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Showing posts from April, 2008

Golf Course Villas @ Coimbatore

Rakindo Developers Pvt Ltd , India’s first real estate master planner and developer, is setting up an integrated township project at Coimbatore with an estimated investment of Rs 6,000 crore ($1.5 billion). Rakindo Developers is a joint venture company formed by RAKEEN, a global business company promoted by the government of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE and Chennai-based mineral conglomerate Trimex group The project - Kovai Hills - will be developed over 1,000 acres with an 18 hole golf course as the centrepiece. The project involves setting up of luxurious golf course villas with scenic mountains and lush greenery in the background. Rakindo will offer these exclusive villas on ‘Own by Invitation Only’, a first for such project in Tamil Nadu. The project is located southwest on the Coimbatore-Palakkad route and will have about 22 million sq ft of constructed space. According to Prasad Konery, managing director, Rakindo Developers, “our vision is to create theme-based townships which will offer

Surrogate Advertising? Ask our MP

Vijay Mallya's Bangalore team in the DLF Indian Premier League is titled Royal Challengers Bangalore... I hope Dr. Ramdoss (or is it Ram dose?), our very own Union Health Minister doesn't take offence. Dr. Dose, pls now don't read too much into it, Royal Challenge is not the other brand you are thinking about! :-) The whole of M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore is galore with new pavilion names - Signature Executive, McDowell Best View, Bagpiper Standview, Antiquity Members’ Stand etc. etc. And for the record, that is just to add a class of touch to the Royal Challengers team! Now only a fool will read between the lines and think this is surrogate advertising... so here's three cheers to the booze baron of India!

The IPL Circus!

DLF Indian Premier League kicks off today in Bangalore with the first match between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders... and the whole of India is ready to witness this mega circus where cricket and entertainment gets merged with only a thin line differentiating it from a reality show in a TV channel. Other than the fracas that has been created over the IPL, I guess people like me (call me the new generation) will prefer watching Twenty-20 matches over 5-day long Test matches.... the other day I was chatting with a friend from the US who was astonished to hear about a sporting event that last 5 long days and a One-day match lasting a full day!!! I guess am going to enjoy this IPL Twenty-20... the only grouse is, the 44-day schedule is bang in the middle of the peak season... Whoof, Peak Day Blues already! :-) PS: The official website, which I've linked above has got no information other than a countdown tracker at this time, which still shows 1 Hr to go before

Dream of a life time!

It's one of my biggest dreams and this year also it is left unfulfilled... to watch the festival of all festivals or as they say in local lingo, the Pooram of all Poorams.... Today is Thrissur Pooram!! And I am watching it on TV this year also... Hmmmm, maybe next year for sure

Fake or Photo?

Today we're presented with images in movies, on TV, and in the press that are of such good quality we don't even think to consider whether the picture is of something that exists in reality or if it was generated by computer software. Movies can be considered as being at the high-end of the range of uses for computer generated imagery that mimics real-life, but there are many more day-to-day examples that challenge our ability to tell what's real and what's not. Autodesk, makers of the legendary 3D animation software Maya, have come up with a unique challenge where you are pitted with a few fake and a few real images. All you need to do is identify the fake and the real ones? Take the challenge PS: I took the challenge myself. Out of 12 pics, I managed to identify 8! Do let me know your scores

Sky High Chennai

In a new record for Chennai’s real estate market, NRI businessman C Sivasankaran of the Sterling Group has put a three-acre plot off the arterial Anna Salai under the hammer for a reserve price of Rs 270 crore! It works out to roughly Rs 20,000 per sq.ft. And hold your breath, the reserve price is a base price for bidders who are expected to compete aggressively for this prime property in the heart of the city. In terms of the price per sq ft, it would set a new record for the city. It is way above the previous highest, which was Rs 16,765 per sq ft paid by entrepreneur Shyam Kothari (Mukesh Ambani’s brother-in-law) for a 104,381 sq. ft. plot in the posh Boat Club area last year.

Meri Jaan!

Coca-Cola is back to competitive advertising with Sprite's 'Hindustan Meri Jaan' campaign that spoofs Pepsi's "Youngistaan Meri Jaan" campaign. Here's a video of the spoof...

India Land - KGiSL Tech Park!

India Land Ventures Ltd (ILVL), an associate company of Americorp Group of Spain along with KGISL (part of Rs 3,200-crore KG Group of Coimbatore), has announced the launch of ‘ India Land KGISL Tech Park ’ at the 150-acre IT SEZ at Saravanampatti in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The first phase of this project launched in Chennai on April 7, 2008 is scheduled to be ready for fitouts in July 2008 and will have state-of-the-art features in line with the globally accepted norms of construction and building maintenance. Both the companies would be investing Rs 320 crore towards this project. While ILVL will be investing 70% of the project cost, the rest will come from KGISL. Announcing the launch, the Managing Director of KGISL, Ashok Bakthavathsalam , said the IT tech park, coming up in Saravanampatti - about 12 km from Coimbatore airport, would have 1.8 million sq feet of space, tailor-made for the requirements of IT and ITES companies. Built in 11.74 acres, which is parcelled out of the 150-

India Land KGiSL Tech Park - Highlights!

Coimbatore is the 2nd largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore is known as a thriving industrial city and is considered as the alternative city to Chennai for IT & ITES companies in Tamil Nadu. The Coimbatore project is a joint venture between India Land And Properties and KG Information Systems Private Limited(KGISL). The proposed IT Park of 1.9 Million sq.ft will be located in the Special Economic Zone in Saravanampatti, Coimbatore. Saravanampatti boasts significant IT & ITES presence with companies such as KGiSL, Cognizant, Bosch, Spheris, Perot, SPI etc. Educational Institutions such as KG college of Arts & Science, KG College of Nursing, CMS Arts & Science College, SNS Rajalakshmi College of Arts & Science are situated in this place, making it an important educational destination in Coimbatore. The IT Park will be built according to the US Green Building Council Standards making it an excellent energy efficient building. Site The area has been design

Cash Strapped ATM!

ATM stands for Automated Teller Machines (no no, not Azhagiya Tamizh Magan) and it is supposed to help customers access their bank accounts in order to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances. Alright! We all know that right? But have you ever heard of or seen an ATM with no cash!! Read on.... Marketing professor of a leading South-Indian Bschool had this to say about Canara Bank's new logo and makeover: Canara Bank now sports a new slogan " Together We Can". The new slogan replaces the old slogan "Vikas ke liye Sewarth, Sewa ke liye Vikasarath" - where the focus was on the Service. The new slogan speaks more on achievement & aspiration rather than service. The natural question that comes to our mind is about the purpose of rebranding exercise. Why should a bank which has a legacy of over 100 years change its brand elements ? He goes on to say: In the case of Canara Bank , the reason for this repositioning exercise can be to attract younger co

BRIC or PRIC?

All you BRIC heads out there (Brazil, Russia, India, China) who still go ga ga at the word go when these countries are mentioned, here's news for ya! Can anyone tell me which is the world's best performing stock market today?? It has risen a whopping 9.5% while the world markets have slumped. As for the BRICs? Brazil is down 11%, Russia is down 13%, China is down 26% and India is down 40%. Still guessing... it's PAKISTAN , yes you read it right, it's PAKISTAN ... Naah, this ain't any April Fool's joke! According to this report from Wall Street Journal, Pakistan, Taiwan, Peru and Chile still are flying a bit under the radar when it comes to global investment and deal making.