Daily Archives: March 30, 2015

Women on Board Take ‘Firm’ Control

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders

Kochi :

Last week saw a mad rush by Indian-listed companies to appoint at least one woman director on their board before the deadline set by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) expires on March 31, 2015, and Kerala companies were no exception.

SebiGlassCeilingKERALA30mar2015

Some of the noted Kerala-based companies which appointed women directors in recent days include AVT Natural Products, Kitex Garments, Manappuram Finance, Dhanlaxmi Bank, GTN Textiles, Accel Transmatic, Nitta Gelatin and Inditrade Capital (formerly JRG Securities).

The capital markets regulator Sebi had earlier asked all listed companies in India to appoint at least one woman director on their board before October 1, 2014, which was later extended to March 31. Some of the other Kerala companies which used the period to appoint woman directors include Muthoot Finance (November 11, 2014), South Indian Bank (October 1, 2014) and Muthoot Capital (July 28, 2014).

Interestingly, public sector Fertilizers & Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) is the only major Kerala-based listed company that have no woman on its board. Though not made official, various reports have suggested that the companies which fail to adhere to the Sebi rule may face a penalty of Rs 25 crore. This would be the last straw for FACT, which is hoping for a financial dole from the Centre to revive its fortunes.

Pamela Anna Mathew, managing director of the Kochi-headquartered OEN India, is the most sought-after woman director for Kerala-based companies. She was appointed on board of Muthoot Finance and GTN Textiles (March 17).

Dhanlaxmi Bank appointed Susobhan Sinha, general manager, RBI, Bengaluru, while Nitta Gelattin complied with the Sebi rules when Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), one of the promoters, replaced its board nominee T P Thomaskutty with Dr M Beena, IAS. Inditrade Capital brought Debanshi Basu on board on March 26 while Kitex Garments appointed Sindhu Chandrasekhar as whole-time director on March 12. Manappuram Finance appointed Amla Samanta, who is MD of the Mumbai-based Synermed Biologicals. The Thrissur-based South Indian Bank appointed Ranjana S Salgaocar, a former director of Syndicate Bank.

The board with most number of women (two) among Kerala companies are Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services (Franciska Decuypere, nominee of BNP Paribas and Dr M Beena, representing KSIDC), Aluva-based Federal Bank (Shubhalakshmi Panse, an independent director, and Grace Elizabeth Koshie, a director) and Kochouseph Chittilappilly-promoted V-Guard Industries (Joshna Mithun, wife of MD Mithun K Chittilappilly, and Jayasree K, company secretary). AVT Natural Products appointed Shanthi Thomas on March 23. Pamela Anna Mathew, of OEN India, which was a listed company until 2007, said she wished the one-woman rule was introduced at least 15 years ago.

“Had it been, we would have seen many more corporates emerging to create wealth for the nation and for the people behind the initiative. The late introduction of the rule, which is an acceptance and acknowledgement of the capabilities and effectiveness of women in the corporate world, is certainly appreciated,” she told ‘Express’, in an earlier interaction.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Business> News / by Rajesh Abraham / March 30th, 2015

O V Vijayan’s Historic ‘Njattupura’ Dedicated to Nation

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel
Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph dedicating the renovated ‘Njattupura’ in Thazrak village to the nation in Kodumbu panchayat in Palakkad on Sunday. District Collector P Marykutty Isaac is also seen
Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph dedicating the renovated ‘Njattupura’ in Thazrak village to the nation in Kodumbu panchayat in Palakkad on Sunday. District Collector P Marykutty Isaac is also seen

Palakkad :

The state government has decided to sanction another `50 lakh for the O V Vijayan cultural complex being set up in Thazrak village in Kodumbu panchayat in the district, said Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph.

He was speaking after dedicating the renovated ‘Njattupura’ to the nation at Thazrak village here on Sunday.

Joseph said that the classic work of O V Vijayan, Khazakinte Ithihasam, is deeply ingrained in the literature and culture of the state. The land which formed the backdrop of the novel, the lifestyle and customs of its inhabitants should be preserved for posterity.

O V Vijayan has immortalised Thazrak village and its native people through his novel.

The Minister said that the O V Vijayan Memorial Committee had received `1 crore in the last four years.

The renovated ‘Njattupura’ is now part of history. The real life counterparts of characters in ‘Khazakinte Ithihasam’, Mymoona and Kittu, were honoured on the occasion by the Minister.

The Minister handed over the keys of renovated ‘Njattupura’ to District Collector P Marykutty at the function.

Prizes were awarded to Subhash V R of University College, Thiruvananthapuram, Soumya P R of Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam and Neetha P M of NSS College, Ottappalam as part of the paper presentation contest organised by O V Vijayan Memorial Committee.

Committee president K Sasikumar presided over the meet. Kodumbu panchayat member K. Janaki spoke.

Memorial committee secretary Azeez Master welcomed the gathering and committee member P Mohana Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.

Legislative Assembly members K Achuthan and Shafi Parambil were among the present.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by  Express News Service / March 30th, 2015

New Brain Scanning Method for Early Detection of Autism

Science & Technology, World Opinion

Kozhikode :

For years, scientists have been trying to find out the reasons behind autism and to formulate effective treatment methods.

In a breakthrough, for the first time, a team led by Rajesh Kanna of University of Alabama at Birmingham has used different types of brain scanning techniques to understand how the brain of people with autism is organised and connected.

“We studied the structure, function, chemical level, and connectivity of the brain of people with autism,” said Rajesh, who hails from Karivellur Panchayat in Kannur district.

In an e-mail interview    with ‘Express’ from the US, he said that the importance of the study using multimodal neuroimaging-based classification would help to diagnose autism at an early age, when the brain is at formative stage and the intervention will be more effective.

Neuroimaging research will help in improving and supporting the diagnosis of autism, and enhance the pace of diagnostic process, he said.    “The important aspect is its approach in using multiple brain imaging modalities. Such an approach emerges from the fact that behaviorally complex disorders like autism may entail complex neurobiology. Focal brain markers may not explain such disorders. And we may have our best bet in using multiple levels of measurements in order to identify biomarkers for this disorder,” he adds.

“The findings of this study provided a comprehensive picture of the complex brain pathology in autism spectrum disorders. In advancing the field, this study emphasises that the brain abnormalities in autism may not be confined to a single area, rather, it will be distributed across different areas at multiple levels and layers,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by C P Sajit / March 30th, 2015