Manchester United Makes Its Way To India

New Delhi, Thursday, 27th August, 2009 - The capital today witnesses the announcement of an exclusive tie up of Great Moments Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. with Manchester United Food & Beverage (Asia) Pte Ltd (“MUFB Asia”), for the launch of Manchester United Restaurants and Bars (MURB) in North India.

Present for the press conference is Mr. Andy Yun, Chief Executive Officer of Manchester United Food & Beverage (Asia) and the Directors of Great Moments Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, Mr. Rajan Madhu, Mr. Puneet Nath, Mr. Charan Sareen of F Bar and Lounge, New Delhi and Mr. Ajay Singh, Director of SpiceJet. The press conference will be held at F Bar and Lounge from 12.30pm onwards.
After the continuous & remarkable success of F Bar & Lounge, Great Moments Hospitality brings a taste of the world’s most popular football team - Manchester United to India. The first Manchester United Restaurant and Bar will be opened in New Delhi by the end of this year. To date, MUFB Asia has opened outlets in Singapore, Indonesia, Bangkok, Korea and Japan.
Manchester United Restaurants and Bar are a full service, casual all-day dining restaurants that feature predominantly western cuisine and local specialties to suit the palates of discerning diners across the region. In addition, there is also a strong emphasis on creative cocktails, live entertainment from popular artistes and special theme private or corporate parties. Passionate fans of Manchester United Football Club can also view memorabilia and pictures of the team and Old Trafford at the outlet.
Mr. Rajan Madhu says, “We are excited that after bringing Fashion, Life Style, Art and Music we now bring to India another exciting concept which is related to the world’s number one sport, which is football and the most popular football club in the world is the Manchester United. Our endeavor is to cater our guests with paramount entertainment of unending regalement in hospitality and sports”.

Mr. Andy Yun says, “India is a great and promising market. You have market that is looking for new ideas and concepts. I am confident that Manchester United thematic restaurants and bar will bring you the Best Moments of a new and special dining and entertainment experience in North India”.
The venue will have the popular Managers Bench, a replica of the area where coach and players meet at the playing field and a lively island bar with video walls showing live telecasts of all major sports events. Definitely a place to enjoy a great game with friends! With the opening of Manchester United Restaurant & Bar in India, it gives a reason for fans of football and the Red Devils to experience and feel closer to the game and the players.
Great Moments Hospitality Pvt Ltd is a company incorporated for creating the magic of memorable moments that could be called ‘Great’. Be it any innovation, any discovery or experience in the field of hospitality and entertainment. We want our clients to feel the excitement and exultation of truly great moments. Enjoy the experience to its fullest!
Manchester United Food & Beverage (Asia) Pte Ltd is a Singapore holding company that has been awarded the exclusive rights by Manchester United Football Club to own, operate, franchise and develop a chain of Manchester United restaurants & bar concept in Asia Pacific region. Territories include China, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, India and the Philippines. These restaurant & bar outlets mark MUFC’s first-ever foray into casual dining business on an international scale.

- End -

For Media or enquiries, please contact:-

Rashi Rohatgi Khan / Radhika Sharda
W Five Communication Pvt. Ltd.
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Kazo introduces the other half KAZO MAN!!

7th July 2009, New Delhi: The capital today saw a new flavour of popular fashion brand Kazo as they foray into menswear with the introduction of their new line Kazo Man. To unveil this trendy and fashionable line Kazo Man dressed the 2009 winners of Mtv Roadies & Splitsvilla Nauman, Sidharth and Sakshi over a fashion show at M-14 GK-1, New Delhi.
Kazo over the years have pioneered as one of the most preferred and top fashion brands in the country. Kazo had given a different dimension to fashion clothing for women when they had entered the Indian market few years back. Kazo now will explore the men’s wear section of the market with Kazo Man. Kazo has more than 15 stores across the country offering affordable and trendy fashion clothing & accessories.
The basic idea behind the Kazo man collection is to make men look younger and trendier. The Kazo Man collection is for someone who wants to make his own style statement, someone who is in sync with world fashion trends, and who doesn’t mind experimenting. A Man who values high global quality is a Kazo man.
About the Collection:
The collection is a perfect blend of shirts, t-shirts, vest, denims, pant, shorts and accessories like caps, scarf etc. everything designed in a way that it in a subtle way says I AM THE MAN.
The re-assuring multi color range enforces a feeling of stability, quality and durability to the collection. The color palette revolves around super dark tones like navy, asphalts and charcoal grey. Rust, mauve, yellow, green work alongside while black fulfills its role of adding graphic impact.
One can say the collection is a combination of muted elegance and extravagant grandeur. Various techniques of mixing yarn dyed fabrics with prints and embroidery in an anachronistic way leaves room for both grunge and modern fashion. Jerseys like pique; viscose and slubs are refined by prints, studs and are fused with rough shapes and washes in order to retain key characteristics of the collection. "


The collection is dominated by unstructured lines, casual look, grunge feel, and energetic graphics but is artfully controlled and openly invites paradox, following a reflection on how clothes are really worn.

About Kazo
KAZO, the brand, is under the directorship of Mr. Deepak Aggarwal. The idea of KAZO came into being with the aim of amalgamating international trends and fashion at a value that would be affordable for the woman of today. Overnight the brilliance of the idea caught the imagination of all those involved and KAZO was born. The garments designed were phenomenally fashionable with a high wear ability and practicality quotient.
KAZO is a young brand that has crept its way into being the centre of the fashion industry. In such a short span of time we have established an enviable reputation and hi visibility in the fashion world. The main asset of the collection is that it is highly affordable which enables customers an access to the latest designer wear, giving a chance to every woman to feel great in her skin, right to her soul. In India, women feel proud to wear Kazo, which really shows that the brand is highly acceptable.
Kazo is a young brand and has launched its first showroom in India on 07.07.07. In such a span of one and half year we have opened stores nationaly (15 stores) and Internationally. Kazo show their presence in Europe after opening big showroom in Amsterdam, that shows the brand has been developed so fast that its always compared with the biggest International brands.
From the design concept born in Europe our product designers works till an in store display. For all the stores Kazo product goes through a multi-stage process before reaching to our customers. At any given time our teams are working on our merchandise assortments, whether that’s designing for special occasions or creating next season statements. Once concepts haves been developed, it’s time to turn them into real clothes. Our merchants and designers work closely together to translate inspirations into product assortments we believe our customers would like to wear.







Media RSVPs:

Rashi Rohatgi Khan/ Radhika Sharda/ Gunjan Saini
Wfive Communication Pvt. Ltd.
9810174614/9871146087/ 9899826062

HANU’S ITS BEAUTIFUL BY MAMTA PUNNI

Hanu’s its beautiful, the label boasts of a large diversity ranging from Indian, Western and Bridal for women; providing its customer a variety of choice and alternatives, matching the taste of all. The sister duo have always been interested in the fine nuances of life whether its apparel or accessory. They also have their furnishing line that includes bed sheet, cushion covers, bed throws, curtain panels etc. It’s been 5 to 6 years since the inception of Hanu’s its beautiful label by Mamta – Punni and since then it has been consistently making their mark in the fashion world. The label has a unique, distinctive style and an original, traditional appeal. The brand's design philosophy strives to bring out the best in every woman through ensembles that are traditional and contemporary. An established and well-reputed label, the designs speak of tremendous hard work and superb craftsmanship. With a product range that includes a large variety and assortment of fabrics, silhouettes, colors and embroideries, the styles range from smart casual to the ornately formal. Lending a stunning color sensibility, the color play is reminiscent of Mamta & Punni. Emphasis on quality, attention to detail, intricate embroideries are the hallmarks of the creativity behind the brand.Strictly conformist in the non conformist way, their look is global with ethnic Indian craft as their mainstay. The silhouettes are clean, streamlined. The look is always sophisticated, whether understated or strong, it makes an impact in a controlled way. Their style is not just about forms, colors or textures but also about how positive one feels about oneself with their line; it is about creating an aura that voices what one really is and what one aspires to be! In future what they want to create is not just clothes or accessories but a whole lifestyle - an evolved way of living. Their design credo is to explore, innovate, experiment and enjoy. ADDRESS:11C Pocket GH 10,0uter ring road,Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110087
MEDIA RSVP:RASHI ROHATGI KHAN/ GUNJAN SAINI mob-9810174614

KYLIN PRESENTES TO YOU THE SPA Luncheon with Reynu Taandon

As we crossed the threshold of Kylin in Vasant Vihar , the excitement and the thrill captivated us.Kylin introduced spa luncheon with Reynu Taandon. It was a perfect afternoon with the perfect blend of Kylin Music, Kylin Food, Kylin Drinks and Reynu Taandon Guests. Some of the guests who were present at the party were jewelery designer Alpana Gujral, Shovna Narayan, Bubbles Sabarwal, Anjana Bhargav and Meenu Bakshi to name a few. Thus, adding to the galore of this vivacious celebration, the afternoon witness ed small showcasing of Reynu Taandon exciting new resort spa wear collection!!! The afternoon was full of excitement- and was a perfect experience one could have only at Kylin.

KAZO MAN

KAZO
dresses the winners ofMtv Roadies & Splitsvilla 2009
Nauman..Sidharth..Sakshi
over a fashion show to celebrate Kazo MAN!
Venue: M-14, G.K-I, New Delhi.
Date: 07.07.09 Time: 11:30am

Merino Services Establishes Significant Partner Agreement with Infor

Merino Services Establishes Significant Partner Agreement with Infor

Merino to Train students with Infor ERP LN Education and Certification Courses

New Delhi, 1st July 2009 – Merino Services Limited (MSL) announced yesterday that it has entered into an agreement with Infor to become Infor’s Education Partner in India. The academy would be the first of its kind in Asia. Under the agreement, MSL will establish training centers in the country, providing professional training and certification on Infor ERP LN (previously known as Baan). The announcement of the agreement was marked by the opening of the Delhi institute at 70, KLJ Complex, Moti Nagar-New Delhi-110015. In the next 3 months, institutes at major hubs such as Bangalore, Varanasi and Ahmedabad will open up followed by institutes covering many other major cities – Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, Pune, Chandigarh and Noida.The partnership is expected to boost the development of the local ERP market by increasing the pool of certified ERP professionals in India.
“Recognised as a major global hub for IT services and outsourcing, India has a huge potential for trained professionals to meet the growing global demand for ERP skills and expertise,” said Lawrence Chan, president, Infor, Asia Pacific. “MSL is a leading provider in business consulting and IT services, and is also an Infor channel partner in India. Infor ERP LN is already a leading ERP system for enterprises globally and our affiliation with MSL will expand our footprint to companies across India’s vast and growing market.”
Infor ERP LN helps some of the world’s most successful organizations to improve their agility and lower their total cost of ownership. A fully integrated solution, Infor ERP LN is an advanced, easy-to-use ERP solution that provides flexible global business operations support across all departments including finance, warehousing, freight management, and aftermarket service. Infor ERP LN currently has a well-established installed base in India.
To fulfill the growing demand for trained and skilled resources for Infor ERP LN implementation and maintenance, Infor and MSL will partner to offer authorized training on Infor ERP LN through the latter’s extensive presence in India. MSL will establish fifteen Infor ERP LN dedicated training and certification centers in India, with the first one to be located in New Delhi.
“As India’s manufacturers enter competitive global markets, they need robust ERP solutions like Infor ERP LN to support their growth,” said Sanjay Sharda, President, Merino Services Limited. “Our agreement with Infor will help meet the demand for skilled ERP LN professionals in India. We look forward to increasing the number of people who understand how to design and implement business solutions based on this powerful and agile software application.”

Course Details

MSL Enterprise Solution Academy offers standard programs for a set of audiences including graduates and working professionals; and customized training and development solutions to organizations for meeting their specific needs and pressing issues. In addition, the Academy will offer specialized trainings for top management and 'C' Level Executives to demonstrate the power of Enterprise Solutions and the Dynamics of Change, and the potential business benefit that can be achieved.
The programs currently being offered at MSL Enterprise Solution Academy include:

Infor ERP LN - Finance
Infor ERP LN - Distribution
Infor ERP LN - Manufacturing
Infor ERP LN - Service
Infor ERP LN –Tools & Technologies
Infor ERP LN - Projects

Duration

The curriculum for each program will be covered in approximately 240 hrs – flexible full time and part time options are available for the training.


####


About Merino Services Limited
Headquartered in New Delhi, Merino Services Limited is a business consulting and IT Services organization providing value-added services as a Partner-to-Progress with its customers and business associates. As partners to progress to any customer, MSL believes in a long term relationship with its customers. MSL sells and implements enterprise software solutions from leading global software vendors. MSL is a fully owned subsidiary of the USD 120 million Merino Group with diversified interests in manufacturing modular furniture, high-pressure and low-pressure laminates and farm-to-plate segments among others. Merino Group's strengths lie in its strong international and domestic presence. For additional information, visit www.merinoservices.com

About Infor
Infor acquires and develops functionally rich software backed by thousands of domain experts and then makes it better through continuous innovation, faster implementations, global enablement, and flexible buying options. In a few short years, Infor has become one of the largest providers of business software in the world. For additional information, visit www.infor.com.

For more information:
Merino Services Ltd.
URL: www.merinoservices.com/mesa/academy/group.htm
Email: info@merinoservices.com
Ph: 01145068300


MEDIA RSVP:
Rashi Rohatgi Khan : 9810174614
Radhika Sharda : 9871146087
W Five Communication Pvt. Ltd.
Mail: rashi@wfive.in; radhika@wfive.in

ADI KRITI presents

Wednesday, 3rd June 2009, New Delhi:

The capital witnessed the essence of the tribal culture of North East India through the unveiling of Adi – Kriti an exclusive collection of Jewelery presented by Jetha Bhai Zaveri in Delhi and North India.

Some of the guests who were Spotted at the party were Designer Rahul Jain, Nupur Kundu, Designer Reynu Taandon,Jewelery Designer Alpana Gujral, Abdul Halder, Photographer Rahul Dutt,Tarrot Reader Punam Sethi with Sanjay Sethi ,Hemant Sagar, Vandana Vadhera ,Rahul Taandon, Designer Sandeep and Gaurav and Vishal Chawla

The Adi Kriti collection will be put for exhibition from 6^th of June to 9^th of June at Jetha Bhai Zaveri,Basant lok complex in Vasant Vihar       

Some of the the models who participated were Krishna , Amanpreet wahi , Montu and Aaanchal 

‘Adi-Kriti’ is a brand new introduction in the jewellery world and one that is unique in concept, content and presentation.

An exclusive line of gold jewellery that is inspired by the tribal jewellery of India.was show cased.

The essence of an age-old culture, captured in gold. The spirit and soul of a deep-rooted society, manifested in designer ornaments. The aura and enigma of the tribal, recreated in never-before collection.

Jewellery that is beyond the wildest imagination.  

The launch range presented gold jewellery inspired by the tribal culture of North-east India. A region of eight different states, each with an intrinsic character of its own. Translating into jewellery that is awesome, like the wild life of Assam. Enigmatic, like the clouded hills and dales of Meghalaya. Exotic like the flora and fauna of Arunachal Pradesh. Deadly, like the beautiful land and people of Nagaland. Classic, like the Ras dance of Manipur. Wonderful like orchids of Mizoram. Tantalizing like the Hozagiri tribal dance of Tripura. Mystique like the Mahayana cult of. Sikkim.Together, a unique range of gold jewellery-like never-before was showcased.

This unique marketing concept was put together by three different cities of India. Kolkata-based Resource Indica Pvt Ltd conceptualized the product-idea designed and developed the brand identity and managed the marketing project. Agartala’s Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers Pvt Ltd got actively involved in the project designing the jewellery and organizing the making of the designer ornaments, which were crafted by traditional gold craftsmen of Kolkata and Agartala. And the India office of World Gold Council recognized the project as absolutely unique in the world and gave it all the support needed for a brand to be launched and, thereafter, presented in Delhi and north India by Jetha Bhai Zaveri.

And this launch comes after a lot of ground-work. Basic study and survey, in-depth research and analysis, recce and fact-finding, design and development…the works. Resulting in the ‘Adi-Kriti’ brand of gold jewellery.

A visual treat for connoisseurs of art and craft. Designer jewellery for the bold and beautiful. A never-before collection for the fashion conscious.

“The inspiration came from the revelation that each ornament of tribal jewellery has a story behind it and we thought that it would be a good idea to present these tell-tale tribal jewellery in gold”, said Sudip Sen, Director, Resource Indica Pvt Ltd, adding, “and the core idea was to launch an exclusive line of designer gold jewellery that would capture popular imagination”.

“We got interested in the project because we saw a lot of merit in it including the added opportunity to showcase tribal culture”, said Arpita & Rupak Saha Directors Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers Pvt Ltd, adding “more so, because we come from Tripura, a tribal State in North-east India and we are getting to present this never before brand of gold jewellery on the eve of our golden jubilee year”.

“We recognized the project as a unique marketing concept that is absolutely never before in the jewellery world and decided to support it”, said Keyur Shah, Associate Director, World Gold Council, India, “and we are happy the way it has shaped up and are now looking forward to present this exclusive brand 22k gold jewellery in other major cities in the country and elsewhere in the world”.

A visit to the store is must to discover a treasure house of tribal expressions, translated in gold. 

Adi – Kriti has since made a lot of difference - captivating social circles, capturing popular imagination and carving an exclusive niche for itself. Jetha Bhai Zaveri, the destination jewellery store at the Basant Lok complex in Vasant Vihar is presenting Adi – Kriti in Delhi and North – India and the show room is all dressed for the occasion – with a dedicated Adi – Kriti brand zone and an entrance that is inspired by the traditional gateway of a tribal commune in Nagaland.

On the occasion Mr. Vimal Bhai of Jetha Bhai Zaveri said “ Over the years we have been providing trend setting cutting edge design jewelery,presenting Adi – Kriti gives us immense pleasure ,it’s sure to exceed your expectations”.       

smoke house presents jonqui

Witness‘Jonqui’

  Navigate a spectacular percussion battery 

 to 'Dj Cheenu' spinning House and Electronica

 

 

SMOKE HOUSE GRILL: Unwind and enjoy a delightful evening filled with pumping beats by percussionist extraordinaire ‘Jonqui’ jamming live with ‘DJ Cheenu’ on the 17th June, 2009 at Smoke House Grill. Sit back and make the most of this rapturous evening with food...drinks...amazing music.

 

 

DATE: 17th June, 2009

 

 

TIME: 10 pm onwards

 

 

VENUE:

 SMOKE HOUSE GRILL

NORTH WING, VIPPS Centre

Plot No-2, LSC Masjid Moth

GK-II

New Delhi- 48

CHICAGO BOOTH INDIA LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2009

The Chicago Booth India Leadership Summit is one of its kind amongst those organized by business schools all over USA. This is the 5th annual conference organized by the South Asia Business Group at Chicago Booth that successfully brings together leading business visionaries, top faculty and students from India, US and around the world to discuss and debate the key issues facing India's economy. This year, the theme of the conference was - 'Fueling the Indian Growth - What Lies Ahead?'. The various panels debated pressing issues that face India in this time of global crisis.

 

Luminaries like Mr. Gurcharan Das (MD, P&G Worldwide, Author of “India Unbound”), Prof. Scott Meadow (acclaimed VC and Professor at Chicago Booth) and Prof. Raghuram Rajan (Former Chief Economist of IMF, Economic Advisor to PM of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Professor at Chicago Booth) and Mr. Ashok Kumar Attri (Ambassador, Consul General of India to Chicago Consulate) addressed packed audiences. They provided critical insight into matters of policy, the role of entrepreneurship in India and the reforms in the Indian political system.

 

The other discussions during the day were centered on sectors such as Infrastructure, Education, Healthcare, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Finance - areas vital to India's growth.

 
Infrastructure - The Infrastructure panel focussed on the challenges and the opportunities for both the private and the public sector in India. The panel was moderated by Dr. Paula Worthington who is a Senior Lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Mr. Mandhana - Managing Director, IDFC PE India provided insight into the Indian power sector, which is expected to attract the most private equity investments in the next couple of years. Meanwhile Dr. Santanu Das – CEO of Transwitch Corporation mostly addressed the development needs of telecommunication infrastructure and explained why India is destined to become the hot bed for telecom innovation. Ms. Zielinski – MD SMART University of Michigan; an expert in multi-modal transportation in emerging markets gave an insightful presentation on how governments should focus on addressing transportation issues by taking a multi-modal view, while developing sustainable infrastructure for growing cities.

 
Education - The Education Panel at the India Leadership Summit 2009 highlighted the need for private Education in India given the dearth of an efficient public education system in the country. The panelists included Mr Shantanu Prakash, CEO of Educomp, Mr Arvind Amin, Secretary Pratham USA and Mr. Karan Goel, CEO of PrepMe.

 

Mr. Karan Goel moderated the panel to highlight the opportunities for both non-profit and for-profit institutions to step in to provide the educational impetus required in the country. Mr. Shantanu Prakash highlighted the multi-billion dollar opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop businesses in the for-profit Education space and talked about Educomp’s success. His discussion underscored the importance of public private partnerships in the Education space for K-12, higher education and vocational education.

Healthcare - The Indian healthcare industry is expected to become a US $280 Billion industry by 2022. At the same time, the country faces a shortage of institutions and trained personnel, especially in rural India. What are the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in this rapidly growing sector and what should be the path forward? To answer these questions, we had the Healthcare Panel at ILS 2009. Our panelists consisted of Mr. Rajiv Garg (CEO, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center), Mr. Dave Johnson (Senior MD and Co-Head of Healthcare Finance Practice, Ziegler) and Dr. Vijay Yeldandi (Program Director, Resurrection-Westlake Internal Medicine Residency Program). Dr. Satchit Balsari (Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative) moderated the panel.

 

As a member of the International Advisory Council for MediCity, a new 1600-bed academic medical center opening in 2009 outside New Delhi, Mr. Johnson spoke about how highly cost-effective and world-class medical centers were transforming the country into a hub for medical tourism. Addressing the issue of Healthcare funding and prioritization, Mr. Garg spoke about how the burden of Healthcare costs could be shared effectively between the public and private sectors. Finally, Dr. Yeldandi described the Healthcare dangers that rural India faces today and the risk that we face if those issues are not addressed in time. In summation, Dr. Balsari drew out the commonalities in the diverse points of view by saying that the field of Healthcare in India was similar to a blank sheet of paper. We have a long way to go with the chance to learn from the mistakes of other countries - and what we put down on that paper was up to people like the young and talented individuals sitting in the audience.

Entrepreneurship – Mr. Manoj Jain (Founder and Chairman, Pipal Research) stressed the importance of recruiting and retaining top talent within a startup while Dr. Adarsh Arora (CEO of Athena Security, President TiE Midwest, Founder charter member TiE) spoke about using and maintaining business and social networks for a successful business. The importance of maintaining you passion and following your dream was evident through Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria’s (Serial entrepreneur, Founder Chairman PlanetSpace and Founder Director MirSpace Corp.) story as he told us about his many different ventures including his recent campaign for US Senate candidate of Illinios. Mr. Abhi Shah (CEO, Clutch Group – LPO firm) told us how thoughtfully he had put his advisory team together and that will definitely be an important lesson for any budding entrepreneur. Prof. Meadow closed the panel by discussing future growth opportunities in India in areas like education, healthcare and infrastructure.

 
Technology - The technology panel at the India Leadership Summit 2009 was setup to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for India as it attempts to move up the value chain from an outsourcing hub to a center for technology innovation. The panel was moderated by Mr. Sanjay Puri (Head - Alliance for US India Business). The speakers were Dr. Shami Khorana (President - HCL Technologies America), Mr. Prithvi Gandhi (VP Corporate Development, Zebra technologies) and Mr. Rajeev Bahri, (Founder & Manading Director, TEKchand LLC).

 

The discussions centered around the panellist’s personal experiences working in India and the areas they felt India needed greater development in. One pertinent point that resonated with the audience was about innovation being driven by local demand and the next big IT product will come out of India would have to serve the local market for such a need.

 
Finance - The diverse backgrounds of the Finance panelists created an engaging discussion with varied viewpoints. Moderator Frank Schell – Ex MD of Private Bank and Prof of Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago touched upon topics ranging from deregulation, governance and liberalization. Manoj Varma – Senior VP CitiCards USA discussed Indian commercial banking including conservative remittance policies, domestic banks’ performance relative to foreign banks and the impact of the current crisis on Indian consumers. Prabhat Mehta – Partner, Sydley Austin LLP talked about the state of legal infrastructure in India, singling out important issues around de-regulatory measures. John Rompon from McNally Capital Partners suggested analyzing Indian private equity independent of western counterparts. He applauded India’s growth patterns and showed strong optimism regarding the future of the Indian private equity industry. 

CHICAGO BOOTH INDIA LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2009

The Chicago Booth India Leadership Summit is one of its kind amongst those organized by business schools all over USA. This is the 5th annual conference organized by the South Asia Business Group at Chicago Booth that successfully brings together leading business visionaries, top faculty and students from India, US and around the world to discuss and debate the key issues facing India's economy. This year, the theme of the conference was - 'Fueling the Indian Growth - What Lies Ahead?'. The various panels debated pressing issues that face India in this time of global crisis.

 

Luminaries like Mr. Gurcharan Das (MD, P&G Worldwide, Author of “India Unbound”), Prof. Scott Meadow (acclaimed VC and Professor at Chicago Booth) and Prof. Raghuram Rajan (Former Chief Economist of IMF, Economic Advisor to PM of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Professor at Chicago Booth) and Mr. Ashok Kumar Attri (Ambassador, Consul General of India to Chicago Consulate) addressed packed audiences. They provided critical insight into matters of policy, the role of entrepreneurship in India and the reforms in the Indian political system.

 

The other discussions during the day were centered on sectors such as Infrastructure, Education, Healthcare, Entrepreneurship, Technology and Finance - areas vital to India's growth.

 
Infrastructure - The Infrastructure panel focussed on the challenges and the opportunities for both the private and the public sector in India. The panel was moderated by Dr. Paula Worthington who is a Senior Lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Mr. Mandhana - Managing Director, IDFC PE India provided insight into the Indian power sector, which is expected to attract the most private equity investments in the next couple of years. Meanwhile Dr. Santanu Das – CEO of Transwitch Corporation mostly addressed the development needs of telecommunication infrastructure and explained why India is destined to become the hot bed for telecom innovation. Ms. Zielinski – MD SMART University of Michigan; an expert in multi-modal transportation in emerging markets gave an insightful presentation on how governments should focus on addressing transportation issues by taking a multi-modal view, while developing sustainable infrastructure for growing cities.

 
Education - The Education Panel at the India Leadership Summit 2009 highlighted the need for private Education in India given the dearth of an efficient public education system in the country. The panelists included Mr Shantanu Prakash, CEO of Educomp, Mr Arvind Amin, Secretary Pratham USA and Mr. Karan Goel, CEO of PrepMe.

 

Mr. Karan Goel moderated the panel to highlight the opportunities for both non-profit and for-profit institutions to step in to provide the educational impetus required in the country. Mr. Shantanu Prakash highlighted the multi-billion dollar opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop businesses in the for-profit Education space and talked about Educomp’s success. His discussion underscored the importance of public private partnerships in the Education space for K-12, higher education and vocational education.

Healthcare - The Indian healthcare industry is expected to become a US $280 Billion industry by 2022. At the same time, the country faces a shortage of institutions and trained personnel, especially in rural India. What are the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in this rapidly growing sector and what should be the path forward? To answer these questions, we had the Healthcare Panel at ILS 2009. Our panelists consisted of Mr. Rajiv Garg (CEO, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center), Mr. Dave Johnson (Senior MD and Co-Head of Healthcare Finance Practice, Ziegler) and Dr. Vijay Yeldandi (Program Director, Resurrection-Westlake Internal Medicine Residency Program). Dr. Satchit Balsari (Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative) moderated the panel.

 

As a member of the International Advisory Council for MediCity, a new 1600-bed academic medical center opening in 2009 outside New Delhi, Mr. Johnson spoke about how highly cost-effective and world-class medical centers were transforming the country into a hub for medical tourism. Addressing the issue of Healthcare funding and prioritization, Mr. Garg spoke about how the burden of Healthcare costs could be shared effectively between the public and private sectors. Finally, Dr. Yeldandi described the Healthcare dangers that rural India faces today and the risk that we face if those issues are not addressed in time. In summation, Dr. Balsari drew out the commonalities in the diverse points of view by saying that the field of Healthcare in India was similar to a blank sheet of paper. We have a long way to go with the chance to learn from the mistakes of other countries - and what we put down on that paper was up to people like the young and talented individuals sitting in the audience.

Entrepreneurship – Mr. Manoj Jain (Founder and Chairman, Pipal Research) stressed the importance of recruiting and retaining top talent within a startup while Dr. Adarsh Arora (CEO of Athena Security, President TiE Midwest, Founder charter member TiE) spoke about using and maintaining business and social networks for a successful business. The importance of maintaining you passion and following your dream was evident through Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria’s (Serial entrepreneur, Founder Chairman PlanetSpace and Founder Director MirSpace Corp.) story as he told us about his many different ventures including his recent campaign for US Senate candidate of Illinios. Mr. Abhi Shah (CEO, Clutch Group – LPO firm) told us how thoughtfully he had put his advisory team together and that will definitely be an important lesson for any budding entrepreneur. Prof. Meadow closed the panel by discussing future growth opportunities in India in areas like education, healthcare and infrastructure.

 
Technology - The technology panel at the India Leadership Summit 2009 was setup to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for India as it attempts to move up the value chain from an outsourcing hub to a center for technology innovation. The panel was moderated by Mr. Sanjay Puri (Head - Alliance for US India Business). The speakers were Dr. Shami Khorana (President - HCL Technologies America), Mr. Prithvi Gandhi (VP Corporate Development, Zebra technologies) and Mr. Rajeev Bahri, (Founder & Manading Director, TEKchand LLC).

 

The discussions centered around the panellist’s personal experiences working in India and the areas they felt India needed greater development in. One pertinent point that resonated with the audience was about innovation being driven by local demand and the next big IT product will come out of India would have to serve the local market for such a need.

 
Finance - The diverse backgrounds of the Finance panelists created an engaging discussion with varied viewpoints. Moderator Frank Schell – Ex MD of Private Bank and Prof of Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago touched upon topics ranging from deregulation, governance and liberalization. Manoj Varma – Senior VP CitiCards USA discussed Indian commercial banking including conservative remittance policies, domestic banks’ performance relative to foreign banks and the impact of the current crisis on Indian consumers. Prabhat Mehta – Partner, Sydley Austin LLP talked about the state of legal infrastructure in India, singling out important issues around de-regulatory measures. John Rompon from McNally Capital Partners suggested analyzing Indian private equity independent of western counterparts. He applauded India’s growth patterns and showed strong optimism regarding the future of the Indian private equity industry. 

Reynu Tandon’s ‘Mynah Designs’

Reynu's show felicitated women from different walks of like. So, there was a long list of showstoppers during her show . The gorgeous ladies included Alpana Gujral (jewellery designer), Divya Gurwara (entrepreneur), Latika Khaneja, Nishi Singh, Bubbles Sabharwal (theatre personality), Meenu Bakshi (Singer), Nupur Kundu (Artist), Shovna Narayan (Dancer), actress Chitrangada Singh. “All my ladies are bold, beautiful, rich and the famous,” said a delighted Reynu after her show.

Sirali by rahul and Gunjan

Designer duo Rahu and gunjan believe in high-end fusion, encompassing garments which are graceful, elegant and stylish and has a universal appeal that fuses the best of the East with the West.