Chennai :
The 3,000th branch of public sector Indian Overseas Bank was inaugurated in Tamil Nadu by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
The branch, which is the 1,063rd in the state, was inaugurated at Vaniangudi in Sivaganga district, a bank statement said.
source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Banking> Collections> Tamil Nadu / by PTI / August 17th, 013
A typical Madurai woman is perceived by many to be a rustic and timid person forced to live amidst social evils such as denial of equal rights, female infanticide, child marriage, caste prejudices and so on. She is often depicted as someone who seldom protests or tries to break out of the shackles. Such stereotyping for long has overshadowed her other dimension of being a ‘go-getter.’
M. Thenmozhi, a 45-year-old mother of two engineering graduates and Chief Executive Officer of T.M. International, exporter of designer home furnishing materials to Europe, Australia and other continents and 40-year-old S. Josephine, co-owner of Vibi’s brand of honey are among women who have risen to great heights despite possessing a modest educational and economic background.
What creates a common bond between the two is that both of them were given in marriage immediately after completing their schooling at the age of 18, they were involved in household chores until their children attained teenage, they completed their graduation through distance education, started doing business as novices and learnt its nuances from scratch.
“I am the eldest of five girl children born to my parents. Though all my four sisters were educated well and are now comfortably placed in the United States and other countries, I alone was given in marriage immediately after Plus Two because my parents did not want to lose a good groom,” Ms. Thenmozhi chuckles referring to her husband whom she commends as a rare non-egoistic man she had ever met.
An hotelier by profession, he gave her full freedom to pursue her passion right from the day of their marriage. But Ms. Thenmozhi chose to fulfill her commitments at the domestic front and concentrate on raising her children up to high school level before taking a plunge into export business considered to be one of the most risky ventures besides being a male dominion.
“I got married in 1986, but started the business only in 2005 after attending a short term training programme in textile exports. The immediate reaction from my own relatives was one that of ridicule. ‘Oh she is gone mad, she does not behave like a family woman, she is up to some nonsense, business is not a joke’ are some of the comments that I had to put up with,” she recalls with a smile.
If such was the case at home, it was no different outside. “Even now, whenever I go through Indian airports to visit international textile fairs, I continue to encounter cynical men who take a look at my business visa and still ask if I am going on a tour. I really get enraged when men make fun of women,” she says with anger sparkling in her eyes.
On the other hand, she finds foreigners to be courteous and encouraging. “It is so soothing when I get to hear a customs official at a foreign airport wishing me a great business. This one characteristic is enough to demonstrate the difference between how Indian men perceive the capabilities of a woman compared to their foreign counterparts,” she adds.
Ms. Josephine also shares similar views. Her nature of work involves transporting from forest areas hundreds of boxes of honey bees when the bees are asleep during night time. She says male business rivals try to create all sorts of problems like stealing the boxes, creating hurdles in their transportation and so on. Yet, she has fought her way up to emerge as a successful entrepreneur.
To avoid the irritants during night hours, she has created new kinds of boxes that could be transported even during day time without agitating the bees. The boxes, she says, would hit the market by the end of September. “Competition and jealousy makes people do all sorts of crooked things. And businessmen get agitated more when their competitor is a woman. They just cannot digest it,” she adds.
So far she has been tackling them successfully because facing adversities in life has become a routine for her ever since she lost her only daughter to bone cancer in 2007, a year after she plunged into the business of setting up bee farms for augmenting her family income. The girl was 16-years-old and pursuing her studies in Class XI at the time of her death.
Five years from thereon, Josephine lost her husband K. Selvaraj last year. “There cannot be a bigger tragedy in life than losing your child when you are alive. I have undergone that. Yet, I have been able to move on in life because I want to be like a bee — energetic and hardworking. Women should never cow down whatever be the problem they are forced to face,” she asserts.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Madurai / by Mohamed Imranullah S. / Madurai – August 26th, 2013
Coimbatore :
The Indian Cotton Federation’s (ICF) annual conference is slated for September 13th and 14th at Le Meridien in Coimbatore.
ICF (formerly The South India Cotton Association), at its conference last year, had called upon the industry stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the cotton trade and industry.
The year though, the season seems to have begun well, and as a policy initiative Cotton Corporation of India could procure almost 8 per cent of the production for stabilising the price levels, said ICF President J. Thulasidaran.
Yet, there are a host of problems confronting the sector such as competition from China, Bangladesh and Thailand and the Government’s textile export target of $50 billion, which is putting pressure on the industry to gear up to meet the challenge.
“A transparent policy initiative needs collective thinking,’’ said Mr Thulasidaran, urging industry stakeholders to take part in the discussion.
source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by L N Revathy / Coimbatore – August 09th, 2013
There is neither a challan for over charging nor a morcha against this robbery.
An exhilarating taste lingers on the tongue as you drive into Chennai on the so called Express Highway but while returning from Jayalalita’s republic the feeling, if not the taste, will be bitter. It is the degree coffee, or to be more precise Kumbakonam Degree Coffee, that will have invigorated you but the mood spoilers are the notorious auto drivers of Chennai who are a law unto themselves. The KDC is available on the highway with roadside flexies drawing your attention to this special cup of cheer. As a coffee buff I had heard of and savoured fresh, filter and instant coffee. Degree coffee? Well, it was a different cup. And what is Kumbakonam’s role here?
After gulping down the hot brew, served in a copper cup, I chatted with the owner to get to the bottom of the coffee mystery. As he explained in Tamilinglish pure milk is used in preparing the degree coffee. The milk’s strength is in degrees as measured by the lactometer. Hence it is christened degree coffee. The brownish white froth at the cup’s surface is a sure proof that the milk is undiluted. Fine. But why Kumbakonam? Well, it was first marketed in Kumbakonam years ago by an enterprising Iyer. And now KDC has gone places.
Refreshed with this brew you reach Chennai where the auto driver is waiting to fleece you. The three-wheelers are officially fitted with meters but the contraption is in Manmohan Singh mode. The meter does not talk but the driver dictates. He fixes the rate and if you know the lingua franca of the terrain you can haggle and get 10 to 20 per cent discount. If not you shell out the fare as demanded by the driver. If it is to the US consulate for visa then they charge you airfare!
It is a thriving business in Chennai aided by and abetted by the police. An auto driver from Vannarpet in Bangalore, who has now relocated to Chennai, spilled the beans. In pure Tamilgannada he explained that his day’s earnings (loot?) equalled what four of his counterparts in the Silicon City earned in the same period. That’s why she shifted his gear to Chennai. Its climate may not be salubrious like Bangalore’s but the earnings are and he is making merry.
Tamil Nadu netas promise freebies galore to the electorate but no one promises a metered auto service in Chennai. If only Jayalalita pays half the attention that she pays to demand Cauvery waters she can perhaps discipline them. The grapevine has it that the three wheelers are owned by either the policemen or politicians.
So there is neither a challan for over charging nor a morcha against this 24×7 robbery. The meter is thus an honorary gadget fitted to the vehicle. The driver can as well discard it and save money. Compared to them not all of Bangalore’s automen aren’t that bad. Are they?
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Right in the Middle / by H N Ananda / August 09th, 2013
Chennai :
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation honoured the best drivers and conductors as part of its Independence Day tradition.
The MTC identified 50 drivers who drove with the best mileage. E Puniyakodi of the Adyar depot topped the list by maintaining an average mileage of 6.38km per litre of diesel. M Thirumal, also from Adyar depot, came second with a mileage of 6.06km per litre.
The average mileage of 3,637 buses run by the corporation is 4.34km per litre. In financial year 2008-09, the mileage was 4.24km per litre. The corporation had 3,260 buses then. The average age of buses now is 4.29 years.
The corporation honoured 25 conductors with the highest average per day collection in the financial year. K Suresh from Chromepet had an average collection of Rs 7,077. On August 13, B Jayakumar, a conductor on route number 12B, created a record by collecting Rs 17,081.
The corporation gave away cash prizes to the children of its employees who fared well in board exams.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai> Mtc / by Karthikeyan Hemalatha, TNN / August 15th, 2013
Chennai :
Supply chain solutions provider TVS Logistics Services Ltd (LSL) has bagged the spare parts warehousing contract from CK Birla Group firm Hindustan Motors for managing its warehousing activities.
“TVS Logistics will be responsible for managing the end-to-end warehousing solutions in parts distribution centre for Hindustan Motors Ltd at its Tiruvallur plant near Chennai”, city-based TVS Logistics said in a statement.
TVS Logistics would provide Hindustan Motors with the expertise and project management capabilities, in order to improve warehousing activities, focus on optimising inventory, reduction of lead times in order execution and improving stock accuracy.
TVS LSL would be responsible for implementing the technological solutions that would be required to support the complete end-to-end supply chain ensuring maximum flexibility and real time visibility of inventory, it said.
“We are glad to have the services of TVS Logistics for our warehousing solutions and for distributing spare parts and tools across the nation for our key products”, Hindustan Motors, Chief Operating Officer , P Vijayan said.
“With their high level of expertise at the automobile logistics sector, we are confident that TVS LSL will add value to our business.”, he added.
TVS Logistics’ end-to-end solutions would ensure uninterrupted availability of spare parts across the country for Hindustan Motors products including — premium sedans Lancer, Cedia, SUVs Montero, Pajero, Outlander, luxury sedan Lancer Evolution, the statement said.
“Warehouse management solutions is one of the many specialised services that are being offered by TVS Logistics and we are delighted to offer this service expertise to Hindustan Motors”, TVS Logistics Services, CEO-India, R Shankar said.
The outsourcing of warehousing activity would allow Hindustan Motors to focus on service quality, product management, reduction in lead time of order execution,the statement added.
source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Shipping-Transport> Collections> Spare Parts / by PTI / August 12th, 2013
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu :
PSG Polytechnic College, and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, signs MoU with Ugam Solutions to create a Retail and Analytics Elective.
Ugam Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PSG Polytechnic College and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, to expand their student training opportunities by creating a new industry elective for retail and analytics. The college will work closely with Ugam Solutions to develop a business-based elective that will prepare students for specific and highly marketable skills within the retail and analytics fields.
The MoU was signed by Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy, Principal of PSG College of Technology and Polytechnic College, and Mr. Sunil Mirani, CEO Ugam Solutions, at the college on Monday 12th August 2013. Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy presided over the signing ceremony. Other dignitaries attending included Ms. S. Sharmila, Head of Department – Information Technology, and Mr. Dharmesh Mistry, Chief Talent Officer, Ugam Solutions.
Commenting on this new academic offering, Mr. Sunil Mirani said, “While students today come well equipped with the technical skills, the application of the same in the business context is missing. With this new elective, Ugam will impart the practical understanding of the application of analytics and technology in the world of retail, thereby making students more employable”, Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy added, “Bridging the gap between academics and industry is one of the major trends of PSG polytechnic college. This MoU targets the final year students to fulfill the expectations of the industry and make them industry ready.”
source: http://www.itnewsonline.com / IT News Online / Home / by Business Wire India / August 14th, 2013
Coimbatore :
Anuj Sharma, COO of Sarvajal, a firm that sells water, was in town to receive the Force Park Shared Value Award from the Park Group of Institutions on Wednesday. His firm purifies ground water and sells it through water ATMs.
“Pure water can easily be made available at a lower cost,” said Anuj. He had started the project 4 years ago in his home town of Alwar in Rajasthan. His water is now available in a few states as of now. The purified water is supplied through tanks from where people can collect it using their ATMs. “A litre of water will cost a maximum of 50 paise. The ATM which is similar to those used to withdraw money from banks can be recharged using cards. They will show the quality of water apart from the balance available.
“We target places where there are ground water sources, but lack quality water distribution. There should be a minimum of 1,000 households in the area,” he said. ‘Water ATM’ was a concept they developed to monitor the distribution of the water and check its quality.
“Around 50 percent of diseases are water borne diseases. At the same time, most water purifiers are either inefficient or costly. Thus, I came up with this idea,” he said. Responding to charges of commercialisation of water resources, he says they make sure their business model is affordable to all.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore> Water Resources / TNN / August 08th, 2013
Last Saturday seven girls from Madurai made a mark with their prêt line at a national level fashion show held in Chennai. The eighth edition of Vibes 360 Degrees showcased over 500 ensembles designed by 100 fashion students from all over the country. Among them were 36 designer dresses from Madurai that stormed the ramp.
Every set of garments was theme-based and the girls also created the ramp-music and mood-story.
“It was heartening to see students from smaller towns taking part in the event. The collection from Madurai was received with much applause,” beams Thangarajeshwari, Head of Madurai Centre, Dream Zone School of Creative Studies. The girls completed their Master Diploma course in fashion designing here and were part of the annual design contest of Dream Zone (CADD Centre).
Flower-power
Theme: Dominance
Inspiration: The shapes and colours of flowers
Collection: With frills, tucks, pleats and emphasis work, the six party gowns under ‘Dominance’ are simple bold and beautiful. A riot of floral motifs, circular ruffles and shapes inspired from the petals and sepals of flowers is noticeable in every ensemble and it’s that typical girly short gown that a woman would prefer for parties.
Colour palette: Bright shades of blue, orange, red and pink with a minimal tinge of black
Fabrics: All the six garments have bits of lycra with velvet for that glossy touch and a major portion of chiffon and tissue to complement compliment the party appearance.
Designer’s take: “I am a party lover basically and that’s where my idea came from. I have kept the length of all the dresses short so that they can be worn in place of hot pants and are perfect for party dancing,” says Reena. “It took me two months to complete the entire collection. Fabrics were sourced from Chennai and Bangalore.” “I want to open a boutique and launch a label,” she adds.
Ethnic chic
Theme: Contrast
Inspiration: The sepia-toned rural landscape and colourful people of Rajasthan
Collection: How about a Cocktail dress with Rajasthani kamarbandh and tukdi work? That’s what the line is about – contemporary and yet traditional – toeing the theme ‘Contrast’. Every garment under the collection has some Rajasthani touch. Belts resembling Kamarbandhs and waist coats designed like cholis make the entire set quirky.
Colour palette: Sky-tones, hues of nature and earth-tones – blue, green, ochre and red
Fabrics: Nets, crochet, lycra, velvet and everything flashy and shiny form the body of all the dresses while hints of cotton patch work and silver piping give the Rajasthani feel.
Designer’s take: Deshna and Gitanjali say they share a common sensibility and taste and they want to launch a label in Madurai. “I believe in innovation,” says Deshna, showing a short skirt made of handmade paper and a crochet waistcoat. “Fashion doesn’t just mean expensive clothes. I want to make fashion that’s affordable.” Gitanjali says, “We both think a bit ‘Hatke’ and we have tried to incorporate some funky element in all our garments.
Shade-play
Theme: Colour gradation
Inspiration: The shades of sky and the hues of rainbow
Collection: Here’s an exclusive set of garments meant for just shopping! Pockets, pouches and buttons and zips would help you keep cash, cards, that lip-gloss, and eye-liner and everything that you may need while shopping. Every garment is a one-piece monochrome with movement designs done in light and dark shades of the same colour.
Colour palette: Baby pink, sky blue, pista green and rainbow colours
Fabrics: Every ensemble is made of Satin, sateen, rexin and velvet. The aim is to add sheen to your shopping. Bows, buttons and Velcro is also used in many places.
Designer’s take: “I have added a utility value to all my garments apart from the aesthetics and look aspect of it. Women’s dresses hardly have pockets and pouches and this was purely an experiment,” says Priyanka Hiran. “Shopping need not be always done with a bag. Small and impulsive shopping is what my dresses are meant for.” She adds, “I aim to become an ace women’s wear designer someday.”
Zig-zag zing
Theme: Asymmetry
Inspiration: Geometrical polygons and innovative shapes
Collection: Layers, tucks, darts and frills are the highlights of ‘Asymmetry’. It’s a peppy set of clothes with one-shoulder, zig-zag patterns and an unbalanced usage of colour. Some are printed, dotted and striped while others are plain with patchwork, stone work and other surface embellishments.
Colour palette: Peach, green, blue, yellow, red and white
Fabrics: Layers of crush, frills of net, straps of velvet and glazed synthetic cotton blend are used
Designer’s take: “I care about innovation than practicality. My collection is only meant for ramp shows. They cannot be worn everyday or even for occasions, though trendsetters can do so,” asserts Pooja. “I want to become a celebrity stylist so that I can design garment for Bollywood stars. And that’s why all my clothes are funky and high-funda.”
Glassy-glossy
Theme: Transparent
Inspiration: The delicate shapes and feel of wine glasses
Collection: Simple, elegant and transparent is the mantra of this women’s party wear collection. From bustline to waistline, every garment has a see through material so that you can flaunt off your assets! Balloon skirts, puffed sleeves and skin-hugging tops make the clothes standout. Solid plain blocks of colours with no prints and patterns complimented with a little skin-show add that dramatic effect!
Colour palette: Red, black, white, gold, pink and yellow
Fabrics: Gauze, net and rustle tissue form the see-through parts while shimmering raw silk, crush chiffon and crepe dominate the body of all dresses.
Designer’s take: “Transparent portions in a dress give visual relief to the eye. Moreover, it’s a subtle way of adding glamour,” says Payal. “I have designed the clothes keeping in mind a high profile party-going fun-loving girl. My future plan is to open a designer store in big cities.”
Texture-mixture
Theme: Crush
Inspiration: Textures of nature – parched earth, leaf veins, water ripples and tree barks
Collection: One unique aspect of the ‘Crush’ collection is the usage of fabric textures. Earthy colours and free-flowing silhouettes make the ensembles long, layered and elaborate, but they are all wrap-around types that can be effortlessly fastened with a lace, belt or buckle. The longish gowns are versatile and can be worn for office and parties!
Colour palette: Brown, turquoise, golden yellow, green and blue
Fabrics: Ribbons, bows, tassels and frills are seen in crepe and crushed organza while the base is made of cotton, muslin and raw silk.
Designer’s take: “I have worked on the easy-to-wear (wrap) concept. My collection can be draped and gives a desi Indian feel when worn,” says Neha Jain. “I have also used Indian elements like the glass bangles and thread-ball-pompoms. In times when people are crazy about western outfits, I thought this would be a head-turner.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Fashion / by A. Shrikumar / Madurai – July 18th, 2013
PSG Polytechnic College, and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, signs MoU with Ugam Solutions to create a Retail and Analytics Elective.
Ugam Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PSG Polytechnic College and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, to expand their student training opportunities by creating a new industry elective for retail and analytics. The college will work closely with Ugam Solutions to develop a business-based elective that will prepare students for specific and highly marketable skills within the retail and analytics fields.
The MoU was signed by Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy, Principal of PSG College of Technology and Polytechnic College, and Mr. Sunil Mirani, CEO Ugam Solutions, at the college on Monday 12th August 2013. Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy presided over the signing ceremony. Other dignitaries attending included Ms. S. Sharmila, Head of Department Information Technology, and Mr. Dharmesh Mistry, Chief Talent Officer, Ugam Solutions.
Commenting on this new academic offering, Mr. Sunil Mirani said, “While students today come well equipped with the technical skills, the application of the same in the business context is missing. With this new elective, Ugam will impart the practical understanding of the application of analytics and technology in the world of retail, thereby making students more employable”, Dr. R. Rudhramoorthy added, “Bridging the gap between academics and industry is one of the major trends of PSG polytechnic college. This MoU targets the final year students to fulfill the expectations of the industry and make them industry ready.”
About Ugam Solutions
Ugam Solutions is a research and analytics firm providing cutting edge solutions to global retailers, brands and insights-based consultancies that improves their business performance. Ugam’s analytics solutions for pricing, assortment, and content decisions help retailers and brands grow and retain their customers. Nine of the largest 25 on the Top 500 internet retailer companies are benefitting from these solutions that combine the best of domain consulting, analytics expertise and a proprietary big data technology platform. Learn more at www.UgamSolutions.com
About PSG Polytechnic College
PSG Polytechnic College, established in the year 1939, a pioneer institute in the field of Technical Education and Research is a Government aided, ISO 9001 certified institution with Autonomous status from 1976. This aids it to have a flexible curriculum and updated syllabi. The Polytechnic College has the best laboratories with free access to the students and prepares them with the latest method of learning industrial practices. The industry attachment Programme, compulsory for all courses provides the students an exposure for current industrial practices. The college is located in the same campus as the PSG Industrial Institute.
source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / MoneyControl / Home> News> Business / by Business Wire India / August 14th, 2013