Sohini Das &Amp; Samreen Ahmad

Stories by Sohini Das &Amp; Samreen Ahmad

How Infosys plans to check attrition

How Infosys plans to check attrition

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

With the attrition rate continuing well above 20 per cent, one of the highest in the segment, Infosys is on a drive to reimagine the way it engages with employees starting from the time of recruitment itself. The company is using digital technologies in order to simplify recruitment, provide faster career track to employees, and incentivise people with top skills. The company is looking at doubling the number of recruits from tier-I engineering colleges such as IITs and NITs to enrich its talent base. These candidates who are offered twice the salary as compared to regular campus recruits, join as 'power programmers', a term that has been internally coined by the company to recognise the top coders.

How govt plans to ensure faster availability of new drugs

How govt plans to ensure faster availability of new drugs

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

Concerned about the rise of antibiotic resistance and the time it takes for drugs developed abroad to reach Indians, the government is considering holding its own clinical trials. Clinical trials for new drugs have so far primarily been conducted only by private Indian or foreign drug firms. But given the stringent nature of India's regulatory environment for clinical trials, several pharmaceutical companies have moved their trials out of India. As a result, only 1.2 per cent of global clinical trials take place in India.

How govt plans to buy med devices cheaply for Ayushman

How govt plans to buy med devices cheaply for Ayushman

Rediff.com   15 Dec 2019

According to a senior government official, the plan is to do "collective bargaining" for certain medical devices and implants by assuring a bulk requirement to the manufacturers. "The requirement for these devices runs into millions. We assure them that the requirement is going to be in bulk. In return, they should offer us better rates," he said.

Why prices of vitamin C, antibiotics could shoot up

Why prices of vitamin C, antibiotics could shoot up

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2019

The government said that "in exercise of extraordinary powers in public interest, conferred by paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013", the ceiling prices of 21 key formulations had been increased. These formulations include common medicines like BCG vaccines, penicillin, malaria and leprosy medicines (Dapsone), life-saving drugs like Furosemide (used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease), vitamin C, some common antibiotics, and anti-allergy medicines.

Marriott's mega India dream: 50 hotels in 5 years

Marriott's mega India dream: 50 hotels in 5 years

Rediff.com   27 Nov 2019

The hotels in the pipeline will include a range of Marriott brand portfolios such as JW Marriott, Tribute Portfolio and Sheraton.

Titan's mega plan to become leader in India's smartwatch space

Titan's mega plan to become leader in India's smartwatch space

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

Titan is investing heavily on research and development, which will do things beyond a smart watch can do today such as switching off lights, locking, and unlocking doors and making payments. Titan is also working closely with start-ups, too, to develop such futuristic features.

Lupin sells Japan arm to Unison for Rs 3,702 cr

Lupin sells Japan arm to Unison for Rs 3,702 cr

Rediff.com   12 Nov 2019

The company will now focus on specialty products in Japan; it is open to inorganic opportunities, especially in India.

Online ticket sales a bonanza for multiplexes

Online ticket sales a bonanza for multiplexes

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2019

Revenue from convenience fees has grown at a compound annual rate of 85 per cent for multiplex chain operator Inox Leisure and 58 per cent for PVR.

Govt may now cap prices of antibiotics

Govt may now cap prices of antibiotics

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2019

The intention of the government is to cap prices of drugs that are essential and which the public widely uses.

DRL, 1st Indian company to supply generic drugs to China's state hospitals

DRL, 1st Indian company to supply generic drugs to China's state hospitals

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2019

The drug that it would supply is called Olanzapine, used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

GSK withdraws sale of Zinetac after health alert

GSK withdraws sale of Zinetac after health alert

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2019

GSK is continuing with investigations into the potential source of the NDMA, which is a known environmental contaminant and found in water and foods, including meats, dairy products, and vegetables.

Retailers making the most of 'new' Bharat

Retailers making the most of 'new' Bharat

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2019

Riding on this change in aspirations, V-Mart a value retail chain is growing close to 22 per cent year-on-year, and is aggressively looking to expand its footprint, with 60 new stores this year.

FMCG firms staring at worst slump in 15 years

FMCG firms staring at worst slump in 15 years

Rediff.com   19 Sep 2019

The slowdown had been brewing since 2016 but was intensified further by several disruptions in the past two years including demonetisation.

Drones will deliver critical drugs at your doorstep

Drones will deliver critical drugs at your doorstep

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2019

Maharashtra govt, California-based Zipline to launch the automated delivery service funded by Serum Institute.

Airtel beats Vodafone Idea to become India's No 2 telco

Airtel beats Vodafone Idea to become India's No 2 telco

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2019

What worked for Airtel was that its data traffic growth was 13 per cent sequentially and its average data usage was even higher than Jio's at 11.9 gigabyte per month per user.

Why JioPhone is no more popular in Bharat

Why JioPhone is no more popular in Bharat

Rediff.com   5 Aug 2019

Used smartphones are gaining popularity in the hinterland, the main market for JioPhone. Share of JioPhone in the feature phone market had shrunk from 47% in Q2 of 2018 to 28% a year after.

Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi takes 99% pay cut

Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi takes 99% pay cut

Rediff.com   2 Aug 2019

As on July 31, the valuation of his shareholding in the company stood at Rs 9,830 crore.

India's rural mobile phone base slips further

India's rural mobile phone base slips further

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2019

According to telcos and analysts, this is due to SIM consolidation happening after the minimum recharge plans were implemented by incumbents.

Despite cap on pricing import of medical devices rises

Despite cap on pricing import of medical devices rises

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2019

The growth in imports was led by product categories such as diagnostic items, ultra-sonogram machines, MRI and ECG apparatus, syringes with needles, suture needles, digital thermometers, malaria diagnostic kits, and hearing aids.

Why telcos have little interest in 5G auctions

Why telcos have little interest in 5G auctions

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2019

Bharti Airtel called the prices exorbitant while Vodafone Idea wants the auctions take place in 2020. The auctions need to happen when the infrastructure is ready for the roll out, be it in terms of fiberisation levels, or optimisation of equipment and software etc. Spending a hefty amount on a technology (airwaves) that at present offers limited returns is not going to be a priority for the incumbent telcos.