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'Live
Abroad, But Think India'
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The
Indian American community, considered
one of the wealthiest and most educated
minority group in the US, is being
tapped to invest its dollars in India
for development projects. Addressing
a press conference at the Indian embassy
here on Thursday, secretary in Ministry
of Overseas Indians Affairs, Krishna
Kumar, said that he was exploring
the possibilities of using the vast
talents and potential resources of
the overseas Indian community to help
meet some of India's investment needs
of $150 billion. Krishna Kumar said
that Indian Americans, who are very
keen on philanthropy, could be tapped
to help improve the life of the poorer
sections of society in India. He further
said that the government was doing
everything possible to make it easier
for overseas Indians to invest in
the country. If overseas Indians had
qualms about working with the government,
they could collaborate with NGOs,
he said. Krishna Kumar also spoke
of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (a
meeting of non-resident Indians) being
celebrated in Mumbai from January
7 to 9 next year. He said that the
Indian government would soon set up
a Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra (centre
for persons of Indian origin) in New
Delhi with a grant of Rs 25 crore.
This would be a permanent centre catering
to the needs of the Indian diaspora.
A group of 50 second or third generation
young overseas Indians from different
countries would be invited to India
in a youth-exchange programme for
two weeks. A memorandum of understanding
(MoU) was signed between the Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations
from 19 countries to create a global
business network. To support the network,
a portal and database of overseas
Indian corporates had been launched,
he added.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 30, 2004
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Anthurium
- A Flower with Potential in Domestic,
Global Markets
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The
demand for anthurium cut flowers in
the domestic and world market is so
high that there is a tremendous potential
for India, but to tap this market
the country must step up production.
Between 1999 and 2002, the demand
has grown by about 38 per cent. The
demand, on the other hand, for flowers
such as rose and carnation have increased
by 18 per cent during the same period.
"Anthurium is one of the top 10 cut
flowers sold in the Netherlands Auctions
and the market potential for it is
excellent both in India and abroad,"
Mr T.V. Gopinath, a Madikeri-based
planter, who is a member of the National
Horticulture Board (NHB) and a consultant
to the Kerala State Agriculture Department,
told Business Line. "It is an excellent
floriculture crop for commercial projects
and the farmer could earn a minimum
of Rs 5 lakh per annum per acre and
the demand is ever increasing," he
said. The extent of cultivation currently
in the country is about 20 hectare
only and that too it is localised
in Kodagu with very small areas in
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Maharashtra.
As this flower cannot be grown in
extreme climates as it is a tropical
flower, it is best grown in areas
having a temperature of 15 to 32 degree
Centigrade. "We can grow this in areas
where temperature is between 15 and
35 degrees Centigrade and having RH
of 60 to 75 such as in certain regions
of Karnataka, Wyanad, Idukki and Palghat
districts in Kerala, Nilgiris and
Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu and the
North-Eastern States and in Bastar
district in Madhya Pradesh," he said.
The cost of cultivation per acre would
come to about Rs 40 lakh, the main
cost being that of planting material,
which constitutes 75 per cent of the
total project cost, he said. "There
is excellent scope for exports to
Japan, West Asia, Singapore and EU
countries," he said.
Courtesy:
www.thehindubusinessline.com, October
29, 2004
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Gujarat
Agency Bags Commonwealth Award
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Gujarat
State Disaster Management Authority
(GSDMA), the state government's nodal
agency for handling natural disasters,
has bagged the prestigious Gold Award
for Innovation in Governance. The
award, announced on Wednesday in Singapore,
is instituted by Commonwealth Association
for Public Administration and Management
(CAPAM). The biennial international
award instituted in 1998, promotes
new initiatives in government reform
throughout the Commonwealth. Addressing
a hurriedly convened media meet on
Thursday afternoon, chief minister
Narendra Modi, said, "This award also
recognises transparency in state government
as GSDMA has bagged the award after
a stiff competition posed by other
156 entries from various Commonwealth
countries. Reconstruction of earthquake-hit
Gujarat was launched through GSDMA
and the entry filed by GSDMA was shortlisted
as one of the 14 finalists. There
were entries from Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra."
Courtesy:
www.business-standard.com, October
29, 2004
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Man
of Steel Mittal is UK's Richest
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NRI
business tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal,
who is set to control the world's
largest steelmaker, has emerged as
the richest man in Britain. The historic
merger of his steel conglomerate Ispat
with its rival, International Steel
Group of USA, on Monday to form the
Mittal Steel Corporation reveals for
the first time the true scale of 54-year-old
Mittal's personal wealth. Mittal,
who ranked fifth in the Sunday Times
Rich List last year with an estimated
fortune of 3.5 billion pounds, is
now known to be worth 12 billion pounds,
placing him ahead of the Russian oligarch
Roman Abramovich (7.5 billion pounds)
and the Duke of Westminster (4.9 billion
pounds), 'The Independent' daily reported
today. Lavishing praise on his business
acumen, the daily said "he is as much
at home in Kazakhstan, the maverick
former Soviet Republic where he controls
not only the steel works but also
the trams, as he is in 18/19 Kensington
Palace Gardens, the 15-bedroom mansion
with underground parking for 20 cars
which he bought last year for 57 million
pounds from the Formula One magnate,
Bernie Ecclestone". "His industrial
empire stretches from Indonesia to
Poland, via Mexico, the US, South
Africa and Trinidad." The Daily Telegraph
, reporting on the merger deal, said
that "separate accounts released yesterday
showed that Mittal also paid himself
a $2 billion dividend this year, dwarfing
the 460 million pounds dividend paid
by Arcadia Group to retail entrepreneur
Philip Green last week."
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 27, 2004
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Mittal
Steel Emerges World's Largest Steelmaker
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NRI
business tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal-owned
Ispat International on Monday emerged
as world's largest steelmaker as it
announced its merger with The Netherlands-based
LNM Holdings and US International
Steel Group to form Mittal Steel Corporation.
Ispat said it has agreed to acquire
LNM Holdings for $ 13.3 bn in shares
and the International Steel Group
for $4.5 bn in cash and shares. Lakshmi
N Mittal will be the chairman and
chief executive of Mittal Steel, it
was officially announced. Simultaneously,
Ispat International and International
Steel Group Inc announced on Monday
that their Boards of Directors have
unanimously approved a definitive
agreement under which the two entities
would merge. "The combined Mittal
Steel will be the largest and most
global steel company in the world
and will be listed on the New York
Stock Exchange and Euronext Amsterdam,"
the official announcement said. LNM
Holdings is one of the world's largest
and most profitable steel companies
and also has substantial mining assets.
Its revenues were 9.9 billion dollars
and operating income was 3.2 billion
dollars in the first nine months of
2004. The company has annual total
raw steel production capacity of over
32 million tonnes and owns significant
mining assets, annually producing
about 18 million metric tonnes of
iron ore, 13 million metric tonnes
of coke and 12 million metric tonnes
of coal. "These transactions dramatically
change the landscape of the global
steel industry," Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman
of the Mittal Steel said about the
merger. He said the combined company
will have excellent positions in raw
materials, particularly coal, coke
and iron ore, as well as strong positions
in key end sectors. Mittal Steel will
be based in Rotterdam and LNM Group
will retain control of the company
after the deal. The companies have
signed a Letter of Agreement with
the United Steelworkers of America
and the Independent Steelworkers Union.
The merged entity would have operations
in 14 countries on four continents
and employ 165,000 people.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 26, 2004
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India
Out to Heal the World
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In
the past 30 days, India's medical
tourism dream seems to be bearing
the desired results: It is attracting
an international spectrum of patients.
That is, patients from the UK and
US too are now part of the 1.5 lakh
foreigners - mainly NRIs, West Asians
and Africans - who come to India annually
for medical reasons. Both Staab, a
carpenter, and Brown, an executive,
have publicly endorsed medicine in
India: The doctors are great, the
service is great and it's affordable.
Staab chose India as he didn't have
a medical insurance to cover the expensive
valve replacement surgery in US, while
Brown didn't want to wait endlessly
for his turn in the UK National Health
Service. Cheap healthcare is indeed
drawing foreigners to India - a fact
noticed even by The Washington Post
. An article carried on October 21
spoke of Tom Raudaschl, a mountain
guide in Canada, choosing Apollo Hospital,
Chennai, for a 'hip resurfacing' operation
over his country's long waiting list
and America's expensive price tag.
Medical tourism, said the 'Post' ,
"is another example of how India is
profiting from globalisation - the
growing integration of world economies
- just as it has already done in such
other service industries as insurance
and banking, which are outsourcing
an ever-widening assortment of office
tasks to the country." Medical tourism
can indeed pay rich dividends for
India, says a joint study conducted
by the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII)-McKinsey, consulting firm, conducted
in April. The study estimated that
medical tourism can generate Rs 5,000
to Rs 10,000 crore additional revenue
for tertiary hospitals by 2012.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 26, 2004
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India:
Hot Spot For Medical Tourists
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Three
months ago, Howard Staab learned that
he suffered from a life-threatening
heart condition and would have to
undergo surgery at a cost of up to
$200,000-an impossible sum for the
53-year-old carpenter from Durham,
who has no health insurance. So he
outsourced the job to India. Staab
last month flew about 7,500 miles
to the Indian capital, where doctors
at the Escorts Heart Institute & Research
Centre replaced his balky heart valve
with one harvested from a pig. Total
bill: about $10,000, including round-trip
airfare and a planned side trip to
the Taj Mahal. ''They did such a fine
job here, and took care of us so well,''
said Staab, who was accompanied to
India by his partner, Maggi Grace.
''I would do it again.'' Staab is
one of a growing number of people
known as ''medical tourists'' who
are traveling to India in search of
First World health care at Third World
prices. Last year, an estimated 150,000
foreigners visited India for medical
procedures, and the number is increasing
at the rate of about 15 per cent a
year, according to Zakariah Ahmed,
a health care specialist at the CII.
A recent study by the McKinsey consulting
firm estimated that India's medical
tourist industry could yield as much
as $2.2 billion in annual revenue
by 2012. ''If we do this right, we
can heal the world,'' said Prathap
C. Reddy, a physician who founded
Apollo Hospitals But most of the foreigners
treated in India come from countries
in Asia, Africa or the Middle East,
where top-quality hospitals and health
professionals are hard to find. Patients
from the US and Europe still are rare
as India continues to suffer from
an image of poverty and poor hygiene
that discourages many patients. Taken
as a whole, India's health care system
is hardly a model, with barely four
doctors for every 10,000 people, compared
with 27 in the US, according to the
World Bank. Health care accounts for
just 5.1 per cent of India's gross
domestic product, against 14 per cent
in the US.
Courtesy:
The Indian Express, October 23, 2004
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'India
Much Beyond Outsourcing Label'
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The
first global study on media perceptions
of India around the world shows that
the country is perceived as having
thrown off its isolationist, self-sufficiency
mindset for the most part and is no
longer wary of western influences
and of embracing globalisation. It
also indicated the need for planned
and sustained communications that
take India beyond the 'outsourcing'
label. Interviews conducted by Edelman,
one of the world's major public relations
firms, and its India partner R&PMC,
with journalists in 10 major cities
across the US, Europe and Asia indicate
that India enjoys a very strong reputation
among media. However, India's "share
of voice" (SOV) in the US media is
dwarfed by China (46 per cent), which
has a 3-1 advantage over India (14
per cent). The findings with regard
to India are significant in that they
indicate "a continuity in the reforms
process even with the change of government
in the world's largest democracy,"
Richard Edelman, president and CEO
of Edelman Worldwide said. India and
Indian companies "have a strategic
imperative to reach out to all critical
stakeholders to ensure the market
is seen in the appropriate mode of
sustainable growth," he said. "The
study is invaluable in that it highlights
the growing importance of India. Current
perceptions are dominated by India's
IT prowess," Roger C B Pereira, CEO,
R&PMC, said. "It is time that the
world sees India's other strengths,
be it in automotive, biotechnology,
steel, banking, intellectual capital,
democratic institutions, pharma, textiles,
tourism and emerging areas like medical
R&D. We need to drive perceptions
closer to reality," Mr Pereira said.
The contrast with China, the study
said, gets even more striking, as
an analysis of content shows that
one out of every four stories on India
is about outsourcing, whereas only
one out of every 16 stories on China
is about outsourcing, it said. India
is also perceived as excelling in
high-tech (96 per cent of those interviewed),
software (44 per cent), textiles (40
per cent), pharmaceutical sector (32
per cent), call centres (17 per cent),
automotive (16 per cent) and consumer
products (16 per cent). The survey
indicates that India needs to emphasise
its strong management expertise (as
having a corporate executive leadership
with a vision for the future), transparency,
corporate governance and leadership
role in corporate social responsibility.
Courtesy:
The Indian Express, October 22, 2004
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India
Wins New Fans in Drug R&D Stakes
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A
few years ago, Western drug makers
would never have dreamt of putting
their research dollars to work in
India, a country associated with pirating
medicines invented elsewhere. Today,
pharmaceutical executives are predicting
a surge of investment to exploit a
low-cost base of scientific talent.
India is coming in from the cold with
the adoption of patent protection
for medicines from next year, removing
a key obstacle to investment that
will help skew future R&D efforts
firmly towards Asia. Research by FT
Corporate Solutions and law firm Linklaters,
presented at a conference this week,
found 82 percent of senior executives
and analysts expected a rise in Asian
R&D investment over the next decade,
with India leading the way.
Courtesy:
The Indian Express, October 20, 2004
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VSP
Bags Global Quality Award
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Visakhapatnam
Steel Plant of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam
Ltd. has bagged the `World Quality
Commitment International Star Award
2004' of the Madrid-based Business
Initiative Directors. The trophy in
the gold category has been given to
VSP in recognition of its "commitment
to quality and excellence in the areas
of customer satisfaction, leadership,
innovation and technology and total
quality management''. The Additional
General Manager (HRD) of VSP, Y. Manohar,
received the award on behalf of the
Chairman and Managing Director, C.
Appa Rao, at a function in Paris on
October 11.
Courtesy:
The Hindu, October 19, 2004
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IIM-A
Amongst World's Top 100
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The
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
and four other business schools from
Asia have figured amongst the world's
top 100 management schools in a survey
published by the prestigious London-based
weekly Economist's "Intelligence Unit".
IIM Ahmedabad has been ranked 64th
in the list. Only four other Asian
schools figure in it. School of Business
of Hong Kong University (ranked 68th),
Graduate School of International Management
of International University of Japan
(84th), Nanyang Business School of
Nanyang Technological University of
Singapore (93th) and China Europe
International Business School (95th)
are the other Asian institutions.
Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern
University has topped the EIU's ranking
for full time MBA programme for the
third year in succession. It was a
matter of pride for India as in one
of the categories, "open new career
opportunities," IIM Ahmedabad was
ranked first, followed by Tuck School
of Business of Dartmouth College and
Kellogg. The survey used four parameters
to arrive at the rankings in which
views of students and alumni represented
26 per cent of the score allocated
to each school while the remainder
was based on data provided in the
school questionnaire.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 18, 2004
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Indian
Origin, Harvard Lab: Genius Grant
for 33-yr-Old
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At
the sprawling Harvard Medical School
complex in Massachusetts, a simple
sign at the Systems Biology Department
reads: Dr Vamsi Mootha, Assistant
Professor. Till a few days ago, this
low-key 33-year-old was just another
keen clinician-researcher tracking
mitochondria (little energy factories
in the human body), treating patients
with metabolical diseases such as
diabetes, cholesterol and obesity,
and penning his findings for medical
journals. Dr Mootha, with roots in
Andhra Pradesh, became only the sixth
person of Indian origin to receive
the annual MacArthur Fellowship of
$ 500,000, popularly called the 'Genius
awards', decided by an unknown jury
from confidential nominations without
applications or interviews. The only
criterion: the big idea. Like other
awardees, Dr Mootha got a call informing
him of the honour. But at the Institute
car park, about to leave for a meeting,
he nearly cut the line midway, thinking
it was a crank call. Once the caller
confirmed his credentials, the Stanford
University and Harvard University
Medical School alumnus says, ''I couldn't
stop grinning.'' Dr Mootha earned
the award for his use of ''the tools
of genomics and proteomics (related
to study of DNA) to advance the understanding
of disease and of basic biological
processes''. What it simply meant
was that his pioneering use of computation
and technology to identify faulty
strains in energy cells that cause
diseases, had just been applauded.
In fact, two of Dr Mootha's key findings
have already proved invaluable to
the medical community worldwide: the
gene that causes a fatal metabolic
disease and insights into the causes
of type 2 diabetes.
Courtesy:
The Indian Express, October 18, 2004
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Apollo
to Open Three Hospitals Abroad
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Apollo
Hospitals Group, one of the largest
multi-speciality hospital chains in
Asia, is set to open at least three
new hospitals in Saarc countries and
Africa, and is toying with the idea
of taking management control of another
three hospitals abroad by the end
of the next calendar year. The company
is also looking at entering the healthcare
sector of Vietnam and Cambodia. The
group's three multi-speciality hospitals
are coming up in Nepal, Bangladesh
and Nigeria. The new hospitals abroad
will have a total capacity of around
700 beds and will generate employment
for 8,000-10,000 people, including,
doctors, nurses, paramedics and administrators.
"Most of the doctors, nurses, paramedics
and IT professionals to be employed
in these hospitals will be Indians,
and this should be in the range of
6,000-8,000 jobs," Prathap C Reddy,
chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group told
ET. "The three new Apollo hospitals
are at various stages of completion
and will start functioning early in
the next financial year." Apart from
employing Indian doctors, nurses and
paramedics in their own hospitals
abroad, the Group will also look at
opportunities to facilitate employment
for Indians in other hospitals as
well. Commenting on the group's plans
to tap new healthcare destinations,
Mr Reddy said, "We are looking at
South-east Asian countries and are
in talks with counterparts in Vietnam
and Cambodia."
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 15, 2004
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Indian
American gets Top Honour at American
Pharmacists
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Vibhuti
Arya, an Indian American, has been
elected President of the American
Pharmacists Association-Academy of
Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). Arya,
21, is a native from New Delhi who
moved to New York at age 10. St Johns
University College of Pharmacy and
Allied Health Professions in Queens,
New York, made the announcement. According
to a press release, Arya will serve
on the Student National Executive
Committee of the association, which
is recognised as the national professional
society of pharmacists, founded in
1852. "The education and support I've
received at St John's University has
been fundamental in shaping my ability
to assume this exciting new role,"
said Arya. "It is an honour to serve
my fellow student pharmacists while
continuing to grow professionally."
According to the release, as national
president of the association, Arya
will serve on the executive committee
for two consecutive years, her first
year as President and the second as
the National President. Arya will
serve as a member of the APhA Board
of Trustees and Honours Advisor Committee,
as well as the chairperson of the
APhA-ASP Awards and policy standing
committees. "Vibhuti's leadership
capabilities and enthusiasm for the
profession of pharmacy are extraordinary,"
said Anne Burns, group director of
practice development and research
for the American Pharmacists Association.
"As President of the APhA-ASP, student
pharmacists nationwide will benefit
from her leadership and vision for
the profession."
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 15, 2004
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Mr
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance
Infocomm and Chairman of FLAG Telecom,
has won this year's World Communication
Award as the `most influential person
in telecommunications in 2004.' A
Reliance Infocomm press release said
here on Tuesday that Mr Ed McCormack,
Executive Vice-President, Corporate
Development, FLAG Telecom, received
the award on behalf of Mr Ambani in
London on Monday.
Courtesy:
www.thehindubusinessline.com, October
13, 2004
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UP
Girl Finds Her Feat in Paris
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While
in India, her heavily accented English
and unsurmountable urge to break into
Hindi in every other sentence, might
make her downmarket, but this very
trait will be hailed "exotic" in Paris.
Model Sharan Mishra, the middle-class
girl from UP who became the face of
Satya Paul, is now going to model
for Ungaro, Givenchy and Dior in the
fashion capital. She leaves for Paris
early this month and is a known face
on the Indian modelling circuit, having
bagged shoots for designers like Sabyasachi
Mukherjee, Mona Pali and Ritu Kumar.
Winner of the Metropolitan Model Hunt,
she had said in an earlier interview,
"Your parents are never really the
problem. The problem is mostly posed
by society. Acche ghar ki ladkiyan
modelling nahin karti (Girls from
respected families don't model) is
the common refrain." Hopefully, the
world will change its stance, now
that she's going international. A
firm believer of the 3-D mantra: Determination,
dedication and discipline, Sharan
says that the "industry is clean if
that's the way you want it to be."
Courtesy:
The Asian Age, October 13, 2004
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Vidya
Chhabria in Fortune List Third Time
in a Row
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Vidya
Chhabria, chairperson of the $2-billion
Jumbo Group, figures in the Fortune
magazine's annual list of the 50 most
powerful women in business internationally
for the third time in a row. Ranked
at the 38th position, she is the only
Indian to find a place in the coveted
list published in the October edition
of the magazine. The only other woman
from the Indian sub-continent to feature
in the list is Musharaf Hai, Chairman
of Unilever Pakistan who, upon entering
the list for the first time, has been
ranked at 46th position. "The 56-year-old
Chhabria, who divides her time between
India and Dubai, became chairperson
two years ago after the death of her
husband. This year she resolved a
20-year old business dispute with
the UB Group, over ownership of liquor
maker Shaw Wallace," says the magazine.
Courtesy:
www.thehindubusinessline.com, October
12, 2004
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SIA
to Promote India as Global Tourist
Destination
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In
an attempt to promote India as a tourist
destination worldwide, Singapore Airlines
(SIA) is to bring close to 70 travel
agents from around the globe to India.
The airlines General Manager, India,
Mr B.K. Ong, told Business Line that
SIA would get a group of 40 travel
agents to visit Punjab and another
batch of about 30 to visit Gujarat.
"These two visits of travel agents
are just the beginning. We intend
to do a lot more," Mr Ong added. The
promotion, which is being jointly
organised in partnership with the
tourism authorities of the two States,
is to see travel agents visiting from
as far away as the US. The airline,
which operates regular flights from
various cities in India including
Delhi and Mumbai, recently launched
operations to Amritsar and Ahmedabad.
"When the airline promotes a destination,
we leverage our global coverage to
ensure that more tourists find it
easier to reach the destination, which
is being promoted," the SIASenior
Vice-President, West Asia and Africa,
Mr Tan Chik Quee, said. "India is
important to us. We hope to grow and
develop the market. The airline is
very optimistic about India and its
economy," Mr Tan said.
Courtesy:
The Hindu Business Line, October 11,
2004
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Maathai's
Indian Connection...
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Her
association with India is nearly two
decades old. She is someone who had
inspired environmentalists here to
think big. Thus, it shouldn't come
as a surprise that many of them are
celebrating that "someone from their
group" has won this year's Nobel Peace
Prize. Ms Wangari Maathai had been
supporting the Indian environment
movement since 1985 and working in
close coordination with activists.
Ms Maathai started Women for Environmental
Development Organisation, which inspired
environmentalists to start people's
movements like Chipko Andolan. Like
all Nobel Peace Prize winners, she
is a firm believer in non-violence
and loves reading about Mahatma Gandhi.
Wedo helped her stay in close contact
with India. Her close associate and
environmentalist Dr Vandana Shiva
recalls, "for over a decade she campaigned
hard to save tropical forests, bringing
about some key changes in rules and
regulation. It was probably the first
global environmental campaign." Her
influence forced many environmentalists
in India to engage school children
even in global issues. Those who have
known her, say, Ms Maathai is a "passionate
and a determined women". "During the
Wedo campaign, she rallied against
powerful groups like World Bank. People
like Ms Maathai even helped us lay
down norms in India to ensure that
the wood which is being used should
come from a sustainable source and
not from cutting down forests. Because
of her a proper certification programme
was launched," said an environmentalist.
In 1995, when Dr Shiva formed Diverse
Women for Diversity - a forum for
cultural and biological diversity
- Ms Maathai became a member of its
Kenyan chapter. Though the Nobel Peace
Prize winner has not visited India
for the past seven years, her ties
with the country remain unbroken.
Her daughter Ms Wanjira Maathai, a
Green Peace activist, spent over a
month at the Bija Vidyapeeth in Ramgarh
to study the Gandhian principles of
non-violence.
Courtesy:
The Statesman, October 11, 2004
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'Think
India, Live British'
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Indian
mantras like putting heart above mind
and EQ over IQ and coupling these
with British traits of punctuality
and quality control made Bill Lall
a millionaire and a peer. "To use
an Indian term," said Lall, "my mantra
is - believe in karma like a good
Indian and also be absolutely perfect
in discipline." The twin combination
changed Dharambir Lall to Lord Bill
Lall of Woodlands, chartered accountant,
civil servant, adviser to the British
government and self-made millionaire.
Lall is currently in India to promote
his second book Rich Man, Happy Man,
a how-to-book on making money without
heartburn. The 200-page book being
published in India by Full Circle
is replete with advice on how to lead
a good life and keep away the anxieties
that come with earning big money.
Lall was the first person from an
ethnic background to be elected chair
of the Newham Chamber of Commerce
and was recently honoured by the University
of East London with an honorary doctorate
in business administration. In 2001
Lall published his first book How
to Grow Rich - And Enjoy Life. He
said times have become far easier
for new entrepreneurs in the West.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 11, 2004
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Petronet
CEO Bags France's Second Highest Civilian
Honour
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French
president, Jacques Chirac, has conferred
the country's second highest civilian
honour, 'Knight of the Order of Merit',
to Suresh Mathur, CEO and managing
director of Petronet LNG Ltd. The
legion of honour was given to Mathur
in recognition of his "leadership
and professional acumen" and for the
role in development of India's first
LNG import terminal at Dahej in Gujarat.
The award was given to Mathur by Dominique
Girard, the Ambassador of France in
India, company officials said. Mathur
is the founding head of Petronet LNG
that built a 5 million tonne per annum
capacity LNG import and regassification
terminal at Dahej. Petronet imports
natural gas in liquefied form in ships
from Qatar and regassifies it before
selling to customers. State refiners,
Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum
Corp Ltd, exploration firm ONGC and
gas utility, GAIL (India) Ltd hold
12.5 per cent each in Petronet LNG,
while Gaz de France, the project consultant,
has 10 per cent stake. Mathur is also
credited with negotiating the world's
lowest price of LNG.
Courtesy:
The Business Standard, October 08,
2004
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Asia's
Biggest Handicraft Fair from Oct 13
in Delhi
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Asia's
biggest handicraft fair beginning
on October 13 in New Delhi will showcase
exquisite Indian handicrafts and gifts
of about 1,500 leading manufacturers.
The five-day event themed "Autumn
2004" will mainly focus on houseware
and eco-friendly products with a spotlight
on the global market, Export Promotion
Council for Handicrafts chairman N
Samdaria said in a statement.
Courtesy:
The Pioneer, October 04, 2004
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Excel
Soft Wins IT-Package Award
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Mysore-based
software services company Excel Soft's
Saras E-learning suite has been adjudged
the runner-up for the best IT package
in the National IT awards 2003-04
conducted by Computer Society of India.
The award was received by Excel Soft
Technologies SBU head M G Dayanidhi
from former Union minister for science
and technology M G K Menon at a function
in New Delhi. The Saras package has
won several awards and accolades,
including the Microsoft-Intel Solution
Builder Award and Computer Society
of India's National IT awards 2003-04
for best packaged application. Over
the last three years, Excel Soft has
penetrated the e-learning market through
its comprehensive product suite Saras,
custom software applications development
and content services. It offers both
on-site and off-site services to its
clientele to help them with high-end
technology solutions. Its clients
include leading international publishers,
universities and business houses.
A few years ago, it took a decision
to increase its focus on international
markets, particularly Europe, West
Asia and Africa. In UK, Saras assessment
engine is rolled out into all the
universities for online evaluation.
Courtesy:
www.business-standard.com, October
04, 2004
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Happy
Birthday, Indian Post Office
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To
mark the completion of 150 years of
Indian Postal Services, President
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister
Dr Manmohan Singh will release a set
of four postage stamps and coins on
Monday. The post offices across the
country are all set to don a new tech-savvy
look with multi-purpose terminals
and a corporate ambience. The celebrations
will begin with the release of the
new set of four commemorative stamps,
each in denominations of Rs 5, by
Dr Kalam and release of a commemorative
coin by Dr Singh. Vijay Bhushan, Director
General Posts and Chairman, Postal
Services Board, said incorporating
technology in post offices is the
top priority of the department. "In
fact, the post offices all over the
country are being modernised to bear
an altogether new look like any corporate
office with multi-purpose counters
and computerised operations. The future
vision is of a socially-committed,
commercially-oriented and technologically-driven
organisation, which can deliver services
to the farthest corner of the country
at affordable prices," Mr Bhushan
said. The post office is universally
recognised as a facilitator of communication.
Though the origin of the postal system
in India dates back to the Mauryan
Age, it was developed into a wide-ranging
network by the British, princely states,
district postal systems and the zamindari
dak. The postal services commenced
with a skeletal network of 701 post
offices under the control of a Director
General on 1st October, 1854. At present,
the postal network has 1,55,000 outlets
in the country, whic | |
