Raghavendra Kamath And Neeraj Thakur In Mumbai, New Delhi

Stories by Raghavendra Kamath And Neeraj Thakur In Mumbai, New Delhi

'We are 3-times bigger than our competitors'

'We are 3-times bigger than our competitors'

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2008

Videocon's consumer durable and electronics chain Next has opened nearly 330 stores in the last two and half years, making it the largest chain in the country. Turnover is expected to cross Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) in this financial year. Business Standard caught up with Next's Director K S Raman on the company's growth plans.

Now, Indiabulls enters chartered aviation services

Now, Indiabulls enters chartered aviation services

Rediff.com   19 Feb 2008

The aircraft costs nearly $45 million (nearly Rs 180 crore). The company owns a 12-seater Challenger 604 and a seven-seater Cessna Citation Bravo under the fixed wing operations.

Mumbai developers rethink malls for office space

Mumbai developers rethink malls for office space

Rediff.com   19 Feb 2008

Real estate developers like Indiabulls, DLF, Peninsula and even retail giant Future group are all considering converting space reserved for malls and hyper-markets to office space to meet heavy demand from financial institutions, investment banks and large companies.

Rel Retail to sell connected homes concept

Rel Retail to sell connected homes concept

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2008

Reliance Retail has tied up with Microsoft to launch the concept of connected homes.

Nepal to slap charges against kidney scam kingpin

Nepal to slap charges against kidney scam kingpin

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2008

Nepalese police on Friday decided to slap charges of illegal kidney transplants and foreign currency violations against alleged kingpin Amit Kumar as India wanted him to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation at the earliest.

Indiabulls plans $1.2 bn IPO on Singapore bourse

Indiabulls plans $1.2 bn IPO on Singapore bourse

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2008

India's fourth biggest realty company (by market cap) Indiabulls Real Estate (IBREL) on Tuesday said that it was planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO) for its property trust Indiabulls Properties Investment Trust (IPIT) on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).

Media biggies plan 24-hour shopping channels

Media biggies plan 24-hour shopping channels

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2008

The STAR India-Bennet, Coleman & Company (BCCL) combine, Subhash Chandra's Essel Group and TV 18's HomeShopping 18 are among those who will air home shopping channels in the next couple of months.

Used-car prices down ahead of Nano entry

Used-car prices down ahead of Nano entry

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2008

Call it the "Nano effect" but less than a month after Tata Motors displayed its competitively-priced small car at the Delhi auto show, prices in the 1.3-million used-car market crashed 15 to 30 per cent, if not more.

Mumbai to add 15.4 mn sq ft office space

Mumbai to add 15.4 mn sq ft office space

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2008

By the year-end, Mumbai and its suburbs will add 15.4 million square feet of office space, more than the commercial space now available at the sprawling Bandra Kurla Complex or seven times the office space at Nariman Point, the city's business hub.

Realty FII norms are unclear on pre-IPO stakes

Realty FII norms are unclear on pre-IPO stakes

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2008

Realty FII norms, which were recently put outside the purview of Press Note 2 (2005), are vague about pre-IPO investments.

Market crash: Banks in damage control mode

Market crash: Banks in damage control mode

Rediff.com   23 Jan 2008

Many banks have begun to work on plans to provide assistance to brokers to ensure they do not default on any payments amid a turbulent stock market, following the finance ministry's unofficial advice to them to explore ways of supporting market players. All the actions would be initiated within the prudential framework like adhering to the limit on capital market exposure, said a top executive of another PSB.

Wipro to sell message via Mario toons

Wipro to sell message via Mario toons

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2008

Bangalore-based software giant has teamed up with eminent cartoonist Mario Miranda to create an advertising campaign that will light up its recruitment brand. The Goa-based cartoonist will educate potential recruits about Wipro through his characters.

Peninsula inks Rs 1,200 cr land deal with Essar

Peninsula inks Rs 1,200 cr land deal with Essar

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2008

Ashok Piramal Group company Peninsula Land has inked a property deal worth Rs 1,200 crore (Rs 12 billion) with Essar Realty Holdings, the realty arm of the Essar Group, to sell and lease premises at its upcoming IT park named Peninsula Technopark on LBS Marg in Kurla. The deal was signed recently, according to sources.

'Retailing in India to grow faster than in US'

'Retailing in India to grow faster than in US'

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2008

Fitch, one of the largest design consultancies in the world that has designed stores of Wal-Mart, Target, Marks & Spencer, Best Buy and Tesco among others, is betting big on India's organised retail sector. Already in the country to serve clients such as Aditya Birla Retail, Reliance Retail, Tatas and so on, Fitch plans to treble the number of staff and open new offices in the country.

What India Inc is lobbying for in Budget 2008

What India Inc is lobbying for in Budget 2008

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2008

Industry representatives recommended that the basic annual exemption limit for individuals should be raised to Rs 1,50,000 from Rs 1,10,000 and the peak income tax rate be cut to 25 per cent, from 30 per cent at present.

Peninsula, Lehman form real estate JV

Peninsula, Lehman form real estate JV

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2008

While Lehman will invest Rs 500 crore and hold 75 per cent in the JV, Peninsula Land will subscribe to the remaining equity at an investment of Rs 200 crore, according to sources.

Small retail traders dream big

Small retail traders dream big

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2008

India's retail industry, which is in the middle of rapid growth, has already scripted success stories fit to be the subject of a Bollywood film.

Insurance for property deals soon

Insurance for property deals soon

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2008

Private insurers are planning to launch property title insurance covers in India soon. Foreign investment is therefore likely to enter the Indian real estate market.

Small realty firms to benefit from REITs

Small realty firms to benefit from REITs

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2007

As real estate investment trusts (REITs) are set to become a reality in the country, small and medium property developers, who constitute 80 per cent of the total realty industry, can now breathe easy.

Realty index beats Sensex

Realty index beats Sensex

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2007

Call it an impact of the hopes of rate cuts in the country or renewed interest by foreign investors, BSE's Realty Index has outperformed big brother Sensex in the last 11 trading sessions - from the day when the Maharashtra government scrapped the Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act (Ulcra), which is expected to free 17,000 acres of land in Mumbai.