Category Archives: Business & Economy

Aurobindo Pharma to acquire R&D assets of Australian firm

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Aurobindo Pharma on Monday said it is acquiring a product under development and related research and development (R&D) assets from Advent Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd of Australia.

The $12.5 million acquisition will lead to enhancement of R&D capabilities in complex speciality generics, the company said in a regulatory filing.

The acquisition, providing an opportunity to acquire assets that would be used for speciality generics business, is to be undertaken through AuroScience Pty Ltd, Melbourne, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc.

Advent Pharmaceuticals is into the business of R&D in complex speciality generics. According to the Australian firm’s website, the company was founded in 2001 with the aim of developing generic inhalation products for global markets.

With regard to turnover of the target entity, Aurobindo Pharma said certain R&D assets were being acquired and “no revenues [were] generated during the 12 months ended September since it is engaged in R&D activity.” No sales were expected in the first 12 months of the acquisition, the filing said.

The transaction is expected to be completed by January 2019.

Besides the acquisition, Aurobindo Pharma also announced results for the quarter ended September, a period that saw it clocking a consolidated net profit of ₹.611.44 crore. This was a decline of 21.70% compared to the ₹780.97 crore registered during the year earlier period.

Total income of the company increased by 7.45% to ₹4,777.66 crore (₹4,446.16 crore). Total expenditure was ₹3,964.20 crore (₹3,468.36 crore). The Board of Directors also approved an interim dividend of 125% or ₹1.25 per equity share (of ₹ 1 each), the company said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – November 13th, 2018

A perfect place to tinker, innovate

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A model on display at the Hyderabad edition of Maker Faire, at Hitex on Friday.

Three-day Maker Faire begins at Hitex

Hyderabad got its first taste of Maker Faire on Friday as dozens of innovators trooped into a hangar at Hitex to showcase their effort. The three-day event aims at helping create an environment of innovation, tinkering, hacking and creating.

“Curiosity and innovation are innate part of childhood when children take apart toys and dolls. But somehow, it gets lost in the chase for marks, exams and competition. Only now we are realising the importance of innovation,” said Jayesh Ranjan, IT Secretary, Government of Telangana, in his keynote address.

“The last decade and a half has seen transformative ideas. We need to create an ecosystem of innovation. We have lot of problems and we need a pool of brilliant solutions,” said Mr. Ranjan.

On the first day, one section of the event resembled a science fair put up by students. “This is a device that can be used by visually-impaired. The frequency of vibration changes when the object gets closer,” said Soumyadeep Sahu, who promised adding more features to his device once his 12th class exams get over.

There were a number of such innovative ideas using proximity sensors, light sensor, movement detectors and even weather monitors. Unfortunately, most of the sensors, IOT devices and chips were off-the-shelf imported stuff. “Our education system with its focus on marks stamps out any leaning towards innovation. We need problem-solving mindset. We now have 5,400 tinkering labs and hopefully, they will bring about a change in the mindset of people,” said Ramanan Ramanathan, the mission director of Atal Innovation Mission.

The event is a brainchild of Sujai Karampuri of T-Works. “In 2014 at San Mateo in the U.S., I attended a Maker Faire and thought why not in Hyderabad. Here it is. We want to create a one-stop prototyping facility at T-Works,” said Mr. Karampuri. The event would go on till Sunday, 8 p.m. and entry is free.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – November 09th, 2018

Startoon Labs first from WE Hub to raise equity funding

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The startup is into product development, designing and developing industrial-grade IoT products and smart electronics systems from the fields of embedded systems and robotics.

Hyderabad :

Hyderabad based early-stage startup, Startoon Labs has become the first startup incubated at the WE Hub, incubator of Telangana government for women entrepreneurs, to raise first round of equity funding.

The startup is into product development, designing and developing industrial-grade IoT products and smart electronics systems from the fields of embedded systems and robotics.The money raised through equity funding will be used by Startoon Labs to build their product – Pheezee, a smart physiotherapy toolkit. The device is designed to monitor and report on patient rehabilitation and recovery by tracking their mobility and muscle strength.

The startup is led by Mythreyi Kondapi alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and her husband Susurla VS Suresh, alumnus of IIM Kolkata, was established in November 2017. Kondapi is part of the first cohort of 26 women-led startups selected for incubation at WE Hub.

“My team and I are really excited that a hardware product company from Hyderabad is the first of the WE Hub startups to raise equity funding. We are working towards building on Startoon Labs’ momentum by creating a robust, outcome-oriented roadmap for growth”, said Deepthi Ravula, CEO of WE Hub.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / November 04th, 2018

For producing dry fish of impeccable quality

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

An NIRDPR team demonstrating the working of solar-powered hybrid dehydrators to fisherwomen from Telangana at a workshop held on its campus in Hyderabad recently.

NIRDPR’s Rural Technology Park develops solar-powered dehydrators

The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR)’s Rural Technology Park has developed solar-powered hybrid dehydrators to produce dry quality fish under hygienic conditions. This technology would help pack and seal fish in pouches, which is likely to fetch a better price for fishermen.

The institute and its technology partner have decided to train 4,000 fishermen from across the country in adopting modern technologies to improve catch and reduce wastage in collaboration with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

“We have also developed a fish bone separator keeping in view the demand for higher quantity of fish, which will increase productivity among fishermen community,” said NIRDPR Deputy Director Radhika Rastogi and NFDB Chief Executive I. Rani Kumudini on Friday.

About 150 fisherwomen from Telangana were trained during a one-day workshop-cum-demonstration held at the institute last week as part of ‘Rastriya Mahila Kisan Diwas’, supported by Commissioner of Fisheries C. Suvarna, they said.

RTP Project Director Ramesh Sakthivel urged the Fisheries Departments of all the States to take advantage of the training facilities available at the institute. The institute was also exploring options to conduct such trainings at different places to reach out to more people.

Technologies such as solar hybrid dehydrators, designed chilling chambers, freezers, mobile moped-mounted freezers and ice machines that are user-friendly, compact with high quality materials, and of low maintenance, have been developed at the RTP.

Leftover catch fish after selling can be stored in chilled chambers to avoid spoilage of fish, and can be transported to various destinations through moped mounted freezer.

Fisherwomen, who took part in the training programme, expressed keen interest in the newly-developed technologies and some fishermen societies have even agreed to install chilling chambers for preservation of fish, he claimed.

The RTP has, in fact, developed several new approaches for promoting hygienic ways of handling, preserving and drying fish, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2018

L.B. Nagar sets the new benchmark

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The recently opened Corridor One of the metro is carrying up to 1.25 lakh passengers a day

Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited & L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad have announced on Tuesday that the L.B. Nagar terminal station on Corridor One – Miyapur to L.B. Nagar has crossed the Ameerpet interchange station in having the highest passenger footfall with both entry and exit being 30,000 a day.

Top stations used by passengers are: LB Nagar — entry – 14,145, Ameerpet — 13,974, Miyapur — 10,603, Uppal — 9,719, KPHB — 9,269 and JNTU — 8,493 as on Monday when the total number of passengers on all the trains have been 1. 90 lakh of which 1.77 lakh are paid passengers.

Corridor One has became operational last month and it is carrying upto 1.25 lakh passengers a day with trains being run at 3.5 minutes frequency during the peak hours, 6.5 minutes when the rush is slightly less and eight minutes during the non-peak hours in this section, according to HMR MD N.V.S. Reddy. L&TMRH MD & CEO K.V.B. Reddy informed that every day 248 trips are being run on Corrdior One while it is 266 trains on the partially opened Corridor Three – Nagole to Ameerpet.

Altogether 550 trips are being undertaken by the metro trains in the twin directions and the number of passengers on Corridor Three is about 50,000 now. Metro rail authorities are running 21 three coach trains between L.B.Nagar (29 km) and Miyapur and 12 three-coach trains between Nagole to Ameerpet (17 km) everyday thereby running 33 trains in total.

The duo along with other senior metro rail officials, including Chief Operating Officer Anil Kumar Saini and others participated in a coordination meeting held at HMR Bhavan. The officials discussed the passenger rush, amenities and other issues of the transport system. They were of the opinion that barring a few complaints, the passengers have been having a good run in the metro trains in the 46-km. made operational and appealed to the citizens to make use of the services extensively.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 24th, 2018

The ‘padwomen’ of Telangana

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Successful venture: Adivasi women working at the sanitary napkin unit in Bhadrachalam, Telangana

Sanitary napkins made by adivasi women of the State are in great demand.

In Telangana’s tribal belt, since February this year, adivasi women have been running four small units that produce sanitary napkins for free distribution to students in the tribal welfare hostels and ashram schools. Now, the region is set to get four more sanitary napkin production units, thanks to the demand for pads among young women in the adivasi community.

While the State has four such units currently running in Bhadrachalam, Utnoor, Mannanur and Eturnagaram, with a collective production capacity of 6,000 to 7,000 pads per month, the facilities in the pipeline are expected to increase the total production of napkins to 40,000 per quarter.

All the existing units were commissioned under the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). Christina Z. Chongthu, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare, has already consulted with the ITDA to support the proposed units. As per the Commissionerate of Tribal Welfare in Hyderabad, talks are on with NGOs and commercial sanitary napkin units to support adivasi youth in sanitary napkin production in districts where tribal population is high.

Expansion plans
Speaking to The Hindu, N. Vijaykumar, deputy general secretary of the Girijan Cooperative Corporation, which distributes the pads among the adivasi students, said, “With the new units, we will be able to produce 40,000 sanitary napkins per quarter.” The napkins will then be supplied to women in the adivasi community who live in the tribal pockets near each manufacturing unit.

As per the 2018 report of the National Family Health Survey, 62% of women use cloth instead of sanitary pads. In most of the adivasi villages in Telangana, women were found to be using cloth or ash for menstrual protection. The pad-making units were set up primarily to support adolescent girls and young women enrolled in schools.

The decision to start more units came after demand for the pads increased, officials said. Once funds are sanctioned for starting the units, the four existing units will also undergo a technological upgrade. While the units in operation do not make the extra safe winged variety of pads, the new technology that is set to be introduced will make it possible.

The units have provided jobs to around 30 women in each unit, with altogether 120 adivasi women employed in the four facilities.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Nikhila Henry / Hyderabad – October 15th, 2018

A flourishing trade centre revisited

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A bird’s eye view of Peddabonkur village of Karimnagar district.


Coins, terracotta beads, pearls, semi-precious stones unearthed at Peddabonkur village of Karimnagar

The Hussain Miyan Vagu, a tributary of Godavari, flows beside the largely agriculture village of Peddabonkur in Karimnagar district. But 20 centuries ago, it was a flourishing trade centre.

“The vagu (stream) might have been a source of water for the village that flourished in the 1st and 2nd century. The village had flourishing trade centre during Satavahana rule and later in Chalukya times,” says N.R. Visalatchy of the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DAM). The Satavahanas ruled between 1 BCE and 2 CE in a region that now stretches over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra while the Eastern Chalukyas ruled between 7th and 12 century.

The DAM recently finished excavation of the Satavahana era site and a vast trove findings about 922 artefacts were discovered in one layer. The excavation throws a new light on the Satavahana era and the trade links of the village in the interiors of Karimnagar. The coin hoards unearthed include punch marked coins dating to pre-Satavahana era, variants of Satavahana coins, Eastern Chalukyan coins, Pallava coins and one Chola coin. “The coin collection makes me believe that the village was continuously inhabited for a long time and had trade relations with many places in the country,” says Ms. Visalatchy who led the excavation team. Besides agricultural produce and cattle trade; the village had a tradition of textile manufacture. Needles, knives and nails have been uncovered at the site.

It is not just the trade links that formed a key part of the findings at Peddabonkur. Among the artefacts are 500 terracotta beads. “We recovered 50 tiny pearls from the site. The pearls are very small and the technique for drilling a hole through them and stringing them would be worth researching,” said Ms. Visalatchy.

Among the other findings from the site are jade, jasper, shell bangles besides crystal and semi-precious stones. The findings also include amalkha gold foil work, the ribbed shape of amla, for ear rings.

From a historical perspective, this was one of the biggest finds during the archaeological season for the DAM. A report cataloguing the finds as well as the historical context has been sent to the Government of India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Serish Nanisetti / Hyderabad – October 20th, 2018

Dutch firm opens facility in Jadcherla

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Dutch multinational firm Royal DSM has set up its second animal nutrition and health premix plant in India at Jadcherla, near Hyderabad.

With the facility, which was formally opened on Monday, the company aims to serve the growing Indian market in tune with the objective of providing solutions tailor-made for local needs. DSM Animal Nutrition and Health Business Unit Director (South Asia) Ravindra Vyawahare said the company has been in the region for over 20 years.

“We see strong potential for growth in the animal premix industry. The Jadcherla plant gives us far greater geographic reach and increases our production capacity to meet the growing industry demands,” he said in a release. The first plant of the company in India is in Maharashtra.

DSM, which is listed on Euronext Amsterdam, and its associated companies had annual net sales of about €10 billion and a headcount of about 23,000 people.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – October 15th, 2018

Bathukamma saree production gathers pace

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Collector appoints special officers to oversee production

With less than two weeks for the distribution of Bathukamma sarees to commence, production work in Sircilla has picked up pace with powerlooms operating round-the-clock to meet the target.

In a bid to provide regular employment to powerloom weavers of Sircilla, the State government had placed orders for 90 lakh Bathukamma sarees and blouses measuring 6 crore metres of fabric at a cost of ₹280 crore. A total of 16,000 weavers are working on 20,000 powerlooms to produce the sarees.

Last year, the weavers could not achieve the targeted production of sarees, forcing the State government authorities to purchase sarees from Surat, Gujarat. However, following the supply of poor quality of sarees, the government faced the wrath of womenfolk. So, this time, it has taken up saree production as a prestige issue.

Collector P. Venkatarama Reddy is overseeing the daily production and has appointed 10 district officials as special officers with another 77 officials inspecting the powerloom units. So far, 4.21 crore metres (74 lakh sarees) have been woven.

Officials are ensuring that 12 lakh metres are woven on a daily average. They have also dispatched 34 lakh sarees to various districts for the distribution among beneficiaries from October 12. The weavers are producing two varieties of sarees in 80 colours — one for the elderly and the other for younger women.

Officials have also decided to conduct exhibitions by displaying the 80 colours of Bathukamma sarees from October 2 in Rajanna-Sircilla, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Siddipet, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Kamareddy and other districts.

Mr. Reddy said the production of sarees has gathered considerable pace following supervision by special officers and added that the production of fabric has increased from 7 lakh metres to 12 lakh metres a day.

The Collector exuded confidence that the target would be achieved in time.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by K.M. Dayashankar / Rajanna-Sircilla, October 01st, 2018

Thinking caps on, students present out-of-the-box ideas

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Young innovators share 175 ideas at Startup India boot camp

There has been overwhelming response to the Startup India Telangana Yatra with students sharing 175 ideas at the boot camp organised at the Jyothismathi Institute of Technology and Sciences (JITS) on Monday.

To promote entrepreneurship in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, Telangana State Innovation Cell launched the Startup India Telangana Yatra to bring budding entrepreneurs together to brainstorm and present their ideas. JITS was selected as the nodal centre for the programme.

The boot camp witnessed the participation of over 400 students from various engineering colleges such as JNTU Kondagattu and Manthani, NIT-Warangal, SR Engineering College and KITS-Huzurabad, apart from schools like Sidhartha High School in Karimnagar town. Among them, 175 students shared their ideas and innovations.

Of those, the best ideas would make it to the grand finale at JNTU-Hyderabad. The winners would be attached to seven incubators in the State and provided all assistance to start their business. On this occasion, the students of JITS have exhibited their innovations and won accolades.

A working model on prevention of accidents on ghat roads in the wake of Kondagattu bus mishap was appreciated by visitors. Third year civil engineering students S. Ashritha, E. Sucharitha and A. Laxmi Prasanna designed the model by erecting roller barricades, which would prevent vehicles from plunging into the gorge.

Startup India Telangana representatives Radhika Meenakshi Shankar, Nikitha Rupasri, Amith Sharanya, Spoorthi, Major Sunil Shetty, Tarun, Raj Janagam and Swetha clarified doubts raised by the students about startup ideas and innovations. JITS chairman J. Sagar Rao, director K. Venkat Rao and principal G. Laxminarayana were also present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Karimnagar – September 25th, 2018