Monthly Archives: January 2013

World Congress on Orthotics in Hyderabad

Business & Economy, Science & Technology
Hyderabad , JAN 30:

Assistive devices and technologies that help people with disabilities will be the focus of a four-day global conference of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) beginning on February 7 in Hyderabad.

The ISPO 2013 World Congress at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre will be the 14th edition and the first to be held in India and South Asia. The ISPO is an advisory body in the field of rehabilitation to the WHO, UN Agencies and the International Red Cross.

The event will showcase the latest equipment, facilities, technology and solutions that can bring in positive changes in the lives of people with disabilities and allied health issues, says a press release.

Over 1,000 delegates from 84 countries would participate in the event that would also see more than 100 exhibitors from across the world.

President of the Society Jan H.B. Geertzan said the changing disability profile, increasing ‘grey’ population, and many lifestyle-generated disorders are creating an ever-increasing demand for professionals in this field.

B.D. Athani, Chair, India Task Force, said the mega scientific event has attracted professionals, policy-planners, academicians and service providers for P&O, rehabilitation, orthopaedic and mobility sectors. The last congress was held in Leipzig, Germany and 3,000 delegates took part.

Somasekhar.m@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> News> Science / by M. Somasekhar / Hyderabad, January 30th, 2013

ONGC mini-refinery at Tatipaka in East Godavari starts exporting naphtha

Business & Economy

ONGC’s mini-refinery at Tatipaka in East Godavari has started exporting naphtha.

The first tanker of 100 tons was flagged off by Group General Manager from Tatipaka. ONGC has hired a storage facility in Visakhapatnam port from East India Petroleum Ltd to store 7,600 tons of naphtha. It will be exported along with HPCL’s naphtha.

source: http://www.plastemart.com / Home> Plastic News / January 28th, 2013

Visakhapatnam hosts jute fair to promote sales of eco-friendly products

Business & Economy

Visakhapatnam, Jan.30 (ANI):

The National Jute Board (NJB) is hosting a week-long fair here to promote the sale of eco-friendly jute products and to provide a market for the small artisans.

A variety of jute products, including colourful mats and carpets, clutches, handbags, shopping bags, slippers, men’s wallets, tablemats, file folders are on display at the fair.

Jute, which is also known as ‘the Golden Fibre’ is considered to be the second most important fibre after cotton due to its reasonable price and eco-friendly attributes.

A customer, Vishal, said that such exhibitions should be held more often, as they provide an insight about eco-friendly products.

“Such kinds of exhibition should be held in all states of India, especially in capital and metropolitan cities, so that people can know about it and can purchase these products and commodities, as they are more eco-friendly,” said Vishal.

Participating craftsmen expressed their delight over the increase in sales of their products.

A shopkeeper, Abhijit Ghosh, said: “Earlier, our financial condition was not good and the National Jute Board is supporting us. It was getting difficult for us to sustain our livelihood. With this particpation of the National Jute Board, our economic condition has improved,” said Ghosh.

In all, 23 stalls have been put up by jute artisans and manufacturers.

Such fairs not only bring the craftsmen into limelight, but also provide an opportunity to the people to find out more about the arts and crafts of other regions of the country. (ANI)

source: http://www.newstrackindia.com / Home> Economy / by ANI / Visakhapatnam, Wednesday-January 30th, 2013

Icrisat-led consortium in pact with EU nations

Uncategorized

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics will lead the consortium with 34 member companies, universities and research organisations that include corporates such as SABMiller and Jain Irrigation.

Patancheru (MEDAK), JAN. 29:

India and European Union have signed a Rs 80-crore (about €12 million ) agreement to recycle industrial and domestic waste water to provide water to irrigation purposes. Indian corporates such as SABMiller and Jain Irrigation too are partners in the four-year research oriented project.

Besides, the two sides would work on other products that come out of waste water and also on the efficient use of water under the Water4Crops-India project.

From India, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) will lead the consortium with 34 member companies, universities and research organisations. The Union Department of Bio Technology (DBT) and the EU team would put in €6 million each for the project, Shailja Vaidya Gupta, Director of International Cooperation (DBT, Govt of India), said.

The Indian consortium includes The Energy Research Institute (TERI), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Euro India Research Centre and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation.

“The consortium will be working on three types of industrial waste water mainly from the Charminar Breweries of SABMiller in Andhra Pradesh; the onion and fruit processing plant at Jain Irrigation , Jalgaon in Maharashtra; and the sugar factory from Ugar Sugar in Karnataka,” Suhas P. Wani of Icrisat, who is leading the Indian consortium, told reporters here on Tuesday.

kurmanath.kanchi@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by The Hindu’s Bureau / Patancheru (Medak) / January 29th, 2013

Women conductors to yell ‘kiai’

Uncategorized

More women are coming forward to learn self-defence techniques such as Karate after growing instances of sex offences against them. / The Hindu Photo Library

The rooms of A.P. State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) Zonal Training College at Gannavaram will echo with ‘kiai’, the short yell that is generated while applying karate techniques, from Tuesday.

The first batch of a 60-member women employees’ team from the RTC, Vijayawada Zone, will descend on the venue to learn the rudiments of the martial art Karate.

In the wake of the recent Delhi gang-rape incident, concern over women safety has increased manifold in all sectors.

The APSRTC, on its part, has decided to train its women employees, especially the women conductors, in self-defending mechanisms like karate.

“There are nearly 1,400 women employees in the Vijayawada Zone. Since all of them cannot be trained at one go, we have decided to categorise them in different batches,” RTC Vijayawada Zone Executive Director M.S. Prakasa Rao told The Hindu on Monday.

To begin with, the officials have picked up a few active employees who could learn the basics such as how to pack an impressive punch, swing and strike before descending on the opponent with a flying kick.

“We do not have a woman trainer and so we have engaged a male trainer who will impart a week-long coaching in the basics. It’s a new concept and we are weary of the possible hesitation the trainees might feel initially. But once they understand the ultimate purpose of it and what significance it holds for them, they are sure to give their best shot,” said Mr. Rao.

As a pre-cursor, the authorities recently conducted a shuttle tournament followed by athletics exclusively for women employees. “This might perhaps help them to open up to the idea of karate as well,” he said.

Mr. Rao feels it is imperative for women conductors to be equipped with such self-defending techniques.

“Frequently it happens that only male passengers travel by late night buses, especially in rural pockets. Buses sometimes traverse through wilderness or may even break down at deserted areas.

The woman conductor in the bus should be confident enough to face such situations,” said Mr. Rao.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities / by P. Sujatha Varma / Viyayawada, January 29th, 2013

De Beers diamond range launched in Visakhapatnam

Business & Economy
Visakhapatnam , JAN. 25:

Forevermark, the diamond brand from De Beers group of companies, was launched here on Friday in association with Vaibhav Jewellers at the latter’s showroom.

Sachin Jain, the Managing Director of Forevermark India, said on the occasion that the brand promises quality, rarity and responsibility. “We are thrilled to tie up with Vaibhav to offer the best diamonds to the customers in Visakhapatnam,” he said.

Raghunathan of Vaibhav Jewellers, said the company believed in quality, craftsmanship, and customer service. “We are happy to partner with De Beers and we are offering fabulous designs,” he said.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessline.com / Home> News> States / by the Hindu’s Bureau / Visakhapatnam, January 25th, 2013

US city delegation on visit

Business & Economy, World Opinion
Hyderabad , JAN. 23:

A business delegation from the City of San Antonio, Texas, US, and the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry today signed a memorandum of understanding to increase trade.

Information technology, renewable energy, bio-sciences and clinical research were some of the areas identified.

HEALTHCARE FOCUS

The delegation, led by Councilmember Elisa Chan, will be visiting other cities during the tour and will meet Government officials and corporates.

Chan invited Indian business houses to explore opportunities in the City, especially in the bio-science and health-care segment. “This is today a $29-billion industry in the City, employing over 150,000 people. We also have a sound base in IT services, especially those related to cyber security,” she said.

amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> States / by Hindu’s Bureau / Hyderabad, January 23rd, 2013

Cycle for a good cause

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports

A republic day cycle ride will be held at Gachibowli stadium to raise funds for the education of poor children.

The Atlanta Foundation, along with industry forums NASSCOM, ITsAP, TiE, FICCI and SAAP, are set to conduct the biggest corporate cycling event of the country on January 26, on the occasion of Republic Day. It is being conducted in association with the District Cycling Association of Hyderabad.The event will be held at the Gachibowli Stadium from 6.30am.

The ride, which is in its fourth year, comprises of different distances – 100kms, 75kms, 50kms and 25kms – from which the participants can choose what they like. While the above mentioned distance would see the ride begin at the stadium and also conclude at the same place, the shorter distances of 2kms, 5kms and 10kms will be held within the stadium premises. The route map for this event is available on www.atlantafoundation.org/cycling/eventdetails.php.

Participants taking part in the cycling event will have to pay an entry fee of `1,250, while those who will be competing in the criterium event will have to pay `500. Those who intend to participate in the latter event will have to bring their own cycles and the distance to cover would be 24kms (2kms x 12 laps).

The ride, which is being conducted to raise funds to support the education of underprivileged students, has participants including people from ADP, GE, Deloitte, Broadridge, Invesco, DuPont, CA, Infosys, TCS, Wells Fargo, Franklin Templeton and many other well known organisations.

The event also includes the screening of an award winning short film, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ followed by a program in which a cycling team, comprising 100-women, will take part to spread the message of ‘Strong Woman, Strong Nation’.

This will be followed by the Aero Skippers, which has four-time national award winning young children from Bhimavaram, performing energetic rope skipping acts.

For more details one can visit atlantafoundation.org.

source: http://www.postnoon.com / Home> City / January 24th, 2013

GEF to invest $8.4M in Hyderabad’s Integrated Cleanroom Technologies

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

GEF, which has approximately $1 billion in aggregate capital under management, has invested over $100 million across eight deals in India.

South Asia Clean Energy Fund (SACEF), an SME fund managed by clean technology investor Global Environment Fund (GEF), is investing Rs 45 crore or $8.4 million in Integrated Cleanroom Technologies Ltd (IClean). The Hyderabad-based firm, founded by first-generation entrepreneurs back in 2002, will use the funding to expand its manufacturing facilities and reach the target revenues of Rs 500 crore by FY17.

SACEF is acquiring a minority stake in IClean, which manufactures prefabricated modular cleanroom and cleanroom equipment (cleanroom technology refers to providing contamination-free and temperature-controlled room facilities in different industrial environments). In addition, the company is aggressively expanding into cleanroom projects execution on a turnkey basis. IClean’s promoters are led by managing director K Gopi besides U Srinivasa Murthy, TV Prasad and D Narendra.

IClean was started after its founders saw an opportunity in the cleanroom equipment segment, where all products used to be imported and companies incurred high costs. The firm set up a domestic manufacturing facility and indigenised the products. It earned revenues of Rs 5 crore in its first year of operation which went up to Rs 125 crore in FY12. IClean also bagged two mega projects during the third quarter, each worth Rs 30 crore.

While manufacturing accounts for 75 per cent of its current revenues, the rest comes from execution of turnkey projects. Going forward, IClean sees this mix heading towards 50:50.

IClean clients are primarily pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories, but the company has started servicing clients in healthcare services, food & beverage processing and electronics space.

Its overseas revenue currently accounts for 20 per cent of the total revenue although the company has recently bagged a contract worth Rs 35 crore in the US. Some of its key clients include Dr. Reddy’s, Cipla, GlaxoSmithKline, Glenmark, Pfizer and Biocon.

With the capital infusion from GEF, IClean plans to expand its two existing plants in Hyderabad with additional machinery and finance a new facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. The company has also expanded its manufacturing space from 1.5 lakh sq. ft. to 4.5 lakh sq. ft. and sees no major capex ahead. Its product range includes cleanrooms, cleanroom accessories, heating, ventilation & air conditioning (HVAC), air handling unit and lab furniture.

K Gopi, managing director of IClean, said in a statement that the firm is also entering other engineering products, as well as greenfield projects, which have significant market potential and market size of Rs 5,000 crore.

“Cleanroom solutions, while providing for contamination-free environments, also result in energy efficiency gains through better design and insulation. IClean is one of the leading solution providers in the country with a very strong team and execution record,” said Raj Pai, managing director at GEF Advisors India Pvt Ltd.

GEF, which has approximately $1 billion in aggregate capital under management, has invested over $100 million across eight deals in India. Its current portfolio include energy efficiency firm Kalki Communication Technologies, clean energy firm Greenko Group Plc and Saisudhir Infrastructures, an EPC player focused on sectors like water supply and solid waste management.

(Edited by Sanghamitra Mandal)

source: http://www.elp.com / Electric Light & Power / Distributed by Contify.com / by Mosaic Media Ventures / Wire News by Lexix Nexis

 

Beats blindness to become CA

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Hyderabad :

In a rare show of courage and zeal, a 23-year-old Hyderabad youth, who lost his vision completely at the age of 11, has cleared this year’s chartered accountant exams to become the first-ever visually challenged  person to achieve this feat in the country.

J Rajasekhar cleared the CA examy , the results of which were announced on Monday in just his second attempt, a herculean task even for any normal and healthy person of his age.

Blessed with a sharp brain and aided by the latest software for the visually challenged, Rajashekhar made relentless efforts for five years to reach his goal.

“There were many, including my mother, who thought that it was impossible for a person like me to clear the examination but I never felt discouraged,” said Rajsekhar, who learnt to do mental math at an early age.

“I used to study for hours at a stretch for the exams not just to clear it but also to prove that a visually challenged can accomplish whatever he wants,” he added.

He is now being flooded with congratulatory messages from not just his family or friends but also from his peers who see in him their role model.

After taking the CA entrance examination, Rajasekhar pursued a degree in Bachelor of Commerce through long distance mode while working at a CA firm.

“During these three years, I used to try and understand accounts and auditing and record them in my digital voice recorder to keep on listening to them,” he said.

“I would do the same with my soft copy of notes given to me by my coaching centre and try and calculate as much as possible in my brain” he added.

Rajashekhar was provided with a volunteer to write the final examination, which included six theory and two practical subjects.

He comes from an agriculture family from Guntur and was diagnosed with brain tumor when he was in school which eventually affected his optic nerve leaving him completely blind.

“I want to start my own CA firm and also travel,” says Rajashekhar. “For those like me who want to become chartered accountants , I will some day start a training institute. If I can even help and inspire a few, I would be very happty.”

The management of Devnar School for the Blind which funded his education and accommodation, appealed to people not to discriminate but encourage the visually challenged to achieve their goal.

“Now there are good opportunities for the blind in private as well as government sector. One should not treat them as a burden but provide them with equal rights so that they can contribute to society and the country in their own way,” said Saibaba Gowd, founder of Devnar School for the Blind.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / January 23rd, 2013