Shivani Shinde And Dev Chatterjee

Stories by Shivani Shinde And Dev Chatterjee

'I don't want to think of challenges, but tasks before us'

'I don't want to think of challenges, but tasks before us'

Rediff.com   2 May 2023

'Every time a new tech comes in, there are a set of people who will predict that this will be the end of Indian IT and every time the Indian IT industry and overall technology providers have proven to be resilient.'

Adani to focus on prepaying loans, not to add more debt

Adani to focus on prepaying loans, not to add more debt

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2023

Adani Group is expected to report a 20 per cent rise in its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) at Rs 61,200 crore for the year that ended in March 2023 (2022-23, or FY23), according to a note submitted by the group to lenders recently. The group had earned Ebitda of Rs 57,299 crore in the preceding financial year that ended in March 2022 (2021-22). The group's gross debt was Rs 2.27 trillion as of March 31, 2023, and has projected to not take on additional debt until it lowers its existing one.

'Once we make an offer to a person, we honour it'

'Once we make an offer to a person, we honour it'

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2023

'Even during the pandemic we did it.' 'We think it's our responsibility to make sure that we manage the uncertainty.'

Wipro to consider buyback proposal

Wipro to consider buyback proposal

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2023

IT services major Wipro is reconsidering a proposal of buy back of equity shares, said the company in a regulatory filing. A final decision on this will be taken during the board meeting to be held on April 26-27. The outcome of the board meeting will be communicated to the stock exchanges soon after conclusion on April 27.

Wipro asks freshers to take new test or get terminated

Wipro asks freshers to take new test or get terminated

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2023

Wipro is in the news, again. The information technology (IT) services company has mandated freshers, who had opted for a lower salary package of Rs 3.5 lakh per annum, instead of Rs 6.5 lakh per annum, clear a new training module titled Project Readiness Program (PRP) and score at least 60 per cent or stand terminated. Wipro is not the only company to have implemented such a programme.

India Inc leans on InvITs to reduce debt, generate returns for investors

India Inc leans on InvITs to reduce debt, generate returns for investors

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2023

Reliance Industries, construction major L&T and IRB Infrastructure are some of the top companies that have used an infrastructure investment trust structure to reduce part of their debt and generate returns for their investors. Earlier this month, IRB Infrastructure InvIT was listed on the National Stock Exchange, giving its investors an option to exit by selling their units. The listing came within months of the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) guidelines for conversion of private unlisted InvITs into listed ones were issued.

Tata Neu 2.0 Plans Better Experience

Tata Neu 2.0 Plans Better Experience

Rediff.com   17 Apr 2023

'With this revamp the anonymous journey of the user will begin wherein he will not have to sign in every time he accesses the app.'

Infosys headcount reduces in fourth quarter of FY23 even as attrition slows

Infosys headcount reduces in fourth quarter of FY23 even as attrition slows

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2023

With revenue growth impacted and uncertainty deepening in major markets, India's second largest IT services firm, Infosys, saw a net reduction in its headcount in the fourth quarter of financial year 2022-23 (Q4FY23). Infosys' workforce saw a net reduction of 3,611 employees, bringing its total headcount to 343,234. This was also the first time in many years that the company did not provide a hiring target for the next fiscal.

Indian IT services firms likely to post muted revenue growth in Q4

Indian IT services firms likely to post muted revenue growth in Q4

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2023

IT services firms' revenue growth in the fourth quarter will be affected by macro-driven headwinds, lower working-days, and the fact of the three-month period being low season. Analysts are expecting FY24 growth to be muted. Revenue growth will decline 600-700 basis points to 10-12 per cent for FY24, said a CRISIL Ratings report. The 10-12 per cent growth rate is a fall from the 18-20 per cent expected in FY23 and around 19 per cent growth in FY22, the highest in eight years, said the CRISIL Ratings report.

RCap auction postponed to April 11 even as Torrent pursues litigation

RCap auction postponed to April 11 even as Torrent pursues litigation

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2023

Lenders have postponed the second auction to sell bankrupt Reliance Capital's assets by a week to April 11, even as the Torrent group, the highest bidder in the first round, pursues litigation in the Supreme Court. Lenders are expecting the Hinduja group and Torrent to participate in the second auction and maximise the value of the assets. American financial services major, Oakteee may also join the race, said a source.

Cyrus Mistry's assets may be divided among wife and sons

Cyrus Mistry's assets may be divided among wife and sons

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2023

The billionaire Mistry family's estate is likely to soon change hands. The assets in the name of Cyrus Mistry, who died in September last year, may soon be divided equally among his wife Rohiqa and sons Firoz and Zahan, according to sources. The reorganisation will also include the 9.2 per cent stake in Tata Sons, which is currently in Cyrus Mistry's name and held through his investment company Cyrus Investments.

RCap lenders in a fix as Hindujas retract revised Rs 8,950-cr offer

RCap lenders in a fix as Hindujas retract revised Rs 8,950-cr offer

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2023

The Hinduja group is learnt to have backtracked from making a minimum Rs 8,950-crore offer for Reliance Capital (RCap) - a deal that it had belatedly put forth in December, after Torrent Investments emerged as the highest bidder for the bankrupt firm in the challenge process. The Hindujas' latest move has put Indian lenders, with an exposure of Rs 24,000 crore, in a spot as it was the former's revised offer that led to a call for a second auction and litigation by Torrent, which had placed a bid of Rs 8,649 crore in the first auction. Torrent has moved the Supreme Court and plans to wait for the apex court verdict before participating in any fresh auction. A banking source said there was an informal meeting of a few lenders of Reliance Capital with the bidders - the Torrent group and the Hinduja group on Friday when the latter changed its stand. The meeting of RCap's committee of creditors (CoC) is scheduled for Monday.

SVB fallout: Fintech, venture capital companies come to the rescue

SVB fallout: Fintech, venture capital companies come to the rescue

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2023

Fintech and venture capital firms such as Recur Club, Razorpay and Trifecta Capital have come to the aid of homegrown start-ups caught in the crossfire of the Silicon Valley Bank fiasco. Alternative funding platform Recur Club said it was allocating $15 million to all Indian founders affected by the crisis. It will not charge any platform fee for the same.

Meet K Krithivasan, TCS' CEO-designate

Meet K Krithivasan, TCS' CEO-designate

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2023

"Humble", "kind", and "spiritual" are some adjectives used to describe K Krithivasan, chief executive officer designate and global head of banking, financial services, and insurance business, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he is an old stager. Krithivasan, based out of Chennai, has been part of the global technology sector for over 34 years. He joined TCS in 1989. During his long tenure at the company, he has held leadership roles in delivery, customer relationship management, large programme management, and sales.

Why M&A deals in India are down 80% so far in 2023

Why M&A deals in India are down 80% so far in 2023

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2023

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by Indian companies have declined sharply by 80 per cent so far this year, in contrast with the same period last year, as bankers predict lower deal volumes due to falling profit margins of Indian companies and feeble stock markets. The decline in Adani Group shares has also hit buyer sentiment. According to data from Refinitiv, M&As in India stood at $3.3 billion from 253 deals, year-to-date (YTD) - a fall of 80 per cent year-on-year (YoY). Cross-border deals by Indian companies were also down 84 per cent to just $1.5 billion.

1.5 Million Vacancies In Cybersecurity!

1.5 Million Vacancies In Cybersecurity!

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2023

'The skilling gap is a serious issue.' 'We partner with the government on skilling, but as a company we have several skilling programmes, and we work closely with the partner ecosystem.

VC model of investment looks like ponzi scheme: N R Narayana Murthy

VC model of investment looks like ponzi scheme: N R Narayana Murthy

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2023

N R Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, blamed the venture capitalist community for inculcating a culture among entrepreneurs to chase growth at all costs. He said the VC model of investment looked like a ponzi scheme. "I would hold venture capitalists responsible who propounded the theory that only the top-line is important and not the bottom-line. "I think that is completely wrong. In many ways it looks like a ponzi scheme.

Investors jittery as Vedanta stocks, bonds take a hit

Investors jittery as Vedanta stocks, bonds take a hit

Rediff.com   1 Mar 2023

Vedanta investors were jittery on Tuesday as its share price fell and bond yields of its parent firm rose following concerns raised by a rating agency on its capability to repay debt maturing later this year. Shares of the mining and metals major were down by 7 per cent on Tuesday to Rs 268 a piece on the BSE. The company has lost market valuation of 30 per cent in the last one year and 13 per cent since January 1 this year. Yields on the bonds of Vedanta Resources, the parent firm of the BSE-listed Vedanta, shot up to 39.8 per cent - showing investors' rising concern over the group's debt situation

How a new tax law has stumped Tata Trusts and top corporate donors

How a new tax law has stumped Tata Trusts and top corporate donors

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2023

Indian charitable trusts, including Tata Trusts and top corporate donors, are stumped by a new tax law proposed in the Budget, which reduces tax breaks for the donor organisations. The Finance Bill proposes that if a charitable organisation donates to another charity, then only 85 per cent of the donation will be considered as application of income for the donor organisation. Trust officials say this is a major setback for the donor organisations, including corporate foundations and intermediary organisations, which work with various implementing agencies at the grassroots level.

Wipro freshers' dilemma: Work for half the salary or wait longer

Wipro freshers' dilemma: Work for half the salary or wait longer

Rediff.com   21 Feb 2023

Information technology major Wipro has asked candidates who have successfully completed their training and who were offered Rs 6.5 lakh per annum earlier whether they would be willing to take up projects for an annual compensation of Rs 3.5 lakh. Wipro told Business Standard that it had to adjust its onboarding plans "in the light of the changing macro environment and, as a result, our business needs". "Like others in our industry, we continue to assess global economies and customer needs, which factor in our hiring plans.