Category Archives: Business & Economy

AU scholar turns flower waste into scented dyes

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Education, Science & Technology

Allahabad:

A research scholar of the Allahabad University (AU) has created scented dyes from the petals of marigold and rose dumped outside city temples. The dyes have been accepted for patent and the research could help check pollution in rivers where tons of flowers are thrown after puja.

The dyes — yellow from marigold and pink from rose — have been prepared by Manpreet Kalsy, a research scholar under head of the department Prof Sangeeta Srivastava. The patenting authority has issued temporary patent numbers 27/DEL/2015 and 253/DEL/2015 for dyes prepared from marigold and rose respectively.

“The two scented dyes have been prepared under controlled lab conditions and tested on silk. They could be used for a number of times after being prepared and the dyed fabric would retain the fragrance for over six months,” said Manpreet.

“Huge quantity of flowers are offered in temples daily and later dumped in rivers, adding to environmental pollution. This gave us the idea of utilising used flowers. Our research is aimed at extracting natural colour from this huge quantity of floral waste,” said Prof Srivastava.

Natural dyes are one which are eco-friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic in nature. Moreover, the dyes prepared by us are antioxidant and antimicrobial in nature, she added.

Manpreet, a junior research fellow (JRF) who has done this work along with her guide, said: “The samples for preparing these dyes were specifically collected from the major temples of the city besides the banks of the Ganga because it was this menace that we wanted to handle. We are confident that at least one of the major sources of river pollution, ie, marigold and rose, could be used for colouring silk.”

Silk could be the fabric of choice as it is used for bridal dresses and scented dye would add to the fragrance, she added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / Raveev Maini / TNN / April 12th, 2016

Kanpur-based young business entrepreneur meets Princess Kate

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Education, World Opinion

Kanpur:

A city-based young business entrepreneur got a chance of meeting Prince Williams and Princess Kate at a party hosted by the British high commissioner in India on Monday evening. The party had been thrown at the official residence of British High Commissioner in Delhi to celebrate the upcoming 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Utsav Kasera, an alumnus of University of Edinburgh, was one among very few alumni of the UK-based universities who had been invited to take part in the pompous party. Utsav not only got a chance to shake hands with both Prince Williams and Princess Kate but also was lucky when the Princess interacted with him.

“I started off the conversation by mentioning before Princess Kate that I am your neighbour to which she asked me how. I then told her that while I had studied in University of Edinburgh and she had studied in University of St Andrews both of which are situated in Scotland,” said Utsav while talking to TOI.

He said that Princess Kate replied that Edinburgh is a beautiful city and further questioned him that how many times he had been there. “I replied that I had been to Edinburgh city many times,” said Utsav, a 34-year-old young entrepreneur.

He also mentioned that Princess said that she really miss her university days.

“I could not interact with Prince Williams but we shook hands. It was a pleasant meeting them both,” said Utsav, who is a resident of Vishnupuri locality in the city and runs his family business of chemicals.

He said that Prince Williams recalled that his grandmother had visited India thrice and emphasized how important India is for them.

The party which started off at 5.15pm lasted for about three hours. The party was attended by a small but decent gathering of politicians, diplomats and alumni of UK-based universities. Utsav also got a chance to meet Dr Farooq Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

SK Kasera, Utsav’s father was also an excited lot that his son had met the Prince and the Princess and that he was among very few who could attend the party.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Abhinvan Malhatra / TNN / April 13th, 2016

Now, cheaper surgery for kidney stones

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow:

Patients needing surgery for removal of kidney stones will have to spend less money now following re-development of a key equipment used in the process.

The appliance is called dilator and has been devleoped by Dr Diwaker Dalela, a consultant in urology department atKGMU. Appreciated for surgical precision by different urological societies, the device cuts down the price of stone removal surgery by 70%.

Dr Dalela said he has applied for a patent on the equipment. “to remove kidney stones, surgeons create an access between abdomen and kidney using a dilator.”

The traditional one has 10 screw like pins are inserted one at a time which took time and led to blood loss which is prevented by this dilator.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / April 08th, 2016

17-foot long photo album to mark 4th anniversary of Akhilesh govt in UP

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

Lucknow :

The UP Award Society is preparing a 17-foot long photo album to mark the fourth anniversary of the Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The album named ‘Swarnim UP’ will be a creation of 5000 images illustrating the development work carried out by the chief minister in UP. The album with a 100 pages and weighing 400 kilograms has been sent for entry to the Limca Book of Records.

“It will be 8-feet in length and 4-feet wide and on opening up the entire length will be 17-foot,” informed Subhash Bhalla, secretary, UP Award Society. The album is being claimed to be one of its kind in the world.

sourcce: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Ashish Tripathi / March 05th, 2016

Forbes Asia’s ‘Top 30 Under 30’ features Lucknow entrepreneur

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
Twenty-nine-year-old Anshulika Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment. (HT photo)
Twenty-nine-year-old Anshulika Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment. (HT photo)

Lucknow resident Anshulika Dubey (29), the co-founder and chief operating officer (COO) of Wishberry.in, made it to the elite list of Forbes Asia ‘Top 30-under-30’, which was announced on Thursday.

Wishberry.in is the country’s first crowdfunding platform for creative projects.

The Forbes magazine’s list features the top 300 young, promising leaders and their enterprises that have emerged as game-changers in 10 different sectors. Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment.

An overjoyed Dubey told Hindustan Times: “I got an email in the morning from Forbes Asia editor informing that I’ve made it to the Asia ‘Top 30 under 30’ list. It was a pleasant surprise and took time to sink in.”

She added: “I had made it to the semi-finals last month. My father was eagerly waiting to find out the final result and he would ask me about it almost every day. So, I called my father and mother. They were very happy.”
As for Dubey’s venture, the numbers speak for themselves.

More than 250 ideas were received on Wishberry.in in about four years and $1 million (Rs 6.5 crore) funding was made by about 12,000 people from around the globe.

This funding is three times more than the funding of all projects handled by its Indian competitors put together and has a 67% funding success rate.

The concept fascinated her so much that she left a job opportunity in the US and started India’s first crowdfunding platform for creative artists, with her co-founder and ex-McKinsey consultant Priyanka Agarwal, in 2012.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Rajeev Mullick, Hindustan Times, Lucknow / February 26th, 2016

Nizamabad black clay pottery joins league of GI tagged products

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Varanasi :

The famed black clay pottery of Nizamabad in Azamgarh district joined the league of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products. Now, this region leads with six GI products in UP having a total of 21 GI certified products. Earlier, five products including famous Banaras Brocade and Saree, Handmade carpet of Bhadohi, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys, and Mirzapuri handmade dari have already received the GI tag that conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness.

Black pottery of Nazamabad, one of the oldest industries, contributes substantially to the economic life of the people. The potters make tea-pots, sugar-bowls and other decorative articles. The earthen wares and statues of Gods and Goddesses particularly of Ganesh, Laxmi, Shiva, Durga and Saraswati are also made. The distinctive colours can be credited to the process in which the articles are fired in enclosed kiln with rice husks. The smoke generated in the process imparts the black colour. Designs are etched on the dry surface, which is then filled with silver paint that is made from zinc and mercury. To lend a glossy look to the products, some vessels are coated with lacquer when they are hot.

The Yuva Jagriti Pottery Shilp Samiti, Hussainabad, Nizamabad in association with Varanasi based Human Welfare Association and support with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Lucknow had applied for GI certification in October 2013.

Sohit Kumar Prajapati, a state awardee of the craft, said that over 300 years ago during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, some clay potters from Kutch (Gujarat) had migrated to Azamgarh and settled at Nizamabad to earn living. Here, they had created a brand known as black clay pottery, which is unique and only of its kind in the world. Sohit, his mother Seema Devi, wife Sarita Prajapati, father Ramjatin Prajapati and brother Mahendra Prajapati are also state awardees. His late uncle and aunt Rajendra Prasad Prajapati and Kalpa Devi were also honoured with national level award for furthering this unique craft.

Sohit had also displayed his craft at the 55th General Assembly of International Bureau of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland held in October last year. “With this recognition the potters engaged in this industry will get more benefit for their works,” said Sohit. The HWA president Rajni Kant said that about 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. Though 90% products are exported, the financial condition of these people remains pathetic, as they get orders through middleman due to lack of marketing skill.

East UP: A Hub of GI products:

(I) Banaras Brocade and Saree: Banaras Brocade and Sarees that covers Varanasi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Jaunpur and Azamgarh districts got the GI tag in 2009.

(II) Handmade carpet of Bhadohi: Handmade carpet of Bhadohi covered the area on nine districts including Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Sonebhadra, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jaunpur and Chandauli got the tag in 2010.

(III) Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft: Got GI tag in 2014-15. Presently about 100 artists only in the city are engaged in this traditional craft of gulabi meenakari. About 50-60% products are exported to Europe, America and Gulf countries via Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

(IV) Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The craft of wooden toys is also an old tradition of the city, and about 1000 families are engaged in this work.

(V) Mirzapuri handmade dari: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The area of Mirzapur handmade dari covers nine districts including Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Allahabad and Kaushambi. About 50,000 artisans are involved in this work, and about 60-70% of the product was exported to different countries. The tradition of handmade dari made of cotton and wool has been continuing since Mughal era.

(VI) Nizamabad Black Pottery: Got GI in 2015. About 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. The craft has been continuing since Mughal era.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / Binay Singh, TNN / January 29th, 2016

UP highest producer of ethanol, beats Maharashtra

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

Lucknow :

Uttar Pradesh is here to ‘drive’ the country, quite literally. India’s most populous state has pipped Maharashtra to become India’s largest producer of ethanol for blending with petrol.

According to a recent data of Union petroleum ministry, in 2015, UP produced 56 crore litres of ethanol against Maharashtra’s 52 crores litres. The two states together accounted for nearly 67% of country’s total ethanol production of around 161 crore litres a year. They are followed by Karanataka (25 cr litres), Andhra (8.5 cr litre), Gujarat (8 cr litres) and Tamil Nadu (7.6 cr litres).

The surge in ethanol production in the state was driven largely by UP’s sugar industry. Data shows distilleries in sugar mills, like the one in Saharanpur and Basti, contributed maximum by producing around 4 crore litres each. Likewise, the Muzaffarnagar sugar mill and Mawana sugar mill produced 3.6 crore litre and 2.8 crore litres, respectively.

UP has 61 distilleries, out of which 36 are attached to sugar mills. Not surprisingly, all 36 mills chipped in for ethanol production.

Of the total 56 crore litres of ethanol production, UP is expected to use 30 crore litre for its own consumption, leaving rest to be exported to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Industry sources said an increase in ethanol production was largely a fallout of a sharp plunge in prices of raw sugar last year.

Industry sources said millers gradually started diverting cane juice for production of the ‘clean fuel’ that fetched them relatively higher profit. Petroleum companies, which lift ethanol from distilleries, paid them at the rate of Rs 48.5 per litre . This was sufficiently higher than prices of sugar which kept falling following a glut.
This got another boost earlier this year when Centre decided to waive off excise duty on ethanol for the financial year 2015-16. An excise duty of 14% is charged on per litre of ethanol.

The industry, however, has been complaining of procedural difficulties and delays in obtaining permits/no-objection certificate from the excise department. “This delays the movement of ethanol, which in turn results in depriving the state exchequer of its legitimate revenue,” said a miller.

When contacted, UP cane commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh said there has been a demand for more administrative convenience by the industry. “The state government is looking into it,” he said, while speaking to TOI. Singh said the ethanol was certainly a big sector that needs to be looked into.

Centre in August had decided to boost ethanol production by making 10% blending with petrol mandatory in its efforts to resolve the sugar imbroglio. UP government too is reported to have been mulling to adopt a concept wherein part of cane juice may be diverted for production of ethanol.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Pankaj Shah, TNN / January 06th, 2016

Graduate Chaiwale: Three brothers sell a tea dream in Lucknow

Business & Economy, Education
(From left) Govind Tripathi, his friend Rajendra Singh and brother MadhavTripathi at the tea stall on Monday. (Ashok Dutta/HT Photo)
(From left) Govind Tripathi, his friend Rajendra Singh and brother MadhavTripathi at the tea stall on Monday. (Ashok Dutta/HT Photo)

On the road outside Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in the Uttar Pradesh capital, it’s hard to miss a tea shop. Not because the beverage it sells is out of the world, but for its signboard: Graduate Chaiwale.

Owned and managed by three graduate brothers in their 20s, the small stall is a marker of the growing enthusiasm for small-scale entrepreneurship as well as a response to years of struggle against poverty.

“Running my own business is a better idea than working for someone else. I couldn’t afford to start a big business, so I thought it would be better to start with a small one,” says 25-year-old Govind Tripathi, who started the tea stall in August.

The eldest of three brothers worked at Lucknow-based call centres after graduating in computer applications from IGNOU in 2012. But the pay wasn’t worth it, hardly enough to meet surmounting family expenses.

Father Satish Chandra Tripathi, a resident of Hardoi, is jobless and battling a legal case ever since he was suspended from the state road transport corporation in 1996. Mother Aparna, too, was denied a job in a government primary school on compensatory grounds following the untimely death of his schoolteacher-grandmother.

“The degree was not of much help. For better jobs you need to know English, which we didn’t because of our background,” Govind says.

When his brothers — 23-year-old Gopal and Madhav, 21 —graduated from ASBD Memorial College in Hardoi this year, they were sucked into a similar fate.

“They were initially reluctant after I discussed the idea of a tea stall. But I convinced them, it was not a bad idea for financial stability,” Govind says.

The shop fetches them about Rs 350-400 a day after deducting material and operational costs — much more than what Govind used to get at call centres. “I was getting about Rs 5,000 a month. The workload was unbearable and salary irregular.”

In the meantime, Govind found the job of a water plant supervisor in Takrohi — quite an achievement in India’s most populous state which, according to a National Sample Survey Organisation report, will have 10 million unemployed youth by 2017. His younger brothers are preparing for the civil services and bank recruitments exams.

The “Graduate” in the shop’s name reflects the brothers’ idea of trying to be different in a small-time business, considered a stepping stone for big things, as well as their frustration in not getting a decent job.

The siblings now take turns to run the shop. “When we have enough money, we will start a chain of tea stalls in the city,” says an optimistic Govind.

Many years ago, a young man from a humble background sold tea by a railroad in Gujarat and displayed similar optimism. Narendra Modi went on to become the Prime Minister. Time will tell where Graduate Chaiwale will go.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / Rajeev Kumar, Hindustan Times, Lucknow / Decembr 01st, 2015

5 Agra monuments in India’s top 10 frequented by foreigners

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

Agra:

Just the city of Agra and its close neighbour Fatehpur Sikri have five of the top 10 monuments in the country that are most visited by foreign tourists.

Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma said Taj Mahal alone has 23% share of foreign tourists travelling to India. Agra Fort got 12% in 2014. He added that foreign exchange earnings through tourism in India during 2012, 2013 and 2014 stood at Rs 94,487 crore, Rs 1,07,671 crore and Rs 1,23,320 crore respectively.

The minister dismissed claims that the tourism industry had witnessed a decline compared to the last few years. “On the contrary”, he said, “foreign tourists’ arrival growth rate in India has more than doubled between 2012 (4.3%) and 2014 (10.2%). In 2013, it was a mere 5.9%.

In terms of exact numbers, a total of 6.58 million tourists visited India in 2012, which increased to 6.97 million in 2013 and 7.68 million in 2014.

Citing Archaeological Survey of India’s data on foreign tourist arrival at centrally-protected monuments in 2014, Sharma said Taj Mahal with 6.4 lakh visitors, Agra Fort with 3.43 lakh and Qutub Minar with 2.76 lakh were the top three tourist destinations in the country.

The other three monuments of Agra which featured in the top 10 list are Fatehpur Sikri (5th position), Akbar’s tomb (8th) and Itimad-ud daula (10th).

To another query on carbon pollution around the Taj Mahal, the minister said that the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) Authority has banned entry of Euro-I model, petrol/diesel-operated auto loader vehicles from July 31 to reduce vehicular pollution in the vicinity of the Taj. He added that TTZ Authority has also decided to convert petrol/diesel-operated commercial vehicles to CNG. So far, 34,302 vehicles have been converted to CNG in Agra, he said.

However, though the Taj Mahal still remains at the top of the most-visited monuments in the country, there has been a constant fall in the number of foreign visitors to the 17th century monument in the last three years. There were 7.9 lakh visitors from abroad to the Taj in 2012. But the number came down to 7.4 lakh in 2013, further dipping to 6.4 lakh in 2014.

Prior to 2012, the average foreign tourist footfall at the world heritage building had been increasing at a rate of 10-15% per annum. In 2010, 6.1 lakh foreigners had visited the Taj. The number went up to 6.7 lakh in 2011 and further to 7.9 lakh in 2012.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / Aditya Dev, TNN / December 02nd, 2015

Ratan Tata impressed with U.P.’s industrial development

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Leaders, Sports

Impressed with the pace of progress in Uttar Pradesh, business doyen Ratan Tata on Friday assured full support to the state for its industrial development.

“The development which has taken place in Uttar Pradesh or which is on the cards that I have come to know in my meeting with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav … I can only say that I am very much impressed,” said Tata, chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.

Terming the picture of development of the state as fantastic”, Mr Tata also assured that he will extend full support in the development of the state in future.

He was speaking here during the foundation laying function of Shahid Chandrashekhar Azad handicapped sports academy to be set up by Padma Shri Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to have climbed Mount Everest.

Speaking on the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, recalling Arunima’s struggle, said, “when she met with the accident (in which she lost her left leg) I was the state unit president of the Samajwadi Party and on coming to know about it I had also gone to the hospital to meet her.”

“She had later met me in the Janata Darbar and on my question as to where will she go, she had replied that she will go to Mt Everest. I could not believe that she will scale it,” Mr Yadav recalled.

He also said that he had asked Arunima to set up her special sports academy in the capital city of Lucknow but she chose the adjoining district of Unnao for her project.

However, the CM assured all possible support to the academy.

He added that despite the state having a large number of poor people, balanced development is taking place here.

On the occasion, Arunima said that during treatment when she lost her leg in a train mishap in 2011, a resident of Bethar village, Umashankar Dixit, had promised her land and other facilities for setting up the academy and so despite the Chief Minister’s desire she opted for Unnao.

She said that in case the government extended facilities, one branch of her academy will be set up in Lucknow also. – PTI

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Other States / PTI / Unnao – November 28th, 2015