Category Archives: Science & Technology

Meet top entrepreneurs, CEOs, PE, VC & angel investors at VCCircle Hyderabad Investment Forum on Oct 11

Business & Economy, Leaders, Science & Technology

After the successful first edition, the 2nd edition of VCCircle’s Hyderabad Investment Forum will capture and identify the emerging sectors and the entrepreneurs who will redefine and lead the industrial scenario of Andhra Pradesh in the coming years. The event will be held at ISB Campus in Hyderabad on October 11.

Hyderabad, dubbed as Cyberabad in the recent years, has evolved into India’s bulk drug capital or MFI capital or EPC capital. Formerly an agriculture economy, the city is now witnessing the emergence of high quality businesses in IT, healthcare and education sectors. At the same time, the native penchant for construction and contracting continues at the same pace.

The VCCircle summit will discuss key issues impacting the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Andhra Pradesh and will also highlight the attractive opportunities which may surface in the coming years. The panel discussions will bring valuable insights in areas ranging from discovering the entrepreneurial DNA of the state to identifying the sectors and stages that appeal to the investors.

Our sector-focused panels on infrastructure, healthcare and emerging tech themes, such as digital content, e-commerce, SaaS and mobile, will map the opportunities for entrepreneurship and investments in the near future. The forum will also feature two inspiring accounts by entrepreneurs on how they started up, raised funding and scaled up – real-life tales that redefined the spirit of entrepreneurship in the state.

For those seeking capital, we have special VCCircle Lounge sessions where we connect handpicked companies with India’s topmost private equity and venture capital investors. Some of the key speakers at the summit are:

Richard B. Saldanha – Executive Director, Blackstone
Aluri Srinivasa Rao – MD, Morgan Stanley Private Equity
Devendra Surana – MD, Bhagyanagar India Ltd
Raja Kumar – CEO, Ascent Capital
Karthee Madasamy – MD, Qualcomm Ventures
Dr N. Krishna Reddy – CEO, Care Hospitals Group
Parag Dhol – MD, Inventus Capital Partners
Gopal Srinivasan – Chairman & MD, TVS Capital Funds
Raj Seelam – MD, Sresta Natural Bioproducts Pvt Ltd
Ranjith Boyanapalli – Founder & CEO, BuyThePrice.com
Sateesh Andra – Managing Partner, Ventureast Tenet Fund
Sandeep Reddy – MD, Peepul Capital Advisors
Santanu Paul – MD & CEO, TalentSprint
Sudesh Menon – CEO, Waterlife India Pvt Ltd
Suresh Chukkapalli – Founder & Chairman, Phoenix Group
Vamshi Reddy – Co-founder & CEO, Apalya Technologies
Varma Rudraraju – Founder & CEO, Aizant
Vikram Vuppala – Founder & CEO, NephroPlus
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy – MD, Citadel Research and Solution Ltd
… and many more are joining.

If you are interested in attending the event, please write to us at register@vccircle.com

source: http://www.techcircle.vccircle.com / Home> Announcement / September 28th, 2012 / Team TC

 

Rare lung transplant performed at Secunderabad hospital

Amazing Feats, Science & Technology

A rare lung transplant, the third of its kind in the country, was performed at a Secunderabad-based hospital near here.

Doctors at Yashodha Hospital successfully operated upon the lungs of a 34-year-old woman from Pune, who was suffering from interstitial fibrosis, a critical condition where lungs become stiff, blocking passage of oxygen into blood.

The hospital’s team comprising chief cardiothoracic transplant and minimal access surgeon AGK Gokhale and senior consultant anesthetist Subramanyam performed the 14-hour long surgery.

Doctors treating her in Mumbai had suggested a lung transplant, as both her lungs were damaged.

The decision to conduct a surgery was taken after family members of the brain-dead patient, who had been bed ridden for several months and was dependent on external supply of oxygen, agreed to donate the organ.

The patient has been doing well since the transplant, though she will be under observation for another three to six months.

source: http://www.Business-Standard.com / Home> General News / Press Trust of India / Hyderabad, September 21st, 2012

Hyderabad: Single-seater aircraft for just Rs 1 lakh

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Hyderabad:

Students of mechanical engineering at the Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology have designed and fabricated an aircraft that can be used for commuting within the city, in what is called an effort to solve traffic problems in the city. Made with a budget of about Rs 1 lakh, the single-seater can take off with a short run up of about 100 meters at a cruising speed of 50 to 60 kmph and fly at an altitude of 1000 ft.

The aircraft has a fuel efficiency of around 25 km/litres and can fly at a moderate speed of above 100 kmph. Research is on to further modify the aircraft and make it commercially viable for production.

The aircraft has been developed under the guidance of Dr. Mohd Masood and has been solely developed in the college campus. The project is part of a series of projects planned to solve the day to day problems of citizens of the country.

Students of the Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology have designed and fabricated  the aircraft.

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / Home> South> Hyderabad / IBN Hyderabad / The New Indian Express / September 17th, 2012

ISRO to launch SARAL satellite on December 12

Science & Technology
Bangalore, SEPT 12:

Indo-French satellite “SARAL” would be launched onboard PSLV—C20 from the spaceport of Sriharikota on December 12, this year, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday.

“PSLV-C20 will be assembled in about 25 days in Sriharikota and the satellite will be launched on December 12, 2012. As somebody said it’s 12—12—12 (launch date),” he said at the Bangalore Space Expo 2012 here.

Radhakrishnan also said the European space consortium Arianespace would launch India’s GSAT-10 communication satellite from Kourou in French Guiana at 2.30 AM (Indian time) on September 22.

ISRO officials said SARAL is a small satellite mission with payloads —— Argos and Altika —— from French space agency CNES for study of ocean parameters towards enhancing the understanding of the ocean state conditions which are otherwise not covered by the in-situ measurements.

The satellite has been built by ISRO, which would also take care of the launch services.

SARAL will provide data products to operational and research user communities, in support of marine meteorology and sea state forecasting; operational oceanography; seasonal forecasting; climate monitoring; ocean, earth system and climate research, the officials said.

Referring to the GSAT-10 communication satellite, Radhakrishnan said, “We are going to French Guiana for the launch because the satellite weighs 3.4 tonnes which cannot be lifted by any of our vehicles —— PSLV or GSLV.”

Officials said GSAT-10 would carry 30 transponders, including 12 in Ku band, along with a GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) payload. GSAT-10 is a Rs 750 crore mission, including launch services cost.

GSAT-10, which will have a minimum operational life of 15 years, is envisaged to augment the growing need for transponders and provide communication services and augment the existing ones.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> News> Science / by PTI / Bangalore, September 12th, 2012

 

Rudraksha being grown in East Godavari

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Science & Technology

‘Ekamukhi’ rudraksha plant brought by a nursery in Kadiam village in the district two years ago starts flowering

The ‘ekamukhi’ (single-segmented) rudraksha plant, now confined to the Himalayas and India-Nepal border, is now being grown in the semi-arid tropical climate of East Godavari district.

Gangumalla Satyanarayana and his brothers, are among the hundreds of farmers engaged in growing nurseries of the plant in the district now. It was Sri Satyanarayana Nursery of Kadiam, owned by the Gangumalla brothers, that first grew the ‘ekamukhi’ rudraksha plant in the district. “We bought the plant about two years ago in Bangalore and the age of the plant at the time was three years. It began flowering four months ago. We only know that it is a rudraksha plant. But, recently a swamji told us that it was ‘ekamukhi’,” said Nagesh, one of the brothers. “The plant has grown into a small tree and hundreds of rudraksha buds of green colour with flowers hang from it now,” he says.

Hindus believe that ‘ekamukhi’ rudraksha is a resemblance of Lord Siva. Generally, rudraksha beads have five lines (mukhi) on them. They stand for five segments of the bead. Each segment contains a seed in it. But, ‘ekamukhi’ has only one seed, which is the most wanted variety.

Mr. Reddy, who is in charge of the Sri Satyanarayana Nursery, says ‘ekamukhi’ rudraksha is available in five or six shapes and presently their nursery grows the plant that bears oval-shaped Rudraksha. ‘Ekamukhi’ can be tested by a simple formula: put it in a bowl of milk and it will not degenerate for five days.

As for the size of the rudraksha, Mr. Nagesh said they had grown the plant in open air and had not taken due care as they had not realised its importance. “If the plant is properly maintained, the size and shape of the bead will match the rudraksha available on the Nepal border,” he said.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by B.V.S. Bhaskar / Rajahmundry, September 10th, 2012

Indian Navy on way to be world class force: Vice Admiral Anil Chopra

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology, Uncategorized

Visakhapatnam:

The Indian Navy is well on its way to be a potent world class force, with 46 ships and submarines to be added in its fleet, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,  Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra today said.

Addressing the naval officers and civilians after unfurling the national flag on the 66th Independence Day today, Vice Admiral Chopra said even as the year gone by saw the Eastern Naval Command add stealth frigates, nuclear powered submarine and unmanned aerial vehicle squadron to its arsenal, now it has planned to include 46 more ships and submarines and a large number of aviation assets.

In the near future, the Command will be home to additional strategic platforms, anti-submarine corvettes, P8i long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, MiG 29K  fighter jets and advanced jet trainers, he said.

The Command has remained in the forefront with the Eastern Fleet leaving footprints all across the Indian Ocean region – from the Gulf of Aden to the West Pacific.

On the occasion, he urged all present to stand up to the security challenges faced by the nation.

A ceremonial parade was held at the Eastern Naval Command parade ground where Vice Admiral Chopra took the salute.

source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / Home> News> Politics/Nation / August 15th, 2012

Helping change the world

Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Dr Sandeep Kishore is an everyday guy. Except for the fact that the Hyderabadi has been profiled by Scientific American as one of the nine leading global leaders, alongside former American President Jimmy Carter, himself a Nobel Prize winner (Peace, 2002). So, how did a guy who calls Mehdipatnam home get elevated to such an elite club? Here’s the story of dedication, ambition and a plan for the entire world.

Tell us about your Hyderabad connection..
My parents, Dr Anand Kishore and Dr Lakshmi Kishore are from Mehdipatnam. They studied at Osmania University’s Medical College. When I visited, I gave lectures at the OU and government schools.

What’s your big idea?
For the past three years, I’ve been building a community of youth — now 1100 from 80 countries — to change the course of health in this century.

We are currently focusing on the determinants of the health issues accompanying urbanisation and industrialisation — tobacco, poor diets, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. The Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network has organised 15 “glocal” youth communities to petition for societal change.

What was the most difficult part of completing a PhD?
A PhD is tough work as you must deal with failure… lots of it. Ninety-nine per cent of your experiments don’t work. But you must persevere. You must keep thinking differently. As Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

What plans do you have for India?
I plan to complete my medical training to become a doctor. The biggest challenge I see are that of chronic diseases. Issues such as depression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease are difficult to tackle — and they strike at how we live, age, work and play. In the Indian context, there is much work to be done on developing a strong system of public health to prevent (rather than just cure) by focusing on the “causes of the causes”. I want to participate in the re-imagining of India.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Tabloid> Glam Sham / by Babli Yadav, DC / August 03rd, 2012

Eptisa has been awarded their first project in India

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

The project consists in performing a safety audit for the Hyderabad Metro

Eptisa (in consortium with Info Trans Engineers Pvt. Ltd.) was awarded with their first contract in India consists in carrying out a “Safety Audit for the Hyderabad Metro”. The project was financed by the “Hyberabad Metro Rail Limited” for a budget of 12.954.684 INR (Indian Rupees), equivalent to 184.479,22 Euros.

Hyderabad, the capital city of the Andhra Pradesh state, has one of the fastest growing metros in India. The strategic geographical location of this multilingual cosmopolitan city as well as the pro-active policies of the state government are making of Hyberabad an attractive destination and a flourishing centre for trade and commerce. However without a comfortable and efficient public transportation system, traffic and transportation in Hyderabad become a matter of concern.

The existing public transport in the city is mainly constituted by buses, which are run by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). The rapid growth of the city, rising income levels and lack of a good public transport system have resulted in a huge increase in the number of private vehicles, with subsequent consequences such as frequent traffic jams and high pollution levels in the city.

Based on the figures from the Traffic and Transportation surveys carried out by various agencies, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has approved the development of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (MRTS) in three high density traffic corridors covering over 71 km:

  • Corridor I: Miyapur – LB Nagar : 28.87kms; 27 stations.
  • Corridor II: JBS – Falaknuma : 14.78 kms; 16 stations.
  • Corridor III: Nagole – Shilparamam : 27.51 kms; 23 stations.

As part of this project Eptisa will undertake the safety audit of the designs and drawings, the Design Basis Reports (DBRs) and other documents prepared by the concessionaire, L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (L&TMRHL) and various consultants on safety aspects including the elevated viaduct (flyover-like structure accommodating the tracks), the rail alignment, stations and other elevated structures of the metro rail system.

source: http://www.eptisa.com / Home> News / July 26th, 2012

Local sheep wool blankets chic again

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

Once threatened, the pure Deccani breed sheep are finding their feet again, thanks to the unique conservation effort, done on a scientific basis with local shepherds acting as gene-keepers.

With the revival efforts of the pure breed in Medak district, as also in Maharashtra, the market for traditional “gongadi” (blanket) with the Deccani sheep wool is again shoring up. Those involved in the conservation efforts said gongadis are slowly catching the fancy of Hyderabad residents.

Known for its black wool and its gene pool, the Deccani breed was affected by crossbreeding with various other indigenous species of sheep.

Besides Andhra Pradesh, the Deccani breed is found in Karnataka, Maharash-tra and parts of northern Tamil Nadu along the Deccan plateau. S. Ashalatha from the organisation Anthra, which is actively working on the conservation project in Medak, said: “Shepherds over the years selected this breed for its tolerance to drought, fodder and water shortage, as well as the capacity to migrate long distances and ability to endure large variations in temperature. The wool has traditionally been spun into yarn by women and woven by men into blankets.

“Now, with Hyderabad residents again asking for small gongadis, the market for the special wool blanket is showing a positive sign.”

According veterinary scientist and Anthra director, Sagari R. Ramdas, import of cheap wool from Australia and Europe not only saw the local wool market go bust but also resulted in loss of the Deccani breed.

“We are mobilising local communities to conserve the Deccani breed and Osmanabadi goat breed, native to the Deccan plateau,” Ms Ramdas said. “About 400 pastoral and agro-pastoral families across 24 villages in Hathnura, Jinnaram, Narasapur, Narayankhed and Shivampet mandals of Medak are involved in the project.”

She said these are among the few remaining areas in the state that continue to have a significant number of sheep of “pure Deccani breed”.

source: http://www.AsianAge.com / Home> Hyderabad / by U. Sudhakar Reddy, DC, Hyderabad / July 24th, 2012

Secunderabad Cantonment Board to promote rainwater harvesting

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

Hyderabad:

The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) will follow in the footsteps of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) and construct rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures in its jurisdiction. Though the RWH structures should have been in place before the arrival of monsoon, the SCB officials claim it is never too late to start a good initiative.

“We have experienced severe water crisis this summer. The HMWS&SB could not supply the assured quantity of water to us. Adding to the problem, groundwater in the Cantonment area also got depleted. Of 200 borewells in the Cantonment area, 150 have dried up completely,” an SCB water works official told TOI.

“In view of the recent experience, we felt the need for construction of rainwater harvesting structures. Initially, we will educate and encourage citizens to construct RWH structures by distributing pamphlets containing information on how to build them,” the official added.

Initially, the SCB would spread awareness about the concept in 100 residential colonies in Mahendra Hills, Trimulgherry, Bowenpally, Bolarum and Marredpally. “We will give technical assistance to construct RWHs. The residential association has to bear all the expenditure for construction of RHW on their premises,” added.

A proposal would also be moved to make RWH structures mandatory either at the time of new water connection or sanctioning building plan. The proposal would be tabled before the next Cantonment Board meeting to be held shortly, the official said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / July 11th, 2012