New Delhi, November 22: Campaign cliches and poll rhetoric may have drowned out the visit of Mauritius Prime Minister Paul Berenger but one thing he asked for has the potential to send arguably India's biggest brand into the global education marketplace: Berenger asked the Government if his tiny island nation could have an Indian Institute of Technology.

Berenger isn't the only one IIT-shopping.

Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore, working hard to build world-class universities in his city-state, asked for an IIT on his visit this year-an IIT in Singapore that would share space with names like MIT, Stanford and Johns Hopkins.

Requests have also come from Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Sources say the Lankan High Commissioner recently met HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and handed over a formal letter to that effect.

Brand IIT-even a Dilbert strip has paid homage to it-built over 50 years since IIT Kharagpur was set up in 1953, could be the HRD Ministry's blue-chip.

In fact, the idea isn't just academic. Earlier this year, a committee was set up under scientist P Rama Rao, former Vice Chancellor of Central University, to work out a roadmap for taking Brand IIT abroad.

Said P V Indiresan, former director of IIT Chennai: ''It's a good idea. It could make it practical to spot teaching talent in these countries and then bring them over here. But I would suggest control over admission, faculty and syllabus.''

This isn't lost on the Government. Said an HRD official who is working with the Rao team: ''The government is keen to set up campuses abroad but those associated with the IIT administration here will not allow any compromise with the quality.''

Courtesy: The Indian Express, November 23, 2003

Back to Index

New Delhi: Former US president Bill Clinton made an impassioned plea for intensifying the global battle against Aids while visiting the facilities of Ranbaxy on Friday.

In what was vintage Clinton-speak, the anti-Aids ambassador eloquently brought the personal touch into a largely corporate presentation. ''My life was never the same after my close friend died of Aids in the mid 1980s. And, then it suddenly exploded in Africa. Now, I hate the word Aids.''

Clinton is in the country as head of the Clinton Foundation, to take the cause forward with the Indian government and three pharmaceutical firms - Ranbaxy, Cipla and Matrix - who will supply Aids drugs to South African and Caribbean nations at affordable prices.

Expressing gratitude to 3 firms, Clinton says the Clinton Foundation is the negotiator between various governments and firms to ensure availability of Aids drugs at much lower, affordable prices.

For pharma firms, Aids is a lower-profit, higher-volumes business. And, these volumes are ensured as millions are suffering from HIV-positive/Aids in African nations, India , China and several countries across the globe.

Ranbaxy MD DS Brar explains further: Our objective is not to calculate per unit profit, but to cater to much larger volumes - to be a part of greater cause as well as ensure bottomline growth. ''And, we can supply quality Aids drugs at affordable prices.''

Clinton is also meeting PM Vajpayee and health ministry officials to promote initiatives and further efforts of his foundation, to ensure treatment for people suffering from Aids here and abroad.

His mission: To ensure lowest cost possible for Aids patients. "Everybody dies. When I was 29, my father died. When I was born, my father was 29. After White House...it was like a good reason to show the future of freedom to children and young teachers who are dying."

Three Indian pharma firms, along with one South African firm, will supply the drugs directly to African governments, at a negotiated lower price via Clinton Foundation. Cost of a treatment will be $36-38 per day, much lower than existing costs.

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 22, 2003

Back to Index

AB Electrolux is looking at sourcing components worth Rs 1,000 crore out of India in the next three years. The company has identified India as an important global component sourcing base. The company has just signed its first deal with Abilities India for supply of pistons worth Rs 5 crore.

ABE, corporate purchasing head, Heikki Takanen, said the company is not only looking at a low-cost base but also high quality and fast-turn around time. He added that in certain manufacturing areas, India is better then China. ABE is also looking at cold rolled steel imports from India and has identified two suppliers for the same. The company has set up an international purchasing office in Gurgaon.

Electrolux is a global $14 billion corporation and outsources some 60% of the required components.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times, November 21, 2003

Back to Index

India is all set become a brand in the global economy and is expected to play a major role in the immediate and distant future. Now, with the attention focussing on phase three of the reform process, India is expected to capture the imagination of the superpowers of the corporate world.

To showcase some of the achievements and potential of India, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum is organising `India Economic Summit'. Union Minister of Finance Jaswant Singh will inaugurate the summit on November 23.

The three day summit will be well attended by the zars of corporate and political world. The theme for the nineteenth India Economic Summit is `Enhancing India's Competitiveness: A Must for Growth' and during these three days the academia and the business community will focus on four blueprints namely infrastructure, corporate social responsibility, ICT sector and agriculture.

The positive vibes sent out by India in the last one year has surely paid dividends as this year more than 400 delegates from around 20 countries have expressed willingness to participate. Delegates from countries like China, Germany, Singapore, USA and France are all participating in the summit.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, November 21, 2003

Back to Index

New Delhi: Yet another Indian has made a mark in the US with his appointment as honorary chairman of the Business Advisory Council in recognition of his contribution to the Republican Party.

Robin Raina, 37, is president and CEO of US-based ebix, an independent international supplier of software and e-commerce solutions, and the recipient of the National Leadership Award for 2003 from Republican leader and Congressmen Tom Delay. (Are Indians the best business managers?)

Courtesy: The Times Of India, November 20, 2003

Back to Index

Chennai: The World Bank, which started its back office operations in Chennai two years ago, is planning to expand the same shortly, a top bank official has said. "The idea is to move into a larger 60,000 sq ft own premises from the existing 27,000 sq ft rented premises so that we can shift a few more of our crucial back office operations to Chennai," Fayezul Choudhry, Vice-President and Controller of the bank said. He said the bank's derivatives portfolio was to the tune of $100 billion. Choudhry said the Chennai operations for the last two years had certainly helped the bank to move up in the value chain in respect to back office operations.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, November 17, 2003

Back to Index

In the most controversial and confidence-sapping public reprimand for Britain in just 14 months, its workers have been told that India remains the jewel in the 21st-century call centre crown because its English-speaking, highly-educated staff are "efficient, enthusiastic" - and in cost-cutting country. Late on Wednesday, a leading British railway official told a parliamentary committee that he thought India's army of workers did a much better job than their counterparts in Britain. On Wednesday, Scoggins, too, acknowledged the cost factor, saying India's skilled and efficient cheap labour could save the UK's rail enquiries service 25-million-pounds over several years. HSBC's Whitson had said that Indian workers, especially those in Hyderabad, are "exceptional". "They're quicker at answering the phone, highly numerate and keen to come to work every day…Staff are hugely enthusiastic about their jobs, they dress well. A lot have degrees."

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 14, 2003

Back to Index

North American software megacorp Quark Inc. CEO Fred Ebrahimi and chief minister Amarinder Singh signed a multi-faceted MoU with the Punjab government on building North India's biggest business park at Mohali outside Chandigarh. Mr Ebrahimi said Quark would employ its in-house cash reserves to finance the project, which has a projected investment of $250 million during the first five years. Quark will also set up a non-banking finance company to fund outside projects in its business park. External international finance will automatically follow once the venture is in place. The Quark Business Park, which has received the unanimous approval of the state cabinet, will directly generate 88,000 new jobs alongside indirect employment for an additional 22,000 people. Also, in building infrastructure for the proposed business park, the company will extend facilities for all villages that fall within the area of the park. "We will co-exist with the villages and try to contribute in improving life with them," a Quark official said.

Courtesy: The Asian Age, November 06, 2003

Back to Index

India and France have decided to set up a CEOs forum to promote business interests between the two countries. "Now is the time to invest in India by capitalising on the common strengths of the two markets," said Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley said addressing a large audience of French businessmen. In the emerging areas of IT, biotechnology and healthcare, India has found an area where it can deliver, said Jaitley, who is heading the government-level talks at the Indo-French Joint Commission meeting Tuesday. This is being done through the entrepreneurial-led model India is currently following, he mentioned.

Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com, November 05, 2003