Category Archives: Business & Economy

3 techies develop non-contact baby monitor to track sleep, breathing

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
The creators of the monitor, Raybaby, hope to help new parents
The creators of the monitor, Raybaby, hope to help new parents

Bengaluru :

Prachi (name changed), 32, a corporate professional and single mother, is sleep-deprived. So is her five-month-old son, who wakes up in the middle of the night with sudden bouts of respiratory trouble. Despite repeated visits to the paediatrician, the infant’s condition has barely improved.
“My son often wakes up as he can’t breathe. Though I always try to comfort him and put him back to sleep, I don’t know when the next episode will occur. This has been giving us sleepless nights and is affecting my son’s health,” said the exasperated mother.

To help new moms like Prachi, three city-based techies have devised a solution, Raybaby, a non-contact baby monitor which tracks activities like sleeping and breathing. Ranjana Nair, Sanchi Poovaya and Aardra Kannan Amili used their brainchild, Kickstarter — a platform helping artists, musicians, filmmakers and designers find resources and support to make their ideas a reality — to come up with the device which was launched on January 31.

Ranjana, chief executive officer (CEO), Kickstarter, said: “This baby monitor was created to bring back sanity in their lives of new moms and dads. All products in the market and hospitals require the baby to wear the battery-operated device, which is dangerous as there have been many instances of the battery exploding. Raybaby is a first-of-its-kind non-contact baby tracker which monitors the baby’s respiratory rate with 98% accuracy.”

Supported by Johnson & Johnson and HAX as part of the joint consumer health device programme, the monitor helps new parents with sleep training and tells them when the baby is awake, asleep or sleeping, via a Smart Journal app. Its artificial intelligence system tells parents how the baby is doing and whether the child is running a fever or has any respiratory ailment like asthma or bronchitis.
Explaining how the idea was born, Ranjana said: “We were visiting a friend’s baby in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and saw that in this day and age, the respiratory rate was still being tracked by placing a hand on the baby’s chest or through uncomfortable chest bands. That was when we decided to create a device to help parents. Research and discussions with doctors showed us how the respiratory rate could be used to monitor a baby’s health in a home environment. We worked with top hardware engineers to develop a safe device.”

Speaking about the safety aspect, Sanchi Poovaya, COO, Kickstarter, said: “It is a non-contact device, which rules out the possibility of explosions or other accidents. We are using the radar technology, which works on the principle of ultrasound, and FDA-approved components.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bengaluru News / by Sreemoye Chatterjee / TNN / February 15th, 2017

Bengaluru’s ‘Taj Mahal’ set to blossom love across the globe

Agriculture, Business & Economy, World Opinion
Bengaluru contributes about 60% of the red rose exports from India, according to industry sources.
Bengaluru contributes about 60% of the red rose exports from India, according to industry sources.

Exports of the red rose variety expected to touch five million ahead of Valentine’s Day

Bengaluru’s ‘Taj Mahal’ will again be part of this Valentine’s Day flavour across the globe as nearly five million of this red rose variety, grown in fields in and around the city, is being shipped from here.

While Bengaluru growers exported just over 4.5 million roses in the fortnight before the Valentine’s Day last year, the exports could touch about 5 million this year, general manager of International Flower Auction Board, Bengaluru, Vijay Kulkarni, told The Hindu.

“We are expecting about 8% increase in exports this year,” he added.

This year, the ‘Taj Mahal’ variety has been produced much more than the earlier popular variety ‘First Red’, sources said.

Bengaluru and Pune are the largest exporters of red roses from India during Valentine’s Day, and Bengaluru contributes about 60% of the exports, industry sources said. Roses from here are being airlifted to Malayasia, Singapore, West Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries.

While the average price for a rose stem hovers between ₹5 and ₹6 during normal days, it is expected to double over the next couple of days.

Bridging the shortfall

“Taj Mahal has larger bud and longer shelf life than other red rose varieties cultivated here. In fact, this year Taj Mahal will be accounting for about 95% of the exports while the First Red variety will account for a small portion,” said general secretary of the South India Floriculture Association Jayaprakash Rao. He said Kenya and Ethiopia are the largest suppliers of roses, and the Indian roses only bridge the shortfall, which explains a modest year-on-year growth in exports.

The IFAB, which is the largest flower auction house in the country, handling about 1.5 lakh roses daily, has been handling nearly 5 lakh roses every day during this season that is expected to last till February 11.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – February 11th, 2017

Bengaluru’s first delivery girl flies with wings of fire

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All

VendaBF11feb2017

Crimes against women may be rising in the city, but Bengaluru’s first food delivery girl who juggles two jobs to make ends meet says she has nothing to fear.

At 23, Venda works as a home nurse in the morning and night and delivers food on her bike for five hours during the day. Not one to give up her passion, she is pursuing studies to become a history teacher.

“Things at home turned bad five years ago as the Rs 10,000 my father and mother earned was not sufficient. After marrying off my elder sister, they needed my support. I finished pre-university and decided to join my mother by becoming a home nurse,” she said.

Venda, who grew up with a love for biking, worked three years to buy her Honda Activa. She attached her vehicle to Rapido, an app-based bike taxi aggregator. She looked for more opportunities to work as her bike taxi did not get many hires.

A city-based food aggregator rejected her application. “They were worried about safety and said they ‘did not want to take risk’,” Venda said.

By the time she got a call from rival Jugnoo, a Chandigarh-based aggregator providing services ranging from last mile transportation to food delivery, Venda had travelled across the bylanes of Bengaluru searching for a job.

“Searching for jobs helped discover shortcuts in the city. I avoid traffic to save time for studies. I am pursuing BA to study history, Tamil and English. I want to become a history teacher,” Venda said.

Sabarish Nambiar, the Bengaluru operations manager of Jugnoo, said he came to know about Venda through her work in Rapido. “It’s been a month since we hired her and we have received a positive response from both the hotels and the customers,” he said.

“Women have entered all kinds of fields today. Why can’t I do more? (Former President) Abdul Kalam said dreams are those that keep you awake. It doesn’t matter how much work I do. I will reach my goal,” she said.

When asked about safety, Venda she has not faced risks as she works outdoors during the day. “I hope there will come a time when women can work anytime,” she added.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / by Chiranjeevi Kulkarni / DHNS – Bengaluru, February 11th, 2017

At last Mysuru gets … Passport Seva Centre

Business & Economy, Records, All

MP Pratap Simha’s effort pays off

Centre to be inaugurated on Jan. 25

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha is seen addressing press persons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan as (from left) BJP leaders M. Rajendra and H.V. Rajeev look on. Picture alongside shows the Metagalli Post-Office which houses the Passport Seva Centre.
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha is seen addressing press persons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan as (from left) BJP leaders M. Rajendra and H.V. Rajeev look on. Picture alongside shows the Metagalli Post-Office which houses the Passport Seva Centre.

Mysuru :

Good news for Mysureans and residents of surrounding districts. Thanks to Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, the long pending demand for a Passport Seva Kendra will be fulfilled on the eve of 67th Republic Day.

Addressing presspersons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan here this morning, MP Pratap Simha said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had sanctioned a Passport Seva Centre to Mysuru as a pilot project along with Bharuch in Gujarat. He added that the Union Government has decided to re-launch the existing Passport Seva Kendra as Passport Seva Centre.

The Mysuru Centre will be inaugurated on Jan. 25 by Union Minister Ananth Kumar at the Metagalli Post Office building on KRS Road at 11 am.

“Ananth Kumar has been instrumental in getting the Passport Centre to Mysuru. Without his help it would have been difficult to get the facility to our city,” said the Mysuru-Kodagu MP.

Till now people living in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Hassan districts were facing a daunting task of travelling all the way to Bengaluru and stand in long queues at the Passport Seva Kendra. Now, since the Centre will be opened in Mysuru the process of getting a Passport will be much easier.

Initially, the Passport Centre in Mysuru will offer its services to Mysuru and Chamarajanagar people for a few weeks to ensure the system works efficiently before expanding it to surrounding districts. “It was a challenge for me to get the Centre to Mysuru as Passport Kendras already existed in Mangaluru, Hubli-Dharwad and Bengaluru. Finally, all my efforts has paid-off as the Centre has been sanctioned to Mysuru,” the MP added.

It may be recalled, Mysuru had hosted around four Passports Seva Camps at the Zilla Panchayat office premises. But once the camp dates were announced the appointments were being blocked by travel agencies in the city causing hardship for the general public to get their applications processed.

The opening of the Passport Seva Centre will help the people seeking regular Passport or Tatkal Passport.

During the passport seva camps, only 400 applications were being processed and people used to visit the MP’s office with several complaints.

Initially, it was planned to open the Passport Seva Centre at the Head Post Office located in Nehru Circle. Since the building is old and lacks sufficient space, it was decided to set up the Centre at Metagalli Post Office building. The Seva Centre will be set up on a 800 sq ft space with one entry and exit points. The Centre will be provided with basic infrastructure to ensure smooth functioning.

The Centre in Mysuru will carry out works related to verification and granting of Passport while the printing and dispatch of Passport will be taken up the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Bengaluru.

“The works on setting up of the Centre has been going on for the past four days. It will function with help of the staff from the Postal Department who will be trained for a period of three months by the RPO while they will also execute the works related to issuance of Passports and other services offered by the Seva Centre. This will also help in the revival of the Postal Department,” said the MP.

Former MUDA Chairman L. Nagendra, Corporator Nandeesh Preetham, BJP leaders M. Rajendra and H.V. Rajeev were present at the press meet.

Later, MP Pratap Simha, accompanied by RPO officials, inspected the Passport Seva Centre at Metagalli Post-Office building.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 23rd, 2017

110-year-old railway overbridge to be demolished

Business & Economy, Records, All

The Railway authorities have decided to demolish the 110-year-old railway overbridge connecting Gogte Circle to Basaveshwar Circle on Khanapur Road in the city and replace it with a four lane bridge. Officials of the South Western Railway, Hubballi division and Belagavi City Corporation inspected the bridge on Wednesday.

Later, BCC Commissioner Shashidhar Kurer told presspersons that the existing bridge will be demolished and a new bridge will be constructed by the Railways at an estimated cost of ₹12.30 crore.

Considering the possibility of double-decker trains being introduced on the route, the height of the bridge will be raised and made wide for smooth flow of traffic. Also, the work on the railway overbridge at the third railway gate on Khanapur Road will be taken up simultaneously at a cost of ₹23 crore, which will be shared equally by the Railways and the State government. It will be completed in 11 months, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home>News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Belagavi – January 05th, 2017

Crafting mojris out of used denims, lending a hand

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Bengaluru :

A Hundred Hands aim to create a livelihood for those in need of financial stability and strives for towards sustainability.

The team makes sustainable, evironment friendly products from scratch or from discarded goods.
Started as a non-profit organisation in the heart of Bengaluru off MG Road in August 2010, sisters Mala and Sonia Dhawan want to help facilitate the sale of products for the urban crowd by eliminating middlemen.

Apart from a host of handicraft and food items, their annual handmade collective, a exhibition is on its seventh leap this year in the city.

The team aims to expand to in other cities. The handcrafted alternatives are a healthy choice for everyone specially for those looking for a good living, inform the duo. As for the upcycling part, they have a range of products made from old denim jeans.

mojiribf04jan2017

 

 

From denim footwear called mojaris, to bum bags, envelope clutches, dog harnesses and quilts, they have made optimum use of jeans to make a host of products. The initiative was started to help the patients at NIMHANS to assist monetary aid while they were undergoing treatment.

The trendy bags and footwear also provide livelihood to women from self help groups and NGOs.

Sonia Dhawan and Mala Dhawan
Sonia Dhawan and Mala Dhawan

“As A Hundred Hands has 86 artisan member groups, we thought we should collaborate with them as well and the idea of the denim mojaris and denim bum bags with tribal embroidery emerged,” says Mala Dhawan.

The designs on the products are made catchy to attract the urban crowd and it has earned quite a good fan base on the social platform, with over 13K likes.

“A Hundred Hands handmade collective is a commission free programme where all the collections from sales goes back a 100% to the creators. This eliminates the middle man or trader who just sources and sells without any value add and adds huge margins. Here the artist and the consumer come face to face so it is educative on both sides and a fair price to consumers and a fair earning for the artisan.” she adds.

Many people get to know about their initiative through word of mouth, posts on social media and through the coverage provided by the media.  “Lambadi tribal embroidery and traditional leatherwork (bags and mojaris) are a big hit and unique in nature,” she says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Rakshanna Pattabiraman / Express News Service / January 04th, 2017

Former MYLAC Managing Director M.V. Hemanth Kumar passes away

Business & Economy

hemanthbf03jan2017

Mysuru :

Former Mylac (Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited) Managing Director M.V. Hemanth Kumar (60) passed away at a private hospital here yesterday following a heart attack.

A resident of Alanahalli Layout in city, he had also served as Additional Director of the Department of Industries and Commerce.

He leaves behind his wife, two daughters and a host of relatives and friends.

Last rites were performed at the foot of Chamundi Hill yesterday evening, according to family sources.

Condoles: Mylac has condoled the death of its former MD Hemanth Kumar. In a condolence meeting held at its premises yesterday, the speakers, who included Mylac Chairman H.A. Venkatesh, current MD Siddalingappa B. Poojary and General Manager C. Harakumar lauded the services of Hemanth Kumar.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 03rd, 2017

DFRL comes to the rescue of tomato growers

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Science & Technology

tomatobf20dec2016

Mysuru :

City-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) has come to the rescue of tomato growers who often face rock-bottom price for the produce.

Under its rural development programme, DFRL with the help of Spoorthy Janaabhivruddi Samsthe, an NGO, conducted a one-day awareness programme for farmers at Ahalya village on Dec. 11 (Sunday) on tomato processing and various products made out of tomatoes developed by the laboratory.

Scientists and technical staff of DFRL demonstrated various technologies which have been developed for tomato utilisation to reduce the post harvest losses. The technologies have been developed with special focus on progressive farmers, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and rural enterprises. All these technologies are farm-amenable and have been developed keeping in view the traditional Indian palate. The products are good for consumption from 6 months to 9 months when stored at ideal temperature. The products, in ready-to-serve (RTS) or ready-to-prepare (RTP) form requires less preparation before being serving.

A number of tomato-based value-added products, namely tomato RTS beverage, tomato sambar paste, tomato rasam paste, tomato curry paste, tomato sauce, tomato pulp, green tomato chutney, red tomato chutney, tomato powder and intermediate moisture tomato slices were displayed to the farmers.

DFRL is ready to share the technology with the NGOs which plan to help the farmers to set up the tomato processing units as it believes that such units would help in value realisation for the farmers. The project will also be funded by NABARD.

Earlier, the workshop was inaugurated by DFRL Director Dr. Rakesha Kumar Sharma. Janaabhivruddi Samsthe CEO Deepak, NABARD AGM Arvamudhan, Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Bengaluru, Chairman Yashasvi Naag, DFRL Scientists Dr. N. Gopalan, Dr. O.P. Chauhan, Tanushree, C. Nanjappa, DFRL PRO Dr. Mallesha, Members of Ahalya Village Panchayat and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 14th, 2016

Hubballi entrepreneur strikes salon success in Sharjah

Business & Economy, World Opinion
Alfred Miranda, 56, who studied from LKG to PUC in Hubballi, is a successful entrepreneur in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Alfred Miranda, 56, who studied from LKG to PUC in Hubballi, is a successful entrepreneur in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

 

Alfred Miranda, 56, who studied from LKG to PUC in Hubballi , is a successful entrepreneur in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. A salon started by him employs 70 people from the Philippines and India and the average salary of an employee is around Rs 1 lakh per month.

 
Alfred, the son of retired railway guard Orlando Miranda and homemaker Angela, studied at St Mary’s High School from KG to SSLC and PUC at PC Jabin College. Alfred said he started working at the age of 18 with Avery India Ltd for a salary of Rs 400 per month. “After four years of apprenticeship, the company posted me to Mysuru as a technician. Then, I got a job in Kuwait as expeditor at the material department in Kuwait Sante Fe Braun UAS company and worked at modernization of oil wells at Mina Abdulla,” he told this correspondent in Sharjah recently.

He was appointed tour manager in 1989 at Hayes Jarvis in Goa, where he handled local and outstation tours of British guests, arranged welcome meets and insurance claims. “”Later, I joined as a manager at Smart Instruments Goa, a Mumbai-based company, in 1995,” he added.

 

“As Dubai is a tax-free city, I moved there and floated my import-export firm Tanya Beauty Proucts. My wife Dolly supported me in opening the Al Mansour Ladies Saloon, with one Indian and one Filipina as hairdresser and beautician. We adopted a model of more bills, more money for our staff. It worked well as most the staff here work very hard. Currently, we have 70 employees from the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Morocco and they work as hairdressers, beauticians, do manicures and pedicures as well as sales and marketing,” he said.

Dolly, who manages the salon, said the salon attracts customers as it provides quality service at affordable rates. “We have four salons in Sharjah. Apart from paying their salaries, we also take care of their accommodation, transportation, food, medical, cooking gas and laundry expenses. We also pay for travel to their country and back once a year. Our children Karyn, Tanya and Orlando manage the administrative work. I’ve worked at Taj Hotel, Mumbai, and there I learnt the lesson that if the staff is happy, the business sees a steady growth.”

Alfred, who has visited over 60 countries, was also a sales manager for Alliance Insurance Company, Dubai. “I’ve got the Million Dollar Round Table certificate from the US-based association of financial professionals,” he said.

 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Hubli News / by Sangamesh Menasinakai / TNN / December 14th, 2016