Hari Krishna Chaudhary conferred with Rotary Lifetime Achievement Award

Pic Credit: IndiaCSR News Network

Kolkata, October 13, 2015: Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary, Chairman of Vikram Group of Industries was felicitated with the prestigious Rotary International Lifetime Achievement award at ‘Shreshtha Samman 2015’. The ceremony, held at Chowringhee’s Rotary Sadan, was graced by the Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal, Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi as the Chief Guest, besides eminent presence of Retd. Justice Ashok K Ganguly, Sharbani Das Roy and Utpal Chatterjee.

A successful businessman, renowned philanthropist and above all a selfless humanitarian, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary has been devotedly working towards upliftment of the society for the past four decades. He has touched and changed the lives of millions through his efforts and contributions in the field of education and poverty alleviation. He firmly believes that in order to realise the full potential of today’s youth, access to education is of the utmost importance. It not only transforms an individual’s life and future but that of the country too.

On receiving the award, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary said, “I feel deeply honoured to receive this award. I have always believed that education is the weapon to fight socio-economic challenges that our society is facing. I graciously accept this recognition, but not as a personal achievement- this is also a success for all those who helped me in my vision of an educated India.”

With an aim to fulfil his dream of an empowered India, Shri Chaudhary established BRHD Charitable Trust in 1977. Today, the BRHD Charitable Trust stands tall as the manifestation of a bold dream to enable transformation and build a country that will encourage and provide support to its youth to realise their potential.His contributions towards spreading literacy and making the rural and semi-urban Indian society functionally literate are noteworthy, some of which are mentioned below

• Heritage Group of Educational Institutions
• BRCM Public School
• Gyankunj, Bahal
• Vidyagram, Bahal
• BRCM College of Engineering & Technology, Bahal
• GDC Memorial College, Bahal
• RDNL VidyaMandir, Bahal
• Free School “Nanhe Kadam”, Bahal
• Agrasain Balika Shiksha Sadan, Howrah
• Agrasain Boys School

Born on 4th December 1943, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary graduated from BITS Pilani in 1961 and founded Vikram Group of Industries in 1974. With global footprints in more than 32 countries, Vikram Group today has more than 4000 employees.

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Top Business News of 2012 [Part 2]

September
Supreme Court directed Sahara Group to refund 17400 Crore Rupees to their Investors - The Supreme Court of India directed Sahara Group's two companies to refund around 17400 crore rupees to their investors within three months with 15 per cent interest.

Tech Mahindra Acquired Hutchinson Global Services - Tech Mahindra on 4 September 2012 acquired the back office unit of Hutchison Global Services (HGS), for $87.1 million (Rs 484.03 crore). The deal made with the HGS is supposed to give it a revenue rise of USD 845 million over the next five years which will mark to an average revenue increase of around USD 170 million per annum.

ICICI Bank to extend its net banking services through social media platform ‘Facebook’ - ICICI Bank announced on 6 September 2012 that it is going to launch its services on social media platform ‘Facebook’ in order to expand its internet banking services. ICICI is among the first banks to start its online presence and the only bank that allows non-cash transactions i.e. requests for cheque books, account statement enquiry and more.

Infosys acquired Switzerland based firm Lodestone - Infosys, one of the largest software companies of India, acquired Switzerland based global management consultancy firm Lodestone on 10 September 2012 with an enterprise value of $350 million.

State-owned Bank of India opened its first branch in South Africa - State-owned Bank of India (BoI) opened its first branch in South Africa in a move to enhance the relationship between South Africa and India.

Indigo Airlines emerged to be the top ranked carrier for consecutive second month - The data presented by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 18 September 2012 claimed that the low cost airlines Indigo emerged as the leading carrier in the month of August by carrying 12.05 lakh domestic passengers out of 43.69 lakh passengers.

Ex-COO and MD of Reebok India held for Rs 870 Crore Fraud - The ex-COO Vishnu Bhagat and former MD Subhender Singh Prem of Reebok India along with three more executives were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Gurgaon on 19 September 2012.

October
DGCA Issued Show-Cause Notice to Kingfisher Airlines - The Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 5 October 2012 issued a show- cause notice to kingfisher Airlines asking why its license should not be suspended or scrapped for failing to ensure safe, efficient and reliable services under Section 15(2)(b) of Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules of 1937.

Air India Received its Third Boeing 787 Dreamliner - Air India on 9 October 2012 got its third Boeing Dreamliner from the new North Charleston Facility of the American manufacturer. Air India is the first airline in the world to take delivery of a Dreamliner from the US Based manufacturer.

Petroleum Ministry’s Non Approval to RIL’s Investment Plans - The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry on 17 October 2012 escalating the troubles of Reliance India Limited informed the Prime Minister office that it would not approve the investments of the company on its KG-D6 fields.

Tata Starbuck Opened its First Store in India - Tata Starbucks, a joint venture between Tata Global Beverages (TGBL) and Starbucks Coffee Company, on 19 October 2012 opened its first store in India which is located in Horniman Circle of South Mumbai.

DGCA suspended the license of Kingfisher Airlines - Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 20 October 2012 suspended the license of the debt-ridden aircraft carrier Kingfisher Airlines. The decision came up after the airlines failed to address the concerns of the regulatory body about its operation that came up after the airlines was directed to stop-bookings till further notifications.

Bharti Airtel Became World’s Fourth Largest Mobile Operator - Indian Telecom Service Company Bharti Airtel became the fourth largest telecom operator in the world in terms of subscribers, according to the Wireless Intelligence ‘Scoreboard’ report.

BHEL Deployed Solar Panel on GSAT 10 Satellite - Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in the Month of October had successfully deployed space grade solar panels on the GSAT-10 satellite of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

November
Gov. of Odisha Slapped 6000 crore Rupees fine on Tata Steel for Illegal Mining - The Odisha government had slapped a fine of about 6000 crore Rupees on Tata Steel for its alleged involvement in illegal and excess mining at its captive mines.

Goldman Named 16 Indians as MDs and 3 as Partners - Goldman Sachs, the international financial services giant, promoted 16 IndianCorporate/Bussiness Current Affairs November 2012. Goldman Sachs, the international financial services giant, promoted 16 Indians as the Managing Directors in the second week of Novembers as the Managing Directors in the second week of November.

Maldivian Airlines Signed Pact with Apollo Hospital - Maldivian Airlines in the month of November had signed a pact with the Chennai-headquartered Apollo Hospitals to give discounts to each others’ clients.

PepsiCo Coughed Up Double Amount than DLF to Be Next 5 Years IPL Sponsor - PepsiCo left behind Airtel in the race to win Indian Premier League (IPL) title sponsorship for 396 crore Rupees, which is approximately double of the previous right holders- DLF.

Maldives cancelled its Biggest Foreign Investment Project with GMR Group - Maldives cancelled its biggest foreign investment project with Indian firm GMR Group to develop its international airport. The total value of the project was 511 million dollar. The deal with the GMR was signed during former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration. Prior to this, a competitive bidding process was conducted by the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC).

IOC to Upgrade its Refineries and Increase Production Capacity to 100 million tonnes - The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on 27 November 2012 declared that it would upgrade refineries at Panipat, Mathura and Gujarat. The IOC would make an investment of up to 70,000 crore rupees so that it can double its capacity of refining to 100 million tonnes per year by 2021-2022.

December
Kingfisher Airlines Sent Eviction Notice by Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd - Kingfisher Airlines that had its operations from domestic Terminal 1A of Mumbai’s airport was given an eviction notice by the Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) in the last week of November 2012.

Adani Group completed Australia’s Largest Coal Mining Project in a Record Time - Adani Mining, a global integrated infrastructure player on 3 December 2012 announced completion of the largest mining exploration programme inAustralia in a record time of Nine months.

Economic Reforms - UPA wins vote over FDI in Retail in Lower House - The UPA government won the motion on Foreign Direct Investment in retail by 253 votes in Lok Sabha on Thursday. While 218 MPs out of total 417 attended members in the Lower House.The motion over the FDI in retail was considered in the house for discussion and vote by the speaker in rule 184, which voted on Thursday.

Lobby Bill of Wal-Mart Hit Around 125 Crore Rupees to Seek Entry into India - Wal-Mart had filed the lobbying disclosure report with US Senate and it was found that the retail giant had incurred around 25 million dollar or approximately 125 crore Rupees in the lobbying activities.

Infosys Shares started Trading on New York Stock Exchange - Infosys Ltd, India’s second-largest IT services provider on 12 December 2012 announced that its American Depositary Shares (ADS) had started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol INFY.

Tata Steel Developed a New Kind of Anti-Ballistic Steel Super Bainite - Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant in the UK developed a new kind of anti-ballistic steel in the second week of December which could transform safety of soldiers and security forces fighting terrorists and extremists.

Cyrus Pallonji Mistry Appointed as Chairman of Tata Sons - Cyrus Pallonji Mistry was appointed as the chairman of Tata Sons, the firm that holds more than 100 billion dollar Tata Group, on 18 December 2012.

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Information Source – Jagran Josh 

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Top Business News of 2012 – India Business News at a glance

January
Coca Cola placed at No.1 in Inter-brand's List of the top 100 Global Brands in 2011 - US beverage maker Coca Cola retained its top position in Inter-brand's list of the top 100 global brands in 2011. Coca Cola was followed by another US based company, IBM.

February
Bahrain Telecom announced exit from Indian joint venture S Tel - Bahrain Telecommunications Co (Batelco) on 8 February 2012 announced to sell its 43 percent stake in Indian joint venture S Tel for $175 million, in the first foreign exit since the Supreme Court of India nullified 122 telecoms licenses on 2 February 2012 as part of a 2G scam probe.

Rahul Bhatia awarded with Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year Award 2011 - Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises group on 23 February 2012 was chosen for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2011

State Bank of India reduced Interest Rate on Education Loan upto 1 Percent - India’s largest bank, State Bank of India on 27 February 2012, announced to reduce its interest rate on education loan by 1 percent.

March
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd resumed Oil Supplies to Kingfisher Airlines - State-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) on 8 March 2012 resumed oil supplies to Kingfisher Airlines after the airline agreed to pay for daily fuel off-take.

State Bank of India hiked Interest Rates on Retail Term Deposits to 8 Per Cent - SBI's interest rate on deposits with maturity periods ranging between seven days and less than one year was increased to a uniform 8 per cent.

Tata Steel topped the List of Most Admired Indian Brand - A survey compiled by Fortune India and global management consultancy Hay Group which was released on 13 March 2012, revealed Tata Steel as the most admired brand in India.

April
Star TV won the Broadcasting Rights of Indian Cricket Team in a 3851 Crore Rupees Bid - Star TV on 2 April 2012 won the rights to broadcast Indian cricket for next six years in a bid to the tune of 3851 crore rupees.

Cyrus Mistry and OP Bhatt joined the Board of Directors of Tata Consultancy Services - Tata Sons deputy chairman Cyrus Mistry and former SBI group chairman OP Bhatt joined the board of directors of Tata Consultancy Services.

Star Group ended its Joint Venture with Indian Television - Rupert Murdoch led Star Group on 16 april 2012 decided to put an end over its joint venture with its Indian television news channel partner. The company cited the split on regulatory headaches as the reason behind the decision.

Zee TV became the First Indian Channel to get Landing Right in China - Zee TV on 27 March 2012 became the first Indian channel to get a landing right in China. China’s State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) granted the landing rights to the Indian channel after a long six years of wait.

Audi signs up Indian Motorsport Driver Aditya Patel for Three Years - German luxury car manufacturer Audi on 13 April 2012 signed a 3 year contract with promising young motorsport driver Aditya Patel.

May
Audi launched New Version of Its Largest Selling sedan A4 in India - German luxury car maker Audi launched a new version of its largest selling sedan A4 in Indian market. The luxury car launched in both the petrol and diesel variants has a starting price of 27.33 lakh.

Bharti Airtel acquired 49 Per Cent Stake in Qualcomm’s Broadband Wireless Access Business - India’s leading telecom company Bharti Airtel on 23 May 2012, acquired 49 per cent stake in Qualcomm’s broadband wireless access (BWA) business in India in a deal worth 165 million dollar (about 922 crore rupees).

Samsung became Number One Mobile Company in the World - Samsung's mobile phone sales have reached 86.6 million units, a 25.9 per cent increase from 2011. It also reacquired the number one slot in smartphone space from Apple, selling 38 million smartphones worldwide.

Cyrus Mistry and Mallika Srinivasan appointed on the Board of Tata Steel - Cyrus Mistry, the Chairman-designate of Tata groups was appointed as an additional director on the board of Tata Steel on 21 May 2012.

Chinese Computer Major Lenovo appointed Ranbir Kapoor as its Brand Ambassador - Chinese computer major Lenovo on 29 May 2012 roped in Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor as the brand ambassador for its range of products in India.

June
Airtel Rising Star Talent Hunt Launched by Aitel and Manachester United - Airtel launched Airtel Rising Star in association with Manchester United, England on 25 June 2012 to provide exposure to young footballer’s talents. The talent hunt also strengthens brand positioning and appeal to youth to enhance football in countries like India.

MTS Slashed Internet Charges in Delhi-NCR by 60 percent - MTS slashed its internet charges for Delhi-NCR customers on 26 June 2012 by 60 percent. The net surfing for the customer is reduced up to 1/3 of the previous rate. MTS is operated by Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL).

Coca-Cola announced to invest 28000 crore rupees by 2020 in India - The soft drink company Coca-Cola on 26 June 2012 announced to invest 28000 crore rupees (about 5 billion dollar) from 2012 to 2020 due to youth population, growing economy increase in urbanisation and changing lifestyle in India.

July
Bank of India and United Bank of India reduced rate by 0.25 and 1.75 percent - Bank of India (BOI) and United Bank of India (UBI) on 5 July 2012 reduced the rate of interest by 0.25 percent and 1.75 percent. BOI slashed the rate on fixed deposits where as UBI reduced the rate for farm loans.

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan signed as Brand Ambassador of Kalyan Jewellers - Bollywood's most popular actor Amitabh Bachchan on 14 July 2012 was signed as the brand ambassador of Kalyan Jewellers due to his popularity and fame at the international level. He will emphasize on the brand qualities with 100 percent purity, price tags etc. He will also advertise in regional languages.

ONGC was awarded Gold Trophy in Safety Management Award 2012 - Greentech Foundation awarded Gold Trophy in Safety Management Award 2012 on 24 July 2012 to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

August
NDTV filed Lawsuit against Audience Measurement Company TAM India - India's national news broadcasting channel NDTV sued the country’s only television audience measurement company TAM India and its global parent firms Nielsen and Kantar on 31 July 2012. The channel accused officials at TAM of being indulged in fraudulent and manipulating TV ratings.

Siemens India Bagged 290 Million Euro NMDC Deal - Siemens India nailed an order worth two ninety million Euros from National Mineral Development Corporation (NDMC), which is state run, for developing basic oxygen furnace converter for steel marking.

The Bhilai Steel Plant won the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the 10th Time - The Bhilai Steel Plant won the prestigious Prime Minister's Trophy for the 10th time. Bhilai Steel plant is the flagship unit of India’s largest public sector steel maker, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).

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Information Source – Jagran Josh

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What Makes a Successful Businessman?

If we carefully study the lives of great people, the point at which they started their journey, they were just ordinary people like any of us. If at all they had anything that made them exemplary persons / made them build big business empires, it was the dream that they had set in their mind with strong conviction and confidence, that they can become, what they always wanted to be.

Most of the time, majority of the people, either because of the environmental conditions they were brought up, or because of various other factors, they are made to think, that they are not capable of dreaming big or becoming big achievers. But, on the contrary, take examples of the great leaders in any field, let it be business, politics or spirituality, it was the passion that they had towards their dream, that made them successful and great leaders in their respective fields.

Take the example of Tata, Birla, or Ambani. They were ordinary people with extraordinary confidence and faith, in what they believed. To support and achieve that, they had, good character and principled life. Superficial manners business ethics, etiquette there are number of people, organizations and books which can teach you all this. But character, self-confidence, principled life, a clear vision of the purpose of our life and a burning desire to fulfill that dream, all these things we have to acquire.

These qualities are not necessarily inborn; they can be nurtured provided we are wiling to do so. God has blessed each and every human being with the same capability; all that we need is faith in ourselves. Take an example of the tree, we all know that tree originates from the seed, but when you open the seed, you find there is nothing inside but space, yet from that nothing, such a big tree originated. This is the essence of life, from nothing everything comes, and from being no one, we become some one.

It is because of faith, that Swami Vivekananda, with no money in his pocket, could go to America to attend world Religions Conference and voiced his opinion to the world. It was faith that made M. K. Gandhi a Lawyer, into Mahatma Gandhi, it will also be faith, utter faith In ourselves, that will make us one day into “somebody.” Believe in yourself, and in your dreams, and dare to achieve them, there is no one to stop you in the world.

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