Success stories of six inspirational women entrepreneurs

Across sectors as varied as technology, clinical research and retail women are poised to burst a common myth that women-led businesses do not grow beyond a certain scale.

Innovative ideas are the mantra behind every successful start-up story. India has been a flourishing ground for enterprises, and this phenomenon has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the last few years. 

A handful of women entrepreneurs are stepping up to show they have the appetite, skills and vision to take a shot at scaling their young ventures. Across sectors as varied as technology, clinical research and retail women are poised to burst a common myth that women-led businesses do not grow beyond a certain scale.

Kanika Dewan: The diva who designed floors of IGI's Terminal 3

Dewan's family-owned business, Bramco, headquartered in Bahrain, carried out the floor work for the airport. More than 130,000 sq m of tiles were laid before the deadline of 11 months was over. After the project for the Delhi International Airport, Bramco is now working on a similar project with the Mumbai International Airport. The company has also done the flooring for a Leela Hotels project in Delhi.

For somebody who has contributed to designing mansions of several billionaires, apart from the work at the airports, Dewan does not boast of a design education. After majoring infinance at the Wharton business school, instead of continuing with investment banking, in which she had dabbled for a while, Dewan decided to become an interior designer.

Bramco is now proving to be the base of Dewan's new business. After her Wharton days, she decided to start a vertically integrated design firm that would capitalise on the exclusive availability of exotic marbles and granite from Bramco's mines.

Nidhi Saxena, Karmic Lifesciences

Karmic Lifesciences, which was founded in 2008 is a contract research organisation. It specialises in Oncology Cardiovascular, Neurology and Diabetes. Karmic conducts clinical trials and provides clinical data management to pharma companies, like NovartisBSE -0.33 %International, BayerBSE 1.26 % AG and CiplaBSE 1.14 %.

Nidhi Saxena targeted a revenue of Rs 54 crore. Saxena was previously the vice president for the North American operations of business process outsourcing company, WNS.

She raised the funding for her venture from Indian Angel Network, Basil Growth Corporation, SIDBI and Mumbai Angels.

Vijaya Pastala, Under the Mango Tree

Vijaya Pastala's enterprise has a Rs 60 lakh turnover from selling honey! The enterprise which took 14 years to shape up has a simple business model.

The sourced honey is tested, certified, packaged and labelled in a production plant on rented premises in an industrial area, in Mumbai. The packaged products are sold online, delivered to over 100 shops in Mumbai and Bangalore, as well as to a lot of B2B partners like Taj Hotels.

After acquiring a post graduate degree in regional planning from the MIT, US, in 1993, Pastala returned to India and stumbled upon the name for her future venture.

When her son was born in 2003, she changed career tracks. It took Pastala about a year to zero in on exactly what she wanted to do.

Sneha Roy & Sananda Misra - Toptomato.in

Toptomato.in by Sneha Roy & Sananda Misra is an online platform for ordering all household items. Its not a new concept but the founders aim to make it unique with its grocery subscription. One can subscribe for regular needs like milk, butter, etc and can specify required frequency.

TopTomato was launched in the month of September, 2012 by Sneha Roy and Sananda Misra, graduates from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, with varied experience of working in the FMCG sectors. The venture is self-funded and the seed capital was about Rs 5 lakhs.

The initial capital was used for building the website and setting up the back-end and delivery networks.

Mitali Kalra, Zao Foods

The idea of starting her own cafe took root in 2010. After completing her MBA in finance from INSEAD in France, in 2008, she spent a year working in Dubai and Singapore, handling private equity investments in oil and gas, and shipping. About a year on, her craving for healthy fare spawned a business idea: a chain of health food cafes in India. So, in December 2011, she left her cushy investment banking job, pumped in Rs 14 lakh from her personal savings, and registered her company name as Zao Foods Private Limited.

Samosas, kachoris, choley-bhaturey/ kulchey... No matter how much we relish our traditional unhealthy savouries, there is the nagging need to eat nutritious food. To cater to this growing awareness of eating healthy is Mitali Kalra's year-old Mediterranean cafe, Crostini, tucked away in a corner of the HauzKhas Village in south Delhi.

A year into operations, her turnover is Rs 25-30 lakh. Till date, she has invested Rs 30 lakh, but expects to earn Rs 35-40 lakh by end of 2013.

Uniza Tasneem, Daria System

Born and brought up in Chickmanglore, Uniza Tasneem completed management studies from Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences, Bangalore. She was selected by Kesdee Inc (an US based Company which was in to e-Learning) as a marketing executive. "Working there for an year and a half gave me an brief idea of software. The word software / Application, ERP started fascinating me."

Uniza Tasneem is the founder and director of Koramangala-headquartered Daria System, a hospital management solution enterprise.

In 2012, Tasneem started Daria System with an initial investment of Rs 5 lakh. "Our domain expertise lies in managing financials of healthcare sector mainly superspeciality & multispeciality, large & medium hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centers, laboratories, multispecialty clinics and pharmacies by providing customized software solutions."

Source : By ECONOMICTIMES.COM 

Ploughing got posh: A Ferrari for your farm?

A Ferrari for your farm? That’s not a far-fetched dream. Encouraged by booming sales of luxury cars, companies are driving premium tractors into the rural market.

It's an old story that farmers from North India love their Mercedes almost as much as their mustard. According to a Confederation of Indian Industry-AT Kearney report, Punjab alone accounted for 2,870 units out of 10,870 imported cars sold in India in 2012. This included names like BMW, Mercedes and Audi. 

Today, companies believe they are right on the money by launching luxury tractorstargeted at consumers powered by rural wealth. Escorts Ltd is already selling Ferraritractors in India , while Italian manufacturer SAME Deutz-Fahr (SDF) Group, owners of the Lamborghini tractor brand, will be bringing a range of Lamborghini tractors to India by 2014. 

One of the first to get into the premium tractor market was Mahindra & Mahindra, India's largest tractor manufacturer . Back in 2011, it announced the launch of Arjun International, a premium tractor with a high-powered engine and air-conditioned cabin, priced at Rs 15 lakh. The boom in the luxury car industry — valued at $5.8 billion in 2011 and expected to treble by 2015 — encouraged international players to enter the high-end tractor market as well."India's interest in high-end products has been proved by the luxury car segment and we hope these tractors will catch the imagination of the farming community like luxury cars," S Sridhar, CEO of Escorts Agri Machinery said in an earlier interview to TOI. One of the oldest manufacturers of tractors in India, Escorts has signed a partnership agreement with Italian company BCS SpA to distribute Ferrari tractors in India. Rajan Nanda, chairman and managing director, Escorts Ltd believes that Indian agriculturists have evolved from being subsistent farmers to those with an entrepreneurial bent of mind. "Today's farmers are looking for equipment that is high on precision and output. Escorts wants to partner with this forward looking Indian farmer by bringing international technology and design standards to the Indian tractor market." 

Escorts is offering a 26 HP machine suitable for specialised farming, such as in vineyards and fruit orchards. Priced at Rs 8 lakh, it is already available in Maharashtra and is being targeted at Kolhapur, Sangli and Nashik districts. "The needs of orchard and vineyard growers are more advanced and the product will address them efficiently ," says Nikhil Nanda, joint managing director, Escorts Ltd.BSE 2.48 % 

Uday Mahajan says he was impressed by more than just the brand name of the 26 HP Ferrari tractor he bought. The farmer from Peth Vadgaon in Haat Kanagale tehsil of Maharashtra's Kolhapur district, among the first to buy the Ferrari tractor in India, researched the best options for his 40-acre paddy field. "I saw 20 different video clips before zeroing in on Escorts Ferrari ," says Mahajan, who paid Rs 6.5 lakh for the tractor and is pleased with the results. "It took half a litre of diesel to sow one acre of land. Had the sowing been done manually, I would have to assign six farm hands and pay them Rs 600 per day." He's particularly happy about the four-wheel drive which makes turning in confined spaces easier as well as the extensive attachments the tractor can accommodate. 

With its Lamborghini tractors, the SDF group is targeting rich farmers, high net worth individuals with farming interests and owners of golf courses , cricket stadiums and luxury resorts. Their machines are priced approximately Rs 10 lakh upwards abroad. Bhanu Sharma, managing director and CEO of SDF India Pvt Ltd, told a newspaper in April, "We are studying the market and may introduce some range of Lamborghini tractors in about a year." SDF already manufactures select Lamborghini tractor models in Ranipet , Tamil Nadu, for export to Europe and Malaysia. 

Harminder Singh, a SDF distributor from Bhogpur in Jalandhar district, believes his clients will be excited about luxury tractors. "Some of our farmers have rich NRI relatives who will be keen to invest, while others will just want to be the first to buy an exclusive, high-end foreign brand," he says. 

Luxury tractors aren't just measured by horsepower (HP) and other technical specifications, it's the customisation offered that sets them apart. Internationally, luxury tractors accommodate small workstations, and feature fridges or cool boxes and drink holders, sound systems and luxury trims, either in wood or leather. They even have leather steering wheels. 

While some distributors believe there is a market for luxury tractors in India, others are more cautious. According to the state farm departments, the number of tractors in Punjab and Haryana are about 4.43 lakh and 2.70 lakh respectively. Most of these are high horsepower and suitable for large farms, but since land holdings in both states have been shrinking over the years most machines are under-utilised . Tractors are used for about 400 hours a year in Punjab, far lower than the 1,000 hours per annum required to make them economically viable. 

For new entrants to make a dent in this already saturated market, dealers point out that local brand-building and an efficient after-sales service count for more than just a luxurious brand identity . American companyNew Holland Ford, one of the world's biggest manufacturers of tractors, launched in India in 1998. "Despite being a big foreign brand, initially we struggled to gain the confidence of farmers in Punjab and Haryana, who were unaware of our name," says a dealer. 

Manpreet Singh Bajwa, a farmer from Khaira Kalan village in Mansa district of south Punjab, says the tractor market is highly competitive. "Companies offer everything from free aftersales service to accessories to persuade farmers to trade in their old machines," he says. Jang Bahadur Singh from Jamshed village, Jalandhar district, is one of the area's biggest potato farmers. He is skeptical about the utility value of these fancy products. "I'd want to know whether rotavators, straw reapers and balers of large sizes can be attached and operated easily with these models," he says, revealing that while some farmers are already operating 90 HP tractors with air-conditioned cabins for drivers, parts and accessories that can be fitted to these tractors are not easily available in the market. "Farmers are not able to get the best output or the machines are under-utilised ," he says. 

(With Dileep Athavale in Pune and Nikhil Deshmukh in Kolhapur) 

Source : By Ikhhlaq Singh Aujla, TNN 

What Do Laminitis and Wimbledon Have in Common?

What Do Laminitis and Wimbledon Have in Common?

Lush grass at Wimbledon is being blamed for the literal downfall of several players this year. This much higher casualty rate is blamed on the late spring, which is keeping the grass so lush at the end of June. According to a British newspaper article, Wimbledon's high-sugar grasses are also more slippery than non-lush grass.

Grass was in the news today. It was in the sports news, of all places. And the story sounded very familiar.

It wasn't normal grass that made the news, it was lush grass. Grass high in fructans and Non-Structural Carbohydrates.

You know, the kind of grass that causes some horses to suffer from laminitis.

But it wasn't horses who were at high risk from lush grass this time. The risk was to tennis players at the world's most iconic championships, Wimbledon, held outside London, England.

Lush grass can send some horses beyond the laminitis tipping point if they have metabolic sensitivities,just as it can send tennis players to their knees.

At first, Louise Gray's article in the Telegraph sounded like it was a helpful horse care article as it explained how horses can suffer from laminitis after eating too much lush spring grass.

But what was Maria Sharapova doing in an article about laminitis? There was her picture: she was sprawled on the grass, which would be blamed for her tumble. She wasn't alone: so far, seven players have blamed the grass for their injury or elimination, including American John Isner.

According to Gray, England is having a late spring this year, which means that the grass is also late in its maturation. About three weeks late, in fact. This week might be its peak of lushness. Apparently post-peak grass is less slippery and thus preferred for tennis, but Wimbledon must go on.

The Telegraph quotes unnamed sources as saying that "the grass is looking too lush and full of sugar", which sounds a lot like what we are saying about our horse paddocks here in New England right now.

Normally, grass selected to be planted at Wimbledon is from types that are known to be low in sugar, to make it tough enough to survive the wear and tear of those serves and volleys, but this year's weather was a fly in the ointment of perfectionist groundskeeping. Lush grass is happy grass, but happy grass benefits neither sensitive horses nor tennis players. Sugar content seems to affect the friction factor of shoes on the grass.

Blame it on the grass: Serena Williams had a good excuse for crashing to the ground during her match at Wimbledon today. The grass is too rich in sugar and carbohydrate.

Not surprisingly, Wimbledon is denying that there is anything wrong with the grass, which one player denounced as "dangerous" as she was helped to her feet.

What we have here is a failure of friction; the surface of some of the shoes worn by tennis players must be a bad match for the Wimbledon grass. Perhaps some shoe soles or some action styles of certain players make them more likely to slip than others.

Somewhere tonight, a sports shoe engineer will be staying up late studying surface friction co-efficients of lush-point vs normal grasses. A lush-grass Adidas sole might be on the drawing board; soles for grass play have been around for a long time and are usually dimpled, while clay-court shoes have a herringbone pattern.

Polo ponies have to gallop, twist, turn and stop on fast grass. While there's always an ideal solution for each individual pony, most wear inner rim or "polo" shoes to keep them on their feet.

Farriers, of course, have a simple answer for the players as they advance to the finals: take a page from the polo ponies' survival guide and add an inner rim to the shoe.

Or what would Wimbledon say if a player emulated a show jumper and appeared at Center Court with grass studs in his or her Nikes? They can be spray-painted white to fit with the tradition, but the divots they create would mar the perfectly smooth grass that a tennis ball needs for a true bounce. At one time, lawn tennis shoes did have spikes, similar to golf shoes.

The next time you see a photo of a Wimbledon player sprawled on the ground, consider this: horsemen aren't the only ones challenged by lush spring grass, and the sugar-factor reason might be the same.

Be sure to read "Lush grass blamed for slippy Wimbledon" by Louise Gray in The Telegraph. You'll probably never see tennis and laminitis in the same article again. It's Nature's way of reminding us to watch the calendar and the weather, and to plan accordingly.

You might also enjoy Thomas Turner's paper, "Lawn tennis shoes for men and for women, c.1870–c.1990"

Source : http://hoofcare.blogspot.in; Photos in this article by William Marlow, Jet Media Works, and Jessica St. John

Also some interesting links : http://federermagic.blogspot.in

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Marion Bartoli

Sabine Lisicki , Germany

Agnieszka Radwanksa

James Lawton, of The Independent, is not a big fan of ladies’ tennis, but then, having watched yesterday’s semi-final between Sabine Lisicki and Agnieszka Radwanksa, admitted that there were exceptions.

“Women’s tennis is the anaemic, over-paid version of the men’s game,” he writes. “It’s not supposed to make the blood race. It can never compete with the majesty of a Roger Federer or the electric impact of Novak Djokovic. It is, let’s be honest, taking a ride on the back of a bigger, stronger, more dramatic game.

“Not yesterday, it wasn’t. Yesterday there was only one way of describing the contest which surged and swayed in one direction and then another – one which had Serena’s conqueror powering in serves that went as high as 120mph and then, when frequently demanded, a second serve guaranteed to chasten Andy Murray. It was an onslaught that drew in response the stunning, subtle pace of last year’s finalist Radwanska and so there was no way that you could diminish this riveting semi-final.”

Simon Barnes, of The Times, meanwhile extols the virtues of the loser, Radwanska, and her meticulously tactical game. He writes: “Radwanska plays with such intelligence that they ought to scrub out the tennis court markings and paint the lawn with 64 black and white squares. Radwanska had her – in the immortal words of Brendan Behan – bitched, bollixed and bewildered.”

Barnes continues: “This was marvellous stuff, the best tennis of the championship as a pure contest, not least because styles make fights and these two dovetailed perfectly. It was as if the idea of the occasion had been put together, choreographed, to showcase the possibilities of the sport rather than find a winner.”

Ivan Speck, of the Daily Mail, hears Radwanska’s explanation for why she left the Centre Court so abruptly at the end. “What could I do, just be there and dance?” she said in response to the question of why she hadn’t congratulated her opponent more warmly. “I didn’t feel like it at that point, I would rather play badly and win the match than lose after that one.”

Marion Bartoli’s power naps and other little routines between points are discussed by Alyson Rudd, of The Times, and Alan Fraser in the Daily Mail. Rudd writes: “She had asked her physio to wake her up in case she overslept, but she did not need him. The 2007 runner-up woke before anyone panicked and says she may do the same again when she faces Sabine Lisicki in the final tomorrow. Unbelievable – unless you think of yourself as a moggy, and then it feels quite rational.”

Fraser says in his piece: “Others tend to be less charitable towards her habit of turning her back on her opponent between serves and frantically shadow-swinging her racket. Together, Bartoli and Rufus the Hawk are keeping Wimbledon free of pigeon infestation. There is also a pretty constant flow of jumping, knee bending and fist clenching. When she runs to and from her chair at the breaks she shows a mean Gerald Davies-like side step.”

Kevin Garside, of The Independent, asks the question: “How can a semi-final be so lightly contested at one end of the court and so aggressively at the other? Bartoli is a she-warrior, charging about the court between points. In fact she worked harder between points than in winning them, running on the spot and throwing punches with her racket as if shadow boxing at Gleeson’s.”

Barnes looks at pressure and the pointless use of the word in sport in another of his pieces. “Pressure is seen as a curious dark force that oppresses people in sport,” he writes. “They feel it, or they don’t feel it. They let it get to them, or they don’t. They deal with it, they cope with it, they handle it, or they don’t.

“Murray is under pressure to win today, but so is Janowicz. It’s not easier for him because he’s not British and doesn’t carry the burden of 77 years of history. It’s hard for him because he carries Polish hopes, and all his own hopes for making a career at the top end of the sport. Losing would be devastating for him. He’s under pressure. Murray’s under pressure.”

That said, Mike Dickson, in the Daily Mail, reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has imparted a few words of advice to Andy Murray on how to handle pressure, but fails to tells us what it is. “He was more just giving me some advice on how to handle certain pressures and expectations, that sort of thing,” said Murray. “Getting that sort of advice from someone like him is gold dust, so I’m not going to be sharing much of it.”

Nick Bollettieri, in The Independent, has a few words of comfort for Murray in today’s semi-final against Jerzy Janowicz, of Poland, and seems to be suggesting it could come down to three tie-break sets. He writes: “If Murray can maintain his service he should win because when it comes down to tie-breaks the guy with the greater quality usually beats the guy with the bigger serve.”

Source : http://www.wimbledon.com; by Clive White

Race for Mallya's MCF hots up as Deepak Fertilisers enters fray

Pune firm buys 24.46% stake from open market to become largest shareholder

Vijay Mallya

UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya seems to have another battle in his hands. In a surprise and hostile move, Pune-based Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals Corporation has bought a 24.46 per cent stake in UB’s Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizer (MCF) in block deals worth Rs 180 crore from the stock market.

With Wednesday’s block deals, executed at an average price of Rs 61.75 a share, Deepak Fertilisers emerged as the holder of largest block of shares in MCF. Mallya’s UB Group had pledged 11 per cent of its 22 per cent stake in MCF with banks to avail of loans to fund its now-collapsed Kingfisher Airlines. Soon after the block deals were executed in the morning trade, MCF’s shares fell 9.94 per cent to close at Rs 56.20 on BSE.
UB Group, however, said in a statement “there is no takeover battle for MCF and UB Group will retain its control over the firm.”

Adventz Group’s arm Zuari Agro, which owns about 10 per cent stake, purchased in April, is the next biggest shareholder. Adventz Chairman Saroj Poddar said Deepak was not acting in concert with Zuari. “They must have seen a solid potential in MCF. That’s why they have bought those shares,” he said.

The shares were purchased by Deepak Fertilisers in the open market from an assortment of shareholders, including mutual funds, the firm said in an announcement to the stock markets.

Deepak Fertilisers is planning to launch an open offer for MCF in the next few days to increase its stake and give other shareholders an exit option, say banking sources. When contacted, a spokesperson for Deepak Fertilisers declined to comment. A UB group insider said the company was not selling the stake in the open market. According to another source, JM Financial was advising Deepak Fertilisers on the transaction.

Deepak will use its own funds to finance the takeover of MCF. Last year, it had put on hold its Australian ammonium nitrate project, worth $350 million, following environmental, technical and economic reasons. These funds would now be used for MCF's takeover.

But for UB, it's going to be a tough fight, as MCF is a profit-making company for the group. Mallya had to earlier sell United Spirits to multinational Diageo to help repay loans to banks.


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This is not a takeover battle, says UB Group

The acquisition of shares will not affect the control of Vijay Mallya in the company immediately

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corp’s acquisition of a 24.46 per cent stake in the UB Group-controlled Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (MCF) from the open market has “surprised” the group led by liquor baron Vijay Mallya. However, it tried to play down the development.

“There is no takeover battle for MCF. The UB Group will retain its control over MCF,” a group spokesperson said today.

ALSO READ: Deepak Fertiliser to buy Mangalore Chem

Sources added today’s share purchase would not affect Mallya’s control over the MFC immediately.

In today’s block deal, Guardian Advisors, promoted by the Burman family that owns Dabur, sold majority of its shares in MCF. Guardian had held a 10.01 per cent stake in the fertiliser company. Guardian built up its portfolio in MCF over the last two years.

Chennai-based investment company Indian Syntans Investments also sold its shares to Deepak Fertilisers. It was one of the long-time shareholders in MCF.  “It’s a deal that does not involve the promoters. The promoter has not sold his shares and continues to hold a 22 per cent stake in the company. It’s a third-party sale and does not impact the promoter,” an MCF insider said, requesting anonymity.

After acquiring the 10 per cent stake of Zuari Agro in April this year, Mallya was the single largest shareholder MCF. After today’s transaction by Deepak Fertiliser, UB Group has become the second largest shareholder.

Of the 22 per cent stake held by the promoter, United Breweries Holdings has 16.07 per cent, United Spirits 0.01 per cent and McDowell Holdings controls 4.92 per cent, while the remaining 1.01 per cent is with Kingfisher Finvest India. Mallya had pledged 57.38 per cent of the 22 per cent stake.

“It’s a surprise for me when I learnt that Deepak Fertilisers has taken a significant shareholding in MCF. Deepak Fertilisers is a respected name in the industry. I haven’t yet thought of whether I will stay further. It’s too early and I will have to understand on how today’s development will roll out,” said Deepak Anand, managing director, MCF.

Attempt to take over MCF by the competitors is not a new development. Earlier, the Chennai-based SPIC had tried to take over the company, but it was not successful. The company’s employees and trade unions had strongly opposed the move.

Taking control of MCF will be a big advantage for Deepak Fertilisers since MCF is the largest manufacturer of chemical fertiliser in Karnataka and meets 70 per cent of the fertiliser needs of the state. The balance 30 per cent is sold in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

MCF reported a 21.5 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 16.8 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared to Rs 21.5 crore a year ago. Net sales during the quarter were down 36 per cent to Rs 649.8 crore against Rs 1,014.7 crore in the year-ago period.

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‘I do not think Mallya’s involved’

When Saroj Poddar, chairman, Adventz Group, bought 10 per cent stake in Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers in April via the group’s fertiliser arm Zuari Industries, he had told Business Standard he didn’t want any competitor to get the stake.

Now, in a sudden move, Deepak Fertilisers has bought a 24 per cent stake in MCF from the open market.

Shortly after the news, Poddar spoke to Digbijay Mishra on what he makes of the deal. Excerpts:

What do you make of this sudden buying by Deepak Fertilisers?
Well, I can only say they must have thought of MCF as a solid potential. That’s why they have bought those shares.

Is this development a spoilsport, especially when you were so keen to increase stake in MCF?
I can’t say that at this moment. We will sit and decide on what has to be done.

There is a buzz this move is influenced by Vijay Mallya?
I do not think he (Mallya) is involved in it.

After acquiring a 10 per cent stake in April, you were planning to meet Vijay Mallya. Is that happening any time soon?
That is for Mr Mallya to decide and his management will take a call.

What is going to be your next move? Would you try increasing your stake via open market buys?
No. I cannot comment on it as I have no idea what is going to be the next move. Let's wait for some time.

Source : http://www.business-standard.com; ww.rediff.com

50 Top and best denim brands worldwide

50 Top and best denim brands worldwide

Talking about denims, how can we forget the Japanese, epitome of perfectionist. Started in india ' indigo dye' and now perfected by the japanese. The famous 'Selvedge denim' inventors.

So for me the japanese stand right in front with their highly creative and quality jeans both in design and characteristics.

Japanese Denim Brands

1. 45rpm : 45rpm is very cautious about the fabrics it uses and has an exclusive deal with its mill, ensuring one-of-a-kind materials. The company’s denims are made from both Zimbabwe cotton and Suvin hybrid cotton,
2. Edwin : Founded in 1969 by Edwin Company mainly focused on jeansmanufacture. Brad Pitt is an official spokesperson and model for the brand, and appears in many of its advertisements.
3. Evisu : Founded in 1991 by Hidehiko Yamane. Yamane-san was trained as a tailor but his love for vintage denimn and his disappointment with the mass-produced modern versions led him firstly to business of vintage clothing import business and later to start putting together the elements required to reproduce vintage-style jeans. The initial production was 14 pairs of jeans a day !
4. Iron Heart : The denim is made in Japan out of the highest quality, long fibre cotton. These long fibres allow the individual cotton threads to be spun less tightly than is normal. The result is a surprisingly soft feel to this ultra-heavy denim.
5. PRPS : Made from Zimbabwe Organic Cotton, the denim dream of the founder of Akademics and ex-Nike designer, PRPS defines perfection in today’s over saturated denim market.
6. Samurai : Founded in 1997,their collection exists of various models of unwashed denim. All Samurai jeans,uses 100% pure indigo with no fillers, and use the maximum amount of indigo that the yarn can hold. Samurai has also maximized the tension of the weave, so that after washing, the denim actually becomes even more stiff and the weave even tighter
7. Sugarcane : Sugar Cane ’ denim by traditional Japanese dyeing techniques by hand and not by machine. The first model ‘ Sugar Cane Awa ’ is made of sugar cane denim dyed by Awa indigo. Sugar Cane were the first in the world to produce a selvage-denim fabric made from woven cotton yarns and sugar cane fibers. otton and sugar cane yarns are dyed completely by hand with 100% natural indigo.

Italian denim! Well they are the masters again. . . . 

I can just think of the brilliant mind of 'Renso Rosso'. . . . . im kind of a big fan of his. The guy is a marketing genius and 199% business in his blood. The creation and uprise of DIESEL will be one my most memorable time.I always wanted to meet him one day, fortunately i hope i will

Italian Denim Brands

1. Diesel : The world famous jeans brand. Needs no introduction ! . Links : a)Financials b) Buy Diesel Jeans
2. Armani Jeans :Armani Jeans is a bridge-line collection of denim-related clothing created in 1981 by Giorgio Armani. Unlike Armani’s lower-end collection Armani Exchange, Armani Jeans is mainly sold in department stores instead of freestanding stores.
3. Miss Sixty :

Swedish Denim Brands

1. Acne : A ton of variety in mens’ fits, and repeat winner of ‘Designer of the Year’ by Swedish Elle.
2. Cheap Monday : Founded in 2000 by Örjan Andersson, originally as a second hand clothing store, in a suburb of Stockholm. The name of the brand originates from the fact that the original store was only open on Sunday.Being cheaper than other brands, and with tons of crazy prints and colored washes, it is liked by high school students a lot. Link.
3. Nudie : Men’s Jeans made from the best Italian, Turkish, American, and Japanese qualities using the best techniques. How they are made?

Netherland (Dutch) Denim Brands

1. G-Star : G-Star offers a well-balanced range of jeans in various designs, the right range of fittings and attractive washings. Products made for denim connoisseurs by denim connoisseurs.

US Denim Brands (L.A denim brands included)

1. AG Adriano Goldschmied : Starting out as a small boutique line in 2000, AG is a brand that is centered on recreating vintage denim washes.AG continues to evolve its “AG-ed Vintage” collection by introducing new fits, washes and fabrications. For Spring 2010, the brand will launch a Khaki Program, where the “AG-ed” 3-D whiskering technique is applied. Links : a)Some details
2. Paige Premium Denim : Paige Premium Denim, LLC was founded in 2004 by fit model Paige Adams-Geller on the principle that you don’t have to be a size zero to look great and feel great in a pair of designer jeans. She was the body behind the brands like 7 For All Mankind, Lucky Brand, Citizens of Humanity, Guess and used her expertise and unique values to create the “perfect fitting jean.”
3. 7 for all Mankind : Owned by VF Corp. since 2007 ,7 For All Mankind was the first company to truly bring premium denim to scale in 2000.7 For All Mankind’s premium jeans literally exploded onto the scene, quickly earning critical acclaim and an immediate following for its innovative use of fits, fabrics, and finishes in denim.Hollywood celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner, Liv Tryler and Ben Affleck endorsed the ‘Sevens’. Links :a)VF acquires 7
4. Siwy Denim : Launched in Spring 2005 in downtown New York City, Siwy offers the ultimate denim collection: vintage-inspired, sexy, fashion-forward designs with perfected finish, detail, and fit. Each piece is finished with hand-crafted labels made out of vintage feedsack cloth.
5. Earnest Sewn :Earnest Sewn brings forth two concepts: 1) process innovation and 2) heritage. Everything from "Twice Sewn" [stitching] process, to specialized hand-sanding techniques, which are worked on by one expert artisan per pair, to coffee-stained hang tags and individually wrapped craft paper set it apart from other labels.
6. Current/Elliot : Born as late as 2008 when Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, both stylists, met with friend Serge Azria, CurrentElliot seems to have gained fame rather fast. They are reputed to have started the BoyFriend Denim trendwhich is been adorned by Hollywood celebrities like Katie Holmes , Victoria Beckham etc.
7. J Brand :J Brand was co-founded by denim manufacturer Jeff Rudes and former stylist Susie Crippen.The two set out to create classic and sophisticated jeans with the emphasis on fit.J Brand – women’s- launched as an exclusive at Ron Herman’s Melrose jeans bar in the spring of 2005.The brand had immediate success, and J Brand’s introduction of their skinny straight leg made them the first American-made premium jeans to drive this trend. The also have a maternity line — Mama J by J Brand.In fall 2008, J Brand introduced a Men’s line under the label, J Brand Denim Co.

Denim Brands In India

Indian denim market is on a high growth path with a rate of growth in the range of 8-12%. However, the market is dominated by the non-branded players who take away the major share of the denim market. The branded denim market is estimated to be around $450-$500 million , and is dominated by some international labels though the local brands are also getting prominent.

1. Levi’s : Levi’s is the leader in the branded denim category with about 20-25% share of the market. Using various innovative strategies, Levi’s has strengthened its hold on the market. It started operating in India in 1994 and is present in over 250 cities.
2. Killer Jeans : Owned by the Kewal Kiran Clothing limited, the brand was introduced in 1989 and is one of the well known denim brands in India. The other brands by this company – Easies, Lawman and Integritti are also well known menswear brands.
3. Spykar : Targetting the tastes of the youth of the country, Spykar uses its labs to bring out a large variety of designer denim jeans .The company launched aggressive campaigns in colleges, pubs and coffee shops as well as sponsored college events and fashion shows to target the right clients It is on a high growth trajectory and is currently reported to have a turnover of $45million+.

Source : http://denimoholic.blogspot.in

Tehri dam holds Ganga and saves Rishikesh, Haridwar

The water levels in Tehri dam were low at the start of the monsoon. This proved a critical factor in the dam retaining waters of an engorged Bhagirathi and preventing a 10-12 feet rise in the Ganga at Rishikesh that could have been ruinous for the town and its ashrams.

We take a look at how the dam aved Rishikesh, Haridwar and some interesting facts about it:

The role of Tehri Dam

A report said the fury of nature in Uttarakhand was such that waters rose as high as a four-storey building at Devprayag, where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet, in a 24-hour period after the June 16-17 cloud burst.

The rise at Devprayag, Rishikesh and Haridwar could have been much higher but for the Tehri dam.

File photo: Tehri Dam & Lake

Water could have caused destruction

On the morning of June 16, the discharge of water in Bhagirathi was 18,600 cusecs at the Tehri site, by evening, it went up to 1,05,000 cusecs and next morning it touched 2,44,000 cusecs. This led to a phenomenal rise in the river level at Devprayag by 11 meters. The inflow from Alaknanda was already 2,45,000 cusecs by then.

This rise was unprecedented - said officials of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) who made the first assessment of the flash floods - and could have resulted in total destruction of Rishikesh town and much of Haridwar if flow of Bhagirathi was not contained by the Tehri reservoir.

File photo: Down Stream View of Koteshwar HEP (400MW)

But for the Tehri dam...

Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna had in an interview told TOI that but for the Tehri dam, Rishkesh, Haridwar and parts of western UP would have been inundated.

As it was the start of the monsoon season and the Tehri reservoir was relatively empty, authorities retained 95% of Bhagirathi's fury and maintained a release of only 14,000 cusecs instead of 2,44,000 cusecs and prevented a rise in water level by at least 5 meters (more than 16 feet) in Devprayag and 10-12 feet at Rishikesh, about 60 km away as the river flows.

File photo: Chute Spillway of Tehri Dam & Hydro Power Plant (1000MW)

What THDC officials are saying

"All ashrams along the Ganges in Rishikesh would have been washed away and Ram Jhula would have been submerged if the river level had further gone up by even 3 meters," said D V Singh, director technical of THDC.

File photo: Tehri Dam

Strong currents of the river

The strong currents of the river would have damaged the weak embankments and destroyed structures along the river bank, he said. Haridwar too would have witnessed largescale devastation with any further rise in water level even by 2 meters under such circumstances.

"It would have been a catastrophe downstream of Devprayag, in Rishikesh and Haridwar, if instead of 14,000 cusecs, 2,44,000 cusecs was added from Bhagirathi," said D V Singh, director technical of THDC, adding that Tehri dam was effectively used to regulate water levels and avoid flooding downstream.
File photo: A View of Tehri Dam Reservoir

One of its kind dam

Tehri Dam & Hydel Power Project (1000 MW) comprises a 260.5 m high Earth & Rockfill dam. According to THDC, it is one of the highest dams of its type in the world.

File photo: Up Stream View of Koteshwar Dam (400MW)

Spillway System

It has a Spillway System designed for PMF of 15540 cumecs and a drop of 220m, having one Chute Spillway and four Shaft Spillways and an underground Power House housing four Turbine/ Generator sets of 250 MW each, designed to operate with a head variation of 90 m.

File photo: A View of Koteshwar HEP (400MW)

The power project

1 Jul, 2013

The Koteshwar H.E. Project is an integral part of the 2400 MW Tehri Hydro Power Complex. Koteshwar Project comprises a 97.5 m. high concrete Dam and Surface power house, housing 4 units of 100 MW each and is located around 22 km downstream of Tehri Dam.

File photo: A view of underground Tehri Power House

Tehri Dam and Power Station

The project was commissioned in 2006-07 and all four machines of Tehri Power Station are under commercial operation. "Besides providing much needed power to the Northern Grid, the command area is availing irrigation benefits from the project and drinking water is being supplied to Delhi and UP," claims the THDC website.

File photo: Tehri Dam & Spillway in Operation at Night

Source : All Images: THDC; ET Bureau & Agencies