicles from the Madurai firm. Tejus will supply the first lot of carts in a month, its managing partner P Girithar Raja said. “Our vehicles are fully indigenous. We make our own batteries and mould the chassis of the vehicles too,” he said.

Raja, at a session organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said time had come to prop up green technology and provide impetus to the industry such that it could manufacture vehicles that could readily ply on roads. The symposium – entitled ‘Clean Tech – Problems and Opportunities’ — pitched for use of green technology in new-age entrepreneurship.

In her keynote address, Mridula Ramesh, executive director of Sundaram textiles, said ‘clean tech’ provided several opportunities. And Tejus, which was put in touch with FreshWorld by Nativelead Foundation (a non-profit organization), wants to explore those as it has plans to manufacture battery-operated tractors which Raja says would help farmers in cutting costs incurred in transporting their produce.

Saying that entrepreneurship was the way forward, P Vasu, chairman, CII Madurai zone, noted: “It is predicted that India will have the largest employable population in the world by 2020. Entrepreneurship is the best way to utilize this resource.”

Shyam Menon, investment director, Infuse ventures (IIM-A), echoed similar sentiments and said start-ups were no longer limited to urban centres and could be initiated in villages too. “It is no longer related to IT and providing solutions to somebody sitting elsewhere. Now, you can become a start-up by finding solutions in water, energy and waste management in your own backyard and also help others in the process,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by Padmini Sivarajah, TNN / March 22nd, 2015

Liquor to milk: Distillers turn dairy farmers

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

Coimbatore :

R Ravi, 43, from Shankara Nagar, was once a sought after man in the village just outside of Mettupalayam. Long before noon, at least half-a-dozen men would be waiting at his hideout on the forest fringes for a glass of the village’s best arrack. With every passing day his clientele increased because his arrack was known to have the best bite.

However, for the past 10 years the village’s best arrack brewer has been cutting trees and clearing fields for a meagre 150 to 200 a day to feed his family of four. “I learnt how to distil arrack because I started hanging around an arrack distiller in the village when I was eight years old and dropped out of school,” said Ravi. “I began serving customers and slowly learned the art of distilling,” he said. After his master died, he took over the business. “I would work till 11.30pm, earning up to 800 a day,” he said. Ravi’s reformation from an illegal arrack distiller to a tree cutter was not easy. “We would never know when we’d get caught by police,” he said. “Once we were picked up, our family members would have to go from station to station to trace our whereabouts,” he added.

In 2005, at least 80 arrack distillers in Mettupalayam and Karamadai panchayats were forced to leave their arrack business. “We kept them in jail for three months and counseled them, promising to give them jobs if they kept away from the illegal business,” said a senior inspector in Mettupalayam. “We told them that if they showed us that they had reformed, they would get a reward,” he said.

The government began distributing cows to reformed arrack distillers in 2011. We distributed around 120 cows in the district, said a government official.

The beneficiaries have been given medical and life insurance for the cow for three years, free periodical visits by the animal husbandry department and a one-day training programme on how to care for the cows. “This is to give the reformed men an alternative livelihood as dairy farmers,” said district collector Archana Patnaik.

S Arumugam, president of Palepalayam panchayat, said at least 50 men who received cows in last year have reformed. “Earlier, these arrack distilling units destroyed several families in our village. It is only in the last 10 years that men can be seen holding a job,” he said.

“The distillers are also working hard to sell their milk, keeping their cattle sheds clean and taking care of their calves,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Pratiksha RamKumar, TNN / March 21st, 2015

In Chennai, a decade in design

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Lata Madhu at her store PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN / The Hindu
Lata Madhu at her store PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN / The Hindu

Co-founder of Collage Lata Madhu talks about what makes her boutique tick and the city’s growing style sensibilities

“Retail my stuff out of Chennai?” exclaimed designer Nupur Kanoi, petrified, when she was approached to put up her collection in this city. This was in 2012. Three years later, her edgy designs, including dhoti skirts and jumpsuits, are on the most popular list at the Collage store, which turns a decade old this year.

Lata Madhu knew it would work… and it did. “Chennai is one of the most experimental markets in the country,” says Lata, who started Collage along with sister Priya Vasudevan, in 2004. “I was looking for something to do. I started with displaying a collection of designer clothes and accessories at Apparao Galleries. It was a 1,400-square-foot space… basically three small rooms upstairs in the gallery. But the response I received was overwhelming,” she says. That prompted her to start her own space. “I wanted something that had a ‘wow’ factor. So, we got a good architect and designed this store that was 3,900 sq.ft. We started with designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Raghavendra Rathore, Meera and Muzaffar Ali….”

For Lata, it’s always important that she believes in the designer and the work Collage is showcasing; it doesn’t matter how big the name is. “You can’t base your business on luck. Our store is not just about the names. It’s about curation, and what’s kept where at what time,” she adds.

At a time when multi-designer outlets were at a nascent stage, and Chennai hadn’t entirely woken up to the concept, did she feel Collage may not work? “Every time someone has introduced a new element in the city, it has worked. We are more into classic stuff. If you know your market and your clientele well, you can do well,” she says.

The proof of that lies in the fact that designers who started their careers showcasing at Collage have done well and keep coming back to the city with their collections. Manish Gupta, Rimzim Dadu, Nikasha Tawadey and labels like Pashma by Shilu Kumar are a few examples. “Manish started retailing out of here eight years back and his clothes were between Rs. 16,000 and Rs. 35,000. Now, it’s in the range of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000 and people still buy them,” says the 45-year-old, and adds, “There are also designers who have outgrown us. We don’t want something very predictable.”

Tarun Tahiliani, Priyadarshini Rao and Manish Arora are the other best-sellers. The store, now 4,100 sq.ft., stocks the works of over 35 designers.

Shortly after Chennai, Collage was launched in Bangalore and Kochi, in 2006 and 2012, respectively. The Bangalore operations are overseen by Priya who, unlike her sister, is quite a fan of western wear. “Even though I stock western wear, I am not as excited about it as when I see a lehenga. How much craft can you show in western wear? It has to have a fabulous fit,” says Lata.

A big believer in Indian fabrics, Lata’s future plans include starting a store in New York – one that will have something Indian. That apart, Lata says her plan is to keep working till the end. “I don’t have a background in fashion. I didn’t even know how to stitch a button. But this is my passion. And passion is when you know what you are putting up on the racks is what you love.”

As for the challenges in starting from scratch and setting up a store of this stature, Lata laughs, “I can write a book on that.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Priyadarshini Paitandy / March 20th, 2015

Spirit of entrepreneurship has no age

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

The 78-year-old’s unit employs many women, including his daughters

T.P. Rajendran working in his 'vaththal' factory in Aruldosspuram in Madurai.Photo: R. Ashok
T.P. Rajendran working in his ‘vaththal’ factory in Aruldosspuram in Madurai.Photo: R. Ashok

Ask for ‘Vaththal Thatha,’ even a child in Sellur will take you to where he is. A road in Aruldosspuram is named after his business, ‘Tirupati Vilas.’ Tonnes of papad, vaththal and vadagam leave his factory to several States and outside India every month. At 78, T.P. Rajendran of Ahimsapuram in Sellur is an example of how spirit of entrepreneurship can win over age.

A drop-out in fifth standard, Mr. Rajendran wanted to do something on his own while working in a dhal mill in Virudhunagar for a salary of 10 annas. He came to Sellur in the 1960s with his wife and started a grocery shop by pledging her jewels for Rs. 300. He added vegetables to the shop but the leftovers posed a problem. The ‘vaththal’ made of unsold vegetables was a hit and soon the family of five, including three daughters, started to produce several ‘vaththal’ varieties.

The actual break came in 2005 when he procured a machine from Gujarat to produce papads. Since then, Tirupati Vaththal Company has been producing the accompaniments to daily food in different forms. The range includes 30 varieties made from rice, wheat, corn, ragi, potato, brinjal, onion, chilli and cashew. Most of them are made by hand under his supervision.

Mr. Rajendran starts his day at 4 a.m. by monitoring the wholesale vegetable market at Paravai through his mobile phone. If need be, he goes to the market to select the vegetables and other ingredients.

He reaches his factory by 8 a.m. to experiment new combinations. Every batch of ‘vaththal’ is first tested by him during lunch and production goes in full stream after his nod. His unit provides employment to many women, including his daughters. But the salary for them is on a par with that of others. He takes his employees on a free tour twice a year.

Mr. Rajendran, who provides free training to college students in papad making, firmly believes that hard work, honesty and quality make a successful entrepreneur.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Madurai / by S. Annamalai / Madurai – March 18th, 2015

Arun Pudur: From Bengaluru to billions

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

ArunPudurBF17mar2015

Recently, Wealth-X listed Indian businessman Arun Pudur as the world’s 10th richest individual under 40; top on the list was Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook.
Arun Pudur, whose net worth is estimated at over four billion dollars, is the CEO of Celframe, which makes world’s second most popular word processor after Microsoft, among other things. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Arun Pudur has diversified into several sectors including mining and real estate.

In an exclusive interaction with Tarannum Khan of Deccan Herald, the reclusive billionaire, who says he does not give interviews as they intrude into his personal space, opens up.

He talks about his humble beginnings in Bengaluru, the milestones in his sensational success, the city which made him, his parents and the qualities that propelled him to the top.

A shorter version the interview appeared in the Panorama section of the Deccan Herald.

You were born in Chennai, when did you shift to Bengaluru?

When I was in my sixth standard, my family decided to move to Bengaluru as my father spent nearly seven to eight months in a year there. When we came to Bangalore, we stayed in Rajajinagar and then moved to Basaveshwarnagar before buying a place in HBR Layout. I stayed there till 2003, when I shifted overseas.

When I lived there, there was nothing in HBR Layout. Now I am told it’s a central part of the city.

When you were born, your family felt, you had a great destiny to fulfil…

My father always used to talk about us being Tirupathi Iyengars, one of the three families, who were the high priests at Tirumala. Though we never managed the temple, we always knew greatness was within us.

My mother always used to say that I was the lucky one in the family. After I was born, my father’s career skyrocketed. He passed away just three months ago. My mother always instilled in me that I was born for greatness.

Your parents wielded a considerable influence on your growth…

My father Sri Ranga, was a cinematographer, who was known for his work in the 16 mm movies, which typically tend to be artsy and low-budget movies. He had built quite a reputation in Kannada and Tulu industries and thanks to him I knew everyone in the industry – be it Vishnu uncle, Ambareesh uncle, even Dr Rajkumar and his sons.
I remember when Shivrajkumar stopped his car on a road and touched the feet of my father. I was shocked that my father, who was just a normal guy at home, commanded that kind of respect in the industry.

He did produce a few movies and television serials. But I asked him to retire early as the movie industry is a really tough business and every Friday fortunes are made and lost. I didn’t want him to be stressed out.

My mom was a housewife, who was my teacher as well. She was a disciplinarian, who made sure that we did our chores ourselves, including washing clothes and utensils.
But she was there 24×7 for me and now, I understand, the value she brought to my life. She taught me the way I should grow.
Now I have chefs, cleaners and a dozen people helping me run the house. But my mom used to do everything on her own.

I have a brother as well, who runs his own consulting business.

While stuyding in Bengaluru, you seemed to have stayed away from well-known schools…

When we moved to Bengalurufor my sixth standard, it was already August. So my father had to scramble to find a school.

Though I was supposed to go to National School in Rajajinagar, the cut off date to transfer had passed. So I joined St Anns Matriculation School. I had never been in a co-ed before, so it was a shock when I saw girls sitting in the classroom.

I had to learn Kannada as well. I think in my entire life it was the only time I failed in a subject.  I am very proud to say that in a matter of six to seven months, before the end of annual exams, I had mastered Kannada, and scored my usual, between 80 to 95 per cent.

The choice of college was also unconventional…
In SSLC, my results were fantastic, so I could have picked any course or college. Typically for Bangalore, everybody was pushing me to take science. But the entrepreneur bug had already bitten me and I wanted to do commerce instead of science.

While I was looking at St Joseph’s and other colleges, my mother wanted me to come home for lunch everyday as we were not allowed to eat outside.

So, I joined the Nijalingappa College in Rajajinagar, which was nearby. Though everyone said it was notorious, the year I joined, a new principal took over and he turned my college years into the strictest time of my life.

Literally, we were not allowed to do anything at all; only in the last year, that is when I was in the third year of B com, we could have a college day.

I was pretty studious and attendance was very important for me. I would sit right on the front bench everyday. College days are the best memories one has in a life and my longest-lasting friends are from this college.
You have been away from Bengaluru for a long time; what are your memories of the city…

It brings joy whenever I think of my days in Bangalore. The City was extremely cold until early 2000. Coming from Madras in the ’80s, where it was scorching hot, I took to wearing sweaters in Bangalore.

Whenever I travel overseas, and whenever I wear a sweater, the first thing that comes into my mind is Bangalore. If anyone asks me where I am from, my immediate answer is not Malaysia, not Chennai, but it’s Bangalore, India.

I remember the time with my friends when we used to ride in our kinetic Honda and drive down to Bannerghatta or the Tumkur road.

And of course, the one-by-two coffee or tea… Though I was not allowed to have tea or coffee at home, when I was out with my friends, we used to have by-two tea, and I think that’s a very Bengaluruthing to have.

There were some bad experiences as well; when we were staying at Rajajinagar, the Cauvery riots happened. We saw how the National School was looted.

I have not visited Bengalurufor a very long time. My parents went back to Chennai as that was where they were born and brought up. But I am in touch with few of my closest friends through Whats App and Viber.

What turned you into an entrepreneur?

I think curiosity, the zeal to solve problems and take on challenges. If you ask any of my school or college mates, they will tell you that I used to look forward to examinations, which may sound very funny, but that’s true.

I never wanted to work for anybody. In my entire life I have spent just one year working for a company in Jayanager. It was a training company. When I had joined the company they had a turnover of five to six lakhs a year. When I left after nine months, I had brought up the turnover to one crore a year.

I was working to open franchises for this training centre. That guy had promised to pay me for every few centres set up, but he did not keep his word.

I have seen top CEOs of multinational companies, who retired with very little to their name. They were running 120 and 130 billion dollar companies and now may have a personal fortune of 30 to 40 million dollars. And that was what I didn’t want to be.

You began your career at the age of 13 in a garage, fixing kinetic Hondas…

We opened the garage for a guy who was working for a shop near our house; he became a friend of us. He was from Tamil Nadu and could not speak Kannada. As we could speak Tamil, though we are Telugus, he became close to us.

He told me there was good money in garage. So we coaxed our mother and borrowed a few thousands to fund the garage at Rajajinagar, just a stone’s throw away from National school. But he disappeared after five or six months and we were stuck with the garage.

When I began my career in the garage, we had no training.  There was no Google at that time or any no manual. I had just had observed how this guy used to fix bikes and picked up from there.

But whenever a bike or a scooter used to come with a problem, I was on my own.

We used to solve problems on the fly and became good at that. I really loved it. I could open and fix back the engine, almost the entire vehicle, in about one hour and fifteen minutes, without any specialised tools.
Sai scooter garage became famous and even scientists from ISRO started coming to us. That is where I think I got the taste of business. That is where I learnt sales, marketing, customer handling, problem solving, managing human resources and financial management.

Running the garage was not a financial necessity to our upper middle class family. But I still ran it till my first year or second year PUC.

I would come back from school, finish homework and then open the garage. On Saturday and Sunday we were open full. It helped me not to get into wrong company, wasting my time, or you can say, chasing girls.

My priority was to show much business I could generate, how much money I could give my mother. My mother, who managed the finances of the house, would keep all the money. We would consider ourselves lucky to even get 10 rupees from her. But I loved the business. That’s why I went into it.
But we decided to close the garage because of my studies; my father wanted me to perform very well in college.

But you started breeding dogs after that…

From my aunt in Chennai, I found out about breeding dogs, and she gave me a Boxer to kick start my business. I started breeding boxers and Rottweilers. I have delivered hundreds of puppies, cut their umbilical cord and taken care of them. Though there was no formal training, I learnt how to manage them. Any dog lover would tell you that a dog will not allow anyone near the puppies unless she trusts you with her life.

Then I used my marketing skills to sell the puppies for up to Rs   20,000, which was good money in the mid ’90s. I was in this business till the end of my final degree.

You started Celframe after graduating; how difficult were the early days…

We opened the first office of Celframe at Lalbagh road. Prior to it, I had done one venture with my brother, which had failed.

Funding is a problem when you are not a big brand or don’t have a big family name behind you. Because of my age, I worked with wrong people, who took advantage of my naivety. I lost quite a bit of money – my own money and also the money of some of my initial backers. But I bounced back and it made me understand people better.

What were the major turning points in your career?

Everything was a turning point – opening the garage, breeding dogs, starting a technology company. But the biggest jump or spike in my revenue happened – if you consider money to be metric of success – when we released our first product called Celframe office.

It is now considered to be the Number 2 office suite in the world by way of sales. Not many people know that Microsoft office makes more than 60 billion dollars annually. When I launched my office suite, companies like Sun had failed in this product category. Even IBM’s Lotus notes had not made a big impact. Coral is still there but its sales are very small.

It is said you were one of the few people the Redmond giant could not smother…

It was more of a David and Goliath kind of situation. Being a monopoly Microsoft used every tool in its arsenal to bring us down. They made sure that no Original Equipment Manufacturer like Dell, HP or IBM would ever buy our products and pre-load them on their PCs.

I will not use the word bully but that is the word everybody uses when it comes to dealing with American tech firms. They use patent, money and media to bring down any small company that may look like a threat.

How did you survive that?

In this industry, partners and distributors get one or two per cent on every deal they make. I decided to give away 40 percent of my revenue and make them partners in success. We treat customers with respect and customise the way they want.

I focused my business more on the public sector as private companies cannot bully the government.  We managed to implement our product in several governments in Asian and African regions.

We made it a policy to promise a 50 per cent reduction in the tech cost of customers using our products. That is, if they are paying 100 million dollars to a competitor, we would deploy our software for just 50 million. We would increase the price over three to four years and by this time they would have realised that we were a fantastic company to work with. We also supported them very well.

That was the biggest hurdle I crossed in business. But now with the mobile ending the old monopolies, things are moving forward amazingly.

You have also made you mark as an investor…
I have diversified into gold mining, coal business, oil and gas, real estate, venturing with top companies. I am looking to build a casino and start an airlines in South Africa.

It’s said that my fortune is four billion dollars but with my diversification it has grown nearly five to six times in the last two to three years.

I am a very cautious investor. You want me in, you need to show me why should I invest money. I would like to know the entire story and the people before I do business. I turn away from a deal if the pressure is too much for me to invest money into it.

I invest only if I can get a majority control on that company. I don’t like to be a minority partner as I am very passionate about what I do. I get involved in minute details from the start to the end. The running of the company is done by CEOs whom I trust. But I get involved in major decisions. If a problem needs solving, I am there in the front. I don’t like to sit back and let my people take the hit.

You say your upbringing taught you the value of money

There was a time when I used to buy jets like buying candies. I had eight private jets of my own. I once tried to sell one of my jets and found that I had lost about 40 percent of what I had actually paid. Then I realised that these toys, homes or yachts, do not add much value to you.

I took the hit, got rid of jets and houses, and reinvested them back into my businesses. I also turned whatever jets and yachts I was left with, into a rental business.

This lesson, appreciating the value of money, was taught by my parents. The strongest reason for my success was the foundation I had when I was young.

What are your future plans?

I am excited about several ventures we are pursuing. We started a technology company called Browsify corporation a few months ago. We are setting up one of the largest mines in South Africa.
I am looking for partners to bring Celframe products to India. It’s ironical that most of the governments use my product, but the Indian government does not. India is still reliant on the investments coming from the US. China did a phenomenal job supporting local companies such as Alibaba.
Though I am known globally for my technology company, very few people know that I have a group company called Pudur group. We are going to make the information public sometime later this year.

You left Bengalurufor Kuala Lumpur, when the whole tech world was coming here…   
I was brought here in 2002 or 2003 by someone I knew in Bangalore. Though the business with him didn’t work out, and I lost quite a bit of money, I loved the way the government was moving over here.

The quality of people, though more expensive than India at the time, was very good. The access to banking was much better; if I needed money, I could always rely on my bank without having my father to co-sign as age was not a barrier.

As I grew, I was given tax exemptions. I have not paid tax in the past eight to nine years. I do pay income tax, though a small amount.
Government is straightforward; if you need an approval, it gets done on time. Malaysia compared to Singapore is a bit slow, corruption does exist here as well.

The support from the government is phenomenal. As it is a small country, they act pretty fast. They can change rules very fast in the interest of the nation.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Panorama / by Tarannum Khan, Bengaluru / DHNS / March 07th, 2015

Aussie consul general to south India traces roots to Coimbatore

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Coimbatore :

In November, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, and it was after 28 years that an Indian prime minister visited the country. And, three months later here in Coimbatore, the Australian consul general for South India was discussing business opportunities in Australia with businessmen here.

On Thursday, the Rotary Club of Coimbatore in association with Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) organized an interaction between Sean Kelly, consul general, South India and the industrialists of the city.

Sarath Chandar, president of Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce discussed the opportunities in the manufacturing and engineering sector. He, in his speech said, “The manufacturing industry is being outsourced in Australia, and India, especially Coimbatore that has global importance in the manufacturing sector can make use of the opportunity.” Sarath said that Coimbatore is also known for its engineering products and this, too was a growing market opportunity in Australia.

G Karthikeyan, president of Rotary Club of Coimbatore said, “Business in Australia was always a dream for many. But, we never dreamt of it till recently when our prime minister Narendra Modi visited Australia.”

He added, “This gives us motivation and hope that business opportunities can be made true.”

On the occasion, Sean Kelly, the Consul General for South India from Australia was conferred with the title ‘Kovai’s Grandson’. “Kelly’s grandfather was born in Coimbatore. And, this is the connection that he has with the city.

So, we decided to confer him with this title,” said G Karthikeyan, president of Rotary Club of Coimbatore to TOI.

Kelly in his interaction discussed the opportunities from different industry backgrounds. He said, “An interaction like this will help us think of business options.” He reiterated the difficulties of Australia in the manufacturing sector and hinted that the market had potential for business.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / March 06th, 2015

Students create natural dye out of almond leaves

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

Madurai :

Students in the apparel and design fashion technology department of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) are projecting almond leaves as potential sources for natural dyes.

The produce from these leaves, which have a great staining capacity, is being tried on cotton fabrics as a more eco-friendly replacement to chemical dyes.

The project was recently exhibited at the Vivasaya Thiruvizha (agricultural festival). The students explained that a component called phenol gave almond leaves a staining capacity, and they were making use of this property to propose a much more safer and eco-friendly dyeing substance.

The colour of the dye depends on the amount of phenyl present in the leaves, they said.

Colours are fixed on the fabric with the help of a ‘mordent’.

Most fabrics have chemical substances as mordants, which could prove hazardous to health. However, the students are using natural mordants like alum and ferrous sulfate. Currently, they are trying out the dyes on cushion covers and handbags.

T Padmini, professor of Textile Department, TNAU, said, “Many of these dye products are also used in dyeing fabrics like Bandhani sarees or salwars. It is called the tie-dye process, wherein the fabric is tied at various ends to leave the color on the fabric. Our idea is to try eco-friendly ways to use farm resources.”

Professors from the home science department in the university said they were planning to introduce the product in the market after related tests were conducted.

“Publishing the product in the market involves a lengthy process, since various tests need to be conducted to understand the fastness of the dye. Thereafter, dye manufacturers will be enlightened on how it is produced,” Padmini added.

The students explained that a component called phenol gave almond leaves a staining capacity, and they were making use of this property to propose a much more safer and eco-friendly dyeing substance.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by Karishma Ravindran, TNN / February 28th, 2015

Trademark Through this App

Business & Economy

Chennai :

IndiaFilings.com a leading online portal launched India’s first mobile application for company registration, trademark registration and tax registration. The mobile app was released by K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu.

IndiaFilings mobile app is designed to help Entrepreneurs with their business registration, provide alerts on regulatory dues and connect an Entrepreneur with financial & legal experts, when required.

Speaking about the application, Lionel Charles, CEO and Founder said “Businesses are becoming increasingly mobile with the penetration of smart phones in India. Entrepreneurs now wish to keep track of their business using their mobile phones and our app will help full-fill their wishes.”

source: http://www.newindianeexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / March 05th, 2015

The Sam of all things

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Sam Paul at Jonah’s goes to Japan. Photo: M. Karunakaran / The Hindu
Sam Paul at Jonah’s goes to Japan. Photo: M. Karunakaran / The Hindu

From educational institutions and restaurants to gyms and styling salons, Sam Paul has ventured into a slew of businesses. The city businessman tells why he’s always looking for new frontiers to conquer.

There are two men, employed by Sam Paul, who look after newspaper clippings.

Every morning, Sam wakes up at 7, fits in an hour of exercise and then, sits down to scan the local papers. Since 2004, from the first mention of the launch of Casa Piccola in Chennai, he’s collected about 500 news clippings of himself. He often makes it to the papers for something or the other; news about the latest Toni & Guy store launch, party pictures, involvement in charity activities and social, news about his acting venture in the upcoming movie Patra… even the smallest mention, he clips, files, indexes and laminates. “We need some cheap thrills, no?” laughs Sam.

The reason he values these clippings and takes such care in making sure they are preserved is because, he says, he treasures the recognition and appreciation that comes his way. “This is achievement! I am well-heeled — I own a house, I drive a Porsche. I have good people working for me. What else do I need?”

Sam, who has been the reason for the arrival of many big brands in the city, schooled here. He holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Engineering and followed it up with a doctorate from College of Engineering, Guindy. He started working with his father, helping manage educational institutions owned by the family, had many grand business ideas which his father disagreed to and eventually, was asked to leave home for being too rebellious.

Relentless, Sam worked to prove himself, sleeping on the floor of his friend’s place in the meantime. Using the money he earned, and then some, he opened Casa Piccola in 2004, which was all the rage those days. “I just wanted to show my father that I was capable of earning my own money. But from there to where I am right now, it’s all God’s grace. Nothing else.”

Over a decade later, he has chiselled an identity for himself as a restaurateur in Chennai. He manages Crimson Chakra, Haagen-Dazs and Jonah’s Bistro. His latest, Jonah’s goes to Japan, in collaboration with Momoyama, introduces an Asian twist to the existing European menu designed by ‘MADChef’ Kaushik. “Right now, I’m tripping on Japanese,” grins Sam.

At the launch of the restaurant, Sam bustles about, greeting old friends and making new ones. He’s a people’s person; no doubt about it. He says he has the knack to identify the right ones too. “My greatest asset is that my staff have remained with me… it’s important to have the right people,” says Sam, adding that the same men who worked at Casa Piccola are cooking up a storm in Jonah’s kitchen too.

As the dishes stream out, Sam talks about the peasant origins of the beef goulash, fusses over the amount of fish in the seafood broth and insists that the chicken parmigiana would pair better with mashed potato, as opposed to spaghetti. “I’ve been doing this since 2004, you start to know a little by now,” chuckles the foodie.

This, however, is not all that he knows. In 2010, sometime in between opening new restaurants, managing educational institutions and being responsible for the mushrooming of Toni & Guy outlets in the city, he got bored of all that he was doing and bounded off to study law at the Government Law College. “I was 32 years old at that time, and I sat with these boys who were 18-19 years old and studied for three years. In fact, I got debarred for six months for not having enough attendance,” laughs Sam. He now practises law at the High Court and works with N. Chandrasekaran, Special Public Prosecutor for CBI cases.

That hardly confines him from juggling other things though: Sam just acted in a film and is producing another. He’s looking to do some celebrity DJing born out of a love for music and the request of a few friends. Keeping in line with body building titles that Sam won when he was in University, he launched a new project last month — Slam, the fitness studio. He is further looking to expand the Jonah’s brand and working to bring Doner Kebab to India, because, he says, “I am very particular about my kebabs.”

“That’s the greatest thing in life: to be able to do what you want. If I want to do something, I just have to think of the way to do it professionally… it’s all about God’s grace and having the right people by your side.” smiles the 37-year-old.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Raveena Joseph / March 03rd, 2015