Category Archives: Business & Economy

DFRL Director inaugrates Instant Idli Sambar and Chutney production unit in Hebbal

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

InstantIdliBF26jul2016

Mysuru  :

Dr. R.K. Sharma, Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysuru, inaugurated the Instant Idli Sambar and Chutney Production Unit of Rajaganapathy Agro Food Industry in Hebbal here on July 11.

DFRL transferred the technology and know-how of Instant Idli Sambar & Chutney to Rajaganapathy Agro Food Industry.

The inventors Dr. G.K. Sharma, Sc. ‘G’, Dr. A.D. Semwal, Sc. ‘G’, Padmashree, Technical Officer, Govindaraj, Technical Officer, Neha Negi, Sr. technical Assistant, Dr. M. Pal Murugan, Scientist ‘D’, Technology Transfer Team and Managing Partners of Rajaganapathy Food Industries were present on the occasion.

Rajaganapathy Food Industries is a joint venture company making entry into food industry by adopting the food technology from DFRL to serve the Indian Armed Forces and the civilian population.

Idlis, a fermented steam cooked south Indian delicacy, is relished all over the country due to better digestibility with unique textural and sensory attributes. However, idlis are highly perishable in nature and get spoiled within 24 hrs of preparation. To overcome the above problem, instant idlis along with sambar and chutney was developed by DFRL using combination drying technology.

The products are capable of reconstitution by mere addition of hot water within 4-5 minutes. The shelf life of the product is 12 months at ambient conditions.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 20th, 2016

DRDO finds way to keep meat fresh sans fridge for one week

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

MeatBF25jul2016

A Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory has a pleasant surprise for meat-eaters and the meat industry to reduce storage costs. It has developed a simple technology to extend the shelf-life of mutton to up to a week without cold storage facilities.

Normally, mutton after being cut remains fresh for only six hours without refrigeration, and up to two days with refrigeration. According to meat stall owners and cold storage managers at supermarkets, after that period unsold meat is wasted.

But scientists from the animal products division at the Mysuru-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) of DRDO have developed a special extract from pomegranate peels that can be injected or applied to the meat and kept out without bothering about the meat rotting due to harmful bacterial action. And it can remain fresh for a week without affecting the meat’s natural taste or flavour.

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HIGHLIGHTS

  • A Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory has developed a simple technology to extend the shelf-life of mutton to up to a week without cold storage facilities.
  • DFRL addressed the problem by identifying and applying a natural edible preservative – the pomegranate peel extract – and carried out sustained experiments
  • ______________________________________

DFRL scientists said while the research was mainly focussed on mutton, the beneficial effects of the pomegranate peel extract could similarly protect chicken meat and pork too.

At present no technology is available for the preservation of fresh mutton without any chemical preservatives that can improve the shelf life beyond 20 hours, claimed DFRL scientists.

DFRL addressed the problem by identifying and applying a natural edible preservative – the pomegranate peel extract – and carried out sustained experiments. They discovered that it significantly enhanced the shelf life of fresh mutton to seven days at ambient conditions.

PE Patki, head, food preservation, DFRL, informed Bangalore Mirror that pomegranate peels are powerful antioxidants (substances that inhibit oxidation that supports bacterial action and are used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products) with antimicrobial properties.

This prevented bacterial action on the meat even when kept out at room temperature.

Generally, meat kept out of cold storage for long periods are attacked by one or few of a whole range of harmful bacteria – Escherichia coli, salmonella, campylobacter jenuni, Clostri-dium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, to name a few. Ingesting meat affected by these bacteria can cause severe symptoms like abdominal cramps, headache, fever, diarrhoea (sometimes with blood), and even death (if untreated).

Patki said to prevent these bacteria the meat industry generally used artificial chemicals-based additives for preservation. “These are toxic and not consumer-friendly, which necessitated finding plant extracts to raise the shelf life of meat at room temperature,” he said.

Primarily, the research aimed at finding a way to use natural preservatives to extend the shelf life of meat supplied to Indian Army jawans posted at the forward posts. “It takes a long time for the meat supply to reach them from the base camps; which is why we conducted this research and came out with this new technique, which we found was the best suited to extend the shelf life of mutton,” he said.

Senior DFRL scientists said the technology was ready to be transferred to the industry so the common people could avail of it.

The DFRL’s pomegranate peel extract is awaiting technology transfer and has been listed with the DRDO-Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Initiative on Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialisation, of which the centre’s Technology Develop-ment Board is a part.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / by Nirad Mudur / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / July 25th, 2016

In her shoes

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Sports, Travel, World Opinion
Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Special Arrangement / The Hindu

The fascinating story of Anu Vaidyanathan, the first Asian woman to compete in Ultraman Canada.

As someone who goes to bed praying the morning papers will publish findings that pizza is good for weight loss, two questions popped up when I read Anywhere but Home: Adventures in Endurance, written by Anu Vaidyanathan, “the first Asian female to have competed in Ultraman Canada”. It sounds suspiciously like auditioning for a superhero movie set in Nova Scotia, but what is it really? The answer is easy enough, as it exists in the finite and definable realms of sport and mathematics: a 10-km swim, a 420-km bike ride, and an 84.4 km run. (Four weeks later, again in Canada, Vaidyanathan switched her allegiance to a different superhero: Ironman. This time, a 3.8 km swim, a 180-km bike ride, a 42.2 km run.) I then asked the tougher question, the answer to which lies in the diffuse dimensions of metaphysics: Why?

I get why people climb the Everest. It sounds like something you’d want on your obituary note, or at least your Facebook post. But what glories can swimming, running and biking bring? As it turns out, Vaidyanathan is searching for a “why” too.

Despite the broad motivational-poster nature of the narrative (sample quote: “If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing”), Anywhere but Homeis also an intimate portrait of a single woman in India — “a quintessential Tamilian Brahmin — five times a year at least, during Pongal, Nombu, Ganapathi Chaturthi, Krishna Jayanti and Deepavali” — brushing off the “when are you going to settle down?” question, training on bad roads, without much money for equipment, putting her body through unimaginable stress, all because… Because… The answer, finally, comes from writer and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl. What athletes do with their goal-setting “frees them up from commerce or the meaningless pursuit of goals that depend on other people’s validation.” The other reason: “the grand challenges of survival were absent because we were children of luxury.” Hence the transformation of life into a hurdle race with a series of self-imposed challenges.

Vaidyanathan writes like a runner — breathlessly, without getting sidetracked. The pages seem to pant. The prose is observant (“watching dark grey clouds tease the distance between them and my rear-view mirror”), if sometimes too cute (a chapter is titled “An Inheritance O’Floss”). And often very funny, in the way everything circles back to running, even romance. About an early boyfriend, she writes, “I think I was in love. You would have to be, with a boy who took you on a 13-km run through the woods on a first date.” Later, she writes about dating a tall, soft-spoken German boy who did not understand why a ride was so much more exciting than a movie. “Miffed with his lack of understanding, I took off on a long run.”

I must say I saw the German boyfriend’s point. Vaidyanathan is quite a character, someone whose idea of a memorable Thursday includes a 3.5-km swim, a two-hour run, an hour of commuting on the bike, and 30 minutes of upper-body weights. (One can only imagine what her idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day is.) She never seems to rest. If she’s not working towards a PhD in Electrical Engineering, she is at home in Bangalore plunging into a start-up.

Anywhere but Home is mostly the story of a solitary pursuit but filled with family and friends. We meet the people Vaidyanathan leaves behind when she goes off on her runs and bikes and swims, the people she yearns to be with while living out of suitcases. We get to know her roommates and boyfriends (though we never seem to know when the relationships ended). We meet members of the running community, people who seem to think nothing of scrounging up enough money to fly off to exotic locations (Brazil! China!) for endurance events. And everyone is so giving. During a run, when Vaidyanathan was suffering from dehydration, sleeplessness and worries about an unsupportive crew, “Lena held my hand for nearly two kilometres, running alongside me, reminding me to never give up.”

The last chapter deals with another sort of hand-holder, finding “someone crazy enough to marry me”. And we sense a calming down, especially after the birth of Vaidyanathan’s son. “Giving birth brought with it a moment of great clarity. There was magic beyond what any class in engineering, science or objective observation had taught me. However, to sustain that magic past the endorphin rush of birth would involve a great deal of humility… Overnight, I went from being someone’s daughter to being someone’s mother.”

The epiphany lasted about six weeks. Soon, Vaidyanathan was back on the road, participating in a 10 km race. It wasn’t easy, but she finished, “just for the pleasure of having my son know that his mother embraced life’s challenges.”

Anywhere But Home: Adventures in Endurance; Anu Vaidyanathan, Harper Sport, Rs. 350.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Literary Review / by Baradwaj Ranjan / July 23rd, 2016

Kolkata Metro to chug on Bengaluru-made wheels

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, Travel
Rail Wheel Factory gets nod to supply wheels to Kolkata Metro
Rail Wheel Factory gets nod to supply wheels to Kolkata Metro

Bengaluru :

The Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) in Yelahanka has been given the green signal to supply wheels to Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation. This marks the first time any Metro Rail in the country has opted for cast wheels for coaches, opening up a whole new market for the factory.

The clearance was given on Monday by the Research Design and Standards Organisation, Lucknow, an organisation under the Ministry of Railways, Rajeev Gupta, General Manager of RWF, told Express.

“We will be providing wheel sets (wheels and axles) for the coaches of the Kolkata Metro, which are being readied at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. They will initially be supplied for the trial runs of three coaches of a Metro train, which would be 24-wheel sets,” the GM said.

This followed three months of negotiations and paper work between the Kolkata Metro and RWF. The trial runs could take place over a year since it is a whole new experiment being undertaken of using cast iron wheels for Metro coaches. “When it is successful, we will be permitted to supply wheels. We could bag an order to supply between 500 and 1000 wheels,” Gupta said.

When asked about the chances of it passing the trial runs, he said, “We will sail through it. We have successfully conducted the Finite Element Analysis test, which is a simulation test done emulating a train running at high speed.” The fastest Metro trains run at a speed ranging between 60 to 70 kmph. “Our wheels run at 110kmph regularly and all Rajdhani trains have them. They can touch up to 130 kmph,” Gupta said.

RWF, the country’s largest manufacturer of wheels sets, had approached Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation in connection with the supply of wheels. “However, since Metro trains only use forged iron wheels which are imported, RWF was not able to convince them to make it a wheel-supplier.” It has the capacity to manufacture nearly 2 lakh wheels and 72,000 axles by casting technology.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by S. Lalitha / July 22nd, 2016

Interview of the week ….: “Mysuru has never had a dynamic Politician to protect its tourism interest ,” says Hotelier P.V. Giri

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Travel

The Hospitality Industry is a burgeoning one and Mysuru, which has always been dotted with eateries, has now become a destination for some of the finest resorts and spas. However, there is one person who is really a trendsetter in this direction, which has led him to building a powerful brand in the hotel industry. He is the suave, very thinking, unassuming, private individual P.V. Giri, who started Hotel Siddharta, is also the Chairman of The Windflower Group.

GiriBF10jul2016

Watching the Falls as the water cascades at city’s Windflower Resort near Race Course, Giri, who has transformed very dry, ordinary looking places into something very magical, reveals to Star of Mysore, how an open well has been transformed into a valley-like swimming pool. Speaking about the Windflower chain of Hotels, he dwells on his foray into the Hotel Industry, the avenues he has explored, the tourism scenario in Mysuru and his family support. Excerpts. —Ed

by N. Niranjan Nikam, Senior Journalist

SOM: Mysuru is not only the cultural capital of Karnataka but also a culinary delight. As old-timers recall the taste eating idlis, vadas, dosas in hotels like Indra Bhavan, Raju Hotel, Anand Bhavan, Durga Bhavan, Mylari, GTR, Galli hotel, the taste still lingers. What made you take up the challenge of setting up Hotel Siddharta in 1982, as a complete outsider?

P.V. Giri: If you recall those days Dasaprakash Hotel was the only hotel which was equally strong in restaurants and lodging and to a certain extent Indra Bhavan Boarding and Lodging. Hence, there was a space, especially in tier two cities. Since the land was available in the heart of the city we started to build Hotel Siddharta. The hotel’s proximity to many important tourist destinations like the Mysore Palace, Zoo, Museums, Chamundi Hill, also helped.

We wanted to make this a vegetarian hotel because serving non-veg food and having a bar was a taboo those days and it was also not considered good for honeymoon couples to stay in hotels which had a bar and served non-veg food. Then we came up with the idli and dosa food festivals and then we started serving the menu that suited the current tastes as time passed.

SOM: How much has Mysuru changed from a tourism perspective?

P.V. Giri: Mysuru has not changed much as a tourist location in spite of numerous representations by various bodies. For instance, there is no parking facility at the Zoo, which sees lakhs of tourists coming in buses and cars.

SOM: What is the reason for this kind of neglect?

P.V. Giri: It probably needed the intervention of a very dynamic local politician to provide tourism requirements and persist in following it to its logical end, which has never happened. Take the Mysuru-Bengaluru road. If the roads were broader and wider, the travel time could be reduced by at least an hour and the discomfort of travel by at least 50 per cent.

SOM: One of the toughest industries is the Hotel Industry, which requires a lot of manpower. What changes have you seen in the industry since you started till now?

P.V. Giri: The question has to be rephrased in the sense the main deterrent is the capital cost. As far as manpower is concerned, in Mysuru it is very difficult to get skilled manpower, but we had started the process and slowly the acceptance of the staff to move from other cities to Mysuru began because of the pay packets and the opportunity to move up the ladders. Much also depends on how the management treats the staff and as we look after them well and are treated like family and the personal rapport we have with them, the attrition rate in our organisation is one of the lowest in the industry.

SOM: Diversification is the key. Many big business families, especially in Mysuru have failed because they did not diversify. When did you get the idea of diversification?

P.V. Giri: We diversified only in our own industry. We did not move out of our area of specialisation except in the broad area of hospitality. As the double income families increased in metros and they wanted to have short breaks and that too for people who always insist on star hotels, we provided them big rooms, different types of menu and relaxation facilities in abundance. This is the slot that was empty and we moved in.

SOM: You have been in the hospitality business for a long time. You were not happy with just one Siddharta or a Joy Ice-Cream. You forayed into Resorts and Spa and the result is the Windflower chain. How did this happen?

P.V. Giri: As I told you earlier, the space was there and we spotted it. As I sat in my office in Siddharta, I noticed that travellers were seeking a more resort-like ambience, but had to do with city business hotels because of a lack of choice. It was this observation which led to the conception of Windflower. I already owned a successful open air restaurant Olive Garden, located at the foot of Chamundi Hill and saw the potential to convert the extra land around this into a small, quiet retreat.

I also realised that what Mysuru lacked was a spa which could be an excellent value addition, given that this city attracted several thousand yoga students and health travellers every year. I worked closely with my close friend Ramesh Rao (who had been instrumental in incubating Café Coffee Day as a brand) and after several brainstorming sessions, we arrived at the name Windflower as it evoked a certain outdoorsy feel and a closeness to nature which was what the resort is all about.

At the time Windflower was being conceptualised, my vision was to build a hotel chain and I envisioned that a time would come when the upcoming middle class family would want to take their new car out for a long drive and combine it with a holiday. After the huge success of Windlflower Mysuru, the second location chosen was Windlflower Coorg. This quickly followed by Windflower Vythiri, Bandipur and Pondicherry.

SOM: Some of the properties that you have mentioned are world class. I believe you create magic out of nothing. What inspires you?

P.V. Giri: First of all, the location inspires me. Second, it is the support from my son Tharun Giri, who is the Managing Director. We both have travelled a lot and we see what is suitable for the location and the customs. A lot of landscaping was done by horticulturist Rukmini Devi, who did it at the Olive Garden in its earlier stages.

One decision we took was that every room should have a view, since 90 per cent come from the cities and they are used to seeing only their neighbours windows. We kept in mind the location of the guest rooms that had to be as close to nature as possible.

For example, in Pondicherry all the rooms have a view of the beach and in Coorg of the coffee plantation. This is an essential thing for the customer as he needs to relate to nature which he does not have at home.

SOM: You have said that the Hotel Industry is a high risk, capital intensive business. In spite of this, you always look cheerful and calm. What is the secret?

P.V. Giri: When we started building the Windflower we used the experience we had in the construction industry and the expertise to get furniture imported to lower the costs and we kept the cost of land low by going a little interior into the towns and cities. This gave us the advantage of effectively building resorts at low costs. A little bit of planning on all fronts and anticipating the economic situation and preparing for it also helps.

A lot of responsibility at the home front was taken care of by my wife Rukmini Giri because of my hectic travelling schedule. She brought up the children and took care of my parents. Hence, the credit also goes to her.

SOM: Mysuru has always been a tourist destination. It has always been a Smart City nearly 100 years ago as the most benevolent rulers, the Wadiyar dynasty with the welfare of the people in mind built roads, provided water, electricity and created jobs. What is it that we are lagging now?

P.V. Giri: Mysuru has only been a tourist centre and there is very little industrialisation. It could have grown more if the connection between Mysuru and Bengaluru had been given importance. This would have resulted in much more industrialisation. Hence, it is poor connectivity which has stopped Mysuru from growing.

SOM: You were a part of Mysore Agenda Task Force (MATF). What happened to that?

P.V. Giri: It was set up when S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister. A lot of things happened. We put together a very good report as to what needs to be done in Mysuru. A huge data was supplied to the government to really improve Mysuru. Unfortunately, the MATF did not have the power to implement or execute whatever was put on paper. Now the report has gone into cold storage.

SOM: Your father, late P. Vardarajan was a very spiritual person. How much did he motivate you to take up social service activities?

P.V. Giri: He was actually the backbone for setting up three hospitals in Kesare. My son and me are continuing to support them as part of our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities. Whenever the hospital staff is in trouble, we make sure that we keep rules and regulations aside and go out of our way to support them. Both, my son Tharun and daughter Mahalakshmi, keep visiting these hospitals set up by their grandfather and it has kept them grounded.

Also, to a large extent we are a very religious family. In fact the family never steps out of the house everyday without the puja being complete. Even when I leave the house at 4 in the morning, my wife finishes the puja and only then I go out. Even my daughter-in-law Shruti Giri, who is now a Syndicate Member of University of Mysore, follows this practice and tradition.

SOM: Tharun Giri, your son who has a Hotel Management degree from Switzerland and Master’s from USA, is playing a key role in your ventures. What is the relationship like between the father and son?

P.V. Giri: The relationship when it comes to business is very professional. We make it a point to discuss issues and when there is something very important, we both drive in the same car and talk about it. Tharun has brought in a lot having worked abroad. All operations are directed by him on a day-to-day basis. We have Vice-Presidents who report to him and there are other different portfolios. But major decisions like choice of locations, or architects are jointly discussed. There is bound to be some arguments back and forth after which decisions are arrived at. But the entire team works 24X7.

We always keep thinking of ways to satisfy the palate of the customers. Take for instance the Military Counter we have introduced. For breakfast we are showcasing the non-vegetarian popular dishes like Nati Koli curry with Thatte Idli, chicken khurma with idiaappam etc. The other is the Healthy Selection: At breakfast all resorts have a healthy section consisting of vegetable shooters, a salad with leafs, sprouts and dressing, whole wheat breads with diet preserves etc. There is also the rice fish that is available in paddy fields during the harvesting time. It is shallow fried in olive oil and served with tartar sauce. Such things make a lot of difference.

SOM: What are the challenges you have faced?

P.V. Giri: Challenges have always been slow in appearing. The government has not come out with a single policy from conceptualisation to execution to operation. The number of licences, the time taken to get them are all mind-boggling. Hotel by itself is very difficult to sustain. Why should the government not come out with a policy. We have been crying hoarse about the exorbitant road tax for tourist buses and cars. If this is reduced, then tourism will definitely grow.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / July 10th, 2016

Down the memory lane : A pious and honest hotelier N. Munshilal

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

Rise & Fall following True Values of Life

Left: 1) N. Munshilal (died in 1970). / Right : 2) Munshilal with Gandhiji's grandson Dr. Kantilal Harilal Gandhi and his wife Saraswathi Gandhi of Kerala (standing behind) in Mysore. In the centre is the then city's popular Dr. Annajappa, Physician and on the extreme left standing is his young son Parameshwar Dayal. (Photos: Parameshwar Dayal's album)
Left: 1) N. Munshilal (died in 1970). / Right : 2) Munshilal with Gandhiji’s grandson Dr. Kantilal Harilal Gandhi and his wife Saraswathi Gandhi of Kerala (standing behind) in Mysore. In the centre is the then city’s popular Dr. Annajappa, Physician and on the extreme left standing is his young son Parameshwar Dayal. (Photos: Parameshwar Dayal’s album)

by K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity

Migrating from UP (Bulandshahr) in mid- twenties to Mysore, late N. Munshilal at his young age of around 25 showed Mysoreans what a real hotel meant for. This is the story of a pious and honest hotelier, who founded the earliest hotel Sri Krishna Bhavan between 1925-30 (just opposite to Dufferin Clock Tower in a portion of present Visvesvaraya Building) and later adding a chain of hotels rising to great heights and going down for following true business ethics in running his hotels.

His son M. Parameshwar Dayal

Remembering late Munshilal, as his son M. Parameshwar Dayal and myself were classmates in Yuvaraja’s College in 1954-56 becoming very close friends and tasting Munshilal’s hospitality while experiencing the fatherly-love shown to me in the company of his son, how can I forget the taste of the ghee dosa personally prepared by him and fed to us on our return from the college.

Close contacts with Palace

Munshilal’s fame and the delicious pure ghee sweets brought him close to the Royal family and he became the caterer for the Palace functions and weddings. Carrying choicest sweets in big steel plates as gift during birthday celebrations to the Palace received the personal attention of Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar who liked the sweets as well as Munshilal. When the Maharaja came to know that Munshilal had to shift his hotel to give way for the construction of Visvesvaraya building, he even offers help to provide a new place for him which Munshilal politely declined, his son tells me. Who knows, if both were alive today, he would have been the caterer for the recently held Royal Wedding in the Palace !

Chain of hotels, next

Probably, the shifting of Krishna Bhavan to a new place — the present Indra Cafe Building on Sayyaji Rao Road — opened a new vista for Munshilal to establish a chain of hotels starting with Chamundeshwari Bhavan on Shivarampet Road, next to Gayatri Bhavan on Dhanvantri Road and later a hotel in Bangalore. It is interesting to know he grew to own even Rajkamal Theatre, Shivarampet, in the beginning with a partner one B.K. Gupta. He also opens a Departmental Store at that time itself.

Late Badri Prasad of Indra Bhavan Hotel and late Revati Prasad of Bombay Anand Bhavan were his contemporaries.

A Gandhian

Following Gandhiji’s ideals in life, he had close contacts with Gandhians of that time like H.C. Dasappa and others. Gandhiji’s first grandson Kantilal Harilal Gandhi was studying MBBS in Mysore and he came in contact with Munshilal, who introduced him to his physician Dr. Annajappa, a popular doctor of those times. I am told even Dr. Rajendra Prasad in his early days during a visit to Mysore had tasted the hospitality of Munshilal.

Did following ethics in his running of hotel business bring him down having reached such heights? Yes, partially, his son, my friend Parameshwar Dayal tells but more on believing and depending with good faith on his own staff, so much so one of his Managers occupies a position as partner of his father.

Parameshwar Dayal, now living in Channapatna with his wife Mithilesh and children, is doing well with his sweet stall business popularly known as Dayal Sweets. [Mobile: 94487- 40008].

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / July 10th, 2016

New script to save Everest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel
Yogi Kshatriya, owner of Everest Theatre at Fraser Town, wants to reinvent the 10,000 sq. ft. space. Photo: K. Murali Kumar
Yogi Kshatriya, owner of Everest Theatre at Fraser Town, wants to reinvent the 10,000 sq. ft. space. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

The iconic Everest Talkies could soon be repurposed from a single-screen theatre to a cultural space

It could turn out to be a David vs. Goliath story, with a modern twist. At a time when single-screen theatres are being gobbled up by multiplexes, the young proprietor of the iconic Everest Talkies, in Fraser Town, Bengaluru, has a new survival concept for his theatre.

Yogi Kshatriya (29) wants to repurpose his single-screen theatre into a cultural space. This idea that has been in “incubation” since 2015, is now taking shape. He is in talks with an interested party to begin a joint venture, which could turn the 10,000 sq.ft space, run by three generations of Kshatriyas, into a profitable enterprise next year.

His idea is simple: build a stage, but retain the screen. The space can then be thrown open to jazz jam sessions, stand-up comedy gigs, product launches, poetry readings or screenings of international films. “With proper investment on board… maybe an F&B space,” he says.

Limited choices

“When I studied in the U.K. in 2009-10, there were multiple things to do every weekend. I remember a huge warehouse, with second-hand sofas lying around; we just bought a ticket and lounged around. But here, our options are limited; we go either to a bar, pub, a café or restaurant. I want to hold events,” he says.

In spite of overhead costs cutting into profits at Everest, Mr. Kshatriya joined up with Vikalp, a network of documentary filmmakers in India, in 2014, to screen documentaries every fourth Thursday of the month at the theatre. The goal: to have a constant audience and to make the sessions interactive.

“My condition was that it should be free and an educational experience,” says Mr. Kshatriya, who studied Imaging and Communication at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is making a documentary film himself.

A donation box has been placed at the theatre entrance for contributions. After the screening, there is a Q & A session with the director or anyone associated with the film. “We now have 40 to 50 regulars who come for the viewing. This has been a test for me,” says Mr. Kshatriya, who views the screenings as the first step towards the theatre’s transition to an event hub.

Stiff competition

Two landmark single screens Tribhuvan and Kailash shut down in April in the city, and Mr. Kshatriya has been approached by big builders.

“My heart won’t let me sell it. I can’t put a lock on this iconic place. I ran around here as a child and watched the spools unwind. We still have an audience. But, just 1 km away a multiplex with six screens is about to open,” he says, ruefully.

But the show must go on… And this time next year, we could be lounging on sofas laughing at a stand-up comedian at Everest Talkies.

 

  • Yogi Kshatriya, current owner of the theatre is in talks to begin a joint venture
  • He wants to throw the space open for jazz jam sessions, stand-up gigs, among others

 

 

  • Documentaries are screened every fourth Thursday of the month at the theatre
  • Afterwards, there is a Q & A with the director or anyone associated with the film

 

 

  • Two landmark single screens Tribhuvan and Kailash shut down in April in the city
  • ‘My heart won’t let me sell it. I can’t put a lock on this iconic place’
  •  __________________________________

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Litta Jacob / Bengaluru – July 08th, 2016

Mysuru gets India’s First public Bicycle sharing service : District Minister to unveil Logo and launch Website on July 16th

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

CM to launch the service on an experimental basis on July 24

FirstpubliccycleBF07jul2016

Mysuru  :

The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is all set to introduce India’s first Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) service in city with the District in-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa scheduled to launch the PBS logo and website on July 16.

This decision was taken at a recent meeting presided over by Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha, who is also the Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, at her Office to discuss about the implementation of PBS service.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah will launch the service on an experimental basis by flagging of a mass cycle rally on July 24. The meeting, which discussed the pros and cons of the project, decided to rope in a noted Sandalwood actor as its Brand Ambassador.

MCC Commissioner Dr. C.G. Betsurmath, DCP N. Rudramuni, MCC Deputy Commissioner (Development) Suresh Babu, Executive Engineer (JNNURM) Satyamurthy, Transport Planner in Directorate of Urban Land Transport, Bangalore, Sourav Dhar, Green Wheel Ride Contractor Mahesh and others attended meeting.

Under the Scheme, one can rent an electric bicycle from docking stations to be set up at 48 public and tourist places, and return it at any docking station. A total of 450 bicycles will be kept at 52 docking stations.

The MCC’s Rs. 19.03 crore project is being funded by the World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility project and the Ministry of Surface Transport.

Green Wheel Ride, Mysuru, which has won the contract for the project, will provide e-bikes with advanced lithium battery.

The MCC has taken up construction of docking stations at public places like Railway Stations, bus stands, near schools and colleges. To hire bicycles, one need to get a membership card, which will be like monthly and yearly passes. Users will have to just swipe the card to rent a bicycle

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 07th, 2016.

Waste to Wealth initiative : CFTRI empowers Banana Farmers

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

WasteBF07jul2016

Mysuru :

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, had organised a half-day workshop “Empowering Banana Farmers: Waste to Wealth” for banana growing farmers, processors and market players in Mysuru, on June 27.

The workshop was intended to create a robust market value chain and to improve sustainability of farming by converting waste to wealth which will be beneficial to large number of banana growers.

Banana farmers in the region of Hadinaru village, Nanjangud, raised concern on waste generated on-field during banana cultivation. Approximately 30 tons of waste has been generated per acre in one crop season from stem alone. To add commercial value to these waste, AcSIR students of the Institute took up the task and initiated interactions with farmers of Hadinaru village.

Accordingly, CSIR-CFTRI proposed a WMM (Waste to Wealth) model wherein, the waste generated from fields could be used for fibre extraction, stem juice production using CSIR-CFTRI technologies and for vermi-composting. This model completes the sustainability cycle by bringing income to farmers from waste via fibre, juice and organic manure production.

Fibre extracted from stem can blended easily with cotton fibre or other synthetic fibres to produce blended fabric and textiles. It is mainly used by cottage industry in Southern India at present.

Banana fibre also finds use in high quality security/ currency paper, packing cloth for agriculture produce, ships towing ropes, wet drilling cables etc. Whereas the juice extracted from stem has many medicinal benefits. The proposed model is expected to give substantial income per acre from banana stem wastes with least capital investment.

Accordingly, 2 tonnes of waste stem was brought from fields to CSIR-CFTRI and the fibre extraction, stem juice and biocompost preparation was demonstrated in the Institute to farmers.

Farmers groups, buyers, processors, along with officials of NABARD, Mysuru and Technologists from CFTRI attended the workshop. The Waste to Wealth model was unveiled by Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CSIR-CFTRI during the workshop.

N. Aravamudhan, AGM, NABARD, Mysuru, who was the chief guest, shared information on schemes and subsidies available from NABARD for farmers.

Prof. Ram Rajasekharan shared an innovation road map for banana stem juice to be part of sports beverage industries and possible products that can be made from banana fibre.

The institute has asserted to work on establishing semi-processing units through farmers and SHGs with the support of Government and other agencies, transfer of technology to agri-enterprises, training and creating a network amongst them for ensuring proper returns to farmers and growers.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 07th, 2016

Farming, with a digital touch

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

Kharif agricultural activities in Ballari district is going on with a digital touch, with farmers using their mobile phones for information on improved agricultural practices, steps to be taken before sowing, importance of crop insurance scheme, among other things.

“As per instructions of Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, we have created a group of progressive farmers in each one of the 27 hoblis in the district.

Agricultural Officer manning the Raitha Samparka Kendras will pass on all required information about crop insurance, suitable crop to be cultivated, precautionary measures to be taken to protect crops from pests and diseases, among other things, through social media (WhatsApp). The use of social media has been very easy and helpful to convey the message to farmers. Gradually, we would include more number of farmers in the group,” Sharnappa Mudagal, Joint Director of Agriculture, told The Hindu .

T. Satyanarayan, a farmer and a member of the group, said that farmers can now access the required information with much ease.

Shantala, Agricultural Officer, Raitha Samparka Kendra, Ballari, said that the response from farmers to messages/information sent has been very encouraging.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Ballari – June 30th, 2016