Amritha Pillay &Amp; Pavan Lall

Stories by Amritha Pillay &Amp; Pavan Lall

RIL pushes production timeline for battery packs by a year to 2024

RIL pushes production timeline for battery packs by a year to 2024

Rediff.com   9 Aug 2023

Reliance Industries (RIL) has reset its battery pack production timeline, shifting it from 2023 earlier to 2024, details shared in the oil-to-telecom conglomerate's latest annual report suggest. In the FY23 annual report released on Sunday, the company has listed the start of battery pack production in 2024. A year ago, at the company's annual general meeting (AGM), Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of RIL, had said, "We aim to start production of battery packs by 2023 and scale up to a fully integrated 5 GWh annual cell-to-pack manufacturing facility by 2024."

World entering a highly disruptive green energy era, says Mukesh Ambani

World entering a highly disruptive green energy era, says Mukesh Ambani

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2023

Reliance Industries (RIL's) annual report released on Sunday highlighted the company's focus on new energy solutions, with chairman and managing director (MD) Mukesh Ambani stating that the age of fossil fuels will not continue much longer. RIL has sought shareholders' approval to give Ambani another five-year term as MD till 2029 at nil salary. The recently demerged Jio Financial Services, which "will leverage the prowess of digital and retail businesses", was expected to be listed soon.

Competition for market share intensifies among cement companies in Q1

Competition for market share intensifies among cement companies in Q1

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2023

Cement manufacturers' show during the June 2023-ended quarter (Q1FY24) has indicated an intensified slugfest for market share. For instance, Dalmia Bharat (Cement) said it has lost market share in eastern India owing to lack of price discipline. Industry analysts also said that the seasonal weakness in cement prices for Q1 is showing up earlier than usual.

Strong Q1 likely for capital goods firms with low costs, healthy execution

Strong Q1 likely for capital goods firms with low costs, healthy execution

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2023

Capital goods companies are likely to report double-digit growth in sales and profit for the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year (Q1FY24), according to analysts. The performance will ride on lower raw-material costs and healthy execution of orders. Sales by capital goods companies are likely to increase 13-20 per cent year-on-year (YoY), five domestic brokerage firms said.

Adani's Dharavi dream: Producing millionaires minus slumdog prefix

Adani's Dharavi dream: Producing millionaires minus slumdog prefix

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2023

Billionaire Gautam Adani on Wednesday shared a personal note on the development of Dharavi in Mumbai, days after the Maharashtra government issued a resolution to award the Dharavi redevelopment project to his conglomerate on July 14. In the note shared with the media, Adani said his first tryst with Dharavi in Mumbai was in the late 1970s, and the slum settlement continues to amaze and inspire the billionaire to date. "When this opportunity to renew Dharavi came calling, I seized it with both hands," he said.

'Whatever we do, we have to make an impact'

'Whatever we do, we have to make an impact'

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2023

'Professors can teach even when they are 90 because they don't lose their skill with words. Go deeper and there's spirituality in it.'

Indian art boom inspires bigger canvas for galleries

Indian art boom inspires bigger canvas for galleries

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2023

The recent India Art Fair in New Delhi generated greater interest than before in local contemporary artists among a growing cohort of Indian collectors, including millennials. But growth in Indian art is not restricted to that alone. This year saw 91 exhibitors, a much higher number than 63 in the previous edition - indicating a flourishing market. While live auction sales were largely suspended during Q2 of 2020 due to Covid-19 precautions, global fine art auctioneer Christie's says online-only sales were up 262 per cent in 2020 to $311 million), marking a record total for the channel.

Small cars not finished, but certainly won't be cheap

Small cars not finished, but certainly won't be cheap

Rediff.com   17 Feb 2023

That means a manufacturer looking at a market like India needs to decide whether small, cheap cars or small, expensive cars or both will work better for them, says Pavan Lall.

Carens is another arrow in Kia's packed quiver

Carens is another arrow in Kia's packed quiver

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2022

The Carens is a warning for cars such as the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crista and Mahindra XUV 700, because Kia punches much harder than others in its weight category.

BMW X4 lords over other cars on the road

BMW X4 lords over other cars on the road

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2022

The X4 offers an imposing presence that you cannot miss even in a crowd of other cars, says Pavan Lall.

Jeep's comeback vehicle Meridian lacks the bite

Jeep's comeback vehicle Meridian lacks the bite

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2022

The Meridian feels comfortable and upright with the quality of gadgetry, interiors and plastics expected from an international brand car. However, it lacks the overall premium-ness that may come with a top-end Japanese car or even a mid-range German car, says Pavan Lall.

Volkswagen's Virtus bets big on the sedan segment

Volkswagen's Virtus bets big on the sedan segment

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2022

The Virtus is indeed designed to look, act and behave like a well-built European sedan that swims in the segment between the compact sedan VW Vento and the larger Passat, says Pavan Lall.

Meet India's Latest Billionaire

Meet India's Latest Billionaire

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2022

'It has taken us 15 years to get to where we are. It obviously doesn't happen overnight.'

Slavia is Skoda's big bet on the sedan segment

Slavia is Skoda's big bet on the sedan segment

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2022

While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.

Maruti bets big on Nexa in quest for premium market dominance

Maruti bets big on Nexa in quest for premium market dominance

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2022

Seven years after it announced Nexa, there's no mistaking the seriousness with which Maruti wants the segment to grow, says Pavan Lall.

Kia Carens: Made by an Asian company for Indian roads

Kia Carens: Made by an Asian company for Indian roads

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2022

High ground clearance, a wide cabin and tall stance all mean that the Carens glides over bad roads with ease and comfort and an engine performance that is adequate in terms of the power of this vehicle, says Pavan Lall.

Kodiaq, Skoda's brand-new luxury SUV, stands tall among 7-seaters

Kodiaq, Skoda's brand-new luxury SUV, stands tall among 7-seaters

Rediff.com   28 Feb 2022

Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.

Audi's 3 mantras to set it apart from the competition

Audi's 3 mantras to set it apart from the competition

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2022

Audi's strategy seems to point to pushing technology to directly connect with consumers using digital platforms and marketing to synchromesh into one seamless experience, says Pavan Lall.

Relaunched Honda Amaze looks like a brand new car

Relaunched Honda Amaze looks like a brand new car

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2022

It's a zippy, well-engineered ride that offers comfort, quality, low cost of ownership and fuel efficiency at affordable prices, says Pavan Lall.

'India is one of Starbucks' top 5 fastest-growing markets'

'India is one of Starbucks' top 5 fastest-growing markets'

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2021

'We were taking the Starbucks experience from the store to the home.'