ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA January 2018

January - February 2018 | Vol 4 | Issue 1

www.advantagekarnataka.in

Women Power in Karnataka

Neelamani N Raju DG - IGP

Ratna Prabha Chief Secretary

KSRTC on Expansion Mode

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Construction and development of nearly 30,000 km of state and district highways, connecting nooks and corners of the state.

� Road Development:

Ensuring life security to prospects by creating 15 lakh job opportunities.

� Employment Opportunities:

Extended irrigation facilities through farm ponds and water tanks, leading to increased agricultural produce.

� Krishi Bhagya:

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Karnataka Information

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It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity, so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

January - February 2018 | Vol 4 | Issue 1

EDITORIAL

www.advantagekarnataka.in

Development is the Keyword in Karnataka as Poll Year Dawns

Women Power in Karnataka

E

Neelamani N Raju

Ratna Prabha

DG - IGP

Chief Secretary

KSRTC on Expansion Mode

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A magazine showcasing the latest news updates and events of Karnataka Editorial Adisory Board Dr. C.G. Krishnadas Nair Dr. D. S. Ashwath IAS (Retd) Shri. Ivan Nigli Ex. MLA Maj Neil Castelino (Retd) Sunny Jerome Managing Editor Preethi M Associate Editor For Publishing Articles & Advertisements Editor, ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA, Aerosun Media Pvt. Ltd., B-2, SAPPHIRE, 1st, Block, 3rd Street, 2nd Cross, Prakruthi Town ship, Babusapalya, Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore. 560113 Tel : 080 25604055.

Cell: + 91 94490 61925, 94805 51925.

Email : info@advantagekarnataka.in www. advantagekarnataka.in

very New Year brings hope and promise of a better future. At the beginning of the year, resolutions are made and activities begin in earnest to turn them into reality during the 12-month period.

However, sometimes, the situation is different. The work initiated to achieve the resolutions cannot be continued throughout the year. It has to be completed as soon as possible. With elections to the Legislative Assembly around the corner, 2018 is one such significant year for Karnataka.

The dawn of New Year is witnessing hectic activities in the State. All of them need to be completed before the election dates are announced.

All wings of the Government, the bureaucracy, and other officials are on their toes, giving their best to make things happen.

The political leadership is also active. With the Siddaramaiah Government having focused on overall development, equality and social justice, during its nearly five-year rule, the ruling party is wellplaced to approach the people with confidence.

The yatras taken out by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other leaders, along with house-to-house campaigns, have enlightened people on the schemes and projects implemented by the Government. Yatras were taken out by Opposition parties also. They chose to attack the Government’s policies. With the leaders of Congress, the ruling party, putting up a valiant defence, the political temperature in Karnataka has risen by several degrees.

One of the major successes achieved by the Congress government in Karnataka, which is completing its full term, is in the field of women’s empowerment. The most striking evidence for this fact is the leadership of the State bureaucracy. In a striking coincidence, the posts of the Chief Secretary and the State Police Chief are occupied by women who have led distinguished careers. Both women came to the top by sheer merit and seniority. Their appointments also reflect the high social indices achieved by the State.

Karnataka has shown the path to other states in Science, Industry, Information Technology, Startups, Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Aerospace, along with basic infrastructure development. With the elections fast approaching, many more projects are envisaged encompassing all these sectors.

Advantage Karnataka wishes a very happy 2018 of all-round development for the State as well as its people.

Edited, Printed & Published by Sunny Jerome, Managing Editor, ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA,Aerosun Media Pvt. Ltd., B-2, SAPPHIRE, 1st, Block, 3rd Cross, Prakruthi Township, Babusapalya, Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore - 560113.

Printed at Rashtrotthana Mudranalaya, 19/1, K.G. Nagar, Bangalore - 19

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An IEC initiative by the Commissioner, Department of Information & Public Relations.

It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity, so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

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100 new Government ITIs

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Content

8 Mighty Women Power on Display in Karnataka 10 ‘Jana Snehi Police will be Implemented in All Earnestness’: DG-IGP 12 Ratna Prabha - Right Person at the Right Place 14 “Our Corruption-Free Government will Retain Power” 16 Arathi Krishna- A Multifaceted Symbol of Women Power 18 Siddaramaiah Govt in Top Gear 22 Thriving Industrial Sector of Karnataka 24 Investors Meet Woos Industries to Invest in Karnataka 26 President Inaugurates Adamya Chetana Seva Utsav 2018 28 Seven Years of Excellence at the Helm of WTCB 30 Meritor Leads the Thriving Axle Manufacturing Industry in India 33 R V Devraj- An Astute Politician and Dedicated SocialWorker 34 Ashirvad Pipes – Two Decades of Commitment and Hard Work 36 Gadget World 40 ‘NativeCreativ’- A Proof of Fulfilled Promises for Startups 42 KSRTC on Expansion Mode 44 Surin Automotive Races to be among India’s Top 10 48 ‘Carnatic Music - A Therapy for Soul and Challenge for Mind’ 52 Belthangady’s own Bangera 54 Karnataka Tourist Destination - Gokarna 56 Sports Arena - 2017, A Career-High for India’s ‘Hitman‘

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Mighty Women Power

With two women at the helm of the State administrative mechanism, Karnataka has yet again set an ideal example for other states to follow.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has considered only seniority while choosing Ratna Prabha as the Chief Secretary and Neelamani N Raju as the State’s first woman Director General and Inspector General of Police. Both officers, pursuing distinguished careers, are all set to leave a lasting legacy in Karnataka’s Administrative History.

Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha and DG-IGP Neelamani N Raju

W

hen Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah has tweeted, “Karnataka’s admin (civil & police) is now headed by two women,” he created history in the State. Through his tweet, the Chief Minister has referred to the appointment of senior IAS officer Ratna Prabha as the Chief Secretary as well as that of Neelamani N Raju as the first woman Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG-IGP) of the State.

Now, both the top two administrative posts – Chief Secretary and DG-IGP – in Karnataka are occupied by women officers.

Ratna Prabha, 59, is the third woman Chief Secretary of the State after Teresa Bhattacharya (2000) and Malathi Das (2006). She has succeeded Subhash Chandra Khuntia on his superannuation.

Ratna Prabha’s term lasts till March 2018.

With the Assembly election set to take place early in 2018, Siddaramaiah seems to have played the right cards by choosing Ratna Prabha, who hails from Dalit community, to the top post. The State Government can request the Centre to extend the term of the Chief Secretary till the Assembly elections are over.

Earlier, the State Cabinet had given full authority to Siddaramaiah on the choice of the Chief Secretary. The Chief Minister, sticking to rules, has chosen Ratna Prabha, the senior most IAS officer in Karnataka, for the top post.

Belonging to the 1981 batch of IAS

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officers, Ratna Prabha has been leading an excellent career, with one of her biggest successes being the Invest Karnataka Summit 2016 and her role in encouraging women entrepreneurship. She has also bagged the ‘Woman of the Year’ award of the American Biographical Institute Inc. in the US. Ratna Prabha has served as Additional Chief Secretary before taking up the present post. She has earlier served as the Secretary of Information Services for many years in the united Andhra Pradesh state, before returning to Karnataka a few years ago. Last year, she has lost out the race for the Chief Secretary’s post to her batchmate Subhash Chandra Khuntia.

Ratna Prabha belongs to a distinguished

family; her father was an IAS officer, and mother a doctor. One of her brothers is an IAS officer, and the other a plastic surgeon.

The Chief Secretary has said that hard work and commitment of her parents influenced her. “My parents were always helping people and I think my pleasure and passion lies in helping people,” said Ratna Prabha in an interview.

Initially posted as Assistant Commissioner of Bidar 32 years ago, she is still fondly remembered by the people there for the work done in the area. She has later played a major role in formulating the Karnataka Industrial Policy during her stint as Additional Chief Secretary in Industries and Commerce

on Display in Karnataka

Department. She has also worked in IT industry, e-governance and social sector.

“Even though the journey has been long, it has always been good. I have been fortunate that both my parents were educated. I come from a family where all are treated as equals,” said Ratna Prabha at a function.

She has said: “During my early days as an IAS officer, I had a simple sense of style and so people often mistook me for a housewife or a typist, rather than an IAS officer. It did not matter to me but I felt proud that I looked like other women.

This has made my journey comfortable in the sense that I had no struggles.”

“Women are tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs, visionaries, artists and

influencers. They are change-agents with a rebel-yell, though in gentle voices.

Although it’s far from perfect, it has never been a better time to be a woman in this country,” she said.

Commenting on women as entrepreneurs, Ratna Prabha has said that, women need to compete with men and not look out for arrangements.

Though there are various provisions by the government for SMEs, while funds are allotted, women entrepreneurs are not given priority, and hence there is need to recognise and support them. The media should highlight the achievements of women entrepreneurs, she said.

Major Milestone for Police

In last October, Karnataka Government

has chosen Neelamani N Raju, 57, the senior most IPS officer in the State, to head the force, though she was not leading the race for the post considering her relatively less experience in Karnataka. But, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has gone ahead strictly by seniority and appointed her as the state police chief.

The Chief Minister has later tweeted to mark the historic moment in the history of Karnataka Police “Congratulations to Karnataka’s first woman DG-IGP Neelamani N Raju on her appointment.

Wish her a successful tenure in the post”.

DG-IGP post is unique to Karnataka. Most states have DGP as the top post in the police.

Raju, a 1983 batch IPS officer, has earlier held the post of DGP, Fire and Emergency Services before she was elevated to the top post in police. She has replaced DGIGP Rupak Kumar Dutta on his retirement.

Raju has been chosen by Siddaramaiah after consultations with Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy. Neelamani Raju has taken up the role of the State’s top police officer on November 1 as Karnataka celebrated Rajyotsava Day. Soon after her appointment has been announced, Raju said “It is a responsible post. I am honoured to be selected. I would like to focus on increasing the conviction rates. My focus will be on making the police more citizen-friendly.”

Commenting on her experiences as a woman officer, she has told a TV channel that there is equal opportunity for men and women at all levels. “I have never seen myself as a woman officer. It doesn’t really feel that way to me. But a lot of people see it that way. Women face problems in different spheres of life. If my elevation helps them in some way, I am happy about it.”

Neelamani Raju has later said that her first priority, like any other cop, would be the maintenance of law and order. The safety and security of people and their property is the most important thing.

Other things come as when they occur.

Though crime and rate of conviction are also important, law and order will be the priority always.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

‘Jana Snehi Police will be Implemented in All Earnestness’: DG-IGP

With the reins of the state police in her able hands, DG-IGP Neelamani N Raju, the first woman police chief, speaks to Advantage Karnataka about her thoughts on improving the effectiveness of the police department.

Raju, who spent 23 years on Central deputation, has said that Karnataka is a well-managed state and has a good police organisation. However, the State has a relatively low conviction rate of 38% according to National Crime Records Bureau’s report for 2015. The new police chief wants to change the situation.

“Conviction rates are not just based on the police system, although there is a lot that can be improved,” said Neelamani Raju.

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Could you shed more light onto Jana Snehi police scheme, which is a priority initiative of the state police?

The main objective of Jana Snehi police is to make the police force more peoplefriendly and thereby making the services more accessible to the public. Most people are afraid or not confident enough to approach or enter a police station.

This must change, and people should not be afraid of the police as we are here to help them solve their problems. The police department is taking many steps to provide good treatment to those who approach us with their complaints.

The Jana Snehi scheme is one such initiative which will reduce people’s apprehension and fear in approaching the police. A reception will be established in every police station which will have a ‘May I Help You’ placard written in Kannada as well as English. The reception will have a proper desk and chair for the reception officer and some chairs, fans, and water for the complainants.

A visitor’s register will be kept at the reception desk which will record the details of the visitor like name, telephone number, time of visit, the nature of complaint/work signature/thumb impression etc. It will also register the name and badge number of the officer who attended to the visitor. At least threefour personnel of each police station will be given a training in soft skills as this initiative may help the department fight

the negative public perception towards police behaviour.

The state government wants to get implemented at the earliest. I am directly monitoring its effective implementation in all earnestness at the earliest.

As the state police chief, what are your priorities for improving the law and order situation in the state?

My first priority will be to ensure a peaceful life for the public by controlling the rowdy elements in the society. The police will take stringent action against anti-social elements in the society and thereby bring a significant reduction in crime rates. I will also focus on increasing the conviction rates by speeding up the investigation in many pending cases.

Also, the police force will be directed to complete the investigation effectively without any lag so that the guilty could be punished.

My second priority will be on reducing the cybercrime rate in the state.

Karnataka records higher number of cybercrimes, especially using mobile phones, compared to other states. With the help of latest technology, the cyber cell of Karnataka police is working on checking cybercrimes and ensure cyber security. To tackle the growing number of cybercrimes in the state capital, Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru city has been established, and is empowered to register and investigate the offences under the IT Act 2000.

When asked about the role of women in police force, Raju has said “When I came to Karnataka in 1985, there were only three women officers, including me. Over the years, there has been a lot of changes happened. But a lot more has to change, and I want the police to be friendly with all citizens”. She has stressed the need to increase gender diversity in Karnataka police by inducting more women personnel.

Raju’s earlier stints include, Chief of

Home Guards, Civil Defence and State Disaster Response Force. In 1985, soon after confirmation, she was posted as Superintendent of Police of Bengaluru Rural district. She has later served as a secretary in the Indian embassy in Nepal, and in the Central intelligence, as Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau. She has returned to Karnataka in 2016 and was posted as DGP of Internal Security Division in May that year. Her term as police chief lasts till January 2020.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Ratna Prabha - Right Person at the Right Place When K Ratna Prabha took charge as the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, it was a momentous occasion for the State. With Assembly elections fast approaching, the Chief Minister appeared to be making the right move in selecting Ratna Prabha – a Dalit and a people’s favourite – to the top bureaucratic post. Ratna Prabha speaks to Advantage Karnataka about the new responsibility she has been entrusted with.

What would be your priorities during your tenure as the Chief Secretary of Karnataka?

My priority will be to strengthen the public grievance system.

Your appointment is at a time when elections are fast approaching. The government will focus more on implementation of various programmes.

Don’t you think you will be overburdened?

I don’t mind being overburdened with work. I have the experience of handling multiple roles, and I am confident that I will be able to manage time as well as priorities. I am sure that I will be able to complete all the tasks given to me.

Could you talk about how society has treated you as a career woman?

I have always received encouragement since childhood. I have never faced any discrimination on the lines of gender. I have always got opportunities that I deserved. I have lived up to the expectations, and will continue to do so.

I have a simple sense of style and so people often mistook me for a housewife or a typist, rather than an IAS officer during the early phase of my career. It did not matter to me, but I felt proud that I looked like other women. This has made

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my journey comfortable in the sense that I had no struggles.

What are your plans for women empowerment and women entrepreneurship?

Being a woman, I can do many things for women. Special Women’s Tech Parks are coming up in Hubballi, Dharwad, Mysuru, Ballari and Kalaburagi. Women are tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs, visionaries, artists and influencers.

Although it’s far from perfect, it has never been a better time to be a woman in this country.

Women need to compete with men, and not look out for arrangements.

Though there are various provisions by the government for SMEs, while funds are allotted, women entrepreneurs are not given priority, and hence, there is a need to recognise and support them. Also, I think the media should highlight the achievements of women entrepreneurs.

While leading an illustrious career, who influenced you the most?

The hard work and commitment of my parents have influenced me the most.

They were always helping people and I think my only pleasure and passion is when I help people.

Even though the journey of my life and career has been long, it has always been good. I have been fortunate that both my parents were educated. I come from a family where all are treated equally.

Industries in Karnataka have been receiving a lot of encouragement from the Government. How do you view this?

Over the last several years, successive state governments have made policies conducive to the growth of industry. As a result, Karnataka has become home to IT, Aerospace, Defence, Textile, Pharmacy and Manufacturing industries as well as Startups and R&D. The people of the State are fortunate to be in a happening place, and now, more people and talent from other places want to be here.

What is your vision regarding Bengaluru as well as Karnataka?

Several industrial parks are coming up in Bengaluru and other places, where fresh things are happening. These places attract talent. Karnataka provides the right ecosystem for growth, and shows the path for the rest of India. The policies which make all this happen will be strengthened.

NRI Policy of Karnataka Dr. Arathi Krishna

Sri Siddaramaiah

Deputy Chairman NRI Forum, Karnataka

Hon’ble Chief Minister & Chairman, NRI Forum, Karnataka Government of Karnataka

Highlights of Policy Measures † Non Resident Kannadiga (NRK) Card † Creating a network of "Non-Resident Kannadigas" † Encourage Kannada Kootas all over the world † Promotion of Art, festivities & Culture of Karnataka, † NRls / NRKs Entrepreneurs Guidance Cell † Business Incubation Centre for NRKs † Encouraging Cross border Entrepreneurship † Facilitation of General Welfare issues of NRls / NRKs † NRls/NRKs Support Service Centre † Welfare services to Migrant workers & NRls/NRKs returning home

Deputy Chairman, NRI Forum, Karnataka Government of Karnataka Room No. 6&7, Vikasa Soudha, Dr. BR. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore - 560 001 Karnataka, India Ph: +91 80 2237 4818, Fax: +91 80 2237 4708 Email: dycnriforum@karnataka.gov.in arathikrishna.dychairman@gmail.com

Member Secretary, NRI Forum, Karnataka Government of Karnataka Room No. 220F, 220E Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore - 560 001 Karnataka, India.

Ph: +91 80 22035076/ 22286778, Fax: +91 80 2237 4708 Email : msnriforum@karnataka.gov.in memsecy@gmail.com

nriforum.karnataka.gov.in

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

“Our Corruption-Free Government will Retain Power�

Writing has always been my passion and even now I pen down my thoughts whenever I get free time. But now, I have bigger things to do. The people and government have entrusted me with a responsibility. Now, I work to fulfil that responsibility. Since I am new to politics, I have to learn a lot. Hence, I constantly engage with public affairs, and stay approachable for people anytime. Keeping their faith in me by serving them, in the best way I can, is my priority now. I work to fulfil my responsibility towards people, who have elected me, says Dr. Gita Mahadeva Prasad, Karnataka Minister for Sugar and Small Scale Industries. Dr. Gita speaks to Anantha Narayanan of Advantage Karnataka about her recently-begun political life.

Dr. Gita Mahadeva Prasad, Karnataka Minister for Sugar and Small Scale Industries

Y

ou have begun your political career from the Gundlupet constituency, where you have registered a thumping victory in the election. Could you talk about the various developmental policies you have taken for your constituency?

Politics was totally a new sphere for me. I was never involved in politics unlike my husband who had a distinguished political career that spanned over three decades. It was entirely new for me. In spite of that, I entered politics because senior party leaders and workers asked me to contest elections from our constituency after the demise of my husband. Mahadeva Prasad had done a lot for Gundlupet constituency in the last 24 years.

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He had believed that only through proper education a society can rise. He had opened many schools and colleges for that. In Gundlupet we have 8 Morarji Residential schools.

But, many of the super projects in the constituency were incomplete at the time of his demise. For example, the Rs.540 Crores drinking water project for 131 villages in the constituency, along with several villages from Chamrajanagar district. There was a plan for 26 water filtering units and Mahadeva Prasad had completed the inauguration of only five of them. Another project was the filing up of lakes with water from Kabini river which will bring all bore wells into life. There were many other incomplete projects. I wanted all those projects to be completed for the larger good of the society. That would be the best way to pay homage to Mahadeva Prasad, who had dedicated his life for the welfare of his people. Being new to politics helps me to learn more about the society, because it makes me want to know more about people’s problems.

That was the main reason I agreed to contest the election. The people have faith in me. With their support, I won the election with a margin of over 10000 votes. Now, I am completing all those pending projects. The drinking water project was completed on the 100th day after the election, and the other 21 water filtering units were also completed. The rest of the projects are being implemented fast.

As the Minister for Sugar Industry how will you assess the growth of the industry in Karnataka? What are the new developments in the sector?

I was so happy to receive the portfolio of Sugar because it was previously held by my husband. The sugar industry

Dr. Gita Mahadeva Prasad with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his Nava Karnataka Yatra in Karnataka, earlier, has witnessed a triangular argument among the farmers, factory owners and the government. But, Mahadeva Prasad was able to handle the portfolio efficiently. He had streamlined everything, and it was a win-win game for everyone. This has put the industry on the path of progress over these years. Now, the price level of sugar has gone up and the industry is growing. Moreover, this year we have received good monsoons.

So, we expect better prospects for the farmers in next year.

We have opened a new tissue culture centre at the sugar technology institute in Belgaum. This will help to produce new breeds of sugarcane and supply it to the farmers. At present, we have 72 registered sugar factories in the state and most of them are running profitable. We also have 12 Sugar Cooperatives.

Karnataka is also one of the top three sugar producing states in India. The sugar industry in the state has a crucial role in the economy and earns foreign exchange.

It also helps in the development of rural areas by being an agro-based industry.

We are further planning to help the farmers with more incentives and welfare programmes.

Apart from your political career, you have been known as a writer and a poet.

You have published a travelogue and a poetic collection ‘Interiors’. What are the latest developments in your literary life?

How do you manage both politics and literature?

Writing has been a passion for me even from childhood. I spent my leisure time by writing poems and stories in English.

Later, I started writing in Kannada also.

Whenever I got free time, I was into writing. My two books of poems in Kannada, “Nivedana” and “Taayigagi” were released earlier. Later, a collection of my poems in English, “Interiors” was released in Bengaluru along with my travelogue “My Visit to USA”. After completing my Ph.D. in 2014, I wrote a book “104 Women Will Inspire”, based on the general data from my Ph.D. thesis.

The book was released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 2016. The book depicts the saga of 104 women achievers in Karnataka. Now, I am working on the Kannada translation of the book. Also, I have written two more travelogues based on my visits to China and Australia, and are ready to be published. I hope to release them soon. I have been recognised by the Department for Kannada and Culture, in the book ‘Mysore Darshana’ as a prolific writer both in Kannada and English, and also the only English writer of Chamarajanagar District.

The truth is that after entering politics I get free time very rarely. Thoughts often come to my mind, but I hardly get time to turn them into words. Writing demands our time and dedication. You cannot scribble something for the sake of writing and get away with it. But now, I have bigger things to do. The people and government have entrusted me with a responsibility. So, I thought I should set aside my literary career for the time being and concentrate on my public life. Since I am new to politics, I have to learn a lot.

Hence, I constantly engage with public affairs, and stay approachable for people anytime. I do not want my literary carrier to be a barrier in my public life. I work to fulfil my responsibility towards people,

who have elected me.

Recently you have been appointed as the District-in-Charge Minister for Chamarajanagar. Also, you are the first woman minister to hold this post. What are your priorities for Chamarajanagar?

Chamarajanagar town is one of the oldest towns in Karnataka. 23 years ago, before my husband became an MLA, town was a more of a small village only. Also, Mahadeva Prasad had been the district-incharge Minister of Chamarajanagar three times. During his term, Chamarajanagar had witnessed several developmental projects being implemented with a medical college, engineering colleges, etc. He had widened many narrow roads, cleared several illegal constructions, and had given the town a brand-new identity over these years. Now, many developmental projects are happening throughout the district and I personally monitor each of them. All the ongoing projects will be completed soon. There is a lack of a law college and we are trying to bring up one.

How will you assess your government’s performance? Are you confident that your party will retain the power after the 2018 assembly elections?

The congress party will definitely retain the power after the elections.

Siddaramaiah is one of the best Chief Ministers the state has ever seen. He is about to set a record by completing the term as CM, a first in the last 40 years.

The rivals have never been able to shake his pro-people and corruption-free government. The government have been able to complete almost all the promises the party made in the 2013 election manifesto, especially various policies in education sector like free education, uniform, books, hostel etc. for students.

The government have never differentiated between the rural and urban regions when it comes to development. Old age pension has been increased from Rs.500 to Rs.1000. There are many schemes for women like Mythri, Mathru Poorna etc. The government have waivered agricultural loans of farmers twice. There is Anna Bhagya Scheme to ensure nobody starves in Karnataka. The crime rates have gone down compared to previous years.

The people have acknowledged all these, and their support will help us to win the election again.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Arathi Krishna- A Multifaceted Symbol of Women Power Anantha Narayanan K

L

Being a multifaceted personality, Arathi Krishna is a well-read scholar, skilled diplomat, art-lover, singer, steadfast social worker and a philanthropist. This Kannada Rajyotsava Award 2013 winner has shown that a proud Kannadiga woman can do many things for her state and above all the nation. Currently, at the helm of NRI Forum, Arathi Krishna is spearheading its activities to be a succour for non-residential Kannadigas.

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inguistic and cultural barriers can never be the hurdles in a woman’s journey to chase her dreams and the stories of such valiant women are many in Karnataka.

Dr Arathi Krishna, current Deputy Chairman of Karnataka NRI Forum, is one such woman who has become a symbol of woman power in Karnataka through her endless efforts in various spheres of life. Being a multifaceted personality, Arathi Krishna is a wellread scholar, skilful diplomat, art-lover, singer, steadfast social worker and a philanthropist.

Having spent most time of her career in the US as a key personality interfacing with the Indian-American community and its life there, this Kannada Rajyotsava Award 2013 winner has shown that a proud Kannadiga woman can do many things for her state and above all the nation. Currently, at the helm of NRI Forum, Arathi Krishna is spearheading its activities to be a succour for non-residential Kannadigas.

Hailing from Karnataka’s Udupi, Arathi Krishna has born in a family with a strong political background.

Arathi Krishna is the daughter of Begane Ramiah, former Karnataka Minister, and Seetha. Though being the daughter of a politician has been an advantage

for her when it comes to getting something extra in life, Arathi has always believed that whatever be the family support, ultimately one must prove oneself if one is to really succeed in life. And one’s innate qualities, intelligence, the passion to serve people etc., make

Arathi has also moved out of Udupi in pursuit of her dreams. She has joined Mysore University, where she secured a Masters in Political Science. After her marriage, she has moved to the United States where she continued her studies at George Mason University and earned a

the difference between dismal failure and grand success. It is undoubtedly this principle, she put into practice, that has helped her to be successful in life and create her own distinct identity in the society.

Arathi has shown a natural tendency for diplomacy and tact from a young age and it has made her successful in whatever she endeavoured to do.

Arathi has always had an urge for the rough and tumble of the politics of democracy. Oratorical and organisational skills in her blood have made her a proficient public speaker.

In 1980, when her father, then an MLA, had to move to Bengaluru after being appointed as a minister in the Gundu Rao cabinet,

Masters in International Commerce and Public Policy.

During her studies at Mason University, Arathi has helped in bridging linkages between the University with India. She has helped setting up an India Study Centre in the George Mason University and worked for the “India Study Abroad” Program as the project coordinator.

Arathi has also helped in forging linkages between the Bangalore University and the George Mason University. Throughout her life in the US, Arathi has got the chance to interact with the NRIs and PIOs in the US. She has built, maintained and nurtured extensive contacts with the influential Indian American community

in the US. She has also held the post of an Adviser to the largest Indian American organization in the US namely the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) in an honorary capacity.

After her studies she has been appointed as Community Development Officer in the Indian Embassy in Washington DC in 2007

by Th Indian Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs where she got the opportunity to be in touch with Indian affairs. As a Community Development Officer, Arathi has networked extensively to take the message of India’s engagement with the Indian American community to all parts of the continental United States. It has opened vistas for her to travel around the length and breadth of America publicising the schemes of Indian NRI ministry. It has also

brought Arathi into contact with Indian community members from all over the US. Finally, she has decided to give it all up and return to India to assume a social service role in her home-state of Karnataka and thereby fulfilling her dream of being useful to the poor and downtrodden in the state. For achieving that she has made a small beginning in 2009 by starting the Krishna Foundation to provide education opportunities for economically disadvantaged children and improve infrastructure facilities in rural schools. In 2016, the state government has appointed Arathi as the Deputy Chairman of Karnataka NRI Forum. Ever since then the NRI Forum, under Arathi Krishna’s leadership, has been doing its best to reach out to Kannada diaspora abroad and make them come closer to

their motherland. Arathi has initiated the plans to create a database of agencies offering overseas jobs to prevent fraud. NRI Forum has also started creating a registration system for around four lakhs Non-Residents Indians (NRI) Kannadigas, including 1.9 lakh in the Gulf and about 90,000 in the United States. Karnataka NRI forum has further started pre-departure orientation for blue collar workers following many instances of them landing in legal trouble due to ignorance of law.

NRI welfare committees will be set up in all districts for the first time, to help those seeking employment abroad, legal aid, counselling etc.

The forum, set up in 2008 with the main objective of addressing the grievances of the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) community, has been struggling to make much

impact until the Siddaramaiah government agreed to allocate a budget and come out with a new NRI policy.

Arathi Krishna has said that the NRI Forum is hoping a paradigm shift with enough funds from state government.

For her contributions to Karnataka, the Sahyadri Association has recognised and honoured her in February 2008. The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) has felicitated her in June 2008, at a function in Washington DC for her activities for helping Indian diaspora abroad. Arathi has also been conferred Honorary Doctorate by the Kuvempu University in Shimogga. Arathi krishna has received Mahatma Gandhi Samman award at Global conclave on India’s economic Development held in Bangok, for her immense service to NRIs for 20 years.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Siddaramaiah Govt in Top Gear With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana Yatra’, good governance, active party workers as well as leaders and ‘Mane Manege Congress’ programme, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to retain power in Karnataka in the coming Assembly elections.

Advantage Karnataka examines the scenario.

T

he ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana Yatra’ taken out by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has not only attracted big crowds, but also made his path to victory in the coming Assembly elections smoother. During the month-long tour across the state, the Chief Minister launched development projects in many districts, and highlighted the achievements of the Congress government.

Siddaramaiah’s tour came when his two rivals of the Congress —Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular ) — also took out statewide yatras to criticise his government’s policies and consolidate their respective vote bases.

Addressing meetings during his yatra, Siddaramaiah did a good job by defending the record of his four-anda-half-year rule as well as promoting his idea of ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana’ (building new Karnataka). “The Sarvodaya model of development, based on the belief that each citizen benefits from development, forms the basis for the ‘Karnataka Model of Development’,” Siddaramaiah wrote on Twitter before he started his yatra.

Siddaramaiah was, in fact, challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rhetoric of the ‘Gujarat Model’. The Sarvodaya model draws inspiration from 12th century social reformer Basavanna, Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar, among others, said Siddaramaiah.

The Chief Minister’s decision to start

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his tour from Bidar in north Karnataka was seen as a move to increase the influence of Congress in regions where BJP enjoys considerable support. To strengthen its prospects in the Assembly elections, the Congress will take out another yatra - one headed by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief G. Parameshwara in March.

According to political observers, the ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana Yatra’ has proved that in Karnataka, few can match Siddaramaiah and his popularity, making him almost indispensable to the Congress. In fact, the Chief Minister is not just eying to retain power in the Assembly elections, but is also seeking to lay the foundation for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. With these two elections ahead, the Congress hopes not just to retain power in Karnataka but also to get a fresh lease of life in national politics.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party had won nine seats in Karnataka, while the BJP had won 17. A win in 2018 Assembly elections would provide the Congress not just the hope of a revival under Rahul Gandhi but also put a check on BJP’s agenda of a ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’, and its entry into south India where it has little or no presence at all. The improved show put up by Congress in the Gujarat Assembly elections has also boosted the confidence of the party unit in Karnataka.

The importance, Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressing the crowd during his Nava Karnataka Yatra. gave to ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana Yatra’, could be judged from his decision to skip all three programmes organised in Bengaluru during President Ram Nath Kovind’s official visit to the city. The Chief Minister, at that time, was engaged with his yatra in Kolar district.

Siddaramaiah, who received the President at HAL Airport, was also not even present at the airport when the President left the city later. Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and Governor Vajubhai Vala went to the airport to see off the President.

At the centenary celebrations of the National Education Society of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah’s message was read out, while Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil represented the state government at the NIMHANS convocation. The CM’s name was mentioned in the invitations for two of the events attended by the President.

“The Chief Minister’s programmes were fixed much earlier. That was the reason he went ahead with his programmes in Srinivaspura, Mulbagal and Bangarpet.

The CM received the President at the airport and also met him at Raj Bhavan,’’ said a senior Congress leader.

BJP’s Charges Meanwhile, the BJP, launching a scathing attack on the Congress government in Karnataka, accused it of being “corrupt.”

BJP chief Amit Shah has said the Siddaramaiah government had broken “all records” in the matter. Launching the BJP state unit’s ‘Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra’ at a rally in Bengaluru, Shah has claimed that a survey had found that the Karnataka government was the “most corrupt” in the country.

He has described state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, who is spearheading the yatra, as the prospective chief minister

and claimed that the ‘yatra” would lead to the ouster of the Siddaramaiah government. Shah has alleged that the funds released by the Central government to the state were not reaching the people they were intended to benefit.

The party had installed its first-ever government in south India in 2008.

Well-Oiled Congress Machinery The Congress has said that it was up for any challenge from the saffron party.

While the contest is between the Congress and the BJP, the chances of the Janata Dal (Secular) also cannot be dismissed, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, K.C. Venugopal told party workers.

He has been conducting divisionwise review of booth-level committees, keeping the Congress party machinery well-oiled. Venugopal has alleged that the BJP was trying to polarise votes in the state, but the Congress too was leaving no

Huge crowd assembled for CM Siddaramaiah’s public addressing as part of Nava Karnataka Yatra.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

stone unturned to return to power in the state. “We have fulfilled almost all the promises made in our 2013 election manifesto and will fulfill the rest in the coming months,” he said.

“We are going before the people with the achievements of the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah over the last four- and- a- half years. While the BJP is propagating its ideology here, the Congress is chanting the mantra of development and welfare of one and all,” said Venugopal.

He has been visiting Karnataka regularly to review the progress of different tasks assigned to ministers, legislators and officebearers by Rahul Gandhi and himself, holding meetings with leaders of four divisions, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Mysuru and Bengaluru.

‘Mane Manege Congress’ Making Waves The KPCC, meanwhile, launched the ‘Mane Manege Congress’

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(Congress for every home) programme to inform people about what it called the government’s ‘Kaam ki Baat’. Siddaramaiah has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio show ‘Mann ki Baat’ would not work against the Congress government’s ‘Kaam ki Baat. “Mane Manege Congress will checkmate the BJP in the next elections,” he said.

In connection with the launch, a mega function was organised at Mahadevapura in Bengaluru East to educate households about the benefits they have received under Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, Pashu Bhagya, Arogya Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya, Vasathi Bhagya, Vidya Siri, midday meals, scholarships, and a large number of rural and urban development programmes.

Siddaramaiah has said that the government will set up Indira Canteens by March in all district headquarters to make Karnataka hunger-free. Already, farmers’ crop loans were waived off and more than 150 poll promises implemented.

KPCC chief Parameshwara has said that the ‘Mane Manege Congress’ aims at gradually transforming the Congress from being a mass-based party to a cadre-based one with active participation of booth-level agents.

Covering all the 224 Assembly seats in the State, about 6.5 lakh booth-level committee members in 54,262 booths are distributing booklets containing the government’s performance to all households under the programme. The agents not only inform people about the achievements of the Karnataka government, but also give feedback to the party on what people think about their elected representatives. Each booth-level team has 15 to 20 members “Siddaramaiah government has set a record in developmental as well as social welfare activities. People of Karnataka are happy with the government’s programmes, and hence, to take

governance to another level, this campaign was launched,” said Venugopal.

On BJP rule at the Centre, he said “They have promised ‘Achhe Din’ but have delivered nothing. They have given only sorrows and miseries to the people of the country. For instance, demonetisation was brought in to curb black money, counterfeit menace and to fight extremism, but the purpose has not been served.”

“The youth are losing jobs and financial crisis is hanging over the nation. GDP growth has come down drastically and GST has only worsened the situation,” said Venugopal.

In the run-up to the 2013 polls, the Congress had launched programmes like Congress Nadige Janara Balige, Congress Nadige Krishneya Kadege, Congressge Banni Badalavane Thanni to highlight the ‘bad governance’ of the previous BJP regime.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Thriving Industrial Sector of Karnataka The Karnataka government has formulated various policy initiatives with an aim of providing a nurturing ecosystem for thrust areas and focus sectors where the state has already proven its strength. With improved infrastructure, R&D facilities, centres of excellence, industrial parks, SEZs etc., Karnataka ranks first in India in terms of investments and the state Industries and Commerce department is spearheading industrial growth, says Darpan Jain, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of Industries and Commerce. Darpan Jain speaks to Advantage Karnataka about the various aspects of industrial growth in Karnataka.

Darpan Jain , Industries Commissioner

C

ould you talk about the new initiatives to further strengthen Karnataka’s reputation as a key investment destination?

There are many initiatives from the part of Industries and Commerce Department in this regard. First of all, the government has formulated various policy initiatives with an aim of providing a nurturing ecosystem for thrust areas and focus sectors where the state has already proven its strength. For example, sectors of aerospace, automobiles, IT & IT services, pharma, agriculture processing, machine tools and heavy engineering etc. We have already come up with separate policies for almost all these sectors, especially aerospace and automobile, to further consolidate their strength.

There are lot of changes taking place in automobile sector, like increasing the production of electric vehicles. The government look at electrical mobility very seriously, and have announced a separate Electric Mobility and Energy

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Storage policy. Then, there is Retail Policy to promote investment in retail sector. New policies for Agriculture and Food Processing industries are also there. Through these policies, we aim at providing the right support for concerned sectors to grow faster. By improving infrastructure, R&D facilities and centres of excellence we are attracting more investments in all sectors.

With Invest Karnataka Forum, we have set up a separate vehicle for attracting investments in a focussed manner. Invest Karnataka Forum is a professional institution to undertake market research. Its advisory board has top business leaders from Karnataka as brand ambassadors who propose new strategies. We collect feedback from them about how to further improve our ecosystem like infrastructure, ease of doing business etc.

Another important aspect we are focusing on is the ease of doing business.

Many policies have been formulated for ensuring hassle-free business for investors and entrepreneurs. These include online services, single-window services, information wizards etc. Moreover, online services add to transparency and accountability.

Could you talk about improvements in infrastructure facilities in industrial areas and estates?

The government is doing everything needed to promote rapid and orderly establishment and development of industries. Many initiatives have been taken for providing industrial infrastructural facilities and other amenities in industrial areas of Karnataka.

We have set up several industrial parks and estates to provide state-ofthe-art infrastructure. Karnataka has Special Economic Zones for various sectors. Textile SEZ, Hassan (474 acres), Pharmaceutical SEZ, Hassan (125 acres), IT/ ITES SEZ, Mangalore (89 acres), Aerospace related SEZ, Devanahalli, (252 acres) IT/ ITES SEZ, Gamanagatti, Dharwad (30 acres) etc. are examples.

We are also working on new industrial areas in Mysore, Kolar and the projects are already in pipeline. We are inviting private and foreign entities too for setting up their facilities in our industrial areas, and we are getting good response. For example, the allocation of 70 acres land, in Devanahalli have been approved for Century Development Corporations from Taiwan. We have also built land banks for expeditious acquisition of lands for industrial and infrastructure purposes.

This will ensure lands at important locations to set up new projects in future.

Could you give an overview about some of the key initiatives of the Commerce and Industries Department?

The Department of Industries and Commerce acts as a catalyst for the overall development of the industrial

sector through effective discharge of developmental and facilitation roles.

Cutting edge research also has to happen for promoting industrial growth and attracting investment, talent etc. We have conducted a lot of focused activities in R&D, developing centres of excellence by utilising various platforms of both central and state governments like Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology(CIPET) for advanced polymer research, and Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) for setting up aerospace parks.

The department has taken various steps for promoting employment generation, especially, self-employment. There are several Self-Employment generation schemes formulated by the State and Central Governments from time to time and are being implemented. Last year, we have supported setting up around 7000 MSME units to. Each unit will have at least eight employees, so in total 56000 people got employment through this.

Another initiative is ‘Kaikarika Spandana Programme’, which is a district level meet with industrial associations, representatives to understand their problems and resolve them at local level.

Vendor Development programmes are also there to establish link between vendors and OEMs. More than 700 micro small units have participated in around 3000 meetings between vendors and OEMS, giving further momentum.

Timebound delivery of services under Sakala Scheme, reformed Inspection systems etc. are also highlights.

Could you talk about promoting industries in North Karnataka and Mumbai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor regions?

North Karnataka and Bangalore-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMEC) regions are of much importance, and are growing very fast. To ensure balanced development throughout the state the government aims to improve infrastructure in tier 2 cities too. Most of these cities lie in the North Karnataka and BMEC regions which includes Hubballi-Dharwad, Tumkur, Gulbarga, Bidar, Belgaum, Yadgeer, Vijayapura, Davangere, Chitradurga, to attract industries in these areas. The government is promoting industrial growth in these regions by developing

various SEZs, industrial parks, estates etc.

There are several good investments happening in these places. Recently, Goldstone Infratech Ltd has invested Rs.500 Crores for their electric bus manufacturing facility in Bidar. Shahi Exports are setting up their facility for readymade garments in Dharwad, which is one of the top industrial spots in the North Karnataka. In Belgaum also, investment talks are on. More than 10000 acres in Tumkur is being developed as an industrial area. HAL’s Helicopter unit and Havell’s manufacturing plant are also there in Tumkur.

The government is further focussing on Cluster Development in these regions for supporting them to set up facilities for value additions. Each district should have one cluster like Auto cluster in Bidar, Resins cluster, Heat Treatment cluster in Hubballi etc.

What are the updates on Karnataka Aerospace Park in terms of investment and expansion plans?

More than 1000 acres of land has already been earmarked for aerospace park at Devanahalli near Bengaluru. US based aerospace major Boeing Aerospace will start a new facility there in around 40 acres. Boeing will invest Rs.800 Crores to set up an engineering and technology facility there. The High-Level Clearance Committee of government has cleared the project already. We are discussing with many other companies like Bharat Electronics Limited regarding investment in the park. A SEZ is also there to attract companies.

What are the various initiatives for promoting MSMEs in Karnataka?

For the promotion of MSMEs, we

have various vendor development, cluster development and employment generation programmes. We offer margin money assistance up to 30 percent for setting up business. For promoting women entrepreneurship, we are providing 10% interest subsidy for women entrepreneurs who take loans from state financial agencies. Also, we provide subsidy for first-generation entrepreneurs to attract more newcomers to various sectors.

We help MSMEs in various programmes like energy conservation, water conservation etc. Plans are being mooted to allocate industrial areas for MSMEs. In the coming budget, there are more plans for startups in IT, BT and Semiconductor sectors. For artisans and Village Industries, we are providing marketing assistance, wage incentives, funds for technology adoptions etc. We are also working with Khadi and Village Industries Board, Coir Corporation and Coir Federation for improving the living livelihood of workers in these sectors.

Could you discuss other key goals set by the Government in areas of industrial development?

Employment generation and increasing investments are the important goals of the government. Our target is to create 3 lakhs employment and investments worth Rs.1 Lakh Crores per annum.

Over the past four years 12.5 Lakhs employment opportunities have been created. Karnataka ranked first in India to attract investments with over Rs.4 Lakh Crores of investment in the last four years.

Another goal is to improve skill development facilities with the help of Skill Development Department. We also aim at enhancing technology adaptions.

Karnataka also stands second in India after Maharashtra in terms of exports. Another goal is to become the top in exports too in coming years. For promoting IT exports, we are focusing on new areas like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Nano Technology, Big Data Analytics etc.

Promoting electric mobility, improving infrastructure for exports, with more logistics parks, are also on the agenda.

Improving connectivity through better rail, roads and port facilities is part of achieving this goal.

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Investors Meet Woos Industries to Invest in Karnataka The Vendor Development and Investor Summit 2017 has focused to strengthen the MSME ecosystem of Karnataka by providing a platform for CPSUs, SPSUs, Mega and Large units, for identification of vendors in terms of production capacity and quality standards. Along with this, the meet has endeavoured to help MSMEs understand the need of the OEMs and benefit them in planning their production and product diversification.

The event has witnessed the participation of over 1,500 delegates from all over the country across key sectors.

F

ostering the industrial prospects of Karnataka, the state government has conducted the Vendor Development and Investor Summit 2017 in Bengaluru at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), focusing on six key sectors.

The event has been organized by the Government of Karnataka in association with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as Event Partner, and Ernst & Young (EY) as Knowledge Partner. The summit has been held to create collaboration opportunities for MSME, vendors and OEMs in the State through a national level vendor development summit, as announced by Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah in his budget speech of 2017-18.

The summit has focused to strengthen the MSME ecosystem of the State by providing a platform for CPSUs, SPSUs, Mega and Large units, for identification of vendors in terms of production capacity and quality standards. Along with this, the meet has endeavoured to help MSMEs understand the need of the OEMs and benefit them in planning their production and product diversification.

Summit Highlights The event has witnessed the participation of over 1,500 delegates from all over the country across key sectors. The event has also witnessed the presence of over 50 prominent industry leaders like Juvncio Maetzu, CEO, IKEA; T. Suvarna Raju, Chairman, HAL; Vipin

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R V Deshpande, Minister for Medium & Heavy Industries, addressing the inaugural ceremony.

Sondhi, MD&CEO, JCB; Kiran MazumdarShaw, Chairperson, Biocon; Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar; Sandeep Maini, Chairman, Maini Group; Kamal Bali, President & MD, Volvo; Stefan Palskog, President, Scania Commercial Vehicles; etc. to name a few.

During the inaugural function, the foundation stone for the “Aerospace Common Finishing Facility” at Hitech, Aerospace & Defence Park, Bengaluru was unveiled. Aerospace Common Finishing Facility (ACFFC) will act as an expert organization that will benefit hundreds of small-scale units in Bengaluru and adjoining areas, producing tools and aviation components, assembling units and testing equipment. The setup will also help further improve products that have been indigenously developed by start-ups and MSMEs of Bengaluru.

At the event, the government has announced that the foundation stone laying for Tumakuru Machine Tool Park would be initiated very shortly. Planned to be developed on International standards, Tumakuru Machine Tool Park will be a cluster of machine tool builders, makers of accessories and components. To be set up in an area of about 542 acres of land at Vasanthanarasapura Industrial Area, Phase III near Tumakuru, the park has been envisioned to realize Karnataka’s huge potential in machine tools manufacturing.

The park will bring additional production capacity through expansion of existing

units, and setting up of new units by Indian and foreign companies. The park is also proposed to promote Machine Tool Industries with world class infrastructure facilities.

Sectoral Seminars The event has focused mainly on six focus sectors, namely Agri and Food Processing; Innovation & Manufacturing Start-ups; Aerospace & Defence Equipment; Biotech, Pharmaceuticals & Medical devices; Auto, Auto Components & Electrical Vehicles and Textiles and Apparel sectors. Seminars, held as part of this, have witnessed deliberations and knowledge sharing by more than 45 speakers from leading companies and Government authorities.

MSME Conclave In addition to the seminars, a threehour long MSME conclave has been conducted, and was participated by 11 eminent speakers from the industry who shared their experience to the audience regarding procurement, value proposition, competitiveness, transformation, growth, and branding, etc. which are contemporary issues for the MSMEs in the Country.

Exhibition The Exhibition was another major attraction of the Summit, with Mega Exhibition spread over an area of 1 lakh

Inaugural Ceremony of Vendor Development and Investors Summit 2017 sq.ft. with more than 1000 stalls. About interested companies from India and 1500 people have visited the Exhibition abroad have evinced interest in investing with 70% of stalls occupied by MSMEs. in the State, and are in various stages of More than 700 MSMEs and 300 OEMs implementation, namely finalization of have participated in the exhibition. The land, submission of application etc. exhibition has displayed products from Ease of Doing Business large companies, such as Hindustan Government has taken up many new Aeronautics Ltd., HAL Edgewood Tech Ltd, Volvo, JCB, ISRO, GAIL etc. and initiatives under Ease of Doing Business MSMEs such as Automotive Axles Ltd, schene, especially with the support of Alt Swantex, Someshwara Hitec Jaggery, more than 20 departments, namely, Urban development department, Chandru Garments, etc. labour department, Forest Ecology and Environment, Energy department and Meetings The summit has held about 20 B2G others. The reforms in these departments meetings with the companies like, have focussed on 1.

Online approvals/ registrations IKEA, TATA Power, Scania, Gabriel India, 2.

Risk based classification and Chines Auto component manufacturing companies etc. In addition, the summit systemic reforms in inspections 3.

Common inspection systems has held more than 2500 B2B meetings 4. Third party certifications/ between the Vendors and the OEMs/ Large Industries. Average feedback score self-certifications 5.

Time bound delivery of services of participants is 4 on a scale of 5 (Good) 6.

Publication of processes and all with an indication for re-participation by required information 70% Exhibitors.

7. Single Window integration online Awards for MSMEs and Exporters The government has also initiated The event has witnessed felicitation of more than 120 best performing various measures for implementation entrepreneurs and companies with of the reform agenda provided by the “Sir M Vishveshvaraiya Manufacturing DIPP under Business Reforms Action Excellence Awards 2017” for their Plan (BRAP) 2017. Some of the reforms excellent performance in export and implemented/ improvised during 2017 manufacturing. There were 63 export are: • Single Window clearance awards and 61 manufacturing awards for projects under Karnataka given to entrepreneurs from across the Facilitation Act, 2002 through State. The awards were given in four online portal. (www.ebizKarnataka. categories, viz. Micro/ Small, Large/ gov.in) including registrations and Medium, SC/ ST/ Women Entrepreneurs approvals of 15 line departments. and district-wise best performers.

• Information Wizard - a detailed “Guide to Investors on setting Investment Highlights up of Industrial Enterprise” After announcement of the event, the providing holistic information State Government has approved around on infrastructure, registrations, Rs. 19,648 Crores worth investments approvals, etc. on Single Window from 157 companies between April and portal.

November 2017, which would generate • “Invest Karnataka Forum” was 79,500 employments. Further, various

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established on par with Economic Development Board of Singapore to promote “Brand Karnataka” globally and to attract investments to the State.

Revised Building Bye laws and zoning regulations for urban areas; unified across the state. Auto – DCR modules developed for all Local Bodies.

Land availability in Industrial Areas has been made online through a GIS system website www.kiadb.in.

Online applications for Land Purchase (permission under Section 109 of KLR Act), Registration and Mutation, Utility connections, Registration and Renewals under various Labour Laws, Pollution Laws (CFE & CFO), NOC from department of Fire and Emergency services, Drug & Trade Licenses, Tree Felling Permits and Commercial Tax related services etc.

Deemed conversion for land purchased under 109 of KLR Act.

Complete Integration of Bhoomi, e-Swathu, UPOR modules for seamless processing of land purchase, registration & Mutations Fully computerised system for Property registration.

• KIADB services brought under Sakala In order to provide swift and timely services to the investor community, timelines have been fixed for most of the services provided by the KIADB under Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act (SAKALA). Following are the 11 services of KIADB that are brought under SAKALA: • Intimation for payment of initial deposit & EMD • Issue Allotment Letter

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

President Inaugurates Adamya Chetana Seva Utsav 2018

The President, Ram Nath Kovind being welcomed by the Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs, H.N. Ananth Kumar and his wife Dr. Tejaswini, at the inauguraltion of the Seva Utsav 2018

P

resident Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated Seva Utsav 2018, organised by the Adamya Chetana Foundation in Bengaluru. He has stated that the Foundation’s initiative is in keeping with its philosophy of Seva and its focus on Anna-Akshara-Arogya or food, education and health. He has also inaugurated the 100th anniversary of the National Education Society of Karnataka as well as of the National High School that the Society runs.

“This is my second visit to Karnataka

• • • • • • • •

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Issue of confirmatory letter Issue of possession letter Execution of lease-cum-sale agreement Issue of NOC in favour of Financial institutions, Banks.

Sanction of Building Plan up to 2 acres Sanction of Building Plan more than 2 acres Sanction of Building Plan for SUCs Issue of NOC in favour of KPTCL/ ESCOMS

after becoming President of India. I am particularly happy that I am here for a function associated with the cause of learning and education, and of giving back to society. These are attributes that are so dear and so typical of the people of this state. The Adamya Chetana Foundation performs a very noble task by providing quality mid-day meals to over one lakh children each day,” said the President.

Kovind has praised the decision to take the theme Prakriti-Sanskriti (nature and

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Permission for connection

water

supply

The initiatives under Ease of Doing Business would further strengthen the business environment in the State.

The Vender Development and Investors Summit has fulfilled all its objectives. It has created a large exhibition to enable MSMEs and OEMs to exchange ideas, establish connection. By facilitating more than 2500 B2B meetings, the summit

culture) for the Seva Utsav 2018. “This theme is appropriate in a country and a society that has historically regarded nature as divine. We worship rivers, trees and forests,” he said. Lauding the Annapurna project run by the Adamya Chetana Foundation, he has said, “The Foundation’s initiative is in keeping with its philosophy of Seva and its focus is Anna-Akshara-Arogya or food, education and health. The mid-day meal programme in our schools serves all these purposes.”

has created collaboration opportunities for MSMEs, and furthered Deliberation of expert ideas and discussions on important issues under thrust sectors.

It has also organised MSME Conclave to enhance and discuss opportunities, challenges, Value propositions, quality certifications, Procurement and finance for business in MSME sector. Moreover, the summit has witnessed 15 B2G meetings with leading companies from India and abroad conducted for attracting investment in the State.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Seven Years of Excellence at the Helm of WTCB World Trade Center Bengaluru promotes the economic region of South India as a global destination for international business and investment by complementing the efforts of the local Chambers and Associations and help them traverse to the global stage.

WTCB integrates trade services under one umbrella that connects globally & prosper locally, says WTCB President Balaram Menon.

Being at the helm of WTCB since its inception in 2010, Mr. Menon shares his thoughts with Advantage Karnataka.

Balaram Menon President WTC Bengaluru

Balaram Menon is the President of World Trade Center Bengaluru, a Certified Center of Excellence by World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), New York. He is a Member of the Board of Directors as well as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of WTCA which oversees the growth of WTCs globally.

Mr. Menon has completed Masters in Economics from Madras Christian College, Chennai. He has extensive experience in the banking sector as a senior banker with close to four decades of experience in the industry (14 years with State Bank of India, 8 years with Standard Chartered Bank, 10 years with BNP Paribas and 2 years with Imperial Bank Ltd, Kenya).

He is also a Board Member of Brigade Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd as Director.

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What are the important Initiatives & Activities of WTC Bengaluru to promote the international business and trade in the region?

World Trade Center (WTC) Bengaluru is a licensed member of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), headquartered in New York, comprising a network of 330 Centers in over 100 countries.

The objective of WTC Bengaluru is to foster international trade by providing various services and facilities designed specifically to meet the needs of the local business community in global commerce.

It is located at the Brigade Gateway Campus which is a self-contained independent and integrated lifestyle enclave encompassing the WTC Tower, Orion shopping Mall, the 5-Star Sheraton Hotel & multi-specialty Columbia Asia Hospital. The infrastructure available is designed to meet all the requirements of visiting business individuals & delegations within a single location. We receive active participation from the local Business Community, Government, and overseas International Trade Groups and businessmen.

World Trade Center Bengaluru promotes the economic region as a global destination for international business and investment by complementing the efforts of the local Chambers and Associations and help them traverse to the global stage. WTC integrates trade services under one umbrella that connects globally & prosper locally. It promotes the economic growth of the region through networking. The infrastructure facility is the body and the trade services are the soul of the WTC Brand.

Being the President of World Trade Center Bengaluru since its establishment in 2010 what all are your major achievements?

WTC Bengaluru has signed MoUs with different government agencies such as Karnataka Udyog Mitra and multiple trade bodies such as Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) and Bengaluru Chambers of Industry & Commerce (BCIC) with an objective to collaborate and use each other’s member’s network to connect people and foster international trade.

We have also established MoUs with renowned WTCs such as WTC Taipei, WTC Seoul and WTC Krasnodar.

WTC Bengaluru houses over 20 MNCs from 12 different countries including two Diplomatic Missions from the countries of Canada and The Netherlands. WTC Bengaluru has received delegates from countries such as USA, Canada, Thailand, South Africa, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Netherlands etc. The Center has emerged as one of the preferred partners to promote international trade & investment in the region As a testimony of the impact that World Trade Center Bengaluru brings in the WTC network, I have been nominated as a Director on the Board of World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), New York, which oversees the WTC movement globally. This is an important recognition not just for our WTC but for our entire region.

Are there any plans to expand the services of WTCB in future?

The parent company of WTC Bengaluru,

Brigade Group also owns the licenses to start and operate WTCs in the cities of Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram. We look forward to establishing our foreign network of WTCs and act as a gateway to South India for companies and connect them with the relevant business ecosystem of our region.

In fact, our second WTC in Kochi has already been operational. It is in Infopark, Kochi which is an IT SEZ. It has been successfully organizing several relevant engagements for the business community there.

We have recently laid the foundation stone for our third World Trade Center in Chennai. It will be a development of more than 1.8 million sq. ft. of premium office space spread across two towers with one being the tallest commercial structure in Chennai. It will be developed on a prime land and is strategically located in the established IT hub on OMR in Chennai.

The project will be a landmark IT SEZ project consisting of premium retail space and hotel within the campus, designed to provide world-class infrastructure for the 21st century workforce. We will operate from the Holiday Inn Express Hotel, promoted by the Brigade Group, till the World Trade Center facility is operational which is expected to take around 48 months.

How does WTC Bengaluru support the business initiatives of SMEs and Startups?

WTC Bengaluru is recognized as an important platform for the exchange of ideas that promotes international trade and opportunities in the region.

It provides a host of services and facilities for Corporates, International Business Organizations, Small & Medium Enterprises. These include: A unique platform to facilitate international trade & investment A forum for dialogue, education and training on the ever-changing facets of international trade A trade information hub where trade data fundamentals on international business can be obtained Short-term / transit office facilities, meeting rooms, seminar halls and exhibition space for business organizations.

Spearheading the Global Connectivity of Karnataka’s Business Dreams

Anantha Narayanan K Since its inception in 2010, the World Trade Center Bangalore (WTCB) has been highlighting the global image of India’s Silicon Valley as one of the top business spots in the world. Being a licensed member of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) comprising a network of 330 Centers in around 100 countries, WTCB has been a platform for international trade specifically to the region of Bangalore and Karnataka as a whole. The WTCA, headquartered in New York City, was established in 1970 as a non-profit organisation to promote growth of international trade by establishing WTCs throughout the world.

It provides various services and facilities designed specifically to cater to the tastes of participants and players in international commerce. WTC Bangalore has been established as the second centre in India after Mumbai. Now, after completing seven years of its service WTCB continues to fulfil its objective of fostering business and investment environment of the state.

Aimed at the continued growth and expansion of business and trade in Karnataka WTCB plays a pivotal role in helping businesses grow beyond local boundaries. It creates a perfect

platform for the business community to get connected with new business opportunities and expand their presence globally. With a vision of establishing iconic world-class business landmarks, WTCB stands as a one-stop shop for international trade and investment through a platform of expert services and world class office space. Spread across 2200 Sq metres, WTC Bangalore is home to a number of large multinational companies and domestic corporations.

With its world class services, WTCB has become a destination for business and corporate events in Karnataka. It provides supreme serviced offices as well as conference facilities to enable local and foreign companies to conduct business at a global level. Conference or seminar halls and Incubation Rooms are available at the WTC Bangalore at cheaper tariffs and thereby make them affordable to even small entrepreneurs. Government of Karnataka and other government organizations such as Karnataka Udyog Mitra (KUM), Visvesvaraya Trade Promotion Centre (VTPC), Bangalore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCIC) etc have partnered with WTC Bangalore to promote economic growth and prosperity.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Meritor Leads the Thriving Axle Manufacturing Industry in India Meritor/Automotive Axle’s India sales contribute to around INR 1700 crores.

We are India’s largest independent axle manufacturer and second largest in brakes. For Meritor, India houses the largest engineering centre outside of USA & do high end engineering activity for India & the world, says Thimmaiah Napanda, Meritor India VP, MD & CEO. Mr. Napanda shares his thoughts with Advantage Karnataka about Meritor’s 36 years of success in independent axle manufacturing in India.

Thimmaiah Napanda has been the Vice President, Managing Director & CEO, Meritor India, Bangalore since 2012.

As Head of Meritor India, he is responsible for Meritor and its Joint Venture activities in India which includes - Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, Automotive Axle Ltd, the India Technical Centre & global sourcing office based out of Bangalore. Meritor/ Automotive Axles is the largest independent axles & second largest brake supplier for commercial on/off highway & military vehicles & serves almost all the OEMs in India. Prior to Meritor, Thimmaiah was Managing Director at Honeywell Turbo Technologies India.

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C

ould you talk about the new products of Meritor/Automotive axles in the Heavy Vehicle Segment?

Our recent product launches in axles segment include 10X, 11x and 13x for light and medium duty commercial vehicle applications ranging from 7.5T to 14T. These products have been developed end to end in India for Indian market conditions and requirements with latest technology inputs from Meritor globally.

Moreover, these products will be manufactured in India for India & the worldwide requirements.

We have also recently added 325 and 360 mm Dia S-cam brakes to our portfolio to cater to the 7.5T to 14T truck segment.

These brakes can be offered with multiple liner options to suit the customer requirements.

They have been tested

to the stringent Meritor standards for performance and durability and have met all vehicle test performance requirements. In addition to this, we have also introduced Slipper type suspension for multiaxle line-haul application earlier this year, bringing world class suspension products to India. Meritor is the first company to offer a mechanical 4-leaf suspension for Indian commercial trucks, which currently use bell-crank type suspension. Meritor’s slipper suspension is also the first full slipper type suspension with patented features offering unmatched performance.

In the Off-Highway space, our new product additions include axles for construction equipment like backhoe loader, motor grader and wheel loader.

Many of the leading

automobile makers at national and international levels have been the clients of Meritor. Could you give an overview of the sales in India and your customer base?

Meritor/Automotive Axle’s India sales contributes to around INR 1700 crores. We are India’s largest independent axle manufacturer and second largest in brakes.

Our client base in the commercial vehicle space comprises all major OEMs including Ashok Leyland, Mahindra, Volvo Eicher, DICV, Tata Motors, SML, to name a few. In the OffHighway space, we cater to clients like Caterpillar, Tata Hitachi, BEML, Godrej, etc. We also supply axles & brakes to many multi-axle defence applications.

For Meritor, India houses the largest engineering centre outside of USA & do high end engineering activity for India & the

difficult terrains and weather conditions including snow, sand, gravel, river beds, and slippery surfaces and have been found to meet the demanding requirements of the Indian military and offhighway applications.

world. We also do global sourcing from Indian suppliers to the tune of around INR 1300crs.

Are there any expansion plans under “Make in India initiative” for Meritor/ Automotive axles regarding new manufacturing and testing facilities?

To support our new product launches and businesses, Meritor/Automotive axles continues to invest in its testing and validation capabilities. A new stateof-the-art R&D and testing facility is being built in Mysuru to expand our current endto-end validation capability in India. Focus of the new Research and Development centre will be on catering to the growing needs of our customers in Asia Pacific region. Also, we are expanding our footprint both at Mysuru & outside Mysuru to enhance the capacity by 40%; we are going to invest more than 300crs in next three/four years Meritor/Automotive axles have been known for the company’s Green Commitment initiatives. What are the activities of Meritor/ AAL in this regard?

We are developing an Axle & Wheel end module globally to cater to the new electrical vehicle requirement. These solutions will be provided to the OEMs to integrate

into their vehicles. We will be showcasing the first prototype very soon. As part of Make in India programme we will make this product in India. Also, as part of our commitment to improve and maintain our environment, in Automotive Axles Limited, in our manufacturing facility at Mysuru we take effective measures to conserve resources such as power, water, oil, gas etc. by optimizing their usage and prevention of pollution by adopting sustainable technologies. We also aim at minimising waste generation by promoting reduce, recover, reuse and recycle methods.

We have also been engaged in various initiatives focused on energy conservation and carbon footprint optimization.

We are an ISO 140001 certified company. As a part of our water conservation programme, we harness rain water for industrial requirements and water table improvement. We are proud to be the only “water positive” plant in Karnataka with zero discharge. A bio gas plant has been set up for renewable energy generation. This plant serves to be environmental friendly by reduced LPG consumption. Also, we have solar roofs panels installed in our plants thereby helping us move towards becoming a carbon positive company in the near future.

We have been an early adopter of robust CSR initiatives.

Along with sustained economic performance, we believe in the importance of social stewardship. We embrace responsibility of our company to create a positive impact in the communities in which we work and live. Our key programs have been driven by the strong CSR platforms we built over the years. As our contribution to the journey making Mysuru water positive by 2021, we have successfully completed the rejuvenation of Thippayanakere lake and inaugurated the same in September. The lake which had completely dried up earlier has been completely restored and is full of water now with a variety of birds gaining back its scenic beauty.

What are the various products Meritor providing for Military and Defence Manufacturers?

Meritor/ Automotive Axles is strengthening its axle portfolio in Military and Specialty applications space by introducing complete range of drive axles for 4X4, 6X6, 8X8, 10X10, 12x12 vehicles. The 4x4 vehicles are typically used for military applications like ambulance, logistics of troops and goods and medium tactical vehicles.

These axles have been tested in different types of

Could you explain about the Joint Venture with Kalyani Group, Pune?

Yes, we have two JVs with Kalyani group, named Automotive Axles Limited & Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems India limited. The JV, which has been in existence from last 36 years, has an extremely cordial relationship and we are growing stronger year by year. This partnership has been a very successful one and we have come this far only because of the strength of the partnership over many years and also because of our customers and suppliers.

It has enabled us to grow in an important and challenging market like India. We look forward to further these years of association and success in the Indian market and the global market. This partnership has enabled us to provide evolving drivetrain solutions highly customized for the Indian landscape. We have played an extremely important role in the modernisation of the Indian commercial vehicle industry.

Lastly, we have a highly dedicated and motivated employee base located all across our footprints, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Pune, Jamshedpur, Pantnagar. All the achievements and growth have been possible only because of the contribution of each and every individual employee. I am extremely thankful to all the employees, Customers and Suppliers in our journey of 36 years in India.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

‘Cyber Threats via Social Media to Dominate in 2018’: Airbus

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roviding a warning for companies and business enterprises across the globe, aerospace major Airbus’ have predicted that the cyber threats will dominate in the world in 2018. The Cyber Security Researchers at Airbus have announced their compilation of top technology predictions for 2018, based on the trends identified at its Security Operations Centres worldwide during 2017. They have stated that the major cyber threats will spread through social media and wireless networks and said that that a lack of social media security policies will create serious risks for business enterprises.

With social media platforms flourishing in India, which is

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an emerging economy, the issue will be a matter of grave concern especially in the light of recent ‘WannaCry’ and ‘Petya’ ransomware attacks. A global cyber-attack, which is being linked to the WannaCry ransomware, has affected operations at India’s largest container terminal port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, in Mumbai. The cyber extortion campaign has also crippled some central banks and many large corporations in Europe.

Airbus has observed that during 2017, social media platforms were regularly being used for the spread of fake news or the manipulation of public opinion. They have acted as platforms for sophisticated social engineering and

reconnaissance activities which form the basis of many attacks on the enterprise.

Criminals and hackers have been known to use these platforms to distribute malware, push rogue antivirus scams and phishing campaigns to lure their victims.

Markus Braendle, Head of the Airbus Cyber Security business, has said that, social media have become an easy target because of the number of non-cyber security savvy users, and the fact that these platforms are easy and cost effective to use. To protect themselves against social media attacks, organizations need to implement enterprise-wide social media security policies. This includes

designing training programs for employees about social media usage, and creating incident response plans that coordinate the activities of the legal, HR, marketing and IT departments in the event of a security breach.

Also, the vulnerability of many of the public Wi-Fi hotspots can allow an attacker to intercept and read WiFi traffic between devices and a Wi-Fi router, and in some cases even modify the traffic to inject malicious data into websites. It could also allow attackers to obtain sensitive information from those devices, such as credit card details, passwords, chat messages and emails.

R V Devraj- An Astute Politician and Dedicated Social Worker

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ith an unwavering public life that spreads over four decades, R V Devraj MLA, is not only the beloved leader of the voters of Chickpet constituency but also a consistent social worker who has dedicated his life for working towards the welfare of the people in the area.

And it was undoubtedly this popularity among the people that has made him victorious in the 2013 assembly elections from Chickpet Constituency outrunning his rivals with a thumping majority. His popularity in the constituency could be validated by the huge fan following in social media platforms where Devaraj has won a sobriquet, The Big Boss.

Hailing from a vegetable merchant family, Ronur Venkateshappa Devraj was the 4th son of late R.V Venkateshappa and R V Puttathiyamma. Devaraj has been active as a social worker since his college days, even before he entered active politics. Devraj has always stood for the development. Working for the development of the people, R.V Devaraj has tried to invest his best efforts for the

improvement of the lives of under privileged and under developed people across Bangalore.

RV Devraj served two terms as a MLA from the Chamarajpet constituency of Karnataka starting from 1990. Later he has been the Chairman of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation during S M Krishna government. During this period the KSRTC has witnessed revolutionary changes and has been the most profitable state run transport corporation in India. It was during this time more Volvo buses were introduced in KSRTC. In 2012 Devraj has been nominated as a general secretary for Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee. He initiated action against POMP for its failures. This drive was aimed at roping in more new members for Congress party in Chickpet, recruiting thousands to join Congress. Later in 2013 he has become the Congress candidate for Karnataka state election in Chickpet and won the election.

Devraj has actively volunteered in Chickpet development projects which includes providing the poor with basic amenities. Devraj is the current Chairman of Karnataka Slum Development Board.

Holding a responsible position as a MLA of his constituency that cover 60 slums of different community, he has brought changes that can be witnessed in the area.

The great fan following he holds is mainly because of the social work carried out by him. He has led a Welfare Relief Funds collection programme through voluntary contributions from public and utilised the same for various developmental projects in Chickpet.

Devraj has encouraged Chickpet youth by sponsoring tournaments and providing sports kits, cash awards etc.

Devraj is an active sportsman exhibiting

great interest in the games of wrestling, soccer, cricket and so on. Being a sportsloving person, Devraj has also provided financial support for upcoming talents in the constituency to nourish them.

Devraj has also conducted sports events for the encouragement of women in his constituency. Devraj has organised several social programmes for the welfare of people, including eye check-ups, health check-ups, blood donation drives etc.

Devraj is also the trustee of ‘RV Devraj Seva Prathistana’, a charitable trust that has been spearheading the welfare activities of Devraj family. The trust envisions to improve living standards of people by creating awareness on health programs, hygiene environment and education of children that is directed towards the social equality. R.V Devraj has been the motivating anchor of the trust that works for the upliftment of the society.

RV Devraj Seva Prathistana is a nonprofit organization that has been initiated for the improvement of the underdeveloped and underprivileged community of the society. That concentrates on the development of Slum focusing on 360-degree development to below poverty line people that includes education, women empowerment, cleanness and infrastructure improvement.

Through the trust, Devraj has led several development activities like rain water harvesting, drinking water assistance, nutrition aid, science and technology assistance for backward community, sports, conservation and protection of environment, human rights awareness, legal awareness social equality, preserving art, craft and culture. Further, he has organized health and medical camps for health care to provide free medicine along with required nutrition food as a part of health care programs at different parts of Bangalore.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

East Germany Beckons Indian Investors Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and the seventh largest worldwide.

With a forecast market value of around EUR 135 billion in 2017, the German ICT market is the second largest in Europe. The ICT industry in East Germany will provide an ideal entry for Indian IT companies into Europe, says Dr. Jurgen Friedrich, CEO, Germany Trade and Invest.

Dr. Jurgen Friedrich , CEO, GTAI ffering a wide array of investment opportunities and a full line of business services, Germany beckons Indian investors and businessmen to invest in its Eastern region. ‘Industrie 4.0’, a German-government-sponsored vision for advanced manufacturing, is offering promising business prospects and services for Indian companies and investors in East Germany. With a forecast market value of around EUR 135 billion in 2017, the German ICT market is the second largest in Europe.

In a bid to appeal Indian companies to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in East Germany has conducted an investor event in Bengaluru named ‘ICT Cluster Opportunities in Eastern Germany’. The conference, which has been held at The Leela Palace in December, was organised

by Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany Trade & Invest promotes Germany as a business location by assisting foreign companies setting up in Germany. Through the event GTAI has aimed at delivering the first-hand information about the German ICT industry to Indian investors and help them learn about the relevant clusters in Eastern Germany. Dr. Jurgen Friedrich, CEO, GTAI, has said that Germany invites Indian companies including start-ups to invest in the nation and develop the size

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and influence they need to make their mark on the international stage.

GTAI industry experts identify future themes that position Germany as an attractive business and technology location for international businesses.

Investment streams, international industry trends and market and R&D potential are analysed. This data is used to provide information for potential investors. For specific investment plans, GTAI supports foreign companies from the decision-making phase to market entry right up to setting up in Germany.

Germany is one of the most popular investment locations in the world. Around 55,000 foreign companies are situated in the Federal Republic of Germany, and are responsible for investment of nearly EUR 600 billion.

Jurgen Friedrich has said that GTAI offers a full line of services for Indian companies to become competent in their respective sectors. “We provide information on market and industry analyses, market entry analyses, extensive legal information (tax, labour law, etc.) funding and financing etc. We help investors with everything including site selection, registration, financing, partnerships with German centres, incentives from government and other sectors etc.”, he said.

Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and the seventh largest worldwide. The annual trade figures show 7.6bn Euros of exports from India to Germany and 9.8bn Euros of exports

from Germany to India. Economic growth is eminent in Asia and India is a leading economy in the continent. The ICT industry in East Germany provides an ideal entry for Indian IT companies into Europe.

“German companies see business prospects in India especially its renewable energy sectors, ICT etc which have huge potential. India’s R&D, economic cooperation, change in government’s business interests, the digital capabilities of India and the new initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, smart cities etc. promote the cooperation between India and Germany. Moreover, in May, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised on promoting industrial cooperation between the two countries,” said Jurgen Friedrich.

Germany also invites SMEs and Start-ups and always acknowledge the fact that small companies can have huge potential.

In fact, SMEs are the backbone of Germany economy to a certain extent. Germany has a long tradition in appreciating smaller companies. Many of these small endeavours are hidden champions. They can always find a competitive advantage in Eastern Germany. As part of promoting startups a delegation from GINSEP, a non-monetary platform initiated by the German Startups Association to strengthen and foster the German-Indian economic relations in the field of startups, will be visiting India in February.

Bengaluru tops Tholons’ list of 100 Super Cities in the world A

nother golden feather gets added to the achievements crown of the country’s IT capital as Bengaluru secured top spot among Tholons’ 100 Super Cities in the world. The cosmopolitan city’s ability to attract tech talent because of the presence of major IT giants and biggest MNC has fitted the bill for achieving the top position. The annual report by Tholons, a global strategic consulting and research firm, has been accredited as the de facto ranking of outsourcing cities around the world.

Being the nation’s leading IT exporter, Bengaluru has also been home to countless reputed educational and research institutions, several public sector heavy industries, software companies, aerospace, telecommunications, and defence organizations etc. which were considered yardsticks for a Super City. The city is clearly home to a thriving start-up ecosystem with over 1500 tech start-ups which won Bengaluru the sobriquet ‘The Silicon Valley of India.

Karnataka to witness a boom in EV manufacturing A

nnouncing its first ever governmental policy on electric vehicle manufacturing, Karnataka is all set to boost up its EV industry. The state cabinet has approved the Electrical Vehicle and Energy Policy 2017 which endorses the government’s aim, as chief minister Siddaramaiah has announced in his budget speech 2017, to make Bengaluru the EV capital of India. The ambitious move is expected to give the necessary impetus to the state’s EV eco system and attract investments worth Rs.31, 000 crore in the sector and create

55, 000 job opportunities.

Karnataka already has a pulsating automotive sector with large pool of technical manpower, robust R&D capabilities and manufacturing skills. Being home to many advanced engineering and high tech firms Karnataka is the best place to be a magnet for EV industry investments. The newly announced policy will enable the state’s electric vehicle industry to bloom as electric vehicles of all types lie at the heart of future sustainable transport system.

Karnataka coasts to be safe from sea erosion soon T

he western coast of Karnataka will soon be shielded to face sea erosion and brisk climate change as the Union Government has inked a $65.5 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for various coastal protection projects.

The amount is the second tranche of a $250 million financing contract under the Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment

Programme for addressing the increasing coastal erosion on the western coast of Karnataka. The amount will be used to boost the institutional capacity of the state’s public works, ports and inland water transport departments. Through various beach nourishment projects, dune management, and creation of artificial reefs, the project will protect the coast, which supports various revenue sources like fisheries, tourism, ports etc, from sea erosion.

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Hubballi Airport Opens its New Terminal

P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister of Civil Aviation inaugurates the upgraded terminal at Hubballi airport The North Karnataka region will now have better air connectivity as the new terminal at the Hubballi airport has been opened for full-time operations. The new terminal building will fulfil North Karnataka’s dream of an upgraded airport to accommodate bigger aircrafts. On the occasion a new Bengaluru-Mumbai flight via Hubballi has also been flagged off at Hubballi airport, which operates thrice a week. The Hubballi airport, which has been tagged under central government’s UDAN scheme, will soon be connected to other major airports in the country.

The upgraded Hubballi Airport has been inaugurated by P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister for Civil Aviation in the presence of Jayant Sinha, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, R.V. Deshpande, Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, Govt. of

Karnataka. While inaugurating, Gajapathi Raju has said that, Hubballi Airport has been included in the UDAN scheme in the second phase and more flights will start operation from Hubballi in the near future.

At present, Hubballi Airport is having one daily flight connecting Bengaluru with ATR 72 type of aircraft operated by Alliance Air. Hubballi Airport handled 25,928 passengers during the year 201617. On this occasion, the Air India flight A-319, sector Bangalore to Mumbai via Hubli (BLR-HBX-BOM) with a capacity of 160 passengers operating thrice a week was flagged off. The upgraded airport is now capable of accomodating Code-C (AB-320) type of aircrafts.

The new terminal is a centrally airconditioned building with an area of 3,600 sq. m. and has a capacity to handle

300 peak hour passengers at a time. It has all essential passenger-friendly amenities and conveniences like Check-in Counters, Baggage Conveyors, Elevators, Public Address System, Fire Fighting & Fire Alarm System, HVAC, Flight Information Display System (FIDS), CCTV, Baggage scanners and Car parking etc.

The terminal building also has all the green features that aptly support the Government’s initiatives towards ‘Green India’. Standing Seam Double Insulated Roofing system, provision of sky light system for energy savings, part LED lighting, Low heat gain glazing, energy efficient chillers, usage of fly ash bricks, sewage treatment plant, re-use of treated water for horticulture purposes, Variable Frequency Drive high capacity motors.

Growing Hubballi Hubballi, popularly known as Hubli, is the second largest city in Karnataka after the State capital Bengaluru. Hubballi forms the agglomerate town area with the city of Dharwad making it the largest commercial hub and business centre in North Karnataka.

It is one of the fastest growing cities in Karnataka and houses many small, medium and large-scale industries which support the growth of Karnataka’s economy. The Karnataka Chamber of Commerce & Industry has also been established in Hubballi to facilitate the growth of industries in Karnataka.

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The Hubballi-Dharwad region is also famous for tourism due to its proximity with Western Ghats, the Rock Garden, the Elephant Camp and the signature ‘Kasuti’ style of embroidery. With spurt in economic and trade opportunities, the city is growing to be one of the popular destinations for tourists as well as for entrepreneurs. Hubballi-Dharwad is selected for Solar City/ Green City Master Plans and is being developed as a ‘Smart City’ under the Government of India’s ‘Smart City Mission’.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Ashirvad Pipes – Two Decades of Commitment and Hard Work

Pawan Poddar, Managing Director, Ashirvad Pipes

From a team of 50 to a team of over 4000 people; from a one-acre plot to a facility spread over 50 acres; from a turnover of mere Rs.4.7 Crores in 1998 to Rs.2400 Crores in 2017, Ashirvad Pipes, under the guidance of its torch-bearing Poddar brothers, continue to lead the CPVC pipes manufacturing industry.

Being the World’s largest manufacturer of Column Pipes and CPVC Pipes & Fittings, Ashirvad Pipes is constantly on the move with a bigger vision in the years to come.

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f one turns the pages of human history, there are several examples of entrepreneurs and businessmen who have shaped their own destiny and changed the face of the industries they belonged to. And it is crystal clear that these luminaries were pursuing their gut feeling with immense confidence in themselves, were extreme focussed on their targets and had the perseverance and the grit to fight the odds. Here is the saga of three brothers who followed these mantras to reach the highest rungs of success in their respective field. They are the Poddar Brothers from Patna who established Ashirvad Pipes in Bengaluru in 1998.

Almost two decades ago, when

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Deepak Poddar, Technical Director,Ashirvad Pipes galvanized iron and mild steel pipes ruled the roost in the field of water management, Pawan Poddar, Managing Director of Ashirvad Pipes, supported by his two brothers Deepak Poddar, the Technical Director and Vikas Poddar, Director Sales and Marketing, set out on a crusade to replace steel and GI pipes with PVC pipes in the Indian market. Since then, it has been a dream-run for them and for Ashirvad Pipes. From a team of 50 to a workforce of over 4000 people; from a one-acre plot to a facility spread over 50 acres; from a turnover of mere Rs.4.7 Crores in 1998 to Rs. 2400 Crores in 2017,

Ashirvad Pipes, under the guidance of its torch-bearing Poddar brothers, continue to lead the industry.

Ashirvad Pipes started its journey when submersible pumps were being used in conjunction with steel column pipes in India. It was the ingenious mind of Deepak Poddar who gave a unique gift to the Indian farmers in 1998. A Column Pipe made from PVC, for the first time in India.

He dared to innovate and developed a PVC pipe strong enough to hold a motor and pump of 400 to 500 kgs, deep inside the earth. In the same year, he also developed and patented a unique wirelock technology for the safety of these pipes. But just developing the pipe was only half the battle won. The challange

Vikas Poddar – Sales & Marketing Director, Ashirvad Pipes was to sell the concept of plastic pipe to the farmer and the mechanic. With deep faith in his own capabilities and with utmost determination, Pawan Poddar travelled relentlessly, deep into rural India, meeting the farmers and the retailers to convince them of the benefits of using PVC pipes for submersible pump.

Today, after 20 years, Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (uPVC) column pipes made by Ashirvad, are not only the most preferred pipes for submersible borehole pumps in India, but are also exported to over 35 countries across the globe.

However, the main strength of the Company lies in its CPVC hot and cold plumbing system which has been, by far, the major factor contributing to the growth and success of Ashirvad Pipes. In 1994, becoming a licensee of Lubrizol in India was a game changer for Ashirvad.

The CPVC hot and cold plumbing systems, best suited for clean and hygienic supply of potable water, are manufactured by Ashirvad in collaboration with Lubrizol, USA, making Ashirvad Pipes, a leader in CPVC pipes and fittings manufacturing industry globally.

In 2013 Ashirvad entered into a partnership with Aliaxis S.A, a 3 billion Euro (INR 21,600 crores) company, based in Brussels, Europe, and a global leader in plastic fluid handling systems.

Ashirvad’s network consists of 20 company warehouses, 1100 distribution partners and over 47,000 retailers across the length and breadth of India. The product range of Ashirvad has been constantly widening every year. A few

With its New Logo Bengaluru Urges to ‘Be U’

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public for Habba, a oneof-a-kind traffic-free street festival. The event has also featured live performances, storytelling sessions, interactive workshops and a street market, with stalls displaying handicrafts, terracotta jewellery, herbal products, organic grains, including millets and a variety of food items. The State Tourism Department will promote Bengaluru by leveraging its cosmopolitan character through the logo and glorify the city’s heritage, architecture, gardens, art, music, food and its modern lifestyle, driven by technology.

With the advent of the Smart City project, Indian

he Garden City of India has made another step to glorify its cosmopolitan nature and establish Brand Bengaluru worldwide, as the Karnataka State Tourism Department released the logo for the city.

Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to have its own logo and has joined the league of global cities New York, Paris, Berlin, London, Melbourne, Singapore etc.

The logo has been released at a grand ceremony held at Vidhana Soudha, which was opened for street festival leaving it accessible for public.

The logo is a blend of typography in English and Kannada. The first part of the logo is in English and the rest in Kannada. The logo represents the tagline ‘Bengaluru - Be U’ (be you)

and is highlighted by the first two letters, B, E, and the last, U, of Bengaluru written in red.

Also, the seventh and eighth letters (U and R) resemble the vowel, oo, in Kannada. The logo comes with an option of colours (green, red and yellow) depending on the occasion.

The new logo is expected to build the city’s image on the global stage. The logo, which has been crowdsourced from 1,350 entries, aims at implying Bengaluru’s cosmopolitan culture, a sense of belonging, 480-year history and futuristic outlook. It will also help to leverage Bengaluru’s identity and create a brand value that could spur its economy and generate jobs by attracting more investments.

The new identity will promote Bengaluru tourism by

providing an opportunity for tourists to feel the vibrancy of the city and its ethos.

Karnataka Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge has said

that the logo will establish Brand Bengaluru, to leave its footprint on the global tourist map. “The logo symbolises the spirit of Bengaluru and its 11 million people. It is a creative identity that represent the city and its denizens,” said Kharge. He has further said that the logo will help to ensure that Bengaluru is India’s first tourist-centric city and a gateway to South India.

As part of the celebrations, the iconic state assembly has been made open for

cities have been competing to boost their economies through various means like promotion of tourism and employment. Most cities have benn trying to highlight their image as favourite investment spots. The new log will help Bengaluru to enhance its position in the global map as an investment destination.

All the cultural events and important public services from now on will be marked with this new logo of Bengaluru.

years back, an innovative triple layer low noise (silent and silent plus) SWR system and a foam core underground drainage system was introduced by Ashirvad Pipes in India, complementing their existing range of plumbing items and accessories like manholes, inspection

chambers and non-return valves. The company has also forayed into sanitary space with traps and couplings, pan connectors, ball and butterfly valves and concealed valves.

In 2008, the MD of Ashirvad Pipes, Shri Pawan Poddar received the National award

for “Outstanding Entrepreneurship in Medium Enterprise” from the then Prime Minister of India in New Delhi. A few years later, in 2014, the international audit firm, KPMG adjudged Ashirvad Pipes as “One of the 100 Fastest Growing Marketing

Brands in Asia”.

Ashirvad aims at a turnover of INR 3000 crores in FY 17-18 to become a One-Stop-Shop in India for all plumbing and sanitary related products and aims to make the environment, the people and the world “Water Happy”.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

5 Tips to Boost BatteryLongevity of Android Phones Anantha Narayanan K

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oday smartphones have become inevitable gadgets for people. The most important challenge smartphone users face is to keep their phones alive throughout the day in a single charge. With phone-makers compete to upgrade and update their products with thinner designs with less room for batteries, larger and brighter screens, faster quad-core processors, more software that runs in the background, and power-hungry GPS etc., the battery life has become a worrisome factor. No matter how big your phone’s battery is, it will run out of juice at the end of the day making you plug-in it for further usage.

But battery backups on android phones can be improved through certain tricks behind the stage. Here are 5 tricks to increase the battery-longevity of your phones.

1)

Reduce Screen Brightness

The first mantra which gives instant effect on battery-saving is ‘reduce screen brightness’.

The display is undoubtedly the biggest battery hog, no matter what device you’re using. Hence by cutting its effect on the battery will help your phone to stay alive longer. Though auto-brightness option is convenient it may have negative impacts.

So, reduce brightness instead and reduce screen auto-off time for long battery.

2) Kill Background Apps Make it a habit to frequently kill apps running in the background.

Most of the new apps consume power by being active in the background even if after you close it.

Hence closing the app by pressing the back or home buttons is not enough.

You should access your device’s recent and background apps and close them manually. This will prevent such apps’ invisible presence in the background.

3) Turn Off Features Those are Not in Use Most users leave many features, especially connectivity features, running all day without really thinking about it.

Always turn off those features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Location (GPS) when they are not in use as these radios use much power for searching signals. Also, it is better to switch-on Flight mode in your phone when cellular services as patchy.

4) Ditch Wallpapers

Live

and

Fancy

Your phones look better with fancy

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and colourful wallpapers on its home and lock screens.

Setting live wallpapers is another trend these days.

But these gorgeous backgrounds take processing power to animate.

It is better to ditch them and use some power-friendly wallpaper. Also, use darker backgrounds with black colour highlighted, especially in AMOLED displays, as lighter colours use more power to light up the pixels.

5) Use the Battery Features of Your Phone

Saving

Almost all ROMs, whether stock Android, OEM UIs such as TouchWiz, or custom ROMs like CyanogenMod, EUI etc. offer various power-saving options as inbuilt.

Use these apps instead of third party apps to monitor the power consumption in your phones. Use of these power and data saving apps can make your phone more

OnePlus 5T gets new firmware update OxygenOS 4.7.4 OnePlus 5T, the flagship phone of Chinese phone-maker OnePlus, has received its latest firmware update. The new update has improved the phone’s dual camera performance by enhancing the quality of the photos, low-light photography, selfie shots, optional beautification mode. The new update has also made improvements at the system level which includes optimisations for audio from both speaker and earphones, face unlock, and vibration. It has also optimised the power consumption on Wi-Fi. The stability of fingerprint and GPS has been improved. OnePlus 5T has been in news recently as it got sold out in just five minutes after the launch in Amazon India.

Xiaomi Launches Redmi 5 and 5 Plus The much-anticipated Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus have been launched by Xiaomi in China. The phones will soon make its entry into Indian market.

Xiaomi claims that the phones will be the most ultra-affordable mid-range phones in the market which offers an array of features. The Redmi 5 has a 2GB RAM/ 16GB storage, as well as 3GB/ 32GB variant. The Redmi 5 Plus starts with 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage variant, and the higher variant has 4GB/ 64GB. Running on MIUI 9, both phones have bezel-less displays with similar designs with a 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. The Redmi 5 has a 5.7-inch HD+ display (1440×720) and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 450 chipset. The Redmi 5 Plus with a huge 5.99-inch full-HD+ display has an octa-core Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Redmi 5 has a 3300mAh battery, while the bigger Redmi 5 Plus has a 4000mAh battery. power efficient. Doze Mode, comes pre-installed on all devices running Marshmallow and above works in the background and puts your phone in hibernation mode when it lies unused for a longer duration.

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 845 Chipset Leading chipset makers Qualcomm has announced the components of its next generation processor Snapdragon 845 for high-end Android phones highlighting five key areas, namely immersion, AI, security, connection, and performance. The new chipset is based on the company’s custom Kryo 385 architecture which will speed up the performance by up to 25 percent compared with the present Snapdragon 835. Qualcomm has also claimed that Snapdragon 845 will enhance voice-driven smart assistants with features such as improved always-on keyboard detection and ultra-low-power voice processing. The Kryo 385 CPU is claimed to enhance performance across gaming, application launch times. Devices powered by Snapdragon 845 will be launched in early 2018. Xiaomi has already announced that its Mi 7 flagship will feature the latest chipset.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

CII holds IT Industry Symposium with Fujian

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n a bid to promote cooperation between India and China in IT industry, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) – Karnataka has conducted a symposium on software and Information Industry in association with China’s Fujian Province. The one-day symposium has been held, in Bengaluru in December, was participated by a team of delegates from Fujian who have delivered lectures on the various developments related to Fujian’s software and information industry.

Fujian province is in the southeast coast of China.

Bordering Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, Fujian has a population of 38 million and serves as a window for China’s reform and opening-up policy.

Fujian has turned out to be one of the most dynamic and potential provinces in terms of its economy in China.

Fujian and India enjoy longterm economic and trade ties.

India has always been Fujian’s significant trading partner.

S Chandrasekhar, Former CII-Karnataka State Council Chairman, who is also the Managing Director of Bhoruka Power Corporation Limited, has said that Fujian is one of the fastest growing industries in China. “Fujian province’s software and information technology service industry maintains robust momentum by increasing its output value

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from 57.6 billion yuan in 2010 to 182 billion yuan in 2015, with an average growth rate of over 27% and 9th largest industrial size across the nation”, said Chandrasekhar.

He has also addressed various topics including Internet of things, Industrial Internet industry, Mobile Internet industry, Animation and game industry, Big data industry, Virtual reality (VR) industry etc. He has urged Indian companies to look at Fujian as one of the most important and promising destination in the near future.

Chen Guoqiang, Director of Finance Division, Fujian Department of Commerce has said that Software parks like Fuzhou Software Park, Xiamen Software Park and Changle Haixi Animation City were established with ambitious sizes and striking characteristics, boasting an employed population of over 520, 000 that increases at an annual average of 60,000. He has also elaborated on the products and technologies supplied by 39 software enterprises in around 41 fields, including industrial application, information security, integrated circuits, mobile Internet, smart home, industrial control, etc.

Guoqiang has also spoken about Fujian’s geographical strength and its connectivity by rail, road, air and Climate Characteristics.

The speakers at the symposium have stressed that the companies in IT industry are active in the capital market, with the market segments of industrial application, management

software and games gaining tremendous popularity. By 2020, with an average annual growth of 15% in software and IT service industry, the scale of software industry will exceed 350 Billion Yuan. Focusing on the development of the five major industrial clusters, Fujian aims to record sales revenue of 40 Billion Yuan in integrated circuit design and embedded software; 150 Billion Yuan in software service and big data; 150 Billion Yuan in industrial software; 50 Billion Yuan in animation and gaming; and 10 Billion Yuan in information security software.

The industry is expected to boast two or three enterprises with an annual operating income of over 10 Billion Yuan; 10 enterprises with more than 5 Billion Yuan; 40 companies with over 1 Billion Yuan and more than 40 listed software enterprises.w Huang Dezhi, Deputy Director General, Fujian Department of Commerce has mentioned that the central government gives much importance to the development of Fujian province. The Chinese central government has authorised Fujian to build Core Area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, pilot zone for ecological conservation, China(Fujian) Free Trade Zone, Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone and Fuzhou New Zone. He has further said that there were three pillar industries, electronic and information, machinery and equipment, petroleum and chemicals, develop rapidly.

“The traditional industries such as garments, light industry,

construction material, forest products and modern agriculture are growing more competitive. The strategic emerging industries including new generation IT, biological medicine, energy saving and environment conservation, new material and energy gain traction,” said Dezhi.

Dezhi has specifically highlighted the rapidly developing software industry in India with Bangalore, regarded as Silicon Valley of India, at the center of India IT industry. Fujian province gives much importance to the development of IT and electronics industry, considers it as one of our three major industries, and has formulated a series of policies to support the development. “Recently, Fujian software and IT service industry has been developing rapidly. In 2016, the industry output amounted to 215.8 billion yuan, up by 18.5%. It is one of the most accelerated industries in the province and it now ranks 8th in China,” he added.

Rakesh MP, AVP Group Leader of Unit Strategy, Planning and Operations, Infosys Limited has spoken about the journey of the Infosys in China in 2003. Infosys China has set up Qingdao Development Center and Shenzhen Development Centre, 2016. “Infosys now has its operations across 9 centers in China with 5,000 employees. Further, Infosys has been the best employer in China in recent years and is also one of the top 10 global outsourcing company for eight consecutive years. The company has invested $ 150 million to build Infosys China

CII conducts its fourth CEO Forum meet

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he Confederation of Indian Industries has held the fourth meeting of the

CII CEO Forum 2017 on 4th December.

The theme for the session was ‘Design

the Difference’ which has focussed on innovative design & engagement models that are followed by various global MNC’s.

The speakers for the session were Mr. Brett Chouinard, President & COO- Altair Inc. and Mr. Masatomo Ayame, Sr Vice President, Altair Asia Pacific.

The session has aimed at providing a better understanding of transformation of product design and organizational decision making by applying simulationdriven design, optimization and highperformance computing throughout product lifecycles.

The speakers at the meeting have talked about various aspects of design and engineering. The world is built through engineering. It’s in almost everything we touch, a part of every human experience.

It’s in the planes and trains we sit in, the cars we drive, and the elevators that take us to heights. It’s even in the valves that give us heartbeats and the equipment that saves our lives. But not all engineering is created equal. And without something that has been meticulously constructed, simulated, optimised, challenged and then challenged again— it leaves the design ready to fail.

CII Karnataka Panel on Skills Focusses on Cluster Approach CII Karnataka Panel on Skills & Sustainability, in the year 2017-18 has focussed on the Cluster approach, to engage with an industrial Cluster, understand and assess the skilling needs of industries in that cluster and design customised programmes for extensive training. It has intended to address the skill gaps which would add value to the business operations and make the

businesses sustainable.

Upon consent from the panel members, Electronic City Industries Association (ELCIA) has been selected to work and Bosch Ltd. led the skill gap assessment interactions with ELCIA. The panel has conducted a study with the participation of 13 Industrialists from Electronic City, and the report on skill gap analysis was presented to the members

of the panel and pilot industrialists of ELCIA. The extensive training sessions for Supervisors/Managers on various parameters will commence from January 2018. The pilot training project will be for a focussed group of 25 Managers/ Supervisors and the training shall be on three key capacities like Leadership, Administrative skills and Technical effectiveness.

Campus. Infosys has already built up its strong footprint in China and now it works with almost all global brands and companies across China, said Rakesh.

Shen Lubin, Deputy Director, Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce; Tang Guangyu, General Manager, Fuzhou Zhi Yong Information Technology Co. Ltd.;

Zeng Zhongcheng, General Manager, Newdoone Science &Technology Co. Ltd. etc. have also addressed the symposium.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

‘NativeCreativ’- A Proof of Fulfilled Promises for Startups E

ach company, at the time of its inception, is formed with a certain image in the founders’ mind, which they would like to portray to their target circle - be it customers, shareholders or even the public.

This, happens to be different from the current image, which they already have portrayed to the mentioned circle. NativeCreativ is one venture, where the attempt is to help companies - both start-ups and established companies, bridge the gap between the initial image as desired in the mind, and the one that comes out in real, says Eeshan Arun, Founder and CEO of NativCreativ - a digital marketing and branding consultancy, based in Bangalore. Eeshan Arun talks about how his venture caters to the design and communication needs of startups and established companies.

Eeshan Arun, CEO, NativeCreativ

N

ativeCreativ is the brainchild of Eeshan Arun, a young entrepreneur who is a true inspiration to everyone who wants to start a business. After completing his studies, Eeshan realised that his true passion is business and chosen it as his path ahead. NativeCreativ is the manifestation of his entrepreneurial ideas that was setup with a vision to help companies show, sell and make their own identity in the market. It helps both start-ups and established companies’, by providing them with the required creative design and communication solutions for refining their brand image.

“What we do at NativeCreativ, is consult and tie up with companies and startups, understand their business and then give them the best possible design solutions and communication to help them build a brand out of their product or service.

This is done, primarily, to give the company a holistic corporate reputation that the company would truly cherish!

“I’ve worked with both startups and established firms, but I mostly help the former, as it is extremely important to lay a strong and consistent foundation for their image building,” said Eeshan Arun.

At the outset, NativeCreativ first tries to decipher what the client wants, on the lines of setting up their desired corporate reputation. Once it is done, the next step would be conducting a Market Research

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and deduce the client’s current standing in the market. The element of true magic pops, right when all the creative and strategic juices flow in bringing the desired image into life. To bring together

- the right medium of communication, through various channels and platforms and tailor-making their relevant messages, is where all the magic lies!

To explain this further, Eeshan referred to NativeCreativ’s latest project Nimble Campus as an example. Nimble Campus is a world class Education Management Solution, that automates most of the Educational Institutions’ work and thereby advances them technologically. The name of this product, used to be Yoobikwiti Edu as it was built by Yoobikwiti Technologies Pvt. Ltd. However, translating this into strategies, for appealing to the right kind of audiences and tap into the market, was quite daunting a task, said Eeshan.

“NativeCreativ has stepped forward at the right time, to do a complete rebranding for them. As opposed to superficial changes, we gave the brand a personality, in fact a personification,

as though it talks a certain way, behaves a certain way, has likes and dislikes and breathes the air that we do. This is called Humanising a brand. Once that is done, we then proceed with the content creation, i.e. designing communication messages - suited to its personality and ensured it was delivered to the right people, using various online, social and offline channels,” said Eeshan. By giving it a character, which suited the personality of its founders, without compromising on its current relevance in the market and the way it operates - it made all the good difference in the way things panned out.

Apart from the core team of NativeCreativ, there is no set team for the company. And the reason, Eeshan points out, is that every company and project is different. “For some, an SEO Analyst will be required, but for some others it warrants a mystery shopping and for some, we might not. However, Strategy, Content and Design are the three major pillars for the running of my company without which it will cease to function.

I consider myself lucky to have a good team that does exceptional content and design work for me,” said Eeshan.

One of the biggest challenges Eeshan has faced in his venture was to make people understand what exactly his company does. Because, Corporate Reputation is a vast and multi-faceted

IWN Conducts Workshop on POSH

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ndian Women Network (IWN), an initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Southern Region, has organised a workshop on “Prevention of Sexual Harassment” in December 2017 at CII office, Bengaluru.

The workshop, has been held mainly for career women, professionals, faculties and students, will discuss sexual harassment from different angles. It has covered topics like the meaning of sexual harassment, its

definitions and nuances at workplaces, various types of harassment, helping understand the context etc. The threehour-long event has also focused on the effects of sexual harassment, challenges of office romances, responsibilities and dos &don’ts of employers and employees etc.

The session has been addressed by Dr Sapna Mohan, Dean of School of Law, Presidency University, Bengaluru and Nirmala Menon, Founder and CEO of Interweave Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Earlier, CII-IWN has conducted a Webinar on POSH in November 2017. It has been jointly organised by IWN Telangana and Karnataka. The session has been addressed by Jyoti Das, Co-Convenor, Policy & Advocacy, IWN Telangana.

Jyoti Das is an Advocate by profession and has 8 years of experience. She has been addressing various issues related

to Women & Law for the last four years.

The webinar has received maximum participation from pan India.

‘Safe Working Environment for Women’: CII-IWN holds discussion

II’s Indian Women Network and CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development in collaboration

with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) have jointly hosted a launch event ‘HER Respect Business Toolkit: Prevention

of Sexual Harassment at Workplace’ in December 2017. The discussion has been addressed by Chitra P, DGM-HR, Shahi Exports Pvt Ltd, and Renuka S, Legal Consultant.

Both Speakers have shared their experiences on how strategies were created in their respective companies to create a safe and comfortable working environment for women workers. The event has also marked a presentation on the POSH Tool Kit. The speakers have explained to the delegates on the efficient use of the POSH Tool Kits. Free Tool Kits have been given to the participants post the event.

division which makes it a difficult task to break down and quantify its elements.

Especially, with India being in a transition phase (from primary to secondary sector of economy) and services still picking up in the market - most people still are largely unaware of this line of business. Eeshan has said that the few who are even loosely

aware of it, do not entirely understand its benefits. They are still used to conducting business the old school way.

When asked about NativeCreativ’s goals for the next 10 years, Eeshan has said that he wants his company to be a cause for a healthy change in entrepreneurial outlook. “The sole purpose of starting

this company was to help entrepreneurs and people in general, touch lives and do good to the society. So, I would say ten years from now, I can firmly vouch for my company having contributed a healthy change in the face of entrepreneurship and also in bringing about a positive change in people,” said Eeshan.

C

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

KSRTC on Expansion Mode

S R Umashankar, Managing Director, KSRTC.

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ith a vibrant and flawless service record that spans over six decades, The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) continues to hover at the top above other state-run-transport units in India. The massive fleet of buses, widening range of services offered and increasing acceptance of commuters are the clear evidences that show KSRTC is on the path of constant growth. More than 210 awards won by the Corporation further validate that KSRTC’s neverending strive to maintain its services has made it emerge as the best in India. With astrengthened fleet of buses, new service upgrades etc., KSRTC is constantly expanding its services to serve the people, says S R Umashankar, Managing Director, KSRTC. About KSRTC’s expansion mode, Mr. Umashankar shares his thoughts with Advantage Karnataka.

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KSRTC has announced its plan to buy electric buses for inter-city services. Could you shed more light onto this?

The plan to start 150 e-bus services for Bengaluru and 50 for Mysuru was first announced in the state budget 2017-18. Now, KSRTC is also considering operating e-buses on inter-city routes from Bengaluru to places like Mysuru, Tumkur, Hassan and Kolar. We have been in discussions with several companies regarding the purchase of e-buses that can go up to 300km in one single charge, and we are also expecting financial assistance from both the Central and State Governments. Once the project is implemented, KSRTC will be the first major state-run transport unit in India to operate inter-city electric buses.

Operating e-buses on inter-city routes is the most viable plan and KSRTC has the financial capabilities to afford e-buses with the help of both Centre and State Governments. The e-buses will be viable in the long run as it has less operational and maintenance cost unlike the present diesel buses. KSRTC has a grand plan owning at least 25% of fleet size as electrical buses by 2030 in its endeavour to conserve the environment. We hope to execute the plan soon.

KSRTC has the largest fleet of premium class luxury buses among state owned transport companies. Are there new plans to expand the fleet and long distant services?

KSRTC was the first to introduce premium class luxury buses in SRTUs. At present, the corporation has a massive fleet of around 8,800 buses which include more than 800+ multi-axle, semi-sleeper, sleeper buses and luxury buses of Volvo, Scannia, Mercedes Benz etc. They serve 27.28 lakh passengers daily and cover 28.46 lakh km per day. KSRTC runs several services, especially luxury class buses, to almost all states of South India like

Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Puducherry.

We are also working on extending the services to major cities in Gujarat like Ahmedabad and Surat. KSRTC operates daily services of premium buses to major destinations like Mumbai, Shirdi, Chennai, Coimbatore, Pune, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Vizag, Vijayawada etc. Bengaluru to Mumbai (1050Kms) is the longest route at present.

During the financial year 2017-18, KSRTC has signed a major deal with Volvo Buses India for the purchase of around 121 Volvo B11R I-Shift multi-axle semi-sleeper buses, 1,700 buses from Ashok Leyland at a cost of Rs.650 crores. KSRTC has further started package tour services between Bengaluru and Tirupati in association with APTDC. KSRTC has also decided to widen its Volvo fleet by adding 21 new Volvo sleeper coaches by March 2018 to increase its number of long-route services.

KSRTC has decided to roll out its elite services of Fly Bus to farther destinations soon. What are the new destinations for Fly Bus? Could you explain more about the fares, services offered etc?

The Fly Buses are KSRTC’s most elite and premier class services which was first introduced in 2013. The current operations of fly buses to Mysuru and Kundapur, have been successful and we have received suggestions from commuters to start services to longdistance destinations. KSRTC has first to its credit of having launched FLY Bus services to inter-state from International Airport i.e., Fly Buses to Madikeri and Salem. KSRTC having planned to roll out other long distance destinations like Tirupati, Kozhikode, Coimbatore etc. from Bengaluru International Airport by the end of January 2018. Also, Fly Bus services will be started from Mangalore Airport to Bhatkal and surrounding regions.

Considering the comfort of passengers during the long-distance journey, the new fly buses will have 2+1 seating arrangement providing ample legroom and space for the passengers unlike the existing 2+2 seating arrangement. The new buses will have chemical toilets at the rear end to avoid stench and unpleasant

experiences. The new KSRTC Volvo B9R Multi-axle ‘Fly Bus’ coaches will be equipped with on-screen real-time flight schedule information updates, departure and arrival of these buses synced with time table of flights.

KSRTC has been ranked as one of the top most STUs in India and has received many national and international awards, especially for its wide array of services and comfort features. Could you talk about further plans to improve the services?

The main reason behind people preferring KSRTC is the wide range of services being provided to them, both onboard and off-board the bus. It is in fact our responsibility to safeguard the trust of the people have in KSRTC by serving our best to ensure our commitment towards its commuters and the community. Our hi-tech bus stations are well-equipped with modern infrastructural facilities

and we always strive to make them fully functional for the public. Tourist information kiosks, drinking water and canteen facilities, ATM centres, prepaidtaxi and auto-rickshaw hubs, hasslefree reservation counters, cloak rooms, modern toilets, well-arranged parking facilities for both two-wheelers and fourwheelers etc. make KSRTC distinct from other SRTUs. Now, we are offering free Wi-Fi facilities in bus stations. We have already introduced it at some bus stations and buses and received very good response.

Also, KSRTC plans to make available RO drinking water facility with more economical in our bus stations by installing modern technology based vending machines from which people can get mineral water at a rate of one rupee per litre. GPRS-enabled handheld machines will soon be introduced, and

these machines will be made Smart-Card compatible. We have also mooted plans to introduce Smart-Passes, which will be upgraded with prepaid Smart-Cards in the near future. The new Fast-Tag facility for e-toll purposes is also being introduced in long-distance services to avoid the serpentine queues at toll booths.

Could you talk about your priorities for improving the rural connectivity in Karnataka?

KSRTC plays a significant role in bringing the rural regions of Karnataka closer to the state’s urban centres. Over these years KSRTC has improved its rural services to provide hassle-free commutation for the rural people. KSRTC buses have services at most of the rural areas in the state and these services are scheduled in such a way that they serve the best to the people of rural areas, especially by carrying students, farmers and public daily.

In nationalised sector, KSRTC providing services to 7319 villages out of 7326 covering almost 99.9%, at the same time in non-nationalised sector Corporation reaching out to 8774 villages out of 13466 villages, it accounts for 65.2%, this shows the commitment of the organisation towards its rural connectivity.

KSRTC is committed to connect people with places, with the help of efficient transport services through better buses, quality transport infrastructure, and technological innovations with fuelling sustainable mobility in the road transport sector.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

Surin Automotive Races to be among India’s Top 10 S

urin Automotive Pvt. Ltd. is moving ahead with its vison of being one among the top 10 most valued companies in India by 2021. Our vision focuses on not just being one among the top 10, but also to add significant value to all three stakeholders - employees, customers and shareholders. Surin Automotive has achieved a growth of over eight times in the last 10 years. In 2021-21, we hope to achieve the target of gross sales worth Rs.2000 Crores which would ensure a spot for the company among the top ten companies in India, says Aman Choudhari, Managing Director, Surin Automotive. Choudhari speaks to Anantha Narayanan of Advantage Karnataka about his company’s vision, sales, and expansion plans.

S

Mr. Aman Choudhari is the Managing Director of Surin Automotive Pvt. Ltd. He is a Mechanical engineering graduate and has completed post graduate course in industrial engineering from Lamar University, Texas. He is a member of Young President Organization (YPO) and a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO) for the last 5 years.

Aman Choudhari is the incumbent CII-Karnataka Convenor for MSMEs. 48

urin Automotive is commemorating its 10 years in engineering and manufacturing industry. Could you give an overview of major achievements over these years?

It was 10 years ago that Surin Automotive Pvt. Ltd. was formed to take over the manufacturing operations of Krishna Fabrications Pvt. Ltd., our parent company. Krishna Fabrications, established by my father Surinder Choudhari, has completed four decades, and achieved a 50 times growth since its inception. Surin Automotive has achieved a growth of over eight times in the last 10 years. Surin Automotive is one of the leading engineering and manufacturing companies in India operating 12 plants across 8 cities having 5 divisions driving the growth of company. Our five divisions are Commercial Vehicle Components; Construction Equipment Components; Tractor and Agricultural Components; Car Components; Seats and Seating Systems.

Surin has been judged at the 43rd fastest growing mid- sized company in India

by Inc.500. Almost all the key players in the industry have been our customers.

We have been financially strong and profitable over these years, and has been rated as “A- Stable” by CRISIL. Could you shed more light onto the

company’s vision to be among top 10 most valued Auto Component Manufacturers by 2021?

The directorial board of Surin Automotive has set a vision for the company to speed up its growth. The vison is that we want to be one among the top 10 most valued companies in India. I strongly believe that it should be the dream of all companies to secure a spot among the top ten. There is no point in staying in today’s highly competitive market unless you earn a distinct and reputed identity. Our vision focuses on not just being one among the top 10, but also to add significant value to all the three stakeholders - employees, customers and shareholders.

For customers, we want to be a Supplier of Choice. We want our customers to get business for us. We want to be an Employer of Choice for the employees.

We strive to provide the right work environment which will make people want to join us in our journey ahead. And for shareholders, we want to be the right choice where they would want to invest their money for prospects in future. It is all about being the right choice, because the success of the company happens only when we become the right choice for the three stakeholders.

To achieve our vision, we should grow three times in the next five years. This year we will end up with Rs.820 Crores worth gross sales, and we expect to cross Rs.1000 crores gross sales in next year. In 2021-21, we hope to achieve the target of

gross sales worth Rs.2000 Crores which would ensure a spot for Surin Automotive among the top ten companies in India.

Could you talk about the new products of your company in the construction equipment sector?

18% of our total sales come from CE sector. Almost all big players in India like JCB, Volvo, Komatsu, Hyundai etc. are our clients. We have two sub-divisions in CE division – Light & Medium Fabrication and Heavy Fabrication. We specialise in mainly two products in the Light & Medium Fabrication sector- the fuel and hydraulics tanks of excavators. We are the largest in India in the manufacturing of these two products. We also export to UK and by next year we will be the largest tank exporter to JCB UK by being their single source of tanks. We also make engine doors, rear hood, counter weights, operator cabins etc.

Our major focus is on excavator parts.

At EXCON 2017 held in BIEC in December, we have launched our new buckets for excavators. We are planning to expand our Heavy Fabrication division with focus on the frame, boom and arm of excavators. We hope to capture the market of these three products also.

The construction sector is on the path of growth. If the government keeps the pressure on the sector, there will be great growth opportunities for construction equipment manufacturers. We hope to take advantage of this.

Currently, Surin Automotive has 12

plants across 8 cities in India. Are there any plans to expand Surin Automotive’s presence further?

To achieve our Vision 2021, we need to further expand our presence in all over India. Also, new plants are required to cater to the increasing market needs.

Hence, we are planning to set up three to four new manufacturing plants in India. One will be in Karnataka itself at Doddaballapur, and one will be in the mid-western part of India, mostly at Pithampur in Indore. We are yet to finalise the location of the third plant and most probably it will either be in Anantapur or in North Punjab. Also, we are expanding our facility in Pune with a new plant.

Bangalore is our headquarters and we have a large facility in Peenya. Our biggest plant is in Uttaranchal. We also have five plants in Chennai.

Among the five divisions, Commercial Vehicle Division is the largest. What are the various products of your company in this sector? Who all are the major clients?

The commercial division is responsible for around 50% of the sales of Surin Automotive. In the Commercial Vehicle division, Ashok Leyland is our major customer with a relationship that spans over more than four decades. We mainly supply the cabin, half-cabin for trucks and buses for them. An upgraded cabin, which we have co-designed with them, will be launched in April 2018. We already make cabin, half cabin, chassis flitches, CMVR parts, tipper body, load and cargo body etc. For buses, we make around

160 components including the cowls, the driver cabin, dashboards, brake paddles, seats, steering column etc.

Tata Motors is another customer and we are expanding our business with them. We are in discussions with two new customers in this sector, and it is yet to be finalised. One of them will be a foreign company.

How do you assess the state of Karnataka as an ideal eco system for industrial growth?

Our company has started business in Karnataka back in 1970s, and from here only we have expanded our business further. Karnataka is a great place for industrial growth with the right ecosystem. The state government also is giving importance to the industrial sector by coming up with several policies and programmes. They support all kind of manufacturing in Karnataka, and many of the biggest players in the industry like Volvo, Tata-Hitachi, Scania etc. have major plants here.I think Karnataka will be a strong incubation centre for Factories 4.0 or Industries 4.0.

The industrial ecosystem is constantly improving with new industrial areas and parks. The neighbouring states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are improving their industrial sector and the competition is getting tougher. But, the Karnataka government is providing great support for the industrial initiatives, and the effects are visible. For example, the Hubballi-Dharwad belt has become a hub of excellent manufacturing.

‘Entrepreneurial Finance’: Seminar Held I

ndian Women Network Karnataka has organised an Interactive Session on “Entrepreneurial Finance”. The session, with the theme ‘Common Finance Corporate Sense’, has focused on Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs including value and resource allocation for new ventures. More than 65 delegates have attended the seminar. The seminar has addressed topics like Demystifying Financial Statements, Preparing Financial Projections, Understanding Cash Flows etc.

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Curtains Down on EXCON 2017

Anantha Narayanan K

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urtains are down on the 9th Edition of EXCON, South Asia’s largest construction equipment exhibition which has been held in Bengaluru in December.

With the latest edition EXCON has once again proved to be a one stop solution for all the construction equipment and technology needs of entire South Asia. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India’s apex industry association, has organised the five-day-long trade fair, with an impetus to fuel next generation infrastructure in India and to permeate fresh energy into the country’s construction equipment and technology sector.

EXCON 2017 has spread over an exhibition display area of 2,50,000 sq. m. across Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. The event has marked the presence of large OEM’s like JCB, Larsen & Toubro – Komatsu, Tata Hitachi, Caterpillar, Mahindra & Mahindra, SANY, Schwing Stetter, BKT, Kobelco, CASE, Hyundai, Puzzolana, BEML, SREI, KYB Conmat, Atlas Copco, Ajax Fiori, ITR, Tadano, Action Construction, Wirtgen, Volvo, Eicher, Ceat, Apollo Tyres, Leeboy, Tata Motors, Simem etc. They have showcased a wide range of machinery and equipment’s at the exhibition.

EXCON 2017 has marked the participation of 927 exhibitors, including 280 from abroad. The event has marked

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the presence of over 40,000 business visitors from across the globe with country pavilions including China, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, South

Korea, UK. CII has specifically designed EXCON as a showcase platform for Government (PWD’s and Civil Engineering Departments), Private contractors, Builders, Road / Infrastructure developers, Smart City / Urban Planning, Army, Border Roads Organisation, etc. to witness the latest Technology, Equipment and Machinery, which will enable accelerated infrastructure development.

EXCON 2017 Chairman Vipin Sondhi has said that this year’s exhibition has witnessed a 16 percent growth in terms of number of exhibitors compared to its 2015 edition. He has said that the theme of EXCON 2017, ‘Smart Technology Fuelling the Next Gen Infra’ perfectly aligned with the national agenda of infrastructure growth through technological innovations.

EXCON 2017 will also see around 300 Product Launches, including those of automobile major TATA, Schwing Stetter, VOLVO etc. giving them the much-needed initial exposure. The event has also showcased a Virtual Exhibition, Finance

Zone and Academia Pavilion. Providing a stage for developing relationships to boost business, the event has also conducted several B2B Meetings and Networking Forums alongside.

CII President Shobana Kamineni has said that EXCON 2017 has been the biggest event of CII. “India is undeniably on a path of growth backed by infrastructure. For nation building, growth in construction and manufacturing industry is inevitable.

The industry in India is about to see an investment of $750 billion and the ‘Make in India’ initiative will boost it further.

EXCON 2017 has support this by offering a platform of business interaction and promotion.

EXCON 2017 has witnessed a distinguished line-up of visitors which included leading contractors, Government officials, authorities of public sector companies, leasing & finance company officials, machinery & equipment dealers, representatives of construction companies and equipment rental companies, project developers, urban infrastructure developers, international visitors, investors in construction, equipment & components, buyers of construction equipment and technologies, and representatives of international firms sourcing components and aggregates using India as an equipment and components sourcing base.

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Healthcare Anantha Narayanan K

Protect Your Joints from IcyCold Winter

The winter is here, and it is time to keep yourselves warm as it is the showtime of joint pain and arthritis. Better do not let bone-chilling cold of winter to put you off. Remaining active is the best way to keep your joints happy. You can us e the following tips for a painless passage through winter.

1. Dress Warmly- Wear clothes to cover you up fully. Make sure you use your collection of winter clothes like sweaters, jackets and mufflers to stabilise body warmth.

2. Hydrate- Keep yourselves hydrated throughout

the day as even mild dehydration can make you more pain-sensitive. Hence, have a proper intake of water and fluids.

3. Exercise- Try sweating profusely by giving your body proper exercise. The less sedentary you are, the better your joints will be. Do exercises that warm your joints up, but avoid straining. Playing Badminton is considered the best warm up for joints.

4. Bathe in warm water- Never soak your body in cold water. Take warm baths and swim in heated pools to soothe your joints.

5. Supplement Vitamin D-

Vitamin-D keeps your bones and joints healthy. During winter you are less likely to get enough vitamin D from its natural source, sunlight. Hence supplement your body vitamin D-fortified foods like dairy products, egg yolk, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals.

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Beware of Bright Screens C

omputers have become inevitable for humans. But staring at their bright screens for too long can damage your eyes causing eyestrain, blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance, dry eyes, headaches etc. Here as some pieces of advices for those who have to park themselves daily in front of computer screens for a long time.

• Always use the computer with medium brightness and filter the bright rays with anti-glare screen or glass.

• Always make sure you adjust the screen to keep it at eye-level. Always keep

the monitor 18-24 inches away. Also use computer in a room with enough light.

• Keep your eyes blinking more frequently to avoid dryness as it helps keeping the eye lubricated.

• Give a break to your eyes every 20 minutes by looking away from the screen for at least 15-20 seconds. It is better to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes focus on something else in the room 20ft away for a minimum of 20 seconds.

• Wash your eyes frequently with cold water and use eye drops to keep your eyes wet

Five Tips to Stabilise Blood Pressure

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lood pressure is a silent killer that can lead you to a victim of coronary diseases. High BP or Hypertension can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney damage. Hence it is crucial to keep this body vital under control. These are the five tips that will help you to stabilise blood pressure Reduce Body Weight- Blood pressure will lower down with reduced body weight which is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for BP patients. Being overweight also can lead to disrupted

breathing in sleep which in turn can increase blood pressure.

Regular Exercise- Doing regular exercise will not only keep you fit but also helps to reduce blood pressure. Physical activity of at least 30 minutes daily can reduce blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing etc are suitable ones to lower blood pressure Healthy Diet- Following a healthy diet plays a significant role in maintaining blood pressure at optimum level. The

diet plan for BP patients is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet which includes cereals, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products etc. Also, always reduce sodium in your diet which is a BP booster.

Limit Alcohol Intake Limited amount of alcohol can lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But, if the limits are crossed alcohol raise blood pressure by several points. Alcohol can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.

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Belthangady’s own Bangera

K Vasantha Bangera MLA Chairman , Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation

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he personality of a politician plays a crucial role in his political growth and it is often his popularity and political magnetism that helps him in winning the hearts of his voters and elections.

K Vasantha Bangera, the incumbent Congress MLA of Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada district, is one such politician in Karnataka who has won the elections in his career predominantly on the basis of his magnificent personality.

The career of this political stalwart, who has represented Belthangady five times, starting from 1983, is a clear example of

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how a politician’s charisma helps him in fighting the odds and being elected as the people’s leader.

Outrunning the charismatic persona of Vasantha Bangera in Belthangady has always been a mammoth task for his rivals in the constituency. In his political career that spans over more than four decades, Bangera has changed three parties and won the election for all the three parties, which shows that Vasantha Bangera has the support of his people irrespective of the political atmosphere in the constituency.

Bangera’s acceptance by the people has been clearly visible in the 2013 assembly election results when he won for a consecutive second term with a significant margin of 15002 votes. The people of Belthangady have always acknowledged Vasantha Bangera’s contribution for the development of the constituency during his four previous terms. It has been not only the party votes but also the personal votes that helped him win the 2013 election by overcoming heavy competition.

Bangera, who is on his 60s, continues to prove that age is never a hurdle for a politician who has the will to serve his voters with utmost dedication for their welfare and the constituency’s development. Fighting his health issues

Vasantha Bangera has been actively taking part in all activities in Belthangady.

Since 2013 Bangera has implemented developmental activities in his constituency for more than Rs.1000 Crores utilising the state government funds.

More than 1000 houses have been made and given to SC/ST families under Dr. Ambedkar Housing Scheme, which is aimed at providing houses to houseless SC/ST people whose annual income is less than Rs.11800. The Dr. Ambedkar Housing Scheme has been taken up to houses for socially and economically weaker Schedule Caste and the Schedule Tribes beneficiaries to whom the houses are given free without any loan component. Under Ashraya and Urban Ashraya housing programmes Bangera has been able to provide housing to the economically weaker sections with financial assistance and loan.

Under the Karnataka government’s Akrama Sakrama Scheme that aims at enabling regularisation of properties that violate buildings norms, without demolishing them, 35000 poor families have got their plots regularised. After their regularisation, such properties which used to have an illegal status have started commanding a relatively higher price.

This in turn has also increased the number of properties available for buying and

selling, making property in Belthangady more affordable.

Vasantha Bangera has the credit of distributing highest number of land deeds to the people during his tenure in 1983, 1985, 1994, 2008 and 2013. More than 21,000 BPL families have been provided with ration cards since 2013.

Bangera’s consistent efforts are the reason behind the electricity connections to all the remote areas of the taluk. Under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), all the 81 villages in the constituencies have been electrified over the last four years.

Bangera has been successful in setting up many residential

schools in Belthangady under various government schemes. Now, Belthangady has four residential schools including three Morarji Desai Residential Schools and one Indira Gandhi Residential School.

These schools have been established to provide free residential education to students of classes VI to X who belong to minority communities. Also, high school and college students have been provided with hostel facilities in government hostels, especially those from the constituency who have gone to other districts for education.

Bangera has been at the

forefront in the fight against virus-caused Monkey disease and taken up the issue in the assembly session and thereby forcing the government to find a vaccine for it. He has planned the projects to build bridges across the rivers to have a proper connectivity between Taluk headquarters and the villages. Over 600 SC/ST colonies in the constituency have been provided with concrete roads and enhanced connectivity to urban areas.

In 2016 December, Vasanth Bangera has been appointed as the Chairman of Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC) with

cabinet rank. At the helm of the corporation which aims to promote small industries in the state, Bangera has been leading the activities like construction and utilisation of infrastructure, especially in backward areas, procurement and marketing of raw materials, providing technical support and assistance etc.

KSSIDC has been constructing sheds for small entrepreneurs and during Vasantha Bangera’s tenure the period for lease-cumsale of these shed was raised to 10 years from six years, and thereby leaving the entrepreneurs with more breathing time for buying them.

BBMP’s Unique Way of Celebrating Girl Child Bengaluru’s first baby girl in 2018 to get free education up to degree level.

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engaluru’s civic body officials have been a bit busy this new year as they were in search of the first new year baby girl born in the city. And their search for the new-born pretty angel has ended at Rajajinagar civic hospital in the city’s western suburb, where a baby girl was born to the couple Gopi M, a sales engineer and Pushpa M, a contract employee at the state secretariat. This lucky girl’s education expenses will be sponsored by the city corporation as part of its move to celebrate girl child.

In a bid to celebrate girl child and

promote education, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has earlier announced that it will provide free education up to degree level for the first girl child of 2018 born through natural delivery in any civic hospital under its jurisdiction. Pushpa has given birth to a girl at Rajajinagar hospital at 12.05 am on the January 1. The girl is also their first child. The girl’s parents have expressed their gratitude to the civic authorities who has given the best birthday gift for their girl by helping with the child’s educational future.

Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath Raj has said that the move is to promote girl child birth and make aware of the public that girls are not a burden, but a boon for their families. BBMP has selected civic hospitals for this, because usually it is people from poor families who prefer civic hospitals which are affordable for them. The BBMP will make a fixed deposit of Rs.5 lakh in a joint account under the names of the Muncipal Commissioner and the girl child.

The interest of around 6.5 to 7 per cent per year on the amount will be used for the girl’s education.

Earlier, the civic doctors have decided to reward only the child born through natural process, as a Caesarean section birth can be induced any time. Health officials at the civic hospitals had recorded the timings of female babies born after December 31 midnight and in the first hour or early hours of January 1 to ascertain the winner.

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‘’Construction EquipmentIndustry Will Drive Indian Economy”: Amitabh Kant

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he Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant has said that the construction and manufacturing equipment industry in India is the harbinger of growth of the country’s economy. “The construction equipment industry is the one of the biggest drivers of India’s economy. The government is expecting above 30 percent growth in

this sector every year,” said Kant who has been in Bengaluru as part of EXCON 2017 in December.

Kant has said that the Indian Economy is growing at a rate of above seven percent currently and the government is aiming to boost it to above nine percent.

Infrastructure development is the key factor in achieving this and it is impossible to achieve this without world class, sophisticated machinery and construction equipment. The government has rolled out many developmental projects for infrastructure growth focusing on rail, road, port, irrigation, smart cities etc.

Once the freight corridors are completed the travel time of goods between east and west of India will be reduced to 14 hours from the current 14 days, which is a clear example of paradigm shift.

Kant has also said that the central government has brought down the GST for construction equipment industry in order to provide the right eco system for its growth. 700 million Indians are likely to move to urban areas in the next five decades and what India needs is a comprehensive and lively urbanization. All these add to the inevitability of advanced construction equipment and machinery.

He has said that it is the right time to give a tremendous boost to the industry and strengthen the implementation of the ambitious infrastructure schemes of the government like the Bharatmala Pariyojna etc. He has further said that exhibitions like EXCON, will demonstrate the spirit of Indian construction machinery sector and promote government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ project.

JCB’s ‘Dancing Digger Show’ wins hearts in Bengaluru

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eading Construction Equipment Manufacturer JCB has always been known for amusing people with its lineup of gigantic manufacturing equipment at every exhibition. This time JCB has won the hearts of people in Bengaluru by performing a stunt show of their

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heavy diggers. JCB’s exhibition stall at EXCON 2017 has been the cynosure of all eyes during the five-day event with the dancing show of JCB’s Dancing Diggers Team. The JCB Dancing Diggers team are experts in driving Backhoe Loaders and making them do things a digger usually

could do, especially dancing.

Dancing Diggers have performed amazing movements to the rhythm of the music played in background.

Diggers have circled and moved past each other with split second precision, and with only inches to spare. But the moves that have been the most amazing when drivers used their hydraulics to lift the diggers clear of the ground and perform hand-stands. The visitors have been wonderstruck to see the heavy digging machine dance like robots. The Dancing Diggers show has been held out throughout the five days of EXCON 2017.

JCB has presented an exciting line up of its heavy machines at EXCON along with a few innovative new additions to its existing range. The company has showcased the entire range of its world class products at EXCON.

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Gokarna

The Perfect Spot for a Weekend Escape

Anantha Narayanan K

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f you are looking for a place to take a break from the bedlam of everyday life and want to bask under dim sunlight on serene beaches, Gokarna fits the bill by offering the perfect and peaceful weekend escape. Situated on the western coast of Karnataka, this small town is mainly known for two attractions - its beaches and temples. Often known as the ‘Land of Palm Trees, Blue Seas and Golden Sands’, Gokarna entices travellers in and around the world with its pristine beaches, breath-taking landscapes and historic temples.

Gokarna is situated on the coast of Karwar in the Kumta taluk of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is just 475 Km from Bangalore, 240 Km from

Mangalore and about 59 Km from Karwar, which makes Gokarna an ideal weekend escape spot. Gokarna is connected to other cities through a network of roads and highways. Private cabs can be hired, or deluxe buses can be boarded from Bangalore to reach Gokarna. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) also operates long-journey buses to Gokarna from all major cities in the state. Gokarna Road Station is the nearest railway station at distance of 8 Km, on the Konkan Railway. However, Kumta railway station which is about 37 Km from Gokarna is better connected to other parts. About 230 Km from Gokarna, Mangalore airport is the nearest airport to Gokarna.

The semi tropical moderate climate of Gokarna is fairly influenced by the proximity of Western Ghats. Gokarna receives significant rainfall throughout the year and the short dry season has little impact. The average annual temperature of Gokarna is 27.1°C. Here summer season usually extends from March to May with temperature ranging between minimum of 18°C and maximum of 40°C. The temperature hovers between 14°C and 32°C during winters which prevails from November to January. In short, the best time to visit Gokarna is between October and March, avoiding extreme summers and heavy showers of monsoons.

Gokarna is both a Hindu pilgrimage centre as well as an unexplored beach paradise for beach lovers. The rambling beaches are the main tourist attraction of Gokarna. Gokarna has a vast sea line to offer to the visitors. They are calm and serene amid the waters, hills and sunlight. The famous trio of beaches, the Kudle Beach, The Om Beach and the Paradise beach are the most famous ones that have brought in international recognition. While these beaches attract tourists, the main Gokarna Beach is mostly preferred by the pilgrims.

Gokarna also houses many temples that brim with rich heritage and culture. Most of the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Thousands of pilgrims reach Gokarna in pursuit of sanctity and salvation.

Mahabaleshwara temple, Mahaganapati temple, and Murudeshwar temple are the famous temples in Gokarna.

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Om Beach Om Beach, shaped like the auspicious symbol Om, is one of the most popular beaches in Gokarna. Om Beach derives its name from its shape, which is formed by two semi crescents joined together. It is known for its the fine sand and lovely rock creations.

It is usually lined with shacks on the shores offering cheap accommodation and restaurants with delicious seafood dishes.

Om beach also offers a wide range of adventure sports and water rides. It is the most favourite sunset spot in Gokarna.

Kudle Beach The Kudle beach is a heaven for those who love peace and tranquillity. This lovely wide beach, backed by wooded headlands, offers plenty of room for the tourist to stretch out. The beach is known for its well-maintained restaurants, guesthouses and peaceful yoga camps.

A complete recluse, Kudle beach beckons sea-lovers with its silent and calm atmosphere to enjoy the sea and never-ceasing tides. Tourists prefer Kudle beach for morning and evening walks.

Gokarna beach

Gokarna beach is the longest beach here and is quite popular among pilgrims who come to the region to pay tributes at numerous temples n Gokarna. It is customary to take a dip in the sea here before paying tributes to Lord Shiva at the nearby Mahabaleswara temple. The beaach is also known for its sunset views. There are many shacks that provide cheap accomodation for tourists. Yoga centres at Gokarna beach are also favourite.

Mahabaleshwara Temple Mahabaleshwara temple, built in 4th century CE, is a classic example of the beauty of Dravidian architecture. It is known as the Dakshin Kasi (‘Kasi of the south’). The temple deifies the Pranalinga or Atmalinga, which means ‘the reality of God which can be captured by the mind’. On entering, you can behold the grand gopuram and aesthetic halls and pillars. A 1500 years old carved stone Lord Shiva idol in the standing position represents the main deity.

Mahaganapati Temple

Mahaganapati Temple, located to the east of Mahabalesvara Temple, is another famous temple in Gokarna. In the sanctum of the temple, the black stone idol of Ganesha stands about 1.3m in height. Legends say that Lord Shiva was pleased with Ganesha’s help for retrieving Atmalinga from Asura Ravana through his tricks and thus, blessed him with the honour of first worship of Shiva. Hence pilgrims first come at this temple to pray to Lord Ganesha and then head towards Mahabaleswara temple. Tha Balaganesha idol is very beautiful and is in standing position which is not normally seen. The Dwarapalakas (Doorkeepers) are also idols of Ganapathi

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‘Carnatic Music - A Therapy for Soul and Challenge for Mind’ Being a painter, photographer and a classical musician par excellence, Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath, the Carnatic vocalist from Bangalore, is one such personality the city can be proud of. “Carnatic Music has become an inevitable part of my life. It is a therapy for the soul and a challenge for the mind. I always hum something or listen to music. Even when I paint, I usually listen to music. It buoys my mood into a state of euphoria, bringing out the best in me and that helps me paint better. I see ragas as colours! Kalyani is green, Thodi is a deep blue, Bhairavi is rust, Kharaharapriya is orange and so on,” says Aishwarya. Aishwarya speaks about her musical journey and experiences that have moulded her into a performing musician.

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ould you talk about your musical journey towards excellence?

Striving for excellence is what the guru inculcates in the shishya. I remember classes with my guru, Smt. Seethalakshmi Venkatesan, who began moulding me into a performing musician. She would insist on perfection before taking the lesson forward. So, the more I perfected a song, the more I was taught that day; and that was my motivation. It is a great privilege to be the disciple of Smt. Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan, scion of the Dhanammal bani (School). Her manner of teaching embodies excellence. Every anuswaram counts, every detail matters.

I still remember my first class with Smt. Vegavahini, where I learnt the Goulipantu padam, “Kuvalayakshiro”. I would not be exaggerating in saying that it took me over twenty attempts to get the very first phrase right. And, it is this relentless pursuit of doing your best that gives me immense satisfaction. From what I have seen in the music fraternity, excellence is a bar you set for yourself.

You have both the connoisseurs and critics on your side who acknowledge the class in your music. Could you talk more about it?

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Connoisseurs and critics are both ultimately lovers of good music and great musical traditions. I have always adored and adulated the music of Sri. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Smt. T. Brinda. Padams, that are compositions based on shringara, have been embraced by the Dhanammal bani.

They are famously difficult to render with perfection, and more importantly, to learn and assimilate. This is possibly why Padams don’t have too many takers, and are not often heard on a concert platform. I enjoy learning and singing the mighty Padam and the joyful Javali. The doyen, Semmangudi’s music is a delight.

His sparkling sarvalaghu swarams and flashes of sheer brilliance would have the audience in raptures. As a disciple of both the Semmangudi bani and Dhanammal bani, I owe this privilege to my gurus – Karnataka Kalashree Smt. Seethalakshmi Venkatesan, Padma Bhushan Shri. P. S. Narayanaswamy and Sangeetha Kala Sagaram Smt. Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan. Bringing together the best of both banis has been joyful and challenging, and I believe it is this unique musical experience that appeals to both connoisseurs and critics.

Could you talk about the new projects that you are working on right now?

At present, I am excited about taking my music to a wider audience base.

Come Spring, I will be travelling to the USA on a concert tour spanning over two months and over 16 destinations.

I will be accompanied on the violin

by Shri. Trivandrum Sampath and on the mridangam by Shri. Delhi Sairam.

Working with trusted co-artists who share the same zeal for Carnatic music will be a great joy and a fulfilling experience.

Could you share your thoughts on the belief that the concert format will soon be disrupted as most people listen to music online these days?

It is true that technology helps in bringing people closer to music in a powerful way. Webcasting solutions like Livestream and Facebook Live allow performers and audiences to instantaneously share their musical experiences with their friends. Moreover, there are several online sources and cloud places to listen to music. But, music is both an auditory and a performing art.

Hence, there is no substitute for a concert experience. While technology in its multiple forms aids in bringing music to

CII Holds Family Business Sensitization Session

The North Karnataka Zone of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has conducted a Family Business Sensitization Session at BVB College Hubballi in December. Around 20 CII Family Business Members have attended the session. The session has focused on topics like how business families should cope with the generation gap; how they should fulfil the aspirations

of the members of the business family while achieving sustainable profits and growth; and how they can keep the family and the business together.

Family Business contributes 60 to 70 percent of GDP of most developed and developing countries including India.

CII Southern Region has been actively engaging with the members from Family Businesses for many years now.

the masses, the aficionados will still seek solace in the concert.

Bharat Ratna Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi’s performance at the United Nations, T. M. Krishna’s rousing concert this year at Afghan Church in Mumbai and “Naada Pravaha” in commemoration of Shri. Vikku Vinayakaram’s 75th birthday in Bangalore, which has attracted hundreds of music lovers in the city, are all examples of the power of live music in bringing together communities. Indeed, even in the Western world one sees a great resurgence in the concert culture with popular performers like Coldplay reviving the euphoric concert experience of Pink Floyd and Dire Straits in the 70s.

brought concerts into living rooms. Digital transformation is also transforming the way we consume music. A new typology of this consumption is ‘music on the go’.

This is bound to affect both the length and the depth of exploration in any music.

Whether a classical form of music such as Carnatic music lends itself to such transformation or mode of listening, only time will tell. But at present, the ardent lover of this form of music still enjoys an evening at the sabha listening to their favourite artist.

As a classical art form, Carnatic music will go through interesting digital transformations, many predict. Could you share your thoughts on it?

All musical forms undergo evolution. For over a century, technology has allowed for the separation of the singer and the song – the gramophone, the turntable, the 8-track, the tape and the CD have all been party to this. And then the video culture

What are your suggestions to enhance the reach of classical music? What do you think of having Carnatic Music concerts in open spaces to give a less-serious mood for the listeners?

Carnatic Music is austere but not forbidding; a therapy for the soul and a challenge for the mind. The legendary moonlight concerts at the Suttur Mutt in Mysore are held on a full-moon night, the stage overlooking a temple pond, the light from the moon creating a surreal experience for the artiste and the listener.

The series “MadRasana”, a chamber music

Most of the Business families face unique management challenges because of the differences in the attitude & aspirations of family members. As new generations join the family business, it is an enormous challenge to keep the family & business together. Some sacrifice the business to keep the families together, while others sacrifice the family to keep the business.

The task force on Family Business is also proposing to meet with the family businesses in tier II/III cities in the southern region. Amit L Shah, The Chairman, and the Co-Chairperson Ramya Bharathram, who have been actively engaged in this initiative, are keen to meet up with a group from family businesses. CII like to continue with the role of connecting the Family Business task force with the members of the family businesses segment in North Karnataka for an informal discussion. series conducted in an intimate setting and at a beautiful venue such as Amethyst or Alliance Francoise, embellishes the connection between the artiste and the audience. The Padma Pushkarani at Kalakshetra is another pristine setting for music. Music in the company of chirping birds and the sound of rippling water makes the art, the artiste and the audience inseparable.

Even at a Western Classical concert, the cardinal principle is to let each member of the audience enjoy the music undisturbed. It is intended to be an occasion for the audience to dress formally, gowns swirling, and bow-ties perfectly aligned, maintaining perfect concert etiquette.

Traditionally, Carnatic music was performed in the prakaras of temples; an offering to the deity. Concerts would go on endlessly and people would throng to listen, while others sat on the verandas of their homes to catch an earful. I believe bringing back this culture would enable a diverse section of the society to engage in an appreciate this art, thus enhancing its reach.

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‘Being Future Ready’: Yi Workshop for Visually Impaired

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aking a step towards social inclusion of visually impaired students, Young Indians Bangalore has organised a day long workshop, Being Future Ready, in association with Sankara Eye Hospitals Bangalore. The workshop, the biggest event of Yi Bangalore Chapter, has looked at enhancing employability and soft skills of visually impaired, and thereby enabling their inclusion into the mainstream job sector. Around 50 visually impaired students, of both graduate and postgraduate levels from various colleges in the city, have participated in the daylong workshop.

Dr Kaushik Murali, President Sankara Eye Foundation and Chair Young Indians CII Bangalore Chapter, has said that graduate students aspire for a future of from being an English professor to playing

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professional sports. “Unfortunately, if they face any impairment the challenges they face becomes more difficult. It was this main issue that made us organise this day-long workshop to make them future ready,” he added.

Sankara Eye Foundation have been running campaigns for the visually impaired people. It has joined with the Bangalore Chapter of CII, which aims at building entrepreneurial spirit among city’s youth, to organize such a workshop for helping the visually impaired to enhance their employability.

Many specialists from Yi Bangalore, industry experts, motivational speakers, life coaches etc. have addressed the workshop by deliberating in practical sessions on government schemes and services to aid employability. The

participants have been provided with insights into the Disabled Persons Act and various other beneficial schemes. The workshop has also focused on improving their communication skills and similar areas, to make the students ready for better job opportunities.

The workshop has also focussed on creating awareness about work place abuse and how to be safe from such atrocities. Savitha Reddy, founder of Inlingua,s and Young Indians Member, has conducted an interactive session on communication to make familiar the students to the 7C’s of communication namely clarity, conciseness, completeness, courtesy, consideration, concrete and correctness. A panel discussion by industry experts from Microsoft India, SAP Labs, Lemon Tree Hotels and Sankara Eye Hospital has also been conducted. Human resource managers at various MNCs in the city spoke about the criteria for getting good jobs by referring to various qualities they look for in candidates.

Young Indians (Yi) comprises professionals and entrepreneurs under the age of 40 who volunteer under the banner of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on various aspects of Nation Building. Yi is planning similar workshops depending for graduate students to help them with communications or any other soft skills.

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2017 the Career-High Year for India’s ‘Hitman’

Anantha Narayanan K

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he Indian Cricket team have ended a magnificent 2017 by winning all the ODIs played making it the best year in limited-over format. Likewise, the year has been the career-high year for an Indian batsman too. He is none other than the ‘Hitman’ of cricket, Rohit Sharma. There is no wonder in Ravi Shastri using the word hitman to describe the Indian Vice Captain in his commentaries, because Rohit has been proving his aggressiveness in all formats of the game, especially in the shorter formats where he served up sizzlers for even the best bowlers in the world. In 2017, this mercurial Mumbai batsman has rewritten the cricket history by breaking a plethora of records, both his own and others, and made it the best year in his decade-long career.

Rohit Sharma, known for his ferociousness in front of the stumps, has been one of the most sophisticated batsmen of India ever. After Sachin’s

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retirement in 2013 many of the 90s’ generation have started showing less affinity towards watching cricket. Rohit has been one among the very few Indian players who have brought the spirit of cricket back to the hearts of millions through his power-packed performance.

Over the past couple of years Rohit, with his bat, has been compelling Indians to watch the display of a vibrant brand of cricket that has taken Indian team to heights. Rohit’s massive sixes have driven the audience crazy, showing them that loose deliveries were meant to be hit beyond the boundary disregarding its distance. He has once again proved his batting abilities by setting the new record of three double centuries in ODIs during the second match with Sri Lanka in December at Mohali when he scored 208 not out off 153 balls.

With 3 IPL titles for Mumbai Indians, Rohit has already proven his captaincy.

The world has witnessed the brilliant captain in him when Rohit led India to

a 3-0 win over Sri Lanka in the recently concluded T20 series. Even while having the reins of the team in his hands, Rohit has never shown a tendency to control his menacing nature with bat. At Indore, during the second T20 match against Sri Lanka he once again scalped Lankan bowlers to hit a 35-ball ton and shared the T20 world-record of fastest century with South Africa’s David Miller. Moreover, Rohit’s century is the fastest by an Indian across all formats and his 118 of 43 balls is also the highest score by any Indian in T20Is. Rohit Sharma has also broken the worldrecord for hitting maximum international sixes in a calendar year with 65 sixes, a record previously held by AB de Villiers with 63 sixes. From 21 ODIs matches, he has scored 46 sixes and smacked 16 sixes from 9 T20s, in 2017. He has scored 3 sixes in Tests. Rohit Sharma has also become the first captain to win 3 IPL trophies when his Mumbai Indians won the 2017 edition of the league, beating Rising Pune Supergiants by 1 run in the final.

With his unbeaten 208 in Mohali, Rohit has also become the third player to score the most number of 150s in ODI cricket, sharing the record with Sachin Tendulkar and David Warner who have hit 150 five times. Interestingly, each of Rohit Sharma’s five 150 plus ODI innings have come in five consecutive years. His 150+ scores are 209 v Australia in 2013, 264 v Sri Lanka in 2014, 150 v South Africa in 2015, 171 v Australia in 2016 and 208 v Sri Lanka in 2017. With his sparkling records the ‘Hitman’ is sprinting ahead like a beast on the loose.

The Ashes Taken Back to Australia

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he Ashes Trophy, considered the symbol of the greatest rivalry in sports, has been regained by Australia after thrashing England 4-0 to win the series. When Australia and England have locked their horns in this winter to resume the century-old cricket rivalry between the two, the eyes of cricket lovers around

the world were onto Australia where the 2017-18 Ashes Tournament was conducted. But England, the defending holders of Ashes Trophy, have literally crippled before the ferocious Australians by surrendering the Ashes halfway across the series. Australia have clinched the series after the third test by storming into a massive consecutive third win in Perth.

Thus, Australians under Captain Steve Smith has regained the urn they lost to England on home soil in 2015. In Perth, Australians have followed up their convincing victories in the first two tests in Brisbane and Adelaide by winning the third by an even more assertive margin of an innings and 41 runs to win the Ashes. What the world has witnessed throughout the first three tests was the manifestation of Australia’s meticulously devised and artfully executed plan to retrieve the Ashes at the earliest. Australia have been dominant in Ashes matches

down under for 30 years. They have won 27 and lost only five in the past 38 Tests against England on home soil.

The Ashes Series has its origin in a “satirical obituary” written by a young London journalist, Reginald Shirley Brooks, when Australia marked its first victory on English soil over the full strength of England, on August 29, 1882 at Oval. The mock obituary, published in The Sporting Times, has stated that that English cricket had died, and “the body will be cremated, and the ashes taken to Australia”. The term Ashes has become a symbol of the sporty feud between the two countries when English captain Ivo Bligh vowed to “regain those ashes”.

Subsequently the English media has christened the tour ‘the quest to regain the Ashes’. There have been 70 Ashes series till date. Australia have won 33, England 32 and five series have been drawn.

The Glorious Comeback of an Indian Grandmaster V

iswanathan Anand, the iconic Indian grandmaster and former world champion, has once again astounded the world as he won the World Rapid Chess Tournament held in Riyadh in December.

With the victory, ‘Vishy’ has put an end to his retirement speculations by giving a befitting reply in style to those critics who said that Anand’s age has outrun his intellect and grip over the game. Anand has further shown the world that he still has the fire within him to challenge the best in business, like the world champion Magnus Carlsen, who is considered the best in rapid chess.

At 48, an age most people would think unsuitable for even successful sportsmen, Anand has won the hearts of millions including former chess legend Garry Kasprov, by showing them his reflexes and thought-line are still rapid enough to clinch the world title of Rapid Chess.

It would be one of the most memorable

crowns in his career as the previous year has not been pleasant for Anand especially after he failed to qualify for the Candidates Tournament, to decide the challenger for the World Championship match against Carlsen, and later finished last in the London Chess Classic. The victory in Riyadh is even more sweet as Anand can now safeguard his stance and hold his head high in the international arena of chess.

After the victory Anand said that he has ventured out for the tournament with a pessimistic frame of mind after the disastrous experience in the past two rapid events. But surprising everyone, he has shown the world his mastery over the 64-square game. The Chennai ace has stood invincible throughout the tournament. Anand has earlier defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway to finish on top with 10.5 points at the end of the 15th and final round. He has

won the title through a tie-breaker since two other players, Vladimir Fedoseev and Ian Nepomniachtchi, both of Russia, also scored 10.5. In the tie-breaker game Anand’s decades long experience has outclassed Fedoseev, who is 26 years younger by winning it 2-0.

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Bengaluru Airport will get Metro Connectivity by 2021

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he dreadful traffic in the city of Bengaluru will not be a hindrance for the smooth travel of airport commuters from various parts of the state capital, as the government has assured that the Kempegowda International Airport will be accessible through metro trains by 2021.

The Karnataka government has announced that the construction of the 29.8 km Metro line from Nagavara to the airport, at a cost approximately Rs.5,950 crores, is expected be operational by 2021, alongside the completion of Namma Metro phase-II. Once the project

is completed it will be a great relief for the thousands of commuters who struggle in the city traffic, especially on the Hebbal flyover and Ballari Road, to reach the airport at Devanahalli.

The state cabinet has approved the Detailed Project Report for the project.

According to the proposal, the new metro rail link, will start at Nagavara, and has stops at Hegde Nagar, Jakkur, Kogilu Cross, Chikkajala, Trumpet Interchange, KIA cargo complex and the current terminal.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has also approved the collection of a

user development fee of between Rs.60 and Rs. 80 from airport passengers as a contribution to the fund for the project.

The State government will be contributing Rs.1,250 crore to the fund which will have central financial assistance.

However, the project is yet to receive confirmation of its fruition as the Union government, Civil Aviation Ministry, and Airports Authority of India are yet to approve it.

Once the rail line gets operational more than 1.25 lakh passengers could be ferried daily.

Bengaluru to Lead C-40 Air Quality Network T

Mayor of Bengaluru, Sampath Raj felicitates The Mayor of London,

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Sadiq Khan

he state capital has suited up to combat climate change and air pollution as Bengaluru will lead C-40 Air Quality Network, a global partnership of 20 cities dedicated to developing solutions to the international air pollution crisis. Bengaluru will join London to cochair the C40 Air Quality Network that will be platform for city leaders, from India and around the world, to share ideas, nurture innovation and drive ambition with a common goal to improve the quality of the air in cities. The decision has been jointly announced by the Mayor of Bengaluru, Sampath Raj, and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has visited India in December for signing the MoU.

Sampath Raj has said that Bengaluru is symbolic of the pace of urbanization in India and the global south. With a massive population of nearly 11 million at present, the city has been experiencing deterioration in air quality due to increased traffic congestion, and construction works. Being a part of C-40 cities Bengaluru will lead the fight against climate change and air pollution in India.

C40 Cities connects more than 90 of the world’s greatest cities, representing 650+ million people with an aim of tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has said that the WHO figures show air pollution as the main reason behind 6.5 million premature deaths globally and around 1.1 million early deaths in India in 2015. Air pollution is a global problem that harms the lives of millions of people. With C40 Air Quality Network, London hopes to work with Bengaluru and other cities in India for protecting people from the harmful effects of air pollution. The C40 Air Quality Network will help transform the way that air pollution is tackled in cities across India and around the globe.

As part of the new initiative Bengaluru will host a workshop for global cities to

share best practice in tackling air quality in 2018.

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group has been in cooperation with Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) over several years to reduce air pollution.

Also, BBMP, in association with other Government agencies, have implemented several actions to improve air quality like induction of electric vehicles in BMTC, the unique Tender Sure Project where new infrastructure such as storm water, water, sewer and telephone cables are being relaid along with pedestrian infrastructure, construction of Metro Phase 2 and Phase 3 , penalty on open garbage dumping etc.

President Raises Concern About Mental Health Epidemic in India

President Ram Nath Kovind at the 22nd convocation at NIMHANS,Bengaluru

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n his second official visit to Bengaluru after assuming power, Ram Nath Kovind, The President of India, has raised his concerns about a possible mental health epidemic in India, while addressing the 22nd Convocation of Nimhans, Bengaluru on December 30.

Kovind has said that the biggest obstacle patients of mental and neurological problems face are stigma and denial, and meeting mental health challenge must be a National Mission. Citing that the number of people affected by mental health issues in India is larger than the population of Japan, the President has also expressed concern over the shortage of mental health professionals and said the gap

needs to be addressed on priority.

Ram Nath Kovind has pointed out that with just about 5,000 psychiatrists and less than 2,000 clinical psychologists India lack the strength to treat nearly 10% of Indians who have one or the other mental health problem. There is a need to ensure that by 2022 at least those who are suffering from severe mental disorders will be diagnosed and give access to treatment facilities, he said. The President has also called upon society to fight this culture of stigma and said that mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress, which can be cured, should not be considered guilty secrets to be pushed under the carpet. Kovind has spoken

about the role of counselling services and practices such as yoga and Vipassana meditation in helping those with mental health problems and urged to explore them with greater vigour.

The President has said that NIMHANS is a national asset and lauded its role in the integration of education and research in medical sciences with clinical services and treatment. Each year about 700,000 patients are being treated in NIMHANS including many from abroad.

Two of every three patients belong to the poorer sections and they obtain free or highly subsidised care. This is a very commendable record, he said.

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Bengaluru- A City Locked in its Gridlocks

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f you ask the Bangaloreans what they dislike the most about Bengaluru, most of them would say “Traffic Jams”. There is no wonder in people saying that, because the gridlocks have been the most important challenge faced by the Silicon Valley of India for a decade. Traffic congestion spoils the day of every denizen in the city.

Though the authorities have tried many methods like metro, carpooling, one-ways, etc. to reduce the horrendous gridlocks, none of them turned fruitful enough and the city roads continue to stay tumefied with never-ending queues of vehicles.

Bengaluru, is one of the most densely populated cities in India with around 11 million people. Over the past two decades the cosmoplitan city has witnessed an exponential growth in terms of the number of scientific institutions, IT, BT, industries and above all vehicles. But the rate of this sudden spur in the growth

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has not been on a par with the rate of development of public infrastructure like roads, metro, public transport, flyovers etc.

Over these years, the city and its residents have witnessed countless incidents of traffic jams due to bad roads and public works. The latest among them is the gridlock of vehicles on Outer Ring Road, especially from Hennur to Krishnarajapuram. The service roads of Outer Ring Road are now flooded with vehicles.

Authorities have constructed the ring road that encircles the city to reduce the congestion within the city by bypassing traffic. But now even this road is unable to ensure smooth traffic. The main reason for the increased congestion is the process called ‘Whitetopping’, which has been a hot topic for the past few months.

White-topping is the covering of an existing bituminous stretch with a layer of Portland cement concrete. The purpose is either to restore or maximize

the carrying capacity of load or both, of the existing roads.

It restores the existing roads which have potholes and other issues like deformation, in addition to rectifying other defects.

After being accused by commuters of causing traffic snarls, the civic administration has decided to suspend whitetopping of roads temporarily.

But the nine-kilometre stretch on Outer Ring Road and other areas, where work is underway, is still on, causing trouble for commuters. The area where the work in going has witnessed an increase in the deterioration of air quality.

The dilapidated state of service roads and construction work give a dusty welcome for commuters passing by. The residents in the area are also facing many respiratory issues due to heavy dust.

Another place now known for road woes is the Horamavu railway crossing which turns into a traffic bottleneck when trains pass. Since 2005, people have been complaining about

the bad condition of road and the unmanned level crossing that caused several accidents.

They have even staged a ‘Rail roko’ demonstration to force the Railway authorities to install a gate at the crossing.

Over 35 trains pass through this crossing every day. The situation has worsened as many prefer this road due to the white-topping on Outer Ring Road. Now, the construction of an underpass is taking place but when it will be completed is still an unanswered question.

Integration of a fullfledged Metro with regularly maintained roads, suburban railways, more BMTC buses, carpooling can bring about a positive change in Bengaluru’s traffic situation. But things seem less hopeful as the number of vehicles increase every day. Moreover, the construction of Namma Metro Phase 2 is not yet completed, and Phase 3 is still on the anvil.

As of now the traffic jams in the city do not seem to end in the near future.

Airport Metro Connectivity by 2021

The 132nd Anniversary celebration of Congress Party, organised by KPCC in Bengaluru. KPCC President Dr. G Parameshwara, Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao, Secretary Ivan Nigly Ex - MLA are also seen.

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he dreadful traffic in the city of Bengaluru will not be a hindrance for the smooth travel of airport commuters from various parts of the state capital, as the government has assured that the Kempegowda International Airport will be accessible through metro trains by 2021. The Karnataka government has announced that the construction of the 29.8 km Metro line from Nagavara to the airport, at a cost of approximately Rs.5,950 crores, is expected to be operational by 2021, alongside the completion of Namma Metro phase-II. Once the project

is completed it will be a great relief for the thousands of commuters who struggle in the city traffic, especially on the Hebbal flyover and Ballari Road, to reach the airport at Devanahalli.

The state cabinet has approved the Detailed Project Report for the metro line. According to the proposal, the new metro rail link, will start at Nagavara, and has stops at Hegde Nagar, Jakkur, Kogilu Cross, Chikkajala, Trumpet Interchange, KIA cargo complex and the current terminal. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has also approved the

collection of a user development fee of between Rs.60 and Rs. 80 from airport passengers as a contribution to the fund for the project. The State government will be contributing Rs.1,250 crore to the fund which will have central financial assistance.

The project is yet to receive confirmation of its fruition, as the Union government, Civil Aviation Ministry, Airports Authority of India are yet to approve it. Once the rail line gets operational, more than 1.25 lakh passengers could be ferried daily.

Microsoft to empower state’s agriculture with AI

In a bid to promote the agricultural sector and empower farmers with technology-oriented solutions, Karnataka government has inked a MoU with IT giant Microsoft India on 30 October. By

introducing Artificial Intelligence, cloudbased technologies, advanced analytics etc to the farmers in the state, the move aims at getting higher crop yields.

In order to improve price forecasting practices Microsoft, guided by Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission (KAPC) and Department of Agriculture, will experiment to develop a multi-variant agricultural commodity

price forecasting model. With Tur crop selected as prediction model it will consider historical sowing area, production, yield, weather datasets and other related datasets as relevant.

Digital tools are expected to transform the agricultural sector by reducing risk, increasing incomes and improving food safety and nutrition. The MoU will help enable the use of intelligent technologies to deliver solutions in the agriculture sector In Karnataka Artificial Intelligence in agriculture can play a major role in the digital transformation of India

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New Delhi on a ‘Quarter Mile Race’ for Auto Expo 2018

Over the past several years Auto Expo has been successfully ascertaining itself as a premiere international Auto Show in AsiaPacific. It is the largest automobile show in India.

The Auto Expo 2018Vehicles, will spread across 1,85,000 square metres and the Auto Components Show, with the theme ‘Automotive Technologies that Drive the World’, will mark the presence of more than 1,200 companies exhibiting their products in around 60,000 square metres.

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he national capital is all set for welcoming auto-lovers in and around India as the preparations for Auto Expo 2018, the largest auto exhibition in India, are on full throttle. The latest edition of Auto Expo, jointly organised by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), will be held during February 9-14 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida. Auto Expo- Components, the components show as part of the event will be held at the Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from February 8-11.

Over the past several years this biennial exhibition has been successfully ascertaining itself as a premiere international Auto Show in Asia-Pacific. It has grown tremendously in terms of

the numbers of visitors as well as exhibitors to get transformed itself into a global event. The Auto Expo mirrors the rapid growth of the Indian automotive industry and has developed into a platform for the automotive industry to exhibit its prowess in manufacturing, R&D, and in future mobility concepts and designs.

Carmakers have already suited up to make use of the exhibition as a platform to showcase their new technology and models in front of the visitors and thereby giving auto-lovers a glimpse of what to expect in the next two years. The event will see the launch of new models from various automotive manufacturers. Besides new cars, several future concept cars that are yet to enter into production, highly-anticipated models slated for launch etc. will also be displayed. The show

is expected to see the debut of Korean automotive company, Kia Motors, and Kawasaki India.

In the wake of central government’s Vision 2032 to promote electric vehicles one particular segment at the expo to see many newcomers will be the electric vehicle. Bengalurubased start-up Emflux Motors is expected to launch its new electric bike Emflux One at the expo. The bike is claimed to be India’s 1st indigenous electric superbike with a range of 200Kms in a single charge.

The Auto Expo - Vehicles, which is the motor show, will spread across 1,85,000 Sq.ms and will continue for a total of six days, one day more than previous editions considering the rising interest and footfalls of visitors. The auto components show, with the theme ‘Automotive Technologies that Drive the World’, will mark the

presence of more than 1,200 companies across the world exhibiting their products in around 60,000 Sq.ms of space in Pragati Maidan. Components expo will have a special emphasis on technological innovations and focus on technologies driving product innovation, efficient manufacturing and logistics.

The Auto Expo 2018 will be different from its previous editions as this year’s show will feature six special zones for visitors such as Innovation Zone, Destination Zone, Smart Mobility Zone and Competition Zone in addition to the usual plethora of vehicles.

The Innovation zone will cover startups and electric vehicles technology solutions. The Mobility Experience zone will provide a virtual reality experience of driving connected and autonomous electric vehicles on various roads to introduce the concept.

There will be separate zones for the display of heritage cars and super cars; rally vehicles etc. The Auto EXPO 2018 will have a special zone on ‘70 Years of Indian Automobility’, which will be showcasing the Indian automobile industry’s journey, coinciding with the 70th year of Independence. Another zone will be there for the promotion of use of genuine spare parts. A zone for displaying application vehicles such as milk vans, Army trucks, school buses, postal vehicles, fire tenders and refrigerated vans will also be there.

Vishnu Mathur, Director General, SIAM, has said that Auto Expo – The Motor Show 2018 is aimed at celebrating the industry’s biggest automotive event offering an opportunity to the industry and visitors to ‘Co-Create, Co-Exist and Celebrate’.

The organisers of Auto Expo have been working towards improving crowd management. With the help of State Transport Corporation’s help transport to and from the venue is being ramped

up. An increased co-ordination with the police department is also set up to aid crowd and traffic control.

These are some of the new models to be displayed at Auto Expo 2018

50 Kmph on full electric mode. For power transmission, the hybrid model will get a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Expected price: Rs.30 Lakhs to Rs.35 Lakhs.

New Gen Maruti WagonR Being a completely new product, the new generation WagonR is among the highly anticipated new upcoming cars at Auto Expo 2018 in Delhi. Suzuki has already showcased the new model in Japan. However, the India-spec model will be completely different in terms of design and interior. The hatchback will be based on Suzuki’s new generation HEARTECT platform that also underpins the new Swift twins. Expected price: Rs.4 Lakhs – Rs.6 Lakhs.

Hyundai Creta facelift Launched in 2015, the Creta SUV is set to receive its first major upgrade in India in 2018. The model has already been launched in the Brazilian market, and similar changes are likely to be offered in the India-spec model. The vehicle is expected to be unveiled at the Auto Expo 2018. Expected price: Rs.9 Lakhs to Rs.14 Lakhs.

Maruti Swift RS Besides new Swift, Maruti could also showcase the new hotter version of the hatchback at the Auto Expo 2018. Likely to be called Maruti Swift RS, the model is expected to be powered by a 1.0-litre Booster Jet engine that also powers the Baleno RS. This engine can produce 100 Bhp and 150 Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a fivespeed manual gearbox.

New Hyundai Santr The most popular hatchback from the South Korean automaker – Hyundai Santro – is all set to make a comeback to the country. The next-generation Santro is currently under works, and will have a crossover styling. Set to replace the i10 hatchback, the new model will take on the Renault Kwid and the upcoming Maruti’s car in the segment. India will serve as the global manufacturing hub for the new Santro. Expected price: Rs.4 Lakhs to Rs.6 Lakhs.

Tata Tiago Electric The first Tata electric car could be the Tiago electric, which is likely to make its global debut at the Auto Expo 2018.

Expected price Rs.8 Lakhs – Rs.10 Lakhs.

Tamo Racemo Tata Motors is aiming at globalization and in order to meet global requirements, the homegrown automaker has introduced its new Tamo brand. The first product under this brand is a sports car – Racemo, which has made its global debut at 2017 Geneva Motor Show. I n India, the Racemo will make its official entry at the Auto Expo 2018. It is based on the company’s new Advanced Modular Platform. It is a two-seater, mid-engine sportscar, which is likely to be launched in the Indian market in the second half of 2018.

It is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that is capable of producing 186 bhp of power and 210 Nm of torque.

Expected price: Rs.25 Lakhs – Rs.30 Lakhs.

Hyundai Ioniq Seeing the growing demand for environment friendly cars, Hyundai is planning to launch its global Ioniq hybrid sedan in the Indian car market. Media reports say that the Ioniq will make its Indian debut at Auto Expo 2018. The Ioniq will be the first fully-hybrid Hyundai car in India and will rival the Toyota Prius.

The Ioniq is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine which is coupled to an 8.9 kwh lithium-ion battery. The combined power output is 165 bhp while it can run up to

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Uttar Pradesh Gears Up for Investors Summit 2018 Uttar Pradesh, often called the Heartland of India, has rolled out the red carpet for investors as the state government will organise ‘UP Investors Summit 2018’ in Lucknow on February 21-22. Garlanded by the perennial rivers Ganges and Yamuna, and lying along the fertile Northern Plains, Uttar Pradesh is the growth engine of India, and country’s third largest economy growing at a fast rate.

The state has a large base of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour which makes it a favourite destination for investors. Situated at the heart of India, UP has good connectivity to all major cities in India through. With its developed social, physical and industrial infrastructure, and the investor friendly policies, Uttar Pradesh fits the bill for being a preferred investment destination.

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ttar Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has geared up to hold the largest ever investment meet in the history of the state to make a pitch to investors for investment in India’s

most populous state. Uttar Pradesh, often called the Heartland of India, has rolled out the red carpet for investors as the state government will organise ‘UP Investors Summit 2018’ in Lucknow on February 21-22.

The two-day UP Investors Summit 2018 aims at showcasing the

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investment opportunities and potential in the various sectors of Uttar Pradesh by offering a global platform to bring together eminent personalities from various spheres and sectors. The event, which will be marked by the presence of heads of states and governments, ministers, leaders from the corporate world, senior policy makers, heads of international institutions and academia from in and around the world, will further the cause of economic development in Uttar Pradesh and promote cooperation.

Garlanded by the perennial rivers Ganges and Yamuna, and lying along the fertile Northern Plains, Uttar Pradesh is the growth engine of India, and country’s third largest economy growing at a fast rate. The state has a large base of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour which makes it a favourite destination for investors. Situated at the heart of India, UP has good connectivity to all major cities in India through. With its developed social, physical and industrial infrastructure, and the investor friendly policies and initiatives of the government,

• UTILITIES • •

Abundant land parcels at competitive price.

Balanced availability of water across the state.

24x7 reliable electricity to industries and provision for open access.

Uttar Pradesh fits the bill for being a preferred investment destination.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the state government intend to provide a platform for the best minds and expertise around the world to collaborate with UP in this endeavour. He has assured all stakeholders absolute support Location Advantage

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Access to 200 million (16.5% of India’s population) residents.

Access to National Capital Region on the west.

Strategic access to market & resource depth of eastern India.

in facilitating and grounding investments in Uttar Pradesh.

Adityanath has also emphasised on the state’s ‘The Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2017’ which has several attractive sectoral policies in almost all major thrust areas of the state. The regulations for doing business have been simplified by the government with End-to-end online services, Joint inspection for all Labour-related Acts, Randomized Risk based Inspection etc.

Uttar Pradesh provides attractive fiscal and non-fiscal • Connectivity •

Located on Golden Quadrilateral with excellent road network.

Major national, international airports connecting the rest of India, Middle East & South East Asian countries.

incentives to industries in the state. The state government has also laid top emphasis on ensuring ease of doing business in the state by strengthening the single window, providing timely clearances, organising investor grievance redressal forums on the first Monday of every month under the chairmanship of Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner, setting up of commercial courts etc. The government has enhanced the corpus of the Startup Fund from Rs.100 Crores to Rs.1000 Crores has assured subsidy up to Rs.5 Lakhs for domestic and Rs.10 Lakhs for international patents.

UP Investors Summit 2018 will majorly focus on the sectors like Agro & Food Processing, IT & Start-up, Electronics, Civil Aviation, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Tourism, Renewable Energy,

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15% of DMIC catchment area and 57% of AKIC in Uttar Pradesh.

Multi-modal logistic hubs, industrial parks etc. to benefit from reduced travel time to ports.

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Industrial Corridors

Textile, Film, and Dairy. The summit will be an exclusive forum for exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, networking, exploring business opportunities and signing cooperation agreements and partnerships.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has held a roadshow in Bengaluru as part of the Investors Summit campaign. The Government plans to primarily attract Information Technology and Electronics sector companies in Bengaluru in addition to other focus sectors of the state like Food & Agro Processing, • •

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Proactive facilitation & attractive policies.

Simplified procedures &speedy time bound approvals.

Industrial security 0’tolerance’ philosophy.

Proactive Governance

Civil Aviation, manufacturing, textiles etc. Uttar Pradesh has one of the largest lT hubs at Noida and Greater Noida which have earned recognition as major IT destinations in the country with 25 plus Special Economic Zones and Software Technology Parks. Government of Uttar Pradesh has also recently come up with the new lT & Start-up policy 2017, under which IT units will be provided land on subsidised rates in the state on meeting certain employment generation requirements.

Uttar Pradesh is also one of the front runner states in Electronics Manufacturing. In order to boost the Electronics sector in the State, industrial areas at NOIDA, Greater Noida, YEIDA are being established as Electronics Manufacturing Zones (EMZ). The State has come up with Electronics Manufacturing Policy 2017 with attractive fiscal incentives like capital subsidy, interest subsidy and 100% exemption on stamp duty, SGST reimbursement.

Uttar Pradesh has become a hub for the semiconductor industry with several major players having their offices and research and development (R&D) centres in Noida and Greater Noida.

Noida and Greater Noida with its proximity to Delhi are amongst the most preferred investment destinations for ESDM sector in the country. Private players will be incentivised for establishing ESDM parks in the State. Subsidized land will be provided for ESM and ESDM units. Noida-Greater Noida Development Authority Areas and Ghaziabad district are notified clusters in Uttar Pradesh for availing MSIPS scheme of Government of India.

In addition, the state is also a front-runner in Agro & Food Processing industry, textiles, MSMEs etc. With attractive sectoral policies in almost all major thrust areas of the state, the Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion policy 2017 of the State provides attractive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to industries.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

12 Teams from India for Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2018:

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hell Eco-Marathon (SEM), organised by international oil major Shell, has selected 12 teams from India to compete in the final stage of the marathon.

Teams comprising engineering students will compete in the final stages of the competition in Singapore to showcase their energy efficient prototypes. Shell conducts the SEM highlighting the

factor that fuel efficiency can contribute significantly towards ensuring a lowcarbon future.

SEM, which is being held as part of Shell’s ‘Make the Future’ Festival in Singapore between 8 -11 March 2018, will invite teams of engineering students from across the world to design, build, test and drive energy efficient vehicles that

Karnataka leads to fulfil India’s investment dreams A

ccounting for an incredible 44.3% of the total investment plans of India in 2017, Karnataka tops the list as India’s most favourite investment destination for a consecutive second time. The statistics released by the Union Ministry for Commerce and Industry validates that a massive Rs 1, 47,625 crore worth of investment deals, out of the total Rs 3.3 lakh crore this year (January to September), have come into state. Karnataka is much ahead of its competitors in the list with Gujarat (Rs 65,741crore) and Maharashtra (Rs 25,018 crore) winning second and third spots.

Even in 2016 the state ranked first with 37% of the total investments in India.

According to official figures, Karnataka also accounted for FDI worth $24.63

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billion (₹137,774 crore) from April 2000 to June 2017, which once again proves the state’s ability to entice foreign investors by presenting a robust ecosystem to invest and innovate. With its businessfriendly policies, single-window clearances for investments and the introduction of ‘Sakala’ for giving quality and timely services to the entrepreneurs, Karnataka is among the fastest growing economies in the country.

can cover longest distance with the least amount of fuel, creating an innovative pathway towards sustainable mobility.

Nitin Prasad, Chairman, Shell India has said, “Make the Future is Shell’s endeavour to find truly sustainable solutions that can resolve the industrial world’s dilemma of decarbonization.”

In the final of the competition which is running its eighth edition, universities which have been selected to represent India are K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering; SRM University, Chennai; RV College of Engineering; VIT University; Delhi Technological University; Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology; Lovely Professional University; Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University; Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS); National Institute of Technology Raipur; SRM University Delhi – NCR; Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University.

Bengaluru Wins the Global Race of Digital Cities

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engaluru’s prowess in digital entrepreneurship has been globally acknowledged once again as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’ beats San Francisco in Confidence to Go Digital 2017. Bloomberg published a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit which states that Bengaluru has been voted to be the best host among 45 cities worldwide. Business leaders in Bengaluru have showed extreme optimism and expressed the highest confidence in the city for its environment for digital transformation.

The city, which leads India’s IT industry, has topped the benchmarks of financial environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, new technology development, and ICT infrastructure.

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ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

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An IEC initiative by the Commissioner, Department of Information & Public Relations.

It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity, so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

Karnataka Information

To know more, WhatsApp / Telegram 99011 00000, Download SIDDARAMAIAH mobile app

#HealthierKarnataka

Building a healthier Karnataka.

Maternal Mortality Rate has come down from 178 to 133

Infant Mortality Rate reduced from 31 to 28 per 1,000 live births

20 Mother & Child Health Hospitals established to emphasize on the health of mother and child

Special Hospitals for Mother and Child Care.

FOR EVERY MOTHER HER CHILD IS SPECIAL. FOR US BOTH ARE.

ADVANTAGE KARNATAKA

#HungerFreeKarnataka

An IEC initiative by the Commissioner, Department of Information & Public Relations.

To know more, WhatsApp / Telegram 99011 00000, Download SIDDARAMAIAH mobile app Karnataka Information

It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity, so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

THE PLATE IS ALWAYS FULL IN KARNATAKA. ANNA BHAGYA

7 kgs of free rice, and subsidised food grains & pulses to over 1.20 crore families

One of the Government of Karnataka’s deepest commitments has been to eradicate hunger. Towards this endeavour, it has implemented numerous schemes to distribute free or highly-subsidised food grains, pulses, oil, and salt. Ensuring that the nutrition needs of the impoverished are taken care of.

Building a Hunger-free Karnataka.

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