Innovation Varsity in Kerala

As per this report in Hindu, Kochi is among 14 places across the country identified by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for setting up a world class innovation university. These universities will be self-sustainable, not-for-profit legal entity with surplus revenue invested for the growth and development of the university, functioning privately, independently and separately under its own 'board of governors' in a chosen subject or theme.

Kerala is different where good cannot happen so easily even if it is bestowed. Read this follow-up story.

Comments

Post a Comment

You are requested to comment your thoughts and join the discussion.

Popular posts from this blog

Varkeys Supermarket: Is end nearby?

Varkeys Bakery and Supermarket went out of stock for more than two weeks. Customers were returned saying there are some supplier issues which have been sorted out. According to media reports , Varkeys is facing liquidity crunch. Varkeys is reported to have 59 stores across Kerala in different formats generating Rs.180 crore in turnover. Varkeys is now looking for PE funds , which would be slightly difficult to come by as they have failed in an earlier attempt and there are cases of Subhiksha and Vishal Retail winding up or looking for fund infusion. Varkeys is the pioneer in organised retail in Kerala and is known for quality of products they sell but utmost professionalism was always missing. It is widely believed that rapid expansion has brought Varkeys in to this soup. Competition also is hardening with new organised players coming every now and then which includes Margin Free, Reliance and Big Bazaar. There are also neighbourhood stores morphing in to supermarket, as they are ...
Read more

Apple A Day Properties and Malayalam Dailies

'Apple A Day' properties is one of the real estate developers in Kerala who uses all mass media for their marketing activities. Today Hindu and Express  reported about a police raid at their offices. Reports indicate that there are many buyers who are waiting for their projects to be handed over for more than two years. Complete picture of the issue is not known. The company website seems to be down and a Google search indicates that there are many people with complaints about the builder. What should make buyers and public worry is not the incident, whose exact picture is yet to be known, but the attitude of mainstream media towards it. Leading Malayalam dailies, Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi have avoided this information in their dailies and found space for everything parochial and frivolous. Who are they serving, reader's interest or advertiser's interest?
Read more

Emmanuel Silks on offensive

Thank god the marketing blitzkrieg by Emmanuel Silks is over. The brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan was on all advertising mediums (except social media) inviting people for inauguration of their branch in Kochi. Kochi was on a roll. Textile retailing in Kochi is an attractive market dominated by Jayalakshmi and Seematti for decades. They make the weddings happen in and around Kochi. Many players entered the market in the last 5-8 years like Kalyan, Chennai Silks and Joyalukkas. But none of them can claim to have made large enough market for themselves. They are well known brands but still most of the prospective customers are lenient towards Jayalakshmi or Seematti. This could be a wrong footed prediction but I believe Chennai Silks will close their branch in Kochi soon. There was a brand called Remanika that came up in 90s next to Seematti with much fanfare. They closed down with in one year. History tells that in last 25 years there was none who gave a decent f...
Read more