Category Archives: Business & Economy

Amazon takes kirana route to deliver goods

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Bangalore :

E-commerce giant Amazon, whose founder and CEO Jeff Bezos recently spoke of the possibility of drones dropping goods to US homes in the near future, is embracing the neighbourhood kirana  store to push the delivery advantage in India.

This week in Bangalore, Amazon, in what’s a first in India, started piloting the concept of enlisting kiranas as delivery points. The move can help it overcome the problem of failed deliveries, a pain point for most e-tailers globally, making the last-mile logistics less complicated.

“We are continually innovating to find solutions that enhance convenience and experience for our customers. We are running a pilot for in-store pick-up service in Bangalore. We have identified and trained staff at small kiosks and stores, run by individual entrepreneurs, to be our shipment pick-up points,” Amazon India country head Amit Agarwal told TOI last week.

What is significant is how — unlike Indian organized retailers like Big Bazaar who have traditionally been pitted against mom-and-pop stores — this move from Amazon will help create a hybrid model where online players leverage corner shops to boost customer convenience.

“Depending on the results, we will take a call on how and what we want to roll out nationally at an appropriate time,” Agarwal said. Amazon will pay a fee to these smaller brick-and-mortar retailers, but the world’s largest online retailer did not give details of its financial arrangement with the offline stores.

The project is an indigenous improvisation on Amazon Lockers, which the company operates in the US and some other markets. Amazon Lockers act as self-delivery locations to pick up parcels from. “We want to be inventive in executing our global strategy locally. We have a team of passionate builders in India,” said Agarwal, who has had a 15-year career with the Seattle-based Amazon, including a stint as executive assistant to the much storied Bezos.

The India head of the $75-billion internet giant, which started off by selling books two decades ago, said the domestic e-commerce market “is still in its early days” and possibly some of the present bigger names wouldn’t exist in the future. Amazon is turning the heat on incumbent market leaders like Flipkart and Snapdeal with its trademark aggression focused on customer convenience, lower prices and a gargantuan collection. Both Flipkart and Snapdeal, which operate on the same marketplace model like Amazon, are well-funded by VCs and strategic players like eBay. The Indian e-commerce market, estimated at $2 billion at present, is expected to grow to $8.5 billion by 2016, according to projections by venture fund Accel Partners.

“The India operation is one of the fastest build-outs for Amazon globally—in terms of selection, sellers, traffic and even mass media advertising,” Agarwal said. Amazon has been particularly sharp-focused on its one-day delivery in top 20 cities and recently introduced a ‘scheduled delivery’ programme for high-value products like televisions.

It entered India ten months ago with a marketplace model since Indian laws place restrictions on foreign investments in multi-brand retail. It had earlier tied up with India Post Services to leverage the government postal system’s extensive reach. “We use IPS for over 19,000 pin codes through 1,40,000 post offices across all 35 states and Union Territories in India. The number of deliveries through India Post has increased from 800 last June to over 10,000 by March this year,” Agarwal said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Business> India Business / by Samidha Sharma & Boby Kurian, TNN / April 24th, 2014

Rapid urbanisation compels GI Tag for ‘ Erangere Badane ’

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

ErangereBrinjalsBF28apr2014

Mysore :

Erangere badane, a thin and long brinjal variety, once cultivated at Erangere village in the taluk and hence having derived its name from the same, is no longer grown at Erangere due to rapid urbanisation. Only a few farmers in villages around Mysore continue to cultivate this variety, but in smaller quantities.

In this backdrop, the State Department of Horticulture has approached the Geographical Indications Registry, under the Controller-General of Patents Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), seeking Geographical Indication (GI) status for ‘Erangere Badane,’ an exclusive of Mysore.

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (for example, a town, region, or country). The use of a GI may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.

When SOM contacted Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture (State), M.S. Raju, he said that the Department had sought GI tag for Erangere Badane. It had applied for it four months ago and the issue was before the CGPDTM (GI Registry), Chennai. “GI Registry officials are expected to conduct an inspection and collect information on this variety, including its genesis and other details, before processing the application. A presentation will be made by the higher authorities of the State Dept. on the need for granting GI tag for this variety of brinjal,” Raju added.

Stating that this once indigenous brinjal variety was on the verge of extinction, Raju said there is a need to conserve it for future generations. “GI tag will help us in promoting its cultivation and giving a new lease of life for the dying crop,” he reiterated.

Also, the State Horticulture Dept. has created a seed multiplication facility of Erangere Badane at its nursery at Kukkarhalli Lake premises to boost the cultivation and also help establish a ‘repository of seeds.’ Here, Erangere Badane is grown on half-acre plot and its seedlings are distributed among interested farmers and others to boost its cultivation, Raju said.

Erangere Badane’s supply is limited as only very few farmers are cultivating it. Among the farmers growing this brinjal variety, Mellahalli on Bannur Road is in the forefront.

Erangere Badane is presently available at Devaraja Market and its price ranges from Rs. 30 to 40 a kg.

“All efforts would be made to encourage farmers to take up cultivation of Erangere Badane and preserve its seeds,” M.S. Raju said.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 22nd, 2014

The old world charm

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

PuttannaBF26apr2014

When a 140-year-old quaint and beautiful house near Lalbagh was passed down to City-based designer Latha Puttanna’s husband, she didn’t give up the opportunity to create a retail space for her brand Shrishti.

Having been in the industry for the past 23 years, she decided to forego her previous business model of exhibitions and orders and worked with two interior designers to spruce up the heritage home.

“Siddapura used to be a village and S Kempanna, who built this house, was the Patel (head). He was from my husband’s paternal lineage and it’s now been passed down to the fifth generation. It’s sad not to utilise old homes like this, so I decided to start an in-house manufacturing and design unit here.

But seeing the rising demand for retailing, I opened it as my flagship Bangalore store last year. I’ve tried to keep it modern but with a vintage touch,” shares Latha, elaborating that though the old tiles, well and courtyard have been retained, objects like antique mirrors and cupboards have been added to enhance the look.

Asked how the place makes her feel, Latha replies, “I’m very sentimental as a person and the old-world charm of this house complements the clothes I design, which largely work with the revival of dying techniques like ajrak, kalamkari and ikat. And it isn’t only me — when visitors come down the street and find the store, they are instantly charmed by it.”

Shrishti includes a range of exquisite saris, blouses, kurtis, churidars, salwars and Indo-Western wear in various cuts, styles and colours.

It is located at 102, 2nd Cross, Lalbagh, Siddapura.

For details, call 26567349.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Metrolife / DHNS – Bangalore, April 19th, 2014

An awesome fashion show by Lissome models

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Actor Bhuvan Ponnanna and Harshika Poonacha walk the ramp along with designer Jayanthi Ballal in city last evening.
Actor Bhuvan Ponnanna and Harshika Poonacha walk the ramp along with designer Jayanthi Ballal in city last evening.

Mysore :

The sharp showers last evening did not deter the enthusiasm of fashion lovers who gathered at Jayachamarajendra Golf Club here yesterday to witness the fashion show organised jointly by Fashion Designer Jayanthi Ballal and Country Inn.

The catwalk and sashaying of lissome models was delectable to watch. The combination of male and female models attired in black dress received a good applause by the discerning gathering of fashion lovers of city.

The star attraction of the show was actor Harshika Poonacha and Bhuvan Ponnanna who came on the ramp together. The models comprised college students from city and Bangalore.

Most of the fashion shows usually play western tunes to enthuse the models during catwalk. To beat the monotony, old Hindi songs were played during the ramp show to arrive at a new trend without compromising on glamour and glitter.

Speaking on the occasion, Harshika opined that compared to Hollywood and Bollywood, a good platform was rarely available in the South for fashion shows despite the presence of promising models here. She commended Jayanthi Ballal in hosting a good show opening vistas for upcoming models.

Addressing the gathering, Jayanthi said that she has been arranging fashion shows for the last three years in city to provide a platform for budding models and fashion designers. However, she opined that the people of city were still a bit conservative and situation should improve gradually. She said that it was heartening that some parents were willingly encouraging their children to participate in fashion shows. She reiterated that it was a wrong notion that modelling and fashion shows would drive youngsters astray.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 20th, 2014

Theng Ravi – A magnificient coconut plucker and a fine stage artiste

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment

ThengRaviBF21apr2014

by Phalgunn Maharishi

Marakke naanu hedralla buddhi! Ave nange hedrathve” (I am not afraid of trees Sir! But they are afraid of me), is what one would frequently hear from Ravi, a young lad of 27 years, who comes all the way from Kalanhundi village of Chamarajnagar district to Mysore every day early in the morning and work in the city plucking tender coconuts from trees, gardening, washing vehicles, cleaning homes and also driving cars when needed.

Truly, a multi-faceted personality is what best describes Ravi who is popularly known among his regular customers as “Theng Ravi” (Coconut Ravi). He climbs nearly 80 trees every day to pluck tender coconuts. He has a long list of regular customers in Mysore and some in Bangalore too who wait for him to get tender coconuts plucked from their trees.

While speaking about when and how he entered into the profession, Ravi said, “I was in my 7th grade when I had come out of the exam hall with a blank answer sheet making a firm decision of quitting my studies. My parents then started forcing me to learn something to lead my life and hence, I learnt what my father was doing.” Yes! Ravi’s father was in the same profession; plucking tender coconuts and selling them. But Ravi is for sure a hand more than his father!

Ravi started climbing trees when he was just 15 years. He cannot read and write, yet his style of picking the phone and talking with his customers in Kannada with some English words added here and there, fixing appointments, working on first come-first serve basis and finally postponing some of his works for a day or two due to insufficient time, surely makes our lower jaws go lower! A person hailing from a village without education managing his profession so neatly in cities like Mysore and Bangalore is something really applaudable.

But that’s not it for Ravi. From his hard earned money through his profession, Ravi has recently joined hands with his friend and started agriculture in a five acre land on contract basis near the borders of Tamil Nadu. Ravi also helps his father Basavanna in cultivating their ancestral property near Kalanhundi village. Ravi is married to a supportive wife and blessed with a daughter recently. He has enough from his ancestors to lead his life peacefully, yet he believes in sweating hard and earning bread for himself and his family.

“Eight years ago, I came to Mysore for the first time to find some work. I had then turned my back with an empty hand and a sad face and started stepping towards the railway station. But then, a person from Ashokpuram approached me to pluck coconuts from a tree in his home. Later on, my profession slowly developed as days passed and today, a big list of my regular customers has been developed!”, commented Ravi while explaining his experiences when he started his work in the city. He then added, “Now people call me to fix their taps, clean their sumps and compounds, drive their cars, paint walls, cementing floors, along with plucking tender coconuts. They have made me an ALL-IN-ONE. And I am happy.”

Ravi is not just a magnificent worker who pours his sweat in the hot sun but also a fine artiste on stage who entertains residents of his village and the nearby people. He owes his talent of acting to his Guru, Shri Shivakumara Swamy of his village, with whom he has joined hands from 2007. Ravi, along with the group ‘Sri Basaveshwara Kala Sangha,’ has staged plays in front of thousands of villagers. He has acted as an antagonist in plays like Bhoomi Thookada Hennu and Thande Thaayi Aththige to name a few.

“I act in theatre because it is a refreshment which blows away my worries and headaches which I face whole day climbing trees and plucking tender coconuts in the hot sun. I enjoy entertaining the viewers,” said Ravi while speaking about his hobby of acting in theatre. He also added, “We are a group of twelve people who are from various professions who join together with our Guruji, select a novel and practice it for nearly two months and then present it in front of the people in our villages. A big gathering can be seen who enjoy our acts.”

Ravi even commented that he, along with his group mates, bares expenditures of the shows they act and present and the only returns they get is through the desired amount given to them by the viewers. Such hard working village people like Theng Ravi who are trying to keep alive the art of theatre acting even in their villages are in need of more encouragement by the people and the government.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles  / April 15th, 2014

Bengaluru, India Hotel Recognized at Hotel Investment Conference South Asia

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Bengaluru , INDIA :

Though it’s the first Fairfield Inn to open in Asia Pacific, this Bangalore business hotel  has already made quite an impression. At the 10th Annual Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA), the Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar was named Best Mid-Market/Budget Hotel Opening, beating out three other well-known hotel brands for the title.

The annual conference, held April 2nd and 3rd, brings together influential decision-makers from the industry for meetings, networking and collaboration, and also honors new hotels that opened in the region within the last year.

To win the prestigious Best Mid-Market/Budget Hotel Opening award, this premium Bengaluru hotel  was evaluated on development cost, construction tenure, TripAdvisor ratings, location (access, visibility and proximity to demand), façade and public areas, guest rooms (interiors, design and amenities), food and beverage, facilities (spa, retail and entertainment), corporate social responsibility and judges’ discretion. This year’s judges included Cyril Jacob, Managing Director of Archetype Group; Manav Thadani, MRICS, Chairman – South Asia HVS; Ravish Swarup, Chief Executive Officer of Praxis Services; Ritu Bhatia Kler, Managing Director Total Integrated Design; Uttam Dave, industry expert; and Vinapy Gupta, VP Asset Management at SAMHI Smart Hotel Investments.

This extended-stay Bangalore hotel took the top spot in all categories with its contemporary, stylish interior, business-friendly in-room amenities, all-day dining restaurant Kava and modern fitness center.

In addition to the awards, the event included a full agenda of panels and seminars, with breaks for networking. Popular sessions included the Role of Social Media and Technology-Based Innovations; Big Data: The Next Frontier for Innovation, Competition and Productivity; How to Solve Development Woes; Business of Leisure, Wellness and Luxury; and More Than a One Night Stand (Extended Stay).

About the Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar
When the Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar first opened, it broke ground in more ways than one. The hotel is the first from the brand to open in Asia Pacific, and offers a unique blend of contemporary style and warmth.

source: http://www.digitaljournal.com / Digital Journal / Home> Press Release> Marketwired / Bengaluru – April 10th, 2014

Ed Hardy opens first store in Bangalore

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion

Apparel brand Ed Hardy brought to India by Arvind Lifestyle Brands has opened its first store at Forum Mall, Koramangala, Bangalore. The new store is spread over 940 square foot, offering men’s wear across various categories including T-shirts, jeans, trousers and shorts, with a new women’s wear range to be launched in the near future.

Typically grunge yet highly fashion forward, the collection at the Ed Hardy store reflects its creator’s journey from an artist to a tattoo pioneer and to popular brands. The collection boasts of bold designs accompanied by the bright solid colours.

After acquiring India operations of three major international apparel brands Debenhams, Next and Nautica, Arvind had signaled its strategy to grow big in the organised apparel market. Arvind Lifestyle Brands, subsidiary of Arvind, which already has an impressive brand line-up comprising Tommy Hilfiger, US Polo Assn, Elle, Geoffrey Beene, Arrow among others, acquiring the business operations of Debenhams has also paved a way for it into the department store segment.

The company has a presence in 950 stores. Around 200 of these are Megamart, 130 are Arvind Store and the rest are spread across other brands. Plans are in place to open 200-250 stores every year in metros and smaller cities.

source: http://www.fashionunited.in / Fashion United / Home / Friday – April 11th, 2014

World’s first startup hotline debuts in Bangalore

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Bangalore :

In a first, Microsoft Ventures in India has launched a hotline for entrepreneurs to get real-time professional advice on their business and technical queries.

A team of 4 professionals trained by Microsoft will staff JumpStart who will address queries related to accounting and taxation, legal, understanding term sheets and technology. Startup queries will be routed to a team of experts who will offer necessary interventions within 48 hours. The toll free number –1(800) 200-2114 -is open to entrepreneurs during business hours from Monday through Friday and supports Hindi and English languages to begin with. Microsoft Ventures is expecting 15-20 calls in the first few days that the number could gradually go up to 500-1,000 calls a month.

Kattayil Rajinish Menon, director, Microsoft Ventures in India, said, “Sometimes answering even simple questions about how to get started or which service provider to contact can really help startups avoid delays and cost overruns. While JumpStart cannot promise the success of a startup’s business, it can definitely help by educating entrepreneurs how to get started quickly by providing information on the vast resources available today.”

Microsoft Ventures has mapped all the states in India to provide local assistance by partnering with pointspersons at the district level to process queries coming from tier 2 and 3 regions. These could be lawyers, accountants and company secretaries identified in each district. “Our experience has shown that a major pain point for startups across the ecosystem in India, irrespective of their stage of maturity, is the lack of real-time support for various critical queries they face. JumpStart fills a major gap and ensures that startups get professional advice that enables them to make smart business decisions,” said Joseph Landes, general manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism in Microsoft India.

Srivatsa Krishna, secretary in the IT, biotechnology, science & technology in the Karnataka government, said this service will also be available shortly through the Karnataka new mobile governance system MobileOne Platform.

Ravi Gururaj, chairman of Nasscom Product Council, said, “Microsoft Ventures has identified this challenge that startups face, and taken concrete steps to address it, through JumpStart. It is an excellent initiative to get some support and start off quickly and efficiently. I urge everyone to take advantage of this facility.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore / Shilpa Phadnis, TNN / April 11th, 2014

Infosys Leads 5 Indian Projects Shortlisted For Green Oscars

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

London :

IT giant Infosys leads five Indian clean energy projects that have been shortlisted for the annual Ashden Awards, referred to as the Green Oscars, here Wednesday.

The awards recognize worldwide contributions towards green energy initiatives and a move away from fossil fuels.

Infosys has been nominated in the ‘Ashden Award for Sustainable Buildings’ category for the Bangalore-based company’s cutting edge design of new buildings which helps keep offices cooler and maximizes natural light.
“Since 2008, global IT giant Infosys has cut more than $ 80 million from its energy bills and reduced electricity consumption per staff member by 44 percent. Its success lies in seizing every opportunity to reduce energy consumption in its existing buildings — from reducing the size of chiller plants for air conditioning, to painting roofs white so they reflect the heat,” reads the award nomination statement.

The other finalists include two projects from Maharashtra — Sakhi Unique Rural Enterprise (SURE) and Greenway Grameen — which have been nominated in the ‘Ashden Clean Energy for Women and Girls Award’ category.

SURE is a not-for-profit social enterprise in central Maharashtra that has selected, trained and supported more than 600 women micro-entrepreneurs to sell clean energy products like solar lanterns and cleaner cookstoves to other women.

Mumbai-based Greenway Grameen’s mission is to provide an affordable, desirable cookstove to improve quality of life for Indian women.

The Rajasthan Horticulture Development Society has been shortlisted for the ‘USAID Ashden Energy for Agriculture Award’ for its solar-powered water pump project and Mera Gao Power from Uttar Pradesh has been nominated in the ‘Citi Ashden Award for Innovation in Finance’ category for pioneering the use of unsubsidised commercial micro grids, which have so far connected more than 20,000 families to clean, affordable power.

“India is a hotbed of innovation in sustainable energy: from social enterprises that are meeting the energy needs of some of the poorest people in the country, to an IT giant that’s achieving staggering energy savings across all its business campuses.

“Together all five organizations are leading examples of what can be achieved. The rest of the world should take note,” said Ashden Awards founder Sarah Butler-Sloss.

A total of 14 Ashden Award winners will be announced at a gala ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London on May 22.

Winners will receive up to 40,000 pounds and global recognition as one of 2014’s green energy leaders.

source: http://www.siliconindia.com / Silicon India News / Home> News> Enterprise / Wednesday – April 09th, 2014

Climbing areca tree, made easy

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

 

MK Kiran of Shimoga district, a farmer who devised the arecanut tree climbing implement, demonstrating it at Peruvai Village in Dakshina Kannada district recently / Photo: AJ Vinayak / The Hindu
MK Kiran of Shimoga district, a farmer who devised the arecanut tree climbing implement, demonstrating it at Peruvai Village in Dakshina Kannada district recently / Photo: AJ Vinayak / The Hindu

Mangalore :

The shortage of labour is a common problem among farmers.

Crops such as arecanut require skilled persons to climb the trees to pluck arecanut bunches from the plant.

What if any member of the farmer’s family can climb the tree? That is what MK Kiran (30), a farmer from Mallesara village in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district, has devised.

Kiran demonstrated an arecanut tree-climbing implement at a plantation of farmer Anantharamakrishna at Peruvai village in Dakshina Kannada district recently.

Kiran told Business Line that the prototype of arecanut tree-climber has been developed under the guidance of DN Venkat of Coimbatore.

Venkat has devised a climber for climbing coconut trees, he said.

Two steel frames, rubber bushes and ropes are the main parts of the arecanut tree-climber.

The basic principle is just like climbing an arecanut tree manually.

First, the steel frames are latched on to the tree trunk – one at the waist level of the person climbing the tree and the other on the ground. The person climbing the tree will have to sit on the frame at the waist-level and will have to pull up the frame at the ground level using his/her feet. Once the process is over, the person has to stand on the lower frame and pull up the upper frame further. These processes will continue till the person reaches the top.

To a query on the chances of these frames slipping, he said the rubber bushes inside the frames tightly hold them to the tree. The two frames are connected by rope or belt.

He has been working on this project for the past four years.

Stating that he had to face failures many a times, Kiran said he did not give up in spite of that. He has around 2-3 tonnes of scrap materials from this project at his home in Thirthahalli, he said.

This farm implement weighs around 6.5-7 kg and cost is around ₹10,500.

Kiran said that he climbed the prototype first.

“When I found it is safe for me, my mother and wife tried it. When I got their feedback that even they can climb the tree with ease, I ventured out to promote this implement,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Markets> Commodities / by A J Vinayak / Bangalore – April 10th, 2014