The corporate WARRIORS

20 Things You Didn’t Know About…Eclipses

p102555924 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:47:43 +0000

20 Things You Didn’t Know About…Eclipses
1. The longest total solar eclipse of the centuryoccurred on July 22 over India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. It peaked over the Pacific Ocean, but even there the darkness lasted amere 6 minutes and 29 seconds.
2. Fast and furious: The moon’s shadow zooms across Earth’s surface at up to 5,000 miles per hour.
3. Canadian astronomer and renowned eclipse chaser J. W. Campbell traveled the world for 50 years trying to see 12 different eclipses. He ran into overcast skies every time.
4. Don’t repeat J. W.’s mistakes: Monsoon season throughout south Asia means that there is a good chance the eclipse this July will be clouded out too.
5. Just before full eclipse, dazzling “Baily’s beads” appear where sunlight shines through valleys on the moon. The last bead creates the impression of a diamond ring in the sky.
6. On eclipse-viewing expeditions, this phenomenon is frequently accompanied by a marriage proposal.
7. The beautiful symmetry of a total solar eclipse happens because by pure chance the sun is 400 times larger than the moon but is also 400 times farther from Earth, making the two bodies appear the exact same size in the sky.
8. In case you were thinking about relocating: Earth is the only place in the solar system where that happens.
9. Other planets get other kinds of fun, though. Jupiter can have a triple eclipse, in which three moons cast shadows on the planet simultaneously. The event is easily visible through a backyard telescope.
10. The Chinese word for solar eclipse isshih, meaning to eat. In ancient China people traditionally beat drums and banged on pots to scare off the heavenly dog believedto be devouring the sun.
11. Then again, China also produced the first known astronomical recordings of solar eclipses, inscribed in pieces of bone and shell called “oracle bones,” from around 1050 B.C. or earlier.
12. By comparing those ancient records with modern calculations of eclipse patterns, scientists have determined that the day is 0.047 second longer today than it was back then.
13. Tidal friction, which causes that lengthening of the day, is also making the moon drift away. In about 600 million years it will appear too small to cover the sun, and there will be no more total solar eclipses.
14. In any given location, a total solar eclipse happens just once every 360 years on average.
15. Luckiest place on Earth Carbondale, Illinois, will beat the odds: Folks there will see an eclipse on August 21, 2017, and again on April 8, 2024.
16. In contrast, everyone on the night side of the world can see a lunar eclipse, where the moon slips into Earth’s shadow.
17. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon takes on a deep reddish hue due to the sunlight filtering through our atmosphere the cumulative glow of all the world’s sunsets.
18. While stranded in Jamaica, Christopher Columbus was famously saved by the lunar eclipse of February 29, 1504, which he had read about in his almanac. After a fracas with the locals, Columbus warned that the moon would disappear if they did not start supplying his men with food.
19. When the moon vanished, the locals promptly complied, and Columbus breathed a huge sigh of relief: His almanac was calibrated for Germany, and he was not sure that he had adjusted correctly for local time.
20. Who knows it might be useful to you, too. The next lunar eclipse visible from the United States will take place onDecember 21, 2010.

3 tips on property investment process

p102555924 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:49:15 +0000

3 tips on property investment process
When it comes to the process of making a property investment and exiting from it, there are a few things that you must keep in mind.

1. Transaction costs:
When you buy or sell property, there are many transaction costs associated with these activities. You might have to pay a brokerage fee to the intermediary.
If you have made a gain on the sale, there will also likely be a resulting capital gains tax liability. You will also face some expenses related to the stamp duty at the time of the transfer and registration costs of the property. All these costs can add amaterial amount to the purchase or sale price of your investment.

2. Liquidity:
Unlike stocks that you can sell readily and convert into money in the hand within a couple of days, buying and selling property takes time. Your ability to convert your investment into cash in hand is quite restricted. It is not uncommon for deals to take up to one year, and still fall through at the last minute.
So if you feel that you can sell your property to pay for your child’s education abroad once he/she gets admission, you might bein for a shock. To have easy access to this money, you might be better off putting it into a financial asset that you can access at a short notice (e.g., fixed deposit or liquid fund).

3. Cash:
Property investments are not always the cleanest when it comes to cash versus cheque component of paying for deals. Unlike mutual funds where KYC (know your client) norms require that the investment be made in cheque and the PAN card details be shared, real estate investments can have a huge cash component to them. This might not suit everyone.

20 Things You Didn’t Know About…Money

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:33:58 +0000

20 Things You Didn’t Know About…Money

1. No escape: As you file your taxes this month, you can take solace in knowing that the ritual dates back almost 5,000 years, toa time when Egyptians started paying taxes in goods and labor.

2. Collecting taxes became a lot easier after Egypt and Mesopotamia began using silver and gold bars as currency, around 2500 B.C.

3. Unfortunately, the invention of money also made theft a lot easier. Consequently, temples became the first banks because they were sturdy, frequently visited, and intimidating to would-be thieves.

4 But did they offer subprime mortgages? By 1750 B.C., Babylonian temple priests had branched out into issuing loans to locals.

5 Back then they didn’t need bailouts. Founded in Italy as a pawnshop in 1472, theBanca Monte dei Paschi di Sienais the world’s oldest surviving bank.

6 Paper money originated in China in the year 910 and amazed Marco Polo when he visited three centuries later. He alsonoted that the emperor, Kublai Khan, seemed to be printing an awful lot of notes…

7 …which ultimately wrecked the economy. Due to skyrocketing inflation caused by churning out so much money, paper bills had to beabolished in China in the 15th century.

8 Return of the funny money: The expense of the U.S. Civil War inspired the government to introduce paper “greenbacks” in July 1861.

9. All the U.S. coins and bills in general circulation today have a total worth of about $829 billion.

10. Two-thirds of that cash is held overseas.11 Filthy lucre: In a study last year, researchers found more cocaine residue on U.S. bills than on any other currency. Also found on money: staphylococcus bacteria and fecal matter.

12. That may explain why, for a period around 1916, you could carry your cash to Washington, D.C., to have it washed, ironed, and reissued.

13 The paper used for U.S. bills isn’t made from trees. Rather, it contains 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen.

14 To foil counterfeiters, the latest $5 bill design has an embedded security thread that contains more than 650,000 tiny glass domes. They create an optical illusion that the Mint hopes is almost impossible to duplicate.

15 He left home without it: In 1949 Frank X. McNamara took friends to dinner in New York City but forgot to bring his cash. He vowed never again to be so embarrassed and so created the Diners Club Card, the first credit card.

16.The Diners Club Card was initially made of cardboard. It listed the 14 participating restaurants on the back and had an annual fee of $3.17 Scottish inventor John Shepherd-Barron built theworld’s first true ATMfor a Barclay’s Bank in North London in 1967.

18. The machine was based on the concept of a chocolate bar dispenser.

19. Plastic cards did not yet exist, so Shepherd-Barron’s ATM accepted only checks laced with identifying traces of radioactive carbon-14.

20. Once a distinctively radioactive check was detected, customers entered their four-digit PINs. Shepherd-Barron claimed users “would have to eat 136,000 checks” for the radioactivity to have any dangerous effects.

Nokia 7210: Charger exchange programme starts

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:23:29 +0000

Nokia 7210: Charger exchange programme starts
After detecting a manufacturing defect in a charger meant for Nokia 7210 handset, Nokia announced an exchange programmefor the charger in the Indian market.
Consumers, who own the chargers manufactured by a third-party supplier, are recommended to exchange these chargers for free, thecompany said.
Asked whether the company detected a major fault in these chargers, Nokia said, “During a routine quality control process, we identified a potential product quality issue with certain chargers manufactured by one of its third-party suppliers.
“The plastic covers of the affected chargers could come loose and separate, exposing the charger’s internal components and potentially posing an electric shock hazard if certain internal components are touched while the charger is plugged into a live socket,” the company said.
Nokia, however, asserted that no complaint has been registered so far globally or in India and it was detected only through its internal quality control test programme.
Ambrish Bakaya, director,
corporate affairs of Nokia India told PTI, “As a responsible corporate citizen, and the most trusted brand in India, we have pro-actively initiated this exchange program to safeguard consumer interest.
“In August 2007, Nokia had offered replacement of some of its ‘BL-5C’ batteries after scores of complaints about overheating.
The company said only one model of charger – AC-3E – manufactured by a third-party supplier between June 15 and August 9, 2009 falls within the scope of the latest global exchange programme.
Hence, the replacement will cover only chargers bought along with Nokia-7210 handsets after June 15, 2009.
Asked about the supplier of these chargers, officials declined to comment. Sources, however, said that the supplier was a Chinese company.
“Nokia is not aware of any incidents or injuries related to these chargers,” company officials said.

The Date Rape Drug

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:11:15 +0000

Rohypnol : The Date Rape Drug, flunitrazepam
Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) — more casually known as the “date rape” drug — has become well-known. Though the drug has medicinal purposes, its powerful effects have scarily been used to incapacitate women during sexual assault — namely, rape.Besides “date rape” drug, you may have heard Rohypnol referred to by these other names:
rophies;
roofies
.R2
roofenol.
Roche.
roach-2;
roachies;
la rocha.
rope;
roopies;
ropies
rib
circles.
Mexican valium.
the forget Pill
trip-and-fall
mind-erasers
Rohypnol is not manufactured or sold legally in the United States. However, it is produced (by Hoffman-La Roche) and sold legally with a prescription in Europe and Latin America, where it is used as a short-term treatment forinsomnia, a sedative hypnotic and a pre-anesthetic.
The drug is often smuggled into the United States by mail or delivery services.
Clonazepam– a drug used in the treatment of seizures and panic disorder — is similar. It goes by the brand names Klonopin in the United States, and Rivotril in Mexico.
What Happens When Someone Takes Rohypnol?
Rohypnol has physiological effects similar toValium (diazepam), but is approximately ten times more potent.
Intoxication is generally associated with impaired judgment and motor skills. The drug has no taste or odor, so those given it don’t realize what is happening. About ten minutes after ingesting the drug, a woman may feel dizzy and disoriented, simultaneously too hot and too cold, and/or nauseated. She may experience difficulty speaking and moving, and then pass out.
Effects peak within two hours, and can persist for up to eight hours. Such victims have no memories of what happened while under the drug’s influence.
The combination of alcohol and Rohypnol is particularly hazardous; together, their effects on memory and judgment are greater than those experienced when taking one alone. It is commonly reported that people who become intoxicated on a combination of alcohol and Rohypnol have “blackouts” lasting 8 to 24 hours following ingestion. Losing social inhibitions is another widely reportedeffect of Rohypnol, when taken alone or in combination with alcohol.
What Does the “Date Rape” Drug Look Like?
Rohypnol tablets are white with a score on one side and the word “ROCHE,” paired with an encircled one or two (depending on the dosage), on the other. They are sold in pre-sealed bubble packs.
Rohypnol can be dissolved in a drink and is undetectable, whichmakes is a big part of what makes it appealing to criminals looking to drug unsuspecting victims.
What Are the Side Effects?
Adverse effects of Rohypnol use include decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness,
confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances and urinary retention.
Who Uses Rohypnol and How?
Rohypnol use has been reported on every inhabited continent. It is often used in conjunction with other drugs and is usually ingested orally, though it can be snorted.
It is largely used by adults, although teen use of Rohypnol is increasing. The most common use among teenagers and young adults is as an alcohol extender — an attempt to create a dramatic “high,” most often in combination with beer — or as a drug to incapacitate a victim before a sexual assault. The drug’s low cost (sold for less than $5 per tablet on the black market) makes it more accessible. But the rise in usage in this age group can also be tied to common misconceptions about the drug, erroneous belief that the drug’s pre-sealed packaging means that their supply could not have been adulterated, and a misbelief that the drug cannot be detected by a urine test.
Protecting Yourself From the “Date Rape” Drug.
Rohypnol is not the only drug used in cases of violence against women. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutrate) has also been associated with sexual assault in cites throughout the country. Common names include, “liquid ecstasy,” “somatomax,” “scoop,” or “grievous bodily harm.”
To protect yourself from becoming a victim, be aware and stay alert:
.Be wary about accepting drinks from anyone you don’t know well or long enough to trust..
If you are accepting a drink, make sure it’s from an unopened container and that you open it yourself..
Don’t put your drink down and leave it unattended, even to go to the restroom..
Notify other females you know about the effects of this dangerous drug.
If you think that you have been a victim, notify the authorities immediately.
You can find out more about Rohypnol by contacting the National Women’s Health Information Center (800-994-9662) or the National Institute on Drug Abuse (888-NIH-NIDA).

Reap the most from your down payment!

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:56 +0000

Reap the most from your down payment!
Adream that most of us nurture when living in a rented accommodation is purchasing our own house. When you cannot provide cash upfront, a home loan is the next possible way of making the purchase.Normally, lenders (banks, financial institutions) would require some amount to be paid upfront as a ‘down payment’ because normally banks do not offer a ’100% loan’.
A ‘down payment’ simply put is the difference between the purchase price of a property and the mortgage loan amount. It underlines the buyer’s commitment to complete the deal and indicates the buyer’s fidelity in making the loan payments.
The system of down payment exists because:
*.It indicates borrower’s credit worthiness due to access to the down payment.
*.The amount of real investment a borrower has in their purchase, and their fidelity in continuing to make payments regularly are linked.
*.It acts as a sort of insurance for lenders, since borrowers know that if they default on their loan; they will not only lose the property but their down payment as well.
*.It ensures that the buyer (borrower) has some stake in maintaining the property.
*.It ensures that banks are protected from fall in interest rates since the amount that they lend is lower than the market value of the house. Therefore, if there is a fall, they can still recover the losses.

Here are some important facts regarding down payments:

Amount of down payment:
Normally, down payments range from 15% to 20% of the total value of the property.
For e.g., If a property costs Rs 20,00,000, and if the down payment required by the lender is 15%, then the down payment will be Rs3,00,000.
Limit of the down payment:
There is no set upper limit to the amount you can pay as down payment — it all depends on how much cash you can manage to setaside. The more you are able to pay as down payment, the lesser is the amount of loan taken from a bank, resulting in easier monthly payments or shorter loan tenure. Try to put down a sizable amount of down payment.
Age of the property affects down payments: The older the property, the more apprehensive banks are to finance them. This increases the amount of the down payment required. Look for properties, which are not very old.
‘Zero-down payment’ loans are not necessarily helpful: Banks might offer you a ‘zero -down-payment’ loan based on good credit history. Typically, zero-down-payment loans are offeredfor smaller homes and are hard-to-get and hard-to-qualify.
Moreover, ‘zero down payments’ mean that you are borrowing more, making your monthly installments higher and defaulting on even a single payment might initiate foreclosure proceedings against you.
Down payments do not include miscellaneous costs:
Down payments normally do not include costs such as property taxes, registration charges, transfer charges and stamp duty costs. Most banks include these costs in the total loan amount.
In case you are wondering how you would arrange the down payment, here are some tips:
Plan early –
The earlier you start planning to buy a house, the sooner you can come up with the down payment amount.

Save every month –
Regular savings go a long way in building up a sizable down payment amount.

Borrow from parents/relatives -
It’s not unusual for parents or relatives to help with the down payment.
Apply for a personal loan –
Based on your cash flows, apply for a personal loan for the down payment.
Save from tax refund -
Save your tax refunds as fixed deposits in a bank.
Try pledging securities -
Try to see whether pledging fixed deposits, insurance policies or shares are considered against making the down payment.
Look for straightforward solutions:
Try asking for a raise or getting a higher paying job.

SC notice to Trai, telecom MAJORS

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:30 +0000

SC notice to Trai, telecom MAJORS
The Supreme Court has issued notice to 11 parties, including Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone Essar, on a petition by state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited challenging removal of access deficit charge, a levy paid by private telecom operators for funding the PSU’s operations in rural and remote areas.
A Bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir sought an reply from 11 repondents Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Association ofUnified Telecom Service Providers of India, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone Essar Mobile Services, Cellular Operators Association of India, Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile Communications, HFCL Infotel, and Spice Communications — as to why they should not pay ADC to BSNL.
The Bench also directed that payments, if any, shall be made during the pendency of the petition and the same shall be subject to final outcome of the hearing.
Access deficit charge was a levy paid by private telecom operators to BSNL for meeting the cost of unprofitable operations in rural areas for below the cost wire line and mobile services.
The telecom regulator had abolished ADC in 2008-09. In the two fiscals previous to that, the ADC was reduced. In 2007-08, the regulator had reduced ADC by 37 per cent to Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) from Rs 3,200 crore (Rs 32 billion).
Challenging the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal’s judgement that held that BSNL had no legal right to claim ADC from private telecom operators and Trai had rightly terminated it, BSNL said the entire exercise undertaken by the regulator was not only arbitary and irrational but also contrary to the principles of level-playing field.
Challenging Trai’s decision, BSNL contended the arbitrary elimination of ADC had disturbed the level-playing field in a cost-based Interconnect Usage Charge regime, thereby not allowing it to recoup the deficit incurred for providing below-cost wireline services and rural telephony.
The PSU said as IUC was cost-based, why it was being paid 23 paise for termination charges as against the statutorily fixed rateof 30 paise, thus depriving it of 7 paise.
“Trai had no authority or jurisdiction to deplete this huge sum of Rs 1500 crore (Rs 15 billion) — in every succeeding year — from the requisite amount of ADC payable to BSNL under IUC Regulations,” the petition stated.
Solicitor general Gopal Subramanium, appearing for BSNL, said Trai had disregarded the PSU’s submissions for an effective recouping mechanism for the requisite actual deficit for below cost services in accordance with the recognised principles.
According to the petition, the private operators had never made any investments for providing telephony in villages and remote areas despite having specific obligations under their licences.
“They have failed to provide the mandatory village telephones etc as specific licence obligations and remained to operate only in lucrative urban areas,” it said.
TDSAT, while holding that BSNL had no legal right to ADC, said “ADC has rightly been designed as a depleting regime rightly terminated in the year 2008-09 and the manner of calculating ADC each year was fair and reasonable, given the facts available with Trai.
“The Tribunal said BSNL did not have any reliable data over the quantum of loss suffered by it for its rural operations.
TDSAT had also rejected BSNL’s allegation over fixation of uniform termination charges for all wireline and wireless services.Besides, it said BSNL had failed to furnish any document, in its all three petitions, that the cost of mobile termination was actually one third of the cost of fixed lines services.”We do not find any basis to support the contention of BSNL that the mobile termination charges have been wrongly fixed,” the Tribunal said.

Why everyone must have a budget

p102555924 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:14 +0000

Why everyone must have a budget?
Do numbers make your head spin? Were you a math hater in school?
Or perhaps you are just too laid back to worry about planning and wisely remark, “Take each day as it comes, the rest will take care of itself!”.
Actually that might be the truth, things seldom happen according to plan. However, if you believe in the power of self-reliance,then you should probably sit up and take notice.
Money is essential for survival and we exchange it for most of our essential and not so essential needs ranging from basic comforts to luxuries we desire. It would not augur well to wake up one day and realize the coffers are empty and all our resources have run dry!
Let us put away that dreaded thought and focus instead on ways to have access to funds when we need them the most like for instance, a job loss or an emergency surgery for a loved one! Here budgeting comes into play.
Planning your budget makes you aware of your financial situation and helps you create a contingency fund to tap into, when in need. Now how do you start preparing to put money consistently into this contingency fund?
Fixed expenses vs flexible expensesStep A:If you are someone used to hard cash and don’t like the idea of a credit or debit card, then you just need to calculate your a week’s regular expenses and multiply that into four, to get your monthly outflow.
If you are someone who likes detail (that would be even better) then allocate expenses under different categories like food, transport to work, shopping, entertainment, et cetera and you can further divide the categories into groceries, eating out, etc.The detailed break up will help you pin point exactly where you are overspending and take a conscious step to curb those expenses. You should divide these expenses under two broad categories: fixed expenses and flexible expenses.For example, under the fixed expenses your loans, utilities, services availed etc. will be clubbed and flexible expenses could include dining out, entertainment, shopping for clothes etc.
Spending forecast planStep B:
Chalk out a ‘spending forecast’ plan. Evaluate what are the things you need to buy in all the five main areas — household, transport, food, entertainment, other needs and set aside monies for that. Other needs may include emotional expenses like that snazzy electric guitar you always wanted to buy to cultivate an entertaining hobby, or a wardrobe upgrade, a professional course youwere planning etc.
Contingency fund I
Step C: Evaluate a scenario where you may be out of a job, then you need to figure out how much you spend each month and then set aside that money x 6 months as something to fall back on, when fate hands you a raw deal like a lay off. This way you ensure that you can be self reliant and can be prepared for unforeseen emergencies.
Contingency fund – II
Step D: Set aside some money apart from a medical insurance for any sudden, short term medical expenses you are likely to incur. Keep this cash very accessible and yet be disciplined enough not to dip into it.
Once you have identified the fund boxes — Spending forecast, contingency fund for job loss and medical expenses, be dedicated and generate your money flow into these funds consistently. This could be once a quarter but it would be more manageable if its once a month.Before this final step of dividing the savings, you need to save every month! If you are like most of us, who notice the funds have run dry just a few days before the paycheck is due to arrive, relax! There is a way around it.Create another account, which perhaps gives you a good return interest rate on your savings and enable an auto transfer of a percentage of your funds (which takes care of Steps C and D) based on your calculations, on a suitable date of every month to this alternate account.Keep this parked cash out of your reach and from here invest it in suitable financial instruments, which can be liquidated when the need arises or simply keep it here and let it accumulate interest.Here is an example of a typical monthly budget for your understanding:Monthly Budget Sheet.

Volkswagen Beetle to hit Indian roads next month!

p102555924 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:26:04 +0000

Volkswagen Beetle to hit Indian roads next month!
Europe’s largest carmaker Volkswagen will roll out the Beetle–fondly called the people’s car after its maker–on Indian roads by beginning of next month.
A senior company official told PTI on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit that Volkswagen–which mean People’s car–would import the car from its Mexican plant for sale in Indian markets.
He, however, declined to divulge the possible price of the car.
Beetle is one of the most successful models that the German carmaker has ever produced. The car bucked all trends and has made history, although critics had predicted a complete failure due to its peculiar styling, underpowered motor, rough ride and noisy engine.
Volkswagen, which currently sells luxury sedans Passat and Jetta in Indian market, is planning to launch its small car Polo by early next year.

What’s common between Baba Ramdev and Tatas?

p102555924 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:37:30 +0000

What’s common between Baba Ramdev and Tatas?

Baba Ramdev and the Tata Group are poles apart in their area of operations, but they have one thing in common: both have been quick to spot the money-spinning potential of Ayurveda’s healing touch.
If the spiritual guru’s Patantjali Yog Peeth Trust has set up one of the world’s largest centres for Ayurveda in Hardwar with facilities for treatment, research and a university, the Tatas aren’t far behind.
India’s largest conglomerate has tied up with an NGO, the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), to set up the Indian Institute of Ayurveda Integrated Medicine (IIAIM) at Yelahanka near Bangalore. Planned on the lines of Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) and Indian Institute of Science (ISC), the ayurveda centre will act as India’s premier finishing school for qualified ayurvedic doctors, post graduates, physiotherapists and Yoga experts.

It will also have a 100-bed Ayurveda and Yoga hospital, besides research and development centre and drug production units.
The Tata Group’s Sir Dorabji
Tata Trust is putting in over Rs 34 crore (Rs million) for the project.
“The IIAIM hospital will take off by March next year in the first phase and rest of the facilities will come up in the next few years,” said�0�2 G G Gangadharan, joint director of FRLHT.
The Sir Dorabji Trust has also invested Rs 15 crore (Rs million) in the Ayurvedic major Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala in Kerala to set up an advanced drug research centre and medicinal plant screening facility.
Ranjit Puranik, general secretary of Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association (ADMA) and chief executive of Ayurvedic firm Shri Dhoopeshwar, says, “When serial entrepreneurs, trusts and corporate houses begin to invest in a sector, it shows the future potential. Such investments are helpful in mainstreaming and integrating Ayurveda to the global healthcare practices and standards.”It’s no longer an Ayurvedic doctor’s ultimate fantasy.
Consider this: the Ayurvedic business has grown much beyond just spa and massage parlours to a Rs 8,000-crore (Rs 80 billion) industry, which includes drugs, over-the-counter and wellness products, treatment and herbal extracts. The industry is growing at almost 20 per cent annually.Given the potential, can mergers and acquisitions be far behind? Just two months back, serial entrepreneur and former head of PepsiCo India Ramesh Vangal-owned listed company Kerala Ayurveda Ltd (KAL) announced its plans to merge with Coimbatore Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP), the second largest such firm in south India, to become the largest Ayurvedic company in India.
“The merger will help leverage the strengths of both companies in production, marketing and treatment capabilities.
We are now conducting a detailed business diligence to evaluate the overall business opportunity in the merger,” K Anilkumar, executive director of KAl.
The 65-year-old KAL currently has 30 centres in the country, including its flagship wellness resort in Bangalore named Ayurvedagram, besides four treatment centres in the US. Soon it will start 10 more treatment centres and five to 10 training centres. It is also floating a subsidiary in Singapore named Nutraveda, which will globally market natural value added wellness and nutritional products, says Anilkumar.
The 66-year-old Arya Vidya Pharmacy makes over 400 Ayurveda formulations and has over 50 hospitals and clinics in South India.
A few months ago, business tycoon Yash Birla acquired a majority stake in the 30-plus ayurvedic therapy centre chain, Kerala Vaidyashala, through a joint venture and renamed it Birla Kerala Vaidyashala. The group plans to invest over Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) to have a pan-India presence, including about 200 centres across Maharashtra.
Even private equity and fund managers have jumped on the bandwagon. Ayurvaid Hospitals, promoted by Kochi-based Kerala First Health Services, received equity investment of Rs 4.5 crore (Rs 45 million) last year from the US-based Acumen Fund, a philanthropyfund that invests in social enterprises in South Asia and Africa.
The business potential of India’s 5,000-year-old natural healing tradition have attracted spiritual gurus in droves. Apart from Ramdev, Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam runs an Ayurveda college with an advanced research centre and hospital at Poonamalle in Chennai, as part of the Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa

Mahavidyalaya, which is a deemed university.
Mata Amrithanadamayi’s Amrita group is planning a new mega complex exclusively for Indian System of Medicine (ISM), mainly for Ayurveda.