Category Archives: Science & Technology

MU flaunts all new science world

Science & Technology

Many institutions including ISRO showcase their work at the varsity campus

The exhibition put up by the  ISRO, Bharath Electronics Ltd, MCF, KIOCL, National Centre for Ocean Information Sciences, Hyderabad, MRPL and others at the fourth convention of Karnataka Science and Technology Academy held at Mangalore University attracted large crowd consisting of people from all walks of life.

Students from various colleges visited the programme and availed the advantage of gaining the first hand information about the functioning models and the achievement of various organisations.

The Indian Space Research organisations (ISRO) had highlighted its success story in the last four decades of Indian Space Programmes on charts put up at the exhibition. It also displayed models of Chandrayana, GSAT-8, GSLV MK III, ASTRO SAT. All the charts at the stall gave complete details on how the satellite functions and what are the uses of INSAT, a multi-purpose satellite.

Another interesting stall was by Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore which explained the stars, the sun and Indian Astronomical Observatories and others.

While explaining the Indian Astronomical Observatory situated at Hanle in Ladakh, an official from Indian Institute of Astrophysics said it is the world’s highest observatory for optical and infra-red astronomy.

As there is no power in Hanle, 90 kilo watt solar energy is produced in the Observatory to support the power supply. The Indian Astronomical Observatory is the high-altitude station of IIA, situated at an altitude of 4,500 mts above the sea level to the north of Western Himalayas. The cloudless skies and low atmospheric water vapour make it one of the best sites in the world for optical, infrared, sub-millimeter, and millimeter wavelengths, he said.

He said a 2-m optical infrared telescope is installed at the observatory. This telescope is remotely operated from CREST, Hosakote, using dedicated satellite links.

The stall put up by KIOCL had a ‘pig iron’ and iron pellets. Various charts by Bharat Electronics Lit, Bangalore exhibited solar power signals, 3 D Radar used in navy and others.

National Centre for Ocean Information Sciences, Hyderabad had displayed an electronic display board, which displays potential fishing zone in the sea. Using the data of potential fishing zone, the fishermen venture into the sea.

The electronic machine also alerts the fishermen during tsunami.

The Mangalore Chemical Fertilisers (MCF) had array of products meant for farming community as well as the precautionary measures used in the MCF to safeguard the employees. Vision Group of State government, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Marine Product Export Development Authority, Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore, BASF, JSS STEP had also put up their stalls explaining various activities taken up by them.

The mobile exhibition by Vishweshwaraiah Industrial and Technical Museum was another attraction.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Mangalore, January 29th, 2012 / DHNS

Wipro awarded US patent

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, Uncategorized
Bangalore, JAN 30:

Wipro Technologies has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its Statistics Operations Research Matrix (StORM) methodology.

StORM, a system and method for software test suite optimisation, increases the effectiveness of the testing process while reducing the number of test cases.

The company said that StORM can reduce the software test suite by around 30 per cent.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Industry & Economy> Info-Tech / Our Bureau / January 30th, 2012

Strides sells generics business in Australia & Southeast Asia to Watson Pharma for Rs. 1970-cr

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Strides Arcolab Limited has sold 94 per cent shareholding in Ascent Pharmahealth Limited, its subsidiary with operations in Australia and Southeast Asia, to Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  As part of the transaction, Watson also acquired the remaining 6 per cent shareholding associated with Dennis Bastas, CEO of Ascent.  The transaction was signed and closed simultaneously.  The cash offer from Watson values Ascent at an enterprise value of AU$ 375 million which amounts to around Rs. 1970 crore.  After this announcement Strides’ scrip jumped by nearly 16 per cent on BSE and reached at its 52-week high of Rs. 488.80.

Ascent is a top five generic pharmaceutical company in Australia and is present across several countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore where it is the leading generic pharmaceutical company.

Watson is an integrated global specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of generic pharmaceuticals and specialized branded pharmaceutical products focused on Urology and Women’s Health.  Watson has operations in many of the world’s established and growing international markets.

Commenting on the transaction, Arun Kumar, Executive Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Strides Arcolab, said:  “The sale of Ascent is a value enhancing and forward-looking initiative for Strides.  We have been clear about our intention to focus on our highly attractive steriles segment, which we expect to be our growth engine going forward.  The transaction further facilitates the execution of this strategy and unlocks significant value for the Group.  Furthermore, the proceeds from the transaction considerably strengthens our balance sheet.”

Over the last six months, the Strides–Ascent partnership generated significant economic benefit through the transformation of the latter into a vertically integrated generics business with a robust portfolio of marketed and newly developed pipeline products.  In addition, we further expanded the business from its home market in Australia to establish a scalable platform across high-growth emerging markets in Southeast Asia, said the  Strides chief.

“Combining the product portfolios and commercial infrastructures of Ascent, Watson creates a substantial generics business in the region and provides Ascent with a number of new growth opportunities.  We believe that Ascent, its partners, customer and employees across all of its markets will benefit from the continued development under its new owners,”  he added

Paul Bisaro, president and CEO of Watson, said:  “The acquisition of Ascent provides Watson with a successful commercial structure in both Australia and Southeast Asia and a broader pipeline of products to support continued growth.  We are excited to welcome the Ascent employees in Australia and Southeast Asia to our growing global team and anticipate a seamless and rapid integration of the Ascent businesses.”

Jefferies International Limited acted as sole financial advisor to Strides Arcolab.  Middletons, Herbert Smith LLP and DSK Legal acted as legal counsel.

Strides Arcolab, has 13 manufacturing facilities across 5 countries with presence in more than 75 countries in developed and emerging markets.  It is supported  by a 350-scientist team operating out of its global R&D Centre in Bengaluru .

Agila Specialties Private Limited is the specialties unit of Strides Arcolab which was spun off as a separate division post the company’s restructuring in 2009.  It is engaged in the production of oncolytics, penems, pencillins, cephalosporins, ophthalmics, peptides and biosimilars. It  operates from 8 world class global manufacturing facilities, including one of the largest steriles capacity in India and amongst the largest lyophilization (freeze drying) capacities in the world.  Its  marketing network covered 70 countries and it has partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies globally.

source: http://www.PharmaBiz.com /  Home> News> Corporate / Our Bureau, Bangalore / Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Workshop on ‘BioEnergetics and Energy Medicine’

Science & Technology

Mysore: Jan. 21:

Vijay Foundation and Global Alliance on Traditional Health Systems (GA-THS), Mysore have organised an introductory talk and workshop on ‘Bioenergetics and Energy Medicine to enhance our wellness’ at Rotary Centre on JLB Road in city.

A free introductory talk will be held on Jan. 23 at 6.30 pm and the workshop will be held on Jan. 24 from 10 am to 1 pm. CEOs and HODs of hospitals /nursing homes, medical practitioners, pranic healers, holistic ther-apists, yoga masters and others in related disciplines can participate.

Dr. Krishna Madappa, Co-founder, Institute for Science, Spirituality and Sustainablity, USA, Dr. T.M. Srinivasan, Dean, Sri Vivekananda Yoga Anusan-dhana Samsthana, Bangalore and Dr. B.R. Pai, Managing Trustee, Vijay Foundation, will be the speakers. For details contact, Vijay Foundation, # 429, Hebbal Industrial Area, Mysore-570026 or call Ph: 2412284.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / January 21st, 2011

 

Nannies Goat Milk launched in Bangalore and Mumbai

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Udupi, Karnataka :

Launched by Nadur Goat Farms based in Udupi, Goat Milk is now available across several supermarkets across Bangalore and Mumbai in conveniently sized packs of 500 ml.

Nannies Goat Milk , 500 ml package

Easily among the oldest known health foods and high up the list of easily digestible dairy products, Goat Milk makes a comeback in India. Launched by Nadur Goat Farms based in Udupi, Goat Milk is now available across several supermarkets across Bangalore and Mumbai in conveniently sized packs of 500 ml.

Goat Milk from Nadur Goat Farms comes from healthy goats, raised in the stall-fed method- a unique and superior method of raising goats for dairy purposes. Goats raised in this method are fed a balanced mix of nutrients as per their daily requirements and are kept in specially designed stalls which ensure that the goats are healthy and clean, while producing odourless milk. Every goat is checked before it is milked to ensure that it is healthy; the milk then is instantly pasteurised, chilled and packed in 500ml. pillow pouch packets and transported through highly efficient cold chains. The purity, taste and natural nutritional value of the milk, is checked for at every stage of packaging and stringent standards are maintained to ensure the milk that is available on the shelves are of the highest quality. Goat Milk from Nadur Goat Farm is 100% pure and farm fresh without any traces of additives or preservatives.

Talking on the significance of launch, Stephen Kairanna, Director Nadur Goat Farmsopined “Nadur Goat Farms is all about bringing back one among the most revered dairy foods ever in an easily accessible and convenient form. Goat milk has since generations proven itself as a healthy food with multiple benefits and very high levels of nutrition all the while being very quickly digestible. With the launch of our Goat Milk in Bangalore and soon in other cities across India, we aim to take the promise of good health to the busy urbanite with hardly any access to the myriad benefits of fresh Goat Milk.”

source: http://www.indiaprwire.com / PR> Food & Beverages> New Products/Services / January 07th, 2012

 

Med school first step in Shetty project

Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology, Uncategorized, World Opinion

Dr. Shetty

Cardiologist Dr. Devi Shetty plans to partner with a local educational institution to open a medical school this year in Cayman as part of his medical facility.

Dr. Shetty, who was in Cayman for four days this week to meet government officials and local partners, also revealed that the first phase of the hospital project was expected to break ground in August this year.

“It is our plan to work with a current local institution to get [the medical school] going quicker… In the [initial] plan, the medical school was not supposed to start till the third or fourth year. We decided to expedite that,” explained local partner Gene Thompson.

The medical school will be based within an existing building at a local institution. Dr. Shetty declined to identify which local institution he was partnering with, saying the deal had not yet been “tied down”.

Dr. A. Raghuvanshi, managing director of Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals, the group behind the proposed project, said: “By the end of this year, the coming academic year, we should start a medical school that will take about 100 students.”

Dr. Shetty said about 700 students graduated in Cayman every year, only one or two of whom opt to take medical courses after leaving school. He said that if there were a medical school on the island where they could train as doctors, nurses or technicians, one in seven graduates would go into the medical field,

“Healthcare jobs are the only recession-proof jobs,” he said, adding that in recent years, the only industry that created jobs was the healthcare sector. “Currently there is a shortage of three to four million jobs in the healthcare sector,” he said.

“No country should depend on foreign medical specialists to look after healthcare in their country. It is very important that the Cayman government and Cayman people train adequate numbers of doctors, nurses and technicians to look after their own healthcare,” Dr. Shetty added.

The hospital project, officially called the Narayana Cayman University Medical Centre, is slated to be built at the High Rock area of East End, where the Shetty group has bought 200 acres of a 600-acre site. The hospital, its associated assisted living facility and research centre will be built on the 200 acres, while related infrastructure, such as a hotel, will be built by Joseph Imparato, who sold the land to the Shetty group and who still owns the adjacent 400 acres.

The initial phase of the project involves the establishment of a 140-bed hospital, which if all going to schedule, should start accepting its first patients in August 2013, Dr. Shetty told reporters at a briefing Friday, 6 January, shortly before flying off island.

source: http://www.CompassCayman.com / by Norma Conolly,  norma@cfg.ky / January 06th, 2012

One self-made Indian woman can reform healthcare: The New Yorker

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Science & Technology

New York:

Amid concerns about runaway health spending, American industry leaders have said the world can find inspiration in India’s ability to provide low-cost medical innovation. Almost on cue, The New Yorker has a big profile of Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of Biocon, India’s first and largest biotech company, started in 1978. The piece asks the question “Can one self-made woman reform health care for India, and the world?”

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of Biocon, India’s first and largest biotech company, started in 1978.  Reuters.

It cites her company’s work on diseases that are prevalent in countries like India, and also her philanthropic work to bring health care to the poor. Since 1996, Biocon has been developing its own drugs, in addition to generics. Biocon produces drugs for cancer, diabetes and auto-immune diseases.

“I would love to see one of our novel drugs make it big with the ‘Made in India’ label,” Mazumdar-Shaw, who at 25 created a biotech company by working out of the garage of a rented one-bedroom house in Bangalore,  told The New Yorker’s Ariel Levy.

Never mind that no one in the ’70s knew what biotech was, that she is a woman and that backers were hard to come by because of these two points. Today, Mazumdar-Shaw’s Biocon is a $1 billion operation.

Most importantly, it is in stage-three clinical trials for both a cancer treatment drug and a variety of insulin that can be taken orally, a product that has long been the global pharmaceutical industry’s “holy grail,” said the US magazine.

“I grew up being apologetic about India,” Mazumdar-Shaw told Forbes. “I felt a strong urge in me to create something that would be a piece of the new India. I did not want the new generation to feel apologetic.”

Well, India is far from apologetic about Mazumdar-Shaw’s Biocon Park which sits on a verdant 90-acre campus in Bangalore and houses some 5,000 molecular biologists, technicians and employees. At the entrance is an enormous sculpture of a double helix with the words “Recombinant Revolution” on the base.

Mazumdar-Shaw works a few doors down from her husband, John Shaw, who became Biocon’s vice chairman in 2001, three years after the couple married. John Shaw, who grew up in Scotland, came to Bangalore in 1991 as chairman of Madura Coats Ltd.

Mazumdar-Shaw told the magazine that she thinks of her husband as a “very secure person” who is comfortable in his role. “After we got married,” John Shaw told The New Yorker “we sat down and Kiran said, ‘Now, John. You’ve got a career in the textile industry. I’ve got a career in the biotech industry. One of us has to give up our career, and it’s not me.” When he looked at her accounts ledgers, he agreed.

In 2004, Biocon held an initial public offering (IPO), which brought Mazumdar-Shaw’s net worth to half a billion dollars. It is now almost double that, indicated The New Yorker. Not long afterward, she started the Biocon Foundation, to carry out her philanthropic work.

“Although charity is not prevalent among wealthy Indians — they give at about a quarter of the rate of Americans — Mazumdar-Shaw has spent $15 million on her cancer hospital and the Arogya Raksha,” noted The New Yorker.

The magazine highlighted Mazumdar-Shaw’s model for sustaining the 1,400-bed Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Centre in Bangalore which treats poor patients for free or at steep discounts. At the center, the wealthy pay market price for MRIs and other diagnostic procedures, subsidising discounts for the poor.

“At 4 a.m, it’s free, 8 a.m to 5 p.m it is full price, 6 p.m to 10 p.m it’s half price,” Mazumdar-Shaw explained. She said that one-time donations — what she describes as a “turn-on, turn-off mentality” — won’t bring change; the market has to adjust.

What the Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Center is doing is similar to the Madurai-based Aravind Eye Hospital. Deceased management guru CK Prahalad had trumpeted how the Aravind Eye Hospital had created a new hospital business model. Aravind’s founders use a tiered pricing structure that charges wealthier patients more for fancy meals or air-conditioned rooms, letting the firm cross-subsidise free care for the poorest. Aravind rotates its staff at its five hospitals to deal with both paying and non-paying patients so there is no difference in quality.

In addition to starting the Huskur clinic and nine others like it in Karnataka, Shaw-Mazumdar’s Arogya Raksha programme has started a micro-insurance programme and hired local women to go door-to-door offering screening services for oral cancer. Every year, Shaw donates $2 million to support health insurance coverage for 1,00,000 Indian villagers.

“Mazumdar-Shaw has become a national mascot for rectitude,” observed The New Yorker,adding that her company is run with deep “corporate nationalism” — you know there is going to be no tax fiddle. Not surprisingly, Mazumdar-Shaw was one of the first civic-minded Indian business leaders to tweet support for Anna Hazare.

source: http://www.FirstPost.in / by Uttara Choudhury / January 05th, 2012

PM to open Science Congress on Tuesday

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Bhubaneswar, Jan 1 (PTI):

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 99th Indian Science Congress here on Tuesday during which scientists will deliberate on issues like climate change, food security, clean energy and space technology.

The theme of this year’s Science Congress is ‘Science and Technology for Inclusive Innovation – Role of Women’ and will be headed by Geetha Bali, vice chancellor of Karnataka State Women’s University. She is the fourth woman to head the Indian Science Congress.

The five-day Congress would see scientists deliberating on preventing maternal and child mortality, assisted technology for disabled, science and education in rural areas, women in science, water scarcity and security.

While the Children’s Science Congress will be inaugurated by former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Wednesday, India’s Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao, would kick off the Women’s Science Congress on Thursday. The mega event, to be attended by about 20 Nobel laureates, corporate bigwigs, scientists and leaders, is being hosted by Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER).

Some of the focus areas of the Congress are climate change and food security, clean energy from renewable sources, space technology and human welfare, rural livelihood security, nanoscience and nanotechnology and food and nutrition security, according to NISER director T K Chandrashekar. Around one lakh students are likely to participate in the Congress, being held for the second time in Odisha after a gap of 34 years, according to KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta. About 1500 volunteers, including students of KIIT, have been engaged for smooth conduct of the Congress. The venue of the Congress has a capacity to accommodate 20,000 people.

Near the main Congress venue, an “Odishi Mandap” has been prepared to showcase the rich cultural heritage, art, history and traditions of the state.

The prestigious UNESCO-Kalinga award would be presented during the ISC while a science film festival would also be organised during the mega event.

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / PTI / January 01st, 2012

City’s Agri Scientist bags ‘Best Science Communicator’ Award

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, Uncategorized

Mysore, Dec.30:


City-based agriculture scientist Dr. Vasanth Kumar Thimakapura has been selected for the “Best Science Communicator Award” by the Vision Group on Science Technology, Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology, Science & Technology, Govt. of Karnataka.

The award comprises a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and a citation which will be presented by Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda at Bangalore soon.

Dr. Vasanth Kumar is a well- known agriculture scientist, teacher and science writer. He has penned many popular science articles in both Kannada and English and published in many leading magazines in order to promote science.

He also delivers scientific lectures in schools and colleges to enthuse the students to pursue basic and applied science research. He gives talks in AIR and Doordarshan on various aspects of science and agriculture.

He is a successful and popular communicator among the farmers and conducts free training programmes at village level on a regular basis. Dr. Vasanth has produced a video film on “Scientific Nursery Management in Tobacco” and telecast it through local cable TV to reach the scientific methods to the farmers at their doorsteps. He has saved the damaged crops of poor farmers on several occasions, at his own cost. He is also the recipient of “Agricultural Extension Service Award” of Indian Phytopathological Society, Delhi.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / December 30th, 2011

 

Infosys BPO buys Australia-based Portland Group for AUD 37 mn

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bangalore:

Infosys BPO, the back office subsidiary of Infosys, has acquired Australia-based sourcing and category management services firm Portland Group. The A$37-million all-cash deal is expected to be completed by early January 2012.

According to Infosys, which has often been criticised by analysts and industry watchers for not being aggressive on acquisitions despite sitting on almost $4 billion of cash, the deal will help it establish presence in the Australian market with more offerings in the value-added segment

“The deal will essentially enable us to have a reach into the Australian market. It will enhance our sourcing and procurement capabilities. Infosys’ focus has always been on value-added services and this will add to it,” Swamithan D, CEO and MD of Infosys BPO, told ET.

Portland Group has over 100 employees with a reported revenue of approximately A$31.3 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011. “Portland Group has over 100 procurement specialists with domain expertise and some 40-odd clients. None of them is our clients as of now. The deal will certainly help us intensify our service offerings and take sourcing and procurement functions to a higher level,” he added.

The acquisition is expected to start contributing to Infosys revenue by next quarter. The country’s second-largest IT services firm is seeing a greater role for its BPO business as it transforms itself from an IT services firm to a business solutions firm. According to the company’s executive co-chairman, S Gopalakrishnan, BPO is now leading the sales in many of its new wins where earlier it would have been bundled along with IT services.

Infosys’ BPO business is set to hit the $500-million-mark in revenue this year. “For Infosys, only 7% of business comes from BPO services. But I see that as an opportunity. Traditionally you would have thought that BPO comes later.

But now BPO is leading the sale and everything else gets pooled to BPO,” Gopalakrishnan told ET in an interview last month. According to him, BPO is also gaining prominence as IT services firms move to platforms which have some amount of business processes embedded in them.

Since October, the company has added incentives to its technology sales team if they are able to sell the BPO business as well. So far Infosys’ technology sales team was only responsible for selling IT services.

The last acquisition that Infosys made was also in the BPO business. In 2009, it acquired the US-based McGamish Systems to expand its presence in the insurance and financial services sector. The company signed a $250-million deal with Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands and acquired three shared service centres located in India, Poland and Thailand from Philips in 2007.

Portland Group CEO Galvin Solsky said Infosys will provide Portland’s clients with a highly compelling proposition that does not currently exist in the Australian market. “It (the deal) will allow us to offer our clients a truly integrated and globally competitive solution to deliver procurement benefits in the most effective and efficient way possible,” he said in a press statement. Infosys closed down 0.25% at Rs 2,667.35 on the BSE on Tuesday.

source: http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/ The Economic Times / Home> Tech> ITeS / ET Bureau / December 21st, 2011