In memoriam: Ashokamitran (September, 1931 - March, 2017)

We were honoured to feature Ashokamitran, eminent author and winner of the Sahitya Akademy Award in 1995, in our book BEST OF Chennai Volume 2. Thank you Sir, for the words.

'A masterpiece- a book to be tasted, again & again'

Full text of the address by His Excellency  Dr K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu at the release of BEST OF CHENNAI VOLUME 2, at the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai on 7.7.2016

           It is a pleasure to release the International Coffee Table Book “Best of Chennai Volume 2” published by Raintree Media and Global Village Partnerships.

            At the outset I congratulate the Raintree Media for its “The Best of Series” books published in 40 countries. I am happy that Raintree Media is doing this excellent work of showing the world the many achievements of Indians    from    different parts of the country. I am pleased to learn that the first volume of the Best of Chennai was published in 2009 and today they are bringing out the second volume. It is amazing to see the growth of this city over these years and the increasing success of its people and organizations.

          Tamil Nadu especially Chennai is known for its rich heritage and tradition. Chennaipattinam - Madras - the present Chennai is the first city of South India and the capital of Tamil Nadu. It is a historic land of ancient culture. Today Chennai is a manufacturing hub with numerous IT Parks, Automobile and Pharmaceutical companies.

‘The Best of Chennai Volume 2’ highlights the positive aspects about the city of Chennai and the state of Tamil Nadu. When I browsed the book, the unique feature which I found is that it nicely depicts the bouquet of the culture, architecture  and the commerce of Tamil Nadu especially Chennai, which speaks volume of  its greatness. The nice and cogent presentation on the achievements made by several talented people in various specialities of Chennai deserves a special mention.

 Chennai has a rich cultural tradition and the book not only says about the various art forms but also brings to light the artists, writers, musicians, film makers and actors who are part of this rich legacy. Chennai is also known for sportsmen and women of repute, who have brought pride to the state and the country in a wide range of sports like chess, tennis, squash, motorsports, watersports, football and cricket.

Apart from the beautiful and excellent photographs, there are outstanding images of artwork in the book. I am happy to learn that they are by eminent artists Achuthan Kudallur, S Nandagopal and K.Muralidharan. Above all, Chennai is known for its very successful businesses. As the 'Gateway to the South', it has had grand and eventful past. The remarkable part about this book is the information it carries about organizations in various sectors and their contribution to the economy. These establishments have created a strong foundation for the growth of the city of Chennai and the state of Tamil Nadu. I am also happy to read about the young entrepreneurs who are breaking new ground in business.

I am sure that the interviews given by many eminent people for this book, and their views will inspire the readers of the younger generation to achieve more. I appreciate the good and excellent work done by Raintree Media and Global Village Partnerships in publishing the ‘Best of Chennai Volume-2’.

            I congratulate Smt. Sandhya Mendonca, Editor-in-Chief and her entire team for bringing out this masterpiece. I am sure the “Best of Chennai Volume - 2” will be among the best international coffee table books and it will adorn every lobby and sitting room.       

I conclude with the words of Francis Bacon, English author & philosopher, “Some Books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some books are to be chewed and digested.” 

‘Best of Chennai Volume 2’ is one which can be tasted again and again.

                      My greetings to you all. Jai Hind.

****

Nokia's Asha was to empower young women.

The first telecom MNC to set up a full-fledged handset manufacturing facility in India, global communications leader Nokia had been connecting people to progress. By empowering women factory workers and creating community improvement initiatives, it had engineered economic transformation in Sriperumbudur.

Sriperumbudur’s economic landscape had undergone a complete transformation with the setting up of the Nokia Telecom SEZ in January 2006. While its recent decision to stop production of the poignantly named ASHA (hope in Sanskrit) and to shut down the plant itself soon, we recall the hopes of the young women who at one point, composed 70 percent of its workforce.

Our story in the BEST OF CHENNAI had chronicled the heydays when Nokia seemed to be a direct catalyst for economic growth in the region.

Ed: Nokia sold its devices and services business to Microsoft, but it could not include the Chennai plant in the $7.5 billion deal as the Indian government has demanded taxes on software downloaded on handsets manufactured at the unit since 2006.

Priority class for Karnataka tourism

The tourism sector in Karnataka is looking positive: about 300 places across the state have been identified for their tourist potential and are to be developed in gradual stages with private sector involvement. The sector is expected to generate four million jobs and Rs. 85,000 crore in revenue.

Tourism Minister RV Deshpande receiving the
book from Raintree Media Director Aditya Mendonca

Bangalore will also get a world class MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) facility on a 435-acre plot near the airport. The plan is to make this a ‘Go To’ destination for events, with adventure, heritage and wine trails in the area around Nandi Hills and Devanahalli fort and wine tours for visitors. Read more in the BEST OF BANGALORE Innovation Edition. CLICK HERE to buy online.

Bangalore's scientific eco-system

Three institutions in Bangalore are charting new territories in understanding biological science. This cluster of research institutes with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) as the nucleus, are adding to the city's scientific eco-system. Working at the forefront of biology across several levels, they follow diverse models, and promote innovation and entrepreneurship in this field. Read more in the BEST OF BANGALORE Innovation edition. CLICK HERE to buy online 

“A good entrepreneur in Bangalore will find money" - Pradeep Kar

Pradeep Kar, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Microland  and serial technology entrepreneur

The entrepreneurial climate of Bangalore created legendary start-ups in the 1990s. Today, the city is abuzz again with successful start-ups across diverse verticals and starting a new business has never been easier here.

Read more in the BEST OF Bangalore Innovation Edition, which Kar describes as “very relevant to Bangalore”. CLICK HERE to buy online

“Not a Kodak moment: Innovation has to be pervasive” - Ashok Soota

Ashok Soota

“Innovation is a lifetime survival strategy. If you are not adopting the latest disruptive technologies, you will be disrupted”, said Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds.

Speaking about ‘Innovation as a key business differentiator’ at the launch of the international book BEST OF Bangalore Vol. 2 Innovation Edition, Soota asserted that innovation was not just marketing or product strategy.

Nobody would know better: He worked in the manufacturing industry before leading the growth of Wipro’s IT business from a run rate of $2 million to $500 million. He then co-founded MindTree and led it to a run rate of $350 million, before starting Happiest Minds which is on course to becoming the fastest Indian IT services company to achieve $100 million in revenue. Soota is also an industry leader; he was President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and also President of Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology. He has served on the Prime Minister's Task Force for IT and on the Advisory Council for the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva.

According to Soota, “The only reason why, in a city of mushrooming IT companies, Happiest Minds has been successful is because of innovation”.

To underline the pitfalls of lagging behind, he cited the example of Kodak. Though the company pioneered digital cameras, the new technology was a one-off development for Kodak which did not follow through on innovative thinking. Eventually, the company stagnated due to the inability to ‘catch the next wave’. Similarly, Nokia that had led the mobile phone market, completely missed the smartphone wave and is now playing catch-up, he said.

Soota talked about the two main types of innovation – Technology Innovation and Market Innovation. The former is about adopting the latest design and architecture while the latter is about mobilising data and services through the use of disruptive communication and storage media like Cloud and Social Analytics. “It is a pervasive process and must become part of the company’s philosophy,” he said.

He wrapped up his speech on a high note, reminding the audience that Bangalore is one the top 5 entrepreneurial hubs in the world. “There is always a sense of adventure and courage to the businesses founded in this city and that is going to be the key differentiator in the times to come”, he said.

For more on disruptive technologies powered by Happiest Minds, read Connecting happiness in the BEST OF Bangalore Vol. 2 Innovation Edition: available in leading book stores. To buy the book online CLICK HERE

“For the people, of the people and by the people” – Sakala Egovernance

Unbelievable as it might appear to people who have waded through years of red tape, the Government of Karnataka has introduced an online system that addresses problems and helps resolve them within a fortnight. What’s more, it is a single-window system that spares people of the ordeal of running between different government departments.

Dr. Shalini Rajneesh

Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Government of Karnataka spoke about ‘Innovation in Governance’ at the launch of the international book BEST OF BANGALORE Vol. 2 Innovation Edition. “Innovation is the need of the hour in industry and government alike”, she said.

In particular, Dr. Rajneesh spoke about the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2011, popularly known as Sakala. Meaning ‘in time’ in Kannada, Sakala is a new system of empowerment that  stands true to the three fundamental axioms of democracy: for the people, of the people and by the people.

It also enables entrepreneurs and corporate businesses to obtain licenses quicker and without having to bribe anyone. “People are happily surprised to find ‘helpful’ government employees,” she quipped as she summarised the reach and efficiency of the programme.

Over the past 25 months, 53 million people have availed of the services in Sakala – a number that in itself proves the need for such a system. Currently, Sakala spans across 50 departments and 669 services. It is a herculean effort, and it has already won the Google Innovation Award for its novel approach to governance. Dr. Rajneesh urged the corporate world to work closely with the government in bettering the society and urged that CSR initiatives should prioritise women’s empowerment in the state.

For more on Sakala, read Transforming governance in the BEST OF BANGALORE Vol. 2 Innovation Edition: available in leading book stores. To buy the book online CLICK HERE

How does Bangalore fare as a business hub?

"The spirit of innovation is the most important aspect of the city" according to Sandeep Maini. He is the Chairman of the Maini Group of Companies, which was started in 1973 by his father, the pioneering industrialist Sudarshan Maini. A premier engineering and manufacturing entity, the Group has a global presence in sectors like Automotive & Aerospace, Plastics and Composites, Material Handling Equipments, Storage Systems, Electronic vehicles and All Terrain vehicles.The Maini Group has made history by producing India's first electric car, REVA.

Sandeep Maini is also Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council which works to create a better industrial climate in the state. “Bangalore is ideally suited for business, with its vibrant social and cultural environment”.

Sandeep Maini

Maini was speaking on the topic of ‘Bangalore as a Business Hub’ during the launch of the international coffee table book, BEST OF Bangalore Vol. 2 Innovation Edition on July 23 in Bangalore.

“The secret behind Bangalore’s success is that it is the most congenial city in the country,” said the long time Bangalorean. Bangalore has had a history of being a land of opportunity, he said, and cited the example of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India's premier aeronautical complex as embodying the city's spirit of innovation .

Tracing HAL’s origins, Maini said that it was founded in Mysore during the pre-Independence era as part of the Royal Indian Air Force. The Second World War drastically changed the face of this organisation and during the war, it served as a major repairing hub for United States Air Force (USAF). When the war ended, HAL emerged as one of Asia’s largest and renowned aircraft repair centres. From then on, HAL has continued to redefine itself.

The Reva electric car that the Maini Group had built (it has been acquired by the Mahindra Group) and said that the “Reva is our best example of adopting innovative thinking”.

The city undoubtedly has several challenges and there has been a noted degradation of civic values, but he was optimistic that citizens could overcome the hurdles if they pooled their resources together and take responsibility. Harking back to the growth of the Mainis, he said, “I can honestly say that we have grown with the best of Bangalore".

For more On Doing Business in Karnataka, and detailed interviews with Soumitra Bhattacharya, former Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council about the Agenda for Business and with Sandeep Maini about CII as a Business Enabler, read the BEST OF BANGALORE Vol. 2 Innovation Edition : available in leading book stores. To buy the book online CLICK HERE

“The Best among the Best – Best of Bangalore Innovation Edition.”

“This is the best among the best,” said Mr Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds at the launch of the latest in the BEST OF series of international books, and the fifth in the series in India.

Ashok Soota with Sandhya Mendonca

Fittingly for a book that pegs itself as setting the benchmark for books on Bangalore, the launch was a statement of both substance and style. It was an evening of understated elegance and unaffected affirmation of accomplishment.

Kicking off with two sets of short contemporary dances that were specially choreographed for the book launch by Natya & Stem Dance Kampni, the event moved seamlessly to an audio visual journey of Raintree Media’s journey of consistent growth and innovation.

The original number 'Ocean Flute' by CHAKRAFONICS, a world music band, playing in the background set the mood for a book launch like never before.

Dancers of the Natya & STEM Dance Kampni 

Sandhya Mendonca, Managing Director & Editor-in-Chief of Raintree Media, spoke without a prepared text, stating, “The AV has said it all, and the rest is for you to read in the book”. It was a moment to give warm thanks, and her speech was brief. In fact, brevity marked the company’s presenters, Aditya Mendonca and Capt Seshadri Sreenivasan saying just enough.

The focus was after all on the panel of eminent speakers who had been assigned, after much deliberation, topics that drew out the best from them.

Some of the Founders & CEO's of the organisations featured in the book

The first of the illustrious speakers of the evening was Mr. Sandeep Maini, Chariman of CII Karnataka State Council & Chairman of Maini Group of Companies. Heading the company that pioneered many engineering products, including, the Reva EV, he was the perfect person to speak on Bangalore as a business hub. He has lived through the various changes of this dynamic city and he intertwined that invaluable experience into his speech. An eternal optimist, he outlined the challenges facing companies today and how they are currently being overcome.

Dr.Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary for the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms and two other departments, spoke on ‘Innovation in Governance’. As the Project Director of Karnataka’s pioneering e-governance initiative Sakala, she stressed the importance of cooperation between the government and the corporate world.

From L-R: Sandhya Mendonca, Ashok Soota, Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, Zubin Songadwalla & Sandeep Maini 

Mr. Ashok Soota, Chairman of Happiest Minds, spoke about “Innovation as a Key Differentiator” to an audience eager to lap up his words, gleaned from years of valuable experience. Having worked in both manufacturing and information technology, Mr. Soota had excellent insights into what makes an organisation tick. “Innovation has to be pervasive and permanent”, he said, citing several case studies to reinforce his point. *A more detailed report of the three speeches are in the next post.

Following those enlightening speeches, the chief guests unveiled the elegant, red case-bound books and were joined on stage by CEOs and Founders of companies that have made their mark with innovative thinking. These are the superstars of the business world and it was a proud moment for everybody present, as these illustrious Bangaloreans came together to celebrate the launch of the book.

Enthralling World Music by Aneesh Vidyashankar

The final act was as fitting as it was beautiful. A musical performance by Aneesh Vidyashankar and his accompanists, the trio of young and very talented musicians; they expressed their imaginative interpretation of innovation. Fusing Western and Indian classical music, they created a lilting confluence. From Bach to Thyagaraja, their knowledge of music was evident as they weaved through their performance with ease, breaking conventions to create magic. It was the perfect end to a perfect evening.


 By V Rajagopal

All the Best

All the Best , Best of India , featured in Business India's November 11th, 2012 Issue.

India's first facebook book store is featured in Business India  

Best Of India Press Release

MEDIA RELEASE
11.10.2012
Bangalore
BEST OF INDIA
International Business atlas & coffee table book launched

Mr. Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman, Happiest Minds, released the
BEST OF INDIA, part of the international BEST OF series of books, here today. He said, “The Best of India book is like a breath of fresh air. In an age of cynicism where we are bombarded with so much negativity, it is a pleasant change to have a publication which focuses on ‘positives’ and success stories.” Congratulating the Publisher & Editor –in-chief Sandhya Mendonca, Mr. Soota said, “The Best of India reinforces the India story and itself will lead to further success for the country as others pick up the message.”

Mr. Soota, who is a former President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and former President of Manufacturers' Association of Information Technology, has also written the foreword for the book. Speakers at the event included experts who have written articles in the book: SG Vasudev on Indian art, Prathibha Prahlad on dance and Prasad Bidapa about the evolution of India’s fashion consciousness.

BEST OF INDIA showcases 62 key businesses across various verticals that drive its trade and commerce. With an aesthetic blend of beautiful photographs and cogent text, it is a microcosm of Indian success stories. This elegant copper embossed coffee table book highlights the economic and cultural dynamism of India.

The elegant book also includes valuable perspectives from well-known personalities like Suhel Seth on Brand India, Ashutosh Gowariker on cinema, Rashid Khan on music, Shanta Gokhale on theatre, K Satchidanandan on literature and Sanjeev Kapoor on cuisine.

Sandhya Mendonca, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of GVP India & Raintree Media, said, “The BEST OF INDIA is a comprehensive and compelling study of the great Indian success story. It examines the various qualities that contribute to the success of homegrown Indian companies – visionary leadership, focus on innovation, knowledge driven systems, agility, value for people, customers and partners’ customers. The book celebrates the success of sustainable companies and business models and looks to offer inspiration through the individual philosophies that power their growth.”

The book is published by Bangalore-based Global Village Publications India (GVP India) and Raintree Media, in partnership with the World Trade Centre Mumbai and the All India Association of Industries, key players in the Indian economy who promote multilateral trade and industry exchanges. It is edited by Sandhya Mendonca with principal photography by Asha Thadani.

The fourth in the India series of ‘Best of…’ books, the BEST OF INDIA vol 1 had an international launch, along with the BEST OF SOUTH AFRICA vol 7. The book was released by His Excellency, the High Commissioner of India to South Africa Virendra Gupta at the Future of Trade Africa 2012 inJohannesburg on July 16.

Facebook bookstore:
Raintree Media also announced the launch of the first facebook bookstore in India in collaboration with Bangalore-based Exprestore, India’s first f-commerce company.

Aditya Mendonca, Director, Digital division, Raintree Media said, “Facebook users can order titles published by Raintree Media & GVPI from the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/raintreemedia. F-commerce is a way by which facebook users can shop for merchandise from their favourite pages without leaving the network at any point during their transaction.”Ashish Agarwal, CEO and founder of Exprestore, said, “Facebook commerce is all set to change to way Indians shop online, compared to e-commerce.”


BEST OF INDIA

Branding a Nation and its people
Pages: 232
ISBN: 978-81-90776127
MRP: Rs. 3000/-
Published by: Global Village Publications India
Cover: Hard bound
Edited by Sandhya Mendonca

The book is available in leading bookstores and online on flipkart.com and on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raintreemedia.

About Sandhya Mendonca

CEO & Editor -in- Chief of Global Village Publications India &Raintree Media Pvt Ltd

A seasoned journalist who has worked with prestigious publications until she became a media entrepreneur, Sandhya exemplifies the convergence of skills needed for both roles that she plays in the company. She is a post-graduate in Political Science and has a PGD in Public Relations. With a keen eye for detail, she heads the editorial team and specialises in incisive copy. She has a yen for travel which she uses to put to good use by opening up new territories for the growing the GVP footprint.


About the ‘Best of…’ series
BEST OF INDIA is published by Global Village Publications India (GVP India) Pvt Ltd, in partnership with Raintree Media, under license from Global Village Partnerships, Dubai that is the worldwide franchisor for the ‘Best of…’ series of publications.
Earlier editions in the ‘Best of…’ India series include Best of Bangalore, Best of Chennai and Best of Goa. Please view e-books at www.gvpedia.com | www.proudlyasia.com

Praise for the BEST OF INDIA vol 1

“I would like to compliment your effort to showcase the growth and success of our country.”– KV Kamath, Non executive Chairman, ICICI Bank Ltd

“The book is well brought out.” - Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Aut

Praise for Best of Bangalore vol 1


“Best of Bangalore is an excellent book and captures very accurately
what makes Bangalore unique - young, aspirational, meritocratic and
truly the Intellectual Capital of India. This is an outstanding book.”
- NandanNilekani, Aadhar Unique Identification Authority of India

Praise for Best of Chennai vol 1

“Best of Chennai captures the essence of the city through articles and photographs.” - The Hindu

“This is something I would be happy to buy and distribute among my friends, especially when I travel overseas. It would be a nice way for my friends from overseas to get to know about my city Chennai.” - Ramesh Krishnan, legendary tennis champion

Praise for Best of Goa vol 1

“Best of Goa covers the nuances that give the state its exceptional quality.”
– NavhindTimes

“Here we have a high-end book by a sensitive group of persons….it not only transmits the flavour of Goa to the reader but also eloquently expresses the richness of its culture and its society…” - The Herald

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