Innholdsfortegnelse for 19 February 2023 i Business Today

As the country looks ahead after completing 75 years of independence, there is a sense of hope and confidence that the next 25 years will be India’s—where the country will claim its place at the centre of the world stage and lead the way as one of the world’s biggest and most vibrant economies. As the government has articulated, the next 25 years are being seen as India’s journey into Amrit Kaal, a period of enormous possibilities, where the Indian economy will power ahead with a growth agenda that is both futuristic and inclusive. This January, at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled an EY report that also highlighted how India@100 could well be a $26-trillion economy. Even today, India is among the fastest-growing…

According to the 2022 Geography of Cryptocurrency report from Chainalysis, India ranks number one in Defi protocol adoption. What do you think has accelerated this growth? As per a recent study by Chainalysis, India boasts a commanding 59% stake in decentralized finance (DeFi) platform usage. This surge in engagement can be ascribed to the significant number of early crypto adopters in the country who possess a sound understanding and recognition of the long-term potential of virtual digital assets. Additionally, with a growing trend towards self-custody and centralized platforms facing a trust deficit, more and more users are turning to the benefits of peer-to-peer financial ecosystems backed by smart contracts. While these factors are propelling modern-day investors to delve into investment prospects in the DeFi sphere, the space has observed exponential…

SINCE 1947, A multitude of leading western observers doubted the ability of India—a multicultural and poly-linguistic democracy—to survive. However, not only did we defy our sceptics in standing united and democratic to our core, but we also emerged as a global leader across aspects of multilateralism, science, technology, medicine and combating climate change. Today, it gives me immense pleasure to pen down my vision for India as we march towards our 100 years of Independence, in this Amrit Kaal. In the next 25 years leading to 100 years of independent India, it is my strong belief that we stand at the cusp of making a greater impact at a global stage. It will be in the way the country does business with the world, or by working towards becoming a powerhouse…

INDIA HAS BEEN viewed as an exception and a bright spot in this global downturn. The latest projections by the IMF show that India will remain the fastest-growing major economy in 2022 and 2023. I believe India may be able to escape this global economic downturn. Services and digital growth: India’s growth model can with-stand a global downturn, as we are more dependent on domestic consumption. Moreover our economic growth is largely driven by the services sector and services tend to shrink less compared to manufacturing during global economic downturns, although given the export-oriented nature of IT Services, this will face some headwinds. Further, India has already taken a huge digital leap, and it is expanding digital opportunities in education, energy, health, financial services and logistics, which has the potential…

AS I WRITE this piece, I can’t help but think of the ubiquitous ‘sliced bread,’ which has been around for over nine decades and continues to be a part of our daily lives. It leads me to believe that when independent India marks its centennial in 25 years, there will most likely be a few technological breakthroughs that qualify as the “best thing since sliced bread”. When pioneering technologies from a previous era become old or obsolete, they do not simply disappear. They linger in our minds for a long time and become signposts in our lives. People of my generation will remember how much of a difference Walkman players made to our lives in the 1980s when we could take our music with us wherever we went. Whenever I…

The power and lethality of precision strike weapons in modern warfare has increased manifold owing to their ability to annihilate enemy positions with accuracy, speed and firepower. Among worldwide precision strike weapons, supersonic cruise missile BRAHMOS rules the roost by combining impeccable speed, precision, firepower, versatility, stealth and range. Designed and developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM, BRAHMOS has established itself as the “choicest deterrent system” of 21st century. The operationalisation of the tactical missile in the Tri-Services of India has made it the first and only country in the world to possess “supersonic cruise missile triad”. The state-of-the-art missile based on cutting-edge technologies, superior design parameters and advanced features, has validated its lethality to neutralise high-value, heavily fortified ground and sea-based targets from land, sea and air platforms…

THE INDIAN ECONOMY has come a long way over the past 75 years. Today, it is the fifth-largest economy in the world and has entered the world’s top five in terms of overall market capitalisation. India is also the largest democracy. Its large population presents a great opportunity. It acts as a base for domestic consumption-based growth, while also presenting a large demographic dividend. The Covid-19 pandemic has created the need to have alternate supply chains outside of China, with India well-positioned to leverage the windfall gains of the China-plus 1 strategy. The country recently celebrated its 100th Unicorn and the government’s efforts to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem and facilitate the growth of early-stage start-ups must be acknowledged. The Government of India under PM Narendra Modi has taken some formative…

CHALLENGES ▸ Lack of reliable electricity supply for many consumers and a continued reliance on solid biomass, mainly firewood and charcoal, as cooking fuel ▸ Bottlenecks created by global supply-side issues have led to a surge in raw material and freight costs for solar equipment manufacturers ▸ Financial health of electricity distribution companies may notably slow down energy transformation in the country OPPORTUNITIES ▸ Over 93.4 million LPG connections released till July 2022 for BPL households under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana for cooking ▸ PLI scheme for GW-scale manufacturing of high-efficiency photovoltaic cells and 40 per cent duty on imports from China to prevent dumping ▸ The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, seeking to bring about comprehensive reforms is currently under review by a parliamentary committee…

THE FUTURE IS green. Solar panels on every rooftop. Electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads. Factory-scale vertical farms spread across hundreds of acres. Green hydrogen plants powering large industries. India@100 paints a picture of a sustainable, climate-resilient and inclusive economy, well on its way to net zero. The next 25 years will be critical in defining our path, one that will tread a fine balance between people, profits and the planet. India has one-fifth of the world’s population, and, as per some estimates, is already the most populous country worldwide. Nearly 75 per cent of our population is based in rural areas, while 200 million people live below the poverty line—that places inclusiveness and equity on the centre stage. We are also the fifth-largest economy globally and will continue to…

▸ India is the undisputed IT leader of the world in 2023, but to maintain its lead in the sector, the country needs to invest massively ▸ To maintain its position, IT companies need to invest in evolving tech avenues like AI, ML, cloud, and cybersecurity ▸ IT enterprises’ internal workings would also have to change with more focus on automation to improve efficiency and cut costs ▸ The rapid changes emerging in the sector would also require massive investments in skilling the workforce ▸ Industry watchers call for supportive government policies to ensure India remains a leading provider of IT services in the world…

POST-COVID-19, INDIA is beginning to take big steps. It has not only discovered confidence in terms of dealing with adversities and challenges but has come out stronger on the other side of the storm. India finds itself as the fastest-growing economy, having delivered 2.1 billion vaccines manufactured in India, having received the highest amount of FDI and having created an innovation ecosystem that is the third largest in the world. India in 2023 is an India with reimagined ambitions for itself. So, this idea and vision of New India which was spoken about even pre-Covid-19, is becoming real in the time that we live in. As the world’s economies, enterprises and governments are digitising rapidly, India finds itself looking at a world full of opportunities. There is a phrase in…

India’s start-up scene is blazing a trail to the top of the world’s economic ranks. With over 100 unicorns and counting, valued at a staggering $340 billion, India’s start-up ecosystem is already the third-largest in the world. But this is just the beginning. Start-ups now achieve $100 million in revenue in just five years, a significant improvement from the 18 years it took in 2000, reveals a new report by RedSeer Strategy Consultants. As these young companies continue to mature and grow, they are expected to have a significant impact on both financial growth and societal progress, propelling India forward on the global stage. BHARAT TAKING CENTRE STAGE Building for Bharat, or the population outside of India’s major cities, is a huge opportunity. Often referred to as the “next billion”…

An accomplished author, story teller and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Sheetal Nair is a Human Resource professional with an experience of over 10 years in facilitating and training with prominent global organizations like the United Nations, GSFC, Fives Group, Barclays and Brentwood et al. He is an acclaimed author who has successfully published three National Bestsellers viz. ‘The Monk’s Secret’, ‘The Midas Touch’ and ‘The Subtle Art of Not Thinking’. He also serves as a contributing author to the Economic Times, The Times of India, Business World, People Matters and the Outlook India among others. Holding an MBA in Human Resources from Symbiosis International University, a Diploma Degree in Corporate Law from UM-Calcutta and a Doctorate in Training and Development from North Central University, Arizona, Dr. Nair currently serves as the…

Founder and CEO of the most sought after Startup Discovery and Networking platform of the day, ‘The Great Unicorn Hunt’, Mr. Sachin Karnik reminisces working as a VP and Global Strategy Leader for Aditya Birla Minacs, a Multi-National Conglomerate leading a successful corporate career at the helm of his career, until a few years back when the startup ecosystem in the country led him to become an Angel Investor. Soon after, he helped rebuild the Mumbai Angels Network as its President and helped relaunch a Global UK Based Crowd Investing Company as its CEO, before finally, he founded his own company, ‘Kofounderz Team Pvt. Ltd’, which launched The Great Unicorn Hunt, a Web-based portal format where Startups, VCs, LPs, GPs, Family Offices, Angel Investors, Corporates, and Mentors can easily and…

Rituraj Sharma, the founder of Growpital, is on a mission of “Cultivating the future of Agriculture - one investment at a time”. He is dedicated to connecting ‘India to Bharat’ by providing access to all the resources and services required to improve the livelihood of farmers and at the same time, making agri-investment a profitable option for the investors. His company, Growpital, provides investment opportunities in agriculture projects that generate the highest possible returns while mitigating risks through diversification of crop plantation and various farming techniques. Rituraj’s passion for agriculture can be traced back to his 7 years of research in the industry before establishing Growpital just one year ago. Growpital’s farm projects are technology-driven and process-oriented, leading to high yields of better quality produce. Investors on the platform can…

Founder and Chief of Design of UNIT, renowned fashion designer Rajat Suri is an icon and an arbiter of taste in men’s fashion who started his very first label, ‘Brown Mother’ back in 2007 when his passion and zeal to work in the fashion line led him to drop out of design school. He, however, learnt from the best in the industry with his stints with Mr. Raghavendra Rathore and H20 Cue (Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna). Manifesting his dream, Rajat then founded ‘UNIT’ an accessible designer-wear brand for Indian men in 2010 envisioning are-interpretation of classic mens wear with an innovative twist widely acclaimed for its futuristic integration of metal accents across collections. UNIT offers a ready to wear, bespoke tailored and designed clothing for the contemporary well-travelled fashion…

NOVEMBER 18, 2022, will forever be etched as a memorable day in the history of the Indian space sector thanks to the successful launch of Vikram-S—the first privately built rocket—by Skyroot Aerospace from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s spaceport at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The success of Mission Prarambh has ushered in a new era for the Indian space sector. It signifies a new dawn for public-private cooperation in enriching the sector. Going back 50 years, it was the launch of India’s first indigenous rocket, Rohini-75, on November 20, 1967, that marked a new start. There has been no looking back since, thanks to the leadership of ISRO and the unwavering support of the government. Today, India is among the top few space-faring nations in the world.…

Established in 2018, Ml CAPITAL Services was founded by Mr. Sheetal Soni and later joined by Mr. Prateek Tosniwal as partner. Sheetal is a CFA Charter holder and Chartered Accountant who comes in with 18+ years of experience in the field of Corporate Finance, Strategic finance, Investments, Debt Advisory, M&A, Private Equity Advisory, Project Financing, Trade and Working Capital Financing, Alternative Finance, Treasury, Financial Management and Controls, Financial Modelling, Valuations and Feasibility studies. Prateek Tosniwal is equally equipped and is a Chartered Accountant with rich experience in the field of debt finance, Startup Advisory, and Investments, International Tax Advisory. He possesses 7 years of Experience in the field of International Advisory and Structuring and has served many government organizations back in India. Ml CAPITAL Services was built with an aspiration…

Anil Bhaskaran, the Bangalore based Architect and Urban Planner, believes that nature and history are our best teachers. ‘Nature is the all-pervading soul of our planet. It imparts invaluable lessons on cohabitation, adaptation, survival and creativity. While our lives are shaped by how we experience nature, it still remains, by and large, an enigma. There is a lot to explore and learn from it’, he says. Speaking about history he adds, ‘History of architecture is a treasure-trove of information on how we have been responding to the facets of nature while building various types of shelters. History showcases the ingenious methods devised and used by our ancestors to tackle the challenges posed by nature’. Bhaskaran obtained the Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Kerala with the first rank…

Dr. Chidatmika Khatua was born in a value-centered & disciplined family of Baleshwar village of Odisha. Her mother Smt. Sanjukta Khatua has been a home maker and her father Late. Shri. Natabara Khatua headed the Finance department at Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. CEO, Sushruta hospital and trauma care and MD, Orissa Cosmetic Surgery Clinic, which stand as National repue for unique surgeries and high-quality treatment with low cost. This hospital also empannel with BSKY for treatment of poor patients Free of cost Dr chidatmika also iniciator of Medical tourism in Odisha, and managing Trustee of Aryabhata institute of education and technology for state and central govt welfare projects Aman of principles and ethics, her father was also a homeopathy medicine practitioner who provided free service to the villagers.…

IN GENERAL, I do not really look into the future. To be very honest, I rarely go beyond my next film. That said let me attempt to put together a few thoughts on what India@100 could be. From a film-making perspective, I see an ocean of opportunities. Just look at what we have in India. There is a treasure trove of stories filled with innumerable nuances. Without a doubt, no other country has this kind of wealth. It is remarkably unique to India and our culture. However, we have barely touched the tip of this huge iceberg and in that sense, I must say justice has not been done. Let us look at the West for a moment, where storytelling is not really in their culture but what they have…

UTTAR PRADESH AND Bihar—one of the most fertile regions in the world—together will soon have the population of the US and Canada combined. But the income per person is an astonishing 100 times less for UP/Bihar compared to the US/Canada despite India’s relatively fast growth over the last few decades! For all of India compared to the US, that per capita difference is around 30x (or 8x if you adjust for cost of living; similarly, 100x for UP/Bihar becomes, say, “only” 20x after adjustment). These would be mind-boggling numbers even for as late as the 18th century. For development theoreticians, economic historians as well as practitioners across policy and business—such massive wealth disparities across regions have been a source of great curiosity and debate. Because to understand if there is a…

UNLIMITED GAMING Let’s face it: when gaming, one usually loses track of time. But the after-effects of sitting in the wrong posture for long hours can give you a lifetime of pain. Invest in an ergonomic gaming chair that offers good support to your neck, and has adjustable armrests. Take Razer’s Enki, for example. It offers a combination of 110-degree extended shoulder arches and a 21-inch ultra-wide seat base, which ensures optimal weight distribution for long gaming sessions. Plus, the lumbar curve provides good support to your lower back. The best feature, possibly, is the chair’s ability to let users recline at up to 152 degrees, without having to fiddle with knobs or buttons. Game on, unlimited! Available on: amazon.com THE ‘IN’ THING Gamers swear by their input devices. And if…

IT IS AUGUST 15, 2047, and India has turned 100. A hundred years of giant strides as an economic destination. An $18-trillion economy, just a whisker away from overtaking China as the world’s second-largest. The third-largest stock market in the world with the Sensex at 1 million. The world’s largest democracy and an economic superpower. This is no pipe dream. Nor does it assume annual growth at double digits to reach this summit. Modest compounding and avoiding major policy mistakes gets us there in the next 25 years. The headline numbers are all set to be staggering on our hundredth anniversary; it is the stuff below that makes one pause. Despite such phenomenal growth at an aggregate level, India may still not be a developed nation by then. Pollution, climate…

SEMICONDUCTORS INDIA’S CONSUMPTION OF CHIPS IS EXPECTED TO CROSS $80 BILLION BY 2026 AND REACH $110 BILLION BY 2030 INDIA HAS ANNOUNCED A ₹76,000-CRORE PLI SCHEME TO ENCOURAGE CHIP AND DISPLAY MANUFACTURING IN THE COUNTRY HIGH COST OF INVESTMENT, A LARGE VOLUME OF ULTRA-HIGH-PURITY WATER, UNINTERRUPTED ELECTRICITY AND WAYS TO DISPOSE HAZARDOUS WASTE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE TACKLED SOURCE BT RESEARCH INDUSTRY 4.0 INDUSTRY 4.0 COMPRISES ADVANCED ANALYTICS, ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION, AI, IoT AND PROCESS DIGITALISATION ACROSS THE BUSINESS VALUE CHAIN INDUSTRY 4.0 CAN ENABLE INDIAN COMPANIES TO GROW THEIR OPERATING PROFIT BY UP TO 40 PER CENT AND REDUCE CAPEX BY UP TO 10 PER CENT SINCE THE MSME SECTOR WORKS ON THIN MARGINS, AN ENABLING FRAMEWORK WILL ENCOURAGE IT TO IMBIBE INDUSTRY 4.0 PROCESSES AND PRACTICES…

IN THE YEAR ahead, India’s voice and achievements will be heard the world over. In December, for the first time, India assumed presidency of the G20—a grouping of wealthy, fast-growing economies that accounts for four-fifths of the world’s gross domestic product. As president, India will host 200 events across the country—an opportunity to showcase the nation’s progress in digital adoption, empowerment of women, and efforts to bring millions of low-income earners into the formal economy. To be in this position is a source of great pride for India. And I believe it is just the beginning. There is more to come. Much more. This is India’s century. G20 colleagues visiting India in the coming months will see an economic superpower in the making. In fact, many believe India is set…

The DS Group is a shining example of an Indian organization that is committed to a sustainable ecosystem, and makes a significant contribution to the world through its environmental initiatives. The environment is everyone’s responsibility. We have all learned this the hard way. Climate change and the state of the very basics of our lives - air, water and soil-have been threatened by decades of thoughtless consumption. Currently, roughly half of worlds ~8 billion people are estimated to experience severe water scarcity for at least some part of the year due to climatic and non-climatic factors. During the last two decades, the global glacier mass loss rate exceeded 0.5 meters water equivalent per year, impacting humans and ecosystems. Agriculture and energy production have been impacted by changes in the hydrological…

WHEN INDIA GOT its freedom in 1947, it was an amalgamation of more than 550 princely states and thousands of zamindari estates covering 40 per cent of the land area and 23 per cent of the population. Today, India, after 75 years of freedom, has come a long way. Over the past seven decades, India has seen several ups and downs. Today with a $3.17-trillion economy, India is the fifth-largest economy in the world. This has been a remarkable journey. Just about one Indian out of five was literate in 1950. Today, the literacy rate is close to 80 per cent. There are over 1,000 universities imparting quality education. Improvement in the healthcare ecosystem has resulted in the average life expectancy of males to increase from 37 years in 1951 to…

INDIA HAS HAD a relentless journey since it became an independent republic 75 years ago. Despite myriad challenges on the economic and social fronts, the country has managed to carve a path that has brought it to the threshold of a new economic golden age. One need not look too far into the past for proof on how resilient the country is. The ‘Black Swan’ event of the Covid-19 pandemic was a test of resilience for all the economies of the world, but India stood out. Through its journey of trials and errors, hard decisions and visionary policies, India has emerged with a renewed sense of purpose, stability and devotion to inclusive progress. From where we stand today, India is set to become a nation of around 1.64 billion people, and…

IN THE LAST 75 years, India has benefitted from all the technological progress we have made. Technology has been instrumental in helping drive disruptive business models across payments, lending, insurance and wealth management. India has also transformed from a cash-driven society, that, even as late as 2015, trailed the US and China in terms of digital payment transactions, to one which has become an exemplar for the rest of the world today. The fintech story in India is a brilliant example of a strong public-private partnership. It is a demonstration of what entrepreneurial innovation built on top of an intentional technology stack developed and positioned by the Government of India as a public good can do. For a nation of entrepreneurial innovators, I believe this revolution is just the beginning. Given…

TO BECOME A developed country with a $20-trillion economy is India’s dream at 100, characterised by better economic growth, improved general standard of living, higher per capita income, and superior performance on the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes education, literacy and health. It is oft stated that for India to grow, India must build and, therefore, by direct inference, infrastructure development is key to India realising her dream. Although the pace of infrastructure development has been impressive over the past couple of decades, there is no denying that both speed and scale must significantly increase. Fortunately, technology is emerging as the great enabler, paving the way for faster, safer, cleaner and more accurate construction with better control on quality and costs, with minimum damage to the environment. Financing India’s infrastructure…

What set you on the path of entrepreneurship, and as you progressed to a leading position how has the experience of the journey been for you? Born into a family of entrepreneurs, it was only a matter of time before I made the decision to join my parents, who have been successful first-generation entrepreneurs themselves. On observing the impact good education can create on an individual and the society as a whole, I wanted to join the education vertical, despite Vels’ presence in multiple sectors. I knew that I had to take the legacy forward in a family where I am the eldest among three siblings. However, the journey to where I am today was not any less easy. Along the way I realized that I had to live up…

WE STAND AT the cusp of creating a new world for ourselves, enabled by technology that is changing the way we live, work and interact with our surroundings. The advent of technologies like cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) have challenged foundational beliefs that have prevailed for several decades and vastly expanded the realm of possibilities in a short span of time. In this evolutionary journey, India has established itself as the global laboratory for creating tech-powered solutions to some of the most pressing challenges that impact our lives and livelihood. We have undergone a period of immense technological improvement in the last quarter of a century, and India today stands tall as one of the largest digital hubs in the world. We have firmly entered our nation’s golden era—and this is…

TODAY, INDIA IS undoubtedly among the Top 3 digital powers in the world in terms of the percentage of digitally involved citizens among the population and the total quantum of businesses and start-ups with a robust digital presence. India has become a densely networked country with 1.2 billion mobile connections and 850 million internet connections, with among the cheapest data costs in the world. Nearly 150,000 gram panchayats have been connected with optic fibre to benefit rural citizens. India also has the unique distinction of having built population-scale digital public goods (DPGs)—a set of networked, interoperable, multiplatform public utilities like Aadhaar, UPI, e-KYC, Account Aggregator (AA), Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and more—upon which innovators can build world-class apps and platforms using open APIs. This…

Lab grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular worldwide as they are not only real but also friendly on the pocket and to the environment. With the rising popularity of lab grown diamond across the world and lndia being the world’s largest producer of Type lla CVD diamonds - lndia once again is regaining its claim to fame of being the world’s leading producer of the finest quality diamonds. Lab grown diamonds (LGD) are exactly the same as mined diamonds but just grown in labs instead of growing below the earth. Just like the concept of test-tube babies and naturally born babies where the process is different but the output is exactly the same, LGDs are 100% real diamonds that are grown by exactly replicating the diamond creation process which occurs…

Alumnus of the Gannon University in Pennsylvania, USA, Anuj is the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of KHC Healthcare India Private Limited, an ISO Certified Organization engaged in scientific marketing, sales and servicing of a wide range of technological products pertaining to speciality clinical diagnostics and speciality pharmaceuticals & life sciences space with pan-India operations. A strategic, execution oriented and hands on professional, Anuj started working for B. Braun Medical Inc. and GE while pursuing his MBA in USA. The experience helped the young and dynamic professional realise his true calling and passion and post completing his MBA, he served Aesculap Inc, a division of B. Braun Medical as the Associate Product Manager first for Neuro Implants and thereafter for Spine Implants for USA Medical Devices Sector. However, the true patriot…

A versatile entrepreneur and a phenomenal leader, Mr. Venkataramani Suresh is the Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited. Post his graduation in Engineering and post-graduation in Management from Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Mr. Suresh pursued various Management Development programs in institutes of eminence viz., The Wharton Business School, Pennsylvania, The Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and the Tata Management Center in Pune, thereby forging his illustrious career trajectory ahead. After an enlightening experience in his first professional stint at Xerox, Mr. Suresh appeared on the entrepreneurial landscape building India’s foremost and numero uno Internet company, Naukri.com. His exceptional diligence and conscientiousness towards his work played a vital role in Naukri.com becoming India’s no.1 job portal and the most successful internet business in India.…

THE ARRIVAL OF India’s ‘techade’ with a focus on ‘Jai Anusandhan’ has brought forth a new paradigm of opportunities and possibilities through a focus on innovation. It is an era infused with technological prowess, as seen across the world with the coming of the fourth industrial revolution. The vision for India’s techade, however, is unique with an underlying value of empowerment. It’s a vision which harnesses a relationship between emerging technologies and those at the margins who have missed out on leveraging the power of these tools. It’s our non-digitally enabled small farmers, entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium enterprises, cottage industries, traders, artisans, weavers, etc., spread across the length and breadth of this country, who are being empowered. Technology isn’t being looked at as a tool for simply bolstering economic…

GREATER PROSPERITY, BROADER opportunity and exponential dynamism are guaranteed for any society aspiring to progress from middle income to higher income. As we look towards 2047, colonial hangovers are a distant memory and our sights are firmly set on progress for all sections of society. Technology is emerging as a key lever in achieving India’s ambitions to become a higher-income country within 100 years of Independence. We’re seeing its power in facilitating inclusion, governance, privacy and ease of transactions with the rapid adoption of innovations like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), and the Account Aggregator (AA) framework. But even as our inventiveness accelerates—governed by principles of transparency, access, and usability—like any sunrise sector, fintech too is constrained in impact not by ability or intent, but by…

MY VISION FOR India in 2047 envisages a healthcare landscape that is both advanced and affordable. Not just for a few, but for the masses. Not just for India, but for the globe. I foresee a future where a focus on preventive healthcare will proactively prevent illness and bring down the disease burden. Where predictive healthcare will substitute the need for reactionary interventions and where personalised solutions will form the crux of all therapeutic endeavours. The convergence of health tech, digital, media and mobile telecommunications will completely revolutionise India’s healthcare system by the time the country celebrates the 100th year of its Independence. Convergence of IT and life sciences is making an impact: The convergence of information technology and life sciences is creating a more resilient, agile and innovative healthcare system…

In the late 90’s, colour coated sheet profiling trend was picking up in India. The concept of self-drilling screws was nonexistent and it used to be imported. Pankaj and Vipin Lidoo established a company to import screws from Taiwan. Blessed with tremendous foresight and ambitious by nature, they spend a lot of energies and investments on research and development to enhance their expertise enough to start developing these products in India itself. As a result, they were the first Indian company to manufacture screws within the country. Pankaj and Vipin worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. They often visited Taiwan to understand the manufacturing technology of screws. Having learnt the intricacies of the process, they imported the machines to set up the manufacturing unit for self-drilling screws at Ghaziabad. Joining…

Every individual in the world cannot be a leader. Leaders are expected to create a vision, set direction, and inspire people to rise beyond what they imagine is their capability. The first characteristic of a great leader is their genuine enthusiasm, one that inspires others to accomplish wonders. To accomplish these, practical yet wonderful communication skills are a must. R. K. Verma is one individual who is all of these and more. Mentor to more than a million students, he is a true role model to emulate. He commands the trust and faith of the students, who surrender themselves to be completely moulded by him. Coming from a humble background, he willed himself to graduate in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Ill Madras in 1994. After a short corporate stint…

What started off as a Retail Store with 3 employees in 1971 is today a Business House with a Rs. 1500Cr+ turnover and 700 +workforce. South India’s largest Pulses Merchants, group is firmly entrenched in the kitchens of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa with a strong portfolio of products. More than 1Lakh People consume MWB Group Products sold from an extensive network of retailers. Available in the Wholesale and Retail format, the MWB touches the lives of people in these states in one form or the other. The MWB Group has steadily risen up owing to the relentless efforts of three generations of Bafnas. Today it has emerged as South India’s leading wholesalers for Rice, Wheat, Pulses, Cereals, Flours, Oil, Jaggery, Basmati, Masala, Dry fruits and other Grocery Products.…

Sadly, while all sectors have grown by leaps and bounds, Indian aviation has become ‘the sick man of India’. Thanks to choking regulations, tough entry barriers for new entrants, high fuel prices abetted by high taxes, inefficient public sector airports paving the way for monopoly airports that are extortionist in the absence of robust competition and the lack of a long-term strategic policy, growth of aviation has again slumped. Multiple airports serve cities like New York, London, Paris and Washington DC. We need privatisation but not cartelisation. Airports must compete like airlines to keep prices under check and improve the quality of service. The HAL airport in Bengaluru and the old government airport in Hyderabad should never have been closed when new airports were allowed, to ensure competition. This must…

Smart investing is about diversifying your portfolio and not about putting all your eggs in one basket. It is about making informed decisions so that when one asset class loses steam, you quickly reposition yourself and reap the benefits of another asset class to stay ahead of the curve. To help you invest systematically and spend smartly, we speak with three market experts—Nikhil Kamath, Co-founder of Zerodha, and Co-founder of True Beacon; Nilesh Shah, MD, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company; and Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO, Edelweiss Asset Management—to understand how they save, invest and spend their money. The experts also share the strategies that are likely to play out in the future and the opportunities that will likely be available to strengthen your portfolio. Edited excerpts: Q: How do…

Technology Partner Knowledge Partner Energy Partner Sustainability Partner Digital Transformation Partner Trade Media Partner Hospitality Partner Celebration Partner Digital Media Partner NUMBER 13 CAN also be lucky. That day this January, the entire banking and financial services industry descended on the St. Regis hotel in Mumbai. The atmosphere was electric as the industry’s top brains debated and deliberated on multiple issues concerning the industry—from the path ahead for fast-growing Axis Bank to how the economy is heating up amidst strong headwinds, to how digital technologies are changing banking and finance forever, to the rivalry as well as the partnership between banks and fintechs, to how India’s NBFCs are responding to extant challenges with resilience, to challenges in financing the green economy, to the road ahead for payments banks and small…

What was the problem you were grappling with? Being a leader is about envisioning and realising continuous change while motivating and empowering others to actively participate in it. When I took over as CEO at Mindtree, the company had just emerged from a keenly watched management change. It had not been playing to its full potential. There had been no formal handover and transition from my predecessor, and most of the second line of leadership had disappeared overnight. Both employees and customers were concerned about what lay ahead. Whom did you approach for advice? I met my long-time mentor Lakshmi Narayanan, a highly regarded IT industry veteran and visionary. What was the advice you received? One significant piece of advice was to surround myself with smart leaders. According to him,…

▶ BHARAT BIOTECH LAUNCHED its Covid-19 nasal vaccine on January 26, 2023. The vaccine is expected to face major hurdles in finding a market in India as well as globally. Dubbed as a game changer in preventing the spread of coronavirus, Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine, called iNCOVACC is the first intranasal vaccine in the world to have received approval as both a primary vaccine for Covid-19 and a booster. Apart from the ease of administration, it triggers an immune response in the nose and upper airway, blocking the infection and breaking the chain of transmission. Further, this vaccine can be quickly modified to combat emerging variants. “Despite all the advantages and great R&D, iNCOVACC is a late entrant in the Covid-19 vaccines market,” says Girdhar Gyani, Director General, Association of…

IT IS A SUNDAY NIGHT in San Francisco and Sundar Pichai is all set for a chat. As CEO of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary, Google, he runs a business with $258 billion in revenues. However, it’s not all work for this 50-year-old cricket buff as he laments India’s exit at the Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. He reiterates that nothing will stop him from being in India for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. “I plan to be there,” he quips. In an exclusive interview over Google Meet with Business Today’s Sourav Majumdar and Krishna Gopalan, Pichai speaks candidly on a host of issues related to Search, Cloud, technological disruption, YouTube, regulation and, of course, India. Edited excerpts: We are in a VUCA world and this…

WHEN INTERGLOBE ENTERPRISES launched MOVIN Express—a B2B logistics JV with UPS—last May, J.B. Singh, Director of the company, did not expect it to be such a success. Singh, a veteran of the aviation and hospitality industries, attributes it to a mind shift happening across the world’s fifth-largest economy, where clients prefer to deal with structured, high-performance logistics players. “They want a process-driven environment, things to move on schedule, and high-performance teams to bring down costs and make things more efficient,” says Singh, during an interaction with BT in his sun-kissed office in Gurugram. MOVIN has expanded to 49 cities in Q3FY23 from 28 in Q2, nearly doubled its headcount to 800 personnel from 460, and currently reaches more than 3,000 pin codes in India. In eastern India, regional carrier IndiaOne Air…

INDIA@100 CAN BE a wealthy economy only by pursuing ethical wealth creation as its economic mantra. A recent change in India’s political economy provides the confidence that India indeed can pursue economic policies that enable ethical wealth creation. On February 10, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the importance of “wealth creation” and the role of the private sector in his speech at the Budget Session of Parliament. Acknowledging this pivotal moment that represented a seminal turn in India’s economic history, The Hindu Business Line titled its lead editorial on February 11, 2021, “Watershed Moment” and wrote: “On the floor of the Lok Sabha, [the PM] made two major points: One, the country needs wealth creators or producers in the first place for that wealth to be distributed, and that they…

MANY DOUBTED WHETHER our country would even survive a decade when we gained independence. At various points in our journey since, we came close to the brink—both economically and geopolitically. Today, India@75 is a nation that stands tall, is a voice that is heard and counted on the global political stage, and importantly, is one amongst a handful that has a positive trajectory on most counts. Therefore, as I think of my vision for India@100, as a follower of Guru Nanak, I invoke the prayer: Nanak naam chardi kala, tere bhane sarbat da bhalla. What does this mean and what does it have to do with my dream for India@100? I have little doubt that our country will continue to grow over the coming 25 years. The debate needs to…

KRISHNAM NIYAMAM HARAYAH suparna apo wasana divam uttapanti” broadly interpreted as “along the dark course, tawny well-feathered (birds or flames), clothing themselves in the waters, fly up towards heaven” by Maharshi Dayanand, these verses from the Rig Veda allude to the earliest spacecraft known to man. Our rich cultural heritage has unfailingly mesmerised us with wondrous legends that not only inspire our modern world but will also spur future generations with foresight and sagacity. Today, India stands at the threshold of achieving that destiny—to be among the best in the world—in another decade or so. Our young population and its aspirations are radically distinct. Already home to more than 100 unicorns and many fintechs that are revolutionising our lives, we are thriving to solve what economists would call “beyond the horizon” problems…

I AM FULLY confident that India will realise its true potential in the next 25 years. The reason for my optimism is that India has, over the years, successfully weathered several financial storms, geopolitical uncertainties as well as the devastating pandemic only to rebound as a stronger and resilient economy. With regard to housing and real estate, this sector holds the key to unlocking the potential of the Indian economy. In fact, the pace of growth in both advanced as well as developing economies has historically been determined by the relative strength of the housing and real estate sector. Housing always remains at the core of any economy and is considered as a significant engine for its growth. I am optimistic about the future of the housing sector as demand…

▸ India is now the world’s third-largest energy importer, with coal and oil currently powering economic growth in the country ▸ The country’s oil import bill surged 76 per cent to $90.3 billion in the first half of FY23 even as it imported 15 per cent more oil during this period ▸ India has committed to net-zero emissions by 2070 and meeting 50 per cent of its electricity requirements from renewables by 2030 ▸ India’s renewable energy sector is growing at the fastest clip among all major world economies ▸ Globally, it is among the Top 5 players in installed solar capacity and one of the Top 3 renewable energy producers…

BEING HOME TO almost 18 per cent of the world’s population, India’s economic growth is of global interest. Latest studies indicate that a young workforce, strong manufacturing sector and rapidly growing digital economy will enable India to witness a sustained GDP growth of 7.5-8 per cent. India’s consumption levels are poised for exponential growth as well with per capita income increasing six-fold. Moreover, as the world gears up to combat the looming threat of climate change, all eyes are on how a rapidly growing India develops its energy sector. The size of India’s grid is expected to expand to almost 2,300 GW by 2050 as per capita consumption of electricity catches up with the world’s average. Maintaining this growth trajectory, while addressing energy security will depend on affordable and reliable clean…

HOME TO SOME of the world’s major global IT powerhouses, including names such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Tech Mahindra, among many others, the Indian IT industry employs about 5 million people, and generates roughly 10 per cent of India’s GDP. Clearly, the sector is of critical importance to India’s growth story. But will the country be able to maintain its current leadership in IT services in the next two and a half decades? That remains unclear. Some of the questions that hang over the sector are: How will India’s IT landscape evolve by 2047? What would its structure and internal workings look like? What skills would be in demand in the next quarter century? The industry needs answers to these questions before it can be assured of sustainable and…

IT IS MY belief that the next 25 years in India will be driven by emerging technologies and innovations. The opportunity for us is to look at every industry through the lens of how these technologies will transform them. Consequently, India has the opportunity to become a global leader in technologies and industries. There is little to doubt that India will cross the $10-15 trillion-mark in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). We will need to leverage technology to create an economy that is equitable, sustainable, accessible, and inclusive. While we have made impressive gains in per capita income levels, there are still high and worrying levels of disparity. This is where new business creation becomes very important to raise the income levels of more Indians. To nurture entrepreneurship even…

INDIA HAS COME a long way in the 75 years since its independence. As the world’s largest democracy and the fifth-largest economy that continues to be amongst the fastest growing, India has arrived on the global stage. It’s been a journey of perseverance and resilience for a nation of 1.2 billion that was once categorised as ‘low income’ and was among the ‘fragile five’. We must celebrate what we have collectively achieved. Not only are we the IT and technology backbone of the world but we are also emerging as a major start-up and manufacturing hub. And as India assumes the G20 presidency, it makes me even more optimistic that as a nation we will achieve much more in the next 25 years than what we have in the past 75…

ON AUGUST 26, 2022, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off the ‘Startup Odisha Yatra 2.0’, which passed through all 30 districts in the state. The mobile start-up incubator covered more than 100 higher educational institutions over a period of 60 days, collecting 1,300-plus startup pitches from students. Seeing its success, the state government felt the principles and mindset of entrepreneurship should be instilled in more students from the grassroots level and launched a second campaign named ‘Start-up Express’, that has toured across 19 districts, and received about 1,270 ideas from school-going students. Odisha’s start-up drive is only a fragment of a grand narrative that is beginning to take shape in the country. From the buzzing tech hub of Bengaluru to the bustling metropolis of Mumbai and picturesque hills of…

An academician, entrepreneur, social activist and a Samaritan, Dr. Chandan Agarwal is a true leader at heart, an intellectual marvel and a learner for life whose perennial quest for knowledge and an unparalleled vision has led him to achieve global recognition. Hailing from Begusarai, Bihar, Dr. Chandan Agarwal carved his way to excellence for himself as he went to pursue an MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai and further an honorary Doctorate Degree (PhD) from the renowned International University of America, London. A zealous educationalist, Dr. Chandan Agarwal appeared on the pedagogical landscape with the inception of the G.D. Goenka Public School, Kanpur in 2013, which was later followed by G.D. Goenka Toddler House, Lucknow and G.D. Goenka La Petite, Kanpur. He has since done wonders for the education sector in the…

Alumna of the Indian School of Business, Ms. Deepshikha Kumar is the founder and CEO of Speakln, Asia’s largest digital platform for professional education and one on one coaching which delivers lessons on over 500 topics, taught by more than 18,000 experts and 1000 coaches and mentors on topics spanning the breadth of professional learning. Deepshikha founded Speakln in 2018 with a vision to create an open talent economy, providing a space to both aspiring as well as existing professionals to have an access to the pioneers with an accomplished expertise. An epitome of hard work, resilience, grit and determination, Deepshikha holds more than 15 years of experience in management and business consulting with leading global organisations viz. Accenture, Ernst & Young and JD Power and currently oversees Speakln’s global…

Serial entrepreneur, President - German Varisty for Advanced Studies, Germany and lndo Euro Synchronization, India, Mr. Raj Vangapandu is an Aerospace engineer and research enthusiast from Germany who devoted his career to radically changing and improving the higher education practices in India. With an unfeigned endeavour to address the issue of skill gaps in higher education, improving the practical learning approach he developed the international knowledge transfer activities and unique learning practices for Indian students by establishing the German-; India Skill clusters. Raj Vangapandu’s initiatives has skilled thousands of pan Indian engineering students funded by government and several self-support initiatives from India and Germany. A visionary par excellence, much before the rest of the world woke up to the need of online learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic, he brought the…

IMAGINE A SITUATION where your travel booking platform is an interactive part of your holiday plans. Based on your choices, moods and aspirations, the platform could integrate and recommend destinations. Not just that, it could even give you an immersive peek into that destination—be it marvelling at the Northern Lights or the Great Barrier Reef; you could actually ‘be’ there with your travel partners in the metaverse—while sitting in your living room. Travel and technology are all about going beyond and seeing the yet unseen. The expanse of self-service technologies has limitless potential. Indeed, technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) have already started reshaping how we look at travel. Future developments in the coming years will only accentuate…

Paul Merchants is a trusted Brand with over 3 Million Customers across the globe for its exceptional service, unmatched product profile in the domain of foreign currency exchange, international money transfer, and travel services for the past three decades. Paul Merchants Ltd. is a Public Limited Company, listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The Flagship of the renowned Paul Group Of Companies, Paul Merchants Limited has evolved into a conglomerate having interests in varied fields like Foreign Exchange, Travel & Tours and International Money Transfer. The Group also offers other services such as Gold Loan, Money Transfer, Prepaid Cards and Insurance services. Over the years they have introduced many services to emerge as a one stop shop experience. They are continuously working on innovations to add more convenience to…

Meet Dr. Praneeta Varma, a leading interior designer and founder of D’Studio, a full-service design boutique with a diverse clientele. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Praneeta has established herself as a leader in the field of interior design with her unique approach to creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional. Often asked how her doctoral studies in Sociology aligns with her Interior design qualifications and is relevant to her profession as a practising Interior Designer, Praneeta’s reply is accompanied by an amused smile as she says, with absolute conviction, “my interest in sociology stems from my deep interest in human beings in particular, society at large and in a philosophy of design thinking with user centricity”. To Praneeta, her interests and studies also help her…

Lalit Bokadia has envisaged a different role and path for his company. A thorough marketing professional, he has built an edifice of excellence that prides itself as a Solution Provider to customers. They are the perfect Turnkey partner for a company, helping, advising and delivering value to the project at every stage. For starters, Moxy Steel lmpex is a highly acclaimed manufacturer and supplier of all ferrous and non-ferrous metal products like Pipes, Tubes, Flanges, Butt welded Pipe Fittings, Forged Fittings, Tube Fittings, Sheets, Plates & Coils, Bars, Fasteners etc. The company has carved an unparalleled position in the industry by making relentless efforts to cater to the clients with premium quality pipes, tubes and fitting components. They are well placed to address the needs of the client with Quality…

AN OVERVIEW OF the travel and tourism (T&T) sector globally reveals interesting comparisons. In 2019, the Top 10 tourist destinations were France (90 million tourists), Spain, the US, China, Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Thailand, Germany and the UK (nearly 40 million tourists). In comparison, India received 18 million international tourist arrivals (ITAs), of which 11 million were foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) and 7 million were non-resident Indians (NRIs). So, if India’s share of the global gross domestic product (GDP) was 3.3 per cent in 2019, its share of FTAs was only 1.22 per cent. This explains why, when T&T contributed 10.3 per cent to total global GDP in 2019, the sector contributed only 6.8 per cent to India’s GDP (for Thailand and Spain it was 21.9 per cent and 14.6 per cent,…

Knowledge Partner Sustainability Partner Digital Media Partner IN THE SEARCH for meaningful answers to some of today’s most pressing questions, the search for food was an equally big concern for those who attended the recent annual gathering of global leaders and business executives at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Switzerland. Seems surprising? Trust me, it isn’t. The WEF is for those who can afford the fees, the overpriced and underserviced hotels, the slippery sidewalks, the freezing cold and the lack of food. Yes, the latter is a challenge—despite the largesse of the India Lounge, which like last year and before, resembled a typical bustling market, especially at mealtimes. The joke, as one of the organisers said, was that the lounge was actually the Davos langar that fed anyone…

Goa is famous for its sandy beaches, shrines, vibrant nightlife and thrilling water activities. Tourism has been the major driver of Goa’s economic growth. Surpassing Goa’s portrayed image of a coastal tourism state, we now aim to promote the unexplored Goa to tourists - its hinterland, spiritual, wellness and eco-tourism. A leading example of facilitating infrastructure development is the International airport at Mopa. The new Manohar International Airport is being developed in four phases at a cost of Rs. 3,000 crores, of which the first phase will have the capacity to handle 4.4 million passengers per annum. This project is a boon to the state’s economy and will offer seamless connectivity to tourists from all over the globe. Goa’s tourism industry contributes more than 16 per cent towards the state’s…