Category Archives: Business & Economy

Indian youngster creates 3D printer for just Dh1,000

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

Kannur, KERALA :

supplied photo

The architecture sector tops the revenue generation for the 3D printing sector in the UAE.

Research shows that the UAE’s 3D printing market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.3 per cent between 2018 and 2024.

The architecture sector tops the revenue generation for the 3D printing sector in the country.

Binder jetting has been found to be the most widely used technology for architectural modelling.

Though 3D printers have been gaining popularity across the world, the price point has been a deterrent of sorts and more so in developing countries like India.

But Melvin George, 24, from Kannur in north Kerala, the southernmost Indian state, has come up with an innovative and inexpensive way of developing a 3D printer amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic that is evoking widespread enthusiasm in the UAE.

George, a guitar aficionado, who is pursuing a postgraduate degree in commerce, wanted to print out parts of the musical instrument, but found that a 3D printer at Dh7,500 was way too expensive for him to afford. This got his curious mind ticking: why not make a 3D printer all by himself?

“Though I had made a guitar out of wood, I was keen to use original parts of the musical instrument. Initially, I wanted to take a 3D printout, but later because of the prohibitive costs decided to make one on my own that proved to be quite a resounding success,” he told .

The Internet proved to be a great leveller as he learnt the tricks of the trade from available online resources.

He has been constantly upgrading his homegrown 3D printer, whose making charge is only Dh1,000 and still a work in progress.

For the uninitiated, 3D printing, or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file using additive processes.

The maximum print size of a 3D printer is 120 centimetres (cm) x 83cm x 83cm.

So far, he has printed out figurines and showpieces besides parts of a guitar and its amplifier.

“I’m making my own polylactic acid (PLA), one of the key ingredients used in 3D printing, with corn. The PLA, which is industrially produced, uses additives and us ecologically harmful, but the homegrown stuff is 100 per cent biodegradable and safe,” he added.

George is into Western pop music and has fancied himself a lyricist since his high school days. And that’s where his penchant for playing guitar stems from.

His 3D printing innovation received a further boost from his uncle Byju Mathew, who works as an automation consultant in Australia.

“My self-learning skills have emboldened me to build India’s second concrete printed house.

I’ve even discovered a brand-new 3D printing kinematics, which will change the printing speed drastically. However, building a printer to those specifications will be more complicated, as parts for a printer like that exist. The future hinges on this concrete printer, which is in the works,” he added.

George’s homegrown technical skills, passion and a ready demand for 3D printing technology in the UAE and the wider region make him an ideal candidate to leave his native Kerala and make a dash for the Arabian Gulf nation, which is a home-away-home for an estimated over 60 per cent of the Indian expatriates.

Will George bite the bullet and come to the UAE soon on a hop, skip and jump fuelling an archetypal Malayalee’s Gulf dream?

joydeep@khaleejtimes.com

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> Technology / by Joydeep Sen Gupta in New Delhi, July 11th, 2021

Meet Mathachan KJ, a farmer who grows pearls in his farm in Kerala

Agriculture, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature

This farmer from Kasargod has been doing it for the past 22 years

Mathachan KJ   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Mathachan KJ spends most of his time on his farm in Kasargod, Kerala. There, he tends to over 1,00,000 mussels that grow in seven ponds. “They are not edible and are grown specifically to cultivate pearls. This batch is now nine months old. It will take another nine more months for the harvest,” explains the 65-year-old.

Mathachan set up his pearl farm 22 years ago after resigning from his work as a professor in Saudi Arabia. “In 1982, I got an opportunity to take up a course on freshwater pearl cultivation from the Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre, China. I loved it and decided to resign my job and do it full time in 1999.”

He initially cleared the rubber plantation with his 35 cents to dig the first pond to grow them. “It is large and can hold 20 lakh litres of water. The other six are comparatively smaller and are in different locations on my six acres of land. I also grow areca nut, vanilla and coconut trees in the plot.” Mathachan sources the fresh mussels from the river Kaveri, near his home. “I use the variety called Lamellidens marginalis that is abundant in the Western Ghats. Both the shells and the pearls have a golden tone to it,” he explains.

The mussels are immersed in the pond in suspended baskets, and feed on plankton found in the water. “It is important to maintain the pH of the water between seven and nine for optimum growth,” says Mathachan. The mussels dwell in the ponds for a month before they are implanted with acrylic nuclei, which later develop into pearls. “I use two nuclei for a mussel which gives me two pearls during harvest.”

It takes 18 months for the pearls to mature by forming numerous ‘nacre layers’ around the nucleus. “It is formed by a secretion of the mussels. There will be 540 layers formed when I harvest them.” The extraction is done manually, and Mathachan has six people to help him in the process. The shells are separated carefully to get the pearls. After being cleaned with water, the pearls are then sent to gemologists for certification. “They are then exported to Australia. The market for freshwater pearls is better abroad,” he says.

Mathachan has taken more than 1,000 workshops on freshwater farming so far across India. “Anyone can do it with a bit of patience and training. It feels good to see a growing interest. After the pandemic, I learnt to take classes online.” Other than mussels, he also grows fish in the pond. “It gives me an added income and also fresh fish for the family. Most of my weekends are spent fishing with my friends on my farm,” he concludes.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life &Style / by Susan Joe Philip / February 02nd, 2021

Kerala’s very own spice girl

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Latha K, Chef Di Cuisine of Malabar Cafe, speaks about helming the cafe which recently won an award for the Best South Indian Restaurant

Kochi :

It is easy to take Latha K for an unassuming neighbourhood homemaker when she is not donning her professional garb. With her modest low bun and unpretentious round pottu, Latha does not really exude a hot-shot chef vibe at the outset. But with over three decades of experience in the culinary sphere, the Chef Di Cuisine of Malabar Cafe at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty has won the hotel the distinction of housing the Best South Indian Restaurant by Travel + Leisure India Magazine & South Asia’s Delicious Food Awards this year.

“This is the first national award the restaurant has won and it is a notable achievement,” says Latha. Her culinary ethos harps on serving authentic delicacies of Kerala for which she uses fresh spices ground by hand using mortar and pestle.

Born in a small village in Kozhikode, Latha’s resolve to become a chef developed early. She made her first dish, Kerala fish curry and rice, at age nine and was rewarded with compliments. Having honed her skills by observing her mother and grandmothers cooking in the kitchen, Latha took hotel management and that was where she came across her first hurdle. From being denied admission because she would be the only girl student in a batch of 27 boys to having to move to Chennai to complete her internship because no restaurant in Kozhikode would take her, Latha broke many glass ceilings to become Kerala’s first female chef.

“Women bring warmth and affection to the table, something that evokes nostalgia to the food we make. As the only south Indian live kitchen to have a sizeable number of women chefs, we are looking forward to adding more to the team,” says Latha, whose team of female chefs are piquantly referred to as the ‘spice girls’ at Hyatt. “In the last decade or so, a significant number of woman chefs have come to the forefront of the hospitality industry. Establishing oneself as a chef has become increasingly easier. This is a welcome development,” she adds.

Although well-versed in Thai, continental and middle-eastern cuisines, Latha says south Indian food is closest to her heart. “Kappad kaya curry, a chicken preparation, reminds me of my childhood. It is popular with fisherfolk and is prepared at the time of a festival. The dish is on the menu at Malabar Cafe and I relish cooking it,” says the chef.

Latha has gathered a treasure trove of more than 3,000 recipes over the years. She is currently working on a historical cookbook that will feature 350 traditional recipes from different parts of Kerala. “The book will also outline the cultural fabric Kerala cuisine is rooted in. The research for it has been expansive and exhaustive,” she concludes.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Swetha Kadiyala / Express News Service / October 26th, 2019

Ardent gardener from Kochi rakes in lakhs via YouTube

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives & Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

Annie Yujin Stephen never thought that her passion for gardening and the meticulous manner of pictorially chronicling them would gain her worldwide fame.

Annie Yujin Stephen

 When you devote your time and effort to create something beautiful, you aim to keep it for eternity. This is what propelled Annie Yujin Stephen to start clicking photos of the plants growing in her garden.

However, she never thought that her passion for gardening and the meticulous manner of pictorially chronicling them would gain her worldwide fame. Annie is today a YouTube star and hosts two channels. While one exclusively caters to giving farming information, the other deals with how to live a happy life.

“Actually, it was my brother who asked me to upload the photos on YouTube. The idea was to save them for a long time since even if we save the pictures on our computers or hard disks, there are chances of them getting deleted or corrupted,” said Annie. So, she uploaded her photographs on YouTube.

“It didn’t have any background score or commentary. However, it was well-received and one of the viewers suggested uploading videos. So, I thought why not,” said Annie. She launched her YouTube channel Krishi Lokam in 2012. “I was a bit apprehensive. However, the views and the comments that the videos received increased my confidence,” she said.

With over 3 lakh subscribers and over 2 crore views, Annie now earns Rs 1 lakh a month from the channel! “It helped to be a passionate gardener. I didn’t have to act in front of the camera,” she said, According to her, in the first few videos, she just showcased her garden. “However, later on, I began giving voice-overs. This enabled me to emerge from being a very shy person to a confident one,” said Annie.

A native of Angamaly, Annie at present resides in Kochi and has been uploading videos since 2015. “The comments that I receive have given me the confidence to continue posting videos based on queries that I receive in the comments box,” she said.

Annie also provides farming tips by making videos of the entire cultivation process. “For example, if a viewer wants to know the right time and process of cultivating turmeric, I shoot the same at my farm. Right from telling the time, type of seedlings to be chosen, preparation of beds, fertilisers to be used to harvesting, the videos showcase everything,” she said. Annie and her husband own a one-acre plot in Angamaly.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Anu Kurivilla / Express News Service / August 28th, 2019

Manned by women, Vanitha Transport stands the test of time

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

An initiative of the district panchayat, ‘Vanitha Transport’ is managed by Thrissur District Vanitha Transport Co-operative Society.

Vanitha Transport

Thrissur :

As the state government is gearing up to recruit women drivers in KSRTC to enforce gender equality, a private bus in the district manned by women has been on the road since 1999.

An initiative of the district panchayat, ‘Vanitha Transport’ is managed by Thrissur District Vanitha Transport Co-operative Society. When it started, there were two buses operating on the Thrissur-Kodungallur and Thrissur-Thiruwilvamala route. Though one bus was cancelled, the other service is in full swing even though the society has financial issues. 

“It has been almost 20 years and we have never stopped the service. At present, our driver is on leave as she met with an accident while riding a two-wheeler and hence we have employed a male driver. But all these years, we had women as drivers, conductors and cleaners,” said K G Sathi, secretary of the society. The service begins from Thrissur at 7.38 am. “In the morning hours, we operate on the Kodungallur route while after 3 pm we ply on the Thiruwilvamala route,” she added.


They faced serious financial issues last year. But then District Collector T V Anupama intervened to rearrange the timings of the bus and got it approved. 

“Now, we get a five-minute halt in the north b there was no time for anything,” said Sathi. It was during C Raveendranath’s term as district convenor of People’s Planning Programme that such a project took shape. 

When the state government is all set to appoint women drivers ,  here are a bunch of ladies, including Thankamani, the conductor of Vanitha Transport, who are happy to be the pioneers in this field. “We were able to bring many women behind the wheel all these years. In some cases, girls were trained by our staff to get a driving licence,” said Sathi.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Gopika Varrier / Express News Service / August 22nd, 2019

Investor Cafe for women start-ups

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

Women Start-up Summit on August1

The forthcoming Investor Cafe to be held by Kerala Startup Mission will be exclusively for women start-ups. The event will be held at the Integrated Startup Complex here on July 31.

Notably, KSUM is organising India’s largest Women Startup Summit at the same venue a day later, on August1.

The Investor Café, spanning from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will focus on products which positively impact women.

The Investor Café is an investor start-up meet held on the last Wednesdays of every month.

This month, the theme for the Investor Café will be ‘Developing an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.’Women investors from various parts of the country will be invited to the programme and they will meet selected women founders.

Start-ups looking for funds can meet investors by applying to this programme at https://startupmission.kerala.gov.in/pages/investorcafe.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – July 10th, 2019

Late NRI businessman Sajan Parayil’s dream venture receives Kannur municipality nod

Business & Economy, Nri's / Pio's

Protracted delay in granting all-clear led to the expat bizman taking the extreme step

Kannur :

Anthoor municipality on Tuesday issued a licence to Partha Convention Centre, which was in the eye of a storm following the suicide of NRI businessman Sajan Parayil. Municipal secretary M Rameshan said licence was issued as the owners rectified five violations in the construction as suggested by the civic body.

The only violation that remains to be rectified is the location of the water tank. The owners were given six months to shift it to another place. The decision to issue licence was taken after municipal secretary M Rameshan and engineer in charge P V Biju conducted a joint inspection on Tuesday based on a fresh application submitted by Sajan’s family to the municipality.

It was on June 18 that Sajan committed suicide as he was frustrated by repeated denial of permission to open his convention centre. Denial of a licence to the convention centre and the subsequent suicide of Sajan was discussed across the state as an example of the ruthless attitude of officials putting hurdles to obstruct entrepreneurs.

Following Sajan’s death, a team led by chief town planner (Vigilance) conducted an investigation and found some violations in the construction. As per the report, Additional Chief Secretary T K Jose directed the municipal secretary to issue a licence to the owners once they rectify the violations and submit a new plan.

On Tuesday  Sajan’s family members and manager Sajeevan approached the municipality with a fresh application seeking a licence. After verifying the application, a licence was issued to the convention centre around 3 pm. Earlier during the inspection, it was found that water tank of the convention centre was built at a place where construction was not allowed according to rules.

Though Sajan’s family sought 10 months’ time for rectifying it, they were given only six months.

Shymala’s statement recorded

Kannur :

A special investigation team led by Narcotics Cell DySP V A Krishnadas recorded the statement of Anthoor municipal chairperson P K Shyamala in connection with the suicide of NRI businessman Sajan Parayil.

The statement was recorded by a team including Valapattanam CI M Krishnan and Kannur SI Mallika at the Anthoor municipal office. 

Though they recorded Shyamala’s statement, they didn’t get any evidence to prove she was responsible for the death of Sajan, said Krishnadas. 

“I have nothing to do with death. The truth will come out one day,” Shyamala told reporters later.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / July 10th, 2019

A windfall for mussel farmers of Valiyaparamba

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature

It is harvesting time for aquaculture farmers doing raft cultures of green mussels in the Valiyaparamba backwaters, and they are happy that the yield this year is better than that of last two or three years.

The backwaters divide the Valiyaparamba strip and small islands and mainland, in Kannur and Kasaragod districts including Thrikkarippur and Padanna.

Mussel harvest

Farmers and their helpers start mussel harvest in April-May, by removing the mussel ropes suspended from rafts anchored to the backwaters.

They collect the mussel ropes, bring them to land in canoes, and segregate good mussels (with closed shells) and bad mussels (with open shells) before they are handed over to buyers who sell them to local vendors or those in neighbouring places.

“There are 1,949 green mussel cultivation units in the backwaters with each unit having 100 ropes,” said I.P. Athira, mussel culture district project coordinator under the Fisheries Department in the district.

They included 1,192 units under the Blue Revolution (BR) scheme for new farmers, and 757 units under the Janakeeya Matsyakrishi continuing scheme for existing mussel farmers.

Whereas individuals under the BR scheme could culture one unit each with a government subsidy of 40% of the cost (estimated at ₹15,000), self-help groups could cultivate up to four units with the same subsidy, she said.

Continuing farmers would get 20% of the operations cost, she added.

Increased production

While the harvest is still incomplete, initial yields show increased production.

Twelve tonnes of mussels was harvested in Padanna panchayat and eight tonnes was harvested in Thrikkarippur panchayat.

Valiyaparamba panchayat, having the highest number of mussel farmers, has so far harvested 10 tonnes, according to the Fisheries Department.

In November

The season of mussel culture starts in November when salinity is high in the backwaters.

“Yield this year is good and we are fetching ₹6,000-7,000 per sack containing 75-80 kg of mussels,” said P.V. Preetha, mussel culture farmer and promoter, who is tasked with recruiting more people into mussel farming.

Seeds were locally available this season, though some farmers had bought outside seeds which reached harvest stage early, she said.

There was no difficulty in marketing the product, she added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States > Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer & Special Correspondent / April 29th, 2019

It’s ‘baiga’ harvest season for Neendakara fishermen

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, World Opinion

Long journey: Baiga, an export-oriented sea snail species, at a processing unit in Kollam. 

The sea snail, a delicacy in Japan, Taiwan, and China, is claimed to be endemic to Kollam

Over 250 boats from Neendakara are currently busy harvesting ‘baiga’ and it will take you some time to figure out that the word fishers use so casually is the Japanese for sea snail.

An export-oriented gastropod mollusc, it is endemic to Kollam with a two-month season ending in May. “It’s a species of sea snail abundant in Neendakara. We cannot say it’s totally endemic as its sporadic presence is seen in other places too. But Neendakara is the only place where it’s available in huge volumes,” says Fisheries Deputy Director H. Salim.

The fishers say they take daily trips, though not too far from the coast considering the current weather conditions. “These two months we focus on baiga and since it has to be brought live to the shore, we take daily trips. Before taking it to the processing plant, we keep it in fresh seawater for around five hours to clean the flesh. This species has no local market, so the entire catch goes straight to processing plants. In Kerala , Neendakara is the only region where you get this variety,” they say.

Priced up to ₹130, the fisherfolk consider it a good option just before trawling ban starts.

1,000 tonnes

According to exporters, Japan, Taiwan, and China are the main markets of the product where it is used in many traditional delicacies. “It’s a seasonal market operating hardly two months a year and an average of 1,000 tonnes is exported each time. In Kerala, all the export units get the product from Neendakara. Since it has to be cleaned live, it’s not possible to take it to faraway places for processing. It’s usually exported as a raw product without any value addition,” says Peter Austin of Capithan Exporting Company. He adds that Pakistan is a major competitor in the field as the country has a larger harvest window. “Karachi-based exporters ship the product for over six months.”

Mr. Salim says the Fisheries Department is trying for a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the species. “Currently, the yellow clam (Paphia malabarica) from Ashtamudi Lake is the only product from India to get that recognition. In the case of baiga, it is a very short harvest and the rest of the year we leave the species to breed, which is a very sustainable practice. So we are really hopeful of getting the certification,” he adds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kerala / by Navamy Sudhish / Kollam – April 20th, 2019

Startups developed by Kochi-based Maker Village gain attention of defence organisations

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Maker Village is a venture of the Kerala government to incubate startups focused on electronics and hardware production.

Kochi :

Startups incubated by Kochi-based Maker Village are gaining the attention of defence establishments as a high-level team of officials from Defence Production has decided to visit the incubator facility in the coming days. The move will give a thrust for startups in Kochi and elsewhere enter the defence ecosystem. Maker Village is a venture of the Kerala government to incubate startups focused on electronics and hardware production.

Ajay Kumar, secretary, Defence Production, Government of India, who was in Kochi, held a discussion with Maker Village CEO Prasad Balakrishnan Nair on Saturday. The discussions took place on the sidelines of the second edition of Hardtech 2019, a National Deeptech Startup Conclave organised by Maker Village.

Assuring that he will open the doors for startups to defence production, Ajay Kumar said the visiting team will comprise officials from the Army, Navy and Air Force. Earlier, addressing the gathering at the meet, Kumar said his office has, for the first time, been keenly watching startups for solutions of various kinds. “Startups are going to be an important part of our defence ecosystem. Users like the Army and Air Force want them to identify problems and seek ways to resolve them,” he said. 

He recalled a Defence India Startup Challenge the government launched last year received 520 outstanding proposals from new companies, much to the encouragement of the plan to leverage defence startups and connect them with the armed forces. “I want startups from Maker Village to feature in the list of next edition of the Defence India Startup Challenge,” he said. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Express News Service / April 03rd, 2019